KNIGH T S O F C O L U M B U S
D ECEMBER 2012
COLUMBIA
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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS DECEMBER 2012 ♦ VOLUME 92 ♦ NUMBER 12
COLUMBIA
F E AT U R E S
8 Charity and Unity After the Storm The Knights of Columbus provides relief to those who suffer as a result of Hurricane Sandy. BY COLUMBIA STAFF
12 Honoring Our Holy Mother Guadalupe Celebration highlights the continent’s common Christian heritage and Our Lady’s universal message. BY ALTON J. PELOWSKI
18 Heralds of Great Joy Knights throughout Canada celebrate Christmas with a spirit of devotion and charity. BY SÉBASTIEN LACROIX
20 A Forgotten History is Preserved An interview with Jean Meyer about his groundbreaking research regarding the Cristero War. BY COLUMBIA STAFF
24 The Knights of Middle-earth Inspired by the author’s Catholic faith, J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels reflect the themes of chivalry, nobility and virtue. BY STRATFORD CALDECOTT
Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore processes with a relic of St. Juan Diego’s tilma during the Guadalupe Celebration, co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and Archdiocese of Los Angeles last August.
D E PA RT M E N T S 3
Building a better world Vital to the new evangelization is the Christian family’s task to guard, reveal and communicate love. BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON
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Learning the faith, living the faith In sharing God’s truth and love, we also share with others the gift of faith we have received. BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI
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Knights of Columbus News Supreme Knight Addresses Synod of Bishops • Knights Participate in Pilgrimage for Life and Liberty • Food for Families Initiative Fills Need • K of C Leaders Attend Canonization • New Supreme Warden Elected
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Knights in Action
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Columbianism by Degrees
27 Fathers for Good We can take steps to find a balance in work and home life. BY RANDY HAIN
PLUS Catholic Man of the Month
DECEMBER 2012
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Our Call to Conversion THE SEASON of Advent is an important time of spiritual preparation each year as the Church anticipates the celebration of Christmas. The call to pause amid the busyness of the holiday season and reflect on the Christian mystery takes on even greater significance during this Year of Faith and in the wake of the Synod of Bishops on the new evangelization (Oct. 7-28). In his homily for the opening Mass of the synod, Pope Benedict XVI said, “We cannot speak about the new evangelization without a sincere desire for conversion. The best path to the new evangelization is to let ourselves be reconciled with God and with each other” (cf. 2 Cor 5:20). As parishes and Knights of Columbus councils everywhere plan and implement programs to help their communities grow in faith and evangelical witness, it is important to remember that the call to faith begins and remains with each of us on a deeply personal level. This ongoing need for conversion is recalled by the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, because the miracle of Guadalupe in 1531 inspired St. Juan Diego to grow in faith and brought millions of people to Christ. Our Lady of Guadalupe is now honored as the Mother of the Americas and the Star of the New Evangelization, and she continues to call people to her Son (see page 12). Another aspect of the new evangelization is brought into focus by the feast of the Holy Family, which is celebrated on the Sunday after Christmas. Also in his homily at the synod’s opening Mass, Pope Benedict noted, “There
is a clear link between the crisis in faith and the crisis in marriage. And, as the Church has said and witnessed for a long time now, marriage is called to be not only an object but a subject of the new evangelization.” The Christian family, which has been called a “domestic church” and a “school of deeper humanity,” plays an indispensable role in building up the Church and society. And as the Supreme Knight Anderson observed in his address to the synod, the faithful witness of Christian marriage is one of the greatest needs of the world today (see pages 3 and 6). Although Christian witness begins with the family, it also extends beyond it. Relationships with friends, neighbors and coworkers provide countless opportunities to practice virtue and share the love of Christ. Organizations like the Knights of Columbus allow the reach of charity to extend even further — as in providing volunteer or monetary support to assist those affected by Hurricane Sandy (see page 8) or meeting the spiritual and material needs of others at Christmastime (see page 18). The feast of Christmas reminds us that the Savior of the world comes to us in the humblest of circumstances. It is he who calls us to conversion and is the source of our charity. This Advent and Year of Faith present us with a simple invitation: to recognize the mystery before us and welcome the Lord into our hearts.♦ ALTON J. PELOWSKI MANAGING EDITOR
Catholic Pulse: News Catholics Need to Know CATHOLIC PULSE is a website of the Knights of Columbus that provides original commentary and resources on issues that are important to Catholics. The site also delivers readers the top daily headlines from the perspective of Catholics who want to know what is happening in the Church, nation and world around them. Visit catholicpulse.org. 2 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
DECEMBER 2012
COLUMBIA PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus ________ SUPREME OFFICERS Carl A. Anderson SUPREME KNIGHT Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. SUPREME CHAPLAIN Dennis A. Savoie DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT Charles E. Maurer Jr. SUPREME SECRETARY Logan T. Ludwig SUPREME TREASURER John A. Marrella SUPREME ADVOCATE ________ EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski alton.pelowski@kofc.org MANAGING EDITOR Patrick Scalisi patrick.scalisi@kofc.org ASSOCIATE EDITOR Steve James DESIGN ________
Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90) Apostle to the Young, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us. ________ HOW TO REACH US MAIL COLUMBIA 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 ADDRESS CHANGES 203-752-4580 OTHER INQUIRIES 203-752-4398 FAX 203-752-4109 CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-380-9995 E-MAIL columbia@kofc.org INTERNET kofc.org/columbia ________ Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.
________ Copyright © 2012 All rights reserved ________ ON THE COVER A painting titled “Mother of Life” depicts Our Lady of Guadalupe with child. The unborn Christ Child shines brightly, and a star is seen in the distance.
COVER: “Mother of Life” by Nellie Edwards, distributed by NelsonGifts.com
E D I TO R I A L
BUILDING A BETTER WORLD
The Mission of Christian Families Vital to the new evangelization is the Christian family’s task to guard, reveal and communicate love by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson LAST OCTOBER, I had the privilege day, even if most of us do not use of serving as an auditor at the Synod of words to do so. Bishops on the New Evangelization for What is “new” about this form of John Paul in Familiaris Consortio. The the Transmission of the Christian Faith. evangelization is not the “content” of task of Christian spouses to live and Held at the Vatican under the auspices our witness, but that many of us must communicate this love is at the center of Pope Benedict XVI, the synod was make this witness in societies that have of the family’s mission in the world. an extraordinary opportunity to work already heard the Good News preached For this reason, when the Christian with bishops and cardinals from around and have rejected it. Our witness in family takes up the task “to become what the world to promote the Church’s many instances is to a skeptical world it is” (cf. FC, 17) — a living icon in our great mission of evangelization. that has already heard much of what we world of God’s own communion — the The “new evangelization” can be un- say and now is waiting to see whether family stands at the heart of the Church’s derstood as arising from the Second Christians can actually live according to mission of evangelization. And when the Vatican Council’s “universal call to ho- what they profess. family responds in this way to the design liness” (Lumen Gentium, ch. of the Creator, it truly becomes 5). In placing this emphasis a “domestic church.” on the laity, the council obThis is one of the reasons In a very real sense, we are all served that while “the classes why the Catholic Church has called to be missionaries; we are all defended for so many centuries and duties of life are many … holiness is one.” the sacramental and legal incalled to “proclaim” the Gospel to We know that every tegrity of the family and why, Catholic is called to holiness. in the days ahead, the Knights those around us through our lives. It follows then that every of Columbus will continue to Catholic is called to reflect promote authentic Christian this holiness in his or her state of life, In my address to the synod, I focused family life. While we encourage many whether as a priest or religious, a hus- on the role of the family in this regard. activities to promote the new evangeband or wife, a father or mother, or an I observed that the Christian family is lization, at the center of our efforts will employer, employee, consumer, neigh- essentially missionary in character. In be the awareness that Christian families bor, parishioner or citizen. the words of Blessed John Paul II, “The need help in living the sacramental reAs the saints have shown so well family has the mission to guard, reveal ality of their fundamental mission. In this task, we as Knights of Columthroughout history, holiness in life and communicate love” (Familiaris leads inevitably to witness in our daily Consortio, 17). The Christian family is bus turn in a special way to the Holy lives. This witness is the primary way called to reflect the communion of the Family and make our own the prayer of to evangelize in our time. And central Trinity and God’s love of humanity. Blessed John Paul that “every family to the new evangelization is the underFurthermore, the Christian family is may generously make its own contribustanding that the work of evangeliza- able to reveal and communicate this tion to the coming of his kingdom in tion is not reserved only for an elite love because it is founded upon sacra- the world” and “through the intercesfew, but is the responsibility of all bap- mental marriage. Christian spouses first sion of the Holy Family of Nazareth, tized Christians. In a very real sense, we receive this love as a divine gift and also the Church may fruitfully carry out her are all called to be missionaries; we are as a task. The nature of both this gift worldwide mission in the family and all called to “proclaim” the Gospel to and task was made clear by Pope Paul through the family.” those around us through our lives each VI in Humanae Vitae and by Blessed Vivat Jesus!
