KCs hold Exemplification ceremony in Corpus Christi

Knights of Columbus Texas District Master Edward Cantu performed his last official Fourth Degree Order ceremony June 25 at Most Precious Blood's council of the Knights of Columbus. Cantu has served four years as the leader of the Fourth Degree Order in Texas.
 
During the ceremony, 40 Knights were exemplified to the highest level of the Order. They include Father Anthony Blount , Erick Aleman, Tony Arredondo, Robert Coley, Rico De Hoyos, Michael Donovan, Steven Donovan, Ronald Drabenstadt, Carlos Garcia Jr., Enrique Garcia Jr., Alfonso Garza, Hector Garza, Joel Garza, Oscar Gonzalez,  Pedro Gonzalez, Roy Luna Jr., Dwayne Machicek, Ervey Martinez, Jaime Martinez, John Matocha, Kevin Middagh, Orlando Montalvo, Joseph Morin, Emerico Perez, Jose Perez, Arturo Reyna, Walter Richrce, Eddie Rojas, Ruben Riojas, Charles Salinas, Steven Schoenicke, Timothy Tomjack, Jesse Trevino, Thomas Tucker, Jose  Vela, John Velez, Salome Vera  Jr. and John Zarbock.

Cantu congratulated all the new Fourth Degree members and encouraged them to be active in their community, church and service to God. He also thanked his Exemplar staff for their four years of service.

Knights of Columbus Texas District Master Edward Cantu

 

Blas Martinez, Humberto Silva, Rodger Kauffmann, Lupe Ortiz, Dan Norman and James Torline were named Scholarly Robes. A banquet was held that evening to celebrate the event. Knights of Columbus Texas State Deputy-Elect Douglas Oldmixon was the guest speaker.
 
"Worthy Sir Knights. This is your new title. In addition to 'brother' to all Knights in the Order, you have earned the right to address each other as 'Sir Knights'. Congratulations," Oldmixon said to those exemplified.
 
He said with the title came increased responsibility. They are now among the most visible cadre–providing escort to bishops, adding dignity to special occasions at parishes, rendering final honors to departed brothers and representing the Order in public civil ceremonies and gatherings. 
 
"May you always live up to these high responsibilities and bring great credit upon yourselves, your families, your communities and our Order," Oldmixon said.
 
In the coming two years, the theme in Texas Knights will be “Freedom to Serve–Service Inspired by Faith”.  In November 2015, Oldmixon said, two important events occurred that "hold great promise for us as faithful Catholic citizens." 

The first event occurred on the Feast of Christ the King, when Knights held their first ever "Texas March & Rally for Religious Liberty".  More than 200 Catholics, as well as a number of other Christians, marched from Republic Square to the Texas State Capitol in Austin where they rallied, "gaining strength from the inspired words of State Senator Eddie Lucio and Eastern Rite Archbishop George Michael Jachimczyk."

"Together we raised our voices in one accord and proclaimed to the world that we will not stand idly by and allow our religious freedoms to be attacked, and diminished, and marginalized," Oldmixon said. "We will not be silenced by a government we helped to establish, by a culture we helped to shape. We will insist upon our right to speak up and speak out on issues of public policy that need to be informed and influenced by the revealed truth of our Catholic faith; by the reasoned tolerance embodied in our founding documents."

	Knights of Columbus Texas State Deputy-Elect Douglas Oldmixon

Recognizing the threat to religious freedoms, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops appointed an Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty led by Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, who is also the Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus.

The second event was the proclamation by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson of a strengthened focus—Building the Domestic Church, Strengthening our Parish—a revitalized paradigm for the role of the Knights in the Church and in communities and families. By this initiative Anderson proclaimed the Knights' intent to align completely their efforts with local parishes.  In their outreach and support of men’s formation, family life, youth ministry and charitable works, Knights will work together—not alone; not outside parishes, but together—as part of and collaborating fully with parishes and pastors.

"And what will we do as the State family to support you in our local councils and assemblies?  Of course we will continue many of our longstanding and most effective community support efforts—Habitat for Humanity, Coats for Kids, Food for Families and more," Oldmixon said, and proceeded to describe some of initiatives that will be undertaken by Knights during the next two years to assist local councils in living out the theme "Freedom to Serve – Service Inspired by Faith".

Knights will make the "Texas March and Rally for Religious Liberty" an annual event. They will offer the "Faith & Freedom Minute" for broadcasting on Catholic radio stations across the state to offer reflections on how best to respond to challenges between our faith and our culture.

The state council will recognize local efforts in community engagement and support through the creation of the "Faithful Citizen" badge—earned for five major public events in community building and support, such as March for Religious Liberty, blood drive coordinator, regular blood or organ donor; voter registration drive or get out the vote efforts; participation with "VA Volunteer Services" at national or state veterans support facilities, including clinics, hospitals, long-term care facilities or cemeteries; and be part of an emergency response team or donate funds to support key outreach to those who serve the community.

"We will celebrate and honor those who serve all—more clergy and religious appreciation events; Blue Mass for law enforcement and first responders; and Green Mass for military and veterans," Oldmixon said.

The Texas Women’s Project will raise funds to support the cosponsored seminarian scholarship program of the Archdiocese for the Military Services to provide more priests and chaplains to military forces and veterans hospitals, which are experiencing critical shortage of personnel.

Knights will focus on building the domestic Church, strengthening parish initiatives and families. They will initiate the KC Mass for Families for the celebration and protection of this first society designed by God. They will offer the Holy Family travelling icon prayer service with a consecration to the Holy Family; offer support to men’s conferences across Texas as sponsors and with participants, being both men of action and men of prayer; and serve as warriors who carry Our Lady’s Rosary as a weapon for good.

Oldmixon said, Bishop Farrell of Dallas describes the Knights of Columbus as “…the backbone of parish life in Texas.”  The Supreme Knight calls the Knights of Columbus the “...greatest force for good in the Catholic Church in the Americas today.”

"Will we live up to these high honorifics?  I’ll ask you to consider it in a slightly different light; where would the Catholic Church in America be today without the 134 years of service and support of the Knights of Columbus?  Where would we be as American Catholics without the influence of the Order?" Oldmixon asked.

He challenged fellow Knights to resolve to engage their assembly fully with their council and to invite member councils to participate in all of their community outreach and support activities. These efforts will fulfill requirements for recognition and awards for both the assembly and the council and recruit men to the Fourth Degree, he said.

He challenged Knights to resolve to "fully engage your assembly and your councils with your parish and Pastor."  Joined together, the Church and the Order will continue to grow, he said.
 
Photos by Ervey Martinez