May 2019 Bulletin: Easter Vigil

Lead article from the May 2019 bulletin, online now.

For the first forty-nine years of my life, the Easter Vigil meant nothing to me. That all changed at the Easter Vigil 2009 when Fr. Gregory Abbott and Fr. Michael Becker led me into the water as a Catechumen as I welcomed the light of Christ. I found myself immersed in the same baptismal font that my youngest daughter Anna was baptized in five years earlier. I had literally followed all three of my girls into the faith.

The occurrence would not have taken place without them. God set me on my path in February 1986 aged twenty six years. The journey was started as a result of my signature on a document that clearly explained my commitment to raise my future children in the Catholic faith. Father Joe at St. Gerard's Catholic church would not marry us without it. After all, I was being honest when I informed him of my agnostic beliefs. We hoped to have a bunch of kids, but they did not come.

The next 14 years were filled with infertility, doctors and frustration. As a Catholic, my wife Gina prayed on it. I also offered prayers that followed within my agnostic parameters, you know, "If you are up there please present us with children" type of prayer.

Those prayers were answered in 2001- 2003 when we journeyed to the Russian Republic on four occasions and gained our daughters through adoption. We moved to Albertville between daughters and set up shop. We were reminded of our commitment to raise our daughters Catholic and began to attend Mass on Sundays. Father Siebenaler then baptized Marina in 2003 and Father Michael Becker baptized Anna in the new church in 2005.

For the next five years I attended Mass with my family on a weekly basis. I behaved myself as a non-Catholic and stayed in my seat during communion while paying close attention to that which was going on around me. I asked Gina many questions about the Mass the stand- up-sit down stand-up sit-down, the doing of the dishes and such. What I witnessed also was a lot of men bringing their families to church, and leading them to faith filled lives.

This began to chip away at my uncertain position about Christ and God. I began to watch the EWTN network and studied Pope John Paul to some extent due to his huge cultural impact in the Christian world. My wife asked me if I was stalking the Catholic church. I guess I was, and we placed both girls on the list to attend the Catholic school and continued attending Mass. One day I found my way to Father Abbott's office discussing the RCIA program. I joined and spent the next year pouring over the Catechism.

The long, 49-year, meandering path then ended in 2009 at the Easter Vigil where Fr. Abbott and Fr. Becker led me into that same baptismal font that my daughter was led into five years earlier. The congregation that night could not have made me feel more welcome. I was bathed in Christ's light for the first time in my life. Delivered there in no small part due to my three girls.

So when you are thinking about which Easter service to attend, please consider the wonderful Easter Vigil. Where else can you witness a large group of people coming into the light of Jesus and embraced by his welcoming arms?

God bless, 

Gary Frandsen

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

February 2019 Bulletin: Miracle of Life, Culture of Death

Lead article from the February 2019 bulletin, online now.

Think for a few minutes back to your youth when life was full of energy, reckless abandon and sheer excitement. When all of Gods miracle's were first presented before your inquisitive eyes. You probably played with your friends each day until the earth blocked the days light. Think about how play had worn you down and how quickly you fell into sleep. Every new day was met with the same eager commitment. Think of how your parents must have looked on at your youth with just as much joy and excitement reminding them of their youth, innocence, and vigor for life. Think of your grandparents and relatives looking on during family gatherings at all the children playing and how it might have reminded them of their youth and the beauty of life. Try to comprehend the sum total of all the blessings in your life. Think of all that you are and all you ever will be. Even the sadness, pain and misery inexorably connected to what you have become. Think of the grace that finally released you from that pain and doubt.

Think then of how your mom must have felt with you growing in her womb. The life about to be brought forth and what would come of it. What would your personality be like? Your sense of humor? Your laughter? Those secrets of course would remain mysteries that would only reveal themselves while watching you grow. Think of her thoughts as you kicked and fidgeted within the warm comfortable confines of her womb.

There is and was of course one who did know. From him no secret could be held. One who had designed. One who had determined. One who had chosen. One who knew intimately the tone of your laughter and the signature of your smile. By now you know of whom I speak. All of this He knew the moment your mother's egg was fertilized. All of this was set into motion by His hands, just as his hand set the stars tumbling throughout the sky above.

Each and every embryo God has ever created has a life in front of him/her. Each one a possible patriarch or matriarch of dozens if not hundreds of lives. So when the abortionist reaches for the tools of his/her misguided trade, and his/her final act on the operating table brings about the release of the soul of a beautiful baby to fly on angels wings into Gods arms, one can only imagine the pain that our Lord feels. He knows intimately and all too well the hurt as He himself watched His only Son on the cross.

I am convinced there is a place where all of these babies reside. Surely, It is the most joyful and laughter filled place in heaven. One day we can all hope to hear the laughter they were robbed of here on earth. My wife and girls attended the March for Life last week and inspired me to contribute some small thing.

You may think these words over the top and idealized. I believe this message can't be overstated. You need to ask yourself if it's even possible to exaggerate or idealize the snuffing out of a baby's life. We live in a culture where half of us believe it's okay to terminate a pregnancy because it's inconvenient to our lifestyle. Or we may fear the child might not have a good quality of life. How dare we endeavor to do this dark work! To end that which He has begun. Shame on us!

I am told to pray for the abortionist. OK, I will, but only as time allows having prayed for all those innocents whose lives were snatched from within reach of the living. And the poor mother who must now live with her decision. March for Life received a few minutes of coverage on most news channels. C-SPAN aired a rebuttal of sorts before and after the event (as if stopping the purposeful killing of a human life somehow deserves a rebuttal). How in God's name did we get to this place? It's up to us to convince our political leaders and pro-choicers that this is profoundly wrong. Please resolve to do something this year to help these innocent souls. God bless.

