Knightly
News
Address: St. Joseph/ St. Raymond, Columbian Squires Circle #3847 Council #6850, Assembly #2644
P.O.
Box 970, Raymond, NH 03077
DECEMBER 2005
Grand Knight’s Message
Brothers,
The Christmas Holiday is now upon us once again. For the next few weeks people will be busy with shopping for gifts, attending parties, decorating the house inside and out, etc. We need to make sure we keep the true meaning of Christmas in our hearts and minds. Let us share the gift that God gave us with family, friends, and neighbors.
For November, our State Deputy Tom Ingham attended our Business Meeting. At this meeting he awarded Tona McCarthy “The Knight and Shining Armor Award” and other gifts. He also handed him a wooden Rosary from the Holy Land for the Knight of the Quarterly (a program held at the state level for those who become Knight of the Month). The Council held a special Mass for Deceased Brother Knights on November 6 at 8:00AM. There are still plenty of Christmas Cards to be sold. The cards display can be found in the Narthex or in the Parish hall. Please contact DGK Dave Biron 642-8970 for more information. Once again the Knights of Columbus participated in the delivery of Thanksgiving Baskets. Thanks to those Brothers who helped picked up the food and those who were able to make deliveries. We got a good start on the lighting of the church grounds the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Thanks to those that were able to come out and help. We had a good time throughout the day. We were treated to pizza by Brother Ed Parent. Thank you Ed. We are still looking for donations of artificial trees, Christmas lights, and extension cords.
I am saddened to inform those that have not heard that John Gibney Sr. passed away late November 21st. His wake was held on Thanksgiving evening and his funeral the following day. John was a big part of our Council and Assembly. He will surely be missed by all.
As mentioned in last months newsletter the Adult Christmas Party is December 3 and the Children’s Christmas Party is December 11. Mike Annis (895-4713) and I (895-0993) are still looking for helping hands for this program. The lighting of the Manger in Epping is December 4 at 4:00PM. The Manger lighting in Raymond is scheduled for December 11. This year they are planning on having a parade. More about the parade at the next Business Meeting. We still have a lot of work to do in lighting up the church grounds. Whatever time you can give is greatly appreciated. A big "Thank you" goes out to the Squires for donating $200.00 for the cause. Help is needed for picking up the food for the Christmas Baskets on December 17. Delivery of the Baskets will be on December 18th after the 8:00AM Mass.
It was decided at the last Business Meeting not to sell Christmas Trees. The Squires decided to take over on this project. They will be selling trees for $25 after each Mass starting December 3rd.
Please fill out the 2005 Fraternal Survey. With this newsletter you will find a form to be filled out. Fill this form out the best you can and return it to me by the next Business Meeting in January 2006. I will gather all the information from Brother Knights and fill out a form to be sent into Supreme by January 31st. Only a third of these surveys were returned last year out of 135 members.
Let us “Keep Christ in Christmas” throughout this Advent season. I wish all My Brother Knights and their families to be blessed with the Grace of God and have a Holy and Merry Christmas.
Let us all pray the Rosary as often as we can. The Power of Mary’s help cannot be denied. Please pray for our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, World Peace, and all our military personnel around the world, our Parish Priest and Chaplain Fr. Mike Taylor, all our priests and all our Brother Knights.
Vivat Jesus'
John P. Ste.Marie
DATE NAME DATE NAME
2 Kevin Gallagher 6 Michael F. Colford
6 Richard Pimental 22 Gregory Theriault
26 Gary Driscoll
ACTIVITIES IN DECEMBER
December 1st, 8th,15th, 22nd and 29th Rosary Devotion 7:00P.M
December 2nd First Friday Adoration 7:00A.M.- 7:30A.M. (Saturday-24 Hrs.)
December 2nd Healing Service 7:00P.M.
December 3rd First Saturday Mass 8:00A.M. / Adult's Christmas party 6:00P.M.
December 4th Squires' Sunday Mass 8:00A.M. / Meeting 9:00A.M.
December 4th Epping Manger Lighting 4:00P.M.
December 6th Officers' Dinner at Rectory 6:00P.M.
December 9th, 16th 23rd and 30th Adoration 7:00A.M.-7:00P.M.
December 11th Business Meeting 9:00A.M. / Children's Christmas party 1-3:00P.M.
December 11th Raymond's Christmas parade
December 18th Distribution of Christmas baskets after the 8:00A.M. Mass
December 18th First Degree Church Hall 7:00P.M.
December 24th Midnight Mass--Regalia needed
December 25th MERRY CHRISTMAS
Knight of the Month for November 2005---Rick Pimental
Family of the Month for November 2005---David & Marion Hamilton
There will not be a dinner in December because the St. Joseph Adult Choir will be having their annual Christmas Dinner/Show that night.
The Squires will be selling Christmas trees after all Masses the first two weekends of December--help is needed, call Rick if available.
Coming up in December of course is the Children’s Christmas party on December 11 from 1:00-3:00P.M in the Church hall. Distribution of Christmas Baskets will be after the 8:00A.M. Mass, December 18th. All interested Squires should meet in the Church hall.
