Columbia June 2022

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JUNE 2022

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CONTENTS

Columbia JUNE 2022

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VOLUME 102

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NUMBER 5

Departments 3 For the greater glory of God Love of God and neighbor conquers fear and leads us to live sacrificially.

By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly

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Learning the faith, living the faith Blessed Michael McGivney’s life and example inspire men in priestly formation and those ministering amid today’s challenges.

By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

PLUS: Catholic Man of the Month

6 Knights of Columbus News Council Chartered at Father McGivney’s Alma Mater • JPII Institute Graduates Called to Evangelize here • Knights March for Life in Philippines, Canada • Supreme Knight Honored for Patriotic Service • Canadian Bishops’ Conference Officials Visit Supreme Council 25 Film director John Ford (left) speaks with actor Tim Holt during the filming of the classic Western Stagecoach (1939). Ford, who joined the Knights in 1916, is one of the most acclaimed directors in history (see page 20).

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Source and Summit

The National Eucharistic Revival launches this month with support from the Knights of Columbus.

TOP: Masheter Movie Archive/Alamy — ON THE COVER: Photo by Jacob Bentzinger/Unsplash

• On Fire with Eucharistic Love Interview with Bishop Andrew Cozzens • Knights of the Eucharist By Peter Jesserer Smith

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Fathers for Good My wife’s stroke brought home to me our “one-flesh” union — and the union between Christ and the Church.

By Tom Hoopes

26 Knights in Action Reports from councils and assemblies, representing the four pillars of the Faith in Action program model ON THE COVER

A priest raises the Blessed Sacrament in benediction.

Separated by War, United by Prayer

A Knight and his wife reflect on their experiences from different sides of the Ukrainian border.

By Petro and Oksana Galuga

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Flesh and Blood Cinema

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.

By Anthony Esolen

Copyright © 2022 All rights reserved

‘Mercy Into Action’

Cardinal Timothy Dolan visits Mercy Centers and commends the Order’s refugee efforts in partnership with CNEWA.

Film director John Ford explored man’s most fundamental desires for truth, goodness, beauty and love.

kofc.org/join

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EDITORIAL

Sacrament of Charity J.R.R. TOLKIEN (1892-1973), best known as the author of The Hobbit and the epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings, is not your ordinary fantasy novelist. In addition to his extraordinary storytelling ability and his wealth of knowledge, Tolkien was a devoted Catholic whose writing is imbued with a thoroughly Christian ethos. Indeed, he once affirmed, “The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.”

Tolkien’s faith is eloquently expressed in several of his letters, including a letter he wrote to his second son, Michael, in March 1941. Michael, a 20-year-old veteran of the Battle of Britain, was convalescing in a hospital after an injury during a training exercise, and most of the roughly 3,000-word letter shares insights about the vocation of marriage and relationship between the sexes in a fallen world. Tolkien cautioned, for example, against “exaggerated notions of ‘true love,’ as a fire from without, a permanent exaltation, unrelated to age, childbearing, and plain life, and unrelated to will and purpose.”

Tolkien then reflects on his own marriage and the practical mistakes and challenges of his past, before concluding with these powerful words: “Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament. … There you will find romance, glory, honour, fidelity, and the true way of all your loves upon earth, and more than that: Death: by the divine paradox, that which ends life, and demands the surrender

of all, and yet by the taste (or foretaste) of which alone can what you seek in your earthly relationships (love, faithfulness, joy) be maintained, or take on that complexion of reality, of eternal endurance, which every man’s heart desires.”

A daily communicant for most of his life, Tolkien conveys a profound understanding of, and devotion to, the holy Eucharist. We know by faith that the Eucharist is the real, true and substantial presence of Jesus Christ — body, blood, soul and divinity — and that it “makes present the one sacrifice of Christ the Savior” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1330). Yet, how often do we take for granted the extraordinary gift of the Blessed Sacrament? How often do we fail to allow the grace of the Eucharist to transform our lives and teach us what “true love” looks like?

This month, the Church in the United States will begin a three-year initiative, a National Eucharistic Revival, to help the faithful better appreciate and live out our eucharistic faith (see page 8). The Supreme Council has been working closely with the U.S. bishops in preparation, and K of C councils nationwide will play an integral role. As Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly noted in his annual report last August, “Christ in the Eucharist is the source of true charity. Christ in the Eucharist is the author of true unity. Christ in the Eucharist is the builder of perfect fraternity. … The more we devote ourselves to the Eucharist, the more we will understand what it means to be a Knight.” B Alton J. Pelowski, Editor

The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church The U.S. Catholic bishops have published a document titled The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church to encourage a renewal of eucharistic faith and practice in parish communities. The document clearly presents Church teaching and offers reflections on the great gift of Christ’s real presence in the Blessed Sacrament and on the response of the faithful to this gift. Visit eucharisticrevival.org to download, or order the 49-page booklet at usscb.org/eucharist.

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Columbia PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus SUPREME OFFICERS Patrick E. Kelly Supreme Knight Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. Supreme Chaplain Paul G. O’Sullivan Deputy Supreme Knight Patrick T. Mason Supreme Secretary Ronald F. Schwarz Supreme Treasurer John A. Marrella Supreme Advocate EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski Editor Andrew J. Matt Managing Editor Cecilia Hadley Senior Editor Elisha Valladares-Cormier Associate Editor

Blessed Michael McGivney (1852-90) – Apostle to the Young, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us. HOW TO REACH US COLUMBIA 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 columbia@kofc.org kofc.org/columbia Address changes 203-752-4210, option #3 addresschange@kofc.org Columbia inquiries 203-752-4398 K of C Customer Service 1-800-380-9995

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F O R T H E G R E AT E R G LO R Y O F G O D

Knighthood Takes Courage Love of God and neighbor conquers fear and leads us to live sacrificially

By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly

Photo by Laura Barisonzi

THE IDEA OF the “knight in shining armor”

is attractive. What young man has not at some time in his life been captivated by armor, sword and shield? But the essence of knighthood is not a matter of tools and external trappings; it is a matter of the heart — a heart that is brave in the face of hardship, danger and even death. Knighthood takes endurance and a willingness to give sacrificially.

Knighthood takes courage.

Since I was installed as supreme knight last year, I have spoken frequently about our call to creative courage. In recent days, I have witnessed countless examples of it.

Perhaps most poignantly, I was struck by the courage of the Ukrainian people and especially Ukrainian Knights of Columbus, who continue to serve tirelessly, despite dire threats and mounting hardships.

I have been struck by the courage of those who continue to proclaim the truth about life, even in the face of hatred, condemnation and the threat of violence.

And I have been increasingly moved by the courage of men and women of deep faith who, despite a strong cultural current running against them, lovingly witness to their Catholic faith to family members, neighbors and friends.

There is a great deal of courage going around, and there can be no doubt that the world is better for it.

Courage, or fortitude, is that virtue which allows us to the do the right thing even in the face of fear. Without it, men fail to act when there is danger. Or, they jump rashly into serious danger because they fail to fear the right things — another kind of foolishness.

Courage, rightly lived, properly assesses danger — but leads us to act anyway. It requires endurance and discipline, but most of all it requires love, because it is our love for something — or for someone — that makes us willing to endure hardship, and even death.

It was love, not fear or duty or a desire for honor, that led our Lord to take up his Cross.

This love freed us from the bondage to sin, the tyranny of evil and the futility of death.

Consider, then, what love we should have in return. The one who gave everything to rescue us and everyone we love deserves all our love in return. It is our love of Christ, to whom we owe all our hope and joy, that gives us courage. If we would be courageous, we must love.

There are many ways we can love our Lord, but we can love him directly in special way by fostering love for the Eucharist.

For that reason, I return again to another theme of my service as supreme knight: our call to be “Knights of the Eucharist.”

Our Lord tells the disciples, “Be not afraid.”

Not because there aren’t real things to fear, but because “perfect love drives out fear” (1 Jn 4:18). And in the Eucharist we are fed with and drawn into his life and love; in the Eucharist we are empowered to love as he loved.

This month, bishops in the United States are launching a National Eucharistic Revival for all the faithful. And we Knights in the United States are being called to support and promote the movement with courage and zeal. But no matter where we are, Knights of Columbus should promote belief in Christ’s presence in the Eucharist in themselves, their families and others. It is not only “right and just” to do so, as we say at the Mass, but this faith is an endless source of the courage to which we aspire as Knights.

Being a Knight of the Eucharist requires endurance in the face of fear and a confidence built on love for that which is greater — and, particularly, for he who is greater. In serving our neighbors and the living body of Christ — and in strengthening faith in our Lord’s eucharistic presence — we seek to serve God above all else.

Vivat Jesus!

‘Our Lord tells the disciples, “Be not afraid.” Not because there aren’t real things to fear, but because “perfect love drives out fear” (1 Jn 4:18).

And in the Eucharist we are fed with and drawn into his life and love; in the Eucharist we are empowered to love as he loved.’

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LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

Model Seminarian and Priest Blessed Michael McGivney’s life and example inspire men in priestly formation and those ministering amid today’s challenges

By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

THE CHARTERING of a new Knights of Co-

lumbus council is always a cause for rejoicing.

It means that the Order is growing, and that good Catholic men are taking their faith seriously and exercising leadership. It means that more Catholic men and their families will have the opportunity to live their faith in the spirit of Blessed Michael McGivney.

