Cardinal Timothy Dolan met with the New York State Knights of Columbus’ and Columbiettes’ leadership before the annual Right-to-Life Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Sunday, January 27.

Cardinal Dolan was joined by Father Brian McWeeney, administrative state chaplain of the Knight of Columbus. State Deputy Anthony Ippolito presented Cardinal Dolan with a $20,000 donation, to use at his direction. The cardinal thanked Ippolito for the generous contribution and indicated that he would direct the funds to the archdiocese’s pro-life causes, and to support St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers.

“The donation is part of the Knights’ annual Charitable and Benevolent Raffle, which benefits all eight dioceses of New York State, along with other charitable and educational endeavors,” said Ippolito, whose home council is Father Thomas F. B. Carroll no. 4566 in Valley Stream.

Cardinal Dolan serves as the Knights’ honorary state chaplain. He blessed those in attendance using a relic of Blessed Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights, that was given to him by Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly.

More than 2,000 people attended the Right-to-Life Mass, which takes place every year in the same week as the January 22 anniversary of the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in 1973. It also fell this year two days after the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C.

In his homily, Cardinal Dolan referred to the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, which took place on January 25, and that we are all one in the “mystical body” of the Church.

“When one part of His mystical body hurts or is suffering, or is threatened, or is harmed, we all are.” Cardinal Dolan stated that a toothache may seem like a small matter – until you have one.

He referred again to our union within the Church. “That mystical body needs the Knights of Columbus. That mystical body needs the pre-born baby in the womb. That mystical body needs those devoted to the pro-life movement. Every part of His mystical body has a part to play, and the Church needs each of us, see?”

Concelebrating with Cardinal Dolan were Father Brian McWeeney; Father Richard Gill, pastor of St. Lawrence O’Toole-Sacred Heart Parish in Brewster; Father Mark Knestout, attaché of the Holy See’s permanent mission to the United Nations; and Father Enrique Salvo, rector of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Members of the Sisters of Life and other Catholic pro-life groups attended the Mass. After Mass, Cardinal Dolan blessed the new Tilda Care mobile ultrasound van purchased and used by Gianna’s House of Brewster (see related story).