Knights of Columbus Council 6793

Father Maher's Knightly News is
published monthly by:

Knights of Columbus
Fr. Peter Paul Maher Council 6793
P.O. Box 570
Olney, Maryland 20830

Please e-mail your articles in WORD
format by the 20th of each month to:
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We began the month of February with a few Knights and many parishioners again completing a super successful "Letter Writing Campaign" at St. Peter’s, with 1,280 letters signed and mailed to appropriate state delegates. Certainly, their efforts strongly support the Maryland Catholic Conference’s goal to persuade the State of Maryland to provide counseling, pre-natal care, job training, and housing for pregnant women in need. We ended the month of February with a successful 32nd Annual Pancake and Sausage Day. March is a very busy month, filled with Church, Community, Council, Family, and Youth Activities for everybody’s participation!

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please call me at (301) 929-1425 or email me at harry.bushar@verizon.net

When we celebrate our Easter liturgy this coming March 23rd we are actually bringing to a completion the one continuous liturgy which began on Holy Thursday. It may be a challenge for us to think in terms of one great liturgy occurring over the course of three days. The key to understanding this is to view it through the lens of Divine Mystery. The passion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus into glory constitute one great realty: the Paschal Mystery.

Holy Thursday is not devoid of Christ’s passion and death; His resurrection is not absent on Good Friday; the cross is not missing from the Easter liturgy. All are present in the whole of the mystery. While each of the three days has a dominant focus, the three days form a whole that brings us to encounter Jesus in His passion, death and resurrection. Through this great, extended liturgy we are all invited to die and rise to new life in Jesus.

It is the time in the Fraternal Year, 2007 – 2008, that Grand Knight’s are the busiest, with paperwork due to Supreme, the State Deputy, and the District Deputy. Each Council should have by now completed it’s Semiannual Council Audit Report, with copies due to each of those named above.

Third Quarter Surge for Service reports should be well on the way to completion and ready for submission. The time between the submission of the Second and Third Quarter Reports is shortened in order that plaques and certificates that need to be ordered and produced, many and varied, have sufficient time allowed for their manufacture. Grand Knights need to give this their special attention.

For those Knights representing their Council at the State Convention, Credentials must be completed and signed, and forwarded to the State Secretary. Make sure that each copy contains the Seal of your Council.

The summary of the progress of the Council during the Fraternal Year is presented in the Annual Book of Reports. This is a major undertaking by the current Grand Knight, for the writing of this report tells exactly what programs, in the various Surge for Service Program area, were participated in by the Council, and to what depth was that participation.

Hopefully, each Grand Knight will expend some time and energy in the writing of this report, and get the report to the State Executive Secretary on time.

Most commodities can be bought provided you: 1) Have the money, 2) can find a willing seller, and 3) can agree on a satisfactory price. In like manner, most investments -- real estate, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, bank accounts -- required only an arm's length agreement and a deal is struck. All it takes is money!

There is one notable exception to the above statements. The purchase of life insurance. When the purchase of life insurance is considered, in addition to setting aside dollars, the prospective insured must prove that he is in good health. If a man is deemed to be "uninsurable", no amount of money will make this commodity available to him.

The ability to qualify for life insurance is an asset that is temporary at best. Without warning, your health can fail, and you may never be able to add to your life insurance program. Other hazards may prevent you from qualifying -- occupation, character, even old age. What would happen if you suddenly woke up and decided to buy life insurance, but had lost your ability to qualify for it? Ever think about that?

I can tell you about our guaranteed purchase option. Think of that! The ability to secure additional insurance, depending on the amount of your option, on a guaranteed basis -- without necessarily being in good health. This option can be added at issue of a new certificate up through age 37. Find out at your convenience how little it costs to guarantee the right to increase your protection.

Once again the Peter Paul Maher Council of the Knights of Columbus is sponsoring an Hour of Prayer to be held on Divine Mercy Sunday. This will occur on Sunday, March 30 from 3:00 to 4:00 PM at St. Patrick's Church. The significance of this particular feast was so important to our late Holy Father John Paul II, that he has attached the opportunity for a Plenary Indulgence for all those who participate in its observance. All Brother Knights and their families are encouraged to attend. Additional details will be forthcoming in our parish bulletins.

For additional information please contact Tom McManus at tjmcmanus@verizon.net or via telephone, at 301-990-4105.

