Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Knights of Columbus Father Joseph D. Gallagher Council #3673 began planning to help continue the vital operations of Holy Trinity Parish. The council created a Contactless Collection program where Brother Knights would stand guard for the Exposition of the Holy Eucharist during open Church hours when no public Masses were permitted to take place in Pennsylvania. Included in the Contactless Collection program, Brother Knights prayed during open Church hours, collected canned goods and non-perishable food items to support the Holy Trinity Food Pantry, and solicited donations to continue the vital operations of Holy Trinity Parish. Additionally, the Knights of Columbus live-streamed a Holy Hour on Facebook live where Parishioners and friends were invited to say a rosary to support life activities. For 11 weeks, from March through May, the Knights of Columbus were a weekly fixture helping to lead the Parish through these uncharted times.

In late May, the State of Pennsylvania announced that Bucks County would move into the yellow phase, allowing for the resumption of in-person Masses. The Council immediately helped plan for the Parish reopening. The Council, in consultation with the Parish Pastor and Council Chaplain Monsignor John C. Eckert, began to review the Archdiocese of Philadelphia guidelines for the safe reopening of Parishes for in-person Masses. The Council prepared a set of guidelines consistent with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, and provided the guidelines to Parishioners through the Parish email system and social media. The council created a set of Frequently Asked Questions to better assist Parishioners in preparation for returning to in-person Masse Knights with Bishop McIntyre.

In addition to helping to create the guidelines, the Knights of Columbus were charged with implementing the guidelines at all Masses. Brother Knights have volunteered their time since the first weekend in June, at all four (4) weekend Masses offered by the Parish to greet Parishioners, provide a headcount as to not exceed capacity, to ensure appropriate social distancing within all of the pews, to facilitate the lines to receive Holy Communion, and to usher Parishioners to use appropriate exits while maintaining safe social distancing. Once the Church is empty following Mass, the Knights of Columbus sanitize the Church.

In mid-June, the State of Pennsylvania moved Bucks County into the green phase, which modified some of the State implemented restrictions, while at the same time Monsignor Eckert had successful knee replacement surgery. The Knights of Columbus participated in Archdiocesan conference calls to review the guidelines for in-person Masses during the green phase in Pennsylvania. While visiting priests filled in for a recovering Monsignor Eckert, including Bishop John J. McIntyre, the Knights of Columbus continue to stand guard and implement the Parish guidelines to ensure a safe in-person Mass.

During these times of great uncertainty, the one constant through the Parish has been the presence of the Knights of Columbus. Through mid-July, Council #3673 has volunteered in excess of 250 hours standing guard in Church during the Contactless Collection program and for the resumption of in-person Masses. Through the assistance of the Knights of Columbus, there has been a steady increase in Parishioner attendance over the weeks during the resumption of in-person Masses.

The Knights of Columbus stand symbolically during Mass as a beacon of light to guide the Parish through the dark times our world currently faces. The Knights of Columbus continue to review and implement the Parish guidelines to ensure all Parishioners are safe during the celebration of in-person Mass. Council #3673 will continue to be present during Masses and ensure all Parishioners and visitors are safe at Holy Trinity Parish.

The Knights of Columbus Father Joseph D. Gallagher Council #3673 continues to provide support to Holy Trinity Parish during the COVID-19 pandemic. The council has continued to serve as greeters, ushers, and sanitizers of the Church during Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Masses. In addition to these Masses, the Knights of Columbus have also served this role for Parish Sacramentals. The Knights were on hand to greet, usher, and sanitize the Church for the PREP and Holy Trinity School students receiving their First Holy Communion in October. The Knights also facilitated family pictures in front of the altar, allowing families to have a memory of the day with their children in a safe and socially distant manner. 

