Columbia September 2015

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S EPTEMBER 2015

COLUMBIA

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS sePTeMber 2015 ♦ VoluMe 95 ♦ NuMber 9

COLUMBIA

F E AT U R E S

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The Witness of the Family Fully Alive An interview with the archbishop of Philadelphia on the eve of the World Meeting of Families.

BY COLUMBIA STAFF

16 The Knights: A Family Affair Wives of Knights speak about how the Order has strengthened their faith, families and marriages.

BY MARYANGELA ROMÁN

20 ‘Persecuted, But Not Abandoned’ Displaced Christian families in Iraq find shelter and aid with help from Order’s relief fund.

BY DOMINICAN BROTHER AUGUSTINE MAROGI

24 The Church of the Home The Christian family is called to be an evangelized and evangelizing community.

BY DAVID S. CRAWFORD

PAINTING: Artwork by NeilsonCarlin.com/photo courtesy of World Meeting of Families 2015, Philadelphia

A painting by Philadelphia artist Neilson Carlin depicts the Holy Family with Sts. Anne and Joachim standing behind Mary. The coats of arms above and Roman numeral date below signify the World Meeting of Families to take place in Philadelphia Sept. 22-27.

D E PA RT M E N T S 3

Building a better world The Christian family must be supported in its vital role in the life and mission of the Church.

BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

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Learning the faith, living the faith The Church understands love, marriage and family in terms of self-gift, not self-interest.

BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

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Knights of Columbus News

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Knights Support Special Olympics World Games • Order Expands Campaign to Aid Refugees in Middle East • Knights Mourn Death of Cardinal William Baum

13 Year of Consecrated Life The vocations to marriage and celibate love mutually support one another.

Building the Domestic Church Because the family is the basic cell of society, we want our family to fulfill its vocation to build up the common good.

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Knights in Action

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Scholarship Recipients

BY CARDINAL GÉRALD CYPRIEN LACROIX

PLUS: Catholic Man of the Month

SEPTEMBER 2015

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The Vital Cell of Society ON JULY 26, my parents celebrated 40 years of marriage. As I returned home and joined my siblings and their own families for the celebration, we were filled with gratitude for my parents’ four decades of faithfulness. Growing up, I did not think much about the stable and loving family environment that my parents provided for us. Today, however, when more than half of births to American women under age 30 occur outside marriage, it is easier to see that my experience was not something to be taken for granted.

In recent decades, the result of the decline in marriage and breakdown of the family has become painfully evident, even as it remains largely ignored. According to a 2013 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report, the poverty rate of single-mother households was 45.8 percent, more than four times the rate of married-couple families. In 2011, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 85.5 percent of all abortions involved unwed expectant mothers. Numerous other studies have shown that youth in fatherless homes are much more likely than their peers to drop out of high school, go to prison, abuse drugs, run away or commit suicide.

As our society rightfully looks to the needs of these women and children who find themselves in difficult circumstances, we should not neglect to also take a step back and look at the root causes. How is our culture promoting responsible fatherhood; or personal relationships characterized by respect and chastity; or marriages grounded on permanent, faithful, fruitful love; or policies that focus on the

common good and the rights of children, as opposed to privileging individual autonomy and self-fulfillment?

In an address on July 8, during his recent visit to South America, Pope Francis put it this way: “In an age when basic values are often neglected or distorted, the family merits special attention on the part of those responsible for the common good, since it is the basic cell of society.

Families foster the solid bonds of unity on which human coexistence is based, and, through the bearing and education of children, they ensure the future and the renewal of society.”

Indeed, the Catholic Church has always affirmed that the family — not the individual — is “the first and vital cell of society,” to use the words of the Second Vatican Council’s decree on the laity. This understanding is affirmed by Scripture, by political philosophers going back to Aristotle, and by human nature. In fact, the Christian family is also the fundamental cell of the Church, leading St. John Paul II to declare, “The future of the world and of the Church passes through the family” (Familiaris Consortio, 75).

In anticipation of the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia Sept. 22-27 and the Synod of Bishops which will meet on the family in October, this special edition of Columbia explores some of the ways that we can, and do, joyfully witness to the truth of the family, and thus help to heal our communities and build a civilization of love.♦ ALTON J. PELOWSKI EDITOR

Featured Book: The Choice of the Family A book-length interview with Bishop Jean Laffitte, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family and organizer of the World Meeting of Families, is now available under the title The Choice of the Family: A Call to Wholeness, Abundant Life, and Enduring Happiness (Image, 2015). Originally published in French, the English translation features an introduction by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson and a preface by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia.

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COLUMBIA PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus ________ SUPREME OFFICERS Carl A. Anderson SUPREME KNIGHT Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. SUPREME CHAPLAIN Logan T. Ludwig DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT Charles E. Maurer Jr. SUPREME SECRETARY Michael J. O’Connor SUPREME TREASURER John A. Marrella SUPREME ADVOCATE ________ EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski EDITOR Andrew J. Matt MANAGING EDITOR Patrick Scalisi SENIOR EDITOR ________

Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90) Apostle to the Young, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us. ________ HOW TO REACH US MAIL COLUMBIA 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 ADDRESS CHANGES 203-752-4210, option #3 PRAYER CARDS & SUPPLIES 203-752-4214 COLUMBIA INQUIRIES 203-752-4398 FAX 203-752-4109 K OF C CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-380-9995 E-MAIL columbia@kofc.org INTERNET kofc.org/columbia ________ Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.

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Copyright © 2015 All rights reserved ________ ON THE COVER An etching of the Holy Family by Giovanni Balestra (1774–1842) will be the centerpiece of a new Orderwide prayer program.

COVER: Etching by Giovanni Balestra (1774–1842), based on a painting by Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato (1609-1685) / Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, Rome.

E D I TO R I A L

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BUILDING A BETTER WORLD

Holy and Loving Families The Christian family must be supported in its vital role in the life and mission of the Church

by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson

IN FOUNDING the Knights of Columbus, Father Michael J. McGivney sought to respond to the crisis in family life affecting Catholics in 19th-century America. As a young man, he witnessed firsthand the challenges his widowed mother faced with seven children at home. Later, as a priest, he confronted on a daily basis the problems affecting the immigrant families of his parish, such as poverty, alcoholism, anti-Catholic prejudice and discrimination.

Father McGivney’s vision for family life was not simply that each family might find financial and material aid, especially in the event of a member’s death. He also understood that holiness is the calling of all baptized Christians. And as two of his brothers followed him into the priesthood, we can understand how important the “sanctuary of the home” was in the life of the McGivney family.

When Christian families respond in faith to the design of the Creator, they become a “domestic church” that, as Blessed Paul VI explained, mirrors “the various aspects of the entire Church.” Since the Second Vatican Council, and especially during the pontificate of St. John Paul II, it has become clear that “the family is the way of the Church” (Letter to Families).

In one sense this means that the family is the object of the Church’s evangelizing and pastoral efforts. But the Christian family has its own mission. As St. John Paul II wrote in Familiaris Consortio, “The family has

the mission to guard, reveal and communicate love” (17). This mission arises from the “community of life and love” that begins with the married couple in the sacrament of matrimony.

“Conjugal love involves a totality, in which all the elements of the person enter,” the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches. “It aims at a deeply personal unity, a unity that, beyond union in one flesh leads to forming one heart and soul” (1643).

In other words, sacramental marriage involves not just an agreement between the spouses but a radical transformation of the spouses.

As Pope Benedict XVI wrote in Deus Caritas Est, “Marriage based on an exclusive and definitive love becomes the icon of the relationship between God and his people and vice versa. God’s way of loving becomes the measure of human love” (11).

In this way, the witness of husband and wife within the daily life of the family can guard, reveal and communicate love as they make the gifts of marriage — unity, indissolubility, faithfulness and openness to new life — their own.

A recent Vatican document on the role and mission of the family observed that it is necessary to better understand the “missionary dimension of the family as domestic church” and that “the family needs to be rediscovered as the essential agent in the work of evangelization.”

These observations echo St. John Paul II’s words during the meeting of

the Latin American bishops in Puebla, Mexico, in 1979. “In the future,” he said, “evangelization will depend largely on the domestic church.”

When we consider the mission of the family in this sense, it is apparent that the role of the family in the work of evangelization is not primarily a matter of programs, projects or strategies. These have their place, of course, but they are secondary and must serve what is essential: the love between the married couple that has been lifted up in and by the love of Christ and because of this is now able to transform the life of their own family.

During the coming fraternal year, we will promote two initiatives to strengthen Catholic family life. The first is Building the Domestic Church: The Family Fully Alive, a program of family prayer, meditation and Scripture. The second is the Holy Family Pilgrim Icon program.

Pope Francis has cited the need for “holy and loving families to protect the beauty and truth of the family in God’s plan and to be an example for other families.” Building the Domestic Church and devotion to the Holy Family are two ways the Knights of Columbus, in solidarity with Pope Francis, can support “holy and loving families” for the Church’s mission of evangelization.

Vivat Jesus!

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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

Marriage and the Common Good The Church understands love, marriage and family in terms of self-gift, not self-interest

by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori THROUGH THE DECADES, there Today this view shapes the high have been many popular romantic court’s view on marriage. When it songs that have described love in suf- came time to decide whether or not to focating terms. For example, when redefine marriage, the court discovSteve Lawrence crooned about “a room ered, tucked away in the undercroft of without windows” in 1964, he sang of the Constitution, a new right for any a love that shut out the rest of the two people to define for themselves world for the sake of personal happi- marriage as an avenue to their emoness. He and his love are “completely tional satisfaction. It has nothing to do wrapped up in each other while the with bringing children into the world whole world ignores.” They seek a — not a word about the common room that lacks even keyholes, “a room good. Our nation’s highest court has without a view” where they could “hide for an era or two.”

Just typing out those lyrics, I The family is able to serve the find myself gasping for breath!

Whether or not people recommon good because its root call such lyrics, which are better forgotten, I’m afraid we’ve is self-giving love. retained the smothering, stifling notion of personal intimacy that they describe.

Today, married love is consistently given its stamp of approval to “a room described almost solely in terms of without windows, a room without personal intimacy and personal ful- doors.” fillment. It is an inward-looking view The Church affirms the central imof marriage, rather than an outward, portance of intimate love in our lives. forward-looking one.

