Yesterday (Saturday the 5th), myself and many fellow seminarians from Kenrick-Glennon Seminary received 4th degree knighthood in the Knights of Columbus. The whole day was a very great experience, especially the Mass celebrated by Archbishop Burke and concelebrated by many priests who are Knights. I have posted pictures from the event on my seminary website (unfortunately, when you're the one taking the pictures, you can't get a picture of yourself being knighted...).
There seems to be much confusion and misunderstanding when it comes to the Knights of Columbus, even from people who are in the Catholic Church, so I decided to try to explain what this organization does and who is involved.From the KofC.org website's "About the Knights of Columbus" web page:
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.
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.
Basically, KofC does quite a bit for our Catholic Church and the world at large, and is involved in helping the poor, the handicapped, the unborn, the elderly and anyone else in need. I am very grateful for all the wonderful gifts given to the Church by the Knights, and I pray that the Knights of Columbus will continue to prosper! You can read more about the organization on their website.