Columbia June 2019

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K N I G H T S O F C O LU M BU S

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COLUMBIA

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K N I G H T S O F C O LU M BU S

PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus ________ SUPREME OFFICERS Carl A. Anderson SUPREME KNIGHT Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. SUPREME CHAPLAIN Patrick E. Kelly DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT Michael J. O’Connor SUPREME SECRETARY Ronald F. Schwarz SUPREME TREASURER John A. Marrella SUPREME ADVOCATE ________ EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski EDITOR Andrew J. Matt MANAGING EDITOR Cecilia Hadley SENIOR EDITOR Margaret B. Kelly ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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COLUMBIA

F E AT U R E S

8 ‘Peter Is Here’ The bones of St. Peter discovered under the Vatican draw pilgrims to the bedrock of the Church.

BY INÉS SAN MART�N

14 My Sons and Brothers An interview with Scott Luco, a K of C district deputy and father of four sons, about passing the baton to the next generation of Knights.

18 To Hell and Back On the 75th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, a D-Day veteran describes the landing at Omaha Beach.

BY FRANK DEVITA,

Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90) Apostle to the Young, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us.

WITH COLUMBIA STAFF

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HOW TO REACH US MAIL COLUMBIA 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 ADDRESS CHANGES 203-752-4210, option #3 addresschange@kofc.org PRAYER CARDS & SUPPLIES 203-752-4214 COLUMBIA INQUIRIES 203-752-4398 FAX 203-752-4109 K OF C CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-380-9995 EMAIL columbia@kofc.org INTERNET kofc.org/columbia ________ Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.

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Copyright Š 2019 All rights reserved ________ ON THE COVER Pope Francis prays at the tomb of St. Peter beneath the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica on All Soul’s Day in 2013.

23 Create Your Legacy

The mosaic decorating the apse of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome depicts Christ in majesty, flanked by the Apostles Paul (left) and Peter. The feast of Sts. Peter and Paul is celebrated June 29.

Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund facilitates tax-deductible charitable giving.

BY COLUMBIA STAFF

D E PA RT M E N T S 3

Building a better world

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Further steps must be taken to end the persecution of Christians in many places throughout the world.

BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

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Learning the faith, living the faith We must respond to challenges as Catholics by making a commitment to Christ and the mission of evangelization.

BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN

Knights of Columbus News Supreme Knight Visits Knights in South Korea • Order Pledges Aid to Sri Lanka • Order Mourns Death of Jean Vanier

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Fathers for Good Your example plays a major role in shaping what kind of dad your son will be.

BY GERALD KORSON

26 Knights in Action

ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

PLUS: Catholic Man of the Month

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BU I L D I N G A B E T T E R WO R L D

Survival and Solidarity Further steps must be taken to end the persecution of Christians in many places throughout the world

by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson

“TELL THEM I am dying because I A better understanding of the legal, am a Christian,” said Blessed Isidore economic and political status of ChrisBakanja shortly before he was killed in tians throughout the world is needed.

1909 in the Belgian Congo. Isidore Too often, desperate poverty and marwas baptized as a young man. He fre- ginalization are compounded by polit- because Iraqi Christians over the last quently prayed the rosary and proudly ical powerlessness and centuries-old century did not sacrifice their lives to wore a scapular. The overseers of the traditions of discrimination in both maintain a Christian presence. And plantation where Isidore worked de- law and practice. many who remain have sacrificed manded that he renounce his baptism, Such circumstances make many everything but their lives. fearing that if their native workers be- Christians throughout the Middle If Christianity does not survive in came “brothers” in Christ, the brutally East easy targets for extremists and vic- Iraq — and elsewhere in the region — harsh conditions of plantation life tims easily ignored. it may well be a result of the silence would have to change. When Isidore That is why during my trip to Iraq in and neglect by their brothers and sisrefused, he was beaten to death.

March I met with the prime minister of ters in the West.

I had the privilege of atThese suffering Christending the beatification of tians deserve our continued Isidore Bakanja at the Vatican solidarity.

Such circumstances make many in 1994, and I will always reAs noted in the America member the emotion with article, Archbishop Bashar Christians throughout the Middle which St. John Paul II spoke Warda of Erbil has begun a East easy targets for extremists. of him. number of development iniI thought of Blessed tiatives (many with our fiIsidore’s life and death as I read nancial assistance) that could news accounts of a new report on the the Kurdistan Regional Authority and mean Christians will not “merely surglobal persecution of Christians. The on my return spoke with Vice President vive,” but will actually “thrive” in Iraq.

There is a roadmap for sustainabilreport, prepared for the British Govern- Mike Pence. Those conversations were ity of the Christian community, but it ment’s Foreign Office, concluded that encouraging, but much work remains. the persecution of Christians in parts of My visit to Iraq was an opportunity requires continued material and fithe world is at “near genocide levels.” to see firsthand the situation of the nancial support.

And not just in the Middle East.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy displaced Christians there, how their As the recent church bombings in Hunt believes that “political correct- communities are struggling to survive ness” is partly responsible for the fail- and what the path to a sustainable fu- Sri Lanka tragically demonstrate, too many Christians throughout the world ure to confront the crisis. “There is a ture could look like. misplaced worry that it is somehow In an excellent analysis of the current echo Isidore Bakanja’s words: “I am colonialist,” he said, “to talk about a situation in Iraq, America magazine dying because I am a Christian.”

These atrocities must end. religion that was associated with colo- (April 19) recently asked the most funThe genocide of Christians must nial powers.” damental question: “Can Christianity never again be allowed, and the Chris“What we have forgotten,” he con- in northern Iraq survive after ISIS?” tinued, is that “the Christians that are The answer, of course, is that it is tian communities in places like Iraq being persecuted are some of the poor- still too early to tell. But if Christianity must be helped to survive.

Vivat Jesus! est people on the planet.” does not survive there, it will not be

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L E A R N I N G T H E FA I T H , L I V I N G T H E FA I T H

Half Measures We must respond to challenges as Catholics by making a commitment to Christ and the mission of evangelization

by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori SUPPOSE IT’S TIME to change the oil his boundless mercy, has forgiven our in your car. The owner’s manual specifies sins and unlocked the gates of heaven. that the engine requires five quarts of oil, The answer, then, is not to stop talkbut you put in only two and a half. Some ing about evangelization. Rather, the days later, the engine light comes on and problem is how we go about this work. your car stalls in traffic. Listening to a Not unlike the disciples prior to the and repentance, first and foremost exchorus of angry horns and epithets, you coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, emplified by the parish clergy and leadthink to yourself: “Maybe I should have we hesitate to “cry out full-throated and ership. It also requires concentrated put in the full five quarts.” unsparingly” (Isaiah 58:1) in bearing wit- attention on good preaching and reverHalf measures. We’re tempted to use ness to Jesus. We are likewise prone to ent liturgy; abundant opportunities for them all the time. You probably have half measures in repenting and believing eucharistic adoration and confession; your own examples of halfhearted ef- in his Gospel; in instilling the teaching personal outreach to absent parishforts that made things worse inioners; sound catechesis for stead of better. parishioners of all ages, especially We also can be prone to half the young; support of married Genuine missionary conversion measures when it comes to our couples and families; loving asCatholic faith. In many parts of sistance to the sick and the includes an urgent summons to the world, including the United dying; generous outreach to the States, Mass attendance is down. poor and vulnerable; and more. prayer and repentance.

Our absent Catholics aren’t What about growth in the merely out of town; many are Knights of Columbus? Here, too, gone. For a variety of distressing half measures will not do. For exreasons, they are disconnected from the of Christ in ourselves and our families; ample, a business-as-usual membership Lord, the Church, the Mass and the and in living the Gospel both in our per- drive may not bring the desired results. sacraments. Studies reveal the sad fact that sonal lives and in the wider society.

But when a council prayerfully commits there are now more disaffiliated former When the sound of the trumpet is itself to implementing the Faith in AcCatholics than those who are practicing. faint, it’s no wonder so few hear it. tion model, it can truly make an impact.

We talk a lot about evangelization, but Take, for example, a parish that is stag- When Knights are seen as growing in things continue to get worse. So what’s nant and shrinking. Its leadership might their relationship with Christ and in the answer? be tempted to address the problem with their life of prayer, banding together to St. Paul VI reminded us that evange- half measures, tweaking what’s usually serve actively the needs of the wider lization is not merely one of the things done by adding more friendly greeters at community, living the vocation of marthe Church does; the mission to spread the door of the church or additional op- riage and family joyfully and generously, the Gospel constitutes the very heart of portunities for socializing after Sunday and protecting vulnerable human life the Church’s identity. The Church exists Mass. Nothing is wrong with these lovingly — others will want to join.

People are hungry. They are searchto proclaim, spread and celebrate the things; in fact, they are very important.

Good News by word, sacrament and But lacking genuine missionary conver- ing. They are looking for the real deal. charity. Woe to us if we do not preach sion, moved by the Holy Spirit, a parish Let’s be done with half measures, espewill not experience renewal. cially in this season when we celebrate the Gospel! (cf. 1 Cor 9:16).

Genuine missionary conversion in- the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit The Gospel, after all, is not merely words. It is the incarnate savior who, in cludes an urgent summons to prayer upon his Church.♦ 4 ♦ COLUMBIA ♦

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SUPREME CHAPLAIN’S CHALLENGE

A monthly reflection and practical challenge from Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori: Jesus said to his disciples, “I have told you this while I am with you.

