The parishioners at St Andrew donated 300 Thanksgiving Dinners this weekend. 

These were assembled by my brother Knights of Columbus and by the WolfPack Raydaz motorcycle club.

We had beautiful weather and great fellowship.

Keep Christ in Christmas…starting with Thanksgiving

Last night, my friend and brother Knight of Columbus, Kent Martin, was called home to live in eternity with the Father.  He will be missed, but he is now another saint in the Kingdom of Christ.

Requiescat in pace, my friend.

Vivat Jesus!

Although the Rocky Mountains are home, my mother’s roots dig deep in the state of New York. Her Catholic-size-family, combined with devout Yankee fervor, equaled blissful summers of Yankee love during my formative years. And although I cheer for the Rockies, I am a Yankees fan through and through; always have been, always will be. Not only am I a Yankee fan, which I hope does not scare any of my blog followers away, but God may be too! After all, can a strictly human-driven sports team win 27 World Championships? Not only are the Yankees playing on hallowed ground in the Bronx because of past and current baseball legends, but more importantly because of the organizations repeated support for the Faith!

Opening day, April 19, 1923, Knights of Columbus member Al Smith, the governor of New York, threw out the ceremonial first pitch in the ‘House that Ruth Built.’ To follow that up, Babe Ruth, a Knight himself, christened the new stadium with the first home run in the third inning that day. On top of the Knights being in charge of throwing out the first pitch opening day, they also were the Yankees’ landlord for 20 years. Beginning in 1953, the Knights bought the 9 acres that Yankee Stadium sat on at $2.5 million to create another outlet of fundraising for the Catholic apostolate. By leasing the land for $128,000 per year for 28 years, the Knights were trying to make an investment to aide the future safety of their organization and its charisms. Their charisms were first advocated by Knight’s founder, Fr. McGivney: country, family, and faith. However, after just twenty years of owning the land upon which many Yankee legends were made, the drastic 1974-75 renovation of the Stadium, eventually led to a for sale sign by the Knights.

If the Knightly history is not enough to prove the Yankee’s support for the Faith, ask yourself where the Popes bee-line for Mass when they arrive on American soil. The line up of Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI, have all brought our highest liturgical celebration to the faithful at Yankee Stadium, the Mass—60,000 packed in for Pope Benedict in 2008. In addition to the true presence coming forth in the footsteps of Yogi, DiMaggio, and Maris, so to has the permanent commemoration of papal visits. Beginning with Paul VI, a bronze plaque of the late holy father rests permanently in Memorial Park, any true Yankee fans most hallowed ground. Along side the ‘Iron Horse,’ Mantle, and Rizzuto, rests 100-pound bronze plaques for the three popes who celebrated mass in the Stadium during their respective pontificates. Just as in 1966, when over 12,000 Knights attended the dedication of Paul VI’s plaque, similar numbers were present for the Benedict ceremony.

Now if were going to talk numbers, it is hard to argue against The Greatest Knight of them all, George Herman Ruth, the Sultan of Swat, The Great Bambino–The Great Knight! Babe Ruth became a Knight in 1919, in Boston, and lived out the charisms of the Catholic apostolate for the rest of his life, most especially with respect to caring for orphaned children.

Now as I reflect upon my time as a Yankee fan, many memories arise. Boone’s game winner, Wells’ perfect game, and yes, now the 27th World Championship! However, I think the white Cathedral-like facade of Old and New Yankee Stadium has played host to far greater memories over the last century than the 40 pennants and 27 World Championships. Certainly the papal masses rank high, and perhaps the dedication of the Pope’s plaques, but more importantly, it is moments when professional ball players take the time to live their faith out in the public sphere. For instance, during Yogi’s years as manager, he would often hop the fence between innings and share a word with Bishop Greco. So simple an act, yet so profound for this day in age. We need World Championships to cheer for, as shown tonight, we need the celebration of papal masses, but we also need professional ballplayers living the faith out with an undivided heart. The time for fence riding is over, the season for a Championship Faith is upon us all!

De Soto. Montcalm. Vespucci. La Salle. Marquette. The names of these men and others are inscribed above the second-floor windows of a building at 840 Eighth Avenue, a pretty typical early 20th century structure at 51st Street.

So who were these guys, and why are their names inscribed on the building?

They were Catholic explorers, missionaries, or war heros who helped settle and strengthen the New World. It makes sense that their names are here, considering that the building was put up in 1925 by the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic fraternal organization, as a hotel and clubhouse.

