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Knights of Columbus Light of Christ Council 8726 ______________________________ St. Ignatius Loyola Church Sinking Spring, PA |
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The Light of Christ Council
supports, coordinates, sponsors, and/or promotes the following charitable
events and activities on a continuing basis. Other events appear within the
Calendar of Events and the Council Newsletters.
Church Activities, Functions,
and Events >Top< In response to the changing world around us, Christians are searching
for ways to further develop the reach of the Catholic Church. If these good intentions
are going to bear fruit – if the Church is going to not only exist, but
thrive in today’s society – men and women throughout our communities must
come forward and take an active part. Far more action of an ecumenical nature is needed. As Knights of
Columbus, our prime responsibility is to encourage and promote that action. The lay apostolate must respond to the constant call for active
involvement in the work of the church. Your council has the numbers, the
organization, and the communication ability to get involved and spread the
word throughout the Christian community. Appeal for greater unity, understanding and ecumenism among all
religions. Initiate those programs through which members can practice their
Catholic duties in the fields of charity, devotion, and education. Strive to
sponsor activities, which enable the individual Knight to set a constant and
worthy example as an ideal Catholic to his family, his community, and his
fellow members. The Light of Christ Council provides a unique experience for family
members of infants being Baptized at St. Ignatius Loyola Church. In
recognition of the parents’ decision to bring their infants into the Church
family through Baptism, the Council provides the following gifts: For the infant The baby
receives his or her first Rosary, a symbol of prayer to be used throughout
their life. For the mother A single rose, to represent the love she’ll provide to the infant as he
or she grows in their faith. For the father A lapel pin of an infant’s feet at 10 weeks (actual size) since
conception, a symbol of the pro=life effort. Since the inception of this program, the Light of Christ Council has
provided over 700 sets of rosaries, roses, and pins to the infants of St. Ignatius
Loyola Church. The Light of Christ Council is an active member of the Knights of
Columbus Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP). Through RSVP, councils receive
incentives for providing an individual seminarian or novice with meaningful
financial and/or moral support. This program encourages direct interaction
and gives council members a better understanding of men and women who pursue
religious vocations. Seminarians from St. Ignatius Loyola Parish study at St. Charles Boromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. For additional
information about the seminary, please click on the link below: As we walk through the process of life, there is a need for learning,
love, faith, guidance, and the support of others. Without this support in our
lives, we could not walk no with strength or positive direction. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is such a process,
welcoming adults to learn about the Catholic faith, with the Holy Spirit
opening their hearts along the way. The Light of Christ Council supports the RCIA program at St. Ignatius
through equipment donations and program sponsorship. For more information
about the RCIA program, you may visit the St. Ignatius Loyola Parish website
by clicking on the following link: http://www.stignatiusreading.org/index.html Community Activities, Functions, and Events >Top< Wherever we live, we all have our own perceptions of “community.” Usually,
these perceptions are formed by the concrete reality of the world immediately
around us. It may be a bustling metropolis, a town, a tiny village, a large
county, a broad rural area. It is the place we call home – with all its good
and bad features, its beauty and ugliness, its strengths and weaknesses. Every individual has a voice in shaping the world around him, and every
individual can make that voice heard. Make your voice heard in your
community. Do more than throw up your hands in despair over what’s wrong with
the world. Your community offers limitless opportunity for action that can be seen,
felt, and judged for its true worth. Look for something that’s needed and
workable in your community – fight poverty, aid individuals with mental
retardation, plant a tree, sponsor a blood pressure screening or blood drive,
support law enforcement, campaign for every baby’s right to life, help the
aged – whatever your community needs and your members are interested in and
your council’s resources allow. The Light of Christ Council supports the
Pennsylvania Association of Retarded Citizens (ARC) through an annual
fund-raising campaign. Member volunteers and their families dedicate their
time to accept contributions from local individuals. Our efforts have raised
thousands of dollars for this worthy charity, and have helped boost awareness
of the need for these special services. Additional information about the Pennsylvania ARC can be found by
clicking on the link below: http://www.mycitymyplace.com/advocate.htm The Light of Christ Council hosts community blood drives in conjunction with
the Miller Keystone Blood Mobile throughout the year. These drives are held
at St. Ignatius Loyola School in Sinking Spring, PA. Consult the Calendar of Events for the next scheduled blood drive. For
additional information about the Miller Keystone Blood Center, click on the
following link: In support of the needs of the local
community, the Light of Christ Council provides volunteers for the annual
Salvation Army’s Kettle Campaign. For more information about the Salvation Army,
click the link below: http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf People helping people
is a constant theme of the Special Olympics program. The athletes of
Special Olympics are constant reminders of all that is right with the human
spirit. The mission of Special Olympics is to
provide year-round sports training and competition in a variety of
Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities,
giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate
courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and
friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the
community. On an annual basis, the Light of
Christ Council hosts the Berks County Special Olympics Basketball Tournament
and provides the athletes and their families with free lunches and awards.
