Events

Representing 4th Degree Assemblies throughout Michigan and Ohio

Knights of Columbus In Service to God and Country

News & Events around the Province

Sir Knights from Michigan District 1 and the 5th Ontario District joined together to help celebrate the Ste. Anne Novena Mass on Sunday, July 23, 2023 at the Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit, celebrating French Heritage. Nine days of Masses celebrating different cultural heritages in Detroit precede the July 26th Feast of Ste. Anne and St. Joachim.

On Saturday, May 15, 2022, Knights of Columbus members from across Michigan gathered in Lansing at the Michigan State Capital building on the front lawn for the annual Living Rosary. Over 60 Sir Knights, along with Knights of Columbus State Officers, participated in the event. Michigan State Chaplain Fr. Paul Ballien helped lead the rosary, along with the rest of the state officers.

The activities took place in Canton, OH this past Sunday January 16th at St. George Romanian Byzantine Catholic Cathedral. The main celebrant was Bishop John Michael Botean whose Eparchy covers all of the US and Canada. The Honor guard was led by Paul Crowley, Commander with members of Canton's Assembly # 828, Youngstown's Assembly # 3760,

Austintown's Assembly #3055 and Columbiana's Assembly # 3145 all of which are of Ohio District One, Fr. Hennepin Province.

Two items were blessed, and a special gift presented to Bishop Botean.

The Great Chandelier was recently transferred and installed at the Cathedral. It was obtained originally by two San Salvador Council 1 members, the late Fr. Konstantin Brown and Fr, George Gage for St. Mary Romanian Church in Boardman, OH. It had been recently closed. Bishop Botean had asked the Knights to handle its transfer. The Great Chandelier as seen is composed of a lower base of angels with their wings extending upwards, support a larger ring of icons. Above them are four rings of candle lights.

Photos 1-3 detail the Chandelier and its blessing.

The second item was a new icon, commissioned on behalf of San Salvador Council # 1 and the first icon to also depict Bl Michael McGivney. It shows in its main panel the 1858 apparition at Lourdes where our Blessed Mother declares, I Am,The Immaculate Conception. She thus confirms Bl Pius IX's actions of 1854 wherein he defined the Dogma of The Immaculate Conception. Bl. Pius IX appears to the left and Bl. Michael McGivney appears on the right. Bl. Pius IX was the Pope when Bl McGivney was born and when he was ordained.

A framed print of the icon was presented afterward to Bishop Botean.

Photo 4, The icon

Photo 5, Fr. Marginean, Cathedral Rector, the icon, Bishop Botean and a member of the Honor Guard.

Photo 6, Bishop Botean

Photo 7, Fr. Marginean

Photo 8, Anointing icon with chrism sent from Romania

Photo 9, veneration of Icon held by Bishop Botean and blessings on all with relic of Blessed McGivney held by Fr. Marginean.

Photo 11, presenting gift to Bishop Botean.

Photo 12, close-up of Bishop Botean's gift. Print and framing provided by Rudenic & Associates of North Lima, OH

Photos by Norman Kutz, staff photographer for the Youngstown Diocesan paper, The Exponent.

Sir Knights from SK Leo J. Kane Assembly Ashtabula (Ohio) County assist the local Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of American Revolution Chapters placing wreaths on the graves of military veterans at Greenlawn cemetery celebrating the annual Wreaths Across America program. A total of over 600 wreaths were placed. SK Kane Assembly is an Assembly in Ohio District One

December 2, 2021 MI K of C Fourth Degree Supports Repatriation of WWII Marine Augusta, MI

A WWII Marine who fought in the Battle of the Pacific was brought home to the Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, Michigan to be interred at his final resting place on Tuesday November 30, 2021. Marine Corps Corporal Andrew Pellerito was a member of Company K, 3^rd Battalion, 2^nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force when it landed in the Tarawa Atoll in the Pacific against heavy Japanese resistance on November 20, 1943. He was killed on the first day of the battle, and his remains were considered non-recoverable. However he was recently identified through DNA testing on August 19, 2021, and returned to Michigan for a full military burial.

Accompanied by approximately 30 family members and friends, ten members of the Fourth Degree Honor Guard of the Michigan Knights of Columbus from three districts in the Father Hennepin Province were present to support the full military service, along with a dozen active duty Marines and ten members of the Ft. Custer Military Honor Guard.

The wife of District 4 Master, Marie Woodrum, was actually a blood relative of Corporal Pellerito

Members of the 4^th Degree contingent from Michigan who attended included:

District 1 – Archdiocese of Detroit: Master Mark Brezinski, SK Robert Ciavaglia, SK Gene Suchyta

District 2 – Dioceses of Lansing/Kalamazoo: Master Joseph Yekulis, FM David Buick, Sr. Marshal Bill Currie, Marshal Karl Kerchief

District 4 – Dioceses of Grand Rapids/Saginaw: Master Keith Woodrum, SK Walter Cummings, SK Antonio Rodriguez

Our Lady of Peace Parish in Ashtabula, Ohio held a Eucharistic Congress 11/5/2021, after which the procession around the church grounds was held. Bishop David Bonnar, Bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown, carried the monstrance under the canopy which was held by Sir Knights from S. K. Leo J. Kane Assembly. S. K. Kane Assembly is an Assembly in Ohio District One.

