Grand Knight Don Chevarie, of Our Lady of Fatima Council #824 St Dunstan’s Basilica announced today that after many months’ delay due to the COVID 19 pandemic, Council #824 has now received its statue of Our Lady of Fatima from Fatima, Portugal, which was commissioned by Council #824 late last year.

It is a beautiful hand-carved wooden sculpture and certainly worthy of public devotion by the faithful of the Diocese of Charlottetown. To permit that, GK Don will be taking Mary on a tour of Prince Edward Island (‘from tip to tip’) during the month of October.

This seems almost providential because the 103rd anniversary of the ‘miracle of the sun’ falls on October 13, 2020. It is also felt that it is important for the faithful to receive the blessing and intercession of Our Lady of Fatima during this most difficult time.

Given the restrictions on public gatherings during this time of pandemic, it is proposed that an ‘outdoor drive-through’ period of veneration at several locations throughout the Diocese be conducted to ensure safe distancing is maintained.

The visits would occur in one of the churches in each cluster of parishes. It is felt that church parking lots would be the best location for this.

Our Lady’s statue would simply be transported to each location and a portable stand set up at a strategic spot from which to display Her.

Parishioners would slowly drive by and pray. They may then wish to park a short distance away and continue to pray. A group rosary may be recited.

Time will be limited at each location in order for Our Lady to tour each county in a timely fashion. It is proposed to begin the tour of Our Lady in King’s County this Saturday, 10 October 2020. Proposed Itinerary October 10, 2020 9:00am – 9:30am – St Patrick’s Church, Fort Augustus 10:30am – 11:00 – St Theresa the Little Flower, Morell 12:00 noon – Brief visit to East Point for a photo (if time permits) 12:30pm – 1:00pm – St. Mary’s Parish, Souris 2:00pm – 2:30pm – All Saints Parish, Cardigan 3:30pm – 4:00pm – St. Michael’s Parish, Iona Other dates and locations to be determined.

Please note that it is important that this Post be shared to spread the word either by a word of mouth; email, a phone call; or, on other social media.

It may also be necessary to have a few brother Knights on hand to assist with the event. Look for further information to be disseminated at a later date on the proposed itinerary for Prince and Queen’s Counties.

Grand Knight Don’s contact number is (902) 566-4337 or cell (902) 218-8416

When Grand Knight Dan Miller learned of the need for cozy blankets for the patients of one the units at the QEH from the wife of a Brother Knight who resides at the unit, he spoke with Ms. Celie Walsh-Gallison, Manager of the Unit, who confirmed that there was indeed a great need for blankets.

GK Dan then reached out to his brother knights at St. Pius X and explained the circumstance and sought their support in remedying the situation.

Within 90 minutes he had commitments for approximately 30 blankets, although only 18 were required and in less than 48 hours from notification and after his wife Phyllis laundered them, he was able to deliver them.

GK Dan, along with his wife Phyllis plus Jim Campbell, resident of the Unit and his wife Linda, had the pleasure of presenting these blankets to the Unit on behalf of the members of the St. Pius X Council.

It was indeed a special moment. Ms. Celie Walsh-Gallison, the Unit manager was most impressed with the generosity of the Knights and the speed in which they responded noting that she is well aware of the Knights of Columbus as her father too was a Knight and a Past Grand Knight at St. Joachim.

These blankets once distributed to the patients become their blankets to keep.

Individual and Council Awards given out at our State Council Meeting held on 12 September 2020.

L to R. Council 12465 Kensington GK Pete McCarville receiving award on behalf of Brother Knight Vic Negus for Family of the Year;

Council 2070 Summerside GK Dolphe Mazerole, Program Service Award – Faith;

Council 9025 North Rustico GK James Donnelly Receiving the Priest of the Year Award on behalf of Fr. Arulraj Santiago;

State Deputy Richard Allen,

Council 6917 St Pius X, GK Dan Miller who received the award for Knight of the Year and whose Council was awarded the Double Star Award also holding the Service Program Award – Life;

Council 12784 Ft Augustus GK Kerry Quinn receiving the Award for most Lottery Ticket Sales;

Council 10808 Cornwall PSD Claude Parent receiving Service Program Award – Family on behalf of his Council.

Tuesday, 28th July 2020 State Deputy Richard Allen had the pleasure on behalf of the PEI Knights of Columbus and its Councils of presenting a cheque to Special Olympics PEI in the amount of $4,339.76. 

Shown here (right) is PEI K of C State Deputy Richard Allen accompanied by Knight George Deviat (left)  PEI K of C Special Olympics Director presenting the cheque to Charity Sheehan (centre), Executive Director, Special Olympics PEI.

We have a small but welcome opportunity for you.

Faithworks Centre and  Kingsboro Baptist Church have graciously agreed to host a movie night.

