With Knights of Columbus, you can help safeguard your family with life insurance from an organization that aligns with your faith, and you can feel good knowing that a portion of the proceeds from our insurance business helps fund our charitable efforts in local communities and around the world. Why Choose Knights of Columbus Life Insurance?
• Financial Security – Help protect your family’s income, mortgage, and daily needs.
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Columbia
15 8 18 23
3 For the greater glory of God
As Catholics and Knights, we have a responsibility to foster love of country in a spirit of gratitude to God and in service to all.
A bronze statue of Blessed Michael McGivney stands in St. Patrick’s Cathedral prior to its installation in the St. Joseph Chapel. Created by artist Chas Fagan, the statue was commissioned by the Supreme Council and gifted by the Fourth Degree, which celebrated its 125th anniversary on Feb. 22 (see pages 8, 15).
A Celebration of Catholic Patriotism
The Knights of Columbus celebrates the 125th anniversary of the Fourth Degree and the ideals of faithful citizenship.
By John Woods
PLUS: 125 Years of Patriotic Service – The history of the Fourth Degree is marked by significant contributions to the Church and society.
America’s Parish Priest in America’s Parish Church
A new statue of Blessed Michael McGivney finds a home in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, reflecting the dynamic history of the Church in the United States.
By Brian Caulfield
The Raised Man of the Shroud
An interview with Dr. Gilbert Lavoie on what he discovered about the renowned Shroud of Turin.
By Columbia staff
Sharing in Their Grief
Knight and chaplain rush to support anguished families after a midair collision in Washington, D.C.
By Zoey Maraist
By
Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly
4 Learning the faith, living the faith
In assuming our humanity for our salvation, Christ draws near to each and every one of us.
By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori
8 Building the Domestic Church
A series of columns on family life, leadership and financial stewardship
26 Knights in Action Reports from councils and assemblies, representing Faith in Action
ON THE COVER Charter members of Charles Carroll Assembly in New York, N.Y., are pictured after the first-ever Fourth Degree exemplification at the Lenox Lyceum in New York City on Feb. 22, 1900.
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. kofc.org/join
IN NOVEMBER 2013, just eight months after his election, Pope Francis wrote what is perhaps the most defining document of his pontificate: Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). In that apostolic exhortation, he begins by inviting “all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ” (1). He then proceeds to reflect on the heart of the Gospel and of Christian identity — that is, “the saving love of God made manifest in Jesus Christ who died and rose from the dead” (36) and the fundamental call of all the baptized to become “missionary disciples” (119-121).
Pope Francis also emphasizes in Evangelii Gaudium the vital importance of prayer and contemplation, which deepens our confidence in Christ’s victory over sin and death and in the Holy Spirit’s power to transform the world. The Holy Father explains that without joy and hope in the Lord, rooted in prayer, we are prone to a pessimistic attitude, which “is only a malicious excuse for remaining caught up in comfort, laziness, vague dissatisfaction and empty selfishness” (275).
These themes of joy, hope and missionary discipleship have recurred throughout Francis’ papacy, culminating in the Jubilee Year 2025. They are also interconnected. The pope emphasized this in a Jan. 10 address to leaders of a missionary movement in France: “Joy, dear friends, is inseparable from hope, and it is also inseparable from mission; a joy that is not reduced to the enthusiasm of the moment, but that is born of the encounter with Christ and directs us toward our brothers and sisters.”
Each of these themes resonates, too, with the identity and mission of the Knights of
Columbus. The founding principles of charity, unity and fraternity — and patriotism, the principle of the Fourth Degree — are grounded in Gospel values, gratitude to God and a duty to serve our neighbor (see pages 3, 8). The highest honor bestowed by the Order is named for the Second Vatican Council’s Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes (Joy and Hope). And what are Cor and “Faith in Action” but blueprints for engaging in missionary discipleship? Finally, and perhaps most significantly, the call to Easter joy is encapsulated in the phrase “Vivat Jesus!” (Jesus lives!).
Providentially, this year’s celebration of Easter — the highest point of the liturgical year — coincides for Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians (a relatively rare occurrence). It is also providential that the jubilee year, with its theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” coincides with the National Eucharistic Revival’s “Year of Mission,” which will conclude on Pentecost Sunday. Later in 2025, the Church will mark the 100th anniversary of the feast of Christ the King, which celebrates Jesus’ universal lordship and our citizenship in the kingdom of God. What is no coincidence is that nearly 12 years ago, Pope Francis chose to publish Evangelii Gaudium on the feast of Christ the King, for “to evangelize is to make the kingdom of God present in our world” (176). This is our mission as Knights of Columbus. “Jesus Christ truly lives,” writes Pope Francis. “Christ, risen and glorified, is the wellspring of our hope, and he will not deprive us of the help we need to carry out the mission which he has entrusted to us” (275). B
Alton J. Pelowski, Editor
Faith Resource: Lord, Teach Us To Pray
In the booklet Lord, Teach Us To Pray: The What, Why and How of Prayer (#304) by Dominican Father Peter John Cameron, prayer is defined as “the devout offering of the whole of ourselves in the Holy Spirit to the Father through Jesus Christ.” Part of the Building the Domestic Church Series, it provides guidance on developing and deepening our prayer at Mass, in our families and in daily contemplation. To order this and other Catholic resources from Order’s Catholic Information Service, visit kofc.org/shopcis.
Columbia
PUBLISHER
Knights of Columbus
SUPREME OFFICERS
Patrick E. Kelly
Supreme Knight
Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D.
Supreme Chaplain
Arthur L. Peters
Deputy Supreme Knight
John A. Marrella
Supreme Secretary
Ronald F. Schwarz
Supreme Treasurer
John A. Marrella
Supreme Advocate
EDITORIAL
Alton J. Pelowski
Editor
Andrew J. Matt
Managing Editor
Elisha Valladares-Cormier
Senior Editor
Megan Stibley
Associate Editor
Paul Haring
Manager of Photography
Cecilia Engbert
Content Producer
Blessed 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
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Our Patriotic Duty
As Catholics and Knights, we have a responsibility to foster love of country in a spirit of gratitude to God and in service to all
By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly
THE RECENT CELEBRATION of the 125th anniversary of the Fourth Degree on Feb. 22 gave us an opportunity to reflect upon what patriotism really means to us as Catholics and as Knights. For us, it’s a question as old as the Order itself.
When Father Michael J. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in the late 19th century, many Americans questioned whether a Catholic could be a good citizen. Yet, from the beginning, Knights knew there was no conflict between our faith and commitment to one’s country. And over the years, we’ve proven that, time and again, by serving proudly in uniform — fighting and dying alongside Protestants, Jews and nonbelievers.
Knights have also distinguished themselves in public service, serving loyally at every level of government, promoting human dignity and the common good. And throughout society, we have transformed entire institutions for the better — from schools to charitable organizations to hospitals.
In our own day and age, many question whether anyone should be a patriot. Cultural elites tell us that patriotism means the same thing as blind nationalism — and that it tends toward arrogance, aggression and advancing one country’s interest at the expense of others. They insist that patriotism is an outdated ideal that should be put aside for the sake of so-called progress. And they tell us that our love of country is misplaced because our country is not worthy of our love.
The Church teaches us that patriotism is not and never has been about national supremacy. Nor is it an excuse to exclude or vilify the foreigner or the immigrant. It’s not a weapon to be used against other nations or people. Rather, patriotism is a duty that flows from a sense of gratitude.
St. John Paul II saw gratitude as the starting point for faith and hope. In his apostolic letter Novo Millennio Ineunte at the close
of the Jubilee Year 2000, he urged us “to remember the past with gratitude, to live the present with enthusiasm and to look forward to the future with confidence.”
Twenty-five years later, his words remain wise and timely counsel, and they reflect the spirit of true patriotism. Gratitude and hope lead to love of country and service to neighbor, and they are an antidote to the nihilism and meaninglessness that have a stranglehold on so many people today.
Patriotism is not only a virtue, but also an obligation for us all — especially Knights. And just as patriotism calls us to defend our country, we have a duty to remind our fellow citizens that our nation isn’t defined by its failures, past or present. Nations, just like people, are so much more than the sum of their mistakes. We have inherited something precious, which we must treasure, even if our nation will always be a work in progress. And we must teach future generations to do the same.
Pope Benedict XVI observed that each successive generation faces anew the challenge to build a just and virtuous society — a perennial yet ever urgent task.
“Freedom,” he wrote, “must constantly be won over for the cause of good” (Spe Salvi, 24). During the welcoming ceremony for his visit to the United States several months later, in April 2008, he further reflected, “Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility. … The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, and sacrificing for the common good and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also demands courage to engage in civic life and to bring one’s deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate.”
Patriotism matters — and it’s our duty, a duty of gratitude to God that we must instill in our children and our grandchildren.
Vivat Jesus!
Nations, just like people, are so much more than the sum of their mistakes. We have inherited
something precious, which we must treasure. And we must teach future generations to do the same.
‘God Truly Loves Me’
In assuming our humanity for our salvation, Christ draws near to each and every one of us
By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori
ON THE FIRST SUNDAY of Lent, the Church celebrates the Rite of Election, and we affirm the intent of those who have asked to be baptized and received into the Church. As their names are enrolled, they are numbered among the elect who will receive the sacraments of initiation — baptism, confirmation and first Eucharist — at the Easter Vigil.
This year’s Rite of Election in the Archdiocese of Baltimore was beautiful. The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen was filled to overflowing. Nearly 800 catechumens and candidates for reception into the Church were joined by their godparents, sponsors, families and friends. The palpable joy was a reminder that the Church is alive, growing and full of hope.
Afterward, I greeted those who participated. A young woman, a college student, took me aside. “It wasn’t easy getting here,” she said. She wasn’t talking about the traffic but her spiritual journey. “Most of my life,” she said, “I believed in God, but God always seemed distant. I didn’t think he was interested in me or cared about me. I had a hard time believing that he loved me.”
“What changed your mind?” I asked. “Soon after starting college,” she said, “I was invited to campus ministry. I met a lot of people my age who really love the Lord and the Church. As they talked about their faith, I looked at my own life. I realized that God wasn’t far away from me. I kept walking away from him. So here I am!”
