Columbia February 2011 by Columbia Magazine

KNI GHT S O F CO LUMBU S

F EBRUARY 2011

COLUMBIA

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

FeBruary 2011 ♦ Volume 91 ♦ NumBer 2

COLUMBIA F E AT U R E S

8 What Warmth A Coat Can Make Through another season of “Coats for Kids” distributions, Knights provide hope to families in need. BY BRIAN DOWLING

12 Tire Chains and Rosaries An ice road trucker brings his faith over frozen lakes and across borders. BY LOREN MCGINNIS

14 Walking With the People of the World The Vatican diplomatic corps advocates for human rights and dignity around the globe. BY GREG BURKE

20 Rediscovering the Word of God

Pope Benedict XVI teaches about God’s dialogue with humanity through the Bible. BY FATHER THOMAS ROSICA, C.S.B.

23 A Century of Faith and Service

The Knights of Columbus celebrates 100 years of charity, unity and fraternity in Puerto Rico. BY MARÍA DE LOURDES RUIZ SCAPERLANDA

A girl is pictured during a “Coats for Kids” distribution at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Worcester, Mass. This year, Knights distributed more than 15,000 coats to children in need.

D E PA RT M E N T S 3

Building a better world

Christ’s presence in us demands that we be uncompromisingly pro-life. BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

Learning the faith, living the faith

Photo by Bryce Vickmark

Our work and civic responsibilities are rooted in human dignity and the common good.

Knights of Columbus News Vicarius Christi Fund Earnings Given to Pope • K of C Commercial Invites Americans to Help Haiti’s Children • Broadcasting Christmas Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica

Knights in Action

Columbianism by Degrees

Fathers for Good

BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN BISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

It is important to guard your heart when working with members of the opposite sex.

PLUS Catholic Man of the Month

BY MIKE AQUILINA

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In the Bleak Midwinter IN HIS 14th-century epic poem The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri receives a guided tour of hell, purgatory and heaven. At the conclusion of the first part, titled Inferno, the Roman poet Virgil takes Dante to the lowest pit of hell. There, they find Satan and the most hopeless of sinners silently frozen in ice. Lucifer is portrayed as a giant, hideous creature who can do little more than flap his bat-like wings and cause the surrounding water to freeze, resulting in a spectacle that is pathetic as it is terrifying. The ice is also a peculiar sight, considering the scriptural description of hell as “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Mt 25:41). Rather than contradicting traditional scriptural imagery, Dante’s Inferno simply conveys spiritual truths in a different, imaginative way. The description of the frozen recesses of hell highlights the cold emptiness that results from separating oneself from God, who is the source and foundation of all that exists. Pope Benedict XVI observed in his recent homily for the feast of the Epiphany that when we fail to surrender to God and instead think of him as a rival, we are left unhappy and unfulfilled. “We must remove from our mind and heart the idea of rivalry, the idea that to give space to God is to limit ourselves,” the pope said. “He is the only one capable of giving us the possibility of living in fullness, of experiencing true joy.”

It is in this light that we should understand the symbolism of Dante’s poem. In addition to the purification of sins and the pain experienced by those have turned away from God, the image of fire also connotes divine charity — for as the author of Hebrews writes, “Our God is a consuming fire” (12:29). Thus, the poet’s image of Satan as frozen and immobile stands in stark contrast with the saints, who burn with the love of God. Of course, in each case, the imagery of fire or ice is representative of transcendent and interior realities. Just as Christina Rossetti’s famous 1872 Christmas poem celebrates the arrival of Jesus “in the bleak midwinter,” we know that, on this side of eternity, God’s presence is manifested in all sorts of climates. This is evidenced by the important witness of representatives of the Holy See working to promote religious freedom and human dignity throughout the world (see page 16). It is likewise seen in the work of Knights of Columbus to build a culture of life and a civilization of love, from the arctic chill of northern Canada (see page 12) to the beaches of Puerto Rico (see page 23). Filled with the Holy Spirit, the mission of the Church indeed extends to the ends of the earth, setting the world on fire for God.♦ ALTON J. PELOWSKI MANAGING EDITOR

Knights of Columbus Book Club — February 2011 IN The End and The Beginning: Pope John Paul II – The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy (Doubleday, 2010), author George Weigel provides a sequel to his bestselling biography of Pope John Paul II, Witness to Hope. Weigel relies on declassified Cold-War era documents to reveal the pope’s struggle against the evils of communism and offers an assessment of the pontificate that definitively shaped history and the Catholic Church. Please join us in late February for a discussion of the book at kofc.org/bookclub. 2 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

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COLUMBIA PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus ________ SUPREME OFFICERS Carl A. Anderson SUPREME KNIGHT Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. SUPREME CHAPLAIN Dennis A. Savoie DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT Emilio B. Moure SUPREME SECRETARY Charles E. Maurer Jr. SUPREME TREASURER John A. Marrella SUPREME ADVOCATE ________ EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski alton.pelowski@kofc.org MANAGING EDITOR Patrick Scalisi patrick.scalisi@kofc.org ASSOCIATE EDITOR Brian Dowling brian.dowling@kofc.org CREATIVE & EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ________ GRAPHICS Michelle McCleary LAYOUT

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

CoVer: CNS photo/ray Stubblebine, reuters

E D I TO R I A L

BUILDING A BETTER WORLD

Fulfilling the Gospel of Life Christ’s presence in us demands that we be uncompromisingly pro-life by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson IN EVANGELIUM VITAE, Pope We might go on to say that the value John Paul II’s great pro-life encycli- of every human life is measured by cal, we read, “The Gospel of life is Christ’s love and that Christ’s love is dignity that Christ’s love has imnot simply a reflection, however new inseparable from each of our lives. and profound, on human life. Nor is Later in his encyclical, the pope parted to each of us. The Church’s proclamation of the it merely a commandment aimed at writes, “It is precisely in the ‘flesh’ of raising awareness and bringing about every person that Christ continues Gospel of life calls us to enter into significant changes in society. Still to reveal himself and to enter into this profound reality — the reality of less is it an illusory promise of a bet- fellowship with us, so that rejection the Redeemer’s love for each human ter future. The Gospel of life is some- of human life, in whatever form that being. This reality is the key to unthing concrete and personal, for it rejection takes, is really a rejection of derstanding who we are as persons consists in the proclamation of the Christ” (104). Christ’s loving em- and our responsibilities to those very person of Jesus” (29). brace of every human being is so in- around us. Our responsibilities as citizens are These words radically and deci- tense that he is truly revealed in and measured by a calculus of sively deepen our underjustice, and we must therestanding of what it means The obligation of the law to fore work untiringly for just to be pro-life. Clearly, the laws. But our responsibilipope was not saying that protect the innocent arises from ties as Christians can only one must be Christian in be fulfilled through a vocaorder to be opposed to principles of natural justice, tion of love as revealed by abortion or euthanasia. The which we are all obligated to follow, “the Creator and lover of obligation of the law to life” (100). protect the innocent arises regardless of religious belief. Evangelium Vitae confrom principles of natural cludes with an appeal to the justice, which we are all obligated to follow, regardless of reli- through each person. According to Blessed Virgin Mary, “the incompagious belief. John Paul II, this “demanding rable model of how life should be The obligation of the Christian, truth” is revealed to us when the welcomed and cared for.” The pope though, goes beyond justice. Those Lord says, “Whoever receives one prays that all those who accept the who follow Christ are called not only such child in my name receives me” Gospel of life may be granted “the courage to bear witness to it resto obey the law, but also to fulfill it. (Mt 18:5). John Paul II continues, “Through The “demanding truth” of Christ’s olutely, in order to build, together the words, the actions and the very presence in each of us compels with all people of good will, the civperson of Jesus, man is given the Christians to be uncompromisingly ilization of truth and love” (105). May Venerable John Paul II conpossibility of ‘knowing’ the complete pro-life. With St. Paul, we may truly truth concerning the value of human say that in the pro-life cause “the tinue to intercede for us, and may life. … In Christ, the Gospel of life is love of Christ urges us on” (2 Cor Mary always obtain for her Knights definitively proclaimed and fully 5:14). This attitude is not a political the grace to be foremost in the defense given” (29). Thus, we know that the tactic, nor does it arise from intran- of “the sacred value of human life from value of every human person is re- sigence or political extremism. its very beginning to its end” (2). Vivat Jesus! vealed by the love of Jesus Christ. Rather, it dares not compromise the

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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

