By: Joseph Yekulis - Wed, Nov 20, 2024 12:11 PM

On Thursday November 14, 2024, Msgr. Fedewa Assembly #2050 of Howell received a visit from Vice Supreme Master Ed Ponder and District Master Joe Yekulis at their monthly assembly meeting to receive the "To Be a Patriot" award given by Supreme at their annual Summer Conference in Quebec. 

The Assembly received the award for their work in support of Blue Star Service Dogs, a 501 C3 non-profit that trains therapy dogs for Veterans who are suffering from PTSD.

The Assembly's project was chosen as the winner in Michigan District 2, then went on to win in the Fr. Hennepin Province in Michigan & Ohio, and finally was chosen as one of three TBAP awards given out nationally at the Supreme Convention.

More than 60 people were present for this special event, which also provided a catered meal for the SK's and Ladies who were in attendance at St. Agnes Parish in Fowlerville, MI. VAVS Director John Yanok was the coordinator of the project, supported by PFN Don Powell and FN Paul Funk.

By: Paul Kelsey - Wed, Nov 20, 2024 6:22 AM

Spreading the Word About Cor

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly updates U.S. bishops on the Cor initiative and asks for their support

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly addressed the annual plenary assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore Nov. 13, offering the Order’s assistance in the bishops’ evangelization efforts and asking for their support of the Cor initiative.

Amid the “modern crisis of isolation that comes from ruptured relationships,” Supreme Knight Kelly said, “Catholics need places to grow in friendship with God and one another — places where they can commit together to answer our Lord’s call to evangelize. This is the insight that led us to create the Cor initiative.”

The Knights of Columbus launched Cor in 2023, first as a pilot program in 16 jurisdictions and later that year across the Order. Cor groups have now formed in more than 3,000 parishes to provide men — including men who are not Knights — with opportunities for prayer, faith formation and fraternity.

“Men of all ages are hungry for spiritual community. And we know many priests want to set up small groups to meet that need, but they can’t quite do it on their own. Cor is the solution,” the supreme knight told the bishops. “It enables priests to draw on the structure and resources of the Knights of Columbus, getting small groups off the ground quickly, and — importantly — sustaining them over time.”

The supreme knight asked the bishops for their help spreading the word about Cor in the dioceses and among their priests, and promised that the Knights will continue to carry out Blessed Michael McGivney’s mission in support of the Church and the family.

He concluded, “To all of you, our bishops, we thank you for your support and recommit ourselves to standing in steadfast solidarity with you. And as always, we pray for you, just as we count on your prayers for us.”

USCCB president Archbishop Timothy Broglio thanked the supreme knight for his remarks, adding that Cor “certainly falls very well in this time of New Evangelization and in this time of synodality.”

In his presidential address to the plenary assembly the previous day, Archbishop Brolio also commended the Knights of Columbus for its humanitarian work in Ukraine. The archbishop, who leads the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, visited the war-torn country in December 2022.

“With my own eyes I saw what the Knights of Columbus were doing on the ground in Ukraine,” Archbishop Broglio said, adding, “What was born of concrete needs for widows in the 19th century still serves today for formation, charitable action, and authentic patriotism.”

*****

CECILIA HADLEY is editorial director of the Knights of Columbus communications department.

By: Paul Kelsey - Thu, Nov 14, 2024 2:10 PM

US Nuncio: Bishops Must Foster Missionary Zeal

‘The deeper we go into [Christ’s] heart, the more strengthened we will be to proclaim the Good News together: the news of a hope that, in spite of everything in this world, does not disappoint,’ Cardinal Christophe Pierre said Nov. 12.  A major challenge facing U.S. bishops today is to move faithful Catholics from private faith to a missionary commitment to lead others to Christ, the apostolic nuncio to the United States said Tuesday.

Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Holy See’s U.S. ambassador, delivered his remarks Nov. 12 at the opening of the bishops’ annual fall plenary assembly in Baltimore, reflecting on a momentous year highlighted by the National Eucharistic Congress in July, a new encyclical on the Sacred Heart from Pope Francis, and the conclusion of the three-year Synod on Synodality in October, as well as final preparations for next year’s jubilee year for the worldwide Church.

