Saint Mary’s Church, 1882, at the corner of Grove and Temple Streets, New Haven, Connecticut, where Father Michael J. McGivney met with Catholic men of New Haven and started the KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.

The Knights stand for a world of good things. K of C programs and projects make a difference in every community and country where they are found. When you become part of the Knights of Columbus, YOU really count. If you are a Catholic man age 18 or more, you owe it to yourself and your family to find out more about the Knights. There is a place for your family in ours.

The Knights of Columbus began in 1882, when Father Michael McGivney and a small group of pioneering Catholics found a society designed to provide much-needed security for widows and orphans of Catholic parishioners. Father McGivney’s original idea grew quickly, becoming an order of Catholic men and their families, dedicated to promoting the concepts of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. Today, there are more than a million and a half members in over 11,000 local councils in the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Panama, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guam, Siapan, the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas.

Father McGivney’s modest initial plan of providing financial security for his parishioners has since developed into an extensive life insurance program open to every member and his family. The Knights of Columbus now ranks in the top 4% of life insurance companies in North America, with over $32 billion of insurance in force and more than $6 billion in assets.

Families are the heart of the Knights. In fact, it’s almost like one big family, husbands, wives, children, widows, college students and religious. All K of C programs allow families to work together, involving everyone to aid their Church, their community and one another. Every K of C council provides a wide variety of opportunities for family involvement. Picnics, dances, parties, athletic events, Communion breakfasts and family Masses. Father/daughter and mother/son activities, outings and plenty more, all revolving around the family, and the warmth and joy that comes with being an integral part of it.

The family commitment extends to education. There are a host of K of C merit scholarships available on the Supreme, state and local council level. A federally guaranteed Student Loan Program is also available to assist members and their families pursuing higher education.

Making sure the Catholic Church remains vigorous and undiminished is one of the primary missions of the Knights of Columbus. To help counter the decline in the number of candidates to the priesthood and religious life, the K of C has RSVP – the Refund Support Vocations Program. Through local council involvement, RSVP provides moral and financial support to individual seminarians and postulants pursuing religious vocations. Since its inception, RSVP has helped over 25,000 seminarians achieve their goal of the priesthood with nearly $15 million donated by local councils.

In the late 1980’s, the Knights funded the massive and faithful restoration of the four-century-old façade of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. There is also the $20 million Vicarius Christi Fund, established in 1982. The interest from this fund is given annually to the Pope for his personal charities. Since 1982, the fund has generated over $24 million. Annual contributions will continue in perpetuity.

Knights and their families don’t believe in sitting idly and just watching life pass by. They feed the hungry and help shelter the homeless. They help senior citizens remain healthy and active. They conduct blood drives and fight to protect the right to life of all individuals.

Last year, the Knights of Columbus donated over $106 million to charitable and benevolent causes. That includes $18 million in donations to programs for people with mental retardation. They also gave away something even more valuable…their time. Last year alone, the Knights gave 49 million man-hours to volunteer services. Everything from blood drives to meals-on-wheels.

The Knights have served as a principal sponsor of the International Summer Special Olympics Games, providing financial aid, manpower and on-site support.

 

The Knights of Columbus, as a fraternal organization, provides low-cost insurance “For Brother Knights, By Brother Knights.” It is truly a family affair. For new members, a special low-cost policy is available upon initiation, complete with increasing values and dividends. Wives of new members are also eligible to participate in this special plan.

Today, the amount of K of C insurance in force totals over $32 billion – which says a lot about how much members value it. Knights of Columbus insurance offer a complete portfolio from which to choose. The strength of the program is evidenced by the fact that the money paid out to members is consistently greater than the funds paid to beneficiaries of deceased members.

A dynamic organization isn’t just discovered accidentally; it must be built from ground up. That is why there is the Columbian Squires, an organization for young Catholic men, age 12 to 18. The junior organization of the Knights provide training of members in the art and techniques of leadership.

Another place is in councils on college and university campuses. Young men have an opportunity to get involved in the college and local community through activities and projects sponsored by the college council.

In addition, K of C activities for young people include Easter egg hunts, picnics, free throw contests, Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts, spelling bees, softball tournaments and more.