The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. A volunteer is someone who works for a community or for the benefit of environment primarily because they choose to do so Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus^[1] and dedicated to the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Christopher Columbus (1451 &ndash May 20 1506 was an Italian Navigator, colonizer There are more than 1. 7 million members in 14,000 councils, with nearly 200 councils on college campuses. Membership is limited to "practical Catholic" men aged 18 or older. ^[2]

Councils have been chartered in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, the Philippines, Guam, Saipan, Japan, Cuba, and most recently in Poland. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Guam ( Chamorro: cha Guåhån) officially the Territory of Guam, is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated Saipan (saɪˈpæn /saɪˈpɑn/ or /ˈsaɪpæn/ in English is the largest Island and Capital of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The Knights' official junior organization, the Columbian Squires, has over 5,000 Circles. The Columbian Squires is an international youth fraternity run by the Knights of Columbus for Catholic boys between the ages of 10 and 18 All the Order's ceremonials and business meetings are restricted to members though all other events are open to the public. A ceremony is an activity infused with Ritual significance performed on a special occasion A promise not to reveal any details of the ceremonials except to an equally qualified Knight is required to ensure their impact and meaning for new members; an additional clause subordinates the promise to that Knight's civil and religious duties.

In the 2006 fraternal year the Order gave US$143. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 8 million directly to charity (1. 1 Billion in charitable contributions in the last 10 years) and performed over 68 million man hours of voluntary service. For their support for the Church and local communities, as well as for their philanthropic efforts, the Order is often referred to as the "strong right arm of the Church". The Order's insurance program has more than $60 billion of life insurance policies in force and holds the highest insurance ratings given by A. M. Best, Standard & Poor's, and the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association. A M Best Company Inc, headquartered in Oldwick New Jersey, is Rating agency designated as an Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization Standard & Poor's ( S&P) is a division of McGraw-Hill that publishes financial research and analysison Stocks and bonds.

Contents 1 History 2 Organization 3 Degrees and principles 3.1 Fourth degree 4 Insurance program 5 Charitable giving 6 College councils 7 Columbian Squires 8 Emblems of the order 9 Litany 10 Officers 11 Political activities 11.1 Heads of state 12 Famous Knights 13 Criticism 14 Similar organizations 15 See also 16 External links 17 References 18 Notes

History

The Knights of Columbus was founded by an Irish-American Catholic priest, Father Michael J. McGivney in New Haven, Connecticut. Saint Patrick's Day (Lá ’le Pádraig or Lá Fhéile Pádraig) colloquially St The City of Fort Collins, a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache la Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, is the County seat The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. The Venerable Father Michael J McGivney ( August 12 1852 - August 14 1890) was a Roman Catholic Priest and founder Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church includes both the orders of bishops and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The Venerable Father Michael J McGivney ( August 12 1852 - August 14 1890) was a Roman Catholic Priest and founder Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. He gathered a group of men from St. Mary's parish for an organizational meeting on October 2, 1881 and the Order was incorporated under the laws of the U.S. state of Connecticut on March 29, 1882. Events 1187 - Siege of Jerusalem: Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 1882 ( MDCCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[3] Though the first councils were all in that state, the Order spread throughout New England and the United States in subsequent years. History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the

The primary motivation for the Order was to be a mutual benefit society. A friendly society (sometimes called a mutual society, benevolent society or fraternal organization) is a mutual association for insurance-like As a parish priest in an immigrant community, McGivney saw what could happen to a family when the breadwinner died and wanted to provide insurance to care for the widows and orphans left behind. The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization WIDOW is a full-length Album recorded by British rock band Ritual released in 1983 An orphan (from the Greek ὀρφανός) is a child whose natural parents are absent or dead and who are not there to bring him up He himself had to temporarily leave his seminary studies to care for his family when his father died. ^[4] In the late 19th century, Catholics were regularly excluded from labor unions and other organizations that provided social services. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming ^[5] In addition, Catholics were either barred from many of the popular fraternal organizations, or, as in the case of Freemasonry, forbidden from joining by the Catholic Church itself. The Roman Catholic Church has long been an outspoken critic of Freemasonry, and has continually prohibited members from being Freemasons since In Eminenti Specula McGivney wished to provide them an alternative. He also believed that Catholicism and fraternalism were not incompatible and wished to found a society that would encourage men to be proud of their American-Catholic heritage. ^[6] It was also founded in order to show that American-Catholics were patriotic and loyal citizens of the United States.

