March 2021 Bulletin: Lenten Activities

Lead article from the March 2021 bulletin, online now.

The great Lent season of fasting and praying is upon us preparing our hearts and souls for Easter Sunday. The activity of the council has been slow, but will hopefully pick-up steam soon. As of the writing of this article, Stations of the Cross are going to be at St. Michael’s Catholic Church during the Friday’s of Lent. The fourth degree voted to suspend all Honor Guards for Stations for this Lenten season. The council will be leading a Stations of the Cross during Lent. Please look for an e-mail with details on when the council will be leading Stations of the Cross as the date has yet to be determined. The Knights will not be sponsoring a fish fry this year.

The bars have been open and gaming is starting meat raffles at Dittos again. The gaming managers are looking for help with the meat raffles. If you are able to help please contact Dan Laird. Many thanks to Dave Miodus who has already volunteered to help out.

The March council meeting will be held at St. Albert’s Parish Hall on Thursday March 4th at 7:00 pm. Please remember to keep the church and each other in your prayers, please watch out for each other and remember to Keep the Faith!

God bless, 

Andy Sipple

Grand Knight  

March 2020 Bulletin: Lent, Stations ofthe Cross and More

Lead article from the March 2020 bulletin.

I hope this article finds you very well in Lent approaching the biggest day in the church year Easter. The activities for the council are continuing.

Many thanks to Brad Altepeter and Erich Kunzman for the great work done on the Father – Daughter dance. It looked like there were more people cutting a rug this year than in previous years. Pictures from the dance are located in the St. Michael Church gathering space – please pick them up if you had them taken. Brad and Erich also are working on the Father – Son event. Brad saved the day for the Father – Son event as the pool heater at the Monticello Community Center broke down just prior to the original scheduled date. Brad was able to reschedule the Father – Son event at the Monticello Community center for March 8 from noon to 4:00 pm after the pool heater was replaced. 

The Joe Perrault spaghetti feed was a big success. Thanks to Jim Valerius and Francis Beaudry for organizing it and for all the people who helped out at the event. Thanks go out to Cory Sommer who organized the Knight’s Gala event on February 29th. The Knight’s sponsored the meat and cheese trays at the Holy Spirit day retreat on February 29th at St. Michael’s Catholic Church – thanks to Gary Frandsen for ordering the trays. 

The Knights are going to be leading the Stations of the Cross at St. Michael Church on Friday April 3rd. An email and/or sign up sheet will be sent out for people to participate. A Knight will read a meditation at each station of the cross. During Lent on Fridays please consider going to a Knights fish fry at St. Albert’s parish hall then head to either St. Alberts or St. Michaels church for the Stations of the Cross. 

Thanks for all of your work to help out the Knights – your work and prayers are greatly appreciated!

God bless, 

Andy Sipple

Grand Knight

March 2019 Bulletin: Ice Cream

Lead article from the March 2019 bulletin, online now.

I tend to struggle with the Lenten tradition of giving up some perceived vice or indulgence in order to suffer to some extent as we consider the profound suffering of Christ in the time leading up to his passion. I will of course follow all the Lenten rules. I also have much admiration for those who give up significant habits and routines so as to draw them closer to our saviors suffering.

I have given up things in past Lenten seasons only to feel underwhelmed about my sacrifice as I resume them after Easter Sunday. Did I suffer much? Nope. Did it bring me closer to understanding his suffering? Not really. So what should I do?

I may have had some small revelation in this regard on our recent trip to Florida. We were Staying at a Daytona beach hotel. Hotel guests were venturing out to the beach to see the strange family who were swimming alone in 65 degree cloudy skies weather. They came wearing parkas and took our pictures and asked us where we came from that we would be swimming on this day. We told them and a look of "Oh, I get it now" came over their faces. We hit the hot tub for a bit then decided to walk downtown where we could see a boardwalk and amusement park waiting for our arrival.

There were some Hurricane "Irma" ravaged hotels along the beach as we made our way. A few lined with fence and under repair and others seemingly abandoned. We noticed that the homeless were taking up residence in some of the lower floors of the abandoned buildings. Makeshift homes consisting of wood, cardboard, worn mattresses and the like. A young couple caught our attention as they moved a mattress out of the chill drizzle that was falling at the time. They were in the middle of a heated obscenity laced exchange about some grievance between them. There were many homeless along our way. Their deeply lined faces spoke to the nature of the untold witness they held from us. We made it downtown and the homeless quickly slipped from our minds.

We had much fun looking at shops, walked the pier and listened to the Atlantic. We had a great meal and started back. My youngest noticed a Baskin Robins Ice Cream shop and grabbed my arm. We made progress across the street via skyway where a vagrant was taking some rest. As we approached our destination, a tall thin elderly homeless black man was speaking to each passerby with his head down. I grabbed my eldest daughter and shifted her to my left as we neared the tall man on my right. I could barely hear him speak as we passed. "Could you please buy me some food, good sir." We hustled our step as we passed him a glance.

