Andrew Walther, one of my dearest friends in the world, died on Sunday. He was a hero and he was a saint. He loved greatly, like one of his patrons, Blessed Michael McGivney, did. Andrew Walther was a vice president at the Knights of Columbus and most recently became president for news at EWTN. He was so good. I talked to him often and one can never know another’s heart, but I believe his sins were venial. He gave himself over to Christ. He believed in Him and wanted to proclaim him and serve him and did. He had a conviction about God having put him where he was to help the persecuted Christians ISIS was targeting in Iraq and Syria and he did. He was determined to do all he could to make sure they would continue to live there. He made dangerous trips and made sure they had what they needed, including working behind the scenes in government to make things happen. Andrew was a behind-the-scenes man. He would always say to me when sharing thoughts: “You don’t know me.” That was code for: This is all off the record. Well, of course. It was an honor to be a sounding board for a saint who happened to be a brilliant strategist, too, who had no illusions about the world. I told him a few months ago: I love you too much to call you a saint, but if you stay on this road, Andrew, you will be one. Well, he fought cancer with all that he had in him and more. He had such amazing grace about him. As it took him, he was still working. He helped more people and solved more problems than we will ever know. Only God knows. And God is rewarding him, I have no doubt. I miss him with all my heart, and his family misses him even more. His youngest was born toward the end of January. I want my goddaughter to know what a hero her father was. God made that clear in ending his pain on All Saints’ Day. He brought his saint Andrew T. Walther home. Those who loved him and were honored to be loved by him miss him so. Please pray for the repose of his soul and for the consolation and strengthening of his amazing wife Maureen and their children.
One of the last things Andrew did at the Knights was put together this book with Maureen — it’s a history of the Knights of Columbus, but it is more than that — it is a testament to and argument for religious freedom and a robust civil society.
God be good to you, Andrew. You were good to us. As Erbil Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda’s tweet this morning gives a tiny indication of:
My prayers & great sympathy to the family of Mr Andrew Walter RIP. A true friend to the persecuted , destitute Christians, the sick & poor, not only in Iraq but worldwide in his role for Knights of Columbus. Thank you Andrew for all that you did for us: it will not be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/TYndIxn6iE
— bishopwarda (@bishopwarda) November 2, 2020