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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 1

COLUMBIAF E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ V O L U M E 9 3 ♦ N U M B E R 2

F E AT U R E S

Rediscovering the Gospel in AmericaOrder co-sponsors Vatican congress discussing the missionand future of the Church on the American continent.BY COLUMBIA STAFF

The Way of MaryGuided by Our Lady of Guadalupe, we are called to bepresent-day missionaries.BY CARDINAL MARC OUELLET

A Charity that EvangelizesIn this Year of Faith, the good works of the Order are astrong witness to the message of Christ.BY PATRICK SCALISI

Into Full CommunionFormer Anglican priests, received into the CatholicChurch, reflect on their faith journey and the role theKnights have played along the way.BY MONICA HATCHER

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D E P A R T M E N T S

Building a better worldOnly an encounter with Jesus can in-spire authentic Christian witness ina spirit of charity and unity.BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

Learning the faith, living the faithWe are called, especially during Lent,to be renewed in faith and to receiveand share the love of God.BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN

ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

PLUS Catholic Man of the Month

Knights in Action

Columbianism by Degrees

Special ReportThrough a prayer campaign andvolunteering, Knights have donewhatever they can to supportmourners after the heartbreakingevents in Newtown, Conn.BY COLUMBIA STAFF

Fathers for GoodOpportunities for spiritual growthabound in the Year of Faith.BY ALLAN F. WRIGHT

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A statue depicting the moment St. Juan Diego unveiled his miraculoustilma to Bishop Juan de Zumárraga in 1531 is pictured in theVatican Gardens.

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EDITORIAL

2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3

EACH YEAR on Ash Wednesday, theday of fasting and abstinence that beginsthe season of Lent, people hear one oftwo liturgical formulas as ashes areplaced on their foreheads: “Repent andbelieve in the Gospel!” (Mk 1:15) or“Remember you are dust, and to dustyou shall return” (Gn 3:19). Although it is not a holy day of obli-

gation, Ash Wednesday often has alarger Mass attendance than SundayMass, attracting even non-Catholics andnon-Christians. What is it about AshWednesday and the season of Lent thatdraws people? Perhaps part of the an-swer is that even though the world tendsto distract us from and ignore the reali-ties of sin and death, we realize deepdown that our sinfulness and mortalitymust be taken seriously. The need for deeper and authentic

conversion has been a recurring theme ofthis Year of Faith, which began last Oc-tober. It was likewise central to the mes-sage of the recent Synod of Bishops onthe new evangelization and the 1997Synod of Bishops for America, whichwas commemorated last December witha Vatican congress co-sponsored by theKnights of Columbus (see page 8). In his1999 apostolic exhortation Ecclesia inAmerica, Blessed John Paul II wrote atlength about the necessity of ongoingconversion in the Christian life: “In thislife, conversion is a goal which is neverfully attained: on the path which the dis-ciple is called to follow in the footsteps ofJesus, conversion is a lifelong task” (28).The grace of a metanoia, or change of

heart, involves not only repentance ofand turning away from sin, but also a

turning toward Jesus Christ. As JohnPaul II and Pope Benedict XVI have ex-plained, it is an encounter with the liv-ing Christ that ultimately impels us toconversion (see page 3). How, then, can we seek this en-

counter? In Ecclesia in America, JohnPaul II outlined several places whereJesus comes to meet us: the prayerfulreading of Scripture; the sacred liturgy,especially in the real presence of the Eu-charist; and the service of one’s neigh-bor, especially the poor (12). Prayer, hesaid, “holds a preeminent place” in ourspiritual lives and is “the duty of everyChristian” (29). The sacrament ofpenance is also essential: “Only thosereconciled with God can be primeagents of true reconciliation with andamong their brothers and sisters” (32).All of our Lenten observances, in-

cluding prayer, fasting and almsgiving,have the same purpose: They are meantto open our hearts to an encounter withChrist, leading to conversion, reconcil-iation with God and neighbor, and anincrease in faith, hope and charity. It isnot enough simply to be reminded withthe mark of ashes that we are dust andneed to seek forgiveness for our sins —though that is a good start. We are in-vited not only to remember our mor-tality, but also to welcome a new life inthe risen Lord. God desires that we beholy, that we seek a deeper relationshipwith him and that we make his pres-ence known to a world desperately inneed of his love.♦

ALTON J. PELOWSKIMANAGING EDITOR

Be Reconciled With GodCOLUMBIA

PUBLISHERKnights of Columbus

________

SUPREME OFFICERSCarl A. AndersonSUPREME KNIGHT

Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D.SUPREME CHAPLAINDennis A. Savoie

DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHTCharles E. Maurer Jr.SUPREME SECRETARYLogan T. LudwigSUPREME TREASURERJohn A. MarrellaSUPREME ADVOCATE________

EDITORIALAlton J. Pelowski

[email protected] EDITORPatrick Scalisi

[email protected] EDITORSteve JamesDESIGN________

Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90)Apostle to the Young,

Protector of Christian Family Life andFounder of the Knights of Columbus,

Intercede for Us.________

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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 anapplicant or member accepts the teaching authority of theCatholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires tolive in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church,

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ON THE COVEROur Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, isdepicted alongside a map of the American continent. C

OVER: Our Lady of Guadalupe — Juan de Correa (Mexican, 1649–1716); Map —

Thinkstock

Year of Faith Resource: The Faith That Transforms UsSINCE THE EARLY centuries of Christianity, the Nicene Creedhas been an important prayer of the Church. To help Catholicsreflect more deeply on the articles of faith that we profess eachweek at Sunday Mass, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, archbishop ofWashington, has written a new book titled The Faith That Trans-forms Us: Reflections on the Creed (The Word Among Us Press,2013). This timely resource is a user-friendly companion for study,teaching and discussion during the Year of Faith and beyond.

BUILDING A BETTER WORLD


LAST DECEMBER, the Knights ofColumbus was privileged to join thePontifical Commission for LatinAmerica in sponsoring a historicmeeting at the Vatican. Held to cele-brate the 15th anniversary of theSynod of Bishops for America, themeeting brought together participantsfrom throughout North and SouthAmerica to address questions concern-ing the future of the Catholic Churchin our hemisphere.Blessed Pope John Paul II had called

for the 1997 synod to address “theproblems of the new evangelization”under the theme “Encounter with theLiving Jesus Christ: The Way to Con-version, Communion and Solidarityin America.” Two years later, the popeissued his apostolic exhortation, Eccle-sia in America, in order to integrate thework of the synod more fully into hispastoral ministry and magisterialteaching. The document provided ablueprint for the new evangelization asthe Church approached the Great Ju-bilee of the Year 2000.In my address on the opening day

of the meeting in December, I statedthat to carry out the work of the newevangelization we must acknowledgethat we confront a new situation inour hemisphere: Although great ma-jorities of people still consider them-selves Christian, many who profess afamiliarity with Christ are at the sametime ignorant of him. This often re-sults in a mischaracterization of Christand of the Church’s mission.In his address to the meeting

Dec. 9, Pope Benedict XVI took up

this very issue by stressing the contin-ued importance of the synod’s theme— the encounter with the living JesusChrist — to the variety of problemsconfronting us today.“All these important questions re-

quire careful study,” he said. “Yet inaddition to their technical evaluation,the Catholic Church is convinced thatthe light for an adequate solution canonly come from the encounter withthe living Christ, which gives rise toattitudes and ways of acting based onlove and truth. This is the decisiveforce which will transform the Amer-ican continent.”In Christifideles Laici, the 1988

apostolic exhortation on the missionof the laity, Blessed John Paul II wrotethat the laity has an “essential and ir-replaceable role” (7) in the work of thenew evangelization. As members of the Knights of

Columbus — a Catholic fraternal or-ganization whose first two principlesare charity and unity — we must askwhat this means for us.In Ecclesia in America, Blessed John

Paul II recalled the words of his pred-ecessor, Pope Paul VI, at the close ofthe Second Vatican Council: “On theface of every human being, especiallywhen marked by tears and sufferings,we can and we must see the face ofChrist” (12, cf. Mt 25:40). We shouldadd that every human being, espe-cially when marked by suffering, mustbe able to see the caring face of Christin his followers. This Gospel mandateof charity is the inescapable prerequi-site of the new evangelization. It is

our challenge today as Knights ofColumbus.In his recent document On the Serv-

ice of Charity, Pope Benedict re-minded us that charity is “aconstitutive element of the Church’smission and an indispensable expres-sion of her very being.” All believers,he said, have a duty to devote them-selves to charity. And as the pope hasso often said, the method that speaksstrongest of Christ is love. As Knights,we should be prepared to let charitybe our measure of the new evangeliza-tion. In this way we can truly promote“a charity that evangelizes.”As Catholics we are well positioned,

because of the leadership of our popesand our bishops, to offer concrete so-lutions to the problems of our hemi-sphere. No other institution hasproposed a single vision that can tran-scend cultures and languages. This vi-sion is not a political vision, but avision of humanity encounteringChrist.Achieving this unity, though, can

only be done by a hopeful, lovingChristian witness. Such an authenticCatholic identity must be formed andstrengthened by the sacraments andlived in total faithfulness to theChurch and in commitment to JesusChrist.If we are able to do all this in the

work of the new evangelization, thenas Knights of Columbus we may trulysay,Vivat Jesus!

Encountering the Living Christ

Only an encounter with Jesus can inspire authenticChristian witness in a spirit of charity and unity

by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH


THE SEASON OF LENT willbegin Ash Wednesday, Feb. 13. Expe-rience teaches us that we can beginthis season of repentance with manygood intentions that soon fall by thewayside. Resolutions to pray more,fast or eliminate bad habits easily fadeamid the wear and tear of our dailyroutine. As Lent approaches, wemight be asking ourselves, “Will thisyear be different?”In this Year of Faith, Pope Benedict

XVI has invited us to observethe season of Lent in a way thatwill make a fundamental differ-ence in our lives. He has askedus to reflect on the relationshipbetween faith and charity, onhow faith opens the door of ourhearts to God’s love for us.When we truly believe that Godis love (cf. 1 Jn 4:8) and thatGod loves us more than wecould ever ask or imagine, thenwe rediscover our calling to bemen and women of true and au-thentic charity.

