Columbia July 2009

K NIGHTS

IN SERVICE TO ONE. IN SERVICE TO ALL.

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JULY 2009

COLUMBIA

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JULY 2009

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VOLUME 89

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NUMBER 7

IN THIS ISSUE OPENING ODE 2 Truth, Goodness and Beauty

BY ALTON J. PELOWSKI

BUILDING A BETTER WORLD 3 Americans are increasingly at odds with the regime of Roe v. Wade.

BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH 4 One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic: the four marks of the Cathoilc Church

BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN BISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

PLUS Catholic Man of the Month, the Holy Father’s Prayer Intentions, Your Spiritual Action Plan and more

CHECKUP 7 Maintain your life insurance in uncertain economic times

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BY JOHN R. INGRISANO

FATHERS FOR GOOD

Building a Christian Continent An interview about Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of a Civilization of Love. BY COLUMBIA STAFF

13 Passing on the Faith

BY JAKE SAMOUR

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE 24 God’s Intervention

BY MSGR. EDUARDO CHÁVEZ SÁNCHEZ

CATHOLIC LITERATURE,THEN AND NOW The Catholic literary tradition offers a powerful, sacramental vision of the world. BY GREGORY WOLFE .........17 WIELDING WORDS For Knight John McNichol, the pen is mightier than the sword. BY PATRICK SCALISI ...............................................................19 UNVEILING BEAUTY Artist Antonella Cappuccio on the value and importance of arts for society ..........................................................................20 LISTENING FOR GOD Andrew Miller, a composer and Knight, sees his music as a calling. BY ELIZABETH ELA ....................................................22

KNIGHTS

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COLUMBUS NEWS

K of C-sponsored poll shows the pope receives high marks • Canadian Knights March for Life • Father McGivney Cancer Center Dedicated

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KNIGHTS

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25 REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, THE WEST’S ONE TRUE MUSE The convergence of the Roman liturgy and various cultures has historically produced timeless and beautiful music. BY TIMOTHY MCDONNELL ..........................................................23

ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLES

32 COLUMBIANISM BY DEGREES

ALSO FEATURED

A CENTURY OF CHARITY One hundred years after the Knights’ expansion to Cuba, the Order provides hope for the renewal of the local Church.

BY MARÍA DE LOURDES RUIZ SCAPERLANDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 AT THE CROSSROADS OF THE NEW WORLD Celebrating 100 years of the Order in Panama . . . . . . .12

OPENING ODE

Truth, Goodness and Beauty n a letter to a priest friend in 1953, author J.R.R. Tolkien referred to The Lord of the Rings, which was being published at the time, as “a fundamentally religious and Catholic work.”

Arguably, his story was neither allegorical nor overtly religious — and yet, it was imbued with a truly Catholic understanding of the world and explored themes of mercy, humility and redemption. Tolkien continued his letter with a reference to “Our Lady, upon which all my own small perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded.” In this way, he recognized the truth of Mary’s Magnificat prayer: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…”

(Luke 1:46-55).

Tolkien’s insight about beauty, which has in a certain sense been shared by all great Catholic writers and artists, is not new. Indeed, from the first centuries of Christianity, the Blessed Virgin Mary has been addressed as tota pulchra (Latin for “all beautiful”). More than just a pious salutation, this affirmation acknowledges a simple, yet profound, reality: Like authentic truth and goodness, genuine beauty is not merely a matter of personal opinion, but is essential to the nature of God. Moreover, true holiness is inescapably attractive, for it illuminates the ineffable Beauty for whom we long.

If, however, truth and goodness are genuinely beautiful, why are we tempted to sin and to reject the Gospel? The answer lies, in part, in the error of our own perception. Just as someone might be deceived into believing a falsehood, so too can one be blinded to the ugliness of a culture of death. Conversely, when one comes to see the truth clearly, it is a moment of epiphany and conversion.

This was the experience of millions following the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in modern-day Mexico City almost 500 years ago (see page 14). The beautiful image of Our Lady imprinted on

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Juan Diego’s tilma carried deep meaning for the indigenous people. To this day, countless are inspired by the Guadalupan message and image, which speak to both the mind and the heart. In a similar way, over the past four centuries, the image of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre has bolstered the faith of Catholics in Cuba, where the Order was established in 1909 (see page 8).

The ability of these miraculous images to lead so many to faith in Jesus Christ helps us to see the role of the arts in the Church and the world. Many have criticized the Catholic Church’s historic emphasis on architecture, music, paintings, icons, statues and the like — believing such things to be idolatrous or distracting from the central message of the Gospel. However, the Church has long pointed to the mystery of the Incarnation, of Christ becoming the visible “image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15), to defend the vocation of the artist. Beauty in art, like beauty in creation, is “a key to the mystery and a call to transcendence,” explained Pope John Paul II in his 1999 Letter to Artists. It is not to be worshipped, but ought to raise our hearts and minds to the uncreated beauty of God. In the end, the interrelationship among truth, goodness and beauty has important implications for the life of the Church.

The Good News is obscured if any of these is neglected or seen as unessential. The modern crisis of truth and morality, then, is not unrelated to the absence, corruption or caricature of beauty. Rather, a renewal of Catholic culture will in no small part depend on a renaissance, as it were, of truly Catholic literature, art and music (see pages 17-23). Just as holiness primarily consists not in outward signs of piety, but in charity in words and actions, truly beautiful art will inspire not merely because of its subject matter, but because it simply conveys the splendor of truth.

— Alton J. Pelowski

Supreme Knight’s Book Club - July 28 - 5 PM (ET) Join Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson online for a discussion of St. Thomas More: Model for Modern Catholics (Alba House, 2008), by John F. Fink. In addition to being the patron saint of statesmen and politicians, St. Thomas More (14781535) was a faithful husband, father and scholar who has rightfully been called “a man for all seasons.” Submit your questions online at www.kofc.org and take part in the discussion Tuesday, July 29, at 5 p.m. (ET).

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Knights of Columbus Publisher

Supreme Officers Carl A. Anderson Supreme Knight

Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. Supreme Chaplain

Dennis A. Savoie Deputy Supreme Knight

Donald R. Kehoe Supreme Secretary

John “Jack” W. O’Reilly Jr. Supreme Treasurer

John A. Marrella Supreme Advocate

Editorial Alton J. Pelowski, Managing Editor 203-752-4562 alton.pelowski@kofc.org Patrick Scalisi, Associate Editor 203-752-4485 patrick.scalisi@kofc.org

Graphics Arthur F. Hinckley Jr. Art Director

Richard J. Cesare Senior Designer Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90) — Parish Priest, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us.

This magazine is recyclable.

Please pass it on.

How to Reach Us Columbia, 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 203-752-4398 FAX: 203-752-4109 columbia@kofc.org www.kofc.org/columbia CUSTOMER SERVICE: 1-800-380-9995 MOVING? Notify your local council. Send your new address and mailing label to: Knights of Columbus, Membership Records PO Box 1670, New Haven, CT 06507-0901

On the Cover Our Lady of Guadalupe — Patroness of the Americas, Star of the New Evangelization, Protectress of the Unborn

BUILDING A BETTER WORLD

BY CARL A. ANDERSON, SUPREME KNIGHT

Things We Can All Agree On Americans are increasingly at odds with the regime of Roe v. Wade

OF ALL THE U.S. Supreme Court away from Roe, which has since decisions of the 20th century, two been interpreted to allow abortion are perhaps the best known: without restrictions.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Just how do Americans feel and Roe v. Wade (1973). about Roe? Beyond just agreeing on So important are these two cases ancillary issues like adoption or that it was no accident that in a help for women in crisis pregnanrecent speech to graduates at Notre cies, recent surveys have found Dame University, President Barack common ground on the issue of Obama based many of his remarks abortion itself. on their legacies.

In April, a Pew survey found that But the legacies of these two only 18 percent favored legalized decisions, and their level of acceptabortion “in all cases.” Twentyance by the American people, couldeight percent said it should be legal n’t be more different. in “most cases,” 28 percent said it should be “illegal in most cases,” In 1990, as a member of the U.S. and 16 percent said it should be illeCivil Rights Commission, I had an gal in all cases. opportunity to gauge the degree to In short, 72 percent of Americans which Americans had embraced the oppose unrestricted abortion; only 18 legacy of Brown v. Board of Education — the case that ended the percent are in favor. legal sanction of racial segregation in An even more recent Gallup poll the United States.

(May 2009) found that a At the time, three If Brown was majority of Americans and a half decades now identify themafter the case, accept- almost universally selves as “pro-life.” It ance of the ideal of confirmed the results of accepted, the racial equality had the Pew survey, finding grown steadily, and it opposite is true that 76 percent of was clearly embraced Americans disagree by the vast majority of of Roe v. Wade with the Roe regime of Americans. This is unrestricted abortion, even more the case today. while only 22 percent agree.

Yet, if Brown was almost univerTaken together, these polls show that Americans, by a ratio of sally accepted by the American people, the opposite is true of Roe v. almost 3-to-1, want at least some restrictions on abortion — a Wade — the decision that legalized abortion. remarkable, if largely unnoticed More than three and a half consensus. decades after Roe, Americans are A more detailed survey of increasingly — and overwhelmingly Americans’ opinions on abortion — opposed to its legacy. As much as last October revealed just how deep Americans have embraced Brown, this consensus runs. A Knights of Columbus-Marist poll was conductthey have moved further and further

ed when the number of those who identified themselves as “prochoice” was still slightly greater than those who called themselves “pro-life.”

Looking back, the poll accurately predicted the growing consensus we see today by asking very specific questions. By giving a wide range of options on the subject, here’s what the survey found: Only 8 percent of Americans agreed with abortion “any time during a pregnancy,” and another 8 percent supported abortion only during the first six months.

But 84 percent of Americans wanted more significant restrictions.

In the future, there will doubtless be those who push for a proabortion political litmus test for key positions in government. They should remember that the legacy of Roe v. Wade is fundamentally at odds with the moral sense of the American people. Moreover, clinging to an anachronistic litmus test also fails both to capture the moment and to build real common ground on abortion.

Moving beyond Roe’s limitless breadth in law and politics makes both political and moral sense, and is also something that the vast majority of U.S. citizens agree on.

As members of an organization that from its earliest days stood for the marginalized, we, as Knights, must continue our tireless work for the dignity of every human person — born and unborn, young and old, regardless of race or creed. Our faith and the principles of our Order require no less.

Vivat Jesus! c o l u m b i a / j u ly 2 0 0 9

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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic The four marks of the Cathoilc Church are essential to understanding the Body of Christ

BY BISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI, SUPREME CHAPLAIN n the Nicene Creed, we profess our subsists in (subsistit in) the Catholic belief in the Church as “one, holy, Church, governed by the Successor of Catholic, and apostolic.” In order to Peter and the bishops in communion understand the Church, we need to with him” (Compendium, 162). The recognize these four essential attrib- phrase “subsists in” may sound unusual but was chosen carefully. It means utes or “marks.”

Let us begin with the unity or one- that in spite of the problems and diviness of the Church. Regrettably, we sions caused by human frailty and sinfulness, there is to be found often hear about Church’s disunity. Of course, we are The 17th installment in the Church the fullness of aware of divisions within of Supreme Chaplain truth, sacramental life and the Catholic Church: some Bishop William E. communion. are stylistic, others sub- Lori’s faith formation In addition, the phrase stantive and still others are program addresses “subsists in” helps us see the result of human dis- questions 161-176 of how we can recognize the the Compendium of cord. In addition, we are “many elements of sanctifithe Catechism of the aware that we are separated Catholic Church. cation and truth” found in from other Christians. So, Archived articles are church communities not in how can we speak of the at www.kofc.org. full communion with the Church as “one”?

Catholic Church (163). This We need to begin with recognition is not meant to the source of our unity, namely the downplay serious differences among one God in three divine Persons. Christian communities, but rather to St. Cyprian of Carthage described the underline the inner requirement of the Church as “a people brought into Church to seek the unity that Christ unity from the unity of the Father, the willed for his followers. We must all Son, and the Holy Spirit” (cited in pray and work for this unity by deepenLumen Gentium, 4). The Church is ing our communion with Christ and made up of many members, but she is his Church, as well as by respectful united by the Holy Spirit, who brings theological dialogue (164). Taken God’s people together in communion. together, this graced effort to seek As the Compendium of the Christian unity is called ecumenism.

Catechism of the Catholic Church We also profess our faith in the puts it, “The Church has but one faith, Church as “holy.” Once again, we recone sacramental life, one apostolic ognize that not all members of the succession, one common hope, and Church, including ourselves, are holy; one and the same charity” (161). we all stand in need of forgiveness.

