My dear Brother Knights, The last few issues of the British Columbia and Yukon Knight newsletter featured many commendable charitable works of our councils in this jurisdiction and I hope most of you have been inspired by it. These ideas are to help councils who are running with stale programs and are looking for fresh ones to revive their council. It would be great if every council can contribute to this sterling display of various events and fundraising activities; to showcase and share all the action around our province. Unfortunately, out of 129 councils in our State Council there are many who have yet to present their projects. Ideas are a dime a dozen but for those who implement and use it, it’s a gem. I hope that you will continue to draw motivation from the various ideas presented in our newsletters. Our programs are meant to help us put our first principle of Charity into action – to surge with service! The more exciting and interesting our programs, the more it will be able to make a difference in our community and parish. In addition to making that positive difference we will also be able to attract eligible Catholic men to join our cause and fraternity. Membership is the life blood of our Order and we all need to continue to bring in new blood so that we can live the vision of our founder, Father Michael J. McGivney to the best of our ability for the glory of God. Advent season is a time for us to prepare as we wait for the coming of Christ. It is an excellent time to reflect on what we have done for the Order in promoting our principles of Charity, Unity and Fraternity. Our State Chaplain’s message reminds us that “this is not preparation time for us to do Christmas
things.” Also, to help us prepare for the coming of Christ, our Supreme Chaplain, Bishop William Lori offers us a brief reflection on how we can spend Advent. This Advent Meditation can be viewed on the latest Fathers for Good Video (see the 4th image on the right hand slider) www.fathersforgood.org. May the blessing and peace of Christ be with you and your loved ones this Christmas. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Vivat Jesus, Michael Yeo State Deputy
Chaplain’s Message Dear Brother Knights, Every age has its bad habits which make Christian Today is no exception. Advent is truly a beautiful time of the Liturgical Year, yet in these post-Christian limes it is often a forgotten way of life. To the many today who are strongly influenced by a secular mindset, the four weeks prior to Christmas is when indeed, Christmas begins to happen, when we start doing Christmas things. The mad rush to “shop until you drop” for gifts begins to build in velocity. We start to decorate our offices and homes with Christmas lights and colours, trees go up, and the inevitable Christmas parties begin. Quite simply, the weeks leading up to Christmas become totally focused on thai special day, a day which has become a time of hospitality, Season’s Greetings, and good cheer. And for a few perhaps, a quick visit to Church as a salute to a family tradition. We are all very familiar with this and it is very difficult for the committed and practicing Catholic to avoid most of it Why are we so readily caught up in all of this during these weeks leading up to Christmas? Quite simply because, of themselves, these things are filled with honourable intentions and are often good and fun to do. The Knights of Columbus offer a strong voice in all of this, reminding our weakened Christian culture, to “Keep Christ in Christmas!”And we need this focus and reminder, but what about Advent? Advent is not Christmas, nor is it a preparation period to do Christmas things. It is, in fact, a season all its own with its own symbols, meaning, music and Scripture references. It is a short season and a particularly beautiful one if lived out in the way it is meant to be. It is a Holy Season designed to help us to open our hearts to the One who comes, to deepen our spiritual sense and to assist us to enter into the profound mystery of a particular birth. A birth which inaugurates an even shorter and distinctively different season we call Christmas. The best way to keep Advent is to treat it as a time of spiritual renewal and purification. In fact, in former times, Advent was lived as a sort of Lent, except less strictly. Today, Fasting is no longer asked for, yet in the Church, festivities are kept to a minimum and the solemn character of the season is given precedence. The liturgical colour is purple as it is in Lent. So we must ask ourselves questions such as the following, to help us refocus on this special time of the year: Where will the Sacrament of Reconciliation come
The Hail Mary of a Protestant in during Advent? What will I do in order to refocus my prayer life? Have I considered daily Mass during Advent? What are the ways that I can apply myself to Chrislian love of neighbour? What symbols of Advent have I placed in my home? Can I find some special spiritual reading that I can do over these four weeks? The very word Advent means “coming”. It is a time of expectation for the coming of the Saviour, an event full of mystery and wonder. Advent is the season of imagination, living on the spiritual edge - a season where Hope reigns and a lime to live differently. If we live Advent well, Christmas itself will lake on a deeper and more joyful significance in our lives. We are not to be over anxious or impatient with this beautiful season of the Church Year – let Advent be Advent! There are, in fact, three comings that we balance in our hearts when we seek to live Advent as a true Advent. These were described by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux in the following way: Christ comes to us. Christ comes into us Christ comes against us. We celebrate these three all together during the Holy Season of “Coming”. We reflect on the Christ Child who comes to us at Christmas. We open our hearts as Christ enters into us through Word and Sacrament. And we prepare to meet Christ when he comes again at the end times when he will judge us and how we have lived our lives. One can easily see in this that Advent is indeed a dress-rehearsal for the rest of the year and that is why it is a Holy Season and very different from what it has become in a culture which is losing its heritage of Faith. In the quiet of Advent we make ready to hear angel songs. Dazzled by the Star of Bethlehem. Yours in Advent, Most Reverend State Chaplain Richard Gagnon
