KNIGHTS of COLUMBUS

SACRED HEART COUNCIL 2577

St.JOHN N. NEUMANN ASSEMBLY 1763

Neumann News Mar. 2009

                           Faithful Navigator’s Report

                           Donald Tallmadge, PGK, PDD, PCP

                           301-218-4623

                           dtallmadge@verizon.net

  The 4th Degree Exemplification will be on March 22 in College Park.  There is still time to recruit new SKs for the Assembly. The Assembly deadline for applications is March 12.   I’m sure you had a reason for joining the Fourth Degree.  It’s likely that other Third Degree members have that same reason  as well, so ask that friend or relative to join us.  Membership in the Patriotic arm of the Knights of Columbus should be the ultimate goal of every knight.  There will be information meetings for prospective SKs and their wives on March 4th and 11th March at 7:30 in Boswell Hall; call Bill Macri (301) 249-5580 for details.  You can also call Faithful Admiral Rich Boehm at (410) 604-3076 for forms and more information. 

 Our Sir Knight of the Month for February was Bill Macri.  Bill has been indispensable to the Assembly this year.  His “can do” attitude has impressed everyone who has worked with him.  Please congratulate Bill when you see him.

 We will soon begin the process of selecting our Assembly’s Officers for the 2009-2010 Fraternal Year.  Our Nominating Committee will consist of Faithful Admiral and PFN Rich Boehm (410) 604-3076 and Trustee and SK Ed Walsh (301) 809-3826.  Please contact one of these SKs if you are interested in a position on next year’s team. 

Judging for the Assembly’s Patriotic Essay contest will soon begin.  Winners will be announced in April, 2009.  First prize is $100, second is $75 and third is $50.  The theme this year was “The Responsibility of the Catholic Citizen in a Free Society”.

This year’s tickets for the Vacation Raffle will go out soon, so look for them in your mailbox.  Once again, this is a joint effort with Sacred Heart Council and the prize is a $2,500 value.  Please do you best to support this fund raiser as if goes a long way towards the funding of our charitable and patriotic programs.

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FAITHFUL FRIER'S REPORT

ANDY NOSACEK

Jesus said to them: ‘Peace be with you.

Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,

and whose sins you retain are retained.’

John 20:21-22.

     As we begin our journey through the desert of our Lent towards the oasis of Easter, we recall these words of our Lord.   We are reminded how the disciples were hidden, fearful behind locked doors.  On that first day of the week (the Sunday of the Resurrection), Jesus appeared in their midst and delivered His Easter gift to the world – the power of the forgiveness of sin, the Sacrament of Penance.  This is the gift that empowers us to be able to partake of that other gift Jesus gave to the world on that previous Thursday – the gift of Himself in the Eucharist.

By tradition, Lent is a time of sacrifice for us, a time of deprivation of honest pleasures we hold dear.  Some place emphasis rather on this as a time of  - not deprivation – but of good deeds, almsgiving.  As a suggestion for a further approach much needed in our time consider these words of the prophet David, called  the ‘Miserere” or ‘the prayer of Repentance’:

O Lord, open thou my lips,

and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.

For Thou hast no delight in sacrifice;

were I to give a burnt offering,

Thou wouldst not be pleased.

The sacrifice acceptable to God

is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O

God, Thou wilt not spurn.

Let Lent be a time of true repentance; a time to return to the practice of frequent Confession.  [A good time to remember the second precept (law) of the Church: You shall confess your sins at least once a year.]  Are we not all sinners?  St. John reminds us that we are, even though our “sins may not be deadly.”  This is good to recall if one thinks “I do not have to go.” 

Pope John Paul I (“the Lesser”?) gave a wonderful incite into the proper, positive reflection on our sins.  [Cardinal Justin Rigale called this “the advantages of being a sinner.”]  First, the recognition of our sins can  produce “an attitude of true humility in our hearts.”  Second, if we realize the mercy that God has shown us (in Confession), we are “bound to show mercy to others.”  Humility and Compassion: two virtues we can take with us as we leave this year’s desert of our Lent.”

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COLOR CORPS COMMANDER

JOHN CURRERI

(301) 464-2578

The Master has requested that we provide six (6) Color Corps Members for each of the following events.

 The Fourth Degree Exemplification on the 22nd of March 2009.  Please consider attending the Exemplification at the University of Maryland to support our candidates. 

Color Corps is also needed for Mass on Palm Sunday  April 5, 2009.  The turn out time is 9:00 AM  at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, DC.

Again on the 19th of April, 2009, Color Corps Members are needed on Divine Mercy Sunday.  Turn out time is 1:15 PM in the Usher’s room of the Basilica at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Anyone wishing to turn out please call me.  Thank you for all that you so.

