Misplaced Pages

Latest revision as of 17:13, 10 January 2025

Knights of Columbus

Abbreviation	K of C
Formation	March 29, 1882; 142 years ago (1882-03-29)
Founder	Michael J. McGivney
Founded at	New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Type	Catholic fraternal service order
Headquarters	Knights of Columbus Building, New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Supreme Knight	Patrick E. Kelly
Supreme Chaplain	William E. Lori
Affiliations	International Alliance of Catholic Knights Columbian Squires Squire Roses Columbiettes
Website	www.kofc.org

The Knights of Columbus (K of C) is a global Catholic fraternal service order founded by Blessed Michael J. McGivney. Membership is limited to practicing Catholic men. It is led by Patrick E. Kelly, the order's 14th Supreme Knight.

The organization was founded on March 29, 1882 as a mutual benefit society for working-class and immigrant Catholics in the United States. In addition to providing an insurance system for its members, it has grown to support refugee relief, Catholic education, local parishes and dioceses, and global Catholic social causes. The Knights of Columbus have played an active role in politics ever since its formation, and promote the Catholic view on public policy issues around the world.

The organization also provides certain financial services to the individual and institutional Catholic market. Its wholly owned insurance company, a Fortune 1000 company based on its annual revenue, underwrites more than two million insurance contracts, totaling more than $121 billion of life insurance in force as of 2023. The order also owns the Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors, a money management firm which invests in accordance with Catholic social teachings.

As of 2024, the Knights reported having over 2.1 million members around the world. Women may participate in K of C through the Columbiettes and other female auxiliaries, and boys may join the Columbian Squires. The Order comprises four different "degrees," each one of which exemplifies one of the core principles of the order. There are more than 17,000 local Knights of Columbus councils around the world, including over 400 on college campuses.

History

Early years

American Catholic priest Michael J. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus at St. Mary's Church in 1882 as a mutual benefit society for Catholic immigrants in New Haven, Connecticut. As a parish priest in an immigrant community, McGivney saw what could happen to a family when the main income earner died. This was before most government support programs were established. Because of religious and ethnic discrimination, Catholics in the late 19th century were regularly excluded from labor unions, popular fraternal organizations, and other organized groups that provided such social services.

Although its first councils were all in Connecticut, the Order spread throughout New England and the United States in subsequent years. As the order expanded outside of Connecticut, structural changes in the late 1880s and 1890s were instituted to give the Knights a federalist system with local, state, and national levels of government. This allowed them to coordinate activities across states and localities.

20th century

During World War I, the Knights established soldiers' welfare centers in the U.S. and abroad. After the war, the Knights participated in education, occupational training, and employment programs for veterans.

The Oregon Compulsory Education Act of 1922 would have disallowed parochial schools, including Catholic schools, in that state. The Knights of Columbus challenged the law in court with the ACLU, and, in a landmark 1925 ruling (Pierce v. Society of Sisters), the U.S. Supreme Court struck it down.

To combat the animus targeted at racial and religious minorities, including Catholics, the Order formed a historical commission which published a series of books in the 1920s on their contributions, among other activities. The "Knights of Columbus Racial Contributions Series" of books included three titles: The Gift of Black Folk: The Negroes in the Making of America, by W. E. B. Du Bois, The Jews in the Making of America by George Cohen, and The Germans in the Making of America by Frederick Schrader.

The Knights of Columbus "was the only American fraternal society which did not, by its constitution, prohibit Negro membership", according to historian Christopher Kauffman. During World War I, the Knights were designated as the official agency for supporting Catholic troops, and its support facilities were the only racially integrated facilities open to troops. Emmett Jay Scott wrote, "Unlike the other social welfare organizations operating in the war, it never drew the color line."

As the Knights grew and expanded, some councils in the United States were integrated, and others were not. An example of an integrated council was Sheridan Council 119 in Southborough, Massachusetts. Samuel F. Williams, a black man, was a member and among other activities, spoke on the stage of the 1896 Knights of Columbus Massachusetts State Convention to an audience that included two future Supreme Knights. The path to individual membership in a local Knights council did not explicitly exclude African Americans. Each local council voted in new members, and as few as four or five negative votes against a prospective candidate (no matter the size of the council) was enough to deny someone entry. Joseph Bertrand, who graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1954, was blackballed from joining a Chicago-area Knights council in 1963 after being nominated by Gene Liner. Liner said that as the vote was announced, "I just watched his face. There were five black balls." Liner then resigned his office in the Knights chapter along with five other council leaders.

Meanwhile, Church officials and organizations increasingly encouraged integration. By the end of the 1950s, KoC Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart was actively encouraging councils to accept black candidates. In 1963, Hart attended a special meeting at the White House hosted by President John F. Kennedy to discuss civil rights with other religious leaders. After the rejection of Joseph Bertrand's membership application in Chicago, Hart declared that the process for membership would be revised at the next Supreme Convention so that membership rejections would require a majority vote of local council members. The change occurred but Hart died before he could see it take place.

Around 1915, during the nadir of American race relations, the Ku Klux Klan began promoting a conspiracy theory claiming that Fourth Degree Knights swore an oath to exterminate Freemasons and Protestants. The Knights of Columbus vehemently denied the existence of any such oath, calling the rumors libel. In 1923, the Knights of Columbus offered $25,000 to any person with proof that the fake oath attributed to the fourth-degree membership was part of any authentic ceremony. The Knights began suing distributors for libel in an effort to stop this, and the KKK ended its publication of the false oath.

Recent history

As the Order and its charitable works grew, so did its prominence within the Church. Pope John Paul I's first audience with a layman was with Supreme Knight Virgil Dechant, and Pope John Paul II met with Supreme Knight Dechant three days after his installation. During the pope's 1979 visit to the United States, the Supreme Officers and Board were the only lay organization to receive an audience.

