3 For the greater glory of God
Armed with charity and unity, the Knights of Columbus has long responded to attacks against the Catholic faith and human dignity.
By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly4 Learning the faith, living the faith
Catholics who are out of the habit of attending Mass need our encouragement and accompaniment to return.
By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. LoriThe statue of Mary outside the Rosary Basilica in Lourdes, France, in seen against an evening sky during the 2023 Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage (see page 18). 15 18
10 24
An interview with actor Jonathan Roumie of the TV series The Chosen about his faith, his career and becoming a Knight of Columbus.
A new K of C Bible study invites Knights to take up the “sword of the Spirit” and rediscover the power of Scripture.
By James B. ProthroAnnual military pilgrimage offers healing for troops suffering from physical, mental and spiritual trauma.
Knights of Columbus councils open parish Mercy Centers across Ukraine to aid victims of war.
By Karolina Świder6 Knights of Columbus News State Deputies, Chaplains Called to Lead with the ‘Heart of a Father’ • Unified New Haven Parish Named for Blessed Michael McGivney • Ukraine State Convention Hosts Nation’s First Fourth Degree Exemplification
23 Fathers for Good
The witness of Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin o ers valuable lessons for parents today.
By Philip Kosloski26 Knights in Action
Reports from councils and assemblies, representing Faith in Action
ON THE COVER Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori and state chaplains pray before the Blessed Sacrament outside St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Conn., June 9.
Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.
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YEARS BEFORE he published spiritual classics like Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales’ practical Catholic wisdom was evident in his holy friendships with laity and clergy alike. In 1604, the charismatic young bishop of Geneva was giving Lenten sermons in Paris when he met St. Jane Frances de Chantal, then a widow with four young children; thus began nearly two decades of correspondence and collaboration, as they co-founded a religious community and le a spiritual legacy that continues today.
Later the same year, Francis de Sales wrote a le er to Jane Frances de Chantal’s younger brother, the new archbishop of Bourges, who sought his advice about preaching. “Our words must be set a ame not by shouts and unrestrained gestures but by inward a ection; they must ow from our heart rather than from our mouth,” Francis wrote. “We must speak well, but heart speaks to heart; the lips speak only to ears.” Further encouraging his reticent brother bishop, he added, “For love, nothing is impossible. Our Lord did not ask St. Peter, ‘Are you wise or eloquent?’ but ‘Do you love me?’ To speak well, it is enough to love well.”
Inspired by these words, St. John Henry Newman later chose Cor ad cor loquitur (“heart speaks to heart”) as his cardinalate mo o in 1879, just a few years before Blessed Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus. is mo o, in turn, inspired the name of the Order’s new Cor initiative, featured in last month’s issue of Columbia and discussed at length at the recent Organizational Meeting of State Deputies (see page 6).
Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori summarized the philosophy of the new initiative in his keynote address to state deputies June 9: “As we build bonds of trust and friendship and as we journey in faith together, we will nd the courage to accept the grace we need to open our hearts to the heart of Christ, to allow his heart to speak to our hearts … and to illuminate every aspect of our lives.” Pope Francis, citing both St. Francis de Sales and St. John Henry Newman, similarly re ected on the theme of “speaking with the heart” in his message for this year’s World Day of Social Communications, which was observed May 21. Noting that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of St. Francis de Sales as the patron saint of Catholic writers and journalists, Pope Francis wrote, “It is from [the] ‘criterion of love’ that, through his writings and witness of life, the saintly Bishop of Geneva reminds us that ‘we are what we communicate.’”
e Holy Father’s message built on the 2022 Communications Day theme — “listening with the ear of the heart” — and quoted Pope Benedict XVI’s insight that “the Christian’s program … is a ‘heart which sees’” (Deus Caritas Est, 31). Benedict likewise wrote in his 2007 book Jesus of Nazareth, “ e organ of seeing God is the heart. e intellect alone is not enough” (cf. Mt 5:8). In the end, we are called to listen, see and speak not only with our ears, eyes and lips, but with our hearts, and so we pray: Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto thine. B
Alton J. Pelowski, EditorFeatured Resource: A Witness for the World
A Witness for the World: The Global Impact of Blessed Michael McGivney, produced by the Knights of Columbus in 2020, reveals how Father McGivney’s spiritual and charitable vision has spread across the globe, touching millions of lives. The 29-minute documentary chronicles the impact of his vision of Catholic brotherhood and missionary discipleship in nations around the world, from Canada to Korea, the Philippines to Poland. View the documentary and find additional resources at kofc.org/mcgivney.
PUBLISHER
Knights of Columbus
SUPREME OFFICERS
Patrick E. Kelly
Supreme Knight
Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. Supreme Chaplain
Arthur L. Peters
Deputy Supreme Knight
Patrick T. Mason
Supreme Secretary
Ronald F. Schwarz
Supreme Treasurer
John A. Marrella
Supreme Advocate
EDITORIAL
Alton J. Pelowski
Editor
Andrew J. Matt
Managing Editor
Cecilia Hadley
Senior Editor
Elisha Valladares-Cormier
Associate Editor
Paul Haring
Manager of Photography
Blessed 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
COLUMBIA
1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326
columbia@kofc.org
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addresschange@kofc.org
COLUMBIA INQUIRIES
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Armed with charity and unity, the Knights of Columbus has long responded to attacks against the Catholic faith and human dignity
By Supreme Knight Patrick E. KellyLAST MONTH’S opening Mass of our annual Organizational Meeting of State Deputies was followed by a beautiful eucharistic procession. Knights of Columbus leaders and state chaplains from throughout the Order participated, as our supreme chaplain carried Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament up and down New Haven’s historic Hillhouse Avenue.
Home to St. Mary’s Church, the birthplace of the Order, Hillhouse is lined by majestic elm trees, stately homes and Yale University buildings. The procession was a peaceful expression of piety and unity, yet the scene and setting also evoked the long history of tension between our Catholic faith and those who fight to keep Catholics out of the public square. In July 1879 — less than three years before Blessed Michael McGivney founded the Knights — a New York Times article dismissively labeled St. Mary’s as “an unprofitable church.” The headline read, “How an Aristocratic Avenue Was Blemished by a Roman Church Edifice.”
Much has changed in the past 144 years, but much remains the same. Anti-Catholic bigotry may look different today, but there can be no doubt that it is still prevalent — and even on the rise. As one historian put it, today’s anti-Catholicism is “the last acceptable prejudice.” The attacks go beyond anonymous acts of vandalism or pernicious online commentary; they are aired on national television and publicly expressed by leaders in politics and business.
A recent instance was the abhorrent decision of the Los Angeles Dodgers to honor a group called the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops noted that the group’s “lewdness and vulgarity in mocking our Lord, His Mother and consecrated women cannot be overstated.” The Dodgers, when challenged on the decision, initially backed down and disinvited them. Then, under pressure, the team not only renewed the invitation, but also apologized to the offensive group.
This is deeply disappointing — and ironic in
the extreme. The same people who cry out for tolerance often demonstrate complete intolerance for Catholics and other Christians.
The U.S. bishops, in denouncing the Dodgers’ decision, said it was more than offensive; it was blasphemous. As such, they asked Catholics to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as an act of reparation. Of course, we Knights spread the word to do just that. And beyond praying, our brothers in California were among many local Catholics who expressed their displeasure to the Dodgers organization.
This latest stand against bigotry is in keeping with the Order’s history. A century ago, the Knights prominently opposed the Ku Klux Klan; countered legislative attempts to destroy the Catholic school system in the United States; published books on the contributions of Black, Jewish and German Americans; and spoke out against the persecution of the Church in Mexico.
As Catholic gentlemen, we step forward, always aware that the Lord said to his followers, “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me” (Mt 5:11). Still, while we may turn the other cheek to personal offenses, when we stand against attacks on our faith, we stand for all the faithful. We stand for our Church and for our Lord.
The Knights of Columbus cannot take up every fight. We must choose our battles wisely, following Christ’s admonition to be “shrewd as serpents and simple as doves” (Mt 10:16). But 2 million Catholic men can make an enormous difference where it matters most — always through prayer and often through action. This includes educating ourselves and others; engaging in respectful conversation; and making our voices heard in the voting booth and through petition.
