Columbia July/August 2021

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

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100th

Anniversary Issue 1921-2021

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CONTENTS

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VOLUME 101

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NUMBER 7

Departments 3

For the greater glory of God In the footsteps of our forebears, we are called to defend the family, the truth and the holy Eucharist.

By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly

TOP: Knights of Columbus Multimedia Archives — ON THE COVER: Painting by Terry Waldron / Photo by Aaron Joseph / Design by Agata Stele & Alton Pelowski

A young reader enjoys the February 1927 issue of Columbia. This photo was published in August 1928 with the caption, “Columbia is pleased to have, for its youngest English reader, Adrian George Barnard, of London.” Within a decade of launching in 1921, the new official publication of the Knights of Columbus had become the widestread Catholic magazine in the world.

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4 Learning the faith, living the faith The inaugural feast of Blessed Michael McGivney is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on his life, holiness and legacy.

By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

PLUS: Catholic Man of the Month

6 Knights of Columbus News New Supreme Knight, K of C Leaders Installed During Historic Meeting of State Deputies 26 Knights in Action Reports from councils and assemblies, representing the four pillars of the Faith in Action program model

100 Years of Columbia

The Order’s official magazine marks a century of helping to form and inform Knights, their families and others.

ON THE COVER

A painting by Terry Waldron, a parishioner at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, Conn., depicts Blessed Michael McGivney at the steps leading to St. Thomas Cemetery in Thomaston.

By Columbia staff

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Stairway to Heaven

Father McGivney’s ministry and witness in the parishes he served continue to bear fruit today.

By Maureen Walther

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A Tale of Two Orders

The Dominican friars at St. Mary’s Parish have carried on Father McGivney’s legacy for 135 years.

By John Burger

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A Friend in Times of Need

Devotion to Father McGivney is growing — and so are reports of his intercessory help.

By Brian Caulfield

Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.

kofc.org/join Copyright © 2021 All rights reserved

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EDITORIAL

Columbia

High Standards DURING A VISIT HOME around the time I

was in graduate school, a copy of Columbia in my parents’ dining room caught my eye. I had seen Columbia countless times, since my father had been a Knight of Columbus for some 25 years, but this was the first time I recall picking it up and reading it. Impressed — and, dare I say, surprised — by the quality and relevance of several faith-related articles, I asked my dad, “This is the magazine you’ve been getting all this time? Is it always this good?”

Within a couple short years, I not only joined the Knights myself but also moved to New Haven to work on Columbia’s editorial staff. Still, it would be several more years before I really came to appreciate Columbia’s rich history, dating back to its inaugural issue in August 1921 (see page 8). From its beginning, the magazine was an ambitious project, featuring a remarkable lineup of prominent and talented contributors.

In those days, Supreme Knight James Flaherty was surely Columbia’s biggest fan.

His column marking the fifth anniversary in 1926 gushes to a comical degree — yet it also rings true, for he was writing in the middle of the illustrious editorial tenure of Myles Connolly, who would go on to become a successful screenwriter, producer and author.

“You, as members of the Order, are, perhaps, a little too close to Columbia to see clearly the important and authoritative position it holds,” Flaherty wrote. “It should be a source of pride to every Knight of Columbus.

PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus

… Columbia is like no other magazine. No other magazine is like Columbia. It accepts no other magazine as a standard of excellence by which to measure its own progress. Its contents are as wholesome as they are varied. Its wholesomeness is made of truth and strength and Catholic ideals.”

Five years later, an editorial signed “Supreme Board of Directors” was a bit more modest: “The observance of our tenth birthday involves certain difficulties. The first and greatest is that we are in the position of a man who is giving a party in honor of himself. It can be done but it is not easily done with good grace. Whatever is said here, then, is not said with the intention of insinuating that, in ten years, Columbia has achieved perfection.”

Columbia has undergone a series of evolutions over the past century and its effectiveness has varied, but certain things have not changed. The editorial staff remains committed to producing quality informative — and formative — articles. We also hope the magazine is a source of pride for Knights everywhere, even as we acknowledge that there is still much room for improvement.

As we pause to commemorate this centennial milestone — as well as the recent installation of Patrick E. Kelly as the 14th supreme knight (see pages 3, 6) and the first feast day of Blessed Michael McGivney on Aug. 13 (see pages 4, 18) — we also look forward to developing creative and compelling Columbia content in the months ahead. B Alton J. Pelowski, Editor

Father Michael McGivney: An American Blessed This film, produced by the Knights of Columbus last fall, explores Blessed Michael McGivney’s life and legacy from his humble beginnings as the son of Irish immigrants to his founding of the Order in 1882. The 27-minute documentary highlights his witness of fraternal charity, and evangelization and empowerment of the laity; it also tells the story of the miracle that paved the way to his beatification Oct. 31, 2020. For more information about how to watch the documentary, visit kofc.org/beatification.

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SUPREME OFFICERS Patrick E. Kelly Supreme Knight Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. Supreme Chaplain Paul G. O’Sullivan Deputy Supreme Knight Patrick T. Mason Supreme Secretary Ronald F. Schwarz Supreme Treasurer John A. Marrella Supreme Advocate EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski Editor Andrew J. Matt Managing Editor Cecilia Hadley Senior Editor Margaret B. Kelly Associate Editor

Blessed Michael McGivney (1852-90) – Apostle to the Young, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us. HOW TO REACH US COLUMBIA 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 columbia@kofc.org kofc.org/columbia Address changes 203-752-4210, option #3 addresschange@kofc.org Columbia inquiries 203-752-4398 K of C Customer Service 1-800-380-9995

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F O R T H E G R E AT E R G LO R Y O F G O D

A Sign of Unity In the footsteps of our forebears, we are called to defend the family, the truth and the holy Eucharist

By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly

Photo by Laura Barisonzi

ON JUNE 11, I had the tremendous honor of

being formally installed in office — along with state deputies, other supreme officers and supreme directors — in the birthplace of the Knights of Columbus, St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Conn. There we began our united work of service to the Order, building on the foundations so excellently set by those who have come before us.

The installation took place in the context of our Organizational Meeting of State Deputies.

This gathering allowed us to pray together and to discuss key issues and opportunities facing the Order — particularly our need to continue helping parishes and councils to emerge from the pandemic. Over the course of four days, we dedicated ourselves anew to the causes of charity, unity and fraternity. It was remarkably refreshing to be together again, in person.

It was the first major gathering since the beatification of Blessed Michael McGivney, our founder, who is both a model of the charity and holiness to which we are called and a powerful intercessor to guide us in our mission.

Immediately after being installed as supreme knight, I consecrated my administration to another model and guide, St. Joseph, and asked those present to join me in praying for his intercession. In remarks following Mass, celebrated by our supreme chaplain, I also spoke about how Knights of Columbus are called to imitate St. Joseph and to be guardians of the family and guardians of the truth.

In our day, Catholic families are struggling to live out their faith and raise their children amid a culture that is increasingly hostile to our beliefs. Catholic husbands and fathers, especially fathers of young children, need the encouragement and support of the Knights of Columbus. We can inspire them with the creative courage needed to keep their families strong in the faith.

As was the case for Blessed Michael McGivney, we live in a time of bigotry and intolerance. Key truths — truths about marriage, about life in the womb, about the nature of the family and the meaning of freedom — are often denied and even vilified. Yet this makes our commitment to the truth all the more important.

By standing for truth, we as an Order will continue to be a sign of unity — the lasting and true unity that comes from a commitment to Christ above all other things. This unity in truth is grounded in the truth of the Eucharist, what the Second Vatican Council called “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, 11).

The example of St. Joseph teaches us how to be Knights of the Eucharist. He was the guardian of the first tabernacle — beginning with Mary herself when she bore Christ in her womb, and then in the home where he and Mary lived with Jesus. As Knights, we too are called to have a special reverence for Christ’s real presence — body, blood, soul and divinity — in the Blessed Sacrament. The more we devote ourselves to Christ in the Eucharist, the more we will be a sign of unity in an age of division and disbelief.

The Knights of Columbus can and should be a sign of unity in this age and a source of light and courage for the men and families living in these challenging times. It is a high calling and, like previous generations of Knights, the time has come for us to answer the call, out of love for Christ and his Church.

United in the Eucharist, and calling upon the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Order, of St. Joseph, and of Blessed Michael McGivney, may each of us, in the words of St. Paul, “live in a manner worthy of the call we have received” (Eph 4:1).

Vivat Jesus!

‘By standing for truth, we as an Order will continue to be a sign of unity — the lasting and true unity that comes from a commitment to Christ above all other things.’