Happily, the Church is more than the UNIFIED AND HOLY sum of her members and shares in the It is sometimes said that God’s gift of holiness of God. As St. Paul teaches, unity can be found in the spiritual core Christ gave himself up for the Church of the Church, but not in her visible and her sanctification (see Eph 5:22-27; existence. The Church herself steers us Compendium, 165). The Church, away from this false opinion. The therefore, provides all that we need to Second Vatican Council restated that respond to the call to holiness. “the one Church of Christ, as a society In a particular way, the Church’s constituted and organized in the world, holiness is found in the saints. With

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Mary leading the way, the saints not only show us how to participate in God’s truth, goodness and love, but they also support us by their prayers.

UNIVERSAL AND APOSTOLIC Next, we proclaim that the Church is “Catholic,” or universal. In the Gospel of Matthew, we read that following the Resurrection, Jesus sent the Apostles to preach the Gospel in every corner of the world and to baptize all peoples in the name of the Trinity (see Mt 28:19). At the same time, Jesus commissioned the Apostles to teach all nations “all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:20, Compendium, 172). From the very beginning, the Church was Catholic because her mission was to all nations and was entrusted with the totality of the Christian faith (Compendium, 166). As the faith spread, the Church was organized into dioceses or eparchies, which are presided over by bishops in union with the bishop of Rome (the pope). We sense the universality of each particular church during the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass when we pray “in union with the Church throughout the world.”

Obviously, not everyone considers himself to be a member of the Church.

Nonetheless, every person is called to share in “the Catholic unity of the people of God” (168). Some Catholics, of course, are initiated into the Church but do not practice their faith.

Members of the Knights of Columbus and other practicing Catholics must seek to spread the Gospel by word and example, working with pastors to encourage other Catholics to return to their faith (173). Meanwhile, the baptized who belong to other Christian churches “do not enjoy full Catholic unity” but “are in a certain, although imperfect communion with the w w w. ko f c .o r g

Catholic Church” (168). We are called to foster unity with these Christians and to bear witness to the fullness of our Catholic faith.

In addition, the Church recognizes in a special way that God revealed himself to the Jewish people and made them his own; they were the first to receive his Word, setting them apart from all other non-Christian religions (169). Still, the Church recognizes even in other non-Christian religions elements that reflect God’s truth and goodness. We must seek to foster understanding with followers of those religions for the common good and as a way of bringing about “the unity of humanity in the Church of Christ”

(170). Through no fault of their own, many people have not received the Gospel of Christ and his Church.

While Christ is the source of all salvation, non-Christians can cooperate with grace and be saved if they sincerely seek God and strive to follow their consciences. On the other hand, those who know that the Church founded by Christ is necessary for salvation — but choose to remain outside or apart from her — imperil their salvation (171).

Finally, we profess our faith in the Church as apostolic. This means several things: Christ founded the Church upon the Apostles (Eph 2:20); the Church’s teaching is the same as the

Catholic Man of the Month St. Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-547) Feast Day: July 11

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fter his election as pope in 2005, Benedict XVI alluded to why he adopted the name of this patron saint of Europe. The pope insisted that St. Benedict is a powerful reminder of the Christian roots of Europe’s culture and civilization, and indeed of the whole western world. By

considering St. Benedict’s life more closely, we can discover how we can renew our own culture through the Knights of Columbus.

Apostles; and the Church is apostolic in her structure — for the bishops are the successors of the Apostles in communion with the successor of St. Peter (Compendium, 174). In the New Testament, we read how Jesus chose the Apostles and formed them. They were witnesses to the Resurrection.

As the word “apostle” itself indicates, they were “sent” by Christ into the world to proclaim the Gospel (175). By means of the sacrament of holy orders, “the mission and power of the Apostles” is transmitted to their successors, the bishops. In this way, through the centuries, the Church remains linked to her apostolic faith, mission and origins (176). ■

St. Benedict was born in Nursia, Italy. While studying literature in Rome, he was disillusioned by the immoral culture and fled to the mountains of Subiaco to become a hermit at age 20. Within a few years, his reputation for holiness attracted many disciples. After heading some loose associations of monks, Benedict decided to establish his great monastery in Monte Cassino in 529. In order to do so, however, he needed to overthrow an idolatrous temple. Eventually, the presence and evangelical labors of Benedict and his

Holy Father’s Prayer Intentions Offered in solidarity with Pope Benedict XVI ➢➢ General — That Christians in the Middle East may live their faith in complete freedom and become instruments of reconciliation and peace. ➢➢ Mission — Through the witness of the faithful, may the Church be the seed and soil of a humanity reconciled to be God's one true family on earth.

Your Spiritual Action Plan Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

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refer nothing to the love of Christ.” These words from St. Benedict’s monastic rule exhort us to become “poor in spirit.” As St. Thomas Aquinas explains, the first beatitude involves making God our first priority above all else. Things like possessiveness and a proud spirit obstruct the space in our hearts meant for Christ.

Prayerfully consider whether you are overly attached to property or worldly honor. Then ask the Lord to remove this wayward desire. Whatever sacrifice God asks of you, remember that only the resulting emptiness of spirit can welcome God’s superabundance. Meditate on Mt 19:16-30, Ps 42 and 1 Cor 8:9.

POPE: CNS PHOTO/GIAMPIERO SPOSITO, REUTERS ST. BENEDICT: CNS PHOTO BY NANCY WIECHEC

monks converted the surrounding area from paganism.

By the time of Benedict’s death, he had founded 12 monasteries, and more than 40,000 communities were later guided by his famous monastic rule. The Benedictines did much to preserve and advance Europe’s social and intellectual heritage. This handing on of culture came through the small communities of monks living the Gospel values together in fraternal charity. Hospitality, a hallmark of Benedictine life, allowed outsiders to get a taste of this rich culture and embrace something of it themselves.

“Orare et laborare” (to pray and to work) summarizes the rule of St. Benedict and underlines the dignity of work.

Offering one’s daily work to the point of being “wearied with labors for God’s sake” is a pleasing sacrifice and marks the path to holiness. And yet this labor must be nourished by prayer. St. Benedict’s life was marked by ardent charity and his example provides a challenge to our own communities. We must work to transform the anti-Gospel trends of our own time with the witness of our fraternal charity and zealous labors. c o l u m b i a / j u ly 2 0 0 9 5

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K of C-sponsored poll shows pope receives high marks

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mericans overall and Catholics in particular hold Pope Benedict XVI in high regard, according to a recent poll conducted in partnership with the Knights of Columbus.

Sixty percent of Americans reported they have either a favorable or very favorable impression of the pontiff, while 76 percent of Catholics hold the same view, the poll found. At the same time, 20 percent of Americans and 11 percent of Catholics told interviewers they have an unfavorable or very unfavorable view of the pope.

The results of the poll, which was conducted March 24-31 by the Marist College Institute of Public Opinion, were released May 19.

“That Benedict XVI remains so respected by Americans, in spite of a 24-hour news cycle often hostile to him and his message, is a great testament to the pope’s ability to communicate the Gospel directly to people,” said Supreme Knight Carl A.Anderson when announcing the poll results.

“It also says something about the American people’s desire for the message of hope and love that Benedict XVI preaches in calling us to say ‘yes’ to Jesus Christ,” he added.

The poll also looked at how people perceived the pope on matters of spirituality and issues they would like to hear him address. Lastly, the survey asked respondents about their views of the Catholic Church and its contributions to the world.

For the complete poll results, visit www.kofc.org/polls. ■

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CANADIAN KNIGHTS MARCH FOR LIFE

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n Ottawa, thousands braved the rain to participate in a pro-life rally and march on May 14, the 40th anniversary of the Canadian law legalizing abortion. Knights of Columbus were major participants in protests from one end of Canada to the other.

Supreme Knight Carl A.Anderson and Deputy Supreme Knight Dennis A.Savoie were among the speakers at the 12th annual March for Life in Ottawa, and Canadian Knights were also prominent at the second annual pro-life event in Victoria, B.C.

Father McGivney Cancer Center Dedicated

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new, state-of-the-art cancer treatment center built with the support of the Order and named after its founder was formally dedicated June 2.

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, officers and board members joined Archbishop Henry Mansell of Hartford and officials and supporters of the Hospital of St. Raphael for the dedication ceremonies at the center in Hamden, Conn.

Tune In! 127th Supreme Convention will be telecast live

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opular Catholic radio and TV outlets will broadcast from the 127th Supreme Convention, which will take place Aug. 4-6 in Phoenix.The Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) will provide coverage of the convention proceedings via its cable and satellite affiliates throughout the world. Toronto’s Salt and Light TV and Boston-based CatholicTV will also broadcast convention events to audiences in Canada and the United States, respectively.

SiriusXM satellite radio’s The Catholic Channel (159) will broadcast from the convention as well. Please check local listings for exact coverage. w w w. ko f c .o r g

CHECKUP

YO U R H E A LT H , YO U R F I N A N C E S , YO U R L I F E

Maintain your life insurance in uncertain economic times

BY JOHN R. INGRISANO, CLU

even if you become comeciding which bills pletely uninsurable in the to pay when you future. are unemployed, 4 Your life insurance underemployed or living in is just as important — uncertain times can be some might say more tough. Many of us are lookimportant — as your auto ing for ways to cut our and homeowner’s coverexpenses these days, which age. Just as you would not is a smart move even in let your auto or home financially stable times. insurance lapse, it is wise But what about your life to consider your options insurance? Should you before you stop paying the keep it in force or consider premiums on your life letting it go until the future insurance. looks more certain?

If you find yourself The logic of dropping between a financial rock your coverage may seem to and a hard place, you do make sense. After all, your have some positive alterlife insurance premium is one bill that won’t hurt Many of us are looking to cut our natives. Before you simply drop your life insurance your credit rating if you do not pay it. No one will go expenses these days, but there are coverage, contact your Knights of Columbus repafter you; nor will you be resentative to discuss your threatened by a collection good reasons to keep your life options. For one thing, you agency. In essence, it is a may want to review your bill you do not legally insurance coverage in force. premium mode. Maybe have to pay. But does it paying an annual premium mean you should let your works best for you; maybe coverage lapse? paying monthly by automatic deduction from your The truth is, there are good reasons to keep your savings or checking account would work better. coverage in force: Also, if you find that you simply cannot continue 1 You bought your life insurance policy for a spepaying premiums, consider two other alternatives: cific purpose, most likely to protect your loved ones changing your policy to a reduced paid-up policy lets against the financial ruin they could suffer if you die you have a smaller amount of coverage, with no furprematurely. You purchased it to meet your responther premiums due; and converting to an extended sibilities. If those responsibilities still exist, it might term policy gives you the full amount you currently not be a good idea to let your coverage lapse. have, but for a limited period of time.

2 Dropping your coverage today means it may Yes, we live in uncertain economic times. cost more to purchase new coverage in the future.

However, there are important things to take into When you buy cash value life insurance, your premiaccount if you are considering letting your life insurum is locked in and fixed for life. It will never ance coverage lapse. Do your homework, and your increase. However, if you drop your coverage and professionally trained Knights of Columbus agent decide to replace it later, your premium likely will be will help find the choice that is best for you. ■ higher, reflecting your increased age.

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3 If you undergo health changes, you may be unable to purchase coverage in the future. However, if you keep your current coverage in force — and we’re talking about permanent, cash value coverage — it can never be taken away, cancelled or altered,

John R. Ingrisano is a financial writer and business consultant specializing in money management, insurance and retirement planning. He can be reached at john@b2bbookofmoney.com.

DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF INSURANCE YOU NEED USING THE LIFE INSURANCE CALCULATOR AT KOFC.ORG POPE: CNS PHOTO/TONY GENTILE, REUTERS ABOVE: JUPITERIMAGES UNLIMITED

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A Century of Charity One hundred years after the Knights’ expansion to Cuba, the Order provides hope for the renewal of the local Church B Y M A R Í A D E LO U R D E S R U I Z S C A P E R L A N DA

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he year was 1909.

William H. Taft became the 27th president of the United States; Joan of Arc was beatified in Rome; and 53-yearold American explorer Robert E. Peary became the first man to reach the North Pole. It was also the year that the Order founded councils in both Cuba and Panama.

Between 1899 and 1908, Cuba’s population increased 30 percent, surpassing more than 2 million people.

Roughly the size of Tennessee, the Caribbean island struggled to come

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into its own politically, economically and culturally after a fierce battle for independence from Spain. The Catholic Church in Cuba was no exception.

