2019 International Program Awards

FAITH PROGRAMS

Our Lady of Fatima Council 10953
Iloilo, Visayas, Philippines
Evangelizing the Residents of Nasidman Island

Nasidman in Visayas was losing its Roman Catholic identity. With no Catholic Church building on the island and religious sects beginning to grow in popularity, Our Lady of Fatima Council 10953 saw the need to evangelize the community. The members of the council organized into a team with the mission to promote the Catholic faith and help the parish priest with any work he needed done. In less than a year, Catholicism has once again blossomed on Nasidman with Council 10953 leading the community in the construction of a new Catholic chapel and holding popular devotions including praying the rosary. Residents also began bringing their children to be baptized as part of sacramental events organized by the Knights.

FAMILY PROGRAMS

Father Frank Colacicco Council 4060
Danville, California
Camp Suzanne – Prison Ministry Program

This year, Father Frank Colacicco Council 4060 resolved to better the lives of their brothers and sisters serving time in prison. Partnering with a Catholic non-profit group working to improve the lives of those who are in prison, Council 4060 acted as chaperones for children from California, Utah, and surrounding states as they visited their mothers currently incarcerated in the facility in Dublin, Calif. The program help the children maintain contact with their mothers through this program subsequently led to an improve in the children’s school work and alleviated other issues including anxiety and shame over separation.

St. Bonaventure Council 7432
Calgary, Alberta
Consecration to the Holy Family

During the 2018 Christmas season, St. Bonaventure Council 7432 in Calgary, Alberta, gathered 2,000 fellow parishioners together to invoke the protection and intercession of the Holy Family. The council accomplished this through a robust communications campaign that used social media, email, posters, and bulletin announcements to prepare the congregation for this prayer invoking the protection and intercession of the perfect son Jesus, perfect mother Mary, and Joseph – model for all fathers.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Holy Family Council 10992
Sparta, Michigan
Best Prom Ever

In 2007, Knights from Holy Family Council 10992 began sponsoring a small event welcoming local high school students with special needs to their own “prom.” The first event hosted 12 students and continued to grow much larger in the years to come. The prom is now held twice a year at Sparta High School and all students with special needs can attend at no charge. The bi-annual event now attracts 1,600 guests with special needs from all across Michigan. As many as 200 volunteers, most of whom are members of Council 10992, assist with the months of planning, preparation and execution for each event, including: volunteering for check-in, buffet service, developing themes and decorating, event security and clean-up, waiting tables, and serving as trained medical staff. The council also ensures that every attendee receives the full prom treatment: contracting a limousine service to offer free rides and working with local hair and makeup stylists and formal-wear vendors to provide free services.

LIFE PROGRAMS

St. John the Baptist Council 10305
Fort Calhoun, Nebraska
Rebuilding the Cradle of Christianity

As Knights and disciples of Christ, we are committed to defending the lives of all people. Following the announcement of the Christians at Risk campaign at the 135th Supreme Convention, St. John the Baptist Council 10305 set a goal of raising $10,000 donations, equal to five home placements in Karamles, Iraq. The council quickly raised $8,000 following two fundraisers and $4,000 in donations from two Knights. The council then worked to create fundraising events over two days. A private reception was held, to which 40 donors and sponsors were invited to meet Bishop Yousif Benham Habash of Syria and Gabriel Jabbour, a Syrian Catholic and former prisoner who, prior to his escape, was sentenced to die at the hands of the ISIS.

Other guests included Archbishop George Lucas, U.S. Representative Don Bacon, and the Nebraska State Officers. The event raised $7,000. On the following day, a Mass in the Syrian Rite was celebrated at St. Cecilia’s Cathedral. That evening, the council held a dinner and auction at the St. Robert Bellarmine Parish Mainelle Center. Donations poured in that evening and continued for the next few months while through the donation website. In the end, the council donated a total sum in the amount of $163,000 towards the Supreme Council’s response efforts.

PAST STATE DEPUTY RECOGNITION

State deputies work year-round to promote the principles of the Order: charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. After their term of service, they remain a valuable source of encouragement, wisdom and leadership for their successors and the Order as a whole. The Board of Directors annually recognizes the dedication and accomplishments of immediate past state deputies. The 35 past state deputies honored this year for their service are:

Alaska, Ronald Jones
Alberta, Ronald Schuster
British Columbia, Koon Ming Lau
California, Joseph Salaiz
Colorado, John Doherty
Connecticut, Steven Bacon
Delaware, Robert Rossi
District of Columbia, Otto Heck
Florida, Donald Kahrer Jr.
Georgia, Mark Corrigan Sr.
Illinois, Theodore Stites Jr.
Iowa, Antonio Bañuelos
Luzon North, Jose Reyes Jr.
Luzon South, Ramoncito Ocampo
Mexico South, Alejandro Pizá Cabriales
Mexico West, Lorenzo Cervantes Barajas
Nebraska, Louis Gasper Jr.
Nevada, Thomas Thorn
New Brunswick, Charles Lirette
New Hampshire, Glenn Camley
New Jersey, Robert Hatler
New York, Kenneth Latham Jr.
Newfoundland & Labrador, Brian Hurley
North Carolina, John Nussbaum
Ohio, Kevin Miller
Oklahoma, John Pierce
Ontario, Daniel Heffernan
Oregon, Francis Mohr
South Carolina, Edward Griffin Jr.
Tennessee, Tracy Staller
Virginia, Edward Polich
Visayas, Anthony Nazario
Washington, Robert Baemmert
West Virginia, Scott Nale
Wyoming, James Venjohn