A LIVING FAITHMany people think of faith as beliefin a set of unproven and abstractideas and arbitrary rules, a kind ofimpersonal belief system that more orless guides their lives. Others think itdoesn’t matter much what they be-lieve so long as they are nice to thosearound them, and for that reasonthey do not seriously fulfill their ob-ligation to be well-formed in thefaith. However, the Christian faith

that we are called to profess is neithersimply a personal philosophy of lifenor a feeling about God and others.It is something much more.Faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit

given to us in the sacrament of bap-tism that enables us to accept as trueand life-giving all that God has re-vealed and teaches us in and throughthe Church. We must daily invest ourwhole selves in this gift of faith,through which we embrace the truth

that God is love. Through faith, weare caught up in the merciful and re-deeming love which God’s Son, JesusChrist, communicated to the worldby his life, death and resurrection.Through faith, we accept the merci-ful love of God poured into ourhearts by the Holy Spirit. Lent calls us to an authentic and

renewed conversion to the Lord.During this time of grace, many inour parishes are making final prepa-rations for the sacrament of baptismand entry into the Church at Easter.

Those of us already baptized arecalled during Lent to rediscover thegift of faith so that at Easter we cansincerely reaffirm our baptismalpromises to reject sin and the attrac-tion of evil, and to profess our faithin God and in the Church. The elements of a good Lenten ob-

servance remain the same: repentanceof our sins by making a good and

complete confession; forgive-ness of those who haveharmed or offended us; sin-cere efforts to pray better andmore often; a resolve to denyourselves, to forego wantsand to manifest our need forGod and his mercy; and acommitment to serve thosein need, including some formof hands-on charity. Our faith becomes more

focused and alive when wepray, repent and extend our-

selves in charity. We can then betterrecognize how much God loves us.We come to see Jesus not merely as afigure of history, but as alive and real,as the most important person in ourlives. We grasp that he lived and diedfor our sake, because he loves usdeeply and personally.As the gift of faith comes alive and

expands, we can never be nonchalantabout coming to Mass. After all, thesacrament of faith, baptism, continu-ally leads us to the sacrament of char-ity, the Eucharist.

Our faith becomes more focusedand alive when we pray, repentand extend ourselves in charity.We can then better recognize

how much God loves us.

Faith and CharityWe are called, especially during Lent, to be renewedin faith and to receive and share the love of God

by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori


Offered inSolidarity with

Pope Benedict XVI

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

POPE: CNS photo/Paul H

aring —

MAZZUCHELLI: Courtesy of the Sinsinawa Dominicans, www.sinsinawa.org

THE WITNESS OF CHARITYIn his letter introducing the Year ofFaith, Pope Benedict said, “Onlythrough believing, then, does faithgrow and become stronger; there isno other possibility for possessingcertitude with regard to one’s lifeapart from self-abandonment, in acontinuous crescendo, into the handsof a love that seems to grow con-stantly because it has its origin inGod.”Once we have fallen in love with

God through faith, then we will wantto share the truth of his love and thelove of his truth with those aroundus, including family members and

friends who no longer practice thefaith and those who seem to have noreligious faith at all. The greatest actof charity we can offer others is toshare with them the living Word ofGod — to help them discover the giftof faith that opens them up to thelove of God in their lives. We help make the faith credible to

others when they can see we are re-sponding to God’s love by leadinglives of charity. This is why prayerand study of the faith combined withself-denial and service are so impor-tant. We engage in these activitiesthrough the grace of God so that ourhearts will be expanded, so that we

will believe and love more sincerely,and so that we can share the Gospelwith others more forthrightly. Charity, of course, is the first prin-

ciple of the Knights of Columbus.Membership in the Order offers in-numerable opportunities for men andtheir families to strengthen their faithand serve those in need. We grow to-gether in friendship with the Lordthrough our fraternity, and thisfriendship is lived and cultivated byour practice of charity.May this Lent, amid the Year of

Faith, be a most fruitful season ofgrace for each of you and your families.♦

HOLY FATHER’SPRAYER INTENTIONS

CATHOLIC MAN OF THE MONTH

Venerable SamuelMazzuchelli(1806-1864)

GENERAL: That migrant fami-lies, especially the mothers, maybe supported and accompaniedin their difficulties.

MISSION: That the peoples atwar and in conflict may lead theway in building a peaceful future.

SAMUEL MAZZUCHELLI was bornNov. 4, 1806, in Milan, Italy. Among afamily of successful merchants, bankersand scholars, he chose instead to enterthe Order of Preachers at age 17. Hebegan studies in Rome in 1825 andthree years later answered an appealfrom the first bishop of Cincinnati. Al-though Mazzuchelli did not yet speakEnglish, he traveled to America. In1830, at age 23, he was ordained a Do-minican priest to serve as a missionaryto an area larger than his native Italy.After several years in northern

Michigan and Wisconsin, Father Maz-zuchelli spent most of his life in theupper Mississippi Valley. He built upthe Church — both physically andspiritually — throughout southwesternWisconsin, northeastern Iowa andnorthwestern Illinois. During a 30-yearperiod, he built more than two dozenchurches in addition to various publicbuildings and schools. He also foundeda men’s college and a Dominican com-munity for women.Throughout his ministry Father

Mazzuchelli served a variety of com-

munities, from Native Americans toimmigrant traders and miners. Headopted the cultures of those he servedand even published prayer books in na-tive languages. Although there werevery few Italian immigrants at thetime, he was always welcomed.Father Mazzuchelli admired the

American ideal but was not afraid toprotest slavery and injustices to NativeAmericans. He was known for hiscourage, generosity and charity. Hedied suddenly on Feb. 23, 1864, amidcold weather after visiting the sick.His cause for canonization was for-

mally opened in 1964, and Pope JohnPaul II declared him venerable in1993.♦

Through a prayer campaign and volunteering, Knights have done whateverthey can to support mourners after theheartbreaking events in Newtown, Conn.

by Columbia staff

In the wake of the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elemen-tary School in Newtown, Conn., which left 20 children andsix adult staff members dead, Knights of Columbus mournedwith the victims’ families and comforted them with prayersand acts of service.After the Dec. 14, 2012, shooting, Supreme Knight Carl A.

Anderson issued the following statement on behalf of Knightsand their families throughout the world: “The Knights ofColumbus joins the people of Connecticut and of the nationin mourning the loss of those killed in Newtown. Ourthoughts and prayers are with each family affected by thistragic event. We pray especially that God will give them con-solation and strength in this difficult time.”St. Virgilius Council 185 in Newtown established a program

asking people to pray at least three Hail Marys, one for eachof three intentions: the victims and their families; the first re-sponders and teachers; and the community of Newtown. “Our parish and community were deeply affected by the

events at Sandy Hook Elementary School,” said Grand

Knight Timothy J. Haas of Council 185. “Many, many peo-ple have asked how they can help. One way is with yourprayers.” More than half of the approximately 28,000 residents of

Newtown are Catholic, and a number of the victims of themassacre were members of St. Rose of Lima Parish.Msgr. Robert Weiss, pastor of St. Rose, was the first clergy

member at the scene of the shooting and accompanied policewhen they notified parents that their children had been killed. Newtown is located in the Diocese of Bridgeport, where

Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimoreserved as bishop until 2012. In a message read during Massesat St. Rose of Lima Parish on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, Arch-bishop Lori assured the community of his prayers and said,“I can only say that, especially for the sake of the victims andtheir families, we cannot allow ourselves to lose hope, butindeed, now more than ever, must strengthen one anotherthrough our friendships in Christ and our unity of faith inhim and his resurrection.”


aPrayerful Presence

Amid Grief

He then recalled the words of Blessed John Paul II: “To re-ceive Jesus Christ means … believing that in the history of hu-manity, even though it is marked by evil and suffering, thefinal word belongs to life and to love, because God came todwell among us, so we might dwell in him.”Eight funerals, most of them for children, took place at St.

Rose of Lima Church in the days following the massacre. To-gether with the Newtown Knights, K of C members fromthroughout Connecticut served as ushers at many of the fu-nerals for the victims.The Knights were assigned to a variety of tasks, including

escorting mourners under umbrellas amid heavy rain, handingout prayer cards and sorting mail — cards and letters express-ing condolences from around the world.When the Knights ran out of rosaries that were being dis-

tributed to mourners, they contacted the Supreme Council.Within hours, a member traveling to Newtown delivered a do-nation of 500 rosaries and accompanying prayer books. In an interview with Catholic News Service, Rodd Blessey,

director of youth ministry at St. Rose, noted, “The Knightshave parked cards, opened doors, helped the police, and clearedand cleaned the church between the back-to-back funerals.” Blessey, who is a member of Council 185, organized a large

youth event that included overnight eucharistic adoration foryoung parishioners who were grieving. “Our Knights were there to help make [the event] happen

despite an environment of relative chaos and fear,” explainedGrand Knight Haas in an e-mail message. “One young ladycommented to her mother, ‘The Knights make me feel safe,’while she reflected on how their presence reminded her of herdad, and how she just feels … like everything is going to beOK when he is around.”People participating in Council 185’s prayer drive were

asked to e-mail [email protected] to report the numberof people praying, the number of prayers said and the location.As of mid-January 2013, more than 3 million prayers had beenreported from locations across the United States, the Philip-pines, Canada and South Korea.♦


A man wipes tears from his eyes as he leans over a makeshiftmemorial outside St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown,Conn., Dec. 15. 2012.

CNS photo/Joshua Lott, Reuters


Order co-sponsors Vatican congress discussing the mission andfuture of the Church on the American continent

by Columbia Staff


Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, celebratesthe Mass opening a congress on Ecclesia in America at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 9, 2012.


From Dec. 10-12, 2012, a historic international congresson Ecclesia in America took place at the Vatican, celebrat-

ing the 15th anniversary of the Synod of Bishops for Amer-ica. The event was co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbusand the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and wasorganized in collaboration with the Institute for GuadalupanStudies in Mexico City.On the evening of Dec. 9, the feast of St. Juan Diego, Car-

dinal Marc Ouellet, president of the Pontifical Commissionfor Latin America and former archbishop of Quebec, cele-brated the opening Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. FollowingMass, Pope Benedict XVI addressed participants at a privateaudience and personally greeted several conference organizersand dignitaries, including Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson. The Holy Father cited urgent problems facing the Americas,

including secularization; assaults on the culture of life and theinstitutions of marriage and family; unre-solved issues regarding immigration; vio-lence related to drug trafficking and thearms trade; and economic policies thatworsen poverty.Although all of these issues “require

careful study,” Pope Benedict said, “theCatholic Church is convinced that thelight for an adequate solution can onlycome from an encounter with the livingChrist, which gives rise to attitudes andways of acting based on love and truth.”In this light, participants of the three-

day congress turned to Our Lady ofGuadalupe, Patroness of America andStar of the New Evangelization, as theirguide. And in evaluating the history,present situation and future of the Amer-ican continent, they discussed ways thatthe churches of America can cooperateto address contemporary problems andto revitalize their common patrimony offaith.

