It should go without saying that as a Knight of St. John, our greatest honor awaits us at the time of our death, when we stand before the gates of Heaven, and we hear the words:

Well done good and faithful servant.

This past week men from around the nation gathered together on of the United States most somber of days, Memorial Day, to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, guaranteeing the freedoms of future generations. Many of our local commanderies, regiments, and grands also gather to honor the memory of the men from our ranks who now stand guard at the foot of the Throne.

A knights second greatest honor is the ability to act as honor guard for our prelates and leaders of our faith. This past Memorial Day, the men of Baltimore/Washington Grand were able to pay homage to our fallen, and to escort Auxiliary Bishop Esposito. Bishop Esposito is the newly ordained Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington.

The story of this Memorial Day turnout actually started well before Easter, when Cheryl Tyiska reached out to the Knights of St. John through our website. I was able to connect the leadership of the Baltimore/Washington Grand with Cheryl – as she requested the knights attend a Memorial Day Mass celebrated by Bishop Esposito. Brigadier General Russell Hall took over from there. He was able to rally a successful turnout of men, willing to sacrifice time out of their days when they could have been enjoying the weekend with family and friends. Instead they chose to join the Knights of Columbus and Knights of Peter Claver.

Our brother knights were very well received and made a lasting impression on the staff at the cemetery and Bishop Esposito. Congratulations General Hall for leading by example in matters of faith, hope, and charity in all of your efforts.

The Knights – The Roman Guard of Honor