Why I Am a Knight - By Mike Perez, PGK
My Brothers All:
Over the next several weeks, we will be inviting many men to join the Knights of Columbus. Each of us who has been a Knight for some time, has a personal reason why we joined the Order and the Council of which we are a part. I urge each of you to think about your own motivations to become a Knight and your personal experience. You may be approached by an interested Catholic man or woman at any time to seek your advice on this choice.
This is also important for those of our number who are considering leaving the Knights. What were their expectations? Did we meet those expectations? Is there more we can do? We should think about this as we contact these men to understand what they are going through and why they have chosen the course they take. If appropriate, we should encourage them to meet us half way to re-energize their membership experience.
So, why am I a Knight?
Many of you may not know that I was not raised Catholic. I am a converted Baptist...coming into the Church less than 10 years ago. Although I was not new to the area, I was "new" as a member of the Catholic community in this area. True, I had attended Mass for some time before converting. But that is significantly different than being a practicing member of the Church. I knew many Catholic families through the parish school...acquaintances...but I did not have many male friends who were Catholic. Therefore, I was interested in developing relationships that would help me grow in the faith...through example, through shared experiences, and through discussion. The Knights presented that opportunity. As Bishop David E. Foley of the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama, recently wrote, "We need some places to go and things to do that will keep us with people who share our values and think of others as important to them. I see the Knights of Columbus as a way to be involved in the life of the Catholic Church and work for its goals." While most men have heard of the Knights, many do not realize the power of the Knights as a source of spiritual support for Catholic men trying to live out their faith. While I needed this support because I was new to the faith, it is equally as important to men who seek support to live out their faith as an example to their young children in a secular world.
I also wanted to be involved in service to the Church. I was blessed to be invited to be a lector in my parish. I continue that today. The Knights offer an ability to join with other men of like mind to do more in support of the Church. As Bishop Foley stated, "The Knights definitely have an agenda, and its agenda is the support of the Holy Father, the bishops and the priests in furthering the mission of the Catholic faith. We need this help at this point of time in our Church." We can be proud of the legacy of support of the Order to the Church, financial and otherwise. We have heard of the millions of dollars provided to finance renovation projects at the Vatican, to build the tower at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, to finance the John Paul II Institute on the Family, to finance international broadcast of important Masses from the Vatican, and to support the Holy Father's charitable causes, among many other acts. Twenty-five years ago, Pope Paul VI recognized the important work of the Order in support of the church when he said "I give my fullest blessing to all of your social and spiritual activities and particularly to your new apostolates for vocations and for reviving devotion to the rosary and the Blessed Mother." Similarly, Pope John Paul II has described the Order as the "right hand of the Church" in the United States. When we consider the millions of hours devoted to church ministries, the vocations support program, and special events to recognize and support our priesthood, we can be confident, as Knights, that we are serving the Church.
As a follower of Christ, it was also important to me to be of service to those in need. I believe that the best way I can accomplish that is to join with others of like intent, and with the strength of unity, to serve where needed. As a Catholic family service organization, the Knights offer many opportunities to serve, some big and some small. As many of you know, the Knights were among the first responders following the destruction of the World Trade Center Towers and the attack on the Pentagon. Beginning on September 13, just two days after the attack, insurance representatives of the Order began delivering $3,000 checks to widows and surviving family members of full-time professional law enforcement, firefighters and emergency medical personnel who lost their lives in the rescue and recovery efforts, regardless of religion or affiliation with the Order. By November 1, 400 such checks had been delivered...often the first concrete assistance received by the families. Also at the national level, the Order has just donated $1 million to help defray the cost of transportation of special olympics athletes to the Summer World Games in Dublin in June. The tootsie roll campaign to help the mentally handicapped and the State Charity Fund are opportunities supported State-wide. My most emotional moment as a Knight was last February at the County-wide Tootsie Roll Dinner when the Knights of Montgomery County presented over $60,000 to a multitude of organizations serving the mentally handicapped in our communities. I was so proud to be a Knight and to have contributed to that effort. Similarly, our local Councils each engage in numerous service projects whether it is feeding the hungry, supporting women faced with a crisis pregnancy, supporting the unborn, helping organizations that help the handicapped and needy, or supporting those down on their luck. The Knights present an opportunity for me to be as active as I desire in these ministries, and offer a place for each of us to contribute our time and energy for the betterment of others.
Finally, I joined the Knights to have some fun! And, I must say that my Council has not disappointed. We work hard but we have a good time, as well. The fraternity and socialization is important to the health of the entire person and the family. In short, the Knights have met many of my personal needs. Each of you have your own experiences to share. Be prepared to answer the question, "Why are you a Knight?", for yourself as well as for Catholic men and women who are interested in the Order.
Fraternally,
Mike Perez, PGK
District 18 Warden