FAITH IN ACTION - FAMILY
As a fraternal organization of Catholic men, the Knights of Columbus has strong ties to the Church.
Our goal is to strengthen men and their families in the Catholic faith. Formation in our faith goes beyond mere facts or religious practice to an authentic connection with a loving God and his son Jesus Christ.
Bel Air Council supports the Parishes of St. Mark’s in Fallston and St. Margaret’s in Bel Air. We also support the Perry Point Veterans Hospital.
A sampling of Bel Air Council’s Family activities in this area:
Food for Families: The Knights of Columbus are committed to helping end hunger through the Food for Families Program which has donated millions of dollars and millions of pounds of food toward this cause. Council and parish families will raise funds to support their local food pantries, food banks and soup kitchens
Family of the Month: Each month, the council Family of the Month committee selects one parish family that models Christian family values and visibly lives them every day. Once a year, each participating council also selects one of the previous twelve Family of the Month winners to represent the council/parish as the potential international Family of the Year. The Knights of Columbus Family of the Year is chosen by the Supreme Council and recognized each year at the annual Supreme Convention.
Keep Christ in Christmas: The Knights of Columbus offers multiple activities that promote Christmas and the season of Advent in their proper context: Journey to the Inn, Spread the Light of Christ, Crèche or Advent Wreath Blessing, and the Christmas Poster Contest. These programs are centered on the example of the Holy Family and the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The new Keep Christ in Christmas (KCIC) Program brings all KCIC activities together under one umbrella. It encourages councils to prompt their neighbors to shift from a preoccupation with materialism to the light of Christ and the spirit of giving. KCIC activities include whatever efforts best suit the parish and community of a particular council and do not need to originate from the Supreme Council.
CONSECRATION TO HOLY FAMILY: To help families live out the joy of Christ, Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori has composed a prayer through which families will come together to consecrate themselves under the protection of the Holy Family. In this prayer, we ask for the aid or intercession of the perfect son Jesus Christ, Mary the perfect mother, and Joseph who is a model for every father. Councils will guide their parishes and community to understand and offer this prayer. Preparing for the Consecration to the Holy Family is not a single event. It is choosing a way of life for your family. Through this consecration, each participant is consciously choosing to be a beacon of God’s love through His Church.
FAMILY PRAYER NIGHT: Catholics often struggle with the reality that they do not have the opportunity to socialize and/or pray with other faith-filled Catholic families. It can be quite a challenge to raise our children in the faith when their only exposure comes from Mom and Dad. Put plainly, the majority of our time can easily be spent in secular circles unless we intentionally create ways to live out the domestic church.
Family Prayer Night is an opportunity for children to be exposed to regular people living their faith in a casual setting. Families of council members, as well as other Catholic families within the parish and community, will gather for prayer, dinner and fellowship. Multiple groups can be formed and families are encouraged to rotate between these groups.
