Ask Anthony Cephas about the Knights of St. John International and the motivation for his longtime membership – 26 years – and he gladly tells of how it’s an organization that models the life and mission of its patron saint, John the Baptist.
“John the Baptist followed Jesus,” Cephas said. “People thought he was the Messiah but he wasn’t. He followed Jesus and that’s what the Knights of St. John do.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Bishop celebrates 10th anniversary Mass for Knights of St. John
Cephas shared his sentiments following the Mass that was celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in Sacred Heart Church, Trenton, to mark the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Diocese of Trenton’s only Knights of St. John International commandery.
In his homily, Bishop O’Connell reflected on the day’s Readings, noting their timeliness for November being the month to remember and pray for all who have died as well as the nearing of the end of the Church year. The Readings “focus attention on the end and the promise of what is to come after that,” said Bishop O’Connell, referring to God’s faithfulness and how “God keeps his promise to us.
“Each one of us is absolutely precious in God’s eyes,” Bishop O’Connell said. “In Christ, all of us are always alive, and today, we celebrate people who are living signs to us that God is faithful … The Knights of St. John have witnessed the love of God and the love he has for his Church. The Diocese of Trenton celebrates with you and thanks you.”
Commemorating a Milestone
The Nov. 10 Mass culminated a weekend of activities the Knights and members of the Ladies Auxiliary held to commemorate the decade milestone, including an evening Mass celebrated Nov. 8 in Sacred Heart Church by Father Dennis Apoldite, pastor, and an evening gala held in the parish hall Nov. 9.
The anniversary Mass was filled with upbeat music provided by the parish’s Gospel Choir. The Knights of St. John and Ladies Auxiliary led the entrance procession and then formed an honor guard down the center aisle as altar servers, Deacon Christian Nnajiofor and concelebrating priests – Father Apoldite, Father Charles Muorah, parochial vicar of Sacred Heart Parish, and Divine Word Father Pierre Claver Fleury Lunimbu, parochial vicar in St. Ann Parish, Browns Mills – and the Bishop made their way to the sanctuary.
Other highlights of the Mass included the presence of Tom Zdanowicz, secretary of the Knights of St. John International’s supreme executive board, and Rich Morse, president of the New York and New Jersey grand commandery. Several Knights and members of the Ladies Auxiliary participated in the Presentation of the Gifts. After presenting the bread and wine to the Bishop, others brought up gifts including cases of bottled water, bags of vegetables and packages of paper products and placed them to the side of the sanctuary. The gifts, said Father Apoldite, the commadery’s spiritual moderator, is the community’s way of thanking the parish for commemorating the anniversary.
‘Promising Future’
The formation of Commandery 676 in the Trenton Diocese began in what was then Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd Parish, when a group of parishioners from Liberia, who were already Knights, first met at the home of Francis Kollie, a Hamilton resident, and his wife, Nettie Davis.
Kollie said he was initially drawn to the order because of the support members showed for young people. He specifically recalled his own experience of when he attended a minor seminary in Liberia and how the Knights provided financial and moral support for the seminarians.
When Kollie immigrated to the United States in 2000, he initially lived in Atlantic City and continued his membership as a Knight when he joined a parish that had a commandery. He joined Blessed Sacrament-Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd in 2004, where he had met his wife, and he then inquired about forming the first commandery in the Trenton area.
When Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd Parish was merged with Blessed Sacrament Parish in 2005 and then began worshiping jointly in 2008, the majority of the Knights and Ladies were interested in being part of the new parish. In 2008, then-pastor, Divine Word Father Edward Tetteh and Bishop John M. Smith gave approval to establish a commandery, and on Nov. 15, 2009, a Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated during which the charter was presented and Father Tetteh was installed as spiritual director. In 2018, the commandery moved to Sacred Heart Parish after the parish and Blessed Sacrament-Our Lady of the Divine Parish were merged.
“I enjoy the brotherhood and the fellowship,” said Kollie, who currently serves as the commandery’s supreme subordinate secretary, “There is a sense of unity and mutual support among us as we come together for a common purpose. The 10th anniversary is very exciting and rewarding.”
Parishioner Angela Dodson was among the original women to join the Ladies Auxiliary, and her husband, Michael Days, has been a Knight for 10 years. The motivation for their joining the commandery, she said, was that her husband looked forward to working and socializing with other men in the parish, and “I wanted to be able to share activities with him and to get to know the women of the parish.”
“The Knights of St. John has brought a sense of fraternity and solidarity to the parish,” she said, adding that the commandery has helped the local and African immigrant communities get to know each other better.
“The 10th anniversary is an important milestone,” she said, “because it is evidence that the organization is a strong component of the parish and has a promising future.”