FEBRUARY 2025 | VOLUME 17, NUMBER 2 | KOFC.ORG/CHAPLAINS

By Fr. Jonathan D. Kalisch, O.P.

Director of Chaplains and Spiritual Development

With Ash Wednesday still one month away, we can use the coming weeks to work with our brother Knights on preparing a time of missionary outreach and evangelical charity in anticipation of the holy season of Lent. The month of February includes the World Day of Prayer for the Sick (Feb. 11), the Jubilee of Deacons (Feb. 21-23), the 125th anniversary of the Fourth Degree (Feb. 22), and the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (Feb. 24), among other observances.

In our councils and among parishioners, we can encourage our brother Knights to remain in solidarity with the sick by checking in on the elderly and homebound, whether in-person or by phone, to offer assistance and arrange for sacramental visits.

Councils are again asked to promote and join in praying a novena for peace in advance of the tragic third anniversary of the Russian war in Ukraine. The text of the prayers and video links are found below. The prayers were composed by Ukrainian young adults, and the videos show those affected by war — including widows, orphans, parents who lost children, and brother K of C chaplains — leading the prayers. If you have not seen them, I think you will be proud to know and see how the message of Blessed Michael McGivney resonates even in war-torn Ukraine.

As you make Lenten plans, please see the list of K of C Lenten faith formation resources. Work with your council to share these during K of C gatherings, at Cor meetings, before Mass, or even during Lenten fish fries. I hope you will consider hosting a Lenten men’s day of reflection, or perhaps a joint retreat with a nearby council. As busy as Lent is, our K of C leaders need the spiritual refreshment you provide.

Finally, let’s all celebrate the service of the Order’s Fourth Degree, committed to the principle of patriotism, and that of deacons whose jubilee coincides with the feast of the Chair of St. Peter.

Vivat Jesus!

This month, Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori challenges Knights to begin each day by offering all their efforts to God. There are many different morning offering prayers; Knights can find one version in the Catholic Information Service booklet Prayer Time or in the Vivat Jesus spiritual planner (2025).

Each year, the Church observes the World Day of the Sick on Feb. 11, the day that the Blessed Mother first appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858. First introduced by Pope John Paul II in 1992, this day is a reminder to pray for all those who are suffering due to illness, and for their caregivers.

In his message for the day, Pope Francis encourages the Christian faithful to reflect on the specific ways that God remains always close to those suffering, especially in light of the Jubilee Year 2025 theme: Pilgrims of Hope. “How can we be strong, for example, when our bodies are prey to severe, debilitating illnesses that require costly treatment that we may not be able to afford? How can we show strength when, in addition to our own sufferings, we see those of our loved ones who support us yet feel powerless to help us? In these situations, we sense our need for a strength greater than our own. We realize that we need God’s help, his grace, his Providence, and the strength that is the gift of his Spirit. … Dear brothers and sisters who are ill or who care for the suffering, in this Jubilee you play an especially important part. Your journey together is a sign for everyone: ‘a hymn to human dignity, a song of hope’ (Spes Non Confundit, 11).”

On this day, let us be reminded of the profound spiritual and sacramental gift of the Anointing of the Sick. As chaplains and priests, you are called to be instruments of Christ’s healing presence to those who suffer in body, mind or spirit. The administration of this sacrament not only provides strength and peace but also offers forgiveness and a profound encounter with God’s mercy. In these moments of vulnerability, your ministry becomes a tangible sign of hope and comfort for the sick and their families.

Warriors to Lourdes

Since 2013, the Knights of Columbus has partnered with the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, to sponsor the annual Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage for wounded warriors who have suffered from physical or moral injury in service to our nation. In 2025, the pilgrimage will take place from May 13-19, coinciding with the 65th International Military Pilgrimage.

• Learn more about this meaningful journey by visiting the Warriors to Lourdes website.
• Watch a video recapping last year’s pilgrimage and read the article here.
• Donate to support our soldiers and chaplains on this life-changing experience.
• View and download the 2025 brochure and poster.

We also encourage you to watch and share the 28-minute film highlighting the transformative experience of the annual Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage for wounded, ill and injured veterans seeking physical and spiritual healing.

U.S. Army doctor Lt. Col. Nathan Friedline came back from his fifth deployment to Afghanistan feeling isolated, even despairing. Encouraged by his wife to apply for Warriors to Lourdes in 2024, he found in the pilgrimage a renewed sense of faith, hope and purpose. Watch this video to learn more about his story. 

Restoring the Baldacchino: A Testament to Faith

The feast of the Chair of St. Peter, celebrated Feb. 22, honors the authority and pastoral leadership entrusted by Christ to the first pope. The feast is of particular importance to the Knights of Columbus this year following the recent restoration of Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s iconic baldacchino in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, with the Order’s support.

The complete restoration, the first of its kind since 1758, employed state-of-the-art technologies including drone videography and 3-D modeling and was completed in October 2024, in advance of the Jubilee Year 2025.

