| Blessings for 125 years and more |
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| Friday, 27 July 2007 03:02 | |||
 Archbishop Henry J. Mansell This issue of The Catholic Transcript carries a Special Supplement, The Knights of Columbus, Celebrating 125 Years of Faith in Action. As the newspaper for the home diocese, now Archdiocese, where the Knights were born, it is most appropriate that we do so. Dioceses across the world might also hail and celebrate this significant milestone, recognizing all that the Knights of Columbus have contributed to the Church and society, all that they accomplish today, and the substantial hope they augur for the future. The Supplement details the phenomenal achievements and growth of the Knights over the years. Further information may be gleaned from Christopher Kauffman’s 512-page book, Faith and Fraternalism: The History of the Knights of Columbus, 1882-1982. No single volume or encyclopedia of volumes, however, can capture all that the Knights produce every day around the United States and the world. Father Michael J. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in the basement of Saint Mary’s Church, New Haven, on Feb. 7, 1882, and received its charter from the Connecticut General Assembly on March 29, 1882. He personally installed the first officers of San Salvador Council No. 1 in New Haven in May of 1882. His purpose was to provide spiritual and financial assistance to people in need. He wished to provide an alternative for Catholic young men who were being recruited by secret societies whose ideas and activities were often inimical to Catholic belief and practice. Clearly in focus at the same time was the objective to subsidize financially the widows and children of men who died too early from the ravages of the industrial revolution, recessions, and depressions. The early going was hard scrabble. At times, Father McGivney and the lay leaders thought of giving up. Nonetheless, by May of 1883 Council No. 2 had been instituted in Meriden, and by the end of 1885, there were 31 councils in Connecticut. The Knights were off and running. Today the Knights of Columbus number 1.7 million members and have insurance resources of $64 billion. They can be counted on to support, defend, and promote Catholic teaching and basic moral values. In times when the poison of secularism and relativism sabotage compass and blur direction, the Knights stand out as beacons of perennial values. Read all about it in the Supplement. I take this opportunity to express profound gratitude to and esteem for Mr. Carl A. Anderson, Supreme Knight. His leadership is an extraordinary blessing for the Knights of Columbus and their families, and, by extension, to countless millions of people around the globe. His cultivated intellect, vision, and energy are an endowment that is providing returns, spiritual and financial, in these years and for generations to come. Carl, his wife Dorian and their children provide inspiration that is especially graced for our times. Again, more about this in the Supplement. I have been a Knight of Columbus since my first parish assignment, so I have been aware first-hand for more than 40 years of the effective local service that the Knights produce. The various anniversaries and other events of the Knights here in Connecticut, therefore, are privileged occasions for me. The celebration in March of the 125th Anniversary Mass in Saint Mary’s Church, New Haven, was a deeply memorable experience of Church. At the initiative of Carl Anderson, the Mass and dinner following were dedicated to the parish priests of Connecticut, underscoring the vital importance of our priests and parishes for all that we are and do as Church. Every time we celebrate Mass at Saint Mary’s, we cannot help but be moved by the silent, eloquent, and energizing presence of the sarcophagus enshrining the remains of Father Michael J. McGivney in the back of the church. In early May, I was privileged to participate in the celebration for the Installation of the first Knights of Columbus Councils in Poland, which took place in the renowned Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa. This development was another example of the concrete results coming from the vision and years of hard work by Carl Anderson, advancing the Knights onward and upward. It all goes back to roots, and to Father McGivney. In their highly readable book, Parish Priest, Douglas Brinkley and Julie Fenster describe various facets of Father McGivney’s work and sacrifice as a parish priest. With all his responsibilities, he made time to produce a variety show, “Handy Andy,” in Saint Mary’s Parish, New Haven, involving young adults, and, later, in Saint Thomas Parish, Thomaston, with younger children as the performers. In both parishes, the shows were great hits, drawing huge audiences. A passage on page 196 conveys the spirit of the performances in the Opera House in Thomaston: “As act after act went by, a little mug named Joe Conway had the crowd roaring with laughter, playing Medicine Jack. James Morris made them cry and ‘brought down the house,’ by singing a ballad called ‘Mother and I.’ Michael McGivney, it seems, had the audience in the palm of his hand – but only because he had his players feeling so good about themselves.” The Church has already declared Father McGivney “Servant of God.” We pray that one day soon he will be canonized a saint. With his example and intercession, may the Knights of Columbus continue to make people from all walks and needs of life feel better about themselves and their world, for centuries to come. Knights of Columbus, congratulations and God’s blessings for all that lies ahead!
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