Summer 2018 The official newsletter of the BC & Yukon State Council Canadian Martyrs Ultrasound Initiative
The State Deputy speaks... FAITH IN ACTION Koon Ming Lau, State Deputy BC&Yukon State Dear brother Knights:Hot! It is a hot Summer. Normally, the high temperature only lasts one or two days in Vancouver. It is a bit different this year. It is lasting longer than usual.4 You may feel a bit blessed to live in beautiful British Columbia. Our hot summer is relatively cool comparing other places. Palm Springs reached 49C and Britain touched 38.5 C. May you and your family enjoy this beautiful place that God give us. Last Fraternal year, we had a fast start in growing our jurisdiction. We led the jurisdictions in the US and Canada from the beginning of the Fraternal year until April. In May & June, the momentum was on the brake. The growth was exceptionally slow and we were overtaken by a few jurisdictions. The normal strong finish trend was turned around. With the strong State team, the agency and a few dedicated Councils, the Brother Knights worked very hard to help the jurisdiction in reaching the goals. The Circle of Honour was finally granted. After learning from the last Fraternal year, we know the QUICK START is very important at the beginning of the Fraternal year. We need to build up the momentum in welcoming eligible men to our Order. Every Council should continue to be active in the Summer time. Summer is definitely a good time to have a vacation. It is also a good time to hold family activities and get all the knights families and parish families together. Each Council Fraternal leader has the primary responsibility to keep the Council in good shape by growing the Council. Every membership event and program throughout the fraternal year are key parts of your plan for growth. In the last Fraternal year, we experienced the highest number of the deceased members in the past decade. It alarms us that our jurisdiction needs to welcome more young adults and the head of young families to our Order. Supreme Introduced a completely new program this year, Faith In Action. It replaces the Surge With Service, which
Contd... was used in the last 5 decades. This new program model is a renewed personal invitation to live out the calling of their faith, the call to service of their neighbour and it extends the invitation to Knights of Columbus members and their families. The Faith in Action model allows us to come together to share our faith, celebrate fraternity with our families, and do what we do best. We can stand shoulder to shoulder in service to our community and to defend life at all stages and in every condition. Safe Environment Program is to protect the children and is the obligation for each Grand Knight, Program Director, the Community Director and the Family Director to take the online training. The Community Director and the Family Director have chances to be in touch with the youth and family in the programs, so they are required to do the background check. Please make sure the form 365 submitted to Supreme with these positions are filled. You have 45 days to complete the course after receiving the invitation of the training from the Supreme Council. The online training is good for two years. Please keep your Council compliant, so Knights of Columbus can minimize the liability. The online membership and the new program model will help the Councils to recruit younger members, strengthen the parish and develop our spiritual life. It is the time to strengthen our Councils in membership and programs. Supreme set a goal for each Council, each District and State. Over 16,000 Councils and 75 jurisdictions, Supreme can only use the goal settings as the index of success. This year, the State goal is higher than the previous year. I need the help from every Knight, every Council and District. Otherwise, our goal can never be met. The strong Councils will lead to the success of the District, thus the success of our jurisdiction. The State Council needs every Brother Knight to be a team player. Let s be the best team in our Order. Let s help the jurisdiction to have a fast start by bringing at least one member to each Council before the end of August. May God bless the new program helping the knights and their families in developing the faith, continue to serve the parish, communities, youth, senior, needy, and every Council have a successful Fraternal year. Vivat Jesus! Koon Ming Lau, State Deputy
The Most Reverend Bishop speaks... FAITH INACTION These elements of our mission as Knights are needed more than ever... Dear Brother Knights:- are needed more than ever in modern culture where social media is used by special interests in the attempt to redefine the meaning of life, marriage and family. Stephen Jensen, Office of the Bishop Diocese of Prince George A few months ago, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson introduced Faith in Action, a new model for all Knights of Columbus Supreme Councilrecommended programs. It replaces Surge with Service, which proposed initiatives in the Order for nearly five decades. Faith in Action focuses on faith-filled family programs that support Catholic men in their mission to live their faith and build their families as domestic churches. It also aims to promote service to the community, reflecting the central role of Charity in the lives of Knights, and to provide practical ways we can serve in the defense of human life, which is increasingly under threat. These elements of our mission as Knights The categories of Faith in Action are Faith, Family, Community and Life. Under each title are grouped concrete initiatives that every council can adopt for its members formation in faith and service to parish and community. Catholic Information Service (CIS) provides excellent resources to support each initiative. I hope every council will take the time to familiarize its members with Faith in Action, an investment in time that will pay abundant dividends as we use the resources sponsored by the Supreme Council to grow as Knights of Columbus. + Stephen Jensen, State Chaplain, BC and Yukon
