IN SERVICE TO ONE. IN SERVICE TO ALL MONTHLY PUBLICATION FOR THE OHIO STATE COUNCIL
YEAR 2 MONTH 4 OCTOBER 2016
Robert F. Collins, Jr State Deputy
Brother Knights, A little about membership… It’s October already and we still seem to be struggling with membership intake this Fraternal Year. A year ago we sold Ohio as the “Membership State”. We were out to prove we could recruit with the best of them. We were rock solid in membership and had an outstanding recruiting year. Our numbers to date wouldn’t have made one good month last year. We need to pick up the momentum and get back on pace. I’m hearing rumors of things like “One and Done”, “Flash in the Pan”, the “Mediocre State”. Don’t even tell me we’re not as good as Texas, Florida, California, or New York. We’re a dam sight better but you’d never know it by our numbers. I ask you to take note. You know it’s not where we want to be and certainly
not where we should be. We are much better that our numbers reveal. A quarter of the year is gone so our numbers, if we are on pace to make are membership goal, all should be at 25% of intake. Here is where we stand as of October 1st as a Jurisdiction. Gross Intake (New Member Recruitment) We are currently 49h of 74 Jurisdictions in the Order with a 13.07% of intake goal. To date we have recruited but 294 new members in the first three months of the Fraternal Year. This places us 7th among the Division 1 Jurisdictions. To put this into perspective we should be at 25% of gross intake or 563 new members. We will have to step up our recruiting pace to get back on track in September. Net Intake (New Member Recruitment less Suspensions and Withdrawals) We are currently 39th of 74 Jurisdictions
in the Order with a 10.16% of intake goal. To date we have retained but 160 of those new members in the first three months of the Fraternal Year. This places us 4th among the Division 1 Jurisdictions. Again to put this into perspective we should be at 25% of our net goal or 394 members retained. Net/Net Intake (New Member Recruitment and Out of State Transfers) We are currently 64th of 74 Jurisdictions in the Order with a -165% of intake goal. To date we haven’t retained any of the new members in the first three months of the Fraternal Year and lost and have lost an additional 190 members. This again places us 5th among the Division 1 Jurisdictions. Again to put this into perspective we should be at 25% of our net/net goal or 25 members retained. The only positive outlook I see is that we have another 9 months to recover (Continued on page 2)
CHARITY - UNITY - FRATERNITY PATRIOTISM 1
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our losses. With a good membership plan and an aggressive approach to church drives and new council development we can get back on track. It does however raise the bar each month now to try to rundown and catch up with our goals. Keep scheduling those 1st Degrees. Every District Deputy is required to schedule and conduct a 1st Degree in his district every month. Our Degree Page on the State Website should be “Busting’ Out” and overflowing with degree information. Right now I see 35 Admission Degrees scheduled by 27 Districts in the month of October. This tells me we are delinquent in degree work in 56 of our districts. This is not the practice as laid out and requested of me by the Supreme Knight. We also will need each of those degrees to be productive so everyone may help us reach our goal of 2,250 new members. A thought on Degree Work: I have attended some degree work throughout Ohio and need to address one observation. An Admission, Formation, or Knighthood Degree is no place for a Stranger, Candidate or Brother Knight in t-shirts and shorts. Please have the respect to the Order and the Ceremonials to dress appropriately. Golf or polo shirts with Dockers type slacks are a minimum dress that should be worn to any one attending these degrees. Please inform all attending degrees to dress the same. Council contributions to the “Voice of the Spirit”: One feature of this monthly publication needs are events, programs, and human interest events from the local Councils throughout Ohio. Any Council wanting to submit an article of interest to the “Voice of the Spirit” for publication each month should send a finished article and photo if applicable to PSD David Helmstetter. Brother Dave will then edit and decide which articles are to be include in each months issue. Brother Dave’s email address is: dhelmstetter@bright.net
State Council Finances:
State per capita billings were sent to all Financial Secretaries of record in early June and the per capita dues amounts are due now. If you have not paid your State per capita please make arrangements to do so as soon as possible. I believe that all but possibly 20 Councils have made their payment to State Secretary Kevin Miller. A special thank goes out to all of the councils who have already mailed in their check. All Super Cash Bonanza Rebate checks were written in July and should have been received by your Council’s Financial Secretary. If you have not received your rebate check or there is a problem with your check please contact State Treasurer Robert Byers with that issue. All Council Measure Up Grant checks were written last month and have been sent to the Council’s Financial Secretary. Councils that have been delinquent in sending in their Measure Up donations to State Chairman will receive their Council’s Grant Checks accordingly upon receipt of that donation. If you have not received your councils grant check rebate check or there is a problem with your check please contact State Warden Larry Droesch with that issue. All State Convention Mileage and Per Diem checks have been written and sent to the Council’s Financial Secretary of the councils who have paid their State Per Capita Tax. Councils that are delinquent in State Per Capita Tax will receive their checks accordingly after their State Per Capita Tax has been received. If you have not received your councils Convention Mileage and Per Diem check and you have paid your State Per Capita or there is a problem with your check please contact State Secretary Kevin Miller with that issue. Town Hall Meetings: “Town Hall” meetings throughout Ohio have begun with the following meeting dates, times, and locations. The meetings are open form and we may talk about whatever might be on your mind at evening.
