Columbia September 2009

SEPTEMBER 2009SEPTEMBER 2009KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

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KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

S E P T EMB E R 2 0 0 9 ♦ COLUMB I A ♦ 1

COLUMBIAS E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 ♦ V O L U M E 8 9 ♦ N U M B E R 9

An aerial view of the old Yankee Stadium taken at dusk during a gamein Bronx, N.Y. For more than 20 years, the Knights of Columbusowned the land on which the stadium was built, before selling it to theCity of New York in the 1970s.

F E A T U R E S

K of C Hall of FameMany Knights have made their mark as star

athletes and have made a difference — on the

field and off.

BY PATRICK SCALISI

Out of the ParkThe Knights of Columbus has a long and

notable history with Yankee Stadium.

BY JOSEPH PRONECHEN

Playing For Higher StakesLife Athletes aims for good relationships, while

protecting human dignity.

BY JAMES PENRICE

Nothing But NetThe Knights of Columbus International Free

Throw Championship is not resting on past

accolades.

BY MIKE MASTROMATTEO

Health Care ReformBishops, supreme knight say that authentic health

care reform must respect human life at all stages.

BY COLUMBIA STAFF

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PHOTO: Rich Clarkson /Allsport

D E P A R T M E N T S

EditorialThe Christian life finds certain paral-lels with athletic competition.BY ALTON J. PELOWSKI

Building a better worldThe message of Our Lady ofGuadalupe unites the Americancontinent in a common bond offaith.BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

Knights in ActionReports from councils, assembliesand Columbian Squires circles

Year for PriestsProfessional baseball players andother athletes rely on priests for spir-itual supportBY STEVE GUST

Columbianism by Degrees

Learning the faith, living the faithWe profess our belief in the com-munion of saints, baptism and thefinal resurrection.BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN

BISHOP WILLIAM E. LORIPLUS Catholic Man of the Month

Fathers for GoodDon’t let youth activities take overyour faith or your family.BY RICHARD FITZGIBBONS, M.D.

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S P E C I A L R E P O R T

EDITORIAL

2 ♦ COLUMB I A ♦ S E P T EMB E R 2 0 0 9

SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY, athleticcompetition has been used to help de-scribe the Christian life. In his first letterto the Church in Corinth, for instance,St. Paul wrote, “Do you not know that therunners in the stadium all run in the race,but only one wins the prize? Run so as towin. Every athlete exercises disciplinein every way. They do it to win a perish-able crown, but we an imperishable one”(1 Cor 9:24-25). While our baptismal callno doubt exceeds the significance of anysporting event, one’s experience of sportscan shed some important insights on thepursuit of sanctity. Certain principles are required to

progress in any human endeavor, and thecall to holiness encompasses not just thesoul, but the body as well. Any successfulathlete understands that practice is neces-sary to improve — or even to maintain— one’s strength, speed and agility. Like-wise, in order to progress in the spirituallife, a person must actually pray, put virtueinto practice and constantly seek to growin wisdom. Nearly 100 years ago, G.K.Chesterton famously wrote, “The Chris-tian ideal has not been tried and foundwanting. It has been found difficult andleft untried.” Indeed, most objections tothe Church seem to be focused on eitherthe difficulty of her teachings or thehypocrisy of her members. Training for and running several

marathons in recent years has helped meto personally see how the analogy ofathleticism applies to one’s Christian vo-cation. For example, a training schedulefor a marathon mirrors the advice of the

saints, in that it starts out slowly andgradually increases in its demand. If anovice runner attempts to run a longdistance without training, or a youngChristian attempts to pray for extendedperiods and perform heroic acts withoutever having done so, the feat oftenproves too formidable, and the goal isseen as not worth the effort. On the other hand, if one does take the

necessary time to train — and not justtalk about it — then longer distances be-come easier with each successive week.In the same way, St. Thomas Aquinas andothers have explained that when wecome to possess the virtues, whichrightly order our actions in thought anddeed, then doing good becomes naturaland seemingly effortless.When training for my first marathon

in 2003, I collected donations for a localpregnancy resource center. A womannamed Gerri, whose joy and steadfastfaith concealed the fact that she sufferedfrom cancer and chronic back pain, hap-pily donated to the cause and assuredme, “Our Lady will carry you across thefinish line.” On race day, after starting offtoo quickly and hitting the proverbial“wall,” I couldn’t help but recall herwords, which reminded me of anotheressential truth. Because it demands hardwork, there is a temptation to think thatholiness is accomplished by oneself. Yet,everything one has and does is possibleonly because of the grace of God.♦

ALTON J. PELOWSKI

MANAGING EDITOR

Run so as to winCOLUMBIA

Supreme Knight’s Book Club – Sept. 30How might laws affect the conscience rights of health care workersand Catholic medical centers with regard to such things as contra-ception, abortion and controversial fertility procedures? JoinSupreme Knight Carl A. Anderson and author Leonard J. Nelson IIIonline for a discussion of Nelson’s new book, Diagnosis Critical:The Urgent Threats Confronting Catholic Health Care (Our Sunday Visitor).Submit your questions online at www.kofc.org and take part inthe discussion Sept. 30, at 5 p.m. (ET).

PUBLISHERKnights of Columbus

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SUPREME OFFICERSSUPREME KNIGHT

Carl A. AndersonSUPREME CHAPLAIN

Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D.DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT

Dennis A. SavoieSUPREME SECRETARYDonald R. KehoeSUPREME TREASURER

John “Jack” W. O’Reilly Jr.SUPREME ADVOCATEJohn A. Marrella

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EDITORIALMANAGING EDITORAlton J. Pelowski

[email protected] EDITORPatrick Scalisi

[email protected]________

GRAPHICSDESIGN

Lee Rader

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

of Christian Family Life and Founder of theKnights of Columbus, Intercede for Us.

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HOW TO REACH USMAIL

COLUMBIA1 Columbus Plaza

New Haven, CT 06510-3326PHONE

203.452.4398FAX

203.452.4109E-MAIL

[email protected]

www.kofc.org/columbiaCUSTOMER SERVICE1.800.380.9995

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MOVINGNotify your local council. Send your new address and mailing label to:

Knights of ColumbusMembership Records

PO Box 1670 New Haven, CT 06507-0901

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Copyright © 2009All rights reserved

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ON THE COVERAmong the famous sports figures the Knights of Columbushas counted as members are Floyd Patterson, Vince Lombardiand Babe Ruth.

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BUILDING A BETTER WORLD


SUPPORTING A SPORTS TEAM has theability to unify a city. But in everygame, the fans of one team are pittedagainst the fans of another.As I participated in the Order’s

Guadalupe Festival in Phoenix, Aug. 8— at an arena where sporting eventsare usually held — I observed how ourfaith has the power to unite us, butwithout the necessity of pitting usagainst “another team.”At the festival, nearly 20,000 people

from a variety of backgrounds joinedtogether, unified in their celebration ofChrist’s mother and her son’s message,which she brought to ourcontinent centuries ago.We shared an arena with

people of every conceivableethnic background. And as weprayed the rosary in 26 lan-guages from Europe, Asia,Africa and North America, Irealized that the force thatunified those in the arena isthat which can and doesunify all of us in this hemisphere: theChristian faith.Our continent is one drawn together

by shared history. On a historical level,all of its countries — to some degree —are nations of immigrants and NativeAmericans. On a spiritual level, all ofthese countries share a common her-itage of Christianity. And on a personallevel, every person on this continentshares a mother: Our Lady ofGuadalupe.Of course, Our Lady of Guadalupe has

been unifying this hemisphere fornearly 500 years. In the 1700s, PopeBenedict XIV said of her: “To no other

nation has such a wonder been done.”And at the time he said this, that nationstretched from Seattle to the Southern tipof Argentina.It is no surprise that Pope Pius XII

later proclaimed Our Lady ofGuadalupe “Empress of the Americas.”Our Lady of Guadalupe points us to

her son, and she also points us to unityin her son. For Catholics, this unitymust transcend borders. In this spirit ofunity — the second principle of ourOrder — it took only a few years afterour foundation for the Knights tospread throughout the Christian hemi-

sphere — to Canada (1897), to Mexico(1905), to Panama and Cuba (1909),and to many other countries in thishemisphere since.No other place on earth has as many

practicing Catholics as the Americas.While some continents have neverbeen Christian, and while many Euro-pean churches are nearly empty, oursare still full.Here, the Church faces a bright fu-

ture. Here, we are indeed fortunate tobe citizens of the Catholic hemisphere,a continent of baptized Christians,unified by the Gospel message ofChrist.

For if we who live on the Americancontinent have a shared past, we havea shared future as well: a future ofunity in faith.What unites us as a Christian family

is far greater than anything that dividesus. Our Lady of Guadalupe is themother of each of us, regardless ofwhere we are from or what language

we speak.This is a unity that joins us

as Knights, that joins us to theChurch and to our fellowChristians on this continent.But we cannot rest easy

viewing this history of unity asa settled matter; we must pro-tect it going forward. It is up tous — in our lives, in ourhomes and in our families —

to put our faith into practice.From Canada to Argentina, all of us

who live in the Americas are called, likeSt. Juan Diego, to bridge the divide ofcultures. We are called to communicatethe message of Our Lady of Guadalupe,mother of the civilization of love.It is up to us to make that unity real

by living exemplary family and profes-sional lives, and by supporting the faithof Catholic immigrants today so thatthey become the Catholic parents of to-morrow. If we do these things, ourlegacy will be a Catholic hemispherethat remains Catholic.

Vivat Jesus!

The Catholic Hemisphere

The message of Our Lady of Guadalupe unites theAmerican continent in a common bond of faith

by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson

If we who live on the Americancontinent have a shared past, wehave a shared future as well: a

future of unity in faith.

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH


IT IS OFTEN SAID that “the people”should have a greater say in how theChurch is run. Of course, pastors, in-cluding bishops and parish priests, areobliged to listen to their people, tap intotheir expertise and involve them in theChurch’s life. But who are “the people”?We need to include all who belong tothe Church’s communion. We acknowledge this in the Apostles’

Creed, when we say, “I believe in…thecommunion of saints.” The Compendium ofthe Catechism of the Catholic Church explainsthe meaning of this phrase. First, theword “communion” implies that “all themembers of the Church [share] in holythings: the faith, the sacraments, espe-cially the Eucharist, thecharisms, and the other spiritualgifts” (194). God’s generouslove, communicated by the HolySpirit, brings us together. In thislove, God invites us to share inhis inner life. Rooted in Trinitar-ian love, we, the members of theChurch, are called not to seek our owninterests, but to place ourselves at theservice of one another and especially thepoor and needy (see 1 Cor 13:5). The word “saints,” in this context,

refers not only to those who have been

canonized, but also to all the membersof the Church — living and deceased— who are on their way to holiness,including those undergoing the finalpurification of purgatory. We shouldpay close attention to the example ofthe saints in heaven and seek theirprayers, and we should also pray forthose in purgatory. Both the living andthe dead “form in Christ one family,the Church, to the praise and glory ofthe Trinity” (195).

MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCHThe most important member of thecommunion of saints is Mary, theMother of Christ and the Mother of the

Church. Mary gave birth to Jesus andshared in his sacrifice. While dying onthe Cross, Jesus entrusted his mother tohis disciples with the words, “Beholdyour mother” (Jn 19:27). Mary is “thusrecognized as the mother of salvation,life and grace” — indeed, the Mother ofthe Church (196).Mary’s maternal care for the Church

was evident from the beginning. Afterthe ascension of Christ, she prayedwith the Apostles as they awaited thecoming of the Holy Spirit. She alsoworshipped with them during the cel-ebration of the Eucharist (see Acts2:42; Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 53).

Mary’s example of faith and charitycontinues to shine upon the Churchtoday. The Virgin Mary prays with andfor the Church, and she is always men-tioned in the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass.Filled with the saving power of Christ’slove, she encourages us to grow in ho-liness. This is why we often turn toMary as our advocate and helper, andwhy the Church encourages warm de-votion to her (see Compendium, 197). Sometimes, people incorrectly claim

that Catholics “worship” Mary. We wor-ship only the Trinity. However, we dohave a special veneration for Mary be-

cause of her unique role in oursalvation. We express this in cel-ebrating beautiful Marian litur-gical feasts and in praying therosary, which has been de-scribed as “a compendium ofthe whole Gospel” (198). Aswe pray to Mary for her inter-

cession, we see in her the perfection weshould aspire to as we journey towardheaven (199).Our Catholic faith teaches us that

Mary, in view of the merits of her son,was uniquely preserved from all sinfrom the moment of her conception.Yet, we also profess in the Nicene Creedour belief in “one baptism for the for-giveness of sins.” Indeed, “The first andchief sacrament for the forgiveness ofsins is baptism” (200). Christ institutedthe sacrament of reconciliation, orpenance, for sins committed after bap-tism. The Church has the authority toforgive because Christ imparted the

Mary’s example of faith and charity continues to shine

upon the Church today.

The 19th installment of Supreme

Chaplain Bishop William E. Lori’s

faith formation program addresses

questions 194-217 of the Com-

pendium of the Catechism of the Catholic

Church. Archived articles are at

www.kofc.org.

Communion, Forgivenessand Life Everlasting

Concluding the Creed, we profess our belief in the communion of saints, baptism and the final resurrection

by Supreme Chaplain Bishop William E. Lori

tions of food,medicine andother supplies forwhen the slavesarrived.Claver boldly

proclaimed Christto the slaves, butonly after speak-ing the universallanguage of love by his service. He said,“We must speak to them with our handsbefore we try to speak to them with ourlips.” This proved fruitful, and Claver bap-tized nearly 300,000 people. He wouldregularly travel to meet with his convertsand to exhort slave owners to treat themmore humanely. After 40 years of ex-hausting work, he fell ill and died.As the patron saint of race relations,

St. Peter Claver especially calls us to expelany residue of racism that may linger inour hearts. Even the context of a joke doesnot transform cutting words into gra-cious ones, for the cloak of humor some-times hides a dagger. Like St. Peter Claver,let us extend only cloaks of compassionand charity to others.

THE HOLY FATHER’SPRAYER INTENTIONS


Offered in solidarity with

Pope Benedict XVI

GENERAL: That the word of Godmay be better known, welcomedand lived as the source of freedomand joy.

MISSION: That Christians in Laos,Cambodia and Myanmar, whooften meet with great difficulties,may not be discouraged from an-nouncing the Gospel to theirbrothers, trusting in the strengthof the Holy Spirit.

PHOTOGRAPHOF POPE:CNS photo/Tony Gentile, Reuters ST. PETER CLAVER:CNS photo/Crosiers

St. Peter Claver(c. 1581-1654)

Feast Day: Sept. 9

THE ORDER’S strong commitment tobuilding a culture of life can find a chal-lenging model in St. Peter Claver and hislife poured out in reverence for the dig-nity of the human person. At a time whenmany considered blacks to be unequaland even lacking a human soul, Clavercared for black slaves and strove for theirbetterment. The son of a farmer, Peter Claver was

born in Catalonia, Spain. He entered theJesuits at age 20 and was challenged toembrace his future mission to the slavesin the Americas. When he eventually pro-fessed vows, Claver declared he would be“the slave of the blacks forever.” In 1610,he arrived at the Caribbean port city ofCartagena, in present-day Colombia. Thiscenter of the slave trade received about1,000 slaves every month, after a thirdhad died en route to the New World.Claver completely committed himself totheir cause, constantly collecting dona-

Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and said:“If you forgive the sins of any, they areforgiven; if you retain the sins of anythey are retained” (Jn 20:23).

THE LAST THINGSThe closing sentences of the NiceneCreed look at “the last things”— death,resurrection, judgment and eternal des-tiny. We sometimes try to forget aboutthis, but we need to reflect on whatawaits us at the end of life. Death is notthe last word; we are created to share inthe resurrection of Christ. The separa-tion of our bodies from our souls atdeath will not last for all eternity. In amanner we cannot now imagine, evenour mortal bodies will be raised and re-united to our souls. The good will sharein the resurrection of life; the wickedwill share in the resurrection of con-demnation (Jn 5:29; Compendium, 202-

205). Each day, we seek to live in Christso that when we die, we will die in theLord unto life everlasting (206).At death, we will each enter into eter-

nity and undergo the particular judg-ment (208). We have our “definitivemeeting with Christ” concerning oureternal destiny. Those who die in thegrace of Christ and have no further needof purification share the happiness ofheaven. Others die in God’s friendshipbut need further purification, a state thatis called “purgatory.” We can help oursisters and brothers in purgatory by hav-ing Masses offered for them, by prayers,good works and personal sacrifices of-fered in Christ (see 209-211).Those who die in mortal sin through

their own free choice are condemned tohell. Hell entails separation from God forwhose love we were made. God takes nopleasure in the condemnation of sin-

ners; yet he respects our freedom. If wechoose to be separated from God in thislife, we run the risk of being separatedfrom God for all eternity (see 212-214). The final and general judgment oc-

curs when “Christ will come again tojudge the living and the dead.” If we aretruly living “in Christ,” we look forwardto Christ’s coming in joyful hope. We donot know when Christ’s second comingwill occur, so we live in both vigilanceand hope. We should ask to share his lifeso completely that we contribute to thatmoment when God’s plan of salvationwill come to completion and then, ineternity, God will be “all in all” (1 Cor.15:28; see 215-216). To the profession of faith that we have

now studied for more than a year, weadd our “Amen”— a Hebrew word thatindicates our total assent to what theChurch believes and teaches.♦

CATHOLIC MAN OF THE MONTH

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

SPECIAL REPORT


“CLEARLY, A HEALTH CARE SYSTEM designed to save lives onthe one hand must not become a vehicle for taking livesthrough abortion and euthanasia on the other,” said SupremeKnight Carl A. Anderson in his annual report at the 127thSupreme Convention in Phoenix, Aug. 4. Referring to healthcare legislation now being considered in the U.S. Congress, hedeclared, “Health care reform must be abortion-free.”The supreme knight’s remarks echoed concerns expressed

by others about the comprehensive health care reform bills re-cently proposed in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. On behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

(USCCB), Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y.,wrote a letter to Congress, July 17, advocating “accessible, af-fordable and quality health care that protects and respects thelife and dignity of all people from conception until naturaldeath.” He then added, “No health care reform plan shouldcompel us or others to pay for the destruction of human life,whether through government funding or mandatory coverageof abortion.”Likewise, Cardinal Justin F. Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman

of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, wrote lettersto the House of Representatives July 29 and Aug. 11 urging law-makers to make the health care legislation “abortion neutral”by not undermining current policies.

“Much-needed reform must not become a vehicle for pro-moting an ‘abortion rights’ agenda or reversing longstandingpolicies against federal funding and mandated coverage of abor-tion,” wrote Cardinal Rigali.

SEEKING AN AMENDMENTWhen the 111th Congress first convened last January, millionsvoiced their opposition to the potential introduction of theFreedom of Choice Act (FOCA), which threatened to invalidatevirtually all existing abortion regulations and enshrine abor-tion as a “fundamental right.” (See the January 2009 issue ofColumbia, archived online at www.kofc.org/columbia.) Whilethe introduction of FOCA was successfully thwarted througha nationwide effort that included a USCCB-sponsored postcardcampaign, many have warned that the health care reform bills,in their current form, would accomplish many of FOCA’s ob-jectives by other means. For example, Cardinal Rigali observed that the proposed

“America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009” (H.R.3200) would give the government power to make abortion “amandated benefit.” It would also bypass the Hyde Amend-ment, which has restricted federal funding of abortion via theannual Health and Human Services (HHS) appropriations billsince 1976.

Health Care We Can All Live WithBishops, supreme knight say that authentic health care

reform must respect human life at all stages

by Columbia Staff

PHOTOGRAPH:Catho

lic Health Association of the United States

SPECIAL REPORT


According to the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC),the proposed health care reform legislation, without amend-ments explicitly excluding abortion coverage, could result in“the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade.”There are also concerns about certain provisions in the bill

that advocate health care rationing and limiting end-of-lifecare, bringing with them the threat of euthanasia for the eld-erly and infirm. In his annual report, the supreme knight said, “The solution

is clear: Simply add a provision…that clearly excludes abor-tion and euthanasia from the bill. That is what we urge Con-gress to do.”Although some have claimed that such an amendment is un-

necessary, representatives on both sides of the issue have con-firmed that the legislation would allow federal funding forabortion and mandate that abortion coverage become morewidely available. This is in spite of the fact that there has been a significant

shift in public opinion in favor of increasing, not removing,current abortion regulations. A Marist College poll sponsoredby the Knights of Columbus earlier this year shows that 86 per-cent of the U.S. population is in favor of significantly restrictingabortion. On May 15, Gallup announced that a majority ofAmericans now identify themselves as “pro-life” — for the firsttime since they began asking the question in 1995.Nonetheless, numerous pro-life amendments have already

been rejected by Congressional committees. One such amend-ment was introduced by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), a memberof Menominee (Mich.) Council 646. Stupak and Rep. ChrisSmith (R-N.J.) have been among the most vocal and courageousvoices in this debate.