THE CHRISTIAN CONTINENTWhen introducing the congress on Dec.10, Cardinal Ouellet noted that it is nocoincidence that the event was being heldduring the Year of Faith and that it followed the Synod on theNew Evangelization, which took place two months earlier. “The precious patrimony of Christian faith, which was

present at the start of the American ‘New World’ and whichenriches the lives of its peoples, has been subjected to erosionby the strong forces of secularization,” he said.The cardinal repeated many of the challenges facing Amer-

ica that were mentioned previously by Pope Benedict andsaid, “In order to face these problems in light of the Church’smission, it is imperative that a profound sense of communionand belonging be alive in each and every local church and inthe relationships between all churches.”

During the congress, participants from North, Central andSouth America were joined by Vatican representatives andCatholics from around the world. Members of the hierarchyfrom Latin America, the United States and Canada led work-ing groups throughout the event that discussed such topicsas the new evangelization, the Church’s role in education, theChurch’s mission of charity and the role of the Virgin Maryin leading people to Christ.Addressing participants on Dec. 10, Guzmán Carriquiry,

secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America,focused on the need for authentic Catholic education andcooperation among countries. He noted the significance ofthe fact that the congress was taking place at the “center ofCatholicism” and included representatives from Catholicchurches throughout the hemisphere.“We must remember that more than 50 percent of the

world’s Catholics live in the Americas — a percentage thatwill grow in the coming decades,” said Carriquiry. “The fu-ture of its peoples and the whole Catholic Church shall de-pend on the Church in the American continent and itsevangelizing mission.” At a press conference before the congress, Supreme Knight

Anderson likewise remarked that despite the challenges ofsecularism, the Christian faith remains more vibrant inAmerica than in other parts of the world.“America is truly the Christian continent,” he said. “Each

country in our hemisphere has a shared history of having hadthe good news of Jesus Christ take root there.”

PHOTO W

ITH POPE:

L’O

sser

vato

re R

om

ano

Pope Benedict XVI greets the Supreme Knight and Mrs. Anderson following Mass in St. Peter’sBasilica Dec. 9.


Above: Some 300 representatives from the American continent and theRoman Curia attended the international congress, which took place at theVatican Dec. 10-12. The event was co-sponsored by the Knights ofColumbus and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Above: Participants representing countries throughout the Americas take partin one of eight work groups at the congress Dec. 10. Archbishop Gérald C.Lacroix of Quebec, primate of Canada, is pictured on the right.

Right: Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore andAuxiliary Bishop James Conley of Denver process during the Mass in St.Peter’s Basilica.

EVANGELIZING CULTUREIn his address to the congress, Supreme Knight Anderson calledBlessed John Paul II’s 1999 document Ecclesia in America “theblueprint for the new evangelization.” Written in response tothe Synod of Bishops that took place two years earlier, Ecclesiain America “correctly focuses Catholic evangelization on whatmatters most,” the supreme knight said.Specifically, John Paul II pointed to JesusChrist as “the definitive answer to thequestion of the meaning of life and tothose fundamental questions which stilltrouble so many men and women on theAmerican continent” (10).Both the supreme knight and Msgr. Ed-

uardo Chávez, postulator of the cause forcanonization of St. Juan Diego, noted thatJohn Paul II referred to Our Lady ofGuadalupe as “an impressive example of aperfectly inculturated evangelization” (11).The Virgin Mary’s appearance as a

pregnant mestiza, or mixed race woman, to St. Juan Diego in1531 took place amid a violent cultural conflict between theSpanish and Native Americans. But as a result of the witness ofJuan Diego, a humble layman, and the miraculous image im-printed on his tilma, the civilization was radically transformedby the Christian message.“They not only stopped killing each other,” Msgr. Chávez ex-

plained, “but after making their own the love that God offeredthem through his most holy mother, they accepted each otherand a new people was born — a synthesis and reconciliation ofwhat was apparently irreconcilable.”Supreme Knight Anderson pointed out that authentic incul-

turation involves recognizing what is true and good in cultures,such as language and tradition, while at the same time rejectingmoral relativism and the culture of death. He added that thelaity, particularly the family, play an important role in buildinga civilization of love.“We must take the opportunity to find cultural unity through

a shared religious identity and value system,” the supreme knightsaid. “The truth the Church has to offer the world does not hin-der cultural development; it fulfills it.”

A NEED FOR FORMATIONThe historic congress continued on Dec. 11 with reports fromthe congress’ workgroups and a recitation of the rosary at theShrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Vatican Gardens. Onthe Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, participants gath-ered for Pope Benedict XVI’s weekly general audience. CardinalSéan P. O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, then delivered theevent’s last major address.As was the case with other presenters, Cardinal O’Malley

highlighted the need for collaboration between dioceses andacross borders. Noting the growing percentage of HispanicCatholics in the United States, he pointed to the Hispanic Sem-inary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, located near Mexico City, asone example of how collaboration is already taking place. Withsupport from Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles andCardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, archbishop of Mexico, theseminary provides formation for future Spanish-speaking priestswho will serve U.S. dioceses. Cardinal O’Malley also proposed several ways that churches in

America can address contemporary challenges. Specifically, he fo-cused on the need for bishops’ conferencesand others to develop education initiativesthat counter the effects of secularization andthe culture of death. “In order to uphold the teachings of di-

vine law and natural law, it’s essential topromote an understanding of the Church’ssocial teachings and ensure that life andfamily values are recognized and defended,”he said. He added that faithful Catholicsmust play a greater role in the public square.“If we fail to form Catholic leaders, we willcontinue to see the erosion of religious free-dom, social justice and public morality.”

Moreover, the cardinal stressed the need to train faithfulCatholics to work in various parts of the media. “Just as we havean urgent need to properly form men and women who aspireto public office, we must also work together to form competentand articulate Catholics who can present the teachings of theChurch in a convincing and attractive way,” he said.In the end, the participants left inspired by the proceedings

of the congress, recognizing that globalization and the changingface of America bring not only challenges, but also new oppor-tunities for solidarity and evangelization.The event concluded with Mass celebrated by Cardinal

Ouellet (see page 14).♦


“THE TRUTH THE

CHURCH HAS TO OFFER

THE WORLD DOES NOT

HINDER CULTURAL

DEVELOPMENT;

IT FULFILLS IT.”

Cardinal Séan P. O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, delivers an addressDec. 12 in the Vatican Synod Hall.


Clockwise, from above: Congress partic-ipants pray the rosary together at theShrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in theVatican Gardens Dec. 11. • Pilgrimshold an image of Our Lady ofGuadalupe during the general papal au-dience Dec. 12. • Msgr. EduardoChávez, postulator of the cause for can-onization of St. Juan Diego, delivers anaddress to the congress.


Guided by Our Lady of Guadalupe, we are called to be present-day missionaries

by Cardinal Marc Ouellet

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thefollowing homily wasdelivered in SpanishDec. 12, 2012, at theclosing Mass of the in-ternational congress onEcclesia in America.

The day that Maryof Nazareth re-

ceived the announce-ment of the angelGabriel and con-sented to her divinematernity, the historyof the world turnedto the ocean of divinegrace ....The Gospel tells us that Mary went with haste into the

hill country, to a city of Judah, to visit her cousin Elizabethwho, as she knew by revelation, was also expecting a son.From the first moment of their meeting, the Holy Spiritfilled the mothers and their unborn children with joy. Eliz-abeth exclaimed, “Blessed are you who believed that whatwas spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled!” (Lk1:45). Mary responded with her canticle of thanksgiving,which has become the daily canticle of the Church’s faith:“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit re-joices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor onhis lowly servant” (Lk 1:46-48).When God willed that America be opened to the Gospel,

he looked upon Juan Diego, a humble peasant who also re-

ceived a visitationand message fromheaven. According tothe account of theNican Mopohua, JuanDiego was attractedto the mountains by heavenly singingfrom an unknownsource. He saw anoble Lady, radiant,of unimaginable per-fection, clothed inthe sun. She intro-duced herself as theMother of the trueGod and asked Juan

Diego to tell the bishop to build a chapel on the hill of Te-peyac. Three attempts and three miracles were necessary toconvince the bishop: the miracle of the Castilian roses,which blossomed in winter on the mountain, utterly out ofseason; the miracle of the tilma; and the miraculous cure ofJuan Bernardino, Juan Diego’s uncle. Finally, grace prevailedover episcopal prudence and human incredulity, and thechapel was built. …

INSPIRED BY FAITHWe are witnesses that the People of God journeying inAmerica are saying “yes” to the call of this Year of Faith. Wehave hastened to this meeting to revive the gift of faith thatwe received 500 years ago, and we want to be witnesses of itin unity, given that this gift is the most precious inheritance


that has united America, South and North, since its origins.We have come guided by the Star of the First and the New

Evangelization: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Empress of theAmericas, whose liturgical feast we celebrate today (Dec.12). As “Wise Men of the East,” we thought we knew thisnoble Lady well, but the events of this congress — the con-ferences, the prayers and the testimonies — have helped usto rediscover her. That is why our soul glorifies the Lord withher — because the Lord has looked upon his poor subjectsand, by Mary’s maternal intercession, has touched and re-newed us. We are ready to bring the message of the Gospelwith new ardor, with new methods and in a new language.We cannot repeat often enough that the Virgin Mary’s

apparition to Juan Diego was instrumental to the transmis-sion of the faith to the peoples of America. It marked thecommencement of evangelization. It made possible the rec-onciliation of opponents and the diffusion of the Gospelinto the hearts and culture of the natives. … Blessed be Godfor that face of tenderness and mercy that led the people ofAmerica to adore the one savior, Jesus Christ.The song of praise and thanksgiving that rises from our

hearts at the end of this congress indicates that the HolySpirit has touched us and is urging us to take up again theway of Mary, the mother of fair love and holy hope. Wehave received notable graces in this Year of Faith; we aremore conscious of our dignity as children of God, whichmakes us cry out: “Abba! Father! Thy Kingdom come!”Fortified and confirmed by the blessing of the Successor

of Peter, let us go to our brothers and sisters; in the powerof the Spirit, let us give witness to the truth of the Gospeland of the unity of the Catholic Church, which transcendsthe borders of all races, cultures and social conditions. Thecontinent that has grown under the sign of Christ the Kingand under the staff of Peter must transmit and spread itsfaith. The poor anxiously await this witness, which must bemanifested in sincere charity, fraternity and effective soli-darity with the least privileged.May the baptized of America thus become “missionary

disciples” in the power of the Spirit, who sends them on amission that must embrace the whole continent. May allthe baptized rise and proclaim their faith with pride, in re-spect of others’ liberty but conscious that they must passthe torch of faith to new generations. Above all, may therearise a new flowering of holy men and women for the newevangelization. The vocation to sanctity is for the wholeChurch, and there is no obstacle to holiness that is insur-mountable, regardless of our state in life. As the Gospel tellsus, an act of faith the size of a mustard seed is enough tomove a mountain.