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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

Our Founder’s Feast Day The inaugural feast of Blessed Michael McGivney is an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on his life, holiness and legacy

By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

WITH THE BEATIFICATION last fall of our

founder, Blessed Michael McGivney, a feast day in the Church’s liturgical calendar was assigned to him — namely, Aug. 13. Officially, his feast day is reserved to the liturgical calendar of the Archdiocese of Hartford, where he served as a diocesan priest and where he was beatified. Nonetheless, the entire family of the Knights of Columbus can and should observe this day of joy and grace. Permit me to offer some suggestions for doing so.

First, I suggest that we prayerfully reflect on Father McGivney’s life and holiness. Recent issues of Columbia have featured beautiful reflections on our founder — on the life of his hardworking family, his journey to the priesthood, his extraordinary ministry as a parish priest and his vision in founding the Knights of Columbus. As members of the Order, each of us should be thoroughly familiar with our founder, for his life and holiness continue to animate the spirituality, programs and charities of the Knights. I recommend reading the 2006 biography Parish Priest: Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism by Douglas Brinkley and Julie M. Fenster.

Second, we should pray for Blessed Michael McGivney’s canonization with fervor and attention. Since we recite the prayer for his canonization so often, we may find ourselves not giving adequate thought to what we are saying (this is true of many prayers!). Especially on Father McGivney’s feast day, we should linger over this prayer, which is really a brief summary of his life and ministry. This prayer helps us reflect on how our founder reached out to the poor and to families devastated by the loss of husbands and fathers; on all he did to foster family life; and on his love for young people, leading them to engage in charity.

Even as we pray for Blessed Michael McGivney’s canonization, we also pray for ourselves, that we might “continue his work of caring for the needy and the outcast.” What

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a good occasion to reflect on whether we are serving the poor and vulnerable in our communities and participating in the many charitable programs of the Knights. In this prayer, we also ask Blessed Michael’s intercession for some favor that is particularly important to us. May we never lose an opportunity to ask him to pray for those spiritual and material blessings that will help our Order to build a civilization of truth and love. We all look toward that happy day when, God willing, our Blessed Founder will be declared a saint!

Third, let us not forget the litany of Blessed Michael McGivney, issued on the occasion of his beatification. After we invoke the Blessed Trinity, Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. Michael, the litany turns our attention to the attributes of our founder. We ask him to pray for us as we address him by titles such as “Humble Servant of God,” “Gentle Shepherd of Souls,” “Protector of the Poor,” “Apostle of Christian Family Life,” “Exemplar of Charity,” “Model of Unity,” “Builder of Catholic Fraternity,” “Instructor of Christian Patriotism,” and, of course, “Founder of the Knights of Columbus.” Invoking Blessed Michael under these and other titles draws us closer to him and invites him to accompany us spiritually as we seek to live the principles of the Order.

Finally, if you can do so, please plan to participate in holy Mass on Aug. 13, even if Blessed Michael’s feast day is not celebrated in your locality. The Mass was truly “the source and summit” of Father McGivney’s life, and there is no better way to honor our founder than by entering into the mystery of faith in which his entire life and ministry was rooted. While at Mass, let us ask Father McGivney’s intercession that God raise up an abundance of priestly vocations — priests who will follow our founder’s lead in their life and ministry.

And let me conclude by wishing each of you a blessed and happy feast day! B

‘As members of the Order, each of us should be thoroughly familiar with our founder, for his life and holiness continue to animate the spirituality, programs and charities of the Knights.’

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Supreme Chaplain’s Challenge

Catholic Man of the Month

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.” (Gospel for Aug. 15, Lk 1:46-48)

BROTHER NORBERT McAuliffe was

BOTTOM LEFT: Photo by Spirit Juice Studios — BOTTOM RIGHT: CNS photo/Vatican Media — TOP RIGHT: Wikimedia Commons

Praying together brings families closer to God and closer to each other. When Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, the first thing they do is pray: Elizabeth declares a blessing that we repeat every time we say a Hail Mary, and Mary responds with a hymn of praise called the Magnificat. Blessed Michael McGivney, whose feast day we celebrate Aug. 13, came from a prayerful home, and because of his work to strengthen families, we call him the “apostle of Christian family life.” May we seek to make our own homes places of prayer to strengthen our families and draw nearer to God.

Venerable Norbert McAuliffe (1886-1959) always busy, but he was never too busy to pray. Even in-between moments — walking down a corridor, waiting for a meal to begin — were opportunities to turn to God, to ask for Our Lady’s help, to intercede for souls in purgatory.

The Acholi people in Uganda, where he served for more than 20 years, dubbed him “Dano ma lego”: the man who prays always.

Baptized John in Manhattan in 1886, McAuliffe lost both of his parents before he was 9 years old. He and his older brother were raised in an orphanage by Dominican sisters. When a Brother of the Sacred Heart visited the home in 1902, John was moved by his stories about teaching orphans and other young people. Within months, he entered the Sacred Heart novitiate in New Jersey and received a new name, Norbert.

Brother Norbert taught throughout the Midwest and South for the next several decades. His students would later recall the kindness, humor and deep faith that suffused his lessons.

In 1930, he answered a call for

Liturgical Calendar This month, I challenge you to pray every day as an individual or as a family, asking the intercession of Blessed Michael McGivney to live in a more prayerful home, perhaps using the prayer for his canonization.

Second, I challenge you to assist your council in the Faith in Action Family Prayer Night or Family Week program, incorporating devotions to Father McGivney into your efforts.

Editor’s Note: For July’s challenge, liturgical calendar and prayer intention, visit kofc.org/columbia.

Aug. 4 St. John Vianney Aug. 6 The Transfiguration of the Lord Aug. 10 St. Lawrence Aug. 11 St. Clare Aug. 13 Blessed Michael McGivney

(observed with permission

of diocesan bishop) Aug. 14 St. Maximilian Kolbe Aug. 15 The Assumption of the

Blessed Virgin Mary Aug. 20 St. Bernard Aug. 21 St. Pius X Aug. 24 St. Bartholomew Aug. 27 St. Monica Aug. 28 St. Augustine

missionaries and was sent to Uganda to help establish a new community of Sacred Heart brothers. Except for the six years of World War II, he would live there the rest of his life. Under his leadership, the community founded several schools in Uganda and the surrounding region.

Missionary work was difficult, requiring a great deal of patience and practical wisdom. Brother Norbert constantly turned to prayer for strength. Asked what someone should do during a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, he replied, “Just sit there and let God’s love come to you from the tabernacle.”

Brother Norbert McAuliffe died in Uganda on July 3, 1959, and was declared Venerable in 2018. B

Holy Father’s Monthly Prayer Intention

Let us pray for the Church, that she may receive from the Holy Spirit the grace and strength to reform herself in the light of the Gospel.

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS

New Supreme Knight, K of C Leaders Installed During Historic Meeting of State Deputies PATRICK E. KELLY was officially installed as the 14th supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus on June 11, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Kelly, who took office March 1, received his medal of office from Past Supreme Knight Carl Anderson at the conclusion of Mass celebrated by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Conn.

“I promise to ensure that the Order continues to be the strong right arm of the Roman Catholic Church, especially in defense of its priests and bishops, its liberty, and its mission to bring the saving Gospel of Our Lord to all people,” Supreme Knight Kelly stated in his oath of office.

The newly installed supreme knight led attendees in praying the Litany of St. Joseph and consecrated his administration to St. Joseph. The act of consecration read, in part, “O my spiritual father, I hereby consecrate myself and my administration of the Order to you. In faithful imitation of Jesus and Mary, I place myself and all my concerns under your care and protection.”

Archbishop Lori then blessed the supreme knight, his wife, Vanessa, and their three daughters.

Deputy Supreme Knight Paul G. O’Sullivan, Supreme Secretary Patrick T. Mason and Supreme Warden Michael A. Benson, as well as the newest supreme directors and attending state deputies, were also installed following the Mass and remarks from the supreme knight.

The Knights of Columbus leaders were gathered for the Organizational Meeting of State Deputies, June 9-13 — the

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Order’s first in-person meeting of jurisdiction leaders since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The event marked the first time that a supreme knight and state deputies were installed on the same day.

Nearly 60 state deputies were present for the organizational meeting, which featured daily Mass, business sessions, fraternal events, and workshops on an array of topics, including leadership, faith formation and evangelization, member engagement, insurance and investments. Those unable to attend in person due to travel restrictions participated remotely. The meeting also included visits to the Supreme Council headquarters, the Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center and St. Mary’s Church, the birthplace of the Knights of Columbus.

In a series of remarks, Supreme Knight Kelly outlined his vision for the future of the Knights of Columbus, particularly in a post-pandemic world. He stressed that the Order’s principles of charity, unity and fraternity are answers to the needs of individual men, as well as communities and parishes.

