Divine Mercy Prayer Service

We tried something new this year. Since all the churches are locked and we have no access to the Sacraments, we had to take matters into our own hands. Divine Mercy Sunday is too big of a deal to allow it to pass us by.

Lead by Deacon Kurt Godfryd, we organized a virtual prayer service to take advantage of the promises offered in connection to this celebration. I’d like to thank Father Chris Alar of the Divine Mercy Shrine in Stockbridge for giving us the idea. We took the inspiration from this YouTube video posted below.

This is our celebration of the Lord’s promises to St Faustina. Please pray along and receive God’s unfathomable mercy. If you’d like to slides we used in this service, please use the button below.

Download the Prayer Service Here

Fr. Chris Alar’s Message of Hope

Partial Transcript

Even though churches are closed and you cannot go to Confession and receive Holy Communion, you can receive these special graces this Sunday, April 19, Divine Mercy Sunday. And we’re going to tell you how.

Let’s begin by reading what is arguably the most important passage in St. Faustina’s Diary, when Jesus tells St. Faustina:

I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet (699).

Diary of St Faustine

There it is. Jesus promises that the soul that’s been to Confession and receives Holy Communion will be completely wiped away of the two stains that are on our soul. Those stains are sin and the punishment due to sin. The special grace promised by our Lord for Divine Mercy Sunday is nothing less than the equivalent of a complete renewal of baptismal grace in the soul.

But how can you receive this complete forgiveness of sins and remission of all punishment? After all, churches are closed and Confession and Communion are not available. 

There is, however, still a way to receive this grace. Do these three things on Divine Mercy Sunday with the intention to turn away from sin in your life:

Make an Act of Contrition

Since you are unable to get to Confession, make an Act of Contrition, instead. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Among the penitent’s acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is ‘sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again'” (1451).

You thereby will be completely forgiven of all sins, even “mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible” (Catechism, 1452).  

Make a Spiritual Communion

Since churches are closed and you cannot receive Holy Communion, make a Spiritual Communion instead, asking God to come into your heart as if you received Him sacramentally — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. For instance, you can say this:

Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Blessed Sacrament. 
I love You above all things and I desire You in my soul. 
Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, 
come at least spiritually into my heart. 
As though You were already there, 
I embrace You and unite myself to You; 
permit not that I should ever be separated from You. 
Amen. 

Again, do this act of trust with the intent to return to the sacrament of Holy Communion as soon as possible.  

Say a prayer like this:

Lord Jesus Christ, You promised St. Faustina that the soul that has been to Confession [I’m unable, but I made an Act of Contrition] and the soul that receives Holy Communion [I’m unable, but I made a Spiritual Communion] will receive the complete forgiveness of all sins and punishment. Please, Lord Jesus Christ, give me this grace.

Finally, please remember that this extraordinary promise of Divine Mercy Sunday is for everyone. Tell your non-Catholic friends about it. Everyone can ask Jesus to forgive their sins. Everyone can make a Spiritual Communion. And everyone can ask for this grace to completely wipe their slate clean of not only all sin, but all punishment due to sin. Normally, the punishment is not remitted unless one has absolute perfect contrition. And unlike a plenary indulgence, there is no requirement of having perfect detachment from sin. In other words, as long as we have a desire for this grace and intention to amend our lives, we can be completely cleansed with grace similar to our original Baptism. It is a way to really start over in our spiritual life! 

“I promise you, it will be the most important thing you ever do in your entire life. In fact, it could mean the difference in your salvation. And Jesus told St. Faustina, Divine Mercy is mankind’s last hope of salvation [see Diary, 998]. Please don’t let this grace pass you by.” 

Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, the director of the Association of Marian Helpers

Helping Where Needed

These are certainly uncharted waters. Please be aware, the organizations at St Clement of Rome are here to help. If you are in need of an emergency item please call the parish office and we will try and assist you. The Parish Office is 1-586-752-9611. Alternatively, you can leave us an email by clicking the button below. We will do our best to help.

EMAIL US

Stay safe. Stay inside. Keep praying your Rosary.

Why Are We Bothering?

Many of the “good” we do goes unnoticed. And, that’s alright. We strive to make a difference in the world. Maybe not the world at large but certainly our little world; our family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Even then, the moments of recognition or satisfaction are fleeting if ever manifested at all.

This is the saga of the pro-life movement. Our council is certainly directly involved and supports the many efforts dedicated to ending the wholesale slaughter of our children. Ron and Judy Stec have been on the frontlines of the movement for as long as I’ve known them. They’re out talking to people, handing out information, praying with (and for) people as they struggle in the real world with the complications that bearing children always brings.

Judy shared a wonderful encounter she had and the life changing effect of being present for another person. This story unfolded at the Armada Fair last year.

Ron and I were standing behind the tables we had set up at the Armada Fair. We were getting signatures for the petition drive to “End Dismemberment Abortion.” A lady came up. We talked a little and she signed it.  With her, she had a little girl and a little boy in a stroller with her. They started to walk away. 

She turned back to me, leaned forward real close and whispered in my ear… “I have to tell you that it is because of you and the man that is with you that my son sleeping in the stroller here is with me today. I came to the fair for last three years looking for you to tell you this. ‘I was going to have an abortion and because of you and this booth, on that day I decided to have my baby, and here he is.’”

