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State
Deputy Laborde called a meeting of state officers at his home in
Marksville, La., on January 13, 1935. All attended except Father
Schexnayder, who was ill. Plaquemine was selected as the place for the
next meeting of the State Council. There had been considerable pressure at
New Iberia for the selection of Monroe as well as Plaquemine, and St.
Martinville also extended an invitation. Conditions had improved a bit,
and the officers voted to offer $250 to the host Council, to help defray
expenses. It was also decided to revert to the regular procedure of having
two delegates from each Council, and to pay the $5 per diem and six cents
per mile for the delegates.
The
May 19 and 20 state convention in 1935 was the 30th state assembly, and
the second time that Plaquemine Council
No. 970 acted as host for the
state gathering. Visiting
and local Knights headed
by the Plaquemine High School Band and Mayor W. N. Emde, member of
Plaquemine Council, headed the procession from the Council home to St.
John the Evangelist Church on Sunday forenoon, for a High Mass offered by
Rt.. Rev. Msgr. Leonard Robin, Council chaplain and pastor. The State
Chaplain, Father Schexnayder, preached the sermon. Back at the Council
home, Mayor J. M. Carville, member of the local Council, and District
Deputy Sam A. LeBlanc extended welcome.
The afternoon session was conducted under direction
of State Deputy Laborde in the courtroom of Iberville Parish Courthouse.
The chairmanship of the resolutions committee was given to Past State
Deputy Callahan, while Past State Deputy Rivet headed the good of the
order committee. Mr. Laborde announced that Father Schexnayder, despite
illness, had agreed to continue as State Chaplain. He pointed out also
that he had shifted some Councils to different districts, but had retained
the nine districts, although he thought it would be advantageous to
increase the number to 12. Ten exemplifications of the third degree, he
reported, had been conducted in the state during the previous year. He
deplored the fact that less than one‑third of the Councils were
equipped and prepared to exemplify the first degree. His visits to
Councils had numbered 30, and he expressed the view that the State Deputy
should visit all Councils at least every two years.
Mr. Laborde stressed two Council activities for more
general observance the conferring of the honorary degree on members 25
years in the order, and the Memorial Services. For the latter, he
recommended a General Communion. He reported also on five regional
meetings, held between September and November, 1934. - Reserve,
Donaldsonville, St. Martinville, Crowley and Alexandria. The Supreme
Knight, he stated, intended to continue the regional meetings. He also
emphasized proper procedure in conferring of degrees, and asked for
greater effort in the mobilization for Catholic Action.
The State Chaplain reported continuation of his
monthly letters, a Holy Hour on the Epiphany for persecuted fellow
Catholics of Mexico, and sermons and addresses at various gatherings. He
urged care in the selection of new members, adoption of quarterly
Communion by all Councils, promotion of state aid for Catholic schools,
condemned sponsoring of dances by Councils in Lent and Advent, urged
Knights to aid and support their Bishops and pastors at all times, and
urged adoption of the education of seminarians as an activity for the
order in the state. Action was taken on a fitting resolution of
felicitations to Very Rev. Thomas Larkin, S.M., Chaplain of Santa Maria
Council, one of the founders of that group, and the second State Chaplain in Louisiana. |
