Historic Fourth Degree Honor Guard for Pope, President

The first visit to the United States by Pope Benedict XVI as Holy Father also marked a historic first for the Knights of Columbus. 

During Pope Benedict’s April 16 meeting with President Bush at the White House, 30 Fourth Degree Knights in full regalia provided an honor guard for the ceremony.  It was the first time the Fourth Degree stood in formation for a pope and president at the White House.

“We take this, first and foremost, as a supreme honor to be here for this historic event,” said Joseph P. Schultz, supreme master of the Fourth Degree.

“We are greatly honored that we would be chosen for such an honor, and I think it’s a sign of the high regard that is given to the Knights of Columbus as a whole.”

The White House ceremony took place in the Rose Garden.

The Fourth Degree also is scheduled to take part at the Masses in Washington’s Nationals Park and Yankee Stadium in New York, as well as at the pope’s departure ceremony at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

“This is an event that all our Sir Knights will remember for the rest of their lives. Many had tears in their eyes," said Vice Supreme Master Ralph Rossi, who headed the honor guard.

“We were representing the entire Order of Knights in this historic event. Being on the White House lawn, so close to the president of the United States and our Holy Father, we were totally overwhelmed with emotions. We were in awe.”

Rossi is organizing the Fourth Degree’s activities for the pope’s visit in the nation’s capital, and Masters Martin Loughlin and Marvin Dalton are handling arrangements in New York.

Rossi said that the 30 Sir Knights at the White House represented the entire Order and the Catholic Church.

“I have told my men that we are representing not only the 1.7 million Knights and their families throughout the world, but also the 68 million Catholics in the United States and the 1 billion Catholics in the world, since people will be watching this ceremony all over the world,” Rossi explained. “Any Knight who sees the Fourth Degree honor guard on TV will know that he is being represented. People all over the world will be able to see who we are and what we are, that we are Knights of Columbus.”

Rossi was enlisted in the U.S. National Guard for 41 years, retiring two years ago with the rank of sergeant major. He will draw on his military training as he prepares the honor guard for its most important assignment. He said that at the White House, the Sir Knights will march in three rows of 10, with six different colored capes displayed. No ceremonial swords will be carried at any of the papal events.

At Nationals Stadium on April 17, an honor guard of 50 Sir Knights will lead the liturgical procession at the beginning and the end of Mass. At Yankee Stadium on April 20, as many as 165 Fourth Degree members will accompany priests and deacons as they distribute Communion to the thousands attending. Later that day, a contingent of 50 Sir Knights will serve as honor guard as the Holy Father departs from JFK Airport.

“This is a unique opportunity to show the world what the Knights are about,” said Supreme Master Schultz.