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K N I G H T S O F C O LU MBUS
AUGUST 2018
COLUMBIA
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Catholic Ethical Charitable Successful With more than $109 billion of life insurance in force, more than $1.62 billion donated to charity in the past decade, and more than 136 years of experience, the Knights of Columbus is a name you know, a company you can trust, and an organization you can believe in.
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K N I G H T S O F C O LU M BU S augusT 2018 ♦ Volume 98 ♦ Number 8
COLUMBIA
F E AT U R E S
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The Long-Distance Miracle A former military chaplain’s life is saved thanks to heavenly aid and the sacrificial love of a brother Knight. BY COLUMBIA STAFF
14 The McGivney Letters The surviving writings of the Knights’ founder show a pastor determined to meet the spiritual and temporal needs of his people. BY KEVIN COYNE
20 Knights at the Speed of Life New online membership initiative gives Catholic men another way to join the Knights of Columbus. BY JOSEPH O’BRIEN
24 The Truth Will Set You Free Twenty-five years later, St. John Paul II’s encyclical on the Church’s moral teaching is more timely than ever. BY NICHOLAS J. HEALY JR.
A stained glass window in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Lourdes, France, depicts St. Bernadette praying with the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Lourdes grotto.
D E PA RT M E N T S 3
Building a better world The continued success of our Order as both a business and a fraternal society is grounded in our Catholic mission. BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON
Photo by Tamino Petelinsek
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Learning the faith, living the faith My friendship with Cardinal Hickey helped me to understand how God’s grace works in our lives.
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Knights of Columbus News Pope Francis Becomes a K of C Beneficiary • K of C Museum Receives National Award • Knights, Families March for Life
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Fathers for Good A growing body of research reinforces lessons about the essential role of fathers.
18 Faith in Action The new K of C program model reflects the main priorities of the Order.
26 State Deputies 2018-19 29 Knights in Action
BY SOREN JOHNSON
BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI
PLUS: Catholic Man of the Month
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Our Constant Mission IN HIS INAUGURAL editorial column for Columbia in November 1924, Myles Connolly reflected on the scope and purpose of the Knights’ monthly magazine. He called it “a publication of general interest and appeal,” and expressed his hope that it would inspire “renewed activity and more generous cooperation among the councils of the Order.” He encouraged Knights to take “pride of ownership” in the magazine and to help ensure that it is both readable and read. He also argued that its potential for greatness is based on its Catholic identity and that of the Order, and he asked “Our Lady to keep Columbia under her wise and kindly protection.” Within five years, Connolly had left his role as editor to begin a successful career as a novelist, screenwriter and film producer. Columbia’s presentation and content has changed since Connolly’s day, adapting to meet the needs of modern readers. This column, for instance, is less than one-third the length of editorials in the 1920s — when print media did not need to compete for attention with television and the internet. Nonetheless, Connolly’s words, framed in my office at the Supreme Council headquarters, continue to resonate with the magazine’s editorial mission today. This mission, of course, can be traced back further — and not just to the first issue of Columbia in 1921 or to its forerunner, The Columbiad, which began in 1893. Rather, our content is rooted in the history and mission of the Knights of Columbus itself. Before it even had a publication, the Order was guided by
various letters of its founder, Father Michael J. McGivney. Just 13 pieces of correspondence from Father McGivney survive today. They paint a picture of a hardworking, faithful priest who was convinced that the Knights’ could make a decisive impact in the lives of Catholic families and the Church (see page 14). In the 136 years since its founding, the Knights of Columbus has developed and adapted. We can see this from the very beginning, for example, in the welcoming of associate (noninsurance) members in 1892, two years after Father McGivney’s death, and in the introduction of the Fourth Degree, along with the principle of patriotism, in 1900. Such developments complemented Father McGivney’s founding vision of the Order as a fraternal society of Catholic men, dedicated to protecting Catholic families and serving the Church. The same is true of more recent developments. Through important initiatives such as the new “Faith in Action” program model (see page 18) and the online membership program (see page 20), the Supreme Council is addressing challenges and creating opportunities, while walking in step with our founder’s vision. As we pray for Father McGivney’s continued guidance and for his canonization, Knights everywhere ought to embrace such opportunities in a spirit of unity and charity, ensuring that the Order’s mission will continue to bear fruit for generations to come.♦ ALTON J. PELOWSKI EDITOR
Featured Documentary: Father Michael McGivney THROUGH ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE and dramatic recreations, Father Michael McGivney chronicles the life and times of the young parish priest who founded the Knights of Columbus. Learn about how Father McGivney’s faith, practical spirituality and innovative vision have touched the lives of millions throughout the world. The hour-long docudrama, which aired nationwide on public television, is now available via online streaming with Amazon Prime video or on DVD for purchase at knightsgear.com. 2 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
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COLUMBIA PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus ________ SUPREME OFFICERS Carl A. Anderson SUPREME KNIGHT Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. SUPREME CHAPLAIN Patrick E. Kelly DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT Michael J. O’Connor SUPREME SECRETARY Ronald F. Schwarz SUPREME TREASURER John A. Marrella SUPREME ADVOCATE ________ EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski EDITOR Andrew J. Matt MANAGING EDITOR Margaret B. Kelly ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90) Apostle to the Young, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us. ________ HOW TO REACH US MAIL COLUMBIA 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 ADDRESS CHANGES 203-752-4210, option #3 addresschange@kofc.org PRAYER CARDS & SUPPLIES 203-752-4214 COLUMBIA INQUIRIES 203-752-4398 FAX 203-752-4109 K OF C CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-380-9995 E-MAIL columbia@kofc.org INTERNET kofc.org/columbia ________ Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.
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Copyright © 2018 All rights reserved ________ ON THE COVER Military personnel stand in front of the Rosary Basilica in Lourdes, France, on May 20 during the 60th annual International Military Pilgrimage (PMI).
ON THE COVER: Photo by Tamino Petelinsek
E D I TO R I A L
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BU I L D I N G A B E T T E R WO R L D
‘An Ethics of Fraternity’ The continued success of our Order as both a business and a fraternal society is grounded in our Catholic mission by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson LAST MONTH, I addressed more than 800 of our dedicated Knights of Columbus insurance agents about our mission to protect the financial future of our brother Knights’ families. Now, I would like to share with you excerpts of those remarks. Pope Francis has challenged Catholics to take up what he calls “an ethics of fraternity” to help transform society. This is also the vision of Father Michael McGivney — and this is what we have been about for more than 135 years. We should remember that in Father McGivney’s day there were already insurance companies in Connecticut. He could have easily referred his parishioners to one of these companies. But he didn’t. Instead, Father McGivney wanted something different. He wanted something distinctly Catholic. He wanted a new Catholic fraternity that would transform the practical men of his day into a committed brotherhood of men capable of helping each other. That is what he founded, and that is what we continue today. At the Knights of Columbus, we have developed a strong, successful business model based upon “an ethics of fraternity.” It is what we mean when we say “insurance by brother Knights for brother Knights.” You and I are engaged in a noble experiment. It is an experiment to demonstrate that a business enterprise fully committed to Catholic teaching and principles can enter into
the free market and successfully compete among industry leaders. We are a business enterprise — today counted among the Fortune 1000 — that seeks in a public way to operate according to Catholic values. We do this in the way we invest, in the products we offer, in the dividend philosophy we support and in the charity our earnings make possible. We believe a values-based, ethical strategy in both marketing and investments is the best way to achieve sustainability and to remain competitive in a free-market economy. This is the brand represented by a Knights of Columbus agent — a brand committed to the ethics of a Catholic fraternity — when he sits across the kitchen table from a brother Knight and helps him decide how best to safeguard the future of his family. In fact, it is better to say that he doesn’t just represent the brand of the Knights of Columbus — he is the brand. There is no substitute for a K of C agent’s professionalism, commitment, concern, and yes, his conscience. I am so very proud that in the history of the Knights of Columbus we have had thousands of such committed agents. The day I was elected supreme knight, I told our Board of Directors that we have a moral obligation to offer membership in the Knights of Columbus to every eligible Catholic man. We have a similar obligation to offer the protection of our great
Knights of Columbus insurance program to every eligible Catholic man and his family. Our new online membership initiative makes this goal a practical possibility. I encourage you to take full advantage of this opportunity. I also ask you to encourage these new members to become active brother Knights, to join a local council and help us in our mission of fraternity and charity. I hope in the coming months we will see thousands of new members join through this online initiative. In many ways, we have just completed the best fraternal year in the history of the Knights of Columbus — membership is up, the dollars we have given to charity are up and the amount of hours we have volunteered is up. On the business side, we have reached new heights of insurance in force and assets under management. We were again honored as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. And Standard & Poor’s ranked us as one of the six most financially strong insurance companies in North America. Each day that I walk into my office as supreme knight, I am confident that for the Knights of Columbus the best is yet to come. Together we will make that a reality. Vivat Jesus!
