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Fathers McGivney
A detail of a painting by the Italian painter Titian depicts the bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven. The feast days of the Assumption and the Queenship of Mary are celebrated by the Church on Aug. 15 and Aug. 22, respectively.
For Blessed Michael and his younger brothers Patrick and John, pastoral genius ran in the family.
By Maureen Walther
‘True God From True God’
1,700 years ago, one of the most consequential councils in Church history defined and defended the divinity of Christ.
By Tracey Rowland
Warriors of Hope
Annual Lourdes pilgrimage invites U.S. service members and veterans to reflect on Jubilee 2025 theme and seek spiritual healing.
By Columbia staff
Scarred but Standing
A new partnership is providing treatment and hope to Ukrainians who have lost limbs due to the war.
By Jarosław Herman
Chicago Celebrates Hometown Son, Pope Leo XIV
Returning to the South Side via video message, Pope Leo speaks to U.S. audience.
By Elisha Valladares-Cormier
3 For the greater glory of God
The spirituality of St. Augustine, taught and lived by Pope Leo, is echoed in the principles and mission of the Knights.
By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly
4 Learning the faith, living the faith
Following the example of Blessed Michael McGivney, Knights are called to be witnesses of charity and reconciliation in Christ.
By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori
6 Knights of Columbus News
Organizational Meeting Highlights
Call to Discipleship • Knights
March for Life in National, Regional Capitals • Ontario Knights Mark Anniversary With Benefit Game
8 Building the Domestic Church
A series of columns on family life, leadership and financial stewardship
26 Knights in Action Reports from councils and assemblies, representing Faith in Action ON THE COVER A 16th-century icon depicts the First Council of Nicaea, which defined the divinity of Christ in 325 A.D.
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. kofc.org/join
ON JUNE 16, the Pew Research Center published the results of a survey conducted earlier this year on Catholicism in the United States. It found that while 1 in 5 U.S. adults identify religiously as Catholic, only a relatively small minority follow the precepts of the Church: Just 28% attend Mass at least weekly, and 23% go to confession at least once a year. Another 9% of adults identify as “cultural Catholics,” and a similar number consider themselves “former Catholics” — whereas only 1.5% of U.S. adults are converts to the faith. These results are sobering and suggest that vibrant parish life is the exception rather than the rule. Nevertheless, shining examples of — and opportunities for — renewal abound.
On Corpus Christi Sunday, just days after Pew reported its findings, the Eucharist was carried in procession for a mile through the streets of New Haven, Connecticut, beginning at St. Mary’s Church, the birthplace of the Order. Dozens of children took their place at the front — altar boys bearing a crucifix, candles, and bells; girls holding wicker baskets filled with rose petals, which they spread before the Blessed Sacrament. Also preceding the priest and canopied monstrance marched a Fourth Degree honor guard. Hundreds of parishioners followed. Some raised banners while others sang Eucharistic hymns in English, Spanish, Polish or Latin. The entire event was a beautiful witness — for onlookers and parishioners alike — to the unity of faith and of the Body of Christ.
One notable finding in the Pew study is that 47% of all U.S. adults — and 82% of Hispanic Americans — report a personal connection to the Catholic faith. Other key findings highlight that Mass attendance is closely tied to belief. Perhaps
predictably, weekly Mass-goers are far more likely than others to say that having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (91%) and receiving the Eucharist (83%) are essential to their faith. They are also nearly five times more likely to participate in other aspects of parish life.
The Pew survey was conducted in February, months before the election of the first U.S.-born pope, Leo XIV. Just two days before the study’s release, Pope Leo delivered a video message to tens of thousands gathered in his hometown of Chicago (see pages 3, 24). He invited listeners to recognize how God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — is calling each of us into a life of communion. Citing the teachings of St. Augustine, he emphasized “coming together in friendship, building up community,” and added, “we have to begin with our own lives, our own hearts.”
In the end, the survey results do more than quantify religious trends; they illuminate fundamental truths about evangelization. They confirm, for example, the pivotal role of the family and the parish in nurturing and passing on the faith. While faith is deeply personal, it does not grow in isolation. Strong Catholic families and strong parishes are essential to renewal. Blessed Michael McGivney had a keen understanding of this reality, as did his two younger brothers, who likewise became dynamic priests and pastors (see page 10). Father McGivney’s pastoral vision — first shaped by his own family and parish community — inspired him to found the Knights of Columbus, whose mission continues to be centered on building up the Church, beginning in our own parishes, our own families, and our own hearts. B
Alton J. Pelowski, Editor
Resource: Blessed Michael McGivney Cor Session Guide
The new Blessed Michael McGivney Cor Session Guide provides councils with 10 sessions of faith formation content for use with Cor . Each session includes suggested prayers, readings about the life of Blessed Michael McGivney, and group discussion questions. This is a perfect way to introduce men to the life of our Founder and to invite men to model their lives after his example. It and other Cor resources are available as free downloads at kofc.org/shopcis .
Columbia
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
John A. Marrella
Supreme Secretary
Ronald F. Schwarz
Supreme Treasurer
John A. Marrella
Supreme Advocate
EDITORIAL
Alton J. Pelowski
Editor
Andrew J. Matt
Managing Editor
Elisha Valladares-Cormier
Senior Editor
Megan Stibley
Associate Editor
Paul Haring
Manager of Photography
Cecilia Engbert Content Producer
HOW TO REACH US COLUMBIA
1 Columbus Plaza
New Haven, CT 06510-3326
columbia@kofc.org kofc.org/columbia
Address changes
203-752-4210, option #3 addresschange@kofc.org
Columbia inquiries 203-752-4398
K of C Customer Service 1-800-380-9995
Blessed Michael McGivney (1852-90) – Apostle to the Young, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us.
Walking Together in Charity
The spirituality of St. Augustine, taught and lived by Pope Leo, is echoed in the principles and mission of the Knights
By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly
POPE LEO XIV is the first member of the Order of St. Augustine to be elected pope, and his commitment to the religious order and its charism was evident from the start of his pontificate. After his election on May 8, the Holy Father stepped onto the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and told the world: “I am an Augustinian, a son of St. Augustine.” What does this mean for the Knights of Columbus? The short answer is that we have much in common with this son of St. Augustine.
Pope Leo’s entire life has been shaped by the thought of St. Augustine (354-430) and the order named after him. He attended an Augustinian high school and then Villanova, the only Augustinian university in the United States, before entering the novitiate in 1977. From 2002 to 2013, he served as prior general of the worldwide Order of St. Augustine.
The Augustinians’ core values are often described as unity, community and friendship — themes that Blessed Michael McGivney also infused into the Knights of Columbus. And like the Knights, the Augustinians are known for building strong fraternal bonds, so they can then dedicate themselves to works of charity and sacrifice for others, especially the poor and the outcast.
Reflecting on the centrality of unity in Augustine’s thought, then-Cardinal Robert Prevost said in a 2023 interview that “you cannot say you are a follower of Christ without being part of the Church.” Unity and communion, he added, are fundamental to “understanding what the Church is and what it means to be in it.”
For St. Augustine, the Christian life is a team sport. It means never going it alone. We see this in Pope Leo’s choice of an episcopal motto: “In Illo uno unum” — a phrase from St. Augustine’s Exposition on the Psalms: “Although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.”
Another theme that the Knights of Columbus shares with the Augustinian tradition is the role of friendship — or fraternity — in following Christ. Augustine’s conversion came about, in part, through the influence of his friends. He came to believe that living a Christian life required the daily support of others who could strengthen him in faith. When asked to serve as a bishop, he agreed on the condition that he would live with a community of priests.
St. Augustine is also known for reflecting on the longings of the human heart — especially our desire to love and be loved. In his spiritual autobiography, the Confessions, he writes: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in thee.”
Last month, Pope Leo brought many of these themes home — quite literally to his hometown of Chicago. In a video message to tens of thousands gathered at the White Sox stadium and others watching online, he said we should pay attention to the “restlessness” of our hearts, because it can help lead us to “do something with our own lives to serve others.”
That is how we will find true meaning, he said. “So many people who suffer from different experiences of depression or sadness — they can discover that the love of God is truly healing, that it brings hope,” he added. “Coming together as friends, as brothers and sisters, in community, in a parish, in an experience of living our faith together, we can find that the Lord’s grace, that the love of God can truly heal us, can give us the strength we need, can be the source of hope that we all need in our lives.”
May we, the Knights of Columbus, walk together with Pope Leo and our fellow members of the Body of Christ in the bonds of charity, unity and fraternity — so that we might all follow Christ more closely through lives of humble service.
Vivat Jesus!
The Augustinians’ core values are often described as unity, community and friendship — themes that Blessed Michael McGivney also infused into the Knights of Columbus.
Photo by Michael Collopy
Beacons and Builders of Unity
Following the example of Blessed Michael McGivney, Knights are called to be witnesses of charity and reconciliation in Christ
By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori
POPE LEO XIV’S first words from the balcony of St. Peter’s were of peace and unity, and in his inaugural homily, the Holy Father spoke of love and unity as “two dimensions of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus.” In nearly every homily and speech since, he has challenged us to be beacons and builders of unity.
As Knights of Columbus, we take Pope Leo’s words to heart. After all, Blessed Michael McGivney founded our Order on the principle of unity. In 1883, he wrote, “Unity and charity is our motto. Unity in order to gain strength to be charitable to each other in benevolence.” Father William J. Slocum, a contemporary of Father McGivney, later described how our founder brought together the men of his parish. “His idea,” Father Slocum explained, “was to found an organization that would direct young men to work in harmony on lines laid out that would conform to the teachings and practice of the Church.”
Father McGivney not only taught the importance of unity; he demonstrated that the Church’s mission of evangelization hinges on that unity of faith brought about by the Holy Spirit. He reached out to the wider community and helped his Knights see that there is no charity without unity.
