FDD Jack's Briefcase 
June 11, 2011
Farewell
This past Tuesday evening a
transition meeting was held to formally introduce Joe Miller as our
newly appointed Worthy District Deputy.
I'm happy to say that all five councils had representatives in
attendance to welcome Joe into his new post and begin what will be a
four year term of hard work and dedication towards the growth and success
of the Order. We all wish Joe God speed in his mission and pledge our
assistance in helping him meet his goals in the years to come.
As my 'official' retirement as your DD approaches this June 30th, I
thought I would make one last installment in my "DD Jack's
Briefcase" series of thoughts and articles. The past four
years, in retrospect, went by quickly, and I had the distinct pleasure of
meeting many fine Catholic gentlemen from every corner of the State of New
Jersey during that time. The wealth and scope of talent within our
membership is remarkable.
The drum beats that are the heart of our Order are echoed again and
again year after year, but ring truer now more than ever:
1.) Grow the Order. Our vision can't be forwarded without
strength, and there is strength in numbers. The foes of church and
state grow stronger every day and must be met with a strong and clear
opposing voice seated in christian family values. If not the
Knights, who?
2.) Keep the members we have. Getting new members is important, but
meaningless if we dont keep the ones we have. Do not lightly
jettison your hard earned membership.
3.) Protect Life in all its stages. The unborn, the aged, the sick
and the challenged... the weakest of our society deserve the strongest
protection... If not the Knights, who?
4.) Protect our Religious and our Faith. Our Pope, Bishops, Priests,
Nuns and Deacons embody the physical, human presence of our faith.
When any of our religious are attacked, our faith is attacked. The
Catholic faith is routinely the topic of ridicule and derision within the
mainstream media. Do not be silent. Speak up. Do not tolerate the insults,
the 'jokes', and the blatent disdain of our faith that is promulgated
and condoned by the major networks and other media. Be a valiant crusader
in the protection of our faith.
5.) Marriage is between one man and one woman. We all know Gay
people. I have loved ones in my family who are Gay. I want them to have
every legal right under the constitution as any other American,
regardless of sexual orientation. However,
"Marriage" is a sacrament in our religion, and we have every
right as Catholics to protect the sanctity of the definition of
that word: one man and one woman. Gay and lesbian couples who
seek to be life mates should accept some other word to define that union.
The word "Marriage" is already taken and is off the table.
That about sums up the body of work that has been and will be accomplished
by Knights of Colombus throughout the world in years past and in the
years to come. It also sums up the primal chant in the vocabulary of every
District Deputy in every dialogue he has with his councils, his Grand
Knights and Brothers at all levels of involvement.
I would like to say thank you to all the Grand Knights, Officers and
Brothers of District 40, thanks for your support and mostly thanks for
your patience in times of my absence, and I wish you all growth and
prosperity in the coming years. Good luck and God speed to our Worthy
District Deputy Joe Miller.
Tempus Fugit. Momento Mori.
- FDD Jack
Volume III
October 4, 2010
PROFIT FROM THE LESSONS TAUGHT
Whenever I take the time to reflect on the meaning of being a Knight, I am reminded that, as Knights of Columbus, we are charged with showing, through our study, words and deeds, that we have profited by lessons taught, and that we are worthy of our membership in this great organization.
We all, each and every one of us, contribute to the luster of the Order in our own time and in our own way. It is the richness of the diversity of our membership that makes us uniquely strong, effective and respected. While some members flourish in participation in one (or more) of the voluminous member programs available, some others may find time at a premium and contribute in less visible ways. The quiet member today may be the soaring leader of tomorrow.
All members are worthy, and remember - a "Knight in good standing" - is any 1st Degree (or higher) Knight whose dues are current.
That being said, it has occurred to me recently that there are four things that all Knights can do - must do - in fulfillment of pledges to heart, mind and God, regardless of your level of involvement. These four things do not require time or money. They only require a mindset, through example, word and deed, an adoption of our Order's rules and principles into our daily lives. Prayer brings us all closer to God. Exemplifying these four concepts will bring every Knight closer to the heart of our order.
