Chaplain's Report

From the Director’s Desk

Father Jonathan D. Kalisch, O.P.
Director of Chaplains and Spiritual Development

More Human Reactions

The evil, crimes and sins recently revealed so publicly underscore the serious need for us to engage the spiritual battle raging around us. In his letter on Aug. 20, 2018, Pope Francis summoned us to a solidarity in fighting “especially spiritual corruption.” The Holy Father asked each of us to undertake “a personal and communal conversion that makes us see things as the Lord does” through prayer, penance and fasting.

During this time it may prove fruitful to use the Into the Breach document as a tool for prayer and discussion to identify how and where brother Knights and other Catholic men can step into the breach now being experienced as such a wide rift in the Church.

As one young adult college student posted on Facebook: “Let’s have more human reactions, rage and sorrow and hurt, and less manicured meaningless statistics, please. To all of our good holy priests who have stood up and been fathers rather than politicians to those who are hurting, scared, despairing in these dark days — thank you. If this is this hard on laypeople, I can only imagine how hard it is on faithful priests. As much as we criticize and rage at our church, let’s make sure we spend more time praying for our priests.”

As chaplains, may we direct the charity of our brother Knights toward prayerful solidarity with the victims of abuse and with all who are grieving and striving to combat the works of the Enemy within the Church. May Father McGivney intercede for each of as we lay down our lives with Christ our Lord.

Vivat Jesus!