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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 1

COLUMBIAM A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ V O L U M E 9 3 ♦ N U M B E R 5

F E AT U R E S

We Are Here To ServeKnights bring hope, assistance to homeless men inNorth Carolina.BY SUEANN HOWELL

The Fortnight ContinuesAmid growing threats to religious liberty, Catholics areinvited to join in prayer and reflection about our firstfreedom.BY ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

A Column of Strength and DevotionThe Knights of Columbus helps to restore a much-venerated, centuries-old fresco painting of Mary at St. Peter’s Basilica.BY PIETRO ZANDER

Our Eastern BrothersAn interview with His Grace Archbishop Stefan Sorokaabout Eastern Catholicism, Orthodoxy and traditions.BY ALTON J. PELOWSKI

What’s In a Name?Pope Francis’ unique choice of papal name highlights hispastoral focus.BY FRANCIS M. KRAKOWSKI

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D E P A R T M E N T S

Building a better worldIn solidarity with Pope Francis andthose in need, Knights are called topractice faith-inspired charity.BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

Learning the faith, living the faithThe Blessed Virgin Mary leads us toher son and is a model for the Church’smission and life of worship.BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN

ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

PLUS Catholic Man of the Month

Fathers for GoodMother’s Day reminds a husbandof his duty to cherish his wife andto lead, protect and provide for hisfamily.BY PETER C. KLEPONIS

Knights in Action

Columbianism by Degrees

Knights of Columbus NewsOrder Files Formal Comment onHHS Mandate • Knights in thePhilippines ‘Walk for Life’ •Order Mourns Former DeputySupreme Knight

Ecclesia in AmericaLiving and promoting the Gospelin the modern world requires thatCatholics work together acrossborders.BY CARDINAL SEÁN P. O’MALLEY

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An icon of the Our Lady of Kazan is featured in an exhibition ofRussian iconography at the Knights of Columbus Museum in NewHaven, Conn. The exhibit runs until April 2014.

AD DESIGN: Justin Perillo

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EDITORIAL

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SINCE THE ELECTION of PopeFrancis on March 13, there has beenmuch news about the new pontiff ’semphasis on poverty and charity. Asarchbishop of Buenos Aires, Ar-gentina, he was known for his compas-sion toward the sick, the poor and theimprisoned. Through words and ac-tions during the first days of his pon-tificate, the pope has continued toexpress his solidarity with those whomChrist calls the “least” among us (cf.Mt 25:40). His simplicity and sinceregestures of affection toward everyonehe meets have endeared him even tocritics of the Church. At the same time, in the analysis of

the first days and weeks of Pope Fran-cis’ pontificate, many have attemptedto draw a sharp distinction betweenthe new pope and his predecessors.And in some cases, the contrast hasimplied that recent pontiffs haveshunned austerity, have failed to em-phasize the corporal works of mercy orhave had the wrong priorities. How-ever, we only need to review the writ-ings and pastoral actions of BlessedJohn Paul II and Pope Benedict XVIto realize that this is far from the truth. Consider, for example, the fact that

two of Benedict’s three encyclicals —Deus Caritas Est and Caritas in Veritate— include the word “charity” in theirvery titles. Benedict’s first apostolic ex-hortation was likewise titled Sacramen-tum Caritatis (Sacrament of Charity)and explained that Christ’s self-givinglove in the Eucharist “gives rise to aservice of charity toward neighbor.”When Benedict established norms forthe Church’s charitable initiatives inNovember 2012, he wrote that “thevarious Catholic organizations shouldnot limit themselves merely to collect-ing and distributing funds, but shouldshow special concern for individuals inneed.” He added, “The Church’s char-itable activity at all levels must avoidthe risk of becoming just another formof organized social assistance.”

Does this sound familiar? In PopeFrancis’ first homily as pope, whichwas published in last month’s issue ofColumbia, the Holy Father warnedthat without Jesus Christ, the Churchwould become just a “charitableNGO” rather than “the Bride of theLord.” After all, charity is a theologicalvirtue that finds its source and inspi-ration in God. The Church’s inseparable duties of

proclaiming the Gospel, celebratingthe sacraments and exercising charityhave not changed (cf. Deus Caritas Est,25). Pope Francis may bring with hima new energy and style, but if there isanyone who thinks that his mission orteachings are going to be fundamen-tally different than those of his prede-cessors, they are mistaken. Rather,faith-inspired charity has been integralto the Church’s identity from the be-ginning, just as it has been the firstprinciple of the Knights of Columbussince the Order’s founding in 1882.Therefore, the task before the

Church today is to live and witness tothe perennial message of the Gospel.Washing the feet of the Apostles, Jesussaid, “I give you a new command-ment: love one another. As I haveloved you, so you also should love oneanother” (Jn 13:34). It is a simplemessage, but it is also a challengingone that can easily be lost amid thenoise and distractions of the world. Itis thus understandable that the Gospelmandate requires constant repeatingand new expressions in order to beheard clearly. On the morning after his election,

Pope Francis visited the Basilica of St.Mary Major to ask for Our Lady’s in-tercession. During the month of May,we also turn to Mary in a special wayso that she can lead us more closely toher Son and inspire us in faith andcharity.♦

ALTON J. PELOWSKIMANAGING EDITOR

Our Mission of CharityCOLUMBIA

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

alton.pelowski@kofc.orgMANAGING EDITORPatrick Scalisi

patrick.scalisi@kofc.orgASSOCIATE 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 COVERA crowned image of the Madonna of the Column at

St. Peter’s Basilica is pictured after its recent restoration. COVER: M. Falcioni, Fabbrica di San Pietro in Vaticano

BUILDING A BETTER WORLD

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 3

THREE DAYS AFTER the electionof Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio as PopeFrancis, my wife, Dorian, and I madea pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Fran-cis of Assisi to pray for our new HolyFather. In the Basilica of St. Francis,surrounded by the beautiful 700-year-old frescoes of Giotto depictingthe life of the great saint, we medi-tated on St. Francis’ commitment toa life of poverty and solidarity withthe poor.Those of us who live in the United

States sometimes fail to realize thatmost Catholics throughout theworld are actually very poor. Weneed to be ever mindful of the wordsof Pope Benedict XVI in his greatencyclical on charity, Deus CaritasEst: “The Church is God’s family inthe world. In this family no oneought to go without the necessitiesof life” (25).As Dorian and I walked in Assisi,

it occurred to me that the cardinalsof the conclave must have beenreading this encyclical when theyelected Pope Francis. As archbishopof Buenos Aires, then-CardinalBergoglio provided an extraordinarywitness of solidarity with the poor.And soon after his election, PopeFrancis told media representatives,“I would like a Church that is poorand for the poor!”But building a Church “for the

poor” can only happen if we strivefor a deeper communion and solidar-ity among all Catholics — especiallythose on the American continent.For the first time in history, we

have a pope from the Western Hemi-sphere. Nearly 500 million Catholicslive in Latin America and approxi-mately 50 million Hispanics — mostof whom are Catholic — live in theUnited States. Pope Francis can openup the possibility of a great renewalamong Catholics in our hemispherein a way similar to the experience ofCatholics living behind the Iron Cur-tain when Pope John Paul II waselected in 1978.Last December, the Knights of

Columbus joined with the PontificalCommission for Latin America insponsoring a historic meeting at theVatican to observe the 25th anniver-sary of Ecclesia in America, John PaulII’s watershed document followingthe Synod for America. That docu-ment, like the synod itself, calledCatholics in our hemisphere to agreater “encounter with the livingJesus Christ” as “the way to conver-sion, communion and solidarity inAmerica.” While much has been ac-complished in this regard, muchmore still needs to be done. The Knights of Columbus has

been promoting greater solidaritythroughout the United States,Canada, Mexico and the Philippinesfor more than a century, and we canbe authentically proud of thetremendous charitable work that isaccomplished every day by ourOrder. Last year alone, we provided70 million hours of personal serviceand $168 million to charity.But there is much more to be done

and all of us can do more.

As I stated during last year’sSupreme Convention in Anaheim,Calif., if 30 million Catholics in theUnited States and Canada wouldjoin us in providing one hour ofcharitable service each month — justtwo minutes every day — the valueof that commitment would be worthnearly $8 billion.As Catholics, though, we are

called not just to volunteer service.In the words of Pope John Paul II,we are also called to practice “a char-ity that evangelizes” by revealing toothers in our concern for them thelove of Christ. This, too, is thedeeper meaning of our Order’sfounding principles of charity, unityand fraternity.During his inaugural Mass homily,

Pope Francis spoke of the example ofSt. Joseph and challenged all of us to“be protectors of God’s gifts!” Howare we to do this as Catholics and asKnights of Columbus? The pope’sanswer was clear: “Let us protectChrist in our lives, so that we canprotect others.”From the balcony of St. Peter’s

Basilica the night he was elected,Pope Francis told us that asCatholics we are all on a journey to-gether. As Knights of Columbus, thesignposts for our journey have al-ways been clear: charity, unity andfraternity. Let us continue on ourpath now under the inspiration ofour new guide and pope.Vivat Jesus!

Protectors of God’s GiftsIn solidarity with Pope Francis and those in need,Knights are called to practice faith-inspired charity

by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

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MAY IS a beautiful month. As the sea-son of spring comes into full bloom,the month of May is marked by con-firmations, first holy Communions,Mother’s Day, graduations, and somuch more. May is also a time tohonor the Blessed Virgin Mary. Manyparishes schedule May crownings orspecial times to recite the rosary as wefittingly associate this lovely time ofyear with the beauty and grace of God’smother, Mary.Of course, devotion to Mary

should be a regular part of ourfaith lives. Sometimes, though,people claim that popular prayersdedicated to Mary somehowcloud the centrality of Christ inour lives or obscure the overarch-ing role of the Church’s liturgicaland sacramental life. I assure youthat the opposite is true, for theBlessed Virgin Mary always leadsus to Christ and provides us withthe model for the Church’s life ofworship. Furthermore, Mary isinseparable from the Church’s missionof spreading of the Gospel.

‘TO JESUS THROUGH MARY’In his Treatise on True Devotion, St.Louis de Montfort taught that we areled “to Jesus through Mary.” He wrote,“You never think of Mary withoutMary’s interceding for you with God.You never praise or honor Mary with-out Mary’s praising and honoring Godwith you.” Praying the rosary is one way that I

have experienced Mary drawing me

closer to Christ. As I proceed througheach decade, meditating with Maryleads me to Jesus and helps open myheart more widely to the mysteries ofChrist’s life.Think of it this way: Christian per-

fection consists in becoming likeChrist. This is not something we cantake for granted. To attain this goal,we need to pray each day and spendtime reflecting on who Jesus is andwhat he did and said to save us. No

one was more closely associated withthose saving events or more closelyconformed to the will of Christ thanMary. The more our hearts are conse-crated to Mary, the more they will beconsecrated to Christ our Redeemer.In addition, Mary provides us the

pattern of the Church at prayer. To un-derstand this, we need to reflect on thefact that Mary prayed with the apos-tles, as well as on the way in which sheremembered all that happened in thelife of Christ. Mary was present withthe beloved disciple John at the foot of

the Cross. From the Cross, Jesus en-trusted John to Mary as her son, andhe entrusted Mary to John as hismother. Scripture says, “And from thathour the disciple took her into hishome” (Jn 19:27). Later, Mary prayswith the Apostles in the upper room inanticipation of the coming of the HolySpirit. She surely also joined the Apos-tles in prayer at the earliest celebrations

of the Eucharist. Even today,the Eucharist is never cele-brated without invokingMary’s holy name.

THE CHURCH’S MEMORYIn several places, St. Luke’sGospel tells how Mary care-fully treasured in her heartthose events she witnessed inthe life of Christ (see Lk 2:19,2:51). This gives us the sensethat Mary’s heart was like a

repository where she could returnagain and again to encounter and pon-der what Jesus said and did.With the coming of the Holy Spirit

at Pentecost, the Church’s own mem-ory and life of worship has becomelike Mary’s heart, a treasure house ofthe living memory of Christ and hismysteries. Overshadowed by the HolySpirit, the Church in her liturgy “re-members” all that Christ did to fulfillhis Father’s promises. Like Mary’smemory, the Church’s memory is alivein the Holy Spirit, such that when the

The Blessed Mother is intimatelyconnected with the mission thatChrist entrusted to the Church— namely, to preach the Gospel

to the ends of the earth.