As St. John Paul II taught, our lives make no sense without love (cf. Re‘ME-FIRST’ CULTURE demptor Hominis, 10). Yet the love that In 1992, U.S. Supreme Court Justice brings true fulfillment and happiness Anthony Kennedy provided the coun- is a love that is not reducible to merely try with a completely egocentric defi- subjective emotional needs, but that nition of personal fulfillment. “At the necessarily includes the good of others. heart of liberty,” he wrote, “is the right Indeed, because the family is the basic to define one’s own concept of exis- cell of society, it has a responsibility to tence, of meaning, of the universe, and build up the common good. of the mystery of human life.” No selfSadly, an authentic notion of the evident truths here. It’s what I want, common good is also all but forgotten what I think, what I need. in our “me-first” culture. For some, 4 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

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the common good is simply the sum total of every person’s self-interest bumping up against everyone else’s self-interest, with the government serving as the referee. For totalitarian governments, the common good is whatever is best for the state. For those who think that “the end justifies the means,” the common good is “the greatest good for the greatest number of people” — and too bad about the burdensome people who aren’t included in “the greatest number”!

The Church, however, shows us a better way to understand the common good. It has to do with creating a just and peaceful society where the human rights and dignity of everyone, especially the most vulnerable, are respected. In such a society, human beings are more likely to flourish — that is to say, to lead good, loving and virtuous lives. So, too, the society as a whole and groups within it are more likely to thrive.

THE SCHOOL OF LOVE The family is the first school of citizenship where young people become equipped to live as honest and hardworking adults, concerned about the well-being of others. By raising a new generation of such citizens, the family contributes in a basic and profound way to the common good.

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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

The family is able to serve the common good in this way because its root is self-giving love. When a husband and wife give themselves completely to one another in love, they are by that very fact open to the gift of new life. Children are brought into a peaceful and stable home where they learn fundamental human values, skills and knowledge. They learn how to relate to the opposite sex in healthy ways; how to share what they have with others, including brothers and sisters; and how to reach out to the less fortunate. Even more importantly, in the family, the young person can come to

HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTIONS

Offered in Solidarity with Pope Francis

POPE FRANCIS: CNS photo/Alessandro Bianchi, Reuters — UBERTO MORI: Photo courtesy of the Mori family

GENERAL: That opportunities for education and employment may increase for all young people.

MISSION: That catechists may give witness by living in a way consistent with the faith they proclaim.

know God, who is the living source of his or her freedom and dignity.

The family contributes to the common good by guaranteeing the future of society — passing on language and customs to the next generation, serving the needs of others, and helping young people to discover and cherish their Godgiven dignity and freedom. The family helps to break down the impersonal character of our rushed, competitive society by teaching young people to act responsibly, in accordance with the moral law, and to relate to others in ways that are both virtuous and productive.

When Father Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882, he knew that if he could help husbands and fathers to be men of deep faith and self-giving love, he would dramatically strengthen family life. He therefore created a fraternal organization whose first principle is charity, designed to help families in the hour of greatest need. Still today, the Order remains a champion of family life, for it is by building up the domestic church that we create a true civilization of truth and love, now and for generations to come.♦

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

Venerable Uberto Mori (1926-1989) BORN JAN. 28, 1926, in Modena, Italy, Uberto Mori was a joyful child with a practical outlook and a lively faith. His father’s military career led the family to relocate often, but Mori excelled in each school he attended.

In 1943, during World War II, Mori’s father was diagnosed with a malignant tumor but was nonetheless ordered back to the front lines. Though only 17 years old, Mori volunteered to take his father’s place, and the army accepted the exchange. Following the September armistice, as Nazi troops advanced into Italy, Mori warned 107 Jewish refugee children in the area to flee for safety.

Mori left the military and returned home upon his father’s death in August 1944. Later that year, he enrolled at the University of Bologna, where he met Gilda Cavedoni, a fine arts student.

They married in 1952 and were blessed with three children.

In 1958, Mori visited Padre Pio, the Capuchin priest — an encounter that deepened Mori’s devotion to Mary.

After earning an industrial engineering degree, he taught courses in chemistry

and ceramics technology. A keen entrepreneur, he also went on to found a series of innovative and successful ceramics companies. “Our goal should be the glory of the Lord in whatever condition we find ourselves,” he wrote.

“If it pleases him to place us in the midst of the world to work with kilns, may his will be done.”

In 1967, Mori and his wife became Third Order Franciscans. Mori’s wealth enabled him to support missionary efforts in Africa and to become a pioneer in Catholic television broadcasting in Italy, founding the TV station Antenna Uno in 1980. After suffering a heart attack in 1987, Mori died Sept. 6, 1989. He was proclaimed Venerable in June 2014.♦

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS

Knights Support Special Olympics World Games

MORE THAN 6,500 Special Olympics athletes from 165 countries gathered in Los Angeles July 25-Aug. 2 to compete in the Special Olympics World Games. The Knights of Columbus covered the cost of every athlete from the United States and Canada, and Deputy Supreme Knight Logan T. Ludwig led a delegation of K of C representatives and volunteers to the event.

For nearly five decades, the Order has affirmed its unique partnership with Special Olympics. Since the first international Special Olympics Summer Games in Chicago in 1968, Knights have been among the organization’s most active and devoted supporters. In 2005, the Order pledged $1 million over four years to grow the program in North America, in addition to pledging increased volunteer support for state and local games.

In 2014, the Knights announced a $1.4 million donation to cover the costs of all participating World Games athletes from the United States and Canada. Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson announced the donation at a news conference July 14, 2014 — the same day that World Games President and CEO Patrick McClenahan named the Order a “Founding Champion of the World Games.”

“The Knights of Columbus was there with Special Olympics and its founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, from the very beginning,” said the supreme knight. “Sargent 6 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

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Shriver, Eunice’s husband, was a friend and a proud member of the Knights of Columbus, and like him, we are here today to continue those efforts on behalf of people with intellectual disabilities. Our support exemplifies our commitment to the dignity of every person, our dedication to assisting with our neighbors’ needs whatever they may be, and our deep appreciation for the great work done by Special Olympics.”

This year’s Special Olympics World Games featured 25 different athletic competitions in nine venues throughout the Los Angeles area. The event attracted an estimated 500,000 spectators, beginning with the Opening Ceremony, which took place July 25 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Since the Order began supporting Special Olympics almost a half-century ago, the Knights of Columbus has raised and donated more than $600 million to programs for people with intellectual and physical disabilities — with the Special Olympics donations ranking among the larger gifts the Order makes each year.

Nonetheless, the volunteer support provided by Knights is perhaps even more meaningful, explained Deputy Supreme Knight Ludwig. “It’s the volunteerism and the interaction with the athletes,” he said, “that really strengthen what the Knights stand for and what Special Olympics represents.”♦

Photo by Melinda Collins, Spirit Juice Studios

Athletes celebrate after receiving medals at the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles July 25 as Deputy Supreme Knight Logan T. Ludwig (left) applauds their achievements.

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS

Order Expands Campaign to Aid Refugees in Middle East

TOP: © SEDAT SUNA/epa/Corbis — BOTTOM: Knights of Columbus Multimedia Archives

HAVING ALREADY donated more than $3 million in humanitarian aid to persecuted Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, the Knights of Columbus announced a national charity campaign to raise additional funds and foster greater awareness of the horrific suffering in the Middle East.

The campaign includes a newly designed website — christiansatrisk.org — with key information and opportunities to donate. In addition, a K of Cproduced TV commercial aired nationally in July, and social media users are encouraged to use the hashtag #ChristiansAtRisk.

The Order announced details of its program to aid Christian refugees at the 133rd Supreme Convention, which was held Aug. 4-6 in Philadelphia. Archbishops from Iraq and Syria attended the event, which will be fully covered in the October issue of Columbia.

“Christians in the Middle East are facing a dire situation — and even extinction — while the response from the international community has been woefully inadequate,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson. “Pope Francis has urged the international community to take action to help

Syrian refugee children are pictured near the border of Syria and Turkey on June 10.

Christians in the Middle East, and as an organization that has long supported victims of religious persecution, the Knights of Columbus is responding by asking our own members, and the public at large, to help us save the lives of people who are being persecuted simply because of their Christian faith.”

The Knights began its Christian Refugee Relief Fund in August 2014 with $1 million in matching funds that was quickly met and exceeded by

its members and the public. The humanitarian assistance has provided housing for those forced to flee their homes, as well as support for medical facilities in areas flooded with refugees.

Those wishing to assist with the relief efforts can donate by visiting christiansatrisk.org or by sending checks or money orders payable to Knights of Columbus Charities at P.O. Box 1966, New Haven, CT 06509-1966. The memo portion should indicate that the check is for Christian Refugee Relief.♦

Knights Mourn Death of Cardinal William Baum UPON HEARING of the death of Cardinal William W. Baum, the former Archbishop of Washington and Apostolic Penitentiary Emeritus, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said that Cardinal Baum was both a close personal friend and a good friend of the Order.

He added, “His life was an unparalleled service to the universal Church and to the Church in the United States, made even more meaningful by his many years of suffering from painful medical conditions.”

A Knight of Columbus for 63 years

Cardinal William W. Baum (right) accepts congratulations from then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger after receiving Gaudium et Spes Award during a ceremony in Rome April 19, 2001.

and a member of the Fourth Degree, Cardinal Baum received the Order’s highest honor, the Gaudium et Spes Award, in 2001 for his service to the Church and society. Among those present at the awards ceremony in Rome was then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and future Pope Benedict XVI, who offered a tribute to his fellow cardinal.

At the time of his death July 23, Cardinal Baum was the longest-serving U.S. cardinal in history.♦

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The Witness of the Family Fully Alive An interview with the archbishop of Philadelphia on the eve of the World Meeting of Families

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State deputies process carrying images of the Holy Family at the conclusion of the opening Mass of the 133rd Supreme Convention in Philadelphia, celebrated by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput Aug. 4. The images will be the centerpiece of a prayer program in the coming year as they travel throughout the Order’s jurisdictions.

Photo by Matthew Barrick

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onceived by St. John Paul II in 1992 to strengthen the bonds of Christian families worldwide, the World Meeting of Families has been celebrated every three years since 1994. The 8th World Meeting of Families will take place in Philadelphia Sept 22-27 and will coincide with the first apostolic journey of Pope Francis to the United States.

The theme of this year’s gathering is “Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.” Columbia recently asked Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., of Philadelphia about his hopes for the event, as well as how Catholic families can bear joyful witness to the Gospel in an increasingly secularized environment.

Previously appointed as the bishop of Rapid City, S.D., in 1988, and as archbishop of Denver in 1997, Archbishop Cha-

put has served as the chief shepherd of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia since 2011. An esteemed author, speaker and cultural commentator, he is a member of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Council 15380 in Wynnewood, Pa. COLUMBIA: In what ways do you hope the 8th World Meeting of Families will bear fruit for the Church?