Richard Nixon addressed the Supreme Convention in 1971. Ronald Reagan spoke in 1982 and 1986 and George W. Bush spoke in 2004. George H. W. Bush spoke as vice US president in 1984 and then again as president in 1992. Bill Clinton sent a videotaped message to the 111th Supreme Convention saying the Order's "contributions to the Catholic Church and to your communities merit our applause."

Church historian Massimo Faggioli believes the scope of the Knights' philanthropy can "create influence through money, especially in important places like Rome or Washington, D.C."

Organization and principles

The order is dedicated to the principles of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. Membership is restricted to men, at least 18 years of age, who are practicing Catholics in union with the Holy See and are in good standing with the Church. As of August 2024, there were over 2.1 million Knights of Columbus worldwide, with the majority in North America.

After his induction and completion of the Exemplification of Charity, a new member becomes a First Degree Knight. He then progresses through the Second and Third Degrees after completing the subsequent Exemplifications of Unity and Fraternity. A Third Degree Knight is considered to have attained full “Knighthood” status. Privileges of Third Degree membership include the ability to serve as a local council officer, and admission to state and Supreme Council business meetings.

A Third Degree Knight in good standing is eligible to complete the Exemplification of Patriotism and progress to the Fourth Degree. This is an optional degree, but represents the highest ideals of the order. A Knight who has attained this level is addressed as “Sir Knight.”

Each member belongs to one of more than 17,000 local councils around the world. Most are based in Catholic parishes, though some have their own council hall within a community. Each local council works to assist with the needs of its community consistent with the principles of the order.

The college councils program, started at Catholic University of America in 1898, was created to promote the moral, intellectual and spiritual development of college men on campuses throughout the world. The oldest continuously running college council is the University of Notre Dame Council #1477, chartered in 1910. As of 2024, there are more than 340 college councils worldwide.

Throughout most of its history, the Knights of Columbus has provided active support to members of the armed forces and their families. As of 2024, there are more than 50 military councils in military bases throughout North America and around the world.

A Knight who has attained the Fourth Degree also belongs to a Fourth Degree assembly. Fourth Degree Knights are men who have chosen to embrace the order’s fourth principle of patriotism. Fourth Degree assemblies get their members from multiple councils within a local geographical area. They lead the efforts to reach out to veterans and active military and to embody the fact that one can be a faithful Catholic and also be a faithful citizen. As of 2024, there are more than 3,600 Fourth Degree assemblies worldwide.

Fourth Degree assemblies may form Color Corps, an elective division of the Fourth Degree, whose distinctive presence in parades, wreath-laying ceremonies, Confirmations and other Catholic functions are a visible reminder of the Knights' service to their communities. Fourth Degree Color Corps are often the most visible arm of the Knights.

The Supreme Council is the governing body of the order. It elects insurance members to serve three-year terms on a 24-member Board of Directors. Leaders' salaries are set by the board of directors and ratified by the delegates to the Supreme Convention. The seven-figure salaries of senior K of C officers have been criticized as excessive.

In 1969, the Knights opened a 23-story headquarters building in New Haven.

(*Appointed annually by each council's Grand Knight or Faithful Navigator)
(**Appointed for a three-year term by the Supreme Knight)
(**Appointed by the Past Faithful Navigators of the Assembly and Faithful Navigator)

Charitable giving

Charity is the foremost important principle of the Knights of Columbus. At their 2024 convention in August, 2024, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly said that the organization had donated $190 million and 47 million volunteer-hours toward charity projects in 2023. Charitable activities include support for refugees, aid for victims of natural disasters, and advocating Catholic ethics, such as opposition to same-sex marriage and opposition to abortion.

Beginning in 1897, the National Council encouraged local councils to establish funds to support members affected by the 1890s depression. Councils also offered employment agency services and provided aid to the poor and sick. Aid has also been dispensed to assist victims of natural and man-made disasters, starting with a flood in Kansas in 1903. In 2015 alone, the order donated hundreds of thousands of US dollars to victims of typhoons and other natural disasters.

During times of war, the Order supports aid to refugees. Between 2014 and 2018, the Knights gave more than $2 million to provide food, shelter, clothing, and medical care to persecuted Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East. The Knights donated $250,000 in 2018 to help refugees crossing over the Mexico–United States border who were seeking asylum in the United States and later expanded the program. Within days of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the 2,000 Knights of Columbus in the country worked to help those impacted. They began by providing food and clothing to those at train and bus stations in Lviv who were fleeing into Poland. They then began organizing busses to take people the Polish border. In the first three months of the war, the Knights in Poland helped more than 300,000 people, or 10% of those who fled to that country. Since the start of the war, the Knights of Columbus have delivered more than 8.5 million pounds of relief supplies and provided more than $17 million for humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

The Knights of Columbus has donated more than $600 million to those with intellectual and physical disabilities. One of the largest recipients of aid in this area has been the Special Olympics, where the Knights have been involved since the first games in 1968. In 2023, the Knights donated more than $4 million to Special Olympics and helped organize and run nearly 4,000 competitions.

After the Knights had donated more than 1,000 ultrasound machines to crisis pregnancy centers from 2009 to 2019, Anderson said, "Our ultrasound initiative is now the greatest humanitarian achievement in the history of the Knights of Columbus. ... We can, and I am confident that we will, save millions of unborn lives." Following the United States Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly called on the order to increase their support for women facing unplanned and crisis pregnancies with the Aid and Support After Pregnancy (ASAP) initiative.

