KNIGH T S O F C O L U M B U S
O CTOBER 2012
COLUMBIA “PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND”
130th Supreme Convention
THE BENCHMARK OF PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE Court of the Table member three consecutive years
2012 A commitment to excellence, outstanding service and the highest ethical standards. These are traits of all Knights of Columbus field agents, but the dedication of the agents listed here has earned them membership in the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) for 2012. MDRT is an international organization that recognizes the top one percent of financial professionals in the world. We salute these men for their devotion to making a difference for life.
Whether your agent is a current or future MDRT member, helping you to protect your family is his highest priority. To identify your professional Knights of Columbus agent, click “Find an Agent” at kofc.org or call 1-800-345-KOFC
There is no higher rated insurer in North America than the Knights of Columbus
Pierre Albert — Hearst, Ontario Randall Atkins — Fort Myers, Florida William Atkinson — Grande Prairie, Alberta Ben Baca — Whittier, California Larry Bate — Carthage, Texas Jeremie Bornais — Amherstburg, Ontario Daniel Bouchard — Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia Tyler Bouchard — Red Deer, Alberta Jason Bramley — Bloomington, Illinois William Buchta — Grand Island, Nebraska Robert Callaway — Laurel, Maryland Nicholas Calvino — Plymouth, Massachusetts John Canter — Crownsville, Maryland Robert Canter — Upper Marlboro, Maryland John Cesta — West Palm Beach, Florida Wayne Cherney — Devils Lake, North Dakota Mark Deaton — Cypress, Texas Justin Deges — Hill City, Kansas Ivan Delabruere — Pace, Florida Joseph DeMarco — Vero Beach, Florida John DiCalogero — East Walpole, Massachusetts Glen Dobmeier — Humboldt, Saskatchewan Michael Doss — Seal Beach, California Denis Duval — Garson, Ontario Richard Fuentes — Lebanon, New Jersey Robert Gitto — Orlando, Florida James Grabinski — Walden, New York Malcolm Graham — Kitchener, Ontario Brian Graham — Kensington, Maryland Mark Hedge — Butler, Ohio Larry Hoelscher — Jefferson City, Missouri David Imbriani — Monroe Township, New Jersey Joe Jackson — Denver, Colorado Aaron Jelinek — Prior Lake, Minnesota Douglas Kelly — Omaha, Nebraska Harvey Kocian — Victoria, Texas Chuck Larter — Spencerville, Ontario William Lewchuk — Calgary, Alberta Ernesto Literte — Torrance, California William Lueddemann — Anaheim, California Mark Mandel — Columbus, Ohio Eduardo Manrique — Lawrence, Massachusetts Michael McDonough — Dunwoody, Georgia Michael McGranahan — Fullerton, California
Robert Abbate Virginia Beach, Virginia
Lawrence Messer — Westminster, Maryland Gregory Miskiman — Calgary, Alberta Richard Moore — Edmond, Oklahoma Michael Mullin — Brooklin, Ontario Michel Myre — London, Ontario James Nestmann — Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Timothy Nowak — Ogallala, Nebraska Douglas Nurenberg — Saint Johns, Michigan Edward O'Keefe — Abingdon, Maryland Eric Ottemann — Lubbock, Texas Steven Owens — Torrance, California Kevin Paish — St. Albert, Alberta Kevin Patterson — Grand Blanc, Michigan Arturo Perchemlian — Menifee, California Neil Pfeifer — Norfolk, Nebraska Vince Polis — Lewiston, Idaho Keith Praski — Angola, Indiana Darin Reed — Ellis, Kansas Stephen Regan — Chattanooga, Tennessee Bobby Renaud — Sudbury, Ontario James Rolleri — Germantown, Tennessee Joseph Saffioti — Glassboro, New Jersey Ronald Sandoval — San Gabriel, California Sonny Sangemino — Windsor, Ontario John Seguin — Sturbridge, Massachusetts James Seideman — Lubbock, Texas Daniel Sheehan — Neoga, Illinois Thomas Sitzmann — Pueblo, Colorado David Soukup — Leavenworth, Kansas Joseph Spinelli III — Tallahassee, Florida John Stewart — Bourne, Massachusetts Leroy Stoecker — Houston, Texas John Stoeckinger — Lincoln, Nebraska Jeffrey Storey — Alhambra, California Doug Supak — La Grange, Texas Jody Supak — La Grange, Texas James Swartz — Harbor Beach, Michigan Young Tran — Portland, Oregon Kevin Tuuri — Port Townsend, Washington Kevin Weber — Gretna, Nebraska James White — Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Michael Wilson — Hacienda Heights, California Joseph Wolf — Harker Heights, Texas Mark Yubeta — San Clemente, California
PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus ________ SUPREME OFFICERS Carl A. Anderson SUPREME KNIGHT Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. SUPREME CHAPLAIN Dennis A. Savoie DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT Charles E. Maurer Jr. SUPREME SECRETARY Logan T. Ludwig SUPREME TREASURER John A. Marrella SUPREME ADVOCATE ________
-
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS OCTOBER 2012 ♦ VOLUME 92 ♦ NUMBER 10
COLUMBIA
EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski alton.pelowski@kofc.org MANAGING EDITOR Patrick Scalisi patrick.scalisi@kofc.org 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. ________ HOW TO REACH US MAIL COLUMBIA 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 ADDRESS CHANGES 203-752-4580 OTHER INQUIRIES 203-752-4398 FAX 203-752-4109 CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-380-9995 E-MAIL columbia@kofc.org INTERNET kofc.org/columbia ________ Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.
________
COVER: Thinkstock
Copyright © 2012 All rights reserved ________ ON THE COVER A photo illustration of the Liberty Bell, which was cast 260 years ago with words from Leviticus 25:10: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land....”
The Supreme Officers and Board of Directors are pictured at the 130th Supreme Convention in Anaheim, Calif.
130th SUPREME CONVENTION Aug. 7-9, 2012 2
The Challenge to Religious Liberty Greetings from Pope Benedict XVI sent to the 130th Supreme Convention by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.
4
130th Supreme Convention Highlights Annual Supreme Council Meeting celebrates the Order’s growth and charitable work and focuses on defending religious liberty.
9
Faithful Witnesses of Life, Love and Liberty Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan’s keynote address at the annual States Dinner.
18 Annual Awards Session Top recruiters, outstanding Knights and leading agents were recognized at the Supreme Convention.
20 Report of the Supreme Knight Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson’s report on the state of the Order’s work and mission.
OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA ♦ 1
PA PA L G R E E T I N G S
The Challenge to Religious Liberty Greetings from Pope Benedict XVI sent to the Supreme Convention by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone
HIS HOLINESS Pope Benedict XVI was pleased to Church’s mission in today’s rapidly changing social learn that from 7 to 9 August 2012 the 130th Supreme context. The Knights of Columbus, founded as a fraConvention of the Knights of Columbus will be held ternal society committed to mutual assistance and fiin Anaheim, California. He has asked me to convey his delity to the Church, was a pioneer in the warm greetings to all in attendance, together with the development of the modern lay apostolate. His Holiassurance of his closeness in prayer. ness is confident that the Supreme Convention will The theme of this year’s Supreme Convention — carry on this distinguished legacy by providing sound Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land — evokes not inspiration, guidance and direction to a new generaonly the great biblical ideals of freedom and justice tion of faithful and dedicated Catholic laymen. As he which shaped the stated to the Bishops of founding of the the United States earlier United States of this year, the demands of Knights of Columbus have America, but also the the new evangelization responsibility of each and the defense of the worked tirelessly to help the new generation to preChurch’s freedom in our Catholic community recognize serve, defend and adday call for “an engaged, vance those great articulate and welland respond to the unprecedented ideals in its own day. formed Catholic laity enAt a time when condowed with a strong gravity of these new threats to certed efforts are being critical sense vis-à-vis the the Church’s liberty and public made to redefine and dominant culture and restrict the exercise of with the courage to moral witness. the right to religious counter a reductive secufreedom, the Knights larism which would deleof Columbus have gitimize the Church’s worked tirelessly to help the Catholic community rec- participation in public debate about the issues which ognize and respond to the unprecedented gravity of are determining the future of American society” (Ad these new threats to the Church’s liberty and public Limina Address, 19 January 2012). moral witness. By defending the right of all religious Given this urgent need, the Holy Father encourages believers, as individual citizens and in their institu- the Supreme Council, together with each of the local tions, to work responsibly in shaping a democratic so- Councils, to reinforce the praiseworthy programs of ciety inspired by their deepest beliefs, values and continuing catechetical and spiritual formation which aspirations, your Order has proudly lived up to the have long been a hallmark of your Order. Each high religious and patriotic principles which inspired Knight, in fidelity to his baptismal promises, is its founding. pledged to bear daily witness, however quiet and unasThe challenges of the present moment are in fact suming, to his faith in Christ, his love of the Church yet another reminder of the decisive importance of and his commitment to the spread of God’s Kingdom the Catholic laity for the advancement of the in this world. The forthcoming inauguration of the 2 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
CNS photo/Giampiero Sposito, Reuters
PA PA L G R E E T I N G S
Year of Faith, which commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, is meant to deepen this sense of ecclesial responsibility and mission in the entire People of God. His Holiness prays that the celebration of this Year of spiritual and apostolic renewal will inspire in the Knights an ever firmer resolve to profess their baptismal faith in its fullness, celebrate it more intensely in the liturgy, and make it manifest through the witness of their lives (cf. Porta Fidei, 9). In a particular way, His Holiness wishes me to convey his profound personal gratitude for the spiritual bouquet of prayers and sacrifices which the Knights and their families have offered for his intentions throughout this year which marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of his episcopal ordination. He is pleased to see in this act of spiritual solidarity not only an outstanding testimony of love for the Successor of Saint Peter, who is “the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of the Church’s unity in faith and her communion” (cf. Lumen Gentium, 18), but also a sign of especial fidelity, loyalty and support during these difficult times.
