Membership in the Knights of Columbus provides the opportunity for wholesome association with congenial companions who are, first of all, practical Catholic gentlemen. It offers the opportunity for fellowship with those who are of the same belief, who recognize the same duty to GOD, to family, to neighbor, country and who stand side by side in defense of those beliefs. Through many constructive activities of Christian fraternity, members are enabled to render service to their church, their country and their fellowman.
You already know the Knights from your daily activities at St. Mark. We are Ushers, Lectors & Eucharistic Ministers. We are involved in Teams of Our Lady, ACTS, The Society of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Marriage Encounter, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Boy Scouts, CYO, Habitat for Humanity, Mobile Loaves and Fishes and virtually every other activity in the parish. Watch for our name tags at Mass each weekend. Ask any of us how to get involved. Find out who we are.
The Knights of Columbus Council 7613 at St. Mark is one of many councils that make up the world’s largest men’s fraternal organization. Here, we are a force in every aspect of parish life. Annually, our membership of 430 plus Brothers dedicate over 20,000 man hours to 40 plus projects and numerous ad hoc activities in our church and community.
The Knights of Columbus, founded in 1882 by Fr. Michael J. McGivney and based on four principles: Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism, is an international organization of Catholic Men dedicated to performing good works and supporting our Catholic Church and the Pope. At St. Mark the Evangelist, our Council has been recognized as one of the youngest, strongest and most active in Texas and has been recognized at the national & state level as a Star Council and Lone Star Council with Distinction. We are exceptionally committed to benefiting our parish.
The Knights concentrate activities in five areas: Church, Community, Youth, Family and Council.
CHURCH:
We lead the Rosary the first Saturday of each month prior to the 5:00 PM Mass, we pay monthly stipends supporting three seminarians, we present the Lone Rose at Mass on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade, we receive Corporate Communion in months with 5th Sundays, we lead the All Souls Day remembrance service, we help to provide for our Pastors’ vacation each year.
COMMUNITY:
We maintain a sick or “in distress” prayer list of members and their families. We provide construction volunteers and help finance the parish and the Knights of Columbus Habitat Houses. We built Christopher Hall for approximately one million dollars and donated it to our parish. The meeting/banquet hall rentals support charities and hall maintenance. We have participated in renovation of the West Campus. We support pro-life activities such as the Guadalupe Home for unwed mothers and the Battered Women’s Shelter. We conduct all of the parish blood drives.
YOUTH & FAMILY:
We fund and organize the Easter Egg Hunt and the basketball free throw contest as well as the soccer challenge for our youth. We support the Women’s Guild with their annual scholarship fundraiser with fundraising such as our famous Chicken BBQ and with participation in selection of scholarship awards. We contributed to most of the cost of construction of the CYO Athletic Field. We sponsor the annual Valentine Day Dance and we are involved in support of our Altar Servers. We award college scholarships to High School Seniors. 2021 Application can be found HERE. Each month we honor a Family of the Month.
COUNCIL:
We meet monthly for Mass and Council business. We have a Knights’ family Christmas Party, an Annual Retreat and a bowling league. We schedule four Chicken BBQ’s annually. We provide our wives, mothers and grandmothers with orchids on Mother’s Day. We sponsor a Casino Night and a parish golf tournament to raise monies for right to life groups, seminarians and St. Mark ministries. We recently formed a Fourth Degree Assembly that holds a Columbus Day Dinner and Dance and is now involved in building a deck for a double amputee.
For any questions about the Knights of Columbus Council 7613, contact Grand Knight Bill Faucher at bill.faucher@gmail.com or 210-863-7062. Visit our website at www.kofc7613.org for more information.