The Global Wheelchair Mission is an alliance of independent international organizations working to deliver wheelchairs and mobility assistance to people worldwide. In 2023, the Knights provided more than 11,000 wheelchairs to the Global Wheelchair Mission.

The Knights also donate to the institutional church, including being a major donor to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. As of 2017, the Knights' Vicarius Christi fund has contributed more than $57 million to the charitable efforts of the pope. The Knights have supported the Vatican's news operation for decades.

In the field of education, the Knights of Columbus have a number of scholarships and other programs for seminarians, veterans and students at the Catholic University of America, and at other Catholic colleges. Especially during World War I and World War II, the Order operated a number of "huts" to support troops serving in combat, regardless of race or religion.

Insurance program

Early years

The original insurance system devised by McGivney gave a deceased Knight's widow a $1,000 death benefit. Each member was assessed $1 upon a death, and when the number of Knights grew beyond 1,000, the assessment decreased according to the rate of increase. Each member, regardless of age, was assessed equally. As a result, younger, healthier members could expect to pay more over the course of their lifetimes than those men who joined when they were older. There was also a Sick Benefit Deposit for members who fell ill and could not work. Each sick Knight was entitled to draw up to $5 a week for 13 weeks (roughly equivalent to $155 in 2022 dollars). If he remained sick after that, the council to which he belonged determined the sum of money given to him.

The need for a reserve fund for times of epidemic was seen from the earliest days, but it was rejected several times before finally being established in 1892. It had $12,000 in assets in 1896. By 1897, the method of funding the program changed. Each member was assessed five cents a month for 100 months, so that he would contribute $5.

Since its first loan to St. Rose Church in Meriden, Connecticut, in the late 1890s, the Knights of Columbus have made loans to parishes, dioceses, and other Catholic institutions. By 1954, over $300 million had been loaned and the program "never lost one cent of principal or interest."

In the post–World War II era, the interest rates on long-term bonds dipped below levels at which the order's insurance program could sustain itself, and Supreme Knight Hart moved the order into a more aggressive program of investing in real estate. Under his leadership, the order established a lease-back investment program in which the order would buy a piece of property and then lease it back to the original owner "upon terms generally that would bring to our Order a net rental equal to the normal mortgage interest rate." Between 1952 and 1962, 18 pieces of land were purchased for a total of $29 million. Late in 1953 the order purchased the land beneath Yankee Stadium for $2.5 million. In 1971, the City of New York took the land by eminent domain.

Between 1952 and 1962, 18 pieces of land were purchased as part of the lease-back program for a total of $29 million. During this time, the amount of money invested in common stock also increased.

Modern program

The order offers a modern, professional insurance operation with more than $121 billion of life insurance policies in force and $26 billion in assets as of June 2023. This places the Order on the Fortune 1000 list and it is large enough to rank 49th on the A. M. Best list of all life insurance companies in North America.

Products include permanent and term life insurance, as well as annuities, long term care insurance, and disability insurance. The insurance program is not a separate business offered by the order to others, but is exclusively for the benefit of members and their families. All agents are members of the order.

The order's insurance program is the most highly rated program in North America. For more than 40 consecutive years, the order has received A. M. Best's highest rating, A++. Forbes publishes an annual list of what it refers to as "America's Best Insurance Companies", and it has included the Knights of Columbus insurance program on this list since 2022.

The order maintains a two-prong investment strategy: a company must first be a sound investment before stock in it is purchased, and secondly the company's activities must not conflict with Catholic social teaching. The guidelines include protecting human life, promoting human dignity, reducing arms production, pursuing economic justice, protecting the environment, and encouraging corporate responsibility. As of 2017, it had been named a "World's Most Ethical Company" by Ethisphere Institute for five consecutive years. Citing the awards they have won, the order calls themselves "champions of ethical investing."

In 2017, over $965 million was awarded in benefits. Since the founding of the order, $3.5 billion in death benefits have been paid. Additionally, the insurance program has a low 3.5 percent lapse rate of the 1.9 million members and their families who are insured.

Its insurance operation invests in loans to various churches, schools, and other Catholic institutions. As of 2008, over $500 million had been loaned through the ChurchLoan program. At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Order established a $100 million fund to provide short-term loans to help dioceses weather the economic storm. Each diocese was eligible to obtain a $1 million secured line of credit.

Promotion of the Catholic faith

Efforts against religious discrimination

Since its earliest days, the Knights of Columbus has been a "Catholic anti-defamation society." In 1914, it established a Commission on Religious Prejudices. As part of the effort, the order distributed pamphlets, and lecturers toured the country speaking on how Catholics could love and be loyal to America.

The creation of the 4th Degree, with its emphasis on patriotism, performed an anti-defamation function as well as asserting claims to Americanism. In response to a defamatory "bogus oath" circulated by the KKK, in 1914 the Knights set up a framework for a lecture series and educational programs to combat anti-Catholic sentiment.

New evangelization

The Knights have been urged to take a prominent role in the new evangelization. The CIS published a series on the new evangelization in 2011, and donations to other Catholic mass communication services represent one of the Knights' major expenditures. The Knights have also established councils in both secular and Catholic universities.

Awards

The order sponsors a number of international awards. The first, the Gaudium et Spes Award, is named after the document from the Second Vatican Council, and is the highest honor bestowed by the order. It "is awarded only in special circumstances and only to individuals of exceptional merit" and comes with an honorarium of $100,000. In the first 25 years after its institution in 1992, it was only awarded twelve times. The award "recognizes individuals for their exemplary contributions to the realization of the message of faith and service in the spirit of Christ as articulated in the document for which it is named".

