Message from Vocations Director

Diocese, January

Dear brother Knights,

Advent blessings to all of you!  It is with great joy that I begin my regular column in your newsletter, bringing a special focus on how we, as Knights, can promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life.  This past year, a “Vocations Handbook” was published by  Supreme Council, (http://www.kofc.org/un/en/resources/vocations/vocations.pdf), encouraging us once again to be promoters of God’s call, in the lives of our young people.  I would invite you to use this handbook in your council, as it offers some great advice and ideas for promoting vocations as brother Knights.

The time of Advent is now upon us.  Each year, the season of Advent, in a very discreet way, reminds us of the person of St. Joseph.  St. Joseph is a great example for us Knights, and also shows us how to foster God’s call in the lives of our children, grandchildren and parish families. 

St. Joseph is noted for having a deep sense of sacrifice and obedience to God’s will.  St. Joseph had to set aside his own plans and desires, over and over again, so that God’s plans could be realized, and that Jesus, our Saviour, would be able to respond to His Father’s plan of salvation. 

Joseph had to leave his carpenter’s trade in Nazareth, for a time, and head to Bethlehem, and then to Egypt, because of bad government decisions.  He then returns and lives out his life hidden from the public eye, but ensuring that the Christ-child has all that He needs for growth in faith and love.  So often, young men are deterred from considering a call to the priesthood, because their fathers, or mothers, may have other plans and desires for them.  If we are ever tempted with such thoughts, let us turn to St. Joseph and ask for his intercession, so that we too may have the same spirit of sacrificial love, so that Christ may continue to be born upon our altars at each and every Mass, through the hands of a Catholic priest.

With my prayers,

Fr. Patrick Beneteau

Director of Vocations and Seminarians

Diocese of London

Notice of Dues

January, Notice of Dues

BROTHERS, the following notice is a reminder that 2016 is quickly coming upon us. This will mark the start of a new fraternal year.

Please help our council fulfill its financial obligations by submitting your 2016 dues as soon as possible.

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES $42.00

HONORARY MEMBERSHIP DUES  $15.00

An Honorary member is one who is 65 old and has 25 years continuous service. Dues are forgiven for an Honorary Life Member, that is, a member one who is 70 years old and has 25 years of continuous service

Fraternally yours

Tony Vigar (519) 271-0797

Financial Secretary

Please make cheque payable to…..

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS – KILROY COUNCIL 1431

FORWARD PAYMENT TO OUR HALL ADDRESS OR

91 Earl Street., Stratford ON N5A 6G4

Charity Lottery

January, State Charity

It is with considerable disappointment that Br. Jim announces that the State Charity Lottery tickets will not be available until January. Many of you use these tickets as ‘stocking stuffers’  and we are missing a glorious chance to sell at the Mall. It’s out of our hands Brothers.

Charitable Welfare Trust

January, Welfare Trust

As we approach the end of the calendar year we would like to remind everyone that should anyone wish to make a charitable donation & receive a charitable tax receipt, your donation would be greatly appreciated. Make cheque payable to “Kilroy Council No 1431 Charitable Welfare Trust” and mail or deliver to John Saman 29 Sutter St. Stratford, Ontario N4Z 1G7 before December 29th, so that the donation will show in our records for 2015.

You can also contribute to the Welfare Trust account by stipulating that any memorial donations made at the funeral home, in memory of friends & relatives, be made in favour of “Kilroy Council No 1431 Charitable Welfare Trust” and the funeral home will accommodate your request, after which we will issue you your charitable tax receipt.

Thanks to all who have contributed to the Charitable Welfare Trust account over the past years.

Coming Events

January

Friday December 25 Celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas Day

Thursday December 31 New Year’s Gala  Pot Luck & Euchre 6:00 pm

Friday January 1 Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Monday January 4 Council meeting 7:30

Monday January 11, Knights Inc. 7:00 pm; Council Exec 7:45 pm

Tuesday January 12 Basketball Free Throw Competition, St. Michael C.S.S. 6:00 pm

Sunday January 31 Members Appreciation Dinner, members(free) and spouses ($10)  5:00 pm                       

Tuesday February 9 Shrove Tuesday

Monday February 15, Boston Pizza Night $20 5:30-7:00 pm

Euchre

4th Degree, Euchre

Note: Euchre is now on the third Friday of each month.

November 20th: John Price and Dave Flegg.

December 18th: Adam Gulikers and Jack Palleschi.

January 15th: Jeff Smith and Fred Dubrick.

February 19th: Ken Gaffney and John Price.

March 18th: Larry McCabe and Dave Flegg.

April 15th: Jim Kelly and Harry Visser.

May 20th: Hosts needed.

June 17th: Hosts needed.

Changes to the Euchre

4th Degree, Euchre

We will be changing how people move from one table to the next after each hand, to reduce confusion.

There is no more head table (although you can still use the bell to signal the change-up).

When people pay at the door, they can be issued either a White score card or a Blue score card. The colour of the card indicates how they will move around. So couples could get the same colour if they want to play together all night, or different colours if they want to mix it up.

Be sure before they start that there are two blue and two white cards at each table.

At the end of each hand, those with white cards move clockwise, those with blue cards move counter-clockwise (or whichever direction the host chooses). This will help eliminate playing against the same person several times.

We’ll try this out at the December 18th Euchre and see how it goes.

Physician Assisted Death

4th Degree, Coming Events

John Price brought an issue to our attention regarding Physician Assisted Death, where not only is it possibly coming to our province, but also that the possibility of abuse if very real. To that end, there is a noted speaker from London who is willing to come to Stratford to speak on the dangers this situation brings.

For our part, Assembly 1866 will join with the Council to pay the costs of bringing this speaker in at a future date. Once the date has been confirmed I urge all members to try to attend.