TheKnights of Columbus

Youth Centersin Rome

An 80th Anniversary History

On March 29, 1882, Father Michael J. McGivneyannounced to the officers and members ofthe new Catholic fraternal order he foundedthat the Connecticut General Assembly hadofficially chartered the new society. Shortly

thereafter the founder wrote to the pastors of all parishes inConnecticut encouraging them to establish a Knights ofColumbus Council for the Catholic men under their care. Asshepherd of the new organization’s development, FatherMcGivney must have been gratified to know that, by June 1889,seven years after the founding, more than 5,000 members wereenrolled in 51 councils. By 1905 the Order had grown at sucha rapid pace that it could be found in every state of the Union,in Canada, in Mexico and in the Philippines.

Evidence of the impact the Order could have as it devel-oped was given in 1904 when the Order presented to TheCatholic University of America a check for more than $50,000.The Order had been approached to raise this significantamount of money so that the University could establish a chairin Church History to prepare well educated defenders of thefaith at a time when the Catholic religion was subject to bigotryand attacks on its beliefs.

Fortified by its founding principles of unity and charity,to which fraternity and patriotism were later added, the Orderentered the World War I era by enthusiastically answering the

call to provide spiritual, material and recreational support tothe armed forces serving at home and abroad. Under the ban-ner “Everybody Welcome – Everything Free,” centers wereestablished in major staging areas in the United States, and alsoat disembarkation points abroad, so that the troops would have

the comfort of knowing that their sacrifice of service was bothsupported and appreciated. As the allied armies moved acrossthe borders of Germany and Belgium, the recreation centersexpanded accordingly. With many soldiers passing throughGreat Britain, operations were enlarged there as well as inIreland. However, France remained the major zone of opera-tions, with facilities in most large cities. Subsequently centerswere opened in Rome, and in Venice and Spoleto in Italy.

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Members of the Third Division in Audernach, Germany, outsidethe Knights of Columbus clubhouse

As a result of the war work in France, a warm relation-ship between that country and the Order was firmly estab-lished. It was thus that, in the aftermath of the war, in 1920, adelegation of 235 Knights, led by Supreme Knight JamesFlaherty traveled to France visiting sites where Knights ofColumbus camp sites had been established, and accepting thegratitude of the French people for all of the assistance provid-ed. It was only natural that following their visits throughoutFrance, the pilgrims would journey to Rome. On August 28,1920, the Knights were received in private audience in theConsistory Hall by His Holiness Pope Benedict XV.

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Supreme Knight Flaherty and Knights in Strasbourg, France

The Holy Father welcomed the Knights with sentimentsof “sweet comfort and good hope.” He praised them for theirsupport of The Catholic University of America; their assistanceto the Bishops; and their charitable work during the war.Finally, perhaps aware of Father McGivney’s concern for thespiritual and moral welfare of youths, the pope asked theKnights to go forward and expand their work to Rome in orderto help counter attacks on their faith being faced by manyyoung people. He explained:

“An old principle teaches that good spreads itself, and itis not surprising therefore, that, while still doing so much fruit-ful work in their beloved country, the Knights of Columbushave thought of extending their action to Italy, too, and in a spe-cial manner to this city of Rome, dear above all cities to Ourhearts.

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His Holiness Benedict XV receives the Knights ofColumbus delegation in 1920.

“We welcome you, Knights of Columbus to the HolyCity. For indeed here, under Our very eyes, a shameful propa-ganda is trying to rob Our children nearest to Us of the mostprecious heritage left them by their forefathers, the Catholicfaith. There is a very network of endeavor to that shameful end.They are trying to attract our young men who are so inclinedto the pleasure of sport into associations which, while they givefacilities for satisfying that inclination, tend to make insidiousattacks in the hearts of the young men on the sacred treasureof Catholic principles. They relieve material distress and at thesame moment steal a patrimony of inestimable value, the patri-mony of the faith.

“You, noble Knights of Columbus, are not ignorant of thework of propaganda of which We speak, and We glory in thehope that in conformity with the aims of your Association, youwill set your good propaganda here in Rome too against thewicked propaganda, which to Our sorrow We see so widelyspread in this dear city. There is another field of competitionbefore you, May the struggle bring you as much merit as itbrings Us hope.”

At the October Boardmeeting in 1920 the HolyFather’s plea was discussed,and Flaherty reinforced theHoly Father’s wish that theKnights take up this work. PastSupreme Knight Edward L.Hearn, serving as the Order’spost war Commissioner, wasdelegated to assess what need-ed to be done, and how best togo about it. Also discussed wasthe matter of funding the pro-posed work.