The second international award, also only given when merited, is the Caritas Award. Named for the theological virtue alternatively translated as either charity or love, it recognizes "extraordinary works of charity and service" and was established in 2013. It was first awarded to Monsignor Robert Weiss, pastor of St Rose of Lima in Newtown, Connecticut. The second was awarded to St. Virgilius Knights of Columbus Council 185. Both received the honor, and the $100,000 honorarium, for their actions following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

The Saint Michael Award was established in conjunction with the Caritas Award to recognize members of the order who have exemplified a lifetime of service on behalf of the Knights of Columbus. Additionally, at its annual convention each year, the order recognizes other individuals and councils with awards. These include the Family of the Year award, and prizes for the best activities in the categories of church, community, council, culture of life, family, and youth. Additionally, top selling general and field insurance agents are recognized, as are top recruiting individuals and councils.

The order established the Grand Cross of the Knights of Columbus, but awarded it only to Cristobal Colón y de La Cerda, Duke of Veragua and descendant of Columbus, when he visited the US in 1893.

Political activity

While the Knights were politically active from an early date, in the years following the Second Vatican Council, as the "Catholic anti-defamation character" of the order began to diminish as Catholics gained more acceptance, the leadership began to use its financial resources to directly influence the direction of the church. That led to the creation of a "variety of new programs reflecting the proliferation of the new social ministries of the church."

At times, the leadership of the order has been both liberal and conservative. Martin H. Carmody and Luke E. Hart were both political conservatives, but John J. Phelan was a Democratic politician prior to becoming Supreme Knight, John Swift's "strong support for economic democracy and social-welfare legislation marks him as a fairly representative New Deal anti-communist," and Francis P. Matthews was a civil rights official and member of Harry Truman's cabinet. Anderson previously served in the Office of Public Liaison under Ronald Reagan.

The Knights of Columbus is classified as a 501(c)(8) fraternal benefit society by the IRS. Unlike the more common 501(c)(3) nonprofits, 501(c)(8)s are allowed to engage in limited direct political activity without jeopardizing their tax exemptions. However, Anderson has said "One of our most important traditions throughout our 125-year history is that we do not, as an organization, become involved in partisan politics."

The Knights of Columbus supports political awareness and activity among its members and local councils. Public policy activity is limited to issue-specific campaigns, typically dealing with Catholic family and sanctity of life issues. They state that

In addition to performing charitable works, the Knights of Columbus encourages its members to meet their responsibilities as Catholic citizens and to become active in the political life of their local communities, to vote and to speak out on the public issues of the day. ... In the political realm, this means opening our public policy efforts and deliberations to the life of Christ and the teachings of the Church. In accord with our Bishops, the Knights of Columbus has consistently maintained positions that take these concerns into account. The order supports and promotes the social doctrine of the Church, including a robust vision of religious liberty that embraces religion's proper role in the private and public spheres.

The order opposed the persecution of Catholics in Mexico during the Cristero War, and opposed communism. During the 20th century, the order also established the Commission on Religious Prejudices and the Knights of Columbus Historical Commission, organizations which fought against racism. It was also supportive of trade unionism, and published the works "of the broad array of intellectuals", including George Schuster, Samuel Flagg Bemis, Allan Nevins, and W. E. B. DuBois.

During the Cold War, the order had a history of waging anti-socialist, anti-communist and anti-anarchist crusades. They lobbied for the addition of the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance, as a religious response to Soviet atheism. The Knights have actively opposed the legalization of same-sex marriage and in terms of funding, they have also been a key contributor to local measures against same-sex marriage. The Knights have donated over US$1 million to the Susan B. Anthony Foundation and other anti-abortion and anti-contraception organizations.

Subsidiaries

Museum

On March 10, 2001, the order opened a museum in New Haven dedicated to their history. The 77,000 square foot building cost US$10 million to renovate. It holds mosaics on loan from the Vatican and gifts from Popes, the membership application from John F. Kennedy, and a number of other items related to the history of the Knights. Near the entrance is the cross held by Jesus Christ on the facade of St. Peter's Basilica before undergoing a Knights-financed renovation.

Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors

In 2015, the order launched Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors, a money management firm which invests money in accordance with Catholic social teaching. As of early 2023, the firm had $25.8 billion in assets under management.

The firm uses the Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to guide their investment decisions. The guidelines include protecting human life, promoting human dignity, reducing arms production, pursuing economic justice, protecting the environment, and encouraging corporate responsibility.

In addition to the wholly owned subsidiary, it also purchased 20% of Boston Advisors, a boutique investment management firm, managing assets for institutional and high-net-worth investors. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors manages the fixed-income strategies for their funds while Boston Advisors sub-advises on the equity strategies. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors also offers model portfolio, outsourced CIO services, a bank loan strategy, and other alternative investment strategies. In 2019, the Knights purchased the institutional management business of Boston Advisors.

Saint John Paul II National Shrine

The order owns and operates the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington D.C. In 2011, the Order purchased the 130,000-square-foot John Paul II Cultural Center. The mission as a cultural center ended in 2009 and the Knights rebranded it as a shrine to Pope John Paul II. Soon after the pope was canonized, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops named the building a national shrine.

Each year 64,000 pilgrims visit the shrine, which features video content, interactive displays, and personal effects from John Paul. There is also a first class relic of the pope's blood on display for veneration. It also serves as a base for the Order in Washington, D.C.

Notable Knights

Some of the most notable American members include John F. Kennedy; Ted Kennedy; Al Smith; Sargent Shriver; Samuel Alito; Conrad Hilton; John Boehner; Ray Flynn; Jeb Bush; film maker John Ford; and Sergeant Major Daniel Daly, a two-time Medal of Honor recipient.

