A few minutes ago as I write this, the Supreme Court struck down Roe V. Wade and Planned Parenthood V Casey in Dobbs V Jackson Women's Health.
You can read about it on the SCOTUS blog
My brothers, as we have already seen in the past few months since the initial leak, those who are a part of the culture of death cannot be expected to react in a civil way to this decision. Mother and Child Education Center, which we support as a council, has been vandalized already in reaction to the leak. It is entirely possible we will see scattered protesting at Mass this weekend.
While I doubt greatly that the three parishes we cover will see such protesting, as Knights we are visibly pro-life, and we will get questions from our fellow parishioners, especially those who see this decision as endangering women.
Our messaging should be that given the politics in Oregon, this decision changes nothing here other than to increase demand on our tax dollars for the free abortions available here, but that we Knights stand firm in supporting women facing crisis pregnancies, both before and after birth.
Just in case, be sure to have your rosary on you for Mass this weekend. Should protesters attempt to disrupt Mass, it is our duty to protect the Eucharist at all costs. Start by answering their chants with a decade of the Rosary, advance slowly, but calmly. Try to surround them and move them out of the church. Stop at the threshold of the Church yourself, and keep saying decades until there is police response to the protest, or until Mass is concluded. This strategy has worked elsewhere very powerfully, to end the protests peacefully.
God be with you in all that you do in support of compassionate response to the culture of death.
Friday, June 24, 2022
Fellow Knights- be prepared
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
KofC Council 15485 - HybridJune 21, 2022 Meeting - James M. Morgan, recorder
7 :00 pm Call to order
- Warden's Membership Check waived
- Prayer - Our Father
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Roll Call of Officers (All present except Paul Pompili & Mike Devlin who were excused.)
- Reading /Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
- Special thanks to Ted Seeber and Mike Devlin for our St. Clare Pancake Breakfast success
- Kudos to Michael Chau for the Expose for The Good News People Program
- Sincere, special thanks to Phil Jarvis and a $100 gift certificate to him for his outstanding work as Financial Secretary from the founding of our council to date
- Marc Gregoire role as Grand Knight ends at the end of this meeting
- Forms Due 1) SP-7 Columbian Award Application (6/20); Report of Officers Chosen for Term (6/30); and Food for Families (6/30)
- Beginning Balance May 17, 2022 $579.95
- Deposits
- 5/21 flower sale 433.75
- 5/23 Misc. Deposit 3.19
- 6/13 St. Clare Breakfast 782.00
- Total Current Checking acct. balance $1,798.89
- Unity Savings account 543.87
- Charity Savings account 5.71
- No outstanding checks
- He is transferring the membership records of Roger Hebling into our council
- Although deducted from our account, the $500 Mother & Child check has not been cashed
- Still working on the Refund Support Vocations Program
- Mike gave an interesting talk on Paul's sermon to the Corinthians - in which he summarized the goal of Christianity: 'You should love one another as you love yourself.' He defined the difference between Living by the Spirit or Living by the flesh (Two conditions that are opposed to one another). He touched on the differences between living under God's Devine Law, Man's Civil Approach to living legally and fianlly by living Naturally in the Way of the World (which can be very immoral). In conclusion, he cited a belief expressed by Mr. Rogers, 'Real strength comes from helping others'.
- Program Dirctor Gene Andres discusssed his work on the Columbian Project, a recommended program to help women called Aid & Support After Pregnancy and a new baby bottle that shows the KofC crest.
- St. Clare Parish/School update from Ted Seeber & Mike O'Phelan talked about our recent breakfast and the fact that Mary Bundy signed off on our contribution of 3000 lbs. of food
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary update from Marc Gregoire said Father Charles will take over as new parish priest
- St. John Fisher didn't add because Gene Andres was in Texas for the last 3 weeks
- Faith Director Don Mey said everyone appreciated the opportunity to socialize at the breakfast
- Michael Chau is gaining recognition for his volunteer work at Elsie Stuhr
- Life Director Ted Seeber had no news on finding new members
- Family Director Ted Seeber awarded James M. Morgan a fifth of Knobel Tennessee whiskey as a reward for his effort to enroll new members
- Membership Director Ted Seeber is trying to transfer Andrew Ball's membership to our council
- Several members discussed things in life like work and the social media that made it difficult for them to develop their spiritual self
- Other members discussed the aging issue and the prospect of finding goals as they grow older
- Most of us over the age of 64 agreed that the aging process can be challenging
- No Neighbor Left Behind --- James M. Morgan said everyone was doing well
- Marc Gregoire discussed the dFraternal Benefits Nights activities 6/26/22
- Ted Seeber discussed the need to plan another breakfast and the need to get more volunteers with trucks to help take unsold junk to the Goodwill after Sunday's sale.