In a world disfigured by discord and conflict, it is now up to us to be unifiers. But how can we help heal the wounds of sin and division? How can we, in Pope Leo’s words, help make the Church “a sign of unity and communion which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world”? As a fraternal organization of more than 2 million members, we can do much to build unity — beginning with our local councils, parishes and communities.
First, we need to pray. Prayer brings us to the source of unity — the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Prayer unites us with
Christ who died to “reconcile the world to himself” (2 Cor 5:19). Prayer opens our hearts to the Holy Spirit, the “soul” of the Church’s communion. Let us pray that out of the great diversity of the Church’s members, we may unite in professing “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph 4:5).
Second, let us extend our prayer for unity to our enemies, opponents, or those who irritate us — including family members, brother Knights and coworkers. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies, noting that if we love only those who love us, we are no better than unbelievers (cf. Mt 5:43-48). Such prayer helps us forgive and recognize how we may have wronged others. It frees us from resentment.
Third, receive the sacrament of reconciliation often. As our sins are forgiven, we share in the peace the risen Lord won for us, the peace the world cannot give (cf. Jn 14:27). We are reconciled to God, to the Church, and to one another. Here we find the grace to be reconcilers amid division.
Fourth, make the Mass the center of your spiritual life. The Eucharist is the sacrament of charity and unity. By sharing in the banquet of Christ’s sacrifice, we are drawn together in a communion of love and life. Receiving the body of Christ, we become the body of Christ.
Fifth, participate in Cor. Sharing your faith in a fraternal environment removes divisions and helps us see one another in a new light. We rediscover unity in the person of Christ and his teaching, as we grow together in friendship and virtue.
Finally, we can build unity by working together to protect the vulnerable and help those in need. Just as unity is essential for charity, charity deepens unity. And together, they make the Knights beacons and builders of unity both in the Church and the world. B
We can build unity by working together to protect the vulnerable and help those in need. Just as unity is essential for charity, charity deepens unity.
Supreme Chaplain’s Challenge
A monthly reflection and practical challenge from Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Gospel for Aug. 31, Lk 14:11)
One lesson of this parable in Luke’s Gospel is that when you exalt yourself, there’s nowhere to go but down. In the life of a disciple of Christ, we are called to develop the virtue of humility. We are called to self-giving service to others, not self-serving advancement of ourselves. Let us strive not to seek worldly honors in an egotistical spirit, but rather to live as servants to others so that God may exalt us to eternal life.
Challenge: Next month, in which we celebrate the feast of Blessed Michael McGivney on Aug. 13, I challenge you to pray each day the Litany of Blessed Michael McGivney or the prayer for his canonization — and take time to reflect on his humility in serving the people of God.
For July’s challenge, visit kofc.org/ monthlychallenge
Catholic Man of the Month
Father Charles Kram Jr. (1929-2000)
PARALYZED BY polio at age 22, seminarian Charles Kram Jr. never gave up hope of becoming a priest. Finally ordained 23 years later, he once wrote, “I see my trials… bringing me closer and closer to my Dear Savior, cross and all.”
Kram and his two older siblings were raised on a family farm in Shiner, Texas, where they also attended Catholic school. An active boy with a lively sense of humor, he graduated in 1946, at age 16. He entered seminary in San Antonio that fall, and four years later, he joined Msgr. Netardus Council 3081 in Shiner.
In May 1952, Kram was ordained a subdeacon, but within weeks he was hospitalized with acute back pain. Diagnosed with polio, he was soon paralyzed from the neck down and placed in an iron lung. After regaining the ability to breathe on his own, he returned home.
Over the next 20 years, Kram spent much of his time in prayer. He also operated an amateur radio and an electric typewriter (purchased by his
Liturgical Calendar
Aug. 1 St. Alphonsus Liguori
Aug. 4 St. John Vianney
Aug. 6 The Transfiguration of the Lord
Aug. 8 St. Dominic
Aug. 11 St. Clare
Aug. 13 Blessed Michael McGivney
Aug. 14 St. Maximilian Kolbe
Aug. 15 The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Aug. 20 St. Bernard
Aug. 21 St. Pius X
Aug. 22 The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Aug. 27 St. Monica
Aug. 28 St. Augustine
Aug. 29 The Passion of St. John the Baptist
council), using a rubber-tipped stick held in his mouth. He ministered over the airwaves and by letter to people in more than 160 countries who sought his prayers and counsel.
After receiving a special dispensation, he was ordained a priest on Dec. 5, 1975. A banner in the sanctuary read, “Gladly will I glory in my infirmities” (2 Cor 12:9). Assigned as a hospital chaplain, Father Kram celebrated the sacraments and joyfully made rounds in his powered wheelchair for the next two decades.
Father Charles Kram Jr. was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 1999 and died on Aug. 13, 2000. The Diocese of Victoria, Texas, opened his cause for canonization in 2016. B
Holy Father’s Monthly Prayer Intention
Let us pray that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious, or ideological reasons.
Organizational Meeting Highlights Call to Discipleship
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS leaders representing more than 70 jurisdictions worldwide gathered in New Haven, Connecticut, for the annual Organizational Meeting of State Deputies, held June 4-8. Many also met with their state chaplains, who were attending a concurrent State Chaplains Meeting, June 4-7.
On June 6, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly conferred medals of office on 37 newly elected state deputies at the conclusion of Mass at St. Mary’s Church, the birthplace of the Order.
Supreme Chaplain Archbishop Lori of Baltimore reflected in his homily on the Gospel passage in which the risen Lord asks St. Peter, “Do you love me?” — a question he said is also directed to the state deputies.
“There will be days when you are asked to go where you would rather not go, to perform tasks and take on responsibilities you might prefer to avoid,” Archbishop Lori said. “Then hear the Lord say, ‘Follow me!’ … Disciples are those who have learned to love as the Lord loves.”
In his keynote remarks later that day, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly pointed to Pope Leo XIV’s call for missionary outreach and to adult converts in the United States and Europe.
“What’s so interesting,” the supreme knight said, “is many of the converts are young men, and they’re looking for a faith that challenges them — a robust faith. Our job as Knights is to give a place where they can not only grow in
their faith, but where they can put their faith into action.”
With more than 2 million members, the Order continues to attract men seeking meaning and purpose, the supreme knight said. One of the most effective ways to foster Christian discipleship, he added, is through Cor , the Orderwide initiative that launched in 2023 to help men grow in prayer, formation and fraternity. In the past year alone, Cor has expanded from about 600 councils participating to more than 5,000.
“Let’s keep moving forward with Cor,” the supreme knight urged. “It’s an extraordinary opportunity for us to help the Church and to help men — to help families.”
He added, “Pope Leo has spoken about isolation and loneliness in our time. He says that what we must do is respond with missionary outreach. We must say to the world, with humility and joy: ‘Look to Christ. Come closer
Clockwise, from top left: Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly delivers his keynote address at the Organizational Meeting of State Deputies in New Haven, Conn., on June 6. • Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori and Knights of Columbus chaplains from around the world celebrate Mass at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven. • Following Mass, Supreme Knight Kelly confers the medal of office on René Sansores Medrano Jr., the new state deputy of Mexico South.
to Christ.’ … We have to keep Christ at the center of everything that we’re doing. And if we can do that, God will do the rest.”
On June 5, Archbishop Lori led state chaplains on a pilgrimage to several sites associated with Blessed Michael McGivney’s life and ministry, including a concelebrated Mass at Immaculate Conception Church in Terryville. In his homily, he urged his brother bishops and priests to follow Father McGivney’s pastoral example.
“It was his union with Christ, his devotion to the Sacred Heart, his zeal as a confessor, his tender devotion to the Blessed Mother — all this and more got him up in the morning and propelled his ministry,” he said. “If you and I would be worthy successors to Blessed Michael McGivney, we must first and foremost be priests who love the ministry we’ve been called to — and love the people whom we are privileged to serve.” B
TOP RIGHT:
Photo by Tamino Petelinšek — OTHER:
Photos by Paul Haring
Knights March for Life in National, Regional Capitals
THIS SPRING, at pro-life marches around the world, Knights of Columbus showed up in force as voices for the vulnerable. In Canada, several supreme directors and state deputies, past and present, were among Knights who participated in the 28th National March for Life in Ottawa, Ontario, on May 8. Nationwide, councils also joined in provincial marches in Quebec City, Québec; Edmonton, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; Victoria, British Columbia; and elsewhere.
Just days earlier, on May 3, K of C leaders and members from councils throughout Mexico were among more than
Knights of Columbus and family members participate in the National March for Life in Mexico City (left), the Walk for Life in Malabon City, Philippines (above), and Canada’s National March for Life on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario
5,000 people who participated in the National March for Life in Mexico City. They marched to the capital city’s congress building, where they protested the decriminalization of abortion throughout the country’s states. Both national marches also received financial support from the Order.
And in the Philippines, all four jurisdictions — Luzon North, Luzon South, Mindanao and Visayas — organized marches on March 15, bringing together thousands of prolife advocates throughout the country. One of the largest was held in Malabon City, Luzon South, which drew more than 2,500 people and members of nearly 100 councils. B
Ontario Knights Mark Anniversary With Benefit Game
AT THIS YEAR’S Ontario State Convention in Ottawa, the Knights of Columbus and the Flying Fathers — a hockey team made up entirely of priests — faced off in a charity hockey game for the first time ever. The April 27 event, which raised CA$5,000 for Special Olympics Ontario, was part of the jurisdiction’s 125th anniversary.
“It’s a great way to show how the Knights of Columbus and our priests are working together, not only in the mission of the Church, but also in a spirit of fraternity,” said Deputy Supreme Knight Arthur Peters, who led the K of C team. Often compared to the Harlem Globetrotters for their slapstick escapades on the ice, the Flying Fathers team was founded in 1963 by two Ontario priests, former NHL player Father Les Costello and Father Brian McKee, a member of North Bay Council 1007. Featuring priests from across Canada, the Flying Fathers spent decades playing throughout North America and Europe, raising millions of dollars for charities. The team disbanded in 2009 but was resurrected in 2018.
