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Anthony (Tony) Hergott, State Deputy
ALSO INSIDE
Consecration To The Holy Family During The State Convention page 2Sign Up For Eucharistic Adoration Hours During The Convention page 4Your Support Of Vocations Really Makes A Difference page 7State Convention Agenda And Meal Reservation Form pages 8-9Why Not Be A Delegate At The 2016 Supreme Convention page 142016 Silver Rose Run Information page 18State Free Throw Championship Set For Saturday, April 2 page 19Degree Schedule And Membership Information page 20State Bowling Tournament Winners page 21
March 2016 Vol 44 No 3
The Nebraska State Council recently donated an ultrasound to Nebraskans United for Life. This mobile pregnancy clinicwill travel to areas that currently have no services. Pictured are State Treasurer Mark Borytsky, State Deputy Tony Hergott,the Chairman of NUFLAnnMarie Bowen, State Secretary Lou Gasper, Culture of life Directors Brian andMary Jo Hamik,and State Executive Secretary Ray Guggenberger. This mobile unit will be parked at the Younes Conference Center duringour State Convention. Be sure to stop by. See page 3 for more information.
Don’t Get Burned-Join the Fun!Come to the State Convention prepared to buy moreLottery Tickets, purchase Chances on a Sculpture toBenefit the Squires or on a Pro-Life Pillow. There’s alsoSilent and Live Auctions this year with Great Items tobid on - including a BBQ by our State Officers.Look for more details inside.
111thAnnual State Convention
April 22-24, 2016Kearney, NE
Important InformationInside!
Nebraska K of CInsurance AgentNeil Pfeiferpromoted toGeneral AgentSee page 5
Young KnightJacob Bauer
shares his blizzardexperience duringthe March for Life
See page 6
Alleluia! Christ is risen, and we are called to rise with Him into a new life! This is our Easterjoy. The Resurrection reminds us that suffering does not have the last word. We are all sons anddaughters of the Resurrected Christ and He is ever in our midst. Let the Easter joy be with useach day as we continue to allow our lives to bear witness to our faith through the familyministry of the Knights of Columbus.
On behalf of the State Officers, I extend a cordial invitation to all to attend the 111th AnnualNebraska State ConventionApril 22–24, 2016, at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney, NE.As always, this is a great time to renew old friendships, make new friends, and celebrate theachievements of the nearly 26,000 Brother Knights from across this great state! Please makereservations now and come join us for an experience of a lifetime.
As for Laurie and me, we have been blessed to visit so many different councils across thestate and are always impressed by the quality of Brother Knights and their families, how theylead in their parish and communities, and how they make a difference through theircommitment to good works.
Consecration to the Holy FamilyAs I have mentioned in previous
articles, Supreme Knight Carl Andersonasks that we as Knights families becomemore fully integrated to the sacramentallife of the parish. He envisions Knights ofColumbus parish-based councils providinginvaluable support to parish Priests and toparish life, evangelizing families thoughour many charitable and social activities.He is asking local councils to alignthemselves with parish-based programsthat promote spiritual renewal amongCatholics while drawing us to holiness andunity. Building the Domestic Church, “thefamily fully alive,” is the new directive.Through this initiative we will strengthenour parishes and ultimately grow theKnights of Columbus while living out theGospel principles of our Order.
During the State Convention, we willbegin implementing the “Building theDomestic ChurchWhile Strengthening Our
2 Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council
Tony HergottState Deputy4008 27 St.
Columbus, NE 68601402.910.1894 cell
By e Risen Christ We A Called . . .
continued on the top of next page
Parish” initiative. Our Supreme Chaplain, Archbishop of Baltimore William E. Lori, hascomposed a Consecration to the Holy Family featured on a new prayer card. The Nebraska StateCouncil will include this consecration during the convention’s Saturday night Mass. A blessedimage of the Holy Family will be carried in procession and placed in the sanctuary. The celebrantwill invite all those present to make the act of consecration together.
After the debut of this consecration at your State Convention, councils will be asked tocoordinate with their pastor to offer the Consecration to the Holy Family in their parish annuallyon the first Sunday after Christmas, traditionally celebrated as the Feast of the Holy Family.
“His Holiness Pope Franciscordially imparts
his Apostolic Blessing.From the VaticanJune 29, 2015”
3Knights Courier - March 2016
We Are Called . . . continued from previous page
The latest ultrasound machine, donated to NebraskansUnited for Life, will be in the parking lot at the StateConvention! What makes this donation so unique is thisultrasound machine has been installed into a mobile unit. AnRV has been converted to a mobile clinic that allows NUFL toreach out to those living in or near Nebraska towns which haveno pregnancy resource centers.
This ultrasound machine purchase was made possiblethrough a matching fund grant provided by the Knights ofColumbus Supreme Council Ultrasound Initiative.
Nebraskans United for Life offers free pregnancy testingand ultrasounds. They also offer free pregnancy counselingand provide material assistance such as clothing, diapers,formula, bottles, household items, housewares, financialassistance, food, and much more.
According to State Deputy Tony Hergott, “Since theKnights Ultrasound Initiative began in January 2009, order-wide, the Knights have provided more than 600 machines toqualified pregnancy resourse centers. This program hassaved the lives of countless unborn children, and that’s whatit is all about. Just think about the powerful impact it haswhen a mother, considering abortion, sees her baby for thefirst time. There is no doubt this experience will strengthenthat mother/child bond. Studies indicate more than 90% ofwomen change their minds about having an abortion afterseeing an ultrasound. I’m proud of all the State Officers,Culture of Life Directors, and the more than 25,500 BrotherKnights and their families across Nebraska who made thispossible. It shows our commitment to restoring the cultureof life, one child at a time.”
Ultrasound On Wheels Reaches Places Without Pregnancy Resources
From the Front Cover:Mobile clinic donatedby the Knights toNebraskans Unitedfor Life will be parkedat the State Convention.
Father’s Day Corporate CommunionSecondly, councils will be asked to host Corporate
Communions on Father’s Day (June 19, 2016), invitingmembers and their families to attend Sunday Mass together,and request that the celebrant officiate a Father’s DayAffirmation of Wedding Vows. Councils may also considerhosting a special reception after Mass to further celebrate thecommitment of married couples in their parish. Supportmaterials for the council and celebrant will be available in thecoming months.
It is my hope that these two practical parish-based activitieswill become annual events that will serve to strengthen ourfamilies and our parishes.
Holy Family Prayer ProgramThe State Convention will also kick off the Holy Family
Prayer Program.As State Deputy, it ismy honor and privilege tosend forth twoHoly Family icons (see page 2) on a pilgrimage toNebraska councils. These images were blessed by Pope Francison June 29, 2015, the Solemnity of Ss. Peter and Paul, through theauspices of the Almoner of His Holiness, Archbishop KonradKrajewski. It is our prayer thatwith the aid of theHoly Spirit, allfamilies who look upon this image become homes ofcommunion, prayer, and love - One Body in Christ.
Laurie and I are looking forward to seeing all of you at theState Convention!
Grace and Peace to you,Vivat Jesus!
Tony Hergott, State Deputy
4 Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council
Words from our State Chaplain
Fr. John RooneyState Chaplain
Lent and Easter come early this year, and we will be celebrating Holy Week the end of thismonth. The key mysteries of the life of Jesus our Lord are recalled and relived in the beautifulceremonies of Holy Week. If you can, by all means take the time to go and participate in thesevery special Liturgies.
State Deputy Tony Hergott chose as his motto, “One Body in Christ.” The design of his pinincludes the state of Nebraska in, as I’m sure you would never guess, red. It also has the circlethat surrounds the emblem to indicate the Sacred Host. We are One Body in Christ through ourBaptism, but most powerfully we become One Body in Christ when we are joined to His Bodyin Holy Communion. (See the pin in color at www.nebraskakofc.org)
Jesus took unleavened bread and said, “This is My Body, which will be given upfor you.” Over the wine He said, “This is the chalice of My Blood, …which willbe poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.”That most wonderful gift of the Holy Eucharist was given at the Last Supper on that first
Holy Thursday. The Last Supper was the first Mass. At that sacred meal, which included theritual of the Passover meal of the Jewish religion, Jesus did something profound and new. Hebecame the Passover Lamb Who truly would take away the sins of the world by His Passion,Death, andResurrection. At the Last SupperHemade the offering ofHimself for the forgivenessof sins, andHewould complete that offering inHis Flesh and BloodwhenHe suffered and diedfor us on Good Friday.
We believe that Jesus only speaks the truth, and what He declared, He made happen by Hisdivine power. By His order, “Do this in memory of Me,” He made it so that His priests couldfulfill that directive until the end of theworld. What started out as bread andwine became Jesus,Himself. After the change, though the appearance of bread and wine remains, it is no longerbread and wine, and it is incorrect to call it such. We believe that it is changed in what it is andin its substance, and it has become the Body and Blood of Jesus.
