Catholic Knights: What do you know about them?

To be a knight is one thing I love. I am so inspired about them. The knights are so cute in their regalia. Their philosophy is incomplete with the exclusion of their Ladies. The Ladies of the Knights are their wives. A knight and his lady is one good couple you need to see. The Catholic knights have always been a source of inspiration to me. These days many people have limited idea about knights. But the questions still remain “What do people not know about Catholic knights?” and “What do they think they know?” So many people have got some misconceptions about them, even Catholics. Before we can understand the concept of knights history must come to play.
The word “Knight” comes from the Anglo – Saxon cniht meaning “household followers”. (Kevin, 1998) WordWeb defines knight as a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry. They were one of the three types of fighting men during the Middle Ages; Knights, Foot Soldiers and Archers. (Gary, 2016). These first three concept has given us some insight about the origin, definition and comparison.
The Catholic Knighthood started in the middle ages with Catholics forming themselves into small armies to escort Christian Pilgrims to and fro the Holy Land. (KSM, 2016). The early Christians had enemies at that time who were always harassing and killing pilgrims. So the knights took it upon themselves to lay down their lives in defense of the Catholic faithful and later extended the protection to the world at large.
Frankly speaking, this men are made up of practicing Catholics, and amongst them are professionals from various field of study. They do their best to assist the church individually and collectively. For Knights of St. Mulumba, below is the core values they hope to possess:
·         Working towards a high sense of order and discipline within society.
·         Co-operating with other Christian denominations and persons of goodwill without compromising Catholic Doctrines and principles.
·         Being sensitive to the needs of the poor and giving succour to the destitute, the disadvantaged and the oppressed in the society.
·         Trusting in God always rather than in man or material possessions.
·         Working for justice always and everywhere for the benefit of mankind.
·         Living an exemplary catholic life, defending the Catholic faith and loving one’s neighbour, as oneself.
(KSM, Our Values at KSM Nigeria, 2016)

The code of Chivalry is that which guides every knight. That code for instance required a knight to be a Christian in word and in action. It gives him that propensity to be ready to die for Christ as Christ died for him. Like the page of KSJI stated “To be chivalrous in the performance of all his duties as a practical catholic and must be true to the obligation of charity and mercy which our order imposes on us”. (KSJI, 2016) And so thus after his initiation, Myke Mary Nwosu stated that the new knight is expected to turn from a life of selfishness and sin - a "Me First" life - to a life of Spirit-filled generosity and love. He also added that “He becomes a man full of discipline and obedience, a man ready and willing to serve the Church, the Order and others, a man whose integrity and conduct are beyond dispute, a man of peace, and a man always ready to forgive, a man full of zeal and the Holy Spirit”. In addition to this, he is a person who is ready to show generosity and patriotism.
The idea about knighthood is still what is used to be. Though in the past, knights were household followers but now the household is the church in which they protect. A knight was expected to protect people less well-off than himself and he also corrects evil and injustice wherever they may arise.
The IACK is the International Alliance of Catholic Knights. In the IACK they are varieties of Knighthood in the Catholic Church.

·         Diplomatic Order of St. Gabriel (Philippines)
·         Fraternal Order of SS. Peter and Paul (Gambia)
·         Knights of Da Gama (South Africa)
·         Knights of Southern Cross (New Zealand)
·         Knights of St. Columba (England)
·         Knights of St. Columbanus (Ireland)
·         Knights of St. Columbus (USA, Canada, Mexico, Philippines, Guam, Saipan, Poland)
·         Knights of St. Gabriel (United Nations)
·         Knights of St. Marshal (Ghana, England)
·         Knights of St. Mulumba (Nigeria, Uganda, Cameroun)
·         Knights of St. Peter Claver (Columbia, USA)
·         Knights of St. Thomas Moore (Belgium)
·         Knights of St. Thomas the Apostle (Pakistan)
·         Knights of St. Virgil (Austria)
·         Knights of the Southern Cross (Australia)
·         L’Order Marie Rein de la Paix (Mauritius)
(KSM, International Affiliates - Knights of St. Mulumba, Nigeria, 2016)
We also have the Knights of Saint John International (KSJI) in Nigeria, New York and Michigan.
The Purpose of IACK is to bring the message of Christ to all people, to support the Pope and the Bishops, priests and religious throughout the world; to nurture the faith of its members and of Catholics in general, encouraging them to play a generous part in the life and mission of the Church; to foster the unity of its members through prayer, and to promote the establishment of Orders of the Catholic Knights where they do not yet exist. (IACK, 2016).
In conclusion, two things strikes me about this fraternity:
·         The fact that they co-operate with other Christian denominations and persons of goodwill without compromising Catholic Doctrines and principles.
·         And also hoping to counteract the harm done by many secret societies to the church and to arrest the efflux of the Christian enlightened members into those harmful secret groups.


Aguri M. C.