Blog

Knights of Columbus Council # 9273

Newsletter for August 2020

August 8, 2020

Hello Brother Knights, 

I will start this Newsletter with Monsignor Makarewicz comments:

Many of the knights have seen this already as a bulletin insert, but some might not read the bulletin, so I am asking you to publish it in your newsletter too. Thanks,

 Pastoral Plan Summary

The process for developing a pastoral plan for Our Lady of the Lake as requested by Bishop McKnight in his Better Together initiative has been completed. Today I had the pleasure of submitting the pastoral plan of Our Lady of the Lake to the Diocese. Our plan, and the plans of all the other parishes in the Diocese, will form the base of a diocesan-wide pastoral plan that will go into effect this Advent.

While the diocesan process has been underway for almost a year, our parish has already been involved in a journey of planning for the future through the work we put into developing our long range plan. The discernment that took place last summer and fall have been invaluable to me as I developed our specific plan in response to Bishop McKnight’s three pillars of pastoral planning:  a spirituality of stewardship, the co-responsibility of the laity and the clergy, and the parish as a center of mercy and charity.

In the coming weeks I will publish the details of each activity our parish will emphasize in the coming months and even years as we put our pastoral plan into action, especially as we will respond to our problem identification process and the Lenten discernment groups. There are three major activities, each of which embodies one of the pillars of the Diocesan initiative. To these three, I have taken the liberty to add a fourth point, especially in response to the Church’s call to a new era of evangelization, as recently outlined in the Congregation for the Clergy’s document on parishes as centers of evangelization.

Activity One:  The parish will form a Stewardship Commission to assume the same type of leadership role currently enjoyed by the existing five commissions of the parish. (Stewardship)

Activity Two: The Social Concerns Commission, under the leadership of Deacon Jim Hankins, will take the lead in our parish’s growth as a center of mercy and charity. (Mercy and Charity)

Activity Three:  The pastor will work with the chairs of the five existing commissions in the development, chartering, and staffing of a Parish Pastoral Council. (Co-responsibility of Laity and Clergy)

Activity Four:  The parish will embrace pastoral conversion in the service of the evangelizing mission of the Church, especially in evangelization of the youth and young families. (Evangelization)

The month of August will be a great opportunity for all of us to think through the implications of the plan, especially how to integrate our existing pastoral and spiritual activities into the timeline of the plan. The commissions will each have an opportunity to reflect on the plan especially in how each commission can bring its resources to these activates. Finally, and most important, we will invite the participation of all our parishioners in the planned activities as we have a formal event to mark the official promulgation of the plan in October.

As I indicated in last month’s newsletter, the Knight of Columbus and the Ladies Auxiliary will continue to be an integral part of the process of parish renewal. I could not have written this plan without the awareness that I will always have at my side the Knights and Ladies who are so generous with their time, talent and treasure.

I feel so blessed by God at this time to be part of such a holy process. Bishop McKnight’s vision has been a tremendous help to me, particularly during this time of crisis with the pandemic. The entire process has made it easier for me to focus on the essentials of parish life and recommit my ministry to evangelization. I look forward to leading the parish into the future, knowing that the Holy Spirit has already lit the way through the prayerful discernment and willing cooperation of the parishioners of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church.

Msgr. Marion J. Makarewicz, Pastor

Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church

Thank you, Monsignor, for your comments.

As your Grand Knight here is my monthly update:

Please continue to let Monsignor Makarewicz, the Office Support Staff Kelly Hamrin & Mary Wagemann and Choir Director Steve Jannetti and Maintenance John Riley know how much they are appreciated and to thank them for their ongoing support during this difficult time. Please continue to pray for our Bishops, Monsignors, Priests, Deacons and Seminarians. 

Monsignor is asking Parishioner’s to assist Our Lady of the Lake with our ministries at all Masses. Please see below what Monsignor stated in previous Bulletins regarding who can assist. 

As of 6-25-2020, the CDC has now removed the specific age reference and simply speaks of increasing risk as one ages. Increased age is one factor of risk and accompanying other conditions can increase risk. It seems that we all have a little more leeway in either direction by which to make our assessments.

Please consider all factors in your decision if you would like to volunteer to serve during this time. 

What we need are Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, and Ushers for our 5 PM Saturday Masses, 10 AM Sunday Masses.  For those who determine they are comfortable and want to serve could you please let Mary or Kelly know which Masses and which ministries you are willing to assist with via email or calling the Parish Office at 573-365-2241.  They will then schedule you and send out a weekly email to those assigned that week along with the protocols for Ushering and Being a Eucharistic Minister during this time. 

Monsignor Makarewicz, is currently hosting a 33-day retreat in preparation for consecration to St. Joseph. It started on the 20^th of July and will go until Friday August 21^st. We meet once a week using the Zoom app. It is a very uplifting and spiritual retreat to help us with our spiritual growth and to get to know our Spiritual Father St. Joseph better. 

