Columbia November 2019

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K N IG H T S O F C O LU M BU S

N OVEMBER 2019

COLUMBIA

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K N I G H T S O F C O LU M BU S ♦ ♦

COLUMBIA

F E AT U R E S

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The Weight of Valor An interview with Medal of Honor recipient Edward C. Byers Jr., a member of the Knights of Columbus, about his military career and Catholic faith.

BY COLUMBIA STAFF

16 Last Respects Funeral director brothers honor homeless veterans and others who die without living family or friends.

BY BRIAN FRAGA

18 Vessels to Eternity A Knight’s handmade caskets embody faith and hope in God’s mercy.

BY BRIAN FRAGA

22 Not Their First Rodeo Rural Michigan council draws thousands to family event each year and raises funds for charity.

A bronze statue of St. Michael the Archangel is pictured in the Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.

BY JOSEPH PAPPALARDO

24 Knight on the Run Running more than 100 marathons has helped this Missouri Knight to grow in faith and perseverance.

BY BILL PAULS

D E PA RT M E N T S 3

Building a better world The Knights of Columbus can play a vital role addressing challenges facing society and the Church.

BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

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Learning the faith, living the faith In the face of discouragement, hold fast to the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.

BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

PLUS: Catholic Man of the Month

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Knights of Columbus News College Knights Called to Service, Sacrifice for Others • Catholic Latino Leaders Honor Supreme Knight • Supreme Knight Meets With West Point Cadets • Order Recognized at MLB Faith Day • K of C Asset Advisors Announces Acquisition

15 Fathers for Good Take these two steps to fulfill your vocation as a father and lead your family to eternal life.

BY JARED ZIMMERER

20 Special Report Knights Deliver Disaster Relief to the Bahamas

26 Knights in Action 28 Star Councils 2018-19

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Memento Mori THE CRYPT OF a 17th-century church in Rome is decorated in a rather unconventional way. Adorning the walls and ceilings are the skeletal remains of 4,000 Capuchin friars; a nearby plaque reads, “What you are now, we once were; what we are now, you shall be.� This sight and accompanying message are not meant to be morbid or macabre. Rather, from a Christian perspective, they are solemn and sobering reminders that we are not long for this world.

In a similar way, many saints, including St. Jerome and St. Francis of Assisi, are often portrayed holding or sitting next to a skull. Such depictions express the wisdom of the Latin maxim Memento mori (“Remember death�), which points to a simple truth: death is inevitable. While some people may imagine that technology will eventually overcome death, they too will ultimately return to dust (cf. Gen 3:19).

Together with the Latin phrase Tempus fugit (“Time flies�) — the admonition to “remember death� affirms a second universal truth: life is short.

The Letter of James puts it starkly: “You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears� (4:14).

Finally, we are reminded that death often comes suddenly and without warning. St. Anselm noted, “Nothing is more certain than death; nothing more uncertain than its hour.� Scripture says that the Lord will come like a thief (cf. 1 Thes 5:2, 2 Pt 3:10), and Christ warns, “Be watchful! Be alert!

You do not know when the time will come� (Mk 13:33). These words apply not only to the second coming and last judgment, but to our own death and particular judgment as well.

For Christians, the lesson is this: Our lives are fragile and short, and what we do with them is of eternal consequence, for death does not have the last word. It has already been conquered — not by technology or any human efforts, but by Jesus Christ.

Our hope does not lie in the passing things of this world, but in God and his infinite mercy.

This month — as we honor veterans and the Church commemorates the souls of the faithful departed — our cover story features Medal of Honor recipient Edward C. Byers Jr., a recently retired Navy SEAL who came face-to-face with death many times (see page 8). He has buried teammates and family members alike and now strives to honor their memory and glorify God by his life. The issue also features other Knights who practice the spiritual and corporal works of mercy of praying for and burying the dead (see pages 16 and 18).

The last Sunday of November, fittingly, concludes the liturgical year with the feast of Christ the King. As this world passes away, we place our trust in Jesus, who by his cross and resurrection defeated sin and death, and whose kingdom will have no end.♌ ALTON J. PELOWSKI EDITOR

New Knights of Columbus Website Launched The online home of the Knights — kofc.org — now has a fresh look, centered on growing the Order’s membership, improving member experience and refreshing brand identity. Visit the redesigned pages on Fraternal Mission, Charity, Faith, and Insurance, and explore the dynamic News Hub. 2 ♌ COLUMBIA ♌

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COLUMBIA PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus ________ SUPREME OFFICERS Carl A. Anderson SUPREME KNIGHT Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. SUPREME CHAPLAIN Patrick E. Kelly DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT Michael J. O’Connor SUPREME SECRETARY Ronald F. Schwarz SUPREME TREASURER John A. Marrella SUPREME ADVOCATE ________ EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski EDITOR Andrew J. Matt MANAGING EDITOR Cecilia Hadley SENIOR EDITOR Margaret B. Kelly ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90) Apostle to the Young, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us.

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HOW TO REACH US MAIL COLUMBIA 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 ADDRESS CHANGES 203-752-4210, option #3 addresschange@kofc.org COLUMBIA INQUIRIES 203-752-4398 K OF C CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-380-9995 EMAIL 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 Š 2019 All rights reserved ________ ON THE COVER Medal of Honor recipient Edward Byers Jr., a member of the Knights, is pictured at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

E D I TO R I A L

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BU I L D I N G A B E T T E R WO R L D

A Clarion Call to Unity and Service The Knights of Columbus can play a vital role addressing challenges facing society and the Church

by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson IN MY CLOSING REMARKS to that shares the story of a heroic delegates at this year’s Supreme Con- Knight of Columbus family who convention Aug. 8, I reflected on Pope fronted sexual abuse head on. In this Francis’ message of greeting to us and story, their priest was one of the heon the convention theme, Knights of roes. If you haven’t already watched young people, Christus Vivit. “It is the Columbus: Knights of Unity. the video, I urge you to do so, and I Holy Father’s hope,” we read, “that The Holy Father’s message states, think you will agree with me that every council will reach out and sup“In a world devastated by violence, in- every parent ought to watch it as well. port the young in these aspirations, enjustice and growing polarization, this In this work, we have the ability to abling them, through full participation witness of unity in service of the do what no other organization has the in its life and activities, ‘to share in the Gospel has become all the more resources to do. We can reach out to joy of fraternal communion’ and thus timely and urgent.” What a clarion hundreds of thousands of Catholic to contribute to the new evangelization call to us from our pope! parents to educate them, to help them as missionary disciples, filled with love We often think about our princi- understand the warning signs of abuse for the Lord and his Church.” ples of charity, unity and fraEvery council needs to ternity as something to be reach out and evangelize lived within the Catholic young Catholics to bring community — and certainly them in and help them be In this work, we have the ability that’s true. But living these better Catholic men — betto do what no other organization principles in civil society ter husbands, better fathers, today is also a high expresbetter citizens, better parishhas the resources to do. sion of patriotism. It is ioners. That’s what the pope among the best things we can is asking us to do. do as citizens to contribute And if a key to the crisis of to the common good. and what to do when they see them. faith today is young men, who is In his message, Pope Francis ad- So, from the top there are the dioce- going to reach them? Who are going dressed the scandal of abuse that we san and parish safe environment pro- to be the role models, the mentors? It have been experiencing in the United grams, and from the grassroots, there has to be us. And we have the strategy States now for close to 20 years, and is the Knights of Columbus. And to do it — Faith in Action and Buildin other countries more recently. Ob- when those two come together, we ing the Domestic Church, as well as viously, we’re all very concerned about will have parish communities in our men’s spirituality program, Into justice for the victims and about pu- which abusive individuals won’t be the Breach, and marriage spirituality rifying and renewing the Church. able to do harm. program, Complete My Joy. How, then, do we go forward and We have a tremendous opportunity The Holy Father is asking us to take make an important, maybe even deci- to make a real difference in the up this great cause of the evangelizasive, contribution in this crisis?

Knights of Columbus way — brother tion of the next generation of First, every council should partici- Knight to brother Knight, K of C fam- Catholic leaders. There is no better pate in our safe environment program ily to K of C family, and in unity and organization to do it than the Knights and implement it fully. Of equal im- solidarity with our priests and bishops. of Columbus, and we have the tools portance is our new initiative ProtectThe message from Pope Francis also to do it today. ing Our Children, featuring a video refers to his apostolic exhortation to Vivat Jesus!

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L E A R N I N G T H E FA I T H , L I V I N G T H E FA I T H

Scatter the Darkness In the face of discouragement, hold fast to the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit

by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

WITH THE APPROACH of winter, this crisis is over. We’ve just got to days get shorter in the Northern weather the storm.” But such deHemisphere. Darkness arrives earlier featism has no place in the Church’s and lingers longer. For some, the long mission. dark hours can breed discourageEach day, I bring to prayer not only ment. With sunlight in short supply, my own problems and worries but also Corinth: “Because we have this minwe may find ourselves dwelling on the intentions entrusted to me by istry through the mercy of God, we things that make us sad, perhaps a those I meet. I also pray about the im- do not lose heart” (2 Cor 4:1). When personal dilemma or a family prob- mense challenges the Church is facing, Timothy was in danger of losing lem. Gloom may also descend on us not the least of which is finding the heart because of the burdens of his as we reflect on the state of the path forward to engage wholeheart- ministry, Paul wrote to him: “God Church or the world. edly in its mission of evangelization. did not give us a spirit of cowardice Discouragement has a parabut rather of power and love lyzing effect, doesn’t it? We and self-control” (2 Tim 1:7). find it more difficult to fulfill How easily Father McGivney our daily responsibilities and could have succumbed to disAs the days grow darker, the make decisions, including couragement when founding encouragement of the Holy Spirit the Knights of Columbus. those that might improve our lot. One person put it to me Fortunately for us, he did not. shines forth with renewed clarity. We this way: “I know what I need admire his indomitable to do for my family, but try as spirit, and we must make it I might, I just can’t.” Another our own by bringing a spirit of said: “Getting up in the morning is One day during a Holy Hour, it hit joy and encouragement to the mislike rebooting my computer. All my me like a brick: I was reminded of the sion of the Order, especially its misworries, problems and bitter feelings gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, and sion of charity. start up all over again. Before I have it was as if a voice within said, “You As we gather around dining room my first cup of coffee, I’m right back don’t find discouragement among the tables for Thanksgiving and prepare where I was the day before.” Some gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, do for the Advent season, let us open spiritual writers call this “the morning you? What you find are courage and our hearts to the Holy Spirit. We do demons.” It’s the devil’s way of get- joy.” I didn’t need to say another word not ask for magical solutions to our ting our day off to a bad start and to the Lord for the remainder of that problems but for a deeper conviction keeping us in the doldrums. hour. The Lord had said it all. that Christ has conquered the world The Church’s ministry can simiAs the days grow darker, both cos- and that his love is stronger than our larly be affected. Since the abuse cri- mically and metaphorically, the en- problems and sins. The mission of sis gripped the Church anew, more couragement of the Holy Spirit shines his Church continues in good times than one priest has told me of his dis- forth with renewed clarity. Take, for and bad, and all things are possible couragement. Seeing smaller congre- example, words found in the prologue for God. gations on Sunday and hearing to St. John’s Gospel: “The light shines Let us carry this conviction to our criticisms from all sides, some have in the darkness and the darkness has personal lives and families, to our said in effect: “What’s the use of not overcome it” (1:5). Or think of workplaces, and to the work of our evangelizing? No one will listen until what St. Paul wrote to the Church at Order and the Church.♦ 4 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

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SUPREME CHAPLAIN’S CHALLENGE

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A monthly reflection and practical challenge from Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori: Then [one of the criminals] said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.� He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.� (Gospel for Nov. 24, Lk 23:42-43) We’ve read these words so many times that it’s easy to miss their power. Here is Jesus using his last minutes of earthly life to show mercy to a dying criminal and to promise him life in heaven that very day. We may not like to admit it, but

H O LY FAT H E R ’ S P R AY E R I N T E N T I O N

we have a tendency to insulate ourselves from entire groups of people — perhaps the poor, the homeless or the sick. Yet these are precisely the people with whom Jesus spent so much time. While the religious “upper class� often ignored or mocked Jesus, the poor acknowledged him as Lord and were transformed. May the unlikely words of a criminal — “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom� — become our own urgent prayer.

Challenge by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori: This month, I challenge you to ask God’s pardon and mercy by making a thorough examination of conscience and going to confession. I also challenge you to serve those in need individually or with your council through Faith in Action programs such as Coats for Kids or Food for Families.♌

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

St. John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

That a spirit of dialogue, encounter and reconciliation emerge in the Near East, where diverse religious communities share their lives together.

L I T U RG I C A L C A L E N DA R Nov. 1 All Saints Nov. 2 The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day) Nov. 4 St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop Nov. 9 The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica Nov. 11 St. Martin of Tours, Bishop Nov. 12 St. Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr Nov. 13 St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin (USA) Nov. 21 The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Nov. 22 St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr Nov. 24 Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Nov. 30 St. Andrew, Apostle

THE FIRST STEP of John Henry Newman’s spiritual quest came at age 15, with a profound experience of the presence of God. He later entered Trinity College, Oxford, where he studied theology. Ordained an Anglican priest in 1825, Newman had a secure life ahead of him as a pastor and scholar.

In the 1840s, he became a leader of the Oxford Movement, which examined the Catholic roots of the faith in England. “I had to make up my mind for myself, and others could not help me,� he later wrote. “I determined to be guided, not by my imagination, but by my reason.�

After becoming convinced that the Catholic Church was established by Christ, Newman was received into the Church in 1845, a move that cost him friends and esteemed positions. He was soon ordained a priest in Rome and returned to England to found the country’s first Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Birmingham. He spent four years in Ireland, helping to found a Catholic university, but otherwise lived in Birmingham for the rest of his life. Pope Leo XIII named him a cardinal in 1879.