Recently, an extraordinary new Knights of Columbus council was chartered at the nation’s oldest seminary, St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. This is where Michael McGivney completed his priestly formation for the thenDiocese of Hartford in 1877. The new council is named after our Founder and was formed with the support of the seminary rector and the leadership of the seminarians themselves, representing dioceses around the United States.

At the conclusion of Solemn Vespers in honor of Blessed Michael, our worthy supreme knight presented the charter. That evening, various speakers discussed Father McGivney’s path to the priesthood. It was not an easy path — interrupted, as it was, by the premature death of his father and his family’s financial needs. Nonetheless, this intrepid seminarian from Connecticut persevered. A capable student, he was well liked by his fellow seminarians, enjoyed playing baseball and served as head sacristan.

While he showed signs of leadership, no one foresaw what a great parish priest McGivney would become and what vision and creativity he would demonstrate in founding the Knights of Columbus. Nor did Archbishop (later Cardinal) James Gibbons of Baltimore imagine that he was ordaining a priest who someday would be on the path to sainthood.

But Blessed Michael overcame many challenges on his way to the priesthood, and he grew in holiness through the ordinary duties of a priest — in his daily life of prayer, in celebrating the Mass and the sacraments, and in generously ministering to the needs of his people. In

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fulfilling these duties with extraordinary love and generosity, Blessed Michael is an accessible model for those who aspire to be priests and for those of us who are already ordained.

Father McGivney is also an attractive model for seminarians and priests because of the challenges he encountered in his ministry. As soon as he was ordained, he found himself the de facto leader of St. Mary’s Parish in New Haven. He was thrust into heavy responsibilities, just as many newly ordained priests are today.

Father McGivney also served at a time when the Catholic Church was under attack, but he did not let that discourage him. He knew his parishioners and their needs, and he labored selflessly and joyfully on their behalf. He created a parish with activities for parishioners of all ages. He went out of his way for the poor, the widow, the orphan and the outcast. He also had great respect for the laypeople to whom he ministered and for their God-given gifts.

Blessed Michael founded the Knights of Columbus as an extension of his priestly ministry.

He saw that the men of his parish needed a way to strengthen their faith, to be supported by fellow Catholic men in living their faith, and to provide for their families in the event of their death. Thus was born the world’s largest Catholic fraternal order!

By joining Blessed Michael McGivney Council 17759, seminarians at his alma mater will be drawn to Father McGivney’s witness and see more clearly how the Knights of Columbus carries forward his mission of charity, unity and fraternity. They will also be equipped to serve as chaplains of the Order when, God willing, they are ordained and assigned to parishes.

I am grateful that the seminarians at St. Mary’s in Baltimore are engaging in an excellent program of priestly formation. May the prayers and example of Father McGivney help them to become the priests that our Church truly needs. B

‘In fulfilling these duties with extraordinary love and generosity, Blessed Michael is an accessible model for those who aspire to be priests and for those of us who are already ordained.’

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Supreme Chaplain’s Challenge

Catholic Man of the Month

A monthly reflection and practical challenge from Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

AUGUSTE Pelafigue had no children, but he was an uncle to many — and not only his many relatives. Known as “Nonco,” a nickname derived from the Cajun French word for uncle, the longtime teacher catechized generations of children, sharing with them and others his deep faith and love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Nonco was born in Beaucens, France, in 1888, the fourth of five children.

When he was still an infant, his family emigrated to southern Louisiana, where he grew up in Arnaudville, a small Cajun community. At age 20, while training to be teacher in Natchitoches, La., he joined the Apostleship of Prayer, dedicated to the pope’s prayer intentions and devotion to the Sacred Heart. He brought this mission to Arnaudville when he returned to teach, first in area public schools and later in the town’s Catholic school.

On weekends, Nonco set out from his tiny cabin to tramp for miles, visiting neighbors to promote the League of the Sacred Heart, encourage their prayer and deliver the pope’s monthly intentions.

He always turned down rides, preferring

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (Gospel for June 5, Jn 14:15)

FROM TOP: Photo courtesy of the Nonco Foundation — ­ Photo by Nancy Wiechec — CNS photo/Guglielmo Mangiapane, Reuters

Scripture makes it clear that actions speak louder than words.

If we truly love Christ, we will act accordingly, living according to his commandments and the moral teachings of his Church. And we will do so remembering his commandment that we “love one another as I love you” (Jn 15:12). My brothers, let us recall that Jesus shows a particular love and care for the poor, the sick and the less fortunate in society, and resolve to do likewise with our actions as a sign of our love for him.

Auguste ‘Nonco’ Pelafigue (1888-1977)

Liturgical Calendar June 1 June 3 June 5 June 6

Challenge: This month, I challenge you to show your love for Christ by serving the poor and needy in a concrete, tangible way. Second, I challenge you to keep the commandment to love one another by participating in the Faith in Action Global Wheelchair Mission program, Habitat for Humanity program or Helping Hands program.

St. Justin, Martyr St. Charles Lwanga & Companions Pentecost Sunday The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church June 11 St. Barnabas, Apostle June 12 The Most Holy Trinity June 13 St. Anthony of Padua June 16/19 The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) June 21 St. Aloysius Gonzaga June 23 The Nativity of St. John the Baptist June 24 The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus June 25 The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary June 28 St. Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr June 29 Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles

to offer his walk for the souls in purgatory. Though shy and self-effacing, Nonco was an effective door-to-door missionary who enrolled more than 1,000 people in the League.

In 1953, Pope Pius XII awarded Nonco with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal in recognition of his service to the Church. In nominating him, his pastor at St. John Regis Parish had written, “He goes out on foot to visit the fallen away … he teaches catechism … he organizes religious programs for the encouragement of the weak and the edification of the strong.”

Auguste “Nonco” Pelafigue died at age 89 on June 6, 1977. His cause for canonization was opened by the Diocese of Lafayette in 2020. B

Holy Father’s Monthly Prayer Intention

We pray for Christian families around the world; may they embody and experience unconditional love and advance in holiness in their daily lives.

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS

Council Chartered at Father McGivney’s Alma Mater

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly and Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori are joined April 26 by Maryland State Deputy Vince Grauso and members of the newly chartered Blessed Michael McGivney Council 17759 at St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore.

A NEW KNIGHTS of Columbus council has been chartered at St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, where Blessed Michael McGivney completed his studies for the priesthood 145 years ago. Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly presented the charter during Solemn Vespers at the seminary April 26. Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore presided over the liturgy, also attended

by Sulpician Father Phillip Brown, president-rector of St. Mary’s and the council’s chaplain, and Maryland State Deputy Vince Grauso.

“Father McGivney was extraordinary in his ordinariness. But was heroic in performing his priestly duties,” said Supreme Knight Kelly, encouraging the new members of Blessed Michael McGivney Council 17759 to look to Father McGivney as a model. “Father McGivney saw the great need of his parishioners. He prayed, he discerned and he worked

— and he came up with a solution … a Catholic fraternal organization in service to the family.”

Archbishop Lori, in his homily, urged the seminarian Knights to seek Father McGivney’s intercession, noting, “It’s not every seminary in the United States that can count among its alumni a parish priest on his way to canonization.”

Father McGivney attended St. Mary’s Seminary, the oldest Catholic seminary in the United States, for four years, before his ordination in 1877 by Archbishop (later Cardinal) James Gibbons. The seminary has since moved 5 miles north from the site where it was founded in 1791.

Father McGivney remains close to the seminarians at St. Mary’s, said Michael Schultz, a seminarian from the Archdiocese of Louisville and grand knight of the new council. “He shared the same struggles we share,” he said. “He understands our daily life as our brother, urging us on with our prayers.” B

SUPREME KNIGHT Patrick Kelly deliv-

ered remarks after a graduation Mass for the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C., on May 10. “We must look deeply into God’s vision for marriage and family life,” he said, “and apply that vision to address the specific challenges and errors of our time.”

Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore was the

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principal celebrant of the Mass, which took place at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine.

The North American campus of the John Paul II Institute has received assistance from the Supreme Council and has conferred more than 600 graduate-level degrees in theology since it was established in 1988. Since 2008, its home has been McGivney Hall at The Catholic University of America. B

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly congratulates Izabela Paraga, a 2022 John Paul II Institute graduate and recipient of the Susan M. Shaughnessy Award.

FROM TOP: Photo by Matthew Barrick — Photo by Steve Dalgetty

JPII Institute Graduates Called to Evangelize

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Knights March for Life in Philippines, Canada

Supreme Knight Honored for Patriotic Service

ON APRIL 18, Supreme Knight Patrick

TOP LEFT: Photo by Jack Feliciano — TOP RIGHT: Photo by Mary Schwarz — MIDDLE LEFT: Photo by Jake Wright — BOTTOM: Photo by Mark Nofsinger

AFTER TWO missed years due to

the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipino Knights and their families gathered March 26 for the Quezon City March for Life. The event was the culmination of a monthlong pro-life initiative of prayer and advocacy.

Likewise, thousands gathered May 12 for the National March for Life in Ottawa, Canada. The Supreme Council and Ontario State Council were among the sponsors and also promoted a Novena for the Cause of Life in Canada that took place May 5-13.