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L E A R N I N G T H E FA I T H , L I V I N G T H E FA I T H
A ‘Second Wind’ My friendship with Cardinal Hickey helped me to understand how God’s grace works in our lives by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori
FOR MANY YEARS, I had the One day, while reminiscing about privilege of working directly with the Cardinal Hickey, it struck me that my late Cardinal James Hickey, the for- friendship with him provided me mer archbishop of Washington. As- with a way of understanding a bit betsisting him on a daily basis as his ter some aspects of what friendship others the way God has loved us. personal secretary, I saw firsthand with the Lord is like. Please allow me Thus God’s friendship becomes intethat he was a man of prayer, deep to explain. gral and central in our lives. This is faith, integrity, courage, pastoral senFirst, in my friendship with the car- sometimes called “habitual grace” — sitivity and love for the poor. No dinal, as he shared some of his life and the grace of habitually living in the matter how tough the day had been, his work with me, I was certainly the presence and friendship of God. he ended it on a positive note. What a wonderful blessing! To say the least, his example Third, in the midst of my greatly influenced me. friendship with the cardinal, Along the way, we develthere were moments of weariAnd as we live in his presence, oped a wonderful friendship. ness and crisis that demanded we begin to love what God loves, an energetic response. So too, It’s not that I didn’t sometimes let the cardinal down or God comes to our aid as we reject what God rejects and love get under his skin, but our wrestle with life’s challenges. enduring friendship continues others the way God has loved us. When we’re weary in our strugeven now. Not a day goes by gle against sin, the Holy Spirit without my praying to him offers us “a second wind,” an and for him. junior partner, but a partner nonethe- infusion of divine life and friendship, There was one thing, though, I less. Surely that is even truer in our to help us “fight the good fight” (cf. 1 found difficult. On the rare evenings relationship with God. In his wisdom Tim 6:12). When we’re in danger of when Cardinal Hickey didn’t have a and love, God called us into existence. falling into sin, we receive a “second commitment, he would go back to The Father graciously sent us his only wind” to help us to speed away from his office after dinner to sign letters Son in the power of the Holy Spirit, danger. When we’re facing a situation and go through his mail. Usually, we and through Word and Sacrament, we requiring of us an extraordinarily wise finished around 9:30 p.m. — so far continue to share in God’s Triune life. and generous response, the Lord proso good. But sometimes we were Second, even though the cardinal vides us with fresh energy, wisdom, working on a big project that took was my boss, our friendship was mu- and resolve, if you will, a spiritual lots of research and writing. Around tual; so also our friendship with God “second wind.” Such special help from 10:30 or so, the cardinal would an- is mutual. In God’s grace, we are en- God is called “actual grace.” nounce that he had just gotten his abled to respond to him in love, even As Knights, we should welcome “second wind.” Once that happened, if we do so only imperfectly and halt- this “second wind,” especially in our he could go until 2 in the morning. ingly. And as we live in his presence, efforts to live our vocations in charAs I struggled to keep up, he would the Lord begins to influence and ity, unity and fraternity, through come to life and shift into high gear. shape our thoughts, words and ac- thick and thin. And may Cardinal In time, I came to fear the words tions. We begin to love what God Hickey, who taught me so much by “second wind.” loves, reject what God rejects and love word and example, rest in peace!♦ 4 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
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SUPREME CHAPLAIN’S CHALLENGE
A monthly reflection and practical challenge from Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori: “Jesus then said to the Twelve, ‘Do you also want to leave?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.’” (Gospel for Aug. 30, Jn 6:67-69) I don’t know about you, but I can look back on moments in my life when Peter’s words have been personal. I have said to Jesus in prayer: “Master, to whom shall I go?” I hope that you likewise have reached a point in your life where you know with
TOP: St. Peter Walks on the Water, from an altarpiece by Lluís Borrassà, ca. 1411/ Church of Saint Peter, Terrassa, Spain — POPE FRANCIS: CNS photo/Paul Haring
H O LY FAT H E R ’ S P R AY E R I N T E N T I O N
That any farreaching decisions of economists and politicians may protect the family as one of the treasures of humanity.
L I T U RG I C A L C A L E N DA R Aug. 1 Aug. 4 Aug. 6 Aug. 8 Aug. 10 Aug. 11 Aug. 14 Aug. 15 Aug. 20 Aug. 21 Aug. 22
Aug. 24 Aug. 27 Aug. 28 Aug. 29
St. Alphonsus Liguori St. John Vianney The Transfiguration of the Lord St. Dominic St. Lawrence St. Clare St. Maximilian Kolbe The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary St. Bernard St. Pius X The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary St. Bartholomew St. Monica St. Augustine The Passion of St. John the Baptist
certainty that there is nowhere to go but Jesus: not to power, money, sex, alcohol or anything else that can become a false “master” in our lives. Brothers, we have come to believe that Jesus is the Holy One of God, and our lives must bear evidence of this. Let us become men who, with Peter, can truly say, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Challenge by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori: This month, I challenge you to make a daily examination of conscience, probing your heart to find the false “masters” (e.g., comfort, power, appearance) to whom you go. Take a few minutes before bed to review the day, including both your blessings and sins. Second, I challenge you to eliminate one of your vices, and when you are tempted to participate in that vice, pray, “Jesus, I trust in you.”♦
C AT H O L I C M A N O F T H E M O N T H
Blessed Isidore Bakanja (ca. 1887-1909) ISIDORE BAKANJA was born in the Congo Free State (present-day Democratic Republic of Congo) around 1887. After encountering Belgian Trappist missionaries, he received instruction and was baptized in 1906 at age 18. Isidore embraced his newfound faith, carried a rosary and wore a Carmelite brown scapular. Many thought he was a catechist. Seeking a larger Christian community, Isidore left his village and found work on a Belgian rubber plantation. When his fair-minded boss was transferred to Ikili, a region where Catholics were despised because they opposed the harsh labor conditions imposed there, Isidore brushed off warnings and followed. The plantation manager in Ikili, an atheist, took an immediate dislike to Isidore when he witnessed him praying with workers. Catching sight of Isidore’s scapular, he demanded that he take it off, but Isidore refused. Enraged, the manager had him flogged with 25 lashes. The next day, after Isidore again declined to remove his scapular, the man tore it off his neck. Isidore was mercilessly lashed with a
hide whip embedded with nails until finally being thrown into a hut and left to die. Several days later, a Belgian inspector arrived unexpectedly and discovered Isidore, still alive but in agony. Outraged, the man took him into his own home. “If you see my mother,” Isidore said, “or meet a priest, tell them that I am dying because I am a Christian.” Isidore also told two Trappist monks who had brought the last sacraments that he had forgiven the plantation manager. “When I am in heaven, I shall pray for him,” he said. Isidore died Aug. 15, 1909, at age 22, with a scapular around his neck and a rosary in his hand. He was beatified in 1994.♦
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K N I G H T S O F C O LU M BU S N E W S
ON JUNE 25, Pope Francis became a beneficiary of the Knights of Columbus insurance program. At a meeting of the Pontifical Academy for Life at the Vatican, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson presented the Holy Father with a check for more than $110,000 on behalf of a recently deceased priest who was a 45-year member of the Knights. The supreme knight explained to the pope that the priest designated
Knights, Families March for Life From left: Canadian youth hold up pro-life signs on Parliament Hill, where tens of thousands gathered in peaceful protest for the 21st annual National March for Life in Ottawa, Ontario, May 10. A large Fourth Degree honor guard, as well as numerous other Knights and their families, participated in the march, which processed through the downtown streets before returning to Parliament Hill. • Knights and their families were among the estimated 20,000 participants who flooded the streets of Mexico City for the seventh annual Marcha por la Vida (March for Life) April 28. 6 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
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the Holy Father as a beneficiary of his Knights of Columbus life insurance and annuity policies as a sign of his “solidarity with the Bishop of Rome and desire to support your charitable concerns.” After the meeting, the supreme knight added, “Every day our insurance products help our members take care of their families. I can’t think of a better way for a priest to take care of his family — the Church.”♦
K of C Museum Receives National Award
THE KNIGHTS of Columbus Museum was selected as a 2018 Award of Merit recipient by the American Association for State and Local History for its exhibit “World War I: Beyond the Front Lines.” Marking the centenary of the U.S. involvement in the Great War, the exhibit features images, artifacts and a full-scale replica of a front-line trench, as well as indepth retrospective on the K of C “Army Hut” recreation centers for servicemen in Europe, Canada and the United States. Free and open to the public, the exhibit runs through Dec. 30. For more information, visit kofcmuseum.org.♦
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOp LEFT: photo by Servizio Fotografico Vaticano, photo by Tom Serafin, photo courtesy of pasos por la Vida, photo by Jake Wright
Pope Francis Becomes a K of C Beneficiary
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FAT H E R S F O R G O O D
The Science of Fatherhood A growing body of research reinforces lessons about the essential role of fathers by Soren Johnson
H
Thinkstock
ere’s a message you don’t hear too often: As a father, you really matter. You are needed at home and in the wider world to do things only a dad can do. You can make all the difference in the lives of your children no matter their age. Though common sense to many, these simple principles are often lost in our culture. But the truth is coming out in the best studies in psychology, social science and family dynamics. The bottom line is that a father is vital to the health and welfare of his children and the family. Mothers, of course, are indispensable and often take a larger share of child and home care. Yet due to distinctive differences in the ways mothers and fathers interact with their children, families thrive when a mom and a dad work together. With this in mind, here are five facts guaranteed to bolster your image as a father. 1. Studies extol your role. The outcomes of children who have a father at home compared to those without a father tell a big part of the story. Research shows that in father-absent homes children are twice as likely to drop out of high school, seven times more likely to become pregnant as a teen, and many times more likely to abuse drugs, experience physical or sexual abuse or run afoul of the law. Be there, dad, to give your kids the love and stability they need to succeed in life. 2. You have an edge. Popular culture exerts many negative pressures on kids today, from addictive social media distractions to internet pornography. Yet parents still have the inside line to the hearts and minds of their children. So, use your home-field advantage by forming them in virtue from a young age and setting a good example. If your kids see you doing the right thing even when it’s difficult, they will be more likely to follow your guidance and rules. 3. Your prayer is positive. Studies show that prayer has many practical benefits, such as better moods, lower blood
pressure, less stress and anxiety and increased willpower to overcome bad habits. Be a man of prayer at home. Show your boys, especially, that kneeling before God requires the strength of humility. 4. Your time counts. No pressure, dad, but from the time you see that little one for the very first time, the clock is ticking. You must make a decision then, and every day after, to be an involved father. Yes to cuddling, to roughhousing, to making the ball games, rehearsals and special moments. The payoff is huge, as studies show that every hour you invest with your child will help them reap priceless benefits in terms of future health, relationships and career. 5. Your leadership is key. Don’t leave the family’s faith life solely to your wife. Not only is that a major personal mistake, but it could be a disaster for your children. A popular study indicates the outsized influence of a father on the religious practice of his children. In fact, it can be safely said that your faith serves as a model for your kids well into adulthood. Go to Mass with your wife and children, pray together regularly at home, read the Sunday Gospel as a family the evening before Mass. The most powerful witness of faith that your children experience may very well be your own. So tell them what your Catholic faith means to you and the times when God has touched your life. The ultimate role of a father is to help his children get to heaven. The benefits are eternal and the journey starts today. EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is condensed from a six-part series that is available as a digital booklet. To get your free copy, email fatherhood@kofc.org.♦ SOREN JOHNSON is associate director of the Thomas More Institute of the Diocese of Arlington and a member of Holy Family Council 6831 in Leesburg, Va.