Stewardship of This World’s Goods Our work and civic responsibilities are rooted in human dignity and the common good by Supreme Chaplain Bishop William E. Lori THE MORAL GROUND covered by world’s goods. Indeed, the right to the Seventh Commandment — “You own private property is an expression shall not steal” — includes the right to of human dignity. The purpose of this private property, respect for creation, the right is to meet the basic necessities of Church’s social doctrine, the dignity of life, including one’s own needs, the public property, and creating waste human work, justice and solidarity needs of those for whom one is re- (508). Only a moment’s reflection tells among nations, participation in political sponsible, such as family members, us that such dishonest practices harm life, and love for the poor (Compendium and the needs of others (505). not only individuals, but also the comof the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Respecting what belongs to others mon good of society. We only have to 503). Closely related is the Tenth Com- brings into play several virtues, no- think of the role that greed and fear mandment, which enjoins us from cov- tably justice and charity together with played in bringing about the current eting the possessions and attainments of temperance and solidarity. Our deal- global recession. others (531-533). Taken together, these ings with others should be marked by Pope Benedict XVI often reminds us two commandments instruct us to be a readiness to keep our word and to that the Church speaks to social and just and generous stewards of God’s honor the terms of legitimate con- economic problems to defend human blessings. They also help us to see what tracts we have entered. Abiding by the dignity and to guide citizens and their it means to love our neighbor and leaders in constructing a just to work with others in creating a society. Accordingly, the just and well-ordered society. Economic and financial systems Church teaches that economic and financial systems must be must be conducted ethically and conducted ethically and be at PRIVATE PROPERTY We sense a right to own what we the service of the human perbe at the service of the human have justly acquired, especially son, not the other way around those possessions for which we person, not the other way around. (511). The unbridled quest for have worked and paid. But we profit in the marketplace and also sense that the right to prithe untrammeled exercise of vate property is not boundless (504). Seventh Commandment requires that power by totalitarian governments Recall the rich man in the Gospel who we make amends for injustices we both offend human dignity (512). had no regard for Lazarus, a poor man have committed and return what we who lacked basic necessities (Lk have stolen. It also demands that we DIGNITY AND JUSTICE 16:19-31). In asserting the right to have genuine concern for the needs of It is the duty of the state to oversee soprivate ownership, the Church also others and a desire to use this world’s cial and economic systems in such a asks us to be temperate in using the goods in a careful, prudent way, out of way that they respect the right and respect for creation and out of concern duty of human persons to secure and honest employment, open to all withfor others (506). The 34rd installment of Supreme The Compendium points out that out unjust discrimination. As such, the Chaplain Bishop William E. Lori’s there are many ways we can take what state should foster economic growth faith formation program addresses does not belong to us, such as paying and provide conditions under which questions 503-520 & 531-533 of the unjust wages, undertaking risky or dis- workers are justly compensated (514Compendium of the Catechism of the honest investments that put others at 15). We are called to be diligent and Catholic Church. Archived articles are a disadvantage, participating in tax eva- competent in our daily work, by which at kofc.org. sion or fraudulent business practices, we are cooperating with God, the creperforming shoddy labor, damaging ator of all things. Labor is a very im4 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

FEBRUARY 2011

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

portant way of providing for our families and contributing to the common good of society. It is also a path toward holiness (513). Respect for human work requires the cooperation of both management and labor. In legitimately seeking business opportunities and profits, managers must also compensate workers fairly and provide for decent working conditions. For their part, workers are to be conscientious and diligent in carrying out their tasks. To the extent possible, labor disputes should be resolved by good-faith negotiations on the part of management and those who represent workers. When such negotiations

HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTIONS

Offered in solidarity with Pope Benedict XVI

PHoToGraPH oF PoPe: CNS photo, Paul Haring — ParaTer: Photo courtesy Diocese of richmond, Va.

GENERAL: That the family may be respected by all in its identity and that its irreplaceable contribution to all of society be recognized. MISSION: That in the mission territories where the struggle against disease is most urgent, Christian communities may witness to the presence of Christ to those who suffer.

break down, a nonviolent strike that aims at just compensation and work conditions cannot be ruled out; such action, however, must not endanger the common good, including the health and safety of others (516-17). These days, no economy or financial system stands alone — we are linked in a global economy. As a result, every nation, particularly those that are wealthy and powerful, is obliged to work for economic justice and a decent standard of living throughout the world (518). For this to come about, however, citizens must actively engage in civic affairs as witnesses to authentic Gospel values (519).

To be stewards of God’s gifts after the mind and heart of Christ, we must embrace the Beatitudes. This means imitating Christ’s own spirit of detachment from this world’s goods, together with charity for the poor and needy (520, 532). Indeed, the great desire of our lives must be not for material gain but rather to live in God’s presence (533). The principles of our Order — charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism — help us to be those good and loving stewards of God’s gifts so that, at the end of our lives, we may hear the Master say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Mt 25:23).♦

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

Servant of God Francis Parater (1897-1920) Memorial: February 7 FRANCIS JOSEPH PARATER was born in 1897 in Richmond, Va. Known as Frank from his youth, he was an intelligent, amiable and holy young man. After high school, he enrolled in the college seminary at Belmont Abbey in North Carolina. During the summer months, he worked with the Boy Scouts of America and was associated with Knights of Columbus programs for troops during World War I. God’s call to the diocesan priesthood led Parater back to his home diocese of Richmond, and in 1919, he was sent to Rome to study at the Pontifical North American College. Parater quickly earned the admiration of his fellow seminarians, but never lost sight of his reason for entering the seminary: to serve the Church, especially the people of Virginia. Early the following year, Frank contracted rheumatic fever, and his health declined rapidly. When death seemed imminent, the seminary rector celebrated a votive Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for him on Friday, Feb. 6, 1920.

Parater died the following day. It was only afterward that a fellow seminarian discovered among Parater’s personal effects in a sealed envelope an Act of Oblation. It read: “I have nothing to leave or to give but my life and this I have consecrated to the Sacred Heart to be used as He wills. ... This is what I live for and in case of death what I die for. … I shall be of more service to my diocese in Heaven than I can ever be on earth.” Pope John Paul II declared Parater a Servant of God in 2002, formally opening the cause for his beatification.♦

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS

Vicarius Christi Fund Earnings Given to Pope

K of C Commercial Invites Americans to Help Haiti’s Children

Broadcasting Christmas Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica

A COMMERCIAL aired nationally on FOX, MSNBC, and CNN, inviting people to “help a child in need” by donating to the Knight’s “Healing Haiti’s Children” initiative. This program will provide prosthetic limbs to every child who lost a limb in the Haitian earthquake more than a year ago. Appearing in the commercial and making the appeal is actor Matthew Marsden, who has had prominent roles in several recent films, including a short film on Haiti in which he plays a journalist who helps a child and his mother.

A KNIGHT-SPONSORED television-production van — donated to the Vatican Television Centre in 2010 — was used in this year’s broadcast of the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. The Order previously donated mobile production vans to CTV in 1985 and 1995, respectively, and has also funded uplink costs for the broadcast of Vatican events since the mid-1970s. Since that time, the Order has covered the uplink costs to send the television signal to a satellite and, in certain circumstances for developing countries, the downlink costs to receive that signal and distribute it through a television system.

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maSS: CNS photo/Paul Haring

POPE BENEDICT XVI received Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson and Supreme Chaplain Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Conn., in a private audience at the Vatican Dec. 17, 2010. On behalf of the 1.8 million members of the Knights of Columbus, Supreme Knight Anderson presented the pope with a gift of $1.6 million, representing this year’s earnings from the Order’s Vicarius Christi Fund, which was established in 1981. Since it began, the fund has provided $48 million for the pope’s personal charities and causes.

FAT H E R S F O R G O O D

‘Work-Spouse’ Warning Signs It is important to guard your heart when working with members of the opposite sex by Mike Aquilina E DITOR’ S N OTE: This article was adapted from a column that appeared on Fathers for Good, an online initiative of the Knights of Columbus. For more articles and resources, visit fathersforgood.org.

Thinkstock photo

en and women have been sharing the workplace on increasingly equal terms since World War II. Most people agree that this is a good thing, giving women a new degree of vocational freedom. Nonetheless, when men and women share a work environment, there are certain things to keep in mind. I had never heard the phrase before, but when I read an article in USA Today about “workspouses,” I recognized the phenomenon immediately. A work-spouse is a co-worker of the opposite sex who is a particularly close friend. Consider the case of a female co-worker who has managed to learn a lot about you through banter over the cubicle wall or in the lunchroom. She knows your birthday, your favorite foods, and some of your dreams and aspirations. In some ways, she knows you better than your wife does, and it’s only natural since she shares your company for more waking hours per week and she sees you in a professional capacity that your wife might not understand or value. It all seems harmless, since the relationship is platonic, but it’s actually a minefield. This is what spiritual writers traditionally call a “particular friendship” — an undue affection or intimacy. And you don’t have to be Catholic to see the danger inherent in this kind of relationship. The folks in the human resources department know all about the phenomenon of the “work-spouse.” Why? Because it can upset the workplace dynamic, leading to accusations of favoritism. But perhaps the greatest danger for the employer is that work-spouse relationships sometimes end badly. And when they end, they can produce the sort of lingering hostility that’s often found between former friends or between ex-spouses. At that point, an angry former “work-wife” might revisit conversations and e-mail messages to find instances that

surely qualify as harassment. The evidence will be there, since close male-female friendships often skirt the edges of flirtation, and such pleasantries can become unwelcome in retrospect, even if they were welcome at the time. Harassment is not a blot you want on your employment record. Nor is it something you want to try to explain to your spouse. Let’s say you were completely innocent, that everything was platonic and that you never intended for a co-worker to take your wife’s place in your heart. Even so, is it right for you to cause scandal, making others wonder if you’ve been faithful and making you and your spouse vulnerable to gossip? And think about your coworker. What if her feelings are stronger than she’s letting on, and you have fostered a sinful attraction to a married man? “Given that many people are actually spending more time with their colleagues rather than their families on an average day, it’s no surprise that these types of workplace relationships are gaining importance,” said Jacqueline Olds, M.D., an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “In many cases these are influential, positive and supportive relationships that can be critical to succeeding in today’s high-pressure work environments,” added Olds. “Unfortunately, it’s not surprising to see these relationships can move from friendly to something more. And, intentionally or not, that can have unforeseen and devastating consequences.” I’ve seen the work-spouse relationship end badly, and more than twice or thrice. It always has consequences: in the worst case, a lost job or a damaged marriage; in almost every case, there is residual weirdness at the office. Spiritual writers counsel us to keep seven locks on our hearts. Our spouses should hold the key ring, even when we go off to work.♦ MIKE AQUILINA is executive vice-president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. He is author of more than 30 books and co-host of eight series on EWTN.

