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SEPTEMBER 2017SEPTEMBER 2017

COLUMBIACOLUMBIAKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

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COLUMBIA

D E P A R T M E N T SBuilding a better worldThrough our practice of charity andfraternity, we are called to bring thejoy of the Gospel to others.BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

Learning the faith, living the faithWe are called to look beyond ourown immediate concerns and toreach out to those most in need.BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN

ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

PLUS: Catholic Man of the Month

Knights in Action

Scholarship Recipients

Knights of Columbus NewsOrder’s Gift Displayed as a Sign ofUnity During Presidential Visit

Fathers for GoodAn Old Testament book offersabundant wisdom about the voca-tion of fatherhood.BY KEVIN DI CAMILLO

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F E AT U R E SDunkirk in ReverseTogether with other Catholic organizations, theKnights of Columbus is working to rescue those whowant to stay in their homeland.BY JOHN L. ALLEN JR.

The Love of a ShepherdThrough his life of service and martyrdom, Father Stan-ley Rother exemplified the call to missionary discipleship.BY MARÍA RUIZ SCAPERLANDA

‘Where They Need Me’Fifty years ago, Father Vincent R. Capodanno valiantly sacri-ficed his life while ministering on the battlefield in Vietnam.BY ROY WENZL

‘The Solid and Sturdy Bridge’A former communist officer in Vietnam describes how Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuân transformed his life.BY PAUL NGUYEN HOAI DUC

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY COLUMBIA STAFF

Christopher Columbus and Fake HistoryOnce the target of anti-Catholic sentiment, Columbusis often slandered by those who misrepresent his legacy.BY GERALD KORSON

Father Stanley Rother, an Oklahoma-born martyr who worked asa priest in Guatemala, is pictured at a festival in the village wherehe served the poor. He will be beatified Sept. 23 in Oklahoma City.

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EDITORIAL

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COLUMBIAPUBLISHER

Knights of Columbus________

SUPREME OFFICERSCarl A. AndersonSUPREME KNIGHT

Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D.SUPREME CHAPLAINPatrick E. Kelly

DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHTMichael J. O’ConnorSUPREME SECRETARYRonald F. SchwarzSUPREME TREASURERJohn A. MarrellaSUPREME ADVOCATE

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EDITORIALAlton J. Pelowski

EDITORAndrew J. MattMANAGING EDITORAnna M. BninskiASSOCIATE EDITOR

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, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.

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Copyright © 2017All rights reserved

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ON THE COVERIraqi Christians returning to their ancestral land

raise a wooden cross April 24 near St. George’s Monastery in Mosul.

LAST MONTH, The Wall Street Jour-nal ran an article with a title unexpectedfrom a mainstream media publication:“The Priesthood Is a Heroic Vocation.”In anticipation of St. Maximilian Kolbe’sfeast day, Aug. 14, the article began withthe story of Kolbe’s martyrdom atAuschwitz in 1941. “Catholic history isreplete with heroic stories like Kolbe’s,”the author affirmed. “The Church coulddo a better job of telling them.”This issue of Columbia includes sev-

eral such stories of saintly priests who,like St. Maximilian Kolbe, bore out-standing witness to Christ in the 20thcentury. Consider, for example, FatherVincent Capodanno, a missionaryturned U.S. military chaplain in Viet-nam (see page 16). This selfless priestcontinuously put himself in harm’s wayto serve Marines on the front lines, andSept. 4 marks 50 years since he waskilled while caring for wounded soldierson the battlefield.In 1975, eight years after Father Capo-

danno’s death, a Vietnamese bishopnamed François-Xavier Nguyen VanThuân was appointed archbishop ofSaigon and subsequently imprisoned forover 13 years by the communist govern-ment (see page 20). In his homily at Car-dinal Thuân’s funeral Mass in 2002, PopeJohn Paul II quoted the cardinal’s ownwords: “The martyrs taught us to say yes— a yes without conditions and limits tothe love of the Lord. But the martyrs alsotaught us to say no— no to flattery, tocompromise, to injustice — even withthe intent of saving one’s own life.” Car-dinal Thuân’s life, the pope concluded,

was “marked by heroic configuration withChrist on the Cross.” This past May, PopeFrancis signed a decree of heroic virtue,granting Thuân the title Venerable.Thuân’s 13 years of imprisonment

overlapped with the 13 years of FatherStanley Rother’s ministry to the nativeTz’utujil people of Guatemala (seepage 12). Raised in a farming commu-nity in Oklahoma, Rother did not setout to become a foreign missionary, letalone a martyr, when he entered semi-nary. However, when his vocation tookhim to a remote area of Guatemalaamid a civil war, he served his parish-ioners with great devotion. He refusedto abandon his flock in the face of mor-tal danger and was martyred in 1981.On Sept. 23, he will become the firstU.S.-born male to be beatified. The lives of Servant of God Father

Vincent Capodanno, Venerable NguyenVan Thuân and soon-to-be-Blessed Fa-ther Stanley Rother offer examples ofcourage not only for priests but for all ofus. They teach us to be faithful witnessesin our own vocations and attentive to theneeds of others — those “on the periph-eries.” Knights can look to these holymen, along with our founder VenerableMichael McGivney, for inspiration.Whether we are serving our families andparishes or giving much needed assis-tance to our brothers and sisters in placessuch as Iraq (see page 8), we are called togive our own unconditional “yes” in ajoyful spirit of fidelity and self-sacrifice.♦

ALTON J. PELOWSKI

EDITOR

‘A Yes Without Conditions’

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Road of Hope: The Spiritual Journey of Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan

The documentary Road of Hope: The Spiritual Journey ofCardinal Nguyen Van Thuan is currently available onDVD, Netflix and Amazon. Produced in 2008 by Canada’sSalt and Light Media Foundation with a grant from theKnights of Columbus, the 60-minute film tells the storyof the cardinal who spent more than 13 years as a politicalprisoner in Vietnam (see article on page 20). For more in-formation, visit saltandlighttv.org/roadofhope/.♦


BUILDING A BETTER WORLD


The Witness of Fraternal Communion

Through our practice of charity and fraternity, we are called to bring the joy of the Gospel to others

by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson

IN MY COLUMN last month, Idiscussed some of the ideas I pro-posed in my keynote address to theU.S. Conference of Catholic Bish-ops-sponsored Convocation ofCatholic Leaders. I would like to fol-low up in this column with some ad-ditional thoughts.In July, approximately 3,000

Catholic leaders from organizationsand dioceses around the country meton the topic of “The Joy of theGospel in America.” The convocationwas inspired by the apostolicexhortation of Pope Francistitled Evangelii Gaudium(The Joy of the Gospel).There were many impres-

sive aspects of the convoca-tion. But to me, one of themost important was the evi-dence that the Knights ofColumbus in every diocesethroughout the country is alreadybringing the “joy of the Gospel” tomillions of our fellow Catholics andto those outside our Church throughour works of charity.In Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Fran-

cis calls Catholics to be “an evangel-izing community” that is “filled withjoy” (24), a community that is “per-manently in a state of mission” (25),and a community that practices a“fraternal communion and mission-ary fruitfulness” (89).We don’t often think of our local

councils in precisely these terms. Butif we do, we can see how our coun-cils meet these criteria in so manydifferent ways.

Elsewhere in Evangelii Gaudium,Pope Francis urges Catholics to “livein fraternity” (91) and to share “a fra-ternal love capable of seeing the sacredgrandeur of our neighbor, of findingGod in every human being” (92).He writes: “I especially ask Chris-

tians in communities throughout theworld to offer a radiant and attractivewitness of fraternal communion. Leteveryone admire how you care forone another, and how you encourageand accompany one another” (99).

Last month, I wrote that this is aspecial responsibility for everyKnights of Columbus councilthroughout the world.It is a special responsibility in two

ways.First, the pope’s words are a good

way for us to measure how our coun-cils are living up to our principles ofcharity, unity and fraternity. Weshould ask ourselves just how ourcouncils offer “a radiant and attractivewitness of fraternal communion” andhow we care for each other as brotherKnights and for our families. Many ofour councils offer such a witness, butfor others there may be room for im-provement. In any event, every

Knight should take these words ofPope Francis to heart as he approachesthe work of his local council.Second, we must make a greater ef-

fort to demonstrate within ourparishes how the Knights of Colum-bus offers an authentic model of fra-ternal communion. We can offer awitness of fraternity to show how all

of us as Catholics can do abetter job of caring for oneanother and how we can en-courage and accompany oneanother in our parishes.It might be too much to

say that Knights of Colum-bus are experts in buildingfraternal communities, butfor more than 135 years,

Knights have experienced a fraternalcommunion based upon the princi-ples of charity, unity and fraternity.The insights of Evangelii Gaudium

can help us live those principles asbrother Knights in a more profoundand authentic way.The convocation was a historic op-

portunity given to us by our bishopsto respond to the pope’s call for “anew chapter of evangelization.” Butits lasting importance will only be re-alized if enough Catholics respond tothis opportunity and write a newpage in the history of Catholicism.Let each of us do our part in the

days ahead.Vivat Jesus!

We should ask ourselves how wecare for each other as brotherKnights and for our families.


LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH


PERIPHERAL VISION — what wesee “out the corner of our eye” — isimportant. If you’re driving along abusy highway, peripheral vision en-ables you to glimpse that car justemerging from your blind spot. In acrowded room, peripheral visionhelps you see people around you. Itcan also help you to notice a personwho is off to the side, overlooked orin need of attention. People sometimes suffer a loss of

peripheral vision with age anddeclining eyesight, while eventhose with 20/20 vision canmiss what should be visible tothem. At a restaurant, for in-stance, otherwise attentivewaiters sometimes seem tosuddenly lose their peripheralvision if you’re anxious to paythe check.Something similar can also happen

in the depth of one’s heart. The pe-ripheral vision of our hearts dimin-ishes if we do not make it a habit tosee beyond our own wants and needs.If our hearts ignore inconvenienttruths and realities on the right andon the left, our field of spiritual vi-sion will narrow.

THE EYES OF OUR HEARTSWe may think that our spiritual vi-sion is 20/20 because we see clearlywhat is right in front of us. A hobbymight claim most of our attention, orwe may be rightfully concernedabout things such as the well-beingof our families, our performance at

work, or long-term financial goals.It’s even possible to be so wrapped upin our own spiritual lives that we can-not see the spiritual and materialneeds of those around us.In the Gospels, Jesus teaches us,

“The lamp of the body is the eye. Ifthe eye is sound, your whole bodywill be filled with light; but if youreye is bad, your whole body will bein darkness. And if the light in you isdarkness, how great will the darkness

be” (Mt 6:22-23; see also Lk 11:34-36). Just as our physical eyes perceivenatural light, so too the eyes of ourhearts are meant to perceive the lightof God’s love and truth and the dig-nity of our neighbor.Pope Francis has repeatedly called

us to “go the peripheries.” He oncesaid in an interview, “We need tocome out of ourselves and head forthe periphery. We need to avoid thespiritual sickness of a Church that iswrapped up in its own world.” The Holy Father tells us that a self-

referential Church will grow old anddim. He challenges us not to focus sointently on our own concerns that wefail to see the needs of others. He urges

us to develop, with the help of God’sgrace, “a heart which sees” — to usea phrase from Pope Benedict XVI’sencyclical Deus Caritas Est. Ourhearts must see those who are on themargins of the Church and society. Infact, “a closed heart,” Pope Francishas observed, “cannot understand

what Christianity is.”

BEYOND OUR COMFORT ZONESWhere, then, are these periph-eries to be found? Surely, theyare found in the poorest, mostundeveloped countries onearth. Pope Francis drew at-tention to such peripheries,

for example, when he visited theCentral African Republic in 2015.Such countries are out of the line ofsight of many, if not most, who livein highly developed countries. Thepope has called our attention to theplight of refugees and immigrants byhis visit to the Italian island ofLampedusa. Thousands lose theirlives in the Mediterranean as they tryto make their way to mainland Eu-rope in rickety boats. Pope Francis has likewise called us

to focus on the plight of those perse-cuted for their Christian faith in theMiddle East and elsewhere. So oftenwe miss the fact that our fellowChristians are losing their lives and

Peripheral VisionWe are called to look beyond our own immediateconcerns and to reach out to those most in need

by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

We need to be aware of what hampers our vision, such as

attitudes of defensiveness, fear and indifference.


