By The Tablet Staff
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — At his installation at St. Mary’s Parish on June 11, the new Supreme Knight of Columbus called on the Knights and faithful “to dedicate ourselves to Christ and the Eucharist.”
New Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly consecrated his administration to St. Joseph, noting that the saint was the protector of Jesus, and called on the Knights to do the same in protecting the Eucharist.
“The example of St. Joseph teaches us how to be Knights of the Eucharist,” Kelly, the first new Supreme Knight to be installed in 20 years, said in his installation address. “He was the guardian of the first tabernacle — beginning with Mary herself when she bore Christ in her womb, and then in the home where he lived with Mary and Jesus.
As Knights, we too are called to have special reverence for Christ’s real presence,” Kelly added. “The more we dedicate ourselves to Christ in the Eucharist, the more we will be a sign of unity in an age of division and disbeliefs.”
Kelly, who previously served as Deputy Supreme Knight, was elected to the position of Supreme Knight in March. He and other elected Knights officials were installed at a meeting of state deputies, attended by leaders of the Knights from each U.S. state and around the world.
The ceremony began with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, the Supreme Chaplain of the Knights.
Archbishop Lori said “it is incumbent upon us as Knights of Columbus, upon you as lay leaders in the Church,” to promote devotion to the Eucharist in their communities.
The Knights of Columbus is one of the world’s leading fraternal and service organizations, with two million members worldwide in more than 16,000 parish-based councils.
The newly installed Supreme Knight pledged that the Knights will continue to be a sign of unity by standing for the truth and that the truth is grounded in the Eucharist.
“We know that Jesus Christ is really, truly present — body, blood, soul, and divinity — in the Blessed Sacrament,” Kelly said. “Committed to our principle of unity, let us strive to serve Christ in the Eucharist.”
