Unitas 2016-09 September - kofc12497.comkofc12497.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/Unitas/Unitas 201… · Volume 17, Issue 09 September 2016 Page 1 of 11 In This Issue • Bob’s

Please come to our business meeting every 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00 pm (usually at St. John Neumann's Family Center – see schedule)

Volume 17, Issue 09

September 2016

Page 1 of 11

In This Issue • Bob’s Blurb

• Chaplain’s Report

• Soccer Challenge

• Bible Study

• That Man Is You

• IDF Drive

• Vocations Raffle

• Membership Report

• Field Agent Update

• Photo Album

Upcoming Events

September 09/12 Business Meeting-SJN 09/11 Soccer Challenge-SPCR 09/16-18 IDF Tootsie Roll Drive,

various locations 09/24 Paper Sredding (Ladies Aux.),

SPCR

October 10/01-02 IDF Tootsie Roll Drive, KC

Flea Market 10/03 Ladies Auxiliary 10/04 Officers' Meeting 10/10 Business Meeting-SJN 10/15 5K run/walk-Leroy Oakes 10/24 First Degree-TBD 10/29 Fourth Degree-Rockford

November 11/05 Pies By The Guys-SPCR 11/07 Ladies Auxiliary 11/08 Officers’ Meeting 11/14 Business Meeting-SJN 11/20 Family Bowling, Funway

December 12/04 Major Degree-SJN 12/05 Ladies Auxiliary 12/06 Officers’ Meeting 12/12 Social Meeting with spouses 12/13 Breakfast with Santa

Bob’s Blurb Mark Twain is quoted as saying "Twenty years from now you will be more

disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do."

September and October provide us Knights with great opportunities to do some charitable work for people in dire need. Last year our annual Intellectual Disabilities Fund drive (Tootsie Rolls) helped eight tremendous local organizations that provide services for the disabled and their families. Our October 5K run and 2K Walk raised monies for the Special Olympics and Hope for Haitians.

But these drives can only provide help if you sign up to volunteer. A commitment to work one, two hour shift at the Flea Market, over the September 16-18 weekend, at the October Flea Market, or on the October 15th race crew will make all the difference in the world to the success of our charitable efforts. You know that every one of us can find a way to volunteer for one, two hour shift with so many daily options. No excuses. Sign up today on the Council's Activity Signup webpage at http://kofc12497.com/wordpress/?page_id=318. If you cannot use the computer, call IDF's Greg Sengstock at 630 770 5348, or 5K's Kevin Malooly at 806 881 9770, and they will sign you up.

Jesus told us to care for the sick, disabled, and poor. Twenty years from now, will you regret that you did not do it?

God bless you and your family always.

Bob Gilmartin – Grand Knight

Chaplain’s Report by Fr. David Peck Dear Brothers in Christ, let us begin this new year with prayer. Always asking God’s direction and will for all we do. Following is the ACTS method of prayer, perhaps you will find it works for you.

Adoration is the first act of the virtue of religion." Have you ever seen a sunrise or a mountain vista that made you want to cry aloud in sheer joy at the beauty you experienced? It is our destiny and highest joy, to find Someone to worship, to kneel before. Adoration is at the very heart of the spiritual life. It is the scene in the Book of Revelation,

Copyright (C) 2016 St. Charles Knights of Columbus All rights reserved. Page 2 of 11 Questions, comments, opinions, etc. can be forwarded to the editor at [email protected]

Upcoming Events Continued

1st Degree Schedule

October 24 – location TBD

Orientation Schedule

TBD

Everyone is invited, but please call Paul Braddock, 630-901-3164, in advance to ensure preparations are made for you.

Mystic Monk Coffee

Support the Ladies

Auxiliary

Support the Ladies Auxiliary by

ordering Mystic Monk Coffee.