My eldest told me that he looked hungry. I mentioned some nonsense about his life choices and we joined the line at Baskin-Robbins. We were waiting about a minute for our 1,000 calorie indulgence when the brick fell upon my head. I looked at Marina and told her that she was spot on. He did look hungry. We bolted out and found the same tall black homeless man making his way down the sidewalk. When the distance was made up my daughter ask him if he was hungry still. He affirmed this and we crossed the street to the Burger King restaurant.

Marina then bought him a meal with a $20 bill and gave him the change. We could barely hear him say as we left "God bless you". I think it's more likely that God dropped the brick on my head than bless me. What value was the cash to me? Very likely much less than it was to him. What did he give up for lent? What did the homeless couple moving the mattress out of the rain give up for lent? Unknowable. Here is what I am going to give up for this Lent. I am going to give up making assumptions about homeless folks. I am going to give up judging them. I am going to give up donating nothing to their empty pockets. Hopefully it will continue long past Easter. I will end by quoting our new homeless and hungry friend.

God Bless.

Gary Frandsen

Grand Knight

March 2018 Bulletin: Ice Cream

Lead article from the March 2018 bulletin, online now.

I tend to struggle with the Lenten tradition of giving up some perceived vice or indulgence in order to suffer to some extent as we consider the profound suffering of Christ in the time leading up to His passion. I will of course follow all the Lenten rules. I also have much admiration for those who give up significant habits and routines so as to draw them closer to our Savior's suffering.

I have given up things in past Lenten seasons only to feel underwhelmed about my sacrifice as I resume them after Easter Sunday.  Did I suffer much?  Nope.  Did it bring me closer to understanding His suffering? Not really. So what should I do?

I may have had some small revelation in this regard on our recent trip to Florida. We were staying at a Daytona beach hotel.  Hotel guests were venturing out to the beach to see the strange family who were swimming alone in 65-degree cloudy-skies weather.  They came wearing parkas and took our pictures and asked us where we came from that we would be swimming on this day.  We told them and a look of "Oh, I get it now" came over their faces.  We hit the hot tub for a bit then decided to walk downtown where we could see a boardwalk and amusement park waiting for our arrival.

There were some Hurricane Irma-ravaged hotels along the beach as we made our way, a few lined with fence and under repair and others seemingly abandoned. We noticed that the homeless were taking up residence in some of the lower floors of the abandoned buildings. Makeshift homes consisting of wood, cardboard, worn mattresses and the like. A young couple caught our attention as they moved a mattress out of the chill drizzle that was falling at the time. They were in the middle of a heated, obscenity-laced exchange about some grievance between them. There were many homeless along our way. Their deeply lined faces spoke to the nature of the untold witness they held from us. We made it downtown, and the homeless quickly slipped from our minds.

We had much fun looking at shops, walked the pier and listened to the Atlantic. We had a great meal and started back. My youngest noticed a Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream shop and grabbed my arm. We made progress across the street via skyway where a vagrant was taking some rest.  As we approached our destination, a tall, thin, elderly, homeless black man was speaking to each passerby with his head down. I grabbed my eldest daughter and shifted her to my left as we neared the tall man on my right.  I could barely hear him speak as we passed: "Could you please buy me some food, good sir?"  We hustled our step as we passed him a glance.

My eldest told me that he looked hungry. I mentioned some nonsense about his life choices, and we joined the line at Baskin-Robbins. We were waiting about a minute for our 1,000-calorie indulgence when the brick fell upon my head. I looked at Marina and told her that she was spot on. He did look hungry. We bolted out and found the same tall black homeless man making his way down the sidewalk. When the distance was made up my daughter ask him if he was hungry still.  He affirmed this, and we crossed the street to the Burger King restaurant.

Marina then bought him a meal with a $20 bill and gave him the change. We could barely hear him say as we left, "God bless you." I think it's more likely that God dropped the brick on my head than blessed me. What value was the cash to me? Very likely much less than it was to him. What did he give up for Lent? What did the homeless couple moving the mattress out of the rain give up for Lent?  Unknowable. Here is what I am going to give up for this Lent.  I am going to give up making assumptions about homeless folks.  I am going to give up judging them.  I am going to give up donating nothing to their empty pockets.  Hopefully it will continue long past Easter.

I will end by quoting our new homeless and hungry friend: God Bless.

Gary Frandsen
Grand Knight

February 2017 Bulletin: Midwinter Blues

Lead article from the February 2017 bulletin, online now.

It's nearly February, and we are in the middle of winter.  It's that time of year when the kids are driving us crazy.  There is constant sickness in the house.  It's dark all the time.  The holidays are over so if feels like there is nothing to look forward to.  The road conditions can turn a simple errand into a white-knuckle nightmare.  In our family this is also a heavy swimming season, so nothing makes you realize how miserable it is outside until you sit in a sweltering pool for three hours then walk directly into negative cold outside.  The midwinter blues are setting in hard.

