Knights Present New Wheelchair to a Local Neighbor in Need

On Christmas Eve 2019, our Council presented Brasha Hargrow with a new wheelchair.  Brasha lives with her family just a few blocks from our Parish, Ascension Catholic Church.  Ellie Hernandez, Brasha's caregiver, contacted the Parish Officer to see if a wheelchair.  The Office referred Ellie to Ascension's Knights of Columbus Council which works with the American Wheelchair Mission to provide wheelchairs for free to those in need.

In the photo above, Brasha Hargrow (seated in the center) is surrounded by her family and caregiver,  and by the Knights who arranged to provide her with the gift of mobility just in time for Christmas.  Front row (left to right):  Annie Hargrow, KC Hargrow, Brasha Hargrow, and Ellie Hernandez, Brasha's caregiver.  Back row: Grand Knight Lee Fracker, Brother Knights Larry Young, Paul Vinklarek, Gary Young, and Deacon Paul Cooke, our Council's Spiritual Director.  Deacon Cooke prayed with Brasha and her family, and also blessed her new wheelchair.

Meet Our Seminarians!

As we do every year, this year our Council is supporting two seminarians:  Zack Rodriguez and Shane Goertz.

Zack Rodriquez is a fourth-year seminarian studying at the Pontifical North American College located in Vatican City just outside of Rome.  Zack is from Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elgin, Texas. Our Council has been supporting Zack for several years and we are pleased to continue supporting him this year.
Shane Goertz is a second-year seminarian enrolled at St Mary's Seminary in Houston, Texas.  He is from Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rockne near Bastrop Texas.  This is our second year supporting Shane.  We are looking forward to continuing to support Shane on his journey toward the priesthood for the next several years!

Our support for these two seminarians consists of financial contributions through the Knights of Columbus RSVP program and of encouragement via personal communication.  If you would like to learn more about the Knights' Seminarian Support program, please visit http://www.kofc.org/en/programs/faith/rsvp.html#/.

Vivat Jesus!

Ascension Generously Supports our Wheelchair Sunday Campaign!

This past weekend (December 14-15) we conducted our Wheelchair Sunday campaign.  As we do every year, the various Knights of Columbus Councils in the Austin diocese combine their resources to purchase a crate of 110 wheelchairs to be given away for free to those in need.  A crate of 110 wheelchairs costs over $16,000, about $150 per wheelchair.  This year, we invited the entire parish to join us in supporting our effort.

Ascension parishioners responded with extraordinary generosity, donating over $2,800 to the Knights of Columbus Wheelchair Mission in our Community.  Parishioners at all four masses (English and Spanish) substantially contributed to the total amount we raised.  We are extremely proud of our Parish, and these results just confirm that we belong to and serve with a wonderful community of faithful Catholic Christians!

Vivat Jesus!

Our First Delta Church Drive

This past weekend (19-20 October), we held our first Delta Church Drive -- a new approach to conducting membership drives -- at all masses, including the three English masses and Ascension's hugely popular Spanish mass.  As a result, we have received several requests for more information about the Knights, multiple requests from existing Knights to transfer to Ascension from their previous Councils, and at least one new online member.

I want to thank all of the Knights who helped with the Delta Church Drive by passing out prayer cards at the beginning of mass, presenting pulpit talks, collecting information request cards after mass, speaking with parishioners about our Council, and all of the other ways in which so many of you helped.

Vivat Jesus!

Church Membership Drive Weekend (19-20 October)

Would you like to know more about the Knights of Columbus?  Fill out our online form for more information!

If you want to join right now, you can!  Just fill out the Join Us form.  On the second screen, check the "I am interested in joining a local council" checkbox, and then fill in the Preferred Council field with our Council number: 14943.

Still thinking about it?  No worries.  Because this this weekend (19 and 20 October) is your chance to learn more about us.  

