My Brother Knights and Families:

I would like to offer my heartfelt gratitude for your trust and faith in me to navigate this historic Council for the upcoming Columbian year. I am truly honored to serve as the Grand Knight and I intend to work every day to further our message of Charity. If we place Charity at the forefront of our efforts, our mission as Knight’s will take care of itself.

With this in mind I would humbly request that all of my Brother Knights who are not currently active consider coming out and attending one of our upcoming dinners. July 14th will feature one of our best menus, and Brother Matt Lucien has decided to cook one of his gourmet meals for the group. Our annual Tri-Tip dinner will be held at the end of the month and just by attending you will have contributed to our mission of Charity that we all find so worthwhile. If you are not able to attend, simply donating a raffle prize, helping to set up, or even doing something as simple as getting the word out to fellow Brother Knights will further our mission. Collectively, our Council can continue to raise and distribute thousands of dollars for worthwhile charities and all it takes is a small effort from the collective whole to do great things.

As we all continue to struggle with the many time commitments that we face on a daily basis, it is helpful to remember that the time we dedicate to the Knight’s has the simple purpose of giving to others. Our Council membership is well above 200 members, but only roughly 20% are truly active. If we could raise the number of active members in our Council by just 20 more members, another 10%, we could double our charitable output. Imagine a commitment as small as attending three of our monthly Council dinners in an entire year, volunteering to help out on one event, and attending two of our fundraisers. It does not sound like a lot of time or effort, but it will truly make a difference and reinforce the tremendous amount of good we produce for the community.

I look forward to seeing, speaking, volunteering, and working with all of you for the next twelve months. If the Knights can be of any service to yourselves, your families, or your Parish, please reach out and ask.

Bryan McKrell
Grand Knight, Council 953

Worthy Brother Knights and Knight Families:

As my final act of authoring the Grand Knight’s message for the last Council Newsletter of the Columbian year 2015-2016, I want to take a moment to thank you all for a successful year. Some of our biggest accomplishments this past year included:

• Creating the St. Steven’s Council
• Fundraising and donating funds to the Get-On-The-Bus Program
• Donating to the Christians-At-Risk
• Helping fellow Christians who are being persecuted by the violence in the Middle East
• Donating to the Ukrainian Relief Fund (helping those in Ukraine being affected by the conflict with Russia)
• Providing scholarships to the Cristo Rey High School students
• Donating to the Food Bank
• Donating supplies and items to the Bishop Gallegos Maternity House
• Continuing to support religious vocations by supporting four seminarians complete their studies

The list goes on . . .This would not have been possible, but for the dedication of all of you.

“Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers that you do unto me . . .” (Matthew 25:31-40.) “In service to one, in service to all.” (Knights of Columbus motto.) These words carry the very essence of what it means to be a Knight in our Order. Indeed, “in the Christian knight, the ideal of the warrior, as defender of the weak, joins with the ideal of Jesus Christ, who emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.” (Columbia, “Knights, The Servants of Mercy,” June 2016). We, as Knights of Columbus, strive to serve others. To defend those who cannot defend themselves. To speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. To stop suffering where there is pain, and to give love where there is hate. That is who we are. I am proud of each and every one of you, and you should all share in the success of this wonderful Order.

May God continue to bless you and your families.

Vivat Jesus!
Lewis Muñoz
Grand Knight, Council 953

Brother Knights and Knight Families:

There are approximately 2 months left in this Columbian year. Much has occurred in our Diocese this year in the area of vocations, which I wish to report to you. First, this report would not be possible without the great research performed by our Worthy Chancellor, Brother Adam Struck, who has been keeping us apprised of the status of vocations in our Diocese and facilitated payment of scholarship to 4 seminarians we are currently sponsoring this year.