DECEMBER 2012
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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH
The Gift of Faith In sharing God’s truth and love, we also share with others the gift of faith we have received by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori
AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, the STARTING WITH OURSELVES question of what to give family We begin by remembering that we members and friends for Christmas can’t give what we don’t have. If we in rekindling the faith of those looms large. Although many of us want to impart the gift of faith to around us, we have to pray. Prayer will find ourselves scrambling to others, we have to make sure that brings life to our faith and brings to purchase those last-minute gifts, this our own faith life is well ordered and light those things that stand between column is not for the beleaguered vibrant. us and Christ. Prayer is that moment shopper. Rather, it concerns a gift of Pope Benedict XVI declared the when Christ’s heart speaks to our lasting significance. It is not a gift we Year of Faith so that we may open heart and enables us to see the world can give on our own but only on be- our hearts anew to the person of and ourselves anew. And prayer is half of another. It is a gift that Christ and rediscover the depths of where we receive the strength, changes everything. I refer to the gift his love for us. Faith is the key that courage, wisdom and insight to of faith. communicate the faith in We reflect on this gift during the way the Lord would this Year of Faith, especially in want us to. Our works of charity are to this season of Advent as we Rekindling our faith look ahead to Christmas. We through prayer is the first be living signs of God’s love all know family members, step. But what else is necesand an open invitation to meet sary? The answer is charity, friends and colleagues who no longer follow the precepts of the first principle of the in faith the Christ who was the Church, such as attending Knights of Columbus. How weekly Mass and going to concan we hope to lead others born in Bethlehem and gave fession at least once a year. We to faith in the Father of merhimself in love on Calvary. may also know people with litcies, the Son who is love intle or no religious upbringing, carnate and the Spirit of including young people with truth and love, unless we talent and good will but no spiritual unlocks that love in our lives and bear witness to this love in our lives? moorings. fills us with hope and joy. And in the It is often the loving example of It would be nice if we could wrap light of Christ’s love, we also redis- those who follow Christ and are acthe gift of faith in a box and cover it cover all that the Church believes tive members of his body, the with festive wrapping paper and and teaches on faith and morals — Church, that attracts even the most bows. It would also be nice if the re- not as a burden, but rather as words hardened secularist to give faith a cipients of this gift reacted to it with of spirit and life, as answers to life’s second look. at least some of the enthusiasm that most pressing questions. they’ve saved for their favorite elecThe second thing to remember is SERVING AS GOD’S tronic device. But giving faith to an- that we are not giving the gift of INSTRUMENTS other is not quite as simple as going faith on our own. God, in his gra- Blessed John Paul II called us to “a online, purchasing an item and hav- cious mercy, allows us to be partners charity which evangelizes.” By this ing it shipped; it is at once more with him in giving this gift. This he did not mean that we should disbeautiful and challenging. means that if we want to play a role pense charity to others in exchange 4 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
DECEMBER 2012
LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH
for their making a profession of faith. Rather, our works of charity are to be living signs of God’s love and an open invitation to meet in faith the Christ who was born in Bethlehem and gave himself in love on Calvary. At one level or another, most people realize that their lives make no sense without love. We are called to bear witness to the truth that Christ came to love us all with the same love with which he has loved his Father for all eternity. At some point, of course, a gift has to be given. This may seem risky when there is fear that a gift will be misunderstood or rejected. But hear
HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTIONS
Offered in Solidarity with Pope Benedict XVI GENERAL: That migrants throughout the world may be welcomed with generosity and authentic love, especially by Christian communities.
POPE: CNS photo/Paul Haring — CISZEK: CNS photo/A.D. Times
MISSION: That Christ may reveal himself to all humanity with the light that shines forth from Bethlehem and is reflected in the face of his Church.
the Lord say to you, “Be not afraid!” Don’t be afraid to invite someone who has lapsed in their faith, who is searching for meaning or who seems closed to religious faith, to attend Mass with you and your family. We also need to be knowledgeable about what our faith teaches so that we can lovingly, accurately and patiently respond to questions and objections. And we need to pray to the Holy Spirit for the grace to help us recognize the opportune moment to have a heartfelt, reasonable discussion about the faith. If the gift of faith is rejected, or not immediately accepted, you don’t
have to send it back. With persistent prayer, the gift may be received at a later time. Think, for example, of how long and hard St. Monica prayed for the conversion of her son, St. Augustine. Moreover, if God grants us the grace to rekindle someone else’s faith, we should then hope and pray that he or she “re-gifts” that gift to someone else. As I celebrate Mass this Christmas, I shall remember the intentions of the entire family of the Knights of Columbus at the altar of the Lord and pray that we shall be the Lord’s instruments in helping many to open their hearts in faith.♦
C AT H O L I C M A N O F T H E M O N T H
Father Walter Ciszek (1904-1984) BORN TO POLISH immigrant parents in the mining town of Shenandoah, Pa., Walter Ciszek grew up with a tough demeanor and often got into fights. To the surprise of his parents, he decided to become a priest and entered minor seminary in Michigan. Walter left to join the Jesuits in New York in 1928. In response to Pope Pius XI’s appeal for missionaries to Russia, he studied theology in Rome and was ordained to the Byzantine rite in 1937, receiving the name Father Vladimir. Father Ciszek was first assigned to work in Poland. With the start of World War II two years later, he was able to enter Russia using false papers. In June 1941, the secret police arrested him under suspicion that he was a spy. Father Ciszek spent five years in Moscow’s Lubianka prison, mostly in solitary confinement, and was subjected to torture and interrogation. He was then sent to serve a 15-year sentence at Gulag labor camps in Siberia. Amid brutal conditions, he managed to secretly celebrate Mass and hear confessions of other prisoners. Long presumed dead by his family and religious order, Father Ciszek was released under strict conditions in 1955. In 1963,
he was allowed to return to the United States as a result of a prisoner exchange negotiated with the help of President John F. Kennedy. After his return, Father Ciszek published a memoir titled With God in Russia (1964). In a second book, a spiritual reflection about his experience titled He Leadeth Me (1973), he explained how he found strength and comfort in realizing that God’s will was not an “abstract principle,” but was found in the unavoidable circumstances of any given day, even amid hardship and suffering. Father Ciszek died in New York on Dec. 8, 1984. His cause for canonization began five years later.♦
DECEMBER 2012
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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS
Supreme Knight Addresses Synod of Bishops THE SACRAMENT of matrimony makes Catholic spouses and their families public signs of God’s love and thus missionaries, said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson during his address to the Synod of Bishops on the new evangelization. Anderson was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to serve as an observer at the synod, which was held at the Vatican Oct. 7-28. Synod members asked the Church at large to show greater appreciation for the evangelization that happens in and through families and to increase programs to strengthen Catholic families. “Love, which the family has the task of living and communicating, is the driving force of evangelization,” said Anderson in his address. “It is what allows the proclamation of the Gospel to permeate and transform the whole temporal order. This love alone, when it is authentically lived in families, can be at the basis of a renewal of that genuinely human cul-
Pope Benedict XVI leads a closing session of the Synod of Bishops on the new evangelization at the Vatican Oct. 27. ture which Blessed John Paul II called a ‘civilization of love.’” Catholic couples need to understand just how seriously the church views the sacrament that binds them together, forming them into “an icon
of God’s own communion,” Anderson said. The supreme knight also spoke of the Catholic faith as an agent of reconciliation in a sometimes-hostile cultural environment. — Cindy Wooden (CNS) ♦
An American flag hung from the Knights’ Tower Oct. 14 as an honor guard of more than 100 Fourth Degree Knights processed into the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Nearly 6,000 people from throughout the region flocked to the basilica for the Pilgrim for Life and Liberty. Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, served as principal celebrant and homilist at Mass. He also led the assembled faithful in praying the rosary on the first day of the U.S. bishops’ Novena for Life and Liberty Oct. 14-22, which coincided with the bishops’ annual Respect Life Month prayer campaign. 6 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
DECEMBER 2012
SYNOD: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters
Knights Participate in Pilgrimage for Life and Liberty
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS
Food for Families Initiative Fills Need KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS throughout the world are working to ensure that their neighbors have enough food on their tables during this holiday season. Now in its third year, the Knights of Columbus Food for Families program is a way for K of C units to ensure that needy families have adequate access to nutritious food. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 17.9 million U.S. households experienced “food insecurity” in 2011, meaning that those families had difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources. To combat this situation, Food for Families has seen the launch of several creative programs at the grassroots level. During the 2011-12 fraternal year, Knights contributed more than 300,000 volunteer hours at soup kitchens and food pantries, and donated nearly 2.5 million pounds of food. As added incentive, the Order has announced the Food for Families Reimbursement Program, which will offer rebates to councils that provide financial assistance to food banks and food pantries. For every $500 that a council or assembly donates to a food bank, the Supreme Council will refund $100, up to a maximum refund of $500 per council (based on $2,500 in contributions) per fraternal year. Columbian Squires circles can also receive a refund of $20 for every $100 contributed.♦
David Danielson and Ted Whitlock of Old Bohemia Council 6543 in Middletown, Del., unload donated food to be delivered to needy families throughout the area. Every Tuesday, Knights pick up food from Amazing Grace ministries in New Castle to distribute to people in need. The food is donated by a number of local grocery stores.
