News & Announcements

SFS - Opening Council Documents

GK Notes 07-24-26

Hello!

Wednesday, I chaired my first in-person business meeting finishing in 1 hour and 11 minutes. We accomplished many things like getting our operation budget approved for the next year and talking over our upcoming events like the Corporate Mass which is August 9th. We also have the HFCA Back to School breakfast in the gym on August 17th. Finally, The Café at the end of the month. 

The August café will have proceeds going to Aspire Chicago, an organization that has been around for 66 years helping disabled people get special training, behavioral therapy, and job support. Looking forward to the month of September... we will be supporting the church on many initiatives as well as conducting our broadest council fund raiser, the Intellectual Disabilities (ID) Drive, September 18- 20. This year we have two full days in front of the Jewel in Hoffman Estates to give those folks who cannot easily work street corners to actively participate in this event.


Please use the council website especially the calendar to see what is coming up in the near future and for the whole fraternal year. Please consider signing up for some of the upcoming events via sign-up genius or the event coordinator for smaller events.

Vivat Jesus!

Frank

Corporate Mass - August 9th

Veterans Exiting Homelessness Supply Drive - August 29-30.

Please Help and/or Volunteer if you can 

Rich Surma receives Fr. Michael McGivney Award from Assembly 2330

Special recognition for Sir Knight Rich Surma   

Outgoing Faithful Navigator Dean-o Dalaly  (11981 PGK) capped off his term at the recent Bishop Shiel Assembly 2330 officer installation by presenting Brother Rich Surma with the Assembly’s brand-new Fr. Michael J. McGivney Award. After an assembly-wide vote to recognize a truly standout Sir Knight, Surma and two other brothers were chosen to receive this special inaugural honor.

Congratulations Rich! 

Our New Officer Team

Congratulations to our new officer team! 

To attach names, faces  and roles for our new team, goto the "Officers" link on the left of your screen or Click Here! 

Eucharistic Adoration

Eucharistic Adoration 
September 3rd and 4th
First Friday of every Month
 
From PGK Glenn Yamamoto: 
Let me ask you a question: How would your life change if you spent an hour each day before the Blessed Sacrament? I realize for most people this is not possible, but consider it for a moment anyway. How would your life change?  Now consider this, "What is possible"? One hour each month, for most people that would be doable.  Spending time in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist transformed me and my life in ways I could not even begin to imagine.  I believe that by spending time in the presence of Jesus, in the Eucharist, we  become more like Him.  Mother Teresa was quoted as saying, "If I can give you any advice, I beg you to get closer to the Eucharist and to Jesus.  We must  pray to Jesus to give us the tenderness of the Eucharist."
 
At Holy Family we Knights sign up for monthly 1 hour time segments for First Friday Adoration.  We serve from from 7pm on the Thursday to 6pm on Friday.  I encourage you to consider our one-hour adoration opportunities. 
 
Please contact brother Glenn Yamamoto if you have questions or to participate. (Click on Glenn's highlighted name to send him an email) 
 

Faith Feeds needs Volunteers!

Many of your fellow Knights are now volunteering at Faith Feeds! We all got used to the monthly Produce Distribution Drives at Holy Family and other Northwest Suburban Parishes.  Faith Feeds gives you the same satisfaction of helping to feed others. Please consider helping at Faith Feeds! 

Faith Feeds has work on Thursdays unloading and sorting food delivered by the Chicago Food Depository. They are located at 1545 N Rand Road in Palatine ( right next to the Walmart).  They also have shifts on other days of the week distributing food at local apartment complexes. We also have shifts on the third weekend of the month collecting food at Holy Family after the masses. 

Again - Please consider Faith Feeds!

You can look for volunteer opportunities by clicking the Faith Feeds  image below.   

For Holy Family Mass collection shifts, click the Holy Family image below. 

 

 

 

2026 "Of the Year" Award Winners

Award Narratives
 

Congratulations to our 2026 Winners!

See the attached PDF for the Award Narratives

 

Thank You

My thoughts on the privilege of being Grand Knight.
 

 

Thank you to all who gave my family and I your warm thoughts about my time as Grand Knight.  I appreciate the award and the engraved sword, but mostly the kind thoughts. Thanks for the opportunity to serve with you, and I look forward to serving with you the future, in a less visible way!  

I'm told I now have the most coveted title in the Knights of Columbus, "Past" Grand Knight! 

God Bless our new leadership team, may they be successful servant leaders in the service of our parish! 