The Knights of Columbus didn’t have the building for long. It changed hands in 1933 and in the 1960s wound up as a YWCA. Today, it’s senior-citizen home . . . with some illustrious names giving it character.

I am looking forward to judging a kids Halloween costume contest on Saturday over at St. Andrew’s.

Pizza, Punch, Candy, and Prizes for the kids.

Its our annual All Saints Party.

John Riggins was as funny as ever in today’s Riggo Report interview.

He called Vinny Cerrato somebody’s “security blanket”…

…To my brother Knights,

to my fellow citizens of the District of Columbia,

to all Italians, Italo-Americans, and Italophiles,

to all the sons and daughters of the New World:

HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY!

St. Timothy’s Catholic Church is located today in Chantilly.  It was moved from Centreville in the 1970’s from a location now known as Compton Village.

On Saturday Oct 17th, I will be initiated into the 3rd Degree of the Knights of Columbus in a private ceremony to be held in my old parish.

A happy day.

Please pray for the safety of my fellow Knights who will be cleaning up Compton Road that day as one of our many service projects in the community.

Beneath the surface of several Catholic holidays in October are truths and memories that bring a maelstrom of protest from the modern world … so, let’s celebrate them!

Columbus Day, although a secular holiday, merits our attention for several reasons. First, the holiday owes its existence to the efforts of U.S. Catholic citizens, particularly the Knights of Columbus. Though the Knights were instituted as a fraternal benefits organization, they were very keen to dispel anti-Catholic prejudice in the U.S. and one way to meet  this goal was to emphasize America’s debt to Catholic figures, starting with its papist discoverer.

Pope Leo XIII celebrated the four hundredth anniversary of Columbus’ maiden voyage with these stirring remarks:

“… But there is, besides, another reason, a unique one, why we consider that this immortal achieve-ment should be recalled by us with memorial words. For Columbus is ours; since if a little consideration be given to the particular reason of his design in exploring the ‘mare tenebrosum’ … it is indubitable that the Catholic faith was his strongest motive … so that for this reason also the whole human race owes not a little to the Church”.

Ironically, after winning the battle for Columbus Day, many Catholics today would prefer not to be associated with either the man or his holiday (most Latin American countries commemorate the date of Columbus’ discovery as the ‘Dia de la Raza’ – the day of the Race, that is, the day the races met) with a clear allusion to the bleak events that followed Columbus’ discovery.

What then should we make of Columbus in light of his spotty record?  Five things:

First, it is clear that Columbus was not a good administrator on land, and his incompetence led to cruelty. In fairness, however, before his undisciplined men des-troyed relations with the native Taino or Arawaks, his goal was to protect them from the cannibalistic Caribs (one of the most savage peoples in the Americas) who were fast advancing. Indeed, the Caribs remind us that the first step in assessing the Columban legacy is overcoming any assumption that either side in the conflict has a monopoly on evil.

Second, it is important to remember that many of Columbus’ contemporaries also deplored his deeds. Queen Isabel certainly did, which is why Columbus’ third return to Spain was in chains, and Spanish law, thanks to the Church’s teaching about the full humanity of Native Americans, consistently condemned the actions of rapacious colonists. This is significant, for no other civilization has shown such a capacity for healthy self-criticism as the Catholic.

Third, despite tragic costs, the benefits of European contact with the New World did far more good than harm. This is particularly true in the realm of evangelization. Columbus’ genuine zeal to convert all peoples to Christianity should be commended rather than condemned. To depict all New World conversions as forced and foreign is, ironically, to patronize people of color, who were and are every bit as capable of seeing the beauty, truth, and goodness of the Gospel as their unwashed invaders.

Fourth, despite his flaws Columbus was a devout Catholic who, as Pope Leo XIII noted, was motivated by his Faith. His favourite prayer was Jesus cum Maria sit nobis in via (May Jesus, along with Mary, be with us on the way) and he always made sure his men received confession and Holy Communion.

Finally, Columbus Day praises not Columbus’ exploitations on land but his exploits on sea. We know that he was exceptionally courageous and resourceful, and we know that he was an outstanding seaman. There is nothing wrong with raising a glass to genuine courage and persistence, as long as one does not go on to use these to excuse other crimes and misdemeanors. I wonder if much of the animus against Columbus today really springs from a contemporary disdain for honour that would like to purge manhood of its chivalry and daring. As the historian Warren Carroll notes: “It is right to criticize the failings of heroes, but wrong to deny their greatness and the inspiration they can give”.

