Knights Of Columbus – Council 3205

Brothers,

We have dedicated the ultrasound machine @ CTOMA and they are now open and ready for the very serious business of saving babies’ lives. There are so many people we need to thank for the successful completion of this project.

First I want to thank Karen Hall for her vision, and her willingness to partner with the Knights of Columbus to make the ultrasound project a reality. When we started this project we had no idea of the obstacles that would be placed in front of us, but Karen stepped forward and asked us for our help, and we gladly obliged. Thanks also to Bobby Reynoso and the Coalition for Life for their help and assistance with this project.

I want to thank Mark and Pat Schoenemann, Emil Ogden, Russ Kellen, Dr. Barry Veazey, Dr. Tim & Lisa Fields, St. Joseph Council 11759, Cameron Council 12601, Caldwell Council 6366, and Texas A&M Council 10624 for their financial contributions to the wine & cheese fundraiser that helped raise the funds to purchase the ultrasound. Thank you to our Supreme Council for supplying the matching grant. I want to thank our State Deputy, Tony Herreth, for taking the time to come to Bryan/College Station and celebrate this achievement with us.

Thanks to Al Mazoch for bringing the liquid refreshments to this evening’s dedication. Thank you Deacon Ted for your most gracious blessing of the ultrasound machine and the room in which it resides. Thank you to all of the Knights who showed up this evening for the dedication; Darrell Lovelette, Dick Allen, Mark Schoenemann, Bob Albanese, C. J. Romero, Ray Thomas, Al Mazoch, Dr. Paul Ogden and Bobby Reynoso.

This is a great milestone in our Council’s history, and we should all be proud of what was accomplished. Years from now people will point to this project and say it’s what turned the tide in the local culture wars. God bless.

Ron Gay, FSD
Grand Knight

from the KC National website (6/9/11): http://www.kofc.org/un/en/news/releases/detail/charitable_contributions2011.html

Organization donated $154 million and 70 million service hours in 2010

The Knights of Columbus announced that it set new all-time records for charitable donations and volunteer service hours in 2010. Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson released the results of the Catholic fraternal organization’s annual survey in a presentation to its board of directors and state leaders, meeting June 8-12 at its international headquarters.

The results of the K of C’s Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity for the year ending Dec. 31, 2010 indicate that total charitable contributions reached $154,651,852—exceeding the previous year’s total by more than $3 million. The figure includes $29,083,191 donated by the Supreme Council and $125,568,661 in contributions from the organization’s state and local affiliates.

Sixty percent of the contributions were for projects at the community level, many involving youth activities. Large donations during the period included $1 million distribution for a Food for Families program and $1 million for an effort in cooperation with Project Medishare to give prosthetics to Haitian children who lost limbs during the January 2010 earthquake.

The survey also indicated that the quantity of volunteer service hours to charitable causes by Knights grew to 70,049,433—an increase of 797,507 hours compared to the 2009 total. Among the service programs receiving significant K of C volunteer hours were Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, and the Global Wheelchair Mission. There were also more than 428,000 K of C blood donations during the year.

Cumulative figures show that during the past decade, the Knights of Columbus has donated $1.406 billion to charity, and provided more than 653 million hours of volunteer service in support of charitable initiatives.

“The Knights of Columbus significantly expanded its outreach to those in need last year, and will continue to do because of the economic problems facing so many people in our communities,” said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. “Despite the fact that the economy has also created hardship for many of our own members, Knights have stepped up as never before to meet the needs of their neighbors. We have taken very seriously the fact that we are our brother’s keeper.”

The Knights of Columbus was founded by Father Michael J. McGivney, a New Haven parish priest, in 1882. It has grown into the world’s largest lay Catholic organization, with more than 1.8 million members throughout North and Central America, the Philippines, the Caribbean islands and Poland.

 

Knights of Columbus waged successful defense on East and West Coast cases

June 14, 2011 – Flag Day

(NEW HAVEN, CONN.) – The United States Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal of a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance, thus ending a seven year battle involving two separate cases, one originating in California and the other in New Hampshire. The Knights of Columbus, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, played a key role in defending the Pledge as a “defendant intervenor” in both cases.

“The Knights of Columbus is proud to have played a major role in successfully defending the constitutionality of the words ‘under God’ in the Pledge of Allegiance,” Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said. “We were instrumental in persuading Congress to add those words to the Pledge in 1954, and they express a fundamental belief that we have held as a nation since our founding, that we ‘are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights.’ The notion that this somehow violates the First Amendment has now been soundly rejected by both the First and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal, and the Supreme Court has now allowed both decisions to stand. It is a victory for common sense.”

