The Knight Line Newsletter for St. Ignatius of Loyola Council

Holy Family Parish, 4848 Pearl Ave., San Jose, CA 95136

Issue 108; January 2015 Founder: John Marks Editor: Gary Miskimon

Grand Knight’s Korner

Happy New Year Let me start this New Year message by quoting a well-known and respected ancient Chinese writer philosopher. “Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time,' is like saying, 'I don't want to.” Lao Tzu or Li Er. Does it sound too familiar to you my brother Knights? So true as, at times, when we ask our Catholic brothers to join the Knights we got this response, “I don’t have time.” It is not a total rejection as I see it as a reflection of doubt and indecision bridging their temporary reluctance to be a part of anything new. It is a matter of time and a gradual building of enthusiasm. When we keep the offer open, sooner or later they may come looking for an opportunity to serve. Why do I say that? Joseph “Tony” Franco, a long time parishioner of Holy Family approached me during the Simbang Gabi fellowship in the Community Center and proclaimed, “I want to join the Knights of Columbus. What should I do?” I was taken away from what I heard, unbelievable! Right away I handed him a Form 100; I always carry a few. The next day I got it back - filled up and signed. That was a rewarding experience and unexpected - just in time for Christmas. We should not feel discouraged or harbor the feeling of failure but rather think of a better way to approach prospects: Watch, wait, ask and keep in mind that perseverance pays.

Council Leadership

Grand Knight Ed Cruz CHAPLAIN Fr. Edsil Ortiz Deputy Grand Knight Don Lucas Chancellor Don Nordloff Recorder Aidan Ogamba Financial Secretary Alexander Guiang Treasurer Eric Bateman Lecturer Gil Gruber Advocate Eugene Okafor Warden Francis Deane Inside Guard John Chargin Outside Guard Vince Rubino 3-Year Trustee Rich Carlson 2-Year Trustee Brad Vandehey 1-Year Trustee Bob Scheerger Program Director Don Lucas Church Activities Gary Herbst Community Activities Don Nordloff Council Activities Eugene Okafor Family Activities Gary Miskimon Youth Activities Jovie Palteng Culture of Life Activities Eric Bateman Membership Francis Deane Columbiettes President Nita Cruz

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But then “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” Mother Teresa. As 2014 is being retired, in the calendar folder, the year 2015 now resides. Yesterdays, 365 in all, tacked in the old calendar during which our Council served our host parish and the community beyond our parish in ways following our pillars of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism and we will continue as more Knights volunteer, stepping up in new ways. It takes too much space to mention our achievements here, but it should appear in our newsletter, the Knight Line. For the new year, there is an addition to the Youth activities, an opportunity to challenge parish students’ creativity through a Poster Contest. We introduced a new way of handling funds from fundraiser events. We have a First Degree Team tentatively scheduled to exemplify candidates as early as January. We had a wonderful time with the Veterans Polytrauma Center in Palo Alto along with the Columbiettes, the Portolairs (the Fourth Degree’s a cappella choir) and for the first time a family of four from the Simbang Gabi Choir joined the Knights as we reached out to our Veterans. Together, we sang, served food, drinks and helped distribute healing blankets from Holy Family’s Prayer Blanket ministers, some of whom are also Columbiettes. I end this message with a quote that expresses time and metaphorical changes of season: how our perspective in life and how humanity’s sense of being may be best described. “Spring passes and one remembers one's innocence. Summer passes and one remembers one's exuberance. Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence. Winter passes and one remembers one's perseverance.” Yoko Ono Thanks to the Columbiettes’ for their help and support at the Family Christmas Party and the Parish’s New Year’s Eve Dinner/Dance. Lastly, I would like to thank everyone, officers and members of our Council for the hard work you did to ensure our program service projects are successfully implemented - with fun and enthusiasm. Your cooperation is very much appreciated; we are here to serve.

Ed Cruz Grand Knight

Chaplain’s Message

“Daddy, could you sell me one hour of your time?” Fr. Munachi Ezeogu, CSSP, wrote a story of a little boy who greeted his father as he returned home from work. The little boy said, “Daddy, how much do you make an hour?” The father is surprised and says: “Look, son, not even your mother knows. Don’t bother me now, I’m tired.” “But Daddy, just tell me please! How much do you make an hour?” the boy insists. The father finally gives up and replies: “Twenty dollars.” “Okay, Daddy,” the boy continues, “Could you loan me ten dollars?” The father yells at him: “So that was the reason you asked how much I earn, right? Now, go to sleep and don’t bother me anymore!” At night the father thinks over what he said and starts feeling guilty. Maybe his son needed to buy something. Finally, he goes to his son's room. “Are you asleep, son?” asks the father. “No, Daddy. Why?” replies the boy. “Here's the money you asked for earlier,” the father said. “Thanks, Daddy!” replies the boy and receives the money. Then he reaches under his pillow and brings out some more money. “Now I have enough! Now I have twenty dollars!” says the boy to his father, “Daddy, could you sell me one hour of your time?” Familiaris Consortio, an apostolic exhortation of Pope John Paul II, reminds us to build communion of persons in the family, based on love and mutual self-donation of all the family members to one another.