FOOD FOR FAMILIES: Don Blake/The Dialog, Diocese of Wilmington
New Supreme Warden Elected
K of C Leaders Attend Canonization On Oct. 21, Pope Benedict XVI canonized seven men and women, including St. Marianne Cope, a religious sister who served lepers in Hawaii; St. Pedro Colungsod, a martyred catechist from the Philippines; and St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American saint. Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson and Deputy Supreme Knight Dennis A. Savoie were among the estimated 80,000 pilgrims who attended the canonization Mass in Rome. Joining them was Lieutenant Governor Graydon Nicholas of New Brunswick, a member of Bishop Dollard Council 1942 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. An attorney and judge, Nicholas is the first Native American to hold the office of lieutenant governor in his province.
GEORGE W. HANNA, senior vice president of the Department of Fraternal Services and a past state deputy of the District of Columbia, was elected supreme warden by the George W. Hanna Board of Directors Nov. 2. A Knight for 31 years, Hanna is a member of St. Thomas Moore Council 11578 and James Cardinal Hickey Prince of the Church Assembly, both in Washington, D.C. Hanna served as state deputy from 1993-95. Hanna and his wife, Yvonne, are parents of three children and reside in Temple Hills, Md.♦
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CHARITY AND UNITY
After the Storm The Knights of Columbus provides relief to those suffering as a result of Hurricane Sandy by Columbia staff
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s Hurricane Sandy swept through the eastern United States in late October, it left scenes of destruction throughout the nation’s most densely populated region and more than 8 million people without power. In response to the devastation caused by the storm, the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council, in conjunction with local and state councils across the country, joined relief efforts.
Aerial views taken during a search and rescue mission by the New Jersey Army National Guard Oct. 30 show the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy to the New Jersey coast.
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The Supreme Council announced Oct. 30 that it was making an immediate $100,000 donation, giving $50,000 each to the state councils of New York and New Jersey to assist with local relief efforts in those hardest-hit jurisdictions. In addition, the Order launched an online donation drive at kofc.org, soliciting contributions from its members and the general public. All of the proceeds will go directly to relief efforts in local communities. At the midyear meeting of state deputies and state chaplains in Dallas Nov. 15, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson announced that nearly $350,000 had already been received, and the Supreme Council donated $500,000 to provide aid to storm victims in the affected areas. “Knights have a long tradition of providing disaster relief,” said the supreme knight, “and this is no exception. Our communities need our time, our help and our financial assistance, and we are going to do all that we can — working closely with our local and state councils — to help those most in need as a result of this storm.” With Staten Island still reeling from the double impact of the hurricane and a blizzard that followed days later, Anderson and newly elected Supreme Warden George W. Hanna 10 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
DECEMBER 2012
traveled to the hardest-hit areas of the island to encourage and assist local Knights with their relief efforts. Anderson and Hanna brought with them from New Haven a truck loaded with relief supplies and a check for $75,000. Joined by New York State Deputy Salvatore A. Restivo and dozens of others, the Knights worked together to unload the relief supplies at Father John C. Drumgoole Council 5917 before touring the devastation in the area surrounding Manresa Council 2147. Likewise, Supreme Treasurer Logan T. Ludwig and other Supreme Council representatives traveled to New Jersey, bringing with them a truckload of supplies and a $75,000 check to support the New Jersey State Council’s relief efforts. Knights at the grassroots level across the country have also volunteered resources, and K of C units are hosting drives to assist hurricane victims. Msgr. Joseph F. Dooley Council 4361 in Mingo Junction, Ohio, for instance, collected canned goods, water and clothing for families affected by the storm. In an interview with a local TV station, council member Lou Kakascik said, “The Knights of Columbus isn’t just about a banquet hall. It’s about giving to the community. We’re about charity, unity and fraternity.”♦
AERIAL PHOTO: CNS photo/Mark C. Olsen, U.S. Air Force handout via Reuters — STATUE: CNS photo/Shannon Stapleton, Reuters
A statue of Mary stands amid the remains of homes destroyed by fire and the effects of Hurricane Sandy in the Breezy Point section of the New York borough of Queens Oct. 30. More than 80 homes were destroyed in the beachfront neighborhood.
Top and above: More than 50 volunteers turned out at Vincent T. Lombardi Council 6552 in Middletown, N.J., on Nov. 10 to unload disaster relief supplies donated by the Supreme Council. The council will serve as a distribution point for Knights and community members affected by Hurricane Sandy. The truck was filled to capacity with needed supplies, including bottled water, blankets, bleach and mops. Above right and right: Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson and Supreme Warden George W. Hanna traveled to Staten Island Nov. 9 to deliver supplies and funds to be distributed by the New York State Council. Accompanied by New York State Deputy Salvatore A. Restivo, they also examined the damage caused by the storm at Manresa Council 2147 and the surrounding area.
DECEMBER 2012
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HONORING Guadalupe Celebration highlights the continent’s common Christian heritage and Our Lady’s universal message by Alton J. Pelowski
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he sound of thunderous drums filled the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as a crowd of tens of thousands cheered and waved flags in excitement. More than 800 Matachines and Aztec performers, dancing to the rhythm and dressed in colorful, traditional costumes, processed onto the field, followed by an honor guard of dozens of Fourth Degree Knights. Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore processed behind them, carrying a reliquary that contained a small piece of St. Juan Diego’s tilma — the garment on which the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was miraculously imprinted on Dec. 12, 1531.
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Matachines and Aztec dancers wearing colorful costumes perform on the field of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum during the Aug. 5 Guadalupe Celebration. • Below: Participants hold flags of Mexico featuring the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
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Archbishop Lori placed the reliquary at the altar and led those the most vulnerable, including unborn children, people with assembled in prayer. He asked Mary, “Mother of the true God disabilities and immigrants. and Mother of the Church,” to hear the prayers of everyone “If Our Lady of Guadalupe is our mother, then we are all gathered and present them to her son, “Jesus, our only Savior.” brothers and sisters,” said Anderson. “Let us join our hearts toHe also asked her to bring about a true culture of life, to inter- gether with hers to build a common home for all — a true civcede for families and to inspire greater devotion. ilization of love.” The Knights of Columbus partnered with the Archdiocese of Msgr. Eduardo Chávez brought the crowd to its feet with a Los Angeles to present the Guadalupe Celebration, which took spirited talk that explained the mystery and meaning of the place Aug. 5. In this way, Our Lady took center stage in the Guadalupan event. Rector of the Institute for Guadalupan Studheart of the city once known as El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la ies and a canon of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Reina de Los Angeles, or “The Mexico City, Msgr. Chávez Village of Our Lady, Queen served as postulator for the of the Angels.” cause for canonization of St. People came from Juan Diego, who was dethroughout California and clared a saint in 2002. beyond for the free event, Msgr. Chávez spoke of which featured more than how Juan Diego represented three hours of performances, all humanity when meeting speakers and prayer celebratOur Lady on the Mexican ing Our Lady of Guadalupe’s hill of Tepeyac in 1531. message of faith, charity and Knowing his fears, weakness, unity. It was the largest doubt, and most of all his Catholic event held at the good heart and faithfulness, renowned, open-air stadium the Blessed Mother led Juan since Pope John Paul II celeDiego on a path of deeper brated Mass there in 1987. conversion to become a dyArchbishop José H. namic witness to the Gómez of Los Angeles welCatholic faith. Because of comed all the faithful and this witness and the miracle thanked the Knights of at Guadalupe, some 8 milColumbus and the Institute lion Mexicans were baptized for Guadalupan Studies in in a few short years. Mexico City for co-sponsorToday, Msgr. Chávez ing the event. added, Christians are called Addressing the crowd, the to follow in the footsteps of archbishop said that Our Juan Diego by listening to Lady of Guadalupe is not the Blessed Mother as she only the mother of the peoleads them to Jesus. They ple of Mexico, but also the must overcome fears and Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson addresses the crowd, as an image of “mother of all the people of weaknesses and become Venerable Michael McGivney is depicted on a screen behind him. the Americas” and “mother faithful witnesses in simple of all the living.” ways through their daily “She came because in her lives, he said. maternal heart she wanted to give her Son to the people of the The Guadalupe Celebration’s program also included a bilinNew World. She came to spread the faith in her divine Son to gual rosary, with prayers led by clergy and many well-known figevery man and every woman — not only in Mexico, but ures in sports and media, and various musical performances. A throughout the world.” multi-act drama of the Guadalupan event, with actors playing Archbishop Gómez added that Our Lady of Guadalupe con- Juan Diego and the Blessed Mother, was also performed at intinues to call us today. “She is calling us to greater faith, to tervals throughout the bilingual program. greater love, to greater hope. She is calling us to dedicate our Held immediately before the 130th Supreme Convention in lives to the loving plan of God.” Anaheim, Calif., the event was the latest in a number of Knights In another address, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson re- of Columbus-sponsored initiatives in recent years related to Our flected on Our Lady’s significance for the mission of the Knights Lady of Guadalupe and her message. of Columbus and noted that the Order chartered its first council On a smaller scale, the Order co-sponsored a similar internain Mexico — Guadalupe Council 1050 — in 1905. He also en- tional celebration, the Guadalupe Festival, at an arena in Glencouraged the audience to practice charity toward all, especially dale, Ariz., in 2009. 14 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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A crowd of more than 50,000 fills the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and prays together the rosary. On the field is a large wooden cross and people holding umbrellas to mark each bead. • Msgr. Eduardo Chávez, postulator of St. Juan Diego, shares with the crowd the meaning of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s appearance to Juan Diego in 1531 and its significance for lay Catholics today. • Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles kneels in prayer. DECEMBER 2012
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A Fourth Degree honor guard, carrying flags of various nations, leads a procession through the Coliseum.
