We are men who lead, serve, protect and defend, whether we are giving out Coats for Kids, donating wheelchairs, lending a helping hand in disaster relief efforts, supporting local pregnancy centers or providing top-quality financial products.
Meeting Minutes
08/04/2026
Dining Room
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER at 7:30 P.M.
OPENING PRAYER: by FATHER UCHE
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: by PAUL RYAN
OPENING ODE: by ALL
ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS: P=PRESENT, A=ABSENT, EX=EXCUSED
CHAPLAIN: Fr. Uche: P
GRAND KNIGHT: MARC EVANS: P WARDEN: JESUS RADILLO: P
DEP GRAND KNIGHT: PAUL RYAN: P INSIDE GUARD: JIM OUIMET P
CHANCELLOR: ROBERTO NIETO P OUTSIDE GUARD: JOEL LOPEZ: P
FINANCIAL SECRETARY: PETER PERTA: P ADVOCATE: RUSSELL GULLY: EX
LECTURER: JOEL LOPEZ: P 1ST YR TRUSTEE: DAN MURPHY EX
TREASURER: JAMES SMITH: P. 2ND YR TRUSTEE: MIKE FITZGERALD P
RECORDER: GONZALO AILLON EX 3RD YR TRUSTEE: CESAR VILLAREAL Ex
DISTRCT DEPUTY: MICHAEL LUNA P
ARE ALL PRESENT IN POSSESSION OF A CURRENT MEMBERSHIP CARD: per Outside Guard: Yes
All persons who are not Knights (or honored guests) shall please retire from the chamber. The doors shall now be closed and the guards assume their positions.
Family of the Month – by Jeff Miller
Family of the Month: Allen and Linda Reitmeier – They met in 1965 in a dance hall in Minnesota and got married 4 years later. They have been married 57 years! They have 4 children and have been blessed with 12 grandchildren. Allen said his secret is kissing his wife a lot and spending one hour each morning and one hour in the evening with his wife playing computer games and enjoying each other’s company.
Special Guests: Father Uche and District Deputy Michael Luna
Excuses absences: Russell Gully, Gonzalo Aillon, Dan Murphy
Approve Minutes of the Prior Meeting – The minutes of our July 5th General Membership Meeting were posted on the Council’s website on August 4th. Peter said there is one correction: the Star Council membership goal is 13 and not 14. The new goal is 14. This change was made. Allen Reitmeier corrected some spelling of names. A motion was made to accept the corrected minutes as posted. The motion was seconded and the minutes were approved as posted
Grand Knight’s Report
New Knights who a Special Guests: Father Uche and District Deputy Michael Luna
Excuses absences: Russell Gully, Gonzalo Aillon, Dan Murphy
New Knight attending his first General Membership Meeting:
Juan Munoz -He has been attending Holy Spirit for several years. He and his wife have three kids, ages 3,5, and 7. He owns a management practice and his wife is an accountant and he is enjoys giving back to the community.
Marc said that if you do not have a Knight name budge, please let out Deputy Grand Knight Paul Ryan know. It recognizes the service you do for your parish.
Financial Secretary’s Report – Worthy Financial Secretary, Peter Perta
Membership 237 members with the addition of Nick Zuniga who just joined us; Juan Munoz will be counted next month as he transfers formally from San Antonio to our Council
Scholarships: all 7 scholarships were mailed to the appropriate colleges
Dues Collect YTD % 54%
Jorge is working on the software so that members can pay online
Star Council:
Membership Goal 14 for new year starting July 1
Knight in Need Fund: $5,058 as of 7/21/26 – $1k Tony Hererra
Supreme per capita dues: paid
State Charity Pin and Football Frenzy –The State Council does 2 fundraisers to keep the cost of Supreme dues the same (no increase). They sell charity pins for 20 dollars (we have 5 pins) and Football Frenzy -this starts in November and goes on for 10 weeks; each week they will add up the scores of 4 random teams and they will pay out the winners of up to $400. Each card is $10.
