Thursday, March 1, 2018

The Knight's Shield - March 2018

Please keep Brother Knight, Bruno Belline, and his family in your prayers, as he was called home to the Lord on January 26, and keep Brother Knight, James Lisuzzo, and his family in your prayers as he went home to the Lord on February 1.

Welcome to our new brother, Stanley Labuda, who completed his Major degree at St. Lawrence Knights of Columbus Council 2950 on February 17. Congratulations Stanley!

At the time this article is being written, we have had two very successful fish fries. We served roughly 800+ dinners, made a lot of new friends and continue the good work that Fr. Michael J McGivney started on March 29, 1882. I hope to see all of you and your families and friends on Friday nights. Our Fish Fry helps to fund all our council activities, the needs of our Church, needy families, Special Olympics, special needs, Coats for Kids, Holy Cross Children Services, Youth Free Throw Contest, Tootsie Roll Drive, the Food Pantry, and many, many more causes we are involved in. Please take the time to tell your families, friends, and neighbors to please join us on Friday’s in Lent except Good Friday March 30th. There is a lot of help needed for the Fish Fries during Lent. This event will give you a chance to get to know your Brother Knights and church families, and have an evening of fun! Please help make our Fish Fry successful. Make an effort to make it out to one of the remaining Friday Fish Fries. It would be great to see some new blood at this event.

Please remember that our March 12 meeting will start at 6:30 pm, and is our annual Open House Pot Luck Dinner and Awards Night. The council will provide the chicken and beverages. You are asked to bring a dish to pass for this event. It can be an entrĂ©e, a side dish, or a dessert. We will have a guest from St. Vincent de Paul, along with the winners from the “Keep Christ in Christmas” Poster Contest. We will also have a membership recruitment drawing, a door prize raffle, and of course, a 50/50 drawing. Additionally, we will present the Shining Armor Awards, Special Recognition Awards, along with the prestigious Knight and Family of the Year Awards. Be sure to not miss this evening.

Do you have SafeServe Certification? If you do please send me a copy of your certificate so we can have this on file for our records. If it is expired still send it to me and we will work on getting you recertified. My E-mail:

By encouraging prayer, penance and almsgiving, the season of Lent calls us to change, to root out sin and draw closer to God as we serve our neighbor. Appropriately, the celebration of Mass for these 40 days also takes on a different tone and appearance to remind us of the needed interior change. Here are some things to look and listen for:

1. The Color Purple. The vestments worn by the priest at Mass are purple, the color symbolizing repentance. Although we are continually called to turn away from our sins, the season of Lent provides a particular focus on interior conversion as we prepare ourselves over these 40 days to celebrate the great feast of Easter.

2. Muted Music. In keeping with the austerity of the Lenten season, there are no instrumental interludes; the organ or other musical instruments are only to be used as accompaniment for singing.

3. Unadorned Altars. There are no flowers in the sanctuary during Lent, and the linens and candle-sticks used on the altar are less ornate.

4. No Alleluia. From the Greek, Alleluia means “praise Yahweh” or “praise God,” an expression of rejoicing. Lent is a time of exile, a spiritual journey as we turn away from sin and amend our lives as we await the joy of the Resurrection. Alleluia is an Easter word: Think of the “Hallelujah Chorus” of Handel’s “Messiah.” The Alleluia returns to the Mass — in triplicate, no less — when the priest or deacon chants it before the Gospel reading during the Easter Vigil.

5. And No Gloria. Also a song of joy, the Gloria is omitted during Lent, just as it is during Advent. Like the Alleluia, it will return in full splendor at the Easter Vigil liturgy.

6. Yet there are Exceptions. On Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday in Lent, the liturgical vestments are rose-colored, the music and decor more upbeat. When a Solemnity is celebrated during Lent, such as the feast of St. Joseph (March 19) or the Annunciation (March 25), the vestments are white, instrumental music and altar flowers are permitted, and the Gloria is sung. (Since Palm Sunday is March 25 this year, the bishops in the United States and Canada have moved the Solemnity of the Annunciation to April 9, during the Easter season.)

7. Strict Scrutiny. In parishes where individuals are preparing for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), candidates for Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation are called forth on the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays in Lent for a brief rite called scrutinies, which ordinarily takes place after the homily and be-fore the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

8. Longer Readings! No, it’s not the length of the reading that’s penitential, but rather the way these passages call us to faith and conversion. If your parish is using the readings from Year A of the three- year liturgical cycle — or if there are catechumens preparing for the Easter Vigil — you may notice that the Gospel readings for the third through fifth weeks of Lent are unusually long. That is by design. The readings from John’s Gospel about the Samaritan woman at the well, the healing of the man born blind, and the raising of Lazarus from the dead are longer-but-stronger catechetical readings meant to help prepare catechumens for Baptism — and prepare the rest of us for an Easter renewal of our baptismal promises.

The K of C will be conducting the Stations of the Cross on Friday, March 23, at 7:00 pm...right after the last fish fry. We had 6 readers last year. I have 3 right now, and I need 3 more. If you would like to participate in this, please see me.

I invited 13 seminarians that we support to attend an admission degree at the Seminary on February 24. Unfortunately, some were Knights already or they were not able to attend. We need help from ALL Knights if you are active or not. The order must grow to stay alive for our current and future families, or else the last 136 years of The Knights and what we stand for are for nothing! Please ask a friend to become a Knight.

We have Members: 223 YTD Change -4
We have a quota of 15 new members. We need 10 more.
We have a quota of 6 new insurance members. We need 3 more
The delegates for the annual State Convention on Mackinaw Island in May are as follows:
First delegate – Art Krygowski
Second delegate – Mike Hartel
First alternate – Ted Czarny
Second alternate – Steven Kargenian

Vivat Jesus
Art Krygowski
Grand Knight

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ALL ARE WELCOME -- K OF C CHRISMAS PARTY