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N OVEMBER 2015
COLUMBIA
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Are you searching for a new career? Are you looking to serve your community and the Church? The Knights of Columbus is looking for brother Knights to help continue Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney’s mission of protecting Catholic families. Career opportunities are available throughout North America.
ARE YOU BEING CALLED? To find out more visit kofc.org/careers or call 1-800-345-5632. LIFE INSURANCE LONG-TERM CARE I N S U R A N C E
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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS november 2015 ♦ volume 95 ♦ number 11
COLUMBIA
F E AT U R E S
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Love Is Our Mission The Church welcomes Pope Francis for his first apostolic visit to the United States.
22 In Celebration of the Family Fully Alive The Knights of Columbus joins thousands in Philadelphia for the Eighth World Meeting of Families.
Pope Francis arrives at St. Patrick’s Cathedral to celebrate vespers with priests and men and women religious in New York Sept. 24.
D E PA RT M E N T S 3
Building a better world
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As the decimation of the Christian presence in the Middle East continues, now is the time for action. BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON
L'Osservatore Romano
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BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI
Fathers for Good God’s presence is found in living out the theological virtues of faith, hope and love within our families.
During his visit to the United States, Pope Francis urged us to give joyful witness to our deepest beliefs.
Knights of Columbus News Supreme Knight Delivers Address in Defense of Persecuted Christians • Order Provides Food to Thousands of Displaced Iraqi Families
Learning the faith, living the faith
BY REBECCA VITZ CHERICO
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Knights in Action
PLUS: Catholic Man of the Month
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Knights of Columbus News College Knights Gather for 50th Annual Conference
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The Church’s Mission and Ours THE RECENT apostolic visit of Pope Francis to the United States Sept. 23-27, which culminated in Philadelphia with the closing Mass of the Eighth World Meeting of Families, included historic addresses in Spanish and English, large and small gatherings of the faithful, and the first canonization on U.S. soil. This special issue of Columbia features excerpts of the pope’s numerous addresses, together with photos from throughout the U.S. visit, which was preceded by a four-day trip to Cuba. Many of the Holy Father’s words resonated with Knights of Columbus and their families, beginning with a major address shortly after his arrival in the United States. This address, which was intended to encourage and challenge his brother bishops gathered in Washington, D.C., also calls to mind the Order’s own mission. The words below are worth reflecting on as we look back at the pope’s visit with gratitude and look to the future with hope, striving to further the work of the new evangelization. — Alton J. Pelowski, Editor MY FIRST WORD to you is one of thanksgiving to God for the power of the Gospel which has brought about remarkable growth of Christ’s Church in these lands and enabled its generous contribution, past and present, to American society and to the world. I thank you most heartily for your generous solidarity with the Apostolic See and the support you give to the spread of the Gospel in many suffering areas of our world. I appreciate the unfailing commitment of the Church
in America to the cause of life and that of the family, which is the primary reason for my present visit. I am well aware of the immense efforts you have made to welcome and integrate those immigrants who continue to look to America, like so many others before them, in the hope of enjoying its blessings of freedom and prosperity. ... I encourage you, then, my brothers, to confront the challenging issues of our time. Ever present within each of them is life as gift and responsibility. The future freedom and dignity of our societies depends on how we face these challenges. The innocent victim of abortion, children who die of hunger or from bombings, immigrants who drown in the search for a better tomorrow, the elderly or the sick who are considered a burden, the victims of terrorism, wars, violence and drug trafficking, the environment devastated by man’s predatory relationship with nature — at stake in all of this is the gift of God, of which we are noble stewards but not masters. ... These essential aspects of the Church’s mission belong to the core of what we have received from the Lord. It is our duty to preserve and communicate them, even when the tenor of the times becomes resistant and even hostile to that message (Evangelii Gaudium, 34-39). I urge you to offer this witness, with the means and creativity born of love, and with the humility of truth. — Pope Francis, Meeting With the Bishops of the United States, Cathedral of St. Matthew, Washington, D.C., Sept. 23
Featured Resource: Building the Domestic Church THE KNIGHTS of Columbus has recently published a booklet titled Building the Domestic Church: The Family Fully Alive, presenting monthly themes, meditations, discussion questions and suggested activities for families. The Building the Domestic Church program, first launched in 2014, is designed to be flexible to meet the changing needs of families. For more information, visit kofc.org/domesticchurch. 2 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
NOVEMBER 2015
COLUMBIA PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus ________ SUPREME OFFICERS Carl A. Anderson SUPREME KNIGHT Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. SUPREME CHAPLAIN Logan T. Ludwig DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT Charles E. Maurer Jr. SUPREME SECRETARY Michael J. O’Connor SUPREME TREASURER John A. Marrella SUPREME ADVOCATE ________ EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski EDITOR Andrew J. Matt MANAGING EDITOR Patrick Scalisi SENIOR 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 203-752-4210, option #3 PRAYER CARDS & SUPPLIES 203-752-4214 COLUMBIA INQUIRIES 203-752-4398 FAX 203-752-4109 K OF C 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.
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Copyright © 2015 All rights reserved ________ ON THE COVER Pope Francis addresses a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Sept. 24.
L'Osservatore Romano
E D I TO R I A L
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BUILDING A BETTER WORLD
Mobilizing for Christians in the Middle East As the decimation of the Christian presence in the Middle East continues, now is the time for action by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson On Sept. 11, I delivered a keynote address at the second annual Solidarity Dinner of the In Defense of Christians National Leadership Convention in Washington, D.C. In place of my monthly column, I would like to share the remarks I made on that occasion. THE CIVILIZED WORLD is rightly shocked when the Islamic State extremists blow up an ancient monument, such as the famous temple of Palmyra. Its destruction is a great loss to mankind. But something far more precious than buildings is being lost as, day by savage day, the Christian presence in the Middle East dwindles away. Communities of believers who for generation after generation kept the faith alive in Syria, Iraq, Palestine and Egypt have been reduced to a mere fraction of their former numbers, and their gradual extermination has been as brutal as anything the fanatics have visited upon the shrines and temples of antiquity. We mourn the physical destruction of beautiful objects. But there is nothing as beautiful, nothing as precious, as our brothers and sisters who are the suffering body of Christ in today’s Middle East — brothers and sisters whose only offense is that they believe in the one who told us to love our neighbor. As St. Paul reminds us, we are one body with many members, and “if one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Cor 12:26). Representing the Vatican at the United Nations International Conference on the Protection of Victims of
Ethnic and Religious Violence in the Middle East on Sept. 8, Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher referred to the “unspeakable atrocities committed in the Middle East” against Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities. Pastor Tom Doyle, who has done so much to alert us to what is happening there, has sadly called the persecution of Christians “the new normal” (Killing Christians: Living the Faith Where It’s Not Safe to Believe, 2015). But this persecution is not “new”; it is anything but “normal”; and it must be stopped. As I said at our Supreme Convention in August, it is time for a season of truth about what is happening to Christians in the Middle East. What is happening is not surprising. And it is not surprising because it is not new. Exactly 100 years ago, at the beginning of what is commonly known as the Armenian Genocide, Christians in the Middle East endured a genocidal year of the sword that encompassed most of the year 1915. During this period, more than 250,000 Christians perished. On Sept. 10, 1915, alone, 8,000 Christian women and children were murdered outside Mardin, Turkey, near the Syrian border — a massacre that was recorded from eyewitness accounts by Dominican friar Hyacinthe Simon. Following World War I, and in the persecutions later in the 20th century, Christians in the region pleaded with Great Britain, the League of Nations and the United Nations for help, but their pleas were largely ignored.
