THE KNOTT AND CLARK EXPEDITION - PART #2 OF MISSION TRIP #5

THE KNOTT-CLARK EXPEDITION HAS LANDED

WE MADE IT HERE, FINALLY!

Father Clark and I finally made it! After leaving the house at 4:00 am, we finally got to Kingstown, SVG, at 10:00 pm.
The worst part of the trip was sitting in the Barbados airport for six hours because of LIAT AIRLINES missteps - as I predicted yesterday.



In the Barbados airport, Father Clark was asked to go across the street from the airport terminal to smoke a cigarette. He found some shade under a palm tree. He assures me that he is "not addicted" and that he can "quit any time." I must say,  he did go a long time without suffering too much.

A FUNNY SITUATION

While Father Clark was smoking at the Barbados airport, I hugged a woman whom I thought was Sister Clare from SVG. She looked puzzled as I grabbed her, but said "Will you be stopping by our place?" I said I would "depending on the schedule." I had to leave her, but waved again as I crossed the sidewalk. She waved back! When I got to SVG, I was told that it was NOT Sister Clare after all, but a total stranger!



I took a picture of the cover of the LIAT AIRLINES magazine in my seat pocket after being delayed yet again  on one of their flights. I think there is a misprint, It should say: SIXTY YEARS OF LIAT - SIXTY HORRIBLE CARIBBEAN EXPERIENCES.




A FLOCK OF VOLUNTEERS MEET FOR BREAKFAST

Father Clark, Martin Falon and Fergal  Redmond meet for their first breakfast.
Father Clark is from Kentucky (USA), Martin and Fergal from Ireland.



TWO FRIENDS STOP BY THE PASTORAL CENTRE
Matthew and Martin Young (sons of Maraika Young of the Diocesan Staff) stopped by so I fixed them up with a cap and sunglasses, Don't they look "cool?"

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP

I would like to thank all the generous people who supported this trip. I was able to bring down about $10,000 altogether. (about $5,000 from my column in The Record and about $5,000 from my recent speaking trips. We have made a big step toward getting the SECOND WIND GUILD headquarters set up to receive retired priests and lay professional volunteers. 

We have a long way to go, so it's still not too late to help. 

Make your checks out to:
St. Bartholomew Church - SVG Mission Fund
 send them to me at:
Rev. Ronald Knott
1271 Parkway Gardens Court
#106
Louisville, KY 40217 


THE USED LAPTOP COMPUTER APPEAL PAID OFF

Father Clark and I brough down four used laptops thanks to

Church of the Epiphany and Brown-Forman Cooperage.
They will be used by religion teachers on the outer islands and other church workers.

Gary Marvin of Church of the Epiphany delivered two Chrome Books donated by his parish to the Diocese of Kingstown, SVG

Ms. Teresa Campbell delivered two used DELL computers donated to the Diocese of Kingstown, SVG, by Brown-Forman Cooperage where she works.  

THE KNOTT AND CLARK EXPEDITION - PART #1 OF MISSION TRIP #5

LEAVING IN THE MORNING


September 23-29, 2016

"Mission Trip Number Five" 
Diocese of Kingstown
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 

See St. Vincent & Grenadines and Barbados, bottom right, off the coast of South America.



I can't wait to see all my friends, but I dread facing the unpredictable LIAT Airlines of the Caribbean.







Don't think this!




Think this! 
Lewis Punnet Nursing Home




ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
Wonderful People, Many Needs

Bishop, Priests and Deacons of the Diocese of Kingstown, SVG, at their recent retreat.

My "Encouraging Word" column in The Record
September 15, 2016

Ask and you will receive.

Matthew 7:7

It seems like I am spending a lot of time lately retiring from stuff. I officially retired from St. Meinrad Seminary two years ago. A couple of months ago, I officially retired from Bellarmine University. You would think that would leave with lots of time to learn how to play golf or something just as boring. Not true! I will continue writing for The Record for one more year, leading international priest retreats and filling in at the Cathedral as time permits.

All those things are hobbies. What is consuming more of my time is my volunteer work in the Caribbean countries of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Diocese of Kingstown) and Barbados (Diocese of Bridgetown). I have tickets for going down again in September and November and a lot of priest retreats sprinkled throughout the fall to raise needed funds.

A few months back, The Record did a front page story about my new program for retired priests, bishops and lay professionals called Catholic Second Wind Guild. In the very first year, we have been able to buy two vans for parishes, purchase a boat motor for two young island priests to get to Mass, send seven youth to World Youth Day, buy recording equipment for Catholic TV evangelization throughout the Caribbean and pay for the new bishop’s car, among other things.

Father Tom Clark, retired priest of the Archdiocese of Louisville, is going down with me next Friday on my fifth trip. He will be the Catholic Second Wind Guild’s very first retired priest recruit. I will be going down to lead the annual priest retreat in Barbados in November. I hope to make a quick trip over to St. Vincent and take another retired priest, bishop or lay person with me.