This year’s charity game featured a team of Ontario Knights, coached by Immediate Past State Deputy Bruce Poulin, and a Flying Fathers squad composed of Ontario priests. B
The Ontario State Council team takes on the Flying Fathers in an April 27 charity game, as Deputy Supreme Knight Arthur Peters tends goal for the Knights.
(right).
By Kevin Mullaney LEAD WITH FAITH
MISSION OF THE FAMILY
Harnessing Gratitude
Many leaders adopt a stoic “professional” style that downplays emotion in the workplace. Ignoring emotion, however, threatens to flatten our interactions with others and can make a leader seem impersonal and transactional. As one old adage puts it, people don’t care what you know until they know that you care.
Effective leaders bring positive emotion to the workplace and create an inspirational and connected culture at the low cost of simply paying attention and being intentional. In particular, the practice of gratitude at the heart of the Daily Examen of St. Ignatius of Loyola can be productively applied at work. Make an effort to say a heartfelt thank you to at least one person every day. This habit helps you as much as the people whom you thank. If you aren’t expressing gratitude, it might be because you are not registering when good things happen to you.
In addition, every time you have a meeting, acknowledge something positive about an individual’s accomplishments. Most modern work feels like an endless stream of tasks. Help those you lead to participate as a community in recognizing and celebrating good work. Lifting up successes in gratitude is a priestly function of a leader. B — Kevin Mullaney, Ph.D., is a retired U.S. Navy captain who teaches in the Department of Leadership, Ethics, Law at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. A member of Holy Trinity Council 3413 in nearby Severna Park, he lives with his wife and family in Annapolis.
The Mind-Body-Soul of the Domestic Church
Discipline and healthy habits in our families foster virtue, freedom and holiness
By Jared Zimmerer
A CHRISTIAN FAMILY, the domestic church, reflects and participates in the universal Church. The spiritual, mental and physical health of the domestic church thus reflects the state of health of the mystical body of Christ. Yet too often, mental and physical well-being — if not also spiritual concerns — are undervalued in Catholic family life. Just as the human person is a unity of mind, body and soul, so too should the mystical body of believers attend to all dimensions of health.
In her wisdom, the Church offers opportunities throughout the year to cultivate healthy discipline — fasting, abstinence and other practices that train the will to pursue the good. Like building a muscle, the will is strengthened through repetition. And when the repetition of virtuous acts becomes a habit, we grow in virtue. The mind, like the body and soul, is also formed through repetition — the kind of media and entertainment we consume, the conversations we have, the thoughts we entertain. Discipline and intentional formation in all areas — mind, body, soul — nurtures authentic freedom.
St. Paul wrote, “I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified” (1 Cor 9:27). The early Church understood that embodiment and becoming like Christ are not separate paths but deeply interconnected. Unlike dualists, who view the body as a mere vessel for the soul — or
even a hindrance to holiness — Catholics profess the resurrection of the body. We believe in the intimate unity of body and the soul. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the ‘form’ of the body” (365). For families, it is essential to foster positive habits that engage the whole person. This might include praying the rosary or Divine Mercy chaplet; reading good books or watching uplifting films as a family; and engaging in physical activity, whether hiking, doing yard work, or volunteering at a soup kitchen. Together, such practices build a culture of virtue — and holiness — in our homes. B
JARED ZIMMERER is the content marketing director and Great Books adjunct professor for Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, where he lives with his wife and six children. He is a member of St. Francis of Assisi Council 7099 in Grapevine, Texas.
FAMILY FINANCE
How can I know a charity is worth supporting?
By Dennis Gerber Jr.
With more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States alone, navigating the charitable sector can be complicated. Charities may do praiseworthy work, but donors want to know if they are good stewards of donations — and whether they offer services that conflict with one’s values. Here are five areas of focus for Catholic donors to discern which charities or causes to support.
Conscience: Pray regularly and develop a well-formed conscience to help navigate the landscape of modern nonprofits with prudence.
FOR YOUR MARRIAGE
Alignment: Do some research to ensure the charity aligns with your personal values as well as with Catholic teaching. Fiscal Responsibility: Public information can shed light on how nonprofits use donations. Do they directly support the charitable mission, or are they disproportionately funding administrative costs and overhead?
Leadership and Governance: Does the organization’s leadership openly criticize Christian values or promote activities contrary to Catholic teachings?
Subsidiary Support: Many charities allocate funds to other groups, usually through grants. Keep this in mind when ensuring your donation is not going toward causes contrary to your faith. None of this is out of reach for the average donor, but it can be time-consuming. This is why Knights
Marriage Makes Men of Us
The measure of true manhood lies in the willingness to give up one’s life out of love
By Joseph Pearce
GOOD LITERATURE is like a mirror that can reveal to us who we really are, deep down, in a spiritual sense. It shows us our virtues and our vices. It shows us who we should be and who we shouldn’t be.
One of the best mirrors of marriage in literature is The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare. At the beginning of the play, Bassanio is shown to be a foolish young man who has wasted his money on loose and reckless living. Now, however, he wants to marry Portia, who is not merely beautiful but also wise and virtuous.
In order to win Portia’s hand in marriage, Bassanio must pass the test of the caskets. Those who choose the gold or silver caskets want to marry for selfish reasons, motivated by pride or greed. They are not worthy to wed Portia. The one who is worthy is he who chooses the lead casket, which reminds us of the lead casket we’ll be laid in when we die. This
of Columbus Charitable Fund does due diligence through its donor-advised fund program, allowing clients to focus on their charitable goals. However you go about it, discernment is crucial for your giving to have a maximum impact.
For more tips and information, visit kofc.org/familyfinance B
— Dennis J. Gerber Jr. is president of Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund and a member of Father Patrick F. Pinder Council 3962 in Ramsey, N.J.
is because marriage requires dying to oneself for the sake of one’s beloved. This is the “no greater love” Christ speaks of, in which the bridegroom lays down his life for his bride.
For as long as we are like the foolish Bassanio, who lives recklessly in pursuit of the passing pleasures of self-gratification, we will not be the bridegrooms we are called to be. To win his bride’s hand in marriage, Bassanio must become the man he is called to be.
For most of us, it takes marriage to make a man of us, which is to say that it takes a woman to make a man of us — and not just a woman, but a wife; and not just a wife, but a family. It is a delightful paradox that our children are the fathers of our own maturity. B
JOSEPH PEARCE is the author of numerous books on Catholic literary topics and a member of Msgr. Andrew K. Gwynn Council 1668 in Greenville, S.C. His website is jpearce.co.
FATHERS McGivney
For Blessed Michael and his younger brothers Patrick and John, pastoral genius ran in the family
By Maureen Walther
Blessed Michael McGivney didn’t spring from the ground in a crisp cassock. Rather, the future founder of the Knights of Columbus emerged from Irish immigrant family life in Waterbury, Connecticut.
Imagine a teenage Michael giving piggyback rides to younger family members through the garden — or mulling a tough question with a furrowed brow and asking his mother for guidance. Imagine him tending to sick siblings as they waned into death, and wondering more deeply about heaven. Imagine him returning home from seminary, at age 20, to help provide for his mother and six surviving siblings after the death of his father.
Patrick and Mary McGivney, after immigrating and marrying in the mid-19th century, would nurture not one, but three vocations to the priesthood. Discerning God’s call within this “first seminary” of the family, Michael and his two
younger brothers, Patrick and John, journeyed to the altar.
“I was blessed with a good father and mother,” John recalled. Patrick Sr., a hardworking molder in a Waterbury brass mill, was also the paterfamilias who shared his roof with various immigrant relatives. Mary was devoted to her children and stressed the importance of education. All three Father McGivneys proved intelligent, diligent, generous and visionary.
“The McGivney family is to be complimented as being an extraordinary family,” commended John Phelan, a family acquaintance who later served as the second supreme knight.
While Michael accomplished something unique in founding the Knights of Columbus, Fathers Patrick and John also went on to serve the Order as supreme chaplain. Like their older brother, they were good problem solvers and goal-setters. They built multiple churches and schools, and pastored thousands.
Right: Father Patrick J. McGivney (bottom row, center), national chaplain, is seated among incorporators and other early leaders of the Order during the Knights of Columbus Supreme Convention in Cliff Haven, N.Y., in August 1901. Seated to his left is Supreme Knight Edward L. Hearn; behind them is Pennsylvania State Deputy James A. Flaherty, who would succeed Hearn as supreme knight. • Opposite page: A portrait of Father Michael McGivney is shown alongside those of his younger brothers Patrick and John. Collectively, they served the Order as national (or supreme) chaplains for about half a century.
“The bishops could count on the McGivneys,” said Mercy Sister Dolores Liptak, a Church historian who grew up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with none other than Father John McGivney as her pastor at St. Charles Borromeo Church. “McGivney was one of the first names I ever heard.”
The spiritual fatherhood born in the McGivney family shaped the Knights of Columbus from 1882 until the eve of World War II, in an almost unbroken line. The family culture that enabled three boys to hear the call of God thus shaped the spiritual trajectory of the Order for nearly half of its history, and beyond.
THE FOUNDER: MICHAEL J. MCGIVNEY
Michael, the first of the 13 McGivney children, was born in Waterbury on Aug. 12, 1852. When he left his Connecticut home at age 16 for Saint-Hyacinthe Seminary in Québec — one of four seminaries he would attend — his brother Patrick was still in diapers; John would not be born for another two years.
Michael’s keen mind, work ethic and orderliness helped him in his studies, yet it was his faith and piety that sustained him. He was devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and at his last seminary, St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, he was chosen to serve as sacristan.
His spirituality was also expressed in love of neighbor and an acute sensitivity to human suffering. The same goes for his joy and sense of humor — a quality not immediately apparent in his austere portraits. A fellow seminarian in Baltimore was impressed with his levity. “His good humor too was often apparent,” the classmate recounted, adding that “his happy words, his genial utterances… are still treasured.”