The theme of this year’s event was “I AM,” highlighting that the unborn are human persons with an inalienable right to life.

Ontario State Deputy Marcel Lemmen (right) spoke at the rally on Parliament Hill; Fourth Degree members served as marshals; and

K of C leaders including Supreme Directors Arthur Peters and Daniel Duchesne were among those leading the march. B

Kelly received the Lantern Award, presented annually by the Massachusetts State Council to honor individuals who reflect the religious and patriotic ideals of the Founding Fathers. Accepting the award at the 120th annual Patriots’ Day Dinner in Framingham, Mass., the supreme knight told attendees that he believes it recognizes not just him, but all members of the Knights of Columbus.

“They come from across the United States and many other countries, yet whichever nation he calls home, a brother Knight is a patriot,” Supreme Knight Kelly said. “He serves his homeland; he preserves life and liberty; and he proclaims the truth.”

The Lantern Award, first given in 1957, is named for the lanterns placed in Boston’s Old North Church on April 18, 1775, as a signal of the British army’s movements on the eve of the Revolutionary War. B

Canadian Bishops’ Conference Officials Visit Supreme Council Bishop Raymond Poisson of Saint-Jérôme and Mont-Laurier in Québec (center), the newly elected president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the new general secretary, Father Jean Vézina, a priest of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, visit the Supreme Council headquarters May 2. They met with Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly to discuss the conference’s priorities and areas of collaboration, including the bishops’ Office for Family and Life, and Pope Francis’s visit to Canada in July.

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Source and

Summit The National Eucharistic Revival launches this month with support from the Knights of Columbus

Photo by Josh Applegate/Unsplash

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he solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ — Corpus Christi — is always an important day in the Church, but it has special significance this year.

The feast, celebrated June 19 in the United States, marks the beginning of a multiyear initiative by the U.S. bishops to renew the Church by inviting the faithful into a living relationship with Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

The National Eucharistic Revival, as the initiative is called, will include diocesan and parish-based formation and, following a National Eucharistic Congress to be held July 2024 in Indianapolis, will culminate in a “Year of Going Out on Mission.”

“Our hope for this Eucharistic Revival is to affect the Church at every level,” explained Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minn. Bishop Cozzens is leading the effort as chairman of the bishops’ committee on evangelization and catechesis (see page 10).

In his annual report at the 139th Supreme Convention in August 2021, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly announced that the Knights of Columbus would be a major sponsor of the revival. He also called on members of the Order to be ready to assist their bishops and pastors as true “Knights of the Eucharist” (see page 13).

“The Church teaches us that the Eucharist is the ‘source and summit of the Christian life.’ It is just as much the source and summit in the life of a Knight,” the supreme knight said. “Working with our bishops and priests, we will strive to renew belief in the Eucharist and build up the Church. We are a force for unity, and we will prove it by pointing to the source of unity.”

Read on to learn more about the bishops’ plan for the revival, how the Order is helping, and what Knights are already doing to foster devotion to the holy Eucharist. B

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On Fire with Eucharistic Love An interview with Bishop Andrew Cozzens about the National Eucharistic Revival

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ishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minn., has been overseeing a plan to ignite and strengthen eucharistic faith across the United States since 2019, when he was elected to lead the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ committee on evangelization and catechesis. His predecessor, Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron of Los Angeles, first proposed a multiyear national eucharistic revival; in collaboration with many groups within the Church, including the Knights of Columbus, Bishop Cozzens has been working to make it a reality. A member of the Order since 1987, Bishop Cozzens spoke with Columbia about the revival, which launches June 19, the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi).

many as 70% of Catholics do not believe, or at least don’t understand, the Church’s teaching on Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist. This was a disturbing fact that caused the bishops to think, “Wow, what are we doing to deal with this crisis?” Of course, we already knew the crisis was happening, because we had been watching for many years the struggle of disaffiliation. And then you add the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a certain percentage of people no longer going to Mass.

But there are also many positive reasons for this revival.

The Church has always recognized that at different moments we need to remind ourselves what an incredible gift the Eucharist is. More than a century ago, the Church started having International Eucharistic Congresses — opportunities for Catholics to come together to reverence the Eucharist, to come to a deeper understanding, and to proclaim to the world our belief in Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist. So it’s also an opportunity for witness and to have a moment of unity. This is part of the mission that Jesus gave the Church when he prayed that we “may all be one” ( Jn 17:21). And it’s the Eucharist that makes us one.

COLUMBIA: Please tell us a little about the National Eu-

charistic Revival and its purpose. Why this focus on the Eucharist now?

BISHOP ANDREW COZZENS: The Eucharistic Revival is a three-year program designed to help renew the Church in the United States by inviting Catholics into a living relationship with Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. We want to see a movement of Catholics across this country who are healed, converted, formed and set on fire to bring the eucharistic love of our Lord out to the world.

There are a lot of reasons why we’re doing it right now.

The first reason, on the negative side, is the now-famous Pew Study that came out in September 2019 saying that as 10

Diocesan Year, the Parish Year, the National Eucharistic Congress, and the Year of Going Out on Mission. Could you walk us through these phases?

BISHOP COZZENS: Yes, the Diocesan Year begins June 19, on the feast of Corpus Christi, with eucharistic processions around the country. During this year, we will focus on diocesan leaders and people who already understand the Church’s teaching on the Eucharist. We want to turn them into eucharistic missionaries, inviting them to re-enliven their faith and come to a deeper understanding of the Eucharist through events and free online courses.

They will thus be equipped for the second year — the Parish Year. This is where we want to reach deepest into the Church, for our studies show that many sitting in the pews, even every Sunday, don’t fully understand the gift of the Eucharist. Our goal is to reach those people. And that’s what a revival is, right? It’s enlivening those who might be lukewarm, those who are not fully on fire yet with this love.

That year will culminate in the National Eucharistic Congress, July 17-21, 2024. We’re going to invite Catholics from all over the country to Indianapolis to come together around the Eucharist. We really hope this will be a moment that spiritually impacts the whole country, and that many people

CNS photo/Dave Hrbacek, The Catholic Spirit

COLUMBIA: The revival has several phases: the launch, the

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Above: Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon, leads a Holy Hour at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Jan. 29. All parishes in Oregon were encouraged to hold a Holy Hour on or near that day, and K of C councils throughout the state assisted with the initiative. • Opposite page: Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minn., elevates the Eucharist during his installation Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Crookston on Dec. 6, 2021.

from different walks of life, families, certainly the Knights of Columbus, will come together for this large event.

And then that will begin what we hope is a real missionary conversion in the third year. Part of the goal of this National Eucharistic Revival is to help the Church make that conversion from maintenance to mission. That is, empowering people to reach out beyond the borders of the parish and to knock on doors or invite neighbors to come experience Jesus in the Eucharist and his love for them in the Mass.

Photo by Spirit Juice Studios

COLUMBIA: Last November, the U.S. bishops published a

document titled “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church.” Can you describe this document and what people can learn from it?

BISHOP COZZENS: The bishops designed this document to be a kind of launching pad for the National Eucharistic Revival. It attempts to paint a picture of the gift and mystery of the Eucharist, which is a complex gift, like a diamond.

When you take that diamond and look at it from different sides, you can see different aspects of the beauty of this gift.

That’s what the document does: It talks about the different aspects of the gift, such as the sacrificial nature of the Mass, what it means to live a eucharistic life, and the demands that receiving Communion makes upon me as a Christian. It also talks about how the Eucharist teaches you to make your life a gift of service, and how your life is meant be a life of praise.

This is what we mean when we say the Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324).

The document puts all of this beautifully and in a quite readable way. It’s very accessible, so anyone can and should read it.

We’re also building courses and videos and talks off it to help people understand these different aspects of the Eucharist.

COLUMBIA: Is there a link between loving God in the

Eucharist, which is a devotional act, and the Church’s acts of mercy for those in need?

BISHOP COZZENS: Absolutely — this is so important.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta made this truth most poignant with her whole life. She said, “If you don’t love Jesus in the Eucharist, you won’t love him in the poor. And if you don’t JUNE 2022 B C O L U M B I A

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love him in the poor, you won’t love him in the Eucharist.”

For her, it was all connected with what Jesus said in Matthew 25: “Whatever you do to the least, you do to me.”

It’s just a natural thing that as we come to love Jesus in the Eucharist, we then want to love him in those who most need him. Whether that’s the woman in a crisis pregnancy or the homeless person on the street, we want to meet Jesus there.

This is one of the reasons I’ve always loved the Knights of Columbus, because they really do understand that our faith has to be put into action in service of those in need.

Members of Fray Marcos Council 1783 in Gallup, N.M., accompany Bishop James Wall as he processes with the Eucharist outside Sacred Heart Cathedral in September 2021.

COLUMBIA: How did you come to join the Order? What

effect has it had on you personally and on your ministry as a priest and bishop?

BISHOP COZZENS: I joined the Knights of Columbus during my freshman year in college. We had a very active council at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan. I found it was a place for me to actually live my faith. These were some of the best guys on campus and we had wonderful projects, some of them very involved with the pro-life movement.

In my experience as a parish priest, the Knights were always the heart and soul of the parish; they were such a great help to make the life of the parish happen. I could always count on them. And besides that, they were a lot of fun.

