Karl VanMaren shines for his work and is recognized as Knight of the Year

Intermountain Catholic

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Karl VanMaren (above) was named 2011 Knight of the Year. Also shown above are (from right) Bishop John C. Wester and State Secretary Robert Masse Jr. IC photo/Marie Mischel

DRAPER — The 2011 Knight of the Year award during this year’s annual Utah Knights of Columbus state convention was presented to Karl A. VanMaren.

"I think it’s a great honor; it seems that everybody keeps congratulating me," said VanMaren, who received the award May 7 at the awards banquet in Ogden.

Born in New York City, VanMaren arrived in Utah in the mid 1980s, after his father had a job transfer. Since then he has been living in the Beehive State.

VanMaren joined the Knights of Columbus when he was at college in Wyoming.

"They were starting a college council when I was at school at the University of Wyoming, and it seemed like an interesting organization and I said ‘Why not?’" said VanMaren, who now is a fourth degree Knight.

The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal Catholic order founded on the principles of charity, unity and fraternity. It has more than 14,000 councils and 1.8 million members throughout the world. Members must be 18 or older and practicing Catholics. The four degrees in the organization are based on, in order, the principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism; the fourth degree is the highest order. Men who are fourth degree Knights are eligible to wear the Color Corps regalia often associated with the organization.

VanMaren is a fourth degree Knight in the Mother Teresa of Calcutta Council #12181, which is associated with Saint John the Baptist Parish in Draper.

According to Ray Lopez, Utah State Deputy of the Knights of Columbus, Van Maren "humbly exemplifies the character of a model Knight. He is always there when needed. This Knight routinely picks up the slack taking on the jobs no one else wants, sacrificing himself for the greater good."

Among the activities in that VanMaren is involved are his parish’s RCIA team, with which he has been a sponsor since 2001. In addition, he assists the ladies’ association with events, works with the youth at his parish and serves as an usher at Mass.

For the Knights, "he has been key in the operations of the State Council, taking the minutes at all state meetings, and setting up the Utah Knights group, which is key in providing information and events to all the members in the state," Lopez said.

"The importance of the participation of Catholics in their parishes is because truly being Catholics means being part of a community, and as part of that Catholic community, certainly you need to participate," said VanMaren.

"Personally when I see someone that doesn’t seem to be participating much, I invite him to more activities," VanMaren said. "I mean, in our parish we have a lot of activities and we need people to help."

His involvement in parish activities started without his even noticing how much he was doing.

"It just seems that over time you start doing another little thing and you just keep on doing it, and then someone ask for help with something else and you think, ‘Well, I think I can help you with that,’" he said. "Like with RCIA. Back in 2001 we were getting a new director for the group and he was coming on board and he asked if I could help out, and I said ‘Sure,’ not really having an idea on all that I was going to be involved. Then few short months later he had to step down, and someone else took his place. But I said, ‘Why not keep doing what I was doing?’ And you know, they needed it, so I just keep doing it," said VanMaren.

Fellow Grand Knight Sean Wink submitted VanMaren’s name for consideration for the Knight of the Year award.

"He went to all the trouble of getting all of what I was doing and actually writing it up and submitting it," VanMaren said. "He is the one that put all the wording to let everybody understand what was going on, and I thank him."