Today, one is hard pressed to find countries willing to declare that what happened in 1915 was genocide — even though scholars agree and the evidence is clear. We are told that the reason for this reluctance is because those Christians were — and are today — so few in number. But Christians in America are not few in number, nor are two billion Christians throughout the world. Most Americans know that the term “genocide” arose from the need to account for the deliberate effort to eliminate an entire ethnic or religious group. And most Americans are very familiar with the genocide that was perpetrated by the Nazis during World War II. But most are unfamiliar with the events surrounding and following the First World War, when the world saw the systematic elimination of Christians in the Middle East. Recently, Pope Francis has used the term “genocide” to describe what is happening today to Christians in Iraq and Syria. And Father Douglas Bazi, an Iraqi priest who runs a refugee camp in Erbil, Iraq, told me recently that the term genocide is “the polite word” for what is happening to his people. Father Bazi should know. He has survived kidnapping and torture. He has seen his own church blown up. He has had his teeth knocked out with a hammer and his bones broken by
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BUILDING A BETTER WORLD
beatings. He has been shot in the leg, scholars who brought the works of Ar- ration before the United Nations. and narrowly escaped being killed by istotle to the Muslim world. ... Syriac How long will governments remain two separate car bombs. And he told Christians even make the first refer- passive bystanders? me that he is “one of the lucky ones,” ence to the efficient Indian numbering On Sept. 7, Pope Francis stated that because he is still alive. system that we know today as ‘Arabic’. “perhaps more than in the early days, Designating these “lucky ones” sim- … Such were the Christian roots of [Christians] are persecuted, killed, ply as “internally displaced persons” is the Arabic golden age.” driven out, despoiled, only because simply not good enough. We are grateHaving contributed enormously to they are Christians.” He added, ful to the governments of Canada and the region they call home, Christians “Today too, this happens before the the United States that they have agreed now face extinction there. Scholars can whole world, with the complicit sito accept more refugees, but the ques- recover a “lost history” in the Middle lence of many powerful leaders who tion we are bound to ask is: “How East, but scholarship alone cannot pre- could stop it.” many of them will be Christians?” vent a lost future. Christians of all denominations The ironies abound as Christianity The worst aspects of the 20th cen- must come together and with one approaches what could be its twilight tury are again unfolding in the 21st voice demand an end to this genocide in the Middle East. Today’s Christians century. As the Nuremberg trials re- — that the victims be aided and the in the Middle East represent a killers be stopped. Today, no link to one of the most imporhuman rights cause is more tant — if forgotten — chapurgent than ending the perToday’s Christians in the Middle ters in Christian history. secution of all religious miEast represent a link to one of Forgotten in the horror of the norities throughout the present is the glory of the past. world. the most important chapters in As historian Philip Jenkins St. John Fisher once remakes clear in his book The marked, “I condemn no Christian history. Forgotten in Lost History of Christianity, the other man’s conscience: their the horror of the present is the shaping of our modern conconscience may save them, versation on genocide is just and mine must save me.” glory of the past. one recent development St. John Paul II repeatedly within a much larger legacy of called for a great mobilizathe long Christian presence in the vealed, Hitler confidently planned his tion of consciences in defense of Middle East. own genocide, saying: “Who, after all, human rights. Though mostly forgotten today, speaks today of the annihilation of the We must join in solidarity with our Christianity’s rich history in Iraq and Armenians?” brothers and sisters who are suffering Syria goes back two millennia. For But this is not only a question of for their faith. Their conscience will centuries, it was a major missionary memory; it is also a question of will. surely save them. force, spreading the Gospel as far as Article 8 of the U.N. Convention St. John Paul II also said this in VerChina, India and Tibet. By many on Genocide states: “Any Contracting itatis Splendor: In our “own journey in measures, according to Jenkins, the Party may call upon the competent or- search of the truth, there exists a prior Middle East was more Christian than gans of the United Nations to take moral obligation, and a grave one at many parts of Europe for the first mil- such action under the Charter of the that, to seek the truth and to adhere lennium after Christ. United Nations as they consider ap- to it once it is known” (34). Islam, too, has benefited enor- propriate for the prevention and supYou and I know the truth about mously from the cultural achieve- pression of acts of genocide.” what is happening to Christians in the ments of Eastern Christianity. We are therefore grateful to U.S. Middle East. May we act in such a Jenkins writes: “It was Christians … Reps. Jeff Fortenberry and Anna way that we may be counted worthy who preserved and translated the cul- Eshoo for introducing a resolution de- of their sacrifices. May we have the tural inheritance of the ancient world nouncing the genocide being perpe- courage to face their reality. And then — the science, philosophy, and medi- trated against Christians and other may we have the courage to change cine — and who transmitted it to cen- religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, their reality. ters like Baghdad and Damascus. and we urge every member of the May God bless our brothers and sisMuch of what we call Arab scholarship House and Senate to support it. ters in the Middle East, and may he was in reality Syriac, Persian, and CopBut we must also ask why no coun- strengthen us in their defense. tic … It was Syriac-speaking Christian try is willing to make the same declaVivat Jesus! 4 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS
Supreme Knight Delivers Address in Defense of Persecuted Christians ON SEPT. 11, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson delivered a keynote address at the second annual Solidarity Dinner of the In Defense of Christians National Leadership Convention in Washington, D.C. “Pope Francis has used the term ‘genocide’ to describe what is happening today to Christians in Iraq and Syria,” Anderson said. “You and I know the truth about what is happening to Christians in the Middle East. May we act in such a way that we may be counted worthy of their sacrifices.” The dinner brought to a conclusion three days of intense media and advocacy work by IDC participants on behalf of Christians and other minority communities in the Middle East. On Sept. 10, participants visited nearly 300 congressional offices, urging members of Congress to vote for a bill introduced the previous day that would label the Islamic State’s actions in the region as genocide. Also addressing the IDC dinner attendees were Syriac Catholic Patriarch
Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson delivers a keynote address Sept. 11 in Washington, D.C., on the plight of Christians in the Middle East. Ignace Joseph III Younan and Rabbi David Saperstein, U.S. ambassador-atlarge for international religious freedom. Concluding the dinner, IDC leaders presented Thomas F. Farr, director of the Religious Freedom Project at the Berkley Center for Religion,
Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University and a member of Potomac Council 433 in Washington, D.C., with a lifetime achievement award for his tireless work in human rights and religious freedom, particularly in the Middle East.♦
TOP: Photo by Tom Serafin
Order Provides Food to Thousands of Displaced Iraqi Families IN SEPTEMBER, the Knights of Columbus financed the delivery of one month’s supply of food to more than 13,500 families who last year were forced by Islamic State militants to flee from their homes in Mosul and the Nineveh Plain region to Erbil, Iraq. “Christians in the Middle East face persecution and extinction simply for their belief in the one who taught us to love one another,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson. “They need our solidarity and support, and we are pleased to help provide it.” Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda of Erbil attended the Supreme Convention in Philadelphia last August and addressed the annual States Dinner. During the convention, Supreme Knight Anderson announced that the Order would redouble its efforts on behalf of Middle Eastern Christians. Part of the Order’s initiative to aid displaced Christian families and other persecuted religious communities in the Middle East, this latest food donation brings K of C assistance in the Middle East to more than $4 million.
Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda of Erbil stands with volunteers surrounded by supplies provided by the Knights of Columbus. Each one-month food package contained a variety of staple goods. The cost of $60 per package includes transportation and packaging for a total cost of $810,000. For more information or to donate to relief efforts, visit www.christiansatrisk.org.♦
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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH
A Renewed Vision of Religious Freedom During his visit to the United States, Pope Francis urged us to give joyful witness to our deepest beliefs by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori YEARS AGO, when I was serving as GOD-GIVEN FREEDOMS Cardinal James Hickey’s priest-secretary Pope Francis expressed his support for in the Archdiocese of Washington, an the U.S. bishops’ efforts to preserve old friend came to visit. As we walked and defend religious freedom, and enaround the chancery office, he stopped couraged Americans to be good citi- ber of the House of Representatives, recand said, “You don’t know how good zens who are vigilant and ready “to ognizing that it was through Moses that you have it!” It took someone with fresh preserve and defend that freedom from we received the Ten Commandments, a eyes to show me the many blessings everything that would threaten or privileged expression of the law of God God had given me. In essence, he said, compromise it.” written on the human heart. Just legis“Don’t take your blessings for granted.” In these remarks at the White House, lation, which reflects God’s law, unifies I thought of my friend when the the pope did not mention any specific peoples and nations and respects tranHoly Father visited the United States issues, such as the Health and Human scendent human dignity. for the first time in September. The Holy Father then directed It was obvious to everyone that our attention to iconic figures in Pope Francis had prepared The pope’s words helped us to see American culture. He called carefully for the visit by studyAbraham Lincoln “the guardian with renewed clarity the political of liberty, who labored tirelessly, ing our culture and pastoral challenges. The pope didn’t and social struggles that mark our that ‘this nation, under God, merely read prepared speeches; [might] have a new birth of freelooking at us with fresh eyes, dom.’” The pope reminded us own history as a nation. he engaged us and reminded us that this new birth of freedom of the many blessings that God requires us to serve the common has bestowed upon us. He told us not Services mandate that would require good with strong conviction about our to take these blessings for granted, but many church-sponsored ministries and shared human dignity. Such conviction rather to cherish them and use them in institutions to facilitate abortifacients, leads us to engage in the struggle to service to others, especially the poor sterilizations, and contraceptives for preserve our fundamental, universal and the vulnerable. their employees and family members. and God-given freedoms while resistOne blessing that Pope Francis dis- But later that day, he made a surprise ing efforts to use religion for unjust cussed frequently is religious freedom. visit to the Little Sisters of the Poor, and violent purposes. Indeed, we In his first address, on the South Lawn who are prominently resisting that should use our freedom to build of the White House, he said that mandate. This gesture of support bridges of understanding and cooperAmerican Catholics seek to build a should prompt us to take a second look ation whenever possible. just, tolerant and inclusive society at the sisters’ courageous defense of our In that spirit, the Holy Father also based upon respect for others, includ- most fundamental liberty. referred to Martin Luther King Jr., ing those with whom we sincerely difThe following day, Pope Francis re- whose leadership in attaining “full civil fer. Catholics in the United States are turned to the importance of religious and political rights for African Ameralso concerned that society respect freedom during his address to the U.S. icans” should inspire us to welcome their religious liberty, which the pope Congress. Once again, he helped us see immigrants who are seeking the blessdescribed as “one of America’s most ourselves anew. He began by pointing to ings of liberty for themselves and for precious possessions.” the marble relief of Moses in the cham- their families. 6 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH
FOUNDING IDEALS Later, during his visit to Philadelphia, Pope Francis spoke at Independence Hall, which he called “the birthplace of the United States.” Again, the pope cast fresh light upon the nation’s founding ideals, namely, that “all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; and that governments exist to protect and defend those rights.” Lofty ideals, of course, are one thing, while the struggle to live up to them is another. Here, too, the pope’s words helped us to see with renewed clarity
HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTIONS
POPE FRANCIS: CNS photo/Paul Haring — ST. ROQUE GONZÁLEZ: Photo courtesy of the Jesuit Fathers in Asunción, Paraguay
Offered in Solidarity with Pope Francis GENERAL: That we may be open to personal encounter and dialogue with all, even those whose convictions differ from our own. MISSION: That pastors of the Church, with profound love for their flocks, may accompany them and enliven their hope.