Three years after the Order’s founding, the Knights of Columbus held a parade and clambake on Aug. 12, 1885 — Father McGivney’s 33rd birthday. Addressing the crowd, the founder displayed his penchant for puns, noting he had never addressed “such an august assembly.” When it came time to present an honorary watch and chain to Supreme Knight James Mullen, he added, “Mr. Mullen has watched with us the uninterrupted growth of this organization and we are going to tell you that we are going to watch him now.”
Father Joseph Daley, who met Father Michael the year after he founded the Knights, believed God had entrusted him with a charism beyond his good nature and love of neighbor: “His special vocation was to develop Catholic manhood.”
As assistant pastor of St. Mary Parish in New Haven from 1878 to 1884, Father Michael regularly visited inmates in the city jail. Most famously, he ministered to James “Chip” Smith, who was awaiting execution for killing a police chief during a drunken altercation. Smith’s subsequent conversion of heart, guided by Father Michael, was emblematic of the priest’s hope for an entire generation of rough-and-tumble young men with immigrant roots.
Father W.J. Slocum, who knew Father Michael well, recalled that he “possessed the power of drawing men, especially young men, toward him, of holding them together and directing their actions.”
In founding the Knights of Columbus, Father Michael looked to the young laymen of New Haven whom he would call together in unity and charity to serve the Church. He declined the title supreme knight and instead served as secretary, then as national chaplain from 1884 until 1890, the year he died.
His youngest brother, Father John McGivney, later recalled, “My brother conceived the idea of such an organization, with its members banded together for God, Church and country. Accordingly, he called in about 10 prominent laymen of New Haven, and with them as charter members he launched the Order.”
The founding was in some ways a missing key to American parish life. According to Sister Dolores, priests of the time needed to accomplish three tasks to help their parish thrive — a church building, Catholic education (by securing quality teaching sisters), and gathering an active laity. The Knights of Columbus went a long way in fulfilling this third task.
By the turn of the century, the expansive impact of the Order’s mission began to show with greater clarity. In August 1900, 10 years after their founder’s death, Knights from throughout Connecticut and beyond made a pilgrimage to the founder’s grave — beginning with Mass at Immaculate Conception Church in Waterbury, the McGivney family’s parish.
“The time has come when the laity must stand forth as a more active part of the Church,” Father Slocum said in his
homily. “In fact, the laity has in itself an apostolate. You, as an organization, are a strong unit of that apostolate.”
In the end, Father McGivney’s vision for a strong Catholic laity, embodied by the Knights of Columbus, anticipated the Second Vatican Council by more than 80 years. It was a vision also centered on the Catholic family, and it had all started with his own.
THE BUILDER: PATRICK J. MCGIVNEY
In 1884, two years after Father Michael McGivney founded the Knights, he was appointed pastor of St. Thomas Church in Thomaston, Connecticut. That same fall, his brother Patrick — born Sept. 2, 1867 — left the family home to pursue his long-held desire to be a priest.
Mary McGivney’s emphasis on education made Patrick a good fit for the rigors of academics. At Our Lady of Angels Seminary in Niagara, he earned honors in nine subjects, ranging from Hebrew to calculus. He was ordained in 1892 in Boston, two years after his brother Michael died.
The Knights appreciated how faith operated in the McGivney family — and wanted to tap into it. So, the Connecticut State Council singled out young Father Patrick for state chaplain. He accepted, holding the role until the Supreme Council recruited him as national chaplain — later known as supreme chaplain — in 1901.
Father Patrick traveled extensively for the Order, emphasizing the spiritual mission of the Knights wherever he went. He journeyed with Supreme Knight Edward Hearn to Mexico in February 1906, just months after the Order established its first council there — Guadalupe Council 1050 in Mexico City. He and a team of Knights also embarked on recurring pilgrimages, including a 1910 trek to Genoa and Rome, where they met with Pope Pius X in a private audience on Aug. 24.
“Nowhere else is there a body of laymen who have greater love for and devotion to the Holy See than those who call the land of Columbus their own country,” said Father Patrick, addressing the Holy Father. “We take a further liberty to assure you that the great body of Catholic laymen, of which we are but humble members, is Your Holiness’ ally in every movement you inaugurate for the glory and honor of the Church and that its reverence for your sacred person is that of true Catholic Knights.”
When World War I bore American souls to battle, Father Patrick was sent to help establish the Order’s army hut initiative in Europe. The program, among its many successes, connected servicemen to priests. Father Patrick met with Gen. John J. Pershing, commander of U.S. forces during World War I, to coordinate support.
During the first quarter of the 20th century, the Knights of Columbus established its most public, civic and religious-freedom-oriented initiatives, capitalizing on its versatility and growth as a lay organization. This included expansion of the Fourth Degree; the K of C Historical Commission’s fight against anti-Catholic libel and the KKK; opposition to the Mexican government’s persecution of Catholics; aid to refugees; and vocational training for veterans.
Known for his love of the sick, generous nature, strong character, a practical piety and common sense over more than 35 years of priestly ministry, Father Patrick was also entrusted by three bishops of Hartford to build up parishes. In her research of that era, Sister Dolores found that certain priests, like the McGivney brothers, had a marked talent for establishing or strengthening parishes.
“They would have been the good ones, the successful ones who would have the wisdom,” Sister Dolores explained — those from whom fellow priests sought advice.
One year, on the anniversary of his ordination, Father Patrick received a letter of goodwill from former President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1924, Pope Pius XI granted him the title monsignor.
Msgr. McGivney died on May 8, 1928, while in Paris. In announcing his death, the Bridgeport Times-Star underscored his goodness: “His charities were like the sands of the seashore, numerous but uncountable.”
THE PREACHER: JOHN J. MCGIVNEY
The youngest of the McGivney siblings, John was born in Waterbury on Oct. 25, 1870. Like his older brothers, John’s intelligence shone from an early age. In high school, he composed in Latin and tackled both Greek dramatists and Latin historians. But John trained his whole person — soul and mind, certainly, but body as well.
“A great admirer of manly sports,” as one newspaper recalled, “in college [he] was always identified with athletics which he believes in putting on the highest plane.”
Ordained in 1896, the young curate was “a powerful swimmer,” and he once saved a man from drowning in Long Island Sound. According to one contemporary account, he grabbed the man by the shoulders and dragged him to shore.
It’s a good metaphor for Father John’s lifetime of work as a fisher of men — saving souls as a preacher, pastor and chaplain of the Order.
“My brother conceived the idea of such an organization, with its members banded together for God, Church and country. He called in about 10 prominent laymen of New Haven, and with them as charter members he launched the Order.”
Also hailed as “a brilliant orator” and “one of the best preachers in the diocese,” he had not served parishes long before the bishop drafted him for a new, challenging evangelization endeavor — the Diocese of Hartford’s missionary band.
From 1901-1905, Father John traveled statewide, preaching to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
Even after he was eventually assigned to a parish, Father John was like his older brothers in that he moved beyond the usual boundaries — serving on two library boards and the board of education. Every time a New Haven child or adult browsed the shelves of the New Haven Public Library, they entered a spread of knowledge and literature shaped in part by his judgment.
Connecticut Gov. Wilbur Cross served with Father John on the committee responsible for the library’s book selection and said, “I was always impressed with his keen common sense and outspokenness.”
Sister Dolores said her former pastor was spoken of warmly by all. Although she was quite young, her family benefited from Father John’s ministry, with her father working closer with him as a principal — and her siblings benefitting from the education provided by the Sisters of Mercy, whom Father John secured for the parish school.
When his brother, Msgr. Patrick, died in 1928, both the Knights and the bishop knew exactly who could fill the void as supreme chaplain and pastor of St. Charles: Father John.
As supreme chaplain for more than a decade, he guided the Order spiritually through the Great Depression. Pope Pius XI named him a monsignor in 1932; he died on March 16, 1939.
Supreme Knight Martin Carmody, whose tenure closely coincided with that of Father John, praised him as “lovable
and generous, a man of charitable nature, and a priest endowed with qualities of mind and heart that endeared him to all who knew him. Sturdy of faith and strong of character, he labored unceasingly as a true priest of the living God.”
ECHOES OF THE FIRST SEMINARY
The continuity of family played in the Order’s favor, helping ensure that the Knights pursued their unique purpose.
Several family traits held in common by the McGivney brothers — love for the poor, courageous enterprise, and a joy for children — flourished on a grand scale in the Order’s history.
Within the Diocese of Hartford, which then encompassed the entire state of Connecticut, the McGivneys made a difference. “It was a matter of inspiration,” Sister Dolores said. “They inspired other priests to think they could do the same thing, that they were capable of organizing not only their parishes, but beyond their parishes.”
The Fathers McGivney — hardworking, compassionate and eager for souls — could not always finish their great works. But they could count on each other to carry on.
They passed the torch over the decades, fighting for the faith, guiding the Knights, strengthening families and parishes. And through the storms of life and death, they echoed the salutation that young John McGivney, then in high school, wrote at the end of his letters: “I still remain, your loving brother.” B
MAUREEN WALTHER is co-author, with her late husband, Andrew Walther, of The Knights of Columbus: An Illustrated History (2020).
Father Patrick J. McGivney (standing at back, center right) and Father John J. McGivney (seated in foreground, right) join members of San Salvador Council 1 in New Haven, Conn., at an unspecified event circa 1904.
‘TRUE GOD FROM TRUE GOD’
1,700 years ago, one of the most consequential councils in Church history defined and defended the divinity of Christ
By Tracey Rowland
There is a painting that hangs in the Gate Church of the Trinity of the Pechersk Monastery in Kyiv, Ukraine — Vladimir Putin’s drones and rockets permitting. It depicts the First Council of Nicaea held in 325. Christ is seated prominently in the very center, surrounded by mitered bishops, to emphasize his headship of the council. Historical records indicate some 300 or more bishops participated in this council, the first to be called “ecumenical” because bishops from the entire oikoumenē (“inhabited world”) were invited. Its significance was unprecedented. In an address June 7, Pope Leo XIV affirmed that “the Council of Nicaea is not simply one council among others or the first in a series, but the council par excellence, which promulgated the norm of the Christian faith.”
