Meetings: 2nd Tuesday,  Every Month,  7:30 PM

downstairs @ Corpus Christi  in St. Joseph’s Hall.

4th Degree-  @ 7:00pm,   1st-3rd Degrees-  @ 7:30pm

2010 Meeting Dates (Mark your Calendars):

9/14-  10/12-  11/9-   12/14/2010

For New Candidates, 1st Degrees are offered Every First Tuesday of the Month at: St Paul’s Church on #2533 Main Street in Glastonbury, CT, at 7:00 PM [in the White KofC House, Left of the Main Church] .  Please contact the New Membership Director for your Application & to take your 1st Degree.  http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Glastonbury&state=CTaddress=2533+Main+Street&zipcode=06033

***JOIN US in Wethersfield, call New Membership Director, Mike Klinger @ 860-874-2292***

Since April 2009, we’ve added 41 New Members & Growing…

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“All that it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”. —Edmund Burke

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Who   ARE    the   Knights   of   Columbus?…….plus,  Local  NEWS:

* 6 Core Areas we aid: Church/Community/Council/Family Life/Pro-Life/Youth Activities.*

A video depicting Who the Knights of Columbus Are, and What We Stand For and Believe In.
View video here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRNN1mIBiho&feature=related

KofC Fellowship of Families:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf4fYGYVsEA

Thanks to the efforts of Venerable Fr. Michael J. McGivney, assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, CT, and some of his parishioners, the Connecticut state legislature on March 29, 1882, officially chartered the Knights of Columbus as a Catholic fraternal benefit society. The Order is still true to its founding principles of: charity, unity, and fraternity.

The Knights were/are formed to render financial aid to its members and their families, strengthen family life and the Catholic faith in the home & society, and protect faith & morals in society.  Mutual aid and assistance are offered to the sick, disabled and needy members, and their families. Social and intellectual fellowship is promoted among members and their families through educational, charitable, religious, social welfare, war relief, and public relief works.

The history of the Order shows how the foresight of Venerable Fr. Michael J. McGivney, whose cause for sainthood is being investigated by the Vatican, brought about what has become the world’s foremost & largest Catholic fraternal benefit society. The Order has helped families obtain economic security and stability through its life insurance, annuity and long-term care programs, and has contributed time and energy worldwide to service in communities.

The Knights of Columbus has grown from several members in one council to nearly 15,000 councils, with over 1.85 million active members, in 14 countries, including throughout the:  United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Cuba, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan.  In 2009 alone, the Knights donated over 70 million volunteer hours in their local communities, and gave away over $150 Million dollars to various charities.

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KofC Local NEWS

6 Council Programs (for Wethersfield KofC Activities—2010-2011)

KofC & Sisters for Life—”National Prayer For Life”  Campaign

Prayer Cards Here:  http://www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/resources/cardinal/prayer.pdf

On Our Knees, Transforming the Culture Through Prayer, followed by Action!

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Upcoming…CT Catholic Men’s Conference—Saturday, October 23 rd,  8 AM to 5 PM-

Who: Michael Cumbie, Fr. Don Calloway, Doug Barry (EWTN)

What: Annual ‘CT Catholic Men’s Conference’

When: Saturday, October 23^rd, 8 AM to 5 PM

Where: Oakdale Chevy Theatre, #95 South Turnpike Rd, Wallingford, CT

How: Order Tickets Today, by calling: (203) 494-0073,

OR online at  www.ctcatholicmen.org

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Catholic Dinner Club @ Holy Apostles each Month

Description: COMMUNITY PRAYER EDUCATION

Held at HOLY APOSTLES SEMINARY in Cromwell, CT
on the 2nd SATURDAY of each month

1. PRAYERS begin at 6:00 PM in the chapel. You are invited to come and pray for us!!!

2. RESERVATIONS MUST be made by the 1ST FRIDAY of every month.

3. DINNER is SERVED at 6:45 PM.

4. SPEAKER begins at 8:00 PM.

Contact Keith at:catholicdinnerclub@gmail.com or call 860-747-3513

The club is designed for ages 18 to 100+.
We will be taking up A FREE WILL OFFERING for the many MINISTRIES or SPEAKERS who will be visiting us in the year at each dinner. 100% of the offering will go directly to the MINISTRY or SPEAKER.

ALL MEMBERS Will pay 20.00 per PERSON
ALL NON-MEMBERS Will pay 25.00 per PERSON
MEMBERSHIP IS $25.00 PER PERSON PER YEAR

Come just for the speaker. Donation is $10.00 per person. Doors open at 7:45 PM.

