The annual Knights of Columbus ‘State Convention’ in Richmond, British Columbia is a major event for the Knights and their spouses of all the councils throughout the territory. This year demonstrated that with hard work and goodwill, the convention continues to be an amazing, brilliantly organized and inspiring event.
The Knights’ jurisdiction on Canada’s Pacific west coast is overseen and coordinated by the Knights of Columbus British Columbia and Yukon State Council. As the name suggests, local councils and assemblies are spread across the vast Canadian Province of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. A smaller, yet very important, District Deputies convention is held annually near Christmas. However, the State Convention is the event that has many appointed delegates from Councils far north into the Yukon territory and throughout BC’s Islands, costal area and to the far reaches of the interior.
The three-day event is truly jampacked with meetings, presentations, elections, deliberations, voting and ceremony. Intertwined with all of this is an appropriate liturgical and prayer schedule that one would expect with a Catholic men’s order that encompasses well over two million members throughout the world. One of the powerful features was the Blessed Sacramsnt chapel that was established on the first day and remained until the concluding Mass on the last day. Knights and Ladies volunteered to take turns keeping vigil every hour, day of night, in the presence of the Lord throughout the convention.
There are three major Eucharistic Liturgies celebrated during the Convention. On the first day, the Archbishop of Vancouver, His Grace Richard Smith presided at the Mass held in a large hall within the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel and Convention Centre. On the second day, the Knights hold a Memorial Liturgy to remember all their brother Knights who died over the course of the last year. This service was led by present State Chaplain, Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of New Westminster. He was joined by priests and singers from the Eparchy, particularly from the Cathedral parish. This included the Vicar General, Very Rev. Mykhailo Ozorovych, Chancellor Rev. Dr. Yury Sakvuk and Parish Priest of the Surrey and Maple Ridge mission communities – Rev. Fr. Mykhailo Postoliuk. They were joined by former State Chaplain, and popular journalist Monsignor Vincent Hawkeswell. Everyone received a liturgy book to fully participate. A booklet with the list of names of the deceased Knights was also printed for the occasion.
The Sunday Liturgy was led by the Bishop of Kamloops, Most Rev. Joseph Nguyen, who preached a sometimes humorous, but inspiring homily that encouraged the Knights to boldly continue their mandate. Knights of Columbus State Director for Evangelization and Faith Formation, Brother Jamey Guerrero, brilliantly coordinated all the Liturgies and the special Adoration Chapel.
It is customary that the wife of the State Deputy, this year in the person of Lady Imelda Nacar, organizes a parallel program for the souses of the Knights who are also attending the State Convention. State Chaplain Bishop Michael was also asked to address the women’s gathering on the subject of prayer.
The convention also included several social and formal events like the Hawaiian-themes overing party and the formal State Dinner on the second evening. These were enjoyed by all and contributed to the collaboration of Knights and their families, as everyone was made to feel very welcome. As one of the guest dignitaries from an American state jurisdiction announced, “I and my wife have taken notes as to how to organize the amazing social gatherings!”
At the close, all the delegates expressed their gratitude to State Deputy Edgar Nacar and his executive for one of the most memorable and successful State Conventions in recent history.
