Columbia February 2015

FEBRUARY 2015FEBRUARY 2015KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

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14Consecutive

Years of GrowthIn 2014, the Knights ofColumbus issued more life insurance than everbefore in our history, andsurpassed $96 billion oflife insurance in force.

Thank you for trusting usto protect your family.

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 1

COLUMBIAf E b R u A R y 2 0 1 5 ♦ V o l u m E 9 5 ♦ N u m b E R 2

F E AT U R E S

The Pilgrimage of the Silver RoseA silver rose is carried by Knights to the feet of Our Lady of Guadalupe and presented to Pope Francisas a sign of unity.BY ANDREW J. MATT

God at the CenterSuper Bowl champion Matt Birk discusses his Catholicfaith and his mission as a husband, father and Knight.BY SAM PATET

A Servant’s HeartRicardo Sanvictores had the unique experience of working at the White House for seven U.S. presidents.BY NADIA SMITH

The Aloha SpiritKnights in Hawaii organize programs to provide food forthe homeless and others in need.BY DARLENE J. M. DELA CRUZ

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D E P A R T M E N T S

Building a better worldUnder Our Lady’s maternal pro-tection, we turn to the Holy Fam-ily as the perfect model of love andfidelity.BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

Learning the faith, living the faithThe universal vocation to love, in-spired by Christian hope, opens usand our families to divine life.BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN

ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI

PLUS: Catholic Man of the Month

Fathers for GoodYou can turn your personal sacri-fices during the penitential seasonof Lent into a gift for others.BY BRIAN CAULFIELD

Knights in Action

Knights of Columbus NewsPope Francis Receives SupremeKnight in Private Audience •Knights of Columbus Sets Insur-ance Record for 14th ConsecutiveYear • Order Charters HistoricNew Council in Washington, D.C.• Supreme Council Supports LocalConnecticut Food Bank

Building the Domestic ChurchBecause love is fruitful and filledwith hope, our family wants tocultivate a life-giving spirit.

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As directed by Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Juan Diego collects rosesblooming in winter on Tepeyac Hill to present to the bishop of Mexico.An annual pilgrimage of the Knights of Columbus Silver Rose is con-ducted in honor of Our Lady today (see page 8).

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EDITORIAL

2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5

COLUMBIAPUBLISHER

Knights of Columbus________

SUPREME OFFICERSCarl A. AndersonSUPREME KNIGHT

Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D.SUPREME CHAPLAINLogan T. Ludwig

DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHTCharles E. Maurer Jr.SUPREME SECRETARYMichael J. O’ConnorSUPREME TREASURERJohn A. MarrellaSUPREME ADVOCATE

________

EDITORIALAlton J. Pelowski

EDITORAndrew J. MattMANAGING EDITORPatrick ScalisiSENIOR EDITOR________

Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90)Apostle to the Young,

Protector of Christian Family Life andFounder of the Knights of Columbus,

Intercede for Us.________

HOWTO REACHUSMAIL

COLUMBIA1 Columbus Plaza

New Haven, CT 06510-3326ADDRESS CHANGES

203-752-4210, option #3OTHER INQUIRIES203-752-4398

FAX203-752-4109CUSTOMER SERVICE1-800-380-9995

[email protected]

INTERNETkofc.org/columbia

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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 anapplicant or member accepts the teaching authority of theCatholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires tolive in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.

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Copyright © 2015All rights reserved

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ON THE COVERPope Francis kisses the Knights of Columbus Silver Rose at the conclusion of Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica Dec. 12, 2014.

Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love In Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love(Doubleday, 2009), Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson andMsgr. Eduardo Chávez trace the history of the 16th-centuryapparitions that brought hope and unity to millions through-out the Americas. The authors further demonstrate how OurLady of Guadalupe’s message speaks to contemporary issuesconfronting the American continent and continues to be a cat-alyst for conversion and cultural renewal.

IT HAS OFTEN been said, “If youwant to make God laugh, tell him yourplans.” There is a tendency to wantcomplete control over our lives, evenamid unexpected twists and turns. Thisdesire is especially strong in a worldwhere technology promises countlesssolutions and instant gratification. In the 17th century, Francis Bacon,

the father of the scientific method, andRené Descartes, the father of modernphilosophy, revolutionized man’s un-derstanding of himself in relation tothe world. Knowledge was no longerseen primarily in terms of encounter-ing and receiving truth, but in termsof power — of manipulating and mas-tering nature. Yet, we know that thehuman temptation to grasp controlcan be traced back much further, in-deed, to the Garden of Eden itself.Many prophets and leaders through-

out Scripture show reluctance in theface of unexpected challenges fromGod. Though God answered his ob-jections, Moses persisted, “Who am Ithat I should go to Pharaoh? … Sup-pose they do not believe me or listento me?” (Ex 3:11, 4:1). There aresome, however, whose wills are moreinclined toward God’s mysteriousplan. When the angel of the Lord toldSt. Joseph in dreams to take Mary intohis home or to lead the Holy Familyinto Egypt, Joseph awoke and imme-diately obeyed the angel’s command(Mt 1:24, 2:14). Mary, of course, isour perfect model of faith, as her hum-ble “yes” welcomed the Son of Godinto the world.

In the story of the Guadalupan eventof 1531, St. Juan Diego was at first obe-dient when Our Lady of Guadalupe ap-peared to him. But faced with hisuncle’s illness, Juan Diego ignored OurLady’s request to meet again and choseanother route around Tepeyac Hill.Still, Mary sought him out, assured himof his uncle’s recovery and directed himto collect roses miraculously bloomingon the rocky hilltop. Inspired by thisevent, the Knights of Columbus con-ducts a silver rose pilgrimage each yearin honor of Our Lady (see page 8).The story of Juan Diego, who recog-

nized his unworthiness when facedwith God’s plan, helps to illustrate howwe are entirely dependent on grace.Our baptismal vocation is not some-thing we choose for ourselves, but whatChrist gives to us. Likewise, reconcilia-tion is not something we earn, and holyCommunion is not something we“take.” Each sacrament, like faith itself,is a pure gift that can only be received. In a very real way, our greatest chal-

lenges and opportunities in life arethose that we can never fully antici-pate and control. Just ask KnightsMatt Birk and Ricardo Sanvictores,whose remarkable careers came tothem as a surprise (see pages 16, 20).As they experienced personally, relin-quishing control and following wher-ever God leads may involve greatsacrifice. Paradoxically, it is also thepath to freedom and joy.♦

ALTON J. PELOWSKIEDITOR

Our Plan and God’s

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BUILDING A BETTER WORLD


Icon of Fairest LoveUnder Our Lady’s maternal protection,

we turn to the Holy Family as the perfect model of love and fidelity

by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson

IN THIS ISSUE of Columbia, we re-call an extraordinary event in the his-tory of the Knights of Columbus thatoccurred Dec. 12, 2014, the feast ofOur Lady of Guadalupe. On that day,Msgr. Eduardo Chávez, a brotherKnight and postulator of the cause forcanonization of St. Juan Diego, pre-sented the Knights of Columbus SilverRose to Pope Francis at the conclusionof a Pontifical Mass celebrated in OurLady’s honor. Upon receivingthe Silver Rose, the Holy Fa-ther kissed it and then placedit before an image of OurLady of Guadalupe at the highaltar of St. Peter’s Basilica.This occasion followed the

55th running of the SilverRose, a pilgrimage that startsin Canada, proceeds throughthe United States and usuallyends in Monterrey, Mexico.This past year, however, brotherKnights carried the rose all the way tothe Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupein Mexico City. It is a pilgrimage madein honor of Mary, but it also expressesthe dedication of the Knights ofColumbus to St. John Paul II’s visionof greater unity throughout the West-ern Hemisphere. In all of this, we feel a special soli-

darity with Pope Francis, whose owndevotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe isextraordinary. Earlier on Dec. 12, Ihad the privilege of personally dis-cussing with the Holy Father the im-portance of Our Lady of Guadalupe tothe Order’s mission.

Of course, this year as we preparefor the upcoming World Meeting ofFamilies with Pope Francis inPhiladelphia, Our Lady of Guadalupehas special importance for us. Familiesthroughout the world need to hearever more clearly her message of hope,mercy and reconciliation. And theyneed to take to heart her message ofrespect for the poor and indigenouspeoples of the world.

During her fourth apparition inDecember 1531, Our Lady describedJuan Diego as “my youngest son” andtold him not to fear. Then she said,“Am I not here, I who have the honorto be your Mother? Are you not in myshadow and under my protection? AmI not the source of your joy? Are younot in the hollow of my mantle, in thecrossing of my arms? Do you needsomething more?”Mary’s message is especially impor-

tant to us as we continue our new pro-gram for families, “Building theDomestic Church: The Family FullyAlive.” As the healing of Juan Diego’suncle Juan Bernardino makes clear,

Our Lady of Guadalupe leads us tothe Lord through a special concern forfamilies. Mary also brings our families closer

to the Holy Family, which St. JohnPaul II described in his 1994 Letter toFamilies as “the icon and model ofevery human family.”

Likewise, St. Paul de-scribed Christian family lifeas a “great mystery” (Eph5:32). According to St. JohnPaul II, it is because of theirvocation to love that hus-bands and wives are intro-duced “into the realm of this‘great mystery,’” and it is pre-cisely here that their vocationto love may reach fulfillmentin what he calls “fairest love.”

Here again, Mary is key. In his Letter to Families, St. John

Paul II wrote, “Mary was the first toenter this realm, and she introducedher husband Joseph into it. Thus theybecame the first models of that ‘fairestlove’ which the Church continuallyimplores for young people, husbandsand wives, and families.”Today, the challenges facing fami-

lies seem to multiply faster than wecan count. What better time, then, toturn again to Mary and the HolyFamily to find that path by whicheach of our families may grow morefully alive?

Vivat Jesus!

Mary brings our families closer to the Holy Family, which

St. John Paul II described in hisLetter to Families as “the icon andmodel of every human family.”


LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH


NOT LONG AFTER my confirma-tion, I came home and announcedthat I wanted to be a priest. If memoryserves, I was in the fourth grade. Inspite of my youthful naïveté, my par-ents took my solemn pronouncementseriously, and they were open to what-ever the Lord wanted. “If God wantsyou to be a priest,” they said, “that’sfine with us.” They didn’t push or pull,but they did encourage me to knowand to do the Lord’s will.I will always be grateful for

my parents’ receptivity to myvocation. From the fourthgrade to my ordination, I hada lot of growing up to do, andthere were the inevitabletwists and turns that are partof any vocational discernmentprocess. Mom and dad weresteady in their support while carefulnot to encroach on my freedom to re-spond to the Lord’s call. In their lovefor each other, my parents bestowedupon me a love that was life-giving.