The meetings have been posted on the
State Website Calendar. Anyone from anywhere is welcome at any time to come to any one of the meetings. Meetings are open to all 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Degree members, one day as a Knight of Columbus or 80 years as a Knight of Columbus. All meetings will begin at 7 p.m. and last for about 90 minutes or so. Come and bring an open mind, your thoughts, and ideas and help each other become a better Knight. We had great success in the Archdiocese in September numbering better than 25 attendees at each of the five meetings. I hope the trend continues and possibly improves in the Toledo Diocese this month. “Town Hall” Meetings scheduled to date are as follows: Tuesday, Oct 4, Maumee, MPC Officers Training Wednesday, Oct 5, Medina Monday, Oct 10, Clyde Tuesday, Oct 11, Mansfield Tuesday, Oct 18, Findlay Thursday, Oct 20, Kalida Tuesday, Oct 25, Archbold
Wednesday, Nov 2, Youngstown, MPC Training Thursday, Nov 10, Louisville Tuesday, Nov 29, Canfield Football Frenzy Fund Raiser: The Football Frenzy Campaign has changed greatly this year. This year we have made the program an even bigger contest and have added some new incentives. One incentive for sure is a credit on your State Per Capita Tax. If Ohio and your council meet or exceed (Continued on page 3)
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Donate early as to nit miss out on getting topics. Membership, Programming, New a part of that $25,000.00 match. Council Development, and Star Council their sales quota your council will Requirements, are just a few of them that receive a State Per Capita Tax credit for The Fraternal Planner: Please get in will be covered. the 2017 – 2018 Fraternal Year. No the habit of using your Fraternal Leader ticket should be left on the table. I’m Success Planner. Every District Deputy This year the weekend meeting will take positive that 58,000 Knights should be has received 5 planners for every one of place at the Embassy Suites Hotel at the able to sell 36,000 tickets. Please make his councils. Each month in a calendar Columbus Airport. every effort to make this campaign a format important dates and deadlines are success. listed. The opposing page has a list of One last thought: reminder notes and expected Our theme “Through Him, With Him, In All Football Frenzy tickets and receipts accomplishments for the current month Him” is taken to task at every sacrifice of are due to the Chairman Past State and the month to come. It is a great tool the mass. Take this theme to heart. Give Deputy Gary Eckstein by Sunday, for success. Take every advantage of this up everything you do for the honor and October 23rd. Fraternal Planning guide. If you have not glory of God and our potential for received your fraternal Planner please success just becomes immeasurable. contact your District Deputy Matching Funds Campaign: We are right in the middle of our annual immediately. God Bless Brothers, have a good month Matching Funds Campaign. Donations to and a better month than the one before. the State Council will be matched up to District Deputy Midyear Meeting the first $25,000.00 donated by the Ohio District Deputies please reserve the Bob Collins Charity Foundation. weekend of January 7 & 8, 2017 for the State Deputy All donations remain within your State Midyear Meeting. Each District respective diocese and will be used for Deputy is expected to attend this meeting religious education. that will cover covering an array of (Continued from page 2)
COLUMBIAN AWARD CHANGES FOR THE 2016-2017 FRATERNAL YEAR Knights of Columbus councils have always responded to the most urgent needs of the Church, particularly through charitable and social outreach. In order to support the evangelization of family life today, each council must be even more fully integrated with our Catholic parishes. As the world’s largest Catholic fraternal and family organization, we have a responsibility to dedicate our time, talent and resources to ensuring that our parishes are beacons of the new evangelization and that our families are supported and strengthened by our activities. In order to highlight the importance of this new initiative and its impact on our mission, the Supreme Council is announcing changes to the Columbian Award effective immediately. In order to earn the Columbian Award, councils need to meet the following qualifications: 1. Submit the Service Program
Personnel Report (#365) 2. Submit the Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity (#1728). Councils instituted after November 1 do not have to meet this requirement. 3. Annually conduct and report at least four (4) programs in each of the six categories of the Surge with Service Program AND at least four (4) of those programs need to be designated as “Domestic Church” programs. Please visit kofc.org/domestic church to review the most up-to-date list of programs and activities. The following programs currently carry the Domestic Church designation: Journey to the Inn Father’s Day Affirmation of Wedding Vows Consecration to the Holy Family Family Fully Alive Devotional Program Holy Family Celebrations (Diocesan-wide) Food for Families Keep Christ in Christmas Spiritual Formation Groups (Into the Breach) 5th Sunday Rosary Program Family Week Celebrations
Additional Domestic Church activities will be released throughout the fraternal year. For information and resources pertaining to the Building the Domestic Church initiative, councils should visit kofc.org/DomesticChurch. The Columbian Award Application is currently being revised to reflect these changes and should be available shortly. Councils are advised to discard any paper copies of the Columbian Award Application that they may currently have on hand. Any questions regarding the change with the Columbian Award application should be directed to Robert Ennis. Questions regarding the Building the Domestic Church initiative should be directed to Thomas Perretta.
