Saginaw Knights of Columbus 4232

10/19/2026

“A Day with the Saints”: Veneration of More Than 100 First-Class Relics on All Saints Day at Sweetest Heart of Mary

DETROIT — On the Solemnity of All Saints, Sunday, Nov, 1, Mother of Divine Mercy Parish invites the faithful to “A Day with the Saints,” a special exposition of more than 100 first-class relics at Sweetest Heart of Mary Church.

The day begins with Holy Mass at 10 a.m. and continues with the exposition of the relics until 3 p.m. at 4440 Russell Street in Detroit. The collection includes relics of the True Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Twelve Apostles, St. Carlo Acutis, and many other saints. The parish also possesses relics connected to the life of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, including the Holy Manger, the Flagellation Pillar, and a portion of the veil of the Blessed Mother.

Sweetest Heart of Mary, one of the churches of Mother of Divine Mercy Parish, maintains a substantial collection of first-class relics. Previous expositions at the parish have allowed the faithful to pray before the relics, touch devotional items to the reliquaries, and deepen their sense of the Communion of Saints. As one priest serving the parish has noted in the past, the relics are “little pieces of heaven here on earth,” linking the Church on earth with the saints in glory.

All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation. This year it falls on a Sunday, so Catholics fulfill the obligation by attending Mass. The exposition offers a concrete opportunity to honor the saints, ask for their intercession, and be inspired by their witness of holiness.

Brother Knights and their families are encouraged to attend. The event is open to the public. For questions, contact the parish at (313) 831-6659 or visit motherofdivinemercy.org/relics.

Event details at a glance
* Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026 (Solemnity of All Saints)
* Time: 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (Mass at 10 a.m., followed by exposition)
* Location: Sweetest Heart of Mary Church, 4440 Russell Street, Detroit, MI
* Phone: (313) 831-6659

10/19/2026

Vince Lombardi: A Fourth Degree Knight Whose Faith Shaped a Championship Legacy

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Decades after his death, Vince Lombardi remains one of the most celebrated coaches in NFL history. What is less widely known is that the man who led the Green Bay Packers to five NFL championships, including the first two Super Bowls, and whose name is on the Super Bowl trophy, was also a devoted Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus whose Catholic faith was the foundation of his life and leadership.

According to the Knights of Columbus, Lombardi joined Msgr. Basche Council 4505 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and later became a Fourth Degree Knight. In an excerpt published by the Order from The Knights of Columbus: An Illustrated History, Lombardi is described as “a man with strong Catholic faith and an unparalleled coaching career.” He believed faith was important in every life, considered daily Mass and Communion the source of his strength, and often led his Catholic players to Mass.

Born Vincent Thomas Lombardi on June 11, 1913, in Brooklyn, New York, to Italian immigrant parents, Lombardi grew up in a devout Catholic household. He served as an altar boy and, as a teenager, entered Cathedral Preparatory Seminary with the intention of becoming a priest. Football ultimately drew him away from that path, but his faith remained central. He attended Fordham University, a Jesuit institution, where he played on the famed “Seven Blocks of Granite” line and received a formation that emphasized human dignity, discipline, and the pursuit of the common good.

After coaching stops that included St. Cecilia High School in New Jersey, Fordham, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the New York Giants, Lombardi arrived in Green Bay in 1959 to lead a struggling Packers franchise. Within two years he guided the team to consecutive NFL titles, followed by a third championship and victories in Super Bowls I and II. His overall coaching record stood at 105 wins, 36 losses, and six ties. He died in 1970 at age 57; thousands attended his funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

Lombardi’s faith was not confined to Sunday. Biographical accounts and contemporary recollections describe him as a daily communicant who attended Mass at St. Willebrord Catholic Church in Green Bay, a short walk from the Packers’ offices. He is widely remembered for telling his players that the three most important things in life were God, family, and the Green Bay Packers — in that order. His commitment to treating every person with dignity also shaped his approach to race. He refused to tolerate prejudice among his players and made it clear that local businesses that refused service to any of his players because of skin color would be boycotted by the entire team. Players who displayed prejudice risked being dropped from the roster.