McGivney traveled to Boston to examine the Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters and to Brooklyn to learn about the recently established Catholic Benevolent League, both of which offered insurance benefits. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. He found the latter to be lacking the excitement he thought was needed if his organization were to compete with the secret societies of the day. He expressed an interest in establishing a New Haven Court of the Foresters, but the charter of Massachusetts Foresters prevented them from operating outside their Commonwealth. The committee of St. Mary's parishioners McGivney had assembled then decided to form a club that was entirely original. ^[7]

McGivney had originally conceived of the name "Sons of Columbus" but James T. Mullen, who would become the first Supreme Knight, successfully suggested that "Knights of Columbus" would better capture the ritualistic nature of the new organization. James T Mullen ( August 30, 1843 - July 6, 1891) was the first Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from February 2 ^[8] The Order was founded 10 years before the 400th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the New World and in a time of renewed interest in him. Columbus was a hero to many American Catholics, and the naming him as patron was partly an attempt to bridge the division between the Irish-Catholic founders of the Order and Catholic immigrants of other nationalities living in Connecticut. Patronage is the support encouragement privilege and often financial aid given by a person or an organization

The Connecticut Catholic ran an editorial in 1878 that illustrated the esteem in which American Catholics held Columbus. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a Particular church of the Latin Rite in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties "As American Catholics we do not know of anyone who more deserves our grateful remembrance than the great and noble man - the pious, zealous, faithful Catholic, the enterprising navigator, and the large-hearted and generous sailor: Christopher Columbus. "^[9]

The name of Columbus was also partially intended as a mild rebuke to Anglo-Saxon Protestant leaders, who upheld the explorer (a Catholic Genovese Italian working for Catholic Spain) as an American hero, yet simultaneously sought to marginalize recent Catholic immigrants. White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, commonly abbreviated to the Acronym WASP, is a sociological and cultural Ethnonym Genoa ( Genova, ˈdʒɛːnova in Italian; Zena in Genoese and Ligurian; Genua in Latin and archaically in English The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. In taking Columbus as their patron, they were sending the message that not only could Catholics be full members of American society, but were, in fact, instrumental in its foundation.

By the time of the first annual convention in 1884, the Order was prospering. In the five councils throughout Connecticut were 459 members. Groups from other states were requesting information. ^[10] The Charter of 1899 included four statements of purpose, including "to promote such social and intellectual intercourse among its members as shall be desirable and proper, and by such lawful means as to them shall seem best. "^[11] The new charter showed members' desire to grow the organization beyond a simple mutual benefit insurance society.

The original insurance system devised by McGivney gave a deceased Knight's widow a $1,000 death benefit. Each member was assessed $1 upon a death and when the number of Knights grew beyond 1,000 the assessment decreased according to the rate of increase. ^[12] Each member, regardless of age, was assessed equally. As a result, younger, healthier members could expect to pay more over the course of their lifetimes than those men who joined when they were older. ^[13] There was also a Sick Benefit Deposit for members who fell ill and could not work. Each sick Knight was entitled to draw up to $5 a week for 13 weeks. If he remained sick after that the council to which he belonged regulated the sum of money given to him ($5 is equivalent to roughly $93 in the year 2000) ^[14]

Around 1912 it was claimed that fourth degree Knights had to swear an oath to exterminate Freemasons and Protestants. Despite the fact that it was denied, and the real oath published, this was read into the congressional record by Thomas S. Butler. Thomas Stalker Butler ( November 4, 1855 &ndash May 26, 1928) was a U In the 1928 Presidential election a million copies were printed in order to hurt the campaign of the Catholic Democratic candidate Al Smith. The United States presidential election of 1928 pitted Republican Herbert Hoover against Democrat Al Smith. Alfred Emanuel Smith Jr, known in private and public life as Al Smith, ( December 30, 1873 - October 4, 1944) was elected Governor ^[15]

Today there are more than 14,000 councils around the world and the Knights of Columbus is a multi-billion dollar non-profit charitable organization. Knights may be seen distributing Tootsie Rolls to raise funds to fight developmental disabilities, volunteering for the Special Olympics and other charitable organizations, erecting pro-life billboards and "Keep Christ in Christmas" signs, conducting blood drives and raising funds for disaster victims, or parading at patriotic events with their bright capes, feathered chapeaux, and ceremonial swords. Special Olympics is an international organization created to help people with Intellectual disabilities develop self-confidence social skills and a sense of personal accomplishment Overview See also Ethical aspects of abortion Pro-life individuals generally believe that human life should be valued either from conception or Implantation Christmas controversy refers to controversy or disagreement surrounding the celebration or acknowledgement of the Christmas Holiday in government media advertising The cause for McGivney's canonization is currently before the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and a guild has been formed to promote his cause. Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints The Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints ( Congregatio de Causis Sanctorum) is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the complex process If his cause is successful, he will be the first priest born in the United States to be canonized as a Saint. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity

Organization

Supreme Knight	Supreme Chaplain
Carl A. Anderson	Bishop William E. Lori
Deputy Supreme Knight	Dennis Savoie
Supreme Secretary	Robert Lane
Supreme Treasurer	John W. O’Reilly
Supreme Advocate	Paul Devin
Supreme Warden	Lawrence G. Costanzo

The Supreme Council is the governing body of the Order and is composed of elected representatives from each jurisdiction. Carl Albert Anderson ( February 27, 1951) is the thirteenth and current Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus William E Lori (born May 6, 1951) is the 4th Bishop of Bridgeport Connecticut. Dennis Savoie is the Deputy Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, a position he has held since 2006 Robert J Lane is the Supreme Secretary of the Knights of Columbus, a position he has held since 2005 John W O'Reilly is the Supreme Treasurer of the Knights of Columbus, a position he has held since 2006 Paul R Devin is the Supreme Advocate of the Knights of Columbus, a position he has held since 2002 Lawrence G Costanzo is the Supreme Warden of the Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree The Supreme Council acts in similar manner to shareholders at an annual meeting and each year elects seven members to the Supreme Board of Directors for three year terms. A mutual shareholder or stockholder is an Individual or company (including a Corporation) that legally owns one or more shares of The twenty-one member board then chooses from its own membership the senior operating officials of the Order, including the Supreme Knight. The Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus (more simply referred to as the Supreme Knight) is the Chief executive officer and Chairman of the board of ^[16]

State Councils in each of the 50 United States, each province in Canada, and other jurisdictions carved out of member countries are led by State Deputies and other officers elected at state conventions. Territorial Deputies are appointed by the Supreme Knight and lead areas not yet incorporated into State Councils.

District Deputies are appointed by the State Deputy and oversee several local councils, each of which is led by a Grand Knight. Other elected council officers include the Deputy Grand Knight, Chancellor, Warden, Recorder, Treasurer, Advocate, Guards and Trustees. A Chaplain is appointed by the Grand Knight and a Financial Secretary by the Supreme Knight. Council officers are properly addressed by using the title "worthy" (e. g. Worthy Grand Knight). Councils are numbered in the order in which they chartered into the Order and are named by the local membership. San Salvador Council #1 was named for the first island Columbus landed on in the New World. Guanahani was the name the natives gave to the island that Columbus called San Salvador when he arrived at the Americas The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia.

The title "Knight" is purely fraternal and is not the equivalent to a sovereign accolade. In the Middle Ages, the accolade (or dubbing) was the central act in the rite-of-passage ceremonies conferring Knighthood Therefore Knights of Columbus do not rank with Chevaliers and Commanders of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, the Order of Malta, the Order of St. Gregory the Great, or members of any other historic military or chivalric orders. The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Catholic Chivalric order of Knighthood that traces its roots to Godfrey of Bouillon The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta ( SMOM) Order of Malta The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St Gregory the Great was established on September 1, 1831 by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election military order is a Christian Order of knighthood that is founded for crusading, i Chivalric orders are orders of Knights that were created by European monarchs in imitation of the Military orders of the Crusades.

Degrees and principles

The Order is dedicated to the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism. A First Degree exemplification ceremony, by which a man joins the Order, explicates the virtue of charity. He is then said to be a First Degree Knight of Columbus and after participating the subsequent degrees, each of which focuses on another virtue, rises to that status. Upon reaching the Third Degree a gentleman is considered a full member. Priests do not participate directly in Degree exemplifications as laymen do, but rather take the degree by observation. In religious organizations the laity comprises all persons who are not Clergy.