Mary and the New Evangelization

The Blessed Virgin Mary leads us to her son and is amodel for the Church’s mission and life of worship

by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 5

Offered inSolidarity withPope Francis

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

FATHER KAPAUN: CNS photo/S

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w— POPE FRANCIS: CNS photo/Paul Haring

Church remembers events in the lifeof Christ, they are present before us.We, in essence, can share in these mys-teries, becoming actors in the greatdrama of our salvation. Whenever wego to Mass and truly enter into theScriptures proclaimed and the offeringof the eucharistic sacrifice, Mary’smemory sets the pattern.Not surprisingly, then, the Blessed

Mother is intimately connected withthe mission that Christ entrusted tothe Church — namely, to preach theGospel to the ends of the earth. St.Louis de Montfort notes again thatthe Christian faithful ask that Mary,“exalted as she is above all the angels

and saints, intercede for us before herSon in the fellowship of all the saints,until all families of people, whetherthey are honored with the title ofChristian or whether they still do notknow the Savior, may be happilygathered together in peace and har-mony into one People of God” (Trea-tise on True Devotion). In accord with this teaching,

Blessed John Paul II referred to Maryas “the Star of the First and NewEvangelization.” And we, the familyof the Knights of Columbus, have be-come familiar with how the Americaswere evangelized through the appari-tion of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St.

Juan Diego. In the years followingMary’s visitation on Tepeyac Hill, theGospel spread rapidly throughout theNew World.From time to time, as supreme

chaplain I am privileged to bless therosaries that are distributed to mem-bers of the Knights of Columbus. AsMay dawns upon us, let us resolve toincrease our devotion to Mary, theMother of God, by praying the familyrosary and by asking Mary’s help in allof our needs. Most especially, let usask her to intercede for the Churchthat her mission of evangelization maybe blessed with fresh energy and effec-tiveness in this Year of Faith.♦

HOLY FATHER’SPRAYER INTENTIONS

CATHOLIC MAN OF THE MONTH

Father Emil J. Kapaun(1916-1951)

GENERAL: That administratorsof justice may act always with in-tegrity and right conscience.

MISSION: That seminaries, espe-cially those of mission churches,may form pastors after the Heartof Christ, fully dedicated to pro-claiming the Gospel.

BORN TO A FAMILY of Czech im-migrants in rural Kansas on HolyThursday, Emil Kapaun wanted to bea priest from childhood. He was or-dained in 1940, at age 24, and joinedthe U.S. Army Chaplain Corps in1944. He was assigned to CampWheeler, Ga., and then served the re-mainder of World War II in Burmaand India. Father Kapaun reenlisted in 1948

and, after the Korean War began twoyears later, was sent into action withthe 1st Cavalry Division. Father Ka-paun selflessly ministered to his menduring the war, celebrating the sacra-ments and attending the wounded,often at great personal risk.During the Battle of Unsan on

Nov. 1, 1950, Father Kapaun minis-tered to men in their foxholes andaided the wounded, despite beingsurrounded by Communist Chineseforces. On Nov. 2, after refusing allchances of escape, Father Kapaun wascaptured as a prisoner of war. From the long march to the POW

camps through the time of his captiv-ity, Father Kapaun ceaselessly servedand led his fellow prisoners. He was

punished severely for his defiance,but rejected any assent to a Commu-nist “re-education” program withcalm assurance and even dared to cel-ebrate Mass in the camp on Eastermorning, 1951.As his health began to deteriorate,

Father Kapaun was moved to thecamp’s so-called hospital. He askedGod to forgive his captors and ex-horted his fellow soldiers to perse-vere in their faith. He died alone onMay 23, 1951.In 1993, Father Kapaun received

the title “Servant of God” and lastmonth, on April 11, he was posthu-mously awarded the Medal of Honorin a White House ceremony.♦

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS

6 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A Y 2 0 1 3

HHS: CNS photo/Nancy Phelan Wiechec

THE KNIGHTS of Columbus filed formal commentswith the U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesApril 8, calling on the administration to rescind the un-popular health care mandate that will force Americans offaith to cover medical services that violate their consciences,without regard for their First Amendment rights.The letter, signed by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson,

urges “the administration to rescind the mandate altogetherand chart a new course.” It adds: “lf, however, the admin-istration refuses to do so, we urge it to expand the religiousexemption so that objecting individuals and organizationsdo not lose their conscience rights and are not forced tocooperate in actions that genuinely violate their religiousbeliefs and moral convictions. Our nation’s history of bi-partisan respect for the consciences of its citizens instructsus to do no less.”In the letter, the supreme knight noted that the mandate

still fails to protect the rights of religious believers because“individuals and entities that object to paying for abortion-inducing drugs, contraception and sterilization must payfor these interventions either directly or indirectly, and theymust initiate coverage for these interventions, either di-rectly or indirectly.”The letter also points to a way forward and joins the U.S.

bishops in recommending “that the approach found in theChurch Amendment to the Public Health Service Act” beadapted to the current mandate. Enacted in 1973 with

broad bipartisan support, the Church Amendment protectshealth care providers so that no individual or entity is re-quired to violate his or her religious beliefs or moral con-victions as part of a government program. The full text of the letter is available at

www.kofc.org/Mandate.In addition to the letter from the supreme knight, thou-

sands of individual Knights of Columbus and their familymembers have also filed comments.♦

Order Files Formal Comment on HHS Mandate

MEMBERS of the Order mourn theloss of Former Deputy Supreme KnightEllis D. Flinn, who died April 6 inCharlottesville, Va. He was 78.Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson

said Flinn “was a man devoted to hisfamily, his community and his faith.He will be sorely missed, and our con-dolences go out to his family.”Born in 1934, Flinn was a native of

Woodward, Iowa. He served as deputysupreme knight for the Order from1984 until his retirement in 1997. Hewas active in Father Justin Cunning-ham Council 11324 at the Universityof Virginia in Charlottesville.♦

Knights in the Philippines ‘Walk for Life’ Order Mourns Former DeputySupreme Knight

Members of San Mateo Municipal College Council 15660 in San Mateo Rizal, Luzon, carrysigns during a pro-life march in their community. In March, Council 15660 joined otherKnights and pro-life advocates throughout the Philippines who participated in “walk for life”events in Luzon, Mindanao and Visayas. Thousands of Knights in the three jurisdictions par-ticipated in the activities, which were held in support of the culture of life and in opposition tolegislation that promotes abortion and contraceptives.

The headquarters of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Serv-ices is seen in Washington, D.C. Although the administration issuedrevised regulations related to the contraception mandate Feb. 1, the U.S.bishops maintain that the mandate still violates religious freedom.

ECCLESIA IN AMERICA

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 7

EDITOR’SNOTE:The following text was adapted from a keynote addressthat Cardinal O’Malley delivered in Spanish Dec. 12, 2012, at an in-ternational congress on Ecclesia in America. The congress, which tookplace at the Vatican, was sponsored by the Pontifical Commision forLatin America and the Knights of Columbus.

Blessed John Paul II’s document Ecclesia in America (1999)speaks often of the need to promote friendship among

Catholics in the Western Hemisphere, reminding us that con-version leads to communion and solidarity. Historically, the peoples of

North and South America havebeen separated by geographyand language. Today, there is avery different reality. The worldhas grown smaller because ofmodern transportation and newforms of communication. Like-wise, language is not as much ofan obstacle as it once was.The cooperation between the

churches of our hemispheremust begin with the great com-mandment, which Jesus gave atthe Last Supper when hewashed the feet of his disciples:“As I have loved you, so you alsoshould love one another. This ishow all will know that you aremy disciples, if you have love forone another” (Jn 13:34-35). The love and unity that shouldcharacterize our lives as disciples are essential to the task of evan-gelization.John Paul II wrote, “Taking the Gospel as its starting-point,

a culture of solidarity needs to be promoted, capable of inspiringtimely initiatives in support of the poor and the outcast, espe-cially refugees forced to leave their villages and lands in order toflee violence” (Ecclesia in America, 52). The bishops of the border dioceses between Mexico and the

United States have met often to discuss immigration issues. On-going communication is essential if we are going to be able topromote just immigration legislation and serve the immigrantpopulations that cross our borders each year.Ecclesia in America also speaks eloquently about the need to

respect and defend human life and to resist the culture of death.We face a growing secularization as extreme individualism

erodes the Christian values that have been the foundation ofour countries. Certainly, one of the areas where we can worktogether is in our efforts to promote the Gospel of Life and thefamily, which is the sanctuary of life. The task is twofold. First,we must call people to a profound conversion and an under-standing of the Gospel message; and secondly, we must promotelaws and structures that will protect innocent human life.In a speech to U.S. bishops in January 2012, Pope Benedict

said, “The preparation of committed lay leaders and the pres-entation of a convincing articulation of the Christian vision of

man and society remain a primarytask….” If we fail to prepareCatholic leaders, we will see thecontinued erosion of religious free-dom, social justice and publicmorality. Just as we have an urgentneed to prepare men and womenwho aspire to public office, wemust also work together to preparecompetent and articulate Catholicswho can present the teachings ofthe Church in a convincing andattractive way. This is especiallytrue in the world of media, whichhas an immense influence in shap-ing public opinion.We must face these challenges

together, in a spirit of solidarity.There is no doubt that only faithcan overcome borders, ideologies,

racism, class divisions, economic inequalities and the extremeindividualism propagated by secularism. The words of Jesusfrom the Cross are also meant for each of us: “Behold, yourmother” (Jn 19:27). Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of theAmericas, is mother of us all, as we are brothers and sisters inone faith, one baptism. When God knocked on the door of humanity, the Blessed

Virgin Mary opened it in our name. And now she, the Virginof Tepeyac, will help us to open the door of faith. Among thefirst words of Mary in the Gospel is her fiat, her “yes” to God(Lk 1:38). The last words of Mary that appear in the Gospelare: “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5). With this, Mary istelling us that together we have to say “yes” to God and openwide the door to Christ.♦

CARDINAL SEÁN P. O’MALLEY is archbishop of Boston.

Collaboration and CommunionLiving and promoting the Gospel in the modern world requires that Catholics work together across borders

by Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap.

Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley (left) delivers a keynote addressDec. 12, 2012, in the Vatican Synod Hall. Also pictured isCardinal Marc Ouellet, president of the Pontifical Commissionfor Latin America.

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WeAre Here to Serve

Knights bring hope, assistance to homeless men in North Carolina

by SueAnn Howell

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 9

In a rundown industrial area just east of uptown Charlotte,N.C., lies the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte, where hundredsof men line up three times every day for a hot meal and comefor a safe place to sleep at night. For the past 15 years, theKnights of St. Matthew Council 10852 have worked to makea difference in the lives ofthe men at the shelter bypreparing and serving din-ner at the facility on the firstTuesday of every month.The Knights took their

outreach efforts one stepfurther on Holy Thursday,March 28, by sponsoring ajoint project with St. Francisof Assisi Circle 4466. Part-nering with the nonprofitgroup Samaritan’s Feet, theKnights and Squires gaveaway more than 150 pairs ofshoes and socks after wash-ing the men’s feet in imita-tion of Jesus washing thefeet of the Apostles.The men who come to

the shelter are from all dif-ferent walks of life, andtheir stories are as varied astheir backgrounds. Manyhave suffered from long-term unemployment, whileothers have health, abuse oraddiction issues. Some areveterans struggling withpost-traumatic stress fromtheir service in the military.Whatever their story, thesemen are seen as brothers inChrist by the Knights.

FOLLOWING CHRIST’S EXAMPLEIn undertaking their routineacts of charity, the Knightsof Council 10852 work inteams, with a group of sixpeople preparing food onMonday and a group of 12serving the dinner on the following night. In the summermonths, Knights serve about 250 meals per night; in the win-ter, that number increases to 300.“We have more volunteers than we can use, so we work on

a first-come basis,” said Bob Wilcocks, the council’s coordina-tor of the monthly outreach. “Everyone leaves with a warmfeeling in their hearts and is impressed with the outpouring ofthanks from the clients.”

