Post-Conference Statement IACK

At the conclusion of the meeting of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights, held in Washington DC September 2017, the following statement was issued signed by each Supreme Knight present.

 

INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF CATHOLIC KNIGHTS, WASHINGTON DC, SEPTEMBER 2017

 

POST CONFERENCE STATEMENT

Under the Chairmanship of President Fredron DeKarlos Blackmon (USA), the Twenty-seventh meeting of the Council of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK) was held 9-16 September 2017 in Washington DC, USA. The hosts of the International Council were the Knights of Columbus. Delegates from nine of the fourteen member Orders were present and deliberated on a number of issues of concern to the Alliance, its members Orders, and the universal Church. At the conclusion of the meeting the following statement was agreed:

We affirm the intrinsic value of human life and the dignity of every human person

at every stage from conception to natural death by working to eradicate injustices such as racism, sexism and human trafficking.

 

We affirm the need for more effective use of technology, including social media, as a medium for communicating the Catholic Faith through evangelization.

 

We stand in support of religious freedom and tolerance in this ever increasingly secular society. We also pledge to defend those who are denied or persecuted for their faith.

We pledge to assist the development and formation of young people journeying through life to be Christ-like in service to others in need.

 

We pledge to advocate for the protection of the environment in the context of the Holy Father’s encyclical, Laudato Si which is a call for us to look at the environment as our common home.

 

ENDS

 

At the close of the meeting the Past Supreme Knight of the Knights of the Southern Cross, Australia, Colin Walsh was installed as President of the Alliance for the biennium 2017-2019.

 

Charlie McCluskey, Supreme Knight of the Knights of St. Columba, Great Britain, was installed as Deputy President for the biennium 2017-2019.

 

The Most Rev. Leslie Tomlinson, Bishop of Sandhurst, Australia, was nominated as International Chaplain for the period concomitant with that of the president and approved by The Diacastery for Laity, Family and Life.

 

Niall Kennedy, Past International President of the Alliance, and Past Supreme Knight of the Knights of Saint Columbanus, Ireland, was re-elected unanimously as Secretary General of the Alliance until the next meeting of the International Council to be held in Great Britain in 2019.

The statement was signed on behalf of the Orders represented at the conclusion of the meeting by:

Brian Cooper,

Supreme Knight of the Knights of the Southern Cross, Australia.

 

Charles McCluskey,

Supreme Knight, Knights of St. Columba, Great Britain

 

Barry MacMahon.

Supreme Knight, Knights of St. Columbanus, Ireland.

 

James Ellis

Supreme Knight of the Knights of Peter Claver, USA

 

Claudio Freschi.

Supreme Knight, Knights of da Gama, South Africa.

 

Ambrose Yennah

Supreme Knight, Knights of Marshall, Ghana.

 

Geoffrey Renner.

Representing the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Ss. Peter and Paul, The Gambia.

 

Myke Mary Nwosu

Supreme Knight, Knights of St. Mulumba, Nigeria

 

Ron Schwarz

Supreme Treasurer, Knights of Columbus representing the Supreme Knight