HOLY WITNESSESAt the end of the 17th century, the Church canonized St.Rose of Lima, the first person native to America to be raised

to the altar. Legend has it that when it was suggested to thepope that he beatify her, the pope answered that even if ashower of roses were to fall on the Vatican, he could not be-lieve in the sanctity of an indigenous person. Just then, rosepetals began falling upon the Eternal City. In 1671, the can-onization of Rose of Lima, proclaimed patroness of Peruand later of the whole of South America, of India and ofthe Philippines, gave way to great solemnities throughoutthe world.This past October, at the height of the Synod on the New

Evangelization and the beginning of this Year of Faith, wecelebrated with great joy the canonization of Kateri Tekak-witha, a young native girl of North America who died at24 years of age and had to flee from her family and her tribeto maintain her virginal passion for Christ. Loved equallyin Canada and the United States, St. Kateri now belongs tothe universal Church and is thus a mediating figure for thereconciliation of peoples and the reception of the Gospel.May these two privileged daughters of Our Lady of

Guadalupe join hands in the highest heavens, not only tounite North and South America, but also to radiate theCatholic faith throughout the world. A throng of othersaints have preceded us on the path of the Gospel in Amer-ica; let us invoke them with one heart so that their passionof charity, their passion for Christ, may continue to winsouls thirsty for hope and liberation.The many social evils that plague America require from

Christ’s disciples a treatment that will eradicate the deadlyvirus of egoism, envy and hatred. We must fight against theexploitation of the poor, illicit trade, unjust laws regardingimmigration, urban violence, the disintegration of the fam-ily and many other afflictions. Christ the Redeemer re-sponds to these challenges through our commitment tojustice and solidarity, founded on the grace of conversionand penance. May we, the Christians of America, thereforebe in the front line of the battle, so that the witness of ourfaith is not contradicted by indifference and a lack of con-sistency in our lives.Dear friends, let us put in the hands of Holy Mary of

Guadalupe, our mother, the hopes and projects born fromthis meeting in Rome, 15 years after the Synod on America.In the face of the immense needs of the new evangelization,our possibilities are poor, but our faith is great. May thatfaith increase even more today and in every communionwith the body of the risen Christ, who makes us partici-pants in his victory.“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have sal-

vation and power come, and the kingdom of our God andthe authority of his Anointed’” (Rev 12:10). Amen!♦

CARDINAL MARC OUELLET, formerly archbishop of Quebec,is the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and president of thePontifical Council for Latin America.


In this Year of Faith, the good works of the Order are a strong witness to the message of Christ

by Patrick ScalisiACharity th


that EvangelizesIf it’s true that actions speak louder than words, then the Knights of Columbus let out a giantshout this past winter with a number of charitable initiatives that fulfill Jesus’ command tofeed the hungry and clothe the naked (cf. Mt 25:35-36).Especially in this Year of Faith, acts of charity inspired by faith are essential to the new evan-

gelization. Where words end, actions undertaken in a spirit of charity, unity and fraternity con-vey what it means to be a follower of Christ.The Knights of Columbus has not let this opportunity go to waste. Throughout all the ju-

risdictions where the Order is present, Knights took up the task of helping the most vulnerableduring cold-weather months through the Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids and Food forFamilies initiatives. Whether distributing new winter coats in Utah or feeding a communityon Thanksgiving in Massachusetts, Knights demonstrated what Blessed John Paul II called “acharity that evangelizes.”

BRIDGEPORT, CONN.With only a few days advance notice, Connecticut State Warden William T. McGovern andarea district deputies organized a Coats for Kids distribution at Blessed Sacrament Church inBridgeport, handing out approximately 300 coats to needy families. The turnout wasn’t quiteas large as expected — which turned out to be a hidden blessing. Following the devastatingschool shooting in Newtown, many children were forced to leave their jackets at Sandy HookElementary School after evacuating the facility. Coats left from the distribution in Bridgeportwere later transported to Newtown and donated to children who lost their coats amid of theshooting.

“We are there to do what is needed for the community and to support the community — Catholic or non-Catholic.” – Connecticut State Warden William T. McGovern


CHICOPEE, MASS.The holiday season can be a wonderful time for familiesto share food and company. But it can also be a lonelytime for many. Thanks to Fairview Council 4044 inChicopee, Mass., no one in Western Massachusettsneeded to spend Thanksgiving alone. For the 22nd year,the council hosted its annual Thanksgiving dinner, serv-ing more than 3,800 meals throughout the week. Be-ginning on the Monday before Thanksgiving, Knightsdelivered 2,000 meals to the homebound and cookedfor about 400 people at the Chicopee Boys and GirlsClub. The council also delivered food to military per-sonnel at Westover Air Reserve Base and served food ata local soup kitchen before joining 200 volunteers at thecouncil’s social hall to wait on approximately 1,000 din-ers there. In total, the staff prepared 4,200 pounds ofturkey, 1,000 pounds of potatoes, 1,200 pounds ofsquash and 1,000 gallons of gravy, among other sides.

OCEANSIDE, N.Y.For Msgr. John A. Cass Council 2626 in Long Beach,N.Y., the autumn of 2012 brought one tragedy after an-other. In October, Hurricane Sandy smashed multiplecommunities along the southern coast of Long Island.Despite running on generators, the council’s social hallserved for five weeks as a distribution center for food,shelter, clothing and cleaning supplies. But in a secondtragic turn, the council hall caught fire Dec. 10, 2012,just as council members were about to turn their atten-tion to repairing the storm-ravaged building.With several important events pending at the social

hall, Father Joseph O’Connell Council 3481 in nearbyOceanside stepped in to help. Primarily, Knights took thereins on a Christmas party that was supposed to be heldfor child victims of Hurricane Sandy on Dec. 22, 2012.Council 3481 relocated the event to its hall and arrangedwith the Florida State Council to have coats donated toevery child in attendance. The Oceanside council also do-nated food for the event, which included music, enter-tainment and a visit from Santa Claus with an abundanceof toys.

“When you see the stress of people losing the contents of their homes … people don’t know how to deal with this. And what our faith teaches us is to help and care for these people, and help them try to get through these difficult times.” – Grand Knight Timothy Pendleton of Father Joseph O’Connell Council 3481, Oceanside, N.Y.

“Every year the numbers go up. I hope for the day that the economy is better and people are doing better and the numbers go the other way and drop. But until that day, the council plans on being there to help those in need.” – Ronald Belair, dinner organizer

The

Rep

ublic

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KAUFMAN, TEXASSometimes even the U.S. Marine Corps needs a lit-tle bit of help — this time from the Knights ofColumbus. In Kaufman County, Texas, Father W.P.Pechal Council 11721 assisted with the Marines’Toys for Tots program to make Christmas merry for85 local families.For the past 13 years, Knights have collected the

names of needy families, vetted them through theSalvation Army, and worked with the VFW andother community groups to organize the distribu-tion of toys and food items. When all the goodswere collected, volunteers gathered at St. AnneChurch to divide the materials equally for eachfamily into boxes containing two toys for eachchild, a turkey, dinner rolls, vegetables, potatoes,apples and pie filling. No children were present atthe pick up, so the toys and food could be a surpriseon Christmas. Suddenly, families who were lookingforward to baked beans and hot dogs for Christmasdinner had a bit more holiday cheer.

SALT LAKE CITYIn winter, the average low temperature in Salt Lake Citytypically hovers around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s chillyfor most adults, let alone children who don’t have accessto adequate cold-weather clothing. The Utah State Councilset out to correct this deficiency at the end of 2012, pur-chasing 25 cases of coats through the Knights of ColumbusCoats for Kids program to donate to needy families. Byworking with the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s CatholicCommunity Services, Knights were able to effectively tar-get families who needed the most assistance. In additionto working with CCS, Knights also distributed coats at sev-eral parishes, one of which also had hats and gloves avail-able for recipients.

“This is family. This is what we were brought about by Father McGivney to do. This is keeping families together.” – District Deputy Bernard J. Grant Jr. of Texas District #84

“Some of the parents, too, you can see the gratitude in their faces. They thank you. And some of them start crying a little bit because now they know that their child is going to be warm. … They don’t have to focus now on, ‘What am I going to do today if it gets cold?’” – Utah State Secretary Jerald P. Hanten


Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson, head of the Ordinariate ofthe Chair of St. Peter, is pictured at Our Lady ofWalsingham Shrine in Houston.

Former Anglican priests, received into the Catholic Church, reflect on their faith journey and the role the Knights have played along the way

by Monica Hatcher | photography by Chris Curry

Into Full Communion

The journey has consisted of gut-wrenching decisions, difficultconversations, tests of personal faith, and moral resolve. But

for former Anglicans looking back on the first anniversary of thePersonal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, it was all worth en-tering the true fold of Christ.“Like Jesus’ parable of the man who sells all he has to buy a pearlof great price, that is what becoming Catholic has been,” saidMsgr. Jeffrey Steenson, a former Episcopal bishop who was ap-pointed by Pope Benedict XVI to lead this historic homecoming.A Catholic priest since 2009, Msgr. Steenson serves as ordi-nary, a title that carries the same administrative and pastoral au-thority as a bishop, although he cannot ordain priests. He is amember of St. Cyril of Alexandria Council 8024 in Houston,the seat of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, which waserected Jan. 1, 2012.

