May 2025 Meeting Minutes
May 19, 2025
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 pm by Grand Knight (GK) Joe Tarallo.
Warden’s Report
All present were in possession of a current membership card.
Opening Prayer
Opening prayer was led by Chaplain.
Pledge of Allegiance
Salute to the flag was led by the council members.
Chaplain report
Deacon Tony spoke of a positive experience with Gerry at the Respect Life prayer vigil at Planned Parenthood. There were only a few attendees, but they ‘held down the fort’. Pope Leo notes that we should protect the unborn.
Minutes of the Previous Meeting
Minutes of the previous meeting were accepted on a motion by Pierre Kernizan, seconded by Mike Sabella, approved with a unanimous vote.
Grand Knight’s Report (Joe Tarallo)
GK welcomed Joe Savarimuthu to the meeting. Joe is the field agent for the council and is available to address the insurance needs of the council members.
GK attended the State convention and it was a great experience. It was nice to see Jim Sweeney elected to the post of State Deputy. He is universally loved by all and highly respected. It was a great honor for the Council. His instillation is July 12 at the cathedral. We will need a motion to buy tables at the banquet. Cardinal Tobin (Newark diocese), just returned from Italy, was invited and visited us at the hotel and spoke to us about Conclave. It was a great surprise.
Scholarship applications have been submitted and are under review.
Other upcoming events include the Blood Drive, Baby Shower and Eucharistic Procession in June and the Tricky Tray event in October.
Treasurer’s Report (Wally Krake Jr.)
Treasurer was not present.
Membership Report (Chip Sturm)
We currently have 2 new members, Chris and Jay. Another prospect, Rocco is new to the area and will transfer to our council.
Financial Secretary’s Report (Gerard Petrocelli)
Financial secretary’s report is emailed in advance to Trustees for approval of expenditures.
Program Reports – Led by John Watral
Bingo (Mike Mallon) – Going well equipment is working better. Last week we had 77 players and no issues. We need help starting up.
Soup Kitchen (Lenny Martin) – Last event served 70 meals and approximately 40 take outs.
Blood Drive (Gerard Petrocelli) – June 7 drive will be the 10th anniversary with the NY Blood Center – NJ Blood Services branch. We have been averaging ~150 products. Ten years ago, when we started with NYBC, we were raising only ~30 products. Today, our yearly contribution is approximately 150 products per event * 5 drive per year 8 3 patients served with each product = 2,250 patients helped with our drives each year, including moms in delivery, patients in surgery, etc. Please spread the word.
RTL (Gerry Kaufhold) – Baby shower will be held on June 21-22 with the Rosary Altar Society seeking donations of any baby care items (diapers, wipes, etc.). The Baby Bottle drive collected $2,455.50 and we will be rounding up to $3,000 in support of crisis pregnancy centers.
Intellectual Disabilities Drive (Mike Sabella) – Was held on April 26-27 at Weis in Flanders, Dunkin on Rt. 46, Budd Lake Diner and St. Jude’s Church. We collected $2,401, up 36% from the last drive. We will be rounding up to $2,500. Weis accounted for half of the donations. 30 Knights donated time, along with 4 Squires and 2 wives. There were 7 Knights that covered multiple shifts. Special thanks to Mike Mallon, who was presented with a gift . . . a Tootsie Roll.
Eucharistic Procession – (Dan Fuller) – Kick off this weekend. We need help so we will all be volunteering. We will also be engaging the parish community. This will also be a good recruiting opportunity for the Council and the Rosary Altar Society.
State Convention (Tom Rohe) – Our GK did an outstanding job at the convention. This Council is a breeding group for State Deputies. We now have had 2 from #6100.
4th Degree (Tom Rohe) – We meet on the third Tuesday of every month. We have a meeting tomorrow so please come. The May 3, 2025 Pasta Dinner Event raised approximately $800. Thanks for the support. On Saturday June 21 there will be a picnic at the VA in Lyons (Basking Ridge) for the vets living there. This is the first BBQ since Covid. Please come out and help.
Squires (Tom Rohe) – The Squires International 100th Anniversary Convention was attended by Allen & Noah Lopez and Tom in Ottawa, Canada. There was a very patriotic performance of the Canadian National Anthem. Archbishop Marcel of Ottowa celebrated mass at the cathedral. Noah drafted a speech with no notice and it was outstanding. He received a standing ovation. The Tank Pull raises money for wounded veterans. Over the past 14 years, we have raised over $52,000. Thanks to Bob Jacobs for being our Easter Bunny at the Easter Egg Hunt.
Joe Savarimuthu was in attendance and addressed the Council to share information about insurance products. Whole life policies grow in value over time. All excess profits are reinvested back into the policies. KofC pays the highest dividend rate because it is a tax-exempt organization and therefore pays no taxes. Long-Term Care policies cover the activities of daily living. Annuities are also available and generate a 4% return. Please reach out to Joe if you have any questions or would like to discuss any of your insurance needs.