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In the same way, the feast of the Holy family also reminds and challenges us to invest quality life with our families, according to the dictate of our Christian faith. Being docile to the will of God and doing God’s Holy Will are so important to the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Each member of this revered household, preoccupied themselves observing God’s Holy Will all the days of their lives. It is not easy to keep the modern day family whole, intact and happy. It is just sad, that most of our young ones spend more time with their peers, friends, and electronic gadgets than with their respective families. This is one of the saddest trends on family life in the 21st century. There are so many distractions that threaten the integrity of our families. I remember my brother looking for his teenage boy at around one in the morning. The following day, he told me that he found him at an Internet café playing video games. Come to think of it, Jesus as a young boy was already engaged in His Father’s business. Hence we heard him say to his parents, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” (Luke 2:49). In the gospel periscope of Luke, Jesus, just like many youngsters today, failed to inform his parents of his whereabouts. But the big difference is that, Jesus was found not in an Internet Café or wasting time with his peers. He was found attending bible class in the temple – and therefore, still doing God’s business. No one will argue with me that searching for a lost child is an extremely stressful experience for parents or guardians. Joseph and Mary must have experienced the same feelings when they could not find the young boy, Jesus. In other words, the Holy Family, just like any ordinary family, experienced tensions and certain conflicts in the household. It is good to note that their conflicts were not caused by self-glorifying deeds but by acts that give glory to God. In contrast, most of our conflicts at home in the 21st century are caused by our tendency to glorify ourselves and by being unmindful of the needs of other members of our family. Clearly, narcissism leads families to godless ways and mentality and to its ultimate breakdown. In fact, narcissism is tantamount to the worship of the human ego and the undermining of God’s sovereignty in our lives. Yes, every family wants to live happily ever after. But if the current trend persists, we would continue to see before our very eyes the collapse of meaningful relationships and the destruction of many households, communities, and nations in the years to come.

The families that are truly holy in the 21st century are those that have mastered the ability to crush their unredeemed egos, have learned to prioritize others and God more than themselves…more than their search for a living. This is what it means to be holy in contemporary times, which is quite a challenge for many of us in highly industrialized and developed societies. To deepen our reflection, let us try to re-examine and ask ourselves the following questions: (1) how much time do I spend on myself in glorification activities? (2) How much time do I spend for family members? (3) Is my family living according to the values of the Kingdom and the fully embracing the mission of the church in the midst of the world? God’s blessings to you and your family always! Father Edsil N. Ortiz

TIMELINE OF CHRISTIAN HISTORY A touch of our Christian History. Catholic Church events and major historic events that influenced the world in which Catholics lived and live today. c.1446 The Exodus begins. Led by Moses, the or 1290 BC Israelites leave Egypt and eventually settle

in Canaan. c.1010 BC David becomes king of Israel, making

Jerusalem his capital. c.970 BC David's son Solomon becomes king. He

later builds a temple in Jerusalem to honor God.

c.930 BC Following Solomon's death, the Kingdom is divided into two sections: Northern (Israel) and Southern (Judah).

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Fellow Knights: Please be aware that invoices for dues are being sent to all current members. Please consider remitting your dues early so you don’t have to experience those 2nd or 3rd notices. They are annoying and also cost the Council funds we hope to use for our activities instead of mailing extra notices. If you are having financial difficulties, please get in touch with Grand Knight Ed Cruz to make alternative arrangements. Consider paying one fourth every three months if it is better for your current situation.

ACTIVITIES OF OUR PORTOLA ASSEMBLY #49 During December, our Assembly’s Color Corps served at the funeral Service for SK Joe L. Reno; as the Honor Guard for Our Lady of Guadalupe services at St. Joseph of Cupertino on Dec 12 and again at St. Clare’s on Dec 14; and also as the Honor Guard for the Simbang Gabi (Advent Mass - novena) at 5:30 am on Dec. 2oth with Bishop McGrath as the celebrant. KNIGHTS’ FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY What a fun-filled Christmas party we had last month! The sliced ham supplemented by our potluck meal additions from attendees resulted in lots of food for everyone. There was some interesting competition for the Silent Auction coordinated by the Columbiettes with over 40 gifts for adults and kids. The result is that our Columbiettes received needed funds to jumpstart their 2015 activities (Remember their Valentine’s Day Plans!!) Thanks to all who participated in this lively affair!!! A special thanks goes to all of those who made this effort such a success. Thanks to those who decorated the Community Center tables, led by Mary Herbst . The festive environment helped make it a good evening for all. Suggestions for next year’s party are welcome – just let Eugene Okafor know what you would like to see in the future.