With these sentiments, the Holy Father commends the deliberations of the Supreme Convention to the loving intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church. To all the Knights and their families he cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of joy and peace in the Lord. Adding my own prayerful good wishes for the work of the Supreme Convention, I remain Yours sincerely,
Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone Secretary of State
OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA ♦ 3
130th Supreme Convention Annual Supreme Council Meeting celebrates the Order’s growth and charitable work and focuses on defending religious liberty
4
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
M
ore than 2,000 Knights of Columbus and family members attended the 130th Supreme Convention Aug. 7-9 in Anaheim, Calif. The event featured large concelebrated Masses, the annual States Dinner, several business sessions, and smaller formal and informal meetings that celebrated the Order’s ongoing work in a spirit of charity, unity and fraternity. Twelve cardinals attended the convention, as well as 70 archbishops, bishops and abbots, and more than 100 priests, many of them K of C chaplains. The theme of this year’s convention, “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land,” was taken from the Book of Leviticus. These words, which inspired the Founding Fathers and are cast into the Liberty Bell, are a clarion call to the Knights and other Catholics today as growing forces of secularism threaten religious freedom. American citizens are already facing attempts to reduce the freedom of
religion to freedom of worship, government mandates that require religious institutions to fund morally objectionable practices, and the closure of Catholic charitable operations that refuse to violate Church teachings. In his letter of greeting to the convention on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI (see page 2), Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone referred to “the unprecedented gravity of these new threats to the Church’s liberty and public moral witness.” Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, in his annual report (see page 20), and other speakers throughout the convention, likewise addressed these threats and encouraged Knights to become the “engaged, articulate and well-formed Catholic laity” that Pope Benedict has called for. Extended coverage of the convention can be found at kofc.org, and DVDs of the convention’s proceedings are available for purchase (see page 48).♦ OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
5
Clockwise from top: More than 100 priests joined dozens of bishops and archbishops, including several cardinals, in concelebrating the convention’s Opening Mass Aug. 7. • Four cardinals stand in choir, to the side of the altar, as their fellow archbishops and bishops concelebrate the Mass. • A seminarian carries ciboria filled with hosts to distribute during Mass. • Seminarian altar servers, followed by deacons and concelebrating priests and bishops, walk in procession. Above right: Members of G Company, Second Battalion, 23rd Regiment, U.S. Marine Corps, serve as color guard for the opening business session. Right: Past State Deputy Anthony Colbert of Washington, D.C., leads the singing of the “Opening Ode.” 6
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
WE FACE a growing secularism, attacks on the value and gift of human life, attempts to redefine traditional marriage and serious curtailment of our religious rights. Certainly, there is a clear and demanding need today for the new evangelization called for by Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. … The new evangelization calls us to faith, instills hope and fills us with love. I am confident the members of our Order will be in the front ranks of the evangelizers. As with St. Juan Diego, a layman, the success of the new evangelization will depend on our laity and their involvement. As laity, your lives will act as witness to our faith. — Bishop Tod D. Brown of Orange, Calif. Opening Mass homily, Aug. 7
THANK YOU. Those two words, spoken on behalf of my brother bishops in my capacity as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, are the substance of my remarks. … The number-one reason to thank you is the generous and unfailing loyalty of the Knights of Columbus to the pastoral goals of the bishops. You know what our goals are: the defense of human life and dignity, the defense of marriage and family, promotion of vocations to the priesthood, formation in our Catholic faith, the new evangelization, and especially the defense of religious freedom. … We defend our first and most cherished freedom, yes, as Catholics, grateful for a land that welcomed our forefathers in the faith to a sanctuary where freedom of religion was listed first. But we also defend religious liberty as loyal, patriotic Americans, citizens who are conscious that government in America exists not to define, invent or impede our freedoms, but to protect freedoms, which by their very nature come not from government, but from Almighty God. Knights of Columbus, you have been nothing less than Marines, than a Delta Force, in the defense of religious freedom since 1882, and we need you more now than ever. … I believe that the Knights of Columbus are the genuine harvest of the vocation of the lay faithful that the Second Vatican Council spoke about — committed, credible, compelling, concerned Catholic laity who bring the truth and the light of the Gospel … to family, work, education, culture and the public square. Nobody does it better than the Knights, and for that your bishops say: “Thank you.” — Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan Archbishop of New York, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Remarks at opening business session, Aug. 7 OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
7
Members of the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors applaud the many members of the hierarchy who were present at the opening business session. • Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States, reads the papal greetings to attendees at the 130th Supreme Convention. • Following his annual report, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson is congratulated by Deputy Supreme Knight Dennis A. Savoie. • Patrick E. Kelly (center), state deputy of the District of Columbia, and vice president of public policy, together with other delegates and their wives, applauds during the opening business session. Facing page, top: Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, archbishop of New York, delivers the keynote address at the annual States Dinner Aug. 7. 8
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
Faithful Witnesses of
Life, Love and Liberty The defense and promotion of faithful marriage, exemplified by the Knights, is essential to building a culture of life by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan
EDITOR’S NOTE: This following text is from Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan’s Aug. 7 keynote address at the States Dinner during the 130th Supreme Convention.
W
orthy Supreme Knight and Mrs. Anderson; my brother Knights and beloved wives; my brother cardinals; Bishop Brown, Archbishop Viganò, my brother bishops, priests, and deacons; our consecrated women and men religious; seminarians, guests, friends one and all ... Que viva Cristo Rey! To anyone who claims the Church is lackluster; to anyone who thinks the Church has lost the dare given us by Jesus to “cast out to the deep!” (cf. Luke 5:4); to anyone who doubts the solidarity between God’s people and his priests and bishops; to anyone who contends that Catholics are beaten
down by constant attacks on faith, the Church, our values, and our God-given freedom of religion ... I say, “Let them come to the Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus!” As we anticipate the Year of Faith, I thank you, brother Knights, for 130 years of vibrant, salt-ofthe-earth, light-to-the-world Catholic witness! As we prepare for the upcoming synod of bishops in Rome on the new evangelization, I congratulate you, brother Knights, for taking that ball and running with it, in the same missionary spirit that characterized Christopher Columbus. As loyal American citizens, of all faiths or none at all, renew vigilance for our “first and most cherished freedom,” thank you, brother Knights, for continuing your 14-decade tradition of “proclaiming liberty throughout all the land.” OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
9
Knights and their families wave flags of their home jurisdictions as bishops and supreme directors process into the States Dinner Aug. 7. Usually, at the States Dinner, thousands of our Knights look up in admiration to the dais, the head table, to the “crimson tide” of bishops and cardinals. Tonight, I’m going to literally “turn the tables” as we up here look out with awe, admiration and deep appreciation upon you, our Knights and their wives, united in marriage. For this evening, I want to salute marriage — and it would be tough to find anyone who has done more to defend, strengthen and promote marriage than you, Knights of Columbus, and your cherished wives and families. In fact, as you are aware, one of the driving motives of the Venerable Father Michael McGivney in founding the Knights was to assist men to fulfill better their vocation as husbands and dads. We Catholics are hopeless romantics, you know, when it comes to married love ... Against all odds, we still believe that when a man and woman vow that they will love and honor each other “for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, until death do us part,” they really do mean it. We still hold fast to the teaching of the Bible that God so esteems marriage that he compared his personal, passionate, eternal love for Israel to that between a husband and a wife. St. Paul likewise tells us that the love of Jesus for us, his Church, is just like that of a groom for his bride (cf. Eph 5). We still have in our gut the Church’s timeless “Valentine’s Day card”: that the love between a husband and a wife has the same characteristics as 10
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
the love that God has for us. It is faithful; it is forever; and it brings about new life in children. We are such hopeless romantics that we contend that the best way to get a hint of how God loves us now, and in eternity, is to look at how you, married couples, love one another. “The love of a man and woman is made holy in the sacrament of marriage and becomes the mirror of your everlasting love....” chants the Preface in the Nuptial Mass. You see why we, mostly celibates up here, look out upon you married couples with awe? We gaze out now at thousands of icons, reflections, mirrors of the way God loves us. Now, you are — we are — the first to acknowledge that this romantic, poetic, lofty, divine luster of marriage can at times be tarnished a bit in the day-in, day-out challenges of lifelong, life-giving, faithful love. Tension, trial, temptation, turmoil — they come indeed. But just as Jesus worked his first miracle at the request of his Blessed Mother for a newly married couple at Cana by turning water into wine, so too does Jesus transform those choppy waters of tension, trial, temptation and turmoil into a vintage wine of tried-and-true-trust in marriage. So, brother Knights and wives, I thank you for being such metaphors of God’s love; and I exhort you, please, to continue, now more than ever, to be so. Why, now more than ever? Let me give you a few reasons. When I was archbishop of Milwaukee, I attended an archdiocesan pastoral council meeting
during which we discussed ways to increase vocahave called the civilization of love, a topic elotions to the priesthood and consecrated religious quently written about by our own supreme knight life (yet another project, by the way, that you in his book by that very title. Knights have vigorously promoted). Well, one of See, it’s not just saints, pontiffs or theologians the members commented: “Archbishop Dolan, in who predicate marriage and family as the central, talking about an increase in vocations for priests, love-promoting cell of the human enterprise, but sisters and brothers, I think you’re barking up the also historians, sociologists, psychologists and anwrong tree!” thropologists. They demonstrate that, when the Uh-oh, here it comes, I thought, buckling my bulnormative relationship for a man and woman’s exletproof vest, wondering what she had in mind. istence is that of a husband, wife, father and But she continued: “The greatest vocation crisis mother, then home, industry, finance, culture, sotoday is to lifelong, loving, faithful, life-giving ciety and governing structures are more easily dimarriage. You take care of that one, and you’ll have rected to virtue, responsibility and the restraint of all the priests and sisters you need!” the primitive lust and selfishness that wreck civiWell-said! lization. Ask, for instance, Edward Gibbon, the au“For an increase in vocations to the priesthood, thor of The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, consecrated life, and the sacrament of marriage” what happens when a culture loses this focus. should perhaps become the new phrasing for a The most effective guarantee of a civilization of prayer of the faithful at every Mass, as we are love, rather than the survival of the fittest; the culsobered by the gloomy statisture of life over the culture of tics that only 51 percent of death; the law of the gift our young people are aprather than the law of the proaching that sacrament, a “get”; and solidarity rather GOVERNMENT THAT piece of data you all than selfishness, is precisely somberly see verified even traditional marriage and famPRESUMES TO REDEFINE among your own children ily. When that goes, we all go. and grandchildren. But I’m preaching to the MARRIAGE IS PERILOUSLY A vocation crisis in the call choir! to the sacrament of matriI’m looking out with awe CLOSE TO CONSIDERING mony is the number one reaupon Knights of Columbus NOT GOD, BUT ITSELF, AS son I speak to you with a and their wives who radiantly sense of urgency about marlive the vocation of marriage, ‘THE ALMIGHTY.’” riage this evening. and who have kids and The second reason is that grandkids to prove it; who the very definition of marhave chosen to accept God’s riage as a lifelong, life-giving invitation to everlasting life and faithful union of one man and one woman is as a couple, not alone; who worry about the weakin peril, with a well-choreographed, well-oiled cruening of marriage and its toxic effect on our culsade to conform marriage to the whims of the day, ture and the Church we cherish; and who, rather instead of conforming our urges to God’s design, than wringing their hands, have joined their hands as revealed in the Bible, nature and reflective reato defend, promote and strengthen the very relason. The theme of this Supreme Convention is, of tionship between one man and one woman, united course, the defense of religious freedom. In the in lifelong, life-giving, faithful love, that dates back noble American project of ordered virtuous to the Garden of Eden itself. democracy, government exists not to invent, deMay the dawn of the Year of Faith, the ringing fine, grant or impede genuine freedom — the “first call for the new evangelization and our renewed and most cherished” being freedom of religion — defense of religious freedom renew our Knights, but to protect liberties that come not from any their wives and their families in this noble joining human whim but from the Creator. That’s about of hands. as American as Yankee Stadium; and a government Thank you, Knights of Columbus! that presumes to redefine marriage is perilously Vivat Jesus!♦ close to considering not God, but itself, as “the CARDINAL TIMOTHY M. DOLAN is archbishop Almighty.” of New York and president of the U.S. Conference of And a final fact that prompts us to a sense of reCatholic Bishops. He is a member of St. Anthony newed promotion of marriage? Its singularly pivCouncil 417 in Washington, D.C. otal, irreplaceable role in what the modern popes
“A
OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
11
AT THE STATES DINNER, Giovanni Alemanno, the mayor of Rome, presented Supreme Knight Anderson with a statue of the Lupa Capitolina (Capitoline Wolf ) in gratitude for the Order’s presence in the City of Rome for nearly a century. The Knights’ work in Rome began in 1920, when Pope Benedict XV invited the Order to build recreation centers for youth and establish an ongoing presence in the city. In his brief remarks, Mayor Alemanno said, “I would like to underline how important and how widespread the presence of your organization is in the city of Rome, particularly among young people.” He expressed interest in deepening the relationship between the Order and the Eternal City, with two goals in mind: “promoting the culture of Rome and strengthening our old friendship.”
