Columbia April 2013

KNIGH T S O F C O L U M B U S

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS APRIL 2013 ♦ VOLUME 93 ♦ NUMBER 4

COLUMBIA

F E AT U R E S

8 Thank You, Holy Father The Knights of Columbus looks back at the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI.

BY COLUMBIA STAFF

18 The Pope of the People Through humble and loving devotion to God and neighbor, our new pope embodies the Gospel in word and deed.

BY ALEJANDRO BERMÚDEZ

22 ‘Journeying, Building, Professing’ In his first homily after his election, Pope Francis reflects on following the Lord, building up the Church and professing Christ crucified.

24 The Art of Family Prayer The practice of family prayer helps your home to grow in faith, peace and joy.

BY ROBERT ALZAPIEDI

Christ gives the keys to St. Peter in this detail from a fresco by Italian Renaissance painter Pietro Perugino. The fresco is in the Sistine Chapel, where cardinals from around the world gathered for the recent conclave to elect the new pope.

D E PA RT M E N T S

PAINTING: Wikimedia Commons — AD DESIGN: Justin Perillo

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Building a better world The faithful, charitable witness of Pope Francis highlights the timeless importance of the Knights’ founding principles.

BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

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Learning the faith, living the faith

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Knights of Columbus News K of C Poll: American Catholics Express Positive Opinion of Pope Benedict XVI’s Pontificate • Order Sponsors Prayer Campaign During Papal Transition

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Fathers for Good Baseball veteran Mark Kotsay has developed the virtue of patience on the field and off.

BY TRENT BEATTIE

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Knights in Action

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Columbianism by Degrees

As Successor of Peter and Vicar of Christ, the pope guides the Church on earth in a spirit of unity.

BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

PLUS Catholic Man of the Month

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Ever Ancient, Ever New ADDRESSING the college of cardinals March 15, two days after his election, Pope Francis said, “My thoughts turn with great affection and profound gratitude to my venerable predecessor Benedict XVI, who enriched and invigorated the Church during the years of his pontificate ….” He added, “We feel that Benedict XVI has kindled a flame deep within our hearts — a flame that will continue to burn because it will be fed by his prayers, which continue to sustain the Church on her spiritual and missionary path.”

Pope Francis thus noted the continuity between his pontificate and that of his predecessor. Yet, just as Benedict XVI had a different personality and style than Blessed John Paul II (while nonetheless remaining grounded in the Church’s rich tradition and evangelical mission), many have noted that there is something distinctly new about Pope Francis. One place this is immediately evident is in Pope Francis’ choice of name, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi.

The name is not only unique, but it brings to mind St. Francis’ role as a great reformer and his radical imitation of Christ in solidarity with the poor. Benedict, meanwhile, chose his name “in order to create a spiritual bond with Benedict XV, who steered the Church through the period of turmoil caused by the First World War.” He said his name also referred to St. Benedict of Nursia, the father of Western monasticism, who is “a powerful reminder of the indispensable Christian roots of his culture and civilization.”

Although both Benedict XVI and Francis have emphasized the fundamental importance of Christian faith and charity, the episcopal mottos chosen when they became archbishops convey different, albeit complementary, focuses.

When Benedict was named archbishop of Munich and Freising in 1977, he took as his episcopal motto “Cooperators veritatis” (“Cooperators of the truth”).

He later explained that the motto high2 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

lighted “the relation between my previous task as professor and my new mission,” adding that “in today’s world the theme of truth is omitted almost entirely … and yet everything collapses if truth is missing.” This theme often defined his ministry, as he reflected on the integral relationship between faith and reason, and on how love, freedom and beauty each lose their meaning when disconnected from truth.

By contrast, Pope Francis’ episcopal motto as archbishop of Buenos Aires was “Miserando atque eligendo,” a phrase that comes from a homily about the call of St. Matthew (Mt 9:9-13) by St. Bede the Venerable, an eighth-century English monk and doctor of the Church. St. Bede wrote, “[Jesus] saw the tax collector and, because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him, he said to him: ‘Follow me.’ This following meant imitating the pattern of his life — not just walking after him.” A hallmark of Pope Francis’ priestly ministry and teaching has been the importance of following Christ in humble discipleship, through word and action.

The truth of the Gospel and the mission of the Church do not change, but neither do they remain static. St. Augustine famously addressed God in his Confessions as “O Beauty ever ancient, ever new.” And as Christ leads the Church through the Holy Spirit, we can truly speak of a new evangelization and invite others to rediscover the newness of the Gospel message. In this light, Pope Francis said in his March 15 address: “Inspired also by the celebration of the Year of Faith, all of us together, pastors and members of the faithful, will strive to respond faithfully to the Church’s perennial mission: to bring Jesus Christ to mankind and to lead mankind to an encounter with Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life ….”♦ ALTON J. PELOWSKI MANAGING EDITOR

COLUMBIA PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus ________ SUPREME OFFICERS Carl A. Anderson SUPREME KNIGHT Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. SUPREME CHAPLAIN Dennis A. Savoie DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT Charles E. Maurer Jr. SUPREME SECRETARY Logan T. Ludwig SUPREME TREASURER John A. Marrella SUPREME ADVOCATE ________ EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski alton.pelowski@kofc.org MANAGING EDITOR Patrick Scalisi patrick.scalisi@kofc.org ASSOCIATE EDITOR Steve James DESIGN ________

Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90) Apostle to the Young, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us. ________ HOW TO REACH US MAIL COLUMBIA 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 ADDRESS CHANGES 203-752-4580 OTHER INQUIRIES 203-752-4398 FAX 203-752-4109 CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-380-9995 E-MAIL columbia@kofc.org INTERNET kofc.org/columbia ________ Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.

________ Copyright © 2013 All rights reserved ________ ON THE COVER Newly elected Pope Francis waves as he leaves Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome, March 14.

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COVER: CNS photo/Alessandro Bianchi, Reuters

E D I TO R I A L

BUILDING A BETTER WORLD

A Pope of Charity, Unity and Fraternity The faithful, charitable witness of Pope Francis highlights the timeless importance of the Knights’ founding principles

by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson JUST DAYS AGO, I stood in St. man and a man who will lead the Peter’s Square in Rome as the new Church forward in its mission of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, was intro- new evangelization. As his greeting duced. As the pope came out onto the to the world made so clear, there is balcony to address Rome and the much in common with the core prinworld for the first time, he said: “And ciples of our Order and those of our now let us begin this journey, [to- Holy Father. And in many ways, we gether] as bishop and people. This share a very similar history with him. journey of the Church of Rome, His roots, like the Knights, are in which is to preside over all the the Americas. And as more than one Churches in charity, is a journey of person has remarked to me, Pope fraternity, of love, of trust between us. Francis is the son of European immiLet us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the world, so that a We have in Pope Francis a great brotherhood may be created.” holy man, a dedicated man When I heard those and a man who will lead the words, I felt the way our first supreme knight, Church forward in its mission James T. Mullen, must have felt 131 years ago of the new evangelization. when he heard Father Michael J. McGivney speak of our Order’s call to charity, grants in the New World, just as Faunity and fraternity. The pope’s ad- ther McGivney was. What’s more, dress was a clear call to these virtues, Pope Francis — like Father Mcwhich are the fundamental principles Givney and generations of Knights of our Order. after him — is well known for his How inspiring for us to have those personal work with the poor and principles highlighted and reinvigo- those most in need. rated by Pope Francis’ call for charity, Even his choice of name — Francis love, trust, fraternity and brother- — evokes not just St. Francis of Ashood — and how clearly his words sisi’s charity, but also the words the highlight the timeless relevance of our Lord spoke to that humble saint: Order 131 years after its establish- “Rebuild my Church.” It is a stirring ment by Venerable Father McGivney! reminder of the need to continue our The pope’s election was a joyful work of the new evangelization, of moment for the Knights of Colum- rebuilding the Church through bus and the Church. We have in prayer and living out faith through Pope Francis a holy man, a dedicated charity.

St. Francis’ life, like that of our new Holy Father, was a daily witness to love of God and neighbor — and ours must be too. Our principles are just words if we do not live them out.

In his first homily as our Holy Father, Pope Francis said, “If we do not profess Jesus Christ, things go wrong.

We may become a charitable NGO, but not the Church, the Bride of the Lord. When we are not walking, we stop moving. When we are not building on the stones, what happens? The same thing that happens to children on the beach when they build sandcastles: everything is swept away, there is no solidity.”

So as we celebrate Pope Francis’ election and the recent 131st anniversary of our Order’s founding, let us all as Knights redouble our efforts as men of faith — and men of action based on that faith.

Let us also pray for our Holy Father as he requested the evening of his election, and let us work even harder for those who need the most help in our society. Let us invite the men of our councils to become even more active in service to their neighbors. In short, let us take the call of both Father McGivney and Pope Francis to heart and live out charity to our neighbor, in unity with our Church and our Holy Father, and in the spirit of fraternity.

Vivat Jesus!

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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

The Ministry of Peter As Successor of Peter and Vicar of Christ, the pope guides the Church on earth in a spirit of unity

by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

YOU MAY HAVE seen, as I have, time zones and thousands of miles. the footage of Benedict XVI, now Yet as Benedict XVI departed, I expepope emeritus, departing the Vatican rienced a sense of aloneness. This dren or a catechist forms adults or on Feb. 28. There was live television prompted me to reflect on the impor- children in the faith, they are standnews coverage of his final audiences, tance of the ministry of the Successor ing secure on Peter’s confession of his farewell to the cardinals, his heli- of Peter in my life as a bishop and in faith. copter lifting off from the Vatican the life of every Catholic.

