RAMBLINGS
from the Reverend Redactor

Volume 7                                                           February   2015

CELEBRATING 

WASHINGTON          LINCOLN 


                           



 FINKEL       HIGGINS                                        
  
green-blue-balloons.jpg
HAPPY BIRTHDAY

To Two Great Presidents 
One Terrific National Commander
and One Superb Bishop Protector

  stars-stripes-abstract.gif

DEADLINE - MARCH 15 

The Awards Committee is responsible for seven awards:

1) HONOR ET VERITAS: To an outstanding American. Must have achieved national or international prominence in their respective field.
2) CELTIC CROSS: For outstanding achievement in promoting zeal and devotion to God, Country and Home. Again, musthave achieved national or international prominence.
3) FATHER WASHINGTON AWARD: To a Catholic person for the performance of an act of heroism.
4) AMERICANISM NEWS MEDIA AWARD: To a newspaper, radio, tv station or an individual for outstanding promotion of loyalty and patriotism to our nation via the media.
5) OUTSTANDING POST: To the post which has the best overall program participation in all of the programs set forth on the national level.
6) MOST OUTSTANDING CATHOLIC WAR VETERAN: To the individual who, in the opinion of the National Department, has contributed most to the betterment of CWV. Must be a Catholic in good standing. 
7) SANCTITY OF LIFE AWARD: To acknowledge exceptional service on the national or regional level in promoting pro-life activities. 

Nominees may be submitted for one award only, and nominations should be accompanied by a biographical sketch in triplicate, typewritten and double-spaced. Information should include educational, professional, marital, community, civic, patriotic and any other data justifying the submission of nominees. All Posts, Chapters, Departments, and individual members of the National Board of Officers, including Department Commanders, can submit nominations.

Nominations should be sent to:      Russell Bilodeau
21 Quincy Street
Manchester, NH  03102
REMINDERS

MEMBERSHIP - Adding to our membership is the responsibility of each member. If each member brought in one new member every year, we would be a potent national force in a very short time. Don't feel alone - there is help available for your efforts:
There is a video - here is a link - 

And there is LOTS of information and help on the website to aid in your recruiting efforts.

If you have a question you can't answer, if you need help or brochures, call the national office and Karen or Dave will help you. 

CATHOLIC VETERANS SERVICE FOUNDATION - Donations made through the Foundation are tax-deductible. For additional information, contact the National Office. 

If you have not visited our page, please do. You do NOT have to join Facebook in order to visit our page. 

MASS CARDS - Are an excellent way to show sympathy or celebrate a special event, as well as support the CWV. You may order them as needed, or purchase several in advance to have easily available. 


NATIONAL CONVENTION 2015
Start Planning NOW!!


DON'T PUT IT OFF - ACT NOW!!!
If you wait, you know something can come up. There will always be a reason why you can't go. But the national convention is where you get to see the whole picture of the Catholic War Veterans and the Auxiliary.

Need a rest? 
Come to the convention.
Tired of your Post, weary of the local politics and bickering and that one person who drives you crazy? 
Come to the convention, and see what's happening around the country.
Need to Meet New People, Get New Ideas? 
Come to the convention and you'll fill your address book. 


CONVENTION DETAILS

Rooms other than Friday and Saturday will be $45, and $79 for Friday and Saturday. The CWV rate will also be valid for three days before and three days after the convention dates. 

Airport transportation is available by public transit - $2 one way - and they require exact change. The hotel also has a shuttle that runs on every odd hour, and the local Post has two mini vans that will also be available. 

There will be  winery tour on Monday as well as a bowling tournament. There will also be workshops in basic computer skills and about Service Officers, for both candidates and those interested in receiving benefits. The Hospitality Room will open each night at 7:30 PM, parking at the hotel is free, the public transport bus runs into the Strip and the possibilities of having a Mass at a local Church and having individuals take part in a service project are being investigated. Two large Malls are nearby, and the hotel v/ans will take you to the malls. 

