Friday, July 22, 2011
Mike Voris Leaves the Knights of Columbus
I completely agree with Michael Voris' assessment of the Knights of Columbus. The organization has become "lukewarm" and deserves to be vomited out of the mouth of Christ. But consider the possibilities. The only thing necessary to turn the K of C back to the faith is for enough local councils to withdraw.
Several years ago, our parish St. Vincent de Paul Society decided to become an independent parish charity because of policies in the diocesan program which included the right to come in and take the assets of parish chapters. Our group, one of the largest private charities in Shenandoah County supporting local needs, withdrew.
Suppose that K of C chapters began withdrawing and forming independent men's groups in their parishes informing the national office they'll be glad to return when the K of C returns to the faith. What an impact they could have! How many councils would have to vote to withdraw before National saw the light? I suspect it wouldn't require too many to put the fear of the Lord into K of C state and national leaders. I'd love to see Virginia take the lead.
I encouraged my husband to join the K of C when he retired and supported him when he became Grand Knight. Now I'm encouraging him to quit. You can't keep your hands clean when you are in a group that adds sewage to its beer and dips its pretzels in poison. The K of C has the same problem as Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities, CCHD, and other national Catholic charities. It's chosen money over God.
For years I've thought the insurance business was the REAL reason for the K of C. Mike Voris' message just confirms it for me. If they are helping pro-abortion politicians stay in office, distributing ultrasound machines is a guilt offering. Think of the impact if the Knights had officially pitched out Ted Kennedy. Not only would it have revealed the hypocrisy of Kennedy's posturing as a Catholic, it might have resulted in his public repentance for his significant role in murdering millions of babies. What would his public convrsion have done to save others teetering at the edge of the abyss? We'll never know. What a lost opportunity!
No more lost opportunities! If you're a Knight, why not start stirring a revolt in your local council by urging members to vote to withdraw from the K of C and form an independent men's group until the Knights change their ways and decide to serve under the standard of Christ. You cannot serve both God and money. Right now the Knights seem to be more interested in the almighty dollar (or millions of same) than in Almighty God. It's high time that changed. Pray for the intercession of Venerable Fr. Michael McGivney, K of C founder, the energetic young priest who died at the young age of 38. I have no doubt converting the Knights back into zealous defenders of the faith would meet with his approval. Fr. McGivney, pray that the K of C will once again become true Knights under the standard of Christ.
See past posts on the K of C here, here, and here.
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My son concluded (after they tried to rope him in), that the Knights are one of the biggest insurance companies. All they want you to do is buy their insurance. He was not impressed with their personae, nor with their modus operendi.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, one who is or was a "Grand Knight" is gay & has been living with his partner for years. The person who knew this firsthand was Muslim & he asked me why this was allowed by the Catholic Church. What could I say???
I know there are many good men in the organization, but they, like the Jesuits, are in need of reform.
Great......totally agree......this has gone on too long.......bishops won't say a word as they are the recipients of the KoC largess.............
ReplyDeleteMy wife also persuaded me to join the Knights of Columbus. I was immediately put off by the initiation, because it seemed like a Catholic version of joining a secret society, which I thought Catholics were forbidden from doing. It also soon became apparent that the two priorities at the council I attended were keeping the bar open and fundraising. Catholic truth was a distant third or fourth on the list of priorities. When I discovered what the chaplain was doing in private, I was appalled. When many of the K of C leaders confirmed it, I was more appalled. The Knights kicked me out for "causing scandal", when many of them were in fact the ones enabling the scandal. I'd love to say I miss the K of C, but it was incredibly boring. The emptiness and hypocrisy of its national leadership should not surprise anyone. It doesn't surprise me at all
ReplyDeleteThe K of C has the same problem as Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities, CCHD, and other national Catholic charities. It's chosen money over God.
ReplyDeleteAre you ever tellin me...Yet,most turn a blind eye. I had no idea what lurked in the Catholic Church until I underwent a profound conversion serveral years ago (I am a cradle Catholic). If it weren't for His mercy, Fr. Hardon and the Saints, I would never survive what I witness, on a daily basis, in our now war torn, corrupt Church...
Maria
This is the dumbest video Voris ever put together....first of all, what does an income disparity have to do with a group's orthodoxy? If it does have something, couldn't an equal and better case be made against Voris' salary and that of his research staff? Second of all, what good does it do to leave when leaving means you no longer have a say in what goes on? Third, he claims two of the legislators were Knights...where's his proof and/or sources? Which two is he talking about? Fourth, if he really wants to make the case for orthodoxy, why has he himself been called out several times for his misrepresentation of the faith?
ReplyDeleteI see the EWTN/CA/NCR "thought police" are hard at work dispatching articles in an effort to control the thoughts of the many Catholics that hang onto their every word as the "bible truth". Voris is being raked over the coals for exposing yet another one of their facades.
ReplyDeleteWhat mechanism exists in the K of C to "excommunicate" members who vote pro-choice or the like? When Bishops and priests do nothing to excommunicate such Catholics, how can we condemn the K of C - first attack them and of course the Holy Father who so far has not directed the Bishops to excommunicate such Catholic politicians, has he?