“Everywhere we look, men are isolated, alienated, and longing for a life of meaning,” the supreme knight said during his keynote address at the opening business session June 11. “Many are turning inward. But our brotherhood can help them look outward — toward others, toward a mission and a purpose that is bigger than themselves. Whether college students, young husbands, new fathers or longtime Knights, our brotherhood can help them lead the lives to which Christ has called them.”

Supreme Chaplain Archbishop Lori, who led the Knights

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Photos by Tamino Petelinšek

in worship throughout the meeting, also delivered remarks.

In his opening address, he urged K of C leaders to emulate Blessed Michael McGivney, whom he described as a “steadfast innovator.”

“We might ask, what was the source of Father McGivney’s creative steadiness? And do we have access to that same source?” Archbishop Lori said. “Happily, the answer is yes.

For Father McGivney’s source was nothing other than the Eucharist which he celebrated day after day and upon which he staked his life as a priest.”

In his homily for the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on June 12, Archbishop Lori further emphasized that “without the Eucharist, we cannot live the principles of the Order, for the Eucharist is the bond of unity and the sacrament of charity.”

During the closing session June 13, Supreme Knight Kelly announced that the next Orderwide pilgrim prayer program will honor St. Joseph. An icon of the saint, which was also displayed during the Mass and installation at St. Mary’s Church two days earlier, will be shared with each jurisdiction in the months ahead.

He also spoke about the reported new favors granted through the intercession of Blessed Michael McGivney and urged state deputies to continue praying for the canonization of the Order’s founder.

“It is a great time to be a Knight because of Father McGivney’s beatification, but also because of how active Father McGivney is in our spiritual lives,” Supreme Knight Kelly said. “Please remember to bring the things on your heart to Blessed Michael McGivney.” B Below: Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly delivers his keynote address at the opening business session of the Organizational Meeting of State Deputies in New Haven, Conn., June 11.

From top: Supreme Knight Kelly is joined by Past Supreme Knight Carl Anderson and Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori as he takes his oath of office at St. Mary’s Church on June 11. • The supreme knight leads K of C leaders in praying the Litany of St. Joseph and consecrates his administration to St. Joseph. • Supreme Knight Kelly, his wife, Vanessa, and their three daughters are pictured following the blessing by the supreme chaplain.

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100 Years of COLUMBIA

The Order’s official magazine marks a century of helping to form and inform Knights, their families and others

By Columbia staff 8

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hen the first issue of Columbia was published in August 1921, Warren G. Harding was U.S. president, Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino were Hollywood’s biggest stars and the New York Yankees had never been to the World Series. Many of the 20th century’s most popular magazines — Reader’s Digest, Better Homes and Gardens, The New Yorker — did not exist. In fact, before Time began, there was Columbia.

Yet, even before Columbia, there was The Columbiad.

Published since 1893, first in Boston and later in Hoboken, N.J., The Columbiad shared news about the nascent Order until 1921. That year, buoyed by unprecedented membership growth — from 389,000 in 1917 to 758,000 in 1921 — the Knights of Columbus announced it was taking

over its official publication. In addition to a new name, the magazine would boast a new format, colored covers and a broader editorial vision.

“The nation’s foremost public men, essayists, fiction writers and artists will be among Columbia’s contributors,” Supreme Knight James Flaherty explained in the final issue of The Columbiad. “The editorial policy will be one of outspoken religious and patriotic conviction tempered with secular instruction and entertainment, and the single and permanent aim will be to provide the Order with a publication worthy of its power and prestige and meriting the heartiest support of the entire membership.”

The editorial staff of Columbia has striven to fulfill this “single and permanent aim” for the last century. The following pages provide a small window into its 100-year history.

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Ten articles by the acclaimed British author G.K. Chesterton appeared in Columbia in the 1920s, including the paradoxically titled article above in the April 1924 issue. The magazine printed articles by other well-known writers and public figures such as Hilaire Belloc (see excerpt on facing page), U.S. President Calvin Coolidge, Gen. John J. Pershing, Jesuit Father James J. Wynne, James B. Connolly, William F. Buckley Sr., Frank Sheed and John Ford, among many others.

A New Beginning COLUMBIA’S FIRST editor, John B. Kennedy, quickly implemented the Order’s vision for the new magazine by seeking out and publishing a wide array of talented writers, including G.K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc.

In 1924, shortly after the 28-page magazine expanded to 52 pages, Myles Connolly became editor and widened the stable of well-known contributors even further (see above). Connolly’s own “Mr. Blue” stories — which later became the bestselling novel Mr. Blue — began appearing in Columbia in 1926. By the time Connolly moved to Hollywood in 1928 to pursue a career as a screenwriter, Columbia was among the leading periodicals in the United States, as well as the largest Catholic magazine in the world.

During the 1920s, Columbia covered the vital issues of the day and expressed the Order’s strong opposition to troubling developments such as the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan, the threat of communism and the persecution of the Catholic Church 10

in Mexico. Indeed, for its outspoken articles, Columbia was banned by the Mexican government in 1926. While continuing its core mission of informing members about the Order’s activities, Columbia also featured illustrated short stories, poetry, book and film reviews, sports stories, recipes and other popular topics that appealed to a wide audience.

John B. Donahue began his tenure as editor a year before the stock market crash of 1929. The Order’s membership dropped during the Great Depression as many Knights could not afford to pay dues. In 1932, the magazine celebrated the Order’s 50th anniversary while also promoting unemployment relief and membership drives.

With sabers rattling across Europe in the mid-1930s, Columbia chronicled the twin dangers of Nazism and communism. A July 1936 editorial titled “Malice in Naziland” was followed in March 1937 by one titled “The Red Threat to Peace.” By decade’s end, World War II had begun.

The first issue of Columbia, in August 1921, featured U.S. President Warren G. Harding on the cover and included his message about the new magazine: “That this forthcoming publication, Columbia, will be devoted to American ideals of religion, fraternity and social welfare certainly suggests a platform on which all Americans can stand.”

It also features articles by then-Secretary of Commerce (and future president) Herbert Hoover and former chief of U.S. naval operations Adm. William S. Benson, a Fourth Degree Knight.

Below: This November 1926 issue denounced the persecution of the Church in Mexico and resulted in Columbia being the first magazine banned by the Mexican regime.

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From “He Went to Death Jesting,” a Columbia article by Hilaire Belloc about St. Thomas More, April 1928

“So he went up the steps; and as he did so made one of those jokes which he was never tired of making. … He asked them to help him up to the scaffold and said that on coming down he could shift for himself. As he laid his weary neck upon the block he pushed his beard forward with his hand saying, ‘That at least has not committed treason.’ …

“Knowing well … that unity was at stake (and unity is the essential mark of the Church) he quietly laid down his life for unity, and thereby has become not only one of the greatest men in European history, but, what is far more, high in the roll of the saints.”

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1. A page in the December 1921 issue celebrated the visit of Marshal Ferdinand Foch, supreme commander of the Allied forces in World War I, to Chicago in November. Foch also became an honorary member of the Knights of Columbus on the occasion.

2. This illustration by Charles Livingston Bull, the premier wildlife artist of his day, accompanied a short story in the October 1931 issue. Dozens of Bull’s illustrations appeared in Columbia in the 1920s and ’30s.

3. U.S. Rep. Thomas Jefferson Ryan of New York discussed his recent bill to investigate the Ku Klux Klan’s illegal practices in a July 1922 article. Throughout this era, Columbia’s pages regularly denounced the Klan’s racism and anti-Catholic bigotry.

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War & Peace CANADA ENTERED the Second World

War just days after Hitler invaded Poland Sept. 1, 1939. The United States followed suit after the bombing of Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. Columbia carried a message from Supreme Knight Francis P. Matthews to the Order on the first page of the January 1942 issue. “We know that we, with our fellow Americans of every creed and race, will pay dearly … before the victory is won,” the supreme knight wrote. “But we know, too, that we shall be paying not for a war that we did not want, but for the peace that victory, with God’s help, will restore to the world.”

Columbia adapted its pages to world events, printing stories, photos and advertisements in support of the Allied efforts. Reports about members and councils buying war bonds, taking care of wounded service members and operating recreation huts filled the “What Knights are Doing” section. The magazine also promoted the Order’s own Peace Program, a vision for the future

developed in discussion with Catholic clergy and scholars.

After the war, the Soviet threat to peace became an overriding concern.

Throughout the late 1940s into the 1960s, Columbia published scores of articles about the expansion of communism in Eastern Europe, China, Cuba, South America and Africa.

In 1955, Columbia changed its large format to the standard magazine size that continues to this day. Pope Pius XII extended his “personal good wishes” to Supreme Knight Luke Hart about the new design and imparted his apostolic blessing on the Columbia staff and membership of the Order.

In the years that followed the change in format, the magazine featured content about culture and the arts, sports and pastimes such as fishing, but also continued to cover significant events related to the Church or politics — such as the Second Vatican Council and the election of President John F. Kennedy, who was a member of the Order.