In the world of sports, Vince Lombardi, the famed former coach of the Green Bay Packers; James Connolly, the first Olympic gold medal champion in modern times; Floyd Patterson, former heavyweight boxing champion; and baseball legend Babe Ruth were all knights.

On October 15, 2006, Bishop Rafael Guízar y Valencia (1878–1938) was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in Rome. In 2000, six other Knights, who were killed in the violence following the Mexican Revolution, were declared saints by Pope John Paul II.

Emblem of the order

The emblem of the order was designed by Past Supreme Knight James T. Mullen and adopted at the second Supreme Council meeting on May 12, 1883. Shields used by medieval knights served as the inspiration. The emblem consists of a shield mounted on a Formée cross, which is an artistic representation of the cross of Christ. This represents the Catholic identity of the order.

Mounted on the shield are three objects: the fasces, an anchor, and a sword. In ancient Rome, the fasces was carried before magistrates as an emblem of authority. The order uses it as "symbolic of authority which must exist in any tightly bonded and efficiently operating organization." The anchor represents Christopher Columbus, admiral under the orders of the kings of Spain and patron of this partnership, here a symbol of the Catholic contribution to America. The short sword, or dagger, was a weapon used by medieval knights. The shield as a whole, with the letters "K of C", represents "Catholic Knighthood in organized merciful action."

Triad Emblem of the Fourth Degree

Fourth Degree assemblies are separate from councils. They have their own officers and a separate emblem. This optional, patriotic degree was instituted in 1900.

The Triad Emblem of the Fourth Degree features a white dove, a red cross and a blue globe. The dove – a classic symbol of the Holy Spirit and of peace – is shown hovering over the globe. Both are mounted on a variation of the Crusaders’ cross, the cross worn on the tunics and capes of knights of the Middle Ages. These three items are also representative of the Blessed Trinity:

• The globe represents God the Father, Creator of the Universe.
• The cross represents God the Son, Redeemer of Mankind.
• The dove represents the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of Humanity.

The red, white and blue colors on the emblem are those of the flag of the United States, where the Knights of Columbus originated. They also help to underscore the value of patriotism that is the foundational principle of the Fourth Degree.

Auxiliary groups

Women's auxiliaries

Many councils also have women's auxiliaries. At the turn of the 20th century, two were formed by local councils, each taking the name Daughters of Isabella. They expanded and issued charters to other circles but never merged. The newer organization renamed itself the Catholic Daughters of the Americas in 1921, and both have structures independent of the Knights of Columbus. Other groups are known as the Columbiettes. In the Philippines, the ladies' auxiliary is known as the Daughters of Mary Immaculate.

A proposal in 1896 to establish councils for women did not pass and was never proposed again.

Columbian Squires

The Knights' official junior organization is the Columbian Squires. According to its founder Barnabas McDonald, "The supreme purpose of the Columbian Squires is character building."

It was founded in 1925 in Duluth, Minnesota, by Barnabas McDonald. The formation of new Squire Circles in the United States and Canada is discouraged, as the Order desires to move youth activities from exclusive clubs into the local parish youth groups.

Similar Christian organizations

The Knights of Columbus is a member of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK), which includes fifteen fraternal orders such as the Knights of Saint Columbanus in Ireland, the Knights of St Columba in Great Britain, the Knights of Peter Claver in the United States, the Knights of the Southern Cross in Australia and New Zealand, the Knights of Marshall in Ghana, the Knights of Da Gama in South Africa, and the Knights of Saint Mulumba in Nigeria.

See also

• Columbus Fountain
• Columbus School of Law
• Father Millet Cross
• James Cardinal Gibbons Memorial Statue
• Knights of Columbus Hostel fire
• List of Knights of Columbus buildings
• List of Massachusetts State Deputies of the Knights of Columbus
• Manuscripta
• Parish Priest (book)
• Pope John Paul II Cultural Center

Notes

1. The $88 million increase during 1956 was the greatest single increase in the Order's history.
2. Standard & Poor's downgraded the insurance program's financial strength/credit rating from AAA to AA+ in August 2011 not due to the order's financial strength, but due to its lowering of the long-term sovereign credit rating of the United States to AA+. Other US insurance groups also downgraded by S&P from AAA to AA+ were New York Life, Northwestern Mutual, TIAA, and USAA as, like the Knights of Columbus, their assets are highly concentrated in the US and they have significant holdings in US Treasury and agency securities.
3. The full guidelines are published on the episcopal conference's website.
4. The full guidelines are published on the episcopal conference's website.