Jesus gave the keys of the Church heliport and then landing at Castel Although most Catholics never to Peter, making him shepherd of the Gandolfo, and his brief address on have the opportunity to see the pope whole flock. He entrusted to Peter as the balcony of the residence there. in person, he is still an exemplary leader of the Apostles the power of With breathtaking humility, this model for the practice of our faith. “binding and loosing” — the power man of such erudition and talent said After all, it was Christ who declared to govern the Church and to forgive simply, “I’m no longer the sins (cf. Mt 16:19). This supreme pontiff of the Catholic power has been transmitted Church — or I will be until 8 to Peter’s successors, the o’clock this evening and then no popes, and to the successors As Peter’s successor, the pope longer. I am simply a pilgrim of the Apostles, the bishops. beginning the last part of his As I go about my own min“is the perpetual and visible journey on earth.” And then, at istry as a bishop — teaching source and foundation of the the stroke of 8 p.m., we saw the the faith, celebrating Mass Swiss Guards depart and the unity both of the bishops and the and the sacraments, and doors of the residence close. guiding in truth and love the After that moment, the Chair of whole company of the faithful.” archdiocese entrusted to my St. Peter stood vacant. pastoral care — I do so in union with the Holy Father.

‘UPON THIS ROCK’ As Benedict XVI took his leave, there Peter the rock on which the Church UNITED IN CHRIST was one particularly touching scene is built (cf. Mt 16:18). And it was As Peter’s successor, the pope “is the that struck me: The driver who would Peter, under the inspiration of the perpetual and visible source and take the pope to the heliport was cry- Holy Spirit, who boldly recognized foundation of the unity both of the ing as he greeted Benedict and kissed Jesus’ identity and declared, “You are bishops and the whole company of his ring. Along with our gratitude the Messiah, the Son of the living the faithful” (Lumen Gentium, 23; and prayers for Benedict XVI’s loving God” (Mt 16:16).

Catechism of the Catholic Church, service to the Church, there is also a For more than two millennia, Peter 882). We look to the Holy Father’s mixture of sorrow. has continued to speak the truth leadership to maintain that unity of Although I had the privilege of see- about Jesus to the whole world faith so essential for the preaching of ing and even meeting with the pope through his successors. Every time a the Gospel. As universal pastor with emeritus, those were relatively rare priest preaches a homily or offers in- authority over the whole Church, the occasions. Most of the time, I was struction in the faith, and every time pope confirms and strengthens my separated from the Holy Father by six parents teach the faith to their chil- ministry as a bishop.

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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

Standing with Peter, I am called to be the “visible source and foundation of unity” in my archdiocese. Standing with Peter, bishops everywhere are united and able to strengthen each other in ministering to the Church throughout the world. Standing with Peter, every Catholic has a sense of the importance of his or her baptismal call to embrace a vocation to love and to be a witness to Christ in our contemporary world.

A dramatic expression of the unity between pope and the college of bishops took place 50 years ago when Pope John XXIII convoked the Second Vatican Council. And we see this

HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTIONS

Offered in Solidarity with Pope Francis

MSGR. QUINN: CNS photo/courtesy of Msgr. Paul Jervis — POPE FRANCIS: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano

GENERAL: That the public, prayerful celebration of faith may give life to the faithful.

MISSION: That mission churches may be signs and instruments of hope and resurrection.

unity every time bishops journey to Rome to meet together, such as during the recent Synod of Bishops dedicated to the promotion of the new evangelization.

We also express our unity as a Church during the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass, during which we always pray for the pope and the local bishop. In times of transition, the absence of these prayers should prompt us to pray even harder for worthy successors to lead and guide the Church.

The news of the pope’s resignation and the process of electing a successor inevitably put the Church very much in the public spotlight. Since that

spotlight often focuses on the challenges and problems that the Church faces, we may be discouraged by some of what we see in the media coverage. But through it all, it is important for us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ, the Good Shepherd, who never leaves his flock untended.

As the new pontiff, Pope Francis, begins his Petrine ministry, we pray especially for his holy witness, because it is holiness that opens for us the source of the Church’s life and vitality: Jesus Christ and the power of his death and resurrection. May the Holy Spirit guide and bless our beloved Church in the days ahead.♦

C AT H O L I C M A N O F T H E M O N T H

Msgr. Bernard J. Quinn (1888-1940) BERNARD John Quinn was born in Newark, N.J., Jan. 15, 1888 — the same day that Pope Leo XIII canonized St. Peter Claver, patron saint of ministry to African Americans. After attending several Catholic schools and colleges, Quinn entered seminary in Brooklyn, N.Y., and was ordained a priest in 1912.

Shortly before World War I ended in 1918, Father Quinn volunteered for the Army and served the wounded in France as a Knights of Columbus chaplain. While there, he visited the birthplace of Thérèse of Lisieux, the Carmelite nun and future saint known as the Little Flower.

Upon Father Quinn’s return to the United States, he was granted permission to begin an apostolate to the African-American community. In 1922, he was named a monsignor and appointed rector of a new church in Brooklyn, dedicated to St. Peter Claver. A faithful priest devoted to his people, he wrote in his first pastoral letter, “I would willingly shed to the last drop my life’s blood for the least among you.”

Within a decade, Msgr. Quinn had

established schools and a clinic, as well as a mission church for black Catholics on Long Island. A novena to the Little Flower, meanwhile, drew thousands throughout the region to St. Peter Claver every week, resulting in a unique occasion of interracial worship during a time of segregation.

Msgr. Quinn also established Little Flower Children Services and an orphanage for black children which was initially burned down twice by the Ku Klux Klan.

After a serious illness, Msgr. Quinn died April 7, 1940, at the age of 52. He was buried at St. Peter Claver Church, where his cause for canonization was formally opened in June 2010.♦

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS

K of C Poll: American Catholics Express Positive Opinion of Pope Benedict XVI’s Pontificate IN THE DAYS following Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, a Knights of Columbus-Marist poll found that Catholics in the United States gave high marks to the pope emeritus. According to the survey, more than three quarters of Catholics (77 percent) and more than 8 in 10 practicing Catholics (82 percent) have a “very positive” or “positive” impression of Benedict’s tenure as pope.

American Catholics also have very positive views about Pope Benedict’s impact on their lives, the direction of the Church and the moral direction of the world. Nearly 7 in 10 Catholics (68 percent) and more than threequarters of practicing Catholics (77 percent) say the Holy Father had a “very positive” or “positive” impact on their lives. Only 13 percent of Catholics and 12 percent of practicing Catholics saw a negative impact.

Additionally, 70 percent of Catholics and 75 percent of practicing Catholics

Pope Benedict XVI blesses people gathered in the town square after arriving in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Feb. 28. It was his final public appearance before he drew to a close his papacy. believe the pope had a “very positive” or “positive” impact on the direction of the Catholic Church. Only about one in five said his impact was negative. Likewise, about two thirds of Catholics (65 percent) and about 7 in

10 practicing Catholics (69 percent) said that Benedict had a “very positive” or “positive” impact on the moral direction of the world.

“The data indicates clearly that American Catholics have a deep respect for Pope Benedict XVI and a great appreciation for his pontificate,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson. “That so many felt he had a positive impact on their lives, their Church and their world speaks volumes to the good that he was able to do as pope.”

These findings came just days after the cardinals — gathered in Rome to elect the new pope — sent Pope Benedict their gratitude for his Petrine ministry and for his “example of generous pastoral care for the good of the Church and of the world.”

For more information about this and other Knights of Columbussponsored Marist polls, visit kofc.org/polls.♦

THE KNIGHTS of Columbus asked its members and all Catholics to pray daily for the Church in the wake of Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation and during the sede vacante period of papal transition.

The Order’s campaign came at a time when Pope Benedict XVI had publicly asked for prayers. During an audience Feb. 13, the Holy Father said: “Continue to pray for me, for the Church and for the future pope.” He also thanked all those who have kept him in their prayers.

At the time the campaign was launched, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said, “Until a new pope is elected, we ask Catholics worldwide to pledge to say this prayer daily for Pope Benedict, for the Church and for our future pope, and to encourage their friends and families to do the same.”

More than 6 million prayer cards were distributed with the March issue of Columbia, and additional copies of the prayer card, featuring a prayer written by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, were made available for use by parishes, schools and K of C units.

The Supreme Council also asked people to record their 6 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

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St. Peter’s Basilica is illuminated while seen from the Tiber River in Rome March 11, the evening before the world’s cardinals gathered for the conclave in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. pledge to pray at the website prayerforthechurch.com, with the intention of bringing the names of those who made the pledge to the installation Mass for the new pope.♦

ST. PETER’S: CNS photo/Paul Hanna, Reuters — BENEDICT: CNS/Paul Haring

Order Sponsors Prayer Campaign During Papal Transition

FAT H E R S F O R G O O D

Patient Pursuit Baseball veteran Mark Kotsay has developed the virtue of patience on the field and off

by Trent Beattie

AP Photo/Margaret Bowles

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fter a 16-year professional career with seven Major League Baseball teams, Mark Kotsay knows something about patience. Yet he claims that marriage and fatherhood have been the best teachers of that virtue and credits his wife, Jamie, for setting an example. She also led him to the Catholic faith.

“My wife, who helped me convert to Catholicism before we were married in 2000, has been the heart of the home,” Kotsay explained. “That’s what mothers excel at: being compassionate and nurturing to others, especially children. As men, we tend to see kids as little adults rather than children, so that makes it difficult for us to be patient with them.”

He added, “The areas I’m lacking in, my wife makes up for. She helps me to have patience when things aren’t going so well.”

Although some elements of society do not value patience, it is often the key to success on the field and off, Kotsay said.

