Worthy Officers, Brothers, and Sir Knights,

The season of Advent can be a joyous time, or a very hectic time, a very depressing time, a time of great anxiety, challenge, and frustration. This Advent, I urge you to carve out some time to quietly reflect on the Grace of God. While there have been wars fought over religious differences, God comes into our lives only by invitation; never force or violence.

From the beginning our relationship with God has been His idea. He created a universe for us to dwell in, then formed us too out of nothing that we may share in the love of Holy Father, Son, and Spirit. The condition of fellowship (friendship, not servitude) is obedience. We must acknowledge His Glory and Majesty; to worship and adore Him. He made us out of love and for love and showed us that He was the source of all our happiness. He made us free. Free to continue in His will, in the light, for our happiness, or to choose to live by our own dim lamps, in darkness. Yet even after we chose to navigate by our own light, He continued to offer us opportunities for reconciliation and redemption.   

Now the even more remarkable truth.

“He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent.”                                                     - Saint Augustine

This is true for mankind, and each of us individually. He gives us His Grace (today in the Sacraments) to empower us to choose life. Adam and Eve were created in a State of Grace. They were free from sin, free from a desire to sin, and free to choose. God gifted them with free will. They chose to disobey. Choices have consequences. (Put on humility-do not engage in the hubris of imagining that you would have done better in their place) Just punishments were imposed, but God preserved our free will. Salvation comes only with our cooperation. 

A righteous couple was chosen by God to conceive a girl free from original sin. A girl who, in a State of Grace like Adam and Eve, would be asked to give her consent to become the tabernacle of the Son of God incarnate in cooperation with God in the salvation of humanity. That virgin’s name is Mary. This month we reflect on her willingness, her choice. She bore a Son who sacrificed Himself to earn for us an invitation to the wedding of God and Man. The venue of Heaven is once again, and for all time, through the Cross and Resurrection of Christ, open to each of us. Can our debt to God ever be repaid? Can our debt to the Holy Virgin Mary ever be measured? What kind of gift must we bring to such a feast? He only asks that we attend the wedding with love in our hearts and a vow on our lips; covered in the wedding garment of repentance gratitude and obedience. To love as He loves.    

Merry Christmas!

Brothers,

The second installment of my video series on the Holy Eucharist is available at this link. Merry Christmas!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dn1PCoqN8c

In Christ with Mary,

Fr Timothy Naples

LAST MEETING

The last Council Business Meeting was held in person and remotely on ZOOM 10 November 2022 at 6:30 PM. The Council enjoyed a delicious meal provided by Ray Michaud, Jay Benson and Richard Labrecque. Meeting was called to order by Grand Knight Mike Bullock. Minutes were sent to all members for approval.

The last Officer Meeting was held in person and on ZOOM on 1 December at 6:30 PM. At the meeting we discussed splitting the profits of the Super Bingo 75/25 with Camp Ta Kum Ta and other charities. This was rejected. The officers did agree we should stop co-mingling funds and establish a separate checking account to track and account for all expenses and profits of the Super Bingo including start-up costs.

A committee was formed with Recorder Ray Michaud as Chair to determine if the Council should operate a regular (monthly?) Fund-Raising Bingo in the SJV Parish Hall to address our other charitable needs. Fr Naples indicated the Church would only ask for a reasonable donation for the use of the hall. WFS Charles Brown will check if ST Marks will part with the Bingo Machine they have in storage. 

The Advocate, Dave Bean, outlined the process of scholarship applications. Solicitations for applications will be sent in JAN23. Good will donations reduced the cost of food prior to both Meetings. 

  COUNCIL WEBSITE

The Website Development Team continues to work to make our website more user friendly. kofcvt.org.  

NEXT BUSINESS MEETING

Our next business meeting is 08 December at 7 PM in person and on ZOOM.  This is a Holy Day of Obligation. Members are encouraged to attend Church that day, or at 6 PM at St John Vianney. Tom Gravelin plans to cook Chicken Alfredo. We will have a guest speaker, Steve Gentile from Morgan Stanley will address the Council about the distribution of budget funds going forward. The opening prayer will not be be Vespers due to the Mass. Dave Martin promises he famous (infamous) Chili in JAN. Will you volunteer to cook a meal?     

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84647582239?pwd=bHF1Y3lsM0I5eFVIbHhONmR4eTMzUT09

INTO THE BREACH

This wonderful series can be found at this link: https://www.kofc.org/en/campaigns/into-the-breach.html

Morgan Stanley balance:  $370,159.03

As_of: 11/30/2022.

This is an increase of over $20k from last month.

HOLY HOUR

Our sixteenth consecutive First-Friday Council Holy Hour took place on 2 December from 3 - 4 PM. There were seven Brothers and three parishioners present. Next Holy Hour will be 6 January at 3 PM at SJV.  Please join us in worship of the Blessed Sacrament and recitation of the scripture Holy Rosary.

Breaking News! You can now play pickleball at Robinson School in Starksboro every Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 PM thanks to Ted and Kathy Barrett. I have experienced the humiliation of being a novice, but this game is easy to learn and to play. St John Vianney pickleball is also available by appointment by calling Ray Michaud at 233-0145.

