"A priest's face ..." Reflection on Fr. McGivney

Fr. Michael J. McGivney (1852-1890) was the founder of the Kights of Columbus. Here is a snippet about his personality from a contemporary who knew him, which I found in my copy of Columbia magazine, which arrived today. Fortunately, it's also online and thus linked below:

Fr. Joseph G. Daley, "The Personality of Father McGivney," Columbia (August 2017), pp. 21-22 (extract):

I remember meeting with Father McGivney in New Haven in 1883, the year after the first incorporation of the Knights. He was then in the prime of his vigor, entrusted by a good but delicate pastor, Father Lawlor, with the management of St. Mary’s, a parish lying close under the towers of Yale College and at that time the most aristocratic parish in Connecticut. Father McGivney himself was anything but aristocratic; he was a man of extreme grace of manner in any society, but without any airs, without any “lugs,” if you will pardon the expression. I saw him but once and yet I remember his pale, beautiful face as if I saw it only yesterday; it was “a priest’s face,” and that explains everything. It was a face of wonderful repose; there was nothing harsh in that countenance, although there was everything that was strong; there was nothing sordid, nothing mercenary, nothing of the politician, nothing of the axe-grinder. Guile and ambition were as far from him as from heaven. To meet him was at once to trust him; children actually loved him; and the very old people of the neighborhood, whom he hunted up and who got part of his time even on busiest days, called him a positive saint and meant it....

Fr. Perrone on the Sacred Heart devotion, St. Stanislaus Popcaynski's canonization, Knights of Columbus news

Fr. Eduard Perrone, "A Pastor's Descant" (Assumption Grotto News, June 5, 2016):

The month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

This devotion to our Lord, in its familiar form, is a rather modern development in the Church. While the heart of God and the heart of Christ are known from scriptures, the deeper appreciation of the mercy, compassion, and love of the Saviour revealed to St. Margaret Mary tookits historical time to be realized. Thus you will not find the image of Christ with His exposed Heart anywhere but in the Catholic Church. This, like the revelation later made to Saint Faustina,was a development in the devotion to Christ. Unlike non-Catholic Christians who must, of their own choosing, halt at a certain point of historical time in their acceptance of the mysteries revealed in the bible and in the tradition of the early Church, Catholics are mindful that there is a continuing work of the Holy Spirit to reveal new depths of meaning in what was once given to the Church since apostolic times.

If I were to point to a single advantage of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Christ it would be that it has brought Catholics to a more intimate love for Christ. While we do not repeat the old saw of some Christian sects about cultivating a "personal relationship with Jesus as our Lord and Savior," yet the engagement of the devout Catholic with the Lord through this devotion has brought about a wonderful closeness of many religious, priests and lay people to Him. As I've said elsewhere, this devotion is a mystical thing that must be regarded with profound respect in order to uncover its many treasures. Those who see only an exposed heart with thorns and a flame -- an admittedly unusual manner of portrayal -- will not draw from that alone the depth of meaning and grace which so many have found in Christ through this devotion.

Today at the 9:30 Mass we will be celebrating the 3rd Sunday after Pentecost. In addition we will commemorate the canonization of Stanislaus Papcaynski which will have already taken place in Rome only a few hours previous. A new saint added to the Church's register is always a thing to be glad about. In this case, the Saint will share with Mother Teresa the day when the Pope, in an authentic exercise of his papal authority, declares them certainly to be in heaven. For us at the Grotto, Saint Stanislaus may assume greater prominence as we see the growth of the Order which Brother Esteban has been overseeing in our parish convent.

One more bit of good Grotto news concerning our Knights of Columbus. We have, as you may know, a parish-based Council of the Knights, rather than an inter-parish council with an independent K of C hall. The business of our Grotto Knights does not coincide absolutely with parish business since they form an independent organization regulated by their own governing laws. All the same, the close association of the men of our parish with the Knights through this fraternity means much overlapping in various projects. On account of this distinction of the Council and the parish, I did not make mention hitherto of the fact that one of our parishioners, Christopher Kolomjec, was running for election to the Michigan State Board of the Knights. However, last Sunday at the annual convention of the Knights on Mackinac Island, Chris won the vacant seat in the election. This means that now one of our own holds a position of influence over the whole State of Michigan Knights in helping shape policies, coordinate programs, and create initiatives that involve all the Knights of the State. I'm confident that Chris will represent our Catholic faith there in the way that we are wont to express it: in loyalty to the authentic doctrines and traditions of the Church, and with a rightly motivated patriotism. Since his campaign theme also concerned the family -- that once sacrosanct institution so confusedly portrayed these days -- we can expect that his presence on the State Board is sure to assist in the ongoing defense of the family. We congratulate Chris, his wife Julie, and their children. Their lives will not be the same henceforth for this new turn in Chris's life. We hope that they will find it fulfilling and rewarding to know that Chris will be engaged in authentic witness to Catholic truth in the areas of faith and the family in these very challenging times.