The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.� (Gospel for June 9, Pentecost Sunday, Jn 14:25-26) Try putting yourself in the disciples’ shoes at hearing these words at the Last Supper. They probably felt anxious and confused. This month, we will celebrate Pentecost and train our focus on this promise which Jesus made to each

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H O LY FAT H E R ’ S P R AY E R I N T E N T I O N

one of us: that he would never leave us, that he would send the Holy Spirit as our guide, advocate and helper. Your body is in fact a temple of this same Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 6:19). As disciples of Jesus and beloved sons of the heavenly Father, let us be known as men who are constantly drawing closer to the Holy Spirit and unlocking the Spirit’s power in our lives.

Challenge by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori: This month, I challenge you to deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit by praying the words “Come, Holy Spiritâ€? as you begin your daily time of prayer, your workday or an activity at home. Second, I challenge you to invite a friend or family member who is not active in his or her faith to join you at Mass or at eucharistic adoration. ♌

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

Blessed Joseph Thao ThiĂŞn (1918-1954)

That priests, through the modesty and humility of their lives, commit themselves actively to a solidarity with those who are most poor.

L I T U RG I C A L C A L E N DA R June 1 St. Justin, Martyr June 3 St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs June 5 St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr June 9 Pentecost Sunday June 10 The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church June 11 St. Barnabas, Apostle June 13 St. Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church June 16 The Most Holy Trinity June 21 St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious June 23 The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) June 24 The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist June 28 The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus June 29 Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

AS COMMUNIST Vietminh forces stormed Laos in 1953, only one priest chose not to flee. “I am staying with my people,â€? 34-year-old Father Joseph Thao ThiĂŞn declared. “I am ready to give my life for my Laotian brothers and sisters.â€?

Joseph ThiĂŞn came from a fervent Catholic family in a Laotian village that had been evangelized by French priests. A cheerful boy, ThiĂŞn was sent to a Catholic school in neighboring Vietnam, where he later entered the minor seminary. He excelled as a student; he also loved fishing and woodworking.

In 1942, he entered the major seminary in Hanoi. Classes were often suspended due to bombing during World War II. At the outbreak of the Indochina War between the French and the Vietminh in 1946, the seminary was closed and the staff arrested. ThiĂŞn returned home on foot, crossing into Laos in disguise. Eventually, he managed to fly to Saigon, where he resumed his studies as the lone Laotian at St. Joseph Seminary. In 1949, he was ordained.

Amid these tumultuous years of formation, Father Thiên’s faith grew stronger, together with his devotion to Mary. With joy he returned to Laos, where he ran a mission school.

But when the Vietminh expelled all foreign missionaries in 1953, Father ThiĂŞn was told to leave too.

After refusing, he was arrested and led to a prison camp, passing lines of people on their knees, weeping. In prison, he was pressured to become an ordinary citizen and marry. “Whether you kill me or not,â€? he said, “I will never leave the priesthood.â€? On June 2, 1954, he was tied to a tree and shot five times. Father Joseph Thao ThiĂŞn became the first of 17 martyrs of Laos; they were beatified in 2016.♌

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K N I G H T S O F C O LU M BU S N E W S

Supreme Knight Visits Knights in South Korea

Order Pledges Aid to Sri Lanka FOLLOWING terrorist bombings in Sri Lanka April 21, including attacks at two Catholic churches during Easter Sunday Mass, the Knights of Columbus pledged $100,000 of support to the Archdiocese of Colombo. “The Knights of Columbus stands in solidarity with our Christian brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka during this time of trial. Terrorist attacks like those on Easter Sunday are the acts of those who reject the sanctity of life, human rights and religious freedom,â€? said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. “Every country should protect its religious minorities, and freedom-loving countries must demand nothing less of their neighbors.â€?♌

SUPREME KNIGHT Carl Anderson visited Knights of Columbus leaders in South Korea and encouraged them to think long-term. “The 21st century will be an increasingly important century for Korea, and it will be an increasingly important century for Korea’s role in the evangelization of Asia,� he said.

During his five-day trip in early April, the supreme knight also visited Knights serving at Camp Humphreys, the U.S. Army base near Pyeongtaek. Bishop John J. Kaising Council 14223 at Camp Humphreys became the first of three military councils on the peninsula when it was chartered in 2007. The first civilian council was later established in 2014, in 6 ♌ COLUMBIA ♌

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Seoul, and there are now four local councils, counting more than 175 members.

Addressing local council leaders, Supreme Knight Anderson said, “The Knights of Columbus gives us a new way to express today the Korean tradition of the role of the laity. We do this by offering a practical way to follow a path of Catholic brotherhood.�

In addition, the supreme knight met with Bishop Francis Xavier Soo-il Yu of the Korean military ordinate, who was instrumental in helping establish the Order in South Korea, and with Maryknoll Missionary Father Gerard Hammond, who received the Order’s Gaudium et Spes Award in 2017.♌

Order Mourns Death of Jean Vanier JEAN VANIER, the Catholic philosopher and humanitarian who spent decades living with and working for people with disabilities, died May 7 in Paris at the age of 90.

In 1964, Vanier founded L’Arche, a movement that has grown to include nearly 150 communities in 35 countries.

The Knights of Columbus presented Vanier with the Gaudium et Spes Award, the Order’s highest honor, in 2005. “It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of our friend Jean Vanier,�

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said. “Jean lived a life dedicated to the simple but inviolable belief that each of us is created in God’s image, and that every single life is sacred and deserving of respect, protection and, most of all, love. ‌ “He was a true icon of the Beatitudes.

We must now continue his mission. We must rededicate our lives to the service and protection of others.�♌

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson visits local and military council leaders in South Korea in April. He also met with Bishop Francis Xavier Soo-il Yu (above, front center) and Maryknoll Father Gerard Hammond (left photo, far right).

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

Forming Future Fathers Your example plays a major role in shaping what kind of dad your son will be

by Gerald Korson

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any years ago, I heard one of my young sons speak rudely to his mother, and something about his tone and attitude struck me as oddly familiar. It sounded a bit like a sharp, testy retort that might come from my lips after a stressful day at work. Even as I corrected my son for his behavior, I thought: “Did he get that from me?�

If so, I resolved, I’d better start setting a better example.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, the saying goes.

When it comes to raising children, you are that tree, especially for your sons. For better or for worse, your example — as a man, as a husband, as a father — will influence what kind of man, husband and father your boys will become.

All fathers know this from experience. Almost unconsciously, we usually model our parenting style after our own parents.

There are times I say or do something that makes me think, “Wow, I’m becoming my dad.� I’ve inherited his easy humor and sense of duty, but I’ve also taken on his occasional sarcasm and tendency toward workaholism.

Inevitably, the blueprint we create as fathers is formative for our sons.

Here are five ways that you, by your example, can help your sons to become good fathers.

Be a father who loves their mother. Good parenting begins with a good marriage. Show your children what a true Catholic gentleman is by how you treat your wife.

Address her with love and respect, and defend her when she is treated disrespectfully by others, especially if the slights come from your children. If your sons learn to love and respect their mother, they will love and respect their own wives — and that will make them better fathers.

Be a father who prays. Real men pray, early and often.

You are a spiritual leader of your family. Pray with your children while they are young, so that they know how to

pray on their own as they mature. Along with regular Mass and confession, practice grace at meals, read Scripture daily and pray the family rosary. Your sons will bring these prayerful habits to their own families.

Be a responsible father. As a husband and father, be attentive to your many duties. Demonstrate for your sons a strong work ethic and practice integrity in all things. St. Joseph is your model here, a man who understood his sacred vocation as a provider and protector of his family.

Be a father who is present to his family. Providing for your family can take you away from them more than you would like. Always remember that your work should serve your family, not the other way around.

Make time for your wife and children, even just to listen to them and “waste time� with them.

Be a father who knows he’s not perfect. The best role model you can present is that of a man who is struggling to become a saint. Your sons need to know that the habits and virtues you teach them are not easy to attain. You sometimes fall short, and so will they — which is why we turn to prayer and the sacraments for grace and strength. Be man enough to admit this and to apologize when you lose patience, speak uncharitably or slip into laziness or self-centeredness.

Today, when my married sons visit us with their families, I often marvel that they turned out so well, in spite of my own failings. But I also like to think their good character was formed at least in part by my efforts to practice virtue as a husband and father, and I take pride in the fathers they’ve become.♌ GERALD KORSON, a veteran Catholic journalist, is a member of the Knights of Columbus in Indiana. He has 11 children, including four sons, and 12 grandchildren.

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

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‘PETER IS HERE’ The bones of St. Peter discovered under the Vatican draw pilgrims to the bedrock of the Church

by InĂŠs San MartĂ­n

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Pilgrims who book a tour in English might be led through the Scavi by Andrew DeRouen, a seminarian studying for the Diocese of Lake Charles and living at the Pontifical North American College (NAC) in Rome. A member of Calcasieu Council 1207 in Lake Charles, La., DeRouen is one of seven NAC seminarians who have the opportunity to “bring people closer to Peter� every month. “It’s an extremely humbling ministry,� he said. “I have a more active role as a father, actually leading people in their faith to a site that will change their lives.�

Above: Andrew DeRouen, a seminarian at the Pontifical North American College and a member of Calcasieu Council 1207 in Lake Charles, La., stands outside the basilica. He takes pilgrims through the excavations beneath St. Peter’s several times a month. • Opposite page: Pope Francis prays at the tomb of St. Peter inside St. Peter’s Basilica on All Soul’s Day in 2013.

