MI K of C Fourth Degree Supports Repatriation of WWII Marine

By: Joseph Yekulis - Thu, Dec 2, 2021 4:12 PM

A WWII Marine who fought in the Battle of the Pacific was brought home to the Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, Michigan to be interred at his final resting place on Tuesday November 30, 2021. Marine Corps Corporal Andrew Pellerito was a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force when it landed in the Tarawa Atoll in the Pacific against heavy Japanese resistance on November 20, 1943. He was killed on the first day of the battle, and his remains were considered non-recoverable. However, he was recently identified through DNA testing on August 19, 2021, and returned to Michigan for a full military burial.

Accompanied by approximately 30 family members and friends, ten members of the Fourth Degree Honor Guard of the Michigan Knights of Columbus from three districts in the Father Hennepin Province were present to support the full military service, along with a dozen active duty Marines and ten members of the Ft. Custer Military Honor Guard.

The wife of District 4 Master, Marie Woodrum, was actually a blood relative of Corporal Pellerito.

Members of the 4th Degree contingent from Michigan who attended included:

 

District 1 – Archdiocese of Detroit: Master Mark Brezinski, SK Robert Ciavaglia, SK Gene Suchyta

District 2 – Dioceses of Lansing/Kalamazoo: Master Joseph Yekulis, FM David Buick, Sr. Marshal Bill Currie, Marshal Karl Kerchief

District 4 – Dioceses of Grand Rapids/Saginaw: Master Keith Woodrum, SK Walter Cummings, SK Antonio Rodriguez

Rise Up and Answer the Call for Life Series

By: Ed Strach - Sat, Nov 27, 2021 11:04 AM

Click here to view this Life Series interview - Cusak Dobbs - YouTube

 

The Supreme Court of the United States will begin hearings of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on December 1, 2021. While each diocese may reach out to the laity regarding this case, this link provides a look at the Lansing Diocese initiative of a day of prayer & fasting in leading to a court decision that could end legalized abortion at the federal level.

Click on this link for more information regarding this day of prayer and fasting and the court details Diocese of Lansing | Welcome

You are encouraged to seek your diocese’s initiative and share it with your councils and districts for the success of this case that may potentially overturn the long-standing Roe vs. Wade decisions.

 

 Ed Strach, State Life Director

Pilgrim Icon Program

By: Greg Brunson - Fri, Nov 26, 2021 4:01 PM

Brother Knights,  

Beginning in January 2022 the Pilgrim Icon Program will launch across the State of Michigan.   Now is the time for District Deputies to submit their request forms to the State Faith Director.    District Deputies who are first in line will be first to have this beautiful program hosted at parishes in their district.  Request forms can be downloaded from the Michigan K of C website:  mikofc.org/resources/Faith-in-action.   In addition to the request forms the Pilgrim ICON 2022 Schedule will be posted and updated frequently.  Please review the schedule before making your request and submitting it to the State Faith Director.  The intent is for the District Deputies to drive this process versus being told when and where they will have an ICON.

There are 7 ICONS for Michigan.   An Icon will be hosted by a District for 1 month as it visits all the Churches in that District.   The schedule’s week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday.  At the end of a District’s cycle (on SATURDAY) the District Deputy, who is responsible for the Icon, will pass it along to either the next District Deputy who is scheduled, or back to myself.  Each Church in the District will have the Icon for a full Mass cycle.   It will take a while for all Churches in Michigan to have an opportunity to host for this program.    

There will no longer be a Travel Log rather, Council hosting of an Icon is reported directly to the Knights of Columbus with the form 10784.  Each Icon has an ‘Asset Tag’ with a Tag Code, simply use a smart phone camera to read the code and it takes you straight to the landing page for 10784 requests.  You will get an email with the online 10784 which is good for 48 hours – just like all the other ‘Faith In Action’ program reporting – EASY.

 MOST IMPORTANT:  The District Deputy or Grand Knight need to have Father’s permission to host the ICON – we do NOT just show up without the Priest’s knowledge and blessing to do this.

In addition, the Grand Knight of a hosting council in that District is responsible for making sure the ICON visit to their Parish is well advertised in the Parish Bulletin a couple of weeks running prior to.

 There is a prayer service to go along with the Icon as well as posters & prayer cards – it is a kit.    It will take a while for all 7 Icons to move throughout the State however the schedule will be from January to January, perhaps longer.   While hosting an Icon, it would be an ideal time to hold an exemplification of Charity, Unity, and Fraternity.  In addition, be on the lookout for those fifth Sundays which can be an opportunity for a council led Rosary, or some other special event to be held while hosting an Icon – Note District 310 in Grand Rapids and 503 in Lansing have the first Fifth Sunday in 2022.

I will meet any District Deputy anywhere in the State to help them with this wonderful program.   Keep in mind the program was cancelled last year and this year is the year of St Joseph!  For all those ‘St Joseph’ Churches in the Saginaw Diocese – this will be fantastic!

Ecorse Coats for Kids Distribution

By: Ray Bilyk - Thu, Nov 25, 2021 10:21 AM

On Saturday, November 13th, a Coats for Kids distribution was held in Ecorse at St. Andre Bessette Parish. Over 200 families were served with over 450 coats distributed. The families came from as far north as Southwest Detroit and as far south as Gibraltar. Over 30 volunteers, including Knights and families from Councils in multiple Districts throughout the Archdiocese and members of the parish assisted to make this event a success!

 

Many thanks to Robert Jones Council 3078 and District 105 for making this event happen so quickly. Special thanks to District Warden Sean Roland and his employer MarxModa for ensuring we had a vehicle to get the boxes of coats to the event. The best part was seeing the smiles on the kids' faces when they received brand new coats to face the winter. A good time was had by all!.

Special Olympics Polar Plunge

By: John Hundiak - Thu, Nov 25, 2021 7:46 AM

Yes, the Polar Plunge Season is back!  You may ask what is a Polar Plunge?  It is similar to the Ice Bucket Challenge but way COOLER!  It is a fundraiser that has been successfully used over the years to help fund the cost of sending athletes to Special Olympic Games.

Due to COVID restrictions last year was a year of virtual plunging.  This year SOMI (Special Olympics of Michigan) is excited to host in-person plunges to raise funds to send our Special Olympics athletes to local, regional, and statewide tournaments in 2022. This doesn't happen without the amazing support the Knights of Columbus from across the state - so, are you in?

 SOMI is also excited to offer some additional options to raise funds, including:

·     A virtual option, for those not able to make the 30+ locations

·     A Frozen 5K Run/Walk

·     A "Too Chicken To Plunge" option, where you don't plunge but can still raise funds for this great cause.

 No matter which way you help, we want to see all of the Knights being BOLD and getting COLD for our athletes. Over the past year, they have never counted on the Knights more to get back on the field and courts. 

Additional information can be found at:

WWW.PLUNGEMI.ORG

Just click the link above and a plethora of information will be available to you.

Once your council has conducted your ‘PLUNGE’ activity, please share the experience by sending a me recap of the event (j.hundiak@mikofc.org); write an article and submit it to the State newsletter and Supreme Columbian; and most of all submit a program book to the State for consideration for a State Activity Award.

In the spring, I will be sending out information on two upcoming events:

·         The Law Enforcement Torch Run schedule for the State

·         The International Special Olympics Soccer Championships to be held in Detroit

Please consider these activities for your council and have some fun in your community while raising funds for a very worthwhile cause.

John Hundiak, State Special Olympics Director