One thing that must be said about the State Convention is you really can become in awe of all the charitable work the Knights do. When you see the numbers, the dollars raised and how many Brother Knights really do live for the Knights it is amazing and impressive.

This morning session went over wheelchair drives, site selection for future State Meeting (Visalia) and a “Parade of Grand Knights” to present Colombia Charities 365 checks. There were about 200(?) Grand Knights (out of 750) in attendance. Council 6020 gave $1,000 and the total was $80,000 so 6020 gave a generous amount.
Rene Trevino reminded us that this year we honored first responders
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This reminded me that at Carl Anderson’s final meeting as Supreme Knight he called on all Knights to pray the chaplet of St Michael for law enforcement which does not seem to have taken root.
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Next in the meeting were various administrative tips to Grand Knights and Financial Secretaries such as when and how to properly submit forms, how to use the Member Management System, training availability, making payments to State and Supreme. How to get Knights who don’t pay due to a status that does not cost the Councils money, new formats for running business meetings, audit simplification.
There was talk of Fraternal benefits Nights and why insurance was so important to the Knights.

 

I can't resist sharing this one.  State Deputy Rene Trevino shared an example of charity how a Knight drove disabled people to Confesion.  Rene told the story, paused, and then stated "Many Knights have DROVE me to Confession this past year. " 

There was discussion on the roles of Council Chaplains, Deacons, Lecturers.
Business Meeting were admitted to be a real negative for new Knights because even with the streamlining they are still grueling, boring.

State Deputy Rene Trevino told all in attendance to make sure we embrace the spirituality side because that is why we are here, doing God’s work.
State Deputy Rene Trevino strongly suggested every business meeting begins with 30 minutes of Eucharistic Adoration.
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This shows a lot of emphasis on Adoration and a real desired change in the Knights to more spiritual emphasis.
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Delta Church Drives where discussed and that method encouraged.
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I had suggested to various people (in the past) that the Delta Drive should include Eucharistic Adoration.  While we have Knights soliciting new members we should also have Knights praying before Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament asking Him to send us those new members.
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After these sessions there was two hours of free time.

The Eucharistic Adoration Chapel had a total of approximately 15 people visit during that time, about 25% being wives. Average visit time about 6 minutes.
 

 

 

If you read last year's comments you will see that during that Convention Fr Antony called on all Knights to make visits to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel during the convention.  This year he was here in a supporting role and did not give any talk but he was promoting his new book: "Wasting Time With Jesus" about Eucharistic Adoration.

 

This is a good book explaining the importance of Eucharistic Adoration and givng great advice on praying holy hours.  He has beautiful meditiations as well.  Many of the lines in this book relate directly to things we have been discussin in Council 6020 and the Orange County Chapter.  A few examples:

 

He dedicates the book to the Knights of Columbus and he calls on the Knights of Columbus to "promote adoration in every parish."  When the Knights of Orange County take on Bishop Vann's mission, Fr Antony's dedication will also be a reality.

 

Bishop Barber of Oakland wrote in the Foreward to the boodk "It is my hope and prayer that as many people as possible in the Oakland Diocese, which is so dear to my heart, will discover the incredible joy of Eucharistic Adoration, and Fr Antony's book is sure to helpo many people along this precious way."  If you read my summary of last year's convention you will see I had a one-on-one meeting with Bishop Barber and during that meeting I showed him Bishop Vann's letter. He told me he wanted to adopt the letter for Oakland and told me to "tell those leaders [pointing at new state officers] I want the Knights to do this in Oakland. 

 

In the book Fr Antony calls on all of us not just to do a weekly holy hour of Adoration but a daily holy hour of adoration stating "you may believe you cannot afford such time.  You can't afford NOT to do this! . . . Surely you can find time on a regular basis if it becomes important enough to you.
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 The 1:30 session began with a renewed call to get new members this last month to bring up this Colombian Year’s membership numbers.
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This seems like a good excuse to call out massive Eucharistic Adoration to get more new members
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Faith in Action Rewards were given and based on the numbers Council 6020 should have go 3rd place, but we must not have submitted the forms in time.

Rene ended the session at 2:30 and said “We have been talking about spirituality every day.” He strongly encouraged everyone to attend the 3:00PM Holy Hour before the 4:00PM Mass. I had mentioned on Day 1 that the Saturday 7:00AM was not scheduled as it was in the previous year. I pointed you to my notes from last year that documented only 10 Knights came to the Holy Hour other than the Officers. There was not a full holy hour scheduled for this meeting but the schedule was changed so there was a holy hour. Holy Hour attendance was good. I would say about 25% of the Knights in attendance came to the Holy Hour which certainly had some special meeting because long time Knights priest Fr John Grace is being transferred back to Ireland and some 25 years in the United States. This Holy Hour and the following Mass is his last State Convention.

 

 As this was the Mass of the Ascension his homily focused on . . .
Just as Jesus rose and ascended we will rise as well. Jesus gives the apostles their mission and it is our mission also. “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them all I have commanded you.”
We all have a mission to go out and make disciples. To share the good news of salvation which comes from Jesus. Jesus is the only way to happiness and that is the mission of each of us.
We are to be missionaries here, in our house, at our work. Jesus is calling on us to sacrifice everything so that everything will give glory to God. Our mission is to make the love of God real.

We must all understand the urgency of that in our current society.

He gives us the promise “Behold I am with you always until the end of days.” He is with us. Always.
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Many saints and scholars say this promise refers to Christ with us in the Eucharist
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So we need to draw close to Jesus. Nothing take us away from His love.

Jesus tells His apostles to wait for the Promise, which is the Holy Sprit. This is also an obvious message to the Church in every age. The apostles did exactly what Jesus told them to do. They went back to Jerusalem and stayed with Mary, Jesus’ Mother to wait for the Holy Spirit.

This is how the Church has always been. Close to Jesus. Close to Mary. United to the Holy Spirit. We need to pray together united as one family.

We should always to have the mind of Christ. To think and act like him. We are to love one another as he loves us. This is a big challenge. The Church is a family and we need to take care of each other.

Today He ascends into heaven so we can follow him. Christ is alive. And his is with us. Blessed Michael McGivney is a beautiful example which we are trying to follow.
Let us ask Mary to always all of us brothers and sisters here on earth. Amen.