By: Gary Merritt - Fri, Oct 30, 2020 1:34 PM

Fr. McGivney 5 minute Documentary narrated by Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight. Online Events – kofc.org Beatification Novena link

PRAYER VIGIL FOR PRIESTS Friday, October 30 at 7:00p.m. - 9:00p.m. ET at Saint Mary’s Church New Haven, CT  BEATIFICATION MASS Saturday, October 31 at 11:00 a.m. ET at St. Joseph’s Cathedral  Hartford, CT  MASS OF THANKSGIVING FOR BEATIFICATION Sunday, November 1 at 12 p.m. ET at Saint Mary’s Church New Haven, CT

Masses honoring Fr McGivney in Michigan;

ARCHDIOCESE OF DETROIT

v  St John Neuman Canton Sat Oct 31 4:30 PM

·         44800 Warren Rd. Canton 48187 State Chaplain Fr. Paul Ballien

v  National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica Friday October 30 7 PM

·         2100 12 Mi. Rd. Royal Oak 48073 Video of Fr. McGivney after Mass

v  Our Lady of the Lakes Sat Oct 31 5 PM

·         5481 Dixie Hwy, Waterford Twp. 48329

 GAYLORD 

GRAND RAPIDS

v  St. John Paul II Cedar Springs Sun Nov 1 @ 5 PM

·         3110 17 Rd. Cedar Springs 49319 Diocesan Chaplain Fr. Lam Le & Bishop David Walkowiak

v  Our Lady of Sorrows Grand Rapids Sat Oct 31 @ 4 PM

·         101 Hall St. S.E. Grand Rapids 49507

v  Christ the King Howard City Sun Nov 1 @ 11 AM     

·         9596 N. Reed Rd. Howard City 49329

v  St. Michael the Archangel Remus Sun Nov 1 @ 5 PM     

·         8929 50^th Ave. Remus 49340

v  St. Philip Neri Reed City Fri Oct. 30 @ 9 AM

·         831 S. Chestnut Reed City 49677 

KALAMAZOO

v St. Joseph White Pigeon Canonization prayer at all weekend Masses

·         16603 US 12 White Pigeon 49099

v  Holy Angels Coldwater Canonization prayer at all weekend Masses

·         402 S Nottawa St Sturgis 49091

v  St Charles Borromeo Canonization prayer at all weekend Masses

·         150 Taylor St Coldwater 49036

v  St. Joseph Kalamazoo Sat Oct 31 10AM–KC Adoration Thurs Oct 29 6PM, Vespers Fri Oct 30 6PM

·         936 Lake St Kalamazoo 49001

LANSING

           v  St. Michael Parish Grand Ledge Sat Oct 31 @ 5 PM

·         345 Edwards St Grand Ledge 48837

 MARQUETTE

 SAGINAW

Please help me compile the list by emailing me Masses in your Diocese that are being dedicated to Fr. McGivney’s Beatification. g.merritt@mikofc.org

By: Ed Strach - Fri, Oct 30, 2020 1:25 PM

Time to Stand Up and Take Action – Your Vote Counts! As Catholics and citizens, members of the Knights of Columbus should vote and encourage members of their families, parishes, and communities to vote. This is the time to Stand Up and Take Action by exercising your right to vote.

Here is the Supreme link that offers resources for the upcoming election.

Also, Michigan Catholic Conference has produced a publication titled “The Issues, The Candidates, and Your Vote 2020." This publication offers Catholics issues to consider before voting. These issues include: Human Life and Dignity, Religious Liberty, Preferential Option for the Poor, Education, Children and Families, Health Care, Restorative Justice, Immigrants and Refugees and Care for Creation.

You can find this publication at this link: 

Vivat Jesus,

Ed Strach Life Director

Michigan State Council Knights of Columbus

By: Ed Strach - Wed, Oct 28, 2020 9:04 AM

If you were unable to attend this virtual event which features keynote speaker, Sarah Huckabee Sanders with host and musical guest Matthew West, it is available for on-demand viewing until Tuesday, November 3rd. To watch and support this year’s virtual event, ‘We Are Not Giving Up On Life” go to https://rtl.org/event KofC-Respect-Life  Virtual Event to register and watch this video through Nov. 3. Thank you as we Take Action to Continue Building a Culture of Life! Ed & Lynn Strach Pro-Life Couple Michigan State Council Knights of Columbus

By: Ed Strach - Mon, Oct 26, 2020 1:17 PM

To continue Building a Culture of Life an interview took place with Christen Pollo, Executive Director at Protect Life MI – Pro Life Students.

