A Catholic Man Wants to Know

Who are the Knights of Columbus?

The Knights of Columbus is the largest Catholic men’s fraternal organization in the world. There are over 1.7 million members worldwide.

What is the origin of the Knights?

The Knights were started by a young parish priest by the name of Father Michael McGivney at St. Mary’s parish in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1882. Father McGivney started the Knights to help the families of poor Irish factory workers when the husband, the family bread winner, would become ill, disabled, or die.

How are they organized?

Today the “Supreme Council” of the Knights of Columbus is still headquartered in New Haven, CN under the leadership of the “Supreme Knight”, Carl Anderson. At the parish level the Knights are formed into “councils” representing one or more parishes. Naperville council 1369 was founded in 1908 and represents SS Peter & Paul, St. Margaret Mary and St. Thomas the Apostle parishes. St. Raphael’s and St. Elizabeth Seton parishes in Naperville also have councils.

How is a council organized?

Councils are guided by a slate of officers that are elected by the council to serve for a fraternal year that runs July 1 through June 30. A “Grand Knight” heads the slate of officers. Currently Bill Beckwith is council 1369’s 52nd Grand Knight. Father Thomas Milota is the council Chaplain. Council 1369 has 260+ members.

Who can become a Knight?

Any practicing Catholic male 18 years of age or older.

Must all Knights buy and wear the regalia?

No. Only 4th Degree Knights have the privilege of wearing the regalia if they choose. There are four “degrees” of Knights. Each degree represents a virtue to be practiced by the Knight. The 1st Degree is Charity. The 2nd Degree is Unity. The 3rd Degree is Fraternity. And, the 4th Degree is Patriotism. There is a degree exemplification, or initiation, required for membership in each degree. One must be a 1st Degree Knight to attend K of C meetings. Men are recognized most easily as Knights when they are wearing their regalia, but in fact 4th Degree Knights make up a small percentage of the membership.

What do the Knights do?

Knights do many things, but first and foremost are charitable works. The K of C’s are a non-profit organization. But, you often see Knights selling Tootsie Rolls, selling raffle tickets, hosting a pancake breakfast, collecting aluminum cans, or working at the Ribfest or Last Fling to raise money. All of that money is donated to a large number of charities and causes.

What are some of the causes they support?

First and foremost the K of C’s support the Catholic Church, its teachings, clergy, and seminarians. They support Pro-Life activities, and agencies that offer support and guidance to unwed mothers. They support our Catholic schools. They support our military troops. They support the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, Little Friends, Misericordia Heart of Mercy Home, and the Special Olympics just to name a few.

Are the Knights all about fund raising and charitable work?

No. The K of C’s are also about promoting family values and Fraternity. The Knights sponsor many activities for our youth such as the Soccer Challenge, Free Throw Contest, and Drug Awareness Poster Contest. They sponsor family activities such as a Cougar baseball game, a family bowling outing and Christmas caroling. And, they do have activities such as Cubs and Sox games just for Knights to promote fraternity. And, if you ask, Knights will probably tell you that they also have fun, and get a great deal of satisfaction out of working on their various fund raising activities.

How much time does being a Knight take?

Less than you might think. As few as 24 hours / year can have a real impact. See the companion piece to this entitled “24 Hours Can Help Change the World”.

What’s in membership in the Knights for me?

An opportunity to serve your Church, family, and community in a very meaningful way. Membership also provides an opportunity for you to stand up and be recognized as one who supports the teachings of the Church. It provides an opportunity for you to have fun working with your brother Knights, and to share the joy and satisfaction of accomplishing something worthwhile. And finally, it offers you an opportunity to buy some of the best life insurance in the world at very competitive rates.

How do I join the Knights?

Visit our Membership Inquiry page, or fill out an application form 100 that you can get from any Knight, or contact  the Knight mentioned below:

• Darrell Hutton 630-961-0526

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