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PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL OUR

 DEPARTED BROTHERS

Mary Ellen O’Connor

Mother of SK Tom O’Connor

 And FOR THOSE WHO ARE  SICK AND RECOVERING, especially:

SK John Drake

SK John & Mary Giddo

SK Robert Costenbader

SK Tony Salvemini, PGK, PFN

SK Frank Schrom

SK Eugene Sides, PFN now living in South Carolina

SK Edward Weber, PFN                                        

SK Fred Ragazzone, GK

SK Bill Picirilli

SK Tom O’Connor

Sir Knights’ Family Members

Dorothy E. DeVous

  Mother of SK Charles (Ray) DeVous

Chloe Nardini

  Granddaughter of SK Jake Nardini

Albert Urasek

  Father of SK Ken Urasek

Kathy Salvemini

     Wife of Tony Salvemini, PGK, PFN

Edith B. Herrelko

    Wife of SK Frank E. Herrelko

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If you know of a SK or a SK’s family member who is ill, has died, or has recovered, please contact our Faithful, Pilot, Bill Macri, (301) 249-5580 or e-mail at bmacri@jamacco.com

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SK Charles Smallwood Master’s Log Mar.

We will welcome the 2009 Class of New Sir Knights this month.  How will we include them in our Assembly activities?  What plans do you as Assembly Officers and members have for them to become active? .

By now your Faithful Navigator has appointed or will soon be appointing a Nominating Committee to put together a slate of potential officers for the 2000-2010 Columbian Year.  What are your expectations for these Sir Knights and the Programs they may propose?

We need to elect Leadership that will be active, and we need to include many more members as Active Sir Knights.  The two go hand in hand.  As I go about the district and attend meetings and Color Corps events, I see many excellent candidates as potential leaders of an Assembly.  I would like each of you to consider what it is that you could be doing to build up the

activity level of the Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus. We are the

Patriotic, Educational, and Visible Knights of Columbus.  If we truly believe

we are then we need to show it.

How can you, your Council and your Assembly better Serve God and Country?  As Fourth Degree Sir Knights, be visible in your Council, your Church, and your Community.  Consider what you could do to help servicemen and women and our veterans?  Pass on the lessons of Patriotism to our youth.  Be an Active Sir Knight of the Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus.  Please work to help bring other Knights in the Order.  Let's do this by recruiting ONE First Degree Knight.  But the challenge is to follow him through the second and third degrees.  Accomplishing this task, we will have ready and waiting a new Fourth Degree Knight.

We also need to take a bit of a break now and spend some time preparing for Lent and Easter.  As Fourth Degree Sir Knights and Ladies, let us strive to do even more this year.  Weekday Mass, Stations of the Cross, quiet time for prayer, and self imposed fasting are just some examples.  Lent is a time that we should not concentrate on giving up something, instead let's

concentrate on giving something of ourselves to our family, friends,

community or church.  It is also fitting that we spend some time remembering what the Pontiff did by coming to America recently.  It is my prayer that it be God's Will that our country will once again be A Nation of Light and Life with Freedom for All.

Our Exemplifications will be held on March 7th for our Priest, Deacon or those that are physically challenged and March 22nd for other eligible Knights that have completed his first degree on or before September 22, 2008.  The District Staff and Degree Team have been very busy preparing the new Fourth Degree Script for the Exemplification.  I hope to see many of you and your ladies on March 22nd.

Pray to St. Michael and the Holy Spirit to watch over our service men and women.  Pray especially for those who return home with the mental, emotional, and physical wounds of combat. Please let us not forget SK Brian Adkins.  Please keep him and all fallen Knights in your prayers.

We are One Nation Under God, but it does come at a price.  God Bless America and God Bless you and your families!

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HELP NEEDED                                                            

Can you spare four hours a month to help others?  

You pick the day and time -- the VA Medical Center will find something acceptable to you that they need done.  Of course, one continuous need is for more volunteer drivers.

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Please Pray for Those

Serving Us Today

M/Sgt Robert K Burkhardt, USAF

  Son of Bob & Jeanette Burkhardt

  Stationed in Washington State

SGT Scott A. Cecilio, US Army

  Son of Alan & Linda Cecilio

  Attached to Maryland Army National Guard

CAP Colin Green USN Seal

  Son of Leo and Alhen Green

  Commander of Seals in Iraq et al.

MAJ John Marshall, US Army

  Son-in-Law of Angelo Troisi

  Stationed in Afghanistan

PFC Brian J. Messenger, US Army

  Nephew of Joe Novotny

  Stationed in Ramadi, Iraq

S/SGT Steve Poiani, USAF

  Son of Claudio & Eva Poiani

  Stationed in Germany

LT/COL Greg Scheidhauer, US Army

  Son of Jerry Scheidhauer

  Assigned to U. S. Capitol from Pentagon

Maj. Michael Sierco, USAF

  Son of Mike & Mary Jo Sierco

  US Joint Chiefs of Staff & NATO Forces, Pentagon

Ensign Dawn Weaver, USN

  Grandchild of Bruno & Martha Seppi

  Stationed aboard Destroyer James Williams

Sgt John Giddo

   Grandson of John & Mary Giddo

   Recently completed duty with 82 Airborne

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