Knights of Peter Claver Names New Executive Director
By Ms. Debra Frazier
 The
Knights of Peter Claver, Inc. and the Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary,
the nation's largest historically African-American Catholic lay organization,
recently named Athanase J. Jones, Jr., 42, its new Executive Director. Jones
becomes the order's fifth director and the first one appointed in 32 years. He
succeeds W. Charles Keyes, Jr. who died in September 2004. As Executive
Director, Jones will oversee day-to-day operations of the order's more than
1,000 units operating in 32 states and the District of Columbia. The Knights of
Peter Claver has a membership comprising men, women, boys and girls ages 7 to 18
years and Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and priests.
Jones has served the Order as Grand Knight
of Monsignor Walter J. Darcy Council No. 335 in Jacksonville, Florida
and is a member of the Pierre Toussaint Fourth Degree Assembly No. 45.
He is a former Navy Commander and brings over 20 years of business
management experience and an extensive background of community support
to the job. He is a highly decorated Gulf War veteran who most recently
served as Director of Logistics for the Navy' s Southeast Region
responsible for logistics programs and policies on 26 ships in the
southeastern U.S. Upon leaving the Navy in November, he was recognized
by former President Bill Clinton and National Urban League President
Marc Morial for his leadership in the Navy's diversity awareness
programs. Jones, a New Orleans native, holds a Bachelors Degree from
Norfolk (Virginia) State University and a Masters from Troy (Alabama)
State University. He is married to the former Michelle Morle and has two
sons, Christopher and Matthew.
The Knights of Peter Claver, Inc. was
founded on Nov. 7, 1909 in Mobile, AL for Black men who had no Catholic
organization to belong to at the time. The organization is named for St.
Peter Claver, a Jesuit priest from Spain who ministered to the poor,
especially the many slaves who were being shipped from Africa in the
1600s. Peter Claver is said to have Christianized over 300,000 thousand
slaves. Judge Arthur C. McFarland of Charleston, South Carolina is the
Supreme Knight and Mary L. Briers of Montgomery, Alabama is the Supreme
Lady.
The Order supports Catholic parish as well
as national and international charitable projects. For example, Knights
and Ladies contributed $100,000 to the Mother of Africa Chapel in the
National Basilica in Washington, D.C. and recently made a $100,000
installment on a $300,000 commitment to Xavier University in New
Orleans, the only African-American Catholic university in the country.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops recently renewed a grant to the
organization to continue its Environmental Health and Justice Literacy
Project, which educates citizens of poor communities about environmental
health hazards. It has made noteworthy contributions to various local,
state and national organizations such as The NAACP, National Council of
Negro Women, National Council of Catholic Women, Urban League, and the
College Fund (UNCF), to name a few. The Knights of Peter Claver is a
member of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights.
Contact:
Ms. Debra Frazier
Knights of Peter Claver, Inc.
National Headquarters
1825 Orleans Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70116
Phone: 504/821-4225
Fax: 504/821-4253
E-mail:
execdir@knightsofpeterclaver.com
Web:
www.knightsofpeterclaver.com
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