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REFLECTIONS FROM OUR STATE CHAPLAIN Father Edward Janoch, State Chaplain " e need to participate for the common good. Sometimes we hear: a good Catholic is not W interested in politics. This is not true: good Catholics immerse themselves in politics by offering the best of themselves so that the leader can govern." - Pope Francis, 16 September 2016 In one more month the Presidential Election will take place in our Country. This year there has been so much said about the candidates for the President of the United States and what is being said about the candidates is not what they can do for the country but how bad they are for the country. It is so bad that people are saying that they may, for the first time, not vote in this year’s election. What help is there for us Catholics to help us make a conscious, moral and faithful decision on who to vote for whether it is on the federal, state and local level? One resource that is available for Catholics is provided by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It is their annual election year voter’s guide called: Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. Here is what the USCCB website has to say about this guide:
their respective Diocesan Office that deals with these issues may be present. What we are striving for is Catholics whose conscience has been morally formed on matters that deal with faith and morals and not just based on their emotions and feelings, which many people today take as conscience. The following questions come from the USCCB website and deal with information that is presented in Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. These are some good questions to promote discussion and reflection. GENERAL QUESTIONS
Catholics Care. Catholics Vote. The Catholic bishops of the United States are pleased to offer once again to the Catholic faithful Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (en Español), our teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics. This statement represents our guidance for Catholics in the exercise of their rights and duties as participants in our democracy. We urge our pastors, lay and religious faithful, and all people of good will to use this statement to help form their consciences; to teach those entrusted to their care; to contribute to civil and respectful public dialogue; and to shape political choices in the coming election in light of Catholic teaching. The statement lifts up our dual heritage as both faithful Catholics and American citizens with rights and duties as participants in the civil order. I would suggest that individual Knights or their councils to order this booklet from the USCCB. The cost is $4.95 per booklet. Then have a night or two where discussion is held on what is presented in this booklet. The council’s chaplain, pastor or a priest should be there to help with any questions that may be presented that the persons present need some clarification or guidance on. Lay persons who are educated on our moral principles can also be present or someone from
1. What is the connection between our faith and the desire to change the world for the better? (For help, see excerpts from Pope Francis in Part I.) 2. What kinds of leaders does our society need? For what should they stand and how should they lead? (For help, see no. 14. 3. Why do the bishops encourage all Catholics, whether able to vote or not, to be involved in political life? What are other ways, in addition to voting, that you can be involved in advocacy for important issues? (For help, see no. 16.) 4. How might public policies and laws be different if the moral principles from Faithful Citizenship were used as a basis for political decisions? 5. What is conscience? What is prudence? How does one develop a well-formed conscience and the virtue of prudence? What role should they play in our decisions about who we vote for and how we advocate for change? (For help, see nos. 17-20.) GOING DEEPER 1. What do the bishops mean when they say, "Both opposing evil and doing good are essential obligations" (no. 24)? Why are both (not just one or the other) important for Catholics? What are examples of intrinsically evil acts and why must they always be opposed? What are examples of the basic needs of our neighbors which we must ensure are fulfilled? (For help, see nos. 21-25.) What might your own actions to avoid evil and to do good look like? (Continued on page 5)
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Prayer Before an Election
2. Some people question whether religion and politics should ever interact. What do the bishops say in response to this criticism? What is the role of the Church in political life? (For help, see nos. 1, 5 and 9-12.) 3. Name the four principles and seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching. How can these principles and themes help us to think about policies and laws? Name some of the issues discussed in the statement and describe how the principles and themes relate to these issues. (See nos. 43-56.) 4. What advice might you give to a friend who is trying to decide between two candidates, neither of which fully share the Church's commitment to the dignity of the human person? (For help, see nos. 34-39.) 5. The bishops describe two "temptations in public life" that voters can fall into: first, "moral equivalence" which "makes no ethical distinctions between different kinds of issues involving human life and dignity," and second, the misuse of moral distinctions "as a way of dismissing or ignoring other serious threats to human life and dignity." (See nos. 27-30.) Describe a situation in which you witnessed one or both of these lines of thought. Why are they both distortions of the Church's teaching?