I STAND before you as one who has been formed, guided and inspired by the ideals and spirit of the Knights of Columbus. As I thank the Knights of Columbus for what the Order has done for me and for the Church, I urge you to intensify your communion with the poor through a dialogue of life and love with them. The abandoned and neglected should experience the caring of true brothers from us. Then they will know that the Church is indeed the family of God where the Holy Spirit enables us to see in everyone a brother or sister deserving of our love and service. This demands a formation centered on Jesus, his teaching, his humility, his docility to God’s will and his heroic service to all. Only by being rooted in Jesus can every Knight be a true brother to others and a defender of the poor. — Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle of Manila Remarks at States Dinner, Aug. 7 12
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
Clockwise from top: A flag of Cuba is displayed on screen, along with photos of Pope Benedict XVI’s recent apostolic visit there, as attendees listen to the anthems of every country where the Order is present. • Bishop James S. Wall (center) of Gallup waves the flag of New Mexico as bishops, supreme directors and wives process onto the dais. • Delegates from Mexico and their wives sing and wave flags. • Members of the Polish delegation wave their country’s flag.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, the bishops of Canada recently issued a pastoral letter to remind not only Catholics, but all Canadians that freedom of religion and conscience is necessary for the common good of countries where religious diversity is the norm. These freedoms are not granted by the state, society or any human authority, but belong to all people by virtue of their humanity. ‌ Our letter was occasioned by the violent attacks on Christians in many places of the world and by the presence in our own country of an aggressive relativism that actively seeks to force its own view of truth on others. It attempts to relegate religious belief to the private sphere and considers religion to be insignificant, alien or even destabilizing. Legitimate secularity is open to the engagement of religious beliefs and faith communities in public debate and civic life. Radical secularism, however, excludes religion from the public square. This disfigured view of the secular attempts to silence religious believers when their views contradict its own, particularly on issues of education, human life and the family. It is highly hostile to a truly democratic and pluralist society in that it tolerates only its own voice and tries to silence all others. We must not fail to be vocal on an issue of such fundamental importance. It is not just a Catholic issue, but one that impacts the lives of all believers and even those of no faith. Throughout North America the need is clear: Our call at this moment is to affirm the right of religion to be active in the public square; to defend the freedom of people of faith and of religious institutions to act in accordance with their beliefs and their nature; to maintain healthy church-state relations; to understand conscience correctly and to form it according to objective truth; and to protect the right to conscientious objection. Believers are summoned now to stand up for their faith, even if they must suffer for it. Knights of Columbus do not shy away from doing so, and we bishops are grateful for your witness. — Archbishop Richard W. Smith of Edmonton, Alberta President, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops Remarks at States Dinner, Aug. 7 OCTOBER 2012
♌ COLUMBIA
13
PUBLIC OPINION polls indicate a disturbing phenomenon that personal experience confirms: While we are trying to evangelize, the rulers of this age, who shape popular culture, are effectively de-evangelizing many Christians. Often the misguided ideas against which we speak are increasingly attractive, and the principles we affirm are unattractive — to Catholics as much as to any others — who are unconsciously absorbing the false wisdom of the age. … But in the human heart there is a yearning for truth, especially since a diet of illusion eventually robs us of inner peace and causes misery in society. It is spiritual and intellectual junk food, delicious but incapable of sustaining life. Long ago, St. Augustine spoke of the deep human reality that is as true today as it was in his age: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Our mission is to offer to our age a life-giving Gospel alternative to the superficially attractive wisdom of this age, and we need to do so persuasively…. We need to attend to the fundamentals. As we design strategies to advance the new evangelization, we need to build upon the bedrock of prayer and not just give it lip service. … The apostolic mission of the Knights of Columbus, at every level, must be rooted in fervent prayer if it is to be fruitful. … Divine wisdom will shine in this suffering world through each Knight and his family, and through every level of this evangelizing brotherhood, to the extent that we give an example of joyful orthodoxy that bears fruit in practical love. — Cardinal Thomas C. Collins, Archbishop of Toronto Homily, Feast of St. Dominic, Aug. 8 14
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
Facing page, from top: Cardinal William J. Levada (center) celebrates the Aug. 8 Mass at the Supreme Convention. Cardinal Levada recently retired as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a position he held for seven years. • Cardinal Thomas C. Collins, archbishop of Toronto, delivers the homily during the concelebrated Mass. • (Left to right) Cardinals Roger M. Mahony, Adam J. Maida, Seán P. O’Malley, Daniel N. DiNardo, Raymond L. Burke, Donald W. Wuerl and Thomas C. Collins concelebrate the Aug. 8 convention Mass. Clockwise, from top: A Fourth Degree honor guard leads the liturgical procession during Wednesday’s concelebrated Mass. • Delegates raise signs indicating support of their jurisdictions during the Aug. 8 business session. • Deputy Supreme Knight Savoie greets Bishop Noël Simard of Valleyfield, Quebec. • Past Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant addresses the delegates. OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
15
THIS YEAR, the memorial Mass falls on the feast day of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. A distinguished philosopher and convert to the Catholic faith from Judaism, she became a Carmelite nun and died a martyr in the gas chambers of Auschwitz 70 years ago today, on Aug. 9, 1942. … St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross had long known that closeness to Christ means a share in his suffering — his redemptive suffering. So she knew in the depths of her being that this, her last and greatest trial, was nothing other than a share in the cross of Christ. Thus, she bore her sufferings not merely with resignation, but with love. … Our embrace of the cross, together with our steadfast Christian hope, is decidedly not the defiant denial of the stoics. It is no denial of reality; it is an embrace of reality — the reality that the Son of God has descended to the depths of human suffering, has conquered the terror of the grave and has risen triumphant. … In life and in death, love and truth must always go together, because the truth is eternal, and love is stronger than death. — Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore Memorial Mass homily, Feast of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Aug. 9 16
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
Above: Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore presides at the Aug. 9 Memorial Mass. In front of the altar is a K of C-commissioned reliquary containing first-class relics of 25 saints and 13 blesseds who were martyred during the persecution of the Catholic Church in Mexico in the 1920s. Six of the saints and three of the blesseds were members of the Order. • A second reliquary, a silver cross containing relics of the six Knights of Columbus priest-martyrs of Mexico, was also present at the Mass. Facing page, from top: Supreme Knight Anderson delivers his closing remarks at the convention. • Delegates review the proposed resolutions. • Supreme Advocate John A. Marrella reads proposed resolutions during the Aug. 9 closing business session.
DO NOT BE AFRAID to stand for your faith and your values and to defend your right to express your faith and to live it according to the values and the principles inspired by Christ and taught by the Church. Yes, it is time for us to stand for our values and to promote a culture of life and a civilization of love. … And it is in giving a testimony of love and justice and peace and joy that we will attract others to the Order. — Bishop Noël Simard of Valleyfield, Quebec Remarks at closing business session, Aug. 9
THE HOLY FATHER, the Holy See, the U.S. bishops, the Knights of Columbus, we are aligned not only in thought, but also in prayer and action, in order to turn back the threats to religious liberty before us — whether it is the HHS mandate; the attempt of the government to claim itself as the source of our rights; attempts by government and others in our culture to reduce religious freedom merely to freedom to worship; or whether it’s state laws that have shut down Catholic adoption agencies or hampered the Church from assisting victims of human trafficking. Whatever it is, we have to be true patriots by being loyal sons of the Church. … Pray the rosary daily for religious freedom, most especially in the month of October — as individuals, but also as K of C families. We need the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As history proves time and again, she has delivered the People of God from grave danger. And in this time of unprecedented threats to our religious liberty, we need her intercession more than ever. But brothers, let us not forget why we are so passionate about defending religious liberty. … Religious freedom is fundamental. It is about our innate relationship with our creator. … What is to be made of our God-given freedom? How are we to use it? It is not merely the freedom to do what we want, but it’s the moral freedom to do what we ought — to be free of sin, to enjoy the freedom that is ours when we live virtuous and holy lives. Here is how Pope John Paul II put it: “Only those who commit themselves to the love of Christ become truly free.” The first principle of our beloved Order is charity. … The charity we practice is nothing other than the love of Christ poured out upon us. We seek to defend liberty … so that the love of Christ may reign in our hearts and in the hearts of our fellow citizens. — Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore Remarks at closing business session, Aug. 9 OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
17
The Donald Paul and Marcia Gilbert family of Father Patrick Creed Council 12923 in Campbellsville, Ky., was named the Order’s 2012 International Family of the Year.
Annual Awards Session Top recruiters, outstanding Knights and leading agents were recognized at the Supreme Convention
A
t the annual Supreme Knight’s Award Session in Anaheim, Calif., Aug. 8, awards were given for achievements in various categories. Here is a brief account of some of the awards and recipients. INTERNATIONAL FAMILY OF THE YEAR Upon learning that his family had been named the Kentucky State Council family of the year, Donald “Paul” Gilbert of Father Patrick Creed Council 12923 in Campbellsville, Ky., preferred not to be recognized, but added, “I am doing this because I am very proud of my family, my parish and my council.” Paul joined the Knights in December 2008. He has served as the council recorder and has undertaken numerous volunteer projects, from chairing the council’s coat drive to serving the parish as a catechist. This dedicated father and his family worked to redecorate the parish church, including refinishing and staining the altar.
18
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
Along with homeschooling all of their seven children (who range in age from 8 to 21), Paul’s wife Marcia has served as the director of a local pregnancy resource center and regularly speaks publicly about the culture of life. The entire family assists in her efforts and participates in parish and council activities. Sarah, the oldest daughter, is now Sister Cecilia, a novice with the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker, and Daniel, the eldest son, is an altar server who is looking to apply to the seminary. CHURCH ACTIVITY AWARD Knights from Blessed John Paul II Council 15299 in Suchedniów, Poland, worked with St. Andrew Parish to organize a Way of the Cross procession through the streets of their city during Holy Week 2012. The event attracted about 2,000 participants. As part of the event, Knights took part in a footwashing ceremony, read the Passion and assigned guards to protect Christ’s tomb, which they had dec-
orated. They also prepared spiritual reflections that were read by local officials. The event culminated with the celebration of Easter Mass. COMMUNITY ACTIVITY AWARD (TIE) In response to the introduction of the Order’s Second Responders Program, the members of Our Lady of Pillar Council 14569 in Morong, Luzon, took on the task of organizing, training, equipping and deploying Knights of Columbus Disaster Response Teams as both first and second responders. Forty-three volunteers completed 10 days of intensive training that was hosted by the Philippine Red Cross, along with the Philippine Navy, Air Force, National Police and a local fire department. The organizers of the program said its goal is to provide compassionate and efficient disaster response to save lives, ease suffering and minimize damage during disasters. When Joplin, Mo., was hit by an EF-5 tornado, one-third of the city was destroyed in only 32 minutes. The response by Joplin’s Father Harter Council 979 was immediate. Initially, with power and communications severely impacted and one of two local hospitals destroyed, the Knights helped FEMA with triage set-up and assisted search-and-rescue teams. When the only remaining Catholic church held community Masses on the weekend following the tornado, the Knights arranged for tables and chairs and prepared meals for all Mass attendees. After search-and-rescue operations ended, the Knights assisted with salvage, transportation, shelter for the homeless and visiting relief workers, and the coordination of donated items that came in from across the country. COUNCIL ACTIVITY AWARD In order to promote active participation and membership retention, St. Charles (Ill.) Council 12497 created a mentoring and orientation program for new members called the “Knights Advocate Program.” Each new member, called a “Columbian,” is partnered with a mentor, called an “Advocate.” These mentors develop friendships with new members, personally invite them to participate in meetings and council activities and ensure their effective integration into the council. Within the first six months of recruitment, each new member participates in an orientation. This acquaints each brother Knight with the mission of the Order, the benefits of membership, the history and organizational structure of the council, and council activities. Since it was instituted 18 months ago, the program has helped the council experience a 95 percent success rate in retaining new members.