In this, Lombardi lived out principles that have long been central to the Knights of Columbus: charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism grounded in the equal dignity of every person. The Order has highlighted him as one of the notable Knights whose life and work brought distinction to the organization.

Today, councils in New Jersey and Green Bay bear his name, and his example continues to resonate with Knights who seek to live their faith in the public square — whether on a football field, in a workplace, or in service to their communities. Lombardi’s story is a reminder that excellence in one’s vocation and fidelity to one’s Catholic faith are not separate pursuits but two sides of the same calling.

10/18/2026

Michigan Knights Stand with Catholic Education as New Federal Tax Credit Offers Expanded Opportunity

Catholic schools have long been a cornerstone of the Church’s mission to form young people in faith, virtue, and academic excellence. Across Michigan, Knights of Columbus councils have quietly and consistently supported that mission through scholarships, direct gifts to schools, recognition of students, and broader programs that strengthen families and parishes.

A recent National Catholic Register report highlights a significant new opportunity that could amplify these efforts. The Education Freedom Tax Credit, effective Jan. 1, 2026, allows individuals and married couples to receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit (up to $1,700 for individuals and $3,400 for joint filers) for donations to scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs). These funds can help families cover tuition, tutoring, supplies, and other educational expenses at Catholic and other private schools, as well as for certain public-school and homeschool costs. The U.S. bishops have called the program transformative, noting that it aligns with the Church’s teaching that parents are the primary educators of their children. Estimates suggest the credit could generate billions in scholarship donations nationwide. ( NC Register - Catholic Schools Expecting Windfall of Scholarship Money From New Tax Credit )

Michigan Knights are already putting that same spirit of support into practice at the local level. Councils across the state regularly award scholarships that help families choose Catholic education. Au Lac Council 10724 has provided $1,000 awards to eighth-grade graduates of Immaculate Conception School who plan to continue in Catholic high schools, based on essays about the importance of a Catholic education. Other councils, including Fr. Baumgartner Council #5452 in the Rochester area and Pope St. John XXIII Council #5436, have established ongoing scholarship programs for Catholic school students and college-bound youth. These efforts remove financial barriers so that more children can benefit from an education rooted in the Catholic faith.

Beyond scholarships, councils partner directly with their parish schools. Lake Orion Council 4764 recently contributed $5,000 as a Diamond Sponsor for St. Joseph Parish Catholic School’s 75th anniversary celebrations. St. Mary’s Cathedral Council #18819 in Saginaw supported Chesterton Academy of Lake Huron by providing raffle prizes that helped raise funds for the school’s mission. Many councils also recognize outstanding students through Youth or Student of the Month programs, celebrating academic achievement, faith formation, and service—exactly the qualities Catholic schools seek to cultivate.

At the state level, Michigan Knights maintain strong support for the next generation of Church leaders through seminarian tuition assistance and the Sacred Heart Major Seminary Endowed Scholarship Fund. These programs, funded by voluntary member contributions and assessments approved at the State Convention, help ensure that those preparing for priesthood receive the formation they need.

The new federal tax credit represents an additional tool that could complement the hands-on work Michigan Knights already do. Because the program relies on private donations rather than state funds, it sidesteps Michigan’s constitutional restrictions on public aid to nonpublic schools. However, for Michigan families to receive scholarships, the state must opt in. The Michigan Catholic Conference has urged the state to participate, noting that the credit would help families afford out-of-pocket educational costs without diverting resources from the School Aid Fund.

Michigan Knights have always understood that supporting Catholic education is an act of charity and a long-term investment in the Church. Whether through a local scholarship, a gift to a parish school, recognition of a student, or support for seminarians, brothers across the state continue to live out the Order’s principles. As this new federal opportunity takes shape, the same spirit of service that has sustained Catholic schools in Michigan for generations will remain essential—helping families choose the education that forms their children in faith and prepares them to serve the Church and society.

