The Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, Carl A. Anderson opened the first session of the 128th Supreme Convention on Tuesday by re-consecrating his mission and responsibilities to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Before delivering his annual report to the more than 2,000 delegates of the world’s largest Catholic fraternity, Anderson – who is celebrating his 10th anniversary as Supreme Knight – recalled that he began his tenure by visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, to consecrate his responsibilities to the Patroness of the Americas.
“I consecrated all my responsibilities to Her and I renew my consecration to her auspices,” the Supreme Knight said.
In his extensive report, Anderson recalled that “to be a Christian is truly a very different way of living and of loving. From its earliest days, Christianity was often known simply as ‘The Way.' It was so unique in the First Century that no further explanation was necessary.”
“You had only to observe the manner in which the early Christians went about their daily lives – the way they cared for others – to sense that there was something very different about them,” he added.
“Two thousand years later,” Anderson continued, “it cannot always be said that today’s Christians stand out in the way the first Christians did in the days of the Roman Empire. In some ways, our secular society seems to be a more difficult environment than the pagan society in which Peter and Paul first spread the Gospel.”
“And yet the continuing appeal of membership in the Knights of Columbus, with its devotion to charity inspired by faith, is undeniable: During the last fraternal year, more than 74,000 Catholic men joined our ranks. They too, have answered ‘yes’ to the question, ‘Am I my brother's keeper?’”
In his yearly report, Anderson reviewed a long list of items such as the growing membership, education, insurance and investments, support to vocations and chaplains, military and veteran affairs, the inauguration of the Knights of Columbus Museum, Faithful Citizenship, charitable contributions as well as fraternal and financial highlights.
On Faithful Citizenship, the Supreme Knight noted that “the vast majority of Knights of Columbus activity is directed toward matters of faith, charity and family life. We are not a political organization, and partisan politics is expressly prohibited by the Constitution and laws of the Order.”
“Our members include people of many political persuasions, and our goal is unity in faith and fraternity, whatever our political differences might be,” Anderson said. However, he explained that “we do, however, take positions on a limited number of key issues that we believe are fundamental to faithful Catholic citizens and involve matters that must transcend partisan politics.”
“Our guides in this area are two of the great documents of the Second Vatican Council: 'Gaudium et Spes,' which addressed the role of the Church in the modern world, and 'Dignitatis Humanae,' its teaching on religious freedom and the fundamental dignity of the human person.”
The Supreme Knight’s annual report can be found on the Knights of Columbus official website.
SIC: CNA