References

1. Kauffman 1982, p. 18.
2. Glenn, Brian J. "Rhetoric of Fraternalism: Its Influence on the Development of the Welfare State 1900–1935". Retrieved December 24, 2015.
3. Kauffman 1982, pp. 13–14.
4. ^ Brinkley & Fenster 2006, p. 51.
5. Kauffman 1982, pp. 8–9.
6. ^ Koehlinger 2004.
7. Skocpol, Ganz & Munson 2000, p. 532.
8. Skocpol, Ganz & Munson 2000, p. 533.
9. Flanagan 2017.
10. Kauffman 1995.
11. 268 U.S. 510 (1925)
12. "Pierce v. Society of Sisters". University of Chicago Kent School of Law. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
13. Kauffman 1982, p. 282.
14. Kauffman 1982, p. 283.
15. Alley 1999, pp. 41–44.
16. ^ "Knights of Columbus". Queen of Angels Foundation. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
17. ^ Kauffman 1982, pp. 269–270.
18. ^ Dumenil 1991, p. 31.
19. ^ "The Knights of Columbus and Racial Equality". Columbia (July/August 2020): 9–14. May 26, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
20. ^ "Native son". legacy.chicagocatholic.com. October 1, 2000. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
21. Kauffman 1982, p. 396.
22. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 397.
23. "Religion: Catholics & Negroes". Time. September 15, 1958. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
24. "Knights of Columbus Refuting Unjust Charges." Norwich Bulletin (Norwich, Connecticut). January 16, 1915. p. 7.
25. Kauffman 1982, p. 171.
26. Fry 1922, pp. 109–116.
27. Kauffman 1982, p. 176.
28. Mecklin 2013.
29. "Refuting a Libel." Connecticut Western News (Salisbury, Connecticut). February 25, 1915. p. 4.
30. "Offer Reward for K. of C. Detractors." Hartford Courant (Hartford, Connecticut). January 22, 1923. p. 4.
31. "Kaceys to Prosecute." New Britain Herald (New Britain, Connecticut). August 22, 1928. p. 14.
32. Kauffman 1982, p. 277.
33. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 419.
34. Kauffman 1982, p. 420.
35. Lapomarda 1992, p. 105.
36. Lapomarda 1992, p. 127.
37. ^ "U.S. Presidents and the Knights of Columbus". Knights of Columbus. February 15, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
38. ^ Roberts, Tom (May 15, 2017). "Knights of Columbus' financial forms show wealth, influence". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
39. Knestout, Barry C. (November 30, 2019). "Knestout: Knights' generosity exemplary for all Catholics". The Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on November 30, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
40. ^ Hopfensperger, Jean (August 9, 2019). "Knights of Columbus work to refresh image, attract younger members". Star Tribune. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
41. ^ Kelly, Patrick (October 2024). "2024 Annual Report of the Supreme Knight". Columbia. 104 (8): 16–21. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
42. Mares, Courtney (August 7, 2018). "Knights of Columbus pledge support for persecuted Christians". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
43. Hadro, Matt (August 7, 2019). "At Knights convention, Kendrick Castillo remembered, honored as 'a hero'". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
44. Smith, Peter (August 9, 2023). "Knight of Columbus Supreme Knight: Our relationship with Jesus 'will change everything'". Detroit Catholic. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
45. Hadro, Matt (August 5, 2019). "Knights of Columbus Donated More Than $185 Million to Charity in 2018". National Catholic Register. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
46. ^ Pike, Robin (Fall 2008). "The Archives Recalls CUA's Relationship with the Knights of Columbus" (PDF). ACUA Newsletter: 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
47. "Indiana bishop urges Fightin' Irish to join Knights". Catholic News Agency. January 30, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
48. "Knights of Columbus Scholarships Awarded in Califon". The Hunterdon County News. June 19, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
49. Ash, Jim (September 14, 2018). "Knights of Columbus celebrates milestone". Main Street Journal. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
50. Butler, Andrew (November 8, 2019). "Who Are the Fourth Degree Knights?". kofc.org. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
51. Borowski, Dave (November 5, 2014). "Mysteries of the regalia revealed". Catholic Herald. Archived from the original on December 5, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
52. Kelly, Patrick. "First in Faith and Charity" (PDF). Knights of Columbus. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
53. Kauffman 1982, pp. 375–376.
54. ^ "Knoxvillian elected to Knights' board of directors". The East Tennessee Catholic. October 2, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
55. ^ "Fraternal chief's pay questioned". Tampa Bay Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. April 4, 1992. p. 54. Retrieved December 9, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.[REDACTED]
56. The Tablet, 7 September 2019, pp. 4–5.
57. Hubbard & Hubbard 2019, p. 76–77.
58. ^ Clark, Marlene (September 19, 2007). "Knights of Columbus Find a Home — And Keep It". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
59. ^ Smith, Peter Jesserer (August 11, 2023). "Knights of Columbus summoned to discipleship, transformation of the world". The Pilot. Vol. 194, no. 30.
60. Kauffman 1982, p. xv.
61. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 388.
62. Kauffman 1982, p. 335.
63. Kauffman 1982, p. 320.
64. ^ Sweany 1923, p. 1.
65. Sweany 1923, p. 2.
66. Egan & Kennedy 1920, p. v.
67. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 152.
68. ^ "A Diverse Church". Catholic University of America Archives. Archived from the original on April 22, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
69. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 127.
70. Brinkley & Fenster 2006, p. 171.
71. LeRoux, Kelly; Feeney, Mary K. (November 13, 2014). Nonprofit Organizations and Civil Society in the United States. Routledge. p. 50. ISBN 978-1-135-10355-2. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
72. McGrath, Michael J. (January 1, 2010). Answering the Call: How God Transformed the Lives of Nineteen Catholic Deacons. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-4982-7190-5. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
73. Kauffman 1982, p. 166-7, 428, 320.
74. Kauffman 1982, p. 161.
75. ^ "FIFTY YEARS OLD". The Tampa Times. March 28, 1932. p. 4. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
76. "Knights of Columbus CEO Praises Plan for U.S. Aid to Persecuted Christians". America. October 30, 2017. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
77. Long-Garcia, J.D. (August 13, 2019). "Knights of Columbus commit to helping asylum seekers at the southern border". No. September 2, 2019. America. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
78. ^ Telli, Andy (August 12, 2022). "Fraternal order honors Ukrainian Knight for leading war relief efforts". The Pilot. p. 10.