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

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w a rmt h wHaT

a CoaT CaN make Through another season of “Coats for Kids” distributions, Knights provide hope to families in need by Brian Dowling

ino Giamei was about five minutes from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Worcester, Mass., when his phone rang. It was the state secretary for the Massachusetts State Council. He told Giamei that the 300 coats — which they received, unpacked and set up inside the gymnasium of the Gene DeFeudis Italian American Cultural Center near the church — were waiting to be distributed as planned. But a dozen basketball teams, he added, were also waiting in the gym to play games that were scheduled for the whole day. “The only communication we have is no communication,” Giamei joked as he explained the scheduling mix up at the center. Instead of using the basketball court, Giamei had another idea. They moved the coats downstairs onto a blue-carpeted bocce court. This winter, Knights of Columbus organized approximately 40 distributions like the one in Worcester in coldweather cities throughout North America. The “Coats for Kids” initiative is part of the Order’s “Help a Child in Need” campaign that started in 2006 to appeal for donations to children’s charities during the Christmas season. From November through early February, Knights will distribute about 15,500 coats in cold-weather cities, including

A girl and a boy receive new coats at a Knights of Columbus “Coats for Kids” distribution in Bridgeport, Conn.

Hartford and New Haven, Conn.; Reno, Nev.; Montreal; Quebec City; Salt Lake City; Alamosa, Colo.; and Fort Dodge, Iowa. Average lows for February in those cities range from five to 24 degrees Fahrenheit, without the wind chill. Giamei worked with Massachusetts State Secretary Peter Healy and the Supreme Council to purchase the coats at cost and send them to Worcester. As a district deputy of Massachusetts, Giamei contacted 11 nearby councils to get the names of people who needed coats. Nick Marrier, grand knight of Pope John XXIII Council 5481, was one Knight who got a call. “I thought of a couple of the local parishes we normally work with,” said Marrier, 24, who passed along about 10 names. When the Jan. 2 distribution date arrived, a group of Knights enthusiastically moved the coats downstairs, set them up on fold-out tables and arranged them by size. Two tables full of refreshments were set up near the door, and the wives of a few of the Knights took a seat on a church pew near the distribution area as everyone awaited the children’s arrival. Then, a few minutes past 1 p.m., a group of kids walked through the doors, down the stairs and into the bocce room. A few were wearing old coats, others just sweatshirts. Sitting near the entrance, Michael McManus welcomed the children as they came in and saw their glowing faces as they left wearing new, warm coats. FEBRUARY 2011

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Photo by Bryce Vickmark

A girl is fitted for a coat at the Jan. 2 “Coats for Kids” distribution in Worcester, Mass. About 50 children received new coats at that distribution, and the remaining jackets were delivered to parishes to be passed out.

A woman holds her daughter at a coat distribution in Bridgeport, Conn. Between late-2010 and early-2011, there have been about 40 “Coats for Kids” distributions like the ones in Worcester and Bridgeport, in addition to nearly 100 smaller events at parishes and councils. “It does get cold here, like any other New England city,” said McManus, a member of Father Edward T. Connors Council 13674. “It feels good to be able to help those that are maybe a little less fortunate and give them that extra little warmth they may need, whether waiting for the school bus or walking to the store.” As the distribution continued, there was a considerable amount of switching sizes, cajoling kids to look at all the color options, and jovial commentary from Knights and their wives. “Do we have a size 8 for young ladies?” one Knight yelled out as he tried to approximate the size of a coat for a girl. “Make that a 10, I was just told. Pink? You sure? Purple? We have purple!” The group of women watched from across the room when they weren’t greeting the kids who walked in for coats. “I think it’s amazing,” one woman said. “The father right here. He walked in with a sweatshirt on,” another said. Even though the distribution was for children, Knights were able to find an extra coat that fit the man who brought his young son. “Worcester is one of the larger cities in Massachusetts,”

said Peter Healy, the state secretary who helped organize the distribution. “Like everything with the recession, it’s been hit. People don’t always necessarily have a big nest egg to lay back on and wait for the jobs to come back, so a lot of these people are hurting.” He added, “If you give them a free coat, they won’t have to spend $80 for a new coat. Now they can have that $80 and they can give that to the household budget for food or shoes or clothing. That’s one need that’s met.” McManus, still sentinel at the door later in the day, was a bit surprised by what transpired in the small basement of the Italian American Cultural Center. “It’s been, what one might say, ‘an eye-opener’ to see just what the outpouring would be for the coats,” he said. “It’s been nice to see the people that responded to the request that the Knights put out for those in need. And people came in, picked up their coats, and were very thankful.” At the end of the day, a good number of coats were still left on the tables. But the Knights had planned for this. Volunteers put K of C stickers on the coats’ plastic wrappers and boxed them up for delivery to parishes throughout the area to ensure that needy children who could not come to the distribution would still face this winter with the warmth of a new coat.♦ BRIAN DOWLING is the creative and editorial assistant for Columbia magazine.

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tire chains

rosaries An ice road trucker brings his faith over frozen lakes and across borders by Loren McGinnis

decal on the side of Alex Debogorski’s big rig reads, “Trucking for Jesus.” It doesn’t hurt to be prayerful when you’re hauling loads over frozen lakes and rivers to remote communities, mines and offshore drilling rigs. Debogorski has trucked for Jesus for more than 25 years, about the same amount of time that he has been a Knight of Columbus. In the past four years, his job, his faith and his wild, wooly character have made him famous. That’s because Debogorski is not just any old trucker — he drives the ice roads of the north and is one of the main characters on the History Channel’s hit reality series Ice Road Truckers. “I’ve always been famous; it’s just taken until now for everyone else to realize,” said Debogorski, punctuating the joke with his signature hearty laugh. He added that his celebrity has given him the chance to share his faith and convictions with a huge audience. ‘WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET’ Debogorski, 57, joined the Knights of Columbus at St. Patrick’s Church in his hometown of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, in 1984 and has been an active member ever since. Surprisingly, his service as a member of Father Gathy Council 7725 (named after a priest who came north in the 1940s) is probably just as dangerous as his job hauling heavy loads over icy waterways. He does what is called “lockup ministry.” “Alex goes into segregated areas of the prison and sits down

Alex Debogorski, an ice road trucker and Knight of Columbus, is featured in the History Channel’s reality show Ice Road Truckers. FEBRUARY 2011

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Alex climbs into his truck with a Bible and a rosary. He has been a Knight since 1984. with high-risk inmates,” explained his council’s financial secretary, Deacon Brian Carter. Carter added that Debogorski is good at reaching out to inmates because “with Alex, what you see is what you get. He lives his faith, and that’s what we’re all called to do.” Debogorski said that many of the inmates he prays with are Dene, members of an aboriginal group in northern Canada. “They are spiritually sensitive. They are very close to the land and very close to their roots,” he explained. But not every prisoner Debogorski meets is ready to pray. 14 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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FAITH, FAMILY AND FAME Fatherhood and his faith are two of Debogorski’s defining characteristics. “I was walking behind a hay bailer when I was 12 years old,” he said, “and I decided I wanted to have 12 kids.” Debogorski has never wavered from that desire for a large family. He and his wife, Louise, have 11 children. The oldest is 38 and the youngest is 11. Most of the family still lives in Yellowknife, but a few of the children have left town to pursue education or work. Last Christmas, they were all home. “It was packed here,” said Louise, “but it was nice to have everyone together.” For his part, Alex hopes that his children will all have big families, too. “We’ve got 10 grandkids and one more on the way,” he said. “We’re hoping for 90 more.” The fact that so many of Debogorski’s fans relate to him because of his faith and family seems to change the typical fan-celebrity relationship. Rather than a connection based on superficiality and hysteria, members of “Team Alex” instead share with him heartfelt, personal experiences. And that seems to go both ways: Debogorski will spend a 12-hour day meeting fans, shaking hands, listening to problems, and offering advice or a simple, “God bless you and your family.” On the book tour, Debogorski would work all day without stopping if not for interruptions by the event staff for an occasional restroom, coffee or meal break. At a book signing in Austin, Texas, Debogorski gave a talk about his life, his job and his faith. During the question-

PreVIouS SPreaD: Photo courtesy of the History Channel — THIS SPreaD: Photos by Jiri Hermann

“We’ve had a fight between two guys right in the middle of a service where I had to jump over them and a guard had to break it up,” he said. He also explained that some prisoners are drawn to him because of his fame and simply want to talk. “That’s OK, too,” he added. “Sometimes we just talk awhile, and it leads to a discussion about faith or prayer. Sometimes it doesn’t.” And it’s not just the inmates who are drawn to Debogorski because of his faith. He recently published a book of memoirs titled King of the Road: True Tales of a Legendary Ice Road Trucker (Wiley, 2010). Once the book hit shelves, Debogorski hit the road, trucking across America from coast to coast. Along the way, he met thousands of fans and handed out bookmarks and buttons that read “Team Alex.” Many of those fans connect with Debogorski because of his willingness to publicly share his faith. During a book tour stop at the largest truck stop in the United States — Iowa 80 in Walcott, Iowa — hundreds of people lined up to meet Debogorski. One of them was Joanne Briggs, a native of Springfield, Mass., who was on a long haul to California with her truck-driving husband. Briggs waited in the long line twice: once to give Debogorski a hug and to let him know that she prays for his health and safety, and a second time to pass along a prayer book as a gift of thanks for the faithful example he sets. “There aren’t enough people like Alex on TV: a good father and a good Christian,” said Briggs.

