knight before christmas! -...
TRANSCRIPT
Pennsylvania State Council Knights of Columbus
Editor and Distribution: Rick Terroni FSS
Volume # 62 - Issue # 1 December 2017
State Deputy Report—Charlie Vagnarelli
As we prepare for Advent season, let us reflect on our past year. Did we dedicate
ourselves to helping our fellow Knights,the Church and each other? Over the past
year, we have lost many brother Knights to death. We need to bring our member-
ship up. We need to be like the wise men and be prepared for the year ahead. We
need to take responsibility and prepare our councils and assemblies for readiness
for recruitment.
At our Mid Year Seminar in Washington DC, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson asked
every State Deputy and their wife to be State Chairman of the Domestic Church.
Jean and I are prepared to take on this responsibility. We need your help every
council and assembly must be involved for this to be successful. Our churches are closing at an alarming rate,
so please try to help out in your parishes. Volunteer your time and help to your priest. Help out at dinners,
CCD classes, fund raisers etc. you will be blessed ten fold. CONTINUED on PAGE 2
Shown in the photograph above are the members of the 2017 COAL Team—who spent many hours
working for the COAL program . See articles, photographs and a list of winners on page 4 and 5!
Shown in the picture to the right is our State Deputy Charlie Vagnarelli getting Santa to sign a form
100!. The caption reads—
STATE DEPUTY SIGNS UP SANTA CLAUS BECOMES A
KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS!
December 2017 KEYSTONE KNIGHT Page 2
2016-2017 STATE FAMILY
STATE CHAPLAIN
Rev. Lawrence W. Sherdel
Lancaster, PA
717-872-2166
STATE DEPUTY
Charles J. Vagnarelli (Jean)
Jessup, PA
570-876-4524
STATE SECRETARY
Paul J. Sharum (Sherry)
Petersburg, PA
814-667-2595
STATE TREASURER
Jeffrey C. Blaze (Deborah)
Mercer, PA
724-662-2391
STATE ADVOCATE
Michael J. Kish (Colleen)
Downingtown, PA
484-678-0530
STATE WARDEN
Frank J. Rozzo
Pittsburgh, PA
412-885-1799
IMMEDIATE PAST STATE DEPUTY
Stanley Glowaski (Anna Marie)
Bentleyville, PA
724-239-3673
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
James S. Bailoni (Rose)
Mount Carmel, PA
570-339-0484
STATE MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR
Theodore R. Zajac (Pat)
215-453-7453
STATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Thomas E. Hathaway (Constance)
570-226-8729
State Deputy Report—Continued
Instead of focusing on diversity, let us be followers of our Pope, Bishops, and
Priest and lead our Catholic Church to Solidarity.
Jean and I wish you a Blessed Christmas and a Happy Healthy 2018. God Bless you
and your Family.
Vivat Jesus
Charles Vagnarelli Pa. State Deputy
RECRUIT RECRUIT RECRUIT
Council 11381 and Holy Family Parish purchase an
Ultrasound Machine
Pictured Front Row left
to right— Greensburg
Chapter President - Tom
Pearson, Financial
Secretary - Harold
Smyder, Nurse Manager
at Life Choices - Katie
Stolitza, Executive Di-
rector of Life Choices -
Angela Kupas, Grand
Knight - John Slonka,
Deputy Grand Knight -
Jeff Horan, District
Deputy - Jack Rosati Back
Row, left to right—
Treasurer - Bob Ofman, Inside Guard - Joe Fitzgerald, Recorder - Tom Lavis, Worthy Chaplin -
Father Robert Washko
On November 30, Fr. Jerome Rupprecht, OSB Knights of Columbus Council 11381
from Holy Family Parish in Seward, PA, traveled to the Life Choices Pregnancy Center
in Indiana, PA to present them with a check totaling $35,900 in order to purchase a 4-
D Ultrasound machine for their office. In addition to the check for the ultrasound
machine, they were also presented a check in the amount of $1,050 for operating
expenses. The parishioners, and ONLY the parishioners of Holy Family Parish in
Seward, PA took up this collection in 2016 and raised this tremendous amount of
money for the sole purpose of purchasing this 4-D Ultrasound machine. No other
Council in Pennsylvania has ever reached this milestone. Council 11381 is very proud
and appreciative of their parishioners who believe so strongly in Pro-Life. Pictured
above please find a picture of the check presentation.
December 2017 KEYSTONE KNIGHT Page 3
\ STATE CHAPLAIN REPORT—FATHER LAWRENCE (LARRY) SHERDEL My Fellow Knights: To you and your families, I wish a blessed Christmas and a happy and
healthy 2018!