As we approach the end of our Lenten journey and prepare for the solemn celebrations of Holy Week, let us take the following reality to heart: The Lord truly does love us. St. Paul wrote to the Galatians, “The Son of God … has loved me and given himself up for me” (2:20). This is what we celebrate in Holy Week. God sent his Son to become one of us, to preach the good news of redemption, to heal the sick, to give us himself in
the Eucharist, and to suffer and die for the forgiveness of sins, only to rise in triumph on that first Easter morning. In this way, the God of glory and majesty has drawn very near to each of us and to all of us.
As you witness anew Jesus’ entry in Jerusalem, sit with the Apostles in the Upper Room, walk the Way of the Cross, and stand guard at the entrance to the tomb, ask for the grace to realize what the Lord has done for us. He didn’t redeem us from afar. He didn’t wave a wand. No, he penetrated to the depth of existence where rages the battle between good and evil, sin and grace, life and death — and in our flesh, in our humanity, he won for us the victory.
This is something that God did for everyone, for he wants everyone to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth (see 1 Tm 2:4). But God also did it for each of us personally. You and I need to ponder what the young woman told me on the steps of the cathedral: “God wasn’t far away from me. I kept walking away from him.”
Her words offer us a second takeaway as well. She discovered Christ and began to follow Christ thanks to the witness and friendship of her fellow students. In a word, she spoke to me about “fraternity.” No one takes the faith journey alone. We walk together.
The Order’s Cor initiative is all about discovering in the depth of our hearts that God is close to us — indeed, he knows and loves us more deeply than we know and love ourselves. And this discovery involves walking together, supporting one another in our faith journey, helping one another to take to heart not mere ideas but the truths of the faith that flow from the love which the triune God has lavished upon us.
As we celebrate the joy of Easter, let us make it the goal of our lives to share in the victory over sin and death our Savior won for us. B
The Lord didn’t redeem us from afar. No, he penetrated to the depth of existence where rages the battle between good and evil, sin and grace, life and death — and in our flesh, in our humanity, he won for us the victory.
Supreme Chaplain’s Challenge
A monthly reflection and practical challenge from Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori
She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”
(Gospel for April 6, Jn 11:27)
These words belong to Martha, sister of Lazarus, as she and Jesus speak outside her brother’s tomb. Her choice of words is important: “I have come to believe.” This suggests her belief has evolved, that her previous uncertainty or ignorance about Jesus has blossomed into faith. Growing in faith is usually a process of moving from questioning or doubt to illumination and trust. How do we come to faith and then grow deeper in it? We do so through prayer, study and reflection. Let us continually deepen our faith in this manner.
Challenge: This month, I challenge you to take part in a Catholic faith formation course, event or opportunity offered through your local council (such as Cor ), your parish or diocese, or online.
Catholic Man of the Month
Blessed Mariano de la Mata Aparício (1905-1983)
WHILE MUCH OF Father Mariano de la Mata’s religious life was spent as a professor and administrator, he touched thousands of lives in the streets of São Paulo, Brazil. Whether visiting the sick or ministering to the poor, the cheerful and empathetic priest, in his Augustinian habit, was always a welcome sight.
One of eight children, Mariano de la Mata Aparício was raised in a deeply religious family in Spain’s Palencia province. He followed in the footsteps of his three older brothers when he joined the Order of St. Augustine in 1921 at age 15. Ordained a priest in 1930, Father Mariano spent less than two years teaching in Spain before being sent as a missionary to Brazil, where he served for the next 50 years.
Father Mariano’s love for the Virgin Mary and the Eucharist sustained his priestly life, and he was known to celebrate the Mass with great devotion. He served in a variety of leadership positions in his order and taught courses in natural science at St. Augustine
Liturgical Calendar
April 4 St. Isidore, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
April 11 St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr
April 13 Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
April 17 Holy Thursday
April 18 Friday of the Passion of the Lord (Good Friday)
April 19 Holy Saturday
April 20 Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
April 27 Sunday of Divine Mercy
April 29 St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
April 30 St. Marie de l’Incarnation, Religious (Canada)
College. He loved nature, especially plants, which he said reminded him “of the greatness of their Creator.”
Known as a “messenger of charity,” Father Mariano frequently went out of his way to visit the sick in hospitals. He also served as chaplain for more than 200 St. Rita of Cascia Workshops, which employed thousands of poor people to make clothing for others living in poverty. When these visits made him late for meals or other obligations, Father Mariano simply said, “The food can wait, but those in need can’t.”
Father Mariano de la Mata Aparício died April 5, 1983, at age 77, just four months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was beatified in 2006. B
Holy Father’s Monthly Prayer Intention
Let us pray that the use of the new technologies will not replace human relationships, will respect the dignity of the person, and will help us face the crises of our times.
LEAD WITH FAITH
Humble Service, Bold Actions
By Jacob Niemeier
True leadership isn’t about status or control but rather responding to a call to serve. Authentic leaders embody both fraternal humility and magnanimity — lowering themselves to uplift others while also daring greatly. Together, these virtues define the type of leadership that transforms lives.
Fraternal humility asks leaders to acknowledge their limitations, listen more than they speak, and understand that the mission surpasses them. I encountered this lesson during a mission trip to Haiti, as I was struck not only by the dire material circumstances but also by the resilience and dignity of the people. Fraternal humility demands that we go beyond ourselves and serve others by walking alongside them in solidarity.
Magnanimity — defined by a largeness or generosity of spirit — drives leaders to dream boldly and act courageously. Leadership demands the courage to act, rally others around a vision greater than oneself, and trust in God’s providence even when the path is unclear.
By practicing both fraternal humility and magnanimity, we can cultivate authentic servant leadership that transforms lives and communities for the greater glory of God. B
— Jacob Niemeier is the founder and executive director of Vera Aqua Vera Vita, an organization that helps communities in developing countries generate clean water solutions. A husband and father of four, he is a member of St. Jude Council 11293 in Allen, Texas.
Feasting Together
Preparing and sharing in meals are graced occasions for families to grow in communion with one another
By Rebecca Cherico MISSION OF THE FAMILY
IN MOST OF THE Gospel accounts of encounters with the risen Christ, his disciples don’t recognize who he is until they see him in action. Think of Mary Magdalene in the garden after he calls her name (Jn 20:16); or the disciples on the road to Emmaus after the breaking of the bread (Lk 24:30-31); or the Apostles John, Peter and others after an impossible catch of fish (Jn 21:6-7).
This last scene has always stood out in my mind as a special event. After that miraculous catch, the first thing Jesus does is say, “Bring some of the fish you just caught” (Jn 21:10). Then he takes those fish and grills up a little breakfast for them all. In short, Jesus makes a meal while the disciples hang out with him on the lakeshore.
Now, I don’t know about you, but as the parent who generally prepares the meals in my home, I’m not a big fan of my children doing their own thing while I’m slaving away at the stove, only for them to return when dinner is ready. I like to remind them I’m not a short-order cook; I’m their mother. They need to stick around and pitch in, like Jesus asks his disciples to do. A good meal invites community, so it’s only natural that others contribute to its preparation.
It’s wonderful to eat a regular dinner together, but preparing food is also a great moment for family unity, with the added benefit that people are more likely to eat what they have worked to create. While we’re busy with our hands and working alongside each other, family members often feel more willing and able to open up in conversation
than they would if we were making direct eye contact. And so my family has come to discover that spending this preparation time together can be truly precious.
The responsibilities of cooking and serving can often feel a bit unfair — some people are always doing more than others. As a parent, I strive to even things out and create balance in my family members’ duties, but the greater good is for everyone to recognize his or her call to serve. Staying flexible and attentive to the needs of those around us, rather than fixated on fairness or an impossible culinary ideal, is essential to that service.
Jesus was not a celebrated chef, but in giving us himself in a humble offering of bread and wine, he provided the greatest food imaginable. It is sacrifice that allows the ordinary to become far more than the sum of its parts. B
REBECCA VITZ CHERICO is a teacher, writer and mother of five. Her husband, Colin, is a member of St. Helena/James F. Fenerty Council 14210 in Blue Bell, Pa.
How can I help my kids practice generosity in the world of online giving?
By Joshua Gideon FAMILY FINANCE
For some time, I’ve wondered whether I’m doing my family a disservice if they don’t see me actively giving during the offertory at Mass. It once was common to see a mother taking out the checkbook or a dad putting money in the envelope and placing it in the basket. Our family gives, but we’ve gravitated to giving online (in our case, through our donor-advised fund with Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund). However, without that visible reminder
FOR YOUR MARRIAGE
of the offertory basket, my wife and I began to ask, “How do we engage our children with giving in this new digital era?” Our donor-advised fund supports our charitable work, but we want our children — ages 5-18 — to be involved and participate in our family’s practice of generosity.
So, we instituted a family night where we review our fund account and share which charities are on our hearts. We encourage the kids to pray for those to whom we are giving and even to make contributions of their own. It’s a joy to see the spark in their eyes when they have a voice in these decisions, and it’s humbling to see what is on their hearts and what they will sacrifice. I might begrudge giving a 10% tithe, but their $5 gift could be half of their monthly “income”!
Where Love Rejoices
A strong marriage requires that we intentionally cultivate a loving relationship with our spouse
By Rolando Moreno
UBI CARITAS GAUDET, ibi est festivitas : Where love rejoices, there is festivity! These words of the great fourth-century doctor of the church St. John Chrysostom have been a motto for me and my wife, Angela, since we married 20 years ago. They resonated with us so strongly that we had them printed on the wedding favors for our guests! This quote does not express romanticized idealism but what life in Christ truly is about — rejoicing in God, who first loved us and taught us the way of love.
We can sometimes forget that marriage is ordered toward the good of the spouses as well as to the procreation and education of children. The intentional cultivation of a loving relationship and abiding friendship between spouses is key. As each of our five children arrived, Angela and I embraced the “happy chaos,” but we also made time for each other. Date night was (and remains) a priority. We spend time alone together not at the expense of our children but for their sake. We need that time in order to serve them and each other well.
Methods of giving have evolved, but we can still build a visible family culture of generosity toward the Church and those in need.
To learn more about applying tax-efficient strategies with donor-advised funds, visit kofc.org/familyfinance B — Joshua Gideon is the chief of strategy for Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund and a member of Dr. Earl C. Bach Council 3340 in Littleton, Colo.
Of course, in our two decades of marriage, there have been countless times when the realities of life have made it difficult not to fall into “survival mode.” It is a challenge to not lose touch with the priorities of marriage amid the busyness of work and family life. This is precisely why we have to be intentional. Our time together doesn’t always involve going out or spending money on a dinner. It can be a cup of coffee or time spent talking after the kids are in bed.