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little six-year-old Protestant boy had often heard his Catholic companions reciting the prayer “Hail Mary.” He liked it so much that he copied it, memorized it and would recite it every day. “Look, Mommy, what a beautiful prayer,” he said to his mother one day. “Never again say it,” answered the mother. “It is a superstitious prayer of Catholics who adore idols and think Mary a goddess. After all, she is a woman like any other. Come on, take this Bible and read it. It contains everything that we are bound to do and have to do.” From that day on the little boy discontinued his daily “Hail Mary” and gave himself more time to reading the Bible instead. One day, while reading the Gospel, he came across the passage about the Annunciation of the Angel to Our Lady. Full of joy, the little boy ran to his mother and said: “Mommy, I have found the ‘Hail Mary’ in the Bible which says: ‘Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women.’ Why do you call it a superstitious prayer?” On another occasion he found that beautiful Salutation of St. Elizabeth to the Virgin Mary and the wonderful canticle MAGNIFICAT in which Mary foretold that “the generations would call her blessed.” He said no more about it to his mother but started to recite the “Hail Mary” every day as before. He felt pleasure in addressing those charming words to the Mother of Jesus, our Savior. When he was fourteen, he one day heard a discussion on Our Lady among the members of his family. Every one said that Mary was a common woman like any other woman. The boy, after listening to their erroneous reasoning could not bear it any longer, and full of indignation, he interrupted them, saying: “Mary is not like any other children of Adam, stained with sin. No! The Angel called her FULL OF GRACE AND BLESSED AMONGST WOMEN. Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ and consequently Mother of God. There is no higher dignity to which a creature can be raised. The Gospel says that the generations will proclaim her blessed and you are trying to despise her and look down on her. Your spirit is not the spirit of the Gospel or of the Bible which you proclaim to be the foundation of the Christian religion.” So deep was the impression which the boy’s talk had made that his mother many times cried out sorrowfully: “Oh my God! I fear that this son of mine will one day join the Catholic religion, the religion of Popes!” And indeed, not very long afterwards, having made a serious study of both Protestantism and Catholicism, the boy found the latter to be the only true religion and embraced it
and became one of its most ardent apostles. Some time after his conversion, he met his married sister who rebuked him and said indignantly: “You little know how much I love my children. Should any one of them desire to become a Catholic, I would sooner pierce his heart with a dagger than allow him to embrace the religion of the Popes!” Her anger and temper were as furious as those of St. Paul before his conversion. However, she would change her ways, just as St. Paul did on his way to Damascus. It so happened that one of her sons fell dangerously ill and the doctors gave up hope of recovery. Her brother then approached her and spoke to her affectionately, saying: “My dear sister, you naturally wish to have
Mummy, I have found the Hail Mary in the Bible ... why do you call it a superstitious prayer? your child cured. Very well, then, do what I ask you to do. Follow me, let us pray one ‘Hail Mary’ and promise God that, if your son recovers his health, you would seriously study the Catholic doctrine, and should you come to the conclusion that Catholicism is the only true religion, you would embrace it no matter what the sacrifices may be.” His sister was somewhat reluctant at the beginning, but as she wished for her son’s recovery, she accepted her brother’s proposal and recited the “Hail Mary” together with him. The next day her son was completely cured. The mother fulfilled her promise and she studied the Catholic doctrine. After long preparation she received Baptism together with her whole family, thanking her brother for being an apostle to her. This story was related during a sermon given by the Rev. Fr. Tuckwell. “Brethren,” he went on and said, “the boy who became a Catholic and converted his sister to Catholicism dedicated his whole life to the service of God. He is the priest who is speaking to you now! What I am I owe to Our Lady. You, too, my dear brethren, be entirely dedicated also to Our Lady and never let a day pass without saying the beautiful prayer, ‘Hail Mary’, and your Rosary. Ask her to enlighten the minds of Protestants who are separated from the true Church of Christ founded on the Rock (Peter) and ‘against whom the gates of hell shall never prevail.’”