“We like the quick fix, the flashy achievement, all the things that don’t go beyond the surface,” he said. “We don’t like to invest too much effort into things, but we do like to be rewarded. What I’ve found, though, is that patience is necessary to achieve anything worthwhile.”

As a man who takes his faith seriously, Kotsay cites Proverbs 16:32 as an inspiring verse for men in pursuit of patience: “The patient are better than warriors, and those who rule their temper, better than the conqueror of a city.”

Although initial aggression is natural, Kotsay said, it must be controlled through discipline. “It is much more challenging to be patient, but it is also better,” he added.

“With patience, you conquer yourself, and once you’ve done that, you can do anything else.”

Kotsay learned the value of patience early in his career.

He was a star athlete in high school but sat on the bench for much of his freshman year at California State University, Fullerton. Forced to wait his turn and hone his skills,

he later blossomed, winning the Golden Spikes Award for the nation’s top college player and being named the College World Series’ Most Valuable Player in 1995.

“It’s easy as men to be aggressive, and that can be a good thing,” Kotsay said. “What’s not so easy is accepting things when they don’t go your way.

You’ve put the effort in, but you don’t get back what you expected.

At this point, you have two choices: you can get angry or you can accept it.”

Although anger may seem like the easiest solution, Kotsay has learned that an attitude of acceptance is more conducive to achieving goals.

Patience has also helped him during a long Major League career that has seen him play in a number of uniforms and cities.

He has appeared in 1,810 games as a first baseman and outfielder and has compiled a respectable .278 career batting average. Yet he knows that faith and family take precedence over baseball.

Upon becoming Catholic, he discovered that the Church provides powerful support to living a virtuous life. “All the sacraments and prayers the Church has used for centuries are still so helpful today,” he said. “It’s up to men to use those things to be leaders in the home.”

Kotsay also recognizes that a father’s outlook on life affects how the family sees the world. “If a father has selfcontrol and is strong, then everyone else in the family takes that as a framework for their own lives.”

Here, the practice of patience is essential, Kotsay said, because it allows a man to overcome self-interest and affirm his faith in God. “You accept things not going your way, and at the same time, you embrace that cross God has sent you.”♦ TRENT BEATTIE, a correspondent for the National Catholic Register, writes from Seattle, Wash.

FIND ADDITIONAL ARTICLES AND RESOURCES FOR CATHOLIC MEN AND THEIR FAMILIES AT FATHERSFORGOOD. ORG .

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Thank you, Holy Father The Knights of Columbus looks back at the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI

by Columbia staff

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n the eight years of his pontificate, Benedict XVI guided his flock as a gentle shepherd. He offered a wealth of teaching, and each of his many initiatives, apostolic journeys, reforms and canonizations carried a profound significance. .

A comprehensive assessment of Benedict’s lasting impression on the Church would fill volumes. In the photos and timeline that follow, we simply share some of our memories of Benedict and highlight various ways that he influenced the Knights of Columbus.

Benedict XVI was a preeminent teacher who understood well the office of the pope as a visible sign of unity. Ever focused on the truth of Jesus Christ, he made significant gestures toward strengthening authentic Christian unity, interreligious dialogue, and emphasis on the continuity of the Church’s teaching and liturgical traditions. He wrote only three encyclical letters during his pontificate, including Deus

Caritas Est (God is Love), which spoke directly about the Order’s first principle: charity. Instead of formal documents, the Holy Father’s catechesis usually took the form of homilies and Wednesday audiences, in which he systematically discussed foundational topics such as Christian prayer. In this way, as well as through remarkable academic lectures, informal reflections and his trilogy of books on Jesus of Nazareth, Benedict left the Church with a great treasury of wisdom to ponder for generations to come.

Nonetheless, this wisdom was not intended for the annals of history or the halls of academia. Benedict recognized that “the word of God is alive and active” (Heb 4:12) and that the

Members of the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors applaud Pope Benedict XVI during his address to the board Oct. 3, 2008, at the Vatican’s Clementine Hall.

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Christian faith is a reality to be lived, not merely believed or understood. To help the Church communicate this living faith more effectively, he presided at various synods of bishops, established the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization and proclaimed the Year of Faith, which we are currently observing. Having consulted at the Second Vatican Council and having worked closely with his predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, Benedict took seriously the relationship between the universal call to holiness and the need for a new evangelization.

Benedict also presented the Church with many models of faith by canonizing 45 saints during his pontificate, including holy men and women who lived in the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico and Poland. Among them was St. Rafael Guízar Valencia, a bishop of Mexico and member of the Knights.

In 2008, Benedict also approved a decree recognizing the heroic virtue of the Order’s founder, Father Michael J. McGivney, conferring upon him the distinction of “Venerable Servant of God.”

Above: Pope Benedict XVI blesses pilgrims from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 25, 2007, during his Christmas Day blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city of Rome and the world).

Above left: Pope Benedict receives Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson and Supreme Chaplain Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Conn., in an audience at the Vatican July 1, 2005.

Left: The Holy Father unveils the new Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church during a prayer service at the Vatican June 28, 2005.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is elected as the 265th pope and takes the name Benedict XVI. The delegation representing the United States at Benedict’s installation Mass April 24 includes Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson.

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Bishops gather at the Vatican for a synod on “The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church.” Supreme Knight Anderson is invited to serve as an auditor at the meeting and delivers an address to synod participants Oct. 13, 2005.

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Nine martyrs of Mexico are beatified, including three Knights of Columbus: Father José Trinidad Rangel, Father Andrés Solá Molist and Leonardo Pérez Larios.

Pope Benedict addresses the ceremony in Guadalajara, Mexico, via satellite.

Benedict issues his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, which is embraced by Knights everywhere. The encyclical’s focus on the virtue of charity illuminates the Order’s first principle.

Benedict’s Apostolic Journey to Poland proves to be a significant source of encouragement to the faithful there, especially the fledgling Polish K of C councils established just three months earlier.

Below: Pope Benedict XVI signs his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love), in his private library at the Vatican.

Bottom left: Benedict walks through the entrance of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Oswiecim, Poland, May 28, 2006. The pope met survivors of the “abyss of terror” and prayed for reconciliation.

See page 31 for photo credits

Bottom right: Pope Benedict XVI blesses the Ark of the New Covenant at the Vatican May 11, 2006. The ark, a chest covered with iconic images related to the Eucharist, was built to inspire Canadian Catholics in preparation for the 2008 International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City.

Thousands join Benedict for the Fifth World Meeting of Families, convened in Valencia, Spain. The Order’s Board of Directors pledged financial support for the event.

Pope Benedict receives Supreme Knight Anderson in an audience at the Vatican. At the meeting, Anderson presents a set of medals struck to commemorate the 124th Supreme Convention and its theme, “Charity, Unity, Fraternity: Living Deus Caritas Est.” The supreme knight also presents a check for $1.6 million, representing that year’s earnings from the $20 million Vicarius Christi Fund.

Pope Benedict canonizes Bishop Rafael Guízar Valencia, a Knight and outspoken defender of the Church and the poor amid the persecution of Catholics in Mexico.

Benedict recognizes the 125th anniversary of the Order by writing a personal letter of greetings to the Supreme Convention in Nashville, Tenn. He also sends Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone to the event as his personal representative.

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Additionally, Benedict followed John Paul II’s precedent and made numerous pastoral visits to Catholics around the world, despite the fact that, at age 78, he was the oldest person to be elected pope in nearly three centuries. In all, Benedict made 24 trips outside of Italy during the eight years of his pontificate.

Among those of greatest significance to the Knights were his visits to Poland (2006), the United States (2008), and Mexico and Cuba (2012), as well as World Youth Day events in Cologne, Sydney and Madrid. Even when he was unable to travel, the Holy Father was often present in spirit, sending personal messages via delegates (as with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone’s presence at the 125th Supreme Convention) or satellite messages (as with the International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec and the beatification of martyrs in Mexico City).

In various ways, Benedict addressed the growing challenges facing the Catholic Church throughout the world, from the oftenviolent persecution of Christians in areas like the Middle East and Asia to the marginalizing and dehumanizing influence of secularism and the culture of death in the West. Addressing a group

Right: Pope Benedict XVI speaks during a welcoming ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington April 16, 2008.

Below right: During his Apostolic Journey to the United States, Pope Benedict receives a first-edition score of Mozart’s “Adagio in B Minor” as a gift for his 81st birthday, presented by Supreme Knight Anderson and Deputy Supreme Knight Dennis A. Savoie.

Below: At an interreligious gathering at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., Pope Benedict is pictured sitting in the chair commissioned by the Order for John Paul II’s 1995 Mass in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Pope Benedict approves a Decree of Heroic Virtue for Father Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. This significant step forward in the process of Father McGivney’s cause for canonization bestows on him the title Venerable Servant of God.

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The Knights of Columbus prepares a robust welcome for the pope during his Apostolic Journey to the United States. Fourth Degree Knights provide an honor guard for several of the pope’s events, including his State Arrival at the White House and Mass in Yankee Stadium.

During his homily at St. Patrick Cathedral in New York, Benedict cites the virtues of “that exemplary American priest, the Venerable Michael McGivney.”

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Canadian Knights facilitated the crosscountry pilgrimage of the Ark of the New Covenant in advance of the 49th International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City. The Order also donated $1 million to offset the operational costs of the event.

Pope Benedict delivers the homily at the congress’ closing Mass via satellite.

Together with the Sisters of Life and the Pontifical John Paul II Institute, the Knights of Columbus co-sponsors the Love and Life catechetical site at World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia. More than 30 college Knights were among the volunteers.

Above: Pope Benedict prays at Ground Zero in New York April 20, 2008. The pope spoke with family members of some of the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks and with those who were first responders to the disaster.