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Pope Benedict XV

The form the work was to take was the establishment ofplaygrounds for the benefit of the youth in Rome. In keepingwith the recent tradition of aid to the servicemen, the childrenwould be welcome at the Knights of Columbus facilities with-out charge. Arrangements for the use of the fields would bemade through Rome’sparishes.

In 1922 PopeBenedict XV was succeededby Pius XI, who expressedenthusiastic approval of thenew work. At an audienceon May 14, 1922, HisHoliness further endorsedthe project by donating thesite for St. Peter’s Oratorywhere, he said, “I can see formyself from my study win-dow what progress they aremaking here in the heart ofRome.” He said the Knightsof Columbus presence was“very fitting.... for it is no lessimportant than any other level of relief work.”

A letter from Supreme Secretary William J. McGinley toHearn dated June 29, 1922, best describes the procedures thatwere followed in establishing the Knights of Columbus ItalianWelfare Fund, the entity that supports the program down to thisday:

“…the Supreme Council by unanimous vote authorizedthe Board of Directors to raise an Endowment Fund of OneMillion Dollars by levying an assessment of twenty-five centssemi-annually upon the membership or the Order until the mil-lion dollars was raised.”

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Pope Pius XI

With the fund approved, Hearn opened a Knights ofColumbus Rome office at Via delle Muratte, 25 in April 1922. Inthe July Columbia of 1922 Hearn reported on an audience withPius XI. He informed His Holiness that, besides serving as head-quarters for the welfare activities, the office would offer recep-tion facilities and guides for English-speaking pilgrims, especial-ly the scores of American prelates and lay persons who wouldvisit Rome for the great Eucharistic Congress during the lastweek of May.

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Architect Enrico P. Galeazzi explains plans on-site to Past Supreme KnightEdward L. Hearn, Msgr. Borgongini-Duca and Msgr. Caccia Dominioni

Between 1922 and1927, during Supreme KnightFlaherty’s term of office, theKnights of Columbus openedfive athletic centers in Romeunder the careful guidance ofarchitect and engineer, laterCount, Enrico Pietro Galeazzi,who also assisted in the com-plex legal negotiations for thepurchase or lease and opera-tions of the playgrounds.

Count Galeazzi designed each athletic center in harmo-ny with the natural environment and the architectural style ofthe neighborhood within which it was located, giving each aunique character. Every facility had a club house with shower,gymnastic facilities and soccer fields. Some had basketball, vol-leyball courts and tennis courts as well. Qualified instructorsled the children in their games. Senior citizens were also wel-come to use the bocce courts.

In 1923, St. Peter’s Oratory, named by Pius XI himself,was the first facility to begin its activities. It was constructedon a historical site, the center of the Circus of Nero and, there-fore, the place where many early Christians suffered martyrdomfor the faith.

To make room for the new structures, some buildingsdating back to the time of Pope Innocent VIII were demolished,among which was a foundry that had been in use for centuries.The coat of arms of Pope Innocent VIII, who was reigning whenChristopher Columbus discovered America, was found and pre-

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Count Enrico Pietro Galeazzi(1930’s photo)

served. This relic was saved to be used later as an adornment.Also found there was the wooden model of the world-renowned statue of St. Peter venerated in St. Peter’s Basilica.The refurbished statue is displayed today in the Knights ofColumbus Museum in New Haven.

Among the buildings saved was the Church of SanSalvatore in Ossibus, dating back to 750 A.D. The church – anhistorical and artistic monument – was completely restored bythe Knights of Columbus and used as the chapel for the boys’wing of the new Oratory

St. Peter’s was an oratory in the true sense in that it pro-vided, beyond sports, a program of educational, catechetical andtherefore also evangelical formation. Thus it looked to the evan-

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Construction begins

gelization of youth, much as didFather McGivney’s efforts for theyoung people of New Haven.

The new Oratory consistedof a two-story building, 600 feet inlength, with one wing for girls,the other for boys. Each of thewings had its own chapel and itsown facilities for outdoor activi-ties. In the center of the building,a 1,000-seat theater was estab-lished.

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Exterior and interior views ofSan Salvatore in Ossibus

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The gymnasium was built as a separate building and wasfully supplied with modern sports and exercise equipment.Soon after, the Knights of Columbus purchased two adjoiningareas in order to enlarge the girls’ section of the Oratory. Theseareas included small, old houses and two narrow streets. Afterdemolishing the houses, the Knights erected a new building forthe girls of the Oratory. St. Peter’s Oratory was dedicated onApril 9, 1924 with prelates from the United States traveling toRome for the occasion..

The Holy Father later received the 10 Cardinals whotook part in the dedication ceremony, including CardinalsGeorge Mundelein of Chicago and Patrick Hayes of New York,who christened two bells during the blessing of the field. Onewas to be placed in the Church of St. Salvatore, and the other inthe Oratory. The Oratory bell is now displayed in the Knightsof Columbus Museum.

