Winners of the 2009-09 Star Council and Star District incentive trip with Deputy Supreme Knight Dennis A. Savoie.

Winners of the grand knight and district deputy 2008-09 incentive trip to New Haven, Conn., got the 'star' treatment as they visited the Supreme Council office building, met the officers of our Order, toured the Knights of Columbus Museum, celebrated Mass at St. Mary's Church, dined at some of New Haven's finest restaurants, and explored the historic city.
The incentive drawing was open to district deputies who achieved Star District status (attaining 100 percent or more of their membership and insurance quotas) and grand knights who attained Star Council status during the 2008-09 fraternal year. Three district deputies and their wives as well as three grand knights and their wives won a weekend trip to New Haven. A total of 249 district deputies and 1,430 grand knights qualified for this incentive drawing.
Being selected for the incentive trip was a complete shock to all the winners.
'When our state deputy called and told me I'd been selected for a trip to New Haven, I was completely surprised,' said Louis Roque of Colorado District #28. He added that he and his wife were especially grateful since their son, who is in the U.S. Navy, is currently stationed in Connecticut and this allowed an opportunity to visit him.
Other district winners were Guy Stryker of Georgia District #13, and Stanley Morga of Manitoba District #20.
Star Council winner Past Grand Knight David Miles [2nd from right] of St. Francis Council 11136 in Purcellville, Va., said that he felt his council's recruiting success went a long way to helping earn the award. Due to a series of occurrences at the council's parish, including the accidental death of the pastor, the council (mainly through the presence of Fourth Degree members at the funeral and other events) because very visible to the parishioners, inspiring many of the men to join.
The other Star Council winners were Past Grand Knight George Hynes of St.. Paul's Council 11776 in St. John's, N.F., and Past Grand Knight Gregory Lippert of St. Patrick Council 10154 in Wentzville, Mo.

On Saturday evening, January 24th, the Virginia State Council's program "Consider Your Call" promoting vocations in both the Arlington & Richmond Diocese came to fruition. The first event was sponsored by Fr. Widmer Council #7877 in Stafford. At a quarterly state meeting, Kelly Mortensen, State Deputy introduced the program and then an explanation was given by Fr. Bashista, vicar of vocations of the Arlington Diocese. This program is designed to bring young men to a dinner meeting where they can start to discern their vocation in life.

At Fr. Widmer Council, Fr. Bashista explained that there are many vocations to ponder and the priesthood, diaconate, consecrated life and marriage were only some options. Fr. Bashista explained the program for vocations, the scholarship program & also introduced two seminarians who also relayed to the attendees their own personal 'call' to the priesthood program. The Grand Knight then spoke of his vocation to marriage and what it meant to him, his wife and their soon to be 6 children. At the end of the presentations & discussions, a brief question and answer period was held. Afterwards the DVD "Fishers of Men" was shown to all.

The evening was both structured but relaxed and all of the young men who had signed up to attend the event stayed afterwards to speak to all of the principles. There was a sort of 'pious electricity' in the room. This program can only bring great things to fine young men, however they discern.


Deacon Bill Pivarnik answers questions regarding the Deaconate program.

Left to Right: Fr. Brian Bashista, GK Shon Ramsel, Seminarian Ed Bresnahan, Seminarian Jason Burchell. End the evening with Q & A's.

During a 1/13/09 interview on XM Radio's The Catholic Channel, Father Brian Bashista, Vicar of Vocations for the Arlington Diocese, praised the Virginia Knights of Columbus and our Consider Your Call vocations program. The interviewer, also a Catholic priest, stated that the Knights are dedicated to vocations, and Father Bashista agreed saying that we are on the "front lines" working hard for the Church.

Through the Consider Your Call vocations program, Brother Knights identify and invite men who they believe might be called to serve God and their word as a priest to information sessions about the priestly vocation.

At the January state meeting, State Deputy Kelly Mortensen strongly encouraged councils to make this program successful by inviting Catholic men to the upcoming sessions. For more information about the Consider Your Call program and meeting schedule, contact Virginia State Council Vocations Director Rich Aleksy, PSD, at rswa@att.net.

The Virginia jurisdiction played a key part in the Knights of Columbus' record setting charitable giving and volunteer service in 2007.

According to the results of the Knights of Columbus, Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity for the year ending December 31, 2007, Virginia ranked in the top ten for both volunteer hours worked for and dollars contributed to charitable causes.

The jurisdiction is first in the US and third overall for volunteer hours worked, and seventh in the US and ninth overall for dollars donated. In addition, Virginia is the only jurisdiction to place in the top 10 of both categories.

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson released the results of the survey on June 6 in a speech to state deputies and members of the board of directors in New Haven.

For more information on the Order wide results, read Knights of Columbus Sets Record for Charitable Giving, Service on the Supreme Knights of Columbus website.