The Knights of Columbus held its 59^th Annual College Councils Conference in New Haven, Connecticut last weekend. During a session on religious freedom, RFI President David Trimble, Associate Vice President Nathan Berkeley, and National Center for Religious Freedom Education Director Jim Bennett addressed challenges Knights college councils are facing as they seek to exercise their faith on campus. Tim Saccoccia, Vice President of Public Policy at the Knights of Columbus, served as moderator.

The conference brought together more than 200 Knights from 87 colleges and universities across North America. RFI leaders spoke about the meaning and value of religious freedom and outlined the cultural, institutional, and legal landscape that College Knights must navigate today.

The Knights engage in acts of charity while also upholding the Church’s teachings on sexuality, marriage, and the dignity of unborn life. These are among the many ways they live out their Catholic faith. Unfortunately, certain aspects of the mission and membership of the Knights can invite hostility in our society, including in the realm of higher education. Despite these challenges, however, the young Knights gathered in New Haven showed themselves eager to continue to “[build] Catholic fraternity” and “[make] an impact on their campuses and communities.”