Knights of Columbus

Victor Valley Council 4228
• 15163 Aspen • Hesperia CA, 92345 • (760) 948-NITE (6483) •

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General Information
about the
Knights of Columbus

What the Knights are all about
How the Knights are structured as an organization

The Ceremonials of the Order

History of the Knights

*These Men They Call Knights
The Emblem of the Fourth Degree
Ceremonial Regalia
Hierarchy of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus Protocol

* This is the 6/95 version of the booklet These Men They Call Knights. Published by the Supreme Council and originally provided online by Council 10232, it provides a fine overview of and introduction to the Order.

What the Knights are all about

The Knights of Columbus is a lay Catholic family fraternal service organization. Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to all practical Catholic men in communion with the Holy See, age eighteen and above. The term practical Catholic implies that a person accepts and abides by the Commandments of God and the precepts and tenets of the Catholic church.

K of C On October 2, 1881, Father Michael J. McGivney, 29-year-old assistant pastor at St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Connecticut, brought together a group of laymen with whom he discussed his dream for a Catholic fraternal benefit society. It not only would assist widows and orphans of deceased members through its life insurance program, but also would boost members' sense of pride in their Catholic religion, then frequently challenged in the anti-Catholic climate of 19th-century America. Father McGivney and his associates met several more times over the next several months to continue planning, and the new organization -- the Knights of Columbus -- was formally launched in early February, 1882.

The officers of the new Catholic organization chose the name Knights of Columbus to honor Christopher Columbus, the Catholic discoverer of America. The word knights is also significant. We are ever mindful of the knightly qualities of spirituality and service to church that is embodied in the Knights of Columbus. The Order has evolved into a service organization with a strong family orientation.

By the end of 1897 the Order was thoroughly rooted in New England, along the upper Atlantic seaboard and into Canada. Within the next eight years it branched out from Quebec to California, and from Florida to Washington.

The Knights of Columbus remains headquartered in New Haven, but is now present with nearly 12000 Councils in the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, and several other countries.

One of the primary missions of the Knights of Columbus is to support local charities. The Knights are a familiar sight around town during the annual Tootsie Roll® drive, which raises funds for charities that support the retarded and handicapped. We also support other fund raising drives to aid local parishes and charities.

The Knights of Columbus promotes family values by providing numerous activities throughout the year that the entire family can participate in. Additionally, the organization provides an opportunity to ensure that a knight's family is provided for in the event of his death.

Here is short list of reasons you may want to join the Knights of Columbus:

An opportunity to become part of the world's largest Catholic fraternal organization

A great way to make a personal contribution to the Church and community through charity and fraternity

Active participation in Council activities serves as a "school of leadership" which will enable you to develop qualities that enhance your strengths and abilities

A sense of "belonging" in an organization that shares your religious beliefs and brings to together like-minded men joined in a common cause

Concerns for your family and your retirement years can be addressed by the Orders optional, low-cost life insurance

A sense of pride, knowing that the Knights of Columbus is second to none in support of our Holy Father, our Bishops and Priests, and our fellow man

Hierarchical Structure of the Knights of Columbus

All members of the Knights of Columbus belong to a particular Council, and any group of at least thirty men may apply to found a new Council in their area. The highest elected officer of each Council is the Grand Knight, who, with the other Council Officers, is elected by the membership each year. The Grand Knight appoints various Program Directors and Chairmen to run the Council's activities for the year. All Council activities except Membership activities, fall into one of five Program Areas, each with a Director. The five Directors of Church Activities, Community Activities, Council Activities, Family Activities and Youth Activities report to a General Programs Director, who in turn reports to the Grand Knight.

Several Councils within the same geographic area are grouped together in a District under the guidance of the District Deputy and his assistant, the District Warden. There are currently about 129 Councils organized into 27 Districts in the state of Maryland.

The District Officers are appointed by the State Deputy, the highest elected officer of the State Council. State Officers and Program Chairmen are analogous to those at the Council level and coordinate the activities of all the Councils throughout the State. Each Spring, the State Deputy hosts a Convention to elect officers and conduct other State business. Every Grand Knight and one elected Delegate represent every Council in the state at this Convention.

The highest level within the Knights of Columbus is the Supreme Council, headed by the Supreme Knight. At the Supreme Convention each summer, State Deputies and Representatives from each State, Territory, or Country meet to conduct business concerning the international operation of the Order.

Ceremonials of the Order

There are four "Degrees" of Knighthood within the Knights of Columbus. The initiation ceremonies into each of these Degrees (the ceremonies themselves are also called "Degrees") are the only facets of the Order which are not made known to non-members. Each of the Degrees is designed to exemplify one of the four Principals of the Order: Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism. The Degrees must be taken in order.