P.S. There is a movie coming out later this year called "Unplanned" it may change the direction in the argument about abortion. Please make plans to go see it. Bring someone who is pro-choice with you..

P.S.S. Disclosure statement: Insomuch as it relates to this article and my being welcomed into the Church in 2009. Back in 1979 as a senior at Robbinsdale High School having been prompted by my English teacher, I wrote a similar paper based on the songs "Brain Damage" and "Eclipse" that run together from the album "Dark Side of the Moon" written by David Gilmour and Rodger Waters of the rock band "Pink Floyd". I wrote about the songs and how spiritual I thought they were--the first of which, "Brain Damage" being an allegory on life turned upside down (our current pro-death abortion culture); the other, "Eclipse," a reflection on affirmation and redemption. Little did my English teacher know it would send me in some small way on a path to the church some 30 years later. If you haven't you should listen to it and see if you agree.

Gary Frandsen
Grand Knight

December 2018 Bulletin: The Catholic Tent

Lead article from the December 2018 bulletin, online now.

As Catholics, we get up on Sunday, morning, get dressed and make our way to Mass. It could be in Albertville, St. Michael or anywhere else on the planet. We come to give thanks. We come to seek direction. We come to acknowledge the beliefs we hold dear. Our lives may be running like a finely tuned sports car as we listen to the homily. We are doing what we think is natural and good. We see all around us in church our friends and other familiar faces. We see role-model leaders who receive special blessings and gifts allowing them to rise in order to give practical proof that what we strive for can be done. We see great marriages based on love and faith. We see those who hold a secure and steady job over the years creating comprehensive family stability. Our priests articulate our Catholic beliefs during Mass and explain to us how to live out the faith.

We all then walk back through those same church doors into our cars and smack headlong into something called the human condition---the sometimes harsh, on-the-ground, real-life week to come. There are those whose lives are not running like a finely tuned sports car. Theirs are more like an old beat-up Chevrolet overdue for a tune-up. Their marriages may be neglected and weakened. Their kids may not be burdened with seamless transitions into the teenage years. Many have to work their butts off to get Bs. They may be struggling with poverty, unemployment, addiction or severe health issues, physical or psychological. Any fill-in-the-blank human condition reality. No one leaving Mass on Sunday is immune from these possible predicaments including our leaders and priests.

It's important that we hold this truth close, lest we fall into an idealized fiction we cannot reach. The saints are among those we hold most dear. They are great examples of those who were able to overcame the world by lifting their faith in Christ above all. Their stories are replete with how they were able to meet and defeat the human condition through faith. Their sufferings in some cases were beyond our imaginations. Many of their stories seem idealized and beyond credulity. One thing we know for sure is they all had to live within that same condition.

I am a fair distance from the starting line to sainthood, let alone the finish, and would think myself foolish and pretentious to believe I could be close. One interesting observation in my limited study of the saints is that very many of them chose a life of solitude versus settling down and having a load of kids, a bunch actually leaving arranged marriages to give all to Christ. (Just saying....somebody should write a book about this.)

Let's remember this Christmas to pray for all who are struggling and remember that they sit in the same pews that we do every Sunday. It is true that the Catholic tent is filled with strong families. It is no less true that there are many families who struggle. Most I suspect are mired in the middle (my family included). One thing is for sure, the answers for all families can be discovered in Christ within the walls of their local Catholic Church. Merry Christmas to everyone.

God bless,

Gary Frandsen
Grand Knight

August 2018 Bulletin: Dryer Sheets and the Pro-Life Battle

Lead article from the August 2018 bulletin, online now.

I remember well the time in my life when I discovered the dryer sheet. I believe these important little wonders are underappreciated. My clothes would sometimes linger in the machine much too long after the last cycle had spun. The result of this was a slight mildew/rot-like smell that would remain even after they were sent to the dryer. I had no idea these little gems existed until one day I extracted a small box of them from our mailbox. They were sent to me free from the manufacturer. How did they know that I would always pass through the laundry aisle indifferent to any of the products there. 

I then began to receive breakfast cereals, snack products, laundry detergent products and more. It was like mailbox magic. I would grab them and quickly look around as if I was getting away with something, then scurry home to try them. These free gifts were delightful.

Flash forward many years....The other day I came upon another freebee in my mailbox. It was a certificate for birth control pills without a prescription. (See above.)The offer was disguised as a pill study and open to all ages. It would also include a special deal to compensate participants for their time. 

Wow! We've come a long, long way since free dryer sheets and Coco Puffs. As a Catholic pro-life advocate, I suddenly felt that the pro-life movement had taken a major hit. As if a World War II "Missouri" class battleship had just emptied nine 16-inch shells from its massive gun turret directly into the home of the pro-life base. 

 How can you fight this? Free birth control pills and free cash as a reward for preventing life. What's next? Free morning-after pills? Abortion vouchers? Who on earth knows? 

The certificate that found its way into my mailbox was offered to any age participant. The picture on the certificate showed a healthy and eager group of young girls grinning happily. I am pretty sure most reading this are engaged in the pro-life struggle. If not, this sheet of paper that may or may not have arrived in your mailbox hopefully will have given you a nudge to join the battle. 

God bless,

Gary Frandsen

Grand Knight

May 2018: Building the Domestic Church: The Family Fully Alive

Lead article from the May 2018 bulletin, online now.

By Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson

In founding the Knights of Columbus, Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney sought to respond to the crisis in family life affecting Catholics in 19th-century America. As a young man he witnessed firsthand the challenges his widowed mother faced with seven children at home. Later, as a priest, he confronted on a daily basis the problems affecting the families of his parish community due to poverty, violence, alcoholism, immigration, anti-Catholic prejudice and discrimination.

