Knights of Columbus Larabida Council 1191 December 2016 Founded 1907 Meeting Night: Third Thursday of each month 7:00-8:30 PM Knights of Columbus Todays Knights: What We Do From the moment of our founding in 1882, charity has been the first principle of the Knights of Columbus. We are men of faith and men of action. In 2015, the Knights of Columbus set a new all-time record for the 17th consecutive year. Our charitable donations increased from 2014 by more than $1.5 million to a new total of $175,079,192. In addition, we achieved our highest level of charitable service in 2015, volunteering more than 73.5 million hours of service. The number of service hours contributed by Knights rose in 2015 by more than a million over the previous year s total. Our charitable activities encompass an almost infinite variety of local, national and international projects. From international charitable partnerships with Special Olympics, the Global Wheelchair Mission and Habitat for Humanity to our own Food for Families and Coats for Kids projects and other local charities, the opportunity to work together with fellow Knights and their families is virtually endless. "We are answering Pope Francis call to go to the peripheries, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said. We can reach half way around the globe to help those in need and we can reach to our neighbor next door. And we do that every day. That makes us witnesses to the faith." If you d like to be a part of an international organization of more than 1.9 million Catholic men whose principal work involves helping others in need, we'd like to meet you and invite you to join us. http://www.kofc.org/un/en/todays-knights/what-we-do.html Grand Knight Corner: Mickey Kelly - Hope everyone have a Merry Christmas and wonderful 2017. Take time for some reflection on how you can grow closer to God and how to not be afraid of the secular culture. Don't forget to recruit new Catholic gentlemen 18 and over to our order who is in good standings with the church. 1
Pro-Life Report: Guy Vacca - President-elect Donald Trump has selected Dr. Tom Price as his nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services. The Congressman from Atlanta, Georgia was an orthopedic surgeon and assistant professor at Emory University. He is currently chairman of the House Budget Committee. He is a foe of abortion, Planned Parenthood and embryonic stem cell research, His biggest responsibility, under Trump, will be dismantling Obamacare. Patriotic Report: Robert Moran - Americans will observe the 75 th anniversary if the Day of Infamy. The Observance follows the Oct.8 burial of Father Aloysius Schmitt, the hero Catholic Navy chaplain killed at Pearl Harbor aboard the USS Oklahoma when the ship was hit by Japanese torpedoes and capsized. In September, the Military announced that Father Schmitt's remains had been identified, and they were returned to his native Iowa and laid to rest with full military honors in a crypt at Christ the King Chapel, dedicated to his memory after its construction in 1947, on the campus of his alma mater, Loras College, in Dubuque. Photo courtesy of The Visitor. - Catholic War Veterans (CWV) National Convention 6-13 August 2017 St. Louis, Missouri http://archdioceseforthemilitaryservicesusa.cmail20.com/t/d-l-ddhjltdnhrkysdd-m/ Upcoming Events: - Keystone Boys Choir concert on 4 December 2016-75 th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor 7 December 2016 - Christmas Party 15 December 2016 - Chapter Meeting at Roman Catholic High School 20 January 2017 (bring membership card) - 43 rd March for Life Philadelphia bus trip to DC. (Departure from SFX, 24 th & Green St at 7AM and return around 6PM on 27 January 2017. Cost $30.00 per member, $35.00 per nonmember. POC Guy Vacca 2
News: We encourage you to read Parish Priest, a book that focuses on Father McGivney's priestly identity, his heart and manner. http://www.parishpriest.org/en//index.html Prayer for the Canonization of Father Michael J. McGivney God, our Father, protector of the poor and defender of the widow and orphan, you called your priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, to be an apostle of Christian family life and to lead the young to the generous service of their neighbor. Through the example of his life and virtue may we follow your Son, Jesus Christ, more closely, fulfilling his commandment of charity and building up his Body which is the Church. Let the inspiration of your servant prompt us to greater confidence in your love so that we may continue his work of caring for the needy and the outcast. We humbly ask that you glorify your venerable servant Father Michael J. McGivney on earth according to the design of your holy will. Through his intercession, grant the favor I now present (here make your request). Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Our Father Hail Mary Glory be to the Father http://www.fathermcgivney.org/mcg/en/guild/prayer/canonization.pdf Journey To The Inn In an increasingly secular world, many Catholics are faced with the difficulty of sharing the faith. With the bustle of Christmas shopping and the frequent removal of religious imagery from Christmas displays, it seems that communities have forgotten the incredible gift of Christ and the beauty of his birth. Facing similar concerns when first introducing Christ to the New World, Franciscan missionaries in the 16th century found that simple re-enactments of the story of Christ s birth could touch the hearts of those they encountered. The Spanish missionaries referred to these ceremonies as Las Posadas meaning the inns or the shelters as they gave emphasis to Mary and Joseph s search for shelter before Our Savior s birth. The tradition of the Posada helps us to remember the first Christmas in a way that unites people of faith from throughout the American continent, said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. This event will bring together people of many cultures, highlighting the fact that faith and the celebration of Christmas transcend any differences we may have. These festivities have remained popular throughout Latin America and the southwestern United States, yet children and adults from all cultural backgrounds can use similar celebrations to embrace the true meaning of the Christmas season and share the joy of Christ s birth. 3
For ideas on how to adapt this tradition to your own community, councils can turn to Journey to the Inn: An Advent Celebration (#9898). Through this booklet, the Order hopes to bring a sharing of various cultural Christmas celebrations to all Knights and their families. www.kofc.org Action Steps To organize a successful Journey to the Inn program in your parish, your council should: 1. Share the online copy of the program booklet with your pastor and discuss the possibility of hosting the program at your parish. Be sure to talk with him prior to the First Sunday of Advent and explain how the program can be adapted according to the needs of the families who participate. 2. Choose a date during Advent to host the event. Be sure this date is acceptable to your pastor. 3. Order copies of the Journey to the Inn booklet once the date is set. Complete your order as soon as possible, to be sure the materials arrive well in advance of your event. 4. Appoint a committee to work with your chaplain on additional event details, such as selecting prayers, readings and event assignments. 5. Promote the celebration at all events and Masses at your parish several weeks before Advent begins. 6. Recruit council members and parishioners to volunteer. Invite young performers to play the different roles and request families to help set up outdoor stations and design costumes. Larabida Council 1191 Contacts: Grand Knight: Mickey Kelly Deputy Grand Knight: Ron Withoph Chancellor: Tim Murphy Recorder: Bob Carr Treasurer: Dave Eget Advocate: Al Fisher Warden: Dominic Vigilante Inside Guards: Joe Sweeney Bill Welsh Outside Guards: Robert Moran Dan McPeake Trustees: Bob Coyle Bob McGovern Guy Vacca Chaplain: Fr. Paul Convery Financial Secretary: Joe Kelly mickeykelly96@gmail.com murphytimothy@comcast.net leonracarr@comcast.net davideget@gmail.com mrmeeks924@gmail.com william.welsh@mygait.com Robert.Lee.Moran@hotmail.com dmcp2939@verizon.net mgvacca1@verizon.net joejr.58@hotmail.com 4
Lecturer: Guy Vacca mgvacca1@verizon.net Links: Knights of Columbus homepage www.kofc.org Knights of Columbus Insurance http://www.kofc.org/un/en/insurance/contact.html Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle, Be our protection against the malice and snares of the devil. We humbly beseech God to command him, And do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, By the divine power thrust into hell Satan And the other evil spirits who roam through the world Seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. 5
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