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Activities for boys and girls

A number of priestsassigned to the Roman Curia“adopted” St. Peter’s Oratoryas a kind of sui generisparish. They gave their freetime to working with thechildren. Among these, threeshould be mentioned:

Monsignor FrancescoBorgongini-Duca worked inthe Secretariat of State and,owing to his interest in theOratory’s programs, wasnamed by Pope Pius XI as itsfirst president. He continuedthis association even after he

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Entrance to St. Peter’s Oratory

An opening and stairs were built toallow Pope Pius XI to attend the

Oratory’s dedication

was named apostolic nuncio to Italy, and after becoming aCardinal following World War II. He was buried in the chapel ofSt. Peter’s Oratory and, in 1955 under Supreme Knight Luke E.Hart, the Order contributed to the erection of a sepulchal mon-ument as a memorial to him.

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Saint Peter’s Oratory

Monsignor Alfredo Ottaviani joined with MonsignorBorgongini-Duca in teaching catechism to the youngsters - - andtheir parents - - by means of skits in which they took the lead-ing roles. He eventually became a prefect of the SacredCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and also was creat-ed a cardinal.

The third was the Archbishop of New York, FrancisCardinal Spellman, who early on collaborated with CountGaleazzi in the development of the Oratory. They became closefriends, and the two formed a special relationship with EugeneCardinal Pacelli, Secretary of State and the future Pius XII.

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Pope Pius XI ordered a special medal to be designed and coined as a tributeto commemorate the establishment of the Oratory. Its Latin inscription istranslated: “The Knights of Columbus at their own expense, founded thisOratory of St. Peter so that they may fulfill the wishes of Pius XI, P.M.,

for the Christian instruction of Roman youth.”

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His Holiness Pope John XXIII visits the Oratory on May 10, 1959,the first Pope to visit one of the youth centers.

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Count Galeazzi, Hearn and a companion inspect the site forthe Pius XI field

The Pius XIPlayground was dedi-cated and blessed byHis Eminence PietroCardinal Gasparri,Secretary of State, inMay 1926. It is one ofthe largest and mostbeautiful fields inRome, boasting 18acres on theGelsomino Hill locatedbetween the Janiculumand the Vatican. As thehighest elevation in theEternal City, it offers aspectacular view of thecity.

Without machines or trucks, workers used hand tools tolevel the playground’s terrain.

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Scenes of the dedication of Pius XI youth center by Cardinal Gasparri

Forty years later, this playground was chosen to become thenew location for St. Peter’s Oratory. In another expression ofloyalty to the Holy See, the Knights of Columbus donated theoriginal St. Peter’s Oratory location to allow for the construc-tion of a new and much larger Audience Hall in 1965. This ful-filled the desire of Pope Paul VI for a new facility to receive theever increasing numbers of pilgrims.

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Site of the original St. Peter’s Oratory

Site of the new Pope Paul VI Audience Hall, 1965

Nevertheless, the Holy Father wanted the Oratory’sactivities to continue. Therefore, the Oratory was rebuilt, underthe care of the Holy See, on the premises of the Knights ofColumbus Gelsomino Hill Playground. On June 29, 1968, theNew St. Peter’s Oratory was inaugurated and blessed by HisHoliness Pope Paul VI.

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Aerial view of the new Oratory

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Pope Paul VI blesses the new St. Peter’s Oratory

All that remains of the original St. Peter’s Oratory is theChurch of San Salvatore in Ossibus where the emblem of theKnights of Columbus was prominently placed in two of thestained-glass windows – the only non-ecclesiastical coat-of-armsdisplayed within Vatican City State.

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The Order’s emblem in stained glass at San Salvatore in Ossibus

The Benedict XV Playground, dedicated to the Pope whohad first requested the playground project, opened in 1926 inone of the most densely populated districts of Rome – SanLorenzo. His Eminence Vincenzo Cardinal Vannutelli, Dean ofthe Sacred College, dedicated and blessed the center. The areawas bombed by the Allied forces during World War II. Ironically,the Knights of Columbus facility was damaged during thesebombings, and bomb fragments are now on display in NewHaven at the Order’s museum.

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Cardinal Vannutelli blesses the Benedict XV Playground,and the young people who will use it

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Youngsters participate in dedication-day exhibitions on the field

During its first year of activity, the Benedict XV facility inthe San Lorenzo district set an attendance record in excess of100,000. It has been considered one of the most successful pro-jects of its kind in one of the most needy neighborhoods ofRome. According to municipal authorities, the playground hasdirectly and indirectly improved conditions in the district.