Fr. Perrone

World organizations declare ISIS slaughter in the Mideast "genocide"

Among those condemning ISIS massacres of Christians and others a "genocide" are listed:

• The International Association of Genocide Scholars
• 60 Parliamentarians from the United Kingdom
• 200+ Members of Congress
• Pope Francis
• EU Parliament
• Genocide Watch
• USCIRF

Check out the following websites:

• "Statement of Knights of Columbus CEO Carl Anderson on State Department's Genocide Declaration" (Knights of Columbus, March 17, 2016).
• "StopTheChristianGenocide.org" (Sponsored by In Defense of Christians and Knights of Columbus).
• "There is only one word for what is happening: genocide" (Knights of Columbus, March 10, 2016).

[Hat tip to P. Borealis]

Knights of Columbus council reverses course, agrees to host same-sex wedding reception

As Deacon Greg Kandra notes (Patheos, January 2, 2015):

... In a Facebook post Wednesday evening, the Knights of Columbus said it would allow the reception after all. It posted “Council 934 regrets that there was some confusion over the hall rental request and that no contract was ever signed. We are happy to accommodate Taylor’s request to hold her reception there and we will waive the usual hall rental fee, given the misunderstanding that occurred.”

The Knights of Columbus, a tax-exempt fraternal benefit society, calls itself the “strong right arm” of the Catholic Church and has spent millions to oppose LGBT equality, abortion, euthanasia, and pornography. But while the national organization explicitly prohibits the rental of Knights’ facilities to those who “who do not support the legal protection of unborn children, or who advocate the legalization of assisted suicide or euthanasia,” it has not done taken that stand on the issue of same-sex marriage. Neither the local council nor its Grand Knight responded immediately to a ThinkProgress inquiry about its policies.

As a Knight myself, I find this appalling. Are we going to see the Knights continue to succumb to the pro-gay values of the bourgeois mainstream to such an extent that they are more beholden to the sensibilities of their bourgeois class than to the historic teachings of the Catholic Church? Fr. McGivney must be spinning in his grave.

[Hat tip to CMTV News]

Blessed Karl of Austria Events in the Northeast -- October 2013

All Masses are Traditional Latin Masses unless otherwise indicated.

Thursday, 17 October, 5:30 PM
Pontifical Mass & Conference, Mary Immaculate of Lourdes Church,
Newton, MA
Friday, 18 October, 6:30 PM
Pontifical Mass, Holy Name of Jesus Church, Providence, RI
Saturday, 19 October, 11:00 AM
Pontifical Mass, Holy Name of Jesus Church, Providence, RI
Sunday, 20 October, 2:00 PM
Pontifical Mass, Dinner & Conference, St. Titus Church,
Aliquippa, PA
Monday, 21 October, 7:30 PM (Feast Day of Blessed Karl of Austria)
Pontifical Mass & Reception, St. Mary Mother of God Church,
Washington, DC
Tuesday, 22 October, 6:00 PM
Mass, Reception & Conference, John Paul II Shrine,
Washington, DC
Wednesday, 23 October, 7:00 PM
Pontifical Mass & Conference, Mater Ecclesiae Church,
Berlin, NJ
Friday, 25 October, 8:00 AM
Pontifical Mass, Carmel of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,
Elysburg, PA
Saturday, 26 October, 5:30 PM
Novus Ordo (in Portuguese), Our Lady of Fatima Church,
Elizabeth, NJ
Sunday, 27 October, 11:00 AM
Pontifical Mass & Conference, St. Anthony of Padua Oratory,
West Orange, NJ
Monday, 28 October, 6:00 PM
Pontifical Mass & Conference, Church of the Holy Innocents,
Manhattan, NY

Celebrant of Pontifical Masses:
His Excellency, Don Teodoro de Faria
Bishop Emeritus of Funchal, Madeira Islands, Portugal

Conference Speaker:
Ricardo Dumont dos Santos
Portugal Delegate of the Emperor Karl League of Prayers

These Masses and conferences were arranged and coordinated by the following Traditional Knights of Columbus councils: Regina Coeli Council 423, Manhattan, NY
Potomac Council 433, Washington, DC
Woodlawn Council 2161, Aliquippa, PA
Agnus Dei Council 12361, Manhattan, NY
Mater Ecclesiae Council 12833, Berlin, NJ

Grateful acknowledgement to Syversen Touring for arranging air travel.

Additional support provided by:
The Paulus Institute for the Propagation of Sacred Liturgy
The Pittsburgh Latin Mass Community, Inc. (PLMC)

For additional information on Bl. Karl, please visit the Emperor Karl League of Prayers website.

