God Is Always There First | | |
By Fr. Jonathan D. Kalisch, O.P.
Director of Chaplains and Spiritual Development
As we wait with anticipation the selection of a new Vicar of Christ and pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the whole Church, we give thanks to God for the witness of Pope Francis, who called us to live the Gospel with joy while accompanying those we encounter as fellow pilgrims on the path of Christian discipleship.
Early in his pontificate, Pope Francis celebrated the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola with his fellow Jesuits in Rome. In his homily, the Holy Father spoke of being rooted in Christ. “I seek Jesus, I serve Jesus because he sought me first, because I was won over by him: and this is the heart of our experience,” Pope Francis said, adding that Jesus always goes ahead of us. “In Spanish,” he said, “there is a very expressive word that explains it well: El nos ‘primerea,’ he ‘precedes’ us. He is always first. When we arrive, he is already there waiting for us.”
Let us encourage our brother Knights to be imbued with this hope — that God is steering our Church. The Lord of all will always be found ahead of us, anticipating us and awaiting us. During these days it may be good to recall various seminal teachings of Pope Francis and to pray for the repose of his soul, as well as for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the cardinals gathering in conclave. I encourage you to remind our brother Knights about the role of the pope and how he is chosen — and about their own responsibilities in the life of the Church, rooted in their baptismal calling. Come Holy Spirit!
Vivat Jesus!
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This month, Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori challenges Knights to identify one way they can demonstrate true love of God and neighbor and then pray about how to concretely undertake that sacrificial act of love — and put it into action.
| | Blessed Michael McGivney's Corner | | |
Five years ago, on May 27, 2020, the Knights of Columbus received the joyful news that Pope Francis had approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of Father Michael J. McGivney — the final step toward the beatification of our Founder. The miracle involved an unborn child in the United States who in 2015 was healed in utero of a fatal condition after prayers by his family to Father McGivney.
Although medical professionals gave Daniel and Michelle Schachle no hope about their unborn son’s diagnosis, they turned to Father McGivney for help. After returning from a pilgrimage to Fatima where they prayed for the intercession of Father McGivney, they were told by doctors that their baby’s condition had vanished.
Watch this video about the Schachles and their miracle son, Michael, and read their story from the November 2020 issue of Columbia. You can learn more about Blessed Michael McGivney’s cause for sainthood here and join in offering the prayer for his canonization.
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| Remembering Pope Francis (1936-2025) | | |
As the Knights of Columbus mourns the death of Pope Francis, we also celebrate the gift of his life and offer thanksgiving for his contributions to the Church. During his pontificate, he consistently reminded us of the value of humility, meekness of heart and poverty of spirit. In an April 21 statement, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly said, “Pope Francis was a powerful witness to charity and fraternity, calling us from his first days as pope to reach out to the margins of society and serve those who are too often forgotten.”
The Knights of Columbus was privileged to work closely with Pope Francis, supporting his pontificate through prayer and action. The Holy Father continually offered his blessing to the Order and approved a miracle attributed to Father Michael McGivney, opening the door to the founder’s beatification on Oct. 31, 2020. This video honors his legacy and close relationship with the Knights and you can take a look back at some of the many ways the Knights supported Francis’ pontificate in this article.
Find the supreme knight’s full statement and more at kofc.org/PopeFrancis.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
| | May 13 — Our Lady of Fatima | | |
Father Oleksandr “Sashko” Bohomaz’s profound devotion to the Blessed Mother began in 2018 when he visited the Grotto of the Annunciation in Nazareth. When the war in Ukraine started and his home city of Melitopol was captured, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest and K of C chaplain courageously stayed with his parishioners. Several months later, he was deported by Russian forces and stranded in no-man’s land. As Father Bohomaz searched for a safe path through a minefield, he turned to the Virgin Mary in prayer. “I promised Our Lady that if I made it out alive, I would encourage others to pray the rosary,” he recalled. Father Bohomaz was eventually rescued by a Ukrainian soldier and a few months later, he led a tour of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima to 30 parishes in eastern Ukraine, inspiring fellow Ukrainians to pray the rosary.
