The Vision of Father McGivney
Founded by Father Michael J. McGivney, curate at St. Mary's parish in New Haven, Connecticut, the Knights of Columbus
was chartered on March 29, 1882, in the State of Connecticut.
As the priest explained to a small group of men at a meeting in the basement of St. Mary's Church in October 1881, his
purpose in calling them together was manifold: to help Catholic men remain steadfast in their faith through mutual encouragement:
to promote closer ties of fraternity among them: and to set up an elementary system of insurance so that the widows and children
of members in the group who might die would not find themselves in dire financial straits.
The founder and first officers of the fledgling organization chose the name "Knights of Columbus" because they
felt that, as a Catholic group, it should relate to Christopher Columbus, the Catholic discoverer of America. This would emphasize
that it was a Catholic who discovered, explored, and colonized the North American continent. At the same time "Knights"
would signify that the membership embodied knightly ideals of spirituality and service to Church, country and fellowman.
By the end of 1897 the Order was thoroughly rooted in New England, along the upper Atlantic seaboard and into Canada.
Within the next eight years it branched out from Quebec to California, and from Florida to Washington.
From such promising beginnings Father McGivney's original group has blossomed into an international society of more than
1.5 million Catholic men plus their families in more than 10,000 councils who have dedicated themselves to the ideals of Columbianism:
Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism.
Today members of the Order are found in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Panama,
Cuba, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. They belong to many races and speak many different
languages. They are diverse, yet they are one. Their diversity spells creativity: their unity spells strength.
The Knights' creativity is manifested in numerous programs and projects directed to the benefit of their fellowman. Their
strength assures that these programs are operated effectively and brought to positive conclusions.
Since assuming leadership of the Order in January 1977, Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant has embarked on a series of significant
projects designed to strengthen Columbianism, the Church, the Family and each individual Knight.
One of his first moves was to place his stewardship under the patronage and protection of Our Lady, and he formalized
this dedication during a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., soon after he
took office. As a further concrete sign of his devotion to the Blessed Virgin under her title, "Our Lady of the Rosary,"
he implemented a plan to present a special "Knights of Columbus Rosary" to each new member enrolled in the society.
These have been distributed at the rate of 10,000 per month since the program began. The "Pilgrim Virgin-Marian Hour
of Prayer" programs undertaken every two years have attracted millions of participants to prayer services sponsored by
councils in honor of Our Lady under several of her titles.
His other initiatives have gone far toward strengthening the Order as it confronts the increasing secularism of our modern
age. He has renewed the Knights' pledge of loyalty and fidelity to the magisterium and to the hierarchy of the Church in the
countries where the Order exists. He also has renewed the society's commitment to the pro-life activities of the U.S. and
Canadian bishops. The Order has donated more than $7 million to the U.S. bishops' Pro-Life education and public information
campaign to date.
Among other thrusts, the Supreme Knight formulated a program to maintain the involvement of the widows and children of
deceased members in the activities of the Order. A resolution passed at the 95th annual meeting of the Supreme Council in
August 1977 calls for the establishment of a committee in every unit of the Order which shall be responsible for keeping contact
with widows and dependent children of deceased members. These children will remain eligible for all educational benefits,
such as student loans and all the society's fellowships and trusts.
Upon receipt of notice that a member has died, the Supreme Knight sends a letter of condolence to the widow or next of
kin, informing them first of all that their loved one has been enrolled in a Mass offered at St. Mary's Church, birthplace
of the Order, one every day throughout the year. Upon request, the widow's name is added to the list for Columbia magazine.
State and local councils are encouraged to do the same for their publications. They are also called on to extend to widows
and their families any scholarship or loan programs they may conduct.
A renewed emphasis on family life seeks to involve the member's wife and children in his commitment to the life of Catholic
knighthood. Their support for his promise to be a staunch Catholic layman is essential if it is to be effective and long-lasting.
The Order's Service Program has been revised to permit more participation by the wives and children of members and also to
enable greater identification on their part with the Order. The wives now can wear the Order's emblem in the form of jewelry
and children can wear it in badge form.
A family activities director is an important part of the "Surge ... with Service" program. His responsibility
is to assure that a number of activities and projects is directed specifically to the family and that families are encouraged
to take part in them.
A major sign of the Order's active concern for the future of the Church and the spread of the Gospel is the establishment
of the Supreme Council Vocations Program, now operating in all jurisdictions and already showing promise of success in helping
turn around the decline in the number of candidates to the priestly and religious life.
One of Father McGivney's initial objectives in founding the Order, that of providing security for the widows and children
of deceased members, has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. The Knights of Columbus insurance program offers its certificate
holders a versatile portfolio of protection - all done "for Brother Knights by Brother Knights."
The Knights of Columbus have a long and enviable tradition of aid to Catholic education. As early as 1904 the Order endowed
a chair in American history at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., and later provided an endowment of $500,000
for graduate fellowships there which still reaps its benefits today. W $2 million endowment established at the 1989 Supreme
Council meeting to mark the bicentennial of the Catholic hierarchy in the United States also benefits The Catholic University
through its annual earnings - to date, some $675,000. The million-dollar "Father Michael J. McGivney Memorial Fund for
New Initiatives in Catholic Education" established in 1980 is devoted to fostering improvements through research and
development. Other programs offering scholarships and student loans are described elsewhere in this booklet.
"Don't keep the Faith--spread it!" long has been a guiding principle of the Knights of Columbus. More than $1
million is budgeted annually by the Order for various projects of the Catholic Advertising Program.
The Knights of Columbus funded the construction of the campanile or Knights' Tower at the Basilica of the National Shrine
of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The bells for the tower were donated by the Order as well. In keeping with
the commitment to Our Lady's Shrine, the Order established the "Luke E. Hart Memorial Fund" in 1979 in the amount
of $500,000. Earnings are used to promote Marian devotion and to preserve the beauty of the basilica in perpetuity.
And it was the leadership of the Knights which finally succeeded in having the words "under God" inserted in
the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag.
The Fraternal Survey
Each year reports of the annual survey of fraternal activity conducted for the National Fraternal Congress of America
reveal an impressive Knights of Columbus donation of time, money and energy. In one recent year alone, for example, with approximately
73% of all units reporting, the Order generated $107 million and 50 million volunteer hours of service for charitable causes.
In the category of charitable or benevolent disbursements, including assistance to the sick, handicapped, disaster victims,
hospitals and other institutions, civic and community projects, schools and libraries, the Knights contribute in the area
of $43 million, in addition to substantial amounts from the Supreme Council. Another $31 million is spent on Church activities,
in addition to $14 million for work with young people.
The Knights also average 5.2 million visits to the sick and bereaved, give 334,000 donations of blood, contribute 49.9
million volunteer hours of community service and 7 million hours of labor for sick or disabled members.
In a world where the golden rule - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" - sometimes becomes "Do
unto others before they do unto you," the Knights of Columbus stands out as an organization that takes fraternity seriously.
The dictionary defines fraternity as"the state or quality of being brothers." lt also describes it as a"group
of men joined together by common interests" or "a group of people with the same beliefs, interest, work."
The Knights of Columbus form real fraternity in all three senses. As practical Catholics, Knights carry fraternity to
the limits of love: unselfish service to their Church, country, community and council.
Faith, fellowship, philanthropy. These are the distinguishing marks of the Knights. This brief record of some of their
achievements shows that they have remained true to their heritage and that they have continued to build on it for future generations.
Structure of the Order
If the Knights of Columbus have grown so steadily and strongly since their charter was granted by the State of Connecticut
in 1882, much of the credit can go to the firm structural foundation on which the organization was established, and to the
caliber of the men attracted to its ranks.