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***The Parish Faithraiser CD Display—Now, at Corpus Christi Church in Wethersfield, CT!***

Let’s Help Promote It so Catholics Can Learn Their Faith Better!

Click Here to Read More About It:   http://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/kiosk/

Now you can offer your parishioners professionally recorded presentations from leading Catholic clergy, theologians, and lay speakers on high-quality audio CDs. It’s easy and affordable.

Choose one of two simple plans, and Lighthouse Catholic Media will send you a starter kit complete with a beautiful display stand, CDs, pamphlets, and a Success Plan, PLUS our support and assistance to make your program a success.

From the very first day, your parishioners will take advantage of the FREE CDs and brochures and start making donations. You will immediately begin increasing the faith life of your community. Lighthouse Catholic Media will continue to offer new selections of CDs and brochures to provide inspiration and spiritual growth for today’s Catholics.

The Lighthouse Catholic Media Faithraiser Program is already a proven success. For more information, please contact Brother Rob Gingras , I would be their contact and can be reached at rob.gingras@snet.net.Thank you,Rob

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January 2010

-Washington D.C. ‘2010 March for Life’ Bus Trip. To take the bus leaving Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell, CT, (with several other members of our Council already), contact: Jean Sipper at 1-(860) 379-1543. Adult tickets are $50/each. Students/kids = $20/each. Bus leaves Holy Apostles at 10:00 PM, Thursday, January 21st and arrives back in Cromwell around 11:30 PM, Friday, January 22nd (after the march).

February 2010

Sponsoring free throw contests at the Annual “February Frenzy” youth basketball tournament at Corpus Christi School’s Gym, during the February vacation for Wethersfield schools (which I believe is from February 13th through February 21st).  Along with this, our Council can look to man a Table in the Hallway (outside the Gym), during the week, to sign up young boys (10-18 yrs old) for our new Columbian Squires Circle, as well as recruit young dad’s interested in joining our Wethersfield KofC Council as new members. (The tournament chairperson is Brendan Malloy at: bcm@iqt.com

Hartford’s ‘40 Days for Life’ Fall Campaign will be Sept. 22nd until Oct. 31st for more details go to http://www.prolifeministry.org/40dayscalendar.htm (copy and paste into browser above).March 2010

Scheduling and Conducting our Annual New Membership Drive Weekends at all Masses at Corpus Christi & Incarnation Churches.

April 2010

-Looking to also Sponsor at least one Local Seminarian studying for the Archdiocese of Hartford, CT.

May 2010

We need fundraiser ideas & efforts this Year!  Pancake breakfasts after Mass, etc.

***Wethersfield KofC Hit our Ultrasound Fund-Raising Goal of $20,000 in 2009!!!

See Full Article in The Catholic Transcript by clicking on the following Link:

http://www.catholictranscript.org/component/content/article/1-latest/1147-ultrasound-machine-will-be-40000-gift.html

Ultrasound machine will be $40,000 gift

**NEW Pro-Life Efforts:  3^rd Saturday of Every Month—Mass/Rosary/Procession in Hartford, CT:

The Wethersfield Knights are Joining a Monthly Prayer Effort @ the local Hartford GYN Aborturary in Hartford, (on the corner of Main Street and Jefferson).  Parking is at St. Peter’s Church, #160 Main Street, in Hartford, CT. This effort to end abortion in Hartford, CT, takes place on the:

3^RD SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH. Beginning with: Holy Mass at St. Peter’s Church at 8 AM. Followed by a procession over to the Hartford GYN Center, praying all 20 decades of the Holy Rosary.  It concludes with returning to St. Peter’s Church and Benediction of Our Lord Truly Present in the Holy Eucharist around 10:30 AM.  Refreshments will follow around 11 AM.

The Wethersfield KofC Council will also look to assist and volunteer at St. Gerard’s Crisis Pregnancy Center in Hartford, CT.  Currently, St. Gerard’s Center for Life prays to end abortion at the Hartford GYN Center every week on: Tuesdays (from 7:30 to 10 am), Wednesdays (from 8 to 10 am), Fridays (8 to 10 am), and Saturdays (from 6:30 to 10 am).

Other Ideas to be Proposed:

(1)    Having an Annual Saturday (one-day) Retreat for the Wethersfield Knights, down at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, CT, where our Fraternal Order was founded and where Fr. McGivney’s body is to this day.

(2)    Hosting a “Fund-raiser Dinner” for Peter Wolfgang’s (Family Institute of CT Action) work at the CT State Capital for Pro-Life, Pro-Family, and Pro-Marriage Christian values to be protected (or restored) in our State.