Columbia celebrated the centennial of Father McGivney’s birth with an August 1952 cover story titled “With Vision, Zeal and Charity,” which chronicled the K of C founder’s life and legacy. “He was a good priest who was known for his exceptional charity; he was a hard working priest … and he was a determined priest,” wrote Father Arthur Riley, the Order’s historian at the time. “His kindliness enabled him to get along well with men and to persuade as well as to inspire them to carry out plans he conceived.”

Throughout World War II, Columbia regularly highlighted the contributions of councils and members to the war effort, particularly showcasing war bond drives, operations of K of C Canadian Army Huts and Knights who exemplified bravery on the battlefield. From March to April 1943, the magazine urged Knights to buy or sell $25 million worth of war bonds in honor of Founder’s Day. The campaign far surpassed its goal, reaching more than $90 million. After the war, Columbia published a Roll of Honor with the names of 1,685 Knights who made the ultimate sacrifice.

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1. This July 1947 cover art was typical of Columbia throughout this period, which often showcased slices of life. In this case, as Supreme Knight John Swift noted in his annual report that year, “The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs applied for the original of July Columbia cover painting for the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, N.Y.” Citing a number of prominent publications and organizations that reprinted articles and editorials from Columbia, the supreme knight also observed, “This indicates the superb literary level of the articles that have been written especially for Columbia and the able management that selects the material.”

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2. Beginning with its January 1955 issue, Columbia underwent its first major redesign in 25 years, changing to a smaller, standard-size format as a 52-page publication.

3. The November 1961 issue highlighted Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart’s visit to the White House on Oct. 11, 1961. He presented a framed copy of the Pledge of Allegiance, highlighting the words “under God,” to President John F. Kennedy.

4. An ad printed in the May 1962 issue announced that the Order was “taking a leading role in the struggle to combat and to overcome the evils of the World Communist Conspiracy.”

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The Challenge of the Gospel THE CLOSING OF the Second Vatican

Council on Dec. 8, 1965, coincided with a change in leadership at Columbia. John B. Donahue retired after 37 years as editor, and Elmer von Feldt began his tenure in January 1966.

Von Feldt led the magazine toward a goal articulated by Supreme Knight John McDevitt at the 1966 Supreme Convention. McDevitt urged Knights to be at the forefront in answering the council’s call for lay people to “take up the renewal of the temporal order as their own special obligation.” To this end, the supreme knight said, Columbia would “focus on the great challenge and opportunity of lay Catholics in the era of Vatican II.” The magazine began sharing more articles about Catholic responses to issues such as poverty, injustice, abortion, substance abuse and pornography. It reported on the many debates that followed Vatican II, while also clarifying and defending Church teachings about marriage, parenting, education and vocations.

Coverage of K of C activities expanded, particularly after the celebration of the Order’s centennial in 1982. While Columbia had reported Knights’ doings since its earliest days (see page 30), its feature stories and photography now increasingly showcased their work to serve those in need, share the Gospel and renew society.

A few months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade, the April 1973 issue of Columbia commemorated the lives that had been, and would be, lost to abortion.

Columbia’s back cover, once sold as prime advertising space, began promoting vocations in April 1978. The feature grew out of an urgent push, initiated by Supreme Knight Virgil Dechant in 1977, to address the sharp decline in religious vocations. “The nourishment of vocations begins in the family,” Dechant said in his first annual report. “It is a tremendous challenge. It best can be undertaken by an organization of Catholic families.”

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Von Feldt and his successor, Richard McMunn (1988-1999), ushered the magazine through several advancements. A new offset press allowed Columbia to print interior pages in full color for the first time in 1982; the entire publication was full color by 1988.

Columbia also marked several historic milestones in the last decades of the 20th century, during the pontificate of St. John Paul II and administration of Supreme Knight Virgil Dechant — the centennial of the Knights of Columbus (1982); the quincentennial of Christopher Columbus’ first voyage to the New World (1992); and the opening of the cause for canonization of Father Michael J. McGivney (1997).

As part of the Order’s extensive celebration of the Columbus quincentennial and 500 years of evangelization in the Americas, the August 1991 cover depicted great Catholic evangelizers in American history: (clockwise from top left) Blessed Michael McGivney, St. Katharine Drexel, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini and Archbishop Fulton Sheen. The following month, replicas of the Cross of the World (also depicted) would become the focal point of an Orderwide prayer program.

Right: This article by Russell Shaw, who served as director of information for the Knights of Columbus, was part of Columbia’s coverage of Pope John Paul II’s visit to the United States in October 1995, which included a papal Mass sponsored by the Order. Shaw wrote a monthly “Washington” column for Columbia for more than 40 years. The magazine also published a “Vatican” column and a Canadian edition with an “Ottawa” column for several decades.

Below: A photo of President Ronald Reagan delivering remarks to the 1982 Supreme Convention appears in the October 1982 issue — the first in Columbia’s history to include full-color pages inside.

“I remember a particularly vivid personal experience I had with God while being tortured in prison. It was during the second of two long torture sessions of five continuous days and nights in what we called ‘The Rig.’ I realized that I had reached the limit of my endurance — that if the pain continued I would be forced to do anything they asked. So I simply said: ‘God, I’m putting it all in your hands now. I’ve taken all I can take.’

“Never before have I had a prayer answered so spectacularly.

From the instant I phrased it, it was answered. I never before have experienced such physical comfort and serenity of mind.”

From “What is America?” by Rear Adm. Jeremiah A. Denton Jr., August 1975 Columbia. Denton, a prisoner of war in Vietnam for more than seven years, became famous for communicating the treatment of POWs to the world by blinking the word “TORTURE” in Morse code during a propaganda broadcast. A member of the Knights, Denton served as a U.S. senator from 1981-1987.

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Forward in Hope THE TURN OF the new millennium

marked a watershed moment not only for the Church and society, but also for the Order, with the election of a new supreme knight in 2000, and for Columbia, with the promotion of Tim Hickey to editor the previous year.

In his first annual report, in 2001, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson spoke at length about the content and mission of Columbia. “The goal of the magazine is simple,” he said. “To promote and further the aims of the Order and of the Church universal; to enhance Catholic family life; to offer spiritual direction and sustenance to its readers; and to report on the variety and ingenuity of Knights of Columbus fraternal and charitable activities.”

With technological advancements came advancements in publishing.

Before long, the entirety of Columbia’s editorial content was translated into French and Spanish. A digital Polish version was also introduced in 2006, after the Order’s first international expansion in nearly a century.

That same year, long-running columns on Church and world events were retired to allow more space in the magazine’s crowded front pages for reflections by

the supreme knight and supreme chaplain. Additional faith formation content and features such as “Catholic Man of the Month” soon followed.

After 25 years of service to the Supreme Council, Hickey retired in 2008 to pursue a vocation to the priesthood (see back cover). Then-managing editor Alton Pelowski succeeded Hickey and has overseen further developments in the magazine’s presentation, including redesigns in 2009 and 2020, and a significant increase in original photography.

At the most recent Catholic Press Awards ceremony, held virtually June 10, Columbia received 36 mentions for content published in 2020. Its nine first-place awards (among Catholic magazines) included Best Coverage of Religious Liberty Issues; Best Explanation of Marriage; Best Reporting on Vocations; and Best Photograph (Portrait). The magazine was also recognized for Best Photo Story (News) for coverage of Father McGivney’s beatification last fall and received second place for Best Redesign.

Columbia is currently printed in four languages, with a combined circulation of approximately 1.7 million copies. B

The January 2002 cover showed New York City’s Ground Zero following the acts of terrorism against the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. On the day after the attacks, the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors established the $1 million Heroes Fund in order to support families of fallen first responders regardless of their religion or affiliation with the Order.

Columbia later commemorated the 5th and 10th anniversaries with cover stories in 2006 and 2011, respectively.

From its earliest days, Columbia has continuously documented the Order’s promotion and defense of religious freedom. And in recent years, it has been continuously recognized for excellence — receiving the first-place Catholic Press Award for Best Coverage of Religious Liberty Issues six out of the last seven years.

From left: The April 2012 cover depicted the U.S. Bill of Rights torn down the center, symbolizing disregard for First Amendment religious liberty protections. • An icon of Our Lady Help of Persecuted Christians appeared on the cover of the September 2018 issue, which recounted the Order’s ongoing support of Christians in the Middle East.

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Clockwise, from top left: In 2008, the June issue of Columbia was dedicated to Pope Benedict XVI’s April 15-20 visit to the United States.

Previously, the April issue featured reflections on the Holy Father’s ministry and message in anticipation of the visit. • The December 2014 issue featured this article on the newly opened permanent exhibit at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C. • Pope Francis hugs a formerly homeless girl in the opening image of a 2015 feature story about his apostolic visit to the Philippines. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, then archbishop of Manila, is seen next to the pope.

