By: Gary Merritt - Wed, Mar 3, 2021 11:41 AM

The Knights of Columbus St. Sebastian Council #14642 in Byron Center Michigan, home of St. Sebastian Parish, held a knights drive-thru breakfast on Sunday February 14, Valentine’s Day. The drive was an amazing event with knights of our council serving the St. Sebastian parish family.

  This was a fund raiser for the HELP Pregnancy Crisis Center in Grand Rapids. 

“I thank my fellow brothers”, says Grand Knight Mark Boillat. “Our brothers braved the coldest day of the year with temperatures in the single digits and a wind-chill index of below zero. That didn't stop 20 of our knights from delivering breakfast sandwiches and drinks right to our donors’ cars. McDonalds had nothing on these guys. My brothers delivered over 300 hot sandwiches, drinks and a desert. Thank you to my fellow brothers and our parish family. God bless all during these 40 days for Life.”

  The fundraiser raised over $3,000.00 in baby supplies. 

CATHOLIC PROUD & SERVING OUR RISEN KING

By: Gary Merritt - Mon, Mar 1, 2021 2:15 PM

Today, Patrick Kelly begins his tenure as the Order’s 14th supreme knight, leading the Knights of Columbus around the world in our mission of charity, unity and fraternity. He begins his term in office with a personal message to all Knights of Columbus. Click HERE to view his video message

By: Gary Merritt - Mon, Mar 1, 2021 2:14 PM

 Exemplifications can and are happening during these trying times.

By: Garret Kelenske - Mon, Mar 1, 2021 12:00 AM

My Brother Knights and Families, as State Family Director I am pleased to announce the Winners and Runners up of the 2020 State Keep Christ in Christmas Poster contest. This year we had a nice turn out of posters and I would like to congratulate all the children and Councils that participated. Here is the list of the winners of the posters that were set on to the Supreme competition.

            K-2 winner                   Evalynn Seger Council #7413

            K-2 runner up              Emma Moore Council #3725

            8-10 winner                 Riley Elwartoski Council #5981

            8-10 runner up            Aaron Willette Council #8695

            11-14 winner               Sophia Feldpausch Council #14642

            11-14 runner up          Abygail Demick Council #5981

Thank you once again for participating and thanks to all the parents and family that helped make this a successful program.

Your Brother in Christ

Garret A. Kelenske  State Family Director

By: Garret Kelenske - Fri, Feb 26, 2021 10:33 AM

My Brother Knights and Families, I hope this article finds you all in good health. In the past I have spoke to you about doing a hands-free food drive, I hope that your Council or parish has taken advantage of the opportunity to help your community.

We are now preparing for the Easter Tridium. Have you spoken to Father about the new Good Friday Promotion Program ? Which by the way is a very simple program. It is so easy I started to think that maybe we could combine another program with it, and I thought about the Food for Families Program.

During this Lenten season consider doing a food drive. Talk to Father and ask him if he would allow you to ask your parishioners to bring in a few can and dry goods during the weekly Stations of the Cross. What a great Family project and a wonderful way to teach children about charity. This could also be a way to get your Religious Education program involved, ask your Director of Religious Education if they might be interested in this opportunity. If your Council has an active school talk to the Principle and see if they would like to be involved. Perhaps you could ask if they could make it a competition for most food collected, and the winning class could pick where the food would go. Remember to have fun doing these programs.

My Brother Knights I guess the bottom line is I am asking you to do something. I have been your State Family Director for the past year, and I have seen firsthand the inactivity of many of our Councils. Please have a positive and a can-do attitude. Saint Jerome said, “Keep doing some kind of work, that the devil may always find you employed.”

Your Brother in Christ

Garret A. Kelenske State Family Director

By: Garret Kelenske - Fri, Feb 26, 2021 10:00 AM

Good Friday Family Promotion

  My Brother Knights and Families, this year we are being given the   opportunity to do a program initiated by Supreme last year.  This   program is very simple and here are some suggestions on getting it   done. Ask Father if your Council can promote Good Friday services     by downloading the POSTER located on the Supreme website. I am   sure that the church will already be promoting this in the bulletin, but   here are a couple of ideas. If you have a Council newsletter put it in   there, maybe ask a few of the Christian businesses in your area to   place the poster in a prominent place. Many Christians also observe   Good Friday, and this may be a way to evangelize. Perhaps your   Council has access to Catholic Radio or maybe a newspaper ad. Try   and think out of the box and have a can-do attitude! What I am   asking is “Please get involved”!

  As I said the program is simple but from a spiritual point of view   there is so much that we can do to enrich our Lenten journey.   Good   Friday is the day on which Catholics commemorate the crucifixion of   Jesus Christ. Catholics are joined by almost all other Christians in   solemn commemoration on this day. The events of Good Friday are   commemorated in the Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the   Cross are commonly recited on Wednesdays and Fridays during   Lent. Another devotional, the Acts of Reparation, may also be   prayed. Here is a great way to get involved in your Parish, call up a   member or a home bound parishioner see if they need a ride or   would like to participate in the stations with you, ask Father if your   Council can lead Stations during Lent. Perhaps if you are able, you   can help with the meal that usually accompanies Stations.

 In the seventh century, the Church in Rome adopted the practice of   Adoration of the Cross from the Church in Jerusalem, where a fragment of   wood believed to be the Lord's cross had been venerated every year on   Good Friday since the fourth century. According to tradition, a part of the   Holy Cross was discovered by the mother of the emperor Constantine, St.   Helena, on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 326. A fifth century account   describes this service in Jerusalem. A coffer of gold-plated silver containing   the wood of the cross was brought forward. The bishop placed the relic on   the a table in the chapel of the Crucifixion and the faithful approached it,   touching brow and eyes and lips to the wood as the priest said (as every   priest has done ever since): 'Behold, the Wood of the Cross.'

