Happy New Year Brother’s!
Welcome to the January edition of the Cross and Compass. I hope this newsletter finds you and your family doing well. It is hard to believe we are in January 2025 already but you sure can tell as our Council is in high gear right now as we have a lot going on. Looking back at 2024, I just want to say WOW!!! I am simply amazed at what our Council was able to accomplish. Last year we raised over $200,000 for our church and local charities. This came through a lot of hard work and dedication by all who helped with the CFA Raffle, Circle of Life Golf Outing, Monthly Food Drives, Operation Warrior Resolutions Veterans Dance, and Tootsie Roll Drive to name a few. We are definitely making an impact in our Church and Community in which we serve. Our membership continues to grow, our Council is now over 300 members and we have many more Catholic men that want to join us. Again thank you to everyone who helped make last year a huge success both with time and financial support.
We begin January with the “Best Breakfast in Venice” Knights Breakfast on January 5th. You can purchase your tickets at the door or on the website. This year is a building year for our breakfast so any comments or suggestions you have, please share them as we strive to continuously improve. All of the net proceeds from the breakfasts will be going to help Father Jay build us a new kitchen. We’ve committed to raising $50,000 over the next 5 years to help defer some of the costs for the new kitchen. I’d like to thank George Bevis for taking on this responsibility to help us hit our goal. George says he’s in “pancake purgatory”, so the quicker we can raise the funds, the quicker he can be sprung. All kidding aside, thanks to everyone that helps out with the breakfast. We’d like to try to have 2 per month next year, we just need more volunteers. So if you feel called to help, please let us know and we will find you a spot on the team. It really is a lot of fun, and it is a great way to meet a lot of brothers and fellow parishioners. The weekend of January 18th and 19th will be a busy one for us as we have both our Monthly Food Drive and annual Tootsie Roll Fundraiser. If you are able to help out with either of these, please let Eric or Bob know and we will get you signed up.
As you all know Bill Morris our Financial Secretary passed away last month. Bill loved praying the Rosary. In honor and memory of Bill, the Knights and CCW will be praying the Rosary on Friday January 17th at 4:00 pm in the church. Please wear your Council shirt so we can all show our love and support to Bill’s wife Katie and his family and friends that will be attending. His Celebration of life will be at 10:00 am on January 18th. The “William Samuel Morris Scholarship Fund” four (4) annual $1,000 scholarships to deserving teens at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Parish has been set up. If you would like to contribute, you can do so online or by check. Bill was 9924 and this is a great way to honor his memory, he will be greatly missed. Finally, I want to express my gratitude for the camaraderie, dedication, and faith that each of you brings to our council. Together, we can achieve great things for our parish, community, and beyond. May this new year bring blessings to you and your families, and may we continue to grow in our faith and service, as we stay bound together in Unity, Charity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. I look forward to seeing everyone at mass or our next meeting on January 8th. The meeting starts at 5:30 with the Rosary and dinner at 6:00. Vivat Jesus! Your fraternal brother, Rick Kuertz, Grand Knight
Vivat Jesus!
Rick Kuertz, Grand Knight 
A note to share -
I want to share a quick story. A couple weeks back I went to Adoration and benediction. As I was kneeling in front of the Blessed Sacrament, I looked over at the Divine Mercy picture where the words are inscribed “Jesus I Trust In You”. I kept reading those words over and over and I thought of course I do trust in you Jesus, and then I think the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said maybe I only believe to a degree, turn it all over to him. I started thinking, yes I do Trust in you Jesus, but I guess I am really good at turning my problems over to you to only then take them back. I prayed to Jesus and asked him for help so that I will truly Trust in Him always, and when I turn something over I keep it in his hands and not mine. I know this is going to be a struggle for me and probably for others as well, my goal is to truly TRUST and know that everything that happens is part of God’s plan, not mine. Before I left on the Camino, I went over and met with Bill and Katie Morris and they gave me a carrying cross to carry for my walk and I carried it all across Spain and still continue to carry it with me to this day, it's now got thousands of miles on it. I now hold that Cross when I turn things over to God as a reminder that he’s got it, it’s his plan. When things are going wonky at work or in life, I say, “Jesus I trust in you”, and hold the carrying cross as my reminder it's in his hands. I’m happy to report a lot of things have been thrown my way at work, and I simply turn them over to him, holding the cross. It really works, stress levels drop, and I don’t have to needlessly worry anymore. I know Jesus has all of me now. Who knew the carrying cross they gave me would change my life the way it did. For that, I’m eternally grateful.
Rick, GK