79. ^ Cerve, Steve (April 2016). "The Knights of Columbus and Special Olympics – A Bond Forged Years Ago". Retrieved August 21, 2022.
80. ^ Klemond, Susan (August 7, 2019). "Knights Supreme Convention: Anderson emphasizes assistance to refugees around the world". The Catholic Spirit. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
81. Telli, Andy (August 12, 2022). "Overturning of Roe provides 'chance to win fight for life' says top Knight". The Pilot. p. 10.
82. "Global Wheelchair Mission". kofc.org. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
83. Kauffman 1982, p. 421.
84. "Knights of Columbus leader meets Pope, presents $1.6 million". Crux. February 16, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
85. ^ Sweany 1923, p. 3.
86. Scott, Emmett J. (1919). Scott's Official History of the American Negro in the World War. Chicago: Homewood Press. pp. 407–408. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
87. Kauffman 1982, p. 343.
88. ^ "K. of C. Insurance at $650 million". The Eunice News. Eunice, Louisiana. March 28, 1957. p. 3. Retrieved December 9, 2019 – via newspapers.com.[REDACTED]
89. Siedenburg, SJ, Frederic (July 1920). New Catholic World. Vol. CXI (664 ed.). Paulist Press. p. 441. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
90. ^ "Increase in Membership". The Boston Globe. February 2, 1897. p. 4. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
91. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 126.
92. Kauffman 1982, p. 22.
93. Kauffman 1982, pp. 36–37.
94. Brinkley & Fenster 2006, p. 123.
95. Kauffman 1982, pp. 63, 66, 75–76, 78.
96. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 378.
97. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 377.
98. "Yankees Net $2,700,000 In Park Deals" Chicago Daily Tribune, Friday, December 18, 1953
99. Sullivan 2001.
100. ^ "Knights of Columbus elect Patrick Kelly next Supreme Knight". Catholic News Agency. February 5, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
101. "Priest with Cavan links beatified". The Anglo-Celt. May 27, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
102. ^ DiStefano, Joseph N. (August 26, 2019). "Knights: Enough". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. E2. Retrieved December 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.[REDACTED]
103. Smith, Ryan (March 2, 2018). "Knights of Columbus sets insurance sales record for seventh straight year". Insurance Business America. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
104. ^ Bennett, Helen (June 7, 2018). "Top 50: New Haven-based Knights of Columbus act locally and globally". Retrieved April 23, 2023.
105. ^ "Catholic Mutual Finds Created". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. April 1, 2015. p. A8. Retrieved December 7, 2019 – via newspaper.com.[REDACTED]
106. "Frackville man serves in Knights national office". Republican and Herald. Pottsville, Pennsylvania. October 7, 2014. p. A5. Retrieved December 7, 2019 – via newspapers.com. [REDACTED]
107. ^ Kamal, Sameea (July 11, 2013). "Knights of Columbus Insurance Program Passes $90 Billion Mark—Courant.com". Hartford Courant. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
108. "People in Business for Sunday, March 24". The Grand Island Independent. March 23, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
109. Gonzalez, Ramon (April 30, 2012). "Insuring members crucial to Knight's reason for existence". Western Catholic Reporter. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
110. ^ "Ripple effect". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. August 9, 2011. p. A06. Retrieved December 7, 2019 – via newspaper.com.[REDACTED]
111. ^ Product Development for Customer Welfare (PDF), vol. 33, Leaders, p. 71, retrieved November 30, 2019
112. ^ "Fortune 500—Knights of Columbus". CNN Money. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
113. "Knights Of Columbus". CNN Money. April 17, 2006. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
114. "Knight with a mission". Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. May 18, 1997. p. 5. Retrieved December 9, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.[REDACTED]
115. "Knights of Columbus chief named director of Vatican bank". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. November 27, 1990. p. 78. Retrieved December 9, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.[REDACTED]
116. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 428–429.
117. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 413.
118. "Annual Report (2023) of the Supreme Knight" (PDF). Knights of Columbus. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
119. "Our Agents". Knights of Columbus. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
120. "Knights of Columbus reach $100 billion in life insurance". Catholic News Agency. November 9, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
121. "For 38th consecutive year, A.M. Best reaffirms top A++ rating for Knights of Columbus". July 11, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
122. "Moody's Backs US's AAA Rating, S&P Cuts Fannie, Others". CNBC. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
123. "Rating Actions Taken On 10 U.S.-Based Insurance Groups Following Sovereign Downgrade". Standard & Poor's. August 8, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
124. Schwarz, Alan. "America's Best Insurance Companies". Forbes Best Insurance Firms. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
125. ^ Comtois, James (February 27, 2016). "Knights of Columbus forms money manager, targets Catholic institutional investors". Pensions and Investments. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
126. ^ "Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
127. Maurer, Charles E. Jr. "Report of the Supreme Secretary". Supreme Council Proceedings One Hundred-Thirtieth Annual Meeting. p. 53.
128. ^ Carey, Ann (August 31, 2008). "Knights of Columbus loan program propels projects in the diocese" (PDF). Today's Catholic. p. 20. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
129. ^ "Knights of Columbus offers short-term loans to help dioceses meet needs". Crux. Catholic News Service. March 29, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
130. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 153.
131. Kauffman 1982, p. 185.
132. Salvaterra 2002.
133. Kauffman 1982, pp. 138–143.
134. Kauffman 1982, pp. 169–175.
135. Kauffman 1982, p. 178.
136. Bauman, Michelle (August 7, 2012). "Knights of Columbus called to be in front ranks of New Evangelization". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
137. "Catholic Information Service to Launch Series on the New Evangelization". www.kofc.org. November 29, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
138. Roberts, Tom (May 15, 2017). "Knights of Columbus' financial forms show wealth, influence". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