and-answer session, one fan lamented, “Why are you the Debogorski sits at home in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, with only Christian we see on TV?” Debogorski is quick to give three of his grandchildren. “We’ve got 10 grandkids and one more on credit to the History Channel for allowing him to share his the way,” he said. “We’re hoping for 90 more.” faith on Ice Road Truckers: “If you like it and you want to see more, write to History Channel and let them know that you appreciate it.” Debogorski takes this responsibility seriously. It’s also part This is part of Debogorski’s advocacy campaign for of how he connects with his religious fans as well as with prischanges to television, attitudes and society in general. His oners. “I represent Christianity and my Roman Catholic faith celebrity is akin to having a political when I’m out there,” he said, “but I platform. And he is no stranger to also represent those who struggle politics. with human weakness.” The fact that so many of In the early 1990s, he ran for Debogorski clearly enjoys his fame mayor of Yellowknife, and his cambecause of the chance it gives him to Debogorski’s fans relate to paign is still well remembered by connect with so many different peohim because of his faith the community. As a way of setting ple. He calls the touring, the hand himself apart from other candidates, shaking and the TV work his “new and family seems to Debogorski painted campaign signs job.” He also acknowledges that it on scrapped cars doors. While he may not last. Fame is a fickle thing, change the typical fandidn’t win the election, he surprised especially in the world of reality TV. celebrity relationship. even himself with how many votes But Debogorski said that he will he received. enjoy it for as long as it lasts. And if Running for office again is someand when it’s over, he will go back to thing Debogorski won’t rule out, what he has always done: driving the and he admits that his fame has made him a kind of interna- ice roads in the winter and making topsoil in the summer. tional representative. No doubt his fans, especially those who are touched so deeply “I represent Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories,” he by his public expressions of faith, would miss him.♦ said. Because driving on the ice roads and being on TV has taken him to Alaska, he added that people also see him as a LOREN MCGINNIS is a Yellowknife-based writer and film prorepresentative of the United States when he is traveling out- ducer. He spent two months on the road with Alex Debogorski side of North America. filming a documentary about the King of the Road book tour. FEBRUARY 2011

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walking WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE world The Vatican diplomatic corps advocates for human rights and dignity around the globe by Greg Burke

ehind Rome’s Pantheon, in the Piazza della Minerva, is a curious statue of an elephant with an obelisk on its back. Visitors to Rome often notice the famous statue — carved by a student of Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1667 — but pay no attention to the building that faces it. This four-floor palazzo houses the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, also known as the Vatican diplomatic school. It is somehow fitting that no one seems to notice this unassuming building. After all, Vatican diplomacy is largely about discretion. Most of the work of Vatican diplomats is done behind the scenes and never makes the papers. This work can take the form of helping priests and sisters obtain visas to work in countries such as Israel and Cuba. Or it can be much more exciting, such as trying to keep countries from going to war (as was the case with Chile and Argentina in the late 1970s and early 1980s) or helping to secure the release of British sailors captured by Iran in the spring of 2007. “You are called to collaborate in building up the Church, serving the Petrine ministry in the Christian communities to which you are sent,” Pope John Paul II once told students at the Academy. The pope described diplomatic activity as

Pope Benedict XVI addresses the General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York April 18, 2008.

something “particularly delicate,” reminding the students that they deal with civil society, working “to promote the great ideals of justice, of peace, of solidarity, indispensable values for the full protection of the dignity of the human person.” PROTECTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM The Holy See has diplomatic relations with 178 different countries. That number itself is a sign of the high regard that governments have for the Vatican despite any differences they might have on particular issues. The apostolic nuncios (usually archbishops) and other members of the Holy See’s diplomatic corps have a mission as the Holy See’s representatives before the civil authorities in each country. They also serve as a bridge between the Vatican and the local Catholic community. “The Holy See has a highly respected diplomatic corps with sharp eyes and sharp ears,” said Francis Campbell, the outgoing British ambassador to the Holy See. “It is far closer to the ground than any ordinary diplomatic corps through its network of bishops and clergy in each place.” As a result, Campbell said, the Holy See has one of the best-informed diplomatic networks in the world. Vatican diplomacy has a long history, dating back more than 1,500 years by some accounts. The diplomatic school

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(From top) Pope Benedict XVI greets Mary Ann Glendon, the former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. • Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, left, receives the apostolic nuncio to Cuba, Archbishop Luigi Bonazzi, center, and the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, at the foreign ministry in Havana Feb. 25, 2008. The cardinal said he hoped his visit to the communist island-nation would help advance church-state relations. • Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, then-Vatican ambassador to Iraq and now permanent observer at the United Nations, submits his credentials to Iraq’s President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad Nov. 16, 2006. 18 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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A MORAL VOICE While the watchword may be discretion, the Holy See is ready to make its voice heard and even go to the mat when there are serious moral issues at stake. Such was the case in 1994 with the United Nations International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo. The conference became a battle of different worldviews, and the Vatican was not afraid to play hardball in such a pivotal showdown.

ToP: CNS photo/l'osservatore romano — mIDDle: CNS photo/enrique De la osa, reuters — BoTTom: Photo by wathiq khuzaie/Getty Images

for the Holy See was formally instituted in 1701. That all adds up to centuries of diplomatic experience, something that has served the Church well across the globe. As Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, once the foreign minister for the Holy See, pointed out, the Vatican’s diplomatic activity goes beyond looking out for the rights and the needs of Catholics. “Our duty is to promote and defend not only the freedom and rights of Catholic communities around the world, but also to promote certain principles without which there is no civilization,” Tauran said. “One of the most important of these principles is to protect the right to life at all stages.” The overarching goal of the diplomatic corps is to advocate respect for human rights. This includes the promotion of religious freedom for all believers, with particular concern for the Catholic Church’s ability to operate freely. Jim Nicholson, the former U.S. ambassador to the Holy See (2001-05), recalled that he was able to attend Mass in the heavily Islamic United Arab Emirates, something he said is a result of Vatican insistence on reciprocal rights for believers. “They’re really making a mark on that,” Nicholson said. “It’s far from perfect, but they’re making progress.” In addition, the Vatican does not have to worry about economic or military concerns, which is an advantage when it comes to even-handed diplomacy, Nicholson added. He went on to describe the Holy See’s diplomatic corps as “sophisticated, informed and dependable.” “They make a difference primarily in the whole human rights context,” Nicholson said. “It’s who they are, and it’s what they stand for — human dignity.”

CNS photo/alessia Pierdomenico, reuters

For example, the Vatican took on the U.S. delegation, Pope Benedict XVI greets Vatican-accredited diplomats during an audience headed by then-Vice President Al Gore, charging it with at the Vatican Jan. 10. The pope met with representatives of 178 countries misrepresenting its position regarding abortion. Pope John and told them that freedom and religious diversity are not threats to society Paul II weighed in as well, harshly criticizing the draft doc- and should not be sources of conflict. ument for the conference. In addition, the pope delivered a strong message to the executive director of the U.N. Fund for Population Activities, Nafis Sadik. “In the face of the so- can gets adequate credit for their work against poverty, called culture of death, the family is the heart of the culture hunger and disease, and pointed out that the Holy See oversees the “world’s largest network of life,” John Paul II said. of health care, educational and reMost of the time, though, lief agencies.” the diplomacy is quiet work in While the watchword may Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, perdefense of human rights. manent observer of the Holy See “What sets the pope’s envoys be discretion, the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva, apart is that they are charged to agrees that the Vatican brings a speak and act for the good of is ready to make its voice light of hope to the world. humanity, not just for the sovheard and even go to the “In an environment of much ereign entity they represent, media reporting on violent conand not just for Catholics,” said mat when there are serious flicts, on the financial and ecoMary Ann Glendon, Harvard nomic crisis, on the clash of law professor and former U.S. moral issues at stake. civilizations and clash of cultures, ambassador to the Holy See the Holy See puts forward the vi(2007-09). Glendon said she was lucky sion of a civilization of love,” to serve at a time when the partnership between the United Tomasi said. “The diplomacy of the Holy See walks along States and the Holy See was especially close, with a shared with the peoples of the world in the ups and downs of their commitment to human rights — especially religious free- history.”♦ dom — and to fostering interreligious dialogue. She believes that neither the United States nor the Vati- GREG BURKE is the Rome correspondent for Fox News. FEBRUARY 2011

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REDISCOVERING THE WORD OF

GOD Pope Benedict XVI teaches about God’s dialogue with humanity through the Bible

by Father Thomas Rosica, C.S.B.

t. Augustine wrote that when Christians read and meditate on the Scriptures, their minds are enlightened, their wills are strengthened and their hearts are set on fire with the love of God. The latest post-synodal exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini, helps us to rediscover this truth of the divine word of God, reminding us that this word is the source of constant renewal for the Church. Have we forgotten that a biblical renewal was one of the most desired hopes and fruits of the Second Vatican Council? Many synod fathers, and Pope Benedict himself, referred to a “slackening” over the past four or five decades, with the consequence of “indefiniteness or vague spiritualism or, on the contrary, of arid technicalities on the part of specialists.” Rather than leading people into the heart of God’s word, we have driven some away. To rectify this, we must once again rekindle a flame around the Scriptures. Verbum Domini, which has been published in eight languages, has the potential to set hearts on fire with the love of God and his saving word. It is the most important document on the Bible in 45 years. Dated Sept. 30, 2010, the memorial of St. Jerome, the exhortation is the fruit of the synod of bishops on “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church,” which was held at the Vatican from Oct. 5-26, 2008. One of the strong messages to emerge from the synod is that the Christian faith is not a religion of “the book,” but rather a religion of the word of God (7). “The faithful need to be better helped to grasp the different meanings of the expression [‘word of God’], but also to understand its unitary sense,” Pope Benedict writes. “From the theological standpoint too, there is a need for further study of how the different meanings of this expression are interrelated, so that the unity of God’s plan and, within it, the centrality of the person of Christ, may shine forth more clearly.”

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THE INTERPRETATION OF SACRED SCRIPTURE One of the great debates at the synod was about the role of exegetes — professionals who study sacred Scriptures and are called to interpret the Bible. Verbum Domini deals with the vocation of exegetes and teachers of Scripture in a very thorough manner with more than 40 pages dedicated to presenting hermeneutics (the practice of interpretation) in a “clear and constructive” way. The pope writes that the primary setting for scriptural interpretation is the life of the Church. This is not to uphold the ecclesial context as an extrinsic rule to which biblical scholars must submit. Rather, it is something demanded by the very nature of the Scriptures and the way they gradually came into being. “In their work of interpretation, Catholic exegetes must never forget that what they are interpreting is the word of God. Their common task is not finished when they have simply determined sources, defined forms or explained literary procedures. They arrive at the true goal of their work only when they have explained the meaning of the biblical text as God’s word for today.” DIVINE READING A prayerful reading of the word of God, known as lectio divina, is one of the strongest, clearest and most concrete proposals of the exhortation. “The synod frequently insisted on the need for a prayerful approach to the sacred text as a fundamental element in the spiritual life of every believer, in the various ministries and states in life, with particular reference to lectio divina. The word of God is at the basis of all authentic Christian spirituality” (86). In Verbum Domini, Pope Benedict describes in detail the step-by-step method of lectio divina, which includes reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation, leading to action. Salt + Light Television in Canada has given lectio divina a high priority in its programming. The network has been particularly blessed to have Archbishop Thomas C. Collins of Toronto, a renowned Scripture scholar and teacher, use lectio divina as a powerful instrument to bring the Scriptures alive for the people of Toronto and far beyond. THE NEW EVANGELIZATION Verbum Domini vigorously promotes the new evangelization. To evangelize means to preach the Good News proclaimed to us more than 2,000 years ago. That news is the same yesterday, today and forever. It truly is the greatest story ever told, and we must constantly seek new ways to tell it. The evangelization of today’s world — so often spoken about by Venerable John 22 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦

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Paul II and repeated by Pope Benedict XVI — is a task in which the Church places great hope. Yet, we are fully aware of the innumerable obstacles we face in this work due to the extraordinary changes happening at a personal and social level to a postmodern culture in serious crisis. SOURCE OF PEACE AND RECONCILIATION In light of so many conflicts taking place in the world, Pope Benedict’s words in Verbum Domini about reconciliation between peoples are particularly striking. “In the present context it is more necessary than ever to rediscover the word of God as a source of reconciliation and peace, since in that word God is reconciling to himself all things (cf. 2 Cor 5:18-20; Eph 1:10): Christ ‘is our peace’ (Eph 2:14), the one who breaks down the walls of division.” Citing hostilities that “take on the appearance of interreligious conflict,” the pope added: “Here I wish to affirm once more that religion can never justify intolerance or war. We cannot kill in God’s name! Each religion must encourage the right use of reason and promote ethical values that consolidate civil coexistence.”

he synod on the word of God was an invitation to students, teachers and lovers of sacred Scripture, and to the entire Church, to look carefully at its relationship with the word of God. How can Scripture once again become the “soul of theology” and bridge this growing divide between those who study Scripture, those who teach theology and those who are preparing for ministry in the Catholic Church? How can the hearts of students, pastoral ministers and the faithful be set on fire by the risen Lord, who begs people to touch the text of his words? Pope Benedict writes, “In a world which often feels that God is superfluous or extraneous, we confess with Peter that he alone has ‘the words of eternal life’ (Jn 6:68). There is no greater priority than this: to enable the people of our time once more to encounter God, the God who speaks to us and shares his love so that we might have life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10).” Both Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, who was appointed by Pope Benedict as an official observer, and I took part in all sessions of the synod. It was for us a retreat steeped in the word of God and in the documents of the Second Vatican Council, and a tremendous experience of the universal Church. I have no doubt that Verbum Domini will be a major impetus in the ongoing renewal and life of the Church, universally, and in all of the countries where Knights of Columbus give witness to the Gospel with their lives. The complete text of Verbum Domini is available at Catholic bookstores, or free online at the Vatican’s website, vatican.va.♦ BASILIAN FATHER THOMAS ROSICA, a member of Toronto Council 1388, is a Scripture scholar and the C.E.O. of Canada’s Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation. He served as the English-language press attaché for the synod on the word of God in October 2008.

PreVIouS PaGe: CNS photo/Paul Haring

Our faith is not about a book or a story of the past. It is not based in a library or collection of ancient texts. Rather, the Word of God is a person, and his name is Jesus. God’s Word became flesh (cf. Jn 1:14). He lived on our earth and shared our human condition. God’s Word continues today to save and redeem, to forgive and heal. In this light, let us examine four points that Verbum Domini makes about the Bible:

The Knights of Columbus celebrates 100 years of charity, unity and fraternity in Puerto Rico by MarĂa de Lourdes Ruiz Scaperlanda

a Fcentury S

AITH AND

E RV I C E

Columbus disembarked — and where a group of Franciscans were martyred for their evangelization efforts.

On the previous page: The building for Puerto Rico’s first council, San Juan Bautista Council 1543. The council is named for the city in which it resides and for St. John the Baptist. Above: A Fourth Degree honor guard stands near a giant cross in San Juan.

A ‘RICH PORT’ When Columbus stumbled upon the island of Boriquén in November 1493 during his second voyage, he christened it San Juan, in honor of St. John the Baptist. Then, in 1508, explorer Juan Ponce de León established a settlement on the north coast that he named Puerto Rico, literally proclaiming its idyllic harbor location and prospects as a “rich port.” This became the name of the island, and the town was renamed San Juan. As a Spanish colony, Puerto Rico did not offer the enticing attraction of other New World colonies rich in gold and silver. But for the Catholic Church, it was an important settlement in spreading Christianity. In 1511, Pope Julius II declared three new dioceses in the Americas under the Province of Sevilla, Spain, including the Diocese of Puerto Rico. The island’s first bishop, Alonso Manso from Salamanca, was also the first bishop to come and live in the New World. Four centuries later, with help from the New York State degree team, the Knights of Columbus officially expanded to Puerto Rico on Jan. 13, 1911. Council 1543 in San Juan was named after St. John the Baptist — an homage to the legacy of Christopher Columbus. Bishop William A. Jones, the second U.S. bishop of San Juan, served as chaplain to the council’s 43 members. Economic tragedies like the Great Depression, coupled with natural disasters such as the devastating hurricanes that regularly assail the island, have all affected the Knights’ development. “For much of the 20th century, Catholics in Puerto Rico were poor, humble workers who could not even afford to wear appropriate clothes or pay fees,” said Rivera-Santiago. “Once these conditions began to change, the Order began to grow.” These experiences have fashioned a strong emphasis on service projects in the field. And of the Order’s 75 worldwide jurisdictions, Puerto Rico was one of only 15 to donate more than $100 per member in charitable giving, according to the 2009 Survey of Fraternal Activity.

n a very real way, the Caribbean was the doorway for Catholicism in what would become the Americas. It was on these islands, after all, that Christopher Columbus first encountered an unknown new world — claiming it on behalf of the Catholic king of Spain. Among these lands was Puerto Rico, the smallest and furthest east of the Greater Antilles. A mostly mountainous island roughly the size of Connecticut, it would gradually grow in importance and population. Today, the Catholic Church in Puerto Rico consists of five dioceses and one archdiocese, and approximately two-thirds of the island’s 4 million people are Catholic. The Knights’ presence there consists of 77 councils and approximately 3,700 members. All of Puerto Rico’s bishops are Knights, and Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez Nieves, O.F.M, of San Juan began his membership with the Order as a Columbian Squire. “The Knights in Puerto Rico are strong and active today,” said Past State Deputy (1987-90) Manuel Rivera-Santiago, noting that the Knights have rekindled in the Puerto Rican Catholic Church the faith brought there by Columbus. “The Catholic faith from Spain entered into our people very strongly.” According to Rivera-Santiago, this faith is strengthened today through “our example as practicing Catholics, dedicated in our daily lives to our families, to brotherhood, to Columbian principles. We stand together and back the Church, our clergy — and the needs of the people, which are often many.” A Knight for 42 years, Rivera-Santiago is currently completing a detailed history of the Knights in Puerto Rico. Every November, he explained, the Knights make a pilgrimage to the church of San Francisco de la Aguada, built at the site where

