Worthy Officers, Brothers, and Sir Knights,

In January we participated in the 50th Vermont Annual March for Life in Montpelier, VT. We submitted Form 1728, Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity, with donations of $8,532 and service hours of 4,587. A job well done for 20 of our members who submitted reports. Imagine how many hours we served if more of you would document your hours.

Worthy Warden Jay Benson and his lovely wife Alice joined yours truly and my lovely wife Candice at the Anchor Award on Feb 4th in Rutland at the Elks Lodge. We had a very good time representing Council 7525.

Our council is still looking at the possibility of running monthly Bingo at St John Vianney. Some proposals are included in this Newsletter for your review. We have been asked to sponsor a game for the Super Bingo. This is not in our budget so is a Warning for this month. The choices are $500 or $1000 game, or any amount that will help pay for the prizes and allow more kids to go to Camp Ta Kum Ta.

A farmer named Ronnie Sweet requested a donation of $500-600 on our website to modify his home to accommodate his disabled mother-in-law. Again, not in the budget so a Warning for this month.

We are going back to St Jude to cook breakfast this Sunday. St Jude has also asked us to sponsor a BBQ this summer.   

There is a fascination in our culture with superheroes. Many of us had a favorite superhero growing up. Some liked Superman best, others Batman, etc. My favorite was the Phantom (Ghost Who Walks). We all wish there was a way to defend against evil in a final and dramatic fashion. This fantasy is sometimes fueled by the false notion that God is not up to the job. Why does He allow evil?

At the core of the matter, evil is disobedience of God’s Laws. Since God is Love, His laws are there to enable us to be our best selves and to remain in communion with Him for all eternity. Disobedience is only possible with free will. Therefore, evil can never be eliminated if, as free beings, we continue to choose to go our own way for our own purposes-not His.

Jesus is the greatest Superhero that ever lived. No other superhero can forgive your sins. No other superhero can heal you or raise you from the dead. No other superhero will offer Himself to be tortured; to suffer and die to reconcile you with God, the Father. His father.No other superhero can make you a Son or Daughter of God. No other superhero has defeated death itself, and the devil. No other superhero can offer you eternal life in the Kingdom of God; to make you like Him. Finally, no other superhero can give you his resurrected flesh to eat and blood to drink to sustain you in His friendship until He takes you home. Lent begins this month. Consider that Jesus, our true Superhero, invites you to participate in, and witness to others, and share with others, His sacrificial act of Love.  Vivat Jesus!

Brothers,

The fourth installment of my video series on the Holy Eucharist is available at this link. Happy New Year!

Reflections on the Eucharist #4: Up to Calvary! and The Upper Room of the Eucharist!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0BYdS8ak94

In Christ with Mary,

Fr Timothy Naples

LAST MEETING

The last Council Business Meeting was held in person and remotely on ZOOM 12 JAN 2023 at 6:30 PM after Vespers and a meal prepared by Dave Martin, Dave Bean, Dick Labrecque and Charles Brown. 

Minutes were sent to all members for approval.

The last Officer Meeting was held in person and on ZOOM on 2 February at 6:30 after pizza and salad. The officers discussed upcoming projects like the St Jude Breakfast and Super Bingo. We are still discussing bringing back monthly bingo at SJV. 

Please note our address has changed. The expensive POB is gone. Please use our new street address of 160A Hinesburg Road, South Burlington, VT 05403.   

Food 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 9 February at 6:30 PM. in person and on Zoom. The Benson's will provide scalloped potatoes and ham, w/salad. Dave Bean will make rolls and Charlie Brown is bringing dessert. Opening prayer will be Vespers. 

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

Meeting ID: 846 4758 2239, Passcode: 297697

INTO THE BREACH

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

HOLY HOUR

Our eighteenth consecutive First-Friday Council Holy Hour took place on 3 February from 3 - 4 PM. There were five Brothers and two parishioners present. We conducted a Eucharist centric program of readings and scripture Holy Rosary Glorious Mysteries before the Blessed Sacrament. The program was written and printed by our Chaplain, Fr. Tim Naples. It was very moving.

The next Holy Hour will be 3 March at 3 PM at SJV.  Please join us in worship of the Blessed Sacrament and recitation of the scripture Holy Rosary.

You can now play pickleball at Robinson Elementary 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. Please let Ted and Kathy know you are planning to play at tedbarrett79@gmail.com.

St John Vianney pickleball is also available by appointment by calling Ray Michaud at 233-0145.

The Assembly is looking to grow the Color Corps. If you are interested in becoming a 4th Degree Knight, or if you are already a 4th Degree Knight and wish to join the Color Corp, please contact CCC Mike Bullock at (802) 598-8179 or mtn6@gmavt.net. The Assembly is willing to help defray the cost of the Regalia. 