As a fraternal benefit society, the Order operates in accordance with the laws relating to such groups. These regulations
require a representative form of government comprised of a supreme governing or legislative body and subordinate branches.
Members are elected, initiated and admitted into the society according to the provisions of its constitution, laws and rules.
The society is governed by the Supreme Council, its top legislative body. There are 64 state councils and several territorial
jurisdictions encompassing 11,000 subordinate councils to which the nearly 1.6 million members belong.
Groups of councils, ideally four or more in adjacent or nearby localities, are formed into districts under a district
deputy.
The Supreme Council is composed of the supreme officers (supreme knight, chaplain, deputy supreme knight, secretary, treasurer,
advocate, physician and warden); the supreme directors (a 24-member body elected for three-year terms by the Supreme Council
at its annual meeting);the past supreme knights; the state deputy and the last living past state deputy of the various state
councils; and such delegates as are duly chosen by the state councils.
Executive authority is vested in the supreme officers, who are elected annually by the supreme directors.
The state councils are made up of the state deputy, who is the representative of the supreme knight in each state, and
other state officers, the last living past state deputy, the grand knight and a past grand knight from each subordinate council.
Charters establishing subordinate councils are granted upon completion of 30 members or applicants for membership. The
presiding officer is the grand knight. Titles of the other officers on both the state and local levels are similar to those
on the supreme level, with some additions. In all there are 17 council officers, of whom 12 are elected to their positions
annually. Five others are appointed by the grand knight, including a program director and a membership director. These men
in turn appoint and supervise various committees charged with council projects and membership recruitment and retention. A
new knight is encouraged to become active in his council by making himself available for membership in one or more of these
committees. The council's financial secretary is appointed directly by the supreme knight.
It is the responsibility of the program director and his church, community, council, family and youth directors to provide
balanced, attractive and effective activities for the members. There is no doubt that participation in council projects and
the experience gained in leadership positions stand a man in good stead throughout his life.
Who Can Be A Knight
Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to practical Catholic men in union with the Holy See, who shall not be less
than 18 years of age on their last birthday. A practical Catholic is one who lives up to the Commandments of God and the Precepts
of the Church. Application blanks are available from any member of the Knights of Columbus. Every knight is happy to propose
eligible Catholic men for consideration as members.
Acceptance of the applicant depends upon a vote of the members of the subordinate council in which he is making application.
All priests and religious brothers having duly made application for membership and participated in the ceremonials become
honorary life members of the Order and are exempt from payment of dues.
Application for membership must be made through the council in the community nearest the applicant's place of residence.
Interested prospects without a permanent domicile, such as men temporarily away from home through duty in the armed forces,
may make application through their hometown council or at the nearest council on a military base.
If favorably voted upon, the applicant becomes a member by initiation known as the First Degree. He subsequently is advanced
through the Second Degree and the Third Degree.
There are modest initiation fees and dues set by subordinate councils under regulations established by the Supreme Council.
The insurance privileges are available to all members who can qualify, which represents an important advantage of membership.
For men in every walk of life the name Knights of Columbus engenders the image of a united organization, efficiently going
about it tasks of charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism and defense of the priesthood. It is composed of men who are giving
unselfishly of their time and talents in service of God and their country.
Membership in the Knights of Columbus provides opportunity for wholesome association with congenial companions who are,
first of all, practical Catholic gentlemen. It offers the opportunity for fellowship with those who are of the same belief,
who recognize the same duty to God, to family and to neighbor and who stand side by side in defense of those beliefs. Programs
are so organized as to appeal to the individual interest of the members. Through many constructive activities of Christian
fraternity, members are enabled to render service to their Church, their country and their fellowman. Through membership they
develop a consciousness of their ability to lead and to assist.
Organized Columbianism, united behind the individual Knight of Columbus, provides the power of an intelligent, alert body
of Catholic men - a strength which the individual by himself cannot achieve.
Knights of Columbus have a proud heritage. The qualified Catholic man can share in that heritage and build for an even
greater future by affiliating himself with this forceful, effective body.
Supreme Council Programs
Programs of interest and need are developed and promoted from the Supreme Office of the Knights of Columbus in New Haven,
Connecticut. Special projects which serve particular needs and programs that help to solve community problems are formulated
and implemented throughout the organization. Direction and assistance are offered to the members who share an interest in
the special types of programs.
State and local councils are encouraged to participate through their respective memberships. Ideas are developed and programs
designed by a professional staff of project planners at the Supreme Office.
Guidelines, suggestions, training aids and other assistance are provided to the council leadership and membership to implement
the special projects on the state and local levels. Although the programs are not mandatory, they do serve a specific need
or offer a solution to a special problem and are accepted by most councils.
A number of these programs are described throughout this booklet as an indication of the types made available from the
Supreme Council. By no means is the list complete nor does it contain any reference to the variety of programs and projects
conducted by local and state councils. The reputation enjoyed by the Knights of Columbus was built on what the councils have
done and are doing.
Insurance
Hundreds of thousands of members of the Knights of Columbus have answered the invitation to participate in the Order's
fraternal insurance program.
The Agency Department's motto "Insurance for Brother Knights by Brother Knights," gives one insight into the
program's success. Organized in a day when the loss of a family's breadwinner was a tragedy overcome only with great fortitude
and sacrifice on the part of the survivors, today's program has achieved success because its product continues to be "Protecting
Families for Generations."
Members secure life insurance because they love their families. They recognize that, through precise planning with the
Order's fraternal insurance counselors, they not only can provide for their loved ones in case of death, but also can build
up a substantial estate for retirement years or to meet other needs.
Consistently the amounts of money paid out in dividends to living members surpass the benefits provided to beneficiaries
upon the death of a certificate holder. In one year alone, these amounts were $55.7 million in death benefits to the families
of deceased knights and $158 million in dividends to insurance members.
The insurance-in-force has grown dramatically in recent years. The first billion took over 75 years to attain. The $2
billion plateau was achieved 11 years thereafter. The $3 billion level took less than four more years. The $4 billion mark
was attained within slightly over two more years; $5 billion was reached in 1979; $10 billion in 1985; and the current total,
over $37 billion, is growing constantly.
The Agency Department has set a goal designed to bring the utmost in prompt, efficient service to every Knight and his
family. Part of this goal is to assure that, by increasing manpower, one full-time, professionally trained field agent will
be available for each 800 members. To achieve this the Order has reached the number of nearly 140 General Agencies, with over
1,200 field agents. However, a considerable number of field agents are needed. Any member interested in such a career opportunity
may obtain information by contacting the general agent in his area.
The Order offers a versatile portfolio of family-oriented insurance plans presented by a staff of competent, concerned
professionals backed up by one of the most sophisticated computer systems now operating in the insurance field - thus the
outstanding record of secure but dynamic growth and development. Yet the Order's program remains a family-atmosphere insurance
by continuing to "protect families for generations."
Fraternal Benefit Programs
MEMBER/SPOUSE FRATERNAL BENEFIT
In recognition of the numerous contributions made by members of the Knights of Columbus, their spouses and families, to
the welfare, growth and fnancial stability of the Order through their varied activities of fraternal and charitable works
for the benefit of mankind; and in appreciation for their efforts expended in recruitment and council development; it was
voted by the Board of Directors that a Member/Spouse Fraternal Benefit be given at no cost to all members (and their wives)
in good standing, belonging to councils of and residing in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands or Guam,
provided that the member's council also is in good standing.
The Knights of Columbus will pay a benefit upon the death of a member or his spouse occurring within 90 days as the result
of injury sustained in a covered accident. Protection is on a 24-hour basis for accidents that may occur anywhere in the world,
during activities on or off the job, on business, pleasure, vacation or at home, except for the exclusions listed.