FIND ADDITIONAL ARTICLES AND RESOURCES FOR CATHOLIC MEN AND THEIR FAMILIES AT FATHERSFORGOOD. ORG .
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The Long-Distance A former military chaplain’s life is saved thanks to heavenly aid and the sacrificial love of a brother Knight by Columbia staff 8 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
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Photo by Spirit Juice Studios
Miracle
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S
Photo by Tamino Petelinsek
ometimes, the biggest miracles in Lourdes are ones most people would never notice. For Chris Moore, it was watching former U.S. Army chaplain Father Dennis Callan spring from his chair and bound down the stairs after a daily pilgrimage briefing. Why miraculous? Because a year earlier, Father Callan was dying from a liver disease and no longer had the strength to walk. Two women, however, intervened. The Blessed Virgin Mary — who in 1858 identified herself at Lourdes as the Immaculate Conception — took loving care of her priestly son who was born on her feast day, Dec. 8, 1955. The other woman was Moore’s wife, Heidi, a convert to Catholicism, who had been praying for a miracle. Ultimately, her prayer was answered after Chris, an Army chief warrant officer four currently serving at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., donated part of his liver to save Father Callan’s life. The Moores met Father Callan in 2014 while stationed at Camp Humphreys, a base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. They now live with their two young sons in Sierra Vista, Ariz., where Chris is grand knight of Our Lady of the Mountains Council 10799. Father Callan is alive and well in Chicago at the home of his religious order, the Divine Word Missionaries. Together with the Moores, Father Callan attended this year’s Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage, co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, May 15-22. “I felt as if I had to come to Lourdes to thank Our Lady for her protective care last year while I was going through all this,” Father Callan said during the pilgrimage. “And that protective care I feel even now.” BROTHER KNIGHTS A decade before meeting Father Callan, Chris and Heidi Moore met while jumping out of airplanes — training together at Airborne School in Fort Benning, Ga. One of the things that attracted Heidi to Chris was that he had once donated his bone marrow after receiving a letter that he was a perfect match for someone. “That was one of the reasons why I married him,” she said. “I thought, ‘If he’s willing to go through surgery for someone he doesn’t even know, what would he do for his family?’” Chris and Heidi were both assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C., and got married in 2013. When they moved to South Korea the next year, Heidi was pregnant with their first son, Nicholas. No longer serving in the military, she was hired as parish coordinator, a job that would put her in frequent contact with Father Callan. A native of Levittown, Pa., Father Callan was serving as the regional superior for the Divine Word Missionaries when
Chris Moore, a U.S. Army chief warrant officer four and grand knight of Our Lady of the Mountains Council 10799 in Sierra Vista, Ariz., pushes the wheelchair of a fellow service member during the 2018 Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage. • Opposite page: Chris and Heidi Moore stand with Father Dennis Callan outside of the Rosary Basilica in Lourdes. Bishop Francis Xavier Yu Soo-il of the Military Ordinariate of Korea persuaded him to become a military chaplain at Camp Humphreys. Father Callan first joined the Knights of Columbus in 1987, the year he was ordained, and after serving 20 years in Taiwan, he got reconnected to the Order in South Korea. “I finally got in contact with the Knights of Columbus because they were providing rice and other supplies to one of our centers for migrant workers,” he recalled. “Receiving their support for our apostolate, and then also being of service to the Knights in South Korea, was a real gift for me, which encouraged me in my priesthood.” In addition to working with the first K of C councils in South Korea outside of a military base, Father Callan became chaplain of Bishop John J. Kaising Council 14223 at Camp Humphreys in 2015. “I believe the Knights are very instrumental in forming a brotherhood of faith,” he explained. Chris Moore joined Council 14223 around the same time, shortly before becoming a charter member of Father Emil J. Kapaun Council 16306 at Osan Air Base, located 12 miles north. By the end of the year, however, Father Callan announced he was leaving Korea and heading back to the United States to get treatment for liver cirrhosis. It was an abrupt goodbye, and as is so often the case in military life, the Moores and Father Callan wondered if they would ever cross paths again. AUGUST 2018
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IN GOD’S HANDS In late 2016, the Moores relocated to Arizona and got news of Father Callan’s urgent plight. By that time, Father Callan had learned that without a liver transplant, he would die within six months. “I was already to a point where I had to start preparing, making arrangements for my funeral,” he recalled. Relatives tried to help, but a good match was difficult to find, especially since Father Callan had withheld his name from the donor list. “I figured I’m a priest and would accept whatever the Lord had in mind for me,” he said. “I didn’t want to take the opportunity away from another person to receive a liver.” Heidi followed his struggle on Facebook, and when Father Callan started signaling his goodbyes, she couldn’t sit by passively and watch him die. Chris recalls Heidi saying, “He’s not going to make it, Chris. What do we do? I’m going to volunteer.” Heidi remembers what Chris said next: “No! You’re my wife. … I’m going to see if I’m a match first.” Heidi was struck by her husband’s selfless action and quick response. “I thought that summarized what Catholic marriage should be,” she said. “He just knew that my goals were to get Father Dennis healthy — and he was immediately going to help me with those goals by trying to get tested first.” That didn’t mean Heidi wasn’t nervous or anxious about the outcome. But after copious amounts of research, the couple jumped in fully committed to wherever their leap of faith would take them. “It just shook me to the core that they were willing to make this sort of sacrifice for me as they were raising two very young boys,” said Father Callan. Both Father Callan and Chris Moore had initially planned to attend the 2017 Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage. Neither was able to make it, due to Father Callan’s condition and Chris being tested for organ compatibility, but that didn’t mean they didn’t receive graces from the pilgrimage. “It was during that week that we were informed that Chris was a match,” Father Callan said. “I like to say that was a long-distance miracle from Lourdes!” LESSONS OF FAITH AND LOVE For Chris, once he found out he was a perfect match, it was a “no-brainer.” He was cleared by the surgeon general of the U.S. Army, which allows a soldier to stay in service following a liver donation because the organ regenerates itself. The medical team at Northwestern Memorial Hospital similarly gave their approval, and the operation was scheduled. The entire situation seemed to be orchestrated from above. “Father Dennis was sent to a military installation where we were able to meet,” Chris said. “I have the same blood type. I had a compatible liver — and it’s the only organ you can donate and maintain your military service. … Everything just lined up!” 10 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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Both Chris and Father Callan came through the transplant in good health and recovered in record time — the “second” miracle, they say, after the successful operation. “I was back at our community residence in nine days,” recalled Father Callan, who was scheduled to be in the hospital for three weeks. “Normally, donors go through a harder time in recovery than transplant patients do,” he added, “but Chris was up and bouncing around like nothing had happened. The nurses and doctors were just absolutely flabbergasted by that.” Father Callan said the entire experience has taught him an overwhelming lesson in God’s love, adding that when many get seriously ill, they question, “Why?” “What we have to realize is that God is present with us. God is leading us, guiding us through the many trials we face,” he said. “God is always present, caring and loving us in ways that we don’t necessarily understand.” Sometimes, Father Callan added, it may feel like we’re hanging from a branch on the side of a cliff. “And you hold on for dear life, but you know that your strength is going to wane and fade away,” he said. “Then, all of a sudden, you hear a simple voice in your heart that says, ‘Let go. I’ll take care of you.’” While Chris Moore admits he can be a “rather impulsive person” — “I jump out of airplanes for a living!” — the decision to donate his liver was not taken lightly. Nonetheless, “It was an easy decision,” he said, “because it was the right thing to do.” Today, a part of Chris’ adventurous spirit is in the spring of Father Callan’s step. Chris has a smaller liver, and Father Callan has a new life.♦
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‘Peace on Earth’
Photo by Photo Lacaze
The 2018 Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage brings healing and peace to many A DELEGATION of more than 200, including over 50 wounded, ill or injured U.S. military personnel, took part in the fifth annual Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage May 15-22. Co-sponsored by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS) and the Knights of Columbus, the pilgrimage coincided with the 60th annual International Military Pilgrimage (PMI), which gathered some 15,000 military personnel from more than 50 countries under the theme “Pacem in Terris” (Peace on Earth). “The Marian Shrine at Lourdes is a place of hope where healings of many types take place, both physical and spiritual,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, who joined pilgrims with his wife, Dorian. “It is an opportunity for active-duty
personnel, veterans and their caregivers to experience an abundance of peace and consolation while in this holy place.” In a message to Warriors to Lourdes pilgrims, U.S. Military Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, who led the delegation from the United States, expressed his gratitude to the Knights of Columbus for making possible “the pilgrimage of many wounded warriors and infirm veterans who would not otherwise have been able to join in this important international prayer for peace.” Reflecting on this year’s theme, he added, “The military knows all too well the cost of war. So we make pilgrimage to Our Lady’s Shrine in the hope that our Mother might teach us to live in peace.”♦
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From top: Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, celebrates the opening Mass for U.S. pilgrims in the Rosary Basilica. • Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson greets Retired Capt. Gary M. Rose, a U.S. Army medic and member of the Knights who received the Medal of Honor for his heroic service in the Vietnam War. • The U.S. delegation processes with the national colors followed by an image of Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, a Catholic officer of the French Gendarmerie who was killed March 24 after trading places with a hostage during a terrorist attack in southern France. • A Fourth Degree honor guard stands beneath the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. 12 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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BELOW CENTER and OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP AND BOTTOM: Photos by Photo Lacaze — OTHER: Photos by Tamino Petelinsek
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“I came to honor my husband, who was battling cancer and passed in November (2017). This pilgrimage has brought me peace, and seeing everybody praying to our Blessed Virgin Mary and everybody’s faith really just touched my heart. It’s such a valuable opportunity for our service members to come for spiritual healing and for physical healing. “I’m very grateful for the Knights that supported us to come here to Lourdes. And I love the relationship that they have with the Archdiocese of the Military Services so that this pilgrimage can take place.”
2018 Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage Schedule Highlights
– Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Kathy Thorp, a 2018 Warriors to Lourdes pilgrim
• Candlelight Marian Procession
EDITOR’S NOTE: Thorp’s husband, Capt. Owen G. Thorp, served as financial secretary of Commodore John Barry Council 14534 in Annapolis, Md.