‘CHARITY AND TRUTH’In both his annual report and closing remarks at the SupremeConvention, Aug. 4-6, Anderson pointed to Pope Benedict XVI’srecent encyclical, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth), as a blueprintfor the Order and its work to influence public policy. He like-wise cited a letter of papal greetings to the Supreme Conven-tion, in which Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal TarcisioBertone said that the pope “trusts that, as a respected and artic-ulate voice of the Catholic faithful, the Knights of Columbuswill continue to defend that teaching through reasoned argu-ment and responsible participation in civic and political life.”To this end, delegates to the Supreme Convention adopted a

resolution on “Defending the Right to Life,” which reaffirmedthe Order’s commitment “to unconditional support for theright to life and full protection in law for every human beingfrom conception to natural death.”The resolution declared opposition to “any health care re-

form legislation that does not explicitly exclude abortion cov-erage for any health insurance plan, public or private.” It also

called upon “legislators everywhere to adopt legislation pro-tecting the religious conscience rights of doctors, nurses andother medical professionals, guaranteeing their right to refuseto participate in abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide or anyother practice that is destructive of innocent human life or thatconflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs.”In remarks following the supreme knight’s report, Aug. 4,

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver encouraged Knights toshow leadership and to make their voices heard at town hallmeetings during Congress’s August recess.“If you show up there in great numbers with knowledge and

charity, it will transform that discussion in our country whenCongress comes back in September,” he said. “Help transformour country so that we’re just, we care for the poor and westand strongly on the side of the elderly and the unborn.”Anderson echoed these sentiments in his closing remarks,

Aug. 6. “The democratic way is to have reasoned discussion andrespect for those we disagree with, but not to back down” fromour judgments of “what the natural law and common justicerequire,” he said.For more information about the implications of the proposed

health care reform legislation, visit www.usccb.org andwww.nlrc.org.♦

TAKE ACTIONContact your elected representatives and urge them tosupport the Stupak and Hatch amendments, and to op-pose any health care reform legislation that does notinclude these amendments. Congressmen and senatorscan be reached by fax, e-mail or phone. Call the U.S.Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or call themembers’ local offices. Full contact information can befound at www.senate.gov and www.house.gov.

Following Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson’s annual report, Aug. 4,Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver encourages Knights to transformthe national discussion about health care with “knowledge and charity.”

A nurse tends to a newborn infant at one of the more than 600 Catholichospitals in the United States.


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James J. Braddock may notbe known to many today byhis real name, but mentionBraddock’s famous nick-name — the Cinderella Man— and faces often light upin recognition.Braddock was a rising

boxer with a promising ca-reer ahead of him when thestock market crashed in1929 and he, like so manyAmericans, lost everything.Braddock continued toschedule matches in orderto feed his family but strug-gled to make ends meetuntil 1934 when he was

given the opportunity to fight for a heavyweight champi-onship. One year later, he had beaten Max Baer to becomethe heavyweight champion of the world. Braddock, whowas a member of Barrett Council 1273 in West New York,N.J., held the crown for two years.After retirement, Braddock and his manager both joined

the U.S. Army where they served as 1st Lieutenants inWorld War II.

When a ragtag group of American athletes signed up forthe first modern Olympic Games in 1896, no one expectedthem to make a splash on the world stage. James B. Con-nolly had different ideas. Despite a string of unfortunateincidents that nearly stopped the U.S. team from compet-ing, Connolly and his teammates arrived at the gamesexhausted but ready to prove their mettle.Connolly’s event, the so-called “hop, skip and jump,”

took place immediately following the opening ceremony.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

His first jump was lessthan perfect, but his sec-ond — a monster 45-foot combined leap —earned him a place inhistory as the firstOlympic champion andthe first American goldmedalist.Back home in Boston,

Connolly joined BackBay Council 331, wherehe traded his sports ca-reer for one as a success-ful writer and novelist.

Sports aficionados liketo draw heavily fromVincent “Vince” Lom-bardi’s heavy bag ofsports aphorisms, likethe ever-famous, “Win-ning isn’t everything —it’s the only thing.” Butwho other than truesports fans know thatLombardi studied for thepriesthood for two yearsand often led his belovedteam, the Green BayPackers, to Mass whenthey were on the road?Lombardi may have

been a formidable forceon the football field, winning the first two Super Bowl ti-tles, but he was also a devout Catholic and a Fourth DegreeKnight. Somehow able to find spare time from his coachingduties, Lombardi served in a number of humanitarian roles:as Green Bay’s chairman of the Cancer Fund and as presi-dent of the Wisconsin Mental Health Association.

James J. Braddock(1905-1974)

vincent t. lombardi(1913-1970)

James b. connolly(1868-1957)

Many Knights have also made their mark as star athletes. Here we take a look at some of the men who made a difference — on the field and off

by Patrick Scalisi

Many Knights have also made their mark as star athletes. Here we take a look at some of the men who made a difference — on the field and off

James J. Braddock(1905-1974)

vincent t. lombardi(1913-1970)

James b. connolly(1868-1957)


Few men saw baseballevolve from its early days asa quaint, national pastime toa cultural juggernaut. ButConnie Mack was one ofthose few. Mack enjoyed a long,

rollercoaster career as man-ager and owner of the then-Philadelphia A’s. When hecame on board, the Ameri-can League was considered ajoke by the long-establishedNational League, and the A’swere worse than a trite

punch line. Mack, a member of Santa Maria Council 263 inFlourtown, Pa., took these failings to heart. In four seasonshe turned the team around; in less than a decade, they wontheir first World Series.Mack is remembered today as a model manager. What is

less reported, though, is that he was also a faithful Catholicwho regularly attended Mass and who scolded his playersfor using profanity.

Some might not expect a180-pound boxer to be thepaternal type, but heavy-weight champion Floyd Pat-terson had a special gift forhelping children. At the timeof his death, Patterson left$600,000 to build a chapel ata youth detention center. Thisposthumous deed, though,was only the tip of a moun-tainous life spent in service totroubled youth and shut-ins.Patterson had an ad-

mirable 55-8-1 record in-side the ring, but his Catholic faith — and his membershipin the Knights — guided his accolades outside the gym. Inaddition to bequeathing more than half-a-million dollarsto the Highland Residential Facility, Patterson also workedwith troubled youth and was an extraordinary minister ofthe Eucharist.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

What can be written about “The Great Bambino,” “TheSultan of Swat,” that hasn’t already been said? Perhaps thefact that Ruth was not only one of the best to ever play thegame, but that he was also a Knight of Columbus. In 1919,the same year that he hit 29 home runs, Ruth joined PèreMarquette Council 219 in South Boston. When he wasn’t pitching no-hitters or slamming balls out

of the park, Ruth made it his duty to exercise the faith andcharity he learned while growing up in a Catholic orphanage.He was especially drawn to fellow orphans and to childrenwith disabilities, whom he encouraged with his kind presenceand a pocket full of now-priceless souvenirs.♦

PATRICK SCALISI is the associate editor of Columbia magazine. Some of

the above entries were adapted from the book By Their Works: Profiles of

Men of Faith Who Made a Difference (HarperCollins) by Stephen Singular.

Connie mack(1862-1956)

Floyd Patterson(1935-2006)

George Herman “babe” ruth(1895-1948)

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Connie mack(1862-1956)

George Herman “babe” ruth(1895-1948)

Floyd Patterson(1935-2006)

by Joseph Pronechen

Father Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus, was nostranger to the game of baseball.In his first year at Our Lady of the Angels Seminary in Lewiston, N.Y.,

Michael McGivney crossed home plate three times during the game on May20, 1872. He also helped a brand-new intramural team called the CharterOaks win their very first game, 23-6.Now, picture young McGivney sending the ball so high and far past cen-

terfield that it doesn’t land until years later in Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.Sound farfetched? Not when you realize that the Knights of Columbus

has several very strong links to Yankee Stadium. On the stadium’s opening day, April 18, 1923, Knight Al Smith, governor

of New York and the first Catholic to run for President from a major party,threw out the first pitch. On that same day, in the third inning withtwo runners on base, Yankee and fellow Knight George Herman“Babe” Ruth hit the stadium’s very first home run. The Bam-bino hit 40 more that season to lead the league.And where have the Knights publicly commemo-

rated not one but three papal visits? Yes, Yankee Sta-dium. Finally, who for more than 20 yearsowned the land on which Yankee Stadiumand its parking lot was built? You’vepitched a shutout if your answerwas the Knights of Columbus.

THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HAS A LONG AND

NOTABLE HISTORY WITH YANKEE STADIUM

OUT OF THE PARK

Yankee Stadium is seen during the Masscelebrated by Pope Paul VI on Oct. 4, 1965.Inset: Plaques commemorating visits byPope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II and PopeBenedict XVI.



A TRIFECTA IN BRONZEJust more than 85 years after Yankee Stadium opened, PopeBenedict XVI celebrated Mass there on April 20, 2008, markingthe bicentennial of the Archdiocese of New York. More than57,000 worshippers attended, among them many Knights andtheir families.“Let us take the Lord at his word! Let us renew our faith in him

and put all our hope in his promises!” Pope Benedict said in hishomily. “Hasten the coming of God’s kingdom in this land!”The Knights memorialized this Mass with a 105-pound bronze

plaque that stands more than three feet tall. It was blessed by theHoly Father and placed in Monument Park, now located behindcenterfield of the new Yankee Stadium, which opened last spring.The plaque united Pope Benedict with two of his predecessorsalready memorialized there.The second plaque was placed in 1980 as a lasting memorial

to the Mass for World Justice and Peace offered by Pope John PaulII on Oct. 2, 1979.Knights attending the Mass listened intently as the Holy Father

said in his homily, “On many occasions, your nation has gaineda well-deserved reputation for generosity, both public and private.Be faithful to that tradition….” It was John Paul’s first visit to the United States after being

elected pope, and the event was more exciting than watching theperfect ball game.The Yankees were eager to commemorate thishistoric event and invited the Knights to place a plaque amongthe other famous monuments at the stadium.On Sept. 5, 1980, before the team played the California Angels,

CardinalTerence J. Cooke of New York and then-Supreme Knight

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Top: Babe Ruth is shown in 1924 with kids in New York, passing on his lovefor the game of baseball. • Left: Supreme Knight John W. McDevitt andSupreme Chaplain Bishop Charles P. Greco of Alexandria, La., stand withYankee pitcher Steve Hamilton and White Sox Manager Eddie Stanky, bothKnights, in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park in 1966. • Bottom: A FourthDegree Honor Guard is seen in Yankee Stadium in this undated photo.

Virgil C. Dechant led the delegation that dedicated the plaque.“It was a great thrill and quite a privilege to accompany Car-

dinal Cooke setting this monument out on centerfield for theprayer service,” Dechant recalled.During the blessing, Cardinal Cooke prayed that “the words

which Pope John Paul II spoke so clearly and powerfully here atYankee Stadium will continue to change the hearts of all men andwomen, and truly make us one human family.”The event called to mind the dedication of the first of the three

plaques, which took place June 25, 1966, in honor of Pope PaulVI and the Mass he celebrated at the stadium Oct. 4, 1965.It was Knights of Columbus Day at the ballpark, and the Yankees

were playing the Chicago White Sox. More than 100 members ofthe Fourth Degree color guard lined the dedication path, and ap-proximately 12,000 Knights and their families watched thesolemn ceremony take place before the game.Then-Supreme Chaplain Bishop Charles P. Greco of Alexandria,

La., blessed the plaque before a crowd that included then-Supreme Knight John W. McDevitt and two notable sportsmenwho were counted among the Order’s membership: Yankeepitcher Steve Hamilton and White Sox Manager Eddie Stanky.