Nicaea was on the eastern shore of the Bosporus Strait, in the Roman province of Bithynia, now a part of Turkey. Its name in Turkish is İznik, a city famous for its tiles and pottery. Inside the walls of the ancient town stands the Ayasofya Mosque, or Hagia Sophia, the once renowned Church of Holy Wisdom where the Second Council of Nicaea was held in 787.
The First Council of Nicaea is famous for its condemnation of Arianism, the doctrine of Arius (c. 256-336), a priest from Alexandria. Arius argued that the Father alone is God in the full sense, and that the Son, though a very lofty being, was nevertheless created by the Father. In other words, the Logos had a beginning; there was a time when he was not. Arianism set the bar dividing the uncreated and the created between the Father and the Son; the Holy Spirit was on yet another rung further down. Thus, the Arians vaporized the Trinity announced in our Lord’s baptismal formula “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19).
Attending the council as the secretary of Bishop Alexander of Alexandria, was the young deacon Athanasius. The bishop had used his authority to oppose the “subordinationist” strand of third-century Christology, which saw the Son as inferior to God the Father. Under the presidency of the venerable Bishop Hosius of Córdoba, Spain, the large number of undecided council fathers eventually moved in behind Alexander and Athanasius. What broke the impasse
“If he had not stood his ground and Arianism had won the intellectual battle, the proper understanding of the Incarnation would have been lost.”
was the proposal of the word homoousios (“same essence”) to describe the relation of the Father and the Son. The conventional Latin rendering of this word was consubstantialis. It means that the Logos — the Son — was of the same being, the same kind of being, the same nature as God. The creed describes this as: “Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.”
While the Council of Nicaea clearly rejected Arianism, contention over the word homoousios continued for another 60 years. Emperor Constantine himself came under the influence of the Arian leader Eusebius of Nicomedia, and Constantine’s sons and successors as Roman emperors were Arianizers of one stripe or another. Many bishops — at times most of the bishops — cowed beneath their imperial authority.
Christological controversies were the social issue of the times. Venerable Fulton Sheen once quipped that in those days, even conversations at the hairdresser would turn to the Trinity — what party do you support and why? He probably had in mind St. Gregory of Nyssa’s story of his experience in Constantinople: “If you asked something of a moneychanger, he would begin discussing the question of the Begotten and the Unbegotten. If you questioned a baker about the price of bread, he would answer that the Father is greater and the Son is subordinate to him. If you went to take a bath, the Anomoean bath attendant would tell you that in his opinion the Son simply comes from nothing.”
In hindsight, St. Athanasius was a superhero. He was “Athanasius contra mundum” — “Athanasius against the world.” When Bishop Alexander died not long after Nicaea, Athanasius accepted election as his successor very reluctantly, for he knew what was coming. Beginning with the Arianizing turn under Constantine, which his successors continued aggressively, Athanasius found himself in exile five times over a 17-year period. If he had not stood his ground and Arianism had won the intellectual battle, the proper understanding of the Incarnation would have been lost — together with the whole sacramental economy and Christianity as we know it.
After St. Athanasius’ death in 373, his work was carried on by the “Neo-Nicenes,” led by the Cappadocian Fathers, including St. Basil the Great and St. Meletius of Antioch. Part of the breakthrough at this late stage was a needed
clarification of terms, especially the distinction between ousia (essence), and hypostasis (individual subsistence, or distinct personhood, within the Godhead). Finally, the teachings of Nicaea were reaffirmed at the Council of Constantinople in 381, which also added phrases on the divine nature of the Spirit to the original text of the Creed.
Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953), the Franco-English writer and historian, argued that an undefeated Arianism would have led to the treatment of Our Lord as nothing more than a prophet. He also offered a sociological analysis of the heresy. He saw it as representing a social alliance of the Roman army, the old Roman families who resisted the ascendancy of Christianity, and “at least half the snobs” who wished to associate themselves with the old Roman families. Many intellectuals of the day were also on the side of the pagan philosophers, and courtiers of Christian leaders worried about the rising power of bishops vis-à-vis that of the civil authorities. Also sympathetic to Arianism was the Roman army, which Belloc thought “explains three-fourths of what happened.” He concluded, “The army went Arian because it felt Arianism to be the distinctive thing which made it superior to the civilian masses, just as Arianism was a distinctive thing which made the intellectual feel superior to the popular masses.”
One key historical event illustrating Belloc’s judgment is the conversion of Clovis, the king of the Franks. When Clovis accepted baptism from St. Remigius, bishop of Reims, in 496, it marked the beginning of the defeat of Arianism across modern-day France, parts of Germany, Belgium and Holland. Thousands of his soldiers abandoned Arianism the moment that their warlord leader accepted the Catholic faith of his wife, St. Clotilde. This new alliance between the Franks and the Catholic faith would pave the way for the crowning of Charlemagne as emperor in 800 and the eventual rise of the Holy Roman Empire. Meanwhile, St. Clotilde’s great granddaughter, St. Ingund, carried on the “family business” by converting her husband from Arianism. He is now known as St. Hermenegild, and with his conversion, Visigothic Spain shifted toward Catholic orthodoxy.
Today, some 1,700 years after the Council of Nicaea, we can thank God for the gift of St. Athanasius, a fearless, holy and thoughtful bishop who firmly understood that bad theology tends to have catastrophic consequences. We can also be thankful for the gift of St. Clotilde, a Burgundian Catholic princess who changed the arc of history by praying incessantly for the conversion of her Arian-inclined husband. Above all, we should reflect upon how our very relationship to Christ — in his consubstantial unity with the Father in the Spirit — has an impact on our relationships with others. As Pope Benedict XVI emphasized on several occasions, “Truth is a Person.” B
TRACEY ROWLAND holds the St. John Paul II Chair of Theology at the University of Notre Dame in Australia. A former member of the International Theological Commission, she received the Ratzinger Prize for theology in 2020 and was appointed to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in 2023.
WARRIORS of HOPE
Annual Lourdes pilgrimage invites U.S. service members and veterans to reflect on Jubilee 2025 theme and seek spiritual healing
By Columbia staff | Photos by Tamino Petelinšek
More than 180 wounded, ill and injured U.S. military personnel participated in the annual Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage May 13-19, accompanied by family members, chaplains, support staff and a Fourth Degree honor guard.
This year’s pilgrimage, which coincided with the Jubilee Year 2025, invited participants to seek renewal and healing from wounds of war as they reflected on the pilgrimage theme “Soldiers, Pilgrims of Hope.” Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA — which
co-sponsors Warriors to Lourdes with the Knights of Columbus — led the delegation.
“A religious pilgrimage is a concrete reminder that life is a pilgrimage,” Archbishop Broglio said. “My hope is that these pilgrims return renewed, so that they bring with them the freshness of this experience into the ordinary activities of everyday life, which are always extraordinary because they’re graced by God.”
The Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage coincides each spring with the International Military Pilgrimage, which draws around 14,000 military personnel from more than 40
countries to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. Pilgrims participate in Mass, the Stations of the Cross and a candlelight procession — while also taking part in military ceremonies and athletic competitions with representatives from other countries. They also have time for personal prayer and reflection, counseling, and the opportunity to be immersed in the waters of Lourdes.
Spiritual renewal, physical healing, moral support — each Warriors to Lourdes pilgrim carried a different hope for personal healing. Here we share a few of their stories, adapted from interviews conducted during the pilgrimage.
Above: Warriors to Lourdes pilgrims and other military personnel gather for Mass in the Grotto below the majestic Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary on May 17. • Opposite page: Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, elevates the chalice during Mass in the St. Joseph Chapel on May 15.
‘Our Lady Is Ready To Support Us’
U.S. Senior Airman Caleb Reichow just completed a four-year enlistment in the Air Force and transferred to the reserves. Now a seminarian for the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, he is a member of St. Michael the Archangel Council 15969 at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo and St. Lorenzo Ruiz Assembly 3372 in Yokosuka, Japan.
“IN A HOMILY, Archbishop Broglio spoke of Our Lady as a warrior, to the extent that she entered into the darkness, she bore her sufferings, not only for Christ and for her vocation, but on behalf of the Church and the world, for the salvation of souls. It was very appealing to me as a military member, and it kicked off a new view for how I approach Our Lady in relationship. Each soul goes through moments of dryness in prayer and desolation, and it’s wonderful to know all the ways in which Our Lady is ready to support us.
“Something that caught my eye as we approached the grotto were military members in their blues [formal uniforms], kneeling on the ground. At first glance, you’re like, ‘Well, I don’t want to ruin my blues. I don’t want to get them dirty.’ But it really shows not only the devotion of Catholic military men and women, but their love for Our Lady and love for Our Lord, present in the Eucharist.
“It was wonderful seeing fellow service members seeking the Lord and striving to lay down their lives rooted in faith and serve their countries as Catholic men and women.”
Learning From Our Veterans
Midshipman David Farrell (foreground, left) is a rising junior at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and grand knight of Commodore John Barry Council 14534. He was among 12 midshipmen sponsored by the Knights of Columbus to participate in Warriors to Lourdes this year.
“OUR JOB HERE on this pilgrimage is to receive spiritual healing for ourselves, but also to assist pilgrims. Many of the wounded warriors may need their wheelchairs pushed or luggage carried, and we can provide that service.
“We may not have the same wounds that other pilgrims have on this trip, but we’re training to be officers, and we want to learn about these wounds and how to deal with them. As they say, it’s not if, it’s when — and bad things do happen.
“It’s also really important to lend an ear to the stories and the knowledge that our veterans can impart to us. We’re the youngest generation in the military, and to be able to connect with older generations is really important to us, but also to them. We can provide them hope that the rest of the military is in good hands for the future, and they can provide us with plenty of experience to use in our careers.”
A priest blesses a Warriors to Lourdes pilgrim with holy oil in the St. Joseph Chapel on May 15.
Right: Members of military councils and assemblies carry K of C banners during the Marian candlelight procession on May 17.
