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JULY 2012JULY 2012
COLUMBIACOLUMBIAKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
“The challenge facing you, dear friends, is
to increase people’s awareness of the importance
of religious freedom for society; to
defend that freedom against those who would
take religion out of the public domain and
establish secularismas America’s official faith.”
Blessed John Paul IIBaltimore, Oct. 8, 1995
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Knights of Columbus family. And that is another reason we are able to o0er the best protection available.”
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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
J U L Y 2 0 1 2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 1
COLUMBIAJ u L y 2 0 1 2 ♦ V O L u m E 9 2 ♦ N u m b E R 7
F E AT U R E S
Celebrating Our IndependenceAmerican Catholics should keep in mind our tradition of religious freedom as we practice and defend our faith today.BY CARDINAL TIMOTHY M. DOLAN
The Public Witness of FaithIn boldly preaching the Gospel in word and deed, we serve the common good as loyal citizens.BY ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI, SUPREME CHAPLAIN
Our Lady of Guadalupe Travels AbroadThe Order’s Marian Prayer Program dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe finds popularity in Poland.BY KRZYSZTOF MAZUR
The Truth About Natural Family PlanningBeyond the myths to the mystery of married love.BY TOM HOOPES
What They Didn’t Tell You in Sex EdAn interview with Vicki Thorn about the negative conse-quences of hormonal contraception on health, relation-ships and society.BY ALTON J. PELOWSKI
The World Is Not Our HomeAmid joy and suffering, Louis and Zelie Martin grew together in holiness and raised saintly children.BY ERIKA AHERN
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D E P A R T M E N T S
Building a better worldThe government’s narrow definition ofreligion is at odds with the meaningand purpose of Christianity.BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON
Learning the faith, living the faithIn our fight for religious liberty, we mustrecognize that freedom is grounded inmoral truth, not relativism.BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN
ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM E. LORI
PLUS Catholic Man of the Month
ReflectionDuring his 2002 trip to Toronto,Blessed John Paul II communicateda message of joy and hope.BY FATHER THOMAS ROSICA, C.S.B.
State Deputies
Knights in Action
Columbianism by Degrees
Knights of Columbus NewsState Deputies Meeting StressesMembership Growth and Charity• Majority of Americans SupportFirst Amendment ConscienceRights in Health Care • Knights ofColumbus Joins Legal Defense ofMontana War Memorial • A.M.Best Reaffirms Top Rating forKnights of Columbus Insurance
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The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Con-gress July 4, 1776. Among its opening lines are these famous words:“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
DECLARATION: Thinkstock —
AD DESIGN: Justin Perillo
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EDITORIAL
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THe TWO-WeeK OBSeRVAnCeof the Fortnight for Freedom, culmi-nating with the celebration of Inde-pendence Day, has included variousdimensions: prayer, study, catechesisand public action. Faced with domesticchallenges to religious liberty, it istempting for American Catholics tothink first of fighting back politically.However, among the stated purposes ofthe Fortnight for Freedom, prayer andeducation are of even greater urgency.Prayer opens our hearts and minds toGod, who is the source of our freedom,and allows us to step forward in bothhumility and fortitude. And studyingwhat the Church teaches about reli-gious freedom provides the wisdom tolive our faith authentically and witnessto the secular culture around us.
Because the words “freedom” and“rights” are used frequently in publicdebate, it is critical for us to ask whatprecisely is meant by freedom and whatis the source of human rights. Whatbecomes clear, then, is that the secularculture has fundamentally different as-sumptions about human nature thandoes the Catholic Church. From thesecular perspective, freedom is definedprimarily in terms of self-determina-tion and choosing between various op-tions; rights are seen simply in terms ofimmunity from coercion; and both re-ligion and society itself are thought ofas a voluntary associations. From theCatholic perspective, on the otherhand, freedom involves the capacity toconform one’s will toward what isgood; rights are founded on humandignity and imply prior duties to God
and to others; and our origin in Godand relationship to others are insepara-ble from who we are as human beings.
In this light, the promotion of a trueunderstanding of human nature hasbecome a central theme of Pope Bene-dict XVI’s pontificate. In his messagefor the World Day of Peace Jan. 1, thepope observed, “Only in relation toGod does man come to understandalso the meaning of human freedom. Itis the task of education to form peoplein authentic freedom. This is not theabsence of constraint or the supremacyof free will, it is not the absolutism ofthe self. When man believes himself tobe absolute, to depend on nothing andno one, to be able to do anything hewants, he ends up contradicting thetruth of his own being and forfeitinghis freedom.”
Unless all people are “endowed bytheir Creator with certain unalienableRights” and freedom is grounded intranscendent truth and goodness, thenwe are left with what the pope hascalled “the dictatorship of relativism.”In other words, if freedom is reduced tosimply the assertion of the will and doesnot acknowledge God as its source andultimate end, then the universality ofhuman rights is inevitably replaced bythe struggle for power of the strong overthe weak. In response to this false free-dom that characterizes the culture ofdeath, Catholics are called to be wit-nesses of the abundant life and joy thattrue freedom brings to the world.♦
ALTOn J. PeLOWSKI
MAnAGInG eDITOR
Freedom Grounded in TruthCOLUMBIA
PUBLISHeRKnights of Columbus
________
SUPReMe OFFICeRSCarl A. AndersonSUPREME KNIGHT
Most Rev. William e. Lori, S.T.D.SUPREME CHAPLAINDennis A. Savoie
DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHTCharles e. Maurer Jr.SUPREME SECRETARYLogan T. LudwigSUPREME TREASURERJohn A. MarrellaSUPREME ADVOCATE
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eDITORIALAlton J. Pelowski
[email protected] EDITOR
Patrick [email protected] EDITOR
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Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90)Apostle to the Young,
Protector of Christian Family Life andFounder of the Knights of Columbus,
Intercede for Us.________
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new Haven, CT 06510-3326ADDRESS CHANGES203-752-4580OTHER INQUIRIES203-752-4398
FAX203-752-4109CUSTOMER SERVICE1-800-380-9995
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 © 2012All rights reserved
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On THe COVeRA quote from Pope John Paul II’s homily atBaltimore’s Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in October 1995 is shown above the U.S. Capitol, seen from a distance.
COVER: Thinkstock
Supreme Convention and Guadalupe CelebrationTHe 130TH SUPReMe COnVenTIOn will takeplace in Anaheim, Calif., Aug 7-9. For more or informa-tion, or to register, visit kofc.org/reservations or call 203-752-4739. The Knights of Columbus and the Archdioceseof Los Angeles will also co-sponsor a Guadalupe Celebra-tion at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Sunday, Aug. 5. Theevent will feature prayer, speakers and performances. Re-serve free tickets at guadalupecelebration.com.
BUILDING A BETTER WORLD
J U L Y 2 0 1 2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 3
neARLY 20 YeARS AGO, BlessedJohn Paul II visited the United Statesand urged us to protect our FirstAmendment right to the free exercise ofreligion. Speaking in 1995 in Baltimore,he said these words, quoted by oursupreme chaplain, Archbishop WilliamLori, at his installation as archbishop ofBaltimore in May: “The challenge facingyou, dear friends, is to increase people’sawareness of the importance of religiousfreedom for society; to defend that free-dom against those who would take reli-gion out of the public domain andestablish secularism as America’s officialfaith. And it is vitally necessary, for thevery survival of the American experience,to transmit to the next generation theprecious legacy of religious freedom andthe convictions which sustain it.”
What foresight those words show.Blessed John Paul II’s words ring truetoday with renewed importance.
What is at stake in our current de-fense of religious freedom is not simplythe right of Catholics to practice ourfaith freely and without having to be-come entangled and complicit in ac-tions that violate our conscience. Thatwould be bad enough. But what is alsoat stake is the question of who definesthe mission and purpose of the CatholicChurch itself.
As I noted in my speech at the na-tional Catholic Prayer Breakfast inApril, the federal government hassought to interfere with the identity ofreligion twice in the past year.
First, there was a case that dealt withwhether the government or a churchshould decide who should be consid-
ered a minister. In that case — HosannaTabor v. EEOC — the administrationargued that the definition of a ministershould be restricted. It would have elim-inated the “ministerial exception” thatprotects religions from employmentlaws when it comes to those in ministry.According to the government, if any“ministerial exception” in employmentexists, it should be strictly “limited tothose employees who perform exclu-sively religious functions.”
Such reasoning caused Chief JusticeJohn Roberts to ask during oral argu-ment whether even the pope could meetthe administration’s definition of a reli-gious minister. And it caused theSupreme Court to unanimously disagreewith the administration saying, “We areunsure whether any such employeesexist,” because even the highest rankingchurchmen have “a mix of duties.”
Similarly, the HHS mandate allowsonly the narrowest exemption for reli-gious institutions — covering only in-stitutions that primarily hire and servemembers of their own faith.
As Cardinal Daniel Dinardo ofGalveston-Houston put it: “Jesus him-self, or the Good Samaritan … wouldnot qualify as ‘religious enough’ for theexemption, since they insisted on help-ing people who did not share theirview of God.”
Christ called all Christians to reach be-yond their own denominations in teach-ing “all nations,” considering everyonetheir “neighbor,” and doing “good tothose who hate” them. He defined our“neighbor” as anyone in need — and inhis parable of the Good Samaritan,
Christ specifically included those of otherreligions in his definition of neighbor.
In the Hosanna Tabor case¸ theSupreme Court unanimously character-ized the government’s position as allow-ing “government interference with aninternal church decision that affects thefaith and mission of the church itself.”
Precisely the same can be said of theHHS mandate. The definition of reli-gion in the exemption redefines thebasic tenets and mission of Christianity.And a government willing to affect thetenets and mission of the Church is agovernment willing to change the iden-tity of the Church.
Secularism sees religion as somethingthat should be limited to “freedom ofworship,” as something that should hap-pen in church buildings only, and notbe brought into the public square. Butour First Amendment guarantees us freeexercise of religion, and fundamental tothis is our ability to follow the principlesof our religion as defined by Christ, notby the government.
We have seen these two serious threatsto religious freedom in the past year. Thefirst lost in court, the second is unpopu-lar in the court of public opinion. In-deed, the HHS mandate may well bereversed legislatively or legally, but therecould be future threats as well.
As we celebrate Independence Day,and the rights “endowed by our Cre-ator,” we would do well to pause and re-call these often quoted words: “eternalvigilance is the price of liberty.” Vivat Jesus!
Defending Our Catholic Identity
The government’s narrow definition of religion is atodds with the meaning and purpose of Christianity
by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson
LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH
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AS THe FORTnIGHT for Freedomculminates in a prayerful celebrationof Independence Day, this is an occa-sion for Americans to give thanks forthe wisdom of the Founding Fatherswho recognized in the Declaration ofIndependence that our fundamentalrights are given not by government,but by our Creator. It is also a goodtime to reflect on how our liberties areprotected in the U.S. Constitution.Preeminent among these is religiousliberty, which is now very muchat risk in our increasingly secularculture. After all, when culturebecomes disconnected from reli-gion and claims of moral truth,our understanding of freedomitself becomes distorted.
CHALLenGeS ReMAInBy now we are all familiar withthe risks to religious freedom inthe United States. Among thegreatest is the U.S. Departmentof Health and Human Services’ man-date that would force conscientiousemployers and religious organizationsto fund or facilitate abortion-induc-ing drugs, sterilization and contracep-tion. Keep in mind that the Churchis not seeking to force anyone to doanything; it is simply defending thefreedom to follow Catholic teachingin the workplace, a freedom that fed-eral law and policy has broadly ac-commodated for a long time. We arenot seeking to expand that freedom,just to maintain it against the raw useof administrative power to curtail it.
