News & Announcements

Council 8240 Members Only Section

Brothers, the Knights of Columbus is an open, fraternal, charitable organization, but our "Members Only" section is just that, and it includes a section with contact information that is only open to membership.

There are two elements of private information needed to access it.

The first item is your membership number, which is on your membership card.  If you've lost it contact our council financial secretary.

The second item is your date of birth.  Type it in MMDDYYYY, so if you were born on December 7, 1941, your passcode is 12071941.

If you have difficulty accessing the Member's Only section, please contact the webmaster via the button on the homepage. 

Chris Mulholland's Obituary

Christopher Ulrich Mulholland, Major, US Marine Corps (retired), age 66 of Chesapeake, passed away peacefully at home with his family surrounding him on Friday, January 24, 2025 of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Born 9 March 1958 in Oxford, England, he was the eldest of two sons of the late Iris (Frese) Mulholland of Chesapeake and Daniel Mulholland of Somerville, Mass.

Chris spent many of his formative years growing up in the small German village of Hesperinghausen in Northern Hesse, the same village where his mother’s family traces their roots back to in the early 1600s.

In April 1982, he married the love of his life, Barbara Ann Langone – they first met at a Friendly’s Ice Cream in Massachusetts.

A graduate of Norwich University in Vermont, Chris was commissioned an infantry officer in the Marine Corps in 1980 and retired after 20 years of honorable and decorated service, to include tours in Beirut, Lebanon and Northern Iraq. The Corps brought him to Chesapeake in 1991. He was a graduate of the Naval War College and earned a Masters from ODU. The family loved the community so much, they never left. After his retirement from active service in 2000, Chris worked the next 21 years as a government contractor.

He began his life-long passion with soccer as a five year old player in Germany and he became a successful player, coach, and - most of all - a referee. As a player he won numerous number of team and individual awards. As a USSF licensed coach he managed teams from U8B to men's division 1. But it was as a referee that he had his greatest success. Before his retirement from the active ranks, he was one of the top 200 USSF referees in the country and working top professional matches up and down the East coast. He taught and mentored thousands of referees around the globe

In 2004, he and his son Kevin became involved with power soccer (powered wheelchair soccer) and he led the development of the International Laws of the Game. He was the first Director of International Referees for the Federation Internationale de Powerchair Football Association (FIPFA) and the first VP of the US Power Soccer Association (USPSA). He and Kevin stood up the Virginia Power Soccer Association (VPSA) and formed the Tidewater Piranhas who have twice earned silver at nationals.

He was the lead referee at the inaugural 2007 World Cup in Tokyo and traveled the globe, teaching other referees, guiding the establishment and development of new national programs, and being an ambassador for the sport. He officiated the European national and club championships, the Americas Cup, the Copa Libertadores, the Copa Sudamerica, and numerous US National Championships.

After his ALS diagnosis, the wheel turned and he became a player again, this time in power soccer. With his first game he made some historic firsts: first parent-child duo to play in a sanctioned power soccer match, and first athlete with ALS to play competitive soccer in US - and probably world - history. Besides playing with his son Kevin, scoring five goals in nine regular season matches, and winning silver at the 2022 National Championships, he was proud of earning the only yellow card on the team!

Chris was extremely involved in helping his community and serving others; a 40 year member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) he served as the Commander of VFW Post 2894 and as the National Deputy Chief of Staff. He also served as a Past Grand Knight of Knights of Columbus Council 8240, earning numerous national awards with both organizations including six consecutive VFW All American Post awards. Within the city of Chesapeake, he served on a number of commissions and committees. He served in leadership positions for a variety of local, national, and international soccer and referee associations; and with the Boy Scouts as Cubmaster for Cub Scout Pack 57 and Advancement Chairman with Troop 57. Of his original ten Tiger Cubs, six earned Eagle Scout.

Chris was an avid reader (mostly histories) with a personal library of more than 2,000 books. He was also an ‘amateur’ genealogist, with more than 41,000 individuals in his family tree. On his paternal grandmother’s side, the family traces their roots back to the 1620 Mayflower landing at Plymouth Rock. On his Mulholland line, the family arrived in 1850 North America during the worst of the potato famine in Ireland. He wrote numerous biographies about various ancestors. His youngest son, Christopher, is the 15th generation to serve in an American uniform, going back to the Ancient and Honourable Artillery Company of Massachusetts in 1638.

