Learning the Faith, Living the Faith

The Year of St. Joseph

Knights and their families will grow stronger in faith by turning to the husband of Mary and guardian of Jesus

By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

ON THE MORNING of Dec. 8, 2020, I awoke to learn that Pope Francis had dedicated the year ahead to St. Joseph, the man whom God the Father chose as the spouse of the Virgin Mary and guardian of his incarnate Son. This news delighted me because we so often overlook St. Joseph and the example he set for us — as a man of faith and integrity; as a model of fatherhood and family life; and as guardian of the household at Nazareth and of the Church. In fact, as Pope Francis reminded us, Pope Pius IX declared St. Joseph the Patron of the Universal Church 150 years ago. The question for us today is what can we, as Knights of Columbus, learn from St. Joseph’s virtues?

First, St. Joseph was a man of faith and integrity. Sometimes we forget how difficult St. Joseph’s unique vocation really was. He was betrothed to Mary when she was found to be with child. Normally, this would be the end of the relationship, and a woman in this situation would be exposed to shame. In the strength of his compassion, St. Joseph was unwilling for that to happen. But what should he do? In a dream, the Lord announced to him that he should have no fear of taking Mary as his wife, for her child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was to be the long-awaited Messiah (see Mt 1:21-22). When Joseph awoke, he did as the Lord had asked. His deep faith led him to obey the Lord and to fulfill his special vocation with honor. Here was a servant upon whom God could rely to fulfill his purposes.

Is this not what we pledged to be and to become as Knights of Columbus? Men who, with God’s grace, bring our Catholic faith from the periphery of our lives to the center; men who listen to the voice of God in prayer; men who respond to the specific challenges of our lives with honesty; men who reliably serve God and the needs of others?

Second, St. Joseph was the husband of Mary and the guardian of Jesus. As we recall the story of Jesus’ birth, let us take note of the pivotal role St. Joseph played. Scripture does not record his words, but it does convey the strength of his tender love for Mary and his fatherly care for the divine child of her womb. When the innkeeper told Joseph that he had no room, Joseph provided for his family as best he could. Imagine how he had to improvise to prepare a crude stable for the birth of the Christ Child. Imagine, too, his role in protecting his family not only against the elements, but also against the machinations of King Herod, who sought to kill the newborn Messiah. What must have gone through Joseph’s mind when, during the Presentation in the Temple, Simeon foretold that Jesus would be “a sign of contradiction” and that Mary’s heart would be pierced with “a sword of sorrow” (cf. Lk 2:34-35)? Returning to Nazareth, Joseph provided for his family by working as a carpenter and shared his daily work with Jesus. In all these things and much more, he remained strong and true as Mary’s spouse and Jesus’ guardian. The Knights of Columbus continues its founding mission, given by Blessed Michael McGivney, as it helps men to protect and serve their wives and families. And St. Joseph, by his intercession and constant and consistent example of faith, virtue and self-giving love, helps Knights become exemplary husbands and fathers today. Finally, just as St. Joseph watched over the household in Nazareth, so too he watches over the Church universal. At a time when the Church is beset by divisions and scandals, and people are falling away from the faith, we need St. Joseph’s prayers more than ever. As Knights, let us ask his prayers so that we may continue to be a source of strength and unity for the Church, now and in the years ahead. St. Joseph, pray for us! B

‘Joseph’s deep faith led him to obey the Lord and to fulfill his

special vocation with honor. Here was a

servant upon whom God could rely to fulfill his purposes.’

Supreme Chaplain’s Challenge

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

While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.” (Gospel for March 28, Mk 14:22-24) At the Last Supper, Jesus gave us the gift of himself in the Eucharist, our essential spiritual food and drink, which gives us the life of Christ. We live at a time when many Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist — the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ under the appearances of bread and wine. May we, brother Knights, never forget the true nature of the Eucharist nor lose our desire to receive Christ in the sacrament of the altar.

Challenge: This month, I challenge you to spend 10 additional minutes before Mass each Sunday preparing to receive the Eucharist, as well as 10 minutes after Mass in thanksgiving for this gift. Second, I challenge you to assist your brother Knights in the Faith in Action Sacramental Gifts program to help your fellow parishioners understand the great gifts of the sacraments.

Catholic Man of the Month

St. Nicholas Owen

(ca. 1562-1606)

CARPENTERS do not usually work by stealth at night building hiding places for hunted priests. Yet, St. Nicholas Owen did so with great ingenuity and saved numerous lives at a time when it was illegal to practice the Catholic faith in England. Born in Oxford during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Owen came from a devout, working-class family and became skilled in his father’s trade. He later served the Jesuit priest St. Edmund Campion, who was executed in 1581. For openly championing his innocence, Owen earned time in the Tower of London.