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Hiran Diaz Belardo, a member of San Pedro Martir Deverona Council 11375 in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, delivers a speech outside the Puerto Rico Legislature during a pro-life and pro-marriage rally on March 24, 2007. THE NEW EVANGELIZATION When the Order first expanded to Puerto Rico in 1911, the island was already among the most densely populated areas in North America, with more than 1 million inhabitants in its 3,508 square miles. In contrast to Cuba, Puerto Rico at the turn of the 20th century was not clamoring for independence from Spanish rule. Rather, the island was ceded to the United States in 1898 as part of the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish-American War. The shift in government from Catholic Spain to the predominantly Protestant United States was a significant change for the island’s people. The goal of the Church is to “rekindle the faith of our people,” yet “because of the identity crisis that occurred a little more than a century ago, that re-evangelization is more difficult,” explained Archbishop Gonzalez Nieves in an interview with Catholic News Service. According to State Secretary Luis I. Rivera-Perez, Knights take seriously their role in this re-evangelization, particularly through service to the Church and community. The Knights’ record of charity in Puerto Rico is “an incredible source of pride,” he said. “Our priests and our Church are our north star. We see ourselves as the strong right arm of our priests.” An excellent model for Knights everywhere, noted RiveraPerez, is Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, a Puerto Rican Knight who promoted a love for the liturgy, for the Eucharist and for educating the laity (see sidebar). “Carlos Manuel Rodríguez is the best example of what it

means to be a Knight,” said Rivera-Perez. “He exemplified in an extraordinary way what it means to live a ‘Christocentric’ life, where God is the center of everything.” It is this model of life that Knights in Puerto Rico will continue to emulate as they begin their second century of service. “We have been like ants who don’t rest,” Rivera-Perez joked. “The past 100 years have been richly filled with what the Knights have brought to the Church, building courage and Christian values.”♦ MARÍA DE LOURDES RUIZ SCAPERLANDA is a freelance writer and author living in Norman, Okla. She is the author of several books, including The Journey: A Guide for the Modern Pilgrim (Loyola, 2004), co-authored with her husband Michael.

BEATIFIED KNIGHT CARLOS MANUEL RODRÍGUEZ SANTIAGO

hen Carlos Manuel Rodríguez was beatified April 29, 2001, by Pope John Paul II, he became the first lay Knight to be venerated as blessed. Rodríguez, a simple man from Puerto Rico remembered as “Charlie,” is also the first lay U.S. citizen — and only the second layman on the entire American continent — to be beatified. (The first was St. Juan Diego, to whom Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in 1531.) Rodríguez was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, on Nov. 22, 1918, the second of five children. Although fragile health affected much of his life, he was an active member of Pope John XXIII Council 2033 in Caguas and was dedicated to apostolic work at the Catholic

University Center in Rio Piedras, where he evangelized both students and teachers. One of the driving principles behind his life was promoting his deep devotion to the liturgy and to living a true understanding of the resurrection of Christ. Rodríguez died of colon cancer in 1963 at the age of 45. “Without being a [vowed] religious, he dedicated his life to promoting Christian values,” said Past State Deputy (1987-90) Manuel Rivera-Santiago. “Carlos Manuel dedicated everything to the cause of working for a genuine Christian culture in Puerto Rico. These are qualities that continually inspire me as a Knight.”♦ FEBRUARY 2011

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KNIG HTS IN ACTI ON

REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLES

peake Council 8240 and All Saints Assembly were informed that soldiers frequently requested rosaries before or after their deployment. To help fulfill this request, Knights worked with Our Lady’s Rosary Makers to supply the base with 4,300 non-metallic rosaries. Knights also provided Our Lady’s Rosary Makers with a financial donation to continue their work. TALBOT HOUSE Mike O’Conner and Bill Binns of Angels Gate Council 1740 in San Pedro, Calif., reinforce a bench at Holy Trinity Elementary School. Knights repaired and painted 70 benches at the school.

TRAILER OF FOOD

Father Charles D. Philipp Council 7717 in Au Gres, Mich., purchased a trailerload of food — weighing approximately 18,000 pounds — from the Food Bank of East Michigan. In conjunction with the council’s ladies’ auxiliary and Au Gres Christian Charities, Knights then distributed the food to needy families in Arenac County. NEW FLOOR

Members of Pius XII Council 996 in Fort Smith, Ark., and Father Anthony J. Lachowsky Assembly in Conway installed a new tile floor in the foyer, conference room and kitchen of a retreat center at Subiaco Abbey and Academy. Knights volunteered their time and expertise to install the floor in Coury House, the abbey’s retreat center and guesthouse.

School. The donation will help bridge the school’s $28,000 deficit due to a decrease in outside funding. TRACK MEET

Msgr. John Cawley Council 3629 in Lakewood, Calif., hosted a track meet for 21 Catholic middle school teams at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower. More than 370 young people participated in 36 track and field events, and more than 40 volunteers from the council ensured that the event ran smoothly. STATUE PLACED

St. Vincent Council 11353 in Fort Wayne, Ind., and Worldwide Seminarian Support donated a statue of Mary to St. Vincent Church as part of their sponsorship of a local Eagle Scout project. The statue was dedicated at a special ceremony attended by 14 visiting priests from Tanzania.

MISSION SCHOOL DONATION

St. Mary Magdalene Council 13779 in Gilbert, Ariz., donated $1,600 to St. Peter’s Native American Mission

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ROSARIES FOR SOLDIERS

After contacting the USO representative at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, Chesa-

FEBRUARY 2011

Sydney (Nova Scotia) Council 1060 held a spaghetti dinner that raised $1,375 for Talbot House, a facility that guides the rehabilitation and addiction recovery of men from across the province. JOINING THE SISTERS

Father Michael A. Burke Council 14488 in Kathleen, Ga., and its ladies’ auxiliary raised $1,600 for Kay Duryea, a young woman who is a postulant with the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.

ing the meal and a magic show, the council also distributed clothes and care items to nursing home residents. FOR A BROTHER

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Council 9928 in Albuquerque, N.M., provides ongoing assistance to Thomas Reis, a council member who suffers from poor health. Knights help Reis attend daily Mass, get to his medical appointments and collect food for the homeless and needy. The council also provides Reis with rosaries to assist in his evangelization work. HOLY FAMILY SHRINE

St. Paul of the Cross Council 6681 in Marikina, Luzon, erected a shrine to the Holy Family at its parish with contributions from among the council’s membership. The shrine cost about 8,500 pesos and was dedicated at a special ceremony.

FAMILY SUPPORT

Father Robert Ross Council 6095 in Stanton, Calif., donated $3,000 to the Family Support Center at St. Polycarp Parish. The funds will provide food, clothing and financial assistance to needy families. VETERANS LUNCHEON

South Plainfield (Ill.) Council 6203 held a luncheon at the Menlo Park VA nursing home for veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. Knights served a surf-and-turf lunch of lobster, filet mignon, baked potatoes and green beans, with pie for dessert. Follow-

Members of St. Monica Council 9681 in Converse, Texas, prepare to dish out food during a council-sponsored charity barbecue. Knights sold more than 400 plates of food, which included sausage, brisket, potato salad, brownies and more. The barbecue raised about $1,400, which was split between the council’s charitable fund and Guadalupe Home.

K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N NEW STOVE

Silver City Council 2 in Meriden, Conn., bought a new industrial stove for St. Joseph Church after the old unit was retired. By purchasing the stove themselves, Knights saved the parish approximately $2,600.

KNIGHTS LOVE THE TROOPS

VOCATIONS CHALLENGE COIN

Thomas Altenburg and Frank J. Diggins of Montreal Council 284 prepare hamburgers during a barbecue for the Benedict Labre House, a day center for the homeless. Knights feed the homeless at the Labre House three times each year, and have done so for the past 25 years.

ORDINATION INVITATION

As a benefactor of the city’s major seminary, Padre Francisco Javier Alegre Council 4214 in Veracruz, Mexico South, was invited to the ordination of six diocesan priests. Knights also served as waiters at a dinner for more than 4,000 people following the ordination. ‘SUPER BINGO’

St. John Vianney Council 7525 in South Burlington, Vt., held a “Super Bingo” tournament to raise funds to build a chapel at Camp TaKum-Ta, a Vermont-based summer camp for children with cancer. More than 500 players competed in bingo games, raffles and a silent auction — all of which raised $63,000 for the camp. FRENCH TOAST BREAKFAST

Father Lawrence Korback Council 10893 in Madison, Wis., held a French toast breakfast that raised $1,000 for Special Olympics.

St. James Council 2299 in Logan, Ohio, conceptualized a project to mint and sell K of C challenge coins in support of vocations. Working with a local mint, the council designed and sold out of its first batch of coins, and ordered a second shipment to supplement demand. Sales from the coin exceeded $3,600 — all of which will be donated to seminarians in need of financial assistance. FATHER MCGIVNEY STATUE

Sacred Heart Council 4628 in Rothschild, Wis., unveiled a statue of the Order’s founder, Venerable Michael McGivney, at the Mother of Christ Grotto at St. Therese of the Child Jesus Church. The unveiling took place in conjunction with a councilsponsored spaghetti dinner and a special Mass in honor of priests from throughout the Diocese of La Crosse. PRIESTLY SOLIDARITY

St. Monica Council 12601 in Cameron, Texas, co-hosted a lunch in honor of two area priests. Knights presented Father Juan Carlos with a plaque of appreciation, a $1,000 Knights of Columbus Insurance annuity and a check for $4,000 to fund restorations at St. Monica Church. The council also honored Father Charlie Garza, who was ordained in May 2010, with a plaque and an insurance annuity of $500.