What makes for a great marriage, filled with joy and festivity, is willingly entering into the fray with self-sacrificial love. Love costs us everything, but that is what we promised to give on our wedding day — our whole self. B
ROLANDO MORENO is executive director of Chesterton Academy of the Willamette Valley and a member of St. Joseph Council 1748 in Salem, Ore.
A Celebration of CATHOLIC PATRIOTISM
The Knights of Columbus celebrates the 125th anniversary of the Fourth Degree and the ideals of faithful citizenship
By John Woods
Amid much fanfare, Knights of Columbus and family members from across the United States and beyond assembled in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City on Feb. 22 to mark the 125th anniversary of the Fourth Degree. Many of them, including the board of directors and other K of C leaders, proudly wore uniforms adorned with the Fourth Degree emblem and medals of office. Every seat in the Gothic Revival edifice, still sparkling from its 2015 restoration, was filled as Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, welcomed the Knights to the cathedral, which was uniquely suited to the historic event.
“It’s especially fitting that we are here in New York, where the Fourth Degree was born,” Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly explained in remarks during the stirring celebration. “And today, we are privileged to be in St. Patrick’s Cathedral — the ultimate symbol of Catholicism in America.”
The celebration began with the unveiling and blessing of a bronze statue of the Order’s founder,
Blessed Michael McGivney, commissioned for the cathedral by the Supreme Council and gifted by the Fourth Degree (see page 15). It continued with the premiere of a revised Exemplification of Patriotism with hundreds of candidates for the Fourth Degree participating. Cardinal Dolan then presided at a vigil Mass, which was concelebrated by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore and 20 priests.
In his remarks at the banquet that followed, Supreme Knight Kelly said that Knights of Columbus have always known the answer to questions many Americans were asking at the end of the 19th century: “Could a Catholic really be a good citizen? Did not we, as Catholics, owe our allegiance to a foreign power — the pope — more than to our own country?”
The supreme knight explained, “The Knights of Columbus, of course, knew that there was no conflict between our love for our faith and our allegiance to our country. And for 125 years we have clearly shown that Catholics are indeed patriots.”
Fourth Degree Knights and 650 candidates stand in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, reciting together the pledge of Fourth Degree at the conclusion of the inaugural presentation of a revised Exemplification of Patriotism on Feb. 22.
by
Photo
Paul Haring
LEADING WITH CHARITY
On Feb. 22, 1900, the first Fourth Degree exemplification was held for 1,100 candidates at the Lenox Lyceum in New York City. Until then, a Knight only received degrees in charity, unity and fraternity. But just a year earlier, the board of directors began the process of establishing a new degree, to foster love of country and to impress upon its members the duties of citizenship.
The virtue of patriotism, nonetheless, was part of the Knights’ DNA from the time Father McGivney founded the Order in 1882. Cardinal Dolan, in his vigil Mass homily Feb. 22, noted, “Father McGivney responded [to anti-Catholic prejudice] as he formed his Knights of Columbus for God and country, teaching them that loyal citizenship as Americans and fidelity to the one holy Catholic faith were not at odds, but intimately aligned.”
Exactly 125 years after the first Fourth Degree exemplification, just 10 blocks away from where the Lyceum once stood, some 3,000 Knights and family members filled St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The anniversary celebration featured the inaugural presentation of a revised Exemplification of Patriotism, during which more than 650 candidates pledged fidelity to God and love for country before being dubbed Sir Knights.
The new exemplification is the fruit of the first complete revision of the ceremonial in 125 years, which was overseen by the board’s Ceremonial Committee and led by its chairman, Past Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. The format flowed seamlessly from honor guard-led marches in procession with patriotic hymns to expositions of the U.S. Constitution and Catholic history, from accounts of the leading role Catholics played in founding the United States and establishing the free exercise of religion to the Order’s advocacy for the inclusion of the words “under God” to the
U.S. Pledge of Allegiance in 1954.
Supreme Master Michael McCusker, who led the exemplification team, addressed the newly inducted Fourth Degree Knights and their guests, saying, “Please know that this day we have played a significant role in a great moment in the history of the Knights of Columbus. However, it is simply not enough for us to have been here. Now begins the real challenge to go back to our homes and to honor those who gave us our great Catholic heritage by living lives worthy of their sacrifices.”
Knights from across the country and around the world participated in the anniversary events, including military service members and veterans for whom patriotism is a way of life.
Twenty cadets from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, received their Fourth Degree at St. Patrick’s, and seven marched in the ceremony’s color guard.
Grand Knight Alex Douglas, a fourth-year cadet, explained that the West Point council intently focuses on serving others.
“We are really trying to build a framework for doing that consistently throughout the year,” he said, including by setting up an annual Midnight Run to help the less fortunate of New York City.
The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, was likewise well represented as 12 midshipmen advanced to the Fourth Degree, among them sophomore David Farrell, grand knight of Commodore John Barry Council 14534.
“We’re very thrilled to be here,” said Farrell, whose Catholic faith inspired him to enroll in the Naval Academy and join the Knights. Underscoring the idea of protecting others, whether at home or abroad, and “leading with love,” he said, “This unification of patriotism and my faith truly presents itself as a Knight of Columbus at the Naval Academy, and I’m very happy I was given the opportunity to let my faith flourish.”
FROM LEFT:
Photo by Paul Haring — Photo by Gregory A. Shemitz
From left: Carrying a replica of the Quincentenary Cross of the New World, Dominican Father Jonathan Kalisch leads the Exemplification of Patriotism team through St. Patrick’s Cathedral while an honor guard stands at attention. • Supreme Master Michael McCusker shares a lesson on the service and sacrifice of military chaplains — including Venerable Father Emil Kapaun, shown on projected image — during the degree ceremony.
‘OUR SPECIAL CALLING’
In his homily during the vigil Mass, Cardinal Dolan asserted that Blessed Michael McGivney’s service as a parish priest ran counter to the Gilded Age ethos, which dictated that men who worked hard each day and suffered an injury or died on the job should be ignored or left alone.
“He assembled the men of his parish to begin a simple, but effective system … for the injured worker or his widow and orphans,” Cardinal Dolan explained. “We’re called to be lights to the world, as his Knights [responded] to the universal call of holiness [with] heroic acts of charity in this country and around the world.”
Cardinal Dolan invited Archbishop Lori to join him in imparting the final blessing by doing so with a first-class relic of Blessed Michael McGivney.
Capping the festivities was a banquet at the New York Hilton Midtown, a short walk from the cathedral.
During remarks at the banquet, Supreme Knight Kelly emphasized that the Order’s patriotic ideals and the Fourth Degree’s impact reach far and wide.
“What we’ve done in the United States, we have done in every country we call home,” he said. “From Canada to Korea, from the Philippines to France, Knights of Columbus stand for the truth that being a good Catholic means being a good citizen. And our countries are better off for it.”
Yet, the prevailing societal question has changed, the supreme knight observed. Instead of asking whether Catholics can be patriots, many now ask whether anyone should be a patriot.
“The Church reminds us,” he continued, “that patriotism is a duty that flows from a sense of gratitude — gratitude to God, gratitude to our family and gratitude to our nation for the gifts that we have been given, the gifts that shape and sustain us: hearth and home, culture and community.”
The obligation that comes with the virtue of patriotism, the supreme knight concluded, falls in a special way to the Fourth Degree.
125 Years of Patriotic Service
The history of the Fourth Degree is marked by significant contributions to the Church and society
By Columbia staff
EVER SINCE THE FOURTH DEGREE was established in 1900, its members have witnessed to the fact that faithful Catholics are faithful citizens. John H. Reddin of Denver, the first supreme master, wrote in The Columbiad , “The Fourth Degree is a distinctive factor in the social and moral life of the country. … It seeks by the spread of intelligence and of the knowledge of the moral code of the Catholic Church to make a lasting foundation for civil society and civil government.”
Through its dedicated witness to the principle of patriotism, the Fourth Degree has been instrumental in the Order’s fostering of civic pride and virtue, its solidarity with service members, and its defense of religious liberty and the right to life. What follows is a timeline of some of the notable milestones in this illustrious history.
1886 — Knights of Columbus Board of Directors considers additional fourth and possibly fifth degrees.
1899 — Supreme Knight Edward L. Hearn forms a committee to develop a new degree. In August, board approves ceremonial with Catholic citizenship as its theme. Qualifications are membership in the Order for at least three years and meritorious service to Church and community.
Feb. 22, 1900 — Inaugural Fourth Degree exemplification takes place on Washington’s Birthday in New York City at the Lenox Lyceum with 1,100 Knights present.
1900-1910 — Fourth Degree districts are formed, each headed by a master appointed by the board of directors. The uniform is styled according to formal wear of the day. Sir Knights carry a sword with cross-handle grip signifying Catholic knighthood.
July 14, 1907 — Canada’s first Fourth Degree exemplification held in Montréal.
July 1910 — John H. Reddin, who from 1908-1910 led a boardappointed committee to revise the Fourth Degree ceremonial and laws, is named first supreme master.
A flag bearer wearing an American Expeditionary Forces uniform leads a Fourth Degree honor guard in the Armistice Day Parade in Taylor, Texas, on Nov. 11, 1925.
“This is our task, our special calling,” he said. “To protect the good of our nation from anything that threatens it. To build on that good, righting the wrongs that certainly exist in pursuit of an even better society. To hand on our love of country to the next generation, so that our children, like us, can make our homeland greater still.”
Archbishop Lori echoed these sentiments in remarks before delivering a final blessing, sharing several insights about the authentic practice of patriotism.
“Our true native land is heaven, where the kingdom of God is in full bloom,” the supreme chaplain affirmed. Nonetheless, he added, “We must love our country as it is, not as we may wish it to be. … This doesn’t mean we should be complacent or settle for the status quo. It only means we can’t defer love of country until everything is shipshape.”
This love of country, Archbishop Lori explained, is tied to “the truth about the human person, about the family, about society,” and, moreover, “patriotism bids us to pray for our country and its leaders.”
The remarks at both St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the banquet resonated
deeply with the newly inducted Sir Knights, as did the revised Exemplification of Patriotism itself.
David Cruz, 37, a member of Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles Council 12376 in Royal Palm Beach, Fla., was among the newly inducted Sir Knights ready to take up the challenge.
Cruz didn’t hesitate to make the trip to New York with his wife, Melissa, to celebrate the historic occasion.
