“So that the world may know new hope”: That’s the theme of the Knights of Columbus 129th Supreme Convention from Denver, Colorado. The theme is taken from a prayer by Blessed John Paul II at the conclusion of his document Ecclesia in America following the 1997 Synod of Bishops for America.

It’s a theme that was made tangible by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson as he recounted the many activities of the Knights in the past year. Whether it is collecting food for families, coats for kids, or providing prosthetics to children in Haiti who lost limbs in the devastating January 2010 earthquake, we learned about the hope that the Knights are bringing to people around them.

All told, in 2010 the Knights made charitable contributions of $154.6 million, exceeding last year’s total. The same was true for volunteer hours, as the Knights provided a record 70 million hours.

It’s interesting to note that the leaders in charitable contributions were Knights in Quebec and Ontario. Canadian provinces held seven places in the top ten when the number is broken down by per capita donations (for the record, in order, it is British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta, Alaska, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Virginia, Florida, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick).

To learn more about the incredible work of the Knights, and their upcoming initiatives — like helping orphans in Africa, and their involvement in World Youth Day Madrid’s Love and Life Centre English Catechesis site —  read the Supreme Knight’s address here.

Visit the Salt + Light Knights of Columbus Supreme Convention page here for our remaining broadcast schedule in Denver.

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Photo: Knights of Columbus