Knights of Columbus
Council No. 10901
June 2001
From the desk of the Grand Knight…….
I hope that you will look over this newsletter before you file it in the stack to look at later, or in file 13. Some of you are not aware of events until they have already passed. Well, this is your notice. You will have to read it to gain any info from it.
It was a bit surprising to see only eight Knights at the One-Million-Rosaries-to-end-Abortion prayer event. There were 30 people present, so we had an effect. I had guessed that it was an activity ‘near and dear’ to all Knights, and for a cause that Catholics believe in. But if you had a more worthy activity that morning, God is glad you did that instead! Brother Bob, thank you for leading that prayer.
I also thank Jacob Eftink, Knight of the Month, and Paul and Lisa Cowart, Family of the Month. Jacob helped arrange the presenting of rosaries from the Knights to the confirmandees and first-communicants. He also helped with the crowning of Mary. Lisa Cowart continues to serve as the parish pianist, and Paul helped arrange the hours we donated to the Colemans.
We really must recognize the fortitude of Paul Cowart, Mike Mitchell, Mark Shows, Tom Hughes, Mike Chatelain, and Jeff Hooper. They, along with Sr. Mary persevered in a most unpleasant task of clearing out the contents from the Coleman’s former residence.
We are having a regular business meeting on 6/14. The nominations committee has proposed a new slate of officers for the coming year. Additional nominations will be taken at the meeting. Come see if you are nominated. Then the voting will occur. Also, we will decide when to focus the Knight’s efforts in the refurbishing of the Parish Center. If you miss the meeting, expect a phone call to advise you of this date/time.
On 6/23 there is a 4th degree exemplification.
On 6/28 is our social. We will have the officer installation followed by a pot-luck awards banquet.
On 7/14 is the School of Columbianism in Grenada. In addition to officers and committee chairs, all members are invited to attend.
Fight a good fight,
Paul
From Your Membership Director……..
Congratulations are in order for two new knights in our council. On Thursday, May 10th, Lance Alexis and Nathan Ford received the First Degree of our Order. Both of these young men are students at Ole Miss. Please congratulate each of these new knights at your first opportunity.
The Fraternal Year ends on June 30th, so we have only a few weeks left to add any knights to our council roster. We must all look to recruit new knights before June 30th to get credit for this Fraternal Year.
As I noted in last month’s newsletter, we had met our membership goal of ten new knights for this year, but the loss of some fifteen members in late 2000 and early 2001 still leaves us with a negative number for the year. Additionally, before June 30th, we will suspend five more knights for non-payment of dues. All of these men have left your council with no other alternative.
Suspension is a very difficult thing to have to do when a brother knight doesn’t pay his dues. Repeated phone calls, letters and finally a suspension notice. When suspension happens a knight has left his council no choice but to drop him from the Order. Suspension is the council’s last resort, but unfortunately, sometimes there is no other solution. The council cannot maintain its programs, donations, fundraisers, etc., without some of the monies raised through dues. Keeping one’s dues current is a very important part of one’s Knights of Columbus membership obligation.
A First Degree is still scheduled for Thursday, June 14th, at our next regular monthly meeting in the Parish Center at St. John at 7:30 p.m. At this time we don’t have any new candidates, but there is still time to "Ask another man to become a Knight of Columbus."
Vivat Jesus,
Bob Hudson
Membership Director
WHAT THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS MEANS TO ME
BOB HUDSON
About five years ago I dreamed I had died and gone to heaven. When I arrived at the pearly gates I checked in with the receptionist, told her my name and fully expected to waltz right in. Right? Not so! She checked my records in this big book, then said I had to speak with St. Peter and directed me to where he was located. I walked over to where he was conferring with those who were directed to meet with him. I had to wait quite a while because the line was rather long. I noticed that almost everyone he spoke with left with a sad look so I didn't know what to expect. I hoped that I would be admitted, but something told me that I might not make it through those pearly gates. Today.
Sure enough, when I got my chance to speak with St. Peter he reviewed my file. He told me about all the good things I had done, pointed out some of the bad things and thoroughly covered my "opportunities". While my record of good things far outweighed the bad, I had not accumulated enough earthly points to be admitted immediately after death. He said that I would have to spend some time in Purgatory and if everything worked out O.K. I could be admitted at a later date. I asked when and he said that was up to me because the challenges that lie ahead were tough and patience and persistence was very important. He also pointed out that not all of those who go to Purgatory will get into heaven. I asked why and he said because they were trying to accomplish in Purgatory what they had the chance to do while alive and blew that opportunity. He pointed out how easy it was to earn the points necessary to go directly to heaven while alive, but how tough it was once you had died.
I was angry, frustrated and upset; no matter what I said, I got nowhere. Why didn't someone tell me earlier, before I died? I could have done something about it. I tried to list all that I had done but to no avail, I couldn't convince St. Peter to let me into heaven.
Frustrated, angry, and upset I had no choice, I guess I will have to go to Purgatory. I wished there was another way. If only I had prepared myself better, if only I had prayed more, helped others, if I had only been a better person, if only I had - if only, if only, if only . . . !!!
I woke up. I sat up. Wow - I was dreaming - thank God! Thank you God.
It took me a few minutes to collect my thoughts as I remembered my dream. My dream went over and over through my mind, but the message rang loud and clear. The message was that we must insure that we will do what ever it takes to make it into heaven, directly after death. None of us should ever have to go through what I did in my dream and certainly not me, ever again.
While only a dream, it did make me think about how well prepared I was, or thought I was, to meet my maker. Since that dream I thought about how I would make those things happen, but I never put a real plan together and as time passed nothing much changed, until the summer of 1992.
That summer the Knights of Columbus formed a council in Oxford and I, along with several other men in our parish, became members of the Order. I had heard a lot about the Knights over the years, but never became involved. Now it was my turn. My guardian angel was watching over me.
Since that summer I have grown with the Knights of Columbus, grown within spiritually and mentally. The Knights for me has been the messenger sent to me in that dream, the messenger who has pointed me in the direction I must take to pass through those pearly gates on the first try.
My experience, since that summer in 1992, has been one of dedication to the Knights of Columbus. I have done my best to follow its principles and its concepts because they will lead us to the very things we need to have put into our heavenly file. We will not be turned away.
Since that summer I have become a better father, husband, son, brother, uncle, a better Catholic and a better person, both spiritually and mentally. I believe in the Knights of Columbus. It has been my guiding light.
The Knights of Columbus has been the driving force in my devotion to the Rosary and our Blessed Mother. Since that dream my wife Rosann and I have visited Guadeloupe, Mexico; Fatima, Portugal; Lourdes, France; and Garabandel, Spain; all very blessed places - also visited by our Blessed Mother. Prayer, especially the Rosary, has become a greater part of my life since that dream. The Rosary is now daily, not just once in a while, just as prayer and spiritual reading have become a daily practice.
The Knights of Columbus has permitted me to meet and interact, both in our council and around our state, with some of the best, most dedicated men in the world doing good things for their church, their community, for the underprivileged, the handicapped and anyone who needs help. It has done a lot for me. Personally, I owe a lot to the Knights of Columbus.
As much as the Order has done for me, I would be remiss if I didn't say "thank you" to the Knights of Columbus. But how? The best way I know is to spread the word about the Knights, invite others to join and share the principles and benefits of becoming a Knight. Then maybe some day, should some one dream my dream, they will leave this world with the Knights of Columbus leading the way, as it has led the way for me.