Above:
‘Go to Lourdes’
Jennifer Gonzales and her husband, Carlos, are both U.S. Army veterans who served in Iraq from 2005-2006. Both have experienced mental and physical wounds from deployment and found healing after converting to Catholicism. Jennifer felt compelled to participate in Warrior to Lourdes after Carlos was recently diagnosed with a progressive brain disorder; they were accompanied by their sons, Pablo and Alex.
“A FEW YEARS AGO, I learned about Warriors to Lourdes, but I didn’t apply at first. But in November, my husband received a progressive diagnosis, and I knew we had to apply. The Lord just spoke to my heart and said, ‘Go
to Lourdes.’
“The healing has been tremendous. When you are in a certain part of your spiritual journey, you can think you have it mostly figured out. Then you come on a pilgrimage like this and discover wounds you thought were closed but still need to heal. God opens them up.
“I’ve been out of the service for a while, and it was good to talk about military experiences with other veterans. I had many very special and deep conversations; a lot of wounds reopened, but there was healing in the talking.
“Everyone has been open to our boys, accepting them and letting them participate; my mom heart is just full. What we went through, how we served — it’s been great to have them be a part of that so they can see what mom and dad used to do, versus what we do now.
“I tried to come in with an open heart, and I’ve been praying to grow closer to the Blessed Mother. I wasn’t expecting what I received during the opening procession — a closeness to her, veiling me and giving me peace.”
A Disarming Atmosphere
U.S. Army Capt. Maria Froelich participated in the Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage with her husband, Chris, a retired major in the U.S. Army and a member of Father Larry Endrizzi Council 6918 in Thomson, Georgia. The couple has been married for more than two years and went to Lourdes searching for clarity and healing in their challenging journey with infertility.
“COMING HERE, we had our walls up. But it’s beautiful how the itinerary schedules the baths for the first day; it’s almost like a dam breaking through whatever wall one has up, so you’re prepared for the rest of the pilgrimage.
“On the walk over from the hotel, one of the priests said, ‘If your ego gets in the way of receiving healing, you’re going to leave with nothing. And so, the choice is yours.’ At first, I was really anxious about it, but as soon as I walked in, it was very disarming.
“The atmosphere at the baths was very maternal. You’re surrounded by these sweet Italian mothers and grandmothers. They had us wash our face and hands and consume the water. It was like reliving how St. Bernadette did what the Blessed Mother told her to do.
“Water is so tangible; it can heal your spirit just by consuming it through your body. It goes to show how the body and soul are connected.” B
Scarred but STANDING
A new partnership is providing treatment and hope to Ukrainians who have lost limbs due to the war
By Jarosław Herman
Viktor Openko was helping civilians board evacuation trains as rockets rained around Khutir-Mykhailivskyi train station in northeastern Ukraine. It was May 14, 2024, six miles from the Russian border.
“People started running in every direction,” Openko recalled. “With shells exploding, it was very difficult to get them on the train, but we succeeded and sent them out of the city early to prevent more casualties.”
After the train departed, Openko was injured in an explosion. Military medics acted quickly to pull him out of danger and bring him to a hospital where his left leg was amputated below the knee.
Ten months later — and 5,000 miles away — Openko became the first Ukrainian to receive a prosthesis thanks to a partnership between the Knights of Columbus and the Protez Foundation, a Ukrainian-American nonprofit organization based in Oakdale, Minnesota. The support represents the latest of several partnerships the Order has developed with hospitals and health care organizations through the Ukraine Solidarity Fund, which has raised more than $24 million in humanitarian aid.
“Our collaboration with Protez creates a meaningful synergy,” said Ukraine State Deputy Mykola Mostovyak. “Together, we can reach more people in need, offering not only medical assistance but also restoring hope and dignity to those affected. Through this work, we continue to live out the vision of Blessed Michael McGivney by standing with the marginalized and offering compassionate support to those who need it most.”
Openko’s journey took him from the wrecked trainyard to a hospital bed in Kyiv; from a Knights of Columbus Mercy Center in Warsaw, Poland, to the Protez rehab center in Minnesota — and finally back to his homeland.
“I am infinitely grateful,” Openko said, reflecting on his trek. “I hope others will be as lucky as I was — meeting wonderful people along the way.”
THE DAY EVERYTHING CHANGED
With a wistful smile, Openko recalled that he had a “wonderful life” before the Russian invasion. “I had a family, children, a hobby — beekeeping,” said Openko, an army veteran who worked as a train repairman after retiring from the military. “Everything was good, and I was happy.”
After Russia’s attack in February 2022, daily life was fraught with fear and danger, especially since Openko and his family lived in Hlukhiv, 10 miles from the Russian border.
More than two years later, on that fateful spring day last year, Openko and his coworkers were checking a train’s brakes when Russian artillery shells began exploding all around the station, sending up orange flames and a deafening roar. As panic broke out, Openko and the crew worked frantically to fill the train and send it out of the station 30 minutes earlier than scheduled, saving passengers from tragedy.
Openko and his coworkers then noticed that the shelling had damaged the electrical substation, and they ran to repair it.
“We did what we needed to do, and that’s when I got hit,” he said. An undetonated shell that had lodged in the ground exploded, sending wreckage into the air and onto Openko. In a
Viktor Openko exercises with his new prosthetic leg at the Protez Foundation’s rehabilitation center in Oakdale, Minn., in March. He was the first Ukrainian to receive a prosthesis thanks to a new partnership between the Knights of Columbus and Protez.
Photo by David Ellis
moment of clarity amid the smoke and ringing in his ears, he remembered that his wife, Natalia, worked at a kindergarten nearby. He could just see from where he lay that the school was on fire.
His physical pain gave way to the pain of not being able to run to her aid. “I was not worried about myself; I was worried about my wife,” Openko said. Thankfully, she suffered no injuries.
After being pulled from the debris, Openko was brought to the hospital in Shostka, some 30 miles away. The lower part of his leg was amputated but he was still at risk of losing the knee joint, so he was transferred nearly 200 miles southwest to a hospital in Kyiv.
“The doctor told me, ‘Viktor, this is such an important part of the body that you need to fight for it,’” Openko recalled.
Over the next several months, he endured many difficult medical procedures. At the conclusion of his treatment in September 2024, Openko returned home to Hlukhiv, but his journey was far from over.
The son of another amputee introduced Openko’s daughter, Alina, to the Protez Foundation — an organization that provides prosthetics and rehabilitation to Ukrainians in need as a result of the war. With the partnership between Protez and the Knights of Columbus, Openko’s dream of walking was within reach.
HEALING BEGINS WITH WELCOME
State Deputy Marek Ziętek of Poland, where Knights have helped facilitate treatment for amputees, summed up the Order’s support: “Someone has to give them a chance to return to normalcy.”
In February, the Knights of Columbus Mercy Center in Warsaw, Poland, hosted a welcome reception for Ukrainian amputees — including Openko — before their departure to Minnesota.
The event brought together Knights from St. Clement Hofbauer Council 17050, Ukrainian children who have found refuge and support through the Mercy Center’s programs since 2022, and the children’s mothers, who prepared the meal.
“We will pray for you, for your families, for your children, for your departed loved ones, so that you too, in the near future may live to see peace in Ukraine,” Paweł Rakowski, grand knight of Council 17050, told the patients.
The children served by the Mercy Center gave a musical performance — including the Ukrainian national anthem — visited with the patients and presented them with gifts such as handmade bracelets and drawings.
“It was important for us to involve the children,” said Father Damian Simonicz, chaplain of Council 17050, noting that children are among those impacted most by the war.
“We adults often hear about the war — we talk about it
Poland State Deputy Marek Ziętek (left) and Protez Foundation staff gather Feb. 18 with Ukrainian amputees — including Viktor Openko (back row, center) — outside the Knights of Columbus Mercy Center in Warsaw, Poland.
while watching TV or browsing the internet,” he said, “but children cannot truly grasp what this war really brings.”
One Ukrainian girl shared her experience meeting Openko: “He is very cheerful and kind, with a great sense of humor. At first, it was difficult for me because I recently lost my uncle, who was also named Viktor. But when [Openko] explained that ‘Viktor’ means ‘invincible,’ I suddenly started crying. He comforted me, and I felt better.”
Vasyl Tymosh, a Protez Foundation volunteer, also attended the event. He helps coordinate transfers from Warsaw to the foundation’s clinic in Oakdale, a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. The care that patients receive from physical therapists, psychologists and prosthetists, Tymosh explained, can be truly transformative. “After receiving a prosthesis, they feel better, more confident and self-assured,” he said. “It completely changes them.”
State Deputy Ziętek added: “While prostheses can restore some physical agility, they also help people regain psychological and mental strength, knowing they are not alone.”
‘NEVER LOSE HOPE’
The day after the meeting in Warsaw, Openko bid farewell to his family and boarded a plane bound for Minnesota.
The rehabilitation was intensive from the start; as soon as he was fitted with his new prosthetic limb, physical therapy followed.
“Every morning began with exercises ... we had to train the joint to prepare the leg for the next steps,” Openko explained. “And then we started walking. You want to take a step, but it’s very uncomfortable and painful.”
Openko was impressed by the Protez team’s expertise and encouragement. He recalled especially the motivational words of his doctor.
“He told me that the most important thing was not to give up, and that the disability was mostly in my head,” Openko said. “Once I changed my mindset, I would walk.”
In addition to daily rehabilitation sessions, Protez organized trips to show patients around Chicago, including the Ukrainian-American neighborhood and museums. The visit helped them connect with diaspora communities.
“It was an incredible feeling,” Openko recalled, describing the warmth and generosity offered by volunteers and local residents alike. He also formed connections — and keeps in touch — with fellow Ukrainians who traveled to Minnesota for prostheses.
Upon his return to Ukraine on March 28, Openko met with State Deputy Mostovyak in Kyiv at the Parish of St. Basil the Great, home to St. Basil the Great Council 16250.