 Her beautiful little boy was asleep.  They’d been at the fair whole day.  I told her she made me happy and very grateful she shared this with me.  I asked her if I could take his picture.  She said “of course”.  She then hugged me and kissed the cheek. I told her, “we always say it would be worth it if we can save only one life”.  

She told me we did! “And here he is,” as she pointed to her son!

Keep going. What you do matters. Thank you Ron and Judy for being such fine examples of God love in the world.

New Exemplification

By now, you may have heard about the Knights changing their admission ceremony. We are pulling down a veil of secrecy surrounding our ceremonies. This is an effort to showcase our core principles and encourage Catholic men to become spiritual leaders in this family, parish and community.

“There is nothing we do that is secret or needs to be secret. We decided this is a way to let other parishioners know, family members know, what the Knights of Columbus is all about. And we think that’s a good thing.”

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson

Why have these changes been made?

The future of our Order depends upon growth. True growth can only be accomplished by providing an inviting entry path that is accessible to prospective members and their families. Efforts to create a combined ceremony focused on 1.) removing the barriers of secrecy and 2.) the commitment of time inhibiting many from joining. It also focuses on presenting the lessons of Charity, Unity and Fraternity in a clear and convincing manner. This new Exemplification is designed to be held in a parish with family and friends seated in the pews. All can now witness – firsthand – the organization their husbands, fathers and brothers are joining; its principles, values, and why they matter. The new Exemplification of Charity, Unity and Fraternity stays true to our traditions while addressing the needs of our times.

What Should People Wear?

This is not a casual event.

CANDIDATES: Please wear a suit and tie, but a collared dress shirt with dress pants is also appropriate.

PRESENTERS: The preferred attire is suit and tie with ceremonial baldric. At the very minimum shirt, blazer, and slacks with ceremonial baldric.

COUNCIL OFFICERS: The preferred attire is suit and tie with Medal of Office. Matching, branded Knights of Columbus Council shirts would also be appropriate.

More Info on K of C’s New Ceremonial

It’s the beginning of a new era for the Knights of Columbus: A modern single, public exemplification ceremony can now be used to welcome men to our ranks as full members of the Order. The new ceremony combines the three ceremonies used in the past.

This issue takes an in-depth look at the new exemplification ceremony: what it is, why it’s changed and how you can run one. 

New Ceremony: Rooted in past and tailored for present (Read more here)

 Eight steps for a successful new exemplification (Read more here)

The four items every council needs (Read more here)

 FAQs about the new K of C exemplification (Read more here)

Five questions with new director of ceremonials (Read more here)

Who’s who at the new K of C exemplification (Read more here)

A momentous day for the Knights of Columbus (Read more here)

Relay for Life 2019

Again this year our Council supported the Romeo Relay for Life. The picture above is Bernie Bianche and Grand Knight Joe Suminski. Both men are cancer survivors. Thank you to Tom Benoit for being a leader in this event for our community.

2019 Parish Picnic Recap

Another great time was had by all. Dispute an overcast day, we had a great turn out. Many ministries of the parish came together and pulled off the event of the summer. We had bouncy houses, ice cream trucks, marvellous food and the Knights hosted the Hospitality Suite as usual. Thanks to all.

  • Greg workin’ the room
  • Mem and Mark
  • Daddy War Bucks
  • The Bag Man
  • Hotdogs and Holy Water
  • This is what happens when you let Mark take pictures
  • The Dynamic Duo
  • Fr Jerry
  • The Advance Team
  • Why is Steve sitting on the floor?

2019 Pasta Dinner

Another banner year for the lovers of Pasta. Thank you everyone, the workers, the diners and the fans. We had plenty of help this year and we also had lots of hungry customers.

  • The power team from the Capuchin Retreat Center.
  • Ron!
  • Dessert Girls
  • Father Mark and his Holy Water
  • There are no small jobs, there are just small people!
  • This is the talent behind all the good food.
  • A stolen kiss.
  • One of the very few perks of being Grand Knight. Joseph Suminski.
  • Jeff Walla
  • The Peach Queen graced us with her presence.
  • Pat
  • Yummy love for sale!
  • Mr Peachy!
  • Looking to join a union? Call Casey!
  • Paul, who parked your truck?!?
  • Our corn connection
  • Roz is going to whack you with an ear of corn!
  • Seriously? What’s wrong with people?!?!?
  • It looks like a full house
  • Me, Jim Burns and Letster Ottenwalder
  • Gabby is was a hero!
A Short Film, The Glory of Pasta

Peach Festival 2019

It’s finally here.  The event of the year, Romeo’s Peach Festival weekend.  We have a lot going on this weekend and – as usual, we can use some help.  We host a pasta dinner this Friday.  There’s a link HERE. Please show up around 3 pm so we can get the place set up and ready for guests.  The sign-up site maxes out at 20 people, we can use more than that.  Just show up and help. Also, if you can bring a dessert that would be great.  As I understand it, peach pies are off the list as are cupcakes.  Drop them off anytime Friday morning in the Social Hall.  Joes looking for a couple of people to help out Thursday morning setting up the Social Hall and doing some cooking. If you can help, call Joe or just show up.

We also run the parking lot during Peachfest.  It takes 6 people minimum per shift to cover all the spots.  This is a big moneymaker for the Council.  Please consider doing a shift or two so the same 10 guys aren’t there all weekend.  There’s a link HERE.

Listen to these cool cats, they know the score….

