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FR. MAHER'S KNIGHTLY NEWS

'Here I am, I have come to do Your will, O God'

November 2008

VOLUME XXXIII    ISSUE 5    

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Newsletter Contents:

» Grand Knight's Message

» District Deputy Message

» Reflections

» Fraternal Benefits

» Odds and Ends

» Council Shirts Now Available

» Silver Knight Award

» Access Survey

» Knights of Columbus - Christmas Card Sale

» Father Peter Paul Maher Council Memorial Mass

» Breakfast With Saint Nick - Volunteers Needed

» Seminarian Fund - Matching Donor Comes Forward

» Faith and the Ballot

» Peter Pan at the Olney Theater

» Entertainment Books Are Here

» Italian Dinner

» News From Supreme

» November and December 2008 Calendar

Grand Knight's Message

by John E. Moore, Grand Knight

October will be over when you receive this Knightly News and it was as usual a very busy month. We had Council members participate in the Flag Retirement Ceremony as members of the Color Corps; we held our annual Soccer Shootout (although poorly supported and attended); we conducted a very successful first ever Council Fashion Show (Brothers ask your wives if they had fun); the Inwood House Halloween Party is always a great time (those who have never been involved should try it next year); and last but not least was our Tootsie Roll Program, the response from the phone calls and e-mails to solicit volunteers was very disappointing. Again, if we all only contributed a few hours so much more could have been accomplished. I want thank those who did step up and stand up for the two hour shifts.

I especially want to thank the Captains of each of the six locations for all their efforts and Bill Thewes for continued support.

District Deputy Message

by John L. Durbin, District Deputy

Ready or not! November is here already! October was full of many fun activities including the Columbus Day Ball, followed the next day by the parade in Baltimore and capped off the day after that by the celebration at Union Station in Washington, D.C. where the statue of Christopher Columbus stands. The State Fall Meeting in Hagerstown will be held October 24th, 25th & 26th, there will be plenty of information coming forth as a result of this very important training for District Deputies. I will report on this meeting in a later article. Membership and Retention will certainly be the main focus. The councils in District #30 are all active in their recruiting efforts. Do not let up and," Do not get discouraged." We lead by example so wear your name badges to mass and other functions so people will know that you are Knights of Columbus and want to join with us in the good works that are accomplished routinely by our membership. Carry a "Form 100" at all times. November begins with "All Saints Day" followed by "All Souls".

It is a time to pray for those that have gone before us and to ask for help from the saints as we do our very best to serve God and our neighbor so that we may attain our reward. Montgomery Council will host a memorial mass on November 18th where all deceased members of our District and the Sullivan Brothers Assembly will be remembered particularly those that passed during the period October 31, 2007 thru October 31, 2008 . Thanksgiving is on Thursday November 27th. When our families join together for our Thanksgiving celebrations remember to include the Holy Family.

God bless us and our families.

Happy Thanksgiving from your District Warden Jack Giacalone and Phyllis and from John, Nancy and Jill! Vivat Jesus

Reflections

by Lawrence P. Grayson

The Four Horseman (Part 3 of 4)

In the Book of Revelation, St. John writes in symbolic terms of the struggle between good and evil, the conflict between the worldly Babylon and the divinity-seeking Jerusalem, of the difficulties we must contend with on earth to gain our reward of an eternity with God. In our earthly existence, Satan tempts us with alluring idols, false prophets, and sensuous pleasures so that we will turn away from God, attracted by the material present, forgetting why we were created.

The third, astride a black horse, is hedonism, which is concerned only about pleasure as the ultimate good. Sensuality does violence to morality, and results in a famine of grace in the soul. It creates an environment of religious indifference. Many people call themselves Catholic, but live as if God does not exist. Their focus is on "me" and what gives "me" pleasure. The individual assumes no responsibility for others, and does not have a deep commitment to family, community, or country. The result is that divorce is commonplace, abortions are rampant, pornography is rife, and marriage is treated as a breakable contract rather than a lifelong covenant. Hedonism exists because there is a denial — sometimes overt but more often tacit -- of God and of the existence of an immortal soul. The Catholic author, Flannery O’Connor, insightfully wrote that people are so busy "reducing everything to human proportions that in time they lose even the sense of the human itself."