The State Secretary reports... Dear brother Knights of the BC and Yukon Jurisdiction, Our summer has come and now is almost over. How time flies. I sincerely hope everyone is having a great year. who travelled great distances to attend this event and make it a success. We had teams from Greater Vancouver, Chilliwack, Kelowna, Vernon and from the home town of Kamloops. Thank you again. This year we had a lit bit a different spin on the teams. We highly encourage wives and friends to attend, and I feel that was a great addition. Dale Hofer, State Secretary BC&Yukon State I want to thank all councils and assemblies for submitting their 20A and 20B forms to me for the State Directory update. This will make life so much easier for all of us on the State Board to be able to reach you if needed, as well as for you if you need to contact a council or assembly in our jurisdiction. This is also a good to time to make sure you have submitted your Form 185 and 365 forms to our Executive Assistant, brother Christopher Chen if you haven t already. You can also start to get your Safe Environment programs in order so that there is not a last-minute rush in June. By now you would have heard that our jurisdiction has achieve Circle of Honour status. This is a great honour for me to be part of this great jurisdiction, with families like you. Let s put our best efforts forward to repeat or do better than last year. You all know we can do it. From August 6-9, I along with the other delegates from out jurisdiction will be representing you at our Supreme Convention in Baltimore. I will do my very best to represent our jurisdiction. Please keep me and all the other delegates in your prayers during this time. As always, thank you very much for your ongoing support and prayers. God Bless, Live, Laugh and be Happy, all while doing God s work. Vivat Jesus, Dale Hofer, State Secretary The State golf tournament took place on July 21st. What a hoot! We ended up with 15 teams that appeared to have a great time. The staff at The Dunes golf club in Kamloops went out of their way to accommodate us and did a fantastic job. Thank you all those
The Membership Director speaks... INCENTIVES TO SUCCEED! We can do better brothers! RECRUITER Dan O Hara Membership Director BC&Yukon State AWARDS TOTAL PRIZES BC/YUKON FRESH START INCENTIVES First Quarter July Aug Sep $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $50.00 $100.00 $300.00 $100.00 $300.00 $100.00 $300.00 5 5 5 COUNCIL AWARD FIRST 3 TO ACHIEVE MEMBERSHIP TARGET DD AWARDS FIRST 3 TO RECRUIT 3 NEW MEMBERS FIRST 3 TO REACTIVATE OR START A NEW COUNCIL FIRST 3 TO PARTICIPATE IN FOUR CHURCH DRIVES 3 X 100.00 3 X 50.00 3 X 100.00 3 X 100.00
The State Warden speaks... FAITH IN ACTION Herb Yang, State Warden & Program Director BC&Yukon State Brother Knights, we had a wonderful time at the State Golf Tournament in Kamloops which was held on Saturday, July 21. It was great to meet our brothers from the Interior and some from the Lower Mainland. I was surprised our team came in 1st Runner-Up. We had our DD Organizational Meeting on July 6 & 7. We presented the Faith in Action program to the District Deputies. Faith in Action replaces the Surge with Service program which has been used for over twenty years. This program is a continuation of the Building the Domestic Church program that Supreme introduced a few years ago. I am excited about Faith in Action as it allows us to focus on what our Holy Father Pope Francis is asking us to do which Evangelize. We need to share our faith and offer programs that allows us to exercise our faith. Faith in Action will allow us to do that. We have reduced the number of categories to four instead of six. The categories are Faith, Family, Community and Life. The number of activities a council need to do to meet the Columbian Award criteria has been reduced from 24 to 16. All the materials are available from the Supreme website. Please contact your District Deputy, our State Directors or me if you have any questions. On August 25-26, 7 Brother Knights including myself will be riding from Cloverdale to Hope for the Ride to Conquer Cancer. Money raised will benefit Cancer Research. I have done this ride 3 times, but this is the first time that we have a Knights of Columbus team. If you would like to donate to our team, please check out our Team Website: http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/tr/ride/ Vancouver2018? team_id=80694&pg=team&fr_id=1662 I am looking forward to an exciting and successful fraternal year. Feel free to email or call me if you have any questions. Vivat Jesus!