MARRIED LOVEI’d like to think that, in the 38 yearsof my priestly vocation, I’ve given myparents more than a few “spiritualgrandchildren” — those whom I havehad the privilege to touch with the giftof divine life through God’s grace andmercy. And I can truly say that momand dad’s hope and joy in my vocationlie not in any position I hold in theChurch, but rather in the mysteriousworkings of the Lord in and through

their son, of whose flaws and limita-tions they are deeply aware.When a man and woman fall in love

and marry, it is because they see thevocation to matrimony as a path tohope and happiness. Already their lovefor one another is brimming with thepromise of new life. They hope to seetheir love for one another reflected intheir sons and daughters — in theirchildren’s unique personalities and tal-

ents, indeed, in their very humanity.They anticipate both the joys andchallenges of helping their childrengrow in body, mind and soul. Andthey look forward to one day havinggrandchildren and even great-grand-children, or, as is the case with my par-ents, “spiritual grandchildren.” Finally,when a husband and wife truly loveone another and their children, theyseek to form families that will extendthemselves in loving service to others,especially the poor and vulnerable. Christian married love, however,

takes us beyond hopes and dreamsconfined solely to this world. A mar-ried couple naturally wants their chil-dren to succeed in the worldly sense:

to do well in school, to make friends,to find a job, and eventually to settledown and find their calling in life. ButChristian hope, perceiving the inade-quacy and fragility of human attain-ments, also looks beyond earthlycontentment and success. Pope Bene-dict XVI put it this way: “Whoever is

moved by love begins to perceivewhat ‘life’ really is. He begins toperceive the meaning of theword hope that we encounteredin the Baptismal Rite: from faithI await ‘eternal life’ — the truelife which, whole and unthreat-ened, in all its fullness, is simplylife” (Spe Salvi, 27). When a husband and wife are

followers of the Lord and live theirfaith in the midst of the Church, theysee that “this is eternal life, that theyshould know the only true God, andthe one whom [he] sent, Jesus Christ”(John 17:3).

ANCHORED IN HOPEThe new life that is bestowed upon usat baptism corresponds to the deepestlonging of our hearts for an everlast-ing, joy-filled love that does not falteror fade away with the passage of time.Amid our sufferings and joys, our at-tainments and failures, even the drab-ness of our daily routine, there issomething in our hearts crying out forsomething more lasting and satisfying.

The Life-Giving SpiritThe universal vocation to love,

inspired by Christian hope, opens us and our families to divine life

by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

Christian married love takes us beyond hopes and dreamsconfined solely to this world.


Offered inSolidarity withPope Francis

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

HOLY FATHER’SPRAYER INTENTIONS

GENERAL: That prisoners, espe-cially the young, may be able torebuild lives of dignity.

MISSION: That married peoplewho are separated may find wel-come and support in the Christiancommunity.

CATHOLIC MAN OF THE MONTH


It is nothing other than our desire toparticipate in God’s life and love. In addressing this deep and persist-

ent desire that wells up from thedepths of our hearts, the Lord does notbypass our humanity or ignore our re-sponsibility to construct a more hu-mane society. Instead, he not onlypurifies our humanity of sin, he alsoenlarges its capacity for love. In shar-ing Christ’s life, our eyes are openedby the Holy Spirit to the faithful, en-during and life-giving love of God.That is precisely the life and love weare able to share with those around us.

In Christian marriage, a husbandand wife are called to root their love forone another in Christ’s life and love. Ifthey allow his love to purify and en-large their love, then they begin to seetheir life together and their hopes forthe future in a deeper, truer and morebeautiful way. They begin to see them-selves not only as partners in this life,but also as “ministers of hope” to oneanother, each engendering in the otheran unshakable hope in the promise oflife eternal (cf. Spe Salvi, 34). Once their love is anchored in

Christian hope, spouses will be free to

give themselves to each other and toGod much more completely, includ-ing in times of suffering or hardship.They will also be more open to what-ever God may ask of them and also oftheir children. In this way, parentswill be “ministers of hope” to theirchildren.A parish church should be a beacon

of love and hope for all who pass by.The family — a domestic churchshaped by life-giving love — shouldlikewise engender hope for those whoare searching for deeper truth andlove.♦

IN 1552 — the same year that St.Francis Xavier, the “Apostle of Japan,”died — Justo Takayama Ukon wasborn. The son of the samurai lord ofSawa Castle near Osaka, Ukon con-verted to Christianity and was baptizedat age 12, together with his father, afteran encounter with Jesuit missionaries.As members of the Japanese nobility,

the Takayama family used its positionto evangelize, building the firstCatholic church in Kyoto. As a samu-rai, however, Ukon was also forced totake up arms during the agitated pe-riod of civil war in 16th-century Japan.In 1587, the powerful shogunHideyoshi, whom Ukon had sup-ported in several military campaigns,began to persecute Christians and or-dered the expulsion of all foreign mis-sionaries. After refusing to renouncehis faith, Ukon was stripped of his rankand banished from his estates.Having willingly chosen poverty with

Christ over wealth and privilege, heserved as a retainer to another Christianlord and sometimes came under theprotection of aristocratic friends. All thewhile, Hideyoshi’s persecution of Chris-tians increased, culminating in 1597

with the crucifixion of St. Paul Miki and25 companions in Nagasaki. When Christianity was banned in

1614, Ukon was given the choice to re-cant or be exiled. Together with a groupof 300 Catholics, Ukon willingly set sailfor Manila, where he received a warmwelcome. The years of struggle, how-ever, had taken a toll on Ukon’s health.In 1615, just 40 days after his arrival inthe Philippines, he fell ill and died. Hewas buried with full military honors.The Bishops’ Conference of Japan

sent Ukon’s cause for canonization toRome in 2013, and Japanese Catholicseagerly await his beatification. Feb. 3marks the 400th anniversary of hisdeath.♦

Justo Takayama Ukon(1552-1615)

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS


Pope Francis Receives Supreme Knight in Private Audience

On Dec. 12, 2014, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, His Holiness Pope Francis received Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson in a privateaudience at the Vatican. On behalf of the Order, the supreme knight presented the pope with the annual proceeds from the Vicarius Christi Fundand an additional $400,000 for the Vatican’s Christian relief fund. The former was established in 1981 and has provided more than $54million for the pope’s personal charities and causes.

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THE KNIGHTS of Columbus recorded its 14th consecu-tive year of growth in insurance sales, with more than $8.2billion in new life insurance sold and a newrecord of more than $96 billion of life insurancein force. These sales have led to an increase ofnearly $50 billion over the past decade.“In 133 years of operation, the Knights of

Columbus has helped meet the spiritual andfinancial needs of Catholic families, while alsoserving the community through charitableworks,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson.“We are pleased to have had great success on bothof these fronts, which comes from our continuedcommitment to our founding mission of serving ourneighbor consistent with Catholic social teaching. Thecontinued growth in our insurance sales is a testament toour business model and to our close to 1,400 professionalagents, who are the cornerstone of that model.”Anderson explained that the record-breaking results

mean that the Order has “helped its members to protect

their families while simultaneously enabling the Knightsto support those most in need and the many works of the

Catholic Church.”The announcement of this latest insurance

record concludes a year of milestones and ac-colades for the company. In March 2014, theKnights of Columbus was named one of theworld’s most ethical companies by the Ethi-sphere Institute, an independent center for re-search promoting best practices in corporateethics and governance.In June, the Order retained its spot on the For-

tune 1000 list and earned its 39th consecutive A++(Superior) rating for financial strength — the highest

rating available — from ratings agency A.M. Best.The Knights enjoys a stalwart reputation for financial se-

curity, has one of the lowest lapse rates in the industry andoffers a product line of life insurance, annuities, disabilityincome and long-term care policies designed to meet theneeds of Catholic families.♦

Knights of Columbus Sets Insurance Record for 14th Consecutive Year


NEEDY FAMILIES in Connecticutwill have a bit more food on their ta-bles this winter, thanks to theKnights of Columbus.On Dec. 23, 2014, Supreme

Knight Carl A. Anderson presented adonation of $100,000 to Connecti-cut Food Bank, helping to providemeals to those in need during theChristmas season and beyond.“With the cost of food rising and

so many people struggling withhunger in our community, theKnights of Columbus is pleased tosupport the wonderful work of theConnecticut Food Bank,” thesupreme knight said. “Helping others

in need here in Connecticut — andaround the world — has been themission of the Knights of Columbusfor more than 130 years.”For more than a decade, the

Knight of Columbus has regularlysupported Connecticut Food Bankwith donations of food and funding,as well as volunteer support. Earlierthis year, a gift of $20,000 was madeto the food bank prior to Thanksgiv-ing Day.♦

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS


Order Charters Historic New Council in Washington, D.C.

Supreme Council Supports Local Connecticut Food Bank

The Connecticut Food Bank’s mobile pantryis pictured in front of the Supreme CouncilHeadquarters Dec. 23, 2014.

THIS PAST FALL, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson pre-sented a charter to St. Augustine Council 15723, located atSt. Augustine Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. The presentation took place following a Mass celebrated

by Father Patrick Smith, council chaplain and pastor ofSt. Augustine, which is known as the “Mother Church ofAfrican American Catholics in the Nation’s Capital.” In remarks after the Mass, which featured music by the

renowned St. Augustine Gospel Choir, Supreme KnightAnderson reflected on the faith he witnessed in Haiti after

the earthquake of 2010.“It brought home to me that spiritual strength does not

depend upon affluence or material possessions,” thesupreme knight said. “Christian discipleship dependsupon people who have been able to walk through the val-ley and come out to the other side strengthened,” Anderson also urged the new council members to be

willing to speak out in faith and to reach out in charity totheir neighbors: “That’s what the Knights of Columbus isabout.”♦

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson joins members of Council 15723 to Washington, D.C., including State Deputy Ernest T. Boykin Jr., Charter(now Past) Grand Knight Harry Anderson, current Grand Knight Kenny Brown and Father Patrick Smith, pastor and council chaplain.