Father McGivney’s vision for family life was not only that each family might find financial and material aid. He understood that holiness is the calling of all baptized Christians. And considering that two brothers followed him into the priesthood, we can understand how truly important the sanctuary of the home was to the McGivney family.

His family was a living example of what the second Vatican Council later taught: each man, woman and child is called to holiness through proclaiming the Gospel and communicating the divine gift of love in the activities of their daily lives.

When Christian families respond in this way to the design of the Creator, they become a “domestic church” that, as Pope Paul VI explained, mirrors “the various aspects of the entire Church.” (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 71).

The modern family recently has been a topic of particular focus for the Church, with the two-year synod on the family and the post-synodal exhortation by Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love). During this time, the Knights of Columbus has been involved in supporting families in their Christian vocation through our new Building the Domestic Church While Strengthening our Parish initiative. This initiative, which includes The Family Fully Alive program, is designed to help families become more centered on their task of serving God, neighbor and parish.

Since the second Vatican Council, and especially during the pontificate of St. John Paul II, it has become clear that the family is “the way of the Church.” In one sense, this obviously means that the family is the object of the Church’s evangelization efforts.

But the Christian family too has its own indispensable mission. As St. John Paul II wrote in Familiaris Consortio, “The family has the mission to guard, reveal and communicate love.” This mission is at the heart of the “community of life and love” that begins with the married couple in the sacrament of matrimony.

To lead us in that mission we are fortunate to have a guidebook — Pope Francis’ exhortation Amoris Laetitia— to help us build the Catholic family as a domestic church. In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis describes the Church as “a family of families.” He reminds us to view the family as the sanctuary of life and love that is at the heart of the domestic church. Our Knights’ families can take special guidance from Pope Francis as he calls us to a new “family apostolate” based upon “joy-filled witness as domestic churches.” Our parish-based councils also have a role in connecting men and their families with the parish.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us, “Conjugal love involves a totality, in which all the elements of the person enter. … It aims at a deeply personal unity, a unity that, beyond union in one flesh, leads to forming one heart and soul.” In other words, sacramental marriage involves not just an agreement between the spouses but a radical transformation of the spouses.

As Pope Benedict XVI wrote in Deus Caritas Est, “Marriage based on an exclusive and definitive love becomes the icon of the relationship between God and his people and vice versa. God’s way of loving becomes the measure of human love.”

In this way, the witness of husband and wife within the daily life of the family can guard, reveal and communicate love as they make their own the gifts of marriage — unity, indissolubility, faithfulness and openness to new life.

A Vatican document on the role and mission of the family states, “The family needs to be rediscovered as the essential agent in the work of evangelization” (Instrumentum Laboris, 103). It also points to the necessity to better understand the “missionary dimension of the family as a domestic church” (Instrumentum Laboris, 48).

These observations echo those of St. John Paul II, who said, during a meeting with the Latin American bishops in 1979, that “in the future, evangelization will depend largely on the domestic church.” (Pope John Paul II, Address to the Third General Conference of the Latin American Episcopate).

Clearly, the role of the family in the work of evangelization is not primarily a matter of programs, projects or strategies. These all have their place, but they are secondary. Their place is to be at the service of what is essential — the love between a husband and wife that, sanctified through the love of Christ, radiates to each member of their family.

The family as domestic church is a place of encounter with Christ within the community of a particular Christian family — a place where each member of the family has an important role.

The “mission” of the family in the task of evangelization is to be what it is called to be — that is, to live its daily life as a Christian family. As St. John Paul II said so often, “families, become what you are!”

The family’s mission to “guard, reveal and communicate love”— like the parish community — does not exist in an ideal place. The truth and beauty of the family must be communicated to every Christian family, even those that are fragile, wounded or broken. These families too may read the words of St. Paul with confidence: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Rom 8:35). And they may find in that confidence a path of hope and healing.

During his visit to the Philippines, Pope Francis cited the need for “holy and loving families to protect the beauty and truth of the family in God’s plan and to be an example for other families” (Pope Francis, Address to Families at the Mall of Asia Arena. Our Building the Domestic Church initiative and The Family Fully Alive monthly devotions are concrete ways that Knights of Columbus, in solidarity with Pope Francis, can offer holy and loving families for the Church’s mission of evangelization in our time.

April 2018 Bulletin: Easter Vigil

Lead article from the April 2018 bulletin, online now.

For the first forty-nine years of my life, the Easter Vigil meant nothing to me. That all changed at the Easter Vigil 2009 when Fr. Gregory Abbott and Fr. Michael Becker led me into the water as a Catechumen as I welcomed the light of Christ. I found myself immersed in the same baptismal font that my youngest daughter Anna was baptized in five years earlier. I had literally followed all three of my girls into the faith. The occurrence would not have taken place without them.

God set me on my path in February 1986 aged twenty six years. The journey was started as a result of my signature on a document that clearly explained my commitment to raise my future children in the Catholic faith. Father Joe at St. Gerard's Catholic church would not marry us without it. After all, I was being honest when I informed him of my agnostic beliefs. We hoped to have a bunch of kids, but they did not come.

The next 14 years were filled with infertility, doctors and frustration. As a Catholic, my wife Gina prayed on it. I also offered prayers that followed within my agnostic parameters, you know, "If you are up there please present us with children" type of prayer. Those prayers were answered in 2001- 2003 when we journeyed to the Russian Republic on four occasions and gained our daughters through adoption. We moved to Albertville between daughters and set up shop. We were reminded of our commitment to raise our daughters Catholic and began to attend Mass on Sundays. Father Siebenaler then baptized Marina in 2003 and Father Michael Becker baptized Anna in the new church in 2005.

For the next five years I attended Mass with my family on a weekly basis. I behaved myself as a non-Catholic and stayed in my seat during communion while paying close attention to that which was going on around me. I asked Gina many questions about the Mass: the stand-up-sit-down-stand-up-sit-down, the doing of the dishes, and such. 