This year’s event took place amid the Order’s two-year-long Marian Prayer Program, which was launched at the supreme convention one year earlier. Pilgrim images of Our Lady of Guadalupe continue their journey through each jurisdiction, welcoming thousands to special prayer services. In September, a new chapel to Our Lady of Guadalupe, made possible by a grant from the Order, was dedicated at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. The chapel houses the relic of St. Juan Diego’s tilma that was present at the Guadalupe Celebration; it is believed to be the only relic of its kind in the United States. Still more initiatives are being planned to spread Our Lady’s message and inspire greater faith and devotion. Together with the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, the Knights of Columbus will co-sponsor an international conference at the Vatican from Dec. 9-12 “under the guidance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, Star of the New Evangelization.” The event will feature numerous bishops 16 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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and scholars reflecting on the themes of Blessed John Paul II’s 1999 apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America. In that document, Blessed John Paul wrote, “America, which historically has been, and still is, a melting-pot of peoples, has recognized in the mestiza face of the Virgin of Tepeyac, in Blessed Mary of Guadalupe, an impressive example of a perfectly inculturated evangelization. … Through her powerful intercession, the Gospel will penetrate the hearts of the men and women of America and permeate their cultures, transforming them from within.” The Guadalupe Celebration was a universal gathering of peoples and cultures that deeply stirred the hearts, minds and souls of those in attendance. Through it and related initiatives, the Knights of Columbus invites the faithful to turn to Our Lady of Guadalupe as their mother, model and partner in the new evangelization.♦ ALTON J. PELOWSKI is the managing editor of Columbia magazine.
An apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego is reenacted before the crowd. • The Guadalupe Celebration featured musical performances by (clockwise) Catholic recording artists Danielle Rose and Dana Scallon and popular singers Pedro Fernández and Filippa Giordano. • Members of a mariachi band wave their sombreros to the crowd while performing on stage.
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Heralds of Great Joy
Knights throughout Canada celebrate Christmas with a spirit of devotion and charity by Sébastien Lacroix
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e live in an age when a great many people identify themselves as “spiritual” rather than religious. As a consequence, the weeks leading up to Christmas are often marked by the sounds of “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” instead of “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Despite the secularization of these holy days, there are still Christians trying to journey through Advent and prepare for Christmas with their eyes fixed on the coming of Emmanuel. The celebration of Christmas in Canada is clothed in the colors of the multiple cultures that now form the country. The cornerstone of all Canadian Christmas traditions rests with a shared meal among family and friends. This Christmas fellowship, though, also spills past our own tables and extends to our neighbors, especially those most in need. Members of the Knights of Columbus throughout Canada, like in the other countries where the Order is present, spearhead campaigns throughout the holiday season to help make Christmas festive for those less fortunate. Unlike in years past, this work of charity is no longer primarily for the homeless or destitute, but includes more and more hardworking men and women whose incomes cannot meet the expenses set by today’s difficult economy. In an effort to realize the Gospel imperative, “When I was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink,” Canadian Knights commonly collect food for needy families in their districts and beyond. At this time of year, collections are transformed into food baskets, decorated and cheerfully delivered. In French Canada, a tradition called the Guignolée plays an important role in collecting food and monetary donations. Knights and their families go door to door to collect money and non-perishable food. At each home, the group sings the traditional song of la Guignolée, followed by Christmas carols. In Edmunston, New Brunswick, members of Reverend Arthur 18 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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Godbout Council 7543 hold their Guignolée on Dec. 2. In past years, the council has required more than 20 vehicles to distribute the food baskets and other goods throughout the region. Similarly, councils from Montreal’s South Shore also prepare food baskets. There, Knights have established relationships with major food distributors that provide a majority of the food items required. Last year, 125 families in the area received an average of $200 worth of food and other necessities during Christmastime. “For me, who always had three meals a day, it is essential to give back in this way, and it is at the core of why I am a Knight of Columbus,” said Quebec State Deputy Pierre Beaucage. While feeding the hungry remains essential to the various Christmas initiatives, Knights of Columbus are also heralds of the Good News, proclaiming the joy that is Christmas to children, senior citizens, the sick and people with intellectual or mental disabilities. In Edmunston, Knights and their spouses prepare an event called Le Noël des Enfants (A Children’s Christmas). Throughout the year, Knights collect toys and clothes for distribution to needy families. Children receive one gift during the event, while parents receive another gift to give each of their children on Christmas Day. Sometimes, these are the only gifts these children receive at Christmas. Throughout British Columbia and the Yukon at this time of year, Knights organize visits to the sick and elderly in hospitals or nursing homes. These programs are “another way for the community to be involved in the sharing of love and joy,” said State Treasurer Arcie J. Lim. “Our efforts seek to unite the community — to compel each one of us to share the peace and joy of the One for whom the season was intended.” Likewise, Father Francis Lawless Council 1534 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, has hosted the annual Moose Jaw Mental Health
Members of St. Peter of the Apostles Council 8851 in Orangeville, Ontario, pose with the Nativity scene that they constructed for their community’s Christmas in the Park exhibition. • Opposite page: A crèche reflecting First Nations, or Native American, culture is one of many Canadian crèches currently on display at the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven, Conn. Association Christmas Supper for more than 20 years. This year, the Knights will serve approximately 200 patrons — people with mental health disabilities living in the community. “It puts many smiles on many faces,” said Al Rossler, a longtime organizer of the event. As in other jurisdictions, Knights in Canada recognize that celebrating the coming of Christ offers a time to share, to give and to pray. Amid the storm of consumerism and marketing frenzy that takes place on Black Friday and Boxing Day, the Knights challenge people to “Keep Christ in Christmas.” Through the annual campaign, people are encouraged to remember the reason for the season in simple ways: wishing others a “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays”; sending religiously themed Christmas cards; or forgoing inflatable snowmen and decorating one’s house with a Nativity scene instead. St. Peter of the Apostles Council 8851 in Orangeville, Ontario, erects a Nativity scene each year as part of a local Christmas in the Park exhibition.
JOYEUX NOEL: CHRISTMAS IN CANADA FROM NOV. 15 TO FEB. 3, 2013, the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven, Conn., is hosting its eighth consecutive Christmas crèche exhibit. Titled “Joyeux Noel: Christmas in Canada,” the exhibit includes Canadian crèches from six collections, including SaintJoseph’s Oratory Museum in Montreal. Visit kofcmuseum.org for more information.
“It is of special interest to families, since it gets parents talking about the ‘real’ Christmas story,” said Grand Knight Terry Berrett. “It definitely helps keep Christ at the heart of the holiday festivities in the park.” In Vancouver, members of St. Francis Xavier Council 10500 dedicate their “Keep Christ in Christmas” holiday initiatives to their local parish community. The season’s festivities include a trilingual Advent retreat (held in Cantonese, Mandarin and English) and a dinner in honor of married couples for the feast of the Holy Family. “My involvement with the parish encourages me to continue to build a stronger community, especially at this time of the year,” said District Deputy Ming Lau. “Not only is it good for the community itself, but it also makes me a better man and a better father. Now I see my 17-year-old son getting involved. I am very proud to see him share in the true spirit of Christmas.” On Christmas Eve, churches everywhere will be filled with families that desire to add authentic meaning to the holiday and their lives. This is a chance for parish communities and for the Knights of Columbus — in Canada and elsewhere — to be ambassadors of the new evangelization. It is also an opportunity in this Year of Faith to create an environment in which the Spirit of the season can speak to these families. In this way, Christmas can be a time for Knights and their families to contemplate and marvel in this great mystery of love incarnate and to join the angels and proclaim: “‘Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Lk 2:10-11).♦ SÉBASTIEN LACROIX is a member of Père-Lamarche Council 7724 in Toronto.