Offered inSolidarity withPope Francis

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

HOLY FATHER’SPRAYER INTENTION

PARISHES: That our parishes,animated by a missionary spirit,may be places where faith is com-municated and charity is seen.

CATHOLIC MAN OF THE MONTH


suffering dreadfully simply becausethey are Christians. The pope alsocalls our attention to the poor andthe sick in our midst. In the city ofBaltimore, where I reside, there existdevastated and violence-riddenneighborhoods where a sense ofhopelessness pervades the streets. There are also spiritual peripheries.

Think of the many people in everyparish who no longer attend Mass ortake part in parish activities. Wemight sometimes lament their ab-sence but, in the end, adopt an atti-tude of “out of sight, out of mind.”

The pope tells us that we must notallow these fellow Christians to es-cape our field of vision. Instead, wemust reach out to them, listen tothem, come to know their concerns,and look for opportunities to invitethem back to the faith.How, then, can we increase the pe-

ripheral vision of our hearts? First, weneed to be aware of what hampersour vision, such as attitudes of defen-siveness, fear and indifference. Next,we need, with God’s grace, to becomeadept at going beyond our comfortzones and encountering those whose

lives, viewpoints and concerns arevery different from our own. This isnot easy, but it is the attitude of eachtrue missionary disciple.Our field of vision broadens as we

encounter others with deep charity,a sense of fraternal solidarity, and adesire to break down barriers, tocreate unity. In a phrase, we mustbring to those encounters an aware-ness of God’s merciful love. Andonce our field of vision broadens,those on the peripheries are nolonger peripheral. They are squarelyin our line of sight.♦

FRANCESC CASTELLÓ Aleu wasborn April 19, 1914, in Alicante,Spain. After his father’s death threemonths later, his widowed mothermoved north to Catalonia with herthree young children. She worked as ateacher and instilled in the children alove for Christ and the Church.At age 13, Francesc enrolled in a

Marist high school and excelled at hisstudies, especially the sciences. Twoyears later, his mother suddenly died.Francesc told his sisters, “We are noworphans, but God will not abandonus.” The siblings consecrated them-selves to the Blessed Virgin, and anaunt came to their aid.In 1931, Francesc received a schol-

arship to the Jesuit college inBarcelona, and the transition resultedin a spiritual crisis for him. Jesuit Fa-ther Román Galán then invitedFrancesc to make the Spiritual Exer-cises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. With hisprayer life revived, Francesc soon be-came involved in various apostolates,including Catholic Action.After graduating with a chemistry

degree in 1934, he accepted an engi-neering job in Lleida. There, he fell in

love with Mariona Pelegrí, also a mem-ber of Catholic Action. They becameengaged May 30, 1936 — on the brinkof the Spanish Civil War.By July 1, Francesc had to report for

military service. After the July 18 coupd’etat against the government, he wasimprisoned as a suspected fascist. Heretained a joyful spirit, praying and en-couraging others.Before a Republican tribunal Sept. 29,

he rejected charges of fascist affiliationbut affirmed his Catholicism. After pen-ning three letters — to his sisters, FatherGalán and his fiancée — he was takenbefore a firing squad. “I forgive you all,”were his final words. Pope John Paul IIbeatified Francesc Castelló Aleu with232 companions on March 11, 2001.♦

Blessed Francesc CastellóAleu (1914-1936)

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS


LEFT: Knights of Columbus Multimedia Archive —

RIGHT: AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool

Order’s Gift Displayed as a Sign of Unity During Presidential Visit

ON JULY 13, U.S. President Donald Trump and first ladyMelania Trump visited the tomb of Marshal Ferdinand Foch,allied supreme commander during World War I, at the royalchapel of the Hôtel national des Invalides in Paris. WithFrench President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte,they viewed the golden baton that was given to Marshal Fochby the Knights of Columbus during a K of C pilgrimage toFrance in 1920.As this year marks the 100th anniversary of the United

States entering World War I, President Macron chose to visitFoch’s tomb and exhibit the baton in recognition of the his-toric bonds between the two countries. He also invited Pres-ident Trump to participate in Bastille Day celebrations,including a parade featuring U.S. servicemen, including sol-diers from the Army’s 1st Infantry Division — the first U.S.unit to set foot on French soil in 1917.Ferdinand Foch took command of the Allied troops in

March 1918 and was responsible for winning the SecondBattle of the Marne in July 1918, which proved to be a turn-ing point in the war. On Aug. 6, Foch received the honorof marshal of France.The dramatic victories on the western front prompted the

Supreme Council’s unanimous vote, during the 36thSupreme Convention in New York City, to honor Foch witha marshal’s baton.On Aug. 7, 1918, Supreme Knight James A. Flaherty sent

a message to Foch, informing him of the resolution. It readin part: “We have enthusiastically cheered your gloriousname when we heard of the supreme honor conferred upon

the victor of the second Battle of the Marne. Allied foreverwith heroic France, America never forgets that generousLafayette formerly left his Garrison of Metz to help our an-cestors fighting for Liberty.”Foch was held in such esteem that the Order commis-

sioned Tiffany & Co. to produce the most illustrious batonever presented to a marshal of France. Crafted largely ofCalifornia gold, it also contains lapis-lazuli enamel fromOregon, sapphires from Montana, copper from Coloradoand ore alloy from Pennsylvania. Set in a field of blue, 51stars bear the names of states and territories.At the base of the 21.5-inch baton are embossed the

names of Marshal Foch’s major victories together with thewords Terror belli, decus pacis — “Terrible in war, gentle inpeace.” The inscription “Marechal Ferdinand Foch, 1914-1919” is surrounded by the arms of France, the UnitedStates, Lorraine’s dual cross and the emblem of the Knightsof Columbus.Supreme Knight Flaherty, accompanied by 250 Knights,

presented the baton to Marshal Foch in 1920 in Metz,France, following the unveiling of a statue of Lafayette com-missioned by the Order as a gift to France. Marshal Fochbrought the baton to the United States the next year, whenhe became a member of the Knights of Columbus inChicago Nov. 6, 1921.While in France for the 2014 Warriors to Lourdes pil-

grimage, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson had the oppor-tunity to examine the baton during a visit to the Musée del’Armée at Les Invalides in Paris, where it is housed.♦

From left: During the 1920 K of C pilgrimage to France, Supreme Knight James A. Flaherty stands with Marshal Foch, the supreme alliedcommander during World War I, to whom he presented a ceremonial baton. • Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson is granted a special viewingof the baton in 2014, in the Musée de l’Armée at Les Invalides in Paris. • French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes U.S. PresidentDonald Trump and first lady Melania Trump to Foch’s tomb July 13, where the baton is specially displayed for the U.S. president’s visit.


FATHERS FOR GOOD

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


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Who is your favorite father figure in the Bible? For goodreason, St. Joseph is invoked as the patron of fathers.

Yet for all his virtues, no words of Joseph are recorded in theBible. Surely, I am not the only dad who could use moreguidance from the guardian of the Redeemer.When I seek some biblical fatherly advice, I often lookto the Old Testament Book of Tobit, which features a fa-ther-son relationship that is a timeless model for us whoare both fathers and sons.Tobit, who becomes blindat the beginning of the book,teaches his son Tobiah the im-portance of caring for his eld-ers, including the respectfulrepose of their remains, aswell as the need to care for hismother when she becomes awidow.Tobit says to his son,“When I die, give me a decentburial. Honor your mother,and do not abandon her aslong as she lives” (Tobit 4:3).A series of admonitions fol-lows: “Keep the Lord inmind, and suppress every de-sire to sin.… Perform goodworks all the days of your life.… Give alms from your pos-sessions. Do not turn away from any of the poor, and God’sface will not be turned away from you. … Be on guard,son, from every form of immorality” (4:5-12).Tobit then stresses loyalty to family and tribe, urging hisson to “love your kinsmen” and take a wife from amongthem (4:13). Yet he also tells him to be fair and just tostrangers and sojourners by paying his laborers promptlyand refraining from doing to others “what you yourself dis-like” (4:15).If Tobiah follows these fatherly commands, God will re-ward him, just as Tobit leaves his son a great sum of moneythat ultimately symbolizes God’s blessings. “You will be arich man if you fear God, avoid all sin, and do what is rightbefore the Lord your God” (4:21).The Book of Tobit is much more than a list of wise say-ings and fatherly instructions. Fourteen chapters long, it

tells a gripping tale of human and divine action that couldbe packaged today as a bestseller. There are angels anddemons; a killer fish and a loyal dog; true love and faithfulfriendship; hymns and laments; miraculous healings;money and revenge; secret signs, spells and signets; a dra-matic wedding; death and burial; and a happy ending. One memorable character is Raphael, an angel disguisedas a young man, who accompanies Tobiah on his journeyto claim his father’s money. As they travel, the two form a

fraternal bond — a model ofmasculine friendship thatmen need so much today. The plot thickens as the tworeach their destination. Tobiahproposes marriage to Sarah, awoman from his tribe, but iswarned that she has had a suc-cession of seven husbands whowere killed on their weddingnight by a jealous demon.Prompted by true love, andfollowing Raphael’s instruc-tions, Tobiah drives off thedemon. But before lying withhis wife, Tobiah leads her in aprayer that many couplestoday use for their wedding

Mass: “Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine not be-cause of lust, but for a noble purpose. Call down your mercyon me and her and allow us to live to a happy old age” (8:7).As the story continues, Tobiah returns with his wife andthe money, the identity of Raphael is revealed, and Tobitis cured of his blindness, proclaiming a lengthy hymn ofpraise that begins, “Blessed be God who lives forever, be-cause his kingdom lasts for all ages” (13:1).Tobit dies a happy man because he planned for the fu-ture, handled money wisely, dealt with others fairly, raisedhis son to be righteous, and trusted God and his messenger. In my own vocation as a father, I find that there ismuch to learn from Tobit’s compelling story and endur-ing wisdom.♦

KEVIN DI CAMILLO, a freelance writer and editor, is amember of Don Bosco Council 4960 in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Tobit Knows BestAn Old Testament book offers abundant wisdom about the vocation of fatherhood

by Kevin Di Camillo



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Together with other Catholic organizations, the Knights of Columbus is working to rescue those who want to stay in their homeland

by John L. Allen Jr.

DUNKIRKIN REVERSE

Right now, movie theaters are featuring the summerblockbuster Dunkirk. Written and directed by Christo-

pher Nolan, it is about the famous World War II evacuationof trapped Allied troops, which most Brits regard as amongtheir finest hours.

That evacuation, in which hundreds of ordinary people joinedan impromptu flotilla to bring the troops home, occasionedWinston Churchill’s famed 1940 speech: “We shall fight on thebeaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight inthe fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shallnever surrender.”

Obviously, the WWII-era Dunkirk was a moment of high,world-changing drama, and it deserves to be memorialized.

However, there’s an equally dramatic, but as-yet uncelebrated,Dunkirk going on right now before our eyes — in this case amoment of great Catholic heroism.

The difference is that it’s actually a Dunkirk in reverse— the idea isn’t to get threatened people out, but to helpthem stay.

One compelling recent example of this is a new initiativeby the Knights of Columbus to raise and donate $2 millionfor the predominantly Christian town of Karamles. Locatedin the Nineveh Plain region of Iraq, some 18 miles fromMosul, the town was liberated from ISIS late last year butwith much of it essentially left in ruins.

The Knights of Columbus Board of Directors approved the



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effort several days before it was announced during SupremeKnight Carl A. Anderson’s annual report Aug. 1.

“The terrorists desecrated churches and graves and lootedand destroyed homes,” Anderson said. “Now we will ensure thathundreds of Christian families driven from their homes will re-turn. We will give them and many others hope for the future.”

A BETTER FUTURE Since the rise of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, every religious minor-ity in the region has suffered, with Christians leading the packbecause of their numbers and visibility. A variety of interna-tional groups, including the U.S. government, has recognizedthose Christians as victims of genocide.