Fr. McGivney Beatification Anniversary Mass, October 31, 2021, Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, Detroit

Ste. Anne Feast Day Mass July 26, 2021


All photos were taken at the Mass of Thanksgiving at the Basilica of Ste. Anne de Detroit on September 20, 2020. Archbishop Alan Vigneron presided. These two photos are from the Detroit Catholic website, Valaurian Waller photographer (I credit these on my websites as © Valaurian Waller \| Detroit Catholic, 2020, all rights reserved:	St. John Neumann K of C Assembly 478 Supports Vets Returning Home The Knights of St. John Neumann Assembly 478 invited the residents of Vets Returning Home to attend as special guests the Assembly’s Christmas Party. Twelve veterans attended as a result. A catered dinner was served to the vets that evening. They also enjoyed free refreshments, fellowship, and a duet providing live seasonal music. A check for $500.00 was also presented to Vets Returning Home to assist the shelter with its operating expenses. The Knights had also invited the residents of Vets Returning Home to attend as special guests the Assembly’s annual picnic in August 2019. Twelve veterans attended as a result. A steak dinner was prepared and served to the vets that evening. Vets Returning Home is a homeless shelter for military veterans located in Michigan’s southeast Macomb County. Its mission is to provide the veteran with a stable, sober living environment, employment readiness training, aid with job placement, legal support, and life skills training. St. John Neumann Knights of Columbus Assembly 478 in Utica has been active over the past year in supporting not only the shelter, but also the veterans themselves as they seek to transition into society. The Assembly donates a total of $2,000.00 to Vets Returning Home throughout the year to assist the shelter with its operating expenses, as well as usable household items for the veterans’ use as they graduate to apartments of their own. ### Vets Returning Home residents gather for a picture with one of the carolers
Master William Howe presented the Supreme Council Civic Award and Star Assembly Award to Victor J. Paul Assembly. Also, SK Bernie Czarkowski was presented with the Ohio District One, as well as the Fr. Louis Hennepin Province Sir Knight of the Year Awards at the Assembly’s annual Christmas Party on December 14. Pictured above (Left to right): Lady Mary Lou, Master Howe, Lady Judy, Faithful Navigator Mike Pallotta, Lady Bev and Sir Knight Bernie Czarkowski	Mark Brezenski, Michigan District One Master and Cliff Wasmund, Hennepin Province Vice Supreme Master standing guard with the St John Vianney Relic Exposition at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.
William Howe, Master of Ohio District One presents Fourth Degree Charter to SK Anthony Pondillo, FN Our Lady of Mt.Carmel Assembly #3760, newest Assembly in Ohio District One, at a banquet on 11/24/2018. Looking on from left is Monsignor Robert Siffrin, District Friar, Ohio District One and Monsignor Michael Cariglio, Rector of the Basilica of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and Assembly Friar. Thank you.
The Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Color Corps was invited to participate in the 9-11 Patriots Day parade in Lansing, which was followed by a memorial presentation. We were honored to attend. The mangled piece of steel in front of Old Glory is from the World Trade Center. Todays weather was similar to the weather on this day in 2001. Never forget!	Victor J. Paul Assembly hosted veterans from the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center at the Akron Rubber Ducks baseball game. 120 veterans, knights and families attended. Prior to the game everyone was treated to hamburgers and hot dogs. Navy veteran Lott Mix threw out the the ceremonial first pitch. It was a beautiful night, Akron won. A good time was had by all. This event was sponsored, in part, by the donation from the Ohio Masters' Assm.

April 2018 Ohio District 2 Exemplification Class picture & Ladies program	Michigan State Convention May 25, 2018 Living Rosary Launch
	Class Honoree S.K. Robert F. Collins, Jr., Immediate Past State Deputy William F. Howe, Master

District 4 Exempt 4/18 Ladies program and Class Picture

Opening Ceremony of the Winter Special Olympics. Color Corps from 4 Assemblies within the Gaylord Diocese and the National Guard Troops from the Grayling Post participated in the opening ceremony and the posting of the Colors.

Assembly #2599 Wreaths Across America.	Ohio District 2, September 30, 2017 – A full weekend of activities in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati welcoming in 61 new Sir Knights and their Ladies. Wonderful ladies luncheon and program in the Atrium Terrace with beautiful music from local musicians on their dulcimers.

Michigan District 2, October 18, 2017 – Top picture - New Ladies of Michigan District #2. Wives of Masters of Michigan District 1, 4 and Vice Supreme Master attended to support Monica Balderson, First Lady of Michigan District #2. Between the two evening Exemps, (something new they tried) they welcomed in 82 new Sir Knights.	Michigan District 1, September 16, 2017– While the men exemplified 69 new Sir Knights, First Lady Elizabeth Hundiak planned a vintage hat style show for the Ladies Program.
Michigan District 3, October 28, 2017 – Top left – center pieces on each of the tables at the banquet. MI District #4 Master Barry Borsenick, VSM Cliff Wasmund and Former Master of MI District #2 George Walrath in attendance supporting MI District #3 Master Michael Stanchina and the 22 new Sir Knights.	Michigan District 4, November 4, 2017 – While the Masters, VSM and MI State Deputy and Secretary were busy exemplifying 26 new Sir Knights, the ladies were entertained by Robbie Waclawski, Deputy Grand Knight of Council #1297 Sacred Heart Parish (Mt. Pleasant) who spoke about the Special Olympics (top left). Top right – Joe Kaczynski was a gold medal winner at the Special Olympics World Games and spoke of his wonderful experiences with Special Olympics and his medal winnings.