The Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative aims to help abortion-minded women choose life by viewing their unborn children on ultrasound machines.
Lawrence Roussell Knights Council 8396 at St. Mary Parish in Athens, with help from a pious benefactor, pooled monies raised from a pancake breakfast with a matching grant from the Supreme Council Culture of Life Fund to buy a new Esaotate MyLabSigma ultrasound machine with both 2D and 3D capability for the Full Circle Medical Center for Women in Athens.
Full Circle has a strong Christian ethos, not only with its concern for the dignity and worth of all life, born and unborn, but it also venerates the Holy Trinity, the inspired Word of God found in sacred Scripture together with other core beliefs enumerated in its “statement of faith.”
Following a state council meeting of the Knights of Columbus in Tennessee in May 2018, Pat Schwartz made initial contact with Julie Ladd. Ms. Ladd serves as the executive director of the Full Circle Medical Center. In the fall of 2019, Father John Orr, pastor of St. Mary in Athens, was made aware of the need for a new ultrasound machine by Orville Fisher of All Saints Parish Council 15706 in Knoxville.
Father Orr was able to coordinate with Lou Dionne, Grand Knight, and Mr. Schwartz, council faith director and faithful navigator of Assembly 3680, on the initiative. Diocese of Knoxville vice chancellor for administration Paul Simoneau signed off on the project on Feb. 25. When State Deputy Michael R. McCusker signed off on the project on March 5, he commented that while the average has been one ultrasound machine purchased by the Knights every five
years in Tennessee, this may be the sixth machine this year.
The new ultrasound machine was to arrive from Italy in early May, providing a window to the womb.