The devastation has been staggering. In Iraq in 2003, therewere an estimated 1.5 million Christians, while today thehigh-end number for those left is usually set at around

300,000. Similarly, Syria’s Christian community is believedto have been cut in half.

Given the lethal violence directed at Christians, as well as thegeneral social and political chaos, the real question probablyisn’t why so many have left, but why a brave few have remained.Therein lies the tale of the Catholic “Dunkirk in reverse.”

Essentially, the answer is because private Christian organi-zations around the world, most of them Catholic, have steppedup for the last five years or so, ensuring those Christians arefed, sheltered and have access to medical care — and, moreimportantly, that they have the promise of a better future,thereby offering them reason to ride out the storm.

One might think that such a responsibility for humanitar-ian rescue would fall to the entire world, especially the majorWestern powers and intergovernmental bodies such as theUnited Nations. Indeed, the U.N. and Western governments

A Chaldean Catholic family stands in front of their damaged house Aug. 9 in Karamles, Iraq, a predominantly Christian town in the Nineveh Plainthat was overrun and ravaged by Islamic State militants in 2014. The town was liberated by Iraqi forces with U.S. military support in October2016, allowing families to return and begin repairing their homes. • Opposite page: British soldiers trapped on the French shore anticipate an aerialattack in a scene from Dunkirk, which was released in U.S. theaters July 21.



have invested major resources in Iraq and Syria, but the over-whelming majority has never reached Christian victims of theconflict, and doesn’t to this day.Here’s why: The bulk of public humanitarian aid in Iraq

and Syria is delivered through major refugee camps, either inplaces such as Erbil, Iraq, or to camps in Jordan and Lebanon.However, Christians typically don’t go to those camps, fearinginfiltration by jihadist loyalists and thus further exposure topersecution and violence.As a result, the Christians take refuge with Church institu-

tions — churches, schools, clinics, hospitals, social service cen-ters, even the private homes and properties of other Christians.What that means is that from the beginning, those Christians,numbering in the hundreds of thousands by now, have beenbasically abandoned by most international relief efforts.So, who’s giving them food, water, clothes and medicine?

Who, in effect, has kept them alive?To begin with, it’s been the local churches in Iraq and Syria

who have done absolutely astonishing work in supportingpeople in the most difficult circumstances imaginable. Thebishops, clergy and religious in those two nations are amongthe most unacknowledged moral heroes of our time. However,they’re far from having deep pockets, so who’s making thatheroism possible?The answer is, “We are” — as in North American

Catholics. Certainly Catholics, other Christians and peopleof good will from all around the world are also involved, but

there’s been a special and remarkable mobilization by U.S.-based Catholic organizations.

‘WE SHALL NOT FAIL OR FALTER’Since 2011, Aid to the Church in Need, a pontifical organi-zation serving persecuted Christians, has spent $35.5 millionhelping Christian refugees in Iraq and Syria, especially thosetaking shelter in Erbil and elsewhere in Kurdistan. The U.S.branch of ACN has been a major contributor to that effort.Since 2014, the Knights of Columbus Christian Refugee Re-

lief Fund has donated more than $13 million in humanitarianassistance primarily in Iraq, Syria and the surrounding region. The Catholic Near East Welfare Association, another pon-

tifical organization based in New York, has spent $7.3 milliondirectly on Iraq and Syria since 2014 and another $9.8 mil-lion on Christian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon.With its new effort, the Knights of Columbus will make it

possible for hundreds of Christian families to return to thehomes from which they were evicted in the summer of 2014.It matches a similar action by the government of Hungary tosave another predominantly Christian town of Telskuf. About1,000 families have already moved back to that town, showingthat such actions can actually work in restoring pre-ISIS pop-ulations to their homes and towns.The effort is part of the Nineveh Reconstruction Project,

in partnership with Aid to the Church in Need and localChristian communities. The Knights of Columbus is now

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A Chaldean Catholic man works with a young neighbor in Karamles, Iraq. The town was liberated in late 2016, and the Knights of Columbus israising money to help families return and rebuild their homes.


urging councils, parishes, and other groups and individualsto donate $2,000 to help move one family home. Just 1,000such donations would reach the goal of $2 million.When announcing this goal Aug. 1, Supreme Knight An-derson paraphrased a speech of Winston Churchill duringWorld War II: “Let us say to our brothers and sisters in thefaith, ‘Put your confidence in us…. We shall not fail or falter;we shall not weaken or tire. We will give you the tools, andtogether we will finish the job.’”At the original Dunkirk, some 330,000 Allied troops wererescued. Although exact numbers at this stage are impossible,it’s a slam-dunk certainty that at least that many Christianshave been kept alive, able to remain with their families, andgiven some hope of better things to come by the current“Dunkirk in reverse.”

Going forward, here’s something else to dream about: Thatone day, the courage and the commitment of these Catholicswho have put everything on the line — their money, theirblood, sweat and tears, even their lives — to save the world’smost beleaguered Christians, and to help ensure that Christi-anity doesn’t vanish from one of its antique strongholds, willalso be captured in a Hollywood blockbuster.For sure, it’s a drama that lends itself to celluloid. It’s also one that calls for vigorous effort to bring the story toconclusion, so that the final scene isn’t leaving anybody onthe beach.♦

JOHN L. ALLEN JR. is the editor of Crux, specializing incoverage of the Vatican and the Catholic Church. Visitcruxnow.com.

REBUILDING IRAQ: ORDER HELPS CHRISTIAN FAMILIES RESETTLE IN THEIR HOMELAND

SINCE THE EFFORT to save theIraqi town of Karamles was announcedAug. 1, K of C councils, parishes orother Church groups, and individualswho want to help have been urged todonate $2,000 — the approximate costof resettling one family. One-hundred percent of the moneyraised will be used for this project, andthe rebuilding work has already begun.

Knights of Columbus Charities Inc. isrecognized by the Internal Revenue Serv-ice as a charitable organization undersection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Rev-enue Code. Donations can be made atchristiansatrisk.org or by calling 1-800-694-5713. Donations are tax deductibleto the extent allowed by law. Since 2014, the Knights’ ChristianRefugee Relief Fund has donated more

than $13 million for humanitarian assis-tance primarily in Iraq, Syria and thesurrounding region. The Knights’ docu-mentation of ISIS’ atrocities and advo-cacy on behalf of Christians and otherreligious minorities in the Middle Eastwere decisive in U.S. Secretary of StateJohn Kerry’s 2016 declaration thatChristians and other religious minoritiesin the region were suffering genocide.♦

Father Thabet Habib, a Chaldean Catholic priest, inspects the inside of a church desecrated and burned by Islamic State militants in Karamles, Iraq.




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One hot summer afternoon in Oklahoma, a tan sedan setout through Kingfisher County. The year was 1973, and

one of the passengers was Father Stanley Rother, a missionarypriest who would later become the first U.S.-born martyr. “I was in the eighth grade. My friend Jerry and his father,

Vince Mueggenborg, and I were taking Father Rother and twoof his parishioners to different farmers,” recalled SupremeTreasurer Ron Schwarz, an Oklahoma native. “We were looking for usable farm equipment — things he

could use at the Oklahoma mission,” explained Schwarz, whowill never forget that day listening to Fa-ther Rother’s stories.What really stood out to 13-year-old

Schwarz was the way Father Rothertalked about life in rural Guatemala.“When he spoke of his parish and hisparishioners in Santiago Atitlán, youcould tell how he dearly loved them. Youcould see it in his face — his love and hisdedication for the people.” Father Rother served the parish of

Santiago Apóstol (St. James the Apostle)in Santiago Atitlán for the rest of his life.In 1981, Guatemala’s bloody civil warreached the remote mission. FatherRother was threatened and told to leavethe country. Though his name was puton a hit list, he chose to remain amonghis beloved parishioners.On July 28, 1981, Father Stanley Rother was murdered at

age 46 by three unknown assailants who broke into the parishrectory. Pope Francis formally recognized him as a martyrDec. 2, 2016, and his beatification will take place in Okla-homa City Sept. 23.

FROM FARMER TO MISSIONARY How a priest from a small German farming community inOklahoma came to live and die in a remote Guatemalan vil-lage is a story full of wonder and God’s providence.Stanley Francis Rother was born in Okarche, Okla., during

an Oklahoma dust storm on March 27, 1935. The oldest offive children, he was raised on a farm in a devout Catholicfamily and attended Holy Trinity Catholic School in Okarche

for 12 years. As a seminarian, Stanley returned home betweensemesters to help with the harvest.In this ordinary life in rural Oklahoma, Stanley first expe-

rienced a personal encounter with Christ, the Good Shepherd.He learned to be a man of prayer and a hands-on servant witha resolute desire to become a priest. He gained the persever-ance needed to trust God when academics proved to be apainful challenge in the seminary. And he learned the loveand compassion that led him to lay down his life for theGospel and for his sheep.

“This extended family, along with theexperiences of the church and schoolcommunities, was interlinked with ourimmediate family in developing a deepfaith life,” explained Sister Marita Rother,a member of the Adorers of the Blood ofChrist religious community in Wichita,Kan., and Father Rother’s sister. “Reli-gion classes, daily Mass, sacramentalpreparation, daily rosary in the home,and Sunday evening Holy Hour andBenediction, along with other seasonalreligious practices, were integrated intoour daily lives.”When Pope St. John XXIII requested in

the early 1960s that North Americans sendmissionaries to South and Central Amer-ica, the Church in Oklahoma responded.

In 1964, the then-Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa tookover the care of the church of Santiago Apóstol, the oldestparish in the Diocese of Sololá, Guatemala, dating back to the16th century. No resident priest had served the indigenousTz’utujil community of Santiago Atitlán for over a century. As a newly ordained priest in 1963, Father Stanley would not

have been considered for that initial mission team. But afterfive years as an associate pastor in various parishes in the state,he volunteered to serve in the dynamic Oklahoma mission. When he arrived at Santiago Atitlán in 1968, Father Rother

instantly fell in love with the volatile and stunning land ofvolcanoes and earthquakes — and, above all, with its people.He learned Spanish and the Tz’utujil language to minister tohis parishioners, who called him “Padre Apla’s,” the Tz’utujiltranslation of Francis, his middle name.

The Love of a ShepherdThrough his life of service and martyrdom, Father Stanley Rother

exemplified the call to missionary discipleship

by María Ruiz Scaperlanda


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Over his 13 years of priestly service in Guatemala, FatherRother helped develop a farmers’ co-op, a nutrition center, aschool, a hospital clinic and the first Catholic radio station inthe area, which was used for catechesis. He was a critical driv-ing force in developing Tz’utujil as a written language, whicheventually led to translations of the liturgy of the Mass, theLectionary and the New Testament.

PATRON OF THE PERIPHERIESOklahoma priests, sisters and lay workers served the missionof Santiago Apóstol until 2000, when sufficient growth inlocal vocations allowed the diocese to resume pastoral care.From the outset, the Oklahoma missionary team understoodthat the Tz’utujil are an agricultural people who retain muchof their ancient Mayan culture and pride.“Even before Pope Francis began speaking to us about the

urgency of going to the ‘peripheries,’ Father Rother had dis-

covered his place and his mission among Tz’utujil Mayans ina remote part of Guatemala,” explained Archbishop Paul S.Coakley of Oklahoma City. “He had moved well beyond hiscomfort zone to embrace a life of missionary discipleship farfrom the familiar comforts of Oklahoma.”Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson likewise named Father

Rother among a number of North American “patron saints ofthe peripheries” in his keynote address at the historic Convoca-tion of Catholic Leaders, which recently took place in Orlando. In a letter dated September 1980 to the bishops of Tulsa

and Oklahoma City, Father Rother described the political andanti-Church climate in Guatemala. The nation’s decades-longcivil war between the authoritarian government and leftistguerrillas — a conflict estimated to have claimed 200,000lives — was escalating. Then, in his final Christmas letter to Oklahoma Catholics,

published in two diocesan papers, Father Rother wrote: “The

Above: Father Stanley Rother (1935-1981) baptizes a child at a mission church in Guatemala. • Opposite page: Father Rother, who will bebeatified Sept. 23 in Oklahoma City, is pictured in an undated portrait.