“Because the Spanish colonial government and the Church had been united, anticlericalism and Cuban patriotism were nearly synonymous,” noted Christopher J. Kauffman in Faith and Fraternalism, his book on the Order’s history. “Hence the Order’s anti-defamation character became the unifying force among practicing Catholics eager to assert the compatibility of Catholicism with loyalty to the anticolonialist basis of the Cuban political ethos” (Simon & Schuster, 1992; 406).

THE ORDER TAKES ROOT In November 1908, Augustinian Father Edward Moynihan of American-based St. Augustine College in Havana, wrote to Supreme Knight Edward L. Hearn, requesting the Knights’ presence: “I believe it would be a very great good for the Church and I might say absolutely necessary at present as our people are not Catholic by practice, simply in name.”

A degree team from Mobile, Ala., visited, and on March 28, 1909, State Deputy M. Mahorner Jr. instituted the island’s first council — San Agustín Council 1390 in Havana.

About half of that first council consisted of Americans stationed in w w w. ko f c .o r g

Left: A group of Cuban Knights from Santa Maria Council 2479 in Camagüey gather for an Easter celebration at Sacred Heart Church with Bishop Enrique Pérez Serantes in the 1940s.

Right: Members of the newly active Santa Maria Council 2479 gather April 18 with Archbishop Juan de la Caridad García Rodriguez (center) following the celebration of Mass.

Cuba during the second U.S. intervention there and all spoke English.

But by the 1920s, the membership was comprised of Spanish-speaking Cubans. Cuba’s second council, Santiago Council 2316, was instituted in 1921 in the hometown of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad (Our Lady of Charity), patroness of Cuba.

A year later, San Pablo Council 2317 was founded in Cienfuegos.

The first Fourth Degree exemplification in Cuba was held in Havana in May 1937 under Supreme Master John Reddin. According to Susan H. Brosnan, archivist at the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven, Conn., the ceremonies were conducted entirely in Spanish, and the class numbered 95 members, including Archbishop José Manuel Dámaso Rúiz Rodríguez of Havana. The new assembly was named after (now beatified) Padre Felix Varela.

The Cuban councils did not participate in the Order’s insurance program, but they were otherwise no different. “Council activities mirrored those of councils throughout the Order and included various social and religious functions, a blood donor program, as well as works of charity such as a free clinic to care for school children,” Brosnan explained.

Finally, the first Columbian Squires Circle — known as

Escuderos de Colón — was founded in 1942 in Havana.

Knights of Columbus were the first laity in Cuba to publicly manifest their faith in all spheres of society.

ISOLATION AND REFUGE By 1959, the Golden Jubilee of the Order’s presence in Cuba, the Knights numbered 29 councils and nearly 3,000 members. The Order was present in all six Cuban provinces and had 30 active Squires circles.

The Knights were instrumental in the growth of the Catholic Church in Cuba and specifically in the promotion of the lay apostolate.

Ignacio M. Ruiz Díaz, a charter member of San Rosendo Council 3778 in Pinar del Río, said Knights “were the first laity who publicly manifested their Catholic faith in all spheres of society.”

In August 1960, a year after Fidel Castro came to power, Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart contacted Castro by letter. Hart inquired about the

imprisonment of a brother Knight and assured Castro that he “did not believe he would be guilty of any offense against your government.” Kauffman writes, “The Chief Director of the Prime Minister’s office responded that ‘serious charges’ had been posted against the Cuban Knight,” but assured the Supreme Office that “no injustice will be done to him by the Revolutionary Government” (407).

Due to increasing political pressures and the prohibition of religious gatherings, that same year marked the last State Council meeting in Cuba.

By the early 1960s, refugees flooded from the island, countless settling 90 miles away from their homeland in Miami. Our Lady of Charity Council 5110 in Miami became the first Spanish-speaking council in the United States when it was founded in 1961. It was a virtual Cuban council in exile, with 14 grand knights from Cuba among its 150 members.

A letter from the Cuban State Deputy dated May 1964 noted that the Order had approximately 1,000 active members in Cuba, explained Brosnan. “A 1965 letter from the Officers of Council 3457 in Havana states that the council had resolved to suspend activities ‘due to the circumstances [that arose] during the last days,’” she added. c o l u m b i a / j u ly 2 0 0 9 9

A view from the square of San Cristobal Cathedral in Havana, Cuba, in 1920. For more than a century, from 1796 to 1898, the remains of Christopher Columbus lay in a mausoleum there.

Although there were 30 “councils” in Cuba from the early 1960s to 2008, these units were officially inoperative, completely isolated from the rest of the Order. Cuban representatives to the Supreme Council were chosen from among Cubans living in the United States.

HOPE ON THE HORIZON “We always maintained the hope that the Order will, some day, be able to reinitiate its work in Cuba,” said Frank Echeverría of Cienfuegos, who later joined Council 5110. The work of the councils “was the glory of the Catholic faith in Cuba.”

Echeverría’s hope is now becoming a reality. On Jan. 24, 1998, Pope John Paul II crowned a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre.

In 2006, Catholics in Cuba participated in some 69 different processions throughout the country in honor of Our Lady, who was declared the patroness of Cuba by Pope Benedict XV in 1916. In Havana, the procession ended with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Jaime Lucas Ortega Alamino.

Above: Members of San Agustín Council 1390 in Havana prepare Christmas gifts and supplies for orphans and the needy in December 1940.

Left: Pope John Paul II places a crown atop the statue of the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre during Mass at Santiago de Cuba Jan. 24, 1998. As Our Lady of Charity is the country’s patron saint, the Cobre image attracts widespread devotion among Cubans.

“We don’t have the same financial or social resources of the past, but we have a great spirit of faith and hope in the Lord.”

In August 2007, Cardinal Ortega Alamino attended the Supreme Convention and blessed images of Our Lady of Charity — which each state deputy from throughout the Order took back to his jurisdiction for a yearlong Marian Hour of Prayer program. Finally, in August 2008, for the first time in 50 years, Knights from Cuba attended the Supreme Convention in Quebec City as official delegates of Santa Maria Council 2479 in Camagüey.

Just a few weeks later, Pope Benedict XVI sent a special greeting to Cuban Catholics, encouraging them to be missionaries at all times and in all situations as they prepare JOHN PAUL II: CNS PHOTO BY ARTURO MARI

to to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the image of Our Lady of Charity.

Knights of Council 2479 are among those who embraced the pope’s request. Grand Knight Collantes Ramírez said that after many years, the council is again working closely with the Archdiocese of Camagüey to recover the values that represent the Knights: charity, unity and fraternity. “We don’t have the same financial or social resources of the past, but we have a great spirit of faith and hope in the Lord,” he explained.

“We gather always, much like the early Christian community, to hear the teachings of the Apostles and to

communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers.”

Added Echeverría, “It is essential that the Catholic faith that still lives in the hearts of so many Cubans be witnessed publicly and peacefully.

The Knights of Columbus, through their principles, can be the foundation for a better future of the Church in Cuba.” ■ María de Lourdes Ruiz Scaperlanda is a freelance writer and author from Norman, Okla. Her books include The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Mary of Nazareth (Alpha/Penguin, 2006), and The Journey: A Guide for the Modern Pilgrim (Loyola, 2004), co-authored with her husband Michael.

For more information, visit www.mymaria.net.

c o l u m b i a / j u ly 2 0 0 9 11

At the Crossroads of the New World Celebrating one hundred years of the Order in Panama

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his year marks the centenary of the Knights’ presence in Panama, where the Order has had a unique and transformative history — one intrinsically connected to the historical transitions that have taken place there.

For many decades, most of the Order’s leaders in Panama were U.S. citizens living in the Canal Zone.

When the transfer of ownership of the canal took place, most of these workers left Panama, leaving a huge deficit in the Order’s membership.

In recent years, however, participation has moved to the hands of Panamanians, reinforcing — and stabilizing — the Order’s roots in this vital country. The new surge in the Order even led to the founding of a new council, St. Antonio de Padua Council 14558, in the former Canal Zone last year. Below are some highlights of the Order’s history amid Panama’s changing political landscape.

1903

The Republic of Panama declares independence from Colombia on Nov. 3.

President Theodore Roosevelt recognizes the new government, and American naval vessels prevent Colombia from landing troops on the Isthmus of Panama. Fifteen days later, the United States brokers a deal to construct a canal in Panama in return for “in perpetuity” rights on either side of the canal.

1914 The Panama Canal is completed.

1916 Councils active in social service projects such as: aid to Mexican refugees; support to orphanages; and the publication and distribution of “Explanation of the Mass” pamphlets in Spanish, English and French as part of a movement to promote church attendance.

1918

The Order expands into the Republic of Panama when the first Spanish-speaking council,Vasco Nuñez de Balboa Council 1885 in Panama City, is instituted March 17 with Dr. Oscar Teran as grand knight. The following year, Teran is appointed territorial deputy.

1921 The United States pays Colombia $25 million in exchange for revoking all claims on Panama.

1922 Council 1885 merges with Council 1371.

1936 The United States gives up the legal right to use its troops outside the borders of the Canal Zone. A delegation from Council 1371 stands guard as the remains of Father Damien of Molokai is transited through the canal. Father Damien will be canonized Oct. 11, 2009.

1953

instituted April 11 by Territorial Deputy J. L. Kerr with 57 members. One year later, membership doubles to 120, including 10 Panamanians.

1954

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surrenders sovereignty over the Canal Zone, and the Panama Canal becomes the property of a United States-Panamanian authority.

1977 Panama and President Jimmy Carter sign treaties giving Panama gradual control of the canal, phasing out U.S. military bases and guaranteeing the canal’s neutrality.

1990

Supreme Director Enrique Rivera Santana is appointed special direct representative to Panama, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. Many U.S. citizens leave Panama as transfer of Canal Zone ownership continues, causing membership decline.

1993 With few English speakers remaining, meetings of Council 1371 become Spanish-led.

2000 Transfer of Canal Zone control from United States to Panama is completed.

1940

1909 Balboa Council 1371 in Panama City is

Distance and travel concerns lead to the formation of Cristóbal Council 1689.

1967 Under a new treaty, the United States

Council 1689 commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Panama Canal by presenting a silver ciborium to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church.

The office of Territorial Deputy of Panama is discontinued. Canal Zone councils are attached to the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia.

1913

Council 1371 maintains regular toy collections for children in remote villages ministered by mission priests, with Knights serving as volunteer catechists after Sunday Mass.

1939

U.S. workers in the Canal Zone form a Columbus Club and contact the Supreme Council regarding a council.

1906

1961

First Columbian Squires Circle is established in the Canal Zone under the auspices of Council 1371.

More than 2,000 attend a Marian Year pilgrimage at the Cathedral of Our Lady’s Assumption in Panama City sponsored by Council 1371.

2008

San Antonio de Padua Council 14558 is founded in Panama City with 32 members.

— Reported by María de Lourdes Ruiz Scaperlanda

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FATHERS FOR GOOD

www.fathersforgood.org

Passing on the Faith

BY JAKE SAMOU R

This also means setting an example of prayer. We ringing up our children in the Catholic Church and must be willing to pray with and pray for our chilhelping them practice the faith through their teen dren. We must provide solid and consistent religious years, when some are inclined to fall away, are instruction as well. Pope Benedict XVI has echoed the major concerns for fathers. After all, we received the call for a new evangelization, which involves redisgreat gift of faith from our parents and we are anxious covering and passing on Catholic teaching and the joy to pass this gift to our own children. Yet, in many ways, of the Good News. Simply put, what we all need is a popular culture often works against our best efforts — personal encounter with Jesus Christ and the new life in music, television, the Internet, and a general mindset that he brings. of materialism and relativism.

How do we help young people At the same time, there is a belief realize that they are called to this today that this dynamic might change newness of life? First, we have to help as Hispanic Catholics in the United them recognize Christ by inviting States continue to grow in number — them to know the Lord not only in exerting a greater influence on the theory but also by meeting him on a Church in America, with strong tradijourney. Our invitation must appeal tions and devotion to the Blessed to the desires of the human heart for Virgin Mary. While we hope and pray love and communion, and show that that this, indeed, will be the case, it is Jesus is the answer to that longing. not guaranteed. Like other Catholics Finally, we look to the Blessed throughout the world, Hispanic parVirgin Mary. Even Hispanics who ents face challenges in passing the have otherwise fallen away from their Catholic faith on to their children. faith still have a devotion to her. In We all know that Hispanics are a Mexico, for instance, while society is growing population in the United becoming more secular, the people States. We also know that Hispanics remain devoted to Our Lady of are historically and culturally Catholic, drawing on the rich faith traditions of More than 30 million Hispanic Catholics Guadalupe.

This devotion to Mary is a great Central and South America and reside in the United States today, and more beyond. Hispanics currently make up than half of U.S. Catholics under age 25 are of gift that Hispanics can give to all Hispanic descent.