Left and below: On Nov. 16, 2010, the pope blesses and tours a high-definition mobile broadcasting unit, which the Order sponsored to televise Vatican events.

In a greeting to the Order’s Board of Directors in Rome, Pope Benedict encourages the Order, in the spirit of Venerable Michael McGivney, to “discover ever new ways to serve as a leaven of the Gospel in the world and a force for the renewal of the Church in holiness and apostolic zeal.”

Supreme Knight Anderson serves as an auditor for the 12th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which is held on the theme “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church.” In his remarks, the supreme knight spoke about the Order’s longtime mission to promote Bible study and Marian devotion.

Brother André Bessette becomes the first Canadian-born male saint. In honor of the occasion, the Order provides financial support for Salt + Light Television to produce a film about St. André’s life titled God’s Doorkeeper. Knights also hold exemplifications and a membership campaign in St. André’s honor.

Continuing its tradition of supporting Vatican broadcasts, the Order presents a high-definition mobile broadcasting unit to Pope Benedict. The Order previously donated mobile broadcast units to the Vatican Television Centre in 1985 and 1995, and has funded the uplink cost of Vatican broadcasts since the mid-1970s.

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of U.S. bishops during their ad limina visit, Benedict noted “the grave threats to the Church’s public moral witness” in the United States and emphasized “the need for an engaged, articulate and well-formed Catholic laity … with the courage to counter a reductive secularism….” In solidarity with the Holy Father, the Knights of Columbus embraced this call to faithful witness.

On Feb. 28, as the sun set on his pontificate, Benedict delivered his parting words to a crowd gathered outside the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo. “I am simply a pilgrim beginning the last leg of his pilgrimage on this earth,” he said. “I feel greatly supported by your kindness. Let us go forward with the Lord for the good of the Church and the world. Thank you.” As we fondly remember Benedict’s humble presence and lifetime of service to the Church, our hearts too are filled with gratitude.♦

Top: Pope Benedict XVI celebrates Mass in Silao, Mexico, March 25, 2012.

Above right: An image of Pope Benedict and the logo of World Youth Day 2008 are projected onto the southern pylon of Sydney Harbor Bridge in Sydney, Australia.

Right: Benedict talks with Archbishop Richard W. Smith (right) of Edmonton, Alberta, during a meeting with officers of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops at the Vatican Nov. 7, 2011. Also pictured is Archbishop Paul-André Durocher of Gatineau, Quebec. On the table is a specially bound copy of the Canadian edition of the new English translation of the Roman Missal that the officers presented to the pope.

Building on the success of World Youth Day 2008, the Order and the Sisters of Life co-sponsor the Love and Life Centre at World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid, Spain. The center becomes the premiere English-language catechetical site at the event.

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The new English translation of the Roman Missal is implemented. The Vox Clara Committee, a group largely consisting of English-speaking bishops, oversaw the translation and its implementation with guidance from Pope Benedict and with financial support from the Supreme Council.

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Pope Benedict establishes the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, providing an avenue for priests and laity of the Anglican Communion in the United States and Canada to be welcomed into the Catholic Church. The Order funds the technology required for long-distance formation of former Anglican clerics studying for ordination as Roman Catholic priests.

During his Apostolic Journey to Mexico and Cuba, Benedict offers encouragement to Catholics in both countries. In Cuba, the Holy Father spoke about the necessity of religious freedom in a country where the Church has faced restrictions for decades.

Left: Pope Benedict XVI presents the pallium to Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore during a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican June 29, 2012. The woolen pallium is given to archbishops as a sign of their communion with him and their pastoral responsibility as shepherds.

Bottom left: Pope Benedict prays before an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Miraflores College in Léon, Mexico, March 24, 2012.

Below: Pope Benedict XVI waves during the final public appearance of his pontificate at the balcony of the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Feb. 28.

Pope Benedict presents the pallium to 44 archbishops, including Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori, whom he appointed archbishop of Baltimore three months earlier.

Bishops gather in Rome for the Synod on the New Evangelization.

Supreme Knight Anderson, whom Pope Benedict appointed as an auditor, reflects on the essential witness of Christian marriage in his remarks.

Knights in North America and the Philippines joyously welcome Benedict’s canonization of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Pedro Calungsod and St. Marianne Cope. Supreme Knight Anderson and Deputy Supreme Knight Dennis A. Savoie attend the ceremony.

Pope Benedict addresses participants of a historic congress on Ecclesia in America, co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and the Pontifical Mission for Latin America.

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Benedict XVI concludes his Petrine ministry and continues to serve the Church through a life dedicated to prayer.

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HABEMUS The Knights of Columbus welcomes our new Holy Father, Pope Francis

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PA PA M

Pope Francis and cardinals pray from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican March 13.

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THE POPE OF THE PEOPLE Through humble and loving devotion to God and neighbor, our new pope embodies the Gospel in word and deed

by Alejandro Bermúdez

e would walk in plain priestly clothes through the workDespite conflicts with the highest levels of government reing-class neighborhoods populated by Catholics from his garding Catholic social teaching, he always recognized that own ethnic background. He often travelled by bus or subway, the cultural battle being waged was more spiritual than politand when he moved out of the Archbishop’s Palace, he relocated ical in nature. When a bill to approve same-sex “marriage” into a small apartment. Destitution and rampant violence did was introduced in Argentina, he wrote a letter to all of the not deter him from his pastoral duty. Rather, they motivated monasteries in Buenos Aires asking for prayers for the protechim to comfort the suffering, promote justice and bring salva- tion of marriage and the family. tion to his people by celebrating the sacraments and tirelessly “Let’s not be naive,” he wrote. “We are not talking about a preaching the Gospel. simple political battle; this The pastoral and theologis a destructive pretension ical background of Pope against the plan of God.” Francis — then Cardinal In the end, Pope Francis Jorge Mario Bergoglio, knows the joy of being a archbishop of Buenos Aires faithful disciple of Jesus — reflects the fullness of Christ, even amid the conthe Gospel message, sumfusion of the world. He emmarized in Jesus’ command braces the cross, and filled to love one another as he with faith, hope and love, loved us. seeks to build up the Pope Francis’ home counChurch. try of Argentina is a country On the balcony of St. of contrasts. Its people are Peter’s Basilica, as he well educated and it is more greeted his flock for the first economically developed time, Pope Francis rethan many of its neighbors. marked, “This journey of Yet, it also has examples of the Church of Rome, which Pope Francis greets a boy after celebrating Mass at St. Anne’s Parish within extreme wealth and abject is to preside over all the the Vatican March 17. The new pope greeted every person leaving the small poverty. In fact, knowing Churches in charity, is a church and then walked over to meet people waiting around St. Anne’s Gate. that the wealthy often do journey of fraternity, of not live up to the demands love, of trust between us. of charity despite the needs Let us always pray for one around them, then-Cardinal Bergoglio once warned, “You another. Let us pray for the world, so that a great brotherhood avoid taking into account the poor. We have no right to duck may be created.” down, to lower the arms carried by those in despair.”

In light of the Order’s long tradition of living the Gospel Through both his words and actions, our new pope truly mandate of charity toward neighbor, fidelity to the Church exemplifies the mandate to follow Christ’s great command- and promotion of Catholic social teaching, the Knights of ments: to love God completely, and to love our neighbor as Columbus joyously embraces Pope Francis as a spiritual faourselves. Moreover, the pope understands well that our love ther. And it is not difficult for Knights to see in the pope’s inof God and neighbor requires us to defend and promote the troductory words a clear call to remember the key principles Church’s social teachings. of charity, unity and fraternity, which have an important place The Holy Father is well known in Latin America for his in Pope Francis’ heart.♦ courage in defending the right to life from conception to natural death. As the archbishop of Buenos Aires, he denounced ALEJANDRO BERMÚDEZ is director of Catholic News a “culture of discarding the unborn and the elderly [and] Agency and ACI Prensa. A native of Lima, Peru, he studied treating them as if they are disposable and worthless.” in Argentina and the United States.

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See page 31 for photo credits

H

Clockwise from top: Then archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio kisses the foot of a sick child during Holy Thursday Mass celebrated at Dr. Ricardo Gutierrez Children’s Hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina. • Then-Cardinal Bergoglio is pictured in this 2008 photo on the subway in Buenos Aires. While archbishop, he was known for mingling with the poor and taking public transportation. • Then-Cardinal Bergoglio poses with a flag from the San Lorenzo soccer club. The cardinal grew up in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires, home of the Saints of San Lorenzo de Almagro soccer team, and he has been a lifelong fan. • A woman holds up a photograph of herself and her sister with then-Cardinal Bergoglio outside Our Lady of Caacupe Chapel in a poor neighborhood of Buenos Aires where the cardinal once celebrated Mass.

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Clockwise, from top: In this 1966 photo, seminarian Jorge Mario Bergoglio smiles for a portrait at the El Salvador School in Buenos Aires, where he taught literature and psychology. • Then-Cardinal Bergoglio greets the faithful outside the sanctuary of Liniers. • In this photo taken Jan. 13, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI shakes hands with the man who would become his successor. • Jorge Mario Bergoglio (back, second from left) is pictured as a young man with family members in this undated photo.

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF POPE FRANCIS JORGE MARIO Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, was born Dec. 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was one of five children, and his father, an Italian immigrant from the region around Turin, worked as a railroad employee.

After earning a degree as a chemical technician, Bergoglio discerned a vocation to the priesthood and entered seminary. He entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in 1958 and studied in Chile. He returned to Buenos Aires in 1963 and earned a degree in philosophy at the St. Joseph Major Seminary of San Miguel, where he later earned a degree in theology.