How quickly our last year passed. I remember as a child in school that every minute of the
day seemed like an eternity and made the day so long that my friends and I could hardly wait
for school to end. Then, when we had played outside until after dark, our mothers were
soon calling for us to come into the house to clean up and go to bed. We thought we would
never be old enough to drive and get our own cars.
Doesn’t age, and responsibility, turn that around? Years pass so quickly and there never
seems to be enough time to get everything done. Everyone is so busy. No one seems to
have true joy in their lives. The One God sent to us to enlighten us was meant to teach us
what true joy is in the life of a child of God. He is the Light of the World, the Word of God
made flesh, the Promised Messiah. We enthusiastically celebrated the anniversary of the
birthday of the Christ, and now we begin a new year seeking His guidance and light just as the three kings enjoyed it under
that beautiful star which shone over the place where the Child and His mother, Mary, were found by them.
Our Church provides us with so much beauty along with its mystery in the teachings we profess to believe. May Christ light
your way with His truth. May you enjoy the life of God given to you in the Sacraments. May Peace reign in your lives, in the
life of your families, and in our world. I truly enjoy traveling this road with you in the Knights of Columbus…everything done
for His greater honor and glory.
Rev. Lawrence W. Sherdel, State Chaplain for the Jurisdiction of the State of Pennsylvania
PERRYOPOLIS COUNCIL 4427 PERFORMING MANY “KNIGHT LIKE” ACTIVIES
This past October, a number of Brother Knights from the Perryopolis Council #4427 were involved in a project of resetting and righting gravestones in an older section of the St. Nicholas Cemetery in Perryopolis, PA. See picture top left. According to Worthy Grand Knight Richard Hritz, "These gravestones were fallen not due to vandalism, but rather because of their extreme age and the rugged terrain in this older section of the cemetery. Gravity over the years has taken its toll, but these Knights of #4427 stepped-in to provide this labor out of respect to the longtime deceased who were buried here well over a century ago. This is one of those valuable services that Knights perform but that people don't necessarily know about. But we never do these things to get credit...we do them because we're
the Knights of Columbus. I'm always proud of all my Brother Knights for their continued efforts. This council has done a lot of good works over the many years it's been estalished." Another project was recently completed at the St. John the Baptist Church in Perryopolis, PA. The parish has a bell display located outside the front of the church that had much mildew and was in great need of attention. What should have been an attractive accent point had turned into an eyesore. Enter the Knights! Knights pressure spray the bell display at
St. John the Baptist Church. See picture middle and bottom left. Their finished project. Just another service provided by your local Knights of Columbus! A focal point that had become an eyesore is an eyesore no more! Just another example of the Knights of Council #4427 performing valuable services for their community.
December 2017 KEYSTONE KNIGHT Page 4
2017 COAL PROGRAM This year’s COAL drawing is behind us. The 64th COAL drawing was held at Mater Dei Council in Newtown Square, PA on December 8th.
A sincere thank you is extended by me and the entire COAL committee to all the Councils and Brother Knights who participated in this year’s COAL campaign. The success of the program depended on the effort and involvement of all of us. Because of that effort, the State Council will be able to provide the scholarships promised to the children of our membership. We hope that the program helped your Councils to earn much need revenue, for your treasury, to support your own charitable efforts. Winner prizes and bonus monies will be issued during January and February 2018.
On the next page is a list of winners for this year’s program. Please share it with your Council’s membership and friends along with our thank you. We look forward to working with the State Family and each council in the Pennsylvania Jurisdiction when we start the 2018 campaign.
I hope you and your families have a very Blessed and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I wish the best of health to everyone.
Fraternally,
Joe Caromano, FST—State Council COAL Chairman
Shown in photos above left to right is State Advocate Mike Kish giving the greetings from State Council. Followed by the
16 people from the audience selected to draw the 16 prizes. Last are the core members of the COAL Team standing in
front of the COAL drum starting with State Chairman FST Joe Caromano, Rich McMillan, John Gordon and FSS Dan Eury.
ST. ISAAC JOCQUES COUNCIL 13716 SERVES FOOD TO VETS AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS
Volunteers from St. Isaac Joques Council 13716 served food to Vets (see picture above left) and breakfast and lunch to
the athletes in the Special Olympics at Villanova University (see picture above center and right).
