District Deputy’s Report February, 2008

Los Padres Chapter
& District 61
News & Events

Stephen Schlesselmann

District Deputy’s Report

February, 2008

A Spiritual Thought

Lent is right around the corner, February 6, and as always, Lent is a good time to pray and do penance. As St. Josemaria de Balaguer states in the Way: “That Christ you see is not Jesus. At best it is only the pitiful image that your blurred eyes are able to form… Purify yourself. Make your sight cleaner with humility and penance. Then the pure light of love will not fail you. And you will have perfect vision. The image you see will really be his: Jesus himself.”(page 48 of the Way/Furrow/the Forge by St. Josemaria de Balaguer).

The State recently notified me that Brother Rich Scholl (our current District Warden) has resigned from active status with the Knights for personal reasons. I want to personally thank Rich for his many years of active dedicated service to the Knights. Rich has served in many officer positions in the council including the Grand Knight’s position and has been an officer in our Fourth Degree Assembly as well. Brother Rich also has had time to serve lately as our Community Director and has been actively helping with both this year’s Clergy Appreciation Dinner and Lenten Fish Fries. On behalf of all your Brother Knights, thank you Rich for all you have done! We hope that you can rejoin us soon.

Degrees

There are several degrees planned in the near future:

Council 5300 will be hosting a 1st Degree on Monday, February 11, 2008. Candidates should be there at 7 PM and the Degree will start at 7:30 PM.
Council 12805 (Our Lady Mary Star of the Sea) will be hosting a 3rd Degree on Sunday, February 17, 2008. Registration will begin at 12:45 PM and the Degree will start at 2 PM. There will be a tour for the Ladies and a dinner for all those attending immediately following the degree.
Council 1684 will be hosting a 2nd Degree on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at Serra Hall. Candidates should be there at 7 PM and the Degree will start at 7:30 PM.
The 3rd Degree at St. Peter Claver’s in Simi Valley on March 2, 2008 has been cancelled.

Programs:

Council 1684 had a fairly quiet month of January. This February, however, the Council will be hosting their Valentine’s Dinner on February 13, the 2nd degree mentioned above on February 20, and a blitz drive sometime during the month of February or March. Please try to make some or all of the events.

Council 5300 hosted their Christmas party on December 1. On December 9, the council hosted a blood drive along with the pancake breakfast. Council 5300 will be hosting a First Degree on Monday, February 11, 2008. Candidates should be there at 7 PM with the degree starting at 7:30 PM. Let’s make every effort to welcome many Brother Knights that night into our councils!

Council 5300 hosted their blitz drive on Saturday and Sunday, January 12 and 13, 2008. Approximately 6 or 7 potential Knights signed up to receive further information. At our council’s meeting on the 14th, Brother Sam Alfano (our membership director), handed out a list of about 20 or so potential candidates to be contacted for the first Degree on February 11. Other than the blitz drive, Council 5300 also hosted their usual monthly pancake breakfast and on January 30, the annual Clergy Appreciation Dinner held in conjunction with Council 1684. In February, Council 5300 will have the 1st Degree already mentioned, and their Lenten Fish Fries on the Fridays of Lent.

Council 10067 (Saticoy) had a fairly quiet month of January themselves. They helped out with various projects around the parish (Sacred Heart). On February 16, the Council will be hosting several fundraising events: a tri-tip sale on February 3 (Super Bowl Sunday) and a Valentine’s dinner/dance on February 16. There will be a blitz drive on February 13 in conjunction with the tri-tip sale. In addition to the fundraising events, the Council will be holding a 1st Degree for several of their waiting candidates. The 1st Degree’s date and time are still pending.

Finally, Council 13756 (Carpinteria) was busy with projects around the church including converting one of the unused confessionals into a sanctuary for the tabernacle at St. Joseph’s Church. Before, the tabernacle was less visible. Council 13756 also hosted their blitz drive on January 19 and 20. At least 5 potential candidates asked for more information and GK Ruffino Murillo stated that at least 2 of the potential candidates were very likely to become Knights. The council hopes to have a Spanish 1st Degree sometime in the next few months.