“This was definitely a once-ina-lifetime opportunity,” said Cruz, who is also a K of C field agent working with members of 10 local councils in southeastern Florida.
“Patriotism reflects the Knights values by encouraging charity in service to others, unity in our nation, and fraternity among people,” Cruz said. “For me, patriotism, family and faith are deeply connected. Raising children with strong values ensures the next generation carries on the faith and love for their country. A nation rooted in faith and strong families will always stand united.” B
JOHN WOODS writes from Rockville Centre, N.Y., where he is a member of St. Agnes Council 2548.
1912 — Sir Knights lead a great parade of patriotic and civic societies at the dedication of the Columbus Memorial in Washington, D.C.
April 12, 1917 — Upon U.S. entry in World War I, the Supreme Assembly sends telegram to President Woodrow Wilson swearing members’ “allegiance to our Constitution and flag.”
Nov. 3, 1917 — Supreme Assembly contributes $10,000 to the Knights of Columbus Committee on War Activities.
May 5, 1918 — Mexico’s first Fourth Degree exemplification takes place in Mexico City.
1920s — Members of the patriotic degree in Mexico and the United States support education campaigns in opposition to the Mexican government’s anti-Catholic persecution and propaganda.
May 28, 1921 — Supreme Assembly establishes the Knights of Columbus Historical Commission “to correct historical errors and omissions, to amplify and preserve our national history, to exalt and perpetuate American ideals ….”
1924 — In promotion of patriotism, the Supreme Assembly establishes an annual essay contest for the nation’s youth.
1930s — Fourth Degree Knights help lead an education campaign advocating for truth and justice to oppose the ideology of atheistic Communism.
September 1939 — Canadian Knights, including leaders of the Fourth Degree, begin organizing a K of C Huts program within two weeks of Canada’s entry in World War II, providing service members moral and recreational support.
January 1942 — One month after the Pearl Harbor attack, Supreme Master Timothy Galvin introduces a new program titled “America Fights for God-Given Rights,” to boost the nation’s morale.
Dec. 2, 1949 — Philippines hosts its first Fourth Degree exemplification with 160 candidates in Manila.
by
Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly dubs a new Fourth Degree “Sir Knight” during the knighting ceremony concluding the Exemplification of Patriotism.
Photo
Gregory A. Shemitz
1950 — The Fourth Degree celebrates Golden Jubilee.
April 1951 — The board of directors mandates that assemblies include “under God” when reciting the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance, three years before the change is passed into law.
1966 — The Fourth Degree Pro Deo and Pro Patria Scholarship Fund is established.
1970 — The constitution of the Fourth Degree indicates official regalia for color corps to be a Navy-type chapeau, cape, service baldric and silver sword.
1976 — The Fourth Degree provides support for the Fund for Religious Liberties.
1983 — Supreme Assembly gives a $50,000 grant to the U.S. military ordinariate to establish an office to minister to chaplains, service members, personnel and families, and embassy staff in Europe.
June 19, 1983 — Some 350 Fourth Degree Knights form an honor guard during a Holy Year pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Supreme Chaplain Bishop Charles P. Greco consecrates the second century of the Order to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
1984 — Supreme Assembly contributes $20,000 to the military vicariate of Canada to provide for the spiritual needs of service members.
1985 — “To Be a Patriot” Award established to recognize the top three outstanding assembly programs annually.
1987 — The Fourth Degree raises nearly $450,000 and provides balance of $1 million to help restore the Statue of Liberty.
1993 — The Fourth Degree donates $100,000 for the restoration of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Denver to commemorate Pope John Paul II’s participation in World Youth Day and in tribute to John H. Reddin. Two years later, another $100,000 is donated to
help rebuild the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Oklahoma City damaged during the terrorist bombing of a federal building.
October 1995 — Fourth Degree Knights participate in honor guards during Pope John Paul II’s U.S. visit, including a papal Mass at Aqueduct Race Track in New York City, which was co-hosted by the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Knights of Columbus.
February 2000 — Fourth Degree commences centennial celebration. U.S. assemblies plan $500,000 fundraising campaign for a National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
2001 — Fourth Degree Knights in Canada log thousands of miles as honor guards for two special pilgrimages in the country — accompanying the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and the World Youth Day Cross in anticipation of World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto.
September 2001 — Within 24 hours of the 9/11 attacks, the Supreme Council establishes the Heroes Fund for families of first responders who were killed,
with Fourth Degree assemblies leading fundraising efforts.
September 2002 — More than 1,000 Fourth Degree Knights participate in the Day of Remembrance Mass and patriotic program at the Basilica of the National Shrine to commemorate the first anniversary of 9/11.
2003 — “Serving Those Who Served” program launched to provide support to veterans at area Veterans Affairs medical facilities. With support from Fourth Degree Knights, the Order publishes the first edition of Armed with the Faith prayer booklets for military service members.
2003 — Fourth Degree honor guards are present for each stop of a pilgrimage, spanning more than 20 U.S. dioceses, of a relic from the tilma of St. Juan Diego.
May 2004 — Supreme Master Nestor Barber leads a delegation to the dedication of the National World War II Memorial in Washington. Fourth Degree Knights raised and donated more than $520,000 toward the memorial’s construction.
Charter members of the Massachusetts District, including Supreme Knight Edward L. Hearn (front, center), are pictured after the first-ever Fourth Degree exemplification, in New York City on Feb. 22, 1900.
June 2005 — Months before the Order’s expansion to Poland, a delegation of Fourth Degree Knights led by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson provide an honor guard at the third National Eucharistic Congress in Warsaw.
2006 — The Knights of Columbus United States Flag Manual is published, becoming the definitive guide for Fourth Degree color corps in the United States.
2007 — Membership in the Fourth Degree surpasses 300,000. Assemblies undertake a fundraising effort to raise $500,000 for the new Knights of Columbus Incarnation Dome at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
April 2008 — Fourth Degree Knights provide honor guards for events during Pope Benedict XVI’s U.S. visit, including a welcoming ceremony at the White House and papal Mass at Yankee Stadium.
2011 — The Fourth Degree begins working with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network in conducting citizenship seminars for immigrants.
Nov. 11, 2011 — Poland’s first Fourth Degree exemplification is held at the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków.
2012 — With the addition of 64 new assemblies, more than 3,000 assemblies are active worldwide.
April 25, 2012 — A historic Fourth Degree exemplification takes place in Yongsan, South Korea, during Supreme Knight Anderson’s visit to the country.
2013 — Fourth Degree assemblies raise more than $530,000 to support priestly vocations for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, through the Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program.
May 2013 — Fourth Degree honor guards participate in the first annual Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage. Some 160 active-duty and retired military personnel, injured veterans and family
Then-Supreme Master Dennis J. Stoddard (front, right), joined by Supreme Director James R. Scroggin (left), Former Supreme Director Javier G. Najera, and Supreme Director Paul J. Lambert (not visible) carry the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima through St. Peter’s Square. The event took place during the Year of Faith “Marian Day,” Oct. 13, 2013, and was followed by Mass celebrated by Pope Francis. It was the first time that a Fourth Degree honor guard was invited to participate in a papal event in St. Peter’s Square.
members attend with support from the Knights and the military archdiocese.
2016 — Membership in the Fourth Degree exceeds 350,000.
August 2017 — The current Fourth Degree uniform is introduced, featuring a blue blazer, blue tie and black beret — all with the Fourth Degree emblem — worn with a white shirt and dark gray slacks.
2018 — The Fourth Degree’s support for the Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program surpasses $2 million.
2019 — Fourth Degree Knights provide honor guards throughout the “Heart of a Priest” pilgrimage — an eight-month nationwide relic tour of the heart of St. Jean Vianney, organized by the Knights.
May 27, 2022 — The Fourth Degree is established in Ukraine, with 100
delegates and chaplains receiving the degree in Bryukhovychi. During his first visit to the country just one month earlier, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly gave State Deputy Youriy Maletskiy authority to induct Ukrainian Knights into the patriotic degree.
March 2023 — Knights of Columbus Board of Directors elects Michael McCusker, a U.S. Army veteran and past state deputy of Tennessee, to succeed Supreme Master Dennis Stoddard, who is accorded the title “Supreme Master Emeritus” for his record of distinguished service.
Feb. 22, 2025 — The Order celebrates the 125th anniversary of the Fourth Degree at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, with the blessing of a bronze statue of Blessed Michael McGivney, gifted to the cathedral by the Fourth Degree, followed by the presentation of a revised Exemplification of Patriotism. B
by L’Osservatore
Photo
Romano
Photo by Paul Haring
AMERICA’S PARISH PRIEST in America’s Parish Church
A new statue of Blessed Michael McGivney finds a home in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, reflecting the dynamic history of the Church in the United States
By Brian Caulfield
Standing in the St. Joseph Chapel of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, a new bronze statue graces the revered neo-Gothic masterpiece beloved as “America’s Parish Church.”
The slightly larger-than-life sculpture, crafted by artist Chas Fagan, depicts Blessed Michael McGivney clad in cassock and stole, imparting his priestly blessing. Commissioned for the cathedral by the Supreme Council and gifted by the Fourth Degree, the statue was presented with thousands of Knights of Columbus and family members looking on at the beginning of the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Fourth Degree on Feb. 22 (see page 8).
In introductory remarks, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, referenced a statement Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly made at the 142nd Supreme Convention in August 2024 and asked, “Isn’t it about time that America’s Parish Priest is in America’s Parish Church?”
The cardinal, together with Supreme Knight Kelly and several McGivney relatives — Margaret Ransom,
great-grandniece, and John Walshe, great-grandnephew, who was assisted by his sons Hugh and Jake Walshe — unveiled the statue in the sanctuary to sustained applause. Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori led the congregation in the Litany of Blessed Michael McGivney before joining Cardinal Dolan in blessing the statue with holy water.
Supreme Knight Kelly then delivered remarks in which he reflected on the close relationship between the Knights of Columbus and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, noting, “The Order’s history is closely tied with this great edifice.”
He further explained, “We are not only here to mark an anniversary. We are here to carry the work of Father McGivney into the future — to ensure that our founder will inspire the generations that will come after us.”
A bronze statue of Blessed Michael McGivney commissioned by the Supreme Council and gifted by the Fourth Degree is pictured in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral before its installation Feb. 22.