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A FORGOTTEN HISTORY IS PRESERVED An interview with historian Jean Meyer about his groundbreaking research regarding the Cristero War
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he May 2012 issue of Columbia featured several articles about the Cristero War, or Cristiada, an important but largely unknown period of Mexican history from 1926-29. When producing a documentary about the period, the Knights of Columbus consulted and interviewed Prof. Jean Meyer, a noted historian who pioneered research of the persecution and Cristero rebellion and who has written several books in Spanish about the subject. The Order recently worked with Meyer to publish an English-language illustrated history of the Cristero War. His new book, titled La Cristiada: The Mexican People’s War for Religious Liberty (Square One), will be released this month.
war and how were they transformed as you met these Cristero soldiers? JEAN MEYER: I picked up my first idea of the war from a North American historian who dedicated five lines to the Cristeros. He referred to them as thieves, bandits or poor, stupid fellows manipulated by the landowners against the epic and positive movement of the Mexican Revolution. That was my starting hypothesis. But arriving in Mexico, first I discovered that the agrarian reform came 10 years after the Cristiada. So the initial hypothesis — which was found throughout Mexican books of the time — disappeared for me.
COLUMBIA: For decades, the Cristiada was treated as a taboo subject. How did you come to study and document this era in Mexican history? JEAN MEYER: Well, I was a young student of history in France in 1962. I was 20 years old and had the opportunity to travel to New York with a friend. We bought a cheap, old car, traveled across the United States and spent all summer in Mexico. I was delighted by the country and decided that somehow I had to come back. Two or three years later, when I began my doctorate, I wanted to work on the Mexican Revolution. I prepared a subject of study: Emiliano Zapata and the fight for the land. But a Mexican student who happened to be a priest told me that if I was interested in Mexican history and wanted to research something not studied before, I should study the Cristiada. It was the first time I had heard the word “Cristiada.” He told me briefly about the religious conflict between church and state, the suspension of worship and the massive uprising. I entered the Colegio de México as a full-time investigator. I spent five years there and met with survivors of that great war.
COLUMBIA: You once wrote, “The root cause of the conflict was the contrast between an unstable state and a stable Church.” Why the contrast of stability and how did it contribute to the clash? JEAN MEYER: Mexico, as we know, is a very young nation. Demographically, it was born in the 16th century with the Spanish conquest. The mixing of the races began immediately, and the Catholic Church had a very important role at the time. So, you have three centuries of colonial Mexico as a part of the Spanish Empire, with the Church present in everyday life. The schools, the hospitals, everything was administrated by the Church. When the conflict between church and state began in 1925, the new Mexican state was only five years old. And in front of that was a Church that the people trusted. The people cannot trust a state that was just born after 10 years of terrible violence.
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Posing with his officers under a banner of Christ the King, Gen. Miguel Anguiano (seated) also served as a Cristero civilian leader. He later became a priest. The photo is one of hundreds featured in La Cristiada: The Mexican People’s War for Religious Liberty by Jean Meyer.
PHOTO: AGICA
by Columbia staff
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“AFTER SO MANY YEARS PART OF THE CHURCH AND There was a very great disagreement, a COLUMBIA: How did the Cristero terrible division between the Catholics, uprisings begin? ON THE PART OF THE STATE, the bishops, the priests, the fighters and JEAN MEYER: Following the suspenthe non-fighters on whether or not to acsion of public religious services, the THE NEXT GENERATION WAS cept the agreement. It was a scandal beblood ran in Mexico City and in TOTALLY IGNORANT OF THE cause the fighters, the Cristeros, were Guadalajara. People fought in self-denever consulted. fense. It was the army against people CONFLICT AND THE MEMYou could say that the Church accepted with stones and bricks and nothing. the conditions of the government, because Then in some places, isolated places ORY WAS DISAPPEARING.” at the time there was no reform of the deep in Mexico, the war began. The constitution. It was not until 1992 that army would try to arrest the priest. the restrictions were suppressed and diploThe people would begin to ring the church bells as an alarm. The 10 soldiers who came to arrest the matic relations were reestablished with the Holy See. But with the agreement, many of the critical articles of the priest would find themselves surrounded by 500 people. Some of the people responded with violence, and the soldiers shot out constitution were given a benevolent interpretation and not enforced. Churches reopened and priests were allowed to practice of fear. People died, and then the soldiers were lynched. Like that, without knowing what they had to suffer after that, their ministry. the Mexican people, the Mexican army and the Mexican government entered into a three-year-long war that cost more than COLUMBIA: As a Catholic, did your extensive research and 200,000 lives. meeting with the Cristeros impact you on a personal level in the way you viewed your faith? COLUMBIA: How did the Cristeros react to the 1929 peace JEAN MEYER: One day, a friend of mine, an Orthodox in agreement? France, read my book. He told me something that really I beJEAN MEYER: I remember in a village called San José de Gracia, lieve, but I had no idea before he told me. He said, “NorI interviewed an old man who had been a Cristero. I asked him mally, people make books. Sometimes, very rarely, a book the same question. The man flushed and said, “Don’t ask me makes people. This book made you.” This is the reason why that. I won’t answer.” I’m in Mexico. 22 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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CENTER PHOTO: ©(No. 287710) CONACULTA.INAH.SINAFO.FN.MÉXICO/ARCHIVO CASASOLA — OTHER PHOTOS: AGICA
OF OFFICIAL SILENCE ON THE
From left: Cristero riders under the command of Gen. Jesús Degollado are shown on the banks of the Armería River, between Jalisco and Colima. • With hats removed but weapons still in hand, Cristeros pray as a priest distributes Communion during a Mass in Los Altos. • At the end of the Cristero War, members of the resistance movement — all non-combatants — celebrate their new freedom after being held prisoner on the island penal colony of Islas Marias. COLUMBIA: The Knights of Columbus expanded to Mexico in 1905 and spread across the country with thousands of members. What role did the Knights play during the Cristero War? JEAN MEYER: What is important is that some of the young leaders of the National League for the Defense of Religious Liberty in Mexico were Knights of Columbus and had contact with the members in the United States. That was very important for what we can call a second front: the political fight in the United States. The Knights in the United States provided support in a hundred different ways, including organizing material support for the Mexican refugees, publishing articles and political lobbying. North American Catholics felt very deep sympathy for Mexico. They were praying for Mexico every Sunday. The violence, the war, was the thing that the American bishops couldn’t accept. The Irish War of Independence was just finishing, and the bishops told the Knights of Columbus that not one dollar or one cartridge should go to help the Mexican Cristeros. So,
the Knights in the United States provided all kinds of help for refugees and for families of those left in Mexico, but not any military support. COLUMBIA: You have been interviewing people about this religious conflict for a couple generations. From your vantage point as a historian, what is the legacy of the Cristeros in Mexico? JEAN MEYER: For historians, it’s very interesting. It’s a strange and surprising experience. I had the chance to meet the last generation of Cristeros, men 60 years old when I interviewed them, who had been 20 years old during the war. After so many years of official silence on the part of the Church and on the part of the state, the next generation was totally ignorant of the conflict and the memory was disappearing. Twenty years later, when I asked the people about it, people didn’t know about it or weren’t interested: “Yes, my grandfather was part of it, but I don’t want to know about it.” In Guadalajara, an enormous church is now being built as a memorial to the martyrs. In many places, it’s too late for the Cristiada to be a memory. It’s a legend — but one that is very alive. Today, people feel absolutely free to talk about that time. Many young historians, both Mexican and foreign, are investigating it more and more. Literature and movies are discovering the Catholic epic and reinforcing the interest. The subject is no longer a matter of division between Mexicans, but a chapter of the national history.♦ DECEMBER 2012
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Inspired by the author’s Catholic faith, J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels reflect the themes of chivalry, nobility and virtue by Stratford Caldecott
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CNS photo from New Line Cinema
his month, fans around the world will flock to the cinema to watch the first of three installments of Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Hobbit — the “prequel” to the award-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy that was also released in three parts between 2001 and 2003. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels, the films depart from the original storyline in significant details, but go to great lengths to respect the author’s vision of Middle-earth — a world of great natural beauty and intense moral drama, set in the distant past. Many will argue that translating such a story from book into film, no matter how impressive the result, is a mistake. A movie presents the audience with the filmmakers’ visualization, not the author’s or the reader’s. Conversely, reading or listening to a story engages the imagination at a deeper level than watching it on screen. Yet if a film had to be made, we should be grateful that efforts have been made to remain faithful to the spirit and texture of Tolkien’s stories. THE CATHOLIC TOLKIEN The spirit of Tolkien’s hugely successful fantasy novels is deeply Christian. Born in 1892, the author was a devout Catholic who grew up under the influence of Blessed John Henry Newman’s Oratory in Birmingham, England. All through his busy life as an Oxford professor and popular writer, he tried to attend Mass every day. His eldest son even became a Catholic priest. The stories that Tolkien wrote were more than entertainment; they were written to express a profound Christian wisdom. In a letter Tolkien drafted to the manager of the Newman Bookshop in 1954, but never sent because it sounded too selfimportant (Letter 153 in the published collection), he admitted that his aim in writing the stories was “the elucidation of truth, and the encouragement of good morals in this real world, by the ancient device of exemplifying them in unfamiliar embodiments, that may tend to ‘bring them home.’” In another letter to a Jesuit friend in 1953, he explained that while he had consciously “absorbed” the religious element “into the story and the symbolism” (because he had no intention of making religious propaganda), The Lord of the Rings remains “a fundamentally religious and Catholic work.” Tolkien’s Christian wisdom can pop out at readers in unexpected ways, but most often it simply sinks in at a deep level
