REMINDER
The January
Assembly Business
Meeting will be held at
the Whittaker Council
hall. The Social starts
at 6:30pm. See details
on page five (5) of this
Newsletter
(Navigator News con’t. on page 2)
New Year Offers New Beginnings
As we close out another calendar year,
we reflect on the past year and assess our
future. It is common for some to make
resolutions for better financial health, physi-
cal and improved relationships. We, as
Catholic Christians, should be making spiri-
tual resolutions as well. There were plenty
of opportunities to deepen our faith and
prepare for the birth of our Lord. While
Christmas day has passed, we are still in the
Christmas Season. We must not forget
that our spiritual growth must undergird all
that we do. So let us reflect on our past
and look with promise to the future growth
of our Assembly. I wish all of you and your
families for continued health and spiritual
well-being in the coming year.
50th Anniversary Celebration
What a beautiful celebration of the 50th
Anniversary of Father Joseph and Father
F o r t u -
nato’s Or-
d i n a t i o n
to the
S e rv an t s
of Charity.
Thank you
to all who
p a r t i c i -
pated in
the Color
Corp for
the Mass
and for all
w h o
h e l p e d
put forth
such a
monumental effort to pull that off.
I do have to mention PFN Joe Yekulis as
he is always at the heart of the activities and
did a fantastic job coordinating and emcee-
ing the event.
District II Officer’s Meeting
There will be a District II Officer’s
meeting for the Lansing Diocese on Mon-
day, January 15th beginning at 6:30 pm at St.
Jude’s in Dewitt.
75th Michigan District II Exemplifica-
tion
Michigan District II Exemplification will
be held April 21st at St. Mary’s Parish and
School in Charlotte, hosted by the Bishop
Povish Assembly #2815. From our District
II newsletter, “We are privileged to have a
very special Class Honoree, Sir Knight Dick
Thelen, a World War 2 veteran and survi-
vor of the USS Indianapolis which was tor-
pedoed and sank in 1945. We are still
working on many of the details, including
Lady’s Program, hotel, and whether we’ll be
hosting a one or two day event (depending
on hotel costs) – but you now have the
date and location – so it’s time to seek out
those members that have not completed
their journey to Patriotic Degree.
As I have challenged in the past – re-
cruit a new Knight and take him through all
the degrees culminating with the Patriotic
Degree in Charlotte on April 21st!”
VA Bingo
The next Vet’s Bingo is Sunday, January
21st from 6:45 – 8:00 pm at the Ann Arbor
Veteran’s Hospital. There are six Sundays in
the year for an hour and a half. Please
show your support and sign up on-line with
t h e l i n k p r o v i d e d a t
VETS_BINGO_SIGN_UP. It’s a click, pick
a date and type in your name. Let’s try and
fill the slots in advance and continue our
support of our Veterans.
Navigator’s News 1
Friars Feature 2
Ladies Corner 2
Comptrollers Report 3
Admirals Nest 4
Commanders Call 4
Power of Prayer 5
Upcoming Meetings 5
Our Faith is our Strength 6
Pro-Life Events 7
Assembly Officers 8
Volume 10, Issue 1
O n e N a t i o n
U n d e r G O D
Website: www.assembly0489.org
The Cardinal O’Hara Assembly 0489 Monthly Fourth Degree Newsletter
January 2018
Inside this Issue
By SK Ray Singer
Navigator’s News
Continued on next page
Friar’s Feature By SK Rev. Joseph Rinaldo, SdC
Hypocrisy Hurts the Church
I f you wish not to damage the Church and others, be
truthful and never hypocritical.
Pope Francis gave this recommendation during his
daily morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta a couple of
weeks ago, while speaking to a group of pilgrims from
the United States. He warned that hypocrisy isn’t the
language of Jesus, nor of Christianity.
Drawing inspiration from the Gospel, where some
Pharisees and Herodians tried to ensnare Jesus in his
speech, the Holy Father observed: “The hypocrite always
uses language to flatter.” Jesus, Pope Francis reminded,
uses the word “hypocrite” often to describe the doctors
of the law, because, as their title illustrates, they claim to
have higher standards or more noble beliefs than is the
case, they give opinions and issue judgments, but are
false.
Hypocrites, the Holy Father warned, always begin with
adulation, exaggerating the truth, feeding into one’s van-
ity.