DD Report – Worthy DD provided the following report:
May 2025 Report (CY 2024-2025)
- Mt. Olive Council #6100 (Meeting 05/19/2025)Star Council Award Progress
| Awards Progress (as of 05/19/2025) | ||
| McGivney Award | Founders Award | Columbian Award |
| Membership Goal: 8 members; to date, 8 Prospect List Candidates: 0 | Financial Benefits Seminars[1] Quota: 2; to date, 0 (Form #11077) # Members Req’d: 0/14 | Service Program (SP 7) due 6/30/25 |
OLM Prospect List:
| Safe Environment Program (As of 05/19/2025) | |
| Compliant | Non-Compliant |
| Grand Knight, Program, Community, Family Directors, Circle | None |
| Other Criteria (Forms Submitted and Per-capita compliance) | |
| Forms 185 (6/30)/ 365 (6/30)/ 1728 (1/31)/ 1295 (2/15)/ 990 (5/15)/SP-7 (6/30) | Per Capita Compliance Balance |
| 185-No/365-No/1728-YES/1295-YES/990-No/SP-7-No | As of 5/1/2025: $0.00 |
- Columbian Award Form SP-7 is due June 30Form 990 due by the 15th day of the 5th month after fiscal ye closePost-ElectionForm 185: Report of Officers Elected for TermForm 365: Service Program PersonnelCurrent & Upcoming EventsAssemble Slate of Council Officers to be presented at May Meeting for elections at June Meeting.Nov 15: Exemplification of PatriotismRemindersThe Free Online Membership Code BlessedMcGivney remains in effect.To complete and submit Form #10784 at the end of each completed program.Submit Form #11077 for all Financial Benefits Seminar attendees.Fraternal Assistance is available at any time for a Brother Knight in need.GeneralPlease continue to provide spiritual and financial support to the CPCs through ASAP and the Ultrasound Initiative, our needy families and Food Pantries through the Helping Hands and Food for Families Programs, our teens through the KofC Scholarships, and to your deacon candidates, seminarians and religious novices through our RSVP program, and please acknowledge their sacrifices through letters of appreciation. For any Council that donated to ASAP, please ensure you complete the ASAP paperwork to get the $100 matching from Supreme (KofC.org/ASAP).Fraternal Leader Advisory (FLA) (04/17/25)Review kofc.org/training for upcoming training sessions; and stay informed of featured Programs, and upcoming webinars.May Religious & Civil Rights (R&C) Talking Points highlights from Dr. Dan Rossi, PSD:
May’s topic for discussion and prayer focuses on the Religious Workforce Protection Act (RWPA). Dr. Rossi message lists talking points from a recent letter to Congress in support of the bill from Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Bishop Mark J. Seitz, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration:
You can read Dr. Rossi’s message on the following page.
Worthy Grand Knights, Worthy Religious & Civil Rights Committee Chairmen, and Brothers all:
May’s topic for discussion and prayer focuses on the Religious Workforce Protection Act (RWPA). The following talking points are from a recent letter to Congress in support of the bill from Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Bishop Mark J. Seitz, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration:
• Catholics and other religious communities have benefited over the years from the foreign-born religious workers (including Catholic priests, men and women in religious orders and congregations, and certain laypersons) who serve our people and allow them to practice the tenets of their faith.
• Many hospitals would go without chaplains, schools without teachers, and seminaries without instructors if it were not for these religious workers.
• In addition, people in rural and isolated communities often would not have regular access to the sacraments if it were not for these religious workers.
• Dioceses with large immigrant populations also rely on foreign-born religious workers for their linguistic and cultural expertise.
• Faithful men and women can lawfully enter the United States as non-immigrants through the Religious Worker Visa Program (R-1 visas, which are capped at five years).
• Those wishing to stay in the U.S. and work towards a permanent residency can apply for a change in status through employment-based, fourth degree (EB-4) visas.
• Unfortunately, a significant backlog exists in the employment-based, fourth preference (EB-4) visa category resulting in category R-1 visa holders awaiting adjustment being forced to depart the country and abandon their ministries. Under existing regulations, if they depart, they cannot return on a subsequent R-1 visa for at least one year.
• Relying on precedent in existing law, the RWPA would provide relief to workers and their employers who are confronted by this situation without increasing the number of people permitted to immigrate to the U. S.
• Under the RWPA, those already in the United States on an R-1 visa (normally capped at five years) who have applied for permanent residency would be able to remain in the country in their current nonimmigrant status for renewable, three-year periods until they are able to receive a green card. This would allow them to continue serving American communities without interruption.
For more information about this topic, I refer you to the full letter on the USCCB website at:
Please consider reaching out to our senators and your house member asking for their support of the Religious Workforce Protection Act (S. 1298 and H.R. 2672) which would assist the free exercise of religion in our country for the benefit of all Americans.
Please also join us in prayer for our Holy Father that he is ushered into the light and grace of God’s merciful love.