The accidental death benefit will not be paid if death results from: suicide, self-inflicted injury while sane or insane;
sickness or disease (except bacterial infection resulting from accidental cut or wound); war or act of war (declared or undeclared);
flying, except as a fare-paying passenger on a regularly scheduled airline; and injury from driving or riding in a speed or
organized contest.
FAMILY FRATERNAL BENEFIT
This program of the Knights of Columbus makes available to eligible family members five distinct types of assistance.
A. Life Insurance Benefits - The Order's various life insurance plans are available through our agents for a healthy child.
But what about children who are physically challenged or mentally retarded? In these cases, Knights of Columbus offers:
1. a $5,000 life insurance plan, at standard rates, for a member's uninsurable or rated newborn child provided the application
is made before the child is 61 days old.
2. a $5,000 life insurance plan, at a rated premium, for a member's uninsurable child between the ages of 60 days and
18 years.
3. up to $5,000 life insurance at standard rates for a mentally retarded child, otherwise in good health, between the
ages of 3 years and 18 years.
B. Death Benefits - Knights of Columbus provides:
4. a $1,500 death benefit to the family when a child dies less than 61 days after birth.
5. a $750 death benefit to the family when a child is stillborn at least 20 weeks after conception. The Order affirms
that life begins at conception. In this instance, the benefit requires a certified death certificate for the stillborn child,
hence the 20-week rule. To be eligible for these two benefits, the member must be in good standing with his Council, and at
least one parent must be insured under an individual Knights of Columbus certificate.
ORPHAN FRATERNAL BENEFIT
Since the founding of the Order, Knights of Columbus has been especially concerned about welfare of the child who loses
both parents. With this new program the Order once again demonstrates this concern for the offspring of eligible families
by providing the following two benefits:
A. Benefit Payments
1. An Orphan Fraternal Benefit of $80.00 monthly is paid for support of each eligible orphan until he or she reaches age
19, graduates from high school, enters military service, marries, discontinues Knights of Columbus insurance, or no longer
attends school (except if he or she has a disabling illness). If the orphan attends college or vocational/technical school
fulltime, the Orphan Fraternal Benefit can continue to age 23.
2. The child may be eligible for up to $1,750 each year in educational grants. The grants are based on financial need
and will not exceed a maximum of $7,000 over a four-year period.
For a child to be eligible for these two orphan benefits, the father must have been in good standing with his Council
and at least one parent must have been insured under a Knights of Columbus certificate.
Your Knights of Columbus Insurance Representative can provide the details.
The Family Fraternal Benefit and Orphan Fraternal Benefit programs are fraternal benefits and not guaranteed contractural
life benefits.
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"Surge ... with Service"
Personal commitment and direct involvement by the Knights of Columbus are the aims and purposes of the "Surge ...
with Service" program developed by the Supreme Council staff. Adoption of the program on the state and local levels makes
the Knights of Columbus a Catholic, family, fraternal and service organization.
The Service Program is a program of action under the direction of two men selected by the grand knight, as program and
membership directors. The grand knight, in consultation with the program director, then selects others to fulfill the duties
of church, community, council, family and youth directors who appoint various committees to plan the projects and activities
in the council. Following guidelines and format designed by the Supreme Council Department of Fraternal Services, a local
and state council immediately can put into operation many needed programs by proper use of the talents and abilities of the
membership. Flexibility allows local or state selection of activities of interest to the members. Manuals and handbooks are
sent to the men selected to serve in the position of directors. Their names are reported to the Supreme Office for a special
mailing list of current and updated information sent to them for use in their councils. Eighteen times a year an issue of
P.S. (Program Supplement), a volunteer services newsletter, is mailed to each man.
An informed and active membership is the goal of every council. The Service Program is one means to that end. A program
director will provide the opportunity for activity and the membership director will oversee the work necessary for retention
of membership and recruitment of new Knights. Awareness by the members of the beneficial features of the insurance program
is a responsibility of the membership director in cooperation with the insurance representatives of the Supreme Council.
Membership Programs
Annual programs pertaining to membership retention and recruitment have resulted in net gains in membership statistics.
However, more important than the numbers represented by the increases is the quality of the new Knights. More and more Catholic
men now realize that they can become active and involved through membership in a local Knights of Columbus council.
Crusade for Life
With some 1.5 million unborn babies being killed by abortion each year in North America, Knights believe that there is
no more important objective they could have at hand than a Crusade for Life. Since the infamous Supreme Court decision of
Roe v. Wade in 1973 the Order has been in the forefront of organizations seeking to defend the lives of the innocent unborn.
It is for the sake of these 1.5 million who cannot defend themselves that our Order must intensify its campaign to turn the
abortion mentality.
The Crusade for Life asks each state and local council to appoint a Pro-Life chair couple. The state councils will organize
pro-life Masses and participate in the national marches for life or organize similar demonstrations in their jurisdictions.
The chair couples schedule and conduct pro-life sessions in their local councils.
The main thrust under the Crusade for Life is twofold. The first goal is to help pass legislation which would provide
for the right to life of the unborn. The second thrust is to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision in the Supreme Court. This
can be done by pressing for the confirmation of justices, with all other things being equal, whose track records might indicate
that they would favor a pro-life position. If our members can help pass pro-life bills in the legislatures and can press for
the confirmation of pro-life judges we will have made inroads against the plague of abortion in our countries.
The Order continues to help fund the pro-life activities of the United States and Canadian Bishops. The Order also continues
underwriting the entire budget of the United States and Canadian Bishops efforts to promote natural family planning. In addition
we provide funding to the natural family planning program of the Mexican Conference of Bishops.
By way of assistance to the Bishops in their teaching mission, the Order has underwritten periodic seminars on life-death
issues which are faithfully attended by members of the hierarchy of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America.
These workshops are held in Dallas, Texas, and provide the Bishops with presentations on current moral issues; allows them
the opportunity to share experiences with one another; and also enables the Bishops to get to know one another better.
The Knights of Columbus profile of the pro-life work shows how Knights are striving to protect the lives of the innocent
unborn. The Knights have donated millions of pieces of literature to Pro-Life groups and have provided office space and manpower
for Birthright, Right to Life and other agencies through state and local councils. Committees on the state and local levels
coordinate members' efforts through ongoing programs, whether manning display booths at regional fairs, sponsoring speakers'
nights or hosting baby showers for Birthright.
Individual councils also honor legislators, governors and other civic officials who take a pro-life stand; set up educational
booths to stress the sanctity of human life at various fairs; sponsor essay contests for high school students; promote respect
for life proclamations and organize special memorial Masses on January 22, the date of the heartless Supreme Court decision
allowing abortions, in memory of the hundreds of thousands of unborn innocents killed each year.
Our program of erecting tombs for the unborn - memorials providing visible testimony to the dignity and sanctity of unborn
human life - flourishes in Catholic cemeteries, on parish grounds or at council homes, offering places of prayer and reflection
to all in support of life.
In addition to these pro-life endeavors, the Crusade for Life seeks to enlist all potential Catholic men as members of
the Order to become part of this campaign.
Supreme Council Vocations Program
To show the Order's concern about the ongoing decline in the number of candidates to the priesthood and religious life,
the Supreme Council Vocations Committee was formed shortly after Supreme Knight Dechant took office in January 1977. Turning
around this "vocation crisis," it was felt, was an urgent task best undertaken by an organization of Catholic families
such as the Knights.
In initial meetings, the committee expressed the belief that each person has a vocation -- in fact, several vocations.
Each person is called to be holy; he or she is called to a state in life whether married, religious or single; he or she is
called to a career or profession.