Norm Rumph’s 90th

Whats a life well-lived? I do believe it’s having 200 friends and family show up for your birthday party. Norm Rumph was surrounded by friends and family yesterday to tell stories, share a memory and break bread. Maybe the best story was figuring out exactly when Norms birthday is and what – if any – his middle name could be. Regardless of his actual birthday, it’s amazing the cross-section of the community that showed up to pay tribute to a man that’s contributed so much. Happy Birthday, Norm. There was a rumor early on in the afternoon that Norm would be leading a “dollar dance” to raise funds for his 100th.

2019 Dioceasen Leadership Meeting

Last night, July 8th, the State Leadership held the second Detroit Diocesan meeting at St Isidore. It was very well attended. It was mostly business but there was a little fun too. Thanks to the Brothers at St Isidore for hosting us.

  • I get this look from Gary quite a lot.
  • Our fearless leaders
  • Tom, hes always smiling.
  • Knights on Bikes
  • The State Deputy talking about how important the Sacred Heart Endowed Scholarship is for the future of vocations.

Uber Meeting in June

Well, I’m not sure how uber it is really. This month we are going to combine our Planning Meeting and our General Membership Meeting into one.  Both meetings will be on June 13th.  The Planning Session will start at 6:30 pm and the regular meeting will kick off at 7 pm in the Knights Room at St Clement.  We have election results turned in my June 15 so, you can sense our dilemma.

I’d like to get in a Rosary before. Maybe the Rosary A-Team can meet in the Day Chapel at 6 pm? I’ll be there.

2019 Imlay City Fish Fry – The Aftermath

This was our best year ever. The best guess is that we had about 30 people that ventured north to Imlay City. The food was good, the beer was cold and the company, as usual, was excellent. I’d suggest coming along next year. It was a hoot. The good news? We’re getting to the end of Lent. The bad news? You missed a really good time.

No Man Left Behind!
Here’s to our Brothers at Council 4556
  • The Long View
  • Got Raffle Tickets?
  • This was a little after party
  • Solving world hunger
  • Me and Muff
  • The McKinnon’s
  • Mr James Parker
  • It’s an inside joke!
  • Don PGK SSJP
  • Sue and a tab blurry Joe
  • Mark

Knights of Columbus Council 4556 Our Lady Queen of Peace Imlay City Michigan @KofC #UnleashTheGospel @DetArchbishop@DetroitCatholic @CHSL1926#UTGChallenge

2019 Imlay City Fish Fry

It’s become a yearly tradition to pick one Friday in Lent and descend on our fellow Brothers in Imlay City to support their Fish Fry. This Friday (April 5ht) is that Friday. We’re going to try to get there at 5 pm this year to get a better selection of fish. Below is the slick marketing piece we produced this year.

Another Highly Produced Marketing Piece

Be there or be square! 🙂

$12 Adults, $11 Seniors, $6 Kids ages 6 – 10, Kids under 5 eat free.
Bring a can/box of food and got $1 off your meal.

Where:
Knights of Columbus
Council 4556
Our Lady Queen of Peace
1405 N. Van Dyke Rd
Imlay City, MI 48444
ph: (810) 724-8563 

2019 State Chaplain’s Membership Tribute Banquet

A good time was had by all. This event is always well attended and the food was really very good.

Saturday, February 23, 2019
DeCarlo’s Banquet & Convention Center
6015 East 10 Mile Rd. Warren, Michigan 48091

Who in the world thought giving me the ladle was a good idea?
  • Kathy Nardozzi and Brian
  • The Crew
  • Greg and Kathy
  • Mark and Sandi
  • Christine and Alan
  • Knights on Bikes
  • Luke and Russ Morgan
  • My Muff
  • Sister Val
  • Sister Val – My Favorite nun!

Because we were just not ready to call it a night, we had to stop by the Sandbagger and have just one more. Just one.

Detroit Archdiocese, Knights of Columbus, Michigan State Council, State Chaplain, DeCarlo’s Banquet,

2020 Catholic Goals for Battle with Dr Taylor Marshall

Even though I put this together last year, it’s just as topical as ever. We don’t plan to fail, we fail to plan.

Well, how are we doing? We’re a month in. Did you make any goals for yourself? No? Most people don’t. Why? I’m sure there are a variety of reasons. Maybe the most common reason goes something like this, “why bother? After a couple weeks I’m totally off-course.”

Don’t beat yourself up. The first week of February is a fine time to get it together and start over. If you’re looking for diet, relationship, financial or career goals, this isn’t isn’t the right place. However, if you’re a Catholic man of faith and want to up your game this year, you have arrived.

I’ve been binging on Dr. Taylor Marshall for several months. This guy is totally legit. I’d strongly encourage you to get in the flow of his material. He’s putting out a couple very serious podcasts every week. You can follow him on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Podcasts, Facebook, his website or his New Saint Thomas Institute site. Yeah, there’s plenty here. He’ll be in the top five when I finally get around to finishing our Resources page. If you’ve watched, listened and enjoyed to any of the Bishop Robert Barron stuff I’ve been sharing, you’ll definitely be into this. They are on the same intellectual footing.

With that set up, I want to give you a direct link this the YouTube video below. Please watch it. I’ve listened to it several times. It’s very good. I’m going to make reviewing this an every-December event. Most of what follows is summarized from this episode of Dr Marshall’s YouTube channel. What I’m saying is, from this point on, I don’t own the intellectual property of the content that follows, it belongs to Dr Marshall and his respective companies or to the content creators as linked herein.