Whatever the times might demand, the Knights of Columbus will continue to speak out and stand up for human dignity and the fundamental rights of all.
Vivat Jesus!
The Knights of Columbus cannot take up every fight. ...
But 2 million Catholic men can make an enormous difference where it matters most — always through prayer and often through action.
FOR MANY YEARS, I have made it a point to exercise every day. It wasn’t always so. When I was younger and imagined myself to be invincible, I neglected to do any kind of physical exercise beyond walking to my car. I wasn’t opposed to exercise in principle; I just thought I didn’t need it. But as I got older, it became clear that I was wrong.
The hardest part was going to the gym for the first time in years. My priest-secretary introduced me to a wide variety of exercise machines, which I labeled “instruments of torture.” I decided to try the elliptical. Self-consciously, I mounted the machine. All around me were avid fitness buffs — some bench pressing, others running on treadmills. Me? I was just trying not to fall off. Before long I was out of breath. But with encouragement, I kept at it, and soon exercise became a part of my daily routine.
This is not to say that I’m healthier than a horse — I’m not. Rather, my purpose in telling you all this is to draw a comparison between going back to the gym and going back to church, particularly Sunday Mass.
In my experience, most unchurched or barely churched Catholics are not opposed to Mass. Some tell me, “The Mass is good for some people, but right now I don’t see the need for it.” That’s what I used to say about exercise: “Fine for those who like that sort of thing, but I don’t need it.” But the fact is that I needed exercise all along, and those who think they don’t need the Eucharist may discover that they have needed our eucharistic Lord all along, too.
Others tell me that they are interested in coming back to Mass on Sunday but are afraid they would feel awkward. A friend put it this way: “I just got out of the habit of going, and now I’m not sure I’d know what to do. I’m afraid my neighbors who go
to church regularly would stare at me, and the priest would ask me where I’ve been all these years.” Not unlike how I felt when I started exercising again; that first trip back to the gym was a doozy.
Yet another nonpracticing Catholic told me this: “I’d go back to church, but would I have to sign up at the parish office? Would I have to go through a lot of meetings?” And here’s the kicker: “Would I have to go to confession?” Even this is not unlike going back to the gym. Many gyms insist on meeting with new and returning members for an evaluation (confession). They may then explain how the various fitness machines work (catechesis) and ask you sign on the bottom line (parish registration, collection envelopes). Formidable obstacles!
That is why I am grateful to my former priest-secretary who encouraged me to go to the gym again and again. As my friend and co-worker, he knew I would be a fish out of water, but he kept reassuring me until exercise became a regular part of my life. Similarly, I often think that those who are considering going back to Sunday Mass need a “soul friend” — someone to help and encourage them through the process of re-entry — or, in the vocabulary of Pope Francis, someone to “accompany” them and make them feel at home, until the practice of the faith becomes a regular part of their lives.
All of this brings us to our responsibility as members of the Knights of Columbus. One of the greatest acts of charity we can do is to accompany a person or family who is thinking of coming back to church. Some have hardened their hearts, but many others are searching and pondering. By example and gentle encouragement, we might just get them back into the habit of “exercise” that counts the most. B
I often think that those who are considering going back to Sunday Mass need a “soul friend”
— someone to help and encourage them ... and make them feel at home, until the practice of the faith becomes a regular part of their lives.
A monthly reflection and practical challenge from Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori
But the woman came and did Jesus homage, saying, “Lord, help me.” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”
(Gospel for Aug. 20, Mt 15:25-27)
Jesus heals the daughter of a Canaanite woman and speaks of her great faith. Our founder, Blessed Michael McGivney, was an advocate of strong, faith-filled families. Do we share our Catholic faith with our own families and friends, or do we neglect this vital responsibility? May we commit ourselves to building strong families and friendships in faith by our word and deed.
(1587-1639)
IN AN AGE when Jesuits around the world fearlessly faced martyrdom, the Japanese samurai Peter Kibe stands among the most courageous and determined. Unable to make Kibe renounce his faith, Japan’s most infamous torturer dubbed him “the man who would not say, ‘I give in.’”
Kibe was born to a noble (samurai) family on the island of Kyushu in 1587, 38 years after the arrival of St. Francis Xavier. The son of Catholic converts, Kibe entered minor seminary at age 13. He yearned to join the Society of Jesus but was refused, so for eight years he patiently waited, collaborating with Jesuit missionaries as a catechist.
In 1614, when Christianity was banned by the shogun Hideyoshi, Kibe left with other missionaries for seminary in Macau. But the seminary closed before he could be ordained. Undaunted, Kibe sailed for India, and from there set off for Rome on foot, walking more than 3,000 miles across India, Persia, Arabia and the Holy Land, becoming the first Japanese pilgrim to Jerusalem.
Kibe presented himself at the Jesuit
Aug. 1 St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Challenge: This month, I challenge you to introduce devotions to Blessed Michael McGivney — such as the Blessed Michael McGivney Novena — into your prayer life. Second, I challenge you to participate in the Faith in Action Family Prayer Night program, incorporating devotions to Blessed Michael McGivney such as the Blessed Michael McGivney Prayer Hour.
EDITOR’S NOTE: For July’s Supreme Chaplain’s Challenge, visit kofc.org/ monthlychallenge .
Aug. 4 St. John Vianney, Priest
Aug. 6 The Transfiguration of the Lord
Aug. 8 St. Dominic, Priest
Aug. 10 St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr
Aug. 11 St. Clare, Virgin
Aug. 14 St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr
Aug. 15 The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Aug. 21 St. Pius X, Pope
Aug. 22 The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Aug. 24 St. Bartholomew, Apostle
Aug. 28 St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Aug. 29 The Passion of St. John the Baptist
headquarters in Rome in May 1620. The impression he made gained him entrance to the diocesan seminary and later the Jesuit novitiate. He was ordained a priest in 1620, at age 33, and made his vows as a Jesuit two years later.
Father Kibe was eager to return to Japan, and in 1630, after years of perilous travel, he managed to re-enter the country, which had closed its borders. He ministered secretly to persecuted Christians for nine years before he was arrested, interrogated and tortured. Bound and hung upside-down in a pit, Father Kibe never wavered in his faith and exhorted his companions to persevere to the end. He died July 4, 1639, and was beatified with 187 fellow martyrs in 2008. B
We pray the World Youth Day in Lisbon will help young people to live and witness the Gospel in their own lives.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS jurisdiction leaders from throughout North America and around the world assembled in New Haven, Connecticut, in early June for the annual Organizational Meeting of State Deputies. is year’s gathering coincided with a meeting of state chaplains, allowing deputies and chaplains to work and pray together as they looked ahead to the 2023-2024 fraternal year.
Nearly 70 state deputies a ended the Organizational Meeting of State Deputies June 8-11, and more than 40 state chaplains participated in their own meeting June 7-9.
roughout the week, the deputies and chaplains participated in fraternal events, workshops and planning sessions. State chaplains also took part in a pilgrimage to several Connecticut sites related to the life and ministry of Blessed Michael McGivney.
e two groups came together June 9 for a Mass at St. Mary’s Church celebrated by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, a er which Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly o cially installed the newly elected deputies. e Mass was followed by a eucharistic procession down Hillhouse Avenue.
Later the same morning, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly and Archbishop Lori delivered keynote remarks to the assembled state deputies and chaplains.
Supreme Knight Kelly re ected on the Order’s longstanding witness of co-responsibility represented by the clergy and laymen present.
“[Co-responsibility] means recognizing and taking shared responsibility for the mission of the Church,” he said. “ is
From top: Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly welcomes newly elected state deputies to Supreme Council headquarters in New Haven as the Organizational Meeting of State Deputies begins June 8. • Supreme Knight Kelly congratulates Oregon State Deputy Kenneth Anderson after conferring on him the medal of office at the conclusion of Mass at St. Mary’s Church on June 9.
is what the Order has done throughout our history. … It’s ‘how’ the Knights of Columbus approaches all that we do.”
e “why,” the supreme knight continued, is rooted in Blessed Michael McGivney’s example of fatherhood: “Father McGivney truly lived and loved with the heart of a father — a heart completely dedicated to the service, protection and
formation of those in his care.”