"Could you not watch one hour with me?"(Matthew. 26:40)
Once again, we will be including the opportunity forEucharisticAdoration. The Eucharistic Chapel will be in theFairfield Hotel in the convention complex. Access to theChapel will be from Friday morning until noon on Sunday.
Meeting and Mass times and during the overnight hours,the Eucharist will be reposed in the tabernacle, but we urgeyou to still come often and pray, regardles of the hour.
The hours for the Exposition of the Blessed Sacramentwill be posted. Signup sheets for these special hours will beavailable at the registration desk when you check in.Someone MUST be present during these special times.Wouldn’t it be wonderful if many were present?
We are “One Body in Christ,” and our unity in that body isformed andmaintained by our participating in the Body, Blood,Soul, andDivinity of Jesus inHolyCommunion.Our adorationopportunity gives us time to be with our Lord and to bring toHim all our needs and concerns, thanksgiving for blessings,and our praise and love. In particular, we should pray for
Knights and their families, thework of theKnights inNebraska,and the guidance of our Lord over all ourundertakings as we conduct the business ofthe State Council.--A Prayer Intention BookWill BeAvailable in the Chapel
In addition, we will have a book inthe chapel for prayer intentions.Everyone is encouraged to add theirown intentions to the listing. The listwill be there before our EucharisticLord as continuous prayers are offeredto Him throughout the weekend.Anyone who comes to the chapel isinvited to look at the listing and offertheir prayers for the intentions that arewritten there. Mass on Sunday morningwill be offered for these intentions.
Please consider taking an hour or more so that Jesus has acontinuous company of faithful people through the weekend.
See the pin in color atwww.nebraskakofc.org
continued on the top of next page
Eucharistic Adoration Opportunity During The ConventionSIGN UP FOR AN HOUR WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR THE CONVENTION
5Knights Courier - March 2016
Words from our State ChaplainWe use the term “Real Presence” to indicate that while Jesus
can be present spiritually in many ways, He is physically presentin the sacred elements of the Eucharist. Traditional languagealso speaks of Jesus being present in His Body, Blood, Soul, andDivinity. By that we mean that the Sacred Host and the PreciousBlood have become Him in all that He is, so that when wereceive Jesus in Holy Communion, we are receiving the fullnessof Christ. All that He is comes to us and enters into us, so thatJesus joins Himself to us. There is nothing more intimate, morepowerful, more ennobling to us human beings than when Godcomes to us in our bodies as well as our souls.
When He comes into us, we are joined to Him. We are madeto be part of His Body by our participation in His Body at HolyCommunion. Each person who is so joined to Jesus becomesjoined to each other person who also receives Him. In partakingof the One Body of Christ, we all are made One Body.
Perhaps as we celebrate this great gift of the Holy Eucharistat the Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, we canponder this great mystery and strive to live what that meansfor us as Catholics and as Knights of Columbus to be “OneBody in Christ.”
As we wish to lead others to a deeper and richerconnection with God, we want to lead them to the fullness ofwhat Jesus has provided for us, which is found in His CatholicChurch. We need to communicate what we believe, and theEucharist is central. Sometimes the greatest things can be the
hardest to describe, but the Church in her two-thousand yearhistory has provided for us the language to accurately andcarefully describe what we believe.
Along with accurately presenting the Faith, and even beforethat, we want to be witnesses to what we know we have receivedin our Faith. That is where we let our love and reverence for Godand what He has provided for us show through so otherpeople’s lives and hearts can be touched as God has touchedours. The way we speak conveys more than just information. Amissionary priest from Poland came to the parish during theannual missionary appeal. He spoke of going over to Churchfor Holy Mass. Every time he spoke of the Mass he called it“Holy Mass.” Something so simple as that gave witness to hislove for the Mass and his reverence. It inspired me, too.
Our actions also speak of reverence and love. A special waythis is done in Sacred Heart Church in Shelby is that a Knightsof Columbus Fourth Degree Honor Guard attends to ourEucharistic Lord during the time of Adoration from the end ofthe Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper until midnight. It alwaysinspires me and gives me yet another reason why I am gratefulthat we have a Knights of Columbus council in our parish.
May this Holy Week when the Church beautifully celebratesthe Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus be the occasion foryou to be touched deeply by the love God has for you, and mayyou be witnesses of God’s great mercy in words and deeds.
Words from our State Chaplain . . . continued from the previous page
General Agent Kevin Pfeifer announced that Neil Pfeifer of Norfolk has recently beenpromoted to General Agent for the Knights of Columbus for northeastern Nebraska.
Neil has been a successful field agent with the Knights since 1994. He was recentlynamed Agent of the Year in the Kevin Pfeifer Agency for 2015 and finished the year ranked#8 in the company. He is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Round Table and a 19year member of the Supreme Knights Club. Neil and his wife, Becky, have 5 children andattend Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Norfolk.
Neil and his field agents will assist K of C members in northeast Nebraska includingthe communities of Columbus, David City, Albion, Norfolk, South Sioux City, West Point,Fremont and councils in North and West Omaha and many smaller councils in between.Neil and his staff will help our K of C members with all of their fraternal benefits includinglife insurance, retirement and estate planning needs. They also offer long term care anddisability insurance.
Congratulations to Neil Pfeifer on his promotion to General Agent in NortheastNebraska with the Knights of Columbus.More from Knights of Columbus Insurance on pages 16 and 17
Neil Pfeifer402.379.0180
Neil Pfeifer Named New Knights of ColumbusGeneral Agent for Northeast Nebraska
6 Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council
Jacob J. Bauer(pictured) is a 3rdDegree Knight andmember of SaintMichael’s Council13584 in Spalding.
This past January, I attended the AnnualMarch for Life inWashington, D.C… orshould I say, the “Once-in-a-Lifetime Get Stuckon a Turnpike FarAway 2k16.”
To say that it was aninteresting experiencewould be accurate, butto say that it was amoving experiencewould be anunderstatement.
We only spent 16 hours in our nation’s capital. 25-hour bus ridethere, get in, get out, avoid the “Snowmageddon”. And to actuallyexecute this, we left the two-hour March (the reason we paid moneyand drove to D.C.) only an hour in. It was disappointing knowing thatwe would only be able to do half of what we paid and drove to do. Wemade this strategic move to leave early in an attempt to avoid WinterStorm Jonas.
But that didn’t work out very well for us.Three hours out of Washington, the Penna Turnpike was closed due
to an accident thirty miles up on it. We then turned around to spendtwo and a half hours at a truck stop. Finally, the Turnpike opened up,and we were on our way! That lasted for around thirty minutes untilwe ran into stopped traffic.
Starting at 9:44 PM, we wound up being totally stopped for 24 fullhours. Now, I’m sure many of you are thinking about how awful of anexperience this would be. But my experience and the experiences ofthose on the bus were quite different. It was easily the most memorablepart of the trip. I would go so far as to argue that this “pit stop” wasmore memorable than the March many times over.
However, we paid nearly $400 to spend three nights in a hotel butwound up spending two of those on a charter bus (and one on a gymfloor) that we could have slept on for free.
While on the Turnpike, the priest on the trip with us was calling allover the place in a desperate attempt to be able to get us a refund. Butafter many unsuccessful attempts, many of us were low-keydisappointed that we wouldn’t be getting a refund. But the Lord wasworking in real ways here.
Written by Jacob J. Bauer - a freshman and working at UNLPhoto courtesy Monica Schroll - Omaha
While pursuing a potential refund, the hotelinformed us that the rooms we paid for weren’t goingto be empty like we had thought. According to thehotel, a group of people rounded up the homelesspopulation (of which Washington has many) to stay inthe thousands of vacant hotel rooms for protectionfrom the “biggest winter storm in D.C. history”.
The Lord works in incredible ways.Not to mention that heaven and earth met twice
that day as we were blessed to have Fr. Mills celebrateMass on each of the buses. (No, we didn’t find outabout the snow-altar Mass a mile ahead of us untilafter the fact).
But the most important part of the experience forme was the surprise retreat.
The morning of the day we left, I received apowerful vocation call. It felt very clear as I knelt infront of the Blessed Sacrament for my usual tenminutes in the Newman Center chapel before class.After finally opening myself up for what felt like thetenth time, I experienced a whole new freedom andpeace; it hit me like a ton of bricks. This was the pointthat I decided that I had to go all-in on my discernmentto the priesthood. And it couldn’t have happened at abetter time. I was given an unintentional “retreat”experience while stranded in solidarity with a greatgroup of devout Catholics (not to mention that I sat inthe seat right in front of a priest who has inspired megreatly). This gave me an incredible opportunity todiscern outside of my normal routine, to talk to greatpeople about it, and to spend a lot of time in prayerwith it. Consequently, two weeks later, I am in contactwith our vocation director about the possibility ofseminary next semester.
