OFFICERS 2011-2012

CHAPLAIN Fr. James Dvorscak

GRAND KNIGHT Donald Bauc

DEPUTY GK Richard Ciancio

CHANCELLOR Donald Zich

ADVOCATE David Adams

RECORDER Michael Baker

TREASURER George Curtin

FIN. SECRETARY Daniel Michalak

WARDEN Thomas Lulinski

OUTSIDE GUARD: Vincent DiFiori

INSIDE GUARDS:

Albert Sparks Da-

vid Korbel

TRUSTEES:

3 YEAR James Peppmuller

2 YEAR Peter Baker

1 YEAR Robert Strezo

FIELD AGENT: Tim Becker

KNIGHT OF THE QUARTER:

David Adams

DECEMBER, 2011

Volume 6, #6 MOKENA KNIGHTHOOD

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE

ST MARY COUNCIL CALL

Donald Zich

@ (708) 606 4273

or Donald Bauc

@ (708 479 8160

WWW.MOKENAKNIGHTS.ORG

ST MARY KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL 6993, PO BOX 2, MOKENA, IL 60448

Glory to God in the highest

PICTURES WITH

SANTA! As you can see from the picture,

Council 6993 has an intimate rela-

tionship with Santa Claus. Santa

has agreed to come to St Mary

Church on the weekend of Decem-

ber 3 and 4 so that the children of

parishioners can meet him and sit

on his lap for pictures. The knights

sell the pictures for a nominal fee.

Bring your children or grandchildren

downstairs to Burnett Hall after any

Mass. The knights will be assisting

Santa and will produce pictures “on

the spot” for parents and grandpar-

ents. Santa’s elves (council volun-

teers) will be there to help.

LIFE INSURANCE-EASY TO PUT OFF Buying life insurance is something that’s easy to put off until tomorrow. And with the busy lives we

all lead, tomorrow can easily become next week, next month, or even next year. For the sake of those you

love, don’t let that happen. I consider it my fraternal obligation to make sure that every Knights of Colum-

bus member has the opportunity to protect his family with the Order’s top-rated insurance products. I’ll

work with you to put a plan in place that will help your family when that help is most needed.

We all know someone whose health, instantly and seemingly

out-of-the-blue, changes. You may think this can’t happen to you.

Think again. And keep in mind that no one will ring a bell warning you

that your health is about to change. Medical technology has turned

many diseases previously termed “death sentences” into very treata-

ble conditions. What medical advances haven’t changed, however, is

that being diagnosed with one of these diseases will dramatically af-

fect your ability to purchase life insurance coverage. Don’t wait until

it’s too late.

As your new field agent, I want to meet you and help with your

planning for the future. Call me to set up an appointment.

Tim Becker, Field Agent

Phone: Bus: (708) 897-0744 Cell: (708) 878-8812

timothy.becker@kofc.org

Tim Becker

DECEMBER

SATURDAY DECEMBER 3: MANGER

SETUP: Come and help set up the St Mary

Nativity display. At 9:00 AM. (Article this page)

SATURDAY DECEMBER 3 AND SUN-

DAY DECEMBER 4: PICTURES WITH

SANTA: The knights take pictures with Santa

for parish families in Burnett Hall after all the

Masses. (Article Page 2)

SATURDAY DECEMBER 3: THE

CHARITY BALL: The Joliet Assembly annual

dinner dance (No tickets sold at the door)

MONDAY DECEMBER 5: FOURTH

DEGREE OPEN HOUSE: The Joliet As-

sembly invites all knights to an evening of infor-

mation, food and fellowship. At Council 4400,

7:00 PM (Article Page 7)

THURSDAY DECEMBER 8: BLESS-

ING OF THE NATIVITY: (THE FEAST

OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION) After the 7:30 AM Mass

SATURDAY DECEMBER 10: THE

NUN’S BING0: The annual Christmas Party

we have for the retired Sisters at St Francis of

the Woods. From 1:00 PM until about 3 PM at

the convent. (See the article this page)

SATURDAY DECEMBER 10: COUNCIL

CHRISTMAS PARTY The party is after the

5 PM Mass in Burnett Hall. Come with your

(extended) family and have a good time. Be sure

to sign up! (Article on the last page)

TUESDAY DECEMBER 13: COUNCIL

MEETING: In Burnett Hall at 7:00 PM

SUNDAY DECEMBER 25: CHRIST-

MAS DAY: Glory to God in the Highest and on

Earth, Peace to those on whom His favor rests!

The “Nuns’ Bingo” Each year the St Mary Council holds a Christmas

party for the retired Sisters of St Francis at the St

Francis of the Woods mother house on St Francis

Road east of Home Depot in Frankfort. Elderly nuns

join us for a “blackout” bingo in which each wins at

least two prizes. We then sing Christmas carols, eat

snacks that the sisters have made and have a real-

ly great time. Some of the sisters are blind or in

need of other help. We need a lot of volunteers to

help them. Bring your wives, kids and grand kids to

help the wonderful ladies play the bingo and to add

to the fun of the event. The sisters are happy and

very old—they love us and we love them!