Just go to http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com

/store/?aid=1017

Council Officers Grand Knight

Bob Gilmartin

Chaplain Fr. David Peck

Deputy Grand Knight

Bill Roth

Chancellor Burt Brown Recorder Bob Girdwain Financial Secretary Ed Mundt Treasurer Dan Kadolph Advocate Gary Stopka Warden Hank Brill Guard Jeff Bowgren

Chapter 4, where the 24 elders prostrate themselves before the throne of God, cast the honor of their golden crowns before him, and sing, "Holy, holy, holy. You are worthy, 0 Lord." No one else is truly holy; no one else is worthy, worth it, worth all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. All sin and misery come of forgetting this truth, and going after the worship of false gods, whether these are corruptions of real religion, or mere creatures like sex, money, and power.

Contrition is the awareness and expression of being merely a creature, and a weak and flawed creature at that, in the presence of the Holy One. We make mistakes; we fail; we fall. To realize that and to pray is comforting and relaxing, for it just confesses who and what we are and the way things are. No need to pretend. God loved us before we existed and knows all our faults. God is merciful. God forgives no matter how many times we fail.

Thanksgiving is joyous praise of God. One who can thank God for everything, good and bad, is a truly happy person. Gratitude and joy are so closely related. Gratitude is a basis for expecting further favors. A little girl compliments her grandmother on her wonderful pie - and asks for more.

Supplication. From the viewpoint of ordinary language and the human condition, this is what prayer means, petition. We ask God for what we need. All prayer is asking. The Our Father is a list of petitions, from "hallowed be thy name" to "deliver us from evil" If God is bothered by prayer of petition, it is his own fault. Jesus has urged us, "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." (Mt 7:7)

May you grow more in God‘s grace this coming year and feel the strength of His Holy Spirit through your prayer, adoration, contrition, thanksgiving and supplication. I am looking forward to spending more time with you this next year.

Fr. Peck

Knights Support Catholic Education Recently our Council donated $500.00 to the Angel Fund at St. Patrick Catholic Grammar School. Principal Jodi Falotico and Vice Principal Mary Carol Mignin were on hand to receive the council's check presented by Grand Knight Bob Gilmartin.

The Angel Fund assists families experiencing a temporary financial setback, such as a loss of a breadwinner's job, and averts a student having to leave the school due to money issues. Mrs. Mignin told how a student and her family were helped last year. Mrs. Falotico expressed the school's gratitude for your generous support.

Way to go Knights!

Prayer Bucket now online Council has added a Prayer Bucket to our online webpage. All too often, prayer intentions have arisen after our monthly meetings and will not be presented until the next month's meeting. Sometimes, this is untimely. The purpose of the online Prayer Bucket is to allow brother Knights to post a short prayer intention so timely prayer can be garnered from all our brother Knights.


Guard Greg Sengstock

Guard Steve Schnulle

Trustee (3 Year)

Fred Karl

Trustee (2 Year)

Jim Gebhardt Trustee (1 Year)

Bill Goetz District Deputy Jason Lynch

Field Agent Greg Paul

708 601-5489

Council Directors

Membership

Director Paul

Braddock

Church Director

Gary Topacio

Community Director

Jim McNamara

Council Director

Tom Rasmussen

Family Co-Directors

Nathan Marchese,

Roman Seckel

Youth Co- Directors

Jason O'Sullivan, Kevin True

Culture of Life Director Jerry Pietryla

For example, you might request prayers "for my sister Jane Doe, who is undergoing chemo treatments for cancer." Posts are subject to screening and approval by our webmaster. Posts will also be removed by the webmaster after a reasonable time period.

You can access the Prayer Bucket at our webpage at http://kofc12497.com/wordpress/?page_id=50 under the "Knights Items" tab.

Also, in your prayers, please remember to add "and for the intentions listed in my Council's prayer bucket, if it be in accordance with Your will."

Many thanks to DGK Bill Roth for his work on this.

Attention Gardeners Please remember that as you approach the end of the gardening season to set aside your surplus fall cuttings or plants in a spot to winter over and be dug out and potted next May for our Plant Sale on May 13,2017.

And tell your gardening friends and neighbors to save their surplus plants for us too!

Ladies Auxiliary Report Greetings to all fellow members of the Ladies Auxiliary and Knights,

September will be a busy month for the Ladies Auxiliary – hopefully, it will be very fulfilling for all.