However, Pope Francis underscored, Jesus makes us
see reality which is the opposite of hypocrisy and ideol-
ogy. Pope Francis underscored that, as we see with the
doctors of the law in the Gospel, flattery is triggered by
bad intentions.
The Holy Father warned that they had put Jesus to
the test, flattering him first and then asking him a ques-
tion with the intention of making him err, namely that:
“is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?”
Pope Francis stresses that the hypocrite is two-faced,
but Jesus knew their hypocrisy. Jesus always responds to
hypocrites and ideologists with reality: everything else is
either hypocrisy or ideology. In this case Jesus said:
“bring me a coin”, and he answered with the wisdom of
the Lord: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.”
The reality was that the coin carried the image of Cae-
sar, and to God what belongs to God.
The language of hypocrisy, Pope Francis also said, is
the language of deceit, the same language the serpent
used with Eve. While it starts with flattery, it ends up
destroying people. It tears to pieces the personality and
the soul of a person. It destroys communities, Pope
Francis stated.
Warning all Christians who at times are hypocritical,
Pope Francis stressed how problematic this sin is for the
Church. The hypocrite is capable of destroying a com-
munity. While speaking gently, he ruinously judges a per-
son. He is a killer, Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis concluded, giving two pieces of advice:
Respond to flattery only with truth, and respond to ide-
ology only with reality and prayer. Pope Francis contin-
ued: “Let us ask the Lord to guard us from this vice, to
help us be truthful, and if this is not possible to keep si-
lent; don’t ever to be a hypocrite.
Fr. Joseph Faithful Friar
Page 2 T he Knightly News January 2018
(Navigator’s News continued from page 1)
A Sad Note from the State Deputy
My Brother Knights,
It is with a saddened heart that I have to report that our
State Secretary Antonio Vittorini passed away around
midnight at the Henry Ford Hospital Macomb. Please
pray for Tony and the Vittorini family. As soon as the
arrangements become available I will pass them on.
Fraternally,
Kenneth B. Unterbrink
State Deputy
Yours in Christ,
Ray Singer Faithful Navigator
Ladies,
I encourage
you to
take time to
pray to your guardian angel. Each night, we say
this Angel of God prayer in Polish with my parents Ed
(88) and Jeannette (86) Kobylarz: “Angel of God, my
guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here.
Ever this day be at my side to light and guard to rule and
Ladies Corner By Lady Dianne (DeDe) Singer
T he Knightly News Page 3 January 2018
My Bother Sir Knights and Ladies:
Happy New Year, I hope that everyone had a wonderful
Christmas with your families. I know that we did, we
continue to be blessed with our Grandchildren, and ex-
tended family as I know that each you are.
As each year I take this opportunity to offer ideas for
New Year resolutions, and promises from each of us to
help build and maintain the progress of our Assembly.
Please consider these and offer some of your own.
• Meeting attendance, please update your Calendar as to
the dates of our monthly meetings. We need your in-
put and ideas, and for you to join in the friendship that
is had each month.
• New Members. Will you have the honor to sponsor a
new member this year? As we have noted before,
membership is the lifeblood of our Assembly. Think
about this. Need information, just contact me.
• Programs such as the Quarterly Vets Bingo, the August
Corn Roast, and other current programs need mem-
bership involvement. You might be surprised as to
how rewarding participation in activities such these
are.
• Please consider stepping up to a leadership position!
The Assembly needs your involvement, your ideas, and
your expertise.
Our annual dues statements were sent out on De-
cember 2nd, and to date quite a few have returned your
annual dues. I try to send out the Membership Cards as
soon as possible after receipt of your dues payment, if
you have sent your dues and not received a membership
card, please let me know, also if you have not received a
billing let me know also. Thanks to so many of you for
your quick response.
As you may know our December meeting had to be
cancelled due to the Weather. At this meeting we have
traditionally received member donations for our annual
Christmas donation to St Louis Center. We can still do
this! If you would like to make a Christmas donation you
may mail it to me at 309 N Harris St, Saline 48176, or
make your donations at the January meeting, and I will
see that the donation is made to Fr. Joe and St Louis
Center. Also as part of the planning for the December
meeting we has two dozen Poinsettias ordered to be
given as gifts to our Ladies in attendance, as the cancella-
tion came too late to cancel the order, the flowers have
been donated to a local Nursing Home for the enjoy-
ment of the residents.