THE HEART OF THE CITY
St. Patrick’s Cathedral in midtown Manhattan is recognized worldwide, a beacon representing the light of faith to millions of visitors each year. But it was not always such a celebrated sacred space as it is today. When Archbishop John Hughes proposed to construct a new cathedral “of suitable magnificence,” and the cornerstone was laid in 1858, the project was dubbed “Hughes’ folly” due to its grand scale, exorbitant cost and location amid uptown estates, where few in the immigrant Catholic population lived at the time.
Archbishop Hughes did not live to see the triumph of his vision, dying 15 years before the cathedral was completed, but his “folly” won over even some ardent early opponents. The impressive neo-Gothic cathedral was recognized in its day as one of the nation’s spiritual and architectural gems, exemplifying the rising religious, cultural, social and economic status of Catholics in America during a period of unprecedented growth of the Church.
“Being in New York City, in the heart of the city, we have millions of people visiting us each year,” said Father Enrique Salvo, the cathedral’s rector. “Everyone who comes to New York comes to Fifth Avenue, and when they enter the cathedral, we are always there for them, no matter where they are from or even what religion they may be.”
Three years after the cathedral opened on May 25, 1879, Father Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in New Haven, Connecticut, some 75 miles north of New York City. And though there is no historical record that McGivney ever visited St. Patrick’s, it is likely that he did.
We know that Father McGivney traveled to Manhattan in August 1883 to attend the religious profession of a Dominican sister, and again years later to avail himself of the city’s medical experts during his long decline prior to his death in 1890. As a priest of the neighboring state of Connecticut, he may also have attended one of the many early celebratory events or Masses at the new cathedral. Priests from adjacent dioceses were often invited to join these ceremonies, and hundreds of clergymen were reported to have attended.
The first Knights of Columbus council in New York, Brooklyn Council 60, was chartered in 1891. By the time St. Patrick’s Cathedral was consecrated on Oct. 5, 1910, a ceremony marking the full payment of the property’s debt, a double line of Fourth Degree Knights in full regalia flanked Archbishop (later Cardinal) John Farley as he processed from Fifth Avenue toward the bronze doors.
KNIGHTS AND THE CATHEDRAL
The Knights of Columbus has had numerous historic connections to St. Patrick’s for more than a century. Starting in 1918, seven Supreme Conventions have been held in New York City, each with a large Mass celebrated at St. Patrick’s. The 1920 K of C pilgrimage to France and Rome, led by Supreme Knight James Flaherty, departed from the convention in New York only after the delegation received a blessing at the cathedral.
In his Feb. 22 remarks from the cathedral lectern, Supreme Knight Kelly recalled a number of other significant events as well.
“I think of the Fourth Degree honor guards marching by this cathedral, year after year, during parades on St. Patrick’s Day, on Columbus Day, and during Eucharistic processions,” he said.
“I think, too, of New York Governor Al Smith — the Happy Warrior — whose funeral in 1944 filled these pews to overflowing. A lifelong member of the Knights of Columbus here in New York, Al Smith blazed a trail in 1928 as the first Catholic to run for president on a major party ticket. …
“I think of our Supreme Convention in 1992, which began with a Mass here in St. Patrick’s. We were joined then by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, whom we honored that day with our first Gaudium et Spes Award.
“And most poignantly, I think of our brother Knights who died on September 11. So many were honored here in the days and weeks that followed, with the consolations of our Catholic faith and the full honors of the New York Police and Fire Departments.”
Knights have also played a prominent role in the five papal visits to St. Patrick’s, serving as ushers and in Fourth Degree honor guards. It was during one of these visits that Pope Benedict XVI accorded Father McGivney a singular honor. Addressing clergy and religious at the cathedral April 19, 2008, the pope called Father McGivney an “exemplary American priest” whose “vision and zeal” led to the establishment of
Giving the final blessing during the Feb. 22 vigil Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, is joined by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore who blesses the congregation with a relic of Blessed Michael McGivney. • Opposite page: Fourth Degree Knights from New York march in the annual Washington’s Birthday parade in 1947 and are seen entering St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where Mass was offered for the repose of the souls of departed Knights.
the Knights and contributed to “the impressive growth of the Church” in the United States.
“The Knights are so important for not just the cathedral, America’s Parish Church, but also for every parish in the U.S.,” affirmed Father Salvo. “Father McGivney did so much for the men and families of his day, just as the Knights continue to do today.”
A FITTING TRIBUTE
Following the statue’s blessing and the inaugural exemplification of the revised Fourth Degree ceremony Feb. 22, Knights and their families attended the cathedral’s vigil Mass, with Cardinal Dolan serving as the principal celebrant. In his homily, inspired by the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter and the Sunday readings, the cardinal said, “We, the followers of Jesus like Peter, are called to see the world upside down; the values and prizes of this world are turned topsy turvy.”
Noting that the Order recently sponsored the restoration of Bernini’s Cathedra Petri (Chair of St. Peter) at the Vatican basilica, the cardinal said, “The Knights of Columbus happen to see the world upside down. Their founder, Blessed Father Michael McGivney, whose magnificent bronze sculpture by Chas Fagan was given to this cathedral by the Knights here in America’s Parish Church, was told: ‘Keep your religion to yourself. … Keep your light under a bushel basket.’ ‘Upside down to that,’ America’s parish priest replied. ‘We’re called to be lights to the world.’”
In an interview after Mass, artist Chas Fagan reflected on the new statue in relation to his earlier artistic depictions of Father McGivney.
In 2016, the Supreme Council commissioned Fagan to paint a portrait of the founder that was later selected as Father McGivney’s beatification image. Fagan also sculpted a large statue of Father McGivney that was unveiled in the Hall of American Saints at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 8, 2023.
That statue, carved in white marble, depicts Father McGivney holding a book of Scripture etched with the foundational principles of “Unity” and “Charity.” Fagan noted, “He is also leaning forward slightly, as if he’s about to take a step, and the action is accented by the lines of his cassock.”
The new statue in bronze also depicts Father McGivney standing, yet the visual emphasis is on his priestly ministry.
“In this case, he’s giving a blessing, so it’s a very precise pose, much more quiet,” explained Fagan. “If you look carefully, there’s a bit of wind pulling his cassock, so a little extra energy. My hope was to show a younger man with that determination to do right.”
Supreme Knight Kelly later reflected on the eventual impact of the statue on pilgrims, tourists and everyday parishioners alike.
“Millions of people come through St. Patrick’s every year, and millions of people will see this statue,” the supreme knight said. “It is our hope that it will cause them to pause and think about this humble parish priest who did so much for the United States and, really, for the whole world.” B
BRIAN CAULFIELD is a vice postulator of the cause for canonization of Blessed Michael McGivney and past grand knight of Holy Family Council 8882 in New Haven, Conn.
THE RAISED MAN of the Shroud
An interview with Dr. Gilbert Lavoie on what he discovered about the renowned Shroud of Turin
By Columbia staff
Amysterious linen cloth, approximately 14 feet by 3.5 feet, bearing the front-and-back image of a scourged and crucified man, has been an object of veneration and debate for centuries. The first documented appearance of the Shroud of Turin, as it would come to be known, took place in a small village in northern France in 1353. While many people came to embrace it as the burial shroud of Jesus, others, including some bishops, sought to debunk it as a clever forgery.
This debate became a global phenomenon after the shroud was photographed by Secondo Pia in 1898 at the Cathedral of Turin, Italy. What Pia saw on the reverse plate in the darkroom shocked him: a positive image of details of the man’s body and face that could not be seen by the naked eye. What the naked eye sees is actually a photographic negative . This astonishing discovery made headlines around the world and led to a series of scientific studies of the shroud in multiple disciplines, from chemistry and biology to medical forensics and image analysis — studies that continue today, making it the single-most studied artifact in history.
The Catholic Church has never taken an official stance on the shroud’s authenticity and refrains from calling it a relic. When visiting the Cathedral of Turin in 1998 on the 100th anniversary of Pia’s first photograph, St. John Paul II explained, “Since it is not a matter of faith, the Church has no specific competence to pronounce on these questions. She entrusts to scientists the task of continuing to investigate… [and] invites them to act with interior freedom and attentive respect for both scientific methodology and the sensibilities of believers.”
One such researcher is Dr. Gilbert Lavoie, a doctor of internal medicine who has pursued medical and forensic studies of the blood marks on the shroud for 40 years. Author of The Shroud of Jesus and the Sign John Ingeniously Concealed (Sophia Press, 2023), he is a member of St. James Council 12402 in Orlando, Florida. Dr. Lavoie shared with Columbia how he became interested in the shroud, where his scientific investigations led him, and what he believes his discoveries reveal to the objective observer and to the eyes of faith.
COLUMBIA: How did you first become interested in the Shroud of Turin, and what role did your Catholic upbringing background and medical career play in this?
DR. GILBERT LAVOIE: When I was 6 years old, my father, who was a surgeon, asked me, “Would you like to see the face of Jesus?” And I said, “Sure.” He reached into his wallet and showed me a picture. It didn’t look like any of the beautiful pictures of Jesus I had seen in Catholic grammar school, and it frightened me a little bit. Seeing I was concerned, my father smiled and said, “Well, it really is the face of Jesus.” He folded up the photograph and put it back in his wallet. I got my father’s wallet after he died when I was 10, and I just kept it. It was not until decades later that I came across that photograph and recognized it from the Shroud of Turin.
But first, at the end of my first year in pre-med at Boston College, I went down into an old bookstore in Boston and found a book called A Doctor at Calvary by Dr. Pierre Barbet, a French surgeon. I thought the book was a surgeon’s perspective on the crucifixion of Jesus. Instead, it was about the Shroud of Turin, which I had never heard of. I was fascinated
A bronze sculpture titled “The Sign” is pictured at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., as it hosts a temporary exhibit on the Shroud of Turin. The sculpture was created by artist Pablo Eduardo in 2022 in collaboration with Dr. Gilbert Lavoie. • Opposite page : A photographic negative reveals the faint image on the Shroud of Turin in more distinctive detail — a discovery made in 1898.
with what Dr. Barbet had to say, but then just forgot about it.
Eighteen years later, in my first year of practice in Boston, I saw the picture of the shroud in the Sunday Boston Globe announcing there was going to be an exhibit in the early fall of 1978. Remembering the book, I decided to go with my wife and see what this was all about. I came back with photographs and a lot of information, but I remained skeptical. Being a physician definitely played a part in my wanting to know more about the blood marks I had seen. Otherwise, I probably would not have pursued the study of the shroud. I didn’t need the shroud for my faith. I already had my Catholic faith. I began to study the shroud as a true skeptic because I never wanted to perpetrate a fraud.