The March didn’t affect me in the way it affectsmost people—I wasn’t necessarily moved by the sheernumber of people who are pro-life. I wasn’t knockedflat by the support for the pro-life movement.
Nonetheless, I experienced something that mayhave just dictated the destiny of my entire life.
Jacob J. Bauer is the son of Ed and StaceyBauer of Spalding. Dad Ed is a 4th DegreeKnight. Jacob is the grandson of Vic andLeila Bauer of Spalding and John andCarolyn Schroll of Grand Island. GrandpaVic is a 3rd Degree Knight and GrandpaJohn is a 4th Degree Knight.
The Lord Works In Incredible Ways Even In A Blizzard!
7Knights Courier - March 2016
OUR HOPE for the FUTURE!Each person’s vocation flows from the grace of Baptism.
It is God’s invitation, His call to each person to love and serve Him and His Church in a particular state or way of life.
One mission of the Knights of Columbus is to support the sacrifices ofour young men and women who have responded to God’s call to religious life.The Nebraska Knights of Columbus has faithfully contributed to their financialsupport through our Annual State Lottery. Increased participation in the StateLottery is vital to the continuation of this support. Your contribution of sellingor purchasing these lottery tickets will support over 65 seminarians and manyreligious of Nebraska.
Each year we receive many cards and phone calls as expressions ofgratitude from these young people whom your dollars have helped (see left).
To stay within the bounds of the law while conducting the Lottery, we needto transfer all lottery tickets, stubs, and ticket purchase proceeds by hand. Itis illegal to mail the tickets, stubs, and proceeds – there is no exception.However, there is no restriction on advertising the Lottery through the mail.
Want a great return on your investment?Spend $10 to Win $500, $750, $1,000, or $2,500!
Even if you’ve already purchased lottery tickets, why not buy a few moreduring the State Convention? Tickets will be available Friday and Saturday,and the drawing will be held during the State Banquet Saturday evening. Themore you buy, the more the odds are in your favor.
More importantly, remember the young men and women who appreciateall the help the Knights are able to give them through ticket sales and yourgenerosity. (Shown left is just one “thank you” sample from a seminarian.)
Your Support Of Vocations Really Makes A Difference!
The young men and women who have responded to God’s Call to a Religious Vocation are extremely grateful for your prayers and financial support. They are . . .
Tickets will be available forpurchase Friday and Saturdayduring the State Convention
Come to the State Convention prepared to purchase lottery tickets and help support our seminarians and religious!
Matt Richardson, State Warden | 402.380.3513 cell | [email protected]
There will be an Exemplification at Lincoln’s Newman Center on May 1.If there are questions about color guards or honor guards, you can refer to the Guide Book fromSupreme. It has the answers to most questions and is the standard to follow. To assist with flag positioning, State Treasurer Mark Borytsky is assisting me in a program that will beavailable on the 4th Degree website.
Please check the 4th Degree website often. http://fourthdegree.nebraskakofc.org or www.nebraskakofc.org and click on “4th Degree” near the top of the page.
Jim Haiar, PSD, District Master | 402.203.6073 cell | 402.333.5899 home | [email protected]
Diocesan-wide 4th Degree Exemplifications Continue
Major Degrees on page 20. Important Dates on the back cover.
www.nebraskakofc.org and on FACEBOOK at https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaKofC
HOTEL RESERVATIONS
8 Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council
Make your own lodging reservationsfor April 22-24, 2016
Younes Conference Center416 Talmadge Rd
Kearney, NE308.234.7300
Please identify yourself as a Knight of Columbus
to obtain the discounted room rate.
Comfort Inn - 308.236.3400
Hampton Inn - 308.234.3400
Wingate - 308.237.4400
Fairfield - 308.236.4200
Friday, April 22, 2016
7:30-8:30 a.m. Opening Mass 9:00-3:00 p.m. State Officers Meeting 3:30-4:30 p.m. Registration 3:30-4:00 p.m. Directors Meeting 3:30-5:00 p.m. Fourth Degree Meeting4:00-4:30 p.m. District Deputy Meeting 4:00-5:15 p.m. Chaplains Meeting & Program4:45-6:00 p.m. Agency Social 6:00-10:00 p.m. Child Care - 2 Years & Older
6:30-9:30 p.m. Awards Banquet Saturday, April 23, 2016
8:00-8:30 a.m. Wardens Meeting 8:00-9:00 a.m. Resolutions Committee 8:00-8:30 a.m. Mileage and Per Diem Meeting 8:00-9:30 a.m. Past State Deputies
Former State Chaplains Breakfast 8:30-9:30 a.m. Financial Secretaries Meeting 8:30-11:30 a.m. Registration 10:00-11:30 a.m. Family Program 12:00-1:00 p.m. Family Luncheon
Family of the Year Presentation1:30-4:00 p.m. Business Meeting 1:30-4:00 p.m. Agency Meeting 1:30-3:30 p.m. Ladies Program 5:00-6:15 p.m. Mass 6:15-7:00 p.m. Social Hour 6:30-10:15 p.m. Child Care - 2 Years & Older
7:00-10:00 p.m. State Banquet
Sunday, April 24, 2016
7:45-8:15 a.m. Mass 9:00-12:00 p.m. Business Meeting 9:00-11:15 a.m. Ladies Brunch
AGENDA
BE SURE TO SELL LOTTERY TICKETS!
The proceeds from thisfundraiser go into our
Vocations Fund.Just a few years ago we were able to send the tickets and the money
through the mail and thenwe averaged $70,000+ each year.
NOW WE AVERAGE UNDER $20,000.It is currently illegal to mail raffle/lottery
tickets or the money for them anywhere in the United States.
See page 7 for details.
When you register at the Conference Center,
an agenda and floorplan will be available with room numbers
of meetings and programs.Check online at
www.nebraskakofc.organd click “2016 State Convention Materials”for information, a description of each day’s
activities and suggested dress.
MEAL RESERVATION FORM
9Knights Courier - March 2016
111TH KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS STATE CONVENTIONYOUNES CONFERENCE CENTER, KEARNEY
APRIL 22, 23 AND 24, 2016
10 Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council
The Squires will again staff and run the convention merchandise Country Store. If a Council has specific items they wish to order in advance, contact
David Marx, State Squires Co-Director | 402.689.0986 cell | [email protected]
I want to thank all of the Councils that submitted reportsto us on all of the great programs that you do during the year.It shows that the legacy of Father McGivney lives on throughthe actions of our Knights today.
While we don’t do our charitable and fraternal programsto receive awards, it is quite a boost for your Council toreceive an award at the State Convention. How great is it tobe able to display a new Council award at your next breakfastor meeting. It tells your Council members how much theirdedication and hard work is appreciated, not only by theirown members but by 26,000 Brother Knights statewide. Youshould also have the award posted in your parish bulletin.This allows all the members of your parish to see what greatprograms the Knights do, and maybe there is a young manout there that will read about it and want to join the Knights.
I hope that all of you will attend our State Convention inKearney. For those of you who have been there before, it is a
time to meet up with old friends from around the State andcatch up. For the first timers, it is an opportunity to meet theState Officers and Directors and to visit with your BrotherKnights from all over Nebraska. It is a great time to exchangeideas, learn about new programs, and to form friendshipsthat will last a lifetime. There are programs for the entirefamily, great food, and a wonderful location. The Younesfamily does a great job of hosting our State Convention attheir hotels, and they go above and beyond in making surethat this is the best event that we hold.
Remember that all of your State Officers and Directors arehere to help you. Without the Councils, Nebraska would notbe one of the top jurisdictions that the Knights have. We area trend setter that Supreme looks to for new programs. Ourpartnership with our Insurance Brothers, who I believe to bethe best around, is often copied but seldom duplicated. Weare simply the best.
State Convention Awards Show Your Council Members That Their Dedication And Hard Work Matters
Robert Wolf, State Program Director | 308.635.0555 home | 308.631.6170 cell | [email protected]
Current Live Auction Items:
1) Two tickets to the Husker vs Oregon gameSeptember 17, 2016 with a FREE tailgate partyincluded.
2) Two tickets to the Notre Dame vs Nevada gameSeptember 10, 2016, transportation to and from
furnished by Foundation Advisor Jerry Smithand his wife Lillian, including free lodging ateither Moreau Seminary or Our Lady of FatimaHouse on the Notre Dame campus September 8, 9, & 10, 2016.
3) A barbeque prepared for 200 people cooked on site by the Knights of Columbus State Officers.