The biggest need right now is getting the Pastoral Centre of the Diocese of Kingstown, SVG, fixed up to receive adult professional volunteers. Maintenance has been neglected for so long because of a lack of funds that I think many volunteer professionals from the United States would find it difficult staying there for any length of time. Our hope is to to make it simple, in working order and comfortable. 

I want to start with the new Catholic Second Wind Guild headquarters (bedroom/office and bathroom) and finish a larger new chapel at one end of a large underused living room in the Centre. From there, I want to move quickly to the eight guest rooms, then the kitchen and finally the rest of the building. After we get the place fixed up a bit, volunteer professionals will be able to tackle other island projects.

I have drawings of what I hope the areas will look like – simple, in working order and comfortable. I have been able to amass a few thousand dollars for the project from doing retreats and parish missions myself and accepting a few gifts from some friends, but I have a long way to go. If you want to help, let’s talk before Father Clark and I leave September 23. 1-502-303-4571

Father Thomas Clark, my first Catholic Second Wind Guild priest recruit.

Fellow volunteers from Ireland.
Fergal Redmond on the left and Martin Falon on the right.




A procession during a recent Pilgrimage sponsored by the Diocese of Kingstown to one of the islands in the diocese - the Island of Mayreau, August 1, 2016



I hope to get a report from the seven our organization, R J MISSION PROJECTS, sponsored for World Youth Day in Poland.



Our seven were part of a larger group from St. Vincent and the Grenadines who went to World Youth Day in Karkow, Poland. Here they proudly display the SVG flag. I actually teared up when I saw the group carrying their flag in front of the stand where Pope Francis was seated.  I am proud of them.

Almost everybody lives on the side of a hill. If they live on the out side of the volcano, they get to see a stunning view of the ocean. However, they are more susceptible to hurricanes. If they live on the in side of the volcano (the caldera), they get to see tropical greenness. However, if the volcano erupts again........????? Just my luck?

The volcano, La Soufriere (The Sulferer), violently erupted in 1718, 1812, 1902, 1971 and 1979. 

NEXT UP? BARBADOS!

November 13-19, 2016

Priest Retreat

Catholic Second Wind Guild has two Chapters,
one in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
and the other in Barbados.

ANOTHER PROBLEM ON MY "AGGRAVATION LIST" SOLVED

THE "GREG COATS CARS AND TRUCKS" SOLUTION

A few weeks back, I made an "aggravation" list - a list of things that were regular aggravations. I stopped one day and said to myself, "Why are you doing this to yourself? If you are this busy in your retirement, you need to take action and get rid of some of these constant aggravations so you will have the calmness and peace of mind to do all those other things!"

Here is a short list of a longer list of "aggravations" that I am working through.

• I had a taped-up garage door opener that worked part of the time. It drove me crazy. I finally found out where I could get another and ended up getting two! The salesmen even laughed at how old my old one was when I showed it to them. Problem solved! 
• I had a black suit that did not fit me very well. I dreaded every time I had to get dressed up in my priest outfit. (It had obviously shrunk hanging in my closet? Anyway, I digress!) I went to Penny's and left with a $400 suit for $130 with all the sales and discounts. (I got the next larger size pants just in case of more shrinkage!) Problem solved! 
• I had a four year old Ford C-Max (one of those hybrids). It was amazing as far as gas mileage, but battery problems had it in the shop for a total of four weeks this summer. The big battery had to be replaced last year. Thank God it was still under warranty! This summer there was something draining the small battery up front. It is fixed now, yes, but I was never for sure when I went to the garage whether it would start this time or that. It was an aggravation. I spoke to my friends at GREG COATS CAR AND TRUCKS on Preston and left with a two year old car (my third from them) without all the complications of a hybrid. Problem solved!

Some of the Coats Family - Some of the nicest people in the world! 

My "new" "problem free" two year-old Toyota Rav4


GET RID OF YOUR AGGRAVATION




Friends! If your old "ride" is driving you crazy and you can't afford a new car, may I suggest some people you can trust to help you get rid of that aggravation! 

GREG COATS CARS AND TRUCKS

5204 Preston Hwy

Louisville, KY 40213

502-434-6634

Open 9AM - 9PM

ASK FOR "BUREN" 

TELL HIM FATHER KNOTT SENT YOU

WONDERFUL PHOTO OF COMPASSION IN ACTION

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO SPECIAL?

HE LOOKS COMFORTABLE DOING WHAT HE'S DOING! 

Pope Francis on a recent surprise visit to a neonatal unit at a Rome hospital. 

