From our Navigator

Fraternal Greetings to my Brother Sir Knights and Ladies,

As always let’s begin and continue in gratitude to Almighty God. In the name of the Father and  the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. O Lord and King of the Universe, we ask you to make our hearts more like your Sacred Heart, and
increase our capacity to love and to serve you and others more and more according to your will for our life. Amen.

I would like to take this time to recognize and thank one of our fellow Brother Sir Knights for stepping up time and again, a true servant leader who has been such a gift and blessing to me directly and to our Assembly and Order.  At our recent meeting, for the Good of the Order, it was my pleasure and great privilege to have presented SK Randall LaLonde, a Certificate of Appreciation and Achievement, as our Sir Knight of the Month for November.

Our 87th Exemplification was held on Saturday, October 28 at St. Augustine Cathedral and Fr. Crowley Center in Kalamazoo. I would like to honor and recognize our new SK Bill Ray, of Bishop Albers Assembly 0496 and St. Mary Cathedral Council 11694, and his entire 87th Exemplification Class, which included a Lt. Colonel and the new Bishop of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, SK Bishop Edward Lohse.

The Michigan March for Life was held on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, the one year anniversary of the passage of Proposal 3 in Michigan. The K of C was well represented with Knights and Sir Knights participating alongside thousands. The day began with a Mass at St. Mary Cathedral with the entire first floor of the Parish
Center as overflow. Ten Honor Guard members participated and came from multiple Districts throughout the State. I was honored to represent our Assembly. There were six Bishops including new Sir Knight Bishop Lohse. Archbishop Vigneron was Principal Celebrant, and Bishop Boyea was the Homilist iterating the enduring battle cry of our grassroots movement for life… to “Fight Like Heaven” as a counter to our Governor’s “fight like hell” abortion initiative. The Rally was held at the front of the Capitol. We all weathered the elements. Our Worthy State Deputy led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Following the speakers, including Jeanne Mancini, President of National March For Life, we marched from the front of the Capitol to the rear and followed the Mall to the Hall of Justice and back along a closed off West Allegan Street. Our Faithful Comptroller and I were privileged to carry the State Council Respect Life Banner forward close to the front of the March. We were also led by our State Life Director Ed Strach. Our Former Supreme Director Tom Wegener marched alongside of us with other leadership.

Our Honoring Veterans Day Dinner and Reflections was held on Saturday, November 11, and was a big success! We jointly sponsored this annual event with Assembly 3334 as we have for many years to recognize, pay tribute and give thanks to a select group of Americans, the American Veteran. We honor all of our Veterans who have served our country to protect and defend our Freedom. This event gives us another opportunity yearly to demonstrate our gratitude in a special way. Dignitaries in attendance included Reverend Fr. Bob Irish, Reverend Fr. Bob Bacik, Worthy Former Supreme Director and Past State Deputy Tom Wegener and Lady Joyce, Worthy PSD Dick McCloy, Worthy Former District Master and Current District Deputy Dave Buick and Lady Monica.

SK Tim Perrone was our Keynote Speaker. Tim had all nine of his siblings and their families in attendance. Tim offered a deeply heartfelt presentation of a Veteran he knew well.  He shared an intimate and revealing portrait of his father, Dominick Perrone, a
gunner on a B29 Bomber during WWII. Firsthand accounts, entries read from his father’s journal discovered after his father’s death, detailed some harrowing life and death experiences.          https://www.icloud.com/photos/#02bkO8C_hqLao1m0pQj_exymA

I know how difficult it was for Tim to present his father’s experiences from these journal pages. What a privilege for us all present. We were honored and we honored Dominick Perrone for his valor, for his courage under fire. God had something more in store and kept this young gunner alive to have a generational impact represented by two tables filled with Perrone family members in attendance supporting their brother and honoring their father.

I would like to recognize and thank all those that made this Veterans celebration possible, including our gracious Ladies and Sir Knights who helped with setup and who helped serve. 100% of our proceeds and added contributions totaling $1000.00 will go to benefit the VFW National Home in Eaton Rapids, and a Centennial Garden monument in the name of our two Assemblies.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at our Annual Doc Egan Christmas Party to be held at our hall on
Saturday, December 9 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

Hope you and your families have a Blessed Advent in preparation for a Joyous Christmas and Vivat Jesus!

FN James Martellini