Philippine Edition Volume 4 No. 1 | April - June 2016 Father McGivney’s Cause promoted at the 51st IEC

Knights of Columbus joins the 51st International Eucharistic Congress Procession last January 29, 2016.

THE Cause for Beatification of Venerable Alonso L. Tan, Supreme Director; Jose C. Fr. Michael McGivney was promoted at the Reyes, Jr., KCFAPI President and Luzon 51st International Eucharistic Congress in North Deputy; Raoul A. Villanueva, KCFAPI Cebu City last January 24 – 31, 2016. Treasurer; Anthony P. Nazario, KCFAPI With the assistance of Areopagus Com- Trustee and Visayas Deputy; Reynaldo C. munications, Inc., Fr. McGivney prayer Trinidad, KCFAPI Trustee; and Ma. Theresa cards and newsletters were distributed G. Curia, KCFAPI Executive Vice President; to the delegates and media throughout Vicente V. Ortega, KRDC Director; Rene V. the Congress. K of C delegates were also Sarmiento, KCFC Vice Chairman; Danilo seen wearing Fr. McGivney shirts and A. Sanchez, MACE Director; Rowena M. holding Fr. McGivney posters in support Diapolit, KCFAPI VP for Financial Reporting of the Cause during the congress. and Controls; Atty. Neil Jerome J. Rapatan, In addition, the icon of Fr. McGivney was Legal Services Manager and Annie M. Nico- constantly seen on the CBCP Monitor IEC las, KCFAPI Executive Secretary. Several Special Issue, a daily publication featur- members of the Order were also sent as ing the activities of the IEC, and 51st IEC delegates by parishes. Media Handbook, the companion guide The Eucharistic Congress is an international of accredited media personnel, both local gathering of people that takes place every four and international. years in different countries. It aims to promote Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo holds the pro- The KCFAPI delegation were led by Hi- awareness of the central place of the Eucha- motional poster for the Cause for Beatification of the Venerable lario G. Davide, Jr., KCFAPI Vice Chairman; rist in life and mission of the . Servant of God Fr. Michael McGivney at the 51st IEC in Cebu City. 2 Volume 4 No. 1 | Arpil - June 2016

From the desk of Vice-Postulator BRIAN CAULFIELD

The Church’s High Standards

WHAT does holiness look date. Did everyone involved like? How do we describe it? pray exclusively for the heal- Think of Blessed Mother Te- ing through that candidate? resa, soon to be canonized. Or did someone pray mostly Or St. John Paul II. Very dif- to an established saint. ferent personalities and life These are high standards experiences; very different for any sainthood cause to ways of living out holiness; meet. There will always be yet very much united in re- setbacks and disappoint- sponding to God’s grace. ments. The Church is careful Because holiness is not and thorough because the The K of C at the 51st IEC something we can hold cause is so important for the in our hands, and differ- faith’s reputation, and the THE members of the Knights of Columbus representing the ent people may give differ- spiritual good of faithful. We four State jurisdictions of the Philippines were in full force ent descriptions of it, the are dealing with the things of during the recently-held 51st International Eucharistic Con- Church has set some objec- God and of heaven! Let’s err gress in Cebu City. Most noticeable were hundreds of honor tive measures for declaring on the side of caution. guards that prominently led the grand procession of all the a person holy, or a saint. As Vice Postulator of the participants of the Congress coming from 71 countries and The proof is in the miracle, Cause of Venerable Father from over a million locals. an extraordinary work of Michael McGivney, I hear But more than this, it was the Supreme Office of the Knights God through the interces- often from people devoted of Columbus that made possible a good media coverage sion of the candidate for to him. They tell me about of this international event. These were the major media sainthood. The Vatican sets some extraordinary event platforms assisted by KC Supreme: the satellite uplink that a high standard of proof to that happened immediately beamed the event to 4 local channels and 13 international protect the canonization after they prayed for his help. TV networks; the daily publication of a special issue of process and the reputation In most of these cases, it is the CBCP Monitor that was distributed to the participants of the Church. The last thing quite clear that Father Mc- at the start of the daily sessions; the fielding of 15 profes- any of us want is to have a Givney has interceded, but sional journalists that covered that event; the audio and healing declared a miracle I have to ask if some proof video streaming of daily catecheses and reflections; and by the Church, and then can be obtained. How do we the superb social media content management that garnered have it called into question prove that a child returned 120 million impressions from the opening mass to the statio at a later date. When the to the Church because of orbis using the #EucharistPH hashtag. Church declares a miracle, Father McGivney, or this And still more than these was the active participation of it must be sure that there person got a job through the the members of the Order with their families who intently is no medical or scientific Venerable Servant of God? listened to all the conferences of the International Eucharistic explanation for the occur- Even many physical heal- Congress. The theological reflections and pastoral directions rence. ings cannot be proven to be in the conferences, catechesis and homilies threaded along When the promoters of a miraculous if there was even the path of dialogue with culture, with the poor and even sainthood cause come to the a small amount of medical with the prevailing socio-political realities throughout the Vatican with a proposed mir- intervention. world. This perspective is so close to the very foundations acle through the intercession I tell people: Yes, it was of the Knights of Columbus where its founder, Fr. Michael J. of the candidate, the first re- a miracle, but not the kind McGivney, did not just settle to see the Eucharist as a mere action is: Prove it! They have that can be proven to the religious devotion, but one that bears fruit in the concern for a panel of objective medical Church’s high standards. the needy. experts who will carefully So let us continue our After the Congress, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of examine all of the evidence. prayers to Father McGivney, the PHilippines issued a statement, titled ‘Being Eucharistic And if they can’t find an ex- especially in serious medi- in Life and Deeds’, that challenged everyone to make our planation for this healing, cal cases. God is the one love for the Eucharist manifest even in the way we conduct then the Vatican has a board who performs miracles, and politics, such as in the forthcoming national elections. To- of theologians to decide if we trust that he will grant a gether with KCFAPI, this is what the members of the Knights the miracle was granted by sure and provable one soon of Columbus in the Philippines are working on today: voters’ God through the interces- through his servant Father education, collaboration with election watchdogs such as sion of the sainthood candi- McGivney. PPCRV and social media reportage, among others. Volume 4 No. 1 | April - June 2016 3 Knights support Eucharistic congress in the Philippines