The Knights Moral Compass - Community Category
The Knights Moral Compass Where does yours point to? Click on any topic that interests you...
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New Category: PRO-LIFE
Worthy State Treasurer Bro. Ed Sawchuk had this to say:
Thank you Fr. Edward for giving us brother Knights the opportunity to serve your community. Thank you for your following up with Fr. Ed this morning. I think that there is tremendous potential for growth of this small Ukrainian community and the assistance of the Knights of Columbus is exactly the type of stewardship that Fr. McGivney had in mind when he founded the Order. Please pass on a big thank you to the Richmond Knights for all of their effort in putting on a first class Pancake Breakfast. I was really impressed by how the various Councils came together to work as a truly fraternal team to serve a small community. Their caring and sharing for those they were serving was truly inspirational.
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ichmond Knights from Council 6855 got together and held a Pancake Breakfast for the small Ukrainian community.
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Family Life Issues Call to Action
Let me know how I can help with the next steps at Holy Dormition Parish. Hats off and my appreciation to all volunteers who came and helped out this morning. The Pancake Breakfast at Holy Dormition of the Mother of God went very well with blessings of a excellent weather. Thank you Council 6855 and WGK Bro. Edgar Ursua for supply of cooked Pancakes and Sausages.
Vivat Jesus, Ed Shawchuk, State Treasurer
Special Report
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ports activities has always been at the core of youth and community programs that Archbishop Duke Council 6855 in Richmond, has been known for. The Regional and District Free Throw competition has been a part of their annual sports program for many years and they continue to host this event. The council holds a bi monthly sports night, organizing games like volleyball, basketball and badminton. These games have always been held in a professional and organized manner. These sports nights have gained in popularity over the years, attracting many parishioners and members of the Richmond community. It has taken tremendous dedication and commitment from some key members of council 6855 to make this event successful. One of the pioneering members of our sports programs is Brother Antonio Banting. His unfailing commitment to helping with council sports activities laid the foundation for an exciting program for all councils of District 23. Following in Brother Antonio’s footsteps and taking his lead, a few enterprising brother knights decided to take our sports programs to a new level of organization and sportsmanship. In the light of the popularity of basketball over other sports, it was decided to hold a Basketball Tournament, inviting all councils of District 23 to participate. However there was one slight twist compared to previous sports events.
Membership and recruitment being such an important part of what it is to be a Knight of Columbus, our Council Sport Director Brother Manny Tolentino decided that participants in this tournament could only be members of the Knights of Columbus. Not to deter anyone from participating , all non members were not turned away but allowed to participate with a stipulation that they sign a Form-100 and join the Knights of Columbus at the first available opportunity. Brother Manny’s idea resulted in a startling and pleasant surprise. These young men eager to compete began lining up to become members. The impact was not limited to Council 6855, but to every council in District 23 except Council 6232 located in Whitehorse in the Yukon. Over a span of three months, District 23 experienced an unprecedented growth in membership of over 30 new members. The majority of these new members were barely 18. These young knights literally overnight transformed the entire character of the councils they joined. A spirit of excitement, camaraderie and youthfulness permeated the councils of district 23. Councils 12861, 11916, 10681, 14925 and 6855 were all active in recruitment through this brainchild of Brother Manny. It was quite common to have first degree exemplifications practically on a weekly basis.
