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FR. MAHER'S KNIGHTLY NEWS
Founded April 21, 1976 * District 30 * McNamara Chapter Member
"As Knights we are constantly observed, our faith judged, and our order appreciated."
February 2010
VOLUME XXXIV ISSUE 8
Download PDF Version of Current Newsletter
(1.6 MB)
Newsletter Contents:
Grand Knight's Message
by SK Paul D. McFarlane, Grand Knight
Good Brothers and Gentle Ladies: If you attended the Friday, January 22, 2010 March for Life, please contact Brother Marco Colombini, Council Pro-Life Activities Director about your involvement. He may be reached at colombini@umd.edu. He is compiling a report on this year’s March and your input will be most valuable; thank you in advance.
Have you called Don Hemke to volunteer for our 34th Annual Pancake and Sausage Day at St. John’s Episcopal Church Hall? This year, it will be held on our Saturday, February 27. This is our joint event with the Lions Club and all proceeds benefit our College Scholarship Fund. See the flier attached to this newsletter.
Please pray your rosary for the Haitian people injured, displaced, orphaned, and otherwise affected by the two (2) earthquakes that devastated their country. May all the souls of the faithfully departed, through God’s mercy, rest in peace.
Fraternal Benefits
IT TAKES MORE THAN MONEY
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 – require 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 guarantee purchase option. Think about that! The ability to secure additional insurance, depending on the amount of your option, on a guarantee 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.
Call me today for an appointment. I want to hear from you.
Fraternally, Rick Morin, FICF, LUTCF Your KofC Benefits Advisor 301.384.7627
Haitian Disasters - What Can I Do?
by Paul D. McFarlane
In just this first month of 2010, the Haitian people have suffered two earthquakes that brought widespread devastation to this already impoverished nation. These disasters were preceded by three (3) hurricanes in the preceding two (2) months! Sadly enough, Haiti is known to have the weakest economy in this hemisphere. We pray that God will rest the souls of the deceased.
Meanwhile, the survivors and those of us in other parts of the world have mobilized to provide assistance. It may seem a daunting task to help the vast numbers of those injured or left homeless or orphaned or simply trying to locate their families. Yet, we as Christians know that we have the greatest Helper on our side and theirs! Haiti’s population is 80 percent Catholic. Let us resolve, with them, to keep our faith strong and all the efforts on Haiti’s behalf honest and pure.
It should give us hope to know that many Department of Health and Human Services Commissioned Corps Officers have been deployed to serve on the US Navy's hospital ship, the USNS Comfort. Physicians on this floating hospital are providing care to thousands of Haitians. US citizens trying to locate family members in Haiti may contact the State Department at 1-888-407-4747.
It’s important that our outreach is made through trustworthy organizations. One of those is Catholic Relief Services at www.catholicreliefservices.com. Another good website to visit to learn what aide can be provided to the Haitian people is: www.cidi.org/incident/Haiti-10a. It provides up-to-date information on humanitarian efforts and lists several organizations that are legally operating to provide aide and disaster relief. Also, the American Red Cross is one of the pre-eminent aide providers in the world. Their website is american.redcross.org/supporthaiti. Please consider these organizations as part of your outreach.
It’s for the Birds
by Paul D. McFarlane
A pastime of mine is building birdhouses during the Winter to place them in early Spring. My practice is to clean them out in the late Fall to serve as shelter for winter birds. I also enjoy feeding them seed and suet during these blustery months. It’s my way of helping them and allows me to enjoy watching the many bird species during this time of year. I got too busy to clean out their houses in the late Fall. So nesting material from last year’s inhabitants remained for the wintering birds to use as warmth. Turns out, my winged friends are fighting over the yet-to-be renovated aerial real estate as they seek shelter from the bitter cold!
