Church renewal and how our pope is providing real leadership by leading

When doing nothing is not an option -real action ,not lip service is needed to fix the issue and make the body whole again to its true core values. The rot, decay , must be identified , acknowledged and removed to ensure that the good or vitality of the body be  restored . I personally believe that our Pope is showing true leadership in this regard. " As Christ chased out the money lenders from the temple - so should the Pope chase out the clergy who abuse their trust." S. Holle comment and opinion .

"My hope is that it will help in the process of repentance, healing and renewal," Benedict said

Pope approves handling of German scandal

VATICAN CITY (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI approves of measures the Roman Catholic Church in Germany is adopting to handle clergy sex abuse scandals, a church leader said.

Nineteen of Germany's 27 dioceses have been affected by scandal, with similar situations reported recently in dioceses in Ireland, the Netherlands and Austria, ANSA reported Saturday.

The German arm of the church plans to provide more support for victims and to tighten procedures in an effort to "bring truth to light," Monsignor Robert Zollitsch said Friday after briefing the German-born pope.

"He is favorable to our measures but we do not know whether they will be extended to other countries," Zollitsch said.

In the United States, several dioceses have been bankrupted by settlements since sex abuse by clergy was first exposed on a major scale in the late 1990s.


Cardinal Christopher Schoenborn, archbishop of Vienna, wrote this week the church needs to examine how priests are trained, now the "so-called sexual revolution" has affected the church and the doctrine of celibacy.

The church only mandated celibacy for its priests in the 12th century and Eastern Rite priests are still allowed to marry. A number of married Protestant ministers who converted to Catholicism have been allowed to function as priests.

Pope urges Irish to forgive abuse

VATICAN CITY, Italy (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI Saturday asked Irish Catholics to forgive sexual abuse by priests as allegations of similar abuse increased in a half-dozen countries.

"My hope is that it will help in the process of repentance, healing and renewal," Benedict said of his pastoral letter, the first public statement by the Vatican on the sexual abuse of Irish children dating back decades.

Allegations of clergy sexual abuse have increased in recent days in Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Brazil and the pope's native Germany, CNN reported Saturday.

The crisis threatened to further erode membership in Europe's Roman Catholic churches but have less of an impact in Asia and Africa, where the church is growing, said David Gibson, a Vatican expert and author of a biography of Pope Benedict.

When the pope was archbishop of Munich, church officials ignored repeated warnings from a church-hired psychoanalyst to keep a molesting priest away from children, the BBC reported. The psychoanalyst said he did not believe the pope was ever aware the priest had been returned to service in a parish.

Copyright 2010 by United Press International

http://www.arcamax.com/religiousnews/s-713971-249264#posts

Spring is in the air -and it is a time of renewal

Spring is in the air –the time for renewal and planting is near



Seed some kindness and good deeds and watch it grow your happiness and success

There is no doubt that a constructive life cycle of doing good helps to create a better world.

Good deeds and playing positive actions forward are ways to seed or plant seeds of goodwill that will grow and bear fruit down the road. One of the best things about seeding, ‘good’ , is that it makes you feel good. Doing a thoughtful deed for someone else opens your heart and fills it with warmth. You don't have to be rich or powerful to plant seeds of kindness. All it takes is a willingness to look out for opportunities to help others.

Acts of kindness can start with just simple things, such as a smile for the harried grocery clerk or holding the door for a tired mother, preoccupied with her little ones. Or you can take it a step further and offer help to people in need. Perhaps someone you know could use a heart-to-heart discussion or an elderly person in your neighborhood needs help shopping or repairing something in the home. Spend a little time thinking about it, and I am sure some ideas will pop into your head.

If you want to do something on a larger scale, consider volunteering some time on a regular basis to benefit a specific group, such as children, older people, or the community in general. It doesn't really matter so much how you seed kindnesses as long as you are looking for opportunities to do so and then take advantage of them when you see the need.

It is true that, in the process of doing good for others, even if it is something small, we improve the lives of others, build better relationships and even improve our own lives. It's a win-win situation!

This is a constructive pep talk or gardening tip for your " new decade"  journey and to keep your positive momentum and renewal going

The Knights of Columbus and other community service groups always need volunteers for community projects if you do not have your own gardens of kindness to seed and nurture.