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t the center of St. Peter’s Basilica stands the high altar and the towering bronze canopy sculpted by Bernini.

Hundreds of feet overhead, on Michelangelo’s dome, we read in 2-meter high black letters on a gold background: TU ES PETRUS ‌ (You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church). These words from Matthew 16:18 are more than just a metaphor; about 7 meters directly underfoot is the tomb of St. Peter himself.

Catholic tradition had long held that the basilica was built over the burial site of the first pope, but it was not until the 1940s that the tomb was finally located by archaeologists. Excavations, carried out in secret under the direction of Pope Pius XII, unearthed a necropolis — an ancient pagan burial ground that also included graves of early Christians. Among the discoveries were the bones of a man believed to be St. Peter.

According to Dr. Pietro Zander, the chief archaeologist of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the institution responsible for the conservation of the basilica, “There is no doubt. What you encounter at the end of the hour-long tour through the ‘city of the dead’ that lies underneath St. Peter’s Basilica is the tomb of the apostle.�

Trips down to see the tomb on the “Scavi tour,� named for the Italian term for “excavations,� are among the hottest tickets in Rome, with some 300 people entering each day.

However, the necropolis is no theme park attraction. It is the hallowed burial place of first-century Christians killed in odium fidei.

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BENEATH THE SURFACE Nearly 2,000 years ago, on the territory that is today the Vatican, the Roman Empire had gardens and a circus where Christians were martyred under Emperor Nero. According to tradition, St. Peter was crucified head down here between 64 and 67 A.D., and then buried nearby. A century later, a small tomb was built to mark the site, on which the original St. Peter’s Basilica was built by Emperor Constantine in the fourth century.

The magnificent structure we know today was built between 1506 and 1626. Until this time, Zander explained, popes had not allowed any exploratory activity to “disturb the rest of those killed during Nero’s bloody persecution.�

In 1626, excavations made for the foundations of Bernini’s canopy unearthed many pagan tombs but not a trace of anything Christian. All further investigations ceased. Archaeologist Margherita Guarducci states in her book The Tomb of St. Peter (1960), “The fear of finding something down there which would contradict or modify the tradition dear to the faithful overcame the desire to appease a burning curiosity.�

Finally, in 1939, workmen were digging a grave and chapel for the recently deceased Pope Pius XI, whose dying wish was to be buried in the Vatican grottoes and to make the space more accessible to pilgrims. Less than a foot below the floor of the grottoes, they hit the upper corner of an ancient mausoleum.

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launch what was to become one of the greatest archaeological explorations of the 20th century. On June 28, 1939, the vigil of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, he ordered a series of clandestine excavations under the Vatican grottoes.

Born in Rome, the newly elected pope had been captivated by stories of the Roman martyrs since childhood. Pius XII was also interested in archaeology and the great potential of enlisting science in the service of the faith. Among other reasons to initiate the project, he had served as apostolic nuncio in Berlin and wanted to refute Protestant voices in Germany that denied the existence of St. Peter’s tomb beneath the basilica.

The “Apostle Project,� as it was called, was anonymously financed by oil magnate George Strake, a Catholic from Texas, and excavations began as World War II raged across Europe.

Eventually, in 1942, bones were discovered very close to where tradition had always held Peter was buried. Once wrapped in a purple and gold cloth, signifying the person was held in great esteem, the bones were found in a marble-lined niche within a wall, which itself was inscribed with graffiti that included the Greek words Petros eni — “Peter is here.�

When the remains were medically examined years later, it was determined that they belonged to an individual believed to be 5 feet and 7 inches and who was between the age of 60 and 70 at the time of his death. Moreover, bones from the feet were conspicuously absent — compatible with

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Clockwise, from top left: Workmen excavate the necropolis beneath the Vatican in 1941. • Pope Francis visits the necropolis April 1, 2013, soon after his election as pontiff. He is accompanied by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, who is archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica and president of the Fabbrica di San Pietro. • The Scavi tour winds through pre-Christian and early Christian tombs. The Knights of Columbus sponsored the restoration of “Tomb E,â€? in the foreground. • Inscriptions on the “Graffiti Wall,â€? including the phrase “Peter is here,â€? helped archaeologist Margherita Guarducci identify bones found within the wall as St. Peter’s. • The Tomb of the Valerii, a wealthy Roman family, contains both pagan and Christian inscriptions, including this message in Latin: “Peter, pray for the holy men and women buried near your body.â€?

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someone who was crucified upside down and cut down from the cross.

In 1968, Pope Paul VI declared the bones to be Peter’s “in a manner which we believe convincing.�

IN PETER’S PRESENCE Although the Vatican has been careful not to express absolute certainty about St. Peter’s remains, it has nonetheless encouraged veneration.

Zander noted that during the final days of St. John Paul II’s pontificate, “He liked to have a small silver box with some of the remains close to him.�

Pope Francis made a point of visiting the Vatican necropolis just 19 days after his election to the Chair of St. Peter — the first pontiff in history to do so.

The Fabbrica di San Pietro, led by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, oversees the necropolis, which today is visited by about 62,000 people each year. Small groups are led through sensoroperated glass doors and into another age. A climate control system keeps humidity levels high to help preserve the site.

Seminarians at the North American College have been leading Scavi tours for years, one of several apostolates they can choose from during their second year in Rome. With a background in architecture, DeRouen asked to be a guide; he now serves as coordinator of the seminarians who have been given this ministry.

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At least twice a month, he leads groups of people through the narrow passages of the ancient burial ground. The tour lasts more than an hour and culminates in a visit to the tomb of St. Peter. “We can be close to Peter in a tangible way, which really allows us to be in touch with the weakness of our humanity and see the amazing things that are possible from a man who’s at his core repentant,� DeRouen said. “He understands the value of his friendship with Jesus and the necessity of admitting his own broken humanity.�

Familiarity has not dulled DeRouen’s wonder. “Every single time, you cannot leave the site unchanged,� he said.

Zander, in an interview last year, similarly said, “When I approach the so-called ‘Graffiti Wall,’ my knees bend, because I feel I am in the presence of Peter, who was appointed by Christ as his vicar on earth.�

DeRouen acknowledges that these are not easy times for many young men preparing for the priesthood, partly due to the recent clerical sexual abuse scandals. Nonetheless, he said his experience in the Scavi has strengthened his vocation. “To be in the Scavi with Peter,â€? he said, “and to know that God can still work through utter denial, I have every hope in being a priest, and in the sacraments that have been passed on by Christ, through the hands of his very fallen apostles.â€?♌ INÉS SAN MARTĂ?N is the Rome bureau chief for Crux.

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Supreme Knight Carl Anderson and his wife, Dorian, get a closer look at an artifact presented by Dr. Pietro Zander (right), chief archaeologist of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, during a visit to the Vatican necropolis.

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WITH PETER, PAUL The Eternal City is resting place of the two greatest apostles

THOUGH OFTEN bypassed by tourists visiting Rome in a rush, some four miles from St. Peter’s Basilica is the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, which contains the remains of the second apostle who was martyred and buried in the Eternal City — St. Paul.

The current basilica, considered one of Rome’s most beautiful churches, was completed in 1840. It stands on the site of previous basilicas dating back to the early 4th century, built over what was said to be the burial place of the apostle.

Paul’s tomb lies in the basilica’s crypt under a marble tombstone bearing the Latin inscription Paulo Apostolo Mart., “to Paul the apostle and martyr.� Though tradition located his remains under the main altar, it wasn’t until 2002 that the Vatican ordered an excavation to make the tomb visible for the pilgrims who visit.

Joseph MacNeill, a seminarian at the Pontifical North

American College studying for the Archdiocese of Hartford, serves as a guide to English-speaking pilgrims. “I always say they should go to St. Paul because, if not, you’re missing something,� said MacNeill. “It’s St. Peter and St. Paul. You have to have them both together. Rome was consecrated to the blood of the two apostles.�

The liturgical calendar reflects this unity in the saints’ shared feast, June 29, noted MacNeill.

An alumnus of the College of the Holy Cross and a member of Crusader Council 2706 in Worcester, Mass., MacNeill is grateful for the opportunity to welcome pilgrims not only from all over the United States, but from all over the world. “It allows me to experience the universality of the Church,�

MacNeill said. “I encounter people from China, Russia, many African countries — and that, I believe, will eventually make me a better priest.â€? — Reported by InĂŠs San MartĂ­n

Above: Joseph MacNeill, a seminarian at the Pontifical North American College, stands in the courtyard of St. Paul Outside the Walls. He encourages visitors to Rome to visit the basilica, where he leads pilgrims on tours. • Right: The sarcophagus that is believed to hold the remains of St. Paul is seen through an opening in front of the basilica’s main altar.

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My Sons and Brothers An interview with Scott Luco, a K of C district deputy and father of four sons, about passing the baton to the next generation of Knights

S

cott Luco converted to Catholicism at age 21, about a year before he married. He joined the Knights of Columbus at age 26, and he and his wife, Anne, raised five children. Today, each of his four sons, as well as his son-in-law, are also brother Knights of Patapsco (Md.) Council 1960.

