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April 28 message
To date, over 68,000 donors, including the St Patrick council, have donated over $23 million to the Knights of Columbus Ukraine Solidarity Fund. 100% of donated funds are used to ease the suffering of the people of Ukraine from the ravages of the Russian invasion. This generosity has resulted in over 7.7 million pounds of goods and supplies sent and over 251,000 care packages delivered helping over 1.6 million people in the two years since the start of the Russian invasion. More than 100 religious buildings have been damaged or destroyed as Russia attempts to erase the Ukrainian culture. With support from the Knights, experts are now creating 3-D scans of religious and cultural institutions in Ukraine to preserve these treasures so they can be restored should they be targeted. Visit https://www.kofc.org/secure/en/donate/ukraine.html to see how you can help in our effort to support the people of Ukraine.
April 21 message
We cordially invite all members of the Saint Patrick Council to join us at 7 PM on Tuesday, April 23rd in Slattery Hall for our business meeting where we will ask for volunteers for upcoming events (June 26 to 29 Rummage Sale, August 11 Parish Picnic, and September 8 Golf Outing). We will also present the slate of officers for the next Fraternal Year. There are vacancies so, those who have been exemplified in the 3rd degree are encouraged to volunteer. We will present the budget for the next Fraternal year so members can determine how to spend funds for operating the Council and for donating to deserving charities. Your voice and talents are needed to guide and propel our Council.
April 14 message
In his 2015 "Laudato Si" encyclical, Pope Francis implores us to commit to the care of our common home, our mother Earth. Conspicuous consumption and our throwaway culture quickly turn things to rubbish. Non- native, invasive plants threaten the biodiversity of our biome. Although our Adopt-A-Highway activity on April 20th has the requisite volunteers to remove the litter accumulated along Wadsworth Road, we welcome volunteers of all ages and abilities to help us remove invasive woody plants and forbs from the Saint Patrick campus from 9 AM to noon on April 20th. Volunteers must bring their own PPE and tools and sustainable means of hydration as we work to improve the biodiversity of our surrounding woodlands.
April 7 message
The Saint Patrick Council and Saint Brigid Creation Care ministry will host a habitat restoration workday and Adopt- A- Highway event from 9 AM to noon on Saturday, April 20th. We will remove invasive woody plants (Asian bush honeysuckle and buckthorn) and forbs (multi- flora rose and garlic mustard) from the Saint Patrick campus. Volunteers must bring their own cutting tools and personal protective equipment and sign a waiver to participate. Parents must sign for minors. Volunteers will aid participants with plant identification (perhaps even some wildflowers). We are also looking for volunteers to pick up litter in the woodlands around the campus. Many hands are needed for the care of our common home and God's creation.
March 31 message
We wish you great joy as we celebrate the risen Christ this Easter. Thank you to our Knights and friends who picked up the hams for the food baskets given to families of our community who are experiencing food insecurity. There will be additional opportunities to serve our community by helping to pick up litter along Wadsworth Road for Adopt- A- Highway or cutting down invasive woody plants on the Saint Patrick campus on Saturday morning, April 20th. Showing our faith to others is an effective way to draw others to Christ. Vivat Jesus!
March 17 message
Patrick and Mary (Lynch) McGivney came to America from County Cavan, Ireland during the great wave of Irish immigration in the 19th century. They settled in Waterbury, Connecticut and had thirteen children of whom seven survived childhood. Their oldest son, Michael, started study for the priesthood at 16 and, while serving as pastor to working- class Irish at St Mary's in New Haven, founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882. Many of the 24 key members of that first council were Irish- born Civil War veterans. The Saint Patrick Council of the Knights of Columbus wish all of Saint Brigid Parish a "happy Saint Patrick's Day."
March 3 message
The Saint Patrick Council will conduct the exemplification of Charity, Unity, and Fraternity immediately following the 6 PM Mass in the Main Church on Saturday, March 9th. All men of age 18 and older are invited to join our Order and aid us in our mission to serve our families, youth, parish, and communities. Families are invited to witness the initiation ritual to the Knights. Founded in 1882 by Blessed Fr. Michael J. McGivney at St. Mary Catholic Church in New Haven, CT, the Knights of Columbus now number over 2 million men in over 16,000 active councils in North America, Europe, and Asia. The councils at Saint Patrick and Our Lady of Humility are looking for (more than) a few good men.
February 18 message
Saint Joseph was chosen by God to protect, defend, and raise the most precious of gifts to humanity, Jesus Christ. Flowing from the Year of Saint Joseph declared by Pope Francis, the Knights of Columbus are now circulating the icon of Saint Joseph, prayerfully painted by Elizabeth Bergeron and blessed by our Pope, for use by Councils for devotional prayer services in the Order's Pilgrim Icon Program. Founded in 1979, this program has inspired more than 179,000 local council and parish prayer services with over 22 million participants featuring images of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and others. The icon of Saint Joseph will be placed in the main church on February 24-25. It will move to the Historic Church on Wednesday, February 28 for a prayer service starting at 5 PM with Eucharistic Adoration. May we grow in our imitation of Saint Joseph's strength, integrity, and fidelity.
February 4 message
Next weekend will be your last chance to purchase tickets for the Saint Brigid Fish Fry on February 16th. Knights will be in the narthex at Saint Patrick after all weekend Masses to give you the opportunity to purchase dinner and raffle tickets. Next Saturday morning, February 10th, the Saint Patrick Council and Creation Care ministry and helpers will continue our mission to remove invasive, woody plants from the forest understory of the Saint Patrick campus. Removal of these plants provides sunlight for native plants to flourish and leaves room for wildlife to roam. According to the Morton Arboretum 2020 tree census, invasive European buckthorn now accounts for 52% of the trees in Lake County, the worst in the seven county region. We will do our utmost to help the DNR achieve its goal to reduce it by 50% countywide.
January 21 message
Our annual Lenten Fish Fry on Friday, February 16th, is quickly approaching. We will soon sell tickets in the narthex after all weekend Masses and will need volunteers to sell tickets. For the event itself, we will need many volunteers to set up, check in diners and sell tickets, cook, serve, staff the dessert table, and clean up. All Knights are requested to bring a dessert to donate to the dessert tables. We will make a final plea for volunteers at our Council meeting at 7 PM in Slattery Hall this Tuesday, January 23.
January 14 message
All Council members are encouraged to attend our next Council meeting at 7 PM in Slattery Hall on Tuesday, January 23. This will be our last opportunity to plead for volunteers to sell tickets for and serve at our annual Fish Fry which will be in the Boehm Center on February 16th. All meetings start and end with prayer and are followed by fellowship. The fellowship also provides opportunities to network as we plan events for the next several months and seek ideas for collaboration with neighboring councils
January 7 message
Lent will be upon us in less than six weeks. To aid with your abstinence from meat, the Saint Patrick Council will host our annual Fish Fry in the Boehm Center on the evening of February 16. The Waukegan Council will fry the fish and, the Boy Scouts of troop 675 will sell beverages. Many hands will be needed in the coming weeks to sell tickets in the narthex after weekend Masses. Volunteers are needed for the event to cook, serve, staff the dessert table, and clean. Our January Council meeting will be our last opportunity to sign up volunteers. Please join us for food and fellowship on the first Friday of Lent!
December 31 message
All Knights of Columbus Councils and Assemblies are surveyed annually for the charitable hours and donations of the members. Also tallied are pints of blood donated in 2023 to give the gift of life. Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly presented the results of the 2022 Survey of Fraternal Activity at the 2023 SPREME Convention. He reported that the 2 million Knights of 16,672 active Councils donated $185 million to charity, devoted 49.9 million hours to volunteer service, and donated over 359,000 pints of blood. We also gave out 180,000 winter coats through the Coats for Kids program and 10,700 wheelchairs through our partnership with the Global Wheelchair Mission. Thank you for your generous support of the Saint Patrick Council which aids us in our local and global charitable programs.
December 24 message
It is no coincidence that we celebrate the birth of Christ when the hours of daylight in our hemisphere are the shortest. Romans celebrated Mithras the week of the winter solstice as light triumphed over darkness. Constantine I, the first Christian emperor of Rome, is credited with decreeing December 25th as the day of the birth of our Savior in 336 A.D. May Jesus Christ bring light into the darkness as we gather with our families and community of Saint Brigid to share God's love with the world. The Knights of the Saint Patrick Council wish all a blessed Christmas.
December 17 message
Blessed Father McGivney gave Knights one mission - to follow Christ. We love others as Christ loves us through works of charity. Since 2014, our Order has provided more than $33 million in aid to rebuild communities in the Middle East. Since the start of our partnership with the Global Wheelchair Mission in 2003, we have donated over 127,000 wheelchairs to those in need. In the last Fraternal year, we aided priests and seminarians with $3.7 million in scholarships and support. Our Coats for Kids initiative will soon distribute its one- millionth winter coat to a child in need. We are grateful for your generous support for our Council's activities which enables us to support many worthy charities.
December 10 message
On the evening of Tuesday, December 12, our Council and families will gather in Slattery Hall for our annual Christmas Dinner. We will judge the entries of our "Keep Christ in Christmas" poster contest and honor those we have lost in the past year. The Council will provide the entrees and, each family is to bring a dish to share according to the first letter of their last name: A-G dessert, H-M appetizer, N-Z side dish or salad. At the dinner, we will make one more appeal for assistance to decorate the Main Church after the 11 AM Mass on December 17th. Christmas food basket pick up at the Northern Illinois Food Bank will occur on December 18 and, an appeal for help will also be made at the dinner.
December 3 message
On Sunday, November 19th, our past and current Grand Knight, Glenn Ryback, was suddenly called to be with the Lord. This was quite shocking to our Council and Assembly as we had celebrated the visit of Father Joe Uhen the previous evening. This leaves a void in our Council and the Village of Wadsworth which Glenn served for the last twenty two years as Village President. We mourn the passing of a leader and good friend who served as a lector and had recently returned to the St Patrick choir. Well done, good and faithful servant.
November 26 message
On the morning of Saturday, November 11th, twenty-four stewards shared their time and talents removing buckthorn and honeysuckle from the grounds of Saint Patrick. These invasive, woody plants outcompete native plants thus diminishing the bio-diversity of our shared home. Our county has buckthorn as the greater percentage trees (almost 50%) than the other counties in the Chicago region. Opening the canopy and understory permits native plants to reclaim the woodland. It also enables the native fauna to pass through to reach food and water sources. It is hoped that their new plant identification skills will be applied at their homes to aid in the effort to remove these invasive plants from our area.
November 19 message
We welcome Padre Joe Uhen from Santisimo Sacramento in Piura, Peru this weekend as we host Father and the missionaries for dinner in Slattery Hall. We hope to hear of the familias that we sponsor who regard our Council as padrinos. The Saint Patrick Council has been hosting two families through the Family-to-Family program for many years and has provided additional support as our budget has permitted. Our parish currently supports over 180 families through this program as we practice the Corporal Work of Mercy of feeding the hungry. We encourage all families of Saint Brigid to consider aiding in this ministry.
November 12 message
Thank you to the hearty souls who joined the Knights and Creation Care ministries on a rainy Saturday afternoon to pick up litter along Wadsworth Road for Adopt- A- Highway. Significantly less trash was found than for our inaugural event on Earth Day. This weekend, we are culling buckthorn and invasive honeysuckle from the Saint Patrick campus in our quest to make our environs more welcoming to native flora and fauna. Next weekend, Father Joe visits from Peru and, we will host Father Joe and the Peru missionaries for dinner. Attendees are asked to bring a dish to pass according to the first letter of their last names.
November 5 message
In 2022, an estimated 17 million households in the United States experienced food insecurity at some time, according to a recently- released USDA report. 12.8% of US households reported occasional problems affording enough food - up from 10.2% in 2021. Analysts point to inflation and the expiration of government pandemic- era assistance programs. According to United Way of Lake County, an estimated 14.7% of children in our county experience occasional food insecurity. Your generous support of the food pantry helps to address this need. On Tuesday, November 14th at 1 PM, members of the St. Patrick Council will pick up turkeys and meal boxes from the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Lake Forest for Thanksgiving food baskets to be given to feed the needy in our community. Please let our Deputy Grand Knight, Peter Barbosa, know if you will assist with this.
October 29 message
It is so confirmed that the Knights and Creation Care ministry will have a St Patrick campus restoration "workday" on the morning of Saturday, November 11th from 9 AM to noon. We will cut down the common buckthorn and invasive honeysuckle that plague our campus. Participants should be appropriately- attired to work in wooded areas and protect themselves from the elements. Participants are also requested to bring their own cutting tools, personal protective equipment for the hazards associated with those tools and the activity, and sustainable means of hydration (single-use plastic bottles are discouraged). All will be required to sign a waiver to participate in this activity. Parents are encouraged to remain and participate with their children to learn about these invasive, woody plants and bring these identification skills home with them.
October 22 message
The Council calendar offers many activities for Knights to find an outlet for their gifts. If the Church calendar permits, we will have a restoration workday with the Creation Care ministry from 9 AM to noon on November 11th to remove invasive, woody plants from our grounds. Assistance will be needed to pick up the Thanksgiving turkeys and food boxes at Northern Illinois Food Bank in Lake Forest at 11 AM on November 14th. Fr Joe Uhen will visit the weekend of November 18 and 19 for which our Council will host a pizza party on the 18th for Father and the Peru missionaries. We hope that our example of service inspires men of the Parish to join our Order.
