Knights’ faith-formation program to debut in 2008

December 31, 2007 — Bishop William E. Lori, our supreme chaplain, is about to introduce a new catechetical program for members of the Knights of Columbus. The program will be built around a monthly column in Columbia magazine, beginning with the January 2008 issue.

Bishop Lori requests that council chaplains address the topics covered in these articles. (He has started a separate newsletter for chaplains, advising them on how to present the material during council meetings.) Be sure to support your chaplain in his efforts, and don't be afraid to ask questions about the material.

If a chaplain is unable to attend a meeting, the grand knight should ensure that the lessons are presented by a member whom he designates (perhaps the lecturer or himself).

These faith formation topics are drawn from the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

A chorus of voices ... in the next world

November 29, 2007 — Former Congressman Henry Hyde, 83, a Knight of Columbus and a tireless defender of the unborn, passed away early this morning at a Chicago hospital, after suffering renal failure and cardiac arrhythmia.

In 1976, he authored the first successful attack on Roe v. Wade. His Hyde Amendment — still in force 31 years later — ended U.S. government funding of abortion. In spite of his efforts, millions continued to be killed. But who can know how many lives he saved?

Now he stands to account for his life's work, perhaps recalling these words he once spoke: "When the time comes as it surely will, when we face that awesome moment, the final judgment, I've often thought, as Fulton Sheen wrote, that it is a terrible moment of loneliness."

His recollection continues: "You have no advocates, you are there alone standing before God and a terror will rip through your soul like nothing you can imagine. But I really think that those in the pro-life movement will not be alone."

Not alone? That's right: the millions he couldn't save. He is now in their presence. What are those martyred souls saying in his defense?

He recalls the rest of his speech: "I think there will be a chorus of voices that have never been heard in this world, but are heard beautifully and clearly in the next world, and they will plead for everyone who has been in this movement. They will say to God, 'Spare him because he loved us,' and God will look at you and say not 'Did you succeed?' — but 'Did you try?'"

— Editor

Cuban icon makes waves

October 13, 2007 — This year's widely popular Marian devotion program features an icon of Our Lady of Charity, the patroness of Cuba.

The religious image is making its way to each of the councils throughout the Order during the next several months. Most councils will see it at least once before the 2008 state conventions.

If you missed this event in your area, you may wish to hold your own private Marian devotion program by viewing or printing out the prayer book, icon, and holy card.

Lifelong Knight leads 2007 Columbus Day Parade

October 8, 2007 — Robert J. Lane, who recently retired from his position as the supreme secretary of the Knights of Columbus, served as grand marshall of the 2007 Greater New Haven Columbus Day Parade. More than 200 Knights from Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York marched in yesterday's Sunday-morning event.

Lane was born and raised in New Haven, Conn., and is a member of San Salvador Council 1. He began his lifelong association with the Knights of Columbus headquarters office, in 1954, as a part-time summer clerk in the accounting department. Later, he served as assistant supreme secretary for 18 years, as an executive vice president for 3 years, and then as supreme secretary for 2 years. He stepped down this past weekend upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.

He and his wife, Leanore, who make their home in North Branford, Conn., have four children and eight grandchildren. In 2000, Lane was made a Knight of St. Gregory by Archbishop Daniel A. Cronin.

Click on a photo, below, to enlarge it. Watch footage of the parade.

— Editor

Babe Ruth remembered in video

He was known by many names — the Bambino, the Colossus of Clout, the Wazir of Wham. Babe. George Herman Ruth was also one of those men they call Knights.

It was 80 years ago, today, that brother Knight Babe Ruth hit his 60th home run in the New York Yankees’ second-to-last game of the 1927 major-league baseball season.

Watch this video tribute to Ruth & Company's "Murderers’ Row" (10 minutes), including grainy footage of the Sultan of Swat’s record-setting homer.

— Editor

A multimedia supreme convention is on its way

The 125th supreme convention will be brought to you via several forms of media this year. The event will be held August 7–9 in Nashville, Tenn.

In addition to television and radio broadcasts from the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), Salt & Light Television, and Sirius Satellite Radio’s The Catholic Channel, there will also be Internet coverage, including articles, photographs, podcasts, and a blog.

Go to the supreme Web site, between now and the end of the convention, for live, multilingual, interactive coverage of the event.