Take care. Be happy .be loving and get ready to smell the roses

-from your friends, brothers and fellow human beings and especially Sieg

(SH from our put a positive smile on your face “ life is a gift “ series Friday, March 05, 2010)

Renewal lessons from the Gunnery club

Lessons from the gunnery club ( members count and come through if motivated to do so )

We couldn't have pulled it off without the help of all the volunteers,
the donations and the musicians." The club, also known as the Brant Artillery Club, has faced tough
times over the last year and there's even been talk of selling the big building off.

Infighting prevailed, membership dropped, the club faced more than one
lawsuit and veterans who had been members for decades simply stopped
attending events.

But on Sunday, old friends and former members were back to show their support.
Powell, a returning member bent on helping the old club to get back on
its feet, and a band of volunteers in white Gunners Club T-shirts that
proclaimed "We Will Survive!" were bustling as close to 400 people
moved through the club.

"See the smile on my face?" asked treasurer Rita Olmstead, a member
who had been suspended from the club last year, along with her husband
Jack
-----------------------
The club belongs to the members so they should get a full say in what
happens," said Rita Olmstead.Meanwhile, Powell was tallying some of the proceeds from the day.
Donations covered almost everything at the event meaning that the 382
tickets sold netted the group $3,820.

--
care

Vatican adopts procedure for Anglicans

VATICAN CITY (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI has approved allowing Anglican groups to join the Catholic Church while keeping parts of their own worship, a Vatican official said Tuesday.
Cardinal William Levada announced the new Apostolic Constitution at a news conference at the Vatican, the Catholic News Agency reported. He said it "provides a reasonable and even necessary response to a world-wide phenomenon" of Anglicans dissatisfied with the acceptance of sexually active gay priests by some churches in the Anglican Communion.

Levada said married Anglican priests who join the Roman Catholic Church will be able to become ordained Catholic priests, although they will not be able to become bishops. The constitution would also allow former Anglicans to keep "elements of distinctive Anglican spiritual patrimony" while entering into full communion with the Catholic Church.

"The provision of this new structure is consistent with the commitment to ecumenical dialogue which continues to be a priority for the Catholic Church, particularly through the efforts of the Pontifical Council for Promotion of Christian Unity," Levada said.

The Knights renewal series by S.Holle GK 9262

Insights and Brain Jogs
The challenges "How to make our journey or mission effective and relevant in our local community, empowering our members and brothers to do good works while enjoying the ride"' .A Five part input series in re-inventing ourselves as a organization

1 In defense of our traditional values – A mission statement
Buckle up and enjoy life’s ride to fewer entitlements and more responsibilities Article 1- Knight 9262 renewal series
http://brant-knightsofcolumbus.blogspot.com/2009/10/insights-and-brain-jogs-challengs-how.html

2 How do we build for the future?
What is planned abandonment? Don’t hide your failures or short comings –fix them.
http://brant-knightsofcolumbus.blogspot.com/2009/10/insights-and-brain-jogs-challengehow-to.html

3 Lessons learned as illustrated by the Knights of Columbus Wayne Gretzky Tournament
http://brant-knightsofcolumbus.blogspot.com/2009/10/click-picture-to-download-larger-image.html

4 Article 4- Knight 9262 renewal series Why are people not on our bus
http://brant-knightsofcolumbus.blogspot.com/2009/10/insights-and-brain-jogs-challenges-how.html

5 What would you do to revitalize your organization ?
http://brant-knightsofcolumbus.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-would-you-get-people-on-our-knights.html

As a worthy member of the community we serve please comment and pass it on

"A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality." -- John Lennon

How Knights make a difference- , reasons to join this group

http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dd763tfg_470dkdpnfcn&interval=5
( A 2 page presentation of Knights contribution to the community.)

To but on your web site (Copy and paste into your web site )

How would you get people on our Knight’s bus ?

Homework for the order Article 5- Knight 9262 renewal series Final S. Holle

Lesson 1: Market to the future, not the past.
Improve appeal to new and all members

Membership expansion and retention

Lesson 2: Invest for relaunch success.
Have Relevance , high impact visibility, and offer high value by relaunching core values

“ Positive media awareness

With full co-operation all councils, renewed knights fellowship all councils

Lesson 3: Leave no member customer behind.