Knights, especially K of C leaders, Supreme Knight Kelly said, are called to the same self-giving love. “I am convinced that if we become more and more formed and fashioned by the heart of God, we will continue to grow, in both good men and good works,” he said. “We have to inspire a new generation of men to have the heart of a father.”
Supreme Knight Kelly then outlined a new initiative and supporting programs to strengthen faith formation and evangelization among Catholic men.
e Cor initiative, introduced in 21 jurisdictions in a pilot phase in early 2023, includes regular gatherings centered on prayer, formation and fraternity. e initiative will be supported by a new Bible study for Catholic men, titled Men of the Word (see page 15).
Another new K of C program is a soon-tobe-released video series about marriage and fatherhood that follows the template of the Into the Breach series. Both the Bible study and new video series will be o cially launched at the Supreme Convention in August.
e supreme knight also updated the state deputies and chaplains on the Order’s charitable giving and hours of service, particularly the ASAP (Aid and Support A er Pregnancy) initiative to support pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes. e program has raised more than $5 million so far, exceeding its rst-year goal.
In his keynote remarks, Archbishop Lori also emphasized the importance of the Cor initiative in advancing the Knights’ mission.
“Unless we open our hearts to Christ and to one another, none of the other goals we hope to achieve — whether in growth in membership or a racting a younger demographic or expanding the scope of our charity — will come to fruition,” he said. “In essence, the Cor initiative is about seeking the one necessary thing: a living, breathing, vibrant relationship with the person Jesus Christ.” B
From top: State chaplains gather for a photo outside Immaculate Conception Church in Terryville, Conn., during their June 8 pilgrimage to sites related to Blessed Michael McGivney’s life and ministry. • Archbishop Lori carries the Eucharist in procession along Hillhouse Avenue after celebrating Mass at St. Mary’s on June 9.
NEW HAVEN , the Connecticut city where Father Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882, is now home to the first parish named in the priest’s honor.
In early June, the Archdiocese of Hartford announced that the eight Catholic churches in New Haven — including the Order’s birthplace, St. Mary’s Church — would merge July 1 to form Blessed Michael McGivney Parish.
“Blessed Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus, was an exemplar of charity and steadfast devotion to Christ, still today inspiring millions of people to action for the common good, in the name of God,” said Archbishop Leonard Blair of Hartford, who selected the name from among several options proposed by a committee of New Haven parishioners. “I will continue to pray for this new parish community and invite all New Haven Catholics to do the same during this time of great Catholic revitalization in the Elm City.”
The eight churches comprising the new parish — which also include the churches of St. Joseph, Sts. Aedan and Brendan, St. Anthony, St. Martin de Porres, St. Michael, St. Francis and St. Stanislaus — will share finances and operate under a single administration based at St. Mary’s on Hillhouse Avenue.
Father Ryan Lerner, St. Mary’s pastor since December 2021, announced the decision to K of C leaders assembled
for the Organizational Meeting of State Deputies after Mass on June 9. The news was then shared with New Haven parishioners during the weekend Masses and released more widely by the archdiocese in the days that followed.
Father Lerner, who serves as the parish’s first moderator, said, “I feel profoundly moved, and so very excited, that our unified parish will be named for and entrusted to the patronal care of Blessed Michael McGivney.” He added that Father McGivney’s “intercessory prayers have helped to guide this local manifestation of the Body of Christ through a time of historic change, and will continue to inspire us as we journey forward together as one family of faith.”
Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly highlighted the historic ties between the Knights of Columbus and St. Mary’s, which is the oldest Catholic church in New Haven and the second oldest in Connecticut.
“In 1882, in the basement of St. Mary’s, Blessed Michael McGivney gathered young Catholic men seeking ways to unite in their faith and find a means of supporting their families amid a society that frowned upon Catholic immigrants,” the supreme knight said. “They formed a brotherhood that would allow Knights to work together with their pastors and strengthen their families, parishes and communities. The Knights of Columbus is honored that the new city-wide parish has adopted Blessed Michael McGivney’s name.” B
KNIGHTS IN UKRAINE were received into the Fourth Degree for the rst time in late May, commi ing themselves to the Order’s principle of patriotism as their country’s defensive war against Russia entered its 16th month.
e Fourth Degree exempli cation took place during the Ukraine State Convention held May 26-28 in Bryukhovychi, outside Lviv in western Ukraine. More than 100 delegates and nearly 50 chaplains traveled from across the country: Knights were present from Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Poltava and Odessa; the now-liberated region of Kherson; and the city of Melitopol in southern Ukraine, still occupied by Russia.
“ e Knights of Columbus need the principle of patriotism more than ever here in Ukraine,” said State Deputy Youriy Maletskiy. “A er all, only by believing in our country can we really work together and help others. Without faith, it is impossible.”
Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly presented Maletskiy with a Fourth Degree sword and gave him the authority to induct Ukrainian Knights into the patriotic degree in April 2022, during his Holy Week visit to Poland and Ukraine.
On May 27, State Deputy Maletskiy conferred the degree on more than 85 delegates and 21 chaplains. e convention and exempli cation were the culmination of more than a year of di cult work and charitable witness. Knights in Ukraine have tirelessly distributed humanitarian aid throughout their war-torn country, assisted widows and orphans, and called their communities to prayer.
Bishop Mykhaylo Bubniy of Odessa, state chaplain of the country’s
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Knights, praised the Ukrainian Knights for exemplifying the Order’s mission.
“The motto of this organization is ‘Faith in Action’ — that is, not only to believe in Jesus Christ, not only to believe in the truths that we recognize and profess in the symbol of faith, but to act, to put them into practice,” Bishop Bubniy said.
Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki of Lviv, state chaplain of the country’s Latin-rite Knights, likewise applauded their courageous efforts on behalf of their homeland: “I see what great good God is doing through the Knights of Columbus in Ukraine, in this country that is so tired and weary right now.”
This witness has also inspired hundreds of Ukrainian men — many of them in the central and eastern regions — to join the Knights in the last year. “During these 15 months of war,” Maletskiy said, “our Order in Ukraine has become stronger.” B
“I’m not the real Jesus, let’s just get that out of the way,” Jonathan Roumie said with a big grin as he addressed the March for Life rally in Washington, D.C., last January. “Real Jesus, TV Jesus,” he added, gesturing to the heavens above and then to himself as thousands of pro-life advocates cheered.
While there are few people who need to remind their audience that they are not actually the incarnate Son of God, Roumie might be excused for his chutzpah. After all, he portrays Jesus on the enormously successful TV series The Chosen . What began in 2019 as a crowdfunded effort has now completed three seasons and been streamed more than 500 million times worldwide.
Just a few months before sharing his powerful pro-life message on the National Mall, Roumie became a member of the Knights of Columbus. In May, during a break from filming on the set of The Chosen , he shared with Columbia about his Catholic faith, how it informs his acting career, and what it means to be a Knight.
COLUMBIA: Can you share some of your family background and specifically about your Catholic faith? How has the practice of and appreciation of your faith developed into what it is today?
JONATHAN ROUMIE: My parents were immigrants who landed in New York City. I was baptized Greek Orthodox. When we left the city and went to the suburbs, there really weren’t very many Orthodox churches. My dad grew up going to Catholic school, so he was just as comfortable saying, “Let’s just go down the street to the Catholic church.” And so we started going there. I made my first Communion and my confirmation, and it just kind of stuck. I’ve continued to grow in the faith as I’ve gotten older and explored the traditions, so it’s been a wonderful, never-ending journey for me.
Practicing my faith made me realize the importance of prayer and of the sacraments. When you’re really honest with God about your struggles and hopes, and surrender your life to him, he will answer your prayer in a way you didn’t anticipate, but very specifically. Early on in my career, for example, I prayed that somehow I could marry my faith with my career. Years later, I’m doing it in a very literal way, and it’s like a dream come true.
