The Spirit Knights of Columbus Scott A. MacDonald Council 8512

V OLUME 3 7 I SSUE 12 D ECEMBER 2020

COUNCIL OFFICERS What is , anyway? Chaplain ...... Fr. Anh Tran ...... (817) 284-4811 Grand Knight ...... Mike Dellies ...... (817) 656-1492 by JD Flynn Deputy Grand Knight.... Robert Sands...... (817) 988-3376 Denver, Colo., Nov 30, 2020 / 11:35 am MT (CNA).- Advent Chancellor ...... John Giglio ...... (817) 281-4617 began this year on Sunday, Nov. 30. Most Catholics, even Recorder ...... Allan Fitzwater ...... (817) 528-8142 those who don’t often go to , know that Advent involves Treasurer ...... Gary Yanowski ...... (817) 656-1142 a wreath with some candles, possibly a “calendar” of hidden Financial Secretary ...... Mark Krueger ...... (817) 939-1192 chocolates, and untangling strings of Christmas lights. Lecturer ...... Juan Valdez ...... (817) 966-8925 Advocate ...... Terry Barnhard ...... (817) 707-6135 But Advent is more than that. Here are a few points that Warden ...... Gary Obudzinski ...... (817) 656-3274 might help you have a great Advent this year: Guard ...... Paul Cuttica ...... (518) 774-4019 Guard ...... Paul Posluszny ...... (724) 987-3126 What is Advent? Trustee (3-Year) ...... Ken Kenvin, PGK ...... (817) 595-4104 The people of Israel waited generations for the promised Mes- Trustee (2-Year) ...... Jerry Dews, PGK ...... (817) 932-0551 siah to arrive. Their poetry, their songs and stories, and their Trustee (1-Year) .... Bobby Donahoo, PGK ...... (817) 498-9628 religious worship focused on an awaited savior, whom God INSURANCE had promised, over and over, would come to them to set Field Agent ...... Tim Bradford ...... (817) 821-2323 them free from captivity, and to lead them to the fulfillment of all that God had chosen for them. FOURTH DEGREE District 3 Master ...... Pat Conway Israel longed for a Messiah, and John the Baptist, who came San Juan Diego Assembly 2857 before Jesus, promised that the Messiah was coming, and Faithful Navigator ..... SK Dick Norgaard ...... (817) 656-2529 could be found in Jesus Christ, God’s son, the “Lamb of God Comptroller .. SK Ejikeme “EJ” Alozie-Nwagboso who takes away the sins of the world.” DIOCESE Diocesan Rep...... Bruce Mallory ...... (817) 807-2982 Advent is a season in the Church’s life intended to renew the experience of waiting, and longing, for the Messiah. Though District Deputy ...... Obie Obregon ...... (817) 528-2393 Christ has already come into the world, the Church invites us to renew our desire for the Lord more deeply into our lives, and to renew our desire for Christ’s triumphant second com- ing into the world.

Inside this issue: Advent is the time in which we prepare for Christmas, the memorial of Jesus Christ being born into the world. Prepara- Calendar 3 tions are practical, like decorating a tree or stringing lights, but they’re also intended to be spiritual. Birthday News 4 Pro-Life Corner 5 During Advent, we’re invited to enter more frequently into silence, into prayer and reflection, into Scripture, and into News You Can Use 9 the sacramental life of the Church, all to prepare for cele- Volunteer Opportunities 15 brating Christmas. (Continued on Page 14) T HE S PIRIT P A G E 2