We have quite a few ladies signed up to support the FV Pregnancy’s big fundraiser at the Q Center on September 8th. Also, we have a Full Team of 12 volunteers (9 Ladies & 3 Knights) to participate in the homebuilding at Habitat for Humanity on September 10th in Elgin.

The Ladies are also looking forward to their first-ever Fundraising Shredding Event on September 24th (10 am to Noon at CRC Parking Lot). It’s the perfect time to clean out all your sensitive documents, while supporting the Ladies Auxiliary through any type of Good-will Donation.

At our next regularly-scheduled meeting on October 3rd – we will be hosting an Open House for any interested lady to see who we are as a group. (Oct. 3 @ 7:30 pm – Fr. Carse Center – DTC)

Please encourage your wives to come and join us…and to bring family pictures and memorabilia to create a Memory Page for their own Scrapbook (supplies available).

Reminder: October 1st will be the first Saturday of October. Joanne Droho will be leading us in the Rosary at 3:30


(prior to the 4 pm mass at Crane Road Church) to promote Our Lady in our lives and in others.

In recognition of Mother Teresa being declared a saint in a canonization Mass held by Pope Francis on September 4, 2016, two favorite quotes attributed to St. Teresa of Calcutta… could be the guide posts for the Ladies Auxiliary and in our everyday lives:

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

May God grace us all in our endeavors.

Ann DeMartino ~ President, Ladies Auxiliary

Fellow Team Members: Alice Sury (VP); Donna Fike (Secretary); Lois Mielke (Treasurer); Julia Cooper, Jean Budwig, Thea Stowell, (Trustees)

O’Sullivan Family is Knight Family of the Year Brother Jason O’Sullivan and his family were awarded the Knights’ Family of the Year honor for 2015-2016 at our August council meeting. Jason, his wife Dina, and daughters Sophia and Rachel truly exemplified the principles of Unity and Charity that we hold dear. Jason has been an enthusiastic and dedicated Knight since joining the Council in 2014. He has been co director of the Youth Service Program and helped organize and run the Soccer Challenge, Spelling Bee, and Free Throw Contest. In addition he attends Council meetings and has volunteered as a Dragonboat racer. Dina has been an active volunteer and helper at the Soccer Challenge, Spelling Bee and other events. She helps us in working with the administration at St. Patrick's School also. Sophia and Rachel were active participants in the Soccer Challenge and the Spelling Bee. In fact, after they competed in the Soccer Challenge they stayed and helped retrieve errant shots by other competitors. Congratulations to the O'Sullivans on an honor well deserved!

Jeff Ricketts is Knight of the Year

Brother Jeffrey Ricketts was awarded the Knight of the Year honor at our August council meeting. Since joining the Knights, Jeff has been an active volunteer at many events throughout the years. When asked to be the editor for our council's monthly online newsletter, Unitas, Jeff enthusiastically agreed. Although his job requires much travel, Jeff dependably publishes a quality product every month of the year. Jeff has to chase the contributors to meet deadlines, and also correct submitted articles for grammar mistakes. Nonetheless, his efforts result in brother Knights being well informed about the events and people in the council. Jeff's increased inclusion of pictures brings the events alive for

each of us each month. Congratulations to Jeff on an honor well deserved! (submitted by GK Bob Gilmartin)


Knight of the Month

A sincere thank you and congratulations to Phil Waugh (left), our Knight of the Month for June and Ron Newman (right), our Knight of the Month for July!

