RAMBLINGS
from the Reverend Redactor

Volume 2      2014

INTRODUCTION
There is a lot going on in September, so I thought I would get out a quick (and shorter) version of this Newsletter before things get too busy.  

Remember, if you do not wish to receive this newsletter, there is a blue "unsubscribe" link at the bottom. If you click that, you will be taken off this mailing list. It will NOT remove you from the CWV email list. 

In this edition, here are the items I will be talking about:
Convention Corporation Officers
Fr. Capadanno Mass and new website
And from last issue
New Vestments/Memorial Opportunities    
Sanctity of Life Award
Mass Cards available

Reflections of the Reverend Redactor
Calendar of Upcoming Events

As always, if there is anything you'd like to share with others, please feel free to send it to me. The more we know about one another and what we are doing around the country, the stronger we will become. The link to this E-Newsletter appears on our Facebook page (Have YOU visited our Facebook page, and "Liked" it?)  and on the Linked-In section, and also on the CWV web page. Please feel free to share it with others who are not members; it might interest them in joining us. 

This Newsletter only goes to members with an Email account. Encourage your friends and comrades to send their email addresses in to the National Office so we can more effectively reach out to our members. And if they don't have an email, encourage them to get one. You know how easy it is; help someone else get on line. 

Fr. John R. Sheehan, SJ
National Chaplain
 

The Corporation Convention
Fred Schwally Chairman 2015
Leo Haley Chairman 2016
Joe Raimo Chairman 2017 
Tom Moran Treasurer 2015
James Finkel Sr. 2015
Appointed by the Chairman 2015 
to serve as assistants for 2015
Jose M. Garcia PNC
Lupita Martinez PNP
Appointed by the Chairman 2016 
to serve as assistant for 2016
Michael Kasinskas

 
FATHER CAPODANNO
 
REMEMBER - September 4 is the Mass for Fr. Capodanno at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC. 6:30 PM. All member of the CWV and the Auxiliary in the area are encouraged to attend. Last year a car drove down from New York for the Mass and drove back after it was over. This is an important event for us to make our presence known. If you can come, please wear uniforms and bring your caps. 

NEW WEBSITE

The Father Capodanno Guild has launched a new website with information about this holy chaplain and the promotion of his cause. Please visit it and share with others. 




NEW VESTMENTS AND MASS ITEMS
NEW CHANCES TO REMEMBER LOVED ONES

At the suggestion of Bishop Higgins, Fr. Sheehan has been working to replace and upgrade the Mass items that we use when we come together to celebrate. We have new chalices, new ciboria, new candlesticks, new cruets and new vestments. Each of the items was available as a memorial opportunity. The two chalices, one of the ciboria, the candlesticks and cruets, the red chasuble and several of the concelebration stoles have already been taken by individuals, Posts, Districts and Departments. For their support, we are very grateful.

But there is one ciborium still available (with lid), the remaining chasubles and a number of the concelebration stoles. Each item will be engraved or have a special woven tag that indicates in whose memory or honor the item was donated. 

Contact the National Office for more information about remaining items and what the donation is for each one. Several people may come together to memorialize an item, as well as any of our units. Give glory to God when we worship! 

The red chasuble has been spoken for, but the white chasuble, used for funerals and special occasions, as well as
concelebration stoles (some can be seen on the table in between the chasubles) are still available. The vestments are hand-made from Italy and are both light and very beautiful. 
SANCTITY OF LIFE AWARD NOMINATIONS

At the 2104, with the blessing of Bishop Higgins and the approval of the membership assembled, a new award was created to honor exceptional service and/or commitment on the part of an individual and/or organization in promoting sanctity of life activities. 

Now it is time for you and the other members of the CWV and the Auxiliary to come forward with nominations of people you feel should receive the award. Any individual or Post or District or Department may make a nomination. 

 

The person or organization should be prominent nationally, or at least significant in a large region of the country, or outstanding in one specific area or activity. The activities or contribution should be above the normal range provided by others, and there should be concrete and specific instances and examples of how important the works have been in promoting the sanctity of life. Active members of the Catholic War Veterans or the Auxiliary are not eligible to receive this award. 

The deadline for receiving nominations for the current year is November 1st. Nominations should include a detailed resume or biography of the individual or organization, with as much supporting evidence (newspaper articles, testimonial letters, etc) as possible. The name and contact information of the one submitting the information should also be included. 

 

Send nominations to Russell Bilodeau, Chairman of the Awards Committee. 

 

MASS CARDS ARE AVAILABLE

Hopefully this is a reminder of something you already know, but Mass cards are available through the CWV. Instead of having Masses said by another group when a loved one dies, or to celebrate a special occasion, chaplains in the Catholic War Veterans have volunteered to say those Masses for your intentions.

Formal and informal cards are available at the National Office, and we are working to design cards that more fully reflect the 
Catholic War Veterans. Not only will this help to spread knowledge of our organization, but the stipends received for the cards can add significant income to help support our work.

Thank you for your support of this important work, and a special thanks to our Chaplains, who are volunteering to help support this special project. If there are any chaplains who did not respond to the first mailing, and would like to help, please contact the office to have your name added to our roster. 

NATIONAL CONVENTION 2015

The Sun Coast is the hotel where we will be having our 2015 National Convention. It is a large facility with many options for family fun, including bowling alleys, golf courses (yes, plural!), and many restaurants. Click on the link below for more information and a video.

Our convention rates will be available shortly but it's never too soon to start planning, especially to encourage younger members of your Post or Department to attend, or to include your family and friends in the invitation. The more people who come, the better treatment we receive and the better the event we will have. 