Brainstorming on this idea, the committee established several goals in relation to its efforts among the faithful: 1)
To create awareness that God calls everyone by a special vocation to serve Him as cleric, religious or lay person in the Church;
2) to motivate people to listen to and respond to God's call; 3) to provide the proper spiritual and social climate so that
people will be able to hear God's voice and respond in freedom.
The Supreme Council committee is responsible for programs on an Orderwide level and for assisting state council committees
in their projects. Committees on the state level devise, organize and implement programs within the jurisdiction. Each council
is encouraged to establish an active program on the local level, using the Vocations Handbook and the programs therein as
a starting point.
To help those who may answer God's call, or already have, the Order's student loan program has been broadened in scope
to make priests, nuns, seminarians, novices and postulants eligible for student loans, even if not affiliated with the Knights
of Columbus.
Under the terms of the Refund Support Vocations Program, (R.S.V.P.), the Supreme office reimburses $100 to councils and
Fourth Degree assemblies for each $500 spent on an individual seminarian or postulant in pursuing their individual vocation.
RSVP has contributed nearly $10 million to more than 16,000 seminarians or postulants since 1981-82. Awards for "moral
support" are presented to councils which offer personal affirmation and encouragement to a particular seminarian.
The Vocations Program bears within it the promise of hope for generations to come.
The Knights and Education
In 1944 the Knights of Columbus established its millon-dollar Educational Trust Fund to provide a college education to
the children of members who were killed or permanently and totally disabled in World War II. Later this benefit was extended
to children of members who were killed or disabled in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In 1991 the benefits were further extended
to include the Persian Gulf Conflict. In 1970 this privilege was developed further to include children of members of the Order
who are killed or permanently and totally disabled as a result of criminal violence while functioning as law enforcement officers
and in 1971 to those who were killed or disabled as a result of criminal violence while performing their duties as full time
firefighters. These scholarships include tuition, board and room, books, lab fees and other incidental expenses at the Catholic
college of the student's choice.
Under provisions of the Pro Deo and Pro Patria scholarship program, the Supreme Council annually awards $1,500-a-year
scholarships on the basis of merit to 62 members or the sons or daughters of members in good standing or who were so at the
time of their death. Twelve scholarships are for use at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.; with preference
being given on two of those twelve to Columbian Squires; the remaining scholarships may be used at a Catholic college of the
recipient's choice with Columbian Squires receiving preference on two of those fifty.
Twelve merit scholarships paying $1,500-a-year at Canadian colleges or universities are awarded annually to the members
of Canadian councils or the sons and daughters of living or deceased members. Similar benefits are available to members in
Mexico, the Philippines and Puerto Rico.
The Supreme Council also has set up postgraduate fellowships at The Catholic University of America. The fellowships are
open to lay men and women, both married and unmarried, and cover board, lodging and tuition. Maximum tenure is four years,
with a course in American history a requisite.
In 1973 the Supreme Council established the Bishop Charles P. Greco graduate fellowships for specialization in the field
of teaching mentally retarded citizens. The $200,000 trust honors the Order's late supreme chaplain for his pioneering work
in the construction and maintenance of Catholic-oriented facilities for mentally retarded individuals. The grant provides
$500 a semester and is renewable for a maximum of four semesters. An eligible candidate must be a member of the Order or the
son or daughter of a member in good standing. The candidate also must be engaged in or planning a full-time graduate study
leading to a master's degree in the field of teaching the educationally handicapped with emphasis on persons with mental retardation.
With the purpose of improving performance in achieving the objectives of Catholic education, delegates to the 1980 Supreme
Council established the million-dollar "Father Michael J. McGivney Fund for New Initiatives in Catholic Education."
Earnings from the fund support research projects of vital importance to the U.S. and Canada through the auspices of the National
Catholic Educational Association with the approval of the board of directors.
These programs at the Supreme Council level combine with other projects on the state and local level to total a multimillion
dollar orderwide commitment to students.
Student Loan Program
In 1971 the Order established a Knights of Columbus Student Loan Program which already has made a multimillion-dollar
commitment to tens of thousands of young people seeking the opportunity to pursue a higher education.
The program is funded by the Knights of Columbus and guaranteed by the U.S. Government. Under the program eligible students
can apply for an annual loan for each full academic year continuing for as many as five years. Everyone eligible for a student
loan qualifies for an interest subsidy during the in-school period. Depending on the rate at which the loan is granted, there
also is a grace period after completion of studies before repayment begins.
A Notable Victory
The Knights of Columbus won a notable victory for the American people, and especially for the children of generations
to come, by its successful fight against the so called Oregon School Law. It began in 1922, when a law proposed by initiative
petition was enacted in Oregon which would prevent children from attending private and parochial schools.
Responding to an appeal from Archbishop Alexander Christie of Portland, the Knights of Columbus provided $10,000 with
which to initiate a suit testing the constitutionality of the law to the Supreme Court of the United States. The court ruled
that the law violated the rights of American citizens to educate their children in accordance with the dictates of their own
conscience. The Order also provided $15,000 to the Oregon State Council to pursue a similar case involving private schools.
It is due to that action that parents today are not interfered with in the operation of their private and parochial schools
and in the rearing of their children in the manner in which they wish them to be raised.
Similarly the Order responded in more recent times when a case arose in British Columbia that would place in jeopardy
the rights of the hierarchy to conduct its schools in a manner consistent with its beliefs. A suit brought by the Manitoba
bishops to secure public funding of denominational schools in that province was also supported by the Order.
Vatican Film Library
The incredible range of devastation throughout Europe during World War II underscored the possibility that at some future
time the precincts of Vatican City might fall prey to aggressors.
Destruction of the Vatican library, art collections and museum, the unrivaled depositories of the world's cultural treasures,
would constitute a tragic loss to both present and future civilizations.
In the spring of 1951, word was received by the Order that the Vatican would be receptive to suggestions about how such
an eventuality could be avoided. The Order began consultations and on receiving approval initiated the monumental task of
microfilming Vatican documents. This process occupied the better part of eight years.
Competent scholars first surveyed the manuscripts involved to estimate the probable cost of the project. Next a committee
of world-renowned scholars was appointed to decide which documents should be microfilmed. This accomplished, a master list
of all the material necessary for the microfilming on such a vast scale was compiled.
By the spring of 1952 a completely equipped microfilm laboratory, second to none in the United States and Europe, had
been set up at the Vatican and photographing had commenced.
Under the supervision of personnel from St. Louis (Mo.) University, 815,000 feet of microfilm, representing 11 million
pages of rare manuscripts, were recorded. The total number of manuscript cortices in microfilm copies is 30,500.
The Knights of Columbus Vatican Film Library, as it now is designated, is located on the first floor of the Pius XII Memorial
Library at St. Louis University. The true importance of this library to the universal scholastic community cannot be adequately
described.
Papal Film Library
In 1977, Pope Paul VI requested help from the Order to make feasible a project of collecting films of the Popes and of
activities of the Holy See dating back to 1897 when Pope Leo XIII was first filmed. These films now are scattered throughout
various public and private collections around the world. The Holy See hopes to obtain copies of these films and gather them
in a special library in Rome. There the collection would be available to scholars and journalists as resource material for
newscasts and documentaries. The Order has granted a sum of $10,000 to initiate a study on what films might be obtained for
this central library.
Publications and Periodicals
Every member of the Knights of Columbus receives a monthly issue of the organization's magazine, Columbia. Articles on
a wide variety of subjects of interest to members and their families are published regularly. Projects and initiatives within
the Order's far-flung membership are described and illustrated in reports and pictures. The editorial page carries informed
comment on matters of current interest.