FAMILY ACTIVITY AWARD St. Aloysius Council 13142 in Yoder, Ind., donated $3,000 worth of Christmas presents to 100 children who had incarcerated relatives. Knights presented the gifts at a council-sponsored Christmas party. The council worked with Prison Fellowship, a Virginia-based nonprofit organization, to conduct the program. Each gift contained a personal message from the imprisoned relative to the child. To undertake the project, the council received support from two local councils that sponsored 10 of the 100 children who received gifts. In addition, the local Fourth Degree assembly contributed $200 to offset the cost of the party. CULTURE OF LIFE ACTIVITY AWARD As part of the international “40 Days for Life” campaign, Archbishop Duke Council 6855 in Richmond, British Columbia, organized two 24-hour prayer vigils in front of a local abortion facility. The council’s pro-life chair couple spearheaded the effort to promote the campaign and to sign up Knights and other parishioners. On Nov. 6, 2011 and March 25, 2012, Knights prayed in front of the facility in shifts for more than 24 consecutive hours. Ninety council members participated in this project, which helped encourage the pro-life efforts of other parish ministries. YOUTH ACTIVITY AWARD To foster unity in Christ between Middle Eastern and Western Christians, the members of St. Louis Guanella Council 3092 in Chelsea, Mich., sponsored a variety of projects that included: hosting five students and a teacher from Palestine; sponsoring the education of a student at a Holy Land Christian school; supporting Christians in the Holy Land through ongoing gift sales; and conducting a Mass and reception for the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. LEADING GENERAL AGENTS Kevin G. Pfeifer of Nebraska finished the year at 240 percent of quota with a volume per member of $13,298. His total gross volume was $211,321,000. Ben Baca III of California finished the year at 212 percent of quota with a volume per member of $11,350. His total gross volume was $209,520,000. LEADING FIELD AGENTS John J. Stoeckinger of the Pfeifer Agency in Nebraska met 584 percent of his quota with a volume per member of $35,906 and a total gross volume of $28,043,000. Michael A. McGranahan of the Baca Agency in California met 424 percent of his quota with a volume per member of $21,044 and a total gross volume of $19,066,000.♦ OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
19
Annual Repor t of the
Supreme Knight 130TH SUPREME CONVENTION
ANAHEIM, CALIF., AUG. 7, 2012
“Proclaim liberty throughout all the land”
FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC, North America is truly a Christian continent, and from coast to coast, we are never far from a reminder of our Catholic roots. We meet today not far from Mission San Juan Capistrano, founded in 1776 by Blessed Junipero Serra. This mission, and the others along California’s El Camino Real, remind us of the foundations of our Christian continent. These missions were critical to the evangelization of this hemisphere, and are reminders of our own responsibility. Following in Father Serra’s footsteps, we are called to preach the Gospel in word and deed, building up the civilization of love.
20
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
21
Of course, 1776 is a year important to all of the United States for another reason. That was the year the Declaration of Independence was signed, and among its signers was one Catholic, Charles Carroll of Maryland. It was not surprising that a Catholic would come from Maryland, since it was the colony founded for Catholics seeking the religious liberty that they could not find in England. Carroll may have been the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence, but there was a particular hallmark common to America’s founders: They were men of faith. And their understanding of God-given rights was the foundation of their design for the new American republic. They understood — as they made clear in the Declaration of Independence — that liberty was a right endowed by our Creator. Before he became pope, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger wrote, “Reason needs to listen to the great religious traditions if it does not wish to become deaf, blind and mute concerning the most essential elements of human existence.” In acknowledging our Creator as the source of our rights, the Founding Fathers understood this concept well. In fact, they believed that the liberty they sought was not just civil liberty, but religious liberty as well. Fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Charles Carroll wrote that he saw that document’s principles “as the best earthly inheritance their ancestors could bequeath” and he prayed “that the civil and religious liberties they have secured may be perpetuated to the remotest posterity and be extended to the whole family of man.” That same spirit is embodied also in the First Amendment, in which religious freedom is the first right enumerated in the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution. Our country’s foundational documents, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, were born in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. It is also home of the famous Liberty Bell. Inscribed on that bell, and doubtless an inspiration to our founders, are these words from the Book of Leviticus: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, unto all the inhabitants thereof ” (Lev 25:10). And when religious liberty anywhere in the land has been threatened, Catholics from the time of Charles Carroll to today have responded. One of those who responded early was John Carroll, the cousin of Charles. He was the first bishop appointed in the United States and the first archbishop of Baltimore. His work continues today with his successor, and our supreme chaplain, Archbishop William Lori, whose vital work 22
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
on behalf of religious liberty is well known to us all. Throughout the history of America, Catholics have stood up to protect our First Amendment rights to religious freedom. And at many times, the Knights of Columbus has taken the lead in these endeavors. There were the Nativists and Know-Nothings, whose hostility to Catholics made the work of Father McGivney and the Knights so important. Then there was the Ku Klux Klan, who burned fiery crosses against brother Knight and presidential candidate Al Smith. The Klan also supported the persecution of Mexican Catholics during the 1920s and opposed the peaceful efforts of the Knights to end the persecution there. In one state to our north, Oregon, it was again the Klan that sponsored legislation banning Catholic schools in that state in 1922. That was a time when there were more members of the Klan than there were Catholic men in the state of Oregon. But we stood with those Catholic sisters who bravely refused to give up their First Amendment rights. The Knights of Columbus supported the sisters’ lawsuit all the way to the Supreme Court, and the victory in the landmark case Pierce v. So-
ciety of Sisters was a key decision that continues to protect the right to a Catholic education today. Why did those sisters stand so firm? And why did the Knights of Columbus support them? It was because we understood that, in the words of Blessed John Henry Newman, “conscience has rights because it has duties.” We could not stand aside and let the state eliminate parental and church rights in education. Through the years that followed, the Knights have continued this work for religious freedom. Harkening back to the Declaration of Independence and President Lincoln’s words at Gettysburg, we were instrumental in adding the words “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance — and we have defended their right to be there ever since. In short, the history of Catholics in the United States is a history of defending religious freedom. And the work of the Knights of Columbus on be-
half of religious freedom is a key part of that history. First Amendment religious freedom is not something we chose to care about last week, or even last year. It is something that has been part of the Catholic experience and the Knights of Columbus experience from the very beginning. And whenever our First Amendment freedom is threatened, we will vigorously defend it. And so today, as we meet in this 130th Supreme Convention, we make the words of our nation’s founders our own: “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land.” In doing so, we are consistent not only with our faith, but with our constitutional rights and our civic duty. We take as our inspiration these words of Charles Carroll: “God grant that this religious liberty may be preserved until the end of time, and that all believing in the religion of Christ may practice the leading principle of charity, the basis of every virtue.”
(Above) Statue of Blessed Junipero Serra from the National Statuary Hall Collection in the U.S. Capitol. (Bottom) Mission San Juan Capistrano, founded in 1776 by Blessed Junipero Serra.
OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
23
In recognition of the Order’s good works in Rome, the city dedicated a public square in honor of the Knights of Columbus. (From left) Mayor of Rome Giovanni Alemanno, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, Italian Senator Stefano De Lillo, Msgr. Roger C. Roensch, director of the U.S. Visitors Office to the Vatican and former state chaplain of the District of Columbia, and Rome’s Superintendent of Culture Umberto Broccoli display plans for the future development of the site.
Knights of Charity OUR HISTORICAL and recent work for religious liberty has always been motivated by our commitment to charity. And by every measure, in the past year we have scaled new heights in our service to our families, to our Church, to our communities and to those in need. As we know well, Father McGivney established charity as the leading principle of our Order, and for the 12th consecutive year, we have again set an all-time record for our donations to charitable causes. Last year, our charitable donations grew by nearly $3.4 million, to more than $158 million. That total included more than $29 million from the Supreme Council and almost $129 million from state and local units. 24
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
Over the past decade, the charitable donations of the Knights of Columbus have totaled more than $1.4 billion. For the third consecutive year, Quebec led all jurisdictions in donations to charity, with a total of more than $11.3 million. Ontario came in second, and also finishing among the top 10 were Texas, California, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Ohio. For the 15th consecutive year, British Columbia led all jurisdictions in the amount contributed per member. B.C. Knights donated an average of $279 per member. Newfoundland was next, with $192. They were followed by Alaska, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Virginia, Saskatchewan,
South Carolina, and Quebec. For the 15th consecutive year, we also set a new record for volunteer hours donated to charity. Knights of Columbus around the world donated more than 70 million hours of charitable work. Independent Sector, which estimates the value of volunteer time, puts the value in 2011 at $21.79 per hour, and that means that the value of the volunteer hours we donated last year was more than $1.5 billion. Over the past decade, individual Knights have donated more than 664 million hours to charity, and the value of their time was nearly $14.5 billion. Once again, our jurisdictions in the Philippines set the pace in volunteering. Mindanao edged out Texas for first place, with a total of more than 4.7 million hours. Luzon came in third, followed by Florida, California, Ontario, Visayas, Missouri, Quebec and Michigan. Prince Edward Island turned in the best record for individual volunteering, with more than 125 hours per member. Guam came in second, followed by Alaska, British Columbia, Puerto Rico, Mexico Northwest, Saskatchewan, Delaware, Nova Scotia, and Washington state. These are impressive numbers. But the numbers tell only part of our story. We get a more complete picture when we meet the Knights whose faith, hard work and dedication are reflected in these numbers. Consider, for example, the Order’s charitable work to support Special Olympics, founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver and her husband, Brother Knight Sargent Shriver. Sargent Shriver worked tirelessly for the intellectually disabled, and though he went to his eternal reward last year, his example continues to inspire us. Knights were there at the very beginning to provide extensive support for the very first Special Olympics in Chicago in July 1968, and we’ve been there ever since. Once again, the numbers are impressive. Last year, more than 106,000 Knights volunteered nearly 300,000 hours to assist Special Olympics. Councils at all levels donated more than $3.3 million. And in the 44 years since that first event in Chicago, Knights of Columbus have donated nearly $400 million to Special Olympics. Brother Knights in Arizona are a good example. Last year, Arizona Knights donated $37,000 to Special Olympics, and provided hundreds of volunteers at 56 Special Olympic events. Arizona Knights also arranged for a “Field of Dreams” experience for Special Olympic athletes, bringing them to an Arizona Diamondbacks game. They were able to attend batting practice, and had the
Members of Tillamook (Ore.) Council 2171 established a council vegetable garden that provided more than 14,280 pounds of fresh food for the hungry. opportunity to meet players and get autographs from the Diamondbacks and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Major League players, including brother Knight and Phillies’ centerfielder — and now an L.A. Dodger — Shane Victorino, provided a wonderful experience for these young athletes. And our work with Special Olympics is just the beginning. Knights of Columbus councils donated more than $12.3 million to support the intellectually disabled last year, in addition to the $3.3 million for Special Olympics. Local councils also donated nearly $4 million to activities benefitting people with physical disabilities. One of our newest and fastest-growing programs for the physically disabled is our wheelchair program. It is operated in conjunction with the Global Wheelchair Mission, which is a partnership of the American Wheelchair Mission, led by brother Knight Chris Lewis, and the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation. Over the past year, Knights have delivered thousands of wheelchairs across the globe, in Ethiopia, Haiti, the Holy Land, Vietnam, the Philippines, American Samoa and Mexico, as well as to our military veterans in Maryland, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Nevada, Arizona and California. In Mexico, 32 Knights from seven states, including the state deputies of California and Nevada, traveled to Mexico City for wheelchair distributions. OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
25
Knights from British Columbia, California and Florida have brought wheelchairs to Vietnam twice in the past year. In Israel, we distributed wheelchairs to Christians on the West Bank, working with Caritas Jerusalem and the Latin Patriarch, His Beatitude Fouad Twal, who has been a Knight since his days as a seminarian in the United States. Perhaps the most touching moment came when our team visited the wedding church in Cana and learned from a Franciscan nun about a woman who had recently lost a leg to diabetes and could
no longer attend Mass. The Knights had one wheelchair with them, and they brought it to the woman’s home, which is one of five homes connected to one another and housing 38 family members. That family has lived in Cana for more than 800 years, and they consider themselves to be descendants of the first Christians. 26
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
