Summary of California Annual State Meeting 5/21/22

Patrick Kelly – Supreme Knight

Priority #1. 

We must strengthen families. Children are leaving the Church. We need new programs to strengthen families.

Other insurance companies care about sales. We care about souls.

Priority #2

We must strengthen men. Get the man right will get the family right.

Vivat Jesus Prayer Planner.

Priority #3

Reconnect to be the strong right arm of the Church.

Take up the mission of evangelization.

If we do not evangelize the culture, the culture will evangelize us.

Priority #4

Expand witness to charity

End abortion

Never rest until a culture of life is restored.

Priority #5

Increase Membership to do more

Practical Fellowship

Step up and stand in the Breach.

The Knights are “good men at work doing good things.” A Ukraine mother in Poland with Knights’ help

Mark McMullen – Senior VP Membership & Marketing

U.S. Membership up 15%

135 Ultrasound in Californian Number 1 in Country

423 hours California Special Olympics
[THIS NUMBER CAN’T POSSIBLY BE SO SMALL. IT SHOWS HOW POORLY COUNCIL KEEP TRACK OF THEIR VOLUNTEER HOURS]

California Number 4 in Seminarian Support

What is Important?

1.       Come out of COVID Stronger

2.       We must Evangelize or else we are no better than a Men’s Club

3.       Recruiting
58 Average Age of Council Members
45 Average Age of Online Members
Recruit by telling personal story
Reasons not a Knight: No one asked. Too busy. Don’t know what the Knights are about.
GET YOUNGER! Appeal to young men.

4.       Spirituality
A common reason for Knights becoming inactive
Joined for fraternity and faith formation but NO TALK OF SPIRITUALITY AT ALL
Councils need to have Spiritual Meeting
BUILD SPIRITUALITY INTO COUNCIL STRUCTURE

Father Anthony Vazhappilly Current State Chaplain 2021/22

We have to be men and women of God.

We have to be men and women of Prayer

WALK THE TALK

Throughout the Convention Father Anthony called on the Knights to make visits to the onsite Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. 
Average number of people in the chapel during the convention not counting the Color Guard standing watch and not counting Steve Lovison: Less than 2. 
Number of Knights that came to the formal Holy Hour of Adoration not counting the State Officers: About 10. THE HALL WAS BASICALLY EMPTY.

Make inactive Knights feel important

Proirties for a Council

1.       Spiritual Growth

2.       Membership Growth

3.       Leadership Growth

4.       Financial Growth

5.        

Bishop Barron’s Book: How to Discern God’s Will in Your Life

wof-ebook-how-to-discern-gods-will-for-your-life.pdf (wordonfire.org)

Father John Grace Next State Chaplain 2022/23,
Past State Chaplain, Past Director of Chaplains

When Father Grace came to Supreme Offices some five years ago, he told Carl Anderson he did not find any Spirituality in the Supreme Office. He said there has been some improvement since then.

He said there is now there is a different approach with Faith in Action but warned it cannot be Action with Faith on the side.

WE MUST STAMP FAITH INTO OUR HEADS AND HEARTS. If not, we missed the point.

Deacons can be spiritual directors.

WE MUST HAVE THIS SPIRITUALITY IN OUR COUNCILS. IT MUST BE THE BASIS OF WHAT WE DO.

Let’s be people of spirituality.

Look into yourself. Examine how important your spirituality and prayer life is.

AN EMPHASIS ON THE EUCHARIST MUST BE THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR LIFE THEN YOU WILL FIND MORE MEMBERS.

This emphasis on the Eucharist will make us good, our parish good, our county good.

Michael C. Barber Bishop of Oakland Sunday Mass Homily

The most critical battle we face in our age is Abortion and it is about to become bad. Bishop Barber asked “What is the most important thing all Knights in California can do in this battle?”

He suggested financial support of pro-life causes. Yes, he said financial support is of great value and needs to be done but financial support of pro-life causes is not most important.

He suggested political fights against the numerous pro-abortion legislation bills in California. Yes, he said waging political battles were of great value and need to be done but political battles are not most important.

He suggested Walks for Life. Yes, he said Walks for Life are of great value and need to be done but Walks for Life are not most important.