October 15 message
Thank you to those who joined the Knights for our Adopt- A- Highway clean up of Wadsworth Road from Delaney to Green Bay as we show stewardship for our little corner of Creation. If you missed your opportunity to trade donations for Tootsie Rolls in September, members of the Saint Patrick council will be outside of the Main Church next weekend as we strive to increase our contributions to the intellectual disability charities that we support. 10% of our collections, net of the cost of the Tootsie Rolls, are used by State Council for no- interest loans for group housing for adults with disabilities. Our Council distributes the remainder to local charities so, your donations aid people in our community.
October 8 message
Thank you for your generous donations to our Intellectual Disabilities Drive permitting us to support local charities. With these one- half ounce chocolate candies (17 grams of carbohydrate each), Knights of Columbus across the United States have helped fund group housing, occupational training, and social programs for youth and adults. The Order donates nearly $5 million annually to Special Olympics with much of this coming from this drive. Our Council aids the Ann Kiley Development Center, the Lakeside Center Community Day Services of Little City, and the Grayslake North HS Perfect Pals program from our members' hours of plying the sidewalks while adorned with yellow aprons. This is a noble example of faith at work!
October 1 message
Thank you to those who joined us for the Golf Outing dinner and auction to benefit our Council's charitable fund. While the rain kept most from golfing, a few foursomes golfed a soggy round at Bonnie Brook Golf Course. We are grateful to the staff of Bonnie Brook for hosting us for yet another event and, we hope to return next year. Our Council has had a golf outing for almost every year of our Council's existence and, this event is our largest fundraiser which permits us to support many deserving local, national, and international charities. Once again, our Golf Outing Committee members did an outstanding job on this event. Vivat Jesus!
September 24 message
Please be generous to those sporting the yellow aprons this weekend as we give Tootsie Rolls in appreciation for donations to our Intellectual Disabilities Drive. Knights throughout Illinois raise funds primarily in September for many deserving charities, all approved by the State Council, who serve children and adults in need. Men who wish to join our Order and aid us in our mission will have the opportunity to be exemplified in the degree of Knighthood in October at Saint Patrick. The Divine Mercy Council at St Paul the Apostle in Gurnee are having a membership drive on October 8th should that Council's drive suit your schedule. Our Order needs many hands to aid us in service to our Parish, families, and communities. Please visit our council’s webpage under Outreach Ministries on the Parish website to discover how to apply.
September 17 message
We pray for fair skies and balmy breezes for our Bill Buholzer Memorial Golf Outing this weekend. Please be generous to the Knights with the yellow aprons as our state conducts the Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) Drive this month. Funds raised benefit countless charities that aid those greatly in need. 10% of the funds are used for no interest- loans for group housing. The Saint Patrick Council supports the Ann Kiley Development Center, the Lakeside Center of Little City, and the Grayslake North High School Perfect Pals program. Perfect Pals evolved from the Best Buddies program which was founded by brother Knight Sargent Shriver. Best Buddies International is now chaired by Sargent's and Eunice's son, Anthony.
September 10 message
Sign up for dining and golf at our Bill Buholzer Memorial Golf Outing is now closed; however, raffle tickets may still be purchased from Knights of the Saint Patrick Council until September 17th. Your generous support of our Golf Outing helps us to support many local, domestic, and international charities committed to the Corporal Works of Mercy. Our Council's charitable funds purchase winter coats for children and food for the St Patrick Food Pantry and Holy Family Bread Basket Soup Kitchen, support Scouting, fund Parish initiatives and ministries, and support the disaster relief efforts and Ukraine Solidarity Fund of the Supreme Council. We request your prayers for fair skies, gentle breezes, and balmy temperatures for next Sunday.
September 3 message
This is the last opportunity to sign up for the Bill Buholzer Memorial Golf Outing to be held on September 17th at Bonnie Brook Golf Course in Waukegan. Members of the Saint Patrick Council are in the narthex after all Masses to sign up golfers and diners and sell raffle tickets. The generous support of the parish for our event helps us to support many worthy charities, including the Family- to- Family program in which we provide food for two families of Parroquia Santisimo Sacramento in Piura, Peru. One of our sponsored families recently graduated from the program allowing us to aid a new family in Peru. Many families await sponsors to address their food insecurity. We urge all to prayerfully consider participating in the Family- to- Family program (and Golf Outing).
August 27 message
On July 1, 2023, the seven parishes of New Haven, Connecticut merged to form one parish under the name of Blessed Michael McGivney Parish. Father McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus at Saint Mary Catholic Church in New Haven in 1882 with a mission to care for the widows and children of those men who suffered an untimely death, many from workplace accidents. His desire to create an order of lay men dedicated to works of charity has grown to over 2 million men with Councils spread from South Korea to North America to Europe. Our Brother Knights in Poland have sheltered refugee families from the horrors of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The generous support of the parish for our annual Golf Outing helps us to fund many charities dedicated to the Corporal Works of Mercy. Just a few weeks remain to register for the Golf Outing and dinner at Bonnie Brook Golf Course on September 17.
August 20 message
Thank you to the Knights of Saint Patrick and Our Lady of Humility for helping to feed 500 parishioners at the Saint Brigid Parish Picnic. We call upon the Knights of Saint Patrick to volunteer to staff the table in the narthex after all Masses to register golfers and diners and sell raffle tickets. Please contact the Grand Knight or Steve Strelzyk or PGK Bill Cicero to volunteer. Help will also be needed at the Golf Outing to set up, sign in golfers, watch a hole, conduct the raffle and auction, and clean up after dinner. Opportunities to give Tootsie Rolls as a "thank you" for donating to our Intellectual Disabilities drive will occur the weekend following our Golf Outing in September.
August 13 message
We are hoping that fair skies and balmy temperatures are blessing us for the Saint Brigid Parish Picnic. Knights of the Saint Patrick and Our Lady of Humility councils are providing much volunteer labor to make the event enjoyable for all as we build fellowship in our unified Parish. The Saint Patrick Knights will have a table at the Picnic to sign up golfers and diners for our Bill Buholzer Memorial Golf Outing on September 17th at Bonnie Brook Golf Course. Not only are golfers needed but, volunteers will also be needed at the golf outing to watch a hole, set up, clean up, sign in golfers, and conduct raffles and auctions. Donations are needed for the raffles, gift bags, and auction. We wish to honor Bill by carrying on his legacy.
August 6 message
We are hoping that fair skies and balmy temperatures are blessing us for the Saint Brigid Parish Picnic. Knights of the Saint Patrick and Our Lady of Humility councils are providing much volunteer labor to make the event enjoyable for all as we build fellowship in our unified Parish. The Saint Patrick Knights will have a table at the Picnic to sign up golfers and diners for our Bill Buholzer Memorial Golf Outing on September 17th at Bonnie Brook Golf Course. Not only are golfers needed, but volunteers will also be needed at the golf outing to watch a hole, set up, clean up, sign in golfers, and conduct raffles and auctions. Donations are needed for the raffles, gift bags, and auction. We wish to honor Bill by carrying on his legacy.
July 30 message
If you will be out of town on September 17th yet have a yearning for a golf outing, The Divine Mercy Council at St Anne in Pleasant Prairie is holding their annual outing at Bristol Oaks Golf Club on August 4th. All others are invited to attend the Bill Buholzer Memorial Golf Outing at Bonnie Brook Golf Course in Waukegan on September 17th. Members of the Saint Patrick Council will commence golf, dinner, and raffle ticket sales in the coming weeks. This event is our Council's largest annual fundraiser and helps us to support many local charities engaged in service to our community. We are grateful for the generous support of the parish for our past outings.
July 23 message
We encourage Council members to join us on Tuesday evening at 7 PM in Slattery Hall for our first Council meeting of the 2023/24 Fraternal year. We will receive reports from the committees engaged in planning our upcoming events: the Saint Brigid Parish Picnic on August 15th, our annual Golf Outing on September 17 at Bonnie Brook G.C., our Intellectual Disabilities drive September 23 - 25, and our Fall Adopt- A- Highway. Many volunteers will be needed to administer these events. The Golf Outing Committee will make a plea for donations for the raffles and for golfers. Our Financial Secretary and Treasurer will report on Council finances and outstanding bills. Meetings begin and end with prayer and are followed by fellowship. Vivat Jesus!
July 16 message
Our Council lost a dear Brother Knight, wise counselor, good prelate, and friend at the passing of Father Martin Zielinski. Father Marty joined our Council many years ago when he was exemplified in the First Degree, the degree of Charity. Father Marty desired to follow previous generations of his family as a Knight of Columbus and served with honor. We hope to honor his memory by serving our parish, families, and community as we practice the Corporal Works of Mercy. We encourage all men of the Parish to consider joining our Order to aid in our mission. Please visit the Knights web page under Ministries\Outreach Groups on the Saint Patrick website to learn about our Council.
July 2 message
Knights of these United States have lived their patriotic mission by serving in our nation's armed forces and government. We thank them for their devotion to serve, protect, and defend us and our Constitution. We respectfully request the service of the Knights of the Saint Patrick and Our Lady of Humility Councils to assist with the Saint Brigid Picnic/ Summerfest to be held on August 13th on the Our Lady of Humility grounds. Sign up for the Picnic (so we know how much food to order) will be available online and at a table in the Narthex after weekend Masses starting July 15th. We will seek volunteers to staff the sign up tables.
June 25 message
Our Council will install the officers for the 2023/24 Fraternal Year on Tuesday, June 27 in the Main Church. We will gather for dinner in the Narthex at 6 PM and, installation will be after dinner. All Council members are encouraged to attend with their families. The Council will provide the entrees and iceberg lettuce salad and beverages. Attendees are to bring a dish sufficient for ten to twelve servings according to the first letter of their last name: A- G Appetizer, H-M Side Dish, and N-Z Dessert. We are thankful for those who have led our Council for the past year.
June 18 message
As our Fraternal Year draws to a close, we reflect upon our successes and sorrows with anticipation of our future. We fed the hungry with our donation of turkeys and hams and food from Northern Illinois Food Bank for the holiday food basket donations to the St Patrick Food Pantry. Children of our Sharing Parish were warmed by our Coats for Kids donation last Fall. Donations were made to our families in Peru to improve their shelters. Our Golf Outing was the largest ever (providing most of our charitable funds) while the Tootsie Roll Drive allowed us to aid local Intellectual Disabilities charities. Breakfast with the Bishop in February fed bodies and souls thanks to Bishop Grob. We improved our environs by assisting with the renovation of the outdoor Stations of the Cross and Adopt- A- Highway of Wadsworth Road plus invasive plant culling on our grounds. We mourned the passing of Brother Knights and honored their service.
June 11 message
We invite Council members and their families to join us for the upcoming Officer Installation and dinner in the Main Church on Tuesday, June 27. Thank you to those who served as Council officers for the last Fraternal Year. Our incoming officers will lead the Council as we plan our service activities and fundraisers in the next Fraternal year which begins on July 1st. The St Brigid Parish Picnic, our annual Golf Outing, and Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) drive are among the events for which we will need volunteer assistance in the next few months. Knights communicate shoulder- to- shoulder!
May 28 message
Army Captain Willibald Bianchi, a member of St Patrick's Council 1076 in New Ulm, MN, posthumously received the Medal of Honor for actions in Bataan in 1942. Sargent Alfred Joyce Kilmer of the Fighting 69th , journalist and poet mainly remembered for the poem "Trees", was killed in the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918 and was a member of Suffern (NY) Council 1177. These Knights gave their last full measure of devotion in service to their nation and to those in their units. We celebrate Memorial Day in remembrance of these and all who died serving our nation and their friends. Father Thomas McCarthy, OSA will celebrate Mass at Ascension Cemetery in Libertyville at 10:30 AM on Monday.
May 21 message
We encourage Council members to join us Tuesday evening at 7 PM in Slattery for our last business meeting of the Fraternal year. At the meeting we will elect the officers who will lead our Council for the next Fraternal year which starts July 1st. We will also plan our officer installation ceremony and dinner which will occur on Tuesday evening, June 27. The Golf Outing Committee will also update us on the progress towards the event that will be in September at Bonnie Brook Golf Course. We are grateful for those who served these last 11 months to lead our Council and pledge our support to those who will next lead us.
May 14 message
We encourage members to join us at 7 PM on Tuesday, May 23 in Slattery Hall for the last Council meeting of the Fraternal year. We will elect the officers to lead our Council for the next Fraternal year which begins July 1st. Any new Knight or third degree Knight may nominate themselves for an officer position, especially one for which we presently lack a candidate. We will also make plans for the installation of our new officers. Council officers meet on the second Tuesday of each month to discuss what will be brought to the next Council meeting for discussion and vote. It takes dedicated officers to lead our Council of over one hundred men.
April 30 message
If you were unable to join us for the Wadsworth Road or Saint Patrick campus clean up on Earth Day, there is still ample opportunity for Knights and all parishioners to participate in the mission of caring for our common home. At all weekend Masses at both Saint Brigid Churches, please donate to our Food, Hoodie, and Athletic Shoe drives. There are also seed and seedling giveaways to give you the opportunity to provide more plant life than a lawn to our biome. Volunteers are needed to help with these activities. Please visit the parish website to learn how to sign up. We do not own the Earth. We borrow it from our children and grandchildren.
April 23 message
"Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it." These words are attributed to Chief Seattle of the Suquamish tribe from his speech to the governor of the Washington Territory in 1854. While likely embellished with Victorian flourishes in the interpretation, the message echoes today in the pleas of children and others to address climate change and abuse of Creation. Thank you to those who participated in activities this weekend to improve the health of our surrounding woods and roadsides.
April 16 message
According to the Morton Arboretum's tree census, buckthorn now makes up 36% of the seven- county Chicago region's tree canopy. Lake County is the worst in the region. Buckthorn is displacing native trees at an alarming rate. We invite Council members and parishioners to join us on April 22 from 9 AM to noon to cull buckthorn and honeysuckle from the St Patrick campus. Please bring your cutting tools and PPE and, dress for working in the woods. Please also apply repellant for ticks.
