Church

The Season of Advent

The Season of Advent

In the Catholic Church, Advent is a period of preparation, extending over four Sundays, before Christmas. The word Advent comes from the Latin advenio, “to come to,” and refers to the coming of Christ. This refers, first of all, to our celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas; but second, to the coming of Christ in our lives through grace and the Sacrament of Holy Communion; and finally, to His Second Coming at the end of time.

First We Fast, Then We Feast:

That’s why Advent has traditionally been known as a “little Lent.” As in Lent, Advent should be marked by increased prayer, fasting, and good works. While the Western Church no longer has a set requirement for fasting during Advent, the Eastern Church, both Catholic and Orthodox, continues to observe what is known as Philip’s Fast, from November 15 until Christmas.

Traditionally, all great feasts have been preceded by a time of fasting, which makes the feast itself more joyful. Sadly, Advent today has supplanted by “the Christmas shopping season,” so that by Christmas Day, many people no longer enjoy the feast.

The Symbols of Advent:

In its symbolism, the Church continues to stress the penitential and preparatory nature of Advent. As during Lent, priests wear purple vestments, and the Gloria (“Glory to God”) is omitted during Mass. The only exception is on the Third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday, when priests can wear rose-colored vestments. As on Laetare Sunday during Lent, this exception is designed to encourage us to continue our prayer and fasting, because we can see that Advent is more than halfway over.

The Advent Wreath:

Perhaps the best-known of all Advent symbols is the Advent wreath, a custom which originated among German Lutherans but was soon adopted by Catholics. Consisting of four candles (three purple and one pink) arranged in a circle with evergreen boughs (and often a fifth, white candle in the center), the Advent wreath corresponds to the four Sundays of Advent. The purple candles represent the penitential nature of the season, while the pink candle calls to mind the respite of Gaudete Sunday. (The white candle, when used, represents Christmas.)

Celebrating Advent:

We can better enjoy Christmas—all 12 days of it, from Christmas Day to Epiphany—if we revive Advent as a period of preparation. Abstaining from meat on Fridays, or not eating at all between meals, is a good way to revive the Advent fast. (Not eating Christmas cookies or listening to Christmas music before Christmas is another.) We can incorporate such customs as the Advent wreath, the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena, and the Jesse Tree into our daily ritual, and we can set some time aside for special scripture readings for Advent, which remind us of the threefold coming of Christ.

Holding off on putting up the Christmas tree and other decorations is another way to remind ourselves that the feast is not here yet. Traditionally, such decorations were put up on Christmas Eve, but they would not be taken down until after Epiphany, in order to celebrate the Christmas season to its fullest.

By Scott P. Richert, About.com Guide http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/Advent.htm

Community

E-Waste Fundraiser at Knights of Columbus #953

E- Waste Fundraiser in co-operation with
The California Electronic Asset Recovery

To be held at the Knights Of Columbus Hall #953
5961 Newman Ct …Sacramento CA 95819
Saturday December 17th from 9 am – 1 pm.

We accept electronic devices including the following:

. Monitors/TVs
. Desktop PCs/notebook PCs
. Small equipment: VCRs, stereos, speakers, keyboards, mice, PDAs, digital cameras, zip drives, telephones,
video game consoles, etc.
. Printers/copiers, cell phones
. Lasers and multi-function peripherals: scanners & fax machines
. Small kitchen appliances like blenders, mixers, toasters, etc.
. Microwaves, hairdryers

We do not accept the following items:

. Household Appliances (i.e. refrigerators, washers, dryers,etc.)
. Furniture
. Hazardous household waste, including: Florescent light bulbs, household batteries, car batteries, paint,
pesticides, used oil, cleaning supplies, tires

*Please note that CEAR, INC completely shreds all hard drives for data security!……..
Thank you.
Any questions or Possible Free Pre-Event Drive Pickup!! Call Terry @ 916-736-0953

9 am to 1 pm
5961 Newman Ct, Sacramento, CA 95819

Council, Grand Knight

Grand Knight’s Message November 2011

To My Brother Knights & Their Families,

Our third principle of the Knights of Columbus is Fraternity.
Defined as a group of people associated or formally organized for a common purpose, a quality or state of being brothers. This truly shows with our events/ fundraisers. We come together to aide our fellow brothers in the events being chaired, and that directly impacts our council’s ability to help others.

Council #953 is a model example of all our principles. We stand together as an organization, unified to help those in need. This last Oktoberfest is but one example of our principles in action. Not only did we share a great dinner and raise money to help others, we brought friends and families together to share lasting memories. We helped a long time Knight attend this event. Which is something he could not do alone, given his circumstances.

Our next events are around the corner. A memorial mass at St. Mary’s church on 11/6 following the 8 a.m. mass. Our Giant shrimp feed on 11/19 and our first ever e-waste drive on 12/17. There’s plenty of time to sign up & help or simply pass the word to someone who can.

We are a fraternal group of catholic gentlemen. Our common purpose is doing God’s work. We give in every sense of the word. We are all examples of our principles. We are, Knights of Columbus.

