Knights
of Columbus
Msgr. Borusky Council 10243
Green Bay, Wisconsin
NEWSLETTER
December 2000
Grand Knight's Column
Christmas
is fast approaching. The decorations are up. The cookies are being baked
and all of the presents are being purchased. Once again it is the giving
time of the year. We all seem to give of ourselves just a little bit more
at this time of the year. We work a little harder and a little longer each
day. There is a lot more activity with Christmas parties and social
events. We spend time and energy addressing and personalizing each and
every Christmas card that we send, in hopes of making it special for the
person receiving it. We really do spend a lot of time giving of ourselves,
and of our time and treasures, in order to make those around us feel good.
True giving comes from the heart; it is not the size or the price of the
gift that matters. Only that it is genuine and given freely with no
strings attached. We all have the ability to give something that fits that
description to many people, and yet we are hesitant to give it. It is
something that costs nothing and yet means so much. I'm not talking about
a smile, although that would hold true, but rather a compliment. Paying
someone a compliment is sometimes difficult in our society. People are
cautious and sometimes suspicious of others who are overly nice. It is
unfortunate, but very true. So because of this we tend not to give many
compliments because we don't want other people to think that we are up to
something. It is because of this type of cyclical thinking that as a
society we don't give or receive many compliments. We all need to practice
more so that we can get good at it, and loose our apprehension of what
other people might think if we say kind words about them.
When you give a sincere compliment to someone two things happen. First the
person who receives your kind words feels very good about themselves, and
usually offers you a warm gracious smile in return. Secondly you feel very
happy inside. Because you have taken the time to notice something special
about someone and verbalize it, you notice that you too share in their
joy. By being the giver of the compliment you receive their gratitude,
thanks, and joy and thus you in turn feel good as well.
So in the spirit of Christmas I urge you to do a lot of giving this year.
Not in terms of monetary gifts, but rather in kind words from your lips.
For the compliment that you give will come back to you in the smile from
its recipient, and you both will fell better for having said it. So
practice daily on the people you meet by telling them what you like about
them. It could be their smile, or the efficient way they do their job, or
perhaps how thoughtful or courteous they are. It is easy to do and the
more you do it the easier it becomes.
Many wishes for a happy and meaningful Christmas for you and your loved
ones.
Rick Noe
Grand Knight
December Meeting: Ladies
Welcome
Our
next meeting will be held Monday, December 18th. We are encouraging all of
the members to bring along their wives or guests to this meeting so we can
share in a little holiday spirit with each other. As in the past we intend
to make the business part of the meeting quite short to allow time for
socializing afterwards. We are also encouraging all of you who plan to
attend to take part it the St. Bernard advent prayer service which will be
starting at 6:45 PM in church. What better way to prepare yourself for
Christmas than to take time out for some quiet reflection with your
friends and your Lord?
Deputy Grand Knight
The
search continues for a candidate for the office of Deputy Grand Knight for
our Council. GK Rick Noe reported at the last meeting that his job keeps him quite
busy at this time of year, so the search will begin in earnest in January.
Even in the absence of a Grand Knight and a Deputy Grand Knight,
the Chancellor (Mike Worzala,
in our case) is the ranking
Officer and is legally able to run the affairs of the Council under the
Constitution of the Order (Sec 126) and the By-laws of the Council (V, 2).
The Council is in good hands; there is no leadership crisis.
Contact the GK for more information.
Millennium Angel Sale
Our
Council once again sold the crystal angels in hopes of raising money for
charity. We sold angels after masses at both St. Bernard's and at St. Mary
of the Angels, which is Fr. Al's parish. After the expenses were paid we
had a profit of $752.00 which is very good considering that we sold the
same product to the same audience as last year. Special thanks to all of
the men who helped; They are, Jim
Janssen, Gary Durocher, Pat Ellis, Kevin Beck, Al Collins, Bill Brown,
Bill Bartelme, Dave Burbach, David Doering, Mike Delvaux, Joe Hoffman,
Leon Janowski and Rick Noe.
There were also a few angels still available for sale. If you would like
one for yourself or for a gift please give Rick a call at 468-3194. Cost
for the angel and the lighted base is $26.00.