And if there is any note of sorrow or regret to be struck on this otherwise celebratory occasion, it should not be for the exceptional evil of the white man or the Catholic faith but for the universal darkness in man’s heart so aptly explained by the doctrine of original sin. Yet, thanks be to God, this spiritual blight is never allowed to dwarf the triumph of the Cross, which providentially uses both vessels of honour and dishonour to meet its goals.

I would like to wish you all a serene and enjoyable Columbus Day tomorrow.

Important step forward taken in the cause of Father Michael McGivney

(HARTFORD, CT)—The cause for sainthood of Father Michael McGivney, a parish priest of the Archdiocese of Hartford and founder of the Knights of Columbus, took a further step forward recently, with the transmittal of a supplemental report on a reported miracle attributed to Father McGivney’s intercession.

On Tuesday, Sept. 22, officials of a supplemental tribunal of the Archdiocese of Hartford formally sent the new report to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The tribunal gathered more testimony, interviewing additional witnesses, including several medical doctors, about the circumstances of a reported miracle.

The cause for Father McGivney’s sainthood was opened by Hartford Archbishop Daniel Cronin in December 1997 and was presented to the Vatican in 2000. Pope Benedict XVI declared him “Venerable” in March 2008. Father McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882 and died in 1890 at the age of 38.

The new report was signed and presented to Archbishop Henry Mansell at a small ceremony in the chapel at the chancery of the archdiocese. The postulator of the cause, Dr. Andrea Ambrosi, travelled from Rome to Hartford for the occasion. Dominican Father Gabriel O’Donnell, academic dean at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., joined in preparation of the supplemental report.

The event was attended by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, other supreme officers, three relatives of Father McGivney and a number of archdiocesan officials.

Anderson said that submission of the new report “marks an important step forward. The Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints will now have valuable additional testimony that clarifies and adds significantly to the original submission. We believe that the Congregation will now have all the information it needs to complete its assessment of the case, although of course this review could take several years.”

“Father McGivney’s beatification would be an important event,” Anderson added, “not only for Knights of Columbus, but for the many thousands of parish priests who quietly do the Lord’s work in parishes each day and regard him as an outstanding example for priests everywhere. In this ‘Year for Priests’ it is an especially appropriate step forward.”

October 1:

Bible Study training 4 p.m.

Learn how to facilitate a bible study. Pick the topic and readings from the bible or a religious book you want to share with others.  Contact Morgan for more information at Bird@unlvnewman.com

M&M Night/Dinner at 7:30 p.m.
Come learn about our mother Mary and enjoy some good/free food.

Knights of Columbus meeting 7:30 p.m.

October 5: Morgan’s prayer jam. Come make or enjoy good music for the whole campus to hear.  Email bird@unlvnewman.com for more information.

October 7 and every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Praise and worship. Come praise God with contemporary Christian rock and learn about the fruits of the Holy Spirit!

October 9: Catholic Worker at 5:30 a.m. Come help feed the homeless and see the world in a new light.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The head of the Knights of Columbus has been named by Pope Benedict XVI to a five-member council that supervises the activities of the Vatican bank.

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, who heads the 1.7 million-member fraternal organization, was among three new council members announced by the Vatican Sept. 23.

“I am honored to have been selected to be a member of the board of superintendents of the Vatican’s Institute for Works of Religion (IOR),” Anderson said. “I hope that my experience in working with the Vatican on a variety of issues over the past decade, and my work in the business and financial sector — as Supreme Knight and Chief Executive Officer of the Knights of Columbus — will enable me to contribute to the success of the IOR’s many important initiatives.”

Read the whole story

In gratitude to our Lord Jesus Christ
and our Most Blessed Mother Mary,

Naperville Knights of Columbus Council 1369
cordially invites all families to its inaugural
FAMILY DIVINE MERCY & ROSARY PRAYER SERVICE

WITH EUCHARISTIC EXPOSITION & BENEDICTION

OFFERED BY FATHER DONG BUI

WHERE:  SS. PETER & PAUL CHURCH, NAPERVILLE, IL

WHEN:  SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2009

TIME:  PROMPTLY @ 3:00 PM – THE HOUR OF MERCY

BRING:  A BLESSED ROSARY AND A HUMBLE HEART

RECEPTION TO FOLLOW UNTIL 4:30 PM
*   MINISTRY CENTER LOWER LEVEL

PLEASE BRING A LIGHT SNACK TO SHARE!

]]> http://wolcottwhisper.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/this-weekends-events/ Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:23:08 +0000 wolcottwhisper http://wolcottwhisper.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/this-weekends-events/

Saturday
There will be a bar b cue competition at Peteson Park. This is open to the public.