Silent And Live Auctions Prepare To Make A Comeback At This Year’s State Convention!
Looking forward to the State Convention? Come prepared to bid!
The KCNSC Foundation Advisors plan to resurrect the Silentand Live Auction at the upcoming State Convention. Be preparedto make bids to raise monies for your Foundation. There will beseveral items on tables for your silent bids. Remember to checkthese tables regularly and outbid the last bid. The winners ofthese items will be announced after the banquet.
There will also be a live auction with our famousauctioneer, PSD John Smith from Broken Bow. This is alwaysa fun time hearing the bidders trying to outbid each other.
A great time is being planned by your Foundation Directors, andrumor has it there may be another Husker item to include with thelive auction. Get prepared to enjoy the auction. It is an importantevent that will greatly help your Foundation. Remember, BrotherKnights, the Foundation is YOUR Foundation and any supportyou give will stay in your Foundation.Questions? More from the KCNSC Foundation and contact information on page 22
11Knights Courier - March 2016
KIDS TEENS
ADULTSGood Clean Fun for All Ages!
JIM CRUISE“THE SPOON MAN”
Get “Spooned”!www.jimcruise.com
The “Spoon Man” is a published authorwho offers a hilarious interactive comedyprogram for all ages. He gives a real stirring performance. Everyone will really eathim up. No bibs required.
The “Spoon Man” has a totally clean act. He never uses dirty silverware. The“Spoon Man” will leave a lasting impression after playing on you (literally). It’s aspoonful of family fun.
The “Spoon Man” has been playing the spoons for nearly 35 years (he never hada social life) and professionally for 23 years. He is married with five kids and amortgage and supports his family by playing the spoons (by the grace of God). • The “Spoon Man’s” program contains several outrageous impressions such as Glen Miller and Elvis combining together, a Heavy Metal Spoon Player, and a Rap Spoon Player.
• He has an audience Sing-A-Long Competition. • He creates a Mountain Band out of members of the audience. • He may play forks and knives.
An Inspiring Musician,Comedian, &
Keynote Speaker
No Reservation NeededBring the Whole Family
Saturday Morning Family Program - April 23 - 10:00 a.m.
Please come to the State Convention prepared to purchase lottery tickets and help support our seminarians and religious!
Our Nebraska Squires will also be selling chances to win a Michael Montag original sculpture created and donated for the Squires! www.MontagSculpture.com
Your Knights Foundation is sponsoring a Silent Auction during the Convention.A Live Auction will be held at the Saturday evening banquet.
More Fun Things To Participate In
Jim Cruise, the “Spoon Man,” is a faith-filled Catholic man and a Brother Knight. His program will carry a Catholic “Gospel” message or tone including emphasis on having a relationship with Jesus Christ.
12 Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council
Nikki Schaefer has a master’s degree in social work andart therapy and is a former pro-life pregnancy counselor andfamily therapist at Catholic Services and Birthright. She haswritten and illustrated The Potty Train, has authored a varietyof articles on parenting and pro-life issues, and hascontributed to the book Stories for the Homeschool Heart byBezalel Books.
Nikki has been a guest on a variety of radio shows sharingon a number of parenting, pro-life, and Catholic topics. Mostimportantly Nikki lives out her vocation as wife to BernieSchaefer, Development Director of Spirit Catholic Radio, andhomeschooling mother to six great kids.
Nikki and her family started Heart of a Child Ministriesin 2012. Heart of a Child Ministries creates Pro-life PrayerPillows and offers a pro-life, pro-child, pro-family speakingministry to both adults and children.
According to Nikki, “The Pro-life Prayer Pillow wasstarted by our daughter, Grace, when she was seven yearsold. She wanted to make something, sell it, and give themoney back to the mothers so that they could buy neededitems for their babies and not have abortions.”
Grace said, "I want to sew a cross and stuff that cross and onthe cross I want to put a baby because those babies suffer likeJesus suffered on the cross.
I want to put a heart with rays of light coming from thatbaby..."
See Grace’s pillow atwww.heartofachildministries.org.Nikki Schaefer will present, "Let the little children come to
me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heavenbelongs to such as these...."
She addresses the traits that young children possess thatlead them to Heaven and shares how they can teach us howto embrace these traits again.
Nikki also speaks about how the Father heals us back tothese "child-like" traits through confession, the Eucharist,Scripture, the Holy Spirit, divine graces and through others.
Nikki shares examples from the saints and from her ownlife and tells the story of how her seven-year-old daughterled her family to start the Pro-life Prayer Pillow ministry.
Pillows will be available for sale after her presentationwith proceeds going to Nebraska Knights of ColumbusCulture of Life fund.
Saturday Afternoon Ladies Program - April 23 - 1:30 p.m.
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these...."
Matthew 19:14
Here’s your Chance to Win a Specially Designed Prayer Pillow Reflecting "One Rose, One Life"
This specially-designed prayer pillow will be raffled off at the Ladies' Sunday Brunch. Tickets will be sold from Friday through Sunday until the time of the drawing.
Tickets Will Be $1 Each or 6 for $5 - Anyone Can Purchase Them!
A. Nikki Schaeferwith two of herchildren, Sophiaand Isaac.
B. A sample of thebeautiful pillows from this ministry.
C. The pattern forour “One Rose,One Life” PrayerPillow to beraffled.
Heart of a Child & Pro-Life Pillow MinistriesNikki Schaefer, Director
Please Join Us. No Reservation Needed!
AABB C
Creating a Culture of Life, One Rose at a Time
13Knights Courier - March 2016
Sunday Morning Ladies Brunch - April 24 - 9:00 a.m.
A Reservation Is Needed! See page 9.Guest speaker, Sally Hauff, is a native of Kearney,
Nebraska and has worked with children in the KearneyPublic School System for over 20 years. Her passion is herfamily, and she enjoys children beyond measure. She hasbeen the keynote speaker for state conferences for yearsentertaining with her endearing stories that will touch yourfunny bone and pull your heartstrings, leaving you inspiredand renewed. She delivers a dose of life at its best!Sally will share how we can all find rainbows in our
everyday life if we open our hearts and minds to see them.She hopes to touch each individual, leaving each with arenewed view of the beauty around us andwhat wisdom ourchildren have to share with us.
“Sally Hauff has always had a great sense ofhumor…she is a fine observer of children andsees the fun and the pathos in all they say anddo. When she speaks on her observations sheentertains all who listen and doing so she’llmake you laugh and sometimes cry…she has alot to say and says it well…” Ward Schrack
Past Speaking Engagements
• University of Nebraska Extension - Front Door Forum• Nebraska Land Improvement Contractors• Nebraska Department of Education Early ChildhoodTraining Conference
• Good Samaritan Hospital Volunteers - Ravenna• Nebraska Sheriffs’Association Conference• Association of Nebraska Community Action AgenciesWellness Retreat
• University of Nebraska Extension - Women inAgriculture Conference - Sidney, Nebraska.
• Kearney Public Schools Health and Wellness Program• Nebraska Department of Labor Conference• Women’s Expo 2006 - Kearney, Nebraska.• Women’s Health & Wellness Event 2007 - Kearney, NE• Good Samaritan Hospital• University of Nebraska Kearney• Nebraska Storytelling Festival at MONA - January 2008
“FindingRainbows InEveryday Life”
Sally Hauff
Ladies, pleasejoin us from
9 to 11:30 a.m.Sunday morning
and enjoyfabulous food,
renew old friendships,make new ones,and find yourown rainbows!
Want a great return on your investment?Spend $10 to Win $500, $750, $1,000, or $2,500!
Even if you’ve already purchased lottery tickets, why not buy a fewmore duringthe State Convention? Ticketswill be available Friday and Saturday, and the drawingwill be held during the State Banquet Saturday evening. The more you buy, the morethe odds are in your favor. More importantly, remember the young men and women whoappreciate all the help the Knights are able to give them through ticket sales and your generosity.
14 Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council
It’s a time to give thanks and praise for the good works ofthe Knights of Columbus across this great state! While manywill receive awards, all should rejoice in what we were able toaccomplish as a whole in building the Domestic Church righthere in Nebraska. When working for a common goal in ourchurch, community, families, councils, youth, and culture of lifeprojects, we are giving glory to God and spreading the Gospel.Remember, working for God does not pay much, but Hisretirement plan is out of this world! Congratulation to all! AsState Secretary, I feel it is my responsibility to inform you of afew items your council needs to do in order to fully participatein our annual meeting.COUNCIL PER CAPITA MUST BE PAID
First, if you have not paid your supreme and state per capitaassessments, your delegates will not be seated, which in turndenies your council a vote or votes in ANY State Councilmatters. It would be a shame not being able to fully participate,so please make sure your council is in good standing. If you areunsure of your council’s status, please feel free to contact me.
