St. Joseph Council 10287 has selected Terry and Merle Nieuwlandt as “Family of the Month” for July 2019. Terry and Merle Nieuwlandt have been members of St. Joseph Parish since 1969, when they moved to Placentia, CA, and have been married for 63 Years. They have six married children: Michael, Kathleen, Jeanne, Daniel, Nancy and Julie.  All received their sacraments at St. Joseph Church and five of them attended St. Joseph Elementary School where Nancy has been a teacher for 21 years. In addition, they have sixteen grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. At that time, there was a Parent’s Club at the school, and Terry held various positions, including president.  More recently he was a member of the school finance committee. Merle volunteered in various ways at St. Joseph School during the time their children attended. This included school office, library, managing the lunch program and girls’ sports.  She also worked in the CCD office and prepared 2nd graders for First Communion. Terry has served as an Extra Ordinary Minister of Holy Communion and is a member of the Knights of Columbus, where he enjoys being part of the kitchen crew for Pancake Breakfasts and Fish Dinners. In addition, Terry has been on the Parish Stewardship Committee, volunteering on projects like making parking lot gates, recycling, and performing repairs on the church pews.

The Knights of Columbus instituted the “Family of the Month” Program in 1978 to create a greater awareness of our many fine Catholic families. Since that time the “Family of the Month” Program has grown to be one of the Order’s most successful.  St. Joseph Council began its own Program to recognize and honor the outstanding Catholic families in our parish. At the beginning of each month, the Knights of Columbus will select a Family of the Month and present them a statue of the Holy Family to display in their homes for that month. Included in the presentation is a certificate and a prayer to the Holy Family by Pope Francis.  The Family of the Month is requested to gather together daily as a family and pray for the intentions of St. Joseph Parish.