A RCHBISHOP C HAPUT: Events like the World Meeting of Families give us a chance to encounter God in a new way — to feel the joy of the Gospel, to see the global face of the Church, and to bring people together to renew their faith and courage in fellowship. I want the World Meeting of Families to be the kind of seed that bears fruit in a new life for the Church. Material resources are less important than SEPTEMBER 2015

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Pope Francis greets a boy and his family as they present the offertory gifts during Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, 2014.

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But that’s not a reason to lose hope. God loves us, and even now, many, many young people are discovering Jesus Christ in a dramatic way. I know because I’ve met a lot of them.

They’re a terrific source of new energy.

COLUMBIA: In addition to the logistics involved with hosting a major international event and papal visit, what does it mean to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to be chosen as the host city?

ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: The Catholic community in Philadelphia is closely connected with our nation’s founding and history. It was a magnet for immigrants in the 19th century, and it bore the brunt of anti-Catholic hatred during the Nativist years. It also produced two great saints — Sts. John Neumann and Katharine Drexel — created the model for Catholic

CNS photo/Paul Haring

converted hearts. The heart and mind lead. The resources and talent follow.

If I had to choose — and we’re getting to a point where we’ll need to — I’d rather be part of a small Church on fire with Jesus Christ than a large Church with a lot of resources but a cold soul. Zeal has a future. Indifference doesn’t.

The demographics of religious belief in our country are pretty sobering. We’ve done a poor job of passing along the faith to young people, and it’s not because we’re out of sync with the times. If she’s doing the work Jesus intended, the Church is always out of sync with the times because the world needs conversion, and the Church is the agent of that conversion. My generation failed to live that witness in a convincing way. Young people learned from our example. There’s no way to avoid paying the consequences.

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parish schools, and trained thousands of priests and religious for service around the country.

The problem with a legacy is that it can turn into a burden.

A great past can be a heavy drag on creative thinking and selfcriticism. When the Church turns into a cultural habit, when religion becomes routine, bad things happen: a sex abuse scandal, financial and legal crises, and a lot of anger among our people and priests.

That’s the hard news. The better news is that, despite the problems we have been addressing in recent years, the Church in Philadelphia still has a great deal of talent and good will among our people. And our priests are very good men. So one of the goals in preparing for the World Meeting of Families has simply been helping people to believe again in the possibility of a renewal; to look forward instead of backward.

COLUMBIA: In Familiaris Consortio, St. John Paul II said, “The future of humanity passes by way of the family” (86), and “the future of evangelization depends in great part on the Church of the home” (52). What implications do such statements have with regard to both public policy and pastoral initiatives?

ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: A country that discourages fertility, kills the unborn and undermines the integrity of the family as a matter of public policy is attacking its own future. If we stay on that path in the 2016 elections, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out the end game. At a pastoral level, protecting the family should rank among the top priorities in every diocese. And that starts by forming and supporting our people in living the vocation of marriage well.

COLUMBIA: What are some practical ways that Christian families, as domestic churches, are called to evangelize, whether within their own homes or in the culture at large?

ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: If families pray and worship together, read the Scriptures and learn the history of their Church, and if they do all this faithfully, on a regular basis, then their witness gets noticed by others. Nothing is more magnetic than the happiness and peace we see in other people. We should never feel embarrassed to share our faith when we speak with friends. But the best form of missionary work for most of us is simply living our Catholic faith with conviction and joy.

Anyone can do that. And God will use that raw material to reach others.

COLUMBIA: On several occasions, Pope Francis has voiced concern about the growing influence of “gender theory,” which ignores or cancels out sexual difference. What dangers does this ideology pose?

ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: Gender ideology is just the logic of liberalism applied to sex. By “liberalism” I mean it in the original European sense of the word, not the way we use “liberal” and “conservative” in our politics. One of the key ideas of liberalism is that human beings are radically separate, autonomous individuals. The only good arrangements are those we freely choose according to our rational self-interest. Self-interest can change.

So no arrangement or obligation can really be permanent. All limits to human choice — marriage, family, religion, even nature itself — are potential sources of oppression.

It’s easy to see where this leads. When we combine the principle of choice with modern social science, which tends to dispute the reliability of human reason and the existence of any set “human nature,” sexual identity is just another kind of modeling clay for the human will, without any predetermined or higher content. We can have five — or even 25 — genders instead of just two.

But if we lose the vocabulary of male-female difference, then we lose the whole biblical narrative. In the Christian

ORDER LAUNCHES NEW HOLY FAMILY PRAYER PROGRAM Following the opening Mass of the 133rd Supreme Convention in Philadelphia Aug. 4, the Knights of Columbus inaugurated a new prayer program centered on the Holy Family. State deputies representing the Order’s 74 jurisdictions each received a framed copy of an etching of the Holy Family by Giovanni Balestra (1774–1842). The original etching, which is based on a painting by Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato (1609-1685), is housed at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Rome.

The images, each bearing the blessing of Pope Francis, will serve as the centerpieces of a new prayer program as they travel throughout the Order’s jurisdictions in the coming year.

It is the 17th Orderwide prayer program featuring a pilgrim image. Since 1979, these rosary-based programs have included more than 147,000 prayer services and 17 million participants. The seventh such program, which was conducted in 1993-94, similarly featured an image of the Holy Family, to celebrate the International Year of the Family.

The launch of this year’s program anticipates the 8th World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia Sept. 22-27 and the XIV Ordinary Synod of Bishops, which will meet in October on “The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and the Contemporary World.”

Additional information about the prayer program will be provided to state councils in the coming weeks.♦ SEPTEMBER 2015

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Archbishop Chaput speaks about the World Meeting of Families during a Vatican press conference March 25, 2014.

God will hold us accountable; and that we have rights and responsibilities grounded in our Creator. Many of our leaders believe none of those things, at least not in a way that really shapes their actions. So the most powerful thing we can do is remain true to our own convictions and raise our children to do the same. Truth always wins in the long run. Always.

COLUMBIA: While the Church has faced a number of challenges to religious liberty and conscience protection in recent years, including the HHS contraceptive mandate, the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision redefining marriage will arguably result in the greatest challenge yet. How can Catholics bear witness to the authentic meaning of marriage and family in this new legal environment?

ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: That’s simple to answer and hard to do at the same time. Spouses need to love and be faithful to each other. That takes patience, generosity and self-denial.

And parents need to raise their children to love God and love the Church. That takes persistence and courage. It means lives of sacrifice in a culture of consuming self-absorption. It can be done, and the results are lives of great joy. But to do it means building local communities of Catholic families that support each other more directly than many of our parish structures can provide.

COLUMBIA: You have noted that one of the deepest cultural problems we face today is a problem of language. Everyone speaks about equality, freedom, dignity and family — but by these words we don’t necessarily mean the same thing.

How can we recover a shared social vocabulary, especially in reference to the family and human dignity?

ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: In the short run, we can’t. Our culture is fractured by too many basic divisions. Christians believe that God exists; that God is good and involved in human affairs; that permanent truths guide the course of the world; that humanity is made in God’s image; that our dignity is unique in creation; that our lives are a gift for which 12 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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COLUMBIA: In light of the prevalence of social realities such as delayed marriage, out-of-wedlock births and divorce, how can the Church underscore the dignity of marriage and family, yet still welcome and minister to those who do not find themselves in a stable family environment?

ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: Many parishes already do a good job at that, and a better job than they often get credit for. We can always be more conscious and effective in welcoming people.

We should never exclude people who sincerely want to be part of the Church. But “welcoming” isn’t honest if it involves editing or downplaying what the Church believes about marriage and the family. Love that isn’t rooted in truth isn’t really love.

COLUMBIA: What role can the Knights of Columbus play in renewing Catholic family life and in evangelizing and serving the families around them?

ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: There’s no lay organization in the world that does more important apostolic service than the Knights of Columbus. Any bishop will tell you that, because it’s true. When Knights live their vocation, they’re a witness of Christian manliness, and we need a lot more of that special kind of witness — urgently. We need men who know how to be real men, men who serve and lead as Christian husbands and fathers. Programs and resources are important, and the Knights do that sort of work better than anyone else. But the real gift that Knights give to the Church is their lives and their love for Jesus Christ. Nothing is more powerful.♦

CNS photo/Paul Haring

tradition, we don’t “own” our bodies, and our sexuality is a gift with a purpose linked to God’s own creative power. This is why parents need to be very vigilant in countering gender ideology in the education and entertainment their children receive.

COLUMBIA: The Synod Bishops, meeting both this October and last October, is focused on the mission of the family and on pastoral challenges related to the family and evangelization. What, in your opinion, are the greatest pastoral challenges regarding the family today, and how can the Church face these challenges more effectively?

ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: The challenges differ from country to country, but the biggest challenge in the developed world is the practical atheism that pervades every aspect of modern life. Even many good Christians have lost a vivid sense of eternity and the personal presence of God. I think a lot of Catholics since Vatican II have gone from being appropriately “open” to the world to being digested by it. We need to recover our sense of being in the world but not of it. Marriage and family are forms of missionary witness. We need to reawaken to that.

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Fruitful Complementarity The vocations to marriage and celibate love mutually support one another

by Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix EDITOR’S NOTE: The following text was adapted from a forthcoming address that Cardinal Lacroix will present at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.

Photo by Tom Serafin

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hoever seeks true happiness and personal fulfillment cannot avoid the question of the meaning of life. At a certain point, we are called to make a life-defining decision and commitment. While most choose the path of marriage, joining with one’s spouse to establish a family, some opt in favor of celibacy or virginity for the kingdom of God (cf. Mt 19:12). Each of these two states of life represents a response to God who calls us to fruitful, self-giving love.

St. John Paul II put it this way: “Christian revelation recognizes two specific ways of realizing the vocation of the human person in its entirety, to love: marriage and virginity or celibacy. Either one is, in its own proper form, an actuation of the most profound truth of man, of his being ‘created in the image of God’” (Familiaris Consortio, 11).

I would like to briefly reflect on these two distinct yet complementary vocations. By avoiding misleading idealizations, we will see how each reflects a call to bear fruitful witness to God’s beauty and to bring creation to completion.

The Vocation to Married Love. The book of Genesis reveals that, from the beginning, man and woman are worthy and equal in God’s design. On the sixth day of creation, as if to mark a high point, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them” (Gn 1:27). Adam and Eve were created in a plan of complementarity and called forth to become “one flesh” (Gn 2:24).