— Editor

Memorial Day: It’s not about the barbecue

May 28, 2007 — Today we Americans observe Memorial Day.

It differs from most other major holidays, in that it isn’t a celebration, but, rather, a solemn day set aside to remember those who have paid the ultimate price in the performance of their patriotic duties.

One way to mark this day is to perform a patriotic or community service — like participating in a public memorial ceremony, writing a letter to a servicemember, donating blood, dropping some canned goods off at a food bank, or cleaning up a local park.

Being responsible citizens is a healthy way to demonstrate patriotism, the principle of the Fourth Degree, and it’s a fitting tribute to those who have sacrificed their lives to guarantee our freedom.

Be sure to fly your flag, too. Yes, it is just a piece of cloth — but in the same way that a picture of your mother is just a piece of paper, or your grandfather’s remains are just ashes, or your child’s kindergarten craft project is just a piece of clay with a handprint on it. The flag is a reminder — a memorial — just as a grave stone and a crucifix are. It’s a symbol and an artifact that should be handled with respect.

If you are barbecuing or vacationing over the long weekend, be sure to also include a visit to a cemetery, or a moment of silence, or some other act of dedication to the memory of those who have died in the service of their country. Too many have given too much for us not to care.

— Editor

Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act upheld

New Haven, Conn., April 18, 2007 — “Today's Supreme Court decision in Gonzales v. Carhart is a major milestone in the battle to end the destruction of innocent human life in America,” Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said today. “Until today, the abortion license in the United States has been virtually unlimited. Finally, after nearly a decade of court battles, the way has been cleared to implement the bipartisan judgment of Congress that partial birth abortion is brutal and inhumane, and must be prohibited.”

“In upholding the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act,” Anderson said, “the court reasserts an important and usually forgotten part of its 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. ‘A central premise’ of that case, the court said today, is ‘that the government has a legitimate, substantial interest in preserving and promoting fetal life.’ In highlighting that position, I believe the court has laid the groundwork for a more searching reexamination of the crumbling foundation on which Roe v. Wade was built.”

“We also strongly agree with Justice Thomas, who wrote a short, separate concurring opinion reiterating his view ‘that the Court's abortion jurisprudence, including Casey and Roe v. Wade, has no basis in the Constitution.’ He is absolutely right, and we will not rest until the day on which the right to life is recognized as the most fundamental right of all,” Anderson concluded.

Special occasion observed today

April 1, 2007 — An all-women Knights of Columbus council, the first of its kind, was instituted today in Laramie, Wyo. The formerly all-male fraternal organization is opening its doors to women on a trial basis, according to a spurious source.

“We’ll start with this one and see how it goes,” said Carol Anderson, a spokesperson at the supreme council office in New Haven, Conn. “We plan to institute a second all-female council on this same date next year, and then one more each year on that anniversary,” she added.

“I’m no fool, but I don’t understand why we can only do this once a year on one specific day,” complained April Fülsdeigh, grand knight of the new council. “It’s my birthday, though, so that’s good,” she added.

The international lay Catholic organization is working to revise its traditional principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism, according to one official who wished to remain anonymous. “We were going to replace ‘fraternity’ with ‘fellowship,’” said the unidentified source. “But then someone pointed out that it’s got the word ‘fellow’ in it.”

A parchment charter listing the names of the new members was delivered at an installation of officers ceremony conducted by State Deputy Bill Briere, the leader of the Knights of Columbus in Wyoming. According to the document, the new council has been dubbed “Kalendae Aprilis Council 040107.”

No additional details were available at press time, and word of the unexpected policy change had not yet reached many of the organization’s district and local leaders. Not everyone was taken by surprise, however. Rumors about possible changes in the Order’s admission policies had begun circulating last year, around the first of April, according to the state deputy, although he acknowledged that some of the rumors had turned out to be false.

In his remarks to the new members and their husbands, Briere said, “We must always be wary of misinformation, especially on a day like today. I am sure that we will all be extra vigilant on this date next year.”

— Editor

Happy birthday, brother Knights!

March 29, 2007 — On this day in history, the Connecticut legislature granted a charter to the Knights of Columbus. The year was 1882.