HALLOWED GROUND, HALLOWED PLAYERSWhen Pope Paul VI delivered his homily at Yankee Stadium in1965, he was actually speaking on ground owned by the Knightsof Columbus. At the time, the Order served as the Yankees’ land-lords. In 1953, some 30 years after the stadium opened, theKnights bought the nine acres on which Yankee Stadium wasbuilt. The decision grew out of Father McGivney’s vision — not

Top: Youngsters lend an ear to Babe Ruth as he tells them stories of his lifefrom orphanage to baseball fame, Nov. 29, 1924. • Right: (from left) FormerSupreme Advocate Paul R. Devin, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, DeputySupreme Knight Dennis A. Savoie and Supreme Secretary Donald R. Kehoestand by a monument donated by the Knights of Columbus in honor ofPope Benedict XVI’s Mass at Yankee Stadium.T

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as a lifelong baseball fan,but as the founder of a fra-ternal order to help providefor members’ families.To continue fulfilling that

vision in the mid-20th cen-tury, the Order began pur-chasing the properties ofsome large corporations and“leasing the properties backto the original owners at arental that will give the Orderan adequate interest returnfor the money invested,”wrote then-Supreme KnightLuke E. Hart in a letter tomembers. “We gave them a 100-

year lease for the ground atwhat turned out to be a rea-sonable, low rent,” ex-plained Dechant.But in the early 1970s,

when representatives of theCity of New York decided torenovate the stadium, theyalso wanted to own theland under it.“It was not our wish to

sell it, but we had nochoice,” Dechant said. “Wewere proud to own it.”Among the past supreme

knight’s favorite memoriesare attending games withBishop Greco. They sat inbox seats behind homeplate, and Yankees ManagerYogi Berra would hop thefence between innings “tovisit with Bishop Greco,”said Dechant. “They were old friends.”Many years earlier, one particular Knight made Yankee Stadium

thrive, as evidenced by the popular nickname the stadium ac-quired: “The House That Ruth Built.”“Ruth’s bat essentially bankrolled the building of Yankee Sta-

dium, which was built to accommodate all the people whowanted to see him play,” wrote Christopher Kauffman in Faith andFraternalism: The History of the Knights of Columbus. “A star pitcher formuch of his career in Boston, the Yankees let him loose as a slug-ger and outfielder. Ruth hit 54 homers in 1920, then 59 and 35the next two years, respectively.” In 1927, the Sultan of Swat hithis record 60th homer in the stadium.Ruth’s monument near those of the three popes describes him

as “A great ballplayer, a great man, a great American.” Missing isany mention of him being a Knight — which Ruth was, begin-

ning in 1919 when hejoined Père MarquetteCouncil 271 in SouthBoston, Mass. Ruth was par-ticularly interested in help-ing the disadvantaged,especially orphans, and vis-ited them all over the coun-try in hospitals andreformatories. He alsostarted the Babe Ruth Foun-dation for impoverishedchildren and clearly exem-plified the Knights’ princi-ple of charity.Pitcher Ronald Guidry

also stands out among otherWorld Series Yankee-Knights. Guidry salvagedthe 1978 season for theYankees after the team wastrailing the Boston Red Soxthat year by 14 games.On June 17, Guidry set a

Yankee record by strikingout 18 California Angelsbatters. Winning game aftergame, “Louisiana Light-ning” Guidry put the Yan-kees in a dead heat with theRed Sox by September. Hisvictory against them in aone-game playoff gave hima league-leading 25 wins.Finally, in the World Seriesagainst the Los AngelesDodgers, Guidry led theYankees to two of their fourwins. For his achievements,Guidry later received the CyYoung Award.

After retiring in 1989, Guidry joined Assumption of the VirginMary Council 7411 in Rayne, La. Past Grand Knight Glen Mechesaid Guidry “shies away from attention,” adding that “his workwith the Knights and with his family is a real expression of faith.”Joining Ruth’s No. 3 jersey, Guidry’s No. 49 was retired in

2003, and a memorial was dedicated to him in Monument Park.These players, though, are only two in a long line of baseball-lov-ing Knights that stretches back through the Order’s history. If weclose our eyes for a moment, perhaps we can see Father McGivneystanding in Yankee Stadium, smiling as he looks over his Knightsand the MVP plaques that were presented to three “Most Venera-ble Pontiffs.”♦

JOSEPH PRONECHEN is a staff writer for National Catholic Register and Faith &

Family magazine. He writes from Trumbull, Conn.

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Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart stands on the bleachers at Yankee Stadium in April1957. The Knights of Columbus owned the land on which the stadium and the parkinglot were located, having purchased it in 1953. The Order sold the land to the city ofNew York in the 1970s.


Playing ForHigher Stakes

Life Athletes aims for good relationships, while protecting human dignity

When the pope declares an emergency, the Knights of Colum-bus is quick to respond. Such has been the case with their

support of Life Athletes, an organization that responds to whatPope Benedict XVI has called an “educational emergency” withregard to transmitting basic values of life, love and human dig-nity. Addressing educators of the Diocese of Rome in 2007, thepontiff stressed that the task of responding to this situationfalls not only to schools and families, but also to “any otherbody with educational aims.”As such, Chris Godfrey has long recognized the educa-

tional opportunities open to him through his participationin sports. The former All-Pro lineman has used his athleticplatform for teaching ever since his earliest days in theNational Football League (NFL). In 1992, he founded Life Athletesto teach and inspire young people to live lives of virtue, abstinence (chastity)and respect.“We invite [young people] to join us in making the Life Athletes Com-

mitment,” said Godfrey, who is a member of Santa Maria Council 553 inSouth Bend, Ind. “Everyone who makes [this commitment] becomes a LifeAthlete regardless of athletic ability.”Despite the fact that the organization is “a fellowship of the heart more

than athletic talent,” Life Athletes counts more than 300 professional andOlympic athletes among its membership. Luminaries such as Tony Dungy,Gary Carter, Rebecca Lobo, David Tyree, A.C. Green, Andy Pettitte, Jason Sehornand Mark Brunell have all joined in encouraging members to keep their promiseto live virtuously.The organization’s mission is summarized by the Life Athlete’s Commitment:

“I will try to do what is right even when it is difficult. I will give myself only tothat special person I marry as my partner for life. I will respect the lives of others,especially the unborn and the aged. I will not quit or make excuses when I fail; I will try again.”

RENEWED FAITHIn their book, Called to Love: Approaching John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, Supreme Knight Carl A. Andersonand Father José Granados point out that young people are losing their ability to discern the meaningof their experiences because of the noise in modern life. According to Godfrey, Life Athletes helpsto cut through this noise and to validate what Pope John Paul II called our “original experiences.”

by James Penrice

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“I am very grateful to Pope Benedict and John Paul II for artic-ulating the greatest of our educational needs,” said Godfrey. “Peo-ple are important for who they are and not what they do. Ourmost important education is learning to love.”Life Athletes’ high-profile members, especially, have a special

role in capturing the attention of young people, who are moreapt to accept God’s plan for human life when it is promoted byrole models such as famous athletes. Nonetheless, “This educa-tion begins in the family,” added Godfrey, whose own journeyreflects the tension of a young Catholic coming of age in a noisyculture.“I remember having a strong love for God when I was

younger, but as I got into high school and college, God seemedto drift off my radar screen,” he said. “Not that I ever deniedGod — it’s just that I got busy and did not think deeply aboutthings, nor was I encouraged to.”

However, that started to change once Godfrey began playing inthe NFL. Having competed in three Rose Bowls as a defensive line-man for the University of Michigan, he thought a career in profes-sional football was practically guaranteed. His first year, though,was marred by a series of misfortunes that resulted in his beingcut from the Washington Redskins, the New York Jets and the GreenBay Packers. Godfrey’s NFL dreams seemed extinguished, and he was crushed.

With his athletic talents rejected, Godfrey was led for the first timeto genuine prayer. “I said, ‘Lord, I give up. Whatever you want meto do, I’ll do.” He thus began to embrace the faith of his youth.

Chris Godfrey stands with his daughter, University of Michigan swimmerMary Grace Godfrey, as she sports her father’s Super Bowl ring at a swimcamp in Ann Arbor this past summer.


Not only was Godfrey’s faith rejuvenated, but his footballdreams eventually came true. The Packers offered him anotherchance, which led to a nine-year career in professional football,highlighted by a Super Bowl XXI championship with the NewYork Giants.Today, Godfrey works as an attorney in South Bend and serves as

president of Life Athletes.

Top: Life Athletes sponsored a “Heart of Champions Day” at St. Joseph’sHigh School in South Bend, Ind. Attendees, along with Special Olympicsathletes and former student athletes from the University of Notre Dame,celebrated the gift and dignity of life.Below: Chris Godfrey visits a football practice to talk about off-the-fieldtraining.

RESPONDING TO THE CALLThe Church has had an interest in the formational aspect of sportsdating back to St. Paul’s athletic references in Scripture. In recenttimes, several popes have promoted an evangelical mission to theathletic world. Pope John Paul II, himself an avid athlete, spokeoften of the formational value of sports, and instituted a Churchand Sport office under the auspices of the Pontifical Council forthe Laity. In addition, Pope Benedict XVI has called sport a “newAreopagus.” It is within this arena that Life Athletes makes its case for the

preeminent common good of all nations — human dignity.In addressing today’s culture, Life Athletes places particular im-

portance on the relationship between men and women. “Sextouches upon some of the most important things in life,” Godfreysaid, “namely marriage, family and even heaven itself. It is alsoone of our strongest drives, thereby requiring a special effort todirect it in a positive way.”While most young people already know that premarital sex

and abortion are wrong, they express appreciation for Life Ath-letes’ presentation about why these issues are wrong.The organization’s first foray into creating a school curriculum

was That’s Where I Live: A Guide to Good Relationships. Following its publication, a religious sister from New York re-

lated to Godfrey the story of a young woman who decided notto have an abortion after she read That’s Where I Live.“It wasn’t until she ‘learned that suffering for the right reasons

can make you a better person’ that she changed her mind,” saidGodfrey, who added that meeting the woman’s child was a pow-erful confirmation of the program’s effectiveness.Life Athletes has a new curriculum series titled See, I Make All

Things New. It begins with Know Yourself, a DVD for parents to watchwith their children that explains the changes that occur duringpuberty and God’s plan for sexuality. It addresses important issuesin a positive, non-embarrassing way — a “road trip” that visits apediatrician, athletes, stadiums and national monuments. The sec-ond installment in the series, Build Yourself, is a 10-lesson schoolcurriculum that emphasizes character formation as an essentialfoundation for an education in love.Although the curricula were written for use in Catholic schools

and parishes, the Life Athletes message is also finding its way intomore secular environments, including public schools and sportscamps. Godfrey and Life Athletes are by no means alone in their mis-

sion. They have long enjoyed generous support from the Knightsof Columbus through prayer, financial contributions and volun-teer hours. “Not to mention the good example of its memberswho faithfully carry out their mission to the family year in andyear out,” added Godfrey.With help from its friends, Life Athletes is training true cham-

pions of life. To learn more, visit www.lifeathletes.org.♦

JAMES PENRICE is the author of Living the Eucharist through Sports (St. Paul’s/Alba

House, 2009).

