Knights of Columbus Oakville - Marian Council 3881

COUNCIL HISTORY

Our Council, No. 3881, received its charter from Supreme in New Haven CT on 27 June 1954. Shortly after, on Monday July 5, our Charter Meeting convened with the then District Deputy John Pautler of Galt ON presiding. At this meeting J. Maurice Talbot was elected Charter Grand Knight and the Knights adopted Marian Council as its title. J. Maurice Talbot was the first of thirty-five extremely capable and dedicated Catholic gentlemen each of whom have since served their church and their community as leader of Marian Council. Our title, Marian Council, was adopted because the Charter Meeting was held in St. Mary's School which was then on the grounds of St. Andrew's Parish and also because 1954 had been proclaimed a Marian Year by Pope Pius XII. Rev. Father James A. Kirby, who at the time was Pastor of St. Andrew's Parish in Oakville was Marian Council's Charter Chaplain.

It was in this very first year that our monthly newsletter, Marian Call, was first written, printed and distributed to Council members. This name was chosen from among members' submissions. Marian Call has been published monthly without interruption since the Council's beginnings.

In 1957, Marian Council's meeting place moved to the new Catholic Centre at St. James Parish in West Oakville. As the Council continued to grow in numbers and activities, the need for an independent self-contained facility was increasingly becoming apparent. In 1961, Council purchased land on Wallace Street in the extreme west end of Oakville. On September 21, 1965, when the land debt had been retired, Council approved erecting a building on the site. In early 1967, State Deputy Vic Copps of Hamilton cut the ceremonial ribbon across the entrance of Marian Hall. He then joined Bishop J.F. Ryan in dedication ceremonies. Many local dignitaries graced that occasion by their presence. Council 3881 will always be grateful to the group of 40 Knights, each of who purchased $400 redeemable share certificates that helped immeasurably to finance the venture.
In May and June 1998 our Marian Council 3881, Oakville undertook the repair and restoration of the 40 year old Austrian made pipe organ in Jerusalem, in the Basilica at Ecce Homo (Latin for “Behold the Man”) on the Via Dolorosa, the very site where Christ was tried and condemned to death by Pontius Pilate who uttered those words "Behold the Man" as the bleeding, bruised and scourged Christ was presented to the crowd. A CBC-TV National Network News documentary on this project was aired 1998 August 18.

On June 27, 2004, GK Don Collins presented a check for $30,000 to Mayor Anne Mulvale at the dedication of the children playground in Glenashton Park to mark the 50th Anniversary of Marian Council 3881.

On October 12, 2004, at the General Council Meeting, District Deputy Peter Wouters presents greetings from Supreme Knight Carl Anderson and the Star Council Award for the Fraternal year 2003/2004 to Marian Council GK Denis Ross.

MORE TO COME...