This is the plan for holiness. This is the plan for us men to become Saints. We’re called to lead in our homes, parish, community, and in our councils; this is how to lead. Follow this plan and be the leader God wants you to become.

Daily

  • Pray the rosary every day. No exceptions. Find the 20 minutes and do it. Dr Marshall has several episodes on the Secrets of Fatima and Akita. Our Blessed Holy Mother has made it abundantly clear, we need to pray the Rosary. Every day.
  • Examination of conscience every day, use the PALE GAS. Don’t forget the daughters as outlined as St Thomas Aquinas. Watch the short video below on how to do this.
  • Pray the Angelus three times a day. Click here for more info.
  • Read the Bible every single day. Use this guide – LINK. Using this guide, you’ll read the Bible in one year. It’s not an impossible task to get through it. Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.

Weekly

  • Go to Mass, but to prepare the night before.  Don’t just show up. Review the readings. I subscribe to the USCB daily readings emails. I also listen every week to Bishop Barron’s Sermon podcast.
  • A weekly examination of conscience before receiving the Blessed Eucharist. Also, get a good missal. Recommended; The Father LaSance Missal – LINK. Follow the same examination of conscience as discussed above.

Monthly

  • Confession at least once a month
  • Eucharistic adoration, First Friday, St Clement calls them Holy Hour and they’re typically on Monday evening. They’re held once a month so, that fit in just perfectly.

Annual

  • A Retreat or pilgrimage. This used to be easy. Every year we took the 8th Grade Catechism kids to Marianhill on Retreat. It always was the weekend before Christmas. The timing was perfect. That retreat no longer is an option. Luckily, there are several options within a couple miles of Romeo. Last year, the Knights started a yearly retreat. That would be a good choice for this upcoming year.

There it is. A plan. An easy to follow plan. A plan for battle. Yes, it’s going to take a little work. Being a Saint always does. As Bishop Barron says, “who’s in heaven? Saints are in heaven. When we get to heaven, we’ll be Saints.” Start now. Take up your rosary and start. There is no more powerful weapon than the rosary. As a Knight, you should have it with you at all times. Take it out of your pocket and use it.

The Church needs men of faith and men of action. In these dark times, stand up and be counted.

And in closing, if you’re looking for gift ideas for me… Dr Marshall has some super sweet swag. I’d look really good drinking coffee out of this V is for Vigano mug. There are also teeshirts.

Breakfast with Santa

It was another record-breaking year.  Santa and his elves took up residence in the social hall most of the day today.   And, as you’ll soon see, it wasn’t only the kids that wanted in on the action.   

Thank you to everyone that showed up to help, thanks to the kids and parents.    If you’d like to use these photos, please do.   Merry Christmas. 

Ladies Appreication Night 2018

We call it that because, without a little (or a lot) of support from home, we’d not be able to do all the things we do.   Before dinner, Joe Suminski our Grand Knight and evening’s Master of Ceremony started by turning things over to Gary Kopp.  Gary is the District Deputy.  He collects money in an oversized baby bottle at every meeting he attends.  Periodically, he dispurses those funds to worthy causes.  Since we all love Sister Val, last night was her turn to recieve the monies to further her ood works. 

The December Knight of the Month is Dan O’Brien.  He is at every single event we have and more than likely is being pressed into service making coffee

The December Family of the Month is lovely Sandy and Mark DiPaola. Mark is the Deputy Grand Knight and is fully involved in every aspect of our mission. 

The Family of the Year are the McKinnon’s.  Mike has been our Recorder for many years.  Matt has been Financial Secretary and a Trustee.  With MaryAnn, they are very involved with all our events and activities.  They coordinate and give the prayer books and cards to the families requesting a Rosary.  They also present all wedded couples at St Clement a very nice bible as part of the wedding Mass.   They really are the most awesome people!  

The Lady of Year goes to Jean Illner.  Jean is very active in the Parish and her and Karrie are our Domestic Church Couple.  Together, they lead the Parish and Family Life Ministry for the Parish.  They had the good sense to leave for Florida before it got cold.  So, I’ll just hand your major award in my office till you get back!  🙂 

And the Knight of the Year go to Norm Rumph.  Norm has held many officer positions over the years and was a charter member of 7018.  He’s been a Knight for 65 years.  Despite being almost 90, Norm is at Mass every week and helps out at everything.  When Joe announced he was Knight of the Year, the room exploded in applause and cheering.  Later in the evening, the leader of the band said, “I can tell there’s a lot of love for Norm based on the reaction he got.”  He’s not wrong.  Congratulations Norm! 

With all that out of the way, we spent the rest of the evening having a wonderful time.  

  • YOu guys, get a room!

Mustard Seeds

Hi Friends (yeah, I co-opted that from Bishop Barron.)

Today is Giving Tuesday.  As many of you know, I’m a huge Word On Fire fan.  I think this is some of the finest Catholic content around.  This video is 14 minutes long and is well worth your time to review.  It’s easy to find yourself in these three people.  They’ve all had life-changing experiences using the Word of Fire material.

wof test

It starts out small and builds.  After following along for a year or so, I’m looking forward to Bishop Barron’s weekly podcasts.  He does two each week.  One is a free-ranging show based on what’s going on in the Church or the headlines.  The other podcast is his weekly homily.  I challenge you, listen to the homily podcast and then attend Mass.  It will absolutely change your experience.  If it doesn’t, I’ll happily refund your 60-minute investment.

