24 August 2020
First Friday Mass & Devotions - 4 September 2020
17 August 2020
In Honor of Christopher Columbus
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| The Columbus Memorial surrounded by its veil, Washington, DC, 8 June 1912. (Source) |
The following resolution was passed at the 138th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus, 4-5 August 2020:
WHEREAS, in 1492 Christopher Columbus obtained permission and financial support from the King and Queen of Spain to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean in search of new trade routes; and
WHEREAS, on October 12 of that year, Columbus’ expedition landed in what is today the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, immediately erecting a cross and naming the island San Salvador, in honor of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World; and
WHEREAS, Columbus set forth a policy that his men were to treat the native people in the new world with respect and sentenced to death men who disobeyed this order, which resulted in his own arrest and return to Spain in chains; and
WHEREAS, the 16th century historian Bartolomé de las Casas, who exposed terrible abuses of native peoples, defended Columbus’ motivations saying, “…I knew him well and I know his intentions are good;” and
WHEREAS, on the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ first voyage to the Americas, Pope Leo XIII reflected on Columbus’ strong Catholic faith writing, “it is fitting that we should confess and celebrate in an especial manner the will and designs of the Eternal Wisdom, under whose guidance the discoverer of the New World placed himself with a devotion so touching,” and ordered the celebration of Solemn Mass of the Most Holy Trinity in honor of the occasion; and
WHEREAS, U.S. President Benjamin Harrison similarly commemorated the anniversary by declaring a national Columbus holiday that year to provide, “expressions of gratitude to Divine Providence for the devout faith of the discoverer, and for the divine care and guidance which has directed our history and so abundantly blessed our people;” and
WHEREAS, following this anniversary of Columbus’ voyage, memorials and celebrations in honor of Columbus became popular in the United States as ways to celebrate the Catholic history of the Western Hemisphere and to speak out against anti-Catholicism in the United States; and
WHEREAS, at the height of the nativist and anti-Catholic sentiment of the late 19th century, Columbus was chosen as the Order’s namesake because he was one of the few Catholics considered a hero of American history, and because the founding members of the Order believed the explorer symbolized that faithful Catholics can also be patriotic American citizens; and
WHEREAS, in 1906 the Knights of Columbus advocated for the construction of a monument in Washington, DC in honor of Columbus and, when it was completed in 1912, President William Howard Taft presided at the dedication ceremony which was attended by several foreign ambassadors, thousands of Knights of Columbus, and thousands more interested spectators leading to the observation that “every possible vantage point was filled;” and
WHEREAS, several states began establishing holidays in honor of Columbus and, following the strong urging of the Knights of Columbus and several civic organizations, the United States declared Columbus Day a federal holiday in 1937; and
WHEREAS, the strong Catholic identity associated with Columbus Day led the Ku Klux Klan to denounce the celebration of the holiday as a “papal fraud” and even burn a cross at a Knights of Columbus celebration of Columbus Day in Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, to further accomplish its anti-Catholic goals in the United States, the Klan, and other nativist forces, began the trend of disparaging Columbus suggesting he was not a hero of western history, but rather just another foreign conqueror who was guilty of genocide, slavery, and oppression; and
WHEREAS, in recent years, these claims have been repeated leading to the propagation of further misinformation about Columbus and actions to abolish references to Columbus and remove monuments and commemorations to Columbus’ life – many of which were first established by Catholic immigrants seeking to establish their place in American culture and fight discrimination.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Knights of Columbus remains steadfast in its support of Christopher Columbus as our namesake; state and federal holidays established in his honor; and, public monuments and commemorations dedicated to his life and historical contributions; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call on state and local leaders to establish separate monuments, or other commemorations, that properly honor the contributions and centuries-long history of the native people of North America; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, that we commit our prayers for greater civility, peace, and understanding between all peoples to the intercession of our Blessed Mother, Patroness of the Americas, and namesake of Columbus’ lead ship on that historic 15th century journey.
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| President Taft speaking at the unveiling of the Columbus Memorial, Washington, DC, 8 June 1912. (Source) |
31 July 2020
Latin Masses to Resume in August
20 July 2020
Requiescat In Pace
16 July 2020
A Message from the Supreme Knight
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| Columbus Fountain, Washington, DC (Source) |
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. JunÃpero 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
Knights of Columbus
1 Columbus Plaza
New Haven, CT 06510
15 July 2020
01 July 2020
Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord 2020
Hail, Precious Blood, flowing from the wounds of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ, and washing away the sins of the whole world.
From The New Roman Missal by Fr. Lasance:
Blessed Pius IX instituted this feast in thanksgiving for the deliverance of the Apostolic See from the violent revolutionaries who had expelled the pope to Gaeta. In 1849, with the assistance of the French army, they were vanquished and the pope was able to return to Rome.
The meaning of this devotion is closely akin to that of the Sacred Heart. The Precious Blood is the price of universal redemption, which love would not have to be anything less than itself. There is very close connection between the Heart and the Blood not only because, according to St. John, after the death of Jesus, blood and water flowed from His wounded Heart, but because the first chalice in which that divine Blood was consecrated and vivified was precisely the Heart of the incarnate Word.
The Mass is of quite recent composition. In the ancient Roman rite the Mass of Passion Sunday was especially intended to recall to the remembrance of the faithful the infinite value of the Blood of Jesus Christ.
ALMIGHTY, eternal God, Who hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son to be the Redeemer of the world, and hast willed to be appeased by His blood, grant us, we beseech Thee, so incessantly to worship the price of our salvation, and to be so defended by its power from the ills of this life on earth, that we may enjoy its everlasting fruit in heaven. Through the same. Collect. Mass of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord.
07 June 2020
Trinity Sunday 2020

June 7, 2020
Holy Trinity Sunday
Former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America