December 2017 KEYSTONE KNIGHT Page 5
he
STATE COUNCIL SCHOLARSHIPS—2017 COAL DRAWING
AWARD TICKET # WINNER ’S INFORMATION COUNCIL
1st PRIZE 2018 CHEVROLET
SPARK 4 DR SEDAN
0103438
Louis Baldwin Philadelphia, Pa
Friends of St Francis
2nd PRIZE BEST of SPAIN and PORTUGAL – 13
DAYS
0966412
April Demmitt York Haven, Pa
10474
3rd PRIZE VIKING EXPLORER
SCANDINAVIA – 12 DAYS
0476484
Alphonse Fiore Bethlehem, Pa
313
4th PRIZE NATIONAL PARKS AND CANYON
COUNTRY – 13 DAYS
0103440
Louis Baldwin Philadelphia, Pa
Friends of St Francis
5th PRIZE CALIFORNIA COAST AND WINE
COUNTRY – 8 DAYS
0883488
Lisa Rodgers Perkasie, Pa
14731
6th PRIZE DISNEY WORLD
(2 A and 2 C) - 5 Days
0946175
Brenda Wolfe Mars, Pa
14103
7th PRIZE CANYON COUNTRY – 8
DAYS
0186793
Adalgisa Polanco Tobyhanna, PA 18466
11935
8th PRIZE NEW ENGLAND
FALL FOLIAGE – 8 DAYS
0955679
Terry Quain Royersford, Pa
15456
9th PRIZE CASH PRIZE
$ 3,000.00
0463064
J. Cullinan North Wales, Pa
13126
10th PRIZE ELVIS and the
SOUTHERN SOUNDS – 8 DAYS
0301901
Richard Miller
Erie, Pa
11144
11th PRIZE PUNTA CANA
ALL INCLUSIVE – 7 DAYS
0347576
The D’Anjolell’s Newtown Square, Pa
4129
12th PRIZE LAS VEGAS 4 DAYS W/$ 300.00 CASH
1028456
Osborne Horsham, Pa
8530
13th PRIZE PUERTO VALLARTA
ALL INCLUSIVE – 5 NIGHTS
0886991
Steve Askey Blandon, Pa
14847
14th PRIZE CASH PRIZE $ 1,000.00
0655638
K of C Council 2005 Midland, Pa
2005
15th PRIZE 60 INCH HD SMART TV
0515265
Kathy Folcik Carlisle, Pa
4057
16th PRIZE 128 GB iPAD AIR2
W/WIFI
0887252
Hailey Long Reading, Pa
14847
December 2017 KEYSTONE KNIGHT Page 6
PLEASE REMEMBER PAST STATE DEPUTY JOHN E. NICKOLAS WHO
SERVED IN JURISDICTION OF PENNSYLVANIA FROM 1986 TO 1988. HE
HAS ENTERED INTO THE HANDS OF THE LORD
Council 16071 (NE District 47) Donated $1,060.00 to the Greater Pittston Kids Clothes Closet. The monetary donation was on top of 150 ‘gently used’ or new coats that were collected through drop boxes located at St Joseph Marello(Pittston) & St Barbara(Exeter)
Parishes. Shown in the photo (left to right) John E Bingham, GK Arthur Bobbouine, Susan Lombardo from the Greater Pittston Kids Clothes Closet, Angelo Anzalone our project chairman and FS Jim Nardone along with other council members. When brother Anzalone joined the order, he learned about the Coats for Kids program and told then DD Jim Nardone of his plans and immediately went to work. Last year the council donated 85 coats, this year was almost double in coats, plus the cash donation. As Mrs. Lombardo was leaving the after the check presentation, she was handed 4 more coats that were in our Food for Families Bin. Needless to say she was overwhelmed with joy.
CHECK OUT ALL THE ACTIVITIES BEING DONE BY COUNCIL 1275—UNIONTOWN
Over Labor Day weekend,
Brother Knights from Council
1275 in Uniontown helped
direct and park pilgrims from
all over North America during
the 83rd Annual Pilgrimage at
Mount Saint Macrina
Pictured to the left are Tom
House and Justin Ward.
Each year, Uniontown Council 1275
hosts the Journey of Hope. Members
of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity spend their
summer, bicycling cross-country from
San Francisco to Washington DC to
raise money and awareness for
programs that support people with
disabilities. Brother Tony Bartock
(Pictured left) provides the team of
cyclists with a catered meal and a place
to relax. The council also presented
the team with a monetary donation. Shown to the right
Uniontown Council #1275
organized a four-day, non-
perishable food drive for St.
Vincent DePaul Society at
two local grocery stores.
Members of the council were
able to collect $1,800 in
monetary donations and
almost 4,200 pounds in food
donations.
