Program Overview
Christians are at risk in areas all around the globe. More Christians are being martyred than anytime in history. Two in Five Christians in Asia have been persecuted in some way. Even the war in Ukraine is primarily a war of Christians fighting Christians, thousands of civilians being injured or killed. Millions of Christian refugees have been created as a result, needing to move to other parts of Ukraine or other countries. The new war in Israel and the Gaza Strip is partially a religious war with horrible atrocities, people dying for their nationality and their faith.
The Knights of Columbus has responded with the Christian Refugee Relief Fund, which provides humanitarian assistance, primarily in Iraq, Syria and the surrounding region. Councils will aid this cause by collaborating with their parishes to spread awareness and raise funds to help these Christians and those in their care. In particular, councils are encouraged to utilize Solidarity Crosses as a fundraiser and prayer campaign in their parishes.The KofC Solidarity Fund, https://www.kofc.org/en/what-we-do/charity/ukraine.html, and KofC volunteers throughout the word have provided significant help to Ukraine. Christian Persecution in the US, especially with vandalizing churches and Christian pregnancy centers and forcing Christian/Catholic health care and other institutions, and workers, to violate their Faith. For all countries ravaged by persecution, the primary assistance we can provide in the US is through awareness/education, prayer and donations. The power of prayer is significant.
Program Requirements
The only requirement for this Life area is to hold a Council event that assists a Christian persecuted group in some way, be they Catholic or not, be they off-shore or in the US. Assistance can be money or material items (such as clothes or building supplies) raised, a prayer service, or time donated (such as packaging goods for shipment to a location to help persecuted Christians or cleaning graffiti from a vandalized pro-life pregnancy center.
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Program Posts