Who Are the Knights?
The Knights of Columbus was founded by a humble parish priest, Fr. Michael J. McGivney, in 1882 in the church basement of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, CT. In March, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI declared Fr. McGivney “Venerable” in recognition of his “heroic virtue”. His purpose was to provide a practical way of joining Catholic men together in service to their church, community, families, youth, and each other. The K of C also provides a forum through which Catholic men can support each other, creating a fraternal bond to get through hard times. Fr. McGivney’s idea was to have a council in every parish; building a unified support base from which Catholic men could take care of their own families and those of their fellow parishioners.

Today, membership in the Knights of Columbus helps Catholic men build a fraternal base of support for each other as well as to witness their Catholic faith in a real and practical way.

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic, family-oriented organization focused on providing a faith-based foundation from which to witness true Christianity and build a meaningful life.  Membership in the Knights of Columbus provides members with:

• A Sense of Belonging – Members have the opportunity to work, play and pray with other members and their families, providing a deeper sense of community than mere residence in the same neighborhood. They also are joined spiritually in remembrance at daily Mass celebrated by our Supreme Chaplain, and are welcomed at any council event conducted throughout the country.
• A Sense of Accomplishment – Working with Brother Knights on local service projects provides members with a sense of self-esteem and joy that comes from giving to those in need. Every year more than 140 million man-hours of volunteer service are donated by members of the Order to “make a difference” in their local communities.
• A Sense of Unity – Members soon become aware of how much fraternal relationships can add to their life by engaging in the planning and conducting of council service projects and council social events; helping them to “feel a connection” with others in their community. They also come to realize how much more they can accomplish working together than they ever could on their own.
• A Sense of Pride – Being a part of an international organization of 1.8 Million Catholic men focused on making a positive difference in the world provides members with a meaningful connectedness and a sense of fraternal support missing in the lives of most men in today’s society.
• A Sense of Righteousness –Councils often include the entire family in their activities, realizing that by modeling service to others they are promoting healthy values and a sense of ethics and morality in their children; while establishing a closer, more meaningful relationship with them.