Lord God, as the election approaches, we seek to better understand the issues and concerns that confront our city/ state/country, and how the Gospel compels us to respond as faithful citizens in our community.
There may be some who are reading this and questioning what does this have to do with a Knight or the Knights of Columbus? As your State Chaplain, I have the responsibility to help each and every Knight in the State of Ohio to be a holy and faithful member of the Catholic Church and to make sure that we continue to promote our faith by word and deed. What is at stake in this year’s Presidential Election is that the persons that are elected for public office will have a say in what direction our Country will go in over the next four years. Depending on who is elected President and what political party has dominance in the House of Representatives and the Senate, they will determine who is selected as a justice on the Supreme Court and can affect what we as Knights may or may not be able to do in the public realm of society. Religious Liberty may be maintained or it may be decreased or taken away. The
sanctity of Life, Marriage, and Family may be upheld or destroyed even more. Respect for individuals in society or as a group may be granted or limited depending on where one may hold beliefs on a progressive or conservative interpretation of the Constitution and the value of virtue and conscience. The dignity of persons and cultures may be upheld and support or they may be rejected and destroyed by force and war. The list can go on and on, so it is important for us Knights to know about what is at stake in each and every election and what we as Catholic men, husbands and fathers can do to support, uphold and promote that which is held by our Holy Mother on Earth: The Catholic Church. We live in serious times and what we chose to do or not do will have consequences for us now and long into the future. Our children, grandchildren and future generations will have what we hold dear in our lives now, or it will be totally different and who can say on what side our families will fall in regards to our moral obligation to dignity and life or whether we will be outcasts in our country, society or the world. We must always remember that our life here on Earth is limited and very short compared to the unlimited forever of Heaven, but while here on Earth we must make every effort to help our country, society and world experience glimpses of the heavenly Kingdom. The prayers in the sidebar, are for the upcoming election. One is a pray before an election and the other is a prayer after an election. Let us be active in our civil duties and in our religious convictions. St. Thomas More, Pray for Us! Vivat Jesus! Fr. Edward J. Janoch, Worthy State Chaplain
We ask for eyes that are free from blindness so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters, one and equal in dignity, especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty. We ask for ears that will hear the cries of children unborn and those abandoned, Men and women oppressed because of race or creed, religion or gender. We ask for minds and hearts that are open to hearing the voice of leaders who will bring us closer to your Kingdom. We pray for discernment so that we may choose leaders who hear your Word, live your love, and keep in the ways of your truth as they follow in the steps of Jesus and his Apostles and guide us to your Kingdom of justice and peace. We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Prayer After an Election God of all nations, Father of the human family, we give you thanks for the freedom we exercise and the many blessings of democracy we enjoy in these United States of America. We ask for your protection and guidance for all who devote themselves to the common good, working for justice and peace at home and around the world. We lift up all our duly elected leaders and public servants, those who will serve us as president, as legislators and judges, those in the military and law enforcement. Heal us from our differences and unite us, O Lord, with a common purpose, dedication, and commitment to achieve liberty and justice in the years ahead for all people, and especially those who are most vulnerable in our midst. Amen. Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, revised edition (Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2007). The "Prayer After an Election"by Cardinal Adam Maida, Archbishop of Detroit, is used with permission.
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This year I will be taking Matters of Faith and Catholic Knowledge from the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is formatted into a question and answer format. I will give a question or two and its answer to matters of faith that are relevant for this year. Here are four questions for this month.
HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTIONS Offered in Solidarity with Pope Francis October 2016
Question 463. How should authority be exercised in the various spheres of civil society? Authority should always be exercised as a service, respecting fundamental human rights, a just hierarchy of values, laws, distributive justice, and the principle of subsidiarity. All those who exercise authority should seek the interests of the community before their own interests and allow their decisions to be inspired by the truth about God, about man and about the world. [See CCC #2234-2237, 2254]
Question 464. authority?
Universal: Journalists That journalists, in carrying out their work, may always be motivated by respect for truth and a strong sense of ethics.
Evangelization: World Mission Day That World Mission Day may renew within all Christian communities the joy of the Gospel and the responsibility to announce it.
