2251 C,F,U February Exemplification

By: Gary Merritt - Sun, Feb 19, 2023 6:36 AM


On February 16th, Monsignor Kromenaker Council #2251/St Clair hosted a Charity, Unity, and Fraternity Exemplification for District #118. Two new Knights joined Au Lac Council #10724/Ira Township and one new Knight joined Council #2251. Thank you to Council #2251 for hosting the event and a special thank you to Archdiocesan Membership Director Ken Krause and District Deputy #118 Ron DePestel for leading the ceremony.

Welcome to the Order Brother Knights Tom Tiedt, Brad Vargo, and Ryan Weglarz!

5436 February Exemplification

By: Gary Merritt - Sun, Feb 19, 2023 6:34 AM


Pope St. John XXIII Council #5436 welcomed two new Brother Knights at a Charity, Unity, and Fraternity Exemplification on February 16th.

From left to right: Deputy Grand Knight John Buchanan, Grand Knight Michael Mandzuik, Brother Knight Joe Scarpelli, new Brother Knight Albert Lipusch, Past Grand Knight Chris Scheuer, Theresa Johnson, new Brother Knight Wayne Johnson, District Deputy #113 Tom Kendziorski and Brother Knight Gary Chollette.

Welcome Albert and Wayne!

Michigan Knight Cause for Sainthood

By: Gary Merritt - Fri, Feb 17, 2023 1:55 PM


Thanks to PGK, FDD, PFN Jim McCracken of Virginia, for bringing this story to our attention. And thanks to Larry Herman and Paul Kelsey for giving it to me for edit and posting.

 

Bishop John Doerfler in June 2019, of the Diocese of Marquette announced the official opening of the cause of Irving “Francis” C. Houle, who died in 2009 at the age of 83. While he felt close to Jesus his entire life and experienced a miraculous healing after a childhood accident, it was on Good Friday 1993 that he first began receiving stigmata, reportedly enduring the Passion every night between midnight and 3 a.m. for the rest of his life. He said he heard the voice of Jesus asking him to heal “my children” and spent his remaining 16 years praying over tens of thousands of people — many of whom experienced extraordinary physical and spiritual healing.

 

By all accounts a loving husband and father­ he and Gail were married for over sixty years. ­Houle was a regular communicant and prayed the Stations of the Cross every day after work. He became a fourth-degree Knight of Columbus. His five children left him and Gail with seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Over the decades, Houle had jobs in retail and manufacturing. He became plant manager at Engineered Machine Products, where he was employed for the last fifteen years of his working life. He was a bit of a prankster, a plain-spoken, solid family man with a penchant for jokes and teasing.

According to the website dedicated to Houle’s cause for canonization (
www.irvingfrancishoule.org), well before he received the stigmata, “many extraordinary physical and spiritual healings” had been attributed to him. He received the stigmata on Good Friday, 1993, at the age of sixty-seven. He was initially affected in the palms of his hands. “I’m taking away your hands and giving you mine,” Christ allegedly told him.

Afterward, the physical suffering spread throughout his body. He was said to have suffered the Passion every night thereafter between midnight and 3 am, those hours being “times of great sins of the flesh.”

Gail, luckily a sound sleeper, never witnessed these nocturnal sufferings, though others, including his brother Reynold, did. So did Father Robert J. Fox, who in 2005 published a book about Houle entitled A Man Called Francis. The pseudonym “Francis” was used in order to protect Houle’s identity, but the name stuck.

Houle took to wearing bandages on his hands in public and, after retiring, embarked on a series of speaking engagements at churches and elsewhere, talking over the years to tens of thousands of people. Nothing made him happier than to learn of people returning to confession after decades away and then receiving the Eucharist.

Houle avoided the limelight and neither sought nor accepted any financial donations for the myriad healings that were said to have flowed from his suffering and prayer. “Jesus is the one who heals,” he insisted.

Many good articles concerning Sir Francis Houle and his cause may be found at the following links.

Biography (irvingfrancishoule.org)

Bishops affirm diocese’s effort for Michigan stigmatist’s sainthood cause | Crux (cruxnow.com)

Making it to the Big Show Saint with a Capital “S” - Southwest Michigan Catholic - Kalamazoo, MI (swmcatholic.org)

Michigan’s newest sainthood candidate: A U.P. grandfather reported to have stigmata - Detroit Catholic

Was this Michigan grandfather on a mission from God? | Catholic News Agency

Stigmatic, Healer and Visionary From Michigan| National Catholic Register (ncregister.com)

Irving ‘Francis’ Houle prayed over an... - Detroit Mass Mob | Facebook

Grand Rapids Diocesan Spelling Bee 2023

By: Martin Brown - Tue, Feb 14, 2023 7:18 PM


Grand Rapids Diocesan Spelling bee was held on Saturday February 11, 2023 at Council 2199 in Hart.

We had 5 participants in level 1 and 1 participant in level 2. The winners have the opportunity to compete at the State Level Bee in March.

