DISTRICT #121

EDITOR: JIM BRONOWSKI

E-MAIL: jbronowski@aol.com

www.kofc1638.org

October 2018

“falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus”

This phrase came up during a televised session concerning the recent Supreme Court Nominee subcommittee

testimony. The English translation “false in one, false in all” is atrenchant aphorism meant to reflect a Roman

legal principle indicating that a witness who willfully falsifies one matter is not credible on any matter. The

underlying motive to use it is for attorneys to impeach opposing witnesses in court: the principle discredits the

rest of their testimony if it is without corroboration. While not a legal standard, it has been and does remain a

powerful sophism designed to truncate further investigation/evaluation of a witness’s testimony (“Liar, Liar-

pants on fire”). Such as it is used in legal matters it segues over into religious matters too. For 2 millennia the

burden of proof to the historical accuracy of the scriptures has rested on the traditions and writings of our

Church and for 2 millennia the Church hasn’t groaned from the weight. What more powerful testimony to the

veracity of the Gospels and the Traditions of the Catholic Church is that, despite the relentless proletariat

pedagogic polemics, the teaching of Jesus Christ have proven “verum in omni tempore”, ie “All true, all the

time”. As we go through the progressive exemplifications we are more strenuously challenged to be able to

defend our faith. What becomes humblingly self-evident is that we all are inchoate Catholic apologists. We

may have our confidence shaken by our inability to articulate the nuances of our faith but we should never

have our own confidence shaken due to any inconsistencies of our Catechism. It has, through 20 centuries,

been accurately related to us by truly unimpeachable witnesses. Not those who casually say they’re “100%”

certain, but by those who literally sacrificed their lives and were martyred for our beliefs. That’s a standard a

tad bit higher than what we are being exposed to now. That’s a standard that will stand the test of time. Verum

in omni tempore.

Vivat Iesus,Patrick Merrill MD Grand KnightRiverside Council 1638

Brother Knights:

Thanks to all who generously contributed in our participation at the St.

Catherine of Alexandria's school festival and the St. Francis de Sales

Consolata Missions fundraiser over the past two very hot and physically

taxing weekends. Our "sweat equity" had tangible benefits in helping support

the local Catholic parishes and grade schools. Feedback from parishioners

has been very positive. I can sense the sincere gratitude which has been

expressed, and I know our Catholic community relies on our continued

efforts to help the schools be financially viable. We do more, however, than

raise money. We raise spirits. We help families raise informed Catholic

children who will eventually be able to live and defend the faith. There are

several more upcoming events where we Knights will have an opportunity

to enjoy and to serve.

We would like volunteers to help support our Knights of Columbus Day dinner on October 13,2018 at St.

Catherine of Alexandria Hall. This is our main fund raiser for the fall of 20 18 we 'will like to see a good

turnout by the Knights. Please consider dining with us even if you can't assist in the Setup/Cleanup. Brother

Joe Feola has gone to great lengths to make this a delicious dinner and entertaining evening.

Yours in Christ,

Patrick Merrill MD, Grand Knight Riverside Council #1638

To All Knights,

Please come and enjoy our Columbus Day Italian

Dinner on Saturday, October 13th at St. Catherine’s

Parish Hall. Festivities begin at 6:00 PM and along

with the great food there will be entertainment and

lots of fun. If you haven’t got your tickets yet, there

will be some available at the door. If you can, please

help with setup or cleanup.