Other Notes:

Right now, the district is at 50% of membership and 75% of insurance. We have a long way to go with membership and already 7/12 of the fraternal year is over. Brothers, we can do better! Let’s get those candidates who have filled out Form 100s into a first degree. Let’s step up our efforts to invite our fellow Catholics into our Order. Remember, it is every Knight’s responsibility to recruit.
The degree training that was initially scheduled for January 27 was cancelled due to the weather and the fact that our State Ceremonial Chairman, Bob Boul had another commitment. I’ll work with Bob and let you know when it will be rescheduled.
The Chapter Dinner is coming up on February 24 in Ventura at 5 PM. The Chapter dinner is always enjoyable so make your plans to attend.
Per our State Chaplain Fr. Grace’s request, we started the spirituality initiative at the various council meetings in January. The initiative will take the form of a 10 minute discussion about our Supreme Chaplain Bishop Lori’s article in the current issue of the Columbia magazine. The magazine and the article are available at www.kofc.org. Just click on Publications and Resources, then Columbia Magazine and you will be brought to a web page that lists the various articles in the current issue. Look for Bishop Lori’s article and please read it before coming to the meeting and be ready to discuss it. We won’t have time during the meeting to have it read.
As stated last month, from December 1 to April 20, 2008, all new first degree Brother Knights will be listed in a special book that Supreme Knight Carl Anderson will present to Pope Benedict XVI when the Pope visits the United States in April. All new first degree Brother Knights who take their first degree between December 1 and June 30, 2008 will be presented with a limited edition certificate acknowledging their joining the Knights during the 125th year of our Order. Finally, the Knight’s recruiter will receive a minted medallion acknowledging their efforts.
Please be sure to visit the K of C’s website (www.kofc.org. ) when you get a chance for up to date information about what the Order is doing at the national level. You will find a link to our Supreme Knight’s new book “A Civilization of Love”. Also, there is a link to a podcast of both Carl Anderson’s remarks at the National March for Life as well as remarks by our Immediate Past State Deputy about the West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco.
The State Convention is coming up in May. Make your plans now to attend. All Grand Knights and Deputy Grand Knights should be there. It is a great chance to meet fellow Brother Knights, build friendships and witness how the State works. It is also a great chance to meet some of the Supreme officers such as Emilio Moure. Last May, we had the privilege of hearing and meeting Carl Anderson!
We have been asked by the State to get behind the “California One Man, One Woman Marriage Initiative”. We have been asked to collect signatures for the initiative on petition forms that can be obtained by filling out a request form at www.onemanonewoman08.org. The deadline for submitting signatures is April 1, 2008.
Please make sure to continue praying for the repose of the soul of Col. Bravo (father of PCP John Bravo). Also, Brother Ernie Guzman’s (Council 10067) sister is very ill and needs all of our prayers.

If you have any questions or need any assistance, you can contact me at (805) 968-9440 or by email at sjschlesselmann@cox.net.