139. Wuerl, Cardinal Donald (2013). "Preface". New Evangelization: Passing on the Catholic Faith Today. Our Sunday Visitor. p. Preface. ISBN 978-1-61278-302-4. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
140. ^ "Father Gerard Hammond, M.M., Receives Highest Honor From Knights of Columbus". Maryknoll Society. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
141. "Knights of Columbus bestows top honor on Maryknoll priest". Union of Catholic Asian News. June 19, 2017.
142. ^ "New Haven-based Knights of Columbus bestows its highest honor on Little Sisters of the Poor". New Haven Register. August 3, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
143. Bauman, Michelle (February 4, 2023). "For Cardinal George, God's Grace Is Bigger Than Cancer". National Catholic Register. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
144. Wooden, Cindy (May 7, 2019). "Pope Francis called Jean Vanier to thank him before his death". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
145. ^ "Monsignor Weiss Receives Inaugural Caritas Award From Knights of Columbus". The Newtown Bee. August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
146. Egan & Kennedy 1920, p. 117.
147. Kauffman 1982.
148. Kauffman 1982, p. 62.
149. Kauffman 1982, p. 367.
150. "Nancy Reagan Turned Down Rock Hudson's Plea For Help Nine Weeks Before He Died". BuzzFeed News. February 3, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
151. IRC 501(c)(8) Fraternal Benefit Societies. Accessed 10-29-2020
152. "Knights will keep up the fight on life, marriage issues". The Catholic Review. January 19, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
153. ^ "Catholic Citizenship And Public Policy" (PDF). Knights of Columbus. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
154. Kauffman 1982, p. 302.
155. Kauffman 1982, pp. 364–365.
156. Larry Ceplair (2011). Anti-communism in Twentieth-Century America: A Critical History: A Critical History. ABC-CLIO. p. 114. ISBN 978-1-4408-0048-1.
157. ^ Kauffman 1982, pp. 366–367.
158. Kauffman 1982, p. 366.
159. Bremer, Thomas S. (2014). Formed From This Soil: An Introduction to the Diverse History of Religion in America. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-118-32354-0.
160. Greenberg, David (June 28, 2002). "The Pledge of Allegiance: Why we're not one nation 'under God'". Slate Magazine.
161. McElwee, Jason J. (October 19, 2012). "Knights of Columbus Key Contributor Against Same-Sex Marriage". National Catholic Reporter. Kansas City, Missouri. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
162. "How One Religious Organization Bankrolls America's Social Conservative Movement". ThinkProgress. December 22, 2014.
163. ^ "The Knights of Columbus Celebrate 90 Years in Rome". Rome Reports. June 19, 2010. Archived from the original on June 22, 2010. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
164. ^ Taylor, Frances Grandy (March 20, 2001). "The Knight of New Haven". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
165. "KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ASSET ADVISORS LLC Investment Adviser Firm Summary". SEC.gov. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
166. "Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors LLC AUM filing". AUM13F.com. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
167. ^ Comtois, James (October 10, 2019). "Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors acquires Boston Advisors' institutional business". Pensions & Investments. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
168. ^ Filteau, Jerry (August 3, 2011). "Knights of Columbus to purchase Pope John Paul II center". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
169. ^ Roberts, Tom (August 17, 2011). "Knights buy John Paul II Cultural Center". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
170. ^ Mauro, J-P (January 30, 2019). "Explore the legacy of St. John Paul II at his National Shrine, in DC". Alteia. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
171. Boorstein, Michelle Boorstein Michelle (August 3, 2011). "Knights of Columbus to buy Pope John Paul II center". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
172. Singular 2005, p. 60.
173. Kauffman 1982, pp. 393–394.
174. Singular 2005, p. 38.
175. Singular 2005, p. 94.
176. "Albuquerque Morning Journal". Albuquerque, N.M. May 20, 1917. p. 9. ISSN 2375-5903. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via National Endowment for the Humanities.
177. "Representative John Boehner's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
178. Singular 2005, p. 114.
179. Paulson, Michael (March 17, 2015). "Jeb Bush, 20 Years After Conversion, Is Guided by His Catholic Faith". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
180. "Movie Knight". Columbia Magazine. No. June 2022. The Knights of Columbus.
181. "Famous Knights of Columbus". Famous101. July 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
182. "Iconic Artifacts". The National Museum of the Marine Corps. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
183. Singular 2005, p. 64.
184. Singular 2005, p. 4.
185. "Floyd Patterson" (PDF). Hudson River Valley Institute at Marist College. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2011. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
186. Singular 2005, p. 30.
187. "1st Knight-of-Columbus-Bishop to Be Canonized". EWTN News. October 10, 2006. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
188. Kauffman 1982, pp. 34–35.
189. ^ "Official Knights of Columbus Emblems and Council Jewels" (PDF). Knights of Columbus. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
190. ^ Walther & Walther 2020, p. 21.
191. Appelbaum, Yoni (October 8, 2012). "How Columbus Day Fell Victim to Its Own Success". The Atlantic. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
192. Walther & Walther 2020, p. 24,40.
193. ^ Kauffman 1982, p. 125.
194. "About Us, Daughters of Isabella". Daughters of Isabella. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
195. "The History of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas". Catholic Daughters of America. Archived from the original on May 22, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
196. Kauffman 1982, pp. 125–126.
197. "Brief History, Daughters of Mary Immaculate International". Daughters of Mary Immaculate International. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
198. "Church News". Valley Road Runner. February 25, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
199. Djupe, Paul A. (2003). Encyclopedia of American Religion and Politics. Infobase Publishing.
200. "History of the Brothers in the U.S.A. since 1845". Manhattan College. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
201. ^ Delorme, Rita H. "K. of C. Squires: the name is medieval, but their goals aren't". Southern Cross. Diocese of Savannah. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
202. "Member Orders". International Alliance of Catholic Knights. Archived from the original on March 14, 2007. Retrieved May 30, 2006.