Congratulations to Maria Los on being chosen as our Au Lac Council Youth of the Month for April! Maria is the daughter of John and Anna Los and is a 5th grade student at Immaculate Conception School where she completed OCIA, made the Pastors List (A-Honor Roll) multiple times, received the Advanced Reader award for reading over 2 million words during the school year, placed 3rd in the Academic Olympics and was a co-founder of the Creativity Club in 2025. Outside school Maria is a pianist, a trained dancer and a 2nd place winner for poultry at the 2024-2025 4H competition. She also won our Council K of C Spelling Bee (Grades 4-6) and the Keep Christ in Christmas Poster Contest. Maria attends weekly Mass and is active in and around the parish participating at the Lenten Fish Fry, Horn of Plenty and the Immaculate Conception Festival.
We thank Maria for sharing her faith through service to her school, parish and community!
Au Lac Council 10724 in Ira Township started the Youth of the Month Award in January 2023 to recognize students in grades 3-12 for demonstrating their faith through service to others. So far the council has honored 39 students with a certificate of appreciation following a weekend Mass. Every six months they host a pizza dinner for the winners and their families with Pastor Fr. Joseph Esper in attendance.
Congratulations to Maria Los on being chosen as our Au Lac Council Youth of the Month for April! Maria is the daughter of John and Anna Los and is a 5th grade student at Immaculate Conception School where she completed OCIA, made the Pastors List (A-Honor Roll) multiple times, received the Advanced Reader award for reading over 2 million words during the school year, placed 3rd in the Academic Olympics and was a co-founder of the Creativity Club in 2025. Outside school Maria is a pianist, a trained dancer and a 2nd place winner for poultry at the 2024-2025 4H competition. She also won our Council K of C Spelling Bee (Grades 4-6) and the Keep Christ in Christmas Poster Contest. Maria attends weekly Mass and is active in and around the parish participating at the Lenten Fish Fry, Horn of Plenty and the Immaculate Conception Festival.
We thank Maria for sharing her faith through service to her school, parish and community!
Au Lac Council 10724 in Ira Township started the Youth of the Month Award in January 2023 to recognize students in grades 3-12 for demonstrating their faith through service to others. So far the council has honored 39 students with a certificate of appreciation following a weekend Mass. Every six months they host a pizza dinner for the winners and their families with Pastor Fr. Joseph Esper in attendance.
Council 6980 in Kalamazoo District 406 held an Exemplification Ceremony on Sunday, April 19th 2026 in the Trinity Chapel at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Portage. We are excited to welcome three new Brother Knights to Council 6980 – Michael Kraft, Jared Richardson and Koen Suender!
Pictured above - Left to Right: Council 6980 Grand Knight Joe Magalski; Council 6980 Degree Team Members Dan Kloosterman and Jeff Phelan; Council 6980 New Brother Knight Jared Richardson; Council 6980 Chaplain Fr. Joseph Abraham; Council 6980 New Brother Knights Michael Kraft and Koen Suender; Council 6980 Degree Team Member Steve Borchert; District Deputy 406 John Byrnes; Kalamazoo Diocese SDRR Nick Zafer; Supreme Assistant General Agent Doug Nurenberg.
April 22nd Council 17970 received the Grand Rapids Council of the Month for February award. SDRR Marty Brown presented the award to Grand Knight Sean Parini. Congratulations to Council 17970 for your good work.
In a powerful example of community service and brotherhood in action, members of Knights of Columbus Council 7487 (Bishop Fulton Sheen) in Jenison recently partnered with Solid Rock Ministries of Zeeland to build an ADA-accessible ramp for the wife of a fellow Knight.
The Helping Hands Project was sparked by a simple but urgent need: following surgery, the wife faced significant challenges entering and exiting her home safely. Recognizing the situation, her husband’s brother Knights mobilized to provide a solution that would restore her independence and peace of mind.
Solid Rock Ministries played a crucial role in laying the groundwork for the effort. The organization secured all necessary permits, carefully designed the ramp to meet ADA standards, and sourced the required materials. Their preparation ensured that the project would proceed efficiently and safely.
With plans in place, members of Council 7487 stepped in to bring the vision to life. Armed with tools, skills, and a shared commitment to service, the brother Knights dedicated a full day to constructing the ramp. Through teamwork and determination, they completed the build in just one day—transforming what could have been a prolonged hardship into a swift and meaningful act of support.
The collaboration highlighted the strengths of both groups: Solid Rock Ministries’ organizational expertise and the Knights’ willingness to serve through hands-on labor. More importantly, it demonstrated the deep sense of fraternity that defines the Knights of Columbus—men supporting one another and their families in times of need.
For the recipient and her family, the ramp represents more than just accessibility; it is a symbol of compassion, faith, and community. For those who participated, it stands as a reminder that even a single day of service can make a lasting difference in someone’s life.
Pictured Left to Right: Dave (Solid Rock), John Woods, Kevin (Solid Rock), Larry (Solid Rock), Mike London, Pete Faraci. Not pictured Tim Link & Dave Lang.
El sábado 18 de abril, el Sacred Heart Major Seminary se convirtió en un lugar de poderoso encuentro cuando 157 hombres de toda la Arquidiócesis de Detroit se reunieron para la 17ª Conferencia Anual de Hombres Hispanos. El día estuvo marcado por la fe, la fraternidad y la renovación espiritual, centrado en una verdad sencilla pero profunda: Cristo es Rey y la verdadera fuente de nuestra fuerza.
Uno de los resultados más inspiradores del día fue la respuesta entusiasta al llamado al servicio. Treinta hombres decidieron dar el siguiente paso en su camino de fe al unirse a los Caballeros de Colón. Su decisión refleja no solo el deseo de crecer espiritualmente, sino también de estar en solidaridad con otros hombres católicos comprometidos con la caridad, la unidad y la fraternidad.
Armando Figueroa Council 14598 (left), Julio Salinas – State Hispanic Outreach Director (right), with three new members.
Equipo de Crecimiento de Membresía
Pona Magaña – Director Supremo de Desarrollo Hispano, Doug Kokot – Director Estatal de Membresía, Martin Brown – Representante Regional del Diputado Estatal de Grand Rapids, Julio Salinas – Director Estatal de Alcance Hispano y Armando Figueroa – Consejo 14598
On Saturday, April 18, Sacred Heart Major Seminary became a place of powerful encounter as 157 men from across the Archdiocese of Detroit gathered for the 17th Annual Hispanic Men’s Conference. The day was marked by faith, fraternity, and spiritual renewal, centered on a simple yet profound truth: Christ is King and the true source of our strength.
One of the most inspiring outcomes of the day was the enthusiastic response to the call to service. Thirty men chose to take the next step in their faith journey by joining the Knights of Columbus. Their decision reflects a desire not only to grow spiritually but also to stand in solidarity with other Catholic men committed to charity, unity, and fraternity.
Pictured: Armando Figueroa Council 14598 (left), Julio Salinas – State Hispanic Outreach Director (right), with three new members.
Membership Growth Team
Pona Magana – Supreme Hispanic Development Director, Doug Kokot – State Membership Director, Martin Brown – Grand Rapids State Deputy Regional Representative, Julio Salinas – State Hispanic Outreach Director and Armando Figueroa – Council 14598
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