From left: This March 2015 cover story explored the lasting impact of the Order’s Healing Haiti’s Children initiative, which followed the devastating earthquake that killed more than 200,000 and injured tens of thousands in 2010. The program fitted injured children with prosthetic limbs and provided two years of physical therapy and rehabilitation.

A photo story in the March 2018 issue featured extended coverage of the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Columbia has reported on the annual event and the pro-life movement for nearly 50 years and regularly features content about the Knights’ ongoing efforts to build a culture of life.

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STAIRWAY to HEAVEN

Father McGivney’s ministry and witness in the parishes he served continue to bear fruit today

By Maureen Walther

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tree canopy shades the old horse-and-buggy path to St. Thomas Cemetery in Thomaston, Conn. Etched into the steep hillside, a set of steps offers a shortcut — once the only pedestrian path to the cemetery, with a rather famous pedestrian.

While Blessed Michael McGivney is best known for his ministry in New Haven, where he founded the Knights of Columbus, he spent his last six years — half of his priestly life — in Thomaston, including service to the mission church in nearby Terryville.

“Father McGivney, or anyone who walked to the cemetery, would have come this way,” said Father Jim Sullivan, a longtime parishioner in Thomaston and now rector of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in McGivney’s hometown, Waterbury. “He would have walked these steps regularly.”

On a hot Saturday morning in June, Father Sullivan and members of Sheridan Council 24 in Waterbury, which he serves as chaplain, joined Knights from Thomaston and Terryville for a work day at the cemetery. Together, they cleared the footpath and power-washed the grime of time from the headstones of priests who, like Blessed Michael McGivney, served and died in Thomaston.

The cemetery steps are not only a tangible link to Father McGivney’s days there — they also evoke the theme of ascent and the path toward sanctity that he walked with so many people. Preserving the footpath is just one of many ways that councils in the towns where he lived and ministered honor his legacy. As he did in life, Father McGivney continues to inspire the Knights of Thomaston, Terryville 18

and Waterbury to acts of faith and charity.

“Father McGivney gives us a great example of how to live a holy life — to live a life that is not only serving God, but serving our fellow man,” said Paul Folino, grand knight of Leo XIII Council 1090 in Terryville.

“We feel really blessed and honored that we can look back and say that he was our pastor.”

THE WORK OF A PASTOR One wonders what the several hundred parishioners of St. Thomas Church expected when Father McGivney rolled into town in November 1884.

A description by his close friend, Father James O’Donnell, gives us a picture of the holy priest who arrived in Thomaston to start his assignment as pastor.

“Genial, approachable, of kindly disposition, cheerful under reverses, profoundly sympathetic with those upon whom had fallen the heavy hand of affliction,” Father O’Donnell would later say of Father McGivney. “He was charitable to a fault, if I may so speak. The poor found in him a Good Samaritan, and were frequent recipients of his bounty.”

In Thomaston, Father McGivney would shoulder many challenges that today’s pastors might recognize: parish debt, a chronic priest shortage, far-flung parishioners. Although Father McGivney was aided periodically by a revolving door of assistant priests, the bulk of responsibility fell to him.

The parish undoubtedly grew more stable under his leadership. He ran down the debt, putting the parish on a financially sustainable path. He put the latest technology to work for the church, installing electric lights and a telephone.

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Above: Parishioners gather outside the old St. Thomas Church in Thomaston in 1884, the year that Father McGivney was assigned to the parish. A new church was built on a different site in 1908.

TOP: Knights of Columbus Multimedia Archives — OTHER: Photos by Aaron Joseph

Left: Father Joseph Crowley preaches in front of altar panels depicting Blessed Michael McGivney, as well as his two patrons, St. Michael and St. Joseph, in Immaculate Conception Church.

Opposite page: A set of stairs cuts from the road up to historic St. Thomas Cemetery in Thomaston, Conn. As pastor of St. Thomas for almost six years, Father Michael McGivney would have walked the steps many times.

But practicalities were not ends in themselves. For Father McGivney, the spiritual well-being of his parishioners was paramount.

“Father McGivney had unbounded faith in the saving graces dispensed by Holy Church,” O’Donnell said. “He was cognizant of the efficacy of those divine splendors of the Church, the sacraments, to spiritualize his fellow men of good will and to bring them to the knowledge and love of Christ.”

Father McGivney bolstered the parish’s devotional groups for adults and children. Within a few months, he drew enough interest to form a Knights of Columbus council — Atlantic Council 18, which is active to this day. He also wove parish and social life together, drawing young people together for theatrical events at Thomaston’s grand Opera House.

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with local clergy in Waterbury, and lent his resonant voice to the liturgy consecrating Sacred Heart Church, also in his hometown.

Two years into his assignment as pastor, he was entrusted with a second church, the recently built Immaculate Conception a few miles away in Terryville. That made for busy Sunday mornings — three Masses, with two carriage rides in between.

As the diocese grew, so too did the Knights of Columbus, to Father McGivney’s great joy. The Knights’ lay leadership was largely self-directed and independent, as McGivney intended. He remained a key agent, however, especially when really needed — communicating with the bishop in Rhode Island, for example, and traveling there in January 1889 to help expand the Order beyond Connecticut. He also penned a passionate defense of the Knights, explaining the Order’s mission and fidelity to the Church.

But as the Knights of Columbus grew in strength, Father McGivney weakened. Exhausted from work, he took ill in December 1889, perhaps from the so-called Russian flu then spreading around the world. He never recovered. When he died at age 38 on Aug. 14, 1890, thousands attended his funeral at St. Thomas Church. It was noted that not a carriage could be rented for miles around.

THE BLESSED NEXT DOOR In Thomaston and Terryville, Blessed Michael McGivney’s ministry does not feel like the remote past.

“We still have people whose grandparents or great-grandparents were part of the parish that knew Father McGivney,” said Father Joseph Crowley, his successor as pastor of St. Thomas and Immaculate Conception, now joined as St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish.

Father Crowley, who is also chaplain of Council 18 and Council 1090, speaks of Father McGivney to his Knights and

‘We feel really blessed and honored that we can look back and say that he was our pastor.’ parishioners often. He believes that having such a close and human example of holiness — a pastor who lived, walked and worked here — has helped the parish grow spiritually.

“It’s an amazing, amazing gift that God gave us through his life,” he said.

A few years ago, Father Crowley commissioned a painting of Father McGivney for the altarpiece of Immaculate Conception Church. And he is working to create a suitable place in St. Thomas Church for visitors to venerate the relic of Father McGivney given to the parish after his beatification.

Father McGivney also returned recently to the Thomaston Opera House stage — theatrically, that is. In 2018, as part of a special McGivney Day celebration, the Thomaston and Terryville councils worked with a parishioner to bring to the stage “He Was Our Father,” a 2005 play about Father McGivney’s life by Dominican Father Peter John Cameron.

The staged reading had an impact that lingered after the curtains closed.

“I think that was the beginning of deeper activities within our council,” recalled Emile Drillon, past grand knight of Council 18 in Thomaston; the play helped inspire the council to take on more spiritual activities.

In nearby Waterbury, as well, Father Sullivan and the Knights are getting things done to celebrate the town’s native son.

Immaculate Conception Church in Terryville is seen in an undated image. The church, built in 1882, became a mission of St. Thomas Parish in 1886. • Father McGivney’s signature can be seen under his entries in the St. Thomas marriage register from 1888.

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OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT: Photo courtesy of Judy Giguere — OTHER: Photos by Aaron Joseph

Members of Atlantic Council 18 in Thomaston, Leo XIII Council 1090 in Terryville and Sheridan Council 24 in Waterbury gather with Father Jim Sullivan (center) during a work day at St. Thomas Cemetery. The Knights cleared the overgrown steps and tended to the graves of past priests of St. Thomas Church.

For starters, the church hall at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is being transformed into the Blessed Michael McGivney Parish Center. A life-size statue is also planned for the basilica — with a Waterbury twist. In honor of the city’s history as a center of the brass industry, the statue will be made from brass donated for the cause. Among the first donations are six military buttons from a local monsignor. The statue’s base will be quarried from a hilltop, home of Holy Land U.S.A., which overlooks the Brass City.

McGivney’s legacy in Waterbury and Thomaston, however, goes beyond artwork and memorials. His charitable spirit is alive and well.

“We have a very small parish, but it’s very generous,” Folino said. “They see the work that the Knights do and they’re more than willing to support our efforts.” The council’s work includes support for parish widows and fundraising for a local pregnancy center.

As the latest pandemic ramped up in 2020, Council 24 in Waterbury responded promptly to the needs caused by

COVID-19. Even before the Order’s Leave No Neighbor Behind initiative officially launched in March 2020, Knights went to work, delivering groceries and medicine to vulnerable neighbors, collecting food donations, and more.