Elected and appointed leaders - officers and program directors - automatically are placed on a special mailing list when
they are reported to the Supreme Office. They receive Knightline, a Supreme office newsletter, which is designed to get fast-breaking
news out into the field. They also receive 18 issues of PS (Program Supplement), a publication of special interest to the
officers and directors of the Service Program. It contains current ideas, suggestions and guidelines to assist the program
and membership chairmen in the discharge of their duties.
The Squires Newsletter is published monthly as a medium of exchanging ideas and information of use to Squires circles.
War against Pornography
Recognizing the need for Knights to become involved in the battle against pornography, a program of partnership with Morality
in Media was launched in the late 1970s. Based in New York City, Morality in Media is perhaps the foremost organization engaged
in combatting the spread of pornography. State and local councils are encouraged to affiliate with Morality in Media by taking
out organizational memberships. Thus the councils benefit from the expertise, information and services provided by Morality
in Media while assisting that organization in its work through their participation.
The Order also assists Morality in Media by pledging support for an attorney who directs its National Obscenity Law Center,
a clearinghouse of legal information for prosecutors engaged in enforcing anti-pornography statutes.
Members in Canada and Mexico support similar groups in their own countries.
Bringing the Pope to the World
On June 30, 1966, two new 100-kilowatt short-wave transmitters donated respectively by the late Francis Cardinal Spellman
and by the Knights of Columbus were dedicated at Vatican City and accepted personally by Pope Paul VI.
The transmitters still are in use, bringing programs reflecting the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church to the
four corners of the globe.
Under the aegis of the Catholic Advertising Program, the Knights began a project in l975 of televising the pope to the
world. The programs utilize the four satellites placed in space by the International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium
(INTELSAT) of which the Holy See is a member. The K of C pays the costs of beaming the programs to the satellites, and also
part of the charges for capturing the signal by TV stations in mission lands.
A minimum of three special programs are scheduled each year. These include the Pope's Midnight Mass at Christmas, a series
of Holy Week ceremonies, and one other outstanding event of interest to Catholics worldwide. In 1977, the canonization of
St. John Neumann was broadcast to the United States. Had it not been for the intervention of the Knights, this historic ceremony
in which the "little bishop of Philadelphia" became a saint might never have been seen live in the U.S. The funeral
of Pope Paul VI, the Mass initiating the ministry of Pope John Paul I, his subsequent funeral and the initiation of Pope John
Paul II's pontificate all were brought to a global audience of some half-billion persons under this program.
Other specials included the uplink of the World Day of Peace held in Assisi, and the canonization of St. Lorenzo Ruiz,
the first Filipino saint, both in 1987.
Delegates to the 1981 Supreme Council meeting unanimously approved the creation of a $10 million fund (doubled to $20
million in 1988), the "Vicarius Christi" fund, for the personal charities of the Holy Father. Earnings of the fund
are presented annually to the Pope in perpetuity; the last presentation brought the total gift to more than $20 million.
More recently, the Order has undertaken many projects in support of the works of the Church. A brief description of some
of these initiatives paint a picture of unselfish generosity in promoting the Gospel message. The Knights:
co-hosted with the Diocese of Brooklyn, the Mass celebrated by
Pope John Paul II in October 1995, at Aqueduct in Brooklyn,
N.Y., during his pastoral visit to the United Nations and several U.S. cities;
committed $5 million to the new Pope John Paul II Cultural Center to be built in Washington, D.C.;
presented a $600,000 mobile television production unit to the Vatican Television Center for the taping, recording and
transmission of Vatican ceremonies to a worldwide audience;
established the $2 million Count Enrico Galeazzi Fund for the Pontifical North American College for the benefit of the
College, U.S. and Canadian Bishops and its priest-students; the Father McGivney Fund for the Collegio Pontificio Filipino;
the Our Lady of Guadalupe Fund for the Pontifical Mexican College; and the Father McGivney Fund for Advanced Studies of Priests
in Puerto Rico;
underwrote the erection of the Chapel of Sts. Benedict, Cyril and Methodius, co-patrons of Europe, and the expansion of
the Chapel of Our Lady of Czestochowa, both in the grottoes of St. Peter's Basilica, Rome;
made a $2 million grant for the construction of the chapel in the new headquarters of the National Conference of Catholic
Bishops dedicated to Mary, Mother of the Church, and identified as the "Knights' Chapel" in honor of former Supreme
Chaplain, Bishop Greco; and raised $1 million for the Bishop de Laval Fund to help support the work of the Canadian Conference
of Catholic Bishops;
contributed $250,000 to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops for the Pope's 1987 pastoral journey to the United
States, and $100,000 to the program on Catholic education conducted by the National Catholic Educational Association during
his visit;
have distributed millions of special Knights of Columbus rosaries at the rate of some 10,000 per month, especially new
members;
support a multimillion dollar Student Loan Program for members and their children pursuing higher education, with all
seminarians eligible;
provide support for such varied apostolates as the Eternal Word Television Network; the National Clergy Conference on
Alcoholism; Morality in Media; the National Catholic Office for Persons with Disabilities; the National Foundation for Mexican-American
Vocations; the National Apostolate with Mentally Retarded Persons;
provide $65 million-plus dollars in Church-related mortgages to Catholic dioceses and institutions at low interest rates;
renovated St. Mary's Church in New Haven, the birthplace of the Order and entombed the remains of the founder, Rev. Michael
J. McGivney, therein on March 29, 1982. Completed the 110-year-old construction plan of the church by erecting a 179-foot
steeple, including a carillon of three bronze bells, atop St. Mary's;
allocated $900,000 to the Archdiocese for Military Services, U.S.A., for the purchase of a chancery office near Washington,
D.C. Monies came from a fund established by the Order in 1987 to buy a chancery and provide for Spiritual needs of armed forces
and embassy personnel; and
sponsor Mass daily for deceased brother knights at St. Mary's Church in New Haven and enable widows of members to receive
Columbia magazine each month.
A Firm Foundation
Our Founder, Father Michael J. McGivney, realized that if the Order was to survive, it would need a firm foundation in
the form of a strong constitution, with laws and by-laws. The prudence of Father McGivney proves itself as much in the growth
of the Order to more than 1.5 million members since 1882 as in the fact that the laws of the society have served it well for
over 112 years.
It should be recognized that, because of the very size of the Order, these laws are designed to cover any contingency
that may arise. In actual fact, however, a goodly number of the regulations- especially as they pertain to expulsion and suspension
- rarely, if ever, need be invoked. Our society is one of fraternity, and members generally conduct themselves as Catholic
gentlemen and true knights. However, it is the exception that requires the rule.
An informed knight will secure a copy of the "Charter, Constitution, Laws" for his own reference. Included herein,
however, is a sampling of pertinent regulations with which Knights should be familiar. These are introductory in nature; for
specific conditions, the appropriate section of the "Charter, Constitution, Laws" should be consulted.
Qualifications For Membership
Sec. 101. Only practical Catholics in union with the Holy See shall be eligible to and entitled to continued membership
in the Order. An applicant shall not be less than 18 years of age on his last birthday.
Approval of Insurance Membership
Sec. 102. No person shall be admitted as an insurance member of the Order unless his application shall have been approved
by the Supreme Physician.
To Whom Presented
Sec. 106. Every application for membership shall be presented to the Grand Knight of the council applied to, who shall
forthwith file the same with the Financial Secretary, and the latter thereupon immediately notify the insurance agent of said
council of said application and the contents of the same.