What are the duties of citizens in regard to civil
Those subject to authority should regard those in authority as representatives of /god and offer their loyal collaboration for the right functioning of public and social life. This collaboration includes love and service of one’s homeland, the right and duty to vote, payment of taxes, the defense of one’s country, and the right to exercise constructive criticism. [See CCC #2238-2241, 2255]
Question 465. When is a citizen forbidden to obey civil authorities? A citizen is obliged in conscience not to obey the laws of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts of the Apostles 5:29). [See CCC #22422243, 2256]
Mother of Good Counsel Prayer By Venerable Pope Pius XII
O Holy Virgin, to whose feet we are led by our anxious uncertainty in our search for and attainment of what is true and good, invoking you by the sweet title of Mother of Good Counsel, we beseech you to come to our assistance, when, along the road of this life, the darkness of error and of evil conspires towards our ruin by leading our minds and our hearts astray. O Seat of Wisdom and Star of the Sea, enlighten the doubtful and the erring, that they be not seduced by the false appearances of good; render them steadfast in the face of the hostile and corrupting influences of passion and of sin. O Mother of Good Counsel, obtain for us from your Divine Son a great love of virtue, and, in the hour of uncertainty and trial, the strength to embrace the way that leads to our salvation. If your hand sustains us, we shall walk unmolested along the path indicated to us by the life and words of Jesus, our Redeemer; and having followed freely and securely, even in the midst of this world's strife, the Sun of Truth and Justice under your maternal Star, we shall come to the enjoyment of full and eternal peace with you in the haven of salvation. Amen.
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MEMBERSHIP Nick Gresko, State Membership Director
Church Drive and Membership Incentive Idea Want to jump start your council activities? Want to bring new ideas and spirit into your council by recruiting new members? If the answer is yes to any part this is the month to hold a church drive at your parish to get new members into your council and help achieve these questions. In October of last year we brought into the councils in Ohio right around 300 new members! What are you waiting for? Hold a church drive at the parish or parishes your council supports and the new members will come!
I often get asked the question as the State membership Director do you have any ideas for Membership Incentives. Here is one that worked at my council extremely well when I was Grand Knight. It is called the 2/3 membership Incentive. It went like this bring in two new members and half is due and bring in 3 new members and your free. So if a Brother Knight brings in two new members he only owes half of his dues and if he brings in three new members he owes nothing! This worked extremely well. I even have a flyer for it if you are interested in getting a copy please send me an email at greskon@sbcglobal.net
Form 100’s Within 3-5 days of a degree any Form 100’s should be emailed to the Supreme Council at membershiprecords@kofc.org and to the State Membership Director at greskon@sbcglobal.net and also include your diocesan membership director on those emails. Supreme is able to process the Form 100 much quicker this way and you have a receipt that they were sent in your sent mail. Plus this saves your council the cost of a stamp every time new members are brought in. Also, please make sure that every part of this Form 100 is filled out or the Form 100 will not be processed
Form 450 is like GOLD!!! Council’s no longer fill out the Form 450C. There is only a Form 450 now and it is the responsibility of the District Deputy to fill this out. District Deputies please make sure within 3-5 days of holding a degree in your District the Form 450 is turned in. This is extremely important because this allows us to track if Supreme actually processed your Form 100’s! If your councils took the time to bring in a new member the State Membership Team wants to make sure these councils get credit for this hard work and effort. These should be filled in on line now at the State Website and then it is automatically sent to who it needs to go to. Take advantage of this!!!
COUNCILS Because we want every council to win this prize and display it in your council hall, recruit at least one new member between October 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016 and receive an unframed portrait of St. Theresa of Calcutta.
RECRUITERS Recruit 3 new or former members between October 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016 and receive 3,000 additional VIP points. For every member recruited over the 3 the recruiter will receive an additional 1,500 points.
DISTRICT DEPUTIES By December 31, 2016, if all your active councils have recruited at least one new member, you will receive an unframed portrait of St. Theresa of Calcutta.
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Membership Mission #16 Take the Tour! Our Great State has been at the fore front this year in membership - all thanks to your efforts! We are out there making sure that every - every single - Catholic man has the opportunity to join the Knights of Columbus. This month is no different and we are going to be challenged. Across this state, members are being called to strengthen our ranks against the foes of church and state. Are you doing your part? Have you taken up the Cross of Christ, carried it for another? That is what we are called to be brother, friend - to all that would be Knights. Your orders are clear - should you choose to accept them. The video below will explain all as well as the linked instruction sheet. Let us go forth "Through Him, With Him, In Him" for all the glory of God the Father and making Knights of all!!!
Click here for your Mission Assignment #16
DVD Admissions Degree Worthy Grand Knights and Financial Secretaries it is extremely important that you are talking to your District Deputy and that he knows when you are planning these because he needs to submit a Form 450 and this is not happening all the time right now. Please get this information to your District Deputy so that he can do what he needs to do and to insure you get credit for the work that you are doing when it comes to degrees.