Whichever mass you attend, as you enter you will receive a prayer card for the Canonization of Father Michael J McGivney.  In 1882, Fr McGivney started the Knights of Columbus to improve the lives of Catholics in his parish in New Haven, Connecticut.  His vision was for councils to work together to protect families and build a better world.

At the end of mass, we will tell you a little more about the Knights and our Council, and then you will have another opportunity to request more information about us or even to join our council on the spot!

Vivat Jesus!

Rosary and Funeral Mass for Joe Raz

Many of you knew Joe Raz, who was one of the founders of our Knights of Columbus council here at Ascension Catholic Church.  Joe was our first Grand Knight, and he was also a member of the Fourth Degree, the Patriotic Order of the Knights.  Sir Knight Joe Raz passed away the morning of 7 October 2019 following a long protracted illness.

The Rosary and Funeral for Joe will both held at Ascension Catholic Church on Wednesday morning, 9 October 2019.   The Rosary will start at 9:30 am followed by the Funeral Mass at 10:30 am.  Following procession to the cemetery and burial, there will be a Meal and Reception at the Ascension Parish Hall.

Knights and Ladies are invited to attend both the Rosary and the Funeral Mass.  All Knights (1st through 4th degree) should wear the blue button down shirt (short or long-sleeve) with or without tie.

Our Golf for Life Tournament Team Shines!

You may know that Ascension Council was a sponsor of the Bastrop Pregnancy Resource Center's Golf for for Life Tournament.  In addition to making a significant financial contribution to the Pregnancy Resource Center, we also fielded a four-person team, including Worthy Knights Gary Raemsch, Gary Young, Larry Young, and Gilbert Zamora (shown left-to-right in the photo below), each of whom is an accomplished golfer in their own right.  Twenty teams from the local area were in competition.  

The tournament, held at ColoVista Golf Club near Bastrop on Saturday, September 28, followed the shotgun format, where all the teams start at the same time, each from a different hole.  Since there are only 18 holes for 20 teams, you won't be surprised  to learn that the tournament lasted six hours! You also won't be surprised to learn that our talented low-handicap team landed in the top seven of the 20 teams! Congratulations to our Awesome Foursome! More good news:  The tournament netted over $21,000 to benefit the Bastrop Pregnancy Resource Center.  We the Ascension Knights are delighted to have helped make the Golf for Life Tournament such a roaring success.

Family First!

We Knights of Columbus have always been about families.  When Father Michael J McGivney originally founded the Knights on March 29th of 1882, his aim was to protect Catholic families from economic disaster in the event they should lose their breadwinner to death or disability.  Today, the Knights are as family-oriented as then and perhaps even more so.  While we may often think of the Knights as a "men only" fraternity, everything we do is really about strengthening and supporting our families.  All of our activities are -- and rightly should be -- family activities.  We attend church as families.  We perform our charitable activities such as our Sandwich Ministry, Fresh Food Distribution, Marches for Life, Lenten Fish Fries, prayer and spiritual retreat ministries, fund raisers, and even golf tournaments as families.

In the year ahead, we will be emphasizing that we Knights are about family first, and by that I mean about building, strengthening, and protecting Christ-centered families before anything else.  Several of our members have creative and exciting ideas about how to share our Family First mission more effectively with our Parish and and community.  I am looking forward to your creative and innovative ideas as we prepare to wrap-up 2019 and move forward into 2020!

No Greater Love

Jesus said no greater love has anyone than to give his life for his friends (John 15:13).  Kendrick Castillio did just that on May 7, the day he gave up his life to protect his friends during a high school shooting.  For his love and heroism, Kendrick was made a Knight posthumously at this year's Supreme Convention in Minneapolis in August.    You can read more about Kendrick's heroism in the online edition of Columbia magazine: https://www.kofc.org/en/columbia/detail/no-greater-love.html.

