Author: Joe McCarthy
My Brother Knights!
I am settling into my new job as your State Treasurer! I find myself busier than I have ever been, but I am still enjoying my work.
Last month, I had the honor to attend the Supreme Convention in Quebec City, Canada. This is the first time I have been to Quebec City, and I enjoyed my stay in the city very much! Your North Carolina delegation to the Supreme Convention was honored to sit in the front row for the business meetings! This is due to North Carolina’s accomplishments in the last few years. Our state has earned the Pinnacle Award for three years running!
Supreme’s message this year was “On Mission”. North Carolina has been “On Mission” for three years and already off to a fantastic start this year! As of today, August 26, 2024, we are already at 14.97% of our membership goal for the year and number five in the entire Order! Keep up the great work!
While at the Supreme Convention, as you may expect, there were many pictures of Blessed Michael McGivney, our founder and inspiration. This inspired me to re-read Parish Priest to remind myself of all Father McGivney accomplished during his brief stay on earth. It is hard to believe that Father McGivney died two days following his 38th birthday. Father McGivney was a visionary, he recognized the issues of the day and set out to address them.
Father McGivney saw that the Catholic family was thrown into poverty at the premature death of the father who provided the bulk of the income for the family in those days. Children were literally taken from their families and their Catholic religion. Father McGivney went as far as to have a local businessman put up a bond for him to stand as guardian for a nineteen-year-old boy. This allowed the boy to remain with his family, helping to support the family, and to continue with his family’s chosen religion. The very evening of his standing up in court to become guardian to that boy, Father McGivney met with a group of men from his parish to begin the process of establishing the Knights of Columbus!
Father McGivney was a Catholic Priest in a time when there was a shortage of priests for the ever-growing Catholic population. He foresaw the need for collaboration between his brother priests and the lay people of the church to accomplish all that was necessary in a parish community.
A shortage of priests should sound familiar to all of you, especially if your church is in the Raleigh Diocese. If you haven’t already reached out to your priests to see how your council can support them, please do so as soon as you are able, they need your help!
Finally, this reminds me of the first pin I ever received as a Knight. It had the Knights emblem with the words “In Solidarity with Our Priests”. The is my message to you this month, remain in “Solidarity with our Priests” and North Carolina will remain “On Mission” as our founder intended!
Vivat Jesus,