Columbia July/August 2022

Columbia KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

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By Brother Knights, For Brother Knights

Knights of Columbus agents help our members and their families safeguard their financial futures, and achieve precious peace of mind. Contact your agent today to find out how the Knights of Columbus can help serve you.

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CONTENTS

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VOLUME 102

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NUMBER 6

Departments 3 For the greater glory of God In a spirit of bravery and charity, Knights are called to aid the vulnerable and build a culture of life.

By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly

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Learning the faith, living the faith Our identity and guiding principles as Knights find their source in God’s own inner life of charity and unity.

By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

PLUS: Catholic Man of the Month

6 Knights of Columbus News State Deputies Called To ‘Lead with Courage and Conviction’ A statue of Our Lady of Lourdes is pictured at the Marian grotto in Lourdes, France. The 2022 Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage, co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, took place May 10-16 (see page 13).

7 Fathers for Good If we were to die today, would we be ready to face our eternal destiny?

By Jason Godin

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Mothers and Children First

ASAP, a new K of C pro-life initiative, encourages councils to step up support for young moms and children in need.

By Columbia staff

TOP: Photo by Tamino Petelinšek — ON THE COVER: Marco_Piunti/E+ via Getty Images

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28 Knights in Action Reports from councils and assemblies, representing the four pillars of the Faith in Action program model

In Search of Peace and Healing

ON THE COVER

With support from the Order, wounded warriors, their caregivers and other service members participate in the annual International Military Pilgrimage to Lourdes.

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‘The Long Haul’

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Grace Amid Tragedy

A photo illustration depicts a baby holding the hand of an adult caregiver. The new ASAP (Aid and Support After Pregnancy) program will bolster local support for mothers and their children (see page 8).

Knights of Columbus Charity Convoys bring care packages and essential supplies to Ukrainians displaced by war.

God’s presence gave hope to the grand knight in Uvalde, Texas, in the face of death.

By Joe Bukuras

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State Deputies 2022-2023

The Knight Who Was Chesterton

When G.K. Chesterton entered the Catholic Church a century ago, he had a K of C “sword” ready at hand.

By Dale Ahlquist

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 © 2022 All rights reserved

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E D I TTO ORRI IAALL

The Choice Is Clear FOR DECADES, abortion advocates have

declared the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade to be “settled law.” Nonetheless, the subject of abortion rights and regulations has become more controversial with each passing year. While our society has become divided and polarized in many ways, perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in the political and social response to abortion.

Thirty years ago, during the 1992 presidential campaign, Bill Clinton famously said that abortion should be “safe, legal and rare.” But in recent years, and especially in recent months, the word “rare” is almost never heard among proponents of abortion. Even in places like New York, which has one of the highest abortion rates in the nation and no state-level restrictions, legislators have taken steps to further “expand abortion access” according to the attorney general’s office.

One such step has been to mandate that pro-life pregnancy centers be labeled “limited service pregnancy centers” because they do not refer vulnerable women to abortion facilities, but instead empower them to choose life. Hundreds of pregnancy resource centers nationwide have been established or have expanded their mission to provide professional medical services in addition to personal and material support.

But instead of acclaiming such centers for their holistic, compassionate care of pregnant women and young mothers, pro-abortion groups have painted them as “fake health centers” that intentionally mislead.

The irony of this is that the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the largest abortion provider in the United States, claims that abortion makes up only “3% of its services,” but the

354,871 abortions performed by PPFA in 2019 (the last available year) outnumbered “prenatal services” (8,626) and adoption referrals (2,667) by more than 30 to 1. Moreover, Planned Parenthood’s prenatal services have been reduced by more than half since 2004, while the abortions they perform now account for more than 40% of the total in the United States.

In November 2018, Dr. Leana Wen became the first medical doctor to lead PPFA in nearly 50 years, but she was ousted just nine months after she was named president. Her mistake? In a farewell message to colleagues, she cited “philosophical differences about the direction and future” of the organization. In a New York Times editorial later that week, she wrote that Planned Parenthood has a duty “to increase care for women before, during and after pregnancies,” but these goals were not shared by senior leaders of the organization with an apparently single-minded focus on promoting abortion.

Meanwhile, the lifesaving work of pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes — not to mention the work of the Sisters of Life, post-abortion ministries and others — continues to grow with support from the Knights of Columbus and other people of good will.

The contrast could not be starker. The future of abortion in the United States and elsewhere is not primarily a question of legal or political battles, but a question of culture and, indeed, deep philosophical differences. It is, in fact, a matter of choice. “I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live” (Dt 30:19). B Alton J. Pelowski, Editor

Supporting Women and Children — ASAP Knights of Columbus councils are urged to support the new ASAP (Aid and Support After Pregnancy) program, an Orderwide initiative to strengthen support for pregnant women, new mothers and their babies. For every $500 a council gives to a qualifying pregnancy resource center or maternity home (up to $2,000), the Supreme Council will make an additional $100 donation to that center or home. For more information, visit kofc.org/asap.

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Columbia PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus 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 Elisha Valladares-Cormier 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

Our Stand for Life In a spirit of bravery and charity, Knights are called to aid the vulnerable and build a culture of life

By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly

Photo by Laura Barisonzi

LAST MONTH, I wrote about the courage that

is needed to be a Knight in a culture that often opposes what we stand for as Catholic men.

Some may be called to a decisive act of bravery in the face of overwhelming danger. Consider the Knights who faced martyrdom before firing squads in Mexico in the 1920s while proclaiming “Viva Cristo Rey!” Less dramatic, but equally important, is the daily self-sacrifice to which we are all called. Answering that call also requires heroism. And this spirit of self-sacrifice should characterize our work to defend the unborn and build a culture of life.

Standing for life often requires quiet courage.

It means making personal sacrifices for women and children in need — being willing to give of our time, skills and financial resources, and accepting the fact that the fruits of our labors are often hidden. It means facing scorn and derision simply for affirming that every life matters.

Courageously standing for life does not mean being antagonistic or confrontational.

When helping vulnerable women, ours should be an attitude of generosity and empathy, not judgment. Even when we are confronted with militant hatred by abortion’s defenders, we are called to respond with love. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you” (Lk 6:27-28).

Following this commandment is not weakness — quite the opposite. It is a sign of strength and confidence in the Lord and the righteousness of our cause.

The Church has consistently defended the right to life and has boldly called for building a culture of life in response to a culture of death.

The Knights of Columbus has proclaimed this teaching widely and has taken exceptional steps to support vulnerable mothers and unborn children. And we will continue our work to enshrine the right to life in the laws of the land, in new and renewed ways.

Supporting a culture of life means more than simply being opposed to abortion. However,

as the U.S. bishops have noted, with more than 63 million innocent human lives lost to abortion in the United States since Roe v. Wade, no more urgent, no more “preeminent” issue has faced us in recent decades. For this reason, our support for women and children has been both direct and constant. Earlier this year, we passed a major milestone in our Ultrasound Initiative, placing our 1,500th machine in a pregnancy resource center.

Our support for family life has also been unwavering, as have our charitable programs providing food, coats and other material aid to vulnerable families. In fact, you could say that through nearly all of our programs, the Knights of Columbus affirms the dignity and goodness of human life.

This notably includes our councils’ and members’ support for pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes in their communities. By forging strong relationships with these centers, Knights are helping to meet the needs of countless women and children.

I recently announced a $5 million campaign to deepen this support. The program is called ASAP (Aid and Support After Pregnancy), and I am confident our councils will rise to meet this challenge.

For every $500 a council gives to a qualifying pregnancy resource center or maternity home (up to $2,000), the Supreme Council will make an additional $100 donation to that center or home. ASAP is roughly modeled on the Knight’s RSVP initiative — which, since 1981, has provided more than $86 million dollars to seminarians and religious in formation. Imagine if we can do that for vulnerable women and children.

To restore a true culture of life, each of us must stand up and give all that we can. In this moment, the Lord is calling us to be noble in our continued sacrifice for mothers and children. We must renew our commitment and dedicate ourselves once again to this simple, but heroic, path.

Vivat Jesus!

‘Standing for life often requires quiet courage. It means making personal sacrifices for women and children in need — being willing to give of our time, skills and financial resources, and accepting the fact that the fruits of our labors are often hidden.’

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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

Not Just Rules Our identity and guiding principles as Knights find their source in God’s own inner life of charity and unity

By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

RULES ARE IMPORTANT. If sound and rea-

sonable, they guide us to virtuous conduct.

They help instill order in society and in our personal lives. When everyone follows the same rules, the playing field is level.

As Knights of Columbus, our rules include the laws and regulations of the Order, which are animated by our foundational principles of charity, unity and fraternity.

Yet, we must not reduce these principles to rules and obligations. Without denying the importance of good governance and personal responsibility, which are very important for “the good of the Order,” I would suggest that our founding principles are much more than rules.

As we know, Blessed Michael McGivney looked for a way to revitalize and strengthen the faith of the men of his parish, St. Mary’s in New Haven, Conn. He saw them drifting from the practice of the faith, sometimes drawn away by anti-Catholic benefit societies, and in need of fraternal support in living out their vocations as husbands and fathers. He didn’t begin with rules and regulations but rather with the Gospel, which he summarized in just a few words. He began with charity and unity, and fraternity was added several years later.

These three words function like a miniature catechism that summarizes the faith.

Before all else, these principles point to the reality and beauty of God’s inner life and to his love for us. Indeed, they are an invitation to share in his life and love through the grace of baptism, which bears fruit in works of charity, unity and fraternity.

