Did you know this about the IW Knights of Columbus?
We continue with the December Knights of Columbus "Chaplain's Report" in which the Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori writes about the second of Two Crucial Points of the Message of Guadalupe. The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is Dec. 12.
"Point #2: Be convinced that Our Lady urgently wants you to succeed. Until the time of the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Church’s mission of evangelization was moving slowly. The Gospel was encountering still headwinds in the New World. I would imagine that Bishop Zumarraga and his fellow missionaries must have discussed frequently the challenges that they were facing. Yet when he encountered the unmistakable evidence of Our Lady’s presence in the roses and in her image on Juan Diego’s cloak — everything changed. There was still caution and opposition from various quarters, but the Church’s mission of evangelization exploded. Because of Mary’s presence and prayers, millions heard the Gospel, encountered Christ and became members of Christ’s Body, the Church.
Her impact was not merely on individuals but on the culture, which was transformed from the inside out. Sometimes we can be like the Spanish missionaries who discussed among themselves the problems they were facing. We too can feel stymied in advancing the mission of the Knights of Columbus. We can think of difficult personalities and situations that came long before we ever assumed leadership positions in the Order. Our Lady of Guadalupe is our patron for a reason: When we open our hearts to her in prayer, when we sense her presence in our midst as our Mother, she will change everything for us. She will give us new confidence and a new sense of urgency in the mission that is ours. For the mission you have been given is to share in a special way in the Church’s mission of evangelization. Our Lady of Guadalupe is calling upon you, as she called upon St. Juan Diego and Bishop Zumarraga — to increase membership, to establish new councils, to set new records of charity — in a word to grow the Order because there are so many men and so many families that could find their way to Christ and the Church through us, the Knights of Columbus, and through our witness to the faith. The Blessed Mother doesn’t want any one of us to be content to do business as usual, content to be cautious, secure in excuses — rather she wants to touch our lives, deeply and personally, so that as leaders of the Knights we can be intentional disciples of her Son who in turn will advance the Church’s mission of spreading the Gospel. Vivat Jesus!"
Read more about the Knights of Columbus at KofC.org - our web site or at www.IWKnights.com/bulletin or at facebook.com/IWknights9981 and NOW on Twitter at twitter.com/IwKnights.
Links Related to this week’s column:
Two Crucial Points of the Message of Guadalupe CHAPLAIN’S report KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS - In service to One. In service to all. By SUPREME CHAPLAIN ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM LORI (11/2019) The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is Dec. 12. Here are two crucial points — adapted from a homily given to Knights of Columbus leaders, June 14, 2014 — to reflect on when sharing the story with Knights...... Click here for Article To learn more about Our Lady of Guadalupe......
- The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- La Crosse, WI (founded by Cardinal Raymond Burke)
- The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Guadalupe, Mexico (Mexico City)
Rack-in-the-Back . . . . . . . .
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We would like to talk with you about becoming an IW Knight. Please visit us on-line at our web site at www.IWknights.com/AboutUs. Or call Rob Schultz at: (314) 973-2373.