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In a powerful expression of Marian devotion and interconti-nental unity, a Knights of Columbus Silver Rose was pre-

sented to Pope Francis at the conclusion of a Mass in St. Peter’sBasilica celebrated in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Dec. 12,2014. Cardinal Norberto Rivera, archbishop of Mexico City anda member of the Knights, was among the concelebrants.The Holy Father received the sil-

ver rose from Msgr. EduardoChávez, postulator of the cause forcanonization of St. Juan Diego anda canon of the Basilica of Our Ladyof Guadalupe in Mexico City, atthe symbolic culmination of the55th annual Silver Rose program.Supreme Knight Carl A. Ander-son, who was also present at theMass with his wife, Dorian, andother K of C representatives, hadasked Msgr. Chávez to present therose to Pope Francis on behalf ofthe Order. Since 1960, the Silver Rose pro-

gram, originally called OperationRose, has gathered Knights andColumbian Squires from Mexico,the United States and Canadaunder the mantle of Our Lady ofGuadalupe, Patroness of the Amer-icas. In the mid-1990s, it wasadopted as a Supreme Council ini-tiative, which grew to encompass multiple pilgrimage routes andreaffirm the Order’s commitment to the sanctity of human life(see historical sidebar).Before arriving in Rome in December, the silver rose had un-

dertaken a remarkable 9,000-mile pilgrimage. Starting in BritishColumbia April 27, 2014, Knights and Squires transported therose south through the United States to El Paso, Texas, crossingthe Mexican border into Ciudad Juárez Nov. 2. For the firsttime, a silver rose was brought not to the Old Basilica ofGuadalupe in Monterrey, but to the Basilica of Our Lady of

Guadalupe in Mexico City, near the site of the apparitions toSt. Juan Diego in December 1531.On Nov. 30, the day after the rose’s arrival, pilgrims gath-

ered to welcome the silver rose into the basilica. In a uniqueprocession before Mass, the silver rose was carried along thesame route that St. Juan Diego walked from his home in

Tulpetlac to Tepeyac Hill. Therose then entered the basilicaand was placed at the feet of theoriginal image of Our Lady ofGuadalupe. On Dec. 7, another eucharistic

celebration marked the silverrose’s departure for Rome, whereit would be presented to PopeFrancis at a pontifical Mass onthe feast of Our Lady ofGuadalupe. During his homily Dec. 12,

Pope Francis recalled the eventssurrounding Our Lady ofGuadalupe’s apparitions to St.Juan Diego. He called the VirginMary “the great missionary whobrought the Gospel to ourAmericas” through her “visita-tion” as a pregnant mestiza, awoman of mixed race, on Mex-ico’s Tepeyac Hill.“It was as though ‘a great sign

appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with themoon under her feet,’” the pope added, quoting Revelation12:1. “Taking upon herself the cultural and religious symbolismof the indigenous peoples, she proclaimed and gave her Son toall these new peoples.”As a result of her encounters with the lay convert Juan Diego

Cuauhtlatoatzin and related events — including the winter rosesshe asked him to gather and the miraculous image that was im-printed on his tilma after he presented the roses to his bishop— an unprecedented cultural transformation took place.

A silver rose is carried by Knights to the feet of Our Lady of Guadalupe and presented to Pope Francis as a sign of unity

by Andrew J. Matt

The Pilgrimage of theSilver Rose

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Pope Francis receives the silver rose from Msgr. Eduardo Chávez,postulator of the cause for canonization of St. Juan Diego, onthe feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, 2014.



“Through her intercession,” Pope Francis said, “the Chris-tian faith began to grow into the most precious treasure of thesoul of the American peoples” and now “spans from Alaska toPatagonia.” At the conclusion of Mass, Msgr. Chávez climbed the stairs

leading to St. Peter’s high altar.“It suddenly struck me like a bolt of lightning,” Msgr.

Chávez later recalled. “Am I going to bring this rose before

the Bishop of Rome like St. Juan Diego did with Bishop Juande Zumárraga?”Presenting the silver rose, Msgr. Chávez addressed Pope

Francis:“Your Holiness, thanks to the Knights of Columbus, this

silver rose has been taken on pilgrimage from Canada, theUnited States and Mexico; it has traveled to the Basilica ofthe Virgin of Guadalupe and has continued its pilgrimage

THE INSPIRATION for the SilverRose program originated in 1960 with agroup of Columbian Squires from Mon-terrey, Mexico, who wanted to showtheir devotion to Our Lady ofGuadalupe in a unique and public way.Their idea was ambitious: to organize aninternational relay race to transport a redrose 145 miles from the United Statesborder at Laredo, Texas, to the Basilicaof Our Lady of Guadalupe in Monterrey. Under the sponsorship of Nuestra

Señora de Monterrey Council 2312, theSquires of Fray Margil de Jesús Circle660 drew up a detailed plan for this

“athletic-religious event,” as they calledit. Beginning Dec. 11, each Squirewould run two miles, carrying the roseas a baton until they reached Monterrey35 hours later on the Virgin ofGuadalupe’s feast day and delivered therose at her feet.As the Squires’ enthusiasm gathered

momentum, their international visionfor the event also grew. They soon askedMiguel Martínez Estrada, the generalprogram chairman of Council 2312, towrite to William Piedmont, director ofthe Columbian Squires at the SupremeCouncil, explaining their plan and ask-

ing that Squire circles in the UnitedStates participate symbolically in the“Primera Gran Carrera Internacional dela Rosa Guadalupana” (the “First GrandInternational Relay Race of theGuadalupan Rose”). In a letter to Piedmont dated Nov. 5,

1960, Estrada extended an invitation toall U.S. Squires circles to “deliver toLaredo, Texas, a rose as a symbol of in-ternational fraternal friendship underthe patronage of the Virgin ofGuadalupe, ‘Patroness of America.’”Estrada concluded: “We hope this activ-ity will strengthen the fraternal bonds of

THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS SILVER ROSE AND ITS ORIGINS



friendship between the circles of theU.S.A. and the circle of Monterrey.”Piedmont was delighted with the plan.

To enhance its international charactereven more, however, he made one keyrecommendation: Canadian Squiresshould also be invited to participate.Estrada was thrilled and thanked the di-rector “for your wonderful idea to joinCanadian Squires in this activity,” for indoing so “we join, through you and theSupreme Council, the veneration of theAmerican, Canadian and MonterreySquires to Our Lady of Guadalupe.”Thus was born a unique Marian initia-tive destined to strengthen not only theOrder’s sense of fraternal unity, but also

the bonds of cooperation and solidarityacross the continent.The Canadian Squires were soon en-

ergized and embraced the “race” withgusto. “Operation Rose,” as it came tobe known, began Dec. 8, the feast of the

Immaculate Conception, when Squiresfrom Brockville, Ontario, presented ared rose to Squires from Ogdensburg,N.Y., at the midpoint of the newlyopened International Bridge connectingthe United States with Canada. The rosewas then flown the next day to NewYork City via Newark and on to Laredo,Texas, where a delegation of K of Cleaders presented the rose to the Mexi-can Squires. The relay race by foot began Dec. 10

on the America-Mexican border at thecenter of the Gateway to the AmericasInternational Bridge, with Mexican po-lice and the Red Cross accompanyingthe runners along the final leg of the

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Opposite page: Msgr. Chávez addresses the faithful during Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City Nov. 30, 2014, as MexicanKnights stand at attention beside the silver rose. • Above: Pope Francis places the silver rose at the feet of an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe duringthe Dec. 12 Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. • Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson is pictured with Msgr. Chávez following Mass.

here to Rome. This rose has collected the sadness and suffer-ing, the pain and weariness of so many of our brothers andsisters, but also their joys and hopes. It is true, Holy Father,God wished to come live among us through Holy Mary ofGuadalupe, and this rose is the sign. Please receive it.”Pope Francis then smiled and kissed the rose. He said “yes”

with a nod of his head and then asked Msgr. Chávez to prayfor him.

“The smile of Pope Francis was incredible,” Msgr. Chávezlater said, reflecting on the encounter. “I will never forget hissmile, his kissing of the silver rose, and how he looked at me.His eyes were wide open, especially when he understood thatthe words I had spoken were reminiscent of St. Juan Diego’sown words.”♦

ANDREW J. MATT is managing editor of Columbia.

Feb 15 E 1_14 FINAL rev_Mar E 12 1/15/15 11:33 AM Page 11


route. After traveling some 2,600 milesfrom start to finish, the rose arrived inMonterrey Dec. 12, 1960. ArchbishopAlfonso Espino y Silva received the rosein the basilica and concluded the inter-national event with a solemn Mass forSquires, Knights and their families inhonor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

With the success of the inaugural Op-eration Rose, Squires from Mexico, theUnited States and Canada were eager torun the relay race again in 1961. Sincethe original rose had withered and couldnot be used again, two roses were fash-ioned for the second event. A bronzerose, crafted in London, Ontario, andblessed there by Bishop John Cody Dec.8, began the first phase of the eventwhen it was flown to New York. Mean-

while, a silver rose, madein Monterrey andblessed by ArchbishopEspino y Silva, was sentto the Knights ofColumbus headquartersin New Haven, Conn.

The two roses werethen transferred by del-egations of ColumbianSquires and Knightsinto the personal cus-tody of Supreme KnightLuke E. Hart, who carried the two rosesfrom New York to Dallas. District offi-cers in Texas relayed the roses toLaredo, and Squires and Knights fromLaredo Council 2304 formally pre-sented them to the Squires of Monter-

rey Circle 660 at themidpoint of the Inter-national Bridge. Again,the footrace began Dec.

10 and concluded on the feast of OurLady of Guadalupe in Monterrey.

Beginning in 1963, Operation Rosefeatured a single silver rose and followedthe same trans-American itinerary. Eachrose was kept at the basilica in Monter-

The February 1962 issue ofColumbian Squires fea-tures a photo of SupremeKnight Luke E. Hart andCardinal Francis Spellman,archbishop of New York, hold-ing the Order’s first silver rose.

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rey, tangible signs of a tradition symbol-izing fraternity and unity shared by thethree countries.The fifth running of the rose attracted

worldwide attention because the rosewas sent to Rome where it was presentedto Pope Paul VI for his blessing Nov. 29,1964. It was then transported to Laredoand carried into Monterrey. In 1968, therose made a similar detour when it wassent to Bogotá, Colombia, so that PopePaul VI could bless it during his Augustvisit to that city. For the next several decades, Knights

and Squires from Mexico and Texas, in-cluding Fourth Degree assemblies in OurLady of Guadalupe Province, were largelyresponsible for keeping the Silver Rosetradition alive.

In the 1990s, Supreme Knight Virgil C.Dechant adopted the Silver Rose pro-gram as a Supreme Council initiative,which eventually grew to encompassthree silver roses traveling simultaneouslyon separate routes, making frequent stopsalong the way. Parishes, shrines andcouncil halls hosted prayer services inhonor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, oftenaccompanied by Fourth Degree honorguards. The first silver rose began in On-tario and moved through the centralUnited States. Another started in Mani-toba, traveling down the Pacific coast.The third began in New York and moveddown the eastern seaboard. After meetingin Laredo, all three roses were transferredto Mexico for a closing Mass at the basil-ica in Monterrey Dec. 12.

In 2001, Supreme Knight Carl A. An-derson expanded the program as a cul-ture of life initiative by beginning the“Running of the Rose” from the 119thSupreme Convention in Toronto.“We honor not only Our Lady of

Guadalupe and express the unity of theOrder,” the supreme knight said, “butwe also reaffirm the Order’s dedicationto the sanctity of human life. It is to theBlessed Mother that we turn in prayer aswe work to end the culture of death thatgrips our society.”The number of simultaneously run-

ning routes increased from three to fourin 2012, and from four to five in 2013.The 2014 program included six routes,culminating in the presentation of a silverrose to Pope Francis in Rome Dec. 12.♦

Above: Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart presents the silver rose to Texas State Deputy Jack Collerain at the Dallas Airport in December 1961.