Jere Hartnet (left) of Pope John Paul II Assembly in Burlington, Ontario, and Robert Keating (right) of Father Morgan Vincent Assembly in Georgetown stand with Babe Santucci of the Halton Catholic District School Board and some of the valentines that were created by students at 22 area schools. Knights from Halton County packaged and shipped the valentines to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, for distribution to veterans at nursing homes and care facilities across Canada.

As these activities demonstrate, the Order is no stranger to showing love and respect for men and women in uniform. • Father James Knight Assembly in Moore, Okla., held a drive to collect used cell phones, chargers and accessories from parishioners at St. Andrew the Apostle Church. The 150 items that were collected were converted to free phone minutes for use by soldiers stationed around the world. • Father Michael J. McGivney Council 8002 in Winfield, Ill., provided funding and support for its ladies’ auxiliary to create quilts for wounded veterans. By spreading the word throughout the district, Knights raised $850 to purchase materials for

the quilts, which the ladies then assembled and donated to the Quilts of Valor Foundation. • St. Mary Council 9765 in Fredericksburg, Texas, held a military blood drive that netted 310 units of blood to aid wounded soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. During the drive, the Catholic Daughters of America also collected goods for the Fredericksburg National Guard unit that is currently stationed in Iraq. • Union (N.J.) Council 4504 escorted World War II veterans to a special screening of The Pacific at Raritan Valley Community College. The HBO miniseries documents America’s battle with Japan during World War II.

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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N

AN ‘EXTREME MAKEOVER’ — K OF C STYLE Fulfilling the needs of members and their families was the motivation for Father Michael J. McGivney to start the Knights of Columbus in 1882, and it is a tradition that continues to this day. Thomas Gault of St. Luke Council When District 910 in Danville, Ohio, and his son, Deputy Thomas E. Tommy, install a ceiling fan at Gault of Ohio Dis- Tommy’s new home. trict #42 learned that his adult son, Tommy, had been diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, he encouraged Tommy and his wife to move to Mount Vernon, Ohio, to be closer to family. Tommy purchased a foreclosed property just one block away from his parents, but the house needed work to make it more accessible for Tommy as he progressed with his disease. Huntington’s disease is a neurological disorder that causes the degeneration of brain cells. Much like ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Huntington’s disease leads to uncontrolled movements, in addition to emotional disturbances and the loss of intellectual faculties. Without a doubt, Tommy and his family needed help to get the house live-in ready. A plan was made that included a new roof, central air conditioning and the reconstruction of several rooms. The existing bathroom would be enclosed into a master suite, while a spare bedroom would be converted into a second bathroom. Finally, the kitchen and dining room were to be gutted and completely renovated, and the entire house painted. To aid in such a massive undertaking, District Deputy Gault enlisted the aid of Mount Vernon Council 847 and St. Luke Council 910 in Danville. Council members and their wives volunteered to be part of the work crew, while other members made financial donations. As work commenced, Knights labored alongside contractors to demolish and then rebuild much of the home’s interior. Volunteers removed walls, carpet, flooring, fixtures and one particularly stubborn bathroom tub. In the end, volunteers gave more than 900 hours to the renovation, significantly reducing the overall cost of the project. While some final touches are still awaiting completion, Tommy and his wife have been able to settle into their new home as they face Tommy’s disease with courage, prayer and fortitude. Without the help of councils 847 and 910, the project may not have happened at all. However, these Knights and their families truly came to serve as their brother’s keeper.

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FEBRUARY 2011

SEMINARIAN ACCOUNT

When Msgr. Lorsung Council 14616 in Grey Eagle/ Swanville, Minn., was founded in 2008, Knights established a bank account to help a seminarian at St. Joseph Church — the first man to study for the priesthood in the history of the parish. With an initial donation of $5,000 from a single member and matching funds from the council itself, the account is now worth more than $10,000 and provides ongoing financial support to the seminarian as he completes his studies. CROSS INSTALLED

Westbrook (Maine) Council 2219 installed a 14-foot-tall cross at the highest point in St. Hyacinth Cemetery where it can be seen from most of the surrounding area. Knights also landscaped the ground at the base of the cross with a new flowerbed.

Rucker, Ala., as a U.S. Army Chaplain. At a reception following Mass, Knights from several area councils presented Father Butera — who is a member of Calvary Council 528 in Allentown — with a travelling Mass kit and prayer cards. BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Manresa Council 2147 on Staten Island, N.Y., organized a “Battle of the Bands” fundraiser to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The idea for the fundraiser came from Ryan Buzzanca, the son of council member Anthony Buzzanca, and the event raised nearly $400. GOODS FOR THE NEEDY

Ernesto T. Alzona Sr. Council 14957 in Binan, Luzon, distributed goods to needy families living in Barangay Tubigan.

PRO-LIFE ROSARY

Our Lady of Guadalupe Assembly in Pinecrest, Fla., organized a pro-life rosary to protest the presence of a nearby abortion facility. VOCATIONS DINNER

Father Manus Doherty Council 4440 in Fresno, Calif., hosted a charity dinner and raffle to benefit diocesan seminarians. Members of Boy Scout Troop 76 served as waiters for the event, which raised $2,000. GOING-AWAY PRESENT

Bishop Thomas J. Welsh Assembly in Bethlehem, Pa., provided an honor guard for Father Christopher Butera’s final Mass at St. Thomas More Church in Allentown. Father Butera, who is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, was assigned to Fort

Anthony Reale and Matthew Cannarozzi of Mary Immaculate Council 12769 in Secaucus, N.J., display some of the food that the council collected during a clothing and food drive. By placing donation bins at their parish and working with religious education students and local grocery stores, Knights collected 420 pounds of canned goods, 235 pounds of toiletries and 300 pounds of clothing for needy members of the community.

K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N ULTRASOUND PURCHASED

Prince of Peace Council 8791 and Bishop Thomas J. Grady Assembly, both in Ormond Beach, Fla., undertook a landscaping project at their church to replace grass on the parking lot islands. Under the direction of the church groundskeeper, Knights raked and removed dead grass from the islands that separate the main lot from the entrance lane before laying down new sod.

MEMORIAL FOR A BROTHER

Bernard A. O’Connor Assembly in Morristown, Tenn., erected a flagpole and plaque in honor of Alfredo Guzman, a Fourth Degree Knight who was a World War II veteran and an Allied prisoner of war.

When a new branch of the Women’s Care Center was scheduled to open in Milwaukee, the facility was still missing a crucial component: an ultrasound machine. After learning about the problem, Oconomowoc (Wis.) Council 2487 and Michael-James Feider Council 7048 in Mukucnago stepped in to help. The councils donated $4,500 for the machine, then collected an additional $8,000 from individual donations. With matching funds from the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative, the Women’s Care Center had a machine in place in time for its opening. LAND LEASE

Slidell (La.) Council 2732 leases a plot of land adjacent to its council hall to the STARC Adult Work Center East for use by adults with intellectual disabilities. The lease is $1 per term, and the land features several concrete walking trails, a bocce court

THANKING ALTAR SERVERS • Ina Ng Laging Saklolo Council 8226 in Nueva Ecija, Luzon, sponsored 46 altar servers to attend an appreciation day at Maria Assumpta Seminary. Close to 500 altar servers from throughout the Diocese of Cabanatuan attended the event. • St. John the Evangelist Council 11171 in Clinton, Md., hosted its annual appreciation dinner for area altar servers. Knights honored 52 parish servers with certificates of honor and personal gifts. • Father Patrick F. Pindar Council 3962 in Ramsey, N.J., hosted an appreciation dinner for the altar servers of St. Paul Church. The evening included dinner, games and a raffle. • Msgr. Francis X. Singleton Council 10248 in Clovis, Calif., held its annual recognition dinner for the altar servers from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Clovis and St. Helen Church in Fresno. Each altar server in attendance received a certificate of appreciation and a rosary.

Doug Walzem, Joe Hernandez and Joe Corona of New Braunfels (Texas) Council 4183 remove a wooden pew from St. Joseph’s Chapel. Knights removed all of the pews in preparation for extensive interior renovations at the chapel.

and a basketball hoop. STARC provides job training and placement services to people with disabilities. FISHING TOURNAMENT

Father John A. Hardon Assembly in Milford, Mich., volunteered at a fishing trip for veterans with physical disabilities. Knights donated $500 toward the event and manned the grill for eight hours to feed those in attendance.

PULL TAB COLLECTIONS

Holy Innocents Church Council 11881 in Victorville, Calif., hosts an ongoing drive to collect soda can pull tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. For five years, Knights have collected tabs throughout the community, which are recycled for charitable funds.

TURTLE PRESERVATION

Our Lady of Grace Council 13243 in Palm Bay, Fla., visited the Sea Turtle Preservation Society in Indialantic to learn more about the endangered and threatened sea turtles that inhabit local waters. Council members had the opportunity to watch a female Loggerhead turtle nest, lay eggs and return to the ocean. The council also donated $120 to the society. CANOE TRIP

St. Rafael Guizar Valencia Circle 5101 in Prairieville, La., participated in a canoe trip on the Bogue Chitto River and Magee’s Creek.

Members of Flushing (Mich.) Council 8489 look on as Father Louis T. Ekka pulls the winning ticket during a council-sponsored raffle. Proceeds from the raffle were donated to the pediatric wards of local hospitals and were used to buy teddy bears for area police departments to distribute to children in crisis situations. Father Ekka is a member of St. Christopher Council 2943 in Chesaning.