SUBMIT COUNCIL CREDENTIALS BY APRIL 17
Another must is your council’s credentials. I must receivethis form by April 17 for processing. On this form, you will listyour delegates and alternates which allows them to be seatedand grants them voting privileges on matters that come beforethe membership. Your Financial Secretary should have receivedthese credential forms in a packet from State ExecutiveSecretary Ray Guggenberger in January. Please contact me withany questions or concerns. Mail the council credential forms to:
Lou Gasper, State Secretary1847 Harrison Ave, Lincoln, NE 68502
BE A SUPREME DELEGATE
Supreme Convention - Toronto, Canada - August 1-4, 2016Every 3rd Degree member of the Nebraska Knights of
Columbus is eligible to represent the State Council as a delegateto the 134th Supreme Convention in Toronto, Canada, August1-4, 2016. If you are interested in running for Supreme Delegate,contact your Financial Secretary. It is very important you havean updated passport!
”MORE Knights bring MORE hands (& hearts), to raise MORE funds (& to evangelize), doing GOD's good works helping MORE people in need!” - Joe Ramirez, MPC
Time to Rejoice In All That We Have Accomplished During This Past Fraternal Year!
Lou Gasper, State Secretary | 402.476.0764 home | 402.440.3028 cell | [email protected]
Mandatory for a Supreme Delegate: You will have to pay all expenses such as travel, hotels, and meals yourself. The State cannothelp you. You will receive a reimbursement check at noon on Thursday, August 4. Delegates are reimbursed at the rate of $400 perdiem for lodging and meals and paid $.30 per mile for the first 1,500 miles and $.20 per mile over 1,500 miles.
Full name Council #
Address
Preferred phone Cell phone
Email Date of Birth
Membership # Insurance member Associate member
Spouse name Name of nominator
• YOU MUST HAVE A VALID PASSPORT.• You must be a 3rd Degree member.• You must have a credit card.• You will need a white dinner jacket. Most rent one.
• You must stay in the convention hotel.• You must attend all business meetings.
• You must attend the Annual (Supreme Council) States’ Dinner onTuesday evening. The cost of the delegate’s dinner will be deductedfrom your reimbursement check. You must pay for your spouse’sdinner when completing your registration.
• The State Council will host a dinner Wednesday evening. The StateCouncil will pay for your (and spouse’s) meal. The Nebraska Bishopsalso attend.
SUPREME CONVENTION - BACKGROUND INFORMATIONToronto, Canada • August 1-4, 2016
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15Knights Courier - March 2016
Annual Nebraska Squires ConventionYounes Convention Center, Kearney, NE April 22-24, 2016 • $15 per youth
This year’s State Squires’ Convention promises to be atime to make new friends, hear our guest speaker, sharecharitable activities completed in the last fraternal year, andbest of all, have fun!
Friday evening will begin with Mass and then anintroduction to our guest speaker, Jeff Forman.
Jeff graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omahawith a degree in sociology and is currently pursuing amasters in Moral Theology at Christendom College inVirginia. He began working as a youth minister at St. Gerald,Ralston, with his wife Amanda. Currently, the coupleminister as family teachers at Boys Town and are expectingthe birth of their second child in May.
Jeff was inspired and motivated by the youth groupministers in his church when he was in high school. Theywere great examples of what it means to be a man in today’sever-changing world. Developing his personal interest inapologetics and spiritual warfare enabled him to mature andexperience the foundational beauty of our faith, especiallythe Eucharist and our Holy Mother Mary. Jeff will speak on“God’s Saving Mercy,” emphasizing the redemptive mercyof our Heavenly Father and the power God gives us to livefreely for our Lord while participating in local parishministries and activities.
The highlight of our weekend will be our awards banquet.We will proudly honor the “Service, Charitable, Spiritual,Circle, Fraternal, Membership, Squire, Counselor, and Circleof the Year” for all the great work accomplished by themembers. I have been honored to read activity reports for
several years now, impressed each timeby the dynamic outreach of ouryouth and the dedication of theKnights youth leaders who makethe Squires possible - giving oftime, talent, purse, and practiceddedication to our Church. They arefulfilling Mother Teresa’s advice tous:
“It is not how much we give but how much love we put into giving!”
Special Donation - A Michael Montag SculptureWe also have a special donation from our Squires patron,
artist Michael Montag. He created a statue just for the StateConvention to be raffled in support of the Squires program.Among Montag’s recent major works are a 45 foot CrucifixSpire for the Gretna, NE Holy Family Shrine, a 22 foot tallCrucifix on the campus of College of St Mary, and a LogoEagle Wall for Independent Insurance Agents for theirheadquarters in Lincoln. He also created the St. IgnatiusPilgrim Sculpture at Creighton Prep High School, and a 13foot Grotto Arch at New Cassel Retirement Center. See moreabout Michael Montage at www.MontagSculpture.com.
The Squires will again staff and run the conventionmerchandise Country Store. If a Council has specific itemsthey wish to order in advance, please contact me.
I invite all Squires in Nebraska to consider attending. Thecost is only $15 per youth and includes meals, entertainment,opportunities to meet new friends, and an inspirationalspeaker who will challenge our youth to live in the power of“God’s Saving Mercy.”
An Exceptional Squires Weekend Planned During The Knights State Convention!
David Marx, State Squires Co-Director | 402.689.0986 cell | [email protected]
The State FS Coordinators will conduct a workshop on Saturday, April 23 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. The workshopwill consist of a question and answer session from the FS/FC's attending. If you have questions that are unique toyour Council or Assembly contact:
Steve Graff, State FS Coordinator Co-Director | 402.300.0485 cell | [email protected] O’Neill, State FS Coordinator Co-Director | 402.440.0330 cell | [email protected] Gallardo, State FS Training Coordinator | 402.525.5817 cell | [email protected]
Financial Secretaries’ WorkshopSaturday, April 23, 2016- 8:30-9:30 a.m. During the Convention
16 Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council
Kevin Weber Doug Kelly Craig PfeiferNeil Pfeifer John Stoeckinger Jon Dunham
Kevin Weber John Soukup
Pfeifer Agency Earns Top Rankings in 2015General Agent Kevin Pfeifer and the agents
of the Pfeifer Agency (Eastern Nebraska) werehonored recently at a national meeting for theKnights of Columbus for ranking #2 in LongTerm Care sales, #2 in Disability sales, and #8overall in North America for the Knights ofColumbus in 2015.
There are 130 agencies representing theKnights company wide. Knights of ColumbusInsurance is a Fortune 1000 company, and hastop ratings in the industry from A.M. Best andStandard and Poor’s.
Top Honors In Life SalesThe Pfeifer Agency ranked #8 in the company for Life sales. Local field agents who were ranked in the Top 100 nationally
were Neil Pfeifer #8, John Stoeckinger #39, Jon Dunham #64, Kevin Weber #67, Doug Kelly #69, and Craig Pfeifer #86.There are over 1,100 field agents company wide fighting for these top rankings. These same 6 field agents also qualified forMillion Dollar Round Table.
Top Honors In Long Term SalesThe Pfeifer Agency ranked #2 in the company for Long Term Care sales in 2015.
This is the 15th time the Pfeifer Agency has been ranked in the Top 3 in Long TermCare with the Knights. Field Agent who ranked nationally in Long Term Care saleswas Neil Pfeifer of Norfolk (see page 5) who tied for 7th. Top Honors In Disability Sales
The Pfeifer Agency also ranked #2 in the company in Disability Income sales.Field Agents ranked nationally in Disability Income sales were John Soukup ofLincoln and Kevin Weber of Gretna.Agent of the YearNeil Pfeifer earned Agent of the Year honors for the agency. As a field agent,
Neil finished #8 company wide at 364% of quota. We are also pleased to announcethat Neil has been recently promoted to General Agent for the Northeastern areaof Nebraska (see page 5).Congratulations to General Agent Kevin Pfeifer and all the field agents in
Eastern Nebraska for achieving these honors and representing Nebraska at thehighest level.Knights of Columbus Insurance has the highest ratings: A++ by AM Best.
The Knights invest morally & responsibly in line with Catholic Doctrine.
Agents of the MonthThe following Knights of Columbus
field agents earned Agent of the Monthhonors in the Pfeifer Agency:December Steve Kluthe of OmahaJanuary John Stoeckinger of LincolnFebruary John Stoeckinger of Lincoln
Questions?Contact your local agent or Kevin Pfeifer, General Agent for Eastern Nebraska
888.381.2075 | [email protected] | www.kofcpfeiferagency.com
News from thePFEIFER AGENCYKnights of Columbus Insurance - Serving Eastern Nebraska
17Knights Courier - March 2016
Ben Santo Tim Nowak Mike Scholz Spencer Ashburn
New Agent Mark MoserAfter extensive training, Mark Moser will
be assigned a field agent position with theSwanson Agency of Knights of ColumbusInsurance beginning on March 15th.