An accomplished multi-sport athlete himself, Chris loved watching his New England Patriots, Boston Bruins, Boston Red Sox, and Boston Celtics win. He has been a rabid fan of the German national soccer team since watching them play in the 1966 World Cup. While watching sports on TV he would amaze those around him by calling fouls and penalties long before anyone else, including the announcers, saw them.

Chris had the Irish gift of gab and loved to meet new people. He would typically start with, “So where are you from?” Within a few minutes, he and they would be good friends. If they were from another country, he usually had a couple of words for them in their language. If they were from New York, he would tease them unmercifully as a Boston fan, but it always ended in laughter and camaraderie. His Facebook friends span the globe.

Whatever Chris attempted, he was extremely successful at. Despite coming from a family full of thumbs, he enjoyed building things with his hands. He first picked up a rifle and pistol when he entered the Corps and became a successful competitive shooter. He never did anything with less than 150% effort. He loved to travel with Barbara, particularly off the beaten trail. He loved to cook. He loved the outdoors. He loved telling ‘dad jokes.’ He loved a house full of kids and friends. He lived with gusto, he laughed with gusto, and he loved with gusto.

After his diagnosis of Lou Gehrig disease on Friday the 13th, November 2020, Chris became a fierce and passionate advocate for veterans battling ALS. He developed a checklist for other veterans who receive an ALS diagnosis. He organized and led three teams that raised $23,000 for the Walk Against ALS. He wrote an OpEd, “ALS Is Killing Veterans,” that was published world-wide by the Military Times (October 28, 2021.) He authored a resolution, "Combating ALS in the Veteran Community," which was unanimously passed by the VFW's 123rd National Convention and calls upon Congress to dedicate more resources for veterans stricken with ALS. He was featured in a nationally shown news story titled "Veterans Voices".

Chris used to say, “My blood type and view on life are both the same: B Positive!”

He always closed his correspondence with, “I will fight this battle till my dying breath.” And he did, and continued his battle even after death by donating his brain to ALS research.

To the very end, Chris lived his life in accordance with the words of Saint John Paul II: “Never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.”

Chris is survived by his wife, Barbara; his children, sons Kevin and 1LT Christopher, USAR & wife Emilia (Libertini) of Chesapeake, and daughter Katy DeLacy & husband Rich of Dracut, Mass.; his beloved grandchildren, Adelyn Iris, Ella Rose and Christopher Archer DeLacy; his brother Maxwell Mulholland & wife Lynn (Walker) of Winthrop, Mass.; three half-sisters, Anna Mulholland of Brookline, Mass., Larissa (Mulholland) Abbruzzesse of Chicago, and Abigail (Mulholland) McGarry of Norfolk, England; as well as nephews, nieces, & numerous in-laws. He was predeceased by his father, Daniel Mulholland and mother, Iris M. Frese.

We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors and nurses who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses from Maxim Health Care who became our roommates, often sacrificing time with their own families to be with ours The family especially thanks Father Neal Nichols of St. Benedict's Catholic Church; Dr. Andrew Galbreath, Director of the Sentara ALS Clinic; Brian Bailey of ProBed; and Chris' aides (whom he affectionately called his "mother hens"), caregivers, Jacqueline Jiles, Sonya Mathews, and nurses, Kiasia Ketter and Tania Sheppherd who took extraordinary care of him, and became family members over the past years. The family would also like to express sincere gratitude to Fr. Neal Nichols, who provided weekly visits of prayer, sacraments and friendship.

Hope 4 Life

After all Masses on the weekend of April 20-21, Council 8240 will distribute Baby Bottles to solicit funds for the Hope 4 Life (H4L) organization. H4L is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting moms in unexpected pregnancy situations. The expectant mothers will find from H4L accurate information about their options to include identifying needed resources, taking steps to resolve problems, and being provided emotional and material support without cost to them. In addition, H4L offers pregnancy tests, ultrasound services, adoption options, confidential counseling, material resources, and continuous, compassionate support both during pregnancy and after the baby is born. All services and communications are free of charge and completely confidential. Please help us support this compassion driven ministry, that shares the love of Jesus Christ and provides time-critical intervention to expectant mothers and families. Volunteers are needed to help pass out baby bottles after Masses, April 22-23 and then, two weeks later, to help collect the baby bottles returned by the parishioners after Masses the weekend of May 4-5, 2024. Last year, our Prince of Peace parish and Knights were able to collect $3,800 for H4L. It set a record for our area. Let's do it again! Please contact PGK Jerry Hart at 757-575-1857 if you are able to assist.