No officer's meeting will be held in December due to the Holiday. Contact Mike Cabral 679-1184 for further information of these meetings.
COUNCIL NEWS
What a busy time of year! Of course, there is plenty of decorating of the Church grounds for Christmas that needs to happen and the Children’s' Christmas party is coming right up on Sunday afternoon the 11th from 1-3:00P.M. in the Church hall, so please volunteer whatever time you can to help make this a very joyous holiday season. Call John Ste.Marie at 895-0993 or Mike Annis (895-4713) for details on how to help out. The Squires will be selling Christmas trees after all Masses the first two weekends of December and see Dave Biron or Rick Cabral if you still need to purchase Christmas greeting cards. Help spread the message to "Keep Christ in Christmas".
Other events include the lighting of the Epping Manger at 4:00P.M.on Sunday Dec.4th, followed by the Raymond Christmas parade on the 11th of December. And on Sunday, Dec.18th after the 8:00A.M. Mass, we will gather in the Church hall for the distribution of Christmas Baskets to those less fortunate than us. Again, if you wish to help, please stop by.
Finally, last but not least we are having our Christmas party/Yankee Swap after the 4:30 Mass on December 3rd, in the Church hall. There will be Spaghetti and other pasta dishes provided and anyone wanting to may bring a dessert to share. So bring an inexpensive gift and prepare to have a terrific time. There is sure to be plenty to eat and lots of laughs!
FOURTH DEGREE NEWS
A Veterans' Dinner, in honor of all American Veterans, took place on Saturday evening, November 5th at 5:30P.M. in the Church hall. A carefully prepared Roast Pork dinner was enjoyed by roughly 70 people. Thank you to all who helped make this is a successful event, especially the Squires who did a terrific job serving.
Thank you to all who participated in the Mass for deceased Brother Knights on Sunday, October 30st, followed by Christ the King Mass on November 20th.It was a busy few weeks.
Certainly it was quite a tribute to our Brother John Gibney to see the turnout, first at John's wake, especially being on Thanksgiving night, and the next day for his funeral at St. Joseph's. What a moving moment it was to witness and be a part of Knights in regalia giving John one final salute outside after the funeral Mass. May God Bless John.
Please keep John and Eileen Gibney in your prayers.
A very Merry and safe Christmas to you all and your families!
God Bless,
Dave Hamilton,F.N.
A LITTLE BIT OF HUMOR
A man bought a donkey...
A man bought a donkey from a preacher. The preacher told the man that this donkey had been trained in a very unique way (being the donkey of a preacher). The only way to make the donkey go, is to say, "Hallelujah!"
The only way to make the donkey stop, is to say, "Amen!"
The man was pleased with his purchase and immediately got on the animal to try out the preacher's instructions.
"Hallelujah!" shouted the man. The donkey began to trot. "Amen!" shouted the man. The donkey stopped immediately.
"This is great!" said the man. With a "Hallelujah" he rode off, very proud of his new purchase.
The man traveled for a long time through the mountains. As he headed towards a cliff, he tried to remember the word to make the donkey stop.
"Stop," said the man. "Halt!" he cried. The donkey just kept going.
"Oh, no..."
"Bible...Church!...Please! Stop!!," shouted the man. The donkey just began to trot faster. He was getting closer and closer to the edge of the cliff.
Finally, in desperation, the man said a prayer..."Please, dear Lord. Please make this donkey stop before I go off the end of this mountain, In Jesus name, AMEN."
The donkey came to an abrupt stop just one step from the edge of the cliff.
"HALLELUJAH!" shouted the man , , ,
ON THE SERIOUS SIDE
Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die.
This is just so priceless, and so easy to see happening, customer service being what it is today. A relative died this past January, and Citibank billed her for February and March for their annual service charges on her credit card, and then added late fees and interest on the monthly charge.The balance had been $0.00, now is was somewhere around $60.00. I placed a call to Citibank:
Me: "I am calling to tell you that she died in January."
Citibank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply."
Me: "Maybe, you should turn it over to collections."
Citibank: "Since it is 2 months past due, it already has been."
Me: So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?"
Citibank: "Either report her account to the frauds division or report her to the credit bureau, maybe both!"
Me: "Do you think God will be mad at her?"
Citibank: "Excuse me?"
Me: "Did you just get what I was telling you--The part about her being dead?"
Citibank: "Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor."
Supervisor gets on the phone:
Me: "I'm calling to tell you, she died in January."
Citibank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still apply."
Me: "You mean you want to collect from her estate?"
Citibank: (Stammer). "Are you her lawyer?"
Me: "No, I'm her great nephew." (Lawyer info given)
Citibank: "Could you fax us a certificate of death?"
Me: "Sure." (Fax number is given)
After they get the fax:
Citibank: "Our system just isn't setup for death. I don't know what more I can do to help."
Me: "Well, if you figure it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her. I don't think she will care."
Citibank: "Well, the late fees and charges do still apply."
Me: "Would you like her new billing address?"
Citibank: "That might help."
Me: "Odessa Memorial Cemetery, Hwy 129, plot number 69."
Citibank: "Sir, that's a cemetery!"
Me: "What do you do with dead people where you're from?