The organization of the tournament itself had a lot to do with the success in recruitment. Grand Knight Edgar Ursua of Council 6855 gave this event his firm and ardent support. Providing every resource needed. Led by Brother Manny Tolentino and his enterprising organizing committee consisting of Deputy Grand Knight Kevin Mendonca, Brother Butch Mendoza, Brother Antonio Banting, Brother Mel Ison and many more dedicated knights, this event was organized on a grand scale. Professional referee’s were retained for the entire tournament. Players T shirts were ordered for all participating councils. The games, held on a league basis kicked off in early September 2010 and continued through to the end of October, with the final game being played between Council 12861 and Council 6855. Grand Knight Philip Barnwell with his young team from council 12861 won the day and carried home the impressive new champion’s trophy. Our State General Program Director Brother Herb Yang was the Chief Guest at the final game. Council 11916, one of the smaller councils in district 23 led by Grand Knight Michael Wong witnessed a surge in the number of members participating. They took home the Most Valiant Knights trophy for the great sportsmanship shown by their team players especially Brother Louis Tong aged 74, Brother Dominic Eng aged 72 and Brother Paul Fan aged 67. These fearless senior brothers displayed no hesitation in taking on their much younger opponents. For the whole story, visit the State Website!
The Knights Moral Compass - Pro-Life Category
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The Knights Moral Compass - Pro-Life Category Congratulations to One of the World's Greatest Pro-Life Champions
itimat Knights joined arms with their counterparts at Kitimat Right to Life and took to the streets to proclaimed their raison d’etre, October 13th. Significantly, they also made the local news and thus reaffirmed to the whole city what they stand for and their commitment to their cause. All brother Knights are reminded that life is sacred and we are to constantly oppose the scourge of abortion.
Dear LifeSiteNews.com reader: Will you join us in congratulating one of the greatest champions of the pro-life cause?
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he news came in this week that Archbishop Raymond Burke will be among the 24 men made a Cardinal next month in Rome by Pope Benedict XVI! Cardinals are the closest advisors to the Pope and elect new popes out of their numbers. Faithful Catholics and other pro-life and pro-family individuals around the world have joyfully greeted the news of this great honor. Join your voice with theirs and Congratulate Burke. Archbishop Burke is an unrelenting champion of the rights of the unborn, the natural family, and orthodox Catholicism. He staunchly opposed Notre Dame's scandalous commencement honor to President Obama last year. Archbishop Burke is viewed as a personal hero and the best of allies by those who are active in promoting faithful Catholic education, as well as those within the pro-life and pro-family movements. To help celebrate this new step in the Archbishop's career, LifeSiteNews.com has co-sponsored a website (CongratulateBurke.com), along with In other news, Knights at Cranbrook were also busy. brother Neil Pelletier writes: We had these signs made by GK Allan & wife for the Life Chain Oct 3 in Cranbrook. I've ordered 6 more for 2011
The Cardinal Newman Society, that allows you to easily send a note of congratulations to the Archbishop. These notes will be personally delivered to the Archbishop at his office in Rome. Archbishop Burke has never hesitated to make bold public statements in defense of the culture of life. Notably, Archbishop Burke is one of the bishops who have upheld and defended Cardinal Ratzinger's instruction that persistently pro-abortion politicians or public figures must not be admitted to communion until they publicly repent. This week Jim Hughes, a vice-president of International Right to Life, said that “Cardinal-designate Burke is one of the Church’s greatest defenders of faith, and one of the pro-life movement’s greatest allies.” “He’s a gentle giant who is forceful in what he says and at the same time shows great compassion,” Hughes continued. “We thank the Holy Father for his wise and praiseworthy decision, and offer our heartfelt prayers to Cardinal-designate Burke as he takes up his new responsibilities.” Archbishop Burke deserves enthusiastic congratulations for this elevation in the Church and needs our encouragement to continue to be a shining example of how a faithful bishop can effectively lead in today's world. To send your note of congratulations to the Archbishop, click here.