 

Pentecost Barbecue 2026

Fr Terry Thank You Note
 

Many thanks to all of our Pentecost Barbecue volunteers!  Your service to our parish was greatly appreciated.  See the attached thank you note from Father Terry!  

2026 Respect Life Donation

2026 Fish Fry

Thank You Note from Maureen Cochran of Teen Faith
 

Thank You Note from Father Terry Keehan
 

It's hard to believe our 2026 Fish Fries are now behind us!  We have a lot of people to be thankful for!  To our fellow Parishioner customers, our Academy, Teens, SCC's, the hundreds of fantastic place mats from Family Faith (samples below)  and of course our Knights Family of Volunteers, Thank you all so very much! 

We had and average of 198 customers over the 5 weeks, and we raised $7000 for our causes!  We were proud of the community opportunities we created, with many of our fellow parishioners coming early and staying till the end! 

We were proud to donate $3500 to Holy Family Catholic Academy, and $3500 to our Holy Family Teens!  Photos below are Father Terry and Dawn Mayer presenting the checks to Kate O'Brien, Principal of the Academy,  Maureen Cochran Director and Kate Nilsen of the Holy Family Teen Ministry.

Note: We loved those wonderful Family Faith thank you/ gratitude cards (picture below) 

Thank you notes from Fr. Terry and Maureen Cochran of Teen Faith are attached above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2026 American Wheel Chair Fund Donation

Thank you note from the Wheelchair Mission
 

Our Council donated $200 to the American Wheelchair Mission. See the thank you note attached above and the wonderful card below. 

Thank You Note From the Family of Len Jagielo

Thank You Note
 

Thank you note attached from the family of our fallen brother Len Jagielo.  For more about Len, go to our "Knights in Memorandum" page. ( link on the left)  

John Wise Honored by Habitat for Humanity.

own John Wise, is honored by Habitat for Humanity!  Please read below- taken from the Holy Family Bulletin for March 28-29, 2026. Thank you John for your long history of volunteerism! 

Council Receives Awards for Fraternal Year 2024 - 25

Grand Knight Rick McMahon accepted the Founders Award, and the Columbian Award for our councils performance in Fraternal year 2024-25. These awards were presented by District Deputy Richard Lambke at our February Business meeting.  These awards belong to the Council for our successful programs and compliance to annual reporting. Our Knights Family of Volunteers made this recognition possible! 

 

 

Council Donation to Stepping Stones Foundation 1/28

Thank You Note
 

Our council Meeting we presented $500 tot he Stepping Stones Foundation from the proceeds of our January Café. In the photo at right,  Financial Secretary Dan Tokarz is presenting the $500 check to Ken Aman and Glenn Yamamoto who are Knights as well as  Board Members for Stepping Stones. Stepping Stones provides medical and logistical support to the area of Bunnamweri in Uganda.

Please click the  PDF button above to see a wonderful thank you note from one of the students helped by our donation.  

 

2025 Intellectual Disabilities Drive Donation to Little City

Thank You Note from Little City
 

Our Council is proud of our partnership with Little City.  Little City does so much to build confidence and independence among those with neurologic challenges, and they are located right here in our Parish.  Between our hours outside of Jewel,  at the intersections, in the church narthex, and our online contributions, we were able to  donate $8432.75 to Little City. The check was proudly presented to Little City's Theresa Fifarek by Father Terry, Community Director Mike Colby, and Rick McMahon at our January 25, 2026 Café. 

Thank you to all our volunteers for your long hours and sore feet, You made a difference! A special thanks to Community Director Mike Colby for his enthusiasm and extra effort with online and business donations. 

Picture Below - Mike Colby, Rick and Theresa Fiferek from Little City, and Father Terry with Theresa's Family. 

2025 Christmas Eve Parking Volunteers

Thank you to Mike Colby, Bob Vanselow, Greg Flanagan, Bernie Rupe, Jim Posch, Dan and William Ostermeyer and Grand Knight Rick. We worked for 2.5 hours helping the over 2000 attendees of the 3pm and 3:30pm Masses, get into church on time! 


A Sunday In Bethlehem December 21st

Special thanks to the Hospitality Crew, Deano Dalaly, Sharyn and Mike Gilbert, Dan Tokarz, Ken Aman and Irene Pezdirtz and Rick.  Our Set-Up Crew of Greg Flanagan, John Baruch, Dave and Carol Piasecki, and Rick. 


