About the Knights

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The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic family fraternal service organization with over 1.7 million members in 12,800 councils. It provides members and their families with volunteer opportunities in service to the Catholic Church, their communities, families and young people. Fraternal insurance is available to members and their families. The Knights of Columbus Insurance organization consistently receives one of the highest ratings in the insurance industry, making it a valuable asset for men to provide protection and security for their families.

CHARITY, UNITY, FRATERNITY, AND PATRIOTISM: Watch-words of our Order

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The Knights of Columbus are Catholic gentlemen committed to the exemplification of charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism, and defense of the priesthood. The Order is consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and is unequivocal in its loyalty to the Pope, the Vicar of Christ on earth. It is firmly committed to the protection of human life, from conception to natural death, and to the preservation and defense of the family. It was on these bedrock principles that the Order was founded over a century ago and remains true to them today.

In each local council, you will find brother Knights working to fulfill the central mission of the Order: giving aid to widows, orphans, the sick, the poor; striving in charitable works; serving the Church and unified in following its teachings; supporting brother Knights in their temporal and spiritual needs and acting for the good of their country.

History and Growth of the Knights of Columbus

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On Oct. 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 29-year-old parish priest, Father 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, 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 Christianity to the New World. Their efforts were realized with the incorporation of the Knights of Columbus on March 29, 1882.

The founder and first officers of the fledgling organization chose the name "Knights of Columbus" because they felt that, as a Catholic group, it should relate to Christopher Columbus, the Catholic discoverer of America. This would emphasize that it was a Catholic who discovered, explored, and colonized the North American continent. At the same time "Knights" would signify that the membership embodied knightly ideals of spirituality and service to Church, country and fellowman.

The Order has been called "the strong right arm of the Church," and has been praised by popes, presidents and other world leaders, for support of the Church, programs of evangelization and Catholic education, civic involvement and aid to those in need. Knights of Columbus councils are located throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Panama, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam, and Saipan.

The Knights of Columbus 4th Degree

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Any Third Degree member in good standing, one year after the anniversary of his First Degree, is eligible for membership in the Fourth Degree. The primary purpose of the Fourth Degree is to foster the spirit of patriotism by promoting responsible citizenship and a love of and loyalty to the Knights' respective countries through active membership in local Fourth Degree groups (called "assemblies"). Certain members of the Fourth Degree serve as honor guards at civic and religious functions, an activity that has brought worldwide recognition to the Knights of Columbus.