Wheelchairs for People in Need

Do you know someone who needs a wheelchair?  We can help!  Through our partnership with the Austin Chapter of the Knights of Columbus and the American Wheelchair Mission, we can provide wheelchairs for free to those who need them.  We currently have wheelchairs available in three adult sizes:  16, 18, and 20 inch.

For more information, please email me (Martin "Lee" Fracker) with your information at martin.fracker@gmail.com.

Opportunities for Service: You as a Director!

Our Council provides many opportunities for service.  Besides serving as an officer or a project volunteer, members can also serve in a variety of Director roles.  During the next few weeks, we will be appointing Knights to fill several key roles.  Take a few moments to review the duties and responsibilities for each role below and prayerfully consider volunteering for one of these wonderful service opportunities.

Membership Director

• Appointed annually by the grand knight
• Oversees recruitment and retention for the council as well as insurance promotion
• Collaborates with the grand knight in setting the calendar of membership programs for the fraternal year
• Manages the recruitment and retention committees and insurance promotion chairman as they implement the council’s membership growth program
• Ensures that Membership Applications(#100) are transmitted by the Financial Secretary to both the Membership Records Department at the Supreme Council and the general agent
• Keeps the council’s Public Relations Chairman informed of all membership programs and activities for promotion to the parish community and to local media

Program Director

• The program director is responsible for providing the council leadership with guidance and direction needed on council programming.
• Appointed annually by the grand knight
• Collaborates with the grand knight in setting the calendar of council programs for the fraternal year
• Manages each category’s program directors (Faith, Family, Community, and Life) and chairmen as they implement the council’s programs
• Keeps accurate records of council programs for reporting on the Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity (#1728) and the Columbian Award Application (#SP-7), along with reports on all other program-related applications and reports – all can be found at kofc.org/forms
• Keeps the council’s Public Relations Chairman informed of all programs and activities for promotion to the parish community and to local media
• Must complete all required safe environment training and adhere to all policies and procedures under the Knights of Columbus Safe Environment Program. Additional information on this program is available kofc.org/safe

Faith Director

• The Faith director reports to the program director. The individual appointed to this position should be comfortable discussing and planning faith formation activities for the council. He must be comfortable developing ties with other parish ministries to advance the needs of the whole parish community at the pastor’s direction. He works with and understands the information available for faith development through the Order’s Catholic Information Service (kofc.org/cis).
• Appointed by the grand knight, in consultation with the program director
• Responsible for all Faith based council programs
• Plans, coordinates, and promotes the required Faith program: Spiritual Reflection
• Assigns committee chairmen and develops committees that support vocations, parochial services and religious devotions
• Collaborates with the program director on which Supreme-recommend programs a council will conduct in the fraternal year and any other Faith programs
• Promotes membership in the Father Michael J. McGivney Guild and promotes the cause for his canonization (fathermcgivney.org)
• Keeps accurate records of the council’s Faith programs for reporting to the program director, along with completing reports for the Refund Vocations Support Program (RSVP), if applicable, and all other Faith programs
• Provides the council’s Public Relations Chairman information about all Faith programs and activities for promotion to the parish and local media

Family Director

• The Family director reports to the program director. The individual appointed to this position should work to strengthen and nourish wholesome home life through the sponsorship of activities involving entire families, even when the age range of family members vary. This person should work to stimulate togetherness within families. He should be comfortable discussing and planning family programs that support and encourage service to the community and faith formation of council and parish families.
• Appointed by the grand knight, in consultation with the program director
• Responsible for all Family based council programs
• Plans, coordinates, and promotes the required Family program: Consecration to the Holy Family
• Assigns committee chairmen and develops committees that support family programs such as the many Supreme-recommended Family programs in the Faith in Action program model.
• Supports the areas of education and religious devotions of families, recreational activities and remembrance of fallen brother knights, and support of their widows and families members
• Collaborates with the program director on which Supreme-recommend programs a council will conduct in the fraternal year and any other Family programs
• Keeps accurate records of the council’s Family programs for reporting to the program director, along with completing reports for the Food for Families and Family of the Month/Year program, if applicable, and all other family programs
• Provides the council’s Public Relations Chairman information about all Family programs and activities for promotion to the parish and local media
• Must complete all required safe environment training and must also pass a background check. Additionally, he must adhere to all policies and procedures under the Knights of Columbus Safe Environment Program. Additional information on this program is available at kofc.org/safe

