by Nick France
December, 2004
We knights have a tremendous responsibility to affirm and protect the beliefs and values of our faith. Why? Well, because we know better. With knowledge comes responsibility. That is why some people say, “Ignorance is bliss.”
In today’s age of mass communication, you would have had to be under a rock not to be aware of the attacks on the family, right to life, the sacrament of marriage and the presence of God in our public squares.
Admittedly so, it’s not easy to deal with all the social issues facing our society today. But if not the knights, then who? We are knights because we care— aren’t we? We pledged our honor to God, family and country. So, it’s time to take action, brother knights. What should we do? What can we do?
First we must understand and examine what the Church teaches—as well as what the Knights of Columbus as an organization has committed to. The Holy Father and the Catholic Church are very clear on the Church’s teachings when it comes to the sacrament of marriage.
Church law is very consistent with natural law. Marriage is a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman, which affirms their cooperation with God’s power. A husband and wife bring forth the foundation of society and civilization.
On Aug. 7, delegates to the 121st annual Supreme Council passed a resolution that read the Order “will oppose any effort to alter the institution of marriage to include unions between persons of the same sex.”
As always, we are in accord with the Holy Father. We should also be mindful to not condone unjust discrimination, harassment or abuse toward homosexual men and women. All God’s children should be treated with respect and dignity.
We are, however, called to protect God’s law, natural law, moral law and civil law, which are all related.
The Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus have stated their case very clearly and publicly. I’m pleased to say the president has also done the same.
On Oct. 3, President Bush proclaimed in a press release, marriage “to be a union between a man and a woman.” He also proclaimed Oct. 12 through Oct. 18, as Marriage Protection Week. The last paragraph of the press release read:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty- eighth.
Notice the way he states the year? As for God in the public square…enough said.
We desperately need politicians with “deeply held beliefs” to be courageous and stand up for those beliefs. Very much the way Florida Governor Jeb Bush did in the controversial Terry Shiavo case.
Gov. Jeb Bush stood up for the right-to-life, when he signed the Florida state House Bill 68-23 (Terry’s Law) that gave the governor the authority to order Terry's feeding tube replaced, reversing a judicial order that other judges have upheld.
The Church is clear on this issue as well. Its position is you should not withhold ordinary means of life support such as food and water. Extraordinary means is another thing all together. The governor does not see (and rightfully so) food and water to be extraordinary means of life support.
This is the type of leadership we need. It took tremendous courage to stand up to the media and face them on such heated issues. We as knights must support those types of politicians, as they are the minority and our country needs more of them.
We must write our Senators and let them know we want judges with “deeply held beliefs” and to stop filibustering those nominated. I did, and I encourage all knights and their family members and friends to do the same.
Take action on these issues and others by contacting our elected officials and let them know you are a Catholic, a Knight of Columbus and an American who cares.
An easy way to do this is by going to the Family Research Council’s web site and checking out the current alerts they have posted. Their web address is http://www.frc.org. I go there frequently to stay on top of the issues.
As we enter Advent and get ready for the Christmas season, we should remember in our prayers all the unborn children, all the unprotected families and all of God’s children. As we prepare our hearts for the coming Lord Jesus, let us ask for His healing touch on our society that we all open our hearts to the “Light of the World.”
Let us not forget to be a source of Jesus’ hope and love to all by shining our own lights of Christ bright and strong with charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. †
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