Every applicant must take the First, or Membership, Degree before he can be considered a Member of the Knights of Columbus. Once he has taken his First Degree, he becomes a member in good standing in the Order. To reach full Knighthood, members must also take the Second and Third Degrees, and all members are strongly encouraged to do so. Members must have taken the Third degree to be elected to Council offices or to enter into the Fourth Degree.

Once a man has been a member of the Knights of Columbus for a year and has taken his Third Degree, he is eligible to join a Fourth Degree Assembly. The Fourth Degree has its own structure separate from that of the Council. Fourth Degree Assemblies gain their membership from Third Degree members of several Councils within a larger geographic area. The most visible members of the Order are often the Fourth Degree Color Corps, with their colorful capes, chapeaux and sabers. More information on the Fourth Degree is available at the Cardinal O'Boyle Assembly home page.

History of the Knights

ORIGINS

On October 2, 1881, a small group of men met in the basement of St. Mary's Church on Hillhouse Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut. Called together by their parish priest, Fr. Michael J. McGivney, these men formed a fraternal society that would one day become the world's largest Catholic family fraternal service organization. They sought strength in solidarity, and security through unity of purpose and devotion to a holy cause: they vowed to be defenders of their country and their families and their Faith. These men were bound together by the ideal of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the Americas, the one whose hand brought the Holy Faith to this New World. They were Knights of Columbus.

Through the foresight and leadership of Father McGivney, and the sacrifice and dedication of those early Knights, and the millions of their brother who have followed in their footsteps, the Knights of Columbus would become the world's foremost Catholic fraternal benefit society, one that has helped millions of Catholic families grow in their faith and defend their beliefs. It has made its members better husbands, fathers, sons, and citizens. It has helped families obtain economic security and stability through the Knights' life insurance program. It has built Catholic communities, fed the poor and defended the vulnerable. It has helped to renovate the Vatican and bring the Pope to the world.

CONTINUOUS GROWTH

Since it was incorporated on March 29, 1882, the Knights of Columbus has grown from several members in one council to more than 12,000 councils and over 1.6 million members throughout the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan. The Order has had thirteen Supreme Knights—from the first Supreme Knight, James T. Mullen, who designed the famous emblem of the Order, to our current Supreme Knight, Carl A. Anderson, who leads the Order across the threshold of the 21st century. Millions of Catholic men have been Knights of Columbus—men of all nationalities and backgrounds and professions—men like baseball great Babe Ruth and President John F. Kennedy.

LOVE OF CHURCH AND COUNTRY

Charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism—these are the watchwords of the Knights of Columbus. And, since 1882, Knights of Columbus have backed up these words with actions. During World War I, Supreme Knight James A. Flaherty proposed to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson that the Order establish soldiers' welfare centers in the US and abroad. The Order raised more than $14 million for this program on its own, and was allocated another $30 million from a national fund drive.

During the early years of World War II, Canadian Knights set up similar soldiers' welfare centers in Canada. The US Knights were the first national organization to sponsor a blood donor program, and numerous councils led war bond drives in support of the war effort. Thousands of Knights were killed in action during the war.

During the Cold War, Supreme Knight John E. Swift oversaw the Order's varied responses to the Communist threat, as the Knights operated speakers' bureaus, funded anti-Communist advertisements and radio addresses, and published pro-freedom pamphlets. In 1954, the Knights of Columbus led the effort to officially include the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, a crusade that resulted in federal legislation signed by US President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

In 1957, the Knights of Columbus donated a $1 million, 329-foot bell tower to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC—a tower that became known as "the Knights' Tower." The Order has since donated a 56-bell carillon to the Shrine and provided funding for its operation.

During the 1960s and 1970s, decades of degeneration and social chaos, the Knights of Columbus, behind Supreme Knight John McDevitt and Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant, stood as a tower amidst societal crisis to promote racial equality and love of country. Against a tide of dissension, the Order championed Church teaching on divorce, birth control, abortion, and pornography.

Since the late 1970s, Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant led the Knights to record-breaking growth in all areas of the Order's operations: membership, new council development, international development, insurance sales, volunteerism and charitable giving. He fostered devotion to the Church and the Blessed Mother, and pledged the Knights' support for the Holy Father, the cardinals, bishops and all the clergy and religious. In 2000 the current Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson was elected to office.

Continuing the tradition of devotion to the Church and the Blessed Mother, he rededicated the Order to its role as "strong right arm of the Church" in the renewal of society. He especially promised new vigor in the fight for the culture of life over the culture of death as the Order moves into the 21st century.