Thursday, May 17
• Visit to baths at healing waters (also on May 18 and 21)
• Opening Mass for Warriors to Lourdes pilgrims, St. Joseph Chapel Friday, May 18
• Stations of the Cross for Warriors to Lourdes pilgrims • Opening Mass for U.S. pilgrims, Rosary Basilica
• International Opening Ceremony, Basilica of St. Pius X
• Celebration of Anointing of the Sick, Notre Dame Chapel Saturday, May 19
• Mass in Grotto for English-speaking pilgrims • Ceremony at the War Memorial Pentecost Sunday, May 20
• International Mass, Basilica of St. Pius X • Closing Ceremonies, Rosary Esplanade
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The McGivney Letters The surviving writings of the Knights’ founder show a pastor determined to meet the spiritual and temporal needs of his people by Kevin Coyne
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J
ust 13 letters and a few quotes recorded by the local newspapers — that is what remains of all the words written and spoken by Father Michael J. McGivney across his 38 years. Much of what we know about him comes from the testimonies of people who knew him, but what do his own words tell us? Some of his letters are of a kind that priests write routinely, such as a recommendation to his bishop on behalf of a young man discerning a religious vocation. But more than half of the letters chart the earliest days of the Knights of Columbus — the spiritual vision behind it, as well as its practical workings and the initial challenges it faced.
perhaps the most trying ordeal of my life, but this sad duty is placed my way by providence and must be fulfilled.”
ESTABLISHING THE ORDER Father McGivney’s vision extended far beyond New Haven, too. “By permission of our Rt. Rev. Bishop, and in accordance with an Act of the Legislature of the State of Connecticut, we have formed an organization under the name of the Knights of Columbus,” he wrote in April 1882 to a long list of parish priests in Connecticut. He saw the fledgling Order as addressing a pressing need of the Catholic Church in America, and concluded with an earnest request: “that you will exert your influence in the formation of a Council in your parish.” SHEPHERD OF SOULS Father McGivney was disappointed at the initial response. Father McGivney’s earliest surviving letter shows that he “Our beginning is extremely slow,” he wrote two months could bear a heavy load. “I have been alone all summer with later to Michael Edmonds, secretary of another fraternal sothe whole work of a parish on my shoulders,” he wrote in ciety, the Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters. “The October 1878 to Father Alphonse Magnien, a favorite pro- Order I was endeavoring to establish fell back almost lifeless fessor at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, where he had but not dead.” graduated the previous year. Father After continuing to promote the McGivney was referring to his first asKnights’ founding ideals of charity signment — at St. Mary’s Church, a and unity, the young priest was enNew Haven parish struggling with a couraged when he heard from some $165,000 debt (approximately $3.8 men in Meriden, Conn., the following LTHOUGH BUT A million today, adjusted for inflation) year. They had read about the Knights FEW YEARS ORGANIZED, and an ill pastor. “I have not had time in The Pilot, Boston’s Catholic newsfor even one day’s vacation since I paper, and wanted to know how they THE ORDER HAS EFFECTED left,” he added. could start a council of their own. FaThe young curate was not the kind ther McGivney replied quickly. INCALCULABLE GOOD IN of priest who believed his ministry “I am glad to hear that the Meriden ended with the Mass. He walked fast Catholic young men are not behind MANY HOUSEHOLDS.” but spoke slowly, with perfect diction their age in looking for their own benand the authority of faith, in a voice efit,” he wrote to P.J. Ford on April 17, so clear and pleasant that an old blind 1883. “You will see that when we are man, not even Catholic himself, came to Mass each Sunday well established in the diocese, we can bid defiance to the sejust to hear it. Father McGivney was — as William Geary, a cret societies and bring our fellow Catholics to enjoy without founding member of the Knights, would later write — “a any danger to their faith all the benefits which those societies great favorite of the people, and was particularly intimate offer as inducements to enter them.” with the energetic pushing go-ahead young men.” In an Aug. 25, 1883, letter to the editor of The Connecticut His ministry didn’t end with his parish either. He made Catholic, he wrote, “We are advancing slowly, but surely.” regular pastoral rounds to the local jail, where his spiritual Eleven councils would be established by November 1884, counsel was especially prized by James “Chip” Smith, a young when Father McGivney was named pastor of St. Thomas man sentenced to death for killing a police chief. Five days Church in Thomaston. before the execution date, Father McGivney celebrated a “I have been with you for seven long years, visiting your High Mass for Smith at the jail Aug. 28, 1882, after which sick and guiding the steps of your children in the paths in he said, with his voice breaking: “I am requested by Mr. which they should go,” he said in his farewell homily on Smith to ask pardon for all faults he may have had and all Nov. 10. “Wherever I go, the memory of the people of St. offenses he may have committed, and at his request I ask for Mary’s and their great kindness to me will always be upperthe prayers of all of you, that when next Friday comes he may most in my heart.” die a holy death.” Parishioners wept openly in the pews. “Never, it seemed, As reported that day in the New Haven Daily Palladium, was a congregation so affected by the parting address of a he then asked for prayers for everyone who would be present clergyman as the great audience which filled St. Mary’s yesat the execution, himself included. “To me this duty comes terday,” the New Haven Evening Register reported. “There was with almost a crushing weight. If I could consistently with never a more energetic or hardworking young priest stationed my duty be far away from here next Friday, I should escape in New Haven than he.”
Illustration by John Folley
“A
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KEVIN COYNE is an award-winning writer and professor at the Columbia School of Journalism. He lives in Freehold, N.J., with his family. 16 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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‘UNITY AND CHARITY’ IS OUR MOTTO Father McGivney on the Knights of Columbus In the 13 surviving documents written by Venerable Michael McGivney, there are numerous references to the Knights of Columbus and its founding mission. Here are four excerpts of Father McGivney’s writing about the Order. “Our primary object is to prevent people from entering Secret Societies, by offering the same, if not better, advantages to our members. Secondly, to unite the men of our Faith throughout the diocese of Hartford, that we may thereby gain strength to aid each other in time of sickness; to provide for decent burial, and to render pecuniary assistance to the families of deceased members.” — To Connecticut parish priests, April 1882 “You ask what is the membership. We only number about a hundred yet. The reason of this small number for the time established is that I have met with great opposition from the Foresters — a very strong organization in this state, especially among our young men — and again because anything new is always a hard thing to maintain.” — To Martin I.J. Griffin of Philadelphia, Feb. 12, 1883 “We have set the wheel in motion, and with willing cooperation in a work that Father McGivney’s letter to Connecticut priests, tends so much to our own typed on Supreme Council letterhead with the welfare, we venture to say words “Unity and Charity” visible on the seal, that soon, very soon, the was written shortly after the Order was officially Order of the Knights of incorporated in 1882. . Columbus will hold a prominent place among the best Catholic cooperative corporations in the Union. … ‘Unity and Charity’ is our motto. Unity in order to gain strength to be charitable to each other in benevolence whilst we live and in bestowing financial aid to those whom we have to mourn our loss.” — Letter to The Connecticut Catholic, Aug. 25, 1883 “The Order of the Knights of Columbus is the same now as when first instituted. viz.: It is an Order composed of Catholics and instituted for the welfare of Catholic families. … Not only in sickness, but when death takes the support of the family away, the Knights of Columbus comes to the relief of the widow and the orphan in a very substantial manner.” — Letter in response to “Clericus” in The Connecticut Catholic, May 30, 1885
Knights of Columbus Supreme Council Archives
‘INCALCULABLE GOOD’ At his new parish, Father McGivney established the 18th K of C council in April 1885, at a time when councils were forming at a rate of two per month. In May, he crafted one of the most eloquent of his extant letters, which was a sharp defense of the Order against doubters. When a priest writing anonymously to The Connecticut Catholic questioned whether the Knights of Columbus was itself just the kind of “secret society” the Church proscribed, Father McGivney sent a tart reply. Not only was the Order categorically not a secret society, he wrote, but: “The constitution and by-laws of the Knights of Columbus contain nothing collusive to the rules of the Church. Although but a few years organized, the Order has effected incalculable good in many households.” Just a few weeks before Father McGivney wrote that letter, the Knights had paid out their first death benefit; and just a few weeks after he wrote it, he rode in a carriage at the head of a line of 1,500 Knights who paraded through downtown New Haven. He no longer served as the supreme secretary but remained the Order’s supreme chaplain, and its spiritual heart. The last piece of writing we have from his hand is a postcard sent to William Geary in February 1886, announcing an upcoming visit back to New Haven. “[W]ill try to find you all information I can regarding K of C,” he wrote. When Father McGivney died Aug. 14, 1890, at age 38, his survivors included 6,000 members of the Order that started in the basement of St. Mary’s Church Oct. 2, 1881. “[W]hen we look back at the gathering of the sixteen members on that fateful Sunday afternoon,” Geary, who was among those 16, later wrote, “we can fully realize in their action the hand of Divine Providence.” Father McGivney’s name, Geary concluded, “is written upon the heart of every true Knight of Columbus, and his name will be revered for generations to come.”♦
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K N I G H T S O F C O LU M BU S N E W S
State Deputies Meeting Focuses on Faith in Action, Charity and Strengthening the Church
F
raternal leaders from throughout the Order gathered for the annual Organizational Meeting of Knights of Columbus State Deputies in New Haven, Conn., June 8-10, to discuss new programs, membership growth and future challenges. Newly elected state deputies received their medals of office following the opening Mass celebrated by Supreme Chaplain William E. Lori of Baltimore at St. Mary’s Church, the Order’s birthplace. During the opening business session, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson announced the Order’s record charitable giving and volunteer hours for 2017 (see sidebar) in addition to discussing new initiatives and outlining priorities. Here are seven highlights from the supreme knight’s address: Responsibility of State Deputies “We’ve been entrusted by our brother Knights to guide this organization into the future, to guide its growth, and to guide its well-being. We have to reach out and make sure that our local councils are active, have sustainable leadership and understand the necessity of bringing the next generation of Catholic men into this great organization.”
