Greetings from Pope Francis sent to Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly and the Supreme Convention

by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin10/1/2023

Dear Mr. Kelly,

His Holiness Pope Francis was pleased to learn that from 1 to 3 August, the 141st Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus will be held in Orlando, Florida. He has asked me to convey his cordial best wishes to all assembled, together with the assurance of his closeness in prayer. His Holiness willingly takes this opportunity to express once again his deep appreciation for the commitment shown by the Knights to the Church’s apostolic mission of bearing witness to the Gospel of God’s closeness, mercy and tender love for his people. Indeed, this “style of God” is embodied in the countless acts of service to families, the poor and those in need that the Knights of Columbus carry out through their local councils and also on the national and international levels. Such works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual, demonstrate your Order’s steadfast dedication to the principles of faith, fraternity and charity, which were evident in the life of your Founder, Blessed Michael McGivney, and which have since inspired generations of Knights.

At a time when we are witnessing the effects of war and conflict, the solidarity and practical assistance the Knights have offered to our suffering brothers and sisters in Ukraine and in other regions of the world testify to the evangelical love of neighbor that is the hallmark of Christ’s disciples (cf. Mt 22:39; Jn 13:34-35). In providing food, medicine and other forms of humanitarian relief to refugees and the internally displaced, especially women and children, the Knights have evidenced a steadfast determination to help build a new society based on serving others (cf. Fratelli Tutti, 229). His Holiness is grateful for the contributions made by the Knights of Columbus to promote paths of healing and reconciliation, peace and fraternal coexistence.

In this way, the social fabric can be renewed and through the example given by the Knights, our brothers and sisters can encounter the love of Christ that has the power to transform hearts and lives.

It is in this spirit of Christian solidarity that the Church universal is currently undertaking a synodal journey, listening together to the Holy Spirit and discerning new and creative ways to proclaim the joy of the Gospel. In this regard, His Holiness is pleased that your Order has emphasized the shared responsibility that exists between clergy and laity in advancing the mission of the Church. For “in all the baptized …the sanctifying power of the Spirit is at work, impelling us to evangelization” (Evangelii Gaudium, 119). In responding to this baptismal calling, the Knights of Columbus, together with bishops, priests and deacons, have sought to exemplify in visible ways the Church’s communion in charity and so further the spread of God’s kingdom. His Holiness moreover encourages the Knights to be a leaven within society, for “all of us are called to offer others an explicit witness to the saving love of the Lord” (ibid, 121). In this way, the social fabric can be renewed and through the example given by the Knights, our brothers and sisters can encounter the love of Christ that has the power to transform hearts and lives.

In harmony with Blessed Michael McGivney’s vision, the Knights of Columbus have also been concerned to accompany men in their Christian vocation, especially as husbands and fathers, and to support the Church’s efforts to build strong Catholic families. For this reason, His Holiness appreciates initiatives of your Order such as Cor, which enable Catholic men to build a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer, formation and fraternity. This is all the more necessary today amid the distractions of everyday life and a culture frequently indifferent to the reality of faith. Indeed, a strong and vital relationship with our Lord not only leads to personal sanctification, but is also essential for the healthy development of family life, marked by mutual love, respect and trust. In turn, healthy families are able to foster the growth of individuals in maturity, the cultivation of community values and the moral progress of society as a whole (cf. Amoris Laetitia, 52).

His Holiness renews his gratitude for the tradition of unfailing devotion your Order has shown to the Successor of Peter and its generous cooperation in his universal apostolic ministry. He likewise offers heartfelt thanks for the constancy of the Knights of Columbus in defending the sanctity of human life and religious liberty, as well as for their prayerful and charitable solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Middle East. He implores the Knights and their families to pray for a lasting peace in that region and throughout the world. With these sentiments, and commending the deliberations of the 141st Supreme Convention to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, the Holy Father assures all the Knights and their families of a remembrance in his prayers and cordially imparts his Blessing as a pledge of joy and peace in the Lord.

Please accept my own prayerful good wishes for this occasion.

Yours sincerely,

Cardinal Pietro Parolin
Secretary of State