MINUTES OF COUNCIL GENERAL MEETING
Dining Room
06/04/2024
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER at 7:30 P.M.
OPENING PRAYER: by MARC EVANS
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: by PAUL RYAN
OPENING ODE: by MIKE FITZGERALD
ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS: P=PRESENT, A=ABSENT, EX=EXCUSED
CHAPLAIN: VACANT
GRAND KNIGHT: MIKE FITZGERALD: P WARDEN: ADAN LUNA: P
DEP GRAND KNIGHT: MARC EVANS: P INSIDE GUARD: GAMALIEL HERNANDEZ: P
CHANCELLOR: PAUL RYAN: P OUTSIDE GUARD: RUSSELL LEROY: P
FINANCIAL SECRETARY: PETE PERTA: EX LECTURER: JAMES RUSSELL: P
TREASURER: JAMES SMITH: P 1ST YR TRUSTEE: JACK RAMSDEN: P
RECORDER: ROBERT NIETO: P 2ND YR TRUSTEE: DAVID DYBALA: EX
ADVOCATE: RUSSELL GULLY: P 3RD YR TRUSTEE: TOM GRECO: P
DISTRICT DEPUTY KEBRAN ALEXANDER -P
ARE ALL PRESENT IN POSSESSION OF A CURRENT MEMBERSHIP CARD: per Outside Guard: Yes
We are going to suspend the meeting and ask our District Deputy (DD) to conduct the election of Officers for the 2024/2025 fraternal year. As an introduction to the election of officers, our Deputy Grand Knight, Marc Evans, would like to read from the Catholic Daily Reflections earlier this week on the topic of Exercising Authority.
Jesus began to speak to the chief priest, the scribes, and the elders in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.” (Mark 12:1 – 3)
This was the first of “many” servants the owner of the vineyard sent to the tenants to obtain some of the produce of the vineyard. Some of the servants were mistreated, some beaten and other were killed. In the end, the owner sent his son. The tenants killed him, thinking that they would inherit the vineyard if the son were dead.
The context of this parable is important. Jesus had just entered Jerusalen for the beginning of the first Holy Week, which would ultimately end with His death and resurrection. The chief priests, scribes and elders were outraged and began to plot His death. Jesus especially addressed this parable to them.
To understand this parable, you need to understand who represents whom. The religious leader of Israel were the tenants, the vineyard was the Jewish nation. God the Father was the man who planted the vineyard, the many servants sent to gather the produce were the prophets of old and Jesus was the Beloved Son Who was killed. The parable concludes by saying that the owner of the vineyard (God he Father) will put the tenants to death and give the vineyard to others. In other words, the scribes, Pharisees, chief priests and elders would soon have their religious authority taken away from them and it would be given to the Apostles and their successors. This parable, therefore, presents us with a summary of the way the Church was formed.
It is helpful to note that the religious leaders of the time knew that Jesus addressed this parable to them, but they failed to heed the lesson. Ideally, if they were open to the gift of faith, they would have realized that they were attempting to steal the “vineyard” from God. They were attempting to control and manipulate the Kingdom of Israel, to make it into their own image and to disregard the will of God Who established it.
This parable is especially important for anyone who exercises some form of holy authority. Parents exercise authority within the home. Bishops and priests exercise authority within the Church. And we exercise a certain spiritual authority when we seek to fulfill our unique mission in life. The lesson from this parable is simple: do not abuse your authority. Do not exercise authority according to your own will; exercise authority with humility only in accord with God’s well. Every leader, always and everywhere, must lead according to the mind and will of God. If they fail., they will suffer the consequences.
Reflect today, upon any way that God has entrusted you with a spiritual duty to fulfill His mission in this world. When a duty of leadership is entrusted to a person, the leader is also entrusted with the spiritual authority to fulfill that duty in accord with the mind and will of God. This requires constant humility so that it is only God’s will that is fulfilled. Seek to exercise all authority in accord with the mind and will of God and the vineyard entrusted to your care will bear an abundance of good fruit.