This is the next in the Rise Up and Answer the Call for Life series with focuses on Building a Culture of Life.

Protect Life MI - our vision

our vision is to form a generation of pro-life leaders dedicated to ending abortion in their lifetime.

Protect Life MI - our mission

Protect Life Michigan (PLMI) promotes a culture of life on college campuses in Michigan. Our mission is to end abortion by (1) recruiting and training students for pro-life leadership, (2) educating youth on life issues and pregnancy resources, and (3) networking students within their communities to strengthen their impact

This interview with Christen focused on the following topics:

·         What is Protect Life MI – Pro Life Students

·         Why is Protect Life MI and its activities important at this time

·         What benefit or assistance can the Knights of Columbus be at this time for Protect Life MI

·         Best way to stay in touch with Protect Life MI

It is our hope you find this interview insightful as we Continue to Build a Culture of Life – from Conception to Natural Death.

To view this interview, click on the picture below ↓

Ed and Lynn Strach, Pro Life Couple, Michigan State Council Knights of Columbus

By: Ed Strach - Sat, Oct 24, 2020 8:52 AM

Taking Action in Building a Culture of Life 

As a show of Unity councils in the Archdiocese of Detroit (AoD) South Area joined forces and raised funds once again to help in the placing of the 67^th Ultrasound, this time at Family Life Services in Ypsilanti. This was the 2^nd Ultrasound obtained by the AoD South Area, and Monroe Council #1266 led 15 other councils (listed below) to Build a Culture of Life with this Ultrasound for Family Life Services.

On Octorber 15^th Monroe Council #1266 with Grand Knight Joseph Vitale and Financial Secretary Shawn Piedmonte, assisted in the dedication ceremony for this life saving machine at Family Life Services. Money was raised through an art auction and support by 15 other councils and District Deputy, Charlie Rozum.

Pictured above (top left) is Yari Cherney, Executive Director, Family Life Services who gave a special thanks to the Knights of Columbus for this life saving instrument and giving a brief history of Family Life Services. In particular was Ms. Cheney’s comments that the present Family Life Services building was once occupied by Planned Parenthood.

The check presentation was given by District Deputy, Mark Elias and Shawn Piedmonte, Monroe Council #1266 to Family Life Services, Yari Cherney.

The lead and supporting councils include:

The ribbon cutting was grasiously done by David and Tina Heilman, fundraiser chairs for the fundraiser and Shawn Piedmonte both from Monroe Council #1266. Deacon Tracy Esper, St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Monroe presided over the opening and closing prayers including the blessing of the Ultrasound shown below.

As we continue to Build a Culture of Life through the pathways of Prayer, Taking Action, Standing Up and Giving, let our councils and families give thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ for our actions. The AoD South Area is still raising funds for a 3rd ultrasound. If your council is interested in helping in this endeavor, please let us know.

    Ed & Lynn Strach Pro-Life Chair Couple

    Michigan State Council Knights of Columbus

By: Charles E. McCuen - Thu, Oct 22, 2020 1:39 AM

We once again want to thank you for the awesome job you did on part one of the” Cans for Seminarians” Challenge. Raising 30,000 + dollars by taking cans back certainly shows your dedication and love for our Brothers as they drive forward towards the goal of their chosen vocation! Hip hip hooray to all our 64,000 members and their families for keeping the dream alive!

So, with that being said, It’s now time for Part 2 of our Cans for Seminarians Challenge!