I will be submitting the annual Fraternal Survey Re-
port in the 2nd week of Jan, please help me with the infor-
mation as to visits to sick and bereaved, charitable dona-
tions to your Parish, and other charitable causes that
you may participate in. As noted in earlier newsletters,
this is a very important document as it keeps the Knights
of Columbus as tax free. I look forward to hearing from
you.
I will close my part of this Newsletter with this short
prayer for the New Year:
“Dear God:
Thank you that you make all things new, Thank you for
all that you’ve allowed into our lives this past year, the
good along with the hard things, which have reminded
us how much we need you and rely on your presence
filling us every single day.
We pray for your Spirit to lead us every step of this
New Year. We ask that you will guide our decisions
and turn our hearts to deeply desire you above all else.
We ask that you will open doors needing to be opened
and close the ones needing to be shut tight. We ask
that you would help us release our grip on things to
which you’ve said “no” “not yet” or “wait”. We ask for
help to pursue you first, above every dream and desire
you’ve put within our hearts.
To you be glory and honor, in this New Year and for-
ever.
In Jesus Name”
Amend Blessings,
Mike Anderson FC
By SK Mike Anderson, PFN, PDD
Comptroller’s Report
guide. Amen“- Polish version - “Wimie Ojca I Syna I
Ducha Wimie Ojca I Syna I Ducha Swietego (Sign of the Cross)
Aniele Boży, stróżu mój, Ty zawsze przy mnie stój.
Ajak niecke przy mnie stacz, To się połóż ze mnie spacz. Amen”
Also, please pray for all those who live on the streets with no shelter, especially during the cold winter weather.
As Pope Francis said last year, “During these very cold days,
I think of and I invite you to think of all the people who live on the streets, affected by the cold and many times by indif-
ference. Let us pray for them, and let us ask the Lord to warm our hearts so as to be able to help them.”
Keep the warmth and the love of Christ and others forever
in your heart. God Bless you, Dianne (DeDe) Singer
Page 4 T he Knightly News January 2018
The Admirals Nest By SK Ed Strach, PFN
Commander's Call By SK Gary Kistka Color Corps Commander
Happy New Year!
F rom Lady Lynn and I, we hope you and your family
have been blessed this Christmas season.
As this new year begins, let us give thanks for those
blessings bestowed upon us and our families. Let us re-
member those that have served our country to protect
the freedoms we enjoy. And with the cold weather now
upon us, let us remember our homeless veterans and
pray for their wellbeing.
I was recently asked by another assembly to drop off
blankets to the Ann Arbor Veteran’s Hospital and it was
humbling to see the many veterans in the hospital. This
may be the time for our assembly or our councils do the
same and consider donating blankets or other types of
clothing to the veteran’s hospital. In the past we have
continued to support the veteran’s hospital with toilet-
ries. This is another opportunity to broaden our sup-
port.
An on-going opportunity for our membership is to
support the veterans Vet’s bingo chaired by Trustee,
Kelly Donnellon. The next bingo is Sunday, January 21
from 6:45-8:00pm.
Time For A New Year Resolution
As many are setting New Year Resolutions or goals
for the year, I would like to ask that each Sir Knight make
a resolution to ask someone to join our ranks in the Pa-
triotic Degree of the Order. Take a moment and remem-
ber why you decided to attend the Exemplification to be-
come a member of the 4th Degree. Your reason may have
been that someone simply asked you, it was a goal to
make it through all degrees, you saw the honor and dig-
nity our Color Corps members brought to a fallen mem-
ber or participating in a local parade. Whatever the case,
I ask for your personal attention to go out and seek a
new member.
The 75th Exemplification will be held at St. Mary’s Par-
ish in Charlotte on Saturday, April 21, 2018.
Building the Domestic Church
With December 31st being the Feast of The Holy
Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and January 7th, 2018
The Epiphany of the Lord, let us remember the role and
importance each Knight of Columbus has is in Building
the Domestic Church. We can do so in many ways in-
cluding attending weekly Mass and supporting the families
in our parishes and community.
Seek, Ask … Recruit!
Ed Strach - Faithful Admiral
A Very Merry Christmas and a blessed, healthy, and happy new year.
As you all know, we have been granted an additional year to
proudly wear our regalia. I hope that all of you will take this oppor-
tunity to attend as many events as possible over the next 18 months.
The Color Corps proudly served at 33 events in 2017. My heartfelt thanks to my fellow leaders, Don McDevitt, Thom Publiski,
and Joe Yekulis for making my job much easier,and thereby allowing
the Color Corps to be a much more visible arm of our assembly
throughout the year.
