Archbishop Elder Council 1195

My name is Tom Hahn.  With thanks to Fr. Andre-Joseph, a fellow Knight, I’d like to briefly discuss the Knights of Columbus and why practical Catholic men 18 years of age or older should consider joining the order and our local council.   

My personal Catholic journey began 10 years ago when I converted to the faith here at St. Gertrude.  Looking for a way to meet other Catholic men, I joined the Knights of Columbus shortly after coming into the Church.  For the past 2 years, I have had the privilege of leading the local Knights council as Grand Knight. During that time, I’m humbled by the fact that 30 men (including one of Dominican priests, as well as members of last year’s novice class!) made the decision to become a Knight and join our council.  Likewise, here are just some of the husbands and fathers of St. Gertrude Parish that joined include:

• Brother Joe Beinke (wife Paula, and their growing family)
• Brother Charley Laube (wife Michelle and their children)
• Brother Paul Dell’Aira, (wife Micki, and their family)
• Brother Jonathan Ring (President of a Dominican 3rd Order Chapter, wife Jessica, and their five children)
• Brother Bob Becker (wife Pegi)

If you are acquainted with any of these men, I encourage you to ask them about the Knights, why they joined, and what membership in the Knights has meant to them.

If you are not acquainted with them – but are looking for that “something more” (e.g., a fraternal brotherhood where you can work, pray, and socialize with like-minded Catholic men, or an opportunity to be of service to others – to be something or someone bigger than yourself), I invite to contact us and chat with me or with one of my brother Knights.

And wives, if you can’t convince your husband to stop and talk with us, then I encourage you to do so. Sometimes we men need motivation that only wives can provide!

Thank you!

My name is Nick, and I am here to tell you about why I am a Knight within the fraternal order of the Knights of Columbus. I joined the Knights eight years ago at the age of 19 and took my Fourth Degree in 2014. My wife, “Lady Elizabeth”, and I have been married for almost three years, and we have been involved with the Saint Gertrude community in various ways for nearly that entire time.

Father Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus to be a source of aid and protection for our neighbors, who, in the words of C.S. Lewis, are “the holiest objects presented to our senses, besides the Blessed Sacrament itself.” Like the worthy Knight protecting the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, we protect our neighbors.

We protect the widow and the orphan, the jobless, the hungry, the poor, the oppressed.

We protect the free practice of our Catholic faith by lobbying for legislation that guarantees the rights of conscience.

We protect the lives of the unborn by prayer and action.

We protect the victims of disaster, like the hurricanes and wildfires that have ravaged parts of our country, by sending supplies, money, and volunteers.

On a more personal note, when my wife and I began to open up to people about our struggle with infertility, my brother Knights immediately lifted us up in prayer and support. Half a dozen of them even approached me individually to share their own struggles with infertility or infant loss, and to assure me of their prayers. They united in prayer once again after our first child was hospitalized at just six weeks of age for a serious infection. I know from these experiences that I can turn to my brother Knights during any time of need. That sense of brotherhood is one of the things I value most about the Knights.

No matter how great or how small your involvement, there is something for you in the Knights of Columbus. I challenge every Catholic man who isn’t a Knight, to learn more about the Knights, and to prayerfully consider joining. You won’t regret it. Please contact us – we’d love to meet you!