The plan for the Holy Thursday event came about during aconversation about spring service activities, explained RickCaron, family director of Council 10852 and chief counselorof Circle 4466. “The thought came about for a father-sonproject,” he said. “[We thought] we could do something

around Easter — a projectat the Men’s Shelter, maybeserve dinner together. Then,a Holy Spirit moment hap-pened, and we came upwith the idea to wash thefeet of the men at the shelteron Holy Thursday.”The experience was mov-

ing for all those involved,including the Knights,their ladies’ auxiliary andthe Squires. For the volun-teers, it was more than justan opportunity to providethe men with much-neededfootwear; it was a chance tobe Christ to those men, toshow them compassion andto live the Knights’ coreprinciples.“I think this (outreach)

reflects all four principals ofthe Order,” Caron said.“Charity, to serve thosemen providing them newsocks and sneakers; unity,giving us the strength tospeak out and be here asCatholic men; fraternity, asa band of brothers comingtogether as a team to makethis happen; and patriot-ism, as citizens that serveand witness our devotion toGod and country.”For Knight Ed Craig, the

Holy Thursday effort was anopportunity to emulate theexample set by Jesus at theLast Supper. Craig greetedeach man at the shelterwarmly, introducing himself

and inviting the men to allow the Knights to wash their feet.“We’re washing your feet as Jesus washed his Apostles’ feet,” heexplained. “We’re all children of God. We’re all equal.”Craig said he hopes the men at the shelter and the Knights

realize that they are not so different than each other. Like manyof the Knights, he also asked if he could pray with the menbefore they left, bowing heads and joining in a prayer ofthanksgiving to God.

Left, and above: Members of St. Matthew Council 10852 in Charlotte,N.C., provide ongoing assistance to the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte by offeringencouragement to residents. In addition to serving dinner at the shelter oncea month, the Knights prayed with men at the shelter, washing their feet, anddistributed 150 new pairs of shoes and socks on Holy Thursday.

Photography by Mitchell Kearney

10 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A Y 2 0 1 3

“Being part of the Knights of Columbus is all about charityand giving,” Craig later reflected. “We do a lot of fundraising,but this is where the rubber hits the road. I feel this is so closeto what we’re really about.”In one moment of prayer, Craig and a well-dressed young

man named Javonte gave thanks to God for the gift of a job,as Javonte had just come from a successful job interview. Hehad been coming to the men’s shelter for the past year and waslooking forward to getting back on his feet.After their time together, Javonte said, “I’ve never had any-

body do this for me. It was nice.”

JOYFUL SERVICE AND WITNESSThe smiles on the men’s faces and the camaraderie in the roomduring the Knights’ visit spoke volumes about the success ofthe outreach.Michael, a Vietnam War veteran who is now in a wheelchair,

greatly enjoyed the interaction with the Knights. “I amblessed,” he said.The shelter staff was also very grateful. Throughout the day,

Julie Putnam, community development relationship volunteercoordinator at the shelter, stood in awe watching the interac-tions between the Knights and the men.“I think this is remarkable,” Putnam said. “One of the guys

just said to me, ‘My feet have been hurting me all week longand I walk in tonight and you guys are giving away shoes.’” She noted that all the men were smiling as they came out

after having their feet washed and receiving new shoes,adding that the staff had never seen or heard so much joyfrom the men. Squire Craig Curtis, 13, had the duty of providing clean

water and emptying the basins. “I think the washing of thefeet was very inspiring to do,” he said. “As I waited for the

Knights to wash the feet, I heard some very sad stories, and itmade me think how lucky I am to have a home.”In addition to the 151 pairs of shoes given away on Holy

Thursday, the Knights and Samaritan’s Feet were able toleave 79 pairs of shoes and socks for additional men in thefuture.Brian Becker, a member of Council 10852 and a seminarian

for the Diocese of Charlotte, explained that the event provideda learning opportunity for the volunteers. The goal was “tomold ourselves into the mission that Christ gave us in the LastSupper,” he said. “This gives us a chance to actually realizewhat Jesus did apart from the ceremonial foot washing thathappens during the liturgy.”Grand Knight Chuck Elgin likewise noted that while the

washing of the feet during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper issymbolic, publicly washing the feet of men at a shelter “makesit real.” Elgin added that he hopes that his council’s outreach efforts

will encourage more Knights and their families — both inCharlotte and throughout the world — to become actively en-gaged in service programs. According to Caron, the charity demonstrated by the vol-

unteers was a form of Christian witness. In thanking the vol-unteers for their participation, he said, “Please pray for themen at the shelter, that we may have given them some hopeand confirmed in their minds that they are not alone and Jesusloves them very much.”He added, “Hopefully, we may have helped some return to

the Church and grow closer to Christ!”♦

SUEANN HOWELL is the senior reporter at the CatholicNews Herald, the official publication of the Diocese ofCharlotte, N.C.

Richard Caron, a member of Council 10852, prays with a man at theMen’s Shelter of Charlotte and washes his feet.

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 11

CHARITY FOR THE LEAST AMONG US

IN ADDITION to itswork at the men’s shelter,St. Matthew Council10852 supports two char-itable endeavors that servepersons with physical andintellectual disabilities.Together with other coun-cils in North Carolina, theKnights provide assistancethrough Operation Exo-dus and Least Among MyBrethren (LAMB).Operation Exodus began

in 1990 when St. Vincentde Paul Council 9560 inCharlotte responded to theneeds of a family whoseteenage son was confinedto a wheelchair. Under thedirection of Operation Ex-odus founder Joe Moore,Knights built a handicapaccess ramp at the family’shome. What started as a one-

time project turned into aministry and non-profit,legal entity of the NorthCarolina Knights ofColumbus. Members ofCouncil 10852 have beenpart of Operation Exodusfrom the early days andhave assumed greater re-sponsibilities for its opera-tion over the years, adopting fullleadership in 2007 when Moorepassed away. Over the past 23 years, Knights

have built handicap access ramps forpeople with disabilities, includingsenior citizens, victims of urban vi-olence and children with congenitalillnesses. In April 2012, severalcouncils cooperated to build a rampfor a Marine from Statesville, N.C.,who lost both of his legs while serv-ing in Afghanistan.

The Knights donate 100 percentof the labor for Operation Exodus,collecting donations and hostingfundraisers to obtain materials. Theynormally complete between five and10 ramps per year.“It is so heartwarming to see the

look of joy on the faces of those forwhom the ramps are built when theyrealize the newfound sense of freedomof being able to come and go with fargreater ease than ever before,” said BobDesch, a member of Council 10852

who serves as the secretary-treasurer of Operation Exo-dus Inc. “Giving to thecommunity in this way isjust one other manifestationof the Knights’ call to be inservice to one and to all.”The LAMB Foundation,

meanwhile, helps NorthCarolina Knights supportcharities that serve peoplewith intellectual disabili-ties. Begun as OperationLAMB in 1969 by PastState Deputy WilliamScott and his wife, Mau-reen, who had two childrenwith intellectual disabili-ties, the program providesa way for local K of Ccouncils to collect funds ona volunteer basis to benefitchildren with special needs.In 1974, the Knights

began handing out TootsieRolls® to raise money, andsince that time, 120 coun-cils statewide have set asidetime each year to don yel-low vests and give outcandy as they conductcurbside collections.In each of the past six

years, Council 10852 hasdonated a total of more than$50,000 to LAMB-sup-

ported organizations, such as SpecialOlympics, Holy Angels in Belmont,N.C., and the Allegro Foundation.The LAMB Foundation has raised

more than $20 million in the past 53years, with annual North Carolinadonations totaling more than$900,000 for the past several years.Ninety-three percent of all the fundsraised go directly to assisting thosewith intellectual disabilities.For more information, visit

lambnc.org. – SueAnn Howell

Knights pose with a family during the construction of a wheelchairramp for their son, a project of Operation Exodus. • North Car-olina Knights also conduct fund raisers to support persons withintellectual disabilities.

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The FortnightContinuesAmid growing threats to religious liberty,Catholics are invited to join in prayer andreflection about our first freedom

by Most Rev. William E. Lori

The FortnightContinues

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 13

Last year in Baltimore, after the opening Mass of the 2012Fortnight for Freedom, I stood on the portico of the

Basilica of the Assumption to greet members of the congre-gation as they exited the church. A young girl with her parentscame up to me, handed me a little American flag and said,“That was fun! I hope we do this a lot!”Everyone laughed, and I went on greeting the many people

who had attended Mass. Later on, though, I thought aboutthe little girl’s reaction. Although her reasons for enjoying thatMass were probably not the same as mine, I do know thatCatholics need to gather yearly to pray for religious liberty —not only for my generation but also for that little girl’s. Thatis why I was delighted when theU.S. bishops decided to organizethe Fortnight for Freedom againthis year — a 14-day period ofprayer, reflection and action to pro-mote a greater understanding of re-ligious liberty in the two weeksleading up to Independence Day.The Fortnight will officially

begin with an opening Mass in Bal-timore’s Basilica of the Assumptionon June 21 at 7 p.m. and end witha closing Mass on July 4 at noon atthe Basilica of the National Shrineof the Immaculate Conception inWashington, D.C. During this pe-riod, the Church celebrates the feastdays of two saints who are champi-ons of religious freedom: St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher.This year, dioceses across the United States will again be or-ganizing Masses, prayer gatherings, study groups, rallies andmany other activities in observance of the Fortnight.

REFLECTING ON FREEDOMWhy is it so important to continue the Fortnight for Free-dom? Some of the reasons are short-term. For example, mostreligious organizations will be forced to comply with the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services’ contraceptivemandate on Aug. 1 of this year. This will compel religious or-ganizations, regardless of their teachings, to include coveragefor abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization and contraception

in their employee health care plans. So-called accommoda-tions proposed by the administration to allay the religiousfreedom concerns of religious organizations have not im-proved the situation and may even make it worse. Further, if potential Supreme Court rulings legally redefine

marriage or otherwise contribute to the redefinition of mar-riage throughout the United States, they could cause seriousreligious freedom issues for adoption agencies run by theChurch and other religious groups. Such rulings could alsoraise concerns for immigration and humanitarian services of-fered by the Catholic Church and others. The Fortnight for Freedom is an important opportunity to

highlight these and other immediatereligious liberty issues in the UnitedStates. It offers a sobering momentfor all of us to realize how religiousfreedom has eroded over time and toask for God’s help in protecting sucha precious gift. But the Fortnight is an occasion

for even more than that. It also rep-resents a chance for us, as citizensand believers, to take stock of theimportance of religious freedom inthe American experience. Our FirstMost Cherished Liberty, a documentfrom the U.S. bishops’ Ad-HocCommittee for Religious Libertythat was published in April 2012,sums it up this way: “By the end of

the 18th century, our nation’s founders embraced freedom ofreligion as an essential condition for a free and democraticsociety.” It goes on to implore us to protect the gift of free-dom “not only for ourselves, but for all nations and peopleswho yearn to be free.”

TRUTH AND DIGNITYThe American experience of freedom and the Church’s teach-ing on human freedom and dignity are not identical. However,the Church’s social teaching equips us as both citizens and be-lievers to participate robustly in our democratic form of gov-ernment and to evangelize our society with the truth about thehuman person and the conditions for human flourishing.

“THE TRUTH ABOUT

THE HUMAN PERSON IS

THE FOUNDATION OF ALL

OUR RIGHTS, INCLUDING

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.”

A large U.S. flag hangs from the Knights’ Tower at the Basilica of the Na-tional Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., welcomingpilgrims to a Mass and Pilgrimage for Life and Liberty Oct. 14, 2012.Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore celebrated the Mass, which wasattended by nearly 6,000 people from throughout the region.

14 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A Y 2 0 1 3

Dignitatis Humanae, the groundbreaking Vatican II docu-ment on religious freedom, explains that the principle of re-ligious freedom is rooted in the dignity of the human person,who is “endowed with reason and free will and therefore priv-ileged to bear personal responsibility” (2). This principle isknown not only by revelation, but also by reason, and it al-lows human persons to fulfill their obligation to seek God.Hence religious freedom is rightly identified as a civil or con-stitutional right that is grounded in the truth about thehuman person. According to Dignitatis Humanae, all persons “should be at

once impelled by nature and also bound by a moral obligationto seek the truth, especially religious truth. They are alsobound to adhere to the truth, once it is known, and ordertheir whole lives in accord with the demands of the truth” (2). To be sure, the freedom to embrace truth might sound like

an odd idea in a culture that increasingly values opinion overtruth and even rejects the very idea that truth about the na-ture of things is both knowable and binding on our con-sciences. Yet when the very notion of truth, especially thetruth about the inviolable dignity of the human person, isdenied, democracy itself begins to falter. The truth about thehuman person is the foundation of all our rights, includingreligious freedom.