Above: Father Rother is pictured with a Tz’utujil child in Guatemala. • Opposite page: Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City and SisterMarita Rother, who is Father Rother’s sister and a member of Adorers of the Blood of Christ, examine the nameplate on the exhumed vault containingFather Rother’s remains at Holy Trinity Cemetery in Okarche, Okla., May 9. As required for the beatification process, his remains were examined bymedical professionals and re-interred in the chapel at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery in northwest Oklahoma City.



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reality is that we are in danger. But we don’t know when orwhat form the government will use to further repress theChurch. … If it is my destiny that I should give my life here,then so be it.” He concluded: “The shepherd cannot run at the first sign of

danger. Pray for us that we may be a sign of the love of Christfor our people, that our presence will fortify them to endurethese sufferings in preparation for the coming of the Kingdom.” Father Rother, who was urged to flee following death

threats, spent a few months back in Oklahoma in early 1981.During a homily at his home parish in Okarche, he then an-nounced that he was returning to Guatemala. That Mass was the last time Ron Schwarz saw Father Rother.“He was trying to explain to the parish why he was leaving,

and it was evident it was out of love for his people. That’swhy he had to go back rather than stay safe in Oklahoma,”recalled Schwarz. “Not too many people would make that decision,” he

added. “Father Rother knew that Guatemala was where heneeded to be. He didn’t do it for the glory. He had a callingfrom God to be there.”

A MODEL FOR KNIGHTSFather Rother returned to Guatemala in time to celebrateHoly Week with his parishioners there.On his way to the mission, Father Rother stopped at the

home of Sololá’s Bishop Angélico Melotto, who urged himnot to go, warning him that it was too dangerous. But FatherRother responded, “My life is for my people. I am not scared,”and the bishop did not forbid the missionary’s return. His martyrdom in solidarity with his flock was nothing less

than a proclamation of God’s love for the poor of SantiagoAtitlán.Archbishop Coakley first learned about Father Rother’s life

while studying at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg,Md. — Father Rother’s alma mater. “The impact of his heroicwitness and martyrdom has been an inspiration and a chal-lenge to me ever since,” said the archbishop, who is a memberof Oklahoma Council 1038 in Oklahoma City.In a homily at one of the mission’s satellite churches on the

30th anniversary of Father Rother’s death, Oklahoma CityArchbishop Emeritus Eusebius J. Beltran noted, “He knewthe dangers that existed here at that time and was greatly con-cerned about the safety and security of the people. It is veryclear that Padre Apla’s died for you and for the faith.”Archbishop Beltran served as bishop of Tulsa at the time

of Father Rother’s death in 1981. Also a member of Okla-homa Council 1038, he has been associated with the Knightsof Columbus since his childhood, when he was a member ofthe Squires. In their charitable work, the Knights can take inspiration

from Father Rother, who “put much of his energy in seeingthat the widows and orphans were cared for,” Archbishop Bel-tran said. “Many husbands and fathers were killed in the ter-rible massacres of that time.”

When Knights in Okarche, El Reno and Kingfisher formedAssembly 2854 in 2004, they all assumed it should be namedafter the Oklahoma priest.“There was no doubt that we should name it in Father

Rother’s honor,” said Faithful Comptroller David Krittenbrink. Many who cherish the memory of Father Stanley Rother

will gather for the beatification ceremony Sept. 23 — includ-ing Supreme Treasurer Ron Schwarz and his mother, Emalene,who was one of Father Rother’s classmates. In honor of thebeloved missionary and martyr, the Supreme Council made adonation to the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City to financiallysupport the celebration as well.Father Donald Wolf, pastor of St. Eugene Church and a

member of St. Eugene Council 10822, both in OklahomaCity, will be among Father Rother’s many relatives in atten-dance. According to Father Wolf, his deepest connection tohis cousin Stanley is their priesthood.“His willingness to die in service to the ones he pastored is

the bond that touches my heart,” he said. “I won’t be calledon to do such a thing, but to see the everyday invitation toserve in even the smallest way as part of my priesthood is aconnection to him. It is a bond I am often not worthy of butone that I still celebrate.”♦

MARÍA RUIZ SCAPERLANDA is a freelance writer basedin Norman, Okla, and a writer-in-residence at St. Gregory’sUniversity. She is the author of The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run:Fr. Stanley Rother, Martyr from Oklahoma (OSV, 2015).



Maryknoll Father Vincent R. Capodanno began the dayof his death, Sept. 4, 1967, by disregarding repeated or-

ders from Marine Corps sergeants to stay off the helicoptersand away from combat. He told them, “I need to be with my Marines,” and even-

tually jumped on a chopper after receiving reluctant consentfrom the battalion commander.A 38-year-old Navy chaplain on his second tour of duty in

Vietnam, Father Capodanno refused to use a weapon but hada habit of running through gunfire — as he did during thisbattle in the Que Son Valley, some 30 miles southwest of DaNang. Several hundred Marines were trapped on a bare knollwhile thousands of North Vietnamese Army regulars, hiddenin the tree lines, shot them one by one.Capodanno arrived in the afternoon with the already out-

numbered reinforcements. He grabbed wounded Marines bytheir armored jackets, dragged them to safety and bandagedthem up. And he continued to do so after receiving woundsfrom an exploding mortar round.“This battle was by far the worst I’d ever seen,” said Cpl. George

Phillips, who was a 20-year-old weapons squad leader that day. “Father kept running up and down that knoll for at least

two hours,” recalled Phillips, 70, president of the Father Vin-cent Capodanno Guild and a member of Potomac Council433 in Washington, D.C. “He pulled Marines to safety, prayedwith them and anointed the wounded. He had this thing he’dsay: ‘You’re not alone. God is with you. You’ll be all right.’”Father Capodanno was killed in a hail of machine gun fire

later that evening while rushing to the aid of several dyingMarines and a corpsman. He was posthumously awarded theMedal of Honor in 1969, and the archdiocesan phase of hiscause for canonization was completed this past May, nearly 50years after his death.

MISSIONARY AND CHAPLAINThe 10th child of Italian immigrants, Vincent Capodanno wasborn Feb. 13, 1929, in Staten Island, N.Y. He grew up in aCatholic home grounded in faith, patriotism and hard work.On his 10th birthday, Capodanno’s father, Vincent Sr., diedwhile at work in the shipyards. Three of his brothers laterserved in World War II. After high school, he took nightcourses at Fordham University while working as a Wall Streetclerk by day to support the family.A daily communicant, Capodanno was drawn to the priest-

hood from an early age. The faith-filled stories published bythe Catholic Foreign Mission Society, the Maryknoll Fathersand Brothers, kindled his desire to evangelize. One of his heroeswas Brooklyn-born Bishop Francis Xavier Ford, who arrived inChina in 1918 with the first Maryknoll missionaries there.At age 20, Capodanno applied to become a Maryknoller,

and after nine years of formation he was ordained in 1958.That year he was sent to the island of Formosa (present-dayTaiwan). During a home visit after six years of missionary service in

parishes and as a teacher, Father Capodanno received an un-expected transfer to Hong Kong. There he discerned a new callto service — as a chaplain to the increasing number of U.S.

‘WHERE THEY

NEED ME’Fifty years ago, Father Vincent R. Capodanno

valiantly sacrificed his life while ministering on the battlefield in Vietnam

by Roy Wenzl



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troops in Vietnam. With permission from his superiors, hejoined the Navy Chaplain Corps, and in 1966, Father Capo-danno shipped out to Vietnam to join the 7th Marines.

According Father Daniel L. Mode, a military chaplain andpriest of the Arlington Diocese who initially served as the pos-tulator for Capodanno’s cause for canonization, the missionarypriest arrived with a plan.

“As a Maryknoll missionary in Taiwan, he learned how toliterally live peoples’ lives with them,” said Father Mode, whois a member of St. John’s Council 11806 in McLean, Va.“When he got to Vietnam after that, he didn’t just go on pa-trols with Marines. When they carried 40-pound backpacks,he carried 40 pounds. When they marched in rain, he marchedwith them. If the guys he was with had to stay up all night ata forward listening post, he stayed up all night with them.”

That’s how Father Capodanno earned the moniker the“Grunt Padre,” which became a name of honor.

“‘Grunt Marine’ is a term that by rights should only be usedby enlisted infantry Marines … usually 18 or 19 years old and

just out of high school,” Father Mode explained in his bookThe Grunt Padre: Father Vincent Robert Capodanno, Vietnam,1966-1967. “What set Father Vincent apart was the way helived his ministry … as a Grunt Marine. Wherever they went,he went. Whatever burdens they had to carry, he shared theload. No problem was too large or too small to take to FatherVincent — he was available to them day and night.”

Father Capodanno also visited outlying company bases andhospitals to offer prayer for those soldiers whom he had joinedin combat, while most of his spare hours were spent writing let-ters of condolence and information to parents of wounded anddead Marines. So engaged was Father Capodanno that duringhis 16 months of military service, he became the most recogniz-able and most sought-after chaplain serving the Marine Corps.

MARINES REMEMBER THEIR PADREFather Capodanno’s ministry included both heroic dedicationand small acts of kindness. One such act has stayed fordecades in the memory of Thomas E. Byrne, 81, a member

Maryknoll Father Vincent R. Capodanno, a Navy chaplain who was killed while serving with the Marines in Vietnam, is pictured leading a fieldprayer service for the “grunts” of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines in the Muo Douc area, Vietnam, Sept. 11, 1966.



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of Holy Trinity Council 3413 in Severna Park, Md.“These four or five Marines come walking into Mass,” re-counted Byrne, who was a 30-year-old Marine Corps captainat the time. “They were bedraggled-looking, their clothes dirty,so they’d obviously worked all night on some operation. “Father turns from the altar and says, ‘Where you been?’ TheMarines said they’d just come out of the field. So, he said, ‘Iwon’t start Mass for these other guys here until you leave. Thegood Lord wants you in bed, so that’s where you’re going.’”The Marines obeyed.Tony Grimm, 80, a member of John Paul I Council 7165in Woodbridge, Va., who also served as a Marine Corps captainin Vietnam, remembered Father Capodanno as “a Pied Piper.”“Everyone would come to Mass, regardless of religion,”

Grimm recalled. “He’d say, ‘There is this constant need forprayer because we are all stretched tothe limit out here. The only way wewill get by is by asking for help. Anddo we all know that help is available tous, just for the asking?’”Grimm’s relationship with Capo-danno got prickly at times, as he wasassigned the duty of keeping the chap-lain alive.“Father got me thoroughly chewedout many times,” Grimm said. “If apatrol went out of the compound, he’dhide away and wait until the tail endof the column went past. Then he’dtake off running and fall in withthem.”In a similar way, Father Capodannoraced to administer the sacraments tothe exposed Marines trapped on theknoll in Que Son Valley.One of the very last men to see Fa-ther Capodanno alive was 18-year-old Lance Cpl. FrederickW. Tancke, who had been shot in the hand.“We had so little to hide behind and he kept running from

one wounded guy to another, out in the wide open,” recalledTancke, 68. “That’s part of why what Father did that day wasso courageous.”Tancke’s M16 rifle jammed repeatedly that day. When heencountered a North Vietnamese machine gunner hunchedover a Chinese machine gun just yards away, he was unable toshoot. He tried to fish a grenade from his pouch, but hiswounded hand made that impossible. All he could do wassprint a few yards and fall into a shell hole to find cover. The next thing Tancke saw was Father Capodanno runningto the aid of Marines who had been shot — and straight forthe machine gun. Frantic, Tancke stood up four feet fromCapodanno and yelled, “Watch out for the gunner!” Tancke saw “a look of incredible intensity” on the chap-lain’s face just before the gunner fired a burst into FatherCapodanno’s back.

