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Home , Fourteen Holy Helpers, Saint Giles, Ulrich of Augsburg

THE GIBBONS MISSION

Edition 51 April 2021

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Publisher—Faithful Navigator CARDINAL JAMES GIBBONS 4TH. DEGREE ASSEMBLY—MEETS AT HOLY FAMILY PARISH HALL AT GENDER ROAD & CHESTNUT HILL ROAD NO CALENDARS OF ACTIVITIES DUE TO EFFECTS OF THE VIRUS Producer/Editor—The Captain WHEN MEETINGS WILL AGAIN OCCUR, NOTICE WILL BE GIVEN

A grenade thrown into a kitchen in would result in Linoleum Blownapart

Delaware Abortion Facts ASSEMBLY 150 S.K. OFFICERS FOR 2020-2021 Delaware is SECOND in the nation in the rate of teen abortion? (47 per 1,000 women) Thomas D. Green Navigator Robert E. Zeigler Captain Delaware is #4 in the nation in the rate of overall abortion Rev. Christopher P. Hanley Friar (28.4 per 1,000 women) Anthony J. Bodonaro Admiral Thomas A. Pollutri Pilot Approximately 4,000 abortions are performed each year in E. Koskol Scribe Delaware. Almost half of all abortions in Delaware are repeat Lawrence B. Maguire Comptroller Mark A. Kellar Purser abortions. 47% of abortions in Delaware are performed on Gerald Safranski Trustee 3 Yr. black women. Albert J. Ware Trustee 2 Yr. Handlin Trustee 1 Yr. ______John L. McCormick Inner Sentinel The Delaware Right To Life Mission Statement is Edward T. Godsell Outer Sentinel John J. Mayberry** Outer Sentinel reprinted on Page 6. The policy as printed, sounds Albert J. Ware CC Commander stringent. If an unborn child could read it, how would he or she interpret it?... and have no defense from a person Third Degree Affiliated Councils or persons who are about to deny that human a chance 3751 Blessed Sacrament/Corpus Christi for life outside the womb? 4548 St. Michael’s / Holy Family 6768 Coffee Run/St. Mary of the Assumption Medical students, nurses, & doctors attend and view and 11384 San Pablo/St. Paul’s Wilmington learn from surgical procedures every day. These 11469 Our Lady of Fatima surgeries are not experiments, but are performed to save 11796 St. John The Beloved 12104 Holy lives and improve lives of the humans on the table. I 12842 St. ’s / St. Margaret of have a proposal, and it sounds macabre….invite these ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// medical people who have or will swear the Hippocratic TO ACCESS THE ASSEMBLY WEB SITE, TYPE: Oath, to attend and/or assist in an abortion procedure. Is this a ‘reproductive RIGHT’ ...or medical care? Uknight.org/assembly.asp?A=150 What will they learn in this “medical theater” of the absurd ? Newsletter Feedback to: [email protected]

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YOUR PRAYERS ARE NEEDED FOR THE ALL BELOW

Pope Francis, Malooly, Priests, Deacons, Brothers, Sisters, lay ministers, and seminarians, all in the Wilmington Diocese and world wide.

 Those serving in the armed services, veterans, peace officers, EMT’s, firemen & the President, and All K of C members and their families both living and deceased.

 All the sick and disabled faithful and those affected by the PANDEMIC VIRUS

 For the special intentions of Diane Lawler & Family, James Gardner, Al Ware and their families

 Pray for all expectant mothers that they may support the life of their unborn as God’s Creation.

 Pray for the persecuted Christians in the Mid-East. Pray for peace on our cities.

 Our Faithful Master & his family

SOME CHURCH HISTORY AND MUCH LEARNING

St. , Archbishop and . Feast Day is April 21.

What is a Doctor of the Church? The Universal Church recognizes 36 as Doctors of the Church. They are recognized as such because of their singular contributions to theology & doctrine as manifested in their research, studies and publications.

Anselm was actually an Italian by birth, from Aosta, Italy. His real name was Anselmo d’Aosta. He was born in AD 1033 and died April 21, 1109 AD. He moved to France to live in a Benedictine . He immersed himself in the Summa Theologica, the favorite of St. Thomas. Anselm first used the term “theology” and this is defined as “faith that is seeking to understand”. He was later named Abbott.

