Knights of Columbus Saint Joachim Council #15296

10/31/2026

On this Halloween and the halloween of all Saints Day and all Souls Day the Knights Columbus remember our Motto Tempus Fugit, Memento Mori. (Time flies. Remember your death.) We dont know the hour or day that the lord will take us so we must prepare our souls for his heavenly kingdom.

HALLOWEEN HAS CATHOLIC ROOTS!

Did you know that Halloween is historically connected to the Catholic Church?

The word Halloween comes from “All Hallows’ Eve,” meaning the evening before All Saints’ Day, celebrated every November 1.

Halloween is part of the Christian observance known as Hallowtide, a three-day period:

October 31 – All Hallows' Eve (Halloween): The vigil before the Solemnity of All Saints.

November 1 – All Saints' Day: Honoring all the saints in heaven, known and unknown.

November 2 – All Souls' Day: Praying for the faithful departed, especially the souls in purgatory.

Over time, Halloween traditions have developed and mixed with various cultural practices. Not everything associated with modern Halloween reflects Catholic values.

But let us not forget its Christian roots: a celebration that points us toward the holiness of the saints, the hope of eternal life, and the communion of saints.

This Halloween, let us bring Christ back into the celebration. Celebrate holiness, remember the saints, and pray for the departed.

Halloween is not the opposite of Catholicism. Its very name carries a connection to the Christian celebration of All Saints.

10/12/2026

On this day we remember the namesake of our Order, Christopher Columbus, who in the Name of Jesus Christ discovered the new world and paved the way for the blessings we all now enjoy in this nation.

10/12/2026

Happy Columbus Day!

In an era of anti-Catholicism and anti-immigrant nativism, Blessed Michael McGivney chose the Catholic explorer Christopher Columbus as the Order’s namesake in 1882. In an essay in the September 2020 issue of Columbia, historian William J. Connell explains, “For [the Knights] and many others, Columbus was celebrated as a figure of civic unity and a symbol that immigrants, particularly Catholics, possessed a rightful share in American identity.”

Read more: https://bit.ly/4ifGgFZ

Featured: The Christopher Columbus Memorial by sculptor Lorado Taft stands outside Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Matthew Barrick)

10/12/2026

Mission of Our Lady of the Angels

A Catholic nun in Chicago has helped raise more than $2.6 MILLION for the poor by running marathons. And her story is extraordinary. 🏃‍♀️✝️

Sister Stephanie Baliga, a member of the Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago, was once one of America's most promising young distance runners.

While studying at the University of Illinois, she ranked among the fastest freshman runners in the country and dreamed of pursuing an elite athletic career.

But everything changed when she suffered a foot injury during her second year of college.

Unable to train as she once had, Stephanie began questioning the direction of her life. That period of reflection eventually deepened her relationship with God and led her to discover a calling to religious life.

She became a Catholic nun, dedicating herself to prayer and serving the poor.

But she never stopped running.

Instead, she decided to use her athletic abilities to help families struggling to put food on the table.

Through the Chicago Marathon and other fundraising events, Sister Stephanie and her running team have raised more than $2.6 million for the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels, a Catholic organization serving disadvantaged communities in Chicago.

The mission provides groceries and essential assistance to hundreds of families and elderly residents every week.

And when the Chicago Marathon was canceled in 2020, Sister Stephanie refused to abandon her fundraising efforts.

She ran an entire 26.2-mile marathon on a treadmill in the basement of her church, raising more than $100,000 for those in need.

Her story is a beautiful example of how God can use our talents for purposes far greater than we ever imagined.

A woman who once dreamed of running for Olympic glory now runs to feed the hungry and serve Jesus Christ through the poor.

“Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.” — Matthew 25:40

God bless Sister Stephanie and her incredible mission! ❤️✝️

10/07/2026

OUR LADY OF VICTORY PRAY FOR US.

OCTOBER 7 ~ FEAST OF THE HOLY ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

On October 7, 1571, two years after the Vatican urged that the Rosary be put into universal use, an event took place that caused the devotion to gain widespread popularity. One of the most famous naval battles in history took place that day in Lepanto Bay, off the coast of Greece. The opposing forces were Christian, composed of an alliance of fleets from Spain and Italy, against a far superior Turkish navy. The Muslim force threatened to take over the Mediterranean Sea and therefore be in a position to attack European countries. Pope Pius V asked the Christian faithful to pray the Rosary and seek the intercession of the Blessed Mother to defeat the Muslim navy.

Despite being outnumbered, the Christian fleet prevailed. Consequently, Pope Pius established October 7 as a feast of Our Lady of Victory, thus perpetually bringing honor to the Blessed Mother for her help. In 1573, Pope Gregory XIII (r. 1572-85) changed the name of the feast to Our Lady of the Rosary, a feast that the Church continues to celebrate to this day.

Pray the Rosary every day.

Battles are won with your Rosary in hand! Long live the Virgin of the Holy Rosary!

09/24/2026

Today, the Church celebrates the beatification of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen, a brother Knight whose extraordinary gift for communication brought the Gospel to millions.

Long before social media, podcasts and livestreams, Archbishop Sheen understood the power of media to bring the Catholic faith into everyday life. Through radio and television, he spoke about Christ with clarity, confidence and joy.

Sheen embodied the call to put faith into action and share it boldly with the world. Today, Knights everywhere rejoice to call him Blessed, joining our founder, Blessed Michael McGivney, among the holy men raised up by the Church as examples of faithful Christian life.

May his example inspire us to use the gifts God has given us, and never be afraid to speak to others about Jesus in our everyday circumstances.

Blessed Fulton J. Sheen and Blessed Michael McGivney, pray for us!

09/19/2026

Rain or shine Octobefest will in in the gym after 5PM mass. Bring the family, great food, games & socializing with ND game on behind the bar. Looking forward to a fun evening!

09/19/2026

🍻 IT'S TONIGHT!
OKTOBERFEST IS TONIGHT! 🇩🇪

The tents are ready, the food is coming, and we're ready to have some fun!

Join us tonight from 6–11 PM at Notre Dame Parish for the 6th Annual Oktoberfest.

🍺 B**r Stein Holding
🔨 Hammerschlagen
🥨 German food
🎵 Music
🎟️ 50/50 raffle
🎉 And FUN!

09/18/2026

🚨 TOMORROW! Get ready for an evening of German food, music, contests, drinks and fun! 📅 Saturday, September 19
⏰ 6–11 PM
📍 Notre Dame Parish

Bring your friends. Bring your appetite. We'll see you tomorrow! 🍺🥨🇩🇪

09/16/2026

🍻 What Are You Looking Forward To?
We're getting close! What's at the top of your Oktoberfest list?

🔨 Hammerschlagen
🍺 B**r Stein Holding
🥨 German food
🎵 Music
🍻 Cash bar
🎟️ 50/50 raffle
🎉 And plenty of fun!