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	Community	Council	Family	Youth
Baptisms	ARC Campaign	Knight of the Month	Family Breakfasts	Free Throw Contest
Stewardship	Soup Kitchen	Knight of the Year	Sweetheart Dinner	Special Olympics
Seminarians	Pro-Life	Newsletter	Council Picnic	Eagle Scout Awards
RCIA	Blood Drives	Chance of a Lifetime	Family Retreat	Graduates’ Breakfast
Keep Christ in Christmas	Salvation Army	Birthday Recognition	Family Bowling	CYO Annual Dinner

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.

Baptisms >Top<

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.

Seminary >Top<

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:

http://www.scs.edu/

St. Ignatius Church >Top<

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.

ARC >Top<

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

Blood Drive >Top<

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:

http://www.giveapint.org/

Salvation Army >Top<

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

Special Olympics >Top<

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:

http://www.sopbc.org/

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.

Newsletters >Top<

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.

St. Ignatius CYO >Top<

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:

http://www.stignatiuscyo.com/

Pro-Life >Top<

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:

http://www.lifelineofberks.org

The Page last updated 9/1/08.