I’ve really come to deeply value the impact of spending time with Jesus in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. There’s a sense of peace that I get from just sitting with him. I never quite understood that until actually doing it. If you just go and sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament in a chapel and focus on Christ, it’s going to affect you in ways you can’t anticipate.
Above: Jonathan Roumie, speaking at the March for Life rally in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, urges the crowd to pray the rosary for a culture of life.
Below: Jesus celebrates with guests at the wedding feast at Cana in the first season of The Chosen
Opposite page: Roumie is pictured on the set of The Chosen during his interview with Columbia in May.
COLUMBIA: How did you get involved in acting? Do you see your acting career as a vocation, and has this understanding changed at all over the years?
JONATHAN ROUMIE: I went to lm school and then got into production, but I always had a knack for doing voices and impressions. So I took a chance and wrote to the casting director for this animated show for MTV. ey needed voices to sound like famous celebrities. A couple of months later, I got a call to leave an impression of my favorite actor on their hotline — I probably le a
Marlon Brando impression or something. ey called me up a erward for auditions, and I ended up working on three seasons of that show. So that kind of got my feet wet in the business.
Now, with The Chosen , it’s become a ministry in a lot of ways, and I don’t take the role lightly. The sacredness of this character has rubbed off on me, and it’s shaped what kinds of scripts I consider. I feel compelled to contribute to stories that showcase the light and God and love. I try to find stories that make people smile and bring out the light.
From the beginning, I knew that this show had the potential to impact people in a way that went beyond the average role or TV show, and that people would really connect to it. And then once we started releasing the series and ge ing feedback, it became clear that God is certainly using this to minister to other people, to draw people to himself.
COLUMBIA: What has been your experience playing Jesus? How have you approached the challenges of the role, and how else has it affected you personally?
JONATHAN ROUMIE: It’s been humbling and transformative and profound. Tiring at times, too, and occasionally overwhelming, but ultimately a privilege and an honor that I hope to continue to steward by the grace of God and with his help.
The biggest joy for me is hearing somebody didn’t know anything about Jesus, and now they were enrolled in RCIA [Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults]. Or they were going to a church 15 years ago, but this show helped bring them back and have a personal relationship with Jesus, which is something many Christians lack. It’s a tangible, visceral relationship that he wants. He wants our hearts, our minds, our souls and bodies. He wants us to love him with everything we have. That doesn’t take suffering out of the equation, but it allows us to deal with our struggles and our pain in a way that we couldn’t without him.
When you meet people who have been affected by the show, they often want to express what it’s meant to them and what they’ve been through in their life. And my reaction is to be present with them, because it’s a really privileged thing to get to do. But that takes energy, and time.
So I’m learning to try to balance it, to get better at finding ways in which I can just rest. I mean, you read the Gospels, and Jesus spent the night by himself in prayer. And so I’m always being compelled to seek out times when I can just recharge. And sometimes that involves saying no to certain opportunities or meetings and stuff
“I’ve really come to deeply value the impact of spending time with Jesus in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. There’s a sense of peace that I get from just sitting with him. I never quite understood that until actually doing it.”
like that. But at the end of the day, I’m just grateful to have that impact on anyone at all, to raise up Jesus’ name.
COLUMBIA: Earlier this year, you participated in the March for Life in Washington. Can you say a word about your sense of responsibility as a public witness to the pro-life cause?
JONATHAN ROUMIE: Part of my reason for committing to that was because a large number of young people were going to be there — and there aren’t very many people in my position that have stepped out in faith to remind people of how sacred life is from the moment of conception, how we are created in the likeness and image of God, and how that ought to be protected and not dismissed so readily.
As a Catholic, it’s part of what I believe. And I wanted to empower people, especially young people, who may be struggling with decisions in their life where they don’t feel supported or feel they have nobody to help them. No, there is support and you do have options.
Initially, I thought I would just be there sort of tacitly supporting. And then I struggled for a couple of months
writing my speech. God was like, “Just speak from your heart.” I’m like, “Yeah, but that’s going to be really scary.” He said, “No, just be obedient. Just continue to trust me.” And I said, “OK, I promised I would, and I surrender. You take it from here.” And then the speech just wrote itself, basically.
During the rally itself, there were a couple of things that came up spontaneously, like calling on everyone to pray the rosary. I think Our Lady was like, “Remind them about me.” I’m like, “Oh, yeah, you got it, Mom.” And so I did, and that went over pretty well.
You know, it’s all about getting over fear and just locking into the faith and trust in God, especially when it comes to matters of life and death. So that experience kind of changed my mind about how I could proceed in that area.
COLUMBIA: You became a member of the Knights of Columbus last year as well. How did that come about, and what has been your experience as a Knight?
JONATHAN ROUMIE: I met Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly and his wife in Rome when I was invited to a screening of the documentary on Mother
Teresa. And they presented me with an honorary lifetime membership, which was unexpected but just thrilling to me and a great honor.
Nowadays, though, as with other church-related experiences, it’s not the way it used to be for me. For instance, I used to be a eucharistic minister and a lector, and I volunteered as a sponsor in RCIA and a number of other ministries. But I can’t participate in those things in the same way anymore because it becomes something different, drawing attention to me in a way that I don’t want it to. It’s the same thing as a Knight: I would like to participate in a traditional sense, but I haven’t found how to do that just yet. But I think there are other ways and possibilities, and maybe over a cup of coffee with the supreme knight we can come up with some solutions.
COLUMBIA: Is there a message you would like to leave your brother Knights?
JONATHAN ROUMIE: Just know that I’m praying for you and the people you serve. I’m also praying that the noise of culture not get in the way of your mission, because I think it’s easy for a lot of people to get distracted right now. The enemy loves to distract us from our work, especially when we’re serving the Lord, so we have to be careful not to get sucked into conversations that don’t matter.
I feel compelled to share that, I don’t know why. Maybe because I have to do that a lot in my own line of work. O entimes there are just so many distracting conversations that have nothing to do with my mission. So, I have to get really good at tuning that stu out. And to just keep Jesus at the center and his mama right beside him — serving the Lord with all my soul, all my heart and all my strength. Amen. B
By James B. Prothro
Knights are called to be men of service and prayer — caring for our families, parishes and communities, and praying for the Church and the whole world. Faithfully living out our mission as Catholic men each day is a ba le. It is a ba le against sin and evil in the world. It is also a ba le against the sinful desires within us, which we must overcome if we are to love and serve as Christ calls us to.
Christ tells his disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). He has already defeated the power of sin by his cross and resurrection and shares his victory with us, clothing us with “the armor of light” (Rom 13:12). He does
so through the sacraments, which strengthen and heal our souls by God’s power and love. He also does so through Scripture — “for the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb 4:12).
The Bible is a divine gift given to strengthen us, to train us in righteousness and to bring us to salvation. Inspired by God through the Holy Spirit, the words of Scripture communicate the very Word of God to us. It is an indispensable weapon on our everyday battlefields. In fact, when St. Paul calls us to take up the “armor of God” in his Letter to the Ephesians, the last piece of armor he lists is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17).
Note that Scripture is given to us as a spiritual “sword.” Unlike a helmet or a breastplate, it is not a piece of clothing but a weapon, and to get the benefit of it, we need to learn to use it. We need weapons training. This is why the Knights of Columbus has developed the Men of the Word Bible study — to teach us to read Scripture with the support and camaraderie of our brothers in training with us.
e Bible is all around us as Catholics. It is read and preached. Its words structure our most common prayers. Yet it can be intimidating to try to open it up ourselves. Where should we start? How do we learn to use a “sword” that is a book?
In Scripture, God communicates to us through human writers and human words. This means we need to actually read the Bible’s words. And knowing the contexts and backgrounds of different biblical books and their authors is important, as it is with all human words. If a man says, “I did it,” after getting a promotion, it means something different than if he says those same three words after being accused of a crime. However, context is not the only thing we need to understand the Bible. To use this gift of God for all its worth, Scripture reading has to be complemented by Christian faith and by prayer.