By 1588, the diminutive Owen, known as “Little John,” was employed by the Jesuit superior in England. For the next 18 years, Owen traveled throughout the country constructing “priest holes” in the homes of Catholic families. During this time, he also became a Jesuit brother.

Owen always received the Eucharist before starting a project, and he worked alone and at night so that no one else could be implicated. His craftsmanship was marked by imagination: disguised entrances, underfloor passages, layers of false walls, fake fireplaces and attics.

In 1594, Owen was captured with Jesuit Father John Gerard and imprisoned. After his eventual release, Owen masterminded Father Gerard’s escape across the Tower moat in 1597. When Owen was apprehended a third and final time in 1606, he was tortured. He died March 2 without betraying a secret.

Father Gerard later wrote of him, “I verily think no man can be said to have done more good of all those that laboured in the English vineyard. … He was the immediate occasion of saving many hundreds of persons.”

Nicholas Owen was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. B

Liturgical Calendar Holy Father’s Monthly Prayer Intention

March 3 St. Katharine Drexel, Virgin (USA) March 4 St. Casimir

March 8 St. John of God, Religious March 9 St. Frances of Rome, Religious March 17 St. Patrick, Bishop March 18 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of the Church March 19 St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary March 25 The Annunciation of the Lord Let us pray that we may experience the sacrament of reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite mercy of God.

Welcoming Our New Supreme Knight

Patrick E. Kelly has been elected to lead the Knights of Columbus in a new era

On Feb. 5, the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors elected Patrick E. Kelly to become the Order’s 14th supreme knight. Supreme Knight Kelly’s election follows a distinguished career in the military, public service and the Knights of Columbus, where he has served as deputy supreme knight since 2017. Taking office as supreme knight on March 1, he has been charged to lead the Order and continue the mission established by the Knights’ founder, Blessed Michael McGivney, nearly 140 years ago.

Carl A. Anderson retired Feb. 28, after more than 20 years of service as supreme knight, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. He leaves a legacy of Christian witness and service to the Catholic Church, to the Knights of Columbus and to communities throughout the world.

“The Knights of Columbus board has elected an extraordinarily well-qualified new supreme knight in Patrick Kelly,” affirmed Supreme Knight Anderson in a Feb. 5 statement. “He has served as deputy supreme knight for four years and is a well-rounded public servant with diplomatic and military experience. He is ideally suited to carry on the work of the Knights of Columbus as we enter a new era, faithful to our principles of charity, unity and fraternity, and in close collaboration with the Holy See and the bishops throughout the world.”

Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore likewise acclaimed the new supreme knight.

“Patrick Kelly is a devoted husband, father of three young daughters, and a man of deep faith with many years of experience as a public servant,” Archbishop Lori said. “He possesses the knowledge, experience and commitment necessary to carry the Order forward in service to our brother Knights, their families, our parishes and our communities.”

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Prior to his service as deputy supreme knight, Patrick Kelly served as the Order’s vice president for public policy for 11 years. He is also a past state deputy of the District of Columbia. As a longtime executive and fraternal leader, he has consistently strengthened the Knights’ record of charity, financial protection and membership growth.

When the Knights purchased the former Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., in 2011, Kelly oversaw the renewal of the facility and was appointed the first executive director of what would soon become the Saint John Paul II National Shrine. During his tenure, the shrine

Opposite page: Then-Supreme Knight Carl Anderson greets Deputy Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly at the podium during the opening business session of the 137th Supreme Convention in Minneapolis, in August 2019.

became a premier pilgrimage site and a source of education and inspiration for Catholics throughout the United States and the world.

Supreme Knight Kelly has served as the chairman of the board of directors of the March for Life since 2012; as a member of the board of directors of the National Catholic Bioethics Center since 2013; and as a consultant to several committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for more than a decade.

After 24 years of active-duty and reserve service in the United States Navy, Kelly retired from the JAG Corps Reserve in 2016. As a judge advocate general, he specialized in international and operational law and served as the commanding officer of the international law unit at the U.S. Naval War College.

Before his leadership roles with the Knights, Kelly also pursued a lengthy career of public service. He held advisory roles on the House Intelligence Committee and at the Justice Department, where he specialized in counterterrorism and national security. As senior advisor to the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom from 2005 to 2006, he served as the State Department’s principal liaison with the Holy See and helped to form U.S. foreign policy on religious freedom worldwide.

Supreme Knight Kelly holds a master’s degree in theology from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C.; a law degree from Marquette University Law School; and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Marquette University, where he joined the Knights of Columbus in 1983. He and his wife, Vanessa, have three daughters. They live in Connecticut. B

The World Needs Knights

Deputy Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly addressed the Feb. 5 meeting of the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors, during which he was elected the Order’s 14th supreme knight. Here are excerpts from his remarks.