We did great things together, everything from eucharistic processions to service projects to pancake breakfasts. All of that, for me, was a great experience of what the Church is supposed to be.

COLUMBIA: Eucharistic processions are going to be a ma-

jor part of the revival, and they’re something the Knights is going to be strongly supporting. Why are eucharistic processions central to this effort?

BISHOP COZZENS: I’m so grateful that the Knights have gotten behind this whole movement of eucharistic processions.

Jesus said, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself ” ( Jn 12:32). The Church says that it is fitting on the solemnity of Corpus Christi that we lift up Jesus in the Eucharist and process him around. It’s a way of showing the world what we believe about Jesus in the Eucharist.

I think this is a profound way to affect culture. When it happens, people think, “Wait a minute, what are those Catholics doing over there? They’re singing hymns of praise to God in the presence of what looks like a piece of bread?” It might seem crazy, but because we know Jesus’ word — “This is my body” — we know it’s true. And so we’re proclaiming the truth in a beautiful and joyful way.

We would host processions of the Blessed Sacrament every year when I was at seminary, and of course, the Fourth Degree Knights would always show up in full force. We would go across campus, and the college students would be astounded. They didn’t know what to make of it. That intrigue itself was so powerful. And the city police loved stopping traffic for us in our procession. They would talk about how it was their favorite event to work.

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“We want to see a movement of Catholics across this country who are healed, converted, formed and set on fire to bring the eucharistic love of our Lord out to the world.”

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Resources for Renewal TO VIEW VARIOUS resources produced by the Knights of Columbus to help councils, families and others deepen their love and understanding of the Blessed Sacrament, visit kofc.org/eucharist.

TOP: Photo by Spirit Juice Studios — RIGHT: CNS photo/Bob Roller

COLUMBIA: Would you like to share

any final words with your brother Knights and their families?

BISHOP COZZENS: I would just repeat the words of Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly, who said we’re called to be Knights of the Eucharist, which is the greatest gift that God has given to his Church. As Knights, we’re called to treasure that gift, to protect that gift, to reverence it and share it.

I do believe that this is a moment where the Holy Spirit is really working in the Church. And I’ve been so grateful because since we began, the Knights of Columbus has been such a

key partner for us. If the Knights get behind something, it happens, that’s my experience.

I’ve said from the very beginning that we’re not starting a program, but a fire. And we want to engage people’s creativity at every level of the Church.

And so we’re looking for people, including Knights of Columbus, to creatively think about how they might be involved. And I hope that each of you will consider becoming a eucharistic missionary, to help many people come to understand the gift that Jesus gives us in the Eucharist and strengthen our Church for the future. B

• The Eucharist: Source of Our Healing and Hope (available in English and Spanish) — This inspirational and catechetical video about the gift of Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist features interviews with Catholic speakers and profiles of Catholics with a deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

• Eucharistic Procession Training Video and Guide (available in English and Spanish) — With explanations of liturgical items and best practices, these resources will help your parish organize a eucharistic procession. Handouts and promotional posters are also available through the Faith in Action Holy Hour Program resources.

• The Mass Explained — A collection of short videos explains the significance of the different parts of the Mass and the sacred objects and vestments used during its celebration.

• Catholic Information Service booklets — Learn more about what the Church teaches about the Eucharist and its centrality in the Christian life.

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Knights of the Eucharist K of C councils lead parish efforts to foster deeper faith in and devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament

By Peter Jesserer Smith

A

Later the same night in Bucyrus, Kan., James Brown, a member of Holy Rosary of Wea Council 12546, entered the perpetual adoration chapel of Queen of the Holy Rosary Church. It was time for his weekly Holy Hour.

Brown is just one of scores of Knights from Council 12546 and Immaculate Conception Council 12437 who pray in the chapel regularly, some of them taking hard-to-fill early morning slots.

From coast to coast and in jurisdictions around the world, Knights of Columbus play a role in strengthening eucharistic faith in their parishes: regularly participating in Mass, organizing Holy Hours, leading eucharistic processions, and adding reverence to special liturgies as part of Fourth Degree honor guards.

Photo by Ryan Nicholson

s evening Mass ended at Incarnation Catholic Church in Orlando, Fla., on May 6, several Knights set up a table filled with candles at the front of church. It was time for the parish’s monthly “Candlelight Adoration,” held every First Friday with help from St. Thomas à Becket Council 16236. One by one, parishioners came forward to light a candle and kneel in prayer before Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, exposed in the monstrance upon the altar.

“From the early days of the council, Candlelight Adoration has brought the parish together and furthered devotion to our Lord in the Eucharist,” Past Grand Knight Michael Coleman explained. “Brother Knights, families, children go before the Lord and offer their adoration, contrition, thanksgiving and supplications.”

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Photo by Chris Casler

Now, with the launch of the three-year National Eucharistic Revival this month, all members are urged to deepen their devotion to Jesus Christ in the holy Eucharist through prayer, faithful attendance at Mass and adoration. The Supreme Council has also developed eucharistic procession training materials in consultation with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (see page 13), and the supreme knight has asked Knights to “stand ready” to help their bishops and pastors with revival efforts.

“On the day I was installed, I spoke of our calling to be Knights of the Eucharist,” Supreme Knight Kelly said. “The more we devote ourselves to the Eucharist, the more we will understand what it means to be a Knight — to live a life of service and sacrifice for others and to live a life of true unity, centered on the ‘source and summit’ of the Christian life.”

The Knights of Columbus has a long history of supporting efforts to promote eucharistic devotion among the Catholic faithful. Two thousand Canadian Knights were in attendance at the first International Eucharistic Congress in the Western Hemisphere, held in Montreal in 1910. Large K of C delegations later took part in the 1926 IEC in Chicago and the 1976 IEC in Philadelphia, while thousands of Knights participated in the 2004 IEC in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the 2016 IEC in Cebu City, Philippines.

In the United States, the Order organized back-to-back Eucharistic Congresses in 2002 and 2003 in Washington, D.C., followed by a third congress in Chicago during the Year of the Eucharist in 2005. These events drew thousands of Knights and their families together for a wide array of events centered on the Blessed Sacrament.

Already this year, Knights in Oregon worked closely with Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland and Bishop Liam Cary of Baker to assist with a statewide Holy Hour on Jan. 29. Prayer intentions for the Holy Hour included divine guidance for the synodal process called for by Pope Francis, a deeper appreciation for the sanctity of human life, and the revitalization of parishes.

Oregon State Deputy Ray Prom, who coordinated the effort, has been involved with monthly eucharistic adoration at his parish for 20 years.

“So many graces and blessings flow through eucharistic adoration,” Prom said. “And we need those graces and blessings now more than ever.”

Councils that have encouraged eucharistic devotion in their brother Knights have seen it energize their charitable work.

With more than 200 members, Holy Rosary of Wea Council 12546 in Kansas is a highly active presence at Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish. The parish’s perpetual adoration chapel — founded 25 years ago by a member of the council, Paul Guetterman — has been a spiritual dynamo, sustaining the Knights’ service to the church, the school and the community, according to Grand Knight Robert Triano.

“One of the things I say to God is, ‘All right, God, direct me this week. What do you need done?’” said Triano, who is one of the 200 adorers who keep watch at the adoration chapel.

Above: Luis Rosas, past grand knight of St. Thomas à Becket Council 16236, and his wife, Sandra, kneel before the exposed Eucharist at Incarnation Catholic Church on May 6. The council helps to organize Candlelight Adoration each month after First Friday Mass at the parish, which is part of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. • Opposite page: Members of Holy Rosary of Wea Council 12546 in Bucyrus, Kan., pray in the perpetual adoration chapel at Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish.

“‘Direct me to what I need to do. How can I serve you?’”

Michael Coleman, past grand knight of Council 16236 in Orlando, has also seen the effects of the council’s eucharistic efforts. In addition to the monthly Candlelight Adoration evenings, the Knights host a Saturday morning Men’s Holy Hour quarterly around the Ember Days — four seasonal times of prayer and penance traditionally observed in Advent, Lent, Pentecost and September.

“This has been a great opportunity for men to come in and spend time with our Lord,” Coleman said, noting that the Knights’ witness in promoting Holy Hours and devotion to the Eucharist has helped inspire more men join the Order.

“With the Holy Hour,” he said, “we’ve been able to attract faithful men who believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and who look forward to serving with other faithful men.” B PETER JESSERER SMITH writes for EWTN’s National Catholic Register.

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Separated by War, United by Prayer A Knight and his wife reflect on their experiences from different sides of the Ukrainian border

Editor’s Note: Like so many spouses from Ukraine, Petro and Oksana Galuga do not know when they will see each other again. They left their home in Kyiv on Feb. 24, as soon as Russia’s attacks began, and traveled together to Lviv, more than 500 km (300 miles) to the west. Oksana, who has struggled with health issues, continued to Warsaw, Poland, where the older of their two sons has been studying for several years. Meanwhile, Petro, the state secretary of the Knights of Columbus in Ukraine, has been helping to coordinate the Order’s humanitarian work while serving with State Deputy Yuriy Maletskiy on the Anti-Crisis Committee formed by the Archdiocese of Lviv. In the following testimonies, Petro and Oksana reflect on their marriage, their months apart, and their response to the crisis in their homeland.