The first and best-known “Ontological Argument” was proposed by Anselm in the 11th. Century in his Proslogion, [cur deus homo] and Anselm claimed to derive the existence of God from the concept of a being than which no greater can be conceived ...so a being than which no greater can be conceived, i.e., God exists. Very simplistic! [why God became man]

Pope Paschal II appointed Anselm as Archbishop of Canterbury [1093] King William II demanded the sole right to appoint . Anselm was sent into exile. Anselm returned to England after King William died. The new King, Henry I, wanted to control the English church and Anselm was banished again. Anselm came back and he, as Primate, continued to make decisions based on his faith in Christ and Church law.

Anselm fought against injustice, opposed slavery and was responsible for laws that forbade the selling of people. He organized efforts to care for the poor. He was a true shepherd of his people, he listened and answered their letters with loving but firm advice. Anselm is buried at Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, UK.

He was canonized in 1492 by Pope Alexander VI. Fast Forward to 1535: Henry VIII and subsequent British monarchs claim themselves as Defenders of the Faith and head of the Church [Anglican] in the UK. He was not a , not one of the 14 Holy Helpers.

2 In the March Edition, a bio of St. Blaise was printed and in that we referred to the “” and Blaise was one of that group. We also said we would follow-up in future editions by doing a brief bio of the ‘Helpers’ So we commence as follows starting with Barbara

St. Barbara is brief. Her Feast Day is December 4. Born in 273 AD, she died in 306 AD. She is invoked during thunderstorms and is the patron of miners and artillerymen. Legends go back to the 7th. Century. She was the daughter of Dioscorus, a pagan Roman. She professed Christianity and refused marriage. Dioscorus became enraged and took her to the Roman Provincial Prefect who ordered her beheaded. Her father performed the execution and on his return home, he was struck by lightning and reduced to ashes. Some accounts say that the Egyptian city of Heliopolis, others say Nicomedia or a town in Tuscany were the scenes of her martyrdom, but Syriac, or Greek versions are extant. Her story is reproduced in detail in Jacobus de Voragine’s Legenda aurea [1255-66]; , 1483, taken from the , was popular in the Middle Ages. Too much legend and contradiction caused her to be dropped by the in 1969. However, she is venerated in the Roman , the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the and Episcopal US Communions. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [is a non-martyr of the Fourteen Holy Helpers] He was born at [] 650 AD. He died in 710 AD in , and was known as Giles the . His Feast Day is . He is buried at Abbatial Saint Giles du Gard, St. Gilles, France. He is the patron of cripples, childhood fears and convulsants. His elevation to Sainthood status was ‘pre-congregation’ and that term was explained in the March Edition. He is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Uniate and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Churches. He is the patron of St. Gile’s Cathedral, Scotland. 19 other cities bear his name. In 1562 his were transferred to , France, to protect them from the and the level of were declining. The restoration of most of his relics to the abbey of Saint –Gilles-du Gard in 1862 and the publicized rediscovery of his former tomb there in 1865 helped pilgrimages. His is a Benedictine and the Order did assimilate his and relics. He was ordained in France and then consecrated an Abbot. [Under certain circumstances, an Abbot can exercise the powers of a Bishop]

He has and churches named after him in , Brugge, , , , , , , Esternaz, , Osnabruck, Sanki Gilgen, Brunswick, Wollaberg, Tripoli, etc.

