Faith Night Next Monday the 27th

What better way to celebrate Easter than to learn more about the Catholic faith!  All Catholic men (Knights or not) are invited to Mens Catholic Faith Night, Monday, April 27 at 7:00 pm, featuring the Professor, Brother George Bercaw.  The session is held at the Hall. George has put together a lively presentation of the Faith through the works and words of the Church Fathers.  Snacks provided and bring a friend! Remember, Faith Night is a standing date on the 4th Monday of every month.  Mark it on your calendar and be there!

Pancake Sunday at OLPH this Sunday helps Food for the Poor

So far this year, Holy Family Council and those who have supported our efforts have raised more than $11,000 for Food for the Poor!  With government matching programs, that means we will be providing at least 10 destitute famlies with real, solid homes where they can raise families and simply live with dignity.  That's a blessing, but "we ain't finished yet!"  With two more month left in this fraternal year, we have a chance raise even more funds, starting this Sunday, April 26 at OLPH with our monthly 4th Sunday Pancake Breakfast.  Bring yourself and your family and friends for all you can eat pancakes for just $3 a plate, with sausage and fixin's.  Serving starts at 7:30a and ends about 11:30a.  You're not just having breakfast, you're building homes with every plate you buy!  Find out how you are helping:  CLICK HERE.  Thank you for contributions!

America supports conscience protection

Feeling like you're swimming against the tide of culture these days. You're not alone, but some cold comfort on one issue can come from the fact that most Americans are very much against the removal of conscience protection from those who work in the medical profession.  Politicians better take notice.  Read more, click here.

KofC -- Army of Oppression?

We're making an impact!  Click here to read this article off Catholic News Service.

Former Tennessee State Deputy is a Newsworthy Dad

Former State Deputy and Current 4th Degree District Master Bill Gunter is featured in an article on the Knights of Columbus Fathers for Good website.  Click here to read it.

Update from Faithful Citizenship

There are three bills to monitor in the Tennessee legislature. You can receive updates directly from http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/mybills/Login.aspx.

• One that I've been telling you about since last year is the constitutional amendment SJR 0127. Yesterday it passed the House (it had been stopped in a committee there in previous years) and is now one big step forward on its way to eventually being on the ballot for citizens to vote on it directly.

• One (HB 1448) has advanced from its subcommittee to full committee. No date shown for the next action. The amendment(s) that were added to it by the subcommittee are not currently shown online, so keep an eye/ear open on that.

• The third (HB 1532) has been deferred in its committee until April 15, so there is time for you to contact the representatives on that committee and ask that they act as you recommend.

It has been recommended to me that we support SJR 0127 and HB 1448 (pending HB1448's amendments), and oppose HB 1532.

Divine Mercy - for the sake of His sorrowful Passion

The Feast of Divine Mercy (Divine Mercy Sunday) was promoted and commended by Pope John Paul II in the Jubiliee year of 2000 at the Mass for the Canonization of Sister Faustina Kowalska.  Sister Faustina was a Polish nun and mystic whose private revelations regarding the merciful Love of God made manifest in His passion and resurrection have inspired millions to a deep devotion.  Divine Mercy Sunday is traditionally the first Sunday after Easter and begins on Good Friday with the praying of the Devine Mercy Novena.

OLPH will celebrate the Divine Mercy beginning on Good Friday with the Novena intention and Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3pm in the church.  A Divine Mercy Service with the full recitation of the Chaplet will be held immediately following Noon Mass on Sunday, April 18.  Please attend and bring your family to take part of this deep and meaningful devotion.

"On each day of the novena you will bring to My Heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls. By this novena I will grant every possible grace to souls." (Diary of Sr. Faustina 1209, 796)

Anchors Away for Katie Labbe!

When you see Brother Carl Labbe again, you may notice he looks pretty proud!  That's because his daughter, Katie Lauren, has just recently learned that she has received an appointment to the Naval Academy of Annapolis.  That's a great honor!  Congratulations to the Labbe family thanks to Katie for her impending service to our country!

Holy Week - Explore your Spirituality

As we enter Holy Week of 2009, now is a great time to take a hard look at your spiritual life relative to your particular calling in the world.  Are you including God and your faith in everything you are doing, every day?  Can you do better?  No doubt we all can.  A brother Knight writes about "Columbian Spirituality" as something we as Knights are called to practice daily, saying that a Knights daily spiritual life is "interwoven in the fragments that make up an entire day" and thus, every activity therein, if offered to God, makes the entire day itself a prayer (click here to read more). 

Take time to take stock.  Here are some links to good information that can help you make this week a truly holy week for you:

• Get Scriptural:  Read and reflect on scripture daily.  Click here for a great site from Creighton University that inlcudes scripture plus an online reflection.
• Pray the Liturgy of the Hours:  follow the daily rhythm of the Church at Universalis.  Click here.
• Get in the Prayer Habit:  An extraordinarily simple and profound way of prayer is offered through the Apostleship of Prayer, which promotes daily prayer for the Church and world and for the intentions of the Holy Father.  Click here.
• Make a Sacred Space: Take 10 minutes toward a holier day.  Sponsored by the Jesuit Province of Ireland.  Click here.
• Get your Spiritual Exercise:  Download the text of the Spirtual Exercise of St. Ignatius, take them to heart and put them in practice.  Click here.
• Attend more Masses:  Click here for the OLPH Bulletin where you will find a schedule of Holy Week Masses and other activities (look for page 5). Click here for the St. Stephens weekly events calendar.

Have any suggestions?  If you know of or use other online resources to shore up your spirituality, please share them by leaving a comment.  Just click on "comment" below this post.