What I witnessed also was a lot of men bringing their families to church, and leading them to faith filled lives. This began to chip away at my uncertain position about Christ and God. I began to watch the EWTN network and studied Pope John Paul to some extent due to his huge cultural impact in the Christian world. My wife asked me if I was stalking the Catholic church. I guess I was and we placed both girls on the list to attend the Catholic school and continued attending Mass.

One day I found my way to Father Abbott's office discussing the RCIA program. I joined and spent the next year pouring over the Catechism. The long, 49-year, meandering path then ended in 2009 at the Easter Vigil where Fr. Abbott and Fr. Becker led me into that same baptismal font that my daughter was led into five years earlier. The congregation that night could not have made me feel more welcome. I was bathed in Christ's light for the first time in my life, delivered there in no small part due to my three girls. 

So when you are thinking about which Easter service to attend, please consider the wonderful Easter Vigil. Where else can you witness a large group of people coming into the light of Jesus and embraced by his welcoming arms?

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

December 2017 Bulletin: Merry Christmas

Lead article from the December 2017 bulletin, online now.

We have Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's all within the final five weeks of the year. It is a wonderful  opportunity to bring our families together and experience the blessings of the season.

First there is Thanksgiving, a day to get together, bond and give thanks for all we have.  It is relatively stress-free, and you can eat great food and watch football all day.  It sets the table, if you will, for Christmas inasmuch as it refocuses us on the most profound and influential things in our lives: our faith and our families.

Try as it may, the secular world, filled with its hyper-consumerism, glam and outright indifference to Christ, can never diminish our Savior from the season. We spend many stressful hours shopping, preparing, running, planning and worrying. When Christmas finally comes we find ourselves giving it up to Christ at Mass. Millions of Americans in countless communities fill our churches. God refocuses us and sets our year's end on His terms.

Even unbelievers in the secular world are compelled to take stock in their disbelief. Does Christ not cross the minds of doubters as they lay awake just having watched their children at their most happy? They know what the day is about. Does the plastic nativity scene made in China that a stressed-out father struggling in his faith plugs in the day after Thanksgiving not give him pause? What about those factory workers in China seeing them roll by the assembly line? How many of them have explored Jesus as a result of this?

These are not just rhetorical questions. I truly have not a clue, but surely God has countless ways to plant Himself in our conscience.

Every year we watch A Christmas Carol in its many incarnations. A miraculous allegory written by Charles Dickens, a self proclaimed Christian who never mentions Christ in the novelette, but for his final entry when Tiny Tim proclaims, "May God bless us, everyone."  The story itself glistens with biblical references and values.  Many must have been moved by this story and many others during the holiday season.  I wish all Knights and their families a very merry and blessed Christmas.

Gary Frandsen
Grand Knight

November 2017 Bulletin: God’s Not Dead! He Is Surely Alive!

Lead article from the November 2017 bulletin, online now. Reminder: The November council meeting is moved to Thursday, Nov. 9!

OK, so in 1990 I ventured out of my indifference to embrace my higher power that was and is God almighty.  I left behind my irreligious, if not atheist, upbringing that stood at odds with that which was all around me.  I was no longer an agnostic; I was officially a believer.  What then to do?  It was much easier just to believe in God than to sort through all the organized manifestations of worship.

Because the beauty of my natural surroundings brought me to where I was, pantheism seemed the place where I stood.  I saw God everywhere!  Nature was God, and it left me underwhelmed.  It gave me little passion.  I could never bring myself to hug a tree.  Nature was awesome!  But God created nature.  I was much more likely to cut it down and have a fire.  My kids then came, and I remembered a commitment.  My wife Gina was Catholic, and Father Joe at St. Gerard's would only marry us if we agreed to raise our kids in the Catholic faith.

We started going to Mass and enrolled them in the parish school.  I found passion as I observed the way fathers and husbands led their families to Mass and conducted themselves.  I then realized and embraced the truth of Jesus Christ.  I went thru RCIA and was led into the water by Fr. Gregory Abbott at the Easter Vigil 2009, the same baptismal font my daughter Anna was baptized in five years earlier.  I then went through CRHP and joined the KCs. I became hyperactive with all things Catholic.  And then one day I was told it was my job to get my family to heaven.  What?!  Great, I was pretty sure I would not be allowed safe passage considering some things I left out of the introduction I just wrote.   Now I was faced with a heavy task, like three tons laid on my shoulders.  Just do good works, go to Mass and enroll them in the parish school? That was all I needed do, right?

All of a sudden it all seemed insufficient.  I worked 60 hours a week and only saw my wife and kids on weekends, which were also filled with doing "good works" and such.  Was I doing too much?  Was it getting in the way of my task?  It looked as if the train was going to derail.  Flash forward eight years or so, and I am now retired with two teenage girls and a wife who still needed me to help get them to heaven.

I now have more time. I also have much more to do.  I thought I could get it all in if I did not work.  What was I thinking?  I found myself losing ground to contemporary culture (they wanted to go to a movie about a homicidal clown bent on murdering kids) rather than a Christian one: smart phones, social media apps, pop song lyrics and teenage drama to beat the band!  The train is still clearly in danger of coming off the rails.  I sometimes search and long for signs of progress.  Some evidence that my duty is not left undone.  They are only going to be with us for five or six more years.  I spend much time worrying about it, praying on it, thinking about it and trying to unwrap its mysteries.

