Knights of Columbus Present Home to Priest who Lost Rectory in Hurricane Michael

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson delivers a camper trailer and $100k donation to aid relief work

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Nov 09, 2018, 16:20 ET

PANAMA CITY, Fla., Nov. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A new home for a pastor displaced by Hurricane Michael was part of $526,000 in giving that Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson distributed on a recent visit to the devastated Florida panhandle.

Anderson met with Pensacola-Tallahassee Bishop William Wack to present a gift of $100,000 to help the diocese rebuild or repair churches and schools. He then personally delivered a 29-foot camper trailer to the Rev. Anthony Nguyen, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church.

During the visit, Supreme Knight Anderson and Bishop William Wack of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee survey some of the damage caused by Hurricane Michael. The Knights made donations of $526,000 to assist with the rebuilding of churches and schools. (Photo Courtesy of Knights of Columbus)

Located in Panama City, Sts. Peter and Paul Church is mostly Vietnamese. Fr. Anthony had been sleeping in a classroom inside the parish hall since Hurricane Michael destroyed the rectory last month.

"It will be nice to have a home to sleep in tonight," said Fr. Anthony. The camper includes a bed and shower, living space and a small kitchen for cooking and eating.

Anderson said the gift was appreciated by parishioners as well because it means their pastor will remain nearby.

"The gift of the camper trailer is an important sign of recovery for the parish families and communities of Sts. Peter and Paul," said Anderson. "It is the Knights' unique mission to serve Catholic religious institutions like Sts. Peter and Paul in such times of disaster."

Along with the presentation of the camper trailer, the Knights of Columbus made several monetary donations to assist Catholics in the area.

They included $25,000 to Lovers of the Holy Cross, a religious community of sisters whose convent was completely decimated during the hurricane, and $10,000 to Catholic in America, a TV station whose operations were also leveled. Singular contributions totaling $345,000 were made to individual parish and school hurricane relief projects.

Bishop Wack said the Knights' visit and the involvement of Knights volunteers from around Florida and other states has been a critical part of the rebuilding process.

"For us it's important to have not just the local Knights involved, but also Knights from the state and national level as well," said Bishop Wack. "It's important because we feel like we're all alone. It's been critical for our morale but also just literally to help us rebuild."

Providing relief from natural disasters is a key part of the Knights' goal to put their faith into action. Both young and old members of the Knights and Knights of Columbus insurance agents have been on site since the hurricane hit, helping with cooking and distributing food and other supplies to as many as 4000 people a day.

"We talk about evangelization all the time, and then it comes to our doorstep," said the Rev. Michael Nixon of the Knights' assistance. Fr. Nixon is pastor of St. Dominic's Parish in Panama City, which also experienced extensive damage.

So far this year, the Knights of Columbus has raised nearly $1.2 million for disaster relief in several states. In addition to the efforts in Florida, the Knights responded to the damage caused by Hurricane Florence in September to make a donation of $100,000 to the Diocese of Raleigh, N.C.

Joining Supreme Knight Anderson on the journey was Knights of Columbus Supreme Master Dennis Stoddard and Florida State Deputy Donald Kahrer.

SOURCE Knights of Columbus