Photo by Mike Ross
Everyone Is Welcome “In an age of globalization, there is one preeminent institution in the world — the Catholic Church. It’s an international, universal Church, and everyone is welcome. And in the Knights of Columbus, every eligible man ought to be welcomed regardless of language, ethnicity or where his community is located.” Faith in Action Program Model “What the Knights of Columbus is doing in thousands of different ways every day is putting our faith in action
the strong right arm of the Church. We cannot do that unless our councils are the strong right arm of their parish priests. That was Father McGivney’s dream — a team of men who would be there for their local pastor.” Strengthening Catholicism, Not Columbianism “What Father McGivney laid out was not the principles of a men’s club or the principles of a secret society. It was a principled way of life for men to live their faith — a way of life that goes to the core of what it means to be a Catholic: charity, unity, brotherhood.”
Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson addresses the Organizational Meeting of State Deputies in New Haven, Conn., June 8. — in ways that bring value to people’s lives, to our communities, to our countries. I urge every single council to embrace this program and to carry forward projects within each of these categories of Faith, Family, Community and Life.” Building the Domestic Church “The domestic church is foundational to Faith in Action. Pope Benedict XVI told us that the Church has a mission to pray, a mission to evangelize and a mission of charity. Our domestic church program simply says the Catholic family has the same mission. How many fewer families would be broken and suffering if we could get our families to pray more, build up each other in the faith, forgive, reconcile and practice charity?” Strong Right Arm of Our Parishes “We pride ourselves in being called
Changing Lives Through Charity “When we tout our numbers, it’s not numbers alone — it is lives changed. As we go forward this year, let’s do a little more. If we do, we are going to change thousands of more lives.”♦
K of C in the Community
2017
was a record-setting year for Knights of Columbus charitable work, with $185.6 million in donations and 75.6 million hours of volunteer service provided worldwide. Special Olympics
$14.7M
Disaster Relief
$7.5M
Food for Families
$7.6M
Christian Refugee Relief
$6.3M
Global Wheelchair Mission
$1.6M
Coats for Kids
Habitat for Humanity
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$2.5M
$0.6M
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FA I T H I N AC T I O N
FAITH
IN
ACTION
A New Model for a New Era
FAMILY
T
he new Faith in Action program model for Knights of Columbus-related activities went into effect for the 2018-2019 fraternal year beginning July 1. Replacing and updating the longstanding “Surge… with Service” model, the simplified Faith in Action model features four instead of six program categories: Faith, Family, Community and Life. In his address to state deputies June 8 (see page 17), Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson urged K of C leaders to “embrace wholeheartedly” the new model. Supplementing an initial overview of Faith in Action, which was published in the June issue of Columbia, this special report includes some frequently asked questions about the new model as well as details about new programs. What is Faith in Action? Faith in Action is the new umbrella program covering all Supreme Council-recommended programs. It replaces “Surge… with Service,” which began in 1971, and is divided into four categories of programs: Faith, Family, Community and Life. Why were these categories chosen? They represent our main priorities as an Order: The primary goal is to strengthen men and their families in the Catholic faith. We also emphasize the vital role that a devout and loyal family plays in modern society. Additionally, a critical part of our mission as Knights is to spread a spirit of charity throughout our community. Finally, both as 18 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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COMMUNITY
LIFE
Knights of Columbus and as followers of Christ, we have an obligation to “be committed to the defense of life in all its stages and in every condition” (St. John Paul II). Why the change? Faith in Action simplifies what councils are called to do. It offers a stronger call to action, inspiring Knights to lead their families and parishes in quality, faith-filled family programs. The new model takes its inspiration from the Order’s Building the Domestic Church program. Spiritual renewal is at the center of the new model, especially the renewal of family, council and parish life. How does a council know what programs to conduct? A council may develop and conduct any program that makes a difference in their parish or community. However, the Supreme Council does recommend 32 programs — eight for each category. To receive the Columbian Award, a council must earn a total of 16 program credits and complete the required program in each of the four categories. Featured programs earn councils two credits, while all other Supreme-Council recommended programs earn councils a single credit. How can I learn more about the new program model? For more details, talk to your grand knight and local district deputy. Additional information can be found at kofc.org/faithinaction
FROM LEFT: Photos by Spirit Juice Studios, Greg Gibson, Patrick Murphy-Racey, Slav Zatoka Images
FAITH
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FA I T H I N AC T I O N
New K of C Programs The Supreme Council has introduced nine new programs within the Faith in Action model. Complementing featured programs — e.g., the Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP), Food For Families and the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative, to name a few — as well as other existing K of C initiatives, this brings the total number of recommended programs to 32 (eight in each category).
FAITH Spiritual Reflection Program Creating fraternal opportunities for prayer and reflection, such as retreats, produces spiritually vibrant councils. Under the guidance of their chaplain, councils can attend a retreat or day of reflection together, or they can hold low-cost retreats of their own. Such events might be open only to council members or men of the parish — or to entire families. Holy Hour Eucharistic adoration deepens our personal relationship with Christ. Councils can organize their Holy Hours in a variety of ways and incorporate things such as the sacrament of reconciliation and prayer for particular intentions. A K of C Holy Hour prepared for men of the parish could also include a reflection, communal rosary, prayers for the intercession of Father McGivney or St. Joseph, and other components decided by the council. Sacramental Gifts The sacraments are milestone events in the lives of Catholic families. Councils can support parish families at these pivotal moments by praying for recipients of the sacraments and by offering
them specific gifts, such as rosaries or books, to mark the significance of occasions such as baptism, first Communion, confirmation and marriage.
FAMILY Family Prayer Night Catholics often struggle to find opportunities to socialize and/or pray together with other faith-filled Catholic families. Family Prayer Night is an opportunity for council members, their families and the whole parish community to come together for an evening of prayer, dinner and fellowship. Good Friday Family Promotion Knights are encouraged to attend Good Friday liturgies with their families and to work with their pastors to foster increased parish involvement, promoting a better understanding of the centrality of Holy Week to our Catholic faith. Councils will also work to educate their parishes about the plight of persecuted Christians in the Holy Land and elsewhere.
COMMUNITY Helping Hands Inspired by Father McGivney’s witness of charity for widows and orphans, this program is designed to build upon the important work many councils already do to care for disadvantaged members of our communities. All councils are called to aid those in most need in their community through any number of activities, such as serving at or running a soup kitchen or repairing the facilities of a local service organization.
LIFE Mass for People with Special Needs Councils are called to welcome individuals or families who might not
regularly attend scheduled Masses due to special needs resulting from physical, emotional, mental or cognitive conditions. Annually, a council will sponsor a Mass for people with special needs that may be the first of many steps toward integrating participants more fully into the sacramental and social life of the parish. Pregnancy Center Support More than 3,000 pro-life pregnancy centers operate in K of C jurisdictions. Councils can “adopt” one of these centers that help pregnant women during pregnancy and following the birth of their newborn children and provide material, financial, labor and other support throughout the year. Novena for Life Knights are committed to defending the right to life of every human being from the moment of conception to natural death. Councils will promote a novena — nine days of prayer — to build up a culture of life in our parishes, homes and wider community. Knights and their families will come together in both public and private acts of prayer to promote the protection of life.♦
Required Programs In order to earn the Columbian Award, councils must conduct one required program from each program category. These four required programs are: • Spiritual Reflection (Faith) • Consecration to the Holy Family (Family) • Helping Hands (Community) • Novena for Life (Life)
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Knights at the Speed of Life New online membership initiative gives Catholic men another way to join the Knights of Columbus by Joseph O’Brien
B
randon Reid works a full-time job as a mechanic in Abbotsford, British Columbia. He and his wife, Sarah, also work a second part-time janitorial job to make ends meet. When they’re not working, the Reids have their hands full raising their 2-year old son, Preston, and infant daughter, Gwen. But thanks to the Order’s new online membership initiative, Brandon, 32, still found time to become a Knight. “The online program was convenient,” he said. “In fact, when I was putting in my application to be a member, I had my baby daughter in my arms with a bottle, and I was punching in information on the smartphone with the other hand.” Just weeks after signing up online in early April, Brandon took his First Degree and joined Archbishop Johnson Council 6767 in Abbotsford.
Brandon and Sarah Reid are pictured with their children outside of their home in Abbotsford, British Columbia, where Brandon recently became a member of Archbishop Johnson Council 6767.
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Introducing Online Membership
IN LATE 2017, the Knights of Columbus Online Membership initiative was launched in select pilot jurisdictions. Active throughout the United States and Canada since July, the program allows prospective members to enroll via a computer or mobile device. The new program does not eliminate degrees, councils or dues, but instead provides an electronic process that makes it easier to welcome new members. Below are several frequently asked questions about the new initiative. Additional information can be found at kofc.org/onlinemembership. Who is eligible to join the Knights of Columbus online? Online membership has not changed requirements for membership in the Knights, which remains open to practical (that is, practicing) Catholic men above the age of 18. Should councils be using online membership? Yes! Online membership will serve councils as a great intake tool and as a resource for recruitment. It also can act as an electronic Form 100, which can be extremely useful in situations like church drives, open houses and fraternal events. Men who join the Order online will form a pool of committed dues-paying members from which councils can recruit. How does the transfer process work? When an online member is ready to join a local council, he must go through the standard admissions process, including the First Degree exemplification. Once he has taken the degree, the council will receive credit for the new member and a portion of his online dues. Councils may initiate the transfer electronically without having to submit a Form 100 marked as a transfer.♦ AUGUST 2018
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THE UPSIDE OF ONLINE The Florida state membership director for the Knights, Ron Kosey, 69, remembers what it was like to be young and sympathizes with Brandon Reid and others like him. “When I first joined the Knights,” he said, “it was difficult to spend time doing anything but working, trying to raise a family, and going to school at night and on weekends.” Considering this past year’s results from the pilot program for the online membership initiative, Kosey calls the experience a success. “We’ve had more than 200 new members join online around the state since October, when the program was introduced here,” he said, adding that the large majority of them have expressed interest in joining local councils. More than 25 percent have already done so. Membership in Florida, which consists of 85 K of C districts, increased last year despite the fact that many Knights were focused on cleanup projects after Hurricane Irma hit last September, with little time left for recruitment. “That many districts can become a little unwieldy to handle all at once,” said Kosey. “Thanks to online membership, despite these obstacles, men were still finding time to join the Knights.” Nonetheless, some K of C members have doubted the merits of the initiative. “Many people were skeptical about the online program when we first introduced it,” Kosey explained. “‘If you can join online, what’s the point of having councils?’ they asked.” While online membership might suggest a less personal touch in recruiting efforts, Kosey says that’s not the case. Rather, it works hand-in-hand with traditional meet-and-greet events. “In my home council, at a recent benefits night, we handed out cards with information about the online program,” he said. “Two guys I gave cards to became online members, and now one’s a Third Degree and the other is preparing to get his Third. Both are 22 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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insurance members, and both active in the council.” Online membership has the virtue of always working with the councils, Kosey said — even when everyone else has gone to sleep. “This online program is recruiting 24/7,” he said. “As we get these cards out, people look at them and take their time to consider joining — but they do join. One of our members joined at 3:44 in the morning! You don’t have to be following these guys around — they join on their own terms.”
