Brother Knights,

Fall is upon us.  The leaves are falling, and the gorgeous colors of the season are here.  The Church just celebrated All Saints Day and All Souls Day.  For many folks I know, those days mark the official start of Fall.  Any day now we could have 6” of snow on the ground or 80-degree days.  As I have traveled throughout the US, many states like to say, ‘if you don’t like the weather wait 5 minutes and it will change.”  We in Nebraska believe we originated the phrase.  Who knows for sure but what I do know is that they change quickly.  

Before you know it, you are another year older.  The end is closer than the beginning.  We all will pass on to another place at some point.  When that happens, you want those you left behind to pray for you.  In addition, those you prayed for can help you also when they arrive into His arms.  Our regular meeting in November is our traditional Mass for all our deceased Knights of our Council.  Again, this year, the Mass will be at St. Teresa’s, p.m., with light refreshments afterward in K Hall.  

All the names of our deceased Knights will be read off during the Mass.  Also, the Mass will be for those listed in the Book of Remembrance.  Our Men’s Choir is also slated to sing helping to make it special.  Please plan to attend with your families.  I may be wrong here, but I think it was Saint Faustina that got a glimpse of purgatory.  When pressed, Mary told her that the average time for a soul to stay there was about 40 earth years as we know it.  That’s long-time folks.  

Pray for those who have gone before us.  Pray for all those who have no one to pray for them.  Someday you may be surprised to find out how many souls you helped get to Heaven through your prayers!

Matt Schafers
Grand Knight 833
 

Brother Knights,

October is here and the weather should be turning cooler soon. Sitting by campfires, eating smores, snuggled up with your loved ones, this is a great time of year! Our family typically also will say a rosary around the fire as it crackles and pops. Bonus, no bugs!

This is our final big month for the year. We have the Tootsie Roll Drive set for this weekend at Hy Vee. If you have not signed yet, please do. We need your help to make this a success. Also on the calendar is our Corporate Communion Sunday, which is Oct. 26 @ 10am Mass. Please bring your family and sit with your Brother Knights in the front pews.

This is a great time to show the parish family who is part of our Knight family. We really need to grow our ranks and that involves showing the younger men what the Knights does not only for the parish whole but what we can do for the individual man, father, or husband. Often times it is what one sees others do that makes all the difference! Show up and show off.

Matt Schafers
Grand Knight 833

Brother Knights,

The weather is cooling off and football season is heating up! The Huskers started off the season with a great victory over Cincy. Let’s hope that they are on the right track and make some noise this year.

Speaking about noise, I sent out an email to the membership about your thoughts on continuing the fireworks sales. When you get it, please reply only to me at the address I provide you. I would like to gauge the interest in that fundraiser. As you may not have heard yet, we cleared around $12K or so this year again. Slightly less than last year but still a significant amount of money. Money that we use to fund our charitable works. We’ll need to make a decision on whether or not we continue probably before the end of the year so we can move on to Fish Fry’s and not have that item hanging out there.

October is Tootsie Roll month. I’ll also be sending out a sign up for the annual Tootsie Roll drive at Hy Vee soon. Please look for that and respond with a time when you can represent our Council and collect for Villa Marie.

Vivat Jesus!
Semper

Matt Schafers
Grand Knight 833

Brother Knights,

It’s August already! The year is flying by so fast. School will be back in session in a couple weeks. The activities are not letting up.

We have the Altar Boy server outing scheduled on Aug. 16. If your son has not signed up yet, RSVP to James. Aug 18 is Jayhawk Jumpstart. Traditionally this is on Thursday but with the Holy Day it is on Monday the day before school starts. The Knights will again be cooking burgers and hot dogs for all the families in front of the school. If you can help for an hour or so that would be great. We’ll set up some tables and chairs and tear down after so either before you bring your kids or after, please pitch in.

Our chain gang members are ready to run the chains again at Pius X varsity football games. A big part of this endeavor is to show the boys our name and to get the Knights in front of the boys and girls, so they see the types of things the Knights do and keep what marketeers call “top of mind awareness”.

Later this Fall, we’ll have the Tootsie Roll drive at Hy-Vee.

Vivat Jesus!

Matt Schafers
Grand Knight 833

Fellow Knights,
 
I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July!  Our beautiful country is on the threshold of becoming 250 years old!  This great experiment has had its trials and tribulations but always manages to come out for the better.  Let’s continue to work, serve and pray for our awesome United States!
 
As you should have read already in your email, PGK Ron expressed his disappointment at the number of Knights we had help out at the fireworks tent.  He beat me to it so I decided not to send my own.  To help close the tent down, we had 7 Knights and two wives.  Of those 7, we had three with bad knees, one with a bad foot/ankle, the youngest was 55 and the oldest was 76!  We still got out of there by 1AM but this cannot continue.  We will have to make a tough decision on whether we will continue this fundraiser next year.  Next year could be a really good year for sales and who knows, perhaps expanded days, etc. with all the festivities but that would only be even harder on those same souls if we cannot get more guys to pitch in.  We make a lot of money in these three days! 
 
We have lots of folks that come to us looking for funding.  Scouts for Eagle projects, FOCUS kids, we’ll be feeding TOTUS TUUS soon, we just gave CGS thousands, etc.  Sure there are outside groups asking too but a lot of you have kids that have been the beneficiaries of Knights funding but yet you don’t lend a hand.  You know who you are.  Without fundraising efforts, we will not have the money to dole out for these worthwhile asks, and it will come to an end.  That would be a pity.  All because we couldn’t get men to help out once in a while.  Yes, the 4th is a major holiday, we know that.  But we need men over only three days to be available for a shift and the tent is right in our own backyard at 50th and O!  Its not at West O anymore and those excuses are made.
 
We’ll be talking about it at length over the coming months.  Come to a meeting, get enlightened, grow spiritually, enjoy some comradery with our motley crew!  Share your point of view and let us know if you are willing to help out to go forward.
 
Semper

Matt Schafers
Grand Knight 833