New vitality -Have fun across all age groups with a continuity of worthy purposes and causes

Mentoring and pairing the older with the newer - a proven buddy system that works
“Giving people reason’s to join us. “

Having fun in happy fellowship

Lesson 4: Leverage product launches by involving partners.

Core and vanguard leadership
Combine council impacts
Stop divided and fragmented efforts
Strategic alliances –auxiliary membership

Expand reach- manpower and resources


Lesson 5: Seek out new life for old products by boldly updating your brands with a local community focus

-Local traction & worthy -Earn it rules will apply –no more by convention freebies

New funding to those that need it most, are worthy and paid directly.

Updating and relaunching our Brand

Other insights




HAVE Fun - we are listening and need your input please S.Holle

Insights and Brain Jogs

The challenges "How to make our journey or mission effective and relevant in our local community, empowering our members and brothers to do good works while enjoying the ride"' .A Five part input series in re-inventing ourselves as a organization by S.Holle GK 9262

Article 4- Knight 9262 renewal series Why are people not on our bus
Insights developed and adapted from Zig Ziglar

Clarence Francis, a businessman, said, "You can buy a man's time, you can buy his physical presence at a given place. You can even buy a measured number of his skilled muscular motions per hour. But you cannot buy enthusiasm, you cannot buy loyalty, you cannot buy devotion of hearts, minds or souls. You must earn these."

Question: How do you earn these things? The answer is to understand that according to the Department of Labor, 46 percent of the people who voluntarily leave their jobs do so because they do not feel respected and/or appreciated. When employers show employees respect and express appreciation on a regular basis, loyalty, commitment and enthusiasm all prevail in that person.

The late Cavett Robert said there are over three billion people who go to bed hungry every night, but there are over four billion people who go to bed hungry every night for a word of love, appreciation and respect. The message is clear: Nice people say complimentary things to producers who really do a good job (the compliment must be sincere). It has been said many times that people work for more than a raise -- they work for praise. The most effective and least expensive motivation going is recognition with a simple "thank you."

Sieg Holle GK9262

Mind Jogs and ongoing challenges

Is our organization worthy of participation by the members?
Is our organization fun to participate in by the members?
Does our organization make a difference to our community?
Does our organization get its fair share of recognition in our community?
Does our organization meet its community service mandate?
Does our organization meet its church/ membership support service mandate?

What are the rewards of participating in our Order?
What are the rewards of participating in our council?

How can we improve our impact or relevance :

• Community,
• Membership

The 5 Lessons learned and illustrated by the Knights of Columbus
Article 3- Knight 9262 renewal series

New rules to play our worthy Knight game Updating and relaunching our Brand

“Walter Gretsky Hockey Tournament”
New Tournament fundraiser 50 % city 50 % all Brant Knights Councils

Lesson: Market to the future, not the past.

Improve appeal to new and all members “5000 people have a new awareness of the Brant Knights ability”

“ Louis Burgess is a Knight’s champion who lead the event charge, with K Doucette and S. Holle “

“.Smiles are better then frowns “ Consumers today want more spectacles and more value for their hard-earned money. We agree,

(click on picture to enlarge)

Lesson: Invest for relaunch success.
Have Relevance , high impact visibility, and offer high value to relaunch core values

“ Positive media , full co-operation all councils, renewed knights fellowship all councils and much fun including live bands and a beer tent “ Replacing frowns with smiles through “BoldlyGo” performance –this event delivered and rocked Everyone in the membership goes home happy.

Lesson: Leave no member customer behind.

New vitality -Have fun across all age groups with a continuity of worthy purposes and causes
Mentoring and pairing the older with the newer - a proven buddy system that works

“Giving people reason’s to join us. Having fun in happy fellowship are good reasons as this event clearly shows and demonstrates ”

Find a small group of promotional partners willing to create big impact and to “BoldlyGo” to new ideas and vistas f or our mutual common good.

Lesson: Leverage product launches by involving partners.

