Sask K of C Charitable Foundation

May Newsletter Series – Sask K of C Charitable Foundation

Fourth Week of May – Sask KofC Charitable Foundation Supporting Youth Services

So, by now, if you have been following the website or the weekly newsletter during May, you will have seen or learned how the Sask KofC Charitable Foundation, in partnership with Knights of Columbus Councils throughout the province, supports the youth of this province. As stated in the grant application forms, the Foundation regards charity as a means of showing Christian love and goodwill to others. It includes public benevolence that ranges from providing the basic needs of life to supporting those things that make life better.

What is not recognized in these articles is the tremendous help, support and encouragement we receive from the Councils and from you, the Knights of this province. Our directors are Knights who come from all areas of the province, and we know that many of you donate to and interact with us on many of the projects we fund. So, our thanks go out to all of you who support us.

As we get towards the end of May, this week we would like to feature a couple of other Youth Groups and events that we have funded over the past year, namely Creative Kids Saskatchewan and a high school leadership program called BLAZE.

Creative Kids Saskatchewan is one organization that aims to make life better for many kids in our province. Since 2010, Creative Kids has supported 18,351 kids of Saskatchewan families who face financial barriers that prevent them from taking part in arts and cultural activities. Creative Kids supports kids to take music lessons, dance lessons, art lessons, drama and theatre lessons, and undertake classes in creative industries for fashion design, photography, video production and jewelry making. Creative Kids supports

• creative activities that are fundamental to the positive growth and development of children and youth,
• cultural programming, which is critical to a healthy, vibrant community; and
• supports all children and youth in participating in creative activities regardless of the economic barriers they may face.

Like Creative Kids Saskatchewan, the Sask KofC Charitable Foundation believes that, besides the basic needs to be warm, fed and clothed, we also believe it’s also important to nurture and support cultural events that make life better. To see how our funding is improving the lives of kids in the province, their website has many uplifting success stories (see https://creativekidssask.ca/our-impact/success-stories/#)

So, have you heard of BLAZE before? In Saskatoon, Blaze stands for Byzantine Leadership And Zealous Evangelization. It is a faith-formation program for youth that is held by Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) to equip 80 high schoolers, and now this year, 20 Grade 8 students, with leadership skills rooted in the Eastern Catholic tradition. BLAZE, which has been supported previously by Ss. Peter and Paul Council 11775, and St. Josaphat Kunsevich Council 13129 seeks to ignite a passion for faith and service in the hearts of young people, forming young leaders who will serve their communities, schools, parishes, as well as at camps and places of need. Students are engaged in leadership formation through dynamic activities rooted in the educational spirit of St. John Bosco. This year’s event centred on the theme of Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic exhortation, I Have Loved You (Rev 3:9).

The retreat events were held this year, March 14 -15, between St. Joseph High School and St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, and offered a unique blend of spiritual, cultural, and leadership activities, including:

• Talks led by Catholic clergy, consecrated persons, and young adults
• Participation in the Divine Liturgy
• Prayer and testimonies
• Team-building, trust-building, decision-making, problem-solving, and leadership games
• Icon writing workshop
• Jesus Prayer and Chotky (Eastern Prayer ropes) making and
• Community Service and Sports

In one of the workshops this year, the students were tasked with writing an icon depicting St. John Bosco, the patron saint of young people and educators. In total, 60 icons of St. John Bosco were created by the students. Each icon bearing St. John Bosco’s message: “It is not enough to love young people; they must know that they are loved” will be given as gifts to GSCS schools to bring the presence of St. John Bosco into school communities, thereby inspiring educators to follow his example of forming young people through reason, religion, and loving kindness.

It is through these types of faith-formation programs, funded by grants from the Sask KofC Charitable Foundation, that the Knights of Columbus in this province are supporting and nurturing future generations. We are committed to supporting those opportunities created for the youth in our province to grow in their faith and to begin the process of becoming leaders within our faith.