AMDG
Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly speaks after Mass at the
Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, celebrated by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop of
Baltimore William Lori, on February 3. Next to him is the former Supreme
Knight Carl Anderson who led the original consecration in 2001. Behind the center of the altar is the sacred
image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and on the right is an image of St. Juan Diego
to whom Mary appeared and asked him to convey her message that she wanted a
shrine built where she would give her motherly love to the people of Mexico and
all of the Americas. Photo by Tamino Petelinšek. For more detail on the image and photos go to (104) Our Lady of Guadalupe (I): Binding the
Americas Together at http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/v-behaviorurldefaultvmlo.html and (105) Our Lady of Guadalupe
(II): Mary’s Message to us in the Image
Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly renewed the
consecration of the Order to Mary under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe
during a recent Board of Directors pilgrimage to Mexico City. The renewal took place February 3 at the
conclusion of Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrated by
Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore. Msgr. Eduardo Chávez, postulator for St. Juan
Diego’s cause for canonization and a canon of the basilica, was among the
concelebrants. Read the homily of the
Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori at https://www.archbalt.org/archbishop-loris-homily-02-03-23/.
Jorge C. Estrada Aviles, an officer of the Knights of Columbus Mexico addresses the congregation during the re-consecration of the order to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Behind the altar is her miraculous image that appeared on the tilma of St. Juan Diego.
On Feb. 3,
2001, Carl Anderson, Patrick Kelly’s predecessor first consecrated the Knights
of Columbus to Our Lady of Guadalupe when formally installed as the 13th supreme
knight. It was inspired in part by St. Pope
John Paul II’s 1999 apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America (The Church in America (The Church in America – at https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_22011999_ecclesia-in-america.html), in which
the Pontiff called for greater unity across the continent and acclaimed Our
Lady of Guadalupe as “Patroness of all America (North, Central, and South) and
Star of the first and new evangelization.”
After the
Church was torn apart by the Protestant Reformation in 1517, Our Lady of
Guadalupe made up for that loss by bringing into the Church 8 million Indians between
1531 and 1538. No wonder she is also the
Patroness of the Missions, the ultimate missionary to his day.
In brief
remarks to the Board of Directors and guests, Supreme Knight Kelly affirmed,
“Our devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe has continued to grow stronger, in councils
and in parishes throughout the Order and in every country where we are
present.” After all, the Knights of
Columbus has many councils in Canada, USA, Mexico and the Philippines where Our
Lady of Guadalupe has many devotees. She
is very much part of the Mexican culture.
Echoing Mary’s words to St. Juan Diego in 1531, the Supreme Knight added: “Our Lady inspires us and guides us in all of our efforts — especially those for the sake of the unborn and the most vulnerable — and we take constant solace in knowing that she is here; she who is our mother.” In reality the miraculous image shows Mary as pregnant with the Christ child. Thus Our Lady of Guadalupe is also the Patroness of the Unborn.
Patrick Kelly,
Supreme Knight, processes with the reliquary of the six martyrs of the Cristero
War in the 1920s who were members of the Knights of Columbus. Behind him is their image. St. Pope John Paul II canonized them and 19
other martyrs of that intense persecution in the year 2000.
Following his remarks, Supreme Knight Kelly led the congregants in reciting the Litany of the Blessed Virgin. Archbishop Lori then recited the Prayer of Re-consecration. The solemn re-consecration concluded with remarks by Msgr. Eduardo Chávez.
The Knights of Columbus Board of Directors stand in front
of the old Basilica constructed in 1709 and the new one on the left constructed
in 1976. Some 20 million pilgrims visit
every year, only surpassed by St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Notice that the old Basilica is leaning due
to the marshy soil underneath.
Blessed Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882. The order became part of Mexico since 1905, when Supreme Knight Edward Hearn visited Mexico City to install officers of Guadalupe Council 1050. See a video of the re-consecration at https://www.google.com/search?q=re-consecration+of+the+knights+of+columbus+to+our+lady+of+guadalupe&oq=Re-consecration+of+the+Knights+of+Columbus+to+Our+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j33i160l3j33i299l2.23846j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:9021b811,vid:76V0RJj3-DM
March Newsletter Notes
Football fans, did you know that the Kansas City kicker, Harrison Butker, who kicked the winning field goal in the last minute of the game, is a strong Catholic? He is an altar server at a Latin Mass parish. For an interview, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDkoQzzM4IY and for his talk at Benedictine College go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoKIIMBp9cE. Read about the 2023 Super Bowl’s last minute and see the kick at https://www.nfl.com/news/harrison-butker-on-ankle-injury-early-sb-miss-before-game-winner-that-s-what-you#:~:text=Harrison%20Butker's%2027%2Dyard,goal%20try%20of%20the%20game.
What Are You Doing for Your Marriage Today? Pray for your wife every day. The prayer I offer is: “Dear Lord, please help me to be a good husband. Help me to love her more. Help me to make her happy. Help me to give more of myself to her. Help me to be more sensitive to her needs, feelings, and desires. Give me the strength to die (to myself) for her everyday……..her needs over my needs……all in the context of a good marriage and a holy family. Help us to be an example for other couples to follow. St. Joseph, model of a true man of God, husband, and father pray for us. Mother Mary, pray for us.”
Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal Saturday, March 11 from 9 am – 3:30 pm at St. Stephen’s Church; 1036 Belford St.; Caldwell, Ohio 43724. Boys 18 and under Free. The patron of the Men’s Conference is St. Joseph, a true man of God and a man of virtue. Yet he was rugged and tough. After you hear John Bergsma’s talk, you will have to agree and even imitate him as your model. Contact your parish representative (e-mail address) to register. Enjoy the fellowship in the car/van pool, which leaves at 6:30 am from the Parish Hall.
Monthly Business Dinner Meeting - Monday March 27 at 6:30 pm with Mass at 5:30 pm. Prayer is essential to our success. Members are urged to attend both Mass and the meeting that follows with supper, great fellowship, decision making on future activities, planning, and coordination. The input of every knight is most valuable. Our Council is as strong as each knight makes it. That begins with YOU! We cannot be an effective Council without the Lord’s help and guidance together with your participation. Some of the men make great sacrifices to attend the meetings. May all do the same!. Talk up the meetings and get your brother knights to attend. The next 4th Monday of the month Dinner Meeting will be on Monday April 24 at 6:30 pm. Please talk it up.