Community Director

• The Community director reports to the program director. The individual appointed to this position should be comfortable discussing and planning efforts in the broader community. He directs programs that support and encourage service to the community that fight poverty, aid the individual, promote athletic events, and sponsor larger programs and campaigns. He should be comfortable contacting and coordinating with organizations that align in key areas of community assistance along with local government agencies.
• Appointed by the grand knight, in consultation with the program director
• Responsible for all Community based council programs
• Plans, coordinates, and promotes the required Community program: Helping Hands
• Assigns committee chairmen and develop committees that support civic involvement, public safety, the environment, health services, neighbors in need, morality and decency, honor Christopher Columbus, and support cultural diversity
• Collaborates with the program director on which Supreme-recommend programs a council will conduct in the fraternal year and any other Community programs
• Keeps accurate records of the council’s Community programs for reporting to the program director, along with completing reports for the Coats for Kids, Global Wheelchair Mission and Habitat for Humanity programs, if applicable, and all other community programs
• Provides the council’s Public Relations Chairman information about all Community programs and activities for promotion to the parish and local media
• Must complete all required safe environment training and must also pass a background check. Additionally, he must adhere to all policies and procedures under the Knights of Columbus Safe Environment Program. Additional information on this program is available at kofc.org/safe

Life Director

• The Life director reports to the program director. The individual appointed to this position should be comfortable discussing and planning efforts within the context of supporting and affirming life in all stages and in all conditions. Notably, he strives to promote programs that support and encourage the advancement of the pro-life movement, people with intellectual disabilities, and persecuted Christians.
• Appointed by the grand knight, in consultation with the program director
• Responsible for all Life based council programs
• Plans, coordinates, and promotes the required Life program: Novena for Life
• Assigns committee chairmen and develops committees that support right to life issues, civic involvement, pro-life education, pregnancy centers and more
• Collaborates with the program director on which Supreme-recommend programs a council will conduct in the fraternal year and any other Life programs
• Keeps accurate records of the council’s Life programs for reporting to the program director, along with completing reports for the March for Life, Special Olympics and Ultrasound, if applicable, and all other community programs
• Keeps the council’s public relations chairman informed of all Life programs and activities for promotion to the parish and local media

Public Relations Chairman

• Works with print, broadcast, and digital media organizations to promote the Council's activities and work, including local news media, Columbia magazine, Supreme's Knights in Action website, the Council's local website, and the Council Newsletter to publish Council news and information
• Suggestions and guidelines for the Public Relations Chairman's role may be found in the Knights of Columbus Public Relations and Publicity Guide: https://www.kofc.org/en/resources/service/council/publicity.pdf

Ten Keys to Recruiting Success

The Bastrop area is growing fast as new families move into the Austin area and find our community to be affordable with a great standard of living.  This growth offers the Knights an amazing opportunity to grow right along with the community.  Growth means more creative ideas, more energy, and more hands and feet to carry out our charitable mission of service to one and all.

Effective recruiting is the means by which we can make growth real for our Council.  The Supreme Council asked some of the Knight's most successful recruiters to share their recruiting best practices.  Below are the top 10 best practices for effective recruiting, or -- as we call them -- the Ten Keys to Recruiting Success.

1. Talk about your positive experiences as a member of the Knights of Columbus and share your enthusiasm for your council.

Convey a sense of enthusiasm, excitement and pride when talking about the great things your council accomplishes and the people who are being helped. Offer some personal stories of how volunteering has helped you grow in your faith and what being a Knight means to you.

