The Tar Heel Knight

Our Knights of Columbus COR program emphasizes the strengths of St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus.  St. Joseph wholly accepted the responsibility to protect and nurture our Lord through His private life, welcoming Him at a time in history when fathering a child out-of-wedlock (as society would think) was a serious sin and transgression of the Jewish Law.  Joseph understood that “being a father” and “having a father” were based on love and caring, not biology. 
 
As we stress the option of Adoption for Women not able to care for their new baby, St. Joseph is our model and guide for help in awakening others to save babies’ lives. In the US, there are 2 Million families awaiting adoption and 650,000 abortions each year.  And, family members of pregnant mothers are often willing to help raise the child.  Unfortunately, with the thought of a difficult life ahead in raising a child, the expectant mother's only option to raising the child may appear to be abortion.  Too much negative and uninformed influence by others!  We need to change that!  The Adoption Option is real!
 
St. Joseph’s Feast Day as the head of the Holy Family and Foster Father of Jesus is Tuesday, March 19th.  We are requesting your consideration in sponsoring the USCCB “Novena to St. Joseph: for those on the path for Adoption” to be said in private by your parishioners in the 9 days leading up to March 19th. https://www.usccb.org/resources/16-rlp-adoption-novena-st-joseph.pdf. 
 
For your convenience, here are bulletin and pulpit announcements that you can use.  We recommend using the bulletin announcement the two weekends before the Novena would begin, the weekends of March 2-3 and March 9-10 and using the pulpit announcement on the preceding weekend, March 9-10.  The first day of the Novena would be Monday, March 11th, and the last day would be Tuesday, March 19th. 
 
Bulletin Announcement:
Although Roe v. Wade had been overturned in 2021 by the US Supreme Court, babies’ lives in the womb are still at risk.  Each State is passing laws to either restrict more abortions or allow more abortions.  North Carolina is still limited by a Pro-abortion Governor to what we can do to save lives.  Please vote for Life this November.  For women unable to raise their children, your Knights of Columbus Council is advocating for adoption as “the alternative”, not abortion.  With that in mind, we are asking that you pray the nine-day USCCB Novena to St. Joesph: for those on the Path for Adoption, in the days prior to the Feast of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Foster Father of Jesus.  The first day of the Novena is Monday, March 11th, and the last day is Tuesday, March 19th.  All prayers can be found via the link: https://www.usccb.org/resources/16-rlp-adoption-novena-st-joseph.pdf.
Note that prayers for the nine days are not indicated as to each day (e.g first day, second day, etc.) in the content but can be determined by the breaks to a new day’s intention.  Just download this information each day or download it to a file once for reference through the nine days.  This Novena is prayed in the privacy of your own home and whenever your individual schedule allows.  Nothing else is needed.  God bless you for your support for Life!
 
Pulpit Announcement:
I strongly encourage all of us in our parish to privately pray the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Novena to St. Joseph: for Those on the Path of Adoption in the days preceding March 19th, St. Joseph’s Feast Day.  It only takes about 10 minutes each day.  A link and more information are provided in the bulletin.  Our fight for the life of the unborn is not over.  Please pray!
 
Vivat Jesus,
Albert Hodges
KofC NC Chairman, Novena for Life
novenaforlife@kofcnc.org