april 2006 newsletter

In my comments of last month, I mentioned initiating the practice of spending some part of each day thanking God for our blessings. Everything that happens to us is a gift, and is given for a reason although sometimes it’s difficult to understand what God has in mind when He lets unpleasant things happen. If you’re like me, it’s sometimes difficult to stop asking all the time, and instead, taking a moment to thank God for all He has given. But it is rewarding, and awesome, to realize how many blessing we receive each minute of everyday. Check out the Lector’s comments on this subject in this issue of Knightline.

Remember your First Degree and you made a promise in your heart to honor Mary, the Queen of the Knights? A good way to make good on that promise is to join your fellow Brothers on the fourth Wednesday of each month for the recitation of the rosary. We start at 7, and finish in time to make the meeting that gets underway at 7:30.

Speaking of the First Degree, remember our First Degree Initiation that will be held on April 10 at 7:30. Your attendance allows you to renew the promises made when you experienced your own First Degree, giving you the right to wear the KofC lapel pin and call yourself a Knight. Come join us and welcome your new KofC brothers.

My thanks to all those who made our annual St. Patrick’s Dinner/Dance a success. We had a good crowd and it looked like everyone had a wonderful time. Especially welcome were the new faces that helped in making the event a special achievement. Thanks, too, to all of the Knights who helped with the Lenten Fish Frys. We had good crowds, good fish and good parish spirit.

THIS MONTH’S BIRTHDAYS:

THE RECITATION OF THE ROSARY BEFORE EACH MONTH’S LAST MEETING is still a part of our Council’s ongoing devotion to the Blessed Virgin. We start at 7 and end in plenty of time to get to the business meeting. Join your fellow Brothers in this beautiful prayer to Mary, Queen of the Knights. The rosary has been an important part of the Church’s prayer life since the early 1200s and its continued use by the faithful has been encouraged by several popes during the history of the Church.

SAINT OF THE MONTH is ST. JUDE, who, because of the similarity of his name with Judas, is known as the “ forgotten saint”. But the Church honors and invokes him universally in seemingly hopeless cases. Those who invoke him praise him for favors received. Perhaps if you are facing some daunting problems, St. Jude will be of assistance by interceding with God for you. You can find him, where else, on the Internet at www.stjudeshrine.org.

HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR KNIGHTLINE? Thanks to all you for your kind comments on the re-birth of our monthly newsletter. We’ve got some kinks to work out, but we’re trying. An option we’d like to offer is to send Knightline to you by e-mail. Let us know your preference. If you would prefer to receive Knightline by e-mail, send your address to Mark Daly at restondaly@yahoo.com

FROM OUR LECTOR
For the Good of the Order, Have you noticed how society today does not use "thank you" very often?? Are you one of those who has fallen into that habit?

Consider this: Most of the time when you pray you ask God for help, for healing, for assistance with a relationship, for financial matters, for forgiveness, for safety while traveling, for safewatching over our troops who are in the Middle East, for a successful surgery, etc. etc. When God blesses you with the request that you were asking of Him, do you take the time to thank Him?? Most of us don't even think about it. Not that we are deliberately rude to Our Father in Heaven. We, for the most part, just take Him for granted. In your prayer have you thanked Jesus for dieing on the cross for your salvation?

Another thought: Have you thanked your wife today for all that she does for you? We usually take her for granted too.

A postal clerk told me recently that at Christmas time parents encourage their small children to write a letter to Santa so that he knows what it is that their child would like (come on now, you know that we did it too when we were little). He told me that they get hundreds upon hundreds of letters addressed to the North Pole. But after Christmas they only see three or four letters addressed to Santa. No one encourages their children to send "him" a thank you letter for everything that they received. Whose fault is that? It's not the child’s fault. It's the same parents who encouraged them to write the letter in the first place.

What do you say we all take a moment right now to thank God for all of the many requests that He did for us? Thank Him especially for giving us His Son Jesus so that we have the chance for eternal life. Take a moment too by thanking your wife and other members of your family for the wonderful things they do for you. Thank, too, your many brother Knights who give so freely of their time to help make our Council’s charitable activities successful.

FRIDAY FISH FRYS have continued on each Friday of Lent and by the time you receive this Knightline, we’ll have only the Fry scheduled for April 7 left on the calendar. If you haven’t taken your family to enjoy the good food and camaraderie, then make plans to do so on this final night. On the menu is fried or baked fish, hush-puppies, French fries, coffee and tea. For the youngsters, there’s spaghetti with meatless sauce.

On March 24, your Council joined with the parish for a Family Night Fish Fry. We served 293 people that night. Other nights have averaged 123, with an increase in diners each night. If you’d like to help out, give Greg Benjock a call ((704) 896-2813), or e-mail him at petjag@aol.com. Extra hands are always appreciated.

ST. PATRICK’S DINNER was a minor disappointment for the Council since only 78 people showed up for the corned beef and cabbage dinner. However, Skip Reilly reported a tidy profit of $675 for the night after all food and drink expenses were met. The money, by the way, will go toward our annual scholarship fund.

THE COUNCIL’S ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND will be awarded on the evening of June 12. Scholarships will be awarded to three seniors who will be graduating from high school and have made the decision to continue their educations on the college level. The presentations will be made during our regular social meeting.

COUNCIL REWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS for jobs well-done will also take place during that meeting.

STATE RAFFLE TICKETS ARE DUE BY MAY 1. This is an annual fund raiser with your council receiving $2.50 for each ticket sold. The balance of the ticket price goes to meet raffle expenses and for state-wide charities. Sell your present tickets and call any Council officer for additional tickets.

THE COUNCIL HAS AGREED TO SPONSOR A GOLF HOLE during the First Annual Healthreach Golf Classic to be held at River Run Country Club on May 17. The request was made by Vince Greco who is helping to spearhead the golf match. Players and additional sponsors are needed. If you’re interested in playing, or being a sponsor, call Vince at (704) 662-3930 or e-mail him at vinfran@msn.com. Proceeds go to help support the Mooresville-South Iredell Health Assistance Clinic. Vince can fill you in or the clinic’s services that are aimed at providing medical care to the uninsured and poor of the area.

RELAY FOR LIFE OF MOORESVILLE/LAKE NORMAN is also asking our Council for assistance in their fundraiser scheduled for April 28-29 at the Lake Norman High School track. Stewart McLamb, Catherine Vogel and Dave Conklin are both helping out in this program. If you’d like to participate or support the relay, e-mail Stewart at stewartm@corencorp.com or Catherine at cue@caltim.com

WE’RE STILL LOOKING AT POTENTIAL WAYS OF REPLACING THE INCOME that we won’t be getting from Lowe’s Speedway this year. If you have any ideas on how to replace the $6-7,000 we normally received from Lowe’s for driving buses during race weeks, let us know. Contact any officer with your ideas.

LAMB WILL BE IN OCTOBER again this year. Final dates will be announced in the near future.