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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."
May 2010
VOLUME XXXIV ISSUE 11
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Newsletter Contents:
Grand Knight's Message
by SK Paul D. McFarlane, Grand Knight
Good Brothers and Gentle Ladies: I seem to always be thanking some or all of you for one reason or another and it’s always well deserved! My appreciation goes to everyone who made our 34th Anniversary Charter Dinner a great success! It was fun to celebrate with everybody and especially to gather members with whom we’ve not seen for a while. Special thanks go to Homer Chen, our expert Master of Ceremonies!
A Membership Blitz will be held on Saturday and Sunday (May 8/9) at St. Peter’s parish after each of the Masses. Please attend and help to grow our Order. At any Mass you attend, if you can’t stay to talk to potential members, at least introduce another Catholic gentleman to one of your Brother Knights who will be at one of the exits of the Church. Follow up by providing them with one of our “24-Hour Postcards” that you can obtain from me (301-570-5508) or Joe Krempasky, DGK (301-570-4891).
The month of May brings us many opportunities to demonstrate our Knightly virtues. It’s the month we dedicate to our Blessed Mother, Mary. Speak to her of your families’ intentions as you pray your rosary. Ask her for continued good health and blessings for all the women in your lives. This will put a new perspective on Mothers’ Day!
District Deputy Report
by John L. Durbin, District Deputy
Convention time is here and I hope all Grand Knights, delegates and alternates are already registered. The month of May will go very quickly for our district because of the many things that are going to take place. There is one 1st degree scheduled for May 6, 2009 at Our Lady of Guadalupe at 8:00pm and one scheduled for May 26, 2009 at Fr Maher Council at 7:30 pm candidates report at 7:00 pm. This is another opportunity to add to our number on our quest for Star Council. I encourage all members to call our Fraternal Benefits Advisor right away to set up an appointment to become part of our excellent benefits program. This is a part of helping your council achieve Star Council and it is a gift of love to those we love.
Grand Knights go into training now, to prepare for the Grand Knight Olympics at the beach. Grand Knights and the DW must be in excellent shape in order to outscore the other districts and prevent the possibility of a tie. Ties will be settled by the DD’s scores. It must not come to that!
May is when the slate of officers for the coming fraternal year must be announced before the election in June. Make sure all who are nominated have indicated their willingness to serve.
God bless you and your families. Vivat Jesus.
Pro-life News and Events
by Marco Colombini, Pro-Life Chairman
Pro-life legislative news: Actions of the Maryland Legislature (from a report of the Maryland Catholic Conference)
1. Legislation aimed at harassing and discrediting pro-life pregnancy centers DID NOT pass in the state legislature, but became law in Baltimore City and Montgomery County. The Archdiocese of Baltimore filed a lawsuit challenging the Baltimore bill.
2. A bill to give pregnant women the choice to view a sonogram of their baby was defeated…so much for informed consent
3. $10 million of our state tax money will be used to fund stem cell research (both adult and embryonic) this coming fiscal year. Legislation aimed at increasing transparency on how this money is spent was defeated. So, despite the tight budget, state money is still spent to kill human beings. Remember this when you vote for the next governor.
Fraternal Benefits
THINKING ABOUT A VACATION?
No doubt the signs of spring have had their effect on you. Initially, getting outdoors is the obvious thing to do. We start by poking around the garden, working on the lawn, attending softball practice, dusting off the gas grill.
Beneath it all we sense that vacation time is near. This pleases everyone. It doesn’t matter whether we are planning an elaborate vacation or will simply enjoy the company of our family at home – the feeling is the same. Vacations are fun.
If we’ve planned properly, chances are that some of our hard earned dollars have been set aside for this occasion. We recognize that if we plan to spend money in the pursuit of enjoyment, the ordinary fixed expenses – mortgage, utilities, etc. – must still be paid. So you need a “vacation fund”.
All of this makes good sense. The soundness of the idea is obvious. Isn’t it amazing that so many of us see the wisdom of planning for our vacations each summer, but fail to plan our long range vacation – retirement. The government has thought about it and encouraged your independence at retirement age. Your place of employment has probably thought about it and planned a pension for you.
