One hundred years ago, in 1923, John L. Smolik joined the Knights of Columbus in Hallettsville. He was the grand knight — the leader of the Hallettsville group — when World War II broke out. During that time, the group worked to promote the sale of war bonds and organize war-era blood-donor drives.
“He most enjoyed the annual Knights of Columbus state convention in Galveston,” Smolik’s son, David Smolik, said Wednesday. “He enjoyed the programs and the camaraderie, and he got to take my mother along. They would stay at a nice hotel. It’s a two to three day stay. That’s a big deal for a little Bohemian from Hallettsville.”
The younger Smolik followed in his father’s footsteps, joining the group in 1983, after his father died, he said.
The Order of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization with a charitable mission, has been active in Hallettsville for 100 years. There, they are known by the designation Father Mathis Council No. 2433 Knights of Columbus.
The Hallettsville council celebrated its 100th anniversary Feb. 25 with a schedule of functions attended by state and national Knights of Columbus and Sacred Heart Catholic Daughters of the Americas dignitaries. Bishop Brendan Cahill, Diocese of Victoria, led the anniversary Mass that evening, followed by an awards ceremony, a social dinner and a dance open to the public.
“The organization is tied to so many local families,” Anniversary Chairman Kevin Chance said Wednesday. “It was a real honor to be a part of this celebration.”
David Smolik was master of the ceremonies for the anniversary celebration.
“I most love the spiritual aspect involved in being a knight, the service and the increasing of our faith,” Smolik said. “I love our service to the community and those most in need.”
Smolik retired after serving 31 years at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Hallettsville. He was principal of the school.
“The knights are very supportive of Catholic schools,” Smolik said. “We support education, buy textbooks, award scholarships and support athletics.”
Current Grand Knight Ricky Steffek is in his second year as grand knight. He said the grand knight can serve as such for up to three years. Smolik’s father served as grand knight from 1939-1941.
Steffek said the Hallettsville Knights have 600 members, making it the second largest council in Texas. He said a council in Dallas is the largest in the state.
“Our strength is in our numbers and in what we do for the community, church and school,” Steffek said. “We are a religious organization based on faith, community and family. We are dedicated to the community and the church. Everything in the community — a majority of the functions in Hallettsville — center on our hall.”
In 1975, the council purchased the land the Knights of Columbus Hall sits on and had the 24,000 square foot facility up and running by February 1977.
It has a 4,900 square-foot oak dance floor. Chance said 450 people showed up to the anniversary dance — good thing for plenty of room to cut a rug.
The hall is home of the annual Texas State Domino Tournament, the annual Fiddler’s Frolics festival, Big Buck Contest and more.
Beyond the social events and community and school support, the group works to educate people about issues important to the church, Smolik said.
“The knights are very strongly pro-life and protect the sanctity of life from conception to natural death,” Smolik said. “We respect all life, the ill, the elderly, the unborn. We plan to provide high school kids with pro-life information, so they are prepared to counter pro-abortion arguments. The biggest issue is people being misinformed and uninformed. Our goal is to change minds and hearts.”
Smolik said after Roe v. Wade was overturned, the knights gave a sizable donation to the Gabriel Project, a charitable organization that assists women in crisis pregnancies.
The Sacred Heart Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court No. 797 of Hallettsville joined the celebration because their 100th anniversary is April 8.
“At its inception in 1923, 30 women of Sacred Heart Parish followed in the humble footsteps of the newly formed Knights of Columbus Council of our parish and moved to establish the Catholic Daughters of the Americas,” a history of the organization, written for the anniversary, said.
The Catholic Daughters’ motto is “Unity & Charity,” and their first project was to supply a warm lunch for students at the Sacred Heart Catholic School.
The group has more than 200 members.
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