WHEREAS, the global COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed everyday life necessitating the closure of businesses, churches, governments, and social services while dramatically changing the way we interact with family and friends; and
WHEREAS, these changes caused drastic increases in unemployment and difficulty responding to the needs of the homeless and impoverished; and
WHEREAS, the pandemic has led to an unprecedented strain on the global healthcare infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, Pope Francis imparted an extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing in the early days of the pandemic reminding the whole world that, “The Lord….invites us to reawaken and put into practice that solidarity and hope capable of giving strength, support, and meaning to these hours when everything seems to be floundering;” and
WHEREAS, the Knights of Columbus answered the call of Pope Francis and responded to the challenges of the pandemic by launching the Leave No Neighbor Behind initiative, encouraging Brother Knights to assist one another, our parishes, our communities and the hungry during the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, the Knights of Columbus committed more than $1 million to facilitate the donation and distribution of food through community food banks in more than 20 cities across the United States and Canada; and
WHEREAS, projects at both the local and Supreme Council level provided more than $337,000 of food to the Acoma, Navajo, and Zuni nations as well as native Hawaiian communities and remote First Nations villages in Canada; and
WHEREAS, the Order has also addressed needs abroad by providing support to the Vatican’s Bambino Gesu Hospital, the Maryamana Hospital in Iraq, healthcare facilities in Lebanon, and various projects throughout the Philippines; and
WHEREAS, the Knights of Columbus set aside $100 million for loans to support the financial needs of Catholic dioceses to ensure they can continue their important spiritual and evangelical missions; and
WHEREAS, the Knights of Columbus also responded spiritually to the pandemic by organizing a Novena for Protection in Time of Pandemic, invoking our Blessed Mother under her title “Health of the Sick” from March 15-23; as well as a Divine Mercy Novena starting Good Friday, April 10, through April 18, in preparation for Divine Mercy Sunday, when Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori offered Mass and joined the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in leading the Divine Mercy Chaplet from Baltimore’s Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was broadcast online to allow for the remote participation of members; and in response to the invitation of Pope Francis for families to “rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May,” the Saint John Paul II National Shrine broadcast online the recitation of the rosary before an image of Salus Populi Romani daily during the month of May, concluding with the special prayers proposed by the Holy Father; and
WHEREAS, under the banner of Leave No Neighbor Behind, the Knights of Columbus has contributed nearly $5 million to community and parish projects while donating 335 tons of food and 8,542 pints of blood.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Knights of Columbus will exemplify our first principle of charity and continue responding to the global crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that we will continue to observe important health and safety requirements, such as social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment, when implementing our programs to ensure our members, and those we serve, are protected from infection; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that we continue to pray for an end to the pandemic, for those who are in distress because of its effects, for those who are suffering from COVID-19, and for the repose of the souls of our brother Knights and all those who have perished; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that we offer our sincere appreciation for those who face the threat of infection everyday while they continue to provide essential healthcare, retail, and public safety services.