The Chapel of the Sacred Heart at the Church of the Gesù in Rome will reopen June 27 — the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus — for the first time since its recent renovation, funded by the Knights of Columbus. The restoration included Italian artist Pompeo Batoni’s famous 1767 painting of the Sacred Heart, which is enshrined above the altar. The image serves as the centerpiece of the current Knights of Columbus Pilgrim Icon Program, which officially launched in January 2025. The feast of the Sacred Heart this year also coincides with Religious Freedom Week, observed in the United States from June 22-29.

The Heart of Prayer

Since the late 19th century, the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network — formerly the Apostleship of Prayer — has promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, urged the faithful to pray for the pope’s intentions, and encouraged the daily spiritual offering of one’s life in union with Christ. The network’s international director, Jesuit Father Cristóbal Fones of Chile, spoke about this mission in a recent interview with Columbia, noting that devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus involves “uniting our hearts to his and recognizing that we are all invited to be apostles of prayer.” 
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‘We Thirst for Love and Charity’ 

As some 300 copies of the Sacred Heart pilgrim icon travel through jurisdictions Orderwide, parishes in war-torn Ukraine are receiving the image as a cherished symbol of God’s enduring love and compassion. “This image — a heart bleeding — symbolizes the current state of our people living here in Ukraine,” said Yuriy Maletskiy, immediate past state deputy of Ukraine. “Everyone sees something personal in this image.” 
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Let Religious Freedom Ring

On June 1, 1925, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of Catholic schools and parental rights, striking down an Oregon statute that required all children to attend public school. Backed by the Order’s financial and moral support, the case — Pierce v. Society of Sisters — remains a cornerstone of legal arguments for educational and religious freedom a century later. 
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America’s Story of Religious Freedom

Free Exercise: America’s Story of Religious Liberty, a 2024 documentary directed by John Paulson, tells the inspiring, often contentious, and sometimes violent evolution of religious liberty in the United States. The film highlights the historic work of the Knights of Columbus and features Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly among more than 40 experts, historians, professors, and religious leaders who discuss the development of religious freedom and its contemporary challenges.
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‘Six-Tool Discipleship’

Just as a “six-tool player” in baseball excels in all aspects of the game — including mental toughness — Father Burke Masters, a brother Knight and chaplain to the Chicago Cubs, encourages Catholics to become a “six-tool disciples” of Christ. His formula: Grow in faith through intentional discipleship, worship, generosity, service, building fraternity, and imitating Christ’s virtues.
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Tell Others about Knightline

Forward this newsletter to Catholic men interested in the Knights, and let them know that they can become a member at at Join US!. You can also share your questions, feedback and story by emailing knightline@kofc.org.