“St. John Vianney, Pray for Us.”
Ricardo Saldana
Grand Knight, Council 953

Pro-Life

The Latest From Pro-Life

Chili Cook-Off – Another great event…
This is a huge note of thanks to all Knights and families who participated and/or worked at our Chili Cook-Off, especially our chair, GK Ricardo and his committee. We had eight teams in the competition with lots of chili to taste and enjoyable music via the talents of Jordan Sax.
Congratulations to Brother Ryan Remis for winning Best of Show with his chili entry, as well as the other winners in their respective categories.
As a result of this event, we are able to split the proceeds of nearly $1,100 between Sacramento Life Center and Bishop Gallegos Maternity Home.

I’d also like to acknowledge and thank those businesses that donated prizes to the event:

Leatherby’s – 2333 Arden Way
Tapa the World – 21st & J Streets
Español – Folsom Blvd & 58th St
Evan’s Kitchen – 855 57th St
Sal’s Tacos – 400 C St, West Sacramento
Opa Opa – 5644 J St
The Catholic Store – 1928 Broadway
Giovanni’s Pizzeria – 6200 Folsom Blvd
Pancake Circus – 2101 Broadway
Buckhorn Grill – 1801 L St, Suite 10
Kico’s Mexican Restaurant – 2324 Arden Wy
Hoppy Brewing Company – 6300 Folsom Blvd
Luna Market & Taqueria – 1153 Rutherford Rd, Rutherford CA

And, of course, thanks to God for all his little favors along the way.

40 Days for Life
Thanks go out to those of you who prayed, fasted or witnessed at the sidewalk during the 40 DFL fall vigil. I really encourage each of you to continue to prayerfully consider how you can help bring about an end to a. Remember the spring vigil will begin on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 22, 2012). For more info, please contact me or visit the 40 Days web site at www.40daysforlife.com/sacramento/

Care Package for Bishop Gallegos Maternity Home
We are asking you again for donations to our care package for the Bishop Gallegos Maternity Home at our Annual Christmas Potluck in December. Some suggestions of items you can donate are:
Diapers
Wipes
Formula
Bottles & nipples
Baby Toys
Onesies
Receiving Blankets
Baby washcloths
Baby soaps

Helping keep the home well stocked with necessities for moms and babies is one of the great charitable works that Council 953 Knights do each year.

Read our blog on the Culture of Life:
http://kofc953sacramentoprolife.blogspot.com/

“The next thing we must be concerned about if we are to have peace on earth and good will toward men is the nonviolent affirmation of the sacredness of all human life. …Man is a child of God, made in His image, and therefore must be respected as such….And when we truly believe in the sacredness of human personality, we won’t exploit people, we won’t trample over people with the iron feet of oppression, we won’t kill anybody.” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – Christmas Day sermon, 1967

Dominic Ielati
Cutlure of Life Director

Insurance

November – LTC Awareness Month

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS INSURANCE “Your Shield For Life”.

November – LTC Awareness Month

Common LTC misconceptions
As Baby Boomers have reached retirement years, long-term care (LTC) insurance products have gotten more public attention, but they’re still not well understood, especially when it comes to how to pay for care. For example, many Americans believe that Medicare pays for long-term assistance with the basic activities of daily living — but it doesn’t. It applies only to those who have been in the hospital 72 hours and are diagnosed as requiring “skilled care.” Medicaid covers care only if and when the person has gone through a “spend down” and has no other means to pay for it. Not a good situation to be in.

Another common issue is that Boomers think they can wait to buy LTC. Unfortunately, this could be a financial devastating choice. What happens if you suddenly become ill or uninsurable before you have made this purchase? Again, not a good situation.

Waiting to buy will also increase the cost of the premiums you pay. Consider this example. If you buy a Knights of Columbus Comprehensive Long-Term Care policy for yourself with a $200 daily benefit, lifetime benefit duration and 30-day elimination period at age 40, your annual premium will be $739.20. The total premium paid by age 85 will be $33,264. If you decide to wait to buy the same policy until you are 60 years old, your annual premium will be $2,374 and the total premium paid by age 85 will be $59,350. That’s a difference of more than $26,000. (This example is for comparison purposes only.)

Personal service is crucial in choosing LTC policy options, and for adjusting them as necessary. Group LTC may indeed be a viable option for you, but as your Knights of Columbus agent, I can help you compare the details so you can make an informed decision.

To contact me with regards to LTC or any of your insurance needs, please call my office at (916) 691-4571 or e-mail me at hank.cornell@kofc.org

By Knights … For Knights ….
Hank Cornell, FIC
Ca Lics #0G05138

Community

MR Drive-Thanks

On Oct. 15 & 16, 2011, the council conducted its annual “Tootsie Roll” Drive after all the masses at St. Mary’s. Following are those who helped man the doors of the church handing out tootsie rolls and collecting donations: Dale Edwards, Frank Philips, Floyd Wells, Bill Sheean, Dominic Ielati, John Bashore, Bill James and Terry Corcoran. Through their efforts we collected $680.76, one of our best collections for the past few years. Congratulations and thanks, brothers!

George Mills

St. John Vianney, Pray for Us.