Admission Committee
Sec. 108. The Grand Knight shall appoint an Admission Committee of seven members. Within five days after the presentation
to him of the application, the Grand Knight shall refer the application to the Admission Committee and thereupon said Committee
shall notify the applicant to appear before it for examination as to his qualifications for membership. If five members of
the Committee shal file a written report withholding endorsement because the applicant is not a practical Catholic, said application
shall be deemed rejected. Otherwise the recommendations of the Admission Committee shall be evidenced by the certificate of
the Chairman of the committee on a form to be prescribed by the Board of Directors. In the event of failure or neglect of
the Admission Committee to make report within ten days after an application has been referred to it, the Grand Knight shall
discharge the said Committee and shall forthwith present said application to the council for action.
Disposition of Application
Sec. 109. Unless the application is rejected for the reason stated in Section 108, it shall be read by the the Grand Knight
at the first meeting following the time allowed for the report of the Admission Committee. . . .
Application - Where Made
Sec. 111. Application for membership in the Order shall be made to a council located within the jurisdiction and which
is nearest or most accessible to the place of residence of the applicant. . . . Where there are two or more councils within
the same city or town, application can be made to either of such councils.
Inspection of Ballot
Sec. 112. The Grand Knight and Deputy Grand Knight shall in turn privately inspect the ballot box, both before and after
the ballot, and the former shall announce the result. If the number of negative ballots cast doe not exceed one-half of the
members present, the applicant shall be declared elected, otherwise rejected. The exact number of negative ballots shall not
be stated. . . .
Amount of Fees
Sec. 118. (a) The initiation fee shall be fixed by the council, provided however, no initiation fee shall required of
any priest or member of a religious community who applies membership. For members entering under 26 years of age, the initiation
fee shall exceed $10. Before initiation, each applicant shall pay his initiation fee and the council dues for the month of
his entrance and any later months in the quarter of his entrance and each applicant for insurance membership shall pay such
initial amount of contribution as shall be prescribed by the Board of Directors upon the certificate to be issued. . . .
Limited Vote of Associate Members
Sec. 120. Associate Members shall not debate or vote upon insurance questions, except in the election of applicants to
membership.
Transfers to Insurance - Additional Insurance
Sec. 121. Associate members desiring to transfer to the insurance class and insurance members desiring to obtain additional
insurance shall make application for insurance or for additional insurance upon forms provided by law, and pay such initial
amount of contributions as shall be prescribed by the Board of Directors. . . .
Council Funds
Sec. 122. (a) All moneys obtained from any source, by or through any person or persons, acting for or in the name of any
council or under its direction or authority, shall be considered council funds and shall forthwith delivered to the Financial
Secretary, who shall give his official receipt therefor and who shall report at the close of each meeting the amounts received
and from what soured.
Meeting
Sec. 124. Each subordinate council shall hold at least two regular meetings each month, not less than one of which meetings
each month shall be designated as a regular business meeting. . . .
Officers
Sec.126. The officers of each subordinate council shall be: Grand Knight, Chaplain, Deputy Grand Knight, Chancellor, Recorder,
Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Lecturer, Advocate, Warden, Inside Guard, Outside Guard and Board of Trustees; except that
councils may provide by by-law for the election of two outside guards to alternate in their duties as such.
Election
Sec. 128. All officers, except the Financial Secretary, Lecturer and Chaplain, shall be elected annually, by ballot, at
a regular business meeting held between the fifteenth day of May and including the fifteenth day of June each year, and with
the exception of the Trustees shall serve for terms not to exceed three years as provided by Section 145, said officers shall
hold their offices for the term of one year from the first day of July following, and until their successors are elected and
qualified. Provided, however, that elective officers of councils identified with colleges and universities may be elected
at a regular business meeting held between the first day of March to and including the first day of June in each year after
written notice is given to the members of the date selected.
The Grand Knight, Deputy Grand Knight and Board of Trustee may annually select a priest to act as Chaplain, but such selection
must be made in accordance with any rules established by the bishop of the diocese in which the council is located
The Grand Knight shall select annually a Lecturer.
The Financial Secretary shall be appointed by the Supreme Knight. He shall hold office at the will of the Supreme Knight.
He shall be compensated in a manner approved by the Directors.
Misconduct and Nonfeasance Of Members and Officers
Sec. 162. Any member of the Order who after trial, excepting where it is provided that no trial shall be had, shall be
found guilty of conduct specified in the subdivisions following shall be fined, suspended or expelled as set forth therein,
to wit: (The reader is referred to the "Charter, constitution, laws" for the specific misconducts specified by Sec.
162.)
Ipso Facto Forfeiture - Members
Sec. 168. Any member of this Order shall, ipso facto, forfeit his membership in the Order -
Failure to Remain a Practical Catholic
1. Who shall fail to remain aractical Catholic in union with the Holy See.
Failure to Pay Contributions or Assessments
2. Who fails to pay any per capita or special assessment levied by the Supreme Council or Board of Directors within thirty
days from the date of mailing or transmitting the notice for such assessment by the Financial Secretary of his council.
Failure to Pay Dues
3. Who shall fail to pay his dues to his council within three months after the same are levied and payable (other than
assessments levied by the Supreme Council, Board of Directors, or for death benefit assessments or contributions); or -
Convicted of a Felony
6. Who is convicted of a felony by a court of competent authority.
Special Consideration Granted
7. When an insurance membership of two or more years standing shall be forfeited on any account, except failure to make
all payments required in connection therewith, the former insurance member or his designated beneficiary shall have a right
within six months thereafter to ask special consideration of the case by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is
empowered to refer all such cases for decision and final action by a committee consisting of the Supreme Knight (or his Deputy),
the Supreme Advocate and the Supreme Secretary. The advice of the Supreme Physician or the actuary shall be obtained whenever
apparently desirable.
If there be no living designated beneficiary to present such a petition to the Board of Directors, it may be presented
by any person who would have been recognized as a proper beneficiary prior to the forfeiture. Such petition must state fully
and explicitly all the reasons, if any, why it is thought that special consideration should be given to the case and what
hardship, if any, would result from an absolute forfeiture of all rights to any possible benefits that might accrue under
the insurance certificate.
The decision of the committee and the reasons therefore shall be stated in writing and placed on file for the information
of the Board of Directors. The petitioner shall be notified of the decision, but the reasons shall not be made known except
by special direction of the Board of Directors.
Effects of Suspension of Members
Sec. 169. (a) No suspended member, nor his administrators, executors or beneficiaries, during the time of such suspension
and until reinstatement, shall have any claim of any description whatever against the council, or the Order, nor shall he
be admitted to meetings of the council, or be entitled to any of the privileges of membership whatever until reinstated according
to law, provided that, if the member has been an insurance member, and is entitled to continuance of his insurance under the
automatic assessment or contribution loan provisions or under the of any nonforfeiture option set forth in his insurance certificate,
such expulsion, suspension or forfeiture of membership shall not terminate his insurance unto the expiration of the period
during which it is thus continued in force and further provided that unless the certificate is being kept in force because
of the election of an option providing for paid-up insurance in a reduced amount or extended term insurance the insurance
may be continued in force by cash payment of any required assessments or contributions and/or automatic per capita taxes where
applicable. While the insurance is thus continued, the member shall be classed as an "inactive insurance member"
as defined in Section 69.
(b) Any member who shall incur the penalty of expulsion for any reason whatever, or who shall incur forfeiture of membership
for the reasons set forth in subdivivion 6 of Section 168, shall never again be eligible for membership in the Order without
the approval of the Borad of Directors, upon petition and for cause shown.
Right to Trial
Sec. 170. Members of the Order shall not be fined, suspended for a fixed term, expelled or removed from office without
trial, an hereinafter provided, except -
1. In all cases specified by laws and rules of the Order, as laid down for government of councils and members where it
is or shall be decreed that for any act done or omitted to be done by a member he shall ipso facto forfeit his membership.
