Shiner Knights of Columbus celebrate 75 years

  • District Deputy Reggie Guettner, right, past Grand Knight of Shiner’s Council 3081 in Shiner and current council trustee presents current Grand Knight Mark Yackel a proclamation from the National Council recognizing the local council’s many achievements in its first 75 years.
    District Deputy Reggie Guettner, right, past Grand Knight of Shiner’s Council 3081 in Shiner and current council trustee presents current Grand Knight Mark Yackel a proclamation from the National Council recognizing the local council’s many achievements in its first 75 years.
  • Shiner Knights of Columbus officers
    Shiner Knights of Columbus officers
  • Those Knights in attendance at the June 15th meeting for the Installation of Officers, a brief historical presentation, and the presentation of the national proclamation.
    Those Knights in attendance at the June 15th meeting for the Installation of Officers, a brief historical presentation, and the presentation of the national proclamation.

    Funny how the simplest of notions can sometimes be the start of something truly special.
    Such was the case when the Rev. Michael McGivney invited that first group of men together up to St. Mary’s parish rectory in New Haven, Connecticut in January 1882. They eventually became what we know today as the Knights of Columbus, a worldwide Catholic fraternal organization.
    Right then, though, he had just one point he wanted to get across to his parishioners. The 29-year-old priest told them that he knew what it was like to lose a father at a young age. He knew how hard a mother struggled as she faced the prospect of feeding, clothing, and raising their children, all by herself. And he knew how difficult it could be for kids who had to grow up like that.
    He knew because that’s how he grew up. That was his life.
    So, he wanted this new group—whatever it should call itself—to ensure that fewer kids were forced to grow up knowing such things. Thus, he gave them their first charge: Take care of your own, and if one of you should fall, help support and care for those your brother cherished the most.
    It is the first, and many would argue, the only charge Father McGivney gave this new group. Because all the rest—the parts about forming an insurance program, fellowship with fellow members, aiding in the cause of religion and the performance of charitable, educational and patriotic works for the good of your fellow man and your nation—either expound upon that one true charge, or they help you to better attain it. Pretty simple, huh?
    The same thing can be said for how that organization got in its start here in Shiner. It happened a few years later, of course. It took time for word to get out and make it this far south. New Haven is about 1,934 miles away, after all.
    Much like when something new arrives, especially in a rural place like Lavaca County, it will typically arrive at the largest and most established spot first. Here in the county, that just so happened to be Yoakum. Their Council No. 1582 was chartered on July 9, 1911. And for years, the men in Shiner who rose to be Knights were in for a 10-mile ride down State Highway 95, whenever meeting time rolled around.
    After several years had passed—about Sept. 28, 1947, to be specific—Dr. Frank Wagner, a physician and one of Shiner’s leaders, both in the community and in his parish, finally got around to asking the obvious: “Why run to Yoakum every month?” he asked. “Why not have our own council?”
    Not near as profound as Father McGivney’s version, perhaps, but you’ve got to admit, it doesn’t get much simpler than that, either.
    And on Thursday, June 15, during a special meeting held for the installation of the Shiner KC’s 2023 Officers, District Deputy and former Shiner Grand Knight, Reggie Guettner, read and presented current Grand Knight Mark Yackel with a proclamation from the national council in New Haven recognizing Shiner’s 75th year as a KC Council.

    Coming Across America
    So, from a roomful of fellows in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1882, going south some 1,934 miles to find itself all the way down here in Lavaca County by 1911.
    That’s slightly more that 29 years in that span, which you combine that with distance information, meaning that word about the KCs would grow by just shy of 70 miles per year to get here.
    Which isn’t all that surprising, actually. It is one of “secret societies,” after all. There’s whole sections about it that you’re not supposed to discuss with anyone but like ranking members.
    I later learned why that was: Because all the rites, initiations and ceremonies tied to degree attainment within the Knights, I found out, were written, word by word, by Father MGivney himself. Which is why we’re supposed to keep quiet about it.
    It’s not like he’d pop out a quick edit, since ol’ Joe there went and blabbed all about it. I mean, Father McGivney has been gone from us for more than 130 years now. He was laid to rest Aug. 14, 1890, having passed away after catching pneumonia. He was just 38.
    Which means he was not yet 30 when he first introduced it to his parishioners, and even more amazing, means he would have been working out scenarios, predictive behaviors, eliciting responses and driving points home with raw and powerful emotion—all of which he likely dreamed up in his early 20s—and even today still, 145 years later, they can get an entire roomful of men worked up.
    I find that utterly amazing. That a 22-year-old had the maturity or even the mental faculties about him to even comprehend it all, much less add to that an entire program that relied entirely on predictive behaviors and elicited responses with such accuracy. That is still bears relevancy today-145 years later- is also quite impressive.
    Yet I can’t help but feel as though he might’ve felt just a bit disappointed in his last moments. I mean, he never got to see the thing to fruition.
    His Knights had only been around for eight years. Based on that distance progression earlier, that would’ve put his Knights about 560 miles from him. From here, that won’t even get you out of Texas in at least a couple directions.