Grand Knight’s Message Knights, Merry Christmas! It’s a little early for me to be using that greeting, as it’s only the beginning of December. But, we’re already in Advent, which means Christmas is near. As evident by this newsletter not being ready by the 1st of the month, I’ve been getting busy and time just keeps slipping away. I’m sure many of you will experience this same feeling as we all prepare for the coming holiday. As I write this, there are only three weeks left to do my Christmas shopping. I always dread going shopping for Christmas gifts, mainly because doing so has the reverse effect on me. Instead of feeling good about giving to others, I feel discouraged by the constant drumming commercialism. The emphasis seems to be on buying ra- ther than giving. COVID may mitigate this a little this year, but I’m sure traffic, crowds, and just the running around to find that ‘perfect’ gift is sure to wear me down. Other holiday preparations also seem to add to the lack of Christmas spirit for me. Got to put up the Christmas tree, put up the lights on the house (always more help putting up than taking down), sending Christmas cards to relatives and close friends (fewer each year), all mixed with the push at work to get things done before the end of the year, or before a few days off at the end of the year. Life was much simpler when I was a kid. There was the long awaited month-long Christmas break from school, followed by growing anticipation for the big night. The only cares I had was whether Santa heard my request for that toy. That’s it. I didn’t have to buy gifts for others, so I didn’t know the joys of fighting the mall crowds, heavy traffic, and where I grew up, snow squalls that seem to make traffic even that much more enjoyable. No, I just counted the days waiting to reap the fruits of my ‘goodness’ from the past year. Santa knows I’ve been good, right? How could he not put that coveted gift under the tree on Christmas eve? Then, Christmas Day! We most often started by signing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Jesus and enjoying a slice of birth- day cake. Then on to the living room. Wow! There seemed to be an endless array of gifts under the tree (although I probably only got three or four small packages — clothes didn’t count. The next week or so was spent enjoying the gifts I received, most of which lasted past New Year’s Day. Fast-forward 50-plus years. Back to reality. No more childlike anticipation. No more month long vacation. No more carefree enjoyment. I miss those days. Sounds like I need to re-focus my energy to the coming of Christ Jesus. That’s the best gift I could imagine. Every other gift pales in comparison. How could I not be overjoyed this time of year? Maybe all the things I mentioned would be more enjoyable, would have more meaning, if I were to keep the rea- son for the season in mind as I went through the motions of Christmas shopping, decorating, working, and just living. How could keeping the coming of our Saviour in mind not lead to a joyous Christmas season? I know, I’m human, destined to settle into the same old routines. I guess going through life is like navigating a cruise ship. It just wants to move in a straight line, and it takes a Herculean effort to change course. I guess that’s why man came up with the notion of making New Year’s resolutions. I always had trouble keeping my New Year’s resolutions, until I finally made one I could keep: No more New Year’s resolutions! Well, COVID will make this Christmas unlike any we’ve experienced before. Things won’t be the same this year as last. That could be a good thing in some ways. We may be forced to spend time with our families (in small groups, of course). We will probably stay at home and relax. Whatever this Christmas season holds for you, I hope that you find the peace of that silent night so long ago. I hope you enjoy this Christmas with your family, friends, or whomever you spend your holiday with. Nobody knows what 2021 will hold for us. Only hour Heavenly Father. My guess is next year will be better in many ways that this year. I look forward to a return to ‘normal’ and seeing many of you at our typical Council events. If I do not see you (likely, given COVID restrictions), I wish you all the best for Christmas and the New Year! Feliz Navidad! Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will! MERRY CHRITMAS! SK Mike Dellies, Grand Knight T HE S PIRIT P A G E 3 Calendar of Events ALL MEETINGS ARE VIRTUAL UNTIL THE EASING OF COVID-19 MEETING RESTRICTIONS November 2020

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

29 30 1 2 3 4 5

BUSINESS MTG 1ST SAT. MASS (ZOOM)

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

OFFICERS MTG (ZOOM) CHRISTMAS HAMS

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

CHRISTMAS

27 28 29 30 31 1 2

THIS MONTH’S EVENTS UPCOMING EVENTS

2nd Chapter Meeting JANUARY 2021 FEBRUARY 2021 3rd Business Meeting 2nd 1st Saturday Mass 4th Business Meeting 17th Officers’ Meeting 7th Business Meeting 6th 1st Saturday Mass 19th Christmas Ham Smoking 21st Officers’ Meeting 18th Officers’ Meeting 25th CHRISTMAS 27th Chapter Meeting 24th Chapter Meeting

T HE S PIRIT P A G E 4 BIRTHDAY

NEWS Council 8512 proudly supports the following seminarian: DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS Joseph Hoffschwelle

1 Marcus Crocker 19 Joseph Campos Michael Marincel

2 Leonard Strittmatter 21 Josejuan Rangel Please keep them in your prayers. 7 Allen Spinner 22 Anthony Paciolla

9 Cary Nehib 22 Mark Waterworth PRAYER LIST 12 Stephen Higdon 23 Larry Sweat Francis I 12 Guadalupe Santoy 24 Justin Eischens Pope Benedict XVI Bishop Michael Olsen 12 Marvin Massey, Jr. 25 Emmanuel Egenti Fr. Jack McKone 14 Antonio Coffee 27 Jose Sanchez Fr. Ahn Tran 14 Steven Poston 27 James Cardone Seminarians 14 Juan Valdes 28 Brandon Bachemin Unborn Children Middle Eastern Christians 15 John Salazar 29 Christopher Nottingham Victim of Domestic Violence 17 Lazaro Correa 31 Jeffrey Keifer Active Military / Veterans 17 Victor Gallardo 31 Robert Fischer First Responders

17 Dennis Ferrari 31 Lawrence Walker COVID-19 Victims/Families † Oliver Pettit 18 Ausencio Rodriguez 31 Michael Carson Joe Fitzwater