without distracting our attention from the story. I noticed an example as I read The Lord of the Rings to my youngest daughter recently. The story concerns the attempt to destroy a magical “Ring of Power” that threatens the freedom of all the peoples of Middle-earth. As the little hobbits Frodo and Sam struggle up Mount Doom in the final stage of their quest to reach the volcanic furnace in which the Ring can be unmade, Frodo comes to the end of his strength — drained by the ever-growing weight of the Ring he bears around his neck and the constant temptation to claim its power for his own. His faithful servant Sam, who knows he is not permitted to bear the Ring, invites Frodo to climb onto his back. “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you and it as well. So up you get!” Staggering to his feet, he finds to his amazement “the burden light.” Tolkien writes, “[Sam] had feared that he would have barely strength to lift his master alone, and beyond that he had expected to share in the dreadful dragging weight of the accursed Ring. But it was not so. Whether because Frodo was so worn by his long pains, wound of knife, and venomous sting, and sorrow, fear, and homeless wandering, or because some gift of final strength was given to him, Sam lifted Frodo with no more difficulty than if he were carrying a hobbit-child pig-aback in some romp on the lawns or hayfields of the Shire. He took a deep breath and started off.” Does this not remind you, as if in a faint echo, of a certain well-known passage in the Gospels? I am thinking of the one where Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mt 11:28-30). The echo may be faint, yet the whole journey of the two Hobbits across Mordor — including descriptions of the Ring and Frodo’s many falls under its weight — recalls the Way to Calvary, where Jesus bore the weight of the world’s sin. Those who are familiar with the Gospels can hardly fail to recognize a similarity. If the Ring is analogous to the Cross (because it represents sin), and Frodo as Ringbearer is analogous to Christ, then when Sam hauls the burden up onto his shoulders he finds exactly what Christ has promised: It feels light because Christ himself is still bearing the major part of the weight.
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The link to the Christian story is even reinforced by the calendar date. The Ring is destroyed on March 25, which in our world is the Solemnity of the Annunciation, the day Christ was conceived in the womb of Mary to bear our sins away.
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Actor Martin Freeman plays Bilbo Baggins in the film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, the film will be released in U.S. theaters Dec. 14. ation. It is associated with a love for God’s creation that seeks to improve, protect, celebrate and adorn. The “chivalry” that reveals this nobility is shown in behavior towards others, such as kindness and mercy, the refusal to mistreat even prisoners of war, and the showing of honor to the bodies of the dead. We see this, for instance, when Aragorn, heir to the throne of Gondor and leader of the fellowship of the Ring, insists on a proper funeral for Boromir before they continue with their quest. The knights of Middle-earth defend the weak from their oppressors and remain faithful to friends and liege-lord. Such behavior outwardly signifies the presence of heroic virtue within the soul, especially the cardinal virtues of prudence, fortitude, temperance and justice. It is with these virtues that we are equipped to defend the truly important things, the little things, the domestic world of the free family, and the love that binds people together in fellowship. Aragorn exemplifies all of these virtues in the highest degree, but we see them develop in the hobbits, too, as they learn to submit to discipline and overcome their fear to achieve great deeds without hope of reward — just because it is the right thing to do. This is Tolkien’s challenge to us: to become, in our own way, the knights of Middle-earth.♦ STRATFORD CALDECOTT is a director of Second Spring Oxford (secondspring.co.uk). His study of Tolkien called The Power of the Ring is being republished in an expanded and definitive edition by Crossroad Publishers.
Rex Features via AP Images
NOBILITY OF SOUL There are plenty of other parallels with Christianity in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, but as the author insisted, the important point lies deeper than this. The story is meant to be enjoyed for its own sake, not merely decoded. A story is a way of exploring the way the world works. No author can avoid bringing his own understanding of free will and fate or providence, not to mention some conception of good and evil, to his writing. Tolkien’s understanding was shaped by his faith, which is the truth revealed by God about the way the world really works — and not only this world, but every possible world. An important part of Catholic wisdom is the ethical tradition that rests on the natural laws of our nature, made in the image of God. This tradition could be called “nobility of soul” or “spiritual chivalry.” We see both in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings a learning process that Tolkien called “the ennoblement (or sanctification) of the humble,” which he believed was an important theme of his writing as a whole. In both novels, the hobbit heroes (Bilbo in the one, Frodo and Sam and their friends in the other) are lifted from the narrow, comfortable world of the Shire into a much vaster landscape to play key roles in battles that decide the fate of Middle-earth. This was a process that Tolkien observed among the soldiers he fought beside in the Battle of the Somme, in the First World War. Through suffering and trial, the hobbits are fashioned into heroes, empowered to save their little world of the Shire from the spiritual evil that has corrupted it while they were away. Gandalf the wizard tells them, “That is what you have been trained for.” Although the film versions of The Lord of the Rings unfortunately omit this last stage, it is still clear that the hobbits have attained greater maturity and courage through their adventures. After all, Tolkien wove the idea of “nobility of soul” very deeply into his mythology. This concept is represented partly in the Elves. The human beings and hobbits who are closest to the Elves by influence or nature are the noblest: Frodo (named “Elf-friend”) among the hobbits, Aragorn and Imrahil and Faramir among the men. The “elvish” tendency in man is always towards physical beauty, artistic ability and respect for cre-
FAT H E R S F O R G O O D
Making Time Work for Us We can take steps to find a balance in work and home life by Randy Hain
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s a reformed workaholic, I still have a tendency to be fully engaged at work while maintaining a full plate of family activities. Over time, I have developed a better balance between work life and home life by setting priorities and sticking to them, as difficult as that can be in our challenging economy. I have tried to make time work for me as I seek to grow as a Catholic, a husband, a father, a business leader and a member of my community. Surveys indicate that workhome balance ranks near the top of concerns for men today. It is no coincidence that the United Nations’ International Day of Families and the Vatican’s World Meeting of Families, both held last May, highlighted the themes of work and family. Pope Benedict XVI said in a May 16 audience that work “should not hinder the family, but should rather sustain and unite it, and help it be open to life and to enter into relationships with society and with the Church.” So what is the key to finding more time for what matters while still succeeding at work? There is no magic formula, but five action items may help: Make family dinner mandatory; turn off technology devices during family time; attend school and sports events; keep romance in your marriage; and make sure that God comes first. We can work toward these goals by considering the following key issues. • Check your priorities. Men struggle with work-family issues so often because we have our priorities out of order. If we are living our Catholic faith fully, we know that Christ comes first, followed by family and then work. Yet we allow work to eat up most of our energy while leaving the leftovers for God and family. All areas of our lives are made better when Christ comes first. Our families will flourish when we live out our vocation as Catholic husbands and fathers. Our work will improve when placed at the service of God, who understands and aids us in our struggles.
• We control our calendars, not vice versa. A common complaint is: “There just isn’t enough space on my calendar for everything!” But who makes the entries on our calendar? I suggest putting prayer, Mass, feast days, family dinner, kids’ activities, date nights with your wife and other personal engagements on the calendar before filling in work obligations. If you’re like me, something is much more likely to get done if it is scheduled. Better worklife balance starts with saying no to those things that are competing with God and family time. • Combine activities when possible. When I go for a run or get on the treadmill, I pray the rosary. When I am traveling to or from work, I turn off the radio and pray or reflect on spiritual themes. I use time going to my children’s activities to talk about life, faith or whatever is on their minds. When I serve in the community, I often do it with my wife and children to increase time together and build family memories. There are a number of ways to do this, but the combining concept can turn “away time” into fun and family time. With unemployment still high, it may seem like the wrong time to recalibrate priorities, especially if we think that doing so will affect our position at work. After all, providing for the material welfare of our family is key to our vocation. Yet the answer may be found in working more efficiently and effectively to cut down on overtime, knowing that our Father in heaven will help us if we have the good of our family at heart. Let us honestly ask ourselves each day if our work is serving God and our families or if God and our families are serving our work. The answer should set our path in life, both at work and at home.♦ RANDY HAIN lives with his wife and their two sons in Roswell, Ga., where he is a member of St. Peter Chanel Council 13217. He is author of The Catholic Briefcase: Tools for Integrating Faith and Work (Liguori).
