From left, State Deputy Ryan K. Brown, first lady Mandy Thronas Brown, Father Boniface Sakala, Amy Alvarez and husband District Master Angelito Alvarez. (Photo courtesy of Robert Camilleri)
By Robert Camilleri
Special to the Herald
On May 13, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Hawaii State Council of the Knights of Columbus, for the second consecutive year, met in person for its 44th annual state convention at St. Ann Church in Kaneohe. Delegates from councils on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island met to vote on resolutions and to elect the 2023-2024 state officers.
The convention began with Mass celebrated by St. Ann’s pastor Sacred Hearts Father Richard McNally followed by breakfast served by the Hawaii State Council Woman’s Auxiliary.
State Deputy Ryan K. Brown started the annual business meeting with a prayer for the canonization of Knights founder Blessed Michael McGivney followed with the annual video address by Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly.
Kelly reported that, during the 2021-2022 fraternal year, the Knights of Columbus provided 48 million hours of volunteer service and contributed $154 million to charitable causes, which included $3 million for natural disasters and $3.7 million to the Special Olympics. The Knights also provided 9,000 wheelchairs to the wheelchair-bound and 150,000 coats for the Coats for Kids program. Kelly also said the Knights raised $21 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
The delegates approved a resolution recommending the appointment of State Deputy Ryan K. Brown, who will complete his third and final term as state deputy on June 30, to the Supreme Council board of directors.
The delegates elected the following state officers for the 2023-2024 Fraternal Year:
- State Deputy Randy Tom, Council 11743
- State Secretary Angelito Alvarez, Council 12733
- State Treasurer Lawrence D. Gonzales, Council 6307
- State Advocate Will Castillo, Council 6734
- State Warden Paul Maple, Council 18025
The convention ended with the Knights reciting the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel.
The evening before the convention, more than 140 Knights and their families attended the Hawaii State Council banquet and awards program at the Japanese Cultural Center in Honolulu.
Father Boniface Sakala gave the invocation.
The Fourth Degree Civic Awards for assemblies conducting successful patriotic programs were given by District Master Angelito Alvarez to the Bishop Louis Maigret Assembly 1577, the St. Damien Assembly 3221, and the Kamiano Assembly 3894.
The Hawaii State Council received international recognition for some of their youth programs:
In the poster contest, the third place international winner in the ages 8-10 category, was Council 10475 and D’Isabelle Cacal.
In the essay contest, the second place international winner in the eighth grade category, was Council 18025 and Sophia Bein.
In the soccer contest, the first place international winner in the 13-year-old boys category, was Council 18025 and David Carlos.
Brown presented the Blessed Michael McGivney Award to Father Sakala, chaplain of the St. Jude Council 12733 in Kapolei, for his exemplary service as a council chaplain, following in the finest tradition of the Knights of Columbus founder.
Brown then presented the following annual Faith in Action Awards for excellence in the categories of community, life, faith and family:
- Community Award: St. Jude Council 12733 for their work with Habitat for Humanity.
- Life Award: Kamiano Council 11743 for their soliciting donations for the “Over the Edge” promotion for Hawaii Special Olympics which resulted in a donation by the Hawaii State Council of $11,000 to this organization.
- Faith Award: Hawaii State Council Woman’s Auxiliary for making and distributing over 300 sacramental gifts.
- Family Award: Family of the Year to Joshua Kapika and his wife Jesica, of St. Michael Council 16741, for their exemplary involvement in the Knights of Columbus and their parish community.