Because this principle applies to all people, the bishops haveexpressed their support not only for religious organizationsthat are in court fighting to preserve the freedom of churchinstitutions from government interference, but also for privateemployers who are in court seeking to retain the freedom torun their businesses according to Christian principles.

UNITED IN PRAYERThere is an increasing tendency on the part of many in oursociety to reduce religious liberty almost solely to freedom ofworship. This we must resist. Religious freedom surely in-cludes freedom of worship, but it also includes the freedomfor private individuals to live their faith in the workplace andto advocate in the public square those truths and values thatflow from faith. Moreover, authentic religious freedom in-cludes the freedom of churches and church organizations toconduct their schools, social services and other activities inaccordance with their beliefs and teachings. Precisely because of this tendency to reduce religious free-

dom to freedom of worship, we need to come together inprayer. We need to pray as individuals and families. We needto pray in our Knights of Columbus council meetings and atconventions. And we, the family of the Knights of Colum-bus, need to make every effort to participate wholeheartedlyin the national and local activities of this year’s Fortnight forFreedom. May we unite in protecting our first and most cherished

freedom, religious liberty!♦

ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI of Baltimore is thesupreme chaplain of the Knights of Columbus and chairmanof the U.S. bishops’ Ad-Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty.

Right: Archbishop William E. Lori delivers the homily during the openingMass for the U.S. bishops’ Fortnight for Freedom campaign at the Basilicaof the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary inBaltimore June 21, 2012. • Below: A girl distributes American flagsat the Rally for Religious Freedom June 29, 2012, at the state Capitolin Topeka, Kan.

GIRL: CNS photo/Lori Wood Habiger,

Th

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n— ARCHBISHOP LORI: CNS photo/Tom McCarthy Jr., C

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Rev

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FATHERS FOR GOOD

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 15

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

Thinkstock

Flowers, a beautiful card, a fancy restaurant. While thesetraditional Mother’s Day gifts are all very appropriate, I’dlike to suggest other ways that men can go the extra mile toshow love and respect for their wives this Mother’s Day —and every day.As men, God has called us to be leaders, providers and pro-

tectors of our marriages and families. Let us resolve to liveout these roles in a loving and consistent manner.Leader. As husbands and fathers, we must lead by service

to our families. Pope Francishas set for us an example.Speaking of the “power” ofhis office during his inaugu-ration Mass homily, theHoly Father said, “Let usnever forget that authenticpower is service.” For us fa-thers, this means showingour wives how much we lovethem each day. Don’t take itfor granted that she knowshow you feel; take the leadby scheduling date nights,picking up groceries or drycleaning on the way home,and looking for ways to help without being asked. In doingthese things, men also become good role models for their chil-dren. If a man treats his wife with love and respect, his chil-dren will do the same.Provider. If a man provides his family’s primary income,

his obligation doesn’t end with paying the bills. There areother needs that a husband must provide for, such as his wife’semotional well-being. Women typically work many morehours taking care of the family than men do. A woman maywork outside the home and then come home to cleaning,cooking, laundry and children. Men must make an effort toshare the load. You can also provide for your wife’s emotional well-being

by giving her some time away from the children each week.Take the kids out for a few hours on Saturday to give mom afew hours of peace and quiet. Your wife can relax, read, takea bath or go to the gym. Giving her time each week to collecther sanity will contribute greatly to harmony in the home.Protector. In today’s world, where there are many attacks

against marriage, family and women, men must also be strongprotectors. Protecting your wife means ensuring that no onetreats her with disrespect, including you and your children.You must always view yourself as her “knight in shiningarmor.” If anyone speaks disparagingly of her, you defend her.If one of your kids acts defiantly toward her, you’re there tocorrect. One of the greatest attacks against women today is pornog-

raphy and a culture that over-sexualizes women. Men needto let their wives know howcherished they are, especiallyin a world where immodestsexual images abound. Thismeans letting your wife knowthat you “only have eyes forher.” You can also protect yourwife by avoiding pornographyat all costs and ensuring thatno inappropriate media everenters the home. By teachingyour sons about the dangers ofpornography, you are protect-ing them from objectifyingand using women. When awoman feels safe and pro-

tected by her husband, she naturally feels loved and respected.In addition to being a great role model for your children,

being involved in their lives is a wonderful way to show howmuch you love your wife. In essence, you’re saying, “I loveyou so much that I’m not only caring for you, but also forthe ones you brought into the world.”Tangibly showing your wife how much you love her speaks

louder than words ever could. When a man embraces hisGod-given call to be a leader, provider and protector of hismarriage and family, his wife will never doubt his love andrespect for her.So this Mother’s Day, buy your wife flowers, find the right

card, remember the name of her favorite restaurant — andmake reservations! Then find ways to show her you love herevery day through your words, thoughtfulness and actions.She’ll never forget it.♦

PETER C. KLEPONIS, PH.D., is a licensed clinical therapist spe-cializing in marriage and family issues, in West Conshohocken, Pa.

Say It with ActionsMother’s Day reminds a husband of his duty to cherish his wife

and to lead, protect and provide for his family

by Peter C. Kleponis

16 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A Y 2 0 1 3

A Column of Strengthand Devotion

The Knights of Columbus helps to restore a much-venerated, centuries-old fresco painting of Mary at St. Peter’s Basilica

by Pietro Zander

During this Year of Faith, the Knights of Columbus was proud to support the challenging restorationof the ancient and venerated fresco painting of the Madonna of the Column, also known as Mater

Ecclesiae (Mother of the Church), at St. Peter’s Basilica. This important initiative gave back to the faithfulan ancient and highly venerated image of the Blessed Virgin Mary — a symbol of hope amid the challengesfacing the Church today.Beginning Dec. 8, 2012, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, experienced restorers LorenzaD’Alessandro and Giorgio Capriotti, in cooperation with the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the administrationcharged with maintenance of the basilica, started work to refurbish the painting. The restoration concludedon Ash Wednesday, Feb. 13.

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 17

Dating back approximately 600 years, the Madonna of theColumn is closely linked with the history of St. Peter’s Basil-ica. The image was originally painted in the early 15th cen-tury by an anonymous, talented artist — possibly from theTuscan school. It was located on a left-side column of the cen-tral aisle of Old St. Peter’s, which had been constructed in the4th century. Tiberio Alfarano, the great expert on St. Peter’s, and Giacomo

Grimaldi, a notary and member of St. Peter’s clergy, wrote inthe 16th century that the Madonna of the Column soon be-came the object of a special and growing devotion, related tothe many miracles that took place through her intercession.Grimaldi noted that Ludovico Bianchetti, a canon of St.Peter’s, had an altar built in front of the Madonna of the Col-umn in 1579 at his own expense, framing the image with “pre-cious fine marbles and splendid porphyry columns.” Grimaldi also recounted a story about a priest

celebrating Mass at the altar of the Madonna ofthe Column in September 1605 when a largepiece of marble cornice fell off the wall. The cel-ebrant and faithful who were present were mirac-ulously left unharmed. On Sept. 26 of that year,at the consistory that was held at the QuirinalPalace, Cardinal Archpriest Giovanni EvangelistaPallotta told the story of this incident.The dilapidated condition of Old St. Peter’s

and the need to finish construction on the newchurch in the Vatican led Pope Paul V to orderthe demolition of the remaining part of the oldbasilica. Consequently, the many altars and fu-nerary monuments within the basilica had to bedismantled. The altar of the Madonna of the Column, built

only 27 years earlier, was taken down in 1607.The shaft of the ancient column of Porta Santamarble, more than one meter in diameter, wasthen cut into pieces to save only the part with thevenerated image of the Virgin. During this com-plex project, which took workers several days to complete, thepart of the fresco with the face of the Christ Child was damagedbeyond repair. It was thus repainted by an unknown artist.On Feb. 2, 1607, the column fragment was solemnly

brought into the new Vatican Basilica and placed over thealtar built for it by the architect Giacomo della Porta. It wasplaced in the chapel of the southwest corner of the basilica,behind the so-called pillar of St. Veronica, where it remainsto this day.The Vatican Chapter, an administrative entity founded by

Pope Leo IX in the 11th century, ceremonially crowned theMadonna of the Column on Jan. 1, 1645. The painting wasamong the first to receive this distinction, as the Vatican’s prac-tice of placing precious gold crowns on venerated images of theBlessed Virgin Mary had begun only 14 years earlier.However, the precious golden crowns were torn from the

venerated image on June 2, 1798, and the painting bore themarks of this misguided and sacrilegious act. In 1825, the sil-

versmith Francesco Ossani created new golden crowns to re-place the original diadems that were cast during the turbulentdays of the Roman Republic.On Nov. 21, 1964, at the conclusion of the Second Vatican

Council’s third session, Pope Paul VI solemnly proclaimed theVirgin Mary as “Mother of the Church” to the applause of thecouncil fathers. The inscription Mater Ecclesiae was later addedin 1970 above the Madonna of the Column. Finally, after the attempt on his life on May 13, 1981,

Blessed John Paul II wished to place a mosaic of the VirginMary outside the basilica in place of one of the windows ofthe Apostolic Palace. The mosaic was inspired by the ancientand venerated painting of the Madonna of the Column, as awitness to and pledge of Our Lady’s motherly protection ofthe pope and of the whole Church. The talented craftsmen ofthe Mosaic Studio of the Fabbrica di San Pietro created the

mosaic, which measures more than eight feet tall and featuresthe crest of the late pope and his motto “Totus Tuus.” The newly completed restoration of the Madonna of the Col-

umn was preceded by several laboratory analyses using infrared,florescent and ultraviolet photography. Scientific survey andmulti-spectral imaging, combined with the use of lenses andmicroscopes, revealed important parts of the painting that werepreviously hidden: the Christ Child’s feet and left hand; agolden star; part of the face, bonnet and left sleeve of the Vir-gin; and finally, the lower part of the 17th-century oval frame.The anchoring holes of some lost chains were also identifiedand the 15th-century pictorial fragment was delimited with a

Opposite page: Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica,symbolically crowns the venerated image of Our Lady of the Column,Mother of the Church, at the end of the restoration Feb. 17. • Above:Dr. Lorenza D’Alessandro works on the restoration project.

Photos by M. Falcioni, Fabbrica di San Pietro in Vaticano

18 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A Y 2 0 1 3

very slight incision. In this way, the image of the Madonna wasalmost miraculously preserved intact on the purple background,reproducing the color of the column. Also restored was themarvelous altarpiece made of rare and precious marble inlaysthat frame and enclose the ancient painting like a treasure chest. On Feb. 17, 2013, the first Sunday of Lent, Cardinal Angelo

Comastri, archpriest of the Vatican Basilica, celebrated Mass atthe Altar of the Chair of St. Peter. Together with Bishop VittorioLanzani, delegate of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, and the clergyof the Vatican Chapter, he then processed to the altar of theMadonna of the Column. After they intoned the Salve Regina,Cardinal Comastri incensed the restored image of Our Lady. In its newfound integrity, the Madonna of the Column will

no doubt invite pilgrims and observers to greater devotion forcenturies to come.♦

DR. PIETRO ZANDER is the chief archaeologist of the Fab-brica di San Pietro, the 500-year-old pontifical organizationthat has the task of overseeing the preservation of St. Peter’sBasilica, including, since 1950, the Vatican Necropolis.

Photos by M. Falcioni, Fabbrica di San Pietro in Vaticano

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 19

Left: The fresco is pictured before and after restoration. • Above: Cardinal Comastri, joined by Bishop Vittorio Lanzani, delegate of the Fabbrica di SanPietro, and the clergy of the Vatican Chapter venerate the image of Our Lady.