The ordinariate is comparable to a diocese, but geographi-cally covers all of the United States and Canada. A year afterits official inauguration, the ordinariate has ordained 28priests and welcomed more than 1,600 members from 36communities into the new ecclesial structure. In early 2012, the Knights of Columbus made a key con-

tribution to the critical task of forming the scores of formerAnglican clergy who are seeking to be ordained to theCatholic priesthood. The Supreme Council donated$100,000 to purchase technology for a specially designed,long-distance formation program at St. Mary’s Seminary inHouston. Where logistics and travel ex-

penses could be prohibitive, thisequipment has allowed multi-participant video conferencing andmakes it possible for many to pur-sue their vocations. So far, approx-imately 70 men across NorthAmerica have sought candidacy —nearly more than the ordinariatecan handle, Msgr. Steenson said.The principal task of the ordi-

nariate in the months ahead, Msgr.Steenson added, will be to buildup fledgling communities and tohelp new converts feel comfortablein the broader Church. In thiswork, too, the Knights of Colum-bus has already played a role.

‘A TREASURE TO BE SHARED’The Personal Ordinariate of theChair of St. Peter is part of a biggermovement of Anglicans seekingfull communion with Rome afterbecoming disillusioned by increas-ing disunity within the AnglicanCommunion. In response to numerous peti-

tions from groups around theworld, Pope Benedict in 2009 is-sued Anglicanorum Coetibus, anapostolic constitution authorizing the creation of personal or-dinariates to shepherd the conversion of entire communitiesto the Catholic faith. There are now ordinariates for NorthAmerica, England and Wales, and Australia.Anglicanorum Coetibus encouraged the preservation of the

rich spiritual and liturgical traditions of the Church of Eng-land. It described this patrimony, which in Catholic liturgyis called Anglican Use, as “a precious gift” and “a treasure tobe shared.” It also made an exception to the norm of clericalcelibacy for Latin-rite priests, allowing some former Anglicanclergy who are married to become Catholic priests.Father Charles Hough IV, who was received into the

Catholic Church and ordained a priest last year, was one of

10 Anglican priests from northern Texas who petitioned PopeBenedict for full communion. Father Hough said that mostAnglicans making the move are already closely aligned withCatholic theology, but over time have realized that thingssuch as deviations from the all-male priesthood and the ero-sion of the sacrament of marriage are symptoms pointing toa greater lack of authority within the Anglican and Episcopalchurches.Nearly 500 years has passed since King Henry VIII, who

was seeking an annulment from Catherine of Aragon, brokefrom the Church in Rome over questions of national auton-omy. Today, the implication of the loss of unity with the See

of Peter has troubled the hearts ofmany people being led into theordinariate. Following years of theological

study, Father Matt Venuti, now aCatholic priest in Mobile, Ala., saidhe had hoped his so-called “RomanFever” would cure itself once he en-tered real-world ministry. The mostdifficult day of his life, though, waswhen he was ordained an Anglicanpriest and questioned the validityof his ordination. “When you realize you need to

become a Catholic on the day ofyour ordination in the EpiscopalChurch, it kind of throws yourwhole future into question,” saidFather Venuti, who now leads asmall Anglican Use mission com-munity called the Society of SaintGregory the Great.

NOT COUNTING THE COSTFather Hough, who is a memberof Our Lady of WalsinghamCouncil 13615 in Houston, saidhis decisive moment came whenhe was elevating the Eucharist dur-ing the Easter Vigil. He realizedthat because the Anglican Com-

munion was not in communion with the Holy See, nor wereits sacraments.“Many of us came to the conclusion that there is only oneway to gain back ‘the faith once for all delivered to us by thesaints,’ as St. Jude said in his epistle, and that was to come backinto communion with the See of Peter at whatever the cost.”The price for many, though, would include the possibilityof leaving priestly ministry forever, in addition to sayinggoodbye to the communities they loved, the faith of their fa-thers and, in some cases, the church buildings their ancestorshad built. For married men trained and formed for lives as Episcopal

clergy, financial concerns loomed about how they would be

ORDINATION PHOTO: Courtesy of Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter


Father Charles Hough IV was ordained for the Ordinariatealongside his father and four other former Episcopal priests onJune 30, 2012. He now serves as rector of Our Lady ofWalsingham Church in Houston.


able to provide for their families on the stipends provided forcelibate Catholic priests. Msgr. Steenson noted that theKnights’ life insurance and financial services have been a won-derful resource in that regard.Former Anglican communities have also had to wrestle with

the loss of members, property issues and finding their finan-cial footing. St. Luke’s Parish in Bladensburg, Md., the firstEpiscopal church to join the ordinariate, is one example.When the congregation decided to join the Catholic Church,it negotiated a three-year lease from the Episcopal diocese forthe current church and rectory — hopefully enough time tofind a new place of worship or to raise funds to purchase thecurrent facilities.“We live from our collection plate or paycheck to pay-

check,” said Father Mark Lewis, the parish’s pastor. “Truly weare putting ourselves in the hands of God and trusting as wemove forward that he will take care of us.”Despite the challenges, new Catholic converts radiate joy. “To become Catholic has been the greatest gift that [my

wife and I] could have received,” Father Lewis said. “It hasdeepened our spirituality. It has put before us, even more thanbefore, the call to holiness in our lives…. It has quenched athirst we didn’t know we had, but at the same time it has in-spired us to want more.”Father Hough, who was ordained alongside his father, also

a former Episcopal priest, said, “We are overjoyed to be hereand so blessed to be able to live in the fullness of faith withother Catholics.”

Left: Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, archbishop of Washington and ecclesi-astical delegate for the Anglican Ordinariate in the United States, ordainsFather Rick Kramer on June 23, 2012, at the Cathedral of St. Matthewin Washington, D.C. • Below left: Parishioners at Our Lady of Wals-ingham Church in Houston, formerly an Anglican community, pray dur-ing Mass. • Below: Msgr. Steenson visits with parishioners after Mass.


‘PROUD TO BE A KNIGHT’Embracing the fullness of the faith hasalso included, in some sense, enthusias-tic service through the Knights ofColumbus. In a March 2012 letter to Supreme

Knight Carl A. Anderson, Msgr. Steen-son expressed his gratitude for theOrder’s grant to purchase the equipmentused for the priestly formation of dozensof candidates throughout North America. “I do look forward to seeing councils of Knights chartered

in Ordinariate communities,” Msgr. Steenson wrote. “My as-sociation with the Knights at St. Cyril of Alexandria, Hous-ton, has been a very happy one, and it will be a privilege tocommend the great work of the Knights of Columbus to ourfuture clergy and laymen.”Among the former Episcopal priests who have joined the

ordinariate is Father Randy Sly, a member of Our Lady ofHope Council 12791 in Potomac Falls, Va. “When I foundout how involved the Knights were in the ordinariate, it justmade me even more proud to be a Knight,” he said.In a “blessing beyond all description,” Father Sly was or-

dained a Catholic priest in June 2012, accompanied by anhonor guard of Fourth Degree Knights. Father Sly now leadsthe St. John Fisher Anglican Ordinariate Community at Our

Lady of Hope Church.Meanwhile, Father Venuti said he was

grateful to the Knights of St. Mary’sParish in Mobile who adopted him astheir seminarian and purchased books heneeded for the distance-learning programin Houston. “I am in debt to them, and Iknow a lot of other guys are, too,” he said.As for Father Hough, he first encoun-

tered the Knights after he converted andwas living in the rectory with his wife and two children at St.Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Keller, Texas.“For a year I was able to experience that council, and it was

beautiful,” said Father Hough. “What I saw those men doingfor the Church was phenomenal. I realized I wanted to be aKnight of Columbus, too, and wanted to know how I couldcarry it with me through my ministry.” When he was appointed rector of Our Lady of Walsingham,

the ordinariate’s principal church, and realized it had a dor-mant Knights of Columbus council, he knew just what to do.“When I came here, I figured it out. I thought, let’s resur-

rect this council. In October we did, and I became a Knight,”he said.♦

MONICA HATCHER is a journalist and Catholic Worker serving atCasa Juan Diego in Houston.

“I REALIZED I WANTEDTO BE A KNIGHT OF

COLUMBUS, TOO, AND

WANTED TO KNOW HOW I

COULD CARRY IT WITH ME

THROUGH MY MINISTRY.”

Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Churchand Shrine in Houston is the principalchurch of the Personal Ordinariate of theChair of St. Peter, which was establishedJan. 1, 2012.

FATHERS FOR GOOD


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

How are you living out this Year of Faith, whichbegan last October? Have you and your brother

Knights followed the “Year of Faith Council Action Plan”that outlines four categories of participation: faith pro-fessed, faith lived, faith celebrated and faith prayed? As theYear of Faith continues until Nov. 24, now is a good timeto plan for a deeper experience of the Catholic faith. Thegoal is to not only do more, butalso to become more through spiri-tual growth and change.The Year of Faith is a “summons

to an authentic and renewed conver-sion to the Lord, the One Savior ofthe world,” Pope Benedict XVI wrotein his letter Porta Fidei. Catholics arecalled to renew their relationshipwith Christ and his Church, andsince we are all at different stages inour spiritual development, we mustdecide which aspects of our livesneed the most attention. The threeareas I have personally chosen tofocus on are deepening my conver-sion to Christ, enriching my faith lifewith my family and reaching out tothose who may have fallen away fromthe Church. An outline of these threeareas may help you focus on yourown Year of Faith agenda.We may attend Mass each weekend and receive holy

Communion, but we still need conversion in our relation-ship with Christ. Is that relationship more ritual than per-sonal? Regular Mass is absolutely vital, as is the sacramentof reconciliation, but we should also become familiar withJesus through the Gospels and daily prayer. And we mustallow what we believe to influence the way we act in theworld — at home, at work and as citizens.Sharing our faith with fellow Catholics is likewise neces-

sary to sustain and deepen our relationship with Christ. AsKnights, we are often so focused on the important missionof charitable service that we miss time for prayer, reflectionand faith sharing, which must support all of our activities.After all, a stronger faith makes us better husbands, fathersand men of charity.