Fraternal Benefits

"RENDERING PECUNIARY AID"

The month of November in the Knights Of Columbus is traditionally the time during which we remember our deceased Brother Knights – those who have gone to their eternal reward.

Our thoughts also turn, naturally, to those who our Brother Knights have left behind their widows and children. These are the same people, though a different generation, who occupied Father McGivney’s thoughts in 1882 when he founded the order.

The first two reasons listed on our charter for the establishment of the Knights Of Columbus are: "rendering pecuniary aid to its members, their families and beneficiaries of members" and "rendering mutual aid and assistance to its sick, disabled and needy members and their families."

My position as a fraternal benefits advisor for the Order has evolved from those principles. I am here to help you plan financial security; both for yourself and for those who you may leave behind. I am not here to sell you insurance because you might die and be a part of our remembrances next November. I am here to sell you insurance because someone else might live; and I think you love that someone and would like her to continue to live with dignity.

It’s not a pretty thought, but picture the first November your loved ones will spend without you. How does it look?

Call me today for an appointment. Fraternally, Rick Morin, FICF, CSA 301.384.7627

Odds and Ends

• The minutes of the council’s monthly business meeting are now on our web site, www.kofc6793.org. The link is in the yellow boxes on the left side of the display titled "Business Mtg. Minutes." If you have any corrections, comments or questions, please contact us at (301) 774-9260 or jem1234@verizon.net.
• The Cell phone recycling program is being discontinued as it has become more expensive to send the phones back than the proceeds recovered.
• The Updated Council Annual Calendar is viewable at any time at www.kofc6793.org. Select the "Calendar" button on the left side of the web page.
• The Council has begun meeting at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School for our business meetings and most social meetings (See the Council for specific details or contact us at (301) 774-9260 or jem1234@verizon.net.
• Thought of the month: "It’s not whether you get knocked down, but it’s whether you get up." Vince Lombardi.
• The Knight of the Month is Brother William Gulban.
• The Family of the Month is Brother James and Mary Jo O’Brien.
• Our 50/50 monies will be dedicated to supporting the State Kof C Wheelchair Distribution Program.
• Give thanks to God and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Council Shirts Now Available

Council shirts are now available for $20. They are Maroon in color, Gildan Ultra Blend, 6.5 ounce, 50/50 cotton, poly pique knit sport shirts for men and women. The K of C insignia is just above the left pocket. We currently have all sizes available, medium, large, extra large and 2 extra large. To order your shirts please call Jack Giacalone at 301-774-6338. Thank you.

Click here to view a color photo of the shirt.

Silver Knight Award

The Silver Knight Award is available to a 3rd Degree Knight who recruits 2 new members, participates in 3 council programs, and attends 3 Business Council meetings.

Access Survey

Would you consider receiving only our electronic newsletter at www.kofc6793.org and, thereby allow us to save the expense of mailing a hard copy to you each month? This can also be used to issue prayer requests or changes /notices to events in a timely manner.

Please reply to Grand Knight John E. Moore (jem1234@verizon.net) (301-77-9260) or Don Hemke, Financial Secretary (gumpermd@verizon.net) (301774-7511). Thank you.

Knights of Columbus - Christmas Card Sale

Keep Christ in Christmas this year! Send and give religious Christmas cards and support a good cause. The Knights of Columbus invite you to call Marc Long on (301) 208-7134 to see our beautiful selection of religious Christmas cards. The proceeds from this year’s sale benefit our council charitable programs.

Father Peter Paul Maher Council Memorial Mass

This year's Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Sunday, November 9, 2008, in the Devine Mercy Chapel at the Marian Assisted Living Facility, 19109 Georgia Ave, Brookville, MD. Our deceased Brother Knights will be remembered during the 10:30 a.m. Mass. All council members and their families and widows are encouraged to attend to honor the memories of our departed Brother Knights.