Worthy Chaplains and Dear Brother Knights, The issues that have come to light concerning sexual abuse by Archbishop Theodore McCarrick and in the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report are cause for grave concern among Catholics and Brother Knights. Many feel deeply betrayed by those whom they long held in high regard. Such concerns are shared not just in the United States, but in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere. These sins of commission and omission have sent the Church we love, the Church we serve and the Church that Jesus Christ established into convulsions. Sadly, the disgrace not only is borne by the perpetrators, it hurts us all, as does the silence of shepherds who have ignored the cries of their flocks. There are many wonderful and faithful laborers in the vineyard of the Lord among our priests and bishops. However, it is clear that in addition to devastating criminal acts, we have seen many other moral failings by clergy that represent a crisis of commitment to the Gospel. Too often the needs of victims have been subordinated to a distorted sense of mercy toward the perpetrators or an instinct for clerical self-preservation. The sexual acts — both criminal and non-criminal — highlight the need to recover a respect for and a renewed commitment to the priestly promises of celibacy. The Knights of Columbus has supported the pastoral and charitable work of our bishops and priests since our founding by the Venerable Father Michael McGivney. We understand that the priest should lead the parish and the bishop should be the center of unity in a diocese. But we — like all Catholics — are painfully aware of the wreckage that ensues when elements of this leadership are abdicated by evil actions whether directly perpetrated or covered up. Now, the Knights of Columbus — laymen, priests and chaplains together — will have an important role to play in rebuilding the Church. We must commit the Knights of Columbus to work for repentance, reform and rebuilding of the Church. Repentance should include a full accounting of the misdeeds by those who have committed them. Archbishop McCarrick and others at fault owe us a full account of their actions, motivations and cover-ups. After years of having us confess to them, it is now time for them to come clean about what they have done and what they have failed to do. This will also help increase the recognition that clerical sexual abuse is a global problem that must be addressed at the highest levels of the Catholic Church. Moreover, priests and bishops who refuse to live according to their promises of celibacy should be removed from public ministry, not out of retribution, but for the protection of the faithful and to prevent future variations of the scandal we now suffer. Reform must include many good ideas that have been proposed, such as a full and complete investigation of sexual abuse led by an independent commission that includes laity; complete transparency by the Catholic hierarchy into all matters of criminal sexual misconduct past or future; an expansion of the zero tolerance policy to include sexual activity or misconduct by clerics including bishops, and by seminarians; and a call for faithfulness by all members of the clergy, including bishops. There must also be an independent ethics hotline for reporting of criminal and other conduct at odds with Catholic teaching on the clerical state of life; and there must be protections against retaliation. Such reforms will be difficult

August 21, 2018

for a Church largely unused to them, and we must support our bishops and our priests in embracing these reforms in order to rebuild. We can help to rebuild our Church in several ways. Above all else, Knights — and our chaplains — must embrace love of God and love of neighbor. This is Christ’s great commandment and the founding mission of our Order. It is also exactly the opposite of the rejection of God and exploitation of neighbor that our Church has witnessed in these scandals. Shortly before becoming Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger decried the “filth” in the Church “even among those, who in the priesthood, ought to belong totally” to Christ. He also provided the antidote, stating at other times that what the Church needs now more than anything else is “saints.” Pope Francis reiterated Pope Benedict’s sentiments in his letter on Aug. 20. In the days ahead, the Knights of Columbus will help renew our Church on a national level through a Novena of Masses in reparation for these sins that have so grievously wounded the Body of Christ. I take this opportunity to ask that you offer this Novena of Masses for our Church at your earliest opportunity. Beginning in November, the Knights of Columbus will sponsor, in cooperation with the Shrine of St. Jean Vianney in Ars, France, a national tour of the relic of the heart of this great patron saint of priests. In the coming weeks, I will share more details with you about this initiative. We will also continue to strengthen and rebuild our Church at the level of our families and parishes through our Building the Domestic Church program. Its twin elements of imbuing families with faith and strengthening parish life are critical to providing a Catholic Church that rebuilds based on the Gospel principles of love of God and love of neighbor. Together with our recently announced “Faith In Action” initiative, we will strive to make our parishes truly become, in the words of Pope Francis, “a family of families.” Now is the time for all brother Knights to stand steadfast in faith, as Catholics and as gentlemen. We will assist priests, bishops and our fellow Catholics in helping the Church chart a course for the future that puts Christ at the center, so that truly we may say, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This is the moment in which Knights — including in a special way our priest members — can be part of a great renewal for good in our Church. And as we strive to follow the Lord more closely in the days ahead, may he deliver us from every evil and in his mercy graciously grant his Church peace and unity. In closing, know that your faithful witness and sacrifice can bring inspiration and hope to millions of your fellow Catholics. It will be needed in the days ahead more than ever before. And to every priest and bishop whose commitment and dedication to our Order and to our Church has been faithful and exemplary, please accept my gratitude in both a personal way and on behalf of the Knights of Columbus. Let each one of us prayerfully invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, so that in the words of St. Maximilian Kolbe, our hearts "would be cleansed and themselves become immaculate, similar and like unto her own heart." Fraternally, Carl A. Anderson Supreme Knight

Brother Knights:

Because of the hard work and ingenuity of Brother Nester

Contreras we have an “up and running” council web site. It is

our source for all things “Knights,” both within Council 1638

and nationally. Brother Nester is to be thanked for putting this

outstanding web site on line for our use. Please utilize it!

https://kofcknights.org/CouncilSite/?CNO=1638

October has many traditions. There’s post-season baseball, tailgating at

football games, apple picking and, of course, Halloween. But most

importantly, there is the Rosary.