Recently, following some significant turbulence there was a time of peace and enjoyment on a family three-day outing in Rochester, where these signs came in at a pace I was not prepared for.  My daughters both made me aware upon arrival that we would need to plan for Mass.  We toured the city on foot, ate at expensive restaurants, laughed and had the most fun we have had in a long time.  Marina asked me if she could go with her friend to a Catholic youth retreat called Steubenville next summer.  Anna wanted to listen to Christian pop music the whole time there.  We walked our dogs in the park in between showing them in competition, and the girls worked together at the dog show.  It seemed too good to be true, but it was true.  An answer to my prayers?

We arrived home and my wife was at work and the kids were in school while I was chasing dust balls and dog hair bunnies with my "Shark" vacuum. When going by my little Anna's room I sent skidding across the room a piece of art that had been taped to her door and fallen.  It had been there since the third grade. The artwork read, "Gods Not Dead He Surely A Live," and it was a drawing of Anna, God, God's people, the sun and a roaring male lion, maybe representing  fathers trying to get their kids to heaven.

Was it a sign that the weekend had not been a fluke, that indeed the train to heaven was not derailed?  Had God himself caused the bonds to be loosed?  It was progress in my task to help get them where we all long to be.  God can do anything.  He can surely borrow a third-grader's illustration to bring his point home to a struggling servant on Earth.

God Bless.

Gary Frandsen

Grand Knight

August 2017 Bulletin: How Far Can One Reach By Choosing Life?

Lead article from the August 2017 bulletin, online now.

On September 11th, 2001, at three locations in our United States, nineteen human beings chose death, desolation and darkness.  As a result, two towers filled with life crumbled to the ground on a beautiful New York morning, three airliners smashed into iconic landmarks and one plummeted to the earth as a few passengers fought to their last for precious life. Some 2,996 died and 6,000 were injured.  The victims came from every continent on the earth.  Most looked on in horror.  Those who chose death reached out and touched every corner of civilization. 

At the same time in the city of Stavropol, in Stavropol Krai in Russia, not far from where Osama-Bin-Laden received his initial terrorist training by Russian Chechen separatists, a pregnant divorcing mother by the name of Natalia could think of little other than the child growing in her womb.  She had already made the life choice.  At only 21 years of age, she chose life knowing of her impending divorce.  She had made this choice under very stressful circumstances.  She chose life knowing she could never give her infant the life she longed to give it.  She chose life as she climbed up the stairs and walked thru the front door to Maternity Hospital Of Stavropol.  She had been carrying the baby for over 9 months.  Then, a few weeks after the events of 9/11, Natalia gave birth to life.  Her next choice was to give her baby girl a beautiful name.  I could never presume to understand the emotions that tore through her as she made her final heart-wrenching choice the next day and climbed down those same stairs away from the hospital without the precious baby girl she had named Marina.  Little did she know how far her choice would stretch. Little did she know the profound effect her choice would have on two people thousands of miles away.  Two people who had prayed for the gift of life for a very long time.  A married couple who had exhausted their natural birth options.  One Catholic, one a lukewarm believer.

We had been working with an adoption agency in Anoka for about a year and that by means of planes, trains, automobiles, translators, lawyers and Russian judges finally delivered us thousands of miles directly East along the 45th degree latitudinal line to an orphanage in Stavropol, Russia.  The beautiful Caucasus Mountains served as a background in this region of Russia where we were to realize our hopes and prayers. At that point, baby Marina had been there for some 8 months along with dozens of other babies whose mothers chose life.  They all ate at the same time.  They were all given human attention during the day at around the same time.  They were all carried to the potty at the same time.  Many Russian orphanage babies are potty trained before they reach the age of one due to strict orphanage routines.  We were struck by the quiet in the baby room where the cribs were lined up in neat rows filled with quiet babies looking up at a stark white ceiling. 

We later discovered that their cries quickly diminish as they go unanswered, eventually stopping altogether.  Apparently, they stop when they realized no one would respond.  This is due to lack of staffing and nothing to do with neglect by orphanage volunteers who were truly caring and who delivered attention when they could. 

After a quick tour they ushered us into an empty room where we sat for some time finally succumbing to exhaustion after 28 plus hours of travel with little sleep.  We awoke as Andrew, our fun and animated Russian interpreter excitedly burst into the room with a beautiful baby girl named Marina whom he placed in my wife's arms.  For the first time in Marina's life, she felt the warmth of a mothers embrace.  The sound of crying that then filled the room came not from any baby, but from my wife.  When we finally arrived home with Marina some six weeks later, we positioned a recliner next to her crib so she would not be alone on her first night.  For that night and for some months to come, our baby girl would reach out from the crib every hour or so, her little fingers searching in the dark until satisfied she was not alone. 

One year later we found our way back in Russia arriving via railway to a station in Voronezh, Russia to meet another baby girl. She was in a communal play area at the orphanage in a walker chasing and harassing others in her play area.  Her birth name was Anaya; the orphanage staff called her "Annitchka;" we named her Anna.  Her mother and father had been deprived of their parental rights. She had been neglected and was undersized suffering from failure to thrive.  We were told she was likely raised in an abusive environment and that she was not fed much in her first year.  Her five siblings were placed in orphanages all over the Republic of Russia and she would likely never see them again.  Anna had serious burns on the back of her leg that required skin grafts aged only seven months.  We were told that her weak and undersized body failed to produce hormone at the proper rate and she required HGH. To this date she injects hormone from a needle into herself every night before bedtime.

Within a few weeks of arriving home, she acquired the chicken pox and RSV and spent five days at the Monticello Hospital in an oxygen tent.  Anna developed self soothing techniques in the orphanage to cope with the stresses of her early experiences.  She has also been diagnosed with severe dyslexia. Anna has overcome all of this by drawing from her sheer joy for life, optimism and an energy that never fails to astound me.  These character traits have served our family well.