To begin with new year in 2008, we have three new members who took their First Degrees on January 23 during our Council meeting. Let’s extend a warm welcome to Rev. Fr. Gregory S. Coan, Gregory F. Intoccia, and Joseph I. Okoye. Our Council has scheduled a First Degree on March 26, 2008. We have plenty time to talk to our friends, co-workers, family members and fellow parishioners, and invite them to join us.

For membership information, please call Jack Giacalone at (301) 774-6338 or Homer Chen at (301) 460-0580.

A very generous Brother Knight in our Council, who wishes to remain anonymous, would like to challenge our fellow Brothers to donate to the Seminarian Fund. He will match all donations up to $1000. Please be generous in your donations and know that your gifts will have double the impact.

Council shirts are now available for $20. They are Maroon in color, Gildan Ultra Blend, 6.5 ounce, 50/50 cotton, poly pique knit sport shirts for men and women. The K of C insignia is just above the left pocket. We currently have all sizes available, medium, large, extra large and 2 extra large. To order your shirts please call Jack Giacalone at 301-774-6338. Thank you.

You have seen the revised 2008 Council budget in the January newsletter. Council trustees had to restructure the council budget for the remainder of the 2007-2008 Fraternal Year to offset a shortfall in our revenue producing events including the Spring raffle, State Car Raffle, Entertainment Books, Tootsie Roll Drive, Art Auction, and Spaghetti Dinners. As the Financial Secretary of the Council, I routinely am involved in the financial well being of the Council. However, that is not my primary purpose here.

Even more important than revenue $$ to the Council, is the lack of Council membership participation in our many Council events. We aren’t asking for a major commitment like the Council Officers. Rather, we would like you to make an effort to support 2-3 Council activities during the entire Fraternal Year (1 July 07 – 30 June 08). Is this asking too much to help us keep our promised support of the Catholic Church and charities in the Community? How may of you have ever supported the Halloween Party at the Inwood House? I know many of the long-time Council members have supported the Tootsie Roll Drive in the past, but where have you been lately? Where has your family been lately?

When is the last time you attended a "Communion Breakfast or Brunch"? The role of committed Catholics today is more important than ever before. We need all of our Brother Knights to help us "Live the Faith" in our everyday lives. We could use your help with our Spaghetti Dinners, and the upcoming Pancake and Sausage Day with the Lions Club in February. While we all feel better, personally, doing good works, we will also be helping the Council continue its vital support of Seminarians for the Church! The more funds available, the more support to the Seminarians is possible.

Will we see your smiling faces again at our future Council events? You won’t be disappointed.

In keeping with changes at the MD State Council Level, our Council continues to evolve to electronic mail for the monthly newsletter. The newsletter is already available on the Council Website. Each member of the Council is asked to provide an email address to the Financial Secretary with the payment of 2008 dues and/or issuing 2008 membership cards. There will be some brothers who do not or cannot use electronic mail. These members will continue to receive the monthly newsletter by US Post Office Mail. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call Don Hemke (301-774-7511) the Council Financial Secretary.

On Saturday, March 15, from noon until 1 PM, our Council will host its 3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt for children 10 and under. The event will take place on the grounds of the Marian Assisted Living Facility, off of Georgia Avenue in Brookville. Just follow the signs once you turn onto the grounds. Prizes will be awarded to children for finding the specially marked eggs. All children will receive a bag of Easter candy and there will be Cookies and punch for everyone. So come join the fun, I know the kids will love it.

So that we may better estimate the number of participants, please contact Harry Bushar at (301) 929-1425 or harrybushar@verizon.net to let me know how many children you will be bringing. In the event of inclement weather, please go to our web site, www.kofc6793.org, for updated information. Thank You.

We are once again offering these great jackets for council members and their spouses. These are excellent quality mid weight Jackets, they are Maroon in color with black fleece lining. The KoC 3rd degree emblem is embroidered the left side with Knights of Columbus Fr. Peter Paul Maher Council, Olney MD, circling the emblem. Your name will also be embroidered on the right side. We have already ordered and delivered over 30 jackets from our 1st order.

Jackets will be approximately $55 each, and the more we order the less they will be. This is not a fund raiser so our cost is your cost. We want to let everyone know that the Knights of Columbus are well and living in Olney.

Please call me to see, try on and order these great jackets. I would like to place our order no later than Monday, March 17th. Thank You, Jack Giacalone – 301-774-6338.