The State Life Director reports... FAITH IN ACTION Edgar Ursua State Life Director BC&Yukon State Dear Brother Knights, Starting this fraternal year, with the new Faith in Action program model which replaced the Surge with Service, I was reappointed with the task in the LIFE category, which is a defense of human life in all its stages and in all conditions. The eight (8) programs under the Life category are : Marches for Life(Featured); Special Olympics(Featured); Ultrasound Program(Featured); Christian Refugee Relief; Silver Rose; Mass for People with Special Needs (New); Pregnancy Center Support (New); and Novena for Life (New and Required Program ). For guidance/information to the new Faith in Action program, please go to the website: kofc.org/faithinaction. The key to conducting the programs is to appoint an individual Program Director in each of the four (4) program categories: Faith, Family, Community, and Life Director. These appointments are reflected in the #365 Form (Service Program Personnel Report). It is also paramount to consult the Pastor for his permission and recommendations in conducting any of these faith-filled family programs. For a successful program to happen, the parishioners are also invited. And the event is publicised in the parish through pulpit announcement, parish bulletin, council newsletter, and posters. Conducting four (4) programs in each program category are necessary to earn the Columbian Award, including the Required Program, designed to enrich spiritual life of the council, family and community. That would be 16 programs to conduct in total, instead of 24 that were required in the previous Surge with Service program model. In the Life Program category, the required program is Novena for Life. Marches for Life, a featured program which counts for two credits toward the Columbian
Contd... award, is set to go on its 12th Annual March for Life in Victoria on May 9, 2019. Note that there are other Marches for Life occurring on the same date in other provinces of Canada, including the National March for life in Ottawa. To qualify for the two credits, councils must organize at least 50 participants. That is very doable. The March for Life committee will be providing posters and bus transportation, at a low cost ($10 one way for a senior), to selected parishes in the Lower Mainland. When March for Life comes closer to the date, please check the website www.m4lvictoria.ca. Special Olympics, a featured program that promotes the dignity of people with physical and intellectual disabilities by participating in Special Olympics. For a guide to participate or partner with your local Special Olympics, use this link: www.specialolympics.bc.ca.council s donation of at least $2000 or 200 volunteer hours counts for two credits toward the Columbian Award. Ultrasound Program, a featured program that helps women facing tremendous pressure of unwanted pregnancy and at risk of having an abortion. An ultrasound imaging, allows women to see the growing, unborn baby in their womb and help them decide to keep and carry their baby to terms. Councils are encouraged to raise funds for the Ultrasound machine. A matching grant of 50% of its cost is provided by the Supreme Council s Culture of Life Fund. As the machine is costly, it is funded jointly by the state and local councils. The single ultrasound machine we have is located at Live Well Clinic in Vernon. To date, I am pleased to inform that there were councils and an Assembly that made their donations to Live Well Clinic, via The Knights of Columbus (BC) Charity Foundation. The most recent one is a $3,000.00 donation from Council 11916, Grand knight Eddy Ho, in District 23. Novena for Life, is a required program that must be done to qualify for the Columbian Award, is a call to pray nine consecutive days, a sustained prayer with intentions primarily to protect human life in all its stages and in every condition. Councils will promote a novena to build up a culture of life in their parishes, homes, and wider community. To explore resources visit www.kofc.org/novena. Christian Refugee Relief In the face of humanitarian crisis, the Knights of Columbus has launched The Knights of Columbus Christian Refugee Relief Fund, in August, 2014, to help
Contd... those suffering persecution in Syria, Iraq, and surrounding region. To date, the Knights have committed almost $19 million to Christians and other minorities in the region. As we are called to help, I urge councils, through the District Deputies, to raise awareness and do fundraisers, like the distribution of the 5-inch Olive wood Solitary Crosses ($10 each), for the persecuted Christians in the Middle East. Donations can be sent to the Christian Refugee Relief Fund, alternatively to www.christiansatrisk.org for Our Lady of Guadalupe, unity among brother Knights in Canada, United States and Mexico, and dedication to the sanctity of human life. There are Prayer Service Booklets (#4841 One Life, One Rose) that accompanies the Icon, along with a Log Book. More information for the Silver Rose can also be accessed at www.kofc.org/silverrose. Praying the Holy Rosary, select in advance five leaders of the decades: Grand Knight, parish organizations leader. Confirm transfer of the Icon from your area to the next community or council. Pregnancy Center Support Knowing there is a special place to go for women facing unwanted pregnancy and at risk of having abortion, where they can get help and support, would change their heart and mind about abortion. In fact, there are more than 3,000 pro-life pregnancy care centers now that operate in jurisdictions throughout the Order. Councils can adopt a pregnancy center and provide material, financial, labor, and spiritual support throughout the year. To raise funds and materials for the center, the Baby Bottle Campaign and the Pro-Life Baby Shower can still be conducted as they are fairly easy to do and very effective. Silver Rose The Silver Rose program is a reflection of the Order s love, devotion and honor Mass for People with Special Needs The Knights are called to sponsor a distinct Mass annually, for people with special needs, who may not be comfortable participating in a regularly scheduled Mass. Celebrating a Mass for them, sends a message that all of God s children are welcome under the parish roof and that every person is an integral part of the parish family. Invite people with special needs to attend / RSVP. Pray for Life personally and with your family.and may you all have a blessed and joyful summer. Vivat Jesus! Edgar C. Ursua State Life Director
CULTURE OF LIFE INITIATIVE Canadian Martyrs Council in Richmond organizes Ultrasound Initiative Fundraiser through Ladies Night From Council 11916 at the Canadian Martyrs Catholic Church, the Ladies Appreciation Night was derived to celebrate the Mother's Day in the month of Mother Mary. Since it's women related, they majorly targeted to raise fund for a Pro Life project. The Ultrasound Initiative was chosen, a program run by the Knights of Columbus which has benefited many young mothers to forfeit their wish to abort their babies. Apart from the dinner, dance and karaoke fun night, they made a bulk of brooch gift packs, distributed to people to express their good course and as a means of evangelizing. It was a full house on the event night. The team from Canadian Martyrs that put together a fabulous feast for the ladies of the parish whilst raising funds for the Ultrasound initiative. They raised $3000 for the Ultrasound Initiative. The project was a perfect demonstration of the principles of Charity, Unity and Fraternity amongst brothers with a spirit of bringing glory to God.