Knights of Columbus have helped to build and support the Catholic Church, from the United States to the Philippines. Knights have lived for their faith in Canada, and died for their faith in Mexico. Throughout the history of the Order, in these and many other ways, Knights of Columbus have provided immeasurable support to their families and communities, to their countries and the Church. The Knights of Columbus has enabled its members to strengthen and protect their loved ones—spiritually, by developing their faith, and financially, with the highest quality life insurance available, a product that has brought security and prosperity to millions of Knights and their families.

Through their dedication to the ideals of the Order—Charity, Unity, Fraternity, Patriotism—and through their fidelity to Christ's Church and his Vicar, the Knights of Columbus continue to be what they were called long ago: "The Strong Right Arm of the Church."

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ARCHIVES

The Knights of Columbus Supreme Council Archives exists to preserve the history of the Knights of Columbus. The collection includes correspondence, pamphlets, publications, programs, newspaper clippings and books relating to the history of the Order. The collection focuses on Supreme Council activities, but does contain some material relating to state and local councils. Some topics relating to the Supreme Council include anti-Catholicism such as the Mexican Persecution and the Bogus Oath, the Historical Commission, the Roman Playgrounds, the Oregon School Case, Columbian Squires, World War I, Reconstruction, World War II, and the James Cardinal Gibbons Memorial Statue papers. Material relating to the founder Father Michael J. McGivney and St. Mary's Church are also collected. The Archives includes material relating to the Catholic Church as well as an over three hundred volume library on Christopher Columbus and Columbus related materials such as the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.

The Archives is located in New Haven, Connecticut at the Supreme Council Headquarters. Access to the archives is available by appointment and with the permission of the Archivist. Some materials are restricted. The Archives is usually open Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. It is closed on major holidays.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS MUSEUM

The Knights opened a museum at their headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut during the organization's 100th anniversary in August 1982.

The Museum is dedicated to the acquisition, preservation, interpretation and exhibition of information and materials deriving from or relevant to the history, formation and activities of the Knights of Columbus. It also contains material on the Catholic Church, Christopher Columbus, as well as secular history in America. To view some of the exhibits, visit the online tour of the Knights of Columbus Museum and view the Gallery of Supreme Knights.

The Museum has grown over the years, and is now housed in a separate building. The grand opening of the Knights of Columbus Museum at One State Street, New Haven took place on March 8, 2001. The Order's history is now showcased in an attractive setting, and interactive computer stations enable visitors to conduct research. You can take a cyber-tour of the museum via the link below. We soon will be updating our cyber-tour to allow you to see displays from the expanded facilities.

MEMBERSHIP IN THE KNIGHTS

Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to practical Catholic men in union with the Holy See, who are at least 18 years old. A practical Catholic is one who lives up to the Commandments of God and the precepts of the Church. Application blanks are available from any member of the Knights of Columbus.

All priests and religious brothers having duly made application for membership and participated in the ceremonials become honorary life members of the Order and are exempt from payment of dues.

Candidates join local units, called "councils," most of which are based in one Catholic parish, or in the community at large. The candidate takes part in initiation degrees that explain the Knights of Columbus' four principles: Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism.

A candidate is considered a "Knight" after taking his First Degree, but he is encouraged to advance through the Second and Third Degrees and on to the Fourth Degree, whose members promote the virtue of patriotism by serving in honor guards, color corps and promoting respect for country and the flag.

Knights of Columbus have a proud heritage. The qualified Catholic man can share in this heritage and build for an even greater future by affiliating himself with this forceful, effective fraternal organization.

COLLEGE COUNCILS AND THE COLUMBIAN SQUIRES

In addition to the regular councils of the Knights of Columbus, the Knights sponsor college councils which enlist the enthusiasm of college and university students in Catholic devotions and service projects to their local communities. The college councils train the young men to be leaders of tomorrow, and many of the current leaders in the Knights of Columbus come from the college council ranks. To support and encourage these councils, each year the Supreme Council hosts a College Council Conference in New Haven.

Under the guidance of Christian Brother Barnabas McDonald (1865-1929), the first Columbian Squires circle was instituted in 1925. Membership in the Squires is for Catholic boys between the ages of 12 and 17. As of June 1999, the Columbian Squires has 25,234 members in 1166 circles, located in the U.S., Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam. Squires' activities are many, varying from spiritual to active service for the Church and community. Each circle elects officer members from their own rank, teaching skills of leadership and responsibility. The year 2000 marks the 75th anniversary of the Squires — 75 years of providing support to thousands of young men on their way to adulthood.

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