THE FUTURE IS NOW Ian Davis, who lives in Baltimore, joined the Knights of Columbus last summer through the pilot program after it was launched in Maryland. Part of the rising generation of Maryland Knights, Davis, 40, said he had long heard about the good work of the Knights and tried to find out more five years ago. “I never had any personal interaction with the Knights,” he said. “So to find out more about them, I did what any person my age would generally do — I went online.” Last year, with the introduction of the online membership initiative and prompted by the interest expressed by Davis and a group of fellow Catholic men in the Baltimore area, the Maryland State Council called a meeting to reactivate St. Elizabeth of Hungary Council 13073, which had been suspended since 2010. Young men from the three parishes that the council serves — St. Elizabeth, St. Casimir and St. Brigid, all in Baltimore — showed up for the meeting. According to Davis, each of them preferred the keyboard to the ballpoint.
Photos by Marissa V Photography
The online membership initiative is perfectly suited to accommodate busy young Catholic men like Brandon Reid. By updating the Form 100 for the digital age, as well as by providing at-a-glance information on the Order’s mission and other spiritual resources, it is bringing a new generation of Catholic men to the Knights of Columbus.
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“At the meeting, State had laptops set up,” he said. “They gave us a choice between filling out forms or going online. Every one of the new members walked up to the computer and applied online.” Since then, Davis has become grand knight of Council 13073 and recruited eight more men for the council through the online initiative, which has in turn encouraged greater activity. “We’re a small council, but we’ve met our recruitment goals,” he said. “The online membership keeps the members active. We regularly have 60, 70, even 100 percent attendance for social and charitable events and some of the degree ceremonies.” Because the online program can find potential members who are hiding in plain sight, Davis said, fraternity in the council has also grown stronger. “I met men in our council who are not even 10 blocks away but attend other parishes,” he said. “I would never had met these other men had we not had the online membership program to draw them to the council.” ONLINE ID Davis and Kosey agree that the online membership initiative also gives high definition to the Knights’ Catholic identity. “Most of what the Knights have to say is out there on the website regarding the Order’s Catholic identity — its charity, unity and fraternity,” Davis said. “Men who look at these things and make their decision often have a deep faith to begin with, and they’re looking to expand that faith and find men who share that faith.” “If I ask a potential member if he’s a practical Catholic,” said Kosey, “maybe he doesn’t know what that means. If he goes to our website to become a member, and reads through the material there, he’ll absolutely understand.” As for Brandon Reid, he learned what it meant to be a practical Catholic when he was preparing to marry one. “I came to the faith three years ago,” he said. “Sarah was a cradle Catholic; but I had never set foot into a church until I met her. After losing our first son, who was born premature at 22 months, I saw her strength — and realized there had to be more to being Catholic. The faith also gives me a place, a sense of being a part of the community.” Becoming a Knight, Brandon said, was a natural next step in his journey of faith. The Knights of Columbus is helping to protect his family, and it’s helping him share that same life of faith with other Catholic men. “We found out about the insurance that the Knights offer, which we thought was a good thing because my
wife is prone to having babies early. We almost lost our second child the same way,” he said. “But I also signed up because I’m attracted to the Knights and what they can do for our community.”♦ JOSEPH O’BRIEN is a freelance writer who lives in Soldiers Grove, Wis. He is a member of St. James the Greater Council 12606 in Gays Mills.
Online Membership
Stats at a Glance Here is some initial data about the reach of the new online membership program since it was introduced in select pilot jurisdictions. — the number of men who joined the Order online during the pilot program, through July 1.
2,216
42 — the average age of members who have
joined online.
63 percent — expressed the desire to join a local council right away. More than 20 percent have already done so.
39 percent — referred by a council or other
member.
30 percent — referred by marketing programs. 19 percent — referred by a K of C insurance
agent.
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The Truth Will Set You Free Twenty-five years later, St. John Paul II’s encyclical on the Church’s moral teaching is more timely than ever by Nicholas J. Healy Jr.
F
ollowing his exile from the Soviet Union for the “crime” of publishing The Gulag Archipelago in 1973, Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn gave a simple, yet profound reply to a reporter. When asked what he stood for, he said, “Those who have lived in the most terrible conditions … understand that between good and evil there is an irreconcilable contradiction.” By this and his strong critique of Soviet communism, however, Solzhenitsyn did not imply that Western democracy was faultless. In a 1978 commencement address at Harvard University, he argued that Western culture had in recent decades rejected “the moral heritage of Christian centuries with their great reserves of mercy and sacrifice,” embracing instead the notion that “an individual could be granted boundless freedom simply for the satisfaction of his instincts or whims.” Solzhenitsyn’s words complement those of his contemporary, St. John Paul II, and have only gained relevance in the context of relativism today. For both men, the great drama 24 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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of our time is a crisis of truth that leads to a confusion between good and evil. “All around us,” observed John Paul II in his encyclical letter Veritatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth), “we encounter contempt for human life after conception and before birth; the ongoing violation of basic rights of the person … Indeed, something more serious has happened: man is no longer convinced that only in the truth can he find salvation. The saving power of the truth is contested, and freedom alone, uprooted from any objectivity, is left to decide by itself what is good and what is evil” (84). This letter on the foundations of the Church’s moral teaching, issued Aug. 6, 1993, is perhaps the most important text of John Paul II’s magisterium. In the past 25 years, Veritatis Splendor has lost none of its brilliance and importance for the Church’s witness in contemporary culture. While much could be said about such a rich text, we can briefly focus on four of its key insights.
Ecce Homo by Antonio Ciseri, 1871 / Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Palazzo Pizzi, Florence, Italy
After having Jesus scourged, Pontius Pilate presents him wearing a crown of thorns: “Behold, the man!” (Jn 19:5). Not long before, as Pilate questioned him, Jesus said he came into the world “to bear witness to the truth” — to which Pilate responded, “What is truth?” (cf. Jn 18:37-38).
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FREEDOM AND TRUTH law represents an abstract ideal that cannot address the particWe are all familiar with how the modern world values free- ular circumstances of human life. By taking account of condom as the highest good. But what sort of freedom? There is crete experience, conscience could authorize certain exceptions an unmistakable tendency in our culture to conceive freedom to the commandments and thus permit one to do in practice simply as the ability to choose between alternatives or to do what is qualified as intrinsically evil by the moral law. whatever one wants. According to this view, human freedom In response to this mistaken understanding, John Paul II is the source of values and meaning. Consider, for example, recalls the true meaning of conscience as an interior witness. the words of the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1992 Planned “Moral conscience,” he writes, “does not close man within an Parenthood v. Casey decision: “At the heart of liberty is the insurmountable and impenetrable solitude, but opens him to right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the call, to the voice of God. In this, and not in anything else, the universe, and of the mystery of human life.” lies the entire mystery and the dignity of the moral conIn Veritatis Splendor, John Paul II begins by pointing out science: in being the place, the sacred place where God speaks that, through sin, “Man’s capacity to know the truth is also to man” (58). Conscience is not an independent capacity to darkened, and … giving himself over to relativism and skep- decide what is good and what is evil, but a principle of obeticism (cf. Jn 18:38), he goes off in search of an illusory free- dience to the objective moral law. dom apart from truth itself ” (1). The pope then explains that the modern idea of freedom is self-defeating because we are CHRISTIAN FAITH AND THE MORAL LIFE not the source of our own existence. Rather, our being is re- For John Paul II, faith is not a matter of merely accepting cerceived as a gift, and our freedom always exists in relationship tain propositions or doctrines as true. More profoundly, to the truth. Christian faith involves “holding fast “Only the freedom which submits to the very person of Jesus, partaking to the Truth,” he concludes, “leads the of his life and his destiny, sharing in human person to his true good. The his free and loving obedience to the good of the person is to be in the Truth will of the Father” (19). A faith that NLY THE FREEDOM and to do the Truth” (84). did not involve the whole of one’s life and deeds would not be adequate to WHICH SUBMITS TO THE NATURAL LAW AND the mystery of the Incarnation. By asTRUTH LEADS THE MORAL REASONING suming human nature and offering the Following St. Thomas Aquinas, John totality of his life as gift to the Father HUMAN PERSON TO HIS Paul II defines the natural law as “the and to the Church, Christ discloses the eternal law, implanted in beings enoriginal and unbreakable unity of faith TRUE GOOD.” dowed with reason, and inclining and the moral life: “If you love me, them towards their right action and keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15). end” (44). Grounded in the natural The moral life is therefore an essenlaw, the Church’s moral teaching is not tial part of the Church’s task of bearing simply an extrinsic obligation or set of rules. The desire for witness to the mystery of God’s love revealed in Christ. John God is implanted in the human heart; the natural law is an Paul II writes, “In a particular way, it is in the Crucified Christ expression of this desire and thus an interior guide to true that the Church finds the answer to the question troubling so happiness. many people today: How can obedience to universal and unOf particular importance in John Paul II’s presentation of changing moral norms respect the uniqueness and individuthe natural law is the significance of the human body. Veritatis ality of the person, and not represent a threat to his freedom Splendor corrects the tendency to view the body as inert, pre- and dignity? … The Crucified Christ reveals the authentic moral “stuff ” awaiting the intervention of human freedom. meaning of freedom; he lives it fully in the total gift of himself The human body, sexually differentiated as male or female, and calls his disciples to share in his freedom” (85). has an inherent meaning and dignity that reflects the wisdom ✼✼✼ of the Creator. In the words of John Paul II, we “discover in The four points sketched above all converge on a central the body the anticipatory signs, the expression and the prom- idea: God’s love has become incarnate in Jesus Christ. In the ise of the gift of self ” (48). The body, already in its physical sacraments of the Church, we are given a share in God’s own structure, is an expression of the person, who is created in love incarnate love. The moral life is thus a response to this gift — and for love. a reflection of the beauty of the truth of God.♦
“O
THE MEANING OF CONSCIENCE One of the errors that had made some inroads in Catholic moral theology was a “creative” understanding of conscience as a source of moral values. According to this view, the moral
NICHOLAS J. HEALY JR. is associate professor of philosophy and culture at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C. He is a member of Father Rosensteel Council 2169 in Silver Spring, Md. AUGUST 2018
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TION S TATKEN IDGEHP T UST IIENS AC 2018-19
ALABAMA JASON C. ESTEVE
ALASKA RONALD L. JONES
ALBERTA RONALD J. SCHUSTER
ARIZONA THOMAS KALISZ
ARKANSAS LEROY J. ANDERLE
BRITISH COLUMBIA KOON MING LAU
CALIFORNIA JOSEPH C. SALAIZ
COLORADO JOHN J. DOHERTY
CONNECTICUT STEVEN J. BACON
DELAWARE ROBERT L. ROSSI
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OTTO E. HECK
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC LAZARO BERQUEL RODRIQUEZ CABRERA
FLORIDA DONALD T. KAHRER JR.
