“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14, 16)
I am happy to report that your council did something remarkable last month. We donated nearly 20% of our investment portfolio to the Vermont Catholic Foundation to help sustain the new initiative of Bishop Christopher Coyne; Knights of Columbus Catholic Ministries Donor-Advised Fund. We have already begun making good on our $100K pledge by payment of $50,000. More payments will follow.
We participated in the Rally for Life in Montpelier on 22 JAN 2022 and presented a check for $700 to Mary Beerworth of the Vermont Right to Life Education Trust Fund. Many of us wrote to our Vermont House representatives in objection to Proposition 5, a so called “Personal Reproductive Autonomy" amendment to the Vermont State Constitution.
Despite our valiant efforts Prop 5 was passed yesterday (107-41) and will be on the ballot in November for the public’s vote. Our fight to stop this evil is now in the hands of every Vermonter of voting age. I urge you to continue to learn more about it so you can point out it’s many flaws to your neighbors and friends. Remember, even those who disagree with us are our neighbors whom Christ commands us to love, so make your objections with charity.
We are now advertising in the weekly Church Bulletins at St Jude, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and Saint Catherine of Sienna. Hopefully this regular reminder of our Order will inspire Catholic Gentleman, with help from the Holy Spirit, to overcome their reticence and join us.
With some difficulty due to weather, we were finally able to move the creche back into storage at SJV and take down the Keep Christ in Christmas signs at St. Jude and OLMC.
Our newest member, Cullen Bullard attended the exemplification at St Joseph Cathedral on 18 JAN 2022. I should like to point out that Council 297 also conferred the 3rd Degree on Matthew Sulva, a parishioner at St Jude who I finally convinced to join the Knights. He may have joined another council, but remember it is true that “a rising tide raises all ships.”
It has been often debated whether we are justified by Faith or Works. In James 2:14-25 we read that it is Faith and Works. As the enclosed copy of our Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity documents, we have plenty of works to our credit, but we cannot boast since works alone cannot justify. But what is the reason for both Faith and Works? Grace, by that I mean love of God, and love, agape love, that puts the other first. The great commandment to love God and neighbor must lead to Faith and Works. “He who loves much will be forgiven much”, and “no man hath greater love than to give his life for his friends.” Finally, in reflecting on Jesus’ final command to “Love one another as I have loved you” we begin to understand that Faith, Works, and Obedience follow Love. Perhaps this February we can think of our Lord’s passion and resurrection as the greatest valentine we ever received.
Council Chaplain's Corner
Dear Brothers in Christ,
Here is my Scriptural Reflection from the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Let us see how the example of Christ, or the prophecies about Christ, or the words of Christ, show us the greatest virtue, love.
Love is patient- “I am the good Shepard; I lay down my life for my sheep.”
love is kind - “a bruised read he shall not break, a smoldering wick he shall not quench.”
It is not jealous -"are you envious because I am generous?"
It is not pompous - "those who wear purple cloths live in palaces"
It is not inflated- "come to me all who are burdened… learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart.
It is not rude - "he opened not his mouth"
It does not seek its own interests - "I came to do the will of the one who sent me"
It is not quick-tempered- "if I answered wrongly testify to the wrong, but if I have answered rightly, why do you strike me?"
It does not brood over injury - "Father forgive them they know not what they do"
It does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth - "for this I have come to bear witness to the truth" - "the truth shall set you free"
It bears all things (that God allows to happen to us),
believes all things (that Jesus has spoken to us),
hopes all things (that Jesus has promised us),
endures all things (because it is the eternal life of God in us).
Sincerely, in Christ, with Mary,
Father Timothy Naples
Council and State Chaplain
KNIGHTS IN ACTION
LAST MEETING
The last Council Business Meeting was held in person and remotely on ZOOM 13 January at 7 PM. The meeting was preceded by an appeal from Bishop Christopher Coyne for significant funds as detailed in last month's warning. Meeting was called to order by Grand Knight Mike Bullock. Minutes were sent to all members for approval. The last Officer Meeting was held on ZOOM only due to bad weather on 3 FEB at 6:30 PM. Voluntary donations offset most of the cost of pizza prior to the Business Meeting.
TREASURER'S REPORT
Our Treasurer, Rick Gravelin, reported the checking account balance of $19,754.55.
FINANCIAL SECRETARY REPORT
The WFS reported the Morgan Stanley investment account balance at $454,670.28 (Due to first payment of $50k towards our $100k pledge)
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 10 February 2022 at 7 PM in person and on ZOOM. We will vote on the delegates and alternates to the State Convention. Our pizza and salad will be at 6 PM.
Council 279 hosted an exemplification on 18 January 2022. Our newest member, Cullen Bullard from St Catherine of Sienna was conferred the 3rd Degree. Thanks to Worthy Warden Jay Benson for sponsoring.
We encourage our reluctant 1st Degree Brothers to attend the next exemplification to achieve 3rd Degree status. Note that you must be at least a 2nd Degree Knight to hold an officer position in the Council.
Membership Drive
Council 7525 held a membership drive in three parishes on the weekend of 15-16 JAN 22. We gave out materials to prospects. One parishioner at St Jude expressed an interest in joining the Knights. We need to conduct a membership drive at St. Catherine's soon. Please volunteer.
Round Table
We are working with Fr Zuccaro at St Jude to establish a Round Table there to assist him with parish support and continue to grow our membership towards a future council. We currently have 6 members at that parish.
