Grand knight
March 29, 2022
Brother Knights,
Happy Founder's Day!
On this day, 140 years ago, the charter of the Knights of Columbus was approved by the State of Connecticut in 1882, legally incorporating the Order. The fraternal organization founded by Blessed Michael McGivney in New Haven now counts more than 2 million members worldwide, and March 29 is celebrated annually by the Order as Founder’s Day.
Thank you for answering the call to become a Knight, for all you do to help our Council and our Order. And if you feel maybe you could do a little more, don't forget we need people to take part in the Tootsie Roll Drive on April 8 and 9. Contact me or John Brown to volunteer. Thanks!
Vivat Jesus!
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
March 25, 2022
Brother Knights,
I have confirmation our Exemplification can be held Sunday, April 10, 12:30 p.m. after the 11 a.m. Mass. Larry will alert the candidates, Ralph will get the team together to rehearse as needed. Please plan to attend, get your families, friends and loved ones to attend; let everyone know it's open to the public and they are invited and welcome.
Vivat Jesus!
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
March 22, 2022
Brother Knights,
Thanks to everyone who replied. His name is Randy Davis and he is in RCIA, so he is not a Catholic yet but will be on Easter. Looks like maybe we will have two exemplifications in our near future. He seemed very eager to join, and I think RCIA participants, with their zeal for the faith, are perfect candidates to become Knights. Does anyone know of any other RCIA candidates we might approach?
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
March 22, 2022
Brother Knights,
I've spent a couple of weeks promoting our Sunday exemplification and the fact that we have two new members coming in. I put it in the bulletin and invited the parish because it is now open to the public. What I didn't do is make sure the new members could actually attend. I was reminded this weekend that spring break begins at area schools this weekend, and unfortunately, at least one of our candidates is going to be out of town. I currently am trying to get a hold of Father Jim to see if we can hold it Sunday, April 10. I realize that is Palm Sunday, but we don't want to let this slide too far down the line. So stay tuned for a replacement date coming in the near future.
On another note, we just might have another candidate. During pie making, I was standing next to a volunteer named Randy, the owner of La Cocina Mexican Grill in Trufant, and I asked if he was a Knight. Then I asked if he'd like to be and join our council. He said he would. The trouble is, I forgot to get his last name and didn't have a form 100 with me. Good reminder to always have one handy. If anyone knows Randy's last name, please let me know.
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
March 21, 2022
Brother Knights,
We have such a busy week this week, it's taken me until right now to get it all written up in an email. Or, perhaps, I didn't get to it until now. Either way, here is the rundown.
First off, let's look back at what we accomplished last week. We completed our three fish fries. Thank you so very much to Ralph Van Ocker for coordinating these and for all who chipped in and helped. You were a great crew and I really appreciate all you did.
Then, we finished up our pie sale with pie making and distribution. Thanks very much to Tom Russell and Mike Smith for coordinating this, plus all who sold pies, bought pies, made pies and distributed pies. And now I can personally vouch that the pie making process in Pewamo is a lot of work and a lot of fun.
Now, on to this week. Tomorrow, Tuesday, is the Flat River Right to Life Spaghetti Dinner. Our council sponsors this, so please show up if you can, have a great spaghetti dinner and support this worthwhile event.
On Wednesday, we will have our prayer service for peace. The rosary is at 6:30 p.m. out at St. Mary's Church, followed by the brief service based on Our Lady of Fatima. As Father said at Mass this weekend, if there's one thing our world needs right now, it is prayers for peace.
Thursday will be our regular meeting. Rosary is at 6:30 p.m. and business follows at 7 p.m. Please join in and have your voice be heard on the topics we need to discuss.
Saturday will be Father Bauer's retreat at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Grand Rapids. I've sent the information out a couple of times now, but if you need the details, let me know and I'll get it to you directly.
So there you have it: plenty of opportunity to join your brother Knights in prayer, fellowship and service. Please join in.
Vivat Jesus,
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
March 18, 2022
Brother Knights,
If you plan to attend Father Bauer's retreat next Saturday, March 26, please register so the organizers can plan for lunch. The number of registrations so far is pretty small and they don't want to decide lunch on such a small number.
Please register by 3/24/22 by contacting State Deputy Regional Representative Marty Brown at 616-560-0479 or m.brown@mikofc.org.
Knowing Father Bauer, this will be a worthwhile event for all of us.