The Tiber River Playground, first named “Polverini” fromthe section of Rome where it was located, began operations in1927 on government-owned land on the banks of the Tiber lessthan a mile from the city’s center. It is the only playground notdeveloped on Knights of Columbus property. Because the char-itable work of the Knights of Columbus was already wellknown to the Italian Government, the Order was able to securean agreement to lease the site. His Eminence Basilio CardinalPompilj, Vicar of Rome, dedicated and blessed this playgroundin May 1927.

Cardinal Pompilj blesses the first Tiber River playground, with viewsof the day’s activities (opposite page)

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In 1934 the Tiber River Playground was relocated to anew site. It was dedicated and blessed by His Eminence EugeneCardinal Pacelli, Secretary of State, on May 27, 1934. OnOctober 24, 1944, it was renamed “Pastor Angelicus,” in honor ofPope Pius XI. Historically, his playground was very popular forits swimming and rowing facilities.

The Valle Giulia Playground was also officially blessed byCardinal Pompilj, in May 1927. Situated in the vicinity of thelargest and most famous park in Rome, the Villa Borghese, itsconvenient location enables it to serve a large number of edu-cational institutions.

In 1996, to celebrate the centennial anniversary of thebirth of Count Galeazzi, called home to God on September 25,1986, the Valle Giulia Playground was renamed in his honor. Hislifetime of dedication and loyalty to the Knights of Columbus,

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The field at Valle Giulia

first as architect, later as representative of the Order in Romefor 66 years, and also its liaison with the Holy See, was thus rec-ognized with gratitude.

To mark the 25th anniversary in 1942 of Pope Pius XII’s epis-copacy, the decision was reached to build and dedicate a newparish church in honor of the Pope’s name saint, San Eugenio.The Knights of Columbus offered a section of the Valle Giuliaplayground upon which the new church was to be built.

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Count Galeazzi, right, escorts, fromt the left, Supreme Advocate LukeE. Hart, Supreme Chaplain Monsignor Leo M. Finn, and Suipreme

Knight John E. Swift on a visit to San Eugenio.

During the Holy Year 1950, after a Special Audience withPope Pius XII, Supreme Knight John E. Swift instituted a fundfor the purchase and construction of the last playground inRome. The district of Primavalle, a newly populated area, waschosen for the site. This playground was named Pius XII inhonor of Pope Eugenio Pacelli and dedicated and blessed by HisEminence Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York,on June 7, 1952.

As was the case with the earlier athletic facilities, therealization of the Primavalle Playground was entrusted to CountGaleazzi. At that time he was completing another project, thePontifical North American College. In 1947, construction of theCollege had begun in collaboration with the Archdiocese of

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The Basilica of San Engenio, adjacent to the Count Galeazzi field

New York. In 1982, the Order established the Count EnricoGaleazzi Fund for the Pontifical North American College.Earnings on its now $2 million corpus will benefit the Collegeand its students in perpetuity.

The Order’s playgrounds have operated throughout thelast 80 years steadily, but not always smoothly due to the eventsof history. At one point, in 1931, the Italian government want-ed to place all youth programs under its own control. TheOrder’s recreation centers were outlawed. The facilities wereclosed and the staffs dismissed. Count Galeazzi persuaded theItalian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue a statement sayingthat the Knights was a charitable organization and its programin Rome should be allowed to continue. After four months ofclosure, Count Galeazzi reported that “an agreement wasreached between the government and the Church, and workwas resumed.”

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The North American College, Rome, designedby Count Enrico P. Galeazzi

Thus the youth centers re-opened and remained openduring the Second World War. Signs at the sites, however, had tobe changed fromEnglish to Italian, from Knights of Columbus toCavalieri di Colombo.

The facilities have served and continue to serve parish-es and schools, institutes for the disabled, hospitals, rehabilita-tion centers, needy children, the Vatican employees and semi-narians. Among the numerous institutes that use these centerstoday for their sports activities are: ANAFIM, institute for thedisabled; the local Aziende Sanitarie and Apostolato dellaPreghiera, institutes for persons with mental illness; SanGiuseppe Cottolengo, a rehabilitation hospital; Opera S. Pio Xfor needy children; San Alfonso and Agostiniani Scalzi, seminari-ans; students of the Pontifical Lateran University; and VaticanCity State employees.

Eighty years have passed since the Knights of Columbusbegan activities at St. Peter’s Oratory. Since that time, the com-mitment of the Knights of Columbus to the Successor of Peterand to the Holy See has grown stronger. What began with a ver-bal promise has grown to a large variety of projects as the pas-toral concern and mission of evangelization of the Church haveevolved. However, one thing has remained ever constant – thesteadfast devotion of the Knights of Columbus to be of service.

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