Knights of Columbus also support Habitat for Humanity. Last year, Knights donated 1.3 million hours to working on Habitat projects, and provided more than $1.7 million in financial support. And behind those numbers stand members like those of Father Bartek Council 9431, in Jackson, Wyo. They rolled up their sleeves, not once, but twice this past year to help with Habitat “builds.” In Iowa, members of Council 5038 participated in a similar effort sponsored by a group called Rebuilding Together Greater Des Moines. More than 35 Knights and family members completely rehabilitated the interior of the home of an individual, who has been disabled ever since suffering a brain injury 25 years ago. Over a three-day period, they replaced walls, installed new insulation, storm windows and carpet, painted, and supplied new curtains and linens. In Massachusetts, Knights from Council 99 in Fitchburg pitched in to build a wheelchair ramp at the home of 9-year-old Anthony Vorse, right before Christmas. Anthony has cerebral palsy, and cannot walk without assistance. After several rounds of surgery, he can move short distances with a walker, but climbing stairs is another matter. His mother, Sandy, can no longer carry him to the school bus in the morning. Looking for a solution, Sandy contacted 25 organizations, but all of them turned her down for one reason or another. Then the Knights stepped in and contributed both the $6,000 for materials and the labor needed to build the ramp for their home. The Knights of Columbus is in its third year of a unique partnership in Haiti with Project MediShare. Following the earthquake of January 2010, Project MediShare, which is based at the University of Miami Medical School, set up a large field hospital next to the Port-au-Prince Airport to treat thousands of people. Within a few weeks, with the help of the Global Wheelchair Mission, we arrived at that MediShare facility with a shipment of wheelchairs. We soon decided to continue our partnership with Project MediShare in providing artificial limbs to the children who had suffered amputations. We pledged up to $1 million to make available prosthetic limbs to every one of the estimated 1,000 Haitian children who needed them. The program has been enormously successful, initially under the leadership of our late supreme secretary, Emilio Moure. We have followed up by funding an amputee rehabilitation center named for Emilio, as well as a prosthetics laboratory. Today, we are supporting MediShare’s initiative to train local Haitians to
manufacture and assemble prosthetic devices, and for them to provide rehabilitation services so that this care can continue sustainably into the future. We have also helped sponsor a very special amputee soccer team, which many of you met at last year’s convention in Denver. In the fall, we brought Team Zaryen to the United States for the “Haitian Inspiration Tour,” in which they worked for several days teaching amputee soccer to injured U.S. soldiers at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington. And this is far from being the only effort by Knights to help the people of Haiti. Councils in Virginia provide significant support to a group called Medical Missionaries, headed by several doctors who are Knights, which operates the only modern medical clinic in the central plateau of Haiti, around the city of Thomassique. St. Joseph the Worker Council 10921 in Orefield, Pa., provided funds for a parish medical mission to Haiti, and several members went along to provide support in Port-au-Prince. The medical team provided services to some 1,100 Haitians. And in February, Florida Past State Deputy Bob Read led a team of Knights bringing wheelchairs to some 280 recipients in Port-au-Prince and the Central Plateau. Just last month in London, we worked with the Bishops Conference of England and Wales to cosponsor a conference titled “Everybody Has a Place.” This international conference dealt with the intersection between theology, disability and sport, in preparation for this year’s Summer Olympic Games in London. We previewed a documentary on our work in Haiti as part of our presentation on the Order’s extensive history of helping organize sporting events for those with disabilities. In Africa, our effort to help AIDS orphans is well underway, with a new primary school being built in Uganda, and a similar project due to begin soon in Kenya. Our partners in this effort are the Apostles of Jesus, the first community of missionary priests and brothers to be founded in Africa. Today, 130 years after Father McGivney first encouraged us to help widows and orphans, there is no group of orphans more in need of our help than the 15 million children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. It is especially gratifying to be able to work in this endeavor with Father Paul Gaggawala, our former Pennsylvania state chaplain, who is now director of mission promotion for the Apostles of Jesus. Much of our charitable work, of course, happens right in our own backyards. Participation in our Food for Families and Coats for Kids programs continued to grow in the past year. More than 800 councils participated, donat-
Over the past four decades, the Knights of Columbus has supported programs for people with intellectual and physical disabilities through donations of money and time. The Order has been involved with the Special Olympics since the program began in 1968.
ing a total of nearly 2.4 million pounds of food for families in need, and individual Knights volunteered more than 292,000 hours in the food drives. California councils were especially active, putting in more than 55,000 hours of volunteer time and donating more than 35 tons of food. Especially noteworthy were Knights in Tillamook, Ore. They established a council vegetable garden, and over the course of the season, they provided more than seven tons of fresh food for the hungry. The 40 Cans for Lent program, begun by Our Lady of Guadalupe Council 8306 in Helotes, Texas, has been adopted by many councils this year, helping thousands of families. And I am happy to report that through our Coats for Kids program, 725 local councils distributed more than 32,000 new coats throughout the United States and Canada. OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
27
In addition, last year nearly 419,000 donors gave blood at Knights of Columbus sponsored blood drives. Most of the charitable work that is done by the Knights of Columbus is done quietly. Much of it goes unnoticed. We do not engage in charity to seek publicity. But occasionally, we do receive recognition for the work we do. That happened last December in Italy, when the city of Rome dedicated a public square to the Knights of Columbus. Located adjacent to the ancient Baths of Caracalla, the new “Largo Cavalieri di Colombo” commemorates nearly a century of our service to the people of Rome. This service has included youth programs and facilities, humanitarian assistance during and following World War II, and assistance to various cultural projects in the city. Many have come to Rome in the city’s nearly 3,000-year history, but few have had their service honored in such a permanent way. Charity does more than just help people who need something. As Charles Carroll understood, charity is consistent with, supportive of and necessary to human freedom. It is not simply that what we give helps free people from hunger, cold,
homelessness and poverty. Charity is essential to the very idea of freedom, because charity creates a bond among us that makes freedom possible. Pope Benedict once wrote, “Since man’s essence consists in being-from, being-with and being-for, human freedom can exist only in the ordered communion of freedoms.” Said another way, charity, unity and fraternity are true and necessary supports of freedom.
(Left) During the 2011-12 fraternal year, Knights distributed durable, low-cost wheelchairs through the Global Wheelchair Mission to needy recipients around the world. (Top) As part of the Knights of Columbus “Coats for Kids” program, councils all across North America purchase new winter coats for children in need. (Bottom right) In the fall of 2011, Team Zaryen came to the United States on the “Haitian Inspiration Tour,” which brought amputee soccer clinics to wounded American soldiers. The tour also featured stops in Washington, D.C., and New York. OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
29
Membership Growth A TRUE MEASURE of the strength and relevance of the Knights of Columbus today is our continued membership growth. I am proud to report to you that for the 41st consecutive year, our membership has grown. It reached a new all-time high of 1,829,121 as of the end of our fraternal year on June 30. In the past year, we have added 215 new councils, bringing their total to 14,377. In other words, more than 14,000 communities now benefit from the good works of the Knights of Columbus. Last year, 86 new councils were established in the Philippines, and I had the pleasure of personally congratulating our brother Knights there in April, when I attended the Ninth Philippine Na-
30
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
tional Knights of Columbus Convention in Manila. There are now more than 290,000 Knights in the Philippines, and their enthusiasm and faith are truly extraordinary. While I was in Manila, we conducted a ribboncutting ceremony at the new Father McGivney Multimedia Studio located at the headquarters of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. This state-of-the-art facility, a gift from the Supreme Council, will enable the Church to use the most modern technology to educate and evangelize in the largest Catholic country in Asia. We were honored to have the president of the Philippine Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop José Palma, bless the new studio. He also blessed a new statue of Father McGivney outside the Knights of Columbus Headquarters in Manila, and a new oratory there as well. Many of our other jurisdictions also had strong membership growth, including Texas, which brought in more than 2,100 new members; California, which gained nearly 1,600; and Florida, which added more than 700. I am also pleased to report that every jurisdiction in Mexico grew last year, and 14 new councils and more than 1,000 new members were added there. And the Dominican Republic added seven new councils and more than 350 new members. In Europe, our membership is also increasing. Poland added 10 new councils, and membership there has now grown to more than 2,200 Knights. We have seen how much good 1.8 million committed Knights can do. But just imagine how much more we could do; how much more we should do. This is why we must invite more men to join us. We do this not for ourselves, but for the good of our communities, our Church, our society, and for the men themselves, who join us in this work. We are asking every council to recruit at least one new member every month. That is a very achievable goal, and we owe it to our fellow parishioners to give them the opportunity to live out their Catholic faith with us in charity, unity and fraternity. The combined Catholic population of the countries in which we are active is more than 300 million. Our potential is tremendous. Our fellow Catholics need us, and we need them to do even more good work.
Jurisdictions throughout the Order experienced growth in membership leading to an all-time high of more that 1.8 million members at the close of the 2011-12 fraternal year. The Philippines (above) established 86 new councils, while Poland (top right) grew to more than 2,200 members, and every jurisdiction in Mexico (bottom right) grew.
Our goal must be to invite every eligible Catholic man to join the Knights of Columbus and become a part of the greatest lay Catholic organization in the world. If every council recruited at least one member every month during the coming year, our membership would grow by nearly 175,000. But we could invite even more men to join us, and together we could be an enormous force for good in a world that so obviously needs the love of God and love of neighbor, which are reflected in our work.
OCTOBER 2012
♌ COLUMBIA
31
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, archbishop of New York, addresses pilgrims at the Love and Life Centre, an official catechesis and youth festival site for English-speaking pilgrims, sponsored by the Order and the Sisters of Life at World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid.
Youth ONE CAN DO good work at any age. Father McGivney was 29 when he founded the Knights of Columbus. And we should make it a priority to attract college-aged men into the Order. By recruiting them now, we can help them give a lifetime of service and of witness to their faith. This year, we added eight new college councils. We now have a total of 277 college councils, with nearly 25,000 members. And these young men can do great things. This year, Council 6375 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., was the winner of the Outstanding College Council Award. They continued to organize and sponsor the annual Cardinal 32
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
O’Connor Conference on Life, which is held in conjunction with the annual March for Life in Washington. Their charity projects include volunteering with Hands-on Housing, which renovates and repairs apartments for low-income families, and bringing meals and coffee to the homeless. And they strengthened body and soul with their “Masketball” program in which they gather together for Mass and then play basketball together. And for younger men during the past year, we had more than 26,000 participants in our Columbian Squires program. The number of Squires Circles has grown to 1,613, the highest number in our history. In addition, over the past
year, Knights of Columbus councils sponsored a total of nearly 15,000 Boy Scouts in the United States and Canada in 612 scouting units. Last year, our councils donated more than $1.2 million to scouting activities, $3.8 million to other youth groups, and nearly $7 million to scholarships and educational support. And brother Knights donated more than 8 million hours to youth activities. These local programs are supplemented by a number of scholarship programs sponsored by the Supreme Council. Last year, 20 scholarship programs provided more than $1.4 million to 606 students at institutions of higher learning. Knights of Columbus councils continued to support our annual Free-Throw Championship. This year, more than 3,300 councils sponsored local competitions for boys and girls aged 10-14. More than 121,000 young people participated this year. And 9,000 others participated in our Soccer Challenge program, with competitions sponsored by more than 1,200 councils. Last August, just a week after our Supreme Convention, we hosted the English language World Youth Day site in Madrid, Spain. The Love and Life Centre was set up in Madrid’s premiere 12,000-seat arena, and was staffed with the help of our college Knights. It was a popular destination for the English-speaking pilgrims from the U.S. and Canada, as well as from Britain, Australia and
many other countries, and tens of thousands of pilgrims passed through our doors. We partnered with the Sisters of Life, and were assisted by Holy Cross Family Ministries, Salt and Light Television, FOCUS, World Youth Alliance, the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, and the Apostleship of Prayer. Our programming included Masses, Eucharistic adoration, talks, entertainment and panel discussions on topics such as faith and reason, religious liberty and the theology of the body. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop Charles Chaput, Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori and I were just a few of the many speakers who spent countless hours with the young people who gathered for the event. I saw firsthand how blessed the Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus are to have our future in the hands of such dedicated young adults. And many who came to World Youth Day and to our site were able to do so because Knights of Columbus councils at home had raised thousands of dollars to help defray the costs of those traveling to Madrid.