Peace, Jerry Hart
757-575-1857 /  jsandyhart@aol.com 

Fighting ALS “The person I was, I still am. So I will continue this fight until my dying breath,”

Military Times: ALS is Killing Veterans by Chris Mulholland
 

ITS NEVER TO EARLY TO PLAN YOUR OWN FUNERAL by Chris Mulholland
 

Our very own Past Grand Knight is just into his third year fighting ALS.  What follows is his interview with WAVY-10 as he approached the 2 year anniversary of this fight.

by: Sean DavisChris Horne   Posted: Oct 21, 2022 / 04:15 PM EDT / Updated: Oct 21, 2022 / 04:17 PM EDT

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Adapt and overcome. It’s part of the Marine Corps slogan, and a Marine veteran in Chesapeake has taken those words to heart.

Retired Major Chris Mulholland has a debilitating disease that he refuses to let stand in his way. His message to other veterans is that their next battle could be with an enemy from within.

Mulholland was retired by age 60, but he hadn’t exactly slowed down. He was still running marathons and able to bench press 300 pounds. Then, two years ago, at age 62 he noticed something was off.

“I was still lifting weights and noticed I was having more difficulty than I should have,” he said. “My wife thought I was day drinking because I was slurring my words.”

The diagnosis: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS.

The Mayo Clinic describes ALS as a progressive nervous system disease that negatively impacts nerve cells, leading to impaired movement.

“Eventually, ALS affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe. There is no cure for this fatal disease,” according to the clinic.

We know it better as Lou Gehrig’s disease, but it’s also Chris Mulholland’s disease. 

“I immediately began reading about ALS and was stunned to read that veterans were twice as likely to contract it as civilians,” Mulholland said.

After spending 20 years in the Corps, including tours in Lebanon following the barracks bombing, as well as Iraq, he geared up for a whole new kind of mission. Mulholland became active in the VFW, the ALS Association, and the Paralyzed Veterans Association. He also wrote articles for the Military Times about the link between post-9/11 vets and the disease.

“I was extremely pleased that I was able to have the VFW acknowledge and support veterans battling ALS at our recent national convention,” he said.

He also had a hand in one of the biggest political wins for those suffering from ALS. Late last year, President Biden signed the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act which boosted funding for research into cures for ALS and similar diseases. It also did away with some of the institutional red tape in research and development, giving patients earlier access to experimental medicines.

In the meantime, Mulholland refuses to let the ravages of ALS define him. Once a Marine, always a Marine.

“The person I was, I still am. So I will continue this fight until my dying breath,” he said.

The ALS Society says the actual link between military service and ALS has yet to be determined and remains a focus of research.

The Department of Veterans Affairs considers ALS to be a “Presumptive Condition” – meaning it was caused by military service and qualifies for health benefits.

Once a veteran gets a diagnosis, life expectancy runs from two to five years on average.

View at:  https://www.wavy.com/news/veterans-voices/veterans-voices-marine-takes-on-als/?fbclid=IwAR0u8fusK_AcayY9RNTZnp6bCqES_Ac1bYddizcRRAUl8cZL0H7Lp1hah-U

 

Recognizing Outstanding Young Adults!

The Knights of Columbus in general, and Council 8240 is a good example of this, understands the importance of our youth to the future of our faith, our community, and our country!  At the end of each KofC "fraternal" year, after a number of sporting and faith-based events (such as seasonal poster contests), Council 8240 recognizes a Young Man of the Year and a Young Woman of the Year.

This year's Young Woman of the Year is Jenna Powell.  Jenna was nominated and selected as the Young Women of the Year for her outstanding academic achievements and contributions to our community. Jenna is a 2023 graduate from
Great Bridge High School.  

