CLIFTON When Bruce DeMolli joined the Our Lady of the Highway Knights of Columbus Council 3835, based at Our Lady of the Holy Angels Church here, it was the Catholic mens fraternity’s signature blue jacket that caught his attention.
While volunteering one evening during the parish’s weekly Bingo, DeMolli saw a member wearing that distinctive jacket. “It all began from there. I asked (Knight) Ed Silbernagel where did you get that jacket? He told me about the knights and what they do for the country, community and the Catholic Church,” he said.
That was in 1984, and in the more than 30 years since then, DeMolli has been an active member of his council. For his dedication to the Knights, he was installed as the N.J. Knights of Columbus State Deputy, becoming the state “CEO” of the Knights for the next two years in a ceremony held July 11 in St. Philip the Apostle Church in Clifton. DeMolli became a state officer 10 years ago when he was elected State Warden. In the State of New Jersey, five officers are elected from each of the five dioceses in the state and move their way up to State Deputy. Other officers elected for a two-year term with DeMolli were: State Secretary Robert Hatler, State Treasurer Vincent Pavormina, State Advocate James Stoever and State Warden Raymond Sands III.
“The Knights of Columbus is an organization where all its members believe in the same thing,” DeMolli said. “Because of that we are able to reach a common goal for the common good.”
According to DeMolli becoming State Deputy “was a shot in the dark.”
“I was floored when I was elected as State Warden 10 years ago,” he said. “I thought it was the last thing I would ever attain because I was always part of the team helping behind the scenes.”
Like many Knights around the country, DeMolli got involved with the organization’s many programs, which include supporting priests and seminarians, disaster relief and respecting life. He has been one of the many Knights marching during the annual March for Life against abortion in Washington, D.C. every January.
Originally from Clifton with St. Brendan’s as his home parish, DeMolli grew up in an active Catholic family. “I remember my parents were always involved and got me and my three sisters involved with serving our parish. We always helped out at Bingo, the parish carnival and the picnic,” said Demolli.
He was married his wife, Anna, more than 40 years ago in St. Brendan’s. They have one adult daughter, Bree, and a son-in-law, Olando Brown and have two grandchildren, Tyler and Maya. DeMolli’s wife serves as director at diocesan Catholic Charities’ La Vida Childcare Centers I & II in Paterson.
DeMolli attributes his wife’s continual support as an important part of being a Knight. He said, “She loves it. I tell her, too, that it is her organization as well because the Knights are so family oriented. At our Knights’ Christmas party for families, I played Santa Claus for 25 years. It is an enjoyable time with all the Knights’ families together.”
“This has been exciting,” said his wife moments before the installation Mass began. “His dedication to the Knights of Columbus has been unflinching. His journey with the Knights of Columbus has been my journey and I feel proud to support him as he serves as State Deputy.”
As the new State Deputy, DeMolli will lead 330 councils and 60,000 Knights. The Paterson Diocese makes up about 50 of those councils with more than 8,000 Knights in Passaic, Sussex and Morris counties.
DeMolli’s goal as State Deputy is to grow the order around the State and the Paterson Diocese. He and his fellow state officers hope to recruit almost 2,500 more men and start 10 new councils. Within the next couple of months, two new councils will be formed in the diocese — one at St. Agnes Parish in Paterson and another at St. Matthew Parish in Randolph.
He also hopes to get more priests to join as members because he believes the support of priests is crucial. “They are our spiritual leaders and guides,” he said. “Without them and their cooperation, we couldn’t grow. In fact, it was a priest — Father Michael J. McGivney — who officially chartered the Knights of Columbus in 1882 in New Haven, Conn.”
While the fraternal organization began in the United States, the Knights of Columbus has 1.8 million members around the world making it truly a global organization, Councils have recently been started in South Korea, the Ukraine, Poland and Cuba adding to the 14 countries already with councils.
“We encourage men to join us and come on board,” DeMolli said. “This is a great program to become involved in. We also have the Columbiettes for women and the Squire and the Squire Rose program for teens. If anyone wants to serve their Church, community and country, this is an excellent organization to join.”
Information: www.njkofc.org for a list of local councils.].