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Bergoglio was ordained to the priesthood on Dec. 13, 1969, and from 1972 to 1973, he served as the novice master at Villa Varilari in San Miguel. Shortly after making his perpetual vows, he was elected Jesuit Provincial for Argentina on July 31, 1973. After serving in this role for six years, he went on to be rector of the philosophical and theological faculty of San Miguel and pastor of Patriarca San Jose Parish.

In 1986, he was sent to Germany to complete his doctoral thesis. He later served at the University of El Salvador in Buenos Aires and in Cordoba as a confessor and spiritual director.

Pope John Paul II appointed Father Bergoglio as an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires on May 20, 1992, and archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998.

Archbishop Bergoglio was also appointed the ordinary of Eastern-rite Catholics in Argentina. He became a cardinal in 2001 and served as president of the Bishops’ Conference of Argentina from 2005 until 2011.

Elected the 266th successor of St. Peter on March 13, 2013, Cardinal Bergoglio took the name Francis in reference to St. Francis of Assisi. He is the first non-European pope in modern history, and the first ever from the Americas.♦

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‘JOURNEYING, BUILDING, PROFESSING’ In his first homily after his election, Pope Francis reflects on following the Lord, building up the Church and professing Christ crucified

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following text is from the first homily that Pope Francis delivered March 14 while celebrating Mass in the Sistine Chapel with the 114 other cardinal electors who had taken part in the conclave to elect the new pontiff one day earlier. The readings of the Missa Pro Ecclesia — Mass for the Church — were Is 2:2-5, 1 Pt 2:4-9 and Mt 16:13-19.

things go wrong. We may become a charitable NGO, but not the Church, the Bride of the Lord. When we are not walking, we stop moving. When we are not building on the stones, what happens? The same thing that happens to children on the beach when they build sandcastles: everything is swept away, there is no solidity. When we do not profess Jesus Christ, the n these three readings, I see a common element: that of saying of Léon Bloy comes to mind: “Anyone who does not movement. In the first reading, it is the movement of a jour- pray to the Lord prays to the devil.” When we do not profess ney; in the second reading, the moveJesus Christ, we profess the worldliness ment of building the Church; in the of the devil, a demonic worldliness. third, in the Gospel, the movement inJourneying, building, professing. volves professing the faith. Journeying, But things are not so straightforward, HEN WE JOURNEY building, professing. because in journeying, building and Journeying. “O house of Jacob, professing there can sometimes be WITHOUT THE CROSS, come, let us walk in the light of the jolts, movements that are not properly Lord” (Is 2:5). This is the first thing part of the journey, movements that WHEN WE BUILD WITHOUT that God said to Abraham: Walk in my pull us back. presence and live blamelessly. Our life Today’s Gospel continues with a parTHE CROSS, WHEN WE is a journey, and when we stop moving, ticular situation. The same Peter who PROFESS CHRIST WITHOUT things go wrong. Always journeying, in professed Jesus Christ, now says to the presence of the Lord, in the light of him, “You are the Christ, the Son of THE CROSS, WE ARE NOT the Lord, seeking to live with the the living God. I will follow you, but blamelessness that God asked of Abralet us not speak of the Cross. That has DISCIPLES OF THE LORD, ham in his promise. nothing to do with it. I will follow you Building. Building the Church. We on other terms, but without the Cross.”

WE ARE WORLDLY.” speak of stones. Stones are solid; but When we journey without the Cross, living stones, stones anointed by the when we build without the Cross, when Holy Spirit. Building the Church, the we profess Christ without the Cross, we Bride of Christ, on the cornerstone that is the Lord himself. are not disciples of the Lord, we are worldly: we may be bishThis is another kind of movement in our lives: building. ops, priests, cardinals and popes, but not disciples of the Lord.

Thirdly, professing. We can walk as much as we want, we My wish is that all of us, after these days of grace, will have can build many things, but if we do not profess Jesus Christ, the courage to walk in the presence of the Lord, with the Lord’s Cross; to build the Church on the Lord’s blood which was poured out on the Cross; and to profess the one glory that is Left: Pope Francis leaves the Sistine Chapel March 13 after being elected Christ crucified. And in this way, the Church will go forward. pope and shortly before appearing for the first time on the central balcony My prayer for all of us is that the Holy Spirit, through the of St. Peter’s Basilica. • Above right: Pope Francis delivers his homily as intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, will grant he celebrates Mass with cardinal electors in the Sistine Chapel the day us the grace to walk, to build and to profess Jesus Christ cruafter his election. cified. Amen.♦

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of The Art FAMILY PRAYER The practice of family prayer helps your home to grow in faith, peace and joy

by Robert Alzapiedi

“T

he family that prays together stays together.”

Popularized in the 1950s by Holy Cross Father Patrick Peyton, a Knight of Columbus, this famous slogan is still relevant and applicable today. For many families, though, saying grace before a holiday meal or attending Mass on Sunday may be their only experience with family prayer. Changing family habits and behaviors can be uncomfortable, especially if parents don’t have a model to follow.

If we are not praying with our families, it is often a case of not knowing where and how to begin, or not having the tools and materials to lead our families in prayer. Fathers can be very private about praying, particularly as we share our weaknesses and concerns with God. Often, we want to be strong for our families and diminish any of their concerns about our struggles.

However, just as we grow in peace through regular private prayer, that same peace and positive spirit can unite a family that prays together. When families come together to pray and share their joys and struggles, they become unified in the petitions they put before God. Family prayer can bring a peace and closeness like no other experience. Sharing personal prayer intentions builds trust and allows family members to stand together in confidence before God. As we strive to be models of faith to our families, let us remember to look first and foremost to Jesus Christ as our model. In his book A Community of Love (2007), David Thomas reminds us that Jesus taught his disciples a “family prayer” when they asked him how to pray. Thomas notes, “The familiar opening words, ‘Our Father,’ identify immediately that we are part of God’s family.”

Like any spiritual exercise, family prayer requires discipline.

It may not be easy to turn away from televisions or computers, but our families are worth the sacrifice of shutting off all media for a brief time each day.

In his book Building Better Families (2008), Matthew Kelly 24 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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shares his understanding for how praying as a family can be difficult to start, especially for those who did not grow up with such practices. “It may be hard enough to get your spouse to consent and participate, never mind the children,” he writes. “If you have very young children you are at a distinct advantage. Begin the practice now as a couple, and invite them to join you as they get older. In the meantime, have some version of family prayer on a regular basis.”

If you already pray together as a family, consider adding a new form of prayer to help your family grow deeper in the faith. There are many ways to pray together as a family (see sidebar).

If you and your family are new to praying together, keep it simple and start small. It may simply be starting with “grace” on those evenings that you do have a family meal together or a short discussion after the mealtime blessing, asking family members to share how God has been working in their lives.

The family rosary is also a way for families to reflect on their day and to help children see how they can model their lives after Jesus and Mary. As the mysteries are prayed, the children can share how they lived the mysteries in their day.

Did I say “Yes” to God today as Mary did in the Annunciation? When visiting with family and friends today, was I as attentive to them as Mary was to her cousin Elizabeth? In this way, the family rosary can help our prayer come alive as we see how we are living the mysteries of the rosary every day.

However you pray now or decide to pray in the future, each experience of family prayer unites the family and strengthens the ties to each other and to God. For newcomers to family prayer, I think you will find it much easier than you expected and much more fulfilling than you could have imagined.♦ ROBERT ALZAPIEDI is the chief administrative officer of Holy Cross Family Ministries (HCFM.org), a worldwide ministry in 17 countries headquartered in North Easton, Mass. He is a member of Pope John Paul II Council 13764 in Bolton, Mass.

TOP: Ed Nute Photography

OPPORTUNITIES TO PRAY TOGETHER • Mealtime blessing — Your own personal family blessing or the familiar “Bless us, O Lord, for these thy gifts…”

Offer special intentions for any sick family members or friends, or any struggles the children may be facing.

• Bless your children — Keep a holy water font near the door you use most.

Bless your children with the holy water, saying, “May the Lord bless you and keep you and guide all that you may do today. May all your words and deeds be for the glory of God.” • Family rosary — Leave a bowl of rosaries in a special place in your living room. When the family gathers, light a candle to help young children understand this is a special time. Ensure each child has his or her own rosary. Be patient and start slowly, understanding that children have short attention spans.

• Mass — In addition to regular Sunday Mass, go to Mass together during the week when possible.

• Special faith events — Look for retreats, workshops and prayer events for families in your area. Sharing a special day together creates lasting memories.

• Prayer Jar — Place a container for family members to drop in written intentions and names of people to pray for that can be read aloud. Children will look forward to hearing their special petitions mentioned.

• Faith discussion — Ask questions about how each family member was able to live out their faith that day or if someone was Christ-like to them.

• Spiritual reading — Read aloud passages of Scripture, such as the daily readings, or selections from the saints or other spiritual writers, and then discuss.

A FAMILY PRAYER For additional copies of the enclosed prayer card (item #10086), featuring a prayer composed by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, councils may place an order with the Knights of Columbus Supply Department. There is a cost of $3 per 100 cards to cover shipping.

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KNIGHTS IN ACTION

REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLES

$2,100 for the seminary and for the men studying to become priests there.

BINGO MACHINE DONATED

Members of Manhattan (Kan.) Council 1832 remove rock, soil and mulch from the playground at Manhattan Catholic School in preparation for the construction of a retaining wall. Over the summer, Knights undertook a project to renovate the school’s playground area. Council members trimmed trees and grass, leveled the grounds, and built a retaining wall to keep rock from falling through the fence and onto the public sidewalk.