The only one left is you…it’s time you thought about it. Find out how you can add to government and employer programs an amount sufficient to provide for you and yours.
After all, retirement is the longest vacation you’ll ever take. Call me today and we’ll plan it together.
Fraternally, Rick Morin -- Your KofC Agent -- 301.384.7627
Council 6793 New Officers Nominations
Nominations are being accepted for Council Officers of the coming fraternal year beginning July 1, 2010. Any third degree brother knight of this Council is eligible to be nominated for any of the officer positions. You may also nominate yourself if you wish. For information or to make nominations, please contact any member of the Nominating Committee. They are: Chairman, Homer Chen at (301) 460-0580, Bob Mazonkey at (301) 253-6274, and Innocent d’Almeida at (301) 871-6156. The election is scheduled to take place at the June 9, 2010 Business Meeting.
Council Social - Wednesday, June 23 at St. Patrick’s Hall
Keep Wednesday, June 23, 2010 open! It’s our final Social event of this fraternal year. We’ll gather at St. Patrick’s Parish Hall on Muncaster Mill Road to share a meal and recognize those High School Seniors being awarded college scholarships. We’ll also pull the lucky names for the three (3) cash prizes in our Spring Raffle!
Council families with a last name beginning with the letters A through M are asked to bring an entrée to serve 8, while families with a last name beginning with the letters N through Z are asked to bring a side dish or salad to serve 8. Mark all your dishes and utensils with your name. The Council will provide desserts and drinks. Call Paul McFarlane (301-570-5508) to give a head’s up that you’ll be attending.
Good of the Order
Memorial Day Mass Volunteers Needed
Our Council will assist with traffic control and parking at Gate of Heaven Cemetery on Georgia Avenue on Monday, May 31 beginning at 9 AM prior to the Memorial Day Mass. Afterward we will serve refreshments to the priests and dignitaries in the vestibule adjacent to the Chapel. If you can help out, please call Paul McFarlane on 301-570-5508.
June Golf Outing Supports Our Seminarians
by Jack Giacalone, DW, FN, PGK
Father Peter Paul Maher Council will hold its 4th Annual Charity Golf Outing at Laytonsville golf course on Friday, June 11th at 9 AM. All profits from the event will go to the council’s Seminarian Support Fund, which offers a $500 stipend to as many Seminarians as we can afford to help. In 2009 we supported 9 seminarians; we hope to equal that in 2010! The format would be a four-person scramble and the cost is $75 per person of all skill levels. The $75 includes continental breakfast, lunch from Damon’s, golf cart, beverages, prizes, a welcome bag and lots more!
Key to the success of this Golf Outing is to have at least one sponsor for each hole. Sponsorships are $100 per hole and can be business or individual sponsors. (Also, 4 individual sponsors at $25 each will sponsor a hole.) Each sponsor will have their company name or individual name/s prominently displayed at each hole they sponsor. Please contact Marc Long for any questions, to reserve your tee time, to sponsor a hole or to make a donation. You can contact Mark at 301-208-7134 or 301-518-1040 or ramair320_129@msn.com. You can also visit our web site at www.kofc6793.org/golf to print out a sign-up form. Please help us achieve our goal!
St. Peter’s Membership Drive Asks Other Catholic Men to Join Us
Are you a “proud” Knight of Columbus? Is there a form 100 in your wallet?
During the weekend of May 8 & 9 at St. Peter’s Parish, our Council will hold a membership drive after those Saturday and Sunday Masses. Contact Paul McFarlane (301-570-5508) to volunteer and assist in this “Membership Blitz!”
Your Financial Secretary Needs Your Help!
The council needs your help on two very important items:
(1) Your 2010 membership card was generated by a new database maintained at the Supreme Council. We have been notified by Supreme that the Degree designation shown on the card may not be correct. WE NEED ALL MEMBERS TO CHECK THEIR 2010 MEMBERSHIP CARD (now) to see if their degree designation is correct. Please compare it to your (old) 2009 membership card. Call me or write me an email (preferred) to let me know if a change is required. If you have previously done this, I thank you.
