Reverend Fathers, Worthy Chapter President, and Brother Knights,
My report tonight was inspired by two articles that I read in the July/August 2024 edition of the "Columbia" magazine: https://issuu.com/columbia-magazine/docs/columbiajulyaug24en about the Cor initiative that Supreme implemented.
I invite my brother Knights to read these articles and reflect on getting Cor started at your parish if you have not done so already. If our Supreme Chaplain is talking about Cor, then it must be important for us to help our brother Knights and men at our parishes to grow n their relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through the pillars of prayer, faith formation, and fraternity.
Below are the articles and the quotes that struck me:
Article: “Core Exercises” by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori (page 4)
- Quote: “I hope many of you are already doing your Cor exercises or will soon begin them.”
- Quote: “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.”
Article: “Men After God’s Own Heart” by John Burger (pages 20-23)
- Quote: Cor is “. . .the Order’s initiative to foster prayer, faith formation and fraternity among Knights and other men in Catholic parishes.”
- Quote: “Cor will deepen our relationship with Christ, making it easier to profess and defend what we believe.”
- Quote: “Councils are free to determine how best to tailor the three Cor pillars to the needs of the council and parish.”
- Quote: “Cor helps men to live out their baptismal call to holiness.”
- Quote: “Cor is a solution for a very common issue - men who are not active in the Church. This is the answer to the Church’s need today.”
At Council #10333 (Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church, Austin, TX), we have been meeting on the 4th Thursday of the month since October 2023 for Cor. I had the blessed opportunity to lead the recent Cor meeting (on 8/22). We watched the video on "Prayer" from the "Into the Breach" video series and had some great discussions. I also had the men pair up and ask each other "How can I pray for you?" and took turns praying for each other. We had Knights from other Council join us as well. It was a blessed gathering, especially to see men praying for each other with intentionality!
I then, invited our Council's Deputy Grand Knight, Greg M., to share words about Cor from our Grand Knight, Patrick M., who was not able to attend the Chapter meeting. This what GK Patrick wrote:
Dcn Phuc, Worthy All,Cor is a great opportunity to grow—in faith, love, and friendships. I’ve found our Cor meetings to be really beneficial. Through the Knights, I’ve learned how to better serve Our Lord, our parish, and our community. Cor has given our council and the men of our parish a chance to gather, learn, share our faith, and see how God is working in our lives.Simple conversations about what He’s doing in our personal lives strengthen what we do together. I genuinely look forward to our monthly meetings, where I always find a sense of peace with my fellow Knights as we grow in our faith. There’s something special about being together as men, recognizing our need for Him in our lives, and wanting the best for each other, our families, and our church.We also have the chance to grow Cor by connecting with other men’s faith groups in our parish. We come together with a shared purpose, and the Knights of Columbus provide great resources to help us define that purpose, align our efforts as Catholic men, and figure out how to move forward. I’d love to gain traction in this effort.OUR SUCCESS WITH THE COR INITIATIVE HAS BEEN THROUGH THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF OUR PARISH CLERGY.If Cor isn’t active in your parish, I’d love for you and all the men to join us at St. Albert the Great every fourth Thursday at 7 p.m. You’ll leave better for it.Peace always and in every way,Patrick
Our Deputy GK and fellow member, Mike M., concurred with our GK's statement on Cor. My challenges below for the month of September is to help us to grow in these pillars of prayer, faith formation, and fraternity and bring other men to encounter our Lord Jesus Christ. Vivat Jesus!
Here is a link to my previous report from the Chapter meeting in June:
- Knights of Columbus Austin Chapter - A Report of the Spiritual Director (7/22/2024) https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2024/07/knights-of-columbus-austin-chapter.html
Deacon Phúc’s challenges for all Knights for the month of September
- PERSONAL & FAMILY: This is the Year of Prayer in preparation for Jubilee 2025 “Pilgrims of Hope,” download the “Teach Us to Pray” booklet and read it together as a family: https://files.ecatholic.com/16495/documents/2024/5/ENG_Sulla-preghiera-A5-76P-SITO%201.pdf?t=1716924908000.
“. . .moments of family prayer and acts of devotion can be more powerful evangelization than any catechism class or sermon” (35).
Bishop Joe asks all “the faithful of the Diocese of Austin to set aside time for daily prayer.” (Diocese of Austin web-site)
- COUNCIL: Start Cor or attend a Cor gathering to get a sense of what it is all about.
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