The Church, together with its ecu-menical and interfaith partners, isfacing an uphill battle. To be sure,there has been an outpouring of sup-port from across the country, and wehave reason to believe that lawsuits tohave the mandate overturned standon firm legal ground, especially re-garding the very narrow governmentdefinition of what organizations arereligious enough to deserve an ex-emption. To qualify under the cur-
rent narrow exemption, a religiousorganization must hire and serve onlyits own people. In a word, it must beinward-looking. But our Church,from the very beginning, has soughtto extend itself to all nations andserve the common good throughschools, charities, hospitals and otherforms of social outreach.
even if we win these lawsuits,though, religious freedom will con-tinue to be challenged by our secularculture. Many voices at the forefrontof public discourse — includingmuch of the mainstream media — re-
ject the Church’s claim that religiousfreedom hangs in the balance. Thatclaim has been termed “bogus” and“phony” by prominent newspapers. Isthis merely a knee-jerk aversion to theCatholic Church and her teachings?I would suggest that somethingdeeper is at stake, namely, competingnotions of what freedom itself is.
TWO VISIOnS OF FReeDOMFor many cultural pundits,freedom is simply the abilityto do what one wants, to en-hance one’s life as one sees fit.The only limitation is thatone must not obstruct therights of others to make thesame choices. This very secu-lar version of freedom is de-tached from the moral law —from what is true and good —
and from God, the author and giver offreedom. It goes beyond saying thatour fundamental freedoms are in-scribed in our hearts by our Creator.Rather, the secular notion of freedomsays that we create our own version ofwhat is true and good and choose ac-cordingly, so long as we do not violateanother’s right to choose similarly. Inthis view, freedom is not only highlyindividualistic but it is also relativistic,since it does not acknowledge a fun-damental law protecting the good andthe true by which all human beings arebound. When this notion of freedom
When freedom is reduced to individuals choosing whatever they
want, so long as it’s a choice condoned by the government,
religious liberty is severely limited.
True and False FreedomIn our fight for religious liberty, we must recognize that freedom is grounded
in moral truth, not relativism
by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori
Offered insolidarity with
Pope Benedict XVI
LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH
J U N E 2 0 1 2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 5
POPE: CNS photo/Paul Haring —
VENERAbLE SOLANuS CASEy: CNS photo
prevails, it is the strong — those whohave money, power and influence —who end up imposing their views onothers.
According to the perspective of theadministration and editorialists, theChurch’s freedom extends only toworship, preaching and teaching. Itdoes not extend to putting its teach-ings into practice through its own in-stitutions when they hire or servepeople of other faiths. But when free-dom is reduced to individuals choos-ing whatever they want, so long as it’sa choice condoned by the govern-ment, religious liberty is severely lim-ited. Any notion of freedom that links
an individual’s choices with a morallaw is seen as “bogus” or “phony” be-cause it is not consistent with the sec-ular notion of freedom. And theChurch’s assertion that it is free to runits own institutions according to itsown values, even when these arecountercultural, is roundly rejected bypundits and power brokers.
Dominican Father Servais Pinkaers(1925-2008) made the distinctionbetween “freedom of indifference”and “freedom for excellence.” Theformer is the exercise of free will with-out regard for moral truth. Freedomfor excellence, on the other hand, isthe use of free will in a way that looks
toward what is true and good; it is thefreedom to choose what one ought tochoose. If we want to preserve theChurch’s freedom to fulfill its God-given mission and our own freedom tochoose what is true and good, then wemust hold and convey to others a truenotion of freedom.
St. Paul wrote: “Whatever is true,whatever is honorable, whatever isjust, whatever is lovely, whatever isgracious, if there is any excellenceand if there is anything worthy ofpraise, think about these things”(Phil 4:8). We do well to take thisadvice as we celebrate the birthday ofour nation.♦
HOLY FATHER’SPRAYER INTENTIONS
CATHOLIC MAN OF THE MONTH
Venerable Solanus Casey(1870-1957)
GeneRAL: That everyone mayhave work in safe and secure con-ditions.
MISSIOn: That Christian vol-unteers in mission territories maywitness to the love of Christ.
BeRnARD “BARneY” FrancisCasey was born nov. 25, 1870, to anIrish immigrant family in rural Wis-consin. The sixth of 16 children, heworked as a logger, hospital orderly,streetcar operator and prison guardbefore entering St. Francis HighSchool Seminary in Milwaukee atage 21. Upon joining the Capuchinorder five years later, he received thename Solanus, after the 17th-centurySpanish missionary St. FrancisSolanus. He was ordained to thepriesthood July 24, 1904, but be-cause he had difficulty in his semi-nary studies, he was made a “sacerdossimplex,” restricting some of hispriestly functions.
Father Casey spent the first 20years of his priesthood in the newYork City area. In 1924, he was as-signed to St. Bonaventure Monasteryin Detroit, where he spent two moredecades, serving primarily as a porter,or doorkeeper. Throughout his min-istry, Father Casey humbly acceptedhis limitations. Although he was notallowed to preach doctrinal sermons,he gained a reputation as an inspiringspeaker. And although he could not
hear confessions, dozens of peoplewould visit him daily to receive bless-ings and counseling. even during hislife, many miraculous cures were at-tributed to his intercession.
When failing in health, FatherCasey was transferred to Hunting-ton, Ind., in 1946 and lived there for10 years before returning to Detroit.After he died July 31, 1957, at theage of 86, an estimated 20,000 peo-ple passed by his coffin before hisburial at St. Bonaventure. His lastwords reportedly were, “I give mysoul to Jesus Christ.” The cause forhis canonization was opened in1982, and on July 11, 1995, he be-came the first U.S.-born male to bedeclared venerable.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS
6 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ J U L Y 2 0 1 2
THe KnIGHTS OF COLUMBUS set new all-timerecords for charitable donations and volunteer service hoursin 2011, according to the results of the Order’s Annual Sur-vey of Fraternal Activity. In a presentation to state deputiesin new Haven, Conn., June 10, Supreme Knight Carl A.Anderson released the results of the survey, which indicatethat total charitable contributions last fraternal year reachedmore than $158 million — exceeding the previous year’stotal by approximately $3.4 million. Volunteer service hoursto charitable causes grew to more than 70 million hours.
“I don’t think there’s any other Catholic volunteer associ-ation that is making this kind of a difference day in and dayout in our communities and our parishes than the Knightsof Columbus,” the supreme knight said.
The release of the fraternal survey results was the pinnacleof the state deputies’ annual organizational meeting, held June6-10, in which membership growth and charitable outreachwere stressed as two pillars of the Order’s ongoing success. Thesupreme knight also highlighted a central theme of the gath-ering: “The Power of One,” which underlies the Order’s mem-bership goal of “One member, per council, per month.”
“As Knights, we have something great to give, and the firstthing we have to give is ourselves” in the form of charity,friendship and fraternal support, Anderson said.
He then urged state deputies to take the lead in encour-aging councils to become active in recruitment all year. Thisis important, he explained, because of the effect our mem-bers have on society at large through their charitable works,and the positive role membership in the Knights has for
them as fathers, husbands and members of the community.To this end, the five-day state deputies’ meeting featured
sessions on charitable programs, spiritual formation, andmembership recruitment and retention. Attendees also cametogether several times for the celebration of Mass.
In his homily for the opening Mass June 7, Father GregoryGresko, chaplain of the Blessed John Paul II Shrine in Wash-ington, D.C., said that the attributes of a Christian leadershould serve as a model for Knights of Columbus statedeputies. He said that just as Jesus said that his followersmust love God with their whole hearts and their neighboras themselves, “the calling” of a state deputy “is to be firstamong brothers in serving others, giving a perfect, completegift of self to God through service to neighbor in the Order.”
On June 8, Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William e.Lori celebrated his first Mass in St. Mary’s Church in newHaven since being installed as the head of the Archdioceseof Baltimore. He urged the state deputies to allow the Wordof God to shape their hearts and minds so they may becomeexemplary leaders for the faith and for the Order.
If the fraternal survey results are any indication, the statedeputies have an important tradition to uphold. Over thepast 10 years, Knights have contributed $1.4 billion and 653million volunteer hours to charity.
The supreme knight explained, “If we make the Knightsstronger, we make the Church stronger. If we make theKnights stronger, we make our communities and our coun-tries stronger. That is our mission. And we are going to growand accomplish that mission.”♦
State Deputies Meeting Stresses Membership Growth and Charity
Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson addresses the annual meeting of state deputies.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS
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CNS photo/Rick musacchio,
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Majority of Americans Support First Amendment
Conscience Rights in Health Care
Knights of Columbus Joins Legal Defense of Montana War Memorial
A.M. Best Reaffirms Top Rating for Knights of Columbus Insurance
AS CATHOLIC dioceses and organizations throughout theUnited States file lawsuits to protect their First Amendmentrights from the government’s health care mandate, a new sur-vey finds that nearly three in four Americans (74 to 26 per-cent) say that freedom of religion should be protected, even ifit conflicts with other laws.
According to a Knights of Columbus-Marist Poll con-ducted in May, majorities would protect the First Amendmentrights of hospitals, health care workers and insurers to opt outof providing certain drugs, services and procedures, including:abortion (58 to 38 percent), abortion-inducing drugs (51 to44 percent), in vitro fertilization treatments that could resultin the death of an embryo (52 to 41 percent), medication tospeed the death of a terminally ill patient (55 to 41 percent)and birth control pills (51 to 46 percent).
“This survey reveals that the American people are fundamen-tally dedicated to protecting the First Amendment consciencerights of everyone,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson.“Allowing people to opt out of these procedures or services ―which violate their faith ― is the right thing to do.”♦
THe KnIGHTS OF COLUMBUS — represented by theBecket Fund for Religious Liberty — has asked to inter-vene in a pending lawsuit to defend a war memorial thatcommemorates the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Divisionand that is located on U.S. Forest Service property inMontana.
The war memorial, which includes a large statue ofJesus, was erected by Montana Knights who were askedby veterans of the 10th Mountain Division to create a me-morial reminiscent of the hilltop shrines they encounteredin europe while fighting in World War II. It has beenmaintained by Knights since 1954. To erect the memorial,Kalispell (Mont.) Council 1328 leased a 25-foot by 25-foot plot of land on Big Mountain, which lies within acommercial ski resort. The permit had been renewed every10 years without incident until 2010, when a Wisconsin-based organization protested that the memorial violatesthe U.S. Constitution.
The Knights of Columbus asked the U.S. DistrictCourt in Missoula, Mont., to allow the Order to inter-vene as a defendant in the case Freedom from ReligionFoundation vs. Weber, so as to protect the First Amend-ment rights of its members in Montana and to continuehonoring the memory of the soldiers who gave their livesfor their country.
“The idea that a war memorial containing a religioussymbol on a remote piece of public land somehow estab-lishes religion in this country is at odds with the historicalrecord, the vision of our Founding Fathers enshrined inthe First Amendment and the extensive jurisprudence inthis area,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson. “It issad that some in America have become so intolerant of re-ligion that they are willing to remove longstanding me-morials to America’s war heroes to enforce their narrowview on the rest of us.”♦
FOR THe 37TH COnSeCUTIVeYeAR, A.M. Best Company has giventhe Knights of Columbus its highestfinancial strength rating, A++ (Supe-rior). A.M. Best is a worldwide ratingand information agency that conductsin-depth analyses and issues reportsabout the fiscal stability of insurancecompanies.
In its 2012 reaffirmation, A.M.Best cited the Order’s “strong frater-
nal and insurance presence within theCatholic communities in the UnitedStates and Canada, its superior risk-adjusted capitalization … and theOrder’s consistently positive statutoryoperating results.”
The report also stated that “theOrder has a strong affinity with itslarge membership base through itscharitable works and competitiveportfolio of life insurance and annuity
products.”Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson
said, “earning A.M. Best’s top ratingfor 37 consecutive years — and againthis year — shows the wisdom of oursustainable business and investmentmodels. Agents, members and theirfamilies are all part of the Knights ofColumbus family. And that is anotherreason we are able to offer the bestprotection available.”♦
8 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ J U L Y 2 0 1 2
By now we have heard the opening words of the Declara-tion of Independence so often, and they have become so
much a part of our national identity, that they might roll pastour ears or flash before our eyes without us taking much no-tice. If we’re not paying attention, they almost sound clichéd:“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are cre-ated equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certainunalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and thepursuit of Happiness.”
