Knights of Columbus

Chapter News May 2015

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 As we discussed at our April meeting, our Annual Day of Sharing was a tremendous success.  Over 400 clients and caregivers joined us at the Speech and Language Development Center in Buena Park.  PCP Steve Bolton, who has chaired this event for many years, did a great job and expressed his gratitude to all who helped.  Also, thanks to the many Councils who responded to our request for additional donations to support the Day.

The annual Knights of Columbus State Convention took place in San Diego on the weekend of May 14-17.  All resolutions that were published were passed, a motion to read and vote on walk in resolutions was defeated, and new State Officers were elected.  The State Deputy Elect for 2015-2016 is our current State Secretary, Brother Ed Huestis from Vacaville, CA.  The rest of the seated officers from this Columbian Year advanced to the next chair, and Brother George (Skip) Frates, who attended our April meeting to talk about the Fr. McGivney Guild, was elected as the new State Warden.  We congratulate the newly elected Officers and are confident that they will lead us well in the year to come.

Orange County again teamed with San Gabriel Valley and Mission High Desert Chapters for a combined Hospitality Room.  Orange County’s responsibility this year was for the food and Marshall Rudy Lopez did a fantastic job of having meals ready on time and appetizing, starting on Thursday evening.  We have to give special thanks to Brother Chris Perry and his wife Rinah, who spent their entire weekend working with Rudy to have everything ready and beautifully presented.  Many others helped, including Bernie Vitchus, Jack Cleary, Dan Lucas, Don Ehrman, and our Iron Knight, who was busy working with the State Programs Director, PCP  Steve Bolton.  Many thanks and God Bless to each of you who helped make this a success.

One more high note on the Convention.  The closing mass was celebrated by our own Bishop Vann.  He has made it a point to join the Knights each year at our Convention and is always seen meeting with us in the hospitality rooms, the hallways, and the convention chamber.  We are truly blessed to have a Spiritual Leader who is so dedicated to our Order, as the leader of the Catholic Community of Orange County.

Orange County Councils and individuals brought home a number of awards for their achievements.  I ask that all who received awards bring them to our open meeting, this Thursday, May 28.  We will display all awards and present them once more.  Families are invited to share in the honors.  No one wins an award in this order by himself.  The support of our members and families are an essential element of every success.  Pictures from the award presentations are available at: https://picasaweb.google.com/116336366817471034635/KofCStateConventionAwards?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCJLO97b6x4TuhwE&feat=directlink. Note that more pictures will become available as editing continues.

The Open Meeting is an Orange County Chapter annual event.  We will have a catered Mexican meal that will begin at 6:30 and the meeting will begin 7:30.  We are asking for a $10 donation for the meal.  In addition to the awards review, the Chapter Parade of Councils will present checks to Bishop Vann, or his representative, for the Christ Cathedral Renovation.  The Bishop will also receive our annual contribution to Catholic Charities from the drive for People with Intellectual Disabilities.  I hope to see all of you and your wives and families at St. Joachim’s this Thursday.

Orange County continues to champion Wheelchairs for Veterans.  VP and Chairman Jack Cleary expects to receive a sea container of 110 chairs in the first week of June.  These wheelchairs will be distributed throughout several Veteran support organizations.  Wheelchairs for Veterans will be a major statewide effort in the coming year.  Orange County can take pride in spearheading this program, largely thanks to the efforts of Brother Jack and his team.

The June meeting is our election meeting for Chapter Officers and Chapter Charities Directors for 2015 and 2016.  As all Grand Knights and Financial Secretaries are aware, this is also the time when Supreme and the State Council ask that submit your Form 185, list of Council Officers be sent in.  Financial Secretaries using member management will find this a simple way of satisfying the State Council and Chapter’s needs. Simply send a completed electronic copy to the State and Chapter.  At Chapter, we ask that you include the names of your 3 Council delegates to Chapter and their alternates.  These can be added to member management.  Using the member number or name, other pertinent information is filled in by the system.   For help in making this work, please contact our Chapter expert on the member management system; PCP Dr. Ronn Knowles.

For the past few years the Diocese of Orange arranged “Proud to be Catholic Night” at Angel Stadium.  This year will be a bit different.  Tickets are being sold directly by the Angels for a game against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, June 27th.  The game will start at 4:15 and will be followed by a family movie.  Fans staying for the movie are invited to come down onto the field to enjoy the film.  All tickets are $18.00.  Buy your tickets on line!  Go to http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/ana/ticketing/supergroups_catholicnight.jsp.  Follow the instructions to select your seat and print your ticket at home.

As a final note, I’d like to carry on the message that Bishop Vann gave us at the closing mass of the State Convention.  California Senate Bill 128, the Physician Assisted Suicide bill has been shelved in the State Senate Appropriations Committee by being put in the “Suspense File.”   This is a positive action against the bill, but the war is far from over.  In an email dated 5/24, Bishop Vann asks that each of us contact our State Senators again this week using the web site for Californians Against Assisted Suicide.” Let them know that we still stand in strong opposition to this bill and the entire concept.

Vivat Jesus!

Yours in service,

Jack Haney

President, Orange County Chapter

Knights of Columbus

Fr. McGivney, Pray for Us!

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