Monsignor Mooney Council #13228
Knights of Columbus at Our Lady of Grace Parish
Knights Corner
Msgr. Mooney Council #13228 at Our Lady of Grace Parish
DID YOU KNOW: “In 1924, Jim Crow laws were still enforced in many parts of the United States. Martin Luther King, Jr. was not yet born, and the height of the civil rights movement wouldn’t be for another 40 years. Nonetheless, it was at this time that the Knights of Columbus commissioned and published The Gift of Black Folk: The Negroes in the Making of America by famous civil rights proponent W.E.B. Du-Bois.
The Gift of Black Folk presents the varied contributions of Black Americans from the earliest colonial settlements through World War I and the early 1920s. A valuable resource to all who are interested in black history, the book is filled with touching stories and anecdotes.” (taken from Supreme web page “Created Equal” 2/1/2018). This book is still available on Amazon.
From now through August 31st, Catholic gentlemen may join the Order online for only *$15.00, (*normally $30.00). Prospects should go to http://kofc.org/un/ joinus/en/membership.html and use promo code CT127. Our last three members joined the Order, completed their Exemplification of Charity, Unity and Fraternity, and transferred our Council here at Our Lady of Grace,… all online! You can join just as easily. Contact Grand Knight Terry Morgan (paxterry@gmail.com) or Deputy Grand Knight Pat O’Keefe (virtualpat@yahoo.com) for more information.
A Message from the Supreme Knight
Brother Knights:
We are all aware of the troubling events that are occurring today, including attacks on statues of historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and our Order’s namesake, Christopher Columbus. Statues of saints have also been vandalized, including those honoring St. Junípero Serra, St. Louis and even the Blessed Virgin Mary, and houses of worship and other religious symbols have been attacked. These are not merely attacks on statues and history. They are increasingly attacks on Catholics and people of faith.
In the late 19th century, the Knights of Columbus took its name at a time of intense anti-Catholicism. Our founding members wanted to show that Catholics played an essential role in the exploration and development of America since its earliest days, and that a Catholic could be both a good citizen and a good Catholic.
However, anti-Catholicism persisted. In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan tried to stop Columbus Day celebrations and opposed Columbus statues simply because Columbus was a Catholic. We opposed the KKK then and have continued to stand up against bigotry directed at Catholics and others.
We stood up against the persecution of Catholics in Mexico in the 1920s, spoke out for the Jews of Germany in the 1930s and worked for religious freedom behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. Today, we are rebuilding Christian communities in the Middle East that were targeted for genocide. Each of us can be proud of our history of standing up for the most vulnerable among us.
While our faith calls us to be respectful of different perspectives, acts of vandalism are crimes against all who cherish democracy and mutual respect. The Knights of Columbus remains firm in its condemnation of all forms of racism and violence, including political violence. With churches, statues, and religious symbols subject to vandalism and attack, we call upon elected officials and leaders at every level to defend the religious freedom of all.
Vivat Jesus!
Carl A. Anderson
Supreme Knight