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In October of 1881, a young priest named Father Michael J. McGivney
called together a small group of men to meet in the basement of St.
Mary's Church in New Haven, Connecticut. His purpose was to help
Catholic men remain steadfast in their faith, promote closer ties of
fraternity among them, and set up a system that would help fellow
members and their families in times of hardships.
These men, of this
fledgling organization, were chartered on March 29, 1882 to be known
as the 'Knights of Columbus'.
Like
the Knights of Yore, the organization embodied the ideas
of spirituality and service to Church, country and fellow man.
Today, the Knights of
Columbus has blossomed into an international society of more
than 1.70 million Catholic men in some 12,000 councils
throughout the United States, Canada, the
Philippines, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama,
the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan. They
have dedicated themselves to these basic ideas:
Charity. Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism.
The framework of
our great organization is that we are a "Catholic, family,
fraternal, service organization". This theme permeates the
entire Service Program: all church, community, council, family and
youth activities.
CATHOLIC is the common
denominator for all our members. Catholicism serves as the
foundation for continued growth for our faith in God.
FAMILY is the very basis of
society around which all our programs and activities evolve.
FRATERNITY means banding
together for the purpose of providing for spiritual and material
welfare of our membership. SERVICE
means our involvement with and commitment to Church, community,
council, family and youth.
As the Order has grown, its benevolence has steadily increased. In
the past decade, the Knights have raised and donated nearly $1
Billion to numerous charitable causes and volunteered nearly 400
million hours of service.
Last year (2004) alone, the Knights donated
more than $135 million and more than 63
million volunteer hours to charitable causes!
The
Protection of Human Life - The Knights of Columbus is
unambiguously and proudly pro-life. In accordance with the teachings
of the Catholic Church, the Order defends human life from the moment
of conception until natural death. Building a new Culture of Life
where every human life is welcomed and protected by law is one of
the highest priorities of the Order!
Church
Support -
Supporting the Catholic Church has been a hallmark of the Knights of
Columbus. From funding the restoration of the facade of St. Peter's
Basilica in Rome to operating an usher ministry at a local parish,
the Knights of Columbus serves the Church in countless ways.
Annually, the Order raises and distributes more than $45 million to
Church groups in support of programs at the local, national and
international levels. Local Knights and their families donate more
than 25 million hours of volunteer time to the Church each year. ‘In
Solidarity with our Priests’ – we heartily support Vocations to the
Priesthood and Religious Life!
Through the years
we have dedicated ourselves to God's calling. We become
involved and participate in what is taking place in the world around
each and every one of us. Conditions of present life require
that we participate in shaping social issues and political issues,
from speaking for the unborn to lending our hands to the less
fortunate, and from making our society a place where there is more
justice to where there is more love. The challenge to the Knights is
trying to see where God is asking us to go and in what direction to
move. By becoming a Knight
you can be an added voice, a helping hand to humankind, a sign to
someone less fortunate - that God truly loves and cares for them.
Why Join The Knights of Columbus??
Camaraderie! Community Involvement!
Growing in one’s faith! Supporting the Church! Protecting one’s
family! Helping others and expressing love of all! These are a few
of the reasons that Catholic men and their families join the Knights
of Columbus!
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