FIND ADDITIONAL ARTICLES AND RESOURCES FOR CATHOLIC MEN AND THEIR FAMILIES AT FATHERSFORGOOD. ORG .
DECEMBER 2012
♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 27
KNIGHTS IN ACTION
REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLES
ater in Providence. More than 100 people attended the event, which raised $2,000 for a relief fund for soldiers that is maintained by the U.S. Army National Guard. IN MEMORIAM
Members of St. Kevin Council 13881 in Montreal assemble a winter shelter awning near the entrance of St. Kevin Church. Knights undertake several seasonal chores at their parish each fall and spring: cleaning the parish grounds, wrapping or removing burlap covers from trees and shrubs, and putting up and taking down Christmas lights.
Father Bernard Tobin Council 9153 in Fresno, Calif., commissioned an artist to restore the Stations of the Cross at St. Jude Church in Easton. The council donated the cost of the restoration in memory of Elsie Correia, the late wife of one of the council’s founding members, who supported the council and her parish in many ways over the years. HEALING WATERS
SPAGHETTI EXTRAVAGANZA
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Council 12401 in Russell, Ontario, hosted a “Spaghetti Extravaganza” in memory of council member Paul Beaupré, who passed away in January. The event raised $8,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society and featured a number of guest speakers who talked about their experiences with cancer diagnosis and treatment. CHEESE FESTIVAL
Bishop Victor J. Reed Council 4026 in Oklahoma City and Father George Wagner Assembly in Midwest City co-hosted a cheese festival at the council's social hall. The event, which featured cheeses from the United States, Holland, England, Switzerland, France, Spain and Italy, raised $1,100 for the scholarship fund at St. Gregory University.
vated a building purchased by Mary’s Shelter, an organization that operates shelters for unwed mothers in Lehigh Valley. Knights cleaned and painted the common areas of the new shelter, which is located in a former convent, while their wives adopted a bedroom to paint, decorate and furnish. KEEPING TABLES FULL
Bossier City (La.) Council 4873 provides approximately half of the financial support needed to operate Christ the King Food Pantry, which has grown from serving 30 families a month in 1990 to about 4,770 at present. Knights also host food drives throughout the year to keep the pantry stocked and volunteer alongside parishioners from three area churches to sort and distribute food. MURDER MYSTERY
SHELTER RENOVATED
Msgr. John Auchter Council 10772 in Albrightsville, Pa., and its ladies’ auxiliary reno28 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
Cranston (R.I.) Council 1738 hosted a murder mystery dinner-dance at the Murder on Us Dinner The-
DECEMBER 2012
Limoilou Council 4494 in Quebec donated $300 to Projet les Eaux Curatives (The Healing Waters Project), an initiative that works with injured soldiers who are returning from service in Afghanistan.
made in memory of deceased council members who served in the military. BENEFIT BREAKFAST
Blessed Sacrament-Msgr. Newman Flanagan Council 11038 in Sioux City, Iowa, hosted a benefit breakfast that raised $5,900 for Patricia Walsh, a religious education teacher at Blessed Sacrament Church who suffered a brain injury and is undergoing rehabilitation in Lincoln, Neb. CATHOLIC MATERIALS
St. Anna’s Council 14425 in Monroe, Ga., sent Catholic materials — including rosaries, prayer books and Frontline Faith MP3 players — to Capt. Jason Cowles, a council member serving with the U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan. Cowles hosts a prayer meeting each Sunday with personnel from several different countries.
NEW GAZEBO
In 1992, Our Lady of Fatima Council 3732 in Port Colborne, Ontario, donated a wooden gazebo to an area park to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of America. Though the gazebo stood for 20 years, it was starting to fall into disrepair due to weathering. In response, the council worked with the city to purchase and install a new gazebo made of steel that will serve visitors to the park for years to come. VETERANS MEMORIAL PLAZA
Good Shepherd Council 6358 in Schertz, Texas, donated $2,000 toward the creation of a Veterans Memorial Plaza. The donation was
Dr. William Mitchell of Blue Ridge (Ga.) Council 12126 administers a rabies vaccine to a dog with assistance from Hillary Ward. Knights sponsored a rabies clinic for pet owners in Fannin County, administering rabies and distemper shots to hundreds of pets.
K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N
had flown over the U.S. Capitol. Rep. Yoder was not only able to acquire a flag for use by Church of the Holy Cross, but was able to get one that flew over the Capitol on the parish’s feast day, Sept. 18. ARMED FORCES FLAGPOLE
Knights from St. John Bosco Council 11762 in Tacoma, Wash., and Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy Assembly in Lakewood hang the 15th Station of the Cross in a meditation park at St. John Bosco Church. Knights dedicated the station to their parish priest and chaplain.
WILD GAME FEED
Archbishop James Hugh Ryan Council 3019 in Omaha, Neb., hosted its annual “Wild Game Feed,” which the council took over in 1991 from the men’s club at St. Stanislaus Church. Knights sold 650 tickets to the event, which featured entrées made from wild game, as well as raffle prizes. The dinner raised $126,000, which is donated to area organizations that support children with disabilities. HOSPICE HELP
Father Patterson Council 3121 in Chandler, Ariz., hosted a dinner-dance to benefit Hospice of the Valley. The event raised $4,375. FLAG OBTAINED
When members of Holy Cross Council 11534 in Overland Park, Kan., noticed that the flag at their parish was frayed and no longer suitable for display, they contacted U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder to inquire about the possibility of obtaining a flag that
Father Henry J. Banks Council 9740 in Canyon Country, Calif., raised $4,000 to erect a new flagpole at St. Clare Church. Knights also volunteered to install the pole, which is dedicated to past, present and future members of the armed forces. SANCTUARY RENOVATED
Father Robert Kennedy Council 9458 in Milledgeville, Ga., removed the furniture and cabinets from the sanctuary at Sacred Heart Church in preparation for renovating the 138-yearold building. Once the room was vacated, contractors replaced the floor while council member Richard Dyke, a carpenter, built new cabinets for the room. RENOVATION FUNDS
In honor of the 25th anniversary of its parish, Church of the Nativity Council 11067 in Leawood, Kan., donated $60,000 to Church of the Nativity to be used toward renovation projects. Funds for the donation were raised through council-sponsored events over several years, including breakfasts and fish frys. Present for the donation was Past Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant. FUNDS FOR MISSION
Val-Co Council 11597 in Colfax, Iowa, hosted a dinner and silent auction that raised $1,800 for various charitable initiatives, including a mission trip to El Salvador.
Members of Cotabato City (Mind.) Council 3504 erect a steel arch in their community in preparation for a church festival. Knights routinely provide support in preparing their parish and community for seasonal events.
SMOKIN’ IN THE SQUARE
Milton (Fla.) Council 7027 held its annual “Smokin’ in the Square” barbecue competition, which saw professional teams from all over the country converge on Pensacola to compete for cash prizes and bragging rights. In addition to plenty of food, the event also featured local vendors and artisans, as well as information booths for area organizations. Proceeds from the competition were donated to several charities, including Covenant Hospice and Manna, an organization that provides food to the needy. HEAT UP LAPEER
Father Goentges Council 1987 in Lapeer, Mich., hosted a “Heat Up Lapeer” Polish dinner that raised nearly $4,800 to help families who were struggling to pay their winter heating bills. KINDNESS MAKES MIRACLES
Helena (Mont.) Council 844 conducted its annual “Kindness Makes Miracles” program with young people from area schools. Knights
asked middle-school students to compose multimedia projects — ranging from posters and essays to songs and videos — on the theme of anti-bullying. Entrants were then eligible for 15 raffle prizes given at a dinner for all participants at the council’s social hall. CATECHISMS PROVIDED
To help Catholics learn more about their faith, Saratoga (N.Y.) Council 246 provides copies of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to parishioners at three area churches and two missions. Knights place several copies of the book at every church for parishioners to take in exchange for a goodwill donation. All funds collected from the “sale” of the books are donated back to their respective parishes. ENCHILADA FUNDRAISER
Father Roscoe Lawrence Finnegan Assembly in Las Cruces, N.M., held its annual enchilada fundraiser to benefit Catholic education in Las Cruces. The event raised $6,000 to assist area schools.
DECEMBER 2012
♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 29
K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N
Knights gathered the necessary materials and manpower to build one. Following completion of the driveway, Mayhew appealed her citation and had the fines waived. ULTRASOUND TRAINING
Members of Father John Crowley Council 3199 in Ridgecrest, Calif., spread 10 tons of new sand at the playground at St. Ann School to ensure that the area meets local and state safety standards. This project, coupled with the installation of high-speed Internet in St. Ann classrooms, saved the school around $5,000.