Americans and that we fathers can more than 15 percent of the total U.S. give to our children. Through our population and approximately 36 perBlessed Mother, we can lead others to a relationship cent within the Catholic Church. with Jesus. Mary speaks in such a personal manner to It is less well-known that many Hispanics are each heart, whether it is Our Lady of Guadalupe, the falling away from the Church. While a significant Patroness of the Americas, or the Immaculate number are being drawn into evangelical and other Conception, to whom the U.S. bishops dedicated the Protestant communities, some are abandoning religion country in the mid-19th century. completely. Indeed, there exists within Western culAlthough times have changed and continue to ture a phenomenon that Pope John Paul II called “the change quickly, the person and message of Jesus baptized non-believer.” More and more Hispanics fit remains the same. Show your children his love in into this category. They are Catholic by familial tradiyour love, his example in your actions, his sacrifice in tion and cultural association, but not by conviction. your daily work and dedication to family — and pray As fathers, we must act to change the tide and give they will respond with faith. ■ our children the treasure of faith that will guide them through life. The starting point is the same for all Jake Samour, a native of El Salvador, is the director of the Office of fathers, regardless of ethnic background — we must Marriage and Family Life for the Archdiocese of San Antonio and a live the faith ourselves and provide a positive example 2005 graduate of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. He is a member of Archbishop James V. Casey to our children. If we expect that our children will go Council 9349 in Littleton, Colo. to Mass and practice the faith as they pass through adolescence to adulthood, we must be willing to serve as strong leaders every step of the way.

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TOP LEFT: PANAMA CANAL AUTHORITY ABOVE: JUPITERIMAGES UNLIMITED

c o l u m b i a / j u ly 2 0 0 9 13

COLUMBIA CONVERSATION

Building a

Christian Continent An interview about Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love B Y CO L U M B I A STA F F

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etween Dec. 9-12, 1531, scarcely a decade after the conquest of Mexico, the Virgin Mary appeared to an Indian convert, Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. Speaking in his native Náhuatl language, she asked Juan Diego to bear a request to the bishop: to build a church on Tepeyac hill, a place where all could lay their needs before her and she could present her son, Jesus Christ. After failing to convince the bishop, Juan Diego was given a sign by the Virgin: a marvelous bouquet from the wintery, notoriously barren hilltop. When he took the flowers in his tilma, or cloak, and let them fall before the bishop, a new miraculous sign was revealed: a splendid image of the Virgin herself. Our Lady of Guadalupe’s image has since become the most recognized and beloved image of the Virgin Mary in the Americas.

This August, a new book will be published that discusses the Virgin’s message as it relates to the past, present and future. Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love (Doubleday) by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson and Msgr.

Eduardo Chávez Sánchez, the postulator for the cause for canonization of St. Juan Diego, explores how the apparition and image speak to our lives today, especially in light of the writings of popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Proceeds from the book will be donated to Knights of Columbus Charities.

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Columbia: You suggest that the canonization of St. Juan Diego on July 31, 2002, was one of the most significant events to occur in the Church during Pope John Paul II’s long pontificate. In what way is the canonization of a man who lived five centuries ago important for us today?

Father Chávez: Pope John Paul II saw the canonization of St. Juan Diego as an opportunity to confirm that God exists and looks after the needs of his people. Indeed, God intervenes through his own mother, Holy Mary of Guadalupe, who has

chosen a humble layman to be her ambassador. The message that Juan Diego was charged to deliver pertains to the immense love of God for all human beings of all times and from all places. It is thus a message for the whole Church and the whole world.

Anderson: Mary’s “yes” to God at the Annunciation is echoed in Juan Diego’s “yes” at Tepeyac and provides an example for our own lives.

John Paul II acknowledged that the hope and success of the new evangelization in the Americas depend, in a large part, upon the laity being leaven in society. In a special way, Juan Diego, as a layman, is an important reminder that regardless of circumstances, we can live out our call to holiness and evangelization in close union with the Church.

Sometimes, Catholics’ devotion to the Virgin Mary and the saints is viewed suspiciously as something that obscures or even detracts from one’s relationship with Christ.

Father Chávez: Mary is Jesus Christ’s foremost disciple and missionary.

The mission of the saints, and in parw w w. ko f c .o r g

Msgr. Eduardo Chávez Sánchez, postulator for the cause for canonization of St. Juan Diego, and Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson stand together at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. They have co-authored a new book, titled Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love (Doubleday) and will be among the featured speakers at the Knights-sponsored Guadalupe Festival, to be held in Phoenix Aug. 8.

“

her promise to present us ticular of Mary, the with her son.

Mother of God, is inseparable from the n the presWhen Our Lady of Gospel. The central ent world we Guadalupe first appeared point of the message years after the conand the image of Holy confront real 10 quest of Mexico, life in Mary of Guadalupe is the New World was turJesus Christ. He is the challenges, bulent with clashes of essence of the Guadapeoples, cultures and relilupan event. From the which gions. How does Our hand of Our Lady of increasingly Lady of Guadalupe speak Guadalupe, we enthe challenges we face counter our Savior. demand this to Anderson: Mary’s mesin today’s world? sage is and always has Father Chávez: Injustestimony been “Do whatever he tices, crimes and cruelof love from ties unfortunately are tells you” (Jn 2:5). not unique to the 16th Those who see in Mary each of us. a distraction from century, but rather are Jesus Christ do not experienced at each stage We must properly understand of human history. That is her role. She is the why the message of Holy follow Jesus messenger, in fact the Mary of Guadalupe is so Christ with- relevant. She leads us to most perfect messenger, of her son. From her son, Jesus Christ, out limit. the four-petal flower — who took on all of the world’s injustices and the central design in the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, gave himself for love of us. representing God within her — to Conversely, it is precisely at the the fact that her image draws mil- foot of the cross that the Savior lions of people each year to the handed over his mother to the Basilica [of Our Lady of Guadalupe] Apostle John and through him to to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, we each human being. In the present face constant proof that Mary fulfills world we confront real challenges,

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which increasingly demand this testimony of love from each of us.

We must follow Jesus Christ without limit. In doing so, we are not alone; Mary is at our side.

Anderson: Our Lady of Guadalupe was a major catalyst in the creation of our “Christian Hemisphere.”

Appearing as a mestiza [or mixedrace] woman, her image spoke to the bridging of cultures through the sanctifying message of her son. That message, and the ability of the Catholic Church to unify the human family across cultures, is as relevant to the challenges we face today as in 1531. Our cultural misunderstandings and differences are often caused by overlooking the fact that there is much more that unites us than keeps us apart. The very fact that Our Lady of Guadalupe is revered from Chile to Canada shows that she is the spiritual mother of an entire hemisphere, and we are children of the same family.

What can we learn from her in sharing the Gospel of Life in today’s secular culture, which is often hostile or even indifferent to the most vulnerable?

Father Chávez: The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is that of a pregnant woman. She is the tabernacle where Jesus is present, or as Pope Benedict XVI has said, Mary is the “living Ark of the Covenant.” She comes with the Savior to remain with us, and thus requested the bishop build a temple on the plain of the Tepeyac, a rocky hill, where life still blossoms. So, too, in the present world in which so many are deceived by a culture of death, life can blossom. God comes through Mary to make his love take root, even in the hardened or indifferent heart.

Anderson: Our Lady of Guadalupe brought a culture of life and a civilization of love to a continent that knew little, if anything, of Christ.

Many of those who should have had a belief in Christ instead scandalized potential converts with their abusive treatment. Our Lady’s original message of hope and unconditional love resonates with all, and can resound and inspire the lives of others through us. c o l u m b i a / j u ly 2 0 0 9 15

tangibly respond to this call through the great charitable initiatives of the Order and through concern for the most vulnerable and marginalized in our society.

Because the message of Our Lady is so important for our future, the Order was dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe when I was installed as supreme knight in 2000 at the basilica in Mexico City.

The Knights of Columbus will hold the first International Marian Congress devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe from Aug. 6-8 in Phoenix. How do you see the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe guiding and shaping the future work and mission of the Knights of Columbus?

Father Chávez: For me, the Knights of Columbus are the modern “Juan Diegos” — humble laymen who bear the message of God’s love among their brothers. Knights aid the sick and the needy just as St. Juan Diego cared for his uncle, Juan Bernardino. They battle untiringly in favor of life in all its dimensions. There have indeed been Knights of Columbus who have sacrificed their lives in martyrdom for defending life and defending their faith. Knights must constantly bear witness through good deeds and support to those who need help and consolation.

Anderson: Like Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Knights of Columbus has played an important role throughout the American continent. With councils in North and Central America and in the Caribbean, we have been called to be heralds of the message of love that Our Lady of Guadalupe brought here nearly 500 years ago. Knights

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What do you consider unique about Our Lady of Guadalupe compared to other Marian apparitions?

Father Chávez: In Mexico, on Tepeyac, Mary uniquely appears as pregnant, emphasizing that it was a real encounter with God himself, whom she bears in her immaculate womb. In addition, this is the only apparition in which Mary has left her “portrait,” her blessed icon, which is imprinted on the humble tilma of St. Juan Diego and has been conserved for nearly 500 years.

Anderson: Our Lady always speaks in her apparitions in a manner appropriate to the place and time of her visit. In the 19th and 20th centuries, at Lourdes and Fatima, respectively, Our Lady’s message to a Christianized but increasingly secular people was one of loving admonishment — for example, in both there was a strong call to penance.

At Guadalupe, on a continent that by and large did not know her son,

her message focused on the embrace of the Catholic faith as the culmination and fulfillment of culture.

You emphasize that true conversion consists not merely in a new religious identification but in an ongoing conversion of heart. Why is this kind of conversion so central to Christianity and the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe?

Father Chávez: Holy Mary of Guadalupe asked for a holy place — a church — to offer all her love. For the indigenous people, building a temple or church did not merely mean a physical construction, but rather a new people, a new civilization of love. Yet, this can only be achieved if one opens his heart for a true conversion to the complete and singular love of God. Although conversion is a grace, it is also true that God will always respect our freedom, since this is a condition for the existence of true love. For that reason, we are simply invited to respond.

Anderson: Pope Benedict once said that the Church today does not need reformers but people radically in love with Jesus Christ, the type of people we call saints. It is not enough to profess a belief in Jesus Christ with words alone. The most profound statement of our belief is the manner in which we live our lives. Life is a journey punctuated by daily opportunities to profess one’s faith by saying “yes” to the will of God. This is something that none of us does perfectly; it is the reason that each of us is called to an ever-greater conversion. ■

Win a Trip to the Guadalupe Festival in Phoenix

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reorder Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love (Doubleday) by July 17 and be eligible to win a trip to Phoenix for the Guadalupe Festival, to take place Aug. 8. Two winners will receive airfare, hotel accommodations and special reserved seating at the Guadalupe Festival for themselves and a guest.You may preorder using either the enclosed envelope (U.S. only) or online at www.guadalupebook.com.

Each book purchased counts as one entry. Winners will be contacted July 20. The cost per book is $15.63 — more than 30% off the cover price. Shipping is free.

Proceeds from the book will be donated to Knights of Columbus Charities. w w w. ko f c .o r g

ABOVE LEFT: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS MUSEUM/CARTOUCHE DETAIL, VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE BY N. ENRIQUEZ.

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Catholic Literature, Then and Now

n order to communicate the message

entrusted to her by Christ, the Church

The Catholic literary tradition offers a powerful, sacramental vision of the world

needs art. Art must make perceptible, and

B Y G R E G O RY W O L F E

as far as possible attractive, the world of the spirit, of the invisible, of God. It must therefore translate into meaningful terms that which is in itself ineffable.

Pope John Paul II Letter to Artists (1999)

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f someone conducted a survey asking people who they thought were the leading contemporary writers that engage the Catholic vision, who do you think would top the list? I have a sinking feeling that it might be Dan Brown, whose unhistorical and lurid thrillers The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons have recently been adapted into feature films.

Since the literary riches of the Catholic tradition — from St. Augustine’s Confessions through Dante’s Divine Comedy to the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins and beyond — are vast, rivaling those of the Church’s visual art and music, we might well ask: Who represents this tradition in the modern world?

There’s no simple answer to that question, but one thing is clear: The Catholic literary tradition has produced classic works in every age, and ours is no exception.

In 1948, no less a writer than George Orwell noted in The New Yorker that a “fairly large proportion of the distinguished novels of the last few decades have been written

by Catholics and have even been describable as Catholic novels.”

Orwell was referring to what has been called the “Catholic literary revival” of the 20th century, whose leading figures included Graham Greene, Evelyn Waugh, George Bernanos and François Mauriac.