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GENERAL PROGRAM Robert Walsh, General Program Director Worthy Brothers as you know we reached the Supreme Councils quota for Star Council, one of only 44 Districts to do so. This is such a great honor, and we should be proud. As you can see programming is an important part to any Council. Doing programs is what keeps members active, and reporting these activities will show your members how the Council is progressing in the State General Program. We just finished the first reporting period, and the numbers are showing that many Councils are not doing any activities, and I Know that you are.
With just 137 Councils reporting at least one activity. This makes one third of the councils reporting, the average number of councils reporting in the 12 areas is 50, and with Membership and Retention far below this number. I know that many more are doing activities but are not reporting for some reason. Do you have a Program Director or someone that does all the computer work for the council, please check with them to make sure your reporting is getting done. Let’s improve these numbers for the end of this month, and get them turned
in by November 5th. Looking ahead for November, you should be getting the Free Throw committee together and ordering your kit. Matching Funds are due by the 15th of November, this program began September 1st, and is part of the Administration Program. November 25th is Council Outreach Day, have you started planning yet? This and other important information can be accessed in the State General Program Book and the Fraternal Leader Planner from Supreme. Congratulations to the John and Mary Jenkens Family for winning Family of The Month for August from Supreme. They are from Council 7978 in Perrysburg. Keep up the great work you’re doing in your Church, Community, and Council.
time to consider that month’s meditation and Scripture passage. This could very easily be done before or after a regular council meeting. Families are Building the Domestic Church encouraged to participate in the Fifth Sunday Rosary. Each family in your In its new initiative, “Building the Domestic Church” Supreme Council is council has its own unique ideas and special ways of learning about God and asking our Councils and Members to adopt new methods suited for what our worshiping together. Perhaps setting Catholic Community needs today and in aside some time to discuss each family’s spiritual sharing will help your members the future. It is asking us to devote greater efforts to the needs and future of with ideas. Other devotions may be considered as well. our parishes.
CHURCH JEFF KILIANY
The Supreme booklet suggested October As I mentioned in my “Voice of the Spirit” article last month, I will continue project is to share a special meal as a with ideas on how your council can be family. A Council Corporate Communion would be a great way for involved in Building the Domestic Church. Supreme Council has issued a your council Family to come together. booklet “Laying the Cornerstone of the Doing actual activities as a council, or Domestic Church”, which contains a lot family, and actually living them, helps of suggested activities that can be done our members to grow in their Faith. throughout the year. Many of the ideas After all, Christianity is not something that we just read about to be believed. It in this booklet are devoted to the is a way of life to be lived. It is linked to spiritual development of the family. the choices we make every day, in our However, councils can incorporate ordinary life. The Gospel makes it clear many of the ideas and activities to that the entrance exam to heaven will include the council and its members. not be a test of theology, but a test of works. We will give account not for It is suggested that set aside a regular
what we knew, but rather what we did.
I would like to hear about how your council is Building the Domestic Church. If you are not yet comfortable with reporting these activities on the State Website, send me the details in an email, and I will get it entered. I truly enjoy hearing about your Councils Church activities and how you are addressing the Spiritual needs of your members. Jeff Kiliany – State Church Director (330) 427-9874 home (330) 853-6099 cell jtktg@yahoo.com “As We continue to Build Up His Church”
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potential new members that would love to join your council but they are Community activity reporting is slightly just waiting to be behind where we were at this time last asked to join the year. Most of the councils are working greatest Catholic hard to perform their charitable activities organization in the within the communities which they world. Have you reside in but your council still needs asked a potential new report at the state website. If you are member lately? That having any problems getting the new member could be a spark for others information reported please contact our wanting to join along with him. website expert, Robert Gilliland @ 330- Bringing in new members can also bring 259-1246. Bob has worked hard to put in new ideas and members that are together a great product that has made looking for ways to help the less reporting activities so much easier than fortunate within your community. The previous years. He would be more than worst thing that could happen is he could happy to help your council with any say no. What are you waiting for? reporting issues you may be having. As we are coming into the fall part of the When your council is out and about year there are community activities that working within the community, let your are always looking for your council’s parish and community know regarding help and support. Our veterans can the great works you are doing for the always use our help and personal sake of the underprivileged. Your public assistance. With our national elections relations for your council can be a great coming up in November, the local recruiting tool for growing membership election board can use your help in within your council. There are a lot of spreading the word to get out there and
COMMUNITY Tom Forsthoefel
CULTURE OF LIFE Brett Gissel October is Respect Life Month. Any Culture Of Life program that your council does that does not fit into the other programs can be reported as a Council Choice (Program #53/54). A Culture Of Life activity is one that defends “the right to life of every human being, from the moment of conception to natural death.” This can be done through volunteering, educating, advocating, donating, and praying.
vote. Every person and every vote should count. Another area that could use your assistance is your local Food Bank or Soup Kitchen. For the less fortunate sometimes to get one meal a day is a big deal something that most of us take for granted. If we don’t get 3 meals a day it was our own personal choice not to do so. For the less fortunate, a lot of them do not get a choice at all. Please continue to help the less fortunate on a daily basis through your prayers and individual actions. Vivat Jesus, Thomas Forsthoefel State Community Director 937-623-1844 | tjf042074@sbcglobal.net
collection for what is needed.
