See you again next quarter for another bowling adventure!
Dear Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and all others who spoke up for religious freedom,
Thank you for standing up for religious liberty in your recent opinion piece “Elected Leaders Who Weaponize Religion Are Playing a Dangerous Game,” Congresswoman Gabbard. Your letter joins a large segment of politicians who have voiced their support of freedom of religion. Religious liberty is a key pillar of this diverse country and we in the Capitol Hill-area Cardinal Patrick O’Boyle Council 11302 are thankful for these defenses of this right.
While we know you enjoy the warm waters of Hawaii, congresswoman, you as well as anyone else who is interested in or even concerned about the Knights of Columbus are more than welcome to join our council for the DC Polar Plunge Special Olympics event on February 2nd or any other charity event we conduct. It is by getting to know one another that we will be able to appreciate and respect one another more.
Thank you again for your opinion piece, congresswoman, and thank you to all others who have spoken up. Your words and actions show that religious freedom is valued by members of both political parties. The O’Boyle Council will proudly continue to practice this right and lovingly advocate for the complete Gospel.
Sincerely,
Cardinal Patrick O’Boyle Council 11302 of Washington DC
Capitol Hill, Southwest Waterfront, and Navy Yard of Washington, DC
Are you a Catholic man in DC? Looking to be extremely charitable in 2019? Want a fun group of guys to hang out with? Whether it is the polar plunge, helping our parishes, cooking out, or defending the faith, O'Boyle Council wants to do it with you! This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more info or sign up for council 11302 and use the code NEWKNIGHTYEAR for $5 off membership through January 7.
Brothers,
What a year! It started out with a dream of an ultrasound which became a reality in June. Then, the year ended not with the usually winter drawdown but with a surprising attack on the order by two senators who declared the Knights of Columbus’ beliefs “extreme”. Supreme issued a great statement decrying this while your very own O’Boyle Council issued an open letter inviting the senators to our events so they could see the great work we do first hand. The open letter caught on and FS Patrick was interviewed on Fox and Friends Sunday in what Supreme representatives declared an “excellent” interview (see video of the interview here https://youtu.be/I0FO5w5S190 ). Whether it is small things like putting together apartment furniture for brother knights or big things like defending the faith and saving lives, your O’Boyle Council is working hard.
Please remember dues payments make all our actions possible. You can pay $31.20 via PayPal (link on our website https://oboyle.dcknights.org/).
Here are the upcoming events! We look forward to having you join us! Let's us know if you can come at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
*First Friday - Friday, 4 January at St Joseph's from 6:30pm to 9pm - Confession, Adoration, Mass and Fellowship with food.
*Council Monthly Meeting with Food and Drink Social Afterwards - Wednesday, 9 January at St Dominic's at 7pm. Food and drink will be provided
*Family Holy Hour – Friday, 11 January at St Peter’s starting at 5:30pm. After the Holy Hour there will be a family-friendly reception with food and boardgames in the basement. St Peter’s requests a donation of $5 a person/$10 a family.
*Bowling Fundraiser – Saturday, 12 January at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling at 6pm. We’re bowling with our fellow Knights to raise money for the council. $20 buys you in (shoes, bowling, pizza, and non-alcoholic drink). Funds go to the council to do charity. Must let us know by Jan 4 if you are coming so we can get you on base!
*March for Life Support – Friday, 18 January at St Peter and St Dominic’s starting at 5am. We need support for setting up at St Peter's starting at 5am, St Joseph's at noon, and running hospitality and cleanup until 6pm. It's a big day! Greatest need for volunteers is from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. St Peter’s also need a few folks to help with the set-up on Thursday, January 17th beginning at 4:30 p.m. It usually only takes an hour or so to set up the Hall -- a great way to help if you are not available to help on Friday.
*Wreaths Across America Cleanup - Sunday, 20 January at Arlington National Cemetery TBD. Help clean up wreaths on graves and then a social hour with food.
*Second Degree (Can do a video first degree beforehand as well) - Saturday, 26 January at St Dominic’s. Candidates are asked to arrive between 10 and 10:30 AM and the degree is scheduled to start by 11 AM. All are asked to enter at the door upstairs at the priory office entrance on the 1st floor between the church and priory.
*First Friday - Friday, 1 February at St Joseph's from 6:30pm to 9pm - Confession, Adoration, Mass and Fellowship with food.
*Polar Plunge – Saturday, 2 February at Yards Park starting at noon. Raise funds for Special Olympics. Sign up to join us dunking in or donate at https://give.specialolympicsdc.org/kofc
*Council Monthly Meeting with Food and Drink Social Afterwards - Wednesday, 13 February at St Dominic's at 7pm. Food will be provided.
Vivat Jesus!
Your Council Leadership Team
Grand Knight Jack Heretik
Deputy Grand Knight Patrick Roehm
Financial Secretary Patrick Abbott
While we haven't heard back from Senator Harris and Senator Hirono, we are still hoping to hear back from them concerning joining us for charity.
Background: In December 2018, two senators expressed concern about the Knights of Columbus holding allegedly extreme views. As O'Boyle Council 11302 is the council for Capitol Hill, we decided to write an open letter assuring everyone we are dedicated to doing God's work and building friendships.
Dear Senator Harris, Senator Hirono, and respective staffs
Greetings from your local, Capitol Hill-area Knights of Columbus Council, Patrick Cardinal O’Boyle Council 11302! We recently read about statements which expressed the fear that the Knights of Columbus held many extreme beliefs. It is our great pleasure to assure you that this fear is not grounded in any truth. The Knights of Columbus in general, and O’Boyle Council in particular are dedicated to the three fundamental principles of charity, unity, and fraternity.
In the past few months O’Boyle Council has worked with local parishes including St Peter’s (House-side Catholic church) and St Joseph’s (Senate-side Catholic church) to raise funds and give away over $4,000 worth of coats to neighborhood children, collect soda and beer can tabs to donate to the Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute which helps the developmentally disabled, and collect diapers and other supplies for new mothers in need. Over the course of the past year we donated an ultrasound machine to a clinic, picked up trash around Nationals Park, and donated supplies to a local school. We do all this as well as social gatherings and spiritual events. We hope this list of activities help to assure you that we are simply a group aiming to do God’s work while building friendships.
We wish to formally invite you all to join us for any social or charitable event. In fact, this February we are doing the Polar Plunge to raise funds for DC Special Olympics. You and anyone you know are more than welcome to join us either jumping in the cold water or sponsoring our team. Our team’s page can be viewed at https://give.specialolympicsdc.org/kofc. Additionally, if any Catholic men on your staff are interested in joining O’Boyle Council for charitable and social events they can find more information on our website at https://oboyle.dcknights.org/ and Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KofC11302/. If you have any further questions or concerns please reach out to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Thank you for this opportunity to write to you. We pray that you have a wonderful Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
-Cardinal Patrick O’Boyle Council 11302 of the Knights of Columbus
Capitol Hill, Southwest Waterfront, and Navy Yard of Washington, DC
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Current Prayer Requests:
Brother R's career
Ms. Betsy Poon (RIP)
Brother Kevin Nolan and for his wife (RIP)
"Today, the Knights of Columbus is providentially positioned to play a key role in the new alliance between the Church and the family called for by Pope Francis … What is necessary now is our greater involvement in the renewal of parish and family life."
-Supreme Knight Carl Anderson