Carl A. Anderson
Encyclopedia
Carl Albert Anderson, KSG
(born February 27, 1951) is the thirteenth and current Supreme Knight
of the Knights of Columbus
. Anderson is vice president of the Washington session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family
.
In addition, Anderson serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America
, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
, the National Catholic Educational Association
as well as the supervisory council of the Vatican Bank. He also holds a seat on the International Board of Advisors of the Wheelchair Foundation
.
and in law from the University of Denver
. He is a member of the bar of the District of Columbia and is admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Anderson has received honorary doctorates from The Catholic University of America
, The Pontifical Theology Academy of Krakow and St. Vincent’s Seminary, Latrobe, Pa.
, Anderson 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, Anderson served for nearly a decade as a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. From 1976-81 he was a legislative assistant
to Senator Jesse Helms.
From 1983 to 1998 Anderson taught as a visiting professor of family law at the Rome
session of the Institute, which is located at the Pontifical Lateran University
. Anderson became the founding vice president and first dean of the Washington, D.C.
session in 1988.
, 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. Before his election in 2000, Anderson served as assistant supreme secretary and supreme secretary for the Order. Prior to that, he served for 10 years as the vice president for public policy and two years as the State Deputy of the District of Columbia jurisdiction. Anderson is a member and Past Grand Knight of Potomac Council #433 and a member of the James Cardinal Hickey Prince of the Church fourth degree assembly, both in Washington, DC. According to Form 990 filed with the Internal Revenue Service by the Knights of Columbus for the 2009 tax year, Anderson received a total compensation of $1,179,762 from the Knights of Columbus in the year 2009.
appointed Anderson to the Pontifical Academy for Life
and in 2002 to the Pontifical Council for the Laity
. In 2003 he was named a consultor
to the Pontifical Council for the Family
and to the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
. He was an auditor at the World Synods of Bishops in 2001, 2005 and 2008. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI
named Anderson and his wife, Dorian Lounsbury Anderson, as members of the Pontifical Council for the Family
and named Anderson a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications
. In 2009, Pope Benedict appointed Anderson to the board of the Institute for Works of Religion, also known as the Vatican Bank.
Anderson is also a consultant to the Pro-Life
Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and is a member of the International Scientific Council of the Studium Generale Marcianum (Venice). In 1994, he was a member of the Vatican delegation for the Fifteenth Meeting of the International Catholic Jewish Liaison Committee held in Jerusalem.
(KSG).
Order of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
(born February 27, 1951) is the thirteenth and current Supreme Knight
Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
The Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus 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 and oversees over $77B of life insurance in force, as of 2010.Carl A...
of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
. Anderson is vice president of the Washington session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family
Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family
The Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family is a Roman Catholic pontifical institute of theological studies with locations around the world....
.
In addition, Anderson serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America
Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America
As of May 2010, the Board of Trustees at The Catholic University of America was composed of:*Carl A. Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus*Richard D. Banziger, B.A. 1981, Managing Director, Salomon Smith Barney...
, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a prominent Latin Rite Catholic basilica located in Washington, D.C., honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Patroness of the United States...
, the National Catholic Educational Association
National Catholic Educational Association
The National Catholic Educational Association is a private professional educational association of over 200,000 educators in Catholic schools, universities, and religious education programs...
as well as the supervisory council of the Vatican Bank. He also holds a seat on the International Board of Advisors of the Wheelchair Foundation
Wheelchair Foundation
The Wheelchair Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in June 2000 by real estate developer Ken Behring, and based in Danville, California. The foundation partners with donors to provide wheelchairs to people who need them but can not afford them, mostly in developing nations...
.
Education
Anderson holds degrees in philosophy from Seattle UniversitySeattle University
Seattle University is a Jesuit Catholic university located in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, USA.SU is the largest independent university in the Northwest US, with over 7,500 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs within eight schools, and is one of 28 member...
and in law from the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
. He is a member of the bar of the District of Columbia and is admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Anderson has received honorary doctorates from The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
, The Pontifical Theology Academy of Krakow and St. Vincent’s Seminary, Latrobe, Pa.
Saint Vincent College
Saint Vincent College is a four-year, coeducational, Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, located about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It was founded in 1846 by Boniface Wimmer, a monk from Bavaria, Germany. It was the first Benedictine monastery in the...
Career in public policy and academia
During the administration of Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, Anderson served in various positions of the Executive Office of the President of the United States
Executive Office of the President of the United States
The Executive Office of the President consists of the immediate staff of the President of the United States, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting to the President. The EOP is headed by the White House Chief of Staff, currently William M. Daley...
