Grand Knight's Report April 2014- WGK Ed Dondero

Worthy Brothers all!  
Order Supports Celebrations in Three U.S. Cities and Rome for Popes' Canonizations 

The Knights of Columbus will sponsor major U.S. celebrations coinciding with the canonizations of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII on Sunday, April 27 in Washington, D.C.; New Haven, Conn.; and Los Angeles. In Rome, the Knights will also be active, lending financial support to Vatican television's broadcast of the canonization ceremony, and hosting numerous pilgrims at K of C facilities.  
Read more at: http://www.kofc.org/un/en/news/releases/detail/order-supports-celebrations.html    
In Los Angeles, the Knights will be a major sponsor of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles' celebration at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral on the evening of April 26. The vigil will begin with a rosary and testimonials from people whoselives have been changed by Pope John Paul II. There will also be musical tributes by noted Catholic artists including Tony Melendez, who famously played for the Pope during his visit to Los Angeles in 1987. More information is available at: 
http://www.la-archdiocese.org/events/jpevent/Pages/default.aspx 

As you can see, the Knights of Columbus are truly a worldwide organization. We sometimes forget at our local council level about all the great works the Knights of Columbus are involved in. If you can make the trip to L.A. on Saturday night, I'm sure it will be a rewarding experience. 

We finished Lent with a bang, capped off by a delicious soup dinner served up by Brother Paul Marquie and crew. The clam chowder was fantastic. I would like to thank all the hard work the Valle de Oro Knights did this Lent serving tasty fish dinners. A special thank you to the chefs: Sam Caeti, Paul Marquie, Paul Melcher, Carl Bloemendall, and Paul Michael. And thank you to Vince Garra for chairing the dinners again this year and all the servers, bartenders, and cleanup crew. We couldn't have done it without all of you. We also had really great help provided by the Santa Sophia Youth Group. 
Finally, I would like to thank all those Knights that came out to help with parking on Thursday night, Saturday night, and Sunday morning. Your help ensure that the Santa Sophia parishioners could enjoy being back in our church for the Easter Triduum. 
 If you have not yet done so, please check out the new Valle de Oro website. Brother Shawn Reidy has volunteered to take on the responsibilities of being the webmaster and has put a lot of work into the site. Valle de Oro Council 9332 Website


Finally, I would like to invite all 3rd Degree Knights to consider becoming a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus. There will be a 4th Degree Exemplification on May 3rd in San Diego.
"For most men who follow Jesus, there comes a time when duty extends beyond our own lives, beyond how we lead our families, and into how we serve our fellow man. That's what the Knights of Columbus is all about. The Patriotic Degree allows K of C members to take this one step further. "Sir Knight" is more than a title - it's an honor." 
      Vision & Goals
- Standing Firm in Support of the Order:
Knights of the Patriotic Degree are dedicated to the personal development and continued honor of brother Knights. We are always there to offer leadership, guidance, and encouragement.

- Proudly Serving the Country:
Knights of the Patriotic Degree glorify God by serving our communities and nations as though Christ were the one being served.

- Unwavering Support of the Faith:
Knights of the Patriotic Degree hold unwaveringly to what is right and honorable, working to keep God in the civic arena, serving the life of the Church, and defending laws that recognize the sanctity of life and true religious liberty.

- Honoring the Legacy of Knighthood