Knights of da Gama

Vasco da Gama

The Catholic Order of the Knights of da Gama (short form: Knights of da Gama ; abbreviation: KDG; German: Katholischer Orden der Ritter von da Gama) is a Catholic lay order in South Africa . It has been registered as a non-profit organization since 1997 and is affiliated to the International Alliance of Catholic Knights as a private association of believers . The name goes back to Vasco da Gama .

History and goals

During the Second World War , on November 20, 1943, the memorial day of Saint Edmund of East Anglia , a small group of Catholic men founded a brotherhood of charity , brotherhood and duties in Durban on the Indian Ocean . They called themselves after Vasco da Gama "Knights of da Gama", so they joined the missionary work da Gamas, which was founded in 1940 by Pope Pius XII. had been highlighted as a special missionary. They want to encourage their members to be good Christians, actively support them and live with them in the Kingdom of Christ . Membership is open to all Catholics who live in faith and are in full agreement with the holy Catholic Church . They want to continue the traditions and have a place in the work for the lay apostolate. Their motto is: "Ut omnes unum sint" ("All should be one ..." Jn 17, 21 EU ), in this sense they have set themselves the following tasks:

Bringing the message of Jesus Christ to the people;

Maintain loyalty to priests , bishops and the Holy Father ;

To stand up against injustice in society ;

Cooperation with the Pontifical Council for the Laity ;

Dissemination of the vision of Father Michael McGivney , who in 1882 founded the first order of the Knights of Columbus , which was also open to African American , and who had called for the establishment of further brotherhoods;

Strengthening and promoting the order members as practical participants in the missionary mandate of the Church and

Continuation of unity in faith and prayer .

organization

Analogous to the existing Catholic knightly communities, the brotherhood is divided into "councils", which are assigned to the parishes . The next level attached to the diocesan level are the “courts”. The National Council, which is also represented in the South African Bishops' Conference (SACBC), is the highest body with the “Supreme Knight” at its head . The local, regional and national assemblies are only open to members, this fact leads the critics to call the Knights of da Gama a " secret society " or to classify them in the vicinity of the Freemasons . The admission ceremony is always celebrated in connection with a Eucharistic celebration.

literature

A Brief Survey of the Origins, Spread, and Activities of the Catholic Order of the Knights of Da Gama, on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Its Founding in Durban on November 20, 1943, Catholic Order of the Knights of da Gama; Francis L. Coleman Editor: Knights of da Gama, 1993, ISBN 978-0-620-17871-6

Web links

KDG website (English)
Knights of da Gama, Council 2, “St. Michael & St. George " (English)
Entry on Holy Rosary parish South Africa (English)

Individual evidence

↑ In the encyclical Saeculo exeunte octavo , dated June 2, 1940, Pope Pius XII pays tribute to (1939–1958) honored Vasco da Gama on the occasion of Portugal's 800th anniversary and describes him as a special apostle.

↑ Welcome to the webpage of Council 2 “St. Michael & St. George “ - ( Memento of the original from March 9, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2
↑ Examples of some councils: Good Shepherd Catholic Church - ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ; Bryanston Catholic Church - The Parish of the Resurrection [1] ; Knights of Da Gama - Council 38: St. Martin de Porres - King Williams Town [2] @1@ 2
^ Courts SACBC - The Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference: Organizations & Societies [3]

[1] In the encyclical Saeculo exeunte octavo , dated June 2, 1940, Pope Pius XII pays tribute to (1939–1958) honored Vasco da Gama on the occasion of Portugal's 800th anniversary and describes him as a special apostle.