The vocation to marriage is the foundation of the family, a cell where love circulates and spreads from the gift made by a man and woman vowed in love. The spouses are called upon to make this love bear fruit through the lives of their children. The family acts in the image of God the Creator

when it allows each member to grow physically and spiritually, and when it empowers them to share the fruit of their talents. In a very real way, the family is, as the Second Vatican Council teaches, “a kind of school of deeper humanity” (Gaudium et Spes, 52).

Celibacy for the Kingdom. Today, in our hedonistic and hyper-sexualized culture, the vocation to celibacy or virginity may seem virtually incomprehensible, if not repressive. What a sadly narrow and impoverished vision!

Pope Francis explains the beauty of this state of life: “Virginity for the kingdom of God is not a ‘no,’ it is a ‘yes’! Of course it involves the renunciation of the marriage bond and of having a family of one’s own, but at its foundation and core there is a ‘yes,’ as a response to Christ’s total ‘yes’ to us, and this ‘yes makes us fruitful.”

Who would question that countless consecrated people, not to mention so many of the great saints, are inspiring models and fruitful by their works? These missionary disciples show us that a vocation to celibacy involves a joyful and life-affirming response to God’s plan.

United in Love. Men and women, married and consecrated people, lay and religious, are given the mutual responsibility of perfecting God’s work whose “creation has been groaning in labor pains together until now” (Rm 8:22). With the dignity of marriage and celibacy, we have the same duty and responsibility to complete God’s plan for the salvation of humanity.

Whether someone has chosen marital life or celibacy, we are first and foremost all parts of the Body of Christ, “but each part may be equally concerned for all the others” (1 Cor 12:25). In family life or as celibate persons, the complementarity of our vocations bear witness to the full measure of Christ’s Body, the Church.♦ CARDINAL GÉRALD CYPRIEN LACROIX, I.S.P.X., is archbishop of Québec and primate of Canada. He is a member of Charlesbourg Council 6289 in Québec City.

THE YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE CALLED FOR BY POPE FRANCIS IS BEING CELEBRATED NOV. 30, 2014 UNTIL FEB. 2, 2016.

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SEPTEMBER Because the family is the basic cell of society, we want our family to fulfill its vocation to build up the common good.

WHEN WE MAKE the Sign of the Cross, we express our belief in God, who is a loving communion of persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As men and women created in his image and likeness, we, too, are called to communion and to radiate God’s Trinitarian love in our lives.

In baptism, God adopts us as his children and we become part of the Church — the family of God. As sons and daughters of God, we are called to build a communion of persons through our relationships, the first of which is our family. And when we seek to make our family an image of Trinitarian communion, we truly build our family as the domestic church.

Bring Song Into Your Home Totus Tuus (by Marco Frisina) Totus tuus sum, Maria Mater nostri Redemptoris.

Virgo Dei, Virgo pia, Mater mundi Salvatoris.

(I am all yours, Mary, Mother of our Redeemer.

Virgin of God, lowly Virgin, Mother of the Savior of the world.)

Family Project God calls upon us to share his love by serving our communities and becoming good citizens. Talk to your family about service members of your community, such as police officers and firefighters, those holding public office, and those serving in the armed forces or similar services. Work with local groups to send care packages and letters to active duty members of the armed forces serving overseas.

Visit elderly veterans and spend time with them talking, reading or playing a game as a way to show appreciation for their past service.

Psalm of the Month (Psalm 23) Pray the Psalm of the Month during every Sunday of the month at your family prayer space. On the last Sunday of the month, discuss as a family which verse stood out most for each member.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul.

He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff that give me courage.

You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.

Council-Wide Event: Movie Night August’s movie recommendation is Mulan. Before the movie begins, ask your families to share their experience about the public service of their extended family and/or their visit with veterans.

THIS IS THE TWELFTH MONTH OF BUILDING THE DOMESTIC CHURCH: THE FAMILY FULLY ALIVE, A K OF C INITIATIVE FOR FAMILIES. 14 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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Volunteering Together Project: Serving Those Who Served INVITE YOUR council families to volunteer for activities on behalf of veterans through a Serving Those Who Served program. See kofc.org/veterans for more information.

Here are some possible activities: • Organize a drive to collect clothing, coats, gloves, pajamas, robes, toiletries and other items for veterans.

• Provide rosaries, Bibles, Catholic religious literature, or chapel items like Mass bells, Easter candle holders and altar linens.

• Volunteer as extraordinary ministers of holy Communion to the sick.

• Collect or buy television sets, DVD/Blu-ray players or stereo equipment to donate for use in medical facility common areas. Collect books, DVDs and CDs for the facility.

• Develop a plan to donate personal computers, computer programs and printers for use by veterans.

• Travel to a VA facility to put on a special program or entertainment for patients.

• Plan and conduct an outing for veterans, such as a picnic or trip to the

Meditation How does Joseph exercise his role as protector? Discreetly, humbly and silently, but with an unfailing presence and utter fidelity, even when he finds it hard to understand. From the time of his betrothal to Mary until the finding of the 12-year-old Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem, he is there at every moment with loving care.

As the spouse of Mary, he is at her side in good times and bad, on the journey to Bethlehem for the census and in the anxious and joyful hours when she gave birth; amid the drama of the flight into Egypt and during the frantic search for their child in the Temple; and later in the dayto-day life of the home of Nazareth, in the workshop where he taught his trade to Jesus.

How does Joseph respond to his calling to be the protector of Mary, Jesus and the Church? By being constantly attentive to God, open to the signs of God’s presence and receptive to God’s plans, and not simply to his own. …

God does not want a house built by men, but faithfulness to his word, to his plan. It is God himself who builds the house, but from living stones sealed by his Spirit. Joseph is a “protector” because he is able to hear God’s voice and

local ballpark, or hold a special community event.

• Adopt veterans at a facility and remember them regularly with cards and letters.

be guided by his will; and for this reason he is all the more sensitive to the persons entrusted to his safekeeping. He can look at things realistically; he is in touch with his surroundings; he can make truly wise decisions. In him, dear friends, we learn how to respond to God’s call, readily and willingly, but we also see the core of the Christian vocation, which is Christ! Let us protect Christ in our lives, so that we can protect others, so that we can protect creation!

— Pope Francis, Homily for the inauguration of his Petrine ministry, March 19, 2013 Questions for Reflection 1. How is the family the “basic cell” of society? How do families shape society and our communities?

2. In our family, each person is welcomed and inspires joy. How can I show family members and others that they are loved?

3. What does it mean to “protect Christ in our lives”? How can we protect Christ and our faith outside the home?

4. How can I “bring Jesus” with me in helping others?

How do I think Mary would act in my community with its needs?

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND A COMPLETE LIST OF MONTHLY THEMES AND MEDITATIONS, VISIT KOFC.ORG/DOMESTICCHURCH. SEPTEMBER 2015

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Surrounded by family photos, Kathy Schmidt is pictured with her husband, Gerald, who is a member of Parkersburg (W. Va.) Council 594 and current vice supreme master of the Father Edward Sorin Fourth Degree Province.

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Photo by Allie Bennett

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The Knights: A Family Affair Wives of Knights speak about how the Order has strengthened their faith, families and marriages

by Maryangela Román

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y her own admission, Kathy Schmidt did not pay a lot of attention to the organization that her husband, Gerald “Jerry” Schmidt, joined in 1981.

With six children under her wing, Kathy was busy caring for the family and also working as a hairdresser when Jerry joined Parkersburg (W.Va.) Council 594. In fact, since she wasn’t Catholic and was unfamiliar with the Knights, Kathy was even a little resentful of the time her husband spent away from home.

But talk to Kathy today — 34 years after Jerry became a Knight — and she can’t say enough about the positive effects that the Order has had on her family and marriage.

“As I got into it more and traveled more with my husband, I realized this is something important, and it just opened up doors for me,” she said. “My spiritual life became stronger.

Our married life became stronger. I became not only closer to my husband through it, but much, much closer to God.” Jerry, 70, a retired mechanical engineer for DuPont, is currently vice supreme master of the Father Edward Sorin Fourth Degree Province, which covers Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia. According to Kathy, 68, he’s held just about every office for the Knights on the state level, including state deputy for West Virginia (2004-2006).

As Kathy saw the Knights in action — organizing children’s coat drives, Lenten fish fries, nationwide disaster relief and more — she was struck by all the good they accomplished.

The witness of that outreach, together with personal study, led her to convert to Catholicism in 1989.

In many ways, Kathy Schmidt’s experience is not unique.

Since Father Michael J. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882, wives of members have discovered just how much the Order can enrich their faith and their families.

‘A REAL IMPACT’ Like the Schmidts in West Virginia, the Knights of Columbus has become a family affair for the Burgos family in Hawaii.

Ricardo Burgos, 48, a neuroradiologist and a colonel in the U.S. Army, joined in 2010 while on deployment in Iraq.

According to his wife, Danielle, 47, the Knights provided Ricardo with a way to “feel connected to his Catholic faith” while overseas in a war zone.

“He was a very practicing Catholic,” she said. “He was looking for a group to get involved in. I think he was trying to make sense of what was going on.”

Ricardo stayed involved in the Knights after returning home. Last year, he helped found the first Hispanic council in Hawaii: Father James “Diego” McFadden Council 16109, which meets at the family’s parish, St. John the Baptist Church in Honolulu.

The couple’s two sons, Christian, 21, a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and Michael, 19, a community college student, are Knights as well. Christian joined the West Point college council in 2012, while Michael is a charter member of Council 16109.

“I think it’s about them owning their faith and wanting to do something for the Church through the Knights,” said Danielle. “It’s a manly thing, and I think they’re very proud to be Catholics. They found a niche.”

Even though it’s an organization for men, Danielle and the couple’s youngest child, Camille, 16, have not felt left out.

Just the opposite, in fact. Since Ricardo joined the Knights, Danielle said that her daughter sees Ricardo taking more ownership of the family’s own faith life. For example, he now takes the lead in praying the rosary together and planning family activities.

As the charter grand knight of his council, Ricardo organized a family hike for the community. In the past, Danielle explained, the women would have planned the event and the meals, but this time it was the men who did so. The moms welcomed the service, and the men have continued to become more involved and engaged.

“It’s had a real impact on our community and on me,” Danielle said.

The family is also very involved with their parish, assisting with things such as Cursillo and RCIA and baptismal classes.

Ricardo is also studying to become a permanent deacon.

