September 2016 Bulletin: Olympic Drive

Lead article for the September 2016 bulletin, online now.

I love watching the Olympics. I have to admit that when I sat down to write this article I was expecting to write something much different than this. I'm a true underdog fan and its sometimes hard to watch the Olympics when the US is such a dominant force. I found myself more than once rooting for the other team. Initially I thought these US athletes are so much more privileged than other parts of the world with their endorsements and people willing to take care of their immediate needs so they can focus full time on their sport. Then I did some digging and slowly I was proven wrong. Yes, the top competitors in the prime time sports don't have much to worry about financially but you're talking about a hand full of people. There are stories of US Olympians that already won medals in previous Olympics and having to sell everything they own just to go back. There are stories of athletes working low paying full time jobs and then spending another 6 to 8 hours a day training. They don't have big sponsors or wealthy families to pay their way, not unlike many of the people that come from the poorer nations that live in poverty and give up everything for this one opportunity. Yes, it can be argued that poverty in America is different than poverty in many other places on earth, but that's not the point. These people have a drive that most of us cannot even understand. They were given a talent by God and they are sacrificing everything you and I take for granted just to compete in one of the most prestigious events on earth. To be one of the elite few invited just to play the game. Most of us probably don't put as much effort into our career as these athletes put into their sport.

What makes an athlete continue their training if they can barely afford to survive? What makes them go to the Olympics even if they know they have little to no chance of winning a medal? Just to be there, to be recognized as one of the best in the world, to know that they trained their whole life for this one opportunity. Even if their name gets buried at the bottom of a standings board they still did it, they made it to the Olympics.

We need to recognize our own drive and the gifts that God gave us. We may never be the best or maybe not even that good. But when we know we put our heart and soul into something are we not rewarded with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and pride? That athlete that finished last in an event at the Olympics will still be a local hero that will be looked up to by kids and adults alike. They will have the opportunity to motivate others and live their lives knowing they chased their dreams rather than quitting.

Everyone of us faces our own struggles in life but when we overcome them we know we have succeeded, we didn't quit, and we are better people because of it. Whether your story is one of heartbreak or perseverance at some point in your life you found that Olympic drive and overcame all odds. We are always looking for that Olympic champion in life that can motivate us to not give up and everyone of us can be that person if we find our drive and use our success to help others find their own.

I have the strength for everything through him 
who empowers me. -- Philippians 4:13

God Bless,

Joe VanHoorik

Grand Knight

January 2016 Bulletin: Little Sponges

Lead article from the January 2016 bulletin, online now.

As a father sometimes I wonder if my kids pay attention when I speak.  As much as I try to teach them how to be good people and strong Catholics, most of the time I feel like my words just go right past them without slowing down.  It's always reassuring when they surprise me by doing or saying something that supports my teachings.  I bring this up because there were a couple examples this month where my kids surprised me and it makes me think about how many other things I do and say (good and bad) are being absorbed by them without my knowledge.

One of my biggest challenges and frustrations is trying to get my kids to sit still and pay attention during mass.  Most times I just accept the fact that I cannot make them listen and just try to keep them upright and in the same pew.  But every once in a while when you least expect it they surprise you.  I went to mass with Avril this month and it was just the two of us.  Fr. Ellis was giving his homily and I noticed that she was looking down at her feet fidgeting not seeming to be paying attention at all.  Later that evening she was playing on the laptop and came up to show me a picture.  It was the photo “Burst of Joy”, which Fr Ellis had talked about during his homily.  It really surprised me because I thought she was completely disconnected while he was talking.

This month we also began working through the Jeff Cavins Gen2Rev program.  This is a new book that the Church is piloting with the 4th grade students.  It's basically a bible timeline for kids that is meant to get fathers to read the bible to their children for 10 min every day.  I committed to doing the 6 month program with Avril.  My plan was to try to get at least her and Owen (2nd Grade) to do this with me.  Honestly I was expecting some whining and complaining especially after the first couple times.  Not only have they not complained but they ask questions and really enjoy those 10 minutes of faith education.  It isn't just Avril and Owen that have come to enjoy that time, their older siblings have not missed an evening if they were home.  I am truly surprised how much these kids are interested in their faith.