ReplyDeleteYears ago, a pro-choice Knight in our local council was suspended for giving scandal:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.culturewars.com/CultureWars/Archives/Fidelity_archives/kc.html
I came home to the church several years ago after a major conversion, but I never expected I'd find so much of it in need of reform..It's been very disheartening...I pray for the Lord to send a revival to laity and leaders.
ReplyDelete+PAX
I dropped out of that group YEARS ago. Someone needs to have a come to Jesus with Carl Anderson, the Supreme Knight. It is all about money, money, money.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I understand your position here. I have to preface this by saying that I am a 4th degree Knight.
ReplyDeleteAs you mention and Mike V. admits, there are many good and faithful Knights doing many wonderful acts of Charity and giving their time to the poor and disadvantaged and to our Church and religious. Based on your argument I would expect that we should have all left the Catholic Church and started our own Catholicism in revolt of the Bishops and the handling of the abuse cases. It seems Christ Himself should have abandoned us for our sins and left us to rot in our misery. I find it only sends a message of weakness to suggest that, with so many good and strong Knights, we must leave an organization instead of trying to right it back to the faith. I suppose Christ should have thrown out St Peter too for denying him as he did.
Additionally, the success of the Knights of Columbus insurance program is a tribute to the "salt of the earth" members and the intercession of Father McGivney. Having councils leave only hurts those family members benefiting from the insurance program.
Christ became man, suffered extreme humiliation and died on the Cross. Pope John Paul suffered greatly but refused to quit. I'd have more respect for you and Mike V. if you stood your ground and fought for an organization and the cause of Father McGivney rather than leave it and suggest others do the same to avoid helping to fix the problem.
The Church is far from perfect – the K of C is far from perfect – in all likelihood you and I are far from perfect. The Holy Fathers for years have received immense blessing from the K of C and you need to accuse them also if you are going to spread this kind of venom. Your sources seem to have no or little to validate their accusations.
ReplyDeleteOur parishes are full of unorthodoxy and I abhor this but it is not my position to leave the church because a parish or many parishes or priests are not living up to my expectations!
I just don’t understand where you stand! Sorry
One of the spiritual works of mercy is to admonish the sinner. The Knights claim to require members to be practicing Catholics, but National forbids local councils from expellilng them. According to a friend in the Mount Vernon Council they have been instructed to stop adding the unborn to the pledge of allegiance. Why? If pro-abortion members are welcome as members that would explain the reluctance to rock the boat.
ReplyDeleteThe statement that the Church is far from perfect is wrong. The Church is indefectable. People in the Church are far from perfect, it's true. Presumably that is why Canon law REQUIRES that those committing grave sins (certainly publicly supporting the murder of children qualifies) are to be denied Communion. They are not in union with the Church.
That is true of the pro-abortion members of the Knights, especially those who are well known for publicly advocating abortion like Ted Kennedy.
Cardinal Burke and Cardinal Arinze have both stated that pro-abortion politicians should be denied Communion. The fact that bishops don't do it is a scandal. Does that excuse the laity from not doing their duty? The K of C does a lot of charitable work. That doesn't excuse their allowing publicly pro-abortion members in their ranks. Scandal is a serious sin.
One the reasons the Church in the U.S. is in such dire straits is human respect. Nobody wants to speak the hard truth and deal with being accused of "spreading venom." And so they let souls teeter on the brink of hell and lead others there as well.
I don't understand your reference to leaving the Church. That's not the question here.
In closing I guess I echo your words. I just don't understand where you stand and why this apparently doesn't disturb you.
Mary Ann, all I can add is "amen"! They didn't have the guts and resolve to expel Ted Kennedy (he did let his own membership lapse). There was a "Knights for Obama" website up. It was taken down only because the KofC pointed out that the "Knights" were cited without permission, not because of the support for the most pro-abortion candidate running. Even then, that bunch was not expelled.
ReplyDeleteTo the two anonymous individuals chiding Mary Ann: Are you yourselves butting heads and holding your leadership's feet to the fire over the scandal in your ranks? If not, you have no standing to rail on Mary Ann.
So after decades of work to continue the good works of Fr. Michael J. McGivney I get to read this stuff to brighten my day. Those of us who don't leave because the Knights aren't perfect are diminished by those who do leave or won't join because the Knights aren't perfect. Or free, our dues are to high. Or we won't accept women as members. Or we have the wrong meeting night. Or we don't have meeting in Spanish. Or we are too religious, or we are not religious enough. Or we let President Bush speak at our national convention, or we didn't invite President Obama to speak or whatever. In the meantime I put in my 16 or so hours of service to the Church every week and ignore those who judge not what I do, but what I do not do.
ReplyDeleteIt's not going to keep me from working and praying for a better world and a better Church. Like a car, I can fix it better from under the hood than I can from shouting directions at the mechanic from across the street.