2. Positive attitude and body language count.

Your facial expressions and body language show about how you feel about being a Knight of Columbus. Maintain a positive attitude, smile often, avoid being negative and always look the prospective member in the eye when talking with him.

3. Talk to the prospective member and his wife about the ways his joining your council benefits their family.

Presenting the good works a man can help accomplish when joining the Knights, the opportunity for spiritual growth and the fraternal benefits offered to a prospective member, his wife and family, can help convince him to join. Point out that volunteering and council social activities, as well as many benefits such as scholarships, the insurance program, and others, are open to the member's entire immediate family.

4. Make sure that your members are visible when conducting a charitable service project.

When members, their families and other volunteers wear Knights of Columbus branded apparel while conducting a charitable service project, it conveys unity and identifies your council to the community. Witnessing your council's unity when conducting service projects will entice prospective members to inquire about joining your council.

5. Presume that a prospect is interested in being a part of the Knights and ask him to join.

Family, friends, co-workers and fellow parishioners all present recruitment opportunities. Ask each of these prospective members if he would like to join your council.

6. Approach recruiting in a different way.

Instead of asking, "Would you like to join my council?" ask a prospective member: "Would you be interested in learning more about the Knights of Columbus and our local council?" This offers the opportunity to explain the benefits of joining to the prospective member in a more flexible way.

7. What to say when the answer is "I don't have time."

Many prospective members, when they are approached to join the Knights of Columbus, comment, that "they are too busy," have "too much work", involved with my "children's hectic school schedule", and similar reasons.  Be prepared with a simple answer, like "the amount of time you put in is completely up to you. Even one or two Saturdays a year would be a big help. Also, with the family oriented activities we offer, you'll have more opportunities to spend time with your family."

8. Promote your council's spirituality.

Place emphasis on your council's involvement in the spiritual life of your parish. Promote council corporate communions, retreats, family Mass, Eucharistic adorations and any other activities conducted by your council that promotes and strengthens our Catholic identity.

9. Involve young people.

Ask young men to join your council.

Recruiting a wide range of age groups will provide your council with greater reach within your community. Use targeted advertising, especially social media, to reach younger prospective members.

10. Follow-up with all prospects in a timely manner.

No matter how the prospective member was initially engaged, it is essential that follow-up communication, by personal contact, needs to occur within a few days at the most. This shows the prospective member that your council cares and places a high priority on meeting his expectations. If a First Degree is not scheduled in the immediate future, or a degree team is not available, use the First Degree Video Production (available on Officers Online or from the Ceremonials Department) to welcome a new member into your council.

© 2015, The Knights of Columbus, New Haven, CT

Time to Prepare for Our Fall Membership Drive

Our Fall Membership Drive is scheduled for the weekend of 19-20 October  2019.  And its not too early to start preparing.  The Knights of Columbus are launching a new way of doing membership drives called "Delta Church Drive".  Online training seminars are running through the month of June on Mondays and Saturdays:

• Every Monday evening from 7:30-8:30 PM CDT
  and again from 9:00–10:00 PM CDT
• Every Saturday morning from 9:00-10:00 AM CDT

To attend the online seminar you just need to click the following link: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/317091949

When the meeting starts, you may be asked to enter this access code: 317-091-949

I hope all of us will take the time to participate in this training. You may be asking yourself why we want to have a membership drive?  The answer is simple:  we need members to carry out the charitable work of our Council.  And the more members we have, the more we can do!

Or you may ask why we need a new way of doing Membership Drives?  The answer to that question is also simple.  Our society is changing.  What attracted men to join the Knights 20 years ago is not the same as what will attract men to join us today.  The Knights are adapting to these changes, and so the way we recruit new members is adapting too!

Vivat Jesus!

A Council is a Lot Like a Family!

