Knights of Columbus of Utah News

Friday, Aug. 14, 2020

Andy Airriess

Special to the Intermountain Catholic

SALT LAKE CITY —In the last few months, despite and because of the COVID-19 virus, the Knights of Columbus of Utah have continued their efforts in helping the needy in their own parishes as well as others in their communities and throughout the state. 

During the last two months alone, Knights joined in the efforts to provide relief to the Navajo Nation in San Juan County. With the support of the Intermountain Catholic and its readers, we have raised over $6,000.  In addition, the council in Cedar City, with the support of Fr. Adrian Komar, pastor of Christ the King Parish, led a collection that gathered over three tons of supplies for the reservation.  

These donations came from the entire community, including several different wards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Grand Knight David Webb then used his own trailer to deliver the supplies to Blanding, a city that is more than a four-hour drive from Cedar City.  

The members of the tribe, 30 percent of whom do not have running water, have the highest incidence of COVID-19 in the state. They face the additional challenge of high unemployment due to tourism, the county’s leading industry, being all but shut down. 

Meanwhile, the Grand Knight of the Knights council in Magna, Anthony Moore, rallied support from the council at Our Lady of Lourdes and the parish, led by Pastor Fr. Rev. Lourduraj Gally Gregory. Anthony’s aunt and uncle drove more than two tons of food, sanitizing supplies, baby needs and cash donations all the way to White Cone, Ariz., and delivered them to the Navajo reservation there. 

The Knights have also turned towards our beloved Carmelite nuns in their time of need. With the cancellation of this year’s Carmelite Fair, the primary fundraiser for the nuns, the Knights have been promoting the purchase of items the nuns produce.  In addition, Knights have donated over $3,000 to the Carmelite monastery, and continue to raise funds.  

A Knight also oversaw a Boy Scout’s Eagle Scout project on the monastery grounds that provided a paved area in front of a statue of Jesus, as well as a path to the statue.  

If you would like to contribute to the nuns to help them continue to pray for us in our need, visit https://www.cognitoforms.com/UTKofC/SupportTheCarmeliteSisters .

In addition to these noteworthy acts of charity, Knights from around the state have been continuing to perform acts of day-to-day charity, including holding blood drives, collecting stuffed animals for first responders to give to traumatized children, supporting our parishes, and much more. 

Our charitable acts are made possible because men have stepped up and found the Knights in Utah to be a perfect vehicle for them to express their desire to serve their fellow man.  If you would like to be a part of the Knights, inquire at kofc.org/joinus.

The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal, Catholic organization founded in 1882 by Fr. Michael McGivney.  The Knights and Catholics around the world will celebrate his beatification on Oct. 31.  Fr. McGivney accomplished much in his short life before dying in a pandemic in 1890.