September 1, 2016
Brothers,
A few months ago I was certain I
had found a theme that the Knights in Arizona could completely embrace. While discerning about how to define and
refine this message I kept feeling pulled in a different direction. Listening to various Priests and our Bishops,
reading material from respected Church leader, and talking with members across
the State a different message kept creeping into the back of my mind. We are in a period of turmoil; in our
Country, in our culture, in our Parishes, and in our Councils.
This year’s State Theme is “Be
The Leader of Your Domestic Church”
We have been weakened by the
constant attacks from evil. We have lost
focus on our foundation. Many have
fallen into the comfortable lifestyle of attending Mass most of the time and
getting our children to their RE Classes.
We have become passive attendees rather than active participants in our
faith. Some say Vocations are born in the home.
So is our Faith. There is only so
much that can be learned in class. There
comes a time when the lessons must be observed away from the Church, they must
be witnessed in the home. For there to
be followers there must be a leader.
This Fraternal Year I am asking
each brother to become that Leader. To
lead by example. To gain the knowledge of our faith so you can not only
practice it yourself but demonstrate this to members of your family, your
friends, those you see on a regular basis.
What better place to begin than in your own homes, in your own groups,
in your environment, in Your Domestic Church.
Will this be easy? Probably not.
If it were easy it would already be done. But it is critical that we not delay any
longer. It is critical that we become these leaders that our Families, our
Community, our Parishes, our Order so desperately need.
We will not go into this without
tools. Bishop Olmsted of the Diocese of
Phoenix published an Apostolic Exhortation Into the Breach in 2015. This
was a call to the men of his Diocese to step up and fill the hole that has been
opened by evil. Our Supreme Council has
adopted this to bolster their programs begun in November 2015 to Build the
Domestic Church while strengthening our Parishes. On our Supreme Website there
are documents and programs about the Domestic Church for you to use. Soon there
will be an announcement of an even broader Supreme Program.
Our State pin symbolizes this
call. The pin is in the shape of the
State of Arizona. As Arizona Knights,
this is where we need to make our impact.
In the center of the pin is a
Dove, a universal symbol for the Holy Spirit.
Wings stretched out to embrace us all; the Holy Spirit is coming toward
us just as Jesus came to be among man. As
the Dove comes to us from the center so too does the power of the Holy Spirit
radiate outward, originating with God in the symbol of the Eucharist.
At the bottom left are our Fraternal Year and our State
abbreviation for those that won’t recognize us by the outline of the borders.
In the top left is a church within a church. This is to remind us that our Domestic Church
is still part of the larger universal Church which in turn is part of our
world.
In the bottom right is the Emblem of our Order. It has been placed here to remind us that
our mission is to be the foundation to build our Domestic Church and to support
the evangelization of our faith that we are all called to do.
These three symbols, the Year, the Emblem and the Church,
remind us of a basic belief that separates us from others; the Trinity.
Across the top is our Theme, placed there to remind us that
to be the leaders we must be the head of our Domestic Church.
Finally there is the top Right corner. Originally there was another symbol there but
it was removed. By removing that symbol
we have left room for the one missing item necessary for our entire program to
work.
If the area is not filled the rays of the Holy Spirit are
not received. If that area is not filled
the picture is not complete.
If that area is not filled, our Domestic Church will not be
built, our Parishes will not be strengthened, the Breach will remain open.
What is Your Domestic Church? It is you and your family.
What does it take to be a leader? It takes action.
The top Right corner.
Christians, fellow Catholic Men, Brother Knights.
I need you to Step Into the Breach. I need you to fill that open space. I need you to “Be the Leaders of Your
Domestic Church”
If you fill that space you will be amazed at what a
difference you will make in our world and be awed by what a difference God will
make in you.
Vivat Jesus,
Sean Halpain
State Deputy
