October 2026 — Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” — Matthew 5:4
Glory to Jesus Christ! Слава Ісусу Христу!
Dear Brother Knights,
In September, we began our journey through the Beatitudes with the words, “Blessed are the poor in
spirit.” We reflected on the fisherman who prepares his line, studies the water and does his part, yet
knows he cannot control the fish or the weather. He works and trusts God with the rest.
Now October has arrived, and Alberta already feels very different. The September frost has taken much of
the remaining fruit from the trees and plants. Many leaves have already fallen, the land is beginning to
look dormant, and the evenings are getting shorter. For those of us who fish, the boats and motors have
been winterized and put away until another season. Farmers are bringing in what remains of the harvest.
There is something deeply spiritual in this change. Every season has its time. We work while we can, but
eventually we have to stop, put things away, and entrust the coming season to God.
And that brings us to our second Beatitude:
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Jesus is speaking about more than sadness. He is speaking about a heart that still cares.
We mourn when a marriage is hurting, when a child or family member is struggling, when someone has
become distant from God, when we see sickness or loneliness, when a Brother has lost his way, or when
we recognize our own sins and failures.
The danger is not sorrow. The danger is indifference.
A heart that can still mourn is a heart that can still love.
Jesus promises, “They shall be comforted.” He does not promise that every sorrow will immediately
disappear. He promises something deeper: we will not face our sorrow alone. Christ enters into our
suffering and remains with us.
The saints of October remind us of this. Saint Luke the Evangelist shows us Christ stopping for those
who suffer. Saint John Paul II, whom many of our older Knights remember simply as their Pope, gave
the world the words, “Be not afraid.” And our Byzantine tradition gives us the witness of Saint
Demetrius, who remained faithful to Christ through suffering.
Their witness teaches us that suffering does not have to close our hearts. It can open them more deeply to
God and to one another.
But if our hearts truly care, we cannot remain spectators.
We are called to participate in the life of our Church, our families and our communities. Sometimes
that means volunteering at our Parish, visiting someone who is lonely, helping a family in need,
encouraging a Brother who is struggling, or simply noticing a need and stepping forward.
This is the spirit we see in Blessed Michael McGivney. He saw families suffering around him and did
not simply observe. He responded with faith, charity and action. He gathered Catholic men together and
founded the Knights of Columbus as a fraternity of service.
Our Supreme Knight, Dr. Patrick E. Kelly, has also received a new responsibility. On August 25, Pope
Leo XIV appointed Brother Patrick as a member of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life. We
congratulate him and all Brother Knights who receive new responsibilities. A position in the Church is
never simply a title; it is an opportunity to serve.
Our Supreme Convention theme, “In The One, We Are One,” reminds us that our Catholic traditions
may be distinct, but in Christ we are one: one faith, one Lord and one Catholic communion.
October is also a month when we especially turn to Mary. In our Eastern Catholic tradition, many
Parishes gather for evening Moleben, Akathist or Rosary services. I encourage you to take part
whenever you can. Bring your families, your worries and the needs of others to prayer.
When we bring our sorrow to Mary, she does not keep it for herself. She leads us to her Son.
And as Catholic men, we are also called to participate responsibly in the life of our society. On October
19, Albertans will take part in the provincial referendum. Study the questions, listen carefully, seek
reliable information, form your conscience responsibly, give your honest opinion, and vote.
I am not here to tell you how to vote. That responsibility belongs to each of us. I encourage every Brother
Knight not to be indifferent.
As October draws toward November, the Church will turn our hearts toward All Saints and All Souls.
The world may focus on Halloween, but the Church reminds us of something deeper: we are called not
simply to face death, but to pursue holiness and eternal life.
Perhaps, then, this Beatitude leaves us with three simple questions:
What still moves my heart?
Who needs my prayer or my presence?
Where is Christ asking me to step forward?
The fisherman knows when it is time to put away the boat, the farmer knows when the harvest must be
gathered, and the Christian learns that there are seasons of work, seasons of waiting, and seasons of
letting go.
But through every season, Christ remains with us.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
May God give us hearts that still care, courage to serve, and faith to entrust every season of our lives into
His hands.
Please pray for me, as I pray for you. Together we remain in the same boat, learning to cast into the
deep, and trusting always in the voice of Christ.
Vivat Jesus!
Fr. Slavko Dumeč
State Chaplain
Alberta – Northwest Territories
Knights of Columbus
