By: Gary Merritt - Fri, Sep 4, 2020 12:48 PM

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Dear Worthy Brother Knights, I pray that you are all well!

One can’t help but be aware of the fact that there are a lot of troubling things happening in our country of late. In addition to the continual civil unrest, we are swiftly approaching the 2020 presidential election. We can easily become discouraged by all that is happening or be tempted to anger. The response of a Knight of Columbus should be to turn to prayer, especially to the Holy Rosary. We were each given a Rosary on the day that we were inducted into the Knights of Columbus. We are encouraged to have “Rosary checks” in our councils. But the Rosary isn’t just something we carry it is something we are to use.

The Rosary is a most powerful spiritual weapon. Praying the Rosary helps us to fix our eyes on Jesus Christ as we meditate upon the Mysteries of His Life, Death, and Resurrection. The Rosary is also a means of imploring the assistance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Mother and Our Queen. Offering our Rosary for a particular intention is also a great way of entrusting an intention into Mary’s hands. She is a Mother ready at every moment to help us whenever we turn to her. The beautiful prayer the “Memorare” states: “Never was it known that anyone who fled to [her] protection or sought [her] intercession was ever left unaided.”

There is also a tradition in the Church of offering a novena (nine consecutive days of prayer) for a particular intention. This tradition goes back to the Apostles in the Upper Room praying for nine days as they awaited the Gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. There are many novenas available in prayer books and online.

There is further a devotion that combines the Rosary and the idea of a novena: the 54 Day Rosary Novena. The first 27 days of the 54 day novena is actually three novenas (three sets of nine). These first three novenas are offered in petition for a particular intention. The second half of the 54 day novena (the second three sets of nine) are offered in thanksgiving (whether or not the request has been granted). The prayers in thanksgiving are reminiscent of Father Solanus Casey’s teaching to “Thank God ahead of time.” Whether the petition is answered the desired way or not, we know that no prayer is ever offered in vain.

I would like to invite everyone to join me in offering a 54 Day Rosary Novena for our country and for the outcome of the election. If we begin the Novena on Friday, September 11th, it will end on Election Day. In order to join in this effort, simply offer 5 decades of the Rosary every day from September 11th to November 3rd (included) for our country and for our elected leaders.

Mary is the Patroness of America. Let us entrust our nation and the outcome of the upcoming election into the hands of our Blessed Mother through this 54 Day Rosary Novena.

Know of my prayers for you and for your families. Please offer a prayer for me.

Vivat Jesus!

Father Charles White Diocesan Chaplain, Archdiocese of Detroit

By: Gary Merritt - Fri, Sep 4, 2020 12:25 PM

By: Gary Merritt - Mon, Aug 31, 2020 1:04 PM

Special Olympics Needs Your MI Drive Support

My Brother Knights,

September is upon us and the pandemic continues to impact our fundraising capabilities.  As councils, we struggle with maintaining our programs and funding them.  We share that struggle with the Special Olympics families.  Sources for assistance has decreased, or in some cases disappeared, and many are in desperate need of our help.  This fall, the MI Drive will continue its tradition of raising monies for those in need.  Not just for the Special Olympics, but for all the agencies who assist the mentally challenged throughout the state.

Please conduct an MI Drive this October.  Remember the oath that all Special Olympians take “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt!”  Be brave in setting up a MI Drive program.  Yes, many establishments may not want to have the Knights in their establishment this year.  But there are many that would help us collect.  Think about new ways to collect for the MI Drive.  Put a canister in restaurants or stores to collect over several weeks.  Talk with your pastor to see if you can do a drive after the masses in your parish.  There are many more.  If you come up with a particular idea that has worked well, please let me know by emailing me, (j.hundiak@mikofc.org).

Special Olympics of Michigan has come up with an easy way for the Knights of Columbus to help support the athletes through their Special Olympics of Michigan (SOMI) Car Raffle.  We can help sell raffle tickets for SOMI and get credit towards our Form 4584.

Details of the raffle and tickets may be purchased here at SOMI Car Raffle

Each council will receive credit for the sale of the tickets, which can be counted toward their $ raised for Special Olympics Michigan (reported on form #4584 due Jan. 31st).  Just help promote the raffle and give people the link to order their own tickets will be a great help.

Whether you help sell tickets, collect monies or both, please be brave and be a part of the 2020 Fall MI Drive.  Let’s leave no Special Olympics athlete behind.  Remember to follow the guidelines that have been published by our State MI Drive Director.

John Hundiak

State Special Olympics Director

By: Gary Merritt - Mon, Aug 31, 2020 12:55 PM

By: Gary Merritt - Fri, Aug 21, 2020 12:56 PM

 For registration form click here, for sponsor applications click here.

