PRINTER'S NO. 1189
No. 182 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY PETRONE, ARGALL, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, BIANCUCCI,
BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAUSER, CLYMER, COHEN, COSTA,
CREIGHTON, DALLY, DeLUCA, DePASQUALE, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO,
DONATUCCI, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, FREEMAN, GABIG,
GALLOWAY, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRUCELA,
HARHART, HARKINS, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HICKERNELL,
HUTCHINSON, JAMES, KAUFFMAN, W. KELLER, KENNEY, KILLION,
KIRKLAND, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, LEVDANSKY, MAJOR, MANDERINO,
MANN, MANTZ, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McILHATTAN, MICOZZIE,
MILLARD, MOYER, MURT, MUSTIO, MYERS, M. O'BRIEN, PALLONE,
PAYNE, PETRARCA, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, QUIGLEY, QUINN, RAMALEY,
RAPP, READSHAW, REED, REICHLEY, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO,
SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SEIP, SOLOBAY, SONNEY, STERN,
SURRA, TANGRETTI, THOMAS, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WALKO, WATSON,
WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK AND McGEEHAN, APRIL 5, 2007
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
APRIL 5, 2007
A RESOLUTION
1 Honoring the Knights of Columbus on the occasion of the 125th
2 anniversary of its founding.
3 WHEREAS, The Knights of Columbus was founded by a 29-year-old
4 parish priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, and a small group of
5 Catholic laymen at Saint Mary's Church in New Haven,
6 Connecticut, in 1882 and received its charter from the State of
7 Connecticut on March 29 of that year; and
8 WHEREAS, The organization was named in honor of Christopher
9 Columbus and is dedicated to the principles of charity, unity,
10 fraternity and patriotism; and
11 WHEREAS, In founding the Knights of Columbus, Father McGivney
1 aspired to help Catholic men remain steadfast in their faith
2 through encouragement, while establishing a basic system of
3 insurance so that immigrant families would not face destitution
4 if the breadwinner died; and
5 WHEREAS, Father McGivney's foresight, leadership and
6 administrative drive brought about what has become the world's
7 foremost Catholic fraternal benefit society; and
8 WHEREAS, Father McGivney dedicated his life to the spiritual
9 and physical welfare of others and is actively being considered
10 for the honor and dignity of sainthood by the Catholic Church;
11 and
12 WHEREAS, The Knights of Columbus has grown from several
13 members in one council to more than 1.7 million members in
14 13,000 councils throughout the United States, Canada, the
15 Philippines, Mexico, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto
16 Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam
17 and Saipan; and
18 WHEREAS, The Knights of Columbus has consistently held to its
19 founding objectives by helping families obtain economic security
20 and stability through its life insurance, annuity and long-term-
21 care programs; and
22 WHEREAS, The organization has annually donated financial and
23 volunteer assistance to countless worthy initiatives, including
24 more than $139 million and 64 million service hours in its most
25 recent annual tabulation; and
26 WHEREAS, The Knights of Columbus has contributed more than
27 $1.2 billion to charity and more than 574 million hours of
28 volunteer service in support of charitable causes during the
29 past decade; and
30 WHEREAS, The Knights of Columbus has embodied a spirit of
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1 patriotism in its actions in support of the United States
2 military and servicepersons; and
3 WHEREAS, The Knights of Columbus has fostered among its
4 members a high degree of faithful citizenship and a spirit of
5 charitable service; and
6 WHEREAS, There are more than 66,000 members of the
7 Pennsylvania Knights of Columbus who have contributed financial
8 assistance as well as time and energy to charitable endeavors in
9 communities throughout this Commonwealth; and
10 WHEREAS, The Knights of Columbus recently commenced a
11 yearlong observance of the 125th anniversary of its
12 establishment; and
13 WHEREAS, Knights of Columbus councils throughout the world
14 will be joining in this celebration of 125 years of service,
15 faith and fraternity; therefore be it
16 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
17 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recognize and honor the
18 accomplishments of the Knights of Columbus, including its
19 service and support to its members and their families, local
20 communities and society at large on the occasion of the 125th
21 anniversary of its founding; and be it further
22 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
23 the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus and to the State
24 Deputy of the Pennsylvania Knights of Columbus.
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