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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N

ico Central, along with their families and the council’s ladies’ auxiliary, participated in a Marian procession to San Juan Bautista Church. 24 HOURS OF BASEBALL

SCREENING FOR CANCER SCOUT’S HONOR

The South Carolina State Council funded a project to provide a vocations book to every Cub Scout that completes his religious emblem before April 30. The book Becoming Father Bob was written by Father Jeff Kirby and introduces young men to the concept of religious vocations. Each book will be presented by the Scout’s pastor, along with the accompanying religious emblem.

funds were presented to Archbishop Alexander J. Brunett of Seattle to support men and women who are studying for the priesthood or religious life. Bishop Brunett is a member of Seattle Council 676. MARIAN PROCESSION

Msgr. Pierre Grenier Council 3056 in Hearst, Ontario, agreed to finance a new colorectal screening center at Notre-Dame Hospital. The Knights’ $103,000 donation is earmarked for special testing equipment that will screen patients for colorectal cancer and that is less invasive than a traditional colonoscopy.

Members of Nuestra Señora de San Juan Council 4703 in San Juan de los Lagos, Mex-

PRESERVING HISTORY

WHEELCHAIR SUNDAY

Father Patrick Power Council 4588 in Livermore, Calif., hosted a Wheelchair Sunday at St. Michael Church to benefit the Global Wheelchair Mission. The event raised $35,000 to send wheelchairs to Mexico, Haiti and the Philippines. VOCATIONS AUCTION

Father Nicholas Rausch Council 1643 and St. Francis of Assist Assembly, both in Olympia, Wash., raised $12,000 during their annual auction for vocations. The

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Delmer Riedel and Leo Pelletier of Rocky Mountain House (Alberta) Council 6986 inspect a doorjamb during the construction of an addition at St. Matthew Church. Over a three-month period, Knights volunteered more than 2,000 hours to build a new parish hall and entrance at the church.

FEBRUARY 2011

Msgr. Robert Giroux Council 12958 in Heuvelton, N.Y., made a donation to Fort de la Présentation, a historical heritage site on the St. Lawrence River. When the state government cut the fort’s budget, organizers were having problems scheduling educational events and planning restoration projects. The council’s donation will help close the fort’s budget gap. DEMOLITION AND RENOVATION

When St. Agnes Church completed construction of a new church hall, Fowlerville (Mich.) Council 8605 volunteered to renovate several unused rooms in the church

Members of St. Alphonsus Ligouri Council 4262 in North East, Pa., level a new sidewalk at St. Gregory School. Knights completed an improvement project at St. Gregory Church and School, laying more than 150 feet of new sidewalk around the parish grounds.

itself. Knights demolished the old church kitchen, sacristy and bride’s room to make way for an expanded sacristy, a dressing area for altar servers, a conference room, a parish office and a day chapel for smaller Masses and Communion services. The council provided all funds — a little more than $6,000 — and manpower for the project. CHOICE OF THE HEART

Msgr. Joseph W. Leary Council 6296 in Sewell, N.J., sponsored a pro-life walk to benefit Choices of the Heart, a pregnancy resource center that serves southern New Jersey. More than 500 people participated in the event, and Knights provide bottled water for walkers along the route.

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

UPPER LEFT: Richard J. Patrick/The A.D. Times, Diocese of Allentown

John Cocco (far left) of Pius IX Assembly in Reading, Pa., looks on while Lt. Col. Ralph Riccio (far right) receives a U.S. flag during a military Mass at St. Benedict Church. Pius IX Assembly provided an honor guard for the event, which honored veterans who served in Vietnam and Korea. Cocco co-chaired the event with Helen MacMinn (second from left). Also pictured is Father Philip F. Rodgers.

Holy Family Council 14520 in Fresh Meadows, N.Y., teamed with the Hollis-Bellaire-Queens Village-Bellerose Athletic Association to sponsor a marathon 24-hour youth baseball game for charity. The event raised more than $30,000 for a number of charitable causes, including Fisher House and St. Mary’s Hospital for Children in Queens.

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

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To owners of Knights of Columbus insurance policies and persons responsible for payment of premiums on such policies: Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the provisions of Section 84 of the Laws of the Order, payment of insurance premiums due on a monthly basis to the Knights of Columbus by check made payable to Knights of Columbus and mailed to same at PO Box 1492, NEW HAVEN, CT 06506-1492, before the expiration of the grace period set forth in the policy. In Canada: Knights of Columbus, CASE POSTALE 935, Station d’Armes, Montréal, PQ H2Y 3J4 ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK, EDITORIAL MATTER, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILED TO: COLUMBIA, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901. REJECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IF ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE. PURCHASED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED. OPINIONS BY WRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. SUBSCRIPTION RATES — IN THE U.S.: 1 YEAR, $6; 2 YEARS, $11; 3 YEARS, $15. FOR OTHER COUNTRIES ADD $2 PER YEAR. EXCEPT FOR CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS, PAYMENT IN U.S. CURRENCY ONLY. SEND ORDERS AND CHECKS TO: ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901. COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869/USPS #123-740) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326. PHONE: 203-752-4000, www.kofc.org. PRODUCED IN USA. COPYRIGHT © 2011 BY KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NEW HAVEN, CT AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO COLUMBIA, MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901. CANADIAN POSTMASTER — PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 1473549. RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 50 MACINTOSH BOULEVARD, CONCORD, ONTARIO L4K 4P3 PHILIPPINES — FOR PHILIPPINES SECOND-CLASS MAIL AT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE. SEND RETURN COPIES TO KCFAPI, FRATERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1511, MANILA.

FEBRUARY 2011

♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 31

C O LU M B I A N I S M B Y D E G R E E S

Patriotism MEMBERS OF Col. Jerry W. Marvel Council 13488 at Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, N.C., and their families display the lifesize rosary they created for their parish. The rosary, which measures more than 95 feet in length, is comprised of 269 hand-painted Styrofoam beads and is used for a variety of functions sponsored by the base’s Catholic community. • Father Myron V. Miller Council 5833 in Stamford, Conn., hosted a “Thank A Soldier” program for students at local Catholic schools. Young people from St. Cecilia Elementary School and Holy Sprit Elementary School prepared more than 400 handwritten letters for troops serving in Iraq.

Charity

Unity

Fraternity

MEMBERS OF St. Matthew Council 9534 in Surrey, British Columbia, show off their Carnival attire during a talent show at their parish festival. Knights performed a dance routine to the song “When the Saints Go Marching In,” helping the festival raise $20,000 toward the construction of a parish elementary school. • Sacred Heart Council 7557 in Broussard, La., hosted a clay shoot to benefit local youth organizations. The event, which was open to both council members and the community at large, raised $5,400 for groups like the Boy Scouts of America and the Youth Athletic Association.

MEMBERS OF Marikina Valley (Luzon) Council 6178 plant a tree sapling at an area golf and recreation center during a council-sponsored environmental activity. • St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Council 11284 in Buckhead Ridge, Fla., held a series of ethnic dinners that raised more than $2,500 for Catholic mission work. Parishioners and members of the community enjoyed meals prepared by the Knights and inspired by Filipino, Italian, Cuban and American cultures.

MEMBERS OF St. Josaphat Kunsevich Council 13129 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, remove damaged plywood from the home of council member Victor Hrapchak. Following a ferocious storm, Hrapchak and his wife left their home to watch over their parish hall, which was undergoing renovations and was in danger of flooding. After monitoring the hall for seven hours, Hrapchak returning home to find that his own house had flooded. In return for his diligence in keeping the parish hall from getting damaged, members of Council 13129 volunteered to remove all of the furniture, wall coverings, flooring and insulation that were damaged when Hrapchak’s house flooded.

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FEBRUARY 2011

KNIGHTS O F CO LUMBUS

Building a better world one council at a time Every day, Knights all over the world are given opportunities to make a difference — whether through community service, raising money or prayer. We celebrate each and every Knight for his strength, his compassion and his dedication to building a better world.

Members of Richland (Wash.) Council 3307 remove the remnants of a blue spruce tree from the yard of a deceased council member. Following the death of Knight Eugene Polk, a ferocious windstorm swept through the area that destroyed a large tree on Polk’s property. Knights mustered enough manpower to remove the tree themselves, saving Eugene’s widow, Betty, from spending $1,000 to hire a professional tree service.

BE FEATURED HERE , SEND YOUR COUNCIL ’ S

C OLUMBIA , 1 C OLUMBUS P LAZA , N EW

“K NIGHTS IN ACTION ” PHOTO AS WELL AS ITS DESCRIPTION TO : H AVEN, CT 06510-3326 OR E - MAIL : COLUMBIA @ KOFC. ORG. FEBRUARY 2011

♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 33

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

KEEP T HE FAITH ALIV E

‘THE MASS WILL PROVIDE FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS’ As the only child in a broken family, I was raised by my father in Vancouver, Canada. After high school, in December 1989, I traveled to see my mother, who had relocated to Australia. On the way, I stopped in Fiji. There, a primitive Catholic village on a small, tropical island changed my life. I remember the first night when the bell rang for a weekday Mass. A little girl took me by the hand and dragged me to church. I had an instant love for Mass and wanted to go every day from then on. I entered the seminary in 1992 and was finally ordained Nov. 1, 2001. I still love to go to Mass every day. If you love Jesus, you will come to Mass, and the Mass will provide for all your needs. In 2008, I stopped in Fiji on my way to World Youth Day in Australia. The little girl, Mareta, was known in the village as the “girl who took Father Derrick by the hand.” And her sister, who still lives in the village, had a son whom she named Derrick Mareta. FATHER DERRICK CAMERON Diocese of Kamloops, British Columbia