A prolific writer, Newman penned poetry and novels as well as books on the development of doctrine, education, Christian conscience, and the role of the laity. “I want a laity, not arrogant, not rash in speech, not disputatious, but ‌ who know their creed so well, that they can give an account of it,â€? he wrote. “I want an intelligent, well-instructed laity.â€?

Newman died Aug. 11, 1890, at age 89. His epitaph summed up his life’s great quest: Ex umbris et imaginibus in veritatem (Out of shadows and phantasms into the truth). He was beatified

by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 and canonized by Pope Francis Oct. 13.♌

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K N I G H T S O F C O LU M BU S N E W S

College Knights Called to Service, Sacrifice for Others

MORE THAN 200 Knights gathered from colleges and universities across the United States and Canada for the 54th College Councils Conference in New Haven, Conn., Sept. 27-29.

Welcoming the men to the opening awards banquet, Deputy Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly said, “As leaders in your college councils, you have taken on a heavy burden — that’s what it means to be a Knight. But you don’t have to bear that burden alone.�

Father Maurice Henry Sands, executive director of the Black and Indian Mission Office, gave a keynote address about the Order’s outreach to Native Americans and First Nations people. A member of several Michigan tribes and a longtime Knight, Father Sands described the painful history of indigenous peoples and the challenges they face today: high levels of poverty, unemployment and substandard housing, education and health care. “The Gospel message of Jesus Christ is what native people need more than anything else,� he said, while also noting many ways that Knights can reach out in charity to native communities, both on reservations and in urban centers. “There are lots of opportunities, and your presence in these communities will make a really great difference,� he said.

At the conclusion of the banquet, awards were presented to councils for exemplary programs and activities, as well as for membership and insurance growth.

This year’s Outstanding College Council Award was presented to St. Peter’s University Council 7913 in Jersey City, N.J. Among other initiatives, the council runs a Catholic radio show and partners with a local Coptic Orthodox church to tutor children whose families fled religious persecution in Egypt.

In an address the next day, Deputy Supreme Knight Kelly said, “The very word ‘knight’ comes from a German word that means servant. It makes you think of a band of brothers — a chosen few, called to grow in virtue and sacrifice for others. Our Order, and our culture, needs active Knights living lives of heroism in their councils, their parishes and the communities.�

In addition to attending a series of talks, breakout sessions and fraternal activities, the Knights also gathered for Mass and eucharistic adoration, and recited together a prayer of consecration to St. Joseph.

They also put the Order’s principle of charity into action — assembling hundreds of care packages with food, water and toiletries and distributing them in downtown New Haven.♌

Catholic Latino Leaders Honor Supreme Knight THE CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION of Latino Leaders presented Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson with an Angel Award for his philanthropic legacy.

In his remarks at the award ceremony, which took place in Los Angeles Sept. 7, the supreme knight noted that Latinos have become the majority 6 ♌ COLUMBIA ♌

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Catholic community in many U.S. dioceses and are uniquely positioned to meet the challenges of defending and spreading the faith. “It is a great task, and one that puts you on the side of Our Lady of Guadalupe and of the angels,â€? he said. “And at the Knights of Columbus we are ready to be your partners.â€?♌

Knights from 90 colleges and universities stand together with Dominican Father John Paul Walker (center), pastor of St. Mary’s Parish, and other K of C chaplains after Mass at St. Joseph’s Church in New Haven, Conn., Sept. 28.

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K N I G H T S O F C O LU M BU S N E W S

Supreme Knight Meets With West Point Cadets FOLLOWING THE ARMY football victory Sept. 21, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson went to Mass and dinner with the cadets of Msgr.

Cornelius George O’Keefe Council 8250 at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. In remarks, the supreme knight discussed Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s famous Duty, Honor, Country speech delivered at West Point in 1962 and drew a parallel with the founding principles of the Knights of Columbus. “The Catholic virtues of charity, unity and fraternity ‌ also stand out ‘like a tenfold beacon in the night,’â€? he said. “Like duty, honor and country, they can form the character of the Catholic American soldier. ‌ They will help you bring a needed Catholic perspective to the maintenance of our nation’s moral compass.â€?

After the dinner, Grand Knight Jeffrey Vollenweider Jr. and Past Grand Knight Evan Crowell presented the supreme knight with a feather-plumed “tar bucket,â€? the full dress hat worn by West Point seniors.♌

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson and Supreme Director Carmine Musumeci stand with members of Msgr. Cornelius George O’Keefe Council 8250 in front of the Douglas MacArthur Monument at West Point.

Order Recognized at MLB Faith Day

A K of C delegation joins the Washington Nationals’ mascot, Screech, on the playing field of Nationals Park before a game Sept. 26. During the team’s Faith Day celebration, the Knights of Columbus was recognized with the “Spirit Award� for the Order’s charitable work. Pictured left to right are: Senior Vice President Mark McMullen, Maryland State Deputy Dale Trott, Supreme Secretary Michael O’Connor, District of Columbia State Deputy Brandon Brown, and Virginia State Deputy Bob Szerszynski.

K of C Asset Advisors Announces Acquisition KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Asset Advisors LLC, the Order’s institutional investment arm, has purchased the institutional management business of Boston Advisors LLC. Boston Advisors, the investment advisor to Knights of Columbus since 2011 and KoCAA sub-advisor since 2015, will operate as an investment division of KoCAA. At the time of the acquisition Oct. 1, Boston Advisors held approximately $2.37 billion in assets under management. “The Boston Advisors business model aligns with our objective of providing clients with investment capabilities across several equity strategies,â€? said Tony Minopoli, president and chief investments officer of Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors. “We look forward to serving our new investors and seek to deliver strong investment performance portfolios.â€?♌

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THE WEIGHT

OF VALOR An interview with Medal of Honor recipient Edward C. Byers Jr., a member of the Knights of Columbus, about his military career and Catholic faith

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s a young Navy medic in SEAL training, Edward Byers Jr. covered his barrack room with notes — reminders of his daily goals: Did you work out today? Did you run? Did you swim? And set in capital letters: DID YOU PRAY TODAY? Byers’ Catholic faith strengthened him as he pursued his dream to become one of the Navy’s elite special operators. He was assigned to his first SEAL (Sea, Air and Land) team in 2004 and later served with the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. During his 21-year career, he deployed overseas 11 times, including multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. And through those years of war, he continued to make time for prayer, seeking God’s protection and peace.

He prayed Dec. 8, 2012, as he and his team hiked in darkness toward a Taliban compound in the mountains of Afghanistan. Their mission was to rescue an American doctor who had been kidnapped. Byers prayed again at the end of mission, over his brother SEAL, Petty Officer 1st Class Nicolas Checque. The doctor was safe, but Checque had been mortally wounded.

For his heroic actions that night, Byers became the first living SEAL since the Vietnam War to receive the U.S. military’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor (see his award citation, page 11). President Barack Obama bestowed the medal on Byers in a White House ceremony attended

by Byers’ wife, Madison, and daughter, Hannah, in February 2016.

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Medal of Honor recipient Edward Byers Jr. prays at the grave of his Navy SEAL teammate Nicolas Checque in Arlington National Cemetery. Checque was killed during a rescue mission in Afghanistan. (Photo by Greg Gibson)

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Byers retired from active duty Sept. 19 as a master chief and is now pursuing a master of business administration degree at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. As a board member of the Medal of Honor Foundation, he also travels throughout the nation to promote the virtues embodied by the medal. He likewise serves on the honorary board of the Navy SEAL Foundation and the advisory board of the C4 Foundation, charities that support SEALs and their families.

Byers joined the Knights of Columbus in Virginia last year and spoke with Columbia on Sept. 29, the feast of St. Michael the Archangel.

COLUMBIA: Can you tell us a little about your family and your faith background?

MASTER CHIEF EDWARD C. BYERS JR.: I grew up in northern Ohio on a small farm in a town called Grand Rapids. My parents divorced when I was 5 years old. They both had children from previous marriages, and my siblings are much older than me. I lived with my father, who was Catholic, but my faith really stemmed in large part from my brother-inlaw, Trevor, who is now a permanent deacon. When I was still in grade school and he was dating my sister, he introduced me to the Latin Mass and had a big impact on me, drawing me to the faith.

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COLUMBIA: What led you to choose a career in the Navy and train to be a medic?

BYERS: My father was in the Navy at the very end of World War II. He never really talked about his time in the service, but we were a very patriotic family. The American flag was always flying outside, and the Fourth of July was probably the most celebrated holiday of the year.

When I was in junior high in the early ’90s, a lot of books and movies on Vietnam and the Navy SEAL community started coming out. I became fascinated with the concept of an elite, mythical group of guys doing really incredible and dangerous things.

By the time I was a senior, I knew I was going to join the military. School was never really a priority. My father was a carpenter and had a small general contracting company, so I would have done construction if I didn’t join the military.

Becoming a medic was my mother’s idea. If I didn’t like the military, she said, I would have something to fall back on in the civilian world.

After I joined as a Navy hospital corpsman, I learned that the SEAL community was over-manned and deferring corpsmen who wanted to try out. I had joined to be a SEAL, so the closest thing was to go with the Marines. That’s how I started off.

Pictured here in Afghanistan in 2012, Byers deployed overseas 11 times during his career as a Navy SEAL.

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C OLUMBIA : Of course, you did eventually apply and train to become a SEAL. What was that like?

BYERS: While I was with the Marines, I had to fill out a special request to go to BUD/S — Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. I had spent almost three years with the Marines, and then 9/11 happened. Four months later, my request to go to BUD/S training was approved. Off to San Diego I went.

SEAL training was hardest I had pushed myself in my life, and there’s this self-doubt that creeps in. I distinctly remember a few times when, on the brink of breaking and wanting to quit, I would say little prayers like, “If this is something you want me to do, I don’t know how much more I can take. If I can just get a 30-second break, I think that would be enough for me to go on.� And next thing you know, the instructors would blow the whistle for us to take a break at a critical moment. I never will forget that.

C OLUMBIA : What role has your faith played in your military service?

B YERS : When I entered the military, I was really diving into Catholic apologetics.

This is right around the time that authors like Scott Hahn were writing books like Rome Sweet Home. I wanted to really understand the faith and be able to explain it to other people. So, when I was with the Marines, it was a deeply religious time in my life.

In our unit, a few of us who were Catholics would go to Mass together. My first deployment with them, my first time away from home, was in 2000. Not every ship has a priest, and I started leading prayer groups when the priests couldn’t get there for Mass. I created pamphlets that I passed out. We started to get a pretty good following from that.

You know, I believe a lot in being at the right place at the right time. For example, I remember porting in Dubrovnik, Croatia, where we were doing a monthlong exercise with the Croatian army and staying in old barracks. I picked a bunk at random and when I lay down, I saw a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary staring down at me from the bunk above. I took it, and I still have that image today, framed in our house.

Medal of Honor Mission | Dec. 8, 2012 Dr. Dilip Joseph, an American aid doctor, was abducted by Taliban forces Dec. 5, 2012. Three days later, Chief Petty Officer Special Warfare Operator Edward C. Byers Jr. and a team of fellow Navy SEALs hiked four hours through the mountains to reach the small, single-room building where Joseph was being held in a remote area of Afghanistan. Byers’ actions in the engagement that followed are described in his Medal of Honor citation:

As the rescue force approached the target building, an enemy sentry detected them and darted inside to alert his fellow captors. The sentry quickly reemerged, and the lead assaulter [Petty Office 1st Class Nicolas Checque] attempted to neutralize him. Chief Byers with his team sprinted to the door of the target building.

As the primary breacher, Chief Byers stood in the doorway fully exposed to enemy fire while ripping down six layers of heavy blankets fastened to the inside ceiling and walls to clear a path for the rescue force. The first assaulter [Checque] pushed his way through the blankets, and was mortally wounded by enemy small arms fire from within.

Chief Byers, completely aware of the imminent threat, fearlessly rushed into the room and engaged an enemy guard aiming an AK-47 at him. He then tackled another adult male who had darted towards the corner of the room. During the ensuing hand-to-hand struggle, Chief Byers confirmed the man was not the hostage and engaged him.

As other rescue team members called out to the hostage, Chief Byers heard a voice respond in English and raced toward it. He jumped atop the American hostage and shielded him from the high volume of fire within the small room. While covering the hostage with his body, Chief Byers immobilized another guard with his bare hands....

The medal citation concludes:

His bold and decisive actions under fire saved the lives of the hostage and several of his teammates. By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of near certain death, Chief Petty Officer Byers reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

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Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Edward Byers speaks during his induction into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes March 1, 2016. • Opposite page: Byers wore this St. Michael the Archangel patch during all his combat operations. In Latin, it reads: “St. Michael Pray for Us.”

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I wore that patch on my uniform for every single operation I’ve ever been a part of.

COLUMBIA: Do you find it significant that the rescue mission for which you received the Medal of Honor coincided with the feast of the Immaculate Conception?

BYERS: That is something that gives me chills thinking about.

By 2012, I had already been going to war for seven straight years. I was gone 280 to 300 days a year on average, and every single year there’s a deployment to a war zone. I had seen a lot of combat by then.

We were in a pretty remote region of Afghanistan, and access to church wasn’t readily available. So the feast day wasn’t something I was tracking at that time. It was only in the days afterward that I started to reflect.

There was also time to process the fact that we had just lost an incredible warrior and teammate, Nic Checque. He was right in front of me when that happened, and it could have

COLUMBIA: You have a particular devotion to St. Michael the Archangel. Can you say a word about that?

BYERS: War is not pretty, and it’s not kind. A lot of horrific things happen, things that impact you psychologically and emotionally.

So I really turned to St. Michael the Archangel, because he’s the patron saint of police and the military. The Prayer to St. Michael — “defend us in battle, be our protection” — really struck home for me.

