Sandusky Knights of Columbus mark major milestone

Editor's note: This year marks the 125th anniversary of the Sandusky Knights of Columbus. To commemorate the milestone, this local organization highlighted its origins, successes and mission. SANDUSKY — In the summer of 1900, a group of enterprising Catholic businessmen assembled in the Sandusky Business College building on East Washington Row to discuss bringing the fledgling Knights of Columbus — a fraternal benefits society for Catholic men and their families — to the banks of Lake Erie. Knights from throughout Ohio would already go to Sandusky for an annual gathering at Put-in-Bay, but the city still didn't have a council of its own. One can imagine the cigar smoke swirling through the room as visiting Knights of Columbus leaders extolled the fraternal order's accomplishments since it was founded by a young Connecticut priest named Father Michael McGivney in 1882 to serve the needs of immigrant Catholic families. By that fall, 45 men from Sandusky, Bellevue and Huron had signed on to establish a local Knights of Columbus council, and more than 200 knights from throughout northwest Ohio and beyond came to celebrate the formal chartering of Sandusky Council 546 — indicating its place among the earliest of Knights of Columbus councils and just the 15th in Ohio — on Nov. 11, 1900. A sacred statue A century and a quarter later, smoke once again filled a space filled with knights, just as in the summer of 1900. But, this time, the smell of stogies was replaced by the fragrance of holy incense as Father Monte Hoyles, pastor of the Catholic Parishes of Sandusky, blessed a statue of Father McGivney — now well on his way to sainthood, having been declared "blessed" by the Catholic Church on Oct. 31, 2020. The statue, unveiled and blessed during the 4 p.m. Mass at St. Mary's Parish on Oct. 11, was commissioned by Council 546 as part of the festivities anticipating its 125th anniversary. "Blessed Michael McGivney … saw what were thought to be the incurable ills of society: the dangers to family life and the perils the world presented to young men," Hoyles said during his homily at Mass. " This is precisely why the world needed and still needs the Knights of Columbus," he added. "It needs the memory and intercession of their founder because each and every person … needs those who, inspired by their Catholic faith, go about doing good and are willing to communicate the blessings God wants to bestow." A 'truly remarkable' organization In remarks at a banquet following the Mass, Sandusky ex officio mayor Dick Brady spoke highly of the Knights of Columbus' contributions to Sandusky. "What the Knights of Columbus have done over the last 125 years is truly remarkable," Brady said. "You've changed the fabric of our society. Since your founding, the Knights of Columbus have been a beacon of hope and of service: from supporting our local parishes to aiding those in need, fostering brotherhood and strengthening the fabric of Sandusky. Your commitment to faith in action inspires all of us." The council's accomplishments have included a wide range of activities and programs over the decades. Sandusky knights helped establish a chapel at what is now the Ohio Veterans Home in 1913 and, soon after, contributed to a $1 million Knights of Columbus comfort fund to help erect chapels, libraries and more for U.S. soldiers in World War I. The Sandusky council also sponsored events with high-profile speakers, such as legendary Olympian Jesse Owens in 1957, and an exhibition game featuring the Harlem Globetrotters in 1974, among many other efforts. Looking ahead Today's knights continue the charitable mission of their predecessors with a renewed emphasis on faith formation for men and their families, said Larry Kaman, the council's grand knight or effective CEO. Other current initiatives include: • Assisting with the Catholic Community Supper, now called Catholic Community Support, nearly every week at Holy Angels Parish • Awarding scholarships to local students • Providing free winter coats to people in need • Supporting local pregnancy resource centers "The Knights of Columbus have long been known as the strong right arm of the Catholic Church," said Kaman, whose father and uncle also served as grand knights. "And we're also proud to support the greater community in many ways, rooted in our principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism." Insight into international origins The international Knights of Columbus organization now numbers more than 2.1 million members in more than 16,800 local councils in several countries, including in Canada, Mexico and the Philippines. Its roots, though, will always be closely tied to immigrant communities, as McGivney founded the Knights in part to address the financial plight and persecution faced by many people immigrating to the U.S. in the 19th century. That connection remains close to the heart of Sandusky Knights, and Kaman said it was one of the reasons that Council 546 chose to commission a statue of McGivney. The Catholic community here owes its existence in large part to the Italian, Irish and German immigrants who established Holy Angels, St. Mary's and Sts. Peter and Paul Parish upon their arrival to northwest Ohio. Hoyles added that the statue, which was hand-crafted by Italian-based Ferdinand Stuflesser in 1875 and is now displayed in the sanctuary at St. Mary's, also honors the priests who have served the Sandusky Catholic community and spread awareness of McGivney as Knights and Catholics around the world pray for his canonization. "He's an American and his influence is present throughout the United States, so he's particular to us," Hoyles said. "His memory and his mission have been a part of the Sandusky area for 125 years, so he has really been a part of our community and our family for a very long time." McGivney, who died in 1890 at age 38, was declared blessed — one step from sainthood — five years ago. A declaration of sainthood would likely come soon after the Vatican approves a miracle attributed to his intercession. "Any saint we honor is a picture of lived faith," continued Hoyles. "This statue is more than just a nice decoration we put on a shelf. It's a reminder that we can do what he did. We can go out, identify needs, and address them. We can go out and build up the family, and it doesn't require anything grand. It simply takes the will and the desire to fulfill God's call."