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“I see him widening his horizon and asking more about our family’s faith,” said Danielle. “The Knights help him see more, and it helps him appreciate more what he has.”

In this way, Ricardo’s membership in the Knights has helped them as a couple. “On a deeper level,” Danielle said, “we are on the same page.”

‘GIVING BACK’ With two active children — Emily, 14, and Evan, 10 — and two working parents, life is busy in Bishop’s Falls, Newfoundland, for the LeDrew family. In fact, it’s become so hectic that mom, Jackie, 39, decided that the family needed to step back from some outside commitments.

But one thing they won’t give up, she said, is their involvement with the Catholic Church — and specifically the Knights of Columbus.

Robert LeDrew, 42, is a Fourth Degree member of Msgr.

Finn Council 5904 in Bishop’s Falls. A convert to Catholicism, he grew up in the United Church of Canada but began attending Mass with Jackie, a cradle Catholic, once the couple had children.

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simple fact we did not want our children to ask why Daddy wasn’t going to church with us when they were older,” explained Jackie.

Inspired by the example of a good friend, Peter Cook, who died at age 42, Robert joined the Catholic Church and the Knights about four years ago.

“If it hadn’t been for my husband wanting to be a Knight, he might not have done the RCIA course,” Jackie explained, adding that her husband always looked on the Knights as leaders in the community.

In the Knights, Jackie said, the couple has found an “extended part of our family.” Describing a minor medical issue that kept her husband out of work for a short time, Jackie said that she and Robert were overwhelmed by the concern their fellow Knights showed for him.

“Every [Knight] that I met, whether at the mall, the store or church, would ask me, ‘How’s Rob doing?,’” she said.

“They truly care what’s going in your life and what’s going on in your family all the time.”

In addition to the social network they’ve found among other council families, Robert and Jackie appreciate the example that volunteering gives to their children.

Photo by Michelle Scotti

Danielle and Ricardo Burgos, who served as charter grand knight of Father James “Diego” McFadden Council 16109 in Honolulu, Hawaii, are pictured at home with two of their three children.

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Photo by Emma Hutchinson

Jackie LeDrew stands with her husband, Robert, a member of Msgr. Finn Council 5904 in Bishop’s Falls, Newfoundland, and their two children.

“It’s the giving back, knowing that if I am helping someone else, the children will help someone when it’s their turn,” Jackie said.

Realizing that they’ve overcommitted themselves in the past, the couple has begun to step back from other volunteering commitments that haven’t left them much time for their children.

One benefit of the Knights, though, is the fact that they can do more together as a family, whether volunteering or attending social events.

“We have always been close, but I’ve found we do more with each other,” she said.

The LeDrews, like the Burgos and Schmidt families and so many others, have discovered that the Knights of Colum-

bus is more than a fraternal organization, and even more than a charitable organization. It is also a family organization, involving the wives and children of members.

Back in West Virginia, Kathy Schmidt marvels at how much other K of C families she has met have affected her life.

“Because it meant so much to my husband and because he means so much to me, I wanted to be a part of it with him,” she said. “The family of friends we have met are so precious to me. Our [Knights] family gets larger and larger.”♦ MARYANGELA LAYMAN ROMÁN is managing editor of the Catholic Herald, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

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‘Persecuted, But Not Abandoned’ (2 Cor 4:9)

Displaced Christian families in Iraq find shelter and aid with help from Order’s relief fund

by Dominican Brother Augustine Marogi

EDITOR’S NOTE: The last names of family members have been omitted to protect their safety.

G

ardeners know that when a plant is uprooted and transplanted, its roots may have great difficulty receiving the water needed to remain alive. And as the plant adjusts to new soil, it may suffer “transplant shock” and never recover.

Uprooted human beings can suffer similar consequences as well. Forced to abandon their homes, refugees often experience their new surroundings as a vast, dark desert. Distraught and confused, fathers and mothers find themselves unable to provide loving care and security for their children. Despair becomes a real temptation. Such is the fate of displaced Christian families living in Iraq today.

After the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, overran the city of Mosul in northern Iraq and smaller towns in June 2014, they gave Christians three options: convert to Islam, pay jizya (a submission tax) or leave. Otherwise, they would be slain. With little more than the clothes on their back, nearly all the Christian families abandoned the cities and villages where their roots could be traced back thousands of years. They fled into Kurdish areas where many have faced deplorable living conditions — in tents, partially completed buildings or even out in the open.

In response to this humanitarian crisis, the Knights of Columbus Christian Refugee Relief Fund was launched in August 2014. The initiative has helped to provide shelter and medical care for refugee families in need, mitigating their suffering and giving hope amid dire circumstances.

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FORCED TO FLEE In just over a decade, the number of Christians in Iraq has plummeted from more than 1 million to fewer than 300,000.

Many who remain have been forced out of their homes, and displaced families are now scattered in temporary camps, living among tents or caravans. Some 125,000 refugees from Mosul and the Nineveh Plains region are now in the Kurdish-controlled city of Erbil.

Mar Elia Chaldean Catholic Church in Erbil is one site where some 200 Christian families have found some shelter.

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CNS photo/Ahmed Jadallah, Reuters

A Christian mother who fled the violence in the ancient city of Mosul, Iraq, holds her daughter as her baby sleeps at a shelter in Erbil, Iraq, June 27, 2014.

In 2003, 60,000 Christians lived in Mosul — today there are none.

Among them are a man named Badry and his wife, Bushra, together with their five sons and two daughters. Until last year, the family lived in Qaraqosh, also known as Baghdeda, a Christian city approximately 50 miles west of Erbil. The city was seized by ISIS on Aug. 6, 2014. The attack intensified, and the family was forced to flee at night when the Kurdish forces surrendered the town.

In Qaraqosh, Badry worked as a driver, but there is little work in Erbil. Some of the women earn money caring for children at the camp, but most of the men have no way to support their families.

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PHOTOS: Getty Images/Matt Cardy

Displaced Iraqi Christians are pictured on the grounds of Mar Elia Catholic Church in Erbil, Iraq, Dec. 12, 2014. The family (above) was forced by ISIS to flee their home in Qaraqosh, Iraq, last year. The church includes a shrine (below) where the refugees light candles and pray.

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and it makes practical living very difficult.

“More than 130 families have to share four bathrooms with one another,” explained Bushra.

When the family first arrived in Erbil, they had to live in tents, she recalled. “Some of my sons had to sleep outside because there was not enough room for all of us inside the tent.”

There is no running water in the caravans, which means water has to be carried by buckets — a task that is especially burdensome during the hot summer months.

Father Douglas Bazi, 43, the pastor of Mar Elia Church, has worked very hard to maintain some sanity and order amid the chaos. An Iraqi priest whose church in Baghdad had served as a shelter from Islamic militant assaults in 2003, Father Bazi was later shot, kidnapped, tortured and beaten in 2006.

Since the panicked arrival of 18,000 displaced families in a single day last August, Father Bazi has established a school for the children in the refugee camp. He also organizes sporting events, provides music lessons and coordinates other activities to keep the children occupied.

“My people lost everything overnight,” Father Bazi said.

“Even so, no one blamed God and they have not lost the faith.”

Nevertheless, he hopes the bleak conditions that the refugees have been enduring will improve soon, because the status quo is unsustainable.

“So far, we have had no suicides in the camp,” Father Bazi said. “But if the situation remains as it is, within one year, it may happen.”

The Church is not equipped to deal with the immense psychological trauma that displacement inflicts on families, he added. “We can offer some help, but we do not have the resources to take on this crisis.”

SHELTER AND HOPE The Knights of Columbus Christian Refugee Relief Fund, which has also aided displaced families in countries such as Syria and Ukraine, has helped to answer some of the immediate needs of displaced Iraqi families.

The fund has already provided more than $2 million to the Archdiocese of Erbil’s efforts to help refugees, beginning with shelter for families who were driven from their homes.

In a letter of gratitude dated May 8, Redemptorist Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda of Erbil explained, “The Knights of Columbus donation is being used to help create permanent low-cost housing for those Christian families (there will be many of them) who choose to stay in Iraq, but who will decide not to return to their original homes and who cannot afford to pay market prices for housing here in Erbil.”

The Kurdistan Regional Government has allocated land for the housing project, and the Iraqi Catholic Bishops’ Conference is in the process of building 1,000 units, at a cost of $30,000 each.

Funds have also gone to provide urgent medical services

for the refugee community and the rehabilitation of a maternity and child care hospital. This summer, the Order donated an additional $150,000 for emergency care in Erbil.

The pressing need for both housing and health care is evident in the cases of traumatized refugee families. Haitham and ‘A’ida were also among the thousands who fled Qaraqosh last year. Together with their children, they fled their home shortly after midnight, and upon reaching Erbil, they initially lived in a small tent. ‘A’ida was pregnant with their ninth child, and faced with the summer heat, the situation was unbearable.

Haitham, who is in his mid-40s, has spent most of his life struggling to survive in a country ravaged by war. Finding himself evicted from his own house and dispossessed of all his belongings has left him feeling “destroyed.”

“After all these years working, we do not own a single brick in this country,” said Haitham, who believes that emigrating to the West may be the only way his children will have a life of dignity.

“Life is more than just eating and drinking,” Haitham said.

“We are human beings, and like other human beings, we also want to make our kids happy.”

Still, many other displaced Christians would rather remain in their ancestral land in spite of having lost everything.

Last summer, a man named Dhargham fled with his wife and 10-year-old son from the village of Bartella, located 14 miles west of Mosul, narrowly escaping capture by ISIS. His wife is now pregnant with another child, and both of them are currently unemployed.

“But even now, if there is a way to return to my village, we are willing to return and remain in the country,” Dhargham said.

Archbishop Warda affirmed that both the spiritual and humanitarian support have given hope to his suffering people.

“We remain confident in Christ that there is a future for Iraqi Christians in Iraq,” he said.

For now, the Church in Erbil is doing what it can to make life easier for the families.

“Here at the Shrine of Mar Elia, they have not spared anything to offer us the help we need,” said Dhargham. “My son is heavily involved with the different activities Father Douglas has been setting up for the children at this camp. When I see my son happy, I am happy as well.”

The other families have likewise expressed their gratitude, especially for receiving basic necessities like food and shelter.

“Through the support of groups within and outside Kurdistan, my people feel that they are not alone or forgotten,” said Father Bazi. “It is a grace, and I ask the Knights of Columbus to continue to be in solidarity with us, for we belong not to land, but to Jesus.”♦ BROTHER AUGUSTINE MAROGI, O.P., was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and moved to Ontario, Canada, at age 15.

