“Where brothers and sisters unite to glorify God there the Lord will give blessings."
from Psalms
Faithful Navigator’s Remarks at Installation Dinner 7/25/26 -
Good evening, Father Killian, Worthy State Master and Regional Marshal and District Marshal and past and current Council and Assembly officers as well as distinguished guests and Sir Knights and family members. This is just one of a number of gatherings taking place this summer across Virginia to say, “Job well done,” to our out-going officers and also to say, “Thank you,” to a new group of leaders / officers who have joined together to continue our mission as 4th Degree Sir Knights.
Our mission as Fourth Degree Knights can be summarized in 3 points-
- Serving others- our Church and our fellow Knights
- Live our Faith Publicly- stand up for life (unborn to elderly) and US veterans
- Be Strong Patriots – values & principles our nation was founded on
As in past years, we have a great path to follow here in Loudoun because we have had great leadership in our Councils and our Assemblies. Some of those leaders are here with us tonight. I look around and am delighted to see faces of the men I consider some of my closest friends. For the good of our Catholic church for the good of our local parish and for the good of the local community we have banded together to support one and other with more than just fundraising and keeping busy – I see faces of guys that I have shared my life - my joy and my struggles with for 30 years. Some of these guys have challenged me to do things I wouldn’t have done alone. I’d like to think I have challenged a few of you or inspired you in some little way to do something special. Thank you to all the men here who have helped me on my journey. I’m so happy to be your new Faithful Navigator. Thank you for this honor. As I wrote my remarks I thought about the 2 young guys that extended the invitation for me to come join the Knights of Columbus – Thank you Matt Bowe & Michael Dunne.
I’m a cradle Catholic who is thankful for my parents Tom and Margaret for guiding me to my faith. Going to church and receiving the sacraments was a big part of my upbringing. Altar boy duty started early in the Melia Family – I can remember being an 8-year-old in training.…many years later as a 9th grader I joined the lector corps. Later in college, I asked a girl to go to Mass with me and she said yes. We are still going to church together… Debbie and I have been married for 43 years. We have been blessed with 3 amazing children who all still like us and now 5 grandchildren (expecting #6 in late September). I pray for them all daily.
My goal is to be a Saint - we’re all trying to get on that team. During the installation dinner I presented my officers with a sports card style reminder about Pope Leo the 14th. Right now, Pope Leo is the manager of that special team I’m hoping to be on one day. I also provided them with 2 medallions (1) with the image of Pope Saint John Paul II, our Assembly’s name-sake -- and (1) the new Virginia State coin to remind us that we are “One Nation Under God”. My hope is when they see those medallions, they feel a sense of joy and a connectedness for our Assembly and our purpose.
For me the Knights of Columbus has provided a lifelong opportunity (1) to learn more about my faith (2) to care more about my church and the people here in my parish (3) to be a better husband and father and now a grandfather.
I’m excited about this fraternal year and look forward to working alongside you. The Faithful Officers who I will be supporting this year are Admiral Jim Robinson, Captain Aaron Selestok, Pilot Bill Kemper, Comptroller John Sliwinski, Purser Ric James, Scribe Jim Ryan, Sentinels Bill Leake and Kevin O’Connor our Trustees Eddie Castaneda, Bob Neiman and Tom Hohn. Our leader of the Color Corps is newly installed Color Corps Commander Joe Hunter. Thank you, gentlemen, for stepping up. We’ll need your energy and I encourage new ideas to succeed.
Together we’ll accomplish great things – with Mary’s assistance who would bet against us?
We’re all on this local farm team to become Saints one day. We just need to practice more - pray more - listen better - love more deeply and encourage one and other. We can do better – we will do better…with a little help from our friends.
We will Be Proud – We will Be Patriotic – We will Be Visible
We will be Sir Knights.
Vivat Jesus!
Tim Melia, FN
|
.jpg)