Fr. Joseph D. Gallagher Council #3673 Raises Awareness of the Sacrament of Reconciliation During Lent 

The Knights of Columbus, Father Joseph D. Gallagher Council #3673, of Holy Trinity Parish in Morrisville sought to raise awareness of the Sacrament of Reconciliation during this Lenten season. In coordination with Parish Pastor and Council Chaplain, Monsignor John C. Eckert, the Council formed a committee to identify the best ways to raise awareness of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  

The Council co-chairs, Brothers Thomas Wallin and Bradley Stanton worked with Grand Knight Joseph Pargola and Deputy Grand Knight James King to execute an awareness campaign on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The committee provided a letter to the Parishioners, which was inserted into the Mass bulletins the weekend prior to Ash Wednesday and were distributed to the families of Holy Trinity School. The letter informed Parishioners of their obligation to engage in the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once per year and encourage Parishioners during this Season of Lent to bring themselves closer to God and to clean their mind, heart, and soul. 

Also included in the letter were Frequently Asked Questions about the Sacrament and a copy of the Ten Commandments to help Parishioners make a better Examination of Conscience. Parishioners were also provided a listing of local parishes within the Diocese of Philadelphia and the neighboring Diocese of Trenton. The listing included contact information and the times Confessions were available in that Parish.  

Finally, the committee members delivered brief remarks at the end of all the weekend Masses prior to Ash Wednesday. Brother Knights were also stationed at the exits of church handing out the Knights of Columbus Guide to Confession Devotional Booklet (PDF  HTML) as a resource for Parishioners to use during Confession. 

This information and resources were also provided on the Council’s Facebook page so Parishioners are able to conveniently access the information. The Brothers of Council #3673 took a multi-faceted approach to address a need in both the Parish and greater Church community. It is the Council’s goal that during this Lenten Season, the Knights of Columbus demonstrate Faith in Action by providing needed resources and information to the Parish to help all Parishioners prepare their hearts, minds, and souls for Jesus’ Resurrection at Easter.
 

Knights of Columbus Guide to Confession 
 

Every month, The Knights of Columbus, in consultation with Monsignor Eckert, select a family from Holy Trinity Parish as the Knights of Columbus Family of the Month.

The Knights of Columbus Family of the Month program promotes and supports the development of strong and vibrant families by recognizing the good work being done every day in the homes of our neighbors.  
Selected families bear witness to ties of service, faith, and exemplifying Catholic family values through contributions to Holy Trinity Parish and the greater community.  

Every month the family is honored at the Holy Trinity Knights of Columbus monthly business meeting. Each family receives a certificate of recognition and $25 Gift Card to Cafe Antonio on behalf of Msgr. Eckert.    

We periodically update the Parish bulletin to recognize the selected Family of the Month. To date, the following families have been awarded Family of the Month since the start of the 2019-2020 Council Year:
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Richard and Amy Preston (June 2019)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Shawn and Deanna Meisels (July 2019)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and Bethany Loeffler (August 2019)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Orlando and Maribeth Andujar (September 2019)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Bradley and Deb Stanton (October 2019)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Tom and Carolyn DiFilippo (November 2019)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Wesley and Mary Ellen Lane (December 2019)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey and Ingrid Garcia (January 2020)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas and Maureen Wallin  (February 2020)
The Family of Ms. JoAnn Gigliotti (March 2020)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Frank and Carol Powell (April 2020)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. John and Catherine Jingoli (May 2020)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Mark and Anitta Dowdell (June 2020)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas and Julia Lapolla (July 2020)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Donna Gabriel (August 2020)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen and Betsy Beltle (September 2020)
The Family of Ms. Marie Guaragno (October 2020)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. William and Shiela Farrell (November 2020)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Frank and Lynn Merk (December 2020)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Robert and Susan DiBenedetto (January 2021)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Doug and Diane Bartlett (February 2021)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Brian and Natalie Holmes (March 2021)
The Family of Deacon and Mrs. Warren and Dawn Leonard (April 2021)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. James and Sarah King (May 2021)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Dennis and Judith Jarosz (June 2021)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Gregory and Kathleen Gnida (July 2021)
The Family of Mr. and Mrs. Richard and Jennifer Cucarese (August 2021)

If you know a family who should be considered as Family of the Month, nominate a family here and include the family name and the detailed reason for their nomination.  Families do not need to be members of the  Knight of Columbus to be considered for this award.

Our Council created a new tradition to spread fraternity and unity amongst Brother Knights and their families. The Council hosted the first Knights of Columbus Family Mass in December. The Knights participated as Lectors, gift bearers, and children of Knights were the Altar Servers. Following Mass, the Council hosted the annual Family Christmas Party. These “Faith In Action” events have helped strengthen the Council, more importantly, one could presume these faith activities have led the council to welcome seven (7) newly degreed Knights, and deepen the bond between the Brothers and their families.   