AND THE NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER/DANCE? Due to obvious timing issues with the reporter’s deadline, we will talk about this one in the February Knight Line.

Birthdays in January

Jorge Enderle 1/6 Jaime Martinez 1/6 Joseph Frankina II 1/7 Kenneth Klask 1/7 Robert Oliver 1/8 Thien Bui 1/11 Robert Lungaro 1/15 Charles Fouts 1/17 Charlie Kotwicki 1/17 Howard Davis 1/21 Rev. Vincent Pineda 1/22 Santiago Afroilan 1/25 Nick Scianna 1/29

Catholic Trivia: Which states in the USA have the largest and least population of Catholics? Find the answer somewhere in this newsletter.

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QUOTES TO LIVE BY “It might be a good idea if the various countries of the world would occasionally swap history books, just to see what other people are doing with the same set of facts.” Bill Vaughan ” If two friends ask you to judge a dispute, don't accept, because you will lose one friend; on the other hand, if two strangers come with the same request, accept because you will gain one friend.” St. Augustine “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” Newt Gingrich "A real patriot is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works” Bill Vaughan Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself. Mark Twain

ANNUAL VA PALO ALTO CHRISTMAS SPIRIT PARTY

St. Ignatius of Loyola Council members, parishioners of Holy Family, and members of the 4th Degree Portola Assembly hosted the Christmas Spirit Party again this year in Palo Alto. Coordinated by our Marv Lewis, PGK, PDD, this was again a wonderful tribute to those receiving care from the VA and an exceptional opportunity for all to meet and show their respect for these vets of many ages and many different conflicts.

PRAY DAILY FOR OUR PRIESTS AND SEMINARIANS

* Seminarians supported by our Council January 1 Mr. Francis Kalaw * January 2 Mr. Edgar Elamparo * January 3 Mr. Paul Jussen * January 5 Mr. Eric Piczon January 6 Mr. Michael Scott January 7 Most Rev. Patrick J. McGrath January 8 Mr. Victor Trinidad * January 9 Mr. Gabriel Lee January 10 Mr. John Hoang January 11 Mr. Khoa Vu January 12 Mr. Robain Lamba * January 13 Mr. Gerardo Vasquez January 14 Rev. Hao Dinh January 15 Mr. Francis Kalaw * January 16 Mr. Edgar Elamparo * January 17 Br. Paul Jussen * January 18 Mr. Eric Piczon January 19 Mr. Michael Scott January 20 Mr. Victor Trinidad * January 21 Rev. Edsil Ortiz January 22 Mr. Gabriel Lee January 23 Mr. John Hoang January 24 Mr. Khoa Vu January 25 Mr. Robain Lamba * January 26 Mr. Gerardo Vasquez January 27 Mr. Francis Kalaw * January 28 Rev. Joseph Kim January 29 Mr. Edgar Elamparo * January 30 Mr. Paul Jussen * January 31 Most Rev. Thomas A. Daly

The Portaliers Choir of the Portola Assembly and Holy Family volunteers sang for the assembled veterans and hospital staff.

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Upcoming Events

Due to New Year’s Holiday, Office remains closed Jan 1 & Jan 2 Friday Jan 2 Holy Family School Vacation (final day) Sunday, January 4 Pancake Breakfast 7:30-11am Community Center. Wednesday, January 7 Business Meeting 7 pm Youth Hall Tuesday, January 13, Noon - 3:00 Staff Meeting -- Parish Office Closed Thursday, January 19 - Martin Luther King Day Legal Holiday {Parish & School are closed} Sunday, January 22 Mass of Reparation for Abortion 7:00 p.m. ???????? Parish Tuesday, January 27, Noon-3:00 Staff Meeting -- Parish Office Closed Tuesday, January 27 Portola Assembly Meeting 6:30 – 9:00 - Santa Maria Hall 2211 Shamrock Drive Wednesday, January 28 Officer’s Meeting 7pm Hope Conference Room Sunday, February 1 Parish Blood Drive by K of C {Appointments at Bloodcenter.Stanford.edu} 8:00 11:00 – Parking Lot Tuesday, February 4 Staff Day of Prayer-- Parish Office Closed Saturday, February 14 Columbiettes Valentines Day Dinner 6:30 – 11:00, Community Center Mark your Calendars, buy your tickets, invite your neighbors and book your wife’s hair appointment now!