My good friends at the Backyard Naturalist, here in Olney, MD, tell me that I did the right thing to leave the birdhouses up. However, I should have cleaned them out, since birds are masters at finding nesting materials all year-round. Also, the birds prefer to gather their own nesting material. Well, so much for my “helpfulness.” My wife and I continue to fill the suet and seed feeders and we place treats for the squirrels too, but at a good distance from the bird food. We believe that our Lord intends us to share our plenty with nature and we get so much enjoyment from it! Isn’t that what giving is all about? We should never give with the objective of receiving. And it is in giving that we receive so much!
Food for Families – February Giving!
by Paul D. McFarlane
We should all have a ‘zero tolerance’ for any of our fellow Montgomery County residents going hungry! Our Council is active in giving and feeding the hungry in several ways. For instance, our financial donations to So Others Might Eat (SOME) through both St. Patrick’s and St. Peter’s parishes and participation in serving meals there and bagging groceries during the holiday months, etc. For the month of February 2010, let’s show how big our hearts are by doing the following: At each of our three (3) monthly meetings (FEB/3–Executive, FEB/10–Business, and FEB/24–Social) please bring along a non-perishable (packaged or canned) food item, one (1) for each member of your household.
We will have boxes at these meeting venues to collect the items and will deliver them to Olney Help. This organization as well as SOME is marking its 40th year of providing short-term emergency assistance in the form of food, money, and/or access to resources to residents of Olney, Brookeville, Sandy Spring, and Ashton. In making these February contributions, our Council can have one more way to aid the needy and to participate in Maryland State Knights of Columbus Food for Families Program. Call me on 301-570-5508 with questions or other suggestions related to this cause and thank you in advance for your generosity.
Good of the Order
Good news is welcome even if it’s a bit late in coming...
New Fortune Restaurant
16515 S. Frederick Ave. (Rt. 355)
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
» » » Reservations and payment due Saturday, April 17th « « «
Cost: $26 per person - Make check payable to: Fr. Maher Council 6793
Homer Chen (301) 460-0580 Homerchen14@gmail.com
Paul McFarlane (301) 570-5508 pmknight6793kofc@verizon.net
Table of 10 may be reserved and guests are welcome!
Knights of Columbus
Council #6793
Lenten Fish Fry Dinner
Fried Cod, Fish Sticks, French Fries
Apple Sauce, Salad, Bread
Beer, Wine, Soft Drinks, Coffee/Tea
Fridays
Feb 26 - Mar 5 - Mar 26
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Eat and Attend Stations of the Cross at 7:15 PM
St. Peter's Parish Hall
(Olney - Route 108 East of Georgia Avenue)
Donations at the Door
For further information, Please call:
Innocent d'Almeida 301-871-6156
Paul McFarlane 301-570-5508
March for Life
Heavy overnight rain finally tapered off just as Washington’s annual March for Life began on January 22, 2010. Thousands of members of the Knights of Columbus, young and old alike, were among those who listened to speakers at a rally preceding the march on the Mall. Supreme Secretary Donald Kehoe led everyone in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and provided exciting news about a new Knights of Columbus/Marist College Opinion Poll:
I want to thank everyone who is here. Year after year, in season and out of season, we will keep marching on Washington until we get the change this country really needs. And the thing we need to change is the culture. We must build a culture of life, where every life - born and unborn - is respected and protected, and where women faced with difficult situations know that they are not alone, and that they will get the help they deserve.
A Knights of Columbus/Marist College Poll released today confirms what we have long known. It found that 56% of Americans, a clear majority, consider abortion “morally wrong.” Just 25% think abortion is not a moral issue, and only 19% - less than 2 out of 10 people - consider abortion “morally acceptable.” Increasingly, Americans, especially young Americans - 59% of those 18-29 years old - know that we need change when it comes to abortion, and we will not stop marching until Roe v. Wade is changed, once and for all.
The nearly 1.8 million Knights of Columbus, many thousands of whom are here today, are proud to choose life. And since the Knights of Columbus led the campaign to have Congress add the words “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance, it is my honor to invite you to join me as we recite it together.
