Knights of Columbus Fr. Paul J. F. Wattson Council 8919 Parish of the Atonement Windsor - Ontario - Canada October 2007 Newsletter Grand Knight’s Column Chaplain’s Column Dear Brother Knights, Dear Brother Knights, The Conscience is God’s Messenger in our Life. On Monday, September 3rd, seventeen members of our parish at- tended the Funeral Mass for Father Paschal Breau at St. Joan of The conscience is a marvellously sensitive antenna; a system of fi nely Arc Parish in Toronto. Bishop Richard Grecco was the principal tuned sensors that perceive reality and discern what is good, right, and true. celebrant, and Father Damian MacPherson was the homilist. Fa- This presupposes that the conscience is formed and trained. A lazy con- ther Paschal was an important part of the history of our parish science has lost its ability to perceive things as they really are. A sensi- having been one of the fi rst Friars of the Atonement to serve when tive conscience is a wonderful instrument helping us to be open to the our parish was established in 1971. summons that comes from outside ourselves. This makes it essential that we work on our conscience, training it and refi ning it. This work lasts In June of 1995, during his second tour of ministry in our par- throughout our lives. ish and while serving as Chaplain to our Council, Father Paschal wrote an article for the Knights of Columbus newsletter that I I must be willing to let someone else challenge my conscience. If I am wish to share with you today. The article is a timely refl ection on completely satisfi ed with my own life, no challenge will ever reach my the role of a father. conscience. The more my life is well ordered, the more sensitive my life will be. The simple virtues of daily living intensify our sensitivity - con- What is a father? sideration of others, patience, attentiveness, overcoming one’s own self, A father is gentle. He holds a new baby tenderly and gets up discretion; humility - all these develop the conscience, making it alert and the last troublesome burp. He helps a tiny girl with her fi rst doll perceptive. buggy, shows a small son how to plant fl owers. He examines the Must one always follow one’s conscience? I believe that we can now say dog’s cut leg and has a deft touch with an ailing turtle. yes, one must follow one’s conscience. However, I must always bear in A father is wise. He is the one who can best fathom new math, mind that my conscience can err. My conscience can never be suffi ciently ancient history, and whose turn it is for the garbage detail. He enlightened and sensitive. In confl ict of conscience, we must note the can plot a map-reading problem for boy scouts and turn them into following three points: skilled explorers. He knows when a small hug will do more for a • I must ask, “Am I acting according to the golden rule?” – “What you discouraged ballplayer than a big pep talk. wish others to do to you, do to them too.” A father is fair. He alone is capable of umpiring a ball game with • I must always bear in mind that the end does not justify the means. It his own children on both sides, or just one team, never showing is never permissible to do evil in order that good may come. any favouritism. He remembers who did the dishes yesterday, • Reasons of conscience may induce me to lay down my own who wanted to go to the movies, and who promised to do them life, but I am never permitted for reasons of conscience to take today. the life of innocent people. A father is capable. He fi xes troublesome bikes, replaces broken Vivat Jesus windows, and mends shattered confi dence. In an emergency, he brings order into chaos, gives quiet directions, takes charge and Fraternally yours, calms everyone. Greg MacDonald, Grand Knight A father is compassionate. He knows when it is manly to cry and when tears are a luxury that those around him cannot afford to see. He feels with the little boy who has skinned a knee falling from his fi rst bike, and for the teen-age girl who wasn’t asked to the dance. A father is patient. He is able to explain how to put together a model plane; then watches for hours as an offspring tackles the project with more enthusiasm than dexterity. A father is fi rm. He teaches his children that in some cases, no Chaplain’s Message ...... Page 3 Executive Board Family of the Month Fraternal Year 2006 - 2007 October 2007 Worthy Chaplain - Fr. Robert Remark .........................735-6023 Paul Ratko Family Worthy Co-Chaplain - Fr. Mike Graham .....................735-6023 The Family of the Month for October is the family of Paul Ratko Grand Knight - Greg MacDonald (Lorraine) ...............735-3734 and his daughters Terra Marie and Tammy Lynn who recently be- Past Grand Knight - Keith Campbell (Gloria) .............735-8509 came engaged to her fi ancé Ryan Allen. With a wedding date Deputy Grand Knight - Mike Agius (Rita) .................735-8916 set for 2008, Paul has