As you know, many Councils, such as ours, support vocations through scholarships paid to seminarians, and our Supreme Council will match our scholarship monies. I am pleased to report that we have we have been consistent with providing approximately $2,000 in annual scholarship monies for seminarians. However, as report by our Worthy Chancellor, vocations have been on the decline for the Catholic Church in the U.S. and continues to be a challenge.

In 1975, there were 58,909 priests in the United States. According to a Georgetown University study, as of 2014 that number was 39,600 – a 33% drop. Meanwhile, America’s Catholic population rose from 54.5 million to 78.2 million during that same period – a 43% increase. Nationally, 1 in 5 parishes have no resident priest (20% of U.S. parishes), yet America’s Catholic population rises annually at a 1% rate, while seminary enrollment remains flat.

Elsewhere in the world vocations to the priesthood and religious life have dramatically increased in the last 30 years. In Africa, they increased by 394%; in Southeast Asia by 152%; in Central America by 253%. It is only in the U.S. and Western Europe that there has been a decline.

Locally, we are experiencing this decline in vocations in our parishes. Geographically, the Sacramento Diocese covers 20 counties or 42,597 square miles (all the way to the Oregon Border). Out of a population of 3,574,415 within the Diocese there are 994,767 Catholics. As of 2014, we have 102 parishes with approximately 81 Resident Diocesan Priests and 16 Resident Religious Priests. The population in the Diocese continues to grow and compounding this problem is recently the Franciscans (2 Franciscan priests) can no longer staff St. Francis of Assisi Parish after having built the church and staffing it for over 120 years. Two of its parish priests are being called back to its Provincial in Santa Barbara as that religious order is experiencing a decline in religious members. The Diocese is in the process of staffing it in the midst of this priest shortage. Another example of this vocational decline is the Bishop having to balance resources, leading to his decision to close the Sacramento Newman Center to the permanent non-student community after being active for over 40 years. It should be noted that the Newman Center closure to non-student members is part of a broader strategic plan the Bishop has to increase student membership in these Newman Campus Clubs. Thus, with the Franciscans leaving and the recent death of Fr. Patrick Lee of Presentation Parish in Carmichael, the availability of priests in the Diocese is much lower.

Nevertheless, do not despair. There are currently 27 men studying in the seminary, including 4 men who were recently accepted and will begin their studies this summer or fall. There are 5 or 6 additional men in the process of serious discernment, and the Diocese Office of Religious Vocations has experienced more inquires about vocations than in years past. According to Deacon Luigi Del Gaudio (a Diocesan Vocations Coordinator), “things are on an upswing.” Meanwhile, the average age of a Diocesan priest is 63 years old. On an odd note, we understand that the Dominican Seminary in Berkeley, California, is full.

Brothers, let’s keep vocations in our prayers and financial support. Many thanks again to Brother Adam, our Chancellor, for the great research on this report.

Vivat Jesus!
Lewis Muñoz
Grand Knight, Council 953

Dear Brother Knights and Families:

As we continue our journey through this Lenten season, we remember the life and times of St. Patrick of Ireland. St. Patrick was born in approximately 387 in Roman Britain (Britannia). His father was a Roman government official and a deacon in the early Church (by the year 313, Christianity had been recognized by the Roman government.) However, by his own account young Patrick was not active in his faith nor an active believer. At age 16 he was captured by Irish pirates and enslaved and performed laborious activities for them. According to his memoir, The Confession (written around 450), the time he spent in captivity was critical to his spiritual development. He explained that the Lord had mercy on his youth and ignorance, and afforded him the opportunity to be forgiven of his sins and converted to Christianity. While in captivity, St. Patrick worked as a shepherd and strengthened his relationship with God through prayer eventually leading him to convert to Christianity. After a harrowing experience, he made his escape and returned home. He continued his studies in Christianity in Europe and in approximately 431, Pope St. Celestine I consecrated St. Patrick Bishop of the Irish, and sent him to Ireland to spread the gospel to nonbelievers while also providing support to the small community of Christians already living there. St. Patrick was credited with ordaining priests to lead the new Christian communities, convert wealthy women, some of whom became nuns in the face of their families’ opposition. He also dealt with and converted the sons of kings. St. Patrick died on March 17, 461 (the date on which we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day). Apparently, in Christianity’s early years, canonizations were done on the diocesan level. Thus, as was a practice, soon after the death of one considered very holy, the local Church affirmed that they could be liturgically celebrated as saints. As a result, St. Patrick was never formally canonized by a Pope. Despite this canonic technicality, various churches have declared him a saint in heaven and is still venerated in Ireland and elsewhere around the globe.