Another thing hasn’t changed: From heaven, Father McGivney still seems to be drawing men to the Knights.

“I think the beatification of Father Michael McGivney really highlighted the Order and everything we do,” Folino said.

“I can tell you that it was a component that helped us bring in many new members through the course of the pandemic.”

And the future? “I think Father McGivney is a priest for the 1800s. He’s also a priest very much for today,” Father Sullivan affirmed. “Because the human heart is still the same.

We still have a desire for love and to know God who created us. Here’s a man who showed us the way.” B MAUREEN WALTHER is co-author of The Knights of Columbus: An Illustrated History (2020) and writes from Guilford, Conn.

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A Tale of Two Orders The Dominican friars at St. Mary’s Parish have carried on Father McGivney’s legacy for 135 years

By John Burger

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The Dominican friars of St. Mary’s Priory — including Father Jonathan Kalisch (center), prior, and Father John Paul Walker (second from left), pastor — gather outside St. Mary’s Church in New Haven.

to the church, telling the story of Father McGivney’s life and legacy. Knights of San Salvador Council 1 also offer tours of the church to visiting pilgrims, and parishioners regularly recite the prayer for Father McGivney’s canonization together at the end of Mass.

This year, a week after the Order of Preachers marks the 800th anniversary of St. Dominic’s death on Aug. 6, the Dominican community and parishioners at St. Mary’s will celebrate Blessed Michael McGivney’s feast day for the first time.

“We encourage people to come and pray at the tomb, and to bring their intentions to Blessed Michael, to ask for his intercession — especially for loved ones who need a miracle,” Father Walker said.

“To be the pastor of the church where this saintly man once ministered is something that is never far from my mind,” he added. “It’s a constant reminder and inspiration — but it is also a challenge, because those of us who have come after Father McGivney bear the responsibility to live up to that standard.” B JOHN BURGER writes for Aleteia.org and is a member of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Council 16253 in New Haven, Conn.

Photo by Tamino Petelinšek

TWO YEARS AFTER Blessed Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Conn., he was made a pastor in Thomaston, a town in northern Connecticut. And two years after that, in May 1886, St. Mary’s Parish was entrusted to the pastoral care of the Order of Preachers. Since that time, a special bond has grown between the religious order that St. Dominic founded eight centuries ago and the Order of the Knights of Columbus.

“To be at St. Mary’s is to be inseparable from the legacy of Blessed Michael McGivney,” said Dominican Father John Paul Walker, pastor of St. Mary’s since 2015 and chaplain of San Salvador Council 1. “This is something that I think every Dominican pastor, every Dominican friar here for 135 years, has realized — certainly even more so in recent times.”

In the months before his death on Aug. 14, 1890, Father McGivney spent several weeks in New Haven to seek treatment, and it is likely that he stayed with the Dominicans at his old parish. At Father McGivney’s funeral in Thomaston, Dominican Father Arthur Higgins — then pastor of St. Mary’s — delivered a 40-minute eulogy recounting his late friend’s ministry as a parish priest. The Waterbury Evening Democrat reported Aug. 18 that Father Higgins emphasized “the great affection held for him by his parishioners,” adding that he spoke with “great feeling,” such that “many were moved to tears.”

Nearly a century later, during the Knights’ centennial in 1982, Father McGivney’s remains were moved from a family plot in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Waterbury to St. Mary’s Church — and it was discovered that Father McGivney had been buried wearing two scapulars: the brown scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and also the white scapular of St. Dominic.

A Dominican friar, Father Gabriel B. O’Donnell, was appointed postulator of Father McGivney’s cause for canonization in 1997. He later prepared a Positio — a 1,000-page document making the case for Father McGivney’s heroic virtue and holiness.

Other Dominicans have worked with the Supreme Council over the years to assist with Knights’ spiritual formation programs, even as the Order has supported St. Mary’s Church in various ways — including the funding of major restoration projects at the church in 1982 and 2019.

In anticipation of the beatification last year, the parish collaborated with the Order to install a series of panels next C O L U M B I A B J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 2 1

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A Friend

IN TIMES OF NEED Devotion to Father McGivney is growing — and so are reports of his intercessory help

By Brian Caulfield

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Photo by Aaron Joseph

n his lifetime, Father Michael McGivney found creative ways to assist the faithful and address their needs. His beatification last fall confirmed what many have long believed — that he continues to do so today.

More and more Catholics are turning to Blessed Michael McGivney for his heavenly aid since his beatification Oct. 31, 2020.

The Father Michael J. McGivney Guild, established in 1997 to spread devotion and promote the cause for canonization, has seen significant growth and a marked increase in the number of favors, large and small, reported by those asking for Father McGivney’s intercession.

Blessed Michael McGivney is known especially for favors related to employment and finances, reconciling family members, overcoming addiction, recovering from serious illness, and conversion or return to the Church. As his first feast day approaches Aug. 13, we share the stories behind three of these reports below. To learn more about the Guild, or to join, visit fathermcgivney.org.

OUT OF THE WOODS When Peter Nelson and his 6-year-old son found themselves in a life-threatening situation, he was glad he had a network of Knights praying for their safety.

The unexpected drama began when Nelson, a K of C field agent in eastern Tennessee, pulled over during a drive through the mountains near his home one afternoon last January. His son, also named Peter, was feeling carsick on the winding road, and Nelson decided to take him on a short walk to get some air — just half a mile or so through the woods.

At least that was the plan. Partway through the hike, Nelson used the hunting app on his phone and found a shortcut that looped back to the road. But the rocky terrain, faint trail and dense thickets of mountain laurel made for slow going, and night was falling.

Nelson was carrying his son up a steep and icy slope when he realized they weren’t going to make it out before it became too dark to see. With one bar left on his cell phone, he called his wife, trying not to panic her, and then called Keith Estevens, a police officer and brother Knight. Sizing up the seriousness of the situation — the temperature was forecast to drop into the teens that night, and neither of them was dressed for such cold — Estevens said, “You’d better hunker down,” and called the county sheriff.

“The thing that I’ll never forget, as the sun went down, was the helplessness,” Nelson said.

“You’re sitting on a rock with your son crying in your arms, and you just think, how did this happen?”

Several hours had already passed, when he hugged his son to his chest inside his coat and called his wife again.

This time, they recited what they thought could be their last prayer together.

Nelson then called his boss, Daniel Schachle, the K of C general agent whose son had been miraculously healed through Father McGivney’s intercession, paving the way to the K of C founder’s beatification.

“Hey, Dan, I’m going to need one of those Father McGivney miracles,” Nelson told Schachle. “I’m in a bad spot.”

Schachle immediately contacted the Tennessee State Council, which sent out an email blast for all Knights to pray through the intercession of Father McGivney.

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Vince Famularo attributes his recovery from COVID-19 — which nearly took his life in January — to the intercession of Father McGivney and the Blessed Mother.

Rescuers from a nearby fire department reached Nelson and his son a couple hours later, as frostbite and dehydration were beginning to threaten.

Two young firemen were the first to call out, and Nelson surprised himself with the strength of his response.

“I look back now and think, my son and I are alive today because I had friends that were Knights,” Nelson said.

“And when I needed their help, they came through.”

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‘WHEN TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED’ Vince Famularo had a case of COVID-19 that quickly went from bad to worse to death’s door. Doctors told his wife, Joan, and their four grown children that he was failing fast and perhaps beyond treatment. Yet, today he is back home and relatively healthy — thanks, he believes, to the intercession of Our Lady and Blessed Michael McGivney.

Famularo, grand knight of Msgr.

Photos by Spirit Juice Studios

Peter Nelson and his son, Peter, are pictured outside their Tennessee home. Nelson asked for prayers to Blessed Michael McGivney when they found themselves stranded in the woods on a freezing night last winter.

Joseph Kerin Council 12654 in Huntersville, N.C., was hospitalized Jan. 8 and admitted to the intensive care unit a few days later. When members of Council 12654 heard about his serious condition, they quickly organized a prayer vigil at St. Mark’s Church. Knights and other parishioners turned out in large numbers to pray the rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Michael McGivney.

“Turning to Father McGivney was the logical thing to do,” said John Passarelli, deputy grand knight. “His intercession would be particularly important, I believed, in trying to bring back the fellow who is in charge of our council.”

“It was amazing to see the community of the church, and to know that [Vince] was loved by so many,” recalled his wife, Joan.

Soon after the prayer vigil, doctors saw a marked improvement in Vince’s condition and told Joan that she could visit him. They had been separated for 23 days, the longest they’d ever been apart in their 50 years of marriage. Vince vividly recalls the moment he opened his eyes and saw her in the room.