Following the Memorial Mass, widows and their family members, as well as all interested Brother Knights and their families, are invited to Dave’s American Bistro, 5500 Olney-Laytonsville Road (Rte 108; detailed directions will be available) for brunch. Most light fare will be in the neighborhood of $10. If you are interested in attending, please call John E. Moore, at (301) 774-9260, with how many will be attending.

Breakfast With Saint Nick - Volunteers Needed

Each year the Brothers and spouses of Fr. Peter Paul Maher Council prepare and cook mountains of pancakes and sausage to feed the hungry parishioners who attend St. Peter's Breakfast with St. Nick. This year the event will occur on Saturday, December 6 at St. Peter's Parish Hall. There will be 2 servings, one at 8 am and the other at 10 am. The first wave of Knights will arrive promptly at 5 am to begin preparation and we usually finish cleaning up by 1 pm. We need 6 to 8 volunteers for two, four-hour shifts, 5 am to 9 am or 9 am to 1 pm. Spouses are welcome to participate.

Please contact John E. Moore at (301) 774-9260 to volunteer and thank you for your help.

Seminarian Fund - Matching Donor Comes Forward

A very generous Brother Knight in our Council, who wishes to remain anonymous, would like to challenge his Brother Knights to donate to the Seminarian Fund. He will match all donations up to $1000. Please be generous in your donations and know that your gifts will have double the impact. This challenge will be separately recorded and the results will be reported monthly in the Knightly News. Send all donations directly to the Grand Knight, John E. Moore, 4500 Prestwood Drive, Olney, Md. 20832.

Faith and the Ballot

With national elections occurring on November 4, we have complementary responsibilities. The Maryland Catholic Conference, in Election & Political Activities Guide: A Handbook for the 2008 Elections, states: "As Catholics, we are called upon to carry the values of the Gospel and the teachings of the Church into the public square. As citizens, we have a duty to participate in the framing and the debate of public issues and in the selection of those who occupy positions of civic leadership."

Casting a ballot is an act with moral consequences because we are choosing representatives and expressing our voices on issues that shape society. Hence, voting must be done with consciences formed by faith. The central tenet of Catholic moral and social teaching is respect for the dignity of every person. This is more than religious dogma. While it is reinforced by faith, respect for human dignity is a principle embedded in human nature itself and therefore common to all humanity. It is fundamental to our nature as having been created in the image and likeness of God.

When a candidate’s or party’s position violates an inalienable right and a founding principle of government, it is more than ordinary political disagreement. As Pope John Paul II stated in the encyclical, Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life ), if the right to life is denied because of a vote, even if cast by a majority of the people, "the ‘right’ ceases to be such, because it is no longer firmly founded on the inviolable dignity of the person but is made subject to the will of the stronger part" of the electorate. It becomes a question of who is the ultimate authority — God or government.

In casting a vote, we are obliged to do so with a well-informed conscience in order to bring about the most morally-acceptable results possible.

AN EVENING AT THE OLNEY THEATER

Peter Pan

Friday, December 12
Pre-show Reception
Adults $36.00
(Box Office Price $43.00)
Kids* $21.50
(*Kids - 18 and under)

Entertainment Books Are Here

They make great Christmas gifts! Call Doug Ketter at 301-570-5202

Fr. Peter Paul Maher
Council #6793

Italian Dinner

Sunday, November 16, 2008
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Pasta, Sauce, Meatballs
Italian Bread, Mixed Salad, Dessert, and Drinks

St. Patrick's Parish Center

Norbeck Rd, at Muncaster Mill Rd., Rockville

Donations at the Door

For more information or to volunteer to help with this event
please call John E. Moore at 301-774-9260

News From Supreme

Poll Finds Consensus Over Abortion, Draws Distinctions Among Catholics -- by Elizabeth Ela A nationwide poll found more consensus than division over abortion, with 71 percent of self-described pro-choice voters favoring restrictions on abortion and 84 percent of Americans overall saying likewise. Catholic support of abortion limitations – particularly among practicing Catholics – was even higher.