Having related all of this, I must also point out that Anna's mother chose life.  I have no clue the trials that she as a mother and her family went thru. I do know that she chose life in spite of her circumstances.  She too reached thousands of miles to us as a result of her choosing life.  Her decision reached out to me and pointed me in no small way to Christ.  Insomuch as my girls, in a very real sense, are the reason I am now Catholic.  They took me by their little hands and led me to RCIA.  Only then, having become Catholic could I see clearly the path God had chosen for my family.  He calls all fathers and Knights to lead their families to heaven.  My two girls are the strongest people I have ever known, and no one comes close.  They are survivors.  It matters not what happens to them, they just get up, brush it off and move on.  They have no fear.

Gina and I wanted a large family.  He had other plans for us.  How far can one reach by choosing life?  The answer is different for everyone.  For me it is simple.  It reached across oceans.  It stretched the length of a baby's arm as she sought comfort in the night. The choice of life gave me my two girls who every day reach deep into my heart.  As a husband, the choice of  life has given us a more meaningful marriage.  As a Catholic, the choice of life has given me purpose, direction and comfort in Christ.  And as a Knight of Columbus, the choice of life has given me a way to make a direct impact and give back to my community.  As a family, we are subject to life's vagaries and trials as any other family.  Some of the time I forget my role and fall hard.  Most of the time I forget my girls are adopted.  They are all American and ours in every way.  I will however never forget the far reaching effects of the two mothers in Russia who chose life.  Who chose life no matter the raw realities in which they lived.  For this I will be forever grateful.  I pray that they have found peace and comfort in their lives.

God bless.

Gary Frandsen

Grand Knight

March Bulletin: Father-Son/Father Daughter Events Successful!

From the March 2017 bulletin, online now.

Everyone had a great time at the Father-Son event and the Father-Daughter dance.  We had 60+ in attendance at the Father-Son day at the Monticello community center, swimming, rock climbing, shooting hoops and eating pizza.

It was wonderful watching 225+ handsome fathers and their beautiful daughters dancing and "bustin' some moves" at the Father-Daughter Dance at St Albert's Parish Center.  DJ Bill Lage spun the disks, and Michelle LeMonds snapped some great photos.  Donald Duck made an appearance and the well=dressed dancers snacked on goodies provided by the KCs. Special thanks to my wife Gina, and the Patton, Kunzman, and VanHoorik families for their help making these fantastic events happen.

God bless,

Gary Frandsen

Deputy Grand Knight

January 2017 Bulletin: The Value of Memories

Lead article from the January 2017 bulletin, online now!

This month our family drove down to Orlando for a week. Sandwiched in between 50-some hours of driving was a week filled with Disney World, swimming in the ocean, and maybe a few hours of actual vacation. We had been talking about taking this trip for years and knew that with our oldest leaving the house next year we needed to pull the trigger.

For those that have been there recently you know how expensive of a vacation this can be and it is really hard to justify spending that much money on a trip. We always think of the things we need (or think we need) and how that money could cover a remodel project we've been putting off too long or a down payment on a new vehicle or any number of other things on our list.

It's hard to quantify a trip because when you're home you don't have anything to show for it except some pictures and souvenirs. What we fail to quantify are the memories. When your kids are grown up and come home for Christmas you will probably not be talking about that basement remodel that's now ready to be refreshed or that rusty truck in the garage that is far from new. What you will talk about is that trip you took to Florida in 2016. You will talk about how miserable it was sitting in a van with 9 people hour after hour or the never-ending spectacle that is Disney.

As much as it seemed like a lot of work and stress for my wife and me, it's amazing how much the kids actually got out of it and so many things that they will never forget.  As 2016 winds down and you are spending the holidays with your family think about the memories you made this year and make a resolution to make some great ones next year.

God Bless, 

JoeVanhoorik

Grand Knight

* * * * *

THIS MONTH'S MEETING MOVED TO THU 1/12!

Open meeting with wine, beer, and cheese tasting -- bring your spouses!

November 2016 Bulletin: Faith-Based Friendships

Lead article from the November 2016 bulletin, online now.

I’ve watched as my daughter has grown up and how some of her very best friends as a little girl have disappeared completely from her social circle.  It’s interesting because, with some, I could see the conflicting personalities at a young age while there are others who came as a surprise.  As she gets closer to leaving our home and venturing out on her own, my wife and I have some very interesting conversations on what advice we can still give to her.  The topic of friends came up recently, and it really got me thinking about the role they play in our lives.

As a kid your friendships are built around what you did in the past and what you are doing now.  You met your friend because you had something in common (you lived close, were in the same class, your parents knew each other, etc.).  These friendships can last for a long time but eventually if you don’t have the same outlook for the future those friendships start to dwindle.  When you start thinking about the person you want to be, we find that certain friends no longer have so much in common with us.  Personally I find it hard to maintain many of the friendships from my life prior to becoming a faithful man.  It’s nice to reconnect with an old friend and reminisce about the past, but it quickly becomes obvious that our friendship is only tied to the past, and we are more different then we are alike.  Those friendships never go away, but they aren’t the ones that drive you to be a better person.  The friendships you truly value are those that share the same values as you and help you be the person you want to be.  Those friends for me are the ones I’ve developed through the church.  We have different pasts and do different things in the present but we share the same ultimate goal in life.  That goal is to get ourselves and our families into Heaven.  These are friends I can ask for advice on anything and know that if I ever needed them they would be there to support me.  If life sent us to different ends of the world I know that those friendships would not go away.

So my advice to my daughter is to always maintain faith-based friendships no matter where life takes you.  Other friends are great and very important but those friendships created around your faith will always hold you up and never let you forget about your true goal in life.

God Bless, 

Joe VanHoorik

Grand Knight

March 2016 Bulletin: Marriage and Parenting

Lead article from the March 2016 bulletin, online now.

