The Knight's Sword: Spiritual Steel for a New Age

For a blog whose Latin title means "The Faithful Sword", it was only a matter of time before we wrote about an actual sword.  The Knights of Columbus are the largest Catholic fraternal order in the world, boasting over a million members worldwide; what started out as a mutual benefit society for poor immigrants from Ireland and Scotland has turned into an international organization focusing upon charitable works and championing the Catholic faith.  But the journey from that first meeting in 1882 to now has been far from an easy journey; time and again the Knights have been called to defend their faith and principles on local, national, societal, and political stages.  Facing active persecution from the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups, the Knights of Columbus actively pushed for racial integration in schools and public areas (along with their own order) long before the Civil Rights movement gained momentum; they have fought to protect the rights of parochial schools and religious communities, spoken for the most vulnerable members of our society, and have aided countless charitable causes and campaigns.  Although the role of the knight on the battlefield has long since faded into obsolescence, the sword that Fourth Degree knights carry represents the order's determination to uphold the principles of their faith and their fraternity.

The Fourth Degree, known also as the Patriotic Degree, was added to the order's existing three degrees in 1900, when approximately 1,500 Third Degree knights were exemplified (in layman's terms, promoted) en masse; these Knights were given swords to signify their new rank.  Since then, the sword has been one of the most visible symbols of the Knights of Columbus, a physical sign of their devotion.  Early models sported the Eagle of the Republic on the pommel (a nod to the cardinal virtue of the Fourth Degree: patriotism); later, this changed to the head of Christopher Columbus, the patron of the order.  The specific symbolism of the sword has changed with the focus of the Knights' mission, but it's core meaning remains the same.  It is a symbol of what all Christians are called to be: warriors for Christ.  Today's modern battlefield allots swords mostly to ceremonial functions and the walls of collectors, and a Knight of Columbus, though he has taken on a martial title, can usually expect to pass through life without needing to shed blood.  And yet, the sword retains special significance for the Knights of Columbus.  It is more than a mere badge of rank or an interesting dash of pageantry; it is a declaration of the fate that Jesus Himself suffered, and called on us to suffer in His name.  By wearing the sword, the Knight is saying: "Not even death can turn me away from my faith in Christ."  It is as loud a declaration of one's faith as the cross, a very prominent reminder of one's apostolic calling.

As the Knights of Columbus prepare to celebrate their 132nd anniversary on March 29, let us all pray that the members of this illustrious order remain faithful to that calling, difficult as the path may be.