Regardless of what they communicate back to us, these children are little sponges.  They pick up on things we say and do even when we don't think they are paying attention.  That is why it is our responsibility to lead by example as strong Catholic men.  How do you expect your children to be serious about their faith if you are not?  Remember, God is not the only one watching everything you do.

God Bless,
Joe VanHoorik
Grand Knight

February 2015 Bulletin: Proving God's Not Dead

Lead article from the February 2015 bulletin, online now.

I watched a movie with the family this past weekend, and it got me thinking about the world today and what we can do to make a difference.

First let me tell you about the movie. I’m sure many of you have watched it already, or if you haven’t, I would highly recommend it. The movie is God’s Not Dead.  It’s about a young Christian man in college and a conflict with a professor. The professor at the beginning of the class wants all the students to write on a piece of paper that “God is dead" and sign it. This young man struggles with this and won’t do it  The professor challenges the student to change his and the other students mind and prove that God’s not dead. That is all I will tell you about the movie in case you have not had a chance to see it.

Now, on to the world today and all that is going on. What can we do to prove that God is not dead?  It starts with realizing that many people truly believe that there is no God and that is why bad things happen. We need to change that and let people know that God is not dead, and one of the greatest gifts He gave us was free will. 

If there was no God, then would there be a right and wrong moral compass? I think not. He set the standard and gave us the choice to follow or not. Which brings me back to what we can do to prove that God is not dead.

The easy thing is to continue to be Knights and show what we are about: the men in blue. We are strong and can continue to lead by example! We should be like the young man in the movie. When challenged about our faith, we should not waver, but accept the challenge, defend our faith, and prove that God is real.

I know that sometimes I don’t have the confidence in myself to defend my beliefs, but that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t try. All it takes is listening to that voice in your heart and let the Holy Spirit guide you. Many of you are much better at finding the right words or able to quote scripture passages off the top of your head. This is great, but if you are like me, the words don’t come that quickly and you need time to process ideas.

The main thing I want to get across is to continue to help form our youth in the faith, and slowly we can change the perception that God is dead.  So, I have a challenge for you: the next time someone dumps on faith or religion, stand up and defend your beliefs.

Together we can change the world.

God Bless,

Jim Wiegers

He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.  He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded. -- Psalm 105:7-8

January 2015 Bulletin: Don't Give Up On God

Lead article from the January 2015 bulletin, online now.

Lyrics from Casting Crowns, “Praise You in this Storm”

I was sure by now

God You would have reached down

And wiped our tears away

Stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say "Amen,"

and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

It is easy to Praise God when everything is going well for you and your family; on the same token we find it all to easy to curse God when things don’t go the way we planned.  I know all too well from experience how easy it is to get frustrated and give up on God.  Many of you know part of my story and for those who don’t, you soon will.  The Holidays are always tough on us for my wife and I have lost many pregnancies over the years, the hardest of which is the loss of my son Connor who was still born at 36 weeks.  It took me a while to get over this loss and I did a ton of blaming everyone from my wife to the doctors to God.  It has been over 10 years already and I can’t help but think how things could have been.  As I reflect on this and the other losses I see that this helped form me into who I am today.  It helped me to realize that I was on the wrong path and I needed to bring God back into my family.  So I guess what I am saying that even in your darkest hour, God is still with you and will help you along your journey if you help him.  I still find myself wandering and from time to time; I am still a work in progress, I guess.  But I know that if I stay strong in my faith and help my family stay strong in their faith we can make it through anything.

I remember when

I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry to you

And you raised me up again

My strength is almost gone

How can I carry on

If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls

I barely hear You whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The Maker of Heaven and Earth

My little words of advice: even though you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, keep your faith and keep moving forward.  No matter what life brings you -- the ups, downs, twists, and turns -- don’t turn your back on your faith and know that God is with you on your journey.

God Bless,

Jim Wiegers

Grand Knight

November 2014 Bulletin: Work, Pray, Love

Lead article from the November 2014 bulletin, online now. 