This month my wife an I have been hosting the Marriage in Christ seminar. Its been a great time for us to reconnect as a couple and put a focus back on our marriage. Too often I find myself looking at my wife as the mother of my children and not the person that I joined into the holy sacrament of marriage with. Our kids are young so it's easy to make being a parent the top priority in our relationship. What we forget is that our commitment to each other goes much deeper than being parents. Eventually our children will grow up, leave the house, and start families of their own. Where does that leave us as a couple when this happens? If we can't find time to grow our relationship we will find that we lost each other somewhere along the journey of parenting. In my case (assuming my youngest leaves the house at 18) our parenting journey will last 33 years. That sounds like a long time (and it is), but the reality is we will still be in our early 50s when we find ourselves back where we started, one man and one woman. That leaves a lot of life left to live together if we forget how to enjoy each others company without parenting being the main focus.

My wife can send me into an angry tailspin faster than anything else in this world. But...she can also pull me out of one just as quick. She knows me and all the idiosyncrasies that come with me, and I hers. The ability to tap right into someone's emotions is dangerously powerful and doesn't just happen overnight. Its shows how ingrained the two of you have become as a couple. Don't let this be a bad thing, embrace the fact that you are one body in God's eyes. Men, your responsibilities in life are (in this order): God, Marriage, Children, and then somewhere further down the line, Career. When things get difficult: step back, assess your priorities, and put them back in order.

When did you fall in love with your spouse? What is it about her that made you know she was the woman you wanted to spend the rest of your life with? I challenge you to tell her the answers to these two questions this month and see where that conversation leads you.

God Bless,

Joe

Joe Van Hoorik
Grand Knight

February 2016 Bulletin: Prayer Matters

Lead article from the February 2016 bulletin, online now.

Thank you to all those who came out to the Monica Mize Benefit. I can tell you that during all the planning leading up to the event we never thought it would be as successful as it was. There was so much outpouring from the community that words cannot describe it. I especially want to thank DGK Gary Frandsen for coordinating the spaghetti feed and Andrea Zachman and the CRHP women that did most of the event planning. I also want to thank all the Knights and their families who showed up to help out. I was fortunate enough to help count the proceeds that evening and be able to share the final number with Steve and Monica. That final number, that has grown even more since that evening, turned out to be over $25,000. How amazing is that?

Gary and I were talking while we were cleaning up about how it seemed a little superficial that we did all of this to raise a bunch of money. It just felt like there is something more we can do.  The truth is we did do a lot more than raise money for the family. We got a whole community praying for them. At one point in the evening there was a prayer circle around Monica, which was unbelievably touching to see. We cannot heal the disease or take away the suffering that the family is going through. But we can pray for them and try to take away the worldly stresses as much as possible. Hopefully, the family can focus on healing and spending time together rather than worrying about getting the bills paid. Hopefully our prayers have an impact. Hopefully our community grew a little bit closer. Hopefully we all grew a little bit stronger in our faith.

I also had the pleasure of delivering checks to Cornerstone and the Parish School this month.  It's got to be my favorite part of being Grand Knight.  I get to see first hand the appreciation on the faces of those we help.  It's a blessing I will never forget.  I am very thankful and proud of all of you for what we have built. Keep up the good work!

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

December 2015 Bulletin: Helping Those in Need

Lead article from the December 2015 bulletin, online now!

This month I want to keep it short and simple because we are actively working on a fundraiser benefit for Monica Mize and I want that to be front and center in your minds. For those that don't know Monica, she is a member of the St Michael parish. She was just diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer that has metastasized to her bones causing hypercalcemia. She is looking to fight this battle with a more holistic approach because she is also pregnant with their 8th child and the treatments for the hypercalcemia cannot be prescribed during pregnancy. In addition, the path that the Oncologists would take involves chemotherapy and radiation, which is harmful to the developing baby. Several of the officers met with Monica's CRHP team last week to begin planning a fundraiser for her family. With last month being Respect Life month, I now call on you to take action in supporting our pro-life beliefs. This woman, with seven children at home, is deciding to fight this disease without hurting her unborn child. I could not imagine a more selfless example of being pro-life than what she is doing right now. We must support her and pray for her..

My aunt and godmother were diagnosed with breast cancer in April of this year. This came not even a month after being let go from her job. Due to the intense chemotherapy she's been going through she has not been able to look for a new job and her unemployment benefits have run out. She is not an active member of a parish where she lives and does not have the community support that we have here. I can only do so much to help her and it pains me to see her struggle so hard to get through this. I share this with you not for sympathy but to ask for your prayers and to remind you that we are part of something great. We as the Knights of Columbus and as a Catholic Community are so very blessed to be able to do so much for our own that are struggling and in need. Don't forget that and don't take it for granted because you might be in need of assistance some day. If you can help in any way (time, talent, or treasure) in our upcoming fundraiser for Monica please reach out to myself or another officer.

God Bless!
Joe VanHoorik
Grand Knight

The Knights of Columbus are joining forces with Monica's CRHP team for a comprehensive fundraising event on January 17th culminating with a 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. spaghetti feed at the St Albert’s Parish Center. We will need our spaghetti feed A-Team available to make this feed a huge success!

November 2015 Bulletin: Pro-Life and the Unsung Heroes

Lead article from the November 2015 bulletin, online now.

