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Membership Information:

The Strong Right Arm of the Church

Pope John Paul II with
Supreme Knight Carl Anderson

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 has 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 Teresa 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 Saipan. Each year, the Order continues this strong growth.

Volunteer Service and Insurance

As the Order has grown, its benevolence has multiplied. The Order continues to break all previous records for charitable contributions and volunteer service. In the past decade, the Knights donated nearly $1 billion to numerous charitable causes and nearly 400 million hours of volunteer service. In 1999 alone, the Knights donated nearly $109 million and 55 million volunteer hours to charitable causes.


Father McGivney's founding vision for the Order also included establishing a life insurance program to provide for the widows and orphans of deceased members. The Order's insurance program has expanded substantially to serve more effectively the Knights' growing membership. Year after year, the Knights of Columbus has earned the highest possible quality ratings for financial soundness from A. M. Best and Standard & Poor's. The Order provides the highest quality insurance and annuity products to its members, along with many other fraternal benefits.

Military and Knights of Columbus Honoring the Deceased Soldiers Who Gave Their Lives for The USA


Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism

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 to them today.


If you want to join this great organization of Catholic men, you can call Sam Tedesco at 636-527-2879 or Larry Moore at 636-256-3183. They will explain to you the central mission of the Order: striving in charitable works; serving the Church and unified in following its teachings; supporting brother Knights in their temporal and spiritual needs; acting for the good of their country; and giving aid to widows, orphans, the sick and the poor. This is Father McGivney's dream, echoing across the century, and living today in the hearts of his brothers and all of those they touch.

Vivat Jesus!


Additional Information About the Marian Council Knights

The Main Principals of Our Order

Unity:

Our members profess a common faith and we work together as brothers to achieve God’s work.


Since our inception we have provided an infusion of manpower to the parish to help support annual functions such as Lenten Fish Fries and the Sausage Supper.


The Knights donated funds for the construction of the perpetual adoration chapel and purchased the portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe that resides in the chapel. The fourth degree honor guard participated in the dedication mass.


We provide financial support to a local seminarians each year from the proceeds of our annual events such as Triva Night or our Golf Tournament.


The Knights of Columbus were instrumental to the Archdiocese of St. Louis by providing much needed support with ushers and servers for the Papal mass in St. Louis in 1999.


We support the Pro-Life movement through financial contributions and with our annual “Roses for Life” campaign.


Council 9522 sponsored and constructed a memorial to unborn children that serves as a prominent reminder to students at JFK High School. Archbishop Rigali dedicated the memorial along with the honor guard in 1997.


We sponsor Catholic evangelization through our Religious Information Bureau that teaches our faith to people interested in becoming Catholic.

Charity:

We are well known for our annual Tootsie Roll Drive which benefits God’s special people that have mental disabilities. Our council is consistently among the top contributors in the state. Cardinal Glennon Developmental Center and several local agencies are the beneficiaries of this worthy charity.


Every month, dedicated members of the Knights and Ladies Auxiliary spend valuable time serving the needy at the Sisters of the Poor soup kitchen in the city.


The Knights donated funds for the purchase of new tables for the school cafeteria from the proceeds of the annual Spring Trivia Night. Trivia Night is our 2nd largest event every year.


Our annual Spring Plant Sale benefits the Missouri Special Olympics through our contest of concern program.


We sponsor a portion of Sulphur Springs Road through the county Adopt-A-Highway clean up program.


The monthly donut sales provide funds which are donated to various Catholic charities including: ADA, Vicarious Christy, Catholic Education, Vitae Society, Religious Vocations, and the Agape House among others.


We provide a booth at Strassenfest in early August of each year where we sell chicken wings and nachos that enables us to have an operating fund.

Fraternity:

Family is paramount to the Knights of Columbus. Our programs and activities encourage families to work and play together while benefiting the church, community, and one another.


We gather together with our families every 5th Sunday to receive holy communion and then enjoy a family breakfast or picnic afterwards.


Many of our programs run in conjunction with our Ladies Auxiliary which consists of wives and daughters of fellow Knights.


Young people are a special part of the Knights of Columbus. Our council sponsors activities for youths including Free Throw competitions, essay contests, poster contests, and religious awards for Scouts.


The Knights of Columbus life insurance program is voluntary and open to every member and his family. Insurance program participants are eligible for fraternal benefits relating to orphans, widows, children who have mental retardation, families facing the tragedy of a stillborn child or one who dies within 60 days after birth.


We also offer a benefit that provides free accidental death coverage to qualified members and their wives.

Patriotism:

Working with the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, the Knights of Columbus has donated 10,000 rosaries to troops serving in Iraq. The Knights is also printing 100,000 copies of a book of Catholic prayers for military personnel. The book is sized to fit in the breast pocket of a military uniform and is printed on laminated pages for resiliency in wartime conditions. The book also includes introductions from Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien of the archdiocese and Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson.


Anderson said the donation of rosaries and prayer books was a show of solidarity with the troops. The Knights, he said, has a long history of such support, stretching back to World War I when the organization operated rest and recreation centers for troops in Europe under the banner, "Everybody Welcome. Everything Free."


"The Knights of Columbus joins others the world over in praying for a peace," Anderson said. "We also pray for the swift and safe return of our troops who are laying down their lives for others in acts of charity and service."


The Knights has received reports of several dozen members called to active duty since early February. U.S. Marine Major Jay Aubin, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Kuwait on March 21, was a member of the Knights in Florida at the time of his death.


Founded in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, the Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization, with more than 1.6 million members throughout North America and elsewhere. In 2001 members reported raising and contributing to charity a record $125 million and volunteering a record 58.9 million hours of service.

Vivat Jesus!