Background info on speakers:

His Excellency, Don Teodoro de Faria
Bishop Emeritus of Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal, author of a new book about Blessed Karl. As Bishop of the diocese in which Blessed Karl died in 1922, Bishop de Faria has long been active in his cause for sainthood, and it was he who formally presented to the Holy Father the petition to beatify Emperor Karl at the beatification ceremony in Saint Peter’s Square on 3 October 2004. A native of Madeira, Bishop de Faria was ordained in 1956 at the age of 26, consecrated bishop of Funchal in 1982, and since his retirement in 2007, has been working on his book about Blessed Karl, which he will discuss during his remarks.

Ricardo Dumont dos Santos
Portugal Delegate of the Emperor Karl League of Prayers. Mr. Dumont dos Santos is the honorary consul of the Federal Republic of Germany on the Portuguese island of Madeira. His family's connection to Blessed Karl encompasses three generations. His father, Dr. Alfredo Dumont Machado dos Santos, was leader of the Emperor Karl Prayer League in Portugal until his death in 1989. His paternal grandfather was one of the doctors called for consultation during the final illness of Emperor Karl, and it was he who signed his death certificate.

[Hat tip to A.T.W.]

Investiture controversy redivivus

Well, not quite the "Investiture Controversy," maybe, but something close. In the latest issue of the Knights of Columbus periodical, Columbia (May 2009), Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson has an article entitled, "A Direct Attack on the First Amendment" (p. 3), addressing a Bill no. 1098 in the State of Connecticut, which, if passed, would have exclusively targeted the Catholic Church and "wrested authority over parish affairs from our bishops and priests and instead turned over control to a series of elected boards (trustees), explicitly excluding bishops and pastors."

As Anderson mentions, the First Amendment of the US Constitution, however, declares that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercize thereof...." He continues:

Although one in four Americans is Catholic, the country still has a very Protestant outlook on certain issues.

... While the stated purpose for the Connecticut bill was to prevent financial mismanagement of parishes, its proponents seemed unaware that such mismanagement is rare and is addressed effectively by regulations already in place. In the end, the bill was both unconstitutional and unnecessary.

This attack was surprising, but not unprecedented. In Connecticut, Catholics were legally forbidden from holding public office or owning land, even in the 19th century.

After ratification of the First Amendment in 1791, Catholics in the Constitution state hat to wait nearly three decades for religious freedom....

,,, Bill 1098 would have turned the clock back more than 150 years, proving that Catholics must guard against a return to bigotry. The lesson from the 19th century is that the power to impose structures that grant or take away authority from Church leadrs is the power to intimidate and ultimately to destroy.

If a state can ignore the First Amendment and tell the Catholic Church how it must be organized and operated today, it can easily do the same tomorrow to any religion.

As you probably know, the Bill 1098 awoke a "sleeping giant" in the response of the state's Catholic population. Knights and their families formed a crowd of more than 5,000 with other Catholics and concerned citizens who gathered at the State Capitol on March 11. The bill was ultimately tabled.

Yet Bill 1098 was the second attempt in recent years to directly attack the Catholic Church in the State of Connecticut. The fist attempt was a bill some years back that would have eliminated the seal of confession. As Anderson observes: "We can only expect that here, and elsewhere, such attacks -- and more subtle ones -- are likely."

In closing, Anderson writes: "I want to thank all my brother Knights in Connecticut who worked so hard to defeat this attack on our Church and our religious liberties. Vivat Jesus!"

Laws to be struck down by an elected President Obama

• the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funding for abortions;
• the federal law banning partial birth abortions, which was finally upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in April 2007;
• the "Mexico City Policy," which has barred the use of federal taxpayers' money to pay for abortions in other countries;
• laws in 44 states that preserve a parental role when children under 18 seek abortions;
• laws in 40 states that restrict late-term abortions;
• laws in 46 states that protect the right of conscience for individual health care providers;
• laws in 27 states that protect the right of conscience for institutions;
• laws in 38 states that ban partial birth abortions;
• laws in 33 states that require counseling before having an abortion;
• and laws in 16 states that provide for ultrasounds before an abortion.

While the goal of overturning Roe may seem unrealistically distant, the resistance against the culture of death since 1973 has not been without its victories. The foregoing list constitutes a modest list of those victories.

As Carl A. Anderson, head of the Knights of Colombus, recently stated, however:

All of these restrictions on abortion - all of the progress we've made over the past 35 years in trying to limit and reduce abortions in the United States - would be invalidated with the stroke of a pen if the next Congress passes, and the next president signs, the so-called "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA).

Before you cast your vote on Tuesday, please take the time and effort necessary to learn whether candidates for whom you might vote favor or oppose FOCA.

The House sponsors of FOCA are listed here.

The Senate sponsors of FOCA are listed here.

