Brian Bruce, Grand Knight of the Enid Knights of Columbus, received the"Community Activity of the Year"
award. The Enid men were honored for their memorial done last year for fallen firefighters. From left, State
Deputy Jose Jimenez, State Chaplain, Fr. Marvin Leven, Archbishop Beltran, Brian Bruce, Bishop Edward
Slattery, Abbot Lawrence Stasyszen and Knights program director Michael Zink.

Knights Gather In Tulsa For Annual Convention

By Steve Gust
For the Sooner Catholic

TULSA — Oklahoma’s Knights of Columbus State Council, now in its second century of service, had both Archbishop Beltran and Bishop Edward Slattery attend the 101st annual state convention held here.

In addition to both leaders, Knights also were visited by St. Gregory’s Abbot and university president Abbot Lawrence Stasyszen. Abbot Stasyszen was also a delegate to the convention, held at the Radisson Hotel.

The Knights Memorial Mass at St. Thomas Moore Church was celebrated by Archbishop Beltran and Bishop Slattery. Both church leaders, during Mass and later during an awards banquet, gave resounding endorsements to the charitable work done by Knights.

“The Knights of Columbus are fulfilling Fr. McGivney’s ideals,” said Archbishop Beltran. Fr. Michael J. McGivney was the New Haven, Ct. priest who founded the Order almost 125 years ago. Fr. McGivney, whose cause of sainthood is being urged by the Knights, is also the subject of a new bestselling book, “Parish Priest.”

“Knights continue to do good works,” Archbishop Beltran added. “Live in the fullness of your Catholic faith,” he told hundreds at the banquet.

During his homily at Mass, Bishop Slattery said he knew of no other Catholic organization as dedicated to service as the Knights. He added later that “Knights give a strong example of family life.”

The three-day convention gave members from across Oklahoma a chance to visit, worship and make plans for the next year with various programs and events. Saturday’s banquet was also an opportunity to honor some within the ranks for their volunteer work.

Among those was Jessica Harrison, a sophomore at Memorial High School in Tulsa, who helps lead prayers at public schools. She is very active both in her church, St. Mary’s, and the community. For that, she was named “Youth of the Year.” She left a very positive impression during a brief acceptance speech.

“I fell in love with what it means being Catholic,” she said. “And I tell my Baptist friends they just don’t know what they’re missing.”

There were also award winners including “Family of the Year,” LeRoy and Ruth Giddens of Oklahoma City’s St. James Parish and Knights Council 5759 were the winners. LeRoy is active with the Knights and helps volunteer with the Veterans Administration Hospital. Ruth leads a newcomers club and is part of the parish Renew Group.

The Giddens were among a parade of people to get awards for their service. It’s that service which was noticed by Supreme Knights representative Robert J. Fallon - visiting from New Haven.

“Knights have been a shining star, with $135 million contributed to charity with and 63 million man hours donated,” Fallon said. Fallon said that if the man hours had a monetary value, it would amount to $1.2 billion a year.

“No other organization can make that claim,” he said. He also noted that Fr. McGivney founded the Knights in a time when Catholics were targets of discrimination.

Fallon, originally from New York, said that a modern wave of anti-Catholicism is “alive and well,” and the “land of the free is not so free for Catholics.”

“We are not second class citizens and will not accept that status,” he said.

Other highlights of the convention, included:

* The Malleck Coury Civic Award. The honor, named for past state deputy Malleck Coury, was won by Wayne Mendes of Nicoma Park and Council  5396. The former Knight of the Year is active helping Boy Scouts.

* Community Activity of the Year. Awarded to Enid Council 1044 for their work in putting together a memorial for fallen firefighters.

* Knight of the Year. Bill Brasher of St. Cecilia Council 7395 in Claremore. Very active in his council and honored for being “unselfish giving of his time,” and a “great example of Knighthood.” Accepting with him was his wife, Marie, and several members of his large family.

* Church activity award. Won by Council 5396 of Nicoma Park for pro-life work with Birth Choice.

* Council Activity Award. Recipient was Perry Council 1053, for a “Celebration and Ladies Night Out.” The event helped to mark 100th anniversary of the council.

* Family Activity Award. Won by Council 5396 Nicoma Park for a family picnic with 150 families attending.

* Youth Activity. Honor achieved by Council 5759 of Oklahoma City. Grand Knight Paul Griffin explained a fund-raiser of $7,700 was used to link up 25 computers at St. James Catholic School in Oklahoma City.

* Several thousand dollars of scholarships were donated to St. Gregory’s by various Knights Councils.

* Kristine Jones was awarded the Al Wheeler scholarship - winner. She’s from from Broken Arrow and a graduate of Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa. The theater major has a 3.74 GPA at St. Gregory’s.

* The junior scholarship recipient was Michael Lindsey and the senior. winner was Brad Niemeir of Norman, a pre-med major with a 3.96 GPA average. Both also attend St. Gregory’s.

* Abbot Lawrence, in a briefing on St. Gregory’s, said the university was in the “strongest fiscal health in history.” He added there are more than 800 students enrolled, with more than 300 of those at the Tulsa campus. He urged Knights and guests to urge young people to attend college at the Shawnee campus.

* Cathi Morris and Lindsey Smith of Special Olympics gave a presentation. Smith is an athlete and impressed the crowd with her zeal for the program.

* State Deputy Jose Jimenez led two days of business sessions, with a myriad of programs, such as vocations support, men’s religious retreat, campaign for people with mental disabilities, membership, and special events such as state tournaments in softball and bowling. The Patroness for the Knights is the Blessed Mother and Knights observe that with regular devotion to the holy rosary as well as the Running of the Silver Rose, which annually honors Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico.

* Both Bishop Slattery and Archbishop Beltran were each given a check of $2,187.48 by Jimenez to be used for vocations.

* Center of Family Love director Jim O’Brien gave an update on the facility in Okarche. Despite some financial challenges in recent years, O’Bien said the CFL has “not lost a dime in the past six months.” The Center, a residential living center and vocational training for the developmentally delayed, has also recently re-opened its greenhouse and O’Brien said initial sales were $1,200 a day. The CFL has been a key project of the Knights, having played a big role in establishing it in 1981.