My second area of focus is supporting the spiritual growthof my wife and our children. Life with three kids under age9 is exhausting, unpredictable and loads of fun. Althoughtime alone is difficult to schedule, my wife and I make theeffort to pray together and refresh our faith in God and de-votion to one another. We also want this Year of Faith to bespecial for our children, so we invite them to come up with

ideas on what to do. For example,our kids love to choose an item at thesupermarket for the food pantry, andthis practice develops a Catholicmindset of helping those in need.We also keep a prayer bowl before aSacred Heart statue at home. Eachnight, the children pick out thenames of two people to pray for.While there are minor skirmishesabout who gets to pray for Nana orAunt Amber, we have found greatjoy and renewed faith in praying to-gether as a family, a domestic church.My third area of focus deals with

the new evangelization and reachingout to lapsed Catholics. I concen-trate not on my ability to convincebut on my availability for dialoguewith those who no longer believe.Authentic friendships can lead toopportunities to share the good

news of Jesus, who always seeks out the “lost sheep.” Wecan probably all think of at least one friend, colleague orrelative who would appreciate a visit and a personal invita-tion to return to the faith. Take advantage of the graces of-fered throughout this year to reach out to that person.Whatever you decide to do in this Year of Faith, remem-

ber that you cannot give what you do not have. Developyour relationship with God, and your faith will benefitothers.♦

ALLAN F. WRIGHT is academic dean of evangelization at St.Paul Inside the Walls: The Catholic Center for Evangelization (in-sidethewalls.org) in the Diocese of Paterson, N.J., and is the authorof Jesus the Evangelist (Franciscan Media, 2013). He is a memberof St. Damien Council 6575 in Stirling, N.J.

Make It PersonalOpportunities for spiritual growth abound in the Year of Faith

by Allan F. Wright

CNS photo/Juan Medina, Reuters


different orders from in andaround Louisville. Knightsand their wives served foodand refreshments to those inattendance and providedeach sister with a flower anda gift bag.

PARISH REPAIRSOur Lady of the MiraculousMedal Council 12401 in Rus-sell, Ontario, undertook sev-eral projects to support repairsat its church. Following awindstorm that took down thecross on the church’s steeple —which was already in need ofrepair — Knights raised$1,000 to replace the cross.Since funds were being raisedthrough benefit breakfasts, thecouncil also financed the up-grade of the electrical systemin the parish hall. Finally,Knights donated $4,000 todefray the cost of a new roof.

tainment and dancing, andraised more than $2,000 topurchase a new sign for thechurch.

WORKING INRACHEL’S VINEYARDGoleta Valley (Calif.) Coun-cil 5300 and Michael J.Costello Council 6043 inPleasanton provide ongoingfinancial support to a post-abortion outreach ministryin Italy called Vigna diRachele (Rachel’s Vineyard).An extension of the Ameri-can version of the program,Vigna di Rachele is one of thefirst programs of its kind innominally Catholic, buthighly secularized, Italy.Both councils have providedthousands of dollars in sup-port to the program, whichoffers healing retreats andother services.

TURNING UP THE HEAT

During the cold-weathermonths, Blessed SacramentCouncil 7357 in San Diegolearned that the furnace atthe rectory of Blessed Sacra-

ment Church was brokenand that the priests were liv-ing there without heat. AfterFather Jim Burson contractedpneumonia, the councilvoted to begin a fund drive toreplace the building’s heatingsystem. In six weeks, Knightscollected more than $10,000,and a member of the councilreplaced the furnace at a sig-nificant discount.

DAY AT THE RACESThe Knights of ColumbusKings County Chapter inNew York held a fundraiserfor Special Olympics at theAqueduct Racetrack inQueens. The day began witha buffet for all attendees andwas followed by several horseraces, one of which was heldin honor of Special Olympics.The event netted $3,500.

GET ON THE BUSArden Carmichael Council4970 in Sacramento, Calif.,donated $500 to Get on theBus, an organization thatprovides free transportationto children and their care-givers to visit their parents inprison. The council also co-ordinated a four-hour bustrip from Sacramento toSoledad State Prison for24 families. Once inside,Knights helped serve pizza tovisiting family members.

PRAYING FOR THE SPIRIT

Msgr. Allen R. Doga Council14512 in Spring, Texas, do-nated $500 to Pray 4 HolySpirit, an organization thaterects and maintains pro-lifebillboards in the Archdioceseof Galveston-Houston.

LUNCH FOR SISTERSAssumption Council 4473 inLouisville, Ky., sponsored aluncheon for 36 retired reli-gious sisters representing five

PORK CHOP DINNERNorthern Illinois UniversityHuskies Council 5572 in DeKalb hosted a pork chop din-ner to benefit council memberDoug Teckenbrock, who isbattling leukemia. The event,coupled with individual dona-tions, raised more than$5,000 to help defray Tecken-brock’s medical expenses.

HIKE FOR VOCATIONSSt. John the Evangelist Coun-cil 14842 in Townsend,Mass., joined with the Arch-diocese of Boston Office ofVocations to organize a hikefor vocations. Knights pre-pared breakfast and a baglunch for attendees, whohiked to the summit ofMount Watatic, where Masswas celebrated on a portablealtar.

CHURCH BEAUTIFICATION

St. Kevin Council 13881 inMontreal held a dinner-dance fundraiser to benefitongoing beautification effortsat St. Kevin Church. Theevening included food, enter-

KNIGHTS ACTION REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLESIN

Larry Spiess of St. MarthaCouncil 9280 in Lethbridge,Alberta, and his wife, Barbara,present quiz winner DebbieAnderson with a prize gift bas-ket at the council’s annual“Western Tailgate Party.” Morethan 500 people attended theevent, which included dinner,a silent auction, and severalgames and raffles. The partyraised more than $45,000 forcharity.

Al Zeringue (left) of St. Peter Council 12906 in Covington, La.,looks on as Charlie Foy ascends a ladder with safety rope inhand to perform roofing work at a Habitat for Humanity buildingproject. Knights regularly work on a number of Habitat homesin the area, assisting with everything from lifting rafters in placeto roofing.

TOP LEFT: Photo by Jim Vance

KNIGHTS IN ACTION


CHALICE FOR CUBAArchbishop Drossaerts As-sembly in El Campo, Texas,donated a chalice and patento a parish in Cuba. Gerryand Donna Mikeska deliv-ered the chalice to Father Sil-vano Castelli during aPeople-to-People trip to theCaribbean nation.

SIGN DONATEDOur Lady of Mt. CarmelCouncil 6195 in Nutley, N.J.,donated $5,000 for a newsign at its parish. In additionto raising money for the sign,Knights also coordinated allaspects of the installation, in-cluding the procurement ofnecessary permits.

BIBLES PURCHASEDHoly Rosary Council 10969in Erie, Pa., donated $783to the Eastside CatholicFaith Formation Ministry.Funds for the donation wereraised at the council’s annualpancake breakfast and wereused to purchase CatholicYouth Bibles.

CAR SHOWChester County (Pa.) Assem-

bly sponsored its annualJohn Mattis Memorial CarShow at the Coatesville VAMedical Center to supportvolunteer services at the hos-pital. More than 80 carsgraced the event, which alsoincluded snacks and refresh-ments. The show, namedin memory of a deceasedKnight, raised $1,000 for themedical center.

PRAYER GROTTO RENOVATED

Cardinal Bellarmine Council4849 in Aurora, Ill., raisednearly $15,000 through anumber of charitable func-tions to renovate the prayergrotto at Holy AngelsChurch. The donation de-frayed the cost of installingthe Stations of the Cross atthe site and prompted otherorganizations and individualsto raise an additional $70,000for the renovation.

CARE PACKAGESSt. Patrick Cathedral Coun-cil 11008 in Harrisburghosted a drive at its parish tosend care packages toU.S. troops serving inAfghanistan. Knights so-licited donations fromamong parishioners, nettingmore than 300 pounds ofsupplies — enough for 20care packages.

LUNCHEON DEDICATION

Norwood Council 1162 inCincinnati hosted a luncheonfor veterans from the Cincin-nati VA Medical Center atHoly Trinity Church. Follow-ing the lunch, a new flagpolewas dedicated at the church,with bagpipers from the Nor-wood County Sherriff ’s De-partment and an honor guardfrom the police department.

GARAGE SALESt. Pierre les Becquets (Que-bec) Council 9033 hosted agarage sale to benefit an areaboy who was burned over 90percent of his body. Theevent raised $1,700.

HANDBALL WALLOur Lady of the LuminousMysteries Council 13301 inDenver partnered with theColorado Handball Associa-tion to build a handball wall atan inner-city school. Knightsprovided and solicited nearly$1,000 worth of supplies tobuild the wall in the school’s100-year-old gym.

KNIGHTS FIELDOur Lady of the Sacred HeartCouncil 9736 in Hilltown,Pa., spearheaded the creationof “Knights Field,” a newcombination softball/youthbaseball field for the council’sparish, parish school andother local youth sports or-ganizations. Knights led theeffort to design, fund andbuild the new field.

REACHING ACROSSOCEANS

Collinsville (Ill.) Council1712 sent $1,500 to San An-tonio de Padua Parish in Ca-gayan de Oro, Philippines, toassist with the rebuilding ofsome 47 homes following adevastating typhoon in late2011. Knights sponsored araffle with prizes from severalarea businesses to raise theneeded funds.

Robert Smith and Daisy Sanchez of Warsaw ElementarySchool in Duplin County, N.C., enjoy the new playgroundequipment that was purchased with funds granted by FatherBernadine Golden Council 12921 in Wallace. Knights providedgrants totaling $5,000 to teachers of children with specialneeds from throughout the county. The funds were used toprovide training aids and playground equipment to help thephysical and mental development of more than 20 children.

Members of San Pablo Apos-tol Council 3723 in Monclova,Mexico Northeast, help awoman with disabilities intoher new wheelchair, whichwas purchased through theKnights’ partnership with theGlobal Wheelchair Mission.The council provides regularsupport to the woman.

