Luongo enjoys service to community

By Greg Miller
STAR STAFF
gmiller@starhq.com

   John Luongo enjoys serving the community through his participation in the Knights of Columbus ministry at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church.
   "I work as a Knight for the same reason anyone works for any Christian charitable organization," Luongo said. "Knights' charities are a stewardship, and all Christians are stewards in whatever stewardship God calls them to be involved in. The Knights of Columbus is an ideal combination of fraternal kinship and religious service.
   "I have been a Knight since Sept. 1, 1993, and am currently serving as this year's Grand Knight, the highest office a Knight can hold within his own local council."
   This year, the primary goal that Luongo would like to see the local Knights of Columbus organization accomplish is "simply to continue the charity works that we are currently involved in and to expand on our work whenever possible."
   The Knights of Columbus, Luongo said, was founded in 1882 by Fr. Michael J. McGivney (curate of St. Mary's Parish in New Haven, CT) and a small group of Catholic laymen. "In forming the organization, Fr. McGivney hoped to help Catholic men remain steadfast in their faith despite their crushing poverty through mutual encouragement while establishing an elementary system of insurance so that the widows and children of members would not find themselves in dire financial straits. The K of C remains ever faithful to this calling today, with more than 1.7 million Knights in over 30 countries giving service to Jesus Christ through charitable works of every conceivable sort."