COLUMBIA: What forensic and other evidence drew your attention and eventually changed your mind that the shroud was not a man-made artifact?
DR. GILBERT LAVOIE: There was an off-image blood mark at the left elbow area of the shroud. That blood mark fascinated me because I asked all the experts at the time, and no one knew how it had gotten there. I gave it some thought but never could understand how it occurred, if it was real, or why an artist would even paint it.
A good friend, whom I had met in Turin, lent me a copy of his full-size shroud cloth, which I kept in my front closet. One day, I decided I would place the cloth over me to see where that blood mark would land on my body. In doing so, I realized this blood mark, which ended in a round pool, was a real event indicating that the man of the shroud died in the position of crucifixion. This discovery convinced me that a crucified man had been placed in this cloth.
I also had the benefit of new information from the group of American scientists I met in Turin in 1978. It turned out their studies
Photo by George Goss, courtesy of Dr. Gilbert Lavoie
determined that what looks like blood is blood and that the body image was not a painting. No one could explain how the image occurred, and that remains true to this day.
COLUMBIA: What led you to conduct a variety of experiments of your own, and what did these experiments consist of?
DR. GILBERT LAVOIE: Observation is what a scientist does, and physicians especially depend on observation to diagnose and treat their patients. It was the repeated observations of the blood marks on a full-size shroud replica that led me to conduct a few experiments regarding the transfer of blood to cloth.
For example, I noticed that many of the blood marks were very likely the transfer of moist blood clots to cloth. I decided to see if I could reproduce the shroud’s blood marks by placing linen cloths over moist blood clots at different intervals of time. After trial and error, I reproduced the neat appearing blood transfers to cloth that we see on the shroud. In sum, I found the neat transfers were related to the fact that the blood clotted while the man of the shroud died in an upright position and that the moist clots could transfer to cloth for over an hour but then began to dry. This time interval coincides closely with the Gospel timetable of the death and burial of Jesus.
A family views “The Sign” during its temporary display in the rotunda of the John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., in March. The sculpture represents the upright man revealed on the Shroud of Turin, evocative of the Resurrection of Christ and his words in the Gospel of John: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (2:19).
COLUMBIA: How did you conclude that the image of the crucified man was not lying flat on his back but was rather in an upright position?
DR. GILBERT LAVOIE: Like everyone else, for years I was under the impression that the image of the man of the shroud was of a man lying on his back in burial. But, in fact, in contrast to the blood marks, which are consistent with that of a crucified dead man who had been taken down from his vertical position of crucifixion and placed on his back in burial, the shroud image is of a man who is upright, as if lifted up in midair.
The confirming evidence came from the front and back positive images. It is evident, for example, that the man’s hair flows down to his shoulders and down his back, which is consistent with being upright.
The back of the image reveals something similar. When either a corpse or a living person is seen lying down, you find that the upper back, buttocks, and lower legs are flattened. Position and gravity determine the form of the body. The back of the image of the man of the shroud, however, is not flattened but has the rounded form consistent with an upright man. He is upright but not standing, as seen in his crossed feet. The falling hair and the anatomy of the image of the rounded body are consistent with a scourged, crucified man raised up.
COLUMBIA: How did your journey of experimentation and discovery lead you on a search for evidence in the Gospels?
DR. GILBERT LAVOIE: When I realized the man of the shroud is upright, it was an epiphany that brought me to believe this image was the reflection of the moment of the resurrection. And as I looked at the image, I could not understand why he was lifted up in midair. It did not bring to mind anything I knew about my faith. And I knew further medical, forensic pursuit would not give me an answer.
So, I decided to go to the Gospels and see if I could find some information. I started with Mark and then went to Luke and then Matthew, but I had no success finding Jesus suspended in midair. Then, I began to read the Gospel of John. I was amazed because what I read described exactly what I saw on the shroud. And they were Jesus’ own words: “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself” (Jn 12:32). That was the start.
I took two years of graduate studies in the Old and New Testament and studied the Gospel of John intently for many years. Gradually, I came to understand that the lifted man of the shroud had his own story to tell. And the story was coming alive through the writing of the onsite witness, John the beloved disciple.
Photo by Matthew Barrick
COLUMBIA: What do you believe the Gospel of John reveals about the upright image of the man on the shroud? And what is the sign that John “ingenuously conceals,” as described in the subtitle of your book?
DR. GILBERT LAVOIE: I began to realize that the image of the upright man was the key that opened the door into new insights of John’s Gospel. One discovery led to another. This resulted in the conclusion that John did indeed see the uplifted image of Jesus on his shroud in the tomb.
However, John could not directly write about this in his Gospel because, as a Jew, he knew that human images were considered objects of idolatry and would be sought out and destroyed by his countrymen. Instead, he ingeniously connected the burial tomb, the death of Jesus, and the cleansing of the temple narratives, all of which reflect what he saw in the image of Jesus uplifted in the tomb. And John reveals much more about the upright image, which I detail in the last six chapters of my book. Without his witness, we would not fully understand the meaning of the image of the lifted man of the shroud.
What we call miracles or supernatural events John calls “signs”; Jesus calls them “works of the Father.” John makes it clear that signs are very important to him, to his generation, and to future generations. According to John’s witness, Jesus’ works are the visual testimony, the physical proof, that Jesus is the incarnate presence of God in the world. Several times in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that he did these works (signs) so that all would come to know he was sent by the Father and
he is in the Father and the Father is in him — that he is the Son of God.
So, what is the sign that John ingeniously concealed? It is the image of the lifted Jesus of the shroud that John saw in the tomb. It is the sign that Jesus predicted 2,000 years ago in the temple of Jerusalem and left on his shroud. That visual sign, which we can see today, shows the world that Jesus is the Son of God.
COLUMBIA: How has 40 years of research and study about the shroud given you a deeper appreciation of your faith?
DR. GILBERT LAVOIE: The experience of studying the blood marks and image of the shroud became exhilarating once I realized that a crucified man had been buried in this cloth. And that interest in the shroud continued to escalate when I got involved in pursuing the details of Jewish burial customs, which are not very well known in the Christian world today.
During this study I came to realize that the last blood flows on Jesus’ body that we see on the shroud were considered to be “life blood” by the Jews in Jesus’ time. Life blood is defined by the Jews as what pours from the body at the time of death — which was then and still is considered the blood of atonement.
In this light, I began to understand the relationship between the blood we see in the shroud and the sacrifice of the Mass. That experience deepened my faith. Discovering the upright man of the shroud and connecting it with the Gospel of John deepened my faith even more. The raised man of the
Pope Francis touches the case holding the Shroud of Turin after praying before the ancient cloth in 2015 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy.
shroud, this miracle, this sign, this work of God has been left for our time so that those seeking the glory of God today may come to know how real God is and how much he loves us.
COLUMBIA: What has been your experience of the Knights of Columbus? Has this overlapped at all with your work?
DR. GILBERT LAVOIE: I joined the Knights later in life, in 2013, after retiring as a physician. At St. James Cathedral in Orlando, I got to know a wonderful group of people. I joined the Knights to help people, and it has been a marvelous experience. My wife and I both got involved in all kinds of programs — raising money, working in the kitchen, I just did everything everybody else did. My council has been very supportive of my work on the shroud and the talks I’ve given in the area.
In November, I moved to Ave Maria, Florida. We have an exhibit on the shroud at the university here, which has kept me very busy. My intent is to get involved with the Knights again here when everything calms down.
COLUMBIA: You have also consulted on the current exhibit at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C. What can people expect to see there?
DR. GILBERT LAVOIE: From a spiritual perspective, the new exhibit at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine brings forth
the words and understanding of a great leader and intellect, who reflected on the image and blood of the shroud on his visit to Turin in 1998. This makes the exhibit unique and beautiful. St. John Paul II called the shroud “a mirror of the Gospel” whose image has “a profound relationship with what the Gospels tell of Jesus’ passion and death.” He added: “The shroud is a truly unique sign that points to Jesus and invites us to pattern our lives on the life of the One who gave himself for us.”
At the exhibit, in addition to many photographs, visitors will see The Sign, a bronze representation of the raised man of the shroud created by the internationally known sculptor Pablo Eduardo. He’s an anatomist who also studied cadavers. He and I worked together on the sculpture for three and half years, on and off, and we learned a lot from each other. It was a great experience.
Looking at this sculpture from a scriptural perspective, we — humanity — lifted Jesus up on a cross, and it is God who lifted him up in resurrection and ascension to himself. The blood of atonement and the image of the lifted man of the shroud are the reflection of his hour of glory — the crucifixion and death of Jesus and his resurrection and ascension to his Father. Set before us on this cloth, in a captured moment in time, is the final dynamic event of the story of our salvation. B
by Matthew Barrick
Photo
Grattan Brown, director of mission and ministry at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., guides visitors through the Shroud of Turin exhibit on display through Easter Sunday, April 20.
“My first response was very intuitive — I knew I had to be there,” said Father Frederick Edlefsen, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, located half a mile away from Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. “The airport is within our parish bounds, and I was motivated as a pastor to help anyone most in need in a time of crisis.”
On Jan. 29 at 8:47 p.m., American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair over the nation’s capital. Traveling from Wichita, Kansas, the Bombardier CRJ700 jet plunged in flames into the Potomac River just moments before its scheduled landing.
Shortly after 9 p.m., Father Edlefsen received a text from Joseph Mazel, a parishioner whose son had just witnessed
‘SHARING IN THEIR GRIEF’ ‘SHARING IN THEIR GRIEF’
Knight and chaplain rush to support anguished families after a midair collision in Washington, D.C.
By Zoey Maraist
the explosive collision from a nearby park. Mazel, a 30-year military and law enforcement veteran and past grand knight of St. Joseph the Worker Council 14516 in Arlington, immediately contacted Father Edlefsen, who also serves as chaplain of Council 14516.
“I was prompted to reach out to Father to head over to the airport because there was bound to be a need for anointing of the sick, last rites, spiritual counseling, prayer, blessings,” Mazel explained.
Above: An airplane takes off from Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Va., as a memorial is seen in the foreground Feb. 1, three days after a deadly midair collision killed 67.
It was not until four hours later that Father Edlefsen, Mazel, and the scores of family members, holding onto hope that their loved ones survived, would learn the magnitude of the disaster. The jet’s 60 passengers and four crew members, as well as the three military personnel on the helicopter, had all perished in the fiery crash. It was the deadliest commercial aviation incident in the United States since 2001.