With October being Respect Life Month there have been plenty of opportunities to reflect on this topic. As a father of 7 it would seem obvious that I am pro-life, but that wasn't always the case.  Of course when someone finds out how many kids I have I get the standard “you must be Catholic” or “you know how that happens right?” or some other comment that drives me crazy.  Why must I be Catholic to have a big family?  The fact is that we were expecting our 4th child before we went through RCIA, so technically we had a big family before fully joining the Church.  But even after having children I still cannot say I was pro-life.  I remember having a very serious conversation with my wife between child 3 and 4 about getting a vasectomy at 26.  We “knew” that we were done having kids after a miscarriage left a bad scar on our marriage.  Thankfully, my procrastination meant that I never got around to making that appointment.  Now, 4 children later, we still seem to have the conversation about being done having kids quite often but permanent prevention is absolutely never an option.  If I have learned anything, its that how I feel today does not mean that I will feel that way in the future.  Life will always give you plenty of opportunities to regret permanent decisions.  I've talked to too many men, especially in our own parish, that have horrible regrets after getting sterilized earlier in their lives.  Fr. Joah put it best in one of his homilies, “being Catholic does not mean having a dozen kids, it means always being open to life and not putting up any barriers to prevent life.”  We as responsible adults are expected to make decisions based on our situation in life and whether we have the resources to raise more children.  The Church doesn't tell us to carelessly have as many children as we can.  We need to be able to provide for those children both financially and emotionally.  There are ways to manage family size without forcing barriers into our bodies.  Don't live your life with regrets, nobody ever regrets another child but they will always regret not having the option to have one more child.

Now let me jump to another, very important side of this issue.  For those of you blessed with biological children ask yourself this question: Would you be the same parent if your children were adopted?  That's a hard question for me to think about because as much as I want to say yes I honestly don't know.  We have been fortunate that we have never had issues conceiving.  I've heard so many heartbreaking stories from men in this community on the struggles of not being able to conceive or bring a pregnancy to full term.  These men and women put everything on the line for that opportunity to be a parent.  Its not until many years pass, lots of tears are shed, and outrageous expenses incurred that many of them finally decide to adopt.  That is if their marriage is still intact after everything they went through.  It's at this point they are faced with yet another daunting challenge in their journey to become parents: more time, more money, and more tears.

After all this they finally get to become parents.  These are people that made sacrifices most couldn't, just to put all that love into raising a child.  How can we deny them that opportunity by not being pro-life?  If these young women only knew what these people go through for the opportunity to adopt their child and the wonderful life they will provide them I think we would see a change of heart.  This is why its so important for us to support pro-life women's centers like Cornerstone.  Places that can get the right information and support to these women.  Never forget these unsung heroes because they are the critical piece of this respect life war we are fighting and they don't get the appreciation they deserve.  Go out and thank an adoptive parent for being the ultimate example of how precious life is and the love that is out there just waiting to embrace these children.

God Bless,

Joe VanHoorik

Grand Knight

October 2015 Bulletin: Catholic Community

Lead article from the October 2015 bulletin, online now.

Community: noun
1. A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
2.  A feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

This last month we got to enjoy the St Michael parish festival.  It amazes me how many people come out to enjoy the festivities of the weekend.  Of course the KC's sponsor the German Dinner on Saturday night, which I must admit is probably my favorite event to work at.  The German Dinner was the first event I worked at when I became a Knight and I remember how much I truly enjoyed myself and how it changed my opinion of the KC's.  I believe this event showcases better than any other what we are all about as Knights of Columbus.  First and foremost we are supporting the church, we conduct the event on church grounds and all profits go directly to the church.  Secondly, we serve the community.  This event draws more that just people looking for good food.  It pays homage to the German heritage that created this community and the people that live here.  The crowd is cheerful and the polka music creates a very nostalgic and friendly atmosphere that gets people to stick around long after they are done eating.  Third, and what impressed me the most as a new knight, was the fraternity between brother knights.  We joke around, we serve a great meal, we support our church, we enjoy a beer together, and we have a great time doing it.  What else defines the KCs better than that?

While at the festival I had the opportunity to meet Angela Erickson, the new director at Cornerstone Options for Women.  I am very excited for the future of Cornerstone.  Angela brings a whole new level of energy and optimism that will take the center to the next level. She will be speaking at our pro-life dinner this month and I encourage you to attend and meet this great addition to a cause we support so greatly.  Aside from our conversation around Cornerstone she made a comment that really got me thinking.  When I introduced myself as the Grand Knight she said: “Aren't you kind of young to be Grand Knight?”  This was awkward, I didn't really know how to answer that statement so while I was trying to think of a response she followed it with: “My husband would like to join the KC's but the men are so much older that he doesn't feel comfortable with it yet.”  Now I understood where the first comment came from.  They are not members of our parish and he is not referring to our council.  I've noticed that its a very common perception of people outside of our community to assume the KCs are strictly a group of older men.  We have a very young and active council.  Just like our parish, our council reflects the unique and vibrant church community we represent.                                                  
What is community?  Community doesn't just apply to where we live.  It applies to the particular characteristic we have in common (Catholics) and the feeling of fellowship with our fellow Catholics.  We have a unique community here that is very rare.  Our church community is not defined by where we live.  We have many parishioners that do not live in the STMA communities.  Its also not defined as just being Catholic.  There are many Catholics churches much closer to many of our parishioners but they still choose to drive out here.  There are also many Catholics in our city that choose to travel to surrounding churches.  Yes, believe it or not, our community is not for everyone and that’s perfectly okay.  Our church community is also not defined by age, social status, or race.  We have such an awesome variety of people that you cannot group us into any other category than by our church community.  Nowhere is our church community more obvious then when you attend the annual festival.  People from all over show up, it even draws a lot of people that aren't even Catholic.  Just like the community we support, our KC council is not your typical council.  We have men of all different ages and social status.  We have more programs and members that most councils.  Every year we see a new group of you men that are on fire with their faith and ready to support this community.  What is it about this church community that drew you in or kept you here?  What can we as Knights of Columbus and Catholic men do to maintain and promote this community so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy it like we are right now?

God Bless!

Joe VanHoorik
Grand Knight