In America, these words havebeen part of our DnA since theywere first written in 1776. They in-form not only our government, butalso our entire culture, down tohow families relate to one anotherand to how we practice religion.
nonetheless, the independentspirit at the heart of both the Amer-ican Revolution and the concept ofpopular sovereignty poses someunique difficulties for the Churchin the United States. Too often ourpeople confuse liberty with license,value dissent for its own sake, andfocus too intently on our individualrights instead of our duties to the common good. These areserious and perennial challenges for Catholicism in America,and year after year we have to do our best to respond.
But for a moment, let’s focus on the good these words havedone for us.
We have, to a large degree, inherited a Catholicism that hasbeen free from government interference into what gets taughtfrom the pulpit and in the seminaries, who holds what ecclesialoffice, and what lands the Church can possess. We have beenfree to teach our faith to our families and to others, to open
churches, schools and charities, and to evangelize the broaderculture. And we are at liberty to criticize our government, evenfrom the pulpit, without so much as a slap on the wrist fromthe authorities. Our historical moment is a rare one when weconsider all of the various forms of church-state relations thatChristians have encountered throughout the centuries, and thepersecution many encounter today in other lands.
The parish school, the church basement, the Catholic ceme-tery, the local Knights of Columbushall, the local shrine off the highway— all of these are familiar to us.These are the places where we hadour first dance, where we went toCCD or where our cousin had herwedding reception. They may re-mind us of a time that we completedan eagle Scout project, lost thePinewood Derby, or ate doughnutsand drank hot chocolate after beinggood at Mass. We may also recall vis-iting a Catholic nursing home, vol-unteering at a soup kitchen, orsitting at our grandmother’s bedsideat the local Catholic hospital.
These institutions and our rela-tionships with them have gained a distinctive American flavorsince our country’s founding. They are in our hearts and in ourblood because the people who came before us lived the wordsof both the Declaration of Independence and our Catholicfaith. In the United States as in perhaps no other place in theworld, our faith has had the freedom to breathe, to think outloud, to build and to work tirelessly for the things we love. Theculture that we inherited and that comes from this freedom isso big that it may be difficult to see at times. But perhaps thisIndependence Day, we can look at it from a fresh perspective.
IndependenceAmerican Catholics should keep in mind our tradition of religious
freedom as we practice and defend our faith today
by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan
CELEBRATING OUR
“It is a question ofevangelization. Do we
Catholics practice the
faith we are working
so hard to defend?”
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Thinkstock
Consider a story I share in my book, Priests for the ThirdMillennium (Our Sunday Visitor, 2000), of missionaries whoreturned to Japan in the mid-19th century after Christianmissionaries were driven out 260 years earlier. In a remotepart of the country, missionaries discovered a tiny villagewhere the hundred or so inhabitants gathered every Sundayto pray the Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, GloryBe, Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity and Contrition, and recitethe Ten Commandments and eight Beatitudes.
The missionaries asked where this custom had comefrom, only to be told that, in the distant past, men whomthey called “fathers” had taught those words to the people,and, anticipating their martyrdom, instructed the people to
memorize those prayers and gather every Sunday to recitethem together. These courageous Catholics had kept theirfaith, that “pearl of great price,” for over two centuries ofdarkness and oppression.
What a contrast! The duration of the Japanese persecutionrepresents roughly the same amount of time between theDeclaration and today. There, they could only meet in secret.Here, there are Catholics at every level of government, andour faith has helped define our culture. This is no accident;it is the result of our countrymen struggling through theyears to live up to the ideals set forth in the Declaration.What part of it are we willing to give up? And what will bethe Catholic culture we hand down to the next generation?
A Fourth of July fireworks display is seen behind the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The tide is turning, and Catholics must remain vigilant.Obviously, America has hardly reached the point where Chris-tians must practice the bare-bones, survivalist (yet inspiring!)form of our faith that the Jesuit missionaries encountered inJapan. But when we consider the persecution our Church hasendured under various regimes throughout the ages, we knowenough to realize that things can get ominous, and fast.
To the question, “What to do,?” we will respond emphat-ically. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and greatorganizations like the Knights of Columbus have provided afew helpful hints. The Fortnight for Freedom now endinghas been a unique opportunity to meditate on “our mostcherished liberty” and seize an opportunity to educate ourfellow Americans on the importance of religious freedom.Many of our dioceses have now joined other lay organizationsin advocating for our God-given rights in court. Independ-ently, bishops have spoken to inform their flocks on the chal-lenges at hand and our Church’s position on thesedevelopments. Our unity is both an inspiration and a re-minder of the gravity of the threats we face together.
But beyond the immediate struggles to overturn the unfairand un-American Health and Human Services contraceptionmandate, there is a broader struggle, a more fundamentalchallenge that we Catholics face. This mandate, and the manyother recent encroachments on religious liberty, make it clearthat many of our fellow citizens — Catholics among them —
view our faith as a threat, or at least as something that shouldnot stand in the way of a political agenda. They see it as some-thing distant, foreign, outdated and ebbing. In response tothis, we have to change that perception.
The challenge, then, concerns the face of the Catholic faiththat our fellow Americans encounter every day. It is a questionof evangelization. Do we Catholics practice the faith we areworking so hard to defend? What about its more difficult teach-ings, especially the one that exhorts us to love our enemies?
When done right, our Catholic faith creates a culture oftrue joy. People can see it in what we do, in how we talk, inthe look in our eye. “This is how all will know that you aremy disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35).Amid the culture of death that we find all around us, ourfaith is something that our neighbors will find compellingand may even be something they want for themselves. Wemust show the culture that seeks to marginalize us that ourfaith is a living and life-changing reality. The more funda-mental challenge needed for us to preserve our Americanideals is to boldly live our faith, to boldly proclaim it, and toboldly love God and our neighbor. As Jesus taught, “Let yourlight shine before all.”
A blessed Fourth of July!♦
CARDInAL TIMOTHY M. DOLAn is archbishop of new Yorkand president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
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Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
A five-man drafting committee of the Declaration of Independence presents a draft of the document to Congress in this painting commissioned toJohn Trumbull in 1817. The painting hangs in the United States Capitol Rotunda.
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Karl merton Ferron/B
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eDITOR’S nOTe: The following article was adapted fromthe supreme chaplain’s homily during his installation as thearchbishop of Baltimore May 16 at the Cathedral of MaryOur Queen.
In the first century, during the height of the Roman empire,St. Paul preached in the Areopagus of Athens. He did not
hesitate to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ into the placewhere ideas were discussed and debated.
By pointing to the altar to an Unknown God, Paul soughtto make connections between the culture of Athens and theGospel. But never did it occur to him to present the Gospelas mere ideas, as an alternative philosophy. Rather, in thatvery public square, Paul preached Christ crucified and risenas the source of life itself. His words were met with skepticismand even ridicule, yet among those who heard him, somecame to believe.
Few people in history went to more areopagai than didBlessed John Paul II as he traveled the length and breadth of
the globe proclaiming the Gospel of Christ — just as his suc-cessor, Pope Benedict XVI, continues to do. They teach us allhow important it is not only to bring the Gospel into the pub-lic square, but also to defend the right to do so.
enTeRInG THe PUBLIC SQUAReDuring his visit to Baltimore in October 1995, Pope JohnPaul II said: “The challenge facing you, dear friends, is to in-crease people’s awareness of the importance of religious free-dom for society; to defend that freedom against those whowould take religion out of the public domain and establishsecularism as America’s official faith. And it is vitally neces-sary, for the very survival of the American experience, to trans-mit to the next generation the precious legacy of religious
THE PUBLIC WITNESS
OF FAITHIn boldly preaching the Gospel in word and deed, we serve the common good as loyal citizens
by Archbishop William E. Lori, Supreme Chaplain
At the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed VirginMary in Baltimore March 20, Archbishop Lori smiles during the official an-nouncement that he would become the 16th archbishop of Baltimore.
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St.
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freedom and the convictions which sustain it.”When the bishops from the region including Washington,
D.C., and Baltimore visited Rome in January, Pope Benedictalso spoke forcefully about the need to defend religious libertyin the United States: “With her long tradition of respect forthe right relationship between faith and reason, the Churchhas a critical role to play in countering cultural currents,which,” he said, “seek to promote notions of freedom de-tached from moral truth.” The pope added that “the legiti-mate separation of church and state cannot be taken to meanthat the Church must be silent on certain issues, nor that thestate may choose not to engage or be engaged by the voicesof committed believers in determining the values which willshape the future of the nation.”
We do not seek to defend religious liberty for partisan orpolitical purposes, as some have suggested. no, we do this be-cause we love human dignity, which was fashioned and im-parted not by the government, but by our Creator. We defendreligious liberty because we love every human person, seeingin the face of every man and woman the face of Christ, wholoved us to the very end and who calls on us to love and serveour neighbors with the same love he has bestowed on us. Andwe do this because we seek to continue serving those in needwhile contributing to the common good in accord with theChurch’s social teaching, and to do so with compassion andeffectiveness.
My predecessor, Cardinal James Gibbons, often withstoodattacks from people who said it wasn’t possible to be a prac-ticing Catholic and a loyal American. More than a centuryago, he wrote, “I belong to a country where the civil govern-ment holds over us the aegis of its protection, without inter-fering with us in the legitimate exercise of our sublimemission as ministers of the Gospel of Christ. Our country hasliberty without license, and authority without despotism.”
now we must be loyal Americans by being bold and coura-geous Catholics!
So, dear friends, let us be of good cheer. Let us never imaginethat the faith we profess with such personal conviction is merelya private matter. By its nature, the profession of faith is a publicmatter. It is meant to be spread far and wide, and acted uponin and through Church institutions and in the witness of indi-vidual believers. Let us not shrink from entering the publicsquare to proclaim the person of Christ; to teach the values thatflow from reason and faith; to uphold our right to go about ourdaily work in accord with our teachings and values; to defendthe sanctity of human life from the moment of conception untilnatural death; to defend the institution of marriage as betweena man and a woman; and to serve effectively those in great needwith convictions borne of the moral law.
LIVInG THe TRUTH In LOVeIt is important to note that St. Paul did not enter the publicsquare, the Areopagus, without first carefully studying the cul-ture and religious practices of the Athenians. He also camefilled with the love of God poured into his heart by the HolySpirit. He knew that the churches where he had preached andfostered the faith needed to be strong and vibrant, faithfuland fruitful, truthful and loving. He also knew that for hiswitness of faith to be believed and for the Church to flourishboth in times of peace and in times of persecution, that itsmembers must not only stand fast in the truth of the Gospel,but must also live the truth in love.
Can there be any doubt how challenging this is? TheChurch is endowed with the holiness of Christ, yet is in needof constant renewal and purification. We stand in need ofGod’s mercy.
We should pray that, as the upcoming Year of Faith an-nounced by Pope Benedict unfolds, we not only teach thefaith but also bear witness to it in a manner that helps to healthe breach between faith and culture. We should also praythat the Lord bless our families and give us the grace to renewfamily life, which is the bedrock of our society and thestrength of our parishes. Let us be a Church that honors ourelders, sustains those in the prime of life, welcomes our young
St. Paul is depicted preaching in Athens, as written about in the Acts of theApostles. • [Opposite page, from left] Gary Rolla of Rappahannock As-sembly in Fredericksburg, Va., Fourth Degree Master Cy Alba, Congress-man Rob Whittman and Bradford Fitch Burnett, grand commander of theCrusaders of Christ, lay a wreath at the Religious Freedom Monument inFredericksburg in honor of Religious Freedom Day, Jan. 8.
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In 1777, a five-man committee met in Fredericksburg,Va., to revise and rewrite Virginia’s laws. The committeeincluded Thomas Jefferson, who had drafted a docu-ment that expanded upon the “free exercise of religion”language that had previously been written into the Vir-ginia Declaration of Rights in 1776.
The bill that was eventually passed by the committee,known as the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom,served as the basis for the guarantee of religious freedomin the Bill of Rights.
