As our fraternal year comes to a close, I want to thank all the councils in the province for the programs you have initiated to bring faith and faith programs into your councils. I want also to thank all the Chaplains of the councils who assisted and were part of the faith formation in your local churches and councils; without your guidance, it would have been a dry year.
Thank you to our Worthy State Deputy, Larry Packet, and the state board members for their involvement in the faith programs initiated by State at the different levels of communications, especially with the Holy Hours and the Rosary programs hosted by them at the state level at the State Convention and the organizational meetings. Thanks to Fr. Edward Gibney for leading us in prayer and worship.
Holy Hour is now a part of the State Deputy Strategic Plan and has been in place since he was elected. Have you initiated this worthy program in your council? I am sure if you need help that brother Larry would be of great assistance to you if his time permits.
The Rosary program is more than a program, it is a way of life. In our church, for example, the Rosary is said before every Mass daily and is usually led by a brother knight. In my council, the knights led the Rosary in our church after our monthly council meetings. Every Thursday in our church we have Adoration and on the night our council met, we led the rosary with the people in our church.
Talk to Father in your church and see if you can schedule a Eucharistic procession, plan, especially for the feast of Corpus Christi or any other occasion fitting so that people learn to appreciate what they are receiving at Eucharist during Mass. The Eucharist is central to who we are as Catholics and as knights.
Into the Breach program has many uplifting videos that are available to us. Go to the Supreme website and choose something uplifting to encourage your brothers and maybe make it part of your agenda either before or after your meeting.
The Marion Icon prayer program is also a great way for councils to get involved, the focus would be for you to consider the whole church when the Icon comes your way. The big thing is trying to keep the schedule which Mike Bzdell set out for the whole province current and moving forward.
The Knights of Columbus is an agent of faith for us and a gift of God to our Church. With its gifts and charism given to us, it is a means of expressing our own story of how this gift of the knights has transformed our life and deepened our understanding of the need for a brotherhood of man committed to evangelizing and helping others to see the value of Faith, Family, Community, and life itself as an essence to work and build relationships that will last for eternity.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the center, the heart of our religion, a heart which without ceasing sends a stream of grace into the veins of Christianity, so that it may vivify every member of the great Mystical Body of Christ – which is our Holy Mother the Church.
Let us use this Treasure:
- By assisting others devoutly at Holy Mass.
- By having Masses said.
- By uniting with all the Masses celebrated every hour of the day and night.
More than 400,000 Masses are celebrated daily, meaning 5 Elevations every second. He who unites himself with them, shares in them. Let us therefore gain for ourselves a Treasure in eternity.
We receive these gifts and God’s attention when we come to the Eucharist weekly or even daily if possible. We are fed and nourished at the table of the Lord and strengthened with that heavenly nourishment that only He can provide for us. Let us try with all our hearts again this year to be the best children we can be and try to please God the Father with a fresh outlook on our lives.
Worthy brothers, there is hope out there, people are hungry and willing to help, ready to lead, to grow together as a people and to build up the body of Christ which is the Church. Can your council make a difference, step up to the plate, invite someone, and be an example of what the knights can accomplish when we work together?
“It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy, through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, your Word through whom you made all things, whom you sent as our Savior and Redeemer, incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin”.
We must worship God, but by our baptism and confirmed in the Holy Spirit we also have been awarded the right to approach God the Father in humility; to ask for his blessing on us, to hear our prayer petitions knowing in faith that God has heard us and is willing to help us.
God, Bless You All.
Adrien Piche (State Faith Director)