Parishioner John Billings Re Working in Community t
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arishioner John Billings was recently “The pandemic made it more named Knight of the year — an honor difficult to raise funds because it stopped that is given to a member of the Knights of us from being able to do fundraising Columbus each year here at St. Timothy. A events,” John says. “Instead, we had to great man of character and service, John’s just simply ask people for donations. road to becoming the 2021 Knight of the Our council had many men leading the Year is truly remarkable. campaign to get donations. Many of John has been married for 48 years to his them were going to their neighbors and lovely bride, Kim. He is a father of five and asking individuals to donate and help grandfather of seven. As a child and young them spread the word.” adult, he grew up in the Methodist church. John and his fellow St. Timothy John Billings and his wife, Kim, have been married for 48 years. Having a great affinity for the pro-life cause Knights were able to initiate a grassroots and being drawn to the beauty and reverence fundraiser that spread throughout the of the Catholic Mass, John started to attend Mass around the age entire Diocese of St. Petersburg, raising $60,000 within a of 18 in his Kentucky hometown — he received his Sacraments year, which covered the costs of the van. and was Confirmed in the Church eight years ago. It was John’s leadership and dedication to this project “There were a few men at my parish in Kentucky that that led him to be named Knight of the Year. supported me through my conversion into the Church,” John “I was flabbergasted,” John says. “There were so many says. “Once I was confirmed a Catholic, these same men people involved in getting donations. I was simply the one quickly encouraged me to join the Knights of Columbus, filling out the paperwork.” and I did.” John is honored by the recognition but thinks of the Shortly after he entered into the Catholic faith, John title as something to be shared with the rest of his fellow moved to Florida to be closer to his daughter and three of Knights in our council, all of whom worked hard to make his grandchildren. He was once again swiftly recruited to this fundraiser a success. join the Knights at St. Timothy. “Being a Knight is about working with other men to At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, John and a serve God’s Kingdom,” John says. few other Knights had already been praying about raising The Knights of Columbus has truly shaped John into money to purchase an ultrasound van for Foundations of the Catholic man that he is today. Life, an organization that educates, empowers, and supports “Being a Knight has strengthened my faith because women through pregnancy at their various women’s centers these are men who I can talk to about things,” John around the Tampa area. says. “We support one another. As the saying goes, iron
““Being a Knight has strengthened my faith because these are men who I can talk to about things. We support one another. As the saying goes, iron sharpens iron.” — John Billings 4