THIRD-GENERATION KNIGHT: “Inspiring the next generation of Knights Patrick Kelly, then vice president of public is personal for me. I am a third-gen- policy for the Knight of Columbus, aderation Knight. My grandfather dresses the 2012 National Catholic Prayer joined the Order in 1915 before he Breakfast in Washington, D.C. left for World War I. My father was a faithful member of the council at our parish up until his death. And I joined the Order as a College Knight. I know how much we have to offer young men. And I know the Order’s mission is the same now as its was more than 100 years ago, when my grandfather joined. Our mission is to strengthen Catholic men.” STRENGTHENING FAMILY LIFE: “We are advancing this mission in difficult times. The family is under more intense pressure now than at any time in our history. Fathers are trying to build healthy marriages and raise their children in the faith amid a culture that is working against them. I believe the Lord is calling us to place an even higher priority on caring for the spiritual lives of men specifically as husbands and fathers. Blessed Michael McGivney established the Knights to strengthen Catholic families, and that is what we must do now in new ways.” UNITY IN A TIME OF DIVISION: “The Order remains a symbol of unity within the Church. Now is the time to build on that reputation. We have long been known as the strong right arm of the Church, and with that strength, we can be a gentle but firm guide. … Unity is the Order’s second principle, and as Knights, we can, we must and we will be a source of unity in these divided times.” SUPPORTING COUNCIL ACTIVITIES: “We have a fundamental goal of supporting, strengthening and honoring every individual Knight and every council. The health of our Order lies there — in our brother Knights and in our councils. They are the ones who distribute coats to kids, sponsor free throw contests, raise money for ultrasounds and wheelchairs, and lead their parish in care for their neighbor. They are the core of our identity, the witness that serves as the foundation for everything else we do.” OUR FOUNDER’S WITNESS: “I would like to turn to the witness of Blessed Michael McGivney. And I would like to acknowledge with gratitude the work of our worthy supreme knight who skillfully led us to the moment of beatification. We are now actively engaged in praying and working for his canonization, if that be God’s will. His cause is a source of great passion and pride for all of us.” A BROTHERHOOD OF FAITH: “It is often said the Knights have what men need. I believe it’s also true that the Knights are what men want. We are a community of purpose — a brotherhood of faith — and a force for good for the things that matter most. The Order was made for the moment we are in, as a Church, as a country, as families and as men.”

Prepared to Lead and Serve

An interview with Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly about his vocational journey

In the weeks leading up to Patrick Kelly taking office as the Order’s 14th supreme knight, the editors of Columbia asked him about his past experiences and the path that led him here.

COLUMBIA: Can you share a little about your family upbringing and the role that faith played in your early life? SUPREME KNIGHT PATRICK KELLY: I was born in Flint, Mich., and I was blessed to be raised in a large Catholic family. My seven siblings and I learned the faith largely from the witness of our parents, who instilled in us a deep love for Christ and the Church. Our family was close friends with our pastor, and we frequently had him over for dinner. Faith was a central part of our everyday life. Eventually, I went to Marquette University in Milwaukee for my undergraduate studies. I had a great experience there due in large part to the friends I made and to several very impressive Jesuits I met. Navy just seemed so incredible to me growing up, and to this day I think joining the Navy was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

My time as a naval officer was extremely formative for me. You cannot beat the camaraderie that comes with military service, and I find so many reflections of that in my experience with the Knights of Columbus. In the Navy, great leaders taught me not only teamwork and integrity, but also the value of servant leadership, which clearly resonates with my Christian faith. We should “not come to be served, but to serve” (Mt 20:28). To quote another passage from Scripture, a foundational virtue of military service is the willingness to “lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:13). As Knights, we are called to do the same.

COLUMBIA: Why did you decide to pursue a master’s degree in theology? What impact did your studies have on you and on your work?

SUPREME KNIGHT PATRICK KELLY:

The decision to study theology came at a point in my life when I wanted to discover more about the fundamental questions of life. As a JAG (judge advocate general) officer in the Navy, I sometimes worked with sailors who had gotten into trouble. Many of these individuals were largely good people who had made very poor decisions. I saw that in many cases they had nothing guiding their lives — no faith, no positive role models — so they just went along with the crowd or followed their passions. Reflecting on the gift of my Catholic faith and the grace that I have received, I recognized in our faith a consistent way of seeing the world that brings order and joy to life.

At this time, St. John Paul II was pope and I found him to be a very compelling figure. I would read his words and always came away saying, “This is the truth!” And so the path suddenly became clear for me. I left the Navy on a Friday, and on Monday I started classes at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington. It was a radical change, and some of my fellow naval officers didn’t get it at all. I understood why they thought it didn’t make sense, but as the saying goes, God writes straight with crooked lines.

