Knights of Columbus Serve Lunch to Faith Formation Families at St Joseph Church
A rosary can look simple in a child’s hands: a crucifix, a string of beads, and a few repeated prayers. But when someone takes the time to explain it with patience and faith, those beads become something more. They become a path into the life of Jesus, the love of Mary, and the prayer of the Church.
That was the heart of a recent educational program hosted by St. Joseph Church on Sunday, 10/25/26. The event brought together Family Faith Program students and their families for a morning centered on learning about the rosary, praying together, and sharing a meal as a parish family.
The program was led by Jennifer Berczik and offered at no cost to Family Faith Program students and their families. It was a warm example of what parish life can look like when catechesis, prayer, service, and hospitality all come together in one place.
A parish morning focused on the rosary
The purpose of the Family Faith Rosary Program was clear and deeply Catholic: to help Family Faith Program students better understand the rosary and to encourage them to pray it with confidence.
For many children, the rosary is one of the first devotional prayers they encounter. They may see grandparents praying it, notice rosaries hanging from rearview mirrors, or hold one during religious education. But the meaning behind the beads can take time to learn.
The event gave students a chance to slow down and ask the basic questions that matter.
Why do Catholics pray the rosary?
Where did it come from?
What prayers make up the rosary?
How does the rosary help us think about Jesus?
Those questions are not only for children. Many adults can remember learning the rosary little by little, sometimes by praying along with family members before fully understanding each prayer or mystery. That is part of the beauty of this devotion. It welcomes us at many ages and stages of faith.
The Family Faith Formation program at St Joseph Church gave families a way to learn together. Children could listen, watch, and practice. Parents and family members could share in the same teaching and prayer. The morning offered a reminder that faith formation is strongest when it reaches the whole household.
Jennifer Berczik teaches the rosary’s roots and prayers
A key part of the program was the teaching offered by Jennifer Berczik, who helped educate the children about the origins of the rosary and the prayers that make it up.
The children learned that the rosary is not just a set of repeated words. It is a prayer that helps Catholics meditate on the life of Christ. Through the joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries, the rosary walks with Jesus and Mary through the central moments of salvation history.
The prayers themselves also tell a story of faith:
The Apostles’ Creed helps us profess what we believe.
The Our Father gives us the prayer Jesus taught.
The Hail Mary invites us to reflect on Mary’s yes to God and her closeness to her Son.
The Glory Be turns our attention to the Holy Trinity.
The Hail, Holy Queen closes the rosary with trust in Mary’s care and intercession.
For a child, learning these prayers can feel like learning the language of the Church. Some words may be familiar. Others may be new. With guidance, repetition, and encouragement, the prayers begin to feel less like something to memorize and more like something to live.
Jennifer’s teaching helped place the rosary in that wider setting. It gave students not only the “how” of the rosary, but also the “why.”
The rosary teaches us to pray with our minds, our voices, and our hearts.
That simple truth was woven through the morning. The children were not merely told about prayer. They were invited into it.
Knight Ben Kotkowski led the group in prayer in the sanctuary
After the teaching portion, the group moved more fully into prayer. KofC member Ben Kotkowski led the children and families in a group prayer session in the sanctuary.
There is something special about praying together inside the church. The sanctuary helps quiet the heart. The altar, the tabernacle, the crucifix, and the sacred space itself remind everyone that prayer is not just a lesson. It is an encounter with God.
For children, praying in the sanctuary can leave a lasting impression. They see adults praying with them. They hear the familiar rhythm of Catholic prayer. They learn when to respond, when to listen, and how to be still before the Lord.
Ben’s leadership gave the group a chance to put the teaching into practice. The students could move from learning about the rosary to actually praying it. That step matters.
The sanctuary prayer session also honored a long Catholic tradition. The rosary has been prayed in churches, homes, hospitals, schools, monasteries, and quiet corners all over the world. On this Sunday at St. Joseph Church, the children and families added their voices to that same tradition.
The Hotdog Buffet brought everyone together after prayer
After the time of teaching and prayer, the Knights provided a Hotdog Buffet lunch for those in attendance.
The meal added a cheerful and relaxed ending to the event. Children and parents had a chance to enjoy lunch after focusing on prayer. Families could visit with one another. Volunteers could serve in a simple but meaningful way.
The food was prepared by KofC members Pat Romano and Drake Engelhart, and it was served by volunteers who helped make sure everyone was welcomed and fed. Their work may have happened behind the scenes, but it was an important part of the day.
Parish meals do not need to be complicated to be meaningful. A hotdog lunch after a faith formation event can do exactly what parish hospitality is meant to do. It gives people a reason to linger, talk, laugh, and feel at home.
The “Hotdog Buffet” also showed the practical care that often marks parish service. Someone has to plan the food. Someone has to prepare it. Someone has to serve. Someone has to clean up. Those acts of service can be easy to overlook, but they make community possible.
In a parish setting, even a simple lunch can become part of the ministry.
The Sisterhood of St. Joseph helped make the day possible
The parish also gives thanks to the Sisterhood of St. Joseph for their assistance with the event.
Their support added another beautiful dimension to the day. The presence and help of this organization remind us that Catholic faith is handed on through many vocations and many forms of service. Priests, deacons, religious sisters, catechists, Knights, parents, grandparents, and volunteers all have a role to play.
Children benefit when they see that the Church is made up of people who serve in different ways but share the same love for Christ. A program like this does more than teach facts about a devotion. It shows young people what a living parish looks like.
It also reminds families that they are not alone in the work of passing on the faith. The parish walks with them. Catechists walk with them. The Knights walk with them. The Sisters walk with them.
That shared effort is a gift.
Why this kind of event matters for families
Children learn the faith in many ways. They learn from formal lessons, but also from what they see and experience.
When a child sees adults giving time to teach the rosary, that sends a message.
When a child prays in the sanctuary with other families, that sends a message.
When a child is welcomed with lunch by parish volunteers, that sends a message.
The message is simple: faith matters, prayer matters, and every child has a place in the life of the Church.
The rosary is a particularly good devotion for families because it can be prayed almost anywhere. It can be prayed at home, in the car, before bed, during difficult times, or in thanksgiving. Families do not have to pray all five decades at once to begin. Even one decade prayed with attention can help bring peace, focus, and trust in God.
For children, the rosary also gives something they can hold. The beads help guide the prayer. The repeated rhythm can calm the heart. The mysteries help connect prayer to the Gospel. Over time, the rosary can become a faithful companion.
That is why events like this are so valuable. They help children begin, and they help families continue.
Stay connected with future Knights of Columbus events
The Knights of Columbus at St. Joseph Church continue to support parish life through prayer, service, and family-centered events. This rosary luncheon and program are one example of that commitment, and there will be more opportunities for parishioners and families to take part.
To see what is coming up, please check the Knights of Columbus event schedule. The schedule is the best place to look for future programs, meals, service opportunities, and parish events sponsored by the Knights.
Families interested in becoming part of the Family Faith Program can find information through St. Joseph Church at https://stjosephmantua.com/portage-north-family-faith-program.
Comments