We have been invited to provide an Honor Guard for Confirmation this Spring. Tuesday, May 23rd at 7 PM at St Jude Round Table Parish. The Middle schoolers will be from all of our parishes, plus IHM and Holy Rosary.  

The next Exemplification of the 4th Degree will take place on August 19 at Christ the King in Rutland. Stay tuned.  

There are many opportunities to serve! In addition to prayer we have Knights in need of visitation. Don Sutton is still at Villa Rehab on 7 Forest Hill Drive in ST. Albans, VT. He is in Room 9. You can call (802) 524-3498, hit 0 and they can ring his room. His direct number is (802) 527-2714. His roommate is Bill Curtin. Keep trying as he cannot hear the phone. Visits will resume when he completes his Covid quarantine. He asks for prayers. Don loves to play cribbage. George Stevens is at the Burlington Health and Rehab, 300 Pearl St. Room 520. Andrew Bolognani is at Elderwood Rehab in Burlington North End, Room 14B. Be prepared to do most of the talking, but he understands what you say and enjoys a visit. Bob Wilkins likes to see folks, he is at Harbor View, Allen Road, South Burlington, Room 301. If you go see Bob, walk down to Room 306 and visit Bev Newman, Ray's widow, too. 

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

We need cooks and servers at St Jude FEB 12 for breakfast. 0800-1200.

We will need volunteers to talk about the Knights in  Delta Membership Drives at our Church's TBD.

We will need regular volunteers at monthly Bingo, and at the SuperBingo on 23 APRIL.

St Jude wants us to run a parish BBQ in July. 

We will need help at a Special Needs Persons Summer Party-New this year!

If none of these interest you, ask us how you can help-we have more ideas. We want to hear your ideas too on how to pay forward our many blessings. 

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.

Unbound is looking for sponsors for children in South America. For as little as $40/month you can make the life of a poor boy or girl and their families more prosperous. UNBOUND.org

Breaking News: Our Recruiting Banner has arrived! Sir Knight Bill Ladd purchased it from Knights Gear in SEP 2022 and they finally shipped it in JAN 2023! Our thanks to Bill. We will hang it whenever we recruit new members.

We got a nice letter of thanks from Kathy Barrett, too.

09 1830 FEB 23 THU Council Business Meeting (after home-cooked meal) at SJV or on Zoom

(https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84647582239?pwd=bHF1Y3lsM0I5eFVIbHhONmR4eTMzUT09) (Meeting ID: 846 4758 2239. Passcode: 297697) 

12 0800-1200 FEB 23 Breakfast and recruiting at St Jude Parish, Hinesburg 

02 1830 MAR 23, THU Council Officer Meeting (After pizza) at SJV or on Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84053360051?pwd=VUoveHR3WktLVGplbk1MRkU1QVJqQT09 (Meeting ID: 840 5336 0051. Passcode: 179347) 

07 1900 MAR 23 TUE Men’s Night at St Jude the Apostle Round Table Parish 

09 1830 MAR 23 THU Council Business Meeting (after home-cooked meal) at SJV or on Zoom

(https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84647582239?pwd=bHF1Y3lsM0I5eFVIbHhONmR4eTMzUT09) (Meeting ID: 846 4758 2239. Passcode: 297697) 

23 APR 23 Super Bingo for Kids with Cancer South Burlington, VT

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

23 1900 MAY 23 Confirmation for SJV, OLMC, St Jude, St Catherine, IHM, and Holy Rosary parishes at St Jude (Color Corps requested)

TBD-Summer 2023 BBQ at St Jude Round Table Parish, Hinesburg, VT

19 August 2023 Exemplification of the 4^th Degree at Christ the King in Rutland, VT

Brothers, our annual Super Bingo is not too far away on 23 APRIL 2023 in South Burlington, VT. Your Chairman, PGK Tom Gravel is getting the band back together (the planning team) next week. Please support this effort by rolling up your sleeves and digging in. It takes all of us to make this a success and those kids and their families are counting on us! We are being asked to support a game to keep the profits, and donation to CTKT, as high as possible. Please stay tuned. 

Our Worthy Lecturer, Bernie will enlighten us about the life and virtue of St. Valentine. (Feast Day FEB 14), and sing the song One Day At A Time.

Please keep the following people and intentions in your prayers.

Most Reverend Christopher Coyne, Mother-in-law of Ronnie Sweet, Bill Curtin (Uncle of Kay Jarvis), Rev Msgr Peter Routhier, William Cannon and Family, Michael Gravelin, Mark and Paulette Noyes and Family (esp. Levi age 5), John O’ Brien, Cheryl Allain, Andy Corologos, Claire Myers and Carol Alfred (cancer), 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 the repose of the souls of Jean Trahan, wife of Sir Knight Jacques Trahan, and Verna Barrett and for their families. 

Pray also 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 and may their families be comforted by the promise of everlasting life in the Kingdom of Heaven.