So where is the positive in this whole situation?  For me its two things.  First of all, have you ever seen a Minnesotan on the first 50 degree day of the year?  Nothing makes us appreciate spring more than a rough winter.  The same goes for fall after a hot summer.  One of the greatest things about living here is fully experiencing all four seasons.

The second positive for me is that this general mood can only mean one thing:  Lent is almost here!  This is the time of year when all our bad habits we developed throughout the year come into fruition.  Whether it be a bad diet, drinking too much, cursing, not praying enough, or whatever your weaknesses are, I'm going to bet for most of us they are probably at their worse right now.  But Lent gives us an opportunity to hit the reset button.  I love Lent because I see it as a six-week challenge between me and God.  It gives me a reason to set goals for myself and stick to them.  It's a time when I can reconnect with myself and with my faith.  After Ash Wednesday, I cannot keep saying I will start tomorrow.  I encourage you to start examining yourself this month and prepare for Lent.  Don't wait until the last minute to come up with a resolution.  Put some thought into it and prepare yourself for the six-week challenge!

God Bless,

Joe VanHoorik

Grand Knight

March 2013 Grand Knight's Message: To Imitate Christ

Grand Knight's article from the March 2013 bulletin:

“And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry.”

— Matthew 4:3

I wish I could say that my understanding of fatherhood with my   first child—Katelyn, now almost 13—was the same as when our youngest child, Peter, was born nearly two years ago. Maybe at the age of 40, I understand truly how fast they grow up. Certainly, faith has changed in our lives, and I am more grateful for the gift of my children. In either case, I am more aware of my role as father to help shape the lives of my children.  To a 22-month-old boy, I have come to see, Daddy is the king of the universe. Every action I do is carefully examined and repeated by son. Every household choir involving a hammer, screw gun, or tape measure is met with tiny hands trying to hammer, screw, or measure. For to my son, he shows his love and admiration for his father through this imitation of what I do.

I watch in amazement every time he grabs my hand and walks me over to his tractor to play “fixit” with him or drive little tractors across the carpet. His response to love is to imitate the one he loves. His love is expressed back to me through his imitation of what I do. In much the same way, we witness to God’s love in our imitation of the one who loves us perfectly.

I recently witnessed an awkward exchange between coworkers: one Catholic and one Lutheran. It was that all too frequent exchange in which my Lutheran coworker jokingly stated how thankful she was to be Lutheran so she didn’t have to do any of that fasting or giving up of meat. Like all too many Catholics, my good friend the Catholic had no real response, and ended up trying to make a joke out of it.

Christ is THE example for us to imitate. Matthew 4:3 is just one verse that clearly states Christ fasted. Christ went into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights and fasted. This alone is all the reason we need to  truly embrace our Lenten journey. Scripture states it, and Christ did it.  We need no more reason to deny self and to confidently proclaim that  to others. When we enter Lent in a disposition to deny ourselves in    response to Christ love, we are saying to God, you are worth the inconvenience.  We are showing God our love for him as my son Peter shows his love for me.

Christ is also THE supreme teacher. Before his public ministry began, Christ entered the desert. He teaches us through his word, and his actions. We can thus have confidence that this time of self-denial will bring about spiritual growth within us. It will help prepare us to   witness to the world as Christ witnessed to the world.  For in Matthew 4:3, the ending of the verse states “and afterward he was hungry.”

What could Christ be hunger for? Well, clearly he would have been physically hungry. Two thousand years ago, fasting would not have meant leaving the fries out of the Happy Meal. However, scripture is speaking to a deeper hunger. Christ hungered and thirsted for the souls of others. Christ does nothing that he doesn’t want us to follow. He wants us to hunger and thirst for souls. As his perfect love was and is the very essence of total self-denial, we to can learn to love more perfectly when our love becomes self-sacrificing. Before we can give totally, we must learn to die to self in little ways. Study the lives of the saints; they all learned to die to self. Lent is essential for our spiritual growth, so we can become what God envisions us to be.

Lent has not always been my favorite of liturgical seasons. I spent many years as a Catholic not embracing the opportunity to grow in virtue and imitate the one we should love above all.  Like many Catholics, Lent was a time I grudgingly kind of followed the “silly tradition” us Catholics do. Not surprisingly, I cannot say Lent brought about any kind of spiritual growth in my life.  Lent was a waste of 40 days and nights in my life       because I did not want to unify myself with Christ’s   suffering, and thus denied myself God’s graces. There is a reason Mother Church invites us to a season of self-denial. She wants us to grow in holiness. She wants us to grow closer to God, and she knows sometimes the very best way to show love is through imitation of the ones we love.

I ask you to consider your Lenten resolution. Do you see the rest of Lent as one of the very best opportunities to show your love for Christ and to grow closer to Him?  Have you set any type of Lenten resolutions that really take some self-denial?  Have you stopped ordering the super-sized extra value meal for the regular-sized one or have you decided to go hungry just a little?  If your answer is no, then I invite you to reconsider. I pray the rest of your Lenten journey brings you closer to our Lord Jesus Christ!

Sincerely in Christ,

Mike Engel

Grand Knight