April 2019

Worthy Brother Knights,

April is such a powerful month for all Catholic members of the Church.   Confession,  prayer, fasting and adoration are more common this month than any other month of the year.  

Corporal Works of Mercy have a significant importance during the 40 days of Lent: - feed the hungry - give drink to the thirsty - clothe the naked - shelter the homeless - visit the sick - visit the imprisoned and bury the dead.  I believe this describes the charitable works of the Knights of Columbus.  Plans are being made to celebrate these acts of love and works of mercy through charity at our state convention.  We will be celebrating and recognizing many amazing charitable activity programs that the councils are accomplishing.  Did you send in the names of our deceased brothers this year from your council on form IN-DB2?  All deceased members that have been sent in by April 10th will be recognized in the convention booklet in our Necrology and included in our state convention Mass. 

I am again pleased to feature several "Faith in Action" activities that are building relationships with our parish Priests and Bishops:

1) Consecration to the Holy Family; Jim Recasner (state marian hour chairman) shared that Council #16305, with support of the pastor, led a rosary to the Holy Family and a consecration service after every Saturday vigil and Sunday Mass.  Half-page notices were in the parish bulletin every week for a month and pulpit announcements were made for two weeks before the consecration weekend.  Holy Family brochures and prayer cards were distributed at those Masses.  The parish bulletin had a full page “Thank You” to the Knights the following weekend.  Consecration to the Holy Family is the required family activity. (See the bulletin promo sample at right.) You can see the awesome follow-up thank you in the parish bulletin by viewing THIS pdf. 

2) R.S.V.P. program;  Below is a picture of the Knights of Columbus representing about 20 councils and assemblies, four district deputies and our state vocation chairman living in the Ft. Wayne/South Bend Diocese.   Bishop Rhoades meets with the leadership of the Knights of Columbus in his diocese once a year.  He has an opportunity to address the knights giving them spiritual direction as well as making any special requests of the knights.  The local leadership and parishioners participated in a Mass celebrated by Bishop Rhoades,  at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Ft. Wayne.  Dinner was served as a video of the Athenaeum of Ohio in Cincinnati, the seminary where five Franciscan Friars Minor are receiving their seminary education.  Several of the Friars shared their experiences at the seminary since moving there last summer.  They now live in a nearby neighborhood begging for their needs as is part of their charism while evangelizing and attending school.   Bishop Rhoades  blessed and presented a replica of the famous San Damiano Crucifix (known for meaning "rebuild my Church")  made in Italy to the leadership of each council representative.  He asked the knights when facing the cross to say the Saint Francis' prayer on perfect charity.   A printed copy was included with each cross and is pictured below.  The knights gave a total of $24,450.00 to Bishop Rhoades that evening for the continued support of the Franciscan Friars seminary education.  R.S.V.P. is a featured program and counts as two faith activities.  Bishop Rhoades will be joining us at the Supreme convention this August.

I am looking forward to seeing all of you May 4th at the state convention.

Vivat Jesus!

Mark Michuda

State Program Director

260 622-4042