Currently, he is a second-year student brother with the Dominican Friars of St. Joseph.

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The Church of the Home The Christian family is called to be an evangelized and evangelizing community

by David S. Crawford

I

n his apostolic exhortation on the Christian family in the child comes to have a personal and social identity. Who I am modern world, St. John Paul II explained that “future and how I understand myself depends largely on my family. evangelization depends largely on the domestic church” (Fa- Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar once observed that miliaris Consortio, 65). Like a cell or small organ of the body, the child becomes self-aware, and aware of the goodness of the family plays a vital role within the body of the Church, existence and reality as a whole, through the smile of his and in this sense it is called the domestic church or the mother. In a real way, the child is given a world by that smile.

“Church of the home.” The vitality of the Church as a whole, If this is true for the child, a related truth follows for parlike that of society, can be gauged in large part by the health ents. In conceiving new life, a husband and wife become faof its families. ther and mother (and later, grandfather and grandmother).

Nonetheless, survey data, including the results of a recent These are moments in which one’s personal identity evolves, study, indicate that a large percentage of Catholic families in matures in love and finds fulfillment. When a man sees the the United States do not attend Mass or practice their faith eyes of his father looking back at him from the face of his regularly — even though families are child he becomes aware of his place in more likely to do so than others (see the course of generations. When a sidebar). woman sees the face of her husband in As we anticipate the World Meeting her child, she knows how profoundly Y ACTING ON OUR of Families and the first visit of Pope indissoluble the marital and familial Francis to the United States, it is an bonds really are.

FAITH AND LOVE, WE INopportune time to reflect on the pracIn the hustle and bustle of our conCREASE AND STRENGTHEN tice of faith in our own families as it temporary society, we easily forget to relates to the life and mission of the take notice of these basic human exTHESE GIFTS AND MAKE Church. periences. Becoming what we are begins in pausing long enough to take THEM REAL TO OURSELVES ‘BECOME WHAT YOU ARE’ notice of what we are, and then acting One of John Paul II’s most famous upon it.

AND OUR CHILDREN.” statements in Familiaris Consortio is an It is only through Christ that we can imperative: “Family, become what you become fully who we were created to be, are” (17). At first, these words may and it is through the motherhood of the seem paradoxical; how can something become what it already Church that the family can “become” what it is most completely. is? To answer this question, let’s take a moment to reflect on The family serves not only to pass on civilized society and the nature of the family. to nurture personal and social identity, but also to open God’s Marriage and family serve society by giving birth to, raising kingdom to its members, especially children and the surand educating the next generation of citizens. In other words, rounding community. The Christian faith fills our personal the family is the fundamental unit and generator of civiliza- identities with an infinite depth and richness. We come to tion and culture. This has been the family’s role from time know not only that our parents and family love us, but also immemorial. that our origins extend beyond them. We discover that our The family is also where the child learns that he or she is family is part of the whole family of God and that our love is loved, that his or her life has infinite value. It is where the an image and participation in God’s love.

“B

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Thinkstock

In this way, the family is a primary object of the Church’s evangelizing mission. Through her sacraments, her tradition and teaching, her preaching of the word, the Church draws her families, just as a mother draws her children, to herself.

THE MISSION OF THE FAMILY The family is not only evangelized. It is also an evangelizing community (cf. Familiaris Consortio, 50-54). As Pope Francis noted in an April 2014 address, “the work of evangelization begins at home.” For Catholic families, evangelization begins in infancy, with baptism, and then with raising that child in the faith.

Concluding his October 2013 address to the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, Pope Francis said, “It is important that parents be the first catechists, the first educators of the faith in their own family by their witness and by their word.”

Spouses help and support each other in the faith and in their responsibility as the first educators of their children. It is a difficult task, since our contemporary culture offers us an almost infinite number of choices and distractions, which can

bury and suffocate our deepest longings under a deluge of superficial “satisfactions.”

But as St. Augustine said, every human heart is restless until it finds and rests in God. It is therefore essential that spouses and family members ask themselves and each other, what is life really about? What do we really long for? What do we really aspire to be? How can we be more completely what we are?

In helping our children to answer these questions, we may observe how our outward physical actions shape our inward dispositions. This is why we genuflect and kneel at Mass, cross ourselves in prayer, touch relics and sacred objects, and use holy water to bless ourselves and others. By acting on our faith and love, we increase and strengthen these gifts and make them real to ourselves and our children.

When parents teach the faith to their children, they in turn become more faithful. Children are naturally religious; they are filled with an awe-inspiring religious imagination and can often ask the most profound (and sometimes difficult) questions of faith. In teaching our children, we teach ourselves.

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gelize the larger community. People will see the loving relations of the Christian family, and this will inspire in them a thirst to know how they too can live in such a community of love. Priests and religious will also see the love of the family and be reinforced in their own faith.

Of course, civil society is not a family, but it is or should be a community founded on principles of shared culture and history, broader bonds of friendship and empathy, and the common good. The family brings to civil society principles that it needs, such as the willingness to care about and sacrifice for others and for larger goods; to put one’s talents and skills to work for the good of all; and to prioritize persons over things. A society in which these and similar principles operate is what John Paul II called “a civilization of love.”

KEEPING THE FAITH There are a number of concrete, practical things that a family can do to fulfill its vocation as a domestic church.

Go to Mass as a family. Of course, every Catholic should attend Mass on Sunday and on holy days, but it is also important that families attend Mass together when possible. This is 26 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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a special time of the week, when the members of the family can pray together and in union with the rest of the faithful in their parish. It is also important that children see their parents taking their faith seriously by regularly attending and praying at Mass.

Frequent the sacraments as a family. The same can be said with regard to the other sacraments, especially confession.

Regular confession helps them to become accustomed to confessing their sins. When they see mom or dad enter the confessional, they recognize the virtue of humility and the need we all have for reconciliation. Children should also have the opportunity to witness baptisms and marriages, to participate in eucharistic adoration, and to prepare adequately for first holy Communion and Confirmation.

Pray together as a family in the home. The importance of family prayer cannot be overemphasized. Often we think it is sufficient to go to Mass on Sunday, but this can leave the children with the impression that the faith has little to do with the rest of their lives. The family cannot fulfill its role as the “domestic church” without regular prayer.

Usually, it is best to keep family prayer simple and brief. If

Photo by Matthew Barrick

Ronald Weingartz, past grand knight of St. Mary Magdalen Council 12295 in Brighton, Mich., is pictured with his wife, Peggy, and three of their five children. The Weingartz family was honored as the 2015 International Family of the Year at the Knights of Columbus Supreme Convention in Philadelphia last month.

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it is too long, it will be difficult, given the realities of our lives, to keep up with it. In addition, small children have a limited attention span. Variety, therefore, helps to maintain interest. Sometimes we can do a family rosary; other times we can read from the Bible or pray the daily readings found in publications such as Magnificat. Other times, all we can do is a brief “goodnight prayer” as a family — perhaps an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be — along with intentions for the needs of society, friends, family members and ourselves.

Whatever we do for prayer, consistency is crucial.

Pray together as husband and wife. A husband and wife can grow in faith together by praying together as a couple. Again, this does not have to be elaborate, but spouses should at the very least offer a prayer together before going to sleep at night. If business travel causes a separation, why not pray together by phone?

Spend time and enjoy meals together as a family. It is a sad fact that modern families are spending less and less time together. Even when they are all physically under the same roof, they are often individually absorbed in computers, television and other electronic devices. Various school, extracurricular and even parish activities, not to mention work schedules, can interfere.

It is important to slow down and notice each other. This takes time, and time without constant digital distractions. Try playing card or board games together, or going on walks or bike rides as a family. Most importantly, make sure to have meals together. Don’t let your hectic schedules take away this precious time. It may not be possible to have a family dinner every evening, but there should at least be a consistent number of meals together each week.

The faith can never be inert or irrelevant to any aspect of life. If it is real, it insists on shaping every moment of our lives and every one of our actions.

Following Pope Francis, we must continually ask ourselves, “How do we keep our faith as a family?

Do we keep it for ourselves, in our families, as a personal treasure like a bank account, or are we able to share it by our witness, by our acceptance of others, by our openness?”

Taking up the Holy Father’s challenge, we can really become what we are.♦

THE STATE OF CATHOLIC FAMILIES IN THE FALL OF 2014, Holy Cross Family Ministries and the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University teamed up to conduct a study on Catholic parents and families in the United States. The survey polled more than 1,000 self-identified Catholic parents, ages 25 to 45.

The first of four reports, titled “The Catholic Family: 21st Century Challenges in the United States,” was released June 26.

Among the key findings: • About 53 percent of Catholic parents self-identified as Hispanic or Latino, compared with 32 percent of all Catholics.

• About eight in 10 Catholic mothers and fathers are married.

• 66 percent say that it is “very” important that their children receive first Communion; 61 percent say the same about Confirmation.

• 71 percent agree “somewhat” or “strongly” that prayer is essential to their faith, but only 56 percent say they pray more than once a week.

When they pray, parents most commonly pray by themselves (76 percent) and for the well-being of their families (83 percent).

• 16 percent of Catholic parents pray the rosary at least monthly; half of these typically pray it with their families. 64 percent never pray the rosary.

• 21 percent of Catholic parents (including 42 percent of weekly Mass-attending families) enroll their children in parish religious education programs.

• With the exception of the parish bulletin, 62 percent of parents have not read, watched or listened to religious media content of any kind in the previous three months.

• Catholic parents are somewhat more active in their faith than the general population — 33 percent of parents with three or more children and 26 percent of parents of teenagers attend Mass weekly or more often.♦ Mass attendance among U.S. Catholics (besides weddings and funerals)

Less than weekly, but at least once a month

All Catholic adults

19%

Weekly or more often

57%

24%

A few times a year or less often

Parents of children 18 or younger

Less than weekly, but at least once a month

31% DAVID S. CRAWFORD is associate dean and associate professor of moral theology and family law at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He is a member of Potomac Council 433 in Washington, D.C.

47% 22% Weekly or more often

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A few times a year or less often

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KNIGHTS IN ACTION

REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLES ioners of Our Lady of Guadalupe parish, the council collected 4,868 diapers, 6,065 wipes and $2,000 to support the efforts of Sister Helen Cole, who provides pro-life pregnancy assistance to local women.

‘CASEY’ TEDDY BEARS

Richard Council 788 in Lansing, Mich., delivered more than 110 “Casey the Teddy Bear” plush toys to be used in police patrol vehicles in the Lansing area. The bears will be used by local law enforcement agencies and victims advocate groups to assist children in traumatic situations.