I had a friend once who was having a disagreement with her sister.  The two became quite irritated with each other and stopped speaking to one another.   Some time later, I saw them together chatting amiably as if there had never been a problem.  I asked my friend about their apparent reconciliation.  She said, "She's my sister!  I couldn't stay mad!"

Perhaps you have read the book or seen the movie, In This House of Brede.  Certain parts of the story reminded me of my friend and her sister.  A new Benedictine sister named Philippa Talbot comes into conflict with one of the older sisters in her new convent over what seem at the time to be important issues.  But as the plot unfolds, their conflict fades away as they face larger issues of their convent's survival.  By the end, the two have discovered how much they respect and need each other.

Like a family, any successful Knights of Columbus Council is going to have its share of challenges.  We all have different personalities and priorities, and we may occasionally disagree or for one reason or another get on each others' nerves.  But like Philippa and her fellow sister, we soon find that our common mission and loyalty to Christ renders insignificant whatever may be our little disagreements or annoyances.  Then we joyfully work together as brothers in Christ to show God's love for the world through our actions.

Vivat Jesus!

A Catholic Face to Our Community

In the year 1882, when Irish Catholic immigrants were an unwelcome minority in the northeastern Unisted States, Fr Michael J McGivney saw first hand the devastating effects on a Catholic family when a husband and father was injured or died on the job.  He formed the Knights of Columbus first and foremost as a mutual aid society to ensure no Catholic family would be left destitute by the loss of their breadwinner.

Today the Knights of Columbus are a worldwide Catholic fraternity dedicated to protecting and strengthening Catholic families, supporting Catholic parishes and dioceses, and promoting the Catholic faith within our secular society.  Since the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church has also cooperated with other Christian communities in those areas where we share common cause such as protecting innocent life, feeding the hungry, and welcoming strangers.

Our own Council here at Ascension Catholic Church is no exception.  Here we work joyfully with those who share our faith in Christ even as they remain separated from us 500 years after the Protestant Reformation began in Western Europe.  These local evangelical Christian partners include the prolife Bastrop Pregnancy Resource Center and Primera Baptist Church with its amazing program of distributing vast amounts of food to needy families in our community.

At the same time, we are aware that our non-Catholic brothers and sisters do not share with us the fullness of our Catholic Faith.  Consequently, even as we work together with our separated brothers and sisters to put our common faith into practice, we maintain our distinctive Catholic witness to our community and the world!

Vivat Jesus!

Introducing Our New Prayer Request App

We now have a great new Prayer Request app on our Council Website!  (See the screenshots below.)  It is there for you to let us know what you would like the Council to pray for.  The Council will offer up your requests on a regular basis, and Espee and I will remember your requests each day in our prayers.  To open the app, just click the "Council Prayer Requests" link on the right-hand side of the screen.

Some of the app's great features:

• Displays the 5 most recent prayer requests by default, the latest ones first. But you can easily display more by changing the number of prayer requests to show and pressing the Go button.
• Shows both a summary and the details of each prayer request, who posted the request (if they identified themselves), and the date.
• You can easily enter a new request and it will immediately appear at the top of the list of requests.
• You can enter as many requests as you like.
• You can choose to identify yourself or remain anonymous.  It is up to you!

I hope you like the new app.  But I would also love to hear your suggestions for improvement!  Just enter them as a comment below.

Vivat Jesus!

New Officers Elected for the 2020 Fraternal Year

On Thursday, May 2, our Council elected thirteen officers to serve for the upcoming Fraternal Year, which begins July 1, 2019 and runs through June 30, 2020. Following the required three calls for nominations from the floor, the Council voted by acclamation to accept the slate of candidates presented by the Nominating Committee.

