St. Joseph, Patron of The Church #18037 
Minutes of Meeting Held on March 21, 2023
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www.jolietassembly0204.org
Call to Order: Meeting Commenced approximately at 7:05pm with the Lord’s Prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call of Officers: All present minus those excused by the Worthy Grand Knight.
Recognition of Guests and Dignitaries: District Deputy Steve Joutras& (newly assigned to our council) Field Agent Robert (“Bob”) Strahanoski.
Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting:Motion by Br. Erik Jurgens, second by Br. ChuckSafiran to approve the previous meeting minutes. All voted in favor, motion passed.
Chaplain’s Message:Father offered his two-pronged remarks to our Knights Council. First, Father thanked and congratulated our council on the services that we have rendered to the parish so far, emphasizing the wonderful hosting of the St. Joseph Pilgrim Icon the day before (Monday 03/20) and the upcoming Saturday Movie Matinee (03/25) and Flame of Devotion (03/26). The second prong of his remarks was Father asking for some volunteer labor to assist him in moving many boxes of books from the rectory down to his garage following the close of this meeting. (Many Knights did volunteer to help and got this task done afterwards.)
Father also informed us that he needs twelve men to volunteer to have their feet washed for foot washing ceremony in church on Holy Thursday this year (04/06). He suggested that our council could provide the necessary volunteers.
Grand Knight’s Report: Our Grand Knight Jim Holuj opened his remarks with thanks to Randy Norman, Chuck Safiran, James Holuj Sr., Paul Ward & John Glennon for their presence outside the abortion clinic in Downers Grove on recent past Saturday mornings supporting 40 Days for Life. Last Saturday (03/18) was extremely cold too. But we have made great contacts there with other brother Knights from other councils. Grand Knight encouraged all members to come out and their brothers on future Saturdays outside the clinic.
Thank you to all that watched the recent insurance seminar. Enough members filled out the survey afterward for our council to move one step closer to Star Council.
Thank you to Erik Jurgens who stepped forward to fill our Family Chair vacancy.
Regarding the St Joseph Pilgrim Icon & Mass yesterday (which Father has previously referenced earlier), the Grand Knight said it all starts at the topand thanked our Chaplain / Pastor for the well-executed and well-attended Mass + Prayer Service. We had almost 100 attendees for Mass (on a Monday night), and nearly all stayed afterward to participate in the Rosary and Litany that followed! The GK acknowledged the visiting Knights from St. Dominic Parish in Bolingbrook who participated in the Pilgrim Icon evening.
Thank you to Mike Lamlech who obtained free multiple copies of two prayer books to share with our council members: The Warning (Concise Revised Edition) by Christine Watkins (published by The Mary Foundation); Daily Prayers to Save America by Rev. John Anthony Boughton, CFR & edited by Xavier MacFarlane (also published by The Mary Foundation). Mike and Erik both encouraged the members to take multiple copies of the two books and share them with others – both are very powerful!
The Men’s Book Clubcontinues Thursday nights, as we continue with the book Knowing the Love of God by Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange. Meetings begin at 7pm in the St. Michael room.
Our next Officer’s Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 4th at 6pm in the St. Michael Room and is open to all membership (only Officers can vote).
The next Business Meeting for next month will be held on Tuesday, April 18th at 7pm also in the St. Michael Room. Remember, going forward, when we have food at meetings, the food will be served / eaten before the meetings are conducted, not afterward.
Our new Field Agent Bob Strahanoski – newly assigned to our council, but not new to his position – is celebrating his 4th Anniversary as a Knights of Columbus Field Agent!
Treasurer Report: Council Treasurer Chuck Safiran opened by stating that since our last meeting (03/07) we have received $180 in income from dues, however only $150 was deposited as one of the checks was made out incorrectly. The incorrect check has been shredded and reissued– $90 from dues collected and $90 from donations.