‘WE ARE TOGETHER’ At the very beginning of the war, literally in the first hours of the war, we left our property, left our home. We threw a 16

few things in the car, grabbed the dog and moved here to Lviv. It has been revealing: Man, as it turns out, needs very few things to live.

We moved to my parents’ apartment here, but two weeks later, Oksana went to Warsaw. We are not a unique family; many thousands of families are now separated. Men stayed here in Ukraine due to the military mobilization, and women and children went abroad to protect them from air alarms, bombings and rocket attacks. Because even here, in western Ukraine, it is not so safe. There is a risk of explosions almost every day.

I meet with brother Knights in Lviv; we used to meet in church in Kyiv, surrounded by our families. Now, in church, I see only men, men without women.

This forced separation is not easy, psychologically or spiritually. Marriage is a spiritual bond, a community that is designed to teach husband and wife to live together in dialogue and in the presence of God. The question is, how

Photo by Andrey Gorb

By Petro and Oksana Galuga

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can couples separated in different locations go through this difficult time together?

Oksana and I call each other several times a day. We ask how the day went, how things are, and we share with each other. But we also spend part of our time together in prayer.

And this common prayer unites us very much. I can’t explain how it works, but the Lord works in our marriage. In those moments, we just feel closer.

Of course, we hope and wait for the moment when Oksana will be able to come to me, or I will be able to go to her.

We hope that this moment will be soon, that we will not be forced to be in such a disconnected state for months to come. But at the same time, this prayer allows us to experience marital union. When we communicate with God, the Lord somehow acts so that we are together. In those moments of common prayer, we are together.

My first wish for other married couples who are separated now is that they pray for their spouse and for union with their spouse. My second recommendation is that they stay active, civically active, especially at this time. The Knights of Columbus teaches men to devote part of their time to charity — to community, to society — and now there are many opportunities to help others.

For me, the first days were the hardest — the experience of leaving everything, the stress, the fear. You constantly read the news, and the news is all disturbing. It is very difficult to experience these emotions; the anxiety is constantly accumulating.

But when I work with my brother Knights and other volunteers, there is simply no time to read this stressful news.

For a month and a half, the work was 24/7. There was a constant arrival of humanitarian goods, shipped by our brothers in Poland and financed by Knights all over the world. In the evening when you go home, you feel joy from the good you did during the day. And you understand that you are part of a very large community, that Ukrainians are not abandoned.

The common prayer of the Knights of Columbus —

“Marriage is a spiritual bond, a community that is designed to teach husband and wife to live together in dialogue and in the presence of God. The question Photo by Marcin Jończyk

is, how can couples separated in different locations go through this difficult time together?”

Above: Oksana Galuga is pictured in Warsaw, Poland, where she is staying with the older of her two sons. • Opposite page: Ukraine State Secretary Petro Galuga stands outside a 14th-century monastery in Rava Ruska, Ukraine, where the Archdiocese of Lviv is hosting displaced families with support of the Knights of Columbus.

2 million men around the world praying for peace in Ukraine — is also very important for me. The Lord will listen, and we very much hope that peace will come to our land soon. We sincerely hope that the Lord will give wisdom to those people who came to us with weapons, that they lay down their weapons, that they retreat, that they stop killing Ukrainians. Our prayer — knightly prayer, masculine prayer — has a special power.

— Petro Galuga, a project manager for the Ukrainian Postal Service, has been a member of the Order since 2013 and has served as Ukraine state secretary since 2020.

‘BUILT ON A ROCK’ Before the war, my husband and I sat down and discussed the plan of what we would do. And our plan was that if the attack started, we would flee to western Ukraine. My health is far from good, and with my disabilities, the best thing I can do to help is not to interfere with the military, not to cause difficulties for the defenders. What if someone were to lose their life saving me?

On Feb. 24, I woke up at 5 a.m. from the fact that there were pink flashes outside the bedroom window. Petro opened the window and heard the siren, and we realized that this moment had come. We managed to escape, fleeing to Petro’s parents in Lviv. But my health was deteriorating, so I went to my son in Warsaw.

Petro and I will celebrate this summer — I hope we will celebrate — 25 years of married life. We are very close to each other; I can talk about him as myself.

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State Secretary Petro Galuga, who serves on the Anti-Crisis Committee of the Archdiocese of Lviv with State Deputy Yuriy Maletskiy and others, helps to coordinate the unloading and distribution of humanitarian aid arriving from Poland.

defenders, known and unknown, in prayer. This is my barricade; I must not leave it.

— Oksana Galuga is an editor and teacher, with a master’s of English language and literature from Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. B

Photo by Marcin Jończyk — TOP: Photo by Andrey Gorb

Leadership is his characteristic trait — so characteristic that I can follow him without asking where I’m going, without asking the road; my husband leads me there, so everything is fine. Petro is very much in keeping with his name.

Petro is the rock. Our domestic church is built on a rock, and he is a true priest of our domestic church.

I know a lot of secrets to a happy marriage. For example, when I get up in the morning, I think, “How can I make this world, this day, better for my husband?” And Petro gets up in the morning thinking, “How I can make the world better for my wife?”

I love and miss him very much, but I hope for the best and try to be brave. I try to remember that this world was not created by me, with God settled somewhere in the corner.

This world was created by God, and he gave me a place in this world. Everything is in his hands, and that means there is great hope for good.

These are someone else’s words, but I like them: “In the dark times, you can see bright people very well.” The Polish people have given so much help. To say that I am grateful to them is to say nothing — I cannot find words that express my gratitude for their support.

We know that if it comes to a fight, you first have to decide, choose your barricade and stand on it until the end.

After thinking about it, I thought, “I can’t do much with my hands or feet: I can’t dig trenches, I can’t fight, I can’t weave camouflage nets. But I can pray.” So I try to wrap my husband, my family, my schoolchildren, my colleagues, our

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‘Mercy Into Action’ Cardinal Dolan visits Mercy Centers and commends the Order’s refugee efforts in partnership with CNEWA

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, celebrates Mass May 2 at the Order’s Mercy Center in Hrebenne, Poland, near the Ukraine border, and visits with families at the St. Klemens Hofbauer Parish Mercy Center in Warsaw later that day.

Photos by Sebastian Nycz

IN EARLY MAY, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New

York, traveled to Poland, where he met with Ukrainian refugees as well as Knights who are serving them. The cardinal visited Knights of Columbus Mercy Centers at the border and in Warsaw, and he praised the Order’s humanitarian efforts in response to the war in Ukraine.

“To see the Knights of Columbus so radiantly active here doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “They are putting the corporal and spiritual works of mercy into action.”

Cardinal Dolan led a delegation from the archdiocese and the Catholic Near East Welfare Association on the five-day trip, which also included stops in Slovakia and Ukraine.

On May 2, Cardinal Dolan celebrated Mass at the Mercy Center in Hrebenne, Poland — at the Ukrainian border — and visited the Mercy Center at St. Klemens Hofbauer Parish in Warsaw later that day. The centers are operated in partnership with CNEWA, of which Cardinal Dolan is chairman.

“The cardinal’s visit is symbolic for us — it shows that the Knights of Columbus and Catholic organizations from around the world are joining in helping refugees,” said Poland State Deputy Krzysztof Zuba.

The Knights established the Mercy Center in Hrebenne almost immediately after the invasion of Ukraine. Knights from

St. Wojciech Patron of Poland Council 15267 in Tomaszów Lubelski constructed a tent to serve the women and children flooding over the border, and operations expanded in midMarch with support from the Ukraine Solidarity Fund.

In early April, the Knights of Columbus also opened several parish-based Mercy Centers, which are helping refugees settle and integrate into Polish communities. These centers offer a space for refugees to socialize and learn, in addition to receiving material aid. To date, the Order is supporting Mercy Centers at parishes in Warsaw, Radom and Częstochowa.

After his visit to the Mercy Center in Warsaw, which included a barbecue picnic with refugees and other parishioners, Cardinal Dolan said, “Wherever there are the Knights of Columbus, there is faith, family, charity. And now you see their outreach to the Ukrainian refugees — they are not just people in need; they are God’s children. That’s the wisdom of Blessed Michael McGivney, and that’s the charism of our Knights of Columbus.”

Marcin Wojciechowski, grand knight of Council 15267, said that Cardinal Dolan’s visit was a welcome affirmation of the Knights’ ongoing work: “We are doing what the Knights of Columbus do around the world: giving mercy to those who need mercy.” B JUNE 2022 B C O L U M B I A

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Cinema

Film director John Ford explored man’s most fundamental desires for truth, goodness, beauty and love

By Anthony Esolen 20

ScreenProd/Photononstop/Alamy

Flesh and Blood

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Archive Photos/Getty Images

rson Welles, himself an imposing film director and actor, was once asked who the three greatest American directors were.

“John Ford, John Ford and John Ford,” he replied.

Ford, whose four Oscars for best director are the most in Academy Award history, was the hardheaded son of Irish Catholic immigrants and a member of the Knights of Columbus (see sidebar). But if you had told him that his Catholic faith was the great animating principle of his films, he’d likely have spat and thrown you off the set. Or he might have nodded and said, “Finally, somebody understands something.” For it was true.

Ford was no saint, nor did he claim to be. However, no other American director has portrayed the elemental goodness of the created order — I am not talking about pretty scenes, but flesh and blood, earth and water, man and beast, husband and wife and the hard work they must do — as vitally and lovingly as John Ford.

