June-July 2015
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The Web Edition of The COLUMBIAN© NEWSLETTER Go Against the Current—Pope Francis 2014 June-July 2015 Vol. 111 No. 6 The Bi-Monthly Newsletter of the Oregon State Council of the Knights of Columbus Fr. Theo Robert Kish State Chaplain State Deputy CONVENTION 2015 Newport Oregon April 24-26 1 Columbian Newsletter Contents 1. Introductory Page 19. Ladies’ Trip To Newport Bay Front 2. Contents Page 20. Convention Photos—General Activity 3. Officers Listing + State Deputy Message 21. Friday Night’s Entertainment And Dinner 4. State Deputy’s Message Continued 22. Necrology Mass At Sacred Heart Church 5. State Chaplain Message + Exemplification List 23. Saturday Evening Convention Dinner 6. Oregon State Council Website Information 24. State Warden Report + Ladies Thank You 7. Silver Rose Pilgrimage Schedule 25. District Master’s Report 8. Honoring Deceased Bishop Connolly 26. Food For Families Report 9. State Youth Director Report 27. State Membership Director’s Report 10. Family of the Month + General Prog. Director 28. State Advocate’s Report 11. Article About Special Olympic Knight 29. Insurance Corner + Words Of Wisdom 12. Photos And Captions Of Awards 30. Vocation Director’s Report 13. Photos And Captions Of Awards 31. Seminarian Takes A Different Route 14. Photos And Captions Of Awards 32. Seminarian Cont. + District Deputy 3 Report 15. Baby Council Given Baby Buggy 33. Keep Christ In Christmas Flyer 16. Convention Photos—General Activity 34. Newsletter Information + Sick & Distressed 17. Convention Photos + Bishop Carey Icon Photo 35. Necrology Mass Listing 18. Ladies’ Convention Events 36. In Memoriam 2 Your State Officers for July 2014 to June 2015 Reelected for 2015-2016 State Deputy Robert Kish Council 1785 Corvallis State Chaplain Fr. Theo Lange Council 15595 Mt. Angel Abbey Imm. PSD Pat Rice Council 6602 Newberg State Secretary Sidney Thiel Council 9137 Sherwood State Treasurer Francis Mohr Council 0849 Baker City State Advocate Ron Boyce Council 3591 Tigard State Warden Steve Steele Council 6266 Beaverton FROM THE DESK OF THE OREGON STATE DEPUTY Dear Brother Knights and Families It was very good to see many of you in Newport a few weeks ago at the 107th State Convention. Attendance has been on the rise and this year we had more Councils in attendance than ever before. We sold out the hotel and some had to stay at the backup hotel (so sorry). The banquet room was maxed out too on Saturday night. The Pennies for Heaven set a new record and the ladies raised thousands for Fr. Taaffe Homes on Sunday morning. Overall I think most people had fun too. I need to once again, thank the “Convention Committee” (State Officers and Wives) who did an exceptional job from beginning to end. I can’t say enough about the Robert Kish Ladies involvement in all this too. Without them this would have been a very different State Deputy Convention, that’s for sure. Lisa T., Tay M., Ana B., Teresa S., Cindy R., Teresa G. and my lovely wife Sue. We would have been lost without you ladies. Thank You!!! Yes, this was a lot of work for us but also very educational as well. We now have hands-on, firsthand experience of what it actually takes to put on a State Convection. This will come in handy the next few years when helping other host Councils. I also need to thank every Brother who prepared and presented reports. It’s these men, working behind the scenes most times, that make us all look good. Our Committees, Directors, Chairman, District Deputies and State Officers helping to keep the state organized and moving forward. Thank You Brothers!!! Rather than write some other news worthy article for this bimonthly addition, I thought it would be best to pull an excerpt from my “State of the State” given Saturday morning at the Convention. It’s well worth repeating again . “We need our Knights to be more active. A Brother Knight needs to be motivated to be active. We need to take our programs and make them fun, family events and something Knights want to do. This isn’t easy in the era of big screen TV’s with 5000 channels…and then to pull a guy away from his game on a Saturday…good luck with that. (State Deputy’s Remarks continued On Page 3) 3 (State Deputy’s Report from Page 2 continued) But this is what we need to do. Make our programs and the fraternity of being with Brother Knights attractive again. We have a ton of competition out there pulling us all away from what we know is the right thing and the Godly