“I’m extremely thankful for what I’ve received,” Openko said. “I want to see the Knights flourish, and I wish there were more of them, because so many people like me have suffered from this aggression.”
With thousands of Ukrainians still requiring prostheses, direct aid like the partnership with Protez has a tremendous impact, said State Deputy Mostovyak.
“The Ukraine Solidarity Fund is truly changing lives,” he explained. “In Viktor’s case, this support helped him quite literally stand again — not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well.”
Still, Openko’s journey to recovery continues. “I’m already walking. It’s still a bit hard,” he admitted. “But, as the rehab specialists said, it takes time.”
If the past year has taught him anything, he added, it’s this: “You must never lose hope — that’s number one.” B
JAROSŁAW HERMAN writes from Kraków, Poland.
From left: Viktor Openko receives an emotional welcome from his family after returning home to Ukraine from Minnesota. • Ukraine State Deputy Mykola Mostovyak greets Openko at St. Basil the Great Church in Kyiv on March 28.
Chicago Celebrates Hometown Son, Pope Leo XIV
Returning to the South Side via video message, Pope Leo speaks to U.S. audience at special event celebrating his election
By Elisha Valladares-Cormier
Tens of thousands of people flocked to Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, on June 14 to hear a video message from the team’s most famous fan — Pope Leo XIV, born and raised on the city’s South Side. Addressing an audience in the United States — and specifically, young people of his hometown Chicago and beyond — for the first time since his election, the Holy Father invited listeners to be lights of hope.
“As you celebrate in the Archdiocese of Chicago, as you offer your own experience of joy and of hope, you can … discover that you, too, are indeed beacons of hope,” Pope Leo said in pre-recorded remarks. “In this Jubilee Year of Hope, Christ, who is our hope, indeed calls all of us to come together, that we might be that true living example: the light of hope in the world today.”
More than 30,000 tickets were purchased for the celebration, which was organized by the Archdiocese of Chicago and co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. In addition to the pope’s address, the event included performances by local Catholic school students, interviews with some of the pope’s friends, and a concelebrated Mass led by Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago.
Numerous Knights attended the celebration with their
families, including several K of C leaders who helped distribute thousands of programs, prayer cards and “Join Us” recruitment cards inviting men to become Knights. Given the Order’s longstanding support of the Holy See and the excitement surrounding Pope Leo’s Chicago roots, Illinois State Deputy Jeff Peters said it was important for local Knights to be present.
“Our whole purpose, as Knights of Columbus, is to strengthen the Church,” Peters said as visitors began streaming into the stadium. “We want to invite men to experience the good things the Knights of Columbus has to offer, and this is a prime opportunity.”
State Warden Mike Appell and his 8-year-old son, Gabriel, were also among the K of C volunteers. The father-son duo arrived at the stadium just as the gates opened at 12:30 p.m., having driven from an assembly officer installation that morning in Peoria — about 160 miles away.
Appell managed to get just two seats to the event, so his wife, Melissa, and their three other children (ages 6-12) watched the livestream from home, while Mike and Gabriel represented the family at the ballpark.
“I wanted my children to hear what Pope Leo was going to say to kids like them,” Appell said. “And we wanted to show our strong solidarity with and support for Pope Leo.”
Throughout the early afternoon, thousands of attendees explored the stadium and its Pope Leo-themed displays, including a “My First Mass at the Ballpark” certificate booth; a mural commemorating the pope’s election; and the exact seat from which the future pontiff watched Game 1 of the 2005 World Series — Section 140, Row 19, Seat 2.
Tim Dooling, a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Council 17129, attended with fellow council members who were part of Catholic Theological Union’s group. Council 17129 serves St. Thomas the Apostle, the parish nearest to CTU, where Robert Prevost, the future pope, attended seminary before his priestly ordination in 1982.
“We’re still in the clouds,” said Dooling. “Pope Leo was here just like any other student, so to celebrate him now — I wouldn’t miss it.”
The excitement in the stadium reminded State Deputy Peters, originally from Iowa, of Pope John Paul II’s October 1979 visit to Des Moines, where 350,000 people welcomed the pope. Just as John Paul II’s election and travels had a powerful impact on the Church in the United States, Peters thinks Pope Leo’s pontificate could do the same.
“We support our pope wherever he comes from,” he said. “But I believe there’s a certain excitement because he comes from the U.S. I think there’s going to be a great resurgence of the Church here.”
By 3:15 p.m., thousands had taken their seats, with many more gathering in the concourse to escape the heat. Cheers erupted as Cardinal Cupich proudly introduced “a son of Chicago, Pope Leo XIV.”
The Holy Father’s video address, nearly eight minutes long, was especially directed to the young people of Chicago and the entire world. Pope Leo encouraged all his listeners to bring others to Christ through personal witness.
“St. Augustine speaks so often of our ‘restless’ hearts,” Pope Leo said. “That restlessness is not a bad thing, and
we shouldn’t look for ways … to eliminate or even numb ourselves to the tensions that we feel, the difficulties that we experience. We should rather get in touch with our own hearts and recognize that God can work in our lives, through our lives, and through us reach out to other people.”
Mass began shortly after Pope Leo’s remarks, with Cardinal Cupich as principal celebrant and more than a dozen bishops and priests concelebrating. In his homily, the cardinal thanked Pope Leo for his message and connected it to the weekend’s feast of the Most Holy Trinity.
“[Pope Leo] asked all of us to be attentive to the longings in our hearts for meaning,” Cardinal Cupich said. “He was talking about discovering how we thirst to live authentically. As the pope observed, … this feast of the Trinity gives us a moment to reflect on what it means to be a person in the likeness of God.”
The Mass was the high point of the day for many, including Appell and his son. “As a father, it was a great blessing to hear my son say how much he enjoyed the Mass,” Appell said, smiling. “He might be disappointed the next time we come to Rate Field for just a baseball game.”
Considering the potential of a Leonine papacy to energize the faithful in Chicago and beyond, Appell added, “It’s just so special to us. Pope Leo is a son of Catholicism in America, and it’s a blessing to us and to the whole world.”
As Appell and his son, seated in the top section of the stadium, made their way down the concourse after Mass, he looked over the city and noticed dozens of crosses crowning the steeples of nearby churches.
“It struck me how many generations have evangelized and grown the faith here,” he said. “They built the community where Pope Leo grew up and learned the faith. They couldn’t be here today, but I could be here for them.” B
ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER is senior editor of Columbia and a member
of Sandusky (Ohio) Council 546.
Opposite page: Tens of thousands fill Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, on June 14 for a celebration honoring Pope Leo XIV. • Above, from left: Illinois Knights of Columbus, including State Warden Mike Appell (left) and his son, Gabriel, display prayer cards that they distributed before the event, which was organized by the Archdiocese of Chicago and co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. • Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, and more than a dozen bishops and priests concelebrate Mass at Rate Field.
Knights of Columbus State Deputies 2025-2026
The office of state deputy was established and defined at the 1893 Supreme Council meeting. As the chief executive officer 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 2025-2026 fraternal year.
ARIZONA KEVIN G. MCCARTHY
COLORADO
MARC A. SOLOME
GEORGIA
KEVIN J. YORK
KANSAS GARY L. WONDRA
MARYLAND
ANTHONY N. SALVEMINI
MICHIGAN
Fourth grade students at St. Columba Catholic School display handmade crosses presented to them during Holy Week by members of Durango (Colo.) Council 1408 and Dominguez-Escalante Assembly 2072. Each carving, handcrafted by Past Faithful Navigator Ed Matthys, represents the cross of Christ and those of the two thieves who were crucified beside him on Good Friday.
FAITH, FUN, FEST
Cardinal A. Stepinac Council 11774 in Tecumseh, Ontario, donated CA$5,000 to cover transportation and registration for 25 young parishioners from St. Francis of Assisi Parish to attend Mladifest — an annual retreat in Norval, Ontario, for youth from Croatian Catholic communities across North America.
CLERICAL CARPORT
Pope Pius XII Council 4761 in Raceland, La., donated $3,000 to purchase a carport for Father Joseph Tregre, administrator of St. Mary’s Nativity Catholic Church and a brother Knight. Since Hurricane Ida rendered the parish rectory uninhabitable, Father Tregre lacked shelter for his car outside his temporary residence.
EVANGELIZATION AND FAITH FORMATION
St. Paul Council 10775 and Bishop Felix Zafra Assembly 3383 in Pilar, Visayas, hosted an evangelization and faith formation seminar attended by approximately 120 grand knights and council officers. The training focused on strategies to enhance local evangelization efforts.
CELEBRATING A NEW CHIEF SHEPHERD
Very Rev. Michael McCabe Council 2364 in Jewett City, Conn., gifted $3,000 to Bishop-elect Richard Reidy to help set up his office as the new bishop of Norwich. A Fourth Degree honor guard was present for his ordination and installation April 29 at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich.
GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN
About 300 people attended a memorial Mass at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Blue Springs, Mo., honoring deceased members of six local councils. Fourth Degree Knights from several assemblies provided an honor guard for the Mass, which was celebrated by Father Robert Rocha, faithful friar of East Kansas City Assembly 3861.
HIGH PRESSURE, HIGH IMPACT
Knights from Sacred Heart Council 11220 in St. John’s, Fla., joined other parish volunteers for a service day at the Marywood Retreat Center. They helped repair roofs, replace flooring, and pressure-wash sidewalks — saving the center an estimated $13,000 in labor and materials.
Faith
RETREATING TO THE SACRED HEART
More than 50 Knights from New York councils attended a weekend retreat titled “Our Hope in the Heart of Jesus,” organized by the New York State Council at Mount Alvernia Retreat Center in Wappingers Falls. The retreat included a Pilgrim Icon prayer service featuring the Order’s icon of the Sacred Heart.
Father Wilfred Bwezani Phiri, a priest of the Diocese of Chipata in Zambia, displays one of two Mass kits donated by St. Raphael Council 14171 in Naperville, Ill. Father Phiri, who joined the Knights while studying in the United States, serves a vast rural parish, spanning several hundred square miles. Each weekend, he and another priest travel extensively to celebrate Mass throughout the region.
