Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus, the world’s largest lay Catholic organization, marked its 125th anniversary March 29, 2007. Founded in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, along with a few parishioners in the basement of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, CT., the group has grown to an international organization of more than 1.7 million members.

The Knights of Columbus is also one of the most successful fraternal benefit societies in American history, providing life insurance and related products for the financial welfare of members and their families.

The K of C has not only remained true to its founding principles of charity, unity and fraternity, but also included patriotism as a fourth principle by which its members are to be defined. The organization is renowned for its dedicated support of both church and country. Its affiliates, known as councils, are largely parish-based and provide regular support to their local church and community.

The efforts and contributions of the councils tally to significant amounts. In 2005 (the last period for which data has been compiled), the K of C donated more than $139 million and 64 million hours of volunteer service to charitable causes. Among these contributions was $10 million in relief assistance to Gulf Coast residents and Catholic organizations affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Other prominent charities annually supported by the Knights are Special Olympics and the Wheelchair Foundation.

 Its charitable work also includes substantial support for the Catholic Church in Rome. The K of C funded the restoration of the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica during the 1980s, and annually underwrites the cost of satellite TV broadcasts of liturgical celebrations from Vatican City, including the Christmas Midnight Mass. The organization has also established a $20 million endowment called the Vicarius Christi Fund. The annual proceeds are provided to the pope in support of his charitable initiatives.

In its dimension as a fraternal benefit society, the Knights of Columbus provides its members a variety of life insurance products for the financial stability of their families. One of the most highly rated insurance companies in North America, the K of C has more than $61 billion of life insurance in force and consistently earns the industry’s highest independent rankings for fiscal management and ethical business practices.

The Knights of Columbus has also been actively involved American public policy initiatives. Before and throughout World War I, the Knights ran “Army Huts” – facilities that provided recreation, snacks and comfort items to the troops near bases and near the front.

The huts – whose motto was “Everyone welcome. Everything free,” were a predecessor to the USO. During the 1920s, in direct opposition to the Ku Klux Klan, the Knights lobbied President Calvin Coolidge to pressure the Mexican government to stop its persecution of Catholics in Mexico.

Ultimately, the demands paid off, and an accord was reached between the Church and the Mexican government. In the 1950s, it was the Knights of Columbus that led the effort to have the words “under God” added to the Pledge of Allegiance. The organization continues to speak out on important social issues today, especially human life matters. Among the many notable Knights over the past 125 years were: Babe Ruth, Connie Mack, Joyce Kilmer, Vince Lombardi, Al Smith, John F. Kennedy, Sergeant Shriver, and Ron Guidry.