✝️ Cross and Compass

Knights of Columbus Council Newsletter
October 2025 Edition

Brother Knights,

Welcome to the October edition of the Cross & Compass, I hope this newsletter finds you doing well.  It’s hard to believe we are in October already and our Council is already in high gear and we are ready for the season.  October as you know, is a special month for us as Catholics and as Knights of Columbus. The Church dedicates this month to the Holy Rosary, reminding us of the power of prayer in our lives and in the life of our Order. The Rosary has been called a spiritual weapon, and in a world that so often struggles with division and despair, our prayers truly matter. I encourage each of you to pray the Rosary daily if you are able—whether alone, with your families, or with your fellow Knights. By doing so, we strengthen not only our personal faith but also the unity of our council.  I committed myself a few months back to say the Rosary every day, and I must admit, it has done wonders for my soul and wellbeing. Give it a try, it may change the situation you find yourself in.

Our Council had a very busy September.  We need to all rise and give a standing ovation to Dave Tura, the Golf Committee, and everyone who volunteered for another great Circle of Life Golf Tournament.  This year the golf course was changed to Sarasota National and we were only able to host 144 golfers.  There was a lot of concern that we would not be able to fill up all the spots, and would not be able to raise a lot of money.  Through the hard work of this team of brother’s, they were able to raise over $50,000 for the 3 charities it helps support.  Dave will be giving checks out to Our Mother’s House, Pregnancy Solutions, and Venice Area Pregnancy Center.  GREAT JOB!!! We also hosted a practice Bingo session to work out any issues before we go live with our game this month.  Fantastic job to Eddie Jones, Mark Crews, and the CCW for all of your time, help and support getting this fundraiser up and running.  The money collected will be going to Venice Area Meals on Wheels.  We also hosted our annual Blue Mass, and once again it was a great event showing our first responders how much we care about them.  Thank you, Nick Catone and John Chiumento, for all of your work, another GREAT JOB!!!  Your blood donations save lives in our community.  I'd like to thank Paul Krause and Henry for all of the hard work they do in setting up our blood drive. In September we collected 20 units of blood which will benefit 60 patients, our neighbors and friends, WELL DONE!!!  We finished the month with our Food Drive, and once again this team collected and delivered a lot of food and dollars that go to the Immokalee area of Florida where it is desperately needed.  Thanks to the generosity of our members and congregation, over $2,600 was collected along with 1 ton of food.  These donations really do make a difference and we are helping to feed the hungry. Bob Nowicki and team, thank you, another GREAT JOB!!!

In addition to these spiritual focuses, October is a very active month for our council. We have a full calendar of events that give us the chance to serve, to grow, and to spend time together in fraternity:

• Knights Breakfast returns on Sunday, October 5 as we begin a new season of food and fellowship and building community for our Church.
• Bingo Night starts on Monday, October 6. Doors open at 6:00 pm, with games beginning at 7:00 pm. This is a wonderful opportunity not only for fun but also for fundraising and community building.
• On Friday, October 10, our council will be hosting the Traveling Rosary at Our Lady of Lourdes. We will lead the Rosary at the top of each hour until 5:00 pm.  A sign up will be coming out in the next couple of days, please consider leading one of the hours.
• On Sunday, October 12 at 2:00 pm in the Parish Library, we will hold a Knights of Columbus Exemplification Ceremony to welcome new members.
• On Monday, October 13, Columbus Day, we will come together for a Knights Retreat, a time for reflection, prayer, and fraternity at the Retreat Center.
• The All-Ministry Raffle kicks off this month! We are managing the CFA Raffle for our Parish and will be selling 1,000 tickets. Buy your tickets early for the December early bird drawing, and let’s make this a success for our Church and our Priests.
• On the weekend of October 25th and 26th, we will host our Monthly Food Drive to support those in need.
• Operation Warrior Resolution, November 10, book your tables now as they are filling up quickly.  This year the event will be held at Plantation. 

As you can see, we have had a busy year and we are just in October.  Brothers, I must also stress this: we really need your help as volunteers. None of these events happen on their own, it takes many hands working together to set up, serve, sell tickets, and support our parish and community. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to get more involved, October is that time. Even if you can give just a few hours, your presence makes a big difference.

As you can see, October offers many opportunities to live out our core principles—Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. Each of these events is not just another item on the calendar but a chance to grow closer as brothers, to support our parish, and to serve God’s people.

I want to personally thank each of you for the many ways you serve. Whether it’s through your presence at events, your prayers, or your quiet acts of kindness that often go unnoticed, you are living examples of Catholic manhood and brotherhood.

May Our Lady of the Rosary intercede for us this month and guide us ever closer to her Son, Jesus Christ. Let us continue to walk together in faith, service, and fraternity.  I look forward to seeing everyone at Mass or our next meeting on October 8.  We start with the Rosary at 5:30 followed by dinner and our monthly meeting.

Vivat Jesus!

Rick Kuertz, Grand Knight