September 2026 | VOLUME 19, NUMBER 9 | KOFC.ORG/CHAPLAINS

By Father Jonathan D. Kalisch, O.P.

Director of Chaplains and Spiritual Development

September is often experienced as a time of return: from vacation to work, school and the normal rhythms of life. For Catholics, this means a return to the encounter with the God of love. Pope Leo XIV spoke of this encounter during his pastoral visit to Rimini in August: “Yes, love moves!” he said. “God ‘makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous’ (Mt 5:45). This is how Jesus describes the perfection of God, revealing the contrast between the generosity of his actions and the narrowness of human thought. Our calculations suffocate reality, but God’s gratuitousness lets it breathe freely.”

Divine mercy is the point of convergence in our encounter, the Holy Father said. “To follow Jesus Christ in the wake of the tragedies and new beginnings of the 20th century indeed requires a clear awareness that evil is not overcome by evil,” he continued. “Love is the law of life and the means of redemption — the way of the crucified Messiah.”

This means divine mercy must be made manifest in our daily lives, Pope Leo continued. “Today,” he said, “Catholic culture must counter the false realism that rearms minds, words and nations, with the realism of mercy which recognizes that there can be no enemies, and that everyone, even those who oppose us, is a brother or sister to be looked in the eye and encountered in truth. Sin exists, of course, but stronger still is the redeeming love of Christ. That love commits us to purifying our thoughts, interests, habits, associations, plans and investments — indeed, every aspect of our lives — from all that the culture of power has tainted.”

As our brother Knights commit to practicing a charity that evangelizes, let us encourage them to put divine mercy at the heart of all they do. I encourage each chaplain to meet with his grand knight and leadership team to review the evangelical needs of the parish and diocese, as well as schedules and pastoral initiatives, to see precisely where and how the council can bring to bear the “realism of mercy.” By equipping and encouraging our brother Knights in their own faith formation, we can help them become the leaven of the Gospel that our communities need. Vivat Jesus! 

This month, Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori challenges Knights to make a list of the people in their lives — past and present — whom they find or have found difficult to forgive, and to sincerely pray for them each day.

Blessed Michael McGivney's Corner

In the final days of August 1882, Father Michael J. McGivney spent time ministering to James “Chip” Smith, a young man sentenced to death for killing a police chief. Through Father McGivney’s compassionate guidance, Smith experienced a profound spiritual conversion. On Sept. 1, Father McGivney walked with him to the gallows, where Smith calmly faced his death. That same year, Father McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus on the principles of charity, unity and fraternity. Learn more about this story in Parish Priest, a biography of Blessed Michael McGivney.

Read this article from the May 2025 issue of Columbia to learn more about how Knights continue this corporal work of mercy by ministering to incarcerated men and women.

Pope Leo Addresses the 144th Supreme Convention

Pope Leo XIV honored the Knights of Columbus with a video message that was televised during the opening business session of the 144th Supreme Convention on Aug. 4. Knights worldwide watched as Pope Leo commended the work of the Order and reflected on unity and charity, two of the Order’s core principles.

“I encourage all of you to continue bearing witness to that concord which Jesus so ardently desires in your families, your parishes and in the wider communities where you live and serve,” Pope Leo said in the message. “Building upon the efforts begun by your noble founder, Blessed Michael McGivney, the Knights of Columbus have worked together for well over a century to show Christ’s love to the unborn, expectant mothers, persecuted Christians, victims of war and human trafficking, the poor and vulnerable, and those who live on the margins of society. Through the initiatives undertaken by your local councils as well as at the national and international levels, countless people have benefited from your kindness.”

Watch the full video or read the papal greeting here. Encourage your council and parish to pray for our Holy Father and request a special prayer card from the Knights of Columbus Catholic Information Service.  

A Future Not Forgotten

Father McGivney experienced firsthand the hardships faced by orphans. After his father’s death, he had to temporarily leave the seminary to care for his family. That is why helping orphaned young people build a better future was especially important to him. Continuing our Founder’s mission, the Knights of Columbus in Ukraine established the McGivney Scholarship Fund to help orphans continue their education.

One scholarship recipient is Kateryna Poplavska, a student at a theater academy whose mother, a medical doctor, was killed in a missile strike in 2024. At the invitation of Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly, Kateryna attended this year’s Supreme Convention, where she shared in an interview how the scholarship allows her to pursue her dream of studying and, despite her loss, to feel less alone. After the convention, she reflected, “Thanks to this trip, I not only discovered a new country and culture, but also gained the motivation to keep growing and working on myself.”

Learn more about the McGivney Scholarship Fund in this video and article. To learn more about the Order’s work in Ukraine and support those efforts, visit kofc.org/ukraine.

The Virtue of Patriotism and the Knights of Columbus

In his keynote address at the States Dinner during the 144th Supreme Convention, Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and a longtime Knight, reflected on what it means to love one’s country as a Catholic man. Drawing on Scripture, the Catechism and St. Thomas Aquinas, he reminded listeners that true patriotism begins with gratitude — not blind allegiance or nationalism — and flows from our love of God. “Patriotism is not, first and foremost, a political virtue. It is a religious one,” Archbishop Coakley said.

Read the full address and reflect on how we can help Knights live their faith not only in the Church, but also in their families, communities and countries.

Sept. 7 — Labor Day

The Catholic Church reminds us that all honest work has dignity because of its connection to the dignity of the worker. For Knights of Columbus, Labor Day is also an opportunity to consider how we can bring our faith into the workplace and support others through our work. As you mark the holiday, we invite you and your council to explore the Into the Breach: The Dignity of Work video series — an excellent resource for use with Cor.

Learn more about the series in this article from the March 2026 issue of Columbia, and watch the videos at www.kofc.org/intothebreach.

Sept. 11 — The 25th Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks

Father Tom Colucci, pastor of Most Precious Blood Parish in Walden, New York, and chaplain of Most Precious Blood Council 9254, was a 15-year veteran firefighter in Lower Manhattan when he received the call to report to ground zero on Sept. 11, 2001. That day, he watched the towers fall, dug through the rubble for survivors and lost several brother firefighters. Ordained in 2016 at age 60, Father Colucci reflects that 9/11 “solidified” his path toward the priesthood. “As a firefighter, it was a total life of service,” he said. “It’s the same thing as a priest. I’m on call almost every day. I went from saving lives to saving souls.” Read the article from the September 2026 issue of Columbia here.

As we mark the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001, all Knights are encouraged to pray for the souls of those who died and for those they left behind. Among the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives that day were 46 Knights of Columbus — 12 firefighters, six law enforcement officers and 28 other victims. View the full list of names here.

Sept. 24 — The Beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

On Sept. 24, the Church will celebrate the beatification of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, one of the best-known Catholic voices in 20th-century America — and a member of the Knights of Columbus. His life and ministry offer a powerful example of how a Catholic man can use his gifts to bring Christ to others.

Learn more about Archbishop Sheen, his life and his connection to the Knights in this article from the latest issue of Columbia. You can also read about the miracle attributed to his intercession that opened the way to his beatification in this feature from the same issue.

Register for the College Councils Conference

We invite all college council chaplains to register for the 61st College Councils Conference, taking place in New Haven, Connecticut, Sept. 25-27. College Knights and their chaplains from across North America will gather for a weekend of fraternity, prayer and fellowship as they learn how to build successful councils and strengthen their work throughout the fraternal year. College Knights and chaplains can register and learn more about the conference here.

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