In 1932, a monument was erected in Fredericksburgin honor of Jefferson’s contribution to religious freedom.And from the time Fredericksburg Council 4034 waschartered in 1955 until the mid-1970s, the Knights ofColumbus observed Columbus Day each year by layinga memorial wreath at the site.
The city celebrated the statute’s 200th anniversary in1977, and since that time, the Knights have participatedin the annual celebration of Religious Freedom Dayeach January. From its humble beginnings, the event hasevolved into an annual parade led by Rappahannock As-sembly through downtown Fredericksburg, followed bya reception.
THE BIRTHPLACE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOMwith enthusiasm and joy, and supports parents in the task ofeducating and forming the next generation.
St. Paul speaks of a variety of roles in the Church, but alsoof their orderly functioning for the health of the whole Bodyof Christ. As we enter the public square to proclaim theGospel and to defend human rights and dignity, may ourCatholic communities be marked by a deep sense of inner sol-idarity and harmony. In this way, we prove ourselves to beworthy ecumenical and interfaith partners, both in our searchfor unity in truth and in our service to the common good.We also prove ourselves to be worthy partners, together withgovernment, the business sector and community groups, inserving the needs of all.
Finally, it was only with the coming of the Holy Spirit atPentecost that the Apostles truly grasped the mystery ofChrist and truth of the Gospel, and found the courage to pro-claim the Gospel boldly to the ends of the earth. Let us begthe Holy Spirit to pour the love of God into our hearts sothat we may be formed in Christ and proclaim the faith byliving the truth in love and embracing love in truth. Throughthe prayers of Mary, our Queen, may God bless us and keepus always in his love!♦
SUPReMe CHAPLAIn ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM e. LORI is the16th archbishop of Baltimore and chairman of the United States Confer-ence of Catholic Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty.
JAP Photo/T
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The 6,000-mile flight from Mexico to Poland takes 10 hoursand crosses seven time zones. There are few diplomatic ties
between these two countries, and when the average Polish citizenthinks of Mexico, the only thoughts that come to mind are stereo-typical images of tequila, sombreros and spicy Mexican cooking.So when the Knights of Columbus in Poland were invited last Au-gust to participate in a Marian Prayer Program dedicated to OurLady of Guadalupe — an image that has particular meaning forCatholics in Mexico — there was a certain sense of cautiousness.
“This image of Mary is little known in Poland,” said StanisławDziwiński, who is a member of Bishop Theodore Kubina Coun-cil 14955 in Częstochowa and the coordinator of the prayer pro-gram in Poland. “I remember the first time we displayed theimage in one of the churches in Częstochowa. Many people cameup to me and asked, ‘What is that portrait?’”
nonetheless, Poles have responded positively over the past ninemonths, and participation has surpassed the organizers’ highestexpectations. Since October 2011, a pilgrim image of Our Ladyof Guadalupe has visited more than 20 local councils and some150,000 people have participated in the program. When one fac-
tors in visitors who have prayed before the image between “offi-cial” prayer services, the number is likely much higher, accordingto Dziwiński.
“The message connected to this image is intended for all,” ex-plained Father Wiesław Lenartowicz, chaplain of Radom Council14004. “It is also the perfect chance to show others what ourOrder does.”
A HISTORY OF DeVOTIOnDevotion to Mary has always been a key part of Polish Catholi-cism. According to Father Lenartowicz, “Marian spirituality,without question, lies very strongly within our heart. It is safe tosay we are open to anything that is connected with Our Lady.”
Many historical events have strengthened the conviction thatPoland is under Mary’s special protection. In the 16th century,for example, the Marian sanctuary in Częstochowa was one ofthe few places in the country that was able to defend itself againstthe Swedes. In 1920, the Poles were likewise able to defendagainst a large Soviet army in the Battle of Warsaw, known as the“Miracle at the Wisła.” A turning point in that victory occurred
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on Aug. 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. Later, in1966, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński initiated a pilgrim prayer pro-gram, using an image of Our Lady of Częstochowa, in celebra-tion of the millennial anniversary of Poland’s baptism. As thisimportant symbol of the Church in Poland hastened from parishto parish, the people’s participation clearly manifested their ob-jection to communist rule and foreshadowed the Solidaritymovement that would follow.
Leszek Waksmundzki, coordinator of development for theKnights of Columbus in Poland, emphasized that the pilgrimimage of Our Lady of Częstochowa set the stage for the Our Ladyof Guadalupe prayer program. “This form of venerating OurLady is not new to us,” he said,“and we can relate to it very well.”
“It is the chaplains who are doing an amazing job,” addedPoland State Deputy Krzysztof Orzechowski. “In the weeks be-fore the image arrives at a parish, [the chaplains] are busy prepar-
ing the faithful, teaching them about the image and about themeaning of the message, using their own pastoral programs.”
The themes of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s message resonate inPolish parishes, and the image allows Poles to feel closer toBlessed John Paul II. The beloved Polish pope visited the Basilicaof Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City on four occasions andcalled Our Lady of Guadalupe “the star of the new evangeliza-tion.” Under her Guadalupan title, Mary is also regarded as theprotector and patroness of life, because she is depicted with child.
“Our Lady hits straight to our hearts with her message, re-minding us who the Lord of Life is,” said Father Lenartowicz,who believes that the protection of life is a special task for theChurch today and is directly related to the mission of theKnights.
Indeed, Knights in Poland have found the Marian Prayer Pro-gram to be a great opportunity for people to pray together for
On Nov. 12, 2011, Msgr. Stanisław Pindera, a member of John Paul II Council 14023 in Starachowice, Poland, celebrated Mass at Our Lady of PerpetualHelp Church as the council hosted the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Travels AbroadThe Order’s Marian Prayer Program dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe finds popularity in Poland
by Krzysztof Mazur
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the unborn, for pregnant women and for families. That prayer,in turn, has led to the launch of a new initiative called the Cru-sade for the Protection of Life, in which participants “spirituallyadopt” a conceived child and pledge to protect all life from con-ception to natural death.
According to Orzechowski, the initiative was inspired by theCrusade for the Liberation of Man, launched in 1979 to combatsubstance abuse and other forms of modern slavery. “As for theCrusade for the Protection of Life, the intention is to pray regularlyfor the cause and participate in other [pro-life] activities,” he said.
UnDeR MARY’S CAReThanks to the efforts of the Polish priests who have committedtheir time to the Marian Prayer Program, the image of Our Ladyof Guadalupe has served as a reminder to Catholics of the differ-ent dimensions that comprise their spiritual life. Faithful pilgrimshave welcomed with an open heart a Marian image from a distantculture that was previously unknown to them.
Although each region of Poland has its own unique Marianimage, Our Lady of Guadalupe did not become anyone’s “rival,”according to coordinator Dziwiński. Rather, she has allowedPoles to witness the universality of the Church.
“Some people have joked whether Our Lady of Ludźmierz, awell-known Marian image in Poland, would learn to speak Span-ish so that she could converse with Our Lady of Guadalupe,” saidDziwiński. “But it is evident to everyone that there is one Marywho is represented in many images, each having their ownunique message.”
Since the program began, bishops have led at least seven of thecelebrations in Poland, often giving the pilgrimage recognitionthroughout their dioceses. In Rzeszów alone, about 30,000 peo-ple visited the image in one week.
“The faithful came to me and said that Our Lady came to visitthem because they did not have the money to travel to Mexico,”said Father Janusz Kosior, chaplain of St. Hedwig the QueenCouncil 15268 in Rzeszów. “They thought of it as their holidayand they made a pilgrimage from different areas of the province.”
Seeing their faith, Father Kosior suggested that the Knightslook to government leaders to entrust the entire Podkarpacieprovince to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Local officials obliged, andon Feb. 13, the World Day of Prayer for Families, they read adeclaration dedicating the province to Our Lady’s care. BishopKazimierz Górny of Rzeszów, rectors of local universities and mil-itary representatives were among those who took part in this un-precedented event.
Interestingly, Our Lady of Guadalupe turned out to be closerto Poland than anyone could have foreseen one year ago. Orze-chowski remembers his surprise when he found out that Polandis the only country in europe that has been entrusted to OurLady of Guadalupe. During Mass at the basilica in Mexico Cityon May 3, 1959, Cardinal Miguel Darío Miranda y Gómez ofMexico consecrated Poland to Our Lady of Guadalupe’s care atthe request of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński.
Finally, the Marian Prayer Program has helped the Knights inPoland to maintain a healthy perspective about the active life andcontemplative life. “I can see clearly that the calling of theKnights is not only being socially active, but it is also religiousdevelopment,” said Orzechowski. “Prayer must precede all otheractivities — without it, our activities would be barren.”♦
KRZYSZTOF MAZUR is a member of Our Lady of Mercy Council15128 in Krakow.
ENTRUSTING POLAND TO
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
AFTeR THe WARSAW UPRISInG in 1944, a Polishsoldier named Jerzy Skoryna settled in Mexico, where hevisited the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in MexicoCity and noticed the flags of countries that had been con-secrated to Our Lady. He learned that in order for Polandto be consecrated, too, formal requests were needed fromthe cardinal primate of Poland and from the Polish gov-ernment. Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński quickly sent the firstrequest, but the communist regime in Poland refused tosend its own request for ideological reasons. The presidentof the Polish Republic in exile, who at that time was rec-ognized by the Holy See, sent the second request instead.
The ceremony took place May 3, 1959 — the feast ofOur Lady, Queen of Poland and the anniversary of the firstPolish Constitution, the world’s oldest constitution afterthe United States. In his homily, Cardinal Miranda yGómez said that when Mexican Catholics experienced per-secution in the 1920s and ’30s, the people of Polandprayed for them. And through this consecration and theprayers of the Church in Mexico, the spiritual favor wasbeing repaid.
entrusting Poland to Our Lady of Guadalupe also rein-forced the belief that the victory over oppressive govern-ments and enemies of the Church comes through Mary.
Knights carry an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in procession inSkarzysko-Kamienna, Poland.•
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REFLECTION
CNS photo by bill W
ittman
In the lead up to the largest gathering in Canada’s history,the World Youth Day Cross made a 16-month pilgrim-
age through more than 350 cities. The pilgrimage wasmade possible through the support of the Knights ofColumbus as Toronto prepared to host the 17th Interna-tional World Youth Day, July 23-28, 2002.
Ten years later, we still bask in the radiant memories ofthat summer.
When the cross finally arrivedin Toronto in July, it was soonfollowed by hundreds of thou-sands of young people from 172nations and an elderly pope whostunned critics immediatelyupon his arrival. Blessed PopeJohn Paul II painstakinglywalked down the steps of hisplane instead of using the speciallift that had been prepared forhim, and at the official welcom-ing ceremony that day, he spokethese words to the people ofCanada: “Canadians are heirs toan extraordinarily rich human-ism, enriched even more by theblend of many different culturalelements…. In a world of greatsocial and ethical strains, and confusion about the very pur-pose of life, Canadians have an incomparable treasure tocontribute — on condition that they preserve what is deep,and good, and valid in their own heritage.”
On Friday evening, Toronto’s majestic University Avenuewas transformed into the Via Dolorosa of Jerusalem asmore than half a million people participated in the ancientStations of the Cross in the heart of a modern city. Thanksto the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the event alsohad a worldwide television audience.
At the deeply moving Saturday evening candlelight vigilat Downsview Park, which drew together more than600,000 people, John Paul II spoke stirring words to theyoung people: “On what foundations must we build thenew historical era that is emerging from the great transfor-mations of the 20th century? Is it enough to rely on thetechnological revolution now taking place, which seems torespond only to criteria of productivity and efficiency,without reference to the individual’s spiritual dimension or
to any universally shared ethical values? Is it right to becontent with provisional answers to the ultimate questions,and to abandon life to the impulses of instinct, to short-lived sensations or passing fads?”
When the concluding papal Mass on Sunday gathered850,000 people, even the most cynical among us could nothelp but be impressed by the stream of young people who
expressed their joy at beingChristians in a complex and war-torn world.