As Knights, we pledge to live a life of charity and strive to continue Blessed Michael McGivney’s charity “to the needy and the outcast.” Yet, charity is more than a duty. As St. John famously declares, “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). St. John also teaches, “In this is love: not that we have loved God, but

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that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins” (1 Jn 4:10). God’s love comes first. Before we can become men of charity, we must receive God’s love into our hearts. More than that, we must encounter his love by opening our hearts to the person of Christ.

The same is true of unity. We pledge to maintain the unity of the Order, but if we rely only on good will, we falter. At some point, we stumble over self-interest. The principle of unity points us to the unity of God’s inner life — one God in three persons. The three persons of the Trinity are distinct, yet they are one God. Recall how frequently Jesus spoke of his union with the Father. Recall that St. Paul speaks of “the unity of the Spirit” (cf. Eph 4:3).

Through baptism, we are drawn into the unity of the three persons of the Blessed Trinity — a reality that is expressed in the Church’s unity. By sharing in God’s own life and love, we can become unifiers — in the Church, in the Order, and in our families and communities.

Let’s return to the point that each divine person of the one God is distinct but bound together in a sublime fellowship. Think of how often Jesus, overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, spoke of his love for the Father. “The Father and I are one,” he said ( Jn 10:30).

This is the basis of fraternal friendship, for the help we give one another, and of our solidarity with those in need: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you” (2 Cor 13:13).

Our blessed founder was a man of charity, unity and fraternity, and he continues to exemplify these Gospel principles because of his holiness, his intimacy with God. His spiritual guidance reminds us that rules are important, but their true importance is best seen at their source! B

‘God’s love comes first. Before we can become men of charity, we must receive God’s love into our hearts.

More than that, we must encounter his love by opening our hearts to the person of Christ.’

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Supreme Chaplain’s Challenge

Catholic Man of the Month

A monthly reflection and practical challenge from Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

THE PATH to priesthood for Karl Leisner was both ordinary and extraordinary, marked by the common struggles of discernment and the unprecedented violence of World War II. It culminated in an unlikely event — a secret ordination inside Dachau concentration camp in 1944.

Leisner had grown up in western Germany, one of five children in a close-knit family. As a teenager, he organized a youth group that combined prayer and study with hiking, biking and camping. A retreat at the Marian shrine of Schönstatt in 1933 had a profound effect on him, and the next year he began to prepare for the priesthood in Münster.

His leadership impressed Bishop (now Blessed) Clemens von Galen, who entrusted him with diocesan youth activities. However, Leisner wrestled with his vocation, feeling both a call to the priesthood and a deep attraction to family life. Another visit to Schönstatt brought clarity, and he was ordained a transitional deacon March 25, 1939.

A short while later, Deacon Leisner was diagnosed with tuberculosis and sent to a sanatorium. Another patient there

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

(Gospel for Aug. 28, Lk 14:11)

FROM TOP: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Münster Archives — ­ Photo by Maciej Maziarka — CNS photo/Vatican Media

An important part of humbling oneself is not constantly focusing on one’s own needs, worries and desires. If we want to put God and others before self, we must think about ourselves less often and others more. This reality is seen in the life of Blessed Michael McGivney, whose feast day is Aug. 13. Father McGivney was constant in his humble service of God and neighbor. May we imitate his humility in our own lives.

Challenge: 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.

Blessed Karl Leisner (1915-1945)

Liturgical Calendar Aug. 1 Aug. 4 Aug. 6 Aug. 8 Aug. 10 Aug. 11 Aug. 13 Aug. 15 Aug. 20 Aug. 22 Aug. 24 Aug. 27 Aug. 29

St. Alphonsus Liguori St. John Vianney The Transfiguration of the Lord St. Dominic St. Lawrence St. Clare Blessed Michael McGivney (observed with permission of diocesan bishop) The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary St. Bernard The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary St. Bartholomew St. Monica The Passion of St. John the Baptist

reported him for speaking against Hitler, leading to his arrest in 1940. Sent to the priest block at Dachau, he was known for comforting and encouraging fellow prisoners even as his illness worsened.

When Bishop Gabriel Piguet arrived at the camp from France in 1944, an intriguing possibility arose: Could Deacon Leisner finally be ordained a priest? After ecclesial permission and the necessary holy oils were smuggled in, the clandestine ordination took place Dec. 17, 1944. Utterly debilitated, Father Leisner celebrated his first and only Mass on Dec. 26. Several months after liberation, he died Aug. 12, 1945. His last diary entry read: “Love — charity — atonement. O God, bless my enemies!” Father Karl Leisner was beatified in 1996. B

Holy Father’s Monthly Prayer Intention

We pray for small and medium-sized businesses; in the midst of economic and social crisis, may they find ways to continue operating, and serving their communities.

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS

State Deputies Called To ‘Lead with Courage and Conviction’

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS jurisdiction leaders from around the world convened in New Haven, Conn., June 8-12 for the annual Organizational Meeting of State Deputies. More than 70 state and territorial deputies attended, participating in business sessions, workshops, daily Mass and fraternal events. Newly elected state deputies were officially installed at the conclusion of a Mass celebrated June 10 by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori at St. Mary’s Church.

Following the Mass, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly delivered keynote remarks in the hall beneath St. Mary’s, noting that the state deputies were gathered in the very place where Blessed Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus 140 years ago.

“Think of the men who sat where you’re sitting,” the supreme knight said. “Think of what motivated them: serving the widow, the orphan and the most vulnerable; defending the family and the faith; building a brotherhood that gives men a path to greatness.”

He later added, “The decisions you make — and the actions you take — will have an enormous impact. So it is essential that you lead with courage and conviction.”

Supreme Knight Kelly also urged the state deputies to pray daily for inspiration and wisdom. “You need the grace and the strength that comes from prayer,” he said. “It will give you energy and creativity. It will help you see your responsibilities clearly.”

Given the landmark Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case pending in the U.S. Supreme Court and the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade, the supreme knight said the Order’s work to promote a culture of life is particularly important in the coming year. A repeal of Roe, he explained, 6

would require even more work at the state and local levels, including placing more ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers through the Ultrasound Initiative, growing state marches for life, and increasing local K of C support for pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes.

Supreme Knight Kelly then announced a new $5 million campaign called ASAP (Aid and Support After Pregnancy).

Through the program, set to launch July 1, the Supreme Council will give an additional $100 for every $500 a council donates to a qualified pregnancy resource center or a maternity home (see page 8).

“In a post-Roe world,” he said, “we need to be there for mothers and children. They will need our help more than ever.”

Archbishop Lori, in his keynote remarks that afternoon, highlighted the importance of the National Eucharistic Revival, a three-year initiative of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that launched June 19, the feast of Corpus Christi in the United States.

“As Knights of the Eucharist,” the supreme chaplain said, “we need to do everything in our power to encourage our brother Knights and their families to attend holy Mass each and every Sunday without fail, to have the courage to speak with fellow Catholics who absent themselves from Sunday Mass.”

Archbishop Lori also thanked the supreme knight for launching the new ASAP program and praised the Order’s pro-life work, citing foundational support for the March for Life and placement of more than 1,500 lifesaving ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers.

“But our work is not yet done — far from it,” the supreme chaplain said. “In fact, we are entering a new and critical stage.” B

Photo by Tamino Petelinšek

Supreme Knight Kelly delivers keynote remarks in the hall of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Conn., the birthplace of the Knights of Columbus, during the opening business session of the Organizational Meeting of State Deputies on June 10.

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F AT H E R S F O R G O O D

To Dust We Shall Return If we were to die today, would we be ready to face our eternal destiny?

By Jason Godin

Photo by Alton Pelowski

FOR GENERATIONS, Knights have heard the words Tem-

pus fugit. Memento mori — “Time flies. Remember death” — as they are inducted into the Order. Those simple yet profound words took on new meaning for me and my family earlier this year as I lay in urgent care with symptoms of a heart attack.

When you have wires attached to your body and hear the constant beeping of monitoring machines, interrupted by periodic blood draws, you can’t help but think that life is short and death very near. I remember looking at my wife, a bedrock of strength, as she sat by the bed. Next year is our 20th wedding anniversary. Would I be here to stand beside her to renew our vows? And what about our teenage daughter and son? Would I get to walk my daughter down the wedding aisle? Would I be around to see my son carry on the family name, with a wife and children of his own? Was I ready to leave them?

If I died, was I leaving them enough financially to carry on?

Thanks be to God, I wasn’t called home to the Father that day. That sense of gratitude extends to my family, friends and parish community, who all provided prayer and support. Thankfully, I will have more opportunities to serve as a steward and sentinel, providing for and protecting those whom the Lord has entrusted to my care. But I am a changed man, hopefully for the better, and people now ask me what I learned.

Death is not the end. The urgency of a health emergency places the purpose and priorities of your life in order. You realize very fast, and in a very real way, the scarcity of time. Flat on my back, I wasn’t thinking about work meetings; rather, a multitude of blessings flashed to the forefront of my mind.

Carmelite Father Wilfrid Stinissen (1927-2013) helps us put such experiences in perspective in his book Eternity in the Midst of Time. He describes time not as a flat line but as an upward spiral. Our time on earth is a pilgrimage on an ascending path toward eternal life with an infinite, loving Lord. “If we look at man’s purpose and destiny, which is to

be introduced into the life of the Trinity, then it is clear that time is a gift. Time gives us a chance to grow,” writes Father Stinissen, who later asks, “Is man only on a journey toward death … or is he on a journey toward life?”

Cultivate a rosary relationship. I had — and still have — days when it isn’t easy to focus as I pray the rosary. But since I left the hospital, the rosary has been the primary way I cultivate my relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary and her son. In the mysteries of the rosary, Mary provides me with encouragement, refreshment and renewal. The humility demonstrated during the Annunciation, the patience practiced in the Carrying of the Cross, the fortitude found during the Descent of the Holy Spirit: The mysteries aren’t just past events when prayed in the context of a relationship; they’re concrete lessons applicable to our daily life, given to us through the loving heart of Mary.

Heed heroes of virtue. Eternal eyesight and a rosary relationship also help us see and appreciate virtue in others. History is full of heroes in this regard whom the Church recognizes as saints. We Knights have a special model in Blessed Michael McGivney. His own life on earth was short (he died Aug. 14, 1890, at age 38), but he spent his time tirelessly practicing faith and charity. He saw the problems facing Catholics and the parish families in his day, and he acted, founding an Order that today is a blessing to millions around the globe.

“But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mk 13:32).

Set aside time in the days ahead to consider the fleeting nature of our lives. With your senses spiritually attuned through and in prayer, think about your legacy as a provider and protector. And assisted by your guardian angel and the intercession of saints and blesseds, remember that when death arrives, in faith you will never die alone. B JASON GODIN is a member of Chaska (Minn.) Council 9141.

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Mothers and Children First

ASAP, a new K of C pro-life initiative, encourages councils to step up support for young moms and children in need

By Columbia staff

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“Repeal of Roe won’t be the end of abortion in America,” the supreme knight said. “But it might be the beginning of the end. … In a post-Roe world, we need to be there for mothers and children. They will need our help more than ever — so let’s make the ASAP program a top priority.”

Here are just a handful of recent examples of how local councils have been working with pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes to serve women and their children before and after birth.

‘ANYTHING WE CAN DO, WE DO’ The need for diapers is a constant at Hands of Mercy Everywhere (H.O.M.E.), a residence for pregnant and parenting teens and their children in Belleview, Fla. So are the biannual diaper deliveries from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Council 13300 in nearby Wildwood, which has collected diapers and other baby supplies for H.O.M.E. since 2010.

Donations to the council drive have increased substantially in the last three years, said program director Mike Grindel, partly because the Knights began collecting in person after Masses at St. Vincent de Paul Parish instead of using a drop box. In 2021-2022, the council brought in about $23,000 in supplies, as well as $9,000 in monetary donations.

Helping with the spring delivery April 28, Grand Knight Bill Wirtz said that he appreciates the chance to glimpse the impact of the council’s work: to meet some of the mothers who live in the big, homey residence; to see the toddlers who will wear those diapers playing in the yard. At the same time, he is happy to do whatever is needed behind the scenes.

Photo by Hollie Santos/Unsplash

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n early June, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly announced the ASAP (Aid and Support After Pregnancy) program, a new Orderwide initiative to strengthen K of C assistance for pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes (see also pages 3, 6).

Over the past two decades, such organizations have grown substantially in both number and in the services they provide, and Knights of Columbus councils are already strong allies with many of the more than 2,000 pregnancy resource centers in the United States. In addition to placing ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers through the Ultrasound Initiative — more than 1,550 since the flagship program launched in 2009 — Knights served more than 1.7 million volunteer hours and gave over $18 million in funds and supplies to pregnancy centers and maternity homes from 2018 to 2021.

The new ASAP program, scheduled to launch July 1, will build on that support: For every $500 that a council donates to a qualified pregnancy resource center or maternity home — up to $2,000 in the 2021-22 fraternal year — the Supreme Council will add $100, a 20% increase.

The announcement came as citizens and lawmakers awaited the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. If Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion throughout the country, were to be overturned by Dobbs, “pregnancy resource centers will take center stage in the struggle for life,” Supreme Knight Kelly said June 10, addressing the Organizational Meeting of State Deputies.

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FAMILY DINNER TIME The dinner served before each parenting class at Shady Grove Pregnancy Center in Gaithersburg, Md., is more than a nice bonus for the new mothers and fathers in attendance; in a way, it’s part of the curriculum.

“A family meal is an important time for connection,” said Holly Mullen, the center’s parenting program coordinator.

“It’s a time for building relationships. So we are modeling that for the young men and women in our class.”

For more than a decade, Our Lady of Fatima Council 6901 in Barnesville has helped make that lesson possible by coordinating and delivering dinner to the four parenting courses offered at Shady Grove each year. The classes, aimed at firsttime parents, cover topics both philosophical and practical:

family mission, nutrition, budgeting, labor and delivery, breastfeeding, infant safety and more.

On June 15, six mothers and five fathers enjoyed the lasagna, salad and cupcakes provided by Past Grand Knight David Horton and Father Kevin P. O’Reilly, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Barnesville and council chaplain. When class was over, parents who had attended all of the course’s six classes received a new crib, car seat and diaper bag. Those who had earned points by completing other goals — for example, visiting the hospital where they would give birth — could redeem them for other equipment at the center’s baby boutique.

Council 6901’s support for Shady Grove Pregnancy Center began with their ongoing meal delivery but has expanded over the years. The council provided the center several appliances, including a refrigerator, to improve its kitchen, and Knights also donate diapers, clothes and other supplies.

Grand Knight Dave Bivans noted that, in a culture where unborn children are too often seen as “a disposable problem,” pregnancy centers like Shady Grove help give women the courage to choose life and the support they need to thrive.

“It’s a gift to have a child, but raising a child is a struggle,” he said. “And we all need help.”

MOVING MOUNTAINS FOR MOMS Pro-life organizations in the Colorado Springs area can turn to the Knights of St. Peter Catholic Church Council 11514

Left: David Bivans, grand knight of Our Lady of Fatima Council 6901 in Barnesville, Md., stands with Holly Mullen, parenting program director at Shady Grove Pregnancy Center in Gaithersburg during a council delivery of food and baby supplies on June 15. • Above: Diane Schofield, founder and CEO of Hands of Mercy Everywhere (H.O.M.E.), receives a donation of $9,000 from Grand Knight Bill Wirtz of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Council 13300 in Wildwood, Fla., on April 28. Knights also dropped off supplies for the Belleview-based residence for pregnant and parenting teens and their children.

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FROM LEFT: Photo by Heidi Bell — Photo by Rya Duncklee

“A lot of our guys are veterans, and military guys always talk about the pointy end of the spear,” Wirtz said. “That’s where H.O.M.E. is. They’re at the front line. Sometimes Knights are out there on the point, and sometimes we’re way back in support. But you need the whole thing — so anything we can do, we do.”

The young mothers giving birth and raising children in difficult circumstances are the ones who deserve recognition, he added: “The fact that these women have chosen life when they could have gone another direction speaks volumes. So our support of that effort really is where we’re at.”

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Photo by Spirit Juice Studios

in Monument, Colo., when they need help serving young mothers. Last month alone, the council was instrumental in coordinating two events — a Walk for Life and a pie and ice cream social — that together raised more than $30,000 for pregnancy resource centers and a maternity home in Colorado Springs, 20 miles to the south.

On June 4, Knights led 100 participants on a 2-mile Walk for Life to benefit Life Network, which runs three pregnancy resource centers in Colorado Springs. The parish-based event, organized with strong support from the council, is an extension of the larger Walk for Life held annually in Colorado Springs since 1987.

A week later, Council 11514 co-sponsored a pie and ice cream social to raise funds for a new Mater Filius maternity home in Colorado Springs.

Mater Filius is a network of more than 20 maternity homes in North and Central America. Construction on the new Colorado Springs residence, which will provide transitional housing for up to 10 families, began in April.

“The support program at Mater Filius is tremendous,” said Grand Knight Randy Fritz. “They offer counseling, find jobs for the mothers, and even offer daycare for other children they may have. I’ve never seen anything like it. Being a veteran, I’ve seen the support programs for veterans, and they don’t even come close.”

Tony Schmitz, executive director of Mater Filius and a

member of Council 11514, echoes his grand knight’s enthusiasm for the home.

“This home will affirm the dignity of the mother under any circumstance, and provide food, shelter, clothing, hope and affirmation of the choice to keep her child,” Schmitz said.

“Ultimately, it will create an environment where these women can grow and mature into the women God wants them to be.”

BEYOND THE FINISH LINE Members of Our Lady of Batavia Council 11728 in Batavia, N.Y., know there’s no finish line when it comes to supporting life — except, however, at the end of a 5K benefit race. The council has been a longtime supporter of Run Baby Run, an annual 5K to benefit the nearby All Babies Cherished Pregnancy Assistance Center, held this year on June 4. In addition to council sponsorship, Knights volunteer at the race, guiding runners throughout the route and providing them with water.

“The Knights do a wonderful job supporting our organization,” said Alexandra Andrews, a member of the center’s board of directors and an abortion survivor who was born in Russia. “Their goal is to help women, children and families, and it’s great to work alongside each other for this purpose.”

For more than 20 years, the council has held an annual baby bottle drive from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day to raise funds for All Babies Cherished, in addition to collecting donations of diapers and other supplies.

Grand Knight Randy Fritz of St. Peter Catholic Church Council 11514 in Monument, Colo., and other parishioners look through some of the baby clothes collected for Life Network pregnancy resource centers from participants in a Walk for Life on June 4.

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“Whenever the center needs some extra support, the Knights step in and help out,” said Grand Knight Michael Jackson, who also serves on the center’s board.

The Knights’ efforts help All Babies Cherished provide resources and mentorship to many new parents.

The center offers pregnancy and parenting classes, as well as classes on life skills such as budgeting and time management that help parents become well-rounded caretakers as they prepare for nurturing their new or growing families. Staff members also help parents complete paperwork so they can receive crucial aid benefits.

Jackson noted that these classes and programs are not only beneficial to pregnant women but also to first-time fathers.

“By supporting the entire family, you’re providing a better environment for that child to be raised,” he said. “It’s important for young men to know they’re welcome.”

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COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS The baby clothes and diapers delivered by members of Sangamon Valley Council 5754 in Petersburg, Ill., to the Pregnancy Care Center of Springfield on June 8 will not stay there long.

“We are not hoarders,” laughed Christi Clifton, the center’s counselor. “Anything that comes in — I can’t wait to call a mom and have them pick up those items for their baby.”

Donated by parishioners of St. Peter and Holy Family churches, the supplies were collected during Council 5754’s “May Baby Shower,” held annually for more than 15 years. This year’s drive brought in approximately $1,000 worth of items, as well as $500 in donations, for the center and its clients.

The Petersburg Knights also support a second pregnancy resource center in Springfield, First Step Women’s Center. A few years ago, they donated about $30,000 to help First Step purchase a van for its mobile ultrasound unit, and they run a baby bottle fundraiser for the organization each fall.

Past Grand Knight Darrell Roll, the council’s life director, assisted with the June 8 delivery to Pregnancy Care Center. Though he has been working with its staff for over a decade, he was “more impressed than ever” with them after observing them help a young family visiting that day. Their assistance goes beyond baby items, he noted: “They literally open their refrigerator and give out the contents.”

Having such support can make all the difference for a young woman with an unplanned pregnancy, Roll added. “Once those mothers realize the support is there,” he said, “it takes a heavy burden off them, and they can decide to go forward with having their baby.”

The appreciation between the pregnancy resource center and the Knights of Columbus is mutual.

“They are ambassadors for us,” Clifton said. “They are in the community, saying, ‘Hey, do you know about this agency that helps babies?’ We appreciate them getting the word out there so much.” B

FROM TOP: Photo by Terry Farmer — Photo by Alexandra Andrews

Left, from top: Illinois Knights speak with a mother and her children during a delivery of baby supplies at the Pregnancy Care Center of Springfield. Illinois State Right to Life Chairman Ty Simmons (left) is pictured with Chuck Muller (kneeling) and Darrell Roll, program director and life director, respectively, of Sangamon Valley Council 5754 in Petersburg. • Past Grand Knight John Marshek of Our Lady of Batavia Council 11728 receives baby bottles full of change from a family at St. Mary’s Church in Batavia, N.Y. For the past 20 years, Council 11728 has conducted an annual baby bottle drive from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day in support of All Babies Cherished Pregnancy Assistance Center.

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Thousands of pilgrims from more than 40 nations take part in the Marian candlelight procession during the 62nd Pèlerinage Militaire International (International Military Pilgrimage) May 14.

In Search of Peace

and Healing Photo by Tamino Petelinšek

With support from the Order, wounded warriors, their caregivers and other service members participate in the annual International Military Pilgrimage to Lourdes

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housands of men and women in the uniforms of more than 40 nations filled the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France for the 62nd Pèlerinage Militaire International (International Military Pilgrimage), held this past May for the first time since 2019. Among them were more than 230 United States service members, veterans, family members and companions participating in Warriors to Lourdes, a pilgrimage co-sponsored by the Knights

of Columbus and the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, since 2013.

In addition to taking part in the international celebration, which took place May 13-15, Warriors to Lourdes pilgrims gathered for daily Mass, prayer and fellowship as they sought healing of physical wounds, illness or moral injuries at the renowned Marian shrine. The experiences of several pilgrims are shared on the following pages.

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This year, the Knights of Columbus also provided financial support for delegations from Canada and Ukraine to travel to the international pilgrimage. The Military Ordinariate of Canada was represented by Bishop Scott McCaig and Deacon David Bourrier, a captain in the Royal Canadian Air Force. A 15-member Ukrainian delegation included service members and cadets, military officials, clergy with the Ukrainian Military Ordinariate and mothers of troops killed in combat since the Russian invasion of the country Feb. 24.

Citing the theme of this year’s pilgrimage — “Pacem Meam Do Vobis” (“My peace I give to you”) — Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly noted, “During this time of devastating war in Ukraine, the Knights of Columbus has been working 14

to bring peace and comfort to Ukrainian families and military personnel. … We want to bring greater healing, unity and hope to all those affected by this tragedy.”

To this end, Warriors to Lourdes pilgrims also assembled 3,000 prayer kits for active-duty and injured Ukrainian soldiers. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, blessed the prayer kits — including a rosary, Our Lady of Lourdes and Blessed Michael McGivney prayer cards, and a vial of holy water from Lourdes — before they were shipped to Ukraine.

For more information about Warriors to Lourdes, including how to apply for next year’s pilgrimage, visit warriorstolourdes.com. B

Photo by Tamino Petelinšek

American service members participate in a military ceremony outside the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary on May 13. They also present the colors of Canada, whose representatives attended the international pilgrimage with support from the Knights of Columbus.

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‘A New Beginning’ A Pennsylvania couple finds spiritual rejuvenation and strength during the 2022 Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage

By Andrew Fowler U.S. ARMY SGT. Adam Farabaugh

BOTTOM LEFT: Photo by Tamino Petelinšek — RIGHT: Spirit Juice Studios

sensed imminent danger as his infantry squad set out on a mission in the Chak Valley of Afghanistan on July 7, 2011. Insurgent forces had been launching rockets at a training compound for Afghan National Army recruits, and they were tasked with disrupting the attacks.

“I had that feeling — somebody is not going to make it today,” he said. “It just didn’t feel right. But you go. That’s the hard part: Even if you don’t feel good about it, you go.”

As the soldiers made their way to the ambush point, Farabaugh noticed a boy on a cell phone.

“I told the first sergeant, ‘He’s definitely radio. He’s calling us in.’ But he said, ‘Well, we can’t do anything about it. We can’t prove that.’ It was hard over there. If you’re the soldier, you want to instill fear in the Taliban — not anybody else. But the enemy is dressed the same as everybody else.”

Farabaugh’s uneasiness soon proved justified when a grenade, thrown over a 12-foot wall, landed directly next to him. He hit the deck, attempting to protect himself from the blast, and he miraculously survived. But shrapnel pierced his pericardium — the membrane surrounding the heart — and nearly severed a spinal nerve, resulting in numbness in his right leg. The injuries ended his military career.

Farabaugh eventually regained feeling in the leg. However, his wife, Tiffany — whom he met in 2012 — has seen him struggle with the psychological and emotional effects of combat.

At the same time, Tiffany, a major in the U.S. Army Reserves, has had her own health struggles. Doctors discovered a large, yet-to-be-diagnosed mass in her brain in May 2021.

For a logistics officer used to being in control, the uncertainty of her

Adam and Tiffany Farabaugh are pictured during the 2022 Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage.

‘The Strength To Keep Going’ Rhyan Ritter served in Afghanistan as a U.S. Army sergeant in 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne). Now an officer cadet in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at St. Martin’s University in Lacey, Wash., he applied for the Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage at the encouragement of his chaplain. Ritter is a member of St. Martin’s University Council 16361.

“MY CHAPLAIN,

who’s a Catholic priest, told me about Warriors to Lourdes and how it’s good for finding spiritual and physical healing.

And I thought that this might be something that I need, coming back from Afghanistan. I think it’s the same for a lot of people.

“Coming here [to Lourdes] and being in such a sacred place, it has helped my heart open up. The entire experience has helped me see things in a different light, understand things a lot better, take that tension off my shoulders. God and Holy Mother Mary have definitely had a positive impact in the short time that I’ve been here. Lourdes has given me the strength to keep going and live more faithfully as a Catholic.

“Getting to know the delegates from the Ukrainian military has been fantastic as well. Even if we are not physically on the ground in Ukraine, fighting the war with them, we’re giving them the moral and spiritual courage to take that fight and keep their country’s sovereignty intact. When you come to a place like this, where there are so many foreign militaries, you expect to meet and have exchanges. But you don’t expect the friendships. As I said to my Ukrainian brothers last night, the friendship between the United States and Ukraine has never been stronger.”

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Adam doesn’t want the same thing to happen to his son.

“It’s wrong of me to knock A.J. off the path,” he said. “The right path is a good foundation.”

Tiffany was amazed when she was accepted to Warriors to Lourdes, and then Adam was invited to come too. They both fully embraced the pilgrimage, describing it as “diving into the deep end.” The highlights of their experience were visiting the healing baths and participating in the Marian candlelight procession. Tiffany was also touched to see Adam, who initially had been skeptical about the trip, open up to other pilgrims about his struggles. But perhaps the most fulfilling aspect of their pilgrimage were the friendships they made,

Photos by Tamino Petelinšek

prognosis has been especially challenging.

Amid her stress and anxiety, Tiffany found herself turning more and more to the Catholic faith of her childhood.

Though she had drifted from the Church as a young adult, she had never stopped believing in God or praying.

“It’s hard to be vulnerable,” she said. “The faith was what I always leaned on. I needed that back in my life.”

Tiffany, whose father is a member of the Knights of Columbus, learned about the annual Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage through a chaplain in her Soldier Recovery Unit.

The prospect of finding healing and strengthening her faith enticed her to apply in December 2021.

“During the past two years I have really struggled with my faith,” she wrote in her essay applying for the pilgrimage.

“My husband has had so much death surround him, and I have recently found out I have a mass in my brain. It has been a trial of faith and my husband is losing the battle.”

But the battle was far from lost, for she and Adam had another, happier reason for revisiting questions of faith: their 5-year-old son, A.J. “Church was such a part of my life growing up,” Tiffany said. “I wanted A.J. to grow up with the same morals that I had, that Adam had.”

Adam also was baptized Catholic but had fallen away as well. Looking back, he thinks his mother’s death when he was a child played a big role in his loss of faith.

“I just didn’t understand,” Adam said. “Had my mother not passed as early as she did, I probably never would have fallen off of that path.”

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‘Our Lady Has Brought Us All Here’ Deacon Bradley Easterbrooks, a member of Yokosuka Council 12488 on United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka, a naval base in Japan, participated in the Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage just weeks before his priestly ordination in San Diego. Easterbrooks served for five years as a Navy judge advocate general before discerning a vocation to the priesthood. A co-sponsored seminarian, Easterbrooks will serve both the Diocese of San Diego and the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.

TOP LEFT: Photo by Photo Lacaze — RIGHT: Spirit Juice Studios

Above: The Ukrainian delegation presents its colors during the International Opening Ceremony, held at the Basilica of St. Pius X on May 13. • Opposite page, from top: Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, celebrates the opening Mass for the Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage at St. Joseph’s Chapel on May 12. • Warriors to Lourdes pilgrims participate in the May 14 Marian candlelight procession around the Rosary Esplanade.

particularly with Patrick and Mary Ann Kent, whom they referred to as “Hall of Famers.” Patrick, a retired Army colonel, is a member of Mount Vernon (Ohio) Council 847.

“We had questions about the Church and different things around the area, and they answered literally every one,” Tiffany said. “That was awesome. What a beautiful couple.”

The Farabaughs returned home to Ebensburg, Pa., with a new sense of purpose, feeling spiritually rejuvenated. They shared their pilgrimage stories — and water from Lourdes — with friends and family. Tiffany has been blessing herself with Lourdes water daily and praying for physical healing. They are looking forward to being active at St. Benedict Parish in Carrolltown, where A.J. is now enrolled for kindergarten at the parish school. However, there was something important to do right away.

“We both agreed that there’s really one barrier that exists in this family — Tiffany and I are both baptized and A.J. was not,” Adam said. “If we died in a car accident, we could be waiting on the other side while our son was not baptized.”

On May 24, A.J. was baptized at St. Benedict’s. With a new lease on their spiritual lives, the family hopes to strengthen their rediscovered faith.

“When you have issues that are out of your control, it doesn’t hurt to reinvent your spiritual side sooner than later,” Adam said. “It’s a new beginning.” B ANDREW FOWLER is a content producer for the Knights of Columbus Communications Department.

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“THIS IS MY second time at Warriors to Lourdes. My first time, I was a seminarian. I had just arrived that year in Rome to study at the North American College.

Now, in preparation for my ordination, I have given myself to Our Lady, asking her to pray to her Son that my ministry as a priest be fruitful in everything God wants it to be. I’ve asked Mary in a special way to be a caretaker of my priesthood.

“Warriors to Lourdes is hard to describe, because it’s bigger than anything words could put together. It’s a wonderful opportunity to share prayers with members of the uniformed services from many countries, to serve those who come as wounded warriors, seeking healing through prayer, and to share fellowship with American service members, many of whom are Catholic.

“At the closing Mass, the entire underground basilica is full of service members, all in uniform and all coming together to celebrate the Eucharist. There are so many priests and bishops celebrating and so many voices raised in different languages in praise of almighty God. The smiles on the faces, the peace in the hearts of so many faithful from so many countries — it is a cultural experience to see how universal the Church is, to see the breadth and diversity of the Body of Christ. Our Lady has brought us all here.”

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‘The Long Haul’ Knights of Columbus Charity Convoys bring care packages and essential supplies to Ukrainians displaced by war

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housands of boxes of food and essential supplies were sent to Ukraine in May and June, an effort of solidarity both with the Ukrainian people and within the Knights of Columbus. Knights in Canada largely funded the parcels; Knights in Poland assembled them; and Knights in Ukraine delivered them to displaced families throughout the war-torn country.

Ten thousand care packages were similarly funded by U.S. Knights and assembled by Polish councils in April and delivered to Ukraine during Holy Week to help displaced families celebrate Easter. Following the success of that program, a special appeal to members in Canada helped to fund additional care packages, supplementing the Order’s ongoing humanitarian efforts through the Ukraine Solidarity Fund.

Councils in various cities in Poland, including Radom, Częstochowa and Kraków, each prepared 3,000 boxes for

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shipment — 2,000 boxes of food, such as pasta and canned meat, for families; 500 boxes of food and snacks for children; and 500 boxes of hygiene and household products.

“We have a large demand for these products,” explained Ukraine State Deputy Yuriy Maletskiy, meeting the first shipment at the Poland-Ukraine border May 16. “People from Kharkiv, from the Kherson region and Mykolaiv regions, from Kyiv — they ask us for help. There are not many shops or other places to buy food — those places have been destroyed or looted. We distribute these supplies through our councils in Poltava, Kharkiv, Odessa.”

Pallets of the boxes labeled with the emblem of the Order and the words “Solidarity with Ukraine” in

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Photos by Andrey Gorb

A Knights of Columbus Charity Convoy truck loaded with care packages for displaced families heads toward Lviv, Ukraine, from the Polish border May 16. • Opposite page: Petro Phylypiv, a member of Council 16130 at the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Lviv, moves a pallet of boxes upon the initial delivery.

Ukrainian were shipped via Knights of Columbus “Charity Convoys” to Lviv, in western Ukraine. Knights then directed them to various cities where they could be distributed by local councils. The Charity Convoy initiative began within weeks of the Russian invasion, as the Order started working with Ukrainian trucking companies to regularly send large shipments of aid from warehouses in Poland across the border. While millions of refugees have fled to Poland and other neighboring countries, the majority of those displaced by the war remain in Ukraine.

At the beginning of the war, in a March 7 message to grand knights, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly noted that Knights in Poland and Ukraine, supported by the Ukraine Solidarity Fund, were already helping to meet short-term needs. He then added, “We have also committed to remain

for the long haul, to help as Knights always do.”

Andrey Varunok, a member of John Paul II Council 15801 in Lviv, who was present for the May 16 shipment of care packages, echoed the supreme knight’s sentiment. “Everything that has a beginning has an end. The war will end, but there will still be many people who will need help,” he said.

“This is probably a lifelong mission.”

On May 22, Myroslav Mazur, a member of Andrey Sheptytsky Council 15804 in Ivano-Frankivsk who serves as a district deputy, helped to unload some of the parcels in Ivano-Frankivsk, a city about 130 km (80 miles) south of Lviv. The boxes were delivered to a Ukrainian Greek Catholic school that is housing scores of displaced people.

“In everyday life, we live in certain comfortable conditions,” Mazur said. “Imagine that you lost everything — J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 B C O L U M B I A

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food, clothes, belongings — you are immediately left without it all. It is our duty to the people, and to the Lord God, of course, to bring help.”

Many of those staying at the school, like Lesiia from Irpin and Lyudmila from Kyiv, have been displaced since the beginning of the war. They expressed their gratitude for the various “delicacies” in the K of C care packages and the treats for children. “It gives us a little bit of happiness in our difficult times,” Lyudmila said.

For the Knights working to deliver the aid, the feeling is mutual. Volodymyr Shayhen, past grand knight of Mykolay Charnetsky Council 16848 in Zolochiv, a town about 40 miles (67 km) east of Lviv, helped to oversee a May 26 distribution to families of children with special needs.

“I feel a certain joy because I give that joy to someone else,” Shayhen said. “My heart rejoices when I see the smiles of those children.”

To support the Order’s humanitarian relief efforts, visit kofc.org/ukraine. B

Above: Myroslav Mazur, a member of Andrey Sheptytsky Council 15804 in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, hands a care package to a girl during a May 22 delivery. Polish Knights filled many of the parcels with treats for children, such as breakfast cereals, fruit packets and chocolate.

Photos by Andrey Gorb

Left and below: A young Ukrainian man, families and children carry Knights of Columbus “Solidarity with Ukraine” packages they received May 26 at the Church of Blessed Mykolay Charnetsky in Zolochiv, Ukraine. Blessed Mykolay Charnetsky Council 16848, which is active in support of local families with children who have special needs, organized the distribution.

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Grace Amid Tragedy God’s presence gave hope to the grand knight in Uvalde, Texas, in the face of death

By Joe Bukuras

Photo by Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

ANDRES “JUNE” YBARRA couldn’t

sleep for days and remained in shock for weeks. Once you know where he lives — and the two key roles he plays in his community — no further explanation is necessary.

One role is grand knight of Council 3245 based at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Uvalde, Texas — a parish at the forefront of efforts to help the traumatized community of 16,000 people cope with the shooting deaths of 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School on May 24. Eleven of the victims were parishioners of Sacred Heart.

His other role: working as a mortician at a local funeral home that prepared the bodies and organized funeral arrangements for 16 of the 21 victims.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever seen,” Ybarra said. “I never ever thought something like this would happen in Uvalde.”

One of the funerals Ybarra helped arrange was for his second cousin Joe Garcia, 50, who was also a member of Council 3245. Joe’s wife, Irma Garcia, was one of the two fourth grade teachers killed. Joe died of a heart attack two days later, after placing flowers at his wife’s memorial. The Garcias left behind four children, ages 12 to 23.

The couple shared a funeral Mass at Sacred Heart on June 1, celebrated by Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio and concelebrated by Father Eduardo Morales, pastor of Sacred Heart and Council 3245’s chaplain.

“Irma and Joe’s faith bore fruits of love. They witnessed to the love that comes from God,” Archbishop García-Siller said in his homily. “The love between them shone through and was expressed by their dedication to each other, which extended to their children and to their community.”

Pallbearers, including U.S. Marine Christian Garcia, carry the caskets of Irma and Joe Garcia, Christian’s parents, after their funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Uvalde, Texas, on June 1. Irma, a teacher, was killed in the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School, and Joe, a member of Uvalde Area Council 3245, died two days later of a heart attack.

The next day, more than 40 Knights from councils and assemblies across South Texas grilled and served hamburgers for hundreds of participants at a candlelight vigil in downtown Uvalde.

Later in June, Knights from San Felipe Council 2687 in neighboring Del Rio and Council 3245 organized a rosary walk in memory of the victims.

Ybarra said he was devastated when he heard the news of his cousin’s death, but that God’s grace gave him the strength to continue his job and “be strong for the families.”

Preparing the bodies and funerals of young children is particularly difficult, “especially when you have children at home or grandkids at home the same age,” he said. He managed to maintain his composure while busy at work, he said, but his emotions came out at home around his wife, Isabel, and their

three children and nine grandchildren.

“If you don’t have a relationship with God, there’s no way you can handle something like this,” affirmed Ybarra, who prays throughout the day in his work and is devoted to the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the rosary.

Ybarra is one of four morticians at Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary, located less than a mile from Robb Elementary. He actually retired from the business several years ago, but felt the urge to come back to work last year.

Now he knows why.

“God,” he said, “brought me back for this.” B JOE BUKURAS is a staff writer at the Catholic News Agency and a member of George C. Shields Council 420 in Mansfield, Mass. This article is adapted and reprinted with permission from CNA. J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 B C O L U M B I A

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The Knight Who Was When G.K. Chesterton entered the Catholic Church a century ago, he had a K of C “sword” ready at hand

By Dale Ahlquist

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Classic Image/Alamy Stock Photo

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Photo by John Cairns/Courtesy of the G.K. Chesterton Collection at the Notre Dame London Global Gateway

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n Jan. 10, 1921, G.K. Chesterton stepped off a ship in New York City and was greeted by a huge press reception. The Englishman told the many reporters that he had come “to lose his impressions of the United States … to see this country and to talk, to give inadequate after-dinner speeches known as lectures.”

At the time, Gilbert Keith Chesterton was one of the most famous literary figures in the world — an author of epic poetry, plays, novels, detective stories with a priest protagonist, and books on philosophy, art, history and social criticism. He was known primarily as an irresistibly quotable journalist read in daily newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic. His speaking tour in America lasted three months, taking him to dozens of cities, where he lectured to packed auditoriums, drawing crowds in with paradoxical titles such as “The Ignorance of the Educated,” “The Perils of Health” and “Shall We Abolish the Inevitable?”

His great strength was amusing and enlightening his readers and listeners by defending the normal in an increasingly abnormal world. The Boston Post wrote, “G.K. Chesterton is a man of enormous common sense. Some say this is what has made him famous.”

On Jan. 26, Chesterton gave a lecture in New Haven, Conn., at Yale University’s Sprague Memorial Hall. He appreciated the “jolly” audience and told them how impressed he was with the university’s Gothic architecture. “I have often thought that if I were a millionaire, I should like to erect a Gothic cathedral, a beautiful work of art, like these buildings,” he said. “And yet, if I were a millionaire, I probably would be so worldly-minded that such an idea would be the last one to enter my mind. There ought to be many more such buildings, but I suppose people are not happy enough to build them.”

During the course of his visit, Chesterton became acquainted with another New Haven institution as well.

He met with local Knights of Columbus, led by Edward P. O’Meara, a past grand knight of San Salvador Council 1, and received a gift from them — a gift he so treasured that he chose to have it with him when he entered the Catholic Church the following year, in July 1922.

THE SERPENTINE STICK A prominent lawyer (later judge) known for his wit and humor, Edward O’Meara would have felt a great affinity toward Chesterton. He had also done his homework. He knew that Chesterton always carried a walking stick.

A walking stick is not a cane. It is a prop. But it does not prop up the walker; it accompanies him. He gestures with it.

He points with it. He poses with it. He sits with it as much as he stands with it and walks with it.

Chesterton liked walking sticks. His most famous was a sword stick, which he used to stab the couch pillows in his study while dictating essays to his secretary. (His sword stick now resides somewhere in the British Library, but nobody knows where. It’s been misfiled.) So, apparently aware of this penchant for props, Edward O’Meara presented Chesterton

Above: The twisted “snakewood” stick that G.K. Chesterton received from the Knights of Columbus in 1921, pictured here with several of the author’s walking sticks, is now held in the G.K. Chesterton Collection at the Notre Dame London Global Gateway. • Opposite page: Chesterton and his wife, Frances, arrive in New York City on Jan. 10, 1921, for a three-month speaking tour in the United States.

with an unusual “snakewood” walking stick on behalf of the Knights of Columbus.

Snakewood is an exotic hardwood found on the northern coast of South America. It has a distinctive snakeskin pattern and is one of the most expensive woods in the world.

But the “snakewood” walking stick that O’Meara presented to Chesterton was not made out of that snakewood. It was most likely maplewood. However, it was certainly an exotic stick because of the way it had been grown. While still a sapling, the wood had been wrapped with a rope in a serpentine fashion so that the shape impressed itself upon the shaft as it grew. Then the rope was removed, leaving a twisted stick that begged to be called “snakewood.”

Chesterton had come to America with one of his own walking sticks, a plain grey affair from the woods of Buckinghamshire, where he lived. It was a stick he had taken with him “like a pilgrim’s staff ” to the Holy Land the year before.

Now, thanks to the Knights of Columbus, he found himself with an additional walking stick, which is not something one can pack. He did not want to risk losing it, so for the remainder of his American tour, he carried two sticks.

“I bore more resemblance to a cripple with two crutches or a highly ineffectual version of the devil on two sticks,” Chesterton wrote in What I Saw in America (1922). “I carried them both because I valued them both, and did not wish to risk losing either of them in my erratic travels.” He then added that he valued the stick from the Knights of Columbus “even more” than the first — “and I wish I could think that their chivalric title allowed me to regard it as a sword.”

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‘A SWORD OF STATE’ Shortly after his visit to New Haven, on Feb. 1, Chesterton wrote to Edward O’Meara from the Biltmore Hotel in New York to thank the Knights of Columbus for the gift (see letter above, from the Knights of Columbus Archives): Dear Mr. O’Meara – I feel sure at least that you will not attribute my delay in thanking your society, for the overpowering kindness of their gift, to any indifference; but it is really true that it is due to the very reverse. I have had a scramble of silly lectures & interviews, through all of which I have hoped & promised myself a tolerable opportunity for writing something appropriate to all that this means to me. I would rather write a worthy answer to your letter than deliver a thousand of the greatest lectures ever uttered, to all the crowds of both continents. And after all I cannot do it; and any attempt to say what I really feel would sound, like many sincere things, merely rhetorical & ridiculous. Yet it is true that I feel as if your stick were a Sword of State given me by some great senate or republic at some great historical scene or crisis. About the crisis at least we shall not differ; inadequate as I am as a figure in it. I fear that the Knights of Columbus show not only chivalry but charity, among their Christian virtues, in taking so kind a view of me or my efforts in these times. But that the times themselves are worthy of everyone’s efforts, that the historic moment would be worthy of the most heroic efforts, that at least is terribly and even tragically clear. Some say it is impossible to return to the past; but the truth is that there is now nothing before us but the choice between two paths which both return to the past. We can return to some sort of Catholic fellowship, or we can return to some sort of pagan slavery. There is no third road. It is between the old sort of freedom or servitude that the fight is already engaged; & though I only stood as a stranger among you for a moment, I feel as if you had handed me a weapon.

Yours, with renewed thanks, G.K. Chesterton The casual observer might think that Chesterton was being flowery and overdramatic in this letter. But Chesterton always chose his words carefully, even when demonstrating his lightning-quick wit.

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RETURN TO CATHOLIC FELLOWSHIP When G.K. Chesterton received the Knights’ gift, he was not Catholic. One American observer called him “practically the greatest Catholic writer of his day,” and then added, “yet he is not Catholic.”

All of that changed the following year.

On July 30, 1922, in a makeshift chapel adjacent to the Railroad Hotel in Beaconsfield, England, Gilbert Keith Chesterton was received into the Catholic Church.

The priest who received him was his longtime friend Father John O’Connor, the real-life inspiration for Chesterton’s famous priest-detective, Father Brown Chesterton called his conversion “the chief event of my life.” He said there were 10,000 reasons for being a Catholic, but they all amounted to one reason: that it was true. For the last century, his conversion has continued to have a ripple effect. Countless people from different backgrounds and faiths have discovered that truth of the Catholic Church because they discovered G.K. Chesterton. I am one of them.

A few days after that momentous occasion a hundred years ago, Father O’Connor wrote to an American friend: “It is sure to interest my beloved Yanks to know that when we were setting out for the mission chapel on the morning of July 30th, G.K.C. selected with much more care than usual the beautiful snakewood stick that was given to him by Knights of Columbus on his recent visit to the United States. So fortified he walked even unto the City on the Hill.”

In naming the Knights of Columbus, Blessed Michael McGivney evoked the chivalry of medieval knights. The idea of knighthood and chivalry always appealed to Chesterton, whose book of poetry The Wild Knight was among his first published works. Never knighted by the king of

Knights of Columbus Archives

He was deeply grateful to the tribute the Knights paid him with their gift, and he paid them high tribute in return, recognizing their role in promoting the noble and lost art of chivalry in the modern world and the equal gift of charity. He shared a fellowship with them in facing a crisis — the loss of faith and freedom. And he was especially moved to be honored by this Catholic Order.

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“I fear that the Knights of Columbus show not only chivalry but charity, among their Christian virtues, in taking so kind a view of me or my efforts in these times.”

Photo by Howard Coster/National Portrait Gallery, London

Above: Chesterton sits for a portrait by British photographer Howard Coster in 1935, a year before the author died at age 62.

• Right: Chesterton’s poem “The Convert,” written on the day he entered the Church, July 30, 1922, appeared as pictured in the July 1923 issue of Columbia.

England, Chesterton was knighted by Pope Pius XI in 1934 when the Holy Father named him a member of the Order of St. Gregory the Great. But in a symbolic way, he had already been knighted by the Knights of Columbus years before, when Edward O’Meara gave him the snakewood walking stick that he regarded as a sword. B DALE AHLQUIST is president of the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton, host of the EWTN series “The Apostle of Common Sense,” and author of several books, including Knight of the Holy Ghost: A Short History of G.K. Chesterton. He is a member of St. Louis Council 3949 in St. Louis Park, Minn.

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S TAT E D E P U T I E S 2 0 2 2 - 2 0 2 3

Knights of Columbus State Deputies 2022-2023 The office of state deputy was established and defined at the 1893 Supreme Council meeting. As the chief executive officer of the Order in his jurisdiction, the state deputy provides leadership and inspiration to the Knights and their families, and promotes the mission and growth of the Order.

State deputies are elected during the annual convention of each state council. Pictured here are the state and territorial deputies for the 2022-2023 fraternal year.

ALABAMA

ALASKA

ALBERTA

ARIZONA

DANNY GARCIA

BILLY A. CHRISMAN JR.

GASTON LAUNIÈRE

LUIGI J. BARATTA

ARKANSAS

BRITISH COLUMBIA

CALIFORNIA

COLORADO

RENE TREVINO

JONATHAN D. HERSKOVITS

LLOYD J. CAMBRE

EDGARDO R. PANES

CONNECTICUT

DELAWARE

MATTHEW C. MCGRATH

RICHARD S. JOHNSON

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

CHRISTOPHER PIERNO

MANUEL TOMÁS TEJEDA SÁNCHEZ

FLORIDA

FRANCE

GEORGIA

ROBERT S. URRUTIA

ARNAUD BOUTHEON

JAMES H. CLIFFORD

GUAM

HAWAII

IDAHO

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

IOWA

KANSAS

MICHAEL G. MARTINEZ

RYAN K. BROWN

GEORGE L. MESINA

STEPHEN G. MANN

SCOTT W. SCHUTTE

STEVEN J. VONNAHME

MICHAEL J. GROTHOFF

KENTUCKY

LOUISIANA

LUZON NORTH

LUZON SOUTH

MAINE

MANITOBA

MARYLAND

THOMAS D. JOHNSON JR.

GEORGE S. MARTIN

RENE V. SARMIENTO

BONIFACIO B. MARTINEZ

JON R. HARVEY

MICHAEL S. MACDOUGALL

CHRISTOPHER L. POWERS

MASSACHUSETTS

MEXICO CENTRAL

MEXICO NORTHEAST

MEXICO NORTHWEST

MEXICO SOUTH

MEXICO WEST

MICHIGAN

JORGE ALEJANDRO ZARAGOZA ALARCÓN

ROBERTO CARLOS MARTÍNEZ RAMOS

IHOVANIC ALONSO ORDOÑEZ CASTILLO

JORGE C. ESTRADA AVILÉS

GABRIEL RAZO PEDRAZA

CHRISTOPHER A. KOLOMJEC

THOMAS M. BUTLER

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MINDANAO

MINNESOTA

MISSISSIPPI

MISSOURI

MONTANA

NEBRASKA

NEVADA

GERRY EUTEMIO T. MISSION

DANIEL K. DE CRANS

RAUL R. GAMEZ

DOUGLAS E. KISSINGER

MARTIN J. BEATTY

MATTHEW R. RICHARDSON

JOE A. HAUN

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

NEW BRUNSWICK

NEW HAMPSHIRE

NEW JERSEY

NEW MEXICO

NEW YORK

NORTH CAROLINA

GILLES P. PELLETIER

RAYMOND A. LEMAY SR.

JAMES E. STOEVER

BERNARD L. ELA

CHARLES D. ESPOSITO

CHRISTOPHER J. LOSACK

PATRICK E. GAMBIN

NORTH DAKOTA

NOVA SCOTIA

OHIO

OKLAHOMA

ONTARIO

OREGON

PENNSYLVANIA

KEVIN T. BOEHM

W. FRANK HOWELL

MARK A. SIRACUSA

DENNIS R. KUNNANZ

MARCEL J. LEMMEN

RAY A. PROM

MICHAEL J. KISH

POLAND

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

PUERTO RICO

QUÉBEC

RHODE ISLAND

SASKATCHEWAN

ERIC COLÓN-RODRÍGUEZ

PIERRE MONTMINY

DAVID G. BEBYN

LARRY J. PACKET

SOUTH CAROLINA

KRZYSZTOF ZUBA

MICHAEL S. WHITE

PAUL V. BURCHELL

SOUTH DAKOTA

SOUTH KOREA

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

UKRAINE

UTAH

VERMONT

SCOTT C. CUNNINGHAM

SHIN KYOUNG-SOO

FREDERICK M. LAUFENBERG

TERRY W. FRUGE

YOURIY MALETSKIY

WILLIAM I. KELLY

JAMES MICHAEL

VIRGINIA

VISAYAS

WASHINGTON

WEST VIRGINIA

WISCONSIN

WYOMING

PATRICK A. ROWLAND

TEOFRIDO B. LAGRIA

KIM L. WASHBURN

FRANCIS G. KOENIG

JOHN P. HUTTENHOFF

RONALD M. MORRIS

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Faith

Actors perform a scene from an original play about Blessed Michael McGivney and the founding of the Knights of Columbus by Patsy Urbanovsky, whose husband, Donald, is a member of Bishop Glennon P. Flavin Council 11737 in Denton, Neb. The council sponsored the production, which was staged at St. Mary Church in Denton.

RENOVATION DONATION Sussex Valley Council 8213 in Sussex, Newfoundland and Labrador, donated CA$1,000 to the Immaculate Conception Cathedral Restoration Committee to assist with repairing water damage to the cathedral’s ceiling and other projects.

A GIFT FOR EVERY SEMINARIAN Bishop Joseph A. Albers Council 4090 in Davison, Mich., donated $50,600 to support the Diocese of Lansing’s 30 seminarians. Unable to hold its fundraiser dinner due to the pandemic, the council instead collected contributions from six parishes.

ROSARY FOR UKRAINE Holy Spirit Council 8493 in The Colony, Texas, hosted a rosary for peace in Ukraine at St. Sophia Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, one of the parishes the council serves. Members of Cardinal John O’Connor Assembly 2662 provided an honor guard for the prayer service.

MCGIVNEY DEVOTION Our Lady of Fatima Council 9636 in Las Piñas, Luzon South, sponsors an initiative for Knights and their families

called “Blessed Michael McGivney, Pray for Us.” Each week, a different family hosts a blessed portrait of Father McGivney; they pray for his intercession every day before passing the image to the next household.

BAKING DOUGH, MAKING DOUGH Knights from Our Lady of the Valley Council 4003 in Hermitage, Pa., and other volunteers baked more than 700 loaves for the council’s Easter bread sale.

The fundraiser benefited three parishes served by the council: Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Farrell; Notre Dame Parish, Hermitage; and St. Bartholomew Parish, Sharpsville.

WEAPONS OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE St. Augustine Assembly 2022 in Valdosta, Ga., worked with Rugged Rosaries to collect donations and provide rosaries to people in Ukraine. Thanks to the donations of Knights and others, by mid-April more than 360 rosaries had been delivered to Ukraine.

A PLACE FOR PRAYER Members of Waterloo (Ill.) Council 1334 converted an unused storage space in the rectory of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish into a small chapel. The council donated all the material and labor for the four-month project.

ALTAR SERVER APPRECIATION St. Mary Council 8592 in Humboldt, Iowa, treated the parish’s altar servers to an afternoon of bowling and pizza in appreciation for their service at Mass.

Knights and family members from Blessed Frassati Council 17059 in Boise, Idaho, take a break during a work day at the Monastery of Our Lady of Ephesus. The council helped clear a plot of land to be used as a vegetable garden.

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Family

UPGRADING CATHOLIC SCHOOLS Hastings (Minn.) Council 1600 donated $5,000 to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School’s annual fundraiser. The donation will help fund scholarships, interior improvements and education supplies.

QUANTICO EASTER EGG Father Vincent Capodanno Council 11958 in Quantico, Va., held its annual Easter egg hunt at the Marine Corps Base Quantico chapel. Nearly 100 children from the base’s Catholic community participated.

FLOWERS FOR MOTHERS Members of St. Pius X Council 9605 in Mountlake Terrace, Wash., handed out hundreds of red carnations to parish mothers following Masses on Mother’s Day weekend.

BELOW: Photo by Front Room Photography

Members of Father O’Hanlon Council 4678 in State College, Pa., load some of the 50 boxes full of toys, games and other items they assembled for children in local hospitals as part of the Jared Box Project. The council also donated an additional $500 to the organization.

COMMUNITY SANDWICH SHOP For the past 10 years, members of Msgr. Maurice Helmann Council 11280 in Lincoln, Neb., have gathered weekly to make sandwiches for people in need. The Knights prepare the sandwiches — as many as 1,000 in a month — and bring them to Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska to distribute.

UNBURNABLE BOND After a member of Trinity Council 1466 in Le Mars, Iowa, lost his home due to a grass fire, the council hosted a pork chop dinner to benefit the Knight

and his family. More than $28,000 was raised to help the family recover.

MUSICAL HITS Bishop David R. Choby Council 10010 in Gallatin, Tenn., raised more than $18,300 for St. John Vianney School with a dinner that featured several notable musicians and songwriters.

ESSENTIAL STAPLE Yokosuka Council 12488 at United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, collected more than 400 pounds of rice from members of the naval base’s Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Community. The food was donated to Missionaries of Charity brothers in Tokyo.

FUNDRAISER FOR FELLOW KNIGHT'S TREATMENT Rantoul (Ill.) Council 4450 held a chicken dinner fundraiser to benefit Tynan Hedrick, a member of the council. More than $7,500 was raised to support Hedrick, who is undergoing treatment for brain cancer.

Ryan Tennies (right) and his father, Greg, both members of Holy Hill Council 7798 in Hubertus, Wis., join other Milwaukee-area Knights in preparing lunch at the Ballpark Day of Faith outside American Family Field. Knights from area councils volunteered at the annual event, which brings hundreds of fans together for Mass and a tailgate before a Milwaukee Brewers baseball game. The Knights helped with setup, ushering, grilling and cleanup.

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Community

WHEELCHAIRS READY TO GO Members of Father Thomas Lane Council 3645 in Renton, Wash., raised nearly $1,000 to buy wheelchairs for the council’s new community wheelchair loan program. The council also received donations from KC HELP, a medical equipment program run by various councils in Washington.

MILES FROM HOME A crew of Knights from Msgr. Condon Council 3805 in Reedsburg, Wis., organized a Habitat for Humanity mission trip to Jonestown, Miss. The team spent a week restoring a home in Jonestown, which included rewiring the electrical system, hanging drywall, repairing termite damage and more.

SOCK DRIVE FOR HOMELESS The Madeleine Council 11682 in Portland, Ore., conducted its annual woolen sock drive to benefit people experiencing homelessness and others in need. More than 500 pairs of socks were donated by parishioners of St. Mary Magdalene Church.

WILD GAME FOR GOOD Bishop Dingman Council 10805 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, held its annual Wild Game Feed, serving dishes such as duck tacos, beaver pot pie and chipotle pheasant to more than 500 attendees. The dinner raised more than $42,000 for charity, bringing the total raised over the past 21 years to more than $535,000.

DUTY TO GOD AND COUNTRY Knights from Potomac Assembly 2204 and Fitzgerald Council 459 in Alexandria, Va., led a U.S. flag retirement ceremony with local Boy Scouts and American Heritage Girls. After retiring the flags in a respectful manner in keeping with the U.S. Flag Code, the Knights led the young people in a rosary for the country.

DONATION TO UKRAINE Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Council 13145 in Baton Rouge, La., donated $550 to the Ukraine Solidarity Fund.

The funds were raised through donations and a taco sale at St. Pius X Church.

Knights from Josefina, Zamboanga del Sur (Mindanao) Council 17972 carry packs of food to people in need. The council conducted the food distribution to help marginalized people in the surrounding communities.

GOOD GOLFING St. Timothy Council 10034 in The Villages, Fla., raised over $25,000 for several local charities through its annual golf tournament. The council also collected more than $57,000 for the Ukraine Solidarity Fund.

STEWARDS OF NATURE Members of Holy Family Council 4242 in Verona, Pa., and other parish ministries gathered for an Earth Day cleaning session. The crew cleaned the grounds of three Catholic churches and along several local roads.

TOP LEFT: Photo by Luke Simard/CTV News Regina

Members of Bishop Budka Council 5914 in Regina, Saskatchewan, and other volunteers from St. Basil’s Ukrainian Catholic Church take a break during a 160-kilometer (100-mile) bike trek from Regina to Moose Jaw and back. The event raised CA$10,000 for the Sisters of St. Joseph in Saskatoon, in support of the sisters’ orphanage in Ukraine.

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Life MARCHING FOR LIFE Our Lady of the Dells Council 4392 in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., organized the inaugural March for Life Dells in collaboration with prolife ministries of St. Cecilia Parish. Knights from Father Bourgmeyer Assembly 1198 in Baraboo provided an honor guard for the event.

Members of Mary, Cause of Our Joy Council 8447 in Soldiers Hills Muntinlupa, Luzon South, stand with Father Raul Tito Rañola following a Mass for people with special needs.

The council holds these Masses at the parish on a quarterly basis.

BELOW: Photo by Courtney Amaral

LIFE SUPPORT Recent pro-life activities of Our Lady of the Mountains Council 10799 in Sierra Vista, Ariz., include its annual baby bottle drive and regularly scheduled blood drive. The former brought in $4,000 for a local pregnancy resource center; the latter collected 54 pints of blood for the American Red Cross.

Rhode Island State Warden Phil Shea III (left) and Life Director Paul Gendreau of Delaney-St. Teresa Council 57 in Pawtucket load baby supplies following a baby shower breakfast hosted by the council. The Knights collected baby items and monetary contributions to benefit the Mother of Life Center and the Little Flower Home, both of which support pregnant women in the area.

NOVENA FOR LIFE Father Aufderheide Council 12912 in Vandalia, Ohio, sponsored a parish-wide novena to pray for an end to abortion. During the novena, the council displayed 50 pairs of baby shoes to represent the approximately 50 unborn children lost to abortion each week in Montgomery County.

A HALF-CENTURY OF TEAMWORK George W. Hudson Council 3701 in Woodside, N.Y., donated $7,500 to Mercy Home, which provides essential services for children and adults with developmental disabilities. The council, which has been affiliated with the organization for more than 50 years, raised the funds from Knights and their families.

GIFTS FOR MOTHER AND BABY St. Mary of the Assumption Council 11868 in Tilton, N.H., held a baby shower luncheon to benefit Aspire Women’s Center. More than 35 women from St. Gabriel Parish attended, bringing baby gifts to donate to the pregnancy resource center.

SILVER ROSE CEREMONY Newberry (Mich.) Council 2929 organized a prayer service while hosting a Knights of Columbus Silver Rose at St. Gregory’s Catholic Church. The rose was also present during eucharistic adoration.

BREAKFAST FOR BABIES Ave Maria of the Runestone Council 4718 in Alexandria, Minn., donated $2,000 to Life Connections, a parenting resource and pregnancy support center.

The funds were raised by the council’s pancake breakfast.

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Join the Father McGivney Guild

Rising from the Ashes

New Mexico Knights help neighbors recover from the largest wildfire in state history

By Elisha Valladares-Cormier WHAT BEGAN APRIL 6 as a controlled

burn east of Santa Fe, N.M., soon turned into the largest wildfire in state history, consuming over 300,000 acres and forcing more than 25,000 people to evacuate. As thousands of families fled the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire, local Knights of Columbus stepped up to provide much-needed resources and comfort.

“We’re trying to help all the people that have been displaced,” said New Mexico State Program Director Anthony Romero, a member of Nuestra Señora del Rosario Council 10517 in Santa Fe. “With all the turmoil going on, we need to let people know there are people they can count on and who care.”

Council 10517 immediately rallied to collect donations of food, water and other essentials from the local community to bring to people affected by the fires. Since early May, the council has made a number of supply runs to local evacuation sites. The first load — which filled three trucks and three trailers — went to Glorieta Camps, a site managed by the Salvation Army that also serves as a central supply area for other evacuation locations. Father Jordan Sanchez, council chaplain, also visited to pray with and comfort evacuees.

During one of its recent deliveries, Council 10517 partnered with Las

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

Vegas (N.M.) Council 804 to hold a barbecue for evacuees and emergency personnel at a local middle school. For many Las Vegas Knights, helping those displaced by the fires hit close to home.

Benjamin Maynes, grand knight of Council 804, returned from the New Mexico state convention in late April to find ash and cinders from the wildfire in his front yard. He and his wife packed up their motorhome with essentials and left the area for a few days, not knowing if their house would still be standing when they returned.

“We have a Knight who was displaced and another who lost 18 acres of his property,” Maynes said. “A lot of people have been impacted, and so we pray with them and help them along.”

Having raised thousands of dollars to provide food and resources to people who have lost their homes, the Knights of Council 10517 know their work is just beginning, said Grand Knight Richard Martinez.

“There’s a lot of folks I’ve talked to who still haven’t made it back to see if their house is standing or not,” Martinez said. “But everybody can do their part, no matter how big or small. That’s why my brother Knights and I are here, and together it makes a big difference.” B

— Elisha Valladares-Cormier is associate editor of Columbia.

Knights from Nuestra Señora del Rosario Council 10517 in Santa Fe, N.M., stand together after a recent supply run to an evacuation site for people displaced by nearby wildfires.

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THE SUPPLY ROOM, INC. www.kofcuniform.com 1-833-562-4327

OFFICIAL JULY 1, 2022:

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 10 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.

CANADIAN POSTMASTER — PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 1473549. RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 50 MACINTOSH BOULEVARD, CONCORD, ONTARIO L4K 4P3.

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

6/21/22 9:40 AM

KNIGHTS OF CHARITY

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.

Anthony Forino, grand knight of Star of the Sea Council 371 in Bayonne, N.J., runs the bases with a young player in the city’s Buddy Baseball League. The council provides significant financial and volunteer support to the program, in which people with disabilities play baseball with the assistance of volunteer “buddies.”

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 22 ENG COVERS 06_20 B.indd 3

6/20/22 4:18 PM

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

‘I am just going to love you.’

Sister Maria Lucia Stella Maris Missionaries of the Word Baileys Harbor, Wis.

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Photo by Anneli Schraufnagel

“Jesus, I’m done discerning.” This was my prayer in the back of a quiet chapel, the summer after graduating college. The Lord’s call to me as a child was strong and clear, but the where and when were not. The many Holy Hours I’d spent wrestling with the mystery since had brought no clarity.

My prayer continued, “I am spending all my energy discerning, when all I really desire is to love you. So I am just going to love you, and love you lavishly. I ask your Blessed Mother to make the rest abundantly clear.”

At the time, I saw my prayer as a necessity of my heart, an urgency to respond to God’s love.

Only later did I understand that perhaps it was what the Lord had been waiting for: for me to relinquish discernment as “my project” and to simply rejoice to be in relationship with him, to simply let myself be his.

The lesson the Lord taught me that day remains ever new, even now after final vows.

How much more beautiful is the journey when lived in the simplicity of his love!

6/20/22 4:18 PM