State Deputy Annual Individual Charity Appeal

Each and every day across this great this state, over 107,000 Knights and their families make a difference in their parishes and communities in large and small events too numerous to count. Each instance of this service touches lives in ways too profound to detail. This is “the charity that evangelizes”. And thank God we enjoy this “Freedom to Serve – Service Inspired by Faith”. Our nation is uniquely blessed to have this freedom enshrined in our Constitution, treasured in our culture, and honored in practice.

Though there have been concerning challenges to this tradition, some progress is also being made. We are called to be faithful in living out the truths revealed by our Faith. So we proudly stand up for the right to life in defense of the most vulnerable, and the strengthening of marriage and family, and our rightful place to influence public discussions of policy informed by our Faith. While we will do so with words when necessary and appropriate, we do so primarily through actions. And we do so persistently and mostly without fanfare.

Sometimes, we are too quiet. Not that we should brag about every instance of service, but rather that we should not be shy about explaining our reasons for doing them. Be generous in your giving of time, talent and treasure, and equally generous in your constant praise of those who do likewise. In this way, we will best promote, preserve and defend those traditions of faith and service we share as a nation.

Our Order’s tremendous efforts in response to Hurricane Harvey are some of the things we should be fully informed about and ready to share with those we wish to influence – whether a public official, a member of the clergy or a potential recruit. Our hands-on outreach has fed tens of thousands, helped to rebuild hundreds of homes and distributed over $1.5 MM in direct aid to persons in need.

So as we approach the season of Holy Days, continue be steadfast in your outreach to the needy and vulnerable, be courageous in going to the peripheries where the marginalized are found; be bold in finding new ways to serve. This is how we live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is your faith in action; your contribution to the Epiphany that reveals Christ alive in the world today. This is the “Charity that Evangelizes”. Vivat Jesus! Viva Cristo Rey!