Although many of the marchers came from states along the Atlantic coast, Knights from throughout the Midwest were also well represented. The Indiana state council organized a group of more than 200 Knights and family members for this year’s march, and Ohio, Michigan and other Midwestern states were represented as well.
According to the Washington Examiner newspaper, unofficial estimates of the size of the crowd at the March ranged from 250,000 to 400,000 and perhaps the largest crowd ever. The West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco drew an estimated 40,000 participants, who braved a hard, steady rain to publicly witness to their opposition to abortion.
Knights Send Relief to Haiti
Knights of Columbus donations from state and local councils and from individual members for Haiti earthquake relief exceeded $144,000 twelve days after the January 12 disaster. $135,000 of the total came from the US, and $9,000 came from Canada. The donations are in addition to the $50,000 contribution made by the Supreme Council to Catholic Relief Services immediately following the earthquake. The period during which online donations to the United in Charity Fund will be earmarked for Haiti relief has been extended to February 8, 2010. Donors may also send checks, which should include the words “Haiti earthquake relief” on the memo line. Go to: kofc.org/un/eb/en/about/charities/UIC_donate.html
8:00a.m. to 2:00p.m.
St. John's Episcopal Church Hall (Olney)
Olney-Laytonsville Road (Rt. 108), Olney, MD
(Across from Olney Library)
Your participation benefits The Lions Club's "Community Activities
Fund" and our Council's "College Scholarship Fund"
GIVE IT A SHOT!
ENTER THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
COUNCIL 6793
BASKETBALL FREE-THROW CHAMPIONSHIP!
February - March 2010 Calendar
| February 3 (WED) | Council Executive Meeting, Cottage on Marians Grounds, 7:30 PM |
| February 10 (WED) | [CANCELLED] Council Business Meeting - moved to 2/24 |
| February 12 (FRI) | President Lincoln's Birthday; observed on Monday, 2/15/2010 |
| February 13 (SAT) | Council 6793 Basketball Free-Throw Contest, OLGC, Gym (11AM-1PM) |
| February 14 (SUN) | Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year |
| February 17 (WED) | Ash Wednesday, Lent Begins |
| February 20 (SAT) | District 30 Basketball Free-Throw Contest, Mother of God School Gaithersburg (1-3 PM) |
| February 20 (SAT) | Tootsie Roll proceeds distributed at St. Raphael Church's "Trumpet Room" |
| February 22 (MON) | President George Washington's Birthday |
| February 24 (WED) | Council Business Meeting - Makeup of 2/10 Meeting, OLGC** 7:30 PM, Room #120 |
| February 26 (FRI) | Lenten Family Fish Fry at St. Peter's Parish Hall (5 to 7 PM) |
| February 27 (SAT) | 34th Annual Pancake & Sausage Day-St. John's Episcopal Church Hall (8 AM-2 PM)* |
| February 27 (SAT) | State Basketball Free-Throw Contest, Archbishop Spalding H.S., Severn, MD (12-3PM) |
| March 3 (WED) | Council Executive Meeting, Cottage on Marians Grounds, 7:30 PM |
| March 5 (FRI) | Lenten Family Fish Fry at St. Peter's Parish Hall (5 to 7 PM) |
| March 10 (WED) | Council Business Meeting, OLGC** 7:30 PM, Room #120 |
| March 17 (WED) | St. Patrick's Day - Wear Your Green! |
| March 24 (WED) | Council Social - Rosary and Stone Soup Meal at St. Peter's 7:30 PM |
| March 25 (THU) | Annunciation of the Lord and Knights of Columbus Day of the Unborn Child |
| March 26 (FRI) | Lenten Family Fish Fry at St. Peter's Parish Hall (5 to 7 PM) |
| March 28 (SUN) | Palm Sunday |
| March 29 (MON) | Knights of Columbus Founder's Day [March 29, 1882] |
| *Look for details of this event elsewhere in this newsletter or on the Council website. | |
| **Our Lady of Good Counsel High School (See Council website for directions.) | |
| For information or to participate in any of the above events call Paul McFarlane, GK on 301-570-5508 | |