During my very first deployment to Iraq, in 2005, we were walking up to a group of Navy SEALs that were leaving. I saw a guy wearing a colorful patch of St. Michael that said in Latin “Sancte Michael Ora Pro Nobis.”

I don’t know what compelled me, but I just walked right up to him and said, “That’s a really cool patch. Can I have it?” I don’t know who this guy was to this day, but without hesitation he just gave it to me and said, “It protected me while I was here, and I hope it does the same for you.”

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easily been me. Only God knows why he was taken and I wasn’t. So you think about that and it’s humbling, to say the least.

I ask God, “What is your intent with me? Why am I still here?� I reflect on that a lot. I don’t believe in coincidences.

C OLUMBIA: You have described the Medal of Honor as a “weight� as well as an honor. Can you elaborate?

BYERS: No one ever thinks they’re going to become a Medal of Honor recipient. Usually it’s given posthumously, for heroics the likes of which you can’t fathom.

So it really makes you take a step back and go, “Well, what is my purpose? What am I supposed to do with this exalted position?�

I see it as a chance to witness to my faith and give glory to God. I mention God and St. Michael at every single speech I give. I have an obligation to do that because of the graces I have received.

With any great honor comes responsibility, and with responsibility comes an aspect of burden. Receiving the Medal of Honor is a lifelong commitment.

There are only 71 living recipients, and our oldest is from World War II — Woody Williams is 96 years old. He’s been a recipient for 70-plus years, and he still travels around the country promoting the values of the Medal of Honor, which are sacrifice, integrity, patriotism, courage, commitment and citizenship.

I never thought in a million years that I would be retiring at 40. I thought I would be a SEAL for 30 years. But it basically became too difficult to honor the duties of a Medal of Honor recipient and also be an effective SEAL — there is an unwritten rule that once you become a recipient you can no longer go into combat. So receiving the medal prevented me from doing the job that I loved doing.

And with the commitments of being a recipient comes a constant reminder of those who sacrificed — Nic Checque, and many other brothers and teammates too.

I have a responsibility to recognize the sacrifices of all those who had a role in my becoming a recipient. I just was in the right spot at the right time, doing the right thing. It could have easily been someone else, but it just happened to be me.

Nic Checque is the one who gave the ultimate sacrifice, and he did it heroically. There are lots of emotions that revolve around being a recipient and having to relive those memories all the time.

COLUMBIA: Can you speak a bit about your life as a husband and a father, and the challenges of balancing military and family commitments?

BYERS: My wife is an incredible woman. She’s extremely tough. She’s had to be, as a military wife and especially the wife of a SEAL. The beautiful part is that we’ve been together since I was a corpsman with the Marines, so she’s been a witness to the entire process. I think that has really helped keep us together. I don’t know the exact figure, but the divorce rate in the special operations community is significantly higher than the national average.

Relationships aren’t perfect, and perfect isn’t real. Marriage takes work, and we’ve been able to manage the ups and downs. I think it’s a testament to both of us of realizing that, “for better or worse,� you stick together and you figure out ways to get through.

It’s particularly hard for someone to be at home and never have any idea what you’re doing.

In our community, you don’t talk about what you’re doing and might not have any contact for months.

It takes a lot of faith, courage and commitment to be in that relationship.

And we’ve been blessed to have a beautiful daughter, who was born right before my very first deployment to Iraq. She is going into high school now. She is a competitive figure skater and extremely talented. For most of her life, I was gone away at war, and she didn’t know if her dad was going to come home.

I am at home a lot more now, but I’m still gone quite a bit because being a recipient has you on the road a lot. So, we just try to focus on having quality time together and make the most of it when we are with each other.

As a husband and a father, I just do my best to honor my commitments and recognize how resilient and strong my wife and daughter are.

COLUMBIA: How did you learn about the Knights of Columbus, and what led you to join the Order last year?

BYERS: I’ve known about the Knights of Columbus for a long time, since I was growing up. I always had an inclination to join the Knights, but there’s only so much time and bandwidth that you have in life. So I pushed off joining.

Finally, I came to the realization that if I don’t join, I’m going to keep having this excuse that I don’t have time. If I join, I’ll start making some time.

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COLUMBIA: Do you have any words of advice or wisdom to share with your brother Knights?

B YERS: First, if you’re a Catholic man thinking about joining the Knights of Columbus, there’s no better time to do it than right now.

Things will naturally work out, and you’ll end up making time to do your part.

For those who are already members, I would remind them to look out for your brothers and sisters to the left and to the right of you. An important cause for me is veteran suicide. An astronomical number of veterans commit suicide. And it’s because they have lost hope and don’t have that support network they once had.

There’s so much depression in the world, and I think it comes from a lack of hope. Never forget about those people on the margins.

Focus energy on those who need help the most.

Help them feel that they’re important, and help instill the virtues that God intends for us to have — faith, hope and love. You can bring hope through your good nature and the works you can do for somebody.

When I was first becoming a medic, an instructor said, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.�

People need to know that you care about them.

And as we deal with everything that life throws at us, the Church invites us to come back in communion with Christ. Even when we fall, there’s hope to rise again.♌ Follow Byers on social media: @frogmanmohvi 14 ♌ C O L U M B I A ♌

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Byers is pictured at the gravesite of his father, a World War II veteran.

He explained, “My father passed away at 85, three weeks before the deployment when we conducted the rescue mission for Dr. Joseph.

We cremated him and I said, ‘We’ll bury dad when I get back home.’ I planned his funeral from Afghanistan. Within a week after I got back off deployment, we buried him in Arlington National Cemetery in honor to his service in the Navy.�

I joined because the Knights of Columbus is like the religious extension to how I live my life in the SEAL community.

The military does humanitarian work all around the world following natural disasters.

And through the Medal of Honor Society’s character development program, we work to instill the virtues I mentioned earlier.

The Knights of Columbus has the same kind of concept — focused on values like family and charity toward people at home and abroad, doing your part to make a better society. There’s also unity and fraternity, which is like our brotherhood — a group of like-minded individuals coming together and the power of coming together as a team, combining everybody’s goodwill and nature and intelligence and resources. Finally, there’s patriotism and pride in one’s country.

These tenets just really fall in line with who I am.

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

Fight the Great Fight Take these two steps to fulfill your vocation as a father and lead your family to eternal life

by Jared Zimmerer

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n his award-winning novel The Moviegoer, Catholic author Walker Percy writes these memorable words about manhood: “In this world goodness is destined to be defeated. But a man must go down fighting. That is the victory. To do anything less is to be less than a man.�

In the battle of good and evil, we can only be in one of two places — on the front lines or AWOL. Too often, we men fail to fight to the end. We surrender to the culture, to social pressure and to the weakness within. We all need encouragement and guidance, so let’s look at two aspects of this ongoing fight: the interior life and the life of evangelization.

As St. Paul VI reminded us in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, “Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity.�

Beset by the challenges in our lives and the troubles of the world, we can forget this. When the Church becomes sedentary in faith, a toxic type of spiritual arthritis sets in. Today, 25% of the U.S. population does not profess any religion — the ever-growing “nones� — and many other countries have similar numbers. It seems to me that now is the time to “go down fighting.�

The main field of evangelization for fathers is their own homes. Just as the universal Church is defined by evangelizing the world, so the mission of the family, the domestic church, is to hand on the faith from one generation to the next. One household at a time, we fathers can stem the tide of “nones� as we serve Christ and his Church.

Two key principles of evangelization identified by the Word on Fire Institute are especially relevant to our vocation as fathers and our mission as Knights of Columbus: evangelization of the culture and a life grounded in the Eucharist.

Evangelization of the culture requires an understanding of how to speak through and within contemporary culture. Fathers can practice this principle within the family

by finding out what their children and wives love. What movies do they watch? What music do they enjoy? What are their favorite video games or online platforms? One of the best ways to form a bond with others is to take an active interest in what they enjoy, yet so often fathers take a passive or dismissive view of their children’s interests.

Engage your family members by asking about the things closest to their hearts and minds. Love what they love, provided it is something good. Show them that what they love matters to you — and what you love will matter more to them. Once you’ve earned the right to discuss their loves, you will find ways to sow the “seeds of the Word� through which the Gospel can be understood and lived.

To be grounded in the Eucharist means having a spiritual life based on the sacrificial offering of Christ, specifically a devotion to the Eucharist. How often do you attend Mass? How often do you spend time in eucharistic adoration? You cannot give what you do not have. If you attempt to bring your family closer to Christ by your own human efforts, you will do more than fail. You will likely lead everyone astray.

To become the father and the man you are called to be, you must know, love and serve the greatest man who “went down fighting.� Jesus calls us to heroic virtue, and the Eucharist is our food for the fight.

Get to Mass as often as possible. Go to adoration and allow your child to see you on your knees, engaging in the fight. Be the sacrificial priest, prophet and king of your home. When it comes to the eternal life of your family members, don’t settle for an easy surrender. “To do anything less is to be less than a man.â€?♌ JARED ZIMMERER, a husband and father of six children, is director of the Word on Fire Institute and a member of St. Francis of Assisi Council 7099 in Grapevine, Texas.

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

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Last Respects Funeral director brothers honor homeless veterans and others who die without living family or friends

by Brian Fraga

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he hearse pulled up to Catholic Memorial School in West Roxbury, Mass. Eight students in blazers and khakis escorted the casket into the school’s chapel, while two U.S. Navy sailors stood at attention and saluted.

Edward Beckman, a Navy veteran who succumbed to leukemia at age 68, had died with no known living friends or family. But several dozen people gathered in the chapel to pay their respects at Beckman’s funeral Mass Sept. 23. Bill and Bob Lawler, who run Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home, saw to that.

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over a thousand indigent and homeless people — many of them veterans — who had no contact with family or close friends when they died. It remains one of the very few funeral homes out of nearly 500 in Massachusetts that are willing to bury the indigent, homeless and unclaimed.

Bill and Bob Lawler, both of whom are members of West Roxbury Council 3049, see this as a way of putting their faith into action.

“We’re here to help and assist,” said Bill, a past grand knight. “That’s how we were brought up.”

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Indeed, the Lawler brothers are carrying on the work of their late father, Robert Lawler Sr. “Our father was a faith-filled man,� said Bob. “He always made sure we continued that tradition of never saying no to anybody.�

Robert Lawler Sr. started the family funeral business in 1946, a few years before he joined the Knights. He and his wife, Alice, had eight children.

A past grand knight of Jamaica Plain Council 120 and a Fourth Degree member, Robert Sr. was especially interested in serving veterans and often volunteered at a veteran’s hospital in Boston.

He remained a vital part of the family business until his death at age 83 in January 2007.

In recent years, the Lawler brothers have forged relationships with local Catholic high schools to educate and involve young people in this corporal work of mercy. Students have carried caskets, served as lectors at funeral Masses and prayed for the deceased.

Bill Lawler noted, “It helps students understand that they are very fortunate in life, and not everybody is in the same situation.�

For some, the funerals are their first up-close experiences with death. “It really does have quite an effect on the kids as well as the

faculty,� Bob Lawler said. “You can see it on their faces.�

At Beckman’s funeral Mass, students from Catholic Memorial’s speech and debate team served as pallbearers and lectors. “It was an extremely honorable thing to be a part of,� said Rory Redmond, the team’s captain. “Especially in this situation where they don’t have anyone to support them, we can be that support and we can make sure they get a nice burial.�

The students also attended a military ceremony performed outdoors after the Mass. Beckman, who joined the Navy in 1972 and served until he was honorably discharged, received military funeral honors: Taps was played, and the honor guard of two sailors folded the flag from his casket and presented it to the school’s vice principal. “This is something I’m going to remember forever,� said Marcus Gadsden, the team’s co-captain.

The Lawlers conduct a few dozen such burials each year, often knowing little about the dead other than a name and where and when they died. In many cases, the deceased have no living relatives or their relationships with friends and family have deteriorated because of substance abuse or other circumstances.

The brothers consider themselves fortunate that, through this corporal work of mercy, they are able to witness to human dignity and pass on the lessons they have learned. “To live what we preach as Catholics is very important,�

Bill said. “Nobody gets buried alone.â€?♌

Above: Bill Lawler (hand on heart) and students and faculty of Catholic Memorial School in West Roxbury, Mass., pay respects to veteran Edward Beckman as a Navy honor detail renders military funeral honors. Lawler and his brother Bob, both Knights, often involve Catholic students in their work of burying the indigent or homeless. • Opposite page: Students from Catholic Memorial’s speech and debate team serve as pallbearers during the funeral.

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Vessels to Eternity A Knight’s handmade caskets embody faith and hope in God’s mercy

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ope John Paul II’s funeral Mass marked a radical turning point in Marcus Daly’s career.

“There in St. Peter’s Square, filled with beautiful architecture and art, was his simple wooden casket with a Marian cross,” recalled Daly, 51. “It was a profound statement about our nakedness before God. We come into this world naked.

We go out of this world naked.”

That sight sparked a desire in Daly, a self-taught carpenter who once dreamed of becoming a boatbuilder, to craft vessels for a different kind of journey.

In 2009, Daly sold his landscaping business on Vashon Island, about a 20-minute ferry ride from Seattle, and launched a company called Marian Caskets to build and sell caskets modeled on Pope John Paul II’s. He completes the caskets with the help of his wife, Kelly, and their eight children, and 18 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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ships them throughout the country.

“Everything that’s important to me comes together in this work,” said Daly, a member of St. Bridget Council 13834 in Seattle.

Daly spends about 25 hours crafting each casket from either pine or oak. Most are adorned with a cross and a capital “M” recalling the presence of Mary at the crucifixion, as seen in John Paul II’s coat of arms. Many are also carved with the concluding prayer of the Divine Mercy chaplet — “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, Have Mercy on Us” — and the Divine Mercy message — “Jesus, I Trust in You.” “At the end of our lives, mercy is what we most want to receive, and it’s also what we most need to give,” said Daly, who often prays the Divine Mercy chaplet as he works.