And finally, a legend??—10th. Century Vitae Sancti Aegidii recounts, As Giles was celebrating Mass to pardon the Emperor ’s sins, an deposited a letter on the altar that outlined a terrible sin that the Emperor would never confess. Several Latin and French texts, including the Legenda Aurea refer to his hidden “sin of Charlemagne” This ‘legend’ contradicts the well established dates for the life of Charlemagne as 742 AD to 814 AD. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> There are times wherein I show historical-geographical terms which are no longer used...and I owe it to the readers to clarify. Example above: Septimania...that is a historical region in modern day southern France. It is referred to the Western part of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis that passed to the control of the Visagoths in 462 AD when Septimania was ceded to their king, Theodoric II. These regions were also known as Gallia, Arbuna or Narbonensis. Theodoric visited Giles and brought the local Bishop to ordain Giles. And the second geopolitical term in the Giles articles: Achaea or the Greek Akhaia, That is the N.W. region of Greece, Peloponnese Peninsula. The capital of this region is Patras. St. Giles birthplace is listed at being Athens, however many dispute that precision, and assign the birthplace as generally the Achaean region. The term UNIATE refers to Churches in communion with the . They have their own liturgies, Calendars, and other regional customs. They closely resemble the Orthodox churches.

IN THE MAY EDITION WE WILL CONTINUE WITH ANOTHER OF THE 14 HOLY HELPERS

3 While contracted to the Department of the Interior / Bureau of Reclamation, Yuma, Az in the early 90’s, I discovered some stuff about our relations with Mexico.

Yuma is in the extreme Southwest of Arizona, on the Colorado River and adjacent to California. The Colorado empties into the Gulf of California where the Baja Peninsula begins.

The Colorado River Pact of November 9,1922 required Arizona among other states to supply the river with minimum gallonage of fresh water from various sources within the United States. And so from that date the United States has been pumping billions of gallons of water from artesian wells, rivers and streams and pumped wells through pipe grids to supplement the flow of the fresh water in the Colorado River. [Warren G. Harding]

I had close observation of these operations while on my duty tour there. West and North of Yuma are thousands of acres of truck farms and they also benefit from partial well water supplies for crops. At that time, the manpower to operate those farms came from day labor from Mexico bearing US Department of Labor temporary work permits. In addition to truck farms, there is a large population of American resident retirees in the area.

I happened to enter Mexican territory after-hours and found a village called Contina, located on the Colorado River. Store prices there were cheap. Also noted that the village sewer discharge pipe entered the Colorado River. I asked the location of the waste-water treatment plant and found there was none. I did not purchase water/soda or food products.

So our Bureau of Reclamation is following the mandates of the 1922 Treaty, basically to pump our natural resources into a void. Yuma=A Native Tribe of area. Mohave Language

Safety supervision of replacement pipe line / Yuma South Div

Army Corps of Engineers / Safety Students

New New New dredge lifted into service at Lake Yuma

4 PERHAPS AN EXPLANATION, MAYBE AN APOLOGY, MAYBE SOME NEWS, HOWEVER...

As we continue with publishing brief biographies of the “14 Holy Helpers”, the phrase “pre- congregation Saints” keeps popping up: earlier editions defined a “pre-congregation saint”.

So where does Roman come in. The first recorded official Canonization was of St. Ulrich of [], in AD 993, at the Lateran Council. Pope John XV performed the ceremony and that is regarded as congregation canonization.

Pope Gregory IX 1227-1241 formalized Canonization as a Church Law process, the titles of Venerable and Blessed became a part of the evolving process of recognizing persons who have attained paradise through verified holy actions while living on earth.

Official are recognized in the Roman Catholic, Uniate and Eastern Orthodox Communions.

Pre-Congregation Sainthood was an informal process of a local Bishop or Bishops publishing and declaring a person to be a Saint, also public acclamation was a part of this, however the subject was to be proven to exemplify outstanding Christian behavior, martyrdom, publically observed performed; a combination of these attributes or singly.. St. Mark, St. Luke, Mary, Joseph and so many more could and should be considered in a large group of “pre-congregation” SAINTS.

To be considered a ‘saint’ does not require a Church or a religious body to pronounce a soul as having attained heaven. All of us can recognize others whom we can consider worthy of attaining a place with God. The Church process just says we can ask the Blessed and Saintly for with God and can do so with a great amount of certainty. Heaven is well populated with those both “officially there” and those “non-officially” there.

Speaking of Heaven, where did the term Gates of Heaven come from? The Book of Revelation, Chapter 21, verse 21, refers to the twelve pearly gates, each gate made of one pearl. Tradition and history names St. Peter as the Keeper of the Gates. Just where is Heaven? A couple of famous souls left there briefly to visit this planet. If anyone you know can provide the location of Paradise, let me know and I’ll print that out in the May Edition. And finally….