Blessed John Paul II’s personalwords in his last World YouthDay homily that morning still re-sound in my ears: “You are young,and the pope is old, 82 or 83 yearsof life is not the same as 22 or 23.But the pope still fully identifieswith your hopes and aspirations.Although I have lived throughmuch darkness, under harsh total-itarian regimes, I have seenenough evidence to be unshak-ably convinced that no difficulty,no fear is so great that it can com-pletely suffocate the hope thatsprings eternal in the hearts of theyoung. You are our hope, the
young are our hope. Do not let that hope die! Stake yourlives on it! We are not the sum of our weaknesses and fail-ures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our realcapacity to become the image of his Son.”
World Youth Day in Toronto was not a show, a raveparty, a protest or a photo opportunity. Against a back-ground of global terror and fear, economic collapse inmany countries, and ecclesial scandals, World Youth Day2002 presented a bold, alternative vision of compellingbeauty, hope and joy, offering a Church that is alive andyoung. The memories of July 2002 continue to inspire andencourage us with hope as we strive always to build up theChurch in Canada.♦
BASILIAn FATHeR THOMAS ROSICA, a member of TorontoCouncil 1388, was the national director and CeO of World YouthDay 2002 in Toronto. He has been the CeO of Canada’s Salt andLight Catholic Media Foundation since 2003 and is also presidentof Assumption University in Windsor, Ontario.
Canada’s World Youth Day, 10 Years LaterDuring his 2002 trip to Toronto, Blessed John Paul II
communicated a message of joy and hope
by Father Thomas Rosica, C.S.B.
Catholic young people carry the World Youth Day Crossinto downtown Toronto June 9, 2002, on the final legof the cross’ journey through Canada.
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My wife, April, and I will celebrate our 20th anniversarythis August, not long after the U.S. bishops’ national
Family Planning Awareness Week, July 22-28. We have, in fact,been very aware of natural family planning throughout the twodecades of our marriage. We learned the mechanics of naturalfamily planning from a religious sister at St. Mary’s MedicalCenter in San Francisco as an engaged couple, and April learnedthe moral framework of it while studying at the Pontifical JohnPaul II Institute for Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C.
In the 20 years since, we have used natural family planningto space our children, to defend the Church’s teaching aboutsexuality and to help prepare couples for marriage. But throughit all we have discovered that certain myths about natural familyplanning have persisted.
MYTH: nATURAL FAMILY PLAnnInG IS UnSCIenTIFICnatural family planning describes a number of fertility aware-ness methods that married couples can use to space their chil-dren or limit their family size. It involves abstaining from sexualactivity during fertile periods in a woman’s cycle and is entirelydifferent than contraception: Couples using nFP avoid the mar-ital act, rather than rendering the act infertile.
Modern natural family planning is also far advanced and verydifferent from the “rhythm method” of days gone by.
When April and I were married in 1992, the nFP movementwas already more than 20 years old. John Kippley reminded meof that when I spoke with him last spring. He and other nFPpioneers began promoting natural family planning in the late1960s. They systematized and applied the discoveries Dr. JohnBillings had made in the 1950s and founded the Couple to Cou-ple League in 1971.
While working for the Melbourne Catholic Family WelfareBureau, Kippley documented the relationship between ovula-tion and changes in cervical mucus — a primary physical signthat women tend to notice whether they are practicing naturalfamily planning or not. Kippley succeeded in building a modelthat allows women to judge the fertile point in their cycle byobserving signs exhibited by their own bodies.
Dr. Marc Pecha, who has practiced medicine in San Antoniofor 17 years, has seen how modern nFP methods have benefitedhis patients.
“The old rhythm method relied on an unrealistic expectationthat every woman’s menstrual cycle was 28 days,” explainedPecha. “The advances in medicine and the understanding of thephysiology of fertility has radically upgraded both the accuracyand the usefulness of certain physical signs which indicate whena woman is fertile or not. … This has tremendous consequencesboth for those trying to conceive and for those who are not.”
In fact, studies have demonstrated that nFP methods are veryeffective for couples not seeking conception. In 2007, re-searchers in the medical journal Human Reproduction Today re-ported that nFP methods are “as effective as the contraceptivepill for avoiding unplanned pregnancies if used correctly.”
natural family planning is also an accurate way to predictpregnancy, as discovered by Anthony Flott, director of commu-nications for the University of nebraska–Omaha Alumni Asso-ciation and a member of Archbishop Bergan Council 6429 inPapillion, neb. Flott was tracking his wife’s cycle on an nFPchart when he noticed an irregularity. “Based on what we weretaught, I figured she was pregnant,” he said.
Flott’s wife, Roberta, rejected the idea, and a pregnancy testsuggested she was right. But Flott pointed to the chart and in-sisted the test must have been wrong. A couple of days later shetook a second test. This one was positive.
“not only was natural family planning so telling that I wasable to ‘beat’ a pregnancy test, but I was able to tell my wife shewas pregnant,” Flott said. “How many guys can say that?”
MYTH: COUPLeS PReFeR COnTRACePTIOneven when they learn about modern natural family planning,many people assume that couples would prefer contraceptionbecause it seems a lot less daunting.
Pecha compared natural family planning to a weight room:“It can look frightening, require too much work to master, anddemand one be in it and use it to reap the benefits,” he said. But
Photo by Chris Curry
Beyond the myths to the mystery of married love
by Tom Hoopes
N P
T H E T R U T H A B O U T
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING
Sergio and Jessica Castillo are pictured with their four daughters, ages 9, 6,5 and 2. Sergio, a 2006 graduate of the John Paul II Institute for Studieson Marriage and Family and director of the Office of Hispanic Ministryfor the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, said natural family planning hasbecome “a way of life” and “a deepening of our vocation.”
F
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for those who do it regularly, “the benefits far outweigh the in-convenience.”
Pecha said that natural family planning requires a disciplinethat improves “every aspect of life … the depth of married loveflourishes; and into that flourishing of marital love comes thefruit: a new soul reflecting the love of the Maker.”
John and Penny Harrison of Kansas City, Mo., came to acceptthe Church’s teaching on contraception not just theologically,but “based on our own lived experience,” John said.
When the couple married in 1983, they used contraception asa matter of course, believing it was irresponsible to do otherwise.
“Our conversion away from contraception was incremental;small grace-by-grace steps, if you will,” said John. “neither ofus liked the way the pill altered [Penny’s] body and her attitude.”
Other contraceptive methods also negatively affected the cou-ple’s intimacy. “Our sexual relationship — the very cause andcenter of our marriage — was actually a block to knowing eachother better, not an aide,” John said. “We had a ‘gate-keeping’and ‘gate-crashing’ dynamic in our approach to each other inour desires for intimacy.”
Penny said her attitude started to change when she beganbreastfeeding, which “schooled her heart” for conversion.
Discovering the Catholic apologetics movement and the Cou-ple to Couple League also helped open the Harrisons to naturalfamily planning. According to John, it became for them morethan just a birth control practice. “We had come back from the‘dark side,’” he said, “and saw with such clarity the gift of theChurch’s teachings on human sexuality.”
The Harrisons now understand marital intimacy to involveand require total self-giving.
“each and every marital act is truly a renewal of our maritalcovenant, and continues to grow and enrich our understandingof each other, and through that, our love of God,” said John.“We experience the ‘mystery’ of matrimony — entering intosomething that is never exhausted in its power and ever new inits ability to satisfy our hungry hearts.”
Sergio Castillo, director of the Office of Hispanic Ministryfor the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, also talks about hownatural family planning preserves the mystery of married love.
Ask him if he and his wife, Jessica, are “converts” from con-traception to natural family planning, and he will tell you “it’scomplicated” — partly because of bad pastoral advice the cou-ple received before they were married. But eventually, naturalfamily planning “went from being a rule, to a method, to apossibility, to a way of life, to a deepening in our vocation,”Castillo said.
“As a man, the greatest challenge in using nFP has been learn-ing to live the abstinence,” he added, “not as a negation of myselfor my desire, but as a deeper union with my wife.”
A 2006 graduate of the John Paul II Institute for Studies onMarriage and Family, Castillo added that practicing natural fam-ily has also deepened his faith.
“Only Christ at the heart and center of our union can give usthat true and lasting intimacy,” he said. “Living nFP has beenthe concrete way, precisely though my vocation, in which I amlearning with Christ’s help to love, day by day.”
MYTH: eVeRY nFP FAMILY IS enORMOUSWhat other couples are missing, say nFP users, is intimacy andself-discipline — and a more organic way to space their children.
Photo by Liz Garza W
illiams Photographer, LLC
What they need not fear is another myth of natural family plan-ning: that it inevitably leads to very large families.
As Pecha put it, “I know of many couples who use nFP andsome have no children; some have many. each marriage is differ-ent, and the reasons to avoid conception for a while also differ.”
In addition to being a homemaker, Barb Szyszkiewicz is alsoa blogger and a freelancer writer. She and her husband, Stephen,a computer programmer, have three children, who range in agefrom 10 to 20.
Szyszkiewicz first learned about natural family planning dur-ing her senior year religion class at a Catholic high school. “Ourteacher asked another teacher — a young, cool, newly married,nFP-using teacher — to speak to the class about nFP. It was awonderful witness.”
not only have they used natural family planning throughouttheir marriage, but the Szyszkiewiczs have also taught the prac-tice to other families in the Diocese of Trenton, n.J.
“What people expect of natural family planning, in our ex-perience, is that it will not be able to work as a method of lim-iting family size,” Szyszkiewicz said. even when telling peopleshe has only three children, Szyszkiewicz said that skeptics still“want to tell us how it ‘doesn’t work.’”
natural family planning does, in fact, “work” for families whouse it to space children, but it is also true that nFP-using cou-ples tend to have larger families. That is because natural familyplanning does something else. “It invites you to consider —daily — whether your family is open to the possibility of a childright then,” said Szyszkiewicz. For some, that means limitingfamily size for a while. But for many, it means more opennessto children.
“I don’t spend time judging folks for their lack of ‘generosity,’”said John Harrison. “I have learned that as long as they aren’tusing contraception, God can mold hearts to be generously opento new life.”
Unlike contraception, natural family planning goes hand inhand with periods of discernment and conversations about in-timacy, Harrison added. “Decisions about family size and thetiming of marital relations are integrated with all the other dis-cussions common to marriage.”
That is what April and I have found to be true. She sums up thebenefits of natural family planning in one word: communication.
In our 20 years together, natural family planning has openedour hearts to each other and opened our lives to the adventureof a large family. Our nine children have come every 2-3 yearsand have matured and deepened our hearts immeasurably.
natural family planning has helped us love each other better— and love each other more. After all, that is why we got mar-ried in the first place.♦
TOM HOOPeS is writer in residence at Benedictine College inAtchison, Kan.
COMMON NFP METHODS
There are a number of different methods of natural familyplanning, most of which involve charting a woman’s fertility cycleaccording to bodily signs. Here are some of the most common.
• The Billings Ovulation Method (WOOMB.org), de-veloped by Dr. John Billings in Australia, involves observ-ing physical changes in a woman’s body.
• The Creighton Model (CreightonModel.com) is amodified version of the Billings Ovulation Method. It isused by FertilityCare centers (fertilitycare.org), which spe-cialize in treating infertility and offering morally accept-able reproductive health services.
• The Sympto-Thermal Method relies on observationsas well as changes in body temperature. It is more effectiveand more complex than observation-only methods. TheCouple to Couple League (CCLI.org) and Serena(serena.ca) teach this method.
• Ecological Breast-Feeding can allow new mothers todelay the return of ovulation for weeks or months after giv-ing birth. During this period, an nFP-using couple doesnot need to practice periodic abstinence to avoid pregnancy.
J U L Y 2 0 1 2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 21
Anthony Flott, a member of Archbishop Bergan Council 6429 in Papillion,Neb., and his wife Roberta have been practicing natural family planningthroughout their 18-year marriage. • Dr. Marc Pecha, a physician in SanAntonio, advises his patients about natural family planning.
22 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ J U L Y 2 0 1 2
Vicki Thorn, founder of the national Office for Post Abor-tion Reconciliation and Healing and Project Rachel, has
for decades helped women to heal from broken relationshipsand the pain of abortion. A corresponding member of the Pon-tifical Academy for Life, her work has also led her to study cur-rent research about the biochemistry of sex and the effects ofhormonal birth control.