We will be showing Unplanned at Faithworks, Aug 7 and Overcomer at Kingsboro, Aug 14.

Attached are an information slide and a poster for you. Our webpage peiright2life.ca has more information as well.

We encourage you to advertise this free event.

Unplanned is a film of courage, hope and healing and Overcomer is a beautiful film of perseverance and reconciliation.

Seating is limited due to public health restrictions. Please register by clicking on the event of your choice on our webpage.

Yours for LIFE,

Pat Wiedemer Executive Director

PEI Right to Life Association

The beatification ceremony for Father Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus, will be celebrated Oct. 31, 2020, in the Archdiocese of Hartford, Conn. Father McGivney is pictured in an undated portrait. On May 27 the Vatican announced Pope Francis had approved a miracle attributed to the priest’s intercession, clearing the way for his beatification. (CNS file photo)

HARTFORD, Conn. (CNS) — Father Michael McGivney, the founder of the Knights of Columbus, will be beatified during a special Mass Oct. 31 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford.

On May 27, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis, who met with the board of directors of the Knights of Columbus in February, had signed the decree recognizing a miracle through the intercession of Father McGivney, clearing the way for his beatification. Once he is beatified, he will be given the title “Blessed.”

Details of the beatification ceremony have not been released, including what COVID-19 restrictions might still be in place in the fall, such as limiting congregation size, social distancing and the wearing of facial coverings. The Vatican Congregation for Saints’ Causes announced the date for the beatification July 20.

The miracle recognized by the Vatican occurred in 2015 and involved an U.S. baby, still in utero, with a life-threatening condition that, under most circumstances, could have led to an abortion.

That baby, Mikey Schachle, is now 5. His parents, Dan and Michelle Schachle, of Dickson, Tennessee, prayed to Father McGivney to intercede with God to save their son, still in his mother’s womb, who was given no hope of surviving a life-threatening case of fetal hydrops.

Father McGivney (1852-1890), the son of Irish immigrants, was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, and was ordained a priest in 1877 for what is now the Archdiocese of Hartford. He founded the Knights of Columbus at St. Mary’s Parish in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1882.

He originally started the Knights as a service organization to help widows and orphans. At the time, Father McGivney was an assistant pastor at St. Mary’s Parish. He is buried in New Haven.

The fraternal order for Catholic men has become the largest lay Catholic organization in the world with 2 million members and sponsors a wide range of educational, charitable and religious activities.

Father McGivney, who will be the first American parish priest to be beatified and has long been a hero of working-class Catholics, can be viewed as a martyr of a pandemic. When he died of pneumonia complications at age 38 in 1890, it was during an outbreak of influenza known as the Russian flu in Thomaston, Connecticut. Some recent evidence, according to the Knights, indicates the outbreak may have been the result of a coronavirus.

“Father McGivney has inspired generations of Catholic men to roll up their sleeves and put their faith into action,” Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said. “He was decades ahead of his time in giving the laity an important role within the church. Today, his spirit continues to shape the extraordinary charitable work of Knights as they continue to serve those on the margins of society as he served widows and orphans in the 1880s.”

He added, “Father McGivney also remains an important role model for parish priests around the world and left us a transformative legacy of effective cooperation between the laity and clergy.”

After the announcement that the priest would be beatified, Anderson told Catholic News Service in an interview: “We’ve been praying for years for this to occur, and finally this day has arrived.”

The initial work on his sainthood cause began in 1982 on the Knights’ centenary. His cause was formally opened in Hartford in 1997, and he was given the title “servant of God.” In March 2008, the Catholic Church recognized the priest heroically lived the Christian virtues, so he was given the title “venerable.”

Generally, two miracles attributed to the candidate’s intercession are required for sainthood — one for beatification and the second for canonization.

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The Knights have set up a new website for Father McGivney’s sainthood cause: https://www.fathermcgivney.org.

June 8, 2020

A Pastoral Letter to the People of the Diocese – June 8, 2020

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Peace and grace of our loving God be with you!

These past few months have been difficult for all of us.  I share your heartache that we have not been able to gather for Sunday Eucharist.  The recent approval to come together for weekday Eucharistic celebration limited to 15 people is only marginally helpful.   I want you to know I have laboured hard to seek agreement to re-open our churches for fuller participation especially on Sundays. 

To read the full letter click below:

PEI Right to LIFE Virtual Baby Bottle Campaign  is at the half-way point!

We encourage you to support LIFE on PEI by promoting pro-life ideas and actions on PEI.

There are so many who are challenged this spring because of COVID and we are reaching out to all.

Let us know if you need help or if you know of any moms who are in need of help. We are here to support in all things LIFE!

Your donations goes toward helping moms in need and advancing pro-life values on PEI so that we Islanders are empowered to choose LIFE!

Call us at 902-894-5473 or check us out: PEIRight2life.ca.