Striking a pastoral tone, Cardinal Pierre offered an overarching theme linking all these initiatives: a call to “return to the heart” of Christ and then moving outward from this personal encounter to heed his call to spread the Gospel.

“All of these experiences will produce fruit, provided that we return to the heart of Christ, that sacred place where human longing and divine love are united,” Cardinal Pierre told the bishops.

“It is there, in the heart of Christ, where we rediscover in a personal way the kerygma that we preach: Christ has become one of us, he has suffered and died to heal our wounds, he has risen, and he is alive with us now in the Spirit,” he said.

“The deeper we go into his heart, the more strengthened we will be to proclaim the Good News together: the news of a hope that, in spite of everything in this world, does not disappoint.”

Cardinal Pierre was among the featured speakers at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, the first such event in the U.S. in 83 years. As he did in July, he emphasized that the congress, the culmination of years of planning, ought to be viewed as only a beginning rather than an event that has now ended.

“When we encounter Christ’s love in this way, we are compelled to share it with others,” he said of the intense encounters with the Eucharistic Lord that many participants experienced there.

Building on that momentum, Cardinal Pierre said, the country’s bishops must now “help the Church find the answers to the questions that were being asked at the conclusion of the Eucharistic Congress: How do we move from personal encounter to mission? Where are the new directions that the Spirit is leading us in our evangelization? What new avenues do we need to open in the life of the Church?”

“After all,” Cardinal Pierre added, “a broad Eucharistic Revival can only occur if we are able to live the Eucharist in all its dimensions: not only by gathering to adore, but also by going out on mission, so that Christ can encounter others.”

Cardinal Pierre said Pope Francis’ new encyclical on the Sacred Heart, titled Dilexit Nos (On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ), cites St. John Henry Newman as an example of someone who made the connection between Eucharistic encounter and Christian mission.

“What Newman discovers is what each of us has discovered in his own encounter, both with the Eucharist and with that ‘beating heart’ of the Lord whom we sense when we receive the gift of prayer,” Cardinal Pierre said.

“This experience imparts a knowledge that is deeper than any doctrinal formula: Christ is alive in our midst, and he desires to be one with us. This is what has the power to change our lives, first at an individual level, and then as members of the Body, the Church.”

Cardinal Pierre pointed to Pope Francis’ desire that the Church become more “synodal” as another expression of this sense of mission.

“Several years into our synodal journey as a Church, some are still asking, ‘What is synodality?’” Cardinal Pierre said.

“Perhaps the language of devotion to the Sacred Heart can give us a way to understand,” he suggested. “The synodal Church is a gathering of people who have come into relationship with the heart of Christ and who are journeying together in order to share that relationship with others.”

“This Synod on Synodality was never about completing a ‘to-do list,’” Cardinal Pierre continued.

“As Pope Francis has always said, synodality is not about predicting certain outcomes. Instead, it’s about inviting more participation in the Church’s missionary discernment while at the same time deepening our shared participation with the Lord,” he said. “For that reason, we shouldn’t judge the ‘success’ of the synod based on which decisions have been made or whose vision for the Church has prevailed. If we are looking to see what the synod has ‘accomplished,’ we should look instead at the way in which conversations are happening at various levels in the Church. Is everyone participating who should be? Does listening take priority over competing? Is it an exercise of shared discernment?”

“To dialogue in this way requires constantly ‘returning to the heart,’” he said. “This takes a lot of discipline! It doesn’t yield immediate ‘results,’ and it doesn’t win quick and decisive ‘victories.’”

Rather, synodality offers something “more powerful in terms of communion,” Cardinal Pierre noted.

“First, when we return to our own heart, we find what is actually there: our true desires, our hopes and dreams, our thoughts and our judgments. We also encounter our fears, our disappointments, our disdain and our enmity. By opening our hearts — and all that is in them — to the heart of Christ, we allow him to unite his heart with ours, which both affirms and purifies our hearts as they become one with his,” he said.

“With a heart that is more united to the heart of Christ, we have more capacity for unity with the hearts of others.”

Finally, Cardinal Pierre spoke in anticipation of the 2025 Jubilee, a yearlong celebration featuring a host of special events in Rome and around the world.