He will be serving members and theirfamilies from councils 701 (O’Neill), 1238(Creighton), 3720 (Spencer/Butte), 4633(Valentine), 4707 (Atkinson), 5218 (Verdigre),5881 (Stuart), and 6385 (Ainsworth/Bassett).
He will assist KofC members with all oftheir fraternal benefits including life insurance,retirement, and estate planning needs. Markwill also offer long term care and disabilityinsurance plans.Members of these councils needing service
after March 15, 2016, please contact Mark Moser
402.929.0909 | [email protected]
Swanson Agency Ranks 15th In the Order In Life Sales for 2015General Agent Tony Swanson and The
Swanson Agency (Central/Western Nebraska)were honored recently at a national meeting forthe Knights of Columbus for ranking as the #15agency in Life sales in North America for theKnights of Columbus for 2015.
There are 136 agencies representing theKnights company wide. Knights of ColumbusInsurance is a Fortune 1000 company, and thereis no more highly ranked insurance companyin the United States and Canada.
Agents of the MonthThe following Knights of Columbus field agents
earned Agent of the Month honors in the Swanson Agency:
December Ben Santo of LincolnJanuary Tim Nowak of OgallalaFebruary Deacon Bill Buchta of Grand Island
Top Honors In Life SalesThe Swanson Agency ranked #15 in
the company for Life sales. Local fieldagents who were ranked nationally inlife sales were Ben Santo of Milfordranked #43, Tim Nowak of Ogallalaranked #167, Mike Scholz of Bertrandranked #183, and Spencer Ashburn at#216. There are over 1,300 field agentscompanywide fighting for these toprankings. Congratulations to General Agent Tony Swanson and all the field agents in
Central/Western Nebraska for achieving these honors and representing Nebraska atthe highest level. Knights of Columbus Insurance has the highest ratings: A++ byAM Best. The Knights invest morally & responsibly in line with Catholic Doctrine.
CAREER OPPORTUNITY• Are you looking for a rewarding career? • Do you have an entrepreneurial drive? • Do you have a love for your Faith and a desire to serve your fellow Catholics?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you just may be the person we’re looking for.Please contact General Agent Tony Swanson.
Questions?Contact your council’s agent or Tony Swanson, General Agent for Central/Western Nebraska
402.463.2845 x 1 | [email protected] | www.swansonagencykofcins.com
News from theSWANSON AGENCYKnights of Columbus Insurance Serving Central/Western Nebraska
18 Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council
On December 12, 2014, at the conclusion of a special Mass celebrated by PopeFrancis in St. Peter’s Basilica to mark the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Msgr.Eduardo Chávez, a Canon of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and BrotherKnight, presented the Holy Father with a silver rose. For more than 50 years, theOrder has sponsored the Our Lady of Guadalupe Silver Rose Program to reaffirmthe Order’s commitment to the sanctity of life and honor the Blessed Virginunder her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas.
HISTORY OF THE SILVER ROSE PROGRAMThe Our Lady of Guadalupe Silver Rose Program began in 1960 as a project
of the Knights of Columbus Columbian Squires of North America to honor theBlessed Virgin under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of theAmericas. The program has continued since then as a project in several Knightsof Columbus jurisdictions.
Each year, a Silver Rose “honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe and reaffirmingour commitment to the sanctity of human life” is carried by Knights from
Canada, through the United States, and into Mexico to arrive at the Basilica inMonterrey, Mexico on December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
ARRIVAL IN NEBRASKAThe Silver Rose will be coming from Colorado to Nebraska on Sunday, July 17,
2016 and crossing our state. We pass it on to Kansas on Sunday, August 14, 2016.Host councils throughout Nebraska are what keeps this beautiful and holy
tradition alive. A council commitment is needed to receive the Silver Rose fromColorado on Sunday, July 17. Also needed is a council to hand it off to Kansas onSunday, August 14. Between these two dates, other councils may volunteer toparticipate by contacting Dan Engel (see below), and soon District Deputies andGrand Knights will be contacted and asked for their help and support.
ADD YOUR COUNCIL TO THE SCHEDULEHand off from one Nebraska council to another will be smooth with the help of
our District Deputies and Grand Knights. There will be a firm date schedule at theGrand Knights seminar in July.
As Knights, the sanctity of life is something we hold dear. To volunteer toparticipate and “honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, reaffirming our commitment to thesanctity of human life,” please contact Dan to add your council to the schedule.
To add your council to the 2016 schedule or for more information contact:Dan Engel, Nebraska Knights of Columbus Silver Rose Chairman.
402.367.2190 cell | [email protected] up to particiapte no later than May 31, 2016 please!
TO READ MORE ON THEHISTORY OF THE SILVER ROSEPROGRAM: www.runningoftherose.org/en/news/background.html
Also go to www.kofc.org andsearch for “Silver Rose”
COLUMBIAN SQUIRES OFNORTH AMERICA BEGAN SILVER ROSE PROGRAM IN 1960The young men of the Knights ofColumbus Columbian Squireshave always been involved in themany aspects of our Church andthe Knights. The Our Lady ofGuadalupe Silver Rose Programbegan in 1960 as a project of theKnights of Columbus ColumbianSquires of North AmericaOur Nebraska Squires will also bemeeting in Kearney, NE during theannual State Convention.
See page 15
One Life, One RoseOur Lady Of Guadalupe Silver Rose Run
Win a Specially Designed Prayer Pillow Reflecting "One Rose, One Life"A specially-designed Prayer Pillow reflecting "One Rose, One Life" will be raffled off at the Ladies' Sunday Brunch.
Tickets will be sold from Friday through Sunday until the time of the drawing. See page 12.Tickets Will Be $1 Each or 6 for $5 - Anyone Can Purchase Them!
19Knights Courier - March 2016
Nebraska Knights of Columbus 2016 State Free Throw Championship
Saturday, April 2, 2016, Hastings College
Tom Osborne Sports Complex - Lynn Farrell Arena
Check-In begins at 12:00 PM central time
Shooting begins at 1:00 PM central time
Any and all help for this event will be greatly appreciated. PLEASE CONTACT ME if you have any questions or will be able to come out and help.
Mitchell Lowery 402.540.1021 or [email protected]
As Vocations Director I am privileged to see thewonderful support that the Councils in Nebraska are offeringto the men and women discerning and studying for a lifelongvocation of religious service.
I have come to understand this is a rich period of self-examination, rigorous study, and a deepening relationshipwith Jesus for all those in this process. The demands on thetime and energy for these people are far more than we realize.That is why our support is so crucial to their journey.
Currently in Nebraska there are about 65 seminarians information. My records indicate that 34 men and 1 womanreceive support from our Councils. Most of these Councilstake advantage of the RSVP program offered by Supreme tosupplement local Council support of $500 or more.
In addition to our financial support, many of the Councilsreach out to their sponsored seminarians by way ofinvitations to Council events, letters of encouragement,prayers, and even fundraisers. We hear from the men howimportant this is to them. It helps to relieve the financial
obligations which can be a distraction to their studies andprovides a source of strength and encouragement.
But we can, and need, to do more. I encourage eachCouncil to make it a point at your next meeting to reviewwhat you are doing at this time. If finances permit, give moreto the seminarian you sponsor, or add another.
As important as financial support is, prayer and personalcontact are things we can do to add strength and guidance tothose in discernment. If your Council does not have a formalletter-writing outreach, put that in place immediately.Provide the name and address of each of your sponsoredseminarian to your Council members. Or, at a meeting setaside time to write a note to them.
While this is fresh in your minds, do not forget ourimportant and happy duty to support the priests andreligious that serve our parishes and dioceses. A note ofappreciation or an invitation to a meeting or a dinner outwith your Officers reaffirms them in their continuing service.
SILENT & LIVE AUCTIONS during the Convention! See page 10.
The Actions We Take Today Will Build Our Church Tomorrow!
Timothy Smith, State Vocations Director | 402.334.8141 home | 402.699.1730 cell | [email protected]
State Free Throw Championship - Saturday, April 2 - Hastings
Mitchell Lowery, State Youth Director | 402.488.4667 home | 402.540.1021 cell | [email protected]
Council and District Free ThrowChampionships have come to a close andnow we are right in the middle ofRegional Free Throw Championships.
Thank you to all of the Knights thathave helped to make the Free ThrowChampionships a success on every level!We still have one more major event
coming up - the State Free Throw Championship. In pastyears, almost 100 youth participated and many volunteersare needed to help.
