Newsletter of The Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Knights of Columbus – December 2022
Celina - Coldwater - St. Henry - Fort Recovery - Sidney - Versailles - Greenville - Russia
Covington - Wapakoneta - St. Marys - Minster -Russells Point - McCartyville - Springfield
Urbana - Bellefontaine Fairborn - Eaton - Huber Heights - Vandalia - Englewood - Piqua
Troy - Tipp City - New Carlisle - Dayton - Xenia - Beavercreek -Centerville - KetteringHamilton - Fairfield - Harrison - North Bend - Monroe - West Chester - Carthage - Sharonville
New Burlington - Norwood - Shandon - Wilmington - Morrow - Mason- Lebanon - Milford - Loveland - Springfield Middletown - Miamisburg - Franklin - Trenton - Cincinnati - Ripley - Fayetteville - Hillsboro - Greenfield - West Union - Waynesville
A Blessed Advent to All!
Christmas is a time for joy and celebration and for many of us it is also a time to be thankful. We are thankful for our families and for God’s blessings on us. For me I am thankful for the Knights of Columbus and you my brothers in the Archdiocese and throughout the state. Together we have accomplished so much good in our parishes and communities.
Times are changing and Beacons of Light is just shy of six months old. What does the future hold for our parishes and councils? Change. But the one consistent thing about the Knights is our four pillars of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. Remaining steadfast in these we can weather any sea change.
This year it has been incredibly wonderful to see how the councils in the Archdiocese rebound from the pandemic years. In membership we have been in first place the last two weeks in a row (as of this writing) and in the top three the other weeks. There is a hunger out there among our Catholic men to be more connected to their faith; and membership in the Knights offers that through fraternity and our programs – the good things we do.
I wish you my brother Knights, your families and parish communities a very merry and blessed Christmas as well as a successful second half to this fraternal year!
Michael J. Felerski State Treasurer
The Charity Brothers Return!
The 2023 Super Cash Bonanza Charity Raffle ticket distribution will kick off in the Archdiocese on Saturday, February 4th, 2023. This is the final opportunity for State Treasurer Mike Felerski to set an all-time record of one million dollars in sales! Last year the raffle reached 97.9% of that goal and the Charity Brother himself is confident we can surpass that and hit a million with you help – he needs you!
Dayton Chapter Region and the Northern Archdiocese
Saturday, February 4, 2023 – 3:00 PM –
Hosted by Council #13874 at Saint Paul Church
1000 W. Wenger Road
Englewood, OH 45322
Starting promptly at 3:00 PM
There will be a short presentation regarding changes followed by the ticket distribution.
Cincinnati Chapter Region
Saturday, February 4, 2023 – 7:00 PM –
Hosted by Council #3382 at Saint Michael Church 11144 Spinner Avenue Sharonville, OH 45241
Starting promptly at 7:00 PM
There will be a short presentation regarding changes followed by the ticket distribution.
Michael Freil
My fellow Knights of Columbus in the Great State of Ohio. I am going to give you a current update on where the Membership is as of 11/26/2022.
Total Membership: 54,804 and 1,705 is our New Circle of Honor Goal. It gets reduced by 1 for every 10 New E-Members that sign up. We have an INTAKE of +576 New Members since July 1, 2022, that puts us at 33.98% of our Goal of 1,750 and currently we are at #37 Order wide.
As of 11/26/2022, the Current Diocese Standings are as follows:
The Standings have changed quite a bit, as Cincinnati Columbus & Cleveland have shifted in HIGH Membership gear. Cincinnati has shifted gears and put the pedal to the metal and passed Cleveland, with Columbus trying to pass Cleveland. Cleveland is maintaining their speed, while Steubenville has managed to recruit a few more with the Franciscan University. Youngstown is trying to make a pass, as they have had several eMembers come in this week. Keep looking for opportunities to invite New Members to Join.
What Diocese will be next to start a New Council ?
1. Cincinnati has 38.32% of their Membership Goal Met
2. Columbus has 38.17 % of their Membership Goal Met.
3. Cleveland has 36.68% of their Membership Goal Met
4. Toledo has 27.31. % of their Membership Goal Met
5. Steubenville has 17.23% of their Membership Goal Met
6. Youngstown has 18.79 % of their Membership Goal Met
Continue to ask New Members to join our Order, Continue to hold Exemplifications as often as possible, this new version only takes 30 minutes to complete. There is great potential for New Council development in several of our dioceses that will be taking place in the next few months.