April 9 Easter message
Hallelujah! Christ is risen! The Knights of the Saint Patrick Council wish all a blessed and joyous Easter. Thank you to the Knights who picked up the hams for the Easter food baskets distributed by our Food Pantry to ease food insecurity in our community and help the patrons celebrate the resurrection by diminishing their hunger. As we pause to celebrate Easter, let us revitalize our commitment to service in this last quarter of our Fraternal year. We invite all to join us on April 22nd to clean up litter on Wadsworth Road and remove invasive plants on the Saint Patrick campus to improve the health of the woodland surrounding our Church
April 2 message
In 1966 at a 4th Degree exemplification, a speaker from the North Chicago VA Medical Center asked Knights to help get patients to religious services. The KC Wheelers were born from that request. The Captain James Lovell Federal Health Care Center suspended the KC Wheelers for the pandemic but is now requesting to resurrect this ministry. Deacon Bob Ochsner has been asked to recruit a KC Wheelers coordinator who will need to undergo a background check and fingerprinting and submit a health form to be qualified for the ministry. This coordinator will serve as the contact with the area Councils within the Bishop Quarter Assembly who will serve the veteran patients. If you feel called to serve as the coordinator, please contact Deacon Bob to initiate the process.
March 26 message
As you travel Wadsworth Road between the worship sites or Saint Brigid Parish, you may notice a new Adopt-A-Highway sign between Delaney and Green Bay Road naming the Knights of Columbus and Creation Care as stewards. On Saturday morning, April 22nd, we will clean up litter along this stretch of Wadsworth Road as a demonstrable commitment to our common home. For those who do not wish to risk exposure to the traffic of this thoroughfare, we will also offer volunteers the opportunity to learn to identify and cull invasive plants (buckthorn, honeysuckle, and garlic mustard) on the grounds of Saint Patrick. Please bring your own gloves, cutting tools, and appropriate PPE and, dress for working in wooded areas. Make every day "Earth Day".
March 19 message
In anticipation of inclement weather (forecasted snow), the Waukegan Council canceled planned Fish Fries twice. They are planning to have a Fish Fry on March 24th at Saint Dismas on Sunset Avenue. Please patronize their event if you seek fellowship while maintaining your Lenten abstinence from meat. The Knights of Transfiguration Church in Wauconda have a Fish Fry every Friday of Lent (www.transfigurationwauconda.com) as do the Knights of St Mary of Vernon (Indian Creek, route 83 just NW of Butterfield). There are ample opportunities in Lake County to abstain from meat and support the Knights while enjoying fellowship.
March 12 message
Thank you to those who joined us for food and fellowship on Friday, February 24th in the Boehm Center for our annual Lenten Fish Fry. We are grateful to the Waukegan Council for frying the fish to feed a veritable multitude of 337 adults and 46 children. As they have for many years, Captain Porky's generously donated potatoes, rolls, coleslaw, tartar sauce, and butter. Boy Scout troop 675 provided exemplary service with beverages and clean up. If you are looking for a fried cod on March 17th, please visit Saint Dismas where the Waukegan Council will host their next fish fry.
March 5 message
As we mourn the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Knights of Columbus renew their dedication to aiding refugees fleeing Russian war crimes and the devastation of their homeland. Our Ukraine Solidarity Fund has raised over $20 million to date to provide for physical and spiritual needs of the millions who have fled to Poland and other countries in Europe. The Knights continue to work with our councils in Poland and Ukraine, the Latin and Greek Catholic Churches, and partner NGOs to provide temporary shelter, food, medical supplies, clothing, and other humanitarian needs as identified as the situation changes. We pray for an end to hostilities and prepare for the rebuilding of Ukraine.
February 26 message
On the morning of February 4, almost 90 men from parishes in the area joined us for Breakfast with the Bishop for a morning of reflection hosted by the councils of Saint Patrick and Our Lady of Humility. We are grateful to Bishop Grob for conversing with us and providing food for the soul and the Bereavement ministry for providing food. That same evening, we welcomed four men to our Order in our exemplification to the degree of Knighthood. Two first- degree Knights from our Council became eligible for officer positions as they were exemplified to the degree of Knighthood. Thank you to Deacon Bob Ochsner for serving as Chaplain for our ritual and leading men to service to our parishes, families, and communities.
February 12 message
The OLH Knights Of Columbus are sponsoring their Semi-Annual Blood Drive on Sunday, February 19th, from 8 AM until 12:30 PM in the Our Lady of Humility School foyer. This blood drive will be in conjunction with our February Donut Sunday. All blood donors will receive a coupon for a free donut and a drink at our Donut Sundays. Appointments are strongly encouraged, but any and all walk-ins are welcome. There are flyers in back of Our Lady of Humility Church with information on how to set up an appointment. There is a critical shortage of blood in the blood bank serving Chicago and the surrounding areas. Every pint of blood that is donated helps at least 3 people. Please donate your blood on Sunday, February 19.
February 5 message
On Friday, February 24th, the Saint Patrick Council will host our annual Lenten Fish Fry. We will not offer shrimp this year as shrimp is cost- prohibitive at this time. The Waukegan Council will fry the fish for us once again outside the Boehm Center door. We look forward to this event every year as an opportunity for food and fellowship as we observe our Lenten Friday abstinence from meat. Members of our Council will soon offer tickets for sale in the narthex after weekend Masses. We will also seek volunteers to help with this event.
January 29 message
On Saturday evening, February 4, after the 6 PM Mass in remembrance of deceased Knights of our Council, the Saint Patrick Council will conduct our exemplification of Knighthood to initiate men to our Order. In 2020, the Knights combined the exemplifications of the first three degrees (Charity, Unity, and Fraternity) into a single exemplification of Knighthood. This exemplification encompasses our first three ideals and makes new Knights eligible to serve as officers of our Council. Families and interested others are welcome to witness the commitment of these men to our ideals and service to our families, Church, and community. We seek to increase the number of hands to make our work light(er).
January 15 message
The Saint Patrick Council is not having our annual Ray Maar Girls' Basketball Tournament this weekend as we were unable to recruit enough teams and had a few withdrawals. Our Council has hosted the tournament for over fifteen years and hopes to have success next year recruiting participants. Knights will have ample opportunity to volunteer their talents and time in just a few weeks as we hold our Fish Fry on the first Friday of Lent. Help will soon be needed to sell tickets for the event. Many hands will be needed to feed the masses in the Boehm Center. Volunteer signup will soon be forthcoming.
January 8 message
On the morning of February 4th, our Council will host Breakfast with the Bishop, a morning of reflection with Bishop Grob discussing challenges facing Catholic men today and a summons to engage in the Church. We will have our quarterly memorial Mass that evening at the 6 PM Mass. Knights are invited to attend to honor and remember our deceased brother Knights. Following the 6 PM Mass, we will conduct the exemplification of Knighthood to initiate new Knights into our Order. Families of candidates are encouraged to attend to witness the ritual.
January 1, 2023 message
The Saint Patrick Council will host this year's Ray Maar Girls' Basketball Tournament from January 12th through January 15th. Seventh and eighth grade girls from area Catholic schools will compete in the Boehm Center. We will also have our annual Free Throw contest for children aged 10 to 14 in the Boehm Center on one of the days. Many volunteers will be needed to staff the concessions and admission table, maintain security, operate the scoreboard, log points scored and fouls in the scorer's book, and set up before and clean after each day of the tournament. Several volunteers will also be needed to administer the Free Throw contest. Our Basketball Tournament and Free Throw Contest chairman will soon post a sign up to help with these events. Many hands make the work light!
December 25 message
The pagan Romans celebrated the winter solstice on December 25th. Roman Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Emperor, decreed the first celebration of Christmas in Rome as December 25th in 336 to mark the victory of light over darkness. The birth of Christ, the Light of the World, would henceforth be joyfully celebrated during the darkest season in our hemisphere. The Saint Patrick and Our Lady of Humility Councils of the Knights of Columbus wish all a "Merry Christmas" as we strive to keep Christ in Christmas through our service to the parish and community. Vivat Jesus!
December 18 message
On Monday, December 19th, members of our Council, and perhaps a few friends, will meet at the Northern Illinois Food Bank in Lake Forest at 1:30 PM to pick up 60 hams and food boxes for the Saint Patrick Food Pantry. Your generous support of our Council's activities permit us to spend thousands of dollars every year to feed the hungry in our community. According to Feeding America, approximately 6.9% of the population of Lake County was food insecure at some time or most of the time in 2020, the latest period for which there is data. Food insecurity is associated with numerous adverse social and health outcomes and is increasingly considered a critical public health issue. It is a Corporal Work of Mercy to feed the hungry. We show others our faith by addressing these needs thus showing God's love to others through our work.
December 11 message
Judging of the submissions for the "Keep Christ in Christmas" poster contest will occur at the Knights' Christmas Dinner on Tuesday, December 13 in Slattery Hall. St Patrick School and SRE students created posters promoting the true spirit of the season and winners from each grade will receive Scrip cards in addition to being entered into the district poster contest. The works of these students remind us that this Advent season is not about materialism but, rather, shining the light of Christ and the Holy Family for all to see. May all have a merry and blessed Christmas.
December 4 message
As we await our celebration of the birth of Christ this Advent season, our Council works to feed the hungry in our community. Thank you to the six Knights and one Eagle Scout who picked up food at Northern Illinois Food Bank on November 18th for the food pantry of Saint Patrick to distribute for Thanksgiving. Hands will be needed again on December 19 at 1:30 PM at the Northern Illinois Food Bank center in Lake Forest to pick up the food for Christmas. Children and seniors are often those most affected by food insecurity. Federal aid during the pandemic helped to lift many out of poverty which helped make the US poverty rate its lowest ever in 2020, but the aid was only temporary. Please keep our food pantry in mind throughout the year as hunger does not cease after the holidays.
November 27 message
As James writes in chapter 2, verse 17, "(i)n the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself." We are called not just to tell others about our faith but to show others our faith through our works, According to surveys by the Dynamic Catholic Institute, less than 7% of registered parishioners contribute over 80% of the volunteer hours in a parish. That is why one often sees the same people serving in every ministry of a parish. Our parish is not an outlier. Imagine what could be accomplished if every parishioner joined a ministry. What great things could we achieve? We urge all men to consider joining the Knights of Columbus and experience what it means to live our faith. Please visit the Knights pages on the parish website in Outreach Ministries to learn how to join our Order.
November 20 message
It is with profound sadness that we mourn the sudden passing of our past Financial Secretary, Bill Buholzer. Bill devoted countless hours of service to our Council and our parish. Bill was chairman of our annual Golf Outing and Fish Fry committees and, just a few weeks ago, with two Sir Knights delivered 108 winter coats to the school of our sharing parish on Chicago's south side. He served for years on the Finance Council and was currently serving on the Unification Committee and Board of Specified Jurisdiction for the school. Bill also served on the organizing committee for the celebration of Father Merold's 50th jubilee last year. His leadership and friendship will be greatly missed and, his example is an inspiration to us. Well done, good and faithful servant.
November 13 message
God reaches out- in love- to a world in need. This is done through us via charity. In the last Fraternal Year, which ended on June 30th, more than 2 million Knights gave nearly $154 million to worthy causes. Almost $19.5 million has been raised to date to aid those suffering the ravages of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We Knights gave almost 48 million hours of charitable service. The Order's response to Covid-19 will be remembered as some of our finest work. From aiding stranded college students in Canada to sending oxygen to the Amazon to serving on the safety and disinfecting teams in our parishes, we left no neighbor behind. Our service to the Church also included supporting nearly 6,000 seminarians and postulants, to the tune of $5.4 million. Well done, good and faithful servants.
November 6 message
Today, eighteen percent of children in the U.S. and fourteen percent of the children in Canada live in poverty. As a result, many families in colder climates cannot afford to provide the necessity of a warm winter coat for their children. Putting our faith into action, Knights of Columbus councils have distributed over 500,000 coats throughout the U.S. and Canada through our Coats for Kids program. Recently, three Knights of the Saint Patrick council delivered 108 winter coats to Immaculate Conception School on South Exchange Street in Chicago, the school of our Sharing Parish, Immaculate Conception and Saint Michael. The children received them with joy and gratitude. The principal, Sister Ilse of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate of Guadalupe congregation, sends her blessings to the Knights of Saint Patrick for our act of charity.
October 30 message
Parroquia Santisimo Sacramento in the Archdiocese of Piura, Peru serves over 40,000 people in an area with an unemployment rate of almost 60%. The parish receives assistance from not only St Patrick but those as far away as Edmond, Oklahoma. A visit to their website shows the many parishes and organizations, including the Tim Tebow Foundation, that aid those in the region. Through the Family-to-Family program, $30 per month can help to provide up to 1/3 of the nutritional needs of a family in Peru. The St Patrick Council sponsors two families in Peru with many more families in Peru needing assistance. Inflation has made it even more difficult for families to feed themselves. Please visit the Peru Mission ministry page and, please discern if you too can help feed a family in Peru.
October 23 message
We invite our Brother Knights to join us at our Council's October General meeting this Tuesday at 7 PM in Slattery Hall. In addition to starting and ending our meeting with prayer, we will begin planning the "Keep Christ in Christmas" poster contest, Thanksgiving and Christmas food box pickup, Christmas dinner, Ray Maar Girls Basketball Tournament, and Lenten Fish Fry. Event chairmen will appeal for the many volunteers needed for these events. Program chairmen will report on recent, completed activities. Fellowship is afforded after adjournment. There will be an opportunity to donate for Tootsie Rolls to grace your Halloween candy bowl to the delight of visitors!