With the State Free Throw Championship so close and allof our Poster Contests completed, we have finally come to alull in the action of Youth Activities. However, this shouldn’tmean that you stop working until the Grand Knight Seminarrolls around again in July. Take some time over the next fewmonths to look at how your Youth Activities went. Now isthe time to start thinking about how to improve (or start)your Council Soccer Challenge for the 2016 Program Year.
If you have any questions about your Youth Activitiesor would like to run some ideas past me, I am more thanhappy to help.
20 Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council
I pray that you are having a good Lenten journey. As youcontinue to pursue your Lenten devotions, fasting andabstinence, I ask that you also add a little evangelization toyour activities. When you recruit a new man to join theKnights of Columbus, you are evangelizing him and hisfamily by helping him to put his faith into action and helpinghim to serve others through our principles of charity, unity,and fraternity.
Often, our recruitment and evangelization efforts can seemto take on the form of sacrifices and penance; it may cost us anevening or two that we need to spend talking with prospectsinstead of spending that time at home with our families. It maymean standing up and delivering a pulpit talk when we wouldrather remain anonymous in the pew. It may mean going out ofour way to offer a ride to a candidate to his Admissions Degreeinstead of only worrying about ourselves. However, just likeour Lenten sacrifices, these small sacrifices can create so manygreater blessings. When you invite a man into our order, youare energizing that man to help your council in its charitablework, providing future leaders for your council and parish,drawing new families into closer practice of our faith – andpossibly making a friend for life.
40 DAYS UNDER 40 PROGRAMDuring this Lenten Season, the State is providing an
incentive for recruitment efforts of younger men with our 40Days Under 40 program. This Lent, your council can earn$100 from the state by being one of the top councils forrecruiting men 40 years old or younger to join. We are alsogiving away 10 Knights of Columbus jackets in randomdrawings to 5 recruiters of these young men and 5 newKnights that are under 40 years old.
We are giving you these little extra incentives to recruitthese young men into your council as a thank you for yourwork, but I hope that you will pursue these evangelizationefforts because these men are the ones that are most at risk ofbeing pulled away from their faith by the secular culture.
If you see a good young family man in your parish, or ahigh school senior getting ready to graduate and head off intothe world, be sure to ask him to join your council. Introducehim to men that put their faith into action. Offer him thechance of membership in an organization that will supporthim and his family throughout his life. If you do this, yourjoy at Easter will be magnified by the many souls that youhave brought closer to Christ.
Let Your Easter Joy Be Magnified By The Members You Recruit
Kevin Ostdiek, State Membership Director | 402.438.2114 home | 402.613.1381 cell | [email protected]
Council Location Quota Yr-To-Date % of Quota
1918 St Paul 12 9 75.00%2272 West Point 32 17 53.12%2373 Orleans 4 5 125.00%4867 Kimball 4 3 75.00%5143 Randolph 7 5 71.43%5439 Howells 13 7 53.85%5455 Loup City 12 6 50.00%6385 Ainsworth-Bassett 4 3 75.00%7034 Valley 6 5 83.33%7081 Imperial 4 4 100.00%8469 Seward 13 20 153.85%8579 Wayne 10 5 50.00%9704 Lincoln 5 5 100.00%9918 Omaha 8 6 75.00%9939 Ponca 4 3 75.00%
Council Location Quota Yr-To-Date % of Quota
10047 Gretna 21 11 52.38%10335 Minden 4 4 100.00%10412 Blair 6 3 50.00%10913 Lincoln 14 8 57.14%10923 Kearney 11 7 63.64%11001 Lincoln 10 12 120.00%11280 Lincoln 18 11 61.11%12132 Stanton 4 2 50.00%12530 North Platte 4 2 50.00%13015 Lincoln 7 19 271.43%14077 Omaha 13 8 61.54%15407 Lincoln 4 5 125.00% 15647 Davey 4 4 100.00%15944 Bellwood 4 2 50.00%
Date Location Host DD 2nd Degree Team 3rd Degree Team Conferring Officer State Rep
3/13/16 Hastings #1123 District 40 Lincoln Lincoln Kevin Ostdiek Lou Gasper3/13/16 McCook #1126 District 30 Kearney Kearney Gailen Kotrous Tony Hergott3/13/16 Sidney #1861 District 31 Sidney Scottsbluff Dan Gilbert Mark Borytsky3/20/16 Wahoo #1833 District 38 Omaha Gretna Bob Ostdiek Tony Hergott4/10/16 Papillion #6429 District 36 Omaha Omaha Pat Dougherty Tony Hergott4/10/16 Hartington #1223 District 16 Norfolk Elgin Mark Dwyer Tony Hergott4/17/16 Lincoln #833 District 10 Lincoln Lincoln Kevin Ostdiek Tony Hergott5/7/16 Omaha #652 District 33 Bellevue Omaha Pat Dougherty Tony Hergott6/5/16 Springfield #10894 District 06 Bellevue Omaha Bob Ostdiek Tony Hergott
Star Council and ICC Membership Leaders - From Supreme Website March 1, 2016
Major Degrees In Nebraska 2016
21Knights Courier - March 2016
Designing Events For Everyone Across The State
Robert Ostdiek, State Athletics Chairman | 402.228.9401 home | 402.806.8552 cell | [email protected]
Blessings to you during this Lenten Season. If you’re likeme, this is the slow time of year for sports without footballand usually too cold to golf, but at least spring seems to bearound the corner. I’ve enjoyed receiving comments, ideas,and input from the many people that have shared. Pleasekeep them coming to help me serve you better.
BOWLING TOURNAMENT UPDATEThe Nebraska Knights of Columbus
Annual Bowling Tournament was heldat Grand Island’s Westside Lanes underthe supervision of Mr. Dave Kile theweekends of February 5th and 13th. I’m
thankful to Dave and the staff of thebowling alley for hosting and coordinating
this annual event. I attended the tournament as an observeron February 5th amid the mountains of snow in GrandIsland. It was comforting to see how many Knights andfamilies use this event to maintain special relationships. YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED
As a first-time observer at the state bowling tournament,I was excited to learn from the organizers and participants.From comments received, I’ve come to understand thatparticipants and hosts largely hail from Central Nebraska,
stretching from Columbus to Hastings. I’d really like moreinvolvement from other areas of the state and am asking forfeedback from bowlers across the state regarding what wouldmake the event more attractive to them. In that way, I feel thatparticipation could be increased and other bowling venuescould be planned in different areas to attract these bowlers.GOLF SCRAMBLE AS POSSIBLE FUNDRAISER
As I continue to plan and work toward a Golf ScrambleFundraiser Golf Tournament, I’m gathering information tobe made available via the website and flyers at the StateConvention. I’m investigating a Friday tournament in midto late June at a Lincoln course. I’m hopeful this would notconflict with other weekend activities and could attractgolfers from Grand Island to Omaha, or anyone looking foran opportunity to travel and golf.
The format would be a 4-person team that has, atminimum, one active Knight. Proceeds would go to supportthe state’s Vocation Fund. I’m even considering the idea ofeach team adopting a seminarian or religious with thewinnings in any flight directed to that person. Stay tuned formore details. Should this be successful I could plan a similartournament in Western Nebraska in the fall.