According to the American College of Obstetricians andGynecologists, more than four out of five women in theUnited States will use some form of hormonal contraception— including pills, patches, implants, injections and in-trauterine devices — during their fertile years. With this inmind, Thorn recently spoke withColumbia about the dramatic in-fluence that hormonal birth con-trol has had on our society sincethe Food and Drug Administra-tion first approved the birth con-trol pill in 1960.
COLUMBIA: How do birth con-trol pills and other forms of hor-monal contraception work?
VICKI THORN: They use steroidhormones that impact the pitu-itary gland, which in turn influ-ences different systems in thebody. There are many effects ofthis chemistry, but the “desired effect” is to stop ovulation. Be-cause the dosage of steroidal hormones is lessened in oral con-traceptives, there may still be ovulation breakthrough, whichmeans that conception can still be occurring. But the hormonesalso aggravate the lining of the uterus, making it inadequate tosustain a newly conceived embryo and thereby preventing im-plantation. In this way, some forms of contraception can havean abortifacient effect.
COLUMBIA: What are some of the known side effects andhealth risks for women?
VICKI THORN: Some of the most serious side effects includethe risk of blood clots, pulmonary embolisms, stroke and certainforms of cancer. Both the Depo-Provera shot and the birth con-trol pill can cause bone demineralization and serious nutritional
deficiencies. A number of women who are chemically contra-cepting experience mood swings or depression, and some sufferfrom migraines. The health risks are numerous, but we are notwell informed about them.
COLUMBIA: Does hormonal birth control also adversely affectmen’s health or the environment?
VICKI THORN: Absolutely. We know that in countries aroundthe world where oral contraception has been introduced, malefertility has dropped by about half.
Research that began in england and now continues aroundthe world has found that the water supply has been impacted
wherever hormonal contraceptivesare used. The estrogen is highly sta-ble in a woman’s body and when itis passed out in the form of waste, itis very difficult to remove from thewater system. This has already had agreat impact on male fish and birds.
COLUMBIA: How do these drugsaffect the way men and women areattracted to each other?
VICKI THORN: This is a really se-rious issue. While using the pill,women change what is calledpheromone preference. Through na-ture, God equipped women with
the ability to perceive through pheromones — which are hor-mones of affiliation — whether or not a man is a biologicallygood match. If they’re not contracepting, most women are firstattracted to a male who is a complement in terms of their im-mune system. The woman who is chemically contracepting,though, is attracted to a male whose immune system is verymuch like her own. One speculative reason could be that herbody thinks it’s in a pregnant state and now she’s looking for aprotector rather than a mate. Whatever the cause, this raisessome grave concerns. We are at least three generations into pillusage, affecting the ways partners are attracted to each other.Some believe we now have at least one generation of autoim-mune-compromised children because of this.
Moreover, when a woman chooses a partner and gets marriedwhile she is taking the pill, she likely won’t find her husband as
What They Didn’t Tell You in Sex Ed
An interview with Vicki Thorn about the negative consequences of hormonal contraception on health, relationships and society
by Alton J. Pelowski
Thinkstock
J U L Y 2 0 1 2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 23
attractive when she stops using it. This can cause intimacy todissolve, significantly breaking down marital stability.
As for men, they perceive different things in terms of attrac-tion — fertile and infertile periods and pregnancy. Men havea biological response when women are ovulating, because that’sthe window for the possibility of procreation. Chemical con-traception flatlines this and changes a woman’s scent, commu-nicating that she isn’t fertile. What is this doing to the malesaround us? It certainly could lead in some cases to the temp-tation to be unfaithful. A man who is no longer having a reg-ular elevation of interest in his wife, because she iscontracepting, may suddenly become very interested in an-other woman who is not.
The pill also reduces libido, thereby countermanding one ofthe reasons that people use it.
COLUMBIA: In addition to affecting physical attraction, doesthe birth control pill also influence how a woman thinks oracts in her daily life?
VICKI THORN: There is some new research showing that thepill seems to change the way awoman’s brain develops. Under theimpact of these steroid hormones, awoman’s brain starts looking a littlemore like a male brain, and emo-tional memory is affected. Whenshown a picture of an accident, mentend to remember the big picture,what happened, whereas womennormally remember the fine details.The woman on the pill, though, de-scribes the picture more from themale perspective and seems to losesome of her ability to see the details.Because this is fairly new research,we don’t really know what the long-term implications are.
COLUMBIA: How does the experience of couples who do notuse contraception differ from those who do?
VICKI THORN: A husband and wife who are not using contra-ception are probably aware of the woman’s cycle using naturalfamily planning, which means they are in dialogue with eachother about fertility on an ongoing basis. And every month thereis this hormonal dance, as the wife moves to the point of ovula-tion and the husband has a biological response that elevates histestosterone. I think we were designed by God to be in sync,through this constant hormonal exchange between man and wife.
COLUMBIA: Has the birth control pill and the morning-afterpill affected the rate of unwanted pregnancies?
VICKI THORN: Risk-taking behavior is associated with the be-lief that sex is a possibility at any time without the consequenceof pregnancy. In my experience of working with women whohave had abortions, I have found that a great number of themwere chemically contracepting at the time they got pregnant.
The lie that abounds in our society is that recreational sex is per-fectly acceptable because there are all these protective measures— the pill, the morning-after pill, abortion — which make itsimple and easy. But the reality is that they leave a trail of brokenhearts that it is beyond anything we could even imagine.
COLUMBIA: Some reports claim that the pill is known to havehealth benefits and that some doctors regard the pill as “morenatural” than menstruation. Is there any truth to these claims?
VICKI THORN: How can steroid hormones be more naturalthan a regular menstrual cycle, which is truly in sync with awoman’s body? We have to remember that there are billions ofdollars made in chemical contraceptives. Much of the researchthat is done is funded by people who have a vested monetaryinterest in the whole contraceptive mindset.
We’re told that it’s good for us and we trust our doctors. Butthe reality is that it is interfering with normal health. Pharma-ceutical treatment usually has to do with illness. But fertility isnot illness. Fertility is normal. And pregnancy is not a disease.Maybe the birth control pill could be prescribed for an existing
condition under some very rare cir-cumstances, but for the most part itis not good medicine.
Last December, a medical journalarticle proposed that we ought to begiving chemical contraceptives to allCatholic religious sisters becausethey never bore children and have ahigher risk of ovarian cancer. But byinjecting a major steroid into theirbodies, it would increase the risk ofmore common cancers and other se-rious health problems. What is thetrue balance point here?
Often, young women will tell methat their doctor prescribed the pillfor medicinal purposes, such as tohelp with acne. But there is no
switch in the human body that we can flip and say, “OK, nowthis pill is only going to deal with acne.” The pill acts in thesame fashion within the human body regardless of the intent.
COLUMBIA: What advice would you have for women on the pill?VICKI THORN: It is not what it appears to be and it is not good
medicine for women. Recognize its impact in terms of relation-ships. It’s possible to be well informed and make good decisions.
For women who have been on it for a long time, I encouragethem to find a physician who is well versed in this informationand in fertility care charting or natural family planning. Womenwho go off the pill may be facing some infertility issues as well.It’s important to find physicians who can give the honest truthand help restore women’s bodies to a normal state.
Women talk about how much better they feel when they getoff the pill. They hadn’t realized that the mood swings, depres-sion, weight gain and lack of libido were all related in some wayto an innocuous little pill.♦
“Pharmaceuticaltreatment usually hasto do with illness. Butfertility is not illness.Fertility is normal. And
pregnancy is not adisease.”
24 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ J U L Y 2 0 1 2
Louis and Zelie Martin, beatified in 2008 by Pope BenedictXVI, lie side by side in the crypt of the enormous basilica
that honors their most famous child: St. Thérèse of Lisieux. TheMartins are not, however, simply the parents of St. Thérèse,whose “Little Way” inspired new zeal in millions of Catholicsand whom Blessed John Paul II named a Doctor of the Churchin 1997. St. Thérèse, in fact, once wrote of them, “God gave mea father and a mother more worthy of heaven than of earth.”
Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin provide a rare and compellingwitness to married couples today. Together, they brought ninechildren into the world, four who died in infancy and five whoentered religious life. Through all their struggles and triumphs,Louis and Zelie’s heroic witness to divine providence and to thepower of a marriage lived in fidelity offers profound insightsinto how a man and woman can reach holiness together.
FAITHFUL THROUGH TRIALSThe first years of marriage are rarely easy, and the Martins wereno exception to this rule. On her wedding day, July 13, 1858,Zelie Martin wept for hours. She later reflected, “I can say thaton that day I cried all my tears, more than I’d ever cried in mylife, and more than I would ever cry again.” She had longed toenter the same Visitation convent as her elder sister, but had dis-cerned instead that her vocation lay in the home. Louis, too,had pursued the priesthood, but the monastic community towhich he applied rejected him. Their mutual desire to live forGod alone drew them closer to one another. Zelie wrote manyyears later that Louis “understood me and consoled me … be-cause his inclinations were similar to mine…. Our feelings werealways in accord.”
Today, many couples enter marriage with disappointmentsfrom the past — failed relationships or even attempts to follow adifferent vocation. These crosses can be borne in companionship,as Louis and Zelie discovered. Instead of longing for what couldhave been, they centered themselves entirely on the promise ofheaven. Pursuit of holiness in the sacraments and prayer becamea regular part of their increasingly busy home. Zelie raised thechildren and worked as a full-time lacemaker, while Louis traveledoften for business. In spite of their rigorous schedules, they foundtime for family prayer in the mornings and evenings, and fre-quently attended daily Mass and eucharistic adoration.
These devotions were particularly remarkable in post-Rev-olutionary France. The Martins lived in a fiercely secular cul-
ture. The enlightenment and constant civil war had left theCatholic community in normandy — as in much of europe— a small and despised minority. The Martins resisted fierceanti-clericalism, not unlike that found in much of the Westtoday. They prayed fervently that their own children would beblessed with religious vocations. And in their home, they de-liberately provided a strong antidote to the secularism thatreigned in contemporary society. Families today can find en-couragement in the Martins’ determination to focus not onthe failures of secular culture, but on the gift of eternal life.
Zelie repeatedly reminded her brother, Isidore, whose faithhad grown weak at the University in Paris, that complete hap-piness is not possible on earth: “In his wisdom, God wantedit this way to make us remember that the world is not ourtrue home.” Two decades later, after his wife’s death, LouisMartin would echo these sentiments: “Our heart is satisfiedwith nothing as long as we’re not seeing the infinite beautythat is God.”
These words were not cheap piety. The Martins enduredprolonged financial distress, a situation to which many familiestoday can relate. When the Prussian army occupied and dev-astated the countryside around their home in Alençon from1868 to 1870, Zelie’s lace-making business failed and the cou-ple lived on their modest savings. The French economy wasfailing, and their home was periodically overrun with invadingPrussian soldiers.
Despite these trials, daily life continued, and Zelie and Louistook great joy in their children. Zelie wrote that, however peace-ful life in the convent might have been in comparison, shewould never have chosen otherwise, for the sake of her children.Likewise, although Louis had sought solitude in the monastery,he instead found God in “the intimate happiness of the family,and it’s this beauty that brings us closer to Him.”
nonetheless, tragedy struck repeatedly — four children diedbefore the age of five. Louis and Zelie spoke often of them asbeloved members of their family, providing a beautiful exampleof healing for families who have experienced the inexpressiblepain of losing a child. “When I closed the eyes of my dear littlechildren and when I buried them, I felt great pain,” wrote Zelie.“Several people said to me, ‘It would be much better never tohave had them.’ I can’t bear this kind of talk. I don’t think thesorrows and problems could be weighed against the eternal hap-piness of my children… We’ll see them again in Heaven.” Her
Amid joy and suffering, Louis and Zelie Martin grew together in holiness and raised saintly children
by Erika Ahern
Theis not our
Worldhome
J U L Y 2 0 1 2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 25
Photo by Frederic SOuLOy/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
words express the convictions of many parents that each humanlife, no matter its duration, is irreplaceable.