A BROTHER IN NEED Bishop Emilio Z. Marquez of Lucena, Luzon, and Father Rico S. Paril, pastor of San Raphael the Archangel Church, look on as District Engineer Cely S. Flancia cuts the ribbon for the new bell tower at San Raphael Church. San Isidro Magsasaka Council 13150 in Ibabang Dupay made a contribution from its charitable fund to help construct the bell tower. Bishop Marquez is a member of Lopez Council 4492 in Quezon.

ALTAR FOR CATHEDRAL

Our Lady of White Lake Council 12985 in Montague, Mich., and its ladies’ auxiliary used funds from various benefit events and from member donations to purchase an altar for the newly built St. Teresa’s Cathedral in Abakaliki, Nigeria. A plaque for the altar at the 800-seat cathedral indicates that the council donated the altar.

STUMP REMOVED

St. Francis of Assisi Council 12610 in Mocksville, N.C., helped a fellow council member who was undergoing radiation treatments for cancer remove an 8-foot tree stump from his yard. The tree had fallen earlier in the year dur28 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

ing a storm, and Knights removed the stump with hand tools and a truck. Once it was out of the ground, Knights cut the stump into firewood and donated it to a local charity that provides heating assistance.

APPRECIATION SOCIAL

St. John Council 8190 in Luling, Texas, organized an ice cream social at Hillcrest Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. During the event, Knights presented certificates of appreciation to seven residents who served in the military.

LADIES’ NIGHT

Port Neches (Texas) Council 2461 organized its annual

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ladies’ night. More than 80 women who had volunteered at past council fundraisers received invitations to the event, which included door prizes, games and a formal dinner.

St. Francis Council 13958 in Traverse City, Mich., came to the aid of a fellow council member who had fallen on hard times. After the Knight’s furnace broke last year, council members arranged to have a new heating system installed. The council also worked with other area retailers to donate a new bed, linens and a used gas stove for the Knight’s home.

BABY SHOWERS

St. Bonaventure Council 10049 in Manomet, Mass., hosted its annual pro-life baby shower in support of the Boston Archdiocese Pregnancy Help Center. The event raised $3,400 to support the center’s counseling and ongoing support of women facing crisis pregnancies. The drive also netted more than $1,500 in new baby items. Meanwhile, Nativity Council 2976 in Laurel Springs, N.J., held a diaper collection. Assisted by parish-

Members of San Isidro Magsasaka Council 13150 in Lucena, Luzon, hold rosaries as they kneel together in prayer at their parish. At the request of their pastor, the council organized regular times to pray the rosary.

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KNIGHTS IN ACTION PAVER BRICKS

Marian Council 3784 in Cherry Hill, N.J., sold paver bricks to complement the existing prayer garden at its parish. The bricks could be engraved with personal messages from parishioners and were laid out by a Boy Scout as part of his Eagle Scout project. Sales of the bricks netted $17,000 for the church.

PRO-LIFE KNIGHT

As part of its ongoing prolife initiatives, Gumaca (Luzon) Council 3609 and Southern Quezon Assembly erected a life-size statue of a Fourth Degree Knight holding an infant. The Knights hope that the statue will raise awareness of the Order’s commitment to protect life at all stages, from conception to natural death.

VOLUNTEERING FOR REPAIRS

Members of Father Reginald Gillman Council 9706 in Noblesville, Ind., joined volunteers in helping to renovate a facility operated by Birthright of Cicero. The Knights completed many repairs, including installing a new boiler system, repairing crumbling plaster and laying new flooring.

UPPER RIGHT: Photo courtesy of the Office of Governor Mike Pence

LIVING CENTER

Paw Paw (Mich.) Assembly joined the American Legion in presenting a check for $10,000 to the VA Center in Battle Creek. The hospital will use the funds to remodel the living center at its palliative care unit to provide a home-like setting for patients.

RECTORY RENOVATION

St. Peter Council 10940 in Boerne, Texas, assisted in the renovation of a house pur-

chased to serve as a rectory for Father Norm Ermis, the new pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Church. Knights remodeled the kitchen, master bath, living and dining areas of the home.

SAFE DRIVING CAMPAIGN

Cypress Gardens (Fla.) Council 7091 and Frank J. Durbin Assembly in Winter Haven launched a campaign to encourage safe driving.

Knights erected a sign along the main drive to the parking lot of St. Matthew Church with the message “Drive Like Your Kids Live Here.” The council has plans to place similar signs in other locations in the community.

HOMEBREW COMPETITION

St. Pius X Council 15874 in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., hosted its inaugural “Pints and Knights Homebrew Competition,” which saw a total of 104 entries and 88 participants, judges and stewards from across the United States. The competition, which was sanctioned by the American Homebrewers Association, raised more than $600 for the council’s charitable fund.

INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH

Father Leonard D. DiFalco Council 15745 in Yonkers, N.Y., sponsored a parish fundraiser to benefit Cross Catholic International, an organization that provides outreach to the poor in developing countries. The council had a goal of raising about $5,000 to build a home for a needy family in Haiti. Knights handily surpassed their goal, raising more than $8,000 for the organization.

Indiana State Deputy Scott C. Cunningham, wearing his jewel of office, joins other onlookers as Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signs House Bill 1016, which provides for Safe Haven Baby Boxes for abandoned newborns. Indiana Knights were instrumental in helping to pass the law by providing funding for prototypes, literature and community outreach. Additionally, the state council is setting a goal of placing 100 boxes, which can be sponsored by local K of C units, within the first year of the bill’s passage. Each baby box is monitored and secured, and an emergency response is triggered each time one is opened. Upon retrieval, babies receive needed medical attention and are immediately placed into the adoption process as part of the law.

REBUILDING A SCHOOL

St. Isaac Jogues Council 333 in Ticonderoga, N.Y., donated $5,000 to help rebuild St. Mary School, which was heavily damaged in a suspicious fire in late 2014. Funds for the donation were raised through a members-only raffle. Since the fire, New York Knights have donated more than $16,000 to help pay for school expenses that will not be covered by insurance.

worked over the course of 10 weekends, and their labor was supplemented by donations of cash, gift cards, furniture, appliances and home supplies from parishioners and council members.

CORRECTION In the photo caption on page 25 of the August issue, the number of Syrian refugees and displaced persons was mistakenly reported as 7.6 million. The correct figure is 11.6 million.

NEIGHBOR 2 NEIGHBOR

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Council 14186 in Aurora, Ohio, volunteered with an organization called Neighbor 2 Neighbor to transform a shell of a house that lacked heat, working plumbing, a kitchen, furniture and a good roof into a warm and functional home for a parishioner. Knights

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

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SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Supreme Council Awards $1.06 Million for College Scholarships FOR THE 2014-2015 academic year, the Knights of Columbus awarded scholarships totaling more than $1.06 million to 519 students.

Most recipients are the children of Knights or Knights themselves attending Catholic universities or Catholic colleges in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico or the Philippines. These figures include $266,275 in awards given to 108 seminarians in the United States and Canada.

For more information about the Order’s scholarship programs, visit kofc.org/scholarships.

JOHN W. MCDEVITT (FOURTH DEGREE) SCHOLARSHIPS

This scholarship was established in 1998 in honor of the Order’s 11th supreme knight.

Recipients must be enrolled at a Catholic college or Catholic university in the United States and be a Knight, the wife of a Knight, or the son or daughter of a Knight. Widows and children of members who died in good standing are also eligible. In addition to the 30 new recipients listed here, 83 scholarships were renewed.

New recipients are: Joseph M. Barnes, David B. Carmack, Elise R. Carney, Meghan R. Cullen, John V. DeGraffenreid, Nicholas J. DiBartolo, Kaitlyn M. Fogarty, Kathryn T. Fox, Victoria P. Giguere, Patrick A. Giuliani, Ruthann E. Gorrell, Colleen E. Haupt, Cyprian T. Howard, David P. Jablonski, Brooke L. Kowal30 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

ski, Meaghan E. Magee, Katlyn E. Martin, Rachel E. Medara, Rebecca R. Mitton, Julia M. Noel, Shannon L. O’Neil, Jacob O. Owens, Nathaniel J. Reyes, Meghan K. Reynolds, Kiersten B. Sabolik, Andrea N. Sajewski, Anna M. Sammons, Stephen J. Tan, Jessica R. Vandal and Emily R. White.

FOURTH DEGREE PRO DEO AND PRO PATRIA SCHOLARSHIPS

A total of 83 U.S. students received Fourth Degree Pro Deo and Pro Patria Scholarships of $1,500 each. These scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence to incoming freshmen in bachelor’s degree programs at Catholic colleges or Catholic universities. The recipients are Knights of Columbus or Columbian

SEPTEMBER 2015

Squires, the son or daughter of a Knight in good standing, or the son or daughter of a Knight who was in good standing when he died. Contingent on satisfactory academic performance, these scholarships are renewed for a total of four years.

This academic year, 17 new scholarships were awarded and 66 were renewed. The following are first-time recipients: Bryce A. Badura, Carey Dundee, Mary M. Guardino, John G. Kessler, Zechariah B. Kitzhaber, Ann F. Kleinschmidt, Lucas Parker, Colin C. McCarthy, Xavier G. Mills, Kimberly Osborne, Paul I. Patton, Kolbe T. Schanzenbach, Michael M. Smith, Joshua D. Soares, James Tweedy and John Windsor.

FOURTH DEGREE PRO DEO AND PRO PATRIA SCHOLARSHIPS (CANADA)

These scholarships are for students entering colleges or universities in Canada, with requirements regarding K of C membership that is the same as for their U.S. counterparts. Ten new scholarships were awarded and 30 renewed for the current academic year. New recipients are: Shanna M. Burr, Bethany A. Dunn, Joan S. Koh, Kurt P. Kolsun, Gabriel R. Krausert, Molly E. MacDougall, Camille M. McKay, Gabrielle Senecal, Alden M. Spencer and Mirjana H. Villeneuve.

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS

The Percy J. Johnson Scholarships are awarded to young men attending U.S. Catholic colleges or Catholic universities and are funded by a 1990 bequest of Percy J. Johnson,

a member of Seville Council 93 in Brockton, Mass. Six scholarships were awarded and 15 renewed for the current academic year. New recipients are: Ryan M. Blechle, Marc F. Doucette, Nora E. Gillen, Clare F. Holmes, Cameron P. Jones and Katherine M. Tiller.

