Father William Kraynak, Pastor and Dean of Portage county
For Father William Kraynak, charity is a fruit of gratitude.
Father Kraynak, Dean of the Portage County Deanery and pastor at the parishes in Ravenna and Kent that will be merged into St. Katharine Drexel Parish in July, is one of the recipients of this year’s diocesan Catholic Charities Voice of Hope Awards.
He cites his own history in charity—even as a teen—as having influenced his vocation to the priesthood. Growing up in Poland (Mahoning County) he became involved in a Red Cross youth organization and at the Easter Seal Center. Those experiences inclined him to involvement in various ministries at his parish, Holy Family in Poland.
A key motivation for him to engage in charitable efforts was the gratitude he learned from his parents. He and his four siblings grew up in a family where Church came first. “The envelopes were filled on the day that the paycheck was cashed,” he said, noting they were giving to God “from the top.”
Rick Squier, executive director of Catholic Charities Serving Portage and Stark Counties, noted that Father Kraynak served on the organization’s board of directors. “He was the first pastor to visit me when I became director. He said, ‘Tell me what you need. Tell me what you’re doing.’ He was always available. He leads his parish in the direction of direct service to those in need. Father Kraynak was always at meetings of parish organizations that served people. He has a gentle, persuasive way of encouraging others to be involved in service. He’s a humble servant—part of who he is as a person and a priest.”
Since his ordination in 1981, Father Kraynak said that he has applied those lessons of gratitude to his priesthood—particularly favoring the Church’s emphasis on stewardship. “We all need to exercise the virtue of charity. It is our responsibility as Christians to respond to people in need.” Through acts of charity and service, “we are responding to what God has done for us already—to reconcile us to Himself.” That ties in, he continued, with stewardship. “Being a good steward is receiving the good that God has given you, being thankful for it and acting on that.”
The veteran pastor said that he has learned about stewardship from having served in various parishes. When he became pastor of St. Joan of Arc in Canton (now part of Guardian Angels Parish in Canton, Stark County), “they decided that they wanted to be a stewardship parish. So, they taught me about stewardship.”
He has found that “if you impress upon parishioners that what they are doing is an act of thanksgiving, and they can have confidence that what they are sacrificing will be received and used well and wisely, they will respond.”
Catholic Charities “offers a special opportunity for Catholics to fulfill their responsibility to give back to God.” By supporting Catholic Charities through the Annual Diocesan Appeal, parishioners participate in assisting those in need. “Catholic Charities has always been very open and up-front about how they are using the contributions that people make. The cost of Catholic Charities—both diocesan and nationally—is lower than many other charitable organizations. So, the people who contribute can be satisfied that their contributions are doing good.” He praised Squier for seeing to it that the money donated is used effectively.
Father Kraynak emphasizes the role of the Body of Christ in serving those in need—citing the Gospel of John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” In carrying out works of charity and service to those in need, “we are Jesus Christ’s flesh and blood in this world.”
Knights of Columbus Council 360 (Ashtabula)
Charity is what matters for Knights of Columbus Council 360 in Ashtabula, contends Terence Guerriero, Council Grand Knight.
“The beautiful thing about our council is that it encourages each member to live out the mission of the Knights of Columbus—charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism—and to make a real difference in the lives of those around us,” said Guerriero, a longtime Knight who has served in various offices for his council. He is a parishioner of Our Lady of Peace Parish in Ashtabula, a 1989 Saint John School graduate, and a local funeral director, and he serves on Ashtabula City Council.
The Ashtabula Knights of Columbus Council has drawn the attention of diocesan Catholic Charities, with the council having been named a recipient of this year’s annual Voice of Hope Award.
“Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County has been blessed with a long-standing partnership with Knights of Columbus Council 360 in serving our neighbors most in need. We are deeply grateful for their unwavering respect for our Catholic mission and their steadfast support of our work as the charitable arm of the Church in this community,” said Jill Valentic, executive director of Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County.
“Our number one priority is charity,” Guerriero said. “We work very well with Catholic Charities of Ashtabula County. Catholic Charities helps us tremendously in finding those in need. It seems to be a very productive partnership.”
Yet, Catholic Charities is not the only beneficiary of the Ashtabula Knights’ efforts. “We also contribute to Our Lady of Peace Parish, Saint John School, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Mya Women’s Center—which helps women dealing with unplanned pregnancies—and there are 20 or more organizations that we have contributed to over the years. We help anybody. They don’t necessarily have to be Catholic—[for example the] Ashtabula Little League and Coats for Kids. We often give money to priests who know [how to reach people] who need help. If we have any brother Knights who need help, we help them.”
Father Conner Hetzel, pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish, noted that his parish in Ashtabula “is grateful for the charitable work of Knights of Columbus Council 360. They consistently contribute to the life of the parish, and we are glad to congratulate them as they receive this honor.”
Traci Warren, president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s Our Lady of Peace Conference, said that in their conference’s mission “of helping our needy neighbors,” the Knights take an active role. In fact, Bill Howe, secretary of their conference, is a Knight. “Whatever we need, they’re always there—without our even asking.”
In a normal year, Guerriero said the council contributes between $10,000 and $12,000. “We sell tickets. We have fundraisers. We have fish dinners.” For their 135th anniversary in 2023, “we donated close to $100,000,” which was made possible by the sale of their social hall a number of years ago and their investment of the proceeds.
The council’s support of those in need is not limited to raising money, Guerriero pointed out. “Our members are involved in all levels of activities in Catholic organizations. We’re very fortunate that our council has a very diverse age group. We have a lot of guys who are retired, a lot of what I call ‘working old’—like me—and a lot of younger guys. The younger guys are parents and volunteers in Saint John School. We have a strong presence.”
“It takes a village, and we have different guys with different skills. We also work with other councils in the area,” Guerriero continued. “We try to stay active in the community. We are very proud of our traditions, but we are always looking to do better.”