A er Jesus rose from the dead and encountered his disciples on the road to Emmaus, he “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (Lk 24:45).
ey knew the basic contexts of the stories and psalms. What they needed to learn was how all the words and books pointed to Jesus, the Son of David and Son of God, who would die, rise and bring salvation to the world (Lk 24:44-47). e whole of the Bible is meant to reveal God to us — who God is and what his saving love has done for us in Christ. Knowing Christ by faith is a key that unlocks the Bible’s deepest meaning, allowing us to encounter God, hear his word and apply it in our lives and communities today. is is why the Church urges biblical interpreters to read Scripture with an eye both to the di erent books’ historical contexts and to the larger context of the Catholic faith and the truth of Christ (Vatican II, Dei Verbum, 11-12).
e Church also calls us to read Scripture with an open heart. We are not meant to analyze Scripture in the same way we might analyze a literary classic for a classroom assignment. Rather, God’s word analyzes us. rough the words of Scripture, God addresses and teaches us. “Christ Jesus is knocking at our door in the words of sacred Scripture,” Pope Francis wrote in Aperuit Illis (He opened for them), his 2019 apostolic le er on the importance of Scripture. “If we
hear his voice and open the doors of our minds and hearts, then he will enter our lives and remain ever with us” (8).
It is prayer that allows us to open the door and respond to Christ’s invitation. erefore, to read the Bible for all its worth, we need to read it prayerfully. In prayer, we say yes to the truths God reveals, we say sorry and repent of our failings, and we ask for God’s protection and grace so that we can soldier on in the ba le.
Men of the Word Bible study, announced by Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly on June 9 (see page 6), can help us learn to read Scripture in this way — faithfully and prayerfully. It presents the great biblical narrative of sin and redemption, helping us to think about particular stories in the context of that greater narrative. It leads us to the right starting points and takes us through the main storyline of the Bible to show us how it all points to Christ.
Men of the Word goes beyond mere “study,” however. It draws us into the meditative reading that the Church calls lectio divina (divine reading), with questions and discussions prompting us to re ect on and pray about Scripture’s message to us as Catholic men. Pope Francis called the whole Church to this kind of reading in Aperuit Illis, emphasizing “the importance of learning how to read, appreciate and pray daily with sacred Scripture, especially through the practice of lectio divina” (3). Men of the Word invites Knights and other Catholic men, whether veteran Scripture readers or beginners, to respond to this call.
In support of the Order’s new Cor initiative, this resource calls us back to Blessed Michael McGivney’s vision for Knights to be leaders in discipleship through God’s word. Being a Knight is about much more than supporting the parish nancially or raising funds for commendable causes. We can’t neglect our charitable works, but faith and works are inseparable. Our duty of charity must be rooted in our relationship with Jesus Christ.
THE MEN OF THE WORD Bible study provides an overview of salvation history from Genesis to Jesus Christ. The 150-page guide is organized into 12 sections, including eight group study sessions and four guided lectio divina sessions. Men of the Word will be released at the 141st Supreme Convention in August and can be pre-ordered through the Catholic Information Service online store at kofc.org/shopcis.
Knowing Christ is the greatest gi we can receive and the most important gi we can give to others. And the call to know Christ is a call to turn to the Scriptures. As St. Jerome, the fourth-century doctor of the Church and translator of the Bible into Latin, famously said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”
To be examples of faith in our homes and communities, and to lead others in following Jesus, we
PEOPLE OFTEN WONDER which translation of the Bible they should use. Part of the answer is: one that they will actually read. The Men of the Word Bible study guide uses the New American Bible, revised edition (NAB-RE), which is the translation Catholics in the United States hear during Mass. Several other excellent Catholic translations are also available, including some recently published in beautiful new editions. Here are just a few examples (pictured from top):
• Ignatius Bible — This Bible from Ignatius Press uses the Revised Standard Version-Second Catholic Edition (RSV-2CE) translation.
• Great Adventure Catholic Bible — Published by Ascension Press, this RSV-2CE study Bible includes maps, commentary and other aids.
• Word on Fire Bible — A seven-volume series, this New Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition Bible features commentary and striking artwork.
• The English Standard Version, Catholic Edition — This beautiful and accessible translation, first released in 2018, is published in the United States by the Augustine Institute.
have to listen to his words: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (Jn 10:27). The more we know Scripture, the better we will be able to explain and defend the faith. The more we know our Lord, the more faithfully we will be able to serve him. The closer we cling to Jesus and his truth, the stronger we will be when others lean on us for support.
God’s gi of Scripture is too great to neglect. When brothers are united around God’s word to grow in repentance, courage and charity, the bene ts for our families and parishes are incalculable. e time and e ort spent training with this spiritual sword will yield immense rewards in combating our own sinfulness, growing in virtue and protecting those in our care. May God grant us the grace to be fully armed as “Men of the Word,” for our sake and for those we serve. B
JAMES B. PROTHRO is assistant professor of Scripture and theology at the Augustine Institute and serves as deputy grand knight of Holy Name Council 8539 in Englewood, Colorado.
“The Church calls us to read Scripture with an open heart. We are not meant to analyze Scripture in the same way we might analyze a literary classic for a classroom assignment. Rather, God’s word analyzes us .”
TOP RIGHT:
Photo by James StukenbergAlan Brown, a member of Father Robert F. Houlihan, S.J. Council 10937 in Lone Tree, Colo., reads the Bible during a Knights of Columbus Cor meeting in May.
Annual military pilgrimage o ers healing for troops su ering from physical, mental and spiritual trauma
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
is theme of the 2023 Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage — from the Gospel of Ma hew 11:28 — expressed the hopes of the many wounded, ill and injured military personnel taking part in this year’s annual trip to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes May 10-15. From Vietnam War veterans to Gold Star parents to a young Marine stationed in Afghanistan in the nal days of the U.S. withdrawal, they carried heavy burdens and came in search of healing and peace.
Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, led the delegation from the United States.
“I think it’s very important, especially for people who are carrying burdens of illness or psychological difficulties, or just the weight of war, to understand that they never carry
Above: Fourth Degree Knights lead Warriors to Lourdes pilgrims to Mass at the Rosary Basilica on May 12. • Left: Maj. John Rock of the Kentucky Army National Guard receives the anointing of the sick during the Warriors to Lourdes opening Mass in St. Joseph Chapel May 11. Rock, a member of All Saints Council 14234 in Taylorsville, Ky., and a father of nine, was severely injured during a 2022 deployment when he was hit by a car while on a morning run. • Opposite page: Candles burn before the statue of Mary in the Grotto at Lourdes. Under the statue are the words by which Mary identified herself to St. Bernadette in 1858 — “I am the Immaculate Conception,” spoken in Bernadette’s local dialect, Occitan.
this all by themselves,” said Archbishop Broglio, who also serves as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. “The Lord walks with them and invites men and women to experience his healing presence.”
Warriors to Lourdes has been co-sponsored by the U.S. military archdiocese and the Knights of Columbus since 2014 and is timed to coincide with the annual Pèlerinage Militaire International (International Military Pilgrimage), which brings about 14,000 troops from more than 40 nations to Lourdes each spring.
The pilgrims take part in devotional processions, military ceremonies and athletic competitions. They also have ample opportunities for prayer and fellowship with their counterparts from other countries. This year, more than 200 service members, veterans, companions and caregivers participated in Warriors to Lourdes, accompanied by chaplains, medical personnel and other staff. Together with photos of this year’s pilgrimage, here we present a few of their stories, adapted from interviews conducted in Lourdes.
WHILE I’VE BEEN stationed in Germany, I’ve been blessed to be able to go to other Marian sites in Europe, and I learned from those sites to keep my expectations for Lourdes pre y open. But there really has been this opening for healing here. More of an acceptance than a physical healing, an openness to the Blessed Mother and the comfort she wants to o er us.
I’ve been struggling recently with what it means to allow myself to be loved, and to allow myself to be OK with making mistakes. I came from a career field where if you made a mistake, it ended your career. I had internalized this in ways that I didn’t realize, and I’ve been working through a lot of that. I have actually gone to counseling, which I’ve never done before, and being here has really opened my heart to the graces that has offered.
There was a moment in the baths — and I wasn’t expecting this — but kneeling there in front of an image of the Blessed Mother, you can feel her holding you like your mom does when you’re sick. And while that doesn’t heal you from the problem, she is there with you and supporting you through it. There’s also a kindness and love in the way the women at the baths bring you in. They look at you with the eyes of Mary, with this deep compassion.
