O God of all the nations, the One God who is and was and always will be, in your providence you willed that your Church be united to the suffering of your Son.

Look with mercy on your servants who are persecuted for their faith in you.

Grant them perseverance and courage to be worthy imitators of Christ.

Bring your wisdon upon leaders of nations to work for peace among all peoples.

May your Spirit open conversion for those who contradict your will, that we may live in harmony.

Give us the grace to be united in truth and freedon, and to always seek your will in our lives.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Lady help of Persecuted Christians, pray for us.

Prayer composed by Archbishop William F. Lori, Supreme Chaplain, Knights of Columbus, for the 2018 Supreme Convention

Submitted by Eugene Suchyta, Faithful Navigator

In 1881, in a small town in Italy, a child, Angelo Roncalli, was born; he was one of 13 children born to a share cropper family. In the early 1900s, he, like most young men his age, was taken into the Army. He served in a medical unit and became a NCO, non-commissioned officer. In 1915, during World War I, he was recalled to active duty, first as a medic and later as a chaplain. Years later, according to one story, he attended a reunion and told his former comrades that is was not necessary to kiss the ring of a mere sergeant. Sergeant Roncalli had become Pope John XXIII, a gentle and much beloved leader of the Catholic Church. The bond between those who have shared hard times is something very special and long lasting.

(Reprinted from Veterans' Voices, Summer 2017, page 35.)

Submitted by Frank Pawelak, Master Emeritus, and read by Stu Isreal at the Summer 2018 Elks Veterans Steak Luncheon.

Part 7: The Final Chalice!

My older brother and I joined the Knights of Columbus when I was 19 years old. The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men's fraternity that has been very helpful to myself and many other priests and seminarians over the years. In 2008, the Knights sponsored me so that I could go on a pilgrimage to Rome. It was on that pilgrimage that I really discovered my vocation to the priesthood. Once I entered the seminary, the Knights played a crucial role of sending me and many other seminarians checks every year. With the help of the Knights, seminarians are only poor. Without their help, seminarians would be flat broke.

There are four degrees of Knights. The fourth degree is the highest degree (they are the ones with all the fancy regalia at special Masses.) When a fourth degree Knight passes away, a chalice is made in the Knight's name. The family of Kim Morgan presented me with his chalice during my second mass. It was really cool! During the offeratory, a couple of Knights, decked out in all their regalia, processed up the center aisle, and brought the chalice and its paten to the alter. I then went to the alter and concsecrated them for sacred use. The Knights processed back, and we continued with Mass in the usual way.

I typically use this chalice for daily Mass throughout the week. Kim is remembered in every Mass in which I use his chalice.

God Love You!

Fr. Dave

(Reprinted from Abundant Life, June 3, 2018; written by Fr. Dave Tomaszycki for his column Things & stuff with Fr. Dave.)

Submitted by Frank Pawelak, Master Emeritus.