KofC Convention

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson - An Historic Convention in the Making

Welcome to the 125th Knights of Columbus Supreme Convention Blog. We began a blog this year to allow people everywhere to follow the events of our Supreme Convention from a variety of perspectives, and to allow those people to contribute to the convention by giving them the ability to make relevant comments, ask questions, and actively participate in the Convention, even if they are unable to attend the events in Nashville. 

Our 125th anniversary is a historic occasion, and we are making history this year as we celebrate this milestone. Our 125th Convention will be the most visible convention in the history of the Knights of Columbus. Several media outlets are broadcasting from our convention, including EWTN, Salt and Light Television (Canada) and The Catholic Channel of Sirius Satellite Radio. In addition we have reporters from around the United States, as well as from news outlets in Europe and Latin America covering our events the print and online publications. 

I hope you will tell your family and friends to follow to the coverage of our convention and learn more about the Knights of Columbus and the wonderful work that our members do throughout the world. The coverage schedules can be accessed at www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/convention_2007/broadcast.html

This year, we are particularly honored to have Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone coming to the United States for our convention. He will say our opening Convention Mass on Tuesday, and will receive the Knights´ highest honor – the Gaudium et Spes Award – Tuesday night, when he will make brief remarks as well.

We are also very pleased to have with us members from countries around the world including: the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and our newest jurisdiction, Poland.

If you are not here with us in Tennessee, I welcome you to join us virtually – via the media, the Internet, and this blog – as we celebrate 125 years of faith in action at our Supreme Convention.

Bishop William Lori - The Excitement Builds as the K of C Family Celebrates its 125 Years

I´ve been here since Friday and have watched the excitement build as the Knights of Columbus family gathers from many parts of the world for its historic 125^th Annual Convention. As I meet old friends and new, I am reminded that Father McGivney´s legacy lives on, especially in the strong faith and active charity of our members. The much-anticipated presence of the Cardinal Secretary of State is also a wonderful confirmation of our mission in the Church and in the world. May these days be a time when we open our hearts more widely to Christ and affirm our "yes" to all he teaches us and does for us through the Church! God bless you and keep you in his love.

P.S.D. William J. Briere — Continuing to make history

Whether you´re present physically or virtually, welcome to Nashville. This week, we´re adding to the inspirational tapestry that is the history of the Knights of Columbus.

There are many communications tools at our disposal here, and we intend to use all of them to good effect. This blog is one of them. You´re invited to hop in, follow along, and participate.

The history of our great order includes equal measures of tradition and vision. Tradition is a link from our past to our present, and vision is a link from our present to our future. The first 125 years have been earth-changing, and we show no signs of letting up.

Over the past couple of years, I´ve been preaching that once we´ve given a man reasons to join the Knights of Columbus, we then need to give him reasons to stay. A productive and active organization creates an atmosphere of driven purpose and relevance. Being involved in the Knights of Columbus is one way to help make history and shape the world.

When a man becomes a Knight, he answers a call to service and promises to tirelessly defend the Church, the priesthood, the unborn, and all who need and deserve our protection. As Knights, it is our duty, our profession, our vocation to be heroes.

History is made by those who get involved, by those who interact. And, more than ever before, this year´s supreme convention gives us the tools we need to interact with our brother Knights – from wherever we might be.

Supreme Chaplain - Looking forward to Tuesday's events

An amazing day stretches out before us – the opening Mass with Cardinal Bertone; the Supreme Knight's Report; and the States Dinner. Throughout these events, our attention will be focused on the theme of this Convention: 125 Years of Faith in Action: Witnessing to the "Yes" of Jesus Christ. This theme teaches us that by living the principles of the Order, especially charity, we are bearing witness to Christ who affirms the deepest desire of our hearts - friendship with God. May we open our hearts to the abundant graces this day brings to us all.

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson - Cardinal Bertone Speaks about Father McGivney

This morning´s opening Mass was beautiful. Led by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and concelebrated by nearly one hundred other bishops and almost as many priests, it was truly a remarkable experience.

Cardinal Bertone´s homily is one that I think is very inspiring as we celebrate our 125th anniversary. In his homily, Cardinal Bertone called Father McGivney "a holy parish priest," and said: "Everyone who had the privilege of knowing Father McGivney was impressed by the dynamism of his personality and his pastoral zeal. He guided the organization he founded with prudence and wisdom, firmly trusting in Christ. "

The Cardinal told us that because of Father McGivney´s great example: "The Congregation for the Causes of Saints, as you know, is currently studying the life of this Servant of God, with a view to recognizing his sanctity and presenting him to the faithful as a model Christian, worthy of imitation."

Cardinal Bertone also encouraged us to live out our faith in the example of Father McGivney, saying: "May your founder´s faith and courage serve as an inspiration to all of you as you devote yourselves to the pursuit of your own apostolate."

As we hold our convention this year on the theme of saying "Yes" to Christ, let us all work to devote ourselves even more to our Order´s first principle and most important apostolate, charity.

P.S.D. William J. Briere — Tradition. Vision. Fraternity. In it for life

By now, nearly all of the delegates and their guests have arrived. Most of them have settled in for the work ahead, beginning with the first business session, which starts in a few minutes.