TEAM NAME CITY SCORE PRIZE
Men’s Teams - 14 Teams - 3 Places
1. KC Council 938B Columbus 3085 $1902. Ted Strikers Lincoln 2959 $1303. Last Knights Blue Hill 2913 $100
Men’s Doubles - 22 Entries - 4 Places
1. Ken Palacek/Dan Engel David City 1269 $802. Steve Kroger/Dave Westerman Columbus 1247 $703. Rod Zarek/Mike Gray Columbus 1245 $604. Marti Krings/Bob Haney Columbus 1207 $50
Men’s Singles - 51 Entries - 10 Places
1. Lowell Jepsen Columbus 695 $702. Bob Haney Columbus 692 $503. Dave Swirezek Columbus 689 $404. Marti Krings Columbus 663 $355. Mike Clarke Broken Bow 641 $306. Ray Bonifas Hastings 635 $287. Ken Henggler Columbus 627 $268. Bruce Meysenburg David City 622 $249. Bill Hervert Hastings 621 $21
10. Al Starzec Columbus 621 $21
TEAM NAME CITY SCORE PRIZE
Men’s All Events - 47 Entries - 5 Places
1. Lowell Jepsen Columbus 1947 $452. Bob Haney Columbus 1929 $353. Marti Krings Columbus 1913 $304. Dan Engel David City 1894 $205. Dave Westerman Columbus 1894 $20
$150.00 added to prize fund
Women’s Teams - 2 Teams - 1 Place
1. Giltner Giltner 2863 $100
Women’s Doubles - 3 Entries - 1 Place
1. Denise Cyboron/Kim Arent Geneva 1313 $60
Women’s Singles - 6 Entries - 1 Place
1. Denise Cyboron Geneva 725 $40
Women’s All Events - 6 Entries - 1 Place
1. Kim Arent Geneva 2013 $20$87.00 added to prize fund
Winners will also be posted at www.nebraskakofc.org
Nebraska Knights of Columbus 2016 Bowling Tournament Winners
22 Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council
Knights Of Columbus Nebraska State Council (KCNSC) Endowment Fund (Foundation)
To give your gift or for more information contact:Jerry Smith, PSD, KCNSC Foundation Advisor
402.289.2969 work | 402.996.0874 [email protected]
Manny Gallardo, KCNSC Foundation Advisor402.423.0250 work | 402.525.5817 [email protected]
Larry Peetz, KCNSC Foundation Advisor308.254.4109 home | 308.249.0443 cell
[email protected] checks payable to: KCNSC Foundation
Mail to: KCNSC Foundation 19002 Cuming Cir, Elkhorn, NE 68022-3934
$400,000
Current Value$430,000
$500,000
$750,000
$1 Million
Build Up Your Foundation
Silent &Live
Auctions at this Year’s Convention
to Benefit yourFoundation!See page 10
Nebraska State Council Knights of Columbus Foundation Grants for Charitable Causes from Inception December, 2001 through October, 2015
8/06/14 $ 1,000.00 Father John Wallace Council #10047 – Gretna Barrier Free Playground Equipment.5/29/13 $ 4,000.00 St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Elkhorn – Assist family of a Brother Knight with payment of large
medical bills for their daughter with serious health problems.5/18/11 $600.00 Catholic Newman Center – Widows Mite Foundation Grant.5/12/11 $ 1,100.00 St. Luke’s Catholic Church – Assist an Ogallala, NE family’s desperate need arising from untimely
death of the husband and father leaving behind a wife and 4 children, ages 6, 4, 2 and 3 days old.7/30/08 $ 1,000.00 Mid America Boy Scout Council - To support Boy Scouts who lost life in the summer 2008 Iowa
tornado.7/24/08 $ 1,200.00 Holy Family Shrine – Grant for brochures for Holy Family Shrine along Interstate 80 between
Omaha and Lincoln to increase awareness for financial support and use.5/29/08 $ 135.00 St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Wayne.5/07/08 $ 1,000.00 Christ the King Catholic Church, Cozad – Subsidize cost of a $5,000 scan for Brother Knight.4/27/07 $10,000.00 The Madonna Foundation, Lincoln – Help handicapped and stroke victims.11/16/06 $ 1,000.00 Valentine Fire Victims Aid – In August, 2006, a major wild fire destroyed over 3,000 acres of
rangeland in the Valentine area. Part of the fire was within a mile of the city of Valentine. Fundsdonated were part of a matching challenge by the local Knights of Columbus council to aid victimsin the area.
8/01/06 $ 2,000.00 Ride for a Brother Knight from Butte who was thrown from his bike while crossing a railroad trackfor the start of the Bike Ride Across Nebraska annual event fracturing the second vertebrae in hisneck and losing all feeling from the neck down.
$500,000
$750,000
$1 Million
Build Up Your Foundation
23Knights Courier - March 2016
Memento Mori 2015 - 2016
January 2015Norbert M. Forsman, Council 1123James F. Jackson, Sr., Council 1123Milo L. Kirkegaard, Council 1123Vincent W. Ostdiek, Council 1123Dean Scheideler, Council 1723William L. Beckwith, Council 3019James B. Gillen, Council 3019Donald F. Pechacek, Council 3019John P. Ziccardi, Council 3019Donald E. Dwaorak, Council 10184
February 2015Denis R. Bumgardner, Council 1123Leland C. Schmit, Jr., Council 6192Loyd Trimpey, Council 6192Dr. Joseph A. Troia, Council 6192
March 2015Glenn T. Frink, Council 1123
April 2015Wayne Brannagan, Council 1123Arthur Kolbet, Sr., Council 1123Alois J. Rinke, Jr., Council 1211Henry Polzer, Council 2272Robert J. Rynders, Jr., Council 6192Francis Theis, Council 11823Ronald Jones, Council 11824David M. McBride, Council 13576
May 2015Charles Damico, Council 1123Thomas Nelson, Council 1123Wayne H. Dotson, Council 1211Rev. Miguel Guevara, Council 1211Thomas P. Albers, Council 6192Deacon Ralph Hueser, Council 6192Richard Kober, Jr. Council 11823
June 2015William C. Hagedorn, Council 2272Francis J. Oligmueller, Council 2272Rev. Patrick Meehan (died in Ireland), Council 6192
July 2015Kenneth Hemberger, Council 1123John (Jack) Mack, Council 1723John W. Bowen, Council 3019Nicholas G. Fransiscus, Council 3019Ronald E. Gillen, Council 3019David J. Rayer, Sr., Council 3019Clifford C. Swertzic, Council 3019Edward J. Nicola, Council 10184Epifanio A. Hernandez, Council 10815Lawrence Ernst, Council 11823
August 2015Thomas Kerkman, Council 1123Donald Peatrowsky, Council 2272
September 2015Richard Guenther, Council 2272John F. Cunningham, Council 3019
October 2015Donald Popken, Council 1211James Waldschmidt, Council 1211Dr. Charles Wempe III, Council 1708Robert Schuetze, Council 2272John S. Bolgar, Council 3019Richard G. Wolf, Council 3019Leonard Godown, Council 6192Eli M. Velasquez, Council 10815
November 2015Creighton Horton, Council 1123Arthur Kline, Council 10387Richard Batenhorst, Council 10895 -Past State Deputy (1984-1986)
Mitchell Labenz, Council 3019
December 2015Dennis Mogis, Council 1211Bob E. Pitner, Council 1211Charles Witulski, Council 1723Irvin Hagedorn, Council 2272John B Kreikemeier, Council 2272Gerald B. Labenz, Council 3019
January 2016John (Jack) Smith, Council 10923George Pfeifer, Council 13584
"The Christian meaning of death is revealed in the light of the Paschal Mystery of the Death and Resurrection of Christ in whom resides our only hope. The Christian who dies in Christ Jesus is 'away from the body and at home with the Lord'
(2 Cor 5:8)." - Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1681
Enrolling a Brother Knight into Memento MoriSend an email to [email protected] or [email protected] the subject line"Memento Mori," the deceased's name, council number, month and year of death.
At the time of this printing we have had no submittals for February or March 2016.To view online, go towww.nebraskakofc.org
and click on “Calendar” on the drop down menu near the top of the page.
"Could you not watch one hour with me?" (Matthew. 26:40) SIGN UP FOR AN HOUR OF ADORATION WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR THE CONVENTION
IMPORTANT DATESFORM NO. DATE FORM/EVENT TO/CONTACT
APRIL 2016
Apr 1 Photos for Slide Show Presentation at the Convention Production Specialists A.J. LoweryApr 2 State Free Throw Championship, Hastings College State Athletics Director Mitchell LoweryApr 17 Convention Credentials (see page 14) State Secretary Lou GasperApr 13 Convention Meal Reservations (see page 9) State Meeting Coordinator CoChair Jim Jakub
Apr 24-26 Annual State Convention (starting on page 7) Younes Conference Center, KearneyApr 24-26 Annual State Squires Convention (see page 15) Younes Conference Center, Kearney
MAY 2016
May 1 4th Degree Exemplification, Lincoln (see page 7) District Master Jim HaiarMay 16 Courier Articles Due Courier Editor Goodrich
JUNE 2016
Jun 27 State Directory Updates Due State Exec Secretary Ray GuggenbergerABC/XXX Jun 30 Application for Vocations Support/RSVP Refund Supreme Council
cc: State Executive Secretary Ray GuggenbergerSP-7 Jun 30 Columbian Award Application Supreme Council
cc: State Executive Secretary Ray GuggenbergerJULY 2016
July 16-17 GK, State Secretaries, DD Seminar Columbus Ramada Inn & Conference CenterJuly 17-Aug 14 Silver Rose Run Across Nebraska (see page 18) Nebraska Silver Rose Chairman Dan Engel
AUGUST 2016
Aug 1-4 Supreme Convention, Toronto, Canada (see page 14) State Secretary Lou Gasper
www.nebraskakofc.org/calendarChanges to 4th Degree Exemplification Schedule (page 7) and Major Degree Schedule (page 20) are posted online as they become available.
CHARITY UNITY FRATERNITY PATRIOTISM
NEARLY 26,000 MEMBERS STRONG!
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUSNEBRASKA
STATE COUNCIL8818 OHERN ST.
OMAHA, NE 68127-3529
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PERMIT NO 2101