The recent advent of the locomotive, electricity, the telegraph, and daily newspapers had changed life in so many ways. It was an incredible time, and New Haven, Conn., was on the cutting edge. Our first brother Knights must have imagined that they were living in the Golden Age of Communication.

James Mullen, John Kerrigan, Cornelius Driscoll, Bill Geary, Dan Colwell, and a bunch of other “regular guys” would get together with the tireless Fr. McGivney for their monthly meetings in the eerily lighted basement of the still-new St. Mary’s Church. (The polished wood floor reflected the harsh light from Thomas Edison’s recent incandescent invention.)

Attendance was great — maybe because someone always gave a reminder telephone call to each of the Knights who had one of those newfangled contraptions. (What an amazing communications tool that was turning out to be! Make a few calls, and practically the entire Order shows up.)

They were young — mostly in their thirties — and were involved in their parish and in their community. They were well-grounded in faith and tradition, but they also had ambition and vision. Our founders took advantage of all the modern technologies that New Haven offered them. These men were relevant and “with it” — and they established an enduring Catholic society that they would recognize still today.

We can’t imagine what the Church and the world will need from us in another century and a quarter. But we know that, in the year 2132, while observing our 250th anniversary, the Knights of Columbus will also be observing our traditions and will still be building on our vision.

How is it that our fraternity continues to stand the test of time?

Tradition and vision. We Knights of Columbus recognize that some things never change and that other things always change.

— Editor

Tell the governor what you think

March 6, 2007 — On Gov. Dave Freudenthal’s desk, there is a document awaiting his signature. This piece of paper would force the State of Wyoming to acknowledge that a person who murders a pregnant woman and knowingly causes the death of her unborn child has, in fact, killed two people. I am asking my brother Knights to call the governor, 307–777–7434, and tell him whether he should sign SF 118 or not.

Knights aren’t afraid of the truth, so do some research and look at what both sides are saying. Here is a link to one editorial opposing the legislation. Here is a link to some talking points supporting it.

It's not enough to simply state your position. Think about what you're going to say — how you're going to persuade — and then make the call.

Science and logic tell us that abortion causes a human life to end. It undeniably stops a beating heart. Why, in the 21st century, are we still even having this discussion?

A fetus is an unborn baby, a human being distinct from his or her mother. How can there be any doubt that we are talking about two people when we speak of a “woman who is with child”? The fetus’ sex and blood type may or may not be the same as the mother’s, and the unborn child has its own skeleton, organs, mind, and DNA. Quod erat demonstrandum.

Although SF 118 does not go so far as to outlaw abortion, it does imply that a woman’s unborn child is a separate human being — at least in those cases in which the mother is also killed with malice aforethought. It gives us a little more than we currently have on the books for protecting the unborn. This is a step in the right direction, and it is worthy of our support.

— Editor

Read an update to this post in the first comment, below.

Welcome to Knights in Interaction

February 27, 2007 — Our new interactive newsletter has gone through a month of beta testing, and now it’s time to get everyone on board. Spread the word to your fellow Knights across Wyoming and elsewhere.

Knights in Interaction is still far from perfect, but we’re working on it. When you click on any links, you will generally need to use the back-arrow button to return to this page. Let me know of any other problems you find in this newsletter — along with suggested solutions, if possible.

Please start by reading my introductory post, dated January 26, 2007, which can be found either immediately below or in the blog archive.

— Editor

Knights in Interaction newsletter launched

January 26, 2007 — Welcome to the Wyoming State Council's newest communication tool, “Knights in Interaction.” It incorporates several modern technologies that may not be familiar to everyone, but it’s designed to help us to work together better. New things can be difficult for any of us to learn, but keeping up with the times has always been one of the great traditions of the Knights of Columbus.

With a little exploring and experimenting, you’ll find this page to be a valuable place to spend a little time each week. Let’s use it to continue implementing Fr. Michael J. McGivney's vision of a vast Catholic brotherhood united in fraternal charity.

I hope that this multimedia newsletter will help us to become better-informed Knights within a better-connected fraternity. Unity strengthens us as brothers, and it keeps our great service organization relevant and effective.

Click on “comment(s),” below, to include your feedback on items that appear in this blog section of the newsletter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Let’s see what we can accomplish here. I invite you to kick the tires and to check back often. But, most of all, I invite you to participate as “Knights in Interaction.”

— Editor