1.) Defend the Church
Every year, every month, every day... our holy religion is assailed, mocked and ridiculed by the press and members of the 'entertainment' community. Our Priests, our Sisters, and all the religious need our unending support. If you hear a 'wise crack' about a priest or our religion? Don't be silent. Worse yet, don't laugh along to avoid the uncomfortable situation. Say
out loud, "that is offensive to me". Turn off TV shows that mock the church and write a letter. Do not patronize movies or entertainment venues that promote
anti-Catholicism. Defend your faith.
2.) Defend Life
Society's most vulnerable persons... the elderly... the infirm... the unborn. If not the Knights, who will herald this task? In the fight for respect for all human life, if the Knights disappeared tomorrow... who? Who will stand and fight? Who will march? Who will speak out? Defend Life.
3.) Defend Patriotism
Fly the flag. Wear a flag on your lapel. Thank a veteran every day - I will bet there are many in your routine daily encounters. Ask "where is your American flag?" in public places that should have one. Participate in patriotic parades and events. Do not patronize performances or events with persons or entertainers who openly display disdain for America. Defend Patriotism.
4.) Defend your Order
The Knights of Columbus cannot perform the fantastic deeds we do without members. Recruit, recruit, recruit. Only in numbers can we remain strong and grow stronger. Our voice, to be heard, must be one, unified, and clear. With natural attrition due to mortality, thousands of new members are required each and every year just to remain even. Recruit new members. Defend your Order. Recruit new members to the Knights of Columbus.
Each of the four tasks above costs not a single penny.
Neither do they require but a pittance of your time.
And... every member is already sworn to uphold these duties as a requirement of membership.
Do what you are sworn to do.
Tempus Fugit - Momento Mori
- DD Jack
Volume II
February 24, 2010
"A Member In Good Standing"
I remember a few years back receiving, as a newly retired Grand
Knight, the 'Double Star Council' award.
It was an unexpected award as I had never heard of it before receiving it.
The award celebrated the fact that my home council met its membership
quota, twice over, for the Columbian year. The council, Father Koch #6343,
worked very hard that year, as they do every year, to meet or exceed their
membership quota.
It was a good year for the council, for membership especially, but when we
looked over our collective shoulders a year or two later and said,
"where are those guys?"... we wondered if we, indeed, had
succeeded in anything.
Few of the newer members attended the regular meetings. Similar
measurements of performance were evident at our events and programs... the
same faces and the same names of the same guys that were active before...
were still the same guys working after the recruitment effort...
Where were the new guys? Was it worth the effort to install them? Do we
need guys joining who just pay dues?
If you are (or have been) a Grand Knight you will know... Supreme does not
say "recruit only members who will be active".
The fact is that we need our Order to GROW. Our strength as an influence
in the community, the nation, and the world depends on maintaining and
growing our size. The strength of the insurance program depends on
maintaining and growing our size.
I know both sides of the "active member" argument. On the
local level, I hear the voices: "We need guys who will join and be
active... We need guys to be active.... show up at the programs... get
into the chairs... and into Leadership positions..."
Its a valid argument, and in an ideal world we would all have 100% new and
envigorated leadership pool with every new 1st Degree Candidate that joins
our ranks.
In reality, it is simply a function of mathematics, and both sides of this
argument eventually benefit from the very same recruitment effort.
In any volunteer organization (scouts, little league, soccer, etc.) there
is a "10.0% rule".
Essentially, on average, 10% of a volunteer membership will rise to
positions of leadership through action and dedication of time and effort.
The remaining 90% will pay their dues and happily remain passively
involved or blissfully uninvolved.
HERE IS THE TWIST FOR THE KNIGHTS: Our members typically belong for
decades, unlike the scouts or little league. Enlistment of every qualified
candidate is justified and mandated because no one ever knows WHEN, at any
given time, any given member may switch from the 'no show' member to being
the next Grand Knight - or vice versa.
I have seen with my own eyes the see-saw of this inevitable truth. The man
responsible for bringing me into the Knights stopped being active just
about the time I became Grand Knight. Five years later, I still have not
seen him at a meeting or event, despite numerous personal appeals. He is a
Past Grand Knight.