As decreed by Pope Leo XIII, October is the Month of the Rosary. For

Knights of Columbus, this has a special significance. When a man joins our

Order, he receives a Knights of Columbus rosary – at 1.9 million members,

that’s a lot of rosaries. And praying the rosary is an activity that our members

do communally as part of council life.

According to Catholic traditions, St. Dominic was given the rosary by the

Blessed Virgin Mary in 1214 in the Monastery of Prouille. Since then, it has

become one of the Catholic Church’s powerful tools of prayer. But why pray

the Rosary? Here are 5 of them. One for every decade.

1) The Blessed Mother gave us 15 Promises if we prayed the rosary

Alanus de Rupe, a 15th century Dominican preacher, claimed that he was visited by the Blessed Virgin

Mary, who gave 15 promises to Christians who prayed the rosary, including the Blessed Mother’s

special protection and greatest graces, the light of God, a powerful armor against Hell, as well as

dominance over misfortune.

2) To obtain world peace

“Continue praying the rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for

the world and the end of the war, because only She can help you.” This is what Our Lady of Fatima

said to three children, Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto in June 1917.

The Blessed Mother visited the children in Fatima, Portugal from May 13, 1917 to October 13, 1917 a

period that culminated in the Miracle of the Sun, otherwise known as, “The Day the Sun Danced.”

3) Time to reflect on the Gospel mysteries

The rosary consists of the Apostle’s Creed, the Hail Mary, the Our Father, the Glory Be, along with other

prayers. However, in between each decade, we are invited to reflect on the Mysteries of the Gospel:

Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous.

In these mysteries, we rediscover, examine, and ponder the stories from the Gospel, and discover the

real meaning of those events in the silence of our hearts.

4) Spiritual healing

And speaking of silence, another purpose of praying the rosary is to allow the repetition of the prayers

enter into the silence of our hearts, where Christ’s spirit dwells.

It is in that silence, we become more connected with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Continued on next page

• Saturday, October 13th: Columbus Day Italian Dinner, SCOA.

• Sunday, November 4th: Coffee and Doughnuts, 8:30 – 11:45, SFDS

• Tuesday, November 6th: General Business Meeting, 7:30 PM, SFDS.

• Sunday, November 11th: Council 1638 Memorial Mass, 11:30 SFDS.

• (Date to be determined): Officers Meeting, 7:30 PM, SFDS.

• Thursday, November 22nd: Thanksgiving Day.

• Sunday, December 9th: Christmas Party, Canyon Crest Country Club.

Not only that, but Jesus reveals to us that “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and

with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind.”

But to do so, we must make time for Him. The rosary is the perfect way to make time to connect with

God, and for spiritual healing. Take 15 minutes a day to be one with Him.

5) Prayer works!

The power of prayer is unspeakable. The answer to every prayer is a miracle, in and of itself. It is our

lifeline to Him, to our souls, and to each other.

But the reason why October is the Month of the Holy Rosary is due to the power of prayer.

In 1571, Pope St. Pius V organized a group of Christian forces, known as the Holy League, in defense

of an imminent invasion by the Ottoman Empire. Before a battle with the Ottoman fleet in the Gulf of

Patras, in the Ionian Sea, the pope called on all of Europe to pray the rosary for victory. These prayers

was answered, with the Holy League defeating the much larger Ottoman forces on October 7 at the

battle of Lepanto.

To commemorate the victory, Pius V established the feast day of “Our Lady of Victory” – also known as

Our Lady of the Rosary.

Hundreds of years after the battle of Lepanto, Pope Francis is now calling all Catholics this month to

pray the rosary daily to “protect the Church from the devil, who always seeks to separate us from God

and from each other.”

So, in solidarity, let us pray to our most gracious advocate, the Blessed Mother,

for peace throughout the world, and within our souls. It only takes 15 minutes.