- Don Mey said a lot of work remained on the elderly woman's house that Mike Devlin is helping
- No word progress on Inviting people Back to Mass project at St. Johm Fisher
- The council approved of Tom Owen's working with Fr. Jim Galluzo's projects
- There still hasn't been any action on Special Needs Adaptive Mass - Ted Seeber & Michael Chau
- Don Mey Grand Knight
- Eugene Andres Deputy Grand Knight
- James M. Morgan Recorder
- Mike Devlin Treasurer
- Dan Riechers Advocate
- Michael Chau Warden
- Christopher Seeber Inside Guard
- Richard Digregorio Outside Guard
- Theodore Seeber One-year Trustee
- Thomas Owens Second-year Trustee
- Phil Jarvis Third-Year Trustee
- Erik Riechers Financial Secretary (An appointed position)
- Bonnie Owens
- Mary O'Phelan & Millie Muoth
- Marge Mey
- Donna Jarvis
- Michael Chau's grandmother
- Those in need of the Lord's healing
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Brother Michael Chau's Story
Michael Chau’s Story June 18, 2022
In 2001 I came from Vietnam to the United States with my mom and younger brother. We moved to an apartment and later a house in Beaverton. Soon my Vietnamese uncle who came to the U.S. before me, introduced me to some people who became close friends including Huong Luong and Tom Owens. Huong was an original member of the St. Anthony’s Vietnamese community and she and her entire family had been sponsored into the U.S. by Tom and Bonnie Owens in 1989. Huong took a personal interest in me and after getting to know me, invited me to consider becoming a Catholic. My Vietnamese uncle who moved to the US before me and was an inactive Buddhist was strongly opposed to me becoming Catholic. Despite his protests, I decided to become Catholic and was baptized, made my first communion and confirmation at St. Anthony’s in 2011. Since then, I have learned to appreciate the Mass and the opportunities to get to know Jesus better through the support of people at St. Anthony’s and St. Clare’s.
Three examples of my work to help the poor and neglected include: 1) My support for My Lam School in southern Vietnam; 2) Volunteering to help participants in a program for people with learning disabilities at Elsie Stuhr Senior Center in Beaverton and 3) becoming a Eucharistic Minister at St. Clare’s church in distributing communion to people there.
- Several years ago, I became aware of the needs of orphans and handicapped children in a Catholic school in Vietnam serving both Vietnamese families and orphans from Cambodia. In addition to donating money from my monthly federal support for people, like me, with learning disabilities, I worked with Tom Owens to get donations from relatives and friends and from the Knights of Columbus at St. Clare and St Anthony’s. In 2011, I went with Tom and two others to Vietnam to visit, attend a friend’s wedding and spend several days at My Lam School getting to know the staff and students. They operate a preschool program focused on Cambodia orphans from the nearby community and enroll students grades K through 12th to provide both academics and career/vocational training. This helps assure that graduates have necessary training and experience to get appropriate jobs to support themselves and their families. The children who live there are guided by Catholic sisters and lay teachers.
- Two years ago, I learned of the need for volunteers at the Elsie Stuhr Center in Beaverton to assist adults with learning disabilities enrolled in a recreational program. I volunteer every Monday evening by setting up the room for games and other activities, serving refreshments and helping clean up the facility. I enjoy the personal contacts with staff and participants there and have come to know them as friends.
- While I feel it is important for me to help children and adults locally and in Vietnam, I also have felt drawn to help within the Catholic community. For several years I have served as a Eucharistic Minister twice a month at St. Clare’s Church where I go on Sundays. I have noticed that most of the Eucharistic Ministers serving there in the past were white elderly women. As a young man of color, I sensed the need for greater diversity to be represented at the altar. I applied, received training, and now serve regularly in that ministry. This service has helped me become more aware of the tremendous gift of Christ in the Eucharist and I feel happy to bring Christ to others. In addition to serving as a Eucharistic Minister I have also been active in the Knights of Columbus at St. Clare. Activities include serving as an officer, preparing and serving at their pancake breakfasts, participating in several statewide KC annual conferences, assisting in their Easter egg hunt, and in the special masses for people with disabilities.
In recent months, I have come to appreciate the gift of mentorship and generosity. Two Vietnamese friends I met in Tigard are Linh and his family who now live near Seattle, and his sister, Loan, and her family, who live in Salem. Both were part of the St. Anthony’s community. Linh helped me to learn about and serve the poor, to become aware of the orphans and handicapped children of My Lam School and to better understand my Catholic faith and American culture. Loan taught me to cook Vietnamese food, understand more about my Vietnamese culture, and helped me become a better Catholic. I now call them my brother and sister. As a result of their influence, I have become more involved in my faith and have developed a growing interest in supporting their young children as they develop in their Catholic religion. For example, I recently attended my niece’s first communion in Salem and bought her a rosary and Catholic children’s book.