The 40 Days For Life campaign kicked off on September 28. This campaign runs through November 6. Aside from participation in the vigils at the clinics, members can also participate in this campaign through public awareness and by praying and fasting during these 40 days. When we pray and fast for a period of time for a specific reason, we may be led by Our Lord to act If your council is looking for something upon the issue or even take action in a to do that can help save an unborn child, different way. To date the 40 Days For consider reaching out to a pregnancy Life program has documented 11,796 center that does not perform abortions. lives saved. Participation in this Find out what needs they have for women campaign can be reported through that choose life, but need assistance with Program #47. items like baby clothing, diapers, bottles, etc. Oftentimes it is a financial decision As November approaches, we should be for a woman and providing resources to aware of the election. Every election them can help them choose life. Find out cycle is important. Regardless of how what these centers need, work with other you feel about the candidates for higher parish organizations, and hold a offices, the races for local offices are
important too. In most cases, people seeking election in higher offices get their start at the local level. Ohio Right To Life has their endorsements based on the Pro Life positions of candidates available online. Knowing where these candidates stand on issues is important. Ohio Right To Life also has comparisons of leading candidates for higher offices available online. Please consider these issues and the positions of the candidates when voting. Brett Gissel Culture Of Life Director Ohio State Council
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KNIGHTS IN ACTION REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES, AND SQUIRES CIRCLES
Day of Remembrance Prince of Peace Council 14111, Norton, Ohio, held a prayer vigil on September 10th, the National Day of Remembrance, in memory of the aborted brothers and sisters at our nationally recognized memorial. Our memorial is a statue of a baby wrapped in an angel’s wings with a plaque inscribed “In remembrance of all unborn babies and their families who have suffered.” The vigil was held inside due to inclement weather. Ralph Conrad, GK 14111
Mother Teresa Statue Unveiled at St. Ambrose Church in Brunswick St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Brunswick was presented with a Mother Teresa statue by the Brunswick Knights of Columbus Council No. 4847 on Sept. 3. The statue was unveiled and blessed by the Rev. Bob Stec the day before Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church officially canonized Mother Teresa. “We wanted that statue long before the date of her canonization,” Stec said. Brunswick Knights of Columbus trustee Jim Maslach said the organization was given the perfect opportunity to place the statue outside of the Mother Teresa room at the parish following the canonization. “It’s been a project we’ve been looking at doing for six years as Knights and with other parish ministries to give something back,” Maslach said. A plaque is being designed to be placed on the concrete podium. The plaque will have the following quote by Mother Teresa: “Faith in action is love, love in action is service.” “We chose that because it best exemplifies who the Knights of Columbus are and the mission St. Ambrose has to help members in the parish and local communities,” Maslach said.
“Our hope is that all of us will continue to give and set an example to serve and as we look to Mother Teresa as an example and role model to do little things and day-to-day tasks with great love and care,” Stec said. The council hosted its First Annual Steak Roast to help celebrate the occasion. Thanks to GK John Taylor and FS Sonny Scarcipino for organizing the event and for all the brother Knights for assisting. John Taylor, GK Brunswick Council 4847 To submit articles, please log into the state website at www.kofcohio.org and click under Publications & Resources— Newsletters and Magazines. Click on the VOS/BB Article Submission Form link or click HERE. 11
YOU’RE ONLY A CLICK AWAY Robert Gilliland, State Website Director Allowing Popups and Other Browser Maintenance. When you use the Internet, it is important to remember that the web browser you are using has settings to allow or disallow popup windows. There are some sections of the State Council website that use popup windows, such as in viewing programs, that will open a new window to allow you to view multiple programs at once. The main “View Programs” window will stay open and cause a new browser window to open. If your browser is not allowing popups, then it will not work properly. To enable this feature, go to your browser settings and look for popups. It will usually have a checkmark stating “Block Popup Windows” or something about popup windows. Make sure that this is unchecked or allowing popups. If you do want to continue blocking popup windows, then at least allow popups from www.kofcohio.org so that the browser will view the popup windows correctly. Every so often, the browser software updates turn off allowing popups, resulting in popups being blocked once again. FireFox Under Settings
Chrome Under Settings -> Advanced -> Content Settings
Your browser also helps make your Internet web faster by keeping a copy of the web page you visited on your computer for faster retrieval. This is called a “cache”. After a while these copies can take up disk space and also cause your browser to perform incorrectly. It will sometimes use the copy on disk and not see the page on the Internet, or it will take time to see going through all of the files in the Cache to see if the page you are visiting is already on disk, and the browser will seem slower as a result. So, just like “Spring Cleaning”, you can clear out the old history by deleting the browsing history, cookies, etc. in your browser. Go to your browser settings and find the Internet history or Internet History (depending on your browser), then find the clear history or delete history option. Here are windows from Internet Explorer and FireFox. Internet Explorer
FireFox
If you have any problems, or need any help, please feel free to email me at BobG@sceinet.com. 12
MATCHING FUNDS Mark Siracusa, State Advocate I have chosen “Providing needs for Catholic Education” as the theme of the 2016 Matching Funds Program. Your council’s contribution to the fund will assist in strengthening the Catholic Education efforts in every Catholic school, in every religious program, and in every RCIA program of your diocese The Matching Funds Program will run from September 1, 2016 through November 15, 2016. The Ohio Charity Foundation, Inc. of the Ohio State Council is matching the first $25,000 donated to this year’s program.