Shown to the right Uniontown
Council 1275 took part in 40
Days for Life events on six
different occasions from Sep-
tember 27 – November 5, at
Planned Parenthood in
Pittsburgh, PA.
Pictured above—This fall, Council #1275 in
Uniontown hosted the council and district
competitions for the Soccer Challenge. This
year’s field was the largest in memory and
produced a winner in the state competition.
December 2017 KEYSTONE KNIGHT Page 7
Our Lady of Peace Council Coordinates the Purchase of an Ultra-Sound Machine
Fifteen months ago, members of the Knights of Columbus at Our Lady of Peace in Erie read about Brother Knights from Our Lady of the Lake in Edinboro raising funds to purchase an Ultrasound Machine for Boro Women & Family Services also in Edinboro. The Women’s Care Center of Erie had two very old units that were in need of replacement. Getting them to operate properly was becoming more and more challenging. Once the members of the Knights of Columbus at Our Lady of Peace learned about this need, they made a commitment to work toward raising the needed funds to purchase two new units, the price tag, $46,090.Through the generosity of the Parishioners of Our Lady of Peace along with significant funds from the Knights of Columbus there with support from other Knights of Columbus Councils, and a matching program by the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council in New Haven, Connecticut, the funds were raised in a few months. Knights of Columbus from St Jude the Apostle in Erie and Msgr MJ Urbonas in Dubois were extremely giving in their support along with Knights of Columbus from Sacred Heart in Erie, Our Lady of the Lake in Edinboro, St Gregory in North East, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Erie, St Mark the Evangelist in Lawrence Park, St Boniface in Erie and the Archbishop Gannon Fourth Degree Assembly. Statistics show that when a woman considering abortion sees an ultrasound picture of the unborn child in her womb, that mother will overwhelmingly choose life. Thus the vital importance of ultrasound machines. They provide a “window to the womb.” The goal of the Knights of Columbus was to have these units save one life. The Women’s Care Center is happy to report that several women who were convinced that abortion was the only answer to their pregnancy have chosen life for their babies after seeing ultrasound pictures.
The picture above to the left is the blessing of the ultrasound unit at the Peach Street office, from left to right, Father Kyle Seyler,
Parochial Vicar Our Lady of Peace, Father Rich Toohey, Pastor Our Lady of Peace, Brie Bleil, Ultrasound Operator at the Women’s Care
Center, Joanie McCoy, Nurse at the Women’s Care Center, Brenda Newport, Executive Director of the Women’s Care Center and Doug
Fleming, Past Grand Knight of the OLP KofC, Carl Antonucci, Financial Secretary St Jude KofC. The picture shown above middle are
members of the Knights of Columbus from Our Lady of Peace, St Jude the Apostle, and Sacred Heart. The picture above to the right show
Carl Antonucci, Financial Secretary St Jude KofC, Brenda Newport, Executive Director of the Women’s Care Center, Joanie McCoy, Nurse at
the Women’s Care Center, Brie Bleil, Ultrasound Operator at the Women’s Care Center, Doug Fleming, Past Grand Knight of the Our Lady
of Peace KofC
On Wednesday November 15, 2017, Peace Council 4518 hosted their 55th Annual Sister’s Appreciation Dinner at the Council
Home in Ridley Township, PA. Each year the Council serves a turkey dinner
with all the fixings to 60 – 80 sisters from the Delaware County area. Santa
and Mrs. Claus provide gifts to the sisters who relax and dance to the mu-
sic by DJ John Scibello.
The Sisters Dinner is an annual highlight for Council Members and many of
the Sisters, some of whom have been attending for over 30 years. Past
Grand Knight Jerry DIMartini has been chairing the event since the early
1990s. Many brother Knights and their families work the Dinner each year.
Today, there are many second and even a few third generation Knights
working the event. Grand Knight Ken Harper vows that the Dinner will
continue for many years.
PEACE COUNCIL #4518 in CRUM LYNNE HOLDS ITS ANNUAL NUNS APPRECIATION DINNER
Nonprofit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 36
Broomall, PA 19008
Or Current Resident
Keystone Knight Editor
85 First Avenue
Broomall, PA 19008
The photograph above left shows all he people that
attended Council 10729 Jessup - Peckville Children
Christmas Party.
KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS banners were submitted by the
following Councils: A Council in Pittsburgh has their banner
on a major highway to the airport! Below that one is from
Council 4050 ROCKS! And the bottom left is from Council #604
in Chippewa. These are only some of the banners that have
been submitted! Thank You Councils for your support!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to my Brother Knights from the Keystone Kniight.
Send articles and photographs now to [email protected] for the next edition!