Brother Knights,
On July I attended the VA State organizational meeting and the 10th National Eucharistic Congress. The organizational meeting was a great kickoff to the new fraternal year and focused on many of the practical works and programs we have planned. All of you should have an email listing council activities in August and if you have not received it, please reach out to me and/or our Financial Secretary, Brian Ripple, so we can confirm the contact information we have for you.
All our charitable works are necessary, yet we should always remain grounded in our Catholic faith. The Eucharistic Congress was an extraordinary call to renewal of our Catholic faith and many attendees, including my wife and I, witnessed this. The mission we have now is to spread this call to renewal. How does this renewal happen? To borrow the words of Fr. Mike Schmitz’s keynote speech: “you can never have revival without repentance”. This is a reminder for me and all of you to go to regular confession. What do we do next? Per Bishop Robert Barron’s closing from his keynote speech:
“Your job: bring the lumen to the gentles. Bring the light of Christ out into the secular world. This great revival will have been a failure if we don’t change our society, if we don’t stream forth from this place with the Light of Christ. Become the people you’re meant to be.
Catherine of Sienna said it: ‘become the people God wants you to be and you will set the world on fire’”.

James Valenzuela
Grand Knight

Brother Knights,

As this fraternal year comes to a close, I find a great sense of gratitude for all of the support from my brother knights in our council, district and state. This was my first time serving as grand knight and I was truly blessed to have the guidance from so many brother knights with experience as past grand knights. I look forward to opportunities to continue to serve this council, our parishes, and our state with all of you in the next fraternal year.

There were three brother knights who served as officers this fraternal year who will unfortunately be moving away. Special thanks to outside guard Julio Vazques, trustee P.J. Lyons PGK, and trustee John Krumpos PGK for their service and support, especially in the 2018-19 fraternal year. Each of you will always have a home here with our council and know that you go with our prayers.

Vivat Jesus,
James Valenzuela,
Grand Knight

Brother Knights,

hope everyone had a Happy and Blessed Easter. I am currently preparing for the upcoming state convention, so this report will be brief. As I reflect on The Massseries from Bishop Barron, I often find a sense of gratitude and respect for Bishop Barron and his public ministry with Word On Fire. It is an understatement to say the content he offers on YouTube, his podcasts, and his website is an oasis within those deserts.

We are also blessed, right here in the valley, with the leadership and pastoral care of the clergy who serve the parishes that make up the membership of our council. Let us take a moment to thank the priests and deacons that serve our parishes with dignity and grace. To that end, our annual Clergy Appreciation Dinner is coming up on Monday May 13, so if you have not already made reservations, please contact John Krumpos and/or Pat Reedy. Please continue to pray for clergy and an increase in vocations.

Vivat Jesus,
James Valenzuela,
Grand Knight

Brother Knights,

This Lenten season, my wife and I signed up to be facilitators for a series of adult formation classes focusing on Bishop Barron’s The Mass. This series of classes includes videos from Bishop Barron beginning with a general overview to a more in-depth analysis of each part of the Mass. We are only 3 classes in, however the material has been informative for all participants and even offers a new, refreshing perspective on the “privileged encounter” where we have the opportunity to participate in the Eucharist, the source and summit of our lives.

I will have a reflection on the series following its conclusion in my next report. If you would like to join us for the remaining classes, more information can be found on the St. Andrew’s website: https://standrewsva.org/.Finally, friendly reminder the remaining fish fries will be Friday April 5 at the council home from 5-7:30 PM and Friday April 12 at Roanoke Catholic from 5:30-7 PM. Please come out with your family and friends to support our council and the AOH.

Vivat Jesus,
James Valenzuela,
Grand Knight

Brother Knights,

The news is ablaze with stories concerning toxic masculinity, Catholic teen protesters, and predictions the world will end in the next 12 years. As of the writing of this report, we are barely a month into the new year and it seems as though the end of civility, if not the world, is right around the corner.The controversy surrounding some students from Covington Catho-lic High School has taken so many twists and turns and after several days of coverage we still do not have an answer to the basic question: why is this even news?

For my part, I will refrain from making judgements about the moral character of 16-year-old chi-dren I have never met. Perhaps news outlets could do the same?Whereas the Covington story is puzzling, the new ad campaign from Gillette is bizarre. In the advertisement, this company that sells grooming products for men takes the obvious position that bullying and sexual harassment are wrong, and then proceeds to offer some suggestions for proper conduct according to their standards. After giving up the two minutes, which I will never get back, to watch this ad I too find myself asking “is this the best a man can get?”.

When news outlets and grooming companies offer morality lessons something is clearly amiss. While this may make them insufferable to watch, it seems they are struggling to fill a void. At the first organizational meeting for this fraternal year, we were given some statistics on how Americans are less religious than just 10 years ago. As more and more turn away from the Lord, is it a surprise they will turn to their own devices?

After reflecting on this, I am especially thankful for our brother Knights and for all your efforts to put our faith into action. To the extent that our culture at large and men specifically seem to need direction, the Knights of Columbus consistently find ways to be ex-actly what our country, what this world so desperately needs.

Good. Catholic. Gentlemen.

Vivat Jesus,

James Valenzuela, Grand Knight

Brother Knights,

This past December, a candidate for the U.S. District Court, Brian Buescher, was under review by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Several members of the committee raised questions on Mr. Buescher’s fitness to serve given his membership with the Knights of Columbus. I am not going to delve too far into the questions and responses, although I do recommend reviewing the written questions and answers. Instead I would like to focus on one statement made while setting up one of the questions: “The Knights of Columbus has taken a number of extreme positions”. My initial response to this was dismay, to put it mildly, however on further reflection there might be some truth to this statement, although not in the manner I suspect the Senator who raised it intended.

To be a Catholic is to want for the best and act to bring about the best for the other. This extends even to an enemy, or one who would not reciprocate. This if, of course, best observed in the example of our Lord who lowered Himself to become like us so that He might give up His life on our behalf. For all of the advances since our Lord walked amongst us, the spirit of humanity has been and continues to be in opposition to this radical notion of love. In this world where personal gratification, accumulation of personal wealth, and dehumanizing our fellow human beings are not only common place, but in fact celebrated as virtues, the very model of proper living exemplified by our Lord is an extreme response to the contrary. Likewise, the principles of our order: Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism are extreme positions in contrast to the materialism and divisive tribalism that unfortunately plagues our public discourse.

Brothers, as we start a new year, let us continue to exemplify the extreme position of the Lord’s radical notion of love to a world that so desperately needs this witness. And, in a radical, extreme departure from a spirit of ingratitude, let us give thanks to the Lord for a new year and whatever opportunities He may provide us to serve others.

Vivat Jesus,

James Valenzuela, Grand Knight

Brother Knights,

Thanks to all our brothers who came out to support our November activities including the Habitat for Humanity work day and the Charity Breakfast at St. Elias. As 2018 comes to a close with family gatherings, shopping for gifts and end of the year parties, please keep in mind the following dates this December:

Advent starts Sunday December 2, and the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Saturday December 8, is a holy day of obligation.Please come out to the Open House at Our Lady of Nazareth on December 11th from 7-9pm. This event is open to all brother knights and any member of our parishes. If you know of a parishioner who is not yet an owner with the Knights please invite them to this event as it will be a great opportunity to learn more about the financial planning services the Knights of Columbus provides. Seating is limited, so please RSVP to 540-204-4984.

Have a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Vivat Jesus,

James Valenzuela, Grand Knight