COLUMBUS—The Knights of Columbus distributed $57,115.90 to representatives of the Catholic dioceses of Ohio at the organization’s annual state district deputies meeting in Columbus.

Local Knights of Columbus councils in Ohio raised the funds through their “Strong in Faith and Service: Let Us Share the Dream” Matching Funds program. Included in this amount is a $25,000 match contributed by the Ohio State Council.

The Matching Funds program provides continuing support for religious education in each of the six dioceses of Ohio. Robert Collins, state advocate, chaired the 2009 campaign, which reflected an increase over the previous year.

On behalf of the Diocese of Toledo, David McCutchen, director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis accepted a check for $12,522.82.

The Diocese of Toledo uses the money to help fund the diocesan media library and the Mysterium Christi Diocesan Institute, a new religion certification program for principals, teachers and parish religious education leaders and catechists.

Under the leadership of Paul Upman, state deputy, the Ohio theme of “Strong in Faith and Service: Let Us Share the Dream,” reflects the fact that the Knights of Columbus fraternity is a faith-based organization in service to the Catholic church, and in particular, to the religious education efforts of the parishes and schools of the Diocese of Toledo.

“Let Us Share the Dream” encompasses the vision of Father Michael J. McGivney, who in 1882 founded the Knights of Columbus to provide service to widows and orphans, and envisioned that in the future every parish would have a Knights of Columbus council. Today the Knights of Columbus is a worldwide organization.