Members of Sum-Ag Circle 4651 in Bacolod City, Visayas, distribute soup and bread during a circle-sponsored feeding program for needy children. During the past fraternal year, more than 26,000 boys under the age of 18 participated in the Columbian Squires program.
OCTOBER 2012
♌ COLUMBIA
33
Fourth Degree ONE CANNOT SPEAK OF LIBERTY without also speaking of patriotism. And I am pleased to report that membership in our patriotic degree grew during the past fraternal year, to a record of more than 330,000 members. Nearly 18,000 men became Sir Knights last year, and we added 64 new Fourth Degree assemblies, for a total of 3,034 assemblies around the world. The Fourth Degree is also providing critical support for a new vocations program to increase the number of Catholic chaplains in the United States Armed Forces. These brave troops who protect our liberty deserve and need our spiritual support.
They have been able to count on it since World War I, when the Knights of Columbus helped provide chaplains to ensure their sacramental life. And today, because of the good work of our Fourth Degree, that support continues. In the past year, our assemblies raised nearly a quarter-million dollars to support seminarians intending to become military chaplains.
Knights and The Armed Services OVER THE PAST DECADE, we have made a special effort to reach out to members of our armed forces. It is estimated that Catholics make up one-fourth of U.S. military personnel, and they can be found at 220 military installations in 29 countries around the world. We currently have four combat zone roundtables in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. And there are active Knights of Columbus councils at 52 permanent military installations, including five in Japan, three in Germany, three in Italy, one in England and one in Korea. Earlier this year, I had the honor of visiting our brother Knights at Bishop Kaising Council 14223 at the Yongsan Garrison just outside the South Korean capital of Seoul. I was joined on this visit by Auxiliary Bishop F. Richard Spencer of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. I conveyed to our members there our deep appreciation for their work in protecting our freedom. As I stood with several of our military members and looked out over the DMZ into North Korea, the importance of their work and our support of these heroic men could not have been clearer. While I was in Korea, we added a new dimen34
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
sion to our program for the military. We established the first overseas military assembly. Nearly 40 members of Council 14223 joined the patriotic degree, becoming the first Sir Knights of Bishop Joseph Estabrook Assembly, named for the highly respected auxiliary bishop who died of cancer last February. Bishop Estabrook was a Fourth Degree Knight and a former Navy chaplain. In keeping with our support for our clergy and our troops, Virginia Knights provided an honor guard for his wake and funeral. Our support does not end when our troops retire. After our Army Hut service in World War I, we continued our work by helping thousands of veterans with job training and placement. Our service to those who have served continues to this day. We maintain a close relationship with the Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service, and currently have more than 1,100 Knights serving veterans at 131 VA medical facilities. These brother Knights volunteered more than 40,000 hours last year, “serving those who served.” We also pause today to recall those brother Knights who paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend liberty.
A Marine Corps Veteran in Kerryville, Texas, salutes a Fourth Degree honor guard during a wheelchair distribution held at the local VA center.
Since we met last year, five Knights and one former Squire have been killed in action. Army Chief Warrant Officer Bryan Nichols was killed in Afghanistan last August. He was a member of St. Joseph’s Council 1325 in Hays, Kan. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and son, Braydon. Army 1st Lt. Timothy Steele was killed last August in Kandahar province. He was a member of Council 8250 at West Point, and is survived by his wife, Meaghan, and daughter, Liberty. Army Pfc. Brandon Mullins also died in Kandahar province last August. He had been a member of Squire Circle 3678 in Jonesboro, Ark., and is survived by his wife, Ashley. James Coker was a civilian working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers when he was killed in Afghanistan last September. He was a member of Bishop Cunningham Council 10904 in Cicero, N.Y., and is survived by his wife, Marli, and their three children.
Air Force Tech Sgt. Matthew Schwartz died in Helmand province in January. He was a member of Council 801 in Cheyenne, Wyo., and is survived by his wife, Jenny, and their three daughters. Finally, we mourn the loss of Army 1st Lt. Mathew Fazzari, who also died in Afghanistan in June. He was a member of St. Thomas More Council 11134 in Spokane, Wash. He is survived by his wife, Tovah, and sons Dominic and Samuel. Today, we honor the ultimate sacrifice of these men. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to their families. We also extend to the families of the fallen our financial support. For the children of those active members who died in combat, our Matthews and Swift Educational Trust stands ready to help pay their college education expenses at a Catholic institution of higher learning. Last year, six children attended college with support from this program.
OCTOBER 2012
♌ COLUMBIA
35
(Above) Newly initiated Sir Knights join the supreme knight and Auxiliary Bishop F. Richard Spencer of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, following a historic Fourth Degree exemplification conducted at the U.S Military Base at Yongsan, near Seoul. Nearly 40 members of Bishop John J. Kaising Council 14223 became charter members of Bishop Joseph W. Estabrook Assembly. (Below, right) During his visit to Korea, Supreme Knight Anderson was welcomed to the United Nations Command headquarters by brother Knight Maj. Gen. Michael Regner, U.S. Marine Corps. Also shown is Assistant to the Supreme Knight for Military and Veterans Affairs, Col. Charles Gallina, USMC/Ret. This past Memorial Day, we honored all those who have served our country in our armed services by recalling President Franklin Roosevelt’s prayer to the nation during the Normandy Invasion through a new, nationally televised commercial. We recall his words again today in memory of our most recently fallen heroes: Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith. … They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home. Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom. … Amen 36
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
37
Insurance and Investments THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS was born 130 years ago, just as the United States was sinking into a deep recession that lasted three years. There can be no doubt that difficult economic times were very much on Father McGivney’s mind when he encouraged the men at St. Mary’s Church to make the financial protection of their families a high priority. Since 2008, the world has again faced economic difficulties. Nearly any company can succeed when times are good, but it is much harder in a difficult economy like the one we now face. Even in this economy, the Knights of Columbus continues to grow in strength, and I am happy to report that you can be very proud of the work that our insurance and investment staffs have done over the past year. Our insurance in force now totals $86 billion, an increase over last year of $5 billion. Our total assets have grown 6.9 percent, to more than $18 billion. With a surplus of $1.7 billion, our surplus ratio is one of the highest in the industry. We issued an all-time high of $7.9 billion of new life insurance last year. Our new 10-pay life insurance product, in which you have a fully paid-up policy in just 10 years, has been popular, as has been our other new product — individual disability income insurance. We are now ranked number 912 on the Fortune 1000 list of America’s largest companies, 55 places ahead of our ranking in 2007. And over the past five years, our insurance sales have grown by more than 23 percent, while sales in the industry overall have declined by nearly 7 percent. Our lapse rate remained at only 3.6 percent, which is half the industry average. In other words, more than 96 percent of Knights who buy our life insurance keep it. That very high persistency rate is one of the factors that was cited by A.M. Best when they gave us their highest rating, A++, for the 37th consecutive year. They also praised our “strong risk-adjusted capitalization” and “consistently positive statutory operating results.” Our long-term care insurance grew at a rate of nearly 8 percent, and it provides 38
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
a very valuable benefit for many Knights and their families. All of this is possible because of the excellent work of our insurance agents — brother Knights in the service of their brother Knights — remaining true to Father McGivney’s vision of protecting Catholic families and helping them achieve financial freedom. The number of Knights of Columbus general agents and field agents is now at 1,447. They are exceptional men, and we are very proud of them. Through their work, the Knights’ protection of Catholic families has soared to extraordinary heights. Last year, we paid death benefits to Knights of Columbus families totaling almost $280 million. At the same time, we paid more than $352 million in dividends to our policyholders — $12 million more than last year. Since our founding, we have paid more than $3.4 billion in death claims. And we have also paid more than $11.3 billion in living benefits. For their excellent work in safeguarding the financial future of our members and their families, we must also recognize the important contribution of our investment department. Our investment income last year totaled more than $878 million. That is an extraordinary accomplishment in the current low interest rate environment. During the past year, we invested approximately $13 million every day, totaling more than $3.2 billion. Despite the current very low interest rate environment, our new purchase rate was 4.4 percent, an increase over the previous year’s rate. And we did not sacrifice quality to achieve this greater rate of return. To the contrary, this year, the quality of our investment portfolio actually increased. Our unparalleled financial success is the result of a careful, deliberate and ethical approach to putting the well-being of our insurance members first. Last year, we decided to share that philosophy and our experience with others. We sponsored a conference on sustainable investing in Chicago, bringing cutting edge sustainable investing techniques to financial managers of dioceses and non-profit organizations. We addressed screening methods, and various sustainable investing models, including our own — based on Catholic social teaching. When we make investments at the Knights of Columbus, we basically look for the presence of two components: Is the investment sound economically? And equally important, is it sound ethically? We understand that when we make an investment, we enable
certain business activity as a result of that investment. We seek to maximize the good we can do by how and where we invest. An excellent example of this philosophy in action is our ChurchLoan program, which enables Catholic churches and Catholic schools to finance construction projects at very competitive rates. This program allows us to help support the Church, while at the same time being good stewards of the assets of our members. It is exactly the sort of ethical, sustainable investment we like to make at the Knights of Columbus. And it is an investment on which we have never lost a dime. At year’s end, our ChurchLoan portfolio totaled approximately $102 million. We will continue to invest in our Church, and in enterprises that are both economically and morally sustainable. Anyone who has ever invested knows that if an investment doesn’t work economically, you sell it. But the Knights of Columbus also believes that if an investment doesn’t work morally, you should not buy it. And the fact that there is no more highly rated insurer in North America than the Knights of Columbus stands as a powerful testament to the fact that ethics and success can and should go together. Even in a weak economy, the Knights of Columbus continues to grow strong.
OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
39
Pope Benedict XVI presents the pallium to Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, during a June 29 Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.
THE STRENGTH OF THE TIES of the Knights of Columbus to the Church has no greater example than the advancement of the cause for canonization of our founder, Venerable Michael McGivney. As his cause continues, our postulator in Rome recently received very encouraging news about a possible miracle through the intercession of our founder. This development was especially welcome, because the report came shortly after we received news from the Vatican that the event previously under investigation would not be going forward. So we saw clearly the truth of the old saying, “When one door closes, another one opens.” Our postulator has now begun looking diligently into this new report, which we think may be a miracle involving Father McGivney’s intercession. Since this investigation is in the early stages, I will not discuss the exact details, knowing that the final judgment on these matters is in the 40
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
hands of the Church. But I think we have very good reason for hope that Father McGivney is very much on track for beatification. One approved miracle is needed for beatification, and another approved miracle is necessary for the final stage of canonization. The message we should take from these recent events is that all Knights and their families should continue their regular prayer for Father McGivney’s canonization. We should invoke his intercession in life’s struggles, and especially when faced with very serious illness. In addition, every Catholic is invited to sign up for the Father McGivney Guild and continue to report favors received. The cause for Father McGivney was opened during the pontificate of John Paul II — who encouraged devotion to our founder. This is just one of the many ways in which the Knights of Columbus has been closely linked with Pope John Paul.