10/15/2026

New Podcast Planned for Caballeros de Colón Michigan (English)

State Hispanic Outreach Director Armando Figueroa recently shared news of a productive lunch with Fr. Edwin Carreño and the exciting plans underway for a new podcast serving Caballeros de Colón Michigan.

In a bilingual post, Figueroa wrote: “Having lunch with Fr. Edwin Carreño. Excited about starting our new podcast for Caballeros de Colón Michigan.” / “Almorzando con el Padre Edwin Carreño. ¡Emocionado por comenzar nuestro nuevo podcast para los Caballeros de Colón de Michigan!”

Fr. Edwin Carreño Carreño serves as Pastor of the Shrine of St. Francis Xavier & Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Grand Rapids. Ordained in 1999, he has long been a pastoral presence in the Hispanic Catholic community of the Diocese of Grand Rapids.

The new podcast represents a natural next step in Michigan’s growing Hispanic outreach efforts. Under Figueroa’s leadership as State Hispanic Outreach Director, the jurisdiction has seen encouraging results, including strong participation at the Hispanic Men’s Conference earlier this year that brought 30 new members into the Order, along with Spanish-language exemplifications and continued recruitment work across multiple dioceses.

A Spanish-language podcast offers an accessible way to strengthen faith formation, share the principles of Charity, Unity, and Fraternity, highlight local council activities, and invite more Hispanic men and their families into the Knights of Columbus. It also aligns with the Order’s longstanding devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and its commitment to serving Catholic communities in their own language and culture.

Additional details on the podcast’s launch date, platform, and episode schedule are expected in the coming weeks. Michigan Knights are encouraged to follow State Council communications and Hispanic Outreach updates for more information.

The meeting between Figueroa and Fr. Carreño is a welcome sign of continued collaboration between State leadership and clergy serving Hispanic parishes. Efforts like this help the Michigan State Council fulfill its mission of inviting men to grow in faith and service while building a stronger, more inclusive Order.

Stay tuned!!!
Vivat Jesus!

10/15/2026

Membership Flash Incentive!

We had the best membership intake in September in 24 years!

Great Job!

Invite one new member to receive a $10.00 gift card.

Receive an additional $5.00 for every new member you invite after the first.

To qualify, your membership number must be listed as the proposer on the new member’s application.

The incentive runs from Oct. 15-31.

You’ll also receive one entry into a $200.00 drawing for each new member you invite.

10/14/2026

Michigan Knights Ask for Prayers for Pope Leo XIV Following Lung Cancer Diagnosis

The Michigan State Council joins Knights of Columbus worldwide in asking for your prayers for our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV.

On Sunday, Oct. 11, during the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo announced that doctors had discovered a localized nodule on his lung during routine examinations. He said the growth had been detected “at a very early stage” and was well contained, and that physicians recommended its removal. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, the Holy Father underwent thoracic surgery at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli University Hospital. The lower lobe of his right lung was removed using video-assisted techniques. Intraoperative examination confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer that preoperative tests had suspected.

The Vatican reported that the surgery was successful, completed according to plan, and without complications. The Holy Father regained consciousness normally and returned to his room. An update on Wednesday morning noted that he had a quiet night. All public audiences have been canceled through October 20 while he recovers. Oncologists familiar with early-stage cases of this type have described the outlook as favorable when the disease is detected and surgically addressed promptly.

As the world’s largest Catholic fraternal organization — founded by Blessed Michael J. McGivney and dedicated to the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism — the Knights of Columbus have a special duty to pray for and support the Vicar of Christ. Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly and the leadership of the Order have already invited the entire membership to pray for the Holy Father’s recovery and continued strength in shepherding the Church.