Mary Grace Fitzwater Harvey and Jean Fitzwater BIRTHDAY DINNER MEETINGS ARE Bob and Marsha Blake TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED... Jeanne and Mike Gordon

...TO BE CONTINUED SOON How to Recite the Divine Mercy Chaplet REMINDER: The Chaplet of Mercy is recited BUSINESS MEETING LOCATION using beads of five decades. The Chaplet is preceded Whenever the COVID meeting restrictions are eased, our monthly busi- by two opening prayers from the ness meetings will be held in the Resource Room in the Church Admin- Diary of Faustina and fol- istration Building, located directly across (west) the church parking lot. lowed by a closing prayer. For The Resource Room is in the south end of the building, as you first enter step-by-step instructions on how the double glass doors. to recite the Divine Mercy Chap- let: The monthly officers meetings will still be held in the Council office at https:// 4101 Frawley (south end of Outreach Building). www.thedivinemercy.org/ message/devotions/pray-the- chaplet T HE S PIRIT P A G E 5

Pro-life candidate elected to Congress by six votes

CNA Staff, Dec 1, 2020 / 10:00 am MT (CNA).- In one of the last results in the 2020 election to be called, another pro-life female candidate won election to the House of Representatives in Iowa’s 2nd district race certified on Monday. Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks eked out victory over Democratic candidate Rita Hart by the narrowest of margins in the state’s southeast district, winning by only six votes as the election results were certified on Monday: 196,964 to 196,958. Miller-Meeks’ victory marked took the Republicans’ net gains in the House to ten seats, narrowing the Democratic majority and raising hopes of stalling a slate of pro-abortion legislative priorities. She is the 18th new woman backed by the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List (SBA Lits) to be elected to the House this cycle. “The exponential growth of pro-life women in the House is reflective of the fact that life has gone from being viewed as a political problem to a winning Congresswoman-elect Mariannette issue,” said SBA List president Marjorie Dannenfelser on Monday. Miller-Meeks. Courtesy photo With 11 pro-life women incumbents returning, Dannenfelser noted that 29 women identifying as pro-life will serve in the House come January, and will be “a brick wall against the radical pro-abortion agenda” that in- cludes repealing the Hyde Amendment. In an election where Democrats won the White House and gained at least one seat in the Senate, the party lost ground in the House while still maintaining control of the chamber. While Speaker Nancy Pelosi had suggested House Democrats could see double-digit gains in the elections, the reverse has proven to be the case. SBA List-endorsed women were responsible for ten of eleven seats lost by Democrats. Another race in upstate New York’s 22nd district has yet to be called; as of Tuesday morning, Republican candidate Claudia Tenney held only a 12-vote lead over Democratic incumbent Rep. Anthony Brindisi, with votes yet to be certified, according to WBNG. Speaker Pelosi has said she plans to scrap the Hyde Amendment, which prevents federal tax dollars from fund- ing abortions, next year. With a reduced majority in the House, it remains to be seen if she will be able to fol- low through on that promise. Democrats have also talked about passing the Equality Act, which would recognize sexual orientation and so-called gender identity as protected legal classes, and could expand abortions. However, Republicans currently hold 50 seats in the Senate with two races going to a January runoff. If they win just one of those seats, they will maintain control of the chamber and could possibly nullify attempts to repeal the Hyde Amendment or pass the Equality Act. SBA List has already announced a $4.1 million effort to elect the two Republican candidates in Georgia, aiming to reach one million voters through door-knocking, phone calls, digital ads, and voter mail. Pro-life Congress members ask Trump to veto any bills that expand abortion

By Christine Rousselle Washington D.C., Jan 16, 2019 / 04:38 pm MT ().- Pro-life members of Congress this week sent U.S. President Donald Trump two companion letters requesting that he veto any legislation that would weaken current federal pro-life policies and promising to sustain any such veto. A total of 169 members of the House of Representatives and 49 Senators signed the respective letters.