While reading your comment, Anon, I immediately thought of the Jesuits. Think of St. Ignatius and the centuries of good work done by the order he founded. But you'd have to be crazy today to encourage a son to enter the Jesuits. Sadly, organizations often do not continue the vision of their founders. Unless the Knights reform, they are likely to go the same way.
ReplyDeleteWell, it turns out that the Oslo terrorist is not a Muslim after all but one, somewhat like you, who is convinced of the dangers that Islam and its adherents present to western civilization. You never acknowledged your disinformation, simply pulled the article without a word; let your bearing of false witness disappear as if it had never happened—not unlike a Protestant who doesn’t believe in confession. I had thought that “Women of Truth” might correct their mistaken “facts” but then perhaps that preacher at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral was right when he referred to you as “Women of half-truths, distortions, and lies.” I thought it was a bit harsh at the time and told him so, but after reading your newsletter for several years and now your blog, I think he may have had a point. What shall I now think of all that you say about the Knights of Columbus and CRS and Catholic Charities when even the liberal old New York Times know it has a responsibility to acknowledge its errors.
ReplyDeleteThe initial reports coming out of Oslo linked the terrorist bombing to the threats from the Muslim cleric who was being deported who threatened to kill government officials. CBS reported that a group called "Helpers of Global Jihad" had claimed responsibility. Later they updated the report to say the group had retracted the claim. I posted the item before the retraction. Here's a link to the updated report: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-20082156-10391695.html
ReplyDeleteAfter more information came out I took the post down with the intention of redoing and clarifying it after more information came out about the man arrested. It's still in my edit file.
As for you describing a multi-murderer as "somewhat like me" I had to laugh at your accusation of my "bearing false witness" comment.
If you believe what you said about my telling lies and half truths, I'm surprised you bother with my blog. I sure wouldn't.
Wonder why the new uniform is $510.00?
ReplyDelete$10.00 pays for 4 yards of fabric at $2.50/yard for bulk wool...that's why!
---------------------------------------------So let's do a little math, shall we?------------------------------
Let's say that we're dealing with a group of 300,000 men who need suits.
That's 1,2000,000.00 square yards of fabric required to make two piece suits for each person, at a cost of $3,000,000.00; so you see, that ten dollars is actually there to pay for the most expensive part of the suit...the material!
This leaves $150,000,000.00 remaining, from which you take the single-source sales point, and have a monopoly.
Let's say for the sake of argument that the labor cost in China for this suit to be sewn is about $5.00 per suit.
This is $1,500,000.00 to the factory. This now leaves $148,500,000.00 remaining.
Let's say that the suit is going to cost $20.00 per unit to drop ship anywhere on Earth via DHL or USPS.
This will be $6,000,000.00, leaving $142,500,000.00 remaining
Let's be really generous and say that the retail (front end, website, back end, and customer service labor) will run $2,500,000.00 for the projected three years of transition into the new uniform. This also covers overhead, rent, building space, and so on.
Now, there is a cool $140,000,000.00 to divide amongst whoever thought this little monopoly up.
So, $10,000,000.00 divided by 300,000 means that the uniforms cost $33.3333333333333 per unit to manufacture!
Do you see how all these numbers are so even, so perfect?
(US$ 33.33) / (US$ 510.00) = 0.0653529412% of your money goes into the actual suit; the remaining 93.5% of your money ($476.85 per suit) is net profit!
Out of this $476.85, who gets what within the Knights Gear Shop?
...does anyone own stock in any of the manufacturing, distribution or other ends of the process?
Do the Knights Of Columbus have underwriting backed with this money?
Is there a shortfall of cash they need to fill in with this?
What was the need to fleece this large sum of money for?
...or is it going into someone's pocket?
I 100% agree $510 for new regalia is absolutely ridiculous and it is not pretty we look like we are apart of the army or the Navy are some Military Academy not the Knights of Columbus
DeleteBoy I can tell you first-hand what it's like and this will make you cry my name is Steve I have been a member of Knights of Columbus since 2013 and I just love did you get into the inside of this group what it's really like this supposed secrecy which I'm sorry it's not Secret most people can look it up on the internet and find it I have been the current Grant night for the last year what in God's green earth was I thinking one of our councils that was a part of us seven members decided to create their own counsel in another jurisdiction and then again another Council opens up in our jurisdiction in our district but then they were District it us so there's only two churches in our district Oh I thought we were supposed to be brothers were supposed to work together the other thing I love is the call me the kiss I'm 39 years old but I'm a dumb kid who knows nothing about knights of Columbus well I do know that it started in 1882 by Michael mcgivney in a church basement in Connecticut and then it gets even better when you make the 4th degree pay $400 for a regalia for a half a cape a sword and a baldric why one of the nice things you get to go to mass and we dress in our regalia that's hard I could say is pretty neat you get to serve with some Bishops and some high-ranking clergy in your diocese but I still can't get over nobody wants to talk to me about this brothers act like everything's fine I'm the dumbest grand night that's ever existed I've Been Told I get back stabbed I get talked about and this is okay but this is a Brotherhood huh and the Catholic Church knows all about it and it proves it and even the priest even laugh and make fun of you how sad
ReplyDelete