As additional details become available they will be posted on the CWV web site. Reservations can be made at 866 636-7111 or online at the link below. Use the code A5CWC08. 


REFLECTIONS 
OF THE REVEREND REDACTOR

February is an interesting month. At the beginning of the month we had our throats blessed and remembered the Four Chaplains who showed us that love and sacrifice are not constrained to one religion. We celebrate the birthdays of our National Commander and our Bishop Protector, we celebrate Mardi Gras (I used to love finding money in my pancakes on Shrove Tuesday) and what is, in many churches, the busiest day of the year, Ash Wednesday. Candy stores and flower shops promote Valentine's Day, President's Day means we only get one day off instead of the two we had when I was a boy, and the Oscars will be awarded, in a year when one of the leading contenders is a film about an American sniper. Looking ahead, we prepare for the (almost) back to back feasts of St. Patrick and St. Joseph, and the precursor of Christmas, the Annunciation. Before we know it, it's Palm Sunday, Holy Week, Easter - and where did the time go?

Years ago I discovered a wonderful website where you can find a long list of birthdays, deaths and special events that happened for any day of the year. For instance, Commander Finkel shares his birthday (just the date, not the year) with Lord Randolph Churchill (father of Winston), First Lady "Bess" Truman, WWI hero Alvin York, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Kim Novak and Jerry Springer. On the natal feast day of Bishop Higgins, George Washington and Frederic Chopin were born, as were Chico Marx, Edna St. Vincent Millay and Julius Erving. That day also saw the deaths of Pope Sabinian (606), Christopher Snyder (1st martyr of the American Revolution in 1770), and Andy Warhol. It was also the day on which the Indians introduced the Pilgrims to Popcorn (1630), the Purple Heart Award was re-instituted (1932) and Egypt and Syria formed the United Arab Republic (1958). 

At this website, on each day as well are listed those who are missing in action, with names, bios and the MIA report.

Every day in the year has some historical significance. Every day in the year holds some interesting bit of trivia. And for some family somewhere, each day is a reminder that a loved one is missing, or that this day is the anniversary of the day some loved one gave his or her life in service to our country. 

Those are the events of the past, and they are all worth remembering. But while we may want to look back, our call is to take each new day, and make of it something worthy of being remembered. At the end of each day, we should be able to spend a quiet moment and know that we changed something, we helped someone, we were part of making something grow. As veterans, as those who love our country, as Catholics, we must always be moving towards and working for a better tomorrow, a stronger Church, a country more faithful to its founding principles. Our actions don't have to be huge; many small works can be as powerful as one large deed. But it is important that we each do something, every day. It is important for ourselves, it is important for our country and it is important for our Church. 


Do something good for yourself today.

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

2015

February 13
Birthday of National Commander Finkel

February 16
Presidents Day observed

February 18
ASH WEDNESDAY

February 22
Birthday of Bishop Protector Higgins

March 17
Shamrock

St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City. All CWV and Auxiliary are welcome to march under the CWV banner. This is an important year to show a Catholic presence. 
Form up on at 45th Street Between 5th & 6th Avenues at 12:30 PM. There is a Dress Code, please check to be sure you and those marching with you are in conformance. 

March 21/22
Queens Chapter Convention & Banquet

March 28/29
Hicksville Convention & Banquet

April 5
EASTER SUNDAY

April 10-12
Dept. of Ohio Convention

April 24-26
Dept. of New Hampshire Convention

April 30 - May 2
National Board Meeting

May 16/17
Dept. of NY Convention & Banquet

August 9 - 16
National Convention - Las Vegas 


HAVE YOU PAID YOUR TAXES?
WILL YOU GET A REFUND?
REMEMBER
THE CATHOLIC VETERANS SERVICE FOUNDATION

If you've already given a gift earlier this year, thank you. Can you do it again? If you make the check or credit card slip out to the foundation, your gift is now tax deductible. If you want to designate your gift for the Auxiliary or to support a special project, you can certainly do that and we will honor your request. 

Thank you for all you've done in the past - and if you get a little extra back from the government, think about sharing that.