Last Updated: Tuesday - 01/04/2011

Knights elect Klein as new state deputy

EDMONTON — Leo Klein is the new head of the Alberta-Northwest Territories State Council of the Knights of Columbus.

The 62-year-old Calgarian was elected state deputy of the organization at the Knights' annual convention May 4-6 at the Capri Centre.

"I'm really excited about my new role as state deputy," Klein said after the convention. "The Knights are certainly close to my heart."

Klein, a retired provincial government executive and a knight for 37 years, will be installed as state deputy June 23. He replaces Julito Reyes of Leduc, head of the Knights for the past two years.

Also elected to the state executive board were Mickey Casavant of St. Albert as state secretary, Ernie Sehn of Lac La Biche as state advocate and Peter Wong as state warden. William Smith of Calgary was re-elected as state treasurer and Father Henry Rosenbaum of Calgary was appointed state chaplain.

Rosenbaum replaces Father Michael Troy, who stepped aside after 16 years.

Archbishop Thomas Collins was re-appointed honorary state chaplain.

The Saskatchewan-born Klein joined the knights in 1964 and has served in various positions in his council and at the state level. During his term as grand knight, his council at Calgary's St. Bonaventure Parish was named council of the year and he was recognized as grand knight of the year for Alberta-Northwest Territories.

Klein, a father of four and grandfather of nine, rose to the Knights' state council in 1986 as state council director. He later served as state program director for three terms. He was state secretary at the time of his election as state deputy.

Since his retirement in 1993 after 35 years of government service, Klein has also served on the volunteer boards of the Diocesan Mission Council for the Calgary Diocese, the Father Lacombe Nursing Home and Our Lady Queen of Peace Centre.

At St. Bonaventure Parish he has served as an usher, reader, altar server, Eucharistic minister and parish council member. His wife Shirley is also active in the parish and in the Catholic Women's League.

His goals as state deputy include forming at least six new councils and raising the Knights' membership to 15,000. Currently there are 13,600 members in 148 councils.

"I think we have a responsibility to approach Catholic men and give them the opportunity to serve in the Knights of Columbus," Klein said. "People really need to be asked."

Klein also spoke of the need to establish effective youth, community, Church, family and council programs as he believes they are synonymous with recruiting and retaining members.

"If you have good programs, it's easier to attract new members," he said. "I think now is the time to capitalize on the jubilee gifts that the Holy Spirit has bestowed on all of us and to take our order to new heights and provide service to the less fortunate, the elderly and our communities at large."

Several awards were presented at the convention. The Hinton Council won the fraternal council of the year award; the council of the year award fell on the Alphonsus W. Curran Council in Brooks; Joe Nowakowski, grand knight of the Brooks' council, won the grand knight of the year award; Randall Yatscoff of Edmonton received the district deputy of the year award; and Greg and Katie Fisher of Calgary received the family of the year award.

At the convention, the knights also reaffirmed their pro-life and pro-family stance and approved various other resolutions.

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