Office	Nominee
Grand Knight	Lee Fracker*
Deputy Grand Knight	Benny Drozd*
Chancellor	Jeff Kirk
Treasurer	Raymond Tatum*
Recorder	Edward Ruvalcaba
Warden	Paul Vinklarek*
Outside Guard	Robert D’Antonio*
Inside Guard	Gilbert Zamora
Financial Secretary	Karl Arunski**
Advocate	Ronnie Eberts*
3 Year Trustee	Larry Young
2 Year Trustee	Steve Venzon
1 Year Trustee	Gary Young
* Elected to continue in the same office for another year ** Submitted to the K of C Supreme Council for approval

Be sure to congratulate these worthy Knights on their selection to serve our Council for the next Fraternal Year!

Vivat Jesus!

Two Ultrasound Machines Donated for Life!

The Ascension Bastrop Knights of Columbus and the Ascension K of C Ladies Auxillary recently donated two Ultrasound machines to the Bastrop Pregnancy Resource Center to support their prolife mission of counseling pregnant women and supporting them following the birth of their children.

Pictured left-to right in the above photo:

• BPRC Staff: Toni Reese, Judith Purdy, Dana Thornton, Linda Quiroz
• K of C Ladies Auxillary: Mary Beltran, Kathy Kirk, Esperanza Fracker
• K of C Council Members: Jim Jochetz (Recorder), Angel Beltran (Member), Lee Fracker (Grand Knight)

Working with the BPRC, our Council located the two Ultrasound Machines on eBay where a retiring OBGYN physician had advertised them for a remarkably -- dare I say miraculously! -- low price.  Although the Council had voted to purchase the machines from existing funds, two generous members of the Knights and Ladies contributed the total amount needed for purchase and delivery!

Linda Quiroz, the lead BPRC ultrasound technician (standing immediately to the left of the machines), related how one expectant mother began to cry when she saw her baby just seven weeks into her pregnancy and heard its tiny heart beat.  She had been considering whether to have an abortion, but upon seeing her baby resolved to carry her child to term!

Council Recorder Jim Jochetz is pictured in the above photo holding the BPRC's Certificate of Appreciation presented to the Council (enlarged in the photo below) on Wednesday, May 1, 2019.

The Bastrop Pregnancy Resource Center has two offices, one in Bastrop and the other in nearby Elgin, Texas.  Both Ultrasound machines are currently located in the Bastrop office.  One of the machines will be transferred to BPRC's new Smithville location scheduled to open in the near future.

Officer Elections are Coming Up!

On Tuesday, April 23, the Council Officers met to consider officer nominations for the upcoming Fraternal Year, which begins July 1, 2019 and runs through June 30, 2020.  Below are our nominations.  Additional nominations will be considered at our next Council Meeting on May 2 immediately followed by the final elections.

Officer Position	Nominee	Notes
Grand Knight	Lee Fracker	Incumbent
Deputy Grand Knight	Benny Drozd	Incumbent
Chancellor	Jeff Kirk	Moving from Trustee
Treasurer	Raymond Tatum	Incumbent
Recorder	Edward Ruvalcaba	New
Warden	Paul Vinklarek	Incumbent
Outside Guard	Robert D’Antonio	Incumbent
Inside Guard	Gilbert Zamora	New
Financial Secretary	Karl Arunski	New, Appointed by Supreme
Advocate	Ronnie Eberts	Incumbent
3 Year Trustee	Larry Young	New
2 Year Trustee	Steve Venzon	Previous 3 Year Trustee
1 Year Trustee	Gary Young	New

On Thursday, May 2, we will open the floor to additional nominations and then conduct the elections. Any member of the 3rd degree can serve as an officer and can be nominated by another member or even himself. Obviously, these officer elections are among the most important events of the year. See you there!

Vivat Jesus!

The Best Fish Fry of the Year!

This Good Friday our Council presents the Best Fish Fry in Bastrop -- and anywhere, really!  As always, our generous plate and take-out boxes are stuffed with two large catfish filets, cod, coleslaw, fries, beans, and hush puppies so good you’ll want more! 

Oh, did I mention that this is the last and best Fish Fry of the Year?  Don't miss it!  Dine in or take out.  Proceeds benefit local charities!

