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The Columbian Squires is the official youth organization of the Knights of Columbus. The organization promotes the Catholic faith, service to others and provides leadership training and moral guidance to young men between the ages of 10 and 18. Squires participate in a wide variety of activities that are focused on providing service to the parish and the local community. Religious activities include the opportunity to learn to serve at Mass, increasing their knowledge of the Catholic Faith, and praying for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life. There are fun activities as well. Adult leadership and supervision are provided by members of the Knights of Columbus Council here at St. Paul. The Parish Squires Circle was established in 2006 and has grown to over 50 members. There is a Squire Advancement Program that consists of five levels: (1) PAGE, (2) SHIELD BEARER, (3) SWORDSMAN, (4) LANCER, and (5) SQUIRE OF THE BODY OF CHRIST. For detailed information on Circle developments, visit the Circle's web site: www.circle5022.com .
Thomas Polk Jacob Weist
The first Columbian Squires Circle was established in Duluth, Minnesota on August 4, 1925. The first Circle in Canada was established in 1926 (Montreal Circle # 3). Since this beginning, the Columbian Squires organization has spread to Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam. Today there are over 1300 Circles with an enrollment of nearly 25,000 Catholic youth members.
Staff Changes for the New Service Year: Committee/Chairman_ MEMBERSHIP .............................................. Carl Pileri; Danny Hefner (financial w/ Bursar) SPIRITUAL .................................................. Al Ponce; John Wanken SQUIRES ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM (SAP)...... Steve Vogel CIRCLE
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Bobby Stefek; Ed Repetski
K’night with Fr. Prior: Encouraging Squires' Discernment of Priestly Vocations
By Carl L. Pileri, MD To facilitate their development as Catholic Gentlemen and encourage discernment to the priesthood, the Columbian Squires in Circle 5022 participate in several large events throughout the year; one of which is our “Annual K’night with Fr. Prior”. We have had so much success and positive feedback from the Squires, parents, and adult participants that we thought it a good idea to share the idea with other parishes and circles. The term “K’night” is our own contraction of “Knight”, in deference to our Knights of Columbus sponsors, and the word “night” which echoes the overnight aspect of this activity. The essence of the K’night is an all-night-long program of formative activities, food, and fun, where the young men spend a uniquely special time with our Fr. Prior and invited guests. This year we were blessed to have our Pastor (Fr. Prior) as well as several visiting priests, youth counselors who are active Deacons and one who was a priest, and three seminarians.
The location for the K’night is our parish hall, and the sleep rooms are in an adjacent education building.
We use the term “sleep rooms” loosely, as most of the Squires stay up for the entire night. The planned date for the event is a Friday evening through Saturday morning - towards the end of the academic year to allow maximum participation, before summer vacations and graduations and, at least in our community near Fort Hood, military transfers.
After the usual pre-event set-up and
registration, the evening begins with sports! These Squires just got out of
school, and need to
Our Chief Squire and Squire Officers take active roles in the activities and games, leading by example. For this year’s K’night, our Squires arranged a video-conference with former Squires who are now in college. These former Squires provide reinforcement to the younger members, and to us adults, that our Circle is nurturing worthwhile character as they move on to adulthood in the Faith.
At dinner, all priests and visitors sit among the boys - there is no “adults table”- as this evening is for the Squires to get to know the priests in a way set apart from most priest-parishioner relationships. Fr. Prior honored us with the Grace before the Meal. During dessert, the first guest speaker takes the stand. Fr. Brian McMaster, Director of Vocations and Seminarians for the Diocese of Austin and director of the Diocesan Institute for Ecclesial Ministry, gave address to the group. The Squires were very receptive to his message, encouraging them to consider if they are called to a priestly vocation. When he posed the question, “Who has ever considered being a priest?” I counted 18 hands (of 60 Squires) from ages 10 to 17, including to my satisfaction, my own son.
After another fun break, the Squires change clothes for the more solemn part of the evening: a unique Reconciliation Service and Midnight Mass. In order to promote the solemnity of the time, we conduct the preparation for reconciliation in silence and under very careful adult supervision outside in the dark. There, spread apart for privacy, are priests who hear confessions. Afterwards, the group is prayerfully gathered for a procession into the Church for the Mass.
This celebration of the Mass is an extraordinary experience. The Squires surround the altar with Fr. Prior, who takes the opportunity to more fully explain the meaning of the ritual of the Mass, and the symbolism and history of each part of the vestments and articles used.
In addition to all the blessings of the
Eucharist, participating in a special, ‘private’ Mass lets the young men
know that they are special Mass is followed by a midnight meal and free time until breakfast. Some of the Squires do actually sleep, but most make a point to stay up the whole time - on principle if nothing else. They force themselves to remain at least partially upright; no self-respecting teenager is going to sleep when no bedtime is specified!
Whether walking, dragging, or being carried,
all file in, some bright-eyed and some head-nodding, for breakfast and final
prayer. A real-time Powerpoint slide show runs
through images from the preceding hours, summarizing in silence the
memorable event.
Each year, the K’night with Fr. Prior is a success. There is a high amount of gratification among the adults and invited guests that they have contributed positively in the lives of these future leaders of our Church.
The goal is of course to make practicing adult Catholic gentlemen out of all the Squires, with the K’night, specifically to encourage them to listen for God’s Voice calling them to the Priesthood. Each Squire keeps for their own, the copy of the Catechism they received at registration, as a gift and, God willing, a reference book, study guide, and focus for meditation forever in the life of the Squire. END.
For anyone wishing to use our notes and
information on how much preparation, food, etc. for planning an event like
the
Latest Page Update: 01/14/2012 |
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