things that we should be doing. Supreme offers many great programs and if a Council uses these tools…they will be successful. “AN ACTIVE COUNCIL IS A SUCCESSFUL COUNCIL”. This isn’t just a catch phrase…it’s a reality and a fact. We have all seen this time and time again. Hands down…the Council that gets most of the awards at the State Convention is a pretty active bunch of Knights. Cause and affect! Sadly, some Councils have lost the vision of Fr. McGivney. They really have! We have too many luke- warm Knights. It’s time we get them out of their comfort zones and get them motivated and involved. There is a fantastic way to do this too…the best way to motivate a lukewarm member is to have them attend the next 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree. Actually, every Knight should make it a point to witness these exemplifications again. They are so inspiring. This time though, sitting in the back of the room, as a visitor…or better yet…a sponsor…really listen hard to all the lessons taught in each of these degrees. Let them sink into your brain but more importantly… into your heart. You might be very surprised by what you didn’t hear the first time. I would even wager…you might say…with your head hung low…“Yes…I really could be a better Knight”. That’s how inspirational and motivating these degrees are…if you really listen. And then…after you composed yourself…made a promise to yourself to be “that better Knight”…go back to your Council and put these lessons into practice. You might be surprised at the results. The things that bugged you before…now don’t seem that big. Now, the bickering seems to be such a waste of time…and petty. You now realize…these are my brothers in faith…we are all on the same journey. Let’s do this together…we are here for each other and here to “Be His Hands”…YES…we can do this.” God Bless you all Brothers and Thank You for reelecting me to another term. Fraternally, Bob Kish State Deputy “One Member, Per Council, Per Month” “One Star Council, Per District” 4 Brothers, I hope the grace of the Convention has blessed your Councils. The Holy Spirit was guiding our hearts to be open to receive something new yet “from the beginning”. The newness of the Holy Spirit is an experience for us as God makes all things new. What the Lord gifted us with at the Convention is for all of our Councils. It truly was a work that only God could do. It was as if the Holy Spirit said to each of us, “We are just getting started and yet we already have been blessed with so much. Love me and love one another”. This may seem a bit off-scale. However, what the Lord blessed me with was a greater love for Him, for you, my brother Knights and for the mission we have been entrusted with. I think this experience or something similar was the experience of many of us who were at the Convention. Fr. Theo Lange State Chaplain Charity, Fraternity, Unity, Patriotism, the special presence of Our Lady; yes, our spiritual heritage was gracefully given by God to the Knights and renewed as we gathered to glorify the Lord through the experience of the State Convention. The theme the Holy Spirit led our State Deputy to choose was “We Are His Hands”. Yes, Brothers! What a gift! God loves us so much! He showers his mercy so graciously upon us that we have the gift and privilege to be united to God as we fulfill our mission. The task at hand: To Be His Hands in the anointing of the Holy Spirit and be witnesses of the Love and Mercy of God the Father. A sincere “Thank you” to each of you as we look forward to faithfully, creatively and lovingly, to pray, work, laugh, suffer, forgive and serve together as Brother Knights, giving all for Jesus, the Church, our families and the good of humanity. It is my prayer that the video series on the Oregon Knights of Columbus website helps us become more united, focused and energized so that we are more deeply drawn into the Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We are so rich, my brothers. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide us in patient, wise and joyful love so that we may help each other love with the freedom of the Sons of God and serve with hearts open to the great sacrifices and graces needed for the completion of our mission. Your servant, Fr. Theo EXEMPLIFICATION SCHEDULE 2015-2016 Note: Locations and dates shown below are scheduled with the State Degree Team and it is expected that all of the nearby Districts and Councils also attend the Exemplification when it is in their area.