CNS photo/Stefano Rellandini, Reuters
Knights and the Church
This close tie continues today with our developships totaling $270,000 to 110 seminarians in the ment of what will soon become the most imporUnited States and Canada through our Father Mctant shrine to Blessed John Paul II in the Western Givney and Bishop Daily scholarships. Hemisphere. This beautiful facility is just a short And our largest vocation effort is the RSVP prowalk from the Basilica of the National Shrine of gram, in which our councils provide support to inthe Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. dividual seminarians. Over the past year, more Our shrine will be a special place of prayer and dethan 5,000 seminarians have received nearly $6 votion. It will also include the most important mumillion in support thanks to the Knights of seum in the Western Hemisphere on his life and Columbus. In addition, our councils have propapacy. But it will be much more than that. It will vided a total of $1.9 million in direct support to become a center for the study and promotion of seminaries. his legacy and the promotion of the new evangeWe support the Church and evangelization in lization that seeks to build a civilization of love. other ways as well. Two days ago, at the Los AngeThe new Blessed John Paul II Shrine affords us les Memorial Coliseum, we hosted a celebration of an unparalleled opportunity to reach a large and diOur Lady of Guadalupe in partnership with the verse audience. This project joins the educational Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The music, prayer and formation we have long promoted through our supspeakers combined to create an unforgettable export of the Pontifical perience. John Paul II Institute Our gathering was for Studies on Marriage one of the largest and Family, which is Catholic events in the located in McGivney history of the United Hall on the campus of States, and I want to The Catholic Univerthank Archbishop José sity of America. Gomez and the CaliThe Knights of fornia Knights who Columbus has supworked so hard to ported the Institute’s make it a success. work since it opened The event reminded in 1988. The more all of us that this is a than 400 Institute Christian hemisphere, graduates have come united under the manfrom 47 of the 50 tle of Our Lady of states, and 37 counGuadalupe. Although tries around the world. State Deputies Gustavo A. Guzmán-Olivas (Mexico Northwest), devotion to Our Lady The Institute is just J. Jésus Hernández-Barbosa (Mexico Central) and Filadelfo of Guadalupe is generone of the many ways Medellín-Ayala (Mexico Northeast) stand with the K of C-com- ally associated with the in which we continue missioned reliquary before the papal Mass celebrated March 25 at Americas and with the our mission of protectPhilippines, it became Cubilete Hill in Guanajuato, Mexico. ing Catholic families. clear this year that her Such work is not new for the Knights of reach goes much farther. Columbus. For more than 60 years, our Catholic At our convention in Denver, we inaugurated a Information Service has provided millions of two-year Marian Prayer Program, dedicated to pieces of educational literature about the Catholic Our Lady of Guadalupe. Through this program, faith to people all over the world. CIS still proher image is taken by Knights from parish to vides printed materials, but also now provides parish throughout the Order. I would like to more than 75 publications online, in both PDF thank Msgr. Enrique Glennie and Msgr. Eduardo and MP3 formats. And adding to our excellent Chávez who were so helpful in allowing all of Luke E. Hart and Veritas Series, we are now bethese images to be touched to the actual image of ginning a third series of publications, this time on Our Lady of Guadalupe on the tilma in her basilthe New Evangelization. ica in Mexico City. Our long-standing commitment to promoting All jurisdictions around the world took part. Alour faith extends also to our strong support for voready this past fraternal year, more than 587,000 cations. In addition to the support for seminarians people participated in more than 3,200 Marian who will become military chaplains, last year the prayer services. But you may find it a testament to Knights of Columbus provided vocations scholarthe power of Our Lady of Guadalupe that as of OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
41
The Knights of Columbus is developing what will soon become the most important shrine to Blessed John Paul II in the Western Hemisphere, located a short distance from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. April, more than 150,000 people had participated in this Knights-sponsored devotion in Poland. And this spreading of her devotion in Europe will be reflected again this December, when the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Knights of Columbus will jointly organize a congress on Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Vatican. We need Our Lady of Guadalupe and her son now more than ever. For decades, the observance of Christmas in many countries has become so commercialized that its religious meaning has been greatly diminished. This problem is compounded by atheist groups that want to deny our freedom to publicly acknowledge Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Christ. I think it’s fair to say that our “Keep Christ in Christmas” program is more important than ever. In fact, a Knights of Columbus-Marist poll taken last winter found that 64 percent of Americans prefer to hear “Merry Christmas” over nonspecific greetings such as “Happy Holidays.” Our work to keep Christ in Christmas helps them to hear those words and remember that you can’t have Christmas without Christ. This year, make a point of sending religiously themed Christmas cards. And consider including the Posada, a Christmas celebration developed by Franciscan missionaries, as part of your family, parish or council Christmas observance. An instructional booklet titled The Posada: An Advent & Christmas Celebration is available in print and online from the Knights of Columbus. Eight years ago, the Knights of Columbus Museum began a tradition of scheduling a special ex42
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
hibit of Christmas crèches each December, and it has proven very popular. Last year, we featured “Christmas Across Africa,” a collection of beautiful crèches from 23 African countries. This year’s exhibit in New Haven will be “Christmas Across Canada,” and will feature collections on loan from two famous crèche museums in Quebec. And as you celebrate Christmas this year, you might pause to remember Cardinal John Foley. He was the English-language voice you heard on the midnight Mass broadcasts from the Vatican — brought to people throughout the world thanks to the Knights of Columbus-funded satellite uplink. And though he served at the Vatican, he was a member of Council 4546 in Philadelphia and a regular attendee of our Supreme Council meetings. He went to his eternal reward just prior to Christmas last year after a battle with cancer, and he will be greatly missed. The Knights of Columbus supports the Church at every level — from our local parishes and dioceses, to bishops’ conferences and the Vatican. Our support of the Holy Father has been — and continues to be — an important part of our service to the Church. During a private audience in December, I was privileged to present Pope Benedict XVI with a check on your behalf for $1.6 million. That amount represents this year’s earnings from our Vicarius Christi Fund, and goes to support the Holy Father’s personal charities. When Pope Benedict traveled to Mexico and Cuba in March, we provided both financial and volunteer support. During a papal Mass on Cubilete Hill in the center of Mexico, a special reli-
Pope Benedict XVI received Supreme Knight Anderson in a private audience at the Vatican Dec. 7, 2011. The supreme knight presented the pope with a gift of $1.6 million, representing last year’s earnings from the Order’s Vicarius Christi Fund, which was established in 1981. quary commissioned by the Knights of Columbus was displayed. It contains the relics of 25 Mexican saints and blesseds who were martyred during the persecution of the Catholic Church in the 1920s. Six of the saints and three of those blesseds were brother Knights. The story of the martyrdom of one of our saints — Father José María Robles Hurtado — was told in the movie, For Greater Glory, which premiered in theaters this spring throughout the United States and Mexico. The Supreme Council supported the production of the movie, which dramatically tells the story of the persecution of the Church in Mexico, while helping to tell the story of the peaceful work of the Knights of Columbus to stop the persecution and support the Church and the people of Mexico. It is an important story, and one that remains largely unknown on both sides of the border. A Knights of Columbus-produced documentary on this film was broadcast throughout the United States on PBS.
Shortly after Pope Benedict’s visit to Mexico, we launched new tours in the United States and Mexico of the relics of our Knights of Columbus Martyrs. In the United States, the tour began in Houston, at the opening Mass of our Texas state convention, and included stops in Chicago, Tucson, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York, and San Antonio. Everywhere it went, it brought a renewed appreciation of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their faith during Mexico’s darkest hour. Their sacrifice underscores how fortunate we are to be meeting in a country and at a time when disputes between the Church and the government are decided in courtrooms and by elections. These Mexican martyrs died because they practiced their faith in a country where to do so was against the law and against their country’s constitution. How much more reason does that give us to stand up for our faith in a country where our Constitution protects our right to the free exercise of our religion? OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
43
Building a Culture of Life WE ARE CALLED to build a civilization of love based on the principles of the Gospel. And the cornerstone of that civilization must be a culture of life. But in the United States alone, more than 54 million children have been victims of abortion since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. We must build a culture of life in the way we advocate for new laws that protect the life of all people from conception to natural death. We must build a culture of life through the way we vote. We must build a culture of life by our witness in our daily actions. And we must also reach out to women in need. We must be a gentle resource in assisting them in their decision to choose life. One of the most effective ways in which we have helped thousands of women save their children is through our Ultrasound Initiative. Providing ultrasound machines to pregnancy resource centers has enabled many thousands of pregnant women to see their unborn child and know that their child is a living human being. And thousands of them have decided to keep their child. The Supreme Council shares the cost of these machines with our state and local councils. Since the program began three and a half years ago, the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative has enabled the purchase of 268 ultrasound machines in 44 states and Canada, with a total value of more than $14 million. 44
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
It is, without doubt, the most effective pro-life program we have ever undertaken. It saves lives each and every day. And with each woman who sees her child, we continue to turn the tide of public opinion, one person at a time. Knights of Columbus are in the forefront of marches for life around the world: in the United States, where the annual March for Life in Washington has now been supplemented by marches in state capitals throughout the country; in Canada, where the March for Life in Ottawa drew more than 15,000 people this year, and where marches are now being held in every provincial capital; and in the Philippines, where our brother Knights led Walk for Life events in all three jurisdictions there. Every major polling organization has confirmed what we first discovered in our Knights of Columbus-Marist Poll in 2008: Public opinion has shifted dramatically in the pro-life direction. Consider also that even 71 percent of those who described themselves as “pro-choice” in that poll favor significant restrictions on abortion. We seek nothing less than the transformation of our societies into a new culture of life. And the foundation of this effort must be the bedrock of the inviolable dignity of every human life at every stage, and the realization that in the great family our Lord intends for us, we are all to be our brother’s keeper.
Supreme Knight Anderson delivered an address in Wadowice, Poland — birthplace of Blessed John Paul II — as part of the Second World Apostolic Conference on Divine Mercy.