A.J. Hambuchen and MikeHargis of Father Dellert Coun-cil 4143 in Conway, Ark., pre-pare a concrete form for thebase of one of the Stations ofthe Cross at Subiaco Abbey.Knights from Conway, Rus-sellville, Fort Smith, Doverand Hot Springs Village gath-ered at the Abbey for a num-ber of construction projects.Among them, Knights built asidewalk and bases for theStations of the Cross.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION


Boys and girls from St.Thomas the Apostle Parishand St. James the GreaterParish look on as Rob Frackof Msgr. James F. GacquinCouncil 12974 in Layton,N.J., starts a race betweentwo Hot Wheels during acouncil-sponsored “Knight atthe Races.” Knights invitedyoungsters from the twoparishes to race their toy carsin a single-elimination compe-tition, providing cars for chil-dren who did not own any.The council also providedfood for the families that at-tended the event, as well asprizes for the first-, second-and third-place winners.

boiler and volunteered an ad-ditional 300 hours to preparethe site for the furnace andaid with the installation.

CHILI FESTIVALThe St. Ann’s Round Table,which is sponsored by BishopCoudert Council 6232 inWhitehorse, Yukon, hosted achili festival that raised $200for a soup kitchen operatedby the Society of St. Vincentde Paul. Attendees had theopportunity to sample differ-ent kinds of chili and vote ontheir favorites in a variety ofcategories, like hottest andmost exotic.

ANGELS OF AIDOver the past few years,Msgr. Stanley B. WitkowiakCouncil 697 in Sturtevant,Wis., has raised $12,000 forthe family of Heracilo “José”Torres, a local man who wasnearly beaten to death duringa car theft. After hearingabout the plight of Torres andhis family, Knights author-ized a donation to assist withtheir immediate needs. Thecouncil also secured a grantfor the family through thestate charity fund, heldspecial collections at area

FLOOR FINISHEDMembers of San IsidroLabrador Council 10159 inAgusan, Mindanao, donated14 bags of cement and volun-teered to finish the floor of anew chapel in their commu-nity. Knights undertook theproject at the request of a layminister who was concernedabout the chapel’s dirt floor.

SAVING WITH COALFather Roger J. BolducCouncil 8414 in Grand Isle,Maine, led a fundraisingcampaign to purchase a newcoal-fired boiler for St. Ger-ard Church. With the parishfacing a $65,000 shortfall infunding, the council decidedto alleviate part of thechurch’s financial burden bycomplementing its oil fur-nace with coal for use duringthe coldest parts of winter.Knights raised nearly$30,000 for the new coal

ment will set the stage for theorganization to own the struc-ture permanently.

TRANSMITTINGCATHOLIC RADIO

Maine Knights have been in-strumental in the launch andfunding of The PresenceRadio Network, a group ofCatholic radio stations thatoffer faith-based program-ming. Most recently, Knightsraised $11,885 during an on-air pledge drive.

COMPUTERS FORCLASSROOMS

Pope John XXIII Council5441 in Sebring, Fla., do-nated $11,000 to St. Cather-ine School to purchase newcomputer hardware and soft-ware. The funds, which camefrom the sale of council prop-erty, were used to obtain in-teractive whiteboards, scan-ners and more.

MEAL FOR THEHOMELESS

Members of Deacon Tim-merman Council 14678 inDavenport, Iowa, and theirwives served a free meal tohomeless and unemployedmen at an area restaurant.More than 125 enjoyed sand-wiches, coleslaw, baked beans,orange juice and apple pie.

A/C REPAIRSBishop L. Able CaillouetCouncil 9007 in Metairie,La., donated $1,000 toSt. Angela Merici Church tohelp defray the cost of replac-ing the air conditioning sys-tem at the church’s hall,which is used for all parishfunctions.

NEW THERMOSTATSSt. Pius X Council 11168 inGetzville, N.Y., donated$1,500 to its parish to replaceall of the thermostats withprogrammable ones that willhelp save money on energycosts.

parishes and worked with arehabilitation center to securetherapy for Torres, despite hisfamily not having health in-surance.

NEW VANSt. Clement Council 2844and John Brazill Circle 1385,both in McGregor, Ontario,co-sponsored a communityfundraiser to purchase a newhandicapped-accessible vanfor a local man with musculardystrophy. Stephen King, aformer Squire, has been in awheelchair since his preteenyears, and his van was deemedmechanically unsound in No-vember 2011. The fundraisersponsored by the Knights andSquires raised more than$14,600 to help King pur-chase a new van.

DOWN PAYMENTFather Fitzmaurice Council607 in Appleton, Wis., do-nated $20,000 to CatholicYouth Expeditions to pay forthe down payment on a voca-tions house. Funds for the do-nation came from the sale ofthe council’s former social hall.CYE was leasing the vocationsbuilding, called BethanyHouse, and the down pay-

Members of Marysville (Ohio) Council 5534 spread new soil onthe lawn at Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery after it was dam-aged by a truck that used the cemetery as a turn-around. Therig and trailer cut deep ruts into the cemetery grounds, andafter a month without any police leads, council members de-cided to fix the damage themselves. Knights spread new soilto level the damaged lawn and planted fresh grass seed.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION


Homeless/Needy Children,commonly known as “Back-pack Angels.” This organiza-tion provides backpacks tohomeless and needy childrenthat contain toiletries andother hygiene essentials.Knights hold regular drives toprovide the coalition with asteady supply of care items.Meanwhile, Beatrice (Neb.)Council 1723 donated threebatches of soup to the EmptyBowls Soup Luncheon,which was held to benefit theBeatrice Backpack Program.For $25, visitors could sam-ple soups prepared by localcommunity organizations.The luncheon raised $27,000for the backpack program,which provides backpacks offood for needy children to eaton the weekend.

MISSION CHALICEDELIVERED

Father Butler Assembly inHamilton, Ohio, commis-sioned a memorial chalice inhonor of Clarence F.Michael, a longtime memberwho passed away in 2011.Michael’s son accompaniedthe chalice on a mission tripto Puerto Escondido, Mexico— which was also partially

HELPING VETERANSPope John Paul II Assembly inTaylor, Mich., hosted a funddrive that raised $750 to assistveterans. Knights donated$250 to the Archdiocese forthe Military Services, USA,and $500 to Southwest Solu-tions, an organization thatprovides temporary housingto homeless veterans.

RECTORY RENOVATED

St. Martin of Tours Council10619 in Mississauga, On-tario, volunteered more than900 hours to renovate therectory at its parish. The ex-tensive repairs consisted offixing water damage to theceiling and walls, repaintingmost of the building, and re-placing a washroom.

BABY SHOWERChurch of the ResurrectionCouncil 11692 in Wichita,Kan., hosted a pro-life babyshower at its parish that nettedmore than $1,000 worth ofbaby supplies, including dia-pers, blankets and clothing. Inaddition to donating theseitems to A Better Choice preg-nancy center, the council alsodonated $1,566 in cash to theorganization.

ROOF FUNDINGMsgr. Edward Mickle Coun-cil 14263 in Cape Charles,Va., donated $1,000 to helprepair the leaky roof atSt. Charles Church.

KNEELERS INSTALLED

Marian Council 4563 inMurfreesboro, Tenn., in-stalled new kneelers in thesanctuary of St. Rose of LimaChurch. By doing the workthemselves, Knights saved theparish more than $1,200.

‘BACKPACK ANGELS’North Port (Fla.) Council7997 provides support to theNorth Port Coalition for

the Assumption of theBlessed Virgin Mary Friary inPulaski, Wis. The monks atthe friary sell the stamps to adealer for 10 cents each, rais-ing money for the friary andits needs.

SOUP KITCHEN HELPMembers of San Juan de losCaballeros Council 13684 inSan Juan Pueblo, N.M., vol-unteer every second Wednes-day of the month at the St.Martin de Porres SoupKitchen in Espanola.

SOCK HOPWestminster (Md.) Council1393 hosted a 1950s-stylesock hop that raised morethan $2,000 to help purchasea new piano for the musicministry at St. John West-minster Church.

DONATION TO PARISHES

Msgr. Peter Blessing Council5273 in Coventry, R.I., do-nated $10,000 each to fourarea parishes in Coventry andWest Warwick. Funds for thedonations came from the saleof the council’s social hall.

funded by the assembly —where it was used by BishopEduardo C. Ortega and willbe held in reserve for use in anew cathedral that is cur-rently under construction.

TABERNACLE BUILTMembers of St. John FrancisRegis Council 13671 inKansas City, Mo., built a newaltar and tabernacle for theirchurch, which previouslyonly had a tabernacle in theeucharistic chapel and not inthe church proper. Knightsbuilt an altar of repose tomatch the existing altar andambo, and also repaired aleaky baptismal font.

SUNDAY BREAKFASTSImmaculate ConceptionCouncil 13875 in Castries,St. Lucia, provides free break-fast to the needy each week.Every Sunday morning,council members take to thestreets to feed the homeless.The council provides fundingto purchase the food that isdistributed.

STAMPS FOR FRIARYVincentian-Jesuit Father LatellaCouncil 392 in New Yorkcollects canceled stamps for

Fourth Degree Knights from throughout Minnesota participatein a rosary procession to the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul.Knights joined about 1,000 participants for the procession, in-cluding Auxiliary Bishop Lee A. Piché of St. Paul and Min-neapolis, who made remarks at the state capitol on the sanctityof marriage before the event began.

TOP: Dave Hrbacek/

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RIGHT: Dave Borowski/

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Steve “Skibo” Eakle (top)looks on as Mike Bauer of Ed-ward Douglass White Council2473 in Arlington, Va., hooksa rockfish during the council’sannual fraternal fishing trip inChesapeake Bay. Twenty-nine Knights and their familiestook to the bay to spend aday fishing together.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION


Dr. Jeremiah J. Lowney Jr., president of the Haitian HealthFoundation, sits with a Haitian family in front of their new house,which was built with funds donated by Belltown Council 6190in East Hampton, Conn. Prior to the construction of the house,the family was living in a thatch-and-cardboard hovel.

kofc.orgexclusive

See more “Knights in Action” reports and

photos atwww.kofc.org/knightsinaction

Nick Adamo of All SaintsCouncil 9485 in Mesa, Ariz.,empties new baby bottles intoa collection bin for distributionto parishioners at All SaintsChurch. Knights handed outmore than 1,000 baby bottles,asking parishioners to fill themwith donations and loosechange. The bottle drive nettedapproximately $11,400, whichwas split between 1st WayPregnancy Center and theHOPE Mobile Ultrasound Unit.

the wooden elements of thememorial, and repaired theconcrete base. Knights alsoarranged for the installationof a new plaque.