GK Jim offered some remarks to all after the Treasurer’s report about all the silent sacrifices that many of our members are bearing for our council’s sake, extra car trips and expenses borne out of pocket (without submitting for reimbursement). Thanks to all for the sacrifices that you do!
Financial Secretary’s Report: Financial Secretary Randy Norman
- member cards will be printed by the next Officers Meeting (Apr 04)
- we have 32 members presently: 30 dues-paying members and 2 Honorary Life.
- the 30 dues paying members breakdown, as follows, by their due’s status:
- 19 members have paid.
- 11 members have outstanding balances remaining.
- the 32 members can be broken down according to whether they are insurance members or not: by this measure, we have 8 INSURANCE members and 24 ASSOCIATE (non-insurance) members.
- the Supreme website still has no billing posted for our site that shows amounts owed by our council (the various per-capita censuses). I am expecting that we will owe a substantial amount to Supreme (due by 4/10), but so far, no amounts have been posted that show due. I will continue to monitor . . .
- the Supreme website has an app called FIND-A-COUNCIL on it that has never worked properly with respect to displaying our council’s information. Finally, with some intervention by our District Deputy Steve, this has been corrected. Now, if someone searches for a council by inputting a zip code (any of the zip codes around Rockdale, IL), our council 18037 will now (finally!) appear in the search results.
- since the last biz meeting (2/21), I have given our Treasurer Chuck Safiran $405 (at the Off. Mtg. on3/07), $330 in dues payments and $75 in charitable contributions. Tonight (3/21), I have given Chuck an additional $150, all in dues payments. I gave Chuck $120 earlier tonight when I first arrived, and another $30 (last minute dues receipt) right before tonight’s meeting began. So that’s $555 given to Chuck in March.
- there are no expenses to submit.
- we passed around the GAF pouch for a 50/50 raffle earlier tonight and total proceeds summed to $41. We will pull the winning ticket later tonight to see who will receive 50% of the proceeds ($20.50).
Additional remarks by Grand Knight:
The Council Charter:The original Charter that we received from Supreme was missing the name of one of our founding members. So, it was sent back to Supreme. We’re still awaiting the revised Charter from Supreme.
The Council Seal:We are still awaiting our Council Seal from Supreme. Thank you to our District Deputy who has been doing all he can to expedite this process.
Membership Report: Membership Director Mike Lamlech mentioned he has three good leads on possible recruitments to our council. And his children are involved in youth groups which may prove fertile ground for future recruitment too. Mike apologized for his recent absences as he has been out-of-town in recent weeks for his job.
Another remark by our Chaplain: Father acknowledges that it’s probably too late to arrange a 4th Degree Honor Guard for a Palm Sunday procession but stated that he certainly would like to have such an Honor Guard for Corpus Christi in June. Please Note: Corpus Christi occurs on Thursday June 08; Rockdale’s Corpus Christi procession will be held on the following Sunday, June 11.
Respect Life Program Director:
- Spiritual Adoption of an Unborn Child. Randy read aloud the 3 paragraphs from the 3/18-3/19 St. Joseph bulletin on this Pro-Life event.
- 40 Days for Life Spring Campaign in Downers Grove. We’ve been active as a council this Lent, and this present campaign goes on for another 10 – 12 days, through SUN April 2nd.
- Six Knights from Council 18037 went down to Springfield earlier today to participate in the IL March for Life 2023, along with several members of the Ruiz family. Approx. 2000 supporters there, and perhaps 20 opponents. A very worthwhile experience.
- Randy also added some comments about the St. Joseph Pilgrim Icon Mass + Prayer Service, which was held on Monday evening, March 20. It was impressive to behold, and our brother Knights from St. Dominic were very “wowed” by the experience, which was their first Traditional Latin Mass.
More remarks by Grand Knight:
- Anyone who has any ideas for council shirts…, what we should be aiming for? or, where we might go to have them made?Contact Charles Safiran.
- Also, anyone who has any ideas for the council website, please contact Andrew Pavlis with your suggestions.