Opposite page, clockwise from top: Columbian Squire Ed Gunter Jr. of Austin (Texas) Circle 402 receives the original red rose that was used in theinaugural “Operation Rose” at Laredo Airport Dec. 9, 1960. • With the red rose in hand, Squires Counselor Pedro Gómez, wearing a Red Crossuniform, runs the last leg of Operation Rose with Alberto Jesús García and Salvador García of Monterrey Circle 660 Dec. 12, 1960. • BishopJohn Cody of London, Ontario, blesses the bronze rose. • A color guard of Canadian Squires and an honor guard of Fourth Degree Knights arepictured with the bronze rose at the London, Ontario, airport in December 1961.

Feb 15 E 1_14 FINAL rev_Mar E 12 1/15/15 11:23 AM Page 13

BUILDING THE DOMESTIC CHURCH


THIS IS THE FOURTH MONTH OF BUILDING THE DOMESTIC CHURCH: THE FAMILY FULLY ALIVE, A K OF C INITIATIVE FOR FAMILIES.

Family Project

To celebrate the life-giving spirit of your family, preparea slideshow that illustrates the ways your family is fruitful.In the slideshow, include pictures of: • Parents’ courtship and engagement• Parents’ wedding celebration• Birth of each child• Sacramental celebrations of each child• Friends, service projects, fun times• Vocations in the family

Psalm of the Month (Psalm 139:1-7)

Pray the Psalm of the Month during every Sundayof the month at your family prayer space. On the lastSunday of the month, discuss as a family which versestood out most for each member.

LORD, you have probed me, you know me:you know when I sit and stand;you understand my thoughts from afar.You sift through my travels and my rest;with all my ways you are familiar.Even before a word is on my tongue,LORD, you know it all.Behind and before you encircle meand rest your hand upon me.Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,far too lofty for me to reach.Where can I go from your spirit?From your presence, where can I flee?

IN A PARTICULAR WAY, a husband and wife see thefruit of their lives in their children. But the vocation tofruitfulness is greater than this. Even if a person cannothave children, his or her love is called to be fruitful. Thelove that we express amid prayer, work, rest, family life, andall of our daily activities is called to generate new life inothers, proclaiming through our actions the great hope ofour Lord Jesus Christ. The vocations to religious life andpriesthood are unique signs of this fruitfulness to whicheach of us — whatever our state in life — is called.

FEBRUARYBecause love is fruitful and filledwith hope, our family wants tocultivate a life-giving spirit.

Council-Wide Event: Movie Night

February’s movie recommendation is The Incredibles. Be-fore the movie begins, ask your families to share their familyslideshows.

Bring Song Into Your Home

MagnificatMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Saviorfor he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear himin every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israelfor he remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,to Abraham and his children forever.

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BUILDING THE DOMESTIC CHURCH


FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND A COMPLETE LIST OF MONTHLY THEMES AND MEDITATIONS, VISIT KOFC.ORG/DOMESTICCHURCH.

INVITE FAMILIES to participate in fund-raising effortsto help provide wheelchairs to those in need through theGlobal Wheelchair Mission. The organization’s twobranches, the American Wheelchair Mission and theCanadian Wheelchair Foundation, partner with theKnights of Columbus to provide the gift of mobility topeople with physical disabilities. Since 2003, the Orderhas provided nearly 50,000 wheelchairs to worthy recipi-ents in approximately 20 countries around the world.First, determine what the council’s annual contribution

to the initiative will be, setting a goal of a specific dollaramount, a specific number of wheelchairs, etc. Then,schedule fund-raising events and ask your volunteer fam-ilies to help promote the goal to council and parish mem-bers, encouraging individual contributions. Work with other parish groups and civic organizations

in your community to organize joint efforts to supportthe Global Wheelchair Mission. Discuss whether there isa particular country or location that you would like to

support with a distribution.For more information, visit kofc.org/wheelchair.

Above: Knights and Global Wheelchair Mission representatives wavefollowing a distribution in Guanajuato, Mexico. • Below: Fritz, awheelchair recipient in Haiti, smiles as he experiences the freedom ofmobility that a wheelchair can bring.

Volunteering Together Project: Global Wheelchair Mission

Meditation

Whoever is moved by love begins to perceive what“life” really is. He begins to perceive the meaning of theword of hope that we encountered in the BaptismalRite: from faith I await “eternal life” — the true lifewhich, whole and unthreatened, in all its fullness, is sim-ply life. Jesus, who said that he had come so that wemight have life and have it in its fullness, in abundance,has also explained to us what “life” means: “this is eternallife, that they know you the only true God, and JesusChrist whom you have sent” (Jn 17:3). Life in its truesense is not something we have exclusively in or fromourselves: it is a relationship. And life in its totality is arelationship with him who is the source of life. If we arein relation with him who does not die, who is Life itselfand Love itself, then we are in life. Then we “live.”

— Pope Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi, 7

Questions for Reflection

1. How would our family life be different if we didnot love at all?2. In what areas has the faith and God’s love shownme how to love?3. Why is living in relationship with God so impor-tant to really “living”?

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Super Bowl champion Matt Birk discusses his Catholic faith and his mission as a husband, father and Knight

by Sam Patet

When Matt Birk was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in1998, he could hardly believe it. A graduate of Harvard

University with a degree in economics, he knew it was rare foran Ivy League player to get a chance to play in the NFL. Andunlike many of his teammates, he had only been playing foot-ball since his sophomore year of high school. If he wanted tomake it past training camp, he would have to work and playharder than everyone else.Two years later, Birk took over as starting center for the

Vikings and played 227 games during his 15 years in profes-sional football. He received the Walter Peyton NFL Man of theYear Award in 2011 and, in the final game of his career, helpedthe Baltimore Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013.Birk, though, isn’t just a champion when it comes to football.

He’s also a champion of the Catholic faith and has given dozensof talks at Catholic events across the country. He has been afearless defender of the sanctity of marriage, and he and his wifehave been steadfast supporters of the pro-life movement formore than a decade.In February 2014, a year after his retirement, Birk published

a book titled All-Pro Wisdom: The 7 Choices That Lead to Great-ness. In March, he filled out a Form 100 and became a memberof Father Lucien Galtier Council 4184 in West St. Paul, Minn.After moving to Connecticut with his wife and six children,Birk now works in New York City as director of football devel-opment for the NFL.Last fall, Birk spoke with Columbia correspondent Sam Patet

about his time in the NFL, the relationship between sports andcharacter development, and the role of the Knights of Colum-bus today.

COLUMBIA:Was the Catholic faith an important part of yourlife growing up?MATT BIRK: My parents are devout Catholics, and they did

a lot of things — maybe did everything they could — to makesure that I grew up to love the faith. But I didn’t love it rightaway. It was a gift, and like a lot of gifts, I didn’t appreciate it.When I was in college, the world was telling me I was doing

really, really well. And then I got to the NFL, where I continuedto put God and my faith on hold. I started having crazy successin football, but I wasn’t satisfied. Maybe I was happy, but Ididn’t have joy.

So, I went on a bit of a journey. People don’t realize footballis a very spiritual game for a lot of guys. It’s so intense, and thestakes are high by worldly standards. The highs are really high,but the lows are really low. So a lot of guys are forced to go in-side to try to figure it out.I think every Catholic probably goes through a time in their

life where they have to claim their faith as their own. I’m not afinished product yet, but it took me until my mid- to late-20sto do that.

COLUMBIA: Was there a person or event that inspired you topractice your faith with greater conviction?MATT BIRK: First and foremost my wife. When you’re playing

football, it’s all about you — everybody is telling you it’s allabout you. When I got married and started having kids, that’swhen I realized, “It’s not about me.” My wife has a great wayabout her, a great spirit about her. She’s very kind and generousand charitable. It makes you start thinking about what kind ofman, what kind of husband, what kind of father you want tobe. In order to fulfill those responsibilities, I had to cling to thefaith and immerse myself in it. And it’s the best thing I everdid. I don’t know how I went so long without it, without beingintentional about growing in my faith.I also had four guys in my life who helped get me back into

my faith. I would call them hall of fame Catholics. Each onemade me say to myself, “Whoa. I want to be like him. Every-thing about him, I want to be like that guy. What’s he about?”For them, it started with being Catholic.

COLUMBIA: Did you see a difference in your NFL career be-fore and after you had your conversion experience?MATT BIRK: I was just a lot more content and more at ease.

When I say it’s intense, I never slept through the night. You’realways on edge. You’re always thinking, “How am I gettingbetter today?” You can never do enough, because you’re defin-ing yourself by your performance, and your performance isn’talways going to be there. You’re going to have good days andbad days.But as I started to reclaim my faith, there was such a calm-

ing influence because my perspective was correct. Whetherwe won or lost wasn’t the most important thing in the world.It was all about putting forth a great, high-quality effort, using

GOD AT THE CENTER



the gifts that God gave me, using my talents. I saw that myidentity started with my faith. That’s who I was, and it allflowed from there.

Did I work just as hard? Absolutely. But my perspective was180 degrees different.

COLUMBIA: Some Americans don’t have a very positive viewabout professional athletes, but for your book, you inter-viewed NFL players and coaches who take God seriously. Arethese God- and family-centered players more common thanwe realize?

MATT BIRK: The NFL has men that put God first and menthat put their families first. It also has men that make mistakes.Those guys are no different than anybody else. But we buildthese guys up to be like superheroes, and we hold them to theexpectation of almost perfection — professionally and person-ally. And when they do slip up, we love to point fingers.

There are a lot of great, great men in the NFL. I think that’sthe case because football is a very hard game to play. The sameis true for other professional sports; you put so much into it,

and there’s so much at stake. You push yourself beyond whatyou think your limits are, and in order to do that, you’re look-ing for strength beyond yourself. Where do you find this? It’show a lot of guys end up turning to God.

One of the greatest phrases I ever heard was an old coachtalking about football. He said, “This game and the NFL, it’sa brutal business. It will bring you to your knees, so why notstart there every day?”

COLUMBIA: Sports sometimes seem to be a new god in oursociety. Are sports and the faith opposed to one another?

MATT BIRK: Are they mutually exclusive? No, they don’thave to be. I look at football as being a lot more than aboutfootball; it’s about life. It’s a very effective tool for developingcharacter. When you’re talking about integrity, hard work anddiscipline, we can use sports to teach those things.

I’ve never heard anybody say, “We have too many peoplewith character going around.” We need more of that — weneed people of character in our communities, in our busi-nesses and certainly in our politics.

Former Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk is pictured at training camp Aug. 5, 2009. A member of Father Lucien Galtier Council 4184 in St. Paul, Minn.,Birk now works as director of development for the NFL.

