Knights of Columbus

Here at San Antonio de Padua parish we Knights are involved in more than you can imagine. You can choose what you would like to be involved in. We have activities that assist our Parish and our neighbors in the surrounding communities. We also sponsor fundraisers to aid in these parish and community activities. Check out all of the exciting things you can be involved with in the three tabs below in Parish Outreach, Community Outreach, and Fundraisers.

Knights of Columbus Council of San Antonio assist a wide range of activities throughout the Parish.

San Antonio Church Fiesta

This is the marquee social and fundraising event of the parish. The fundraising benefits the parish and its ministries. The weekend event is held in mid-September and attracts people throughout the parish and surrounding cities. The Fiesta includes live music, rides and games, and food from around the world. The entire Parish community is involved with the Knights participating in nearly every aspect of the Fiesta. As a council, the Knights sponsor the All American Food booth with Knights, Lady Knights, and family members teaming up to work the many shifts throughout the three-day event.

Hospitality Ministry

The parish Hospitality Ministry includes greeting parishioners and guest prior to mass, ushering when necessary, handling the collection, presenting the gifts, and handing out bulletins after mass. The Knights assist the Hospitality Ministry by sponsoring the 10:00 a.m. mass on the first Sunday after our monthly General meeting.

San Antonio Summer Barbecues

The Knights sponsor three summer barbecues during the summer. The Knights welcome the entire parish community and parish neighbors to participate and enjoy the summer barbecues. Held in the church parking lot, each barbecue provides an opportunity to socialize and hear interesting speakers. The Knights provide the set-up, cooking, serving, and clean-up. The parish community is invited to bring food dished of all kinds to share. This event helps promote community spirit throughout the parish.

Membership Drives

Once every quarter, you will see the Knights in front of Church looking for “a few good men” to join the council. Knights are Catholic men,18 years of age and older, who are committed to making their community a better place while supporting their Church. Being a Knight is more than camaraderie; it is being involved with your community; it is supporting your local Parish while enhancing your own faith; it is about protecting and enhancing your family life. New members are welcome at any time, must be at least 18 years old, and practicing Catholics.

The Knights of Columbus are known for their generosity, donating both money and time to those in need. Below are examples of some of the community organizations that the Knights assist.

Right to Life and Pro-Life Activities

The Knights of Columbus wholeheartedly supports the Right to Life and Pro-Life related activities. The goal is to protect the precious gift of human life from conception to natural death. We are vigorously opposed to abortion, any procedure performed on a pregnant woman with the sole and willful intent to kill the unborn child/children. A human embryo/fetus/infant has the innate right to life regardless of gender, disabilities, and/or the relationship of the father. This ministry encourages and organizes various ProLife activities throughout the year.

Right to Life Ministry

Mary’s Path

Mary’s Path works with teen mothers and their babies to empower and equip them for lives of hope and dignity. At Mary’s path, pregnant and parenting teens are given the support they need including, medical care, continuing education, spiritual formation, individual and family counseling, parenting education, and practical life skills. The Knights provide help with various maintenance projects including painting bedrooms and common areas, power washing parking lots and recreational areas, fence repair, plumbing, and other projects as needed.

Mary's Path

San Antonio Quarterly Blood Drive

Each quarter, in cooperation with the American Red Cross, the Knights sponsor the San Antonio Blood Drive. The San Antonio Blood Drive has become one of the more successful donor events in Orange County. The Knights contribute to the success of the program by scheduling, planning, marketing the event, recruiting donors in advance, registering donors at the event, and comforting donors after giving blood. Donors donate approximately 80 pint of blood every quarter.

Grandma’s House of Hope

Grandma’s House of Hope provides safe, confidential emergency and transitional housing for women and men 18 and older who are experiencing homelessness and in need of trauma informed care and support. The Knights have supported Grandma’s House of Hope financially and worked on various projects for them. One project we support is their annual outdoor Halloween faire providing a great time for underprivileged kids.

Grandma's House of Hope

Thomas House

Thomas House provides temporary shelter available to homeless families of diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. The program’s focus is to empower homeless families to become independent and self-sufficient. On a quarterly basis, the Knights provide a birthday celebration for the children and their families. Games, face painting, and a piñata are highlights of the party, capped off with cake and ice cream.