Although I have a very limited monthly income from Social Security Insurance (SSI), I have been able to help support various groups. I am helping Mt. Angel seminary and abbey by including them as beneficiaries in my insurance and donating to groups such as: Medical Teams International, an organization headquartered in Tigard that provides medical supplies and staff to assist families suffering in Ukraine and elsewhere; to Catholic Relief Services who are assisting refugees fleeing from Ukraine; and to St. Andrew’s Nativity School in NE Portland, a Jesuit middle school enrolling low-income students in grades 6 to 8. They prepare children to become successful in their future education and employment and to lead a meaningful life as active Christians. My grief over the recent mass shootings of children in Texas and other states has led me to keep these children and their families in my prayers and to contact our Oregon members of congress to strongly urge them to develop and support new gun control legislation to reduce similar horrors in the future.
As I mature in my faith through programs such as the Good News People, I hope to continue and expand my opportunities to serve others as a disciple of Christ. Thanks for your support in encouraging each of us to develop our personal stories as we experience God working through us to share the Good News.
Does it really make a difference if we share our stories? Absolutely! Recently I attended the annual fundraising luncheon at the St. Andrew Nativity School for minority low-income students in grades 6 through 8 in Northeast Portland. The Jesuit sponsored school is completely tuition free and depends entirely on donations. After a small group tour of the school led by 2 students, they served a luncheon where the masters of ceremony were 4 middle school students who each spoke for 1 or 2 minutes. The program ended with a brief talk by a Black graduate of the class of 2006 who went on to get scholarships at Jesuit HS, Boston College, and then on to the University of Oregon where he obtained a law degree. He is now employed as a lawyer at a large law firm in Portland and is Board Chair of the Nativity School. On the car ride home, I told my uncle Tom that I was very impressed by the school and wanted to make a monthly donation from my bank account. That led to my uncle and several other friends deciding to join me in making monthly contributions. So yes, our stories do matter.
Michael Chau
Monday, June 20, 2022
Council Meeting Tues June 21st @7pm (Hybrid - InPerson & Online Options)
Hello Brother Knights,
Saturday, June 18, 2022
Life is Messy by Matthew Kelly (Current Knights Discussion Book - Part 5)
spiritual needs.” We are spiritual beings. Matthew writes, “You cannot live life to the fullest if
- Have you ignored your spiritual self?
- What things have you put before caring for and nurturing your soul?
- How can you begin to feed your soul?
- Which of these would be the hardest for you?
- Which of these is the most necessary for you right now?
Upcoming Fraternal Benefit Night (June 23rd) - Retirement Planning
Monday, June 13, 2022
Update on Breakfast
The bank counts more accurately than we do. When they counted our deposit, it came to $782 net. We paid expenses in cash, which means the breakfast Sunday at St. Clare's grossed a record $882 for our intended charities.
Thank you to volunteers for yard cleanup
Many thanks to Knights Don Mey and Paul Pompelli who both participated in the yard clean up project at the home of Lynne Smith on Saturday. The event was successful and very productive. Both homeowner Lynne Smith and neighbor Brian Martinek were very appreciative of our efforts. Likely there will be a follow up event scheduled in the near future.
Sunday, June 12, 2022
St Clare's Junque and Jewels
A big Thank You to all the Breakfast Volunteers
Monday, June 6, 2022
Just a few slots remain in Breakfast Volunteers
And I need anybody willing to wear a mask for a few hours. I have dining room crew (mainly bussing tables, taking spare pancakes out for refills, and the big 10:45 reset) left. For these slots, we have the reduced timeslots of 9:15am-10:30am or 10:45am-1pm. We also need cleanup people for 12:30pm-2pm (or whenever we are done- like with setup, more hands will make lighter work).
If you are available for these timeslots and have not already volunteered, email me at seebert42@gmail.com
Sunday, June 5, 2022
New Maternity Home in Beaverton
Friday, June 3, 2022
Volunteer Request for Yard Cleanup
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Breakfast Volunteers needed - June 12
It is finally that time again, Breakfast at St. Clare's. We will be serving 9:30-12:30 on June 12. To make this happen, we need to fill three shifts worth of volunteers. It's easy! Just e-mail seebert42@gmail.com with your availability for one of the following shifts:
Saturday, June 11 6pm Setup- The easy shift and a good way to get in Confession at 4:00pm, Mass at 5:00pm, Setup 6pm-8pm. Just doing the basics. Four volunteers makes this easy, setting up tables, getting all equipment in to the kitchen, helping to unload the shopping.
Sunday, June 12 7am-10:30am- The main rush. Cooking and we normally serve 75-110 breakfasts in this period. Come see how many we get post-covid. 14 volunteers needed
Sunday, June 12 10:30am-2pm- Lunch crowd. Refill everything, reset dining room, get something to eat yourself. Good time to volunteer if you want to take home leftovers. The more the sooner we are done, ideally 17 volunteers needed, but many will be let go early as we finish.
Remember, you don't have to be a Knight to volunteer with us, Wives, friends, and children are welcome to volunteer for this event.