"HANDLING MONEY AS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE"

  My Cathedral of the Assumption Homily
“The Handling of Money" 
Rev. Ronald Knott

September 18, 2016

                               

If you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, 
who will trust you with true wealth?.

Luke 16

Let me be perfectly clear, right up front. I’m not against money and neither is God. In fact, the responsible use of money is part of the spiritual life. I taught responsible financial planning to the would-be-priests at St. Meinrad before I retired, insisting they immediately start a savings plan for their retirement. Anything else, these days, I believe is irresponsible! I started saving in 1970, even when a priest’s salary was $90 a month! 

Even Jesus had a designated treasurer for his band of disciples. Sadly, he is an example of what Jesus teaches us today not to do. It wasn’t the money Judas held that was bad, it was his attitude toward it. The money he was entrusted with got more of his attention than it deserved and his obsession with it finally took him down! 

So all of you “business executives” and “accounting majors” can sit back and relax because you’re not in for a verbal beating. Besides, I expect there are a few collection baskets around here somewhere, all greased up and ready to go so I am not about to bite the hands that feed this place! 

Even the old expression “Money is the root of all evil,” is a mistranslation of the original Greek in I Timothy 6:10.” The actual translation is not "money is the root of all evil,” but “the obsession with money is the root of all evil.” What God is against is the misuse of money, the obsessive accumulation of money for its own sake, the dishonest acquisition of money and the selfish use of money. 

Personally, I agree with the person who said, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Rich is better.” I have been happy with money, and I have been happy without it. It is certainly not the passion of my life or I would certainly have gone into something besides priesthood. Even at that, I remind myself often that even poor people can be greedy, for that matter, sometimes even more greedy than the rich because it’s not how much you have, but your attitude toward it! With all this said, my job is to deal with this Scripture and see what it has to teach us today, whether we are rich or poor!

To teach us how to be clever and imaginative about discipleship, Jesus tells a strange parable about a rich man’s deviously clever steward. This steward, the one in charge of managing the rich man’s property, was “reported” for squandering his master’s money. Finding out about it, the master calls him in to fire him. Knowing he was about to be fired, the steward does something quite clever to ingratiate himself with those who owed his master money. He slashed their bills, one by 50% and another by 20%. By doing this, he made friends with them, hoping they would take him in, once he lost his job. When the parable ends, even his master commended him for his slickness.

Jesus tells his listeners, “Would that you would be as clever about living and promoting the faith as this crooked servant was in taking care of his business!” Jesus is not teaching us to imitate the dishonesty of this steward, but to imitate his dedication and cleverness in living our faith. “The worldly are much more clever than the other worldly in dealing with their own kind.” 

Using the language of the gospel, we might say that the earth with all its riches is the household. God is the householder; and we are the stewards or household servants. The question is: just how do we manage the good that we hold in trust? Are we devious or are we trustworthy? Do we manage the goods in ways that enhance the whole household and benefit all who belong to it, or do we squander them, thinking only of ourselves and guaranteeing our own comfort? 

No, God is not against money, but the obsession with accumulating money, money dishonestly acquired and the selfish use of money. What Jesus says is, “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these other things will given to you besides.” “You cannot serve two masters. You will either love one and ignore the other or be devoted to one and ignore the other.” Be obsessed with the kingdom of God first and you will have what you need. Be obsessed with making money and you will have nothing else. If you are obsessed with money, you are susceptible to getting it in a crooked way or use it, not for the common good, but for your own good. 

Several years ago, I got a clear picture of what Jesus is talking about today. I was in the locker room of  the old Louisville Athletic Club after a racquetball game. The TV was on. Nobody looked up or paid any attention while the newscaster reported mass starvation in India, the tragic spread of Aids through Africa or the drive by shootings in Los Angeles. Then the newscaster announced that the stock market had dropped 20 points and the whole locker room sighed collectively. 

Not all rich people are selfish and greedy. I know some very generous rich people and some of them have been very generous to this cathedral! In fact, poor people can sometimes be more greedy than rich people for that matter. Over the years, I have been exposed to several people that the world would call rich. A few tend to be flashy, wasteful and selfish, but most seem to know money’s limits,. Often they tend to live more modestly than they would have to, to be more willing to share their money and to be more willing to take responsibility for using their money for the good of the whole community. They seem to understand the words of Jesus when he said, “To whom much is given, much is required.” They know that with wealth comes responsibility. They are the ones who give generously of their time, talent and their treasure to the various charities around our community.

We are challenged today to heed the wisdom of Jesus. “Knowing how to live” is always more important than “making a living.” When “making money” is your life, you are on a slippery slope. We all have to “make a living,” but knowing how to “have a life” is always more important, no matter how much or how little we “make.” If your highest priority is your relationship with family, friends and the world at large, I believe the resources you need will always be there for you. In fact, I have found that the more generous I am, the more I have to be generous with!