THe JOURneY TO HeAVenThe Martins’ courage and devotion in the face of illness anddeath are also a moving example for husbands and wives whotoday face terminal illness or the death of a spouse. Zelie hadsuffered pain in her breast for eleven years when she was finallydiagnosed with inoperable breast cancer in 1876. Pain and theaccumulated years of loss and trauma developed into irritabilityand depression. She confessed to her sister that the sleep depri-vation made her “truly not very pleasant.” She continued, “For-tunately, I’m still willing to admit it!” Louis remained at her sideuntil her death, comforting her in the long nights. He under-stood that his vocation was to become the face of Christ forZelie, and he saw her safely into the heaven that she had alwayskept in the center of their home. She died in his arms in 1877at the age of 45.
After Zelie’s death, Louis moved his five daughters fromAlençon to Lisieux, where they could be near their cousins. Theburden of raising the youngest girls fell to the two eldest, Marieand Pauline. Louis wrote to them expressing his fatherly ap-proval and instructing them “to lead your little battalion the bestyou can and be more sensible than your old father….”
Although his life was difficult, Louis was not depressed or de-spondent. He wrote to a priest friend in 1883: “The memoriesof my whole life are so pleasant that … there are moments whenmy heart overflows with joy.” The burden of single fatherhoodbecame yet another way in which Louis drew closer to the hap-piness of heaven.
Louis and Zelie’s prayers and example bore great fruit. Theirfive surviving children entered religious life: four at the Carmel
at Liseiux, while the fifth entered the Visitation convent thatZelie herself had so longed to join.
For Louis, his daughters’ vocations were both the greatest sac-rifice and the greatest joy of his later life. He gladly gave hisdaughters to Christ, whom he knew as the perfect and trueBridegroom. In spite of his deep attachment to their compan-ionship, he willingly let them pursue the cloistered life. ForThérèse, his generosity and self-gift embodied the love of Godhimself. She called him her “King,” who “had offered himselfas a victim to God.”
near the end of his life, Louis wrote to his four Carmelitedaughters, “I have the urgent desire to thank God and to makeyou thank God because I feel that our family, though very hum-ble, has the honor of being among the privileged of ouradorable Creator.”
As Louis suffered from cerebral arteriosclerosis, he grew silentand disoriented. He died in 1892 in a mental hospital. One yearlater, Thérèse expressed in a letter the heart of her family’s voca-tion: “We are voyagers who are traveling to our homeland.…There we shall be reunited never to leave each other, there weshall taste family joys eternally. … And we shall form a crownadorning the heads of our dear parents.”
Louis and Zelie won that crown. The story of their lives is agift to all who face the illness, financial stress, secularism, andloss in a family. Their heroism and the lives of their childrenshow that no one becomes holy by himself. Through the voca-tion of marriage, men and women are called to help bring eachother and their children to glory.♦
eRIKA J. AHeRn is a wife and mother of three daughters. She is thecampus coordinator for Regina Caeli Academy in Hartford, Conn.,and writes at philosophermoms.blogspot.com.
Pilgrims venerate the relics of Blessed Louis and Marie Zelie Guerin Martin, the parents of St. Thérèse, outside of the basilica in Lisieux, France, before thecouple’s Oct. 20, 2008 beatification.
26 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ J U L Y 2 0 1 2
STATE DEPUTIES 2012-13
ALABAMASTEPHEN F. KOACH
ALASKAJAMES C. BETTS
ALBERTAGARY H. JOHNSON
ARIZONABRYANT R. SAYERS
ARKANSASMICHAEL L. KIEFFER
BRITISH COLUMBIADWIGHT C. WILMOT
CALIFORNIARAYMOND F. WARRINER
COLORADOROGER G. MULLER
CONNECTICUTRALPH A. GRANDPRE
DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA
PATRICK E. KELLY
DELAWAREDAVID P. HANEY
DOMINICAN REPUBLICROBIN E. SANTANA-
HIROJO
FLORIDACHRISTOPHER E.
KERNAN
GEORGIARICHARD G. SISKO
GUAMDAVID S. DUENAS
HAWAIIMICHAEL P. VICTORINO
IDAHOJOHN J. PETTINGER
ILLINOISRICHARD C. SPADA
INDIANALAWRENCE B. FLUHR
IOWAJOSEPH A. RAMIREZ SR.
KANSASSCOTT A. MAURATH
KENTUCKYWILLIAM L. SCHMIDT
LOUISIANAJOHN F. BOUDREAUX
LUZONARSENIO ISIDRO
G. YAP
MAINEPHILIP A. LIZOTTE
MANITOBAMERLYN A.ONYSCHUK
MARYLANDWILLIAM C. KUCHMAS III
MASSACHUSETTSPETER K. HEALY
MEXICO CENTRALROBERT D.
NOLAND-BLOCK
MEXICO NORTHWESTGUSTAVO A.
GUZMÁN-OLIVAS
MEXICO NORTHEASTJOSÉ LUIS
RODRIGUEZ SÁNCHEZ
MEXICO SOUTHCARLOS A. CARRILLO-
COLORADO
MICHIGANMICHAEL J. MALINOWSKI
MINDANAOBALBINO C. FAUNI
MINNESOTACRAIG A. LARSON
MISSISSIPPIGERALD E. SCHMUCK
J U L Y 2 0 1 2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 27
STATE DEPUTIES 2013-13
MISSOURIBRADLEY P. GRILL
MONTANAARTHUR J. MALISANI JR.
NEBRASKAJAMES N. HAIAR
NEVADAJOHN P. LAYMAN
NEW BRUNSWICKGÉRARD J. ARSENAULT
NEWFOUNDLANDAND LABRADOR
BADEN L. CLOUTER
NEW HAMPSHIREJOEL D. PLANTE
NEW JERSEYDANIEL ROSSI
NEW MEXICOPETER P. QUICHOCHO
NEW YORKSALVATORE A.RESTIVO
NORTH CAROLINAGREGORY S. KENT
NORTH DAKOTAGLENN R. WAGNER
NOVA SCOTIAROBERT W. BROOKS
OHIODAVID A.
HELMSTETTER
OKLAHOMADANIEL P. HOGAN
ONTARIOJOSEPH T. SALINI
OREGONPATRICK L. RICE
PENNSYLVANIAJOSEPH A. GRECCO
POLANDKRZYSZTOF
ORZECHOWSKI
PRINCE EDWARDISLAND
GAYE T. HOOD
PUERTO RICOLUIS-IGNACIORIVERA-PEREZ
QUEBECPIERRE BEAUCAGE
RHODE ISLANDJAMES E.
GILCREAST JR.
SASKATCHEWANGILLES J. DOIRON
SOUTH CAROLINARICHARD A. GABRIEL
SOUTH DAKOTATERRY M.
SCHWEITZER
TENNESSEEMICHAEL L. WILLS
TEXASJAMES W. COLLINS
UTAHROBERT E. MASSÉ JR.
VERMONTTHOMAS F. CURRAN
VIRGINIATOMMY C. HARGER
VISAYASRODRIGO N. SORONGON
WASHINGTONDONALD J. McBRIDE
WEST VIRGINIAMARK J. ACKERMANN
WISCONSINTIMOTHY L. GENTHE
WYOMINGDONALD J. SCOTT
28 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ J U L Y 2 0 1 2
MASS AT NURSING HOME
Pope John XXIII Council7159 in Phoenix has spon-sored a monthly Mass at thePhoenix Mountain NursingCenter for the past 25 years,ensuring that residents at thecenter have regular access tothe sacraments. Knights alsoarrange special music forMasses on major holidays.
PGA TICKETS RAFFLED
St. Brigid Council 13204 inAlpharetta, Ga., secured foursets of four-day passes to amajor PGA tournament,which the council raffled toraise funds for the GlobalWheelchair Mission. Thetickets helped raise $5,000,which was used to purchase50 wheelchairs — many forthe Atlanta VA MedicalCenter.
DOWN ON PAPERMembers of Our Lady of theRidge Council 13201 inChicago Ridge, Ill., St. Louisde Montfort Council 14553in Oak Lawn and Holy Fam-ily Assembly in Oak Lawnvolunteered to distributepaper products valued at$25,000 to low-incomemembers of the community.Since food stamps cannot beused to purchase tissues, dia-pers, feminine products andthe like, needy families oftenpay for these items out ofpocket. Knights sorted anddelivered hundreds of boxesof paper products to severalagencies that assist low-in-come residents.
SMART BOARDFather Irenee BouchardCouncil 8189 in Beresford,New Brunswick, donated$5,000 to an area school foran interactive smart board forits sixth-grade class.
PRO-LIFE WALKMsgr. Felix Donnelly Coun-cil 4371 in Warner Robins,Ga., and its ladies auxiliaryhosted a 5K walk/run tobenefit area pro-life organiza-tions. More than 160 peopleparticipated in the event,which raised approximately$5,000.
LUNCH FOR CEREMONY
When Homes for OurTroops was preparing to pres-ent the keys to a new hometo a wounded veteran, AveMaria Council 7880 inParker, Colo., stepped in toserve lunch to all those at theceremony. Knights preparedhot dogs and hamburgers forthe 200 people who came tosee an Iraqi war veteran re-ceive the keys to his new, spe-cially adapted home.
ADOPTION SCHOLARSHIP
The Montana State Counciloffers a scholarship for moth-ers who have chosen to givetheir children up for adop-tion through Catholic SocialServices of Montana. New
mothers can apply for assis-tance in paying for theirclasses, books or other expen-ditures to help them continuetheir education after their ba-bies is born.
GETTING A LIFTWhen members of LionsGate Council 7095 in NorthVancouver, British Colum-bia, learned that a fellowKnight was having mobilityissues as a result of ALS, theyleapt into action to offer as-sistance. The council raised$9,140 to assist the memberin having a stair lift installedin his home.
MICROLOANSFather Joseph P. McNamaraCouncil 14422 at North Car-olina State University inRaleigh supports small busi-nesses around the world byproviding microloans throughthe website Kiva.org. Thecouncil invested $275 in 11loans to families in need andhas received nearly 100 per-cent loan repayment. This, inturn, will allow the council toprovide additional loans inthe future.
VETERANS MEMORIAL
Bishop Francis A. MarroccoAssembly and Sir KnightAubrey Allen Assembly, bothin Peterborough, Ontario,donated $500 to construct anarmed forces memorial at St.Peter Cemetery that honorspast, present and future serv-ice members. Knights pur-chased the memorial, whichfeatures a giant cross and astone that reads “Remember-ing Our Veterans,” from amonument company at a re-duced price. Both assembliesprovided an honor guard forthe memorial’s dedication.
TRANSPLANT ASSISTANCE
St. Jude the Apostle Council12637 in Wynantskill, N.Y.,held a fundraiser to benefitBrian Glasser, a local man whorequires a liver transplant. Theevent — a combination pan-cake breakfast, bake sale andfund drive — raised $3,553 toassist with medical expensesfor Glasser, who is currentlyon the transplant waiting listand must travel frequently toFlorida for evaluations.
KNIGHTS ACTION REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLESIN
Members of Sweetwater Council 10821 in Douglasville, Ga., standwith members of the Douglas County Fire Department and some ofthe teddy bears that Knights collected for the firefighters. Knights collectedteddy bears for the fire department to distribute to area children who areinvolved in emergencies.
Ray Cromwell and Juan Delgadoof Holy Spirit Council 15174in Holly Lake Ranch, Texas, do-nate blood during a drive to sup-port Forest Wagner, a localadolescent who is battling cancer.Knights and their wives partici-pated in the drive, which netted 38units of blood.
KNIGHTS IN ACTION
J U L Y 2 0 1 2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 29
educates young people withintellectual disabilities. Thefund drive raised $1,000.
FUN RUNSt. Jude Thaddeus Council5831 in Davao City, Min-danao, initiated a fun run toraise funds for the improve-ment of its parish church andthe church’s air conditioningsystem. About 700 peoplejoined the run, which raised226,000 pesos (about $5,100).