2. In all cases, as by law provided, where members may be summarily suspended by the Board of Directors, Supreme Knight,
or state, district or territorial deputies.
Reinstatement of Insurance
Sec. 216. Reinstatement of a suspended certificate of insurance shall be subject to and in accordance with such rules
and limitations as the Board shall prescribe, except that as to any certificateof insurance which was suspended before a loan
equity or a cash value became availabe, reinstatement shall be allowed within three years from the date of recorded suspension,
subject to evidence of insurability satisfactory to the Order.
Restoration of Membership
Sec. 217. 1. Reinstatement. An associate member or a former insurance member who has no equity in a life or annuity insuranc
certificate, and whose recorded suspension has been for a period of less than three months may make application for reinstatement
to his council upon payment of all dues and charges which he owed at the time of his suspension and such dues as he would
have been liable for had he remained a member in good standing. No action by the council shall be necessary. . . .
2. Readmission. An associate member member or a former insurance member who has no equity in a life os annuity certificate
and whose recorded suspension has been for a period of more than three months and less than seven years at the date of application,
may make application for readmission to any in the Order under like conditions as a new member upon payment of fee not to
exceed $7.50. Said applicant shall not be required to pay an initiation fee or to again take the degrees previously conferred
upon him. Said applicant shall be Read by the Grand Knight at the first meeting said application is received and the council
shall proceed forthwith to ballot for the readmission of such applicant after said reading; and if a majority of those present
and voting approve and accept the application, it shall be sent to the Supreme Secretary, otherwise said application shall
be deemed denied and no further consideration shall be given the same for a period of six months. If readmission is made to
applicant's former council and his arrearages are less than $7.50, he shall be readmitted for the actual amount of the arrearages.
. . .
3. Reapplication. An associate member or a former insurance member who has no equity in a life or annuity certificate
and whose recorded suspension has been for a period of more than seven years at the time of his application, may make application
to any council in the Order under like conditions as a new member upon payment to the council to which application is made
of a fee not to exceed $7.50 which shall be retained by said council.
Said application shall be read by the Grand Knight at the first meeting following the date said application is received
and the council shall proceed forthwith to ballot for the readmission of such applicant after said reading; and if a majority
of those present and voting approve and accept the application, it shall be sent to the Admission Committee of the council
and processed in the usual manner thereafter. The Admission Committee shall certify as to the applicant's former membership
with the assistance of the Supreme Secretary. Said applicant after approval by the council and clearance by the Admission
Committee, shall not be required to pay an initiation fee or to again take the degrees previously conferred upon him.
4. Reactivation - Inactive Insurance Member. An iactive insurance member who has been suspended for nonpayment of dues
or council charges but who holds a benefit certificate in force, may be reinstated for good standing by payment of dues and
other council charges (but not to exceed $5.00) which were owed at the time of the recorded suspension. Application shall
be made to the Financial Secretary of the council where applicant's membership is recorded. . . .
Right to Transfer
Sec. 224. Any member in good standing in a council in the Order who desires to join another council of his choice shall
make application to the council he proposes to join upon a form prepared by the Supreme Council.
Withdrawal Card
Sec. 237. Any member in good standing desiring to withdraw from the Order may have issued to him a withdrawal card signed
by the Supreme Council upon payment of all dues, fines and assessments or contributions charged against him, together with
the sum of fifty cents for said card, which payment shall be certified by the Financial Secretary and Grand Knight of his
council.
After Withdrawal May Rejoin
Sec. 239. Any former member who has obtained a withdrawal card in the manner required by law at any time be readmitted
under like conditions as a new member. His application must be presented to a council in a city or town of his choice but
such applicant shall not be required to pay an initiation fee, or again take degrees previously taken by him.
Membership Cards
Sec. 240. The Financial Secretary shall issue a member card to each member in good standing as shall be determined by
him, except that the Grand Knight at a meeting of the council may issue a membership card to a member known to him personally
to be in good standing if the Financial Secretary shall not be present the meeting. The membership card shall be issued under
the seal of the council for such period as the member may pay his dues and assessments for a period not less than three months.
Said card shall state the member's name, the council to which he belongs and the degrees of the Order (first, second or third)
attained. The card shall contain the signature of the member and shall be countersigned by the Grand Knight and Financial
Secretary of the council. The presentation to the proper officers of a current membership card showing the member to be in
good standing on the date presented, shall entitle the member to attend all meetings of his council and if a third degree
member to meetings of his State Council and to meetings of the Supreme Council; and to all degree work in the degree to which
he has attained membership.
Liquors Prohibited at Meetings or Degree Work of Order
Sec. 245. The use of intoxicating liquors of any kind is prohibited at any meeting or degree work of the Order.
Starting Out Right
The road to Knighthood is one of ongoing preparation and constant study. Subjects of this study are the truths of the
Catholic faith and a knowledge of the Order. Our principles of charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism and defense of the Priesthood
are derived from the truths of religion and undergird our every activity.
This little book offers a basic course in all a Knight needs to know to become a proud, informed member. It is fitting
then that it also should contain a recapitulation of basic truths of that Faith so dear to all Knights. Thus it will serve
a twofold purpose: of explaining to members and prospective members what the Order is and does; of providing a "refresher
course," a tool of evangelization, for the practical Catholic.
1.) The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under
Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day he arose again from the dead; he
ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and
the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection
of the body, and life everlasting . Amen.
2.) The Commandments of God are 10:
1.) I am the Lord, your God. You shall not have strange gods before Me.
2.) You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
3.) Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
4.) Honor your father and your mother.
5.) You shall not kill.
6.) You shall not commit adultery.
7.) You shall not steal.
8.) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9.) You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
10.) You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
3.) The Commandments of God may be restated in simpler form: the "Greatest Commandment." The "Greatest
Commandment" is: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole mind and you shall
love your neighbor as yourself.
4.) It is difficult for an unaided human being to live up to the Commandments of God. To assist us in this regard Jesus
has left us the Church and the sacraments. The sacraments are signs instituted by Christ to give grace. There are seven: Baptism,
Penance, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders and the Anointing of the Sick. Baptism, Confirmation and Holy
Orders can be received only once because these sacraments leave an indelible mark on the soul of the recipient.
Penance, Eucharist, Matrimony and the Anointing of the Sick can be received more than once.
5.) There are two kinds of grace. Sanctifying grace makes us holy and pleasing to God. Actual grace helps us to do good
and avoid evil.
6.) The precepts of the Church are:
1.) To assist at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.
2.) To fast and abstain on the days appointed.
3.) To confess one's sins at least once a year.
4.) To receive the Holy Eucharist during the Easter time.
5.) To contribute to the support of the Church.
6.) To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage.
7.) To join in the missionary spirit and apostolate of the Church.
(Note: The first six are traditionally considered to be the precepts of the Church.)
7.) The ordinary minister of the sacrament of Baptism is a bishop, priest or deacon. In case of emergency anyone can validly
baptize. Water is poured on the forehead of the person to be baptized, and the words "I baptize you in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" are said while water Is flowing.
8.) Pentecost is known as the "Birthday of the Church." On that day the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles,
giving them the graces they needed to go forth and teach the Gospel to all nations. This is one meaning of the word "Catholic":
the Church is found in every land, therefore it is "universal," "worldwide."
9.) The seven capital sins are: pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and sloth.
10.) The gifts of the Holy Spirit are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.