The Knights Moral Compass - Church
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Corpus Fund gets a much-needed boost!
ur government has come one step closer to passing the ultra-radical, private members bill C-389. If passed, it would add “gender identity” and “gender expression” as a protected class within the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code. In the U.S., these “gender identity” bills have been dubbed “bathroom bills” for reasons we will explain.
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he Cedar Club, North Surrey Council 4767 presented the Corpus Fund of the Knights of Columbus (BC) Charity Foundation a cheque in the amount of $66,820.00. Presenting the cheque to the Adminsitrator, Germain Fortier, was Grand Knight David Harder. Also present, representing the Cedar Club, was Roy Carpenter. Several years ago the Corpus Fund was established with a goal to raise $2,000,000.00 which would then enable State Council to assist church related request including vocations to the priesthood and religious life from the interest received annually. We could then designate a number of bursaries to be donated in the name of the benefactor/benefactors to the Foundation.
The The Knights Moral Compass - Community
Creating a right to “gender identity” and “gender expression” will result in male cross-dressers and drag queens having the legal right to use girls bathrooms. Besides cross-dressers, this bill would also give special rights to those who consider themselves to be “transgendered”. Transgenderism is the belief that one can be a man on the outside, but a woman on the inside, or vice versa. To date we have raised approximately $800,000.00. We still have a long way to go, but if each Council sponsored an event once a year, as approved by resolution at the Annual Convention, we could meet our target of $2,000,000.00 within a few years. The attached photo shows Administrator Germain Fortier receiving the cheque from Grand Knight David Harder.
The NDP private members bill by homosexual activist Bill Siksay (BurnabyDouglas, BC), sailed through the Committee on Justice and Human Rights on November 3 by a vote of 9-2. This bathroom bill not only flies in the face of common sense, but is also potentially dangerous by creating the legitimized access that sexual predators often seek. Imagine a young girl - your daughter or granddaughter - goes into a washroom and finds a man there. How is the young girl to determine whether or not the man in the bathroom is a “peeping tom,” a rapist or a pedophile? It is unconscionable for any legislator to purposefully place her in such a compromising position. Furthermore, if the young girl reacts negatively to the man’s presence and he turns out to be a transsexual, she could potentially be charged with a “hate crime”.
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he recent Chaplain’s Seminar held at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Retreat at Cache Creek was a great success! A total of 20 priests attended and much information and insight was gleaned from the Director of Chaplain Programs & Development from Supreme, Father John P. Grace.
Proponents of C-389 will downplay or even deny the impact on public washrooms, but cases in the USA have already arisen on the basis of “gender identity” rights, such as those which C-389 seeks to enshrine in Canadian law. This bill would also create a legal nightmare for businesses. It is foreseeable that companies would
be forced to allow cross-dressing in the work place. Imagine the predicament of employers who hire for a job that requires contact with clients who would be disturbed by dealing with somebody that has taken up the “gender identity” of the opposite sex. The employer who fires, refuses to hire, or moves the person into a position with no customer contact, would certainly face human rights complaints of “discrimination”. Please find your MP’s contact info on our special “Find your MP” web page, here. Then email, phone and visit them. Respectfully request that they vote against this radical private members bill or else, you will vote against them in the next election. Thank you and God Bless, Jim Hughes National President Campaign Life Coalition
The Knights Moral Compass - Community By Max Patzelt
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rother Knights from District 16 made a trip all the way to Hazelton. We have some Knights there that are members of Council 5149 so it was decided to have a round Table meeting and treat the Parish to a Pancake Breakfast July 4th 2010. There was no one from Kitimat since we did not know till the last minute the invitation was lost some where in space. So Members from Terrace and Prince Rupert went and did the Job. As all reports indicate the Breakfast was a great success and all the Parishioners where thankful to the Knights. Father Agboso thanked the Knights who came all the way.
