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Knights of Columbus 2409 is 100 years strong
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By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald
The St. Charles Knights of Columbus Council 2409 celebrated its 100th anniversary June 25 with a Mass at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Hahnville and an awards presentation and dinner for 120 attendees at the VFW Post 3750 in Luling.
Past Grand Knight Kevin Robicheaux was master of ceremonies. State Knight secretary Vince Whittington, Supreme Council representative Jose Jimenez and state chaplain Father Jamin David spoke at the dinner. Father Paul Clark, pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and Council 2409 chaplain, gave the invocation. Several members were recognized for 40 or more years of service.
Past revisited
A history written by Hurschel J. Burleigh, archivist and past Grand Knight, said the council was first organized as St. Charles Council 2409 on June 25, 1922, in Destrehan at St. Charles Borromeo’s “Little Red Church” with 38 charter members from St. Charles Parish’s east and west banks. As membership increased, west bank meetings moved to Luling Elementary School, and, by 1930, that location became the council home.
In 1967, the school building was sold, and two lots were purchased on Lagarde Drive in Luling. Members were assessed $50 per person to build a 50-by-96-foot building that was dedicated with a Mass and social on Sept. 28, 1968. The Ladies’ Auxiliary organized that year with Bernardine Matherne as charter president.
In 1974, the building expanded to accommodate bingo, social events, dances and rentals. By 2001, it was sold to St. Charles Parish Hospital, with proceeds going to charities and council activities.
The council currently has 200 members serving five church parishes – St. Anthony of Padua (Luling); Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (Hahnville); St. Mark (Ama); St. John the Baptist (Paradis); and St. Gertrude (Des Allemands). The council rotates its quarterly Masses among these parishes “to show unity and share good works.”
Dating back to 1930, Council 2409 has won various awards, including “Top Council in the State,” receiving a bust of Christopher Columbus, which the council still has. The council commissioned a painting of Christopher Columbus in 1992, and it was sewn into a new banner in 1993.
More recently, the council’s Grand Knight Garry Boudreaux accepted the state Star Council Award for 2021 from District Deputy George Becnel. The council received it again in 2022.
Current works
Among the council’s activities were hosting sporting events, dedicating a monument of national, state and papal flags at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Hahnville and installing monuments to the unborn at its affiliated parishes, leading rosaries, supporting altar servers and seminarians and donating money for holiday turkeys.
Council 2409 members assist at Special Olympics games and raise donations for the game. The council also assists ARC of St. Charles through the Campaign for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (CPID), cooks and serves lunch at Camp Friendship for persons with spina bifida and helps the Buddy Walk to support those with Down syndrome.
The council has a monument on the flagpole base honoring deceased members at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and celebrates an annual Mass.
Over the past two years, donations helped the five affiliated Catholic parishes during the pandemic and after Hurricane Ida. Members also assisted with food and supply distributions at these parishes after Ida with other councils and organizations from Louisiana and Mississippi.
“Council 2409 will continue to work hard to serve our churches, families, community and youth through our programs and contributions,” said Council 2409 financial secretary Charles Oubre. “We will spread the principles of the Knights of Columbus of ‘charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism.”
Council 2409 is open to all Catholic men, 18 or older. It meets monthly on the third Wednesday at St. Anthony of Padua Parish, CA Building, 234 Angus Drive, Luling, beginning with a meal at 6 p.m., followed by a 6:30 p.m. rosary and 7 p.m. meeting. For details, contact membership director Chad Dufrene at (504) 615-3315 or [email protected] or visit the Supreme Council website kofc.org, click on “Get Involved,” and “Join” to complete an application for Council 2409.
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