Active Pro-Life Priest Transfers into Wethersfield Council:

Fr. Tony DiMarco has transferred into our Wethersfield Council, and hopefully can be our Chaplain at future meetings when he is able to attend.  Fr. DiMarco is very involved in the work of St. Gerard’s Crisis Pregnancy Center in Hartford, CT, as well as the pro-life movement in general.  He will be a very welcome addition to our Council in Wethersfield!

Media Director Needed for Council: This Brother Knight will make sure we: (1) Take Pictures at all of our Sponsored Events.  (2) Get Coverage of such events in our Parish Bulletins at Corpus Christi & Incarnation in Wethersfield.  (3) Get Media Coverage & Write-ups of our events in The Catholic Transcript & the “Knights in Action” section of Columbia Magazine. This way the local community will know more about what the Knights do for them, and it will encourage other good Catholic men to Join our ranks!

These nights will include local, leading Catholic Speakers on various topics of interest to men.  Previously, Brother Steve had Professor Donald DeMarco from Holy Apostles Seminary speak on “Fatherlessness in America”.  In the fall, upcoming speakers will include: a survivor of 9-11, and Peter Wolfgang, the Executive Director of the Family Institute of CT Action (who fights at the CT Legislative offices to protect Life, Marriage, and Christian Family values).  Check the website from time to time to see when the next Speaker will hold an evening talk.  The Wethersfield KofC Council sponsors the talks, yet the talks are open to ALL men. Invite a friend(s) to Come and Join us!

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10  REASONS TO BE PART OF    “40 DAYS FOR LIFE”

1. Jesus told us, “I assure you, if you have faith and don*t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” In the fall campaign of 40 Days for Life many baby’s lives were saved from abortion because of the prayer and public witness of Christians like you!

2. Jesus told us, “whatever you do to the least of My people you do unto Me.” When we pray at an abortion mill we are praying with Jesus at the foot of the cross.

3. Jesus said, “Let the children come to Me.” 40 Days for Life is about real LIFE, real FREEDOM, and real HOPE for mothers and children.

4. Jesus said, “Come to Me all who are weary and I will give you rest.” Because of 40 Days for Life reaching out to women and men wounded by abortion countless people have been healed by Christ.

5. Jesus told us some things can only be overcome by both, “prayer and fasting.” Abortion is satan’s victory over human life…..our prayer and fasting united to Christ turns satans victory into his defeat.

6. Jesus asked the simple question, “will you not spend one hour with Me?” Those who participate in 40 Days for Life do spend an hour with Christ in His garden of agony – an abortion mill.

7. Jesus told us, “love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.” Those who participate in 40 Days for Life pray with love and humility for abortionists and abortion clinic staff.  This has led to a number of conversions of abortion clinic personnel.

8. Jesus said, “blessed are the peacemakers; they shall be called the children of God.” 40 Days for Life can bring peace to the most violent place in the world today – the womb!!!

9. Jesus said, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; I tell you they have their angels in heaven who continually look on the face of My heavenly Father.” 40 Days for Life is about helping people not make a decision that will kill a child and possibly kill the life of God in their soul.

10. Jesus said, “whoever humbles himself and becomes like this child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” 40 Days for Life is about humbling ourselves in imitation of our Savior Jesus Christ with compassion sacrifice, and love for children, parents, and a world in need.

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Majority of Americans, and Nearly 6 in 10 Young Adults, View Abortion as Morally Wrong

Poll finds 56% of all Americans and 58% of those 18-29 years old say abortion ‘morally wrong’

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — On the eve of the 37th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion throughout the United States, a new survey shows a strong majority of Americans believe abortion to be “morally wrong.”

“Millennials” (those 18-29) consider abortion to be “morally wrong” even more (58%) than Baby Boomers (those 45-64) (51%).  Generation X (those 30-44) are similar to Millennials (60% see abortion as “morally wrong”). More than 6 in 10 of the Greatest Generation (those 65+) feel the same.

The most recent Knights of Columbus – Marist survey – conducted in late December and early January – is the latest in a series of such surveys commissioned by the Knights of Columbus and conducted by Marist Institute for Public Opinion. In October of 2008 and July of 2009, the survey has been tracking an increasing trend toward the pro-life position – a trend confirmed by Gallup and Pew surveys in mid-2009. K of C – Marist surveys are available online at www.kofc.org/moralcompass.