Faith in Action Supreme Programs
| Faith | Family | Community | Life | ||||||||
| Into the Breach | 2 | Consecration to Holy Family | Helping Hands | Aid & Support After Pregnancy | * | ||||||
| Pilgrim Icon | Food for Families | 2 | Coats for Kids | 2 | Novena for Life | ||||||
| Holy Hour / Eucharistic Procession | 2 | Family Fully Alive | 2 | Global Wheelchair Mission | 2 | March for Life | 2 | ||||
| Family of the Month / Year | 2 | Habitat for Humanity | 2 | Special Olympics | 2 | ||||||
| RSVP | 2 | Family Prayer Night | 2 | Catholic Citizenship Essay Contest | Ultrasound | 2 | |||||
| Build the Domestic Church | Family Week | Disaster Preparedness | Christian Refugee Relief | ||||||||
| Spiritual Reflection | 2 | Good Friday Family Promotion | Free Throw Championship | Mass for Special Needs People | |||||||
| Rosary | Keep Christ in Christmas | Soccer Challenge | Pregnancy Center Support/ASAP | 2 | |||||||
| Sacramental Gifts | Hockey Challenge | Silver Rose | |||||||||
Complete and submit Form #10784 at the end of each completed program (online 5 minutes).
For a list of the State Council Programs reference www://njkofc.com
Blue Highlighted Programs are referenced in the FLA as programs to begin planning now.
Unfinished Business
The following motions were made and passed unanimously:
| Motion | Made by | 2nd by |
| 2nd READING Donate $1,000 for a parishioner in need. | Recorder | Chip Sturm |
| 2nd READING donate $1,000 to Amyloidosis Research Consortium | Recorder | Dan Fuller |
| 2nd READING Donate $1,000 to create a new Fr. Joseph A Cassidy Scholarship for children and grandchildren of council members in good standing. This schlarship will be funded from the proceeds of Charity Mania. | Recorder | Bob Jacobs |
New Business
Elections for the 2024/2025 Columbian Year
The slate of officers is proposed as follows:
| Officer Position | Candidate |
| Grand Knight | Joseph Tarallo |
| Deputy Grand Knight | Michael Sabella |
| Chancelor | William “Chip” Sturm |
| Recorder | Rob Marsac |
| Treasurer | Michael Uszacki |
| Advocate | Leonard Martin PGK |
| Warden | Michael Mallon |
| Inside Guard | Joseph Cottone |
| Outside Guard | Wallace Krake III |
| One year Trustee | Thomas Rohe PGK,PFN |
| Two Year Trustee | John Watral |
| Three Year Trustee | Daniel Fuller PGK |
The following motions were made and passed unanimously:
| Motion | Made by | 2nd by |
| 1st READING Allocate up to $6000 for Blood drive for the Columbian year 2025-2026 | Dan Fuller | Gerry Kaufhold |
| 1st READING Allocate $1600 for Dover Faith Kitchen for the Columbian year 2025-2026 | Lenny Martin | Chip Sturm |
| 1st READING Allocate $5,000 consisting of $500 for each of the 10 months of the school year to Lasserre’s Own Hands for the 2025-2026 Columbian Year suppling breakfast & lunch for children at Good Shepard School in Haiti | Gerry Kaufhold | Pierre Kernizan |
| 1st READING donate $1200 for Mount Olive food pantry for the Columbian year 2025-2026 | Bob Jacobs | Mike Mallon |
| 1st READING Allocate $12,000 for Church hall rental for Bingo for the Columbian year 2025-2026 | Mike Mallon | Dan Fuller |
| 1st READING Allocate $2400 per year for church hall donation for the Columbian year 2025-2026 | Dan Fuller | Salvatore Ubaldini |
| 1st READING Allocate up to $1400 for refreshment for meetings for the Columbian year 2025-2026 | Pierre Kernizan | Dan Fuller |
| 1st READING Donate $500 per month ($6,000) to support PJ Feruggia for his commitment and participation as a missionary for FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) for one year. | Lenny Martin | Rob Marsac |
| 1st READING donate up to $3,500 to purchase boxes of coats for the Coats for Kids Drive with the intent to donate the coats to needy families in Paterson and other townships. | Rob Marsac | Gerry Kaufhold |
| Donate $250 to the 4th Degree, Msgr. Lang Assembly, in support of their upcoming BBQ at the VA on June 21. | Tom Rohe | Gerard Petrocelli |
| Donate $99 to round up the amount raised at the Intellectual Disabilities drive to $2,500 | Mike Mallon | Ricardo Espinola |
| Donate $250 to the ASPCA in memory of Barbara Leyden, mother of Mike Leyden | Tom Rohe | Ricardo Espinola |
| 1st READING donate up to $3,000 to purchase up to 3 tables at the upcoming installation of Jim Sweeney as State Deputy | Tom Rohe | Lenny Martin |
Good of the Order
The Good of the Order was directed by Gerry Kaufhold.
Closing Prayer
Closing prayer was led by GK Joe Taralllo.
Attendance: 21 people.
Meeting adjourned at 8:40 pm.
[1] Assigned Filed Agent: Joseph Savarimuthu, Cell: 347.661.3865; email: Joseph.Savarimuthu@kofc.org