What were their novels like?

Take Graham Greene’s enduring tale The Power and the Glory. It recounts the tale of a Mexican priest living through his country’s persecution of the Church in the 1920s (the same persecution that produced the

Knights of Columbus Mexican Martyrs). But Greene’s protagonist is no saint; he’s an alcoholic who in a moment of weakness fathered a child. Weak and fearful, he nonetheless decides to minister to the needs of his flock rather than seek safety.

Facing execution, the priest is filled with regret: “He felt only an immense disappointment because he had to go to God empty-handed, with nothing done at all. It seemed to him at that moment that it would have been quite easy to have been a saint. It would only have needed a little self-restraint and a little courage. He felt like someone who has missed happiness by seconds at an appointed place. He knew now that there was only one thing that counted — to be a saint.”

The generations of readers who have loved The Power and the Glory tend to be less harsh on the priest than he was on himself. After all, he chose, despite his inadequacies, to bring the sacraments to the people of God. His awareness of his own faults and failures is itself close to sanctity.

What the writers of the Catholic literary revival shared was a sense that literature is sacramental, that it shows how God’s grace can be made incarnate in sinful flesh and blood.

This entails a sense of paradox, since it is grounded in the mysterious yoking of heaven and earth. That’s why these writers employed irony and ambiguity — in order to convey a sense of how sin and sanctity can coexist within the same person, how suffering and loss can lead to an embrace of our redemption.

Not long after Orwell made his comments, a generation of American c o l u m b i a / j u ly 2 0 0 9 17

Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964) was among the most influential Catholic writers of the 20th century. Her two novels and 32 short stories, which are usually set in the Southern United States, often address questions of faith and morality.

Catholic writers rose to prominence, including Thomas Merton, Flannery O’Connor and Walker Percy.

To many of her early readers, Flannery O’Connor’s stories seemed to embrace modern ideas about existential despair and violence. After all, they were about unappealing Southern characters who often came to a violent end. But for all O’Connor’s use of violence and the grotesque, readers began to understand that her characters were not unlike themselves: beset by a selfish pride that leads to a head-on collision with reality. In O’Connor’s stories, it is precisely in that moment that we are offered the chance to receive God’s love and mercy.

O’Connor believed that modern readers had so thoroughly lost touch with Christianity that she needed to use exaggeration to convey the deep-

18

est mysteries of faith. She explained, “For the almost deaf you have to shout, for the nearly blind you have to draw large and startling figures.”

Recent Catholic writers such as Andre Dubus, Alice McDermott, Ron Hansen and Jon Hassler have taken a different approach. Rather than shout, they have chosen to whisper. In this sense, McDermott’s

National Book Award-winning novel, Charming Billy, makes an interesting contrast to The Power and the Glory.

The story takes place in the Irish Catholic community of greater New York City in the decades following World War II. The novel opens with Billy’s funeral; an alcoholic, Billy has drunk himself into an early grave.

Despite his faults, Billy is truly charming. He is always writing people little notes on cocktail napkins and showing kindness to all, although a kind of doom follows him to his end.

In McDermott’s story there is little explicit discussion of faith, despite the Irish Catholic milieu.

Only once in the novel does Billy broach the subject of religion — in a moving passage in which he reflects on the passion of Christ.

Unlike the priest in The Power and the Glory, Billy does not face martyrdom before a firing squad.

The faith here isn’t a shout, nor is it set against a big, existential canvas.

It is whispered through the very mundane, middle-class life of modern America. And it is Catholic to the core. ■ Gregory Wolfe is the editor of Image journal (imagejournal.org) and the director of the MFA in Creative Writing at Seattle Pacific University.

Discover Catholic Literature

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ne great place to find excellent Catholic literature is “Loyola Classics,” a line of novels ranging over many styles and settings, reprinted by Loyola Press (loyolaclassics.com).

Among the more than 20 featured titles is Mr. Blue

by Myles Connolly (1897-1964), who in addition to being a popular author and screenwriter, was also a former editor of Columbia. w w w. ko f c .o r g ABOVE LEFT: AP PHOTO/ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, JOE MCTYRE

Wielding Words For Knight John McNichol, the pen is mightier than the sword B Y PAT R I C K S C A L I S I

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rom E. L. Doctorow’s Ragtime unlikely relationship since Wells case. The man absolutely loved to Alan Moore’s comic series was ardently anti-religious. fantasy.”

The League of Extraordinary “Somebody might come away A friend pointed McNichol Gentlemen, some writers have made from this seeing how you can still toward Sophia Institute Press, whose it their business to ask the question, hold a friendship with somebody editor suggested some changes before “What if?” What if the lives of vari- who believes differently than you, accepting the book for publication. ous turn-of-the-century figures sud- and even give them your perspective The Tripods Attack! was then finaldenly converged? What if the charac- in the process,” added McNichol, ized and released in March 2008. ters from your favorite novels About the book’s recepsuddenly had an adventure tion, McNichol said, “The together? neat thing is to hear from On the surface, this is other young people who are the basic concept behind Catholic and who enjoy sciThe Tripods Attack! (Sophia ence fiction, and even nonInstitute Press), a novel writCatholics who simply enjoy ten by John D. McNichol of a good story. I’m glad that Dr. John M. McLoughlin they’re seeing another Council 2325 in Oregon perspective — a Catholic City, Ore. perspective — where they “Wouldn’t it be nice if we might not normally see had a genuine hero who came one.” out on top because he was McNichol is under confollowing Catholic values?” tract to write a sequel to The said McNichol, a full-time Tripods Attack!, a process teacher at St. John the he began approximately a Apostle School. year ago. The book is tentaThe idea came about after tively titled The Emperor of McNichol read an article in North America and will see the September 2001 issue of Writer John McNichol works in his office at St. John the Apostle Chesterton and Wells transColumbia magazine titled, School in Oregon City, Ore. planted from England to the “We Need a Catholic Harry United States.

Potter.” Inspired, he set out For other writers who to write a book that would appeal to who included Wells as a character in have encountered problems publishyoung readers but still have a decid- the book. Needless to say, the fic- ing their Catholic-based work, edly Catholic theme. tionalized friends often butt heads, McNichol offers the following “I thought, ‘Why not take an especially on matters of faith and advice: “If you feel alone when existing Catholic hero, a great ethics. you’re writing, you’re not the first writer like G. K. Chesterton, and After completing two initial person to feel that way. I think make him a teenager…?’” drafts of the book, McNichol began St. Francis de Sales went three years McNichol explained. shopping it around for publication. before he had his first convert. So if Thus began the concept for The At least one secular company felt you’re knocking on doors and can’t Tripods Attack!, a labor that took the material was too Catholic, while get anyone else to see what you see, nearly six years to complete and some religious publishers were wary you’re in good company.” untold hours staring at the comput- about publishing a work of science McNichol, at least, is keeping er screen. McNichol started by fiction. readers company with one of the immersing himself in mythology, as “Unfortunately, there’s a sense greatest Catholic writers of the 20th well as literature from the Victorian that science-fiction and imaginative century. ■ and Edwardian eras. He also read fiction in general are somehow Chesterton’s own works and learned opposed to Christianity,” said Patrick Scalisi is the associate editor of Columbia. that the Catholic writer had been McNichol. “Anybody who’s read good friends with H. G. Wells — an Chesterton would see that’s not the c o l u m b i a / j u ly 2 0 0 9 19

unveiling

Beauty Artist Antonella Cappuccio on the value and importance of art for society

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ntonella Cappuccio has worked as a full-time painter in Rome for more than 30 years.

While her career as an artist has had several stages, involving various mediums, themes and styles, her works demonstrate an intense study of the great masters and a strong dedication to the traditions of Renaissance Italy.

In addition to producing works for the Italian Military Corps, the Vatican and the Italian government, Cappuccio has painted several works commissioned by the Knights of Columbus.

Among these is Founding Vision, a portrait of Father Michael J. McGivney that depicts the establishment of the Order in 1882.

When an exhibit of more than 36 of Cappuccio’s works opened March 19 at the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven, Conn., Cappuccio discussed with Columbia the role of art — and the artist — in the modern world. Selections from her reflections appear below. For more information about the exhibit, which will remain on display until Oct. 4, visit www.kofcmuseum.org.

THE ARTIST’S MESSAGE Art can affect the Church and society because of its message. The message is an integral part of art.

Works show something about the moment in which we live — whether it’s September 11th or now. For art to be mature, the idea must be very important to the artist.

A work of art must be elevated in some way. It is not necessarily better because it is sacred or ancient. Rather, the importance lies within the concept and the suggestion within the content. There is also poetry in the subject matter and how it is done. That is where one sees the artist’s sensitivity and thought.

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John Paul II: Champion of Marriage and Family exemplifies Cappuccio’s talent in portrait painting. One of several works commissioned by the Order, this painting includes a depiction of the wedding at Cana and places special emphasis on the late pope’s pastoral concern for marriage.

THE VOCATION OF THE ARTIST I believe that there is neither ‘modern’ nor ‘ancient’ art — that is, either art is ugly or beautiful. The key is one must first grow as an artist and also as a person.

Work is like life — it brings you to your knees and teaches you. Unfortunately, many schools tend to create disillusioned people, because young people enter the academy and leave a year later thinking they are artists. One first needs to know how to create and build. Only a solid base allows you to be really free. Liberty stems from knowledge.

It is not that the artist has a gift, but rather the artist is an instrument. He is like a farmer who every day works and waits for a miracle — for the harvest to grow. However, one does not always realize this. When one makes something beautiful, he is touched by grace.

To obtain something little, one must give all. It is like one’s faith. There is no half measure. w w w. ko f c .o r g

ART AND EMOTION It is a question of passion. An artist puts passion into how one does things and into thinking about how the world should be, the values that have been lost. It is not premeditated. One does not do this sitting down.

When you miss something, there comes a need and thus you express it. We are human and we have feelings. The work of an artist is thus a bit like putting oneself to the service of a passion, as an instrument to move others.

Art in the past has had the function of education and can offer hope today. For example, even if a person passes by and does not understand the meaning of a work it still brings forth some emotion.

Above: Painted in the days immediately following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, September 11 depicts a man and woman metaphorically represented as land lapped by the sea and emerging from a strip of black sand. At a special reception at the Knights of Columbus Museum March 19, Cappuccio announced she would be donating the painting to the museum’s permanent collection.

Left: Absent Love, Cappuccio’s interpretation of a 16th-century painting

by Titian titled Sacred and Profane Love, symbolizes the loss of faith and values in modern life.

ARTISTIC STYLES I believe preserving classical styles is necessary because the images I see must communicate something recognizable. The important part is that it makes me feel part of something.

I want to communicate with people of all walks of life and try to do this through humble qualities that touch the heart.

Some of my paintings, such as September 11, are more abstract. The expression of the man and woman and the way they hold their hands is absolutely figurative. They are portrayed as land against the sea. I used violent colors because the world was violated, and thus the color changes with the sentiments expressed.

In art, like life, we have many seasons. One learns new things and changes. As humans, we are restless, always moving and searching. But even though I am changing, I am still me. c o l u m b i a / j u ly 2 0 0 9 21

Listening for God Andrew Miller, a composer and Knight, sees his music as a calling

BY ELIZABETH ELA

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sk composer Andrew T. Miller how his Catholic faith has influenced his work, and he doesn’t skip a beat.

“It’s everything,” he says. If not for the Church, “I wouldn’t be writing. I wouldn’t write a note.”

Fortunately, Miller has been writing passionately for nearly two decades, focusing in particular on sacred music. His cantata, The Birth of Christ, was performed at the Vatican in April. Among those present were the city’s mayor and vicemayor, as well as Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura and a member of Bishops Council 10490 in St. Louis, Mo. “I really think that it’s my calling,” Miller says, explaining his desire to give back to God his musical talents and share that gift with others, whether they already have faith or are still searching.

He speaks with exuberance when discussing his next project — a musical adaptation of Christ’s passion and resurrection. He also acknowledges that “everything that I’ve done has been a leap of faith.”

A member of St. Martin of Tours Council 14162 in Fife, Wash., Miller is especially grateful for the support of his brother Knights. He has been a member since 1989 and recalls, “I liked what they were doing in church and in the community at large.”

In 2006, The Birth of Christ was aired on public television stations throughout the United States, thanks to the financial support of the Order.

Miller’s father is also a Knight, and he shares his son’s love of music.

The elder Miller — “a fine, fine bass” according to his son — sang in the Vatican performance, along with Andrew’s 14-year-old son.