“Americans of all ages – and younger people in even greater numbers than their parents – see abortion as something morally wrong,” said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. “America has turned a corner and is embracing life – and in doing so is embracing a future they – and all of us – can be proud of.”

He added: “Advances in technology show clearly – and ever more clearly – that an unborn child is completely a human being. That, coupled with the large number of Americans who know one of the many people who has been negatively affected by abortion are certainly two of the reasons that Americans are increasingly uncomfortable with Roe v. Wade’s legacy of abortion, and with abortion generally. The majority of Americans now understand that abortion has consequences, and that those consequences are not good.”

The question on abortion was part of a larger survey, which will be released in the next several days.

This report presents the findings from a survey of 2,243 Americans — including an oversample of 1,006 Millennials. Reports for Americans have a margin of error of +/-2% and for Millennials it is +/-3%. Data were collected from December 23, 2009 through January 4, 2010 using an online, probability-based panel from Knowledge Networks, Inc. Additional information is available at www.kofc.org. Data on the polls commissioned by the Knights of Columbus are available at www.kofc.org/moralcompass.

SOURCE Knights of Columbus

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CT -Building a Culture of Life & Respect for Marriage and Family Life

Peter Wolfgang’s Blogs, a Brother Knight of Columbus & Director of the Family Institute of CT Action—To go directly to his website, click on: www.ctfamily.org !

New CT Pro-Life Blog!

November 3rd, 2009 by Peter Wolfgang

The fight to see every unborn child protected in law and welcomed in life heats up in a major way this week with the expected vote on Obamacare, which will mandate public financing of abortion. How fortunate for us, then, to have a new Connecticut ally in the pro-life cause.

Concerned Catholics for Connecticut and Friends states its goal succinctly:

My purpose is to try and get someone in Connecticut (or more than one) elected to high office in Washington who would be pro-life for a change: And secondly, to get a movement started to ban Late-Term D&E Abortion of babies post 21-weeks gestation, on the precedent of the Federal Ban Act on Partial Birth Abortion (D&X).

The CCCF blog is chock full of information for acheiving that end–some of which proved helpful to me just yesterday in an interview on the Dan Lovallo Show regarding the state of abortion issue. We have added CCCF to our links so that this research is always available to us–and to you–at the click of a button. It will be key to winning the battles that lie ahead.

Fighting for the Soul of New England

October 30th, 2009 by Peter Wolfgang

“Evangelical churches target New England” is the scary-sounding headline of an AP story that appeared in yesterday’s papers. Readers of FIC Blog are by now familiar with the decline in religious faith nationally as well as in New England. How did our region go from the cradle of Christianity in the U.S. to the least churched region of the country? Here’s one possible reason:

Several groups trying to re-ignite New England’s faith are theologically conservative, such as the Southern Baptists, Presbyterian Church in America and the Conservative Baptists’ Mission Northeast. They say a reason for the region’s hollowed-out faith is a pervasive theology that departs from traditional Biblical interpretation on issues such as the divinity of Jesus, the exclusivity of Christianity as a path to salvation and homosexuality.

The Rev. Wes Pastor, head of the NETS Institute for Church Planting in Williston, Vt., said New England’s liberal mainline denominations, such as the United Church of Christ and the Episcopal Church, have been practicing a “different religion.”

“I’m not saying it to be snooty, but they have a different belief system and that belief system … is a profound departure from historic Christianity,” said Pastor, whose group trained Bass and supports his Baptist church.

Will this theory get any serious attention in the next Trinity study on religion? Don’t hold your breath.

Apostasy, Christian Unity and Connecticut

October 26th, 2009 by Peter Wolfgang

Yesterday’s Waterbury Republican-American had a front page story (subscriber only) quoting the “Connecticut six” on why state Anglicans will likely remain Anglican and not become Catholic, despite Rome’s recent outreach to them. Given the coalition of like-minded Christians of various denominations that FIC has assembled over the years, it was this quote that warmed my heart:

[The Rev. Bryan Bywater, of the New Hope Anglican Church in Watertown] called the offer a beautiful gesture. “For a long time the churches have been fighting each other over the small things and not focusing on the greater things; now we’re seeing the churches being unified over the larger things. That’s great to see.”

Those “larger things” include, of course, the nature of marriage as the union of a man and a woman and the authority of scripture–the issues that are causing conservative Anglicans to leave the liberal Episcopal Church. As our friend Christopher Leighton–pastor of St. Paul’s in Darien–says in the same article, Rome’s outreach further “isolates the national Episcopal Church as a minority view as far as world Christianity.”

