In the 1900's when Black Catholics could not join fraternal organizations, the Josephite Fathers and Brothers organized the Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver in Alabama. Since those time this order of men and women have become the largest Black Catholic organization in the history of the United States. The Ladies Auxiliary was authorized and their constitution was adopted at Opelousas, Louisiana, in August of 1922. The Ladies Auxiliary was recognized as a Division of the National Council at Galveston, Texas, August 1926. The Junior Daughters was established in 1930 and the Junior Knights established in 1935.
In the history of the organization, there have been fourteen Supreme Knights and eleven Supreme Ladies. The present Supreme Knight is Arthur C. McFarland and the present Supreme Lady is Mary Louise Briers. The senior division is broken into six Districts or States. Central States (Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee and Nebraska), Gulf Coast District (Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida), State of Louisiana, Northern District (Illinois, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Connecticut), States of Texas and the Western States, (California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, New Mexico and Washington State). Our headquarters is located in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Each District holds their Conferences at specific locations in their respective District in the Spring each year. Senior Conventions are held annually, usually the first week of August.
The order has received the Apostolic Benediction of the Most Holy Father in Rome on many occasions. The Order also has the Approbation of Their Eminencies and of Their Excellencies, The Cardinals and The Most Reverend Archbishops and Bishops throughout the Archdioceses and Diocese in which the Order has Councils and Courts. In the United States the Order operates in over 52 Archdioceses and Dioceses. Members have received Papal Honor, Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, Knights of St. Gregory the Great, and Papal Decoration, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal, Benemerenti Medal.
The Order has participated in the charitable appeals of many Catholic institutions, churches and made noteworthy contributions to various local, state and national organizations. Some of which included NAACP, National Council of Catholic Women, Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, Xavier University and many other worthy organizations.
The Junior Daughter division is for Catholic young ladies between the ages of 7 - 19. The organization is National in scope. The program strives to build good character and leadership qualities. The youth divisions are broken into the same six Districts or States as the Senior Court. Central States, Gulf Coast District, State of Louisiana, Northern District, States of Texas and the Western District. Like the senior division, the headquarters is located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Each District/State have annual conferences yearly or biennially. The Junior National Convention is held biennially. The first National Convention of the Junior Knights and Junior Daughters was held in 1975 in Houston, Texas. The Junior Division has a Junior Supreme Knight and Junior Supreme Lady.
The Junior Division has participated in many worthwhile contributions to Catholic institutions, churches both on the local, state and national levels. They adopted at the 1989 National Convention, the United Negro College Fund as their National Project. The Juniors participates in many drives and activities such as Sickle Cell Anemia, Claver Basket and others. The Juniors have the opportunity to receive scholarships both on the local and national levels.
Most Blessed Sacrament Council #320 was established 21 April 1991 and Court # 320 was established 27 July 1991 with James Butler as the first Grand Knight and Marie Butler as our first Grand Lady. Over the years we have flourished and grown in the Spirit. Our Junior Knights were just established this year, 1999. We have aided our parish by actively working at all parish events. Each year students with the highest grade point average entering high school receive monetary gifts to aid in the cost of high school. Each graduating Junior Knight or Junior Daughter also receives monetary gifts. Montary gifts, at the discretion of the pastor and principal, are donated to the school to either help replace stage draperies or provide help to a needy family in the parish. Court # 320 is active in all our parish fundraisers. We have collected clothing and blankets for the homeless and for hurricane victims. At Christmas we also, provided toiletry items to Little Brother, Friends of the Elderly, to help them service our lonely and homebound senior citizens. We are collecting school material designated for children in Liberia. We provided furniture, bedding articles and toys for the children of women in "My Sister's Place" a home for addicted mothers with children under 6 years of age.
Our Junior Daughter Court # 320 was established on the 21st of December 1991 with ten young ladies ages 8 to 17 years old. During the years that followed they have grown spiritually, with patience, wisdom and love for each other. They have been involved in many activities both spiritual and community service. They have visited nursing home, hospitals and have kept in touch with the elders by sending them cards. Some juniors have worked in soup kitchens in their own parishes, thus spreading Claverism. They have assisted in Most Blessed Sacrament Parish's Women's Day, Kwanzaa and where ever members of the parish need them. They are members of Ambassador for Christ, youth choir. One Saturday a year they provide free babysitting service in the Parish Day Care Center. The Junior Daughters have reached out to the community annually by hosting a Christmas Dinner for the elderly and needy of the community. At Christmas, toys are collected for the less fortunate children. Our Junior Court for the past five years has hosted a dinner at Christmas for Senior Citizens and women with children from a rehabilitation home located on the parish grounds. They served nearly 100 guest. Last year, they adopted an underprivileged grade school in one of the poorest part of the city and provided the children with gifts. Many of these children would not have had Christmas.