U.S. Air Force Capt. Elizabeth Kafer is stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. She learned about the Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage through her work as European region coordinator for the Military Council of Catholic Women and was invited to apply.
It’s really wonderful here to see everyone’s national pride, but there’s also this unity when we all come together and sing the Ave Maria. There’s this hope for peace and openness to communication and learning about each other.
Lourdes is hope, a hope for peace.
U.S. Army Chief Warrant O cer 3 William Reese served in Afghanistan where his teammate, Capt. Andrew M. Pedersen-Keel, 28, was killed in action in 2013. Now serving in Army Special Operations Command, Reese is also on the board of directors of APK Charities, founded in honor of Pedersen-Keel by his parents, Bob Keiser and Helen Pedersen-Keiser, who participated in last year’s Warrior to Lourdes pilgrimage.
I WAS INTRODUCED to Warriors to Lourdes by Bob and Helen Keiser, who told me they were able to come here and process a lot of things. I’m not Catholic, but I was open-minded in coming here. I just wanted to reconnect with myself and God, and then deal with some of the issues that I had while in combat.
I came here with a teammate of mine. We both lost teammates together, and we were able to identify what moral injury is, and how it differs from PTSD. It’s very important. I have dealt with PTSD, and I thought the two blended together. The presentation about moral injury was very impactful, because now I’m able to implement things that will help me deal with my moral injury — forgiveness of the guilt and shame that I may have from losing my friends.
From the moment that I walked in the underground church, I was moved very emotionally, even as a non-Catholic. And then as I saw all the different nationalities come together and going through the service, the presence of the Holy Spirit was definitely moving throughout. When I looked to my left and my right, I saw friends that I just met and people from other nations, crying or just having emotional moments. And it was felt by tens of thousands of people; it was amazing.
Lourdes is life-changing. Lourdes helped give me another reset in my life, spiritually and personally.
Master Sgt. Kim Crosby has served 36 years in the U.S. military. Now in the Army Reserve, she is currently assigned to the Soldier Recovery Unit at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. In 2008, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which has since metastasized. Crosby traveled to Lourdes with her son, Marcus.
I WANTED MY SON, Marcus, to experience this journey with me so that in years to come we will be able to share this memory together.
Marcus was with me when we went to the baths the first day. We washed our hands and our faces and drank the holy water, and we prayed together. When I’m long gone, Marcus will still have that memory.
Prior to coming, it was my understanding that they weren’t doing the full baths anymore because of COVID. But yesterday, they had special permission for me and someone else to go in. That was very, very moving. I sat in the water for a while and said a prayer. After we came out, everyone was there waiting for me, and I broke down. It really touched me.
When I was diagnosed the very first time, I just prayed that I was here long enough to see Marcus graduate from high school. He’s in college now. I told him, “As long as I can, I’m going to fight to stay here.” Hopefully, I’ll get to see him graduate from college. Maybe I’ll even walk that stage with him!
As a parent, you’re always nurturing, taking care. And for him, now, it’s like, “OK, Mom, I have to start taking care of you.” It means a lot for me to have a child who’s now mature enough to understand that these roles are reversed. Being here has changed a lot for me, as well as a lot for him.
Father William Cook, a member of Savannah (Georgia) Council 631, was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Savannah in June 2022. Before discerning his vocation, he served four years in the U.S. Marines Corps as an air support control officer. Father Cook was a co-sponsored seminarian with the military archdiocese and hopes to serve as a Navy chaplain.
THIS IS MY SECOND time at Warriors to Lourdes. In 2017, I came as a seminarian and didn’t know what to expect. I was assigned to a wounded warrior in a wheelchair, which made the experience super fruitful. We were able to take her to everything, even pushing her up the hill for the Stations of the Cross. She wasn’t even Catholic, and it was beautiful to see how she encountered the Lord, as it was the first time she’d experienced praying the stations.
Coming back as a priest is a great opportunity. To celebrate on these altars where thousands of priests have celebrated is just an incredibly fulfilling experience.
One of the more beautiful experiences that I’ve had is going to the baths. In 2017, we were able to go full immersion. This time, we were able to wash our hands and face and drink the water, which was still powerful. I’m always impressed how the volunteers who facilitate the baths take the faith so seriously, so when you go in, it’s a totally prayerful experience.
Lourdes is a unique place because you can almost feel the sanctity, as if heaven and earth were on parallel planes. This is one spot that heaven reaches down to touch earth. It’s a place that gives testimony to the catholic, universal spirit, with people coming from all over the world to make themselves vulnerable to the Lord, offering up whatever ails them or what they’re struggling with, and doing so through the intercession of the Blessed Mother.
If I could describe Lourdes in one word, it would be rich — rich in faith, beauty, tradition, goodness, history.
JUST A DECADE a er her death in 1897, St. érèse of Lisieux was called “the greatest saint of modern times” by Pope Pius X. Canonized in 1925 and declared a doctor of the Church in 1997, “the Li le Flower” has captivated millions of Catholics with her autobiography, Story of a Soul, and her promise to spend her heaven doing good on earth.
Yet there would be no St. érèse without her holy parents, who planted the seed of faith in her heart and in the hearts of her four sisters, all of whom entered religious life. eirs was a vibrant Catholic home, marked by love, joy and devotion, as well as by su ering and early death. In recognition of their holiness of life and the role they played in building this domestic church, Louis and Zélie Martin were canonized together Oct. 18, 2015, by Pope Francis.
Sts. Louis and Zélie never expected to get married. In fact, they had both planned to become consecrated religious. Then one encounter changed their lives forever. As Zélie was walking across a narrow medieval bridge in her hometown of Alençon, France, she noticed a tall, handsome man walking toward her. As they were about to brush by each other, Zélie heard within her soul, “This is he whom I have prepared for you.”
Louis also felt drawn to the beautiful young woman he passed on the bridge and began to inquire about her in town. ey didn’t waste any time; a er an engagement of three months, the two were united in marriage July 13, 1858, when Zélie was 27 years old and Louis 35.
A er initially thinking that God was calling them to live a spiritual, or “Josephite,” marriage, they embraced their marital life together. While they were blessed with nine children, only ve daughters survived past childhood. Burying two sons and two daughters was a heavy, grief-laden cross to bear.
ough Louis and Zélie Martin lived more than a century ago, they have much to teach Knights and their spouses today about the vocation of marriage and family — the importance of modeling prayer and the pursuit of holiness; showing love
and a ection to their children; and fostering a culture of vocations and openness to God’s call.
Above all things, Louis and Zélie wanted their children to love Christ and his Church. This meant that they modeled for their children what it means to live according to the Gospel. In addition to praying as a family and attending daily Mass, the couple frequently gave to the poor and cared for any homeless people they encountered.
Louis and Zélie also openly showed a ection for their children, making sure that they felt loved. Louis developed nicknames for each of them that expressed their unique character. Marie he called “the diamond,” Pauline “the ne pearl,” and Céline “the dauntless one.” Léonie was “good-hearted Léonie,” and érèse “the li le queen” or “bouquet.” ey frequently played with their children, and Louis even made li le toys for his daughters to play with when they were young.
Tragedy struck the family when Zélie died of breast cancer at the age of 45. is was a huge blow to Louis and the ve daughters he now had to raise on his own. érèse was only 4 years old when she lost her mother, and it had a lasting e ect on her. Yet she was not without maternal care, as her older sister Pauline became her “mother” and cared for her during the next several years.
Naturally, both Louis and Zélie supported their children’s a raction to religious life. A er Zélie’s death, four of the daughters joined a Carmelite monastery not far from the Martin home in Lisieux. e h, Léonie, entered the Monastery of the Visitation in Caen. It certainly wasn’t easy to see them all leave home, but Louis was at peace knowing they were pursuing a life consecrated to God.
Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, patron saints of marriage and parenting, pray for us! B
In the weeks after Russia’s Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of refugees poured across the border into Poland and were met by an outpouring of support. Polish Knights of Columbus set up heated tents where Ukrainians entering Poland — mostly women and children — received a warm welcome, food and drink. These Knights of Columbus Mercy Centers were soon expanded with assistance from the Order’s Ukraine Solidarity Fund, providing additional humanitarian aid and space for rest and prayer.
“We served 300,000 refugees at these centers,” explained Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly in the documentary In Solidarity with Ukraine , which premiered in February. “Our goal was to serve them in all their material needs, but also to help them spiritually and emotionally with the trauma that many of them had experienced.”
As time went on, the border tents were no longer needed, but the Knights established Mercy Centers at parishes in major Polish cities to help refugees settle and integrate into their new communities. However, many victims of the war stayed in Ukraine, and others have returned to their homeland. Since the beginning of the war, Knights throughout the country have distributed aid to displaced families and other affected civilians still living in Ukraine.
“ e most organized were the Knights who lived in the occupied territories,” explained State Deputy Youriy Maletskiy
at the Ukraine State Convention in Lviv in May. “ ey didn’t hide in basements or in bomb shelters. On the contrary, they o en delivered this aid under re.”
Ukrainian Knights have taken another step forward in recent months, opening parish-based Mercy Centers to serve waves of internal refugees seeking safety in the west as the front lines of the conflict continue to shift.
Russia’s systematic bombing of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure has caused tens of thousands of people to suffer from shortages of food, water and medicine. The new parish-based Mercy Centers in Ukraine are serving as distribution points for essential supplies. Over the past year, Knights in Poland prepared more than 200,000 care packages for distribution throughout Ukraine. Knights in Ukraine have been producing similar care packages since March. As in Poland, the packing has attracted enthusiastic volunteers; when members of the community were given an opportunity to help, they seized it.
Andriy Melnyk, a member of Mother of God Council 16891 in Vynnyky, near Lviv, organized the first care package initiative in Ukraine.
“Our primary goal is to provide physical, psychological, or moral support in any way we can,” said Melnyk. “As Knights, we must take advantage of every opportunity we have to help our neighbors.”
One such opportunity arose through the Order’s partnership with the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation: Mercy Centers were able to distribute wheelchairs for people with disabilities, who are particularly vulnerable in times of war.
Another need stressed by the chaplains working in Mercy Centers is psychological help. The parish of Christ, King of the Universe in Khmelnytskyi organized psychological training workshops, where volunteers learned how to assist people traumatized by war, from soldiers who have experienced violent combat to people who spent weeks in dark bomb shelters. In Mercy Centers in Lviv, Kyiv and Fastiv, wives and children of fallen soldiers can participate in group therapy and receive spiritual support.
Russian strikes have also caused rolling blackouts, leaving many residents without heat or means of communication. In response, the Knights launched an initiative called “Powering our Parishes” to provide churches with generators. Virtually all parishes in Ukraine with a K of C council, more than 40 in all, now have back-up power thanks to the Ukraine Solidarity Fund.
“When we have a generator, we have light, we have heat. We can make hot tea and we can charge phones,” said Father Vitalii Martsyniuk, chaplain of Sts. Borys and Hlib Council 17740 in Fastiv, a city in the Kyiv region. “This past winter we had a lot of challenges, but we tried to overcome them together with our brother Knights.”
By providing for peoples’ most immediate material needs, parishes can also provide deeper consolation.
“People may need humanitarian aid,” said Father Martsyniuk, “but they also have spiritual needs, such as hope and love.”
e Order’s involvement in Ukraine, he added, di ers from that of other aid agencies because its Catholic identity is intrinsic to its work. e name “Mercy Center” points to the Knights’ motivating force. Charity — not only humanitarian aid — was the goal of Blessed Michael McGivney, and charity is derived from and re ects the mercy and love of God. Such
activity, infused by God’s grace, transforms both the recipient and the person who o ers it. Christ’s words, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7), are a promise, as well as a mission.
Father Martsyniuk has seen the spiritual bene ts among the Knights in his council. “ e wives of my Knights told me that they do not recognize their husbands anymore,” he said. “Men who once didn’t want to pray at home with their children, now pray a whole rosary with their brother Knights!”
Knights in Ivano-Frankivsk, meanwhile, organized several weekend sessions of psychological support for combat veterans, in partnership with the International Catholic Migration Commission, a Vatican agency providing assistance and protection to the vulnerable. Confession was made available to the veterans, but during the first weekend no one chose to go. Over time, however, all of them took advantage of the sacrament. The wife of one of the veterans later admitted that she participated in the program only because she hoped to see her husband become reconciled with God.
The fruits of the Knights of Columbus Mercy Centers, both material and spiritual, testify to what faith-driven men can achieve when they are united by a fraternal community. By deepening their own faith and practicing works of mercy, they help bring their whole community closer to God. B
e o ce of state deputy was established and de ned at the 1893 Supreme Council meeting. As the chief executive o cer of the Order in his jurisdiction, the state deputy provides leadership and inspiration to the Knights and their families, and promotes the mission and growth of the Order. State deputies are elected during the annual convention of each state council. Pictured here are the state and territorial deputies for the 2023-2024 fraternal year.
CONNECTICUT JOSEPH C. HTELLI
DELAWARE RICHARD C. DEZAO
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA LE N. NGUYEN
KENTUCKY
HAWAII NDALL TOM
IDAHO GEORGE L. MESINA
MASSACHUSE
LOUISIANA VINCE A. WHI INGTON
MEXICO CENT L
JORGE ALEJANDRO ZA GOZA ALARCÓN
MEXICO NORTHEAST DERLY GALLEGOS ARREDONDO
ALBERTA
CALIFORNIA
IOWA
MANITOBA THOMAS J. K EMER
NSAS
MARYLAND CHRISTOPHER L. POWERS
MEXICO WEST SERGIO EDUARDO VÁZQUEZ RODRÍGUEZ
MICHIGAN CHRISTOPHER A. KOLOMJEC
Parishioners from St. Thomas Aquinas Church and members of W.P. Morris Council 6645 in Cookeville, Tenn., gather around a pilgrim icon of St. Joseph following a bilingual prayer service at the parish. Before the service, parishioners were invited to pray an act of consecration to St. Joseph.
Saint-Pamphile (Québec) Council 3075 donated CA$1,000 to buy Bibles for children in the faith formation program at Saint-Pamphile Church. e Knights presented the Bibles to the children at their rst reconciliation.
At the request of Father Steve Ne , spiritual director of the Diocese of Pi sburgh’s St. Paul Seminary, St. Kilian Council 14807 in Cranberry Township worked with three K of C councils and an assembly in the Pi sburgh area to purchase 20 shoeshine kits for the diocese’s seminarians. e seminarians then received a shoe-shining tutorial from Father Ne and seminary rector Father Tom Sparacino.
St. Helena Council 7965 in San Antonio donated $1,500 to Padua Place, a home for retired priests and deacons. e council also donated $500 to the RCIA and faith formation programs at St. Helena Parish, part of its regular nancial support for the parish’s physical and spiritual needs.
Good Shepherd Council 5573 in Plaineld, Ill., recently held one of its semiannual pancake breakfasts at St. Mary Immaculate Parish, feeding more than 300 parishioners and raising $1,600 for local charities.
Members of St. omas More/Msgr. Francis S. Midura Council 6062 in Hauppauge, N.Y., helped to clear storage areas at St. omas More Parish of several hundred pounds of scrap metal. e Knights hauled o the metal, which included vents, stanchions and old shelving, to be recycled.
Since March 2022, Bishop Maurice A. McAuli e Council 3181 in Windsor, Conn., has organized twice-weekly “Rosary for Ukraine” prayer services at St. Damien of Molokai Parish. To date, Knights and parishioners have prayed more than 1,300 rosaries for peace and healing in Ukraine. e council has also donated $11,900 to the Ukraine Solidarity Fund.
Religious sisters from throughout the Archdiocese of Omaha, Neb., gathered at St. Cecilia Cathedral for an annual appreciation luncheon hosted by Father Flanagan of Boys Town Council 652. Not wanting to exclude the archdiocese’s cloistered religious, the Knights made sure that food was delivered to the Poor Clare Nuns of Omaha as well.
