Author: Paul McGrath
Faith, Courage and Resolve
Brothers,
We have had an amazing start to our fraternal year. Across North Carolina, we have come together through statewide training, leadership development, and, most importantly, a renewed commitment to functioning as one team of Catholic men united in faith and service. We were faced with challenges from the very beginning. Yet, when those challenges came, your State Officers responded with resolve. We came together, supported one another, and remained focused on our responsibility to serve our councils, our parishes, our families, our Church, and the more than 21,000 Knights of Columbus across North Carolina.
As I reflected on these past weeks, I found myself thinking about the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Goliath was a massive warrior who had terrified the Israelite army. The people saw his size and strength and believed they could not defeat him. David, a young shepherd, saw something different. He refused to accept that God's people should stand down simply because the enemy appeared stronger.
David told Saul that he would face Goliath. He did not rely on conventional weapons or his own strength. He placed his trust in God and stepped forward. That story speaks powerfully to who we are as Knights. David didn't say, "Someone should do something." He essentially said, "I will go."
That is the attitude of a Knight. When a parish needs leadership—I will go. When a family needs support and protection—I will go. When a brother needs help—I will go. When our Church needs defenders—I will go. When the Gospel needs to be lived rather than simply discussed—I will go.
Being a Knight is not about waiting for someone else to step forward. It is about recognizing a need and having the faith, courage, and resolve to answer the call.
Three words capture the spirit I believe we must carry throughout this fraternal year: Faith. Courage. Resolve.
Faith—David trusted God even when the circumstances seemed impossible. As Knights, our faith must be the foundation of everything we do. We cannot effectively lead our families, our councils, or our Church without first placing our trust in God.
Courage—David stepped toward Goliath while others stepped backward. Courage does not mean we are without fear. It means our faith is greater than our fear. There will always be challenges, but we cannot allow the size of the challenge to determine the size of our commitment.
Resolve—David did not wait for someone else to solve the problem. He stepped forward and said, "I will go." That same resolve must define us as Knights. When there is work to be done, we step forward. When our brothers need us, we answer. When our Church calls, we go.
Brothers, I am proud of how we have begun this fraternal year. We have already demonstrated what is possible when Catholic men come together as one team, united by faith and committed to service. There will undoubtedly be challenges ahead. There will be moments when the Goliaths before us appear bigger than our ability to overcome them. But we should remember that our strength does not come from ourselves alone. It comes from God, from our faith, and from our willingness to stand together as brothers.
As we continue this journey together, I ask each of you to carry these three words with you: FAITH. COURAGE. RESOLVE. And when the moment comes for a Knight to step forward, let our answer be simple:
"I will go."
Hope Does Not Disappoint.
Here is your updated State Officers