Community, Council

A Remembrance for Tom Lapos

Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel in Thornton.Tom Lapos, a long-time member of Sacramento Council 953 passed February 13, 2012. He left a lasting impression on those he knew in life, and on a small Catholic chapel in Thornton, California. Tom painstakingly made, and his wife Becky painted, a large stained glass window depicting Our Lady of Sorrows for the Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel in Thornton. The window is located high up on the front of the church facing to the west. It is said that the window can be seen from Interstate-5 northbound traffic at night when the window is illuminated. The chapel is a delight to see, although it is not always open. The next time you are driving along I-5 about 28 miles south of Sacramento, take exit 493 (W. Walnut Grove Rd.) and go east 0.4 mile to Thornton. It is worth a quick side trip to see the chapel and the window that one of our beloved Brother Knights created. And, as you look at the window, say a nice thank you to Tom and Becky.

Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel in Thornton. The window is located high up on the front of the church facing to the west.Peace be with you Becky.

Dale Edwards, PGK

Council, Pro-Life

Culture of Life Report for August 2012

It is an honor to serve as your new Culture of Life Director. Contemplating the nine years of service of Dominic Ielati, our former Director, both humbles and inspires me. Please join me in thanking Brother Dominic, who, happily, will continue making entries in his pro-life blog for our Council.

I’d like to begin my first online report with an especially powerful quote from Archbishop Chaput’s homily at close of Fortnight for Freedom: “We live in a time that calls for sentinels and public witness. Every Christian in every era faces the same task. But you and I are responsible for this moment. Today. Now. We need to ‘speak out,’ not only for religious liberty and the ideals of the nation we love, but for the sacredness of life and the dignity of the human person – in other words, for the truth of what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God.” It is in the spirit of these words that I wish to conduct my directorship.

Sadly, August began in the aftermath of a pro-life tragedy. On the morning of July 20, 2012, Thomas Aquinas College student Andrew Moore was struck and killed by a passing vehicle while participating in the Crossroads Pro-Life Walk Across America. Andrew was killed while praying along the roadside in Indiana. He was from the Bay Area. Please remember this pro-life hero and pray for his family and friends.

Simultaneously and incredibly, a different Andrew Moore in Dallas, Texas, also appeared in pro-life news. On July 13, this Andrew Moore was questioned by two FBI agents for over an hour in his home about his pro-life activities. Even though he was never charged with a crime, the agents insinuated that a felony conviction would lead to his deportation back to New Zealand and separation from his wife and baby son. On July 25, the Life Legal Defense Foundation sent a letter to the FBI protesting its “gestapo tactics” and warning of a lawsuit if the illegal harassment of Mr. Moore did not stop.

On a lighter note, I’d like to close by reminding my brother Knights of 40 Days for Life, which will begin in October. This peaceful sidewalk prayer vigil held outside of local abortion businesses has been graced by Bishop Soto, and all Knights are encouraged to participate. As October draws nearer, more details will follow.

Visit the 953 Culture of Life blog
If you haven’t checked out the blog, open your browser and head over to:
http://kofc953sacramentoprolife.blogspot.com/

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..” –  Constitution of the United States of America, Amendment 1 (part of the “Bill of Rights”)

Bill James
Culture of Life Director
prolife(at)kofc953(dot)org

Council, Knight of the Month

Knights of the Month July 2012

Knights of the Month July 2012
PGK Rudy Nagel and Bill Renard receive Knight of the Month certificates from Deputy Grand Knight Fred Struck

It is with great pleasure that Council 953 announces
Co-Knights of the Month for July 2012, PGK Rudy Nagel and Bill Renard. On behalf of their enormous efforts with repaving and striping the hall parking lot. Both worked tirelessly on their hands and knees to complete the job. Both also serve on the Hall Board and spend countless hours keeping our hall in good repair.

Many thanks for a job well done.

Council

Grand Knight’s Message July 2012

To my Worthy Brother Knights and their Families,

A special thank you to everyone in council 953 for your vote of confidence to lead this council a second consecutive year. I am humbled, honored, and excited to serve you again. We have many returning officers and directors as well a couple of new ones, who will with out a doubt, bring fresh perspectives and ideas to our council. To those officers/ directors returning, thank you for continuing to share in what will most certainly be a great year. To those new, welcome and learn from the guidance of those before you. Our council is rich in history and we must lead with wisdom, integrity &  passion.

Our Deputy Grand Knight Fred Struck and I are working feverishly to complete our councils calendar by next month. We will have our routine dinners with a couple of new events added. If you’d like to get involved with chairing an event please do not hesitate to contact us. We are always looking for new knights to get actively involved. We will also introduce a revamped web site, look for us on twitter #KofC953 and “like” us on Facebook Knights of Columbus # 953.