the political and social struggles that mark our own history as a nation. The success of those struggles, however, hinges on the preservation of religious freedom understood not merely as people’s right to worship as they please, but indeed to participate actively in the public square. In political life, our faith serves to remind everyone that we are made by and for God, and that our dignity transcends the present world. Pope Francis further emphasized that religious traditions “serve society primarily by the message they proclaim.” As if to warn us not to take our freedoms
for granted, he pointed out the danger of an overarching secularism that would aim “to eliminate all differences and traditions in a superficial quest for unity.” It is in this context that we should also take a fresh look at the right of conscientious objection in our culture. Ultimately, the Holy Father helped us to see how blessed we are, while making it clear that we need to dialogue courageously with our culture so as to preserve the founding liberties we enjoy. It is upon such freedom that we can build a culture that is just and loving — a true “civilization of love.”♦
C AT H O L I C M A N O F T H E M O N T H
St. Roque González (1576-1628) ONE OF 10 CHILDREN, Roque González de Santa Cruz was born Nov. 17, 1576, in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay. His parents were nobles of Spanish descent who raised their children in a religious home where contact with the local Guaraní Indians was part of everyday life. As a boy, González developed a deep prayer life and a love for the indigenous people. Ordained a priest at age 22, Father González was so successful in working among the native population that the bishop made him pastor of the cathedral. Yearning to become a missionary, he entered the Jesuit order in 1609. Fluent in the Guaraní language, Father González was placed in charge of the newly established St. Ignatius mission in 1611. With tireless dedication, he oversaw the construction of a school, church and houses. He also helped with agriculture and medical care, in addition to his duties as pastor. Under his leadership for four years, the mission flourished. Over the next 12 years, Father González was sent on a number of arduous missions throughout present-day Paraguay, Uruguay, southern Brazil and
northeastern Argentina. In his missionary work, he gathered Indian communities into settlements known as “reductions” — safe havens from colonial oppression. As he traversed the region, Father González evangelized with music, Marian art and eucharistic processions. In 1628, a hostile Indian leader organized a plot to kill Father González and other Jesuit missionaries. On Nov. 15, Father González and Father Alfonso Rodríguez were struck down by tomahawk, and Father Juan del Castillo was killed two days later. St. Roque González became the first Paraguayan saint when Pope John Paul II canonized him and the other two martyrs of Río Plate in Asunción in 1988. Their feast day is Nov. 17.♦
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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS
College Knights Gather for 50th Annual Conference
APPROXIMATELY 200 Knights representing 88 college campuses throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico gathered in New Haven, Conn., Oct. 2-4 to continue a tradition of fraternity, faith-sharing and networking that began 50 years ago. Since the first College Councils Conference was organized in the fall of 1965 and convened at Boston College the following February, the annual gathering has grown larger than ever, and it remains true to its original mission. Held under the theme “You Shall Be My Witnesses,” this year’s conference served as an opportunity for Knights to grow in faith, knowledge and enthusiasm so as to effectively evangelize their campus communities. During the awards banquet on Saturday, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson challenged the Knights to follow the advice of Pope Francis — to become disciples who lead with charity, authenticity and joy. “That’s how we’re going to advance the Gospel — by a way of life that our friends are going to find attractive,” the supreme knight said. “People on campus need to see that it’s personal and rooted in a believing community. … That’s the responsibility you’ve taken on as a Knight — it’s a 24/7 deal.” Following the keynote address, awards were presented to college councils for service in the categories of Church, community, council, family, youth and culture of life, as 8 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
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well as for membership and insurance growth. For its exemplary achievements throughout the fraternal year, Illini Council 2782 at the University of Urbana-Champaign, Ill., received the Outstanding College Conference Award. Prior to the banquet, conference attendees toured the Supreme Council headquarters and later joined Supreme Officers for the celebration of Mass at St. Mary’s Church, the Order’s birthplace. The conference also featured a series of training sessions, workshops and presentations on topics such as leadership, membership motivation, developing a council’s social media presence, effective event planning and the Knights of Columbus Insurance program. During the conference, the college Knights were challenged to participate in several initiatives. In particular, the supreme knight invited them to support the Knights of Columbus Christian Refugee Relief Fund; to make a pilgrimage to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C.; and to watch and discuss with their councils A Man for All Seasons, the 1966 film about St. Thomas More, DVD copies of which they each received. Dominican Father Jonathan Kalisch, director of chaplains and spiritual development, also encouraged the Knights to begin promoting and organizing pilgrimages to World Youth Day 2016, to be held in Kraków, Poland.♦
Photo by Tom Serafin
Representatives from 88 college campuses throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico stand with members of the clergy and Supreme Officers at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Conn., following Mass at the 50th annual College Councils Conference.
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FAT H E R S F O R G O O D
Mom and Dad: Primary Teachers of the Faith God’s presence is found in living out the theological virtues of faith, hope and love within our families by Rebecca Vitz Cherico EDITOR’S NOTE: The following column is based on a presentation the author made Sept. 25 at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.
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s the oldest of six children, I spent a good deal of my youth taking care of my brothers and sisters, but nothing prepared me for the depths of love I would feel when each of my own five children were born. In the days following my first baby’s birth, though, I was beset by horrible fears. Deeply disturbed, I called a friend, who wisely pointed out that my fears stemmed from my love. I was afraid precisely because I knew I had received a tremendous gift. Something new and beautiful — a precious life — was now part of my world. Recognizing that our primary task as parents is to introduce our child to the reality of God’s love, it was clear that faith, too, was an invaluable gift to be received, before it was something to be passed on. The first step in instilling faith is to recover our sense of wonder at this gift, which in turn reveals that our lives are about a relationship. We are here to know, love and serve God — to love and be loved — which is why we must teach our children to pray. Our children are given to us so that we can love them and help them to love God. But they are also given to us so that we can be loved by them and learn to love God through them. Most parents know they have a responsibility to educate their children, but it’s more difficult to remember that our children are also here to educate us and to help us get to heaven. How true this must have been for the Holy Family. Just as God entrusted Jesus to a human mother and father — and Jesus (God himself!) was obedient to them — Mary and Joseph learned much about God’s love and tenderness for them by watching over Jesus. Through our children, we gain an intuition of unconditional love, as well as a path to help us become closer to God’s perfection and to learn to love as he does. When
our children look at us with devotion, they show God’s love and mercy for us. And when they won’t sleep as infants, or have tantrums as toddlers, or disobey us or get embarrassed by us when they’re older, they’re helping us learn to enter the heart of God, who loves perfectly and unconditionally. To find Christ in the flesh today, we can introduce our children to Christians who joyfully live their faith, to the poor and needy, and to the fullness of the Church’s sacramental life in confession, Mass and eucharistic adoration. We are also called to help our children to receive the gift of hope. The French poet Charles Péguy wrote that hope “loves what has not yet been and what will be in the future and in eternity.” Our hope is grounded in a great certainty: Nothing we might do can ever prevent God from seeking a relationship with us and with our children. As Pope Francis has explained, even our sins can become occasions of encounter with God’s mercy, and our awareness of this mercy is the basis of our hope. Before becoming parents, we have many ideas about how to do things. But once children arrive, we may feel overwhelmed or discouraged. The task is just too big for us on our own. God wants us to be aware of this and to know he is there. Though at times we may feel like giving up in the face of our limitations, God takes our efforts and can multiply them. In the miracle of the loaves and fishes, Jesus doesn’t make a meal out of nothing; he takes the food people brought. When we say “yes” to him in our families and give the little we have, he makes it enough. Then we get to see the miracle of his presence.♦ REBECCA VITZ CHERICO teaches at Villanova University and is the editor of Atheist to Catholic: Stories of Conversion (2011). Her husband, Colin, is a member of St. Helena Council 14210 in Blue Bell, Pa.
FIND ADDITIONAL ARTICLES AND RESOURCES FOR CATHOLIC MEN AND THEIR FAMILIES AT FATHERSFORGOOD. ORG .
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rom Sept. 22-27, Pope Francis visited the United States for the first time, making numerous stops in Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia. In the preceding days, the pope visited Cuba, where he urged citizens there to strive for justice, peace and freedom by living the “revolution of tenderness” inspired by Our Lady of Charity. The U.S. visit, organized under the theme “Love Is Our Mission,” culminated in Philadelphia, where thousands were gathered for the Eighth World Meeting of Families. Knights of Columbus and their families participated in the major events, and the Order provided both financial and volunteer support for the papal visit and World Meeting of Fami10 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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lies. This included printing 300,000 copies of the booklet used for the closing Mass Sept. 27. Pope Francis personally greeted Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson in Washington and New York, and the Order was a visible presence at many of the events, including Fourth Degree honor guards, as well as Knights serving as ushers during liturgies while wearing K of C baldrics. On Sept. 23, the pope canonized Junípero Serra, the Franciscan friar and missionary known as the Apostle of California, during the first canonization Mass ever to take place in the United States (see page 12). The following day, Pope Francis be-
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ur Mission The Church welcomes Pope Francis for his first apostolic visit to the United States by Columbia staff
Pope Francis waves from the Speakers Balcony at the U.S. Capitol Sept. 24.
came the first pontiff to visit the U.S. Capitol and address a joint meeting of Congress, as he urged all Americans to remain faithful to the nation’s founding principles (see page 14). He later addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, in the footsteps of his predecessors Blessed Paul VI, St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI (see page 17). He also visited Ground Zero (see page 18), as did Benedict XVI during his 2008 apostolic journey, which was the last time a pope visited the United States. In Philadelphia, Pope Francis gave a historic address at Independence Hall, where both the U.S. Constitution and DeclaraAll excerpts of papal texts © copyright Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.
