• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, CEO of the Knights of Columbus, is seen in Washington in this 2017 file photo. (CNS photo/Tyler Orsburn)

Knights ask Catholics to pray novena for national unity, end to racism

June 5, 2020
By Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, Knights of Columbus, News, Racial Justice, World News

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (CNS) — The Knights of Columbus called on the nation’s Catholics to participate in a novena beginning June 7 to pray for national unity and an end to racism amid the unrest following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer.

“We ask all people to come together in solidarity to forge a path forward — free of discrimination and hate — for our nation,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson. “The Knights join Pope Francis in urging all to express their anger and cries for justice in nonviolent ways to end the sin of racism.”

June 7 is Trinity Sunday, which the Knights chose as the start of the novena “because of its inherent theme of unity,” said a June 3 news release. A “Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity” for the novena can be found at www.kofc.org/en/resources/communications/national-unity-novena.pdf. The last day of the novena is June 15.

The novena prayer asks God “to bring together in your love all whom hatred and racism have separated.”

“We must show love for one another, praying that all people come to understand that injustice to any black person is injustice to all persons and that all of us, regardless of our differences, are children of God made in his image and likeness,” Anderson said.

For the Knights’ 2 million members worldwide and their families, “this understanding starts with prayer.”

“May we pray for the strength to learn from the courageous example of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and from the leadership of our Holy Father, and to continue to work to build a society that recognizes the dignity and brotherhood of all,” he added.

According to the Knights, since its founding in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, the Catholic fraternal organization “has been open to all races and nationalities.” In World War I, it was the only organization to run integrated facilities.

In the 1920s, the Knights commissioned a black history by W.E.B. Dubois, an influential African American sociologist, historian, educator and rights activist during the early 20th century, while it also was “openly opposing the racial and religious intolerance of the Ku Klux Klan,” the news release said.

On May 27, the Vatican announced Pope Francis had approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of Father McGivney, clearing the way for his beatification. It did not announce a date for the beatification ceremony.

The sainthood cause of Father McGivney (1852-1890), was formally opened in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1997, and he was given the title “servant of God.” In March 2008, the Catholic Church recognized the priest heroically lived the Christian virtues and gave him the title of “venerable.”

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Catholic News Service

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • ordination 2025 baltimore Excitement and pride abound at ordination of five priests for Archdiocese of Baltimore

  • Deacon Alex Mwebaze is happy to call Maryland home

  • Deacon O’Donnell’s ‘normal’ faith life led to priestly vocation

  • Need for more Catholic Army chaplains to serve military flock as great as ever, say two priests

  • For Deacon Shiadrik Mokum, the priesthood is all about community

| Latest Local News |

Radio Interview: Religious freedom faces ongoing challenges

ordination 2025 baltimore

Excitement and pride abound at ordination of five priests for Archdiocese of Baltimore

Pilgrims walk in the footsteps of America’s first saint

Juneteenth

Juneteenth seen as day to reflect on freedom, ending racism and Black Catholics’ contributions

Deacon O’Donnell’s ‘normal’ faith life led to priestly vocation

| Latest World News |

corpus christi

Pope leads Corpus Christi procession through streets of Rome

suicide bombing Damascus church

‘Slaughter of innocents’ in suicide bombing at Syrian church called ‘unspeakable evil’

Bomb Iran

Trump orders US attack on Iran nuclear sites, as Pope Leo, bishops plead for peace

Visiting Upstate New York’s National Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs

Catholic Relief Services worker in Ipwizi, Tanzania

Washington Roundup: Trump weighs options in Israel-Iran conflict, CLINIC condemns expanded ICE raids

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Radio Interview: Religious freedom faces ongoing challenges
  • Pope leads Corpus Christi procession through streets of Rome
  • Excitement and pride abound at ordination of five priests for Archdiocese of Baltimore
  • ‘Slaughter of innocents’ in suicide bombing at Syrian church called ‘unspeakable evil’
  • Pilgrims walk in the footsteps of America’s first saint
  • Trump orders US attack on Iran nuclear sites, as Pope Leo, bishops plead for peace
  • We are part of the miracle
  • Visiting Upstate New York’s National Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs
  • Washington Roundup: Trump weighs options in Israel-Iran conflict, CLINIC condemns expanded ICE raids

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED