Making God’s Work Our Own - The Continued Importance of President John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address 50 Years Later

President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech given on January 20, 1961, was one of the most important speeches in a generation. Famous for his challenge to “…ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country” his speech was about service to one’s country, religious freedom and much more.

The Knights of Columbus were founded on a mission “to seek strength in solidarity and security through unity of purpose and devotion to a holy cause: they vowed to be defenders of their country, their families and their faith.” In today’s parlance, those core principles are Christian charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. Because of the similarity of our missions, the Leadership Forum has teamed up with Knights to present this public event in one of the country’s most historic settings.

About the Speaker

As supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus, Carl A. Anderson is the chief executive officer and chairman of the board of the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal service organization, which has more than 1.8 million members.

Mr. Anderson has had a distinguished career as a public servant and educator.

From 1983 to 1987, he served in various positions of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, including special assistant to the President and acting director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. Following his service at the White House, Mr. Anderson served for nearly a decade as a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Details

When: Thursday, April 7, 2011, 5:30 PM
Where: Faneuil Hall