MARCH 2010MARCH 2010

COLUMBIACOLUMBIAKNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

THE REMARKABLE STORY OF FATHER JAMES E. COYLE (see page 31)

Knights of Columbus Strong is “Extremely Strong.”

-KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 1

COLUMBIAm a r c h 2 0 1 0 ♦ V o l u m e 9 0 ♦ N u m b e r 3

F E AT U R E S

We Shared the StruggleFrom its earliest days, the Knights of Columbushas stood with those who have sacrificed forreligious freedom.BY COLUMBIA STAFF

Reflecting on LibertyWith support from the Knights, internationalconferences address the importance and historyof the right to religious freedom.BY ELIZABETH LEV

Symbol of Enduring FreedomDoors open to Historic St. Mary’s City chapel asa sign of religious freedom.BY MARK ZIMMERMANN

International Freedom, National InterestThe state of international religious freedom andwhy it matters to the United StatesBY THOMAS F. FARR

19

15

22

D E P A R T M E N T S

Building a better worldThe cross of Christ inspires conso-lation and charity amid tragedy.BY SUPREME KNIGHT CARL A. ANDERSON

Learning the faith, living the faithThrough the sacraments, the Churchcontinues Christ’s healing ministry.BY SUPREME CHAPLAIN

BISHOP WILLIAM E. LORIPLUS Catholic Man of the Month

Knights in Action

Year for PriestsRemembering the 1921 slaying ofFather James E. CoyleBY SHARON DAVIES

Columbianism by Degrees

Knights of Columbus NewsOrder rushes emergency aid toHaiti • ‘Venerable’ Pope John PaulII • Hundreds of ThousandsMarch for Life

Fathers for GoodA model for laymen today, St.Thomas More’s faith defined the wayhe lived, worked and ultimately died.BY CONOR DUGAN

3

4

6

7

26

31

32

8

PH

OT

O:

Co

urt

esy

of

Ho

ly N

am

es

He

rita

ge

Ce

nte

r

St. Mary’s Academy, a school operated by the Society of Sisters of the HolyNames of Jesus and Mary in Portland, Ore., is pictured circa 1925. Supportfrom the Knights of Columbus was instrumental in the 1925 U.S. SupremeCourt case Pierce v. Society of Sisters, which declared unconstitutionalan Oregon law requiring parents to send their children to public schools.

EDITORIAL

2 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

TODAY, most people believe thereshould be a “separation of church andstate,” yet there is an ongoing disagree-ment about what form such a separationshould take. Many interpret it to meanthat all religious beliefs and expressionsof faith should remain “private” and haveno place in the public square. The polit-ical sphere is thus declared to be explicitlya-theistic. From this perspective, moralarguments are sometimes rejected simplybecause they are associated with religiousbeliefs, while the rational basis of such ar-guments is denied or ignored.

Of course, the Catholic understandingof the church-state distinction, like the re-lationship between faith and reason, ismuch different. As the Second VaticanCouncil observed, “The Church and thepolitical community in their own fieldsare autonomous and independent fromeach other. Yet both, under different titles,are devoted to the personal and social vo-cation of the same men” (Gaudium etSpes, 76). Both religion and politics, inother words, play an important role in so-ciety and public life.

Certainly, any attempt to force a personto accept particular religious doctrines or toworship in a particular way is contrary tothe nature of the Gospel, which, as PopeJohn Paul II said, cannot be imposed butonly proposed through authentic Christianwitness. Nonetheless, public recognition ofhuman dignity and the common good,rooted in our being created by a lovingGod, is a prerequisite — not an impedi-ment — to true religious freedom.

On this point, the Catechism of theCatholic Church is instructional: “Every in-

stitution is inspired, at least implicitly, by avision of man and his destiny….” Societiesthat do not recognize “a certain preemi-nence of man over things” and “man’s ori-gin and destiny in God” — or that rejectthis vision “in the name of their independ-ence from God” — are left to find theirsource of meaning in some ideology. Theresult, the Catechism argues, is an implicitor explicit form of totalitarian power (CCC2244, cf. Centesimus Annus, 45-46).

The importance of recognizing the tran-scendent dimension of human identity wasunderstood by the Founding Fathers of theUnited States when they drafted the Dec-laration of Independence, declaring that “allmen are created equal” and “endowed bytheir Creator with certain unalienablerights.” This was likewise understood by theKnights of Columbus when the Order pe-titioned the U.S. government to add thewords “under God” to the Pledge of Alle-giance in the early 1950s.

Defending these words of the Pledge,and defending those individuals who as amatter of conscience refuse to participatein or accept immoral practices, are amongthe many ways that the Order remains avoice for authentic freedom today.Whether countering prejudices against re-ligious minorities or speaking out againstoppressive atheistic regimes, the Knights ofColumbus, from its earliest days, has stoodfor an authentic separation of church andstate, while recognizing that the source ofman’s dignity and freedom is not foundwithin himself or the state, but in God.♦

ALTON J. PELOWSKI

MANAGING EDITOR

Of Church and StateCOLUMBIA

Supreme Knight’s Book Club – March 30In his new book, Be a Man!: Becoming the Man God Created Youto Be (Ignatius, 2009), Father Larry Richards invites all men togrow in understanding of true manhood. A popular speaker andauthor, Father Richards is a member of Francis V. Kloecker Jr.Council 13602 in Erie, Pa. Join Supreme Knight Carl A. Ander-son and Father Richards online for a discussion of Be a Man!March 30 at 5 p.m. (ET). For more information, or to submityour questions, visit www.kofc.org/bookclub.

PUBLISHERKnights of Columbus

________

SUPREME OFFICERSCarl A. AndersonSUPREME KNIGHT

Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D.SUPREME CHAPLAINDennis A. Savoie

DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHTDonald R. KehoeSUPREME SECRETARYEmilio B. MoureSUPREME TREASURERJohn A. MarrellaSUPREME ADVOCATE

________

EDITORIALAlton J. Pelowski

alton.pelowski@kofc.orgMANAGING EDITOR

Patrick Scalisipatrick.scalisi@kofc.org

ASSOCIATE EDITORBrian Dowling

brian.dowling@kofc.orgCREATIVE & EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

________

GRAPHICSLee RaderDESIGN

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

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

________

HOW TO REACH USMAIL

COLUMBIA1 Columbus Plaza

New Haven, CT 06510-3326PHONE

203-752-4398FAX

203-752-4109E-MAIL

columbia@kofc.orgINTERNET

www.kofc.org/columbiaCUSTOMER SERVICE1-800-380-9995

________

Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing)Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that anapplicant or member accepts the teaching authority of theCatholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires tolive in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and

is in good standing in the Catholic Church.________

Copyright © 2010All rights reserved

________

ON THE COVEROriginally from Ireland, Father James E. Coyle

(1873-1921) was a Knights of Columbus chaplain in Birmingham, Ala. C

OVER PHOTO:Courtesy of Birmingha

m (A

la.) Pub

lic Library Archive

s

BUILDING A BETTER WORLD

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 3

ALL OF US HAVE BEEN horrified inrecent weeks by the scenes of death anddestruction in Haiti, and millions havesought for a way to alleviate the sufferingthere. No doubt many homilies havebeen given to help us understand how aloving God could allow such a tragedy.

One “explanation” in the United Statescame from a Protestant evangelist whostated that Haiti had been “cursed” eversince its founders had “sworn a pact with thedevil” to achieve the nation’s independencefrom France. His comments, as one mightexpect, caused a storm of controversy.

Certainly, there is ample evidence in theOld Testament of nations being punishedby God for idolatry, and someChristians continue to look tothis Old Testament history forexplanations of world events.

However, Catholics today aremore likely to look in a differ-ent direction to understandhow God deals with humansinfulness. And they need lookno further than the crucifixabove the altar in their church.God has freely and lovingly united himselfwith human suffering in the sacrifice of hisSon upon the cross.

Those evangelists who so often quoteJohn 3:16 might also remember what issaid in the next verse: “God did not sendhis Son into the world to condemn theworld, but that the world through himmight be saved.”

The tragedy in Haiti is likely to havelong-lasting effects, not only for the peo-ple who have lost loved ones there, but foran entire generation that has witnessed itsdestruction. As such, it is important thatwe get the right understanding of whathas occurred.

Many news reports compare Haiti to thedevastation of Hurricane Katrina in theU.S. Gulf Coast region or the recent floodsin the Philippines. There is one similaritythat I think is worth pointing out: In Haiti,as in the Philippines or on the Gulf Coast,there has been an outpouring of giving bythe members of the Knights of Columbus.

Haiti is today a test of our faith in Godand our commitment to our fellow man.So far, Knights have kept their commit-ment and have shown the true meaningof the first principle of our Order: charity.

In thinking about Haiti, I could nothelp but consider the work of St. Damienof Molokai, “the Leper Priest,” who was

canonized last fall by Pope Benedict XVI.Several years ago, I had the opportunityto visit Molokai, Hawaii, and while visit-ing a church there I saw a photograph ofan elderly woman taken in the 1930s. Shehad lost her ears, nose, and all of her fin-gers and toes to leprosy. She was alsoblind. Yet, I was told, she prayed therosary every day by holding the beads be-tween her teeth.

Not long after that, I spoke to a mis-sionary priest who mentioned that he hadopened a home for people suffering fromleprosy. Each day as he celebrates Massthere, an elderly man, also blind from thedisease, says during the prayers of the

faithful, “Father, God, thank you for allthe good things you have given me.”

Philosophers and theologians will con-tinue to search for explanations concerningthe problem of suffering in the world. Per-haps the best answer, though, comes fromthose whose suffering goes beyond whatwe are able to imagine. These believers ex-perience the reality that God has unitedhimself to them in their suffering.

In his homily during the can-onization Mass of FatherDamien, Benedict XVI said:“Jesus invites his disciples to thetotal giving of their lives, withoutcalculation or personal gain,with unfailing trust in God. Thesaints welcome this demandinginvitation and set about follow-ing the crucified and risen Christwith humble docility. Their per-

fection, in the logic of a faith that is hu-manly incomprehensible at times, consistsin no longer placing themselves at the cen-ter, but choosing to go against the flowand live according to the Gospel.”

Ultimately, this is the key to under-stand the events of Molokai and Haiti.And it will be the measure of our responseas Christians.

In Haiti, much of what we have seen isthe response of neighbors helping neigh-bors — of brotherly solidarity. There is nobetter way to rebuild a city, for, as Proverbstells us, “A brother that is helped by hisbrother is like a strong city” (Prov 18:19).Vivat Jesus!

The Spiritual Side of theSuffering in Haiti

The Cross of Christ inspires consolation and charity amid tragedy

by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson

God has freely and lovinglyunited himself with humansuffering in the sacrifice of

his Son upon the cross.

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

4 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

WHEN HE WALKED THE EARTH,Jesus forgave sins and healed those whowere ill. He often linked the forgivenessof sins and physical healing, as in the caseof the paralytic whose cure is recountedin the second chapter of Mark’s Gospel.At other times, Jesus’ forgiveness was notlinked to a physical cure. In the eighthchapter of John’s Gospel, for example, weread how Jesus forgave a woman caughtin adultery. Because he forgives sin andheals sickness, we rightly call Jesus the Di-vine Physician. Rejoicing and givingthanks, the Church continues the Lord’swork of forgiving and healing through thesacraments of reconciliation and anoint-ing of the sick (Compendium, 295).

SEEKING FORGIVENESSThe sacrament of penance goes byseveral names: reconciliation, con-fession, or the sacrament of forgive-ness or conversion. These nameshighlight various aspects of thesacrament: It reconciles us to Godand to the Church; it brings usGod’s forgiveness; it is how we ac-knowledge our sins and repent; andit is a powerful means of conversion (296).

The experience of our imperfectionreadily illustrates why the Lord gave us

this sacrament on that first Easterevening (298). Although baptism givesus a new life of grace, a tendency towardsin, called “concupiscence,” remains as aresult of the Fall. Mortal sin separates usfrom God and damages our relationshipwith the Church. And venial sin, whilenot destroying our friendship with God,weakens our relationship with him andwith others. Through the Church andher ministry of reconciliation, Christ’scall to lifelong conversion is addressed tothe baptized (297, 299).

Although the season of Lent focuseson the need for repentance, our dailylives should always be marked by genuinesorrow for our sins. We manifest a con-

trite and humble heart when we fast, prayand give to those in need (cf. Ps. 51:17).

If we commit a mortal sin, we areobliged to go to confession before receiv-ing holy Communion (Compendium,305). Strictly speaking, we are notobliged to confess venial sins. Nonethe-less, we should regularly confess even ourvenial sins — sometimes called “devo-tional confession” — in order to resisttemptation and grow in virtue (306).

Sometimes, people hesitate to go toconfession because they have forgotten

how to do so. Thankfully, the Knights ofColumbus publishes a step-by-stepguide to the sacrament. There are severalthings that we, as penitents, must do:make a careful examination of con-science, based on the Ten Command-ments and the Beatitudes; make a sincereact of contrition; confess our sins to apriest — all mortal sins not yet confessedas well as venial sins; and fulfill the actsof penance that the confessor assigns(303-304). Note that contrition is per-fect when it is motivated only by love ofGod; it is imperfect if fear of just pun-ishment is the motivation. Contrition

also includes a firm resolve notto sin again and to avoid thenear occasions of sin.

Since Christ entrusted thepower to forgive sins to theApostles and their successors,only a bishop or priest can hearconfessions. Bishops and priestsact in the person of Christthrough the power of the HolySpirit to grant the Father’s for-

giveness (307). Bound to absolute se-crecy, they listen attentively and helppenitents open their hearts to the Lord’smercy, amend their lives and grow in dis-cipleship (309). A confessor can offergeneral absolution only “in cases of seri-ous necessity” such as impending deathor some grave emergency (311).

As the sacrament of penance bringsabout the forgiveness of our sins, we arereconciled with God and the Church.The eternal punishment due to mortal sinis remitted, and some of the temporal

As the sacrament of penancebrings about the forgiveness ofour sins, we are reconciled with

God and the Church.

The 24th installment of SupremeChaplain Bishop William E. Lori’sfaith formation program addressesquestions 295-320 of the Com-pendium of the Catechism of theCatholic Church. Archived articles areat www.kofc.org.

The Sacraments of Healing

Through the sacraments of penance and anointing of the sick, the Church continues Christ’s healing ministry

by Supreme Chaplain Bishop William E. Lori

Cardinal Francis XavierNguyen Van Thuan

(1928-2002)

Offered in solidarity with

Pope Benedict XVI

LEARNING THE FAITH, LIVING THE FAITH

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 5

PHOTOGRAPH O

F POPE:CNS photo/P

aul Haring

punishment due to sin is taken away.Temporal punishment is further remittedthrough prayers and good works to whichindulgences are attached (312). Thissacrament also brings us peace, serenity,joy and strength for living the Gospel.

HEALING THE SICKWe now turn to the second sacrament ofhealing: anointing of the sick. As hehealed the sick, Jesus showed that he wasushering in the kingdom of God and itsvictory over sin, suffering and death.

The Church continues the Lord’scompassionate care for the sick anddying in many ways. In many parts ofthe world, the Church is the largestprovider of medical services through its

hospitals and clinics. Through anoint-ing of the sick, celebrated only by abishop or a priest, the Church ministersin the Lord’s name to those in dangerof death or those who begin “to be indanger of death because of sickness orold age” (315-317). In the Latin rite,this sacrament is celebrated by anoint-ing the sick person with oil on the fore-head and hands. In all cases, a prayeraccompanies the anointing (cf. James5:14-15; Compendium, 318). If possi-ble, the person suffering from seriousillness should go to confession prior tobeing anointed (316).

The sacrament of anointing unitesthe sick person more closely to the suf-fering, death and resurrection of

Christ, and contributes to the salvationof the patient and to the good of thewhole Church. This sacrament alsoprovides comfort, consolation, serenityand courage to patients in their suffer-ing. If the sick person is unable to goto confession, this sacrament bringsabout the forgiveness of sins. If it isGod’s will, it can also restore a sick per-son to health. In every case, this sacra-ment prepares the recipient foreverlasting life (319).

As we thank God for the gift of thesetwo sacraments, may we pray for ourown conversion and for the conversionof sinners everywhere. May we also prayfor those who are seriously ill, especiallythose who have asked for our prayers.♦

immortality.” He also secretly wroteprayers and reflections, which were smug-gled out of prison and later published.

Freed Nov. 21, 1988, and sent intoexile, Archbishop Van Thuan was namedpresident of the Pontifical Council forJustice and Peace in 1998, and was ele-vated to the College of Cardinals Feb. 21,2001. He died of cancer Sept. 16, 2002.

Cardinal Van Thuan’s last years werededicated to proclaiming a message ofhope and forgiveness, and to organizingthe Compendium of the Social Doctrine ofthe Church, which was completed twoyears after his death.

Today, his deep hope in God amid dif-ficult circumstances remains a model forall those who suffer.

HOLY FATHER’SPRAYER INTENTIONS

GENERAL: That the world econ-omy may be managed according tothe principles of justice and equity,taking account of the real needs ofpeoples, especially the poorest.

MISSION: That the churches inAfrica may be signs and instru-ments of reconciliation and justicein every part of that continent.

BORN APRIL 17, 1928, in Hue, Viet-nam, Françios-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuanwas raised in a strong Catholic familyalongside seven brothers and sisters. Or-dained in 1953, he served at a parish, ahospital and a small school before earninga doctorate in canon law and teaching ata seminary.

Pope Paul VI appointed him bishop ofNha Trang in 1967, where he served untilhis appointment as archbishop of Saigonin 1975. Vietnam’s communist govern-ment opposed this appointment, in partbecause Archbishop Van Thuan’s uncle,Ngo Dinh Diem, was the first president ofthe Republic of South Vietnam. Monthslater, the archbishop was arrested and sentto a reeducation camp for 13 years — nineof them in solitary confinement.

The faithful sent him a small bottle ofwine — presumably “medicine for stom-ach aches” — and he was able to cele-brate the Eucharist with other prisonersin the middle of the night. He later re-counted that each day, his palm becamehis altar, and “three drops of wine and adrop of water” became “the medicine of

CATHOLIC MAN OF THE MONTH

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS NEWS

6 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

TOP: CNS photo/Jorge Silv

a, Reuters

Order rushes emergency aid to Haiti

IN THE WAKE of the massive destruc-tion caused Jan. 12 by the 7.0 earthquakein Haiti and the tremendous suffering ofthe Haitian people, the Supreme Council

POPE BENEDICT XVI announced theopening of the cause for canonization ofhis predecessor, Pope John Paul II (KarolWojtyla, d. April 2, 2005), May 13,2005. On Dec. 19, 2009, Pope Benedictdeclared that John Paul lived a life of“heroic virtue” or holiness, and that theChurch considers the late pope “venera-ble.” This important step allows for JohnPaul to be beatified after the Congrega-tion for the Causes of Saints certifies amiracle through his intercession.

The Knights of Columbus enjoyed along and close relationship with Pope JohnPaul II, who reigned from 1978 to 2005.

Also, a miracle submitted for the causefor canonization of Blessed André Bes-sette, C.S.C. (1845-1937) was approved.“Brother André,” Supreme Knight CarlA. Anderson stated, “is shining examplefor the Knights and all Catholics inCanada of faith, humility and charity tothose most in need.”

Hundreds of Thousands March for Life

HEAVY OVERNIGHT RAIN finallytapered off just as Washington’s 37th an-nual March for Life began Jan. 22. Thou-sands of members of the Knights ofColumbus were among those who lis-tened to speakers at a rally preceding themarch on the National Mall.

Although many of the marchers camefrom states along the Atlantic coast,Knights from throughout the Midwestwere also well represented. To give just one

sent an immediate contribution of$50,000 to Catholic Relief Services. Offi-cials estimated that 200,000 people mayhave perished under the rubble of thou-

sands of collapsed buildings. Among thedead is Catholic Archbishop Joseph SergeMiot of Port-au-Prince, whose body wasfound in the ruins of his office.

Knights are invited to make contribu-tions through the Supreme Council tomaximize the impact of the funds raisedand to document the amount donated inthis tragedy by members of the Order.State and local councils, and individualKnights, contributed more than $150,000to Haiti earthquake relief during the first12 days following the disaster. Addition-ally, at its quarterly meeting Feb. 6, theSupreme Board of Directors voted to do-nate $150,000 for the purchase of 1,000wheelchairs for distribution to Haitianssuffering from disabilities.

State and local contributions exceeded$400,000 as of Feb. 8. Donation checksmay be made out to Knights of ColumbusCharities, Inc. and mailed to 1 ColumbusPlaza, New Haven, CT 06510. Pleasewrite “Haiti Earthquake Relief” on thememo line of the check.

example, the Indiana state council organ-ized a group of more than 200 Knightsand family members for this year’s march.

According to the Washington Examiner,unofficial estimates of the size of theMarch ranged from 250,000 to 400,000people. The West Coast Walk for Life inSan Francisco drew an estimated 40,000participants, who braved a hard, steadyrain to publicly witness to their oppositionto abortion.

‘Venerable’Pope John Paul II

A Haitian boy receives water from U.S. forces at a food distribution point in Port-au-Prince, Haiti,Jan. 19.

College Knights, representing many different schools, stand together Jan. 22 at the 37th Marchfor Life in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Capitol building is seen in the background.

FATHERS FOR GOOD

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 7

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

HANGING ABOVE MY DESK is the famous portrait of St.Thomas More by Hans Holbein the Younger. It is a constant re-minder of my adopted and vocational patron, whose life and ex-ample as a husband, father and lawyer serve as a roadmap for me.

The story of More is well known. For the purpose of this essay,it is enough to say that More was a lawyer, humanist, husbandand father who rose to the highest legal office in England only tobe executed for refusing to swear an oath of allegiance to Parlia-ment’s Act of Succession, followingKing Henry’s VIII’s break from Rome.

While More’s martyrdom can teachus much about religious liberty andthe rights of conscience, his faith andconstancy were evident in all aspectsof his existence. Indeed, More’s vi-brant life offers laymen numerous les-sons to follow in their vocations ashusbands and fathers, and in theirdaily work.

First, there is More’s shining exam-ple of conscience and integrity, whichis a particularly salient point for us inthe 21st century. Jesuit Father JosephKoterski, a professor of medieval phi-losophy at Fordham University,points out that More’s understandingof conscience did not revolve aroundpersonal beliefs. Instead, he under-stood that conscience is about “dis-covering the moral order” that comes before our choices and“not a matter of deciding” what form such an order should take.We don’t decide the truth, but discover it just as More did,through prayer, learning and the guidance of the Church.

Today, we live in a world of dualisms: faith vs. reason; publicvs. private; church vs. state; work vs. family; body vs. soul. Thesedualisms, however, did not define More’s life — nor should theydefine ours. The fact that More was a truly integrated man isdemonstrated not only by the circumstances of his martyrdom,but also by the fact that his faith was the starting and ending pointthat guided his entire life at home, in law and in politics.

We are often taught that masculinity and fatherhood are pri-marily about doing and action. They certainly involve this, butin More we see that the capacity for true fatherhood must firstbe received from God.

A Beacon of Conscience and IntegrityA model for laymen today, St. Thomas More’s faith defined the way he lived, worked and ultimately died

by Conor Dugan

At home, More was a model for fathers with regard to edu-cation — both for themselves and for their children. He wasnot merely a lawyer, but also translated, wrote, lectured andread prodigiously. He established a classical curriculum for hischildren and took a special interest in their education. His re-lationship with his daughter, Meg, was particularly touching,and he ensured that her education was the best of any woman’sin England.

More’s life as a lawyer, too, was areflection of his integrity. English au-thor Peter Ackroyd describes thatwhen More was Lord Chancellor, thehighest legal officer in the realm, hewould invariably kneel down and beghis father’s blessing whenever theypassed in Westminster Hall. More’sfilial piety grew both from a well-de-veloped sense of respect for hisearthly father and for his spiritualmother, the Church. This was notblind acceptance, either. Rather,More was critical of the Church’sabuses, but his calls for reform werealways made with love and respect.

Finally, More teaches us the formthat true service should take in ourprofessional and working lives. Hisfinal words exemplify the belief thatbeing a good civil servant necessitates

being God’s servant. Although most accounts have More sayingthat he died “the king’s good servant, but God’s first,” a con-temporary Paris newspaper account suggests the conjunctionwas different: “I die the king’s good servant and God’s first.” Inthis version, More clearly states the conviction that his opposi-tion to Henry’s actions were not an act of treason but of trueservice to the king.

Even though St. Thomas More lived five centuries ago, he re-mains a true friend and model for us today. More’s life stands asa beacon for all Catholics, but especially those of us who are hus-bands and fathers living in the world.♦

CONOR DUGAN is an attorney who lives in Silver Spring, Md., withhis wife and their two young children. He is a member of Notre DameCouncil 1477 in South Bend, Ind.

PAIN

TIN

G:

Sir

Th

om

as M

ore

's F

are

we

ll to

His

Dau

gh

terby Edward M

atthew W

ard, ca. 1841/©

Fine Art Photographic Library/C

orbis

St. Thomas More (1478-1535) was canonized in1935 and declared the patron saint of statesmen andpoliticians in 2000. In this painting, he is depicted sayingfarewell to his daughter before being led to his martyrdom.

8 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

We Shared the struggle

From its earliest days, the Knights of Columbus has stood with those who have sacrificed for religious freedom

by Columbia Staff

Photo: Father Francisco Vera, a priest in the town of Jalisco, Mexico, was shot in 1927, after being caughtsecretly celebrating Mass.

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 9

10 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

CNS pho

to/Karen

Callaway, Catho

lic New

World

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 11

From its founding in 1882, the Knights of Columbus hasstood strongly for religious liberty. Father Michael J. Mc-

Givney established the Knights to prevent Catholic men fromentering secret societies that attacked the faith and to unite themso that they might aid each other in times of need. Standing to-gether, Knights joined in defense against the virulent anti-Catholic sentiment of the era.

Prejudice against Catholics, in fact, contributed to the Order’searly growth. According to Christopher K. Kauffman in his bookFaith and Fraternalism, the Order’s “social dimension appealedto those men who sought a Catholic milieu for their leisure,recreation and intellectualstimulation, while expres-sions of anti-Catholicism ledmany to join an organizationdedicated to defending thefaith” (107).

Zealous in their charge,Knights fought to create anenvironment of tolerance forAmericans of any religion. Inresponse to attacks against theCatholic Church, Knights la-bored to forge an anti-defamation atmosphere intheir communities. And whilethe Order has outlasted sev-eral of the groups that fos-tered prejudices in thelate-19th and early-20th cen-turies, its practice of defend-ing religious liberty on avariety of fronts continues tothis day.

COMMISSIONS FIGHTPREJUDICEPrior to World War I, theSupreme Council authorized$50,000 to start the Commission on Religious Prejudices. Thegroup met for the first time in January 1915 to study the sourceof malicious publications and to aid the U.S. Justice Depart-ment in bringing about criminal libel prosecutions. Despiteworking for only two years — the commission disbanded in1917, when it unavoidably took a back seat to The Great War— organizers felt it had made important strides in stamping outreligious bigotry.

It was no surprise, then, that the Order moved forward in re-suming the commission’s original intent after the war ended. In1921, the Fourth Degree established the Knights of ColumbusHistorical Commission to combat revisionist history that excludedminorities. Within three years, the commission released severalbooks under the Knights of Columbus Racial Contribution Series:

The Gift of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois, The Jews in the Makingof America by George Cohen and The Germans in the Making ofAmerica by Frederick E. Schrader.

While not commercially viable at the time, the books werenonetheless a significant contribution to historical scholarship.

THE BOGUS OATHPerhaps no other element has worked to stain the Order’s reputationmore than the “bogus oath,” an umbrella term that refers to anynumber of libelous pamphlets and writings that have accused theKnights of Columbus of making oaths to undermine American —

and in some cases, global —stability. Some of the bogusoaths that have circulatedthroughout the Order’s historyhave been attributed to the KuKlux Klan; others have beenauthored by nameless anti-Catholic propagandists.

The bogus oath first ap-peared in 1912 as a supposedFourth Degree oath in whichthe candidate denounced theU.S. government and vowedto fight against members ofany other religion, therebyhelping to spread papalpower throughout the civi-lized world, even by violentmeans. The Supreme Coun-cil worked quickly to de-nounce the oath and evenwent so far as to publicly re-lease the actual Fourth De-gree pledge — which was, ofcourse, steeped in patriotism.

Whenever a similarlythemed oath surfaced, theKnights of Columbus en-

gaged in countless lawsuits to bring the publishers to justice.Nonetheless, the bogus oath has surfaced in practically every

era of the Order’s history: It appeared when Al Smith ran forpresident in 1928 and again when John F. Kennedy ran in 1960;it has been referenced in articles published by major magazines;and today, it has made its way to the Internet, where it remainsa troublesome parasite of anti-Catholic sentiment.

CATHOLIC EDUCATIONIn the early 20th century, criticism of Catholic education amongself-proclaimed “patriotic societies,” including the Klan and an-other “nativist” and anti-Catholic groups, developed into politi-cal movements that targeted parochial schools. One such caseoccurred in 1921, when Bishop Michael J. Gallagher of Detroitenlisted the Knights’ support to fight a proposed state constitu-tional amendment that would require public education for chil-dren between ages 5 and 16.

President John F. Kennedy receives Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart at theWhite House on Columbus Day 1961. During the visit, Hart presentedthe president with a framed copy of the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance.

A first-grade student at St. Mary of Czestochowa School in Cicero, Ill., joinsher classmates in the Pledge of Allegiance during the first day of school.

12 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

The first successful campaign for compulsory public educationtook place the following year, when the state of Oregon passed asimilar law. The Society of Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesusand Mary contested the law, and Archbishop Alexander Christieof Portland discussed the proposed suit at the Jan. 7, 1923, meet-ing of the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors. The boardresponded with a resolution to “provide the money that may berequired,” authorizing $10,000 for initial legal expenses.

After the federal district court declared the law unconstitutionalin March 1924, the decision was appealed and carried to the U.S.Supreme Court. There, the federal court’s decision was unani-mously upheld June 1, 1925.

The Supreme Court’s decision, written by Justice James C.McReynolds, notably affirmed the rights of the family with re-gard to education: “The child is not the mere creature of theState. Those who nurture him and direct his destiny have theright coupled with the high duty, to recognize, and prepare himfor additional duties.”

With these words, Pierce v. Society of Sisters became the firstU.S. court decision to be quoted in a Vatican document, whenPope Pius XI wrote his encyclical letter on Christian education,Divini Illius Magistri, in 1929.

THE PERSECUTION IN MEXICOFive years after the first Knights of Columbus council in Mexicowas instituted in 1905, the Mexican Revolution brought aboutan era of anti-religious persecution amid an already unstable so-cial environment. The Catholic Church was seen as hostile to-ward the revolution, and with the Constitution of 1917, publicdevotions were forbidden; the number of priests was regulated;religious orders were disallowed; properties were seized; andpriests were not allowed to vote.

As it did in the United States, religious persecution con-tributed to the Order’s rapid growth throughout Mexico. Nu-merous councils were instituted, and membership grew from 400to 6,000 between 1918 and 1923.

In 1926, anti-Catholic pressure intensified, and laws becamemore strictly enforced under Mexican President Plutarco ElíasCalles. Addressing 25,000 Knights at the 1926 Supreme Con-vention in Philadelphia, Supreme Knight James A. Flaherty said,“The religious crisis in Mexico will be the most important ques-tion discussed.” Delegates unanimously passed resolutions con-demning Calles’ “despotic anti-Catholic persecution” andestablishing a $1 million education campaign.

That fund enabled the Order to print nearly five million copiesof pamphlets denouncing the Mexican government, as well as toaid Mexican refugees. The Supreme Officers also met with PresidentCalvin Coolidge in September 1926 to encourage the U.S. govern-ment to help bring about a solution to the persucution in Mexico.

When Pope Pius XI addressed the situation in his encyclical In-iquis Afflictisque, published Nov. 18, 1926, he singled out the workof the Knights: “First of all we mention the Knights of Columbus,

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson speaks March 11, 2009, during a rallyat the Connecticut State Capitol, opposing an attempt by legislators to removeadministrative control of Catholic parishes from priests and bishops.

an organization which is found in all states of the Republic andfortunately is made up of active and industrious members who,because of their zeal in assisting the Church, have brought greathonor upon themselves.”

Among the numerous Knights who were killed in Mexico dur-ing this period were six priests, whom Pope John Paul II canon-ized in 2000. Beaten, shotand hung for carrying outtheir priestly duties such asdistributing ashes on AshWednesday, refusing to breakthe seal of confession and cel-ebrating Mass, these priestsare known today as theKnights of Columbus Mexi-can Martyrs.

Protests in Mexico ceasedin 1937 when a lasting agree-ment between the state andthe Church was reached.Nonetheless, the Order con-tinued to educate about thethreats posed by anti-reli-gious governments and ide-ologies, beginning with theprinting and distribution ofnearly 1 million copies ofDivini Redemptoris, PopePius XI’s 1937 encyclical onatheistic Communism.

AL SMITH & JOHN F. KENNEDYWhen Knight Al Smith ranfor president in 1928, he be-came the first Catholic to runfor the office on a major partyticket. During his campaigntour across the country, Smithwas greeted by flaming crosses as his train entered Oklahoma — awelcoming card courtesy of the Ku Klux Klan.

On his campaign stops, Smith did not shy away from the issueof his faith, arguing that he was not just running against HerbertHoover but against the bigotry and hatred that had seeded itselfin some aspects of American life.

Despite large crowds at each destination, Smith lost the elec-tion by a landslide. Historians point to several reasons why, in-cluding Smith’s attitude toward prohibition — he favoredrelaxation of the law — and the fact that he was Catholic. In theend, the United States simply wasn’t ready for a Catholic presi-dent — at least not until 1960.

The second time a Catholic — and Knight — ran for the pres-idency on a major party ticket saw a much different outcome.The election of John F. Kennedy, a member of Bunker HillCouncil 62 in Charlestown, Mass., worked to dispel the idea thatbeing American and Catholic were somehow opposed.

Within the next six years, Supreme Knight John W. McDevittasserted that the Order had moved away from being a “fortresswhere members could gather and find mutual encouragementand strength against the attacks of a society still hostile to boththeir religion and their nationality.” Rather, it was seen as a globalorganization whose work is based on the Second Vatican Coun-

cil’s Pastoral Constitution onthe Church in the ModernWorld (Gaudium et Spes).

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCEA three-year campaign initi-ated in 1951 by the Knightsof Columbus concluded withthe public adoption of thephrase “under God” in theU.S. Pledge of Allegiance.Since 2005, the Order hascontributed to numerouscourt cases involving thePledge to uphold the consti-tutionality of that phrase.

In 1952, one year after theOrder’s Board of Directorsamended the Pledge’s recita-tion at Fourth Degree assem-blies to include “under God,”both the Supreme Counciland the National FraternalCongress adopted resolutionsencouraging congressionalrepresentatives to publiclyamend the Pledge in the samefashion.

The resolution introducedby Congressman Louis C.Rabaut of Michigan wasadopted by both congres-

sional houses and subsequently signed into law by PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower on Flag Day, June 14, 1954.

More than 50 years later in Sacramento, Calif., the Knightsand the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty defended the Pledgeagainst a suit filed in the U.S. District Court by Michael New-dow, an atheist seeking to return the Pledge to its supposed sec-ular origins. The brief filed on behalf of the Knights and sevenfamilies who joined as defendant-intervenors argued that thephrase “under God’ is a political expression rather than a theo-logical one, reminding citizens that their inalienable rights arederived from a power much higher than the State.

After the District Court in Sacramento ruled against thePledge’s constitutionality in 2006, the Knights and the BecketFund appealed the case. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the NinthCircuit has not yet issued a decision.

On Oct. 31, 2007, Newdow and several other New Hamp-shire plaintiffs filed a similar lawsuit against the Pledge that was

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 13

The cover of the November 1926 issue of Columbia highlights the Knights’vocal opposition to the persecution of the Church in Mexico.

14 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

dismissed in September 2009 with help from the Knights andthe Becket Fund. U.S. District Judge Steven McAuliffe ruledthat the Pledge — including the words “under God” — “doesnot foster excessive government involvement with religion” andwas “enacted to enhance instruction in the Nation’s history.”

PUBLIC RELIGIOUS DISPLAYSPromoting religious displays in public and private places, Knightscontinue to work with local governments and private organiza-tions to celebrate the Christian tradition through signs and sym-bols. For example, as part of the Order’s “Keep Christ inChristmas” campaign, Knights display nativity scenes each yearas visual reminders of the season’s focus.

The U.S. Supreme Court began hearing cases concerning pub-lic religious displays in 1980, and courts at every level have notbeen able to decide such cases with consistency.

Knights teamed with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty in1995 when St. Teresa Council 2961 was refused permission todisplay a crèche, or nativity scene, on the town hall green ofTrumbull, Conn. The green had been used for numerous festivalsand fairs, and featured a Christmas tree and menorah during thewinter months.

After the U.S. District Court of Appeals of the Second Circuitruled against the Knights, the appealed case advanced to theSupreme Court, and the Second Circuit Court’s decision wasoverturned June 29, 1995.

Also, in response to the 2000 removal of a monument of theTen Commandments from a Kansas courthouse, numerous K ofC councils began to support the work of Project Moses, an or-ganization that offers monuments of the Ten Commandmentsto display at churches, synagogues and elsewhere.

According to two 2005 polls conducted by Pew Research Cen-ter, 83 percent of Americans agree that Christmas symbols shouldbe allowed on government property, and 74 percent do not objectto displaying the Ten Commandments in government buildings.

HYDE AMENDMENT AND CONSCIENCE PROTECTIONIn a response to the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v.Wade, Henry Hyde (1924-2007), a member of Father McDonaldCouncil 1911 in Elmhurst, Ill., and congressional representativefor the 6th District of Illinois, introduced an amendment thatgreatly limited federal funding of abortion.

Presented only two years after Hyde entered the House of Rep-resentatives in 1974, the amendment has since limited abortionfunding through the Labor/Health and Human Services/Educa-tion (Labor/HHS/Ed) Appropriations Bill.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, the research arm ofPlanned Parenthood, following the Hyde Amendment thenumber of federally funded abortions was reduced from295,000 in 1977 to 2,100 in 1978. In 2006, that number wasfewer than 200.

Hyde also co-sponsored a subsequent amendment to the billin 2004 that protects health care entities from being forced toprovide or participate in abortions. Known as the Hyde/WeldonConscience Protection Amendment, it protects health care pro-

fessionals, facilities and insurance providers from discriminationconcerning their decision to “not provide, pay for, provide cov-erage of, or refer for abortions.”

In recent years, however, pro-abortion organizations have hadsome success exploiting gaps in existing legislation, attemptingto force hospitals and medical professionals to make abortionsavailable and to mandate abortion coverage in health care.

In response, delegates to the 127th Supreme Convention inPhoenix last August unanimously voted to adopt a resolution op-posing the repeal of restrictions on taxpayer funding for abortionand calling on legislators to adopt laws protecting the religiousconscience of health care providers.

RECENT THREATSThe Knights of Columbus continues to work in various ways toprotect religious freedom and freedom of conscience. One dra-matic example occurred last year, when the Supreme Councilhelped to mobilize opposition against a bill in the Connecticutlegislature that sought to remove administrative authority ofCatholic churches from priests and bishops throughout the state.After a week of outcry from Connecticut citizens, legislators can-celed the hearing for the bill, which singled out the CatholicChurch and attempted to turn over control of parishes to electedlay boards.

To a crowd of more than 5,000 who gathered for a rally at theState Capitol in March 2009, Supreme Chaplain BishopWilliam E. Lori of Bridgeport said, “I am very grateful to thepeople of other faiths and the many citizens who have stood upto defend religious freedom.”

The following month, another Connecticut senate bill pro-posed to codify the state Supreme Court’s October 2008 rulingthat imposed same-sex “marriage.” The initial bill included vir-tually no religious liberty protection for churches, religiousgroups like the Knights of Columbus or individuals, setting thestage for legal attacks against any teacher, church or organizationthat did not recognize same-sex marriage.

The Order once again mobilized citizens to communicatewith their legislators, which led supporters of the bill to includereligious liberty protections that the bill had previously lacked— applying to things such as wedding ceremonies and adoptionservices.

Of course, there have been many more examples of theKnights defending the free exercise of religion than those thathave been mentioned here. There will likewise be many more op-portunities for the Order to stand up for religious liberty in thefuture. In each case, let us recall the words of a July 1925 letterto members, written by Supreme Knight James A. Flaherty.

Speaking of the Supreme Court victory in the Oregon schools’case, Flaherty stated, “As Knights of Columbus, as members ofthis great Order of Catholic men, let us be proud of our part inthe good fight, let us rejoice that when, in the dark hours of big-otry’s first threatening advance, the victims of a small and preju-diced group sought our aid, they did not seek in vain. May theday never dawn that will find our swords sheathed and idle inany struggle against injustice. As we shared in the fight, so let usshare in the joy of victory.”♦

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 15

Pope Benedict XVI greets former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy SeeMary Ann Glendon during a private audience in 2008.

With support from the Knights,international conferences address the importance and history of the right to religious freedom

by Elizabeth Lev

REFLECTINGLIBERTY

on

16 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

Has religious liberty made anyprogress since the Roman Emperor

Hadrian banned circumcision in A.D.130? Thanks especially to the 1948 Uni-versal Declaration of Human Rights, theobvious answer seems to be “yes.” Thisseminal document was designed to safe-guard religion from government interfer-ence, but forces today are attempting toundermine its original purpose.

Through the efforts of the U.S. Em-bassy to the Holy See and the Knights ofColumbus, a series of conferences during2008-2009 examined how the measures created to safeguard reli-gious liberty could be transformed into weapons against it.

When U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Mary Ann Glendon tookup her post in 2008, she was particularly well poised to commem-orate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of HumanRights, having authored A World Made New (Random House,2002), a study of the history of the U.N. declaration. Two other his-toric moments converged during her brief tenure as ambassador: the25th anniversary of the U.S. mission to the Holy See, formalizedJan. 10, 1984, and the reciprocal visits between Pope Benedict XVIand President George W. Bush in April and June 2008.

Ambassador Glendon proposed a series of conferences in theEternal City to explore the origins and challenges of the humanrights project. The Knights of Columbus actively participated in

the initiative, first by funding the confer-ences in Rome, and later by co-hosting“Voices: The Secular State and ReligiousLiberty,” a symposium in Mexico last Sep-tember that was dedicated to exploring re-

ligious liberty throughout the Americas.

THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATIONThe opening conference in the series, held at Rome’s Regina Apos-tolorum University May 2, 2008, examined the origin of the Uni-versal Declaration of Human Rights, bringing to light thefundamental role of Latin American countries in the shaping of thedocument. In her talk, Ambassador Glendon noted that diplomatssuch as Guy Pérez Cisneros of Cuba and Hernan Santa Cruz ofChile brought ideas from the American Declaration of the Rightsand Duties of Man as a model for the U.N. version. This docu-ment, then a work in progress in Latin America, was based onCatholic social teaching and grounded the concept of human rightsin the Catholic notion of human dignity. Many distinguished in-

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson gives thewelcome address to the “Voices” internationalsymposium in Mexico City Sept. 25, 2009. Theconference, co-sponsored by the Knights, sought toraise awareness of international religious libertyand to discuss its application in the Americas.

“THE PRESERVATION OF

FREEDOM … DEMANDS

THE COURAGE TO ENGAGE

IN CIVIC LIFE AND TO BRING

ONE’S DEEPEST BELIEFS

AND VALUES TO REASONED

PUBLIC DEBATE.”

POPE BENEDICT XVIWHITE HOUSE ADDRESS, APRIL 16, 2008

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 17

dividuals also gave papers illustrating the historical and present-daysituation of human rights and democracy in Latin America, includ-ing Notre Dame Law Professor Paolo G. Carozza, who is a memberof the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; Thomas A.Shannon, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere Af-fairs; and the ambassadors to the Holy See from the nations ofChile, Costa Rica, Brazil and Panama.

The second daylong forum began at the Roman Istituto MariaSantissima Bambina Oct. 16, 2008. Titled “For Everyone, Every-where: Universal Human Rights and the Challenge of Diversity,”it looked at the growth of the declaration over the last six decades.While the human rights project has flourished in some areas, inothers its progress has been unruly. Inspired by Pope Benedict XVI’sUnited Nations speech in April 2008, speakers illustrated some ofthe contemporary threats to the document and emphasized theneed to re-fertilize its foundations.

The declaration has been accused by some of being a “Westerndocument,” pertinent only to a European worldview. Professor JeanBethke Elshtain of the University of Chicago addressed not onlythis issue, but also the problem of Western interest groups tryingto fragment the declaration, as if it were a sort of à la carte menu.In doing so, said Elshtain, these detractors are reinterpreting thedocument and ignoring its fundamental understanding of the dig-nity of the human person, Catholic social teaching’s greatest con-tribution to the declaration.

In her own paper, Ambassador Glendon noted the extraordinarydiversity of the declaration’s architects and their combustible his-torical circumstances. Despite cooling relations between Russia andthe West, and the boiling Palestinian crisis, the 58-member assem-bly passed the declaration with only eight abstentions: the Russianblock, apartheid South Africa and Saudi Arabia.

The commission that drafted the document was a global assem-bly, including among its 18 members representatives from Chinaand Pakistan alongside French and U.S. delegates. AmbassadorGlendon explained that the problems of the declaration — a modelof diversity — lay not in its “Western Imperialism,” but in “the in-tense efforts to capture its prestige for various ends, not all of whichwere respectful of human dignity.” She emphasized that the decla-ration cannot be treated as a laundry list, but as a “whole with mu-tually conditioning parts.”

Father Thomas D. Williams, a theology professor at the ReginaApostolorum University in Rome, closed the day’s session by con-trasting two incompatible visions of human dignity: one that seesdignity as possessed by all human beings in equal measure, and asecond that defines degrees of dignity. He asserted that only thefirst vision is capable of grounding universal human rights. Withoutthis grounding, he warned, the human rights project will continueto evolve into a simple list of special interests determined by con-sensus and subject to the power plays of pressure groups.

CHURCH AND STATEThe third conference, held Jan. 13, 2009, marked the 25th anniver-sary of U.S. diplomatic relations with the Holy See. At Villa Aureliain Rome, Ambassador Glendon drew inspiration from Pope Bene-dict’s praise for the model of U.S. church-state relations. En routeto America, the Holy Father had commented, “What I find fasci-

nating in the United States is that they began with a positive con-cept of secularism, because this new people was formed by com-munities and people who had fled from the state churches andwanted to have a lay state, secular, that would open possibilities toall confessions, for all the types of religious exercise.”

Defining the American model of church and state relations, how-ever, proves to be difficult as the United States experiments withdifferent forms of religious liberty. Professor Richard Garnett ofNotre Dame Law School outlined three models of religious freedomcurrently at play. The first attempts to exclude religion from publiclife as if it were “just another hobby.” The second treats religionwith a “benevolent evenhandedness” but refuses to acknowledgethe specialness of religion. And the third — the ideal model, he ar-gued — is freedom for religion, which doesn’t impose religion butrecognizes man’s “search for truth is an important human activity.”

Dr. Joseph Weiler of New York University, underscoring citizens’responsibility for their own religious freedom, said, “Citizens cannotbreak the First Amendment, only governments [can]; it is a shield,not a sword.” He further argued that when Americans consent tothe sterilization of speech from religious content — what the lateFather Richard John Neuhaus called the “naked public square” andthe willful misunderstanding of the separation of Church and state— they are allowing their own religious freedom to slip throughtheir fingers.

Weiler’s talk echoed Pope Benedict’s challenge to the Americanpeople in his speech at the White House on April 16, 2008. “Free-dom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibil-ity,” the pope said. “The preservation of freedom calls for thecultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common goodand a sense of responsibility toward the less fortunate. It also de-mands the courage to engage in civic life and to bring one’s deepestbeliefs and values to reasoned public debate.”

NEW AND SUBTLE THREATSThe Knights of Columbus, together with the Becket Fund for Reli-gious Liberty and the Archdiocese of Mexico, drew together thethemes and issues raised in the Rome conferences in the “Voices”symposium Sept. 25-26 in Mexico City. The event looked at topicsranging from the application of international religious liberty to spe-cific issues in several countries of the American continent. In hisopening remarks, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson highlighted theimportance of the Western Hemisphere in the debates and resolutionsregarding religious liberty. Indeed, he noted, the discovery of the NewWorld “spawned much debate over civil rights and personhood.”

Examining closely Pope Benedict’s discourse to the United Na-tions, the supreme knight warned of new, more subtle attacks onreligious freedom. Legislation and marginalization force people todeny God in practice in order to enjoy religious rights, leading toan “incomplete citizenship” where one is permitted private worshipbut barred from acting according to one’s conscience in public.

Ambassador Glendon highlighted specific threats to religious lib-erty in today’s society, emphasizing the challenges brought aboutby the sexual revolution. Between “open hostility toward religiousinstitutions” and the “appearance of new legal rights in the areas ofabortion, sexual orientation and embryonic experimentation,” re-ligious freedom has entered into conflict not only with these “new

goodness in the world; our soul, our moralintegrity, our hope for eternal life. Theseare the things that matter.”

The series of conferences sounded a callthat has been a consistent theme for theKnights of Columbus: Citizens shouldnot take religious freedom for granted. Itis a right that has been hard fought, andevery generation must appropriate anddefend it.

For text and video from last Septem-ber’s “Voices” symposium, visit www.voices-symposium.org.♦

ELIZABETH LEV teaches Christian art and architecture at Duquesne Uni-versity’s Rome campus and at the University of St. Thomas Catholic Studiesprogram in Rome.

18 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

rights,” but also with the interests of pow-erful lobbies.

Calling for religions to encourage theirmembers to the responsible exercise of free-dom, Ambassador Glendon warned that itis up to religious institutions “to teach theirmembers to advance their religiouslygrounded moral viewpoints with reasoningthat is intelligible to all men and womenof good will, and to reject ideologies thatmanipulate religion for political purposes.”

The reflections of Archbishop Charles J.Chaput of Denver, delivered by his seniorcounselor, Luis Soto, brought the church-state question down to its most essentialterms. The ancient Romans believed in thedivinity of the emperor, but, as ArchbishopChaput declared, “The state is not god. It’snot immortal. It’s not infallible. It’s noteven synonymous with civil society, which is vastly larger, richer andmore diverse in its human relationships than any political party orgovernment bureaucracy can ever be. Ultimately, everything impor-tant about human life belongs not to Caesar, but to God: our intel-lect, our talents, our free will; the people we love; the beauty and

Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon and CardinalRenato Martino, former president of the Pontif-ical Council for Justice and Peace, speak in RomeOct. 16, 2008, at a conference titled “ForEveryone, Everywhere: Universal Human Rightsand the Challenge of Diversity.”

“ULTIMATELY, EVERY-

THING IMPORTANT ABOUT

HUMAN LIFE BELONGS NOT

TO CAESAR, BUT TO GOD:

OUR INTELLECT, OUR TAL-

ENTS, OUR FREE WILL; THE

BEAUTY AND GOODNESS IN

THE WORLD; OUR SOUL,

OUR MORAL INTEGRITY,

OUR HOPE FOR ETERNAL

LIFE. THESE ARETHETHINGS

THAT MATTER.”

ARCHBISHOP CHARLES J. CHAPUT OF DENVER

English-speaking colonies in 1634,built the colonies’ first Catholicchurch. The wooden chapel wasthen burned during an attack on St.Mary’s City in 1645.

When a majestic brick structurewas constructed in its place 22 yearslater, it stood as a sign of the freedomthat had been a cornerstone of Mary-land since its founding. In England atthat time, Catholics were a despisedminority. In the new Marylandcolony, though, Catholics — whilestill a minority — could worshipfreely. Lord Baltimore, a Catholic,based Maryland’s government on theprinciples of freedom of conscienceand separation of church and state.

Indeed, religious freedom had been part of Maryland’s origi-nal charter in 1634. Fifteen years later, the Maryland TolerationAct protected the rights of Christian colonists, noting, “No per-son or persons whatsoever within the Province or the islands,ports, harbors, creekes or havens thereunto belonging … shallfrom henceforth be any waies troubled, molested or discounte-nanced for or in respect of his or her religion nor in the free ex-ercise thereof.”

But in 1704, following an order from the royal governor,Sheriff John Coode locked the doors to the chapel in St. Mary’s

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 19

CNS pho

to/M

ike Crupi,

Cat

holic

Co

urie

r

Many Americans think that re-ligious freedom began with

the Pilgrims in New England, orwith William Penn in Pennsylvaniaor Roger Williams in Rhode Island.According to Dr. Henry Miller,however, “liberty of conscience andits first application as a principle ofgovernment occurred in Marylandwith its founding in 1634.”

Maryland’s status as the birthplaceof religious freedom in the UnitedStates became tangible in September2009, when an estimated 1,000 peo-ple witnessed the unlocking of thereconstructed Brick Chapel in St.Mary’s City, Maryland’s first capital.

“This [chapel] is a powerful sym-bol of the beginnings of religious freedom in what is now theUnited States,” said Miller, the director of research at HistoricSt. Mary’s City. “As a permanent, impressive, free-standingRoman Catholic church, it could not have been built anywhereelse in the English-speaking world at the time. PersecutedCatholics in England and Ireland could only have privatechapels in their homes.”

The original Catholic chapel was built in 1667 on a site latercalled “Chapel Field.” It was at this location that Jesuit FatherAndrew White, who celebrated the first Catholic Mass in the

A team of historians, archaeologists, architects, archivistsand others worked to re-create a 1667 brick chapel inSt. Mary’s City, Md.

Symbol of Enduring Freedom

Doors open to Historic St. Mary’s City chapel as sign of religious freedom

by Mark Zimmermann

20 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

metal door latch from the iron tire of an Amish buggy. He said hewas ecstatic — and relieved — when the chapel doors swung open.

THE FIGHT CONTINUESIn his Oct. 1, 2009, column for the Catholic Standard, ArchbishopWuerl wrote, “The unlocking, while a symbolic or ceremonialevent, carried with it great significance because it was a reminderthat we are a free people, and among the rights we celebrate arefreedom of conscience and freedom of worship.”

He added, “As the key turned in the lock and the doors swungopen, we were all provided an opportunity to reflect that sadlythere are still those who think that the best way to deal with op-posing opinions, differing views, moral perspectives and ethicalimperatives is through force. … The Church is denounced as big-oted, arrogant or even un-American simply because her teachingrespects human life, upholds marriage and calls for health care forthe most needy in our country.”

Earlier last year, the archbishop urged government officialsnot to weaken federal regulations protecting the consciencerights of health care workers, and noted that Catholic doctors,nurses and others should not be compelled to participate inabortion or other procedures that violate their moral or religiousprinciples.

In the fall, officials from the Archdiocese of Washington urgedthe D.C. City Council to protect the religious freedom of groupsthat opposed redefining marriage. But in December 2009, thecouncil passed a same-sex marriage bill, titled the “Religious Free-dom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009,” byan 11-2 vote. The bill contained only two narrow exemptions forreligious organizations. Church officials expressed concern thatunder the law, the city would restrict Catholic Charities from re-ceiving social service contracts by requiring recognition of same-sex “marriages” in employment and other policies.

Meanwhile, in St. Mary’s City, work continues on the BrickChapel’s interior, as scholars research the design of the tabernacle,altar, pulpit and baptismal font. According to family legend, theCarroll Tabernacle in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the As-sumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore was once thetabernacle at the St. Mary’s City chapel.

“The goal is to create a period space as true to the original asscholarship and artisans can make it,” Miller said. “We hope thatwhen a person enters the door of the recreated Brick Chapel, theywill have an experience similar to that of a 17th-century Catholic,coming to worship and praise God in the new colony of Maryland.At the same time, we hope that all persons, regardless of religiousbelief, can come to the chapel, learn about early Maryland and itskey contributions, and better understand how the struggle for re-ligious freedom has been a vital element of the American storyfrom the beginning.”

Miller added that the story of the Brick Chapel at St. Mary’s Cityshould resonate today: “The efforts of 17th century Marylandersare indeed important for contemporary times, showing that free-doms that are hard won and seemingly enduring, may be lost.”♦

MARK ZIMMERMANN is editor of the Catholic Standard, newspaper for theArchdiocese of Washington.

City, which was later dismantled, brick by brick. Catholics couldno longer worship in public in a colony that had been foundedon the principle of religious freedom.

A COMMUNITY EFFORTThe dramatic ceremony that reopened the Brick Chapel last Sep-tember echoed the circumstances that closed it. Tim Cameron, thecurrent sheriff of St. Mary’s County, unlocked the massive oak andpine doors of the reconstructed chapel, using a key believed to bea replica of the one that his predecessor used 305 years earlier.

Before the ceremony, Sheriff Cameron reflected on the signifi-cance of reopening the chapel, which was rebuilt on the foundationof the original structure. “I’ll be unlocking that door and reaffirm-ing the idea of freedom of conscience,” said Cameron, who is the133rd sheriff of St. Mary’s County. “It’s absolutely one of the bestthings I’ve been able to do.”

Washington Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl, joined by JesuitFather Edward Dougherty, walked in a procession to the chapelfrom a nearby barn. They were joined by a group of men andwomen dressed in colonial garb, as well as a Knights of Colum-bus honor guard. One of the reenactors beat a large drum as thesheriff turned the key, and another shot off his musket in cele-bration as Archbishop Wuerl and Father Dougherty pushed thechapel doors open.

Moments later, Archbishop Wuerl said that when he helpedpush open the doors, “It was a reminder of how we have to keepthe doors of our hearts open, first to God, and then to one an-other. That’s what freedom of conscience and freedom of religionis all about.”

In his closing remarks, the archbishop added, “Just as God waswith our forefathers who founded what became Maryland ... soGod is with us today.”

Scholars used historical detective work in designing the recon-structed chapel, basing its look on Jesuit chapels from that timeperiod. In 2004, historians, architects, builders and archaeologistscame up with a plan for the chapel. From the foundation, theyknew the chapel was about 54 feet long, and clues led them to be-lieve it was about 25 feet tall.

Members of the community raised $3.2 million for the project.“It was a matter of faith, not only faith in God, but faith that wecould do it,” said Jeanne Chandler, past president of the HistoricSt. Mary’s City Foundation.

Nancy Hislop, whose ancestors came to Maryland in the 1660s,said, “Our Constitution and Bill of Rights were based on this con-cept [of religious liberty] that started here in Maryland. We shouldbe proud of that.”

Miller praised the work of the artisans who had reconstructedthe chapel, including the brickmasons whose bricks had been madefrom clay from the surrounding countryside. “This site is so fun-damental to America and the freedoms we share,” Miller said.

Father Dougherty, the pastor of St. Ignatius in Chapel Point,the last remaining Jesuit parish in Southern Maryland, said thefirst time he saw the reconstructed chapel being built in St. Mary’sCity, “It brought tears to my eyes.”

Blacksmith Peter Himmelheber fashioned the wrought ironcross atop the chapel from part of a tobacco press and made the

BOTTOM : CNS pho

to/Bob Roller — TOP:

Cat

holic

Sta

ndar

dpho

tos by Micha

el Hoyt

Left: Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl ofWashington, speaks during the Sept. 20,2009, ceremony. Right: As the doors are unlocked, scoresof people enter the chapel.Below: The first brick Catholic church inthe English colonies, the Brick Chapelwas, and now will continue to be, alandmark for religious freedom.

22 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

On Dec. 3, 2008, in the Henan Province of China, police brokeinto a house church, arrested more than 50 Christians and

seized 22 copies of a textbook titledTraining in Ministering the Gospelto Children. According to the U.S. State Department’s 2009 “AnnualReport on International Religious Freedom,” 20 of the Christianswere sentenced to administrative detention and a large fine. Threeothers were sentenced to a one-year term at a Chinese reeducationthrough labor camp for the crimes of “attending an illegal gathering”and “illegal proselytizing.”

Hundreds of “reeducation” prisons exist throughout China, and,according to the Laogai Research Foundation, as many as 2 millionChinese may be held in them. Many of the prisoners are TibetanBuddhists, Uighur Muslims, and Chinese Protestants and Catholicswho, like the Henan Christians, have committed the crime of exer-cising their right to religious freedom.

On June 12, 2002, Ali Al-Misaad, a 25-year-old Saudi Isma’il Shi’a,was stopped by his country’s religious police for listening to musicwhile driving his car. The police told him to listen to the Quran in-stead, but he responded that this would be “boring.” Two monthslater, Al-Misaad was sentenced to eight years in prison and 2,000lashes for insulting the Quran. He was released after eight months be-cause of the intervention of relatives well connected to Saudi elites.

In May 2008, three Iranian Bahá’ís were arrested for burying theirdead in a Bahá’í cemetery and imprisoned in Isfahan Prison wherethey remained as of the summer of 2009. In January 2009, the Bahá’ícemetery of Ghaemshahr was attacked for the fourth time in eightmonths. According to witnesses, Iranian municipal officials bull-dozed the cemetery at night in part because the Bahá’í faith is con-sidered heretical by the Iranian government.

Finally, in June 2003, the chief justice of democratic Afghanistan’sSupreme Court ordered the arrest of two Afghan newspaper editorsfor insulting Islam. The newspaper, Aftab, published articles ques-tioning official interpretations of religious texts and argued thatdrafters of the new Afghan constitution should accept an interpreta-tion of Islam compatible with modernity. Ultimately, the journalistswere released, reportedly after apologizing. Later, the Supreme Courtagency responsible for issuing fatwas — legal decrees handed downby Islamic religious leaders — called for a death sentence against theeditors. Both fled the country.

POLICY MATTERSEach of these stories has at least two things in common. The first,and the most obvious, is the terrible injustice they represent. Morethan a decade after the United States officially adopted a policy ofopposing religious persecution and advancing religious freedom as acore element of its foreign policy, millions of people continue to bepersecuted because of their religious beliefs or those of their tormen-tors. Indeed, the problem seems to be getting worse. An exhaustivestudy published in December 2009 by the Pew Forum on Religionand Public Life reported that almost 70 percent of the people of theworld live in countries with high or very high restrictions on religiousfreedom. That finding is shocking, or should be, to anyone who caresabout justice and human rights.

A Chinese Catholic man prays at his home in a village on the outskirts ofTaiyuan, Shanxi province, China, in 2007.

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 23

International Freedom, National Interest

The state of international religious freedom and why it matters to the United States

by Thomas F. Farr

International Freedom, National Interest

The state of international religious freedom and why it matters to the United States

by Thomas F. Farr

24 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

The second commonality is that the policies adopted by thesecountries (and others like them) are critically important to the na-tional interests of the United States. The health of China’s economy,let alone its increasingly aggressive foreign and military policies, is di-rectly linked to America’s well-being. If, however, the Chinese gov-ernment cannot learn to deal fairly with its religious citizens — whosenumbers are increasing exponentially — the chance of China’s re-maining stable diminishes significantly.

Similarly, Iran’s clerical autocracy, its pursuit of nuclear weaponsand its support for Islamist terrorism all pose serious threats to Amer-ican interests. Saudi Arabian Wahhabism continues to be exportedto and absorbed by Islamist terrorists. And if Afghanistan proves in-capable of defeating the Taliban and its ideas, American national in-terests in the Middle East will suffer.

In fact, America’s vital national interests and its long-establisheddesire to stand with the persecuted come together in the field of in-ternational religious freedom. In 1998, Congress passed the Interna-tional Religious Freedom (IRF) Act, mandating that the presidentand the State Department take significant steps to advance religiousliberty around the world. It created a senior diplomatic post — theambassador-at-large for international religious freedom — to imple-ment the new policy. It also created a separate and independent U.S.IRF commission to act as a watchdog agency and provide separatepolicy recommendations.

Unfortunately, and despite some small but worthy successes, neitherthe Clinton nor the Bush administrations focused significant resourcesand attention on the issue of religious freedom. Both adopted an es-sentially reactive approach, “cursing the darkness,” as it were, by iden-tifying the worst persecutors in an annual list and attempting to getreligious prisoners out of jail. Some were released, and that is an achieve-ment of which the American people can be proud. Likewise, importantsteps were taken in Vietnam and Laos, and creative negotiations yieldedsome modest victories in Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, it cannot be saidthat religious persecution was reduced or religious freedom advancedbecause of the policies initiated by the 1998 IRF Act.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTRecognition of this sad fact led some in the field of religious freedomto express hope that the Obama administration would see an oppor-tunity to elevate the status of the issue. Unfortunately, despite somefine words from the president on religious freedom (including hisCairo address), the current administration has done very little to es-tablish a policy on advancing international religious freedom in theMuslim world or elsewhere. For example, the post-Cairo interagencyworking group does not have a religious freedom component, eventhough the president highlighted religious freedom in the Cairospeech as one of the six most important issues to be addressed by theUnited States and the Muslim world.

The facts are troubling. As of this writing, the administration’s nom-inee for ambassador-at-large for IRF has not yet been announced. Thefact that it has taken so long — more than one year since PresidentObama took office — suggests that IRF will be a low priority for theObama administration. By contrast, an ambassador-at-large for globalwomen’s issues was appointed almost immediately. There are likewisesenior envoys for anti-Semitism, outreach to Muslim communities,disabilities, counterterrorism, global AIDS and international energy.

Each of these officials are viewed by both foreign governments andU.S. diplomats as senior to the ambassador-at-large for IRF.

Beyond the elevation of these priorities above that of religious free-dom, there is another quite serious concern. Recently, the State De-partment has intensified its promotion of “gay rights” as part of theU.S. foreign policy agenda. In her recent speech at Georgetown Uni-versity, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton equated religiousliberty with the right of people “to love in the way that they choose.”

Whatever one thinks of the gay rights agenda, surely promotingthe right of religious freedom should have at least equal status andpolicy relevance in our foreign policy. Most Americans would supportU.S. efforts against the persecution of homosexuals as part of ourhuman rights agenda. However, employing the U.S. diplomatic es-tablishment to advance the gay agenda on matters such as same-sexmarriage, or supporting international laws to establish a “right tolove” whomever one chooses, is another matter.

There is a supreme irony here. A key argument of the current ad-ministration has been that terrorism cannot be defeated by militarymeans alone — that diplomacy must play a greater role, especially inMuslim-majority countries. It would be tragic indeed if religious free-dom diplomacy were sidelined under the pretext that it will not playin Muslim countries, while at the same time U.S. human rights policybecomes associated with extremist gay rights demands — somethingthat is problematic in itself and will certainly not play well in Muslimcountries. Such a development, which seems entirely possible, wouldturn both logic and national security on its head. In fact, there isstrong evidence that advancing religious liberty in Muslim-majoritycountries where Islamist terrorism has been incubated and exportedwill help eliminate religious extremism by empowering moderatesand enticing otherwise illiberal religious actors into the democraticpublic square.

It is important to note that the Obama administration has decidedto place significant emphasis on interreligious dialogue. But interre-ligious dialogue, however successful, is merely one component of re-ligious freedom policy. By its nature, it cannot — and should not —be employed as a surrogate for religious freedom.

In sum, the state of international religious freedom is nearly cata-strophic. To its credit, the United States has put in place the means tocombat this tragedy. It has both a humanitarian and a national securityrationale for devoting the diplomatic resources necessary to success.To date, however, there is little reason to hope that it will do so.♦

THOMAS F. FARR is visiting associate professor of religion and internationalaffairs at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and senior fellow atthe Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs. Prior to leaving the For-eign Service to write and teach, he served as the U.S. State Department’s first di-rector of the Office of International Religious Freedom from 1999-2003.

Above: A Coptic Christian cleric shows the damage in a church burned May31, 2008, during a clash between Muslims and Christians at the Abu FanaMonastery near the city of Minya, Egypt. Below: Christians return to seekshelter after spending days hiding in a forest at Naugram village in the easternIndian state of Orissa Aug. 30, 2008. Thousands of people, mostly Chris-tians, had sought shelter in makeshift government camps in eastern India afterbeing driven from their homes by sectarian violence.

Previous

Pag

e: CNS pho

to/Reinh

ard Kraus

e, Reu

ters —

Egyp

t: CNS pho

to/N

asse

r Nuri, Reu

ters —

India: CNS pho

to/Parth San

yal, Reu

ters

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 � C O L U M B I A � 25

­

26 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

and Crime Night” to benefitthe Malden and Medford po-lice departments. The eventfeatured local comedians,four chili entrees and prizes.Proceeds were used to pur-chase body armor for eachpolice department.

CAPITAL IDEA!St Nicholas of Myra Council10847 in Mont Clare, Pa.,donated $3,000 to the capitalcampaign at Holy ArchangelMichael Byzantine CatholicChurch. The funds are ear-marked for the preservationof the church and otherparish buildings.

PATRIOTISM NIGHTSt. Elizabeth Ann Seton As-sembly in Arlington Heights,Ill., held its annual patriot-ism night in support of mili-tary members and theirfamilies. The evening con-sisted of a buffet dinner, fol-lowed by video horse racingand a live auction. The eventraised $2,672 for Salute Inc.,which offers financial sup-port to military membersand veterans.

An man has his dog vaccinated for rabies at a clinic hosted bySanto Niño de Molino (Luzon) Council 9926. More than 120 petowners brought their dogs to the council hall to be vaccinated.

church. The statue, originallypurchased in 1965, was oncelocated in the church parkinglot before it was moved to itscurrent location, sans grotto,in 1970.

CLEAN WATERFather Stanley Bowers Coun-cil 8698 in Dundee, Mich.,raised $500 to purchase waterfilters for a small village inGhana. The filters will pro-vide clean drinking water forat least 12 families. Van Nuys(Calif.) Council 3148 raised

$7,420 to dig a well in a vil-lage in Nigeria and build awater storage tank there. Thewell will be the village’s newsource for clean drinkingwater and will replace theneed to obtain water from anearby polluted river.

FOOD FOR THE HOMELESS

Each month, members of SanJuan Bautista Council 1543in San Juan, Puerto Rico, de-liver food and clothing to thehomeless of the Cantera sec-tion of Hato Rey.

RAISING THE ROOF(S)Los Altos Council 13587 inQuetzaltenango, Guatemala,donated 5,000 quetzal (thecountry’s national currency)to its parish to help replace aportion of the church roofthat was damaged during atropical storm. Mt. Vernon(N.Y.) Council 410 donated$2,000 to the Franciscan Sis-ters of the Renewal to repairthe roof at their convent inthe Bronx. The council alsodonated $5,000 to repair theroof at St. Ursula Church. Fi-nally, St. Damien (Quebec)Council 2920 donated$10,000 to help repair theroof of St. Damien Church.

IRONING OUT THE KINKS

Ave Maria Council 9380 inTucson presented the Bene-dictine Sisters of PerpetualAdoration with a new pres-sure iron and steamer to usein their liturgical vestmentsdepartment. The sisters sewalbs, stoles, linens and otherarticles needed for priests,deacons and ministers.

CHILI, COMEDY AND CRIME

Immaculate ConceptionCouncil 13966 in Malden,Mass., held a “Chili, Comedy

COLUMBARIUM REFURBISHED

St. John Neumann Council6969 in Cherokee Village,Ark., refurbished the colum-barium at St. Michael theArchangel Church. Each me-morial stone of a deceasedmember was also engravedwith the emblem of the Order.

FOLLOW THE BRICK ROAD

Members of Our Lady ofMount Carmel Council13300 in Wildwood, Fla., re-paired the brick walkway at St.Vincent de Paul Church anddid some minor landscaping.

LOOKING SHARPSt. Joseph the Worker Council10531 in Thornhill, Ontario,ordered custom blazers andbadges for the ushers at itsparish to increase their visibil-ity during crowded Masses.Both items, which feature thenew parish logo, were pur-chased to commemorate thecompletion of extensivechurch renovations.

GROTTO BUILTOrland (Calif.) Council 3606built a new base and grottofor a statue of Mary at its

Marty Mazurek (left) of St.Raphael Council 14171 inNaperville, Ill., signs up apotential donor at a blooddrive to benefit HeartlandBlood Centers. The event,which was co-sponsored byNaperville Council 1369,drew 165 donors.

Ernest and Pauline Dupuistake the stage to receive acertificate commemoratingtheir 50 years of marriage.Belle River (Ontario) Council2775, in conjunction withWoodslee Credit Union andthe town of Lakeshore, hon-ored 142 area couples thathave been married for 50years or more.

KNIGHTS ACTION REPORTS FROM COUNCILS, ASSEMBLIES AND COLUMBIAN SQUIRES CIRCLESIN

KNIGHTS IN ACTION

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 27

to protect the environment.Knights, along with the JalosA.C. Foundation, planted1,000 trees on 4-kilometer lotthat borders a state road.

QUITE A HEIFERSt. Stephen Council 12458in Bentonville, Ark., donated$500 to Heifer Internationalto purchase a cow for a poorfamily in a third-world coun-try. Funds for the donationwere raised at a council-spon-sored breakfast.

MEN OF COMFORTOur Lady of Fatima Council12698 in Wilton, Conn., do-nated 27 teddy bears to Nor-walk Hospital. The bears willfind new homes with youngpatients in the pediatricswing and in the emergencyroom. Funds for the dona-tion were raised at the coun-cil’s annual wine tasting.

BROTHERS IN ANGOLA

Holy Family Council 11981in Iverness, Ill., shipped three40-foot cargo containers toFather Moses MwanikiGitau, a priest from Angola.Among the numerous sup-plies were two tabernacles foruse in native churches.

HOUSING TRUSTSt. Clare of Assisi Council13630 in Woodbridge, On-tario, established a trust toaid local residents who arefacing eviction or missedmortgage or rent payments.The council sponsored a din-ner and auction that was at-tended by 300 people andraised $20,000 to fund thenascent program.

UP THE FLAG POLESt. Bede the Venerable Coun-cil 13755 in Mentor, Ohio,and Boy Scout Troop 383 col-lected $2,000 to install a 25-foot flagpole at their parish.Cardinal Newman Assemblyin Lake & Geauga provided

an honor guard for the pole’sdedication ceremony.

NOW WE’RE COOKINGNevada Council 978 in Reno,Nv., donated two new con-vection ovens to the parishhall at St. Thomas AquinasCathedral.

RACING AROUNDThe Sacred Heart RoundTable in Waynesboro, Ga.,sponsored by Cardinal Ter-ence Cooke Council 8495 inEvans, raffled a set of fourNASCAR tickets to raise$2,200. The funds were splitevenly between SpecialOlympics and the AmericanCancer Society.

THE BEST MEDICINEFather Mitchell J. CetkowskiCouncil 6201 in Howell,N.J., hosted a dinner andauction to benefit a local girlwith childhood cancer. LucyLittlefield, the daughter ofcouncil member Scott Little-field, was diagnosed at 12weeks with Neuroblastoma.The event raised more than$24,000 to help offset thefamily’s medical expenses.

Members of Father Pierre E. Bovin Council 5041 in Morrisville,Vt., work to build a new pavilion at the Mount Norris Scout Reser-vation in Eden. Knights raised funds, solicited materials and serv-ices, and participated in the construction of the new pavilion,which was dedicated in memory of Past Grand Knight Edwin Tay-lor, a Scout leader. Extra funds raised for the project were thenused to establish a campership program for needy Scouts.

