Council #6223 of the Irish Hills hosted their annual Christmas party, a delightful evening of dinner and fellowship. The event was attended by all council members, their children, and grandchildren, as well as the families of the parish who had children. Over 50 children were present, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus and to receive a personalized gift. Witnessing the joy in the little ones' eyes as they sat on Santa's lap and received their presents was truly rewarding for the Knights.
The dinner itself was a delicious feast, accompanied by Christmas carols sung by the attendees. The atmosphere was filled with the true spirit of Christmas. The shoppers responsible for selecting the appropriate gifts for each individual did an exceptional job!
Once again, the Irish Hills Council demonstrated their unwavering generosity towards the community, a virtue they practice throughout the year. Their kindness extends to the parish, the local community, and various charitable organizations they support annually. Whether it involves constructing ramps for the disabled, repairing roofs, contributing to local meals for the homeless, donating funds to numerous organizations, or assisting families with specific needs, the council is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand. Their commitment to making a positive impact is truly commendable.
On January 18th Au Lac Council 10724 in Ira Township honored their Youth of the Month winners for July through December 2023. The winners and their families were treated to a pizza dinner in the parish hall. We thank them for demonstrating their faith through service to our parish!
Photo (L-R): Fr. Joseph Esper; Alex McCarthy; Garret Whitenight; Lauren Demick; Jonathon Ricard; JD VanTiem, Jr.; Grand Knight Patrick A. Bohr. (Not pictured: Eddie Foster)
On January 9th, District Deputy 111 John Carry and State Deputy Regional Representative Paul Thorn traveled to downtown Rochester to deliver the December 2023 Council of the Month award to Grand Knight Jim Soisson of Fr. Baumgartner Council 5452, at their Council meeting at the Rochester Community House. The council is now qualified for Star Council and looking to achieve Double Star.
This was also a very special occasion for SDRR Paul; he had served as Grand Knight of the council from 1997 – 1999 and also as their District Deputy from 1999 – 2003.
Congratulations to the winners in the Au Lac Council 10724 Free Throw Championship held at Immaculate Conception Catholic School on January 11th!
Thanks to all 28 participants and their parents for attending. A special thank you to Brother Knights Patrick A. Bohr (WGK); Jeff Wooten (PGK); James Homiak (HBD); and Matthew Pelyak (VBB Coach) for helping with the event.
These 1st place winners will advance to the District Championship to be held at Immaculate Conception School in February:
9 Boys: Russell Peterson (1st); Jacob Young (2nd)
10 Boys: Lucas Durrenberg (1st); Declan VanTiem (2nd)
10 Girls: Mary Katherine Bagan (1st): Erin Felczak (2nd)
11 Boys: Garret Whitenight (1st); Danny Horford (2nd)
On January 6th, 2024, the Feast of the Epiphany, Brother Knights from throughout District 314 gathered to lend a helping hand at the Bishop Baraga Academy in Fremont, Michigan. Located at All Saints parish in Fremont, the Bishop Baraga Academy is a new Catholic child care and pre-school under development.
Dr. Shari McCarty, director of the Academy, had reached out to Marian Council 3111 for some much-needed assistance in putting together furniture, shelves, cribs, and coat racks. Under their leadership, and with support from District Deputy 314, Council 3111 assembled a team of 13 Knights from 3 different councils to get the job done quickly and efficiently.
District 314 is made up of four councils: 3111 in Fremont, 14206 in Newaygo, 13939 in White Cloud, and 12985 in Montague.
The Prince of Peace Council #6593 in Roscommon is proud to recognize the winners of the annual council level Catholic Citizenship Essay contest from Our Lady of the Lake Regional Catholic School in Prudenville.
This year's theme asked students how they would evangelize the teaching of the church in the digital age. All of the entries contained many wonderful ideas on how to use technology and social media to spread the word of God. All entrants were given a certificate along with a Rosary and a guide on how to pray the Rosary. The winning students were also awarded a McDonald's gift card.
We would like to thank the wonderful staff at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Catholic School and all of the students that entered! To the winners, we wish you the best of luck in the next round of the contest!
Pictured is Grand Knight Keith Kleinert with the contest winners.
For St. Therese of Council 11957 in Shelby Township, 2023 drew to a close with amazing celebrations that left everyone in high spirits in time for the new year.
On December 30th, the evening began with Mass to honor the Feast of the Holy Family.A happy couple from the parish also chose this day to renew their vows, in celebration of an impressive 60 years of wedded bliss!
After the ceremony, the spotlight shifted to four new Brother Knights who were joining our Order. With their wives present, these gentlemen took their rightful place among us, strengthening the bonds of our Catholic Brotherhood.
Welcome to Ed Piasecki and wife Patricia, Jim Biske and wife Bernie, Rick Stier and wife Corine, and Geoffrey Sass and wife Peg!
It was a beautiful evening, filled with reverence for the Holy Family, the sacred institution of marriage, and the unbreakable ties that bind us as Knights of Columbus.
Knights of Columbus Queen of Apostles Council #6548 of Houghton Lake presented checks from their annual MI Drive to COOR Educational Center Principal Joe Moore and Area 4 Special Olympics Director Mike Eva.
The funds will be used to benefit all students of the COOR Educational Center and the athletes of Area 4.
Bishop Murphy Council #3257 in Warren, along with Knights on Bikes and the Daughters of Isabella, recently took part in the Coats for Kids program. Their mission was to provide brand new coats to families in need at St Charles Borromeo and Nativity parishes in Detroit, as well as to St Vincent de Paul families and other charities across the Detroit Metro area.
In total, Bishop Murphy Council #3257 contributed 16 cases of coats, ensuring that children and families stay warm throughout our cold Michigan winter!