, including special assistant to the President and acting director of the White House Office of Public Liaison.
White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs
The Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs is a unit of the White House Office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States...
Following his service at the White House, Anderson served for nearly a decade as a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. From 1976-81 he was a legislative assistant
Legislative assistant
A legislative assistant is a legislative staffer who works for a legislator by monitoring pending legislation, conducting research, drafting legislation, giving advice and counsel, and making recommendations....
to Senator Jesse Helms.
Jesse Helms
Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr. was a five-term Republican United States Senator from North Carolina who served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1995 to 2001...
From 1983 to 1998 Anderson taught as a visiting professor of family law at the Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
session of the Institute, which is located at the Pontifical Lateran University
Pontifical Lateran University
The Pontifical Lateran University is a university by pontifical right based in Rome, Italy. The university also hosts the central session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family...
. Anderson became the founding vice president and first dean of the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
session in 1988.
Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
As supreme knightSupreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
The Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus 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 and oversees over $77B of life insurance in force, as of 2010.Carl A...
, Anderson is the chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
and chairman of the board of the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal service organization, which has more than 1.8 million members. Before his election in 2000, Anderson served as assistant supreme secretary and supreme secretary for the Order. Prior to that, he served for 10 years as the vice president for public policy and two years as the State Deputy of the District of Columbia jurisdiction. Anderson is a member and Past Grand Knight of Potomac Council #433 and a member of the James Cardinal Hickey Prince of the Church fourth degree assembly, both in Washington, DC. According to Form 990 filed with the Internal Revenue Service by the Knights of Columbus for the 2009 tax year, Anderson received a total compensation of $1,179,762 from the Knights of Columbus in the year 2009.
Collaboration with the Vatican
In 1998, Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
appointed Anderson to the Pontifical Academy for Life
Pontifical Academy for Life
The Pontifical Academy for Life or Pontificia Accademia Pro Vita is a Pontifical Academy of the Roman Catholic Church dedicated to promoting the Church's consistent life ethic...
and in 2002 to the Pontifical Council for the Laity
Pontifical Council for the Laity
The Pontifical Council for the Laity has the responsibility of assisting the Pope in his dealings with the laity in lay ecclesial movements or individually, and their contributions to the Church. The Cardinal President of the Council is Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko. The Secretary is Bishop Josef...
. In 2003 he was named a consultor
Consultor
A consultor is one who gives counsel, i.e. a counselor.In the Catholic Church, it is a specific title for various advisory positions:*in the Roman Curia, a consultor is a specially appointed expert who may be called upon for advice desired by a department...
to the Pontifical Council for the Family
Pontifical Council for the Family
The Pontifical Council for the Family is part of the Curia of the Roman Catholic Church. It was established by Pope John Paul II on 9 May 1981 with his motu proprio Familia a Deo Instituta, replacing the Committee for the Family that Pope Paul VI had established in 1973...
and to the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace is a part of the Roman Curia dedicated to "action-oriented studies" for the international promotion of justice, peace, and human rights from the perspective of the Roman Catholic Church...
. He was an auditor at the World Synods of Bishops in 2001, 2005 and 2008. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
named Anderson and his wife, Dorian Lounsbury Anderson, as members of the Pontifical Council for the Family
Pontifical Council for the Family
The Pontifical Council for the Family is part of the Curia of the Roman Catholic Church. It was established by Pope John Paul II on 9 May 1981 with his motu proprio Familia a Deo Instituta, replacing the Committee for the Family that Pope Paul VI had established in 1973...
and named Anderson a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications
Pontifical Council for Social Communications
The Pontifical Council for Social Communications is a dicastery of the Roman Curia...
. In 2009, Pope Benedict appointed Anderson to the board of the Institute for Works of Religion, also known as the Vatican Bank.
Anderson is also a consultant to the Pro-Life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and is a member of the International Scientific Council of the Studium Generale Marcianum (Venice). In 1994, he was a member of the Vatican delegation for the Fifteenth Meeting of the International Catholic Jewish Liaison Committee held in Jerusalem.
New York Times bestselling author
Anderson's 2008 New York Times bestseller, A Civilization of Love: What Every Catholic Can Do to Transform the World, was published by HarperOne. He has also co-authored with Father José Granados Called to Love: Approaching John Paul II's Theology of the Body and Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love with Eduardo Chávez Sánchez, Postulator of the Cause of the Canonization of Saint Juan Diego.Personal
Carl and his wife, Dorian, are the parents of five children. He is also a Knight of the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the GreatOrder of St. Gregory the Great
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
(KSG).