October 16 message
As daily reports from Ukraine reveal unspeakable horrors inflicted by the Russian military and seemingly utter destruction, the courage and spirit of the Ukrainian people inspire us to rally to their support. There is no doubt that the lives of many Knights from Ukraine have been lost in defense of their homeland. Those unable to serve in the military have fled with their families to western Ukraine and other nations, some even to the United States. As of this writing, the Knights of Columbus Ukraine Solidarity Fund has raised $19.3 million to provide for basic needs for refugees. 100% of funds donated go directly support those affected by this crisis. We thank you for your support of this initiative and pray that we have the ability and fortitude to aid in the rebuilding of Ukraine when Russia at last ceases their aggression.
October 9 message
Knights of Columbus serve in many ministries in our Parish. The Unification Committee, lectors, deacons, food pantry, Creation Care, Scouting, and Parish Picnic are but a few benefitting from these men who serve in multiple ministries. While busy with our families and careers, we make time to put our faith into action. Serving in ministries helps to expand one's network and helps to form friendships as we meet others with the common interest to serve our Parish and community. We urge all men in the parish to consider joining our Order to provide more hands for our mission. Please visit Ministries\Outreach Groups to find the Knights of Columbus page and learn about our activities.
October 2 message
Thank you to the parishioners of Our Lady of Humility/ Saint Patrick for your support of our Golf Outing. It was the largest in our Council's history. Fair skies and warm temperatures provided ideal conditions. A record number also attended dinner after the event which provided fellowship and additional revenue for our charitable account. Thanks to your generosity, the Saint Patrick Council is able to support many deserving charities that perform countless Corporal Works of Mercy. Thank you also to our Golf Outing Committee (Bill, Ross, Rick, Bill, Paul, and others) without whom this event would not have happened. Vivat Jesus!
September 25 message
The 1/2 ounce Tootsie Roll given as a gratuity for donation to our Intellectual Disability drive contains 10 grams of carbohydrate and one gram of fat. While the treat is not a significant means of sustenance, the accumulated donations help to support local 501c3 charities that provide programs to aid those with challenges. The Saint Patrick Council raises money for the Ann Kiley Developmental Center and Little City Lakeside Center in Waukegan, Northpointe Resources in Zion and, Grayslake North H.S, Perfect Pals program. Please be generous to those in the yellow aprons this weekend. Please also pray for fair weather as we ply the sidewalks seeking donations.
September 18 message
This weekend is our Council's annual Golf Outing which is our largest fundraiser. We wish our participants fair skies and balmy breezes. Next weekend, our Council will hold our annual Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) drive. Hands are needed to give Tootsie Rolls as a "thank you" for donating to the local ID charities that we support. Nationally, this drive has provided considerable aid to Special Olympics, a cause dear to our Order since its founding by Sargent Shriver, a Brother Knight, and Eunice Kennedy-Shriver. In 2021, Knights gave over 400,000 hours of their time and $3.7 million to the Special Olympics. State Council uses 10% of the net collected in Illinois to give interest-free loans to group housing for those with intellectual disabilities.
September 11 message
This weekend, we commemorate the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attacks upon our nation in which several Knights gave their last full measure of devotion as members of the FDNY, NYPD, and Port Authority PD while attempting to rescue those trapped in the World Trade Center after hijacked airliners were flown into both towers. Field agents delivered checks from proceeds of the Heroes Fund to aid families of those first responders who lost their lives in the heart-wrenching event. Next weekend's Golf Outing allows our Council to support many deserving charities. We thank the Parish of Our Lady of Humility/ Saint Patrick for your generous support of our activities.
September 4 message
There are only two weeks remaining until our Council's largest annual fundraising event, our Golf Outing at Bonnie Brook Golf Course. Raffle tickets and golf and dinner registration are still available. We pray for fair skies and gentle breezes on September 18th. Please be generous to the Knights in the yellow aprons on the weekend of September 24th and 25th as we solicit donations for intellectual disability charities and give Tootsie Rolls as a "thank you" for your kindness. Opportunities remain for members of our Council to aid in our events.
August 28 message
We are thankful for Daniel Tezzo and Boy Scout troop 675 for their restoration of our outdoor Stations of the Cross. Please avail yourselves of this tranquil garden for contemplative prayer. More time outdoors is afforded by participating in our Council's annual Golf Outing on Sunday, September 18th at Bonnie Brook Golf Course in Waukegan. Members of the Saint Patrick Council will be in the narthex after weekend Masses to register golfers and sell raffle tickets. We are grateful to the Parish for your support of this event that enables us to support many worthy charities.
August 21 message
Our Order of two million men live their faith by action. As James tells us, "faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself." All are called to show their faith through good works. Many may notice that a limited number parishioners serve in our parish's many ministries. According to the Dynamic Catholic Institute, in parishes in the US, an average of 80% of the ministry hours are served by 7% of the parishioners. We even find that in our Council, only 20% to 30% of our members actively participate in Council events. We call on all of our members who are able to become active and help with at least one of our many activities. September brings the opportunity to participate in our Golf Outing or Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) Drive. Hands are needed for the basketball tournaments to be held in December and January. Members can learn of opportunities at our monthly Council meetings or reading the meeting minutes that are published after each meeting.
August 14 message
Our Order started the drive to aid those with intellectual disabilities, better known as the Tootsie Roll Drive, in 1970. This annual event has raised millions of dollars for Special Olympics, group homes and Best Buddies/ Perfect Pals programs just to name a few of the recipients of donations. The Saint Patrick Council donates its proceeds to Grayslake North HS Perfect Pals, the Ann Kiley Development Center, and the Little City Lakeside Center. The amount collected is directly proportional to the number of hands that we have to trade Tootsie Rolls for donations. All members of our Council are asked to give a few hours of their time from September 23rd to the 25th to aid those with intellectual disabilities. We will conduct our drive at local retail establishments and on the Parish grounds.
August 7 message
You still have the opportunity to enjoy the Kermes (Carnival) at Most Blessed Trinity on Keller just north of Belvedere Road this weekend. The festival runs until 10 PM on Saturday and from 10 AM to 9 PM on Sunday and features food, games, live music, and folkloric dancing. The Waukegan Council will serve hamburgers and hotdogs in their booth. The Knights Council at St Paul the Apostle will have its annual Joe Falotico Car Show from 9 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, August 27th in the west parking lot of the church. There will be food and beverages available for purchase as well as music, door prizes, and raffles. The St Paul July 17th bulletin, accessible online from the St Paul website, contains details for the event. Events for the Saint Patrick Council are coming in September.
July 31 message
August will be a month of only meetings for our Council as we plan for our activities in September. Golfers, prize donations, sponsors, and volunteers are needed for our annual golf outing which will be on September 18th at Bonnie Brook Golf Course. Tee-off will be at 10:30 AM. The golf outing is our largest fundraiser every Fraternal Year and permits us to support many charities. Volunteers will be needed for our annual Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) drive on September 23rd and 24th, Hands will be needed to give Tootsie Rolls as a "thank you" for donating to aid local charities for adults and children with intellectual disabilities. More hands with cans means greater donations for these worthy charities
July 24 message
Russia continues to inflict unspeakable horrors upon the innocent in Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands have fled Ukraine to Poland and Europe and even the Americas while war crimes are committed in their homeland. To date, members of the Knights and their friends have committed over $18.4 million in aid to these victims. In addition to monetary funds, Knights have opened their homes to refugees, operated aid huts in Poland, and sent convoys of goods and supplies to families in need. We are proud of our Brother Knights who have followed the words and deeds of Father McGivney to aid the innocent victims today and we thank those from Saint Patrick and Our Lady of Humility who have donated to the Ukraine Solidarity Fund. Please continue with all your prayers.
July 17 message
As of this writing, our parish's Peru missionaries will soon return from their visit to Piura bringing stories of the families served by our gifts and acts of love. For over a decade, the Saint Patrick Council has sponsored two families of Parroquia Santisimo Sacramento as part of our parish’s Family-to-Family program. Our donations help to provide up to half of the sponsored families' food needs. The families have been screened by Padre Jose Uhen and his staff. In return for our donations, we have received a connection to families who regard us as their Padrinos, los Caballeros de Colon de San Patricio. There are currently four families in need of sponsors. Please discern whether you can participate in this program.
July 10 message
We welcome Father Oleksy to our new parish and wish him many happy years as our pastor. We are thankful for the hard work of Marcy, Dale, Darlene, Michele, and Jane managing the narthex during our Parish Picnic. The near-perfect weather for the picnic was enjoyed by all who attended. Thank you also to Patch 22 for the pony ride at the east side of the church. Our Council was honored to serve St. Patrick’s at this year's picnic and look forward to next year.
June 26 message
At this writing, it is hoped that we are blessed with fair skies and balmy temperatures as we break bread at our annual Parish Picnic. The Knights of the Saint Patrick Council provide much of the labor, along with the help of friends, to set up, serve the meal, administer games, and clean up when all have been fed and had the opportunity to bond in fellowship with other parishioners. We are grateful to the Parish of Saint Patrick for providing us the opportunity to serve. Many on the Parish Picnic Committee are Brother and Sir Knights and we encourage all men of the Parish to consider joining our Order to provide more hands to serve in our mission of service to our families, parishes, and communities.
June 19 message
We are thankful for the officers who were installed on June 14th to lead our Council in the coming Fraternal Year. With their leadership, our Council will perform many corporal works of mercy. We call upon Knights to aid us next Sunday with grilling and serving of food, conducting games, and cleaning up at the Parish Picnic. Sir Knights are encouraged to attend installation of the officers of the Bishop Quarter Assembly in July. Participants and volunteers are summoned for our annual Golf Outing and Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) Drive in September. Many hands make the work light.
June 12 message
We invite all Council members and their families to join us on Tuesday, June 14th for the installation of our Council's officers for the 2022/23 Fraternal Year. We will gather in the narthex for dinner and the installation. The men who will meet each month to plan our activities and determine what measures to bring to the full Council for discussion and vote at the General meetings receive their jewels of office and commission for the coming year. At this gathering, we will take the opportunity to make a final plea for assistance with the Rummage Sale and Parish Picnic which will occur later this month. We continue to urge all to please consider donating to the Knights' Ukraine Solidarity Fund which, as of this writing, has raised $17,175,000 to aid those afflicted by the Russian invasion of their homeland.
May 29 message
This weekend, we honor those who gave their last, full measure of devotion not only in service to our nation but also for those serving in their units or on their ships or in their squadrons. The fourth degree of the Knights of Columbus is the Patriotic Degree. Sir Knights of the Bishop William Quarter Assembly will serve as an honor guard for Cardinal Cupich as the Cardinal celebrates Mass at 10:30 AM on Memorial Day at Ascension Cemetery in Libertyville. Please consider reserving some time in this first unofficial weekend of Summer to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. Perhaps, you might attend the Memorial Day Mass this Monday at our Parish Cemetery at 9:00 AM.
May 22 message
As of this writing, we lack only a candidate for Deputy Grand Knight for the 2022/23 Fraternal Year. We encourage all Knights who have been exemplified in the 3rd degree, now known as the degree of Knighthood, to consider serving in this office. Our many Past Grand Knights aid the Grand Knight so, a Deputy Grand Knight need not fear the responsibilities of the office when they assume leadership of our Council. We elect the officers for the coming Fraternal year at our Council meeting on Tuesday, May 24th after our Knighthood degree exemplification in the Main Church. A plea for help for the Parish Picnic and our annual Golf Outing will also be made at the Council meeting. Installation of Council officers will occur on Tuesday, June 14th in the Main Church.
May 15 message
We encourage all Knights to join us on May 24th in the Main Church for our exemplification of the Knighthood degree as we initiate new members to our Order. Our Council meeting immediately follows in the Narthex. At this meeting, we will elect our Council's officers for the upcoming Fraternal year. We are still in need of candidates for Deputy Grand Knight and Recorder. All officers must have been exemplified in the third degree, or degree of Knighthood as it is now called. The Deputy Grand Knight is an aide to the Grand Knight and learns the responsibilities in preparation to serve as Grand Knight the following year. The Recorder takes minutes at all Council meetings. As our Council has existed since 2000, there are many Knights, including Past Grand Knights, who serve as advisors to those elected as officers.
May 8 message
The coming months will provide ample opportunity for Knights to participate in our Council's ac-tivities. In our May meeting on the 24th, we will elect our Council's officers for the coming Frater-nal year. Assembly officers will be elected at the Bishop Quarter Assembly meeting on May 25th. Council officers get installed in June and, hands will be needed for the Parish Picnic and Rummage Sale. Assembly officers will be installed in July. The annual Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) Drive and Golf Outing will be in September. Knights are encouraged to present new opportunities for service during the "new business" portion of Council meetings. We look forward to work-ing shoulder- to- shoulder with our Brother Knights in the coming months.
May 1 message
Chief Seattle of the Suquamish tribe of present day Washington state is credited with saying in 1854, "The earth does not belong to man. Man belongs to the earth." Pope Francis embraces this same spirit in his Laudato Si’ encyclical in urging all to live simply and engage in the mission to repair the harm done to our common home by the burning of fossil fuels and "irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her (Mother Earth).” We encourage all to participate in the Creation Care ministry as we act locally to make our parish healthier for wildlife and people. Vivat Jesus!
April 24 message
We invite all Knights to join us for our Council business meeting on Tuesday evening, April 26th at 7 PM in the narthex of the Main Church. We will present the slate of officers for the upcoming fraternal year that starts on July 1st. In addition, we will also discuss the progress on our plans for our annual Golf Outing and make a plea for more help with the event. Old and new business presentations will provide the opportunity to learn about the need for help with other ministries and upcoming events of other councils. We open and close all meetings with prayer, including prayers for unassisted members of our Order in need of help. The evening will not be entirely about business as we engage in fellowship after the meeting adjourns.
