Creating a Culture of Life

In my capacity as Culture of Life Director for the Knights of Columbus in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston it has been an honor to work with both Knights councils and pregnancy help centers to promote the life and dignity of all persons in all stages of life, in all conditions, and in all circumstances.

In this writing, I borrow from Pope St. John Paul II the phrase “Culture of Death” when noticing how life and human dignity has become so disparaged in recent years. Happily, my job encourages respect for life and helps facilitate the means for others to do so.

Whereas we support Special Olympics, the American Wheelchair Mission, visitation to those in hospital, and help preserve the dignity of the aged and disabled, our major efforts since 1973 have focused on the invisible and defenseless unborn child.

Therefore, all Knights should be qualified to wear the ACE Wings, stating thereby that they respect the life and dignity of all persons without Apology, without Compromise, and without Exception. Information on the ACE Wings program is at https://www.tkofc.org/ under “Programs,” or you may contact me at drgabrooks@comcast.net .

Every council should have a Life Director. An important duty of the Life Director should be to encourage the membership to complete the qualifying events needed for the ACE Wings. All of the officers of the council should lead the way by qualifying and wearing the ACE Wings pin.

The Life Director should attend each exemplification and enroll new Knights in the ACE Wings program at that time. The men can then be informed of upcoming events in which they can participate toward their qualification. This can be promoted as the next step in their formation as a new Knight, and the Life Director must lead the way.

These men must learn why we raise money and make our charitable donations; we do so to protect the life and dignity of every person by helping meet their material and spiritual needs. First, mothers in need must be helped and our new babies must be born alive. Every council member already qualified for the ACE Wings should attend as many of these events as they can to support the new members during this formation journey.

Since January 1974, at the first National March for Life, the Knights of Columbus have led the way in the Pro-Life movement. Complex issues have emerged since then, and we have been there to meet them all. We are justifiably proud, but we must never forget that there is much to be done before all pregnant women are respected and society has agreed to be sure no woman loses her opportunities in life because she has chosen to be a mother. As it began with us, it remains with us to build a “Culture of Life.” https://buildingacultureoflife.org/