plenty to do. He has been a very active Chancellor - George Lewsaw (Bonnie) .......................735-4933 member of our Order ever since he became a Knight 18 years ago. Financial Secretary - Michael MacLellan ....................735-7176 Paul has held the positions of Treasurer, Deputy Grand Knight, Recorder - Dan Dumouchelle (Penny) ...................735-8761 and was our Council’s Grand Knight from 1996 to 1999, stepping Treasurer - Louis Mollica (Maria) ...........................735-6154 up again to Grand Knight in 2001 for a short period to help out Advocate - Richard Joinville (Carmen) ..................... Private when our Grand Knight at the time found it necessary to step aside Lecturer - Paul Gervais ..........................................735-2557 temporarily because of illness in the family. In 2002, Paul was Warden - Lee Leveque (Deanna) ..........................979-0637 appointed District Deputy for District 10, a position that he held Trustees - John Cassidy (Dolena) ...........................735-6618 until 2006 and which required him to transfer out of our Council. - Mike Finn (Donna Mae) ........................735-9034 During his term as DD, Paul was responsible for establishing two - George Pickering (Margaret) .................735-3913 new KofC councils - Council 13335 St. Peter Maronite Council, Guards - Dave Hodgeson .....................................735-9703 and Council 13405 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Today, both of these - Frank Cicchello .....................................739-2655 councils are very active and doing well. From 2006 - 2007 Paul - Don Panek (Janet) .................................735-8284 took on the position of District Warden in District 10 in order to assist his replacement DD, George Abdallah. Paul is a long- Supreme Director - Bob Cayea (Suzanne) .................. 735-9251 time member of our Council’s Choir, and is currently a Eucha- State Deputy - Nat Gallo (Lina) ristic Minister for our Parish. Brother Paul returned home to our District Deputy - Joe Banoviç (Monika) ................ 735-4532 Council in July of this year having fulfi lled his duties as DD and District Warden - Alan Sims (Barbara) ....................735-0017 District Warden for District 10. Insurance Agent - Andrew Despins .......................... 979-0899 I am pleased to select the family of Paul Ratko as the Family of Program Directors the Month for October 2007. Mike Agius - General Director Greg MacDonald, Grand Knight Basketball Free Throw - John Barron Blood Drive - Richard Joinville Car Raffl e - Richard Joinville Charities - Dan Dumouchelle Knight of the Month Choir - Stan Burke October 2007 Church Activities - Frank Cicchello Dave Hodgeson Church Projects - Walter Friedl Community - Arthur Huggins Dave has been a member of the Knight of Columbus and of our Cooking Team - Mike Charbonneau Council for over sixteen years. He currently holds the position - Ron Bardwell of Guard on the Council’s Executive Board. In the past, Dave Council - Mike Agius has served as Advocate, a three-year term as Trustee, and sev- Council Elections - Allen Topliffe eral terms as Guard. Dave is the longest-serving member of our Family - Walter Friedl Council’s Charities Committee, a position that he has held since Fund Raising (Bingo) - John Barron he joined our Council. As a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Goodfellows Project - Harvey Seney & John Barron Chapter of our parish, Dave prepares the minutes of each meeting Health Services - Allen Topliffe on his computer and sends them out to all the members by e-mail. Membership - Keith Campbell Snow is the only thing that might get in the way of Dave sell- Newsletter - Tony Ellul ing papers for the Goodfellows’ Christmas campaign. Other than Parish Council - Louis Mollica that, you can count on seeing Dave busily selling papers during Pro-Life Couple - Janna & Allen Topliffe all three days of the campaign. You can also depend on seeing Public Relations - Tony Ellul Dave at the 9:00 a.m. Mass every Sunday; only heavy snow will Recruitment - Trustees (above) keep him away Retention - Trustees (above) Vocations - George Lewsaw I would like to point out a remarkable thing about Dave. Even Youth - Eduardo Aguilar though he is wheelchair bound, Dave does his own grocery shop- ping and runs other errands for his fellow residents at Alpha Apartments, sometimes in spite of inclement weather. Submissions to the Newsletter It gives me great pleasure to recognize this busy man, Dave Hodg- eson, as Knight of the Month for October 2007. This newsletter is published by KofC Council 8919 at the beginning of every month with the exception of July and August. Contributions to the newsletter are always welcome. Contributors are kindly requested to Greg MacDonald, Grand Knight submit their material to Tony Ellul (735-1360) by the 10th of the month preceding publication.