Anderson reflected on the founding of the Knights of Columbus in 1882 to help Catholics, many of whom were immigrants, at a time when they faced suspicion and discrimination in employment and society. He cited a founding member of the Knights who said the organization was designed "to unify American Catholic citizens of every nation and origin … giving scope and purpose to their aims as Catholics and as Americans."
"From almost the very beginning that unity was manifested as we counted membership that was not just Irish, but French-Canadian, Hispanic, Italian and African American," Anderson said.
The Catholic fraternal organization now has 1.9 million members worldwide.
Anderson noted the Knights' history of service for all races and ethnicities, its opposition to groups like the Ku Klux Klan, and its effort to promote the history of minorities in the U.S. including Jews, African-Americans and Germans.
"While reaching out the margins, we have worked to make sure that Catholics were not subject to exclusion as well," he said.
The Knights provided humanitarian assistance and raised public awareness during anti-Catholic persecution in Mexico in the 1920s, and are doing the same for Middle East Christians today. The organization has aided earthquake relief in Haiti, flood relief in Louisiana, and helped support the religious freedom of the Little Sisters of the Poor against restrictive U.S. government mandates.
"This unified approach to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy has always informed our outlook," Anderson said. "So where people are hungry, we feed them, where they are cold, we provide warm clothing, where their faith is wavering, we evangelize, where the lives of the innocent, the elderly and the unborn are not valued, we stand with them and serve as their voice. Where there is a mother in a crisis pregnancy, we are there to help her, and her child."
He noted Pope Francis' encouragement for people who give alms to interact with the poor and physically touch them.
"That sort of personal touch that goes to the margins and brings the mercy and love of God to those there through charity is central to the Knights of Columbus," said Anderson.