MEMBERS of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK) have renewed
their commitment to support the hierarchy of the Church including Bishops, Priests
and religious as the shepherds of the Catholic faith.
They also pledged support to the Dicastery for the Laity, Family, and Life with a
focus on evangelization.
“We commit to working toward building a civilization of love rooted in the
Church’s teaching on the sanctity of human life,” they said.
Communique
These were contained in a communique issued at the end of the 29th biennial
meeting of the Council of IACK held between September 10 and 15, 2023 in Rome.
The meeting, which was chaired by the immediate past IACK President, Brother
Charlie McCluskey of the Knights of St Columba, was attended by 10 out of the 11 Orders making up the IACK.
Members of the IACK present at the meeting and also signed by the
communique were Harry Welsh, Supreme Knight, Knights of St.
Columba, Great Britain; Ron Schwarz, representing the Supreme
Knight, Knights of Columbus, USA; Brendan McCann, Supreme
Knight, Knights of St. Columbanus, Ireland; Vincent Granahan,
Supreme Knight of the Knights of the Southern Cross, Australia and
Robert van der Walt, Supreme Knight, Knights of da Gama, South
Africa.
The rest were Ian Fleetwood, representing the Supreme Knight,
Knights of the Southern Cross, New Zealand; Chris Pichon, Supreme
Knight, Knights of Peter Claver, USA; Charles Cobb, representing
the Supreme Knight, Knights of Marshall, Ghana; Charles Mbelede,
Supreme Knight, Knights of St. Mulumba, Nigeria and Gerard
Payne, Knights of St. Thomas More Belgium.
The Knights of St Thomas the Apostle, Pakistan were not present at the meeting.
Better disciples
The communique, which was read by the Secretary General of IACK, Frank
Stanley, expressed the commitment of the group to forming men to be better
disciples of Christ and to be true fathers in families, modelled after Saint Joseph and
Blessed Michael McGivney.
“We advocate for the “totality of the Gospel of Life” as this advocacy encompasses
the work of justice, peace, and human development for all peoples, regardless of
national origin, race, religion, or gender.
“We promote the Michael Bell Award which encompasses all pro-life ministry,
including the eradication of abortion, human trafficking, suicide, and euthanasia,”
the communique said.
The meeting also endorsed the reactivation of the IACK International Essay
Competition to encourage the education of the youth by imparting information and
opening their minds in areas of relevance.
In line with that, it however, asked that the Competition should commence from the
Orders and the best compete at the level of IACK for the Awards.
Charity
It acknowledged the charity works of the Orders especially during the COVID-19 pandemic
resulting in millions of dollars being raised to support the needy and also “rising to the
needs of the war ravaged people of Ukraine and responding to the Holy Father’s call of
Laudato Si.”
The members of IACK expressed their commitment to continue expressing
compassion and support to those in need, particularly the marginalized and those on
the peripheries.
“We commit to display the joy of the Gospel and rejoicing as Christian Knights by
walking together as brothers in Christ in achieving our mission.
Pakistan
The meeting mandated the leadership of IACK to follow up with the Pakistan
Bishops Conference to re-establish contact with the Knights of St Thomas the
Apostle and ascertain the activities of the Order in Pakistan to confirm their
continued membership of the Alliance.
This is as a result of the lack of regular attendance and communication from the
Knights of St Thomas the Apostle, with the Alliance.
Write up by Sir Kt Bro Albert Salia