Knights and family members of Bagbag Pagkabuhay Council 8825 in Quezon City, Luzon North, are pictured with a replica statue of the Black Nazarene during its visit to Resurrection of Our Lord Parish. This depiction of Christ carrying the cross, carved in Mexico and brought to the Philippines in the early 17th century, is considered miraculous by many Filipino Catholics.
Past Grand Knight Ron Metevier of St. Joseph’s-St. Raymond Council 6850 in Epping, N.H., clears debris from the lakeshore at Camp Fatima for Boys, a summer camp sponsored by the Diocese of Manchester. Since 1953, Knights from across the state and their families have held an annual work day at Camp Fatima to prepare it for the summer camp season. This year, volunteers worked on plumbing and electrical projects in addition to general maintenance.
When the cook at St. Anthony Tri-Parish Catholic School in Casper, Wyo., injured his back, Knights from St. Patrick Council 9917 stepped in several times over a two-month period to cook, serve and clean up meals for the school’s 130 students.
Knights from Msgr. Peter M.H. Wynhoven Council 3091 in Westwego, La., worked with local youth scouting groups to collect food, clothes and other essential supplies for victims of recent tornadoes in northern Mississippi. e powerful storms killed at least 25 people and le many more homeless.
Following the Easter Vigil at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Nederland, Texas, Father William Brooks Council 5145 hosted a reception for the catechumens and candidates who had just received the sacraments of initiation. About 130 people celebrated with the new members of the Church.
St. Finbar Council 15728 in Brooklyn, N.Y., facilitated the donation of an image of the Holy Family from the New York State Council to St. Finbar Parish at the request of their pastor, Father Jose Henriquez. e image will be permanently displayed in the parish’s Holy Family Chapel.
St. Stephen Council 12458 in Bentonville, Ark., raised more than $18,000 in cash and material donations through a “ ll the playpen” drive at St. Stephen Catholic Church. All donations were given to Havenwood, a residence for single mothers, and the St. Stephen conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Father Donald Schumaker Council 6772 in Minneapolis donated more than $1,000 to St. Alphonsus Catholic School in Brooklyn Center. e council held a breakfast to raise the funds, which will support the school’s tuition aid.
John J. Williams Council 1308 in Roslindale, Mass., donated $50,000 from the sale of its home corporation building to Sacred Heart STEM School. e funds will be used to purchase 20 smart TVs and a new phone system, among other infrastructure upgrades. e council also donated $10,000 to the Italian Home for Children in Boston and $5,000 to Disabled and Limbless Veterans Inc.
Saad Mattia, past grand knight of Mar Toma Council 10981 in El Cajon, Calif., serves food to a boy at the council’s annual Chaldean American Festival. The event, which features folk dancing, ethnic food and other cultural attractions, has been organized by Council 10981 since 2010. More than 10,000 people attended last year’s festival, and the council raised more than $100,000 for charitable causes.
With a recent contribution of CA$275,000, Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) Council 1517 surpassed CA$1 million in donations to the Jim Pa ison Children’s Hospital Foundation since 2002. e council has held numerous fundraisers for the hospital in the past two decades, including pancake breakfasts and silent auctions. e council also donated CA$225,000 to Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan, which provides accommodation, support programs and resources to families of sick children.
St. Isidore Council 4649 in Quakertown, Pa., and Richland Township Fire and Rescue jointly sponsored a 5K/10K run that raised $7,500. e funds will be used to buy a thermal imaging camera that helps re ghters locate people in wooded areas and burning buildings.
Bishop Fenwick Assembly 100 in Norwalk, Conn., donated $2,000 to House of Heroes Connecticut during the
assembly’s 5th Annual Patriot Dinner. e funds will help the organization in its mission to make repairs and improvements at the homes of veterans in need.
Knights from the dioceses of Talibon and Tagbilaran recently gathered in Loboc, Bohol, Visayas, for the rst K of C Bohol Olympics. e Knights competed in di erent athletic events, including basketball, under the theme “Strengthening Brotherhood rough Sports.”
Loras Assembly 260 in Davenport, Iowa, organized a trivia night to bene t Honor Flight of the Quad Cities. e e ort raised $3,200, enough for six veterans to travel to Washington and visit the monuments honoring their service.
St. George’s Council 12124 in O awa, Ontario, held a Victoria Day barbecue at the city’s Fisher Park. More than 1,000 people a ended the community event.
Brooklyn, N.Y., hang a U.S. flag in a neighborhood near St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church. For several years, the council has hung flags throughout the Bergen Beach and Mill Basin areas of Brooklyn in anticipation of Memorial Day.
For the past year, St. Bartholomew Council 14206 in Newaygo, Mich., has been promoting a program, initiated by two parishioners of St. Bartholomew Church, to encourage people to pray for the United States. Council 14206, with help from two other councils in the area, has sold more than 700 yard signs that read “Pray for Our Nation.” All proceeds from the sales — more than $1,300 to date — are donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
St. John XXIII Council 14502 in Perrysburg, Ohio, held a pancake breakfast at St. John XXIII Parish to support the Bowling Green Pregnancy Center. In addition to raising $2,400 in monetary donations, the council collected $1,000 worth of diapers and wipes for the center.
Members of Father Maurice du Castillon Council 14755 in Washington, Va., organized the assembly of a Cemetery of Innocents in front of St. Peter Catholic Church. e display featured more than 3,000 small white ags, symbolizing the more than 3,000 lives that are lost to abortion each day in the United States.
BABY SHOWER BENEFITS PRC
Mid-Island Council 3842 in Nanaimo, British Columbia, held its annual baby shower drive to bene t the Crossroads Pregnancy Centre. e council has conducted the drive since 2009, collecting dozens of baby items and as much as CA$3,500 for the center each year.
Mark Gilmour, life director of St. Thomas More Council 17996 in Henderson, Nev., holds up a “Love Life, Choose Life” sign during the annual Las Vegas Walk for Life sponsored by First Choice Pregnancy Services. Nevada State Council o cers joined members of Council 17996 and St. Viator Council 8282 at the walk. Councils throughout the state provide frequent financial and spiritual support to First Choice.
Msgr. Gehl Council 7895 in Hortonville, Wis., donated $3,600 to Vida Medical Clinic through a baby bo le drive at several local parishes. Since 2018, local Knights have donated more than $75,000 to Vida.
Fourth Degree Knights from Texas District #2 provided a color guard for a press conference before the Special Olympics Texas Summer Games in San Antonio. Knights from several councils also volunteered in di erent capacities for the event, held over four days at the Alamodome.
When Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, Knights from St. Patrick’s Council 3484 in Canby, Ore., decided that its annual charity auction and crab dinner would bene t a local pro-life organization. Nearly 400 people a ended this year’s event, which raised more than $23,800 for Pregnancy Care Centers in Canby.
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Every day, Knights all over the world are given opportunities to make a di erence — 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 be er world.
Members of St. John Apostle and Evangelist Council 14663 in Mililani, Hawaii, trim the grass on one of the many hills of the Benedictine Monastery of Hawaii in Waialua. The Knights hold two service days a month at the monastery, assisting with a variety of projects throughout the community’s 67-acre property.
People o en discover their vocation to religious life at Mass or in adoration, but I “heard the call” while literally receiving a phone call!
Before this life-changing moment during my last semester of college, I had spent about a year growing in my spiritual life through spiritual direction and ge ing to know members of Pro Ecclesia Sancta. I was a racted to their joy, their charism to live and promote holiness, and their closeness to the Sacred Heart. But I was wrestling with the question of whether God was really calling me to religious life.
Speaking on the phone with a potential roommate for the following year, I knew deep down that I was fooling myself. I didn’t need to make housing plans; God wanted me to say “yes” to my vocation and move in with the sisters.
Since I entered Pro Ecclesia Sancta in 2014, the Lord has lled me with the greatest joy and has shown me that he surpasses all our expectations. Whatever your state of life, say “yes” to God’s will and let yourself be surprised by his loving plans for you.
Sister Leann Luecke Pro Ecclesia Sancta Minneapolis, Minnesota
‘The Lord surpasses all our expectations.’