April 17 message
Alleluia, Christ is risen! May Ukraine rise again in the wake of destruction wrought by its invaders. In 2005, Cardinal Husar, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, invited the Knights to Ukraine hoping to expand the order to his nation. In 2012, the first council was established. Today, there are 1,889 Knights in 42 Councils in Ukraine. Ukrainian Knights and councils donated $2.4 million to charitable causes in 2020. As of this writing, $9,710,000 has been raised by the Ukraine Solidarity Fund to provide temporary shelter, food, clothing, and medical care to the displaced. Knights in Poland are creating a housing network for refugees as well as Mercy Centers along the Poland- Ukraine border to aid those fleeing the conflict. Thank you again for your generous support of the victims of this conflict. You can donate here: kofc.org/secure/en/donate/ukraine.html
April 10 message
To date, the Knights of Columbus and our friends have donated over $9.5 million in relief aid to the refugees of Ukraine. Our Order has been working with our councils in Poland as well as the Latin and Greek Catholic Churches in Ukraine to provide temporary shelter, food, clothing, and medical and religious supplies to those fleeing the devastating violence in their homeland. Thank you to those who have generously donated to the Ukraine Solidarity Fund in support of our 1,889 Brother Knights and their families and all in need in Ukraine. We pray for an end to the suffering and prepare ourselves for the effort to rebuild what has been lost in this conflict. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
April 3 message
All Council members are invited to attend our April Council Business meeting on Tuesday, April 26 where we must develop the slate of Council Officers for the 2022/23 Fraternal Year. Council officers meet on the second Tuesday of every month to review correspondence and discuss items to present to the Council membership at each month's business meetings. We also work on upcoming events by inviting committee chairmen to attend the officer meeting. Although officers typically follow a chain of succession for continuity purposes, we do have gaps to fill as officers leave the area or, for some reason, cannot serve. For the next year, we will need a new Deputy Grand Knight, Recorder, and Inside Guard. Our current officers serve to support each other and new officers to insure smooth operation of the Council. We ask all Knights who have been exemplified in the 3rd Degree (now called the Degree of Knighthood) to answer the call to serve as officers.
March 27 message
We wish our Brother Knights "happy Founder's Day." On March 29, 1882, Father Michael McGivney incorporated the Knights of Columbus in Connecticut. From its humble beginning 140 years ago, our Order has grown to over 2 million Catholic men dedicating themselves to our mission of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. In the last 20 years, our Order expanded into Eastern Europe with councils in Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania. What was founded as a mutual benefit organization to aid families that lost their main breadwinner has seen its insurance in force grow to $113 billion with $26 billion in assets and 1100 field agents, Our Order's insurance program now offers long- term care and disability insurance policies. Since its inception, the Coats for Kids program has given nearly 700,000 new winter coats to children in the US and Canada. Vivat Jesus!
March 20 message
The Saint Patrick Council last hosted a Lenten Fish Fry just prior to the start of the pandemic shutdown in March, 2020. We will return to our Fish Fry in the future but will not host one this Lent. There are a few councils in the area hosting fish fries to allow us to support them while maintaining our Lenten abstinence from meat on Fridays. The Knights at Transfiguration Church in Wauconda have weekly Friday fish fries through April 8th offering $12 fish or shrimp meals for drive-up or dine in. Order in advance at www.kofcwauconda.com. Fatmans Gurnee and Lakehouse Lake Villa support the Knights of St Paul the Apostle with a $12 fried fish meal offered all Fridays until April 15. Feed your body and soul! Vivat Jesus!
March 13 message
Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly encourages our Order's two million members to offer their prayers and material support for the victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 1800 of our brother Knights and their families in Ukraine are in dire need as the conflict creates a humanitarian crisis in eastern Europe. On Feb. 25th, the Knights of Columbus announced a commitment of $1 million for immediate distribution to support Ukrainian refugees. Our Order has also launched the Ukraine Solidarity Fund, an international campaign that will match all funds raised up to $500,000. The relief funding will provide food, clothing, shelter, medical supplies, and religious supplies in Ukraine and refugee sites in Poland. For additional information about the Knights of Columbus Ukraine Solidarity Fund and how to donate, please click here: kofc.org/secure/en/donate/ukraine.html
March 6 message
Many of our Knights who actively participate in our Council by serving as officers, picking up food for the Pantry, volunteering at basketball tournaments, organizing and assisting at the Parish Picnic, organizing and attending or volunteering at the Golf Outing, giving Tootsie Rolls for donations to intellectual disability charities, and aiding in our many other activities to serve our Parish and community notice that it is the same 25 or 30 Knights at every activity even though we have almost 100 members. We need more Knights who are actually willing to participate. Sadly, this can be witnessed at any Catholic church as 80% of the ministry hours are served by 7 to 8% of the parishioners. What will it take to get the other 92% involved? We all have families and are busy yet seem to find ways to share our time, talent, and treasures. What will YOU do?
February 27 message
In the afternoon of Sunday, February 27th, Knights of the Saint Patrick Council and other parishioners will meet to learn about a new Creation Care ministry. Pope Francis tells us that care for the Earth, our common home, is a crucial part of God's work through us. The need is urgent and beckons all of us to lend our ideas, experience, and talents to "cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation". As the strong right arm of the Church, perhaps we Knights can use our abilities and numbers to contribute to the betterment of the environment of this Parish and our communities.
February 20 message
We invite all Knights to join us in the narthex at 7 PM on Tuesday, February 22 for our Council's business meeting. It is at these meetings that we are presented communications to the Council, balances of our accounts and their receipts and disbursements, receive reports from all committees and our 4th degree and District Deputy and Field Agent, and vote on old and new business. All meetings begin and end with prayer. We gather after the close of each meeting to socialize with our brother Knights. Our meetings are excellent opportunities to network!February 13 message
How better to show our love for others than to ease their burden of hunger? For many years, the Saint Patrick Council has sponsored two families of Parroquia Santisimo Sacramento in Piura, Peru as part of our parish Family- to- Family program. Our donations help to provide up to half of the sponsored families' food needs. The families have been screened by Padre Jose Uhen and his staff. In return for our donations, we have received a connection to families who regard us as their Padrinos, los Caballeros de Colon de San Patricio. Additional families in Peru await sponsors. Please visit the Outreach Ministries page on the Parish website to learn about this program.
February 6 message
When families struggle to clothe their children with warm coats for winter, Knights of Columbus councils answer this basic need through our Coats for Kids program. As part of the Neighbors Helping Neighbors initiative that sprang from a Knights summit held in New York City, Coats for Kids enables councils across the US and Canada to purchase winter coats at a discount and to distribute them to children in need within their communities. This year, our Council was asked to purchase hoodies for children at our sharing Parish in Chicago. Brother Knight Bill Buholzer and Sir Knight Peter Barbosa delivered the hoodies to Immaculate Conception and witnessed first hand the amount of need in the parish and neighborhood. The recipients expressed their gratitude for our gifts to them. It is the generous support of the Parish for our fundraisers that enable us to aid those in need.
January 30 message
Every February, our Council and Assembly submit the results of the Survey of Fraternal Activity to Supreme Council so the enormous contributions of our Order for the past calendar year can be tallied. As we continue to adapt our activities for the pandemic, the Knights continue to serve their communities and give generously to address many needs around the world. Our Council relies upon the members returning their completed surveys to the Council leadership for consolidation in our Council survey. In 2021, our Council members continued to serve in the Welcome Ministry, served at the Parish Picnic, conducted the Tootsie Roll Drive, donated to and led the Food Pantry, participated in the Renew My Church committee, donated blood and hoodies, and participated in Scouting.
January 23 message
Thank you to Frassati Catholic Academy, Saint Joseph, and Immanuel Lutheran for participating in last weekend's Ray Maar Girls Basketball Tournament. Thank you also to their families for spending much time commuting to Saint Patrick and cheering on the athletes. We are grateful that the Saint Patrick School continues to allow us to host this event every year permitting us to extend our hospitality to the visitors to our Parish. We were not permitted to sell concessions this year in compliance with Archdiocese pandemic protocols which, along with the raging pandemic, may have limited attendance. Thank you to our Brother Knights and friends for volunteering their time and talents to make our guests feel welcome and secure the safety of the athletes and their families.
January 16 message
As Covid-19 continues to plague our community and region, we have adapted Ray Maar Girls' Basketball Tournament to diminish the risk of spread. Our Council is not selling concessions to lessen the need for attendees to lower their masks to eat and drink. This pandemic has altered our behaviors but not diminished our resolve to serve our Parish, families, youth, and community. We are grateful to the Saint Patrick School for permitting us to host this event. Thank you to the teams who are participating in and families who support this tournament.
January 9 message
As of this writing, the St Patrick Council will host the Ray Maar Girls Basketball Tournament from Thursday, January 13th through Sunday, January 16th in the Boehm Center. We have hosted this tournament for over a decade drawing teams from Palatine to Racine to fill our schedule. The tournament raises funds for our Council to donate to the St Patrick School Athletics Boosters and the Angel Fund. Staffing by Carmel High School students and Knights permit the parents of players to enjoy the games from the bleachers rather than from the concessions stand or admission table. We are grateful for the support of the school and the parish for this event.
January 2 message
Charity is our Order's first principle. Even during the pandemic, the Order's charitable efforts did not cease. During the 2020/21 Fraternal year, the Knights donated more than 100,000 coats to kids. Responding to an urgent request by the archbishop of Manaus, Brazil, the Order sent $200,000 in oxygen and oxygen generators to Covid-19- stricken areas of the Amazon. Over and above pandemic response, the Knights provided nearly $1.5 million in disaster relief in the wake of wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes. We reached a new milestone of donating 100,000 wheelchairs with the Global Wheelchair mission after starting with a gift of 2,000 wheelchairs to landmine victims in Afghanistan in 2003. The Order donated $4.4 million in aid to persecuted Christians in the Middle East as part of our initiative that started in 2014. We hope that our efforts may inspire men of our Parish to consider joining our Council to aid in our mission.
December 26 message
The pagan Romans celebrated the winter solstice on December 25. Roman Emperor Constantine, the first Christian emperor, decreed the first celebration of Christmas in Rome as December 25th in 336 to mark the victory of light over darkness. The birth of Christ, the Light of the World, would henceforth be joyfully celebrated during the darkest season in our hemisphere. The Saint Patrick Council of the Knights of Columbus wishes all a "Merry Christmas" as we strive to keep Christ in Christmas through our service to the parish and community. Vivat Jesus!
December 19 message
The Saint Patrick Council has hosted the annual Ray Maar Girls Basketball Tournament for over a decade and always over the Martin Luther King, Jr Day weekend. Ray, a Sir Knight in our Council, has been a legendary supporter of youth sports at Saint Patrick and a worthy honoree for our tournament. Our 2022 tournament will be from January 13th through the 16th, Many hands are needed to keep score, staff the concession stand and admission table, and administer the three-point shot challenge at halftime of all games. Zach Decker will soon post a signup document to recruit Council members for these and permit parents of the players to enjoy the games.
December 12 message
No sooner are we past Thanksgiving than we find Christmas quickly approaching. Our Council helps to keep Christ in Christmas by sponsoring a "Keep Christ in Christmas" poster contest for St Patrick School and SRE students. Thank you to Brother Knight Zach for administering this contest. We also pursue our mission of the Corporal Works of Mercy by feeding the hungry. Hands are needed for pickup of hams and food boxes from Northern Illinois Food Bank at 3 PM on December 20th. The food will be brought to the St Patrick Food Pantry to help diminish food insecurity in our community. Please contact Sir Knight Peter Barbosa if you are available to help. Vivat Jesus!
December 5 message
Thank you to our Brother Knights who aided with the pick-up of 60 turkeys and food boxes at Northern Illinois Food Bank on November 16th. The turkeys and food boxes were delivered to the Saint Patrick Food Pantry for distribution to those facing food insecurity in our community and bring them some comfort for Thanksgiving. Hands will be needed again on December 20th to pick up hams and food boxes for our Christmas gift of food for the hungry. Please contact Sir Knight Peter Barbosa to let him know that you will aid with this ministry. Thank you also to Peter and Brother Knight Bill Buholzer for delivering 96 hoodies from our Coats for Kids program to our sharing parish, Immaculate Conception, in the South Chicago community.
November 28 message
Thanks to the Parish's generous support of our fundraisers, the St Patrick Council was able to purchase 60 turkeys and food boxes from the Northern Illinois Food Bank to provide nourishment for the food insecure in our community. According to Feeding America, over 1.2 million people in Illinois have faced food insecurity in the past year. Of those, over 336,000 are children. Thanks to rising inflation, people facing hunger in Illinois are reported to need $620,300,000 more per year to meet their food needs. There are 25 food pantries, including the St Patrick Food Pantry, within a ten mile radius of Wadsworth to feed the hungry in our community. Your support of the Saint Patrick Council and the Saint Patrick Food Pantry aid to diminish food insecurity in our area.
November 21 message
We invite men of the Parish, and interested others, to join us at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, Nov. 23rd in the Main Church to see men become members of our Order and Council. Candidates become Brother Knights via an initiation ritual that we Knights call an "exemplification". This brief ceremony impresses upon the candidates our principles of Charity, Unity, and Fraternity and asks of these candidates to vow to commit to these. We urge all men of the Parish over the age of 18 to consider joining our Order of two million Catholic men to aid us in our mission. Members of our Council serve in many ministries in the Parish and support many worthy charities. From wearing a yellow apron to raise funds to support those with intellectual disabilities to serving at the Fish Fry, we offer many opportunities to promote fellowship and service to others. Vivat Jesus!