Homilies podcast – LINK.
Word on Fire Show – LINK

If you’ve not experienced Word on Fire, please check them out.  If you’ve been buying their materials, please continue.  If his ministry has changed your life – consider donating to their good works.  I can say very definitively, this guy has changed my life.  Follow him, listen to what he says.  Support his ministry.

Click the image below and review all the goodness they’ve produced for us this year and make a donation.  May your faith, like a mustard seed, grow into a mighty plant.

barron

Images are from the Word on Fire website and are the property of Word on Fire Ministries.  © Word on Fire 2018. All Rights Reserved

Very Sad News About Danny

We’re brothers in good times and in bad.  This is one of the bad times.  Shannon posted this morning that Mark’s son Danny passed away yesterday.  She asked me to get the word out.

Daniel Esper
Malburg Funeral Home
Saturday, November 10th
Visitation 1-8pm
Service at 7pm

I have the untoward job of sending these kinds of notes. This particular time, I’m saddened beyond words.  This is every parent’s worst case scenario.  Mark has a big heart.  I can barely imagine the pain it’s experienced.   I’m going to call my son right now and tell him I love him.

You’re all men of deep faith.  Please hold Mark, Danny, Shannon and their entire family up in prayer.  Keep them in your prayers going forward.  Prayer matters.

Shannon’s post on Facebook today.

danny

In happier times.

45678111_2629719643709607_4011299416362188800_o

RIP Danny

danny

Please make an effort to show up on Saturday.

 

Vets Returning Home, thank you!

vets+returning+home.jpg

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ. The 4th Degree Assembly of the Knights of Columbus Assembly #3057 wish to thank all our parishioners that contributed to the household goods drive for the “Vets Returning Home” facility. The Assembly and The Vets Returning Home were touched by your generosity. We thank you for helping us help our veterans that are in need.

Keep our veterans in your prayers!!

God Bless!!

K of C 4th Degree Assembly #3057

Vets Returning Home website – LINK
Vets Returning Home Facebook Page – LINK

 

 

Holy Cross Coat Drive 2018

Ladies Gifts LOGO WordPress

You may know it as the Holy Cross Coat Drive but, it’s much bigger than that.  Council 7018 will once again be collecting the items mentioned below for Holy Cross Services.   If you can help out with any of the items below, please do.  We will collect them and our District Deputy, the Illustrious Gary Kopp will take them to the Michigan State Winter Meeting.   Gary will pick the items us at our regular membership meeting on November 16th.

Info on the items, how to pack and wrap follows:

  • The best sweatshirts are those with a sports team or college logo. Buy them in Large, XL, XXL, XXXL, and even XXXXL. These are all adult-sizes. Hoodies are very popular, as are fleece sweatshirts. Embroidered sweatshirts and hoodies cost more, but that’s okay! Just buy fewer, better quality sweatshirts. Please keep in mind this may be the only Christmas gift they receive this year. Package the sweatshirts in decorated gift boxes (or wrap plain boxes) and write the size on the outside. If the sweatshirt is only for a girl or only for a boy, write that on the box also. Place all gift boxes of like sizes in a heavy packing box and mark the outside of the box. That way we will know what is inside the box, and it can go directly onto the semi-truck, thus saving anyone from sorting again.
  • One way to help HCS with young adults and children is to purchase gift cards in the amounts of $5.00 or $10.00 from Target, Walmart, or Meijer. The cards MUST be from one of these three stores. These stores were chosen by HCS because they are located state-wide, thus allowing councils from all over the state to be involved. Cash and checks are also welcome. These gifts will help HCS in caring for young pregnant girls and girls with babies and toddlers in order to assist them on life’s journey. HCS does not receive federal or state assistance for the purchase of baby items such as diapers, bottles, formula, socks, toys, bibs, etc. Gift cards, cash, and checks should all be brought to the collection room at the Winter Meeting where they will be received, totaled, and presented to HCS.
  • Scarves, mittens, hats, & gloves, can be handmade or store-bought. They continue to be popular with teenagers and with the mothers with small children. Bring them to the Winter Meeting either loose or in the manufacturer’s plastic bag. Please do not box these items.
  • Bath baskets filled with personal hygiene items gives the girls at Holy Cross their very own personal items and a way to take these items with them to their showers. Please follow these directions:
  • Purchase items at a local dollar store.
  • If you wish, coordinate products by color or scent.
  • Return the filled basket(s) to the Winter Meeting.
  • Please choose ONLY one of each item per basket from the list below. Please: NO SCISSORS, HAIRSPRAY, NAIL CLIPPERS, BRUSHES, PENCILS, SHARP OBJECTS, AEROSOL CANS (pump sprays are OK). All baskets must be similar in order to avoid rivalry!!! The total cost should be no more than $10.00. 1. Shampoo 6. Hair gel or mousse 2. Conditioner 7. Body lotion or hand lotion 3. Body wash, scrub or gel 8. Deodorant 4. Toothpaste & Brush 9. Bath puff/Loofa 5. Chap stick 10. Emery boards Fill the basket and place it in a plastic bag. If you have several baskets, place them in a sturdy box ready to go on the truck headed for Holy Cross Services.
  • Sheets for our kids was a need that was made known by Holy Cross, and our Knight’s Ladies have collected 300 sets of twin bed sheets. A warm set of sheets for someone in an unfamiliar place. Just bring your sheet sets to the Winter Meeting ready to go directly on the truck bound for Holy Cross.

Any questions please contact Mrs. Chris Brennan at 313-388-3238 or chrisbee at wowway dot com.

What is Online Membership?

Have you heard about online membership?  Do you have questions? This new video will answer those questions.   Please feel free to contact us directly with any further questions.  Watch the video, read the info below, contemplate how you’ll grow as a Catholic man.

Ready?  Go here –> LINK.  Tell them you’d like to be part of Council 7018, St Clement of Rome in Romeo, Michigan (cuz we are the coolest!)

WHY ONLINE MEMBERSHIP?

The Supreme Council has conducted numerous listening sessions and surveys with both members and non-members over the last few years. Among the many findings was a strong indication that the Supreme Council should develop a new, online way to recruit potential members and form those men for committed, lifelong membership in the Knights of Columbus.

This new fraternal program seeks to help the Order maintain sustainable long-term membership growth by providing the opportunity for membership throughout the modern man’s life cycle. This streamlined alternative helps acclimate men to the Order. Once a man has joined online, we will then work to incorporate him into a council and get him fully integrated with its activities.

WHAT ONLINE MEMBERSHIP DOES

This initiative is an important step for our Order, and presents a tremendous opportunity for membership growth and engagement. The initiative allows for:

A Faster Way to Join – One of the most common objections to joining the Knights of Columbus is “I don’t have time.” Through Online Membership, a join process that can take as many as two months now takes five minutes.

A Digital Experience –This initiative provides a new membership experience that is tailored to younger men and busier men who may not yet be ready for council-based membership. This low-pressure, low-commitment and digital experience meets men where they are, helps to form them as Catholic men, and enables us to bring more men into the fold.

An Amplified Message – The Online Membership initiative is backed by a substantial marketing campaign that will find and work to convert prospective members.

WHAT ONLINE MEMBERSHIP DOES NOT DO
The Online Membership Initiative

  • Does not change requirements for membership. Membership in the Knights of Columbus remains open to practical Catholic men.
  • Does not eliminate degrees. Men who join online are non-degreed members. Once they are ready to convert to a local council, they are required to take the first degree.
  • Does not eliminate councils. The goal of online membership is to form men for committed, lifelong and council- based membership in the Knights of Columbus. In fact, Online Membership creates a pool of recruits for local councils to engage with.
  • Does not eliminate dues. Online Members are required to pay $30 annual dues.
  • Does not create a new class or type of member. Online Members are members of the Knights of Columbus. They are non-degreed members, and they do not belong to local councils, but they are not provisional or partial members.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will these members do?

Once they have completed their registration, men who join the Order online will be given access to a web-based Online Membership portal and will begin receiving regular electronic communication from the Supreme Council. While they will receive a number of other benefits, the digital experience will form the core of their Knights of Columbus experience.

Content distributed to the member through the portal and direct communication will revolve around the four themes of: Lead with Faith, Protect Your Family, Serve Others and Defend Your Values.

Through these four themes, these men will not only grow as individuals, but will become acclimated with the good work and rich history of the Knights of Columbus, thereby strengthening their affinity with the Knights of Columbus brand, and setting the stage for lifelong, active membership. They will also receive regular news updates from the Supreme Council, as well as news and event information from their State Council.

Do these members belong to councils?

Online Members do not belong to local councils. Instead, they belong to state divisions. Each jurisdiction will have one state division, which houses all of that jurisdiction’s Online Members

How do these members differ from members of local councils?

Though they have not yet taken the first degree, online members are members of the Knights of Columbus. As members, they are entitled to all of the great benefits listed in the “Membership Benefits” section above. These benefits include: a welcome package, access to the Online Membership portal, a membership card, Columbia, and the ability to participate in our insurance program. They are not a different “class” or “type” of member, but as they are not yet degreed members and not yet members of local councils, they are at the earliest stage of their Knights of Columbus journey.

Can these members join local councils?

Yes. State division members who have joined online can transition to local council membership, just as members from other local councils do today. When a State Division member finds a local council he likes, he may deepen his involvement in the Knights of Columbus by converting his membership from his State Division into that local council to take his degrees. Since these members will not have taken the first degree, that ceremonial will be part of their transition to a local council.

How will councils know about these potential new members?

During the application process, applicants will need to provide the name of the parish they attend. There is a field to indicate if they would like to join a local council, and the opportunity to indicate their preferred council number if they have one. When a member indicates he wants to join a local council, the member becomes viewable in Officers Online by the State Deputy, State Membership Director and Online Membership Coordinator as an unassigned prospect. When the member indicates a specific council he is viewable in Officers Online as an assigned prospect of that council.

How would a council admit a member who joined online into their council?

Transferring online members to local councils can be done through the Officers Online Portal. You can read more about this process by clicking here. Financial Secretary’s can also fill out a form 100 for “transfer” after the First Degree and submit to the Supreme Council. You can transfer the member electronically or by form 100 but not both. After transitioning to a local council, the member would retain his online access to the Knights of Columbus membership experience, but cease paying his membership dues online, and instead begin to pay his local council’s membership dues. The receiving council would receive a dues adjustment for the fraternal year, as well as quota credit for the new member.