REFLECTIONS 
OF THE REVEREND REDACTOR

This is the spot where I get to talk about whatever I want.

There's an old saying: If you don't know where you're going, you'll never know if you arrive. You have to define your goal, your objective, before you start out. That's one of the things the military teaches, to scout and know your target.

What exactly is our target? How do we define "victory?" I'd like to challenge an assumption that many of us make, that "defending our faith" somehow means attacking those who don't share our belief, or even those who attack us. It is, I admit, a military mindset. "The best defense is a good offense." Those of us who love our Church can easily get mad when she is attacked. 

But we follow a Teacher who said to turn the other cheek, whose example was love rather than vengeance, who let Himself be nailed to a cross to show His absolute trust in His Father.

It takes a lot of trust to step out of a boat and walk on the water. It takes a lot of trust to go out and preach God's word to people who have never heard it. It takes a lot of trust to put events in God's hands, when we think we could intervene and perhaps change things. 

We can change things. But I wonder what we might accomplish by trying to change things with love and example instead of confrontation and argument. I recently left a conversation at the Knights of Columbus LinkedIn page because there were members attacking the Pope. They "loved" the Church and the "traditional" ways of the Church and they felt the Pope was wrong. I may not always agree with the Holy Father, but I don't criticize and attack him in a public forum. My love for the Church includes trust that God speaks through the Pope, and he may have a larger or a wider or a special vision that I do not share. My vow of obedience as a Jesuit calls me to the same relationship with my Superior; I have to trust that God is speaking through him, even though I may not always understand why. When we were in the military, we learned to obey and to trust our superior officers, again even though we sometimes did not understand or agree with the orders we received. But we had placed our trust in them, and we obeyed. 

In these days I have to keep reminding myself  that God loves all people - even the ones who cut off heads. I may not be able to see it (and I freely confess that I find it very difficult) but I  know that God lives in them as He does in me. That I cannot see God's love in these people is my fault - and something I need to work on. I am called to trust that by following Christ, God will work within me and within others to accomplish the coming of the kingdom, and that it can take place without having to draw a sword, either virtual or actual. 

I am not suggesting that our call is to lie down and let others walk over us - our faith or our country. We are a Catholic organization of men and women dedicated to furthering the love of our Church and our country, and that does not mean we never fight to defend our country; many of us already have and it is a service of which we are proud. But in our public statements, in our documents, in our publicity, in the way we post as individuals on social media and in conversation, I wonder if the emphasis is not better placed on love and forgiveness than on attacking others. Jesus lived the forgiveness that he taught; He showed us how rich and effective trust can be. The message of Jesus is positive, and members will be attracted to our cause because of what we do, not what we're against. 

One of my favorite bumper stickers said, "Christianity hasn't failed; it hasn't been tried yet." It takes faith to put our trust in God. 

Know that I pray for all our members each day and remember you regularly at Mass. I would ask that you remember me in your prayers, as well as all our officers and our whole organization.

Enjoy the days of summer that are left, and do something good for yourself.

Fr. John R. Sheehan, SJ
National Chaplain
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
(Please feel free to share events in your area)

 

September 4
6:30 PM - Father Capodanno Mass
               National Shrine of the
               Immaculate Conception

September 19 - POW-MIA Day
     A Memorial Event at Eisenhower Park in NY

AMERICAN GOLD STAR MOTHERS WEEKEND
September 27

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY 9:00 AM

             Meditation/Section 60

WREATH LAYING VIETNAM WALL 1:30 PM

BANQUET: SHERATON PENTAGON CITY 6:00 PM

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Chaplain Michael J. Pollitt

National Director Veterans Affairs Chaplain Service

 

September 28

SERVICE AT NATIONAL CATHEDRAL 9:00AM

WREATH LAYING/TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN 12:15 PM

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY CEREMONY (Amphitheater) 1:00PM

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Commander Kirk S. Lippold, 

           USN (Ret) USS Cole

RECEPTION IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING AT THE WOMEN'S MEMORIAL

 

October 2
6:30 PM - Kings County Dinner and 
               Fr. Capodanno Award
               The Rex Manor, Brooklyn NY

October 4
               Immaculate Conception 90th Anniversary Mass 
               5:00 PM - Astoria, Queens, NY
          
October 5
11 AM - Dedication of the Memorial to Disabled Veterans
            Washington, DC 

November 6-8
National Board Meeting, Alexandria

December 8
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
National Catholic War Veterans Day


2015

January 18
Immaculate Conception Church 
90th Anniversary Banquet 
Russo's on the Bay, Howard Beach, NY

February 13
Birthday of National Commander Finkel

February 22
Birthday of Bishop Protector Higgins

March 17
St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City. All CWV and Auxiliary are welcome to march under the CWV banner. 

March 21/22
Queen Chapter Convention & Banquet

April 9-12
Dept. of Ohio convention

April 30 - May 2
National Board Meeting

May 16/17
Dept. of NY Convention & Banquet





SAVE WATER!!!



Don't waste water by pouring a bucket of the cold stuff over your head. Just send a check to Catholic War Veterans and it counts. After all, the challenge isn't just for ALS but for ANY charity - and we certainly count. So stay dry - stay warm - conserve water - and help the Catholic War Veterans with a check.
CATHOLIC WAR VETERANS AND AUXILIARY
NATIONAL OFFICE
441 North Lee Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Voice: (703) 549-3622
Fax: (703) 684-5196
Website: www.cwv.org