IDF Tootsie Roll Drive…We Need You Now Brothers – It’s fast approaching that time again. The sign up page on website will be active this week for your volunteer slot selections. Mark your calendars for the weekend of September 16, 17, and 18 when we will ask you to generously donate your time to fill the many slots and locations available for the general collection. In addition, we will again be manning the gates Sept 3rd and 4th and October 1st and 2nd at the Kane County Flea Market. BRING YOUR FRIENDS, BRING YOUR FAMILY, BRING YOUR CO-WORKERS. MAKE IT A FAMILY/COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER EVENT. Last year we collected over $10,000 to support the many local organizations that serve the intellectually disabled. As a Knight committed to the pillar of Charity, we will need all hands on deck to top our 2015 collections. Success will require your help, “let’s make it happen”. Please make an effort to commit your time to this very worthy event and thank you in advance for helping the many individuals who will benefit from this program. For more information contact Gary or Greg, Co-Chairmen. Gary Stopka Greg Sengstock [email protected] [email protected] 630-824-7285 (630) 770-5348

Vocations Raffle Raffle booklets, supporting our council’s Vocations Raffle, are being sent out to all Saint Charles Knights of Columbus 12497 Council members. Our council is dedicated to helping seminarians, our future priests. Your purchase of the raffle tickets will provide financial support to deserving seminarians. Please consider buying both booklets priced at $15 each. However, even if you buy one booklet, the council’s vocation program is kept alive through your purchase. Please return the ticket stubs with your contact information on each ticket, and your check at the next Council meeting or mail them to Knights of Columbus, P.O. Box 4006, St. Charles, IL. 60174. Call me at 773-517-2060 if you have any questions or need additional raffle booklets. Steve Groshek Vocations Raffle Chair


Sunday, September 11th, 10AM-1PM, St. Patrick’s Church Boys and Girls Ages 9-14 FREE ENTRY! COMPETE: • Each participant will have 15 shots on goal for points • Score points by kicking through targets marked on goal • Top kicker in each group will receive a prize plaque • All participants will receive a certificate of participation • Winners will be eligible to compete in District competition

4th Degree Exemplification October 29th All 3rd Degree Knights in good standing are invited to take the step to Sir Knight at the Exemplification of the 4th Degree at the Radisson Rockford Hotel on Saturday, October 29, 2016. The principle of the 4th Degree is Patriotism, and the exemplification is one of the most beautiful ceremonies you will ever attend. Information about the exemplification and the banquet was emailed via Flocknotes August 11, you can go to Flocknotes to review it. NOTE: YOUR FORM 4 APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED BY EARLY OCTOBER AND REQUIRES SEVERAL SIGNATURES BEFORE SUBMISSION. Our council liaisons, Pat Para and Ron Newman have the Form 4 application that you need. Contact Pat: [email protected]/ 312 401 0073, or Ron: [email protected] and 312 209 5653. Please consider advancing in your knighthood to the 4th Degree.


Know Your Faith By Ken Konetzki What are you wearing? There is nothing like walking up a steep incline on a hot and humid day to remind oneself of the value of physical fitness, especially when one is not fit. But at least I could enjoy the company of my hiking companion, Sir Knight Gary Topacio, as I labored to breathe, swatted mosquitos, and wiped the sweat from my brow. “You know," Gary said, "the Cardinal always talks about how God gives us what we need to be healthy. He always pays attention to what he eats and often rides his bicycle. He considers a proper diet and the opportunity to exercise to be a means of showing gratitude to God for the many blessings He gives us.” As we continued our hike up to one of the lookout points at Mississippi Palisades State Park, I got to thinking more about the Cardinal's observation. Gary and I agreed that it was certainly true that God makes available to us all that we need to be healthy in body. We also recognized that while God does His part, we as individuals don't always do ours. Instead we lapse into poor dietary and sedentary habits that leave us functioning at less than optimal levels. Doing our part, that is eating right and exercising, would go a long way toward helping us live life to the fullest, rather than wondering if the next step up the hill will initiate a trip to the emergency room. The spiritual life is like that too. God gives us what we need to be healthy in spirit. He makes it possible for us to traverse the steep incline of life, with all its trials and tribulations, and ultimately to spend eternity with Him at that great lookout point of Heaven. Yet we don't always do our part. Instead we reject what he gives us and lapse into spiritual apathy or even outright sin that ought to leave us wondering if we're initiating a trip to somewhere other than Heaven. What God gives us is Grace and it is a marvelous gift. The CCC defines it thus: The free and undeserved gift that God gives us to respond to our vocation to become his adopted children. As sanctifying grace, God shares his divine life and friendship with us in a habitual gift, a stable and supernatural disposition that enables the soul to live with God, to act by his love. As actual grace, God gives us the help to conform our lives to his will. Sacramental grace and special graces (charisms, the grace of one's state of life) are gifts of the Holy Spirit to help us live out our Christian vocation. Of course, just like any other gift, grace must be accepted and appropriated for it be of any use to us. We need not only to accept the pretty package, but also unwrap it, open the box, and actually wear the shirt contained therein. If any of those steps are not completed, we haven't really accepted the gift. Think back to a time when you wore a costume, a time when you dressed up as somebody or something else. Maybe it was for Halloween or some play you did in school. When you were in costume, did you play the part? Did you speak or behave in ways true to the character you were portraying rather than as your ordinary self? I bet you did. The same effect can be seen when a person wears a uniform or tuxedo. What we wear affects how we comport ourselves and how we comport ourselves affects what we wear. Accept the gift of God's grace. Wear it, live it, and revel in the Glory of Him. Pax et Bonum


