Knights of Columbus Council 8521 St Joseph Catholic Church - Honey Creek 25781 Hwy 46 West Spring Branch TX 78070-3613
KC Officers for 2017-2018 June 2018 Newsletter
Grand Knight Rudy Gonzales 210-488-5431 Pope Francis: The Church, like Mary, is Deputy Grand Knight Hal B. Lane III woman and mother 830-980-6848 By Vatican News Financial Secretary Joe Vocks 830-885-4340 The Memorial of the When this trait is Chancellor James Sulak Blessed Virgin Mary, lacking, the Pope 210-649-7904 Treasurer Mother of the Church, continued, the Terry Temple 830-438-8058 was observed for the first Church resembles Recorder Donald Zaiontz time on Monday; the merely “a charitable 830-980-2505 movable feast is set for organization, or a Advocate Greg Canfield the first day following football team”; when 830-438-8266 Warden Pentecost. In his homily it is “a masculine Matt Wohlfeil 830-388-0469 during Mass at the Casa Church,” it sadly Inside Guard Carl Newton Santa Marta, Pope becomes “a church of 210-488-7181 Francis said the first old bachelors,” Outside Guard Henry Delgado virtue of a mom is “incapable of love, 830-885-4425 Chaplain tenderness. incapable of Rev. Francis McHugh 210-824-0139 “The Church is fruitfulness.” Trustee 1st Year Michael Merta feminine,” Pope Francis Trustee 2nd Year said in his homily on Gilbert Alvarado 830-980-5918 Monday, “she is a Trustee 3rd Year Max Engel mother.” 830-229-5657 Lecturer Sam Haines 830-438-4049 Pope Francis: The Church, like Mary, is woman and mother
That was the reflection offered by Pope Francis during the Mass celebrated in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta for the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. The feast is being celebrated this year for the first time, after the publication in March of the decree Ecclesia Mater (“Mother Church”) by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Pope Francis himself decided the feast should be celebrated on the Monday immediately following Pentecost, in order “to encourage the growth of the maternal sense of the Church in the pastors, religious and faithful, as well as a growth of genuine Marian piety.” The “motherliness” of Mary In his homily, Pope Francis said that in the Gospel, Mary is always described as “the Mother of Jesus,” instead of “the Lady” or “the widow of Joseph”: her motherliness is emphasized throughout the Gospels, beginning with the Annunciation. This is a quality that was noted immediately by the Fathers of the Church, a quality that applies also to the Church. Pope Francis: The Church, like Mary, is woman and mother
The Church is feminine, because it is “church” and “bride” [both grammatically feminine]: it is feminine. And she is mother; she gives life. Bride and Mother. And the Fathers go further and say that even your soul is the bride of Christ and mother.” And it is with this attitude that comes from Mary, who is Mother of the Church, with this attitude we can understand this feminine dimension of the Church, which, when it is not there, the Church loses its identity and becomes a charitable organization or a football team, or whatever, but not the Church.
No to a Church of old bachelors
Only a feminine Church will be able to have “fruitful attitudes,” in accordance with the intention of God, who chose “to be born of a woman in order to teach us the path of woman.” Pope Francis: The Church, like Mary, is woman and mother The important thing is that the Church be a woman, that has this attitude of a bride and of a mother. When we forget this, it is a masculine Church. Without this dimension, it sadly becomes a church of old bachelors, who live in this isolation, incapable of love, incapable of fecundity. Without the woman, the Church does not advance—because she is a woman. And this attitude of woman comes from Mary, because Jesus willed it so.
The tenderness of a mom
The virtue that primarily distinguishes a woman, Pope Francis said, is tenderness, like the tenderness of Mary, when she “gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger.” She cared for Him, with meekness and humility, which are the great virtues of mothers.
A Church that is a mother goes along the path of tenderness. It knows the language of such wisdom of caresses, of silence, of the gaze that knows compassion, that knows silent. It is, too, a soul, a person who lives out this way of being a member of the Church, knowing that he or she is [like] a mother [and] must go along the same path: a person [who is] gentle, tender, smiling, full of love. A Message from our Worthy Grand Knight Brother Knights
As I write my last message for our monthly newsletter, I can't help but look back at the past two years and how much our council has accomplished. There are so many of you I need to thank for your guidance, support and for stepping up when the council needed you. I have always felt a sense of pride being your Grand Knight and can honestly say we have one of the best councils in Texas. Our membership is over two hundred strong and we are gaining new knights each month. Our Golf Tournament has reached new heights and is attracting more sponsors. The fish fries are enjoyed by so many parishioners and many out of town guests. Our dances are becoming a hit and St. John Hall has turned into a great venue. Our principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism have never been stronger. A huge thanks to all of our significant others who have also supported us and even volunteered to help with many of our events.
