Knights of Columbus Award Grant to Abbey
The State Council of the Knights of Columbus and the Knights of Columbus Foundation of Oklahoma have made grants totaling $120,000.00 to St. Gregory’s Abbey during celebration of Mass in the Abbey Church on September 12. The grants are in support of recent initiatives of the Benedictine community in Shawnee. One-hundred-thousand dollars will be used toward facility improvements to provide secure transitional housing for young people aging-out of foster care and twenty thousand will support the establishment of a House of Discernment at the Abbey.
Philip Stramski, State Deputy of the Knights of Columbus, explained why the projects were a good fit for the Knights of Columbus. “The Knights of Columbus of Oklahoma saw a great opportunity to partner with St. Gregory’s Abbey in Shawnee as they open their hearts and home and exercise true discipleship in their efforts and commitment to community outreach. Taking an active role in service through the collective sharing initiative to provide a home and restore hope and dignity to the young people who age out of the foster care system is an act of true sanctity and dignity of life at its best.” He added, “Providing support for the Discernment Home for seminarians was also an easy project for the Knights to support.”
Rt. Rev. Lawrence Stasyszen, O.S.B., Abbot of St. Gregory’s, received the contribution on behalf of the Abbey. “I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by this very generous contribution,” he said during the presentation. “The Knights of Columbus of Oklahoma have been faithful partners with the Abbey for well over 100 years, supporting scholarship programs and other projects of the Abbey. This is a continuation of their support and is a source of great encouragement to our monastic community.”
The Abbey has invested its own funds and physical labor, along with contributions from other donors, to install new fire detection and suppression systems and other improvements in residence halls constructed in the late 1960s. Completion of these improvements has enabled the deployment of the facilities for new residential programs, including a collaborative program with the Caring Collective, a local not-for-profit that provides various support services to young people aging out of foster care. The monks also have renovated a former convent near the monastery to create a House of Discernment for young men who are seeking the will of God in their lives. Abbot Lawrence observed that both projects align well with the efforts of the Knights of Columbus to promote pro-life initiatives and vocations within the Church. State Deputy Stramski agreed, saying, “We are called to allow God's light to illuminate through each of us so all may see the good deeds we do, all for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are called to defend and protect the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.” Regarding vocational discernment he added, “As Knights, we are in solidarity with all our bishops and priests and feel a true sense of obligation and responsibility to assist all our seminarians all the way from their discernment to their ordination into the priesthood through our RSVP Seminarian Program.”
Founded in 1882 by Blessed Fr. Michael McGivney, the Knights of Columbus is the largest Catholic men’s organization in the world, enrolling over 2.2 million members. There are over ninety local councils in Oklahoma. State Deputy Stramski explains the mission of the Knights of Columbus, “As members of The Knights of Columbus, we are called to be Heralds of Hope. We are called to seek a greater relationship with our Lord and to come together in prayer and faith formation through our principles of Unity and Fraternity.”
For more information about our housing initiative or the House of Discernment contact Theresa Bragg, Director of Advancement and Communications at 405.878.5296 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..