EVEN AFTER DEATHIt was no surprise to the men who served with him that FatherCapodanno was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor,along with the Navy Bronze Star medal, the Vietnamese Crossof Gallantry with Silver Star and the Purple Heart Medal. Noris it surprising that a Navy ship, the USS Capodanno, wasnamed in his honor together with a number of military build-ings, chapels and scores of other memorials across the country.Nearly 20 Knights of Columbus councils and assemblies alsoproudly bear his name.It is similarly not a surprise that the Catholic Church, withFather Mode doing much of the research, has compiled thou-sands of documents as part of the investigation into his causefor sainthood. According to Father Mode, many people have re-turned to the Church because of Father Capodanno’s witness,

and he is also credited with vocations tomilitary chaplaincy.In life, and after death, his spiritmoved ordinary people to do excep-tional things, said Father Mode, whoattributes this to the deliberate empha-sis on charity that marked Father Capo-danno’s every action.In The Grunt Padre, Father Modewrote, “Father Vincent went to Viet-nam expressly to be with the troops, tolearn and to live the full meaning ofMaryknoll Bishop Ford’s motto to sufferwith, and by doing so save souls andgive glory to God.”Father Capodanno’s spirit of generos-ity and compassion is also summed upin an official citation from Maj. EdwardFitzgerald recommending Father Capo-danno for the Bronze Star: “Invariably, he sought out that unit

which was most likely to encounter the heaviest contact. … Hisbravery, his humor, his right word at the right time contributedto the success of the unit. … He was particularly adept in observ-ing a Marine who was troubled by the press of events and/or per-sonal problems and who needed help and encouragement. … AtChristmas he gathered gifts from friends and organizations all overthe world to ensure that no man in the battalion was forgotten.”Tony Grimm, the Marine captain who was tasked with keep-ing Father Capodanno out of peril, remembered the conflict be-tween his own duty and Father Capodanno’s dedication toaccompanying the troops no matter the danger. “We’d argue, and I’d ask him, ‘Why do you keep doing this?’”Grimm recounted. “Father replied, ‘I need to be where they need me.’”For more about Father Capodanno, visit capodannoguild.org.♦

ROY WENZL is a journalist based in Wichita, Kan., and theauthor of The Miracle of Father Kapaun: Priest, Soldier and Ko-rean War Hero (Ignatius, 2013).

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‘The Solid and Sturdy Bridge’A former communist officer in Vietnam describes

how Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuân transformed his life

by Paul Nguyen Hoai Duc, with an introduction by Columbia staff



On May 4, Pope Francis signed a decree recognizing theheroic virtue of Vietnamese Cardinal François-Xavier

Nguyen Van Thuân and declaring him “Venerable” — a stagetoward sainthood.Born April 17, 1928, in Hue, Vietnam, Thuân was raised

in a strong Catholic family with many ancestors who died forthe faith during persecutions between 1698 and 1885. He wasordained a priest in 1953, and Pope Paul VI appointed himbishop of Nha Trang 14 years later.Bishop Thuân later became archbishop of Saigon in 1975.

In part because his uncle, Ngo Dinh Diem, who was assassi-nated in 1963, had been the first president of the Republic ofSouth Vietnam, Vietnam’s communist government opposedthe appointment. Within months, the archbishop was arrestedand sent to a reeducation camp. He was imprisoned for 13years, including nine years in solitary confinement.The faithful sent him a small bottle of wine — under the

guise of “medicine for stomach aches” — and he was able tocelebrate the Eucharist with other prisoners. ArchbishopThuân later recounted that his palm became an altar eachday, and “three drops of wine and adrop of water” became “the medicineof immortality.”He added: “At night, the prisoners

would take turns for adoration. Withhis silent presence, the eucharisticJesus helped us in unimaginable ways.Many Christians returned to a ferventfaith-life…. Even Buddhists and othernon-Christians came to the faith. Thestrength of Jesus’ love was irresistible.”Archbishop Thuân was released

from prison in 1988 and then exiledfrom Vietnam in 1991. Pope JohnPaul II named him president of thePontifical Council for Justice andPeace in 1998 and created him a cardinal in 2001. He diedof cancer Sept. 16, 2002.In honor of Venerable Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuân’s in-

domitable faith, Columbia presents here a never before pub-lished account by Mr. Paul Nguyen Hoai Duc, a formerhigh-ranking communist officer who studied French with Car-dinal Thuân during his house arrest. The reflection, writtenaround the year 2000, was shared by Elizabeth Wong, the latecardinal’s sister, and is published here with permission.

❦ ❦ ❦

IT’S BEEN MORE than 10 years now since the day I had thegood fortune to meet Archbishop F.X. Nguyen Van Thuân.A philosopher once wrote, “A rock, if placed at the right

spot, could change the course of the river.”Archbishop Thuân was the rock that changed the course of

my life, from mundane to one with faith in God. More to thepoint, I continue to regard my encounter with ArchbishopThuân as the most momentous event in my life.

He was the most loving, intelligent, disciplined person thatI have ever met. He was in my life the potent grain of yeastthat gave rise to a deep faith. To this day, I am still strugglingwith many challenges ahead of me, but I no longer doubt:God is my great strength.As a student graduating in 1979, I specialized in coun-

terinsurgency, a division of the Ministry of Internal Affairsin Vietnam. At the beginning, I was assigned to the CitizensDepartment, and from there, I was transferred to ReligiousAffairs.Once I landed my new post, I read and heard many good

things about Archbishop Thuân, namely that he was very tal-ented and spoke eight languages. He was loving to everyonearound, and despite being in captivity, he always displayedhope and serenity. I examined his file and learned that he wasthe founder of the lay movement HOPE and that Ngo DinhDiem was his uncle.At the time, Archbishop Thuân was under house arrest. By

then, I had been promoted to senior rank. When my bossasked if I had any special request, I told him that I wished to

perfect my verbal French with thearchbishop. I was allowed to spendtwo days a week with Thuân. Prior tothat first meeting, I was formally cau-tioned not to let myself be brain-washed by him.So, early in 1987, I went to see him.

The building where he was held wastwo-storeyed, of French colonial style.The first floor was reserved for theguards assigned to his watch. The sec-ond floor had two rooms: one was forhim, and the other, larger room wasfurnished with a table and chairs forhigh level officials whenever they camefor interrogations.

From the very first moment we met, I immediately felt aspecial closeness with him, and for his part, he seemed happyto have someone to chat with.To combat loneliness during all that time, he wrote many

books, including a lexicon in eight languages. One day, after studying with him for a while, I said, “Mr.

Thuân, I read the Catholic Bible, along with many other bookson Buddhism. I notice that Buddha speaks in philosophical lan-guage, but Jesus, on the other hand, uses very simple words.”Calmly and slowly he replied, “Buddha is a philosopher.

Jesus uses simple language because he is the Creator of theuniverse. He wants to use simple language for everyone to un-derstand him. He created the universe and has complete un-derstanding of his creation, while Buddha is searching foranswers and an understanding of the universe.”My eyes were opened from that day on, and I no longer

needed to ask further.Archbishop Thuân always exuded sincerity, perseverance

and optimism. Most of the time, he sang. He sang while car-rying water to his room or working in the garden. He sang

“ICONTINUETO REGARD

MY ENCOUNTER WITH

ARCHBISHOP THUÂN AS

THE MOST MOMENTOUS

EVENT IN MY LIFE.”



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the psalms and loved to tell us stories, religious as well as reg-ular ones. Everyone experienced peace around him. Person-ally, I felt deeply touched.

After a short period of studies with him, I visited myyounger brother’s family. My sister-in-law uttered, “Oh,brother Duc looks like a religious man these days.”

I re-examined myself and wondered, could it be that my wayof looking at things, my personal attitude, my whole being,have changed for the better? I have become a better person,and for that I would have to thank Archbishop Thuân.

One day, he showed me a letter from a man called Vinh.That man received a jail sentence for corruption, and he hadbeen placed in the same cell as Archbishop Thuân to spy onhim and report to the government. In the end, however, over-come by Thuân’s faith life and his friendship, Vinh confessedto him his true mission. Upon his release some time later,Vinh joined the Catholic faith and received baptism. In his

letter, Vinh thanked the archbishop for his moral support andfor implanting in him his faith in God.

Around the end of 1987, Archbishop Thuân prepared hisown letter to the government appealing for his release, and heread it aloud to me, asking me for advice.

In his letter, he mentioned his duties within the Churchand the need for his freedom to be able to pursue his ministryanywhere, in any city, including the leprosy village in QuiNhon. He also gave a clear, detailed picture of his activitiesand responsibilities as a citizen.

His letter was rather lengthy, and after listening to it, Ipointed out that the application was supposed to be to thegovernment and not the Church, and as such, it would bepreferable to focus more on his love for his country.

Being a very humble man and a good listener, he rewrote theletter and presented it to me again before sending it to the Min-istry of Internal Affairs. I was deeply touched by his humility.

Clockwise from top left: ArchbishopFrançois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuânis pictured writing while under housearrest circa 1980 in Giang-Xa,Vietnam. • Archbishop Thuân ar-rives at the home of relatives in Syd-ney, Australia, shortly after hisrelease from prison in 1989. • PopeJohn Paul II greets ArchbishopThuân in Rome within weeks of thearchbishop’s release. • ArchbishopThuân is pictured with MotherTeresa in Hanoi, Vietnam, in1990. The Vietnamese governmentdenied him permission to remain inthe country to serve the Church.



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A month later, there were rumors surrounding the possibil-ity of good news. One day, the archbishop proudly showedme a new pair of leather shoes he had just received from hisfamily in Australia. “When I’m freed, I will be wearing these,” he said, with the

joyful smile of a child receiving ice cream.Noticing the surprised look on my face, he added, “In

life, we must learn to look for happiness in the little things.

C’est la vie!” A few years after his release, I asked to resign from my post. On April 19, I was baptized and became a child of God.It all happened thanks to Archbishop Thuân. He was the

solid and sturdy bridge that made possible my journey towardbecoming a citizen of justice, a citizen of the eternal kingdom.I give thanks to God and I am forever grateful to Arch-

bishop Nguyen Van Thuân.♦

VENERABLE CARDINAL NGUYEN VAN THUÂN: AN INSPIRATION TO THE KNIGHTS

THE LIFE OF Venerable CardinalFrançois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuân is aparticular inspiration to Knights ofColumbus councils based in Vietnamesecommunities. The first of these, HolyMartyrs of Vietnam Council 9655 in Ar-lington, Va., was chartered in 1987.Since then, approximately 30 councilsconsisting primarily of Vietnamese im-migrants have sprung up in the UnitedStates and Canada. Three of these —Council 15501 in New Orleans, La.;Council 16495 in Orlando, Fla.; andCouncil 15806 in Glen Ellyn, Ill. — arenamed in honor of Cardinal Van Thuân. Mai Nguyen, the charter grand

knight of Council 15806, even metthen-Archbishop Nguyen Van Thuânand asked for his prayers during the dif-ficult years before Mai fled the countrywith his family, eventually settling inIllinois. Mai said that when the councilwas chartered in 2014, “People askedme, ‘What should be the name ofCouncil 15806?’ So I recommendedCardinal Nguyen Van Thuân. One daysoon, he will be a saint.” These K of C councils take their place

in a vibrant community of VietnameseCatholics, which traces its roots back toevangelization in the 16th century. Thefirst Vietnamese priests were ordained in1668, and the Church in Vietnam grewover the centuries despite periods of in-tense persecution. Many priests, reli-gious and laypeople suffered martyrdom;Pope John Paul II canonized 117 of themartyrs in 1998. Today, many K of C councils join

Vietnamese Catholics throughoutNorth America to celebrate Marian

Days, an annual pilgrimage in honor ofthe Immaculate Heart of Mary. In re-cent years, Knights have increasinglybecome a presence at this festival offaith, which since 1978 has taken placeoutside the monastery of the Congrega-tion of the Mother Co-Redemptrix inCarthage, Mo. Now drawing more than80,000 faithful each year, it is one ofthe largest religious pilgrimages inNorth America.In addition, the Knights of Columbus

Supreme Council has long recognized

the heroic witness of Cardinal NguyenVan Thuân. In 2008, the Knights fi-nanced the documentary film Road ofHope: The Spiritual Journey of CardinalNguyen Van Thuan, produced by Saltand Light Catholic Media Foundation.The film, which debuted at the 2008Eucharistic Congress in Québec City,features interviews and exclusive materialfrom the Thuân family and conveys thecardinal’s message of hope and forgive-ness. For more information on the film,visit saltandlighttv.org/roadofhope.♦

Pilgrims escort a float and reliquary dedicated to the 117 Vietnamese martyrs — after whom sevenKnights of Columbus councils are named — during a procession at Marian Days, a festival honoringthe Immaculate Heart of Mary and celebrating Vietnamese culture, in Carthage, Mo., Aug 5. Thisyear’s Marian Days event drew some 100,000 pilgrims.