Andrew Miller’s musicianship has spanned from a collection of traditional Marian hymns to The

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Composer Andrew T. Miller waves to the audience at the premier of The Birth of Christ, performed at Dublin’s Christ Church Cathedral.

Legend of Pandora, a musical that touches on the fall of Adam and Eve. It was with The Birth of Christ, however, that he garnered international acclaim.

The piece premiered at Dublin’s Christ Church Cathedral in 2006, combining choirs from both Protestant and Catholic congregations — including the choir from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which first performed Handel’s Messiah in 1742.

The Birth of Christ was praised not only for its soaring and majestic score, but also for its symbolism of peace and unity in a country torn by religious and political strife. At the time, EWTN host Raymond Arroyo called it “one of the most moving and powerful musical explorations of the Christmas story” ever composed.

When asked about his proudest or most memorable moment, Miller begins to speak of this year’s performance in Rome — a standingroom-only gathering of between 3,000 and 4,000 people that featured more than 125 voices. Actor Jim

Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ) narrated part of the work.

“It’s all about people,” Miller says, adding that he wants to make Christianity relevant to his listeners as “only music can.”

Miller’s works stress the humanity and emotions of the characters — from the fear of Joseph facing Mary’s pregnancy to the agony of Christ’s passion. The greatest compliment, Miller says, is when listeners say his music affected them in a profound way.

Whether he is addressing a classical music aficionado or a newcomer to the world of cantatas and chorales, Miller encourages those who seek to grow in appreciation of their faith through music to “let it wash on them.”

“People of all walks will let beautiful music envelop them for one and a half hours,” Miller says. “Even atheists will say, ‘It felt real to me.’” ■ Elizabeth Ela is editor of the Knights of Columbus news site, www.headlinebistro.com.

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The West’s One True Muse The convergence of the Roman liturgy and various cultures has historically produced timeless and beautiful music B Y T I M OT H Y M c D O N N E L L

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hen considering Nowhere has this played out the history of liturmore surprisingly or more gical music in the poignantly than in Central Western Church, we might America. In the wake of conobserve a feature that distinquest, the missionaries to the guishes the music of the New World carried the Roman rite from that of its means of salvation to a proEastern siblings: a remarkfoundly religious people, able diversity of forms and exchanging brutal rites of styles. This breadth — which human sacrifice for a new encompasses everything covenant in the blood of the from chant to full symphonic one Redeemer. works — demonstrates the The pace at which the openness with which the Catholic faith spread through Church encounters various New Spain was staggering, cultures and peoples. In its and the naturalness with mission across Europe, the which the Mesoamericans Roman rite displayed an Members of the Sistine Chapel choir are seen as Pope Benedict XVI adopted the Gospel was uncanny “genius for genius.” arrives for Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. inspiring. These developAs it met and baptized new ments were no doubt due in nations, the Church adopted large part to the influence of the cultural gifts of its new children, voices with old and adopting a sym- the Virgin of Guadalupe. The adapting them to her uses, but also phony of liturgical chant repertoires. Church, bringing all her gifts to bear, The most famous product of this also met with a talent of a different affecting the liturgy in turn.

The great achievement of Roman process is Gregorian chant. Although kind: a tremendous aptitude for Catholicism is that it attained a cul- we can think of little that is more music among the native peoples of tural identity that is supranational Roman today than the Gregorian the New World. Within a century, and, ultimately, intercontinental. melodies, these masterpieces actual- the convergence of Roman CatholiCertainly, the Roman liturgy was ly originated in France. cism with native talent produced a Indeed, a pattern of mutual flourishing of art music for the well disposed to its sweeping mission. Its portability combined with development emerges when one sacred liturgy in Mexico. The the natural Roman indifference to traces the partnership between litur- European musical materials and race or tribe. This was, after all, the gy and music. As the liturgy engages models were absorbed and integrated empire that extended citizenship to new peoples, bearing its own tradi- into the native imagination, turning all its far-flung provinces. Borne by tions, it enthuses the native genius out a fresh repertory of song. the zeal of early missionaries, it of a culture to “sing a new song.”

This example gives hope to the yielded a confederacy of Celt, Goth, Astonishingly, as new forms arise, modern culture of the West, which Frank and Roman peoples under one they remain consonant with all the is so cut off from its roots. Perhaps Latin rite — an accomplishment authentic forms of the liturgy the forgetfulness of her origins will throughout the world and through- be shed, and rediscovering the known to history as Christendom.

It is important to note that the out time. The timelessness that Catholic faith, her ancient and best Roman rite, at the peak of its devel- marks beautiful liturgical music muse, will bring new beauties to opment in the Middle Ages, was not finds poetic expression in the oft- flower in cooperation with grace. ■ a monolith. Rather, it weaved itself quoted prayer of Augustine, “Late into cultures and was richly embroi- have I loved Thee, beauty so old and Timothy McDonnell is the chairman of the Department of Music at Ave Maria University in dered by local customs. Not the least so new, late have I loved Thee!”

Florida. Formerly the director of liturgical music at In this remarkable exchange, the the Pontifical North American College in Rome,he of these contributions was music. As the rite progressed into the far reach- liturgy attunes the music of a nation is also a member of Mater Ecclesiae Council 12833 es of Europe, it collected — really, to itself, complementing the wide in Berlin, N.J. assumed — the musical accents of its world of Catholic liturgical music, new adherents, harmonizing new even in the most unlikely of places.

TOP LEFT: LUDWIG SUJU ABOVE: CNS PHOTO/TONY GENTILE, REUTERS

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REFLECTION

GOD’S INTERVENTION The prayers of Mexico’s first bishop were answered when God sent his own mother

BY MSGR. EDUARDO CHÁVEZ SÁNCHEZ EDITOR’S NOTE: Below is the seventh in a series of articles by Msgr. Eduardo Chávez Sánchez in anticipation of the first International Marian Congress devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe.The congress will take place Aug.6-8 following the 127th Supreme Convention in Phoenix, followed by the Guadalupe Festival.For more information,visit www.guadalupefestival.org.

For the indigenous mind, anything “new” was rejected as a lie, for the native religion was deeply rooted in both tradition and history. How, then, could one speak of the Good News of Christianity and the truth of Jesus Christ, the God who became flesh? How could such a people be evangelized while confronted with these tremendous hardships? he intervention of God through his holy mother, The government at the time could not be trusted the Virgin of Guadalupe, on Dec. 9-12, 1531, was as a source of aid. To the contrary, the first civil govin part a response to the prayerful petition of erning body in Mexico, known as the First Audience, Mexico’s first bishop, Friar Juan de Zumárraga. For carried out many injustices and several years — amid injustice, abuses against the indigenous peocrime and the seeming futility of ple. The Spanish population that his efforts — Bishop Zumárraga was trying to live in peace, espeprayed for deliverance. The Virgin’s cially the missionary friars and apparition came as a clear answer Bishop Zumárraga, likewise did not to these prayers, and Bishop escape persecution. So, while the Zumárraga was the first to see the friars were working hard to evanmiraculous image imprinted on gelize and express the love of the Juan Diego’s tilma. true God, some of their fellow The Franciscan missionaries Christian countrymen were makwere among the first Europeans to ing slaves out of the native people. arrive in Mexico after the conquest Bishop Zumárraga sought to of the Mexica Empire. Between protect the indigenous people, but 1523-24, they began to sow God’s found his efforts constantly thwartWord in this new land, and were ed by government officials. In fact, among the first to witness and the officials obstructed the peacespeak out against the injustices sufful Spaniards and the missionary fered by the indigenous people. The friars alike until Bishop Zumárraga consequences of military conquest was left with no choice but to were compounded by the rapid excommunicate the members of spread of smallpox, which resulted the First Audience. in the deaths of half of the native Finally, in 1529, Bishop Zumárpopulation. Moreover, the indige- Friar Juan de Zumárraga (1468-1548), the first bishop of Mexico, was charged with the title raga managed to send a letter to nous people felt betrayed by their Protector of the Indians by Charles V. Charles V, King of Spain and gods, whom they had worshipped Emperor of the Holy Roman with human sacrifices to sustain Empire. The bishop expressed his fears for the new their lives and the harmony of the universe. How land: “If God does not provide a remedy from his hand, many hearts had been sacrificed! How much blood the whole earth may be lost in its totality.” But in the had been shed! face of this crisis occurred one of the most important The tragedy in all this brutality manifested itself moments in the history of the Church. With the in a sorrowful and sullen indigenous chant that was apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, God once again repeated to the first Franciscans: “The weeping encountered humankind through his mother. ■ spreads, the tears drip there in Tlatelolco. So, what must we do, all of us who are low and mortal men? If Msgr. Eduardo Chávez Sánchez, postulator for the cause for canonwe are to die, then let’s die; if we are to be consumed, ization of St. Juan Diego, is the author of Our Lady of Guadalupe and let’s be consumed; since truly the gods also died....”

St. Juan Diego: The Historical Evidence (Rowman & Littlefield, 2006) and a member of Council 14138 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Confronted with this apocalyptic moment, the Guadalupe in Mexico City. young Church in Mexico was faced with a challenge: How could the Word of God be sowed in this land?

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KNIGHTS

IN

ACTION

Reports from Councils, Assemblies and Columbian Squires Circles

Trees Planted Members of St. Clement Council 8456 in Angono, Luzon, landscaped the grounds of Carlos “Botong” Francisco Memorial High School. Knights planted new trees and shrubbery.

Coat Drive St. Stephen Council 13063 in Trumbull, Conn., collected, boxed and transported more than 600 coats during its annual coat drive.

The items were donated to the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood in Bridgeport for distribution to the needy.

Art Daviaux and Edmund Wisniewski of Sacred Heart Council 13537 in Southport, N.C., compete with two athletes during the Brunswick County Special Olympics. Thirty Knights from throughout the area volunteered at the event, which represented 11 schools from across the county.

From Sand to School

Adopted Church

Father Howard J. Lesch Assembly in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., awarded its annual Wounded Warrior Scholarship to Second Lt. Shannon R. Kay, who received the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat and the Silver Star for heroism. The assembly annually awards a scholarship to a wounded soldier or their family.

Mary Immaculate Council 12769 in Secaucus, N.J., donated $200 to Our Lady of Guadalupe parish in Tivoli, Texas. Knights adopted the parish after a council member met the church’s pastor on a plane to New York. The council also donated new vestments, office supplies and more to the parish, which is experiencing financial difficulties.

Building Fund Support

Restoration Funds

North Port (Fla.) Council 7997 donated $12,000 to help build the San Pedro Youth and Family Center. Guardian Angels Council 14540 in Brampton, Ont., volunteered at a tag sale that raised $3,000 for its parish building fund.

Barry’s Bay (Ont.) Council 6894 donated $5,000 to the restoration fund at Holy Canadian Martyrs Church. Father Funcken Council 1504 in Kitchener, Ont., donated $3,200 to St. Francis of Assisi Church to underwrite the cost of much-needed landscaping on the church grounds.

AHA Tournament

Members of Holy Spirit Council 10653 in Kennewick, Wash., gathered to level a yard and place grass sod for Michael Arent, a council member who is homebound.

Msgr. Richard C. Madden Council 6629 in Summerville, S.C., held its annual Ted Corcoran Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit the American Heart Association (AHA). The event is held yearly in memory of a Knight who passed away in 1988. Proceeds from the tournament are used to fund research on heart disease and other heart-related illnesses.

Charity Ball Trinity Council 4618 in Webster, N.Y., held its annual charity ball.

The event raised $7,250 for Hope Hall, a nonprofit school for children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The school is run by the Sisters of St. Joseph.

Raising the Chalice St. Vincent de Paul Council 11456 in Dartmouth, N.S., raised $450 for Chalice: Christian Child Care International.

Father Aloysius Lou of St. Francis Xavier Church accepts a $30,000 check from Lisa Wan (second from left) of Lisa Wan Chinese Opera. St. Francis Xavier Council 10500 in Vancouver, B.C., contacted the group about a pro bono performance to raise funds for the church. Knights sold 300 tickets to the event and produced a 200-page program book. The money is earmarked for the parish building fund.

Also pictured are two additional performers from the group.

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Spanish Night

Recycling for Christ

San Juan Bosco Council 10087 in Miami held a Spanish dinner, Verbena de los Sabados, at Our Lady of Divine Providence Church.

The event raised $800 to offset the cost of the annual parish fair.

Greening Up Father Donald C. Kelly Council 10830 in Fairfax, Vt., held its annual “Green Up” day at St. Luke Church.

Knights and parishioners power washed the church and rectory, raked the parish grounds, trimmed bushes, and planted new flowers.

Knights also cleaned and landscaped the church’s Marian grotto.

Meanwhile, members of Lidgerwood (N.D.) Council 4778 and their families gather biyearly to clean a sixmile stretch of highway in their community.