It was once said that God does not always called the qualified, but that He always qualifies the called. We were all called to join the K of C, it’s our responsibility to help in any capacity. You can help make this an impactful year. Call a friend to join, invite him to one of our dinners and remember… new potential members eat free. We encourage you to take the 2nd, 3rd and 4th degree, come to our meetings, support our dinners/events or meet with your field agent. There are so many ways to get involved, you just have to be open to letting our Lord work through you. Working together with your fellow Brother knights, we can achieve more.

American FlagI’ll end this months message with a conversation I recently had with a returning Brother Knight. He said that he can see the Holy Spirit working through our officers and our council, so much that It prompted him to get involved and to become more active. There are great things in store for all of us as a council, come experience,  come join us.

“GO! Make a Difference”
Father Micheal McGivney- Pray for us!
Ricardo Saldana
Grand Knight Council 953

Church, Community, Pro-Life

Prayer for the Protection of Religious Liberty

O God our Creator,
From your provident hand we have received our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
You have called us as your people and given us the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God, and your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit, you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world, bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel
to every corner of society.

We ask you to bless us in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty.
Give us the strength of mind and heart to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened; give us courage in making our voices heard on behalf of the rights of your Church and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.

Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father, a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters
gathered in your Church
in this decisive hour in the history of our nation, so that, with every trial withstood and every danger overcome – for the sake of our children, our grandchildren,
and all who come after us—
this great land will always be “one nation, under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Pro-Life

Culture Of Life Report July 2012

HHS Mandate – Updates
As you have heard by now, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the Patient Care and Affordability Act (AKA The Health Care Act and ObamaCare).  This means that the HHS Mandate, forcing religious organizations with an employee health plan to provide coverage that includes contraception (which often acts as an abortifacient) and sterilization procedures.  This goes into effect on August 1 of this year.  The US Catholic Bishops are continuing to speak and act against this, as should we as practical Catholics.  Below are updates on some recent events that have occurred in support of religious freedom locally.

I, along with about 450 others, attended the Rally for Religious Freedom on June 8 at the west steps of the State Capitol.  The Sacramento rally was one of 140 similar rallies across America held that day.  Several speakers at the local rally addressed the concern and desire to protect our religious freedom.  One of the speakers, Dr. Anne Marie Adams, an OB-GYN who practices in Carmichael, summed up the effect of the HHS Mandate on her practice by telling those gathered that “I shouldn’t have to be a religious institution to be able to exercise my religious freedom.”  More info on the rallies from across the country can be found at:
http://standupforreligiousfreedom.com/ .

On the evening of June 9, I, along with at least one other Knight of our council (I hope more of you were there and I missed seeing you), joined Bishop Soto and approximately 1,000 other Catholics on the Walk for Religious Freedom/Eucharistic Procession that followed the Saturday vigil mass at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.  There were three prayer stations along the 1.8 mile walk – two federal buildings and our final destination, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  A nice synopsis of the procession by Margaret Bengs of Carmichael can be found here:
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/16/v-print/4566032/somber-mood-of-march-reflects.html.

Finally, as I write this, we are in the Fortnight for Freedom that started on the vigil of the feasts of St. John Fisher & St. Thomas More and runs through July 4, Independence Day.   Concretely, our Bishops are calling for a “special period of prayer, study, catechesis and public action” to emphasize “our Christian and American heritage of liberty.”  If you haven’t already, please take some time to understand what the Church teaches about religious freedom.  We should also make extra prayers and fasts for this cause.  For more info on this teaching and about the US Bishop’s direction to help us defend our religious liberty, go to http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/.  Additional journalism can be found at www.stophhs.com.

Thank you
I have been the Pro-Life/Culture of Life Director since July 2003 and I will be transitioning out of my role.  Brother Bill James (the newer member of our council with that name) will be taking over this director position.  Brother Bill has enthusiasm for the position, which is the key to fulfilling with excellence any of our council director positions.  Please give Brother Bill your full support.
It has been my honor during these last 9 years to provide the members and families of our council with timely and useful information regarding the life issues.  It has also been my honor to walk and work alongside many of you at life events and gatherings such as Walk for Life-San Francisco and our Chili Cook-Off.  So, many, many thanks and blessings to each of you for your support of our council’s pro-life program.
Vivat Jesus!
Dominic

Visit the 953 Culture of Life blog
If you haven’t checked out the blog, open your browser and head over to:
http://kofc953sacramentoprolife.blogspot.com/

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..” –  Constitution of the United States of America, Amendment 1 (part of the “Bill of Rights”)

Dominic Ielati
Culture of Life Director
prolife(at)kofc953(dot)org

St. John Vianney, Pray for Us.