October 21, 2009
PHILLIPINE TYPHOON RELIEF
A benefit dinner for Phillipine Typhoon Relief was held on Saturday, October 17th, sponsored by the William J. Leahy Council #1307 of Knights of Columbus in Astoria, Oregon. The local Phllipine/American Club provided authentic Phillipine cuisine and enteretainment. The event was well attended and raised over twelve hundred dollars ($1,200.00) for the relief of victims.
October 1, 2009
Pledge victory in federal court
(MANCHESTER, NH) - The Knights of Columbus scored an important victory in federal court in New Hampshire on Wednesday, September 30, when U.S. District Judge Steven McAuliffe upheld the constitutionality of the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Atheist Michael Newdow had filed the lawsuit against the school system in Hanover, New Hampshire on behalf of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, in a case that mirrored his earlier lawsuit against schools in and near Sacramento, California.
As with the California case, the Knights of Columbus sought and received permission from the court to become a "defendant intervenor," allowing attorneys representing the Order (from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty) to participate directly in the court proceedings.
The California case, argued before a panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in December 2007, has still not been decided. Read the New Hampshire court decision.
Read the Knights of Columbus Fact Sheet about the Pledge of Allegiance and recent litigation.September 28, 2009
OCTOBERFEST AT MOUNT ANGEL
The 'Father Taaffe Homes for Unwed Mothers' in Salem food stand netted over four thousand dollars in profit during the Mount Anger Oktoberfest celebration which will help support the operation of the homes. Various members of the Knights of Columbus from the Salem council and the Oregon state officers and wives rotated duties preparing and serving food and beverages during the weekend celebrations.
The three non-profit homes, named St. Brigid, St. Monica and St. Teresa started operation as non-profit, non-partisan sanctuaries for unwed mothers of any age or race, over thirty-three years ago and are uniquely resposible for saving well over one thousand lives of babies from the crime of abortion. Reverend Father Charles Patrick Taaffe, later ordained as Monsignor, opened the first home in downtown Salem with financial help from the local Knights of Columbus and has been continually supported anualy by the Knights throughout Oregon.
The 'Father Taaffe Homes for Unwed Mothers' is the primary charitable fund-raising program of the Oregon Knights of Columbus and is administered through 'Catholic Charities of Oregon'.
September 22, 2009
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
In his keynote address at the 127th Knights of Columbus convention in Phoenix, Francis Cardinal George of Chicago, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, thanked the Knights for their continued commitment. "In promoting the goals of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism," he said, "and fostering dedicated Catholic faith, strong family life and active involvement in the community, your witness and service make a tremendous difference in our Church and our world -- and we are grateful."
Likewise, words of greeting and gratitude from Pope Benedic XVI were conveyed through a letter from Cardinal Trrcisio Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, who was an honored guest at the Supreme Convention in Nashville two years ago. Cardinal William J. Levada read the letter to those in attendance at the business session.
Delegates approved a number of resolutions that reaffirmed the Order's commitment to build up the Church and to promote her teachings. Topics of the resolutions include "Marian Devotion", "Building Culture of Life", "Support for Marriage", "The Impact of Violence and Pornography" and "Patriotism", among others. "As a respected and articulate voice of the Catholic faithful, the Knights of Columbus will continue to defend the Church's teaching, our Bishops and priests", stated Supreme Knight, Carl A. Anderson.
September 21, 2009
A RESPECTED AND ARTICULATE VOICE
In a letter of papal greetings to the Knights of Columbus Supreme Convention, read by Cardinal William J Levada, Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said that the pope "trusts that, as a respected and articulate voice of the Catholic faithful, the Knights of Columbus will continue to defend that teaching through reasoned argument and responsible participaton in civic and political life."
To this end, delegates to the convention adopted a resolution on "Defending the Right to Life", which reaffirmed the order's commitment "to unconditional support for the right to life and full protection in law for every human being from conception to natural death."
The resolution declared opposition to "any health care reform legislation that does not explicitly exclude abortion coverage for any health insurance plan, public or private." It also called upon "legislators everywhere to adopt legislation protecting the religious concience rights of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, guaranteeing their right to refuse to participate in abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide or any other practice that is destructive of innocent human life or that conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs."
The Oregon State Deputy of Knights of Columbus, WAYNE CLEMMER, announced that the organization has raised a record breaking $43,000.00 for the "Pennies for Heaven" charitable program supporting seminarians during the fraternal year 2008-2009. Immediate past State Deputy DENNIS WHITE presented a check for $22,000.00 to Very Reverend Father RICHARD PAPERINI, President-Rector of Mount Angel Seminary.
The remaining $21,000.00 is invested in the "Christopher Fund" of the Supreme Council of the Knights and is summarily matched by the head office and thereafter earns 4.5% interest on the entire ammount, which is earmarked solely for and payable to the seminary. The "Pennies for Heaven" program was initiated in 1989 and has proviced over $450,000.00 to the seminary at Mount Angel.
Another benefit for seminarians proviced by Knights of Columbus is a charitable program titled "R.S.V.P" plan by which individual councils throughout Oregon are issued the names of seminarians and are asked to forward fnancial assistance in the ammount of $500 if they are able. Additional support of seminarians includes letter writing, holiday cards, and other timely remembrances during holidays.