NECROPOLIS: CNS photo/L

’Oss

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Ro

man

ovia Reuters

Dr. Pietro Zander of the office in charge ofconstruction matters related to St. Peter’s Basilicashows Pope Francis an image on a tablet com-puter as the pope visits the necropolis below themain basilica at the Vatican April 1. Lookingon, at right, is Bishop Vittorio Lanzani, delegateof the Fabbrica di San Pietro. The necropolis iswhere St. Peter’s tomb has been venerated sinceearly Christian times and where the first churchdedicated to him was built. The tomb is two lev-els below the main altar of the modern basilica.Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of

St. Peter’s Basilica, also accompanied Pope Fran-cis on the late-afternoon tour. He told VaticanRadio that the pope, kneeling before the tomb ofSt. Peter, repeated the three professions of faiththe Gospels report the apostle making: “Lord, youare the Christ, the son of the living God,” “Mas-ter, to whom shall we go? You have the words ofeternal life,” and “Lord, you know everything;you know I love you.” The tour of the excavatednecropolis also included the Vatican Grottoes,which have been restored with support from theKnights of Columbus. – Catholic News Service

POPE VISITS ST. PETER’S TOMB BENEATH BASILICA

An interview with Archbishop Stefan Soroka about Eastern Catholicism, Orthodoxy and traditions

by Alton J. Pelowski

Our Eastern Brothers

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 21

Since Roman Catholics comprise the vast majority of theworld’s more than 1 billion Catholics, most people todaythink the Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church aresynonymous terms. However, there are some 22 EasternCatholic Churches, which have their own ancient traditions andcustoms. In the early centuries of Christianity, disagreementsand controversies regarding authority, traditions and theologicalnuances began to grow between the Greek-speaking East, cen-tered in Constantinople, and the Latin-speaking West, centeredin Rome. This eventually resulted in the East-West Schism, alsocalled the Great Schism, of 1054. Because the Eastern CatholicChurches were once associated with the Eastern OrthodoxChurch, they share common elements with Orthodoxy in thingslike language, liturgy and artistic traditions. Nonetheless, theyremain in full communion with Rome.

In recent decades, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVIhave encouraged a greater appreciation of Eastern traditionsamong Latin-rite Catholics and have also sought to improve di-alogue with Eastern Orthodox leaders. With this in mind Co-lumbia’s managing editor, Alton Pelowski, interviewedArchbishop Stefan Soroka of the Ukrainian Greek CatholicEparchy of Philadelphia. Archbishop Soroka is a native of Win-nipeg, Manitoba, and a member of Bishop Stephen SoterOrtynsky Council 14088 in Philadelphia.

COLUMBIA: What is the distinction between Eastern andWestern Catholicism?ARCHBISHOP SOROKA: Essentially, the faith that Eastern

Catholics proclaim is the same as that of the larger CatholicChurch, but we convey our faith, our spirituality, in a differentway. For example, there are differences in the way our liturgy iscelebrated and in our liturgical vestments. There are differencesin the architectural style of the churches.When our church, the Ukrainian Catholic Church, came

back under the Holy Father in 1596, there was a provision inthe agreement which stated that the Ukrainian CatholicChurch’s rites and traditions would be respected.

COLUMBIA: How does Eastern Orthodoxy differ from EasternCatholicism?ARCHBISHOP SOROKA: The major issue pertains to the role of

Peter, the Petrine tradition and how the bishop recognizes theprimacy of the pope of Rome. There are also minor theologicaldifferences. For example, Orthodox don’t look at purgatory inthe same way that Catholics do. Beyond that, the faith that weproclaim is essentially the same.In fact, the Eastern Ukrainian Catholic Church meets annu-

ally with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for a few days. The-ologians focus on what we have in common as opposed to wherewe’re different. It’s amazing how our perceptions are perhapsmore of a blockade than any real differences.

COLUMBIA: What are some of the more common EasternCatholic Churches, particularly in North America?ARCHBISHOP SOROKA: Interestingly, America is quite unique

in the world. We have 18 of the 22 Eastern Catholic Churches,which come from different traditions. Most have bishops, andsome of them serve as bishop of all of America, even Canada.Others have a number of eparchies, or dioceses, within theUnited States. The largest tradition is the Byzantine tradition.There are also the Syro-Malankar and the Syro-MalabarChurches from India, and different smaller churches. We gatherannually at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and nowhave a separate region. We also gather annually for a meeting inApril at the Maronite Center in St. Louis.

A number of Eastern-rite bishops were among the nearly 200 members ofthe hierarchy who gathered to concelebrate the opening Mass of the Order’s126th Supreme Convention Aug. 5, 2008, in Quebec City. • An iconof Christ the Pantocrator, or All-powerful, is currently featured in a Knightsof Columbus Museum exhibition of Russian iconography.

22 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A Y 2 0 1 3

COLUMBIA: You are currently serving as Ukrainian Catholicarchbishop of Philadelphia. Unlike a Roman Catholic dio-cese, your archeparchy spans a much larger area. How doesthat work?ARCHBISHOP SOROKA: As archbishop, I cover a territory from

Eastern Pennsylvania down to Virginia. I’m also the metropoli-tan for the U.S.A. We have four eparchies. I have 70 parishesspread over six states, so it is more difficult to build a sense ofcommunity. Our communities are also dispersing. With the newimmigration that has been coming from Eastern Europe, peoplehave tended to settle in different areas where we often don’t haveparishes. We’re developing some new mission parishes, which isexciting, but we are also seeing that our membership is slowlydecreasing in some population centers.

COLUMBIA: Iconography is prominent amid Eastern Chris-tianity’s rich liturgical and artistic traditions. What exactlyare icons?ARCHBISHOP SOROKA: In today’s sense of the computer world,

everybody knows what an icon is, right? You click on it, and it’sa portal to something else. I like to use that imagery even for re-ligious icons, in the sense that they are a portal to the heavenlykingdom, a peek into the divine, a window into heaven. Iconsvery much invite us, as we sit and meditate and pray beforethem, to see through them, to see what they’re portraying to us.

They are teaching images, too. They may portray somethingfrom Scripture, a feast or a saint — teaching and evangelizingthrough the symbolism they depict, while at the same time tak-ing us to the other world, in a sense.

COLUMBIA: The Blessed Virgin Mary seems to play a promi-nent role in iconography. Are there differences between theportrayal of Mary in the East and West? ARCHBISHOP SOROKA: There are some differences, such as the

colors that are used to represent Our Lady. In Eastern icons,Mary is usually wearing a blue garment and is covered with ared cape — the blue representing humanity and the red repre-senting divinity. If you look at icons of Christ, he is wearing red,the divinity, and he puts on the blue cape, which represents thehumanity that he takes on. In the East, in particular, the Motherof God is portrayed holding Christ Jesus in a way that her armsbecome the seat of wisdom. In Latin traditions, you will oftensee her portrayed by herself. In the Eastern churches, however,she almost always has Christ in her arms, and she is always look-ing to him as he looks to us, to the world. We always see Maryas the Theotokos, the bearer of God. The tradition to venerate Mary in a special way during the

month of May is very much a Latin tradition. Our churches havetaken on that tradition, but Mary is always part of the entire jour-ney throughout the liturgical year. If you walk into any (Eastern)church, you see that Mary is predominant in all of the imageryand icons. In the liturgy, after the words of consecration, for ex-ample, the first prayer is commemorating the Mother of God.

POPE FRANCIIS:

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Left: Pope Francis receives an icon of Mary from Ecumenical PatriarchBartholomew of Constantinople at the pope’s inauguration March 20. Pa-triarch Bartholomew was the first leader of the Orthodox Church to attendthe inauguration of a Roman Catholic pope in nearly 1,000 years. •Above: A girl receives Communion from a Ukrainian Greek Catholic priestin the village of Krylos, Ukraine.

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 23

COLUMBIA: Are there other notable differences of emphasisin Eastern iconography and traditions? ARCHBISHOP SOROKA: The art of the Latin Church, it might

be said, stresses the humanity of Jesus, whereas we stress the di-vinity of Jesus; it comes across differently.Even in the feasts, there is a slightly different emphasis. East-

ern churches celebrate the Annunciation of the Mother of God,putting emphasis on who is receiving the message. The LatinChurch refers to the Annunciation of Our Lord. Similarly, wehave the feast of the Conception by St. Anne on Dec. 9, as op-posed to the feast of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8. There are some cultural differences even among the Eastern

churches. In Eastern Europe, for example, we use gold moreoften as the background of the icons, stressing the heavenly lightof Christ. In the Middle East, on the other hand, you have moreuse of the color green, which is a sacred color of that area.

COLUMBIA: Pope John Paul II emphasized that the Churchmust breathe with “two lungs.” What did he mean by thisstatement? ARCHBISHOP SOROKA: I think what Blessed John Paul was try-

ing to get across was the idea that the Eastern and Western tra-ditions are dependent on each other. The Church is richer forit; we have something to offer one another in our spirituality,our prayer and our journey to come closer to our Lord. It’s im-portant for Eastern Catholics to take on our duty to inform theLatin Church more, and for the Latin Church to become moreaware of this other “lung” of the Church. This would also thenhelp us ecumenically with the Orthodox world. Many Latin-rite Catholics do not know that, in certain situations, accordingto the Code of Canon Law, they can receive sacraments fromthe Orthodox Church. The fact that Catholics are allowed todo this says so much about what we have in common.

COLUMBIA: How have recent popes emphasized dialogue andecumenism with Eastern Orthodox Churches that are not incommunion with Rome?ARCHBISHOP SOROKA: I think John Paul introduced much of

that dialogue to create mutual understanding and respect be-tween the churches, and Pope Benedict very much encouragedit. As a result, we have come to understand one another better,and have come to understand that our misperceptions are per-haps greater than the real differences.Pope Francis, during his ministry as cardinal in Buenos Aires,

certainly conveyed openness to the Eastern churches. They saythat when he was a young student, he would make a point of get-ting up and serving as an acolyte for a Ukrainian Catholic priest.He learned our tradition, our rite, at a young age. Eventually, hewas appointed the bishop for all the Eastern churches in Argentinauntil, in some cases, their respective bishops were assigned. He isvery aware of the Eastern churches, and that’s tremendous. The presence of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Con-

stantinople, who is called “first among equals” in the Eastern Or-thodox churches, at Pope Francis’ installation Mass was a veryhopeful sign. This never happened since the split in 1054. Nearly1,000 years! And actions sometimes speak a lot louder than

words. I think it was a loud proclamation expressing opennessto ecumenical dialogue with the Holy Father and with that wholejourney that John Paul and Benedict initiated and supported.

COLUMBIA: What has been your involvement with the Knightsof Columbus, especially in relation to Eastern Catholics? ARCHBISHOP SOROKA: I’m from Canada, and there we had

tremendous involvement with Knights. The service they renderto the Church is amazing. It has been a little bit more of a chal-lenge for me to persuade Ukrainian Catholics and clergy hereabout the value of the Order, but I’m making headway on it. The Knights have been a tremendous support for me and for

pro-life programs and vocations. Even when our synod was heldhere in Philadelphia in 2007, welcoming Ukrainian Catholicbishops from around the world, the Knights came forward andhelped. It was the first synod outside of Ukraine, and theKnights assisted all of the bishops who were challenged to paythe airfare, bringing them here for that meeting. They steppedforward far beyond what one could expect. I have been a state chaplain and very much value the work of

the Knights. I don’t think they ask much of us, and frankly I don’tthink we give them enough love and support for what they do. And I’m very pleased about how receptive Knights have been

to know more about Eastern traditions. Even at the state con-vention once, there was provision for our liturgy in English tobe celebrated as a state liturgy. That kind of openness is so in-spiring. It speaks of breathing with two lungs.

COLUMBIA: Do you plan to be involved with the next WorldMeeting of Families, which will be in Philadelphia in 2015?ARCHBISHOP SOROKA: Very much so. I’ve written to the cardi-

nal in charge of that gathering and have also met with Arch-bishop [Charles J.] Chaput. We are very much committed tobeing fully involved and anticipate walking away from that gath-ering with even more energy and resourcefulness.♦

WINDOWS INTO HEAVEN

The renowned tradition of iconsin Russia has endured for more thana millennium. Following the Byzan-tine practice from which it origi-nated, Russian iconography wasintroduced in the 10th century as ameans of fostering religious under-standing and developed over timewith its own distinctions and styles.

The Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven,Conn., is pleased to share more than 225 examples ofRussian Orthodox iconography, along with other liturgi-cal and devotional items, in a new exhibition. Titled Win-dows into Heaven: Russian Icons & Treasures, the exhibitionruns through April 27, 2014.♦

Roughly an hour after white smoke billowed from the Sis-tine Chapel on March 13, French Cardinal Jean-Louis

Tauran stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to an-nounce in Latin: “Habemus papam.” Minutes later, the world met Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio,

previously archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, but now the266th pope, the earthlyshepherd of the world’s 1.2billion Catholics. The con-clave of cardinals decidedin just two days and fivevotes to make the 76-year-old the first Jesuit pope, thefirst from the Americas andthe third consecutive non-Italian.There was another first, as

well, in Cardinal Bergoglio’staking the name Francis.Since none of his predeces-sors had chosen this name,many speculated that thenew pope would be unique.One wonders just how

long Cardinal Bergoglio hadto ponder his choice of apapal name. In a press inter-view three days after his election, Pope Francis said he was in-spired to take his name shortly before his election wasconfirmed. As two-thirds of the votes accumulated in his favor,one of his closest friends, Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes,who was seated next to him, embraced him and said, “Don’t for-get the poor!”Pope Francis recalled, “That is how the name came into my

heart: Francis of Assisi. For me, he is the man of poverty, theman of peace, the man who loves and protects creation.”

A MODEL OF POVERTYSt. Francis of Assisi, one of the Church’s most beloved saints,was born in the Umbria region of Italy in 1181 and baptizedwith the name Giovanni, after St. John the Baptist. The son ofa wealthy merchant who often traveled to France, Giovanni wasnicknamed Francesco (Francis) and schooled to become a busi-nessman like his father.

Francesco was quite the bon vivant for most of his youngerlife thanks to his wealthy family and the permissive times inItaly. Around age 25, after a series of setbacks as a soldier andwhile praying for direction, Francis had a spiritual awakeningand chose to forego his worldly wealth. He was then called byChrist in a vision to “repair my house, which, as you can see, is

falling into ruins.” At first,Francesco thought Christmeant for him to rebuild thewalls of the dilapidatedchurch in which he waspraying. He eventually real-ized that he was called to re-form the Church herself,which was mired in worldlyconcerns.With the permission of

Pope Innocent III, Francescoformed the Franciscan orderof itinerant friars to care forthe poor and spread the mes-sage of Christ. Althoughnever a priest (he was or-dained a deacon), Francis ea-gerly preached the Gospelthroughout Italy and went asfar as the Holy Land, at-

tempting to convert Muslims during the Fourth Crusade.St. Francis of Assisi loved nature, giving affectionate names

to God’s creatures and expressing solidarity with the createdorder. He also embraced poverty, passing offerings on to otherswith greater need. A man of lofty ideals and practical action, hewas simple in the way he lived, yet could be quite complex spir-itually, going to great lengths and enduring rigorous penancesto follow God’s will. His final years were marked by suffering,blindness and illness. A few years before he died in 1226, whilepraying to share in Jesus’ Passion, he received the stigmata thatmirrored the wounds of Christ’s crucifixion.Surely, the pope’s choice of the name Francis was no accident,

nor was it made lightly. Following his election, the AssociatedPress quoted his official biographer, Sergio Rubin, as saying, ‘‘Hebelieves the Church has to go to the streets, to express this close-ness of the Church and this accompaniment with those who aresuffering.’’

Pope Francis’ unique choice of papal name highlights his pastoral focus

by Francis M. Krakowski

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CNS photo/L

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What’s in a Name?

Pope Francis washes the foot of a prison inmate during the Holy Thursday Massof the Lord’s Supper at Rome’s Casal del Marmo prison for minors March 28.

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CNS photo/Octavio Duran

Pope Francis’ Argentine flock began call-ing him their “slum pope” out of respectfor his remarkable history of service to thesick and impoverished in his country,where he regularly visited hospitals andhospices, and often washed patients’ feet.Stories spread about his chosen life of

humility and simplicity — staying in asmall apartment rather than the cardinal’spalace; riding by bus and subway; cookingfor himself rather than maintaining ahouse staff; and many other acts that en-deared him to his flock. To many Church scholars, the fact that

a Jesuit would choose a Franciscan namewas shocking because Franciscans and Je-suits often clashed ideologically with oneanother in the past. Pope Clement XIV,himself a Franciscan, actually suppressedthe Jesuit order, or Society of Jesus, in1773 in response to political pressure.Some of Cardinal Bergoglio’s colleaguesjoked that he should have taken the nameClement to even the score a bit. Heshowed instead a spirit of solidarity andreconciliation, signaling that prior enmi-ties should be put to rest.

TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTHWhile the pope has claimed St. Francis ofAssisi as his patron, other saints namedFrancis will likely have a place in his lifeas well. There are, in fact, more than 50Catholic saints with the name Francis, in-cluding St. Francis Xavier (1506-1551),the Spanish-born co-founder of the Society of Jesus, and St.Francis de Sales (1567-1622), the beloved bishop and doctor ofthe Church. St. Francis Xavier demonstrated exceptional missionary zeal

and charity in tending to the sick, two priorities of Pope Francis.Xavier traveled to India, Southeast Asia and Japan, baptizingthousands, building numerous churches and sometimes walkingthe streets ringing a bell to call children to catechism classes. Hedied on an island off the coast of China and holds the title co-patron of foreign missions.In his planned apostolic voyages, including a trip back to

South America for World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,this summer, Pope Francis will take on the role of a modern mis-sionary. As a 21st-century pontiff, he will have technology toassist him in this important mission, but his most effective wit-ness will be the great pastoral gifts he has already shown in the

first weeks of his papacy. Just as his namesakes boldly broughtthe faith to the world, Pope Francis will need to re-present theGospel to a world that has heard the name of Jesus but has oftenfailed to embrace him. The pope will need all of his pastoral ex-perience, intellectual abilities, compassion and political savvy todeal with the multitude of moral, social and political problemsconfronting the Church and the world today.We can have confidence that the simplicity, charity and quiet

peacefulness of St. Francis of Assisi, as well as the intense mis-sionary zeal of St. Francis Xavier, will have a tremendous influ-ence on the pope’s decisions and actions. Many blessings willsurely flow from the hand of God through such excellent pa-trons who share his name.♦

FRANCIS M. KRAKOWSKI is a retired physician and past grand knightof St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Council 14990 in Hellertown, Pa.

St. Francis is pictured preaching to the birds inthis fresco in the upper church of the Basilica ofSt. Francis in Assisi, Italy.

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funds will be used to establishand maintain a honoris (aplace of honor) to Father Mc-Givney at St. Patrick Basilicain Ottawa. Both the commit-tee and the agency aim to in-crease devotion to FatherMcGivney through this site.

COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR

Epiphany Council 11033 inSan Francisco held a healthfair with medical profession-als from the Seton MedicalCenter in Daly City. About50 people attended theevent to avail themselves offree information, x-rays,consultations, blood pres-sure checks and haircuts.The Knights served as run-ners, accompanying patientsbetween the cafeteria andvarious stations.

YEARLY CENSUSAt the request of their pastor,members of St. Philip Coun-cil 11087 in Greenville, R.I.,conducted the yearly Masscensus that is required bythe Diocese of Providence.Knights covered each of sixweekend Masses to ensure anaccurate count.

the facility’s porch andmoved materials in and outof storage. Knights andScouts frequently work at thenursing home by painting,performing yard work, prun-ing trees and more.

GOOD SIBLINGSSt. Eugene Council 14417 inChepachet, R.I., hosted aclothing drive to benefit BigBrothers and Big Sisters.Knights collected 325pounds of clothing worth ap-proximately $1,000.

WEEKEND BACKPACKS

St. Paul the First HermitCouncil 14222 in Summer-field, Fla., adopted Lake WeirMiddle School to supply theschool with 20 backpacks forneedy children. Although thechildren receive free meals atschool, the backpacks arefilled with food for them andtheir siblings to eat on theweekend.

SPAGHETTI DINNEROur Lady of Victory Council5613 in Tallmadge, Ohio,hosted its annual spaghetti

BARBECUE FORORGAN

St. Joseph Council 443 inNew York, N.Y., hosted achicken barbecue to raisemoney for a new organ atVisitation Church in theBronx. The barbecue raised$2,250 to help purchase thenew organ.

40 ROSARIES FOR LIFE

St. Anthony Council 12482in Des Moines, Iowa,launched an initiative called“40 Knights Rosary for Life”to correspond with a local40 Days for Life campaign.Knights and their familiessigned up to pray the rosaryon particular days duringthe length of the campaignto bring awareness to pro-life issues.

NURSING HOMEASSISTANCE

Risen Saviour Council 8741in Albuquerque, N.M., andBoy Scout Troop 200, whichis sponsored by the council,volunteered for several proj-ects at St. Mary’s NursingHome. Volunteers painted

KNIGHTS ACTION REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLESIN

Members of Christ the KingCouncil 6863 in Tago, Min-danao, physically lift andtransport a steel-reinforcedbamboo pavilion that wasused during a communitycelebration. Knights pro-vided support to the event inmultiple ways.

Jerry Ramirez (far left) of St. Vincent de Paul Council 13927in Austin, Texas, calls for more food while serving lunch toconstruction workers at St. Vincent de Paul Church. Knightsserved lunch to the construction crew that was building thenew church, which was dedicated in December 2012.

Members of San JuanBautista Council 1543 in SanJuan, Puerto Rico, participatein a pro-life march in Old SanJuan. The goal of the two-mile march, which featuredparticipants from several areachurches and organizations,was to bring awareness topro-life and pro-family issues.An estimated 4,000 peopletook part.

dinner. Sixteen Knightscooked and served more than110 dinners to those in atten-dance. Along with a 50-50raffle and a raffle for a newiPad, the event raised morethan $850 for the council’scharitable fund.

RECTORY PAINTEDOur Lady of Fatima Council3118 in Fergus Falls, Minn.,painted the new rectory atOur Lady of Victory Church.Fourteen Knights and twowives volunteered alongsideFather Greg Paffel, pastor ofOur Lady of Fatima Church,to get the rectory ready foroccupation.

RICE SOLDVirgin Islands Council 6187in St. Thomas, USVI, soldrice at the St. Peter and PaulHospitality Lounge. Proceedsfrom the sales were added tothe council’s charitable fund.

MCGIVNEY HONORISGeneral Agent Marc Madoredonated $2,000 to MichaelO’Neill, chair of the Venera-ble Michael J. McGivneyHonoris Committee. The

KNIGHTS IN ACTION

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 27

year raising funds to purchasea statue of St. Elizabeth AnnSeton for St. Elizabeth AnnSeton Church. Knights ledthe fundraising effort amongfour other groups, includingthe council’s own ladies’ aux-iliary. Father Francis DeignanAssembly provided an honorguard for the statue’s blessingand dedication.

DOWNSPOUTS INSTALLED

Karl A. Christ Jr. Council12778 in Heber Springs,Ark., installed undergrounddrains for the downspoutsalong the portico of St. Al-bert Church, diverting thewater from the walkway infront of the church. Thiseliminates a hazard created byprecipitation, freezing rainand snowmelt.

BREAKING THE CYCLE

Msgr. Joseph O’Keefe Assem-bly in Akron, Ohio, attendeda dinner at the IntervalBrotherhood Home, a resi-dential drug and alcoholabuse clinic that primarilyserves the indigent popula-tion of the area. Knights pre-sented a donation to the

facility at the event. Over thepast 25 years, the assemblyhas donated more than$60,000 to the home.

MEALS FOR FOOD BANK

Our Lady of Peace Council11378 in North Brunswick,N.J., partnered with a localrestaurant to host a fundraiserfor the North BrunswickFood Bank. In the wake ofthe economic downturn, thefood bank has seen a signifi-cant uptick in clients. Knightssold more than 280 tickets tothe fundraiser, which raisedapproximately $2,400.

SQUIRES CONSTRUCTION

South Plainfield (N.J.) Cir-cle 5295 constructed awheelchair ramp for RichardYurek, a member of SouthPlainfield Council 6203who uses a wheelchair.Under the supervision ofseveral Knights, 22 Squiresundertook the project frominception to completion.Circle 5295 is no stranger toconstruction projects. Thecircle has built three wheel-chairs and painted a numberof houses.