tion of Independence were adopted. Speaking from the lectern used by Abraham Lincoln during the Gettysburg Address, the Holy Father called the location the “birthplace of the United States of America” and reflected on the fundamental right of religious freedom (see page 20). The primary reason for the pope’s apostolic journey was the World Meeting of Families, which began Sept. 22 in Philadelphia (see page 22). The World Meeting concluded with welcoming Pope Francis to a large Festival of Families Sept. 26 and the pope celebrating Mass for more than 800,000 participants the following day.♦ NOVEMBER 2015
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REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS! I say it again, rejoice! These are striking words, words which impact our lives. Paul tells us to rejoice; he practically orders us to rejoice. This command resonates with the desire we all have for a fulfilling life, a meaningful life, a joyful life. It is as if Paul could hear what each one of us is thinking in his or her heart and gives voice to what we are feeling, what we are experiencing. Something deep within us invites us to rejoice and tells us not to settle for placebos that always keep us comfortable. ... Jesus gives the answer. He said to his disciples then and he says it to us now: Go forth! Proclaim! The joy of the Gospel is something to be experienced, something to be known and lived only through giving it away, through giving ourselves away. ... Today we remember one of those witnesses who testified to the joy of the Gospel in these lands, Father Junípero Serra. He was the embodiment of “a Church that goes forth,” a Church that sets out to bring everywhere the reconciling tenderness of God. Junípero Serra left his native land and its way of life. He was excited about blazing trails, going forth to meet many people, learning and valuing their particular customs and ways of life. He learned how to bring to birth and nurture God’s life in the faces of everyone he met; he made them his brothers and sisters. Junípero sought to defend the dignity of the native community, to protect it from those who had mistreated and abused it. ... Father Serra had a motto that inspired his life and work — not just a saying, but above all a reality that shaped the way he lived: siempre adelante! Keep moving forward! ... Today, like him, may we be able to say: Forward! Let’s keep moving forward! — Homily, Mass of Canonization of Junípero Serra, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C., Sept. 23 12 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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‘Go forth! Proclaim!’
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ABOVE: L'Osservatore Romano
Clockwise, from top left: Pope Francis pauses in front of the sculpture of St. Junípero Serra in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Sept. 24. • Pope Francis celebrates the Mass of Canonization of Junípero Serra on Sept. 23 outside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. • Pilgrims from the Diocese of Querétaro, Mexico, are pictured following the Mass of Canonization. Among them are members of Fray Junípero Serra Council 13787 in Querétaro and residents of Jalpan de Serra, where Junípero Serra built his first mission in the New World. • A woman holds a bilingual booklet about Junípero Serra published by the Knights of Columbus and distributed to those who attended the canonization Mass. • Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson and Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore stand together in front of the basilica, which features a banner of the newly canonized saint.
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Pope Francis addresses a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Sept. 24.
IN THIS LAND, the various religious denominations have greatly contributed to building and strengthening society. It is important that today, as in the past, the voice of faith continues to be heard, for it is a voice of fraternity and love, which tries to bring out the best in each person and in each society. Such cooperation is a powerful resource in the battle to eliminate new global forms of slavery, born of grave injustices that can be overcome only through new policies and new forms of social consensus. Here I think of the political history of the United States, where democracy is deeply rooted in the mind of the American people. All political activity must serve and promote the good of the human person and be based on respect for his or her dignity. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776). ... We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our “neighbors” and everything around us. Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, 14 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal subsidiarity, in a constant effort to do our best. I am confident that we can do this. Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War. This presents us with great challenges and many hard decisions. On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation. To respond in a way that is always humane, just and fraternal. We need to avoid a common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome. Let us remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt 7:12). ... The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick that time will use for us. The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development. — Address to the United States Congress, Capitol Building, Washington, D.C., Sept. 24
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‘Let us remember the Golden Rule.’
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‘God continues to knock.’
CROWD: CNS photo/Alex Brandon, pool — OTHER: L'Osservatore Romano
YOU MAKE ME think of St. Joseph. Your faces remind me of his. Joseph had to face some difficult situations in his life. One of them was the time when Mary was about to give birth, to have Jesus. … The Bible is very clear about this: There was no room for them. I can imagine Joseph, with his wife about to have a child, with no shelter, no home, no place to stay. The Son of God came into this world as a homeless person. The Son of God knew what it was to start life without a roof over his head. We can imagine what Joseph must have been thinking. How is it that the Son of God has no home? … In the face of unjust and painful situations, faith brings us the light that scatters the darkness. As it did for Joseph, faith makes us open to the quiet presence of God at every moment of our lives, in every person and in every situation. God is present in every one of you, in each one of us. … Faith makes us know that God is at our side, that God is in our midst and his presence spurs us to charity. Charity is born of the call of a God who continues to knock on our door, the door of all people, to invite us to love, to compassion, to service of one another. — Meeting with the homeless, Saint Patrick in the City, Washington, D.C., Sept. 24.
Pope Francis greets workers and clients at St. Maria’s Meals Program of Catholic Charities in Washington Sept. 24.
Above left: People wait for the popemobile to drive by along a street in Washington Sept. 23. Above: Pope Francis greets Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, together with the supreme knight’s wife, Dorian, and Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, following the Holy Father’s address at the Cathedral of St. Matthew Sept. 24. Left: The Holy Father greets Sister Marie Mathilde, 102, during his unannounced visit to the Little Sisters of the Poor residence in Washington Sept. 23.
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WE HAVE HEARD the Apostle say: “There is a cause for rejoicing here,” although “you may for a time have to suffer the distress of many trials” (1 Pet 1:6). These words remind us of something essential. Our vocation is to be lived in joy. This beautiful Cathedral of St. Patrick, built up over many years through the sacrifices of many men and women, can serve as a symbol of the work of generations of American priests and religious, and lay faithful who helped build up the Church in the United States. … The joy of men and women who love God attracts others to him; priests and religious are called to find and radiate lasting satisfaction in their vocation. Joy springs from a grateful heart. Truly, we have received much, so many graces, so many blessings, and we rejoice in this. It will do us good to think back on our lives with the grace of remembrance. …
Let us seek the grace of remembrance so as to grow in the spirit of gratitude. Let us ask ourselves: Are we good at counting our blessings, or have we forgotten them? A grateful heart is spontaneously impelled to serve the Lord and to find expression in a life of commitment to our work. Once we come to realize how much God has given us, a life of self-sacrifice, of working for him and for others, becomes a privileged way of responding to his great love. … Gratitude and hard work: These are two pillars of the spiritual life that I have wanted, this evening, to share with you. I thank you for prayers and work, and the daily sacrifices you make in the various areas of your apostolate. Many of these are known only to God, but they bear rich fruit for the life of the Church. — Homily, Vespers with priests and religious, Cathedral of St. Patrick, New York City, Sept. 24.
Pope Francis greets a young woman in a wheelchair upon arrival at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York Sept. 24. • Before celebrating vespers, the pope prays in a chapel of the cathedral with Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, archbishop of New York. 16 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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Pope Francis addresses the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York Sept. 25.
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Our common home and the sacredness of human life THE ECOLOGICAL CRISIS, and the large-scale destruction of biodiversity, can threaten the very existence of the human species. The baneful consequences of an irresponsible mismanagement of the global economy, guided only by ambition for wealth and power, must serve as a summons to a forthright reflection on man: “Man is not only a freedom that he creates for himself. Man does not create himself. He is spirit and will, but also nature” (Benedict XVI, Address to the Bundestag, Sept. 22, 2011, cited in Laudato Si’, 6). ... Consequently, the defense of the environment and the fight against exclusion demand that we recognize a moral law written into human nature itself, one which includes the natural difference between man and woman (cf. Laudato Si’, 155), and absolute respect for life in all its stages and dimensions (cf. ibid., 123, 136). ... The common home of all men and women must continue to rise on the foundations of a right understanding of universal fraternity and respect for the sacredness of every
human life, of every man and every woman, the poor, the elderly, children, the infirm, the unborn, the unemployed, the abandoned, those considered disposable because they are only considered as part of a statistic. This common home of all men and women must also be built on the understanding of a certain sacredness of created nature. Such understanding and respect call for a higher degree of wisdom, one that accepts transcendence, self-transcendence, rejects the creation of an all-powerful élite, and recognizes that the full meaning of individual and collective life is found in selfless service to others and in the sage and respectful use of creation for the common good. To repeat the words of Paul VI, “the edifice of modern civilization has to be built on spiritual principles, for they are the only ones capable not only of supporting it, but of shedding light on it” (Address to the United Nations, Oct. 4, 1965). — Address to the General Assembly of the United Nations, New York City, Sept. 25. NOVEMBER 2015
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‘Hands reached out; lives were given.’ I FEEL MANY DIFFERENT emotions standing here at Ground Zero, where thousands of lives were taken in a senseless act of destruction. Here, grief is palpable. The water we see flowing toward that empty pit reminds us of all those lives that fell prey to those who think that destruction, tearing down, is the only way to settle conflicts. It is the silent cry of those who were victims of a mindset that knows only violence, hatred and revenge. A mindset which can only cause pain, suffering, destruction and tears. The flowing water is also a symbol of our tears. Tears at so much devastation and ruin, past and present. This is a place where we shed tears, we weep out of a sense of helplessness in the face of injustice, murder, and the failure to settle conflicts through dialogue. Here we mourn the wrongful and senseless loss of innocent lives because of the inability to find solutions which respect the common good. This flowing water reminds us of yesterday’s tears, but also of all the tears still being shed today. ... Here, amid pain and grief, we also have a palpable sense of the heroic good-
Pope Francis stands between Jewish and Muslim religious leaders during a prayer service at the 9/11 Memorial Museum at Ground Zero in New York Sept. 25. ness that people are capable of, those hidden reserves of strength from which we can draw. In the depths of pain and suffering, you also witnessed the heights of generosity and service. Hands reached out; lives were given. In a metropolis that might seem impersonal, faceless, lonely, you demonstrated the powerful solidarity
born of mutual support, love and selfsacrifice. No one thought about race, nationality, neighborhoods, religion or politics. It was all about solidarity, meeting immediate needs, brotherhood. It was about being brothers and sisters. — Address at Ground Zero Memorial, New York City, Sept. 25.