GOODNESS AND GRATITUDE How Green Was My Valley (1941), the film that beat Welles’ own Citizen Kane for the Oscar, is a prime example of Ford’s storytelling. Its setting is Cwm Rhondda, a Welsh village dominated, and in part corrupted, by the local coal mine, the only real work for the men there. The heroes are the Morgan family: Gwilym and Beth, their six sons (all miners) and daughter (played by the radiant Maureen O’Hara).

The story is told by the youngest Morgan, Huw, an adult man looking back on when he was a boy (played by Roddy McDowall).

Were it made now, the film would feature a vacillating father, a hard-bitten and unpleasant mother, thoroughly evil mine owners and noble socialist workers fighting against the System. And the music would be bombastic, full of exclamation points and neural triggers. What we get instead is an intricate symphony of goodness and nobility, but embodied in fallen and foolish mankind. It is a story about how man, hard of heart, short of sight, prone to anger, vanity and greed, can do his best to ruin the green valley of life. And yet for all his sin and folly, he cannot ruin it altogether.

The world, made by the Father, is a patriarchal one, and Gwilym Morgan (Donald Crisp) stands out for us, sometimes with leonine nobility, sometimes with comic homeliness, as the essential father.

“Everything I ever learnt as a small boy came from my father,” says Huw, “and I never found anything he ever told me to be wrong or worthless.” But if his father was the head of the house, his mother (Sara Allgood, bulky and strong and sweet at once), he says, was its heart.

“There’s a beauty you are,” says Gwilym to Beth.

“Oh, go scratch,” says she, blushing.

One of the conflicts of the film centers on the mine, and the possibility that the men will form a union. They worry that their wages will be cut because men from other villages, out of work and desperate, will work for less.

Above: Director John Ford (1894-1973) is pictured circa 1930.

• Opposite page: John Ford (seated) directs John Wayne and Constance Towers during the filming of The Horse Soldiers (1959), one of 14 films Ford and Wayne made together.

Mr. Morgan is convinced that a good worker will always earn a fair wage. “The owners are not savages,” he says.

“They are men as we are.”

“They are men,” says his eldest son, who treats his father with a politeness and honor that are almost alien to us now.

“But not as we. For they have power, and we have not.”

John Ford was a liberal democrat in the days when that did not mean drag queen story hours for kindergarten children. His heart was with labor, not management. But he was too wise to believe that politics can save the human soul. When the men do form a union and go on strike, and Gwilym, also out of work, does not join them, they grow surly. They cast evil looks on him and throw rocks through his window. Then one night, in heavy snow and storm, Beth Morgan has her son Huw lead her into the woods where the men are meeting.

“How some of you, you smug-faced hypocrites, can sit in the same chapel with him I cannot tell,” she says, shaking her fist at them. “To say he is with the owners is not only nonsense but downright wickedness. There’s one thing more I’ve got to say and it is this. If harm comes to my Gwilym, I will find out the men and I will kill them with my two hands. And this I will swear by God Almighty!”

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We believe her, too. So do those men.

Ford was not a traditionalist, because he was not an ideologue. But he loved tradition, as all grateful men and women do. “Men like my father cannot die,” says Huw in the final words of the film. “They are with me still, real in memory as they were in flesh, loving and beloved forever. How green was my valley then.” And we see, in a flashback, the young boy and his pipe-smoking father, tramping up the hill, with the music of the wistful Welsh love song “Myfanwy” in the background, sung by a choir of men — for wherever two or three Welshmen are gathered, Huw has told us, there you find a choir.

Archives du 7e Art/20th Century Fox/Alamy

FORGOTTEN VALUES Because he was not an ideologue, Ford was also no political optimist. In his works, we often sense a tension between the civilization of a city, and the adventure of a life lived directly from the earth. It is as if a man has to give up half his manhood to found a city and to live there, but if the sacrifice must be made, it must be made. In The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), the better man, the rancher Tom Doniphon ( John Wayne), does not get the woman he loves or win the reputation he deserves. Instead, a young lawyer ( James Stewart), a lesser but more modern, more learned, man, ultimately guides the Western territory to statehood and becomes a senator, coasting on a legend of what he did not actually do.

“Nothing’s too good for the man who shot Liberty Valance,” says the train conductor in the last, quietly tragic scene of the film, which is devastating in its near silence.

We see that both the senator and his wife know that Doniphon, recently dead, owning nothing more than his boots, forgotten by almost everyone, was not only greater than the senator, but represented a kind of greatness, a masculine courage, fading from the world. It is a more somber view of the same trade-off we find at the end of Stagecoach (1939), when the young cowboy and sometime lawbreaker rides off with the former saloon girl away from a spanking new Western town, to carve out a more vigorously human life for themselves on a ranch.

Ford’s movies are filled with real folk music — Irish fight songs and drinking songs in The Quiet Man (1952), American anthems in his tribute to West Point, The Long Gray Line (1955). In Rio Grande (1950), cavalry men sing “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” in honor of their captain’s wife, while she and the captain (played by Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne), long estranged, try hard to look and not to look at one another. The music is never merely decorative and never distracting. It is of the essence, just as hymns are in the worship of God, without a trace of the treacly or the showy. Our time is an outlier in many ways, and here is one: Most of us have never heard a big group of men singing in harmony. You will hear them often in Ford’s films, with a

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MOVIE

KNIGHT

Years before his four Oscars, John Ford reflected in Columbia on his vocation as a director

SilverScreen/Alamy

Above: A movie poster advertises The Grapes of Wrath, directed

by Ford and starring Henry Fonda. Ford earned his second Best Director Oscar for the adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel. • Left: The Morgan family gathers around its patriarch in a scene from How Green Was My Valley. Maureen O’Hara (second from left) played the Morgans’ daughter, Angharad. Ford often referred to the film as his favorite of the more than 140 he directed.

sound that can make the earth tremble.

One last point. Whatever the sins of John Ford’s life, in his work, the love of man and woman in marriage is an absolute value. It is the rock on which are founded all human things that last or deserve to last. We see it in his early American pioneers (Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert in Drums Along the Mohawk, 1939); in his lawmen and their families out West (Ward Bond and Mae Marsh in Three Godfathers, 1948); in soldiers and their brides, who sometimes are left behind to mourn their death (William Leslie and Betsy Palmer in The Long Gray Line). Nothing sickly, no adultery served up with social justification or voyeurism, and yet — or therefore — not prudish, not prettified: real men and women, loving one another, often fighting, but always made for one another, as it was in the beginning. B ANTHONY ESOLEN is professor of English and writer-inresidence at Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts in Warner, N.H.

The renowned director John Ford was born John Martin Feeney, the 10th of his Irish immigrant parents’ 11 children, in 1894. He left his hometown of Portland, Maine, for Hollywood when he was 18, working as an assistant, cameraman, stuntman and actor. By the time he joined the Knights of Columbus four years later, he listed his profession on his insurance form as “assistant motion picture director.” He helmed his first movie the following year.

Ford went on to direct more than 140 films before his death in 1973, including the classic Westerns Stagecoach, Rio Grande, The Searchers and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Along the way he won a record four Best Director Oscars, for The Informer, The Grapes of Wrath, How Green Was My Valley and The Quiet Man. In 1928, Columbia published an essay by Ford titled “Art and Perspiration,” in which he reflected on the combination of artistry and industry needed to direct a film.

“A good director must be a dreamer and at the same time thoroughly practical,” Ford wrote. “It is a contradictory combination, I will grant, but absolutely essential.” In the following excerpt, Ford describes his experience shooting The Iron Horse, a 1924 silent film about the first transcontinental railroad, amid unexpected obstacles. For the complete essay, visit kofc.org/columbia.

HOW NECESSARY an intensely practical, workaday

mind a director must possess is eloquently illustrated in the story of the shooting of The Iron Horse, which gave me my first real taste of fame and probably established me in the circle of directors who “have arrived.” ...

We awoke the morning after we had left Los Angeles with its perpetual sunshine to find ourselves in what was probably the worst blizzard in years. And this was in the midst of a desert in Nevada. … The story which I was to direct was a summer one, yet here was I with 300 people in the midst of a blizzard with four feet of snow on the ground and more promised. ...

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The historic “Golden Spike Ceremony” celebrating the completion of the nation’s first transcontinental railway in 1869 is depicted in The Iron Horse (1924).

to be priceless. … The men recognized this unselfishness of the women and would for their part hurry through meals in order that they in turn might wait on their women co-workers. It was one of the finest examples of perfect cooperation which I have encountered, as complete a mutual helping and sharing of discomforts and burdens as the most exacting idealist could ask for. And all this community spirit with the temperature 20 below zero, trying under the most favorable conditions. …

Color, were it needed, was added to the camp on the third day with the

“I had arranged immediately after the camp was settled for Father Brady to come to us.

He celebrated Mass each Sunday from a mound erected in the center of the camp.”