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Patriots and Paws

Patriots and Paws provides resources to support and guide Veterans/Active Military/Reservists and their families throughout Southern California as they transition into civilian life. Patriots and Paws provides basic home furnishings for newly acquired residences. Additionally, for those Veteran/Military service folks that are interested, they matched Veterans with a rescued companionship animal. The Knights support Patriots and Paws with continual support over the year, and volunteer at the Patriots and Paws annual Car Show fundraiser.

Food Pantry Ministry

The San Antonio Food Pantry Ministry provides weekly food distribution to families who are in need of food throughout the local and surrounding communities. In cooperation with the Food Pantry Ministry, the Knights collect food donations from parishioners and donations Vons Market every Thursday morning. After the collection of the food donations, the Knights also weigh all food items and provide proper storage or refrigeration.

Food Pantry Ministry

Isaiah House

Isaiah House provides temporary housing for homeless women in the Orange County area. Located in Santa Ana, it serves underprivileged people with dignity and care. The Knights provide financial aid and also prepare and serve hot meals to the residences. On other occasions the Knights prepare hot food and transport it to the Santa Ana Civic Center for all those needing a hot meal.

Family Assistance

Catholic Charities

Since 1976, Catholic Charities has fed the hungry, consoled the hurting, and cared for the marginalized. Catholic Charities provides help and creates hope for the people of Orange County. One person and one family at a time, they do everything they can for those in need with what is given to them. Each November San Antonio Church hosts, and Brothers of KofC #9195 support, an annual Catholic Charities fashion show, boutique and raffle luncheon fundraiser. Besides contributing to the cause, participating Brothers serve the ladies (and gentlemen) in attendance champagne/mimosas/poinsettias, act as escorts for the fashion show and help raffle off prizes provided by sponsors under the name “Topsiders”. A lot of fun that raised money for a great cause.

Catholic Charities

Christmas Families Benefit

In cooperation with the San Antonio Family Assistance Ministry, the Knights sponsor between eight and twelve needy families each Christmas season. The Knights bring them gifts, Christmas dinner and, if needed, a Christmas tree and decorations to help enhance their Christmas season. In preparation, the Knights accept donations from fellow Knights and parishioners, then purchase and wrap the gifts for personal delivery a few days before Christmas.

Family Assistance

Our fundraisers support our efforts with our numerous parish and community outreach programs.

Lenten Fish Fry Dinners

The Knights annual fish fry series has become a premier fundraiser for the Knights and a very popular social event for the parish and the community. We offer dinners on six consecutive Fridays during Lent, excluding Good Friday. A wide variety of entrees, beverages, and desserts are available and a huge volunteer effort is required to keep them fun and successful.

Annual Charity Golf Tournament

For our golf aficionados, duffers, and everyone in between, the Knights host our annual golf tournament each fall. We use a shotgun start with a best ball format. This is a fun and competitive event for our members, the Lady Knights and family members.

San Antonio Annual Italian Dinner

When Father McGivney founded the Knights, he named the fraternal organization after Christopher Columbus. To celebrate our namesake, the Knights sponsor an annual Italian Dinner. The Knights cook an authentic Italian style dinner from scratch, just the way Mama made it, and served family style. The fundraiser is open to the entire parish and the surrounding community. The fundraising benefits the parish and its ministries.

Breakfast Burritos Sundays

The Knights sell freshly made breakfast burritos after the 8:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. masses on the first Sunday of each month. The Knight volunteers cook the eggs, bacon, and potatoes while our “holy rollers” assemble the burritos in the parish kitchen in preparation for the the sales right after the masses. The burritos go fast so make sure to get in line fast. The money goes directly into the general fund to benefit the parish and community outreach programs.

Recycle Saturdays

On the first Saturday of the month the Knights gather in the south parking lot to collect aluminum can, bottles, glass and other recyclables. The recycling event attracts parishioners and community members alike. The money raised from recycling goes directly into the general fund to benefit the parish and community outreach programs.

Easter Lily Sales

Every Palm Sunday, the Knights sell Easter Lilies to all parishioners after all Masses. Parishioners, if they wish, may donate their Easter Lily back to the parish for the beautification of the altar on Easter Sunday. The money raised from recycling goes directly into the general fund to benefit the parish and community outreach programs.