Nothing but Net

The Knights of Columbus InternationalFree Throw Championship

is not resting on past accolades

by Mike Mastromatteo

The coordinators of two of the Order’s most successful basketball freethrow programs are in agreement about what elements have con-

tributed to their respective success.The Georgia and Ontario state councilsboth report great numbers of boys and girls who participate in the Knightsof Columbus International Free Throw Championship since the programlaunched 37 years ago.At that time, local councils seized on the impressive history of K of C in-

volvement in sports-related activity, and began sponsoring the free throw con-test, which is open to boys and girls ages 10-14 from all faith backgrounds.Many have observed that the free throw program is an ideal way for

Knights to remain present in the community while providing youngpeople with a rewarding activity that yields a chance for local,regional and international recognition.Today, the Free Throw Championship continues as one

of the Supreme Council’s most popular programs. Duringthe 2008-09 competition, 59,447 girls and 79,925 boysparticipated in more than 3,400 local competitions.Some 4.5 million young people have taken part in theprogram since 1972, leading some to wonder what im-pact this exposure has had on the Order’s growth and re-cruitment over the past four decades.

FOCUS ON YOUTHLocal councils are guided by K of C free throw program kit when or-ganizing a competition, but they also enjoy a certain flexibility to tailor theprogram to local conditions.


Players compete in the California state free throw championships, held at San JoaquimMemorial High School in Fresno, Calif., March 21.



In many cases, councils enlist the help of professional basketballplayers or other sports personalities to present trophies to winningcontestants. In Georgia, for example, local Knights have a long-standing relationship with the National Basketball Association(NBA) team the Atlanta Hawks and the Women’s National Basket-ball Association (WNBA) team the Atlanta Dream. In some cases,star players from pro teams are asked to present awards to contestfinalists. It’s a moment of excitement that makes for lasting mem-ories and generates plenty of goodwill toward K of C organizers.Georgia Knights enjoy a solid record of achievement with the

program. The state council reports that some 179,000 players com-peted in 3,000 events last year alone.State free throw program director Mike Gozdick is a member of

Danny McMichael Council 12984 in Jackson, Ga. A long-time bas-ketball fan, Gozdick was attracted to the Free Throw Champi-onship’s focus on working with young people.“I think that every child should take part in some sort of sporting

activity,” Gozdick said. “All you have to do is help with one freethrow contest and you will be hooked. To watch the children andsee the excitement in their faces — these are things that words can-not explain.”Gozdick added that the support of professional teams lends ad-

ditional excitement and buzz to the program. “Everything that they do for us is at no cost to the Georgia State

Council,” he said. This includes hosting the state competition atPhilips Arena, the home court of the Atlanta Hawks. “I had a parent come up to me and tell me that it did not matter

if her child won,” Gozdick said. “What was most important to herson was being able to take part in the competition on the samecourt that the Hawks play on.”

COMMITTED LEADERSIt’s not just the American South that enjoys such success with theFree Throw competition. In Ontario, Joseph Cinti has served asdirector of the Ontario Knights’ free throw program since 2002.A member of St. Gregory Council 9399 in Cambridge, Cinti re-ports that some 65 percent of Ontario councils take part in theprogram, translating to a total participation of more than 827,000young people.“Our councils are encouraged to promote the program in the

schools of all denominations, in community sports organizationsand in the parish churches in all their districts,” Cinti said.He added that the free throw program remains an excellent

“motivational tool” to enhance young people’s physical educa-tion and extra-curricular programs. It is also an excellent recruit-ment tool.“The free throw program is a working tool for growth in

membership,” Cinti said. “It’s a key opportunity for meetingbrother Knights and their families, to share ideas and to set goalsfor the year.”Immediate past state deputy of Ontario, Natale “Nat” Gallo, is

Daniel J. Baker (left), immediate past state deputy of Georgia, and MikeGozdick, state chairman of the free throw program, stand with one of the winnersof the state championship competition hosted in Atlanta’s Philips Arena last April.

Special Beyond Comparisonby Paul Phillipino

In addition to serving as the “strong right arm of the Church,”Knights of Columbus around the world are recognized for theircivic contributions and community service. It is not uncommonto find local units, such as St. Isidore Council 7200 in Macomb,Mich., volunteering on various projects to benefit their neighbors.Last year, Michigan Knights played an instrumental role in pro-viding children with disabilities the opportunity to play baseball.Norm Hott Field was dedicated Aug. 6, 2008, at a ceremony

hosted by the Macomb County Knights of Columbus. The firstpitch was thrown out that same day. The new park was builtfor the Clinton Valley Little League, Challenger Division, whichallows children with disabilities, ages five to 18, the opportu-nity to participate in America’s national pastime.The field wasadapted specifically for this purpose: its base paths are shorterand can accommodate wheelchairs, and its pitcher’s mound iscloser to home plate.Marilyn Wittstock, Clinton Valley Little League assistant district

administrator, spearheaded the community effort. The Knightspitched in — along with former Detroit Tigers first baseman SeanCasey, the Detroit Tigers Foundation and local businesses — tocover the cost of the field. Collectively, Macomb County Knightsdonated approximately $14,000 to the park, which is named afterCasey’s late grandfather-in-law, Norm Hott.Ken Dumais, Tootsie Roll chairman for the Michigan State Coun-

cil and a member Council 7200, was responsible for mobilizingthe Knights into action. With his help, 19 K of C councils partici-pated in the project, titled “Special Beyond Comparison.”According to Dumais, the project was aptly named. “These kids

truly are special beyond comparison, and they are now being recog-nized not for their disability but for the potential they have,” he said.For their efforts, Council 7200 was awarded the Youth Activity

Award from the Michigan State Council.Dumais added, “You cannot match the love these kids show on

their faces, and as fathers and Knights, we are proud of them.”

Knights Lawrence T. Grabowski, Kenneth M. Dumais, Lawrence Fronteraand Ronald J. Verellen stand with former MLB player Sean Casey (center).Grabowski, Dumais and Verellen are all members of St. Isidore Council7200 in Macomb, Mich. Frontera belongs to St. Jane Frances de ChantalCouncil 13340 in Sterling Heights, Mich.


also active with the free throw program, and has previouslyserved as state youth director and Columbian Squires chairman. Gallo cited the importance of local chairmen, who visit schools

and talk with teachers to encourage participation, and added thateveryone from the state chairman down to the grand knight pro-vides support to the program. “The free throw program has been successful because we have

committed individuals at the helm,” Gallo explained.Like his Ontario counterpart, Gozdick notes that the program

depends on healthy communication among administrators, coun-cils, players, parents and supporting partners. He also believes thatthe program is a prime example of the Knights’ longstanding in-terest in working with young people, not only to publicize theOrder, but to fulfill a genuine commitment to the wider com-munity.“Our free throw competition is successful at every level of the

competition,” Gozdick said. “I have never had any problems get-ting enough manpower to handle the event.”

SUCCESS AND GROWTHProgram coordinators at the Supreme Council have long recog-nized the importance of sports-themed activity to the Order’sgrowth, popularity and outreach. They continually emphasizethe relative ease of the competition and the lasting benefits itcan bring.The success with one sport — in this case basketball — may

well be repeated with the Order’s latest addition to its sportslineup: the Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge. The competi-tion, comprised of penalty kicks, is open to all boys and girls ages10-14. Rather than the 25 shots that a player receives in basket-ball, the soccer challenge is based on one’s scoring success witha series of 15 penalty kicks. Winners progress from the local levelto district, regional, state and international competitions.Although current evidence is merely anecdotal, there is some

suggestion that the Free Throw Championship and Soccer Chal-lenge could bring cross-generational benefits to the Order. On-tario Knights cite cases in which current members joined theOrder after volunteering at a council-sponsored sporting event.An informal survey of Ontario Knights found several memberswho owe their current membership to previous activity with theFree Throw Championship.It’s a scenario that might have been anticipated from the time

the sport of basketball was first invented — less than a decade afterthe Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882. Since the begin-ning, many have recognized that sports and athleticism have realvalue in keeping young people focused on fair play and goal setting. “Anytime we can do something to help children take part in a

sports-related activity, you are teaching them to be competitive andtake pride in what they do,” said Gozdick. “This might mean big things for the Soccer Challenge we started

a few years ago,” he continued. “With the way soccer is growingin the United States, our Soccer Challenge could become as big asthe Free Throw Championship, if not bigger.”♦

MIKE MASTROMATTEO writes from Toronto, Ont., where he is a member of

Blessed Trinity Council 11681.


STATE DEPUTIES 2009-10

ALABAMAMAURICE J. DUPONT

ALASKAMICHAEL W. WELCH

ALBERTANEIL C. GANNON

ARIZONAHERBERT J. MADDOCK

ARKANSASJAMES R. NEFF

BRITISH COLUMBIAMICHAEL YEO

CALIFORNIAVINCENT A. PACIS

COLORADOFOSTER J. SAUTER

CONNECTICUTSCOTT A. FLOOD

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIALAWRENCE L. SOSNOWICH

DELAWARESHERMAN

MITCHELL III

DOMINICAN REPUBLICJOSÉ A. MENDOZA

FLORIDADOUGLAS J. MURRAY

GEORGIAJAMES C. ST. JOHN

GUAMFRANCISCO A. FLORIG

HAWAIISTANLEY A. MARIA

IDAHOBRIAN W. SIMER

ILLINOISJAMES C. BEDNAR

INDIANASTEPHAN A. ZIEMBA

IOWAPATRICK T. O’KEEFE

KANSASFRANCIS G.DROUHARD

KENTUCKYBILLY R. HANCOCK

LOUISIANABENJAMIN N. DAVIDSON JR.

LUZONALONSO L. TAN

MAINEGERALD J. MARTIN

MANITOBAGUY M. PRÉCOURT

MARYLANDRICHARD V. SIEJACK

MASSACHUSETTSWILLIAM F. DONOVAN

MEXICO CENTRALANTONIO

PÉREZ-RAMÍREZ

MEXICO NORTHWESTJULIO CÉSAR

DOMÍNGUEZ-SOTO

MEXICO NORTHEASTFILADELFO

MEDELLÍN AYALA

MEXICO SOUTHFREDY J.

MONTERO-RODRÍGUEZ

MICHIGANJOHN R. MOODY

MINDANAOSOFRONIO R. CRUZ

MINNESOTARICARDO ACEVEDO

MISSISSIPPIPETER C. SUKANEK


STATE DEPUTIES 2009-10

MISSOURIGREGORYW. STRATMAN

MONTANAWILLIAM I. BURKE

NEBRASKAMICHAEL G. CONRAD

NEVADAJAMES J. KELLY

NEW BRUNSWICKYVON CARRIER

NEWFOUNDLANDAND LABRADORMAX A. SNOW

NEW HAMPSHIREEDWARD A. MCCANN

NEW JERSEYHERBERT C. MEYER

NEW MEXICOJOSEPH W. POZZI

NEW YORKARTHUR J. HARRIS

NORTH CAROLINADAVID R. JONES

NORTH DAKOTACORY J. BADINGER

NOVA SCOTIAERROL J. O’NEIL

OHIOPAUL J. UPMAN

OKLAHOMADAVID A. ROEWE

ONTARIOYVON A. ROBERT

OREGONWAYNE A. CLEMMER

PENNSYLVANIAWAYNE S. FREET

POLANDANDRZEJ

GUT-MOSTOWY

PRINCE EDWARDISLAND

ALVIN R. CURLEY

PUERTO RICOFREDDIE

SANCHEZ-RIVERA

QUEBECCLAUDE ROUSSEAU

RHODE ISLANDSTEPHEN G. CIOLFI

SASKATCHEWANARDEN P. ANDREAS

SOUTH CAROLINAJOSEPH F. GUBELI JR.