Obviously, if a candidate in your area is not listed among the sponsors, you may have to ask his or her campaign for their position on FOCA.

We have gathered much additional information about the Freedom of Choice Act, including links to material from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and on life issues generally on a special Knights of Columbus web page:

Remember, all that we've done together since Roe to save the lives of the unborn is at stake. Please pass on this message to your pro-life friends.

Data shows Obama at odds with 80% of Americans on this issue

"Survey: Significant Abortion Restrictions Favored by Those Self-described 'Pro-Choice'" (CNA, October 17, 2008):

Washington DC, Oct 17, 2008 (CNA).- A new poll sponsored by the Knights of Columbus shows only limited support for permissive abortion laws among all Americans and among Catholics specifically. Even those who label themselves as pro-choice often favor more restrictions on abortion than are currently allowed under Roe v. Wade, the poll finds.

The poll asked survey respondents to state which of six statements came closest to describing their opinion of abortion and to describe themselves as either “pro-life” or “pro-choice.”

About 50 percent of survey respondents described themselves as “pro-choice,” while 44 percent considered themselves to be “pro-life.”

A plurality of about 32 percent of respondents said that abortion should only be allowed in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Close to 24 percent held that abortion should be legal only in the first three months of pregnancy, while 15 percent said abortion should be allowed only to save the life of the mother and 13 percent agreed that abortion should never be permitted under any circumstance.

Eight percent said that abortion should be allowed only during the first six months of pregnancy, while only another eight percent said that abortion should be available to a woman any time during her entire pregnancy.

Only 15 percent of self-described “pro-choice” respondents favored unrestricted abortion throughout a pregnancy. About 43 percent of pro-choice respondents said abortion should be restricted to the first trimester and 23 percent would restrict abortion only to cases of rape, incest, or where the mother’s life was in danger.

Among Catholics specifically, 48 percent overall described themselves as pro-life, with 59 percent of practicing Catholics and 29 percent of non-practicing Catholics doing so. Close to 47 percent of Catholics described themselves as pro-choice, with 36 percent of practicing Catholics and 65 percent of non-practicing Catholics claiming the label.

Nearly 90 percent of Catholics wanted to restrict abortion to no more than the first trimester of pregnancy, while 72 percent either would limit legalized abortion to cases of rape or incest and to save the life of the mother, would permit it only to save the life of the mother, or do not believe abortion should ever be permitted.

About 35 percent of Catholics said abortion should be allowed only in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. This included 37 percent of practicing Catholics and 30 percent of non-practicing Catholics.

The next largest Catholic cohort, 26 percent, said abortion should be allowed in the first three months of a pregnancy, with 20 percent of practicing Catholics and 36 percent of non-practicing Catholics supporting this position.

Seventeen percent of Catholics said abortion should never be permitted, a position supported by 21 percent of practicing Catholics and 11 percent of non-practicing Catholics.

Six percent of Catholics supported unrestricted abortion throughout pregnancy, including five percent of practicing Catholics and eight percent of non-practicing ones. Another five percent of all Catholics favored legalized abortion only during the first six months of pregnancy, with three percent of practicing Catholics and nine percent of non-practicing Catholics taking such a stand.

The survey, whose results were reported in the document “Moral Issues and Catholic Values,” was conducted for the Knights of Columbus by the Marist College Institute of Public Opinion between September 24 and October 3, 2008. Surveying 1,733 Americans among whom 813 were Catholics, it claims a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percent for all Americans and 3.5 percent for Catholics specifically.

Full details of the poll results can be found at www.kofc.org.

[Hat tip to C.G.-Z.]

K of C begins airing "Vote Pro-Life" radio ad nationwide

"'Vote Pro-Life' Radio Ad Begins Running on U.S. Radio Stations" (Knights of Columbus, September 23, 2008):

Knights of Columbus spot features beating heart of 10-week-old unborn child.

A 30-second radio spot encouraging people to “vote pro-life” in the November elections began running on radio stations around the United States Sept. 23 It will continue to air until the Nov. 4 election.

The ad features the sound of an unborn baby’s heartbeat at 10 weeks, and the voice of a woman saying, “Listening to this makes me wonder – why would anyone question that her life has begun?” It concludes with the words, “Vote your heart. Vote Pro Life.”

“The fact that the child whose heartbeat we hear is alive is simply a matter of science,” Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said in announcing the beginning of the ad campaign.

“We believe that it is vital that America’s pro-life community make it clear that they will reserve their votes for candidates of either party who are committed to protecting life from conception to natural death.”

A similar ad is planned for broadcast in Canada, where general elections are set for October 14, 2008.

[You can listen to the ad via the link above.]

New Knights of Columbus initiatives

• Fathers for Good (podcasts, videos, various resources for men).
  
  
• Headline Bistro: Because Catholics Need to Know (news digest: very good)