IACK Council Statement, New
Haven 1999
Post-Meeting Statement
The IACK Council met in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, from
19th to 21st October 1999, hosted by the Knights of Columbus. The Alliance is composed of
13 member Orders from countries around the world from six continents. Dr Edmund Kwaw,
International President (from Ghana) presided at the meeting. He was assisted by our
Secretary General, Tony Rouse (from the United Kingdom).
IACK puts on record our continuing support of the Holy See's
observer status at the United Nations. We also re-stated our allegiance to the Pope and
the bishops and our support of the Catholic clergy throughout the world.
The Alliance is strongly committed to the dignity of life and
social justice for all. We counsel vigilance on the unknown and unknowable consequences of
genetic engineering and cloning. Unlike the horrors of the atomic bomb, known though
grossly underestimated, messing with the stuff of life, plant and animal, will impact all
generations to come in an uncontrollable way. There will be no SALT Treaties on genetic
disasters - no recall of defective products!
Our Alliance has written a study guide on the 1998 Papal
letter on the Dignity of Older People. The Guide will be disseminated by member Orders in
their various communities around the world.
The member Orders all agreed that involving young adults must
be a focal point of their efforts to improve the common good. They confirmed their trust
in the Holy Spirit that this would improve the quality of family life in our societies.
The Council elected Eammon Fleming of Ireland as its
International President for the next two years. We bid a grateful farewell to our
International Chaplain of four years, Bishop Peter Sarpong of Kumasi Ashanti, Ghana, and
welcomed Bishop Dr Brendan Comiskey of Wexford, Ireland, as our new Chaplain.
Issued by:
Dr Edmund Kwaw, International President
Tony Rouse, Secretary General
On behalf of the Members:
Jesus Domingo, Diplomatic Order of St Gabriel
Anthony Carvalho, Fraternal Order of Ss Peter and Paul
The Gambia
Virgil C Dechant, Knights of Columbus United States of
America
Frank Wightman, Knights of Da Gama South Africa
Matthew Nti, Knights of Marshall Ghana
Jackie Elly, Knights of Peter Claver United States of
America
Anthony Britten, Knights of St Columba United Kingdom
Niall Kennedy, Knights of St Columbanus Ireland
Christopher Abebe, Knights of St Mulumba Nigeria
Yusuf Parwaz, Knights of St Thomas the Apostle
Pakistan
Peter Hauser, Knights of St Virgil Austria
Mike Cassidy, Knights of the Southern Cross Australia
John Calahane, Knights of the Southern Cross New
Zealand |
