Activities
Church
Our Council actively supports St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church through a variety of endeavors. Many of our brother Knights serve as Ushers, Lectors, and Eucharistic Ministers daily and weekly. Additionally, we are actively involved in the Parish Festival each year, coordinating the set-up, BBQ and clean-up before, during and after the festival. Our Council is very involved with the parish missions, annual pilgrimages, and RCIA programs.
Community
We hold an annual Tootsie Roll Drive for the Intellectually Disabled of our Community each October. We host an Annual St. Patrick’s Day Car Show for Scholarships; and, we sponsor BBQ’s to support our local senior centers and food pantry, the Empty Bowls for the Santa Barbara County Food Bank, as well many other service opportunities. All are fund raisers to finance our many charitable causes.
Council
Officer Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm in the Mahan Room at St. Louis de Montfort Church Hall. Business Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month in the Upper Room at St. Louis de Montfort Church Hall. Light refreshments are provided after each of these meetings.
Family
We celebrate the Holy Eucharist together as a Council, with our families, on the second Sunday of each month and host a parish-wide breakfast, free-of-charge, to patrons. Every month, when there are 5 Sundays, we host a Corporate Mass. Annually, on the first Thursday of November, we host a Memorial Mass at the Josephite Novitiate to remember our brother Knights and members of our brothers’ families who have passed before us. Additionally, we provide for opportunities for families to get together for evenings of fellowship, potlucks, and movies.
Youth
Our Council provides support, guidance and leadership through active involvement with our parish school, St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Elementary School. Annually, we host a Basketball Free Throw Competition, Art Contest, and Essay Contest for students in the school, grades 4-8. Additionally, we sponsor an annual Soccer Challenge for students throughout the Orcutt area between the ages of 7-13. In all of these contests, the students compete at the local, and if qualified go to the district, regional and state levels.
Council 11137 also actively supports Boy Scout Troop 95 in Orcutt CA, of which several scouts’ fathers are members of our Council.
Culture of Life
The Knights of Columbus remains firmly committed to defending the right to life of every human being, from the moment of conception to natural death. Our Council, in solidarity with countless councils and individual Knights, conduct projects aimed to build a culture of life in their individual communities. One of the most successful of the Order’s initiatives in this area is the Ultrasound Initiative though which councils (both state and local) partner with the Supreme Council in sharing the cost of purchasing ultrasound machines for pregnancy resource centers.
What we choose to do, or not do, about abortion, euthanasia, human cloning and embryonic research impacts lives for generations to come. Join us as we take action now and support a culture that values human life at all stages.
Council 11137 is consistent in its support of Gospel Values and Catholic Church teachings on defending the right to life. We take an active part in the State Fair each year in Paso Robles, at the Santa Barbara County Fair in Santa Maria, and in the Prayer Vigils across from the Planned Parenthood building in Santa Maria. In addition, our Council has joined forces with all councils in our area in raising money to purchase an Ultrasound Machine for Care Net, a local Pro Life nonprofit organization supporting the Santa Maria Valley.
Communications:
Each month our members receive our Council Newsletter, “Navigator”, covering current Council events and activities, reports and messages from officers and directors plus other features involving the members. Knights and their families also receive monthly a magazine called “Columbia“, published by the Supreme Council on worldwide activities of the Order.
For a list of all scheduled activities, click here to be taken to the Calendar page.