GROWTH APPRECIATION

Bishop Charles Francis Buddy Council 6031 in Poway, Calif., hosted a free dinner for the senior citizens of St. Gabriel Parish. The seniors were pioneers in building St. Gabriel Church and spearheaded the growth of the parish community.

With a new church dedicated last year, the Knights decided to honor these parishioners with a free dinner.

TREES PLANTED

Father Jose Hewvagen Council 12760 in Bucay Abra, Luzon, planted new trees alongside a local road to prevent soil erosion and mudslides during the rainy season.

Meanwhile, Nuestra Senora de Candelaria Council 5622 in Silang, Luzon, organized a tree planting and mountain climbing activity at Mt. Pico de Loro, the highest peak in Cavite. The council invited other groups, such as Nuestra Senora de la Leche Council 15549 and the Cavite Farmers Feedmilling and Market26 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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ing Cooperative, to participate in the event. Participants planted several trees on the mountainside and enjoyed the natural setting for the afternoon.

LOUNGE REFURBISHED

St. Rita of Cascia Council 15244 in Alexandria, Va., in conjunction with parents and teachers, remodeled the teachers’ lounge at St. Rita’s School. Knights and other volunteers repainted the room, installed new bookshelves and created a kitchen area complete with storage space and appliances.

SUPPORT FOR SEMINARY

St. John Vianney Council 8201 in Spokane, Wash., has supported seminarians at Bishop White Seminary for 10 years, and for the past three years, members have participated in a 100-mile bike ride to help raise funds.

This year, Tim Drake and Erik Wakeling participated in the ride, raising more than

Msgr. Joseph L. Tierney Council 340 in Potsdam, N.Y., donated a bingo machine to the Lawrence Avenue Apartments, a housing facility for senior citizens.

The machine replaces one that recently broke down.

MEMORIAL GARDEN

Martin J. O’Connell Sr. Assembly in Blairstown, N.J., created a memorial garden and walkway at St. Jude Church. Knights sold memorial bricks to raise $10,000 in support of the project. Members of the assembly, along with members of St. Jude Council 12430, installed the bricks and other landscaping.

HELP FOR THE CLINIC

proximately $2,500 was donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.

‘MAN UP’

St. Augustin Council 10558 in Des Moines, Iowa, hosted a monthly meeting for the organization ManUp, a Catholic fellowship group that seeks to inspire men to be faith-driven leaders in their families, parishes and communities. The evening included rosary, Mass, food and two speakers followed by a discussion.

HOUSE PAINTED

St. Thomas Council 605 in Beloit, Wis., painted the home of council member Stan Van Hoose after he was cited by the city for having a blighted property. Knights organized a painting crew to assist Van Hoose, who is also the council’s oldest living member and a Pearl Harbor survivor.

St. Theresa Council 2657 in Gonzales, La., partnered with an area grocery store to solicit donations for St. Elizabeth’s Community Clinic, a facility that provides medical services to low-income families with no insurance.

The grocery store accepted donations at two locations, and the funds will be used to purchase blood and urinalysis diagnostic testing equipment.

FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS

St. Pius X Council 7536 in Montville, N.J., donated $5,000 to the family of Lance Cpl. Adrian Simone, who lost both of his legs to a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan. The council held a fundraiser dance at its parish that generated nearly $7,500. The balance of ap-

John Sigle of Our Lady of the Highway Council 3835 in Little Falls, N.J., accepts a donation during the council’s annual fund drive for people with intellectual disabilities.

The drive netted $11,100 for the Department for Persons with Disabilities, the Department for Exceptional Children in North Haledon and St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes.

K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N CEMETERY STAIRS

St. Catherine Council 8449 in Gattaran, Luzon, constructed a new set of stairs at an area cemetery. Knights donated blocks, cement, gravel and sand to complete the project.

OPERATION GRATITUDE

Auburn (N.Y.) Council 207 raised nearly $50,000 to undertake a project called “Operation Gratitude,” in which council members escorted World War II and Korean War veterans on an expensespaid trip to Washington, D.C. Knights shepherded 55 veterans to the nation’s capital to visit the memorials erected in their honor.

BOOK DRIVE

Christ the King Council 15064 at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge partnered with a local high school to collect books for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. Knights and students collected more than 4,000 books for area schools whose libraries were scarce or whose teachers had no books

Don Hironimus (right) of St. John the Baptist Council 9167 in Johnsburg, Ill., accepts a food donation from a customer at an area supermarket. Knights hosted a food drive at the store to benefit a local food pantry.

The drive netted 15 carts full of food and about $400 in cash donations.

in their classrooms. Knights also delivered books to local preschools and held reading sessions with children.

DINNER AND A MOVIE

Our Lady of La Salette Council 8376 in Marietta, Ga., organized an outdoor “Dinner and a Movie” event to raise funds for two military-themed organizations.

Knights cooked for those in attendance before presenting a family-friendly movie. The event raised more than $3,200 to purchase wheelchairs for veterans and provide support to seminarians who are studying to become military chaplains.

ROSARIES DISTRIBUTED

To spread devotion to Mary among young people, Diego Silang Council 7656 in Quezon City, Luzon, distributed 1,500 rosaries to students in grades two through six at Aurora A. Quezon Elementary School.

PEACE CAMP

St. Joseph Council 443 in New York raised more than $1,000 to help 200 young people attend the SAKALA Peace Camp in Cite Soleil, Haiti, a collaborative project between Pax Christi USA and Pax Christi Port-auPrince. The camp allows Haitian children the opportunity to participate in programs and community outreach while distancing themselves from the violence that sometimes characterizes their poor communities.

Members of Karl A. Christ Jr. Council 12778 in Heber Springs, Ark., look on as residents from a local group home for people with disabilities enjoy a day of fishing on the Little Red River.

Knights sponsored the men for a day of trout fishing and a cookout.

ficers and provides updates on the activities of Knights in eight counties, the joys of Knighthood, and the impact made by Knights of Columbus in central Pennsylvania and elsewhere.

GOING TO THE DOGS

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Council 12835 in Bagontaas, Mindanao, hosted a vaccination and spay/neuter clinic for local dogs. Knights donated $3,000 for the project, inviting local dog owners to ensure that their pets stay healthy.

CHURCH PAINTED

Holy Spirit Council 13919 in Malolos City, Luzon, repainted its parish church.

Members who were not physically able to participate in the painting prepared lunch for other volunteers.

HAVING A FIELD DAY

KNIGHT TALK

St. Patrick Cathedral Council 11008 in Harrisburg, Pa., records a bi-monthly radio program called “Knight Talk” that is broadcast on Holy Family Catholic Radio out of Shiremanstown. The show is hosted by council of-

Bishop Rice Council 4822 in Ashland, Mass., held its annual field day for area people with intellectual disabilities.

The day allowed participants an opportunity to partake in several activities, including rides on an antique fire truck, fishing, kickball and more.

Meanwhile, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen Council 10858 in Orland Park, Ill., hosted its annual fishing outing and barbecue for area adults and children with intellectual disabilities. Participants enjoyed a day of fishing, coupled with lunch, ice cream and gifts.

TEACHER APPRECIATION

Our Lady of Fatima Council 13137 in Signal Village, Luzon, paid tribute to the teachers at Capt. Cardones Elementary School by treating them to a free makeover and a reflexology or massage session.

CONSTITUTION WEEK

Christ Our Redeemer Council 13527 in Niceville, Fla., has supported the Niceville Public Library’s “Constitution Week” initiative for the past seven years. Knights donated reference materials to the library that are related to patriotism and that are suitable for both children and adults. The initiative aims to highlight books and films that deal with the Constitution, the Founding Fathers, the early days of the country and past presidents.

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♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 27

K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N SNACKS FOR PARISHIONERS

painted the exterior of the rectory at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Moore Haven. Since the church is about 100 miles away from Venice, Knights had to make several trips to complete the job.

Beauce Council 2283 in StGeorges, Quebec, Notre Dame des Pins Council 8955 and Nouveau Millenaire Council 12603 in St-Georges handed out free ears of corn and hot dogs following Sunday Mass with an aim toward helping parishioners socialize in a casual setting.

REPAIRS TO PARISH HALL

Bishop John T. Kidd Council 4924 in Windsor, Ontario, donated $15,000 to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church to assist with repairs to the church hall. The funds were raised through the sale of the council’s old social hall.

HIGH HOPES FOR AUTISM

Bishop O’Sullivan of Foley Council 2736 in Elberta, Ala., constructed an outdoor play-therapy area for the “High Hopes for Autism”

COMING TO AID

Members of San José de Zapotlán Council 3338 in Ciudad Guzmán, Mexico Central, remove dirt and rocks from a proposed walkway and plaza in front of the Church of San Martín. Knights originally planned to create a small walkway in front of the church so parishioners wouldn’t have to walk through dirt and mud. At the encouragement of the community, however, the council undertook a project to create a walkway, plaza and covered pavilion. In addition to manpower, Knights donated 15,000 pesos (approximately $1,100) toward the project.

classroom at St. Benedict School. The council donated $400 to help cover the costs of materials and provided labor to construct an enclosed deck and sandbox for preschool and elementary-age children with autism.

Knights also helped renovate restrooms at the facility and installed new blinds in a classroom.

AMBO DONATED

Nuestra Senora Iti La Salette Council 15542 in Santiago City, Luzon, donated a new ambo to its parish.

ing recovery and adjustment to civilian life.

SONOGRAM EMPLOYMENT

Miami Council 1726 hosted its annual respect life dinner to ensure the continued employment of a sonogram technician to operate the sonogram machine at the Sunset Respect Life Pregnancy Center. Through tickets sales for the dinner — along with pre- and postevent donations, corporate and private sponsorships and a silent auction — the event raised $16,000.