Our council officers met in person on August 3^rd for our regular monthly planning meeting. Our council meeting will be on the 18^th of August at Bestgen Hall. Rosary at 6:30 with Knights & Ladies Auxiliary and meeting at 7 PM. Both will be in Bestgen Hall. Social distancing and mask are required for all future meetings.

There is a fifth Saturday and Sunday on August 29^th & 30^th. If any Knight or Lady Knight would like to lead the Rosary on these days, please contact Charles Cassmeyer at 573-434-2148 and let him know.

Missouri 49^th Annual Tootsie Roll Drive this year is scheduled for October 2nd and 4th.  Locations will be at Walmart in Osage Beach, Woods near the church and after the weekend masses. If anyone would like to help, please contact Mike Scherer at 573-353-4639. This is a great fund raiser and we need your help. NOTE: This is currently on hold, although by October we might be able to do the fund raiser.

Our Annual Coat for Kids drive will start in September. Please start collecting coats for the important drive. Sizes are Small, Youth, and Teens. We need coats gloves, hats, and scarves. Drop off boxes will be in the Church and at Bestgen Hall. This must be approved by Monsignor. 

All Knights of Columbus country breakfasts for August have been cancelled. 

Our council is doing a Council Fundraiser using a 50/50 Raffle. It started in mid-July and will end December 18th. The winners will be announced at our 3^rd Degree Christmas Party. Each of you should have received a letter with the preprinted tickets. Just cut them out and mail back to our Financial Secretary, Larry Bayliss. Distribution is as follows: 50% to our council, and the remaining 50% split into 1^st place 25%, 2^nd place 15% and 3^rd place 10%. Price is $5.00 ticket or 5 for $20.00. If you would like more tickets for the raffle contact Larry Bayliss at 515-401-2110 or myself at 573-207-0153. Your support is appreciated. Currently ticket sales are at $300.00.

Distract Deputy meeting with Ron Schwintek was at Eldon Catholic Center on August 4^th. Our council had 5 members who attended. It was a very informal but conductive meeting. Items of discussion were: 

• Knight, Family and Youth of the month Program, asking for our support.
• Councils within the Distract helping each other out with special functions, becoming more unedified. More information to be shared among the Council’s within our District.
• Talked about the possibility of an Umbrella Insurance Policy for all Councils in the state of Missouri. Advantage would possibility be reduced insurance rates for each Council.  
• Tootsie Roll Drive and Roses for Life programs and ordering items for these programs.
• Saint Anthony’s Council will have a walk for the Pregnancy Help Center on the 3^rd of October, same weekend as our Tootsie Roll Drive. Contact Kevin Connelly at 573-480-3217.
• Talked about recruitment for the Knights of Columbus.

Two members transferred to other councils in July because of moves. They are Robert Barker and Steven Cebuhar. They will both be missed, and we wish them well. 

All council members need to be familiar with the Safe Environment Program requirements. Everyone can go online and complete this training. All you must do is go online to www.kof.org home page. Click on Programs Safe Environment, then click on For All Other Members and Guest. 

I received an email on July 20^th from Frank’s Medved stepson Marty. Frank has moved into Garden Gate Estates over by Tan-Tar-A now called Margaritaville. Franks address is: 6230 Baydy Peak Rd, Osage Beach, MO 65065 (Unit 208). No inside visitors due to COVID 19. You can call the Garden Gate Estate to make plans to visit with Frank on the back patio, 6 feet social distancing will have to be maintained. I know that he would like to hear from you.  

Father Rice is moving to Kansas City and needs some help loading up a U-Haul truck. (We need a few young Knights to volunteer to help) on August 23 or 25, this is still a tentative date. If you can help, please reply back to me at gkchaput@att.net or John Weidler at weidlerjj@yahoo.com  

If you have not taken the time to review the Knights of Columbus Web Site, please do so. Charles Cassmeyer, Mary Wagemann and Marilee Poulter have done an outstanding job on this. It is a showcase for other councils to follow. The way it works, is to go to the Parish website and click on Parish Life then click on Organizations and that will take you to Knights of Columbus website.

Please remember Bob Jannetti, Steve Jannetti father, and Margaret Laubenthal, mother of Karen Chaput.  Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

Also,please continue to pray for our Country, Monsignor, Parish Community, Families, and all those who are in the Medical Profession, and First Responders. Also pray for your Brother Knights, our Faithful departed Brother Knights, Lady Knights, and all our sick members. (Monsignor Wilber’s, Larry Bayliss, John Weidler, Gary Kelly, Jack Callahan, Frank Medved, Gary Littrell, Clark Gruninger, Trecth & Carrie Lawrence, Ray Lovell family, Lucille Needham and Jeanie Rackers parents and any other members that I have failed to mention.

Remember to pay your annual Knights dues for 2020. Many of you have paid but there is still a few who have not paid. 

Thanks to each of for what you do for our Parish and our Community. Peace be with all and God Bless.

Gary Chaput, Grand Knight