Special Days
A =
Marriage Anniversary
B = Birthday
O =
Ordination Anniversary
+ = Date of Death
December
15
B Lynn (Brian) Katers
15 B
Joseph Raisleger
17 B
Susan (Robert) Agard
18 B
Rick Pigeon
19 B
Donald Schneider
19 B
Lucille (Robert) Warpinski
20 B
Charles Rademacher
21 B
Kristine (Terry) Misfeldt
25 B
Terry Timmerman
26 B
Lee Ann (John) Laurant
27 B
Marianthe (John) Hale
28 B
Connie (Richard) Rosin
29 B
Dorothy (Cliff) Gigot
30 A
Donald & Colleen Hoff
30 A
Robert & Pat Massart
January
04
B LouAnn (Scott)
Rebman
06 B Timothy Conroy
08 B
Dave Whitton
10 B
Tom Janowski
11 B
Cathy (Bob) Wozniak
13 B
Lee Maccoux
15 B
Edith (Weldon) Kiernan
By-Law Review Committee
A
committee has been established by the State Council to review resolutions
passed at State Conventions over the last several years and determine if
appropriate amendments have been made to the by-laws of the Wisconsin
State Council. State Advocate
Wayne Wood chairs the committee
that also includes State Secretary Richard
Rebman, Eastern District Marshal Don
Bettine, District Friar Father Al
Lis and Charity Committee Representative for the Diocese of Green Bay Ron
Frosch. All five members of the committee are also members of our
local Fourth Degree Assembly 1197. The first meeting was held in November
at St. Mary of the Angels Parish.
Fourth Degree
Our
local Assembly of the Fourth Degree (Marquette Assembly #1197) joined with
St. Jude Assembly #1724 in Oneida for a Memorial Mass in November at St.
Mary of the Angels and a dinner to follow.
Attendance from both Assemblies was disappointing.
Due to an error at Sir Speedy that prints and mails the Fourth Degree NEWSLETTER,
the last issue was mistakenly mailed to all members of Council 617 in
Green Bay. The Assemblies
will be gathering for a Christmas Party together in January.
Further information has been sent to Fourth Degree men through the NEWSLETTER. The Fourth Degree raffle, a major source of income for the
District and the Assemblies, is underway.
The next exemplification of the Fourth Degree is planned for April
in Appleton. Now would be a
good time for any Third Degree men in good standing to consider advancing
to the highest Degree of our Order.
Charity
Contributions 'In Memoriam'
At the November Council meeting, a total of $500
was contributed to charity in memory of deceased brothers of the Council.
$300 was again contributed to the Green Bay Police Department for
their Christmas youth activities including the Shop
with a Cop program and visits to children in hospitals at Christmas.
This contribution was made in memory of brother Knight Mike
Paoletti, a Green Bay Police Officer who was involved with these
programs. Mike passed to the
Lord in 1997. Also, $200 was
contributed to the Salvation Army in memory of brother Knight Dan
McLaughlin who died in 1999.
Dan coordinated our participation in the annual Bell Ringing for
several years. We have
supported both these causes in the past.
Chaplain's Column
Last
year the group 98° produced a Christmas album entitled This Christmas. I allow
myself one or two new Christmas CD's every year, so I bought it.
I am not one who listens intently to music or talk on the radio; on
the contrary I usually just have it on as background music.
However, one of the songs caught my attention--a version of Silent
Night that was interrupted by Christmas greetings by the singers to
their fans. It concluded with
the wish that everyone remember 'the true meaning of Christmas' and then
hit the refrain, "Christ the
Savior is Born." Knights
of Columbus for years have been on a campaign to "Keep
Christ in Christmas."
Too many sources this time of year bombard us with what (they
think) the true meaning of Christmas is--joy and love and peace and
generosity and all sorts of worthy and noble values.
Lofty as these syrupy thoughts might be, they are the products
of the season, not its meaning.
We all get caught up in the 'Spirit of the Season' and find
ourselves perhaps a bit more generous ad tolerant than might be the case
at other times of the year, and we decorate our homes and businesses and
make the rounds of parties and other social engagements which characterize
this season. It is good and
right to do these things; after all we need diversion from the trials that
life often brings our way. It
is a time to celebrate and to enjoy, but we need to remember that refrain
which reminds us of the real meaning of the season.
It is the time of year when we celebrate the birth of God's own
Son, our Savior. Everything
else is secondary to this. Because
of the joy that was brought to the world by this birth, because of the
fact that by his birth we too are reborn, there is really something to
celebrate. The joy of our
world has found its expression of the things that we are about and the
things with which we surround ourselves.
Though just about every Christmas decoration from trees to candy
canes to Santa Claus has some religious meaning behind it, there are also
some decorations which are more specifically religious, especially the crèche
or 'nativity scene' that causes consternation in many places about
separation of church and state. I
would challenge the members of the Council to do two things this season.
First, and most importantly, consider that true meaning of
Christmas--Christ is born.
Be sure to take time in this hectic season to think about what that
really means for us. Secondly,
be sure that religious decorations are not abandoned.