Pictured from left to right, Grand Knight 2199 Wally Carrier III, Grady Hamann, level 1 runner-up Marissa Lyon, level 1 winner Noah Dodge, level 2 winner Nina Frick, Weston Clark, Molly Garner and SDRR Marty Brown.

 SDRR Marty Brown

Region 3 January Council of the Month

By: Martin Brown - Tue, Feb 14, 2023 7:06 PM


Reg 3 Council of the Month for January in the Grand Rapids Diocese is Sacred Heart of Jesus Council #13641. SDRR Marty Brown presented the award at the Council’s General meeting on Monday February 13th. Pictured is Grand Knight Jason Bargenquast excepting the award from SDRR Marty Brown.

Marty Brown SDRR Reg 3

2023 Tribute Banquet

By: Lawrence Grabowski - Tue, Feb 14, 2023 9:00 AM


Happy New Year!  I hope all is well with all of you as we start 2023.  This is a reminder that tickets are still available for this year’s Tribute Banquet which will take place on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at Zuccaro's Banquet and Catering 46601 Gratiot Ave. Chesterfield Twp.

This year’s banquet will be honoring our State Chaplain

Rev. Aidan Logan.

 

For those of you who have purchased your tickets already I thank you for your support.  For those of you that are still interested  please use the attached form to reserve your seat/s or table.  FYI tables of (10) may be reserved by individual Councils, Assemblies, or groups.  The cost is $35.00 per person.

We hope to see as many councils represented at this event. Grand Knights, invite your council membership director and his wife. I also encourage you extend an invitation to your council chaplain.

Quick Start and State Chaplain Tribute Awards will be presented to qualifying councils.

We normally have a big turnout for this event so don't be left out, order your tickets as soon as possible.  No tickets will be sold at the door. 

 ADMITTANCE BY RESERVATION ONLY!

Thanks, and Fraternally,

Lawrence T. Grabowski State Executive Secretary

KC Red Wings Night

By: Gary Merritt - Tue, Feb 14, 2023 8:30 AM


Family... This is a word that can carry different meanings, depending on who you ask.  What does that word mean to you? Traditionally, we consider our family, our parents, our siblings, and everyone that we’re related to.  Personally, I consider some friends closer than some of my actual family. These friends are truly my ‘brothers,’ that I met in the Knights of Columbus.  I don’t think I’m alone in this. 

 We are a very unique fraternity. Traditionally, we are a men’s organization.  However, we increasingly devote our time and attention to include the entire family.  This is a positive change!  Our family is what makes us. This change also broadens our worldview.  We all have family and friends that aren’t affiliated with the Knights for a variety of reasons.  It’s important that we don’t exclude our non-fraternal family.  We shouldn’t ask those close to us to pass a litmus test. 

In this spirit, we need to examine our role in the family of Christianity.  We need to open our hearts and be willing to embrace all of our brothers and sisters, regardless of station, creed, or race.  We should look to the example of Blessed McGivney for inspiration.  Our organization exists to help care for everyone, widows, orphans, and the less fortunate.  Blessed McGivney opened his heart and his doors to everyone. We have to do the same thing. When we conduct Coats for Kids, deliver Christmas baskets, and raise money for the mentally impaired, we are helping our Christian family.  We can’t demand they agree with our worldview- we need to unconditionally love.  Unconditional love is truly at the heart of family!

I'm very proud of my state board family. I'm very proud of my Council family. I'm very proud of every brother Knight that does things throughout the state for different families. That's what family is all about. You should be proud too.  

An opportunity to fraternalize with our State Family is March 23rd when we will be having Michigan Knights of Columbus Fraternal Night at LCA. Detroit Red Wings vs St Louis Blues

Chief of Fraternal Activities Michael Kozakiewicz

Thursday, March 23, 2023 @ 7PM

$30.00 per Ticket

Send checks and form to: Michael Kozakiewicz

7030 Bison Westland, MI 48185

 Westland MI 48185. Memo: Red Wings

Make checks payable to: Michigan State Council

Memo Line – Red Wings

Use form below and mail along with your check to address above

or call 313-779-1348.

 

16199 Exemplification

By: Martin Brown - Mon, Feb 13, 2023 11:28 AM


The Cathedral of St. Andrew Council #16199 hosted a C,F,& U Exemplification on Sunday February 12 at the Cathedral in Grand Rapids.

There were 5 candidates which received the honors of membership in the Third Degree. 

The traveling team from the Lansing Diocese performed the Exemplification.

Pictured in the front row from left to right are Jamie Berlin, Danny Holzgen, Antonion Chan, Victor Prez and Ben Chisholm.

Back row Dan Reineke, Cliff Farr, Don Kill, Dave Ludkey, and Pat Donlan along with Father Bill Edens.

Faith & Family First

Martin Brown

Rg 3 GR State Deputy Regional Representative

616-560-0479