Message To The Knights of Columbus

Dear Brother Knights and Faithful Christians all over the World,

The Knights of Columbus order has become an international fraternal Catholic organization with an outreach and support for Christians all over the world.

Christian communities in the Middle East and the Holy Land are passing through turbulent times. The Holy Father Pope Francis expressed his gratitude for Middle Eastern Catholics, who through centuries, have faced every difficulty for the Christian name and still have kept the faith. The Holy Father addressed them saying: "Never lose hope! The Church is close to you, the Church walks with you and sustains you". The Holy Father called upon us to do everything possible to alleviate the grave necessities of the stricken populations. This guidance from the Holy Father comes while the future of the descendants of the apostles hangs in the balance. We do not accept that the land where our Lord Jesus Christ walked and preached, should become museums of Christianity without any Christians.

United in Charity, the Knights of Columbus and faithful Christians all over the world can make a lot of difference in supporting these communities. Let us all, councils, Knights, faithful believers, each sponsor or share the education scholarship of a student in Beit Sahour Patriarchate School. This is where the Angel appeared to the shepherds and gave them the good news of the birth of Christ. These needy students are the great grand children of these shepherds who went to greet Baby Jesus.

By sponsoring the education scholarship of a needy student, you are giving him a chance to complete his education, go to university, graduate, form a successful family thus reversing the diminishing trend of Christians in the Holy Land.

Vivat Jesus.

BrotherHikmat Michel Dandan
Christian Refugee Relief Holy Land & Persecuted Christians Director for Ontario Knights of Columbus
Past Grand Knight / Founder & Chairman of Jerusalem Students
Jesus The King Council 15045

About Sir Knight Hikmat Michel Dandan

Member since 1997. Had worked with brother knights in his former council 4393 to raise funds to rebuild destroyed churches. Also actively participated in the council as Arthritis Cars Draw Chairman. In 2010, he co-founded Jesus The King Council 15045, the first Middle Eastern Christian Knights of Columbus Council in the world.

Founded the project of Jerusalem Students with the approval of HE Archbishop Joseph-Jules Zerey, Emeritus Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem of the Greek Melkite Catholic Patriarchate, in order to support needy Christian students in the Patriarchate School in Beit Sahour.

Appointed in August 2019 as the Christian Refugee Relief Holy Land & Persecuted Christians Director for Ontario Knights of Columbus.

In the 113th Knights of Columbus Ontario State Convention in 2016, SK Hikmat submitted the Holy Land Resolution which was passed with a unanimous vote.

Click to view The Holy Land Resolution

Blessing and Message from the Melkite Catholic Emeritus Archbishop of Jerusalem, Joseph Jules Zerey to the Sponsors and the Knights of Columbus Assemblies, Councils and Members.

Blessing and Message from the Melkite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem