Knights of Columbus Pay Courtesy Visit to Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia

During the visit, Czyszek gifted the Archeparchy an icon of the Mother of God, protectress of persecuted Christians. The icon serves both as a sign of divine protection on the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God and as a symbol of the spiritual solidarity of the Knights of Columbus with the Ukrainian Catholic community.

Metropolitan Archbishop Borys Gudziak expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am most grateful to the Knights of Columbus for their witness of faith, their outstanding humanitarian service throughout the world, but particularly in Ukraine. To the leadership of the Order, particularly to Patrick Kelly and to Szymon Czyszek, for their dedicated work in fostering development of the Knights in the Ukrainian Catholic Church.”

Archbishop Gudziak also announced the appointment of Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk, postulator of the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Fr. Iouri Koslovski, director of the St. Gabriel Institute, as liaison priests for the Archeparchy with the Knights of Columbus.

Reflecting on the role of the organization, Archbishop Gudziak noted, “The Knights of Columbus, as a global Catholic men’s fraternity, have offered singular support for Ukrainians under fire in their country and to Ukrainian refugees in the years of the Russian aggression. The Knights of Columbus are a quickly growing organization. In fact, the percentage growth of the Ukrainian membership is the highest in the world. Many of our parishes in the United States, historically, have had councils. Today, in a contemporary manner, the Knights of Columbus are promoting the spiritual growth of men, particularly through their Cor program.”