Remembrance, family and charity came together at the Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus Charitable Foundation’s Memorial Mass and Charity Gala
On Friday, September 18, families, Knights, friends and supporters of the Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus Charitable Foundation came together in Saskatoon for an evening rooted in remembrance, faith, family, fellowship and charity.
The evening began with the Foundation’s Memorial Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Family.
The Memorial Mass holds a particularly meaningful place in the work of the Foundation because remembrance can take many forms.
For some families, it is an expression of sympathy following the recent loss of a loved one, with a Certificate of Remembrance presented to the family in their honour.
For others, it is an opportunity to remember someone who has passed away when a birthday, wedding anniversary, anniversary of passing or another significant occasion brings that person especially to mind.
Whether the loss is recent or many years have passed, the purpose is the same: to remember a life, to surround those who remember them with prayer, and to offer the hope and consolation of our Catholic faith.
Following the Memorial Mass, attention turned to the Charity Gala and an evening that would demonstrate in several different ways what happens when faith is put into action.
A Very Special Guest
This year’s guest speaker was Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris, whose participation undoubtedly helped generate excitement and contributed to a sold-out evening.
But filling the room would turn out to be only a small part of what Trevor and his family brought to the occasion.
His involvement had actually begun two days earlier.
On September 17, Trevor spent the afternoon visiting children in hospital through work he supports with the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation, an effort the Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus Charitable Foundation was proud to be part of.
Then, on the morning of September 18, Trevor and his two oldest children, TJ and Trace, visited two Saskatoon Catholic schools.
- 09:30AM Father Vachon School (3722 Centennial Drive)
- 11:00AM St. Volodymyr School (302 Kellough Road)
For students who might not normally have an opportunity to meet a CFL quarterback, the visit was something special. Trevor, TJ and Trace spent time encouraging the students and helping them discover and develop a love for the game of football.
It was also an opportunity for the students to see something beyond professional football.
Trevor did not arrive simply as the quarterback of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He arrived as a dad, with two of his children beside him.
Turning a Photograph Into an Opportunity
Following the Memorial Mass, Trevor arrived early at the Gala to meet guests and pose for photographs.
Complimentary photographs were taken with each table, while individuals, couples and small groups could have a photograph taken with Trevor for a $20 donation.
Those photographs became more than souvenirs.
The donations helped support opportunities for young people to attend Christian summer camps and Christian ministry programs.
Trevor continued meeting guests and posing for photographs even after his wife, Kalie, and their children TJ, Trace, Trip and Liviane had arrived for dinner. Only when the photo session was completed did he join his family at their table.
It was another small example of generosity in action.
Building for the Future
The Gala also provided the Foundation with an opportunity to introduce three new endowments, two dedicated to supporting youth and one dedicated to helping provide food for families.
These endowments will help extend the impact of the evening far beyond the Gala itself.
And then came a message that seemed to tie everything together.
When Trevor addressed the room, he spoke openly about his faith journey and the priorities that guide his life.
Despite everything those in attendance know him for on the football field, Trevor described himself much differently:
“a follower of Jesus who happens to play football.”
By that point, those words needed very little explanation.
We had seen them lived out in time spent with children in hospital, in the visits Trevor, TJ and Trace made to two Saskatoon Catholic schools, and in the hours Trevor spent meeting Gala guests and helping turn photographs into opportunities for other young people.
Faith had become more than the subject of a speech. It had become something we could see in action.
And That Is Where All of You Come In
There was another example of faith put into action that evening.
It was evident in every sponsor who chose to support the event, every table purchaser who brought people together, every individual who purchased a ticket, every Memorial Mass donation, and the service of Council 8215, our volunteers and the many people who worked quietly behind the scenes.
Your support reaches beyond one evening.
It helps the Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus Charitable Foundation continue supporting people, organizations and worthwhile initiatives throughout our province.
September 18 was certainly a successful evening. But perhaps its greatest success cannot be measured by how many seats were filled.
It is measured by the people remembered in prayer, the families supported in remembrance, the children encouraged, the young people who will receive new opportunities, the families who will find assistance, and the charitable work that will continue because so many people chose to help.
To everyone who helped make the Memorial Mass and Charity Gala possible: thank you.
You helped demonstrate what can happen when faith, generosity and service come together.