MESSAGE FROM STATE DEPUTY

Brother Knights:

The Running of the Silver Rose in 2018 marked the 59th year of the program that began in 1960 as a project of the Columbian Squires of North America to honor the Blessed Virgin under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas.

On October 13, 2018, the Oklahoma jurisdiction received the Supreme Silver Rose from the Kansas jurisdiction at Sacred Heart Church in Miami. Oklahoma State Chaplain, Rev. M. Price Oswalt, celebrated Mass and Sacred Heart Council 3167 hosted a banquet following the Mass. The Supreme Rose was then transferred from council to council along a route through eastern Oklahoma culminating in its transfer from the OK jurisdiction to the Texas jurisdiction on November 10th at a Mass celebrated at St. Mary Church in Gainesville, TX. Concurrent with the running of the Supreme Rose through eastern Oklahoma, the Provincial Rose assigned to District Master Fred Crump traveled along a route through western and central Oklahoma. The running of the Provincial Rose commenced October 27, 2018 at St. Peter Church in Guymon, OK and concluded November 27th at Blessed Sacrament Church in Lawton. Former District Deputy Chris King served as the 2018 program chairman. Chris planned the routes through Oklahoma for both Roses and scheduled the special Masses celebrated at numerous Oklahoma parishes.

In December 2018, a delegation from Oklahoma consisting of Vice Supreme Master David Roewe, District Marshal Rick Miller and his wife, Laura, and myself and my wife, Cheryl, traveled to Laredo, TX to participate in the transfer of the Silver Rose from the Texas jurisdiction to Mexico. On December 8th, a Mass was celebrated at the San Agustin Cathedral in Laredo, followed by a procession of over 100 Knights and their families to the center of "Bridge 1-Gateway to the Americas", where the Rose was transferred to Mexico. Bridge 1 is an international bridge over the Rio Grande River that marks the boarder between the United States and Mexico. Along with Mark Evans, Texas State Deputy, I had the honor of carrying a Silver Rose for presentation to the delegation from Mexico at the center of the bridge.

In 2001, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson shaped the Silver Rose program as a culture of life effort at the 119th Annual Meeting of the Supreme Council in Toronto. This annual activity "is a perfect program for the Knights of Columbus," said Supreme Knight Anderson. "Through it we honor not only Our Lady of Guadalupe and express the unity of the Order, but we also reaffirm the Order's dedication to the sanctity of human life. It is to the Blessed Mother that we turn in prayer as we work to end the Culture of Death that grips our society. As we think in terms of 'One Life, One Rose', it is most appropriate that we turn to Our Lady of Guadalupe who made known her will through Juan Diego and the miracle of the roses."

This year will mark the 60th anniversary of the Silver Rose program. A special celebration is being planned for the transfer of the Rose to Mexico in Laredo in December 2019. The detailed planning for this celebration is ongoing. All members and their families are invited to attend this special celebration. As the details are finalized, the State Council will keep everyone informed. I recommend that members prayerfully consider making a commitment to participate in the program in 2019. This participation can be volunteering as a runner in Oklahoma, attending Silver Rose Masses in Oklahoma and/or making a pilgrimage to Laredo to attend the 60th anniversary celebration.

Venerable Michael McGivney, pray for us.

Blessed Stanley Rother, pray for us.

Vivat Jesus!

John Pierce, State Deputy