PARISH RENOVATIONSt. Helen (Mich.) Council8390 donated $26,550 to itsparish over a two-year periodto aid with renovations andto repair the church roof.

MAKING THE CALLIn January 2007, Paul Myersof Bishop William T. MulloyCouncil 1301 in Newport,Ky., developed a genetic con-dition that caused complete

blindness within six months.While Myers was able to re-ceive government aid for aguide dog and computer, hecould no longer use his cellphone due to its limited func-tionality. Council 1301 do-nated $2,000 to purchase aspecial phone for Myers thathas a built-in camera and spe-cial software that allows thephone to scan and read text.

COUNCIL PAINTERSSt. Joseph’s Council 10069 inDubuque, Iowa, painted thehome of an elderly womanwho lives alone. Knights pro-vided all materials and man-power for the project.

PASTA DINNERMsgr. J. M. Hanson Council5038 in Ankeny, Iowa, held apasta dinner that raised morethan $1,000 for the council’scharitable fund. Knights se-cured donations from Hy-Veesupermarkets and Barilla forthe event, which saw morethan 200 diners.

TREES PLANTEDNuestra Señora de la Asun-cion Council 4910 inJalostotitlàn, Mexico Central,hosted an ecological campaign

Two children fill a wheelbar-row while construction com-mences on a church inHonduras. Members ofNuestra Señora del RosarioCouncil 10517 in Santa Fe,N.M., traveled to Hondurasto complete two villagechurches that had beenabandoned due to a lack ofconstruction funds. In addi-tion, Council 10517 raisedmore than $18,100 for build-ing materials.

Father Charles Ssubulime sitsastride a new motorcycle thatwas purchased with help fromLos Crusados Council 1990 inRedondo Beach, Calif. FatherSsubulime, who is a memberof Council 1990 and whostudied for the priesthood inSouthern California, reporteddifficulties in ministering to hisscattered parishioners inUganda. Knights donated$4,000 toward the motorcy-cle’s purchase price.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION

28 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

Members of Immaculate Heart of Mary Council 12845 in Gard-nerville, Nev., stand with an ultraviolet radiation warning signalthat the council donated to the town. Knights teamed with theCarson Valley Skin Cancer Awareness Foundation (SCAF) to in-stall the sign, which indicates the level of ultraviolet radiation andthe amount of skin-care protection required.

church grounds, including anunderground sprinkler sys-tem. By doing the workthemselves, the council savedthe parish untold sums ofmoney in contractor fees.

SPECIAL SCHOOLINGSt. Vincent de Paul Council12191 in Berkeley Springs,W. Va., raised $1,224 forHancock Elementary Schoolduring the council’s annualfund drive for people with in-tellectual disabilities. Thefunds will be used to supportspecial education programsfor students.

NEW DESKSTomah (Wis.) Council 4125donated $5,000 to St. MaryImmaculate ConceptionSchool for the purchase ofnew desks for fifth-, sixth-and eighth-grade students.

PLEDGE FULFILLEDDr. Briggs Council 4597 inCourtenay, British Colum-bia, fulfilled a $100,000pledge to expand Christ theKing Church. The projectwill provide a new hall, of-fices and classrooms to bene-fit surrounding communities.Knights raised funds for the

MOVIE KNIGHTMiddlesex Council 857 inWoodbridge, N.J., hosted amovie night fundraiser thatraised $400 for MiddlesexCounty Right to Life.

VOLUNTEERING ATTHE CENTER

Members of Holy RedeemerCouncil 12899 in Vancouver,Wash., participated in amulti-year remodeling proj-ect at their church. As part ofthe project, Knights installedlandscaping around the

cost of renting equipmentand usually donates thewood for use as fuel amongcouncil members or needyindividuals.

A VISION IN GLASSKirkwood Council 2117 do-nated more than $120,000 torepair and restore the stained-glass windows at St. PeterChurch. Over a one-year pe-riod, the windows, which arevalued at $1.5 million, werecleaned, re-leaded where nec-essary and re-caulked.

LEARNING CONTINUES

Middletown (Pa.) Council3501 contributed $50,000 tohelp equip the science lab at anew Catholic education cen-ter. Seven Sorrows of theBlessed Virgin Mary Churchopened a new parish ministryand education center with as-sistance from communitybusinesses and civic organiza-tions. The council was amongthe largest local donors.

donation by operating a mo-bile food booth, as well asseveral breakfast and dinnerfundraisers.

GROTTO & WALKWAYFather James J. McCaffertyCouncil 11013 in Yardley,Pa., funded and installed aMarian grotto and memorialwalkway at St. Ignatius ofAntioch Church.

EQUIPPED FOR EFFICIENCY

Holy Spirit Council 6792 inTopsail, Newfoundland, do-nated $1,800 to help equipan efficiency kitchen at St.Georges Elementary School.The funds will be used topurchase a refrigerator, stove,microwave and cutlery forthe school, which serves chil-dren with disabilities.

HANDS ACROSS THE BORDER

At the request of the Trinitar-ians of Mary Monastery inTecate, Mexico, Our Lady ofGuadalupe Assembly in San-tee, Calif., collected morethan 800 pairs of shoes forthe needy. Area Girl Scoutsassisted in the collection.

EDUCATION IN AFGHANISTAN

At the request of Maj. JeffCamp, a three-time veteran ofconflicts the Middle East,Queen of Angels Council12154 in St. John, Ill., col-lected school supplies for chil-dren in Afghanistan. Knightsengaged the entire parishcommunity to collect writingimplements, notebooks andother supplies, as well as $700in cash donations.

TREE SERVICEFather Thomas O’ReillyCouncil 4358 in Decatur,Ga., runs an informal treeservice that cuts and removesfallen trees from the homesof parishioners. The councilcharges nothing above the

William Hielscher (center) ofCardinal John Dearden Coun-cil 744 in Mt. Clemens, Mich.,presents Tim McNamara (left)and Steve Mateja of SacredHeart Major Seminary in De-troit with a new U.S. flag.Knights donated the over-sized flag for use in the semi-nary’s gymnasium.

Harold Kyle and Mark Shut-ters replace a set of stairs atthe Walter J. Mitchell Schooloutdoor science center. Vol-unteers from several commu-nity groups — includingArchbishop Neale Council2279 in La Plata, Md. —gathered to repair the out-door classroom, observationhouse and storage shed afterall three buildings had falleninto disrepair. Shutters is amember of Council 2279.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 29

chalice in the care of the otherseminarians there. However,the chalice could not befound when he returned tohis native country. The newchalice, purchased by theKnights, is engraved with Fa-ther Gerald’s name and theemblem of the Order.

HOCKEY COMPETITION

Holy Angels Council 11826in Brighton, Ontario, organ-ized a hockey competitionfor area young people. Boysand girls ages 7-10 weretested on their ability tomake a penalty shot, andeach attendee received a cer-tificate of participation.

COLLECTION BASKETS

St. Odilia Council 9598 inShoreview, Minn., donatednew collection baskets to itsparish. Council members alsoactively serve as ushers andEucharistic ministers atSt. Odilia Church.

MADONNA SCHOOLSt. Joseph Council 10894 inSpringfield, Neb., donated$250 to Madonna School, aschool for children with intel-lectual disabilities. St. JosephChurch provided matchingfunds of $250 for the dona-tion as well.

ATHLETIC FUNDSMsgr. Maurice C. DeasonCouncil 8141 in Austin,Texas, served lunch to atten-dees at St. Mary School’s fieldday. The event raised $1,000,which was donated to theschool’s athletic department.

RECTORY UPGRADEDOur Lady of Angels Council13044 in Plano, Texas, do-nated $3,500 to upgrade the15-year-old rectory at itsparish. The funds were usedto refurbish three bedrooms,the living room, diningroom, hallways and den.

Members of Father Emil J. Kapaun Council 11987 at the Sem-bach Air Base in Germany stand with Father Mike Morris andthe portable tabernacle they donated to Ramstein Air Base.Council members attended Mass with the Catholic communityat Ramstein and presented the tabernacle to Father Morris,who serves as the base’s senior Catholic chaplain.

A BIT OFF THE TOPTambo (Luzon) Council 6167provided free haircuts to ap-proximately 120 schoolchild-ren, ages four to 16, before thestart of the new academic year.

SHARING CITRUSArchbishop Fulton J. SheenCouncil 13571 in Debary,Fla., harvested oranges,lemons, grapefruits and tan-gerines from the gardens ofarea parishioners who wishedto share their citrus harvests.Knights collected 15 tons ofcitrus and donated the bountyto several local food banks.

PART OF THE TOURMobile (Ala.) Council 666presented a 100-year-oldKnights of Columbus cere-monial plate to Jason Lau-rence, curator of exhibits atthe Museum of Mobile. Thehistoric piece will becomepart of the museum’s perma-nent exhibit.

ULTRASOUND MACHINE

Msgr. Peter Blessing Council5273 in Coventry, R.I., raised$1,000 to purchase a portableultrasound machine for theMother of Life Center inProvidence.

KNEELERS REPAIREDPateros Rizal (Luzon) Coun-cil 4640 reupholstered thekneelers at St. Roch Church,saving the parish approxi-mately 20,300 pesos in re-pair costs.

CHALICE PRESENTATION

John XXIII Council 6621 inEast Vineland, N.J., pre-sented a new chalice to FatherAnthony G. Gerald, a priestfrom India whose originalchalice was misplaced. WhenFather Gerald left India afterhis ordination, he left his

LIVING ROSARYMsgr. Raymond P. KellyCouncil 10966 in Pasadena,Md., hosts a living rosary atSt. Jane Frances de ChantalSchool twice each year. PastGrand Knight Joe Turchettaorganized the event and con-structed a 75-foot rosary touse with students in gradesone through eight.

Members of PangasinanCouncil 3711 in DagupanCity, Luzon, paint new park-ing lines at their church.Knights repainted the parkinglot after the old lines hadfaded away.

Father Paul Gaggawala (cen-ter) of St. Joseph the WorkerCouncil 10921 in Orefield, Pa.,celebrates Mass in Ugandawith vestments, chalices andother items donated by St.Vincent de Paul Council 11901in Plymouth. Knights made ashipment to Africa that in-cluded religious goods, schooldesks, computers and more— all of which they collectedfor needy communities aroundthe world.

Members of Father Crisos-tomo Circle 2047 in Caban-tuan City, Luzon, planteuphorbia plants outside aK of C hall. Concerned withenvironmental stewardship,Squires planted new saplingsthroughout the vicinity.

KNIGHTS IN ACTION

30 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

SCHOOL SUPPLIESBago City (Visayas) Council7936 donated school suppliesto pre-school and first-gradestudents at Sagasa Elemen-tary School.

PADDLING ALONGSt. Mary Council 5999 inMarshall, Mich., raffled a

handcrafted cedar-strip canoe,which raised more than$8,500. Some of these fundswere donated to the FountainClinic, which provides freemedical and dental care to peo-ple without health insurance.

FULL OF E-HOPESagadahoc Council 249 inBath, Maine, held a spaghettisupper that raised $1,567 foreHope, an organization thatprovides support to familiesand loved ones who are fac-ing a life-threatening illness.

FOOTBALL FOR IVORY

St. John Vianey Council14582 in Fishers, Ind.,hosted a cornhole (beanbag)football tournament to raisefunds for a new piano at itsparish. The seven-hour eventraised $265.

SOUND OF SILENCEMembers of Holy RosaryCouncil 869 in Harrisburg,Pa., and St. Theresa of the In-fant Jesus Council 8921 inNew Cumberland made sev-eral repairs at Silence of MaryHome, a Harrisburg-basedhomeless shelter. When the

shelter was cited for notbeing up to code, Knightsdonated $1,200 to coverbuilding supplies and volun-teered to help re-grade thedriveway, put up siding andremove debris.

SIGN ME UPWhen high winds destroyedthe sign at St. Louis Church,Aroostook Council 2851 inLimestone, Maine, stepped into have a new sign built andinstalled. Knights completelyfunded the sign, which listsMass times and has concretefootings.

BENEFIT LUNCHEONSt. Patrick Council 13394 inCorning, Kan., held a benefitluncheon to defray the med-ical costs of two local cancerpatients. The event raisedmore than $14,200, whichwas divided evenly betweenboth recipients.

FISH DINNERSt. Anne’s Council 9594 inSeal Beach, Calif., held its an-nual Alaskan fish dinner forparishioners at St. Anne’sChurch. Knights, at theirown expense, flew to Sitka,Alaska, where they spent sev-eral days at sea catching hal-ibut, salmon and a variety ofother fish that were thenfrozen and shipped home.More than 300 people at-tended the dinner’s two seat-ings, which raised more than$5,300 for vocations in theDiocese of Orange.

