Ed Yasinski, Michael Spelay, Steve Hrynkiw, Florian Slogocki and Steve Gulka, the five charter members in attendance, were given the honour of cutting the 50th anniversary cake May 15 when the Father Decorby Council of the Knights of Columbus celebrated five decades of service on May 15 at St. Joseph鈥檚 Roman Catholic Church.
In total, there are nine charter members who are still members of the council. The other four are: John Fylyhstan, Nestor Kyba, Bernard Rink and Henry Wyonzek.
鈥淲e have accomplished much, but we have stood on the shoulders of giants (Newton),鈥� said Ken Rolheiser, the council鈥檚 grand knight. 鈥淭oday, we thank God for the blessings of the last 50 years. We pray for God鈥檚 continuing help as we struggle to protect the sanctity of life from birth to natural death, and we work for a better distribution of life鈥檚 goods.鈥�
There were 77 in attendance, including representatives of the other councils in the region.
Denis Carignan, the State Deputy of the Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus, presented a certificate in recognition of the Father DeCorby Council celebrating its 50th anniversary. Carigan noted that the Father Decorby Council held its charter meeting on May 14, 1966, which was 50 years and one day before the anniversary was celebrated.
As the council celebrates this milestone, it is also a good time to concentrate on what needs to be done, said Carignan. New members are needed for the Knights of Columbus to continue its work and service to the community and the church. It is asked of each member to invite someone new to join and, hopefully by the end of the year, many new members will be inducted.
It is a testament to the foresight and the vision of the charter members to acknowledge the accomplishments and the service that has been offered, he said. At the time when the Father DeCorby Council was starting out, there was a general sense of the work that needed to be done and the role that the council could play. In today鈥檚 society, it is necessary to emphasize the work of the Knights and be proud of the work done to defend and promote the Catholic faith.
When the council was chartered, the reason was to defend the Catholic faith and its principals, and that is still true today, Carignan said. Today, it seems the need to defend life is greater than it has ever been in the history of the Knights. World circumstances display that the need for organizations like the Knights is greater than it has ever been.
鈥� It will take all our strength and determination鈥� to promote and defend what is good and what is right, he said. He encouraged his fellow Knights to work harder and devote more time to ensure that the Knights continue to grow in Canora. For organizations such as the Knights, if they do not grow, they will slowly die.
When Rev. Bohdan Lukie later took the microphone, he paid a high compliment to Carigan, saying that he could not improve on the point which was made with so much passion.
Lukie, who has been the pastor at St. Mary鈥檚 Ukrainian Catholic Church in Yorkton since August 1, 2015, was introduced as a well-known priest to many of the senior members of the church. Recently celebrating his 49th year in the priesthood, Lukie鈥檚 service has taken him across much of Canada, but he also served in the United States, New Zealand and Australia.
In introducing him, Leonard Slogotski said, 鈥淲e admire his positive energy, captivating enthusiasm, deep challenging faith and his love for God.鈥�
Lukie congratulated the DeCorby Knights, saying that 50 years is 鈥渜uite an accomplishment.鈥� He commended the founding members for having a vision that was shared by so many. They became part of a movement that now claims two million Knights in 15,000 councils in 18 countries around the world. The founders were so successful in their initial goal of 鈥淲e want to make a difference.鈥�
Throughout his 49 years in the priesthood, Lukie said he learned, and it was reinforced, that no matter how good one鈥檚 intentions may be, he cannot do it by himself. In a fraternity, goals and dedication are shared and accomplishments are clear to be seen and experienced.
In so many ways, the Knights have made a difference, he said. They stood up and spoke out and they were heard. The overall accomplishment is far beyond what one person or one council can achieve. The Knights of Columbus are recognized for standing up for their church, their community and their country.
A letter
During the course of the celebrations, Rolheiser read a letter from Edward Gibney of Saskatoon, in which he recalled attending the 40th anniversary program with his father, Hubert Gibney, who was one of the charter members.
Toast to the ladies
In making a toast to the ladies, Michael Spelay thanked the spouses of the Knights for the support they have offered over the past 50 years. Celebrating the milestone is also a recognition of that support to the church and to the community.
Pastor鈥檚 message
In offering his congratulations to the Knights, Rev. Franklin Emereuwa (Council鈥檚 chaplain and pastor of St. Joseph鈥檚) said the Knights have followed a model that guaranteed success.
However, after 50 years, it may be necessary to remind the Council, the church and the community of the role of the Knights, he said. It is not that others do not know the value of the Knights, but 鈥淚f I don鈥檛 say `I am,鈥� no one will say `you are.鈥欌��
If it is difficult to sell the idea of the Knights of Columbus to family and friends, it is much more difficult to sell the idea to the wider community and strangers, he said.
New strength and enthusiasm can be found in better defining the goals and working towards them. That is just a starting point, said Emereuwa.
What鈥檚 in a name
According to the Father DeCorby Council鈥檚 history, it took its name in a tribute to Rev. Jules DeCorby who was 26 years old when he came to Canada in 1867, just five months after being ordained. His first true missionary work began in 1868 in the Qu鈥橝ppelle Valley where he founded the mission of St. Florent where the present-day village of Lebret now stands. During that period, he visited missions at Canora, Fort Pelly, Yorkton, Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Willow Bunch, Fort Ellice, Crooked Lake and Touchwood.
In 1880, he transferred to Fort Ellice where he started the St. Lazare mission.
In 1895, he was sent to St. Philips where he built a chapel and a mission school. In 1901, his chapel was moved four miles to the east to its present site, where now stands a modern First Nation school and church.
His work was noticed as was his dedication to the Pelly mission, where he made it a point to visit every Christmas. He celebrated his first mass in Kamsack at the home of J. Hodgson. The Town of Kamsack recognized him by naming a street in his honour. In 1951, the province approved the naming of a body of water 30 miles north of Stenen as DeCorby Lake.
He had to leave his missionary work in 1911 due to failing health and in 1916, he died at the age of 75.
In the latter part of 1965, Norman Swerhone of Canora, who was the Knights鈥� District Deputy, called a meeting in Canora to investigate the possibility of organizing in the Canora area. There were 44 Knights at the meeting at the Ukrainian Catholic Hall and they represented the communities of Rama, Buchanan, Canora, Mikado, Dnieper, Veregin, Kamsack and Norquay.
Elected to a committee to spearhead the movement were: Hubert Gibney, chairman; Steve Kobrynsky, recorder; Mile Bilsky, Rama executive member; Mike Ostafie, Mikado executive member; John Moriarty, Kamsack executive member; and Carl Lukey, Norquay executive member.
When the institutive meeting was held on May 14, 1966, elected as the executive of the new Fr. DeCorby Council were: Rev. W.A. Wasilishen, chaplain; Hubert Gibney, grand knight; John Moriarty, deputy grand knight ; Timothy Hodgson, chancellor; Steve Kobrynsky, recorder; Norman Swerhone, financial secretary; John Fylyshtan , treasurer; Clarence Derow, lecturer; Albert Cottenie, advocate; Nestor Kyba, warden; Carl Lukey and Adolph Matsalla, guards; and Jim Plosz, Mike Bilsky and Bernard Rink, trustees.