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
Retreat Brochure
March 14, 2022
Brother Knights,
Those of you graciously volunteering to help make pies on Saturday: the Knights will be gathering at 6:30 a.m. at the St. Charles Church lower lot, where carpools will leave a few minutes later. The plan is to be in Pewamo with everyone in place to start at 8 a.m. You also can meet the group down at St. Joseph in Pewamo.
Tom Russell says there will be doughnuts or rolls, maybe both, for those working, and a lunch will be served when everything wraps up after noon. MIke Smith says it may take until 1 or 2 p.m. to get it all done and cleaned up. He will have the trailer to bring our pies back to Belding and Greenville, although any workers who ordered pies will be able to bring them home with them.
Tom Russell will coordinate distribution of the pies at St. Charles, and Bob Thompson will do the same at St. Joseph's in Belding.
Please consider joining in the pie-making process. Last I heard, we had more pies ordered this year than the last time it was done two years ago, so that is a good thing for the Council.
Vivat Jesus!
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
March 13, 2022
Brother Knights,
I hope you all enjoyed the extra hour of evening sun today, despite losing that hour of sleep overnight. They say spring is going to start to appear this week. and I think we can all get on board with that.
No meeting for the Council this week, but there are two big events I just wanted to remind you about: Friday will be our last fish fry, and Saturday is pie making. Fish fries have been pretty successful in the first two weeks, and I am so very thankful for the crew that has been working to put these together. Great job, folks!
If you haven't been called yet, please consider joining us down in Pewamo for the pie making on Saturday. I will get more information to you on times and things, and we'll see if maybe people will want to carpool as well. I understand from past years this is a great experience, and I look forward to taking part. I hope you will, too.
One other item. The Flat River Right to Life Spaghetti Dinner will be Tuesday, March 22 (next week) from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at St. Charles Activity Center. The Knights put this on for the organization to help them raise money. Please consider attending, eating a delicious meal and contributing to this most worthy cause.
Also, our brother Knight Stewart Smith is undergoing knee surgery tomorrow, Monday the 14th, so please keep him in your prayers.
Thank you all for answering the call to be Knights!
Vivat Jesus!
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
March 10, 2022
Brother Knights,
Please see the attached flyer promoting a one-day retreat with Fr. Mark Bauer. Cost is $20 per person, to be paid at the door. I already have registered and look forward to seeing you there if you can make it.
Vivat Jesus!
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
Retreat Brochure
February 28, 2022
Brother Knights,
The holy season of Lent, of self-reflection, sacrifice, prayer, fasting and almsgiving, is upon us again beginning Wednesday, Ash Wednesday. While it is not a holy day of obligation, it is a good day to attend Mass to begin your Lenten observance, and our parishes make it very easy to attend with three Masses that day. Of course, it also is a day of abstinence from meat and a day of fasting for those of us still under 59 years old, although Pope Francis has asked us to pray and fast this Ash Wednesday for Ukraine. Please join in doing so if you are able.
As we use this Lent to tidy up our spiritual lives, please also note that the Knights are really getting active as March begins. It all begins Friday with the return of our Lenten fish fries. We hope this is the gathering and the outing that people have been longing for, the chance to get together with fellow parishioners over a shared meal. Ralph VanOcker has been diligently planning the Knights' three fish fries, and he can use any and all help we are able to give to make these a success. Please call Ralph at 616-240-0273 if you are able to help March 4, 11 or 18. Your offer will be most welcome.
Next up is the return of our annual pie sale. Tom Russell and Mike Smith are coordinating this. We already have started selling pies before and after weekend Masses, and we will need a collection of Knights to go to Pewamo on March 19 to do pie assembly. Tom may be making calls seeking volunteers, but you can take the first step and call him at 616-250-0981 to offer your services. We all would appreciate it.
On another note, Charlie Smith is coordinating another fundraiser involving the sale of fresh strawberries, jams, salsas and other condiments. More information will be forthcoming as these plans are firmed up.
Once we move into April, there also will be the Tootsie Roll Drive, so rest assured you will be asked to help with that, too. Plans are in the works now to secure the sights for us to do the drive.
Because of the cost of everything going up, these fundraising opportunities are going to bring in a lot less money than in the past, as we have tried to keep prices down. The best way to increase our income will be for as many people as possible to get involved in the raising of the money. Remember, it is in getting these funds that we are able to do the charitable work that we do as Knights of Columbus.
I have a few more items to mention but I will do so in a future email. This seems to be more than enough to contemplate. But most of all, I pray that you have a holy, spiritually rewarding Lent. Please continue to pray for each other, especially our brothers who are sick or in distress. And I thank all of you who pray for me.
Vivat Jesus!