In addition to the normal activities we take part in every year, I
would like to highlight the following events we were given the honor
of serving: The wake services and funerals of Ed Lirette and Robt
Washington. The diaconate ordination in E Lansing where one of
our own assembly members, Wayne Slomiany, was ordained. The
Mass of Thanksgiving of newly ordained Fr Campbell from Christ the
King Parish. The 60th anniversary of the founding of St Mary/Manchester K of C Council. The 25th anniversary of the ordination
of Fr. Bosco from St Mary/Manchester. And my favorite, the cele-
bration at St Louis Center of 50 years of priesthood for Fr Joseph
and Father Fortunato. Over 300 people took part in this celebra-
tion, the Mass was celebrated by Bishop Boyea, and 21 Color Corps
members took part. What a wonderful year! As we begin a new year, I would encourage you to find a copy
of a new CD, Beyond Belief, by Fr Michael Schmitz who challenges us
not to settle for just believing our faith, but by allowing Christ to
profoundly change how we live. He challenges us to look back to
see how we spend our time and money and ask if our history proves
our love for Jesus. Faith without action serves no purpose. We
have been blessed with our lives to help the poor and disadvantaged.
Also, St Mary Parish in Chelsea will be offering the Alpha pro-
gram beginning January 8. “Is there more to life than this? You can
find information concerning this program if you visit stmarychel-
sea.org and then clicking on the Alpha tab. The weekly program consists of a meal, a video presentation, and an opportunity for dis-
cussion. This might be a good opportunity to begin to meet the
concerns of Fr Schmitz mentioned above.
In any event, challenge yourself to really follow Jesus. There are no scheduled events for January.
Gary Kistka, Color Corps Commander
January 10, 2018
Regular Business Meeting
Whittaker Council Hall, 10700 Whittaker Rd., Whittaker, MI
Click Map for Location / Directions
Hosted by St. John Council #3230, Ypsilanti
Social Starts at 6:30pm
Dinner served at 7:00 (Main Course TBD)
Last names starting with A thru L bring a side dish
Last names starting with M thru Z bring a dessert
Business meeting will begin immediately following
dinner
February 21, 2018 (Due to Ash Wednesday
falling on February 14th, this meeting date has
been changed to Wednesday, February 21st at
6:30 pm.)
Regular Business Meeting
St. Andrew the Apostle - Saline Council 910 Austin Dr, Saline, MI 48176
Click MAP for Location / Directions
Social Starts at 6:30pm
Dinner served at 7:00 (Main Course TBD)
Last names starting with A thru L bring a dessert
Last names starting with M thru Z bring a side dish
Business meeting will begin immediately following
dinner
Page 5 T he Knightly News January 2018
Let Us Pray for all our Brothers and Sisters who
are ill, in distress or in harms way
All the men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces
All of our Priests and Religious
Council #2959
SK Joe Veltri, Lady Linda Veltri, Lady Mary Lou
Veasman, SK Myron Welsh, SK Russ Manning, SK Al
LaCosse, SK Ivan "Skip" Brewster, SK John Goff,
Council # 3092
Father Joseph Rinaldo, SK Alan Maciag, Lady June’s
son Alexander T. Etue
Council #3230
SK Keith J. Metty, Lady June Metty, SK Johness Du-
mas, SK Paul Trapani
Council #4354 Lady Betty Kripas, Paul and Delores Randall,
Delores Randall, sister of SK Dick Krzyzaniak, , Shirley Kryzaniak, Russaiuto, wife of Bernito
Council #7587
SK Frank X. Stukenberg,
Council #8113
SK Jerry Armstrong, SK Ray Schrock, Elaine Staziak,,
SK Stan Komar, Brother James Blaszak, brother of
SK Jerome Blaszak, Marie Washington
Council #8989
SK Fr. James Conlon, SK Thom Ciesicki,
Cletus Denoyer, SK Carl Larkin
Council #10963
SK Michael Cesar
Council #13360
Fr. Satheesh, FR. Bill Spencer, Fr. Pat Egan
‘OUR FAITH IS OUR STRENGTH’ From a tricycle driver to CEO/President
By Yen Ocampo
Poverty is not a hindrance to success, but it can af-
fect a marriage. This is the view of a young couple from
the Philippines whose family backgrounds did not match.
