HICKORY, N.C. (May 16, 2025) — More than 400 Knights of Columbus members, families, and guests converged on Hickory May 16–17 for the Order’s 105th North Carolina State Convention, where attendees were welcomed with charity, unity and fraternity.
The weekend’s spiritual high point came Saturday evening, when the Most Rev. Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv., Bishop of Charlotte, presided at a vigil Mass honoring the 50th anniversary of State Chaplain Father William Lesak’s priestly ordination. Later, at the banquet, Bishop Martin urged the Knights to live as “missionary disciples of Jesus Christ.” Deputy Supreme Knight Arthur Peters of Toronto, the Supreme Council’s representative, challenged delegates to imagine a world without Knights—and to work even harder so that day never comes.
Two evenings of ceremonies spotlighted exemplary service. Deacons Charles “Bill” Schreiber of Hickory and Eric Rosario of Southern Pines were named Deacons of the Year, while Father James Stuhrenberg of Clemmons and Father J. Victor Gournas of Jacksonville received Priest of the Year honors. The Spire family of Burlington was recognized as Family of the Year; John Von Achen of Durham earned Knight of the Year; Thomas DuPree of Raleigh received the Golden Knight lifetime-service award; and Jacksonville’s Jesus Martinez was honored as Rookie of the Year for his bilingual outreach and Hispanic engagement.
- Program excellence also shone. Council 3498 of Burlington, led by Grand Knight Rob Stollar, topped the Faith category with a 46-day neighborhood rosary.
- Council 15085 of Waynesville, guided by Grand Knight Mark DeMarco, took the Family award by turning a donated truckload of trout into hurricane-relief fish frys that fed hundreds.
- The Community honor was shared by Council 5487 of Goldsboro, where Grand Knight Richard Horton’s “Operation Game Fly” delivered board games to children displaced by Hurricane Helene, and by Councils 3574 of Jacksonville and 13220 of Camp Lejeune, whose Grand Knights Richard Dodson and Brendan Greene marshaled a region-wide blitz to build and deliver bunk beds to kids who had been sleeping on the floor.
- Council 11234 of Wake Forest, headed by Grand Knight Joseph Sesek, claimed the Life award for its year-round baby- and food-drive partnership with Catholic Parish Outreach.
- Charlotte’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Council 17501, led by Grand Knight Hector Guerra, received North Carolina’s inaugural Gaudium et Spes Award for bringing “joy and hope” to post-disaster recovery and everyday charity.
During business sessions, delegates unanimously re-elected Sergio Miranda of Charlotte to a second term as state deputy and confirmed the full slate of officers: Richard W. Lewis Jr. of Apex as State Secretary, Joseph M. McCarthy of Lillington as State Treasurer, Timothy G. Kelley of Asheville as State Advocate, and Christopher A. Kremer of Chapel Hill as State Warden.
Founded in 1882 by Blessed Michael McGivney, the Knights of Columbus now number more than 2.1 million members in 17,000 councils worldwide. Last year alone, the Order donated an estimated 47 million volunteer hours and $190 million to charity—faith in action unmistakably on display in Hickory and throughout North Carolina.