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Once the target of anti-Catholic sentiment, Columbus is often slandered by those who misrepresent his legacy

by Gerald Korson

Christopher Columbusand Fake History

Driven in large part by political correctness and partisanacademics and activists, it has become fashionable in re-

cent years to criticize Christopher Columbus and the holidaynamed in his honor. A closer look, however, reveals the famedexplorer to be a man of faith and courage, not a monster.Many of Columbus’ modern

critics rely on a warped andpoliticized reading of history,and it is not the first time theexplorer has endured such at-tacks. When a resurgence ofanti-Catholic bigotry erupted inearly 20th-century America,Columbus was a favorite targetthen as well.Despite animus among some

groups today, the majority ofAmericans view the explorer pos-itively and with pride. In a K ofC-Marist poll from December2016, 62 percent of Americansexpressed a favorable opinion ofthe explorer and 55 percent saidthey were in favor of ColumbusDay, the holiday named for him.By contrast, fewer than 3 in 10view Columbus unfavorably andonly 37 percent oppose the hol-iday named for him. Nonetheless, there have been political efforts to strip

Columbus of honor, and the question of whether to continueto recognize Columbus Day is under review in many places.Some states and municipalities have removed the explorer’sname from the holiday or eliminated the observance entirely.

A COURAGEOUS JOURNEY OF DISCOVERYUnfair attacks on Columbus, past and present, should not beallowed to obscure the truth about the man, his voyage andhis motives. Born in Genoa, Italy, Columbus was a deeplyCatholic explorer who was willing to go against the grain. Hebelieved he could reach the shores of Asia by sailing a mere

3,000 miles west across the Atlantic. Such a passage would es-tablish faster and easier trade routes than were possiblethrough overland travel or by sailing south and east aroundAfrica. Scholars of his day calculated the distance to the Orient

across the Atlantic at well over7,000 miles, out of practicalrange for ships of the day. Thosewho were skeptical of the admi-ral’s proposal did not hold thatthe earth was flat, as popularmyth has suggested, but ratherthat it was much larger thanColumbus believed. Despite hismiscalculation, after 10 weeksColumbus did indeed find land— not the outskirts of the Ori-ent, as he went to his grave be-lieving, but an entirely newcontinent.Later, as a nation began to co-

alesce out of the Americancolonies, its leaders recognizedthe admiral’s legacy. “Columbia”served as an informal name forwhat would become the UnitedStates of America. The eventualdesignation of the nation’s capi-tal reflects the esteem the

founders had for the Genoese explorer.Beginning in the 1840s, waves of European immigrants

swelled the ranks of Catholics in the United States, and alongwith that came an increasingly anti-Catholic, anti-immigrantbacklash from the Protestant majority. Catholics were subjectto discrimination, slander, ridicule, anti-Catholic propagandaand sometimes mob violence.It was within this hostile climate that Father Michael J.

McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882. Heand the founding Knights chose as the Order’s patronChristopher Columbus — one of the few Catholics consid-ered a hero of American history. Father McGivney believed



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the explorer represented both Catholicism and patriotism atthe very root of America’s heritage, thereby symbolizing thatfaithful Catholics also can be solid American citizens. A decade later, as the Order celebrated its patron on the400th anniversary of his discovery, President Benjamin Har-rison proclaimed a national Columbus holiday. He calledfor “expressions of gratitude to Divine Providence for thedevout faith of the discoverer, and for the Divine care andguidance which has directed our history and so abundantlyblessed our people.” Colorado became the first state to establish Columbus Dayin 1907, and others soon followed. In 1934, with strong urg-ing and support by the Knights, President Franklin D. Roo-sevelt and Congress made Columbus Day a federal holiday,mandating its first annual observance on Oct. 12, 1937.

ATTACKS OLD AND NEWAs the 1992 quincentenary of Columbus’ arrival in the NewWorld approached, vocal opposition to Columbus was heard

from partisan and revisionist historians and activists who wereoften critical of Western civilization as a whole. That year, thecity of Berkeley, Calif., changed Columbus Day to IndigenousPeoples Day, and several other municipalities have made similarmoves, often explicitly as a means of dishonoring Columbus.In response to one such initiative in Baltimore, Eugene F.Rivers III, founder and president of the Seymour Institute forBlack Church and Policy Studies, published an op-ed articleDec. 2, 2016.“To celebrate one cultural group does not require that wedenigrate another,” he wrote. “Rather than renaming Colum-bus Day, why not add another holiday, Indigenous PeoplesDay, to Baltimore’s calendar in honor of Native Americans?”The 20th century ended with criticism of Columbus andColumbus Day in certain quarters, just as the early 20th cen-tury had seen similar opposition. When the Ku Klux Klan was revived in 1915 and targetedCatholics, Jews and minority groups whom they considereda threat to the nation’s “Native, White, Protestant” identity,

An 1846 painting depicts Christopher Columbus and members of his crew on a beach in the West Indies after arriving on his flagship SantaMaria Oct. 12, 1492. The work was commissioned by the U.S. Congress and installed in the Capitol Rotunda in 1847. • Opposite page: Thisstatue of Christopher Columbus, dedicated by Italian-American residents in New Haven, Conn., was erected in 1892 in Wooster Square Park.In 2004, restoration of the statue was partially funded by the Knights of Columbus.



one of their targets was Columbus.The Klan opposed the observance of Columbus Day, trying

to suppress celebrations of the holiday at the state level. Klanmembers published articles calling Columbus Day a “papalfraud” and even burned a cross at a Knights of Columbus ob-servance in Pennsylvania. Today, one can still hear echoes of anti-Catholic prejudice

in the modern attacks. For some, Columbus’ sponsorship bySpain and introduction of Christianity and Western cultureto the lands he discovered make him immediately suspect.The new wave of anti-Columbus attacks go so far as to saythat Columbus intended nothing good. “These criticisms primarily charge Columbus with perpe-

trating acts of genocide, slavery, ‘ecocide,’ and oppression,”explained Robert Royal, president of the Faith and Reason In-stitute and author of 1492 and All That: Political Manipula-tions of History (1992).Nonetheless, a closer examination of the record reveals a

different picture.“The dominant picture holds him responsible for every-

thing that went wrong in the NewWorld,” wrote Carol Delaney, a formerprofessor at Stanford and Brown uni-versities, in her book Columbus and theQuest for Jerusalem (2011). In heropinion, “we must consider his worldand how the cultural and religious be-liefs of his time colored the way hethought and acted.”In a 2012 Columbia interview, De-

laney further explained that Columbusfound the native peoples to be “veryintelligent” and his relations with them“tended to be benign.” He gave strictinstructions to the settlers to “treat thenative people with respect,” though some of his men rebelledand disobeyed his orders, particularly during his long ab-sences, Delaney added.Columbus’ voyage made the Old and New Worlds aware of

each other for the first time, eventually leading to the found-ing of new countries in the Western Hemisphere. Diseases in-advertently carried to the New World by the Europeanscaused the greatest number of casualties by far, killing some90 percent of native populations according to some estimates.“There were terrible diseases that got communicated to the

natives,” Delaney said, “but he can’t be blamed for that.”

A RENEWED DEFENSEAccording to Royal, arguments against Columbus by moderncritics often constitute a “new, contemporary form of the‘Black Legend’” — anti-Spanish propaganda dating back tothe 16th-century that stereotypes Spanish explorers asuniquely cruel and abusive.The writings of Bartolomé de las Casas — a 16th-century

Spanish Dominican priest, historian and missionary — exposing

the abuse of the native peoples are often cited in an effort to im-pugn Columbus. But while de las Casas lamented the sufferingof indigenous people, he also admired and respected Columbusfor his “sweetness and benignity” of character, his deep faith andhis accomplishments. “He was the first to open the doors to the ocean sea, where

he entered the remote lands and kingdoms which until thenhad not known our Savior, Jesus Christ, and his blessedname,” de las Casas wrote in his History of the Indies. Whilecognizant that Columbus was human and made mistakes, delas Casas never doubted the explorer’s good intentions, writ-ing: “Truly, I would not dare blame the admiral’s intentions,for I knew him well and I know his intentions are good.”According to Delaney, Columbus “fervently believed it was

the duty of every Christian to try to save the souls of non-Christians,” and it was this passion that “led him on a greatadventure, an encounter such as the world has never seen.”Not surprisingly, popes since the late 19th century have

praised Columbus’ mission of evangelization. Pope JohnPaul II, while celebrating Mass at a Columbus monument

in the Dominican Republic near the1992 quincentenary, said the cross-shaped memorial “means to symbolizethe cross of Christ planted in thisland in 1492.”In a speech to the young people of

Genoa in May, Pope Francis talkedabout how a disciple of Christ needs the“virtue of a navigator,” and he pointedto the example of Columbus who faced“a great challenge” and showed“courage,” a trait he indicated was essen-tial to becoming a “good missionary.”As it did a century ago, the Order is

defending Columbus today. WhenColorado lawmakers weighed a bill to repeal Columbus Dayas a state holiday earlier this year, the Knights of Columbushelped lead the opposition. Recalling the Klan’s earlier effortsto oppose Columbus Day, the K of C noted that the measurewas not a progressive step but rather “regressive as it takes usback to what the Klan outlined in the 1920s in order to pro-mote ethnic and religious resentment.”The Knights of Columbus has defended its patron from

unfair attacks, urging that he continue to receive officialrecognition as a man of faith and bravery. Columbus repre-sents the kind of heroic courage and religious faith that in-spired the establishment of the United States. Although hesurely holds special meaning for Catholics and for Italian-Americans, Columbus is a figure all citizens of the NewWorld can celebrate.For this reason, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said in his

annual report this year, “We will continue to defend the truthabout Columbus and Columbus Day.”♦

GERALD KORSON writes from Fort Wayne, Ind.

COLUMBUS’ FAITH “LED

HIM ON A GREAT ADVEN-

TURE, AN ENCOUNTER

SUCH AS THE WORLD HAS

NEVER SEEN.”



HURRICANE AIDIn the wake of HurricaneMatthew, St. BonifaceCouncil 14439 in Spring-field, Ga., came to the aid of

fellow parishioners of St.Boniface Catholic Church.Council members gatheredtheir chainsaws and volun-teered more than 100 hoursto remove damaged treesand clear storm debris fromthe parishioners’ property.

CARRY THE CROSSSt. Fabian Council 13362 inFarmington Hills, Mich.,runs an annual “Crosses forConfirmation” project, dur-ing which handmade crosses,made by the council, are pre-sented to the confirmationclass of St. Fabian Church.Since 2011, the expandedprogram has given morethan 500 crosses to confir-mands, the RCIA group andSt. Fabian School teachers.

TAKE THE (PAN)CAKESt. Paul of Tarsus Council11689 in Clinton Township,Mich., held a pancake break-fast to support the Detroit

Archdiocese Vocations League(DAVL). The event’s pro-ceeds, along with funds raisedthrough additional projects,enabled the council to offer$7,000 of support for semi-narians and postulants.

TO THE RESCUE!Okmulgee (Okla.) Council1677 heard a call for helpfrom Open Gate, a commu-nity nutrition program,when their sponsor for anevening meal had to sud-denly cancel. Within hours,the council made an actionplan, purchased supplies,and prepared and served adelicious meal of soup,homemade cornbread anddessert for upward of 150satisfied guests.

MEDICAL HELPPine Cone Council 114 inBangor, Maine, rallied to aida brother Knight dealingwith idiopathic pulmonary

KNIGHTS ACTION REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLESIN

fibrosis, a lung disease withno known cause or cure. Themember received a lifesavingdouble-lung transplant, butthe resulting medical ex-penses were substantial.Quickly coming to the fam-ily’s aid, Council 114 broughttogether their families,friends and parish commu-nity for a fundraiser spaghettidinner, auction and raffle.More than 320 people partic-ipated, raising $21,782.

LOOKING AHEADSt. Ann by the Sea-MylesStandish Council 6649 inMarshfield, Mass., alongwith the Youth Missionariesof St. Ann by the SeaChurch, co-hosted a well-at-tended spaghetti dinner atthe parish hall. The eventraised funds to help parishyouth travel to the 2019Panama World Youth Day.