MAKING COPIESPadre Francisco GarcesCouncil 9378 in Yuma, Ariz.,donated funds to ImmaculateConception Parish to pur-chase a new copy machineafter the one in the parish of-fice broke down.

OUT TO THE BALL GAME

The Knights of ColumbusQueens County (N.Y.) Con-ference hosted a fundraiser atCiti Field. Knights sold tick-ets to a baseball game be-tween the New York Metsand the Baltimore Orioles,raising $15,000 for St. Mary’sHealth Care System for Chil-dren in Bayside.

HAMBURGER BARBECUE

Southwest Council 3910 inHouston hosted a hamburgerbarbecue at St. Thomas MoreChurch. Knights servedburgers to approximately 300parishioners and area resi-dents, with proceeds from theevent added to the council’scharitable fund.

PARISH WORK DAYOur Lady of Lourdes Coun-cil 9731 in Magna, Utah, vol-unteered to remove paintsplatter from the windows ofOur Lady of LourdesChurch. Knights also re-paired a broken sprinklerhead, fixed several damagedwindow frames, spread fertil-izer on the front lawn and cutdown an overgrown tree.

TABLETS FOR STUDENTS

St. James Council 4949 inVernon, British Columbia,donated $3,500 to St. JamesSchool to purchase tabletcomputers for students withspecial needs.

STATUE DONATEDMsgr. Gregory KennedyCouncil 10499 in OceanSprings, Miss., spent nearly a

Al Patin (left) and Joe Connelly of Transfiguration Council 10362in Marietta, Ga., prepare to spread wood chips at a nature trailthat the council created at Transfiguration Church. Thirty-twoKnights worked seven weeks to clear a path and spread mulchalong a creek bordering church property.

NEWS FROM THEYEAR OF FAITH

• On Nov. 3, 2012, membersof Woodlawn Council 2161 inAliquippa, Pa., joined pilgrims inRome for an international pil-grimage to celebrate the fifth an-niversary of Pope Benedict XVI’sapostolic letter, SummorumPontificum, and to open theYear of Faith. In the morning, thepilgrims gathered in the Churchof San Salvatore in Lauro, acrossthe Tiber River from the Vatican,for exposition of the BlessedSacrament and silent prayer.Shortly thereafter, the pilgrimsbegan their procession toSt. Peter’s Basilica, with Knightscarrying the Order’s flag.

• Bishop Griffin Assembly inMercer County, N.J., BishopGeorge W. Ahr Assembly in Al-lentown and Anima Christi As-sembly in Berlin provided anhonor guard for a High LatinMass that was celebrated at St.Hedwig Church in Trenton.Broadcast by EWTN and held inhonor of the Year of Faith, thiswas reportedly the first Mass ofthis kind celebrated in the diocesein more than 40 years.

• In honor of the Year of Faith,Upper Hamilton (Ontario)Council 5860 sponsored the Vat-ican International Exhibit of theEucharistic Miracles of the Worldat its council hall. The exhibit wasopen to parishioners from five areachurches and 200 schoolchildren.In addition to providing a venuefor the exhibition, the council alsoprovided funding for a “children’sversion” of the exhibit.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION

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Roberto Canales (left) of SanJuan Bosco Council 10087 inMiami looks on as councilmember Evert Barrera fits anew bicycle helmet onRoberto’s son, Fernando.Knights teamed with theEpilepsy Foundation ofFlorida for a helmet drive ti-tled “Use Your Helmet, NotYour Head,” which distributedhelmets to 200 people rang-ing from toddlers to adults.

trivia night fundraiser at theSouth Plainfield Senior Cen-ter. More than 70 people at-tended the event, whichraised about $2,000 for theMake-A-Wish Foundation.The winning team, TheGreen Machine, also donatedits winnings back to thecouncil.

APPRECIATION EVENT

Members of Father PauwelynAssembly in Billings, Mont.,and their families volunteeredat a military appreciationevent at a local restaurant.Knights offered beveragesand snacks to the more than1,700 veterans and militarypersonnel who waited in lineto receive a free meal.Knights also thanked all ofthose in attendance for theirservice.

BONE MARROW REGISTRATION

In conjunction with theBe the Match Foundation,St. Joseph Council 4599 inSmyrna, Ga., undertook the“Leah Anderson Bone Mar-row Drive” at St. JosephChurch. Knights helped addmore than 80 people to the

ROAST BEEF DINNER

St. Dominique Council 9619in Sudbury, Ontario, hosteda roast beef dinner to help aneighboring parish, St. JohnBréboeuf, make repairs to itschurch. The dinner raised$2,000.

PRO-LIFE FILMSCREENING, DINNERSt. Christopher Council4295 in Union Center, Wis.,sponsored a respect-lifefundraiser for the councils ofWisconsin District #20. Thecouncil screened the film Oc-tober Baby and hosted aspaghetti dinner at St. PatrickChurch. These events, cou-pled with donations from thecouncils throughout the dis-trict, raised $3,100 for theWomen’s Care Center inMadison.

TRIVIA NIGHTSouth Plainfield (N.J.)Council 6203 held its annual

ping bags to parishioners,which the council membersasked churchgoers to fill overa two-week period.

HABITAT DONATIONBlessed Trinity Circle 5146 inGreer, S.C., donated $500 toHabitat for Humanity ofGreenville County.

SIDEWALK REPLACED

Members of Moose Moun-tain Council 10317 in Car-lyle, Saskatchewan, spent twodays removing old cementfrom the front of their churchand creating a new sidewalkin front of the church andrectory. The town of Carlylepaid for the cement whilecouncil members providedthe physical labor.bone marrow registry and

served a pancake breakfast toeveryone in attendance. Do-nations to benefit Leah An-derson, a local girl withleukemia, and Be the Matchexceeded $1,000.

VIETNAMESE DINNER

Our Lady of Vietnam Coun-cil 11769 in Silver Spring,Md., volunteered at a Viet-namese dinner for local sem-inarians. Knights, under thedirection of seminarianPhilip Phan, helped serve atraditional Vietnamese meal.The evening also includedthe screening of a film aboutthe Vietnamese Martyrs.

RUMMAGE SALESt. Michael Council 12820in London, Ontario, hosted arummage sale that raised$3,000 for its parish.

GROCERIES FOR THE NEEDY

St. Vincent de Paul Council9528 in Windsor, Ontario,hosted a food drive at itsparish that netted approxi-mately 4,000 pounds of foodfor a local food bank. Knightsdistributed 200 reusable shop-

Members of Onawa-Blencoe (Iowa) Council 6249 use con-crete forms to decorate the base for a Ten Commandmentsmonument at St. John Church. Knights undertook the con-struction and placement of the monument, preparing the sitewith a concrete base that will be lighted and landscaped.

Deacon Joseph Beebe andFather James Dabrowskilook on as a young parish-ioner rings the new bell thatwas donated to St. SimonStock Church by ArchangelCouncil 7429 in Berlin, N.J.St. Simon Parish was estab-lished in 2009 after two localparishes were forced tomerge. In 2011, Knightstransported the 250-poundbell from one of the oldchurches and worked overthe next two years to raise$4,500 to construct a newbell tower at St. Simon.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION

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Members of Western Batan-gas (Luzon) Council 4668and Immaculate ConceptionCircle 1704 hold a giantrosary made of balloons dur-ing a rosary celebration.Knights and Squires took tothe street to pray the rosarybefore releasing it into the air.

The drive raised $25,796 —enough to purchase 171wheelchairs for needy recipi-ents in Mexico. Meanwhile,St. Timothy Council 12834in Laguna Niguel, Calif.,hosted a similar fund drive atits parish. Knights placed asample wheelchair in theirchurch along with a collec-tion basket seeking dona-tions. In all, Knights raisedenough money to purchase72 wheelchairs for veterans inOrange County.

VOCATIONS PRAYERSERVICE

St. Kieran Council 13983 inShelby Township, Mich.,conducted a prayer service forpriestly vocations at its parish.More than 70 people at-tended the service, with rep-resentatives from four nearbyK of C councils also present.The prayer service included arosary and reflection, fol-lowed by light refreshments.

EDUCATION SUPPLIES

Father Irenee BouchardCouncil 8189 in Beresford,New Brunswick, donated

PRO-LIFE RUNSt. Peter Council 12588 inSlinger, Wis., co-sponsored a5K walk/run to raise fundsfor a local pregnancy resourcecenter. The event saw 130participants and raised about$1,300.

WHEELCHAIR DRIVEShaun P. O’Brien-Prince ofPeace Council 11716 inPlano, Texas, held a wheel-chair drive at its parish overtwo weekends to benefit theGlobal Wheelchair Mission.

life and a statue of BlessedJohn Paul II.

TREE FELLEDMembers of Brother MathiasBarrett Council 10560 andSt. Joseph the Worker Assem-bly, both in Albuquerque,N.M., felled a dead tree forthe St. Thomas AquinasNewman Center, located onthe campus of the Universityof New Mexico.

$5,000 and $3,000 to twoarea schools. The funds willbe used to purchase an inter-active smart board and tocover the cost of student ac-tivities, respectively.

CAPITAL CONTRIBUTION

Father Maurice J. WolfeCouncil 11372 in Abing-don, Md., donated $1,500toward the capital campaignat St. Francis de SalesChurch. The funds will beused to renovate the churchto accommodate its growingnumber of parishioners.

RESPECT LIFE GARDEN

Columbian Council 2191 inBatavia, Ill., worked with theRespect Life Committee atSt. Peter Church to financeand build a respect-life gar-den at the church. Knightsand parishioners raisedmoney for the project by sell-ing memorial bricks. Knightsalso assisted with construc-tion and landscaping. Thefinal garden features a lowstone wall with plaques de-picting the various stages of

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Martin Troncoso II of GoodShepherd Council 6358 inSchertz, Texas, paints theoutside of a new home at aHabitat for Humanity projectin San Antonio. Knights as-sisted with all aspects ofbuilding the home, their 14thin recent years.

The team “Samson’s Strongmen,” comprised of members of Our Lady of Hope Council 12791 in Potomac Falls, Va., strainsto pull a FedEx plane 12 feet during the annual Plane Pull at Dulles International Airport. Knights pulled the 160,000-poundplane in 7.014 seconds, raising money for Virginia Special Olympics in the process.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION

30 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A Y 2 0 1 3

and transmission equipmentthere, valued at $105,000,which support the station’sbroadcast. Money for theequipment was raised after ayear of fundraising.

DINNER FOR SENIORS

Father Alexander C. DenisCouncil 7087 in Kiln, Miss.,and Sacred Heart Council12331 in Dedeaux co-spon-sored their annual dinner forsenior citizens. More than150 seniors attended theevent, which also featuredmusical entertainment andgames of bingo.

PRO-LIFE BILLBOARDS

Salina (Kan.) Council 601erected two permanent pro-life billboards along I-70 andI-135, respectively.

MARIAN GROTTOSt. Joseph the Worker Coun-cil 13356 in Victoria, BritishColumbia, built a new Mar-ian grotto at St. Joseph theWorker Church. The shrineincludes memorial plaques,granite benches, and trees

PARISH MEN’S RETREAT

St. Wenceslaus Council10909 in Omaha, Neb.,sponsored a weekend retreatat St. Benedict’s Retreat Cen-ter in Schuyler for the men ofSt. Wenceslaus Parish. Forty-three men participated in theevent, which featured time toreflect on one’s faith and thenew evangelization.

DINNER-DANCESt. Anne Council 8709 inLodi, Calif., hosted a priestlyappreciation dinner-dancethat raised $3,200 forSt. Anne Church.

A CLEAR SIGNALBryan (Ohio) Council 1915,along with Redeemer Radio,celebrated the blessing of aradio tower that will bringthe Catholic radio station tolisteners in Northwest Ohioand Northeast Indiana.Knights rent space on thetower and own a building

and plants purchased inmemory of loved ones tohelp defray the cost of thegrotto.

HEALTH WATCHMalolos (Luzon) Council3710 spearheaded a healthwatch program at its councilhall with support from a localmedical service provider.