GEORGIA MARK D. CORRIGAN SR.
GUAM BOBBY O. PELKEY
HAWAII MICHAEL M. MADIX
IDAHO SHANE J. GEHRING
ILLINOIS THEODORE A. STITES JR.
INDIANA PAUL A. ZIELINSKI
IOWA ANTONIO BAÑUELOS
KANSAS DALE A. WEBER
KENTUCKY CAMERON G. PECK
LOUISIANA RENNAN J. DUFFOUR
LUZON NORTH JOSE C. REYES JR.
LUZON SOUTH RAMONCITO A. OCAMPO
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K N EI GD HETPSUITNI EAC TION S TAT S 2018-19
MAINE MARK R. BOURGOIN
MANITOBA DANIEL P. SHEPHERD
MARYLAND DALE W. TROTT
MASSACHUSETTS PAUL A. FLANAGAN
MEXICO CENTRAL FRANCISCO SÁENZ MUÑOZ
MEXICO NORTHEAST JUAN MANUEL QUINTANILLA BALCÁZAR
MEXICO NORTHWEST CESAR GILDARDO ESTRADA TREVIZO
MEXICO SOUTH ALEJANDRO I. PIZA CABRIALES
MEXICO WEST LORENZO CERVANTES BARAJAS
MICHIGAN WILLIAM H. CHASSE
MINDANAO GERRY EUTEMIO T. MISSION
MINNESOTA MARC E. PETERS
MISSISSIPPI PHILIP N. JABOUR
MISSOURI ROBERT M. HAWKINS
MONTANA ALLEN W. CORMANY
NEBRASKA LOUIS R. GASPER JR.
NEVADA THOMAS J. THORN
NEW BRUNSWICK CHARLES E. LIRETTE
NEW HAMPSHIRE GLENN P. CAMLEY
NEW JERSEY ROBERT E. HATLER
NEW MEXICO JOHN R. BRAULT
NEW YORK KENNETH F. LATHAM JR.
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR BRIAN P. HURLEY
NORTH CAROLINA JOHN R. NUSSBAUM
NORTH DAKOTA JAMES J. WERNER
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S TAT E D E P U T I E S 2018-19
NOVA SCOTIA JAMES A. MACDONALD
OHIO KEVIN P. MILLER
OKLAHOMA JOHN T. PIERCE
ONTARIO DANIEL G. HEFFERNAN
OREGON FRANCIS R. MOHR
PENNSYLVANIA MARK L. JAGO
POLAND TOMASZ WAWRZKOWICZ
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND RICHARD E. ALLEN
PUERTO RICO JOSÉ LUIS VAZQUEZ PADILLA
QUÉBEC DANIEL DUCHESNE
RHODE ISLAND MICHAEL J. DZIOK
SASKATCHEWAN CHRISTOPHER R. BENCHARSKI
SOUTH CAROLINA EDWARD M. GRIFFIN JR.
SOUTH DAKOTA PATRICK J. POWERS
TENNESSEE TRACY D. STALLER
TEXAS T. MARK EVANS
UKRAINE BOGDAN I. KOVALIV
UTAH GREGORY A. KELLER
VERMONT THOMAS A. HERBST JR.
VIRGINIA EDWARD R. POLICH
VISAYAS ANTHONY P. NAZARIO
WASHINGTON ROBERT J. BAEMMERT
WEST VIRGINIA SCOTT K. NALE
WISCONSIN JACK V. WRBANICH
WYOMING JAMES L. VENJOHN
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KNIGHTS IN ACTION
REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLES people transitioning out of homelessness. Council 9096’s Bed Pillow and Blanket Drive yielded loads of bedding for people in need. MEMORIAL CELEBRATION
Father Christopher Fraser, judicial vicar for the Diocese of Phoenix, leads a procession at the dedication of a statue of Father Michael J. McGivney. Our Lady of Lourdes Council 11809 in Sun City West, Ariz., donated the statue to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish after several years of fundraising through bingo and raffle sales. It was placed on a base, gift of Catholic Daughters Court 2278, in the courtyard of Prince of Peace Church. Father David Ostler, Father Michael Ashibuogwu and Father Augustine Ogumere, chaplain of Council 11809, assisted at the dedication.
CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR ROUND
Sacred Heart Council 4628 in Schofield, Wis., held a “Christmas in July” event for young patients at the Ministry of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Marshfield. With the aid of many regional councils and assemblies as well as a Harley Davidson dealership, over 300 toys were collected for children in treatment and $15,000 raised for the hospital. SUPPORTING SPECIAL OLYMPICS
Multiple councils in the Edmonton, Alberta, area teamed up to make a $7,950 donation to Special Olympics Edmonton. The gift was presented by
Francis Lajeunesse of St. John Bosco Council 10986 in Edmonton, the jurisdiction’s liaison for Special Olympics. HOUSING MILESTONE
All Saints Council 7570 in Strathroy, Ontario, hosted an open house for former residents, board members and officials of Columbus Estates Not-for-Profit Housing, celebrating its 25th anniversary. The 30 units of senior housing are managed and maintained by Council 7570, which recently made cosmetic improvements to the property and upgrades to roofing, appliances and walkin showers to provide a good home for elderly people with limited funds.
Holy Cross Assembly 1315 in Lynchburg, Va., held a ceremony that included a wreath laying and bagpipe music at the National DDay Memorial. The memorial commemorates the valor, fidelity and sacrifice of those involved in the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, and the ceremony honored those who served and those who are currently serving. It was followed by a guided tour of the memorial; refreshments and snacks were provided.
RIGHT ON TRACK
Our Lady of Peace Council 11378 in North Brunswick, N.J., teamed up with the Raritan Valley Hi-Railers Club for a model train show, which was attended by approximately 200 people. The $1,700 in proceeds from ticket, food, raffle and vendor sales was donated to charities serving veterans and funded travel for young servicemen returning home for the holidays. BASIC NEEDS
Church of the Risen Savior Council 9096 in Burnsville, Minn., filled two SUVs with pillows and blankets for Bridging, a furniture and home goods bank that serves
Deployed Knights of Columbus from across the military services at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, aid an effort to provide clothing to the needy. The Knights helped organize, coordinate and deliver over 1,600 donated articles of clothing for hundreds of immigrants in the region.
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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N
trimmed trees, refinished the benches, and implanted bricks engraved with the names of the council’s deceased Knights. The area is truly a place for meditation and prayer for parishioners in stressful times.
CONTINUING CATHOLIC EDUCATION
VISIT THE IMPRISONED
Members of Father Pauwelyn Assembly 587 in Billings, Mont., and Roundup (Mont.) Council 2464 present new national and state flags to Chad Sealey (center), superintendent of Roundup’s new elementary school.
ROAD TO THE ROSARY
FIRST BLOOD
Knights of the Archdiocese of Toronto collaborated with the Catholic Women’s League to put on the “Bringing Parishes Together” fundraiser, which supported the building of a rosary path at Marylake Shrine, located just north of Toronto. Knights contributed many hours to promote the banquet and take part in its lighthearted fashion show. The event raised $3,192 for the shrine.
West Nassau (Bahamas) Council 11755 and Nassau Council 10415 teamed up for their first blood drive, which yielded 20 pints of blood to aid those in medical crises.
IN TRANSIT
Members of Riverview (Mich.) Council 13980 and parishioners of St. Cyprian Church stand with the proceeds of a “Socktober” drive that collected 2,991 pairs of socks and 69 pairs of shoes. Having learned that socks are much needed and rarely donated, the council gathered the items for St. Vincent de Paul, local charities, safe havens and homeless shelters. Set end-to-end, the collected footwear would stretch over a mile. 30 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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At the request of a Knight, Christ Our Savior Council 4471 in Struthers, Ohio, donated $100 to Youngstown Rescue Mission for the purchase of bus passes, which will support those who may otherwise be unable to reach their jobs. The mission provides meals and employment assistance for people in need.
IN THE FAMILY
St. John’s Council 1345 in Dumont, N.J., raised $18,000 for the Addison Palardy Fund, which was established to alleviate the medical expenses of a child born with a condition that requires lifelong hormone treatment. The child is the granddaughter of a past grand knight who has served Council 1345 and his parish with his family for many years. Council 1345’s fundraiser drew some 200 people and featured a concert by St. Mary’s Choir, a mini auction and a 50/50 raffle.
KNIGHTS IN THE YARD
In response to a request from St. Joseph Church, Father Burggraff Council 6021 in Perry Hall, Md., assisted a parishioner with her yard. Council members cut back bushes and removed many bags of landscaping waste from the woman’s property.
PLACE FOR PRAYER
Father Arnold Kosco Council 12808 in West Bloomfield, Mich., renovated the meditation area of Prince of Peace Parish. Knights weeded and reset the area paver bricks, upgraded the landscape and plantings,
Our Lady of Fatima of Sta. Felomina Council 15042 in Dipolog City, Mindanao, joined a parish ministry in visiting inmates of the Dipolog City Jail. The council packed and distributed kits of devotional items and toiletries, and helped arrange for Masses to be said for both the male and female inmates, who had to attend separate services. WHAT A RELIEF
After natural disasters struck, Eugene A. Baker Sr. PSD Council 11215 in Trussville, Ala., held a parish pancake breakfast. The meal raised $1,185 for the Knights of Columbus Disaster Relief Fund.