A member of Bristol (Pa.)

Council 906 cleans up a plant

border at the St. Ann Worship

Site of St. Mark Parish. Taking

on the task of refurbishing a

prayer garden, the council

weeded and placed weed

control on flowerbeds.

Knights also donated flowers

and mulch for the project,

which took 48 hours over the

course of a week.

A participant at St. Mary of the

Falls Parish Picnic buys a raffle

ticket for a small Marian shrine

built by Joe Fair of St. Mary of

the Falls Council 14416 in

Olmsted Falls, Ohio. The

council raised $700 through

the raffle, bringing its donation

for tuition assistance at the

parochial school to $2,000.

Richard T. Hellmich of South Milwaukee (Wis.) Council 1709 greets a child on his travels for

the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. Council 1709 and the ladies’ auxiliary contributed $500

to cover the travel expenses of Hellmich’s son, James (in red shirt), so that he could accom-

pany his father on this trip honoring his military service.

SEP 17 KIA E 8_15 FINAL.qxp__Layout 1 8/15/17 12:06 PM Page 27

Members of Church of the

Holy Spirit Council 12150 in

Montgomery, Ala., install

handmade crosses on the

grounds of Holy Spirit Church.

On display for one month,

each of the 270 crosses in

this temporary display repre-

sented 10 of the more than

2,700 abortions occurring

daily in the United States.

FAITH IN FLINTMsgr. Patrick R. DuniganCouncil 695 in Flint, Mich.,prepared hot dogs for atten-dees of the Faith in Flint

St. Vincent de Paul Society atthe parish of St. Mary of theAnnunciation to support thesociety’s ministry to localfamilies in need.

BUILDING THECHURCH

Bishop Marrocco Council10283 in Brampton, On-tario, donated $20,000 to itshome parish, St. Patrick’sChurch. Funds were collectedover the past three years fromdinner dances, panettonesales and other fundraisingevents. The monies will gotoward the building of theparish’s new church. The pas-tor, Father Vito Marziliano,expressed his appreciation tothe council for all the effortsthat went into this endeavorand asked the membership tocontinue their good workduring the next phase of thechurch construction.

Festival at Powers CatholicHigh School. With the helpof volunteers from FatherJohn E. Madden Council14031, also of Flint, and Fa-ther Louis P. Gauthier Coun-cil 10170 of Burton, Council695 manned a food tent withK of C-donated hot dogs andchips for the five-hour event.

PASTA PHILANTHROPYPope John Paul I Council7245 in Lake Placid, Fla.,sold spaghetti and meatballsat the Lake Placid Arts &Crafts Festival. The saleraised $800 for the council’songoing support of parishand community projects.

SVDP RAFFLEThomas E. Power Council1505 in Danvers, Mass., helda raffle for a large flat-screentelevision. The full proceedsof $1,060 were given to the

After a procession in the

streets of Brampton, Ontario,

as St. Eugene de Mazenod

Parish celebrated the feast of

Corpus Christi, a member of

Our Lady of Ludźmierz As-

sembly grills sausage for a

family picnic. The council also

provided an honor guard for

the procession.

RAISE THE ROOFLa Petite Nation Council3112 in Cheneville, Québec,organized a dinner of wall-eye. The fish dinner raisedfunds to repair the roof ofSaint-Félix-de-Valois Church.

PAELLA PROCEEDSValley of the Moon Council7951 in Sonoma, Calif., helda Paella Dinner benefitingthe Facilities RenovationFund of St. Francis SolanoChurch. The event generatedmore than $3,600, whichwill go directly to Project St.Francis. Some 200 peopleenjoyed food, music andeach other’s company at thepaella dinner, which thecouncil plans to make an an-nual event.

SALSA SALESSt. Peter’s at Baylor UniversityCouncil 13577 in Waco,Texas, managed salsa sales andfundraiser dinners. Theevents netted $1,600 for thecouncil’s Seminarian Fundand charitable activities, suchas making sandwiches weeklyfor a homeless shelter andcontributing toward a newchurch in Cameroon.

A family views a Knights of Columbus Silver Rose following a ceremony coordinated by St.

Joseph’s Council 5958 in Orlando, Fla. More than 100 people — including a Fourth Degree

honor guard, scores of children, Guadalupe dancers, singers, performers, carpenters and park-

ing coordinators — collaborated in the event, which featured a procession, liturgy and reception.

During the ceremony, children placed 44 roses — representing the number of years since Roe

v. Wade — before a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the unborn.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION



KNIGHTS IN ACTION


PLEDGE TOWARD THE FUTURE

Thanks to 15 years of sellingparking and tailgating spacesduring University of Okla-homa football games, Nor-man (Okla.) Council 8523was able to pledge $100,000toward the “Our Faith, Our

from families in need or tothose living on their ownwhile trying to graduatehigh school. The supportservices also extend into thesummer months, whenschool is out of session.

VETERANS DINNERMother Teresa Council12696 in Tucson, Ariz.,hosted its annual dinner forveterans. Partnering with or-ganizations serving retiredand homeless veterans, thecouncil welcomed 100 veter-ans as guests. In addition toa meal, the event featuredgifts, such as thank-youcards and knitted caps, fromcommunity groups. Guestswere also provided withtransportation to and fromthe event.

OFFICER APPRECIATION

Prince of Peace Council5903 in Englishtown, N.J.,demonstrated its supportfor those who protect andserve by honoring BryanBelardo as Police Officer of

Future” capital campaign,which will support the con-struction of a new sanctuaryfor St. Thomas More Uni-versity. One of the new sanc-tuary’s daily Mass chapelswill be named after FatherMichael J. McGivney.

MAKING MUSICSt. Brendan Council 11208in Hilliard, Ohio, in con-junction with musical groupThe Navigators and the localNotes club, held a concert toraise money for Coats forKids. More than 230 peopleattended the event, forwhich the Notes providedVIP tables, each valued at$100. The concert raisedmore than $3,054, whichwill enable the council toprovide coats next fall tomore than 160 children.

SIMPLE NECESSITIESPere Marquette Council1492 in Ludington, Mich.,sold fried dough during a se-ries of town street fairs. The200 volunteer hours yielded$1,500 in sales, which thecouncil donated to the Lud-ington High School Re-source Center. The centerprovides basic necessitiessuch as food, clothing andlaundry detergent to youth

A member of San Ignacio de

Loyola Council 14068 in Mex-

ico City, Mexico, visits with a

resident of Tree of Life House,

a center for people with ill-

nesses who are unable to find

service at other medical insti-

tutions. Since Lent of 2014,

Council 14068 has made

monthly deliveries of items

such as clothing, shoes, milk,

biscuits, medicines, diapers

and cleaning products; as-

sisted residents with personal

hygiene; and visited to talk,

pray and learn together.

Maryland State Deputy Steve Cohen (left), members of the

Fullerton Women’s Care Center staff, Ultrasound Program Chair-

man Dick Siejack and State Director of Culture of Life Programs

Mike Furst celebrate the 17th ultrasound machine donation

made by the Maryland State Council. The donation was made

through a partnership with the Supreme Council, the Maryland

State Council, Cardinal Gibbons Council 2521 in Nottingham

and Father Burggraff Council 6021 in Perry Hall.

Members of San Atanasio Council 4882 in Long Beach, Calif.,

staff the kitchen during the council’s monthly food sale, which

supports the local parochial school.

the Year. The presentationevent provided an occasionto express gratitude for allpolice officers serving theircommunities.

FEELING BLUEEast Kildonan Council 4107in Winnipeg, Manitoba,teamed up with other min-istry groups at St. AlphonsusChurch to coordinate a poolthat followed the WinnipegBlue Bombers in the Cana-dian Football League. Ticketsales raised nearly $7,000 inprize money, and the pro-gram netted $14,129 towardthe St. Alphonsus Beautifica-tion Fund.

kofc.orgexclusive

See more “Knights in Action” reports and

photos atwww.kofc.org/knightsinaction


SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS


his death. Contingent on satis-factory academic performance,these scholarships are renewedfor a total of four years.This academic year, 16 new

scholarships were awarded and50 renewed. The following arefirst-time recipients: Jacob G.Benne, John A. Blackman,Andrew M. Donofrio, RobertA. Fiegelist, Brendan R. Flood,Patrick J. Halpin, Mairead K.Kennon, Samuel S. Lafreniere,Claudia A. Magnussen, Mar-garet R. McDonough, Bran-don T. Molzon, Sarah A.Moynihan, Megan E. Pfund-stein, Teresa R. Pillifant, Na-talie E. Santucci and Anna C.Wanner.

FOURTH DEGREE PRODEO AND PRO PATRIA

SCHOLARSHIPS(CANADA)

These scholarships are for stu-dents entering colleges or uni-versities in Canada, with re-quirements regarding K of Cmembership that is the same asfor their U.S. counterparts. Tennew scholarships were awardedand 35 renewed for the currentacademic year. New recipientsare: Annie M. Cormier, Nich-olas G. Deagle, Nathan G.Holroyd, Victoria Lachance,Myra F. Luetke, Sarah M.MacInnis, Arielle A. McKay,Charles C. Meadows, Jacob J.Sperling and John T. St. Croix.

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUNDSPercy J. Johnson Scholarshipsare awarded to young men at-tending U.S. Catholic collegesor Catholic universities and arefunded by a 1990 bequest ofPercy J. Johnson, a member ofSeville Council 93 in Brock-ton, Mass. Five scholarshipswere awarded and 18 renewedfor the current academic year.New recipients are: TerranceCasey, Sean C. Fletcher, Mar-tin D. Heli, Francisco Hernan-dez and Joshua P. Vallencourt.

In 2000, Knights of Colum-bus Charities Inc. received a$100,000 donation from FrankL. Goularte. A scholarship fundin his name was established toprovide $1,500 in need-basedgrants that are administered, ingeneral, according to the rulesof the Pro Deo and Pro PatriaScholarships. Two new scholar-ships were awarded for the cur-rent academic year and eightwere renewed. The new recipi-ents are Lucy K. Simmons andAngela Weber.From 1995 to 1997, Knights

of Columbus Charities Inc.received bequests totaling nearly$200,000 from the estate ofAnthony J. LaBella. In his will,LaBella remembered the kind-ness shown to him by Knightswhen he was an orphan inFarmingdale, N.Y. The bequestshave since been used to establisha scholarship fund in LaBella’sname. Earnings from the fundprovide scholarships for under-graduate study in accordancewith the rules and procedures ofthe Pro Deo and Pro PatriaScholarships. Two new scholar-ships were awarded and 12 re-newed for the current academicyear. First-time recipients areEmma R. Adams and David J.Phillips.In 1997, Knights of Colum-

bus Charities Inc. received a be-quest from Dr. Arthur F.Battista to establish scholarshipsfor graduates of the Cornwall(Ontario) Collegiate and Voca-tional School. These $1,500and $2,000 annual scholarshipsare awarded on the basis of ac-ademic merit, financial need,community service and ex-tracurricular activities. Prefer-ence is given to Knights; to thechildren or grandchildren ofmembers; to students recom-mended by the Ontario StateCouncil; and to studentsbound for Catholic colleges orCatholic universities. For thecurrent academic year, 32 newscholarships were awarded and

Supreme Council Awards College Scholarships

FOR THE 2016-2017 academic year, the Knights of Colum-bus awarded scholarshipstotaling more than $1.27million to 515 students.Most recipients are thechildren of Knights, orKnights themselves, at-tending Catholic univer-sities or Catholic collegesin the United States,Canada, Mexico, PuertoRico or the Philippines.These figures include$287,500 in awards givento 117 seminarians in the United States andCanada. For more information

about the Order’s schol-arship programs, visit kofc.org/scholarships.

