Knights' Work Against Marriage Equality Tarnishes Their Catholic Tradition

The Knights of Columbus’ history of charity is quickly becoming tarnished by their huge financial investment of funds in campaigns to defeat marriage equality proposals across the United States.

Michael O’Keefe, the former vice-president for the Knights’ insurance division, recently criticized this political involvement in an op-ed essay in Maine’s Portland Press Herald.

After recounting how the Knights of Columbus began as a ministry because of anti-Catholic discrimination and “to alleviate the suffering this discrimination caused and to create a life insurance program to protect the economic stability and security of these families,” O’Keefe goes on to observe:

“From 2008 to 2010, the Knights of Columbus has donated more than $3 million to weaken the stability and security of gay and lesbian families by funding campaigns to deny same-sex couples the freedom to marry. I urge the Knights of Columbus to remember its history and its pro-family principles and to stop funding campaigns that write discrimination into the laws of Maine and other states.”

O’Keefe is a person who is a natural “bridge” between the worlds of the Knights of Columbus and the LGBT community.  He explains:

“I am the proud father of seven wonderful sons, the youngest of whom is gay. I have enjoyed nothing more than to watch them all grow into the men, the husbands, the fathers and even the Knights they have become.

“I was saddened when I realized how much my youngest struggled to reconcile his Catholic heritage with being born gay. I struggled as well, but it was through love that I accepted and embraced him. This struggle made me a better man and father, and I will be forever grateful for that.

“I am extremely proud of the happy young man he has become and look forward to the day when I can celebrate his marriage just as I have the marriages of his older brothers.

“For 11 years, I worked for the Knights of Columbus, and before my retirement I was a vice president of the organization’s insurance division.”

And his purpose is not to “trash” the Knights, but to make sure that they uphold the best traditions of their organization:

“I was and still am deeply proud to see the fruits of our hard work change this world for the better. This is why I was so disheartened to learn that millions of dollars raised through our insurance programs for charity were being used to fund discriminatory political campaigns.

“In 2009, the Knights of Columbus was the third-largest donor in the drive to repeal marriage equality here in Maine. The Knights of Columbus has donated more than $1 million to the National Organization for Marriage, which is now in its third year of investigation by Maine’s ethics commission for allegedly violating the state’s campaign-finance disclosure laws.

“I fear the Knights of Columbus could jeopardize its charitable work if it continues to support an organization that might be breaking political laws.

“It is certainly within the scope of the mission of the Knights of Columbus to uphold the teaching of the Catholic Church regarding marriage as an example of sacrificial love. It is also within the rights and mission of the Knights of Columbus to present in a positive light a traditional view of marriage as we have known it.

“However, we should all guard against supporting political initiatives that institutionalize discrimination in any form. We must strike a middle ground that recognizes and respects differences of opinion and allows for real civil discourse.”

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

8 replies
  1. ermadurk
    ermadurk says:

    We are very grateful to Mr. O’Keefe for sharing his personal story. No doubt it took courage. As he testifies so honestly to the love of his Faith and to each member of his family, I want him to know that his story has been of enormous consolation to other Catholics parents of gay and lesbian children.

    Reply
  2. Drew Conneen
    Drew Conneen says:

    Well said Michael!

    It’s amazing what we can learn from our children. Like you, we have been blessed with a gay son who has helped open our eyes to injustice. Let us all keep the hope alive that the Church and affiliates like the Knights will begin showing compassion towards all God’s children.

    Drew Conneen

    Reply
  3. Gene Beil
    Gene Beil says:

    excellent. I cannot wait to share this in the K of C linkedin group. The members are probably 95% ultra-conservative (I am one of the exceptions). It should raise some blood pressure and provke some responses.

    Reply
  4. Deacon Daniel
    Deacon Daniel says:

    Unfortunately, he is not upholding the tradition of the Knights of Columbus (KofC). The KofC is an organization loyal to Holy Mother Church. Supporting and loving our children is conducive to being a knight; however, validating a son or daughter’s choice to act out on their same sex attraction is not an authentic loving response for a knight.

    This is the Catholic position as taught by the Roman Catholic Church. We love our children no matter what they do, but we do not support inherently disordered acts.

    Reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] A 2012 report revealed the millions of dollars which the Knights leadership invested in anti-marriage equality campaigns, often without members knowledge. At the time, former vice-president of the organization’s insurance division, Michael O’Keefe, criticized the Knights’ anti-LGBT work saying it tarnished their Catholic tradition. […]

  2. […] from the organization in protest of the anti-LGBT work or publicly opposed the group, including a former vice president of their insurance […]

  3. […] indictment of the national organization. As others have written previously, this political work damages the respected tradition of the Knights who cared for those in poverty and on the […]

  4. […] August 2, 2012: Knights’ Work Against Marriage Equality Tarnishes Their Catholic Tradition […]

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