The nation was shocked by the horrific event. But for Father Edlefsen and Mazel, the tragedy was more than just a terrible headline — it was a call to serve and provide spiritual consolation.
RAPID RESPONSE
Earlier that evening, 17-year-old Jimmy Mazel was parked at Arlington’s Gravelly Point Park, a popular spot for watching planes wing their way in and out of Reagan National Airport. As the aspiring pilot scanned the night skies, he watched as something like fireworks exploded over the Potomac River. He soon saw planes diverting from their flight path, and firetrucks and ambulances racing toward the riverbank. Then Coast Guard boats and helicopters arrived. Jimmy texted his father, hoping to make sense of what he was seeing.
After hearing from his son, Joseph Mazel checked the news. Drawing from decades of experience in law enforcement and emergency services, as well as with the U.S. Army, he quickly realized the gravity of the situation.
“For better or for worse, I have had a substantial amount of experience with mass casualty events,” said Mazel. “It gives you an appreciation for [who] needs to be there, not
only for the immediate survivors or the victims, but also the responders.”
He quickly alerted Father Edlefsen to the serious emergency unfolding within their parish boundaries.
Father Edlefsen was about to retire for the evening when he saw the text message from Mazel. He didn’t know how civilian traffic could get through the growing number of first responders buzzing at the scene, so he asked Mazel to help him navigate the situation. After explaining to the Arlington Police Department why they needed to be there, Mazel and Father Edlefsen arrived at the airport’s American Airlines lounge — the designated family reunification center.
Families trickled into the room as Father Edlefsen and Mazel walked around, introducing themselves to shocked loved ones and anxious airport staff. Mazel assisted as Father Edlefsen made the rounds.
“My mind [was] all befuddled, and every now and then you need somebody to point out and say, ‘Don’t forget to do this,’” recalled Father Edlefsen, referring to Mazel. Grief counselors, two chaplains and a therapy dog were present, but he was the only Catholic priest.
At the start of the ordeal, many family members held onto the hope that their loved one had survived. But around 1:30 a.m., airline officials and police announced to the families that there were no survivors. And authorities wouldn’t be able to identify or release all the bodies for at least a few weeks.
“Usually, when someone dies, you can have a funeral within a week,” said Father Edlefsen. But these families didn’t know
Photo by Matthew Barrick
Joseph Mazel and Father Frederick Edlefsen, past grand knight and chaplain, respectively, of St. Joseph the Worker Council 14516 in Arlington, stand outside Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, where Father Edlefsen serves as pastor.
when they would see the physical remains of their loved ones, if ever. “When that announcement was made, it really hit [the families] like you can’t even begin to understand,” he said.
“That was a heartbreaking moment,” said Mazel, “to essentially see the hope that folks were clinging on to kind of fade away.”
MINISTRY OF PRESENCE
Father Edlefsen keeps private what the grieving families told him on that difficult night. He believes that his physical presence, more than anything he said, was a powerful witness to others that God and the Church was with them in their darkest hour. When he did speak to the loved ones of the crash victims, Father Edlefsen relied on guidance from the Holy Spirit and the example of his own father.
Martin Edlefsen (1937-2021) was a radio announcer who in the 1960s often went with military officials to inform families that they had lost a son in the Vietnam War. At first, Martin doubted that anyone would want a reporter there. But when he put a microphone in their hands, the families were eager to share.
“They wanted everybody to know about their loved one,” Father Edlefsen affirmed. “I never forgot my father telling me about his experience, and that approach was very helpful to me that night.”
What Joseph Mazel remembers most from Jan. 29 are many brief interactions — a prayer here and a few words there, giving people a chance to speak and be heard.
“You don’t need to have the perfect thing to say,” he said. “It’s just being present. It’s holding their hand if they’re upset. It’s letting them talk. It’s letting them grieve. It’s letting them be angry.”
He said his career and his faith helped him learn how to face extraordinary situations.
“As Knights, this is what we do — we respond when people are in need, regardless of the job. [As a first responder], you’re going to see a lot of tragedy, you’re going to see a lot of heartbreak, you’re going to see a lot of challenges,” he said. “And when you do, realize that at that moment you can be the face of God to that person.”
Three days after the accident, Father Edlefsen celebrated a Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes for those affected. In the weeks that followed, he remained in touch with some of the airline and security personnel. He, too, is still processing the aftermath of the collision.
“You’re actually participating and sharing in their grief and taking some of that upon yourself,” Father Edlefsen explained. “You will never see life the same after something like this. It changes your outlook, and it changes the way you pray, what you think about, and what you ponder.”
A FAMILY IN MOURNING
Two of the family members Father Edlefsen and Mazel met were Andy Beyer and his son, Kallen, 6. Beyer’s wife, Justyna, and their daughter, Brielle, 12, had traveled to Wichita for national development camp for young ice skaters. They were killed in the Jan. 29 collision while flying home to Virginia.
Father Edlefsen alerted the Beyers’ pastor, Father Michael Taylor of Corpus Christi Church in Aldie, as well as Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, that two parishioners had perished in the accident.
Andy Beyer shared the tragic news on Facebook Jan. 30. “I’m still in shock, but I lost my soulmate and my princess last night,” he wrote. “They were truly beautiful people inside and out.”
Since the accident, his social media feed has been filled with videos of Brielle’s ice skating performances and photos of Justyna smiling beside her family.
Father Juan Puigbó, pastor of St. Leo the Great Church in Fairfax and a member of the Knights, learned of the tragedy after receiving a text from Andy. He had first met the couple in 2013 after Brielle, then only 6 months old, had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer. He prayed with the couple, asking God to heal Brielle. Then, trusting God would answer their plea, they thanked the Lord for his healing power.
Before long, Brielle was cancer-free. Father Puigbó remained close with the family in the years that followed. He blessed their first home and gave Brielle her first Communion. He remembered witnessing how in love Andy and Justyna were, and what a gift it was to their children to see their parents’ love for each other.
“You will never see life the same after something like this. It changes your outlook, and it changes the way you pray, what you think about, and what you ponder.”
On March 3, Corpus Christi Church was filled to capacity for the funeral Mass for Justyna and Brielle. Father Puigbó, who celebrated the liturgy together with Father Taylor and Father Edlefsen, delivered the homily, in which he reflected on hope in Christ and eternal life.
The message was no doubt comforting to Andy Beyer, who earlier that morning posted images of Justyna and Brielle to Facebook. “It’s going to be so hard to bury you girls today. I miss you so much,” he wrote. “And I love you both always. Thank you for being the loves of my life. I hope I see you in heaven one day.” B
ZOEY MARAIST
writes from northern Virginia.
Members of St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Council 15295 in Portland, Ore., trim a tree in the cathedral’s courtyard. At the invitation of Msgr. Gerard O’Connor, the cathedral’s rector and council chaplain, the Knights cleared the area around the courtyard’s Marian statue, which had been covered by leaves and branches.
PARKING LOT PERFECTION
Knights and family members from Windsor (Ontario) Most Precious Blood Council 1453 held a service day at Most Precious Blood Parish to repaint the lines in the church parking lot. The council’s labor and fundraising for supplies saved the parish an estimated CA$10,000.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS RENOVATION
The Stations of the Cross at St. Joseph Shrine in Brooklyn, Mich., which were constructed between 1932 and 1936, needed significant work to be preserved. Irish Hills Council 6223 organized four fundraisers that raised $5,500 for the project; additional contributions from two parishioners brought the council’s total donation to $7,000 for the stations’ preservation.
PRAYER GARDEN
Members of Armor Dei Council 3961 in Wolcott, Conn., helped create a new prayer garden at St. Basil the Great Parish. Knights put down a new walking path, installed new lighting and an altar for outdoor Masses, and placed
statues of Blessed Michael McGivney and St. Maria Goretti in the garden. Msgr. Thomas Ginty, pastor and council chaplain, blessed the new garden during an opening ceremony.
CLERGY APPRECIATION DINNER
Father Francis Heindl Assembly 1902 in Tomah, Wis., held its annual clergy appreciation dinner for clergy from the Diocese of La Crosse. The dinner raised $1,600, which was divided evenly among the diocese’s vocations office, Assembly 1902’s charity fund, and Father Matthew Bowe, the dinner’s honoree and chaplain of Tomah (Wis.) Council 4125.
SHROUD SCHOLARS
Our Lady of the Lake Council 13752 in Pocono Pines, Pa., organized a showing of the Man of the Shroud touring exhibit hosted at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish. About 700 visited the exhibit, which explained the history and scientific analysis behind the shroud, over the 10 days it was displayed at the parish. The traveling display is coordinated by the National Shrine of St. Maximillian Kolbe in Libertyville, Ill.
Faith
CEMETERY FENCING
Guardian Angel of Somerset Council 2089 in Madison, Maine, recently completed a two-year project to replace the fencing at St. Sebastian Cemetery. After being approached by a concerned parishioner, the Knights raised $750 for materials, tore down the cemetery’s old iron fencing, and installed new chain-link fencing attached to freshly painted metal posts.
Grand Knight Nicholas Andersen (right) and Father John Vallier, chaplain of Bishop Haas Council 4362 in Wyoming, Mich., present a Mass kit to Sienna Mavima, a parishioner of St. John Vianney Catholic Church, for her to personally delivery to a local priest in Zimbabwe. Since 2018, Council 4362 has donated Mass kits to priests in Zimbabwe who often travel long distances to rural communities.
TOP: Photo by Jay Fram
Family
Andrew Chan, a member of Msgr. Joseph Malone Council 13312 in Edmonton, Alberta, flips pancakes for the council’s annual Shrove Tuesday breakfast at St. Catherine Catholic Elementary/Junior High School. Knights served 2,000 pancakes to nearly 600 students and staff members, continuing a tradition that Council 13312 began more than 20 years ago.
HERO HOMECOMING
In 2024, Dr. McDowell Council 2248 in Florham Park, N.J., spent nearly $60,000 to help 59 military personnel return home from their military assignments for holidays and other family events, such as funerals and births. Beginning about five years ago, the council supported the travels of a few service members each year. After learning more about the great need for this support, the Knights expanded the program, which is primarily funded by the council’s annual golf outing.
GOT CHIPS?