As I turn over the gavel to my successor, my wish for our council and the new board is that we continue to experience unending success. I pray we will be fulfilled in all we do as we continue to give generously to our ministries and charities as well as our community needs.
"Dear Lord, as we rise to meet each new day, please let us be filled with Your Holy Spirit. Wherever we go, let us spread love, joy, peace, goodness and faithfulness. Let us desire to become more like You and to worship You in all that we do. All this we ask in Your most precious name." Amen!
Viva Cristo Rey
Grand Knight,
Rudy Gonzales Craft Beer and Catholic Teaching: Drink Up, Gents By Mr. Max Milan
Okay, I’m not too sure about What’s the deal with craft the beard question, but to the beer? Why does everyone others, the short answer is: suddenly love craft beer? How because beer is good; and can it be that in 1978, there because beer brewed by were 89 breweries in the US, someone with whom you can but now, there are over speak, someone who enjoys 5,300? Why are meeting the people for whom microbreweries, craft beer they brew, is even better. companies, and brewpubs opening left and right? Why A somewhat more long- has production by US winded answer to these microbreweries seen an questions is, in my opinion, increase of more than 500% the economic theory called since 2004 [1]? And why does “distributism” and the every male craft brew subconscious longing that enthusiast have a beard? people have for it. Craft Beer and Catholic Teaching: Drink Up, Gents
A somewhat more long- Pope Saint John Paul II, Hilaire winded answer to these Belloc, and G.K. Chesterton. questions is, in my opinion, Distributism places emphasis the economic theory called on people as individuals “distributism” and the within a community and subconscious longing that opposes the lack of freedom people have for it. Now present in socialism and the before anyone falls asleep heavy burden imposed on the or remembers some laboring class resulting from nightmarish ECON class unbridled capitalism. they had in college, let me assure you that I’ll make this very light, and I think you’ll find it more interesting than you may predict. First of all, I like distributism because it is explicitly based on Catholic Social Teaching and was advocated by folks like Pope Leo XIII, Craft Beer and Catholic Teaching: Drink Up, Gents
Now, just a brief overview The one theme of the of distributism: in this seven encompassing system, property ownership Catholic Social Teaching is a fun- damental right, and that I think is the most the means of production applicable here is called should be spread as widely solidarity which as possible rather than underscores the unity under the control of either found in a community of the state or a few people dependent upon individuals or corporations. one another. To be in Distributism promotes a solidarity with others is to society of artisans and is share in their experiences, influenced by an emphasis to care about them, and to on small business, recognize their dignity as promotion of local culture, people and children of and favoring small God. It suggests that one’s production over capitalistic own good is not mass production. If I were independent of the welfare to say that sentence out of their neighbor and of loud in a brewpub full of their community. This people with beards drinking emphasis on the craft beer, I dare say I would community and local get shouts of affirmation culture is objectively good and agreement in reply. and expresses in an That’s because this is the ordered way God’s type of society people long commandment to love one for. another. desire is manifesting itself Craft Beer and Catholic through the craft beer industry Teaching: Drink Up, Gents (among others).
Many people, the younger Theoretically, a distributist crowd especially, are system built upon the relinquishing the American foundation of neighborly adjunct lagers made by solidarity (and, of course, macrobreweries like Bud, augmented by craft beer) Miller, Coors, and all the rest. would be the type of They’re leaving behind these society that people are beers and flocking to their local realizing is more microbreweries and brewpubs. appealing than one based I think they’re doing this for a on impersonal consumer more significant reason than capitalism. By purchasing the fact that craft beer tastes products from people who better than light lagers. They’re live in the same doing it because they have neighborhood, one is figured out that being handed extending the Christian a freshly brewed beer from the ideal of loving one’s person who made it is more neighbors to the economic fulfilling than pounding back a environment. Keystone Light. They’ve tapped into (pun intended) the hard So how is all of this work of an artisan who cares related to beer? Well, in about the product he or she is my opinion, people are producing. They’ve figured out yearning for this type of that there is an actual person distributist system behind the product and that whether they realize it or the consumption of goods not, and I think that this doesn’t have to be impersonal. Craft Beer and Catholic Teaching: Drink Up, Gents
The same goes for the In this context, drinking a craft brewer; sure, every business beer is not merely about person needs to be drinking it. Granted, craft profitable, but what I see beers are meant to be drunk with most craft breweries is and are crafted to be the best that they start as enthusiastic that they can be, but the homebrewers who get into experience of a having a craft the trade because they beer is not entirely about the appreciate excellent beer and taste. When combined with a care what people think about distributist attitude toward what they make. Another economics and a sprinkling of essential point of distributism Catholic morality, drinking a suggests that craftsmen craft beer becomes an should not be alienated from experience of a communion of their work. It is beneficial for sorts. This is not to say that a manufacturer to see the beer itself brings about this fruits of their labor, to be able fellowship – it is merely a to take pride in what they commodity. However, I think have made and feel that they that the interactions and are a worthwhile member of experiences centered around society. craft beer can bring people together in a healthy way, the way members of a community are called to substantiate the love of Christ among themselves and between each other. Craft Beer and Catholic Teaching: Drink Up, Gents
So, the next time you find yourself sampling the newest test batch at a local brewery or out for drinks and laughs with some friends at your neighborhood brewpub, look around, notice what is going on around you, and bear witness to the unspoken desire to seek God through the manifestation of the “love of neighbor” described by distributism in the world of craft beer. Cheers! Or as we say in Texas: Prost, y’all!