Knights of Columbus, Fr. Peter Paul Maher Council # 6793 is pleased to announce that we will once again offer scholarships to deserving high school seniors who have been accepted as full time students to an accredited college or university following their senior year. Under the "Fr. Canice Treacy Memorial Scholarship Fund" any graduating high school senior (Catholic or non-Catholic) is eligible to apply for a grant. The deadline for application submissions is Friday, May 9, 2008. Scholarships will be awarded on June 25, 2008.

The 2008 Dues letters have been mailed to you. If you have not yet returned your 2008 dues payment, PLEASE DO IT NOW! Be sure to also include your desire to receive council electronic communications using your email address. Of course, the council will honor all requests to keep current mail service communications where needed and/or desired. The Council will keep everyone informed on actual E-Business implementation plans.

Please join us, on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at the Grotto of our Blessed Mother, next to the Cottage on the grounds of the Marian Assisted Living Center, off of Georgia Avenue in Brookville to recite the rosary. You do not have to be a member of the Knights of Columbus to participate and please remember to bring your Rosaries.

Soup, bread and soft drinks will be served at the cottage following the Rosary. We will meet at the cottage at 7:30 PM and walk over to the grotto.

Is inflammation the root of all disease? Acute inflammation is characterized by the redness, heat, swelling, and pain that are the immune system’s normal response to infection or injury. Immune cells congregate at the site so that they can overwhelm and dispose of infectious organisms or debris from injury. Thus healing takes place. But there’s another kind of inflammation—low-grade, chronic, and "systemic." It’s been getting a lot of attention lately. Why it may be dangerous. The reason you hear so much about this kind of inflammation is that it may underlie a kind of "unified field" explanation of disease. That is, some researchers now believe that low-grade inflammation is associated with everything from heart disease and diabetes to Alzheimer’s and arthritis, and may even be the cause of most chronic diseases.

This is not an entirely new theory. Inflammation was implicated in cancer many years ago. There is an easy way to test for inflammation, since it can prompt the liver to produce a protein in the blood known as C-reactive protein (CRP). Elevated levels of CRP often accompany or signal an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. This may help explain why many people who get heart attacks have normal blood cholesterol levels and no other identifiable risk factors.

Should you get tested? The CRP test has been in use for some time. It costs less than $50 and can be done when your cholesterol levels are checked, but so far is not routine. I f you are at borderline or intermediate risk for heart disease, talk to your doctor about testing. If your CRP level is high, your doctor may encourage you even more to take the steps below, or perhaps to take a statin or other medication.

How to "tamp down" inflammation. The same steps that help prevent cardiovascular disease may reduce chronic inflammation:

This article is supported by the Wellness Letter, University of California, and Berkeley.

Spaghetti, Sauce, Meatballs
Italian Bread, Mixed Salad, Dessert
Iced Tea, Orangeade

For more information or to volunteer to help with this event
please call Harry at 301-929-1425

March 2	4th Degree Exemplification - University of Maryland
March 5	Council Executive Meeting - Cottage - 7:30 PM
March 8	*Spaghetti Dinner - St. Peter's - 6-7:30 PM
March 9	Membership Drive - St. Peter's - All Masses
March 12	Council Business Meeting - 7:30 PM - Olney Inn Room
March 15	*3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt - Marian Assisted Living Center 12 - 1 PM
March 18	*Lenten Living Rosary and Soup Kitchen - Cottage - Grotto 7:30 PM
March 20	Sullivan Brothers Assembly Regular Meeting - 8 PM
March 26	Council Social Meeting - 1st Degree - 7:30 PM - Olney Inn Room
March 30	*Divine Mercy Icon Prayer Hour - St. Patrick's - 3:00 - 4:00 PM

April 2	Council Executive meeting - Cottage - 7:30 PM
April 6	*Spaghetti Dinner - St. Patrick's - 5 -7 PM
April 9	Council Business Meeting - 7:30 PM - Olney Inn Room
April 12	Mulch Sale - Olney Thrift Store - 8 AM - 5 PM
April 17	Sullivan Brothers Assembly Pot Luck Meeting - 7 PM
April 19	Cardinal's Charity Ball - L'Enfant Plaza Hotel 6 - 11 PM
April 23	Council Social Meeting - 7:30 PM - Olney Inn Room

* additional information in this newsletter

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