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“We ask President Donald Trump to continue to his work in defense of life. My colleagues and I are also committed to protecting both unborn children and their mothers from the violence of abortion,” said Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who led the House letter, in a statement. Smith added that he was “deeply encouraged” that there were 169 members of the House of Representatives who signed the letter willing to sustain a veto “on the grounds that any pro-life provision has been weakened or removed.” “We will not allow hard fought protections for the unborn to be undone,” said US Capitol dome. Credit: Dan Thorn- berg/Shutterstock Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT). “I stand strongly in defense of the President’s pro-life victories and will continue to work with my colleagues to advance our pro-life agenda.” Daines was the leader of the Senate letter. While both letters offered praise for Trump’s various pro-life policies throughout his time in office, the House let- ter emphasized the importance of the Hyde Amendment and the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy, both of which restrict taxpayer funding for abortions domestically and abroad. Recently, House Democrats passed a spending bill containing language that would overturn the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy. They have also pledged to work to overturn the Hyde Amendment, which prevents taxpayer funding of abortion in most cases. The Senate letter focused on conscience rights for healthcare professionals, and requested that taxpayer funding under Title X (family planning) not go to “facilities that perform or refer for abortion.” In May, the Trump administration instituted new policies that forbade Title X funds from going to organizations like Planned Parenthood. This move was touted as a “major victory” by pro-life advocates. Similar pro-life letters were sent to Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush when they were in office. President H.W. Bush then proceeded to issue three pro-life vetoes, and all three were upheld by the House of Rep- resentatives. March for Life gears up for pandemic conditions

CNA Staff, Nov 30, 2020 / 03:05 pm MT (CNA).- With the annual March for Life scheduled to occur in January, how different might it look from previous years due to the ongoing pandemic?

The 48th annual March for Life is scheduled to take place on Jan. 29, 2021, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Normally attended by tens of thousands of pro-life demonstrators from all over the country, the 2021 March will be signifi- cantly affected by the coronavirus pandemic. March for Life, Jan. 24, 2020. Credit: Steve Sanchez Photos/Shutterstock CNA learned that the March for Life is working with the National Park Service and local officials to ensure a safe protest that will conform with “necessary guide- lines.”

While the D.C. government does not have a special set of restrictions for protests, it has barred outdoor gatherings larger than 25 people, as of Nov. 25.

The city has also restricted travel from states where the current virus rate is more than 10 cases per 100,000 peo- ple. For travelers from these jurisdictions, they get a negative test within 72 hours of traveling, and adhere to a mandatory mask policy, among other requirements. Travelers from Maryland and Virginia, and those visiting the city for less than 24 hours, are exempt. (Continued on Page 7) T HE S PIRIT P A G E 7

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Large protests have occurred in the city throughout the summer, most notably the Aug. 28 “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” march attended by an estimated tens of thousands. That, too, was affected by the pandemic, as march organizers had to lower their in-person attendance estimate following the issuance of a permit by the National Park Service.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also had travel restrictions in place around the time of the march, altering travel plans of attendees. March for Life participants normally attend from all over the U.S., and may be traveling on busses and airplanes during the height of flu season.

During the March itself, attendees may have to comply with federal guidelines as closely as possible. According to the Washington Post, the August march reportedly required attendees to wear masks and undergo a tempera- ture check before they entered the Mall. It is unclear if the same requirements will be made and enforced by the March for Life.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has also listed recommendations for events and gatherings, including that all attendees wear masks, wash hands, cover their coughs and sneezes, and try to maintain a six-foot dis- tance from other attendees.

The website of the March for Life says that the group will announce safety measures “closer to the March,” and will be promoting virtual participation for those who cannot attend in-person.

At a press conference in September, announcing the theme of the March, Jeanne Mancini—president of the March for Life—said that it was still on, despite the ongoing pandemic.

“Listen, we marched during the blizzard of 2016, we’ve marched during government shutdowns, we marched after 9/11, we will march again this year,” Mancini said.

“We’ve marched for 47 years, and no sacrifice is too great to fight this human rights abuse of abortion.”

Other events traditionally surround the March, such as the annual Youth Rally and Mass for Life held downtown on the morning of the March. In 2021, the rally will be held virtually and Mass will be live-streamed. The March for Life Expo has been canceled, and the annual Rose Dinner will be held virtually.

The theme of the 2020 March will be “Together Strong: Life Unites.” Jeanne Mancini explained that “[t]his year, with a 2020 that’s been so unusual in many different ways, the idea of uniting together, and how each of us brings something different to the table, how the variety is beautiful and how together we’re stronger - it just seems like the right theme.” Argentine president hopes 'won't be angry' over abortion bill

CNA Staff, Nov 24, 2020 / 08:00 pm MT (CNA).- Argentine president Alberto Fernández said Sunday he hopes Pope Francis won’t be angry because of a bill he introduced in the country’s legislature to legalize abortion. The president, a , said he had to introduce the bill to solve "a public health problem in Argentina.” Alberto Fernández, left. Pope Francis, Fernández made the statement Nov. 22 on the Argentine television program right. Credit: Cámara Electoral Nacion- Corea del Centro. al and (Continued on Page 7)

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In defense of his position, the president explained “I am a Catholic, but I have to solve a problem in Argentine society. Valéry Giscard d'Estaing is the president of France who approved abortion in France, and the pope at that time demanded to know how being a Catholic he was promoting that, and the answer was ‘I govern many French people who aren’t Catholics and I have to solve a public health problem.'”