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arrival of 150 Indians, Piutes, Shoshones and Utes. They were to play an important part in the picture. Nights, after the days’ work, these Indians gathered in an impressive outer circle around the common bonfire. They also attended, even though most of them were not Catholic converts, the Mass presided over by Father Brady, of Sparks, Nevada. Wisely, as subsequent events proved, I had arranged immediately after the camp was settled for Father Brady to come to us. He celebrated Mass each Sunday from a mound erected in the center of the camp. …

I have cited The Iron Horse expedition to refute the general impression of the easy life led by a director. I could relate countless incidents of other pictures on which I have worked, which would substantiate this same contention. … As for ambitions: mine is to retire, even though I am only 33.

Afforded the chance, I probably would refuse it and remain in the game until I have outlived my usefulness. B

Album/Alamy

was the only alternative. This is what I did, and it is more than probable that this forced change is what really made The Iron Horse. ...

Once the change was decided upon because forced upon us and the script altered to meet the changed conditions, we started shooting. The changed story, due to atmospheric and climatic conditions, necessitated rewriting and creating several roles. … As a matter of fact, we improvised the story of The Iron Horse from day to day as we shot it.

One of the most impressive and effective scenes in the whole picture is an excellent illustration of how we worked and how one must take advantage of unforeseen conditions. …

We had been on location several days when a second blizzard hove in sight.

All the players and workers naturally were terrified. I sized up the situation and made use of my knowledge of the psychology of fear. I knew that as long as the motion-picture cameras clicked and the players were acting, they would lose their sense of terror at the unusual.

Accordingly, as I saw the blizzard approaching, I started shouting directions through my megaphone, interspersing these orders with comments on how fortunate we were to have this unexpected help from the elements.

“We surely are lucky, folks; this is indeed a rare bit of luck. It will give us the best scene in the picture.”

And it did. … The shooting of that particular scene, with the snow covering players, electricians, cameramen and the rest of us, took only seconds or minutes. Yet it is an outstanding sequence in the picture. …

The women in the company throughout the entire stay on location proved

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

My Body Is Hers, His Body Is Ours My wife’s stroke brought home to me our “one-flesh” union — and the union between Christ and the Church

Luke Chan/EyeEm/Getty Images

By Tom Hoopes WHEN I CAME HOME from work Dec. 21, 2021, my wife, April, was in bed. She had been sick for a while, but her voice sounded unusually weak as she called out to me to hand her a tissue.

That was strange. The tissues were less than an arm’s reach away.

That’s when my marriage prep training kicked in. My wife and I have been teaching marriage preparation classes for years, and one of the lessons is about the “one-flesh union” between spouses in the sacrament of matrimony.

“One-flesh union means you have to do things for each other,” I tell couples.

“If she wants the ketchup, don’t tell her, ‘You have two legs. Get the ketchup yourself !’ No. She also has your two legs. Get the ketchup for her.”

So I fought the urge to say, “Reach it yourself!” and got her the tissue. Then she asked me to help her out of bed. I did. And that’s when I realized her left side was completely paralyzed.

She crumpled to the floor. I called an ambulance. She had suffered a massive stroke.

In the months since, I have learned the meaning of “oneflesh union” more than I ever had before.

“Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies,” St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians. “He who loves his wife loves himself ” (Eph 5:28).

Women already know how connected their bodies are to ours: Their bodies go through an ordeal to make us fathers.

But I had to learn to offer my body back, fast. My wife has spent months in recovery. She has her speech back, mostly.

She can walk, but tires quickly. And she doesn’t have much use of her left hand or arm. I help her dress, make her meals and keep her and the children on schedule.

These days, it isn’t hard to see how our union is meant to reflect the relationship between Christ and his bride, the Church.

“No man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and

cherishes it, as Christ does the Church, because we are members of his body,” St. Paul wrote. “This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church” (Eph 5:29-30; 32).

A married couple is a close partnership in which spouses do things for one another such that, together, they act as one. Women make men fathers, men make women mothers, and together they make a family home.

Christ and his Church, likewise, form a close partnership and together they act as one. The Church, the bride of Christ, is our spiritual mother and makes priests spiritual fathers. As we have children and nourish them, the priest baptizes them and gives them holy Communion. We are each integral to the Church’s work, and therefore integral to Christ’s mission.

In addition to marriage preparation, my wife and I teach confirmation classes, and every year I tell the students how important this sacrament is because it makes them grown-ups in the Church. What does a mature Christian do? What are we called to do as Knights? Go to Mass, where Jesus comes to you, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, and then walk out of the church into the world. Jesus in the host can’t speak, he can’t walk, and he can’t reach out with his arms. He relies on us to speak for him, walk for him, and reach others for him.

In other words, in his real presence in the Eucharist, Jesus wants the same kind of “one-flesh union” with the Church that I have with my wife, April — only he loves me more than I love her, and I need him more than she needs me.

My job, I now know, is to be in the habit of doing for Christ what I do for April — whatever he wants, whenever he asks. B TOM HOOPES is writer in residence at Benedictine College and a member of Sacred Heart Council 723 in Atchison, Kan. JUNE 2022 B C O L U M B I A

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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N ✢ F A I T H I N A C T I O N

Faith

Grand Knight Bob Guiney (third from right) and Father Christopher Murphy (fourth from left), members of Father Jon O’Brien Council 16793 in Haymarket, Va., join Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington and others in breaking ground on a new church building for the St. Katharine Drexel Mission, also in Haymarket. The council contributed $25,000 to the building fund and has sponsored several community events in anticipation of the new church.

ST. PATRICK HONOR GUARD Members of Dalton Assembly 1645 in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and Labrador, provided an honor guard for a Mass celebrating the patronal feast day of St. Patrick Church in Carbonear.

Knights also served as lectors and participated in the offertory procession.

HELP FOR PARISH Queen of All Hearts Council 4126 in Center Moriches, N.Y., donated $50,000 to St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church to help with the parish’s critical needs.

PROVIDENTIAL PRESENCE Members of St. John Paul II Assembly 3000 in West Hartford, Conn., served as an honor guard for their pastor’s first Mass at St. Peter Claver Parish.

Their presence was providential as well as ceremonial: When someone at the Mass began suffering a heart attack, two members of the color corps provided lifesaving aid.

HELP FROM ON HIGH At the request of their pastor, members of Father Juan Canales Council 3110 in Robstown, Texas, cleaned the fans and replaced the ceiling lights in St. Anthony of Padua Church and parish hall for a fraction of what a contractor would have charged.

EASTER PARKING-LOT PREP Members of Blessed Sacrament Council 12318 in Binan City, Luzon South, paved and restriped the parking lot of Blessed Sacrament Church in anticipation of a large number of people returning for Easter Masses.

MEMORIAL DONATION Walpole (Mass.) Council 1319 donated a large crucifix to be hung in the sanctuary of St. Mary’s Church in memory of one of their longtime members.

Members of St. Stephen the Martyr Council 13374 in Renton, Wash., sell apples to raise funds for two parishioners who are currently seminarians for the Archdiocese of Seattle. The council raised $2,000 from the sale and donated leftover apples to local food banks.

ABOVE: Photo by Zoey Maraist

THE GOAT Upon learning their new pastor missed the food of his native Nigeria, members of St. John (Kan.) Council 13019 provided him with a freezer full of goat meat — a staple of Nigerian cuisine — to help him feel at home.

SACRED VESSELS Members of Alton (Ill.) Council 460 presented Oblate Father Benjamin Unachukwu with a chalice and paten. The Knights purchased the vessels for Father Unachukwu, a member of the council, after learning that he did not have a personal set.

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Family

HOUSE FOR THE POOR Members of Holy Rosary Council 3816 in Oroquieta City, Mindanao, built a home for a family in need as part of a parish project. In addition to financing the construction, Knights assisted with the carpentry work.

FUNDS FOR A FAMILY IN NEED Atwood-Beardsley (Kan.) Council 3033 held a fish fry to benefit a local family whose child has cancer. More than $3,000 was raised for the family, who have had to travel to Denver for treatment.

TONS OF FOOD Pope John Paul II Council 4522 in Alexandria, Va., partnered with Queen of Apostles School for the council’s 40 Cans for 40 Days Campaign. The Knights and students collected 7,600 pounds of canned goods for local food pantries.

Roman Piedra, son of District Deputy Jaime Piedra and his wife, Janet, holds up a rosary he made during “Family Rosary for Beginners,” an event organized by St. Francis of Assisi Council 15240 in San Antonio. Families enjoyed food and music and learned how to pray the rosary, in addition to making their own.

APRIL (HOUSE) SHOWERS Members of Santa Maria Council 7402 in Cantonment, Fla., held a work day to assist a 96-year-old parishioner of St. Jude Thaddeus Church. As part of a council initiative to seek out community members in need, the Knights pressure-washed the exterior of the parishioner’s home.

SPRING CLEANING Members of St. Peter Chanel Council 13217 in Roswell, Ga., mowed grass, trimmed trees and completed other outdoor maintenance tasks at The Drake House as part of the council’s

Helping Hands initiative. The Drake House provides supportive housing and enrichment programs for homeless mothers and their children in the Atlanta area.

NEW FAMILY CAR Corpus Christi Council 7871 in Calgary, Alberta, presented a Knight and his family with a new car after their own caught fire and was damaged beyond repair. The Knights networked and raised funds to provide the family with the new vehicle.

CATHOLIC EDUCATION BOOST Father O’Byrne Council 3574 in Jacksonville, N.C., donated $25,000 from the sale of its home corporation building to the endowment fund of Infant of Prague Catholic School. The fund provides tuition assistance for school families.