What we learn from St. Patrick is that in the face of terrible adversity and leading a life of sin, there is redemption. It starts with accepting Christ in our own life by turning away from sin. During this Lenten season we are encouraged and inspired by St. Patrick’s story.

On another interesting and most ironic historical note, Emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero (14 AD – 37 AD), who was the sitting emperor during the time of Christ’s crucifixion, died on approximately March 16, 37 (one calendar day before the death of St. Patrick 424 years later). Tiberius’s death occurred during a season that would later become known as Lent. It is no secret that the lives of many Roman Emperors were plagued with scandal, corruption, and turmoil. It has been rumored through scholarly debate that Tiberius was murdered by being smothered to death on orders from Caligula (the only surviving heir to the emperor’s throne.)

By contrast, we celebrate the inspiring life of St. Patrick who leaves us with a lasting positive mark on humanity. Come and celebrate St. Patrick’s day with us at Newman Center, on March 12, 2016. See our Council’s calendar for more details.

Vivat Jesus!
Lewis Muñoz
Grand Knight, Council 953

Worthy Brother Knights and Families:

February marks the kick-off to the Lenten Season as we continue our Works of Mercy during this Columbian year. In this manner, one may ask are Lenten sacrifices kindred to Works of Mercy?

Lent is the penitential season in our Catholic faith marked by prayer, fasting and abstinence, and almsgiving. (www.catholicisim.about.com) Mercy, is said to be a virtue influencing one’s will to have compassion for, and, if possible, to alleviate another’s misfortune. It is the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas that although mercy is as it were the spontaneous product of charity, yet it is to be reckoned a special virtue adequately distinguishable from this latter. In fact the Scholastics in cataloguing it consider it to be referable to the quality of justice mainly because, like justice, it controls relations between distinct persons. (www.newadvent.org; Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.)

The Holy Father indicated in his Lenten Message for 2016 (Papal Lenten Message 2016), that Lent and Mercy indeed go hand-in-hand: “In the Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, I asked that ‘the season of Lent in this Jubilee Year be lived more intensity as a privileged moment to celebrate and experienced God’s mercy.” (Ibid.) Pope Francis goes on to conclude that “For all of us, then the season of Lent in this Jubilee Year is a favorable time to overcome our existential alienation by listening to God’s word and by practicing the works of mercy.” (Ibid.)

A great example of Works of Mercy during this Lenten Season is the work of Fr. Gregory Boyle, S.J. Fr. Boyle started an organization named “Homeboy Industries,” a place were former gang members can reinvent themselves, learn life skills, honest work, and know God’s love and mercy that they never knew before. Fr. Boyle’s story is extremely inspiring and I highly recommend his book “Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion.” The stories are heart wrenching and thought provoking. What I find most inspirational about Fr. Boyle is that he is a well-educated man who could have done anything with this life, but found his calling to administer to our youth. You can visit the website at www.homeboyindustries.org.

We have more dinners slated for the remainder of our Columbian year that will benefit many of our charities (e.g., Cristo Rey High School, Bishop Gallegos Maternity Home, Sacramento Life Center, Loaves & Fishes, Clara’s House, to name a few). I encourage you all to promote and attend our dinners, volunteer at our events, and make this a very spiritual rewarding Lenten Season.

Lewis Muñoz
Grand Knight, Council 953