“That’s what’s going on with me more or less. Beyond that, no matter how Catholic one is, on the issue of abor- tion, it seems to me that this is a different discussion. I don’t agree very much with the logic of the Church on that issue,” Fernández said.

The president’s reference to a public health crisis seemed to refer to unsubstantiated claims from abortion ad- vocates in the country, who claim that women in Argentina die frequently from so-called “clandestine” or un- safe illegal abortions in the country. In a Nov. 12 interview Bishop Alberto Bochatey, who heads the Argentine bishops’ conference healthcare ministry, challenged those assertions.

Pope Francis is an Argentine.

When asked if “the pope will be very angry about” the initiative, Fernández replied: “I hope not, because he knows how much I admire him, how much I value him and I hope he understands that I have to solve a public health problem in Argentina. Finally, the Vatican is a state within a country called Italy where abortion has been allowed for many years. So I hope he’ll understand."

“This is not against anyone, this is to solve a problem” and if the abortion law passes, “that doesn’t make it mandatory, and those who have their religious convictions, all of them very respectable, are not obliged to abort,” he said in justification of the law.

Fulfilling a presidential campaign promise, Fernández introduced the bill to legalize abortion Nov. 17.

The bill is expected to be debated by the legislature in December.

The legislative process will begin in the Chamber of Deputies (lower house) committees on General Legislation, Health and Social Action, Women and Diversities, and Criminal Legislation and then go to a full session of the chamber. If passed there, it will be sent to the Senate for debate.

In June 2018, the Chamber of Deputies passed an abortion bill with 129 votes for, 125 against and 1 abstention. After intense debate, the Senate rejected the bill in August by a vote of 38 to 31 with two abstentions and one lawmaker absent.

During the interview, Fernández said his bill would have the necessary votes to pass.

According to the Argentine president, a "serious debate" is not about "abortion yes or no", but "under what condi- tions are abortions performed" in Argentina. Fernández accused pro-lifers of wanting "clandestine abortions to continue." For "those of us who say ‘yes to abortion,’ what we want is for abortions to be performed in appropri- ate sanitary conditions," he said.

After Fernández introduced his bill, several pro-life organizations announced activities in opposition to legalizing abortion. More than 100 lawmakers have created the Argentine Network of Legislators for Life to fight abortion measures at federal and local levels. T HE S PIRIT P A G E 9

'Mary on the Mantel'? Think 'Elf on the Shelf', but Catholic

By Mary Farrow

Denver Newsroom, Dec 1, 2020 / 02:55 pm MT (CNA).- For the past 16 years, Elf on the Shelf has become a tradition, both hated and loved, for families in the days leading up to Christmas.

Based on a book and accompanying doll, the elf is a scout for Santa Claus, who watches children’s behavior during the day and reports back to the North Pole every night. There are rules about how to interact with the elf and a myriad of ideas for the things he can do.

Whether Elf on the Shelf is a “footless creep” or a beloved tradition, the con- cept sparked the idea for Mary on the Mantel, a traveling doll that aims help children enter more deeply into Advent. Mary on the Mantel. Credit: Be a Heart Erica Tighe Campbell, founder of the Catholic lifestyle products company Be A Heart, was pregnant with her first child last year when she came up with the idea of creating a Mary doll.

“I was doing my baby registry, and..I saw a closet for a doll, and I thought, ‘What doll needs outfits?’” Campbell told CNA.

“Then I started thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, wait, Mary has so many outfits in all of her different apparitions. What if there was a really beautiful Mary doll that looked like other things that are selling?’”

The outfits could help teach children about Mary and her messages in the different apparitions she has made, Campbell added.

“On feast days, you could talk about the different apparitions with your children by getting out her Guadalupe dress or getting out her Fatima dress, and recognizing that she is the same person, but she appears to us differ- ently,” Campbell said.

Campbell said she wanted the doll to help foster a deeper relationship with Mary for children.

“I wanted my daughter to have a doll to teach her about the comfort that Mary brings,” she said.

“In my own life, Mary’s motherly love and care is what has brought me through so many difficult times. As a child, going through things with my family in high school, I would always turn to the Hail Mary, that was my go- to,” she said. “And as I've grown as a woman, I really look to her yes...saying yes to God, even when things are uncertain.”

Campbell made her first Mary doll this year, with a simple blue and linen dress, available in three different skin tones.

The idea to use the Mary dolls for “Mary on the Mantel” first came from her web developer, who is the father of four children. He suggested that Mary somehow replaced Elf on the Shelf.