Family
Doug Schueller of Pierre (S.D.) Council 2686 seals a box during a food packing event at Feeding South Dakota. Knights helped prepare 600 boxes and 450 bags of food for statewide distribution and periodically volunteer at the organization’s events throughout the year.
FATHER MCGIVNEY, PRAY FOR US!
After learning that the wife of a brother Knight was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, Father Julius J. Cilinski Council 10947 in Clifton, Va., organized a prayer campaign. The Knights sought intercession of Blessed Michael McGivney for her healing and borrowed a first-class relic of him from the Father McGivney Guild. Father Charles Wilton, parochial vicar and council chaplain, blessed the wife with the relic during a visit to the family home, and it was present for veneration at St. Andrew the Apostle Church.
FOSTERING FELLOWSHIP
St. Thérèse Council 7406 in Mooresville, N.C., has hosted monthly breakfasts at St. Thérèse Catholic Church for over 25 years, building parish community. More than 160 people were served at the council’s breakfast in June.
SERVICE LIKE CLOCKWORK
Sts. Cosmas and Damian Council 13341 in Bradenton, Fla., recently donated $2,000 to St. Joseph’s Food Pantry. Knights also support the pantry through weekly volunteer service. Since 2016, the council has contributed over $20,000 and more than 85,000 pounds of food to the pantry.
HOCKEY KNIGHTS
Cochrane (Ontario) Council 1917 donated CA$2,500 to sponsor the Atom Knights youth hockey team, which the council has supported since 1972.
HELPING BROTHERS IN NEED
St. Timothy Council 12834 in Laguna Niguel, Calif., donated over $4,400 to St. Elizabeth of Hungary Council 12452 in Altadena to aid the families of eight Knights who lost their homes in the Los Angeles wildfires.
GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
St. Jude Council 4333 in Peoria, Ill., recently donated $5,000 to St. Anthony Catholic Church’s maintenance fund. Since selling its home corporation building in 2017 and investing the proceeds, the council now makes annual disbursements totaling $40,000 in support of parish needs and local charities, including the Women’s Care Center, Sophia’s Kitchen, multiple veteran organizations and more.
BLOOMING PATRIOTISM
Fifteen eighth-graders at Immaculate Conception School in Denton, Texas, entered the Citizenship Essay Contest sponsored by Msgr. Charles King Council 4771. First-place winner Penny Wilson later advanced to the diocesan and state competitions.
FAMILIES FIND SAFE HAVEN
St. Mary Council 13095 in Hillsborough, N.H., donated over $1,500 to Family Promise of Greater Concord, a ministry of several local churches that serves families temporarily experiencing homelessness. The funds will help feed and house families at a shelter hosted by Infant Jesus Catholic Parish.
Knights from Rinconada Council 5575 in Iriga, Luzon South, unload food for children in need. During a campaign organized by the Luzon South State Council, local councils held more than 170 distribution events that collectively fed more than 12,500 children in impoverished neighborhoods across the jurisdiction.
Past Grand Knight Buck Mattingly (right) and other members of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Council 2951 in Florissant, Mo., grill hamburgers during the town’s annual Valley of Flowers festival. For more than 40 years, the council has helped prepare food, maintain the grounds, and more throughout the festival weekend. This year, the event drew about 3,000 attendees, and Council 2951 raised nearly $5,000 for local Catholic parishes, food pantries and charities.
RUNNING TO THE RESCUE
Montebello (Calif.) Council 3429 donated $500 to support Financial Secretary John Pang’s participation in the 2025 Los Angeles Half Marathon. Pang’s team — sponsored by United Way — raised $26,000 for wildfire relief in Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Pang was one of the team’s top fundraisers and finished first in his age group.
CLEAR THE (ROAD)WAY
Members of Bishop Kevin M. Britt Council 13526 in Belmont, Mich., picked up garbage and debris along a 5-mile stretch of Rogue River Road as part of the Adopt-a-Road program. The council has organized spring and fall cleanups for the past 12 years.
RAMPING UP SUPPORT
Members of Father John E. O’Brien Council 3361 in Oak Harbor, Wash., built a ramp for a woman who was struggling to safely enter and exit her home. The council supplied $350 of materials, and Knights spent four hours constructing the ramp.
SOUND THE ALARM
Knights from Father James P. Conroy Council 4403 in Bettendorf, Iowa, installed more than 80 smoke alarms in nearly 40 homes of American Red Cross clients in Davenport. This was the council’s seventh time participating in a Red Cross “Sound the Alarm” event.
A FLOAT FOR EVERY OCCASION
Knights from Father Nicholas Point Council 4375 in Tecumseh, Ontario, and Rt. Rev. Wilfrid J. Langlois Assembly 1789 in Windsor helped transform a trailer into a large float for use by councils across Essex County in local parades throughout the year.
HELPING BOYS BECOME MEN
St. Edward Council 6546 in North Chesterfield, Va., recently raised more than $14,000 for Boys to Men Mentoring Network of Virginia. The organization, which the council has supported for the past four years, provides group mentoring for young men in middle and high school.
Community
Dennis Machuga, faithful comptroller of Pope John Paul II Assembly 3017 in Kernersville, N.C., places a flag at the grave of a veteran at the Gardens of Memory Cemetery. Knights and other volunteers placed approximately 500 U.S. flags at the graves of veterans and first responders — a Memorial Day tradition since 2006.
BOOSTING MOBILITY AND MORALE
When a parishioner in Denton, Texas, was seriously injured in a car accident and hospitalized, St. John Paul II Council 16393 obtained a new wheelchair from a program organized by Knights in the Diocese of Fort Worth. Franciscan Father Jose Francis, council chaplain, blessed both the patient and wheelchair at the parishioner’s rehabilitation center.
LEFT: Photo by Sid Hastings
Life
WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE
Prince of Peace Council 5903 in Englishtown, N.J., donated $10,000 to Makea-Wish New Jersey to send a 4-year-old boy with cancer to Disney World.
SHOPPING SPREE
St. Joseph Council 15121 in Poplarville, Miss., gave $100 each to six residents of St. Francis Ministries in Picayune, which serves people with disabilities, to spend at a local store. The council also treated them to a pizza lunch.
Past Grand Knight Dave Tlachac of Msgr. Basche Council 4505 in Green Bay, Wis., and Principal Kari Peterson of Holy Cross Catholic School stand with student winners of the council’s annual pro-life essay contest. The theme of this year’s contest was “Whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:35-40).
Members of Holy Name Council 8712 in Vancouver, British Columbia, stand with chaplain Msgr. Gregory Smith (center) in front of the Archdiocese of Vancouver’s John Paul II Pastoral Centre, displaying backpacks filled with supplies for babies undergoing substance withdrawal therapy. The council spent CA$2,400 to fund 12 backpacks for B.C. Women’s Hospital & Health Centre, which will distribute them to mothers and babies in need.
SHOWERING LOVE
Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom Council 11259 in Prince Frederick, Md., hosted a baby shower at St. John Vianney Church for Birthright of Prince Frederick, generating donations valued at over $3,800. The Supreme Council contributed an additional $400 through the ASAP (Aid and Support After Pregnancy) program.
LIFE-GIVING BLOOD DONATIONS
Pigcawayan (Mindanao) Council 6974 and San Pedro Calungsod de Pigcawayan Assembly 3597 co-sponsored a blood drive held at San Blas Parish with the Cotabato Regional Medical Center. The Knights help organize blood drives twice a year.
STRONGSVILLE SUPPORTS SPECIAL NEEDS
St. Francis of Assisi Council 10792 in Strongsville, Ohio, donated $2,400 in support of an adaptive faith formation program serving people with disabilities at St. Joseph Catholic Church as well as $800 to Strongsville Special Olympics.
ORPHAN DRIVE DELIVERS HOPE
George W. Hudson Council 3701 in Woodside, N.Y., donated $7,500 to Mercy Home, which serves children and adults with developmental disabilities. Council 3701 has supported the organization, now including a Brooklyn residence named in honor of Blessed Michael McGivney, for more than 50 years.
GREEN BAY BABY BOX
Duck Creek Council 6279 in Green Bay, Wis., raised $22,500 for a Safe Haven Baby Box in Howard, a nearby village. Father Al Hietpas Council 6764 in Suamico, St. Louis, Council 17149 in Dyckesville and a women’s auxiliary added $3,000 to help purchase the box, which Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay blessed at its dedication.
See more at www.kofc.org/knightsinaction
Please submit your council activities to knightsinaction@kofc.org
OFFICIAL JULY 1, 2025:
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, Place d’Armes Station, P.O. Box 220, Montreal, QC H2Y 3G7 ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK, EDITORIAL MATTER, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILED TO: COLUMBIA, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-9982. 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 06507-9982.
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.
Bishop Kevin Sweeney of Paterson, N.J., cheers on religious sisters during the 15th annual Knights of Columbus and Catholic Charities Army Tank Pull in Clifton, N.J. A record number of 53 teams participated, including 11 teams composed of Knights from across the state. To date, more than $2 million has been raised through the annual event for charities supporting veterans.
Photo by Greg Shemitz
‘God spoke to my deepest desires.’
When I was 6 years old, I told my mom I could never be a nun — I’d get too hot in a habit, I said, and faint. Thank God he never stops drawing our hearts to himself!
The Lord led me to religious life through experiences of serving the poor with my family. My dad, an optometrist, organized annual eye care missions in underserved countries; we accompanied him several times. Encountering people who struggled to meet their daily needs made me reflect on my privileged upbringing.
In middle school, I read a book about Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Her deep spirituality and witness of love and truth struck a chord in me. She became for me a model of a life wholly given to God through service to the poor.
When the Lord made my call to religious life clear to me, it was to this life of love and service. In this vocation, God spoke to my heart’s deepest desires; for this, I am profoundly grateful.
Sister
Lilia Rose Missionaries of Charity Calcutta, India