Core and vanguard leadership Combine council impacts Stop divided and fragmented efforts
Strategic alliances –auxiliary membership Expand reach- manpower and resources

Any out-of-favour product can be rehabilitated, given appropriate retooling and dynamic marketing... “All groups and our members had a smile on their faces, indicating high future event prosperity and participation in the future” S. Holle Grand Knight Council 9262

Lesson: Seek out new life for old products by boldly updating your brands with a local community focus

-New funding to those that need it most, are worthy and paid directly.
-Local traction & worthy -Earn it rules will apply –no more by convention freebies

What else did we learn ?

• Do not abuse the good will and talent of your volunteers


• Train your volunteers to do the task at hand


• Treat everyone with respect


• Have Fun

Cautions

Those paid for the event management live off the proceeds of the “free” labor and energy of the volunteers efforts -please respect them for their contribution

How do we ensure that our member’s and supporter’s good will is used properly?

Earn their trust .respect and good will

• Appreciate their efforts


• Say “thank you” Sincerely and mean it


• Acknowledge and recognize effort


• Have fun

The easiest way to encourage people to do the right thing is by making it fun to do. Example: The "World's Deepest Bin" http://www.wservernews.com/UY0HR7/091019-Deepest-Bin

It has been said many times that people work for more than a raise -- they work for praise. The most effective and least expensive motivation going is recognition with a simple "thank you

S.Holle

Insights and Brain Jogs

The challenge"How to make our journey or mission effective and relevant in our local community, empowering our members and brothers to do good works while enjoying the ride"' .A Five part input series in re-inventing ourselves as a organization by S.Holle GK 9262

How do we build for the future?

What is planned abandonment? Don’t hide your failures or short comings –fix them. Article 2- Knight 9262 renewal series

"Management guru Peter Drucker advocates a practice he calls planned abandonment. He stresses how important it is that managers develop the wisdom and courage to regularly review what the organization is doing and determine whether it's worth doing. He urges executives to note and resist the systemic and emotional forces that make it difficult to abandon activities that drain resources, detract from central goals, or otherwise impede progress."

This same principle needs to be applied, not only in the business world, but also to many areas of life. Some of us, for example, who are codependent need to come to our senses and abandon our neurotic need to rescue an addict from the natural consequences of his/her self-destructive behavior.

Sadly, some so-called Christian churches, public institutions that teach a toxic type of religiosity or agenda-ism , that controls people and keeps them in the bondage of legalism, intellectual poverty and fear also need to be abandoned.

The bottom line is the same for any organization. If it is broken fix it by abandoning activities that drain or waste resources, detract from central goals or objectives, or otherwise impede progress and the organization’s purpose.

Sieg Holle GK9262

Five good and proven rules to grow in our relevance, renewal process and success Article 3- Knight 9262 renewal series


Lesson 1: Market to the future, not the past. Improve appeal to everyone - new and old members


Lesson 2: Invest for relaunch success. Communicate with high impact visibility, and offer high value to relaunch core values


Lesson 3: Leave no member, no customer behind. New vitality -Have fun across all age groups with a continuity of worthy purposes and causes


Lesson 4: Leverage product launches by involving partners. Expand reach- manpower and resources


Lesson 5 : Seek out new life for old products by boldly updating your brands with a local community focus

Insights and Brain Jogs

The challenges "How to make our journey or mission effective and relevant in our local community, empowering our members and brothers to do good works while enjoying the ride"' .A Five part input series in re-inventing ourselves as a organization by S.Holle GK 9262

In defense of our traditional values

Buckle up and enjoy life’s ride to fewer entitlements and more responsibilities Article 1- Knight 9262 renewal series

"We are shaping the world faster than we can shape ourselves and we are applying to the present the habits of the past."--Winston Churchill

Sir Winston seems to be talking directly to today's people. Despite the changing landscape of events, there is evidence that the "Ma and Pa or old fashioned Mindset" continues to prevail. Is this a good or bad trend?

In a curious paradox, the more egalitarian, pluralistic and prosperous our society has become the less civil, courteous and respectful our society is. There are few if any shared values that keep us tied together as citizens.. The maxims "if it feels good, do it" and "live for today" that were drilled into our heads during the 1960s and 1970s have become the guiding credos of today.