JOHN W. MCDEVITT(FOURTH DEGREE)

SCHOLARSHIPSThis scholarship was estab-lished in 1998 in honor of theOrder’s 11th supreme knight.Recipients must be enrolled ata Catholic college or Catholicuniversity in the United Statesand be a Knight, the wife of aKnight, or the son or daughterof a Knight. Widows and chil-dren of members who died ingood standing are also eligible.In addition to the 29 new re-cipients listed here, 84 scholar-ships were renewed for thecurrent academic year. New re-cipients are: Christopher J.Beirne, Karl R. Brine-Doyle,Michael J. Bursch, Alex E.Capozziello, Alexander L. Con-way, Aaron J. Dlabal, John M.Edwards, Nora F. Fenton,Noah A. Furneri, Nicholas J.Giannotti, Jake V. Gilstrap,Patrick M. Harris, Clare E.Heinrich, Madison J. Kuehl,Patrick J. Kunst, Katherine C.

LaCosta, Casslyn M. McNa-mara, Bruce J. Patryn, Sofia M.Perez, Elliott I. Rysavy, ClementG. Say, Jacob G. Schmiesing,Mary E. Schreffler, Hannah C.Schwartz, Bridget A. Sullivan,Helena C. Tiller, ChristopherO. Toudouze Jr., Maria N. Tranand Edyta A. Wolk.

FOURTH DEGREE PRO DEO AND PRO PATRIA

SCHOLARSHIPSA total of 83 U.S. students re-ceived Fourth Degree Pro Deoand Pro Patria scholarships of$1,500 each. These scholarshipsare awarded on the basis of aca-demic excellence to incomingfreshmen in bachelor’s degreeprograms at Catholic colleges orCatholic universities. The re-cipients are Knights of Colum-bus or Columbian Squires, theson or daughter of a Knight ingood standing, or the son ordaughter of a Knight who wasin good standing at the time of


SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS


Educational Trust FundTHE FRANCIS P. MATTHEWSand John E. Swift Educational Trustoffers scholarships to the children ofmembers who are killed or perma-nently and totally disabled by hostileaction while serving with the armedforces during a covered period of con-flict. In 2004, the Order declared thatmilitary conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistanand Pakistan would be covered underthe trust fund. Also eligible are thechildren of members who are killed asa result of criminal violence directedagainst them while performing theirduties as full-time law enforcementofficers or full-time firefighters. Anapplication must be filed within twoyears of the member’s death or the de-termination of his total and permanent disability.As of June 30, a total of 820 children have been recorded

as eligible for benefits from the trust fund since its establish-ment in 1944. Thus far, 348 eligible children have chosennot to use the scholarships, three have died, and 125 whobegan college either discontinued their studies or fully usedtheir scholarship eligibility before graduation. There are 44future candidates. To date, 294 students have completedtheir education through the fund.During the 2016-2017 academic year, eight students pur-

sued undergraduate degrees through the benefit of the Fran-cis P. Matthews and John E. Swift Educational Trust Fundscholarship program. The following students are working to-ward their degrees: Mitchell J. Atkinson, Patrick L. Barta,Kellie E. Barta-Ramirez, Kristen M. Merchant, Lucas D.Miller, Nicole F. Palazzo and Melissa R. Stachowiak.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONScholarship applications for the 2018-19 academic year will be

available after Oct. 1, 2017. To obtain an application or request

more information, visit kofc.org/scholarships, call us at (203) 752-

4332 or write to:

Dept. of Scholarships

Knights of Columbus

1 Columbus Plaza

P.O. Box 1670

New Haven, CT 06507

26 grants renewed. New recipi-ents are: Drake Adams, CharlieBabineau, AronhiorronionsBeauvais, Joey Beelich, Alexan-der Grant, Magdalin Grant,Umay Habiba, Sarah Hunter,Courtney Kingston, MitchellLaffin, Carlie Lafrance, SarahLafrance, Nicholas LaMarche,Ashlea Laszewski, Larissa La-zore-Cook, Shaohong Liu,Mifda Lafir Madani, MadisonMarsolais, Cole Owen, DestinyPerkins, Jonathan Ponnudurai,Kasia Ransom, Kiana Robert-son, Cameron Roundpoint,Quinten Roundpoint, CassidySavard, Joshua Seguin, YathushaSelvarajah, Alannah Taillon,Shraddha Timalsina, MadisonWolff and Mackenzie Wright.

SISTER THEA BOWMAN

FOUNDATION –K OF C SCHOLARSHIPS This scholarship is named forSister Thea Bowman (1937-1990), an African-Americanreligious who inspired manypeople with her urgent anduplifting call for better educa-tion for children of theAfrican-American community.In December 1996, the

Knights of Columbus Board ofDirectors, in partnership withthe Sister Thea BowmanFoundation, authorized a four-year grant in the amount of$25,000 per year to supportdeserving African-Americanstudents pursuing a Catholiccollege education.Periodically, the board has

approved continuation of thegrant program. In August2005, the amount of the four-year grant was increased to$37,500 per year.For the 2016-2017 aca-

demic year, no new scholar-ships were awarded.

GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS

The Order has an endowmentat The Catholic University of

America in Washington,D.C., that provides Knights ofColumbus graduate fellow-ships. One new fellowship wasawarded and five renewed.The new recipient is BrianKillackey.One fellowship for the John

Paul II Institute for Studies onMarriage and Family at TheCatholic University of Amer-ica was renwed for the currentacademic year. Three new fel-lowships were awarded. Therecipients are Michael Boland,Donald Rooney and JosephVillanueva.

MEXICO SCHOLARSHIPS

Six new scholarships wereawarded in the amount of$500 each, renewable for up tofour years. In addition, 14were renewed. The new recip-ients are: Rosy Y. AcevedoTacuba, Verónica Blas Toledo,Francisco Vallejo Carpio, JoséR. González Estrella, ClaudiaA. Rojas Márquez and ErickA. Loera Castillo.

PUERTO RICOSCHOLARSHIPS

For the 2017-18 academic year,11 new scholarships wereawarded and five renewed. Thenew recipients are NileykaAnais-Rodríguez, Juan J. Cam-pos-Roig, Erick M. Carreras-Acosta, Karla N. Correa-Torres, Carlos Maldonado-Zayas, José J. Ortiz-Garcia,Jonathan Pérez-Villegas, Gil-berto Ramos-Rodríguez, CesarJ. Rodríguez-Padilla, Julio C.Rodríguez-Padilla, and CarlosE. Valentín-Butler.

PHILIPPINESSCHOLARSHIPS

For the 2016-17 academic year,17 new scholarships of $500were awarded and 19 renewed.The new recipients are Vaniza J.Aparici, Julie F. Bacawag, VinchM. Escomo, Danilo C. Es-guerra Jr., Paul A. Estrada, Mac

Swift

Matthews

S. Johnson, John R. Jusayan,Rhea B. Lumiuan, Nina C.Ombrosa, Rovelyn A. Patay,Maria B. Pimentel, Gabrielle F.

Raymundo, Tricia R. Reyes,Princess G. Rosales, Shania S.San Diego, Paramisuli N. Sisiand Donna L. Sua.


JOIN THE FATHERMCGIVNEY GUILDPlease enroll me in the Father McGivney Guild:

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY

STATE/PROVINCE

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

OFFICIAL SEPT. 1, 2017:To owners of Knights of Columbus insurance policies and persons

responsible for payment of premiums on such policies: Notice is herebygiven that in accordance with the provisions of Section 84 of the Lawsof the Order, payment of insurance premiums due on a monthly basisto the Knights of Columbus by check made payable to Knights ofColumbus and mailed to same at P.O. BOX 1492, NEW HAVEN,CT 06506-1492, before the expiration of the grace period set forth inthe policy. In Canada: Knights of Columbus, Place d’Armes Station,P.O. Box 220, Montreal, QC H2Y 3G7

ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK, EDITORIAL MAT-TER, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILED TO:COLUMBIA, P.O. BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901. RE-JECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IF ACCOMPANIED BY ASELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE. PUR-CHASED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED. OPINIONS BYWRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE-SENT THE VIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.

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

COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869/USPS #123-740) IS PUBLISHEDMONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 1 COLUMBUSPLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326. PHONE: 203-752-4000,www.kofc.org. PRODUCED IN USA. COPYRIGHT © 2015 BYKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRO-DUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSIONIS PROHIBITED.

PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NEW HAVEN, CT ANDADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND AD-DRESS CHANGES TO COLUMBIA, MEMBERSHIP DEPART-MENT, P.O. BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

CANADIAN POSTMASTER — PUBLICATIONS MAILAGREEMENT NO. 1473549. RETURN UNDELIVERABLECANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 50MACINTOSH BOULEVARD, CONCORD, ONTARIO L4K 4P3

PHILIPPINES — FOR PHILIPPINES SECOND-CLASS MAILAT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE. SEND RETURNCOPIES TO KCFAPI, FRATERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT,P.O. BOX 1511, MANILA.

K OF C ITEMSOFFICIAL SUPPLIERS

IN THE UNITED STATESTHE ENGLISH COMPANY INC.

Official council and Fourth Degree equipment1-800-444-5632 • www.kofcsupplies.com

LYNCH AND KELLY INC.Official council and Fourth Degree equipment and officer robes

1-888-548-3890 • www.lynchkelly.com

IN CANADAROGER SAUVÉ INC.

Official council and Fourth Degree equipment and officer robes

1-888-266-1211 • www.roger-sauve.com

9/17

!


knightsgear.comThese items and more available at

Questions? 1-855-GEAR-KOC (855-432-7562)Additional shipping costs apply to all orders. Please

call before mailing in an order.

PROMOTIONAL & GIFT ITEMS

B.

Personalized Long-Sleeve Pique Polo This long-sleeve, 3-button shirt in royalblue, black or navy has the emblem ofthe Order or Fourth Degree emblemembroidered in full color the left chest,with your council or assembly nameand number around it. Please allow10-12 business days for your personal-ized order to be produced. S, M, LXL: $35 each; 2XL: $37; 3XL: $38;4XL: $39

Water-Repellent Lightweight JacketThis navy Devon & Jones® jacket has alightweight, breathable 65% poly-ester/35% cotton shell with a meshlining, plus elastic cuffs and waist. Thisjacket is available with the emblem ofthe Order or the Fourth Degree em-blem embroidered on the left chest infull color. M, L XL: $50 each; 2XL:$52; 3XL: $53; 4XL: $54

Knit Hat & Reversible Scarf SetMade in the U.S.A., this royal blue knit scarf and matching knit cuff hat,both featuring the emblem of the Order, will keep you looking great andfeeling warm. Emblem, text and stripes are knit in gold, red and whiteon a royal blue base. The scarffeatures reversible design.One size: $23.50


KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

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

Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., prefect of the Con-gregation for the Causes of Saints; Archbishop Gin-taras Grušas (center left) of Vilnius, Lithuania; andArchbishop Pedro López Quintana, apostolic nuncioto Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, stand withLithuanian Knights following the beatification ofArchbishop Teofilius Matulionis in Vilnius, June 25.The Knights provided a number of key services forthe beatification celebration, including the installa-tion of a sacristy for some 60 cardinals, archbishopsand bishops at the Grand Palace of Dukes of Lithua-nia, as well as assistance during the Mass. Arch-bishop Grušas and Archbishop López are membersof St. Ignatius Council 15900 in Vilnius and ofOur Lady of Remedios Council 5681 in MalateManila, Philippines, respectively.

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.

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

A PARTICULAR PATH.’

As a child, I loved to serve in the church, beit as an altar boy or any other way. Often, mypartners were the Knights, and I found thatthe lives of these men and their families shinedwith faith, purpose, integrity and joy. This wasinspiring on many levels as a young man.

While in high school, I received a letter ofinvitation that helped my vocation come fullyalive. To me, it expressed in one simple andtelling sentence what has proven itself moretrue with each passing day: “The priesthoodis a beautiful and joyful way of serving Godand his people.”

Christ leads every person to a particularpath. If we follow his example of humble sub-mission and loving service, the ways to con-tribute toward the good in this life arelimitless.

Today, I am eternally grateful that theKnights and many others had faith in me, forI am now honored to share the best of ourCatholic faith with them — and truly blessedto serve all of God’s people.

FATHER DEAN DOWLE

Archdiocese of EdmontonFather Duncan MacDonnell Council 6363Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta

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sep 17 cover e 8 14 final.qxp layout 1 8/14/17 6:37 pm ...€¦ · road of hope: the spiritual...

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