Last year, Father Bohomaz shared about his experiences under Russian occupation in this interview, and he recently reflected further on his devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. During this month of May, let us entrust Ukraine — and all regions torn by war — to the Queen of Peace.
| | May 23 — Anniversary of the Death of Venerable Emil Kapaun | | |
On Feb. 25, Pope Francis declared Father Emil Kapaun “Venerable” — thereby advancing his cause for canonization. Father Kapaun was a U.S. Army chaplain who gave his life serving fellow soldiers in a prisoner-of-war camp during the Korean War, and for more than half a century, his remains were believed to be lost in Korea. But in 2003, one of the men who buried Father Kapaun happened upon his story in Columbia, leading him to help solve a decades-old mystery. Venerable Emil Kapaun died in a Korean prison camp on May 23, 1951. Shortly before his passing, he said: “I’m going where I’ve always wanted to go. And when I get up there, I’ll say a prayer for all of you.”
Read more about Venerable Emil Kapaun’s remarkable life in Columbia and watch this short documentary about the discovery of his remains.
| | May 20 — 1700th Anniversary of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea | | |
“I believe in one God…” We recite the Nicene Creed every Sunday at Mass — often mindlessly, though it expresses the deepest mysteries of our faith. The 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, celebrated by the Church on May 20, is an appropriate time to reflect on the meaning of these words and to remember that we follow in the footsteps of countless witnesses to the faith, all the way back to the first apostles.
Convened in 325 A.D., the Council of Nicaea was the first to unite the entire Christian world. It was there, after much debate, that the universal creed was first proclaimed. Completed later in Constantinople, it remains our symbol of faith today. During the council, the bishops addressed the Arian heresy, which denied Christ’s divinity. The council fathers affirmed that the Son is homooúsios — consubstantial — with the Father, declaring that there is no difference in divinity between God the Father and God the Son and confirming the Catholic belief in the Trinity.
This anniversary invites us to renew our understanding of the creed, so we can truly pray: “Credo in unum Deum” or “I believe in one God.” To mark the occasion, the Vatican has released a document titled “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour.”
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May 21 — Feast of the Mexican Martyrs
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On May 21, we celebrate the feast day of 25 Mexican martyrs, including six priests who were Knights of Columbus. These martyrs persevered in their ministry during the violent persecution of Catholics in Mexico in the 1920s. In his homily during the canonization of these holy witnesses of the faith, St. John Paul II said: “They did not stop courageously exercising their ministry when religious persecution intensified in the beloved land of Mexico, unleashing hatred of the Catholic religion. They all freely and calmly accepted martyrdom as a witness to their faith, explicitly forgiving their persecutors.”
Learn more about these saints of the Knights of Columbus by reading this article or visiting kofc.org/mexicanmartyrs.
| | Feast of the Ascension of the Lord | | |
Without a doubt, celebrating the feast of the Ascension is often lacking among Catholics, as few special traditions or distinctive customs are celebrated that day. Yet the Ascension is essential to understanding our Christian identity and the mission of the Church. The feast is not only a remembrance of Christ’s return to the Father, but a powerful reminder of our own calling to eternal life, inviting us to lift our hearts and minds toward heaven. The Ascension reveals our true destiny — to live in union with God — and calls us to seek what is above, living with hope as we fulfill our apostolic mission. Read a short reflection about this feast here.
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Has your council brought Cor to your parish? Consider introducing the new Blessed Michael McGivney Cor session guide, which provides councils with 10 sessions of faith formation content. Each session includes suggested prayers, readings about the life of Father McGivney and group discussion questions. This resource is available as a free digital download. If the session is begun in the coming weeks, it can be a perfect way to prepare for the feast of Blessed Michael McGivney on Aug. 13.
The Order’s Catholic Information Service also has a variety of resources available for your parishes and councils during the Easter season and the Marian month of May. If you are looking for devotional or catechetical offerings, be sure to check out some of the following items:
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As we walk the path of hope during the Jubilee Year 2025, the Church invites us this month to reflect on our faith in a special way, particularly as we commemorate new martyrs for the faith. The Knights of Columbus will support a special event during the Jubilee of Young People in Rome on July 30 led by Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester and Bishop Edward Burns of Dallas. For more information and to reserve a spot for your group, visit here.
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| | Thank you for your service to the Order. If you have any questions or suggestions during your term, please email chaplains@kofc.org | | |
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