...there was a documentary published in 1978 by Errol Morris regarding pet cemeteries and the admittance of non-humans past the “Pearly Gates”; however the film was about much more than a business. I remember seeing the movie; not very remarkable.

A note of history here: in 1517 Father Martin Luther, OSA [Augustinian Order], nailed his 95 Theses on the Augsburg Castle Church Door [October 31] Villanova University in Pennsylvania has a well known Law College and basketball team. It is run by the Augustinians.

5 Cardinal Gibbons Assembly # 150 Annual Patriotic Program

Your Knights of Columbus Assembly is the Patriotic Arm of Our Order.

Please read below about the group that we are supporting. If you can donate, six dollars ($6.00) would be greatly appreciated. See ending paragraph for check information. Thank you for your support.

Cardinal Gibbons Assembly are partnering with a unique group that sends socks to our Army and Marine units that are actively deployed in the field.

OK – WHY SOCKS? Ask any military person who has served in the field and they will tell you the importance of a good pair of clean socks. For those who are deployed in the front lines, without laundry facilities, having clean socks takes on a whole new level of importance. Dirty socks lead to injured feet, which result in additional injuries. Boots are their main means of transportation. Military clothing stores aren't close by and getting basic supplies has fallen more and more on individual service members and their families. We have also been shipping basic hygiene gear as well as non-perishable food items to cover their needs. WHO WE’RE HELPING?

We are supplying Marine and Army units supporting the fight against radical Islamic fundamentalism in Afghanistan and Iraq. Your help goes a long way in making their deployments easier by taking one more worry off of their minds and letting them focus on the at hand. Donations are used to purchase socks and other supplies and have them shipped to our brave American Heroes in harm’s way.

The San Clemente Marine Corps Support Group (SCMCSG) operates under the mantra of “Seeking Higher Ground.” It also means that they are continually looking for ways to serve the needs of an underserved community who put the needs of their nation ahead of their own. SCMCSG is a registered 501 (C) (3) non-profit (Tax ID Number 45- 284619), therefore any contributions are tax-deductible. Read more on the website: https:// www.socks4heroes.com

While SCMCSG has a national presence, they are still a “Mom and Pop” (Mr. and Mrs. Hogan) organization head- quartered in a home. They lost their son, a Marine, and this is their project in his memory. They take no salaries or benefits. They have no facilities, they work out of their home. Volunteers shoulder much of the work done on their behalf. As a result, 98% of all donations go towards the programs that directly support the Marines and Soldiers and their families.

Furthermore, the mission of the SCMCSG is to remind Americans of the level of sacrifice that the military makes for the rest of us. The military community is not composed of strangers, but the children of our Nation.

We can NOT accept socks. The SCMCSG purchases military approved clothing and sends directly to the troops. Please make a check out to: Cardinal Gibbons Assembly and in the memo line please put “Socks” For more information, contact Gerry Safranski, [email protected], or call 239 9362

6 Delaware Right to Life Position Statement

LEGISLATION/POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT DRTL* is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization and cannot specifically endorse a political candidate for office either through media (newsletter, email, phone campaigns) or through financial contributions. DRTL pub- lishes candidates’ voting records and opinions on pro-life issues. Individual members of DRTL are free to endorse whom they choose. So-called “pro-life” legislation that includes language that allows for abortion in instances such as rape, in- cest, or life of the mother cannot be endorsed by DRTL. We are a “no exceptions, no compromise” organiza- tion and will support only legislation that provides protection of all life stages, from fertilization until natural death. So-called “incremental” legislation that attempts to limit access to abortion, such as waiting periods, parental consent, and right to know laws, will be supported by DRTL, provided there are no exceptions. DRTL re- serves the right to assess individual pieces of legislation for their merit insofar as they offer protection to the unborn and his/her mother.

ABORTION DRTL is a “no exceptions, no compromise” organization that believes the law should prohibit abortion (i.e., the intentional killing of an unborn child) at all stages of development from fertilization until natural death, regardless the circumstances of conception, and regardless the method of the abortion (i.e., surgical or chemical).

EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH DRTL renounces any scientific research that takes human life in the name of “helping” others or research. Since embryonic stem cell research necessitates the destruction of life at its earliest stage, we actively op- pose any attempt by the legal or scientific community to support and fund it.

HUMAN CLONING DRTL opposes human cloning, no matter the term used to disguise it: “therapeutic” cloning, “reproductive” cloning, somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), or other scientific terms. DRTL believes life is sacred at all stages from fertilization until natural death and that cloning defies the natural process of human reproduc- tion. Because cloning requires a woman’s egg, it leaves women vulnerable to exploitation and abuse by the scientific community. Because it is the prelude to embryonic stem cell research, it requires a human being be created in order to be killed.

EUTHANASIA/ASSISTED SUICIDE/DELIBERATE WITHOLDING OF FOOD & WATER DRTL opposes euthanasia and assisted suicide because they condone killing of the aged, sick, handi- capped, “vegetative” and otherwise “unfit” among us. By allowing human beings to be judged solely by their utility, we are all in danger of being deemed “unfit.” We support the physicians’ Hippocratic Oath to “first, do no harm.”

ABORTIFACIENT BIRTH CONTROL, “EMERGENCY” CONTRACEPTION, RU-486 DRTL condemns pharmaceuticals such as abortifacient birth control (pill, patch, injection, IUD) emergency” contraception, and the abortion pill, RU-486, because they all have the ability to destroy human life at its earliest and most vulnerable stages.

DEATH PENALTY DRTL was organized to defend innocent human life from conception until natural death. While we feel all life is sacred, we are not active in the defense of prisoners who have received the death penalty for their crimes.

“CONSCIENCE CLAUSE” (MORAL OPPOSITION FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS) DRTL supports the legal rights of physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other persons to refuse to participate in any health care-related services they believe to be morally and/or religiously objectionable.

TAXPAYER-FUNDED ABORTION DRTL opposes tax funding of all public and private agencies that perform or promote abortion. *In all cases, “DRTL” refers to Delaware Right to Life Education Fund.

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Easter Sunday in 2021 occurs April 4. The meaning of Easter goes back to the name of a pre- Christian goddess in England, EOSTRE who was celebrated at the beginning of Spring. The only reference to this goddess comes from the writings of , a British monk who lived in the late 7th. & early 8th. Century. The English word Easter come from the German OSTERN, and that originated from the Latin PASCHA. [Aramaic, Greek also] These terms evolved into the term Resurrection. The Christian observance of the Resurrection occurred C. 30 AD. The “Easter egg” traditions refer to the emergence from a tomb. There are extensive historical accounts of Easter, mostly secular.

The New Testament provides the very best of history and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, born a Jew and as a man born of Mary, a Jewish woman. The man was put to death by the Roman authorities and that same man rose from the dead. What gave him this power over death was that the Christ was also the Son of God the Father and was himself also God. We will not go further on this page on the Theology & Doctrine of the Holy Trinity or the conversations regarding “filioque”.

All Christians, world wide, celebrate sort of a Feast Day, called Easter. We Christians celebrate the Resurrection, A.K.A. Easter. This event defines Christianity and is the reason for the Christian Faith itself. The Hebrews do not recognize Jesus Christ as their Messiah. All denominations of Christians, Orthodoxy, etc. recognize the Christ as the Savior.

All churches recognize Lent, Passion Week, Good Friday and Easter Sunday as the precursor events leading up to the Resurrection. These services and liturgies are celebrated in various ways. These celebrations’ time lines vary each year. No matter about these details. The most important thing surrounding about the earthly birth of the Christ [anointed one], His childhood and advancement to earthly manhood and His Passion from Palm Sunday to Golgotha to the empty tomb, is the path to our own personal salvation; as promised by this gentle Jesus.

There can be no salvation or Christianity without His Easter and our own personal Easter which for us is promised at the end of our life. We can have salvation through the word of God which is also the word of Christ.