Scott, who works as a chemical engineer in the Baltimore area, had served as a leader with the Boy Scouts for many years. As his sons attained the rank of Eagle Scout, he left his role as Scoutmaster and became more involved with the Knights of Columbus. “I wanted to have something that they could move into as they became adults,� Scott explained. “Something that is service-oriented and also closely linked to the Church and the faith — and the council was the place to do it.�

Scott soon became grand knight, and each of his sons — Stephen, Jacob, William and David — joined the council when they came of age.

The Luco family is just one example of many where Knighthood has been passed on to the next generation. In view of Father’s Day, Columbia editor Alton Pelowski recently spoke with Scott, who currently serves as district deputy of Maryland District #17, and his sons about their experience as brother Knights.

COLUMBIA: What led you to join the Knights of Columbus?

SCOTT LUCO: Our council has great programs and great engagement with our parish and community. But what it took for me to join was for one member to ask.

Tony Viscardi — one of the best fraternal benefits advisors ever — called on me because my wife had an insurance policy through her father, who was a member.

Scott Luco (center), district deputy of Maryland District #17, stands with his four sons, (from left) Jacob, Stephen, David and William, who are fellow members of Patapsco (Md.) Council 1960.

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“MY FIRST experience with the Knights of Columbus goes back to my childhood. I remember Dad standing with other men outside church handing out Tootsie Rolls — and not just the ‘fun size,’ but the large ones with the cardboard tray. I always looked forward to those Sundays. “Now that I’m older and see how these drives raised money for people with intellectual disabilities, it lends greater insight to the mission of the Knights.

When the Knights engage in any activity or program, it is with a charitable attitude that makes everyone feel welcome.

We share in charity freely and lavishly to improve our communities and to provide an example for the world.�

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Jacob Luco, 29, lives in Paradise, Md., and works as a network engineer for a data solutions company.

He said, “Scott, you need to join the Knights.�

Later, he said, “Scott, you need to join our degree team.� And so I did, and one thing led to another. He’s now one of my best friends. It’s all about personal engagement.

COLUMBIA: How have you been involved with the Knights over the years?

SCOTT LUCO: When I first joined, we had two children, and I didn’t have any time. I needed to be with my wife and children, but I initially joined to take advantage of the insurance program. We participated whenever we could. I knew my job was taking care of my family.

When my boys were all teenagers, getting to be young adults, that’s when I started the degree work. And that segued into the officer positions and so forth.

As a grand knight and then a district deputy, what’s really been fun is helping my brother Knights to grow in their work, to continue their mission and to be evangelists. That’s really what we’re called to be, and the way we do it is through our charitable works.

C OLUMBIA: What do you tell men about why they should join?

SCOTT LUCO: I tell them we are a group of Catholic men who believe in what the Church teaches — and we’re dedicated to standing up for it. We’re in a world now where that’s not popular.

For example, it’s not popular to say that a woman’s womb should not be a dangerous place to live. But I’m going to say it, and I need brothers to say it with me — and not just to say it, but to take action. We raised money to give an ultrasound machine to a local pregnancy resource center — and that action really energized everyone.

All men have a charism, a gift, a calling in life. They need to pray and discern what they’re supposed to do right now. A lot of times, that means taking care of their family, but there has to be some evangelization there. We have to get out there and engage the world. And that’s where the Knights of Columbus comes into play.

“I SAW THE sacrifices that my dad made to make us happy, and the way he would go out of his way to do stuff for a family member or friend who needed help. For example, he may have wanted to just sit on the couch and watch baseball, but going over to my grandmother’s to help her mow the lawn brought fulfillment and happiness to the family.

That was a big example to me, and I try to do the same thing. “As a young man, one of the biggest benefits of the Knights is Stephen Luco, 30, works in the infor- the sense of fraternity and camamation technology industry. He lives in raderie. When you’re working Catonsville, Md., and is engaged to be full time, sometimes it’s hard to married. make friends or network — especially with like-minded people with similar beliefs. Meeting successful members of your community who want to help you do well — that’s a big benefit, especially as you’re coming into your career or starting a family. They provide guidance that wouldn’t necessarily be there otherwise. “Insurance is also a huge benefit. I’ve always had it with my dad being a Knight. He opened a policy for me when I was a kid, and then it was transferred when I became a Knight. I don’t always think about it, because I don’t have to — it’s that peace of mind.�

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COLUMBIA: What was your role in each of your sons joining the Knights?

SCOTT LUCO: Stephen and Jacob are the oldest ones, and they joined first. I just got them interested and asked, “Do you want to join us?”

They really liked the fact that as 19and 20-year-old guys, they were accepted as part of a community, a fraternity. It didn’t matter what age we were, we were all just brothers.

David, the youngest, joined six days past his 18th birthday. At the time, there was a Fourth Degree exemplification coming up, and we thought it would be really cool if they could do the Fourth Degree together. Everybody was gung-ho and said, “Let’s do it.”

I try not to be prideful, but to see my guys step up — I’ll admit it, I do feel proud.

COLUMBIA: What advice would you give to councils wanting to bring in more guys in their 20s and 30s?

SCOTT LUCO: We’ve got to be open, especially to families with young kids, and really engage and meet them where they are. If you’re a young dad in the council, speak up. That’s how we get good programs — by having people who get it and who really know what that stage of life is about.

The point I make with young fathers is: I was in your shoes. Don’t feel like you need to come to meetings and leave your wife at home to take care of the kids. Give us what you can, and participate in the life of the council, but make sure you’re taking care of your family and particularly your wife. Join because of the insurance products, and you will be happy you joined us later. You’ll be part of a group of men who stand for something, and there aren’t many people like that anymore.

I also encourage dads to bring their kids along to charitable events, whether it’s making sandwiches for the homeless or something else. The children may not do it perfectly, but if they’re helping, they feel good about it, and they’ll be more likely to be involved in the future.♦

“MY DAD, my grandfather and my two older brothers were involved in the Knights. I just saw what good time they had with events like the crab feasts and other fundraisers, and the money went back in the community to help people who are less privileged. You really couldn’t go wrong with joining an organization like this.

“I was already a Knight at the time I decided to join the military, and I received a lot of valuable support from our council. I learned that a lot of other guys had served. My par- William Luco, 25, is a lieutenant junior ents organized an Anchors grade in the U.S. Navy. He got married Aweigh party before I shipped last year and is currently stationed in off, and a lot of brother Bangor, Wash., on the USS Maine.

Knights were there. I came to realize very quickly that this really is a fraternity.

“To recruit young Catholic men, I would recommend not only talking about what we do, but the reason behind why we do it. I have found that being a part of the Knights has strengthened my faith and helped me to put it into action. I just love being able to give back to the community.”

David Luco, 21, is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he majored in information systems and minored in philosophy.

“I WORKED with the Knights of Columbus when I was a teenager, because my dad and brothers were members. I was always there with them, and I felt like a Knight already. I joined as soon as I turned 18.

“My dad has always been a great man of faith, and he really pushed us to help others.

When we were Boy Scouts, he was always there as a leader.

When I joined the Knights, he was the grand knight of our council, and seeing him in that role has really pushed me to try to be a leader as well.

“The core values of the Knights are the core values of the Catholic Church. Supporting our neighbors — what is society if we’re not here to help each other along?”

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On the 75th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, a D-Day veteran describes the landing at Omaha Beach

by Frank DeVita, with Columbia staff

O

n June 6, 1944, more than 150,000 U.S., Canadian and British troops invaded Normandy to liberate France from the occupying Nazi forces.

Some 130,000 arrived by boat, ferried to the beaches in light landing craft under heavy fire. The Normandy landings — code-named Operation Neptune and commonly known as D-Day — became the largest seaborne invasion in history.

Most of the men made the trip once; Frank DeVita of the U.S. Coast Guard survived the first wave and returned to Omaha Beach 14 times. Seventy-five years later, DeVita, a member of Our Lady of the Hills Council 5959 in Martinsville, N.J., tells the harrowing story of that day.

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This photo titled “Into the Jaws of Death” shows U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division troops disembarking from a Higgins boat under gunfire at Omaha Beach June 6, 1944. The boat was one of 21 such landing craft that were manned by U.S. Coast Guardsmen from the USS Samuel Chase on D-Day. (Photo by U.S. Coast Guard photographer Robert F. Sargent/Wikimedia Commons)

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Photo by Jeffrey Bruno

Frank DeVita, 94, a D-Day veteran and recipient of the French Legion of Honor medal among other military awards, is pictured at his home in Bridgewater, N.J.

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Brooklyn native Frank DeVita was 19 when he participated in the D-Day invasion. For the next 70 years, he did not speak about his wartime experience, even to his wife and children. Then, in 2014, on the occasion of receiving the French Legion of Honor medal — the highest award given by the French government — he opened up in an NBC interview with Tom Brokaw conducted on Omaha Beach.

DeVita returns to Normandy this month with family and friends to mark the 75th anniversary of one of the most pivotal events in modern history.

For a few seconds I froze, because I knew when I dropped that ramp, the machine gun bullets will come into the boat.

