Meeting in Puerto Rico, K of C leaders make a pilgrimage to the home parish of Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, lay catechist and Knight

By Cecilia Engbert

10/24/2024

Source

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly formally installed two new supreme directors and a new state deputy during the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors meeting in Puerto Rico earlier this month.

Christopher Kolomjec, past state deputy of Michigan, and Herbert Yang, state deputy of British Columbia, were elected to the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors during the 142nd Supreme Convention in August and began their three-year terms Sept. 1. Carlos Hernandez-Santiago was recently elected as the new state deputy of Puerto Rico following the sudden death of State Deputy Eric Colón-Rodríguez on Oct. 2.

The supreme knight conferred on each their medal of office Oct. 11, at the conclusion of a votive Mass of Blessed Carlos Manuel Rodríguez Santiago, who was a lay catechist and Knight of Columbus known for his love of the Eucharist. Bishop Eusebio Ramos Morales celebrated the Mass at the Cathedral Dulce Nombre de Jesús in Caguas. Dominican Father Jonathan Kalisch, director of chaplains and spiritual development for the Knights, concelebrated and served as the homilist.

Before receiving the promises of the new supreme directors to fulfill their duties, Supreme Knight Kelly reminded them to remain worthy of the trust placed in them by their fellow Knights.

“Above all, be loyal to your brothers. Only then can you expect their loyalty in return,” he said. “You will be successful in these tasks only insofar as you are loyal to our Church, our Holy Father and bishops; and steadfast in advancing the enduring principles of the Order.”

Supreme Knight Kelly then acknowledged the untimely death of State Deputy Colón-Rodríguez, who was buried Oct. 8.

“This meeting … has taken on new meaning,” he said. “As we did at this Mass, we keep the soul of our brother in prayer, and we pray for [his wife,] Rosa Maria, for their children and family. We also pray for all our brother Knights of Puerto Rico.”

Supreme Knight Kelly commended the work that has been done by Puerto Rican Knights since the Order was established in the jurisdiction in 1911.

“Puerto Rico has regularly produced strong, faithful leaders, and to that end we have with us the newly elected state deputy of Puerto Rico, Carlos Hernandez-Santiago, and his wife, Jessica,” he said. “It is my pleasure to install Carlos as state deputy of Puerto Rico this evening, along with our supreme directors.”

The Mass concluded the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors’ visit to the Cathedral Dulce Nombre de Jesús, where they paid tribute to Blessed Carlos Manuel, sometimes called “Blessed Charlie.” Born in Caguas in 1918, Blessed Carlos Manuel was an active member of Pope John XXIII

Council 2033 and dedicated much of his life to evangelization. He died of colon cancer in 1963, at age 44, and was beatified in 2001; his remains are now interred in the cathedral.

In his homily, Father Kalisch pointed to the life of Blessed Carlos Manuel as an example for Knights, describing how he was strengthened through a life of great physical suffering by devotion to the Eucharist and the liturgy.

“He always remembered even the smallest details of his first holy Communion,” Father Kalisch said. “He said he could still feel a love that lasted a lifetime. And again, that love helped him during the trials and sufferings [of his life]. … Those who knew him said despite the illnesses, he always smiled.”

The next day, Oct. 12, the board of directors attended Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of San Juan Bautista in San Juan, the second oldest cathedral in the Americas. The Mass, which was celebrated by Archbishop Roberto Octavio González Nieves of San Juan, marked the 40th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s 1984 pastoral visit to Puerto Rico.

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CECILIA ENGBERT is a content producer for the Knights of Columbus communications department.