2025 Keep Christ in Christmas

On Friday December 12,  we selected our winning pictures for the "Keep Christ in Christmas" poster contest. Art Teacher Jamie Schnell again did an incredible job getting 100% of her art classes involved! We are fortunate to have such great support from Holy Family Catholic Academy!
It was very hard to select winners from all of the great "Masterpieces". The winning drawings are posted on the pillars in the Church Narthex for the Christmas Season, and you can see more in our Photo Gallery.  Thanks to Jamie Schnell and Mike Colby for all their hard work!
Click anywhere on the image below to see the Photo Gallery of our winning artists   
 
 

2025 Academy Christmas Appreciation Breakfast

Our Academy Teachers Christmas Appreciation Breakfast, the Knights 3rd annual participation.  We are proud to offer our assistance to honor the Teachers who give so much to our Academy students.

Thanks  to Mike Gilbert, Greg Flanagan, Mike and Marie Colby, Lou Rundio, David Piasecki, Bob Vanselow, Frank Biank, John Posch, and Rick McMahon for their food preparation and presentation!  

Click anywhere on the image below to see these photos ( and more) in our photo gallery 

 

Our December 7, 2025 Holy Family Blood Drive!

On a very snowy morning - we still were blessed at Holy Family with 26 volunteer donors!  Thanks for giving the gift of life! 

Thank You Notes - Coat Drive

Last year (2024) before Christmas,  the Knights purchased new coats and through the Welcome a Stranger ministry we were able to donate directly to a family.  It was a Christmas blessing to be able to see how quickly these coats made a difference in the lives of the Amos  family!  (Pictured - Bottom Photo) 

This year (2025) we are again very happy to help another family through the Welcome a Stranger Ministry, just in time for some cold December weather. Pictured below (top photo) is the Burgos family. Our efforts will keep a family warm, who are not accustomed to winter weather.  What a blessing to have the opportunity to help!

Some additional coats were purchased this year (2025) and were sent to an organization in Waukegan, we hope to have more photos when those are distributed. 

Council makes a $500 Donation to the Little Sisters of the Poor

Thank you note from the Little Sisters of the Poor.
 

Grand Knight Rick McMahon, presenting a check for $500 to Liz Rahimi from St Joseph's Home. The Knights make annual donations to St Joseph's home, this donation came from the proceeds of our November Cafe. 

Lawrence (Larry) Szmurlo

Szmurlo Family Thank You
 

 

Our Brother Larry Szmurlo met our Lord early on Sunday October 5, 2025, he was 74. Larry bravely fought glioblastoma for most of this calendar year, only in the last couple of months opting for the peace of hospice care. 

See the PDF above for the Family Thank You Note. 

Larry has been entered into the "Knights in Memorandum" section of this website.  CLICK HERE to goto his entry. 

 

Bernie Rupe - Honored with the ChristiFideles Award for 2025

 
Congratulations to Bernie Rupe!
We are excited to share that Bernie Rupe has been honored with the Christifideles Award! This award, given by the Archdiocese, recognizes lay men and women who have demonstrated outstanding service to the Church, living out their baptismal call with faith and dedication.
Bernie's  generosity, commitment, and tireless service to our parish youth is an example Christ’s love in action. We are so grateful for all he does, and we celebrate this well-deserved recognition with him.
Please join us in congratulating Bernie on this special honor!

Military Outreach Donation Follow Up

At our August 2025 Cafe we highlighted the Military Outreach organization's Veterans Exiting Homelessness Program.  Our council donated $500 from the Cafe Proceeds. ( Graphic below from the FridayBLAST 09/26/25)   Below is PGK Glenn Yamamoto presenting a check to General Jim Mikoyama. 

HFCA "Welcome back to School breakfast 08/18/2025

 

Thanks to our wonderful volunteers for the 2025 HFCA "Welcome back to School" Breakfast.  We served approximately 400 Parents and Students. Thanks to the Mike and Marie Colby, Mike and Sharon Gilbert, Frank Biank, Greg Flanagan, Glenn Yamamoto, John Posch, Kent Deener, Rich Surma, Lou Rundio, and GK Rick. 

How to help us Recruit more Members - Quick and Easy!

How many times have we been asked about joining the Knights.  Were you ready?

Our Website has a button ( on the front page)  that takes you to a page with easy instructions and a link to online sign up.  It costs the person nothing to sign up, all we need is YOU to be ready! 

Please put a 11981 Website Icon on your phone so you are ready to help recruit! See Rick or anyone in the leadership team for instructions on how to do this!