And then for the third time he yelled, “G— d— it, DeVita! Drop the f— ramp!� I dropped the ramp and the bullets that were hitting the ramp came into the boat. About 15 or 16 GIs died immediately; many were wounded, some very seriously.

Everybody thinks when you go to die, you pray to God. But when you’re about to die, the only word that comes out of your mouth is, “Mama! Mama!� That’s what they were saying.

THE FIRST WAVE I’m in the back of the When the war broke out in boat, where the handle was 1941, I immediately tried to to lower and raise the ramp, enlist. I was only 16 years old at so I actually had some prothe time, and my mom said I tection. The troops who had to wait and finish high died in front of me were abschool. At 18, I joined the sorbing the bullets that Coast Guard and was assigned probably would have hit me. to the USS Samuel Chase, an Near me were two stragattack transport. glers, two young boys. One After we did the invasions of took a round in the belly, North Africa, Sicily and but somehow he survived Salerno, we practiced two or that day. He was very lucky. three months for Normandy, The second kid had red raising and lowering the boats, hair and was maybe a foot day and night. The invasion away from me. The mawas supposed to be June 5, but chine gun took his helmet there was a big storm in the and part of his head off. He Channel and Eisenhower called was not so lucky. it off till June 6.

He was screaming, “Help At four o’clock in the mornme! Help me!� But I couldn’t ing, we started loading our help him. He fell at my feet, DeVita, who served as a gunner’s mate third class boats. We had 21 Higgins boats and I didn’t know what to aboard the USS Samuel Chase during World War II — LCVPs: Landing Craft Vehido. I had no morphine. The and crewed a Higgins boat on 15 D-Day landings, cle Personnel. Each one carried only thing I had in my posis pictured in uniform in 1943. between 30 and 32 men. session was the Lord’s Prayer.

We were 11 miles from the I started praying over him, beach because the German 88 (mm) guns had a range and when he heard the words, it seemed to calm him. of 10 miles. We started on toward the beach. It was very Then I reached down and squeezed his hand because I dangerous because of the mines and obstacles in the wanted him to know he wasn’t alone. And then he water called Belgian Gates. Along the beach were squeezed my hand a little bit, and he died. He was just MG42 machine guns, each capable of firing 160 rounds a little boy. Just a little boy. per minute — 35 of these buggers were firing at us.

We were all scared. It was terrible. The best word is ‘WHY AM I STILL ALIVE?’ pandemonium.

Now, the coxswain started screaming, “Lift up the My job was to drop or raise the ramp on the front of ramp. Let’s get the hell out of here!� So, I pulled the the boat; it was made of two or three inches of reinforced handle and the ramp didn’t come up. I pulled it again. steel. Machine gun bullets were bouncing off the ramp Nothing. So now we’re in serious trouble. We’re gonna like firecrackers, so we were safe for the time being. be target practice for the 88s.

Then the coxswain said, “DeVita, drop the ramp.�

I didn’t know what to do. The ramp was in the I didn’t hear him because of the roar of the guns and front, and I’m in the back. I can’t see it from where I the two big diesel engines in the back of the boat. am because of the dead and wounded in front of me.

Then he yelled louder, “DeVita, drop the ramp!� I had to crawl over them to get to the ramp.

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And while I’m crawling, I’m crying. I’m saying to Two people saved my life: Jesus and my mom. The these kids, “Please excuse me. I have no other alterna- reason I say my mom is that when you’re killed in active.” When I got closer, I realized that two dead sol- tion, the government sends a telegram. I was deterdiers were on the ramp, holding it down. They never mined to live so my mom wouldn’t get that telegram. got off the boat.

We were just kids — 17, 18, 19 years old! There I tried lifting them up but I couldn’t. I weighed 125 were 2,000 boys that were not going see their Mamas. pounds. Another guy came to help, and inch by inch, It was by the grace of God I was alive. we pulled them into the boat.

Meanwhile, we’re getting fired at. The bullets are ‘THE BIGGEST SACRIFICE’ like locusts, like a swarm of angry bees. You wondered After D-Day, we took part in the invasion in southern when the next one’s gonna take your head off.

France and the tail end of Okinawa. I was in the ocNow, the ramp went up and the coxswain started cupation of Japan for about four months and then my backing out. He did a masterful job avoiding the service was over. They gave me a check for $84 and a mines and the Belgian Gates and got us out of there. train ticket to go home.

We had a torturous first wave. It was 90% casualties.

When I got back in ’47, I had only a high school It was a bloodbath. diploma. My dad was a chief designer for the Navy for We pulled alongside a hospital ship. They would 30 years. He said to me, “Why don’t you follow my only take the very badly wounded. Two guys, God footsteps?” So I became a clothing designer. bless them, jumped in our boat I got married in ’49. Her and started peeling the dead name was Dorothy; we went to off to get to the live ones unkindergarten together. We had derneath. They retrieved seven three children — a girl and two SAID TO MYSELF, badly wounded boys, and I boys. For 70 years, I never said, “Maybe they’ll live talked about the war. My wife “WHY SHOULD I SEND through the day.” died six years ago; she never When we got to our ship, I knew.

It was too horrible. I still SOMEBODY IN MY PLACE had a big decision to make. have nightmares about that litDo I go back? And I said to tle redheaded boy.

TO BE KILLED?” SO I myself, “Why should I send Then, my friend Fred told WENT BACK WITH THE somebody in my place to be me, “You gotta talk about it so killed?” So I went back with people know.” He opened up the SECOND WAVE. the second wave. lock in my brain. The 70th anAltogether, I made 15 trips niversary, five years ago, was the to the beach. They weren’t all first time I talked about it, when bringing troops to the beach.

I told the story to Tom Brokaw.

Probably around the sixth or seventh wave, we started My wife was after me for a few years to join taking the dead and the wounded off the beach and the Knights, but I’m not a joiner. I didn’t join the Vetback to the ship. We pulled out 308 dead bodies from erans of Foreign Wars or anything like that. A friend the water. of mine passed away, and they had a dinner after the By 10 o’clock at night, the white flags started com- funeral. One of the grand knights sitting next to me ing out from the Germans, surrendering. asked, “Why don’t you join the Knights?” I said, “I’ll Then our Higgins boat started going back — it join the Knights for the man who just died. I’ll take looked like popcorn, all shot up — and all the others his place.” That was 10 years ago. Now, I’m a Fourth went back to the Chase. I was covered with blood and Degree Knight. And it was the best thing I ever did. I vomit and didn’t want to be with anybody. should have done it years ago.

So I walked to the stern of the ship. It was late. I sat I belong to a great council — 5959. We dedicate all down on the cold deck and I said to myself, “What our time to helping others; that’s what the Knights is all the hell just happened here? Why am I still alive?” about. I give talks at high schools and I always tell the And when my eyes got acclimated, I turned around. kids, “Join the service; join the Knights; help people!”

Against the bulkhead, piled like logs, were all these This June will be my 11th trip to Normandy. The dead soldiers on top of one another. I started to cry, beach itself doesn’t affect me that much, but there’s a and cried myself to sleep. cemetery right above Omaha Beach with 9,400 dead The next morning, somebody shook me up and GIs. I go there every year, and I cry and I cry. They said, “Come on. We have to unload the dead.” And made the biggest sacrifice. They gave their lives so that that’s what we did. we have freedom today.♦

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CREATE YOUR

LEGACY Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund facilitates tax-deductible charitable giving

by Columbia staff

T

he Knights of St. Francis of Assisi Council 13456 in Henderson, Nev., do a lot of good in their community.

Last year, they collected and donated more than 85,000 pounds of food; raised thousands of dollars for charitable organizations; and contributed significant sums toward the new school their parish is building.

Some council members were convinced they could do even more if they could solve a tax-code conundrum: Contributions to the charitable fund of a council — a 501(c)(8) fraternal society — are not tax deductible, even if the money ends up being donated to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. “We kept thinking there’s got to be a way for us to be able to receive funds and provide the donor with a tax deduction,� recalled Mike McNelley, the council treasurer.

After McNelley contacted the Knights of Columbus headquarters last fall, Council 13456 became one of the first

clients of Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund — a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering donor-advised funds to help Catholics give to charity more effectively, conveniently and faithfully.

Donor-advised funds are increasingly popular charitable vehicles that provide individuals, families and organizations the opportunity to potentially lower tax bills as money is donated to the fund. They provide an opportunity to maximize charitable giving, while retaining the ability to advise on how charitable contributions are distributed.

Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund combines these advantages with another: a guarantee that your money will not

Top: Dennis Gerber, a member of St. Ann’s Council 2853 in Fair Lawn, N.J., and president of Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund, discusses charitable giving with his family.

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be invested in or donated to companies and causes that conflict with the Catholic faith.

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said, “For Catholics seeking to support the causes closest to their hearts, Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund offers a trusted partner to assist those in need and build a legacy of generosity.”

10 reasons to open an account with Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund 1. Give with confidence. Grant recipients are screened to ensure that contributions do not conflict with Catholic teaching. The fund is also a portal to learn about organizations doing good work.

2. Maintain your privacy. The grant recommendation process is safe, secure and confidential.

3. Save on fees. Fees are competitive — lower, in fact, than those of the leading providers of donor-advised funds.

4. Streamline charitable donations. Easy online access virtually eliminates other record-keeping requirements.

5. Give for tomorrow. A donor-advised fund provides flexibility to recommend grants in the future to any eligible charities. 1 6. Maximize your giving. Contributions to your fund have the potential to grow over time, tax-free.