FAMILY MEDICAL FUNDRAISER Father Carey Council 5569 in Rosemount, Minn., held a pancake breakfast fundraiser at the Church of St. Joseph to benefit a parish family. The meal raised more than $8,500 to assist the family with medical bills.

Members of Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier (Québec) Council 446 and others gather before the council’s Easter egg hunt for families. More than 200 children participated in the event, and the council also announced a CA$3,000 donation to help families in need send their children to summer camp.

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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N ✢ F A I T H I N A C T I O N

Community

Members of Fatima Council 5672 in Carmen, Bohol, Visayas, deliver relief goods to a family in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette. The Knights also packed relief goods to be delivered to other localities affected by the natural disaster.

GIFT OF SIGHT AND HEARING Pocatello (Idaho) Council 892 donated $7,000 to the Health West Pediatric Clinic for the purchase of specialized diagnostic equipment that detects hearing and vision problems in children.

TREE REMOVAL FOR VETERANS Knights from several North Carolina councils removed dead oak trees from the property of a local veteran support center. The trees were cut into firewood, which will be donated to veterans in need.

CHESS FOR CHARITY Rock Creek Council 2797 in Bethesda, Md., hosted a charity chess tournament to benefit a local military and veteran service organization. More than 50 people competed, including youth from local chess clubs. In addition to raising more than $800, the council also collected about $850 worth of food donations for the organization.

KEEPING FOOD BANKS OPEN St. Albert (Alberta) Council 4742 partnered with Greater St. Albert School District to collect food and provide financial support for several local parish food pantries as part of its Leave No Neighbor Behind initiatives.

The respective pastors said their food pantries remain open in large part to the council’s efforts.

3D PRINTER DONATION St. Mary Magdalene Council 16223 in Kentwood, Mich., purchased a 3D printer for St. John Vianney School in Wyoming, Mich. Council 16223 held multiple fundraisers for the printer, which will help the school expand its STEM program.

DUFFELS FOR VETERANS West Jefferson Hills Council 11887 in Jefferson Boro., Pa. — along with Veterans of Foreign Wars and Triumph of the Holy Cross Catholic Church — organized a drive to fill duffel bags with clothing, toiletries and other necessities for veterans experiencing homelessness.

Members of Christ the King Council 15594 in Kahului, Hawaii, refloor a classroom at Christ the King School. The council contributed $1,000 toward costs, and Knights held two work days to complete the project.

NEW BASKETBALL UNIFORMS Father Roman Janak Council 2902 in Schulenburg, Texas, donated $3,000 to St. Rose of Lima Catholic School for the purchase of new uniforms for the school basketball teams.

MEDICAL MISSION SUPPORT Montgomery Council 2323 in Derwood, Md., held a spaghetti dinner that raised $1,900 for a medial mission to Haiti.

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Life

FUNDING FOR WOMEN’S CENTER St. Clare Council 16433 in Waveland, Miss., donated $2,000 to the Women’s Resource Center in Gulfport. The funds were raised through the council’s baby bottle campaign.

Knights from Fair Oaks (Calif.) Council 6066, joined by California State Deputy Noel Panlilio (third from left) and Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento (center), present a 4D ultrasound machine to staff at the Sacramento Life Center. The council donated the $47,000 machine with support from the Knights of Columbus Culture of Life Fund and the nonprofit 4US.

BELOW: Photo by Lauren Smiley

NEW CLINIC LOCATION Robert G. Gamboa Council 9527 in Las Cruces, N.M., donated $5,000 to Turning Point of Las Cruces, a local pregnancy center. The donation will defray the cost of the center’s move to a new location.

Grand Knight Léo Mayer of St. Benedict Council 11164 in Sarnia, Ontario, receives a donation from a parishioner during a “baby shower drive” for The Pregnancy Options & Support Centre. Five Sarnia councils in District #61 collaborated on the drive, which yielded three carloads of diapers, formula and other supplies, as well as nearly CA$3,000 in donations.

Knights have also assisted the center with several renovation projects recently.

PRAYING FOR DOBBS Members of Bishop Albert R. Zuroweste Council 9890 in Benton, Ill., and other members of St. Joseph Parish participated in an online event to pray for the upcoming Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

18 YEARS OF BLOOD DRIVES Hightstown (N.J.) Council 6284 has sponsored 36 blood drives in association with the American Red Cross over the past 18 years, collecting 1,484 blood donations which have benefitted more than 4,400 people.

COURTYARD CROSSES Members of St. Cyril of Alexandria Council 8024 in Houston placed more

than 60 crosses in the church courtyard in support of Texas Rally for Life Week. Joining the Knights were young men and women enrolled in the parish’s confirmation program.

PARISH WALK FOR LIFE Father Odilon Brise Council 2913 in Kaplan, La., sponsored a Walk for Life with Holy Rosary Parish. Dozens of people attended the march despite cold weather.

RESPECT LIFE ESSAY CONTEST Father Thomas R. Carey Council 4764 in Lake Orion, Mich., held a Respect Life essay contest. Seventh and eighth graders from local Catholic schools were invited to write essays explaining what respecting the life of the unborn means to them.

See more at www.kofc.org/knightsinaction Please submit your council activities to knightsinaction@kofc.org JUNE 2022 ✢ C O L U M B I A

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K N I G H T S I N AC T I O N B G L O B A L I M P A C T

France

Knights from several French councils participate in the annual March of St. Joseph in Paris. More than 2,000 men joined the procession and the Mass that followed at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Sacré-Cœur).

John Sanko (center), a member of Good Shepherd Council 9005 in Blackburn Hamlet, Ontario, stands with his family during a take-out pierogi dinner to support Ukrainians. More than 40 Knights from five local councils assisted in preparing the meals. A whopping 8,100 pierogi were sold in less than 90 minutes, and the Knights’ effort raised nearly CA$20,000 in donations.

TOP: Photo by Louis-Frédéric Pernod

Canada

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Knights belonging to four councils in Puebla, Mexico South, and their families celebrate Flag Day, a national holiday, as well as the reception of the St. Joseph pilgrim icon.

Mexico

United States Philippines

Members of Banal na Sakramento Council 8753 in Quezon City, Luzon North, participate in a Good Friday procession through the city streets.

Members of Helena (Mont.) Council 844 install headstones on previously unmarked graves in Resurrection Catholic Cemetery. The council donated about $1,000 to purchase 23 headstones for babies who had been stillborn or who died soon after birth, and whose families hadn’t been able to afford a marker.

Poland

More than 30 council chaplains from throughout Poland gather for a retreat in the Diocese of Radom. State chaplain Archbishop Wacław Depo of Częstochowa led the three-day retreat, which included a pilgrimage to the nearby Sanctuary of Our Lady of Consolation and prayers for peace in Ukraine at the request of Bishop Jan Sobiło of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia.

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To owners of Knights of Columbus insurance policies and persons responsible for payment of premiums on such policies: Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the provisions of Section 84 of the Laws of the Order, payment of insurance premiums due on a monthly basis to the Knights of Columbus by check made payable to Knights of Columbus and mailed to same at PO Box 1492, NEW HAVEN, CT 06506-1492, before the expiration of the grace period set forth in the policy. In Canada: Knights of Columbus, Place d’Armes Station, P.O. Box 220, Montreal, QC H2Y 3G7 ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK, EDITORIAL MATTER, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILED TO: COLUMBIA, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-9982. REJECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IF ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE. PURCHASED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED. OPINIONS BY WRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. SUBSCRIPTION RATES — IN THE U.S.: 1 YEAR, $6; 2 YEARS, $11; 3 YEARS, $15. FOR OTHER COUNTRIES ADD $2 PER YEAR. EXCEPT FOR CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS, PAYMENT IN U.S. CURRENCY ONLY. SEND ORDERS AND CHECKS TO: ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-9982.

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KNIGHTS OF CHARITY

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.

Students and staff members of Holy Innocents School stand before new custom-printed fencing screens donated

by Msgr. John Cawley Council 3629 in Lakewood, Calif. The screens provide much-needed privacy to the playground of the school, which is located in a busy urban neighborhood in Long Beach.

To be featured here, send your council’s “Knights in Action” photo as well as its description to: Columbia, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 or e-mail: knightsinaction@kofc.org COLUMBIA JUN 22 ENG COVERS 05_18.indd 3

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

‘God’s plan fit like a glove.’

Father Simon Lobo Companions of the Cross St. Benedict Council 5449, Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Photo by John Rae

I once believed that becoming a priest was a fate worse than death! I always wanted to get married, have a family and own a golden retriever. My plan was to become a doctor, and I was studying for a degree in science when I had an honest conversation with my childhood pastor.

Without coercing me, he affirmed that I would be a great doctor, husband, father — or priest. “The most important thing,” he said, “is to seek God’s will, because that is where you will find true peace and happiness.”

Days later, I prayed, as I had many times before: “God, I’ll do anything you want me to do.” But this time I added, “And if you want me to be a priest, I’d love to!” Immediately, I felt afraid, hoping no one had overheard me.

Simultaneously, I felt a profound peace from the Holy Spirit.

That fall, I decided to join the Companions of the Cross and found that God’s plan fit like a glove. I encourage everyone to say a prayer of total surrender to God. He has good plans for your future.

5/18/22 8:03 PM