Bishop Dennis Sullivan was the principal celebrant of the opening Mass for the Annual Knights of Columbus Convention May 16 at St. Ann Church, Notre Dame de la Mer Parish in Wildwood.
Concelebrating with the bishop were Father Michael Field and Father Joseph D. Wallace of Notre Dame, and Msgr. Michael T. Mannion, director of community relations for the Diocese of Camden and associate state chaplain of the Knights of Columbus. Assisting was Deacon Joseph Pierce of Notre Dame.
Attending were the state officers, other dignitaries, delegates and families attending the 118th Annual convention of the N.J. State Council Knights of Columbus, which was held May 17-19 in Wildwood.
During the convention Andrew E. Lipenta, state deputy, was re-elected for a second one-year term. Lipenta is a longtime parishioner of St. Peter Parish, Merchantville.
Also re-elected for a second one-year term was Bruce DeMolli, state secretary, from the Paterson Diocese; Robert Hatler, state treasurer, from the Newark Archdiocese; Vincent Tavormina, state advocate, from the Metuchen Diocese; and James Stoever, state warden, from the Trenton Diocese.
The Knights of Columbus is the largest lay Catholic organization in the world, with more than 14,000 councils and 1.8 million members.
Photo by James A. McBride for the Catholic Star Herald