For individuals and families: 7. Get a tax break. Individuals can save in taxes if itemized deductions exceed $12,000 ($24,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

8. Make charity a family affair. A fund opens a dialogue with your children about the importance of generosity.

You can also make your children secondary advisors.

For councils: 9. Help your donors. Unlike donations to a council, donations to a council’s 501(c)(3) donor-advised fund are tax deductible.

10. Simplify your paperwork. A donor-advised fund is less expensive and administratively cumbersome than running a foundation, while achieving similar benefits. (For more information about how a foundation can convert to a donoradvised fund, please email CharitableFund@kofc.org.)

(1) Grant recommendations are not binding and are subject to review and approval by the board of directors of Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund in their sole discretion. If the grant recommendation is not approved, Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund will notify the donor.

Donors may decide whether to submit an alternative grant recommendation.

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FOUNDING A FUND Dennis Gerber, a member of St. Ann’s Council 2853 in Fair Lawn, N.J., was working in development for the Archdiocese of New York when he first encountered donor-advised funds.

Such funds have existed since the 1930s, but they have boomed in the last few years. Both the number of accounts and the amount of money invested in donor-advised funds more than doubled from 2013 to 2017, according to the National Philanthropic Trust.

“Individuals can open a fund and name it, kind of like a personal foundation,” Gerber said. “They then make irrevocable charitable contributions, receive the tax benefit, advise on the fund’s asset allocation, and then recommend grants to nonprofits over time.”

Gerber loved the concept, but he recognized an unmet need — for Catholic-focused donor-advised funds nationwide.

“I wanted to educate people about some of the amazing organizations out there doing great work in and around the Catholic faith,” he recalled.

In 2017, Gerber established the first national charitable organization focused on donor-advised funds for Catholics; in December 2018, this organization became affiliated with the Knights of Columbus to expand the product’s reach and capabilities.

“Working with donor-advised funds is a natural extension of the Order’s work,” Supreme Knight Anderson said. “This offers another opportunity to leverage our experience and further the charitable mission that Father McGivney began in 1882.”

One benefit of a donor-advised fund is the potential tax advantage of giving away a large amount, above the standard deduction, all at once.

Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund offers different accounts for a range of giving levels. Annual fees for standard accounts begin at 0.5% — less than what is charged by the largest organization offering donor-advised funds and significantly less than the largest provider of faith-based donor-advised funds. For individuals just beginning their charitable legacy, Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund offers a starter account for as little as $10 per month.

But what really sets Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund apart from other donor-advised funds is a two-fold Catholic screening. The fund operates in accordance with the guidelines of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and can make grants only to nonprofit organizations whose work does not contradict Catholic teaching.

“The vast majority of charities do great work, but sadly, there are some wolves in sheep’s clothing,” noted Gerber, now

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president of Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund. “One example that we uncovered was an international relief group that includes abortions and sterilizations as part of their ‘humanitarian relief ’ efforts.�

Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund protects donors from unknowingly contributing to such organizations.

FORMING PHILANTHROPIC FAMILIES For Dr. Andrew Abela, provost of The Catholic University of America and a busy father of six, the primary benefit of Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund has been convenience.

Having a donor-advised fund has simplified, not complicated, his family’s charitable giving, he said.

Abela and his wife, Kathleen, try to give away 10% of their income each year, and the fund helps them manage their tithing. At the end of past years, they would sometimes realize they hadn’t met their annual goal for giving, and would rush to donate more before the last day of December.

When asked about the charitable giving benefits of working with Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund, Abela stated: “What I like about the donor-advised fund is we automatically send a monthly sum and can recommend grants from it at any time. It’s given a bit more order to what we do.�

Abela is a member of Padre Pio Council 10754 in Great Falls, Va., as well as a board member of Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund. He and his family focus their giving on Catholic education, religious orders and homes that support expectant mothers. “We have a couple of big charities that we like,� Abela said. “But there are others, too, and it can get complicated, sending out 20 checks in a month.�

Now, the family recommends grants at the beginning of the year, and the fund handles the disbursements. “You spend maybe a half-hour setting it up, and then it will save you tons of time,� Abela said. “It’s totally worth it.�

Beyond these practicalities, Gerber believes donor-advised funds can change the way Catholic families think about philanthropy. “The purpose of this is to create your legacy,� he said. “You’re building your own little family foundation.�

The simple act of reframing various donations as the work of a “family fund,� Gerber said, encourages discussions between parents and children about generosity, responsibility and values. “Include your family, your children in your decision process. It’s not just about making the grant today to an organization; it’s about teaching your children,� Gerber said.

Even small children: Dennis and his wife, Elise, like to ask their young daughters for input on charitable gifts. They sit with them at the kitchen table, explain the donations they are planning to recommend themselves, and discuss where the girls could send “their� money. “I want them to make their own decisions about giving and I want them to be able to say why they’re doing this,�

Gerber said.

Grand Knight Ken Stephens (left) and Past Grand Knight Dan St. Pierre of St. Francis of Assisi Council 13456 in Henderson, Nev., load donations during one of the council’s regular food drives. • Opposite page: Mike McNelley, council treasurer, was instrumental in arranging Council 13456’s new account with Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund.

As they get older, he plans to make them secondary advisors on the family donor-advised fund. And as they turn 21, he hopes to fund donor-advised accounts naming each of them as primary advisor — charitable nest eggs so they can go forth and give likewise.

For more information about Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund, please visit www.kofccharitablefund.org.♌ Disclosures: Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund is an independent, nonprofit, public charity with a donor-advised fund program. The value of a donation to a donor-advised fund will fluctuate over time and may gain or lose money, which will affect overall tax benefits generated for donors.

Information provided is educational in nature and is not intended as legal, tax, financial or other professional advice. Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund does not provide legal, tax, financial and other professional advice. You should consult professional advisors concerning the legal, tax, or financial consequences of your charitable activities. Tax information provided relates to federal tax matters only, and availability of certain federal tax deductions may depend on whether you itemize deductions.

Required New York State Disclosure: Upon request, a copy of the most recent annual report can be obtained from Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund at One Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510, or from the Office of the Attorney General Charities Bureau, 28 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10005.

Contact your state or the Charity for additional information. Registration with a state does not imply endorsement from that state.

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KNI GHTS IN ACTION

REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLES

FAITH construct two family homes, made repairs at a girls’ home operated by religious sisters and participated in Spanishlanguage Masses celebrated by the council’s chaplain, Msgr. John Barry.

FAITH & FEMININITY

Lee Ashton (right), a member of Santo Rosario Council 14449 in Indianapolis, joins his granddaughters, other parishioners and Father Bryan Eyman in making traditional Paska bread during a workshop at St. Athanasius Byzantine Catholic Church in preparation for Easter.

SPOKES TURNING

JUST FLOORED

Pope St. John XXIII Council 15968 in Spokane, Wash., assisted with a 100-mile bike ride fundraiser, which yielded $2,000 for a local seminary.

A team of seven Knights of Our Lady of LaSalette Council 8376 in Marietta, Ga., assisted the Catholic Church of St. Ann by installing flooring in one of the parish’s conference rooms. The project saved the parish $2,100.

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New Orleans were assigned to parishes in nearby Metairie. Assembly 2922 has donated more than a dozen chalices to priests in need, each engraved with the name of the recipient, the assembly and recently deceased members.

ON A MISSION

TAKE THIS CHALICE

Rev. Harry W. Tompson, S.J. Assembly 2922 in Mandeville, La., donated chalices to two recently ordained priests, Father Thien The Nguyen and Father Vincent Kien Nguyen. Both graduates of Notre Dame Seminary in

Members of Queen of Martyrs Council 4567 in Manhattan Beach, Calif., embarked on a mission trip to Cuilapa, Guatemala, in partnership with Cross Catholic Outreach, a ministry that serves the poor around the world. The group helped

Family members of San Nicolas Council 4276 in Cebu City, Visayas, climb toward the Marian shrine at Simala, Sibonga, Cebu, during a council pilgrimage.

FELLOW ALUMNI

Notre Dame Council 2901 in Baltimore hosted an appreciation dinner at St. Pius X Church for seminarians at St. Mary’s Seminary, the alma mater of Father Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. The council also awarded two $500 scholarships to seminarians in need.

St. Anne Council 10540 in Gilbert, Ariz., sponsored a Woman’s Day of Renewal at St. Anne Roman Catholic Parish. Organized to engage the women of the parish in spiritual reflection and growth, the event included talks on authentic femininity, the true meaning of marriage and trust in God in times of personal tragedy. More than 150 women attended.

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

FAMILY FAMILY THEME

O’Fallon (Mo.) Council 2269 sponsored its annual essay contest for freshmen and sophomores at St. Dominic High School. Students wrote on the topic “How Does Your Family Keep Its Catholic Faith in Action?” and the council awarded the winners cash prizes.

CATECHESIS RECESS

Santo Domingo de Guzmán Council 14383 in Yauco, Puerto Rico, treated the children enrolled in religious education programs in the Santo Domingo de Guzmán Parish to a festival featuring food, games, a bounce house and more.

Phil Malach, past grand knight of Alcoa (Tenn.)

Council 3832, presents a woman with a carnation on Mother’s Day. The council gave out 550 carnations to all the mothers present after Sunday Masses at Our Lady of Fatima Church.