Again, after 2,000 plus years, we are reminded and we celebrate our reason to be followers and disciples of the Holy Man Jesus Christ. We have to annually celebrate and annually be reminded. The Scriptures remind us to do the Will of God and part of that is the acceptance of the truth of His Resurrection. ALLELUIA AND SHALOM MANY TIMES OVER.

...et in dies tertius ...kai tin triti mera

8 A valuable lesson through Covid.

I had the Honor, yes honor, to receive my covid vaccine courtesy of the VAMC. I imagined I would experience the military humor of, “Hurry Up and Wait.” Instead, I learned a valuable life lesson. I was the odd person in line, I was a civilian in a short line. I had expected a long line and that did not happen. I was worried about the conversation that would naturally happen. Volunteering at the VA and coming to the VA with my Father, I know the veterans have conversation with whomever is there, waiting. What could I say? I was a civilian. I have learned to not to say to a veteran…”I understand”... I was not in boot camp, I never had my bunk turned upside down, I never went through MOS training or bivouacked. I was in a line of only 15 veterans. With all my concerns, I learned a simple truth. Mom and Dad always said I had a gift of gab, I needed to speak less and listen more, courtesy of a pandemic that lesson returned. The veteran in front of me was Navy, the one I was in front of was Army, and then there was a Marine near us. They were all my age, so I figured they had their Senior Year Trip in Viet Nam. I was right. The conversations were not about War, Trauma, or Boot Camp. They spoke in High Regard for other veterans, friends they knew. The Navy veteran spoke of a friend at the VFW. He looked forward to talking with him and hearing his stories of piloting a B-29 during WW ll. He said his friend was 97 years old and sharp as a tack. He was spry for 97! The Army Veteran spoke of the VA, a natural conversation. He was glad it was there! Great People caring for him. He did say you could tell it was military by the number of forms. The Marine added it was the bureaucracy that was crazy, but he was in the hands of caring people The veterans included me in their conversations, all I had to do was listen! Let them talk. I remembered my Dad and my Father-in Law and their conversations of WW ll. Dad and Charlie spoke of friends, the great men they knew in the Service. Just like the men in line, they all saluted the men, the other guy, the veterans they knew in Service or at their Legion or VFW Post. My lesson was to just listen. I share this episode and life lesson. The veterans have special moments and people they want us to know. Give them a chance to be heard. Take the time to Listen. When we volunteer at the VA, weekend Bingo, etc.,just let them talk, our job is to listen.

The above contributed by our Trustee and P.F.N. SK Michael Handlin

9 The Coloring of eggs! One of the joys of Easter is coloring eggs, the dyes, the creations, oops the egg cracked! It is exciting and relaxing. How did the tradition begin? Did it have a religious origin? I was not there but, historically Saint is given credit for the egg turning Red.

A traditional pious legend passed down in the Eastern Church holds Saint Mary Magdalene was bringing cooked eggs to share with the other women at the tomb of Jesus. The eggs in her basket miraculously turned brilliant red when she beheld the Risen Christ. The egg is taken to represent the boulder over the entrance to the tomb of Jesus.

There is another legend or belief. Another common legend reflects upon Saint Mary Magdalene’s role as an Evangelist, helping to, spread the Gospel. It says that after Jesus’ Ascension, Mary travelled to visit the Emperor Tiberius in Rome and greeted him with, “Christ has Risen.” (a traditional Orthodox Easter greeting, also adopted by many Christians). Emperor Tiberius pointed to the eggs on his table and quipped, “Christ has no more risen than that egg is red.” You guessed it; the egg immediately turned blood red. Bishop (2nd-3rd century) referenced Saint Mary Magdalene as the “first Apostle- The Apostle of the Apostles.” Saint Mary Magdalene was called “The New Eve,” because of her announcement of Christ’s Resurrection to the Apostles.

There are many versions of Easter Eggs and Coloring. It seems every Ethnicity has a variable. The story of Saint Mary Magdalene and the Resurrection seems to be told and retold. As we say at Christmas,” Keep Christ in Christmas,” during Easter let us say, “Christ has Risen!”

——Rabbits have nothing to do with this——-

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