State Council Charities
“Follow Me”
Message from the Charities Director
Joe Jacobo, State Charities Director
(432) 638-5578 or JoeJacoboKofC@yahoo.com
Our State Council theme resounds very well, “Follow Me”. Our Bishops and Priests need the Knights of Columbus now more than ever! The first principle of our Order is Charity, and it is the basis for all we do as Brother Knights. Charity is at the heart of all the work we do and our faith — and it always has been. For the Knights of Columbus, charity means supporting a boundless variety of projects. Together, we make a difference. This is our path, and our faith leads the way.
Brothers, this fraternal year each of you are called to be inspired with the true spirit of charity and discharge our full duty to God, to our neighbors and to ourselves. We grow together in friendship with the Lord through our fraternity, and this friendship is lived and cultivated by our practice of charity. Membership in the Order offers a wide variety of opportunities for men and their families to grow in their faith and serve those in need.
Whether with gifts of money or works of service, the Knights must continue their staunch support within their communities through initiatives and programs, such as American Wheelchair Mission, Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan Fund, Cardinal Medeiros Fund, Disaster Response, Educational Grants, Special Olympics, Thanksgiving Masses, and more. Knights recognize our mission, and our faith in God; it compels us to action and calls us to Christ and his call to “Follow Me”.
Charity Fundraising Team
Josh Gomez, Chairman
(972)-313-5398 or JoshGomezKofC@gmail.com
The Charity Fundraising Team, led by Josh Gomez, is fundraising with our Brother Knights, our Councils, Districts, and each Diocese. They will be inspiring our members to contribute to State Council Charities.
The Fundraising Committeeman:
Bob Schmidt -281-798-0817 or rhsch03@aol.com
Thomas Oaks- 956-648-0463 or major.oaks_1995@att.net
Mario Mallari- 915-373-5794 or mpogie10@gmail.com
Josh and the members of the fundraising team will instill in our Brother Knights that while Charity begins at home, it must not stop there. In fact, if we are to truly give witness to Fr. McGivney's vision, it cannot stop at our local boundaries. While Charity is the first principle of our Order, it is only when implemented in conjunction with our two other founding principles of Unity and Fraternity can we realize our full potential. United with the Councils across each Diocese and with our Brother Knights throughout the state, we will be able to help those in need, wherever the need arises.
Every year, your Council is given an opportunity to earn awards by reaching their State Council Charity goal. The goal is derived by requesting $10.00 per regular member, as reflected on your Council membership roster on July 1, 2024. Remember, the Bishop of your Diocese will receive 70% of your Council’s charity contribution. The remaining 30% is retained by the State Council Charity Board to be used for statewide charitable purposes. If your Council exceeds their goal, 100% of all monies exceeding your Diocesan charity goal will be returned to your Bishop. To ensure your Council receives proper credit, please make your checks payable to “State Council Charities” and ensure the Council Number is listed on the check.
Mail your check to:
Texas State Council Knights of Columbus,
6633 Hwy 290 East, Suite 204,
Austin, Texas 78723-1157
OR you can pay online via the Texas State Website: www.tkofc.org then click on Pay State Charities Online at the top of the home page. You can pay State Per Capita Dues as well!
BISHOPS DESIGNATION FOR THEIR CHARITY FUNDS
Bishop Patrick J. Zurek Amarillo
Secondary Catholic Education in the Amarillo Diocese
Bishop Joe S. Vasquez Austin
Catholic Schools
Bishop David L. Toups Beaumont
Seminarian Fund
Bishop Daniel E. Flores Brownsville
Deaf Ministry/Disabled Program
Bishop William Michael Mulvey Corpus Christi
Farm of Hope (Fazenda da Esperança)
Bishop Edward J. Burns Dallas
Persons with Disabilities and Deaf Ministries
Bishop Mark J. Seitz El Paso
Vocations
Bishop Michael F. Olson Fort Worth
Deaf Ministry and Seminarian Support
Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Galveston/Houston
Retired Priests Pension Funds
Bishop James A. Tamayo Laredo
Evangelization/Outreach Charity & Seminarian Support
Bishop Robert M. Coerver Lubbock
Vocations/Seminarian Support
Bishop Michael J. Sis San Angelo
Seminarian Education
Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller San Antonio
Propaedeutic Program at Assumption Seminary
Tyler
Seminarian Education & Training
Bishop Brendan Cahill Victoria
Continuing Education for Priests, Extension of Lay Ministry and Evangelization
Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan Fund - Grants for Retired Priests
Dan Stoffel, Chairman
(469) 682-1046 or danstoffel@yahoo.com
This established fund is named in honor of the late Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan who served the Archdiocese of San Antonio as Auxiliary Bishop from 1998-2005 and the Texas State Council as State Chaplain from 2000-2002.