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COLUMBIA: What’s it like for you and your wife to raise sixchildren, who are all under the age of 12?MATT BIRK: It’s very humbling, but very rewarding. As any

parent will tell you, it’s the hardest job there is, but it’s the jobwith the most at stake.When you retire, people really don’t care about you as a foot-

ball player anymore. No matter how good you were, it doesn’tmatter. And you know what? That’s great; that’s how it shouldbe. Football isn’t who I am or who I was. But being a father,that’s the part of my legacy that I actually care about. Being en-trusted with six kids — to raise them in the faith and be theshepherd of their hearts — that’s a major responsibility; that’sa job that’s too important to fail.Our faith and our culture are at odds. I don’t want to shelter

my kids, because I don’t think that’s healthy, but at the sametime, I’m not going to take the governor cap off. A lot of it’sreally about scheduling time, doing things like going to con-fession, saying the rosary, reading the Bible at home. If you’renot intentional about it, you fall off the track. Every day, I prayfor wisdom and endurance and try to raise them the right way.

COLUMBIA: You became a Knight of Columbus in March2014. What got you to take the plunge?MATT BIRK: I spoke at a Catholic men’s conference in

Phoenix in March. At one point during the day, a guy whoworked for the diocese asked the 1,200 men attending, “Ifyou’re not a Knight of Columbus, why not?” And I thought,“Yeah, he’s right: Why not?” And it kind of stuck with me.

So, when an acquaintance from my work in the pro-lifemovement later called me up and asked me to join the Knights,I said, “Yeah. Come over.”To me, the Knights are men of action. It’s nice if people hear

me talk about Jesus, but it’s more important that they see Godin me and in how I live my life and in the things that I do. TheKnights were founded to take care of widows and children, peo-ple who couldn’t take care of themselves. That’s our faithbrought to life.

COLUMBIA: As members of the Knights of Columbus facethe challenges of living God- and family-centered lives in anincreasingly secular society, what advice would you give them?MATT BIRK: Always keep the fundamentals close. I’m talking

about the fundamentals of our faith: Sunday Mass, confession,prayer, study. That’s our best chance to become the men thatGod wants us to be, to be the fathers and the husbands thatwe’re supposed to be.And as Knights, we can draw a lot of strength from being

part of a community. We’re almost 2 million strong worldwide.We can draw a lot of strength from that. As Proverbs 27:17says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” AsCatholic men, we need to spend time with other Catholic menwho will help us grow.♦

SAM PATET is a reporter with The Prairie Catholic newspaper for theDiocese of New Ulm. He is a member of St. Patrick’s Council 1076 inNew Ulm, Minn.

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Matt and Adrianna Birk are pictured together with their six children on a Florida beach in November 2014.


FATHERS FOR GOOD

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


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We often think of Christmas as a season for givingand Lent as a time for giving up. The tree with gifts

underneath is a symbol for one season; a candy bar or acup of coffee with a red “X” over it could be symbols forthe other. Nonetheless, the practices of giving and giving up can

merge and shed light on one other when each is done in aspirit of personal charity. To give a gift from the heart isreally to give up something of one’s self, while giving upsomething for Lent can andshould be a form of a self-gift— to God and neighbor.With Lent beginning this

month, here are three waysthat you can give up some-thing and at the same timeoffer a gift to someone inneed. Fathers may even findin these practices some newtraditions for their families.

Give to Charity. If you aretaking the familiar Lentenpath and giving up sweets,coffee or some other favoritefood, go an extra step and do-nate the money saved to aworthy charity. It could be to a local food pantry, a preg-nancy resource center or your weekly parish offering. Inthis way, the full meaning of sacrifice will become moreapparent to you and your children. The fact is, giving upsomething can sometimes lead us to focus more on ourown effort than on the spirit of humility and sacrifice. Bygiving away the money you save from cutting out desserts,it will be easier to focus on others rather than yourself.

Give Time. For some, money can be an easy gift andmay even be a way to feel good while keeping needy peo-ple at a distance. Ask for money for a good cause and you’llhave many donors. Ask for a few hours of time and theline will get shorter, since time and effort exact somethingdirectly from a person. This Lent, rather than (or in addi-tion to) giving money to charity, spend some hours servingat a soup kitchen, bringing meals to the homebound, orvisiting residents at a nearby nursing home or veterans fa-cility just to cheer them up. Bring your children with you

to teach them that a personal encounter with someone inneed can be more valuable than writing a check.

Give Example. You may not think about it this way, butyour faith is the greatest gift you can give to someone. Youmay be hesitant to talk about your faith, but your exampleof daily Catholic living can be a powerful witness and aform of evangelization.For fathers especially, living out your faith in a con-

scious, consistent manner is a vital example for your chil-dren. More often than not, afather’s religious practice orlack thereof becomes thepractice or non-practice ofhis children. Mom can bringthe kids to Mass every Sun-day and teach them theirprayers, but if the father isnot there, chances are highthat a child will drift awayfrom the Church.The large numbers of for-

mer Catholics in the NorthAmerica and elsewhere indi-cate that fathers often fallshort in their obligation topass on the faith. We dads

need to bring our kids to Mass, kneel with them inprayer, talk about the joy and meaning that our faith inChrist gives to our lives, and become spiritual leaders ofour families. Our instinct to protect must also reach beyond the

physical harm that our children can suffer and into themore important and pervasive moral and spiritual dangersthat they face within our culture. Limiting the use of socialmedia or TV during Lent is another great way to give upsomething while giving your family the gift of your pres-ence and attention.As we approach Ash Wednesday, whatever you choose

to do or not do should be summed up in these few words:Give and receive love for Lent.♦

BRIAN CAULFIELD is editor of the website Fathers for Goodand vice-postulator of the cause for canonization of FatherMichael McGivney.

Love for LentYou can turn your personal sacrifices during the penitential season of Lent into a gift for others

by Brian Caulfield



Anaval admiral and seven U.S. presidents have describedhim variously as “trustworthy,” “loyal” and “dedicated”

— and they all spoke from firsthand experience. RicardoSanvictores, whom they commonly addressed as “Sam,”served each of them closely during his 45-year career as avalet and butler.Following his retirement from service at the White House,

Sanvictores moved to North Port, Fla.,with his wife, Carmen, in 2006. Hav-ing been a devoted servant most of hislife, 76-year-old Sanvictores, a FourthDegree Knight, now dedicates much ofhis time as a member of North PortCouncil 7997. An unassuming, gentle soul, he

rarely speaks openly about his past ac-complishments, but his wife proudlykeeps track of every presidential letterand award he’s received and promi-nently displays photos of her husband’sWhite House career in their home.

STEWARD TO ADMIRAL MCCAINBorn and raised in the Philippines, Sanvictores attended FarEastern University in Manila, where he earned a degree incommerce and business administration. After graduation, hedecided to enlist in the U.S. Navy. “Life was hard in the Philippines,” he said. “Jobs weren’t

good, so most everybody tried to join the Navy because theUnited States was recruiting there in 1960.”At the time, the Philippines was a central hub for U.S. mil-

itary operations in the Asia-Pacific region, and the UnitedStates had a prominent naval base named Sangley Point, lo-cated southwest of Manila. “When I enlisted I didn’t know what I’d do,” Sanvictores

said. “We had to take an exam to see where we would be bestsuited.” For him, that meant working as a steward to high-ranking

U.S. officials. At age 24, Sanvictores was sent to work forAdm. John S. McCain Jr. in Little Creek, Va., where he be-came part of the admiral’s household staff and, later, his per-sonal travel assistant.“I took care of his clothes, his meals, ran his errands,” San-

victores recalled. “When we traveled and he went out at night,I’d stay in his room to protect all his valuables, especially his

papers and sensitive materials. If therewas an emergency, I was the one sentin to wake him up.”Sanvictores was on hand in 1967

when the admiral received word thathis son, Lt. Cmd. John S. McCain III,was shot down over Vietnam. The fu-ture presidential candidate and long-time senator from Arizona was aprisoner of war for nearly six years. “It was a very hard time,” Sanvic-

tores said. “He was really sad and askedthat I pray for his son. I knew thewhole family — the kids and thegrandkids. After so many years ofworking for the same family, they too

became like family. They entrusted me with so much.” The great respect he had for Adm. McCain was mutual.

Upon his retirement, the admiral recommended Sanvictoresfor a position at the White House. “The outstanding standard of performance you have set will

serve as a fine example to all, and is the principal reason whyI consider it a personal pleasure to have served with you,”wrote Adm. McCain at the time.Working for the admiral meant that Sanvictores already had

the necessary security clearance, so his path to PennsylvaniaAvenue seemed to have been prepared in advance, even if itwas unexpected.A natural diplomat, Sanvictores never found it an issue to

serve presidents from either party with the same dedication,loyalty and friendship.

A Servant’s Heart

Ricardo Sanvictores had the unique experience of working at the White House for seven U.S. presidents

by Nadia Smith

“THEY KNEW OF THE

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Clockwise from top: Ricardo Sanvictores, a member of North Port (Fla.)Council 7997, is pictured in 1993 with four of the seven presidentswhom he served. From left: President Jimmy Carter, President GeorgeH.W. Bush, President Bill Clinton and President Gerald Ford. • Pres-ident Ronald Reagan shakes Sanvictores’ hand at the White House inJanuary 1983. • Adm. John S. McCain Jr. stands next to Sanvictores,his wife, Carmen, and two of their three children, Ricardo Jr. and Sarah,Nov. 26, 1968.

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“We don’t do politics; we just do our job,” Sanvictores said.“It’s not our business, even if we have our own opinions. I justdo my job and that’s it.”Still, his decades of service and travel with the presidentswere more than just a job, since he became invested in each oftheir lives. He has nothing negative to say about any of thepresidents he served, since he was close to them all.

WHITE HOUSE SERVICE At the start of his White House career, Sanvictores arrived dur-ing the last three months of President Richard Nixon’s term,before his resignation in the wake of the Watergate scandal. Asa result, Nixon is the president that Sanvictores knew the least.However, he came to know President Gerald Ford very well. “I started working as a valet for him,” Sanvictores said.“Those who worked for him found out that I had worked forAdm. McCain, so they made me his assistant.” As the president’s personal attendant, Sanvictores did what-ever Ford asked of him — from prepping his clothes to bring-ing his meals, and everything in between. Sanvictores alsoaccompanied President Ford and his family on vacations toVale, Colo., and said the president loved to ski.From firsthand experience, he learned similar facts abouteach of the presidents he served. According to Sanvictores, President Jimmy Carter was aquiet, hard worker. “When he was working in his library, noone was able to disturb him — except me,” he said.President Carter, he added, was in the Oval Office by 5 a.m.,and Sanvictores would be there waiting to serve him. Mostdays, Sanvictores did not return home until after dinner, andif there were any parties at the White House, his workdaylasted until midnight.

Sanvictores then servedthroughout the two-term presi-dency of Ronald Reagan, whomhe described, along with FirstLady Nancy, as “sociable andfriendly.” “President Reagan was some-thing else,” Sanvictores added.“He was very charismatic — anatural.”Carmen Sanvictores recalledthat President Reagan wouldoften say of her husband, “He al-ways makes me look good.” President George H.W. Bushwas the last president that Sanvic-tores served as a personal valet.