And not only the Episcopal Church. Today’s Courant has a nice write-up on Deryk Richenburg, the new pastor at First Church of Christ in Wethersfield–an historic church that had a very public break with the UCC over same-sex “marriage” and related issues. “The First Church of Christ is well-known throughout New England because of its size and its 2004 separation from the United Church of Christ,” writes The Courant–without, of course, bothering to explain the cause of the separation.

I Blame It On Oprah

September 29th, 2009 by Peter Wolfgang

Give The Courant some credit. When it comes to reporting on religion, their rolodex has finally expanded beyond the usual left-of-center voices:

Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut and a Catholic, said that perhaps the question isn’t why women are more religious, but rather why men are less likely to identify with religion, especially mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic churches. The Trinity report found that 24 percent of the Nones are former Catholics.

Wolfgang has a theory. “Men like a challenge,” he said. “They like to be told they have to meet a certain standard.” He cited what he views as watered-down, feel-good Sunday sermons that would be right at home on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” as an example of what turns men away.

That quote comes from a front page story today about a Trinity study’s findings of an increase in religious non-affiliation. You can read the whole article here. I would be curious to hear from FIC members on what they think may be causing the decline in religious affiliation.

Fighting for Decency in Southington  (verse V.I.P. in Southington, CT)

September 24th, 2009 by Peter Wolfgang

FIC is involved in the fight to keep a sexually oriented business (SOB) out of Southington:

SOUTHINGTON — Now that the appeal against the town’s decision to grant a permit to Very Intimate Pleasures has been withdrawn, residents who oppose the adult-oriented store and their allies are considering their next move.

“The battle is not over,” said Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut. “The Planning and Zoning Commission has the power to overturn the zoning enforcement officer’s decision to grant the permit.”

He suggested that residents call and e-mail commissioners and let them know how they feel.

“They are their elected neighbors,” he said. “The citizens need to tell them to do the right thing and overturn the permit.”

Take Action!  http://www.votervoice.net/Core.aspx?AID=274&

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Top Twelve Catholic PILGRIMAGE destinations in the U.S.

See also: List of Shrines in U.S.

1. National Shrine of the North American Martyrs, Auriesville, New York
2. El Santuario de Chimayó, (Lourdes Shrine of America) Chimayó, New Mexico, north of Santa Fe (settled in 1609). Chimayó is sometimes called the “Lourdes of America.”
3. Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg, Maryland
4. Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Baltimore, Maryland
5. National Shrine of St. John Neumann (in St. Peter the Apostle Church), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6. Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.[38]
7. Divine Mercy, National Shrine of The; in Stockbridge, Massachusetts^[25]
8. Saint John Neumann, National Shrine of; in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania^[45]
9. Saint Katharine Drexel Mission Center and Shrine; in Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania^[47]
10. Miraculous Medal Shrine; in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania^[34]
11. Most Blessed Sacrament, Shrine of the; in Hanceville, Alabama (Mother Angelica)^[35]
12. St. Ann, Basilica of the National Shrine of; in Scranton, Pennsylvania

Also in CT,

1. Lourdes in Litchfield, CT. http://www.shrinect.org/Lourdes_in_Litchfield/Welcome.html
2. Venerable Fr. Michael J. McGivney’s Body at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, CT: http://www.stmarys-priory.com/aboutstm.htm
3. Venerable Fr. Michael J. McGivney’s Gallery at KofC Museum in New Haven, CT:  http://www.kofcmuseum.org/en/permanent/mcgivney/index.html
4. Padre Pio Foundation of America: Cromwell, CT  http://www.padrepio.com/
5. Holy Apostles Seminary & College: Cromwell, CThttp://www.holyapostles.edu/

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*3  Components of ‘40 Days for Life’ Campaigns…

One of the strengths of the 40 Days for Life campaign is its simplicity. Your community can make a tremendous impact by implementing three basic components…

1. Prayer and Fasting

Want to end abortion? First you pray. Prayer is at the center of 40 Days for Life. During the campaign, we are calling on prayer warriors across the nation to fall on their knees before the Lord, asking Him to hear our plea and heal our land. Pray at church. Pray outside an abortion facility. Pray at work. Pray in the car. Pray at home with your family. Pray!

People of faith are also invited to fast throughout 40 Days for Life.

Christ said there are demons that can only be driven out by prayer and fasting. A fast is a powerful means of drawing closer to God by blocking out distractions. Fast from food. Fast from television. Fast from excess time in front of a computer. Fast from apathy and indifference. Fast from whatever it is that separates you from God.

