In this special edition of Catholic Military Life, the only official podcast of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson of the Knights of Columbus joins us by telephone from his office at Supreme Headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut. Mr. Anderson is a 2017 recipient of the Medal of the Archdiocese, the AMS's highest award, in recognition of the outstanding contributions by the K of C to the Archdiocesan mission to serve those who serve
The Medal of the AMS is presented no more than five times a year. For a candidate to qualify, two important elements determine the selection: (1) the candidate’s contributions to the AMS religious program must be outstanding, without recompense, over an extended period of time, and they must clearly surpass the contributions of all others; and (2) the candidate’s character, behavior, and reputation must be outstanding in all respects and motivated by religious values; moreover, the candidate must practice religion faithfully and be faithful to official Church teaching, provide a good example to others, be held in high esteem by associates, and if married, married in the Church. Under Supreme Knight Anderson’s leadership, the K of C has contributed substantial support to the AMS, including its “Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program,” a vocations partnership between the AMS and cooperating dioceses and religious communities around the country. In a Sept. 21, 2017, letter to Mr. Anderson, Archbishop Broglio explained why he had been selected to receive the medal this year:
“As you know, since 1998 the Knights of Columbus have contributed more than $2,535,146 to the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), in support of its many programs and services including, but not limited to, the Vocations and Co-Sponsored Seminarian Programs, the Annual Benefit, the International Military Pilgrimageto Lourdes, and most recently, to funding for the first Catholic Military Marriage Retreat.
“I am grateful to you and the Knights of Columbus for your continued and generous support, without which the AMS would not have been able to finance the flourishing Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program. I am pleased to report that this fall the AMS will have 42 co-sponsored seminarians representing 26 dioceses and studying in 19 seminaries across the U.S. There is no other program like the AMS Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program and there is no other partnership like that between the AMS and the Knights of Columbus in support of the mission, ‘Serving Those Who Serve.’
“However, the partnership has never been limited to economic assistance. Brother Knights have been the backbone of so many military Catholic communities, lent assistance in discernment retreats, cooked for the annual Labor Day Gathering of co-sponsored seminarians, and manifested the virtues of Catholic gentlemen for all to admire and imitate.”