How will we know that prospective online members are eligible for membership?

When a prospective member begins the Online Membership application process, the first step is for them to declare that they are: (1) a baptized Catholic male, (2) 18 years of age or older, and (3) a practical Catholic.

Once they check those boxes, and agree to abide by the laws and rules of the Knights of Columbus, they click “Proceed to Join” and proceed to the next page. They cannot continue if any of the boxes have not been checked.

Additionally, before they hit the “proceed to join” button, they are presented with the following message: “Failure to answer truthfully to any of these declarations, or failure to remain a practical Catholic in union with the Holy See, renders void your membership in the Knights of Columbus.”

Prospects are also required to submit parish information during the application process.

 

 

District Free Throw, Nov 10th

St Clement to host 2018’s District Free Throw Contest

Your Local K of C to Sponsored Youth Free Throw Championship

All boys and girls ages 9 to 14 are invited to participate in the local level of competition for the 2018 Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship. The local competition will be held on November 10th at 10 AM at St Clement of Rome Catholic Church, 343 S. Main St., Romeo, MI 48065.

The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is sponsored annually, with winners progressing through local, district, and state competitions. International champions are announced by the K of C international headquarters based on scores from the state-level competitions. All boys and girls 9 to 14 years old are eligible to participate and will compete in their respective age divisions. Last year more than 120,000 sharpshooters participated in over 3,600 local competitions.

All contestants on the local level are recognized for their participation in the event.  Participants are required to furnish proof of age and written parental consent. For entry forms or additional information contact: Casey Pogodzinski, cpogo07@gmail.com, 586-484-2663 or Brian O’Curran, bocurran@gmail.com, 586-255-5350.  More info at http://www.RomeoKnights.com/Hoops18 

The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is open to all boys and girls in your community, ages 9 to 14. Age eligibility is determined by the age of the contestant as of January 1. Proof of age is required. High school-age athletes should be advised to check with their school athletic directors or their state high school athletic associations regarding possible eligibility conflicts.

AGE SPECIFICATIONS

Ages 9, 10, 11 (Boys & Girls Competitions)

Use a women’s regulation-size basketball and shoot from a 12-foot foul line at a 10-foot-high basket. (NOTE: The normal foul line is 15 feet from the basket. Foul lines at 12 feet from the basket for 10- and 11-year-old divisions should be clearly marked with athletic or masking tape prior to the competition.)

Ages 12, 13, 14 (Girls Competitions)

Use a women’s regulation-size basketball and shoot from the regulation foul line 15 feet from a 10-foot- high basket.

Ages 12, 13, 14 (Boys Competitions)

Use a men’s regulation-size basketball and shoot from the regulation foul line 15 feet from a 10-foot-high basket.

Judges/Scorers/Rebounders

Judges, scorers and rebounders will be selected by the Free Throw Championship chairman at the council level, by the district deputy at the district level, and by the state deputy at the regional and state levels. The recommended minimum is one judge, two scorers and a rebounder at each basket. It is recommended that volunteer parents be utilized in age groups other than the group(s) in which their child (children) competes. The judge will ensure that each participant receives the proper warm-up tosses and will point out any foul- shooting violations (see Scoring section). All questions will be resolved by the judges and Free Throw Championship chairman. Scorers should refer to the scoring instructions included on the entry form/score sheet. The rebounder will catch the ball and give to the next contestant.

Scoring

Normal rules of basketball regarding free throws apply for all levels of competition. Free Throw violations include stepping on or over the line prior to the ball reaching the rim, or shots rebounding off the “out of bounds” basket support and equipment. Scorers should record baskets made and missed on each attempt according to the instructions on the entry form/score sheet. It is recommended that multiple scorers be assigned to each basket for scoring accuracy and comparison. All scores should be verified before the next contestant is allowed to shoot. The use of videotape recording of the competition is not recommended to resolve questions on scoring totals. The judges and scorers and actual entry form/score sheets should determine final scores.

Competition Levels

Council Level Each contestant receives three warm-up tosses followed by 15 consecutive Free Throw attempts from the appropriate age-designated foul line (see the Court/Equipment/Age section for proper ball sizes and foul line distances). To break a tie, contestants take a second round of five free throws. No warm-up tosses are permitted for the tie-breaker rounds. Successive rounds of five free throws each continue until a winner emerges.

District, Regional, State Levels Each contestant receives three warm-up tosses followed by 25 consecutive free throw attempts from the foul line. To break a tie, contestants take a second round of five free throws. No warm-up tosses are permitted for the tie-breaker rounds. Successive rounds of five free throws each continue until a winner emerges.

International Level International champions are determined on the basis of best scores submitted from the state-level competitions in each age category.

NOTE:
In the event that a winner in any level cannot participate in the next level of competition, the second- place winner should represent the area for that age group

If you’d like us to send your parents (or someone in your household who’s 18 or more) a reminder of this event, please fill out the form below.  You will receive 1 email and/or 1 text message.  Your information will then be deleted and not retained.

It Is ok to send a reminder email / text before this event?(required)

The Knights of Columbus is an international Catholic family fraternal service organization with over 1.8 million members in 15,000 local councils. Last year, Knights donated over 70 million volunteer hours and $170 million to charitable and benevolent causes, sponsoring projects to benefit their church, councils, communities, culture of life, families and youth.

