On January 28th, Council 202 held a Bowling Night at Saint Joseph's Bowling Lanes. It was a wonderful evening
filled with friendly competition. Brother Knight David Corthel ended up beating back all challenges with the help of his beautiful
white Converse Bowling Shoes. Incidently, there is an investigation into whether the shoes are legal!!!!! (LoL).
THE PICTURES FROM THE BBQ ARE IN!!!!!!!!!!
Deacon Tom Anthony hosted a BBQ at his home for Brother Knights and members of Saint John the Baptist
Church. It was an enjoyable evening with friends and family. Below are some pictures from the event.
On Thursday, June 25th, Council 202 held a Social Gathering at the American Legion Post in Haverhill.
All of the Knights, their wives, and invited guests brought something to eat and it was a spectacular time. There were over
forty people in attendance and the atmosphere was filled with love and fraternity. There was Karaoke and everyone took part
(yes, even Deacon Tom).
It was a time to relax and enjoy everyone's company: GOOD FOOD, GOOD
FRIENDS, AND GOOD MUSIC (ha ha).
Click the pictures below to get a better look!!!!!
IN ANNAPOLIS, A MIRACLE WORTHY OF SAINTHOOD?
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PEMBROOK DEACON'S HEALING COULD LEAD TO THE BEAUTIFICATION OF CARDINAL NEWMAN
TRIVIA NIGHT AT SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!!!!!
The competition was fierce. The mood was fun. The christian Fellowship was second to
none!!!!!
The First Annual Trivia Night
at Saint John the Baptist Church brought together about forty people divided into seven teams. Each team was named after a
particular saint. All participants were asked to bring a snack. In all, there were about 150 questions asked. The team that
won with a suprprising "COME FROM BEHIND VICTORY" was TEAM SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS. A plaque will be awarded with the
names of all team members on it and it will be hung in the back of the church.
All funds raised
were to be used for the repair of the rectory garage which the Knight of Columbus Council 202 has pledged to fix. The event
rasied about $220.00, enough for the repairs needed.
A BRAVE NEW WORLD?
STORM OVER EMBRYO BANK WHICH COULD BE USED AS A BODY REPAIR KIT.
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OUR FAITH UNDER ASSAULT!!!!!
ARE WE TOO COMPLIANT?
Georgetown says it covered the name of Jesus to comply
with a White House request
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FRIENDSHIP DINNER FOR DISTRICT DEPUTY BOB CONRAD
On Friday, March 27th, Brother Knights
from all over the state gathered at the "Roma Restaraunt" in Haverhill Massachusetts for a Friendship Dinner in
honor of District Deputy Robert Conrad. ALL STATE OFFICERS were in attendance along with a crowd of over forty people representing
various councils, including COUNCIL 202. The evening was spledid as Brother Knight Bob raised money for his Hospitality Suite
at the State Convention in May. Bob is campaigning for a State Deligate position to the National Covention. Council 202 made
a donation of $200.00 to Bob's effort along with sending five of itsmembers to the dinner. Pictures of the event are below
(click to enlarge).
Seminary of Archdiocese of Boston doubles enrollment
A NOTE FROM DEACON TOM
THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST.
What a powerful symbol of our faith.
But more than a symbol, it also defines who we are and our relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ. In three days, we enter
the Season of Lent: a time of reflection, penance, almsgiving, and a period of preparation. It is a time when we are urged
to contemplate the Crucified Christ and what He means to us on the most intimate and personal level. Of course, this can easily
be done at any other time during the Liturgical Year, but Lent offers an opportunity to make this central to our worship and
our spiritual lives. The mass encourages this and the Church further defines it as we enter this time of preparation for the
highest of Feast Days in Christianity: Easter Sunday.
As Catholics, we are challenged to look beyond the crucifix
itself and focus on the personhood of Jesus; the human being that suffered, was crucified, and died for us so that we could
receive the gift of eternal life. Yes, Jesus was fully human and felt all the pain, all the suffering, and the fears of death.
This is easily forgotten in the light of the Resurrected Christ and the Gift of Salvation. This can be overlooked in light
of Jesus, the Son of God in His divine nature.