NEW TRICYCLEWhen Royal Canadian Le-gion Branch #93 failed toraise sufficient funds to pur-chase an adaptive tricycle fora local boy with disabilities,Msgr. Boyd Council 6774 inOromocto, New Brunswick,stepped in to cover theshortage. Knights and veter-ans together then presentedthe bike to the boy and hisfamily.

Jim Hoffman of Petoskey (Mich.) Council 923 removes a foun-dation stone from the St. Francis Solanus Mission Church.Council 923 answered a call to help preserve the church, whichwas built in 1859 and is one of the oldest structures in northernMichigan. Among other preservation tasks, Knights helped liftthe building six feet off the ground so a new foundation couldbe built. And since the site also sits on an historic burial ground,removing the old foundation needed to be done by hand.

Brian Mulcahy of St. Augus-tine Council 7273 in Peru,N.Y., stands with ChristianRodriguez Ortega (left, pic-tured with his mother) and Is-real Antonio Castello and hismother while on a mission tripto Nicaragua. Council 7273sponsored Ortega’s educa-tion for one year while theMulcahy family sponsoredCastello. Council 7273’s fi-nancial assistance has helpedseveral people undertake mis-sion trips to Nicaragua.

OFFICIAL MARCH 1, 2010:

To owners of Knights of Columbus insurancepolicies and persons responsible for payment ofpremiums on such policies: Notice is herebygiven that in accordance with the provisions ofSection 84 of the Laws of the Order, payment ofinsurance premiums due on a monthly basis tothe Knights of Columbus by check made payableto Knights of Columbus and mailed to same atPO Box 1492, NEW HAVEN, CT 06506-1492,before the expiration of the grace period set forthin the policy. In Canada: Knights of Columbus,CASE POSTALE 935, Station d’Armes, Montréal,PQ H2Y 3J4

ALL MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOS, ARTWORK,EDITORIAL MATTER, AND ADVERTISING IN-QUIRIES SHOULD BE MAILED TO: COLUMBIA,PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.REJECTED MATERIAL WILL BE RETURNED IFACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED ENVE-LOPE AND RETURN POSTAGE. PURCHASEDMATERIAL WILL NOT BE RETURNED.

COLUMBIA (ISSN 0010-1869) IS PUB-LISHED MONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OFCOLUMBUS, 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEWHAVEN, CT 06510-3326. PHONE: 203-752-4000, www.kofc.org. PRODUCED IN USA.COPYRIGHT © 2010 BY KNIGHTS OF COLUM-BUS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTIONIN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMIS-SION IS PROHIBITED.

PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT NEWHAVEN, CT AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OF-FICES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGESTO COLUMBIA, MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENT,PO BOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

CANADIAN POSTMASTER — THIRD-CLASSPOSTAGE IS PAID AT WINNIPEG, MB, PERMITNO. 0100092699. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREE-MENT NO. 1473549. REGISTRATION NO.R104098900. RETURN UNDELIVERABLECANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: KNIGHTS OFCOLUMBUS, 505 IROQUOIS SHORE ROAD#11, OAKVILLE ON L6H 2R3

PHILIPPINE S —FOR PHILIPPINES SECOND-CLASS MAIL AT THE MANILA CENTRAL POST OF-FICE. SEND RETURN COPIES TO KCFAPI,FRATERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, PO BOX1511, MANILA.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES — IN THE U.S.: 1YEAR, $6; 2 YEARS, $11; 3 YEARS, $15. FOROTHER COUNTRIES ADD $2 PER YEAR. EXCEPTFOR CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS, PAYMENT INU.S. CURRENCY ONLY. SEND ORDERS ANDCHECKS TO: ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, POBOX 1670, NEW HAVEN, CT 06507-0901.

OPINIONS BY WRITERS ARE THEIR OWNAND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THEVIEWS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.

K OF C ITEMSAvailable from the following designated official suppliers

CAPES, CHAPEAUX,SWORDS, FLAGS,

PLAQUES AND MORECall THE ENGLISH COMPANY INC. at 1-800-444-5632 or visit www.kofcsupplies.com.Free catalog available.

ROBES ANDFOURTH DEGREE

ITEMSCall LYNCH AND KELLY INC. at 1-888-548-3890. Catalog available

FOURTH DEGREE TUXEDOS

Approved K of C Dress CodeCall CHILBERT & CO. at 1-800-289-2889 or visit www.chilbert.com. Free catalog available.

FATHER JAMES E. COYLE, an extraordinary priest andKnight of Columbus in the early 20th century, courageouslystood up against widely-held anti-Catholic views at the risk,and then cost, of his life.

The Irish-born priest was scarcely in his 20s when, after his ordi-nation in Rome, he was dispatched to Alabama to begin his priest-hood. The Catholic population in Alabama had exploded with apromise of jobs, especially in and around Birmingham’s network ofcoal mines, steel mills and iron foundries. Father Coyle arrived inthe city shortly before a wave of anti-Catholicism flooded the country, and therevived Ku Klux Klan (KKK) rebrandeditself as a “patriotic” fraternity, targetingblacks, Catholics, Jews and foreigners.

It was a tense time in America, andfear of the new immigrants gripped morethan a small band of hysterics. A numberof states passed “convent inspectionlaws,” which authorized the warrantlesssearch of convents, monasteries and evenCatholic hospitals. Investigators lookedfor Protestant women and children pur-portedly being held against their will andfor weapons and ammunition theKnights of Columbus had supposedlystashed there. Knights were plotting aninsurrection, the fear-mongers said. Theywere the pope’s secret foot soldiers andcould never be “true Americans.”

Against these baseless accusations,Father Coyle defended the faith and theOrder, becoming a lightning rod for at-tacks. Federal agents warned BishopEdward Allen of Mobile, Ala., of threats against Father Coyle’slife and of plans to burn his church to the ground.

Then, on Aug. 11, 1921, Rev. Edwin R. Stephenson, aMethodist minister and Klansman, stepped onto the porch of St.Paul’s rectory with a loaded handgun. About an hour earlier, Fa-ther Coyle had officiated the wedding of Rev. Stephenson’s 18-year-old daughter, Ruth, to Pedro Gussman, a Catholic migrantfrom Puerto Rico. Like many other Klansmen, Rev. Stephensondespised Catholics. When he learned that Father Coyle had mar-ried his daughter to Gussman, he was livid. He shot the priest incold blood, and Father Coyle died within minutes.

The climate for bringing Rev. Stephenson to justice couldnot have been worse. A veteran prosecutor spent weeks trying

to convince a grand jury to return an indictment, and when itfinally did, the Klan ran a statewide drive to raise funds to hirea young lawyer named Hugo Black to lead Rev. Stephenson’sdefense. Black would later be elected to the U.S. Senate and ap-pointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Klan’s presence at Rev. Stephenson’s October 1921 trialwas manifest. Historians would later report that the jury foremanand the presiding judge were both Klansmen. Hugo Black him-self would join the ranks of the KKK less than two years later to

forward his own political aspirations. On the eve of trial, Rev. Stephenson’s

lawyers announced they would amend hisplea to “not guilty by reason of insanity”to permit the argument that Rev.Stephenson was not responsible for his ac-tions after he learned Father Coyle hadmarried Ruth to Pedro. The minister andhis wife both claimed that “the Catholics”had tried to seduce Ruth away from herProtestant faith; news of their daughter’smarriage was the last straw.

Though little remembered today, Rev.Stephenson’s weeklong trial was a na-tional sensation. Reporters from far-flung cities raced to Birmingham toobserve the spectacle. The jury, however,took only a few hours to return their ver-dict: “Not guilty.”

Catholics in Birmingham have neverforgotten the outrage. “It is our hopethat the sharing of the life and death ofthis holy man may promote greater un-derstanding, reconciliation and peace

among all of God’s children,” writes James Pinto Jr., a memberof Father James E. Coyle Council 9862 and an organizer forthe Father James E. Coyle Memorial Project.

Before his death, Father Coyle served as the chaplain ofBirmingham (Ala.) Council 635 and was a charter member ofMobile (Ala.) Council 666. He remains a model of faithful andcourageous priestly service today.

For more information about Father James E. Coyle, visitwww.fathercoyle.org.♦

SHARON DAVIES is the John C. Elam/Vorys Sater Designated Professor ofLaw at the Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University, and author ofRising Road: A True Tale of Love, Race and Religion in America (Oxford, 2010).

Father James E. Coyle (1873-1921), aKnights of Columbus chaplain, courageously spokeagainst anti-Catholic prejudice in the South. Heis pictured here several months before being killed.

YEAR FOR PRIESTS

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 31

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

Tragedy in BirminghamRemembering the 1921 slaying of Father James E. Coyle

by Sharon Davies

PHOTO: Bill Fex

Collection, Birmingha

m, Alabam

a

COLUMBIANISM BY DEGREES

32 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ M A R C H 2 0 1 0

FATHER GARY DEROUCHEY ofPierre (S.D.) Council 2686 prepares tocelebrate Mass at a military chapel inIraq. Father DeRouchey, a militarychaplain, received the pictured chaliceand paten from Rosebud Assembly inWinner, S.D., which donated the itemsin memory of Michael J. Sharkey(inset), a deceased Knight and WorldWar II veteran.• Msgr. John F. Callahan Council 3600in West Hartford, Conn. — along withrepresentatives from the VFW, the con-firmation class and women’s club atSt. Thomas the Apostle Church, andWest Hartford Girl Scouts — assem-bled 23 care packages for U.S. troopsserving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Patriotism

Charity

CHILDREN in Bar-Kowino, Kenya,stand with some of the care packagesthey received with help from Msgr.F. X. Prefontaine Council 11085 inSeattle. Knights held a pancake break-fast to benefit Father Crispin Okoth,a Knight who works with children andorphans in Kenya. The event raised$1,560 to help Father Okoth assemblecare packages of food, clothing, schoolsupplies and mosquito nets.• Bishop Brady Council 399 in Barre,Vt., has held a spaghetti dinner on thesecond Tuesday of each month sinceJanuary 2000. Over the past decade,Knights have raised more than$65,000 for charity.

Fraternity

COLLEGE KNIGHTS Jason Gan-gluff, Matt Winkeler and Aaron Isleyrepair a fence at the Clear CreekMonastery in Hulbert, Okla. Knightsfrom four college councils — CardinalJohn Henry Newman Council 7787at the University of Arkansas in Fayet-teville, Father Blaise HaritchabaletCouncil 5354 at St. Gregory’s Univer-sity in Shawnee, Oklahoma State Uni-versity Council 11135 in Stillwaterand Tulsa University Council 11633— gathered at the monastery to cleanbrush and perform other maintenanceduties. Gangluff belongs to Council7787, while Winkeler and Isley bothbelong to Council 11633.

Unity

MEMBERS of The Risen ChristCouncil 6399 in Moonwalk, Luzon,look on as Father Melchor BoyetMontalbo (far left) blesses the coun-cil’s Ten Commandments monumentat a council-sponsored dedicationceremony.• To ensure the safety of parish chil-dren, members of Santa BarbaraCouncil 14166 in Austin, Texas, re-moved grass spurs — weeds with sharpprickers — from their parish play-ground. Knights also installed a safetyfence around the playground area.

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ♦ C O L U M B I A ♦ 33

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: COLUMBIA@KOFC.ORG.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

Building a better world one council at a time

Every 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.

Members of St. Paul of the Cross Council6681 in Marikina, Luzon, paint newlyconstructed homes at a housing project forneedy members of the community. Knightspainted the façade of each house a distinctand attractive color.

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

KEEP THE FAITH ALIVE

‘THE LORD PLACEDA DEEP DESIRE IN

MY HEART FOR ALLPEOPLE TO KNOWHIS INTIMATE LOVE

FOR THEM.’What does it take to commit to a religious voca-

tion? A strong prayer life, love, perseverance, humbleservice and an attitude of selflessness. This is true forany vocation, but the religious life demands a holyaudacity to live out the Christian life in a radical way.I witnessed what it means to be generous with

the Lord through the example of my parents.Through my father’s active participation in theKnights of Columbus and my mother’s role as a cat-echist, I was surrounded by examples of faith in ac-tion. They showed me what it was to perform quiet,humble acts of service using God-given blessingsand talents. Because of this, I naturally became gen-erous with the Lord and opened my heart to thepossibility of a religious vocation. I wanted to become a religious sister not for my

own sake, but so others can see, experience andknow God’s love through me. The Lord placed adeep desire in my heart for all people to know hisintimate love for them, and in serving God’s peopleI have found unspeakable joy.

SISTER ELIZABETH BEUSSINK

Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R., of Penance of the Sorrowful MotherToronto, Ohio