By: Gary Merritt - Fri, Aug 14, 2020 1:10 PM

Prince of Peace Council #15337, Muskegon and George J. McCarthy Council #2975 have Taken Action in Building a Culture of Life through their initiatives to fund the installation of the 63^rd and 64^th MI KC sponsored ultrasound units.

Prince of Peace Council #15337 dedicated their unit for the Muskegon Pregnancy Services on July 21, 2020 including remarks by Debra Null, Executive Director, Muskegon Pregnancy Services; Grand Knight 15337 Scott Edgar; State Life Director, Ed Strach and State Warden, Jim Kraus. 

The prayers and blessing of the Ultrasound were presided by Fr. Godfrey Onyekwere pastor of Prince of Peace Parish of Muskegon. State Warden Jim Kraus spoke on the importance of the ultrasound initiative and how we in Michigan can be proud that we have provided 63 of these units of the over 1,000 that have been donated throughout the order.

A sincere thanks for the Prince of Peace Council #15337, Grand Knight, Scott Edgar and Deputy Grand Knight, Scott Greinger as lead council and other councils including San Jaun Bautise Council #9802, Muskegon; St. Our Lady of White Lake Council #12985, Montague; Fathers Rudy and Clem Council #13035, Muskegon and Holy Rosary Council #13579, Muskegon Heights.

 A week later on July 28^th, George J. McCarthy Council #2975, of Grand Haven dedicated the 64th unit to Positive Options pregnancy center in Grand Haven. 

The opening prayers and thanks were presented by Fr. David Gross, pastor St. Mary Parish, Spring Lake. Fr. David’s prayer included that the “gifts of ultrasound will open the hearts and minds of life”.

Current District Deputy #304 Jeff Van Natter led all in the Pledge of Allegiance to begin the ceremony with GR Membership Director, FDD Bill Bernesser serving as emcee.

Chris Irwin, Youth Minister at St. Mary’s, described the origins of this ultrasound on their return trip from the March for Life in Washington with the youth groups of St. Mary’s and St. Patrick’s (Grand Haven) parishes.

Other comments and thanks were given by Carloyn Doyle, Executive Director of Positive Options, Shelly Hollar Director Positive Options Grand Haven location, and State Family Director Garret Kelenske. State Deputy Walter Winkle spoke of how the ultrasound units are one of the swords we use in our battle against abortion in our communities.

A sincere thanks to the George J. McCarthy Council #2975 as lead council and other supporting councils for their initiatives to make this Ultrasound Initiative become a reality.

As we continue to Build a Culture of Life through the pathways of Prayer, Taking Action, Standing Up and Giving, let our councils and families give thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ for our actions.

By: Gary Merritt - Fri, Aug 14, 2020 1:07 PM

"Make the Most of this Offer"

 Worthy Grand Knights, I pray that all is well with you, your members, and their families. We are all experiencing the effect of the Covid-19 in one way or another. Some may have lost a job, been laid off, or canceled several of the fund-raising events that were carefully planned and counted on to be able to fraternalize with our brothers and to continue to help the needy in your area. Most importantly the possibility that we might have lost a friend or loved one to this Virus. I ask that you continue to pray to the end of the turmoil that in one way or another, has affected us all. Participating in the Leave no Neighbor Behind Program is more important than ever during these times!

 Attached you will find the councils that have achieved the Star Council Award from Supreme. I want to congratulate all those councils that have achieved the pinnacle of success within the Knights of Columbus by attaining this award! The Grand Knights, Membership Directors and members of these councils have shown outstanding leadership and I ask that you strive to attain this award again during this fraternal year! For those councils that did their best to accomplish this but did not make it, I ask that you continue to ask members to be part of your support to our churches across Michigan. To help you reach your goals to success, Supreme has lowered the membership quota from 7% to 5% of your membership and the maximum for any council is 20! This has not been this low in the last 15 years. Supreme has also changed the Insurance quota to having two fraternal benefit nights during the year. Please contact your Field Agent for more information.  

 As of today, and until the end of the month, Supreme has extended the free membership in honor of the Beatification of our founder, Fr. Michael J. McGivney!  What an excellent time to welcome a new member and his family to join your council, joining an order that was founded by a parish priest who no less will be a saint someday soon. Please go to www.kofc.org/joinus and welcome him as an E-Member first. Enter MCGIVNEY2020 for the code. He will be able to then watch the Exemplification on demand or ask him to attend a live Degree put on by your Council or District Degree Staff.  I ask that you contact your Council Chaplain or Priest this weekend or next and ask if you can proclaim during the announcements this great news of the Beatification of Fr. McGivney and in honor of this news, we are offering the free membership and explain how to join. I have been attending several masses around the state and noticed that some are being videotaped, this would be the perfect time to do this as these tapings will be shown on the parish website for all to see!