    Shiner’s Knights
    Having researched the subject even more, however, I can’t help but marvel at just how many times you see God’s hand in the mix, too. Because aside from everything already mentioned, there’s this, too: You’ll never believe how the Knights got from New Haven to Connecticut.
    Would you believe, by way of El Paso? It’s true: The very first KC council in the State of Texas was No. 638 in El Paso in 1902. That means it got even farther away (2,353 miles) in just 20 years.
    What’s more, that El Paso council did something quite remarkable: One of its members rented an entire Pullman car, and over the next eight days, he and about 25 of his best buddies spread the word about the KCs all over the Texas, hitting all the major cities found here before returning home. Six Texas councils formed while they were on that trip.
    They called it the Tisonia trip, and that one train ride is pointed to as the main influence to bringing the Knights to the Lone Star State.

    Local Councils Timeline
    July 9, 1911 – Yoakum Council No. 1582
    Dec. 17, 1922 – Hallettsville Father Mathis Council No. 2433 chartered, H.J. Strauss first Grand Knight.
    Sept. 28, 1947 – Shiner Monsignor Netardus Council No. 3081 chartered, Dr. Frank M. Wagner first GK.
    Aug. 7, 1949 – Moulton Father Joseph Kopp Council No. 3244 instituted Willie Novasad first GK.
    Mar. 5, 1961 – Gonzales Father James Council #5090 was instituted, Victor Sala, First G.K

    The Good Doctor
    Not only did Dr. Frank ask a couple key questions at the right time, but he also proved instrumental in getting Shiner’s Council 3081 organized and would become the local council’s first grand knight.
    Other Charter officers from 1947 were Father John Hanacek, Chaplain; Dr. Frank, Grand Knight; Victor Salla, Deputy Grand Knight; W.M. Novasad, Chancellor; O.A. Kosler, Recorder; August Maneth, Financial Secretary; Alvin Boehm, Treasurer; Father Matocha, Lecturer; F.W. Hons, Advocate; Joe Svatek, Warden; John Werner, Inside Guard; Edwin Boehm, Outside Guard; Dr. MM Wagner, Joe Muras and Henry Majeski, Trustees.

    From our council’s
     early records:
    “The institution took place in Shiner with procession and mass at SS Cyril and Methodius Church followed by breakfast at Blucher Park. The program was under the command of State Deputy Scoggins of Houston. In addition to the Shiner men who transferred from the Yoakum council, 43 candidates were initiated. These included six sons of brother LM Roeder. Special guests included DD Charles Merian of Yoakum and Ins. Chairman FJ Kinane of Austin.
    “The dedication of Dr. Wagner, Knight of St. Gregory and Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus was reflected on the day of his burial. An estimated 1,200 persons, including some 50 priests, 9 Knights of St. Gregory and more than 100 Fourth Degree KCs were on hand to pay respects to the philanthropic and beloved physician and Father of Shiner KC Council No. 3081.”

    Monsignor Netardus
    Monsignor Louis P. Netardus, was the first Czech monsignor in the Diocese of San Antonio. Born June 22, 1866, in Frenstat, Moravia, Czechoslovakia, which means he would have celebrated his 157th birthday, just last weekend.
    He was ordained to the priesthood on Feb. 22, 1894, and said his first mass at Smothers Creek, Texas (we’re not 100% certain, but we believe this would St. Mary’s today).
    He served as a teacher in the seminary and was the founding editor of the Czech Catholic weekly newspaper, the Nasinec out of Taylor.
    In addition to being a gifted teacher and journalist, he was a recognized pulpit and public orator. He was also an accomplished artist and musician.
    Not only was he a master of the Czech language, but he also spoke German and English as well. He came to Shiner as pastor Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church in 1923. His investiture to the rank of monsignor took place in Shiner on Thanksgiving Day 1935, and with the people of Shiner he celebrated his golden jubilee in 1944.
    He gave himself so completely and unselfishly to humanity that he virtually collapsed upon retirement. He died on June 13, 1946. Several thousand people attended his funeral. Casket attendants were Fourth Degree Knights of Shiner.
    Council No. 3081 is indeed proud to bear the name of such a saintly priest.
    An interesting sidenote found while researching this project about another priest: Father Kram of Yoakum, patron of the local hospital there who was left crippled by polio as a young priest.
    Before he passed away a few years ago now, he gave many faithful years of service to Yoakum and Lavaca County, writing several sermons that are in still regular circulation, appearing regularly in the Catholic Lighthouse put out by the Diocese of Victoria. Incidentally, one of the very first donations made out of parish by the Shiner KCs was to buy Father Kram the typewriter he used to type those sermons.