Loving Father, You have chosen to send me, as a tenant of Your Kingdom, to bear good fruit for eternal life. Please help me to always exercise the authority and duty entrusted to me with humility so that I will seek to fulfill Your will and Your4 will alone. Jesus, I trust in You.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS: FRATERNAL YEAR 2024-2025
DISTRICT DEPUTY: (DD): KEBRAN ALEXANDER
Time was spent discussing the election process. For each officer position the candidate’s name will be announced. At the end of three attempts to solicit additional nominations, the DD will entertain a motion to close nomination for that Officer position. At that time, we will then move on to the next officer position. All offices that are not contested will be approved by voice vote. If there is more than one candidate for an officer position, there will be a visible (show of hands) vote to determine the winner.
Slate of Proposed Officers:
Outside Guard : Gamaliel Hernandez
Inside Guard: Russell Leroy
Third Year Trustee: Dan Murphy
Second Year Trustee: Jim Russell
First Year Trustee: Jorge Ruiz
Treasurer: James Smith
Recorder: Roberto Nieto
Warden: Adan Luna
Chancellor: Paul Ryan
Deputy Grand Knight: Marc Evans
Grand Knight: Mike Fitzgerald
There were no contested officer positions. All candidates were voted upon and were approved unanimously by the General Council. Congratulations to our slate of Officers!
The meeting was resumed.
Approve Minutes of the Prior Meeting – The minutes of our May 7th General Membership Meeting have been posted on the Council’s website. A motion was made, seconded and approved to accept the May 7th minutes as posted.
GRAND KNIGHT’S REPORT: by Mike Fitzgerald
New Knights who are attending their first General Membership Meeting:
Paul Maldonado – He has been in the Knights for about 30 years; he started in the Knights in San Antonio; he is wanting to be more active now that he is back.
Knight of Columbus Scholarship Winners:
The Council voted to award five (5) $1,000 scholarships this year. The very deserving scholarship award winners were:
- Sandra Echeveste Martinez the daughter of Jorge Echeveste
- José Hernandez, son of Gamaliel Hernandez; José is a young member of our Council
- Jagger Kubin the daughter of PGK Chris Kubin
- Keddie Ramsden who is the grandson of Jack Ramsden
- Rylie Via who is the granddaughter of Dan Murphy
Financial Secretary’s Report – Peter Perta provided the following report:
Membership currently stands at 236
Ernest Divin passed away on April 6th
Dues Collected YTD: 52%
Star Council Quota 13 – Currently at 24 we need 2 more new members in the month of June to earn double star council status. Star Council period ends June 30, 2024.
Family of the Month Form for May has been submitted
The Knight in Need Fund stands at $1,060
Forms Submitted:
May Family of the Month – Due 6/15 – Submitted
Council Taxes – Due 5/15 – Submitted
SP7 – Columbian Award – Due 6/30 – Submitted
RSVP Refund – Due 6/30 – Submitted
Treasurer’s Report by James Smith
Baseball Concessions -see update from Allen Reitmeier
4th Degree – SK James Smith -no report
Church Activities – SK David Ybarra -no report
Program & Committee Reports
Faith – Deacon Charlie Ruelas (absent) Marc Evans reports there will be another bible study later this Fall. One topic to be considered is the Holy Spirit. More information to comefollow.
Family – José Montoya reported we had two (2) Knights who have recently passedpassed away: Ernest Divin and Louis Olsovsky; . A card for each family was passed around the dining room to allow those Knights present to sign.
Community – Dan Murphy – The 50th Anniversary Celebration of our parish went very well. Thanks to all the Knights who helped with set-up and take down and with the cooking! Special thanks to Efrain Ochoa who smoked the meats for the Sunday Celebration meal.