SOUTH DAKOTATERRENCE L. ANDERSEN

TENNESSEEMICHAEL J. PORTER SR.

TEXASJAVIER S. MARTINEZ

UTAHDOUGLAS P. SHANE

VERMONTFLORIAN

WAWRZYNIAK

VIRGINIAPATRICK F. O’DONNELL

VISAYASDIONISIO R. ESTEBAN JR.

WASHINGTONJOHN M. WALLACE

WEST VIRGINIABERNARD V. KELLY JR.

WISCONSINROLAND C. RANSOM II

WYOMINGPATRICK J. DOHERTY

FATHERS FOR GOOD


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

IMAGES of the “Little League parent” are fixed in the Americanmind as a kind of psychological state. There’s dad on the side-lines yelling for his kid to get a hit, as if to soothe the lingeringshame over striking out during his own youth. Mom is in thebleachers, waving junior to home plate, hoping to hold her headhigh during the morning carpool.Although there are fewer sideline displays by parents these

days, there are still a number of subtle dangers associated withyouth sports. In fact, in our sports-crazed culture, where eventoddlers are dragged from the soccer fieldto the karate gym, we risk making sportsparticipation a primary value in itself, andusing sports as a substitute for play timeand even family time.Let me make it clear from the start that

I am not anti-sports. As a marriage andfamily psychiatrist, and the father of threechildren, I recognize that youth sports canhave immensely positive influences andcan foster a happier, healthier family life.Benefits for children include weight con-trol and physical fitness, confidence, dis-cipline and learning to be a team player.Additionally, strong, lifelong bonds be-

tween father and son — and, increasingly,father and daughter — can be built duringgames of catch, shooting hoops or tossingthe football. Sports can give fathers a natural opportunity to talkabout virtues such as hard work, persistence and self-sacrifice.Yet, in our culture of 24-hour sports coverage and million-

dollar, prima-donna players, the wrong message can be sent. Inmy clinical work with families, I often find serious emotionalconflicts in children as the result of a parental obsession withsports. These include: burnout from excessive participation; awin-at-all-costs mentality accompanied by selfishness; excessivecompetitiveness; the belief that failure in sports means failurein life; a general sadness and anger over pressures to excel onthe field; poor academic performance; and the notion that sportsare the only source of personal values and confidence.Sadly, I have also seen sports operate as a major source of con-

flict within marriages, and as a springboard toward separationand divorce. We’ve all heard about the “Sunday widow” — thewife who never sees her husband during professional footballseason because he is glued to the television. Youth sports, too,can keep husband and wife apart.

Making Good SportsDon’t let youth activities take over your faith or your family

by Richard Fitzgibbons, M.D.

For instance, spouses may disagree over when their childrenshould start team play and how many sports they should un-dertake each year. Even if they agree on these points, the couplemay be separated while juggling late weekday games and therigors of a traveling sports schedule. Family time is disruptedand meal times consist of fast food or concession stands. Withgames held on Sundays, even in Catholic leagues, parents aretempted to leave Mass early to get to the ball field or even skipMass to focus on the game.

In such cases, the emphasis on sportscauses families to lose focus and balance.Kids, in turn, pick up the message: Sportstake precedence over family relationshipsand even a relationship with God. This at-titude is harmful to children’s physical,psychological and spiritual welfare.As in most things in life, balance is

needed when it comes to youth sports.Since there are definite benefits to teamplay and physical activity, every familyshould make the effort to find that bal-ance. Here are a few tips:1. Work as a couple to establish healthy

family priorities and then discuss themwith your children.2. Family meals and time with your

spouse should be seen as more importantthan youth sports or professional sports on TV.3. Don’t be afraid to skip a season if your child doesn’t seem

ready for the next level of play.4. Avoid leagues that have games on most Sundays and leave

the Lord’s Day open for family activities.5. Don’t live your dreams through your child’s sports play.6. Winning isn’t the only thing; it’s how you win or lose that

counts.Youth sports can be healthy, constructive and a strong support

system for the values you as a father want to instill in your child.But remember, it’s just a game.♦

PHOTOGRAPH:

Jup

iter

images

DR. RICHARD FITZGIBBONS is a Catholic marriage

and family psychiatrist, and head of the Institute for

Marital Healing in West Conshohocken, Pa. He may

be contacted through the institute’s Web site,

www.maritalhealing.com.


TYPHOON RELIEFSt. Joseph Council 9207 inSagay City, Visayas, donatedcare packages to 132 familieson Molocaboc Island aftertheir homes were damagedor destroyed during a ty-phoon. St. Anthony Council10121 in Iloilo, Visayas, col-lected used clothing for dis-tribution to storm victims.

$1,000 to St. Linus Schoolfor the purchase of newequipment for the school’scomputer lab.

ASSOCIATION DONATION

Rev. F. M. Lateigne Council7089 in Atholville, N.B.,hosted a pancake breakfastduring which the councilmade a donation to the Res-tigouche Chapter of the Mul-tiple Sclerosis Association.The council decided to sup-port the association after twomembers of the council werediagnosed with the disease.

Juan Carmona (right) andAlan O’Connor of John Paul IICouncil 14188 at HarvardUniversity in Cambridge,Mass., scrape old paint fromthe baseboards at the VernonHall Nursing Home. Knightsgathered each week to paintthe facility’s laundry room,staff offices and hallways.

Bernard Mahoney of Port St. Lucie (Fla.) Council 7514 presentsPamela LaPonza with a raffle prize during a benefit concert fora local family. Johny Mejias, 19, was struck by a hit-and-rundriver Feb. 23 and died of his injuries April 11. Knights organized“Jam 4 Johny,” which raised $5,650 for the Mejias family to aidwith various medical, funeral and unforeseen expenses.

Members of Msgr. Daniel J. Lenihan Council 5544 in CedarRapids, Iowa, remove a broken tree in Parkersburg after a tor-nado swept through the town. Knights from in and aroundCedar Rapids gathered to clean debris and make repairs to thedevastated community.

Paul II Circle 5188, both inVirginia Beach, Va., volun-teered at the Italian festival atSt. Gregory the Great Church,which raised $3,600 for theparish middle school.

COASTAL PLANTINGTo protect the coastline andprovide a habitat for local fishand game, members of St.Michael the Archangel Coun-

cil 10162 in Clarin, Visayas,planted a large lot with newmangrove seedlings.

FUNDS FOR UGANDA

Father Michael Roethler As-sembly in Ada, Okla., do-nated $1,000 to FatherEdward Ssekalembe to sup-port his missionary work inAfrica. Father Ssekalembe is apriest from Uganda whoroutinely visits Oklahoma.

NEW CARPETSanta Maria Council 4999 inNorth Palm Beach, Fla., do-nated $5,000 to St. PatrickChurch toward the installa-tion of new carpeting.

NEW COMPUTERSMsgr. F. X. Prefontaine Coun-cil 11085 in Seattle donatedfour refurbished laptops toFather Montfort Stima, apriest from Limbe, Malawi,and a member of the council.Knight John Gee performedmaintenance on the comput-ers before they were donated.Also, Father Maurice VeryserCouncil 13810 in DearbornHeights, Mich., donated

FIELD MASSSt. Patrick Assembly in NorthPlatte, Neb., provided anhonor guard for the annualNebraskaLand Days FieldMass. The expansive outdoorMass, which sees participa-tion from all the parishes inNorth Platte, commemoratesthe massacre in 1720 of aSpanish expedition that in-cluded Father Juan Minguez.

PAINTING THE PLACEMembers of Father GeorgeFangauer Council 5168 inDuncan, Okla., and FatherUrban Assembly in Chickashavolunteered at a Habitat forHumanity project house.Knights volunteered 60 hoursto help paint a new house.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR

Msgr. John H. Dewson Coun-cil 13821 in Wilmington,Del., hosted a benefit per-formance by Seamus Kennedyand the McAleer School ofIrish Dance. The event raised$1,000 for St. Ann Church.Additionally, St. BenedictCouncil 9056 and Pope John

KNIGHTS ACTION REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLESIN

KNIGHTS IN ACTION


PERSONAL CAREBishop Hickey Council 3623in Riverside, R.I., and the So-ciety of St. Vincent de Paul atSt. Luke Church assembled12 boxes of personal careitems for area veterans.

A NEW VISIONSeventeen councils from inand around Colorado Springsprovided volunteer and lo-gistical support to Camp Vi-sion, an encounter programin which children meet andinteract with Olympic andParalympic athletes. Knightsalso provided food for theevent and scholarships to un-derprivileged attendees.

TOWN BEAUTIFICATION

When local residents and cityofficials from River Rouge,Mich., undertook a townbeautification day in theircommunity, Msgr. ChampionCouncil 2819 providedlunch to all volunteers.

TRUCK DONATEDMary, Help of ChristiansCouncil 3052 in Bellflower,Calif., donated a Ford pickuptruck to the food pantry at St.Bernard Church. The truck willaid pantry volunteers withtheir collections and deliveries.

FULL OF HOT AIRMembers of Bishop RiceCouncil 2946 in Essex Junc-tion, Vt., disassembled, refur-bished and reassembled the70-year-old wind organ atHoly Family Church.

ELDERLY AIDArthur U. Joyal Council 4225in Dracut, Mass., donated twoexercise bikes and a new stoveto the Dracut Senior Center.

COMING TO VISITEdward Douglass WhiteCouncil 2473 in Arlington,Va., provides transportationfor World War II veterans andtheir spouses to the WorldWar II Memorial in Washing-ton, D.C. Since getting to thememorial and parking cansometimes be difficult, coun-cil members arrange site-to-site transportation for elderlyveterans or widows.

CATHOLICS IN ACTIONOur Lady of Joy Council11116 in Carefree, Ariz.,sponsors a series of faith en-richment seminars called“Catholics in Action.” Guestlecturers speak on variety oftopics, including the VirginMary and the Eucharist. Morethan 200 people attended theinaugural seminar.

Members of Santo Domingo de Guzmán Council 14383 inYauco Costa, Puerto Rico, made several repairs at their parish.Knights added sealant to the roof of the parish rectory and re-painted the lines at the church parking lot.

DRUG DISPOSAL

St. Peter the Apostle Council10884 in Itasca, Ill., alongwith the Itasca Lions Club andthe Itasca Police Department,erected a steel depository forunwanted prescription andover-the-counter drugs. Sincemany consumers mistakenlydispose of drugs in the sink orgarbage, these medicationscan pollute the water supplyor fall into the hands of drugabusers. Instead, the collectionpoint will be available 24hours a day, and police willdispose of the drugs at anEPA-approved site.