11.) The rosary is a form of mental and vocal prayer centered on mysteries or events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. The
mysteries are as follows:
a) Joyful: Annunciation; Visitation, Birth of Jesus; Presentation of Jesus in the Temple; the Finding of the Child Jesus
in the Temple.
b) Sorrowful: The Agony in the Garden; the Scourging at the Pillar; the Crowning with Thorns; the Carrying of the Cross;
the Crucifixion.
c) Glorious: Resurrection; Ascension; Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles; Assumption of Mary; Crowning of Mary
as Queen of Angels and Saints.
Our Shepherds Speak
St. James the Apostle said: "Faith without works is dead." Today the saying is: "Practice what you preach"
or "put your money where your mouth is."
All three versions stress that unless a person is willing to back up his belief with concrete action he is on the wrong
side of a credibility gap.
The Knights of Columbus practice their belief that "faith without works is dead." This is evident from the approbation
for the Order expressed by Pope Paul VI. Speaking extemporaneously to the supreme officers and directors at a special audience
in the Vatican in 1973, the pontiff said: "Tell your sons, your nephews, your grandsons; tell the people that the pope
loves the Knights of Columbus."
Earlier the Pope had remarked: "Indeed you have been brothers to the poor, to the sick, to the young, to the aged
and to the underprivileged. In the name of all those whom you have helped by your brotherly compassion, we thank you from
our heart."
But the Holy Father did not stop there. "The glory of the Knights of Columbus," he continued, "is not based
on humanitarian works alone. Even more admirable have been your insistence upon the supremacy of God and your fidelity to
the vicar of Christ. In truth you can call yourselves "brothers" because you call God your Father and have declared
yourselves ready to do His will and serve His cause."
In April 1978, at an audience granted to the Board of Directors then meeting in Rome, Pope Paul VI called the Knights
"an immense force for good."
"We rely on you," -- he continued, "on each of you, on all of you, on the association itself, the Knights
of Columbus -- to bring holiness to the world, to live the Gospel values in your families, to transmit them to your children
with the infectious conviction of joyful faith. Christ needs you to bring fraternal concern to your neighborhoods, to exemplify
justice in your communities, to spread peace and truth in the world."
In his brief but glorious pontificate, Pope John Paul II paid tribute to the Order in these words: "I give my blessing
to all Knights of Columbus: their families and all the work they do."
At the private audience granted to the officers and directors in Washington, D.C., in October 1979, Pope John Paul II
was told that, when family members are counted, the Knights of Columbus involves five or six million people.
"Why, that's a nation, " His Holiness exclaimed with a smile. "The nation of Columbus! You should have
representation at the United Nations!"
More seriously, however, he continued:
"It gives me great pleasure to be with you on the occasion of my pastoral visit to the United States. I thank you
most sincerely for the respect and love which you have manifested toward me as Successor of Peter, Bishop of Rome and Pastor
of the Universal Church.
"In the person of the Supreme Knight and the Members of the Supreme Board, I greet all the Knights of Columbus, the
more than one million three hundred thousand Catholic laymen all over the world, who display a spirit of profound attachment
to their Christian faith and of loyalty to the Apostolic See.
"Many times in the past, and again today, you have given expression to your solidarity with the mission of the Pope.
I see in your support a further proof - if further proof were ever necessary - of your awareness that the Knights of Columbus
highly value their vocation to be part of the evangelization effort of the Church. . . .
"I am aware of the many efforts you make to promote the use of mass media for the spreading of the Gospel and for
the wider diffusion of my own messages. May the Lord reward you, and through your efforts bring forth abundant fruits of evangelization
in the Church. May your dedicated activity in turn help you to realize in yourselves those interior attitudes without which
no one can truly evangelize: trust in the power of the Holy Spirit, true holiness of life, deep concern for truth, and an
ever increasing love for all God's children.
"May the Lord's blessing be upon you, upon your families and upon all the Knights of Columbus."
Pope John Paul II has spoken many times since then to and about the Knights of Columbus. At an audience granted to the
board of directors during his 1987 visit to the United States, he said: "The Knights are loyal to the Pope."
For us, "These Men They Call Knights," this says it all.
Additional Member Benefits Of The Knights Of Columbus
Columbia 12 free issues annually of the world's largest Cathoilc family magazine. Cahtolic family evangelization at its
best!
Rosary Program A free Knights of Columbus rosary is given to new and readmitted members.
Daily Mass Remembrance Mass offered daily for deceased members at the Knights' Altar, St. Mary's Church, New Haven, Conn.
Insurance Program Offers member, spouse and children the opportunity to provide for their security and well-being. Rated
AAA (Superior) by Standard & Poor's and A++ by A.M. Best.
Annuity Program Enables member and spouse to provide for retirement and build an estate through tax-deferred savings.
Member/Spouse Fraternal Benefit Accidental death coverage for member and spouse at no cost.
Orphan Benefit $80 monthly allotment for orphans of eligible families; up to $7,000 in college scholarships available.
Family Fraternal Benefit For eligible families: a) Pays $1,500 for the child who dies before the age of 61 days; b) Pays
$750 for the child who is stillborn at least 20 weeks after conception; c) Offers guaranteed-issue insurance up to $5,000
to any child under age 18.
New Member Plan Offers a one-time low-cost whole life policy to new members and their spouses upon joining the Order.
Widow Benefits a) Continues to be covered under the Member/Spouse Fraternal Benefit; b) May purchase insurance or annuities
up to 90 days after insured member's death; c) Receives a free lifetime subscription to Columbia; d) Eligible with her children
for scholarships, student loans, etc.
Scholarships/Fellowships Six different college scholarships programs for members and their families; three different graduate
fellowship programs; and scholarship programs for seminarians.
Matthews and Swift Educational Trust Fund Provides full scholarships (tuition, Board, expenses) to Catholic colleges for
children of member killed or permanently and totally disabled from military service in armed conflict, or from criminal violence
while performing duties as full-time law enforcement officer or full-time fireman.
Student Loans Available to member, spouse and children, as well as to all pursuing a religious vocation.
Leadership Development Opportunity to build personal leadership skills through active involvement in the Order's unique
structure, supported by Knightline/Program Supplement: fraternal newsletters mailed to state and local council officers and
chairmen.
Fourth Degree Eligibility of Third Degree members to join the "Patriotic Degree" at least twelve months following
their initiation into the Order.
Honorary Life Membership at Age 70 After 25 years of continuous service, member merits this distinction and no longer
need pay dues.
Catholic Information Service Opportunity for member and family to avail themselves of a variety of literature on Catholic
faith and spirituality.
Membership Card Entitles participation in all Catholic, fratenal and social activities in member's council and also in
the 10,400 councils throughout the world.
Family Activities Eligibility for recognition in Orderwide "Family of the Month/Year" program and participation
in wide variety of local family events, such as family breakfasts.
Membership Card Entitles participation in all Catholic, fraternal and social activities in member's council and also in
the 11,000 councils throughout the world.
Family/Activities Eligibility for recognition in Orderwide "Family of the Month/Year" program and participation
in wide varity of local family events, such as family breakfasts.
Athletic Programs Participate in annual council, state and international golf, bowling and softball tournaments; many
councils sponsor teams in a variety of sports.
Youth Programs Opportunities for your children to participate in a variety of youth-oriented programs such as the Columbian
Squires, a leadership training program for young men under council sponsorship.
A Message From The Supreme Knight
I truly believe that as dedicated Knights of Columbus we are doing the work of God on earth. Simply by following the many
programs that have been developed for our councils we are providing for the spiritual and cultural enrichment of our members.
We help mold the character of the young. We help carry the cross for the poor, people with physical disabilities and persons
with mental retardation. We try to heal the wounds of the suffering, the aged, the disadvantaged. Through our Catholic Advertising
Program we spread the Good News of the Lord. We visit the sick; we help bury the dead. We lend a helping hand to widows and
orphans. This is a program of which any Knight can be proud.
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