Town Wide Tag Sale – Residences participating are listed below. They can also be found on page 3 of this month’s Wolcott Community News.

Knights of Columbus will be collecting donations for people with disabilities in their annual Tootsie Roll drive outside of Pat’s IGA. This will take place throughout the day

Sunday

Wolcott Republicans will be holding their annual picnic at Woodtick Recreation. All are welcome to attend. Come down and meet your local candidates for office and what efforts local Republicans are doing to keep taxes down, as well as efforts at the state and national levels here at home.

The fun has started on our support for the Parish International Fall Festival.

We received the catfish, cabbage, fries and hush puppies today.

Diana and Deb are fixing the cole slaw this afternoon.

Set up commences around 8am Saturday – until complete.

And we will be a MAJOR presence at the festival itself: Parking, Fish Fry, Beer, Dunking Booth will be run by the council while Frank, Paul and others work as IFF staff or with the Scouts, the Filipino and Hispanic communities, the CYO, etc.

If you can possibly spare the time from your family, please do come out and help us support the parish.

I guarantee you will have a good time.

Megan Schroeder walks down Road F-6 with her sisters and stepmother prior to saying her vows. Photo Ben French

Putnam County’s own Megan Theresa Schroeder and Curtis Lee Tobe tied the knot on Saturday, August 22, at Leipsic’s St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Curt and Megan Tobe. Photo Ben French

These weddings are not small and intimate gatherings, but rather large events where it seems everyone is invited.  With close to a dozen members in the wedding, per side, the day was filled with camaraderie and excitement. Raised in large families as dairy farmers and with more traditional values, the event was an all day affair.  The girls gathered at the Schroeder farmhouse in the morning to get ready as the boys were a few miles down road at the Tobe farm in Ottawa. Following the Catholic Mass wedding the couple left the church in style with a John Deere 7820.

The Tobe's steer a John Deere 7820 down State Street in Leipsic following their wedding.

The day continued as the wedding party and other close friends and family made the traditional bar crawl travelling by bus around the county.  The bride, a former 8 man for the elite BGSU Women’s Rugby Club, led the party in rugby songs and dancing. We even ran into another bride at one of the bars who happened to be having a Putnam County wedding of her own. Personally, my favorite part of the day is when the wedding party reached Mack and Rita’s bar in Miller City.  The party had pizzaz and sang along with country favorites Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith on the juke box as they held spirits high and danced on the bar.

The wedding party celebrates the marriage of Curt and Megan Tobe at Mack and Rita's in Miller City. Photo Ben French

Following the bar crawl the couple hosted their special day at Ottawa’s Knights of Columbus Hall where the love and energy was electric. It seemed as if everyone in the county was there. I was amazed at the amount of people there to celebrate the wedding.  One of the groomsmen laughed as he asked me “Is this your first Putnam County Wedding?”

The traditional Hog Trough Dance. Photo Ben French

Following the toasts and the cake cutting everyone was fed in a buffet style manner and the night continued on in song and dance. And these people were there to have fun. The bride and groom broke out in a choreographed dance during their first dance that brought down the house. The party hosted the traditional bouquet and garter toss, but added a more kid-friendly “candy toss.” They exchanged the dollar dance with a “dollar dash.” Where the couple raced around the hall in the duration of one song to see who could collect more ones. As the evening went on, the party had the ever popular “Hog Trough Dance.”  This is where any older sibling, who is still not married, has to dance on a small hog trough on the middle of the dance floor. The siblings were joined by other members of the party as it proved to be good fun. Once the hog trough was put away, family members brought out a float of sorts for the future teacher and dairy farmer to parade around the party on as people looked for position to snap photos.

Megan and Curt Tobe are paraded around the reception hall. Photo Ben French

Overall the event was loads of fun and definitely a new experience for me as a photographer.  It is so great to be involved on these days and see how each one unique in their own way. To be an insider with a family for a day and witness one of the most special days of their life.

Hello all:

Please see the information below, regarding a bowl-a-thon fundraiser for the Special Olympics that is being sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.  It is being held on Sunday, September 27, from 1:30PM to 3:30PM at Rab’s Country Lanes.  If you are interested in participating, please contact one of the people on the flyer to reserve a spot.  Corporate sponsors are also needed.

Maryalice Fegeley

Regional Coordinator

Parent to Parent of NYS

1050 Forest Hill Rd. Room 108

Staten Island, NY 10314

718-494-3462/800-866-1068

Fax 718-494-0319

website: www.parenttoparentnys.org

email: siparent2parentnys@verizon.net