ROSES FOR LIFE

Father John P. Wessel Council6530 in Marlton, N.J., soldroses after Mass at St. Joan ofArc Church. Sales exceeded

$1,175, which was donatedto First Way of BurlingtonCounty, a pregnancy resourcecenter.

NEW EQUIPMENTRev. F. X. Hess Council 1669in Waterloo, Wis., volun-teered at a pancake breakfastto benefit the Waterloo FireDepartment and EMS. Fundsraised at the event were usedto purchase new emergencyequipment.

FOSTERING REBIRTHKnights from throughoutMcLeod County, Minn.,helped an area Birthrightagency move into its new of-fices. After deciding that itscurrent space was too small,Birthright leased a convertedwarehouse space that neededextensive remodeling. Knightsfrom four councils donatedmaterials, funds and volunteermanpower to retrofit thebuilding’s heating and elec-tricity systems, and to erectnew walls and doors.

NEW FLAGSOur Lady of Victory Council5613 in Tallmadge, Ohio, do-nated new U.S. and papalflags to its parish after the oldflags had become unsuitablefor display.

PENSION FUNDOntario District #48 held itsannual clergy appreciationdinner, which raised $4,000for the priest pension fund ofthe Peterborough Diocese.

A BRIDGE TO YOUTHLe Grandeur (Que.) Council10171 offers Bridge lessons tofifth- and sixth-grade studentsat Louis Huot ElementarySchool in collaboration withthe American Contract BridgeLeague (ACBL). After complet-ing a series of 10 courses, stu-dents can participate in acouncil-sponsored tourna-ment. ACBL provides sweatersand certificates for the event.

A young girl clutches her bagof school supplies and per-sonal care items at a distribu-tion sponsored by San Joséde Panasahan Council 9006in Malolos City, Luzon. Thedistribution was held in collab-oration with Sleeping ChildrenAround the World (SCAW), aCanadian-based organizationthat provides bed kits toneedy children. Knights alsoadded school supplies toeach of the 300 kits theyhelped distribute.

Tony Saverino, Dan Livernois, Leo Landerway and Dan Marcinekof St. Catherine Laboure Council 11827 in Chino Valley, Ariz.,take a short break while cleaning the yard of a widowed parish-ioner. The council’s “Yard Crew” aids people who are unable tomaintain their properties due to age or physical impairment.

shed at the home of an eld-erly council member. Knightsdemolished the shed whenthey learned it had fallen intodisrepair.

RELAY-PALOOZASt. Malachy Council 12540 inBrownsburg, Ind., ran a con-cession stand at a local Relay-palooza event. The boothraised $1,000 in support ofcancer research.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION


ON A ROLLKnights supply wheelchairs,

ramps for people with disabilities

LANDSCAPERKNIGHTS

Most Holy Rosary Council11511 in Upper Marlboro,Md., landscaped its parishgrounds. Knights also cutgrass in the summer and re-move snow in the winter.

SHED DEMOLITIONMembers of Father O’ByrneCouncil 3574 in Jacksonville,N.C., disassembled a utility

Members of St. Albert(Alta.) Council 4742 con-struct a wheelchair rampat the home of a womanwho has spinal bifida andcould not afford to haveone built. Knights pro-vided all materials for theproject.Through the Order’s

partnership with theWheelchair Foundation,Knights are no stranger tosupplying mobility devicesto people who need themmost. K of C units, how-ever, have also come upwith their own creative so-lutions to support thefoundation and to helppeople with physical dis-abilities.

• Our Lady of PeaceCouncil 9199 in Fords,N.J., held a spaghetti din-ner to benefit the Lansangfamily, whose oldest sonuses a wheelchair. Theevent raised $3,200,which will help fund awheelchair ramp at theLansang home.

• Señor Cura ManuelVelázquez Morán Council4062 in La Barca, Mexico

Central, purchased fivewheelchairs for needymembers of the commu-nity through the Wheel-chair Foundation.

• Four councils from inand around Edmonton(Alta.) helped purchase anew wheelchair for ayoung man with disabili-ties. Though the provinceof Alberta paid for about51 percent of the wheel-chair, the young man stillneeded to furnish $2,400out of pocket. Four areacouncils donated funds tohelp defray this expense.

• Dominick PondantCouncil 6699 in Dainger-field-Mt. Pleasant, Texas,built a wheelchair ramp fora family who has two chil-dren with physical disabil-ities. Knights provided allmaterials to build the 30-foot ramp.

• Holy Family Council6099 in Chattanooga,Tenn., hosted a giant out-door flea market to benefitthe Wheelchair Founda-tion. The event raised$6,500 to purchasewheelchairs for veterans.

Members of Augustin Melgar Assembly in Chihuahua, MexicoNorthwest, carry the relics of Father Pedro de Jesus MaldonadoLucero, one of the Knights of Columbus Mexican Martyrs, dur-ing the anniversary of his martyrdom. Knights sponsored an out-door Mass and pilgrimage to a statue of Father MaldonadoLucero that was built by Fray Alonso Briones Council 2419.

for a down payment on MarAbba the Great Seminary andperformed renovations onthe property.

RESTORING A LANDMARK

Msgr. Robert SilvermanCouncil 9291 in San Anto-nio, Texas, donated $1,000toward the restoration of OurLady of the Lake Universityafter one of the school’sbuildings was damaged in anelectrical fire. The blazecaused an estimated $14 mil-lion worth of damage to thebuilding, which was con-structed in 1895.

Father Mariusz Fuks (right)pulls the winning raffle ticketat a clergy appreciation dinnerwhile Paul Camp of Savannah(Ga.) Council 631 looks on.Five councils from in andaround Savannah hosted thedinner, which raised $5,500.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION


Members of Padre Pio Council 14293 at Naval Air StationSigonella in Sicily, Italy, rest after a long day of environmentalism.Members and their families aided local volunteers who cleanedlitter and trash from the streets of Motta Saint Anastasia.

VISITING THE ELDERLYMembers of San Pablo Apos-tol Council 3723 inCoahulla, Mexico Northeast,and their families visited alocal home for the elderly todistribute care packages andserve tea.

FILLING THE PANTRYLubbock (Texas) Council3008 donated $3,000 to theEmergency Assistance FoodPantry run by Catholic Fam-ily Services (CFS). The fundswere donated to CFS afterKnights learned that thepantry was running criticallylow on supplies.

PARISH BAZAARSt. Francis Xavier Council10500 in Vancouver, B.C., or-ganized a parish bazaar andsing-a-thon that raised$100,000. The 12-hourevent included food, vendorsand game booths, all cappedby a singing competition. Allcouncils from throughoutthe B.C./Yukon jurisdictionwere invited to attend.

SPREADING THE FAITHMembers of Meycauayan(Luzon) Circle 3767 regu-larly distribute K of Crosaries and the Catholic In-formation Service (CIS)leaflet on how to pray therosary to indigent childrenin their community.

peals for his diocese, whichcannot provide shelter orhealth care to the poor. In ad-dition to the donation, Msgr.Lawrence L. Meyer Assemblyalso provided an honor guardat the four Masses BishopFernando celebrated.

ENRICHING YOUNG MINDS

St. Francis Xavier Council5937 in Nasugbu, Luzon,donated 350 used books anda new DVD player to Latag El-ementary School. Mean-while, Father Thomas F.Powers Council 13050 inBillings, Mont., purchased 50new backpacks for low-in-come students and askedparishioners at St. Thomas theApostle Church to fill themwith new school supplies.

FOR THE LONG HAULBishop Baraga Council 1585in Iron Mountain, Mich., co-ordinated efforts to raisefunds for the local VA Hospi-tal. After learning that thehospital was going to pur-chase a new bus, but couldnot afford to outfit the vehi-cle with an entertainmentsystem, Council 1585 begansoliciting funds from Knightsthroughout the Upper Penin-sula. The council raised$8,000 toward a bus with TVmonitors and a DVD player.

A REAL ESTATEWhen Marian Council 3753in Prospect Park, Pa., decidedto sell its council hall,Knights used the proceeds tosupport education. Four areaschools received $15,000each from the council to sup-port tuition assistance and re-ligious education programs.

CHALDEAN SEMINARYMar Toma Council 10981 inEl Cajon, Calif., contributed$25,000 toward the estab-lishment of a ChaldeanCatholic seminary in thearea. Knights donated funds

Members of St. John the Baptist Council 11152 in Caba laUnion, Luzon, apply new varnish to the pews at their parish.Knights refurbished the pews with fresh stain and varnish.

BUILDING FUNDBlessed John XXIII Council14390 in Miramar, Fla., do-nated $1,000 to its parishbuilding fund.

SUPPORT FOR SRI LANKA

Marshall (Texas) Council1422 and Msgr. Lawrence L.Meyer Assembly donated$500 to Bishop Julian W. S.Fernando of Badulla, SriLanka, when he visited St.Joseph Church in Marshall.Bishop Fernando was visitingthe area to solicit mission ap-

Eugene W. Whitney Council 6514 in Athens, Ga. — $10,000 for St. Joseph Church.

St. Mary of the Lakes Council 6520 in Medford, N.J. — $38,000 for the Ronald McDonald House.

Msgr. James Corbett Warren Memorial Council 5073 in Burlington, Ont.

— $10,000 for Shifra Home, a crisis pregnancy residence.

Holy Cross Council 9969 in Moorpark, Calif. — $7,000 for a food pantry and for religious education.

Middleboro-Lakeville (Mass.) Council 233 — $11,000 for Sacred Heart Food Pantry.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Council 13047 in Port St. Lucie, Fla.,

— $4,160 for its parish.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION

HOLE-IN-ONECouncils hold golf tournaments

for a variety of causes

discovered a plaque there inhonor of Lt. MadelineKubeck, a U.S. Navy nursewho was killed in action in1945. Knights continuedtheir restoration and placedthe memorial plaque in amore central location for oth-ers to appreciate.

PROTECTION FOR IMMIGRANTS

Father Tom Pfeffer Council14267 in Des Moines, Iowa,co-hosted a symposium onimmigration raids withCatholic Charities, the IowaCoalition Against Sexual As-sault and the Iowa CoalitionAgainst Domestic Violence.The symposium included in-formation on deportationrights, power of attorney andfinancial protection. There wasalso an immigration lawyeron hand for consultations.

CANDID CAMERASt. Joseph Council 12167 inKannapolis, N.C., donatedseven high-resolution videocameras to its parish and re-furbished a control room tooperate the equipment. Massis recorded each week,copied to DVD and distrib-uted to parishioners who arehomebound.

PRIEST RETIREMENTSEMINAR

Archbishop Thomas A. Don-nellan Council 7923 in Lil-burn, Ga., hosted a retirementseminar for priests fromthroughout the Archdioceseof Atlanta. The event coveredtopics such as financial plan-ning and retirement security.Knights also prepared lunchfor all attendees.