In 2000, Knights of Columbus Charities Inc. received a $100,000 donation from Frank L. Goularte. A scholarship fund in his name was established to provide $1,500 in need-based grants that are administered, in general, according to the rules of the Pro Deo and Pro Patria Scholarships. Two new scholarships were awarded for the current academic year and seven were renewed. The new recipients are Melissa A. Davies and Mary K. Mooney.

From 1995 to 1997, Knights of Columbus Charities Inc. received bequests totaling nearly $200,000 from the estate of Anthony J. LaBella. In his will, LaBella remembered the kindness shown to him by Knights when he was an orphan in Farmingdale, N.Y. The bequests have since been used to establish a scholarship fund in LaBella’s name. Earnings from the fund provide scholarships for undergraduate study in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Pro Deo and Pro Patria Scholarships. Four new scholarships were awarded, and nine were renewed for the current academic year. First-time recipients are Maria N. Brandell, Marissa S. Brown, Clairemarie T. Buskmiller and Nicholas R. Spence.

In 1997, Knights of Columbus Charities Inc. received a bequest from Dr. Arthur F. Battista to establish scholarships for graduates of the Cornwall (Ontario) Col-

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SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

legiate and Vocational School.

These $1,500 and $2,000 annual scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit, financial need, community service and extracurricular activities. Preference is given to Knights; to the children or grandchildren of members; to students recommended by the Ontario State Council; and to students bound for Catholic colleges or Catholic universities. For the current academic year, 26 new scholarships were awarded and 18 grants were renewed.

New recipients are: Montana Adams, Eman Alali, Kaitlyn Bouchard, Karri Duperro, Elizabeth Grady, Laurel Grant, Basil Gwanyama, Kiran Hashmi, William Hollingsworth, Ainsley Hunt, Lindsay MacMillan-Rozon, Meghan Marsolais, Christopher McKen, Sasha Miller, Lark Mole, Jessica Owen, Brittney Pregent, Randy Schmucker, Destiny SkiddersDelormier, Josee Sunday, Julia Tilley, Jason Toth, Brooke Wereley, Evan Wilson, Alexandra Wright and Abby Yates.

SISTER THEA BOWMAN FOUNDATION - K OF C SCHOLARSHIPS

This scholarship is named for Sister Thea Bowman (19371990), an African-American religious who inspired many people with her urgent and uplifting call for better education for children of the AfricanAmerican community.

In December 1996, the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors, in partnership with the Sister Thea Bowman Foundation, authorized a four-year grant in the amount of $25,000 per year to support deserving AfricanAmerican students pursuing a Catholic college education.

Periodically, the board has approved continuation of the grant program. In August 2005, the amount of the four-year grant was increased to $37,500 per year.

For the 2015-2016 academic year, one scholarship was renewed.

GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS

The Order has an endowment at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., that provides Knights of Columbus Graduate Fellowships. Two new fellowships were awarded and six renewed.

The new recipients are James Duguid and Allison Michael.

Two new fellowships for the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at The Catholic University of America were awarded for the current academic year. The first-time recipients are Jessica Mazal and Bethany Wall.

MEXICO SCHOLARSHIPS

Ten new scholarships were awarded in the amount of $500 each, renewable for up to four years. In addition, nine were renewed. The new recipients are: Jorge M. Araujo-Frayre, Miguel A. Barraza-Sandoval, Jesús M. Estrada-Morales, Christian R. López-González, Joyce C. Menchaca-Flores, Frida R. Ordoñez-García, Kassandra G. Osorio-Soto, Juan M. Pérez-Núñez, Efraín SolísHuerta and Myrza V. SolísMena.

PUERTO RICO SCHOLARSHIPS

For the 2015-16 academic year, four new scholarships of $500 each were awarded and 12 were renewed. New recipients are Abneris M. LugoMorales, Gabriel E. Ortiz-

Educational Trust Fund THE FRANCIS P. MATTHEWS and John E. Swift Educational Trust offers scholarships to the children of members who are killed or permanently and totally disabled by hostile action while serving with the armed forces during a covered period of conflict. In 2004, the Order declared that Matthews military conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan would be covered under the trust fund. Also eligible are the children of members who are killed as a result of criminal violence directed against them while performing their duties as full-time law enforcement officers or full-time firefighters. An application must be filed within two Swift years of the member’s death or the determination of his total and permanent disability.

As of June 30, a total of 818 children have been recorded as eligible for benefits from the trust fund since its establishment in 1944. Thus far, 348 eligible children have chosen not to use the scholarships, three have died, and 125 who began college either discontinued their studies or fully used their scholarship eligibility before graduation. There are 44 future candidates. To date, 290 students have completed their education through the fund.

During the 2015-16 academic year, eight students will pursue undergraduate degrees through the Matthews-Swift fund — six renewals and two new scholarships. The new recipients are Patrick L. Barta and Nicole F. Palazzo.

García, Angel J. Torres-Concepción and Dayna I. TorresSánchez.

PHILIPPINES SCHOLARSHIPS

For the 2015-16 academic year, nine new scholarships of $500 each were awarded,

and 27 were renewed. The new recipients are: Shinnette R. Asotigue, Jannine T. Bautista, Mary T. Cabrillos, Mark C. Dequito, Junius S. Junsay, Danica P. Macliente, Joan P. Partida, Eunice Y. Ponce de Leon and John R. Tuquib.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Scholarship applications for the 2016-17 academic year will be available after Oct. 1, 2015. To obtain an application or request more information, visit kofc.org/scholarships or write to: Dept. of Scholarships Knights of Columbus P.O. Box 1670 New Haven, CT 06507

SEPTEMBER 2015

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P RO M OT I O NA L & G I F T I T E M S

K OF C ITEMS OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS IN THE UNITED STATES THE ENGLISH COMPANY INC. Official council and Fourth Degree equipment 1-800-444-5632 • www.kofcsupplies.com

A.

LYNCH AND KELLY INC. Official council and Fourth Degree equipment and officer robes 1-888-548-3890 • www.lynchkelly.com IN CANADA ROGER SAUVÉ INC. Official council and Fourth Degree equipment and officer robes 1-888-266-1211 • www.roger-sauve.com

JOIN THE FATHER MCGIVNEY GUILD

!

09/15

Please enroll me in the Father McGivney Guild: NAME ADDRESS

A. Camouflage Long-Sleeve Shirt. This 100% cotton Russell Outdoors® long-sleeve T-shirt with a pocket on the left chest is great for layering or wearing alone. Long sleeves add more coverage and concealment. “Knights of Columbus” printed above the pocket and the emblem of the Order printed on the back. The Realtree AP® pattern varies by shirt. — S thru XL: $22; 2XL: $24; 3XL: $25

CITY

B.

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

OFFICIAL SEPT. 1, 2015: To owners of Knights of Columbus insurance policies and persons responsible for payment of premiums on such policies: Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the provisions of Section 84 of the Laws of the Order, payment of insurance premiums due on a monthly basis to the Knights of Columbus by check made payable to Knights of Columbus and mailed to same at PO Box 1492, NEW HAVEN, CT 06506-1492, before the expiration of the grace period set forth in the policy. In Canada: Knights of Columbus, Place d’Armes Station, P.O. Box 220, Montreal, QC H2Y 3G7 ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK, EDITORIAL MATTER, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILED TO: COLUMBIA, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901. REJECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IF ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE. PURCHASED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED. OPINIONS BY WRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. SUBSCRIPTION RATES — IN THE U.S.: 1 YEAR, $6; 2 YEARS, $11; 3 YEARS, $15. FOR OTHER COUNTRIES ADD $2 PER YEAR. EXCEPT FOR CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS, PAYMENT IN U.S. CURRENCY ONLY. SEND ORDERS AND CHECKS TO: ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869/USPS #123-740) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326. PHONE: 203-752-4000, www.kofc.org. PRODUCED IN USA. COPYRIGHT © 2015 BY KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NEW HAVEN, CT AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO COLUMBIA, MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

CANADIAN POSTMASTER — PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 1473549. RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 50 MACINTOSH BOULEVARD, CONCORD, ONTARIO L4K 4P3 PHILIPPINES — FOR PHILIPPINES SECOND-CLASS MAIL AT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE. SEND RETURN COPIES TO KCFAPI, FRATERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1511, MANILA.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

B. Personalized Sweater or Vest. Fine-gauge v-neck sweater has fully-fashioned sleeves for strength, comfort and long wear. Also available as a versatile v-neck sweater vest. 60% cotton / 40% nylon and available in black, charcoal or navy with either the emblem of the Order or the Fourth Degree emblem. Personalized with council or assembly name and number on left chest. Allow 10-12 business days for production. — S thru XL: $39; 2XL: $41; 3XL: $42; 4XL: $43

C. Folder Padfolio. For business meetings or back-to-school, this simulated black leather folder includes an 8.5” x 11” ruled writing pad. The inside cover has a slash pocket that holds most tablets, along with a clear ID pocket / business card holder. The front cover features the emblem of the Order debossed into it. There is also a pen loop (pen not included). — $8

C.

Order these and other items online at:

knightsgear.com Questions? Call: 1-855-GEAR-KOC (855-432-7562)

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K N I G H T S O F C O L UM B U S

Building a better world one council at a time 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

Tom Finan, James Hodges and Jude Hodges of St. Bonaventure Council 12240 in Davie, Fla., load dirt into a wheelbarrow while working on a Habitat for Humanity project in Hallandale Beach.

Knights volunteered to assist with landscaping at the six-unit complex that will soon become home for several deserving families.

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

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

SEPTEMBER 2015

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

K E E P T H E F A IT H A L I V E

‘I COULD NOT

MISTAKE HIS CALL.’

SISTER AGNES MARY QUARTARARO Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne Hawthorne, N.Y.

Photo by Don Hamerman

I never thought of becoming a sister. Growing up Catholic, I knew about religious life, but I never seriously considered it. I wanted to get married and have children.

In the summer before my junior year of college, while feeding a 90-year-old bedridden woman, I was filled with awe as I saw Christ’s presence in her. In that instant, I knew I was meant to be a nurse. When I shared this insight with my college chaplain, he gave me an unexpected reply: “Good! Visit the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne.”

I took his advice and visited Hawthorne, where I watched the sisters bathe the sick, joined the sisters in prayer and observed their life in community. While there, I heard Jesus speak to me so clearly and so softly that I could not mistake his call: “Here, you will be happy.”

I returned some months later for a retreat, just to get away. As soon as I stepped out of my car, I was at peace. I left with an application and entered the community in 2004.