Peter Peta described the Budget for the 2026-2027 Fraternal Year in detail. This requires 2 votes by the general council on 2 different meetings. The budget for 2025-2026 Fraternal Year was $51,050 and for the 2026-2027 Fraternal Year is $53,550. Peter states we typically spend about 75% of the budget. The first vote is tonight. A motion was made to accept the budget as presented. The motion was seconded and the budget were approved as posted
Treasurer’s Report – Worthy Treasurer, Sir Knight James Smith, please provide your report.
James provided our beginning balance, monies received, expenditures. We also received the balance of our CD fund
James invited all those who can help to be here on August 5th at 8: 30 a.m. to help with the food truck
4th Degree – SK James Russell -We will have the Clergy Appreciation Dinner on Thursday, November 12th. It will be a turkey dinner with the fixings. Mark your calendar.
There will be a Spanish 4th Degree Exemplification Ceremony in Spanish on October 24th at San Juan Deigo Catholic Church in Dallas on Royal Lane
Knight Hands – S/K Allen Reitmeier
Baseball Concessions – S/K Allen Reitmeier -Our first game will be September 5th (Allen’s Birthday)
Church Activities – Dan Murphy -absent
Program & Committee Reports
This Core session is meant to stir thoughtful discussion among men about the key issue of leadership. Men are naturally interested in this topic, and yet what leadership is, means, and calls us to is something a thousand books and gurus have weighed in on. How do we understand the call to lead as Catholic men, disciples of Jesus, in the confusing world in which we live? What are the principles Christ and the Church’s long memory on character and leadership have given to us? How do we implement these today?
The video presentations are led by Dr. Joseph McInerney, retired Navy Captain and Senior Vice President of Leader Development for the Knights of Columbus. Dr. McInerney has extensive background in Leadership Education and Philosophy of Ethics at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Stand and Pray 3 Hail Marys to end abortions.
Trivia: The Knights of Columbus first met on October 2, 1881. Father McGivney wanted to call the group, the Sons of Columbus, but the name was changed to the Knights of Columbus.
Insurance Agent – SK Eben Fernandez -absent
District Deputy – Michael Luna
Lecturer Comments – Worthy Knight Joel Lopez
Unfinished Business
We did a 2nd vote to support a priest proposed by Larry Balagna for $1000. He is Philip Shaba, a priest from Malawi. Malawi is a poor country of about 22 million people. He has been in Rome completing his studies and will be moving back to Malawi one month. A motion was made, it was seconded it, and the motion passed. This completed the second vote necessary to release the funds.
Signatories at bank as identified in June General Meeting and documented in now-Approved Minutes have not yet been together at bank to be registered (James Smith, Mike Fitzgerald, Marc Evans). Structuring savings/investment instead of bank CD. A cash flow statement being generated for review
New Business
Holy Spirit Fall Festival takes place on Saturday, September 19th, 2026. Volunteers are needed to hand out raffle tickets in person after all the masses. Please contact Hazel Holifield as she is coordinating volunteers.
Knights will be needed for setting up the stage and tents and for tear down after the Festival.
The Council will donate $300 toward the scholarship fund for the upcoming Men’s Spanish ACTS retreat
The Holy Spirit Bulletin recently showed the following accomplishments of our Council 8157
$5,000 direct donations to the Parish
Over 1250 Fish fry plates served at Holy Spirit
Over $3,000 provided to Dallas Diocese Pro-Life Programs
58 Knight Hands Projects and over 63 man hours worked
8 Special Olympics events with over 240 man hours donated
Over $13,000 raised for the Global Wheelchair mission
$7,000 provided in college scholarships
Over 20 Men’s group studies conducted at Holy Spirit
Over $3,000 provided directly to Knights in need at Holy Spirit
Good of the Order by Paul Ryan
Prayers and Intentions:
Closing Ode
Closing Prayer
50/50 Meeting Drawing – Winner: Robert Nieto
50/50 Membership Drawing – Manny Martinez
Meeting adjourned 8:50 p.m.