A NEW PANTRYSt. Rita Council 3854 inHarahan, La., donated part ofits council property for theconstruction of a new com-munity food pantry. Thecouncil also raised funds tooffset construction costs.

NEVER ALONEArchbishop James V. CaseyCouncil 9349 in Littleton,Colo., hosted a benefit din-ner for Nicholas Patrick, acouncil member who wasinvolved in a hit-and-run ac-cident. The event grossedmore than $9,100 forPatrick, who also suffersfrom multiple sclerosis.

FIRE DEPARTMENT PARADE

Daniel J. Bradley Council3102 in Bradley, N.Y., soldfood to attendees at the Bat-talion Fire Department Pa-rade. Proceeds from theevent were added to thecouncil’s charitable fund.

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

Clonmel-Schulte (Kan.)Council 3114 donated morethan $25,000 to erect achain-link fence around thetwo baseball diamonds at St.Peter the Apostle Church.Parishioners had worked toconvert an old wheat fieldinto two baseball diamondswhen they appealed to thecouncil for further aid.Knights funded the fenceand, in honor of the coun-

cil, the diamonds wererechristened “Knights ofColumbus Field.”

STORAGE SHEDSRaul G. Navarrete Council9482 in Chandler, Ariz., con-

structed two new storage shedsat St. Andrew the ApostleChurch. Knights donated ma-terials to construct the sheds,which will house outdoor tentsand other parish equipment.

RESTORING HISTORY

Members of St. Jude Council7736 in Mansfield, Texas,helped fund the restorationof a historic building thatwas donated to St. JudeChurch for use as the parishrectory. The house, whichwas built in 1896, had falleninto terrible disrepair andwas in danger of collapsing.Knights raised funds and do-nated volunteer manpower torestore the home and fill itwith antique furnishings fortheir parish priest.

HONORING A HEROWhile renovating a pond at alocal parish, members of OurLady of Sorrows Council12149 in Valparaiso, Ind.,

Grand Knight Michael Haugen (left) of Father J. Fred ReidyCouncil 1021 in Missoula, Mont., congratulates Cory Whithead,winner of a 1981 DeLorean that the council raffled in supportof Catholic schools. The car was provided by a local dealership,and the raffle raised $2,380 to support Catholic education.


KNIGHTS IN ACTION

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09/09

Father Joseph F. Hannon (center) and two soldiers display the rosary rings theyreceived from Blessed Trinity Council 2719 and Father Edward Collet Assembly,both in Carlsbad, N.M. Knights shipped 6,000 rosary rings — a metal ring witha cross and one decade of the rosary — to Father Hannon for distribution totroops in Iraq.

Hot air balloons rise into the sky during the 35th annual Helen to the Atlantic Bal-loon Race and Festival. Balloonists from several states race toward the AtlanticOcean and later provide free rides to the public. St. Paul’s Council 11676 inCleveland, Ga., catered the event’s annual banquet for balloonists and theirteams. Knights served more than 200 people, and proceeds from the banquetwere added to the council’s charitable fund.


YEAR FOR PRIESTS


OBSERVE THE YEAR FOR PRIESTS WITH A SPECIAL PRAYER CARD AVAILABLE AT WWW.KOFC.ORG/YEARFORPRIESTS

IT IS NOT LIKELY that Holy Cross Father Wilfred “Willy” Ray-mond saw his priestly ministry taking him to storied DodgerStadium when he was ordained, April 3, 1971. Father Raymond, a member of St. Martin of Tours Council

14660 in Los Angeles, doesn’t serve the Dodgers for the perksof seeing Major League Baseball (MLB) games or hangingaround the players and staff. He does it for one reason — serv-ing the spiritual needs of those who otherwise may not receivethe holy Eucharist.This is a relatively new mission for Father Raymond, which

began last year with a request from a visiting player, MarkLoretta. Loretta wanted to know if Mass was offered for playersprior to a weekend game. It wasn’t, and that’s when Father Ray-mond got his call toDodger Stadium in Los An-geles.“The players are working

on a tight schedule,” FatherRaymond said. “Soon afterMass, there are team meet-ings, warm-ups and thenthe game itself.”On Saturdays, when the

Dodgers are in town, FatherRaymond makes a shortdrive to the stadium to cel-ebrate Mass for staff andplayers.Players like Loretta, along

with Andre Ethier and JuanPierre, take turns as lector.There are other famousregulars among the Dodgercongregation, too, including noted sportscaster Vin Scully andmanager Joe Torre. For those needing the sacrament of recon-ciliation, Father Raymond is there for that was well.But Father Raymond’s ministry with the famed baseball team

is not the only hat he wears. He also serves as national directorof Family Theater Productions in Hollywood. With a missionof entertaining and supporting families, the company has pro-duced more than 800 radio programs and 83 television specialssince it was founded by Father Patrick Peyton, a fellow Knightand Holy Cross priest, in 1941.Some players outside of the Dodger family — Jeff Suppan of

the Milwaukee Brewers and Mike Sweeney of the Oakland Ath-

Priest to the PlayersProfessional baseball players and

other athletes rely on priests for spiritual support

by Steve Gust

letics — have participated in Family Theater Production’s“Rosary Stars,” a video program where celebrities reflect onthe mysteries of the rosary. Father Raymond’s work has alsobrought him in contact with many other celebrities, whom hesaid face everyday struggles despite their fame and wealth. However, MLB players in particular are working under

unique circumstances.“These guys are traveling six months out of the year,” Father

Raymond said. That alone can be demanding, and poses risksand temptations. For others, even when they’re home, they’reliving in an apartment in a foreign city.In the off-season, Father Raymond offers spiritual retreats for

players and others. He also hopes to continue his outreach toLatino players to helpthem discover and redis-cover the beauty of theirCatholic faith. He stressesto players and their fam-ilies that they shouldcontact him wheneverthey have difficulties.Finally, Father Ray-

mond is working withRay McKenna, founderof Catholic Athletes forChrist, to ensure that thespiritual needs of proathletes are adequatelymet.“We would like to

make sure that Mass isoffered to all playersneeding to receive the

Eucharist in all baseball stadiums,” explained Father Raymond.Although millions will watch the Dodgers in person this sea-

son, Father Raymond has seen just one game. As a priest, he hasother commitments, especially at his home parish, St. Monica’sChurch in Santa Monica. Most of his parishioners there knownot to ask him to get a player’s autograph.“These are unassuming, regular guys and I won’t take ad-

vantage of them,” Father Raymond said. “I want these guys toknow that I’m there for them when they need me.”♦

Father Willy Raymond stands with Los Angeles Dodgers players Mark Loretta,Andre Ethier and Juan Pierre after celebrating Mass for the team.

STEVE GUST, a freelance writer, is a member of Edmond (Okla.)

Council 6477.

COLUMBIANISM BY DEGREES


LUZON STATE DEPUTY Alonso L. Tan(center, blue and white shirt) lowersa ceremonial capsule into the groundduring the groundbreaking cere-mony for the Gawad Kalinga (“GiveCare”) Community Project. TheLuzon State Council invested850,000 pesos to build 10 houses forunderprivileged members of thecommunity, with another 40 housesplanned for the immediate future.The community, located in TungkongMangga, is called the Knights ofColumbus Village.• Juan Pablo II Council 14215 inMiami held a cookout that raised$500 for Mother of Christ Church.

Charity

Unity

ALLEN SETTLE (far left) and DanSkane (far right) of St. John FrancisRegis Council 7914 in Hollywood,Md., assist children during thethree-legged race at their parish fair.Knights organized the fair, whichincluded food and games forparishioners and their families.• Joseph I. Driscoll Council 4497 inEl Paso, Texas, sponsored a cam-paign to collect used furniture andhousehold goods for the Child Cri-sis Center. Knights collected severaltruckloads of items, which were do-nated to the center’s resale shop.

Patriotism

MEMBERS of Mary, Queen of AngelsCouncil 12384 in Philadelphiagather outside St. Martha Church toassemble care packages for troopsserving in Iraq and Afghanistan.Knights assembled approximately30 care packages, each containingtoiletries and snacks.• Shepherd of Ars Council 6028 inHacienda Heights, Calif., shippedranger rosaries and liturgical mate-rials to the St. Thomas the ApostleRound Table at Camp Victory, Iraq.The council purchased more than100 liturgical guides, sourcebooksand workbooks for Catholic soldiersstationed at the base.

Fraternity

WOODCHIPS FLY as Kevin Jonesand Jason Derry of Father T. P. SheenCouncil 9289 in Baie Verte, Nfld.,cut firewood at the home of CalvinLundrigan. Knights cut and stackedseveral cords of wood for use byLundrigan and his family duringthe winter. Lundrigan, a councilmember, is battling cancer.• When members of Father MarkO’Neill Council 2486 in Lykens,Pa., discovered that the gravesite oftheir council founder had falleninto disrepair, they embarked on arestoration project. Knights repairedthe retaining wall around FatherO’Neill’s headstone to prevent fur-ther damage.

THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 33

Building a better world one council

at a timeEvery day, Knights all over the worldare given opportunities to make a dif-ference — whether through commu-nity service, raising money or prayer.We celebrate each and every Knight forhis strength, his compassion and hisdedication to building a better world.

A trio of Blackhawk helicopters passesoverhead during a Memorial Day serv-ice at the Georgia National Cemetery.Divine Mercy Assembly in Woodstockprovided a large honor guard for theevent, which included a 21-gun salute,a rendition of “Taps” by the NorthGeorgia Highland Brigade Pipes andDrum corps, and a prayer service cele-brated by Archbishop Wilton D. Gregoryof Atlanta.

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TO BE FEATURED HERE, SEND YOUR COUNCIL’S “KNIGHTS IN ACTION” PHOTO AS WELL AS ITS DESCRIPTION TO: COLUMBIA, 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326 OR E-MAIL: [email protected].

KEEP THE FAITH ALIVE

‘JESUS INVITES USTO RESPOND

SIMPLY BY GIVINGOURSELVES TO HIM.’

My father, an immigrant from China, and mymother, a native of Hawaii with Japanese ancestry,made a living in the Chinese restaurant business inthe Midwest. I grew up with little religious training,except when invited to church services by customers.This was my introduction to Jesus Christ, who re-vealed his personal love for me through the Bible,through prayer and through fellowship with otherChristians.

It was years later, while preparing to be a mission-ary, that my roommate shared with me the Catholicfaith and I came into full communion with theChurch. This challenged me to consider that Jesus wascalling me not just to be a missionary, but to first sharehis love as his bride through consecrated life.

My roommate witnessed her father’s commitmentto Christ and the generosity demonstrated by his fel-low Knights of Columbus. This silent, ever faithful andconsistent attitude was planted deep within her andoverflowed upon me as we shared a sense of Christ’sbeckoning.

We both responded to this invitation and now livea life of charity, chastity, poverty and obedience as westrive to embody Jesus for others. Jesus first loved usand invites us to respond to his love simply by givingourselves to him. Has he invited you to do the same?

SISTER MARY ROSE CHINN, +JMJHandmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mary and JosephVentura, California

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

KEEP THE FAITH ALIVE

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Columbia September 2009

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