Knights Encouraged to do More for Church and Charity

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Supreme Knight Carl Anderson and Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore addressed the Order's assembled State Deputies Supreme during their first full day of meetings in Dallas, Texas. The State Deputies were joined in their meetings by the State Chaplains. Supreme Knight Anderson encouraged the Knights to find ways to do even more for the Church and for charity. "The greatest enemy we have is complacency," the supreme knight said. "We don't have the right to say it's good enough." Key to the Knights efforts must be evangelization in word and deed, and that evangelization must have a missionary dimension, he said.

The supreme knight encouraged the state leadership to be "the strong right arm of the Church" and to react quickly when bishops need or request the Order's assistance. He also encouraged further membership growth, pointing out that an increase in membership not only enabled the Order to engage in even greater acts of charity, but also provided those who join with the opportunity for growth in the faith. As part of helping members grow in the faith and evangelizing marriage and family life, the supreme knight suggested that each knight and his family should pray together each day. The Order is distributing a Prayer for the Family written by the supreme chaplain that families can say each day during the Year of Faith.

Following the supreme knight's talk, Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori spoke to the group and touched on many of the same themes. He pointed out that a commitment to the New Evangelization is fundamental to the Knights of Columbus. "Father McGivney didn't use the word New Evangelization, but that is exactly what he did," Archbishop Lori said, adding that Father McGivney preached the Gospel in new ways and in a manner that related to every day life. Father McGivney couldn't do it alone, said the archbishop, so to help him in this work, he needed partners, laymen, the Knights of Columbus. He encouraged the Order's state leaders to further expand the Knights membership so that no one would be left behind - whether in the charitable work of the Knights, or in the growth of their own faith.

Following the speeches by the Supreme Knight and Supreme Chaplain, the State Deputies and State Chaplains attended meetings and a lunch designed to help them with the programming and membership needs of their jurisdictions.