An Icon of Sanctity

Every few years, the Knights of Columbus selects an icon of a saint whose patronage is particularly inspiring to Knights and their communities. Each jurisdiction receives one or several of these icons which travel from council to council and serve as the centerpieces for prayer services in parishes throughout the Order. Since the first traveling pilgrim icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1979, more than 174,800 council and parish prayer services with some 22 million participants have been held.

Scores of icons of St. Joseph and the Christ Child were blessed Nov. 6 at the Midyear Meeting of State Deputies in Nashville, Tenn., officially launching a new pilgrim icon prayer program in honor of the saint. Over the next two years, the images will travel from council to council in each of the Order’s 77 jurisdictions, serving as a focal point for prayer and devotion in thousands of parishes. Prayer booklets, available in English and Spanish, are provided and accompany each of the Images. Adjoining chapters are sharing the Images on a pre-determined schedule.

To schedule a Pilgrim Icon Prayer service with the Saint Joseph icon contact your Chapter Pilgrim Icon Prayer Program Coordinator or District Deputy. We anticipate there will be wide-spread participation from chapters, districts, councils, and assemblies. Prayer is an essential part of our lives as Catholics and Knights. The Pilgrim Icon Prayer Program will help bring more spirituality into our families, chapters, councils and assemblies. Moreover, the program will have visibility in a parish because it’s sponsored by the Knights Columbus, which in turn can help in membership recruit.

The Pilgrim Icon Prayer service can be conducted at the chapter, district or council level. Some suggestions are: multiple districts can jointly hold a Prayer Hour; a council can sponsor the event and invite other councils to participate, or chapters can sponsor a prayer service. Ask Squire Circles in your councils to take an active in the Prayer Program.

Additional information and resources, such as the Pilgrim Icon Prayer Booklet (#5050) and Icon Prayer Card (#10740), can be found on the Supreme website.

A copy of the Prayer Service Booklet and Icon Prayer Card can be downloaded at: http://www.kofc.org/en/programs/faith/marian-icon-prayer.html#/

Promote the Pilgrim Icon Prayer Program at your chapter, district, council and assembly meetings please. Encourage all districts and councils to participate in this new prayer program. Many chapters, districts and councils have already held Pilgrim Icon Prayer services with the new icon.

Fraternally,

Gerald R. Fong, Chairman
(916) 689-9418
jerryfong@comcast.net