By: Dane Jurkovic - Sat, Oct 27, 2018 7:30 PM

By: Gary Merritt - Sat, Oct 27, 2018 7:30 PM

By: Gary Merritt - Fri, Oct 26, 2018 7:30 PM

By: Gary Merritt - Fri, Oct 26, 2018 7:30 PM

By: Gary Merritt - Fri, Oct 26, 2018 7:30 PM

• The best sweatshirts are those with a sports team or college logo. Buy them in Large, XL, XXL, XXXL, and even XXXXL. These are all adult-sizes. Hoodies are very popular, as are fleece sweatshirts. Embroidered sweatshirts and hoodies cost more, but that’s okay! Just buy fewer, better quality sweatshirts. Please keep in mind this may be the only Christmas gift they receive this year. Package the sweatshirts in decorated gift boxes (or wrap plain boxes) and write the size on the outside. If the sweatshirt is only for a girl or only for a boy, write that on the box also. Place all gift boxes of like sizes in a heavy packing box and mark the outside of the box. That way we will know what is inside the box, and it can go directly onto the semi-truck, thus saving anyone from sorting again. • One way to help HCS with young adults and children is to purchase gift cards in the amounts of $5.00 or $10.00 from Target, Walmart, or Meijer. The cards MUST be from one of these three stores. These stores were chosen by HCS because they are located state-wide, thus allowing councils from all over the state to be involved. Cash and checks are also welcome. These gifts will help HCS in caring for young pregnant girls and girls with babies and toddlers in order to assist them on life’s journey. HCS does not receive federal or state assistance for the purchase of baby items such as diapers, bottles, formula, socks, toys, bibs, etc. Gift cards, cash, and checks should all be brought to the collection room at the Winter Meeting where they will be received, totaled, and presented to HCS. • Scarves, mittens, hats, & gloves, can be handmade or store-bought. They continue to be popular with teenagers and with the mothers with small children. Bring them to the Winter Meeting either loose or in the manufacturer’s plastic bag. Please do not box these items. • Bath baskets filled with personal hygiene items gives the girls at Holy Cross their very own personal items and a way to take these items with them to their showers. Please follow these directions: • Purchase items at a local dollar store. • If you wish, coordinate products by color or scent. • Return the filled basket(s) to the Winter Meeting. • Please choose ONLY one of each item per basket from the list below. Please: NO SCISSORS, HAIRSPRAY, NAIL CLIPPERS, BRUSHES, PENCILS, SHARP OBJECTS, AEROSOL CANS (pump sprays are OK). All baskets must be similar in order to avoid rivalry!!! The total cost should be no more than $10.00. 1. Shampoo 6. Hair gel or mousse 2. Conditioner 7. Body lotion or hand lotion 3. Body wash, scrub or gel 8. Deodorant 4. Toothpaste & Brush 9. Bath puff/Loofa 5. Chap stick 10. Emery boards Fill the basket and place it in a plastic bag. If you have several baskets, place them in a sturdy box ready to go on the truck headed for Holy Cross Services. • Sheets for our kids was a need that was made known by Holy Cross, and our Knight’s Ladies have collected 300 sets of twin bed sheets. A warm set of sheets for someone in an unfamiliar place. Just bring your sheet sets to the Winter Meeting ready to go directly on the truck bound for Holy Cross. Any questions please contact Mrs. Chris Brennan @ 313-388-3238 or chrisbee@wowway.com

By: William Leveque, Sr. - Thu, Oct 25, 2018 7:30 PM

By: William Leveque, Sr. - Sun, Oct 21, 2018 7:30 PM

By: Gary Merritt - Sat, Oct 20, 2018 7:30 PM

The 2018 Michigan State Soccer Challenge was conducted on Saturday, October 13.  Many thanks to Everest Academy in Clarkston where we held the event.  Luckily it was great fall weather!  The event winners are:

Special thanks to Saginaw Program Directors John Turek and Ray Gehlman for attending and working the event, as did Detroit Program Director Terry Carl.  Also thanks to District Deputy Joe Brenner for working and coordinating the location.  It was also great to have State Warden Charlie McCuen and State Program Director Bill Leveque in attendance. 

By: Gary Merritt - Sat, Oct 20, 2018 7:30 PM

October 17, 2018 Diocese of Saginaw The Most Rev. Joseph Robert Cistone, Bishop of Saginaw, died on Oct. 16 in Saginaw, Mich. Bishop Cistone was born on May 18, 1949. He was the second of three sons born to Josephine R. (Altomare) and Daniel A. Cistone, Sr. He was baptized and grew up in the close-knit Italian parish community of Our Lady of Consolation in Philadelphia. He received his elementary education from his parish school and later graduated in 1967 from Father Judge High School for Boys.

That same year, he entered Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, Pa., where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1971 and Master’s of Divinity in 1975. Bishop Cistone was ordained to the priesthood on May 17, 1975, by John Cardinal Krol for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

On June 8, 2004, Pope (now Saint) John Paul II appointed then Monsignor Cistone to become an Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Bishop Cistone chose for his episcopal motto a phrase from his daily devotion to Philadelphia’s Saint John Neumann: Father of Mercy and Love.

Bishop Cistone was appointed Bishop of Saginaw by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on May 20, 2009. Two months later, on July 28, at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Saginaw, Bishop Cistone was installed as the sixth Bishop of Saginaw.

