Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
There was much enjoyment for me and many others who attended the 133rd annual convention of the Knights of Columbus. Besides three beautiful Masses (including the Memorial Mass in which past state chaplains like our deceased friend, Father Vic Bieberle, were prayed for by name during the Prayer of the Faithful), there was great fellowship among brother Knights, both lay and ordained, and I saw the beautiful cathedral/basilica of Saints Peter and Paul and the shrine of St. John Neuman, the first bishop of Philadelphia and the founder of the parochial school movement in the United States.  One of the aspects of the convention that was not enjoyable, but rather, was very sobering, was the talks of the prelates, Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil, Iraq, and Archbishop Jean Clement Jeanbart of Aleppo, Syria.  They both spoke passionately about the terrible persecution of Christians in their countries and the ongoing devastating effect it is having on Christians who have either been displaced from their homes and cities, or are living daily in fear for their lives.

While the Knights of Columbus, as an organization, has already contributed $3,000,000 to support the efforts to aid Christians in that region of the world who are in desperate straits, our Supreme Knight Carl Anderson has not only made the effort to help persecuted Christians a priority for the Knights in this fraternal year, he has given Knights (and now I give to you), a way to give to the relief efforts for persecuted Christians via www.ChristiansAtRisk.org.  I encourage you to give once or make an ongoing pledge to help those who have lost everything materially, but who stay strong in their Christian faith and in their belief that Christ and Christ-like brothers and sisters will reach out in solidarity and love to help them in their time of need.  Another avenue to give is through "Catholic Relief Services" which is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States.  Their address is:  228 Lexington Street, Baltimore, MD 21201-3443.  At the least, please pray for persecuted Christians, and know that we will be doing that as a community at Masses in the future at our church.