In order to claim the membership incentives email to mcfreil2019@gmail.com the name(s) of the new member as soon as possible with their Exempt date.
Christmas and Vivat Jesus!
Freil
State Membership Director Ohio State Council
Jon Olson - Associate Regional Growth & Training Director (Midwest Region)
Delta Drive Monday 12/5/22 at 6PM CST (7PM EST)
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/3967682693997336591
Come learn how to do the Delta Church drive method. this highly effective process of growth through communication will help you go from prospects to members and answer the why of growth
Enhancing Member Experience Monday 12/12/22 at 7PM CST (8PM EST)
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/5633712190430950926
- Understand what’s meant by the terms membership experience and membership engagement and how the two terms are related
- Complete the Council Engagement Assessment to assess their council’s strengths and weaknesses with regards to member engagement
- Understand that member engagement is the council’s responsibility. Successful council engagement leads to members having positive opinions about their membership.
- Learn the five steps in the engagement cycle and how they relate to one another, ultimately leading a member to go through them again.
- Discover tools that will help address deficiencies in your council’s current member engagement as based on your councils engagement score.
POSTPONED
- Understand that retention issues result when a council has failed to engage a member and show the value of his membership. These issues can be overcome by discovering where this breakdown occurred
You are your Programs Monday 12/19/22 at 7PM CST (8PM EST)
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/3594336923720450574
- Understand the council’s perception by fellow parishioners, particularly that of inactive members and future potential members
- Construct a council mission statement that reflects the council’s vision and goals. u Understand the Faith in Action program model and its four categories – Faith, Family, Community and Life
- Identify the council’s flagship program(s).
- Access the council’s current program regimen and identify the current strengths and weaknesses among its program calendar
- Develop a calendar for the next 6-12 months that responds to the council’s mission statement and addresses some of the council’s strengths and weaknesses identified above
- Understand the Program Director’s role in leading the council’s programming efforts.
Grand Knight Halftime Tuesday 12/20/22 at 7PM CST (8PM EST)
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/7758391967270991631
- Do a report card on how the council has done so far. Readjust your goals or make new goals. Run through a calendar for the second half of the fraternal year.
- and weaknesses among its program calendar.
- Develop a calendar for the next 6-12 months that responds to the council’s mission statement and addresses some of the council’s strengths and weaknesses identified above.
- Understand the Program Director’s role in leading the council’s programming efforts.
E6 Mens Conference
MEN, ARMOR UP!
Faith & Fraternity
Just 35 minutes northwest of Cincinnati and 90 minutes southeast of Indianapolis. NOW is the time for men to ARMOR UP! Improve your vocations and become better spouses, parents, children, brothers and neighbors by growing in masculine virtue. Be the leader, protector and provider Christ is calling you to be!
Registration begins Tuesday, November 1st at 9am! Mark your calendars and register early as 2023 is sure to sell out. Featuring Matt Birk, Bear Woznick and Fr. Jonathan Meyer!
Website: https://www.e6catholicmensconference.com/
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-e6-catholic-mens-conference-tickets-445522117647
Matthew Birk (born July 23, 1976) is a former American football center. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and later played for the Baltimore Ravens. He played college football at Harvard. Birk is a two-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowl selection, and one-time Super Bowl champion.
Birk established the HIKE Foundation in 2002, which seeks to "impact the lives of at-risk children by providing interactive programs and resources needed to guide a child through the key educational transitions between elementary, middle, high school and college."The foundation launched "Ready, Set, Read!" in select Baltimore area public schools in the fall of 2010. The program works with about 100,000 Baltimore students on improving their reading skills through an incentive-based system. Birk received the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2011 for his commitment to improving literacy among at-risk youth.
He was named the sixth-smartest athlete by the Sporting News in 2010.
Birk is a pro-life father of six children. His wife volunteers at a crisis pregnancy center and he participated in the Maryland March for Life in 2011.
