Twenty-five men, including the bishop and four priests, attain the Knights' Fourth Degree

Twenty-five men, including four priests and Bishop James Ruggieri, were exemplified into the Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus during a ceremony held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland on Saturday, August 15. 

The Fourth Degree of the Knights is dedicated to patriotism and a commitment to faithful citizenship. 

“Our patriotism is a natural expression of our brotherhood and arises from our commitment to charity, unity, and fraternity,” District Master Jon Harvey told the men. “As the foremost Catholic brotherhood in the history of America, we strive as Knights of Columbus, through our dedication to charity and unity, to honor our fellow Americans, a genuine witness to the brotherhood that will bring us closer to the day when America will truly be one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
 
The Knights of Columbus added the patriotic degree to the degrees of charity, unity, and fraternity in 1900. There are now more than 350,000 Fourth Degree Knights representing 3,000 assemblies around the world. Any Knight who has reached the first three degrees is eligible to receive the Fourth Degree.

In joining those becoming Fourth Degree Knights, Bishop Ruggieri spoke of the importance of the order to the Church.

“They're a wonderful fraternity among our men who are really trying to live out Blessed Michael McGivney's vision in service to families, in service to the Church. So, when I was invited to become a Fourth degree. receiving the patriotism degree, I was very eager to do so,” the bishop said.
  
In addition to Bishop Ruggieri, the priests exemplified into the Fourth Degree were Father Seamus Griesbach, rector of the cathedral and pastor of the other Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes; Father Sylvester Nwaokolo, OP, parochial vicar of the Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes; Father Felix Udolisa, OP, parochial vicar of St. Michael Parish in Augusta; and Father Nsame Venantius, administrator of Stella Maris Parish in Bucksport.   

Father Venantius said he joined the Knights shortly after arriving in the Diocese of Portland from Cameroon in 2023.

“The Knights stand for very great Christian values and becoming a Fourth Degree Knight means total commitment to these values, and I thought I need to be committed to it,” he said.

“The Knights of Columbus is first and foremost a fraternal organization that is meant to really bind Catholic men together in their common faith and as good citizens of our country and contributors to society. In that respect, I think that mission is needed more than ever in our time. More than ever!” said Father Griesbach.

Men came from as far away from Bangor and Bucksport to participate in the Fourth Degree ceremony. George Hines, age 20, from St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Bangor joined his father as a member of the Knights about a year ago after seeing the work that they do.

“I liked the way that they live their Catholic faith, the way that they put their Catholic faith into action by making the world a better place, taking action in the community, and so I wanted to become a part of that,” he said. Chidozie Ozigbo is a member of newly formed Council 18918 from the Portland Peninsula and Island Parishes.

“I believe that with the Fourth Degree, it's going to give me full commitment and full responsibility to carry out my faith in action. And that’s one of the good reasons I took the Fourth Degree,” he said.

Only a few months old, the new Portland council already has about 60 members. It is named for Bishop James Augustine Healy, the second bishop of Portland and first African American priest and bishop in the country, reflecting the council’s diversity.

Knights leading the exemplification ceremony included Vice Supreme Master Michael Benson; new State Deputy Gil Berube; District Master Jon Harvery; Robert Dumond, who is the Expositor of the Faith; Paul Ouellette, who is the Expositor of the Constitution; Thomas Leonard, the historian; John Deetjen, Jr., the cantor;  District Marshall Joe Dorval; and Father Aaron Damboise, the faithful friar.