Meet Our Council's Newest Members!

Three new members joined our Council on Thursday, 4 April 2019:  Chris Bodine, Jose Oviedo, and Roque Peña.  We welcomed them into our Council using Supreme's new First Degree Ceremononial video production, a first for our Council and our District.

	Chris Bodine, his wife Deanna, and their five children have been members of the Ascension Catholic Community for 20 years.  Chris comes from a family of Knights, his father having been a Knight for most of his adult life.  Chris is a principal and landscape architect for Norris Design by day and real estate investor by night!
	Dr Jose Oviedo is a pediatrician with the Seton Family of Doctors in Smithville.  He is often seen at the 7:30 a.m. daily mass at Ascension before he goes to work. Dr Oviedo also leads the RCIA program at Ascension Catholic Church, culminating in the baptism, confirmation, and/or reception of new members into the Catholic Church during the Great Vigil of Easter!
	Roque Peña and his wife Olga have been members of Ascension for nearly six years.  He works as a manufacturing plant manager in nearby Giddings, Texas.  Roque says his name is pronounced like "Okay" with an "R" in front!

We, the Ascension Knights of Columbus, are delighted to have these three wonderful Catholic men join our ranks. They each bring different gifts to our Council and will be helping us in our mission to serve Jesus Christ by serving others!

Vivat Jesus!

Weeds in the Wheat Field

Jesus told his followers a parable about a farmer who planted a wheat field.  After a while, the farmhands came to inform him that there were weeds growing among the wheat!  The farmhands asked, "What should we do?"  The farmer said, "An enemy has done this to us.  But don't worry, I will take care of the weeds.  I want you to take care of the wheat."  (You can find Jesus' parable in Matthew 13:24-30.)

This parable reminds me of the various scandals going on in the Church today that are shocking so many of us.  The fact that Matthew thought it necessary to include this parable in his Gospel tells us that such scandals have been going on for a long time, all the way back to the beginning of the Church.

How did these evil men get into the Church and do so much damage?  Jesus tells us, "An enemy has done this."  As Catholic Christians, we know that Christ has conquered the enemy and is already purging the Church of the weeds who have grown up within it.  Therefore, let us leave the weeds in God's hands while we as Knights continue spreading the Gospel through our mission of service to those for whom Christ died, the wheat in God's field!

Vivat Jesus!

The Knights and the Ladies Provide a Home for the Homeless!

The Ascension Knights of Columbus joined forces with the Bastrop Ladies of Charity to build a mini-home for Bastrop's Emergency Homeless Shelter on Texas 95 just half a mile north of FM 1441.  Our min-home is one of several sponsored by local churches and businesses to provide temporary emergency shelter to homeless families for up to 90 days while they seek to get back on their feet.

Standing in front of our mini-home are (left to right) Grand Knight Lee Fracker, the Council's Spiritual Director Deacon Paul Cooke, Recorder Jim Jochetz, and 3rd degree member Dock Jackson.

The Ladies of Charity were also there en masse!  The Ladies and the Knights each contributed half the cost to build the home and to provide its furnishings.  The Ladies also provided linens, bed spreads, wall décor, and other beautiful appointments to make the house feel like a home!

As you can see, the home is beautifully furnished with families in mind, including bunk beds for the children and a nice full size bed for Mom and Dad.

The beautiful plaque on the front of the mini-home displays the names and logos of both the Ladies of Charity and the Knights of Columbus.

Vivat Jesus!

Project and Fundraiser Brainstorming Report (February 7, 2019)

We conducted a Brainstorming session last February to provide guidance to the Council Budget Committee as to what programs the Council should fund in the next Fraternal Year, and to suggest fundraisers to pay for those programs.

To view the report, please click on this link: Fraternal Project and Fundraiser Brainstorming Report

If you have questions or thoughts, please add a comment below!