- What is the Supreme Chaplain's Monthly Challenge
- Instructions
- This Month's Challenge
- Previous Challenges
What is the Supreme Chaplain's Monthly Challenge
1. Archbishop Lori choses a line or two from scripture (in the upcoming month) from one of the readings at Sunday Mass.
2. There is a brief reflection on the reading from the Archbishop
3. The Archbishop gives them a challenge or 2 to live for the upcoming month
4. The next month, the council reconvenes and shares what it was like living the challenge (see enclosed directions)
5. Delivery vehicles:
a. Monthly email blast to Grand Knight and Chaplain
b. Social Media
c. KNIGHTLINE
d. Columbia
e. Chaplain's Report
f. BDC webpage
6. Monthly reflection during council meeting (options):
a. During Chaplain's Message (preferred)
b. During Grand Knight Report
Instructions
During the Chaplain's Message or the Grand Knight's Report:
1) Begin with a prayer of your choosing or use the following:
a. Make the Sign of the Cross
b. Prayer: Come Holy Spirit. We thank you for guiding our lives and pray that we may have the courage exemplified by Venerable Fr. McGivney to live our faith to the fullest through our council, our families and in society. May our words today give glory to your Sacred Heart and if we struggled this past month in living our faith, help us to never stop turning to you and always try again.
2) Re-read the Supreme Chaplain's Monthly Challenge from the previous month
3) Invite the men to talk about what it was like to try and live last month's challenge from the Supreme Chaplain.
a. Don't worry about what order the men speak in
b. If there is silence in between men speaking, it's ok
c. Try to make sure that when one man is speaking that the others are listening
d. If someone doesn't want to speak that's ok
4) The men are welcome to give (encouraging) comments to each other if they want
5) When finished, read Supreme Chaplain's Monthly Challenge the for next month
6) End with this prayer
a. Ask the men if there is anything they would like the group to pray for
b. Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time together with our brothers. We ask you to have mercy on all those people and intentions we prayed for. Give us the perseverance to live next month's challenge and to remember that we are united with our brother Knights around the world in doing so.
c. Make the Sign of the Cross
This Month's Challenge
December 2018
Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. …Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” (Gospel for 12/23, Lk. 1:39; 41-42)
“In great haste”: my brother Knights, these three words teach us volumes! Mary set out “in great haste”—and the rest is history. Mary is the first evangelist. With the incredible news of the annunciation, she wastes no time fulfilling the command to visit her cousin Elizabeth. My brothers, we know that so many things can weigh us down and prevent us from delivering the good news to others with that speed and urgency. The Lord knows our every sorrow, weakness, fear, or excuse. And yet He invites us to look to our Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and call upon her intercession. May we be known as her reliable sons who likewise carry the news “in great haste,” leaving behind everything that impedes us.
Challenge by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori:
This month I challenge you to pray at least a decade of the Rosary daily. Secondly, we are often in situations in which faith topics come up and we choose to say nothing. This month I challenge you to engage in those conversations and share what you love about the Catholic Faith.