councils. I would hope that all councils across this great state will contribute as generously as they have in past years. More information will be sent in a letter to your Grand Knight in August.
My goal for the 2016 Matching Funds Program is $68,000 combined with a 90% participation of our Ohio
INSURANCE Patrick Murphy, General Agent
Have You Insured Your Most Valuable Asset? Is your income protected if you become sick or injured and cannot work? Your ability to work and earn an income is your most valuable asset. Yet a disability could prevent you from earning that income. Just one year of a disability could eliminate your savings. Income Armor, an individual disability income insurance product from the Knights of Columbus, should be a key part of your overall financial plan and family’s protection. If you are ill or injured, Income Armor provides tax-free monthly benefits to help you meet living expenses and maintain you and your family’s standard of living. Your monthly benefits help you pay your mortgage and other monthly bills, while your savings and retirement assets remain intact. In short, if you have a job and don’t have a way to protect that paycheck, you should seriously consider Income Armor today. I look forward to meeting with you.
“What if your last paycheck was your last paycheck?” Take steps to protect your family and your financial future. 13
FOOTBALL FRENZY SWEEPSTAKES Gary Eckstein PSD, State Fundraising Chairman
NO STATE PER CAPITA + REBATES!!! The Ohio State Council is offering to every council in Ohio an opportunity to receive 100% credit on their 2017-18 per capita bills along with at least a $5.50 rebate on each ticket sold in the 2016 Ohio Knights F und Crazr Football Sweepstakes programs. HOW? OUR
GOAL: 35,960 TICKETS!!
If the councils, statewide, achieve sales of 35,960 Football Sweepstakes tickets, then there will be a STATE PER CAPITA CREDIT for all par ticipating councils that r each one of their quotas PLUS near ly $500,000 IN REBATES.
REBATES Council sells 100% of ticket quota – receive 100% per capita credit plus $5.50 a ticket rebate. Council sells 75% of ticket quota – receive 50% per capita credit plus $5.50 a ticket rebate. Council sells 50% of ticket quota – receive 25% per capita credit plus $5.50 a ticket rebate.
COUNCIL QUOTA 75% OF MEMBERSHIP Councils that choose not to participate will need to pay their State Per Capita. The 2016 Football Sweepstakes involves the last 10 weeks of games played by the NFL this season – games that will be played between Oct 30 and Jan 1. Donation is $20.00 per ticket. At least $2,500 in prizes will be awarded each week or at least $25,000 over the contest period. Winners are determine by ticket holders with the four teams that score the most – or the least – number of points in that given week of games. The scores from the previous week’s games are used for teams that are not scheduled to play on any given week. A winners’ list will be posted on www.fundcrazr.com and www.kofcohio.org – Password is going to your ticket number.
Tickets that are sold can be turned in any time before October 30. Sold tickets, and money, are to be sent to: PSD Gary Eckstein, 1498 River Trail Drive, Grove City, Ohio 43123. You also may contact me at 614-679-4238 for additional tickets. Winners will be notified and paid automatically each week by the Ohio State Council. Participants must print legibly their name, address, telephone number, and name and number of the selling council, on the ticket stub. The stub, and $20.00, is turned in. The participant keeps the rest of the ticket.
OHIO KNIGHTS FUND CRAZR FOOTBALL SWEEPSTAKES JULY KICKOFF until OCT. 30, 2016 PROMOTION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS 14
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