A Fine Companion St. Raymond (Que.) Council 2985 raised $2,899 for the Mira Foundation, an organization that trains seeing-eye dogs for people with visual impairments.

Green Eggs and Lunch Redfield (S.D.) Council 2703 held a Green Eggs and Ham lunch that raised $800 for the Carnegie Library. The Cat in the Hat read a story to all those in attendance, and each child received a free book.

Medical Mission Baliwag University Council 13803 in Bulacan, Luzon, co-hosted a medical mission with the Baliwag University School of Nursing.

Knights and volunteers provided free medical exams to needy members of the community.

Married couples light Mass candles during a marriage renewal ceremony hosted by Santo Cristo Council 13911 in Edmonton, Alta. Fifty-two couples renewed their vows and enjoyed a banquet following Mass.

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Members of St. Mary’s Council 4196 in Spokane Valley, Wash., unload one of their paper collection bins.

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t. Mary’s Council 4196 in Spokane Valley, Wash., has been “chucking papers for Christ” for nearly 15 years. In 1995, council members set up a modest newspaper recycling program. They planned to collect newspaper print material and turn it over to Inland Empire Paper Company/Fiber Reclaim in nearby Millwood.

A twist on the Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP) was envisioned called the “Recycling Supports Vocations Program.” In the original plan, the money earned would be used for vocations. People came from near and far to contribute to such a worthy cause, and council members soon discovered that two dumpsters and a semi-trailer truck would be needed to keep up with the 1,700 parish families and the surrounding community, all eager to recycle. Knights mounted a large sign on the semi-trailer and began sending notices to parishioners and townsfolk.

The program has continued to grow each year. The thousands of dollars collected every year now go to support many causes throughout the area, including six seminarians at Bishop White Seminary, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, scholarships for three Catholic high school graduates, pro-life programs and advertisements, Keep Christ in Christmas billboards, and much more.

A core group of 30 men regularly gather, collect, store and deliver newspapers, phone books, junk mail, magazines, books and catalogues, contributing more than 30 volunteer hours each week and nearly 22,000 hours since 1995. Considerable time is spent transferring the recyclable material from the dumpsters to the semitrailer. Several men also collect newspapers and recyclable material from local assisted living facilities and office complexes. Even the paper and plastic grocery sacks used by many people to transport their recyclable materials are reused by the local food bank to distribute food and supplies to the needy.

Approximately every six weeks, a truck is called to haul away the full trailer, which weights an average 14 tons. In the past year alone, the council has collected 86.25 tons of newspaper.

The market value of reclaimed paper fluctuates and, since June 1, 2008, has ranged from $45 per ton to $90 per ton. In the past year alone, this has amounted to more than $6,000 — nearly the same amount as the total membership dues in this 150-member council.

The outstanding efforts of Council 4196 are richly rewarded in the good they do for others. In a time of economic uncertainty, here is one group of committed Catholic gentlemen who work tirelessly in the name of charity, unity and fraternity to help others and to make a positive difference throughout the community.

– Reported by Damon Smith

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S P OT L I G H T O N . . .

T H E A RT S

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n occasional series about Knights and Squires working tirelessly toward the same noble goals. This month we spotlight activities that focus on the arts.

Knights from throughout Veracruz, Mexico South, gathered for a pro-life rally spearheaded by Bishop Rutilo M. Zamora of Coatzacoalcos. Knights and hundreds of others carried signs with pro-life messages that could be viewed by passing motorists.

[Above] Charles Turner of Nashua (N.H.) Council 122 puts the finishing touches on a stained-glass window he designed and installed at Holy Trinity Academy. Administrators at the school asked Turner to install the window — which reflects the school colors — based on his previous stained-glass design work.

• Batesville (Miss.) Council 13502 hosted an art contest for students at Coahoma County High School.

The theme of the contest was “organ donors,” which Mississippi Right-to-Life recently added to its list of programs.

• St. Vital Church in Battleford, Sask., has many artifacts dating back to the 19th century, two of which were recently refurbished.

Father Bigonesse Council 5626 donated $1,550 and volunteer labor to create a display case to house the artifacts in the church entrance.

• Immaculate Conception Council 7184 in Hendersonville, N.C., held its annual patriotic essay contest for students at Immaculata School.

Students in grades six through eight had to write on the theme, “How does the right to vote impact America’s values?”

Challenger Baseball

Drug-Free Youth

Our Lady of Lourdes Council 9924 in Venice, Fla., donated $2,000 to Challenger Baseball, a league for children with physical and intellectual disabilities.

Father Fidelis Albrecht/St. Joseph Council 12798 in San Angelo, Texas, co-sponsored a drug-awareness picnic with the Light Ministry at St. Joseph Church. More than 1,300 people attended the event, which was meant to raise awareness of drug-addiction issues.

Youth Center Members of Vicksburg (Miss.)

Council 898 helped construct the Carol Chady Memorial Youth Center. Knights volunteered more than 1,000 hours to install lighting, volleyball nets and basketball goals.

The council also painted the lines for both the volleyball and basketball courts. The center is named for Carol Chady, the late wife of Past State Deputy Thomas Chady (200103), who was instrumental in organizing several youth initiatives in Vicksburg during her lifetime.

Veterans Collection St. Ignatius Council 7621 in Tarpon Springs, Fla., and Father Edward Joseph Farrell Assembly in Holiday spearheaded a collection of personal care items, books and clothing for the James A. Haley Medical Center in Tampa. St. Jude Assembly in Port Charlotte collected personal care items and clothing for patients at the Jacobson State Veterans Home.

Supporting the Clinic Father Maurice R. Daly Council 6076 in Spartanburg, S.C., donated $1,000 to St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic, which provides free medical care and patient education to needy members of the community.

Window Art Mother of the Church Council 6769 in Commerce City, Colo., donated $1,000 to its parish toward the installation of new stainedglass windows.

Parish Perks St. Leo’s Council 9461 in Hilton, N.Y., sponsored a lottery that raised $4,000 for its parish. The funds were used to purchase an automatic external defibrillator (AED) and new altar robes.

Greg Friend (center) of St. Ignatius Loyola Council 10861 in Spring, Texas, presents Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of GalvestonHouston with a check for $134,924 while a K of C honor guard looks on. The funds, which the Knights raised at their annual vocations benefit dinner, will be used to foster vocations within the archdiocese.

Cardinal DiNardo is a member of Father Vincent Joseph Guinan Council 13940 in Houston.

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FINDING A CURE The following councils, among others, participated in Relay for Life events to fund cancer research: • Father John Kennedy Council 4913 and St. Augustine Assembly, both in Valdosta, Ga. ($8,000) • St. Jude Council 7155 in Marina, Calif. ($2,300) • Notre-Dame des Pins (Que.) Council 8955 ($200,000)

Members of St. Michael the Archangel Council 11768 in Woodstock, Ga., clean broken trees and debris following a devastating tornado that swept through Cherokee County.

After the storm caused about $250,000 worth of damage to their parish, Knights gathered the following day to render aid and clean the church grounds.

Sporting Guys

Care Net

St. Leo the Great Council 12115 in New Orleans donated a variety of sporting equipment to St. Leo the Great School, which was damaged during Hurricane Katrina. Knights donated new soccer balls, footballs and basketballs to help the school recover.

Concord (N.H.) Council 112 hosted a benefit dinner for the Care Net Pregnancy Resource Center.

Knights and attendees contributed baby goods and funds to center.

Seminarian Support Breaux Bridge (La.) Council 2398 held a fundraiser to benefit seminarian Brendan Granger. The event raised $2,400 to help Granger continue his studies toward the priesthood.

Father William D. Fries Council 956 in Charleroi, Pa., provided financial support to seminarian Daniel Gallagher, who attends St. Paul’s Seminary in Pittsburgh.

Fire Response

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Betting on Scholars St. Justin Martyr Council 8293 in Houston held a casino night that raised $2,500 for the council’s scholarship fund.

Military Shipment Members of Ascension Council 7991 in Parksville-Qualicum, B.C., and parishioners at Church of the Ascension prepared care packages for Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

• St. Elizabeth Council 8747 and St. Joseph Assembly, both in Milpitas, Calif. ($4,200) • St. Anthony Council 2439 in Sublimity, Ore. ($85,000)

Dinner for Veterans Father John P. Washington Assembly in Yorktown, Va., transported veterans from the Hampton VA Medical Center to a spaghetti dinner at Saint Joan of Arc Church.

Military Families Night Holy Name of Jesus Council 11886 in Kingston Mills, Ont., and the Catholic Women’s League co-hosted a dinner for the families of deployed military personnel. Twenty-three family members, included the spouses and children of active servicemen and woman, enjoyed an evening of food and relaxation.

For A New Priest

Members of Father William Diersen Council 13304 in La Grange, Ky., aided a local family whose home was destroyed by fire.

Upon learning of the disaster, Knights began collecting clothes and jackets for the family. The council also established a bank account that garnered $5,000.

Norman (Okla.) Council 8523 presented newly ordained Father Andy Wickersham with his first vestments. Father Wickersham, who is a member of Council 8523, wore the vestments during his first Mass. In addition, Father Elmer Robnett Assembly presented Father Wickersham with a traveling Mass kit.

Ride for Dad

Dinner & Prayer

Notre Dame Cathedral Council 13781 in Ottawa, Ont., held a brunch to benefit Motorcycle Ride for Dad, an annual motorcycle event dedicated to fighting prostate cancer. The brunch raised $500 for cancer research.

St. Anne Council 10551 in Winnipeg, Man., donated $2,000 to the Immaculate Heart of Mary School building fund. Proceeds for the donation were raised during a “Dinner & Prayer” series the council hosted at its parish.

Two members of St. Jacques le Majeur Council 10271 in Scoudouc, N.B., paint one of the crosses erected by the Pères Oblats de Marie Immaculée in 1952. Knights are responsible for maintaining the four crosses in the area.

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Yard Sale St. Rose of Lima Council 13244 in Scarborough, Ont., held its annual yard sale and barbecue. The event raised more than $4,500 for St. Rose of Lima Church.

A Home Furnished Twelve members of St. Thomas More Council 7121 in St. Augustine, Fla., provided volunteer manpower at a Habitat for Humanity building project. After the house was completed, Council 7121 held a dinner that raised $2,500 to purchase furnishings for the new homeowners.

Pop Your Top In 1997, the Indiana State Squires Committee began a statewide project called “Pop Your Top for Kids.”

Squires collect soda can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House in Indianapolis, which is associated with the Riley Children’s Hospital.

Since 1997, Squires have collected more than 28 million tabs, which are recycled for funds for the hospital.

Work Camp Each year, the Diocese of Arlington, Va., hosts a work camp for more than 600 young people to conduct repairs on homes owned by lowincome families. St. Isidore the Farmer Council 13860 in Orange volunteered at the camp’s opening picnic, cooking more than 1,000 hamburgers for those in attendance.

Order Announces Free Throw Championship Winners The Order has announced the international winners for the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship. Each council is encouraged to sponsor a free throw contest for boys and girls ages 10-14. The best scorers then compete at the district and state levels before the international winners are tallied. The winners in each category are listed below.

Boys Age 10: Haden Deaton (West Lafayette, Ind.), Patrick Golden (Myrtle Beach, S.C.), Josh Ricker (Fort Fairfield, Maine) and Peyton Rohling (Baraboo, Wis.).

Age 11: Reece Dupler (Newark, Ohio) and Brendon Wexted Hand (Sherwood, Ore.) Age 12: Ricky Bisson (Oklahoma City) Age 13: Drew Onega (Columbus, Ohio), Brock Kovach (Sinking Spring, Pa.), Jacob Vinyard (Edwardsville, Ill.) and Kyle Doran (Annapolis, Md.) Age 14: Sean Bengochea (Glasgow, Mont.) and Kiran Shastri (Concord, Calif.)

Girls Age 10: Jessica Maguire (Benicia, Calif.)

Age 11: Kathleen Dyer (St. John’s, Nfld.)

Age 12: Caroline Hummell (Brights Grove, Ont.) Age 13: Jasmine Jackson (Mena, Ark.) Age 14: Megan Hooven (Georgetown, Ky.) For more information about the winners and about the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship, visit www.kofc.org/freethrow.

Spreading Devotion

Miram House

In honor of the 400th anniversary of the Marian apparitions in Siluva, Lithuania, St. John Council 3738 in Westmont, Ill., helped spread devotion to Our Lady of Siluva. The council displayed an icon of Our Lady at its council hall for a week before it was returned to Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Chicago.

The New Jersey State Council and the Knights of Columbus Hudson Chapter, donated $2,150 toward the purchase of Beth Miram House in Jersey City. Beth Miram House will be a Catholic Worker House of Hospitality where women coming out of prison can reorder their lives and learn basic skills such as paying bills, utilizing public transportation and obtaining proper identification.

Helping Girl Scouts Bishop Sheen Council 7487 in Jenison, Mich., helped Brownie Girl Scout Troop 3227 raise $420 for the DeVos Children’s Hospital. Knights matched funds that the scouts raised selling Girl Scout cookies.

Summer Camp District Master Howard Gaffney displays a bottle of the Nebraska State Council’s own brand of bottled water. Knights began marketing their own brand of bottled spring water, proceeds from which support disabled veterans as well as other local and state endeavors.

Father John A. Blasko Council 8245 and St. Pius X Assembly, both in Flint, Mich., donated $3,000 to the Flint Police Department’s youth summer camp and safety program.

The donation allowed the camp to increase the number of attendees and improve its facilities.

Scholarship Fund Past Grand Knight Sylvester Schmoulder of Father Emil Kapaun Council 3744 in Westchester, Calif., and his wife, Elizabeth, donated $100,000 to the council’s scholarship fund.

Anniversary Renovation As part of the 150th anniversary celebration at St. Francis de Sales Church, Bunker Hill Council 62 in Charlestown, Mass., contributed $1,500 and volunteered to renovate the parish hall ceiling. c o l u m b i a / j u ly 2 0 0 9 29

BOTTOM LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SOUTHERN NEBRASKA REGISTER, DIOCESE OF LINCOLN

Wheelchairs Donated

Members of Immaculate Conception Council 13281 in Negros Occidental, Visayas, distribute school supplies to needy children. The council provided notebooks and writing implements to schoolchildren who would otherwise not be able to afford them.

On the Air Past State Deputies Robert W. Ficco and Ray Hock presented Mediatrix SC with a check for $2,500 on behalf of the South Carolina State Council. Mediatrix SC broadcasts EWTN radio programming as well as local Catholic stations. The funds will defray the station’s operating costs.

Sister Parish St. Helen’s Council 11738 in Glendale, Ariz., provides assistance to its sister parish, St. Joseph the Worker Church, in Manila, Philippines. Recently, the council donated $800 to the parish after it was burglarized and four air conditioners were stolen.

Archbishop Joseph L. Wilhelm Council 1008 in Belleville, Ont., in conjunction with the Wheelchair Foundation, presented Belleville General Hospital with a new wheelchair. The Ontario State Council was asked to distribute 40 wheelchairs to needy individuals and deserving organizations.

Señor Cura Manuel Velazquez Moran Council 4062 in La Barca, Mexico Central, donated five wheelchairs to its parish for use by parishioners with disabilities.

Hunger Walk St. Dominic Savio Circle 5078 in Parrish, Fla., organized a hunger walk that raised more than $875 for Our Daily Bread, the only soup kitchen in Manatee County. The funds translate to approximately 4,300 pounds of food for the facility.

Bathroom Remodel Berkshire Hills Council 314 in Lee, Mass., donated $5,000 to the Fennelly family to defray the cost of remodeling their bathroom.

Ethan Fennelly has a physical disability that makes bathing difficult. The funds were used to install a handicap-accessible shower into which Ethan can roll his wheelchair.

Pennies for Babies St. Joan of Arc Council 8695 in St. Clair Shores, Mich., collected $1,850 for a pregnancy resource center by asking parishioners to donate their loose change.

Dropping By

Bobby Crawford (right) of Msgr. Thomas M. Wells Circle 4648 in Germantown, Md., presents seminarian Vincent Vodjogbe with a $500 scholarship check. Circle 4648 has provided more than $15,000 in scholarships to seminarians over nearly a decade. In addition, Squires provide backto-school treat bags for students at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary. Also pictured is seminarian Michael Paris (left) and Msgr. Stephen P. Rohlfs, vice president and rector of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary.

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St. Peter the Apostle Council 10884 in Itasca, Ill., and the Itasca Lions Club purchased and installed a drop box at the Itasca Food Pantry. Prior to its installation, food could only be delivered to the pantry between 8-10 a.m. on Saturday mornings. Now, nonperishable food items can be dropped off at any time.

Veterans Cookout Members of Archbishop Fitzmaurice Assembly in Wilmington, Del., and their families prepared a cookout for 60 residents and staff of the VA Hospital Nursing Home in Elsmere. Veterans enjoyed a menu of hot dogs, hamburgers and more.

Knights from Texas District 117 cook hamburgers and French fries for athletes and volunteers at the Special OlympicsTexas Equestrian Event at the Brazos County Exposition Center. Knights and Squires prepared dinner and dessert for more than 150 attendees.

New Sacramentary St. Isaac Jogues Council 11312 in Lincoln, Neb., presented its new parish priest, Father Brian Connor, with a new Sacramentary when he arrived to serve at North American Martyrs Church.

Prayerful Place After the Vancouver (Wash.) VA Medical Center assigned an empty room at its facility for use as a hospital chapel, several civic groups from the area, including Knights from Washington District #11, began raising funds to get the project underway. Knights contributed $5,000 of the $18,000 needed for construction costs and the installation of stained-glass windows. The chapel serves all faith traditions.

Home in India John F. Kennedy Council 6004 in Artesia, Calif., hosted a benefit dinner that raised $9,000 to build a church in Vadakattupatty, India.

The request came from Father Anthony Gaspar, a native of India and a member of Council 6004.

Prior to building a church in Vadakattupatty, parishioners needed to walk nearly 20 miles to the nearest Catholic religious service.

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

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PROMOTIONAL & GIFT ITEMS • JULY 2009 Control No.

State Code

O F F I C E U S E O N LY

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Promotional and Gift Department 78 Meadow Street New Haven, CT 06519-1759 Checks or money orders payable to: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS SUPREME COUNCIL In U.S. currency — No C.O.D. Available in the U.S. and Canada only

C B A

N AME STREET

Van Sport™ Polo Shirt

CITY/STATE/PROVINCE

Khaki Windshirt

Deluxe Tote Bag

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Qty.

E White Cap

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TOTAL

$9

CT residents add 6% sales tax

Sunglasses

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A.NEW! VAN SPORT™ POLO SHIRT Royal blue 100% polyester moisture management textured knit. Embroidered with “Knights of Columbus” on sleeve. Available in: Medium (PG-500), Large (PG-501), XL (PG-502) and XXL (PG-503)........................................................$34

Check/Money Order No.

B. DELUXE TOTE BAG Classic cotton zippered boat tote. Natural color with blue trim and printed with emblem of the Order and “Knights of Columbus.” 14” high and 23” wide.

PG-822..........................................................................................................$17

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Embroidered with emblem of the Order and “Knights of Columbus” on left breast.

Available in: Medium (PG-848), Large (PG-849), XL (PG-850) and XXL (PG-851).............$43 D. NEW! WHITE CAP White-washed soft-front cap embroidered with “Knights of Columbus.” PG-511............................................................................................$9 E. WHITE RIBBED SHIRT Cotton-polyester blend embroidered with “Knights of Columbus” on left breast. Styles may vary slightly from photo. Available in: Medium (PG-767), Large (PG-768), XL (PG-769) and XXL (PG-770)..............................................................................$30 F. SUNGLASSES Scavenger metal frame sunglasses with 100% UV protection. Also includes cleaning cloth and storage case printed with emblem of the Order and “Knights of Columbus.” PG-20........................................................................................$25

K OF C SUPPLIES FOR K OF C SUPPLIES: Capes, Chapeaux, Swords, Flags, Plaques Call THE ENGLISH COMPANY INC. at 1-800-444-5632 or visit www.kofcsupplies.com. Free catalog available.

FOR COUNCIL EQUIPMENT: Robes, Fourth Degree Items Call LYNCH AND KELLY INC. at 1-888-548-3890. Catalog available FOR FOURTH DEGREE TUXEDOS. At $199, why rent?

Call CHILBERT & CO. at 1-800-289-2889 or visit www.chilbert.com. Free catalog available.

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OFFICIAL JULY 1, 2009: 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, CASE POSTALE 935, Station d’Armes, Montréal, PQ H2Y 3J4 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. COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869) 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 © 2009 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.

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OPINIONS BY WRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.

c o l u m b i a / j u ly 2 0 0 9 31 BASKETBALL COURT: JUPITER IMAGES

COLUMBIANISM BY DEGREES C HARITY [Left] Staff Sgt. Karen Moloney of the Durham (Ont.) Police Department accepts a $15,000 check from Knights David Mitchell, Martin Frenette, Alfred Connolly and Doug Murphy. Three councils from throughout Durham raised the funds in support of Special Olympics. • St. Jude Council 6617 in Plaistow, N.H., held its annual golf tournament to benefit two local families. More than 140 players enjoyed an afternoon of golf, followed by a raffle and barbecue. The event raised $10,000, which was split between two families who have experienced recent financial hardships.

U NITY [Left] Representatives from the Knights of Columbus Northern California Chapter present the VA Northern California Health Care System with 50 new wheelchairs on behalf of the Wheelchair Foundation. The wheelchairs will be distributed among patients at four VA facilities in the area. • Members of John T. Sansano Circle 4703 in Spring, Texas, volunteered at the annual vocations dinner hosted by St. Ignatius Loyola Council 10861. At the dinner, Squires presented seminarian Truc Nguyen with a $500 scholarship.

F RATERNITY [Left] Ron Von Stetina of Cherry Hill (N.J.) Council 6173 presents Kayla de Feo (center) and her mother, Debby, with a second-class relic of Venerable Michael McGivney. Kayla was diagnosed with acute leukemia in 2006, received treatment and suffered a relapse in 2008. The council began praying for her recovery and obtained a relic of Venerable McGivney through the Father McGivney Guild. Kayla’s cancer is now in remission again. • St. Joseph Council 9207 in Sagay City, Visayas, donated funds and clothing to Eduardo Gargar, a council member who lost his home in a fire.

P ATRIOTISM [Right] John Pisula (right), Knights of Columbus Veterans’ Affairs Volunteer Service coordinator for Broward County, Fla., stands with Kim Ramos and students from St. Bonaventure School following their “Hats for Heroes” drive.

Knights and students collected more than 200 hats for veterans throughout Fort Lauderdale. • Lancaster (Pa.) Council 867 and its ladies’ auxiliary crafted hand-made rosaries to send to U.S. soldiers stationed overseas. The ladies also made quilts and blankets for disabled veterans who are currently homebound or reside in extended-care facilities.

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w w w. ko f c .o r g UNITY: BILL HICKS/THE GRAPEVINE INDEPENDENT

K N I G H T S

OF COLUMBUS In service to One. In service to all.

Members of St. Padre Pio Circle 4992 in Henderson, Nev., pack and sell programs for a NASCAR event at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Squires and Knights from St. Francis of Assisi Council 13456, along with the council’s ladies’ auxiliary, raised $10,000 for charity by selling programs throughout the day.

Building a better world one council at a time.

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

To be featured here, send your council’s “Knights in Action” photo as well as its description to: Columbia, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 or e-mail: columbia@kofc.org.

‘THE DESIRE TO BECOME A SISTER KEPT TUGGING AT MY HEART.’

Like St. Thérèse of Lisieux, there was nothing extraordinary about

I learned about and visited various religious communities. On

me. I was just an average young woman from a small town. But

Aug. 23, 1998, at age 22, I entered the Franciscan Sisters of Christian

like St. Thérèse, I felt graced by God to do small, ordinary tasks

Charity. The Knights of Columbus helped pay for my education

with great love.

through the Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP) so that I would be prepared to serve others.

My faith and call began at home. My mother, who has a very strong faith, sacrificed much as she raised five children alone. She

As I live out my vocation, my dream is simply to give myself com-

sent us to Catholic School, taught us to pray and reminded us to

pletely to God, so as to make this world a holier place to live.

stay close to God. As I grew older, I did not intend to become a reli-

Anyone who has a passionate love for God and is considering a

gious sister. One night at college, however, I was thinking about

call to religious life should not be afraid to risk, to dare and to take

the sisters that taught me at St. Francis Xavier School in Petoskey,

the path less traveled. Open yourself to God. Respond to what he is

Mich., and I realized that this was the life to which God was call-

asking, and he will do the rest.

ing me. From that moment, I became more committed to my faith, and the desire to become a sister kept tugging at my heart.

SISTER HANNAH JOHNECHECK, OSF Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Manitowoc, Wisc. www.fscc-calledtobe.org

Keep the Faith Alive www.kofc.org

Please, do all you can to encourage priestly and religious vocations.

Your prayers and support make a difference.