Some of the Patrons that enjoyed the Breakfast
Letters to the Editor Firstly, my apologies for the late edition of this Fall’s Edition BC & Yukon Knight. Yes, I know its practically winter here! I’m in the midst of designing other things too, like the Convention Pin, the new website...the list goes on.
• Wear your Knights of Columbus gear! If your members have T-shirts, aprons or other items printed with the emblem of the Order, encourage them to wear these items at all of your events.
I’m beginning to face a real problem though...a whole lot of generic pictures, and very few scanty reports describing the event! Here are a few tips on providing better reports and pictures:
One of the best things you can do to submit an article is to Enter these words in the subject title of your email: NEWSLETTER SUBMISSION: Your article headline next.
• Action photos illustrate the activity. They are not posed. Photos of people lined up in rows staring back at the camera are not action photos. Similarly, photos of cheque presentations may be easy to arrange but are not very imaginative. When possible, take a photograph of the program or item that the funds helped purchase.
This ensures that your email gets the attention it deserves. With that in mind, happy picture-taking and I look forward to receiving more reports from all of youout there!
• Photograph people while they are involved in an activity. Do not stop what people are doing to set up a posed shot.
Vivat Jesus! Mark Pan, Editor, State PR & Communications Director markpan.koc@gmail.com
Meeting Night Inner Conscience Grand Knight 5149 Ali Abacia, Father Simon Agboso ( of Hazelton), D.D.#16 Frank Visentin
By Ed Landry Knights Carlos Stella,Romey Abacia, Albert DeVera, Father Simon Agboso, D.D.#16 Frank Visentin, Susan Visentin, Emmanuel Abacia, Gabrielle Lazzarotto
Pancake Breakfast at Park Avenue School
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s planned, we once again held a pancake breakfast at one of our needy schools. On Nov. 18, 2010, we were at Park Avenue School. Seven of our brother Knights worked at this event: Claude Francoeur, George Martin, Leo Poirier, Dan DePape, Angelo Petraroia, Joe Walker and Rick Jones. As always, they arrived at 6:00 in the morning to set up and get everything ready. By 7:45 a.m. the first students arrived, and they continued to come until 9:00 o’clock. The hot, delicious pancakes and sausages were thoroughly enjoyed by all, as was evident by the many happy and smiling faces. We were very pleased to have been able to serve about 300 children, parents and teachers . Again, it was a gratifying experience for all the Brothers involved, especially with the realization that, on this one day at least, they had made a real difference in the lives of these children. Well done Brothers and our sincere thanks. Serving Pancakes at Country Club Mall Above, Bros. Doret Landry, Brian King, Bill Ducey and Dan DePape are
serving pancakes on Santa Claus Day at Country Club Mall on Sun-day, Nov. 21. Thank you very much Brothers for your great work! As reported by DD George Martin
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look at the calendar. I see there is a meeting tonight. I wonder if I should go. Probably won’t interest me much. They won’t miss me. Nah, I’ll go next time. Besides, I have a slight headache and there is a hockey game on TV not to mention the millionaire show, I hate to miss that one. Also, I have a dozen other things to do. A phone call or two to make as well. Now I am burrowed into my favorite chair watching the six o’clock news, feet up on the stool, comfortable, a little sleepy, a cup of tea nearby. I hear the rain falling hard onto the skylight. An evening which no one in their right mind would venture out into. My wife is finished cleaning up in the kitchen and joins me in the front room. She mentions something about a knights meeting then inquires if I will be going. A slight guilt crosses my heart; still I manage a shake of the head.
from L-R Rick Jones, Brian King, George Martin, Claude Francoeur, Dan DePape, Leo Poirier, Angelo Petraroia & Joe Walker.