CHRIS WALKER FUND Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City blesses a stainedglass window of Father Michael J. McGivney at Holy Family Church that was funded by Bishop Joseph Lennox Federal Council 14399 in South Ogden, Utah. At the request of Father Patrick H. Elliott, Knights raised approximately $20,000 to have the window built and installed.

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APRIL 2013

St. Ann Council 3986 and Father William V. Higgins Assembly, both in Decatur, Ala., donated $200 to the Staff Sgt. Chris Walker Fund.

Staff Sgt. Walker was injured April 24 while serving in Afghanistan, resulting in the loss of his left leg, the loss of his right arm below the elbow and the loss of his left arm above the elbow. The funds will help with Walker’s ongo-

DONATIONS FOR VETERANS

Sacred Heart Council 9333 in Sapulpa, Okla., and Bishop Bernard J. Ganter Council 11194 in Tulsa collected and delivered personal care items for patients at the Claremore Veterans Center.

RECTORY PAINTED

Our Lady of Lourdes Council 9924 in Venice, Fla.,

Msgr. James Godley Council 7453 in Green River, Wyo., came to the aid of a local husband and wife who needed to sell their house in order to be closer to family in North Dakota. To get the house in saleable condition, Knight scraped then painted the exterior of the building, donating all materials for the project.

MARINE BARBECUES

Palm Springs (Calif.) Council 3583 and Fermin Lasuen Assembly in Indio works with the Palm Springs USO to cosponsor barbecues for area Marines who are going on or returning from leave. Knights provide food for the events, along with tables and pop-up pavilions.

DRUG AWARENESS

Assumption-Keene (Ontario) Council 14032 hosted a free public presentation on drug awareness given by Det. Constable Ernie Garbutt of the Ontario Provincial Police Department’s Central East Drug Unit. Held at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, the talk provided valuable information on drug abuse and awareness to approximately 40 men, women and children.

ALZHEIMER’S WALK

King’s College Council 5966 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., volunteered at a charity walk to benefit the National Alzheimer’s Foundation. Knights ran a basket raffle, aided with the registration process for walkers and distributed flowers to those who participated.

K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N HELPING A SINGLE MOM

the Epiphany. Council member Frank Carzon designed the altar and contracted a friend to build it with assistance from fellow Knights.

St. Thomas the Apostle Council 13174 in Chickasaw, Ala., came to the aid of a single mother who needed assistance with projects around her home. Knights removed several items from the basement of the home that were damaged by flooding. The council also cleaned the yard, removing overgrown trees and brush.

FINANCIAL PLANNING

IN MEMORIAM

St. Francis Regis Council 7321 in St. Regis Falls, N.Y., and Our Lady of Victory Assembly in Malone co-sponsored a pancake breakfast fundraiser in honor of deceased Fourth Degree Knights. The event generated $440, which was donated to St. Ann Church to undertake projects in honor of deceased Knights.

FOR A MEMBER

TOP: Photo by Paul H. Camp

Bishop Becker Council 2427 in Elkton, Md., hosted a spaghetti dinner/sing-along fundraiser to benefit council member Ed Banas and his

An honor guard from Bishop Daniel F. Desmond Assembly in Shreveport, La., looks on as a Ten Commandments monument is dedicated at St. Pius X Church with assistance from Bishop Michael G. Duca of Shreveport, Deacon Jeff Chapman and Father Joseph Kallookalam.

Shreveport Council 1108 donated the monument to the church.

Members of Savannah (Ga.) Council 631 repaint a fence at Most Blessed Sacrament Church. As part of a maintenance project that spanned three weekends, Knights painted the fence and hauled 75 bags of debris from the grounds.

family. Banas has experienced several medical problems over the past few years, requiring a number of hospital stays.

With support from parishioners at Immaculate Conception Church and St. Jude Church, the event netted more than $4,600.

an orphanage in Uganda for children whose parents have died from AIDS-related illnesses. Knights also donated a traveling Mass kit and Roman Missal to Father Charles Nabwana, who founded the orphanage.

MAGAZINES DONATED

Wappingers Falls (N.Y.) Council 1646 organized an anti-bullying day at St. Mary School for children in grades K through 8. Students viewed videos, took part in discussions and skits, and participated in an anti-bullying poster contest. Students also signed a banner and took a pledge not to engage in bullying behavior.

ANTI-BULLYING DAY

To inform Catholics about important issues and raise awareness of the Order and its work, Spirit of Christ Council 12979 in Arvada, Colo., donated Columbia magazine subscriptions to the libraries of local Catholic high schools, colleges and student centers. Each month, the council also collects back issues from members and places them in church lobbies and public libraries. A printed label covers the address and invites eligible men to join the Knights.

ORPHANAGE IN UGANDA

St. Paul Council 1895 in Daytona Beach, Fla., Prince of Peace Council 8791 in Ormond Beach and Archbishop Michael J. Curley Assembly donated $2,000 in support of

DRAINAGE CANAL

Señor San Roque de Lacasa Council 14143 in Hinatuan, Mindanao, built a new drainage canal at St. Augustine Church. Knights undertook the project after learning that the left wing of the church always flooded after a heavy rainfall.

PORTABLE ALTAR

Epiphany Council 11033 in San Francisco donated a portable altar to Church of

James C. Fletcher Council 11422 in Largo, Md., hosted a financial planning seminar on retirement planning that was open to the public. The council’s Knights of Columbus Insurance agent delivered the event’s keynote presentation.

WORKING TOGETHER

St. Padre Pio Pietrelcina Council 15434 and St. Padre Pio Pietrelcina Circle 5579, both in Lalud, Luzon, clean their church and parish grounds each month. This project gives Knights and Squires an opportunity to work together and grow in fellowship.

GUADALUPE HOME

St. Helena Council 7965 in San Antonio donated $2,000 to Guadalupe Home, a transitional living program for women in crisis pregnancies or mothers with infant children.

TRAVELING MASS KIT

Jesuit Father Harry W. Tompson Assembly in Mandeville, La., presented a traveling Mass kit — including a chalice, paten and ciborium — to Msgr. Wildor Pierre of St. Benoit Dessoudes Parish in Haiti.

kofc.org exclusive See more “Knights in Action” reports and photos at www.kofc.org/ knightsinaction

APRIL 2013

♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 29

K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N

IN SERVICE TO ONE, IN SERVICE TO ALL

• Langley, British Columbia

Cancun, Mexico •

• Dandaan, Haiti

Thailand •

• Bar-Kowino, Kenya

PIG ROAST

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Council 11080 in West Brookfield, Mass., held a pig roast to support the ministry of council member Kerry Brenner and his work with Mission Haiti. Brenner has been traveling to Haiti to assist with the building of a school, orphanage, chapel and clinic in the village of Dandaan. The pig roast helped

raise awareness of the struggles that still exist in Haiti today and netted $1,500.

parking lot, respectively. Knights volunteered 1,500 hours to refurbish these parts of the parish grounds.

PLAYGROUND, PARKING LOT FIXED

A FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Mary, Queen of the Apostles Council 9877 in Parañaque, Luzon, spread 25 truckloads of new sand and gravel at their parish playground and

St. Louis de Montfort Council 14553 in Oak Lawn, Ill., used the Find a Council feature on the Order’s website to locate a K of C council in Cancun, Mexico, when council member Hank Montoya and his family were vacationing there. During the trip, Montoya met with members of San Patricio Council 14992 on behalf of his council to exchange ideas and resources, and to present a donation of approximately 1,260 Mexican Pesos. Council 14992 then passed these funds on to a local orphanage.

REPAIRS AT CHURCH

A man and boy from the Sarnelli House orphanage in northeast Thailand stand with a cow that was donated to the facility by Father McGivney Council 6392 in Marlboro, N.J. Knight Roland Eckstein had visited the orphanage on two occasions, and the facility’s director, Father Michael Shea, requested that the council help the orphanage become more self-sustaining.

To that end, Knights have stocked the facility’s fishponds and have provided pigs, ducks, chickens and cows to the orphanage, which houses approximately 160 children.

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APRIL 2013

• Parañaque, Luzon

North Surrey Council 4767 in Langley, British Columbia, completed a number of repairs at Holy Cross Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Knights updated the front doors, stairs and entranceway to the church, and did some painting as well.

Laborers in the village of BarKowino, Kenya, test dig for a village well that was funded in part by Msgr. F. X. Prefontaine Council 11085 in Seattle. Knights have supported orphans in BarKowino for many years and knew that the village’s water supply was unreliable and sometimes contaminated.

As a result, St. John the Evangelist Church launched a campaign to drill a permanent well with a solar-powered pump and a 6,000-liter storage tank. Knights sponsored one benefit that raised $1,700 and provided support and manpower at several other events.

K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N

Stewards of Creation

IN THE UNITED STATES THE ENGLISH COMPANY INC. Official council and Fourth Degree equipment 1-800-444-5632 • www.kofcsupplies.com LYNCH AND KELLY INC. Official council and Fourth Degree equipment and officer robes 1-888-548-3890 • www.lynchkelly.com CHILBERT & CO. Approved Fourth Degree Tuxedos 1-800-289-2889 • www.chilbert.com IN CANADA ROGER SAUVÉ INC. Official council and Fourth Degree equipment and officer robes 1-888-266-1211 • www.roger-sauve.com

04/13

J O I N T H E FAT H E R MCGIVNEY GUILD Please enroll me in the Father McGivney Guild:

• San Pablo Apostol Council 9763 in Gabaldon, Luzon, and San Patricio Council 11602 in Aurora joined with students and municipal leaders to plant new trees at Sitio Dupinga. In addition to planting the trees, volunteers also committed to nurturing them over the coming year.