Bishop Barber then said THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE KNIGHTS CAN DO IS PRAY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. EUCHARIST ADORATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WEAPON IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE CULTURE OF DEATH.

Immediately after the Mass Steve Lovison had a one-on-one conversation with Bishop Barber who adopted Bishop Vann’s letter for the Diocese of Oakland instructing Steve to “tell the State Leaders I want the Knights to do this in Oakland.”

The typically empty Adoration Chapel at the State Convention

Steve Lovison One-On-One Conversation with Bishop Barber

All during the Convention I spent a lot of time in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

While I was there as a delegate of Council 6020, I am also am State Chairman of Perpetual Adoration and State Chairman of Holy Hours so while I was there to cast what turned out to be a single vote as delegate, I spent much of my time in the Blessed Sacrament giving out the attached flyer to Brother Knights and wives who came in the chapel.

On one side was Bishop Vann’s letter to the Knights of Orange asking the Knights to take a leadership role getting Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in every parish in the Diocese of Orange.

On the other side was a promotional flyer asking Knights to join my efforts to make this letter from Bishop Vann a reality in all of California.

So . . .

After Mass and given the absolute emphasis on Eucharistic Adoration throughout the Convention but especially after Bishop Barber’s homily I ran to my car to get the remaining flyers I had to give them to the State Officers who had not seen the flyer.

I figured I would contact Bishop Barber about Bishop Vann’s letter in the future because in events such as this a VIP like Bishop Barber would be surrounded by people and lowly Steve Lovison would never get a chance to talk to him.

I walked back in the hall and there were dozens of Knights having dozens of conversations. There, standing completely alone amidst all the chaos, smiling, was Bishop Barber. It was as if there was a force field around him reserving him to talk to me. 

Here is the transcript of my cone-on-one conversation with Bishop Michael C. Barber:

Steve Lovison:             “Hello Your Excellency. My name is Steve Lovison, State Chairman of Perpetual Adoration and State Chairman Holy Hours.”

Bishop Barber:            “Oohhh! Very pleased to meet you.”

Steve Lovison:             “Some years back I helped start and still support 24/7 Eucharistic Adoration at St Michael Catholic Church in Livermore in your diocese”

Bishop Barber:            “Ah yes. St Michael is a very good parish.”

It should be noted this Adoration Chapel was led by a Past Grand Knight in a Council that was stagnating. About two years after 24/7 Adoration was implemented, this Council was named Council of the Year and the Grand Knight was named Knight of Year.

Steve Lovison:             “I also was helping to plan your Diocesan Eucharistic Congress, but it was cancelled due to COVID. I was going to bring the Vatican Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles and was slated give sessions on starting Perpetual Adoration.”

Bishop Barber:            “Yes. It was a shame we had to cancel that Eucharistic Congress.”

Steve Lovison:             “Thank you for your homily and your message of Eucharistic Adoration. I have a letter here from your fellow Bishop Kevin Vann in the Diocese of Orange. He asks the Knights of Columbus in the Diocese of Orange to take a leadership role in establishing Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in all the parishes of the Diocese.

I am hoping you will be the first bishop to endorse Bishop Vann’s letter. Can I give you this copy and reach out to you about it for your endorsement in the near future?”

After looking at the letter of a short time and expressing respect and friendship for Bishop Vann . . .

Bishop Barber:            “There is no need for any delay. You have my endorsement. You can go tell the State leaders I want the Knights of Columbus to take a lead role growing Eucharistic Adoration in the Diocese of Oakland.”

Steve Lovison:             “Thank you very much Your Excellency! May I have a blessing?”

At this point I received a beautiful blessing from Bishop Barber.

I found State Advocate James Larson who is very much in favor of making Eucharistic Adoration a top priority for the California Knights. I told him of my conversation with Bishop Barber. I gave him my remaining flyers and asked him to give them to the State Officers as I was not staying for the dinner because I had a 7 hour drive ahead of me from Sacramento back to Huntington Beach and we were having Eucharistic Adoration signups at my home parish the next day.

So ended the 2022 Annual State Meeting for Steve Lovison.  It obvious from this meeting that the growth of Eucharistic Adoration and the Call to be Holy efforts began a few years back since Bishop Vann’s letter are to be important priorities for the Knights of California.

Vivat Jesus!

Steve Lovison

714-943-1038