KEEP SMILING and help bring joy to everyone you meet. It isn’t always easy. Every home has its problems, difficult situations, sickness, but never stop dreaming so you can be happy. All of you here, children and adults, have a right to dream and I am very happy that here in school, in your friends and your teachers, in all who are here to help, you can find the support you need. Wherever there are dreams, wherever there is joy, Jesus is always present. Always. — Meeting with children and immigrant families, Our Lady Queen of Angels School, East Harlem, New York City, Sept. 25.
Pope Francis visits Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Elementary School in East Harlem Sept. 25. 18 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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‘Never stop dreaming.’
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‘God is living in our cities.’ LIVING IN A BIG CITY is not always easy. A multicultural context presents many complex challenges. Yet big cities are a reminder of the hidden riches present in our world: in the diversity of its cultures, traditions and historical experiences. ... Knowing that Jesus still walks our streets, that he is part of the lives of his people, that he is involved with us in one vast history of salvation, fills us with hope. … God is living in our cities. The Church is living in our cities. God and the Church living in our cities want to be like yeast in the dough, to relate to everyone, to stand at everyone’s side, proclaiming the marvels of the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Eternal Father, the Prince of Peace. — Homily, Mass at Madison Square Garden, New York City, Sept. 25
Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Madison Square Garden (top) and rides through New York’s Central Park in the popemobile (above) Sept. 25. NOVEMBER 2015
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‘Let us cherish freedom.’
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ne of the highlights of my visit is to stand here, before and the private sphere of individuals and families. Because reIndependence Hall, the birthplace of the United States ligion itself, the religious dimension, is not a subculture; it is of America. It was here that the freedoms that define this part of the culture of every people and every nation. country were first proclaimed. The Declaration of IndependOur various religious traditions serve society primarily by ence stated that all men and women are created equal, that the message they proclaim. They call individuals and commuthey are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable nities to worship God, the source of all life, liberty and haprights, and that governments exist to protect and defend those piness. They remind us of the transcendent dimension of rights. Those ringing words continue to inspire us today, even human existence and our irreducible freedom in the face of as they have inspired peoples throughout the world to fight any claim to absolute power. We need but look at history — for the freedom to live in accordance with their dignity. we always benefit from looking at history — especially the History also shows that these or any truths must constantly history of the last century, to see the atrocities perpetrated by be reaffirmed, reappropriated and defended. The history of systems that claimed to build one or another “earthly parathis nation is also the tale of a constant effort, lasting to our dise” by dominating peoples, subjecting them to apparently own day, to embody those lofty principles in social and polit- indisputable principles and denying them any kind of rights. ical life. We remember the great struggles that led to the abo- Our rich religious traditions seek to offer meaning and direclition of slavery, the extension of tion, “they have an enduring power to voting rights, the growth of the labor open new horizons, to stimulate movement, and the gradual effort to thought, to expand the mind and eliminate every kind of racism and heart” (Evangelii Gaudium, 256). They prejudice directed at further waves of call to conversion, reconciliation, conELIGIOUS FREEDOM new Americans. This shows that, when cern for the future of society, self-sacIS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT a country is determined to remain true rifice in the service of the common to its principles, those founding pringood, and compassion for those in THAT SHAPES THE WAY WE ciples based on respect for human digneed. At the heart of their spiritual nity, it is strengthened and renewed. mission is the proclamation of the INTERACT SOCIALLY AND When a country is mindful of its roots, truth and dignity of the human person it keeps growing, it is renewed and it and all human rights. PERSONALLY WITH OUR continues to embrace newcomers, new Our religious traditions remind us NEIGHBORS.” individuals and new peoples. that, as human beings, we are called to All of us benefit from remembering acknowledge an Other, who reveals our past. A people that remembers our relational identity in the face of does not repeat past errors; instead, it every effort to impose “a uniformity to looks with confidence to the challenges of the present and the which the egotism of the powerful, the conformism of the future. Remembrance saves a people’s soul from whatever or weak, or the ideology of the utopian would seek to impose on whoever would attempt to dominate it or to use it for their us” (M. de Certeau). own interests. When individuals and communities are guarIn a world where various forms of modern tyranny seek to anteed the effective exercise of their rights, they are not only suppress religious freedom, or, as I said earlier, to try to reduce free to realize their potential, they also, through their talents it to a subculture without right to a voice in the public square, and their hard work, contribute to the welfare and enrichment or to use religion as a pretext for hatred and brutality, it is imof society as a whole. perative that the followers of the various religious traditions In this place that is symbolic of the American way, I would join their voices in calling for peace, tolerance and respect for like to reflect with you on the right to religious freedom. It is the dignity and the rights of others. ... a fundamental right that shapes the way we interact socially The Quakers who founded Philadelphia were inspired by and personally with our neighbors whose religious views differ a profound evangelical sense of the dignity of each individual from our own. The ideal of interreligious dialogue, where all and the ideal of a community united by brotherly love. This men and women, from different religious traditions, can conviction led them to found a colony that would be a haven speak to one another without quarreling. This is what reli- of religious freedom and tolerance. That sense of fraternal gious freedom allows. concern for the dignity of all, especially the weak and the vulReligious freedom certainly means the right to worship God, nerable, became an essential part of the American spirit. Durindividually and in community, as our consciences dictate. But ing his visit to the United States in 1987, St. John Paul II religious liberty, by its nature, transcends places of worship paid moving homage to this, reminding all Americans: “The
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Speaking at the podium used by Abraham Lincoln in Gettysburg, Pope Francis delivers a historic address from Independence Hall in Philadelphia Sept. 26. ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless ones” (Farewell Address, Sept. 19, 1987, 3). I take this opportunity to thank all those, of whatever religion, who have sought to serve God, the God of peace, by building cities of brotherly love, by caring for our neighbors in need, by defending the dignity of God’s gift, the gift of life in all its stages, and by defending the cause of the poor and the immigrant. All too often, those most in need of our help, everywhere, are unable to be heard. You are their voice, and many of you — men and women — have faithfully made their cry heard. In this witness, which frequently encounters powerful resistance, you remind American democracy of the ideals for which it was founded, and that society is weakened whenever and wherever injustice prevails. … Among us today are members of America’s large Hispanic population, as well as representatives of recent immigrants to the United States. Many of you have immigrated (I greet you warmly!) to this country at great personal cost, in the hope of building a new life. Do not be discouraged by whatever hardships you face. I ask you not to forget that, like those who came here before you, you bring many gifts to this nation. Please, you should never be ashamed of your traditions. Do not forget the lessons you learned from your elders, which are something
you can bring to enrich the life of this American land. I repeat, do not be ashamed of what is part of you, your lifeblood. You are also called to be responsible citizens, and to contribute fruitfully — as those who came before you did with such fortitude — to the life of the communities in which you live. I think in particular of the vibrant faith that so many of you possess, the deep sense of family life and all those other values that you have inherited. By contributing your gifts, you will not only find your place here, you will help to renew society from within. Do not forget what took place here over two centuries ago. Do not forget that Declaration which proclaimed that all men and women are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights and that governments exist in order to protect and defend those rights. … Let us cherish freedom. Freedom of conscience, religious freedom, the freedom of each person, each family, each people, which is what gives rise to rights. May this country and each of you be renewed in gratitude for the many blessings and freedoms that you enjoy. And may you defend these rights, especially your religious freedom, for it has been given to you by God himself. — Address at meeting for religious liberty with the Hispanic community and other immigrants, Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Sept. 26. NOVEMBER 2015
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Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive ❦ Eighth World Meeting of Families
Above: A large Knights of Columbus display is pictured prominently located in the exhibit hall, which included exhibit booths showcasing the work of more than 300 Catholic organizations, religious orders and apostolates serving family life. Left: Two Nashville Dominican sisters pose with family congress participants from Asia and Africa. They hold the official backpack given to registered participants, emblazoned with the World Meeting of Families logo and the Knights of Columbus emblem.
