Knights of Columbus QUESTION from Robert P. Barnard August 26, 1999 In your affiliations section you have no affiliation with the Knights of Columbus. We are one of the strongest supporters of the Pope and the magesterium worldwide. I would like to see more cooperation between groups that hold to these same doctrines. Would you consider such an affiliation?
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius on September 4, 1999 Dear Mr. Barnard:
I would be happy to have some affiliation with the Knights of Columbus organizationally if that is possible. The Knights are a fine organization and it would be great to have a working relationship between the Knights and the Legion of St. Michael.
I recommend Knights of Columbus membership to all men living in the world. It is a fine organization of male comradeship and gives those men participation is wonderful apostolates that serve the Church with honor.
Personally, however, as a celibate hermit living out the evangelical counsels in relative cloister from the world, while male comradeship is valuable for me too, such experience must be generally restricted to the religious realm, that is, to other celibate men living the religious life, rather than with men living in the world. That is part of the charism of consecrating oneself in the religious life -- to separate oneself -- to one degree of intensity or another -- from the world.
But for those men living in the world, the Knights of Columbus offers a wonderful expression of spiritual comradeship and apostolate.
JP
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