“When I saw it was my wife, I really brightened up,” he said. “Just being able to hold her hand; it was an exciting moment.”

He was released from the hospital in late January and heard about the prayer vigil for his recovery. “It really began to come together, why I recovered soon after that,” he said.

“God was with us,” said council member Ray Fitzgerald. “It’s one of those things that makes your heart feel fonder for the Knights, seeing what we can do together.”

Recalling his days in the hospital and the prayers of his family, friends and brother Knights brings tears to Vince’s eyes and joy to his heart. He believes he has been touched by the divine.

“I am convinced that the Blessed Mother and Father McGivney, by their intercession, allowed me the opportunity to complete my mission here on earth,” he said. “I have such a new understanding of the power of prayer.

It is real. When two or three people

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are gathered together in Christ’s name, he is in their midst. He can change anything.”

Photo by Bryce Meyer

A ‘MYSTERY’ PRAYER Where the prayer card came from she doesn’t know. But when Johanna Ireland changed her purse for the week, there it was: “Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Michael McGivney.”

Not long before, she had heard a podcast episode about Father McGivney and the miraculous healing of an unborn child through his intercession. Although she had not heard of Father McGivney previously, Johanna took these two unexpected events as a sign from God. She began to recite the prayer she found in her purse for nine days, and then for another nine days.

Two novenas, she figured, were better than one.

Her special intention was the health of her husband, Donald, who had been diagnosed with aggressive digital papillary adenocarcinoma — a rare malignant tumor of the sweat glands of the finger. This type of cancer can

‘Turning to Father McGivney was the logical thing to do.’ spread quickly to the lymph nodes, so she prayed fervently that it would be contained.

Johanna and Donald live in Calgary, Alberta. Johanna, a corporate flight attendant, is a lifelong faithful Catholic. Donald, retired from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, was raised Christian but has fallen away from any formal religious practice. Yet, he is thankful for the loving prayers of his wife and others.

On Feb. 2, Donald’s cancer was surgically removed by amputation of part of his right index finger. The surgeon also took out some lymph nodes as a precaution and to test if the cancer had spread. To their great relief, the aggressive cancer had not spread beyond the portion of the amputated finger, and Donald has been declared

cancer-free. He is back to playing golf and looking forward to more years of healthy retirement.

For Johanna, the experience has reaffirmed the power of prayer, especially intercessory prayer for others. “I’m still praying the Father McGivney prayer the first nine days of every month,” she said.

“And I have shared it with my friends and family who have health issues.”

How the Blessed Michael McGivney prayer card wound up in her purse is still a mystery. Perhaps it came from one of her relatives who belongs to the Knights or someone at her parish.

Whatever the case, she is sure of one thing: Her prayers were answered. B BRIAN CAULFIELD is vice postulator of the cause for canonization of Blessed Michael McGivney.

Donald and Johanna Ireland hold the prayer card that prompted Johanna to ask Father McGivney’s intercession for her husband after he was diagnosed with cancer.

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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N B F A I T H I N A C T I O N

FATHER’S LIBRARY

Members of Bishop Charles P. Greco Council 9499 in Clemmons, N.C., built bookshelves for Father James Struhenberg, pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church. Father Struhenberg needed a place to store a library of religious books after his reassignment to the parish.

ADOPTED SEMINARIANS

Father Francis X. Borrano-Father Joseph Gallagher Council 11369 in Canfield, Ohio, “adopted” two local seminarians and Knights, donating $1,000 to each and committing to pray for them. William Wainio is completing his studies at St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland, and Father Matthew Humerickhouse was recently ordained.

BIBLE SCHOOL SERVES ALL

An honor guard from Bishop Chatard Assembly 245 in Indianapolis participated in an outdoor Way of the Cross on Good Friday. Archbishop Charles C. Thompson of Indianapolis led the devotion through a downtown park.

Our Lady of Victory Council 14427 in Northville, Mich., held a fund drive at Our Lady of Victory Church to support the parish’s Vacation Bible School for people with disabilities. Wearing council-designed aprons that read “All Belong,” the Knights collected more than $1,600.

SHRINE CLEANUP

ASCENSION CHOIR

THE CROSS IN THE CITY

Father Gabby Chiniona, chaplain of Pope St. Paul VI Council 17451 in Dasmariñas City, Luzon South, led Knights

Catholic Church of the Ascension’s Sunday Masses. The ages of members span more than six decades, with the youngest singer still in his teens.

A Knights choir from Ascension Council 7991 in Parksville, British Columbia, has sung for several years at the

Grand Knight Kevin Smylie of Columbus Council 126 in Brooklyn, N.Y., presents vestments embroidered with the emblem of the Order to Father JohnPaul Kodiri Columbus Obiaeri. Father Obiaeri received financial assistance from the council during his seminary studies and currently serves as parochial vicar at Holy Child Jesus Church in Richmond Hill.

Members of Father Justin Cunningham Assembly 2518 in Charlottesville, Va., and other parishioners of Holy Comforter Catholic Church participate in a Corpus Christi eucharistic procession. Father Joseph Mary Lukyamuzi, pastor of Holy Comforter and the assembly’s faithful friar, carried the monstrance through downtown Charlottesville.

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BOTTOM: Photo by Matthew Blumenfeld

Faith

in a cleaning project at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Silang, Cavite. For the second year in a row, council members weeded the area around the shrine’s Stations of the Cross markers and pathways.

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Family JOYFUL NOISES

St. James Council 4557 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, donated CA$1,330 to St. Charles Catholic School to support music programs there. The funds were proceeds from a parish spaghetti dinner organized by the council.

Children gather for a three-legged race at a family picnic sponsored by Millwood (Mo.) Council 2009 in celebration of its 100th anniversary.

FAMILY HOSPITALITY

LEFT: Photo by Vero Gutierrez — TOP: Photo by Brooke + Jacob Photo & Film Co.

BOTTOM: Photo by Matthew Blumenfeld

Félix López and other members of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Council 17462 in Boise, Idaho, unload food provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.

The council rented a truck to distribute the food at four local parishes whose pastors had requested donations.

ST. AGNES FOR AUTISM

St. Agnes-Shepherdstown (W.V.) Council 13887 celebrated 15 years of financial support for local children with autism. Through annual fund drives, the council raised nearly $20,000 for the school district’s programs serving autistic students.

Holy Spirit Council 15748 in Sioux Falls, S.D., raised more than $11,000 through a parish fund drive for Bishop Dudley Hospitality House and St. Francis House, nonprofit organizations that serve families experiencing homelessness. The council used the funds to purchase a year’s supply of laundry soap for both facilities and donated an additional $3,500 to each.

LEAGUE OF ST. BERNADETTE

St. Bernadette Council 16376 in Westlake, Ohio, sponsors the FIRST LEGO League robotics team at St. Bernadette Catholic School. Knights mentor middle school students in math and science and partner with parents to prepare for robotics competitions.

NOVENA AND NOURISHMENT

Members of Father Carlos Brendel Council 11455 in Oriental Mindoro, Luzon South, fed hungry families during a nine-day prayer and charity initiative. The Knights attended Mass and prayed together each morning before serving meals in the community.

CHARITY FOR FAMILIES IN NEED

St. Patrick’s Council 3484 in Canby, Ore., adapted its 24th annual crab dinner into a drive-thru event in 2021. The dinner raised more than $6,000 for several local charities, including the Canby Pregnancy Care Center. The Knights also collected more than $20,000 to help a family that lost their home to a wildfire.

HAVENLY HOPE

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Council 7473 in Valparaiso, Ind., donated $3,000 raised through a parish baby bottle fundraiser to install a Safe Haven Baby Box at a fire station in Merrillville. Safe Haven boxes provide a way for a mother in crisis to place a newborn infant for adoption safely, legally and anonymously.

FAMILY CONNECTION

Marian Council 5748 in Manchester, N.H., and Magallanes (Mindanao) Council 7885 connected through a new member of the New Hampshire council whose father-in-law belongs to Council 7885. The New Hampshire Knights presented the Filipino Knights with funds to buy rice to distribute to 100 local families in need.

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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N B F A I T H I N A C T I O N

Community VISITING THE IMPRISONED

Grand Knight David Ghee, James Wesley and Tony Giles (left to right), members of Cardinal Shehan of Baltimore Council 205, help organize donated groceries outside St. Bernardine Catholic Church. At the request of their pastor and council chaplain, Msgr. Richard J. Bozzelli, the Knights and other parishioners gather each week to sort, pack and deliver food to the homes of people in need.

Saint-Ferdinand (Québec) Council 9149 sponsored a fund drive in support of food banks on the municipality’s main street, raising more than CA$4,500 in one day for local organizations.

VICTORVILLE FOR VETERANS

Members of Msgr. William Van Garsse Assembly 2664 in Victorville, Calif., held a collection for the Veterans Home of California-Barstow at St. Joan of Arc Parish. Parishioners donated money and supplies, including bottled water and office items, which the Knights delivered to the home.