The decline of rightful authority and shared community values is, of course, not a novel topic. But what are the root causes of today's ruthless, neurotic, decency-challenged times. Here they are some thoughts:

The complacency of fifty years of good times has bred contempt of traditional values. Fifty years of unparalleled peace and prosperity in America -- three generations of North Americans who (except for the minority who have actually served in the military) have never experienced war, pestilence, deprivations or famine firsthand -- when you aren't used to bad things happening in your life, even extremely minor bad things can easily be blown way out of proportion;

The rise of a secular, multiethnic society that places individual freedom, special interest and "liberation" over everything else, and that offers little if any consensus or "top-down" direction on ethical matters and social etiquette has prevailed over time. Yes, a lot of those "middle-class bourgeois values" the Greatest Generation or the Silent Majority held dear were B.S., but they were B.S. that held us together as a society and therefore served a useful function.

Frankly, with the worst economic recession in over 50 years -- people are scared, and scared people say and do crazy things sometimes. Traditional values are and have again become fashionably progressive.

It is not an exaggeration to say that many Americans today are spoiled children (what author Christopher Noxon calls "re-juveniles") who expect a perfect, unblemished life as a natural right of mankind. They cannot accept adversity of any kind, no matter how slight, because they never have been exposed to it and cannot accept it as just a natural part of life. When something bad happens to somebody, it's somebody else's fault, and damn It, those sons-of-whatever are going to pay! Self centered selfishness and self interest is prevalent everywhere and has become a cancer in our institutions

People today -- at least in North America -- are a lot different than they were when the Greatest Generation ruled society. Fifty years ago, people were inundated with moral and ethical training from their diapers -- they belonged to churches, other religious bodies (and actually went to them regularly). They attended religious schools that drilled civil behavior and personal responsibility into them. Shared community values were rigorously and fearlessly enforced by people- clergy, teachers, politicians and others whose authority in such matters was not questioned.

Fifty years ago and earlier, if something bad happened to someone (even if caused by other people, (or being laid off by a failing employer), it was viewed as fate, or "God working in mysterious ways". Religion taught acceptance, self discipline, forgiveness, personal responsibility and moving on with your life. Today, if someone has a bad experience; it becomes a serious fight with lawsuits threatened and people afraid of doing their jobs for fear of getting sued and losing their homes.

Is the personal entitlement philosophy right for the challenges at hand and or for the common good? If we could discipline ourselves to follow the simple rules or value system of the Ten commandments the world would be a easier place to live, grow and prosper.

Everywhere I go I see bumper stickers saying "question authority." It's time to stop questioning rightful authority, stop talking about " my rights" and start talking about "our duties," "our responsibilities," and -- yes -- " our sins." If we don't grow up to the new realities , authority may well be questioned out of existence altogether, and there will be nothing holding us together as a civil society except our creaking, out-of-date legal system..

The Knights of Columbus, as a major fraternal community service organization, has a moral prerogative to get back to its universal core values - particularly that of helping people or family’s in real need. Schisms between traditionalists and progressives must and should heal to get on with the important challenge of delivering “our” core values. Leadership by example will make the difference and inspire a rekindling of respect for true authority and proper governance of “our just” society.-with real hope, real responsibility, and less despair. Faith in simple but enduring values can easily conquer the world’s new complexities.

Buckle up and enjoy the ride, we will all be better off when we get back to our basic values which have always stood or withstood the test of time .

Sieg Holle GK 9262

Where will we be in the next century? What are the benchmarks in the Future?What can we learn from the past? What a difference a century makes! Here are some of the U.S. statistics for 1905 And I forwarded this from someone else without typing it myself, and sent it to you in a matter of seconds! Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years:


The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.

Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.

There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S., and only 144 miles of paved roads.

The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California.

With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!

The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents an hour
The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year. A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, A dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at home .

Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason.

The five leading causes of death in the U.S. were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza 2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea 4. Heart disease 5. Stroke

Ninety percent of all U.S. physicians had no college education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores.
According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

The American flag had 45 stars.

Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was 30!!!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two of 10 U.S. adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated high school.

Eighteen percent of households in the U.S had at least one full-time servant or domestic.

There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.


Mind Jog - Are you or we as a society, community better off? What Values work?