 God Bless You All, Walter Winkle Jr. State Deputy

 Rise Up and Answer the Call! 

  Thanks to the 101 Council that achieved Supreme Star status during the 2019/2020 fraternal year.

Let's all set our sights on obtaining Star Council status for our councils this year.

By: Gary Merritt - Mon, Aug 3, 2020 1:11 PM

To continue Building a Culture of Life an interview took place with Brian Cusack, Director of Development, Michigan Right to Life. 

 To view this interview click on the photo below.

 Ed & Lynn Strach Pro-Life Couple  Michigan State Council Knights of Columbus 

By: Gary Merritt - Tue, Jul 28, 2020 1:14 PM

Parents: Baby miraculously cured in utero by

   Fr. McGivney, now 5, ‘has changed our life’

DICKSON, Tenn. (CNS) -- Mikey Schachle, 5 years old, climbs onto a stump in the yard of his family's home in Dickson.

He carefully takes stock of the short distance to the trampoline buried in the ground below him, then slowly steps off the stump into space and falls happily onto the trampoline as some of his 12 brothers and sisters surround him with smiles and hugs.

It's a scene that would have been impossible for his parents, Dan and Michelle Schachle, to imagine five years ago when they sat in a doctor's office to hear that their still unborn son had zero chance of living more than a few days or weeks.

It took a miracle to save Mikey. 

On May 27, Pope Francis approved the promulgation of a decree recognizing Mikey's cure from a deadly case of fetal hydrops while still in his mother's womb as a miracle attributed to the intercession of Father Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. With the approval of the miracle, Father McGivney, who now has the title of "Venerable," will be beatified and receive the title "Blessed."

I think God had a plan for Father McGivney. I think God had a plan for Michael," Dan Schachle said of his son's miraculous cure. "You have to be open to God's grace, you have to be open to God's plan, because if you're not open to God's plan, he can't use you."

You may read the entire Article from Detroit Catholic  

Steps to Sainthood

By: Gary Merritt - Sun, Jul 26, 2020 1:12 PM

Fr. Michael McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus Catholic fraternal organization, will be beatified on October 31, 2020 the Congregation for the Causes of Saints announced this week.  The congregation made the announcement July 20.

A miracle credited to the intercession of McGivney was approved by the Vatican and announced by Pope Francis on May 27. A child who was diagnosed as terminally ill in the womb was miraculously healed following prayers for the intercession of Fr. McGivney. 

The priest’s beatification Mass is expected to be celebrated in his native Connecticut. 

McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in New Haven, Connecticut, 1882. Initially, the organization was intended to assist widows and their families upon the deaths of their husbands. It has grown into a worldwide Catholic fraternal order, with more than 2 million members carrying out works of charity and evangelization across the globe. The Knights also offer life insurance policies to their members. 

In 2018, the Knights’ 16,000 councils worldwide donated more than $185 million to charity and gave over 76 million hours of hands-on service in 2018, worth over $1.9 billion according to a valuation of volunteer work by the Independent Sector. Their volunteer work included support for the Special Olympics, coat drives, and food drives for needy families. 

Between 2017 and 2018, the Knights raised and delivered $2 million for the Iraqi town of Karamles; the Knights have helped Christian survivors of the ISIS genocide in the town resettle in their homes and rebuild for the future. 

In an audience granted to Supreme Knight Carl Anderson earlier this year, Pope Francis praised the organization’s “particular faithful witness to the sacredness and dignity of human life, evident at both the local and national levels.”

He also noted the Knights’ dedication to aiding, “both materially and spiritually, those Christian communities in the Middle East that are suffering the effects of violence, war and poverty.”

“In our world, marked by divisions and inequalities, the generous commitment of your Order to serve all in need offers, especially to young people, an important inspiration to overcome a globalization of indifference and build together a more just and inclusive society,” Francis said in February.

Beatification, being declared “blessed” by the Church, is the final step of recognition before a person can be declared a saint.

McGivney will become the fourth U.S.-born man to be beatified, joining Bl. Stanley Rother, Bl. James Miller, and Bl. Solanus Casey. 

While the Church has recognized three women born in the United States as saints--St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Katharine Drexel, and St. Kateri Tekawitha--there have been no  U.S.-born canonized men.

The Vatican also announced this week that the beatifications of two others, Benigna Cardoso and Fr. Giuseppe Ambrosoli, will be postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Their beatifications had previously been scheduled for October 21 and November 22, respectively. Cardoso was set to be beatified in Brazil, one of the hotspots of the virus, and Ambrosoli in Uganda, where he served as a missionary priest.

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