Part 2 is a District vs District Competition with a Winner Take All complete with bragging rights and a cool trophy to display for your Districts Achievement! That’s right, your Councils showed what they as individuals could do now it’s time to have you, the District Deputies to come alive and lead your Councils to Victory! The rules for this are pretty simple, the District that brings in the most funds wins, and there is only one winning District in the State! The second rule is that all the funds from this round are to be collected and used exclusively for the” Seminarian Endowment Fund”, this a hard-fast rule for all Diocesan Areas. So, you ask what’s in in for us other than the bragging rights for an awesome District and a very cool trophy designed especially for this program? The prize of course!

After much thought at what could motivate your Districts to pull this off, the answer was “time” The winning District will enjoy an Exclusive Catered Dinner in your District hosted by the State Deputy and the entire Board of Officers and their wives. Your dinner guests will include, you and your wife, the Council Grand Knights and their wives, your Financial Secretaries and their wives and your Program Directors [who should be tracking your progress] and their wives and because it’s a Statewide Contest the Diocesan Chaplain from your Area will also be invited to join your evening’s festivities and maybe some Seminarians to fill out the guest list and there could be special guest to be announced! Your evening will include Hospitality with some lively conversation, a beautiful catered dinner and some after dinner glow to conclude the evening. Sounds nice huh!

The kickoff date is November 1, 2020 and will run until May 7th, 2021. The winner will be announced at the State Convention during the Awards Ceremony and will be presented with the Trophy by the State Deputy Walter Winkle and your total shared then. Checks for part 2 should be sent to the State Secretary Chris Kolomjec with Cans for Seminarians in the memo line. Just as in Part one I will track the Districts as they report their totals. So let’s rev up those can return machines and make some magic happen, as we have said “If every member and their family just takes back 10.00 worth of returnables and donated that money to our Endowment Fund we could raise 640,000 Dollars” and that would do a lot of good for a lot of good men!

Vivat Jesus - Charlie Mc Cuen II State Advocate

By: Dan Fuller - Tue, Oct 20, 2020 9:33 PM

Dan Fuller Jr State Membership Director 248-761-2244

My Worthy Brother Knights, We have received great news from our Supreme Council regarding online or e-membership. The code to honor Fr. Michael J. McGivney is back!  So, from this point until December 31st please communicate and promote the free online membership code of MCGIVNEY2020

I suggest that you promote this in your parish bulletins, parish websites, and Pulpit announcements.  This will also be useful with our college age catholic men, so promote it with them too.

Michigan Knights used the free code in August at a record setting pace, let's use this renewed free membership code to set records in October, November and December.  I believe that with the Beatification of Fr. McGivney and the support from our Supreme Council with this free membership code, these are very EXCITING times.

·  Use the virtual and online tools to grow our Order

·  Build your recruiting Ambassador Team

·  Best growth technique is to "Ask"

Blessed Fr. Michael J McGivney - Pray for us...

http://kofc.org/un/joinus/en/index.html

By: Gary Merritt - Tue, Oct 20, 2020 9:28 AM

Fr. James Sullivan, rector of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, Conn., stands at the McGivney family grave site in the Old St. Joseph Cemetery in Waterbury July 6, 2020. Father Michael J. McGivney — who was buried there for 92 years until his body was moved to St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Conn. — will be beatified Oct. 31 during a Mass at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, Conn.

WATERBURY, Conn.  — Msgr. John J. Bevins has been praying a long time that a miracle would be attributed to the intercession of Father Michael J. McGivney and move him one step closer to sainthood.

"I've been praying I would live long enough to see it," he said. "I was elated. We are praying harder now for the second miracle of canonization.”

The miracle needed for Father McGivney's beatification was approved by the Vatican last May. The founder of the Knights of Columbus will be beatified Oct. 31 during a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, Connecticut.

He will be the first U.S. parish priest to be beatified and will be given the title “Blessed.”

Msgr. Bevins, who served as pastor of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury from 1991 to 2014, said he holds "great pride" that a man considered for sainthood walked the streets of Waterbury. "I have great pride in the city," he said. “Here, one of our own was raised.”

Waterbury was once a city of parishes where hundreds of thousands of Catholics attended church and were educated in the teachings of the church -- and where many vocations are said to have originated.

One of those vocations was for Father McGivney, the son of Irish immigrants, who was born in Waterbury. He attended local schools and developed his faith at Immaculate Conception Church, now the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, where he was baptized, received the sacraments and said his first Mass as an ordained priest.