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THE MONTH OF ALL SOULS

Marcus Daly, pictured with his son Stephen, builds wooden caskets in his workshop on Vashon Island, Wash.

Attaching handles to each casket reminds Daly of those who will soon be bearing the weight of a father, mother, grandparent or dear friend as they escort a loved one to their final resting place.

Daly receives orders directly from families, with whom he often develops brief yet profound relationships. “I feel like I’ve gotten a graced glimpse into the wider body of Christ,� he said.

His wife and children assist him in the business in a variety of ways, from painting the carved prayers to lining the caskets with hand-sewn mats filled with hay. They also pray the rosary every night for the families who have recently lost or will soon lose a loved one.

Some of the caskets have also been carved with emblems of the Fourth Degree for deceased Knights. Daly, who joined the Order in 2011, sees connections between his work and Father

NOVEMBER is traditionally devoted to those who have died, beginning with two important feasts: On All Saints Day, Nov. 1, the Church honors the saints in heaven, and on All Souls Day, Nov. 2, we pray for the souls of the faithful departed.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name purgatory to this final purification of the elect. ‌ “From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers ‌ for them, above all the eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of Godâ€? (1030-32).

Here are some devotions that Knights and their families can consider putting into practice this month: • Pray a novena for the dead, ideally beginning Nov. 2, during the octave of All Souls. • Visit a cemetery, either privately or as a family, council or parish; such visits can also become occasions for maintaining or decorating gravesites. • Offer sacrifices for the dead through almsgiving, works of mercy, fasting, applying indulgences, and especially prayers, such as the rosary, prayers before or after meals, and traditional prayers such as the Requiem aeternam: “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.�

Michael McGivney’s desire to aid Catholic families who lost a breadwinner. “People who are left behind may need food; they may need shelter. But more than that, they need Christ,� Daly said. “In some ways, I’m trying to parallel spiritually what Father McGivney was doing materially.�

As he works on a casket, Daly asks God to help him be a conduit of the Father’s mercy. “Every casket I build, every interaction I have, every good death I hear about, I try to absorb all that in some way,â€? Daly said. “And I hope I can reflect it back to give some people comfort and consolation.â€?♌ BRIAN FRAGA writes from Massachusetts, where he is a member of Father John F. Hogan Council 14236 in Dartmouth.

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Special Report

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ilian Ferguson has lived through five hurricanes since moving to Freeport, Bahamas, in 1972. But Hurricane Dorian was different. As 185 mph winds ripped up her roof, water engulfed the entire property and reached her windows. “When I looked out and saw the water rising I said, ‘I’m going to see Jesus face to face today, because there is no way for me to get out of here,’� recalled Ferguson, who has lived alone since the death of her husband four years ago. “I have never seen any storm like this one — it was really frightening.�

The Category 5 hurricane struck the Bahamas Sept. 1-3, becoming the most devastating natural disaster in the country’s history. Knights of Columbus in the Bahamas, Florida and across the world responded swiftly. In a matter of days, more than $620,000 in donations was raised through the Supreme Council’s Disaster Relief Fund, and the Florida State Council used those funds and its own to ship supplies to the Archdiocese of Nassau.

On the ground, Bahamian Knights made sure neighbors like Ferguson knew they were not alone or without help. As soon as they heard about her situation, members of Grand Bahama Council 10647 rushed to clear debris and cover her roof with tar paper to prevent more damage. “They are always there,� Ferguson said. “Every occasion, every disaster, they step in and help.�

Because K of C councils in the Bahamas belong to the Florida jurisdiction, the Florida State Council took the lead on the relief effort. Working closely with Catholic Charities and the Archdiocese of Nassau, the state council started shipping food, water, medical supplies and generators within a few days.

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severity of the storm, which wiped out the infrastructure on the Abaco Islands and did massive damage on Grand Bahama.

The first deliveries had to be made by private plane. The Knights then sent two 3,200-cubic-foot containers by cargo ship to Freeport, Grand Bahama. Bahamian Knights helped unload and distribute the supplies. “We feel good doing something for the people even though we’ve also got our own damage,� said Nolan Dean, a member of Council 10647 who rode out the storm in his attic. “It makes me be proud to be a Knight.�

The next shipping container went to Nassau. The capital, relatively unscathed, was inundated with thousands of displaced residents from the Abaco Islands, and the Archdiocese of Nassau requested supplies for the city’s shelters.

Archbishop Patrick Pinder of Nassau also asked the Knights for prayers. “We ask you to continue to pray for us,â€? he said. “Even though in another few weeks we may move off the front pages and out of the media, bear in mind that ‌ this as a long-term effort for us.â€?

State Deputy Scott O’Connor said the Knights in Florida are committed to help for the long haul. “We’re probably going to be shipping containers for another three or four months,� he said. “We look at this as an ongoing process.�

The state council is also arranging a work detail of Florida Knights to travel to the Bahamas next summer to repair and rebuild school buildings. “We’re a family,â€? O’Connor added. “They’re our brothers and sisters and we’re here to take care of them.â€?♌

Knights Deliver Disaster Relief to the Bahamas

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Opposite page: Hurricane Dorian’s destructive effects on Great Abaco Island, Bahamas, are seen from above Sept. 4. The hurricane was a Category 5 storm when it hit the northern Bahamas. • Clockwise from left: Florida State Deputy Scott O’Connor leads the K of C relief effort. • A woman looks on as Knights from Grand Bahama Council 10647 cover her damaged roof Sept. 12. • Members of Council 10647 deliver a grill to a home without power on Grand Bahama Sept. 14. • Members of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Council 3080 load supplies for Freeport, Grand Bahama, Sept. 9.

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NOT THEIR FIRST RODEO Rural Michigan council draws thousands to family event each year and raises funds for charity

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nly 384 people live in Gaines, Mich. The main street has a bar on one side and a grocery store on the other.

The library is open once a week and the post office takes the mornings off. “Welcome to Gaines,� said Mike Gentry, grand knight of St. Joseph Council 12186, starting and ending his tour of downtown in a single wave.

Locals say you only find the town by accident, but the thousands of people who descend on Gaines in mid-July are not lost. They come for the Gaines Community Rodeo, hosted by the Knights of Columbus for the last 17 years.

In that time, the rodeo has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for community causes and become a beloved local tradition. The annual event attracts nearly 6,000 people and nets as much as $50,000 for charity. Riders have come from all 48 continental states to compete.

Council 12186 formed 21 years ago, and the rodeo came four years later, at the suggestion of member John Reaume.

According to Lee Wendt, who was the newly elected grand knight, Reaume asked, “Why don’t you just do a rodeo? All you gotta have is a cut field.�

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When Wendt began clearing a field and outlining a parking area just outside of town, some people laughed. No one would come to a rodeo in a village that could barely fill the bleachers.

Now the naysayers are spectators themselves, as are their children. Wendt cited one 15-year-old who was amazed by the event. “He stood there and looked around,� Wendt recalled. “Finally, he says, ‘I never figured there would be anything in my little town that would draw this many people.’�

The council hires a production company, Flying Star Rodeo, to manage the competition, but there is still plenty of work for the Knights. Members put in thousands of volunteer hours — selling ads to local sponsors, managing the food pavilion, and organizing the entertainment tent, which features a band and mechanical bull. They’re not short on help: About 25 of the council’s approximately 80 members attend each meeting, and the Knights draw more volunteers from their families and neighbors. “It has grown so much since the beginning,� said Brian Wendt, 28, the current rodeo chairman and Lee’s son, who joined the council 10 years ago. “We never could have guessed

by Joseph Pappalardo

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Families come to Gaines, Mich., to watch riders from across the United States compete in the annual Gaines Community Rodeo, organized by St. Joseph Council 12186. The council has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity in the 17 years it has held the event, now a beloved community tradition.

Clockwise, from opposite page: Equestrians warm up in 2016; a bull rider competes; a young spectator watches from the gate surrounding the arena; and a woman competes in the barrel-racing event in 2018.

that we’d end up where we are right now.�

The rodeo’s success is due in large part to the Knights’ savvy promotional outreach, especially to families. In recent years, Brian Wendt has promoted the rodeo actively on social media, posting YouTube videos and offering free tickets on Facebook.

The 17th annual Gaines Community Rodeo opened July 19, despite the rainy summer evening. A lone rider stopped in the center of the muddy ring with the American flag, prompting onlookers to remove their hats for the national anthem. Then it was time for participants to race, rope and ride their way to prize money.

The rodeo has all the necessities, including bronc riding, steer roping and cowgirls’ barrel racing.

Kids gathered on the hillside as a rodeo clown blasted a T-shirt gun into the crowd. They all agreed on their favorite part of the festivities: the bull riding. One by one, riders burst out of the chute and attempted to hang on to the bucking beast for just eight seconds. “This is why we do it,� said Brian Wendt, gesturing toward the children who rushed the ring to watch the action. “This is what it’s all about.�

Equally motivating for Wendt and his brother Knights — all their council can accomplish with the funds they raise.

With proceeds from the rodeo, the council has contributed $50,000 toward a new church building for the Catholic community in Gaines and supported causes large and small, from veterans organizations and Habitat for Humanity to individual neighbors in need. For example, the Knights bought a new water heater for an elderly woman who spent years without hot water and new tires for a mother who needed to transport her child with special needs. “Any time the church comes to us to help a community member, we step up,� said Grand Knight Gentry.

Brian Wendt affirmed that when it comes to building and serving the community, the Gaines Knights take the proverbial bull by the horns. “Helping the community through the Knights of Columbus and this rodeo ‌ is my heart and soul,â€? he said. “And I want to continue it for as long as we can.â€?♌ JOSEPH PAPPALARDO is a content producer for the Knights of Columbus Corporate Communications Department.

NOVEMBER 2019

♌ C O L U M B I A ♌ 23

NOV 19 E 10_16 FINAL.qxp_Mar E 12 10/16/19 4:37 PM Page 24

Knight on the Run Running more than 100 marathons has helped this Missouri Knight to grow in faith and perseverance

by Bill Pauls

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED It all began in 1995. I’d had a field career where I walked eight or nine miles a day. But then I became an assistant state soil scientist for Missouri. I sat all day at a desk and had gained a whole lot of weight.

That’s when my son, Jeff, said, “You know, Dad, you’re getting that middle-aged look about you.� It made me mad at first, but then I decided, “OK, kid. I’ll show you.� I went out and ran about 10 miles, just to see if I could run that far. I had to walk a lot of the way, but I made it. I’ll never forget that.

Then Jeff said he’d give me 10 months to get in shape, and we’d run the St. Louis Marathon together. And I asked him how far that was. When he said, “26.2 miles,� I said, “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Why would anybody do that?� He replied, “You’ll know, after you get training.�

GOING THE DISTANCE I started running, and I soon got planter fasciitis, tendinitis, shin splints — you name it, I had it.

Then Jeff recommended a book on how to run your first marathon, and I read that cover to cover. It taught you to find the right shoes, run the right distance and speed, do the right cross training. And that’s what I did. I slowed down, learned how to train, changed my diet and quit smoking.

We ran that first marathon together in St. Louis. Jeff finished way ahead of me, but he came back and helped me up 24 ♌ C O L U M B I A ♌

NOVEMBER 2019

the last hill. I was crying by the end of that race.

After that, I was hooked. About four years into it, I was running two or three marathons a year.

I heard about the 50 States Marathon Club while running in the cornfields of Iowa during my 10th marathon. I never had any real intention of running all 50 states until I met the club’s founder, Steve Boone. They’ve been really supportive, and we have really good friends now all over the country that are in this club.

We’ve run marathons in Hawaii, Alaska, California, Maine, Colorado. We’ve run down a mountain in a lightning-andthunder storm. We’ve been to some of the most gorgeous places on earth.

After completing the 50 states challenge for the second time, I was going to quit. But I’d already run an extra race in Ohio and in Missouri, so I was already two states into my third time around. So I decided, “Hey, I might as well. I need a goal.� When you get to be late 60s, most guys are trying to find a rocking chair. But I still feel young.

FINDING YOUR PURPOSE For me, the spirituality of running came later. After a while, running can get stale, and that spiritual outlook renewed my enthusiasm. I have five hours to pray during a marathon. I can pray several rosaries if I want to. I don’t run anymore without saying my prayers and praying for others. I don’t know if I’d still be a runner if I hadn’t received that reinvigoration of faith.

Through Jeff, I also got involved in LIFE Runners. We started a chapter in Columbia, our hometown, and I started running marathons with a LIFE Runner shirt on. (The back reads “Remember the Unborn. Jer 1:5�)

Perseverance and patience are what marathoning is all about, and that overlaps so closely with faith. If you have patience and listen, you learn God’s purpose for you.

Running has helped keep me young and excited about the adventure of life that Jesus gives us all. I just love doing what I’m doing and happy that God put me right here, where I’m at.♌ BILL PAULS, a member of the Knights of Columbus for more than 40 years, currently serves as the culture of life chairman for Lake of the Ozarks Council 6365 in Camdenton, Mo. He is also a board member for a local pregnancy resource center.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Bill Pauls used to wonder why a person would ever want to run 26.2 miles. Then, his son goaded him into trying it. After quitting smoking and losing 60 pounds, he ran his first marathon in 1996, a day before his 47th birthday. He has since run a marathon in all 50 states — twice.

I first met Pauls, who is a member of Lake of the Ozarks Council 6365 in Camdenton, Mo., in early October 2013. We had both traveled to South Dakota to run a marathon at the Crazy Horse Memorial with dozens of LIFE Runners, an international running team that witnesses to the pro-life cause. A sudden, massive blizzard kept us indoors that weekend, but there’s always another race around the corner. Pauls finished the 50 states challenge for the second time last January and now has 108 marathons under his belt.

