The Knights of Columbus are completing an effort that benefits the Maryland Catholic Conference and the pro-life movement.
The MCC and the Knights are co-sponsors of a 100,000 Letters for Life campaign. Throughout the fall, councils manned tables at parishes, making it easy for mass-goers to fill out forms that provide easy access to the MCC’s Legislative Action Center.
That MCC program, which can be accessed at https://capwiz.com/mdcath/home/, allows respondents to contact their U.S. congressmen via e-mail on vital matters, like the proposed Freedom of Choice Act, which would negatively impact the sanctity of life.
The Knights of Fatima, Council 10137, will man booths at Our Lady of Fatima in East Baltimore after Dec. 20 (5 p.m.) and Dec. 21 (8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon) Masses.
They’ll conclude work that has been done throughout the archdiocese, from its westernmost reaches to eastern Baltimore County, as a Maryland Catholic Conference spokesperson said that the Knights’ helped the MCC double the number of people who have registered for its Legislative Action Center.
Ronald Sunny, the Oakland Council 1771 warden, reported that 81 parishioners of St. Peter the Apostle in Oakland signed up on the weekend of Nov. 15-16, with the assistance of the pastor, Father Donald J. Parson.
“We have an estimated 200 families, so we had a real positive response,” Mr. Sunny said.
The Knights’ outreach saw similar success at St. Clement Mary Hofbauer in Rosedale, according to Deacon Nicholas E. Feurer.
“I estimated that we would get from 75 to 100 people, and we had 107 sign up,” said Deacon Feurer, who lauded the MCC’s e-mail action alerts. “The alert is a good service – it allows the average parishioner to be pro-active, to keep their representatives informed of their opinion on a variety of issues.”
Philip Asplen, a past State Deputy for the Knights, served as one of the coordinators of the fall campaign.
“We’ve always had a strong relationship with the Maryland Catholic Council,” Mr. Asplen said. “We’re spread geographically around the state, our councils are directly linked with parishes, and with the permission of pastors, we were able to encourage involvement in parish bulletins.”
To register with the Maryland Catholic Conference’s Legislative Action Center, go to https://capwiz.com/mdcath/home/.