Centennial Mass - tribute to sacrifice ending World War One

Ceremonies on the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month- Mass in Washington DC reported in the Columbia Magazine, a Knights of Columbus publication.

Appealing for Peace:

Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington DC hosted an event co-sponsored by the Knights and the Archdiocese for the Military Services USA to mark 100th anniversary of end of WWI.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the carnage that characterized World War I came to an end in 1918. A Mass, co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and the Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS), USA, was held on Veterans Day at that same time to observe the conclusion of the “War to End All Wars.”

Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, the K of C’s supreme chaplain, was the main celebrant, and Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the AMS preached the homily.

“We have gathered not to assign blame, look at causes or rejoice in victory,” said Archbishop Broglio in his homily. “We gather to give thanks to those who sacrificed themselves. We also assemble to beg God for lasting peace. The soldiers we honor today risked their lives for a greater value: to end a senseless war.”

Prior to the Mass, a special ceremony featured a color guard composed of each branch of the U.S. military presenting the U.S. flag as well as the individual flags of the armed forces. There was also a wreath-laying in memory of those who served in the conflict.

In addition, there were readings from noted Catholic poet Joyce Kilmer, a soldier of WWI and Knight of Columbus who was killed in the conflict, and excerpts presented from Pope Benedict XV's 1914 encyclical, Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum (Appealing for Peace).

At an event following the Mass, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson spoke of the Knights’ work in the war, particularly that involving K of C recreation centers — known as “huts” — that were set up near training areas and the front lines to offer soldiers some comforts of home.

“From New York to Paris to the front lines, these centers, staffed by men known as “Caseys,” supported those who bore the burden of war,” Supreme Knight Anderson said. “Holding all of it together was this simple motto: ‘Everybody welcome. Everything free.’ In a world of hatred and bloodshed, those words expressed that the Knights of Columbus had a higher mission — a mission that continues today.”

Additionally, a ceremony on November 1, 2018, honored the Knights of Columbus for their service to the soldiers who fought in The Great War. The Leadership of teh U.S. Army Chaplain Corps, visited the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven, CT, on November 1, to commemorate the end of World War One and the Order's support of the U.S. troops in the Great War.  Father Paul K. Hurley a major general and the chief of chaplains in the U.S. Army, conferred a commendation and inducted the Knights into the Order of St. Martin of Tours.