STUDENT SOCIALJames Madison UniversityCouncil 9286 in Harrison-burg, Va., hosted a studentsocial to raise funds for pos-tural orthostatic tachycardiasyndrome research. Afterlearning that a council mem-ber’s sister-in-law had beendiagnosed with the little-known disease, Knightsstepped forward to help.With the support of the cam-pus community, the eventraised $200 for the MayoClinic to continue its re-search into a cure.

COLUMBUS CUP SOCCER

San Pedro and San PabloCouncil 15218 in Mata-moros, Mexico Northeast,

Members of Miraculous Medal Council 11188 in Columbus,Ohio, haul a load of new shingles onto the roof of a garageat the Church of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Knights,along with Squires from Miraculous Medal Circle 4624, re-paired the garage’s leaky roof in the course of a single day.Proceeds from a benefit dinner prior to the project were usedto purchase building materials.

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See more “Knights in Action” reports and

photos atwww.kofc.org/knightsinaction

Members of Cotabato City(Mindanao) Council 3504distribute medication to twoboys at a council-sponsoredfeeding and medical event.Knights and Squires fromCotabato City Circle 1515co-sponsored the event, inwhich they fed and providedmedication to more than 500children from area day caresand villages.

hosted its seventh “Colum-bus Cup” soccer tourna-ment, which drew six teamsrepresenting both public andreligious schools. At theevent, Knights also servedmore than 300 hot dogs toplayers, their families andother spectators.

HISTORY TALKBienville Assembly in NewOrleans hosted a talk by BertStolier, a warrant officer fromthe U.S. Marines who sur-vived the attack on Pearl Har-bor and who went on to havea distinguished career in thePacific theater during WorldWar II.

SOCKS FOR SIBERIAOur Lady of the SacredHeart Council 11080 inWest Brookfield, Mass., helda charity dinner to benefitSocks for Siberia, an organi-zation founded by KnightWallace Connor and hiswife, Michele, to support theneeds of orphan children inthe Khakassia and Krasno-yarsk regions of Russia. Thedinner netted $875 for theorganization.

COMPUTER CAFÉSanta Clarita (Calif.) Assem-bly sponsored the creation ofa cyber café at the VA Sepul-veda Ambulatory Care Cen-ter in North Hills. Knightsdonated $3,000 to outfit thecafé with computer hardwarethat will allow veterans at thecenter to surf the Internet,check email and keep track ofmedical records.

PROMOTIONAL & GIFT ITEMS

Control No. State CodeO F F I C E U S E O N LY

Promotional and Gift Department78 Meadow Street

New Haven, CT 06519-1759PHONE: 203-752-4216 or 203-752-4425

FAX: 1-800-266-6340All prices in U.S. currency — No C.O.D.

Products available in the U.S. and Canada only

NAME

STREET

CITY/STATE/PROVINCE

ZIP OR POSTAL CODE

DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER

CREDIT CARD BILLING ADDRESSq CHECK IF SAME AS SHIPPING ADDRESS

NAME

STREET

CITY STATE/PROVINCE

ZIP/POSTAL CODE

CREDIT CARD BILLING INFORMATIONDO NOT MAIL FAX ORDERS M.C. q VISA q

Expiration Date: Month Year

Signature

* Make check or money order out to: “Knights of Columbus Supreme Council”

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 31

Qty. Item No. Price Each TOTAL

SHIPPING AND HANDLING $ 9CT residents add 6.35% sales tax

TOTAL

Check/Money Order No.* Amount

q CHECK HERE TO RECEIVE A FREE GIFT CATALOG

OFFICIAL MAY 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

ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK, EDITORIALMATTER, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILEDTO: COLUMBIA, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.REJECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IF ACCOMPANIEDBY A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE.PURCHASED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED. OPINIONSBY WRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILYREPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES — IN THE U.S.: 1 YEAR, $6; 2 YEARS,$11; 3 YEARS, $15. FOR OTHER COUNTRIES ADD $2 PER YEAR.EXCEPT FOR CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS, PAYMENT IN U.S. CUR-RENCY ONLY. SEND ORDERS AND CHECKS TO: ACCOUNTINGDEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869/USPS #123-740) IS PUB-LISHED MONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS,1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326.PHONE: 203-752-4000, www.kofc.org. PRODUCED INUSA. COPYRIGHT © 2013 BY KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR INPART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED.

PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NEW HAVEN, CTAND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER:SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO COLUMBIA, MEMBER-SHIP DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT06507-0901.

CANADIAN POSTMASTER — PUBLICATIONS MAILAGREEMENT NO. 1473549. RETURN UNDELIVERABLECANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS,50 MACINTOSH BOULEVARD, CONCORD, ONTARIOL4K 4P3

PHILIPPINES — FOR PHILIPPINES SECOND-CLASSMAIL AT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE. SEND RE-TURN COPIES TO KCFAPI, FRATERNAL SERVICES DE-PARTMENT, PO BOX 1511, MANILA.

Columbia® Fishing Shirts: (A.) White long-sleeve Bonehead™ shirt with several pockets andutility loops. Embroidered with “Knights of Columbus” on left breast. Available in: M (PG-506),L (PG-507), XL (PG-508) and XXL (PG-509) — $55 • (B.) Khaki short-sleeve Bonehead™shirt embroidered with “Knights of Columbus” on left breast. Available in: M (PG-570),L (PG-571), XL (PG-572) and XXL PG-573) — $55 • (C.) Blue short-sleeve Bonehead™ shirt.Available in: M (PG-536), L (PG-537), XL (PG-538) and XXL PG-539) — $55

D. Igloo® Cooler. 16-quart capacity to hold (22) 12 oz. cans plus ice or 2- to 3-liter bottles upright.“Knights of Columbus” printed on lid. PG-397 — $34

E. Cufflinks. Emblem of the Order (PG-11) or Fourth Degree Emblem (PG-12) — $45

D.

E.

A.B.

C.

VALUATION EXHIBIT OFTHE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

In compliance with the requirements of the laws of the various states, we pub-lish below a Valuation Exhibit of the Knights of Columbus as of Dec. 31,2012. The law requires that this publication shall be made of the results ofthe valuation with explanation as filed with the insurance departments.

ASSETS — Actual and Contingent1. Admitted Assets of the General Account Fund, item 26, page 2 of Annual Statement: $19,401,741,303

LIABILITIES — Actual and Contingent2. Old System Reserve — including additional reserve: $ 860,0433. New System Reserve — including D.I. and Dis. W.

(net of reins): $ 11,069,047,300 4. Reserve for accident and health certificates: $ 245,157,6975. Total per item 1 and 2, page 3 of Annual Statement: $ 11,315,065,0406. Deduct liens and interest thereon, not included in Admitted Assets,

and not in excess of required reserves on the corresponding individual certificates: None

7. Balance — Item 5 less item 6 above: $ 11,315,065,0408. Liabilities of the General Account Fund, except reserve

(items 3 to 22 incl. page 3 of Annual Statement): $ 6,250,716,9179. Liabilities — Actual and Contingent — sum of

items 7 and 8 above: $17,565,781,95710. Ratio percent of Dec. 31, 2012 — 110.45%

Assets — Actual and Dec. 31, 2011 — 110.52%Contingent (Item 1) Dec. 31, 2010 — 111.43%to liabilities — Actual Dec. 31, 2009 — 111.85%and Contingent (Item 9) Dec. 31, 2008 — 113.02%

EXPLANATIONThe above valuation indicates that, on a basis of the A.E., A.M. (5), 1941C.S.O., 1958 C.S.O., 1980 C.S.O., 2001 C.S.O., 1937 S.A., 1971 IndividualAnnuity Table, Annuity 2000 Table and 1983 “a” Tables of Mortality with in-terest at 9%, 8.75%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4.5%, 4%, 3.75%, 3.5%, 3%, 2.5%,the future assessments of the society, at the net rate now being collected, togetherwith the now invested assets of the General Account Fund are sufficient to meetall certificates as they mature by their terms, with a margin of safety of$1,835,959,346 (or 10.45%) over the above statutory standards. STATE OF: Connecticut COUNTY OF: New Haven The officers of this reporting entity, being duly sworn, each depose andsay that they are the described officers of the said reporting entity, and that onthe reporting period stated above, all of the herein described assets were theabsolute property of the said reporting entity, free and clear from any liens orclaims thereon, except as herein stated, and that this statement, together withrelated exhibits, schedules and explanations therein contained, annexed or re-ferred to, is a full and true statement of all the assets and liabilities and of thecondition and affairs of the said reporting entity as of the reporting periodstated above, and of its income and deductions therefrom for the period ended,and have been completed in accordance with the NAIC annual statement in-structions and accounting practices and procedure manual except to the extentthat: (1) state law may differ; or, (2) that state rules or regulations require dif-ferences in reporting not related to accounting practices and procedures, ac-cording to the best of their information, knowledge and belief, respectively.Furthermore, the scope of this attesta-tion by the described officers also in-cludes the related corresponding electronic filing with the NAIC, when re-quired, that is an exact copy (except for formatting differences due to electronicfiling) of the enclosed statement. The electronic filing may be requested by var-ious regulators in lieu of or in addition to the enclosed statement. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 15th day of February 2013. MARYANN LUCZAK Notary Public

CARL A. ANDERSON, President CHARLES E. MAURER JR., Secretary LOGAN T. LUDWIG, Treasurer SEAL

COLUMBIANISM BY DEGREES

32 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A Y 2 0 1 3

MEMBERS OF McGonagle Council12321 in Griffin, Ga., work with vol-unteers from Habitat for Humanity,Square Foot Ministries and the OakHill Baptist Church to replace the roofat The Caring House, a pregnancy re-source center. When Knight John P.Devlin realized that the facility neededa new roof, he mustered his fellowcouncil members, along with othervolunteers and contractors, to get thework done at a fraction of the cost.

Charity

Unity

KNIGHTS FROM Church of theNativity Council 11067 in Leawood,Kan., and St. Mary’s Council 14096in Joplin, Mo., transport a piece ofaltar furniture from the St. Mary’sChurch parish hall to the newlyrenovated church proper. Most ofSt. Mary’s was destroyed when a tor-nado ripped through the town in2011. In response to the tragedy,Church of the Nativity in Leawooddonated altar furniture and other wor-ship items for use in St. Mary’s tem-porary worship space. Councilmembers then transported these itemsto the main church when the buildinghad been repaired.

Patriotism

FAITHFUL COMMANDER JasonKwok and Faith Navigator KenRanghel of Blessed John Paul II As-sembly in Markham, Ontario, prepareto lay a wreath at a veterans memorialas part of a ceremony honoring pastand present military personnel. In ad-dition to the wreath-laying ceremony,the event also included a parade.

Fraternity

PAST STATE DEPUTY Leo Hanus(left) and Jose Escobar of Denton(Texas) Council 4771 stand with Fa-ther Manuel Holguin and his newKnights of Columbus license plate.The three Knights of Columbuscouncils from in and around Dentonworked to purchase K of C licenseplates for all the priests in the city. Fa-ther Holguin’s plate was funded byCouncil 4771.

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: COLUMBIA@KOFC.ORG.

Jerry Gulliot of Msgr. Tjebbe BekemaCouncil 12060 in Thibodaux, La., uses alift to replace the 100-year-old cross atopSt. Charles Borromeo Church after it wasknocked down some years ago during ahurricane. Knights supplied use of the liftand volunteer manpower to replace thecross at absolutely no cost to the church.

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.

M A Y 2 0 1 3 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 33

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

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‘MY GREATEST JOYWAS THE DAY IMADE MY VOWS’

As a young girl, I always saw myself travelingthe world as an accomplished gymnast or pro-fessional soccer player. I dreamed that I wouldbe married at 21 — the age my parents werewhen they got married. But when I looked tothe future I had planned for myself, I felt a deepemptiness inside.Then, during high school, I met the Ca-

puchin Sisters of Nazareth. While visiting theirconvent, I realized it is not in doing what we de-sire, but only in doing what God desires of us,that we truly find fulfillment.I entered the convent after graduation and,

during my novitiate, I met the Knights ofColumbus from our diocese who supported mein my formation. I remember one of them em-bracing me and saying, “We’re so proud of you.”I love being a Capuchin sister. My greatest joy

was the day I made my vows. Jesus made mydream come true: I was 21 on my wedding day!

SISTER CHRISTINA OF PROVIDENCECapuchin Sisters of NazarethWilliamsport, Pa.