Some of the nearly 20 families who attended our Council’s first Family Mass. We had over 50 people, Knights, prospective Knights, and their families, attend Mass then celebrate at the Family Christmas Party.

The Council continued theContactless Collection programwhere Parishioners areable to come into Church during normal Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Mass times for individual prayer. As BrotherKnights stand guard during these open Church times,the Councilinvited Parishioners to bring canned goods and non-perishable food items for the Holy Trinity Food Pantry and donations to continue the vital operations of Holy Trinity Parish.Additionally, during two (2) weekends in May,the Council hosted a special collection for the Legacy of Life Foundation, soliciting donations of baby goods to support womenin crisis make the one right choice for the life of her unborn child.Further, the Council provided Parishioners a Livestream of the Exposition of the Holy Eucharist through Facebook Live, where Parishioners were encouraged to say the Rosary to foster a culture of life in our Parish, homes, and community.

The Council worked to host the annual Council Free Throw Championships outdoors in the Holy Trinity Schoolyard on a cold Saturday in January. Nearly 20 competitors across all age groups participated in the annual event. The Council ensured social distancing while outdoors and provided an opportunity for the students to compete and for parents and families to safely observe. The Council was able to provide a morning of normal activity during the pandemic. Our congratulations go out to all the participants who braved the near freezing temperatures to participate in the Free Throw Championships.


During the event, the Council collected canned goods and non-perishable food items from participants and their families to support the Holy Trinity Food Pantry.



Congratulations to our Council winners who advanced to compete in the District 16 Free Throw Championships. The District 16 Free Throw Championships were held virtually in February and we congratulate the District winners from our Council.

Check out the Photo Gallery for more event pictures. 



 

Council Champions:
Girls Results:
9-Year-Old Girls: Violet Sullivan
10-Year-Old Girls: Lucilia Martin
11-Year-Old Girls: Isabella DiMattia
12-Year-Old Girls: No Entrants
13-Year-Old Girls: Ellenmarie Buck
14-Year-Old Girls: No Entrants

Boys Results:
9-Year-Old Boys: Parker Lauver
10-Year-Old Boys: No Entrants
11-Year-Old Boys: No Entrants
12-Year-Old Boys: Quashan Turner
13-Year-Old Boys: Jonathan Gilkeson
14-Year-Old Boys: Kyle Tuthil



District 16 Champions - Holy Trinity Parish



Girls Results:
11-Year-Old Girls: Isabella DiMattia
13-Year-Old Girls: Ellenmarie Buck

Boys Results:
12-Year-Old Boys: Quashan Turner
14-Year-Old Boys: Kyle Tuthill

To kick-off Teacher Appreciation Week, the Council organized a parade to celebrate the Holy Trinity School Teachers. The Teachers and their families were greeted by Brother Knights and their families who cheered and showed their appreciation for all that the teachers do, especially during these trying times. Music played and some of their students cheered to allow them to take a Victory Lap for all that they do for the children and Parish. 

Teachers each received a $10 Dunkin gift card, their choice of a goodie from our snack basket, and a heart-shaped balloon because they represent the big heart in the little school! Teaches were also greeted by Grand Knight Joseph Pargola and Deputy Grand Knight James King who expressed the thanks of the entire Parish and presented each teacher a Certificate of Appreciation for all of their hard work and dedication to Holy Trinity. The Council continues to work to exemplify the virtues that the Knights of Columbus are built upon by providing  moral, spiritual, and financial support to the Parish during this pandemic. 

Teacher Appreciation Day Video

KOC Council 3673 hosted a Teacher Appreciation Drive Through Celebration for the teachers of Holy Trinity School during the COVID-19 pandemic. Knights organized a Socially Distant Celebration for the Holy Trinity School Teachers to kick-off Teacher Appreciation Week. Brother Knights and their families welcomed and cheered on Holy Trinity Teachers and their families. Brother Knights lined the alleyway between the School and the Children’s Cottage and spelled out the words “THANK YOU”on the back of their cars.