November 14 message
The Fraternal Year for the Knights of Columbus is from July 1st to June 30th. In the previous Fraternal Year, our Order persevered in our mission of charity in spite of the pandemic. The Order donated more than $150 million to many causes and gave more than 47 million hours of hands-on volunteer service to our parishes and communities. Our Order provided food and clothing and comfort to the homeless, gave the gift of warmth to over 100,000 children through our Coats-for-Kids program and contributed $1.5 million alone for disaster relief. We maintained our support for those with intellectual disabilities by giving Tootsie Rolls in appreciation of donations. Over $3.5 million and almost 500,000 hours were given to Special Olympics. It took the Order 20 years to finally reach our goal of giving 100,000 wheelchairs to the disabled around the world. We are always looking for a few good men to join our order.
November 7 message
Between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021, the Northern Illinois Food Bank served over 100 million meals to those experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic. Local food pantries, including the Saint Patrick Food Pantry, obtain food from the Food Bank to get food to those in the communities that they serve. Three or four Knights and vehicles will be needed at 3 PM on November 16 at Northern Illinois Food Bank on Keller Drive in Park City to pick up the turkeys and food boxes for the Thanksgiving food baskets to be distributed by our pantry. Please let Sir Knight Peter Barbosa know that you will meet him at the Food Bank on November 16.
October 31 message
Sadly, only the St Patrick boys basketball teams were available to play in a tournament from Dec. 9 through 12. No other teams that were invited were either available to play or willing to comply with the state and Archdiocese Covid-19 protocols; consequently, we will not host a boys tournament this year. Thankfully, several invitees have accepted for the annual Ray Maar Girls Basketball Tournament which will be held in January. We will need many volunteers to host our guests. We are grateful to the School of St Patrick to permit us to hold this tournament every year (pandemic permitting).
October 24 message
We invite all members of the Council to join us at 7 PM on Tuesday, October 26th for our monthly Council meeting. We will plan our Ladies Appreciation Dinner, Thanksgiving food basket pick up (at Northern Illinois Food Bank on November 17th), and our Boys' Basketball Tournament (December 9th through the 12th in the Boehm Center). Brother Knights will have another opportunity to get Tootsie Rolls for Halloween and Trunk or Treat. The Saint Patrick Council meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month to plan our many fundraisers and volunteer activities, receive reports on recent fundraisers and Council finances, and vote on motions raised by members after thorough discussion. Council officers need the support of the members to help our ministry thrive.
October 17 message
Thanks to the generous support of the parish and our friends, the St Patrick Council had one of the most successful Golf Outings ever - with 91 golfers participating and 136 total guests attending the dinner and fundraiser. Such a tremendous turnout resulted in the Knights raising over $14,000! All of these funds will be contributed towards the many charities we support. We are truly grateful for all who came and made this such a great and successful event. Also, our Intellectual Disabilities Drive chairman has many cases of Tootsie Rolls. Tootsie Rolls are excellent Halloween treats.
October 3 message
Columbiettes and Ladies Auxiliaries are formal groups that support the efforts of their associated Knights of Columbus councils. These groups have Council officers and Supreme officers mimicking the structure of the Knights of Columbus. While aiding councils in their mission, the formal structure does place additional burden on those who participate in these adjunct organizations. Our Council has been blessed with the aid of many spouses and friends who, while not formally recognized, embody our core principals of charity, unity, fraternity (in a non- gender-specific meaning), and patriotism. We are extremely grateful for their support. Vivat Jesus
September 26 message
The 0.5 oz. Tootsie Roll given by Knights as a "thank you" for donating to our Intellectual Disabilities Drive contains ten grams of carbohydrate, seven of which are sugars, and one gram of fat. Each year, Knights of Columbus councils across the United States raise millions of dollars to support those 501c3 charities that aid people with intellectual disabilities. Our Council hopes to hold an additional drive only at our parish this year to help us reach the fundraising quota set for us this year by the State Council. We are grateful for your generosity.
September 19 message
It is the participation of golfers and diners at our annual Golf Outing that provide much funding for our Council's donations to other charities. Thanks to your generous support of our event, we are able to feed the hungry through donations to the St Patrick and Holy Family Breadbasket Food Pantries and our two families in Peru through the Family-to-Family program, purchase Coats for Kids, and support St Martin de Porres High School. It provides the funds to stock the concession stand for our annual boys' and girls' basketball tournaments which provide funds for our support of St Patrick School. Thank you to those who joined us last weekend for fun and fellowship.
September 12 message
The Illinois (State) Council of the Knights of Columbus will have the annual Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) Drive from September 17th through the 19th this year (next weekend). This is one of the most recognizable activities of the Knights. The funds generated from this drive are used to support local programs that help people with special learning and life needs. Recipient organizations must register with the Illinois State Council and be recognized as providers of qualified services for persons with intellectual disabilities. Funds collected by the St Patrick Council have supported the St Patrick SPRED program, the Ann Kiley Developmental Center (Waukegan), the Lakeside Center (Waukegan) of Little City Community Day Services, and Grayslake North High School Perfect Pals program. Perfect Pals evolved from Best Buddies which was founded by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, son of brother Knight Sargent Shriver. Knights will be outside the Main Church after Masses next weekend to collect donations.
September 5 message
We thank Father Merold and the Parish Staff for hosting the Parish Picnic on August 22nd. The pot luck dishes were expertly handled by Dale, Darleen, Jane, Marcy, and Michelle. We cannot thank you enough for your service and care, Thank you Pat and Mary Jo and the Scouts and moms of Troop 675 for serving meat and corn in the warm afternoon sun. We thank Beelow's Catering for roasting the delicious, Mundelein-raised pork and Kloss Distribution of Gurnee for their generous donation. Thank you to Hannah and Patch 22 for the pony rides giving children the joy of a ride on the shady east side of the Main Church. Several Knights of our Council provided the muscle and sweat to set up, serve, conduct games, and clean up leaving the grounds cleaner than we found them (well done, Brothers). We are especially thankful for the fair skies, cool temperatures, good food, and fellowship!
August 29 message
The St Patrick Council's Annual Golf Outing is the largest fundraiser every Fraternal year. The funds generated help us to fulfill our mission of charity. Our commitment to the Corporal Works of Mercy includes donations to the St Patrick and Holy Family Breadbasket food pantries, the Knights Coats for Kids program, and the Knights Middle East Christian Relief program. Council members will be in the Narthex after weekend Masses selling tickets for this year's outing which will be on September 12th at Bonnie Brook Golf Course. For non- golfers, we also offer tickets for dinner and raffle. We pray for sunny skies and gentle breezes on September 12.
August 22 message
In addition to practicing the Corporal Work of Mercy of Feeding the Hungry, we also aid in sheltering the homeless. Members of our Council are PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) volunteers. Our Council has held a clothing drive (for clothe the naked) and donated to Former Inmates Striving Together (FIST). FIST has transitional housing on the south side of Waukegan that aids new parolees to help them reenter society with the goal of reducing recidivism. Our mission of charity compels us to practice the Corporal Works of Mercy which are charitable actions by which we help our neighbors in their bodily needs. They respond to the basic needs of humanity as we journey together through life. Your generous support of our fundraisers, like our Annual Golf Outing, aids in our mission.
August 15 message
The help of the Knights of our Council is requested to aid the Picnic Committee next weekend. A few large vehicles are needed for food pick up at 8 AM on Saturday morning. More hands are needed at 9 AM on Saturday to move material from Slattery Hall to the west side of the Main Church. Picnic set up commences Sunday morning to erect tables and start the grills. Yet more hands will be needed to grill corn and serve food as well as patrol the grounds to change out full trash bags. We can dwell upon our labors once we have completed clean up and return of tables and material to Slattery Hall leaving the grounds cleaner than we found them.
August 8 message
The assistance of the Knights of the St Patrick Council is requested for Picnic food pick up at 8 AM at Sam's Club on August 21st and at 9 AM at St Patrick for Picnic set up. A few pick up trucks will be needed to haul the food to the kitchen in Slattery Hall. Muscle is needed to move tables and material from Slattery Hall and trash cans from the School basement to the Picnic site. We must also set up the grills for roasting corn on the west side of the Main Church. All material must be out of sight of the windows at the north side of the Church so as not to distract from the weekend Masses. Many hands make the work light(er).
August 1 message
August and September provide many opportunities for our Knights to serve the Parish and community, Our hands are still needed from 10 AM to 4 PM August 2nd through the 4th for drop off of items for the Parking Lot Sale. Our aid is also needed for the Parking Lot Sale August 6th through the 8th. Assistance is needed to set up, roast corn, serve food, and clean up at the Parish Picnic at St Patrick on August 22nd. Golfers and volunteers are needed for our annual Golf Outing at Bonnie Brook Golf Course on September 12th. We need hands for cans (and bodies for aprons) for the Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) Drive on September 18th and 19th. Vivat Jesus!
July 25 message
The date of our annual Golf Outing, September 12, is quickly approaching. The St Patrick Council depends upon this fundraiser to permit us to support the many charities to which we donate. While many of our participants are family and friends of Council members, our Golf Outing attracts golfers from beyond the Council and, we encourage parishioners to aid us in advertising the event to their friends, family, and acquaintances. Non- golfers can join us for dinner at Bonnie Brook Golf Course in Waukegan and our raffle and auction with fabulous prizes. Council members will soon be selling tickets for the event.
July 18 message
We invite all Knights of the Council to join us at 7 PM on July 27 in the Main Church narthex for our first Council meeting of the Fraternal year. This first in person meeting since the pandemic will permit us to plan our many activities in the coming months. The Parish requests the assistance of the Knights with the
drop-off of donated items for the Rummage Sale. Drop-off occurs from July 31 through August 4. Our hands are also needed for the Rummage Sale itself which will occur from August 6th through the 8th. As the Knights are one of the largest ministries at St Patrick, our many hands can help to make the work light(er). Vivat Jesus!
July 11 message
Prior to the first reports of SARS-CoV2 in the United States, it was estimated by Feeding America that 7% of the population of Lake County was food insecure. The recession caused by the pandemic ended years of declining food insecurity as families struggled to satisfy their nutritional needs. Many who have been most impacted by the pandemic were food insecure prior to the pandemic and are facing greater hardship since Covid-19. The Saint Patrick Council was able to continue its support of the Parish Food Pantry during the pandemic and pledges to sustain this support. Funds raised by our annual Golf Outing aid us in supporting this vital resource to ease hunger in our community.
July 4 message
The fourth degree of our Order is the Patriotic Degree. Those Knights who have been exemplified in the Patriotic Degree bear the title of Sir Knight. At an exemplification in 1966 at the Chevy Chase Country Club, a speaker from the North Chicago VA Medical Center asked Knights to assist with "wheeling" patients to Mass at the center's chapel on Sundays and other days of obligation. From this request was born the KC Wheelers who perform this task at the Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Healthcare Center. All 15 councils of the Bishop Quarter Assembly participate in this ministry. This program has not yet been restarted since the easing of pandemic restrictions.
June 27 message
As we reap the benefits of vaccinations and pandemic protective measures, we will at last return to our activities of charity and service in the coming fraternal year. August brings the opportunity to serve the Parish at our annual Parish Picnic which also provides an opportunity to promote the Golf Outing. Our annual Golf Outing at Bonnie Brook on September 12th is our Council's largest fundraiser. The Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) Drive on September 17th and 18th needs many hands to raise funds for our contributions to the Ann Kiley Development Center, Countryside Community Day Services- Little City, and the Perfect Pals program at Grayslake North H.S. Welcome back to aiding in our mission!
June 20 message
The St Patrick Council cordially invites all golfers to join us for our annual Golf Outing at Bonnie Brook Golf Course on the afternoon of Sunday, September 12, 2021. Our Golf Outing is our largest fundraiser and enables us to donate to the St Patrick Food Pantry, Holy Family Bread Basket Soup Kitchen, the Knights' Coats for Kids program, seminarian support, and other local and domestic charities. With activities being greatly curtailed during the pandemic, your generous support is needed to rebuild our charitable funds. We look forward to gathering again for fun, fellowship, and charity.
June 13 message
Since our founding in 1882, the Knights of Columbus have risen to meet the challenges facing our parishes and communities as brothers united in charity. The pandemic forced us to meet virtually for the entire Fraternal year but did not prevent us from filling the shelves of the St Patrick pantry or collecting donations to aid those with intellectual disabilities. We are indeed proud of our band of brothers who endured the separation yet remain united in Christ to serve St Patrick and our community leaving no neighbor behind. Thank you for your continued support of our Council and, we encourage you to join our golf outing this September.
June 6 message
The Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus is the Patriotic Degree. This past Monday, our nation honored those who gave their last full measure of devotion during the armed conflicts in which our military engaged. Sergeant Joyce Kilmer, a member of the Suffern (NY) Council, was killed in the second Battle of Marne in World War I. The United States had lost a valiant soldier and its most prominent Catholic poet, as well as a faithful husband and father. The Suffern Council was renamed the Joyce Kilmer Council #1177 in 1932.
May 30 message
In our virtual Council meeting on Tuesday, May 25th, the officers for the upcoming 2021/22 Fraternal were elected. Thank you to our Brother Knights who will lead the Council as we recover from the pandemic. We honor our Past Grand Knight, Glenn Ryback, who will become a Council trustee. Our Order wisely created a succession plan which provides officers the opportunity to move through the officer ranks so that upon reaching the office of Grand Knight they are well prepared to lead. Our Council officers meet on the second Tuesday of every month to plan for the Council business meeting which is held on the fourth Tuesday of every month.