2. Constant vigil

The visible, public centerpiece of 40 Days for Life is a 40-day, round-the-clock prayer vigil outside a Planned Parenthood center or other abortion facility in your community.

It is a peaceful and educational presence, and this 24-hour-a-day presence sends a powerful message to the community about the tragic reality of abortion. It also serves as a call to repentance for those who work at the abortion center and those who patronize the facility.

3. Community outreach

During 40 Days for Life, you have a great opportunity to take the pro-life message to every corner of your community. A door-to-door petition and education drive can be implemented to reach out to every household in your town or city to get the “end abortion” message out to your local community.

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**KofC Council #4193 Fund-Raiser Ideas**:

1) Working a Concession Stand @ UCONN Home Football Games.   As a Fund-Raiser, we can earn b/w $25 and $75, per Knight, working the Stand, depending on sales.  For more information, we can call John Ruggerio, from the Glastonbury KofC Council, at (860) 633-3126, or Bob Falkevitz, from the East Hartford KofC Council, at (860) 568-5452.  (The Glastonbury Council can provide the needed Insurance for the Concession stand, for just 25% of our earnings each game.  This winds up being cheaper than the Insurance cost).
2) Turkey Raffle (around Thanksgiving): Raffle off Turkeys @ both Churches, local Supermarket, Mail-out Raffle booklets to each Brother Knight, Hold Dinner to pull Raffle.

3) Ham Raffle (around Easter time): same idea.

4) Fund-raiser Dinner for Peter Wolfgang, Director of Family Institute of CT: Defending Pro-life, Pro-Marriage, Pro-Family Issues @ our State Legislature Year-Round.  Hold Spaghetti Dinner in hall @ Incarnation Parish Hall, charge $30/per plate, keep some for Council, donate difference to Peter & his great work.

5) Car Washes: In Corpus Christi School or Incarnation Parking Lots, during the Summer months, with our Knights & newly Formed Columbian Squires.

6) Bowling Nights: Charge More/per Ticket, as a Fundraising Effort for the Council.

7) Bingo Night (in Corpus Christi basement/or School Gym): for Families & Fundraising, etc.

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*SICK or DISTRESSED Members*: Please Pray for any Brothers who are Sick or in Distress.  Please contact Fr. Campion (529-2545), or Fr. Moran (529-2533).  Let us keep our deceased members in your prayers.

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***MEMBERSHIP DUES***: Reminder: Annual Dues are currently $30/year.  If you have not yet paid your Annual Council dues, please do so.  All checks can be written out to:  Knights of Columbus.  For 1st – 3rd Degree Membership dues, please contact:  Joe Palowski (529-9347).  For 4th Degree dues, contact Emidio Pizzoferrato (563-8350).

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Spiritual Warfare Prayer,  by Fr. Robert Degrandis

http://www.catholicfile.com/33c/ex_spiritual-warfare-degrandis.pdf

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The existence of God can be proved in Five ways. -St. Thomas Aquinas

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/1002.htm

1. The Prime/First Mover:

The first and more manifest way is the argument from motion. It is certain, and evident to our senses, that in the world some things are in motion. Now whatever is in motion is put in motion by another, for nothing can be in motion except it is in potentiality to that towards which it is in motion; whereas a thing moves inasmuch as it is in act. For motion is nothing else than the reduction of something from potentiality to actuality. But nothing can be reduced from potentiality to actuality, except by something in a state of actuality. Thus that which is actually hot, as fire, makes wood, which is potentially hot, to be actually hot, and thereby moves and changes it. Now it is not possible that the same thing should be at once in actuality and potentiality in the same respect, but only in different respects. For what is actually hot cannot simultaneously be potentially hot; but it is simultaneously potentially cold. It is therefore impossible that in the same respect and in the same way a thing should be both mover and moved, i.e. that it should move itself. Therefore, whatever is in motion must be put in motion by another. If that by which it is put in motion be itself put in motion, then this also must needs be put in motion by another, and that by another again. But this cannot go on to infinity, because then there would be no first mover, and, consequently, no other mover; seeing that subsequent movers move only inasmuch as they are put in motion by the first mover; as the staff moves only because it is put in motion by the hand. Therefore it is necessary to arrive at a first mover, put in motion by no other; and this everyone understands to be God.