Soon after his arrival in Saginaw, parish leadership called upon Bishop Cistone to address the need for parish restructuring. In 2011, as part of an overall plan to strengthen the Church of Saginaw and position parishes to better engage in the work of evangelization, Bishop Cistone announced the historic undertaking, Planning Tomorrow’s Parishes. The strategic planning process, designed to engage parishioners to assess the state of churches across the 11 county Diocese of Saginaw and develop recommendations to enhance the vibrancy of parish life, led to Bishop Cistone’s decisions in January 2013 to restructure parish communities and designate use of churches to better serve the faithful.

Bishop Cistone encouraged the faithful to trust in the Lord’s plan, a message he first shared in his pastoral letter, “A Future Full of Hope”, in 2011. In it, he shared his vision for a complete revitalization of the diocese, which included a commitment to evangelization, vocations, lifelong discipleship and promotion of a deeper love, appreciation and understanding of the gift of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. The hallmark of his leadership is reflected in the restoration of the Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption in Saginaw.

Bishop Cistone enjoyed spending time among the people, providing public witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ as he celebrated Mass, led Holy Hours, administered the Sacrament of Confirmation, particularly to the youth, traveled with pilgrims to the March for Life in Washington, D.C., hosted guests at the Bishop’s Ball and Golf Classic, prayed outside the abortion clinic, ministered to migrant workers, spoke at community events, visited Catholic schools and much more across the Diocese of Saginaw.

In addition to his many commitments within the diocese, Bishop Cistone served as a member of the Board of Directors for Catholic Relief Services, and traveled to El Salvador and Ethiopia on the organization’s behalf.  In November of 2017, Bishop Cistone was elected as Chairman of the committee on national collections for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He also served in other leadership positions on the national and state levels for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Michigan Catholic Conference.

For the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Cistone served on the following committees: Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People, African American Affairs, Budget and Finance, Catholic Relief Services as well as the Audit Committee on Budget and Finance. Bishop Cistone served on other boards including the Board of Directors of the Michigan Catholic Conference, the Religious Sister of Mercy of Alma Finance Committee, the Sacred Heart Mercy Health Care Center Advisory Board, Our Sunday Visitor Institute Advisory Committee and the Dow Company Community Advisory Panel.

Surviving are two brothers, Daniel (Joann) Cistone Jr., Anthony (Margaret) Cistone; nieces and nephews, Joann (Mark) Chiavon, Daniel Cistone III, Andrew Cistone; great-nieces, Stella, Alessandra, Francesca and Mariella. Bishop Cistone was preceded in death by his parents, Daniel Cistone, Sr. and Josephine (Altomare) Cistone.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorial contributions to the Diocese of Saginaw Cathedral Renovation. Contributions may also be made to the Daniel and Josephine Cistone Endowment Fund..

Funeral Arrangements for the Most Reverend Joseph R. Cistone

 Sunday, October 21st: 

1:00 pm - Reception of the Body

Presider: Most Reverend Walter A. Hurley, Apostolic Administrator

1:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Visitation

5:30 pm – Eucharist (Mass for Our Deceased Bishop)

Presider & Homilist: Most Reverend Walter A. Hurley, Apostolic Administrator

7:00 pm – Evening Prayer (Office of the Dead)

Presider & Homilist: Reverend William J. Rutkowski

 Monday, October 22nd:

9:00 am – Morning Prayer (Office of the Dead)

9:00 am – 8:00 pm – Visitation

3:00 pm – Knights of Columbus Recitation of the Rosary

Leader:  SK Barry Borsenik, KofC State Advocate

7:00 pm – Vigil for the Deceased

Presider: Most Reverend Walter A. Hurley, Apostolic Administrator

Homilist:  Reverend Peter J. Gaspeny, Chair of the Presbyteral Council 

Tuesday, October 23rd:

9:00 am – Visitation

11:00 am – Funeral Mass

Presider: Most Reverend Allen H. Vigneron, Metropolitan Archbishop of Detroit

Homilist: Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of Arlington

Final Commendation:

Presider: Cardinal Justin Rigali, Emeritus Archbishop of Philadelphia

Mount Olivet Cemetery, Saginaw, Michigan

By: William Leveque, Sr. - Fri, Oct 19, 2018 7:30 PM

Knights of Columbus

Michigan State Council

2018-2019 Youth Activity Dates

Keep Christ in Christmas Poster Contest – Council winners are due to State Youth Activities Director by January 31, 2019.  Age groups 5-7, 8-10, and 11-14.  Order kits by 10/31/2018. 

State Free Throw Championship – March 10^th, 2019.  Held at Sacred Heart Parish Gym located at 319 E. Illinois St. in Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858.

·       Council Championships are suggested to be held in January

·       District (if needed) and Diocesan Championships are recommended to be held in February.

Youth Essay Contest – Council Winners are due to the State Youth Activities Director by March 15^th, 2019.  Open to Catholic students in public, parochial or private schools from grades 8-12.

State Spelling Bee – March 16^th, 2019 at Fr. Van Rooy council #2740 located at 1021 Woodside Ave. in Essexville, MI 48732.  Age groups are grades 4-6 and 7-9.

·       Council spelling bees are suggested to be held in October or November.

·       Diocesan bees are suggested to be held in December or January.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Awareness Poster Contest – Due to State Youth Activities Director by March 30^th, 2019.  Age groups are ages 8-11 and 12-14.

Links: 

Keep Christ in Christmas Poster Contest

http://www.kofc.org/un/en/resources/programs/keep-christ-in-christmas/5024-kcic-poster-contest-guidebook.pdf

Free Throw

http://www.kofc.org/en/programs/community/free-throw-championship.html#/Action%20Steps

Youth Essay

http://www.kofc.org/en/programs/community/catholic-citizenship-essay-contest.html#/Action%20Steps

Spelling Bee

Rules & Regulations