Knights will keep up the fight on life, marriage issues

Carl Anderson

By ANDY TELLI
Catholic News Service
Nashville, Tenn.

The Knights of Columbus will continue to fight politically on issues important to the Catholic Church, such as abortion, marriage and embryonic stem-cell research, pledged Supreme Knight Carl Anderson.

"One of our most important traditions throughout our 125-year history is that we do not, as an organization, become involved in partisan politics," Anderson said in giving his annual report on the first day of the fraternal order's Aug. 7-9 national convention.

"This does not, however, mean that we take no interest in public policy issues," he continued.

Catholic values

"When an issue directly affects our most fundamental values as Catholics, such as abortion, or the institution of marriage, or public funding of embryonic stem-cell research, as leaders in the Catholic community, we must, and we do take a stand.

"Since the 1970s, when abortion was suddenly transformed from being an almost unspeakable crime to a supposed constitutional 'right,' we have worked tirelessly to enact laws that would limit and ultimately end the unrestricted abortion license in the United States," Anderson said.

The Knights also have been in the forefront fighting legalized abortion in other countries where the order is active, such as Canada, Mexico, the Philippines and Poland, he said.

"My brother Knights and ladies, on abortion, we will never give in," Anderson promised. "This is Mary's continent - under the protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe," Anderson said.

Mary's Knights

"No other place on earth has as many practising Catholics as the Americas. It is up to us - in our lives, in our homes and in our families - to put our faith into practice. It is time Mary's Knights reclaim her continent for her."

Anderson announced that the Knights of Columbus will hold its first international Marian congress at the conclusion of the 2009 convention, which is to be held in Phoenix.

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