Conversely, I know a Knight (again from my home council) who had been
virtualy an inactive 'dues paying' kind of guy for a dozen or more years,
and is now visible and active at all recent meetings and program events.
We also have seen very recent recruits rise rapidly into
leadership positions.
The moral of my story... RECRUIT!! ... The best thing you can do to be the
best Knight you can be... RECRUIT!! Bring in the numbers first -
activity will come... its in the numbers! It will help your Council
and it will help our Order.
Some new recruits may disappear for a few years. At a point in their lives
- when they become ready - they can be an active player.
Some may be active at the starting gate... and then disappear...
Regardless of when or how a Knight may or may not be 'active', it is the
duty of every Knight to recruit, recruit, recruit. Our Order wants... and
needs ... the numbers. Some good ones will find their way to the
top... in their own time.
Remember always... a "Member in Good Standing" is any 1st Degree
(or higher) member who is current with his dues.
Tempus Fugit - Momento Mori
DD Jack
Volume I
October 28, 2009
Worthy Brothers of District 40:
This past week was significant for our District. The Echo Lake Council
hosted all 3 Degrees within a 24 hour period. Nine new members (many
from your councils) enjoyed the exemplification of the 1st Degree
and 21 candidates (many from your councils) enjoyed the
exemplification of the 2nd Degree. We had a sold-out roster of 43
candidates (many from your councils) from all over North NJ for the 3rd
Degree the following night. And, yes, there were candidates among
the nine that went from 'zero' to 3rd degree in 24 hours.
I have heard - almost equally - as many compliments as complaints with
regard to the timing of these Degrees. On the complaint side - there is
the very valid argument that the Degrees should be experienced over
time - one by one -so that the beauty of each can be digested and enjoyed
individually. This way the member Knight gets time to 'mature' in his
membership along a journey to full Knighthood in the 3rd Degree.
There is a valid concern that 'rushing' the candidates through may cheapen
the beauty and the dignity of the overall experience.
On the other hand, there are practical and convincing arguments to employ
the timing as we have done. Most convincing - in my mind - is the
sheer logistics of the production. We assembled 60 men into one room during the
1st and 2nd exemplifications this past week. The expenditure of
gasoline alone for all those vehicles is argument enough not to send
them all away after taking the 1st Degree ... just to have them
return some other day for their 2nd. Another strong point is that -
in today's society -time is at a premium like never before, and we must
respect the time devoted by the candidates, the sponsors, the Degree Team
and their families. Also it would be rare, indeed, if all the candidates
could be reassembled at the next Degree. Having candidates told
to 'wait' to take the 2nd Degree is the chief cause of the
creation of 'stragglers' - those candidates who sometimes take
years or decades to complete all three Degrees.
Arguments for timing of the 3rd Degree the day after the 1st and 2nd
are similar. First, there is an economy in the purchase and preparation of
food and beverages when all three events are held on consecutive evenings.
Second, there is a momentum in the members of the host council, most of
whom participate in the 1st and 2nd Degrees, who are involved for weeks in
advance, and the culmination of the time and energy spent adds to the
brightness of the vibe of the 3rd Degree. There are as many as
20 men acting as a unit - focused on the singular goal of hosting
alll three exemplifications as flawlessly as possible, all of whom exhale
a collective sigh of exhaust and accomplishment afterwards - usually with
great success. Harnessing the cooperation, focus and energy of
that many men in multiple events staged months apart is not easy
and may be over-reaching.
From my observations thus far, it seems to me that the 'back to back'
timing of the Degrees has been well received by many of our Brothers.
I think its safe to say that the October tradition of three
consecutive Echo Lake Degrees will be intact for years to come, as well as
the tradition of holding back to back 1st and 2nd Degree
exemplifications sporadically throughout the Columbian year. For
those who prefer the 'longer wait' between attaining Degrees, there are
still many individually staged Degrees offered by other councils
throughout the region.
Tempus Fugit - Momento Mori
- DD Jack
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