Our Juniors have attended Northern District Conference and National Conventions held throughout the United States. They returned filled with renewed energy and much information to run their court better. At either conferences or conventions our girls have come away with first or second place awards. They have received many awards and certificates at these events. They have participated in Liturgical dancing during all the Masses at the Conventions. Today, we are over 20 strong going forth into the 21st Century with the positive attitude of trying to make the world a better place to live following the virtues of their patron Saint, St. Peter Claver, to be true in Claverism.
Spiritually, we have retreats both for the seniors and juniors of our Council and Court annually. We attend Mass as one on Low Sunday, (The Sunday after Easter), Mother's Day, Father's Day, Sunday closes to Feast of St. Peter Claver, Founder's Day and the Mass held annually at the Cathedral of St. Peter & St. Paul for the celebration of the Feast Day of St. Martin DePorres in November.
St. Peter Claver was born in Spain in the year 1581 and joined the Jesuit order as a young man and was ordained to the priesthood in 1615. At the age of thirteen he decided that he wanted to be a priest. He studied faithfully to attain knowledge while continuing to grow strong in peity and religious observance. In 1604 Peter took the vows which united him with the Society of Jesus. In 1610, Peter left his homeland of Spain to become a missionary in the Americas, he never returned home. Peter Claver arrived in the Americas at the port of Cartagena in what is now Columbia. At this time Cartagena was one of the major centers of slave trade in the New World. When Peter Claver landed, he was struck by the plight of the slaves and decided to devote the rest of his life to them, calling himself "the slave of the slaves forever."
Peter decided to help the slaves in any way he could. Peter first ministered to their physical needs, and then he ministered to their spiritual needs. When a new ship of slaves came into harbor, Peter would board it, go into the hole, and help the slaves. He started by giving them food, including bread, fruit, and drink, administered medicine to those who needed it, and offering Brandy and tobacco to those who wanted it. Once physical needs were attended to, he began serving the slaves spiritually. Through interpreters, he instructed them in the faith, teaching about human dignity and God's saving love, he would then baptize the slaves into the Catholic faith. In this way, he helped more than 300,000 souls.
After the slaves left the ships and were sold, he still worked to help them. He visited the plantations to continue teaching and to help physical needs, and he served as a thorn in the conscience of people dealing with the slave trade reminding them of their moral duties to fellow humans. After a drawn out sickness, Peter died on September 8, 1654. At once his body gave forth a delicate sweet odor as his campanions clothed it in priestly garments. Pope Leo XIII canonized St. Peter Claver in 1888. He is the patron of Columbia, and missionary work to black peoples.
The state House of Representatives unanimously adopted the Horsey resolution Tuesday.
"The Knights of St. Peter Claver is the largest African-American Catholic service organization in the nation," Horsey said. "There are more than 100,000 members in the Knights of St. Peter Claver and its Ladies Auxiliary in 47 dioceses across the United States.
"It is a wonderful organization that provides African-American Catholics with a chance to participate and serve in their church and community. Over the years, they have made great contributions to various church, local, state and national organizations."
Horsey said the Knights of St. Peter Claver was founded in Mobile, Ala., in 1907 to commemorate the life and works of St. Peter Claver.
St. Claver was born to black parents in Barcelona, Spain, in 1581. He was ordained a priest in 1604 and spent 44 years ministering to and trying to alleviate the suffering of African slaves in Cartagena. He baptized thousands of slaves and is credited with many miracles, including healing leprosy. He was canonized in 1888 by Pope Leo XIII.
Claverism was established in Philadelphia in 1976. This weekend, the organization will hold its Northern District Conference.
UPCOMING EVENTSNEWSKudos to the Junior Daughters of Court # 320. On the 19 of December 2002 they held their annual Christmas Dinner for Seniors and the Needy. Gifts were distributed to the elderly and a single parent family with young children.
MBS Court and Council # 320 has ventured to spread the word of Knights of Peter Claver internationally. This year, they have sent a student to boarding school in Kenya for a year. The student is one of four whose village was completely wiped out by floods. The young lady has already written a letter of thanks.
Good News for this site! It has been added to the Roman Catholic WebRing. Another way to spread the name of our Noble Order!
Lord, I so wish to prepare well for this time.
I so want to make all of me ready and attentive and available to you.
Please help me to clarify and purify my intentions.
I have so many contradictory desires.
I get preoccupied with things that don't really matter or last.
I know that if I give you my heart,
whatever I do will follow my new heart.
In all that I am today, all that I try to do,
all my encounters, reflections - even the frustrations and failings
and especially in this time of prayer,
in all of this may I place my life in your hands.
Lord, I am yours. Make of me what you will. Amen
Thank you Father Alan McGuckian, SJ for granting me permission to use this prayer on my web page. Please check out my link to The Jesuit Daily Prayer Page.
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