Membership Report At our July meeting I talked about being rejuvenated for the upcoming Fraternal Year. The past is past and now is the time to focus on what we are going to do this year. In the upcoming months we are doing a series of Techniques/Strategies each of us can practice when speaking to a gentleman about the potential of him becoming a Knight. This article is what was presented at our August 2016 Business Meeting. Listen and Identify Think about this ... Every time when we leave Mass we hear the words, "Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord". What does this mean I am supposed to do? Our Grand Knight has given us a similar theme this year that says, Go and "Share the Experience of a Lifetime". In order for us to "Share the Experience of a Lifetime" I feel it is important to remind ourselves of the principles of our Founder Venerable Michael J. McGivney. His vision was that Catholic laymen would be bound in a common association to advance the welfare of our Church and community. Father McGivney dedicated his life to the spiritual and physical welfare of others. His spiritual legacy was his emphasis on his love for God and how he could transform others by encouraging them to love God as well. When you find yourself engaged in a conversation with a gentleman and you are anticipating bringing up the subject of the Knights, think about this first. Is this gentleman someone you think you would like to be made aware of the benefits of being a Knight? Does he sound like someone who cares about the well being of others? How would you know if he likes to do good for others? You need to LISTEN intently as the person is talking. Refrain from saying too much yourself. You stay in the role of asking questions of interest to him. What type of work does he do? Does he have a family? What does he and his family do for fun? Are they involved in their school or church? What did they think about last Sunday's Gospel? All the while he is talking you can silently ask yourself if you feel he is seeking to do good for others and do you sense he has a love of God. At our business meeting I gave some examples of a hectic work life....his wife plans the family schedule and he goes wherever she says, there are sporting events all weekend, there are so many projects left undone at the house, and there is never enough time for himself. This may not be the time to say, "Hey, do you want to become a Knight?" You see...it isn't your job to change them. Men do not like it when we try to fix them. On the other hand, if you receive a response like work is enjoyable but does take up my time, he and his wife participate in their children's activities and are always looking for ways where they can show their children how to be more charitable. In fact, he and his neighbor helped with the Giving Tree last Christmas. This is an individual you can tell that you enjoy doing these things as well. And feel free to ask them if they have ever heard of the Knights of Columbus. Depending on their answer, you would follow their lead with the conversation. Not much needs to be said. Simply say, "Hey, since it appears you have some interest in learning more, you wouldn't mind if I had another member of the Knights call and introduce himself to you, would you?" Congratulations, you have IDENTIFIED an individual who has the potential of wanting to do more for others but just didn't know there was a way to do it. You never want to push too hard. By LISTENING to the other party, you can sense if they want to make a difference in their family, in their church, or in their community. You now have a candidate who is about to enjoy an "Experience of a Lifetime" by being a member of the St. Charles Council of the Knights of Columbus. WHAT'S THE TECHNIQUE TO PRACTICE FOR SEPTEMBER? Come to our business meeting on Monday, 9/12/16, to find out.