The party starts with us setting up tables full of priz-

es starting at 1:00 PM on Saturday December 10,

The whole thing is over by about three. Come pre-

pared to sing and laugh! Bring your little ones! Go

to the front door of the convent to enter.

THE PARISH NATIVITY Many years ago our brother knight Bill Niessen

built the wonderful stable that stands outside the

entrance of St Mary School each Christmas sea-

son. Our council then spent thousands of dollars

buying top grade statuettes for the display. The

nativity is provided by the Knights of Columbus..

The fancy statuettes were so expensive that it was

decided that they could not be risked outside and

a cheaper set of plastic figures was then bought

also. The nativity you see in the Narthex of the

Church was built for the expensive set while the

cheaper set is now used outside.

Men of our council set up and take down the Nativ-

ity each year. This year we will assemble it on Sat-

urday December 3 at 9:00 AM. The job consists of

hauling the parts and figures from the rectory to

the school entrance and putting it all together. It

takes about an hour to do and is an enjoyable

time. Come and join your brothers!

The Nativity will be blessed (probably by Deacon

Nabil) after the 7:30 AM Mass on December 8.

DEFEND THE FAITH ! At the annual Bishop’s Burse dinner on

November 5, Bishop Conlon spoke to the lead-

ers of the Illinois Knights of Columbus. The

Bishop spoke of the continuing attacks on the

Church and urged us all to defend Her. He stat-

ed that our concerns about abortion, immi-

grants, the environment and similar things are

important but that we should be vigilant and

active in defending the Church with strong ac-

tion to defend the Faith because the loss of

our religious freedom has now become a real

possibility. The current time is the worst period

of anti Catholicism in American history. As

Knights of Columbus we must stand up for the

Faith in public and private. Pray for the Church

and profess your Faith in public!

Recent attacks on the Church by anti

and pseudo Christians in government include

loss of Guardian Angel Services as a Church

organization and a diminishment of Catholic

Charities.

The governing board of Guardian Angel

Community Services in Joliet voted in early No-

vember to accept State of Illinois money and to

comply with new anti Christian state law. The

new law requires organizations that provide

adoption services to place children with un-

married and homosexual couples. The Sisters

of St Francis in Joliet, the Diocese of Joliet and

The Knights of Columbus Joliet Assembly have

all stopped supporting Guardian Angel as no

longer Catholic.

On November 15 it was announced that

Catholic Charities in the Dioceses of Joliet,

Belleville and Springfield have dropped their

suit against the State of Illinois that tried to win

an exemption from the new state adoption

rules. The three diocesan charities will no long-

er accept state money for adoption services

and will develop a transition plan to turn over

about 2,000 children for adoption through non

Christian organizations.

The bad guys are winning!

Vivat Jesus

FATHER BURNETT In early November several newspapers published arti-

cles about the pedophilia accusations made against

Father Jim Burnett years ago. The report was that Bish-

op Sartain reopened the case against Father last year

when another accusation was made. The Diocese de-

cided that the charges made were believable and Bish-

op Sartain then sent letters to the three accusers offer-

ing a cash settlement to close the case. The accusers

made the letter public after a year stating that they

wanted a public apology from the Church. The newspa-

pers reported about the letter. Father

Burnett continues to say he is innocent and the Dio-

cese did not formally find him guilty, but he will not be

able to return to active Priesthood. Pray that God will

give Father Burnett strength to carry the heavy cross

he will now have to bear for the rest of his life.

Vivat Jesus

DEACON NABIL HALABY At the November meeting of our council, Grand Knight

Don Bauc presented Deacon Nabil Halaby with a stole

to honor him.

The stole car-

ries the Cross

of Jerusalem

prominently at

the top and

the symbol of

the order on

the bottom in

front with the

symbol of the

fourth degree

on the bottom

in back. The

knights are

proud of our

new Deacon

and wish him

great success

in his service

of our Lord.

Deacon Nabil Halaby Grand Knight Don Bauc

THE CHRISTMAS PARTY! WHEN: Saturday December 10 after

the 5 PM Mass

Where: Burnett Hall at St Mary Church

Who: Your family, kids, grandkids

How: Potluck dinner.

If you are single or if

your last name begins with “A” through

“E”, bring a dessert. All others bring a

dish to pass. (See note)

What: Santa will come! We will eat ,sing

carols and have a lot of fun! NOTE: WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COOK DISHES AT THE PARTY—BRING THEM COOKED!

SANTA NEEDS YOUR HELP! The elves need information about who is coming. Call or email elf Helen Sluis with the following: How many adults are coming and the name, age and gender of each child under thirteen who will come. If you do not pro-vide the information before December 1 then you must bring a wrapped gift for each child you bring with the child’s full name on a tag. Helen’s email is “helensluis@aol.com” - use the subject line of “Christmas Party” or call 815 469 9204