Lent challenges us to shift the focus away from the divine
and look at the humanness of Christ. To take that feeling when we celebrate the Eucharist and carry it with us for the entire
Lenten Journey. HE DID THIS FOR US. Lent challenges us to put ourselves in the shoes of Christ and walk with him on that long,
lonely journey to the Cross. Lent challenges us to pick up the cross and carry it with him. Feel His pain. Feel His sacrifice.
Feel His love for us. At the same time, we must acknowledge our sins, short-falls, and our own humanness. We are sinners and
through Christ we are forgiven.
When we fast during Lent, it helps as a constant reminder of what
Christ did for us. We share a bond of sacrifice. This is more complete with the giving of alms to those in need, helping those
while we are in a state of suffering ourselves. Through the giving of alms and the seeking of forgiveness, we are forgiven
for those sins that we carry with us in our humanness. These sins and the fasting serve as our cross. We become sharers in
Christ’s Passion.
During this season, there will be a lot happening within our parish family. From Exposition
and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Stations of the Cross, viewing of the Passion of the Christ, to other special gatherings.
Through it all, we will all be together. We must all ask ourselves: “What will we do to make this
Lenten Season special? What will we do to make this season have a lasting impact on our Journey of Faith? What will we do
differently?”
After that question is asked, we can all pick up our crosses and begin our journey. That journey
up that lonely hill to be with Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ.
PRO-LIFE SUNDAY AT SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH
October
5th was Pro-Life Sunday. At Saint John the Baptist Church in Haverhill, there was a procession to the Statue of Mary after
the Family Mass. All the children were invited to lay roses at the feet of Mary. A Hail Mary Prayer was then recited. There
were over 150 parishoners present for the event.
The Knights of Columbus
Council 202 provided the roses.
BROTHER KNIGHTS:
Below is the Pastoral Letter I posted in the Saint John
the Baptist Bullitin for next week. It contains some very important information regarding the Knights of Columbus. Please
read it.
Afterwards, is a letter from the United States Conference of Bishops. This
is also of great importance.
OUR VOICE BEING HEARD
It is hard being a Christian in the world today. Our families, friends, and
we ourselves are being bombarded with advertisements, temptations, and challenges that are directly contradictory to our faith
and what we believe. We are viewed as being “out of touch” or “not with the times.” Prominent individuals
in the business world, such as Ted Turner, have even called us, “Jesus Freaks” after witnesses many of his own
employees bearing the ashen crosses on their foreheads after an Ash Wednesday Celebration. Many Catholics are very private
and personal in regards to their faith, so it makes it even harder to respond when criticized. In the end, just as Jesus did
many times in his own ministry, we just turn and walk away.
As I write this Pastoral Letter, I myself have become aware of a few things that I feel
the need to pass on to you. These are items of grave importance within our Christian Community and have recently taken center
stage in the State of Massachusetts and Nationwide. The first has to do with the Knights of Columbus. The Knights of Columbus,
as many of you know, is a Fraternal Catholic Organization of Men with over 1.5 million members world-wide. It has a strong
allegiance to the Pope and has recognition from the Vatican. All members espouse the virtues of Charity, Fraternity, Unity,
and Patriotism. In the past, the Knights have donated millions of dollars to the Vatican, the Archdiocese of Boston, and many
other diocese and organizations within the Church. It has been quoted as being “The Steel Spine of the Church.”
Recently, it has been
announced that the Knights of Columbus has begun another initiative that will encompass the entire country. Each council will
be asked to donate $3.00 per member which will then be matched by the Supreme Council. All monies collected will be put into
a Defense Fund for Marriage and Pro-Life Issues. This totals over 9 MILLION DOLLARS. The states of Massachusetts and California
have been targeted almost exclusively for issues dealing with the Defense of Marriage. The Knights of Columbus will distribute
these funds to various legal causes favoring the Catholic Church’s views and theology. The Knights of Columbus will
also distribute these funds to groups and organizations with a Pro-Life Stance and Pro-Life Initiatives.