Campbell started thinking of ways to tweak the idea of the traveling elf to better suit Advent, and about the ways Christians can prepare their hearts for the coming of Jesus at Christmas.

“Elf on the Shelf reports back to Santa if girls and boys are good or bad, and really in my own spiritual life, I have had to kind of undo that theology of ‘I'm good when I do this and I'm bad when I do this, and God is watch- ing,’” Campbell said. (Continued on Page 10) T HE S PIRIT P A G E 10

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God is not like Santa, she said, in that he’s not a “transactional God, where as long as I'm doing good, then I will reap the rewards of a gift under the Christmas tree. In my own parenting, I didn’t want to pass that message along to my children.”

“And so I started conceptualizing: what could Mary do instead of being this watchful tattletale? That's going to create a friendship with her? How do we teach children to be friends with Mary?”

“I started thinking about what Mary was doing, even before they got the census announcement? She was proba- bly preparing her house, preparing all of these things. She went on a trip to see Elizabeth. There are so many ways that we can recognize the personhood of Mary, and talk about that with our children - that she was a girl, she had normal daily tasks that she needed to do.”

In late November, Campbell posted to social media, announcing the idea for Mary on the Mantel - a Mary doll that would show up in different places around the house every morning of Advent.

Instead of Elf on the Shelf’s brand of mischief, Mary would be caught doing things to prepare for the coming of baby Jesus, like washing baby clothes, or reading a pregnancy book, or planning her journey to Bethlehem for the census.

“I have this image of Mary taking our hands and leading us to her Son, a little bit like how I imagine for my own self, having the baby and wanting people to meet her,” Campbell said.

“We get to prepare ourselves for Christmas, and putting up our Advent wreath and our Christmas tree and cleaning the house and wrapping presents - that is similar to our preparation. We prepare homes just as a moth- er prepares her home to welcome her new baby.”

Instead of reporting on the children’s bad behavior, every morning Mary would be found with a message encour- aging children to do a specific act of kindness each day. The notes can be left in Mary’s tote bag, which comes with each ‘Be A Heart Mary’ doll.

“How do we really become like the people who are prepared to meet the baby Jesus in the manger? We can do acts of kindness for others,” Campbell said. Because the parents can write whatever message they want and place it in Mary’s bag, they can choose acts of kindness that are tailored to their child’s development and what they are capable of accomplishing.

“There are simple things to do. You could read a book to your sibling, or you could do a chore without being asked, or you could write letters to your grandparents, or call a friend, little things like that,” she said.

“Children could go through their toys and find toys that they don't play with that are still good, that could be donated to another child who needs them. But the parents are in control, so it doesn't get overwhelming.” Mary’s linen dress has room for paper towel or tissue stuffing to make her belly “grow,” Campbell added, as Christmas nears and she prepares to give birth.

And for parents struggling to come up with new ideas, Campbell’s blog post on the idea includes long lists of ideas of activities that the Mary doll can do, and ideas for age-appropriate acts of kindness.

The Mary on the Mantel project can be done with any Mary doll or figurine, Campbell added. After her Mary on the Mantel post, the Be A Heart dolls sold out, though Campbell is hoping to have more in stock soon.

Campbell is also planning the first dress for Mary, which will be the Our Lady of Guadalupe dress. And she has plans for a St. Joseph doll, a baby Jesus doll, a donkey for them to ride on, and more. (Continued on Page 11) T HE S PIRIT P A G E 11

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The Mary on the Mantel tradition also differs from Elf on the Shelf in that parents do not have to put Mary away once Christmas arrives, Campbell said. In fact, the Mary doll is meant to be a companion all year long.

“We really just think that journeying with Mary is an important way for children to enter into the Advent sea- son,” Campbell said.

“It allows for something fun, and something that parents can do that's not super complicated, hopefully, and that kids can wake up and be excited for, and be excited about doing things for other people every day,” she said. “I'm interested to see what comes of it as people use their own imaginations with it.” The woman who lived for 60 years on the alone

CNA Staff, Nov 28, 2020 / 03:48 am MT (CNA).- Servant of God Floripes de Jesús, better known as Lola, was a Brazilian laywoman who lived on the Eu- charist alone for 60 years.

Lola was born in 1913 in Minas Gerais state, Brazil.

At the age of 16, she fell out of a tree. The accident changed her life. She was left paraplegic and “her body changed - she no longer felt hungry, thirsty or Credit: Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk sleepy. No remedy was effective,” said Brazilian priest Gabriel Vila Verde, who (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) recently shared Lola’s story on social media.

Lola began to nourish herself with just one consecrated Host a day. She lived that way for 60 years, Vila Verde said. In addition, “for a long time, she remained in a bed without a mattress, as a form of penance.”