As the wave of commercials come on, I think about the youth group and the unselfish efforts a couple of brothers contribute. Wow, when I think about it, we donated a heap of time and money for those special Olympic kids as well as that hockey team. Yeah, we raised a lot of money and we sure helped a lot of people who really needed it. My focus shifts back to the news but this darn conscience of mine won’t let go. It reminds me that, really, I should attend. How do I know what’s happening in my council if I don’t? Maybe there is a little job that I can help with. A knight and his family may need some of my support and prayers. It would be nice to see my brother knights again and help fill the room with care and friendliness and meet new guys in the spirit of our common faith. The news is over. I slip on my blazer. I surprise my wife with a little kiss and assure her, with a smile, I will be home after the meeting.
Special Report - His Wrath Upon Their Heads FATHER RAYMOND J. DE SOUZA
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he blood of Baghdad screams out to heaven and earth. May we now speak of the Muslims who want to kill us?
In the Church too, there is often a reluctance to support vigourously Christians under attack, and to call things by name.
Isn’t that way out of line? Surely Islam is a religion of peace, from which we have a lot to learn?
“As in the past and still existent today, some imbalances are present in our relations,” is how the final statement of the recent Synod of Bishops on the Middle East characterized Christian-Muslim relations. Imbalances? As in the imbalance between the jihadist firing the gun and the Catholic mother being riddled with bullets?
Let’s then dispense with the disclaimers: Christians and Muslims have often lived together in peace. Only a minority of Muslims are homicidal fanatics. Terrorism is a corruption of Islam. Fine. But let us speak frankly of those Islamic jihadists who wish to kill Christians because they are not Muslims. On Oct. 31 in Baghdad, an alQaeda affiliated terrorist group stormed into the cathedral of the Syriac Catholic Church, Our Lady of Salvation, during the evening Mass. They immediately killed the priest offering the Holy Mass – three priests in all were murdered. They began shooting and held the congregation hostage while security forces surrounded the church. When the police stormed the church, the jihadists began killing those inside; some of them set off suicide bombs on their belts. Dozens of Catholics were killed. The blood of Abel, the first innocent to be killed, cried out to heaven. The blood of these latest Iraqi martyrs screams out to heaven and Earth. Does the world want to listen? “Christians are slaughtered in Iraq, in their homes and churches, and the so-called ‘free’ world is watching in complete indifference, interested only in responding in a way that is politically correct and economically opportune, but in reality is hypocritical,” said Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignace Joseph III Younan after these latest killings. “There are a few churches and Christian institutions left in Baghdad, not so great a number that it is not unreasonable for them to be protected, security-wise,” he continued, noting that the security being provided by the government is “far less than what we have hoped for and requested.” By now the killing of Christians by jihadists has become a regular feature of the landscape in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. Yet a massacre in a church, during the Holy Mass, surely would provoke a thunderous reaction? “We condemn in the strongest terms those who would conduct such a cowardly, vicious and senseless attack on innocent civilians in a place of worship,” said the boilerplate statement from Lawrence Cannon, Canada’s foreign minister. No mention of who “those” attackers might be. The Rotary Club? Salvation Army? The American State Department had no statement at all.
The blood of Abel, the first innocent to be killed, cried out to heaven. The blood of these latest Iraqi martyrs screams out to heaven and Earth. Does the world want to listen? Then there was the statement by Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas, which was utterly astonishing. After simply describing the massacre, he boldly pointed the finger of blame: “The level of incivility in our national dialogue has reached a crescendo,” Farrell wrote. “Catholics in Iraq specifically link the violence against them by Muslim extremists to anti-Muslim demonstrations and threats to burn the Koran in the United States. Our actions have consequences far beyond our control. ... I call upon all Catholics to tone down the level of hatred in their comments and conversations.” The blood is still dripping from the walls of the Baghdad cathedral, and Bishop Farrell finds fault with a nutcase nobody pastor who threatened to burn the Koran, but did not do so after the whole world condemned him. Would that the Islamic radicals in Baghdad had only threatened to kill people at Mass. With all respect to the bishop of Dallas, the problem is not with overheated Catholic rhetoric, but with murderous Muslims. A Catholic bishop ought to know the difference. Indeed, a bishop might consider more muscular rhetoric, perhaps giving voice to the blood of Baghdad that screams out to heaven. “Vengeance is mine says the Lord.” So Scripture teaches us, and so it must be for us, leaving vengeance to the Lord, and imploring the grace of reconciliation and mercy. But let us not blanch from raising our voices to the Lord, with righteous anger and hot tears, to visit His vengeance upon those who did this, to bring down His wrath upon their heads, to exact upon them a terrifying price in full measure for their grievous sins. That’s not the language of hatred; it is the language of the shepherd when the flock is being slaughtered. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Father Raymond J. de Souza, “Enough already! Let’s call a jihadist a jihadist.” Catholic Register, (Canada) November 3, 2010.