In a world where some people are unable or unwilling
to put into action what they believe, the Knights of Columbus have stepped forward in the name of God and of the Church. They
have added their voice and have united behind the Holy See once again in defense of Christ and of the Church.
The second issue deals with
Senator Joe Biden, the Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate. Because of his recent public views regarding abortion, his
unwillingness to institute any sort of policy that is congruent with his Catholic Faith, and because of his misstatement of
The Catholic Church’s Theology in regards to the Sanctity of Life and when human life begins, Senator Biden’s
bishop, Archbishop Chaput said Biden should
follow the teachings of the Church by opposing abortion or voluntarily refrain from receiving communion. He is planning on
meeting with Senator Biden privately in the coming weeks.
These
two examples represent that our voices are being heard; there are those who are defending the Faith and are fighting for our
beliefs and the Christian Message. Pray for them in community and when you are alone. Prayer does work and gives you an opportunity
to add your own voice to the causes that deeply affect our lives as Christians.
Beyond
that, if you want to help, call be and let's share a cup of coffee sometime.
Your
Deacon,
Tom Anthony
» 2008
Elections
As the Holy Father taught in Deus Caritas Est,
“The direct duty to work for a just ordering of society is proper to the lay faithful” (no. 29). This duty is
more critical than ever in today’s political environment, where Catholics may feel politically disenfranchised, sensing
that no party and too few candidates fully share the Church’s comprehensive commitment to the life and dignity of every
human being from conception to natural death. Yet this is not a time for retreat or discouragement; rather, it is a time for
renewed engagement. (“Forming Consciences for Faithful
Citizenship,” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
WHAT WE HOLD MOST DEAR
As lay Catholics struggling to be faithful to the call of
our bishops, we have arrived at the following judgments.
When going to vote, what lies closest to the heart surfaces:
we hold most dear the experience of the fact of Christ, present in the Church. We do not hope for salvation from politics
or politicians. Nevertheless, we understand the critically important role that politics plays in our common American life.
For
this reason two concerns matter most to us and we will vote according to which candidates and parties demonstrate an authentic
care for these concerns.
First: Freedom
of Religion. Political power must recognize faith’s undeniable contribution to the defense and broadening of
human reason and its promotion of authentic human progress. This is a guarantee of freedom for everyone, not only for Christians.
And this freedom must include the freedom to speak, convince, act, and build in the public square; religious freedom relegated
to one’s private life is not religious freedom at all.
Second: The Common Good. Those who hold political power must do so as a service to the common
good of the entire nation.
We consider the recognition and defense of three self-evident truths regarding human
beings the minimum commitment to the common good: the right to life from conception to natural death; the
irreplaceable value of the family, founded on the marriage between a man and woman; and the right of every
human being to be born into and educated by that family formed by his or her parents.
For the common
good we further seek politicians and political parties that value subsidiarity, a partnership between the
public and private sectors facilitated by a robust non-profit sector. At the same time, we seek persons engaged in politics
who recognize that subsidiarity can never annul the solidarity we owe to all our brothers and sisters
living in this nation. There is no care for the common good that ignores basic human needs of millions in our nation.
These
judgments will determine our support for particular candidates and political initiatives in the upcoming elections.
September
2008
Communion and Liberation - USA
>> Download PDF
Want to add your own comments, criticisms, or observations? Feel free to do so in
this forum. This is designed to keep our Christian Community more in contact with each other.
FROM YOUR GRAND KNIGHT THOMAS ALEXANDER ANTHONY:
EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT HAS BEGUN
WHEN: EVERY TUESDAY EVENING AT 6:30 PM
WHERE: SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH
EXPOSITION
AND BENEDICTION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT WILL BE HELD FOLLOWED BY EVENING PRAYER. THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF
US TO GATHER IN CHRISTIAN BROTHER AND SISTERHOOD TO SPEND TIME WITH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
THIS MINISTRY WAS INITIATED BY YOUR GRAND KNIGHT (DEACON TOM ANTHONY) AND HE NOW ASKS FOR YOUR
PRAYERS AND SUPPORT FOR ITS SUCCESS.
COME GATHER
WITH US. COME TO THE WATER.....