I recently caught up with him, figuratively speaking, and he shared about how he first started running and what keeps him going today. — Alton J. Pelowski

NOV 19 E 10_16 FINAL.qxp_Mar E 12 10/16/19 4:37 PM Page 25

Bill Pauls, 70, stands in his Camdenton, Mo., home, where a wall is covered with finisher medals and other marathon keepsakes.

NOVEMBER 2019

♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 25

NOV 19 E KIA 10_16 FINAL.qxp__Layout 1 10/16/19 5:13 PM Page 26

KNIGHTS IN ACTION

REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLES Mississauga, the first Syriac Catholic K of C council in Canada. Following Mass at St. Joseph Syriac Catholic Church, young parishioners carried a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a procession before she was crowned by Bishop Antoine Nassif, the first Syriac Catholic bishop of Canada.

BILINGUAL MINISTRY

, ,'"-% - $$- +()*"- % )&($- -()- + ,- $(, - ! ! %)+*,- +)- +$*+' - #+) &'+ *, - - , ,'"- ( ,- %'% ,& $, * -+) - (&#- ' ,' -*%-*#,- ("*,'"-% - #+'(* -% - *!- ()&,)* ,- + $-+*-*#,('-), -&%) ,)*!

SYRIAC FAITH

Father Gregory Kelly Assembly 872 in Toronto and St. AndrĂŠ Bessette Assembly 3288 in Mississauga,

Ontario, provided an honor guard at a Mass celebrated for parishioners and members of St. Joseph Syriac Council 17309, also in

Nuestra SeĂąora de Guadalupe Council 13145 in Baton Rouge, La., hosted a taco dinner at St. Pius X Catholic Church, recognizing Spanish-speaking religious education volunteers and raising $1,400. Funds were used to support a Spanish-speaking deacon’s education and to purchase three Spanish-language “Building the Domestic Churchâ€? publication displays.

FAITH FAREWELL, FATHER

Holy Eucharist Council 15791 in Falmouth, Maine, joined parish leaders in hosting a farewell celebration for Father Daniel Greenleaf, who had accepted a new assignment after serving as pastor of the Parish of the Holy Eucharist for seven years. Following Father Greenleaf ’s final Mass, approximately 250 Knights and parishioners attended a festive meal, where members of Council 15791 presented him with a new chalice and stole.

FOUNDING FATHERS

KEEPING A FAMILY WARM

Members of Durango (Colo.)

Council 1408 helped a family in St. Columba Parish prepare their recently purchased home for winter. Health problems made it difficult for the husband and wife to complete the work, so a dozen Knights visited the house several times to install insulation, remodel a bathroom, fix outside leaks and patch the roof.

26 ♌ C O L U M B I A ♌

,*,'- +$"#- '% - +'(+)- % )&($- -()- +)&#,"*,' - ! ! ",' ,"-+-#+ -& "*% ,'-+*-*#,-&% )&($ "- + ($ -(&,-&',+ "%&(+$-()-*#,- *!- +*#,'(),-% - (,)+-&# '&#-#+$$!

FOOD FOR FAMILIES

Westminster (Md.) Council 1393 sponsored a Food for Families weekend at St. John Catholic Church, collecting more than 1,500 pounds of nonperishable food from parishioners for a local St. Vincent de Paul food pantry.

NOVEMBER 2019

EQUIPPING DADS FOR DUTY

St. Catharine of Siena Council 14880 in Reading, Pa., funded a baby-changing table for the men’s room at

St. Catharine of Siena Parish after members realized that only the women’s bathroom had one. The new table helps fathers care for babies and toddlers during Mass and parish events.

FAMILY

St. Anthony Catholic School in Madison, Miss., held its annual Mass in honor of St. Francis of Assisi Council 9543, which helped fund the construction of the school 10 years ago. Council members Jody Hill, Bill Powers and Jim Boyle handcrafted the altar and other furniture for the school’s chapel, and Past Grand Knight Ed Marsalis helped landscape the property and install statues of eagles, the school’s mascot.

NOV 19 E KIA 10_16 FINAL.qxp__Layout 1 10/16/19 5:13 PM Page 27

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

COMMUNITY FEED MY SHEEP

Msgr. Lederer Council 4549 in Middleton, Wis., packed food for hungry children at the Diocese of Madison’s annual “Feed My Sheep� event. With volunteers from around the diocese, the Knights assembled and packaged more than 130,000 nutritious readyto-cook meals for impoverished families in the United States and Central America.

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Knights from Arizona District #18 helped a troop of

American Heritage Girls collect, inventory and transport donations from Yuma to the Casa Hogar de Niùas Santa María de Guadalupe, a girls’ home staffed by religious sisters in San Luis Río Colorado, Mexico. Volunteers from local parishes and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma also contributed. Nearly 2,000 items of food and cleaning supplies were sent to support the home.

KNIGHTS OF SERVICE

Members of St. Nicholas of Myra Council 10044 in Hays, Kan., started Knights of Service, a volunteer handyman group that completes home repairs for St. Nicholas Catholic Church parishioners. The group focuses on helping veterans, the elderly, the sick and people with disabilities.

Knights of Bukidnon Assembly 1584 in Malaybalay City, Mindanao, carry out a mission to destroy the breeding sites of mosquitos that spread dengue fever, a potentially fatal virus that affects the Philippines at epidemic levels. More than 20 Knights from five councils participated in the drive, working alongside health workers and government officials to eradicate the health hazard.

Recently, they trimmed trees at the home of member Rex O’Brien, who had

been unable to maintain his property because of complications from cancer.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Harrisburg. Additional collected funds will pay for a bus to the 2020 March for Life and support the parish’s other pro-life programs.

LIFE

FOR LIFE ON CAPITOL HILL

+ +*$,) , %$&) , !'#"'#, $$+ " , ,%#, ( , +)* + ('&, , *) , "+ ( , '*", +! +* , ##, +#!+*, '# , '* +*+ %(&, , *+$+#(,(&+, #% &($,) , )" $, %" +*, )$+,() ', )(&+*,'# ,!&%" ,'(, ( , +)* +, '(&)"%!, & *!& , +*+ %(& %$,$('(+,!&'%* '#,) ,(&+, %" +*, )$+, *) *' , &%!&, *) )(+$ *+$ +!(, )*,"% +,'# , + )(%)#,(), *, ' ,) , ' '" +

AID FOR PARENTS

Chambersburg (Pa.) Council 1426 donated $5,000 raised at Corpus Christi Catholic

Church to Lourdeshouse, a home and maternity care center for pregnant women and new parents operated by

St. Cyprian Council 10008 in Washington, D.C., sponsored its annual baby bottle campaign at St. Cyprian Catholic Church, raising $3,000 for the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, a faithbased pregnancy resource center in the heart of the U.S. capital.

ULTRASOUNDS FOR ALL

Our Lady of Fatima Council 13137 in Signal Village Taguig, Luzon South, provided free ultrasounds to more than 100 pregnant

women, as well as men being screened for prostate disease, at the Barangay Health Center in South Signal Village.

DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

Members of Father O’Donnell Assembly 393 in Methuen, Mass., provided an honor guard at a bilingual prayer service at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Lawrence on Sept. 14, the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children.

NOVEMBER 2019

♌ C O L U M B I A ♌ 27

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S TA R C O U N C I L W I N N E R S

Star Councils Awarded

F

or the 2018-19 fraternal year, 1,317 councils earned the Star Council Award, the highest distinction available to a local K of C council. These councils, led by the grand knights listed here, conducted the required charitable and fraternal programs in the “Faith in Action” categories and also achieved their membership and insurance quotas.

Each council will receive an engraved plaque from the Supreme Council in recognition of its accomplishment. Of these councils, 202 earned the Double Star Council Award for meeting 100 percent of their insurance quota and 200 percent of their membership quota. In addition, 180 earned the Triple Star Council Award or higher.

• Numbers in red indicate councils that achieved the Double Star Council Award.

• Numbers in blue indicate councils that achieved the Triple Star Council Award or higher.

Finally, 3,480 councils earned the Columbian Award for excellence in programming; 2,795 attained the Father McGivney Award for meeting their membership quota; and 1,707 earned the Founders’ Award for meeting their insurance quota.

16185 16452 16488 16584

Stephen E. Socha John C. Toomey Frank R. Nainoa Alexander E. Quadra Sr. 16687 David D. Garrett 16770 Dwight J. Speir 17037 Robert S. Martinez 539 Donald Vincent Sweeney 8539 Graham W. Haworth 13099 Telesforo H. Barrera 14338 William T. Christman 14479 David G. Verlinde

COLORADO

4 7 15 36 2978 4313 5467 10705 11913

Ernest J. Mintel Craig D. Weske Philip A. Mazzatti Michael A. Gimmelli Ronald E. Painchaud David James Imhof Anthony E. Monelli David L. St. Hilaire Gregory J. Dembowski 16858 James A. Brino

CONNECTICUT

16771 George J. Meringolo DELAWARE

6375 9542 11302 13242

Ryan M. Anderson Nathan J. Ledoux Jack J. Heretik Patrick J. Ambrogio

611 3080 3358 5635 5845 6391 6800 7210 7272 7408 7420 7667 7826 8120 10157 10850 11483 11673 11850 12159 12240 13153 13307 13338 13654 13900 14573 15154 15225 15332 15675 15781 16492 17003 17029

Joshua R. Currie Austin E. Scott Michael J. Deering Daniel R. Kilbride Randall W. McClure Victor Fee Greco Michael J. Kelly James A. De Luca Robert R. Roque Brian E. Volman Rudy P. Mendez Paul M. Robert Johnnie L. Turner George W. Kimmel Kevin M. Greeno Danny R. Scott John W. Funk Ricardo Miro Vincent A. McCormick Frederick J. Daniels Thomas J. Finan Daniel R. Taylor William A. Renn Anthony M. Bubbico Jr. Gustavo T. Navarro Thomas J. Mooney Gerald F. Grillo Martin A. Faulmino Michael W. Clemmer Dale A. Haas David A. Morone David H. Clough II Paul Coronato Lino De La Cruz Brian D. Werring

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

764 Timothy S. Steigerwald 7584 John H. Cooper 10232 Joseph C. McCarty 12150 Randall H. Ross 12618 Kevin H. Young

ALABAMA

7070 Michael J. Mravinec 8045 C. Mark Steffler 12658 Joseph S. Angeles 17034 Glenn V. O’Neill

ALBERTA

1229 6627 7465 11675 12246 12449

David J. Schmidt Thomas G. Donnelly Kevin R. Barnes Matthew A. Scheller Douglas M. Gasser Fred M. De Vera Jr. William E. Breen Michael D. Cates Paul L. Rodriguez Angel A. Federico Jorge Rivas Gary J. Kluthe

ARIZONA

13272 13836 13841 14121 14804 17036

10208 Edward T. Doyle 11294 Gene A. Salman Jr. 16947 Charles M. Byrd ARKANSAS

1406 10500 10681 10889 12861 16692

Gerrard R. Giles Christopher Chen Gerardo A. Bautista Jr. Reynaldo Verzosa Edwin P. Festejo Douglas L. Dang

BRITISH COLUMBIA

28 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

874 1271 1658 1990 2475 3571 3672 4112 4581 4588 5696 6028 6031 6332

Benny N. Beltran Sean P. Hurley Kenneth I. Dorrance Matthew G. Straup John Velasquez Patrick H. Au David B. Schaefer Norman W. Shull Andrew C. Sabala Don Wesley Arnold Martin Gallegos Edwin N. Flores Tom Breneman Jr. Anthony J. Di Bernardo Delbert E. Clark Peter D. Venturini Edward J. Belmessieri Carlos G. Bituin Cruz J. Herrera Christopher Morales John A. Paes James T. Duffy Kenneth J. Eazell Antonio S. Salas Oscar R. Miranda Rick L. Biggs John J. Stanton Michael R. Ercolano III Eric T. Robles Jesselton A. Gregorio Timothy P. Cox Gary P. Markowski Joselito G. Turdanes Michael R. Harvey Domingos Fernandes Vincent G. Pediapco Gerardo B. Lasola Daniel Rodriguez Jose A. Katigbak Steven J. Enright Dominick J. Amadeo Rod E. Wheeler Manuel P. Reyes

CALIFORNIA

7390 7950 7987

9076 9213 9665 9714 9986 10287 10414 10494 10667 11393 11632 12050 12383 12587 12938 13237 13555 14158 14541 14836 15034 15317 15339 15625 15671 16154

NOVEMBER 2019

FLORIDA

8731 Timothy M. Wilson 10821 Lynn W. Hinson

GEORGIA

11340 11458 12580 12862 12905 12942 12984 13437

13808 14181 14425 14496 15848 16513 16534 16870

Kenneth L. Boone James L. Brazeale Gary A. Major Anthony J. Oresteen Daniel J. Dant Dr. James M. Borzak Patrick Pasquale Pappa Jonathan A. Von Plinsky James J. Blankenheim Jack B. Planchard Donald W. Williams Andrew K. Lewis William J. Bradburn Jerry Tiarsmith Ely E. Elefante David F. Mitchell

6734 10475 12045 14663 15124 16002 16109 16267 17042

Rolando L. Juanillo Eugene G. Sacdalan Francis T. Ponce Cary Steven Sparks Michael A. Owen Vincent L. Lopez Jose R. Aranda Randall Tom Alejandro G. Manansala

1363 1416 1663 8310 10581 11623

Edward C. Livingston Karlton W. Corbin Robert G. Nobles Bill G. Baker Walter J. Donovan Jr. David M. Sonnen

HAWAII

IDAHO

2191 3674 4739 4836 6521 6993 8022 10637 10926 11027 11110 11149 11232 12286 16011

William John Spencer Daniel B. Love Patrick M. Hickey Robert M. Gawronski Louis A. Nicpon Joost Sluis Stephen P. Cerve Brian C. Bergmann Timothy J. Pastern Richard J. Clish Daniel A. Mondt Nathan M. Redwitz Daniel L. Mott Larry Lavin Michael Antho Maziarek 16369 Randall P. Nicholson 16446 Bartolomeo A. Fiore 16660 David C. Braun ILLINOIS

