Knights of Columbus – Helping America – One Life At A Time!

Past State Deputy Tim Von Dohlen and wife Pat, Co-Founders of the St. John Paul II Life and Family Center (Center) in Austin, Texas, have just returned from an important trip to Rome – to give thanks for God’s guidance resulting in acquiring a “Building For Life” with assistance of the Knights of Columbus Church Loan Program. The building will be a site to continue the work of the Center saving babies lives, caring for mother and child, and providing education about life in the womb. This is continuing the JOURNEY that they have been on for many years. They like to remind everyone that In Life The Journey Is Everything.

Because of the assistance of the Knights of Columbus the Center was able to purchase a 19,000 square foot building in the heart of the medical district in Austin near Ascension Seton main hospital.

To understand the significance of how this came to be, we need to take you back some months to understand the pivotal role individual Knights, Councils, the Austin Chapter, State Council and Supreme Council played in making this a reality.

In October 2023, Tim and Pat went on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje to pray asking our Mother Mary to intercede with her son Jesus to give them an answer if they were headed in the right direction to take RISKS to purchase this 19,000 square foot building to provide more space to serve pregnant women considering abortion and also in normal pregnancy – the St. John Paul II Life and Family Center has now saved over 2,500 babies lives and served thousands of frightened women needing help. The answer they received while at Medjugorje was a clear and resounding “YES” to proceed with buying the building – an $8,500,000 investment including $2,000,000 of renovation – started before owning the building, and $6,500,000 for the building with less than $3,000,000 committed.

On the pilgrimage with them was a Priest serving as Chaplain who before becoming a Priest had been head of Prudential Life Insurance Real Estate Division.

Tim met with Fr. Phil on the last day of the pilgrimage to learn from him. After Tim showed him brochures about the Center and the building Father Phil said, “You don’t know this, but I’m meeting with the KofC Investment Department head next Thursday. Would you like me to tell him about this?”

Tim said “Absolutely!” Thursday passed and on Friday Tim got a call telling him – “He really liked it; I think you ought to call him!”

Tim made the call, and that started the Center submitting a 90-page loan application including letters of support from several Bishops, the State Deputy, Austin Chapter President, Council Grand Knights, and individual KC Members.

The building’s name is the “Marathon Building,” and it truly was a marathon to get the purchase and renovations timely completed. Starting in January 2024 that was the sprint part to the finish line. Just over 60 days from the submittal of the loan application the Center closed on a $6,000,000 loan from the KofC Investment Department on February 22, 2024, took possession of the newly renovated 3^rd floor the same day, moved from the prior location of the Center and the Vitae Clinic which saw patients up to noon on Friday, February 23, 2024, and reopened in the new building Monday, February 26, 2024 at noon and saw 40 patients that afternoon!

That’s what can happen when people work together to make a good thing happen and God has said “Yes.” God rewards faith, not fear!

They trusted in God and took some risks. As St. John Paul II said – “Be Not Afraid!”

So what now for the St. John Paul II Life and Family Center and Vitae Clinic? The Center provides Education and Care. Because of the Knights of Columbus Loan, the Center now has two years to complete the Capital Campaign. For providing Care, the Center and Vitae Clinic, with its two full-time physicians and nurse practitioner, continue to save babies and serve women for up to three years after the baby’s birth. For providing education, the Center produced “A Glimpse Inside™” – four short videos narrated by the Center’s physicians showing from conception to birth; and, instruct women and their husbands on Natural Family Planning methods and Natural Procreative Technology helping to strengthen the family.

The St. John Paul II Life and Family Center needs Knights Councils and individual Knights to continue to walk beside the Center in this continuing marathon as to save babies and help families in these difficult time in which we live.

Please visit jpiilifecenter.org or use this QR Code to learn more about how you can help.

Knights and their wives and families and the Center must boldly go forward and BE NOT AFRAID!