Your Brother in Christ, Paul Braddock Membership Director [email protected] 630-901-3164

Golf Outing – Thank You!

In July we held our 17th Annual Chuck Hollenbach "Never Give Up On Life" Memorial Golf Outing.

The Lord once again blessed us with a wonderful day in more ways than one.

After a challenging round on Elgin Country Club's beautifully manicured course, Elliott From of ArtBeatLive created a Chicago Cubs inspired work of art that was auctioned off and we heard a wonderful keynote address from Deacon Bill Johnson.

The goal of the evening was to not only hear about the great things that are going on at the Fox Valley Pregnancy Center, but also raise as much money as possible for their continued mission. To that end we held successful silent auctions, raffles and drawings. We raised about $17,000 and we are going to be able to contribute the funds to them at their Celebration Banquet on September 9th.

Many thanks to my Brother Knights, the golf committee members, sponsors and volunteers. Without your dedication and support, this outing would not have been possible.

Please go to our council's "Never Give Up On Life" Memorial Golf Outing Facebook page below to see some of the photos from the day.

https://www.facebook.com/Knights-of-Columbus-Never-Give-Up-on-Life-Golf-Outing-273509392722384/ Sincerely, Ron Newman Golf Committee Chair

Bellarmine men's silent retreat, January 2017 Please consider attending the annual Bellarmine men’s silent retreat this coming January. The Retreat theme is “The Spiritual Exercises: Who Am I? Where Am I Going? How Do I Get There?” The Retreat Master, Fr. Doug Leonhardt, SJ has served in a number of roles since his ordination in 1969 – including as Principal and President of Marquette University High School. During a 2003 sabbatical he directed retreats in Kenya and Uganda. Fr. Leonhardt has extensive experience in directing The Spiritual Exercises, and is presently working as Jesuit Superior for the St. Camillus assisted living community. The January 20-22, 2017 silent retreat with Fr. Leonhardt will begin on Friday evening. The weekend features talks, an opportunity for private conferences with a spiritual director, and Mass and confession. The retreat concludes after lunch on Sunday, around 1pm. You can register in one of these ways: 1. Call the office at 847-381-1261. You can make the $85 deposit payment over the phone with a credit card. 2. Register online at www.jesuitretreat.org. Chuck Jaeger, brother Knight email [email protected] Phone 630-779-4564


Field Agent: Think You Are Too Old for Coverage? Maybe Not You are never too young or too old to consider purchasing life insurance. If you have a financial need for coverage, or will in the future, a permanent life insurance policy can be just the thing you need.

When you are young and presumably healthy, coverage will be very inexpensive when compared to purchasing the same policies when you are older.

If you’ve put off purchasing coverage, or you realize that you may need additional insurance, the Order may still be able to help you, even if other companies cannot. In fact, in 2012, the issue age of our permanent life insurance products was extended to age 80, and in 2014, the issue age of our term insurance was extended to age 70. Naturally, your health, and whether or not you smoke, will be taken into consideration, so underwriting standards for risk and age apply. But, the extensions are a great blessing for me – and it could be for you too. Now I can help members that I couldn’t help before. Are you or one of your brother knights one of those members?

Whether you’re 18 or 80, the Knights of Columbus has products that will work for you and your family. I look forward to discussing coverage with you.

Gregory Paul, FIC (708) 601-5489 [email protected]

Please Support our Sponsors Dan Rothengass, Owner / Operator www.ceilingsandmoreinc.com email: [email protected] Any Knight can sponsor our newsletter for $100 per year. Contact the Unitas editor at [email protected]


Photo Album These pictures are from Jacob Kadolph’s Eagle scout project, a flag retirement ceremony for worn flags. For more information on the Council’s connection to this project, see the article in last month’s Unitas. Do you have photos from Knights or Ladies Auxiliary events to share? Send ‘em in!

Unitas 2016-09 September - kofc12497.comkofc12497.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/Unitas/Unitas 201… · Volume 17, Issue 09 September 2016 Page 1 of 11 In This Issue • Bob’s

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