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onceived by St. John Paul II to encourage, celebrate and reflect on the vocation of Christian families in the Church and society, the World Meeting of Families has been held every three years since 1994, in cities such as Rome (1994, 2000), Manila, Philippines (2003) and Mexico City (2009). The Eighth World Meeting of Families, held recently in Philadelphia, was the largest ever, and it was the first time the event was hosted in the United States. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., and the archdiocese of Philadelphia welcomed families, priests and religious from 130 countries. 22 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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From Sept. 22-25, over 21,000 registered participants gathered at the Pennsylvania Convention Center for a family congress that included keynote addresses, breakout sessions, Mass, devotions and other activities. Featuring the largest exhibit space and ballroom in the northeastern United States, the convention center was also the site of the Supreme Convention this past August. In addition to the Order’s volunteer support and sponsorship of the World Meeting, many Knights of Columbus and their families participated in the family congress, and more than 20 members were among the event’s speakers.♦
Photos by Tom Serafin and Matthew Barrick
in celebration of the family fully alive
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From top: World Meeting of Families participants assemble at the Pennsylvania Convention Center for the opening ceremonies Sept. 22. • Bishop Jean Laffitte, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family, signs his book, The Choice of the Family, copies of which were freely distributed at the Knights of Columbus exhibit. • Sister Bethany Madonna of the Sisters of Life gives a presentation during the family congress. • Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, greets a young girl after celebrating Mass for congress participants. • Antonio Bañuelos, Iowa state secretary for the Knights of Columbus, stands with his wife, Mayra, and their three children. • Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila, Philippines, delivers a keynote address. NOVEMBER 2015
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Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive ❦ Eighth World Meeting of Families
The call to missionary discipleship MOST OF YOU KNOW the story of St. Katharine Drexel, one of the great saints raised up by this local Church. When she spoke to Pope Leo XIII of the needs of the missions, the pope — he was a very wise pope! — asked her pointedly: “What about you? What are you going to do?” Those words changed Katharine’s life, because they reminded her that, in the end, every Christian man and woman, by virtue of baptism, has received a mission. … Those words — “What about you?” — were addressed to a young person, a young woman with high ideals, and they changed her life. They made her think of the immense work that had to be done, and to realize that she was being called to do her part. How many young people in our parishes and schools have the same high ideals, generosity of spirit, and love for Christ and the Church! ... One of the great challenges facing the Church in this generation is to foster in all the faithful a sense of personal responsibility for the Church’s mission, and to enable them to fulfill that responsibility as missionary disciples, as a
Pope Francis exchanges the sign of peace with Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia.. leaven of the Gospel in our world. … Dear brothers and sisters, I thank you for the way in which each of you has answered Jesus’ question which inspired your own vocation: “What about you?” I encourage you to be renewed in the joy
and wonder of that first encounter with Jesus, and to draw from that joy renewed fidelity and strength. — Homily, Mass with bishops, clergy and religious of Pennsylvania, Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia, Sept. 26
A YOUNG PERSON once asked me — you know how young people ask hard questions! — “Father, what did God do before he created the world?” Believe me, I had a hard time answering that one. I told him what I am going to tell you now. Before he created the world, God was in love, because God is love. The love he had within himself, the love between the Father and the Son, in the Holy Spirit, was so great, so overflowing … that God could not be selfish. He had to go out from himself, in order to have someone to love outside of himself. So God created the world. … But the most beautiful thing God made — so the Bible tells us — was the family. He created man and woman. And he gave them everything. He entrusted the world to them: “Grow, multiply, cultivate the earth, make it bear fruit, let it grow.” All the love he put into that marvelous creation, he entrusted to a family. … When the man and his wife went astray and walked away from God, God did not leave them alone. Such was his love. So great was his love that he began to walk with mankind, he began to walk alongside his people, until the right time came and then he gave the greatest demonstration of love: his Son. And where did 24 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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he send his Son? To a palace, to a city, to an office building? He sent him to a family. God came into the world in a family. … The family has a divine identity card. Do you see what I mean? God gave the family an identity card, so that families could be places in our world where his truth, love and beauty could continue to take root and grow. Some of you may say to me: “Father, you can say that because you’re not married!” Certainly, in the family there are difficulties. … Families always, always, have crosses. Always. Because the love of God, the Son of God, also asked us to follow him along this way. But in families also, the cross is followed by resurrection, because there too the Son of God leads us. So the family is — if you excuse the word — a workshop of hope, of the hope of life and resurrection, since God was the one who opened this path. … Let us help one another to make it possible to “stake everything on love.” Let us help one another at times of difficulty and lighten each other’s burdens. Let us support one another. Let us be families which are a support for other families. — Address during prayer vigil for the Festival of Families, Philadelphia, Sept. 26
CNS photo/Paul Haring
‘The family has a divine identity card.’
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K OF C FAMILY SHARES TESTIMONY AT FESTIVAL OF FAMILIES RUDY AND LEONA Gonzales, together with two of their five children and two of their 10 grandchildren, had the privilege of meeting Pope Francis during the Festival of Families Sept. 26. Leona read the couple’s testimony about their strong Catholic faith; their experience as parents, grandparents and greatgrandparents; their careers as educators, and their connection to Native American culture. They were one of eight families from around the world chosen to publicly share their story with the Holy Father during the evening event, which was attended by tens of thousands. Rudy, 81, is a past grand knight of Our Lady of Fatima Shrine Council 14622 in Lewiston, N.Y., near Niagara Falls, where the couple lives in retirement on the Tuscarora Reservation.♦
TOP: L'Osservatore Romano — PRISON: CNS photo/Paul Haring
‘Jesus wants us to keep walking.’ I AM HERE as a pastor, but above all as a brother, to share your situation and to make it my own. I have come so that we can pray together and offer our God everything that causes us pain, but also everything that gives us hope, so that we can receive from him the power of the resurrection. … We also know in faith that Jesus seeks us out. He wants to heal our wounds, to soothe our feet, which hurt from traveling alone, to wash each of us clean of the dust from our journey. He doesn’t ask us where we have been; he doesn’t question us about what we have done. Rather, he tells us: “Unless I wash your feet, you have no share with me” (Jn 13:8). Unless I wash your feet, I will not be able to give you the life that the Father always dreamed of, the life for which he created you. Jesus comes to meet us, so that he can restore our dignity as children of
God. He wants to help us to set out again, to resume our journey, to recover our hope, to restore our faith and trust. He wants us to keep walking along the paths of life, to realize that we have a mission, and that confinement is never the same thing as exclusion.… This time in your life can only have one purpose: to give you a hand in getting back on the right road, to give you a hand to help you rejoin society. — Address during visit to detainees at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, Philadelphia, Sept. 27
‘May the Door of Mercy be opened.’ WORDS CANNOT FULLY express my sorrow for the abuse you suffered. You are precious children of God who should always expect our protection, our care and our love. I am profoundly sorry that your innocence was violated by those who you trusted. In some cases the trust was betrayed by members of your own family, in other cases by priests who carry a sacred responsibility for the care of soul. In all circumstances, the betrayal was a terrible violation of human dignity. … May the Door of Mercy be opened wide in our dioceses, our parishes, our homes and our hearts to receive those who were abused and to seek the path to forgiveness by trusting in the Lord. We promise to support your continued healing and to always be vigilant to protect the children of today and tomorrow. — Address during meeting with victims of sexual abuse, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia, Sept. 27 NOVEMBER 2015
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Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive ❦ Eighth World Meeting of Families
FOR THE CHURCH, the family is not first and foremost a cause for concern, but rather the joyous confirmation of God’s blessing upon the masterpiece of creation. Every day, all over the world, the Church can rejoice in the Lord’s gift of so many families who, even amid difficult trials, remain faithful to their promises and keep the faith! I would say that the foremost pastoral challenge of our changing times is to move decisively towards recognizing this gift. For all the obstacles we see before us, gratitude and appreciation should prevail over concerns and complaints. The family is the fundamental locus of the covenant between the Church and God’s creation, with that creation which God blessed on the last day with a family. Without the family, not even the Church would exist. Nor could she be what she is called to be, namely “a sign and instrument of communion with God and of the unity of the entire human race” (Lumen Gentium, 1). … As pastors, we bishops are called to collect our energies and to rebuild enthusiasm for making families correspond ever more fully to the blessing of God which they are! … A Christianity that “does” little in practice while incessantly “explaining” its teachings is dangerously unbalanced. I would even say that it is stuck in a vicious circle. A pastor must show that the “Gospel of the family” is truly “good news” in a world where self-concern seems to reign supreme! We are not speaking about some romantic dream; the perseverance that is called for in having a family and raising it transforms the world and human history. Families transform the world and history. … My brothers, may God grant us this gift of a renewed closeness between the family and the Church. Families need it, the Church needs it, and we pastors need it. The family is our ally, our window to the world; the family is the proof of an irrevocable blessing of God destined for all the children who in every age are born into this difficult yet beautiful creation that God has asked us to serve! — Address to bishops taking part in the World Meeting of Families, Philadelphia, Sept. 27 26 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
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From top: Knights of Father Ludwig Council 4609 at Villanova University stand in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art before serving as ushers during the closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families Sept. 27. • The faithful gather along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, waiting for Pope Francis to arrive for the closing Mass. • Participants follow along in the Mass booklet, 350,000 copies of which were printed by the Knights of Columbus.
FAR LEFT: CNS photo/Jonathan Ernst, Reuters — OTHER: Photos by Matthew Barrick
‘A renewed closeness between the family and the Church’
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Philadelphia
TOP: CNS photo/Matt Rourke, pool — RIGHT: CNS photo/Paul Haring
The prophetic witness of families WE CHRISTIANS, the Lord’s disciples, ask the families of the world to help us! How many of us are here at this celebration! This is itself something prophetic, a kind of miracle in today’s world, which is tired of inventing new divisions, new hurts, new disasters. Would that we could all be prophets! Would that all of us could be open to miracles of love to benefit our own families and all the families of the world, and thus overcome the scandal of a narrow, petty love, closed in on itself, impatient of others! I leave you with a question for each of you to answer — because I said the word “impatient”: At home do we shout at one another or do we speak with love and tenderness? This is a good way of measuring our love. And how beautiful it would be if everywhere, even beyond our borders, we could appreciate and encourage this prophecy and this miracle! We renew our faith in the word of the Lord, which invites faithful families to this openness. It invites all those who want to share the prophecy of the covenant of man and woman, which generates life and reveals God! May the Lord help us to be sharers in the prophecy of peace, of tenderness and affection in the family. May his word help us to share in the prophetic sign of watching over our children and our grandparents with tenderness, with patience and with love. — Homily, Closing Mass of the 8th World Meeting of Families, Philadelphia, Sept. 27
Top: Pope Francis celebrates Mass for the closing of the World Meeting of Families Sept. 27 in Philadelphia. Above: The Holy Father blesses an African girl as her family presents the offertory gifts.