Carlito Fernando and his wife, Laarni, were grade
school classmates. Yet when it came time for secondary
education, Laarni, from a prosperous family, went to a
Catholic school, while Carlito’s family could only afford
to send him to a public school. Yet Laarni was far from
“out of sight, out of mind” for
Carlito. He searched a phone
directory for her number and
they became phone pals.
Despite the difference in the
financial status of their families,
the two eloped at age 17. The
couple was secretly married and
then had their church wedding
on Dec. 14, 1997.
The chance of failure for the
young couple was enormous.
For a while, Carlito was a tricy-
cle driver, earning pesos by rid-
ing passengers with his scooter and sidecar through the
busy streets. Laarni suffered a miscarriage and then gave
birth to a healthy child. The bills piled up. At times, they
went to a breadline for food. From this experience, they
realized that poverty can cause problems in a marriage if
the spouses worry or fight about money.
Yet their faith became their strength. They engaged
in different parish activities and became involved with the
Cursillo Movement, Family Life Apostolate and Knights
of Columbus. As they faced life’s challenges, their parish
community was a big help, reminding them that there’s a
solution for every problem if they remain strong and
faithful to God.
“One of the most important things when you engage
in church communities, there’s always someone who will
remind you that happiness comes from your family and it
is the most important thing for me – my family,” said
Carlito.
Carlito and Laarni are blessed with five children, in-
cluding the miscarried child, named Angelito. Their other
children are Lawrence Carlo (13), Lian Cyrel (11), Lara
Christen (8) and 1-year-old Andre Catalina.
Even while working and caring for his growing family,
Carlito took classes and excelled in his studies. He be-
came a bank manager at the age of 23, and then was
made a vice president at a large financing and lending
company at the age of 26. Two years later, he and his
wife decided to start their own business.
Carlo is now the CEO/President of a lending com-
pany that focuses on small loans for entrepreneurs. With
42 branches in Central and Northern Luzon, Philippines,
the company aims at helping villagers in the provinces to
manage their own businesses. The company provides
business training, education in saving and credit tech-
niques, and values formation.
Carlito and Laarni share their experiences and
knowledge with their clients.
They have hundreds of em-
ployees, who pray together
before work and at 3 o’clock,
and engage in Bible reading and
worship.
“We are not just a company
focusing on micro entrepre-
neurs or a company who
wants to help others because
we were deprived; but because
we are family and our core
value is honesty, integrity, team
work and God centeredness,”
Carlito said. “Our faith is our strength,” Carlito said.
They return the blessings they received; one of them
is giving scholarships (vocation/college) to deserving stu-
dents thru the Knights of Columbus. Carlito and Laarni
have received plaques of appreciation for their untiring
support to the Church and Knights of Columbus activi-
ties.
They want their children to grow closer to God.
“We pray the rosary together, we also pray before and
after meals,” Carlito explained. My perspective is for my
children to appreciate the blessings of the Lord and
share them with others.”
He added, “It is always a matter of choice on how
you can be determined to change your life and to help
your family, your community, the Church and the people
who need help.”
Yen Ocampo is a professor at the Manila Times College School of Jour-nalism and a reporter at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philip-pines
(This article was printed in its entirety from The Fathers For Good website - An initiative for men by the Knights of Columbus)
T he Knightly News Page 6 January 2018
T he Knightly News Page 7 January 2018
Join the Effort
plan2pray.org
Pray To End Abortion
For Resources & Upcoming Events
Go to: plan2pray.org
CARDINAL O’HARA ASSEMBLY, #0489
6066 Scully Rd
Dexter, MI 48130
Faithful Friar Rev. Joseph Rinaldo, SdC
734.355.0897 [email protected]
Faithful Navigator -
SK Ray Singer
Faithful Captain -
SK Thom Publiski
Faithful Pilot -
SK Matt Wierzgac
Faithful Comptroller -
SK Myron R. Anderson PFN
(734) 945-9830
Faithful Scribe -
SK Dave Hensel
Faithful Purser -
SK Dave Miley
Faithful Inner Sentinel -
SK Vince Elie
Faithful Outer Sentinels -
SK Fred Baker
SK Bernard Tiffany
Third year Trustee -
SK Kelly Donnelon
Second year Trustee -
SK Bill Punches
First year Trustee -
SK Joe Yekulis, PFN
Faithful Admiral -
SK Ed Strach, PFN
Commander -
SK Gary Kistka (734) 475-9762
Newsletter Editor &
Webmaster
SK Stan Komar [email protected]
Cardinal O’Hara Assembly 0489 Officers