COLUMBIA: What led you to join the Knights of Columbus while you were a student at Marquette?

SUPREME KNIGHT PATRICK KELLY:

My father and grandfather were both Knights and that gave me a great sense of the Order growing Lt. Patrick Kelly stands aboard the USS Guam up, but I joined the Knights of off the coast of West Africa in 1996. Kelly was Columbus based on friendships. I deployed as the staff judge advocate for naturally wanted to be united with other men and to be strengthened Amphibious Squadron Two during Operation Assured Response amid the civil war in Liberia. by our shared values. I was blessed to find good friends at Marquette, and several of them were Knights. It became clear very quickly that the Order would be a place where those bonds of fraternity and faith could grow. COLUMBIA: What inspired you to pursue a career in the Navy? How did that experience influence who you are today? SUPREME KNIGHT PATRICK KELLY: I was always attracted to military service and its heroic ethos. Here again, my father had a big impact on me; he had served in the Navy, and I loved to hear him tell stories about his days in the service. One of my earliest memories was my dad taking us aboard the USS John F. Kennedy in the late 1960s. Everything about the

Top: Patrick Kelly — then state deputy of the District of Columbia and K of C vice president for public policy — addresses a candlelight vigil outside the U.S. Capitol in June 2013, as Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori looks on. The event was part of the second Fortnight for Freedom organized by the U.S. bishops’ ad hoc committee on religious liberty, which Archbishop Lori led from 2011 to 2017. • Above left: Supreme Knight Carl Anderson and Archbishop Lori stand with Kelly, who served as executive director of the Saint John Paul II National Shrine, following the dedication Mass of the shrine’s Luminous Mysteries Chapel, April 2, 2016. The chapel is decorated floor to ceiling with mosaics and features a white marble altar that includes a unique, first-class relic of St. John Paul II as its centerpiece. • Above: Pope Francis greets Deputy Supreme Knight Kelly during the pilgrimage of the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors to Rome in February 2020. • Left: Cmdr. (later Capt.) Patrick Kelly and his wife, Vanessa, are pictured at their wedding at St. Matthew Cathedral in Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2008.

Supreme Knight Kelly and his wife, Vanessa, stand together with their three daughters in St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Conn., where Blessed Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882.

COLUMBIA: How did your work in the U.S. government, including the Justice Department and State Department, help to prepare you for your career with the Knights of Columbus? SUPREME KNIGHT PATRICK KELLY: My government service has given me a sense of Washington and the political process — experience that I have put in service to the Order and the Church as we advocate for public policy related to our most basic values.

My work at the Justice Department involved counterterrorism, and at the State Department I focused on international religious liberty. I saw how Christians and other religious minorities were being persecuted around the world, and I worked to free prisoners and to put sanctions on countries that persistently violated religious freedom.

This is directly relevant to the Knights’ efforts to defend religious freedom, and especially the role the Order has played in recent years to bring religious persecution to light and to aid persecuted Christians around the world.

COLUMBIA: How has your life changed since you got married, and how do you balance your many duties with being a husband and a father of school-age children? SUPREME KNIGHT PATRICK KELLY: Marriage has made my life infinitely better. My wife, Vanessa, is an incredible woman and we have three beautiful daughters. It is daunting — and humbling — to consider how impactful our interactions with our children are. My wife and I try to pour everything into laying a good foundation for them to grow in grace and virtue. And we recognize that this starts simply with our witness to them — that we take our faith seriously, and that it affects every aspect of our lives. That’s key.

Family life can be a great source of growth and purification, but it can also be a huge challenge. And in terms of my service to the Knights, the fact that I have young children helps me to understand what families are going through. Young fathers have it tough. They are trying to build healthy marriages and keep their kids Catholic in a culture that is working against them. I know this struggle firsthand, and it is my hope that the Knights can help fathers with the pressure they are under.

In terms of balance, that too is a challenge, as I think it is for all men. Thankfully, my wife knows my clear intention in this regard and is great about reminding me when I start to slip. She’s a firm believer that we think better and make better decisions when we have a balanced life.

COLUMBIA: What does it mean to you to be elected the Order’s 14th supreme knight? SUPREME KNIGHT PATRICK KELLY: I am unbelievably honored to serve as supreme knight and to lead this great organization of men who are devoted to Our Lord and his Church. When I was elected, I knew it was a life-changing moment. I gave my wife a hug and we both thanked the Lord, asking him to sustain us in all the challenges and equip us for what lies ahead. And then I sent a text message to my mom, thanking her for all she and my dad had done for me, and all her continued prayers to this day. B