 

Installation of Officers 2018

Saturday night we attended the 2018 Installation of Officers for District # 24.  The ceremony was held at St John Vianney with 5 councils attending.  In the thoughts of Gary Kopp, a heartfelt thank you for the service of the outgoing officers.  Another crop of men have stepped up to do the good work of the order.

This is some of the team for one quick drink afterwards at Youngers in Romeo.  One and done!

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Family Work Day, Sat, July 14

On July 14, Parish and Family Life is having a work day at St. Clement. We will be cleaning up the picnic grove and prayer garden, re-setting the benches for the Stations of the Cross and setting in a new fire pit. Everyone of all ages is invited. Bring your gloves, tools and wheelbarrows and you’ll get to a chance to work shoulder-to-shoulder with your parish family!

We will begin at 8 a.m. with prayer and the Knights of Columbus will provide breakfast and lunch.”  Would you please sign up HERE if you can come by and help us out??

Questions??  Call Karrie Illner at 1-586-337-4225

Welcome Brothers

St Clement had the privilege to host a First Degree ceremony last night.   Several councils showed up and we welcomed six new brothers to the benefits of membership.  Thanks to the officers of the respective councils for driving attendance and participation.

Thanks to Gary ( DJ Rapper name “Gary Fuzzy Koppalicious” ) Kopp to keep the juicy tunes going all night long.

 

God’s Plan at Work

Being a charitable organization, the Knights get many requests for assistance.  Those requests run the gamut from lite yard work to helping a family get re-established.  We got word about Katlyn from the Grand Knight of another council; he tagged me in a Facebook post.  Of course, we’d absolutely want to help Katlyn and Giovanni.  I was gearing up the communication machine to reach out to the membership.  We’ve done things like his before and it’s amazing the stuff people are willing to part with to help a young family.

 

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Before I got everyone all excited, I thought I better check in with Susan at Abigayle Ministries.  There’s no sense collecting multiple of the same item.  I wanted to get a feel for what had been done and what was outstanding on the list of items.  This is where God steps in.

Insert Miracle

This is the email I got back from Susan.  Praise God.

———-  Begin Forwarded message ———
From: Susan Meyer
Date: Thu, Jun 21, 2018 at 5:45 PM
Subject: RE: Katlyn and Giovanni
To: Brian O’Curran
Cc: Russell Morgan, Joe Suminski, Gary Kopp, Tom Weisner

Hello Brian!

How awesome that you would reach out to help Katlyn and Gio! I must share with you are GOD SIZED miracle…Humble Design.. an organization called and asked if we had a client who was preparing to leave. We told them about Katlyln and they offered to come in a design her home according to her tastes, colors, themes etc in furniture, drapes etc…  They will go to their warehouse of gently used items and create a home environment with everything needed for the house…furniture, drapes, art, cooking dishes, plates, cups, silverware, towels..EVERYTHING! They will do this in 3 days and have a big reveal on the 3rd day! All for free…it is absolutely an incredible miracle…she will walk into a home completely decorated and ready to live in..everything but food on the shelves and closets.

On top of that, they are going to film this experience and it will be on TV on the CW network. It is an incredible God moment in every way. Katlyn has no family.. just one friend who made the house possible …and us…no one else and God is doing this amazing thing for her showing her she is HIS! So love our God. Thank you so much for your desire to help…but God just stepped in and said He is taking care of it.

God bless you…you are amazing men of God and we are so blessed by your tenders hearts towards our moms and babies! Thank you for reaching out!

Blessings,
Susan

———- End Forwarded message ———

People say, “where is God?”  He’s working every day through good people like Susan at Abigayle Ministries and the awesome folks at Humble Design in Detroit.

For more information on the good works these organizations provide to our community, please click on the images below.

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Ave Maria Home, Thallacheruvn

Brothers, Father Thumma is scheduled to in Romeo again over the first weekend in July.  This will be his second time visiting our parish.  Father Thumma established and runs the Ave Maria Home in Thallacheruvn, India. He feeds the elderly of this village and every dollar goes directly to buying food.  He also runs a school.

This is how he explained it to me via Facebook Messenger:

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There’s a very nice video to shows the facility and the faces of the people Father supports with his ministry.  You can watch it here:

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What did you think of the soundtrack?  I thought it was fantastic.  Then again, I’m a big George Harrison fan. He was a master of blending Indian influences into his music.

Some more images I “borrowed” from his Facebook account.

You might be asking yourself, “where is Thallacheruvn?”  Fair question, I asked the very same thing.  So, a little Googling (if that’s even a word) brings us here:

(click on the images and you can navigate around)

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You can follow the Good Father on Facebook by going here:

st clement

But wait, there’s more.  In addition to being a Priest, Fr Thumma is also a gifted musician.

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Vet’s Returning Home

What do we do with the money we collect?  Many worthy things.  This is another example of the causes we support.  Thank you for support the Knights so we can support others.  vets returning

Note to self: We need to get Gary an oversized, clown checkbook, those checks look much better in pictures.

——- forward email ——-

Worthy Officers:

I had the privilege of presenting a check to Sandy Bower, founder of Vet’s Returning Home. The check was funded by the five Councils of District # 24: St. Paul of Tarsus, St. John Vianney, SS John & Paul, St. Isidore, and St. Clement.

Proud to be a Veteran and a Knight.

Vivat Jesus,

Gary E. Kopp
District Deputy – District #24
PGK – # 11772

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