1542 1790 5521 6323 12379 12510 13504 13968 14214 14555 17043 17069

Jason G. Sarver Michael S. Esselburn Eric M. Van Meter Michael G. Delucenay Andrew D. Litchfield Michael G. Hanlon Thomas A. Zuzzio Walter P. Peycha David M. Roesener Steven Grundhoefer Richard C. Alexander Ryan A. Borden

INDIANA

510 707 743 936 1164

IOWA

Michael A. Loomis Dean B. Stone Martin S. Girard James L. Stillman Phillip K. Hascall

1961 2576 2818 4208 4236 5660 7284 7823 8114 8178 8269 8702 9224 10558 11192 11222 11468 12129 12193 12334 12432 13159 13160 13314 13960 14131 14267 14695 14977 14987 15049 15060 15336 15603 15813 15921 16922

Daniel T. Hilgers Alan L. Page Dale J. Asleson Sean F. Devine Meyer Isidore J. Haverland James P. Bisenius Chris C. Jones Robert G. Kass Eric R. Frana Joshua C. Grau Steven L. Eganhouse John E. Kooiker Charles E. Putbrese Robert J. Den Hartog Pedro V. Moreno Clifford J. Grant Jerome J. Droll Kevin R. Hayes James D. Crawford Travis M. Eisenbarth Keith A. O’Bryan Michael J. Mathis Brian P. Lang Kevin L. Boehmer Jorge A. Castaneda Higinio Cepeda Julio Cesar Lopez Patrick G. Dierickx Alexander J. Peters Paul R. Lee Ronald D. Conner Ronald J. Meyer Dale W. Engelken Jason D. Madison Jamie J. Bahl Matthew A. Vajgrt Lorenzo Silva

902 976 4708 10211 12577 16168

Douglas L. Ebert David M. Englestad Jr. Bryant D. Suellentrop Luke J. Pfeifer William L. Koch Martin D. Shibler

390 10725 12502 14372 14604 15525 15841 15914 15979 16125

Paul V. Tadatada Richard L. Coomes Michael D. Nachazel Jeffrey W. Terhune Patrick J. Murta Joseph W. Carter Jr. John B. Bates Jason G.L. Bochert Michael R. Koenig Michael J. Mudd

1286 1337 3465 3634 4010 4562

John M. Fruge William R. Brinkerhoff Lynn Boudreaux Jr. Lance J. Marino Thomas O. Mayeux Kenneth N. Chamberlain David G. Senn Michael A. Abbate Sr. Merlin A. Hymel Jr. John R. Albarez John M. Vitacca Stephen F. Hart Christopher A. Thibodeaux Tyler D. Foreman

KANSAS

KENTUCKY

LOUISIANA

9247 9623 9933 10080 10728 12529 13819

14542

3655 Oliver I. Yumul 3693 Pastor G. Alband Jr. 3711 Tranquilino T. Zamora Jr.

LUZON NORTH

NOV 19 E KIA 10_16 FINAL.qxp__Layout 1 10/16/19 5:13 PM Page 29

S TA R C O U N C I L W I N N E R S 3817 3888 3939 4073 4109 4268 4277 4278 4318 4465 4506 4610 4758 5018 5120 5269 5270 5327 5691 5775 5994 6071 6073 6075 6080 6085 6171 6236 6303 6704 6732 6822

6956 7126 7158 7178 7400 7632 8205 8226 8254 8373 8432 8444 8514 8677 8693 8833 8834 9006 9087 9116 9119 9155 9185 9440 9459 9489 9582 9591 9723 9763 9874 9878

9934 10039 10103 10132 10290 10353 10399

10550 10582 10695 10738 10825 11124

Constancio T. Dinio Floro Palaypay Sotto Paulino L. Corpuz Rommel S. Ramos Francisco V. Doliente Herminigildo B. Pacis Reynaldo B. Santiago Michael D. Bautista Eduardo P. Lim Feliciano L. Andres Benito I. Caluya Antonio A. Cariaso [No officer listed] Ric L. Salviejo Eduardo F. Estopace Armando S. Bautista Augustus D. Reyes Porfirio R. Rocero Ceasar A. Mercado Alfredo S. Atraje Fidel S. Tolentino Allan S. Maglipon Emmanuel L. Navarrete Pepito O. Marcelo Hesiquio R. Mallillin Romeo R. Tizon Alfonso Q. Senin Cedric D. Juan Edgardo M. Tello Juan R. Ramirez Charlito E. Mabao Genaro P. Gonzales Jr. Reyson M. Trinidad Lolito M. Esteban Vic T. Domondon Federico E. Ruiz Jr. Marcelino R. Barlis Celso C. Fernando Matias V. Defensor Jr. Joey M. Gonzaga Juan E. Gamboa III Joseph A. Pua Lowell P. Esguerra Francisco A. Valdez Robert P. Castro Gilbert G. Crisostomo Florencio S. Alcaraz Perlito J. Bartolome Domingo D. Dallo Raul R. Alcaraz Gary T. Gombio [No officer listed] Teodoro D. Paragas Fred B. Subillaga Jr. Pablo R. Fangonilo Edgard E. Umbrete Arsenio B. Sumaoy Jose R. Flores Michael P. Lacson Antonio R. Espiritu Biodor P. Bonifacio Jr. Jonathan P. Pagaragan Junipher A. Sumadia Efigenio J. Panganiban Valeriano B. Parinas Arsenio V. Francisco Manuel R. Dayauon Melchor M. Salazar II Belmor Inocente Rosales Fabian B. Awal Romeo Berboso Dela Cruz Benjamin F. Mendoza Ernesto V. Mariano Enrico C. Demetillo Eduardo S. Borja Leopoldo B. Barrozo Randy M. Seramines

11754 Alexander P. Bulicatin 11765 Glicerio S. De Vera Jr. 11979 Wilfredo E. Domingo 11990 Enrico C. Nera 12010 Alberto L. Apangdan 12125 Angelito R. Mariano 12259 Fernando Meliton Cajigal Cala 12507 Reynaldo R. Pagaduan 12513 Feliciano M. Soler 12528 Floriano G. Directo 12568 Tomas A. Polking 12651 Joseph C. Baccay 12760 Petronilo P. Brigola 12794 Danilo B. Arindaing 13059 Arnold M. Funtila 13332 Romeo A. Bagagunio 13725 Joselito P. Pascual 13774 Dr. Marcelo Xabut Jaochico 13852 Henry A. Magcuyao 13919 Mamerto S. Santos 13947 [No officer listed] 14147 Lronilo S. Cortez 14177 Marcelino C. Bundoc 14226 Fortunato P. Romero Jr. 14231 Adriano C. Guinto 14311 Alfredo F. Aoalin 14324 [No officer listed] 14353 Rufino W. Sun Jr. 14569 Ramil S. Katipunan 14570 Rogelio E. Tangalin 14742 [No officer listed] 14743 [No officer listed] 14876 Victorino E. Gatdula 14900 Aberlardo T. Pagaduan 14908 [No officer listed] 15097 Genard P. Velasco 15167 Joeper M. Batac 15170 Albee O. Dangatag 15221 Mario S. Valdez 15273 June I. Cruz 15309 Conrado P. Aquino 15311 Manuel F. Padilla 15428 Orlando P. Esnara 15432 Wilfredo P. Munsayac 15441 Reynaldo Libatique 15459 Roy D. Carino 15470 Alexto A. Valentin 15554 Reil A. Bayate 15559 Roolfo T. Perez 15587 Alexander Lumague 15604 [No officer listed] 15628 Josefino L. Rivera 15641 [No officer listed] 15697 Hector B. Geronimo 15702 Carlos Z. Celadina 15709 Romeo N. Acquiat 15948 Ulyses B. Quingino 15998 Jovito B. Catungal 16110 Nemesio B. Titiwa 16131 Alfredo L. Guivac 16136 Rene Michael G. Sanqui 16149 Dindo D. David 16242 Francis S. Lozano 16286 [No officer listed] 16302 Willie D. Virgines 16314 Joel J. Jamelarin 16323 Asisclo B. Avestruz 16416 [No officer listed] 16431 Alvin Dale Melag 16447 [No officer listed] 16476 Leonardo A. Lachica 16477 Arnolfo R. Argote 16485 Jonathan C. Carino 16524 Tibaldo T. Pakipac 16563 Jomar R. Fernandez 16564 Erwin M. Coronacion 16597 Nelson Yumol Baluyot 16632 Alfon V. Gatchallan 16651 Renato P. Guillermo

16704 Angelo Thomas A. Almazan 16755 Aurelio B. Cajulao 16789 [No officer listed] 16847 Cornelio Cagurangan 16894 Benjamin P. Carbonell 16933 Benjamin R. Rufino 16993 Laurino D. Macadangdang 16998 Ricardo S. Mendoza Jr. 17004 Mark L. Gregore 17012 Walter A. Marasigan 17045 Robert Alvin A. Yap 17100 Narciso De Guzman Paladan 1000 3469 3937 3951 4103 4104 4407 5311

Reynaldo D. Valencia Severino V. Maaliw Onofre Espejo Charlie S. Sampedro Cario B. Carta Angelito B. Joven Nestor H. Mercado Emilio Jose A. Contreras Cielito F. Habito Reynaldo E. Tortona Ruben R. De Lima Rodelio G. Dominguez Rogelio V. Barruela [No officer listed] Arsenio S. Rodriquez Jose Mari A. Delada Antonio M. Ventura Joel M. Marababol Mario L. Coro Jr. Blademir H. Lopez Jerry C. Merencilla Rolando R. Custodio Rogelio T. Ignacio Jesus B. Magugat Marcelino A. Austria Gerardo S. Serrano Lope C. Asilo Jaime T. Velecina Radames F. Herrera Jerome B. De Asis Henry M. Kasilag Jimmy P. Reyes Rodolfo L. Silva J. Martin M. Capinpin Jose S. Banta Ferdinand P. Teodoro Raymundo A. Dadia Serafin O. Guianan Jr. Edwin Dy Uy Elvin M. Mendoza Jose Nestor S. Guevara II Efren S. Fragata Reynaldo B. Villanueva Conrado S. Mallari Urlando Amaga Zanoria Arnold T. Divina [No officer listed] Danilo B. Sambo Benito A. Claro Gamie S. Villanueva Virgilio S. Palpal Latoc Armando P. De Jesus Jr. Eleuterio T. Villa Jr. Antonio A. Satorre Joselito B. Roldan Francisco G. Dela Cruz Wenceslao N. Antaran Jr. Christopher O. Palevino Renato G. Queroda Jr.

LUZON SOUTH

5377 5507 5575 5579 5617 5625 5697 5774 6072 6102 6122 6155 6178 6221 6238 6291 6300 6387 6502 6681 6830 6843 6932 7037 7147 7592 7618 7631 7806 7884

8210 8451 8565

8618 8688 8724 8922

8987 8994 9027 9071 9160 9189 9348 9588 9595 9636 9877 9926

10397

10734

10845 Avelino Q. Francisco Jr. 10964 E.L. Malagotnot Jr. 10971 Crisanto C. Rivera 11050 Rogelio C. Basco 11368 Francisco Marquez Jr. 11444 Wilmor L. Saldo 11455 Ramon G. Solas 11702 Pascual C. Ocubillo 11791 Darwin P. Salvo 11847 Manuel R. Jacela 11852 Efren R. Alem 11945 Eduardo P. Dungao 11993 Ponciano A. Dadios 12041 Ben M. Curativo 12053 Roberto D. Gonzalez 12205 Rodrigo B. Saligumba 12342 Roy M. Lagonilla 12370 Zaldevar V. Sanchez 12442 Joel E. Trabado 12464 Macario L. Luzuriaga Jr. 12508 Ronny R. Esguerra 12625 Nestor V. Badajos 12716 Gerry M. Fernandez 12787 Lester T. Ribunal 13020 Deogracias A. Batican 13137 Simeon N. Jopia 13213 Edgardo S. De Guzman 13343 Gilbert S. David 13536 Nilo B. Matias 13538 Leopoldo T. Perez 13548 Vivencio B. Nieva 13553 Pio M. Cardenas 13569 Tomas S. Rosos 13628 Charley B. Lovendino 13855 Eduardo C. Napallad Sr. 13949 Oscar A. Leano Jr. 14108 Michael E. Roxas 14257 Victoriano Guternez Mercado 14381 Galileo E. Reyes 14467 Lowell C. Samson 14529 Francis B. Destajo 14669 Angelito C. Napi 14732 Necito F. Pura 14766 Ruperto L. Tabi 14779 [No officer listed] 14904 Restituto E. Marcos 14907 [No officer listed] 15079 Ramon C. Mella 15080 Ronito P. Abrina 15139 Virgilio E. De Guzman 15169 Luisito R. Landicho 15369 Tayne Jose F. Udtuhan 15370 Gerosimo C. Maravilla Jr. 15385 Gaudioso B. Onal 15506 Mario Ernani M. Macalos 15508 Wilfredo G. Dela Vega 15549 Antonio D. Tayson 15663 Jose Bodollo 15667 Florencito F. Sumayao 15670 Rolando A. Catajan 15758 Rael A. Evangelista 15957 Emiterio S. Malabad 16025 Francisco G. Romero 16118 Hector M. De Guzman 16135 Jeric P. Felizardo 16245 Arante V. Alosnos 16282 Daniel P. King 16366 Teodoro G. Rafer 16426 Alejandro C. Quiza 16434 Hermogenes G. Culminas 16575 Alexander A. Jimenez 16576 Alberto V. Comia 16602 Manuel P. Claveria 16618 Jose E. Apdal 16790 Roland C. Nery 16803 [No officer listed] 16844 Samuel M. Punay

16887 E.J. E. Jabines 17001 Joseph D. Magbanua 17022 Rufino Del Mundo Frago 17033 Bernardo L. Matala 17114 Quinn Lance L. Cuarez 2219 Daniel J. Digenova 2368 Joseph F. Di Angelo

MAINE

370 1965 2427 6021 9808 14099 15084 16104 16611

Joseph C. Maurer Thomas H. De Rosa Joseph Zammit Jr. Calvin W. Anthony Scott G. Ford Gregory J. Strzempek Alfonso N. De Jesus James C. Gouldin Jr. Oscar R. Velasquez

MARYLAND

107 James H. McLaughlin III 420 Christopher C. Herrick 1078 Dr. Philip A. D’Agati 5188 Larry B. Vifquain 14757 Stephen A. Moniak 15972 Joel Quinones MASSACHUSETTS

3566 Jorge Arturo Mojica González 4674 Rafael Larraga Ocejo 5107 José Luis Hernández Moya 12062 Carlos Sánchez Loyola 13787 Juan Ygnacio Vargas Esqueda 15230 José Antonio Jiménez Juárez 15570 Juan José Cruz Martínez 15888 Ricardo Alberto Lepe Zepeda 16799 Víctor Manuel Castro Ramos 16955 Mauricio Sebastián Valdez Rivas 17047 Heriberto Carreón Landaverde MEXICO CENTRAL

2081 Jaime De León Ledezma 2312 Ernesto Chapa Rangel 2348 [No officer listed] 5159 Oscar Armando Menchaca Saucedo 14854 [No officer listed] 15218 Roberto L. Hernández 15565 Juan J. Gonzalez Castillo 15695 Antonio Mota Cano 16139 [No officer listed] 16378 Luis Gaston Manríquez Moya 16537 [No officer listed] 16932 Héctor J. Castillo Hernández MEXICO NORTHEAST

15328 Adolfo Fernández Terrones 15581 Ramón Iglesias Lucero 16340 Miguel Ángel López Murrieta MEXICO NORTHWEST

NOVEMBER 2019

♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 29

NOV 19 E KIA 10_16 FINAL.qxp__Layout 1 10/16/19 5:13 PM Page 30

S TA R C O U N C I L W I N N E R S 13963 Rafael M. Peraza Rosas 14838 Roberto Bozada Cruz MEXICO SOUTH

3338 Hugo A. Vázquez Martín 4134 Francisco Javier Romo Cervantes 4344 José A. Martín Martín 15284 Jesús Mario Zuloaga Santos 15449 Alberto Zanella García 16588 Sergio E. Vázquez Rodríguez 16613 Edgardo D. Ramírez García 16761 Eduardo Mares Del Río MEXICO WEST

1224 2632 2660 2950 4693 6742 7444 8390 8441 8605 9568 11114 12985 13453 13673 13799 14404 14642 16169 16630

Robert J. Harris Michael J. Klein Dominic J. Raona Scott A. Morgan William G. Izydorek Richard J. Perry Douglas J. Sordyl Robert P. Fenton David K. Scott Rick W. Collins Andrew L. Edwards Brian R. Wemple David L. Sipka John E. Carry Jr. David R. Bednarski Thomas J. Nevedal Gerald M. Tomandl Mark F. Boillat Daniel T. Timmerman Joseph Martino

14223 15969 16306 16678

Jay Y. Carmody Michael J. Wagner Michael S. Beighley John K. Kirby

13289 13418 15307 15351 5907 6535 6591 6960 7112 7191 7483 7510 7658 7690 7824 7842 7852 7905 8068 8134 8516 8519 8531 8543 `8764 9150 9362 9424 9566 10124 10219

Raul P. Gilbuena Zenon T. Eupena Romeo A. Gevero [No officer listed] Rolly M. Catigbac Rene Y. Gamolo Crispin L. Cauilan [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Virgilio C. Guiritan [No officer listed] Julio S. Camarinas Jr. Jessie B. Belandres [No officer listed] Romeo L. Espanol Artemio Reyes Obra Edwin L. Guzman Anthony M. Buenaflor Erwin F. Marcos Jimmy B. Ong [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Edgardo B. Ramirez Abundio G. Yumang Jr. [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Claude D. Winters Antonio B. De La Rosa Sixto D. Mendoza Simplicio L. Moldez Jr. Glenn E. Calamba

MICHIGAN

MILITARY OVERSEAS

MINDANAO

30 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

10255 10338 10636 10692 11842

11863 11982 12284 12565 12608 12790 12871 13098

13258 13353 13414 13648 13712 13768 13770 13815 13817

14126 14286 14287 14343

14718 14809 14843 15285 15345 15378 15409 15480 15534 15546 15602 15664 15880 16007 16040 16056 16085 16219 16330 16336 16344 16357 16429 16473 16478 16489 16509 16528 16532 16545 16548

16549 16554 16607 16610

16636 16638 16646 16669 16683 16684 16695 16777 16779 16780 16785 16806 16845 16850 16853 16880 16925

[No officer listed] [No officer listed] Elmer Q. Dailo Jose Enrique Vallejo IV Wilfredo B. Aparicio Jr. Edgar L. Orgen Julimar G. Curato Victorino H. Pagente Jerry C. Labrador Edgario D. Mondido Benedict P. Tan Rudolph C. Odin Eugenio Adaos Ragadio Alexander T. Am-Is [No officer listed] Antonio V. Deveraturda Gualberto V. Canoy Jr. [No officer listed] Felix R. Encarnado Alexander B. Yarra [No officer listed] Leonides Osares Nahial Juanito A. Rojas Fabio T. Fudalan IV [No officer listed] Buenaventura K. Tejano [No officer listed] Martiniano Bahian [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Orson U. Garcia Manolo Alimodian Joselito C. Monares [No officer listed] Roberto D. Dela Cruz Romel G. Lapinas [No officer listed] Gregorio V. Sergas Pedro A. Pausal Sr. Oscar G. Canon Roberto S. Rulona Rolando L. Pino Sr. Nestor M. Gerona [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Leopoldo U. Dela Rosa [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Felix B. Sedano Luisito J. Herrera Ryan C. Romaldon [No officer listed] Deserto L. Mission [No officer listed] Alejandro C. Galos Charlemagne P. Amando Rodrigo J. Lumaya Arnel P. Lahay Lahay Pablito I. Cataluna Jonathan S. Balambao Jr. Virgilio C. Benito Kentz S. Taduyo [No officer listed] Alex P. Lindongan Jr. Arnold M. Holgado Reylan U. Pioquinto Ronel A. Bulda Joseph A. Lapiz Paul Joko D. Celis Wilfredo F. Osano Oliver James J. Domile [No officer listed] Nathaniel M. Nunez [No officer listed] Ferdinand C. Bautista [No officer listed] Macario M. Maquirang

NOVEMBER 2019

16935 Leo James M. Quiambao 16961 [No officer listed] 16975 Roberto A. Pagmanua 17041 Eulan B. Agatep 17073 Charlie N. Allison 17076 Virgilio B. Canete 17078 Benny Raymond D. Bravo 17082 Mario B. Tagarao 17133 Agustin P. Caro Jr. 17138 Manuel C. Eras 17144 Rufino E. Sasis Jr. 17175 Marlon Torres 17181 [No officer listed] 3473 5341 5531 9096 9585 9905 10052 11949 11965 13359 14013 14832 15761 16106

Mark D. Greninger Brian J. Breidenbach Bradley E. Burmeister Dave Peterson Mark R. Landwehr Robert Paul Demarais Russell E. Asmussen Jared Clements Jeffrey S. Hemler Franklin F. Vaca Raymond M. Sawicky Richard A. Johnson Frank A. Messina Stephen E. Boerner

1522 8038 9673 11995 14051 16433

Michael A. Kersanac Calvin J. Torregano Thad D. Anderson Richard M. Hazen Leonard L. Temple Dwayne A. Punch

MINNESOTA

MISSISSIPPI

698 5401 6470 8620 9981 10844 13681 13901 14096

Dean A. Arens Jeffery L. Scroggins Steven J. Harter David W. Grimes Christopher J. Williams David W. Kandlbinder James T. Lepage Robert S. Kirsch Dr. Fredric R. Wheeler II 14489 Scott L. Ford 14745 Robert M. Drake 15294 Matthew C. Mccauley MISSOURI

9395 Billy R. Ross

MONTANA

7034 8469 8889 9704 10894 10909 11001 11879 13956

Vern A. Ortmeier Jason Clark Lyle R. Jakub John P. Franssen Michael R. Fowler Robert R. Cronin Shawn D. Wilke Patrick J. Brennan William L. Sawin

NEBRASKA

12877 Roger J. Pechacek 16207 Thomas J. Ott Jr. NEVADA

428 3023 4875 7572

John E. Sweeney Richard A. La Plume Alex J. Flynn George R. Fredette

NEW HAMPSHIRE

13095 13904 15669 17027

Michael R. Reopel Kenneth P. Goddard Joseph McGrath Bryan D. Donovan

636 1910 2607 3240 4969 5170 6173 6520 7032 7913

Joseph A. Bendas Donald L. Olbrich Sr. B. Scott Greenwald Vincent J. Bonassisa Mark A. Taylor Terence R. Finnegan David J. Galloway John M. Zawatcki James F. Beutel Christopher M. Czyzewski 14675 Albert F. Germaine 14716 Joseph C. Micallef NEW JERSEY

13596 15199 15578 15850 15977 16196 17083

Jose N. Garza Joseph P. Lepre Dr. Daniel A. Duffin Fredrick P. Flores Alfred J. Wussler Radford R. Alderete James D. Beasley

291 309 4126 4810 5814 6062 6134 7707 15917 16334 16365 16519 16943 17000

James T. Gratch Peter J. Perroni Michael P. Lankau John A. Pelkonen Eugene A. Johann Jerry Ferrara Louis Stuto Lawrence J. Peck Edward J. Buckley Victor J. Ferrarelli Edward R. Legrow Robert C. Zifchock Arthur A. Montani Louis Pepe

2829 6970 7186 8664 9560 10910 11180 11265 12266 12455 13236 13488 13812 14087

Scott M. Stewart Joseph F. Stanley Thomas E. Blum Joseph A. Tobin Thomas R. Mataconis Christopher A. Kremer Michael A. Garguilo Victor M. Sanchez Dennis A. Puntel Keith R. Kosinski Denis P. Murray Dosie Comer Kenneth R. Johnston Jack C. Faulkner

NEW MEXICO

NEW YORK

NORTH CAROLINA

2760 Patrick J. Engelhardt 16402 Ethan K. Andrews NORTH DAKOTA

6633 Derek J. McAlduff

NOVA SCOTIA

310 1195 1756 3970 4603 4733 5009

Shaun O. White Robert A. Stucker Charles F. Borchers Matthew M. Mayher Kenneth W. Walker Bruce A. Nordman Sr. Samuel E. Schumacher 5063 Robert K. Potter III

OHIO

8320 10863 10936 11188 11208 11216 13581

16376 16425 16461 16706

Nicholas C. Holoman William J. Sabatino J. Patrick Rynd Steve L. Doyle Gerard P. Riendeau Eric V. Yang Matthew J. Montgomery Robert D. Metzger Robert N. Brehm Gerald E. Princehorn Joseph S. Hartle Esq. Forrest K. Betche Richard J. Bonazza John E. Owczarzak Frank J. Gliha Sr. William J. Eichenmiller Michael F. Okoniewski Brett W. Hazen Austin T. Vorst John E. Slewitzke Michael E. Pfaffinger

1302 5266 9901 11237 15834

Timothy Dwaine Bart J. Chris Stoner Richard B. Atkins James E. Jeffcoat Michael E. Short

485 1429 7570 9005 9235 9742 9865 11752 12158 12706 12820 13390 13417 13785 14337 14727 14969 16254 16624 16859

Hans P. Randing Norman Monteiro Jerry W. Vens Roger A. Sweet Carlo Dicarlo Bernard J. Bourgeois Michael A. Spencer Jim Kile Scott P. Bacon Loyola Tavares Keith A. Rodrigues Yves C. Laferriere Jaime A. Libaque Bruce A. Williams Melchorito E. Tejero David Mulcair John M. Scott Aaron Orians Aloysius Mekkunnel Maxime M. Salman

13813 14282 14457 14502

14995 15614 15905 15942 16279 16373

OKLAHOMA

ONTARIO

1577 Robert T. Weiler 3509 Kelly C. Chapman 15640 George A. Le Doux OREGON

4050 4052 4057 4160 5671 6353 8222 10474 10502 11319 11564

Bill Fonzone Richard F. Spencer Jay J. Raines William J. Lahr IV Marino C. Kaminski Jonathan K. Gnau Patrick M. Sprigler Robert D. Farabaugh Thomas S. Szeltner Ronald S. Stewart Anthony D. Kolesinskas William H. Allison Warren A. Stephens Michael R. Swarm Christopher F. Wilson Richard J. Conte Sr. George V. Ross Walter F. Dolski Robert W. Ziemba

PENNSYLVANIA

12532 12788 13427 14081 14654 14786 15590 17028

NOV 19 E KIA 10_16 FINAL.qxp__Layout 1 10/16/19 5:13 PM Page 31

S TA R C O U N C I L W I N N E R S 14000 14001 14004 14955

Sławomir Wójtowicz Paweł Put Jacek Grzegorzewski Mariusz Szczepanowski Jerzy Warasiecki Grzegorz Mielecki Grzegorz Sowa Marcin Wojciechowski Jacek Furmańczyk Marian Styczeń Roman Nowak Janusz Glinka Robert Kupc Andrzej Raczkowski Waldemar Kęska Franciszek Nowak Lucjan Uzdrowski Eugeniusz Rakoca Michał Owczarek Marek Młyński Krzysztof Siedczyński Tadeusz Rzońca Robert Wolski Jakub Cybulski Zygmunt Mazur Janusz Szkodny Andrzej Florkiewicz Piotr Junga Daniel Wróblewski Zbigniew Jakubowski Stanisław Kobus Przemysław Zaborowski