Sanvictores has fond memories of playing horseshoes withBush, who hosted an annual tournament at the White Houseand often played at his vacation home in Kennebunkport,Maine.When he left office, President Bush wrote to Sanvictores say-ing, “To say that we still miss you is the classic understatementof the year. We will always be grateful for all that you did tomake us so happy in those challenging, wonderful days.”After 30 years of service, Sanvictores retired from the Navyin 1990 as a master chief petty officer, the highest rank of anenlisted sailor. But Sanvictores’ White House career wasn’t quite over. Heapplied for a civilian job as the White House butler and servedPresident Bill Clinton in that capacity.“In some ways it was a much easier job,” Sanvictores re-called. “As a butler I only took care of serving meals and settingup for parties — but President Clinton had a lot of parties.”Sanvictores retired as the White House butler two years intoPresident George W. Bush’s presidency in 2003, but becausethe staff would often call him for help, he stayed on an addi-tional two years as the part-time butler until permanently leav-ing the White House in 2005. He already knew the Bush family because of his work forthe senior George Bush and appreciated how they, like theother presidential families, were very “normal and down-to-earth.”Carmen Sanvictores recalled that the president would jokewith her husband, saying, “Imagine, you served seven presi-dents and you still look good.”To this day, the Sanvictores still visit with the Bushes, whoinvite them to their vacation home in nearby Boca Grande,Fla., every year.

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President George H.W. Bush pins aNavy Commendation Medal on Sanvic-tores during a White House ceremonySept. 5, 1990.



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SACRIFICE AND DEDICATIONThere is no question that Sanvictores’ years of service took atoll on his family life. Working at the White House sometimescaused tension with his wife, Carmen, as the brunt of raisingtheir three children fell squarely on her shoulders. “With God’s help our marriage survived and our family re-

mained intact,” Sanvictores said. “My only regret was not see-ing my kids grow.”Over the decades, the presidents each expressed gratitude

to Carmen for understanding the demands of her husband’swork. “They knew of the sacrifice we were making as a familyfor him to be there to serve them,” she said.“Prayers can move mountains,” Carmen added. “It’s true

that a family that prays together stays together. To this daywe are all close.” The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in

January, and Sanvictores also celebrated 50 years of beingCatholic. Raised Methodist, his decision to become Catholicwas partly due to his wife, but he also felt comfortable withthe Catholic Church since most of his family and friends were

Catholic. It was the Eucharist, the sacraments and the BlessedMother that kept him strong in the faith. Now his wife jokes, “He’s more Catholic than me!”The same dedication he gave to the White House, Sanvic-

tores now gives to the Knight of Columbus. He first joinedthe Order in 1988, during the Reagan administration, andbecame a Fourth Degree member in 2007. A charter memberof San Pedro Assembly 3163, he has served as the treasurerfor North Port Council 7997 for the past seven years. “He’s so busy with the Knights now, it’s like he’s back at the

White House,” Carmen said. As far as Sanvictores is concerned, his Catholic faith con-

tinues to guide him, praying the rosary daily as he carries outhis tasks, just as he did during those busy years in Washing-ton, D.C. “Without prayer and faith in God we wouldn’t have what

we have,” he said.♦

NADIA SMITH is a correspondent for the Florida Catholic,the newspaper of the Diocese of Venice.

Sanvictores stands with his wife, Carmen, in front of their home in North Port, Fla., in December 2014.



On a sunny 80-degree “winter” day last December on theHawaiian island of Oahu, Knights of Columbus from

Bishop James J. Sweeney Council 11485 gathered at SacredHeart Church in Waianae to help tackle a growing problem hid-den behind Hawaii’s beauty: hunger and homelessness.Rising costs of living and other socioeconomic factors have left

many people on the islands struggling for food and shelter. SacredHeart Church lies in a part of Oahu where increasing numbersof homeless people have, in recent years, been finding refuge intents on public beaches and roadsides. To address this problem, Council 11485 has teamed up with

the outreach ministry at Sacred Heart Church to host weeklyfood distributions for the needy. These events, held almost everyTuesday, give parish volunteers and Knights from Sacred Heartand from St. Rita Church, in the neighboring town of Nanakuli,a chance to share the “spirit of aloha” — peace, compassion andcharity — in a very special way.Aiding the hungry and homeless is likewise an expression of

the Hawaiian “ohana” — or family — spirit, and Knightsthroughout the islands have been engaged in innovative work to-ward this cause.

‘A TIME FOR GIFTS’Gilbert “Gil” Jose of Council 11485 spearheads the Sacred HeartChurch outreach initiative. On the morning of Dec. 9, 2014,Jose was at the parish bright and early, greeting guests, organizingvolunteers, setting up tents and figuring out logistics for the day’sdelivery of rations from the Hawaii Food Bank.“I love to mingle with the crowd and see how they’re doing,”

Jose said. “I get worried sometimes that there won’t be enoughvolunteers, but everybody comes out again and it turns out allright.”Involved with parish outreach since 2005, Jose expanded the

operation in 2009 at the request of Sacred Heart’s former pas-tor, Father Carmelo Rey Lim. As a first step, Jose went to theHawaii Food Bank to inquire about the process of creating acomprehensive and effective food distribution program. Helearned the state and federal regulations for homelessness out-reach, including policies on discrimination and health require-ments. Afterward, Jose worked to find space on the small Sacred

Heart Church property where food could be stored properly inample supply. He and volunteers created a well-stocked pantryout of a parish toolshed, outfitting it with a refrigerator, freezerand lots of shelves.The Knights and other parishioners at Sacred Heart Church

were eager to come on board with the project. All of the volun-teers attend a class each year to ensure that they meet stringentguidelines for food handling and social ethics. The class discussesthings such as hand washing, distinguishing good canned goodsfrom bad, and treating clients with respect.“Everybody is reminded about how we do things,” Jose said.

“I’m still a rookie, but I’m learning fast.”The Hawaii Food Bank treats the Sacred Heart outreach pro-

gram as an official “agency” and drop-off site, Jose explained.With this distinction, the food bank is able to send deliverytrucks with provisions for direct donation at the parish on thefirst and second Tuesdays of each month. Jose and Dennis Fortna, a fellow member of Council 11485,

also regularly drive to the Hawaii Food Bank site in Honolulu’sindustrial Mapunapuna district to pick up outreach items. Onthe third Tuesday of the month, they distribute frozen foods andmeats in addition to dry goods and produce. On the fourth Tues-day, they dole out what remains in the pantry, which may includedonations from parishioners and community organizations. The Knights and other volunteers often spend more than eight

hours at Sacred Heart Church on distribution days. If a monthhas a fifth Tuesday, they are given a break.Clients of the food distribution program typically begin lining

up as early as 6:30 a.m. At 10 a.m., people of all different agesand backgrounds are given numbered tickets for one trip throughthe distribution line.The program has always been given more than enough sup-

plies to serve its registrants. “We always have the pantry where we keep canned goods, and

we have a couple of freezers where we store extra food,” Fortnaexplained. “We don’t want to turn anybody away hungry, andhave never had to.”More than 160 people registered for the Dec. 9 distribution.

When the trucks arrived at noon, volunteers unloaded pallets offood, lined them up under a tent and organized the donations

The Aloha SpiritKnights in Hawaii organize programs to provide food for the homeless and others in need

by Darlene J. M. Dela Cruz | photos by Michelle Scotti



Gilbert K. Jose, a Fourth Degree member of Bishop James J. Sweeney Council 11485 in Waianae, Hawaii, is pictured as he oversees food deliveryand distribution at Oahu’s Sacred Heart Church Dec. 9, 2014. • Paul G. Ganaban (left) of Council 11485 and a volunteer collect fresh producefor distribution to the needy.



by category: fresh produce, canned goods, snacks and breads. Josethen gathered everyone together for prayer and to offer encour-agement and affirmation of God’s love to those in need.“This is not only a time for gifts, but a time for happiness and

being with one another,” he said.Tickets were called by number, and volunteers swiftly loaded

up clients’ carts and boxes with the food they needed.“Thank you guys so much,” one client gratefully told a volun-

teer. “You guys are awesome.”Longtime Sacred Heart parishioner and fellow council mem-

ber Paul Ganaban said that the food program is an extremelygratifying experience for all those involved.“I’m serving the people and I’m serving the Church,” he said.In addition to providing food at

the grassroots level, the programhas also provided a way for theparish and state to keep track ofwho is seeking outreach services.Each client must sign in with an IDor provide an ID at a later time.Organizers keep all of the informa-tion in a confidential database.Jose said that these strategies are

nothing new. He has been visitingother well-established outreach pro-grams and social ministries for ad-ditional advice on how to handlethe sometimes overwhelming taskof feeding the hungry.“We all help each other,” Jose

said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

DOING WHAT WE CANIn addition to the efforts of Coun-cil 11485, the altruism of theKnights of Columbus spans acrossthe Hawaiian islands, as councilshave been collaborating withparishes and local organizations tofeed the hungry. For instance, Bill Rodrigues of Brother Joseph Dutton Council

7156 in Honolulu regularly picks up surplus items from the Ka-neohe Marine Corps Base commissary for the outreach ministryat St. George Church in Waimanalo. A small town on the oppo-site side of Oahu from Sacred Heart, Waimanalo has also seen arecent rise in the number of homeless camped on its streets andshorelines.Rodrigues began volunteering his time to pick up food at the

Marine Corps base several years ago. He had a close relationshipwith the late Father William “Bill” Mattimore, who was pastorof St. George Church for more than two decades. Both menserved in the military and parlayed their connections at the com-missary to benefit their parish family. “One year, I picked up 19 tons of food,” Rodrigues noted,

adding that he is proud to serve as a Knight of Columbus.

“I always wanted to join the Knights,” he said. “I looked up tothem. All that I’m doing for the Church, it’s all a blessing.”The Knights on Oahu are doing well to feed their neighbors,

but one council has even been extending aid to the poor acrossthe sea.St. John Apostle and Evangelist Council 14663 in the Central

Oahu city of Mililani has been collecting and shipping food toschoolchildren on the small, disadvantaged island of Molokai.When the expansive Molokai Ranch closed in 2008, many resi-dents were left unemployed and struggling to support familieswith the rural island’s meager resources.William Castro, a member of Council 14663, said that the

generosity of his fellow parishioners from St. John Apostle andEvangelist Church has been inspir-ing. The council sends over boxes offood and backpacks filled with nutri-tious snacks for more than 200 chil-dren each month. The cost to ship these items by

barge to Molokai can run high, butCastro said it does not deter theKnights’ passion for this project. Hevisits Molokai annually and seesfirsthand that the children therehave been doing much better inschool when given healthy, whole-some meals.“The kids are really benefiting,”

Castro said. “We get back moreprayers than we give. Christ is in-volved in this, in everything we do.It’s just such a joy.”A council on the west side of the

Big Island of Hawaii, meanwhile, hasstarted a new effort to provide freshfruit for the needy.State Deputy Stephen D. Lopez of

St. Michael the Archangel Council13227 in Kailua-Kona organizes a

program called “Knights Harvest.” Since various citrus fruits, pa-payas, mangos, avocados and bananas often fall to the groundand go to waste on the Big Island’s agricultural land, the counciloffered to pick up these fruits to share with area food banks.Lopez and his brother Knights now collect excess fruit growingon private properties in the same rich volcanic soil that producesworld-famous Kona coffee. The council has already donated 9,000 pounds of fresh fruit

and has inspired the launch of a similar program in the town ofHilo, on the island’s east side.“It’s a perfect thing for the Knights of Columbus,” Lopez said.

