The world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization, the Knights of Columbus was founded by Father Michael J. McGivney in 1882, and named for Christopher Columbus. The U.S. Order is a member of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights. The lay organization began as a mutual benefit society for working class Catholics in the United States, who were then regularly excluded from labor unions, secular fraternal organizations and other organized groups, and the Holy See prohibited Catholics from joining the Freemasons. Later, the Knights became a fraternal service organization, promoting Catholic education and Catholic public policy positions. The Knight's junior organization, the Columbian Squires, takes in Catholic boys from the age of ten to eighteen. The Daughters of Isabella and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas are women's auxiliaries of the Knights. Over the years, the organization has been involved in some important legal and political issues. For example, it successfully fought an Oregon law that would eliminate parochial schools, requiring children to attend public school. In the unanimous 1925 opinion, the Supreme Court ruled that law to be unconstitutional. The principles of the Knights are charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. A First Degree exemplification ceremony, for new members, explicates the virtue of charity. After participating in the work of the organization, he moves through the subsequent degrees, each of which focus on another virtue, upon which he rises to that status. Upon reaching the Third Degree, he is a full member, after which he is eligible to receive the Fourth Degree, which is intended to encourage patriotism and participation in the responsibilities of citizenship. The Fourth Degree is optional, and fewer than twenty percent of Knights join the Fourth Degree. The Fourth Degree, a patriotic degree within the organization that has its own symbolic dress, was created in the early 1900s.
Recommended Resources
Arizona State Council, Knights of Columbus
Membership statistics are reported by council, and state officers of the organization are introduced, along with state forms, bylaws, council events, convention schedules and reports, a photo gallery, and announcements. Other resources include an overview of its programs, project reports and communications. General information about the organization and specifics about membership degrees are included.
http://www.azknightsofcolumbus.org/
Chartered as a fraternal benefit society in 1882, the Order is still true to its founding principles of charity, unity and fraternity. The history and current activities of the Catholic laymen’s organization are set forth on the official Knights of Columbus web site, along with its organizational structure, its part in building the domestic Church, and an overview of its programs and projects. An online shopping area is included.
http://www.kofc.org/
Located in New Haven, Connecticut, where the Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882, the museum was established in 1982 as a non-profit institution that serves as an archive, repository, and gallery for documents and artifacts related to the Catholic laymen’s organization’s founding, history, and activities. Featured exhibits and the curator’s choice are highlighted, along with past exhibits, directions, and hours.
http://www.kofcmuseum.org/
Knights of Columbus, Rhode Island State Council
The Rhode Island Council of the Knights of Columbus was founded in 1893. Its site offers membership information and reports, recruitment data, training schedules, and a list of state officers, office directions, hours and contacts, as well as a calendar of events. Its councils, Fourth Degree, Columbiettes, and Squire Circles are also included. A photo gallery and a blog can also be found.
http://www.kofcri.org/
Light and Life Mobile Ultrasound
In cooperation with the California Knights of Columbus State Council, the non-profit has the goal of assisting pro-life pregnancy resource centers throughout the United States in deploying mobile ultrasound ministries in their communities, in order to provide pregnant women with the information needed to make a life-affirming decision. Its mission, fund-raising opportunities, and volunteer opportunities are stated.
http://www.kofcbringlight.org/
The Jefferson Valley, New York company has been the designated official supplier and manufacturer for the Knights of Columbus since 1950. Family owned and operated by the Knights, the company offers Color Corps regalia and accessories, as well as other Knights apparel, awards, plaques and banners, ceremonial equipment and sashes, decals, magnets, license frames, flags and grave markers, lapel pins, name badges, patches, and other items.
http://www.kofcsupplies.com/