FOR THE PANTRYWhen the Catholic CharitiesFood Pantry sent out an ur-gent appeal for food andfunds, St. Thomas MoreCouncil 4397 in Allentown,Pa., responded with a fooddrive at all of the weekendMasses at St. Thomas MoreChurch. The drive nettedmore than $1,400 in cashand two truckloads of food.
THERAPEUTIC RIDING
St. Joseph the ProviderCouncil 13942 in St. Joseph,Mich., provides ongoing sup-port to the TherapeuticEquestrian Center in Water-vliet. Knights partner withTEC for a number offundraisers, including ahorseshoe tournament, andhave donated the proceeds
from several council-spon-sored events to the organiza-tion.
BOOKS FOR ORPHANAGE
St. Niño de Molino Circle3776 in Bahayang, Luzon,donated children’s books toan orphanage run by the So-mascan Missionary Sisters.
FLAGPOLE ERECTEDKumintang Assembly in Bal-ayan, Luzon, constructed a25-foot flagpole at BarangayLatag Elementary School, oneof the most remote schools inthe region. The assembly alsoprovided an honor guard forthe flagpole’s dedication.
HEALTHY TRANSITION
When Father WilliamBrooks Council 5145 inNederland, Texas, learnedthat a council member’shome had been deemed un-safe and needed to be demol-ished, the council raisedmoney for the demolition ef-forts and volunteered to helpclear the lot. The council alsodonated money so that themember could have the util-ities connected and carpet in-stalled in his new home,which he shares with his dis-abled mother.
CEMETERIES RESTORED
Pope John Paul I Council7315 in Nipawin, Saskatch-ewan, restored two countycemeteries that had been neg-lected after their associatedparishes shut down. The coun-cil donated $1,000 to erect anew monument at CodetteHoly Family Cemetery and toput markers on graves thatcould be identified. A memberof the council also cleanedthe cemetery grounds. Thecouncil also restored PinehurstCatholic Cemetery by clear-ing the overgrown cemeterygrounds and erecting a newsign for $150.
BIBLES, CATECHISMSDONATED
Santa Maria Council 4999 inWest Palm Beach, Fla., do-nated Bibles and copies ofThe Catechism of the CatholicChurch for the adult religiouseducation program at St.Patrick Church.
MULCH SPREADVolunteers from St. BasilCouncil 4204 in Sugarland,Texas, Santa Maria Council6065 in Plano and St.Theresa Circle 3058 spread10 cubic yards of mulch at aplayground at the Fort BendCounty Women’s Center,which provides shelter towomen in abusive relation-ships. The new mulch willprovide a safer play environ-ment for the children wholive at the center with theirmothers.
BINGO FOR CHARITYSt. Jude Council 6052 in Os-hawa, Ontario, has supportedthe Oshawa Hospital Foun-dation for the past 20 years,raising money through thecouncil’s televised Bingogames. Knights have con-tributed $43,000 to the foun-dation, most of which hasbeen directed to the hospital’scancer center. Meanwhile,
Morden-Winkler (Manitoba)and District Council 10153has sponsored the bingo tour-nament at the Morden Corn& Apple Festival since 1999.During that time, the gameshave raised $52,500 to helpbuild the new St. John theEvangelist Church, whichwas completed in late 2011.
FIRE RESPONSEFarmington (Minn.) Council2400 and Father Carey Coun-cil 5569 in Rosemount co-sponsored a pancake breakfastto benefit Kerri Davis, a localteacher who lost her car andhome in a fire. The eventraised nearly $5,000 to helpDavis get back on her feet.
FUND DRIVE FOR SCHOOL
Marquis Louis De MontcalmAssembly in St. Jean, Quebec,hosted a fund drive to benefitMarie-Rivier School, which
Members of Msgr. Adam A. Micek Council 8410 in Harrison, Ark.,look on as a cement mixer prepares to pour the base for an outdoor grillat Mary, Mother of God Church. Knights volunteered and donated ma-terials to complete the grill for the church’s pavilion.
Members of St. Jude Council1043 in Elkhart, Ind., along withan army of nearly 200 volunteers,pack food baskets for needy familiesduring a council-sponsored foodbasket drive. Through fundraising,donations and support from otherarea K of C units, Knights raisedenough money to assemble approx-imately 600 food baskets, whichare designed to feed a family forseveral weeks. The council has spon-sored this program for 25 years.
KNIGHTS IN ACTION
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SHELTER DONATIONFairfield (N.J.) Council 6380donated $2,000 to SeveralSources Shelters, an organiza-tion that provides shelter,support and education toyoung or unwed mothers.Funds for the donation wereraised during a drive at St.Thomas More Church.
STANDING FOR LIFETeton Council 6200 inChoteau, Mont., volunteered90 hours creating woodenstands for several pro-lifeposters that were placed atthe four parishes and the mis-sion church that the councilserves. The posters carrymessages like “Life: What aBeautiful Choice.”
HOME FOR LIFEOur Lady of the MountainsCouncil 7575 in North Con-way, N.H., and FatherMichael J. McGivney Coun-cil 11376 in Bridgton,Maine, crossed state lines towork at the Mother SetonHouse in Fryeburg, a shelterthat will soon offer housingfor new mothers and women
in crisis pregnancies. Knightsrazed a pool deck that hadbecome a safety hazard, builta new entry to the building’sbasement and relocated a par-tition between two bed-rooms. Prior to Mother Setonpurchasing the house, thebuilding had been aban-doned for several years.
PUBLIC ROSARYOur Lady of the Lakes Coun-cil 3359 in Denville, N.J., or-ganized a public rosary topray for the country. Knightsand parishioners from threearea churches participated inthe event. The council alsoprovided free rosaries andpamphlets on the how topray the rosary.
SHEDDING A LIGHTOur Lady of Mercy Council11144 in Harborcreek, Pa.,donated $10,000 to itsparish to install a new en-ergy-efficient lighting systemin the church hall, gymna-sium and storage areas.Funds for the donation wereraised through the council’sannual “Golf Night” sports
raffle, proceeds from whichare split between charitablecauses and a contingencyfund for parish expenses.
WHEELCHAIR DONATED
Councils from Ontario Dis-trict #61 raised $1,500 topurchase a specially equippedwheelchair for the ALS Soci-ety of Canada. The wheel-chair was then donated to aclient of the society.
‘CHALLENGE OFCHAMPIONS’
The Good Shepherd Council10816 in Stephenville, Texas,held its annual “Challenge ofChampions” soccer tourna-ment, which saw 24 highschool teams compete inboys and girls divisions. Theevent raised $4,500, whichwas donated back to areasoccer organizations.
FLAGS FOR CLASSROOMS
Father James Clement Coun-cil 6389 in St. Amant, La.,and Msgr. Arthur J. Lieux As-sembly in Gonzales pur-chased flags for 45 classroomsat Sorrento Primary School,which serves students fromAscension Parish.
MAKING MUSICBurlington (Mass.) Council4978 donated money from itsExceptional Children’s Fundto launch a music program
Bishop John B. Brungardt of Dodge City, Kan., blesses a new pro-life signon U.S. Highway 50 that was erected by Sacred Heart Council 2955. Afterrealizing that the council’s existing pro-life sign could not be refurbished, artistDennis Burghart, a council member, offered to create a new sign cut from asix-foot by 10-foot steel plate. The sign, which was funded by the council andfeatures the words, “Blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Lk 1:42), was erectedwith volunteer and logistical assistance from fellow council members.
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Kaeley and Georgia Thurmondpresent a donation to Mike Rayof St. Elizabeth Ann SetonCouncil 7850 in Plano, Texas,during the council’s annual funddrive for people with disabilities.Each year, Knights direct thefunds from their drive to charitiesthat support people with hearingimpairments. The latest drive net-ted more than $4,700.
for special-need students attwo area schools. The dona-tion allowed the BurlingtonSchool System to hire a musictherapist to work with stu-dents with disabilities.
CLEANING UPVilla Candida SubdivisionCouncil 13858 in Cagayande Oro, Mindanao, received10 garbage drums from thePhilippines Air Force, whichKnights placed around theircommunity. The drums, inturn, will help with trash col-lection and in keeping thesubdivision clean.
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COLUMBIANISM BY DEGREES
32 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ J U L Y 2 0 1 2
MEMBERS OF St. Paul (Minn.)Council 397 lead approximately 100pro-life advocates in prayer outside ofa new Planned Parenthood facility inSt. Paul during the council’s annual“Rosary for Love and Life” campaign.Started in 2005, the initiative encour-ages council members to gather at anarea abortion facility to pray therosary. At its latest event, the councilwas joined by Pro-Life Action Min-istries and an honor guard from Msgr.Ravoux Assembly.
Unity
Charity
MEMBERS OF Leo Council 508 inPeabody, Mass., blaze a path for theconstruction of a new 50-foot walk-way at St. Adelaides Church. Knightsassisted Boy Scout Paul Harrington,who undertook the project to meetthe requirements for his Eagle Scout,and donated $700 to the project. Thewalkway leads to a new reflection area,complete with a statue of Mary.• Pope John Paul I Council 7243 inApache Junction, Ariz., hosted a carshow that raised $1,645 for the Boysand Girls Club.
Patriotism
MEMBERS OF Charles Fedler Sr.Assembly in Delta stand at attentionwhile welcoming home members ofthe “Witch Doctors,” a medicalsquadron of the Colorado NationalGuard that had been serving inAfghanistan. Knights were on hand togreet returning military personnel atthe Montrose Airport.• Nicollet Assembly in Minneapolis,Minn., donated 850 pairs of socks forpatients at the Minneapolis VA Med-ical Center. In addition, the assemblydonated $1,350 to the hospital and$1,250 to the Minneapolis FisherHouse in honor of Sir Knight RobertQuigley Sr. and his wife, Kaye, fortheir 20 years of volunteer service atthe hospital.
Fraternity
MILTON J. CATALINA and PhilLozano of St. Joseph Council 8954 inRichardson, Texas, set the base for anew tree house at the home of a de-ceased council member. Knights cameto the aid of a council widow, gather-ing leaves and trimming trees at herhome. The council also constructed atree house for the deceased Knight’sfour young children.• Lancaster (Calif.) Council 2455 inPalmdale installed a new stained-glasswindow with the emblem of theOrder at its council hall. Knights in-stalled the window after refurbishingone of the entryways at their councilhall.
UNITY: Photo by J. P. Richardson — PATRIOTISM: Photo courtesy of
To
da
y’s
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tho
lic, Diocese of Pueblo
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Ruben Cruz of Immaculate ConceptionCouncil 14405 in Cainta, Luzon, getsparticipants fired up during a council-sponsored 3K road race. Knights sponsoredthe fun run for area young people.
Building a better world one council at a time
Every 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.
J U N E 2 0 1 2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 33
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
PLEASE, DO ALL YOU CAN TO ENCOURAGE PRIESTLY AND RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS. YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
KEEP THE FAITH ALIVE
Pho
to b
y C
orey
Hen
gen
‘I ALWAYS FELT THECALL TO SERVE AND
FOLLOW GOD’I was born in Mexico in the state of Mi-
choacán and lived there until the age of 14 whenmy family immigrated to Tacoma, Wash., in1989. After high school, I worked as a machinistand studied for two years at a community col-lege in Tacoma.As I had passed through many tribulations dur-
ing my life, I became aware of God whisperingin my ear and telling me to come and follow him.I always felt the call to serve and follow God andalways tried to respond to the needs of others.I knew there was a need for vocations when I
was discerning my call. While praying, one ofthe verses from the Gospel of Matthew reallystruck me: “At the sight of the crowds, his heartwas moved with pity for them because they weretroubled and abandoned, like sheep without ashepherd” (Mt 9:36). In 2007, I applied to be a candidate for
priesthood for the Archdiocese of Seattle, and Iwas accepted to the seminary — something Ihad always wanted.
ARMANDO ORTIZSacred Heart School of TheologyHales Corner, Wisc.