“My faith has grown tremendously since being involved withlike-minded men.”Jose echoed these sentiments at the end of the distribution day

at Sacred Heart Church in Waianae. Even with weary legs and atired team of volunteers, he said there is no greater satisfaction



than the smiles the Knights receive through the simple sharingof food. He hopes more people will get involved with the out-reach program and continue its mission to pay kindness forward.“I like what I do,” Jose said. “I just like to see the people’s faces.

Sometimes it’s only temporary for them, but at least that’s some-thing. We just try to do what we can. Whatever little bit we cangive, why not?”♦

DARLENE J. M. DELA CRUZ is a reporter and photographer for theHawaii Catholic Herald.

Above: Two men depart from the Sacred Heart Church food distributionwith boxes filled with food. • Right: Past Grand Knight Dennis Fortnaof Council 11485 and a volunteer unload a pallet of food from theHawaii Food Bank together. • Opposite page: A smiling woman is pic-tured at the Sacred Heart food distribution.



NEW SIGNSt. Pius X Council 11168 inGetzville, N.Y., donated$10,000 to purchase a newelectronic sign for St. Pius XChurch. The sign displaysMass times as well as specialmessages that can be pro-grammed by the parish ad-ministrator.

NEW TABLESFairfield (N.J.) Council 6380purchased 40 commercial-grade tables and two carryingcarts for St. Thomas MoreChurch. The tables replacedold and cumbersome tablesthe parish had been using forapproximately 40 years.

MEMORIAL CHALICEQueen of Peace Council8617 in Mishawaka, Ind.,presented a chalice to FatherJohn Eze in memory of hismother, who passed away inher home country of Nigeria.

The chalice was inscribed,“To Father John Eze in mem-ory of his mother Susan Eze,”with the emblem of theOrder on the base.

CERT TRAININGSt. Joseph Council 4599 inSmyrna, Ga., sponsored aCommunity Emergency Re-sponse Team (CERT) class atits council hall. CERTteaches attendees how to re-spond to natural and man-made disasters in the absenceof, or while waiting for, firstresponders. Likewise, EastHanover (N.J.) Council6504 donated $200 to EastHanover CERT. The fundsare earmarked to purchasenew equipment.

ULTRASOUND & BUSChrist the King Council12165 in Tampa, Fla., raisedmore than $36,000 for theFoundations of Life Preg-

nancy Center. Of the moneyraised, $22,000 was used topurchase a new ultrasoundmachine through the Knightsof Columbus Ultrasound Ini-tiative. The remaining fundswere used to repair the cen-ter’s mobile ultrasound bus.

HONORING A HEROLt. Cmdr. Father Joseph T.O’Callahan Assembly inWest Springfield, Mass., pre-sented a special framed cer-tificate to Jay O’Callahan,the nephew of the late priestfor whom the assembly is named. Jesuit FatherO’Callahan served aboardthe USS Franklin in WorldWar II when it was attackedby Japanese aircraft. For hisactions in the line of duty,Father O’Callahan wasawarded the Medal ofHonor, the first priest sincethe Civil War to receive theprestigious award.

KNIGHTS ACTION REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLESIN

Members of Father Crisostomo Council 6000 in Cabantuan City, Luzon, distribute rosary beadsand booklets on how to pray the rosary to parishioners at the Barangay Santa Cruz Chapel.Knights distributed the rosaries to encourage increased Marian devotion and family prayer.

COLUMBIA NEEDSYOUR PHOTOS!

Columbia is always inneed of great photos thatshowcase the activities ofyour K of C units. Reportsthat are accompanied bydynamic pictures are alwaysthe first to catch the attentionof the editors. So what doesit take to have your council’spicture published in Co-lumbia magazine? Hereare some tips:

• Photograph people whilethey are involved in anactivity. Do not stop whatpeople are doing to set up aposed shot.

• Wear your Knights ofColumbus gear. If yourmembers have T-shirts,aprons or other itemsprinted with the emblem ofthe Order, encourage them towear these items at all ofyour events.

• Charity is about people.Show readers how you havehelped people through thefunds you worked so hard toraise; do not show them asigned check.

• Send your photos to:[email protected]

KIA Feb 15 E 1_13__Layout 1 1/14/15 4:15 PM Page 28

KNIGHTS IN ACTION


St. Petersburg. This gift es-tablishes an endowment thatwill provide tuition assistanceto families at Nativity in fi-nancial crisis.

FOOD DRIVESunrise Council 6607 in Bo-hemia, N.Y., ran a food driveat two local grocery stores tobenefit the food pantry at St.John Nepomucene Church.Knights collected more than4,600 pounds of food and$340 in gift cards, which willhelp to feed the estimated140 families that the foodpantry serves.

ROSARY & RECONCILIATION

Holy Spirit Council 11669 inLantana, Fla., hosted anR&R (“rosary and reconcili-ation”) weekend at its parish.Knights distributed rosariesand pamphlets on how topray the rosary to all parish-ioners after Mass, urgingthem to renew their prayerlives and devotion to Mary.

BIBLES TO CONFIRMANTS

St. Paul Council 3105 inD’Abbotsford, Québec, do-nated Bibles to the 20 confir-mants at St. Paul Church.Knights annually donateBibles to all of the young peo-ple who will receive the sacra-ment of confirmation.

TRAVELING CHALICEPROGRAM

During the Year for Priests in2010, Prince of Peace Coun-cil 7983 in San Antonio cre-ated a glass case with atraveling chalice inside thatparishioners could use to prayfor vocations. The programhas grown so popular in re-cent years that the councilnow has five chalices — oneavailable at each of the fiveweekend Masses at Prince ofPeace Church. Parishioners

PREPARED TO SERVE

Richland (Wash.) Council3307 donated $31,500 toPREPARES: Pregnancy &Parenting Support for All.PREPARES is a statewidepro-life initiative that waslaunched by the bishops ofWashington’s three Catholicdioceses to serve women andcouples in crisis pregnancies.The donation, which camefrom the council’s charitablefund, represents $100 foreach of the council’s 315members.

EDUCATION ENDOWMENT

Mother Seton Council 6724in Brandon, Fla., awarded$35,000 to Nativity CatholicSchool through the CatholicFoundation of the Diocese of

MEDICINE COLLECTION

San Pedro and San PabloCouncil 15218 in Mata-moros, Mexico Northeast,collected medicine frommembers of the communityand from parishioners at St.Francis of Assisi Church tobenefit the clinics at twolocal parishes and at theConvent of St. Rose of Lima.Knights collected medicinevalued at 25,000 pesos (ap-proximately $1,900), whichwill be distributed to peoplein need.

VESTMENTS FOR BISHOP

Texarkana (Texas) Council1003 donated new rose vest-ments to Bishop Joseph E.Strickland of Tyler. BishopStrickland joined the Orderas a deacon in 1984 and is amember of Bishop Charles E.Herzig Council 1502 inTyler. He served as councilchaplain for 11 years.

can even reserve the chalicethrough the parish or councilwebsite.

SPELLING BEEMount Shasta (Calif.) Coun-cil 2599 sponsored the an-nual Siskiyou CountySpelling Bee, furnishing cashprizes for first- and second-place winners in both elementary and junior divi-sions. Knights also providedfunds for the winners’ fami-lies to travel to the state com-petition.

AMERICAN PRIDEDINNER

Star of the Sea Council 371and Star of the Sea Assembly,both in Bayonne, N.J.,hosted its annual AmericanPride Family Dinner to ben-efit the Wounded WarriorProject. The focus of theevent was to increase aware-ness of post-traumatic stressdisorder, and the event raisedmore than $9,000.

Members of St. Rita’s Council 7624 in Rockford, Ill., and theirfamilies — all dressed as mermen and mermaids — chargeinto the water during a polar plunge at Olsen Lake to benefitSpecial Olympics. Knights raised more than $1,500 for Spe-cial Olympics by taking a dip in the frigid water and won sec-ond place for their costumes.

Carmenda R. Arevalo,deputy executive director ofthe National Historical Com-mission of the Philippines,and Past Grand Knight Flo-rentino B. Rosario of Manila(Luzon) Council 1000 look onas NHCP Executive DirectorLuduvico D. Badoy andKnight Antonio Hernandezunveil the historical markerfor Council 1000. The councilwas recognized by the Philip-pine government for its civicachievements and for itscontributions to the nation’shistory. Founded in 1905,Council 1000 was the first K of C council established inthe Philippines.


KNIGHTS IN ACTION


the East African nation,which were personally deliv-ered by council memberKinyua Nyamu.

ROOM REPAIRBarasoain (Luzon) Council3817 hosted a benefit dinnerto raise funds for the repairand maintenance of the Fa-ther Gregorio CrisostomoRoom at Barasoain Church.The room is currently in-fested with termites and hassuffered structural damage.The dinner raised 50,000pesos (approximately $1,120)for the needed work.

MEN’S ONLY HEALTH CLINIC

St. Ignatius Council 7621 inTarpon Springs, Fla., hosteda men’s only health clinic atSt. Ignatius Church with sup-port from 24 volunteernurses and nine doctors. Theday began with continentalbreakfast, followed by freescreenings for a variety ofmedical problems. Men alsoheard a presentation by alocal urologist.

WHEELCHAIR LIFTSt. Mary’s Council 3212 inTillsonburg, Ontario, hosted

PARISH MINISTRYFAIR

Members of Father Mc-Cauley Council 6609 inFayetteville, Ark., respondedto their pastor’s “StewardshipRenewal Campaign” by or-ganizing a parish ministry fairat St. Joseph Church. Nearly50 parish organizations ex-hibited at the fair — includ-ing the council, whichoffered general informationabout K of C membership,degrees and insurance.

MASS KITFather James Knight Assem-bly in Moore, Okla., donateda Mass kit for use at the Arch-diocese of Oklahoma City’sOur Lady of Guadalupe Re-treat Camp. The Mass kit wasdonated in memory of a de-ceased member.

ROSARIES FOR KENYA

Father Edward ShaughnessyCouncil 3884 and FatherGeorge F. Clark Circle 819,both in Newington, Conn.,hosted a “Rosaries for Kenya”drive. Knights and Squirescollected more than 450rosaries, religious medals andother items for Christians in

local emergency medical serv-ice. The bears are given toany child that has to ride inthe ambulance.