2. The First Cause (Uncaused Cause):

The second way is from the nature of the efficient cause. In the world of sense we find there is an order of efficient causes. There is no case known (neither is it, indeed, possible) in which a thing is found to be the efficient cause of itself; for so it would be prior to itself, which is impossible. Now in efficient causes it is not possible to go on to infinity, because in all efficient causes following in order, the first is the cause of the intermediate cause, and the intermediate is the cause of the ultimate cause, whether the intermediate cause be several, or only one. Now to take away the cause is to take away the effect. Therefore, if there be no first cause among efficient causes, there will be no ultimate, nor any intermediate cause. But if in efficient causes it is possible to go on to infinity, there will be no first efficient cause, neither will there be an ultimate effect, nor any intermediate efficient causes; all of which is plainly false. Therefore it is necessary to admit a first efficient cause, to which everyone gives the name of God.

3. Eternal Existence of God vs. creation

The third way is taken from possibility and necessity, and runs thus. We find in nature things that are possible to be and not to be, since they are found to be generated, and to corrupt, and consequently, they are possible to be and not to be. But it is impossible for these always to exist, for that which is possible not to be at some time is not. Therefore, if everything is possible not to be, then at one time there could have been nothing in existence. Now if this were true, even now there would be nothing in existence, because that which does not exist only begins to exist by something already existing. Therefore, if at one time nothing was in existence, it would have been impossible for anything to have begun to exist; and thus even now nothing would be in existence — which is absurd. Therefore, not all beings are merely possible, but there must exist something the existence of which is necessary. But every necessary thing either has its necessity caused by another, or not. Now it is impossible to go on to infinity in necessary things which have their necessity caused by another, as has been already proved in regard to efficient causes. Therefore we cannot but postulate the existence of some being having of itself its own necessity, and not receiving it from another, but rather causing in others their necessity. This all men speak of as God.

4. God as the Perfection of all good qualities found in creation

The fourth way is taken from the gradation to be found in things. Among beings there are some more and some less good, true, noble and the like. But “more” and “less” are predicated of different things, according as they resemble in their different ways something which is the maximum, as a thing is said to be hotter according as it more nearly resembles that which is hottest; so that there is something which is truest, something best, something noblest and, consequently, something which is uttermost being; for those things that are greatest in truth are greatest in being, as it is written in Metaph. ii. Now the maximum in any genus is the cause of all in that genus; as fire, which is the maximum heat, is the cause of all hot things. Therefore there must also be something which is to all beings the cause of their being, goodness, and every other perfection; and this we call God.

5. Intelligent Design in the Laws of Nature, creation presupposes a Creator

The fifth way is taken from the governance of the world. We see that things which lack intelligence, such as natural bodies, act for an end, and this is evident from their acting always, or nearly always, in the same way, so as to obtain the best result. Hence it is plain that not fortuitously, but designedly, do they achieve their end. Now whatever lacks intelligence cannot move towards an end, unless it be directed by some being endowed with knowledge and intelligence; as the arrow is shot to its mark by the archer. Therefore some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God.

Reply to Objection 1. As Augustine says (Enchiridion xi): “Since God is the highest good, He would not allow any evil to exist in His works, unless His omnipotence and goodness were such as to bring good even out of evil.” This is part of the infinite goodness of God, that He should allow evil to exist, and out of it produce good.

Reply to Objection 2. Since nature works for a determinate end under the direction of a higher agent, whatever is done by nature must needs be traced back to God, as to its first cause. So also whatever is done voluntarily must also be traced back to some higher cause other than human reason or will, since these can change or fail; for all things that are changeable and capable of defect must be traced back to an immovable and self-necessary first principle, as was shown in the body of the Article.

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Catechism on the Priesthood
by: Saint John Vianney, Patron Saint of Priests

My children, we have come to the Sacrament of Orders. It is a Sacrament which seems to relate to no one among you, and which yet relates to everyone. This Sacrament raises man up to God. What is a priest! A man who holds the place of God — a man who is invested with all the powers of God. “Go, ” said Our Lord to the priest; “as My Father sent Me, I send you. All power has been given Me in Heaven and on earth. Go then, teach all nations. . . . He who listens to you, listens to Me; he who despises you despises Me. ” When the priest remits sins, he does not say, “God pardons you”; he says, “I absolve you. ” At the Consecration, he does not say, “This is the Body of Our Lord;” he says, “This is My Body. ”

Saint Bernard tells us that everything has come to us through Mary; and we may also say that everything has come to us through the priest; yes, all happiness, all graces, all heavenly gifts. If we had not the Sacrament of Orders, we should not have Our Lord. Who placed Him there, in that tabernacle? It was the priest. Who was it that received your soul, on its entrance into life? The priest. Who nourishes it, to give it strength to make its pilgrimage? The priest. Who will prepare it to appear before God, by washing that soul, for the last time, in the blood of Jesus Christ? The priest — always the priest. And if that soul comes to the point of death, who will raise it up, who will restore it to calmness and peace? Again the priest. You cannot recall one single blessing from God without finding, side by side with this recollection, the image of the priest.

