Supreme Director Arthur Peters

The next few months will present an opportunity that we have not experienced in recent memory

Arthur Peters

Supreme Director

Brother Knights: As we come to the end of the fraternal year, it is often time to not only review the accomplishments and challenges of the past year, but to plan for the next year ahead. In some council’s there will be a new Grand Knight (and possibly new executive members) and there will be some loose ends to tie up before July 1. As we look back on the past year (and even the past two years,) we have experienced the challenges of our covid environment, yet this has not deterred us form living the mission of the Knights of Columbus. We have provided coats to children who are in need across the province, helped to collect food for needy families, and provided support to our parishes when our help was needed the most. Our founder, Blessed Michael McGivney, would surely look at our efforts and say ‘well done good and faithful servants.’ I would like to thank the councils and members in Ontario for all that you have done to live our principles of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism in one of the most trying times in our history. It is also a time to look ahead and plan for the next fraternal year. The next few months will present an opportunity that we have not experienced in recent memory. With the return to active parish life (and eventually full capacity,) only a few weeks away, more than ever our pastors are going to need our help to welcome parishioners back to our parishes and to resume involvement in parish activities. This is an opportunity for the Knights of Columbus to work in solidarity with our priests to assist them with these tasks. The Covid Recovery Program (CRP) recently developed by Supreme provides a structured plan showing how a council can assist their parish(es), and at the same time bring awareness to the work of the Knights, which will help to attract new members into our ranks. As I often say, we have a 139-year successful history as an Order, and this has been accomplished due to the efforts of each and every member who has come through our ranks. To continue this into the future, we must bring new members into the Knights of Columbus who will carry on this work not only for today, but for the next generation and beyond. I encourage all councils to review the CRP and implement this at the local level. I would like to thank State Deputy David Peters and his team for their excellent work over the past two years. We have achieved the Circle of Honor in 2020, and are poised to do so again this year, the first time in decades that Ontario will have reached this status in consecutive years. I would also like to congratulate our incoming State Deputy, Marcel Lemmen, who will lead us for the next fraternal year. I have known Marcel for almost 20 years, and his commitment to our principles will be manifested through his leadership. We look forward to continuing to develop programs and grow the Order in the year ahead. Thank you again for all that you are doing for the Knights of Columbus!