Knights of Columbus honored at 2014 state convention

Friday, May. 09, 2014

PROVO — At the 107th State Convention for the Utah Knights of Columbus, the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City, was presented with checks totaling more than $10,000 to promote vocations and a culture of life in the diocese.

In his remarks at the Awards Banquet, Bishop Wester said he was grateful to the Knights and their wives for their work in the diocese. Recalling the recent canonizations, the bishop said that God uses each person and loves each person individually. 

“You are called, like Saint John Paul II and Saint John XXIII, to give witness to Jesus Christ, and you do it beautifully,” Bishop Wester told those at the banquet.

The guest speaker for the evening was Supreme Director Mick Gilliam, who lives in Missouri. He brought greetings from the Knights’ Supreme Headquarters and also spoke about what the Catholic fraternal organization does.

“What greater organization is there than the Knights of Columbus for you to express your love of country, your love of God, your love for your fraternity, your love of your brother, your love of your neighbor? What greater organization is there? There is none. I can honestly think of no other organization that provides the opportunity to express that fraternity, that love of country, that love of God and the Church,” said Gilliam, who joined the Knights in 1979. “It’s not hard to see why people join the Knights of Columbus.” 

The Knights are a service organization, and “you guys and ladies here in Utah don’t take a back seat to anybody when it comes to works,” Gilliam said, praising the local Knights for their accomplishments, both this year’s projects that were recognized at the banquet and last year’s efforts that won international awards. 

“I think you can honestly say that the Utah State Council is the strongest it’s ever been, and that’s because of the strength of the people that make up the organization and the reasons that the Knights of Columbus came into being in the first place,” Gilliam said.

Also at the dinner, Father James Blaine, who served as the organization’s state chaplain for seven years and as deputy state chaplain for 11, was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation.

Father Erik Richtsteig, pastor of Saint James the Just Parish,  will now serve as the Knights’ state chaplain.

This year’s awards winners follow.

Scholarship Winners ($1,000 each)

Melanie Ann Mecham, Saint Martin de Porres Council; and Taylor B. Green, Father Thomas Kraft Council (St. Catherine of Sienna Parish, Salt Lake City)

Project: Utah Disabled Veterans Fishing Day

Father Escalante Assembly (Provo, American Fork, Payson)

Project: Utah Knights Ultrasound Initiative

Mother Teresa of Calcutta Council (Saint John the Baptist Parish)

Grand Knight Louis D. Amarosa

Project: Knights, Youth, and Power Tools

Our Lady of Lourdes Council (Magna)

Project: Banners for All Seasons

Father Joseph Valine Council (Christ the King Parish, Cedar City)

Project: Food Drive for Share

Bishop Joseph Lennox Federal Council (Holy Family Parish, Ogden)

Project: Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets

Bishop Hunt Council (St. Francis Xavier Parish, Kearns)

VJ Simonelli Family, Bishop Hunt Council (St. Francis Xavier Parish)

Larry Page, Saint Thomas More Council  (Sandy)