Past Grand Knight Ken Kelly of Charlebois Council 2704 in The Pas, Manitoba, presents a check for $1,000 to the manager of Uptown Day Care. The funds, raised by a series of pancake breakfasts, went toward the purchase of a van for the daycare, which provides before- and afterschool programs for children.
Top photo by Peggy Toombs
Father Edwin F. Kelley Council 5750 in Woodbridge, Va., donated $10,000 to St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School in Woodbridge and an additional $10,000 to St. John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Dumfries. The money was raised through weekly bingo games and monthly pancake breakfasts at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Woodbridge. St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School plans to put the donation toward new school lockers, while St. John Paul the Great Catholic High School will use the money to support the school band program. Council 5750 is very proud to support its local Catholic schools and looks forward to partnering with them to further support Catholic values in education.
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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N ULTRASOUND ACHIEVEMENT
Elizabethtown (Ky.) Council 1455 reached its goal of providing a new ultrasound machine for Clarity Solutions, a life-affirming pregnancy resource center. The project used matching funds from the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative. CHRISTIANS FOR THE COMMUNITY
Deputy Grand Knight Louis Alaimo (left) of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Council 11943 in Wayne, N.J.; Rev. Msgr. Peter J. Doody, pastor of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish; Lonni Miller Ryan, president of the Wayne Township Council; Grand Knight Michael R. Basile Jr.; and 5th Ward Councilwoman L. Aileen Rivera are pictured at the blessing of a new sign for the parish. Council 11943 donated two new directional signs and worked with Msgr. Doody and township leaders to design, purchase and install the street signs, improving the visibility of the church’s location.
St. Cecilia Council 10195 in Wilbraham, Mass., raised $4,500 for the Community Survival Center. The council hosted 250 members of 19 Catholic and Protestant churches from across three towns, raising funds to help the center provide meals for those in need. The center also offers clothing and household goods.
FROM THE ASHES
Regina Mundi Council 3969 in Clifton, N.J., donated $2,000 to the Father English Food Pantry in Paterson to help the pantry recover from a fire that ruined its supplies of food and clothing for people in need. CRUCIAL SUPPLY
HOUSING HOPE
Father Leo John Dehon Council 14051 in Olive Branch, Miss., assisted with the renovation of a motelturned-shelter, the newly dedicated Bishop William Houck New Hope Village. The facility provides emergency shelter for people in need and long-term housing for people getting back on their feet and seeking employment. One of the original founders of the shelter and the present operations manager are members of Council 14051.
Members of Bishop Jurgens Council 3704 in Tuguegarao Cagayan, Luzon, participate in a Walk for Life demonstration uniting St. Peter Cathedral Parish.
Karol Avanecean of Mystical Rose Council 49 in Wauregan, Conn., fills a pot with water shortly before the start of a dinner benefiting the nonprofit Friends of Assisi Food Pantry in Danielson. Held at Sacred Heart Church in Wauregan, Council 49 joined forces with St. James Council 2883 in Danielson and Mary Our Lady of the Assumption Council 10454 in Dayville-Rogers to make the event a success. The dinner raised over $1,300 for the pantry.
Immaculate Conception Council 3512 in Pennsauken, N.J., has provided thousands of diapers over the past two years for the Guadalupe Family Center in Camden. Providing diapers for families in need is only one of the center’s ministries, and Council 3512 has also supported its work by raising funds and renovating an old office into the newly dedicated Father McGivney Room.
ecumenical coalition of churches that provide wintertime shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Since the churches take turns hosting some 50 clients nightly, there was great need for blankets, mats, cots and transportation. The dinner raised enough money to see the program through the winter. ONGOING NEED
Mary Queen Council 8494 in League City, Texas, presented a donation of $30,000 to Father Jim Kuczynski, pastor of Mary Queen Catholic Church, and Food Pantry/Social Services Coordinator Chris Austen for continued area disaster relief in response to the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey.
MATERIAL GOOD
Msgr. Hayes Council 6322 in Placerville, Calif., hosted a dinner that featured raffles, silent auctions and testimonies from people who have faced homelessness and substance dependence. The evening benefited the Nomadic Shelter Program, an
kofc.org exclusive See more “Knights in Action” reports and photos at www.kofc.org/ knightsinaction
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Pictured is the opening spread of the November 2017 Columbia cover story, which outlined the Knights of Columbus’ history of opposition to the Ku Klux Klan.
Please enroll me in the Father McGivney Guild: NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE/PROVINCE ZIP/POSTAL CODE Complete this coupon and mail to: The Father McGivney Guild, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 or enroll online at: www.fathermcgivney.org
OFFICIAL AUG. 1, 2018: To owners of Knights of Columbus insurance policies and persons responsible for payment of premiums on such policies: Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the provisions of Section 84 of the Laws of the Order, payment of insurance premiums due on a monthly basis to the Knights of Columbus by check made payable to Knights of Columbus and mailed to same at PO Box 1492, NEW HAVEN, CT 06506-1492, before the expiration of the grace period set forth in the policy. In Canada: Knights of Columbus, Place d’Armes Station, P.O. Box 220, Montreal, QC H2Y 3G7 ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK, EDITORIAL MATTER, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILED TO: COLUMBIA, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901. REJECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IF ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE. PURCHASED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED. OPINIONS BY WRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. SUBSCRIPTION RATES — IN THE U.S.: 1 YEAR, $6; 2 YEARS, $11; 3 YEARS, $15. FOR OTHER COUNTRIES ADD $2 PER YEAR. EXCEPT FOR CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS, PAYMENT IN U.S. CURRENCY ONLY. SEND ORDERS AND CHECKS TO: ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.
COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869/USPS #123-740) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326. PHONE: 203-752-4000, www.kofc.org. PRODUCED IN USA. COPYRIGHT © 2015 BY KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NEW HAVEN, CT AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO COLUMBIA, MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901. CANADIAN POSTMASTER — PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 1473549. RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 50 MACINTOSH BOULEVARD, CONCORD, ONTARIO L4K 4P3 PHILIPPINES — FOR PHILIPPINES SECOND-CLASS MAIL AT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE. SEND RETURN COPIES TO KCFAPI, FRATERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1511, MANILA.
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AUGUST 2018
THE CATHOLIC PRESS ASSOCIATION (CPA) of the United States & Canada recently honored Columbia with 14 awards for content published in 2017. Columbia received seven first-place awards, five second-place awards and one third-place award, in addition to an honorable mention for best national magazine. The awards banquet took place at the annual Catholic Media Conference, held June 15 in Green Bay, Wis. For the fourth consecutive year, Columbia won first place among Catholic magazines for “Best Coverage of Religious Liberty Issues.” The “Fathers for Good” Columbia column series, which complements the K of C website fathersforgood.org, was awarded first place for “Best Guest Column/Commentary.” The November 2017 cover story, “The Knights vs. the Klan,” received the first-place award for “Best In-Depth Writing” and second-place for “Best Title and Lead-In.” Two other articles published in November 2017 were honored as well: “Iraqi Christians Return Home,” won for the category “Best Reporting on Social Justice Issues: Option for the Poor and Vulnerable,” and “A Natural Response,” which covered K of C relief efforts following natural disasters late last summer, won for “Best Multiple Picture Package: News Package.” Two stories in the September 2017 issue earned first and second place, respectively, in the category “Best Personality Profile: Religious Leader”: “Where They Need Me,” which marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Father Vincent Capodanno, a U.S. Navy chaplain who served with the Marines in Vietnam, and “The Solid and Sturdy Bridge,” which celebrated the witness of Vietnamese Cardinal François-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuân, whom Pope Francis declared Venerable in May 2017. Other awards given to Columbia included first place for “Best Photograph: Photo Illustration” for an original photo accompanying an essay titled “The Age of Noise” (April 2017), and second place in the category “Best Reporting on Social Justice Issues: Life and Dignity of the Human Person” for a January 2017 article titled “Stephanie’s Fight to Live.” Columbia has been the official publication of the Knights of Columbus since 1921. It is published monthly in four languages. For more information, visit kofc.org/columbia.♦
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K N I G H T S O F C O LU MBU S
Knights of Charity 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.
Members of Ponderosa Council 4928 in Sparks, Nev., and members of Father Arthur M. Herkowski Squires Circle 5686 in Reno stand with Holy Family Sister Carmen Baca in the food pantry she runs for the needy in Reno. As part of this year’s Food for Families program, the Squires collected a record 1,500 pounds of donated food items to benefit the food pantry located at Our Lady of the Snows Parish.
TO BE FEATURED HERE , SEND YOUR COUNCIL’ S “K NIGHTS IN A CTION ” PHOTO AS WELL AS ITS DESCRIPTION TO : C OLUMBIA , 1 C OLUMBUS P LAZA , N EW H AVEN , CT 06510-3326 OR EMAIL : KNIGHTSINACTION @ KOFC . ORG .
AUGUST 2018
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PLEASE, DO ALL YOU CAN TO ENCOURAGE PRIESTLY AND RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS. YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
K E E P T H E FA I T H A L I V E
‘I OFFERED MY HEART TO GOD.’ Looking back on my early life, I can’t say that I ever thought of myself as “nun material.” I spent my days playing sports, listening to music, fighting with my sisters and limiting my conversations with God to “Hi!” and “Will you, please?” In high school, I was trying to find my identity by fitting in, while losing myself in the process. I knew I needed a change. In college, I got involved with campus ministry and was fortunate to meet truly happy religious brothers. While on retreat, I experienced eucharistic adoration for the first time, and in a special moment, I offered my heart to God and said, “How can I give back to you all that you’ve given to me?” I was surprised to hear his loving invitation: “You could give your life to me.” After I entered religious life, I doubted whether or not I could be fulfilled in my vocation. I felt immense peace after receiving an answer: “You will never be fulfilled in this life — that is what heaven is for.” Our particular vocation is the way we can love God in this life while our common vocation — to be with God eternally — is the deepest longing of our hearts. SISTER COLLEEN MATTINGLY Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus