The following is the text of the Video Message sent by the Holy Father Leo XIV to participants in the 144th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus, taking place in Denver, United States of America, from 4 to 6 August 2026:

Video Message of the Holy Father

Dear friends,

I am pleased to greet all of you who are attending the 144th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus, taking place in Denver, Colorado. I also offer the assurance of my spiritual closeness to those who are participating virtually in the opening ceremonies.

As you gather for these days of discussion, fraternity and prayer, under the theme of "In The One, We Are One," I would like to reflect briefly with you on the importance of promoting the virtues of unity and charity, two foundational principles of your Order.

First, unity. At the Last Supper, Jesus prayed for his Apostles, that they all would be one (cf. Jn 17:21). Yet our Lord asked that this gift of unity be given not only to them, but also to those who would believe in him through their word throughout the centuries (cf. Jn 17:20). However, the preservation of unity is often not easy, and it cannot be taken for granted. It must be actively cultivated through honest and humble dialogue.

In this regard, I encourage all of you to continue bearing witness to that concord which Jesus so ardently desires in your families, your parishes and in the wider communities where you live and serve. In an age all too often marked by division and pointed rhetoric, there is a great need for prophets of harmony who seek to build bridges and strive to reconcile opposing positions wherever possible.

Works of charity, the second virtue, can often be a way to promote unity. As many of you have likely experienced, when we reach out to help those in need, there frequently develops a certain concord between those who give and those who receive, as well as among those who work together to assist their brothers and sisters. Thus, charity becomes not only a response to human suffering but also a powerful means of fostering fraternity and strengthening the communion that is at the heart of the Christian life.

Your own history bears eloquent testimony to this truth. Building upon the efforts begun by your noble founder, Blessed Michael McGivney, the Knights of Columbus have worked together for well over a century to show Christ's love to the unborn, expectant mothers, persecuted Christians, victims of war and human trafficking, the poor and vulnerable, and those who live on the margins of society. Through the initiatives undertaken by your local Councils as well as at the national and international levels, countless people have benefitted from your kindness. For my part, I express deep gratitude for your Order's continued generosity to the less fortunate, and trust that your endeavors will continue to bear fruit for many years to come.

With these brief thoughts, I offer cordial good wishes for the work of the Supreme Convention, which I entrust to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, and to that of Blessed Michael McGivney. I now impart to you my Apostolic Blessing, which I willingly extend to all the members of the Knights of Columbus and to your families.

May the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, come down upon you and remain with you forever. Amen.