JUL_AUG 20 ENG 6_22 FINAL.qxp_Mar E 12 6/23/20 3:09 PM Page 2
The Choice of Charity “LIKE THE MULTITUDE who gathered around the Apostles on the wonderful day of Pentecost ‌ we have men of various races and languages. But, by drawing close the bonds of brotherhood, we produce the best type of American citizenship ‌ with one great, broad, unalterable creed of fair play and equal rights for all.â€? Thus reads the editorial beginning vol. 1, no. 1 of The Columbiad in November 1893. The editors noted that this new publication, Columbia’s forerunner, aimed to serve the “moral and social uplifting of our members ‌ enabling them to better comprehend the principles as laid down in the original act of incorporation.â€? Father Michael McGivney had envisioned the Knights of Columbus as an organization with the broadest of appeal and the most basic of principles — charity, unity and fraternity, centered in Christ and the Catholic (universal) faith. In many ways, Father McGivney and the Order he founded were far ahead of their time, anticipating the Second Vatican Council’s emphasis on the universal call to holiness. But like the Church herself, the Order is in constant need of renewal and authentic reform, and its work is always best accomplished by staying faithful to its founding mission. With this in mind, this issue of Columbia celebrates the Order’s historic work related to bridging the racial divide in America and ensuring “equal rights for all,â€? while also acknowledging that, as members of the body of Christ, our struggle to overcome the sin of
racism is far from complete (see pages 8, 16). As with The Columbiad, these and various articles about the Order’s charitable work are intended to “upliftâ€? Knights and their families, inspiring them to practice the founding principles in their daily lives and in response to challenges facing the world today. It is, after all, only through principles rooted in the Gospel — not partisan politics or destructive ideologies — that we can adequately address such challenges. When Supreme Knight Carl Anderson met with prominent African American Christian leaders in 2017, together they endorsed the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy outlined 60 years earlier in the 1957 essay “Nonviolence and Racial Justice.â€? Anderson co-wrote a Time op-ed with the Rev. Eugene Rivers, a well-known Pentecostal minister, in which they stated, “Now as then, we must choose whether this country will overcome deep racial and political divisions with justice and forgiveness, or deepen them with hatred and violence.â€? As the world faces this vital choice today, and civility has further given way to divisive rhetoric, the witness of charity, unity and fraternity is needed more than ever. We therefore return to the vision of Father McGivney, our founder, even as we joyfully anticipate his beatification (see page 6). We must choose the path of charity if we truly hope to build a civilization of love.♌ ALTON J. PELOWSKI EDITOR
Featured Book: The Gift of Black Folk In 1924, the Knights of Columbus commissioned and published a landmark history by civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois. The Gift of Black Folk: The Negroes in the Making of America, which recounts many of the unsung contributions of African Americans to society, was one of several books in the Knights of Columbus Racial Contribution Series. The critically acclaimed work was republished in 2009, with a foreword by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, and is available for purchase at knightsgear.com. 2 ♌ COLUMBIA ♌
JULY/AUGUST 2020
COLUMBIA PUBLISHER Knights of Columbus ________ SUPREME OFFICERS Carl A. Anderson SUPREME KNIGHT Most Rev. William E. Lori, S.T.D. SUPREME CHAPLAIN Patrick E. Kelly DEPUTY SUPREME KNIGHT Michael J. O’Connor SUPREME SECRETARY Ronald F. Schwarz SUPREME TREASURER John A. Marrella SUPREME ADVOCATE ________ EDITORIAL Alton J. Pelowski EDITOR Andrew J. Matt MANAGING EDITOR Cecilia Hadley SENIOR EDITOR Margaret B. Kelly ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Venerable Michael McGivney (1852-90) Apostle to the Young, Protector of Christian Family Life and Founder of the Knights of Columbus, Intercede for Us.
________
HOW TO REACH US MAIL COLUMBIA 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326 ADDRESS CHANGES 203-752-4210, option #3 addresschange@kofc.org COLUMBIA INQUIRIES 203-752-4398 K OF C CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-380-9995 EMAIL columbia@kofc.org INTERNET kofc.org/columbia ________ Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.
________
Copyright Š 2020 All rights reserved ________ ON THE COVER A multiracial group of K of C secretaries stands outside the Knights’ recreation hut at Camp Zachary Taylor, Ky., in 1918.
E D I TO R I A L