Ensuring the care and welfare of those who so faithfully served us is vitally important. There is no better way to do so than by contributing to the newly established Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan Fund. This fund has been established to provide grants for our retired priests.
The first way to contribute to this fund is one all our members should be familiar with. It is by acquiring and displaying a Texas Knights of Columbus license plate on your vehicle. This proudly proclaims you are a Knight, a Catholic, and the fact America is “One Nation Under God”! What better statement could you make to those seeing your vehicle on the road? By purchasing or renewing a K of C license plate, you have an opportunity to take care of our Infirmed Priests. The price of this specialty license plate is an additional $30.00 annually added to your registration fee, however, Texas DMV may increase this fee. When a member chooses to proudly display one of these on their vehicle, $22.00 of this fee is returned to the State Council Charities for the Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan Fund.
A set of the Texas Knights of Columbus license plates may be obtained for automobiles or trucks and are available with the handicap logo. Personalization of the specialty plate is available for an additional $40 annually.
If you currently have a set of Texas Knights of Columbus license plates on your vehicle (s), thank you for your support! If you do not, and you would like a set, it is as easy as logging onto the Texas DPS website.
Go to: https://www.myplates.com
You can also print the following two pages and bring the completed form to your local DMV.
The second way you can make a difference in the life of a retired priest is by making a direct contribution to this fund with the State Council Charities. Go to the Texas State Council website, Fundraising Page, https://www.tkofc.org/fundraising/. On the Fundraising Page click on the “Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan Fund” link and follow the on-screen instructions. Anyone making a direct contribution of at least $30.00 will be eligible to receive a Custom, Chromed License Plate Frame, to proudly display on their vehicle to show support for our Retired Priests!
All funds contributed to this fund shall be distributed equally to the fifteen dioceses in Texas each fraternal year.
Cardinal Medeiros Fund
Leo Saenz Jr., Chairman
(512) 831-8516 or leosaenz@gmail.com
The Cardinal Medeiros Trust Fund was established in 1981 and incorporated into the State Council Charities program. Humberto Cardinal Medeiros was the Bishop of Brownsville, Texas from 1966 until 1970. He served as the Texas State Council Chaplain 1969-1970. He was named the Archbishop of Boston on September 8, 1970, and created a Cardinal on March 5, 1973.
The Cardinal Medeiros Fellow Program was started in 1998 to increase the principal in the trust fund. The interest earned is used to exclusively fund our educational grants. An increase in the interest income facilitates and permits additional educational grants.
A Cardinal Medeiros Fellow may be ordered for a Knight of Columbus or for a Knight’s wife. Additionally, it may be ordered in memory of a deceased Knight or for a deceased Knight’s wife. This is a marvelous way to honor an individual, while at the same time providing a gift that keeps on giving through scholarship grants. With a contribution of $1,000, the honoree is awarded a plaque, a lapel pin and their name is engraved on the Honor Roll which is on display at the State Council Office. The Honor Roll is displayed each year at the Texas State Council Convention.
The Cardinal Medeiros Sustaining Member Program was established to allow greater participation. The entry level into this program is $100.00, with the balance payable in installments. An attractive lapel pin designates the contributor as a Sustaining Member. The Fellow is awarded when the full $1,000 contribution is completed.
To become a Medeiros Fellow Sustaining Member, visit the Texas State Council website:
and follow the application instructions.