DEGREE EVENTS Degrees are the lifeblood of our Order. Here s a sampling of brothers who had degrees... To have your council degree featured, please send me a picture with a short write up about the event. It is quite disappointing that in the early summer these few councils were all the submissions I had! ( M. LEO SWEENEY COUNCIL 8319 DISTRICT 26 EXEMPLIFIED 5 ADMISSION DEGREE NEWLY BROTHER KNIGHTS ON APRIL 18/18 AT ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH. CONGRATULATIONS TO BROTHERS DOMINIC LEE, MORGAN HALL, JOHN TINHLA, MICHAEL YAPTINCHAY AND DANIEL JONES. CEREMONIAL EVENT WAS ATTENDED BY GRAND KNIGHT BRO. ROY PIMENTEL, FIELD AGENT BRO. JOHNNY YAP, DISTRICT DEPUTY BRO. ROBERT TAN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.) Our Lady of the Valley Council had an admission degree
INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS Summer is really the best time to install the Executive... This way, when September rolls around, the council Executive would be hitting the ground running with their events ready to go! The State Council leads by example. State officers with the full slate of DD S & Directors Worthy State Deputy Ming Fr. Don opening prayer State Exec, new DD s and the ladies
INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS Summer is really the best time to install the Executive... The only council to send me pictures and a write up was Canadian Martyrs...
THE HONOUR GUARD
THE HONOUR GUARD
ANNUAL MARIAN PILGRIMAGE-MISSION, BC - AUGUST 18-2018 The Annual Marian Pilgrimage is upon us! Just a few weeks ago, thousands of pilgrims flocked to the little town of Mission to take part in this Annual Pilgrimage in Honour of Our Blessed Mother. Literally thousands of pilgrims attend this event. The statue of Our Lady is escorted up... Up the hill... Knights from various councils gathered to help..
ANNUAL MARCH FOR LIFE - MAY 2018 It was a cold and rainy day... But that did not dampen the spirits of the capacity crowd that had gathered for the Annual March for Life in Victoria. It was literally pouring! Fr. Au of Canadian Martyrs all the way from Richmond.
COMMUNITY WATCH Knights are constantly doing good in the worlds of those around them... Has your council raised funds or done something to help the greater community around your local area? This is the place to showcase it. May 11, 2018. Bro. John Robbins(l) FS Bishop Coudert Council 6232 Whitehorse, YT presents a $2,000 cheque to Tristan Newsome(r) Executive Director Whitehorse Food Bank. The Food Bank was one of the Yukon beneficiaries of the recent Council 6232 Charity Raffle.
COUNCIL WATCH When Knights are recognized for their good work... All over BC/YUKON, thee are brother Knights and councils working tirelessly to achieve their goals. The presenting of awards and other accolades is a just and worthy endeavour as it recognizes their effort. Congratulations! Saluting long years of service (43 years!) to Knighthood! Holy Name of Jesus Council 8712 in District 26 was awarded the Columbian Award 2016-2017. The Award was handed to Bro. Paul Fang, Grand Knight by District Deputy Bro. Robert Tan, in the presence of Rev. Father Lawrence Holland.
Late Breaking News... NEW SUPREME BOARD DIRECTOR Congratulation Worthy Immediate Past State Deputy brother Arcie Lim! Please join me to congratulate our third Supreme Director in our jurisdiction: Brother Arcie Lim, our Immediate Past State Deputy. Brother Arcie was elected during the Supreme Convention today. This is a big day and a glorious moment for our jurisdiction and I am very proud of Brother Arcie. With his dedication to the parish, community and our jurisdiction, he deserves to be elected as a Supreme Director of our Order. State Deputy Ming with new Supreme Director Arcie and Supreme Knight Carl Anderson.
The entire board of directors of the Knights of Columbus Circle of Honour for BC & Yukon jurisdiction
WHEELCHAIR DISTRIBUTION ILOILO, VISAYAS, PHILIPPINES - MAY 10,2018