So this month I took the easy way out and found an article that I thought was appropriate with the elections coming up and  with what has happened the last few years in society.

Work, Pray, Love: Archbishop Chaput's advice for modern Christians

“Religious believers should acknowledge that they are now 'strangers' in U.S. society, in part because of their own failures, but should nevertheless work for renewal and worship God with joy”, said Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput.

“Our job is to be the healthy cells in a society.  We need to work as long as we can, as hard as we can, to nourish the good that remains in our country – and there’s a deep well of good that does remain – and to encourage the seeds of a renewal that can only come from our young people.”

Archbishop Chaput’s comments came in his Oct. 20 Erasmus Lecture, a webcast event sponsored by First Things Magazine and the Institute on Religion in Public Life.

“We should hope because God loves us.  And that’s more than an empty piety,” the archbishop said.  “The proof of it is sitting right next to you in the friends who believe, as you do, in the goodness that still resides in American life, and who want to fight for it.  In Christian belief, God’s Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The world changed.”

“Our job is to echo his Word by helping our witness become flesh in the structures, moral imagination and bloodstream of the world around us,” he added.  “If that happens, the world will change again.”

The archbishop reflected on the many changes in American society.  The title of his speech, “Strangers in a Strange Land,” alluded to the estrangement of religious believers who “once felt rooted in their communities” but now feel “like strangers, out of place and out of sync in the land of their birth.”

He said “the biggest failure, the biggest sadness, of so many people of my generation, including parents, educators and leaders in the Church, is our failure to pass along our faith in a compelling way to the generation now taking our place.”

“If we want to change the culture of a nation, we need to begin by taking a hard look at the thing we call our own faith.  If we don’t radiate the love of God with passion and courage in the example of our daily lives, nobody else will – least of all the young people who see us most clearly and know us most intimately.”

“But the real problem in America in 2014 isn’t that we believers are foreigners.  It’s that our children and grandchildren aren’t.”

Archbishop Chaput stressed the importance of worship and the adoration of God as more important than action.

“We are a people of worship first, and action second,” he said.  There is no real political action or social service “unless it flows out of the adoration of God.”

“Adoration grounds our whole being in the real reality: the fact that God is God, and man is his creation,” he said.

Christians forget at their peril that they are “in the world but not of the world,” he continued.

Citing the French writer Henri De Lubac, the archbishop said that “when the world worms its way into the life of the Church, the Church becomes not just a caricature of the world, but even worse than the world in her mediocrity and ugliness.”

Archbishop Chaput criticized several other trends in the U.S., where he said freedom is “more and more” constrained.

Freedom has been defined as the maximization of personal choice, especially through modern technology.  Democracy and government has also become an expression of consumer preference, with “very little space for common meaning, classic virtue or shared purpose.”

The U.S. Supreme Court’s Oct. 6 refusal to hear state appeals defending marriage amendments “creates a tipping point in American public discourse,” he said.  “The dismemberment of any privileged voice that biblical belief once had in our public square is just about complete.”

The archbishop said that the “most disturbing” aspect of the marriage debate was “the destruction of public reason that it accomplished.”

“Emotion and sloganeering drove the argument,” he said.  “People who uphold a traditional moral architecture for sexuality, marriage and family have gone in the space of just 20 years from mainstream conviction to the media equivalent of racists and bigots.”

“This is impressive. It’s also profoundly dishonest and evil, but we need to acknowledge the professional excellence of the marketing that made it happen.”

Hope you enjoyed the article, and God bless,

Jim Wiegers
Grand Knight

October 2014 Bulletin: The Tree of Life

Lead article from the October 2014 bulletin, online now.

A few weeks back I had the pleasure to hang out with two other Knights and a wife of one them.  We had good conversation and some very good home brew.  We somehow got onto the topic of our faith and how we explain it to friends or acquaintances from other denominations.