VISITING THE ELDERLY

Our Lady of the Holy RosaryCouncil 11791 in Lower Bi-cutan, Luzon, visited a localhome for the elderly to sharelunch and Mass with the res-idents. Knights also distrib-uted food and gifts to thesenior citizens.

STATUE INSTALLEDSt. Raphael Council 12598in Fayetteville, Tenn., in-stalled a statue of St. Anthonyof Padua at St. AnthonyChurch. Knights built a con-crete base for the statue, land-scaped the area around it andinstalled a sign on the churchabove the statue’s location.

SERVING THE HOMELESS

San Lorenzo Council 12378in Virginia Beach, Va., and itsladies’ auxiliary prepared andserved food to 145 homelesspeople at the Judeo-ChristianOutreach Center in Virginia

Beach. The Council also do-nated canned food and sup-plies to the center.

MASS FOR INMATESDiego Silang Council 7656in Quezon City, Luzon,arranged for Mass to be cele-brated for inmates at a localpolice precinct and for chil-dren being held at a juveniledetention center. Inmates atthe former had the opportu-nity to receive the sacramentof confession following Mass.

SILENT AUCTION & DINNER

Blessed Sacrament Council8844 in Rapid City, S.D.,hosted a silent auction anddinner to benefit AdamHockhausen, a young mem-ber of the council who wasdiagnosed with leukemia.The event raised more than$37,000 for the Hockhausenfamily as Adam travels backand forth to the Mayo Clinicfor treatment.

STAND UP FOR LIFEDallas Council 799 held astand-up comedy and musicshow to benefit area preg-nancy resource centers. Per-formers like Johnny Elbow,who appeared on season fiveof NBC’s Last Comic Stand-ing, donated their time andtalent to the event, whichraised more than $4,000.

PEWS MOVEDWhen the Church of St. Paulin Carrollwood, Fla., remod-eled its interior and installednew pews, the church donatedtheir original 48 benches tothe Our Lady of GuadalupeMigrant Mission Church inWimauma. Knights from St.Anne Council 7210 inRuskin, Bishop Charles B.McLaughlin Council 7282 inSun City Center, Our Lady ofGuadalupe Council 8131 inSchenectady, N.Y., Ambassa-dors of St Paul Council 11211in Tampa and Christ the King

FEEDING CHILDRENMembers of St. Mary Council11666 in Huntley, Ill., andtheir families volunteered topack meals for Feed My Starv-ing Children, an organizationthat sends nutritious, hand-packed meals to malnourishedchildren in 70 countriesaround the world. Knightstraveled to FMSC’s distribu-tion center in Schaumburg,one of several around thecountry.

CHARITY BALLJohn Tatham Assembly inBurlington County, N.J.,hosted a charity ball at theTavistock Country Club. Atthe event, the council sold raf-fle tickets for a Mediterraneancruise and other prizes, raising$31,500 for seminarians inthe Diocese of Trenton.

WORLD WAR MEMORIAL RESTOREDMattoon (Ill.) Council 1057restored the World War IImemorial located in front ofMattoon City Hall. Knightsremoved and cleaned all ofthe stars on the memorial,polished the stainless steelaround the stars, repainted

Council 12165 in Tampa allhelped move the pews 40miles to their new home.

‘FARMWORKER SHIRT DRIVE’

St. Francis of Assisi Council11673 in Apopka, Fla., heldits annual “Farmworker ShirtDrive” to benefit migrantworkers and their families.The drive netted more than725 long-sleeve shirts, 15jeans, 216 diapers and 12 bagsof personal toiletries. Theshirts are especially importantsince they protect the workersfrom the sun and pesticides.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION


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ZIP/POSTAL CODEComplete this coupon andmail to: The Father McGivney Guild, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 or enroll online at: www.fathermcgivney.org

OFFICIAL FEB. 1, 2013: To owners of Knights of Columbus insurance policies and per-

sons responsible for payment of premiums on such policies: Noticeis hereby given that in accordance with the provisions of Section 84of the Laws of the Order, payment of insurance premiums dueon a monthly basis to the Knights of Columbus by check madepayable to Knights of Columbus and mailed to same at PO Box1492, NEW HAVEN, CT 06506-1492, before the expiration of thegrace period set forth in the policy. In Canada: Knights of Columbus,Place d’Armes Station, P.O. Box 220, Montreal, QC H2Y 3G7

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Hurricane Sandy Relief Pours in from Near and Far

WHEN HURRICANE SANDY devastated the Eastern United States in Oc-tober 2012, the major effects were felt in New York and New Jersey, with dam-age reported throughout New England and the Middle Atlantic. From as farnorth as Maine and as far south as the Carolinas, residents lost power andbraced for flooding. Damage is being calculated in the billions.Still, the brunt of the storm impacted the Garden State and the Empire State,

where entire communities were swept away by the ocean and transit infrastruc-ture was brutalized. Four months later, recovery is still ongoing — and is ex-pected to continue for some time.To this end, Knights near and far are pitching in to help. Including the sup-

port offered by councils in New York and New Jersey, the following councilshave also sent assistance:

1.) Holy Family Parish Council 11909 in Lawton, Okla., provided supportto a hurricane relief drive sponsored by St. Mary’s School. The drive netted toi-letries such as toothpaste, soap, deodorant and hand sanitizer for those affectedby the storm.

2.) Stuart (Iowa) Council 1961 set up a collection box at All Saints Churchto solicit donations for hurricane victims. Knights collected blankets, gloves,shoes and other clothing items that were sent to Des Moines for transportationto the East Coast.

3.) By working with local schools, organizations and residents, Msgr.Joseph F. Dooley Council 4361 in Mingo Junction, Ohio, collected cannedgoods, bottled water, nonperishable food, used clothing and more than$2,600 in cash donations for hurricane victims. Knights filled a 53-foot truckwith the goods, which a council member and the truck owner drove person-ally to New York and New Jersey.

4.) St. Matthew Council 14360 in Norwalk, Conn., hosted a pasta dinnerthat raised $1,100. The funds were divided between Hurricane Sandy relief ef-forts and the technology fund at All Saints School.

COLUMBIANISM BY DEGREES


DENNIS KELSCH of San FelipeCouncil 11812 in Wendover, Utah, JoeVrazel of St. Peter and Paul Council8350 in West Valley City and MikeAvila of Catholic Community Servicesof Utah load a baby crib into the backof a truck for donation to an area preg-nancy center. When Tom Whitworth ofSt. Mary of the Assumption Council1129 in Park City noticed that a localbusiness was selling 12 cribs for $20each, he inquired about buying them forcharity through his council. The busi-ness ended up donating the cribs — and15 more — which Knights from severalcouncils distributed to three charitableagencies and two needy families.

Unity

Charity

TIM WUERGER, Gregory Biliskovand Tim O’Neill of St. Margaret MaryCouncil 11091 in Algonquin, Ill., col-lect cans for recycling from one of thecouncil’s collection bins. Knights wereasked to consolidate and oversee all ofthe recycling efforts at their parish, in-cluding the collection of recyclablecans, printer cartridges, cell phones andnewspapers by various parish groups.All of the programs now fall under aparish-wide effort called “Recycle Sun-day,” held on the fourth Sunday ofeach month. Funds from the programsupport a number of initiatives for theparish, school and council.

Patriotism

WORLD WAR II veterans pose for apicture at the National World War IIMemorial in Washington, D.C., dur-ing a Honor Flight trip that was par-tially funded by Archbishop IrelandAssembly in Eugene, Ore. Knightsteamed with other patriotic organiza-tions to help send 25 veterans on atrip to the nation’s capital. HonorFlight is an organization that trans-ports surviving veterans of World WarII to see the National World War IIMemorial in Washington, D.C. Thetrips include complimentary flightsfor veterans who otherwise may notbe able to visit the memorial in theirlifetime.

Fraternity

JAMES W. CIAGLO JR. (third fromleft) of San Jose Assembly in Williman-tic, Conn., and Supreme Master Den-nis J. Stoddard (second from right)examine the assembly’s first book ofminutes at the Knights of ColumbusMuseum in New Haven, Conn. Theassembly donated the book, whichdates from Aug. 22, 1900, to theSupreme Council Archives. Also pic-tured, from left, are: Jonathan Ciaglo;Michael J. Donnelly, vice suprememaster of the Bishop Healy Province;and Edwin O. Geiger.

TO BE FEATURED HERE, SEND YOUR COUNCIL’S “KNIGHTS IN ACTION” PHOTO AS WELL AS ITS DESCRIPTION TO: COLUMBIA, 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326 OR E-MAIL: [email protected].

Members of the “Knight Riders” team par-ticipate in the Ontario MS Bike Tour, trav-eling 93 miles from Grand Bend to Londonon bicycle to raise funds and awareness formultiple sclerosis. Seven K of C membersjoined Knight Reg Campbell and his wife— both of whom have participated in theevent for the past eight years — in trainingfor and participating in the ride. Together,the team raised $8,000 for MS research.General Agent Sonny Sangemino donatedthe jerseys that the team wore.

Building a better world one council

at a timeEvery day, Knights all over the world aregiven opportunities to make a difference— whether through community service,raising money or prayer. We celebrateeach and every Knight for his strength,his compassion and his dedication tobuilding a better world.


KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

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

KEEP THE FAITH ALIVE

Tere

sa K

ohl P

hoto

grap

hy

‘YOU DID NOTCHOOSE ME. I CHOSE YOU.’

I was born and raised in the Philippines be-fore moving to Canada, where I worked for13 years in various jobs. On Dec. 12, 2006,the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I enteredreligious life. When I was young, I wanted to enter the con-

vent, but I had to let go of my dream so I couldwork and help support my family. Still, therewere many times that I heard God saying, “Youdid not choose me. I chose you” (Jn 15:16).I pray and hope that all peoples will work to-

ward being united as one in embracing God.This can be done by allowing God to form usinto building stones for his kingdom.One of the lessons I learned as a novice is

from St. Paul: to offer myself “as a living sacri-fice, holy and pleasing to God” and to discernhis will, “what is good and pleasing and per-fect” (Rom 12:1-2). With God’s grace, my purejoy is to please him and do his holy will in allthings all the days of my life.

SISTER AGNES CLARE OF THE HOLY TRINITY

Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of SorrowsBeaverton, Ore.

columbia february 2013

Documents

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beginsthe season of