Contact: Andrew Walther, Knights of Columbus, 203-752-4253

NEW HAVEN, Conn., June 12, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- At the 50th International Eucharistic Congress being held in Dublin, Ireland, Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson delivered a keynote address to the pilgrims and members of the Catholic hierarchy present from around the world.

Speaking at 3 p.m. at the Royal Dublin Society Arena on the theme of "Communion in Marriage and Family," Mr. Anderson addressed the importance of the Eucharist in family life. Basing his speech on the writings of Blessed Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, he explored the nexus of family and the Eucharist using as themes for his discussion the mosaics in the Holy Family chapel at the Knights of Columbus headquarters in New Haven, Conn.

Earlier in the day, Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and former Archbishop of Quebec, and concelebrated by several members of the Catholic hierarchy including Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York; Cardinal Edwin O'Brien, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and former Archbishop of Baltimore; and Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto.

Discussing Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis, Supreme Knight Anderson's speech noted that "without the Eucharist, our communion with others is cut off from what sanctifies it."

In his presentation, Mr. Anderson went on to explain: "This is what John Paul meant by becoming a new creation. Not only are humans transformed, but everything that is human is also transformed. And it is transformed especially within the family, through the family, and for the family. This transformation is not simply about a new agreement or arrangement, there now exists a new status and a new unity which in its most profound meaning is indissoluble."

The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest lay Catholic organization. It was founded by Father Michael J. McGivney, a New Haven parish priest, in 1882 and has grown into the world's largest lay Catholic organization, with more than 1.8 million members throughout North and Central America, the Philippines, the Caribbean and Poland. Last year, under Carl Anderson's leadership, the organization set new records of charitable giving, donating more than $158 million and more than 70 million hours of service to charity.

The full text of the speech is available at www.kofc.org/dublin.

Additional information about the Knights of Columbus is available at www.kofc.org.

Additional information about Carl Anderson is available at www.kofc.org/anderson.

Additional information about the International Eucharistic Congress is available at www.iec2012.ie.