Timothy Sullivan (center), deputy grand knight of St. Sebastian Council 14255 in Akron, Ohio, participates in the council’s Race Around the Park. The family-focused event included a “Family Fun Run” around Schneider Park, as well as a 5K for more experienced runners.

Proceeds benefited the Good Samaritan Hunger Center in Akron.

HOLY FAMILY PRAYERS

MOTHER’S DAY CELEBRATION

Fort William Council 1447 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, organized a prayer of consecration to the Holy Family at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. A large congregation, including members of Council 1447 and Father Baxter Assembly 870 gathered for Mass on a Saturday and participated in the consecration.

Gilmary (Pa.) Council 3868 held a Mother’s Day omelet breakfast in the Holy Apostles Parish faith formation center. Carnations and chocolate roses were also given out. Proceeds supported local food banks, educational costs for two seminarians and the council’s Coats for Kids program.

YOUTH FORMATION

FAMILY FAIR

The Rhode Island State Council has sponsored an annual “Teens R Dynamite” fundraiser for several years, raising more than $35,000.

This year’s fundraiser was held at St. Agatha’s Church in Woonsocket. The proceeds of $6,000 were split between the Rejoice in Hope Youth Center in Cranston and the Father Marot CYO Center in Woonsocket, two youth facilities operated by the Diocese of Providence.’

George V. Gentle Sr. Council 5597 in Leeds, Ala., and its associated women’s group hosted an annual Family Fun Day and Fishing Derby. Children and adults enjoyed fishing, golf, horseshoes, pirate boat and stage coach rides, a scavenger hunt, and a nature walk.

Free hot dogs and soft drinks were served, and a silent auction benefited a seminarian who is supported by the council.

THE CALL TO LOVE

St. Bernadette’s Council 10236 in Ajax, Ontario, helped sponsor and participated in a parish workshop on the theology of the body. The event, organized by a ministry that promotes St. John Paul II’s teachings on the human person, also featured a tapestry with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which was escorted into the church hall by an honor guard from Father Leo J. Austin Assembly in Whitby.

ROOFS OVER THEIR HEADS

St. Paul Council 10775 and St. Vincent Ferrer-Lawis Council 16312, both in Inabanga, Bohol, Visayas, constructed a roof to be placed on a new family home. The councils work with St. Paul the Apostle Parish to provide shelter for families in need.

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

COMMUNITY PARISH FEAST

Our Lady of the Mountains Council 7575 in North Conway, N.H., hosted a pig roast picnic to thank the parish community for their generous support of the Knights’ charitable efforts. Father Steve Lepine, council chaplain, gave a blessing before more than 300 guests enjoyed a feast and entertainment.

REELING IT IN +(/ 0!-/0#*-#.*-0,+0#$. 0)/0.0 /) %,' '#+/'+*-&0 .' -, .$$0,+(*/.!-/,0)/0 .,)$$.' 0 (-*,+ )"+ 0 ./0 -/),+0 .&0 +(/")$0

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LIBRARY DONATION

Father Coleman Council 2616 in Fairfield, Conn., donated $10,000 to the library of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School to update computer systems and bring the reference and nonfiction collections up to date.

HOSPITAL NIGHT OUT

St. Peter’s Council 2438 in Trenton, Ontario, sponsored an evening of Caribbean-inspired food and dancing, plus a 50/50 raffle draw, raising more than $280,000 to purchase CT scan technology for Trenton Memorial Hospital.

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FOOD FOR THE POOR

St. Bernadette Council 12164 in Scottsdale, Ariz., began its Food for the Poor Project when a local bakery was asked to donate bread for the council’s Lenten soup dinners. When the bakery gave far more bread than was needed for the meal, members donated the surplus to St. Vincent de

Paul’s Chris Becker Dining Room in Phoenix. The council’s program has since expanded to involve seven food donors and more than 60 volunteers, feeding some 800 people per week.

GIFTING NECESSITIES

Queen of Peace Council 6402 in Garland, Texas, collected personal items for Opportunity Center for the Homeless, an emergency shelter and resource center in El Paso. Members of Cristo Rey Council 11864 and St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr Council 10420, both in El Paso, helped deliver the goods.

Members of Light of Christ Council 8726 in Sinking Spring, Pa., help the widow of a brother Knight move into her new retirement home.

YUKON PANCAKES

Bishop Coudert Council 6232 in Whitehorse, Yukon, held its annual Sourdough Pancake Breakfast, feeding more than 1,300 people over the weekend. More than 35 Knights assisted in the pancake extravaganza, and proceeds supported the council’s charities.

Holy Family Council 9088 in Victoria, Texas, held its 16th annual fishing tournament in Port O’Conner, reeling in $73,480 for Nazareth Academy, a Catholic school for prekindergarten through 8th grade students. The event has raised more than $770,000 since it began.

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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N SERVICE AND PRAYER

St. Joseph the Worker Council 14516 in Arlington, Va., helped fund and build a prayer garden dedicated to the Child Jesus and St. Joseph, the council’s namesake, on the grounds of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Eagle Scout Joey Mazel designed and planted the garden and erected a statue of St. Joseph and Jesus for his Eagle Scout Service Project with the assistance of fellow Boy Scouts and members of the council and the community.

BREAKING BREAD

Members of La Rabida Council 1191 in Philadelphia served meals to 250 people at St. John’s Hospice homeless shelter.

Members of Rev. J.A. Cowan Council 10495 in Albemarle, N.C., load canned goods and other grocery items onto a truck for distribution to some 50 families in Stanly County and the surrounding area. Other members and family volunteers were waiting at the Family Life Center in Kernersville, ready to sort and package the goods for each family.

SKY-HIGH FISH FRY

Mike Piggott of St. Benedict Council 1018 in Shawnee, Okla., repaints a wall at Faith 7, an activity and vocational center for people with special needs. Council 1018 responded to a request from the center to assist with a major remodeling project.

The adults at the center were unable to complete the renovations on their own, so Knights stepped in to fix walls and ceilings and paint several rooms.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Council 4463 in Moorhead, Minn., supports religious education, missions, seminarians, liturgy programs, parish maintenance and St. Joseph’s Catholic School through its annual Lenten fish fry dinners. On one night, the members prepared and served 445 hot dinners and desserts in two hours’ time, raising more than $2,000 for the school.

among other projects. The council has also cooked school lunches and donated scholarships.

PHONES TO HOMES

SCHOOL SERVICE

Our Lady of the Lake Council 4917 in Grimsby, Ontario, raised more than $500 for Habitat for Humanity of Niagara through an “e-waste” collection.

Members collected discarded electronic devices such as televisions, computers and phones for a recycler who paid per metric ton.

Members of St. Paul’s Council 15132 in Jacksonville, Fla., have helped St. Paul Catholic School in Riverside maintain its nearly 100-yearold school building by painting stairwells and draining the basement of floodwater,

Msgr. Linus J. Drury Council 505 in Zanesville, Ohio, presented a variety of sporting goods, including footballs, softballs and tennis rackets, to the Avondale

A SPORTING CHANCE

Youth Center, a residential therapeutic center for young people who have been abused, neglected or abandoned. Sports are popular among the children, and additional recreation equipment was greatly needed.

A LITTLE KNIGHT MUSIC

For more than 20 years, a group of “Singing Knights” from Holy Spirit Council 9667 in Fountain Valley, Calif., has performed at local retirement homes and Fairview Developmental Center, an institution for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The Knights serenade their audiences with a repertoire of American classics, Broadway hits and seasonal tunes.

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

LIFE PARISH-AIDED PARENTING

Grand Knight Tom Costello of Father Stommel Council 4545 in Ottsville, Pa., stands with Conquest Boys Club members (from left) Josh Stanbro, Andrew Stanbro and Luke Luna.

Council 4545 donated more than $1,700 to the Conquest Boys Club, a Catholic ministry for boys in grades five through 12, to support their project of placing a pro-life billboard in the area. The billboard, located at the busiest intersection of Quakertown, will promote the life-affirming work of Crossroads Pregnancy Center.

INFANT CARE

NET PROFITS

Members of St. Mary’s Longmeadow (Mass.) Council 5406 presented baby care supplies to Bethlehem House, a pregnancy resource center in Easthampton. The funds were raised at events throughout the year, such as a spelling bee and a trivia night, which also provided $1,000 toward the purchase of new bed frames and mattresses for area children in need.

Members of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Council 10483 in Wichita, Kan., and the Wichita Independents Special Olympics team played their annual charity basketball game, hosted by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. The event raised roughly $2,000 for the Special Olympics team.

PROUD PARTICIPANTS

Father Francis Xavier Granottier Assembly 3432 in Owen Sound, Ontario, organized a flag-signing ceremony for a local Special Olympics. Selected athletes were given the opportunity to sign the Canadian Special Olympics 50th Anniversary Flag, which was later paraded into the 2019 Special Olympics Ontario Invitational Youth Games in Toronto. A Fourth Degree honor guard was present at the signing.

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FOR THOSE WHO THIRST

Bishop Flaget Council 13053 in Prospect, Ky., raised $4,000 to donate water purification systems to a town in Haiti. The council partnered with Water With Blessings, a Christian nonprofit that is working to eliminate cholera in Haiti by improving access to clean water.