Stephen Schlesselmann

District Deputy #61

Updated February 1, 2008

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	A Spiritual Thought
	Lent is right around the corner, February 6, and as always, Lent is a good time to pray and do penance. As St. Josemaria de Balaguer states in the Way: “That Christ you see is not Jesus. At best it is only the pitiful image that your blurred eyes are able to form… Purify yourself. Make your sight cleaner with humility and penance. Then the pure light of love will not fail you. And you will have perfect vision. The image you see will really be his: Jesus himself.”(page 48 of the Way/Furrow/the Forge by St. Josemaria de Balaguer).
	The State recently notified me that Brother Rich Scholl (our current District Warden) has resigned from active status with the Knights for personal reasons. I want to personally thank Rich for his many years of active dedicated service to the Knights. Rich has served in many officer positions in the council including the Grand Knight’s position and has been an officer in our Fourth Degree Assembly as well. Brother Rich also has had time to serve lately as our Community Director and has been actively helping with both this year’s Clergy Appreciation Dinner and Lenten Fish Fries. On behalf of all your Brother Knights, thank you Rich for all you have done! We hope that you can rejoin us soon.
	Degrees
	There are several degrees planned in the near future:
	Council 5300 will be hosting a 1st Degree on Monday, February 11, 2008. Candidates should be there at 7 PM and the Degree will start at 7:30 PM. Council 12805 (Our Lady Mary Star of the Sea) will be hosting a 3rd Degree on Sunday, February 17, 2008. Registration will begin at 12:45 PM and the Degree will start at 2 PM. There will be a tour for the Ladies and a dinner for all those attending immediately following the degree. Council 1684 will be hosting a 2nd Degree on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at Serra Hall. Candidates should be there at 7 PM and the Degree will start at 7:30 PM. The 3rd Degree at St. Peter Claver’s in Simi Valley on March 2, 2008 has been cancelled.
	Programs:
	Council 1684 had a fairly quiet month of January. This February, however, the Council will be hosting their Valentine’s Dinner on February 13, the 2nd degree mentioned above on February 20, and a blitz drive sometime during the month of February or March. Please try to make some or all of the events.
	Council 5300 hosted their Christmas party on December 1. On December 9, the council hosted a blood drive along with the pancake breakfast. Council 5300 will be hosting a First Degree on Monday, February 11, 2008. Candidates should be there at 7 PM with the degree starting at 7:30 PM. Let’s make every effort to welcome many Brother Knights that night into our councils!
	Council 5300 hosted their blitz drive on Saturday and Sunday, January 12 and 13, 2008. Approximately 6 or 7 potential Knights signed up to receive further information. At our council’s meeting on the 14th, Brother Sam Alfano (our membership director), handed out a list of about 20 or so potential candidates to be contacted for the first Degree on February 11. Other than the blitz drive, Council 5300 also hosted their usual monthly pancake breakfast and on January 30, the annual Clergy Appreciation Dinner held in conjunction with Council 1684. In February, Council 5300 will have the 1st Degree already mentioned, and their Lenten Fish Fries on the Fridays of Lent.
	Council 10067 (Saticoy) had a fairly quiet month of January themselves. They helped out with various projects around the parish (Sacred Heart). On February 16, the Council will be hosting several fundraising events: a tri-tip sale on February 3 (Super Bowl Sunday) and a Valentine’s dinner/dance on February 16. There will be a blitz drive on February 13 in conjunction with the tri-tip sale. In addition to the fundraising events, the Council will be holding a 1st Degree for several of their waiting candidates. The 1st Degree’s date and time are still pending.
	Finally, Council 13756 (Carpinteria) was busy with projects around the church including converting one of the unused confessionals into a sanctuary for the tabernacle at St. Joseph’s Church. Before, the tabernacle was less visible. Council 13756 also hosted their blitz drive on January 19 and 20. At least 5 potential candidates asked for more information and GK Ruffino Murillo stated that at least 2 of the potential candidates were very likely to become Knights. The council hopes to have a Spanish 1st Degree sometime in the next few months.
	Other Notes: Right now, the district is at 50% of membership and 75% of insurance. We have a long way to go with membership and already 7/12 of the fraternal year is over. Brothers, we can do better! Let’s get those candidates who have filled out Form 100s into a first degree. Let’s step up our efforts to invite our fellow Catholics into our Order. Remember, it is every Knight’s responsibility to recruit. The degree training that was initially scheduled for January 27 was cancelled due to the weather and the fact that our State Ceremonial Chairman, Bob Boul had another commitment. I’ll work with Bob and let you know when it will be rescheduled. The Chapter Dinner is coming up on February 24 in Ventura at 5 PM. The Chapter dinner is always enjoyable so make your plans to attend. Per our State Chaplain Fr. Grace’s request, we started the spirituality initiative at the various council meetings in January. The initiative will take the form of a 10 minute discussion about our Supreme Chaplain Bishop Lori’s article in the current issue of the Columbia magazine. The magazine and the article are available at www.kofc.org. Just click on Publications and Resources, then Columbia Magazine and you will be brought to a web page that lists the various articles in the current issue. Look for Bishop Lori’s article and please read it before coming to the meeting and be ready to discuss it. We won’t have time during the meeting to have it read. As stated last month, from December 1 to April 20, 2008, all new first degree Brother Knights will be listed in a special book that Supreme Knight Carl Anderson will present to Pope Benedict XVI when the Pope visits the United States in April. All new first degree Brother Knights who take their first degree between December 1 and June 30, 2008 will be presented with a limited edition certificate acknowledging their joining the Knights during the 125th year of our Order. Finally, the Knight’s recruiter will receive a minted medallion acknowledging their efforts. Please be sure to visit the K of C’s website (www.kofc.org. ) when you get a chance for up to date information about what the Order is doing at the national level. You will find a link to our Supreme Knight’s new book “A Civilization of Love”. Also, there is a link to a podcast of both Carl Anderson’s remarks at the National March for Life as well as remarks by our Immediate Past State Deputy about the West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco. The State Convention is coming up in May. Make your plans now to attend. All Grand Knights and Deputy Grand Knights should be there. It is a great chance to meet fellow Brother Knights, build friendships and witness how the State works. It is also a great chance to meet some of the Supreme officers such as Emilio Moure. Last May, we had the privilege of hearing and meeting Carl Anderson! We have been asked by the State to get behind the “California One Man, One Woman Marriage Initiative”. We have been asked to collect signatures for the initiative on petition forms that can be obtained by filling out a request form at www.onemanonewoman08.org. The deadline for submitting signatures is April 1, 2008. Please make sure to continue praying for the repose of the soul of Col. Bravo (father of PCP John Bravo). Also, Brother Ernie Guzman’s (Council 10067) sister is very ill and needs all of our prayers.

	If you have any questions or need any assistance, you can contact me at (805) 968-9440 or by email at sjschlesselmann@cox.net.
	Stephen Schlesselmann
	District Deputy #61