(2) On a related matter, THE COUNCIL NEEDS YOU TO PROVIDE YOUR CURRENT EMAIL ADDRESS TO THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY. This will help us communicate with you on important council activities and administrative items. We currently have 150 email addresses from our 385 total council members. The council now has the ability to send email to all members through the Supreme database. WE NEED EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EFFORT, even council members who have previously provided us with their email address. Please send an email (preferred) with your email update to the Financial Secretary, Donald Hemke. (See below.)
Your current address and phone number update would also be most helpful. We recognize not all members have access to email, so please contact the Financial Secretary by phone to let him know your situation.
We need every council member to participate, because we certainly want to be confident our council database is accurate. Thanks in advance.
Donald Hemke - Financial Secretary Council 6793 - Phone 301-774-7511 or 301-919-4470 (cell) gumpermd@verizon.net
May is the Month of Mary
by SK, Paul D. McFarlane
Sunday, May 9 is Mothers’ Day; may God bless all the women in our lives! Our Blessed Virgin Mary is known by many names. In the Litany of The Blessed Virgin, Mary is embraced as Mother of divine grace, Mother of good counsel, Virgin most merciful, Mystical rose, Ark of the covenant, Gate of heaven, Queen of angels, Queen of apostles, Queen of all saints, Queen assumed into heaven, etc. And with each of these beautiful invocations, we ask her to pray for us. What an honorable and beautiful lady she was and remains! This month, as we pray our rosary and invoke the name of “Mary” let us meditate upon this sweet, gentle, loving Mother of God, whose petition was for us to follow her Son, Jesus.
Seminarian’s Letter from China
by Homer Chen, PGK
On March 10, 2010, I received a letter dated February 22, 2010 from Mark Xue, the seminarian whom our council has supported in China for the last four years. Note that he was ordained a Priest in March 2010. The letter is in Chinese and here is the English translation:
Dear Mr. Chen: How are you? May God be with you, always. I send you a belated wish for a happy New Year of the Tiger with good health and prosperity! I am very happy to receive your letter with a check of $500. Please thank the Council for this stipend. I always think of you all and pray for you often.
I met Paul Zhang (another seminarian our council supported when he attended the Catholic University of America) last July and understand that he is teaching at Beijing Seminary. I am not sure when he will be ordained. I completed my study last year and I will be ordained on March 8, 2010. Please pray for me. I will be assigned to a parish having 100 Catholics. There is no church. We have to hold Mass at the homes of the parishioners. The conditions are not ideal. I expect there will be many difficult problems in front of me, but I will accept the challenge and serve God and the parishioners.
Wulumuqi is the capital of Xinjiang province and is located in the northwest part of China. There are about 10,000 Catholics in this diocese. Majorities of the population are Moslems. However, we all live in harmony. There are no emails available in Wulumuqi now, until then, we have to communicate by letter writing. Please extend my sincere regards to the council brother knights.
Yours sincerely in Christ, Mark Xue
Fr. Canice Treacy 2010 Memorial Scholarship Fund
The deadline for scholarship applications is Friday, May 7, 2010. Fr. Peter Paul Maher Council # 6793 is again offering college 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. Tentatively, scholarships will be awarded on Wednesday, June 23, 2009, during the Council’s final Social event of this fraternal year. For more information, please contact Kevin Kennedy on 301-774-5014, or see the announcement and application form at www.kofc6793.org/scholarship.php.
Actively Participate in the Year for Priests
by SK, Paul D. McFarlane
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We know the Catholic Church’s designation of the “Year for Priests” spans June 19, 2009 to June 19, 2010. In light of all they do for us, are we actively participating in this season of recognition? On Sunday, April 18, 2010, several of our Council members attended the “Golden Jubilee” celebration of Fr. John Rodney, SVD who marked 50 years as a priest! He concelebrated his Mass (held at the Divine Mercy Chapel) with 7 other priests, including Fr. Thomas Kalita, Pastor of St. Peter’s Parish and Brother Knight. Fr. Rodney spoke of his first “calling” to the priesthood, “One morning, 70 years ago, I woke up and said, ‘Mom, I want to be a priest.’ Then, on another day a few years later I came home from my 8th grade class and said ‘Mom, I don’t think I want to be a priest’ Mom said, ‘Well, go talk to the pastor.’ Shortly after I heard tall Fr. Willie Brambrink, SVD say ‘Well, make up your mind!’ Well, I made up my mind; I came home and said, ‘Mom, I think I will be a priest.” Fr. Rodney attributes the longevity and success of his calling to serve Almighty God to “Love, for without love, nothing is possible.” He referred to this love as one’s faith and passion. Indeed, all the priests in our parishes share their passionate faith generously and effortlessly.
Let us resolve that although June 19, 2010 may close 12 months marking a year for priests, our love and devotion for the brave and honorable men who lead with faith and by their example will never wane. Hereunder are three separate prayers for priests that you may choose to recite and to share with others. “St. John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests.”
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Knights of Columbus Prayer We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry. Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: "Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love. Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit. Lead them to new depths of union with your Son. Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us. Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their examples, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will. O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son. Intercede for our priests that, offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of you Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen." |
Easter Season Prayer Almighty and ever-living God, we, your Church, celebrate your Son, Jesus Christ, risen from the dead. We pray for those you have raised up for priestly ministry, who share the joy of the resurrection and the living sacrifice of Christ. Bless them with new life as they proclaim the Good News of Christ, our great High Priest. Bestow your Holy Spirit on them, lead us all to follow Christ our Way, our Truth, our Life. Let us join the angels and saints around the throne of the Lamb singing Alleluia! now and for eternity. Hear us as we pray, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen. |
A Prayer for Our Priests Almighty God, in your love you bless your Church with priests, a sign of your faithfulness to your people. May our prayerful encouragement, during this year and years to come, help them remain faithful to the calling they have received from you. As they tend your flock, grant them a caring heart. In them may we know the voice of Christ, our Good Shepherd, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever. Amen. |
May - June 2010 Calendar
| May 2 (SUN) | Communion Breakfast at St. Patrick.s Parish- Follows 9:30AM Mass |
| May 5 (WED) | Council Executive Meeting, Cottage on Marians Grounds, 7:30 PM |
| May 7 (FRI) | DEADLINE for Fr. Canice Treacy College Scholarship Applications* |
| May 8/9 (SAT-SUN) | Membership Drive at St. Peter.s Parish after all Masses* |
| May 9 (SUN) | Mothers. Day .God bless all the Moms in our lives!. |
| May 12 (WED) | Council Business Meeting, OLGC** 7:30 PM, Room #120 |
| May 16 (SUN) | Feast of the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven |
| May 23 (SUN) | Pentecost . The Holy Spirit descends upon the Apostles. |
| May 26 (WED) | Council Social .First Degree Exemplification |
| May 31 (MON) | Memorial Day Ceremonies at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery (9AM)* |
| JUN 2 (WED) | Council Executive Meeting, Cottage on Marians Grounds, 7:30 PM |
| JUN 9 (WED) | Council Business Meeting, OLGC** 7:30 PM, Room #120 |
| JUN 11 (FRI) | Council. 4th Annual Charity Golf Outing* |
| JUN 14 (MON) | Flag Day . Unfurl the Stars and Stripes and Show Your Country.s Colors! |
| JUN 20 (SUN) | Fathers. Day . .God bless all the Dads in our lives!. |
| JUN 21 (MON) | First Day of Summer . .Bathing Suit Season Officially Opens!. |
| JUN 23 (WED) | Final 2009-2010 Council Social . Spring Raffle Drawing, Scholarship Awards and Potluck Dinner at St. Patrick.s Parish Hall at 6:30 PM* |
| *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 | |