The Ninth Circuit upheld the constitutionality of the Pledge in March 2010 and the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of the California case in March 2011. The First Circuit upheld the constitutionality of the Pledge in November 2011 and the Supreme Court denied certiorari in that case yesterday, June 13, 2011.

by GK Ron Gay:

Brothers,

We had our regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 in Zurek Hall @ St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. If you were unable to join us, we missed you, and we hope that you will be able to make our next monthly meeting on June 1, 2011.

We had a great program on the Brazos Valley Child Abduction Response Team from our own Ray Thomas.

At our meeting we learned that we have 89% of our pancake teams staffed. The last pancake breakfast on May 1 netted the Council $445.00. The proceeds from this breakfast were to be donated to the
St. Thomas Aquinas Youth going to World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain in August. The Council voted to supplement our pancake breakfast proceeds by $555.00 so that our contribution to the STAY group would total $1,000. Additionally, Brother Charlie Rae donated his $300 in expense reimbursement for the Easter Egg Hunt to the STAY group bringing our total contribution to their World Youth Day trip to $1,300.00!

We had a great Easter Egg Hunt after all the masses on Easter Sunday. Brother Charlie Rae and his wife Patti chaired this event and did an outstanding job. We had a first degree on April 27th and we welcomed two new members into our Council. We have fourteen new members for the fraternal year. We have had to suspend 24 members, most of them for failure to pay their annual dues. For 2010-2011 fraternal year we have a net loss of ten members.

The Council’s annual hamburger cook and corn roast is June 15, 2011 in the PAC @ St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Dinner and drinks will be served starting at 6 pm. Brother Al Mazoch is in charge of this event.

The Council’s budget vs actual expenses was reported, and we are having a very good year. Revenues are above budget in most categories, and expenses are under budget. We have raised more than
$15,000 for charity so far this fraternal year. The Texas State Convention will be May 13-15, 2011 in Dallas. Brothers C. J. Romero and Ron Gay will be our delegates, and Brothers Bobby Reynoso and Art Barry will be the alternates.

We reported on the slate of officers for the 2011-2012 fraternal year.

Grand Knight – Ron Gay
Deputy Grand Knight – Darrell Lovelette
Chancellor – Art Barry
Recorder – Mark Schoenemann
Treasurer – Dan King
Advocate – Ray Thomas
Warden – Al Mazoch
Inside Guard – Adam Falco
Outside Guard – Ralf Trujillo
Trustee – Bob Albanese
Trustee – Michael Hlavinka
Trustee – Russ Kellen

The Financial Secretary is an appointed position by the Supreme Knight and so he does not appear on our list of officers to be elected by the Council. Brother Tim Murphy is stepping down after ten (10) years as our Financial Secretary, and we have asked the Supreme Knight to appoint Brother Paul Marvin in his place. Brother Adrian Martinez has also asked to be relieved of his duties as Council Treasurer after ten years in that position,and Brother Dan King has been nominated to replace him.

Thank you Brothers Tim and Adrian for many years of service to our Council.

We will be presenting the 2011-2012 budget at the next meeting, June 1, 2011, and also voting on the slate of officers for the next fraternal year. I hope you can join us.

The $15,000 matching grant for our Sonogram machine at the Coalition For Life has been approved, and we should receive a check in four to six weeks.

Ron Gay, FSD
Grand Knight

On Friday, April 29th, the Central Texas Orphan Mission Alliance (CTOMA) had their ribbon cutting ceremony on their new facilities located on 4100 E. 29th Street. Our very own Grand Knight and Deputy Grand Knight, Ron Gay and Darrell Lovelette (respectfully), were there, on hand for the ceremony.

As quoted from the CTOMA website, …”Thanks to the help of the Knights of Columbus which kick started the ultrasound fundraising, the goal is in sight. So far, $15,000 has been raised for the ultrasound equipment…” There will be many volunteer opportunities at CTOMA in the coming months, including the opening of our new ultrasound center! CTOMA is raising funds at this time and will keep you up on the latest developments.

About CTOMA
CTOMA, Central Texas Orphan Mission Alliance, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was formed in 2004 to help meet the physical, medical, and spiritual needs of orphans in the U.S. and abroad. Our efforts at CTOMA are currently focused in Haiti, Uganda, Mexico, and Central America.

By Ray Thomas

Brothers,

Looking for a new Chief Counselor for the Squires Circle. I will remain on as a counselor, but need new blood for the Chief Counselor and possibly additional counselors.

My son, Joey, will no longer be a Squire as he is 18 and soon to be a Knight.

I believe it is important for the primary counselor(s) to have a son in the circle. I also am about out of new and creative ideas for the boys after 10+ years of BSA and the past few years with the Circle.

Please prayerfully consider this endeavor and contact me with any questions. The boys are getting better at running the Circle themselves, meetings are once a month, minimal paperwork for Supreme records and the Circle’s checking account.

Looking to have Chief Counselor in place by the new fraternal year that begins July 1.

Ray