Bear Woznick is the host of Motorcycle Based Reality TV show “Long Ride Home with Bear Woznick”. Distributed worldwide on EWTN and Armed Forces Network to more than two hundred million homes and Amazon Prime Video Host of EWTN’s “The Bear Woznick Adventure” Radio Show heard by millions each week on over 500 radio stations in nearly all 50 states as well as Sirius FM and global shortwave and internet radio and YouTube.
Host of the daily “Catechism in a Year” seen daily on Facebook live and YouTube, Author of the Sophia Institute’s books “Deep in the Wave – A Surfing Guide to the Soul” (an Amazon best seller), “Deep Adventure – The Way of Heroic Virtue” and his Fall 2022 book “12 Rules for Manliness - Where Have all the Cowboys Gone?”
He is a world champion surfer involved with coaching a dozen teams and co-founding the Professional International Tandem Surfing Association world tour.
Bear is married with four adult children. Now lives in Hawaii with his wife Cindy.
Fr. Jonathan Meyer was ordained a priest in 2003 for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. After his ordination he served as the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Archdiocese. He has also served at several parishes, prior to being named as the pastor of four parishes in Dearborn County, IN.
He maintains a presence on the internet with weekly homilies and other teachings. He has written and published two children’s plays and recently wrote a chapter for Dynamic Catholic’s book, Beautiful Hope. In 2022 he began minister as a National Preacher for the Eucharistic Revival.
In his spare time, he coaches Track and Cross Country; coaching at public schools for the past 12 years.
Be a part of one of the largest and most dynamic gatherings of Catholic men in the tri-state area. We pride ourselves on presenting a quality, substance-driven, inspirational and faith-filled event that will change men’s lives and help equip them to be the men Christ calls them to be. Do not miss this!
McGiveny Guild
By Father Gabriel B. O’Donnell, O.P. Vice - Postulator
for the cause of canonization.
Excerpt form letter sent to Ohio Guild Chairman Michael J. Felerski
The good news I have to report to you is that guild membership is now more than 179,000. the Roman process of investigation into his life and holiness is nearing completion and the investigation into a reported miracle is progressing. The Guild plays an important role in making Father McGivney better known and spreading the word about his powerful intercession.
Don't be fooled. Our growth in membership is but one step along the way. There are 1.8 million members of the Knights of Columbus. Why are so many so hesitant to join the guild? We depend on you to further our message and increase our membership.
Each quarter, we update guild chairman on the current number of members in your jurisdiction. Our account reflects guild membership as of July 1, 2022. Each day we receive enrollment by way of snail mail, as well as the K of C website (www.kofc.org) where you can locate the McGivney guild.
As of 7/1/2022 there are 3,310 guild members in your (the Ohio) jurisdiction.
The spiritual heritage of father McGivney is his precious gift to the K of C. We owe it to him and the church to share his gift with those we meet and with whom we work.
Fr.
Gabriel B. O’Donnell, O.P.
Timothy Mangan Archdiocesan District Deputy Coordinator
The Affiliate Program Returns for 2023 Fraternity
The Affiliate Program returns for 2023! For councils that did not participate in this program last year, you will have a second chance to participate in January! We are asking our District deputies work with their councils’ leadership help decide if you need to take advantage of this program.
The window of opportunity to participate in this initiative will run from January 1 to January 31, 2023. You should have received an e-mail with information on how to register for the upcoming training webinar on Wednesday, December 7th at 8:00 PM. Everything will be explained, and the necessary resources will be distributed. This webinar will be available on demand.
Visit of the Three Kings to the Manger at Bethlehem
On Saturday, December 31st at 1:00 p.m. there will be a live presentation of the Visit of the Three Kings to the Manger at Bethlehem at the Krohn Conservatory. This pageant was started by Western & Southern, The Biedenharn Family and the Cincinnati Chapter of the Knights of Columbus in 1939. This year is the 82nd anniversary of this event. A local Catholic High School Choir will perform Christmas Songs before, during, and after the play. We invite you and your families to visit this event. There is no charge and families are invited to take pictures with the Holy Family and the Three Kings after the performance.
Merry Christmas!
By Jason Staas General Agent/Advisor
Greater Ohio Agency
Fraternal Benefits
To all my brothers and their families, I extend my very best wishes for a merry and a blessed Christmas. As we are celebrating the Christmas season, we give thanks that God sent his Only Begotten Son to live among us and save us!