WARNINGS
State Convention Delegate Vote
02/08/2022
Will the Council approve the slate of delegates and alternates proposed by the Officers to attend the State Convention in May 2022?
Mike Bullock, GK Delegate
Tom Gravelin, Trustee Delegate
Dave Martin, DGK Alternate
Rick Gravelin, Treasurer Alternate
HOLY HOUR
Our sixth First-Friday Council Holy Hour took place on 4 February 2022 from 3 - 4 PM. There were five Brothers present, one spouse and two parishioners. During the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, members of the Council led parishioners through the St Joseph Icon Rosary Joyful Mysteries. This was our last Holy Hour with the St Joseph Icon. Next Holy Hour will be 4 MAR at 3 PM at SJV during the 40 Hours Lenten Eucharistic Adoration.
40 HOURS DEVOTION
Connie McDonald, the SJV Administrative Assistant is organizing a 40 Hours Devotion during Lent from Thursday evening 3 MAR through SAT Morning 5 MAR. We are being asked to "host" refreshments and/or pizza for the late-night hours and cover the third shift with two brothers/hour. There will be a sign-up sheet at the next business meeting.
LOUIS J TRONO ASSEMBLY 2106
The Assembly is pleased to report that David Bean has agreed to join the Color Corps and is in the process of getting his regalia with the help of the generous donation from Sir Knight Bill Ladd. Dave recently transferred to our Assembly. The Assembly Annual Activity Report Form 1728c was submitted to Supreme.
OPPORTUNITIES
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
SAVE THE DATE!
10 FEB 22 Council Business Meeting 7 PM, after pizza
13 MAR 22 State Free-throw championship at Rice HS
02 APR 22 Prop 5 Speakers at SJV sponsored by the Knights
17 APR 22 Easter Sunday!
13-15 MAY 22 State Convention at Jay Peak
14 MAY Monsignor Thomas Ball Memorial Golf Tournament (West Bolton Country Club)
Website Fear, faithbook
Worthy Fellow Knights;
Website Fear
If you are afraid to use the website because you are afraid to do something that might damage our website "be not afraid" jp2. The website cannot be damaged by things you do. Feel free to try everything available. Nothing can be deleted nor users removed by anyone other than the Administrator. All options that are available to you cannot harm anything. If you see or experience something odd you can report it to the webmaster. The option to do this is at the bottom of most pages.
faithbook
A new option now appears on your menu. This is called "faithbook" which navigates you to a new social style area of the website. The vision for this faith-based social area is to be able to invite your wives, children, and friends to join in our faith experiences within the council with a full featured social activity board away from our members working area (main site). My vision is when a new person that's not a member wants to join our site, the administrator will vet them assigning them the roll of "family, friends" which gives them a very limited access to the member site. When they sign in, they are directed to faithbook automatically. The activity on this site does not get exposed to the outside world. It's totally internal.
I have developed a Logo for this section:
It is my recommendation that this logo be registered with Copyright.gov. $45.00 Discussions are invited.
Family of the Month
02/08/2022 - Mike Bullock
January 2022 - Ray and Sandy Michaud, PGK and Worthy Recorder
Knight of the Month
02/08/2022 - Mike Bullock
January 2022 - Richard Gravelin, PFN and Worthy Treasurer
FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER
Please pray for the following people who are ill or in distress and their families;
Robert (Bob) Gravelin, Keith Marston, Gary Howe and Family, Family of the late Paul Pouliot, Christopher Haley (homeless veteran), Parker Yvonne Lyon (Granddaughter of Tom Gravelin) and mom and dad Ellen and Garrett, sister Clara Lynn, Patricia Brown, Patricia Stevens, Amy and her mother (22 year old woman fighting cancer at Dana-Farber), Kevin and Chad Limoge, Vickie Linton (relative of DD3), George Stevens, James Read, Richard Waite, Robert Morris, Gene Tofferi, Mike and Pam Audette, Joe Myers and Family, Jeffrey Claude Danis and family, Tom Westropp, Andrew Bolognani, PSD/PGK Don Sutton, Family of the late Ray Newman, Ray Miller, Stuart Fath, David Bullock (chemo), Yvonne Gravelin, Harold Ponto, Wally Rooney, PGK Bob Audette, Bob Wilkens, Gerry Malavenda, Ed and Theresa Curtiss, all clergy and religious, victims and families of COVID-19, First Responders, peace in Eastern Europe, the defeat of the "Personal Reproductive Liberty Amendment" in Vermont, and for new Members to join the Order.
WORTHY LECTURER
Our Worthy Lecturer, Bernie is planning to tell us about Saint Peter Damian and reprise the song Count Your Blessings.
INTO THE BREACH
This wonderfull series can be found at this link: https://www.kofc.org/en/campaigns/into-the-breach.html
FEBRUARY 2022 BIRTHDAY WISHES
4 James Sharpe, 5 John Dwyer, 8 Francis Cross and George Vigneault, 10 Ali Nasab, 12 Lawrence Brunette, 15 Kyle Williams, 16 DCN Bill Glinka, 18 Simeon Ananou and Dennis Labbee, 20 Michael Audette, 21 Patrick Gallivan, 23 Jim Rainville, 25 Rev Bruce Favreau
LAST RITES
Eternal rest, peace, and an everlasting vision of the face of God to Ray Newman and Lenny Roberge.
Saint John Vianney Council 7525
PO Box 9214, South Burlington, Vt 05403 Copyright 2021