You may read the entire article by Catholic News Service on Detroit Catholic.com

By: Jon Olson - Tue, Oct 20, 2020 6:00 AM

Supreme Midwest Regional Training Director Jon Olson is offering 4 different training sessions for State, Regional, District and Council leaders in the month of October. They are DELTA DRIVE, COUNCIL GROWTH, COUNCIL EXPERIENCE AND YOU ARE YOUR PROGRAMS.

Let me give a brief statement on these training sessions. COUNCIL GROWTH, COUNCIL EXPERIENCE AND YOU ARE YOUR PROGRAMS training sessions will be the last for the next 4 months.

DELTA DRIVE: This training session talks about what items should be part of every organized growth drive. It also talks about planning and organizing the drive to make them effective.

COUNCIL GROWTH: This training talks about the “why” of growing your council and how together we can be successful at it.

COUNCIL EXPERIENCE: One secret of successful councils is that they engage their council members. This engagement leads these members to have positive membership experiences leading to more involvement from them and their families, leading to more men becoming interested in the council and ultimately the council’s ability to do more for the parish and the community. In this training, we’ll break down the five areas of engagement and provide practical, proven tactics for making sure that you engage your members in each of these areas. We’ll start with a council engagement assessment so you can see where your council has opportunities to improve so that you can focus specifically on these areas.

YOU ARE YOUR PROGRAMS: This is a new training presentation that we start talking about what programs we do and how we are looked at by the community by what the program that they see.

All these sessions will be under one hour long including a Q&A period. These 4 sessions are designed to compliment each other and make councils look and take action on the whole council success.

Here are the dates and times for the training sessions;

Use this link to sign up for the sessions you wish to attend.

Fraternally Jon Olson.

By: Joseph Yekulis - Thu, Oct 15, 2020 1:22 PM

St. Louis Center Holds Virtual 60th Anniversary Fundraiser w/Celebrity Host, Former UM Basketball Coach John Beilein.

St. Louis Center in Chelsea, MI is celebrating its long history with a 60^th Anniversary Virtual Event at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday October 22, 2020 on Facebook Live (www.facebook.com/stlouiscenter/). Former University of Michigan Basketball Head Coach John Beilein will serve as celebrity host. Participants can virtually join Coach Beilein as he tours the St. Louis Center campus, and they can listen in on a conversation with former players Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Zack Novak; reminiscing about their 2012 visit.

The event will serve as a fundraising opportunity to support the growing needs during the pandemic of St. Louis Center, a residential facility for children, adults and seniors with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Items autographed by Coach Beilein, including photographs, Michigan ball caps, and basketballs, will be available for donations. A dinner for six with Coach Beilein and his wife, Kathleen will also be auctioned off. Advanced bids are being accepted at https://bit.ly/slc60th-Beilein. There is no cost to view the event online.

Tim Hardaway has been in the NBA for the past six years and plays for the Dallas Mavericks, while Novak helped lead Michigan to the Big Ten Championship during the 2011-12 season and was a team captain. They both visited St. Louis Center on June 21, 2012 with Coach Beilein, when they and their teammates held basketball demonstrations and worked with the Center’s residents and staff.

At that time, Coach Beilein remarked, “If we can put a smile on the faces of these kids who face so many challenges in their everyday lives, then it’s worth the effort on our part to bring them a little bit of happiness.”

St. Louis Center provides residential care for 70 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and must raise $267 per adult resident per day to provide for their care; up from $230.50 prior to the pandemic. Funds raised will help to offset these increased costs.

In addition, a pre-event Mass of Thanksgiving will be said by the Servants of Charity, a Catholic order of priests who serve as administrators at St. Louis Center, at 6:30 p.m. The 60^th Anniversary Celebration begins at 7:00 p.m.

This fun, fast paced event will also include friends, family members and celebrity supporters popping in to say hello. Coach Beilein will preview the fundraiser and reminisce with Sam Webb on WTKA radio, “The Ticket” at 1050 AM on Tuesday morning October 20, 2020 at 8:05 a.m. For more information about St. Louis Center, visit www.stlouiscenter.org.