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
February 21, 2022
Brother Knights,
Whenever I remind you we have a meeting coming up, I tend to say "We have a lot to discuss" because, well, we always do. We covered a lot of ground at the Feb. 10 meeting, but we have some follow-up on some topics and new topics have come up. Please come and help us sort through the work we do as Knights. The meeting is Thursday, Feb. 24. Rosary is at 6:30 p.m. and business will be conducted at 7 p.m. I hope to see you there.
Vivat Jesus,
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
February 6, 2022
Please remember to come to the meeting on Thursday, Feb. 10. Rosary is at 6:30 p.m., business meeting starts at 7 p.m. We have lots to talk about and will need many points of view. Hope to see a packed house. I will be wearing a mask just in case we have lingering virus in this house.
Vivat Jesus,
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
January 30, 2022
Brother Knights, Thank you very much for the prayers for my wife and for me. She is feeling much better and will be returning to work in the morning. I have been lucky enough to test negative so far, and I hope I have been spared. I do have too many of those "pre-existing conditions" they say could make things pretty tough if I were to contract it. And, of course, the chance is still there, but so far so good. God be praised.
It is my sincere hope we can meet Feb. 10 for our regularly scheduled meeting, as we have much to cover. I'm glad I have 10 days to make sure I get it all in front of me so nothing gets forgotten, which seems to be one of my biggest weaknesses. I ask for your patience, prayers, and forgiveness.
One more thing, please see the attached information that diocesan officials have asked us to share with our councils. I know many of you have attended in the past, and tickets go quickly. Men's Conference
Vivat Jesus,
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
January 25, 2022
Brother Knights,
I now have to cancel Thursday's meeting. My wife tested positive for COVID-19 last evening and I am now in quarantine, I suppose just waiting for my turn to get it. So far she feels similar to having a bad cold, so I'm praying for her speedy recovery.
Unfortunately, we do not have a deputy grand knight to take over and run the meeting. We will need to remedy that as soon as possible. Kevin Norton has indicated to me he would be willing to fill that position, but we of course would have to vote on that. I am thankful for his enthusiasm in jumping head-first into active Knighthood.
Once again, I ask you to pray for everyone touched by this pandemic, for trust in God to see us through and to please care for and about each other.
Vivat Jesus,
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
January 24, 2022
Brother Knights,
I am passing on this opportunity to you for your consideration. St. Charles will be the site of a men's Cursillo at the end of March, and you are invited to apply to attend. While I have never attended a Cursillo myself, many who have will tell you how it has changed them as people and as Catholics. If you have any questions, you can contact our Brother Knight, Tim Reno, who is part of the team organizing this event..
The Cursillo brochure and applications are attached to this email. Men's Cursillo Application Cursillo Brochure
Vivat Jesus,
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
January 23, 2022
Brother Knights,
With Mass canceled this weekend because of Father's illness, it reminds us just how vulnerable we are as a people without our spiritual leaders. In fact, I received three emails from the state council this weekend to pray for priests, two who specifically had contracted COVID-19. The pandemic continues, people are getting sick, people still are dying. Please, first and foremost, pray for our priests, pray for the sick, the suffering, the dying. Pray for compassion in all of our hearts to care for each other and care about each other.
We have a regular meeting scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 27, with the rosary at 6:30 p.m. and business at 7 p.m. Please plan to attend, as we have several items to cover. If you would be so kind, please wear a mask to help protect each other, and please sit apart so we can have some social distancing. I do not want our council to be a vector for disease that could harm the older members who regularly attend. And if, for any reason, we have to cancel, I will send out an email announcing it as soon as possible. But at this point, we will plan to meet, and most definitely plan to pray.
Vivat Jesus,
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419
January 21, 2022
Brother Knights, Today I received the following email from the parish office:
All weekend Masses at St. Charles, St. Joseph, and St. Mary have been canceled for this weekend, Jan. 22/23 due to Fr. Jim being ill. Please consider attending Mass at one of the other nearby parishes. We ask that you keep Fr. Jim, and all those suffering from illness, in your prayers. Please visit the parish website to read a letter from Fr. Jim.
https://saintscjm.com/blog/2022/01/21/all-weekend-masses-for-jan-22-23-are-cancelled/
The pandemic, no matter how we feel about it personally, is still affecting us and those we know. Let's all pray for Fr. Jim and all who are suffering, have suffered or will suffer from this disease, including for the souls of those who have been lost to it.
Vivat Jesus,
--
Mike Karpus
Grand Knight
St. Charles Council 2084
(616) 225-9419