Faith in the laywoman’s sanctity grew, and thousands of pilgrims came to see her at her home, the priest con- tinued. In fact, “a visitors’ signature book from the 1950s recorded that 32,980 people visited her in just one month.”

Vila Verde said Lola would give the same request to all who came to see her: Go to Confession, receive Com- munion, and complete the First Friday devotion in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

When Helvécio Gomes de Oliveira of Mariana asked Lola to stop receiving visitors and to “live a life of silence and privacy,” she obeyed.

“The bishop allowed the Blessed Sacrament to be exposed in Lola’s room, where Masses were also held once a week. Daily was provided by lay ministers,” Vila Verde said.

The priest stressed that Lola dedicated her life to praying for priests and spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She was known for saying, “Whoever wants to look for me, finds me in the Heart of Jesus.”

Lola passed away in April 1999. Her funeral was attended by 22 priests and some 12,000 faithful. She was de- clared a Servant of God by the in 2005. Commentary: US celebrates 35 years of diplomatic relations with the Holy See

Ambassador Callista L. Gingrich

Vatican City, Apr 9, 2019 / 08:21 am MT (CNA).- Thirty-five years ago today, William A. Wilson presented his credentials to Pope John Paul II, becoming America’s first ambassador to the Holy See. This historic moment marked the start of formal diplomatic relations between the United States and the Vatican.

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Although our embassy was officially established in 1984, ties to the Holy See date back to our nation’s founding. The early years saw the appointment of consuls and resident ministers to what was then the . Relations temporarily ended in 1870 following Italian Unification. The United States and the Holy See, however, continued to engage at a distance.

Throughout our history, U.S. presidents have recognized the important role of the Holy See in advancing peace and justice. From 1870 to 1984, several per- sonal envoys were dispatched to the Vatican for discussions on humanitarian U.S. President Ronald Reagan talks with Pope St. John Paul II. Courtesy and political issues. During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt’s envoy U.S. Embassy to the Holy See to Pope Pius XII worked with the Holy See to feed European refugees, provide aid to Eastern Europe, and assist allied prisoners of war.

But as the Second World War gave way to the Cold War, the destructive force of the Soviet Union threatened to sweep across the free world. Millions died under the thumb of communist rule and many more continued to suf- fer under its tyranny.

Two leaders were determined to change this: President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II. They quickly real- ized that an unofficial relationship between the United States and the Holy See was no longer adequate to meet the dangers posed by Communism.

Soon after taking office, President Reagan requested a meeting with Pope John Paul II. When the two leaders met in in 1982, President Reagan asked the Polish pontiff when Eastern Europe would be free from Soviet domination. When the Pope responded “in our lifetime,” the President grabbed his hand and said fer- vently “let’s work together!”

President Reagan returned to Washington D.C., and within two years established official diplomatic relations with the Vatican. When Ambassador Wilson presented his credentials to Pope John Paul II on April 9, 1984, the Pope told him that renewed collaboration between the United States and the Holy See should mean “exerting common efforts to defend the dignity and the rights of the human person.”

For the last 35 years, this unique partnership has done just that. It has existed, in President Reagan’s words “to the benefit of peace-loving people everywhere.”

Today the United States and the Holy See are a world-wide force for good – safeguarding religious freedom, de- fending human rights, and seeking peaceful solutions to crises around the world.

In all of these areas and more, the United States benefits from the Vatican’s global influence and moral leader- ship. With 183 diplomatic partners, the Holy See is second only to the United States in the international arena. And like the United States, the Vatican is one of the world’s largest providers of relief services.

As we celebrate our 35th anniversary, the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See is honored to continue this great legacy of friendship and collaboration with the Vatican. Pope Francis: Inculturated Mass shows us the gifts of the Holy Spirit

By Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican City, Dec 1, 2020 / 01:00 pm MT (CNA).- Pope Francis said Tuesday that inculturated liturgy can teach Catholics to better appreciate the diverse gifts of the Holy Spirit.

(Continued on Page 13) T HE S PIRIT P A G E 13

(“News” from Page 12)

In a to a new book, Pope Francis said “this process of liturgical incul- turation in Congo is an invitation to value the various gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are a treasure for all humanity.”

A year ago, Pope Francis offered Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for Congolese immigrants, marking the 25th anniversary of the foundation of the Congolese Catholic Chaplaincy of Rome.

The inculturated Mass included traditional Congolese music and the Use Pope Francis celebrates Mass accord- of the Ordinary Form of the . ing to the Zaire Use at St. Peter's Basili- ca on Dec. 1, 2019. Credit; Vatican Media. The Zaire Use is an inculturated Mass formally approved in 1988 for the dioces- es of what was then known as the Republic of Zaire, now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in cen- tral .