Brother Knights wearing McGivney T-shirts and carrying posters for posting at the vicinity of the 51st IEC in Cebu City.

ONE year after Cebu’s Independence Plaza. made his historic visit to the Cebu Archbishop Jose Philippines in January 2015, Palma, a Knight for nearly the Asian nation hosting an- 40 years, welcomed Cardinal other major Vatican hosted with Bo at the start of Mass and the 51st International Eucharis- announced the theme of the tic Congress in Cebu City. congress: “Christ in You, Our The Knights of Colum- Hope of Glory,” taken from the bus has more than 350,000 The promotional ad of Fr. McGivney was placed at first chapter of St. Paul’s epistle members in the predominantly the back cover of the Media to the Colossians. Catholic country, where the Or- Handbook that was dis- Auxiliary Bishop Robert Bar- der began operations in 1905. tributed to all the media ron of Los Angeles, producer Hundreds of Knights served as persons covering the 51st of the popular “Catholicism” delegates to the congress and IEC. This handbook was series that aired on U.S. public also displayed at the media many others were key figures accreditation corner. television stations, spoke Jan. in the Masses, presentations, 26 on “The Eucharist: Celebra- processions and publicity for tional Eucharistic Congress ers were Cardinal Luis Antonio tion of the Paschal Mystery.” the weeklong event, Jan. 24- featured presentations by Tagle of Manila, who has been a Remarking on the vibrant faith 31. members of the hierarchy and member of the Knights since his of the Filipino people, Bishop In addition, the Supreme leading theologians, catecheti- days as a Columbian Squire; Barron said that the nation can Council was a major spon- cal sessions for various age Cardinal Orlando Quevedo of serve as an example of cultural sor of the congress, providing groups, youth rallies, visits to Cotabato, state chaplain of engagement and evangeliza- funding for the satellite uplink local parishes, and charitable ; and Cardinal Timo- tion. Although the culture in to broadcast the proceedings outreach to the poor, the impris- thy Dolan of New York, chaplain many other countries is against worldwide, and for the publica- oned and those still suffering of the New York State Council. the values of sacrifice and self- tion of a daily newspaper and from the devastating effects of The congress opened with giving, he said, people can be other media materials that were Typhoon Haiyan, which struck the arrival of Pope Francis’ brought back to God through provided free to all participants. the central region of the Philip- personal envoy to the event, the Eucharist, and in that way Bringing together some pine archipelago in November Cardinal Charles Bo of Yangon, a culture can slowly change. 15,000 official delegates from 2013. Myanmar, who offered Mass for (http://www.kofc.org) around the world, the Interna- Among the featured speak- tens of thousands of people at A Model for Our Times

4 Volume 4 No. 1 | Arpil - June 2016

Relic of Venerable Fr. McGivney visits the sick

The relic card of Venerable Fr. Michael McGivney was present at the Lenten Retreat on the Year of Mercy of Knights of Columbus - Our Lady of Grace Council # 5617 held at the Sisters of St John the Baptist Retreat House, Tagaytay City A PIECE of the burial cassock of the Council and for promoting the cause of granted by the grace of God.” Servant of God, Venerable Fr. Michael J. canonization of the Founder. “I always believed that as sons of Fr. McGivney has been visiting the sick of a “We pray the prayer for the cause of McGivney, it is our duty and privilege to pro- parish in northern Metro Manila. Thanks canonization of Fr. McGivney every time mote his cause, to make his work known. to the initiative of the local Knights of we have someone sick, be it a brother Because after all we, the Knights, are his Columbus Council. Knight or their relative. We also give out legacy and gift to the Church,” he said. Our Lady of Grace Council 5617 of the the prayer cards to the families of the sick,” The mother of 4th degree Knight Jester Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Grace he said. He credits their District Deputy, Cunanan has the relic ever since it visited Parish in Grace Park, Caloocan City has SK Rommel Lopez, of District K02, Dio- her a month ago. He says his mom, who organized the visitation of the relic of Fr. cese of Kalookan for entrusting the relic is suffering from an undisclosed ailment McGivney to sick parishioners coinciding to their care and for promoting the cause feels better “praying and kissing the relic”. with the observance of the Extraordinary of Fr. McGivney. “She wants it with her all the time,” Cu- Jubilee Year of Mercy. Lopez, who is a member of the Fr. nanan said. “This is our way of doing acts of mercy McGivney Guild, said he shared the relic Santero said the relic stays in the home for the sick,” said SK Rico Santero, Grand of the Founder hoping and praying that a of the sick who requested it until a new Knight of the Council. He credits their miracle needed to advance the cause of request for visitation is received by the district deputy for bringing the relic to the beatification of Fr. McGivney “would be Council.

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