May 23 message
Congratulations to Sir Knight Father Robert Ryan who, along with eight others, was ordained last Saturday at Holy Name Cathedral. Father Robert is a member of the Father Henderson Council (St Peter in Antioch) and the Bishop Quarter Assembly. Sir Knights from our Assembly and the Father Henderson Council present to Father Robert today a chalice in honor of deceased Sir Knight Bill O'Donnell at Father Robert's first Mass at Our Lady of the Lakes St Peter Church. The St Patrick Council provided support to Father Robert for his studies at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake seminary. We pray for Father Robert's faithful service to the Archdiocese and the continued support of the Knights for vocations.
May 16 message
Please pray for the Ordination Class of 2021 as they are ordained into the priesthood this weekend. Deacon Robert Ryan of the Bishop Quarter Assembly and who received support from the St Patrick Council is a member of this class. He celebrates his first Mass in Lake County at Our Lady of the Lakes in Antioch on May 23rd. His father, Steve, is a Sir Knight in the Bishop Quarter Assembly. We are quite proud of our Brother and Sir Knight who will serve in the Archdiocese. The Order's Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP) helps to increase our funding of seminarians and grow the ranks of clergy.
May 9 message
Responding to a desperate plea by Archbishop Leonardo Steiner,O.F.M., of Manaus, Brazil, the Knights of Columbus sent more than $200,000 worth of concentrated oxygen and oxygen concentrator devices to the Amazon regions of Brazil and Peru, where indigenous populations have been hit hard by Covid-19. Your generous support of our Council's fundraisers help us to support the Knights' Disaster Relief program which responds to humanitarian crises. We encourage golfers of the Parish to consider participating in our annual Golf Outing which we hope to hold in late Summer at Brae Loch Golf Course. Vivat Jesus!
May 2 message
With more Covid-19 vaccinations being administered and pandemic restrictions being eased in many places, Knights seek to help our Council and Parish emerge from the pandemic as strongly as possible. Knights led the reopening committee that recruited and trained Welcome Ministry volunteers and established our Parish's policies in alignment with those created by the Archdiocese of Chicago to keep parishioners safe as we returned to the Main Church for Mass. Our Council has continued to support the Food Pantry to aid those facing food insecurity aggravated by pandemic. We hope to soon be able to meet in person so we can plan our activities that embrace our mission to practice the Corporal Works of Mercy.
April 25 message
We invite all Knights to join us in our virtual April Council Business meeting on Tuesday. Council members will receive an e-mail with the meeting invitation and link. In the meeting, we will make plans for the anticipated events in the coming Fraternal Year which include our annual Golf Outing, Boys and Girls basketball tournaments , and Ladies Appreciation Dinner. We will also present the budget and slate of Council officers for the coming Fraternal year which starts on July 1st. Our fundraisers enable us to make our many charitable donations to food pantries, St Martin de Porres High School, the Coats for Kids program, and the many charities of our Order. The meeting also gives us the opportunity to appeal to the membership for the many hands that it takes to run our programs. Vivat Jesus!
April 18 message
Chartered in February, 2000, the St Patrick Council has grown from 35 to now over 100 men of our Parish who have committed to our ideals of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. In the past, candidates were initiated into our Order in a first degree exemplification which centered on Charity. The subsequent second and third degrees, the degrees of Unity and Fraternity, had their own exemplification which lasted a few hours. While wishing to remain rooted in our past but acknowledging that we could be missing the opportunity to attract men to the ranks of the order due to the time commitment, the first three degrees of the Knights have been combined into one that can be completed in one hour. When at last the pandemic wanes, we hope to once again personally initiate men to the Order and our Council with the ability to immediately engage in our mission.
April 11 message
Until we can return to gathering in person to plan our fundraisers and conduct Council business, we continue to meet virtually with Officer meetings on the second Tuesday and General Council Business meetings on the fourth Tuesday of every month. It is in April that we prepare for our next Fraternal year which begins in July. In addition to proposing our slate of Council officers and presenting the next budget, we hope to begin planning for our Golf Outing which we hope to hold in late- Summer. As the pandemic continues to affect our community, we urge all, if able, to donate blood and support the Parish and local food pantries to assure that no neighbor is left behind.
April 4 message
We wish our Brother Knights a belated "Happy Founder's Day." On March 29, 1882, Father Michael McGivney incorporated the Knights of Columbus in Connecticut. From its humble beginning 139 years ago, our Order has grown to almost 2 million Catholic men dedicating themselves to our mission of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. What was founded a a mutual benefit organization has seen its insurance in force grow to $113 billion with $26 billion in assets and 1100 field agents. Knights gave more than $187 million to charitable causes and volunteered more than 77 million hours in our last Fraternal Year. Since its inception, the Coats for Kids program has given nearly 700,000 new winter coats to children in the US and Canada. We wish all a happy and blessed Easter!
March 28 message
We encourage all Council members who have internet access to join us for our April Council Business meeting on Tuesday, April 27th. We will propose our slate of Council officers for the next Fraternal Year which starts on July 1st. Any third- degree Knight may serve the Council as an officer. The Council officers aid the Grand Knight in leading our Council as we strive to serve the Parish and community fulfilling needs focused on the Corporal Works of Mercy. We hope to also discuss activities in the coming Fraternal year that will, with any luck, be permitted as the pandemic subsides.
March 21 message
The St Patrick Council is discussing the possibility of scheduling our annual Golf Outing in September of 2021. Our Golf Outing is our largest fundraising event which enables our Council to make its many charitable donations to charities such as the Orders' Coats for Kids winter jacket program, Parish food pantry, Holy Family soup kitchen, and support for Middle East Christian refugees. The format for this event is still in question pending the state of openness as a result of the pandemic. We are grateful for the Parish's support of this event and encourage your continued participation.
March 14 message
A year has elapsed since our Council has ceased meeting in person to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus. When it became apparent that the cessation would not be temporary, our Order provided to councils the means to gather virtually. This has enabled us to continue to pursue our commitment to the Corporal Works of Mercy that are endemic to our mission. We were able to work with the Parish Food Pantry to address the growing food insecurity in our community by purchasing food for holiday food boxes. Thanks to the Coats for Kids program, children in need received new winter jackets to spread warmth this winter. May we soon return to gathering in person and re-invigorate our service to the community. Vivat Jesus!
March 7 message
Hunger does not end with the holidays. Food insecurity is ever present and has been exacerbated by the economic hardships caused by the pandemic. Feeding America estimates that food insecurity affected 11.9% of the population of Lake County as of the end of 2020. Children and seniors comprise the majority of those afflicted by food insecurity in most areas of our country. Your generous support of our Council and the St Patrick Pantry serves to alleviate the need and aid our neighbors. The Knights of Columbus Food for Families program refunds our Council $100 for every $500 we donate to food pantries which we use to purchase even more food for the St Patrick Pantry or the Holy Family Soup Kitchen.
February 28 message
FISH FRY COMING – 2/19/2021 – 3/26/2021, & Beyond.
We have been working diligently and creatively this year to find some way to have some sort of Fish Fry in some form or fashion.
So, this year the Knights of Columbus – Divine Mercy Council - have partnered with several well-known restaurants in the area. Fatman's Restaurant and The Lake House (in Lake Villa) will provide us with Fish Dinners throughout all of Lent AND beyond. The price for this Fish Platter is $12 (tax included) and includes 4 pieces of fish, fries, and coleslaw. Beverages are not included. So, EVERY night in Lent can be “Knights of Columbus Night.” These are valid for inside dining, take-out or curb-side pickup.
In addition, the restaurants above, plus The Chicago Pizza Company, Primo Italian Dining and Khayat Catering (all in Gurnee), are offering the Knights of Columbus a percentage of all the meals and gift cards purchased during Lent. There is no expiration date on the gift cards, so stock up now for all your 2021 dining events, get a fantastic meal at a great restaurant and help all the Knights of Columbus Charities all at the same time. Please be sure to tell them this is for the Knights of Columbus when you order!
The best way to get the fish dinners is to call Fatman’s or The Lake House and place your order for the “Knights of Columbus Fish Fry.” Make sure you mention that it is for the Knights of Columbus Fish Fry!
February 21 message
Council members are encouraged to attend the virtual February Council General meeting on Tuesday, February 23rd at 7 PM. An invitation will be sent to all members for whom e-mail addresses are known. In our monthly General meetings, the Grand Knight presides and leads us in prayer to open the meeting. We then are presented the Councils' charitable and operations account balances, membership statistics, communications (often thank you notes for various Council charitable donations), and news of the committees regarding future events, We also close all meetings with prayer. We hope to see many in attendance.
February 14 message
For over a decade, the St Patrick Council has sponsored two families of Parroquia Santisimo Sacramento in Piura, Peru as part of our parish Family- to-Family program to ease their food insecurity. We have also donated to address needs that arose from natural disasters and other losses. In return we have received a connection to families who regard us as their Padrinos, los Caballeros de Colon de San Patricio. There are presently six Peruvian families in need of sponsors so they may stay in the program. Please refer to the article above for more information.
February 7 message
When families struggle to clothe their children with warm coats for winter, Knights of Columbus councils answer this basic need through our Coats for Kids program. As part of the Neighbors Helping Neighbors initiative that sprang from a Knights summit in held New York City, Coats for Kids enables councils across the US and Canada to purchase winter coats at a discount and to distribute them to children in need within their communities. The Saint Patrick Council has participated in this program for many years with the aid of Saint Patrick School and the Holy Family Bread Basket Soup Kitchen to distribute the coats and share the warmth of our love with others. Hundreds of children in Lake County have received the gift of warmth through this program.
January 31 message
Calling 2020 a challenging year would perhaps be an understatement. We started the year debuting a new degree exemplification that combines the former first three degrees into one. In February, we celebrated as a Brother Knight, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butler, became a Super Bowl champion. The pandemic ended in- person meetings but, our Council adapted and held virtual meetings. Brother Knights answered the call to serve as volunteers in the reopening of the Church. We celebrated the beatification of our founder, Blessed Father Michael McGivney, in October. As the pandemic added to food insecurity and economic distress in our community, we purchased food for the Food Pantry and winter coats for children. Many challenges from 2020 remain and, we challenge Knights to serve the many needs of our Parish and community.
January 24 message
Every February, our Council submits the results of the Survey of Fraternal Activity to Supreme Council so the enormous contributions of our Order for the calendar year can be tallied. Even in a pandemic, the Knights continue to serve their communities and give generously to address many needs around the world. Our Council relies upon the members returning their completed surveys to the Council leadership for consolidation in our Council survey. In 2020, our Council members held our Lenten Fish Fry (in February), served in the Parish Re-opening Committee and Welcome Ministry, conducted the Tootsie Roll Drive (limited as it was), stocked and led the Food Pantry, donated blood and winter coats, and participated in Scouting. Imagine what we can accomplish when the pandemic subsides!
January 17 message
Until there is a return to in-person meetings after the pandemic has subsided, our Council will continue our monthly General (Business) meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each month virtually via Zoom. Even though fundraising activities have been diminished by pandemic mitigation, our Council must meet to vote on measures brought to the floor from the monthly officer meeting (held on the second Tuesday of each month), share committee and District Deputy and Fourth Degree reports, share Council financial reports, and propose new business from the members along with communal prayer and Scripture reading. We look forward to the day when we can physically gather as Brothers.
January 10 message
Our Order has long engaged in providing disaster relief to aid the suffering. From converting huts serving troops during World War I into medical facilities for those afflicted by the Spanish flu pandemic to the $1 million Heroes Fund after the 9/11 attacks to provide direct financial support to the families of first responders who were killed, Knights have played a role in responding to needs created by disasters. Less visible to many may be the Knights' partnership with the Global Wheelchair Mission to provide mobility to the physically disabled. To date, the Order has distributed over 75,000 wheelchairs in Afghanistan, Vietnam, Mexico, Ukraine, and Haiti. Our Council donated to the American Wheelchair Mission in previous years but has focused our efforts in the past year to feed the food insecure in our community during this pandemic.
January 3 message
On the afternoon of Wednesday, December 18th, eight Knights of the St Patrick Council and a member of the Welcome Ministry visited the Northern Illinois Food Bank to pick up and deliver to the St Patrick Food
Pantry 60 hams, 200 lb. of sweet potatoes, 60 Holiday food boxes, 12 cases of granola bars, 18 cases of canned soup, 40 pounds of onions, and assorted other food purchased by the Council for Christmas food boxes to be distributed by the pantry. Our mission to address food insecurity in our community is driven by the corporal work of mercy to feed the hungry. Along with the generous food donations from the parishioners of St Patrick and loving generosity of over 65 other food pantries in Lake County, we helped to ease the food insecurity experienced by an estimated 11.9% of the population of Lake County. We strive to be the hands and feet of Christ and wish all a blessed and healthy New Year.
December 27 message
Food is seen as a basic human right, yet the pandemic has caused an unprecedented spike in hunger, affecting families in Lake County as well as others living in neighboring states. According to data compiled by Feeding America, food insecurity in Lake County has risen from 6.9% of the population in 2018 to a projected 11.9% now as the pandemic ravages our economy. The St Patrick Council has acted in charity by purchasing hams from the Northern Illinois Food Bank to fill Christmas food baskets for the Parish Food Pantry. For many years, we have purchased hams and turkeys from the Food Bank to feed local families for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Thank you for your support of our Council which enables us to feed the hungry in our community.
December 20 message
It is no coincidence that we celebrate the birth of Christ so close to the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. Jesus is the Light of the World and, we celebrate the victory of light over darkness and the promise of longer hours of sunlight to come. Remember to keep Christ in Christmas as you celebrate this blessed season. The men of the Saint Patrick Council wish all a healthy and joyful Christmas in hope of celebrating together in the future!