See that they are prominent especially in our homes so that all who
enter the place this season may know that Christmas is not about lights
and trees only. It is not a
'spirit' but an event of history--salvation history--that we are
celebrating. Evidently that
event means something to 98°.
Let's be sure it is not lost to us.
Fr.
Al Lis, O.F.M.
Chaplain
Prayer
Prayer
Before the Blessed Sacrament
Lord
Jesus Christ,
when you desired to sanctify the world
by coming among us in the flesh
Mary and Joseph placed you in the manger
so that even as a newborn child
you were revealed to the nations
as food for a hungry world.
You have given us the Eucharist
as the memorial of your Passion
that we might share in its saving power
until the end of time.
May our worship of this sacrament
renew your life with us.
May we who declare our faith
in this fountain of love and mercy
drink from it the water of everlasting life.
Allow us to cherish within our hearts
the salvation you won for us
and bring your gifts of grace to fulfillment
at the banquet table in your kingdom
where you live and reign with the Father
and the Holy Spirit,
God forever and ever.
Charity
Raffle
The annual State Charity Raffle is about to kick
off. Leon
Janowski will chair the event as he has so graciously done for several
years now. Randy Barrett will assist him.
Tickets should be available at the next meeting.
Last year the State reported record sales of $636,575.
It was also a record year for the Council with a total of 1383
tickets sold by 85 members of the Council--2/3 participation.
Just eight men sold over half of the Council's total number of
tickets. Further information will be in the next NEWSLETTER. Let's see
if we cannot only beat last year's total, but get as close as we can to
100% participation in sales.
Notes from the Financial
Secretary
Dues: As 2000 comes to a close, notices have been sent
for dues for the calendar year of 2001, which are due January 1st.
As part of the First Degree, "...keeping your dues
current." is a part of that degree exemplification. However, if you
are having financial difficulties and cannot pay your dues, the Knights of
Columbus understand, but you need to notify the Grand Knight, Richard
Noe to make other arrangements.
Please make your check out to: Knights of Columbus Council 10243 (or K. of
C. Council 10243). A
"Late Fee" of $10.00 will be assessed to those who have not paid
by February 28, 2001 unless other arrangements have been made (voted at
the meeting 11-15-1999). If a "Late Fee" was assessed to the
2000 dues and not paid it will be added to the 2001 dues.
Activity
Survey: The 2000
Survey of Fraternal Activity individual member worksheet has also been
sent which is due back to me by 1-10-2001 in order for me to tally the
totals. Remember that you need to take credit for all of your activities:
serving as an usher and/or distributing Holy Communion at Mass; youth
activities such as coaching; helping a neighbor or fellow Knight to paint
their house etc. If you help anyone it those hours can be counted. This is
important for the Knights of Columbus to maintain their charitable status
for tax purposes. If you have questions, ask me.
E-Mail: E-Mail addresses are requested again as some may
have changed and some may have been added during the past year.
An envelope addressed to the Financial Secretary
has been included in the mailing for your convenience.
If you mail it be sure to put a stamp on the envelope, or give it
to me at the December meeting.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Jim Barnett
Financial Secretary
Bell Ringing
Thanks
to coordinator Ian Forbes and
to all who took part in the Bell Ringing on Friday and Saturday, December
1-2 at Cub Food East. Among
the many who helped out were family members of several Council brothers
and Betty McLaughlin, Dan's
widow. Dan had coordinated
our involvement in the project until his passing to the Lord a few years
ago. Ian reflects:
Bell Ringing this year coincided well with the
First Weekend of Advent. Everyone
did a fine job representing the K C's through the full range of ages and
genders. Each time I
stopped by to see how things were going, the troops seemed to be having
a good time while performing community service for a good cause.
It was great to have Betty McLaughlin with us this year and to
see the little red bucket filled several times over.
We certainly did not have the problems getting volunteers as is
the case in other areas of Wisconsin.
Thanks to all who came out to put a few hours in as
representatives and agents of this worthy cause.
It was also nice not having to stand outside in the cold this
year. Thanks Rick for
arranging this alternate and preferable location.
Best wishes for a warm and heartfelt holiday season.
Ian
Thanks
to all who helped ring in the charitable contributions for the Salvation
Army:
Jim Barnett
Andrew Forbes
Ian Forbes
Ann Gauthier
Faith Gauthier
Tom Gauthier
Jim Janssen
Father Al Lis
Tim Meyer
Alex Michalski
Betty McLaughlin
Rick Noe
Dick Rosin
Mike Vanden Busch
Nate Vanden Busch
Renee Vanden Busch
Wally Vanden Busch
Jason Vandermause
Nathan Vandermause
Terry Vandermause
Stan Waslowski
Harry Watermolen
Dave Whitton
Mike Worzala