BASKETBALL FREE THROW

St. Ignatius of Loyola will host its annual Free Throw Championship on Saturday, January 24, in Holy Family Ed Center’s Gym. In the past this Championship has been conducted at the Council, then District and Chapter, followed by a Regional “shoot off shooters from all over competed in finals which were conducted telephonically. Since competitors prefer to face their competition, the event will be different this year. Everybody will meet in Fresno on March 21st at San Joaquin Memorial High School at the State Basketball Shoot Off Championship. There will be food at no cost to the competitors, but adults will pay for their refreshments. A list of motels and hotels will be published for all interested.

Catholic Trivia Answer: The state with the largest population percentage claiming to be Catholic is Rhode Island at 63% (it was also the only original colony that welcomed Catholics.) The state with the lowest population percentage claiming to be Catholic is Alabama at 6%. (Surprised its not Utah?) Source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church in_the_United_States

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TRAVELING IN OUR “GOLDEN” STATE?

This is the fifth in a series of suggestions of some sites you may be near during your travels away from San Jose. We all know that California is home to many beautiful Catholic churches, each of which is a reflection of the faith of our people today and those who built over the past two centuries. This is an easy day trip to San Francisco!

National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi

The Shrine is in the city’s North Beach region, not far from Fisherman’s Wharf (the famous Saints Peter and Paul Church is two blocks away). The church began as St. Francis Parish in 1849, the year before California became a state and before San Francisco was incorporated as a city. It was first a small wooden shack, and then was replaced by an adobe structure. Bishop Alemany of Monterey used the church as his cathedral for 3 years and California’s first ordination to the priesthood was here. The current building, a Norman Gothic church, was completed in 1860. It survived the 1906 earthquake, but was severely damaged in the subsequent fires. A new church was rebuilt within the original church walls and was rededicated in 1919. Scheduled for closure 20 years ago, the archdiocese opted instead to make it a shrine. As a result of that decision, it’s no longer a parish church. It is an attractive structure, with unique stained glass windows, colorful murals, and beautiful statues. It is also home to relics of St. Francis, St. Clare of Assisi, and St. Anthony of Padua. It welcomes pilgrims and visitors for prayer and meditation. It is a California historical landmark, and was named a shrine in 1999. There are indulgences associated with visiting the shrine; see the website for more information. Father Gregory Coiro, OFM Cap, is the shrine’s rector, and will often greet you. It is San Francisco, so parking can be a challenge; the shrine has no parking lot. Look for free street parking, or one of the nearby parking garages ($3 per hour) National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi 610 Vallejo Street, San Francisco, California 94133-3917 (415) 986-4557

!! CURRENT MOVIE RATINGS !!

Date night, family movie night, or your kids going to a flick, is this movie one you want to support with your money? Does it represent your values? Penguins of Madagascar, A-I (PG) Annie, A-II (PG) Big Hero 6, A-II (PG) Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, A-II (PG) The Book of Life, A-II (PG) The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies, A-II (PG-13) Beyond the Lights, A-III (PG-13) Exodus: Gods and Kings, A-III (PG-13) Into the Woods, A-III (PG) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1, A-II (PG-13) The Pyramid, A-III (R) The Theory of Everything, A-III (PG-13) Unbroken, A-III (PG-13) The Gambler, L (R) Dumb and Dumber To, O (PG-13) Horrible Bosses 2, O (R) Top Five, O (R) {Movies in red are rated objectively immoral.] Catholic News Service’s classifications: • A-I — general patronage • A-II — adults and adolescents • A-III — adults • L — Limited adult audiences, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling • O — morally offensive Check choices before you or your kids go out: use website below or just use your browser to ‘search’ for “Catholic movie ratings” (http://www.catholicnews.com/movies.htm)

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In only two thousand years, the church founded by Jesus Christ has grown from a gathering of 12 rather shaky men called from their daily vocations to become “fishers of men.” Check out the chart below (downloaded from the ‘all knowing Internet’) to see where the foundation laid by those 12 men has taken us – worldwide.

To save “Chart Confusion” for readers and to be inclusive of other major religions, the actual (rough) numbers of the various religious affiliations are: 1) about 2.175 billion claiming Christianity; 2) Islam is reported at 1.6 billion; 3) Hinduism has about 900 million adherents while; 4) those who are either atheist or agnostic (or just unchurched) account for almost 1.1 billion souls. Major beliefs such as Buddhism, Shinto, Sikhism, Judaism, Jainism, and Baha’i account for the about 900 million remaining religious adherents. Catholics however, total over 1.1 billion of that world wide Christian total.