“A jubilee is exactly what our world and our country need right now, but which no secular power or political solution could ever achieve,” said Cardinal Pierre, who described it as an antidote to a deeply polarized political climate “that seems like a kind of war.”

Cardinal Pierre called on the faithful to make their hearts into a “guest house” for another person with whom we might disagree, borrowing a phrase from German philosopher Martin Heidegger.

“This would be a work of synodality,” the cardinal said. “It would also be a work of jubilee: a work that will help us, as bishops, to give a more credible witness to our people of the hope that does not disappoint.

“This is the work to which we are called in this coming jubilee year,” Cardinal Pierre told the bishops.

By: Kenneth Unterbrink - Mon, Nov 11, 2024 5:13 PM

By: Richard Perry - Mon, Nov 11, 2024 5:09 PM

A heartfelt thank you goes out to Council 6742 from the Church of The Holy Family in Grand Blanc for generously providing coats and mittens. Additionally, Council 7482 from St. John’s Parish in Fenton donated an additional 80 coats, supplementing those purchased through the Supreme Council.

By: Ken Warzybok - Mon, Nov 11, 2024 4:31 PM

By: Ken Warzybok - Mon, Nov 11, 2024 7:02 AM

"Radiating Joy: The Michelle Duppong Story" is a compelling documentary that chronicles the life of Servant of God Michelle Duppong, a former FOCUS missionary who tragically passed away from cancer in 2015 at the young age of 31. 

 

Bishop Kagan of Bismarck initiated her Cause for Canonization in 2022. Michelle's story serves as a powerful testament to unwavering faith in God amidst adversity, illustrating that even the most ordinary individuals are called to strive for sainthood.

 

On November 12th, "Radiating Joy" will be shown in over 700 theaters nationwide for a special one-night screening. This event promises to be a moving and inspirational experience for all audiences.

 

Ken Duppong, Michelle's father, is a devoted member of the Knights of Columbus, and he attributes the spiritual growth of his family to the Knights' influence. In recognition of their impact, the Knights have produced a video highlighting the Duppong family's journey.

 

 You can see the video by clicking here .

Theater locations and ticket purchases are available here .

By: Paul Kelsey - Sat, Nov 9, 2024 9:53 PM

By: Ken Warzybok - Sat, Nov 9, 2024 9:42 PM

On Saturday, November 9th, St. Louis Center hosted its 37th Annual Fall Dinner Auction. It was a wonderful evening filled with excitement and generosity.

We are pleased to congratulate Past State Deputy Kenneth Unterbrink and his wife, Ellie, for being honored with the St. Louis Center's Founders Award. Their years of dedication, commitment, and continued support has helped make a positive impact on the lives of those served by the center.

 

Additionally, the Michigan Knights of Columbus proudly presented a check for a $21,000 donation to the center.

St. Louis Center is a compassionate residential community that provides care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. To learn more about their mission and services, please visit their website by clicking here

 

By: Matthew Wierzgac - Sun, Nov 3, 2024 5:56 PM

It is that time of year again! Michigan Knights of Columbus councils statewide will soon be participating in the Holy Cross Services Sweatshirt Program. This program has been a great success for many years, and with your support, we hope to continue this tradition and make it even better.  Like last year, we are not going to be collecting items at the Winter Leadership Meeting for HCS, but still encouraging councils to donate items for this drive. District Deputies will need to collect items for their councils, or provide the councils with the date and locations to drop off items.

Residents at Holy Cross Services truly appreciate receiving high-quality sweatshirts or hoodies with pro sports team or college logos (please, no plain sweatshirts). 

When purchasing new sweatshirts, please consider youth sizes XS, S, M, L and adult sizes S, M, L. Quality is more important than quantity, as your gift may be the only one they receive this Christmas. 

To make your donation extra special, place the sweatshirts in a decorated gift box and clearly mark the size on the outside. If the sweatshirt is gender-specific, please indicate this in large, easy-to-read lettering.

Drop-off is Saturday December 14^th from 9am to Noon.  Locations are listed below for your convenience.

Thank you for your support in helping HCS meet the needs of families across the great state of Michigan!

Founded in 1948, Holy Cross Services is dedicated to bringing hope, promoting change, and helping people live free, healthy, and productive lives. Your generosity will make a difference in the lives of those served at Holy Cross Services.