MEMORIAL WALKSt. Brigid Council 13204and Father Joseph T.O’Callahan Assembly, bothin Johns Creek, Ga., workedfor more than a year to raise$21,000 to build a gazebo atthe Johns Creek VeteransMemorial Walk. In addition,Knights volunteered 670hours to build the structure.The memorial includes 10plazas that honor veteransfrom World War I throughall the conflicts to the pres-ent day. Knights donated$2,000 to the memorial it-self, and the assembly pro-vided an honor guard for thepark’s dedication.

a charity raffle to benefit acouncil member who was in-jured in a boating accident.Denis Turcotte was hit by apropeller and paralyzed fromthe neck down while scubadiving. Funds from the rafflewere used to purchase and in-stall a wheelchair lift at Tur-cotte’s home.

RETREAT COLLECTION

Our Lady, Star of the SeaCouncil 7122 in North Myr-tle Beach, S.C., was planningto attend a retreat at theShrine of our Lady of SouthCarolina in Kingstree alongwith other councils in thedistrict. A few weeks beforethe retreat, the shrine made aspecial request for cannedfood to help stock the pantryrun by the Felician Sisters.Knights responded in kindby collecting 825 pounds offood and delivering it whenthey traveled to the shrine fortheir retreat.

A DOSE OF COMFORT

Msgr. Patrick R. DuniganCouncil 695 in Flint, Mich.,donated a box of Knights ofColumbus teddy bears to a

Roger Fontaine of Rocky Hills Council 7497 in Prud’Homme, Saskatchewan, uses a tractorto dump a load of topsoil at a local cemetery while fellow council members rake and levelthe dirt. Knights undertook a project to beautify the cemetery by hauling and leveling newtopsoil and planting new grass.

Members of Father MichaelJ. McGivney Assembly inBlairsville, Ga., salute theU.S. and papal flags thatKnights placed at St. Francisof Assisi Church. St. FrancisCouncil 11746 donated andinstalled the flagpoles in thechurch’s memorial garden,which was blessed and ded-icated by Father Juan F.Areiza in memory of de-ceased veterans.


KNIGHTS IN ACTION


vided items for the collegeKnights to sell at the yardsale, proceeds from whichwill help the pregnancy cen-ter purchase a new ultra-sound machine.

FRATERNAL CAMPING & FISHINGLouis Joseph “Jimmy” Wit-tler Circle 4169 in Pleasan-ton, Texas, undertook afraternal camping and fishingtrip to Rockport. In additionto the outdoor activities,Squires also attended Mass atthe historic Star of the SeaChapel and toured thechapel’s prayer garden.

FEED MY STARVINGCHILDREN

Father William Blum Council3656 in Crystal, Minn., vol-unteered to pack meals forFeed My Starving Children,an organization that sends nu-tritious, hand-packed meals tomalnourished children in 70countries around the world.Specifically, Knights helpedpack 93 cases of food for chil-dren in Haiti.

ROAD RACEBernardo Council 1350 inShelton, Conn., held its an-nual road race through thestreets of its community. Theevent drew 200 runners andraised $5,000 for the coun-cil’s charitable fund.

PRO-LIFE YARD SALE

James Madison UniversityCouncil 9286 in Harrison-burg, Va., hosted a commu-nity yard sale to help supportthe Harrisonburg PregnancyCenter. Father Edward W.Johnston Council 9488 pro-

Members of Leo XIII Council 1090 and Msgr. John Neale As-sembly, both in Terryville, Conn., stand with a new statue ofthe Order’s founder, Venerable Michael McGivney, thatKnights placed at the LYCEUM Catholic Community Centerin Terryville. The council held a special Mass and dedicationceremony for the statue of Father McGivney, who served aspastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Terryville from1884-1890. The event helped raise funds for the local foodpantry, and the memorial statue of Father McGivney will beperpetually lit.

FEBR

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1990 COVE

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See more “Knights in Action” reports and

photos atwww.kofc.org/knightsinaction

FEATURE ARTICLEThe February 1990 issue kicked off with a feature pieceby Jeannette Angell-Torosian titled “Silent Art that Speaksof Faith.” Writing about the history of icons in Catholictradition and the role they continue to play in educatingand inspiring the faithful, Angell-Torosian said: “Icons aredoorways into stillness, into closeness with God. If we sitwith them long enough, we too can enter into that still-ness, into that communion. And if we listen to themclosely enough, with our hearts, we just may discern thevoice of God.”

SUPREME COUNCIL NEWSElmer Von Feldt, formereditor of Columbia and di-rector of historical re-search at the SupremeCouncil, retired Dec. 1,1989, after 23 years andfour months of service.Prior to joining the Knightsof Columbus as editor of Columbia, Von Feldt had a ca-reer as a reporter, feature writer and editor. From 1956-65 he served as news editor of the National CatholicNews Service, and in 1963-64 he acted as director of theU.S. Bishops’ Press Panel for the Second Vatican Coun-cil in Rome.

KNIGHTS IN ACTIONFrom reports on councils and jurisdictions: “Lillian Mur-ray has new friends in her guide dog, ‘Casey,’ and theKnights of St. Thomas More Council 6062 in Haup-pauge, N.Y., who arranged for her to obtain the dog. Thecouncil donated $3,000 to the Smithtown Guide DogFoundation for the Blind, which trains guide dogs forblind people.”

FROM THE ARCHIVES

February 1990


JOIN THE FATHERMCGIVNEY GUILDPlease enroll me in the Father McGivney Guild:

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY

STATE/PROVINCE

ZIP/POSTAL CODEComplete this coupon and mail to:The Father McGivney Guild, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 or enroll online at: www.fathermcgivney.org

OFFICIAL FEB. 1, 2015:To owners of Knights of Columbus insurance policies and persons

responsible for payment of premiums on such policies: Notice is herebygiven that in accordance with the provisions of Section 84 of the Lawsof the Order, payment of insurance premiums due on a monthly basisto the Knights of Columbus by check made payable to Knights ofColumbus and mailed to same at PO Box 1492, NEW HAVEN, CT06506-1492, before the expiration of the grace period set forth in thepolicy. In Canada: Knights of Columbus, Place d’Armes Station, P.O.Box 220, Montreal, QC H2Y 3G7

ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK, EDITORIAL MAT-TER, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILED TO:COLUMBIA, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901. RE-JECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IF ACCOMPANIED BY ASELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE. PUR-CHASED MATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED. OPINIONS BYWRITERS ARE THEIR OWN AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE-SENT 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: ACCOUNT-ING DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869/USPS #123-740) IS PUBLISHEDMONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 1 COLUMBUSPLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326. PHONE: 203-752-4000,www.kofc.org. PRODUCED IN USA. COPYRIGHT © 2015 BYKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRO-DUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSIONIS PROHIBITED.

PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NEW HAVEN, CT ANDADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: SEND AD-DRESS CHANGES TO COLUMBIA, MEMBERSHIP DEPART-MENT, PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

CANADIAN POSTMASTER — PUBLICATIONS MAILAGREEMENT NO. 1473549. RETURN UNDELIVERABLECANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, 50MACINTOSH BOULEVARD, CONCORD, ONTARIO L4K 4P3

PHILIPPINES — FOR PHILIPPINES SECOND-CLASS MAILAT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OFFICE. SEND RETURNCOPIES TO KCFAPI, FRATERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT,PO BOX 1511, MANILA.

K OF C ITEMSOFFICIAL SUPPLIERS

IN THE UNITED STATESTHE ENGLISH COMPANY INC.

Official council and Fourth Degree equipment1-800-444-5632 • www.kofcsupplies.com

LYNCH AND KELLY INC.Official council and Fourth Degree

equipment and officer robes1-888-548-3890 • www.lynchkelly.com

IN CANADAROGER SAUVÉ INC.

Official council and Fourth Degree equipment and officer robes

1-888-266-1211 • www.roger-sauve.com

02/15!

KNIGHTS IN ACTION


A CHARITABLE HOLE IN ONE

Players practice their putts at the annual “Golf For Charity” tournamenthosted by Our Lady of Joy Council 11116 in Carefree, Ariz.

IT’S NOT EASY to score a hole in one in golf, but Our Lady of Joy Council11116 in Carefree, Ariz., has certainly landed close to the pin with the coun-cil’s annual “Golf For Charity” fundraiser.Now in its 14th year, the tournament has continued to raise the bar

for the council’s charitable fundraising endeavors. In 2014, the eventraised $165,000 for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and 25 worthycharities. Over the history of the tournament, Knights have raised morethan $1.4 million.For the past nine years, the event has been played at Troon Country Club

in Scottsdale, but registration in 2014 was so far over capacity that additionalfoursomes were added at the nearby Desert Highlands Golf Club. In addition to meals and a day on the links, players competed for team

and individual awards, hole-in-oneprizes and raffles.During dinner, which was held at

the Troon banquet room, tourna-ment organizers told the audienceabout the history of the event. Rep-resentatives from the Society of St.Vincent de Paul also thanked partic-ipants for their generosity.The day culminated in a live auc-

tion that included such prizes as aweek’s stay in condos at various trop-ical locations and autographed mem-orabilia. Bidding edged up towards$10,000 for one week in a fabulousTuscany villa and provided a dra-matic finish to what had already beena very full day.

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS


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: [email protected].

Members of Banal Na Sakramento Coun-cil 8753 in Quezon City, Luzon, look onas Father Rudy M. Tulibas (lower left),council chaplain, blesses a new sign forBanal Na Sakramento Church on a busyintersection in Barangay Talipapa. Knightssponsored the placement of the sign, whichdirects residents to the church.

Building a better world one council

at a timeEvery day, Knights all over the world aregiven opportunities to make a difference— whether through community service,raising money or prayer. We celebrateeach and every Knight for his strength,his compassion and his dedication tobuilding a better world.

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

‘LORD, IF YOUWANT ME TO BE APRIEST, I’LL DO IT.’The first time I seriously thought about

being a priest was shortly after my conversionto Catholicism in high school. I reflected onhow I had never known the beauty, joy and ful-fillment of a relationship with Jesus Christ inand through the sacraments, and realized theremust be millions of people out there just likeme. I remember praying, “Lord, if you wantme to be a priest, I’ll do it.”

The Knights of Columbus were a constantpresence of support during my priestly forma-tion. It was at a barbeque sponsored by theKnights that I first met a recently retired Navychaplain who encouraged my interest in themilitary chaplaincy. Inspired by his mentor-ship, I asked my archbishop for permission tobe a full-time Navy chaplain once I was or-dained. I’m now in my sixth year of active duty,currently working as a chaplain recruiter forthe U.S. Navy.

The need for priests serving in all militarybranches is incredibly great. I call on all of mybrother Knights to encourage priests to serveas military chaplains for our men and womenin uniform.

FATHER BENTON GARRETT, LT, CHC, USNNavy Chaplain Programs OfficerHyattsville, Md.

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KEEP THE FAITH ALIVE

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Columbia February 2015

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