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KNIGHTS IN ACTION
REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLES time. Since Hope Unlimited had recently received a new machine through the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative, its old machine was now available. Holy Rosary Council 1055 in Paducah arranged the necessary transportation to the machine’s new home. MOBILE HOME HELP
Members of Swartz Creek (Mich.) Council 6694 load an old piece of fencing into a dumpster during a scrap metal drive co-sponsored by the council and St. Mary, Queen of Angels Church. The two-day drive raised more than $2,300 for the parish.
HOMES REBUILT
In the wake of several natural disasters in 2013 and 2014, Bohol Council 3290 in Tagbilaran, Visayas, worked with
five organizations in the United States to undertake “Operation Tabang,” which will rebuild up to 12 houses for local residents. Knights go with homeowners to lumberyards and hardware stores to purchase materials for the houses and monitor the progress of the construction. Each house is blessed before it is presented to its new occupant.
1998 and successfully defended her title in 2002. BISCUITS & GRAVY
St. Joseph Council 8872 in Colbert, Wash., responded after a severe windstorm damaged 42 mobile homes in a park for low-income individuals and families, many of whom did not have insurance. Knights assisted the occupants by moving their belongings into storage units so the damage could be assessed. When this was done, the council shifted into repair mode by replacing trusses; putting down sheeting, tarpaper and new metal; fixing fascia; and waterproofing the roofs.
Leo Council 727 in Emporia, Kan., hosted a biscuit and gravy fundraiser that netted more than $1,300 for Alex Muchanthauler, a 13-yearold parishioner at Sacred Heart Church who has been fighting cancer for four years. TEAM EFFORT
CELEBRITY BANQUET
Carvel Steinke of St. Malachy Council 5128 in Morrow, Ohio, levels freshly poured concrete for a new walkway at St. Philip the Apostle Church. The walkway is part of an outdoor Stations of the Cross that Knights designed and built for the church. Now complete, the stations provide a serene space for both private and communal prayer. 28 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
Catriona Le May Doan, a double gold medalist for Canada at the Winter Olympics, delivered an inspirational talk at a celebrity dinner event sponsored by Denis Mahoney Council 8215 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. At the event, the council turned over $50,000 to the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan, whose hospital is due to open in 2017. Le May Doan won the gold medal at 500 meters at the Winter Olympic Games in
NOVEMBER 2015
Three Knights of Columbus councils joined forces to facilitate the donation of an ultrasound machine from Hope Unlimited Family Care Center in Paducah, Ky., to Shelter of Love in Morganfield. While reviewing its annual pro-life donations, Blessed Trinity Council 15181 in Dawson Springs-Princeton discovered that Shelter of Love did not have an ultrasound machine and that Durbin Council 1004 in Morganfield had been looking to fill this gap for some
A woman runner is all smiles as she crosses the finish line during a fun run hosted by Banal Na Sakramento Council 8753 in Quezon City, Luzon. Knights hosted a family fun run at their parish, with proceeds from the event going toward renovations at Banal Na Sakramento Church.
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KNIGHTS IN ACTION PRO-LIFE CHAPEL
St. Thomas Aquinas Council 11937 in Dallas renovated the eucharistic chapel at the White Rose Women’s Center, a pro-life facility operated by St. Joseph’s Helpers. In addition to providing material assistance to women facing crisis pregnancies, the center also offers spiritual support through weekly Mass and adoration. Knights repaired and painted the chapel’s ceiling, removed old carpeting and replaced it with tile flooring, and installed new pews and lighting. HOMELESS FOR A DAY
Donald D. Woods Council 4264 in Johnson City, Tenn., assisted the youth group at St. Mary Church in raising funds for Cross Catholic Outreach, an organization that assists the poor throughout the world. Chaperoned by Knights, the youth group
spent 24 hours living in a “homeless village” to generate awareness of impoverished persons and to raise funds to assist in the building of homes in developing countries. More than $6,410 was raised during the event. MEALS DELIVERED
More than 30 Knights from St. Elizabeth Council 13141 in Upper Uwchlan, Pa., helped prepare and deliver meals to St. John’s Hospice in Phoenixville, volunteering approximately 400 service hours. PERSONAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT
St. Mary of Huntley (Ill.) Council 11666 purchased personal safety equipment for the residents of the Deer Path Assisted Living Community, many of whom have disabilities. Residents have to run their wheelchairs or motorized scooters about one-half a mile down a street without sidewalks to a local plaza where they can buy food and access banking services. The lights, flags and “Slow Moving Vehicle” signs purchased by the council will allow residents to travel the roadway safely after dark. VISITING MOTHERS
Msgr. Steve Knox (left) and Father Max Striedl, along with members of St. Mary of Huntley (Ill.) Council 11666, look on as Eagle Scout candidate Ryan O’Sullivan cuts the ceremonial ribbon on the Msgr. Steve Knox Flame of the Holy Spirit Fire Pit at St. Mary Church. Knights provided volunteer manpower and financial support for O’Sullivan to renovate the fire pit at the church, which is used extensively by the parish youth ministry.
For the past 10 years, Knights from throughout the jurisdiction of Hawaii have been volunteering their time to assist children whose mothers are incarcerated at the Women’s Correctional Community Center in Kailua. The children and their caregivers travel to Oahu from the neighboring islands to stay at the diocesan center and spend time with their mothers. The Knights, in turn, provide transportation and shuttle services between the diocesan center and the correctional facility during the weekend.
Charles Roof (left), representing part of an honor guard from St. John the Evangelist Assembly in Lone Oak, Ky., looks on as Dennis Wurth Jr. of Msgr. Anthony G. Higdon Council 10962 in Paducah helps his 94-year-old mother Edith Wurth light a candle in memory of her deceased husband, Dennis Wurth Sr. The candle lighting was part of a Mass and memorial service held in honor of deceased council members. More than 115 people attended the event, which was followed by dinner for family members and council widows.
NUNS BUILD
Marquette Council 1437 in New Orleans hosted a dinner for about 40 religious sisters and guests who participated in the annual “Nuns Build,” which is sponsored by St. Bernard Project to renovate the homes and lives of Hurricane Katrina survivors. For one week each year, up to 100 sisters and Catholics from across the country join St. Bernard Project to help rebuild houses and bring families home in New Orleans. PROPERTY CLEARED
Knights from Texas District #22 volunteered more than 70 hours clearing trees, brush and undergrowth from a piece of property at Texas Women’s University that is owned by the St. John Paul II University Parish in Denton. Through the Knights’ efforts, the property was cleared in compliance with city laws.
TASTE OF ST. GERTRUDE
St. Gertrude Council 1926 in Oshawa, Ontario, along with various church ministries, held a “Taste of St. Gertrude” food fair at its parish. Knights and other volunteers prepared a dozen ethnic foods for the public. The event also featured face painting and raffles, and raised more than $3,300 for the church. AFTERNOON OF FELLOWSHIP
Kehoe Council 1764 in Ludlow, Ky., organized an afternoon of fellowship and camaraderie for residents of the Fort Thomas Campus of the Cincinnati VA Medical Center. The veterans and Knights came together to watch a Cincinnati Bengals Game, and together enjoyed refreshments during the game. The Knights also gave the veterans gift bags with warm hats, socks and candy.
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cese of Hartford’s Annual Appeal. Malta House provides medical assistance to the uninsured, and the Knights volunteered nearly 100 hours to clean and prepare the van for the installation of medical equipment. A LOVING HEART
Financial Secretary Mark Sobieski (right) of Our Lady of Guadalupe Council 15590 in Buckingham, Pa., and Tim Cathers Jr., chief squire of St. Juan Diego Circle 5704, load hams into a box for delivery to the Doylestown Food Pantry. Knights and Squires delivered 50 hams to the pantry, one of three operated by Bucks County Housing Group.
Yavapai Council 1032 in Prescott, Ariz., hosted a fundraiser and silent auction to benefit 2-year-old Isaiah Tappan, who needs a heart transplant. The event raised more than $1,500 to help care for Tappan’s treatment until a heart becomes available. CARING FOR KIDNEYS
CARE-A-VAN DONATION
MEDICAL VAN REPAIRED
Walter Pollard Council 5480 in Newport News, Va., raised $1,300 for the Mary Immaculate Care-A-Van Program, an organization that provides free medical care to uninsured adults and children in the Hampton Roads Tidewater area.
Trinity Council 5467 in Woodbridge, Conn., assisted with the cleaning and repair of a new medical van that was purchased for Malta House of Care through the Archdio-
Bremerton (Wash.) Council 1379 raised $1,100 for the Olympic Peninsula Kidney Center, a local medical facility that provides dialysis services. The council raised the funds through its annual spaghetti fiesta.