“On behalf of the Knights of Columbus and our more than 2 million members in 13 countries around the world, we are honored to lend our support to this project, which is more than caring for a magnificent piece of art,” Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly said. “It points to the reality of God’s love for us and his coming down to earth to dwell with us and to build the Church upon St. Peter and his profession of faith.” This effort continues the Knights’ long tradition of supporting the Vatican.

Read more about K of C support for Vatican projects here, or watch this video about the restoration of the baldacchino.

Three Years of War in Ukraine

As the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine approaches on Feb. 24, we reflect on the enduring challenges faced by Ukrainians and the vital and steadfast support provided by the Knights of Columbus since the first days of the war. Today more than ever, we focus on rebuilding what has been destroyed by the war, while also healing the physical, psychological and spiritual damage.

Once again, this year, we strongly encourage you to participate in the Order’s novena Feb. 15-23. Each day of the novena focuses on the different people in need of our prayerful solidarity: widows, orphans, the deceased, the wounded, veterans, refugees, prisoners and young people. You can also find the recorded version, prayed by people whose life was impacted by the war here.

To stay informed about the Order’s ongoing work in Ukraine and the impact of our solidarity, visit kofc.org/ukraine. Every act of kindness continues to make a difference.

This year, the Order celebrates its 143rd anniversary on Saturday, March 29. Founder’s Day commemorates the founding of the Knights of Columbus by Father Michael McGivney in New Haven, Connecticut, and honors the Order’s founding mission to support Catholic families and aid those in need, guided by the principles of charity and unity, which were later joined by the principle of fraternity in 1895 and of patriotism, with the introduction of the Fourth Degree, on Feb. 22, 1900.

“It’s safe to say that Father McGivney couldn’t fathom what the Knights would become or how much God would accomplish through him,” Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly wrote on the occasion of Founder’s Day last year. “But this wasn’t the young priest’s concern. Though the Lord would use his special talents to accomplish many great things, Father McGivney was given a specific mission in a particular time and place.”

Knowing today how wide the influence of the Knights of Columbus has spread since 1882, we encourage you to use this time to reflect on our faith-driven commitment to service and to celebrate the enduring legacy of our Blessed Founder, whose vision created a worldwide brotherhood of more than 2 million members dedicated to making a difference in their communities and beyond. A brotherhood in which each one of us plays his role, however small it may seem.

Read the supreme knight’s entire column from the March 2024 Columbia here.

The Knights of Columbus offers many resources to help the men of your council and your parish grow in their spiritual lives this Lent, including:

• The Fraternal Webinar entitled Council Preparations for Lent & Easter is available on-demand. This conversation covers a variety of council programs and activities for Lent and Easter.
• Resources for Lent, including A Guide to Confession and The Way of the Cross booklets, are available through the CIS online store.
• Additional video resources focused on faith formation topics can be found at www.kofc.org/faithfirst. These include supplemental videos for the Men of the Word Bible Study and the Patris Corde Group Study on St. Joseph as well as videos on topics such as the Eucharist or Our Lady of Guadalupe. Consider using these in Cor or to support parish events. 

The feast of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, celebrated on March 19, invites us to reflect on the example of the faithful protector of the Holy Family. Even though the Evangelists do not record one word spoken by Joseph of Nazareth, he played a privileged role in salvation history as husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and adoptive father of the Son of God, and he continues to be honored today as patron of the universal Church. We encourage you to highlight St. Joseph’s virtues in your homilies and prayers, urging Knights to seek his intercession for their families and councils. Resources such as a step-by-step preparation for consecration to St Joseph, papal reflections, and a prayer card that can easily be printed and distributed are available to deepen devotion.

You can also read more about Saint Joseph here or watch the full documentary St Joseph: Our Spiritual Father here.

Councils are invited to host Sacred Heart Holy Hours centered around the Order’s new Pilgrim Icon of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, based on Pompeo Batoni’s 1767 painting venerated in Rome. Blessed by Pope Francis, the icon travels globally for veneration and the Holy Hours feature Scripture readings, reflections from Pope Francis, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and prayers, and Eucharistic adoration where possible. Families are encouraged to enthrone the Sacred Heart in their homes after the ceremony.

Since 1979, these pilgrim icons have inspired over 191,000 prayer services with 23 million participants. All resources, including the guide sheet of the program, the Sacred Heart Holy Hour booklet, prayers and many more, are available here. We also encourage you to discuss the family consecration and home enthronement with your councils. All prayers can be found here.

The Jubilee Year began on Dec. 24, 2024, when Pope Francis opened the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. As the Jubilee Year continues, permanent deacons, together with their families, are especially invited to participate in the Jubilee of Deacons at at the Vatican from Feb. 21-23. The event will include catechesis in different languages, vocation vigils, and a diaconate ordination Mass presided over by Pope Francis.

Additional information can be found here. You can also download the poster of the Jubilee of Deacons here, and the handbook here.

To view previous editions of Chaplain's Report, click here.

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