Immaculate Heart of Mary Council 4314 in Groton, Conn., stepped up to help with a maintenance project at Sacred Heart School after learning that the school had no other volunteers. The team of Knights and family members spent a Saturday morning spreading new wood chips on the school’s two playgrounds to keep the areas safe.
PARKA PROTECTION
Holy Family Council 11981 in Inverness, Ill., regularly works with Holy Family Catholic Community’s Welcome the Stranger ministry to serve refugee families. Last fall, a Nigerian family who previously spent several years at a United Nations refugee camp in Cameroon received winter jackets from Council 11981 to help prepare for the family’s first Chicago winter.
TURKEY DINNERS GALORE
Holy Trinity Council 12394 in El Dorado Hills, Calif., collected nearly 130 turkeys and $440 in cash donations from parishioners at Holy Trinity Parish. The food and money were donated to the Food Bank of El Dorado County for distribution to people in need.
FULL STOMACHS, HEALTHY MINDS
Rolly Carvajal, grand knight of St. Matthias Council 8111 in Tumauini, Luzon North, and a teacher at Tumauini National High School, noticed that some students couldn’t afford to eat well at school. In response, Council 8111 established the Pang-kain, Pantawid, Pag-aaral (Food, Transportation, Education) Program, which provides lunch to children in need during the school week.
CENTRAL CATHOLIC CAR SHOW
Lafayette (Ind.) Council 456 raised more than $6,400 during its annual car show for the Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School teachers fund, which helps teachers purchase supplies, books and other items they need for their classrooms. Council 456 has organized the car show for 13 years.
READY AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE
Father Gene Dore Council 10131 in Austin, Texas, donated $650 to St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic School to help fund 14 emergency backpacks for the school. The backpacks contain items that would be used in emergencies like power outages or natural disasters.
District Deputy Stewart Vetter (left) and Joshua Cmar of Bellevue (Ohio) Council 752 look on as children search for Easter eggs during the council’s annual Easter egg hunt last year. About 40 children from the Bellevue area participated in the hunt, which has been hosted by the council for more than 30 years.
Noel Bonifacio (right), a member of St. Peter the Apostle Assembly 2832 in Apalit, Luzon North, stands with residents of the Pampanga province who were affected by Typhoon Gaemi; the storm killed at least 48 people in the Philippines last summer and caused an estimated $210 million in damages. Fourth Degree District #26 organized a donation drive that collected food for residents in need, and Knights distributed care packages to 500 families.
ALL HANDS ON DECK
Eight councils near Chatham, Ontario, joined forces to staff the concession stand and raffle during home games of the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers’ inaugural 2024 season in the Intercounty Baseball League. The councils were jointly able to donate more than CA$18,000 in profits to charitable organizations, and each council received between CA$4,000-$5,000 for its general fund.
PUTTING KIDS FIRST
Some 1,500 winter jackets, donated through the Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids program by Bishop Flaget Council 13053 in Prospect, Ky., were distributed to children in need this winter in partnership with several local organizations. Council 13053 also recently donated $10,000 — later matched by an anonymous donor — to Gilda’s Club for the organization’s programs supporting children with cancer and their families, and $3,000 to the Golden Arrow Center, a pro-life ministry at the Shrine of St. Martin of Tours in Louisville.
VITTLES FOR VETS
More than 20 Knights and wives from Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Assembly 3099 in Milford, Mich., prepared and served hamburgers, hot dogs and other barbecue fare for residents of Piquette Square, an apartment facility in Detroit for veterans at risk of homelessness.
WHEELCHAIR CHILI COOKOFF
St. Edward the Confessor Council 14512 in Spring, Texas, organized its 12th Annual Chili Cookoff to benefit the American Wheelchair Mission. The event raised more than $25,500 — enough to purchase 170 wheelchairs for people in need.
HONORING BROTHERS’ SERVICE
Father Richard C. Joyce Council 2270 in Montgomery, N.Y., commissioned a memorial tombstone engraved with the names of deceased council members who were veterans. The memorials rests under the flagpole at St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Community
Faithful Navigator Alexander Santos (right) of Archbishop Ambrose De Paoli Assembly 3218 in Cooper City, Fla., sits with a resident of the Alexander “Sandy” Nininger State Veterans’ Nursing Home in Pembroke Pines. Fourth Degree Knights and family members prepared and delivered gift bags — containing personalized greeting cards, hygiene items, notepads, pens, and some sweets — for each of the home’s 120 residents.
FIRST AID TRAINING
Ten members of St. Mark Council 13225 in Belmont, Calif., attended first-aid training to learn CPR and how to use automated external defibrillators. The training, organized by council member Luke Castell, prepared the Knights to provide medical attention to people in need during Mass or other functions at St. Mark Catholic Church until first responders arrive.
Life
SPECIAL OLYMPICS SUPPORT SPEEDS UP
Bradley Council 1624 in Lancaster, N.H., raised more than $2,300 during its annual fund drive for people with disabilities. The money was donated to Special Olympics activities at the state and local level.
CEDARS SINAI BLOOD DRIVE
Culver City (Calif.) Council 3542 partnered with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to organize a blood drive that collected nearly 60 pints of blood. The council organizes two blood drives each year.
Knights from St. Francis Council 3272 in Edison, N.J., collect donations during the council’s fund drive for people with disabilities. Their recent campaign raised more than $8,300 for Special Olympics New Jersey and other organizations that support people with disabilities.
Fatima used for the council’s Crusade for Life pro-life prayer
The statue travels between parish households, where Knights and families gather to pray the rosary for an end to abortion. Last year, three local councils revived the program, which first began in the 1980s.
GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING
For the past 20 years, Our Lady of Divine Providence Council 9347 in Metairie, La., has worked with Ochsner Health to organize quarterly blood drives at Our Lady of Divine Providence Catholic Church. Thanks to this partnership, any parishioner who needs a blood transfusion can receive one for free. At least four parishioners benefited in the past two years alone.
PRAYING FOR VICTIMS OF ABORTION
Fourth Degree Knights from Pope St. John XXIII Assembly 906 in Corvallis, Ore., provided an honor guard at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Eugene for an ecumenical prayer service remembering victims of abortion. About 30 people attended the service, which Knights participate in each year.
PRC SUPPORT
Queen of Apostles Council 14665 in Reading, Ohio, organized a monthlong baby bottle drive that raised $9,000 for
Mater Filius Queen City, a Cincinnati maternity home. Thanks to the ASAP (Aid and Support After Pregnancy) program, the Supreme Council donated an additional $400 to the home.
NEW HOME FOR CHARLESTON MOMS AND BABIES
St. John XXIII Council 6250 in Charleston, S.C., recently presented a $40,000 donation to St. Clare’s Home, a ministry of the Diocese of Charleston, to support the construction of a new maternity home. The donation included $30,000 from Council 6250’s charitable fund and $10,000 from a baby bottle drive the council organized with pro-life ministries at the Church of the Nativity.
See more at
www.kofc.org/knightsinaction
Please submit your council activities to knightsinaction@kofc.org
New Mexico State Deputy Anthony Salazar (center) and his wife, Luana, joined by two couples from Archbishop Lamy Council 4227 in Albuquerque, stand with a statue of Our Lady of
program.
France Canada
Bishop Joseph Dabrowski of Charlottetown gathers with men from the Vietnamese community at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Cornwall, Prince Edward Island, after a Mass and Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration organized by St. Francis of Assisi Council 10808. The council, which has doubled in size in recent years, worked with Michaelite Father Peter Wojakiewicz (back, right), pastor and council chaplain, to organize the event and welcome prospective Knights.
Members of St. William of Vercelli Assembly 3858 in Fort Lupton, Colo., stand at attention during the closing ceremony of the city’s Great Plains Field of Honor in Pearson Park. Assembly 3858 and St. William Council 4732 help to sponsor the annual display of more than 1,000 U.S. flags in honor of veterans and first responders. Families of three fallen police officers were presented flags during the event.
United States
Knights from Marshal Foch Council 18411 in Tarbes prepare to pour concrete for a new walkway at Tarbes Cathedral. Father David Marie, a priest of the Apostolic Brothers of Jerusalem and the cathedral’s new rector, informed Knights that the walkway to the rectory was in poor condition, and the council responded immediately. In one morning, 15 members removed the old slab of concrete and replaced it.
Members of several councils in Visayas District #49 march in a procession that followed a Mass in honor of Blessed Michael McGivney at Our Lady of Holy Rosary Parish in Antequera.
and
Martinez carry the new Sacred Heart pilgrim icon into the Cathedral of Mérida before a Mass concelebrated by Archbishop Gustavo Rodríguez Vega and state chaplain Father Rodrigo Benítez. The event, organized by the Mexico South State Council, kicked off the icon’s pilgrimage throughout the jurisdiction.
: Ivan Kubiak, a member of St. Apostle John the Theologian Council 18626 in Sharhorod gives a box of food to the mother of a fallen Ukrainian soldier after an interconfessional prayer service for Christian unity and peace at St. Florian Parish. Knights took an active role in the event and then distributed boxes of food to families of soldiers who died in the war.
Right : Members of St. Albert Chmielowski 15128 Council in Kraków discuss the Annunciation and their own openness to speak about God during a recent Cor gathering. Council 15128 was one of the first in Poland to introduce Cor to its members.
Mexico South State Secretary Rafael de Villa (left)
State Advocate Pablo
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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.
Knights and family members of St. Joseph Council 7662 in Dalton, Ga., display food collected during the first weekend of the 40 Cans for Lent drive organized by the council at St. Joseph Church. The drive benefits the Society of St. Vincent de Paul food pantry located at the parish.
Photo by Aaron Thomason
‘I felt enveloped by God’s love.’
When I was 7, my older sister joined the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity and took the name Sister Celine. This sparked in me a deep curiosity about her religious vocation, which eventually led me to spend several weeks with her community in a remote island mission in the Bicol region of the Philippines.
The conditions were stark; the area lacked electricity and clean water. Yet, I discovered extraordinary richness in the lives of the people. And, undiminished by material poverty, the SOLT sisters radiated joy that stemmed from their faith and dedication to serving others.
During my stay, I felt an unprecedented sense of peace, as if enveloped by God’s love. I saw Jesus in the faces of those we served, each interaction revealing the transformative beauty and power of faith.
Through this experience, I felt called to dedicate my life to the poor, sharing in their struggles and joys. Now, as a SOLT sister, I find fulfillment in living the Gospel’s message, witnessing to hope and the miracle of faith in action.
Sister Mary Louise Granadillos Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Pilar, Philippines