POLAND

15117 15128 15239 15267 15299 15416 15500 15523 15527 15622 15631 15672 15708 16014 16015 16100 16105 16181 16266 16405 16642 16727 16883 16893 16964 16973

16999 17030

13206 Edsel L. Rivera Rivera PUERTO RICO

1001 1468 1776 1813 2015 3072 3096 3193 3206 5118 5321 5661 7044 8260 9592 10634 11362 11614 11627 12460

André Girard Sylvain Paquette Pierre Huard Sylvain Cadieux Robert Corbeil Jean-Pierre Rondeau Laurier Charron Denis Ross Alain Gingras Stephane Printemps Jocelyn Ross Francis Pelletier Joel Durocher Pierre Cote Claude Sigouin Louis Valiquette Paul E. Grenon Edouard Fournier Benoit Robidoux Pierre Tanguay

QUÉBEC

379 Walter E. Smith Jr. 7238 Michael J. Osenkowski 12613 Bruce P. Guindon RHODE ISLAND

1534 3456 5259 5479 5949 6068

David M. Corry Michel S. Beaulac Kevin S. Rutt Theodore J. Stremick Agnel A. George Ronald J. Koberinski Robert A. Wacholtz Orville Corbin Glen D. Hauser Robert P. Waldegger

SASKATCHEWAN

8905 10239 10587 11307

6726 Alan D. Chambers 7062 Donald O. Baker 11325 Dr. Richard William Swain 12366 Richard H. Gagnon 16903 Thomas Hrica

SOUTH CAROLINA

1079 2686 6117 11739 13302 15457 15817 16759

Vincent H. Boddicker Scott W. Bollinger Ryan R. Fowler Patrick A. Danielson Darrell J. Sieve Toby J. Mallmann Nicholas S. Nielson Scott R. Kolousek

544 6321 6992 7447 8418 8860 10743

Chris G. Beal George C. Pond David K. Huber Donald F. Castillo Timothy L. Sabin Robert C. Mcdaniel Robert J. Gamache Jr. Andrew J. Hudock Joe Gomez Jack T. Simmons Terry G. Greene Keith H. Estevens

SOUTH DAKOTA

TENNESSEE

12012 12256 14341 14482 17160

830 Thomas J. Garlock Jr. 2771 Gerard L. Verderber 3098 Carlos Carlin 3205 Raymond L. Thomas Jr. 3253 Ricky Servantes 4868 Mark Bunte 6065 David L. Wolf 6358 Gregory C. Ellison 6402 Reynaldo B. Rangel 6453 Patsy A. Leone 7175 Gary M. Von Rosenberg Jr. 7264 Raymond J. Carr 8298 Ruben De Leon 8771 Robert Suarez 9708 David H. Fronick 9868 C. Michael Kennedy 10240 Jose Lopez 10463 Miguel Valls Jr. 10940 Oscar Hannig 12320 John M. Stanton 12522 Don P. Lusson 12553 Manuel Trevino Jr. 12711 Guy L. Guerin 12809 Michael A. Candiloro 14512 John A. Williams 14617 Christopher L. Breaux 14690 Michael P. Sullivan 15362 Ronnie Ozuna 15882 Sergio J. Villarreal 16042 Kent L. Shields 16205 Alan Wade Reeb 16464 Marcus A. James 16730 James Marshall Parrott 16748 Alejandro R. Guerra 16778 James B. Weber 17024 John E. Woerly Jr. 17039 Bryar F. Ferguson 17060 Etienne P. Figueroa TEXAS

15802 Mykola Dmytrovskyi 16130 Yaroslav Voytsykhovskyi 16140 Vasyl Povorozniuk UKRAINE

16250 16252 16649 16892

Stepan Dzhus Vasyl Kostiak Yevhen Khaylov Olexandr Brunevych

7961 Andrew Airriess 12181 Steven J. Thatcher 16127 Alan T. Gibson UTAH

418 459 694 2473 4568 5476 6372 6747 6963 7363 7469 7566

Michael D. Ives Joseph Phillip Castillo Michael P. Schofield Jr. John J. Rovinski Jr. Michael R. Steele Barton G. Leahey III Christopher T. Burns William P. Murray Thomas A. Famulari John W. Collick Jr. Randall S. Vis Lawrence C. Gallagher John Landy David A. Gerwitz David W. Wyble Sr. R. Paul Bernier Larry D. Houston Reyes Guerra Robert J. Bangel Joseph W. Schaefer Sean P. Costello James P. Borowski Juan C. Rodriguez David W. Garvin Ramon F. Villa Jr. Joseph P. Kernan Frank H. Parker Paul J. Walhout Hampton H. Hart III Dwayne C. Owens John R. Pulvino Sr. John F. Bradley Phong Quang Tran Leonard Thomas Thompson Daniel R. Evans Dennis M. Corrigan Richard J. Healy Ricky A. Sowell

VIRGINIA

7992 9428 10015 10754 10979 11170 11262 11475 11533 11741 11781 11806 12117 14509 14511 14523 15794 15983 16226 16234 16468 16535 16658 16793 17056 17189 3171 3348 3595 3708 3938 4467 4526 4638 5028 5196 5225 5308 5434 5672 5805 5847 5889

Alexander C. Bentulan [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Jaime B. Delprado III [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Nelson S. Mana-Ay [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Leopoldo B. Piczon Liberato O. Caballero Jesus Evans S. Demorito [No officer listed] Pio F. Casipe Gil A. Gabasa Roberto B. Ansino Emilio M. Enfectana Cipriano B. Torralba Jose Rex S. Pilador Eduardo R. Villanueva [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Claro R. Aligaen Jr.

VISAYAS

5894 6047 6109 6235 6240 6278 6400 6432 6639 6840 7005

7730 Jiro R. Takahashi Jr. 7815 Gudaab J. Ramos Jr. 7936 Gregorio M. Perdeguin 8185 Renato D. Majadillas 8328 Florencio A. Coso 8423 [No officer listed] 8584 Jerome D. Longcanaya 8656 [No officer listed] 8796 [No officer listed] 8929 Donald J. Lao 9091 Edgardo G. Galvez 9179 Cheron O. Reyes 9207 Felipe R. Emnace 9694 [No officer listed] 9907 Ruben D. Simila 9931 Joseph C. Amascual 9945 [No officer listed] 9955 Lawrence B. Ybanez 10089 Concordio G. Eyas 10095 Melchor Jan T. Minerva 10101 Jonathan V. Bretana 10110 Creste M. Herezo 10164 [No officer listed] 10759 [No officer listed] 10767 Agustin G. Garilva Jr. 10953 Fritz A. Agustin 11131 Raymundo P. Porras 11571 Charlito V. Alistado 11579 Nestor P. Guancia 11698 Ildefonso A. Dolorino 12077 Eusebio T. Obina Jr. 12279 [No officer listed] 12628 [No officer listed] 12643 Errol Joe M. Agot 12667 [No officer listed] 12702 Segundo T. Macawile 12779 Simplicio Y. Pobar 13013 [No officer listed] 13092 Eden B. Panisales 13273 Columbos A. Maitim 13493 Bonifacio P. Napoles Jr. 13659 [No officer listed] 13833 Virgilio Q. Sanchez 13872 [No officer listed] 13878 Leonardo B. Dellero 13914 [No officer listed] 13937 [No officer listed] 14118 Paulus Victorious C. Villegos 14119 Dennis C. Chavez 14151 Danilo M. Naputo 14152 Cirilo G. Noya 14229 Camilo L. Malibago 14444 [No officer listed] 14501 [No officer listed] 14519 [No officer listed] 14536 [No officer listed] 14547 Josefino G. Bagolor 14782 [No officer listed] 14831 [No officer listed] 14858 [No officer listed] 14860 [No officer listed] 14890 [No officer listed] 14910 [No officer listed] 14918 Alejandro Kendoza Tagalog Jr. 14976 [No officer listed] 15072 Goodrich V. Gonzaga 15190 [No officer listed] 15243 Alberto N. Tagapia 15253 [No officer listed] 15316 Noel S. Pelletero 15465 Ignacio G. Tocayon Jr. 15487 Cyril B. Bornales 15513 [No officer listed] 15547 Noel R. Layda 15586 [No officer listed] 15597 Roberto T. Belleza Jr. 15635 Arnel L. Del Cruz 15648 Adelfo B. Abella 15662 Ruben S. Fuentes 15718 Ramil C. Aliman 15724 Gene E. Bialen Sr.

16957 16966 16969

[No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Armin M. Galvez Jose G. Parnada Jr. [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Nerio A. Bandies [No officer listed] Camilo A. Zacate Proceso Salvador M Chagas Virgilio G. Lagunda Gilberto F. Magallon Ernesto G. Abella Jr. Larry B. Deysolong John P. Balleza Juan M. Guitones Jr. Angelo D. Pastolero [No officer listed] Velerico S. Batacandolo Eugene Francis B. Belicano Glicerio P. Doloritos Leo A. Cervales [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Felito E. Vargas [No officer listed] Bendoven D. Celada Isauro S. Sindol Jr. Simeon G. Macuse [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Rodmar T. Guia [No officer listed] [No officer listed] [No officer listed] Raphael O. Estorque Antonio C. Alingalan Jr. [No officer listed] Vincent C. Cavan Judito T. Gaquit

894 8102 11789 12899 15968 16184 16690

Steven J. Royce John D. Bachler John F. Guerrero Diome F. Alcomendas William F. Boniface Mark J. Tellez Stephen G. Schweyen

8288 10756 16494 16530

Derek C. Rader Dennis J. Allen Robert A. Steele Andrew P. Nowak

1647 1709 1840 2556 4392 4879 5127 6568 12588 16298 16691 16821 16863 16937 17035

Robert F. Mccormick James A. Hellmich Stephen L. Mercaitis Jerry C. Mallmann Patrick A. Moertl Joseph V. White Keith E. Krebsbach Carter M. Klaas Chad W. Balcom Ben J. Meyer Stephen J. Tanko Thomas A. Ludka Thomas H. Coffey Thomas J. Ellenbecker Juan C. Escobar

15770 15784 15846 15872 15895 16019 16029 16044 16055 16077 16098 16113 16114 16297 16319 16343 16372 16382 16521 16527 16552 16558 16569

16625 16652 16657 16689 16698 16801 16818 16828 16851 16857 16865 16872 16882 16888 16899 16920 16921 16939 16941 16942

WASHINGTON

WEST VIRGINIA

WISCONSIN

NOVEMBER 2019

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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

2019 Commemorative Ornament This bamboo Christmas ornament is etched with the manger scene on one side and the emblem of the Order and the year on the other. It measures 3” x 3.5” x .25” and comes wrapped in a gift box.

— $6 each

1-800-444-5632 www.kofcsupplies.com IN CANADA ROGER SAUVÉ INC.

Official council and Fourth Degree equipment and officer robes 1-888-266-1211 www.roger-sauve.com

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

!

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 NOVEMBER 1, 2019: 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 © 2019 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.

32 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

NOVEMBER 2019

Pewter Holy Family Ornament This custom die-cut Nativity scene ornament shows the emblem of the Order in a pewter finish with 3D detail. Measuring 2.5” by 3”, it comes with a red ribbon for hanging and is packaged in a gift box.

— $12 each Acrylic Stained Glass Ornament This acrylic ornament depicts Mary watching over Jesus with angels looking on, in the style of a stained glass window. On the opposite side, the emblem of the Order is printed in white on a black background, and a red ribbon is attached. It measures 3.75” x 2.25” and is packaged in a gift box.

— $7 each Brass Holy Family Ornament This brass ornament features an etching of the manger scene with a “Knights of Columbus” cutout at the bottom and a gold cord attached. It measures 3” x 3” and comes packaged in a gift box.

— $6 each

Holy Family Figure This beautiful faux wood figure depicts Mary holding Jesus with Joseph watching over them. The resin figure measures 6.5” x 3.25” x 3.25”.

— $16 each

knightsgear.com Questions? Call: 1-855-GEAR-KOC (855-432-7562) Additional shipping costs apply to all orders. Please call before mailing in an order.

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K N IG H T S O F C O LU M BU S

Knights of Charity

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

Msgr. Eduardo Chavez, director of the Institute of Guadalupan Studies in Mexico City, prays with Fourth Degree Knights outside Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Portland on Sept. 14. The shrine, which was dedicated in October 2016, was funded and built by the Oregon State Council at The Grotto, a Catholic outdoor sanctuary. The Knights gathered for Guadalupe Encounter, a day of prayer, spiritual instruction and activities organized by the state council.

TO BE FEATURED HERE , SEND YOUR COUNCIL’ S “K NIGHTS IN A CTION � PHOTO AS WELL AS ITS DESCRIPTION TO : C OLUMBIA , 1 C OLUMBUS P LAZA , N EW H AVEN , CT 06510-3326 OR EMAIL : KNIGHTSINACTION @ KOFC . ORG .

NOVEMBER 2019

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

K EEP T H E FA IT H A LIV E

‘I PUT AWAY MY FEARS AND RELIED ON GOD.’

FATHER BRANDON DETOMA Bishop Flaget Council 13053 Prospect, Ky.

If you had asked me as a little boy in Kentucky what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would not have answered “a priest.” I was determined to become a doctor and help people. But God had other plans.

I returned seriously to the Church in college. Not long after, I began to imagine myself helping people — as a priest. That thought never left me as I finished college, served in the U.S. Army and attended graduate school.

“Why not a priest?” became a constant theme in my prayer. Eventually, I decided to stop listening to the doubts and just give seminary a try. I put away my fears and relied on God. This journey would not have been possible without the prayers, encouragement and support of my brother Knights in Council 13053.

My advice for anyone thinking about priesthood or religious life is to give God a chance. Take your thoughts and emotions to prayer and offer them to God. You might be surprised at what he has in store for you.