The poll, entitled "Moral Issues and Catholic Voters," was commissioned by the Knights of Columbus and conducted by the Marist College Institute of Public Opinion. The findings also illuminated the differences between Catholic voters who practice their faith on a regular basis and those who don’t, particularly on the issue of abortion – always a hot topic in terms of winning the so-called "Catholic vote" in an election.

Like the American electorate, Catholics as a whole were divided when identifying themselves as pro-life and pro-choice, though the majority of practicing Catholics – 59 percent – said they were pro-life. 65 percent of non-practicing Catholics, however, call themselves prochoice.

Among Catholics, 92 percent of practicing Catholics favored limitations on abortion, and 89 percent of Catholics overall said likewise. The results challenge the impression of a "monolithic" Catholic voting bloc, as practicing and non-practicing Catholics differed not only on abortion, but also other issues such as traditional marriage, the death penalty and civil unions.

Stressing this point at a press conference today, Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, said discussion of Catholics’ voting patterns need to be viewed in the two distinct categories of church attending and non-practicing Catholics. Anderson added, "I would certainly encourage pollsters, reporters and commentators to take this distinction into consideration when reporting on Catholics."

The survey found that practicing Catholics – defined in the poll as those who attend a religious service once or twice a month – make up 65 percent of American Catholics overall.

Another major finding of the poll revealed that a high number of Americans are in favor of limiting abortion, regardless of whether those surveyed labeled themselves as pro-life or pro-choice.

For example, while 50 percent of Americans identified themselves as pro-choice, 71 percent of them said abortion should be significantly restricted. 76 percent of pro-choice, non-practicing Catholics likewise agreed that abortion should be significant restricted. Only eight percent of American voters overall said they favored allowing an abortion at any time during pregnancy. Anderson particularly stressed these findings in his statement about the poll.

"This data makes clear that labels like ‘pro-choice’ are obsolete if our intention is to accurately assess the views of the American public," Anderson said.

He went on to call the use of the term "pro-choice" a "particularly polarizing designation" that "hides what our polling data suggests is a broad consensus among the American people."

"Despite 35 years of unrestricted abortion following the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, our polling data reveals that the American people – when given the chance to specify the circumstances in which abortion ought to be legal, overwhelmingly do not support the central holding of Roe v. Wade," Anderson said.

Of note, the study found that non-practicing Catholics are more likely to be pro-choice than the general American population, with 65 percent of non-practicing Catholics considering themselves to be pro-choice versus 50 percent of Americans saying the same thing.

In turn, 82 percent of practicing Catholics said they wanted a candidate who maintained that life begins at conception. 71 percent of American voters agreed.

The poll also struck at a "national mood" of those surveyed, saying "Catholics and non-Catholics agree the country needs a moral makeover." Over 70 percent of Americans said the nation’s moral compass is pointing in the wrong direction, and a similar proportion of Catholics – practicing and non-practicing – agreed.

Anderson highlighted this finding and referenced current financial troubles as a sign of the country’s wayward morals. "Americans are looking for better moral values and a higher moral standard in our country," Anderson said. "(They) believe the country is suffering from a crisis of character, and I would venture to say that nowhere is this clearer than in a financial crisis in which no one seems willing to accept responsibility and everyone seems willing to assign blame."

Also of note in the study’s findings:

• There is vast, national support for parental notification of a minor’s abortion, a ballot issue this November in California. 77 percent of Americans support parental notification.
• 70 percent of Americans do not support same-sex marriage, though 32 percent of that number favor civil unions. 68 percent of Catholics – including 75 percent of practicing Catholics – do not support same-sex marriage.
• 70 percent of the general electorate would support a candidate who would uphold marriage only as between a man and a woman.
• Both Catholic and non-Catholic voters said they would "definitely vote" for a candidate who would uphold religious liberty and freedom of conscience.
• Of Catholic voters overall, 39 percent are Democrats, 45 percent identify themselves as moderate and only 19 percent describe themselves as liberal.

The poll was taken from September 24 to October 3, 2008. An oversample of 813 Catholics nationwide was also conducted.

More details of the poll can be found at the Knights of Columbus website, www.kofc.org.

November and December 2008 Calendar