There are many opportunities to serve! In addition to prayer we have Knights in need of visitation. Don Sutton has moved from the hospital to Villa Rehab on 7 Forest Hill Drive in ST. Albans, VT. He is in Room 1. You can call (802) 524-3498, hit 0 and they can ring his room. He asks for prayers. Don loves to play cribbage. Harold Ponto has been in the hospital but may be going home this week, and George Stevens is at the Burlington Health and Rehab, 300 Pearl St. Room 520.

Note: if you would like a visitation, please call us!

You can help with the Christmas Party for People with Special Needs on DEC 10 from 1-3, or help set-up and tear-down after.

You can cook, set-up or clean-up at a pancake breakfast at St Jude on DEC 11 (0800-1100).

We hope to see you all at the Council Christmas Party and Gift Exchange on DEC 11 at 6 PM.

If none of these interest you, ask us how you can help-we have more ideas. 

Age Well is looking for volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels.  For information about volunteer opportunities, please contact the Age Well Volunteer Team by calling 802-662-5249 or via  email: volunteer@agewellvt.org

AspireNow is also looking for help. Call them at(802) 658-8046 or visit their home page at https://aspire1.org.

08 DEC THU 1900 Council Business Meeting (after 6 PM Holy Day Mass) at SJV or on Zoom (Steve Gentile, Morgan Stanley First Vice-President to speak)

(https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84647582239?pwd=bHF1Y3lsM0I5eFVIbHhONmR4eTMzUT09)

10 1300 DEC SAT Christmas Party for People with Special Needs

11 0930 DEC SUN St Jude Breakfast

11 1800 DEC SUN Council 7525 Christmas Party and Gift Exchange

03 1900 JAN 23 TUE Men’s Night at St Jude the Apostle Round Table Parish

05 1830 JAN 23, THU Council Officer Meeting (After pizza) at SJV or on Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84053360051?pwd=VUoveHR3WktLVGplbk1MRkU1QVJqQT09

06 JAN 23 FRI Holy Hour 1500-1600 at St John Vianney. Join us and lead a decade of the scripture Holy Rosary

12 1830 JAN 23 THU Council Business Meeting (after home-cooked meal) at SJV or on Zoom

(https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84647582239?pwd=bHF1Y3lsM0I5eFVIbHhONmR4eTMzUT09)

04 1730 FEB 23 Anchor Award Banquet (Jim Candon) Rutland, VT

(Let’s car pool a full table from Council 7525!)

28-30 APR 23 Vermont State Convention at Stoweflake Mountain Resort in Stowe, VT

Brothers, our annual appeal on behalf of people with special needs is complete. In November parishioners at St Catherine of Siena Round Table Parish made significant contributions to this worthy cause.

The total collected was $1,347.55. We paid our 20% "tax" to the State, $269.47 and paid for two boxed of tootsie rolls for $39.

You will decide at the next business meeting where the net funds of $1,038.88 will be donated. The officers suggest we split it 50/50 between Camp Thorpe and Special Olympics. 

Our Worthy Lecturer, Bernie will enlighten us about the life and virtue of St. Francis Xavier (Feast Day DEC 3), and sing the song Immaculate Mary.

02 Howard Kalter, 04 James Girouard, Jr., 08 Michael Fath, 09 Derek Maroot, 15 Michael Agusta, 19 David Bean and Andre Thibault, 23 Edward Curtiss and Bernie Hemond, Jr., 25 Giang Vu, 26 Don Sutton

Please pray for the following people who are ill or in distress and their families;

John O’ Brien, Cheryl Allain, Andy Corologos, Claire Myers and Carol Alfred (cancer),Pete and Jean Gadue (Covid), Russell Waite, Kelly Jackson (daughter of late PGK Jeff Jackson), PFN Bill Ladd, PGK Bernie Hemond, Marilyn LeCount, Cher Racine, Dick and Sandy Stevens, Joe Donegan, Beth-Ann Prendergast, Mariette Nadeau, Jeff and Kay Jarvis, Tom Gravelin, Rick Gravelin, Chuck Schifilliti, Gerry Seney, Robert Gravelin, Keith Marston, Sue Cottrell, Gary Howe and Family, Parker Yvonne Lyon (Granddaughter of Tom Gravelin) and mom and dad Ellen and Garrett, sister Clara Lynn, Amy and her mother, (22 year old woman fighting cancer at Dana-Farber), Kevin and Chad Limoge, Vickie Linton, George Stevens, James Read, Richard Waite, Gene Tofferi, Mike and Pam Audette, Joe Myers and Family, Jeffrey Claude Danis and family, Andrew Bolognani, PSD/PGK Don Sutton, PGK Ray Miller, Stuart Fath, David Bullock, Harold Ponto, Wally Rooney, Bob Wilkens, Ed and Theresa Curtiss, the people of Ukraine and an end to the war, the Families of all of our faithfully departed brothers, friends and relatives, all clergy and religious, victims and families of COVID-19, First Responders, peace in Eastern Europe, that pregnant women will choose life, and for new Members to join the Order.

Please pray for all the victims who have died in the Ukraine War and for our dear departed. May they rest in peace. May all the faithfully departed rest in peace, Amen. And may their families be comforted by the promise of everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven.