Columbia June 2013 by Columbia Magazine

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J UNE 2013

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS JUNE 2013 ♦ VOLUME 93 ♦ NUMBER 6

COLUMBIA

F E AT U R E S

8 God Bless West The fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, has forged strong bonds of community as Knights lead recovery efforts there. BY MATTHEW ST. JOHN

12 The Quotable Pope Francis Through his audiences, addresses and homilies, the pope humbly proclaims the Gospel message. BY COLUMBIA STAFF

18 Building a Culture of Life Together The healing mission of Project Rachel complements prolife celebrations in Peru. BY WALTER SÁNCHEZ SILVA AND COLUMBIA STAFF

22 Housing Heroes In volunteering to build homes with Habitat for Humanity, Knights provide assistance to the working poor. BY JOE BOLLIG

AD DESIGN: Justin Perillo — PHOTO OF POPES: CNS photo/L’Ossevatore Romano via Reuters

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI greets Pope Francis at the Vatican May 2. The 86-year-old retired pontiff, who had been staying at the papal summer villa in Castel Gandolfo since retiring Feb. 28, returned to the Vatican to live in a monastery in the Vatican Gardens.

D E PA RT M E N T S 3

Building a better world

Like St. Ignatius of Loyola, Father McGivney and the Knights of Columbus reflect a faithfulness that is essential to the Church’s renewal. BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

Learning the faith, living the faith As the traditional family is undervalued and under attack, the Church promotes marriage and family for the health of society.

Knights of Columbus News

Knights Offer Prayers, Assistance for Boston, Texas • Canadian Knights March for Life • Former Columbia Editor Ordained to Priesthood

Culture of Life The trial of Kermit Gosnell provides an opportunity to shine a light into the darkness of the abortion industry. BY JEANNE MONAHAN

Fathers for Good

Knights in Action

Star Trek Fathers: Dads are called to “boldly go” forward for family and society

Columbianism by Degrees

BY JASON GODIN

BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

PLUS Catholic Man of the Month

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Models of Fatherhood WHEN POPE FRANCIS addressed an assembly of religious superiors May 8, his remark that women religious are called to be spiritual mothers and not “spinsters” made a lot of headlines, as if the pope was insulting the sisters or proposing something novel. But the point of the metaphor was simple: Consecrated women, and indeed all Christian women, are in some sense called to be “mothers” through lives of fidelity and spiritual fruitfulness. In a similar way, every man, regardless of his state in life, is called to express the truth of fatherhood. As we celebrate Father’s Day this month, it is worth reflecting on the vocation of fatherhood in light of the fatherhood crisis today. One aspect of the contemporary problem is the absence of fathers. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, one-third of children in the United States live apart from their biological fathers, and research has shown that children of fatherless homes are significantly more likely to experience serious difficulties. A second aspect relates to confusions about the role of fathers. Men may be tempted by false ideas about masculinity to be authoritarian or aloof, rather than serving as loving protectors, providers and teachers. The crisis of fatherhood is also a spiritual crisis, which is rooted in a failure to recognize and imitate the fatherhood of God, “from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named” (Eph 3:15). On Jan. 30, in one of his final general audiences, Pope Benedict XVI explained that God “shows us what it

really means to be a ‘father.’” Conversely, an earthly father “helps us to understand something of the love of God, which is nevertheless infinitely greater, more faithful, and more total than the love of any man.” Pope Benedict also noted that “even imagining God as a father becomes problematic without credible models of fatherhood.” Today, more than ever, the world is in need of faithful fathers, men who live in communion with our heavenly Father and recognize that he gives good gifts to his children (cf. Mt 7:11), embraces them when they are lost and repentant (cf. Lk 15:20), and loves to the end, even giving his Son for our salvation (cf. Jn 3:16). Thankfully, we have many saintly models of fatherhood to guide us, from St. Joseph to Venerable Michael McGivney. The Church has likewise been blessed with a number of great popes in recent years, including our current Holy Father, Pope Francis (see pp. 3, 12). So, too, has the Church been blessed with faithful priests, including Father Tim Hickey, the former editor of Columbia who was recently ordained (see p. 6). Finally, members of the Knights of Columbus, whether in their own families or in service to those in need, exemplify fatherly virtues in their daily lives (see pp. 8, 22). As we look ahead, we turn to Our Father in heaven and ask for the grace to be ever more the men and fathers he created us to be.♦ ALTON J. PELOWSKI EDITOR

Fortnight for Freedom will take place June 21-July 4 The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has once again called for a Fortnight for Freedom, a special two-week period of prayer, study and public action beginning June 21 — the vigil of the feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More — to July 4, Independence Day. In 2013, Catholics face many challenges to religious liberty, including the Aug. 1 deadline for religious organizations to comply with the HHS mandate. For more information, visit fortnightforfreedom.org. 2 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

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COLUMBIA PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus ________ SUPREME OFFICERS Carl A. Anderson SUPREME KNIGHT Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. SUPREME CHAPLAIN Dennis A. Savoie DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT Charles E. Maurer Jr. SUPREME SECRETARY Logan T. Ludwig SUPREME TREASURER John A. Marrella SUPREME ADVOCATE ________ EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski alton.pelowski@kofc.org EDITOR Patrick Scalisi patrick.scalisi@kofc.org SENIOR EDITOR Krista Tullock COPY EDITOR ________

Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90) Apostle to the Young, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us. ________ HOW TO REACH US MAIL COLUMBIA 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 ADDRESS CHANGES 203-752-4580 OTHER INQUIRIES 203-752-4398 FAX 203-752-4109 CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-380-9995 E-MAIL columbia@kofc.org INTERNET kofc.org/columbia ________ Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.

COVER: Painting by Antonella Cappuccio/Photo by Christian Rizzo

E D I TO R I A L

BUILDING A BETTER WORLD

Thinking With the Church Like St. Ignatius of Loyola, Father McGivney and the Knights of Columbus reflect a faithfulness that is essential to the Church’s renewal by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson

THE ELECTION of Pope Francis — and the introduction of Christianity to the first Jesuit pope in history — pro- India, China and Japan. vides a good opportunity to reflect Today the Church asks of believers Today, our own situation seems to be briefly on how St. Ignatius of Loyola, a mirror image of St. Ignatius’ time. We nothing more, and nothing less, than it the founder of the Society of Jesus, un- have been graced by popes of heroic has throughout her history: Profess derstood the papacy. virtue, whose saintly lives are beyond what you believe and live what you proDuring the early days of his ministry question. These popes have been criti- fess. Such personal witness is the only in the 16th century, when St. Ignatius cized not for failing to live up to Church way we can make an adequate response and his followers were known simply as teaching, but for upholding it — espe- to the claims of today’s militant atheists. “reformed priests,” they were the vic- cially in regard to the sanctity of human Here, too, we see the spiritual genius of tims of many false rumors and gossip. life and the sacraments of matrimony Venerable Michael McGivney. In foundThis led to trouble with both the Paris and holy orders. ing the Knights of Columbus, Father McInquisition and the Vatican. Givney established a way in Finally, Ignatius appealed to which Catholic men could Pope Paul III, who agreed to Today the Church asks of believers confidently profess their faith review the matter and ultiby living lives of charity, unity mately gave Ignatius the vinnothing less than it has throughout and fraternity in their parishes dication he sought. The pope and local communities. her history: Profess what you later approved the new Society This witness through servof Jesus. ice is at the foundation of our believe and live what you profess. At a time when Renaissance founder’s vision for the popes had, to say the least, Order. Blessed John Paul II failed to exemplify Christian virtue, IgOur Church now faces a challenge as spoke of a “charity that evangelizes,” natius placed his new religious order in profound as the problems of the 16th and this must become an ever more faithful service to the successors of St. century. This time, however, it is not a present reality in our own lives and the Peter. Both Ignatius and Paul III had ex- question of which Christian community lives of our families. perienced “conversions,” and Ignatius most faithfully reflects Christ’s plan for Since the Second Vatican Council, the realized that the popes retained the grace his Church. Instead, the challenge is by Knights of Columbus has sought new opof their teaching office, regardless of secularists who say there should be no portunities to profess what we believe as their personal shortcomings. Christian faith at all. For them, Frederich Catholics. We have made a determined For St. Ignatius, the principle of sen- Nietzsche’s claim that “God is dead” is a effort “to think with the mind of the tire cum ecclesia — to think with the turning point in history. They say Chris- Church” as our popes have worked to immind of the Church — was essential to tian faith is irrational and should have no plement the council’s vision, and we will the work of the Jesuits. His “Rules” for influence in society. This new secularism continue to do so as Pope Francis begins thinking with the Church conclude his is widespread in Europe and is gaining to write a new chapter in this history. Spiritual Exercises. St. Ignatius knew that a society of ground in the Western Hemisphere. Because of this faithfulness, the JePerhaps it is a sign of divine provi- strong and determined Catholic men suits were central to the renewal of the dence that Father Michael J. McGivney could accomplish great things. Nearly Catholic Church, its re-establishment founded the Knights of Columbus the five centuries later, the Knights of throughout much of Europe, the evan- very year that Nietzsche wrote those Columbus would agree. gelization of the Western Hemisphere, words about the demise of God. Vivat Jesus!

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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

The Importance of Mothers and Fathers As the traditional family is undervalued and under attack, the Church promotes marriage and family for the health of society by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori NO ONE LOVES us quite so ten- can also be role models who help their derly and persistently as our mothers. children come to understand how Where would we be without them? men and women relate to one another watch these shows, their influence is all They are the glue that holds families in a healthy, respectful manner. around us in popular culture. together. Even though Mother’s Day Today, when we watch reruns of Baby boomers (of which I am one) is past, it is never too late to pay trib- old family sit-coms such as Leave It may think that the Church wants all ute to our mothers, living and dead, to Beaver or Father Knows Best, we families to be like those TV sitcom and to commend them to the Lord. think of such shows as quaint, overly families of old. At the same time, Let me wager, however, that good idealized portraits of what family life more than a few millennials may mothers desire, more than anything was like in the 1950s and ’60s. Even think that the Church’s teaching on else, good husbands and fathers. They then, it was rare for a stay-at-home marriage and family is hopelessly out deserve husbands who are loving and mom to do housework while wear- of touch. But the Church’s teaching faithful. Mothers understand doesn’t take its cues from how important a father’s love flickering screens, whether and example is for their chilthey’re old 12-inch televisions dren. And wives know that if The Church knows from reason, or iPads. Rather, the Church they are united with their husknows from reason, experibands in faith, values and their ence and revelation how imexperience and revelation how understanding of how to raise portant husbands and wives, important husbands and wives, their family, their children will mothers and fathers, are for more easily grow and develop as the flourishing of children mothers and fathers, are for the God intended. and society. The definitions Good fathers sense this, too. flourishing of children and society. of husband, wife, father and They know that loving and remother cannot be changed at specting their wives is also imwill. This has to do with the portant for children. The love of structure of reality; it’s “how mothers and fathers is complemen- ing pearls and high heels, or for a things are.” Furthermore, the Church tary. Fathers have their own brand of dad to wear a tie around the house. recognizes that marriage is an image strong and tender love that goes along The wisdom that the parents dis- of God’s whole relationship with his with and completes the love that pensed to their children on those TV people. The Church is the bride of mothers have for their children. shows can seem a little stilted to our Christ and our spiritual mother. 21st-century ears. TV AND REALITY By contrast, contemporary sitcoms SOCIAL EXPERIMENTATION Together, loving husbands and wives often present fractured families or “tra- I have been a priest for 36 years. create a space of safety, stability and ditional” families in which both the Along the way, I have come to undernurturing for their children. Within husband and the wife are silly and fool- stand more profoundly how God this zone, they can hand on the faith ish. This is especially true of fathers, blessed me from my youth with a lovof the Church and help their children who are seldom portrayed as intelli- ing family. I have also enjoyed the develop spiritually, intellectually, psy- gent, wholesome, positive influences friendship of many families who live chologically and physically. Parents on their children. Even if we don’t the vocation of marriage and family 4 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

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POPE FRANCIS: CNS/Paul Haring — PAINTING: Francisco de Zurbarán, The Vision of St. Anthony of Padua (detail), ca. 1630/Courtesy of Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University, MSU purchase 59.29

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

amid the struggles and joys of life. These families have taught me a lot about the title of “father” that is accorded to priests. We are called to be like good and loving fathers to the families of faith that we have been sent to serve. How many societal problems would be headed off if husbands were attentive to their wives and present to their children! What a different scene it would be for so many children if they had the joy and security of sitting down to dinner with their parents and siblings with some regularity! Often in distressed neighborhoods, it is the fathers who are missing. All

HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTIONS

Offered in Solidarity with Pope Francis GENERAL: That a culture of dialogue, listening and mutual respect may prevail among peoples. MISSION: That where secularization is strongest, Christian communities may effectively promote a new evangelization.

too often, mothers must raise their children alone. Many do so heroically, and they deserve our respect, support and prayers. Yet, it should always be our hope and prayer that the number of strong, intact and loving families will grow. As of this writing, we are awaiting decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court that, one way or another, will affect the future of marriage. Already, so-called same-sex marriage has become legal in a number of states. We should be rightfully worried, lest the high court open the door to legalizing same-sex marriage throughout the country, a move that will accel-

erate the movement for same-sex marriage around the world. To do so is to engage in massive social experimentation and restructuring, with little thought about the effect of these decisions on present and future generations. It turns out that Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are more than gifts, greeting cards and gatherings. These observances remind us to recommit ourselves to the vocation of marriage and family. May we, the family of the Knights of Columbus, remain at the forefront in defending and promoting this beautiful and challenging vocation.♦

C AT H O L I C M A N O F T H E M O N T H

St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) BORN TO a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1195, Fernando Martins de Bulhões was educated during his youth at the nearby cathedral school. As a teenager, he decided to pursue a vocation to the priesthood and entered an Augustinian religious community. After dedicating himself to intellectual and spiritual formation for the next decade, he was ordained a priest. Father Fernando soon became attracted to the simple way of life and charism of the newly founded Franciscan order. He was also inspired by the courage of the first Franciscan missionaries, who were martyred for their faith in Morocco. Feeling called to follow in their footsteps, the young priest obtained permission to leave the Augustinians and become a Franciscan friar, adopting the name Anthony. It was not long before Anthony was sent to Morocco, but he became severely ill after arriving. Instead of returning to Portugal, he was brought to Sicily and continued on to mainland Italy, where the Franciscan order had been founded. Anthony was often in solitude, and he practiced penance and service with

great humility. At an ordination Mass in 1222, he was called upon to preach because no one else was prepared. He soon became recognized as an unparalleled biblical scholar and teacher. In the years that followed, he preached the Gospel in northern Italy and France amid violent persecution and prevailing heresy. St. Francis even made an exception to the Franciscan rule and allowed him to teach theology to the friars. Anthony became ill in 1231 and died on June 13 of that year while returning to Padua, Italy, from a retreat with other friars. He was canonized in 1232, less than one year after his death, and was officially proclaimed a doctor of the Church in 1946.♦

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS

Knights Offer Prayers, Assistance for Boston, Texas

Waltham firemen and other first responders participated in a Blue Mass organized by St. Francis of the Sacred Heart Council 14091 and Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Council 14710 in Waltham, Mass. “The outpouring of support by the Knights in West and the surrounding areas is a testament to the power of charity, which is the first principle of the Knights of Columbus,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson. “The work they are doing to help people rebuild lives in the face of this tragedy is an inspiring witness to the transformative power of caring for our neighbor in times of need.” Online donations can be made to Knights of Columbus Charities Inc. at kofc.org/texas.♦

Canadian Knights March for Life

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson addresses pro-life supporters on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, May 9, at Canada’s National March for Life. Knights and their families were among thousands of other Catholics and pro-life advocates who attended the event to protest the 1969 law that legalized abortion in Canada. Provincial marches likewise took place across the country. “No problem is so great that it requires the death of our children,” the supreme knight said in his brief remarks. “Canada is a country great in natural resources. But Canada’s greatest resource is its children.” 6 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

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Former Columbia Editor Ordained Priest TIMOTHY S. HICKEY, former editor of Columbia magazine, was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Father Tim Hickey Hartford May 11. Hickey began working at the Supreme Council in 1983. In 1988, he transferred to Columbia magazine as associate editor. Past Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant appointed him as editor in 1999 after Hickey had served for seven years as the magazine’s managing editor. Hickey left the Supreme Council in 2008 to enter seminary and pursue his vocation.♦

BOSTON: Gary Wilcox — OTTAWA: Jake Wright — FATHER HICKEY: Tom Serafin

FOLLOWING THE terrorism attack at the Boston Marathon April 15 and the April 17 explosion at a fertilizer plant in the town of West, Texas, the Knights of Columbus urged its members and their families to pray for the victims of both terrible incidents. Two bombs struck near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring 264 others. The blast in Texas, meanwhile, damaged buildings for miles around and claimed the lives of at least 15 people, including two Knights of Columbus. “The thoughts and prayers of the Knights of Columbus are with all those killed or injured,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson in a statement following the events. “May God provide eternal rest to the deceased and comfort to all those affected.” In Boston, local Knights hosted a rosary rally and attended similar events throughout the city and its suburbs. The state council also started a fund in coordination with the Archdiocese of Boston, and Knights hosted a Blue Mass May 11 at Sacred Heart Church in Waltham in honor of the first responders who were on the front lines following the attack. West (Texas) Council 2305 has also worked with local groups and the authorities to assist with disaster relief. The council was particularly well positioned to help since it counts more than 500 members in a town of fewer than 3,000 people and has been able to use the council hall as a support center (see story on page 8).

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

Star Trek Fathers Dads are called to “boldly go” forward for family and society by Jason Godin

Zade Rosenthal/Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

his year’s intergalactic drama Star Trek: Into Darkness continues one of the themes that has long drawn viewers to the franchise’s television series and movies: a strong, brave, yet fallible captain who wrestles with the burdens of command. For many years, the center seat on the bridge belonged to Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, played by Patrick Stewart, whose trademark commands when faced with challenges were “engage” and “make it so.” His starship, the U.S.S. Enterprise, sped toward unknown horizons as Picard gave the order to “engage” and drew the best from his crew when he trusted them to “make it so.” These two terms also have important meanings for Catholic men. They summon husbands and fathers to become more involved in their families, to work hard for their welfare and safety, and to do so boldly through a love that is tied to union with Christ and his Church. “Engage” and “make it so” call men to confront and overcome a host of threats — both old and new — before these dangers lead men, the ones they love and the world at large into darker days. The outer limits of space may not be the field of play — as it is for the crew of the Enterprise — but fathers nonetheless have to deal with unseen forces of good and evil, and the decisions they make for themselves and their families carry eternal consequences. The modern Catholic man who sets out to “captain” his family as a husband and father must draw from the Church’s treasury of teachings and traditions. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, the family “is the natural society in which husband and wife are called to give themselves in love and in the gift of life. Authority, stability, and a life of relationships within the family constitute the foundations for freedom, security, and fraternity within society” (2207). Such “mission parameters” set the outlines for the inner life of the Christian family, which “assumes singular importance in the Church” and in which members are formed and educated in faith, hope and charity (2204). These virtues cannot be imposed by a distant authority, but rather are drawn forth by grace, love and example. As leader of the

family, a father can offer abundantly what God gives him in abundance: unconditional love, guidance and direction, encouragement for success, and forgiveness in failure. He also is called to go outside the family to labor for the common good, to serve others in his parish and community, and to exercise civic and social responsibility. Ultimately, the responsible family man lives a life of charitable radiance that shines far beyond what he could accomplish alone or within the walls of the home. Catholic fathers must pursue these high goals, for grim alternatives result when men disengage from family and society and retreat from responsibility. When men view headship as a hardship, the result is today’s widespread phenomena of fatherless families and confusion over the role and nature of marriage. The social, psychological and financial wellbeing of children — the next generation — is placed at risk. Society loses, and may begin to diminish and demean, the great benefits of masculine virtue. Indeed, primetime television in recent years has put forth an array of weak fathers unable to set a positive example for their children. Yet we do have popular media models in the succession of “Star Trek” captains. Though imperfect, they have for more than 40 years set out on bold adventures for the good of mankind; served with selfless authority while putting others’ safety before their own; taken orders from their superiors as surely as they have given orders to their crew, who form a sort of family; and used every ounce of mind, muscle and emotion to protect and provide for those in their care. Catholic men, especially husbands and fathers, must “engage” and “make it so” like these iconic captains of the silver screen. If fathers fulfill this important mission, their families, communities and the Church will have a brighter future.♦ JASON GODIN, a member of Col. Walter Parsons Council 3205 in College Station, Texas, teaches U.S. history. He and his wife have two children.

FIND ADDITIONAL ARTICLES AND RESOURCES FOR CATHOLIC MEN AND THEIR FAMILIES AT FATHERSFORGOOD. ORG .

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GOD BLESS

WEST

The fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, has forged strong bonds of community as Knights lead recovery efforts there by Matthew St. John 8 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

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People take part in a candlelight vigil April 18 at the Church of the Assumption in West, Texas, to remember those who lost their lives or were injured in a massive explosion at the area’s fertilizer plant the previous day.

CNS photo/Jaime R. Carrero, Reuters

n the night of Wednesday, April 17, Grand Knight Ryan Adams of West (Texas) Council 2305 had just arrived at his hotel room in nearby Austin when he received a text message from a relative. It read simply: “The fertilizer plant just blew up.” Adams’ mind began racing. The small plant was at the heart of his beloved hometown, where hours before he had left his wife and two young children behind for a business trip. Knowing that the plant was located near a sizeable apartment complex and several local businesses, he knew the damage would be devastating. Days later, Adams and his brother Knights would assume a leading role in the recovery efforts in West. In addition to raising money to support those who had lost their homes, the Knights turned their hall into a distribution center and meeting place. They hosted dozens of disaster response agencies, served meals and stood together as a pillar of strength for the community. But when he initially heard about the disaster, Adams didn’t

know what to think. He hurriedly packed up his bags and headed back to West, not sure what he would find when he got there. RECOVERY BEGINS Located about 20 miles north of Waco, Texas, the town of West is home to 2,800 people, many of Czech descent. The prominent features of this quintessential Texas town include the “Czech Stop” and the “KC Hall,” a campus of two buildings that houses the town’s 500-member strong Knights of Columbus council. West is a Catholic town with a bustling parish community at St. Mary of the Assumption Church. The two cultures — Catholic and Czech — are intertwined and often meet, with Czech dances and heritage functions at the Knights’ hall. But all that came to a screeching halt April 17 when a small fire at the West Fertilizer Company unleashed a horrifying explosion that killed at least 15 people. Among them were two members of JUNE 2013

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Opposite page: Town residents bow their heads in prayer during an April 21 outdoor prayer service four days after the deadly explosion. • Pallbearers carry the casket of a fallen firefighter following his funeral Mass at the Church of the Assumption April 24. “We’ve got to rebuild for the guys we’ve lost,” Lednicky said. “Because that’s what they would have done. Every single one of them would have been here today helping people.” REBUILDING THE COMMUNITY Due to its central location, the Knights of Columbus hall became vital to relief efforts. The Red Cross, several major insurance companies, and a number of other agencies, organizations and ministries joined together at the council hall to provide a wide variety of services to those in need, including food and other supplies, spiritual guidance, mental health assistance, insurance aid, and legal consultation. The hall also served as a meeting place after the funerals of the fallen, with the council donating both the space and the food for luncheons after services. As the dust settled in West and the initial recovery began, the scope of the damage became clear. Once-green fields were littered with black ash and debris; houses were gutted down to the studs by the force of the blast; and cars and trucks lay in mangled ruins. “We’re going to need help rebuilding,” Lednicky said. “The coming weeks and months are going to be a big construction project.” The Knights are committed to helping. Knights everywhere have joined the effort and, through a website set up by the Supreme Council, have raised a total of more than $175,000 in donations. Council 2305 has been working in conjunction with the Supreme Council and local authorities to determine how best to distribute the relief funds. Whether it’s donations to schools, assistance rebuilding, emergency expenses or anything in between, the Knights are working alongside other charitable organizations to maximize the effect of the charitable giving. “The last few days, I’ve seen some of the most amazing things in my life from this tragedy,” said Adams, who added that even the families of victims were helping in any way they could. He noted that, despite dozens of evacuated homes, shelters were mostly empty because people were staying with family and friends. “We take care of each other around here,” Adams continued. “And that’s what this community is about.” Like any other town, West had its minor divisions and petty differences. But in the wake of this terrible tragedy, as the final chapter waits to be written, a spirit of solidarity remains. “Today, we’re West,” Adams said. “We’re all one. This is something that won’t be forgotten any time soon. The spirit in this town is strong, and we’re going to come back as strong as we can be, as one community.”♦ MATTHEW ST. JOHN is communications project coordinator with the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council and past grand knight of Saint Anselm College Council 4875 in Manchester, N.H.

TOP: CNS photo/Adrees Latif, Reuters — BOTTOM: CNS photo/Tim Sharp, Reuters

the Knights of Columbus: Cody Dragoo, the manager of the plant and a member since 2008, and Joey Pustejovsky, the city secretary and a second-generation Knight since 2001. Both men were also volunteer firefighters. The blast injured more than 160 others and destroyed or damaged more than 150 buildings. Authorities say the explosion measured a 2.1 on the Richter scale and was heard in towns as far as 45 miles away. Even the K of C hall, located a mile away from the blast site, sustained some damage. When Adams returned from Austin, he found a community in shock. “We have some friends [whose homes were evacuated that night],” Adams said, “so they came over and stayed with us. We stayed up until about 2:30 in the morning just watching the news coverage.” It was hard to swallow. But in those first hours, when Adams and his wife welcomed another family into their home, West’s unbreakable sense of community began to shine through. Within hours of the tragedy, the Supreme Council sent $10,000 in emergency relief funds to Council 2305. The Texas State Council also committed $10,000 for future use. Meanwhile, Knights in West got straight to work. In less than 48 hours, they opened their hall to the people of West and hosted a hamburger supper, offering neighbors and friends a chance to grieve and be together. On Saturday morning, a busload of Knights from nearby Baylor University, North Texas University and the University of Dallas arrived in West to help sort and organize the donations that were pouring in to a collection point at the town fairgrounds. Meanwhile, the people of West turned to God in prayer, and many proudly wore t-shirts that had “God Bless West” emblazoned across the front. That Sunday, as nearly 1,000 persons filled the Church of the Assumption for a Mass celebrated by Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin, more than 100 Knights from across the state served in a Fourth Degree honor guard. “There are many people who are hurting,” Bishop Vásquez said in his homily. “There are many people who are suffering. As a consequence, you and I have gathered to pray. We pray because we are confident, because we trust God, because we believe his word is true.” Noting that their gathering was taking place on Good Shepherd Sunday, Bishop Vásquez said, “Let the Lord carry you on his shoulders. Let the Lord sustain you in this tragic and terrible time.” After Mass ended, more than 500 people traveled to the K of C hall for a community luncheon. During the event, Grand Knight Adams and Treasurer Mike Lednicky announced to those in attendance that the Knights would be distributing emergency funds to those who needed it. The council distributed several thousand dollars that day, since many people had lost their homes and everything they owned. “The only clothes they had were clothes on their back,” Adams said. Remembering those who had lost their lives, the community found the motivation to carry on and rebuild.

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The Quotable Pope Francis Through his audiences, addresses and homilies, the pope humbly proclaims the Gospel message by Columbia staff

PHOTOS: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano

rom the first time he walked out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica March 13, Pope Francis has shown himself to be a gifted speaker who conveys thoughtfulness and joy through simple language, as well as through silence, looks and gestures. Addressing the College of Cardinals two days after his election, Pope Francis said wisdom is “like a good wine that improves with age.” Later, to youth gathered in St. Peter’s Square for Palm Sunday, he said, “With Christ, the heart never grows old!” Expressing both the wisdom of experience and a youthful exuberance, the 76-year-old pontiff ’s humble proclamation of the Gospel has already inspired many. In the pages that follow, Columbia presents just a sampling of the pope’s words during the first months of his pontificate.

ON FOLLOWING CHRIST “Ours is not a joy born of having many possessions, but from having encountered a Person, Jesus, in our midst; it is born from knowing that with him we are never alone, even at difficult moments, even when our life’s journey comes up against problems and obstacles that seem insurmountable, and there are so many of them! And in this moment the enemy, the devil, comes, often disguised as an angel, and slyly speaks his word to us. Do not listen to him! Let us follow Jesus!” – Homily, March 24 “Following and accompanying Christ, staying with him, demands ‘coming out of ourselves’ … out of a dreary way of living faith that has become a habit, out of the temptation to withdraw into our own plans which end by shutting out God’s creative action.” – Audience, March 27 “Christ opened the path to us. He is like a roped guide climbing a mountain who, on reaching the summit, pulls us up to him and leads us to God. If we entrust our life to him, if we let ourselves be guided by him, we are certain to be in safe hands, in the hands of our Savior, of our advocate.” – Audience, April 17

Opposite page: Pope Francis waves to the crowd in St. Peter’s Square March 17 as he leads his first Angelus. • Left: Newly elected Pope Francis returned to the church-run residence where he had been staying to pay his bill, despite now effectively being in charge of the business. JUNE 2013

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“How does Joseph respond to his calling to be the protector of Mary, Jesus and the Church? By being constantly attentive to God, open to the signs of God’s presence and receptive to God’s plans, and not simply to his own. … In him, dear friends, we learn how to respond to God’s call, readily and willingly, but we also see the core of the Christian vocation, which is Christ! Let us protect Christ in our lives, so that we can protect others, so that we can protect creation!” – Inaugural Homily, March 19 “Being Christian is not just obeying orders but means being in Christ, thinking like him, acting like him, loving like him; it means letting him take possession of our life and change it, transform it and free it from the darkness of evil and sin. … Let us show the joy of being children of God, the freedom that living in Christ gives us which is true freedom, the freedom that saves us from the slavery of evil, of sin and of death!” – Audience, April 10 14 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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From left: Pope Francis embraces 8-year-old Dominic Gondreau, who has cerebral palsy, following the pope’s first Easter Mass March 31. • The pope passes a crucifix as he leaves his general audience May 1. • Pope Francis greets the crowd outside after praying the rosary at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome May 4.

“We too should be clear in our Christian life that entering the glory of God demands daily fidelity to his will, even when it demands sacrifice and sometimes requires us to change our plans.” – Audience, April 17 “In this period of crisis, today, it is important not to turn in on ourselves, burying our own talent, our spiritual, intellectual, and material riches, everything that the Lord has given us, but, rather to open ourselves, to be supportive, to be attentive to others. … Set your stakes on great ideals, the ideals that enlarge the heart, the ideals of service that make your talents fruitful. Life is not given to us to be jealously guarded for ourselves, but is given to us so that we may give it in turn.” – Audience, April 24

Gregorio Borgia, AP Photo

ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

ON THE TRUTH OF MAN

ON GRACE AND FORGIVENESS “The Lord never tires of forgiving — never! It is we who tire of asking his forgiveness. Let us ask for the grace not to tire of asking forgiveness, because he never tires of forgiving. Let us ask for this grace.” – Homily, March 17

TOP LEFT & RIGHT: CNS photo/Paul Haring

“Sometimes it may seem as though God does not react to evil, as if he is silent. And yet God has spoken. He has replied, and his answer is the cross of Christ: a word that is love, mercy, forgiveness.” – Address, Good Friday, March 29 “This is the invitation which I address to everyone: Let us accept the grace of Christ’s resurrection! Let us be renewed by God’s mercy; let us be loved by Jesus; let us enable the power of his love to transform our lives, too; and let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish.” – Urbi et Orbi Message, Easter

“Before all else, we need to keep alive in our world the thirst for the absolute, and to counter the dominance of a one-dimensional vision of the human person, a vision that reduces human beings to what they produce and to what they consume. This is one of the most insidious temptations of our time.” – Address, March 20 “Francis of Assisi tells us we should work to build peace. But there is no true peace without truth! There cannot be true peace if everyone is his own criterion, if everyone can always claim exclusively his own rights, without at the same time caring for the good of others, of everyone, on the basis of the nature that unites every human being on this earth.” – Address, March 22 “Man is like a traveller who, crossing the deserts of life, thirsts for the living water: gushing and fresh, capable of quenching his deep desire for light, love, beauty and peace. We all feel this desire! And Jesus gives us this living water: he is the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and whom Jesus pours out into our hearts.” – Audience, May 8 JUNE 2013

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Pope Francis greets the crowd as he arrives to lead his general audience in St. Peter’s Square May 1.

ON EVANGELIZATION “Inspired also by the celebration of the Year of Faith, all of us together, pastors and members of the faithful, will strive to respond faithfully to the Church’s perennial mission: to bring Jesus Christ to mankind and to lead mankind to an encounter with Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life, truly present in the Church and also in every person.” – Audience with the College of Cardinals, March 15 “To be sure, the testimony of faith comes in very many forms. Just as in a great fresco, there is a variety of colors and shades, yet they are all important, even those which do not stand out. In God’s great plan, every detail is important, even yours, even my humble little witness, even the hidden witness of those who live their faith with simplicity in everyday family relationships, work relationships, friendships. … Let us all remember this: one cannot proclaim the Gospel of Jesus without the tangible witness of one’s life. Those who listen to us and observe us must be able to see in our actions what they hear from our lips, and so give glory to God!” – Homily, April 14 16 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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“May you also be true evangelizers! May your initiatives be ‘bridges,’ means of bringing others to Christ, so as to journey together with him. And in this spirit may you always be attentive to charity. Each individual Christian and every community is missionary to the extent that they bring to others and live the Gospel, and testify to God’s love for all, especially those experiencing difficulties.” – Homily, May 5

ON MINISTRY AND SERVICE

PAGE 16 TOP & PAGE 17 TOP: CNS photo/Paul Haring — PAGE 16 BOTTOM: CNS photo/Alessia Giuliani, Catholic Press Photo — PAGE 17 BOTTOM: CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano

“God thinks like the Samaritan who did not pass by the unfortunate man, pitying him or looking at him from the other side of the road, but helped him without asking for anything in return; without asking whether he was a Jew, a pagan or a Samaritan, whether he was rich or poor. He asked for nothing. He went to help him. God is like this.” – Audience, March 27 “This I ask you: be shepherds, with the ‘odor of the sheep,’ make it real, as shepherds among your flock, fishers of men. … Dear priests, may our people sense that we are the Lord’s disciples; may they feel that their names are written upon our priestly vestments and that we seek no other identity; and may they receive through our words and deeds the oil of gladness which Jesus, the anointed one, came to bring us.” – Homily, Chrism Mass, March 28 “Help one another: This is what Jesus teaches us, and this is what I am doing — and doing with all my heart — because it is my duty. As a priest and a bishop, I must be at your service. But it is a duty that comes from my heart. I love it.” – Homily, Mass of the Lord’s Supper, March 28

Opposite page: Pope Francis blesses palms with holy water as he begins Palm Sunday Mass at the obelisk in St. Peter’s Square March 24. • Top: Pope Francis greets newly confirmed young people as they bring up the offertory gifts during a Mass in St. Peter’s Square April 28. The pope confirmed 44 people from 22 countries. • Above: The pope kisses a crucifix after arriving to celebrate Mass at St. Anne’s Parish March 17.

ON COURAGE “We must not be afraid of being Christian and living as Christians! We must have this courage to go and proclaim the Risen Christ, for he is our peace; he made peace with his love, with his forgiveness, with his blood and with his mercy.” – Regina Cæli, April 7 “Pay attention, my young friends: to go against the current; this is good for the heart, but we need courage to swim against the tide. … We Christians were not chosen by the Lord for little things; push onwards toward the highest principles. Stake your lives on noble ideals, my dear young people!” – Homily, April 28 “What does freedom mean? It is certainly not doing whatever you want, allowing yourself to be dominated by the passions, to pass from one experience to another without discernment, to follow the fashions of the day; freedom does not mean, so to speak, throwing everything that you don’t like out the window. … Let us not be afraid of life commitments, commitments that take up and concern our entire life! In this way our life will be fruitful! And this is freedom: to have the courage to make these decisions with generosity.” – Address, May 4♦ JUNE 2013

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Building a Culture of Life To g e t h e r The healing mission of Project Rachel complements pro-life celebrations in Peru by Walter Sánchez Silva and Columbia staff

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Photos courtesy of Archdiocese of Piura

ach year, the Knights of Columbus commemorates the Day of Prayer for the Unborn Child on March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation. This international celebration, however, is not limited to the Knights. In 1998, the government of Argentina officially recognized the day as a secular memorial, and other Latin American countries followed. In 2002, the Peruvian Congress passed Law No. 27654, which established the Day of the Unborn as a national holiday. This year, Archbishop José Antonio Eguren of Piura, president of the Peruvian bishops’ Committee on the Family and the Defense of Life, invited Vicki Thorn, founder of Project Rachel and the Milwaukee-based National Office for Reconciliation and Post-Abortion Healing, to participate. Thorn took part in prolife events surrounding the celebration of the Day of the Unborn Child in Piura, a city in northern Peru, and helped the local Church establish an outreach to those who have suffered from abortion.

‘HEALING AND HOPE’ Project Rachel, which Thorn established in 1984 in response to the U.S. bishops’ pastoral plan for pro-life activities, is a network of healing composed of specially trained spiritual advisors, mental health professionals and others who work together to care for women and men who have been touched by an abortion loss. The Supreme Council has supported Thorn’s work over the years and has collaborated with her on conferences and other projects (see sidebar). “The Knights have been incredibly supportive of the work of Project Rachel, and I am very grateful for their assistance,” said Thorn, whose husband, Bill, is a member of Bishop Leo J. Brust Council 3702 in Milwaukee. In the past three decades, Thorn has visited 24 countries, training caregivers who have enabled those who have suffered from abortion to grieve, receive forgiveness and find peace. When Archbishop Eguren learned about the work of Project Rachel, he invited Thorn to visit his archdiocese. Although Peru is a Catholic country that recognizes the right to life from conception onward, illegal abortions still occur. Archbishop Eguren has seen that post-abortive women often experience devastating emotional and spiritual suffering. “For them, I wanted to offer a program of healing and hope to announce to them in their pain the love of God for his children,” he said. “I think the archbishop understands as a confessor — which happens every place in the world that I go — that this is an enormous issue in terms of the women and the men who are touched by it,” Thorn said. “That pain in a mother’s heart is a soul wound, and it needs the attention of the Church.” Thorn facilitated a training seminar for approximately 70 people at Holy Sacrament Parish in Piura during three consecutive mornings, April 8-10. The diverse group of clergy and laypeople will make up a referral network to provide spiritual and psychological support to those who have been affected by abortion.

Archbishop José Antonio Eguren of Piura, president of the Peruvian bishops’ Committee on the Family and the Defense of Life, blesses pregnant mothers and others gathered April 6 for a pro-life festival.

During the seminar, Thorn explained that the process of healing and reconciliation for women who have suffered an abortion begins when others “listen with the heart.” She added, “When they are ready, they will be able to confront the anger that they feel against other persons and, with God’s grace, forgive them.” Women who have had an abortion often judge themselves harshly, and this is an obstacle to God’s grace, Thorn explained. “They cling to their pain as a form of punishment, and they fear that if they are healed and feel well again, they will in some way forget their babies,” she said. In addition to leading the seminar, Thorn also delivered a public address April 10 to an audience of 600 people filling an auditorium at the National University of Piura. A FESTIVAL OF LIFE Just as the Church’s celebration of the Annunciation was transferred this year to April 8, after the Easter octave, many of the events associated with this year’s Day of the Unborn Child took place in April. The Project Rachel training was just one component in a week filled with pro-life events in Piura. On Saturday, April 6, approximately 40,000 people turned out for a pro-life march in Piura, one of many similar events throughout Peru. The march began simultaneously in four different parts of the city, met in the emblematic Grau Square and continued on to the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel for a festival. People of all ages, including many civic representatives, joined together for the celebration, which included music and presentations. Hundreds of pregnant mothers were invited to sit in the front and were given either pink or blue t-shirts. They were also given ceramic figures of Baby Jesus, which were made by women at Rioseco Prison as a sign of support. “It is absolutely necessary to care for, defend and love life,” said Archbishop Eguren in remarks to the crowd. “The family receives the gift of children and … is called to live faithful love, which children need to learn,” he added, before going into the crowd to bless women and their unborn children. Other pro-life events took place in the days that followed, including speeches, prayer services, parades and civic gatherings. The joyful atmosphere of the festival and of a pro-life parade, which took place the next day and included groups of young children marching, was an inspiration to Thorn. “I saw something there that I don’t see in the United States,” said Thorn. “Where do we celebrate pregnant women? Where do we bless them in public? Where do we celebrate that innocence of childhood?” Thorn said she was also moved when people filled the cathedral throughout the day April 11 to adore the Blessed Sacrament and pray for life. CELEBRATING, DEFENDING The annual pro-life events in Piura and the Project Rachel training demonstrated that Catholics in the Americas can learn from each other and collaborate in the cause for life. And they highlighted the twofold task of building a culture of life and fighting against the culture of death. JUNE 2013

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Project Rachel founder Vicki Thorn (center) and Archbishop Eguren (to her left) participate in a march for life in Piura, Peru, on April 6.

On the one hand, the celebration of the Day of the Unborn Child in Peru emphasized the importance of rejoicing in the gift of life and not just fighting against the evil of abortion. “This day is a wonderful occasion for all Peruvians to celebrate the gift of human life and commit to rediscovering it in all its beauty,” explained Archbishop Eguren. “If we want a culture of

MEN AND POST-ABORTIVE HEALING IN ADDITION to helping post-abortive women on the path to healing and reconciliation, Project Rachel and the National Office for Reconciliation and Post-Abortion Healing also provide assistance to men, the fathers of aborted children. According to founder Vicki Thorn, some of the issues that can be seen in post-abortive fathers include anger, powerlessness, inability to communicate, risky behavior, spousal abuse and substance abuse. These men, she said, also need to be heard and given assistance. The Knights of Columbus’ long history of support for Project Rachel and the National Office for Reconciliation and Post-Abortion Healing has included co-sponsoring two conferences on the effects of abortion on men: in San Francisco in 2007 and Chicago in 2009. The Order’s Catholic Information Service also publishes a booklet titled Men and Abortion: Finding Healing, Restoring Hope (Veritas Series, 344). For more information, visit www.kofc.org/cis or hopeafterabortion.com.♦ 20 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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peace, it begins in the womb — loving and caring for the unborn child, the smallest and most defenseless member of the human family.” Upon returning to the United States, Thorn suggested that local K of C councils and parishes consider organizing similar events during the summer. She noted that such events could be presented as simply pro-life, rather than anti-abortion, and would complement the annual March for Life in January. “I think that changes the tenor of the discussion,” Thorn said. “This is just a celebration of life, and the willingness to enter into the discussion about the value of life is important.” Catholics in Peru, meanwhile, increasingly see the need to address the pain of abortion and the push to legalize it. While Peru’s constitution recognizes the right to life from conception, the government receives heavy pressure to legalize abortion from nongovernmental organizations based in North America and Europe. According to Archbishop Eguren, those outside Latin America can help prevent the spread of abortion there “with their prayers, but also with their bold action to fight the battle for life and family in their countries.” With Project Rachel, the introduction of a post-abortion healing ministry in Peru has also helped to strengthen the local Church’s “pastoral voice” and fill an important need. “The Church has a prophetic voice regarding the sacredness of human life and the evil of abortion,” Thorn explained. “But we also have a pastoral voice, which says if you come to the Father of Mercies with a repentant heart, he is waiting.”♦ WALTER SÁNCHEZ SILVA is a reporter with ACI Prensa, a Catholic news agency that was founded in Lima, Peru, in 1980.

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Exposing Ugly Truths The trial of Kermit Gosnell provides an opportunity to shine a light into the darkness of the abortion industry by Jeanne Monahan

Thinkstock

will never forget reading through the 281-page grand jury report on the now-infamous Kermit Gosnell in January 2011. Gosnell ran an abortion facility in Philadelphia that involved what he called a “late-term abortion” procedure: the delivery of healthy babies followed by the severing of their necks and spinal cords. The grand jury report outlined the stomach-turning details of these deaths as well as the deplorable conditions at the clinic, the prejudice against minority women, the negligent medical attention that ultimately led to the deaths of two patients and, perhaps most startlingly, the lack of any kind of government oversight. On May 13, Gosnell was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and more than 200 lesser charges. Perhaps the one silver lining of the situation is that this abortion shop of horrors has caused many who normally identify themselves as “pro-choice” to question the abortion industry. How could such crimes take place so publicly and for so long? What “choice” is being defended by abortion advocates? When President Obama was asked about the trial in a mid-April media interview, he declined to comment. He instead responded with the popular old adage that abortion should be “safe, legal and rare.” In light of the Gosnell trial and the questions it provokes, a review of these three categories seems to be in order. Safe? Many claim that Gosnell is an outlier. But the unfortunate reality is that most abortion facilities have less regulatory oversight than veterinary clinics and hair salons. At last count, according to the Americans United for Life annual report titled Defending Life (2013), 25 states had abortion clinic regulatory laws on the books, with another seven not being enforced due to litigation (p. 112). Pennsylvania, home to Gosnell’s clinic, imposes “stringent” standards on abortion facilities, but authorities neglected oversight for years. In fact, it was only because of suspected illegal prescriptions that the Gosnell clinic was investigated at all. In addition, there are numerous physical side effects to abortion, including increased risk of pre-term birth, hem-

orrhage, menstrual problems, serious infection and death. The abortion drug RU-486, use of which is on the rise, also poses serious health risks. Legal? A Knights of Columbus-Marist poll in December 2012 showed that 8 out of 10 Americans favor significant limitations on abortion (saying it should be illegal or allowed only in first trimester, only in certain situations, etc.). But contrary to public opinion, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decisions Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton set the stage for legal abortion at any time during pregnancy for any reason. In fact, the United States and Canada stand with China and North Korea as the four countries with the most permissive abortion laws in the world. Since the Gosnell trial involved infanticide, it magnified the gruesomeness of abortion. Nonetheless, there are still many politicians and abortion advocates today who support even “partial-birth abortion” and oppose legislation protecting infants born alive during abortion procedures. Rare? In recent years, there have been more than one million abortions annually in the United States alone. This past January, as we marked the 40th anniversary of Roe, we mourned the loss of some 55 million Americans who have died as a result of abortion in the last four decades. In urban settings such as New York City, four out of 10 babies are aborted. For African-American babies, the abortion rate is even higher at 60 percent. Even with these ratios, New York politicians are currently advocating for fewer abortion restrictions and greater access. Safe, legal, rare? A more honest motto about abortion should be, “One killed and one wounded.” In this moment when the abortion industry is under greater scrutiny, prolife Americans would do well to seize the opportunity and begin a dialogue about basic, common-sense truths regarding life and death.♦ JEANNE MONAHAN is president of the March for Life Education & Defense Fund in Washington, D.C.

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Members of Benedictine College Council 4708 in Atchison, Kan., staple down roofing felt at a Habitat for Humanity build in St. Joseph, Mo.

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HOUSING

HEROES In volunteering to build homes with Habitat for Humanity, Knights provide assistance to the working poor by Joe Bollig

t was a chilly April morning, but the blue sky held promise of the day warming before noon. Paul Davidson, a Habitat for Humanity construction supervisor, gathered his work crew in the muddy yard of a half-built one-story home in an old, midtown neighborhood in St. Joseph, Mo. “I want all of you to grab a hard hat, a nail apron and a hammer,” he said to the 10 college-age men around him. Their mission that day was to finish nailing foam insulation panels to the exterior of the house, close in a gable at the back, install the last of the roof sheets and staple down the roofing felt. “Depending on how everything goes, maybe we’ll shingle,” he told the young men. “We’re working up high so be careful — hammers and shingles slip out of hands.” Eagerly, the volunteers went to work, and soon the sound of pounding hammers echoed across the neighborhood. As they grew warm, the men removed their hoodies and jackets to reveal dark-gray t-shirts proclaiming: Knights of Columbus. HARD WORK PAYS OFF Founded in 1976, Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide ecumenical Christian housing ministry that has built or repaired just over half a million homes for more than 3 million people. In providing assistance, Habitat does not simply give away houses; future homeowners contribute “sweat equity” by working with volunteer builders, in addition to making monthly mortgage payments.

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The goals and values of Habitat correlate nicely with the Although volunteer support helps reduce the cost of HabiKnights of Columbus, whose first principle is charity. In 2011, tat-built houses, it’s hard to overstate how valuable these humK of C councils donated 1,310,640 hours of service and ble homes are to their new owners. The three-bedroom house $1,728,808 to local Habitat affiliates worldwide, according to in St. Joseph, for example, is for a single mother with two the Supreme Council’s Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity. young children who had never owned a home before. The young men in St. Joseph on April 13 were members of “She has lived with various family,” said Koch. “Most of the Benedictine College Council 4708 in Atchison, Kan. Usually places she could afford to rent are not safe and are pretty dirty their service projects keep them close to campus, but this time and run down. This will give her an opportunity to live in a they wanted to go farther afield, according to Grand Knight home for less than the average rent she could find.” Michael Pesely. Habitat for Humanity homeowners are the working poor, “A lot of the focus [of our council activities] has been on and many are single mothers, said Koch. They struggle to find the school community, which is great, but our campus isn’t adequate, affordable housing to rent or buy. very big, and a lot of groups focus on the campus,” said Pesely, In the United States, 10.5 million people are among the 21, a junior from Washington, Ill. “We wanted to reach out working poor, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statisto the broader community, which is what our guys will do tics. Single mothers are more likely than their male counterwhen they graduate.” parts to fall into this category. The working poor usually The idea to do something for spend more than half of their inHabitat in St. Joseph, which is come on housing. about 23 miles northeast of Atchi“The single mothers say, ‘I want to son, came from Knights James give my children some stability and Nistler, 19, a freshman from Hea safe place to live,’” explained Koch. T CAN BE STRENUOUS lena, Mont., and Justin Langfield, Before moving into a Habitat-built 23, who serves Benedictine Colhome, she said, families often move WORK OUT HERE ON THE lege as a FOCUS (Fellowship frequently, which forces the children JOB , BUT THAT JUST of Catholic University Students) to change schools and lack consismissionary. tency in their lives. TURNS INTO A GREATER “I wanted to work on a project Natasha Berry, for whom this not only to make myself more inhouse in St. Joseph is being built, GLORY FOR G OD AND HIS vested in the Knights of Columbus, said her children are eager to move but also to get other men in the into their new home. KINGDOM .” council excited about something,” “My little girl is so excited,” she said Langfield, who is from Arvada, said. “She goes to school down the Colo. In particular, Langfield street from the house, so we have to added, he wanted to help some of drive by every day so she can see it.” the younger members get more involved. And what is Berry’s daughter looking forward to the most The build proved to be a good project for the Benedictine in their new house? Knights, who had no problem lifting sheets of plywood to “A puppy dog,” said Berry. “That was the first thing that complete the gable on the high side of the house or lugging came out of my little girl’s mouth. Everywhere we’ve lived, we 80-pound bundles of shingles up the ladder. Most of them couldn’t have animals.” had some experience using tools and building, and they enjoyed the physical effort. A GLOBAL VILLAGE “I’m really excited to be here today,” said Deputy Grand In Lloydminster, Canada, a city that straddles the border beKnight David Walter, 22, from St. Louis, adding that he has tween Alberta and Saskatchewan, the Knights of Columbus are been inspired by the witness of Pope Francis. working with Habitat for Humanity to address a division caused “During one of his first homilies, [the pope] said that with- not by the provincial border, but by economic disparity. out the cross, you’re not living the Christian life,” said Walter. “In Lloydminster, there’s a fairly good need, because hous“I think today is an opportunity for us to pick up our crosses ing is expensive,” said Mark Witzaney, a member of Father as Knights. It can be strenuous work out here on the job, but Dobson Council 3553. “The oil [industry] is huge, and the that just turns into a greater glory for God and his kingdom.” wages are really good, but service-sector jobs are just a little bit above minimum wage. When housing gets expensive, peoCHARITY AND NEED ple on the lower end really struggle.” Volunteer labor is an important factor in making Habitat homes affordable, said Melissa Koch, executive director of St. Opposite page: At the build in St. Joseph, Mo., Benedictine College Knights Joseph Habitat for Humanity. “I could say [the Benedictine Knights] easily saved us worked on completing the roof, installed foam insulation panels and cut plywood boards. $3,000 to $4,000,” she said. 24 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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ST. JOSEPH, MO: Julie Denesha

“I

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GOOD INVESTING FOR GOOD LAST YEAR, the Supreme Council participated for the first time in an innovative program to benefit Habitat for Humanity International. Through FlexCAP (Flexible Capital Access Program), the Knights lend money to Habitat for Humanity International, which in turn re-loans the money to local Habitat affiliates. Local affiliates pledge specific mortgages from their portfolios as collateral for the loans. FlexCAP is a way for affiliates to recover a portion of the mortgage before its full term, and it allows the affiliate to recycle the money to build additional homes. “We’re extremely grateful for this partnership,” said Greg Skowronski, director of capital markets and financial systems for Habitat for Humanity International in Atlanta. “It’s a great way to expand the partnership between our organizations. [The Knights] contribute a lot of volunteer hours, and they have been very easy to work with. I think we have a lot of alignment as far as the missions of our organizations.”♦ 26 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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For their most recent project, the Lloydminster Knights installed insulation in a six-townhouse development. Their helping hands not only helped build homes, but also a stronger community. “Charity is giving back and helping someone else — not just giving to them, but actually helping them,” said Witzaney. “What we’re doing is helping them get into affordable housing and also become homeowners. They become part of the community that way.” By no means are the Knights in Kansas or Alberta isolated examples. K of C units and members throughout the Order’s 62 North American jurisdictions are active in Habitat, as can be seen by the impressive totals of funds and volunteer hours donated. For example, the Knights of Columbus Archdiocese of San Antonio Chapter in Texas co-sponsors the annual Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan Habitat for Humanity Golf Classic. Profits from the event are used to build Habitat homes. In addition to participating in the fund-raiser each year, members of Good Shepherd Council 6358 in Schertz also volunteer annually at several Habitat projects on their own. “The families we’ve dealt with are very appreciative and excited about getting their first home,” said Jeff Heim, the council’s community director. “It’s like their first step to the American Dream, and they take great pride in it.” Through their work with Habitat, the Knights give a highly visible witness to the power of charity. “Going out and helping people, that’s charity,” said Heim. “We’re always looking to help organizations that are non-profit and provide service to people. That’s pretty much what the Knights like to do.” As for the Benedictine Knights, they ended their work in the mid-afternoon with a significant portion of the roof shingled. After the hard hats, nail aprons and hammers had been put away, the experience left them with a deep sense of satisfaction — and a deeper appreciation of what it means to be a Knight.♦ JOE BOLLIG is a senior reporter for The Leaven, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kan.

LLOYDMINSTER, SASKATCHEWAN: Jenna-Marie Lamb/Lamb Studios

Knights install interior insulation at a Habitat build in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. The project in Lloydminster, which straddles the border between Alberta and Saskatchewan, will be a development of six townhouses.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION

REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLES

The assembly also hosted a ceremony on Veterans Day at Atria of Kennebunk, an elder care facility. Knights honored 10 veterans living at the facility. DICTIONARIES DONATED

Vincent A. O’Brien Council 5254 in Abington, Mass., donated 168 dictionaries to all third-grade students in the town’s school system. Knights of Columbus from three area K of C units strip shingles from the roof of the rectory at St. Thomas Church in Philo, Ill. More than 50 Knights from Illini Council 2782 at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Father John C. Hecht Council 13103 in Philo and Twin Cities Assembly worked together to replace the roof in just over four hours, donating tools, vehicles and, of course, manpower, to get the job done. Following completion of the roof, Knights gathered together for lunch.

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FOR UKRAINE

Bishop Savaryn Council 9559 in Red Deer, Alberta, donated two wheelchairs through the Global Wheelchair Mission to a collection of hospital equipment bound for Koloymia, Ukraine.

Knights worked with The Lending Cupboard, a charity that provides hospital equipment to the public, to assemble a collection of walkers, roll-aid chairs and bathroom commodes for a hospital in Koloymia. Council members also helped load the equipment for transportation. WINDOW DONATED

Medford (Mass.) Council 141 donated a stained-glass window depicting the baptism of Jesus to St. Joseph Church. The window was donated in honor of all deceased council members. TREK ACROSS MAINE A volunteer nurse monitors the blood pressure of a patient during a medical outreach program sponsored by San Jose de Agudo Council 12878 in Caloocan, Luzon. Nearly 500 people received free screenings and medicine during the two-day event.

Holy Spirit Assembly in Kennebunk, Maine, participated in the Trek Across Maine bicycle trip to benefit the American Lung Association. The K of C team traveled 180 miles across the state on bicycle, raising more than $12,000 for charity.

CHARITY DINNER

Knights from Forsyth and Davie Counties in North Carolina held their fourth annual intellectual disabilities charity dinner and auction at the Bermuda Run Country Club for a packed house of 150 people. The event raised more than $15,000 for the special-needs community.

Members of St. Basil Council 13800 and St. Basil Circle 5509, both in Kimberton, Pa., rake leaves onto a tarp at the Medal of Honor Grove in Valley Forge. Knights and Squires removed downed leaves and tree limbs from the site, which serves as a memorial to recipients of the Medal of Honor.

Bishop N.Z. Lorrain Council 1531 in Pembroke, Ontario, sponsored a Mass and luncheon in honor of the Grey Sisters of the Immaculate Conception and the Sisters of St. Joseph, two religious communities who have provided decades of support to the community of Pembroke. The event included a diocesan-wide Mass at St. Columbkille Cathedral, followed by a catered lunch and celebration for more than 260 people.

bags and 150 blankets. The items were distributed at a dinner for the homeless and needy in which each attendee could take one item after eating a warm supper. Meanwhile, Knights of the Resurrection Council 13851 in Tualatin, Ore., conducted a “Mission for the Homeless” to collect new sleeping bags and undergarments for the state’s homeless population. With support from local businesses, churches and civic groups, the project netted 572 new sleeping bags and $3,000 for a number of outreach organizations.

OPERATION SLEEPING BAG

COMMAND PERFORMANCE

Msgr. Patrick J. Connors Council 4997 in Reno launched an initiative called “Operation Sleeping Bag” to provide sleeping bags and blankets to homeless and needy members of the community. Knights set up six collection points to solicit donations, netting 165 sleeping

Ashwaubenon Council 7498 in Green Bay, Wis., provided funds and volunteer manpower to erect a Ten Commandments monument at Nativity of Our Lord Church. Fourth Degree Knights provided an honor guard for the monument’s dedication.

SALUTE TO SISTERS

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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N

sary. Knights cleaned the area around the shrine, refurbished the statue of Mary, and installed new benches and shrubs. More than 200 parishioners attended the rededication, which also included an honor guard from Espiritu Santo Assembly. READING RIGHT

Gary O’Dell (left) and George Sneider of Dixon (Ill.) Council 690 clean an old window for recycling while replacing the windows at St. Mary’s School. Knights worked with a local glass company to replace all of the windows in the school’s cafeteria. Knights also recycled the old glass, raising $350 for the school’s music department.

WEBSITE REDESIGN

St. Anna’s Council 14425 in Monroe, Ga., contributed half of the development cost to create a new website for its parish. In addition, Financial Secretary Robert Gaubert designed the architecture for the new site. TEDDY BEAR RUN

Los Caballeros de Sandusky County Council 15036 in Fremont, Ohio, hosted a motorcycle teddy bear run to

bring stuffed animals to sick children at two area hospitals. Riders delivered 80 teddy bears that hospital staff distributed to children who are receiving short- and longterm treatment. ROSARIES FOR STUDENTS

Archbishop Francis P. Keough Council 5263 in Odenton, Md., donated 100 Knights of Columbus rosaries and K of C rosary prayer cards to fourth-grade students at School of the Incarnation in Gambrills. OVER THEIR HEADS

Volunteers from Cardinal Bellarmine Council 4849 in Aurora, Ill., sort through coats that were donated during a council-sponsored coat drive. Knights collected more than 200 coats during the initiative, which were donated to a local homeless shelter and to individuals in need. 28 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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Our Lady of Fatima Council 13137 in Signal Village, Luzon, constructed a roof for the back portion of a health care center in South Signal Village. This enclosed area will house patients who are waiting to receive medical and dental treatment. SHRINE CLEANED

Barney Gonyea Council 7109 in Safety Harbor, Fla., cleaned and refurbished the Marian shrine at Espiritu Santo Church in honor of the shrine’s 10th anniver-

St. Basil the Great Council 10721 in Duson, La., donated $600 each to Duson Elementary School, Ridge Elementary School, Judice Middle School and Charles Burke Elementary School. The funds will be used to purchase books for the schools’ libraries. PRAISING LUCY

Father Jordan J. Dillon Council 3563 in North Providence, R.I., held a “St. Lucy Party” for area residents with visual impairments. The evening included Mass and a ravioli dinner sponsored by the Rhode Island State Council and prepared by Council 3563.

Christopher Fabian and Ed Dietzel of Blessed Mother Mary Council 15238 in Dawsonville, Ga., call out a raffle winner during a council-sponsored barbecue festival. Knights invited parishioners and the community to attend the event, which featured food, entertainment and raffle prizes. The festival raised more than $2,300 for charity.

Nova Scotia, provided an honor guard for the dedication of a new Marian garden at St. Joseph’s Church. Knight Richard Doyle built the garden with assistance from the late Father Joseph Christensen.

CHASUBLE & ALB

Holy Cross Council 9642 in West Fargo, N.D., presented Father James Meyer, pastor of Holy Cross Church and council chaplain, with a Knights of Columbus chasuble and alb. Knights presented the vestments to Father Meyer in appreciation for his support of the Order. RECOGNIZING ALTAR SERVERS

St. Mary Council 11666 in Huntley, Ill., treated more than 40 altar servers to breakfast at a local restaurant. Knights annually recognize the servers for their dedication to St. Mary Parish. MARIAN GARDEN

Msgr. William Wamboldt Assembly in Bridgewater,

Scott Halbur and Lyle Sporrer of Sacred Heart Council 12438 in Manning/Minilla, Iowa, load children’s toys onto a truck for delivery to a local homeless shelter. Knights collected clothes, books, toys and other items for the shelter. Council member Scott Halbur, who owns a farm, also donated fresh meat to the facility.

K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N NEWS FROM THE YEAR OF FAITH

• Our Lady of Lourdes Council 13059 in Laoag City, Luzon, erected a Year of Faith billboard in front of its parish. The billboard offers suggestions on how Catholics can deepen their bonds to the Church during the Year of Faith. • Petaluma (Calif.) Council 1586 held the first in a series of proposed faith forums to celebrate the Year of Faith. A three-person panel of Cursillo Fourth Day experts shared their thoughts on the responsibilities of Catholic men in their families and society. Participants then broke into small groups to discuss the subject. • Holy Rosary Council 6777 in Milton, Ontario, undertook several initiatives to commemorate the Year of Faith. Knights purchased 500 copies of the book Rediscover Catholicism, as well as three Catholic Information Service booklets, to place at their church for parishioners. The council also instituted a rosary for members prior to the council’s monthly meetings. • St. Joseph Council 443 in New York held a Year of Faith reflection on the life of Msgr. Gregory Schaffer of the San Lucas Mission in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala. The event featured a reflection and video on Msgr. Schaffer and a special Guatemalan soup prepared by council members and their wives. The event raised $515 for the mission’s work.

KEEP DAD IN THE GAME

Don Bosco Council 7784 in Newton, N.J., hosted two events to benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s “Keep Dad in the Game” campaign. Knights hosted a two-day fundraiser at an area restaurant as well as a family bowling night at Sparta Lanes. Both events generated more than $1,200. AED DONATED

St. Clare of Assisi Council 13253 in Eagle, Colo., donated an automatic external defibrillator to St. Mary’s Church and St. Clare Elementary School. Council members were also certified to use the equipment and perform CPR. FOOD PANTRY ACCESSIBILITY

St. Joseph Council 6508 in Edgerton, Wis., funded and built a new staircase and wheelchair ramp for the thrift store/food pantry at Edgerton Community Outreach. Prior to the Knights undertaking the project, the

Henry Mendoza and Rudolf Aquino of Our Lady of La Salette Council 10475 in Waipahu, Hawaii, stand guard over the relics of St. Marianne Cope while a parishioner prays. Knights provided support for the relics’ visit to St. Joseph Church during a tour that took place in the months following St. Marianne Cope’s canonization in late 2012.

building only had an exterior staircase, and clients with disabilities could not get inside. ITEMS FOR VETERANS

St. Patrick Cathedral Council 11008 and Father Vincent R. Capodanno Assembly, both in Harrisburg, Pa., collected and delivered 1,600 comfort items for veterans at the Lebanon VA Medical Center. Knights collected toiletries, puzzles, magazines and stamps for veterans receiving treatment at the facility.

conference at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. BAPTISMAL GIFTS

Our Lady of Lourdes Council 4500 in Marple, Pa., presents a red rose, a rosary and a certificate of appreciation to each of the babies who are baptized at the council’s parish each year.

RELIC VISIT

Al Valentin of St. Philip the Apostle Council 11671 in Clifton, N.J., holds up a roll of raffle tickets for sale during a fundraiser for Colin Michael Jones, a young boy with intellectual disabilities. The large banquet included dinner, a silent auction and raffles for several hundred prizes. More than 500 people attended the event, which raised approximately $90,000.

Our Lady of Lourdes Council 13059 in Laoag City, Luzon, together with members of the Philippine Army assigned at Ilocos Norte, provided security and assistance at St. William Cathedral when a relic of St. Therese visited the church. PILGRIMAGE FOR YOUTH

San Ignacio de Loyola Council 14068 in Mexico Distrito Federal, Mexico South, sponsored a team of young missionaries known as “Lumen Gentium” to attend a youth

Ernie O’Neill, Wayne Johansen and Al Durham of Father Adrian Butts Council 6417 in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, install a new sign at the entrance to St. Joseph’s Cemetery. The cemetery had been without a sign for several years when the council donated $1,150 to have a new one manufactured and installed.

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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N PRAYER GARDEN MOVED

Cathedral of the Risen Christ Council 9563 in Lincoln, Neb., relocated a Stations of the Cross prayer garden that was originally located next to a Planned Parenthood facility to a new location on the grounds of Cathedral of the Risen Christ. Initially constructed in 2010 as a silent witness to the horrors of abortion, the prayer garden was no longer needed in its original location when the Planned Parenthood facility moved. As a result, Knights volunteered to move the garden and its Stations of the Cross to Cathedral of the Risen Christ, where it could continue to be used for quiet reflection. ORPHANAGE IN HAITI

St. Mary’s Council 14298 in Jefferson, Mass., donated $400 to help defray the cost of a mission trip taken by Knights Chris Daniel and Jack Dolan to Haiti. Both men traveled with other volunteers to Grand Goave to help build an orphanage with the Be Like Brit Foundation, an organization named for a U.S. university student who

India in 2011 with a mission group and suggested that the assembly begin donating chalices in memory of deceased Knights to Indian priests. HOG ROAST AND RAFFLE

Members of Msgr. William Varrily Council 12031 in Bathurst, New Brunswick, sort through donated pennies during a council-sponsored fund drive to support the Coats for Kids Program. Knights set up collection boxes at Holy Family Church, encouraging parishioners to drop off their pennies. Through the initiative, Knights raised enough money to purchase 38 winter coats for needy children.

DEVOTIONAL BREAKFASTS

died in the January 2010 earthquake while on a humanitarian trip. In particular, Daniel and Dolan taught local Haitians how to use modern tools to aid the building process.

Uganda. The pyx will allow Father Bamutaze and other extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist to distribute Communion in their geographically large and populous parish.

BREAST CANCER BARBECUE

OPERATION STAND DOWN

St. Joseph Council 3402 in Keyport, N.J., and its ladies’ auxiliary co-sponsored a charity barbecue to benefit breast cancer awareness and research groups. The event raised $8,000, which was divided among four recipients.

Holy Family Council 9085 at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana donated new undergarments and socks to an Operation Stand Down event in Shreveport. Operation Stand Down offers homeless veterans the chance to obtain medical and dental services, free clothing and haircuts, and a place to eat and sleep for the weekend.

ROSES FOR LIFE

Ken Gitobu of St. Michael the Archangel Council 12577 in Leawood, Ks., pours out pancake batter during one of the council’s charity breakfasts. The council sponsors four breakfasts each year, with proceeds used to fund college scholarships for five parish students. 30 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

JUNE 2013

When Msgr. Adam A. Micek Council 8410 in Harrison, Ark., received two hogs in donation from a parishioner, the council decided to raffle one and have a pig roast with the other. Knights raffled the first hog, raising nearly $2,000 for charity, and roasted the second as an appreciation dinner for everyone who supported the raffle.

Father John P. Wessel Council 6530 in Marlton, N.J., held its annual “Roses for Life” sale at St. Joan of Arc Church. Knights sold roses following all weekend Masses, netting $1,352 for First Way of Burlington County. PYX DONATED

New Iberia (La.) Council 1208 donated 17 pyx for distributing Communion to Father Thomas Bamutaze, a visiting priest from Jinja,

St. Philip the Apostle Council 9220 in Corpus Christi, Texas, sponsors a benefit breakfast each month at its parish following first Sunday devotions. Beginning in July 2012, Knights have served breakfast to parishioners each month, with funds going to pastor Father Hanh Van Pham’s personal charities, like an orphanage in Vietnam. BABY SHOWER

St. Benedict Council 8337 in Duluth, Minn., hosted its annual pro-life baby shower for the Lake Superior Life Care Center. Knights collected $1,200 in cash and more than a dozen bags and boxes of baby items.

CHALICES FOR INDIA

Pope John Paul I Assembly in Bella Vista, Ark., has donated a number of chalices and patens to Catholic priests who are members of the Indian Missionary Society in Varanassi, India. The most recent chalice donation was made in memory of late assembly member Fran Heinen, who traveled to

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

K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N

K OF C ITEMS OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS

COLLEGE KNIGHTS are known for their youthful energy in fulfilling the Order’s principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism, and for setting a foundation for the next generation of faithful Catholics. Now, two college Knights are preparing to enter the next stage of their lives in service to Church and community. Tim McEvoy, the immediate past grand knight of Catholic University of America Council 9542 in Washington, D.C., received the President’s Award, CUA’s highest honor for a graduating senior, at the university’s commencement exercises May 18. McEvoy While serving as grand knight of the council last year, McEvoy helped the Knights take a leadership role in the usher service provided by CUA students at the Vigil for Life Mass held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception before the annual March for Life. This Mass requires the coordination of hundreds of student volunteers to assist a crowd of thousands. Under McEvoy’s leadership, Council 9542 received the 2011 Council Activity Award from the Supreme Council at the annual College Council Conference, held in New Haven, Conn. The award recognized the council’s “OverKnight Program,” which provides off-campus retreats for stuGarland dents to meet and discuss their faith. The council was also recognized during McEvoy’s tenure for being a top contributor to the university’s 125th anniversary goal of 125,000 hours of service. Outside of his activity with the Knights, McEvoy served as a resident minister to students living in his dorm hall and helped coordinate retreats. After graduation, he will be teaching mathematics as part of the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education: Service Through Teaching program. Brett Garland, another member of Council 9542, received the Father Stratemeier Award last April, which is the university’s second highest honor for a senior male. The award is presented for excellence in extracurricular activities and scholarship, and the recipient must demonstrate significant leadership and service to CUA. Garland helped coordinate retreats for students and was a member of Students for Life. Now that he has graduated, he intends to enter seminary for the Diocese of Columbus. Both Garland and McEvoy also served on the Order’s College Council Advisory Board. Roommates since sophomore year, the two men traveled to Madrid, Spain, in 2008 with a delegation of college Knights to participate in World Youth Day 2011 and to volunteer at the Love and Life Centre, an English-language cacesthesis site for pilgrims that was co-sponsored by the Order and the Sisters of the Life. Garland and McEvoy are also members of the university’s President’s Society, an organization to honor those students who combine academics, integrity, maturity and a well-rounded personality with university-wide awareness, participation and leadership. Congratulations to all college Knights who graduated this past spring!

IN THE UNITED STATES THE ENGLISH COMPANY INC. Official council and Fourth Degree equipment 1-800-444-5632 • www.kofcsupplies.com LYNCH AND KELLY INC. Official council and Fourth Degree equipment and officer robes 1-888-548-3890 • www.lynchkelly.com CHILBERT & CO. Approved Fourth Degree Tuxedos 1-800-289-2889 • www.chilbert.com IN CANADA ROGER SAUVÉ INC. Official council and Fourth Degree equipment and officer robes 1-888-266-1211 • www.roger-sauve.com

06/13

J O I N T H E FAT H E R MCGIVNEY GUILD

McEVOY, GARLAND: Photos courtesy of The Catholic University of America.

CUA Knights Demonstrate Best of College Council Program

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

OFFICIAL JUNE 1, 2013:

To owners of Knights of Columbus insurance policies and persons responsible for payment of premiums on such policies: Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the provisions of Section 84 of the Laws of the Order, payment of insurance premiums due on a monthly basis to the Knights of Columbus by check made payable to Knights of Columbus and mailed to same at PO Box 1492, NEW HAVEN, CT 06506-1492, before the expiration of the grace period set forth in the policy. In Canada: Knights of Columbus, Place d’Armes Station, P.O. Box 220, Montreal, QC H2Y 3G7 ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK, EDITORIAL MATTER, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILED TO: COLUMBIA, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901. REJECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IF ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE. PURCHASED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED. OPINIONS BY WRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. SUBSCRIPTION RATES — IN THE U.S.: 1 YEAR, $6; 2 YEARS, $11; 3 YEARS, $15. FOR OTHER COUNTRIES ADD $2 PER YEAR. EXCEPT FOR CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS, PAYMENT IN U.S. CURRENCY ONLY. SEND ORDERS AND CHECKS TO: ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901. COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869/USPS #123-740) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326. PHONE: 203-752-4000, www.kofc.org. PRODUCED IN USA. COPYRIGHT © 2013 BY KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NEW HAVEN, CT AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO COLUMBIA, MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901. CANADIAN POSTMASTER — PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 1473549. RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 50 MACINTOSH BOULEVARD, CONCORD, ONTARIO L4K 4P3 PHILIPPINES — FOR PHILIPPINES SECOND-CLASS MAIL AT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE. SEND RETURN COPIES TO KCFAPI, FRATERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1511, MANILA.

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C O LU M B I A N I S M B Y D E G R E E S

Patriotism

Charity

Unity

Fraternity

STUDENTS FROM Pope John Paul II Academy in Montrose, Colo., help administrators break ground on the site of their new school facility. Montrose Council 1188 donated $187,000 to help build the new school building after the Catholic community outgrew its current facility. The council had been saving the funds to build a social hall but decided instead that a new school would benefit the community more.

FLANKED BY members of St. John Assembly in Goshen, N.Y., Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, archbishop of New York, exits St. John the Evangelist Church after a Mass celebrating the parish’s 175th anniversary. Knights provided an honor guard for the anniversary celebration. Cardinal Dolan is a 33-year member of the Knights of Columbus.

MEMBERS OF Fray Diego de la Cadena Council 2367 in Durango, Mexico Northwest, and their families sit astride horses with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe during a councilsponsored fraternal/religious horseback ride. The event included Mass and a 15-mile ride between the towns of Llano Grande and El Salto. More than 100 riders participated.

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JUNE 2013

UNITY: Emma Calogero/Goshen Independent

MEMBERS OF the armed forces, including Knights from the Camp Eggers Round Table in Kabul, Afghanistan, pass along bundles of winter clothing for donation to needy Afghan families. As part of the Camp Eggers Volunteer Community Relations Team, the round table was instrumental in helping to collect and deliver more than 2,000 hats and gloves and 200 coats to needy families living around Camp Morehead. The community relations team also delivered clothing, shoes, blankets and toys during the distribution. The round table is sponsored by Christ the Savior Council 9129 in El Paso, Texas.

KNIGHT S O F C O LUM BUS

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

BE FEATURED HERE , SEND YOUR COUNCIL’ S

C OLUMBIA , 1 C OLUMBUS P LAZA , N EW

Jack Garden of Cure D’Ars Council 12148 in Round Rock, Texas, carries a piece of metal roofing while working with council members at the Copprome Children’s Home in El Progreso, Honduras. St. John Vianney Church, where the council is based, adopted the orphanage and provides shipments of toys and clothing several times a year. Knights wanted to get even more involved, so the council raised $900 to support the facility, and four council members traveled to Honduras to work on roofing and painting projects.

“K NIGHTS IN A CTION ” H AVEN , CT 06510-3326

PHOTO AS WELL AS ITS DESCRIPTION TO : OR E - MAIL : COLUMBIA @ KOFC . ORG .

JUNE 2013

♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 33

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

KEEP T H E F A I T H A L I V E

‘I BECOME CHRIST

As is probably true of most religious vocations, mine was not a lightning-bolt moment; it was a gradual realization of God’s call, heard and pondered over the years. I became interested in the work of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, who care for patients with incurable cancer at no charge. I was attracted to the order’s nursing apostolate, but I was also afraid of having to deal with death and dying. On my first visit to the motherhouse, I was half expecting to see a cloud of gloom surrounding each sister. To my surprise, they were normal, joyful sisters, happy in their religious life. My joy as a sister is the knowledge that the love and care I give to my patients do not come from my effort alone, but from the grace of God. There is a sublime exchange of Christ’s love, wherein I become Christ to them and they become Christ to me. To those discerning a religious vocation, do not be afraid to answer God’s call. Persevere in prayer and entrust yourself to the Lord. SISTER CARMELA MARIE Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne Atlanta, Ga.

Photo by Jason Hales Photography

TO THEM AND THEY BECOME CHRIST TO ME’