Meal for Seminarians – No date sent
St. Joseph’s Luncheon -Despite St. Joe’s kitchen being under construction, everything went very well and the residents were very appreciative.
Life -SK Mike Moloughney (absent) Mike Fitzgerald lead us in praying 3 Hail Marys to end abortions.
- First Hail Mary – for the Unborn
- Second Hail Mary – for the moms of those unborn babies – that they allow their babies to be born.
- Third Hail Mary – for those in the abortion industry that they turn away from evil and seek the face of God.
Admissions Committee – SK Russell Gully -The admissions committee met after the 1 p.m. Spanish Mass; there are 2 prospective candidates: Moises Martinez and José Valles. Russell and the committee requested these two gentleman be approved to join our Council. The Council voted and approved their membership. The Spanish exemplification ceremony will take place on Sunday June 9th after the 1 p.m. Spanish mass.
Awareness Committee – Vacant
Council Activities – Jorge Ruiz is asking for volunteers for Duncanville’s Fourth of July Celebration. This takes place July 4-6th. The Knight’s will man the booth one day. This is the first time Holy Spirit Parish will have a booth at the three –day Festival. This will be an opportunity to promote our parish and to promote the work that we do as Knights. On another note, Brother Knight Reynaldo Estrella became ill and was in need of a wheelchair. Within hours, Bill Weber, of the Wheelchair Mission, delivered a wheelchair to their home.
Health Director – Roberto Nieto – The Carter Blood Care Bus will be here at Holy Spirit on Sunday, June 23rd from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Please sign up ahead of time but walk-ins are welcome.
Knight Hands – David Dybala –(absent) no report
Recruitment – SK Jim Kowalski -We need 2 more members to reach Double Star Designation. Five had There are five (5) candidates that have already been approved by the Admissions Committee and our Council. We need to get them to the next Exemplification Ceremony.
Retention -SK Paul Ryan -We are half way through the year so please pay dues if you have not done so. The dues are $30. Brother Adan Luna will host a Fraternal event (Knights only) at his home at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 8th in Cedar Hill. Please come!
Safe Environment – SK Russel Leroy –no report
Unfinished Business -none
New Business
Baseball World Series – by Allen Reitmeier -The Baseball World Series coming up Friday, June 21-Wednesday June 26th. No games on Sunday as the athletes will be at Ranger’s Stadium. Four fields will be used at this time. Games will be played all over the DFW area. We will need at least 4 Knights per shift and there will be 3 shift per day. Please respond when you get a call or a text from Allen.
Adan Luna -He was presented with a Special Knights of Columbus hat for all the wonderful work he has done recruiting for our Council this past year. Thank you, Adan!
Knight of the Year Election -The Knights present at our meeting were asked to vote for the Knight of the Year. The three (3) finalists after the initial voting was completed: Adan Luna, were, in alphabetical order: Gamaliel Hernandez, Adan Luna and David Ybarra.
District Deputy – SK Kebran Alexander presented several awards to our Council. Some were delayed due to Covid..
The Fast Star Award for the timely filing of all the necessary paperwork for the Council.
The Columbian Award for Fraternal Year 2018-2019 presented to GK Tom Greco (during 2018-2019 year), and current GK Mike Fitzgerald.
The 25 Year Charity Award -We received this award for the good works of our Council. SK Kebran Alexander stated his parish had a Ministries Sunday where various tables are present. This is good opportunity to promote the work that we do as Knights.
Field Agent -Tom Centarri (absent)
Good of the Order:
Knight of the Month -Tom Greco
Family of the Month – (March) Adan and Normal Luna
(June) John and Anne Owen
Prayer Requests -Chris Kubin asked that we pray for Susan Goza who has undergone heart surgery and other prayer requests
Closing Prayer
Closing Ode
50/50 Meeting Drawing – 7194
50/50 Membership Drawing – Peter Perta was absent so the 50/50 membership drawing was postponed for this meeting.
Council Meeting Schedule