Fourth Degree Report: Grand Knight Jim Holuj informed all that he had recently attended a 4th Degree Meeting (Assy # 204 Joliet Assembly) and thanked them for their donation to our council.
District Deputy Report: District Deputy Steve Joutras
- Kudos to council 18037 for their 40 Days for Life work outside of the Downers Grove clinic. There’s also a 40 Day’svigil occurring now in Flossmoor which is close by too.
- Thank you to council 18037 for sending down many members to the IL March for Life yesterday.
- coming up is Founder Day, March 29th. Fr. Michael J McGivney founded this organization back on March 29, 1882. Remember Fr. McGivney in your prayers. Our council has Fr. McGivney Prayer cards for dissemination.
- Also on March 29th next week, at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery there is a Viet Nam Memorial Celebration at the Big Flagpole at 10 AM. This event ties into the Patriotic Degree.
- The IL State Convention is coming up in April in Springfield. It will be held from April 21 thru April 23. According to Steve, Our Grand Knight will be going to this event.
- New Lenox Council is having a blood drive this coming Thursday via a mobile blood unit from 2 – 6 PM.
- Many councils are sponsoring Fish Fries during this Lenten season. Try to get out to at least one of these if you can. Council 4400 (Joliet east side) and New Lenox Council are among those holding Fish Fries.
- Council 1176 (Perez Council) In Lockport is having a Pancake Breakfast on Sunday April 23rd at St. Dennis Church.
Insurance Report: Field Agent Robert (Bob) Strahanoski
Bob introduced himself with some personal bits of information: I’m married; my wife Mary Lee & I belong to St. Joseph Church in DT Joliet; I’m a graduate of St. Mary Nativity in Joliet and of Joliet Catholic High School; I’m no stranger to Rockdale ~ Rockdale is & has been pretty much in my backyard all my life; I’ve been a Knight of Columbus since 2007; I was working in transportation for most of my life, and in my 50s I found myself downsized out of middle management on multiple occasions; now for the past four years / entering my fifth year now, I am working as a Field Insurance Agent for the K of C.
I work with nine active counsels in my role as Field Agent. I’m still a family man with two teenagers at home, and I still have two parents alive who are both in their 90s now. The Knights are offering three more group sessions of insurance information in the upcoming months – the next one will be on April 13.
Right now, the Knights of Columbus are offering annuities at 4.1% — this is the highest rate in a very long time. And annuities can be opened for as little as $300.
Unfinished Business:Movie Matinee scheduled for 3/25, per Erik Jurgens
21 people have signed up, and that mostly consists of three families.
Erik says that it’s not looking very promising as a fundraiser. GK Jim assured Erik that his work is appreciated, and even though the #s are not very large, we’re laying good groundwork for our council going forward. DD Steve offered similar comments that new councils’ new actions often start small andgrow and success over the years.
New Business:None.
Good of the Order:Ralph Orozco asked for prayers for his ailing father (& our brother Knight) Delfino; Andrew Pavlis asked for prayers for his ailing nieces, Rayden & Veronica; GK Jim asked for prayers for his daughter; Leo asked for prayers for his ailing uncle and grandparents; Mike Lamlech asked for prayers of thanksgiving for he and his wife Lorrie who will celebrate 38 years of marriage next Friday; GK Jim asked for prayers for his son Adam who suffered a badly bruised cheek in baseball (thankfully, the orbital bone seems fine). And continued prayers are requested for the Carmelite Sisters of St. Joseph who are praying for the members of this council.
Closing Prayer, Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Michael McGivney, and Blessing
Meeting Adjourned:8:08pm
Minutes prepared by: Randall Norman and further edited by Glenn Proud
P.S. After the meeting, Father Magiera pulled the winning ticket for the 50/50 Raffle for GAF drawing on 3/21. The winning ticket was one of the tickets that Father himself purchased! Father generously donated his winnings back into the GAF fund and accepted no monies for himself. GAF total and net proceeds for 3/21 = $41.00. — RN