Ann Arbor Hospital in Ypsilanti for children and adults with cancer. The knitters offered a prayer for the patients with every stitch.

DIAPER DELIVERY

Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima Council 7460 in Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y., donated and delivered more than 4,000 diapers to My Choice Pregnancy Center, a pregnancy resource center in New Windsor.

Members of Fairborn (Ohio) Council 3724 spent 1,200 hours renovating space in the parish hall of Mary, Help of Christians Parish for a pregnancy and parenting resource center hosted by the church. Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Cincinnati, a member of Harrison Council 2633, blessed the center at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

MEDICAL MISSION

Montgomery Council 2323 in Derwood, Md., held its annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser to support a medical mission to Haiti by parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.

More than 230 people attended the event, raising over $3,000 for prescription medications, medical supplies, a nurse’s salary and other essentials.

KNITTERS’ PRAYERS

Members of Father Stanley Bowers Council 8698 in Dundee, Mich., knitted more than 400 scarves to donate to St. Joseph Mercy

Members of St. Mark’s Council 12360 in El Paso, Texas, rally at the Southwest March for Life, peacefully advocating for a world in which every human life is valued and protected.

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

PATRIOTISM PAYING RESPECTS

Hampton Bays (N.Y.) Council 7023 opened the hall where they meet to members of the New York Police Department and other law enforcement attending the wake and funeral of NYPD Detective Brian Simonsen, who was killed in the line of duty. Over three days and nights, Knights welcomed more than 1,000 officers who had come to pay their respects, some from as far away as Canada and the West Coast. Council Chaplain Father John Wachowicz was also present to offer blessings and hear confessions.

Piedmont Council 939 in Greensboro, N.C., honors first responders at its annual appreciation dinner for emergency personnel. Engineer Andrew L. Weldon (left) of the Greensboro Fire Department; Lt. John Henderson, accepting on behalf of Jose Jasso of Guilford Sheriff’s Department; Officer Phillip A. Watson of the Greensboro Police Department; and Lt. Allen Overby of Guilford County EMS display their awards. The annual dinner dates back to 1973.

Members of St. Andrew-Father Christopher Gaynor Assembly 2115 in Cape Coral, Fla., participate in the presentation of the colors honoring fallen veterans on Memorial Day at Coral Ridge Cemetery.

CHARITY BARBECUE

Richmond (Texas) Council 7445 collected donations from Sacred Heart Catholic Church parishioners at monthly barbecues to support the military. The council collected more than $5,700, which they divided among Trees for Troops, a nonprofit organization providing Christmas trees to military families; Frontline Faith, which supplies MP3 players with Catholic content to deployed service members; and Wreaths Across America.

HONOR RIDE

Christ the King Council 14144 in Las Vegas and its associated women’s group volunteered at the 2018 Las Vegas Honor Ride, serving more than 750 cyclists at the bike ride’s first rest stop.

Council 14144 also paid the admission fee for one of its members to participate and

raised more than $800 in donations for Project Hero, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans and other first responders affected by posttraumatic stress disorder and other injuries.

STAYING CLOSE

St. Olaf Council 5502 in Bountiful, Utah, sponsors a quarterly dinner for veterans and their families at the Salt Lake City Fisher House, a nonprofit that provides military families a free place to stay while their loved ones are treated in the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. Council members also donated several hundred dollars’ worth of gift cards for the families.

FLAG DONATION

Father Gabriel Assembly 2162 in Crossville, Tenn., donated a U.S. flag to the family of Sgt. Alvin York, one of the most decorated

U.S. soldiers of World War I. York’s granddaughter, Debbie York, confirmed that the flag would be flown at his gravesite. St. Francis of Assisi Council 16088 in Fairfield Glade also attended a reenactment of the final hours of World War I at Sgt. Alvin C. York State Park in Pall Mall.

HANDLED WITH CARE

For the past 10 years, members of St. Clement of Rome Council 13604 in Des Peres, Mo., have prepared care packages for parishioners serving in the military.

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

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O N - TA RG E T R E C RU I T I N G

‘I wanted to invite others to share in this experience.’

K OF C ITEMS OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS IN THE UNITED STATES THE ENGLISH COMPANY INC.

Agnel George, a civil engineer and father of two, is grand knight of St. John Paul II Council 17190, newly chartered in Regina, Saskatchewan, and the new council development chair for the Saskatchewan State Council. During this past fraternal year, he has personally recruited nearly 50 men to join the Order.

1-800-444-5632 www.kofcsupplies.com IN CANADA ROGER SAUVÉ INC.

Official council and Fourth Degree equipment and officer robes 1-888-266-1211 www.roger-sauve.com

J O I N T H E FAT H E R MCGIVNEY GUILD

!

Please enroll me in the Father McGivney Guild: NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE/PROVINCE ZIP/POSTAL CODE Complete this coupon and mail to: The Father McGivney Guild, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 or enroll online at: www.fathermcgivney.org

OFFICIAL JUNE 1, 2019: 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 371492, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7492, 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 06507-0901. REJECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IF ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE. PURCHASED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED. OPINIONS BY WRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. SUBSCRIPTION RATES — IN THE U.S.: 1 YEAR, $6; 2 YEARS, $11; 3 YEARS, $15. FOR OTHER COUNTRIES ADD $2 PER YEAR. EXCEPT FOR CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS, PAYMENT IN U.S. CURRENCY ONLY. SEND ORDERS AND CHECKS TO: ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869/USPS #123-740) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326. PHONE: 203-752-4000, www.kofc.org. PRODUCED IN USA. COPYRIGHT © 2015 BY KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NEW HAVEN, CT AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO COLUMBIA, MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

CANADIAN POSTMASTER — PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 1473549. RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 50 MACINTOSH BOULEVARD, CONCORD, ONTARIO L4K 4P3 PHILIPPINES — FOR PHILIPPINES SECOND-CLASS MAIL AT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE. SEND RETURN COPIES TO KCFAPI, FRATERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1511, MANILA.

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I come from a traditional Catholic family from South India, and after working for a number of years in Dubai, I moved to Canada with my wife and first daughter in 2005. A few years later, I joined the Order after seeing Knights giving their precious time selflessly to others.

Becoming a Knight is one of the greatest things that has happened in my life.

LIFE IS SHORT, ACT NOW There needs to be a sense of urgency. We have to become the best version of ourselves in this beautiful but brief life God has given us. Three years ago, I had bypass surgery. If not for God’s mercy, my life would have simply gone away.

Life is very short, and we need to understand the importance of our purpose here on earth. We cannot be mute spectators — we need to act. And the Knights have been a great proven way to do that for more than 100 years.

AGENTS OF CHANGE Once I experienced the principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism in my life, I wanted to invite others to share in this experience as well.

We need to tell other men what we have achieved after joining the fraternity. We need to share the

Agnel George, 52, grand knight of St. John Paul II Council 17190 in Regina, Saskatchewan, is pictured at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Regina. fruits of our faith in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the prisoners and visiting the sick.

Knights can be the agents of change to bring love, mercy and holiness in our parishes, communities and the whole world.

CAN YOU NOT GIVE ONE HOUR? The biggest challenge to attracting members is that most of the young men say they have no time because of work and family.

But I ask men to commit to just one hour in 365 days. They pause and agree to think it over.

When I follow up with them, they usually agree to join.

In my experience, the most effective way to attract new members is to talk one-on-one, to be in constant touch with prospects and to keep praying to the Holy Spirit for guidance.♦

Official council and Fourth Degree equipment

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K N I G H T S O F C O LU M BU S

Knights of Charity 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.

Knights stand outside of Christ the King Shrine atop Cubilete Hill in Guanajuato, Mexico. More than 1,000 Knights and their families from the five Mexican jurisdictions, among them three state deputies, participated in the eighth annual K of C pilgrimage to the shrine, which is located in the geographical center of the country. The shrine features a 60foot-tall bronze statue of Christ and was rebuilt in 1944 with financial support from the Order. A chapel at the foot of the hill houses relics of three of the Knights of Columbus martyrs who were killed nearby in 1927.

TO BE FEATURED HERE , SEND YOUR COUNCIL’ S “K NIGHTS IN A CTION ” PHOTO AS WELL AS ITS DESCRIPTION TO : C OLUMBIA , 1 C OLUMBUS P LAZA , N EW H AVEN , CT 06510-3326 OR EMAIL : KNIGHTSINACTION @ KOFC . ORG .

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

K E E P T H E FA I T H A L I V E

‘I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A PRIEST.’ The family is the domestic church, a concrete place to encounter our Lord, and this has been my experience. I grew up in sort of a Catholic paradise, a rural farming community, where the faith was at the center of our lives. I think even the cows were Catholic in my hometown of Cottonwood, Idaho.

Children are often asked what they want to be when they grow up, and I always wanted to be a priest. I couldn’t give a clear reason why, other than that God desired it.

I’d also had good experiences with priests and religious sisters, some of whom were in my extended family.

Since my ordination in June 2018, I have found graces in the families of my parish community; they entrust me with their joys and difficulties and find strength and healing in God’s mercy. I know that I, too, must constantly deepen my relationship with the Lord, so that I, a little son of the Father, may become a more loving father to all of God’s children.

FATHER JOSEPH V. LUSTIG Diocese of Boise Twin Falls (Idaho) Council 1416