She excelled in the classroom earning at 3.56 GPA while taking all AP and Honor Classes including AP Government, AP Biology, AP Human Geography, AP Psychology, and Sports Medicine.  She excelled in Cheerleading and as a Varsity Cheerleading Captain was a member of the Great Bridge State Championship Cheerleading Team. She was involved in the Chick-Fil-A Ambassador Program serving as a role model for other youth within the community. Jenna competes on a high-level Cheer Competition Team that earned a spot in the U.S.A. Finals in Orlando, Florida this past Spring. Jenna was a mentor to underclassmen at Great Bridge High School and with her parents Justin and Sharon are parishioners of Prince of Peace. The Powell family is well respected in the Great Bridge Community and has always shown support for Knights of Columbus Council 8240.

This year's Young Man of the Year is Caedan Agustin.  Caedan was nominated and selected as Young Man of the Year as a standout student among his peers, a leader, an athlete, and as an especially faith-filled young man. Caedan is a 2023 graduate of Saint Gregory the Great School.

Caedan's classmates and his teachers knew they could look to him to lead by example, whether it is in being a good citizen, a good friend, or student dedicated to his work. As a member of the Student Council Association, Caedan was responsible for writing a closing prayer for one of the school Masses each month. He acted as an usher to direct students and parishioners during weekly school Mass. Caedan was often observed attending Mass before school several times per week, even on days when the student body was not scheduled to attend. He is active in his home parish at Prince of Peace, assisting with Community Life events and the Youth Group’s “Souper Bowl” collection, Thanksgiving meal distribution, and Christmas Angel Tree.

Caedan’s family, and his parents Arlene and Caesar, are equally involved in parish life and in supporting Caedan's volunteer services and programs he supports throughout the community such as:
    - serving as cross bearer during weekly Mass
    - helping at Christmas and winter events at Saint Mary’s Home for Children by leading carols, line dances, and crafts
    - in the CHKD Heartbeat Bear drive to raise money and awareness for the program to help parents cope with the loss of a child
    - volunteering as a counselor for the Vacation Bible School hosted at St. Mark’s Catholic Church

Caedan has proven himself to be academically strong, achieving Honor or Principal’s list
each quarter from 5 th grade through 8 th grade and participating in many school activities
to include:
    - Student Council Treasurer for 2022-23 school year
    - National Junior Honor Society Treasurer 2022-23 school year
    - Playing soccer for his school (SGGS) team
    - Playing soccer for the Chesapeake United Soccer Club
    - Captain of the U14 travel volleyball team with SERV (South East Region Volleyball)
    - Playing basketball for his school (SGGS) team
    - Playing basketball for the Filipino-American Basketball League

Council 8240 is delighted that we have such outstanding young me and women in our parish, and all of our members are encouraged to congratulate them on their achievement!  

Prayer request for S.K. Danny Platukis

Danny was in Council 8240 when he first joined the KofC.  When he moved to Va Beach he transferred to St Benedict's Council, Nr. 9056.  Her open letter follows:

 

Dear Friends, 

My husband Danny is a 100% service connected disabled veteran due to combat injuries he sustained while defending an oil platform during his second tour in Iraq. Danny also suffers from PTSD. Unfortunately, Danny was misdiagnosed for a lung problem in March of 2021, the correct diagnosis wasn’t discovered until October 2022. Danny has Stage 4 Pulmonary Fibrosis, which is terminal. The only option for survival was double lung transplant surgery. Through the grace of God, an amazing surgeon and hospital staff, TriCare, the support of friends, and Danny’s own physical fortitude and fighting spirit, he had a successful double lung transplant on Thursday January 12th at INOVA Hospital in Fairfax VA. This is the start of a 3-week count-down to see if Danny’s body rejects or accepts his new lungs.  My request is for prayer that Danny’s body accepts his new lungs, and also for the soul of the unknown donor. 

The next phase for us, hopefully, will be 6 months in this hospital complex before we can go back home to Hampton Roads.  I’ve been here in northern Virginia since Dec.16th when Danny went into the ICU.  Because of the high cost of living in this area, this has been financially draining with our only income being Danny’s retirement/disability income. We are able to financially maintain for at least two months, but how we will cover the other four months remains uncertain; and that’s not even considering what our share of medical costs will be or when that will be due.  I am receiving prayer support and advice as I explore ways to get through this difficult time, with Danny remaining my highest priority.  Our situation is also complicated by Danny’s dog Zeke, who basically has “doggy PTSD” because of abuse by his former owner, but he's a great match for Danny because of his PTSD.  I refuse to surrender Zeke for fear he will be put down, and his behavior makes him “un-fosterable”.  This is another area where I’m exploring options and looking for advice.

