PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE!

Christmas Greetings from the President:

Veselé Vianoce a Šťastlivý Nový Rok !

Dear Members and Friends!
As I write this message I try to visualize the past year; the people I have met, the places I have visited and the new things I have learned.

Christmas will soon be upon us, with family gatherings, Christmas Mass, the winter season and for many of us that means snow.

Time passes so quickly and we are all so busy or so distant that we often don’t take the time to contact family members or old friends. I urge you to take the time to do so, especially at this Christmas time.

The Catholic Church has recently implemented some “more accurate“ translations to the current Mass.

As many of you, I can still remember studying the prayers in Latin to serve as an altar boy at St. Stephen’s Church in Milwaukee. I can still smell the incense. Unfortunately, St. Stephen’s Church was closed and recently sold, as have most of our former Slovak Parishes. The changing demographics and changing culture produced the results that the close-knit Slovak communities in many areas are diminished. However, one of the purposes of the First Catholic Slovak Union is to try to preserve and continue the core values handed down from our predecessors.

We thank and encourage those Branches and Districts that hold, sponsor and support the traditional Slovak Christmas dinners (Vilija or Štedrý Večer) in their areas. The Jednota newspaper provides the information. My wife and I will be attending several this year.

I personally want to thank the many Branches and District Officers and Recommenders for their dedicated service. Please encourage your younger members to get involved and serve as Officers.

On a very important note, we were founded and exist on the principle and ideal of fraternalism. That means we have a common bond i.e. Slovak, Catholic etc., but it also means that we respect and care for each other.

In past years some of these fraternal bonds were more obvious: most Members were fluent in the Slovak language and belonged to local churches that were founded by Slovaks, many with the support of the First Catholic Slovak Union.

One of the long-standing fraternal practices of the Society was the Funeral Vigil for the deceased. See Section 20.05 of the current FCSU Bylaws. Some of us can remember when the Branch Members assembled at the casket to say this special prayer for the deceased brother or sister in Slovak and gradually in English.

I would encourage our Members to again perform this fraternal task, or if you still do so, thank you.

In my 2010 Christmas Message I noted that we recorded a new surplus of over $16 million. We now have reached $18 million. However the investment market continues to be very challenging. A larger surplus means a stronger more viable Society. I will say more in 2012.
Wherever you are, North, South, East or West, I, my wife Idka, my family and everyone at our Home Office wishes you and yours a Blessed Christmas and we pray that you have a Christmas filled with peace, joy and the blessings of God our Saviour.

“Make your family a Jednota family” in 2012.

Have a Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year.

Andrew M. Rajec
President