Ted's Recruitment Speech for St. Clare's October 8-9

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Reverend Father Don,

A few weeks ago, we has our parish picnic.  Every man over the age of 18 there, should be a Knight of Columbus, and here's why.

 Archbishop Sample told us last spring here at St. Clare's at Confirmation, that it will be much harder for our young Catholics to stay Catholic, than it was for the generation who memorized the Baltimore Catechism.

Your Knights of Columbus council knows this well; we have many men who have raised our families, only to find that some children are no longer Catholic.  We are offering the Return Video Class to older members of our parish as a way to learn how to talk to family members who have left the faith; but we must do more.

As Knights, we are Christian Soldiers, moving Onward and Upward Together, toward our God.  (hold up rosary) My sword is prayer, the Rosary of Mary, the Rosary of Charity.  Through my prayer, I become more aware of the needs around me, I become more generous in charity.  (Guesture to the left, at the Crucifix) My shield is the Cross of Christ, for which I am pledged to be a new Simon of Cyrene.  In Unity we Knights help each other carry our Cross.  (guesture at the Altar) On this table, less than 15 minutes ago, we celebrated the third sign of Formation for the Knights, the Holy Eucharist, through which all men and women become brothers and sisters in Christ and exemplify the virtue of Fraternity.

It is well known that when a man acts as a fully involved and informed Catholic father around the children that he encounters, the children are more likely to stay Catholic.  When Families volunteer together, they teach children to be more charitable. Whether your vocation is single, married, or the Holy Orders, having some formation and companionship as a Father will help the children around you.  A fully informed Catholic Father is one who uses Charity, Unity, and Fraternity to help the people he loves get to Heaven, for Heaven would not be Heaven for him without those people there!

Charity, Unity, Fraternity, these are the virtues of a fully formed Knight of Columbus.  Come join us on Sunday at noon for a family lunch, with sandwiches and chips and soda.  We will have the Lego Church Building project out for the kids, at one end of the room will be showing McGivney the Musical, a play about the last time our country was so divided against Catholicism, and we will have men there to talk to you about joining the Knights of Columbus for the children in your life. Membership in Council 15485 now counts for St. Clare School Volunteer hours.
Thank you.

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Suggestions?  Use the comment box below.  I will keep editing this for at least the next two months before I start practicing it.