Field AGents’ Space
A Strong Shield Inspired by Catholic values, Knights of Columbus Insurance continues to protect the financial future of families By Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson As our global economy continued to limp along in 2009, and as the life insurance industry saw lower sales and experienced significant investment losses resulting from the prolonged recession, the Knights of Columbus avoided the worst effects while recording record sales. The reason is simple: We continue to build upon more than a century of commitment to putting faith and families first. Speaking with people unfamiliar with the Knights of Columbus, I am sometimes asked, “Why insurance?” The short answer is that our insurance business follows the same philosophy as our Catholic charitable outreach: “Love of neighbor.” When Father Michael J. McGivney came to New Haven as a young priest, his parishWe will stay the course ioners worked in dangerous facand continue to build upon the tories. If a father died or was seriously injured, his family ethical and financial strength of the would suffer — often terribly. Knights of Columbus. Father McGivney wanted to protect these Catholic families, and he put his principles to work the storm of the past year, and it was in founding the Knights. another financially strong year for the True to his vision, the Knights of Knights of Columbus. Columbus has continued its high ethConsider this: Despite the turbulent ical standards because we view our economy, we ended the year in the brother Knights as family. As a result, black with investment returns in line our fine team of insurance, financial with market indices. And we did it by and investment professionals cares for investing ethically. We believe it is the money of our members as if it morally wrong to pay another man to were their own. do what we consider immoral. Thus, When it comes to shielding his fam- we will not invest a brother Knight’s ily from financial uncertainty, every money in companies that engage in family man looks for safety, prudence, things such as abortion or pornography, protection, quality and sustainable things that go against the fundamental growth of investments. Such thinking moral values of our Catholic faith. isn’t just “smart.” It is the right and What holds true for us at home moral course of action. should also hold true for our business Many companies were lured by the decisions, and at the Knights of promise of quick profits that put their Columbus, it does. This hasn’t hurt clients’ finances in jeopardy. With a business, either. business model based on Catholic Our rules bar us from investing in principles, however, we weathered companies and industries with im-
moral products, research or services, yet year after year — and again in 2009 — we have made money without compromising our principles. We have been successful for our members in other ways, too. During a year in which 140 banks failed, annuity sales at the Knights of Columbus were up 60 percent, or $180 million — a new record. In 2009, the Order’s overall assets grew by nearly 10 percent. Many insurance companies are cutting dividend rates in 2010; the Knights of Columbus is not. People sometimes ask why we maintain such a large surplus. In times like these, they have stopped asking. The Knights ended 2009 with nearly $75 billion of insurance in force. Once again we earned the top ratings for financial strength from A.M. Best and Standard and Poor’s, as well as certification from the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association for our commitment to ethical business practices. While many in the insurance industry struggled, we saw a flight to the kind of quality that comes from our philosophy: a mission to protect the financial security of Catholic men and their families based on Venerable Michael McGivney’s vision 128 years ago. People can see the difference. In 2009, we had our best year ever with more than $7 billion in sales. As we begin 2010, my pledge to every brother Knight and his family is this: We will stay the course that has proven so successful in the current financial crisis. We will continue to build upon the ethical and financial strength of the Knights of Columbus, and that strength will continue to be a strong shield to protect the financial future of our families. Vivat Jesus!
Reprinted from Columbia Magazine, Feb. 2010