The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by a 29-year-old parish priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, in the basement of St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Connecticut.  Today, more than a century later, the Knights of Columbus have become the largest lay organization in the Catholic Church.

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.  As recently as 1992, Mother Theresa of Calcutta praised the Knights in a speech on the occasion of her reception of the first Knights of Columbus Gaudium et Spes Award.

Thanks to the inspired work of Father McGivney as well as that of millions of other Knights over the past century, the Knights of Columbus now stands at its pinnacle of membership, benefits and service.  Currently there are over 1.6 million Knights of Columbus - more than ever before in our Order's history.  Together with their families, the Knights are nearly 6 million strong.  In addition, from the first local council in New Haven, the order has grown to more than 12,000 councils in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Panama, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Spain.  Each year the Order continues on strong.

The Council was chartered on January 15, 1899 with 120 members present to sign the charter document.  Council 400 became the first council in Columbus and the sixth council in the State of Ohio.  Council 400 remained the only council in Columbus with membership totaling around 3,000 plus at one point between 1899 and 1944.  In October of 1944 the second council in Columbus was formed, Council 2898.

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.  The Order 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 today.

• Annual Christmas Basket Drive
• Clergy and Knights' Wives Appreciation Dinners
• Measure Up Charities Capping for the Mentally Handicapped
• Parish Pancake Breakfast
• Columbus Clippers Baseball Ticket Sale for Special Olympics
• Annual Charities Raffle
• Free Throw Basketball Competitions

The Council is looking ahead to the future.  The goals are: grow the Council's current membership from 68 members to 400 members by the end of 2010 and to add more charitable and family programs to the current activities list over the new few years.

Any practicing Catholic male age 18 and over can apply for membership in the Knights of Columbus.  Please send an e-mail to the Council 400 representative, Mike Berry, by clicking on his name.

Please visit the official home of the Knights of Columbus located at http://www.kofc.org/.

This page was last updated on: Tuesday November 23, 2004.
Visitors:

Questions or Comments?  E-mail the Webmaster at Webmaster@SaintJosephCathedral.org.