December 13 message
The wise Fred Rogers once said, "Love is at the root of everything. Love, or the lack of it." It is love that compels us to engage in acts of charity and share our talents and treasures to meet basic needs for those lacking means or befallen on difficult times. The pandemic has left many in our own community food insecure and without winter coats for their children. The St Patrick Council is picking up food from the Northern Illinois Food Bank this Wednesday for the St Patrick food pantry. We also purchase winter coats for the Holy Family Bread Basket Soup Kitchen through the Coats for Kids program. Your generous support of the Food Pantry shows our love for the community.
December 6 message
As the hours of daylight diminish and we retreat into our dens for the winter (and perhaps pandemic quarantine), we use the end of our calendar year to reflect on the accomplishments of the Knights this past year. Our Council purchased turkeys and hams and potatoes to fill many food baskets for Easter and Thanksgiving. We will pick up food again from the Northern Illinois Food Bank on December 16 at 3 PM. Hours before the closure of the Parish for the pandemic, eleven Sir Knights stood in Honor Guard for our deceased Sir Knight and Deacon, Ed Tomkowiak. Several Knights (and a few family members) serve in the Welcome Ministry to keep open wide the doors to Christ. We yearn for a return to celebrating Mass in a full Church in the coming year.
November 29 message
Chartered in 2000 with 32 men, the St Patrick Council has grown to over 100 men who give their time, talents, and treasures to serve our parish and community. Since 2000, We have held many basketball tournaments, free throw challenges, and poster contests, hosted Fish Fries and Christmas Craft Fairs and Golf Outings, sponsored families in Peru, and served in many parish ministries. When the pandemic at last abates, we look forward to hosting exemplifications to welcome men into our brotherhood and help us to be the hands and feet of Christ. We thank the parish for supporting our many activities which enable us to aid those in need in the community and beyond.
November 22 message
This past Veterans' Day was celebrated without the customary parades and ceremonies due to the pandemic raging in our country. We Knights honor all who served and embody the fourth ideal of our Order, patriotism. Knights have served in our nation's military with distinction and some with uncommon valor. Brother Knights Daniel Joseph Daly, Father Charles Watters, General Patrick Brady, Gary Michel Rose, and Father Emil Kapaun (now Venerable) were awarded the Medal of Honor for their bravery and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty. American author, poet, and Brother Knight Joyce Kilmer was killed in the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918 while serving as sergeant in the "Fighting 69th". Our veterans are a testament to the cost of freedom.
November 15 message
On Wednesday, November 18th, Knights of the St Patrick Council will pick up turkeys from the Northern Illinois Food Bank for donation to the Parish Food Pantry for Thanksgiving food baskets. Our Council has contributed turkeys, hams, and potatoes to the Food Pantry for over a decade to aid our Parish in addressing hunger in our community. According to Feeding America, due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 50 million people in the US may experience food insecurity, including 17 million children. This is estimated to be over 40% greater than in 2019. Your generous support of the Knights and the St Patrick Food Pantry performs the corporal work of mercy of feeding the hungry.
November 8 message
On Saturday, October 31st, the Beatification Mass of Father Michael J. McGivney was celebrated at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hartford, Connecticut. Fr. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus at St. Mary's Church in New Haven, CT in 1882 during a time of anti-Catholic sentiment and workplace deaths of immigrant workers in the United States. The 24 men of the first Council pledged to support the families of deceased Knights and grow in their faith. Fr McGivney insisted that a layman serve as the leader of the Order desiring to empower the laity. By the time of his death in 1890, the Order had grown to 57 councils. The St Patrick Council is number 12639 and we belong to a brotherhood of over 2 million Knights. We pray to someday see Blessed Fr. McGivney named the first US parish priest saint.
November 1 message
To increase the number of hungry that we can feed through our parish's pantry, our Council gets assistance from the Knights of Columbus' Food for Families program which was launched in 2009. For every $500 our Council donates to feed the hungry, Supreme Council reimburses us $100 which we use to purchase more food for the St. Patrick Food Pantry or Holy Family Soup Kitchen. This reimbursement program also gives Councils $100 for every 1000 pounds of food that a council donates to a food pantry. During Holy Week, Supreme Council responded to increasing food relief need caused by the pandemic by distributing $1.25 million to hunger relief organizations in 16 US states and four Canadian provinces. We honor our founder by practicing works of mercy.
October 25 message
This year's Supreme Convention, which was held in August, was virtual to comply with CDC protocols. Supreme Knight Carl Anderson highlighted the many charitable accomplishments in the 2019/ 2020 Fraternal Year along with a milestone for a signature program. The Coats for Kids program has distributed over 700,000 winter jackets to children in the United States and Canada. Even during this pandemic year, the members of our Order set a record for charitable giving by donating more than $187 million to charitable causes and volunteering more than 77 million hours. Carrying on the guiding principle established by our founder, Father Michael J. McGivney, is our mission.
October 18 message
The genius of our Order's founder, Father Michael J. McGivney, was to unite men in a brotherhood of charity, the primary ideal of the Knights of Columbus. That charity started with the care of widows and orphans of deceased brother Knights which led to what is now one of the country's largest fraternal society insurance programs. Since partnering with the American Wheelchair Mission, our Order has distributed more than 75,000 wheelchairs in areas as diverse as Afghanistan, Vietnam, Mexico, and the Philippines. Our Council purchases turkeys and hams for food baskets that are distributed by the St Patrick Food Pantry for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Knights are requested to assist with the pickup of turkeys from Northern Illinois Food Bank in November.
October 11 message
Every year, our faith in humanity is renewed by the generosity of donors to our Intellectual Disabilities Drive, perhaps better known as the Tootsie Roll Drive. Your donations help to support the Ann Kiley Development Center in Waukegan, Little City Lakeside Center in Waukegan, and Grayslake North High School Perfect Pals program. Ten percent of the donations are used by the Illinois State Council to provide interest-free loans for group homes and to support Special Olympics. Your generosity has been an inspiration to us. Vivat Jesus
October 4 message
As Knights, we are called to build the Domestic Church, The phrase "domestic church" has been used to describe families since the early stages of Christianity. The “domestic church” is believing that how we live our faith in our Councils, families, parishes, and communities has a ripple effect that can change the world! By choosing to be Knights, we choose to live our faith boldly and follow the urging of James to show others our faith by our deeds. Knights serve in the Welcome Ministry which serves to allow our Parish to hold Mass during the pandemic and open wide the doors to Christ.
September 27 message
Father Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus, will be beatified during a special Mass on October 31st at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford, Connecticut. In May, Pope Francis signed the degree recognizing the cause the intercession of Father McGivney in the miraculous cure of a fetus with hydrops. Through his founding of the Knights in 1882, Father McGivney inspired millions of men to dedicate themselves to our ideals of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. Throughout the month of September, Illinois Knights have been giving Tootsie Rolls as a "thank you" to those who donate to aid intellectual disability charities.
September 20 message
After all Masses next weekend, September 26th and 27th, members of the St Patrick Council will be in the parking lot outside the east door of the Main Church conducting the annual Intellectual Disabilities Drive, perhaps better known as the Tootsie Roll Drive. Our Council has participated in this fundraiser for those with intellectual disabilities for twenty years. Our Council's drive has supported such charities as the former St Patrick SPRED program and Lamb's Farm. We currently support the Ann Kiley Development Center, Little City Lakeside Center, and the Grayslake North High School Perfect Pals program. Your generosity creates hope and changes lives.
September 13 message
The Knights of Columbus have been involved in Special Olympics Illinois for over 40 years and have been Official Partners since 2005. Illinois Knights give their time, money, and dedication to the movement. As Gold Medal sponsors, Illinois Knights give $100,000 every year in support of the Spring Games and raise funds for and assist with local events. Since 2012, the Knights have had a presence in every Region Spring Games. Many Councils use funds raised through the Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) Drive to support Special Olympics. While our Council donates its share of the Drive proceeds to local intellectual disability charities, the State Council uses their portion to support both Special Olympics and provide no interest loans for group housing
September 6 message
What is now known as the Intellectual Disabilities Drive, more popularly known as the Tootsie Roll Drive, started in Illinois several decades ago. An Illinois council handed out Tootsie Rolls in exchange for donations to their program benefiting children with autism. That idea has spread to 44 states and now supports Special Olympics and no-interest loans for group housing for those with intellectual disabilities. The Saint Patrick Council has participated in the drive for twenty years and uses donations to support the Ann Kiley Development Center, Lakeside Work and Training Center, and the Grayslake North High School Perfect Pals program in addition to the programs supported by the Illinois State Council. 100% of the donations net of the cost of the Tootsie Rolls is distributed to the charities.
August 30 message
The 2019/20 Fraternal year was unlike any in recent memory, As our Order met the challenges of the pandemic to aid those with urgent needs, the Knights of Columbus reached the milestone of 2 million members and maintained the insurance program's place on the Fortune 1000 list. The Knights provided nearly $1.3 million US and $180,000 Canadian to food banks in areas that have seen the greatest suffering. The Order also offered million- dollar lines of credit to dioceses facing financial trouble. Our Council supported the St Patrick Food Pantry and Holy Family Bread Basket Soup Kitchen along with serving on the reopening teams for our Parish. We encourage all men of the Parish to aid our efforts and join our Order. Please visit our web page under Ministries/Outreach Groups on the Parish website.
August 23 message
The St Patrick Council has been honored with the Star Council award for the 2019/ 2020 Fraternal year. The Star Council Award recognizes outstanding achievement in membership, insurance, and programming for a Fraternal year. To achieve Star Council, a council must also earn the Father McGivney, Founder's, and Columbian awards. Additionally, the council must also submit all reports to Supreme by the deadlines. Goals were adjusted by Supreme to adapt to the challenges posed by the pandemic. We congratulate and thank our Past Grand Knight, Steven Leech, for his leadership.
August 16 message
President John F. Kennedy, Sargent Shriver, Floyd Patterson, Jim Braddock, Babe Ruth, Mayor Richard J. Daley, Jeb Bush, Vince Lombardi, Mike Ditka, Cardinals Timothy Dolan and Blaise Cupich, Jerry Orbach, and Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. All were or are Knights of Columbus. We are now almost two million men united in charity to serve our parishes, communities, and nations. Chartered in 2000, the Saint Patrick Council serves our parish and greater community and we are asking men to consider joining our Order. Please visit our page on the parish website to learn about our Council.
August 9 message
The Holy Family Bread Basket Soup Kitchen on 8th Street in Waukegan is a community outreach program that provides a nutritious meal to an average of 165 families four nights per week (Wednesday through Saturday) as a service to those facing food insecurity in Waukegan. With an estimated food insecurity rate of almost 7% of the population in Lake County, almost 50,000 of our county's residents lack the means to sufficiently feed themselves and their families. The St Patrick Council supports the Soup Kitchen and St Patrick Food Pantry to address this pressing need in our own community. Your support of our Council and the Pantry aid in this corporal work of mercy.
August 2 message:
As the pandemic continues to rage in this country and around the world, Knights strive to "leave no neighbor behind." Councils throughout the Order have been holding food drives to feed the most vulnerable while the Supreme Council has established a fund to support the needs of communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Knights of our Council volunteer in our reopening committee and greeting/disinfecting teams. We encourage all to consider joining the greeter/disinfecting ministry if it is safe for you to do so.
July 26 message:
In our now 138th year, our Order has had several men deemed Blessed, Venerable, and Saints of our Church. It was recently announced that our founder, Father Michael J. McGivney, who has inspired millions of Catholic men to live their faith by serving our Church and communities is to be beatified and named "blessed". Father McGivney died during the Russian flu pandemic in 1890 Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen awaits approval of a second miracle to become canonized to sainthood. Six of the 25 Mexican martyrs who died for their faith during the Mexican government's persecution of Catholics in the 1920's were members of our Order and were canonized by St John Paul II in 2000. We urge all men to consider joining our Order to walk in the footsteps of giants.
July 19 message:
The first International Special Olympics Summer Games were held at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 20, 1968. The Knights of Columbus have been a part of Special Olympics since their start. Sargent Shriver, the husband of Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, was a Knight and member of the Mater Dei council in Rockville, Maryland. The Knights of Columbus has donated over $600 million to Special Olympics. Knights donated over 4 million hours of their time between 2014 and 2018 alone. Your generous support of the Intellectual Disabilities (Tootsie Roll) Drive has helped our Council support local intellectual disability charities and provide money to State intellectual disability programs (group housing) as well.
July 12 message:
In Illinois, almost 1.3 million people are struggling with hunger. The pandemic has aggravated this problem with resulting unemployment and difficulty obtaining assistance from greater need. Nearly 25% of those facing hunger are children and, nearly 1 in 8 children in Illinois struggle with hunger. Lake County is not immune to food insecurity. Your food donations to the St Patrick pantry help to serve the rising demand on the pantry. Every year, the St Patrick Knights of Columbus council donates almost $3000 to the food pantry and soup kitchen to aid in the fight against hunger in our community. Your generous support of our fundraisers helps us in this effort.
July 5 message:
The fourth ideal of the Knights is patriotism.
In 1966 at a 4th Degree Ceremony at the Chevy Chase Country Club, one of the speakers from the North Chicago VA Medical Center asked for the Knights to help with getting patients to religious services. From that request, the KC Wheelers, now administered by the Bishop Quarter Assembly, was born. Once per quarter, members of our Council celebrate Mass with patients at the Lovell Federal Healthcare Center.
The KC Wheelers has been suspended during the coronavirus pandemic.