IWKnights Corner For August 15, 2021
– Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Did you know this about the IW Knights of Columbus?

"In his lifetime, Father Michael McGivney found creative ways to assist the faithful and address their needs. His beatification last fall confirmed what many have long believed — that he continues to do so today."  The following story is entitled: "Out of the Woods" by Brian Caulfield- the  vice postulator of the cause for canonization of Blessed Michael McGivney."

"When Peter Nelson and his 6-year-old son found themselves in a life-threatening situation, he was glad he had a network of Knights praying for their safety.

The unexpected drama began when Nelson, a K of C field agent in eastern Tennessee, pulled over during a drive through the mountains near his home one afternoon last January. His son, also named Peter, was feeling carsick on the winding road, and Nelson decided to take him on a short walk to get some air — just half a mile or so through the woods.

At least that was the plan. Partway through the hike, Nelson used the hunting app on his phone and found a shortcut that looped back to the road. But the rocky terrain, faint trail and dense thickets of mountain laurel made for slow going, and night was falling.

Nelson was carrying his son up a steep and icy slope when he realized they weren’t going to make it out before it became too dark to see. With one bar left on his cell phone, he called his wife, trying not to panic her, and then called Keith Estevens, a police officer and brother Knight. Sizing up the seriousness of the situation — the temperature was forecast to drop into the teens that night, and neither of them was dressed for such cold — Estevens said, 'You’d better hunker down,' and called the county sheriff.

'The thing that I’ll never forget, as the sun went down, was the helplessness,' Nelson said. 'You’re sitting on a rock with your son crying in your arms, and you just think, how did this happen?'

Several hours already passed, when he hugged his son to his chest inside his coat and called his wife again. This time, they recited what they thought could be their last prayer together.

Nelson then called his boss, Daniel Schachle, the K of C general agent whose son had been miraculously healed through Father McGivney’s intercession, paving the way to the K of C founder’s beatification.

'Hey, Dan, I’m going to need one of those Father McGivney miracles,' Nelson told Schachle. 'I’m in a bad spot.' Schachle immediately contacted the Tennessee State Council, which sent out an email blast for all Knights to pray through the intercession of Father McGivney.

Rescuers from a nearby fire department reached Nelson and his son a couple hours later, as frostbite and dehydration were beginning to threaten. Two young firemen were the first to call out, and Nelson surprised himself with the strength of his response.

''I look back now and think, my son and I are alive today because I had friends that were Knights,” Nelson said. “And when I needed their help, they came through.'”

To find the link to our feature story - information on the Knights of Columbus can be found atIWKnights9981.com/bulletin or on facebook.com/IWknights9981 and NOW on Twitter at twitter.com/IwKnights.

Links Related to this week’s column:

A Friend in Times of Need
	Devotion to Father McGivney is growing — and so are reports of his intercessory help.
		By Brian Caulfield, Knights of Columbus' Columbia Magazine (7/1/2021)
			Click here for Article

Prayer for Protection in Time of Pandemic
	A Novena which seeks Our Lady’s Intercession for Protection in Time of Pandemic
		By His Holiness, Pope Francis (3/2020)
		A PRAYER FOR PROTECTION IN TIME OF PANDEMIC (PDF Version)
				Click here for the Prayer