To be a member of the Knights of Columbus is to be man who loves not only God but also his own neighbors, according to the principles laid out by the group's founder, the Rev. Michael J. McGivney, in the late 19th Century.

Senior Vice President for Evangelization and Faith Formation Jonathan Reyes sees it as his mission to carry out McGivney’s vision of helping others grow spiritually while sharing their own faith.

“We want to serve Fr. McGivney’s vision of deepening our commitment to Christ and living heroically by program and resource development of all kinds — resources that not only help Knights but also help the wider Catholic community in the various countries where Knights are present,” Reyes told Knightline, the Knights' online publication. “As Knights, we are charged with carrying on Fr. McGivney’s vision of a fraternity of men committed to caring for one another and serving our parishes and communities. This is simply part of who we are. So, when anyone sees us — sees Knights — we want them to see men who love God and love their neighbor no matter the cost.”

Jonathan Reyes | https://www.kofc.org/

One way the Knights realizing McGivney’s vision, Reyes said, is through the Into the Breach video series and program. The lessons lay the groundwork for the Knights’ work and identity, he said.

“Each of our ‘Faith in Action’ programs is an opportunity to go into the breach and bring Christ to our communities, parishes and families,” Reyes told Knightline. “But to do that effectively, we first must recognize where the breaches of faith are, which is why we’re calling on every council to run the Into the Breach program.”

The Evangelization and Faith Formation team Reyes is a part of hopes to address a failure of evangelization, which is one of the Church’s woes today.

“The Gospel of Jesus Christ is still the greatest news in the world, and we, as Knights, can make that news better-known and loved by how we live and by what we say,” he said.