GOING FOR GOLD

Members of Ascension Community Council 15936 in Memphis, Tenn., raised about $500 with a series of pancake breakfasts and hot dog lunches after Sunday Mass at Church of the Ascension. The council donated the proceeds to restore the gold plating on one of the parish’s chalices.

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SUSTAINING A SHELTER

Members of St. John the Evangelist Council 8342 in Prairieville, La., and their wives dedicated several days to renovating and cleaning the IRIS Domestic Violence Center in Baton Rouge. They removed old furniture, replaced ceiling tiles, and fixed plumbing and electrical problems. The Knights also purchased a new washing machine for the shelter with contributions from parishioners.

VISITING FIRST RESPONDERS

Members of Good Samaritan Council 6175 in Herndon, Va., delivered pizza and gift cards to a local fire station as a gesture of appreciation for the first responders’ service.

CURBSIDE CHARITY

Lakeville (Minn.) Council 8367 sponsors free curbside pickup meals each month for more than 500 local people in need. The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis honored the council with a Stewardship Award for its efforts.

Dave Townley, a member of St. Pius X Council 12656 in Portland, Ore., saws boards for a repair project at the parish youth center as Past Grand Knight Cliff Jensen looks on. The council offers a volunteer handyman service called St. Joseph’s Toolbox, completing indoor and outdoor improvements at St. Pius X Catholic Church and the homes of neighbors in need.

TOP LEFT: Photo by Brion McCarthy — BOTTOM RIGHT: Photo by Corky Miller

MAIN STREET FUND DRIVE

Members of Our Lady of Fatima Council 15042 in Dipolog City, Mindanao, visited inmates at Dipolog City Jail with Msgr. Joel Monteramos, vicar general of the Diocese of Dipolog City. Msgr. Monteramos celebrated Mass for more than 130 prisoners, and the council donated $2,000 worth of food to the jail for distribution to visiting family members.

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Life ST. ILDEFONSE LIFE DEFENDERS

Members of St. Ildefonse Council 5893 in Malasiqui, Luzon North, took part in a Walk for Life in Dagupan City. The march, in defense of marriage and the unborn, was sponsored by the Diocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.

Korean Knights of Columbus leaders, including Territorial Deputy Shin Kyoung-soo (fourth from right), display K of C “Love Life, Choose Life” signs outside Myeong-dong Cathedral in Seoul to demonstrate support for Korea’s virtual March for Life. The Knights gathered at the cathedral for the episcopal ordination of Bishop Titus Seo Sang-bum (center).

NURSE RECOGNITION

TOP RIGHT: Photo by Choi Young-soo

TOP LEFT: Photo by Brion McCarthy — BOTTOM RIGHT: Photo by Corky Miller

Bishop Delany Assembly 397 in Lowell, Mass., sponsors a program to recognize the nurses at Lowell General Hospital. Once a month, drawings are held for each shift, and the winning nurse receives a $50 gas card donated by the assembly.

Brian Lazusky, a member of St. Thomas à Becket Council 16236, participates in the eighth annual “Laps for Life” walkathon in Orlando, a fundraiser sponsored by councils in central Florida. The walkathon promotes the celebration and defense of life and raises money for the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative.

The 2021 event raised more than $80,000, enough to place at least five ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers in the state.

SPECIAL FUND DRIVE

Members of St. Leo Council 13917 in Versailles, Ky., raised $750 for Woodford County Special Olympics with a fund drive outside a local grocery store.

The council has held the drive annually for more than 15 years.

GIFT OF MOBILITY

Members of Seton Council 7990 in Bear, Del., constructed wheelchair ramps for four St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parishioners with disabilities, including three Knights. The ramps will improve their mobility, quality of life and access to Mass and the sacraments.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SUPPORTS LIFE

St. Damien of Molokai Council 15733 and Father Peter J.J. Juba Council 4922, both in Orange, Calif., organized the Orange Walk for Life, a demonstration for the protection of life at all stages.

The event was the first of its kind to take place in the city.

SILVER ROSE OF THE DAKOTAS

Members of Holy Family Council 7176 in Grand Forks, N.D., participated in a Knights of Columbus Silver Rose ceremony at Holy Family Church. This silver rose — one of eight — started its 2021 pilgrimage in Manitoba and will arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border on Dec. 12.

See more at www.kofc.org/knightsinaction Please submit your council activities to knightsinaction@kofc.org J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 2 1 B C O L U M B I A

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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N B T H R O U G H H I S T O R Y

Columbia’s format and editorial focus have evolved over the last century, but one thing that has been constant is sharing news about the work of Knights of Columbus. Columbia’s predecessor, The Columbiad, gathered such content under the title “Seen and Heard in Knightland: Pertinent Facts About the Members and Their Doings, Gathered at Random Along the Fraternal Highway.” Over the years, reports about K of C activities around the world have appeared in the magazine under different, and much pithier, headings, but the purpose has remained the same — to showcase the impact councils make in their local communities and to inspire Knights everywhere to put their faith into action.

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Join the Father McGivney Guild

!

7/21

Please enroll me in the Father Michael J. McGivney Guild: NAME ADDRESS CITY

GET GEAR. GIVE BACK

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

K OF C OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS www.KnightsGear.com www.KnightsGear.ca 1-833-695-4872

IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA

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OFFICIAL JULY/AUGUST 1, 2021:

Where there’s a need, there’s a Knight … and where there’s a Knight in need, there’s Knights Gear!

We are happy to announce that all Knights Gear purchases d irectly contribute to Knights of Columbus Charities!

SHOP NOW!

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To owners of Knights of Columbus insurance policies and persons responsible for payment of premiums on such policies: Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the provisions of Section 84 of the Laws of the Order, payment of insurance premiums due on a monthly basis to the Knights of Columbus by check made payable to Knights of Columbus and mailed to same at PO Box 1492, NEW HAVEN, CT 06506-1492, before the expiration of the grace period set forth in the policy. In Canada: Knights of Columbus, Place d’Armes Station, P.O. Box 220, Montreal, QC H2Y 3G7 ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK, EDITORIAL MATTER, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILED TO: COLUMBIA, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-9982. REJECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IF ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE. PURCHASED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED. OPINIONS BY WRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. SUBSCRIPTION RATES — IN THE U.S.: 1 YEAR, $6; 2 YEARS, $11; 3 YEARS, $15. FOR OTHER COUNTRIES ADD $2 PER YEAR. EXCEPT FOR CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS, PAYMENT IN U.S. CURRENCY ONLY. SEND ORDERS AND CHECKS TO: ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-9982.

COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869/USPS #123-740) IS PUBLISHED 11 TIMES A YEAR BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326. PHONE: 203-752-4000, kofc.org. PRODUCED IN USA. COPYRIGHT © 2021 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, P.O. BOX 554, ELMSFORD, NY 10523.

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PHILIPPINES — FOR PHILIPPINES SECOND-CLASS MAIL AT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE. SEND RETURN COPIES TO KCFAPI, FRATERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1511, MANILA.

6/24/21 1:08 AM

KNIGHTS OF CHARITY

Photo by Sehee Kim

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

Seminarians from the Diocese of Paterson, with Bishop Kevin Sweeney (left), gather after competing in the 11th annual Knights of Columbus and Catholic Charities Army Tank Pull in Clifton, N.J. The event, in which teams attempt to move an 80,000-pound tank mounted on a truck, was organized by St. Philip the Apostle Council 11671 and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Paterson. To date, the Tank Pull has raised more than $1.5 million for charities supporting veterans.

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: knightsinaction@kofc.org COLUMBIA JULY_AUG 21 ENG COVERS 6_21 FINAL.indd 4

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

‘I left confirmed in my call.’

Father Tim S. Hickey Marienthal (Kan.) Council 2930 Diocese of Dodge City

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Photo by April Harmon Photography

“When the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest is come” (Mk 4:29).

The kernels of my vocation weren’t that different from many others: growing up in a family of faith, and nurtured by Catholic culture and schools, pastors who truly shepherded their flocks (including this occasionally wayward sheep), and the Knights of Columbus.

With degrees from Benedictine College and Marquette University, I came to work for the Supreme Council, eventually serving as editor of Columbia (1999-2008). During my time in New Haven, I came to know Father McGivney and prayed daily at his sarcophagus in St. Mary Church. The seeds finally ripened at Yankee Stadium, of all places, as I covered the Mass that Pope Benedict XVI celebrated there in 2008. I left confirmed in my call.

Now, I’m a pastor of three parishes in western Kansas, close to where I grew up. There might be more cattle than people where I serve, but the grains of faith continue to be planted in many fields and are ripening. “Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Lk 10:2).

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