NAME

• Assumption-Keene (Ontario) Council 14032 held its annual cleanup at the council’s adopted street. Knights and their families removed 460 pounds of trash and debris from a six-mile stretch of roadway.

ZIP/POSTAL CODE Complete this coupon and mail to: The Father McGivney Guild, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 or enroll online at: www.fathermcgivney.org

• Beatrice (Neb.) Council 1723 raised $2,000 for St. Joseph School during the council’s “Cans for Kids” campaign. Knights set up collection points where local residents and parishioners could drop off their aluminum cans for recycling. Proceeds from the cans and a pancake breakfast were donated to the school.

• St. Hubert Council 10341 in Marienville-Crown (Pa.) had the lighting fixtures at its parish office replaced with brighter, more energy-efficient ones.

The old lights had dimmed and yellowed due to age and were not acceptable in which to hold meetings and religious education classes.

• Tillamook (Ore.) Council 2171 established and maintains a council vegetable garden that provides thousands of pounds of fresh food to the needy each year.

PHOTO CREDITS PAGES 8-9: Pope Benedict with board of directors (L’Osservatore Romano). PAGE 10: With supreme knight and supreme chaplain (L’Osservatore Romano). • Unveiling the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (L’Osservatore Romano). PAGES 10-11: Benedict XVI on balcony (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters). PAGE 11: At Auschwitz-Birkenau (CNS photo/Giancarlo Giuliani, Catholic Press Photo). • Signing encyclical (CNS photo from L’Osservatore Romano). • Blessing the Ark of the New Covenant (CNS photo/courtesy 2008 International Eucharistic Congress). PAGE 12: At White House (© Knights of Columbus) • With supreme knight and deputy supreme knight (L’Osservatore Romano). • At John Paul II Center (© Knights of Columbus).

PAGE 13: At Ground Zero (CNS photo/Max Rossi, Reuters). • Blessing/visiting communications truck (© Knights of Columbus).

PAGE 14: Celebrating Mass in Mexico (Reuters/L’Osservatore Romano). • At World Youth Day (CNS photo/Tim Wimborne, Reuters).

• With the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano). PAGE 15: Pope Benedict presents Archbishop Lori with pallium (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano). • Praying before Our Lady of Guadalupe (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters). • On balcony at Castel Gandolfo (CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters).

PAGES 16-17: Pope Francis bowing on balcony (AP Photo/Luca Bruno). PAGE 18: Pope Francis greets boy (CNS photo/Paul Haring). PAGE 19: Holy Thursday foot washing (Clarin/Gustavo Cherro). • Traveling on subway (AP Photo/Pablo Leguizamon). • With soccer flag (Handout/Reuters). • Woman with picture (CNS photo/Enrique Marcarian, Reuters). PAGE 20: Jorge Mario Bergoglio as a seminarian (AP Photo/El Salvador School). • Then-Cardinal Bergoglio greeting faithful (ANSA/Corbis). PAGE 21: Benedict greets then-Cardinal Bergoglio (CNS photo/ L’Osservatore Romano ). • Family of Jorge Mario Bergoglio (CNS photo/Clarin handout via Reuters). PAGE 22: Pope Francis leaves the Sistine Chapel ( L’Osservatore Romano ). PAGE 23: Delivering first homily (CNS photo/ L’Osservatore Romano ).

!

RESPECT AND CARE for the environment is a key element of Catholic social teaching. The fact that some voices in the environmental movement rule out reference to God and seem to place nature over mankind does negate the Christian obligation toward creation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes, “Man’s dominion over inanimate and other living beings granted by the Creator is not absolute,” adding that “it requires a religious respect for the integrity of creation” (cf. 2415-2418).

Pope Benedict XVI often reflected on environmental stewardship. In a 2009 Angelus Address, for instance, he said, “I willingly join in spirit all who are grateful to the Lord for the fruits of the earth and the work of human hands, renewing the pressing invitation to respect the natural environment, a precious resource entrusted to our stewardship.”

And now, Pope Francis was inspired to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi, because he recognized the saint as “the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation.”

Knights are no strangers to environmental projects. From tree-planting initiatives to recycling drives, they take on many initiatives to care for the environment, thus respecting the common good.

K OF C ITEMS OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS

ADDRESS CITY STATE/PROVINCE

OFFICIAL APRIL 1, 2013:

To owners of Knights of Columbus insurance policies and persons responsible for payment of premiums on such policies: Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the provisions of Section 84 of the Laws of the Order, payment of insurance premiums due on a monthly basis to the Knights of Columbus by check made payable to Knights of Columbus and mailed to same at PO Box 1492, NEW HAVEN, CT 06506-1492, before the expiration of the grace period set forth in the policy. In Canada: Knights of Columbus, Place d’Armes Station, P.O. Box 220, Montreal, QC H2Y 3G7 ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK, EDITORIAL MATTER, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILED TO: COLUMBIA, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

REJECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IF ACCOMPANIED

BY A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE. PURCHASED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED. OPINIONS

BY WRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. SUBSCRIPTION RATES — IN THE U.S.: 1 YEAR, $6; 2 YEARS, $11; 3 YEARS, $15. FOR OTHER COUNTRIES ADD $2 PER YEAR. EXCEPT FOR CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS, PAYMENT IN U.S. CURRENCY ONLY. SEND ORDERS AND CHECKS TO: ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869/USPS #123-740) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326.

PHONE: 203-752-4000, www.kofc.org. PRODUCED IN USA. COPYRIGHT © 2013 BY KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NEW HAVEN, CT AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO COLUMBIA, MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

CANADIAN POSTMASTER — PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 1473549. RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 50 MACINTOSH BOULEVARD, CONCORD, ONTARIO L4K 4P3 PHILIPPINES — FOR PHILIPPINES SECOND-CLASS MAIL AT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE. SEND RETURN COPIES TO KCFAPI, FRATERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1511, MANILA.

APRIL 2013

♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 31

C O LU M B I A N I S M B Y D E G R E E S

Unity JAYLIA CUMMINGS displays the pompano fish that she caught at the Lynnhaven Pier during a fishing event sponsored by Pope Leo XIII Council 10804 in Virginia Beach, Va., for more than 180 children from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia. The children enjoyed a morning of fishing in which they each received a fishing pole, t-shirt and lunch. For many of the participants, this was their first time fishing.

Charity

Fraternity

Patriotism

MSGR. WILLIAM SCHOOLER, pastor of St. Pius X Church in Granger, Ind., and a member of Father Stephen T. Badin Council 4263, presents a chalice to Msgr. Larry Kanyike of Uganda. Knights donated the chalice and $300 to support a new church that Msgr. Kanyike built in his native country. In addition, Father John J. Walsh Council 7052 and Bishop Charles McLaughlin Assembly, both in Venice, Fla., donated a second chalice to the church.

MEMBERS OF James Madison University Council 9286 in Harrisonburg, Va., hike through Skidmore Reservoir during a fraternal retreat.

The day included a hike to the top of the reservoir (where Knights prayed the rosary), spiritual discussions, a campfire lunch and a trivia challenge.

FRED BAUER (left) and Sean McLane of Precious Blood Assembly in West Chester, Ohio, present two Boy Scouts with a new U.S. flag for use at St. Margaret of York School.

The entire school participated in a ceremony in which the existing flag was retired and the new one raised. St. Margaret of York Council 13429 donated the flag to the school.

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APRIL 2013

KNIGHT S O F C O LUM BUS

Dawn Lockett of dndphotography.net

Building a better world one council at a time Every day, Knights all over the world are given opportunities to make a difference — whether through community service, raising money or prayer. We celebrate each and every Knight for his strength, his compassion and his dedication to building a better world.

TO

BE FEATURED HERE , SEND YOUR COUNCIL’ S

C OLUMBIA , 1 C OLUMBUS P LAZA , N EW

Students, Boy Scouts and U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler recite the Pledge of Allegiance during a “Flags for School” event hosted by Bishop O’Dea Assembly in Aberdeen, Wash. Nearly 1,500 students and staff from three schools attended the patriotic event, which included a color corps from the American Legion and the recitation of the Pledge and the Declaration of Independence. Rep. Herrera Beutler also presented each school with two flags that had flown over the Capitol.

“K NIGHTS IN A CTION ” H AVEN , CT 06510-3326

PHOTO AS WELL AS ITS DESCRIPTION TO : OR E - MAIL : COLUMBIA @ KOFC . ORG .

APRIL 2013

♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 33

PLEASE, DO ALL YOU CAN TO ENCOURAGE PRIESTLY AND RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS. YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

KEEP T H E F A I T H A L I V E

‘BEING A PRIEST HAS BEEN A DREAM COME TRUE’

FATHER JAN KUSYK Archdiocese of Kingston, Ontario

Jason Cowell, Kingston, Ontario

When my mother was six weeks pregnant, a doctor informed my parents that there were complications and recommended abortion.

Thanks to the intercession of St. Joseph and the courage of my parents, I was born healthy. Three years later, Blessed John Paul II blessed me during one of his audiences in St. Peter’s Square.

Growing up Polish-Canadian, faith was a natural part of my family life, which included regular Sunday Mass, meals at home with parish priests and devotion to Our Lady of Czestochowa.

My vocation to the priesthood came as an epiphany when I was 13. After secondary school, unable to shake the call, I decided to take a leap of faith and apply to seminary.

Since my ordination two years ago, I can honestly say that being a priest has been a dream come true. My greatest privilege and joy is to celebrate the sacraments, and I thank my brother Knights for their prayers and support throughout my entire formation. Relying entirely on Our Lord Jesus Christ, I look forward to working for the salvation of souls and the glory of God.