Each month, Archbishop William Lori – Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus – selects a brief passage from the Gospel reading of one of the Sunday Masses of the month.
Archbishop Lori shares a brief reflection on the passage and issues a challenge for men to live for the month.
The next month, men undertaking the challenge as a group gather and share their experiences living the challenge.
The Supreme Chaplain’s Monthly Challenge is ideally done during monthly Knights of Columbus meetings, but can be done in a separate group or individually.
By taking up the Supreme Chaplain’s Monthly Challenge, men take direct, concrete action to grow in their faith and help their brothers do so as well.
While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.” (Gospel for March 28, Mk 14:22-24)
At the Last Supper, Jesus gave us the gift of himself in the Eucharist, our essential spiritual food and drink, which gives us the life of Christ. We live at a time when many Catholics do not believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist — the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ under the appearances of bread and wine. May we, brother Knights, never forget the true nature of the Eucharist nor lose our desire to receive Christ in the sacrament of the altar.
Challenge by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori:
This month, I challenge you to spend 10 additional minutes each Sunday before Mass preparing to receive the Eucharist and 10 minutes after Mass in thanksgiving for this gift. Second, I challenge you to assist your brother Knights in the Faith in Action Sacramental Gifts program to help your fellow parishioners understand the great gifts of the sacraments.
Questions for Reflection:
Do you examine your conscience before receiving holy Communion and go to confession first, if necessary? Do you show reverence for Christ in the Eucharist in such a way that you witness to the Real Presence to your family and fellow parishioners? During the consecration, are you attentive to the mystery taking place at the altar?
The Supreme Chaplain’s Monthly Challenge for the month will be available in a number of places:
• KofC.org
• Columbia
• Knightline
• Chaplain's Report
• Knights of Columbus social media
To conduct the Supreme Chaplain’s Monthly Challenge, during a Knights of Columbus meeting (ideally during the Chaplain's Message or the Grand Knight's Report) or other gathering:
1) Open with the Sign of the Cross and perhaps a brief prayer.
Example Opening Prayer: Come Holy Spirit. We thank you for guiding our lives and pray that we may have the courage exemplified by Venerable Fr. McGivney to live our faith to the fullest through our council, our families and in society. May our words today give glory to your Sacred Heart and if we struggled this past month in living our faith, help us to never stop turning to you and always try again.
2) Re-read the Supreme Chaplain's Monthly Challenge from the previous month.
3) Open the floor for discussion on what it was like to try and live last month's challenge. Every month has a number of Questions for Reflection that may help facilitate discussion. Don't worry about what order the men speak in or if there is silence in between men speaking. Not everyone has to speak and it is not a problem if the discussion is brief. Men are welcome to comment on others’ contribution to the discourse.
4) When finished, read the Supreme Chaplain's Monthly Challenge for the next month.
5) End by asking if there are any intentions and close with prayer and the Sign of the Cross.
Example Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time together with our brothers. We ask you to have mercy on all those people and intentions we prayed for. Give us the perseverance to live next month's challenge and to remember that we are united with our brother Knights around the world in doing so.
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.” (Gospel for March 28, Mk 14:22-24)
At the Last Supper, Jesus gave us the gift of himself in the Eucharist, our essential spiritual food and drink, which gives us the life of Christ. We live at a time when many Catholics do not believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist — the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ under the appearances of bread and wine. May we, brother Knights, never forget the true nature of the Eucharist nor lose our desire to receive Christ in the sacrament of the altar.
Challenge by Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori:
This month, I challenge you to spend 10 additional minutes each Sunday before Mass preparing to receive the Eucharist and 10 minutes after Mass in thanksgiving for this gift. Second, I challenge you to assist your brother Knights in the Faith in Action Sacramental Gifts program to help your fellow parishioners understand the great gifts of the sacraments.
Questions for Reflection:
Do you examine your conscience before receiving holy Communion and go to confession first, if necessary? Do you show reverence for Christ in the Eucharist in such a way that you witness to the Real Presence to your family and fellow parishioners? During the consecration, are you attentive to the mystery taking place at the altar?
The Supreme Chaplain’s Monthly Challenge for the month will be available in a number of places:
• KofC.org
• Columbia
• Knightline
• Chaplain's Report
• Knights of Columbus social media
To conduct the Supreme Chaplain’s Monthly Challenge, during a Knights of Columbus meeting (ideally during the Chaplain's Message or the Grand Knight's Report) or other gathering:
1) Open with the Sign of the Cross and perhaps a brief prayer.
Example Opening Prayer: Come Holy Spirit. We thank you for guiding our lives and pray that we may have the courage exemplified by Venerable Fr. McGivney to live our faith to the fullest through our council, our families and in society. May our words today give glory to your Sacred Heart and if we struggled this past month in living our faith, help us to never stop turning to you and always try again.
2) Re-read the Supreme Chaplain's Monthly Challenge from the previous month.
3) Open the floor for discussion on what it was like to try and live last month's challenge. Every month has a number of Questions for Reflection that may help facilitate discussion. Don't worry about what order the men speak in or if there is silence in between men speaking. Not everyone has to speak and it is not a problem if the discussion is brief. Men are welcome to comment on others’ contribution to the discourse.
4) When finished, read the Supreme Chaplain's Monthly Challenge for the next month.
5) End by asking if there are any intentions and close with prayer and the Sign of the Cross.
Example Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time together with our brothers. We ask you to have mercy on all those people and intentions we prayed for. Give us the perseverance to live next month's challenge and to remember that we are united with our brother Knights around the world in doing so.
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019