Please pray for Danny’s recovery, and I am welcoming of any ideas or suggestions that can assist us and our situation. If you can think of absolutely anything that may help, I would really appreciate you sharing with me. 
 

Thank you so much for your consideration, caring, and prayers!

Sincerely,

Kelly Platukis
khplatukis68@gmail.com

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -  -

NOTE:  As of 1/26/2023, Danny had to be put in isolation because of a bacteria he picked up.  His immune system is repressed so the lungs are less likely to be rejected.  But it also seems like all the medicines are confusing him a lot or maybe affecting his PTSD.  Prayers are still greatly needed.  PGK Tony Hayward and I are trying to assist, as is WGK Joe Branco.  Danny's Council set up a GoFundMe site to try and help them out.  https://gofund.me/c4c32518

Vivat Jesus!

Frank Hunt, PGK, webguy

 

40TH ANNIVERSARY & CHRISTMAS PARTY

CLICK HERE TO OPEN
 

Please Read the Attached Article!   

It also contains the rest of the photos.

Ukraine Solidarity Fund

From the www.kofc.org website:

 

DONATE NOW:      https://www.kofc.org/secure/en/donate/ukraine.html 

 

Knights of Columbus all over the world stand in solidarity, ready to support the 1,800 Knights and their families, the Church, and all in need in Ukraine.

 

As of 20 Sept 2022, our members and friends have donated OVER $19,000,000.

As the situation in Ukraine continues to change, the need to support refugees continues to grow. The Knights of Columbus will be working with our Councils in Poland as well as the Latin and Greek Catholic Churches in Ukraine to provide temporary shelter, food, medical supplies, clothing, and communications. 100% of your donation goes directly to support humanitarian aid in Ukraine.

 

If you need to reach the Office of Charitable Giving regarding this fund or making a donation, you can do so Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00am to 4:30pm Eastern at 1-800-694-5713 or info@kofccharities.org.

Michael Scott's Eagle Project assists Prince of Peace Parish

Michael Scott started his Scouting journey in the 1st Grade.  He is now very close to attaining the highest rank in Boy Scouts, Eagle Scout, at 14 years old.  As a scout Michael has had leadership roles including Assistant Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, Outdoor Ethics Guide, Den Chief for the Cub Scout Pack, and Patrol Chaplain Guide.  He has already earned numerous special awards including the National Outdoor Awards for Hiking, Camping, and Conversation, and the Light of Christ and Parvuli Dei (God's Children) religious awards. 

 

Michael finds himself especially drawn to Hiking and Conversation.  At age 10 Michael coordinated a conservation project for his patrol which started out picking up trash in various parks in Chesapeake. The start of those projects has led to the Patrol adopting the Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterway park where they pick up trash around the museum roadway, parking lot and trails. He completed his Hiking Merit Badge by hiking 70 miles at 11 years old.  At age 12 he became Troop 824's troop's "Leave No Trace" instructor, and also instructed Cub Scouts and other scouting organizations in the area in support of the Tidewater Council.  

 

Michael's most recent achievement is the execution of the Service Project which you see depicted.  Michael had to develop a project plan, submit and defend his plan, and then execute that plan, which included doing the fundraising needed to resource the project, plan all the logistics, safety precautions, the labor, and the clean-up.  This is always a significant effort for any scout, but Michael also had to deal with the COVID pandemic and doing the project within COVID precautionary guidelines.  But he's not quite done because no job is finished until the paperwork is complete, but Michael has that well in hand. 

 

Thank you Michael for your service contributions to our community and to Prince of Peace Parish!  You are already setting an example for others to follow.  Council 8240 is proud to have been a supporter to your project.

 

These photos can be seen full size in the Photo Gallery section of the website.

Prayer for National Healing

Use this file to print out 4 Novena cards at a time.
 

 

 

NOVENA FOR NATIONAL HEALING

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

   Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

          where there is injury, pardon;

           where there is doubt, faith;

          where there is despair, hope;

         where there is darkness, light;

          where there is sadness, joy.

    O Divine Master, grant that I may not

so much seek to be consoled as to console;

       to be understood as to understand;

              to be loved as to love.

       For it is in giving that we receive;

   it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

                        Amen.