MARIAN STATUE GIVEAWAY
Santa Maria Council 1443 in Haddon Heights, N.J., gave away two statues of Our Lady of Grace to families in the local community. The council has plans to purchase and give away additional statues to further encourage Marian devotion in the community. MILITARY FAMILY SUPPORT
Bishop Eugene O’Connell Assembly in Grass Valley, Calif., donated $5,000 to Operation Warm Heart, an organization that provides financial and moral assistance to airmen and their families. Knights raised the funds at various community events over the past year. CHURCH REBUILDING ASSISTANCE
St. Caspar Council 8829 in Wauseon, Ohio, held a benefit breakfast to raise funds to
PIQUETTE SQUARE
Father John A. Hardon Assembly in Milford, Mich., donated $5,000 to Piquette Square for Veterans, a division of Southwest Solutions, in Detroit. Piquette Square provides shelter to 150 homeless veterans, offering them job training and counseling, as well as technical, health and nutrition services.
CATHOLIC MISSION ASSISTANCE
Southwest Council 3910 in Houston provided financial assistance of $100 each to four Catholic missions serving Native Americans of the Lakota, Arapaho, Eastern Shoshone and Luiseño tribes. SCHOOL GALA
Queen of the Apostles Council 6548 in Prudenville, Mich., Prince of Peace Council 6593 in Roscommon and St. Helen Council 8390 joined forces to donate $1,000 in support of a Catholic school benefit gala. The funds were used to provide entertainment at the gala, which benefited Our Lady of the Lake Regional Catholic School. 30 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦
Members of Holy Angels Council 10766 in Portsmouth, Va., hammer a post into place while constructing a wheelchair ramp for Nettie Anderson, the widow of deceased council member Albert Anderson. The council provided all materials and volunteer labor to build the ramp, which will allow Anderson to have more mobility in and around her home.
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NURSING HOME LUNCH
Our Lady of Lourdes Council 14412 in Andrews, Texas, organized a barbecue lunch for staff and residents of a local nursing home. The council organized the lunch to express their gratitude for the care that council member Al Novogradac II received at the facility following an automobile accident.
Dale Pittman of St. Luke’s Council 9128 in Temple City, Calif., removes a bookrack on the back of a pew at St. Luke Church. Knights volunteered to extend and restore the bookracks, which were too small to hold the parish’s large-print Mass books.
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help rebuild St. Barbara Church in Cloverdale, which suffered extensive damage in a fire. DISASTER AFTERMATH
Kalayaan Assembly in Muntinlupa City, Luzon, joined other local Knights in providing assistance to 50 families who lost their homes during a fire in Mariposa Village. Among the items donated by the Knights were clothes, water, rice, canned food and cooking utensils.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul to organize a benefit dinner. Knights sold tickets to the event at three local parishes, netting more than $4,250 to help the needy. ADORATION CHAPEL
TICKET SALES
St. Patrick Council 10154 in Wentzville, Mo., donated more than $25,000 to help build an adoration chapel at its parish. The council organized magnet sales and other fundraising projects to raise capital. Archbishop Robert J. Carlson of St. Louis dedicated the chapel after its completion.
St. Michael Council 1542 in La Porte, Ind., partnered with the local chapter of the
ROSARIES FOR STUDENTS
Westminster (Md.) Council 1393 presented rosaries to confirmation students at St. John Church in Westminster. Prior to distributing the rosaries, Grand Knight William Adams offered a brief introduction to the mysteries and prayers of the rosary, including the Fatima prayer. ‘SHEPHERD’S NIGHT’
Chris Clements and Pavel Hernandez of Bishop Flaget Council 13053 in Louisville, Ky., load a truck full of household goods to furnish a home for a newly arrived refugee family from Iraq. Working in conjunction with the United Nations and Louisville Catholic Charities, 18 Knights donated beds, furniture, towels, blankets and toiletries. When the family arrived from Turkey after 24 hours of travel, they walked into a newly refurbished and completely furnished apartment.
Henry Stolzenthaler Council 1675 on Staten Island organized its annual “Shepherd’s Night” to honor and thank local clergy. The event began with Mass celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Gerald T. Walsh of the Archdiocese of New York. Afterward, Knights welcomed all attendees to a homestyle meal. CADET CHOIR PERFORMANCE
Pope Pius XII Assembly in Easton, Pa., helped organize performances of the Cadet Catholic Choir from the United States Military Academy at West Point to sing at weekend Masses at St. Rocco’s Church in Martins Creek.
Members of St. Francis Xavier Assembly in Antipolo, Luzon, stand with the new church bells that St. Therese of the Child Jesus Council 13548 purchased for the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Knights raised funds for two years to purchase the three bronze bells, which were cast at the Royal Eijsbouts Foundry in Asten in the Netherlands. Four years ago, Knights also built the belfry in which the bells are now housed.
ROSARY RINGS
St. Peter’s Council 6735 in Merchantville, N.J., distributed 1,100 rosary rings to students at Paul VI High School in Haddonfield. State Deputy Andrew E. Lipenta spearheaded the distribution, contacting Knights from several local councils to contribute to the donation. PLAYGROUND CONSTRUCTED
Our Lady of Peace Council 5726 in Lethbridge, Alberta, donated $10,000 to Our Lady of Assumption School. The funds, which were raised through the council’s yearly bingo profits, were used to construct a new playground on school property. SCHOOL DINNERS
St. Charles (Mo.) Council 823 supports three local Catholic grade schools through regular fundraising dinners. With the assistance of the parish, the council has
been providing financial assistance to the schools for the past 10 years. The council’s donations to the schools over the last decade have topped nearly $100,000. NEW SIGN
Father Michael J. McGivney Council 5967 in Austin, Texas, helped raise $10,000 to build a new sign for St. Louis Catholic Church and School. The funds were raised through council-sponsored spaghetti dinners, tamale and bake sales, and personal donations.
kofc.org exclusive See more “Knights in Action” reports and photos at www.kofc.org/ knightsinaction
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P RO M OT I O NA L & G I F T I T E M S
K OF C ITEMS OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS IN THE UNITED STATES THE ENGLISH COMPANY INC. Official council and Fourth Degree equipment 1-800-444-5632 • www.kofcsupplies.com
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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 NOV. 1, 2015: 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 © 2015 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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NOVEMBER 2015
A. Father McGivney Tapestry Throw. You’ll love having and showing off this artistic tapestry throw featuring the painting “Founding Vision: Father Michael J. McGivney and the Knights of Columbus” by Antonella Cappuccio. Throw measures 48” x 60” with decorative fringe and is made of 100% polyester. It makes a stand-out choice as a room accent, throw blanket or wall hanging. Made in the USA. — $40
B.
B. Long Sleeve Button Down - Personalized. This comfortable wash-and-wear shirt is indispensable for the workday or weekend. Available in regular and TALL sizes in many colors, this cottonpolyester shirt is wrinkle resistant and features the emblem of the Order or Fourth Degree emblem on the right chest opposite the pocket. The shirt will be personalized with your council or assembly name and number, so allow 7-10 days for production. — S-XL: $35; 2XL: $37; 3XL: $38; 4XL: $39. Also available in TALL sizes, large tall to 4XL-T: add $2 each
C. C. Handmade Manger Ornament, 2015. Created by a local artist, this ornament is made specifically for the Knights of Columbus for Christmas 2015. The terra-cotta clay is individually hand cut in the shape of a star and measures approximately 5.75” x 4”. It features a unique manger scene of the Holy Family with the words “K of C 2015.” Hand painted with bronze paint, each ornament includes a hanger and comes in a gift box. Allow for slight variations. Limited quantities. — $10 Many Christmas ornaments and gifts now featured at:
knightsgear.com Questions? Call: 1-855-GEAR-KOC (855-432-7562)
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K N I G H T S O F C O L UM B U S
Building a better world one council at a time
CNS photo/Paul Haring
Every day, Knights all over the world are given opportunities to make a difference — whether through community service, raising money or prayer. We celebrate each and every Knight for his strength, his compassion and his dedication to building a better world.
TO
BE FEATURED HERE , SEND YOUR COUNCIL’ S
C OLUMBIA , 1 C OLUMBUS P LAZA , N EW
Pope Francis exchanges zucchettos with Matthew Brody of Father Robert D. Burns Council 13126 in North Wales, Pa., before celebrating Mass Sept. 26 with representatives of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. Brody is a Fourth Degree Knight and a seminarian studying for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He was also a recipient of one of the Supreme Council’s Father McGivney vocations scholarships.
“K NIGHTS IN A CTION ” H AVEN , CT 06510-3326
PHOTO AS WELL AS ITS DESCRIPTION TO : OR E - MAIL : COLUMBIA @ KOFC . ORG .
NOVEMBER 2015
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PLEASE, DO ALL YOU CAN TO ENCOURAGE PRIESTLY AND RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS. YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
K E E P T H E F A IT H A L I V E
‘I WANT TO BE GOD’S INSTRUMENT OF MERCY.’
FATHER KENNETH LAO, C.C. Associate Pastor, St. Timothy Catholic Church North York, Ontario
Photo by Nadia Molinari
I was born in the Philippines to parents of Chinese descent. The eldest of six siblings, I learned about my faith at a young age and attended Catholic schools. As a university student, I had a deep conversion experience when I participated in a Catholic charismatic community. After working for some time in the Philippines, I had the opportunity to work in China from 2002 to 2007. It was there that I sensed a calling to the priesthood. Entrusting my vocation to God, I made my consecration to Jesus through Mary as taught by St. Louis de Montfort. After meeting a religious sister who told me about the Companions of the Cross religious community, I immigrated to Canada in 2008 and joined the community on Aug. 15, the feast of the Assumption of Mary. St. John Vianney once said that “the priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus,” and this is expressed primarily through mercy. As a priest, I want to be God’s instrument of mercy.