Max Milan is a Catholic, a husband, a pun enthusiast, a certified nerd, and a Structural Engineer in Dallas, TX. He and his wife both hold Bachelor’s Degrees in Physics from the University of Central Arkansas and went on to become Masters of Science at Texas A&M. Through his writing, Max hopes to help bridge the unfortunate gap between faith and science. In his free time, he enjoys doing crossword puzzles, drinking and homebrewing beer, exploring the outdoors with his wife and dog, and writing on matters of the Catholic faith. 8th Annual Knights of Columbus Golf Tournament
We had 33 teams playing this year resulting in our largest net profit of $17,535.82. We have raised over $104,000 for charities these past 8 years. This is a result of the team work of our bother Knights who sold raffle tickets, hole sponsorships, played in the tournament, recruited players, work at the tournament, and served on the golf committee. Mark you calendars... The 9th Annual Knights of Columbus Golf Tournament will be May 31, 2019 at the River Crossing Club. June Birthdays
Edwardo Andrade Thomas J Brod Gerald A Coale Henry B Flores Ronald C French Quentin D Meyer Jeffrey L Moore Gregory S Murray James C Sulak Mark W Worth FINANCIAL SECRETARY REPORT FOR May 1, 2018 Total Membership : 207 which includes 73 Insurance, 11 Honorary and 28 Honorary Life Awards Program
Payments were due by December 31, 2017. There are 4 Knights who have not paid their dues for 2018 for a total of $120.00. Knight Alert Letters were mailed to these Knights on May 16, 2018. Please make checks payable to Knights of Columbus Council 8521 and mail to Joe Vocks, Financial Secretary, 923 River Way Spring Branch, TX 78070.
11 FAITHFUL COMPTROLLER REPORT FOR June 1, 2018 86 Members which include 1 Honorary and 5 Honorary Life Payments were due by December 31, 2017. There are 4 Sir Knights who have not paid their dues for 2018 for a total of $112.00. Final Notices Letters were mailed on May 16, 2018. Please make checks payable to Father Virgilius Draessel Assembly 3439 and mail to Sir Knight Joe Vocks, Faithful Comptroller, 923 River Way Spring Branch, TX 78070. June 13th – Council Meeting, St. Johns Hall 7p.m
June 14th – Flag day
June 17th – Fathers day
June 18th - 1st degree Exemplification, St Johns Hall
June 20th - Officers Meeting St. Johns Hall 7p.m
June 28th – Admissions Degree, hosted by St. Marks Council 7613 July 4th – independence Day
July 11th - Council Meeting, St. Johns Hall 7p.m
July 18 - Officers Meeting St. Johns Hall 7p.m Recommended Books for Men
At first glance, Ardy Roberto’s “Real Men Are POGI” is obviously written for men. With its tag line below it, “How to be Handsome in God’s Eyes so You can be Ready for your God’s best”, it serves as a man’s handbook guide for Christian living. But no book lying on our living room table would be spared from my book-hungry eyes. Once I sat down flipping through page one, this bookworm enters a heart-to-heart talk for real men. Insurance Q & A
Do I need life insurance? Yes, the chances are you do need life insurance, whether it’s for paying funeral expenses, replacing income, providing money for your child’s education, protecting your home or many other reasons. Unfortunately, too many people don’t know the value of a life insurance policy and go without any or adequate coverage.
Is the Knights of Columbus financially strong? Yes. The Order is one of the strongest organizations from which you can purchase insurance, as assessments by independent evaluators consistently show. Our margin of safety is among the best in the industry. The Knights of Columbus annually receives the highest ratings given by the A.M. Best Company and Standard & Poor’s.
What exactly are dividends? Dividends are the divisible surplus the Order has left over after paying expenses and setting aside the necessary amounts to assure that future benefits are fully funded. Dividends develop from favorable experience, such as people living longer than expected or from interest earnings higher than those guaranteed in their policy. Remember, the payment of dividends cannot be guaranteed.
If I have questions about my insurance policy, or have an interest in learning more about the products the Order offers, whom should I ask? Your professional Knights of Columbus agent can answer any questions you may have. Even if you are not currently a policyholder, a field agent, who is also a brother Knight is available to meet with you at your convenience the needs of you and your family. To identify your agent, call 1-800-345- KOFC (1-800-345-5632).