The one way that caught my attention was by referring to the Tree of Life to help explain why we believe in our faith.  As you probably already know, in Catholic Christianity, the Tree of Life represents the immaculate state of humanity free from corruption and original sin before The Fall.  Pope Benedict XVI has said that "the Cross is the true Tree of Life."  Saint Bonaventure taught that the medicinal fruit of the Tree of Life is Christ Himself.  Saint Albert the Great taught that the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, is the Fruit of the Tree of Life.

I may have missed some of the details so I hope they forgive me if I misquote. But here is how she explained it to others that I found interesting: The roots are from Jesus and his teaching deep in the ground and strong.  Then you have our Catholic Faith like the trunk sturdy and strong firmly attached to the roots.  Attached to the trunk you have branches which would be like other Christian religious like Lutheran, Protestants, which have some of the same beliefs but can become damaged and fall from the trunk.  From those branches you get to the leaves which are like Bob’s church—they pop up and fall off to the ground and other leaves grow in its place, loosely tied to roots, and trunk of the tree.  I thought that was a really good way to explain our faith and how attached we are to the roots, Jesus.

This is a good way to communicate to others without offending them or their religion for as you know to have a tree you need all these parts and we are all striving to know our God the Father better.

God bless,

Jim Wiegers

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

-- Hebrews 12:28-29

Spend Time With Christ in Adoration

The Knights of Columbus have been acting as God’s hands and feet on Earth for over 130 years. Knights have performed countless charitable acts in communities all over the world and continue the fight for Catholic family values. The Venerable Michael McGivney’s great vision is alive and well—but much like solders need to drill to keep sharp for the fight, so too must Knights train in order to be at the ready.

Our training is rooted in the strength of our faith and our relationship with Jesus Christ. After all, who better to go into contemporary cultural battles with than our lord and savior? How better to grow closer to Christ than through prayer? And what better form of prayer than Eucharistic Adoration?

Please allow me to discard the technical definition for the purposes of this article, which is to define what it means for the average Catholic man to come and spend quality time with his lord and savior Jesus Christ. Friendships are built over time; they become stronger with each hour they are together. The same is true with your relationship with Jesus Christ. Come  spend an hour per week in the Adoration Chapel getting closer to your redeemer. You can do it in your own way, no profundity is needed here. Just come to talk, pray, or just sit and listen to what he has to tell you. There is something very spiritual, therapeutic, and satisfying when you come to adoration after a long week of life’s joys and trials. Your savior does not require that you pre-qualify; there are no tests or expectations. Come if your faith is strong; come if you are struggling. Bring with you your humanity, with all of its burdens, joys, and sorrows, and spend an hour talking and visiting with your savior and good friend Jesus Christ.

There is currently a need in the adoration chapels at St. Michael and St. Albert churches. Please prayerfully consider signing up for one of the hours of need. For information, go to stmcatholicchurch.org and churchofst.albert.org and check Eucharistic Adoration heading.

Thank you, and God bless. 

Your Chancellor, 

Gary Frandsen

Don't Miss Catholic Man Night at St. Michael Historic Church!

Fr. Peter Richards, Fr. Nathan LaLiberte and the Knights of Columbus Council 4174 invite fathers and sons to a special Catholic Man Night event:

Fr. Michael Skluzacek

“The Emotions of Jesus Christ”

Friday, Aug. 23, 2013, 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Historic St. Michael Catholic Church 

14 Main Street North in St. Michael

This great father-son event includes adoration, confession, Fr. Skluzacek’s reflections and discussion, a man-feast, fellowship, and a raffle!

Please download and share our online flyer with Catholic men you know in the area. Information about upcoming monthly Catholic Man Night events and catechesis about about Jesus Christ can be found at CatholicManNight.com.

Former Chaplain Speaks on Catholic Social Teaching Tomorrow!

Fr. Meyers

Brothers: Please don't forget the June Council Meeting tomorrow, Thursday, June 6, at the St. Albert Parish Center. Our former chaplain, Fr. Nathaniel Meyers (now at Our Lady of Grace in Edina), and our Past Grand Knight Steve House will be speaking on Catholic social teaching.

A light supper begins at 6:30, with the presentation beginning around 7 and the monthly business meeting to follow. Join us!