That gift from the Father sets the stage for our giving gifts at Christmas. It seems we say it every year: “It’s Christmas; where did the year go?” Seems like a good time to look back on the year and note all the gifts given by you and our members worldwide.
As Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly mentioned in his annual report this year in Nashville, Tennessee, we have much to be thankful for and much more work ahead of us. Consider these gifts that SK Kelly mentioned. The Order gave more that $154 million and more than 48 million hours of volunteer service. But those are the big totals. Look at these specifics: we gave the gift of warmth to more than 150,000 children through the Coats for Kids campaign. We gave 8,891 physically challenged individuals the gift of mobility this year through our wheelchair program. We raised more than $19 million for Ukraine support and gave those families the gift of respite at Mercy Centers and Easter packages. RSVP gave the gift of financial support to nearly 5,900 seminarians or postulants. And we had more than 450,000 members give the gift of life through donating blood.
These are gifts that change lives. Real people, real individuals benefited from these gifts. As I consider Christmas I think of the gift of support and encouragement that you have given me. I appreciate the opportunity to work with you and your families this past year and I look forward to a new year and renewing connections with you. Again, a very Merry and Blessed Christmas!
Vivat Jesus!
Month of the Rosary
By Tony Offenberger State Faith Director
Brother Knights of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati,
December is the month we celebrate with our families but let us not forget the reason for the season. We put out Keep Christ in Christmas magnets and bumper stickers in the back of church to show others but sometimes we forget ourselves. Try to attend a weekday mass this Advent season and make a good confession.
Your friend in Christ,
Tony Off
enberger
Faith Director
Faith
Cincinnati Archdiocese Quick Reference Guide 2022-2023
Web Sites…
State Council Website: www.kofcohio.org
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/OhioKnightsOfColumbus/
Dayton Chapter: www.daytonkofc.org Cincinnati Chapter: www.cincykofc.org
Facebook Page: Search for: ArchCincykofc
About The Arch…
A newsletter featuring relevant news and information for Knights in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati published twelve times a year! It can be viewed and downloaded at: http://www.daytonkofc.org/DayCh_Arch_Newsletter.html Or at kofcohio.org > For Members > Diocesan Pages > Cincinnati
To subscribe for delivery directly to your email inbox, please contact Michael Thomas at: michaeldthomas@aol.com
State Deputy
Mark Siracusa 15398 Silver Pine Court Perrysburg, OH 43551-1261 cuzza52@gmail.com
Matching Funds*
State Advocate Jim Maslach 4927 Autumnwood Ln Brunswick, OH 44212 kofcjkm@gmail.com
Measure Up*
State Warden Chris Sarka 7239 Winterbek Ave New Albany, OH 43054-9097 c_sarka@hotmail.com
Super Cash Bonanza*
Will return in Sep 2023
Will return in April 2023
State Treasurer Michael Felerski 1580 Gelhot Dr. #234 Fairfield, OH 45014 mfelerski@icloud.com
Will Return in winter 2023
State Per Capita Payments*
State Secretary Jeffery Kiliany 559 Walnut Street Leetonia, OH 44431 jtktg@yahoo.com
2022-23 past due
Support Our Seminarians*
Immediate Past State Deputy Bob Byers
565 Indian Run Rd Marietta OH 45750-6693 robert_byers@hotmail.com
State Membership Director Michael Freil mcfreil2019@gmail.com
Bring your new October Blitz eMembers to a 1-2-3 Exemp. Mailinyourfirst halfchecks
Archdiocese Membership Team
Dan Tebbe: I-70 North dtebbe1@outlook.com
Vic Lauterbach: Dayton [Chapter area] vslauterbach@gmail.com
Rich Bischof: Cincinnati [Chapter area] richbischof@outlook.com
District Deputy Coordinator
Tim Mangan tjmangan@icloud.com
State Program Director
Andrew Nuckols anuckols@cinci.rr.com
To Supreme: Forms #1295, #185, and #365 may STILL be submitted. Program Questions? Ask Andy!
*Make Checks payable to: Ohio State Council Knights of Columbus