The only inculturated Eucharistic celebration approved after the , it was developed fol- lowing a call for adaptation of the liturgy in “,” Vatican II’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.

“One of the main contributions of the Second Vatican Council was precisely that of proposing norms for adapt- ing to the disposition and traditions of various peoples,” the pope said in a video message published Dec. 1.

“The experience of the Congolese rite of the celebration of Mass can serve as an example and model for other cultures,” the pope said.

He urged the bishops of Congo, as St. Pope John Paul II did during the bishops’ visit to Rome in 1988, to com- plete the rite by also adapting the other sacraments and sacramentals.

The pope sent the video message in advance of the Vatican’s publication of the Italian-language book “Pope Francis and the ‘Roman for the Dioceses of Zaire.’”

Francis said that the subtitle, “A Promising Rite for Other Cultures,” “indicates the fundamental reason behind this publication: a book that is the testimony of a celebration lived with faith and joy.”

He recalled a line from his post-synodal apostolic exhortation “Querida Amazonia,” published in February, in which he said that “we can take up into the liturgy many elements to the experience of indigenous peo- ples in their contact with nature, and respect native forms of expression in song, dance, rituals, gestures and symbols.”

“The Second Vatican Council called for this effort to inculturate the liturgy among indigenous peoples; over 50 years have passed and we still have far to go along these lines,” he continued, quoting the exhortation.

The new book, which includes a preface by Pope Francis, has contributions from professors at the Pontifical Urbaniana University, a PhD student at the Pontifical Gregorian University, and a journalist from the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano.

“The spiritual and ecclesial significance and the pastoral purpose of the Eucharistic celebration in the Congo- lese Rite were the basis of the drafting of the volume,” the pope explained.

“The principles of the need for scientific study, adaptation and active participation in the Liturgy, strongly de- sired by the Council, have guided the authors of this volume.”

“This publication, dear brothers and sisters, reminds us that the true protagonist of the Congolese Rite is the who sing and praise God, the God of Jesus Christ who saved us,” he concluded.

T HE S PIRIT P A G E 14

(“Advent” from Page 1)

Cool. So, it’s like four weeks long?

Advent is a slightly different length each year. It starts four Sundays before Christmas. But because Christmas is on a fixed date, and could fall on different days of the week, Advent can be as short as three weeks and a day, or as long as four weeks. Christmas is on a Friday in 2020, so Advent will be three weeks and four days long.

Ok, my priest keeps talking about Advent being the “new year.” But Advent is before Christmas. What’s the deal?

The Church’s feasts and celebrations run on a year-long cycle, which we call the “.” The “liturgical year” starts on the first Sunday of Advent. So it’s a new liturgical year when Advent starts. But the Church also uses the ordinary calendar, so it would probably be a bit weird to have a “New Year’s Eve” party the night before Advent starts.

Still, if 2020 has been a hard year for you, and I bet it has, you can take some consolation in knowing that, for the Church, we're already in a new year. Good riddance, 2020!

And, Advent wreaths. Where do they come from? Is it true that they’re just pagan wreaths borrowed by the Church?

The has been using advent wreaths since the Middle Ages. Lighting candles as we prepare for Christmas reminds us that Christ is the light of the world. And the evergreen boughs remind us of new and eter- nal life in Christ, the eternal son of the Father.

It is definitely true that Germanic people were lighting up candle wreaths in wintertime long before the arrived in their homeland. They did so because, well, candle wreaths in winter are beautiful and warm. That a Christian symbol emerged from that tradition is an indication that the Gospel can be expressed through the lan- guage, customs, and symbols of cultures that come to believe that Christ Jesus is Lord.

WE NEED YOUR INPUT In an effort to keep the monthly newsletter pertinent and fresh, we are looking for news, articles, upcoming events, and other items of interest to our membership. If you have something you would like to see in the newsletter, pass that information along to the Spirit editor. Pictures of brother Knights in action will be greatly appreciated, so please send them in. Also, every article submitted will be evaluated for possible submission to the Texas Knight to be included in the next edition. Remember, the DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: monthly newsletter can be an effective recruiting tool, so we need to December 22nd make sure it has up-to-date and useful information.

Scott A. MacDonald Texas Knight KofC Council 8512 The Journal of the Knights of Columbus in Texas http://uknight.org/ S I N C E 1 9 0 2 CouncilSite/index.asp? www.texasknight-news.net CNO=8512 T HE S PIRIT P A G E 15 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES There are many ways to become active in your Council. Contact one of the committee chairs below to get started. They would love to have you aboard.

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