This program has become one of the larger Special Olympics events because of
the concern and support of the Knights of Columbus. For additional information about the
Berks County Special Olympics, please click on the link below: Council Activities, Functions, and Events >Top< Many of the activities of the Knights of Columbus sound demanding, and certainly
many are, but that does not mean that others can’t be just for fun. Members
of your council are your neighbors, friends, and acquaintances who are just
as interested in athletic, cultural, and social events as you are. Programs
and activities that come under the council activities include all the events
that are an important part of fraternal life. Knight of the Month
/ Knight of the Year >Top< The Light of Christ Council recognizes individual Knights each month
throughout the year. These Knights are selected based on their service to the
Council, Church, or Community during the period. Certificates of recognition
are presented to these Brother Knights at the next regularly scheduled
council meeting. A list of previous winners is available by clicking on the Awards
button at the top of this page. The Knight of the Year award is presented to those Knights who have gone
above and beyond in their service to the Knights. Knights of the Year are presented
with plaques commemorating the award, and are inscribed with the Knight’s
name. A list of previous winners is available by clicking on the Awards
button at the top of this page. The primary method of communication amongst our council members is
through the council’s Newsletter. This publication is available via hard copy
or e-mail and is prepared every two to three months. Past copies of the council’s Newsletter are available by clicking on the
Newsletters button at the top of this page. Family Activities,
Functions, and Events >Top< Take a look at what’s happening to our family life. Do we communicate?
Do we share? Do we take time to get involved with each other? Are there
opportunities for improvement? What is God’s plan for us? Today’s society makes it hard to be a family. Television takes up a lot
of our time together. The hustle and bustle of business, rushed meals,
school, work, committee meeting, sports and shopping are cramming our days
and weeks. The family is under heavy attack today. The battle I largely over values
and commitments. To survive, the family needs support. Its primary source of strength
must be found in a growing religious and parish life. But it also can be
helped substantially by an organization such as ours. Help prevent the death of the family by administering preventive
medicine. Conduct those programs and activities that aid in rebuilding the
family spirit from within, making it vital and strong enough to resist
society’s ills. Encourage members and their families to choose as their model
the Holy Family, copying their attitude of interdependence, sharing, and
respect for authority. Work to strengthen family life. Nourish wholesome home life through the
sponsorship of activities involving entire families on a scheduled and
continuing basis. Encourage communications and routines that involve family
members within their own homes, and bring families together in social and
recreational events in the community. Stimulate togetherness within family units. There are many ways in which
families can enjoy time together in a scheduled, organized way, even when the
age range of members of the family varies widely. Youth Activities,
Functions, and Events >Top< Today’s youth, the leaders of tomorrow, are looking for a challenge, for
responsibility, for faith and trust. Yet, despite their commitments and dedication,
the youth of the world are often condemned because of the uncontrolled
actions of a minority of young people. As Knights of Columbus, it is our
responsibility to provide youth with the means and the opportunities to
become personally committed and involved in meeting the challenges of our
times. There is a great deal more all of us can do to improve our youth
programs. Recruit more men from the council level to work with young people.
These adult leaders will help to mold the youth of today into the influential
citizens of tomorrow. Exert more positive and constructive influence on your
young people by becoming involved with them. Pay more attention to what they
are saying. The St. Ignatius Loyola CYO is committed to developing
healthy minds, bodies, and souls among our parish youth by providing
opportunities to grow in their Catholic faith and develop the life of virtue. The Light of Christ Council provides kitchen help at the CYO annual
spaghetti dinner. We encourage active participation by the youth of the
parish and many of our members and their families are also members of the
CYO. For more information
about the St. Ignatius CYO, click on the following link: Lifeline of Berks County is an interdenominational, not-for-profit
organization, which exists to provide life=affirming services to pregnant
women and their families. For more information about Lifeline of Berks County, click on the
following link: |
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Date of Last Update: 03/27/2011 |
