RIP Don Kohl, PGK, Charter Member

Don Kohl, Center, with other charter members
Ray Fox Sr., (left) and Mel Downs (right)

Don Kohl, PGK, and charter member of Holy Family Council 6099, passed away last Friday at the age of 93.  Don helped found Council 6099 and served as Grand Knight during the 1972-73 fraternal year.  The council's golf tournament for Catholic education is name after him and PGK John Knight.  He was a graduate of Notre Dame High School class of 1937, and the University of Chattanooga.  He was a veteran of World War II, fighting in the European Theater.  He was a devout Catholic and Brother Knight who has lived the past quarter-century at Alexian Village on Signal Mountain.  Click here to read Don's obituary.  See pictures from our 2008 Founders' Banquet.

Tempus Fugit. Memento Mori.

New Officers for 2012-13

Congratulations to Holy Family Council's new officers, elected and installed in June for the 2012-2013 fraternal year. We help of all the brothers of the council, we will look forward to a productive year advancing family, Church, community and country.
The new officers are:

• Wayne Collins - Grand Knight
• John Vannucci - Deputy Grand Knight
• Tom Smelas - Chancellor
• Rick Powell - Warden
• Steve Horton - Recorder
• Earl Reike - Treasurer
• Advocate - Ray Fox, Jr.
• Inside Guard - Mike Doyle, Jr., Chris Schleifer
• Outside Guard - John Sopko, William Sundquist
• Trustee (3 year) - Corky Evers
• Trustee (2 year) - Victor Williams
• Trustee (1 year) - Clarence Bodnar

RIP, Brother Richard Buske

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Brother Richard Buske, PGK, PFN, FDD, who passed away on Saturday Morning, June 9.  Visitation will be held Monday, June 11, at South Moore Road chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home.  Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, June 12, at St. Stephen's Church, burial following at Chattanooga National Cemetery with full military honors.  Brother Richard was a proud and dedicated Knight who gave freely of his time and talents for the good of the Order and the good of the Church.  He will be missed by his Brother Knights and family.

Tempus Fugit. Memento Mori.

6099 Captures Five State Awards

GK Corky Evers presents council MR Director Kenn Stroop 
with the State MR Award

Holy Family Council represented well at the recent Tennessee State Convention, garnering five total awards and placing as finalist in four program categories.  These awards represent the extraordinary amount of work and dedication on the part of the entire council, and indicate 6099's annual programs continue to be top-notch. The awards were:

• Chaplain's Award for outstanding programming in vocations support
• MR Foundation Top Producer - First Place: $26,300
• MR Foundation Top Percentage Increase - Fifth Place: 2.3%
• District Deputy Award - Outstanding activity in District 15
• State Deputy's Award

Program finalists included the Super Bowl Pork Loin Sale in Pro Life Activity; The Mighty KCs Softball Team in Council Activity; Support Our Seminarians program in Vocations; Kids Christmas Party in Family Activity.

See other award pictures here.

Lessons from Mexico

With religious freedom and the Catholic Church once again under assault in this country, it's worth noting that the Knights already have a history of resistance to religious oppression, which created several saints --through martyrdom-- among priests and brothers of the Order.  Supreme Knight Carl Anderson draws compelling observations from the persecution of the Church in Mexico during the 1930s in this article.

For some historical context, check out this great article about the Feast of the Mexican Martyrs (May 21). Note, the article is down the page a couple of entries.

Recognize this guy?

Sure you do! It's brother Ray Powell, a member of 6099, brother of Rick, and pursuing his vocation to the priesthood at Sacred Heart Seminary in Wisconsin.  He is also one of the benefactors of the council's SOS (Support Our Seminarians) program, receiving a $100 stipend each month to help defray his living expenses.  He's one of the reasons we crunch aluminum cans!  Read a short bio piece on him in the East Tennessee Catholic.

Latest on HHS Mandate "Compromise"

The so-called compromise on the HHS mandate dictating violation of Catholic conscience does not end the argument, and, in fact, only heats it up.  You need to keep up so check out these articles: 

• Six more things you need to know about the updated mandate from the Catholic Bishops Conference
• Check out this opinion piece by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, who postulates the mandate as one battle in a two front war
• George Weigal discusses the administrations attempt to dictate who speaks for Catholics in this country
• Conrad Black predicts that this mandate may actually spark a very deep and abiding culture war in this country

It's not over! Follow this link to the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference website to see updated information on the new HHS proposal. Send a letter against this unjust mandate to our local congressmen and state senators! If we don't fight for our own religious freedom, who will? Take responsibility! Take action!

Meet seminarian Adam Royal

There is a nice profile of Adam Royal, one of Holy Family Council's supported seminarians, in the latest edition of the East Tennessee Catholic.  Adam is one of three seminarians who receive spiritual and financial support from Council 6099 through the Knights of Columbus RSVP program.  Last year, the council donated $3,600 to our supported seminarians to help them cover cost-of-living expenses as they continue to follow God's call to service in the Church.  Click here to read the article online.

Bishop Stika responds to unjust HHS mandate, encourages action

Bishop Richard Stika issued a response to the recently enacted mandate by the Department for Health and Human Services that will require religious employers to fund and provide drugs and procedures that explicitly violate the teachings of the church.  The response, which was read in all parishes in the diocese on Sunday, February 5, follows

"Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

I write to you having just returned from my Ad Limina visit with Pope Benedict XVI who shares deeply the concerns that I and all the U.S. bishops have regarding a matter that calls for our steadfast prayer, solidarity and action. On January 20th, the federal government cast aside the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and essentially stripped Catholics and citizens of any faith of our Nation’s first and most fundamental freedom—our religious liberty."

Click here to read more of the Bishop's letter.  Read the stance adopted by the Knights of Columbus here.

TAKE ACTION NOW!  Follow this link to the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference website to see a video by Archbishop Timothy Dolan and to send a letter against this unjust mandate to our local congressmen and state senators!  If we don't fight for our own religious freedom, who will?  Take responsibility!  Take action!

Coats for Kids Update

We've learned that the last 600 coats collected during last year's Coats for Kids drive have been delivered for distribution to the Salvation Army in Chattanooga.  Once again, thanks to the efforts of area Knights, more children and families at least have a coat to keep them warm this winter.  Thanks to the 6099 Crew that took care of three Wal Marts and Hardees locations and a bunch of dry cleaners for the months of November and December, picking up and delivering coats to be distributed to those in need. 

Final report meeting for Coats for Kids will be held in February at the hall.  Stay tuned for time and date!

Support Pro Life with a Pork Loin for your Pigskin Party!

The Pro Life Pork Loin Sale is rolling around again just in time for Super Bowl Sunday! Beautiful, grilled five-pound seasoned pork loins, perfect for your party, are available for sale for only a $25 donation to the council Pro Life Fund. Clarence Bodnar is in charge of the sale this year. You still have time to order yours before Saturday.   Call the hall at 899-9989. Also, help will be needed on Super Bowl weekend to season and grill. E-mail Clarence to let him know you can help and when.

"First, they came for the Catholics..."

Here's a take from Michelle Malkin in National Review on the latest encroachment upon religious liberty.

"It’s about time all people of faith fought back against this unprecedented encroachment on religious liberty. First, they came for the Catholics. Who’s next?..."  Click here to read more.

TAKE ACTION!  Click here to read how you can take action against this attack on the Catholic Church and religious freedom.