“The Archbishop, once again, thanked
the Knights in Michigan for what we’ve
done in the past and, as we sat and talked,
he came up with the endowed scholarship
fund,” says Mr. Unterbrink, who was im-
mediately honored by Archbishop Vigner-
on’s respect for the Knights of Columbus
and what the fraternal organization is able
to do because of its generous membership.
The state board agreed to raise a mini-
mum of one million dollars to fund the
newly established Michigan Knights of Co-
lumbus Endowed Scholarship Fund, and
is committed to completing this endeavor
by 2026. Once fully funded, the endow-
ment will be used to assist seminarians
at Sacred Heart in need of financial sup-
port, with preference given to those men
who are also members of the Knights of
Columbus. Scholarships will be distributed
from the interest earned annually — likely
a maximum of four percent — so
the principal gift remains intact,
ensuring the endowed fund will
help seminarians for many years
to come.
To fund the endowment,
Michigan’s more than 65,000
Knights are being asked to do-
nate six dollars when they pay
their annual dues each Decem-
ber. Participation is voluntary
for this initiative, which began in
2017. The Knights are currently
requesting the more than four
hundred councils in the state to
publicize the Michigan Knights
of Columbus Endowed Scholar-
ship Fund to encourage support from the
round of dues notices being mailed in De-
cember 2018.
Donations for the endowment are being
deposited with the Michigan Knights of
Columbus Charities, Inc. and are therefore
tax-deductible. Mr. Unterbrink hopes this
tax status will encourage additional gifts to
the fund, especially when Knights are con-
sidering charitable gifts at the year end.
“We’ve already seen this happen,” he
says. After discussing the endowed scholar-
ship at the summer leadership meeting, a
member spontaneously offered to match
gifts up to $10,000 donated to the fund
that day. In only four hours, membership
came up with more than $11,000 for Sa-
cred Heart, and the member proceeded to
match the higher amount.
“Those of faith are very supportive of
Sacred Heart Major Seminary,” Mr. Unter-
brink says the story proves.
For its entire existence, the Knights of
Columbus has recognized the importance
of the men who serve as the Church’s shep-
herds and has “stepped up aggressively” to
support them, according to Deacon Wayne
Slomiany, evangelization and vocations
director for the Michigan Knights. The or-
ganization was founded by a parish priest
and has worked to encourage young men
to consider answering the Lord’s call to the
priesthood.
The Knights have long sustained Sacred
Heart and other seminaries nationwide
through the Refund Support Vocations
Program, commonly known as RSVP.
Councils “adopt” seminarians by provid-
ing funds for their education—a portion
to listen to and know what God is calling us
to be as Christians.”
Deacon Slomiany hopes that his fellow
Michigan Knights will be able to take the
momentum they created from funding the
Fr. Michael J. McGivney Chair of Life Eth-
ics into this new initiative to assist seminar-
ians financially.
Sacred Heart’s Rector, Msgr. Todd Laji-
ness, was involved with the development of
the Knights’ endowed scholarship fund. “I
am incredibly grateful for this gift,” he says.
“For so long, they’ve been supporters of
the seminary but also vocations in general.
To work with them on identifying this en-
dowed scholarship was exciting, and I was
certainly filled with a lot of gratitude.”
An endowment like the Michigan
Knights of Columbus Endowed Scholar-
ship Fund provides stability, Monsignor
Lajiness notes. “That’s a good thing. When
it’s directed toward seminarians,
it takes perhaps, one of the ques-
tions or one of the anxieties off
of a seminarian’s plate—the fi-
nancial piece. For a seminary, on
our end, we’re able to have some
flexibility with seminarians who
are in need. It’s a tremendous
benefit in really freeing up the
seminarian so that he can dis-
cern his call really well.”
Monsignor Lajiness served as
the Detroit archdiocesan chap-
A Michigan Knight at the annual Knights of
lain of the Knights of Columbus
Columbus Memorial Mass at Sacred Heart.
(2004-10) and also the Michigan
state chaplain (2010-12). He says
that while not required, many
of which the Supreme Council refunds—as men studying at Sacred Heart join the
well as offering moral support and prayers.
Knights of Columbus because they see all
Michigan councils also are frequent of the good the organization does for the
sponsors of the “Desert Meal” program to seminary—and not just financially.
help fund the Desert Formation Experi-
“The Knights give tremendous support
ence for Sacred Heart seminarians.
to the seminary and the seminarians know
“We’ve recognized that these shepherds that,” he says. “Really, it’s a very prayerful
are so essential,” says Deacon Slomiany. support of all of our programs.”
“Not only for the Mass and the Eucharist,
Mr. Unterbrink prays that his brother
which are vital as Catholics, as Christians, Knights and their families will support the
as creatures created by God. It is vital in the endowed scholarship for years to come.
sense that if these shepherds aren’t there “The Church is our most important asset,”
for us, who will look out for us pastorally? he says. “If we, the Knights of Columbus,
So, we’ve recognized that the support of vo- do not continually support our seminar-
cations, and in particular the priesthood, is ians, our future priests, who will?
so essential for us in order to be able to be
what God created us to be. To be able to Darci Swisher is a freelance writer and editor
live our lives the way we were created and based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
shms.edu
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