Blessings to you and your loved ones this Fall Season as we prepare for the Thanksgiving Holiday in two weeks, the beginning of Advent on the last day of November and what will soon be the conclusion of our Jubilee Year in Rome themed “Pilgrims of Hope”.  I am so inspired by the great works of all the Councils and Assemblies in our Chapter this year and the amount of volunteerism to help assist our Diocese and Parish Priests that I was reminded by a message delivered during an audience with Pope Leo XIV last month during pilgrimage which resonates in our values and works through the Knights of Columbus. 

A quick reminder, our next Chapter Gathering is this Saturday in Marysville and we pray for a great turnout.  If a Grand Knight Is unable to attend please make arrangements to have your Deputy Grand Knight be present if not another officer or PGK representative of your Council.

We began this month celebrating All Saints followed by All Souls Day.  All Souls Day also know as The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed is when we pray in remembrance for those that have passed on especially for the souls that are in purgatory and going through purification before entering Heaven.  In a homily by one of our Council Chaplains, Father Mathai of 953, we are reminded that we pray for the dead out of “love”.  He reminds us that love never ends and carriers on even after death.  It is a great way to honor those that have moved on and serves as a reminder that even in death, love is eternal.  As we come into the holidays, let us also keep in prayers those that have survived a loss and find themselves in difficult emotional moments during this season. 

We recently wrapped up National Vocation Awareness Week and what a great success as so much information and support for vocations was shared across the country and especially here in our own parts of Northern California.  I wanted to take this moment to talk about vocations even though Awareness Week is over.   Vocations is actually a daily practice every Christian should be living.  God calls us each for different reasons and sometimes those reasons may not be revealed until later in life.  No one person truly knows God’s plans which is the great part of his Mystery and why we should always remain open to his messages and signs regardless of what stage in life we are in.  Over the last several years, I have been given the opportunity to hear many stories during my travels including journeys others have undertaken regarding their own vocations.  Whether you find a calling to discern as a Deacon, Priest or even led to service through the Knights of Columbus as a Brother or Sir Knight, perhaps a Lector or Eucharistic Minister for your Parish, these are all callings that many may find themselves drawn to.  As children of God, it is our duty to continue seeking our callings because like many of the Saints we have come to learn about, many of their own callings came unexpectedly at different stages of their lives including the twelve that Jesus chose to become his very own disciples.

It is never too late in life to seek a calling because we are on God’s time, not our own.  We are reminded repeatedly in the Bible to “Be Disciples of Jesus” and I have chosen three specific verses as great examples.   We are reminded in John 12:18-19 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.”  We are also reminded in Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  The third verse I would like to share comes from John 12:26 “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.  My Father will honor the one who serves me.” 

There are so many vocational paths a person can consider including the Diaconate Program which I would strongly recommend first opening up that conversation with your Pastor or maybe Priesthood and connecting with our Diocese through the following site online:  www.scd.org/vocations.  One may also consider joining an order of monks such as those found at The Abbey of Our Lady of New Clairvaux where a monastic experience is available.  The next opportunity will be occurring from May 29-31 of 2026.  To contact the Abbey if you or someone you know may be interested, Br Christopher is available for more information by email at: godseeking@newclairvaux.org.   

Pope Leo XIV recently shared in his vocations message a calling for prayers for those being led to consecrated life and to remember to “live in service to one another” so we can “walk in love and truth” on our life journey.  Let us continue to pray for our seminarians as I was recently reminded by one of our own to not forget them in our intentions. 

Last year we celebrated Advent with a series of four Faith Messages highlighting the meaning behind each weekly lit candle leading up to Christmas.  There was such great feedback from last year that we will be releasing a new series for 2025 and we encourage Grand Knights to share the messages with your own Councils as some GKs did last year with success.  

So let us prepare ourselves as we enter into also a new year by continuing to inspire one another as a fraternal brotherhood through example and prayer.  

God Bless! 
Vivat Jesus! 

SK Marco Ferrero,
Faith Director Knights of Columbus Northern California Chapter