Here in Michigan, we add our voices to that prayer. We particularly ask the intercession of our founder, Blessed Michael J. McGivney, whose own life of pastoral care and concern for the sick remains a model for every Knight, and of St. Peregrine Laziosi, the 14th-century Servite priest and patron saint of those suffering from cancer. St. Peregrine himself experienced a miraculous healing from a cancerous condition after a night spent in prayer before the Crucified Christ.

We invite every council, assembly, and family to remember Pope Leo XIV in their prayers — at Mass, in the Rosary, at council meetings, and in personal devotion. A simple intention may be offered:

“Almighty and merciful God, we ask You to look with favor upon Your servant Pope Leo XIV. Through the intercession of Blessed Michael McGivney and St. Peregrine, grant him strength in recovery, healing of body and spirit, and the grace to continue leading Your Church with wisdom, courage, and love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Together we lift up our Holy Father.

Vivat Jesus!
Michigan Knights of Columbus State Council

10/12/2026

Remembering Brother Knight Mike Ditka: A Life of Faith, Toughness, and Charity

On Oct. 9, the Church and the sports world lost a legendary figure and a Brother Knight. Michael Keller Ditka — known to millions as “Iron Mike” or simply “Da Coach” — passed away at the age of 86. While he will long be remembered as a Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end and the coach who led the Chicago Bears to victory in Super Bowl XX, his life was also deeply shaped by the Catholic faith and by his membership in the Knights of Columbus.

Ditka was raised in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, the son of a steelworker father and a mother who was a fervent convert to Catholicism. His mother made sure the family attended Mass and that her children received a Catholic education. He often spoke with gratitude about the Sisters of St. Joseph who taught him, recalling both their firm discipline and the lasting formation they provided. He served as an altar boy throughout grade school and even assisted at Mass while attending the University of Pittsburgh. In a 2018 interview, he reflected, “I am so grateful for the Roman Catholic faith with which I was raised… Going to Catholic school and learning the faith, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

That foundation remained with him throughout his life. While coaching the Bears, Ditka occasionally served as a lector at the early morning team Mass on game days. He spoke openly about the importance of the sacraments, especially Confession and Holy Communion, saying, “I believe every bit that the Church teaches. Confession matters. Communion matters.”

As a member of the Knights of Columbus, Ditka put that faith into action through charity. In 2017 he headlined a Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids event at St. Agnes of Bohemia Elementary School in Chicago. He spoke to roughly 200 students about effort, leadership, and living in the present, then helped distribute new winter coats to children in need. The moment was a living expression of the Order’s principle of Charity—using one’s public platform to serve the vulnerable.

Ditka’s life reminds us that toughness and faith are not opposites. The same competitive fire that made him a Hall of Famer was rooted in a Catholic formation that taught accountability, perseverance, and service to others. In an age when many public figures keep their faith private, Brother Ditka was willing to credit his mother, his Catholic education, and the sacraments for shaping the man he became.

As we pray for the repose of his soul, we can also be inspired by his example. May his witness encourage more men to embrace the faith, live the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism, and put those principles into concrete action in their communities.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

10/12/2026

St. Mary’s Cathedral Council 18819 Supports Chesterton Academy of Lake Huron

St. Mary’s Cathedral Council #18819 of Saginaw recently put the Knights of Columbus principles of charity and unity into action by donating two Coolers of Cheer to Chesterton Academy of Lake Huron. The coolers were used as prizes in the Academy’s raffle, which raised between $600 and $700 to support the school’s mission.

The Michigan Knights of Columbus congratulate Chesterton Academy of Lake Huron on a successful raffle and wish them continued success.

10/12/2026

First Lady Pam McCuen speaks at the Lansing Women's Conference

On Oct. 10, First Lady Pamela McCuen spoke Lansing Women's Conference about joining the Order has impacted her and Worthy SD Charlie's lives for the better.

Please click the link to watch her speech.

First Lady Pamela McCuen speaks at the Lansing Women's Conference o...