   We are so fortunate to have such a rich history and tradition in the church. Here is another opportunity. Teach children and grandchildren about the sign of the cross.  It is a visible sign of one's belief in Christ and of one's hope in the redemption which flows from His Cross. By making this sign both in public and in private we affirm our faith in Christ crucified and ask for His blessing and protection. It is also a gesture of reverence to the Blessed Sacrament. Please get involved and think out of the box and remember that we probably learned the most about our Faith from our Family, so we all need to become better students of Christ. I know for myself there is a lot of room for growth in my own faith and I think there are many that share this same sentiment. 

Your Brother in Christ

Garret A. Kelenske State Family Director

Rise Up and Answer the Call!

By: Gary Merritt - Tue, Feb 23, 2021 8:26 AM

Dear Brother Knights,

Members of our Order now have a new exclusive benefit called KnightCast.  It is a professionally produced webcast series specifically designed to help Knights become better Catholics, better men, better husbands, and better fathers. 

The first episode debuts this Thursday, Feb. 25, at 8:00 p.m. EST.  It features Supreme Knight Carl Anderson sharing his personal reflections on the significant events of the past two decades. He gives a rare overview of working with three Popes, responding to national crises, battling Covid-19, and expanding our charitable works throughout the world. In this interview, Mr. Anderson also discusses our founder’s beatification, and he shares some of the many meaningful personal experiences of his term as Supreme Knight. Subsequent episodes will share timely, compelling information to promote your personal development and faith formation.

Don’t miss this opportunity to grow as a Knight and a man of faith. Sign up today! The one-time registration process is simple, and you can watch live or on-demand. Because this is an exclusive benefit, your membership number will be required. You can find it on your membership card.

Click here to register & watch preview

We would love to see all members of our council take advantage of this fantastic benefit.

By: Ed Strach - Fri, Feb 12, 2021 6:04 PM

By: Ed & Lynn Strach, Pro Life Chair Couple

As Knights of Columbus, we continue striving to Build A Culture of Life through Prayer, Taking Action, Standing Up, and Giving. One way to focus on and lead others on the pathway of Building A Culture of Life by Standing Up for Life is to support and participate in the 40 Days for Life campaign.

We would like to strongly encourage your council members to Stand Up for Life by leading or participating in this campaign. Many parishes already have organized efforts to support 40 Days for Life. If your parish does support 40 Days for Life, let them know the Knights of Columbus are supporters of their efforts and will provide and support assistance. If your parish does not participate in this universal prayer, we highly recommend that you be the force that introduces this to your parish this year.

Below is information about 40 Days for Life including background, campaign locations, and website links. Also, to give you further insight to 40 Days for Life, its founder and relationship with the Knights of Columbus, click HERE.

Rise Up and Answer the Call to Build a Culture of Life!

      40 Days for Life  is an internationally coordinated 40-day campaign that aims to end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach, and a peaceful all-day vigil in front of abortion businesses.

By: Dan Fuller - Fri, Feb 12, 2021 4:10 PM

  My Brother Knights consider posting on your social   media pages an invitation to your catholic family, friends   and colleagues to join our Order. Introduce them all to   the vision of Blessed Michael McGivney. His vision is   that all catholic men should know the good works of the   Knights of Columbus and have been offered   membership  to our Order.

  Here is how you can use social media to help men to     become better sons, brothers, friends, husbands,   fathers  and more faith filled Catholic men.

  Copy the image from this article and save it to your   computer or phone

  Go to your LinkedIn, facebook, twitter, or parlor   accounts

  Create a post. If you don’t have your own words for   the post, consider using the examples below. Copy the   phase you like and paste it into your post.

  Add an image to your post

  Them send your post to your page

You are now a high tech, COVID safe mass communicator and K of C Ambassador.

Example Post: “To all my Catholic Brothers, I am inviting you to become a Knight. You may have questions or think you don’t have time. These concerns can be addressed through this free e-membership opportunity. This is the easiest pathway to membership and gets you plugged into a great catholic network. Just point your browser to www.kofc.org/joinus and enter promo code MCGIVNEY2020. Join on-line and be a part of Blessed Michael McGivney’s vision for catholic men. www.kofc.org/joinus promo code MCGIVNEY2020 The man who stand with us, never stands alone.

Example Post: “Interested in becoming a Knight but think you don’t have the time? Try the free e-membership pathway to membership. Join on-line and be a part of Blessed Michael McGivney’s vision for catholic men. www.kofc.org/joinus promo code MCGIVNEY2020.

We are now mass communicating to hundreds and we need to pray that our message falls upon fertile ground.

Vivat Jesus, Dan Fuller, SMD

By: Gary Merritt - Sat, Feb 6, 2021 1:50 PM

The Knights of Columbus Board of Directors elected Patrick E. Kelly as the next Supreme Knight on Feb. 5, to continue the mission of charity, unity and fraternity established by the Order’s Founder, Blessed Michael McGivney, almost 140 years ago.

Carl A. Anderson will retire February 28, after more than 20 years of service as Supreme Knight and upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. He leaves a legacy of Christian witness and service to the Catholic Church, to the Knights of Columbus and to communities throughout the world.

Patrick Kelly’s tenure as the Order’s 14th Supreme      Knight will commence March 1, 2021.

You may read the entire article from KC News HERE.