But it´s not all work. After all, each of us is here with a few thousand of his closest friends. And today may be the fraternal highlight of the week.

We came together for Mass this morning, with a significant portion of the Church´s hierarchy concelebrating. An ensemble of brass, strings, and talented voices added to the dignity that the Mass always holds, while a large Fourth Degree color corps contributed a sense of pomp and pageantry to the event.

The international flavor of the Knights of Columbus was unmistakable this morning. Members from all of the countries in which our order exists were present. The languages used during the Liturgy itself were numerous. (I heard Italian, Latin, Greek, Spanish, Polish, French, Tagalog, and even a little English.)

The Church uses foreign languages as a vehicle for evangelization – a way to establish a presence and to communicate. And the Knights of Columbus does the same. We don't view foreign languages as communications obstacles; we see them as communications tools.

Tonight´s States Dinner will conclude the day with an even more lively spirit of diversity and fraternity. A representative sampling of photos will be posted on the home page of this Web site by tomorrow morning, so check back. Be sure to spread the word to your family and friends, too.

Also, don´t miss the supreme knight´s annual report on the Knights of Columbus, which will be delivered shortly. You´re going to learn a little history, catch a bit of vision, sense a bond of fraternity, and shore up that gut feeling you´ve got that you´re in it for life.

The spirit of fraternity that we feel here in Nashville is too much to keep to ourselves, so we´d really like to share it with you. If you´re following this supreme convention from home (or work), check in by posting a comment and letting us know where you´re from. Each one of you is represented by the delegates here, and you are all in our thoughts and prayers.

Vivat Jesus, brothers!

P.S.D. William J. Briere — Technology is our friend

Yesterday was incredible. You can read about it elsewhere on this Web site, so I won't go into a whole lot of detail here.

One comment: The supreme knight's annual report is a must-read. Here's a sample. In a previous post, I promised you'd hear something about tradition, vision, and fraternity. Oh, and something about "in it for life." It's all in there.

There's a lot of new stuff going on. New things can be difficult for any of us to learn, but keeping up with the times has always been one of the great traditions of the Knights of Columbus. We sprang forth in 1882, a time of great technological innovation: fast, powerful locomotives; tamed electricity and light bulbs; telegraphs and telephones; daily newspapers.

One hundred and twenty-five years ago, James Mullen, John Kerrigan, Cornelius Driscoll, Bill Geary, Dan Colwell, and a bunch of other regular guys – just like us – met with the tireless Fr. McGivney for monthly meetings that would change the world. Today, we do the same.

They were young – mostly in their thirties – and were involved in their parish and in their community. They were well-grounded in faith and tradition, but they also had ambition and vision. Our founders took advantage of all the modern technologies that New Haven offered them.

Let's keep that tradition alive. Let´s commit ourselves to becoming better-informed Knights within a better-connected fraternity. Technology is our friend. If you're technologically challenged, make the leap by posting a comment here on this blog.

Tradition and vision. Because we Knights of Columbus recognize that some things never change and that other things always change.

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson - A look back at the 125th Supreme Convention

Yesterday we wrapped up our 125th Supreme Convention. It was truly an historic event, attended by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Bertone, and addressed by letter by Pope Benedict XVI. Looking back on this historic event, I would like to share a few of the special moments of this convention with you.

At the State´s Dinner on Tuesday night, we presented Cardinal Bertone with the Gaudium et Spes Award – the Order's highest honor. We also heard moving words from Archbishop Fouad Twal, coadjutor of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, who told us of how he was supported by Knights when he was in the seminary. It is important for all of us to remember that the vocations we support become the priests and the bishops that we work with so closely at every level of the Knights of Columbus.

On Wednesday evening, we had the honor to host Cardinal Bertone and several other members of the hierarchy for a dinner at which the Cardinal gave a very moving speech related closely to our convention's theme of saying "yes" to Jesus Christ. I hope you will all take the time to read his important and inspiring words at http://www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/convention_2007/addresses/index.html

That evening, I asked the assembled bishops, cardinals and priests to stand if they had a brother, uncle, father or grandfather who was a Knight. We had a room filled with standing priests and bishops, all of whom were a testament to the fact that Knights of Columbus families support vocations - not just financially - but in the environment created in their homes as well.

On Thursday, the delegates to the Supreme Convention approved a resolution reaffirming our commitment to defending life and the dignity, which reaffirmed our: "deep commitment to oppose any governmental action or policy that promotes abortion, embryonic stem cell research, human cloning, euthanasia, assisted suicide and other offenses against life." As I noted in my report on Tuesday, Winston Churchill said during the darkest days of World War II: "This is the lesson: Never give in, never give in, never, never, never - in nothing great or small." On issues of life and the dignity of the human person, the Knights of Columbus will never give in.

As we look forward to our next 125 years, let us continue to be Knights of charity, of unity with our Church, of fraternity with each other, and of patriotism for our countries. Let us continue to say "yes" to Jesus Christ as those generations of Knights before us have done, and let us give an excellent example to our future generations of Knights of saying "yes" to Jesus Christ.

Vivat Jesus!