聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 At the 94th annual convention of the Saskatchewan State Council of the Knights of Columbus in Saskatoon on April 8 to 10, there was a call to return to the basics of the Columbian Order; a call for Knights to hold fast to the Catholic principles around which the Order was founded 134 years ago.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Under the theme 鈥淏e Merciful as our Father is Merciful,鈥� State Deputy Denis Carignan, the State executive, and the delegates and their families from around the province celebrated the past year鈥檚 successes and deliberated on how to better serve the Church and the community.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Among those attending from the area were: Leonard Slogotski of Buchanan, a past Grand Knight; Ken Rolheiser of Canora, Grand Knight (both represent the Father Decorby Council); Lorne Kosheluk of Endeavour, District Deputy for District 21; Merv Polzen of Kamsack, Grand Knight of the Father Ruelle Council; and Bert Suknasky of Sturgis, Grand Knight of the Father Novak Council.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The business meetings focused on informing all present about the important issues facing the Church, the community and the Order with guest speakers instructing the delegates on the information they should be taking back to their home Councils, said Rolheiser.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The delegates passed the following resolutions in support of the sanctity of life:
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥� That the State Board and through it the Supreme Council be urged to adopt a program by means of and through the subordinate Councils that Knights will stand ready to be at the side of all who are dying to provide comfort, reassurance, and solace, so that as an Order, we assure that 鈥渘o one dies alone.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥� That the Saskatchewan State Council encourages its over 10,000 Brother Knights within the State, their councils and families to consider prayerfully making a commitment to an annual $25 membership to Saskatchewan Pro-Life Assoc. which can be acquired online at https://www.saskprolife.com/organization/membership.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥� That the Saskatchewan State Council encourages its over 10,000 Brother Knights within the State, their councils and families to consider prayerfully making annual charitable donations to a Saskatchewan Pro-life Educational Trust account to be administered by our Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus Charitable Foundation, the annual income from which would be used to provide base-level support for education initiatives against euthanasia and abortion in Saskatchewan.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥� That Saskatchewan State Council on behalf of the Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus hereby develop and submit a joint declaration against euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, to be submitted to the Government of Canada and Supreme Court of Canada.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The following were elected to the State Council with terms to begin July 1: State Deputy, Brian Schatz of Regina; Past State Deputy - Denis Carignan of Battleford; State Secretary - Chris Bencharski of Meadow Lake; State Treasurer - Joe Riffel of Saskatoon; State Advocate - Larry Packet of Davidson; and State Warden 鈥� Ren茅 Gaudet of St. Louis. The Order noted that it was an honour to have Bishop Bryan Bayda of the Eparchy of Saskatoon as the next State Chaplain.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 From the opening Mass celebrated by Bishop Bryan Bayda to the Memorial Mass celebrated by Abbot Peter Novecosky, the 94th Annual Convention of the Knights of Columbus of Saskatchewan was a great success, holding firm to the principles of the Order: charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism, said a release from the meeting. The delegates left Saskatoon better informed and inspired to go back to their communities and join together to 鈥淏e Merciful as our Father is Merciful.鈥�
