The Order provides resources for members to grow in spiritual health and encounter Christ
Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori
In a column this time last year, I mentioned my daily exercise routine. Consider this a follow-up report.
Like others my age who exercise, it is easy to overdo it. I did just that recently. As the result of my imprudence, I woke up one morning “down in the back,” as they say. I couldn’t sit in anything but a straight chair. Getting in and out of a recliner was excruciating. Getting dressed wasn’t exactly a picnic.
I took a pain reliever, but it didn’t do much good. After a while, I began to think that I had seriously injured my spine. Reluctantly, I went to my doctor. He poked around and then he shared some good news: My bones weren’t the problem. But I had strained my back muscles in the course of my workouts. “What you need,” he said, “are core exercises,” and with that he packed me off to physical therapy.
There I learned a new set of exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of my body’s core, or center — muscles that help to maintain balance and flexibility amid daily activities. I started the recommended exercise routine and soon discovered muscles I didn’t know I had. By stretching the same muscles that I had strained, the pain soon went away, and I felt much better.
You can probably see where this is going. It’s not a big stretch to see the connection between core and Cor, between exercising the core of the human body and the spiritual exercises of the Knights of Columbus initiative called Cor — the Latin word for “heart” and a biblical word for “soul” or the center of one’s existence. I hope many of you are already doing your Cor exercises or will soon begin them.
Why do we need Cor exercises? To start with, we often experience inward, spiritual pain. It may not be excruciating — more of an annoyance, a pain we try to ignore, deny or minimize. Or perhaps we’ve just become spiritually flabby. We tell ourselves that our spiritual life and relationship with God are in good shape and that we are pleasing in his eyes. But then something happens that causes us to think twice about our life, and the pain of guilt is harder to ignore.
Cor aims to help Knights encounter Christ and support one another in growing in faith and virtue, in becoming better followers of Christ, better husbands and fathers.
What to do? When my back hurt, my first move was to medicate, but it didn’t work. Pain relievers weren’t the answer. No, I went to the doctor to find out the underlying problem and to seek a remedy. So too, when we falter spiritually or experience guilt, we shouldn’t try to medicate ourselves with food or alcohol or distractions. No, we should go to the doctor. Encountering the divine physician in the sacrament of reconciliation, we receive God’s mercy and discover that we are not broken beyond his ability to repair.
We also discover that going back to the same old sins and failings will only result in more spiritual discomfort and pain. So, a good next step is to engage in spiritual exercises. That is why the Knights of Columbus offers us Cor. Through prayer, formation and fraternity, it is designed to help us strengthen not our physical core but our spiritual “cor.”
Like the core exercises I was assigned, the spiritual exercises of Cor might be new to some. They take different forms: praying the rosary, reading Scripture, participating in spiritual discussions, to name a few. Cor aims to help Knights encounter Christ and support one another in growing in faith and virtue, in becoming better followers of Christ, better husbands and fathers. Cor is exercise for the heart!
At first, I was hesitant to start my core exercises, just as some may be reluctant to participate in Cor. But I’m glad I did, and you will be too.
The Lansing Quad District Meeting took place on July 29th at St. Francis Camp in Jerome, MI.
The meeting was attended by SDRR John Yanok, District Deputies, and council officers from 501, 503, 513, and 516. Also present were St. Francis Camp Liaison Russ Smith, representatives from the Borelli Agency, State Faith Formation and COR Director Paul Kelsey, State Life Director Ed Strach, Diocesan Membership Directors Lawrence Donnellon Jr and Chris Stevens, Diocesan Program Directors Richard Perry and Dave Freund, and Chief of Staff Paul Palka.
In addition to the various presentations on the agenda, the meeting also featured inspirational discussions about St. Francis Camp and Friends of the Master. Friends of the Master is a Catholic ministry that provides support to individuals who have previously been incarcerated.
By: Kenneth Unterbrink -
Wed, Jul 24, 2024 7:01 AM
Michigan Knights of Columbus
Seminarian Tuition Assistance Assessment
As voted and unanimously approved by the delegates at the State Convention.
$3.00 per member, per Fraternal Year
*Offset the tuition cost on Michigan seminarians
*The funds donated by each diocese will stay with the seminarians of the diocese.
*Each council Financial Secretary will receive the Official Billing in July.
*The Grand Knight should bring the Seminarian Tuition Assistance Assessment to the membership for approval.
*Support all the seminarians in Michigan through your convention Delegate approval.
Charity is a duty. Support those charities that adhere to the Teaching of the Catholic Faith.
Please continue to support seminarians with the RSVP program, the Michigan K of C Endowed Scholarship Fund, and all other diocese seminarian funds. The ask is for our future priests.Vivat Jesus!
PS: If your council needs a visit, you are just down the road.
Thanks to the efforts of Blessed Father Michael J. McGivney, assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, and some of his parishioners, the Connecticut state legislature on March 29, 1882, officially chartered the Knights of Columbus as a fraternal benefit society. The Order, which has become the world’s foremost Catholic fraternal organization, is still true to its founding principles of charity, unity, and fraternity.
On Saturday, September 7, 2024, we will observe the installation of our new State Deputy, Barry M. Borsenik, the other state officers, state chaplain, diocesan chaplains, district deputies, state directors, and regional directors from across the state of Michigan. The Installation Mass will be held at the Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption located at 615 Hoyt Avenue, Saginaw, Michigan, at 4:00 pm. This will be followed by a reception and banquet beginning at 6:00 pm at the Horizons Conference Center located at 6200 State Street, Saginaw, Michigan 48603.
We are extending an invitation to your membership to attend this important occasion. Tickets are $65.00, which includes dinner, an open bar and entertainment. Tables seat eight people. Please send your check, made payable to Michigan Knights of Columbus, to Sue Thorn, 768 Lockmoore Court, Rochester Hills, MI 48307 no later than August 6, 2024.To access the fillable RSVP form, click here.
A block of hotel rooms at a special Knights of Columbus price is available at the Four Points by Sheraton located at 4960 Town Center Road, Saginaw, Michigan 48604. We ask that you present this information to your membership during your July meeting and consider sending representatives.
If you are traveling from outside the Saginaw area and would like to stay overnight, the Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw located at 4690 Towne Center Road, Saginaw, Michigan 48604 has been identified as the host hotel. Special Knights of Columbus rates are available if reservations are made no later than August 6, 2024. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel directly at (989) 790-5050.
For more information, please contact me at (734) 634-7989.
We hope you will join us in witnessing the installation of our newly elected officers and join us for the festivities afterwards.
Fraternally yours,
Clifford F. Wasmund Administrative Secretary to the State Deputy
Dear Grand Knights, Council Program Directors, and Council Membership Directors,
Viva Jesus!
As leaders within our councils, it is crucial that we are all fully prepared to excel in our roles. For those who were unable to attend the recent in-person training session, we are pleased to announce several catch-up training opportunities. Please note that each session can accommodate up to 90 participants, so be sure to secure your spot early.
Catch-Up Training Details:
Michigan Knights of Columbus Program & Membership Catch-up Training
If you cannot make these training sessions, please avail yourself of the online materials from Supreme. The latest training from Supreme for Financial Secretaries and Grand Knights can be found at: Officer Training Archives.
This training is designed to ensure that everyone is equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfill their duties effectively. Your participation is vital to the continued success and growth of our council.
Thank you for your commitment and dedication. We look forward to seeing you there.
Brothers! Please mark your calendars for these upcoming ultrasound dedications in Michigan!
Planned Choices, Wednesday, July 31 at 6:00pm. Address is 4517 Allen Road, Allen Park, 48101.
Contact:David Hayward, Grand Knight, Robert Jones Council #3078, GK3078@mikofc.org, 313-574-4139.
Options Pregnancy Center, Tuesday, August 20th at 5:00 pm. Address is 233 Cavanaugh St., Alpena, MI 49707
Contact: Gerald Boerner, Grand Knight; Thunder Bay Council #6851, 517-449-7352.
Life Clinic Community Resources, Thursday, August 29 at 4:00pm. Address is 4818 N. Saginaw Road, Midland, 48640.
Contact: Matt Glaccum, Past Grand Knight, Fr. Henry P. DuRussel Council #2141, GK2141@mikofc.org, 989-430-8622.
Also, please click here to view the video for a beautiful pro-life song by 18-yr old Country Artist, Rachel Holt.
The song, “I Was Gonna Be” is bittersweet, respectfully and honestly giving a voice to unborn children. Mournful and hopeful at the same time, this song brings to light the wonder that was lost with the ending of life.
Let us pray that minds are changed by her voice as she sings the words of the unborn. Let us pray that the world sees the love of the pro-life movement for each mother and unborn baby...
...and let us continue to pray for all who work for Life!
Thank you for your continued support for this and all Life initiatives!
Guest Speaker John Bursch delivered a compelling presentation on Religious Freedom at the Michigan State Council's 2024 Summer Organizational Meeting.
As the Vice President of Appellate Advocacy for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the world's largest public-interest law firm dedicated to defending religious liberty, free speech, parental rights, marriage and family, and the right to life, John Bursch brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, John is a devoted husband and father of five. He is also a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, a three-time past president of the Grand Rapids Legatus Chapter, and a valued member of the Pro-Life Partners Foundation Advisory Board.
His insights and expertise on the topic of Religious Freedom were both enlightening and thought-provoking, leaving attendees with a deeper understanding of the importance of protecting these fundamental rights in our society.
Greetings from the Ladies of the Michigan Knights of Columbus!
At the Ladies Meeting this past weekend, I personally introduced a new initiative I hope our ladies, and yourselves, will embrace. It is called:
It is exactly what the words mean: “Do something good that will make a difference in this world.”
I want to emphasize the power of individual actions and responsibility in bringing about desired changes in our world. Some examples are:
Shop for the elderly
Make a casserole for a meal for someone
If you have a bountiful garden, share with people
Help stock your parishes food pantry, etc.
The ladies will revisit this initiative each time we meet over the next two years. I cannot wait to hear what great and positive actions you have done.
In addition to the various presentations on the agenda, the meeting also featured inspirational discussions about St. Francis Camp and Friends of the Master. Friends of the Master is a Catholic ministry that provides support to individuals who have previously been incarcerated.