Religious Liberty 2012 BUT WE MUST HAVE THE FREEDOM to pursue this great mission. From our earliest days, protecting our First Amendment right to religious liberty has been important to the Knights of Columbus. Over the years, this has meant that we have successfully defended the words “under God” in the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance. Our commitment means that we will continue to defend our statue of Christ on Big Mountain in Montana. For six decades, the statue’s presence on land leased from the U.S. Forest Service has been non-controversial. It was placed there by Kalispell Council 1328, together with veterans of the 10th Mountain Division nearly 60 years ago in honor of our fallen soldiers. A Wisconsin-based organization has recently filed suit against the Forest Service, claiming that leasing the land to the Knights for the purpose of erecting the statue constitutes the government establishment of a religion. We will continue to protect the right to honor fallen soldiers with a religious monument — even if a small group of atheists from another state disagrees. Not only does the Constitution protect our right to have this monument, but the American people
support it as well. Three quarters of Americans support public religious displays. And our position is that of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Carroll and John Kennedy. It is the position that our rights come not from the generosity of the government, but from God — and that acknowledging this truth is not an establishment of one particular religion, but the acknowledgement of the transcendent nature and source of our rights. This is a point we have made clear to communities throughout this country with the work we do, and it is a point made clear by our award-winning Presidents Day commercial, which aired nationwide last February. Nearly 20 years ago, Blessed John Paul II visited the United States. On that occasion, he urged us to protect our First Amendment rights to the free exercise of religion. Speaking in 1995 in Baltimore, he said these words, quoted by our Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori at his installation as Archbishop of Baltimore in May of this year: “The challenge facing you, dear friends, is to increase people’s awareness of the importance of religious freedom for society; to defend that freedom against those who would take religion out of the public domain and establish secularism as America’s official faith. And OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
45
“God grant that this religious liberty may be preserved in these states until the end of time, and that all believing in the religion of Christ may practice the leading principle of charity, the basis of every virtue.” — Charles Carroll Signer of the Declaration of Independence
The Knights of Columbus continues to defend its right to maintain a statue of Jesus on land leased from the U.S. Forest Service in Montana. Knights erected the memorial in 1954 to honor World War II veterans but have recently been challenged with legal action by an atheist group.
it is vitally necessary, for the very survival of the American experience, to transmit to the next generation the precious legacy of religious freedom and the convictions which sustain it.” Today, we look back and we are amazed at what foresight John Paul II had. No one in 1995 could have predicted that Catholics today would find their First Amendment right to religious freedom under assault, not just from a few intolerant atheists, but now from our own government, most recently in the so-called HHS mandate. Today, Blessed John Paul II’s words ring true and with renewed urgency. What is at stake in our current defense of religious liberty is the right to practice our Catholic faith freely. It is the right of Catholics not to be forced to violate our conscience. It is the right of Catholic employers — including the Knights of Columbus — not to be forced to pay for or be complicit with procedures and prescriptions that are morally wrong. But it is more. What is at stake is the future of re46
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
ligious liberty in the United States and the right of every individual American to practice his faith freely. Our First Amendment guarantees us the free exercise of religion. And fundamental to this constitutional guarantee is our ability to follow the fundamental principles of our religion as defined by our Lord, not as defined by the government. We have seen two grave threats to our religious liberty in the past year. The first lost in the U.S. Supreme Court, the second is unpopular in the court of public opinion. The HHS mandate may well be reversed or modified. But there could be future threats. The U.S. bishops’ conference document Faithful Citizenship makes clear that we have a duty to avoid being complicit with intrinsic evil. It states: “It is important to be clear that the political choices faced by citizens … may affect the individual’s salvation.” Abortion is one such intrinsic evil. So, too, is the attempt by the government to limit the saving mission of our Church and to restrict its liberty.
Let me reiterate what I said earlier this year at religious liberty in the United States forever and the annual Catholic Press Association meeting: Is that all Christians would be active in charity, it not time for Catholic voters to say “no” to every which he called “the basis of every virtue.” A little candidate of every political party who supports more than half a century later, a young parish such intrinsic evils? priest in New Haven, Conn., and a handful of the Catholic voters have the power to transform our young “go-ahead” men of the city gathered in the politics. Faithful citizens can build a new politics basement of their church. There they established — a politics that is not satisfied with the status a new organization dedicated to the principles of quo, but one that is dedicated to building up a religious freedom and charity. new culture of life. These were men who had experienced the There are more than 300 million Catholics in trauma of a bitter civil war and who had heard the the countries in which we are active. What candistirring call of President Abraham Lincoln, declardate or political party can withstand the loss of ing that their nation “under God” must have a millions of Catholic voters? If we stand together “new birth of freedom.” They agreed with him and demand better, we can transform our politics. that their country should become a place “with We have discussed how freedom and charity are malice toward none, with charity for all.” And linked, and as Catholic citizens we must lead with they took to heart Lincoln’s admonition to act charity — to our neighbor, with “firmness in the right and to those who disagree as God gives us to see the with us politically. Catholics right.” can transform politics in anThe spark those men lit AITHFUL CITIZENS CAN other way. We can raise the in the cause of Catholic fralevel of our national political ternalism soon captured the BUILD A NEW POLITICS — discourse. We can transform imagination of a generation A POLITICS THAT IS NOT politics that are disfigured by of Catholic men. Within its personal attacks and partisan first 25 years, the Knights of SATISFIED WITH THE STATUS divisiveness. And we can do Columbus spread throughit starting now. out the United States and QUO, BUT ONE THAT IS The American people then into Canada, Mexico want — and they deserve — and the Philippines. DEDICATED TO BUILDING UP civility. We need a conversaFor decades, Catholics A NEW CULTURE OF LIFE.” tion about the issues, rather throughout the United than personal attacks. States had suffered the inLast month, our K of Cdignity of being deprived of Marist poll found that the right to vote or hold nearly 8 in 10 Americans were frustrated by the public office. Know-Nothings and other bigots tone of our nation’s political discourse. And a claimed that Catholics who remained faithful to strong majority said that such negativity is hurttheir Church could never be loyal citizens of a ing our political process. Our citizens want — democracy. It was the Knights of Columbus that and they deserve — a national discussion that is finally challenged that slander — first with the civil and respectful. We understand that we do creation of the Order’s patriotic degree in 1900, not agree on every issue, but we also understand and later with a tremendous outpouring of supthat how we disagree says a great deal about who port and service in the First World War. we are as a nation. When the history of Catholics, African AmeriSo, I am pleased to announce that the Knights cans, Jews and others was maligned, we established of Columbus has begun a nationwide Campaign the K of C Historical Commission and endowed for Civility in America. This online petition drive a professorship in history at The Catholic Univerwill give the American people a voice in speaking sity of America to set the record straight. up for a respectful public discourse. Thousands of When extremists such as the Ku Klux Klan Americans have already signed the petition, and I sought the prohibition of Catholic schools encourage all of you — and every American — to throughout the United States, we stood with the visit CivilityInAmerica.org and to sign this petiSociety of Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and tion. By doing so, we can begin to change our polMary and helped them bring their case challenging itics for the better. that law all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. As I mentioned earlier, the Catholic patriot When many in America were drawing barriers Charles Carroll prayed that God would preserve based on race and religion, we raised a banner
“F
OCTOBER 2012
♦ COLUMBIA
47
saying “Everybody Welcome.” And we meant everybody. When Catholics in Mexico faced the most dreadful persecution of Christians ever in the Western Hemisphere, we launched a nationwide campaign to help them, even as many brother Knights in Mexico sacrificed their lives in witness to our faith. Throughout our history, Knights have been men willing to face adversity and discrimination. Some lived to see their sons and grandsons become governors, justices, premiers, prime ministers and presidents. These were men who, for the most part, joined the Knights of Columbus not to engage in the great controversies of the day, but to improve the lives of their families; to provide financial security for their wives and children; to strengthen their parishes; and to make their communities better. They saw their Church as one great family, and they sought through their principles of charity, unity and fraternity to build of their nation one great family as well. But when challenges and controversies came, they were men who would not step aside. In the words of Lincoln, they remained firm in the right, as God gave them to see the right. They knew that their conscience had rights because their conscience had duties.
During the end of the Second World War, the noted American jurist, Judge Learned Hand, said this about the spirit of liberty: “What do we mean when we say that first of all we seek liberty? I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws and upon the courts. Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court, can save it.” My brother Knights, freedom will always live in the hearts of the Knights of Columbus. As we reflect on the astonishing accomplishments of the Knights of Columbus over the past 130 years, we honor these men, and we recall with pride their vision and their courage. Some may ask whether our founder, Father McGivney, could have imagined all that his brother Knights would achieve. Would he even recognize the Knights of Columbus today? I believe the answer to those questions is “yes.” I believe Father McGivney could see into the hearts of the men who gathered with him at St. Mary’s Church. He knew their faith, and he knew their aspirations. He knew what they were capable of. I also believe our saintly founder sees into the hearts of his brother Knights today, and there he finds those same qualities. One hundred years from now, he will not be surprised by what his brother Knights continue to accomplish. Vivat Jesus!
COMPLETE AND RETURN TO: Knights of Columbus Supply Dept. 78 Meadow Street New Haven, CT 06519-1759 Checks or Money Orders Payable to: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS SUPREME COUNCIL In U.S. Currency — No C.O.D. Available in the U.S. and Canada only Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery
EXPERIENCE THE 130th SUPREME CONVENTION!
#
COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE CONVENTION ON DVD SPECIAL PRICE: $15 (Includes S&H) PLEASE SEND
DVD SETS AT $15 EACH. TOTAL ORDER: $
QUANTIT Y
PLEASE PRINT
NAME
CREDIT CARD INFORMATION
ADDRESS
M.C.
q
VISA
q
Expiration Date: Month
CITY
Year
STATE/PROVINCE
ZIP/POSTAL CODE
S I G N AT U R E D AY T I M E P H O N E N U M B E R
OFFICIAL OCT. 1, 2012:
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 065070901. 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.
48
COLUMBIA ♦
OCTOBER 2012
COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869/USPS #123-740) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS,1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 065103326. PHONE: 203-752-4000, www.kofc.org. PRODUCED IN USA. COPYRIGHT © 2011 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.
KNIGHT S O F C O LUM BUS
Building a better world one council at a time Every day, Knights all over the world are given opportunities to make a difference — whether through community service, raising money or prayer. We celebrate each and every Knight for his strength, his compassion and his dedication to building a better world.
TO
BE FEATURED HERE , SEND YOUR COUNCIL’ S
C OLUMBIA , 1 C OLUMBUS P LAZA , N EW
Members of St. James the Apostle Council 14531 and St. Benedict Circle 5531, both in Fremont, Calif., stand in front of the memorial cross constructed by the council in honor of deceased members of the Order. Knights built the cross and its base from scratch, and Fourth Degree Knights from three area assemblies provided an honor guard for the memorial’s dedication.
“K NIGHTS IN A CTION ” H AVEN , CT 06510-3326
PHOTO AS WELL AS ITS DESCRIPTION TO : OR E - MAIL : COLUMBIA @ KOFC . ORG .
OCTOBER 2012
♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 49
PLEASE, DO ALL YOU CAN TO ENCOURAGE PRIESTLY AND RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS. YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
KEEP T H E F A I T H A L I V E
IAM BELLUS CA
Photo by Marvin Burk Photography
Incredibiliter perspicax saburre deciperet Medusa, semper aegre parsimonia concubine adquireret perspicax umbraculi, etiam pessimus adfabilis agricolae neglegenter iocari quinquennalis apparatus bellis, quamquam Pompeii fortiter deciperet plane adfabilis concubine, quod quinquennalis catelli celeriter senesceret satis saetosus ossifragi. Adlaudabilis matrimonii libere agnascor fragilis syrtes, etiam rures praemuniet concubine. Saburre deciperet Octavius. Syrtes fermentet Medusa, et Augustus adquireret Octavius, etiam saburre fermentet zothecas. Bellus catelli praemuniet optimus fragilis fiducias, semper utilitas concubine amputat parsimonia suis. Lascivius agricolae pessimus spinosus senesceret parsimonia saburre, utcunque suis imputat perspicax matrimonii. Incredibiliter saetosus ossifragi iocari fragilis oratori. Suis frugaliter vocificat pretosius oratori. Rures amputat adfabilis chirographi, quod concubine insec SISTER TERESA IMMACULATE Community of St. John Princeville, Ill.
‘MARY WAS CALLING ME TO FOLLOW HER SON’ Although I grew up in a Catholic family and felt called to be a priest in the first grade, I abandoned the practice of my faith when I was in college. For several years I lived a self-destructive life, seeking happiness in material pleasures. Life seemed meaningless, and I hated the person I was becoming. One day, I picked up a book about the Blessed Virgin Mary. As far as I was concerned, Mary was just a statue in church or a painting hanging in my grandmother’s house. Yet, I was mysteriously drawn to the book, and through it learned that Mary was a living person who was calling me to follow her Son and open my heart to the love of God. I later read a book about St. Francis of Assisi, and Francis’ life of total dedication to God spoke directly to my heart. I knew immediately that this was what God was calling me to do. In addition to providing prayerful support and kind words, the Knights of Columbus made several contributions to my seminary formation. I am humbled by their dedication and generosity. FATHER JOSEPH MARY ELDER Capuchin Franciscan Friars Denver, Colo.
Photo by Barry Staver Photography
ORATORI FORTITER IOCARI CONCUBINE,