Go to confession to the Blessed Virgin, or to an angel; will they absolve you? No. Will they give you the Body and Blood of Our Lord? No. The Holy Virgin cannot make her Divine Son descend into the Host. You might have two hundred angels there, but they could not absolve you. A priest, however simple he may be, can do it; he can say to you, “Go in peace; I pardon you. ” Oh, how great is a priest! The priest will not understand the greatness of his office till he is in Heaven. If he understood it on earth, he would die, not of fear, but of love. The other benefits of God would be of no avail to us without the priest. What would be the use of a house full of gold, if you had nobody to open you the door! The priest has the key of the heavenly treasures; it is he who opens the door; he is the steward of the good God, the distributor of His wealth. Without the priest, the Death and Passion of Our Lord would be of no avail. Look at the heathens: what has it availed them that Our Lord has died? Alas! they can have no share in the blessings of Redemption, while they have no priests to apply His Blood to their souls!

The priest is not a priest for himself; he does not give himself absolution; he does not administer the Sacraments to himself. He is not for himself, he is for you. After God, the priest is everything. Leave a parish twenty years without priests; they will worship beasts. If the missionary Father and I were to go away, you would say, “What can we do in this church? there is no Mass; Our Lord is no longer there: we may as well pray at home. ” When people wish to destroy religion, they begin by attacking the priest, because where there is no longer any priest there is no sacrifice, and where there is no longer any sacrifice there is no religion.

When the bell calls you to church, if you were asked, “Where are you going?” you might answer, “I am going to feed my soul. ” If someone were to ask you, pointing to the tabernacle, “What is that golden door?” “That is our storehouse, where the true Food of our souls is kept. ” “Who has the key? Who lays in the provisions? Who makes ready the feast, and who serves the table?” “The priest. ” “And what is the Food?” “The precious Body and Blood of Our Lord. ” O God! O God! how Thou hast loved us! See the power of the priest; out of a piece of bread the word of a priest makes a God. It is more than creating the world. . . . Someone said, “Does Saint Philomena, then, obey the Cure of Ars?” Indeed, she may well obey him, since God obeys him.

If I were to meet a priest and an angel, I should salute the priest before I saluted the angel. The latter is the friend of God; but the priest holds His place. Saint Teresa kissed the ground where a priest had passed. When you see a priest, you should say, “There is he who made me a child of God, and opened Heaven to me by holy Baptism; he who purified me after I had sinned; who gives nourishment to my soul. ” At the sight of a church tower, you may say, “What is there in that place?” “The Body of Our Lord. ” “Why is He there?” “Because a priest has been there, and has said holy Mass. ”

What joy did the Apostles feel after the Resurrection of Our Lord, at seeing the Master whom they had loved so much! The priest must feel the same joy, at seeing Our Lord whom he holds in his hands. Great value is attached to objects which have been laid in the drinking cup of the Blessed Virgin and of the Child Jesus, at Loretto. But the fingers of the priest, that have touched the adorable Flesh of Jesus Christ, that have been plunged into the chalice which contained His Blood, into the pyx where His Body has lain, are they not still more precious? The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus. When you see the priest, think of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Prayer to St Michael, the Archangel  (Long Version from Pope Leo XIII)

O glorious Archangel Saint Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, be our defense in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, spirits of evil. Come to the aid of man, whom God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. Fight this day the battle of our Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in heaven. That cruel, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the Name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay, and cast into eternal perdition, souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. That wicked dragon pours out. as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity. These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the Immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on Her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where has been set up the See of the most holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck the sheep may be scattered. Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious powers of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly conciliate the mercies of the Lord; and beating down the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.

V: Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.
R: The Lion of the Tribe of Judah has conquered the root of David.
V: Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.
R: As we have hoped in Thee.
V: O Lord hear my prayer.
R: And let my cry come unto Thee.
V: Let us pray. O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name, and as suppliants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin, immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious Archangel Saint Michael, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all other unclean spirits, who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of our souls. Amen.

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A great deal of thanks to ALL Members for planning our Events.  Pray the Rosary Daily!

Fraternally Yours in Christ,

Wethersfield KofC Council # 4193

The Man Who Stands With Us, Never Stands Alone!