After Minnesota District #52 purchased an ultrasound machine for the WomenSource Pregnancy Center through the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative, OsseoMaple Grove Council 9139 hosted a steak and chicken dinner that raised $3,000 to help train technicians on how to use the machine. MARRIED COUPLES DINNER
PREPARING FOR CARPET
Tabernacle (N.J.) Council 8733 removed all of the furnishings from Church of the Holy Eucharist in preparation for the installation of new carpeting. Knights removed the church’s seating, organ and altar, saving time and money on the installation. WINDOW RESTORED
Union City (Ind.) Council 983 sponsored the restoration of a 140-year-old stainedglass window from the original St. Joseph Church that
was previously in storage. Knights donated $650 to have the glass professionally restored, while several council members created a wooden frame and an LED backing for the window. The unique piece is now on display at the church hall.
St. Joseph Council 9905 in Lino Lakes, Minn., hosted a supper for married couples at its parish. The evening included a marriage talk and a performance by an area soul band. The dinner netted $600 for the parish.
SOUP-TO-GO SALES
Immaculate Heart of Mary Council 7560 in Pagosa Springs, Colo., donated $500 to a local organization for people with intellectual disabilities. The funds will help the organization purchase a kayak for special outings.
SPECIAL KAYAK
St. Kilian Council 14807 in Cranberry Township, Pa., sells soup to-go at its parish for five months out of the year. From October to February, Knights prepare a variety of soups that are sold to parishioners for $5 per quart. Since establishing the program, the council has sold 5,900 quarts of soup and raised thousands of dollars for both its parish and its parish school. DRIVEWAY CREATED
Steve Rogers of Blessed Louis Martin Council 15256 in Ashburn, Va., strips paint from a door at St. Theresa Elementary School. After many years of heavy use, Knights stripped, sanded and repainted all of the doors at the school. 30 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
When St. James Council 12402 in Orlando, Fla., heard that Nancy Mayhew, a parishioner of St. James Cathedral, had been cited by the city for parking on her grass, the council jumped into action. Mayhew was not in a financial position to have a driveway created, so
DECEMBER 2012
DAY OF SHARING
The 41 K of C Councils of Orange County, Calif., hosted a “Day of Sharing” for area adults and children with intellectual disabilities. Each council sponsored a different booth at the event, which featured food, activities and games. LIBRARY FOR SCHOOL
St. Petronille Council 5516 in Glen Ellyn, Ill., and Bishop Romeo Blanchette Assembly in Naperville collected books for a new library at Maternity BVM School in
Chicago. When Knight Ken Marz and his wife, both graduates of the school, learned that Maternity BVM had no library for students, they set out to start collecting used books. Together with the Knights and other community organizations and individuals, the Marzes collected more than 3,000 books for the school’s new library. MOWING AT THE CROSSROADS
Our Lady of Divine Providence Council 9347 in Metaire, La., donated $200 to Crossroads Louisiana to purchase a new lawnmower. Crossroads serves approximately 75 people with intellectual disabilities, and the new mower will be used to maintain the organization’s five group homes. HELPING A PARISH GROW
Escalante Council 1136 in Provo, Utah, donated $45,000 to purchase two stained-glass windows depicting Palm Sunday and the Last Supper for the new St. Francis of Assisi Church in Orem. Money for the donation came from the investment of council funds over the years that were originally intended to build a council hall. When this plan fell through, Knights instead used the money for charitable outreach. Over the past decade, the council has donated more than $75,000 for building projects at St. Francis of Assisi Church.
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[Clockwise from top] Members of Assumption Council 6899 in Stratford, Prince Edward Island, stand with the some of the wooden nativity displays that the council built and sold at its parish. • Randy Smith (left) and Dennis Huss (right) of Star of the Sea Council 7297 in Rehoboth Beach, Del., deliver Christmas presents to Sister Rose Alvarez of Gardenia House, a shelter for homeless women and children. • Members of Msgr. William F. Burke Council 2672 in Far Rockaway, N.Y., display some of the toys they distributed to sick and needy children in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (Act of August 1, 1970: Section 3685, title 39, U.S. code) 1. Publication Title: Columbia 2. Publication No.: 12-3740 3. Date of filing: Sept. 27, 2012 4. Frequency of issue: Monthly 5. No. of issues published annually: 12 6. Annual subscription price: $6 7. Location of office of publication: 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 8. Location of publisher’s headquarters: 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 9. Names and address of publisher, editor and managing editor. Publisher: Carl A. Anderson, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 Managing Editor: Alton J. Pelowski, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 10. Owner: Knights of Columbus Supreme Council, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326. 11. Known bond holders: none. 12. For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at special rates. The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt
status for federal income tax purposes: (Check one) ( ) Has changed (x) Has not during the changed during preceding the preceding 12 months. 12 months. (If changed, publisher must submit explanation of change with this statement.) 13. Publication name: Columbia. 14. Issue date for circulation data below: October 2012 15. Extent and nature of circulation # copies of sinAv. # copies gle issue pubeach issue durlished nearest ing preceding to filing date 12 months A. Total no. copies (net press run) 1,611,415 1,618,719 B. Paid and/or requested circulation 1. Outside-county mail subscriptions stated on Form 3541: 289,242 287,924 2. Paid in-county subscriptions stated on Form 3541: 0 0 3. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales and other non-USPS distribution: 1,000 1,000 4. Other classes mailed through the USPS. 1,313,778 1,315,285 C. Total paid and/or requested circulation:
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OFFICIAL DEC. 1, 2012:
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 © 2012 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.
DECEMBER 2012
♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 31
C O LU M B I A N I S M B Y D E G R E E S
Unity MEMBERS OF Epiphany Council 11033 in San Francisco cook kebabs outside of their church following Sunday Mass. The council and its ladies’ auxiliary grill pork kebabs and offer ethnic dishes for sale throughout the day, raising money for the parish and for the Knights’ charitable fund. • Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Circle 5473 in Arlington, Texas, sold fresh fruit at its parish, raising $300 to support men who are studying for the priesthood.
Charity
Fraternity
Patriotism
YOUNG PARTICIPANTS in a benefit bike ride wait at the start line for the race to begin. Members of Regina Mundi Council 12745 in Hamilton, Ontario, supported the youth bike race by providing food service and volunteer manpower for the event, which raised more than $3,500 for riders who are participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer. The ride is a two-day, 125-mile bicycle event from Toronto to Niagara Falls that requires each rider to raise at least $2,500 in pledges for the Canadian Cancer Society.
MEMBERS OF Archbishop John Hughes Council 481 in Brooklyn, N.Y., and their guests don protective armor and paintball guns during a council-sponsored paintball trip to the Skirmish Paintball Fields in Jim Thorpe, Pa. Since 2011, Knights have sponsored bus trips to the paintball arena, with proceeds from the trips donated to charity. • St. Ann Council 2853 in Fair Lawn-Elmwood Park, N.J., held a “Polish Night” dinner-dance to benefit Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Council 3644 of Wallington, whose council hall suffered severe water damage during a storm. The dance netted $3,000 to jump-start repairs.
AN HONOR GUARD from Blessed Teresa of Kolkata Assembly in Milton, Fla., looks on as Msgr. Steven Bosso of St. Rose of Lima Church blesses a Coast Guard vessel during the town’s annual blessing of the fleet. Both recreational and government boats on the Blackwater River had the opportunity to be blessed. • St. Gianna Molla Assembly in Alpharetta, Ga., held a chicken bake dinner to benefit the Catholic Chaplain Corps. The dinner netted $710, which was used to purchase 10 MP3 players through the Frontline Faith Project and to provide scholarships through the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.
32 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
DECEMBER 2012
KNIGHT S O F C O LUM BUS
Building a better world one council at a time Every day, Knights all over the world are given opportunities to make a difference — whether through community service, raising money or prayer. We celebrate each and every Knight for his strength, his compassion and his dedication to building a better world.
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Members of Marian Council 3881 in Oakville, Ontario, stand on the edge of the walkway outside of the observation deck at the CN Tower in Toronto during the annual Edge Walk there. Six Knights walked nearly 500 feet around the circumference of the tower at a height of 1,100 feet without handrails. In doing so, they collected more than $5,000 in pledges to support a new hospital being built in Oakville.
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DECEMBER 2012
♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 33
PLEASE, DO ALL YOU CAN TO ENCOURAGE PRIESTLY AND RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS. YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
KEEP T H E F A I T H A L I V E
‘TRATORI HE GREATEST O FORTITER FORCE IN THE , IOCARI CONCUBINE ’ UNIVERSE IS LOVE IAM BELLUS CA
Rures amputat adfabilis chirographi, quod conFATHER MICHAEL cubine insec WARREN Oblates of the Virgin Mary Denver, Colorado SISTER TERESA IMMACULATE Community of St. John Princeville, Ill.
Photo by Katy Tartakoff
Photo by Marvin Burk Photography
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