The first ritual handbook was printed in 1885 but contained only sections teaching Unity and Charity. Supreme Knight Mullen, along with primary ritual author Daniel Colwell, believed that the initiation ceremony should be held in three sections "in accord with the 'Trinity of Virtues, Charity, Unity, and Brotherly love. '" The third section, expounding Fraternity, was officially adopted in 1891. ^[17]

Fourth degree

Rank	Color
Vice Supreme Master	Blue Cape and Chapeau
Master	Gold Cape and Chapeau
District Marshall	Green Cape and Chapeau
Faithful Navigator	White Cape and Chapeau
Assembly Commander	Purple Cape and Chapeau
Color Corps Members	Red Cape and White Chapeau

The Fourth Degree is the highest degree of the order. Members of this degree are addressed as "Sir Knight". The primary purpose of the Fourth Degree is to foster the spirit of patriotism and to encourage active Catholic citizenship. Patriotism is commonly defined as love of and/or devotion to one's country Fewer than 18% of Knights join the Fourth Degree, which is optional. ^[18] A Knight is eligible to join the Fourth Degree after one year from the date of his First Degree, providing he has completed the 2nd and 3rd degrees beforehand.

Assemblies are distinct from councils and are led by a separate set of elected officers. The Supreme Board of Directors appoints a Supreme Master, currently Joseph P. Schultz, and twenty Vice Supreme Masters to govern the Fourth Degree. Each Vice Supreme Master oversees a Province which is then broken up into Districts. The Supreme Master appoints District Masters to supervise several assemblies.

Each assembly is led by a Navigator. Other elected assembly officers include the Captain, Admiral, Pilot, Scribe, Purser, Comptroller, Sentinels and Trustees. A Friar and Color Corps Commander are appointed by the Navigator. Assembly officers are properly addressed by using the title "faithful" (e. g. Faithful Navigator). Assemblies are numbered in the order in which they chartered into the Order and are named by the local membership.

Only Fourth Degree Knights may optionally purchase the full regalia and join the Assembly’s Color Corps. The Color Corps is the most visible arm of the Knights as they are often seen in parades and other local events wearing their colorful regalia. Official dress for the Color Corps is a black tuxedo, baldric, white gloves, cape and naval chapeau. A baldric (also baldrick, bawdrick, bauldrick as well as some other mostly rare or obsolete variations is a belt worn over one Shoulder A cape is a type of Clothing, and can be used to describe any sleeveless outer garment such as a Poncho, but usually it is a long garment that covers only the back " Chapeau " is a French term signifying a Hat or other covering for the head White tuxedos may also be used on certain occasions. Baldrics are worn from the right shoulder to left hip and are color specific by nation. In the United States, baldrics are red, white and blue. Service baldrics include a scabbard for a sword and are worn over the coat while social baldrics are worn under the coat. The colors on a Fourth Degree Knight's cape, and chapeau, denote the office he holds within the Degree. Faithful Navigators and Past Faithful Navigators are permitted to carry a white handled silver sword. Masters and Vice Supreme Masters, as well as Former Masters and Former Vice Supreme Masters, are also denoted by their gold swords. ^[19]

The need for a patriotic degree was first considered in 1886 and a special plea was made at the National Meeting of 1899. The first Fourth Degree exemplification followed in 1900 with 1,100 Knights participating at the Lenox Lyceum in New York City. The City of New York ^[20] Today there are more than 2,500 Assemblies. ^[21]

Insurance program

Many early members were recent immigrants who often lived in unsanitary conditions and performed hazardous jobs for poor pay. Since its founding, a primary mission of the Knights of Columbus has been to protect families against the financial ruin caused by the death of the breadwinner. While this method originally was intended to provide a core group of people who would support a widow and her children after the death of their husband and father, it has expanded into much more.

Today the Order offers a modern, professional insurance operation with more than $60 billion of life insurance policies in force. Products include permanent and term life insurance as well as annuities and long term care insurance. Permanent life insurance is a form of Life insurance such as whole life or endowment, where the Policy is for the life of the insured the payout is assured Term life insurance or term assurance is Life insurance which provides coverage for a limited period of time the relevant term In the US an annuity contract is created when an individual gives a life insurance company money which may grow on a tax-deferred basis and then can be distributed back to the owner Long-term care insurance ( LTC or LTCI) an Insurance product sold in the United States and United Kingdom, helps provide for Insurance sales grew 19% in 2004, more than three times the rate of industry at large. The Order holds $13 billion in assets and had $1. 5 billion in revenue and $71 million in profits in 2005. This is large enough to rank 72nd on the A. M. Best list of all life insurance companies in North America and places it on the Fortune 1000 list of top companies. Please do not add the complete list of fortune 1000 companies Only three other insurers in North America have received the highest ratings from both A. M. Best and Standard & Poor. A M Best Company Inc, headquartered in Oldwick New Jersey, is Rating agency designated as an Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization Standard & Poor's ( S&P) is a division of McGraw-Hill that publishes financial research and analysison Stocks and bonds. The Order is certified by the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association for ethical sales practices. ^[21]

Charitable giving

Charity is the foremost principle of the Knights of Columbus. In the 2005 fraternal year the Order gave $136 million directly to charity and performed over 63. 2 million man hours in voluntary service. Endowed funds of over $54 million support a number of Church related causes. ^[21] A Knight's highest duty is to assist the widow or orphan of a fallen brother Knight.

The Knights have a tradition of supporting those with physical and developmental disabilities. Developmental disability is a term used to describe life-long disabilities attributable to mental and/or physical or combination of mental and physical impairments More than $382 million has been given over the past three decades to groups and programs that support the intellectually and physically disabled. One of the largest recipients of funds in this area is the Special Olympics. Special Olympics is an international organization created to help people with Intellectual disabilities develop self-confidence social skills and a sense of personal accomplishment ^[21] In addition, the Order's highest honor, the Gaudium et Spes Award, was given with its $100,000 honorarium to Jean Vanier, the founder of l'Arche, in 2005. Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, was one of the chief accomplishments of the Second Vatican Council. Jean Vanier, CC, GOQ (born September 10, 1928) is the founder of L'Arche, an international organization which creates communities L'Arche is an international network of Faith -based communities centered around people who have Developmental disabilities (or learning disabilities as L'Arche is a faith-based network that provides care, in a community setting, for people with severe developmental disabilities.

The Vicarius Christi Fund has a corpus of $20 million and has earned more than $35 million, since its establishment in 1981, for the Pope's personal charities. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and The multimillion dollar Pacem in Terris Fund aids the Catholic Church's efforts for peace in the Middle East. Pacem in Terris was a papal Encyclical issued by Pope John XXIII on 11 April 1963. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Order also has eleven separate funds totaling $18 million to assist men and women who are discerning religious vocations pay tuition and other expenses. ^[22]

Days after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 the Order established the $1 million Heroes Fund. Immediate assistance was given to the families of all full-time professional law enforcement personnel, firefighters and emergency medical workers who lost their lives in the rescue and recovery efforts. Orderwide, more than $10 million has been raised for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States On May 6, 2006, $3 million was disbursed to the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the dioceses of Lafayette, LA, Houma-Thibodaux, LA, Lake Charles, LA, Biloxi, MS and Beaumont, TX. Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, officially in Latin Archidioecesis Novae Aureliae, is an ecclesiastical division of the Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Diocese of Lafayette is an Ecclesiastical division of the Roman Catholic Church. The Diocese of Houma - Thibodaux (official Latin name Dioecesis Humensis-Thibodensis) is a Roman Catholic Diocese in southeastern The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lake Charles (Latin Dioecesis Lacus Carolini) is a Particular church located in southwest Louisiana ( USA) The Roman Catholic Diocese of Biloxi encompasses the southern 17 counties of Mississippi. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Beaumont ( Latin: Dioecesis Bellomontensis) is a Roman Catholic Diocese covering thirteen counties ^[23] The Order also donated more than $500,000 to the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 relief efforts and $50,000 to help victims of Typhoon Durian in the Philippines. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea Earthquake that occurred at 005853 UTC on December 26 2004 with an Epicentre off the west coast of }The 2006 Pacific typhoon season had no official bounds it ran year-round in 2006 but most Tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between ^[24]

At the 2006 American Cardinals Dinner, it was announced that the Knights would be giving a gift of $8 million to The Catholic University of America. The American Cardinals Dinner is an annual fundrasier to benefit The Catholic University of America. The Catholic University of America ( CUA) located in Northeast Washington D The gift is to renovate Kean Hall, an unused building, and rename it McGivney Hall, after Fr. McGivney. The new McGivney Hall will house the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, a graduate school of theology affiliated with the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome as well as CUA. A graduate school or ("grad school" is a school that awards advanced degrees such as doctoral degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Supreme Knight Anderson serves on CUA's board of trustees and is the vice president of the John Paul II Institute. As of September 2008, the Board of Trustees at The Catholic University of America was composed of Carl A ^[23] The Knights have a long history of donating to CUA. The Knights of Columbus and The Catholic University of America have a history of working together that dates back almost to the founding of the university

The Knights' Satellite Uplink Program has provided funding to broadcast a number of papal events including the annual Easter and Christmas Masses, as well as the World Day of Peace in Assisi, the Peace Summit in Assisi, World Youth Days, the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica's for the Millennial Jubilee, Pope John Paul II's visit to Nazareth and several other events. Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. Assisi (əˈsiːzi or /əˈsiːsi/ ( Latin: Asisium) is a Town in Italy in Province of Perugia, Italy, in the Umbria World Youth Day is a youth-oriented Roman Catholic Church event Each of the four patriarchal Basilicas in Rome has a Holy door (Porta santa in Italian and porta sancta in Latin The Basilica of Saint Peter (Basilica Sancti Petri officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St The Great Jubilee in 2000 was a major event in the Roman Catholic Church, held from December 24, 1999 to January 6, 2001 Pope Nazareth (ˈnæzərəθ (נָצְרַת Hebrew Natz'rat or Natzeret, الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest In missionary territories the Order also pays for the satellite downlink.

United in Charity, a general, unrestricted endowment fund, was introduced at the 2004 Supreme Council meeting to support and ensure the overall long-term charitable and philanthropic goals of the Order. A financial endowment is a Transfer of Money or Property donated to an Institution, usually with the stipulation that it be invested The fund is wholly managed, maintained and operated by Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc. , a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. 501(c is a provision of the United States Internal Revenue Code ( listing 28 types of Non-profit organizations exempt from some federal Before United in Charity was formed all requests for funds were met with the general funds of the Order or in combination with specific appeals. Requests from the Church and organizations closely aligned with the mission of the Order often far exceeded the amount available and it is hoped that eventually United in Charity's earnings will be sufficient to completely fund the Order's charitable priorities.

Ever since its founding the Knights of Columbus has been involved in evangelization. Evangelism is the Christian practice of proselytisation. The intention of most evangelism is to effect Eternal salvation to those who do not follow the In 1948, the Knights started the Catholic Information Service (CIS) to provide low-cost Catholic publications for the general public as well as for parishes, schools, retreat houses, military installations, correctional facilities, legislatures, the medical community, and for individuals who request them. Since then, CIS has printed millions of booklets, and thousands of people have enrolled in CIS correspondence and on-line courses.

College councils

While most Knights of Columbus Councils are located at parishes or near multiple parish communities, many men first join the Knights while in college. Over 14,000 Knights are members of 200+ College Councils worldwide. ^[26] College Knights are full members of the Order.

The first College Council was at The Catholic University of America, Keane Council 353 (it has since moved off-campus). The Catholic University of America ( CUA) located in Northeast Washington D Today, the University of Notre Dame Knights of Columbus Council 1477, founded in 1910, is the longest-running college council in the country. The University of Notre Dame du Lac (or simply Notre Dame) (ˌnoʊtɚˈdeɪm is a private Roman Catholic Research university located in ^[27] In 1919, Mount St. Mary's College and Seminary council 1965 became the first council attached to a seminary, at what is now Mount St. Mary's University. Mount St Mary's University is a private Liberal arts, Catholic university in the Catoctin Mountains near Emmitsburg Maryland. ^[28] In 1937, the University of Illinois became the first public university with a Knights of Columbus Council, The Illini Council Number 2782. This article is about the flagship campus For other uses and locations of University of Illinois, see University of Illinois (disambiguation The University of

Some College Councils hold a unique form of the Knights Membership Blitz styled "Go Roman Week". The name is a play on the fact that most fraternities on college campuses are given Greek alphabet designations, while the Knights of Columbus is a Roman Catholic organization. At some Catholic universities, such as the University of St. Thomas and Notre Dame, the Knights are the only fraternity permitted on campus. However, councils at some other colleges have difficulty attaining official college recognition because of their all-male composition. ^[29]

Each September, the Supreme Council hosts a College Council Conference at their headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut. Awards are given for the greatest increases in membership, the best Youth, Community, Council, Family and Church activities and the overall Outstanding College Council of the year. In years of an international World Youth Day the Order is represented by members of the College Council Conference Coordinating Committee, who travel with the diocese of the Supreme Chaplain (currently Bishop William E. Lori of the Diocese of Bridgeport). World Youth Day is a youth-oriented Roman Catholic Church event William E Lori (born May 6, 1951) is the 4th Bishop of Bridgeport Connecticut. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport is located in the south western part of the state of Connecticut, and its boundaries are the same as that of Fairfield County Connecticut

Columbian Squires

Main article: Columbian Squires

Squire Advancement Program
Level 1: Page
Level 2: Shield Bearer
Level 3: Swordsman
Level 4: Lancer
Level 5: Squire of the Body of Christ

The Knights' official junior organization is the Columbian Squires. The Columbian Squires is an international youth fraternity run by the Knights of Columbus for Catholic boys between the ages of 10 and 18 The Columbian Squires is an international youth fraternity run by the Knights of Columbus for Catholic boys between the ages of 10 and 18 The international fraternity for boys 10–18 has over 5,000 circles. According to Brother Barnabas McDonald, F. Brother Barnabas McDonald FSC (1865-April 24 1929 was a Brother of the Christian Schools involved with youth work especially among delinquents and S. C. , the Squires founder, “The supreme purpose of the Columbian Squires is character building. ” Squires have fun and share their Catholic faith, help people in need, and enjoy the company of friends in social, family, athletic, cultural, civic and spiritual activities. Through their local circle, Squires work and socialize as a group of friends, elect their own officers, and develop into Catholic leaders.

Each Circle is supervised by a Knights of Columbus Council or Assembly and has an advisory board made up of either the Grand Knight, the Deputy Grand Knight and Chaplain or the Faithful Navigator, the Faithful Captain and Faithful Friar. Circles are either Council based, parish based, or school based, depending on the location of the circle and the Knight counselors.

In 1997 the Virginia State Council of Knights of Columbus introduced a female complement to the Columbian Squires: the Columbian Squire Roses. The founder of this organization is Russell DeRose, currently a Chief Counselor for Squire Roses Circle #1, St. Mary of Sorrows, in Fairfax Station, Virginia.

Emblems of the order

At the second Supreme Council meeting on May 12, 1883 Supreme Knight James T. Mullen introduced the emblem of the order. Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common James T Mullen ( August 30, 1843 - July 6, 1891) was the first Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from February 2 It consists of a shield mounted upon a Formée cross. The Formée cross, with its arms expanding at the ends, is an artistic representation of the cross of Christ. The Christian cross is the best-known Religious symbol of Christianity. The shield harkens back to medieval knights and the cross represents the Catholicity of the Order. Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. Mounted on the shield is a fasces with an anchor and a short sword crossed behind it. Fasces (ˈfæsiːz a Plurale tantum, from the Latin word fascis, meaning "bundle" symbolize summary power and Jurisdiction The fasces is a symbol of authority while the anchor is the mariner's symbol for Columbus. The sword, like the shield it is mounted on, was used by knights of yesteryear when engaged upon an errand of mercy. ^[30] Each Knight receives the emblem as a lapel pin.

Three elements form the emblem of the Fourth Degree. A dove floats over a globe showing the Western Hemisphere, the New World Columbus is credited with discovering. The Western Hemisphere, also Western hemisphere or western hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies West Both are mounted on the Isabella cross, a variation of the Maltese cross with knobs at the end of each of the 8 points. The Maltese cross or Amalfi cross is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta This cross was often found on the tunics and capes of the crusading knights who fought for the Holy Land. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents The Holy Land ( Arabic: الأرض المقدسة al-Arḍ ul-Muqaddasah;Ancient Aramaic: ארעא קדישא Ar'a Qaddisha; Hebrew: ארץ_הקודש

Spiritually, the symbols of the emblem symbolize the three persons of God. SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных The Globe represents God the Father, Creator of the Universe. In many religions the supreme Deity ( God) is given the title and attributions of Father. The Cross is symbolic of God the Son, who redeemed mankind by dying on the cross, and the Dove represents God the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier of Humanity. Christian views of Jesus consist of the teachings and beliefs held by Christian groups about Jesus including his divinity humanity and earthly life In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance The colors of the emblem, the red cross, white dove and blue earth are the colors of the flag of the United States, where the Order was founded. Flags of the United States The Flag of the United States of America consists of 13 equal horizontal stripes of Red (top and bottom alternating The elements serve as a reminder that the principle of the Degree is patriotism but also that the Order is thoroughly Catholic. Patriotism is commonly defined as love of and/or devotion to one's country ^[31]

Litany

The Knights have a strict protocol, sometimes referred to as the "Litany" which dictates the order of rank with the Order, and is typically used at formal functions or presentations in the Order:

1. Hierarchy
2. Clergy
3. Supreme Officers
4. Supreme Directors
5. Vice Supreme Master
6. State or Territorial Officers
7. Masters of the Fourth Degree
8. Immediate Past State or Territorial Deputy
9. Past State or Territorial Deputies
10. Former Masters of the Fourth Degree
11. Executive Staff
12. Supreme Council Insurance General Agents
13. District Deputies
14. Supreme Council Insurance Field Agents
15. State or Territorial Directors
16. Chapter Presidents
17. State or Territorial Chairmen
18. Wardens to the State or Territorial Deputy
19. District Wardens
20. District Marshals
21. Grand Knights
22. Faithful Navigators
23. Past Chapters Presidents
24. Past Grand Knights
25. Past Faithful Navigators
26. Chapter Officers
27. Council Officers
28. Assembly Officers

Additionally, only officers elected to the chief position in either a circle (Chief Squire), council (GK), assembly (FN), chapter (President), or state/territory (State or Territorial Deputy) are referred by the title "Past" once they have left office, given that the individual served at least six months and a day in the position. All other members having previously held a chief position are referred by the title "Former," as is the case for District Deputies, Faithful Masters, Vice-Supreme Masters, etc. The distinction is made between having been elected (Past) and having been appointed (Former).

Officers

Council	Assembly	Circle
Grand Knight	Navigator	Chief Squire
Chaplain	Friar	Father Prior
Deputy Grand Knight	Captain	Deputy Chief Squire
Warden	Pilot	Marshall
Chancellor	Admiral	Deputy Chief Squire
Recorder	Scribe	Notary
Financial Secretary	Comptroller	Bursar
Treasurer	Purser	Bursar
Advocate	nonexistent	nonexistent
Lecturer	nonexistent	nonexistent
Inside Guard	Inner Sentinel	Sentry
Outside Guard	Outer Sentinel	Sentry
Trustee (3 Year)	Trustee (3 Year)	nonexistent
Trustee (2 Year)	Trustee (2 Year)	nonexistent
Trustee (1 Year)	Trustee (1 Year)	nonexistent
nonexistent	Color Corp Commander	nonexistent

Knights of Columbus Councils, Fourth Degree Assemblies, and Columbian Squire Circles have similar officers. In the Councils, officer titles are prefixed with "Worthy" and in the Assemblies, officer titles are prefixed with "Faithful". In addition to the Columbian Squires' officers listed below, there is an adult position of "Chief Counselor" that helps oversee the Circle.

Political activities

In 1954, lobbying by the Order helped convince the U.S. Congress to add the phrase "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance. Lobbying includes all attempts to influence Legislators and officials whether by other legislators constituents or organized groups The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses History The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy (1855-1931 a Baptist minister a Christian Socialist, and the cousin of Socialist Utopian President Dwight Eisenhower wrote to Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart thanking the Knights for their "part in the movement to have the words 'under God' added to our Pledge of Allegiance. Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14 1890 – March 28 1969 was President of the United States from 1953 until 1961 and a five-star general Luke E Hart ( July 31, 1880 - February 19, 1964) was the tenth Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from September 1 "^[32] Similar lobbying convinced many state legislatures to adopt October 12th as Columbus Day and led to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's confirmation of Columbus Day as a federal holiday in 1937. In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the legislative body of any of the country's 50 states. Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus 's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12,

While the Knights of Columbus support political awareness and activity, United States councils are prohibited by tax laws from engaging in candidate endorsement and partisan political activity due to their non-profit status. ^[33] Nevertheless, President George H. W. Bush appeared at the annual convention during the election year of 1992 and President George W. Bush sent videotaped messages before he attended in person at the 2004 election year convention. George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. ^[34] Public policy activity is limited to issue-specific campaigns, typically dealing with Catholic family and life issues. The phrase "culture of life" is a term used in Moral theology.

In the United States, the Knights of Columbus often adopt socially conservative positions on public issues. Social conservatism is a political or moral ideology that affirms the government's role in encouraging or enforcing traditional values or behaviors in the belief that these are what They have adopted resolutions advocating a Culture of Life,^[35] defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman,^[36] and promoting Christian practices in public schools, government, and voluntary organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** The Boy Scouts of America ( BSA) is the largest youth organization in the United States with over five million The Order also funded a postcard campaign in 2005 in an attempt to stop the Canadian parliament from legalizing same-sex marriage. The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada is Canada 's legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario.

On April 9, 2006 the Board of Directors commented on the "U.S. immigration policy [which] has become an intensely debated and divisive issue on both sides of the border between the U. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Illegal immigration to the United States refers to the act of foreign nationals voluntarily resettling in the United States in violation of U S. and Mexico. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. " They called "upon the President and the U. S. Congress to agree upon immigration legislation that not only gains control over the process of immigration, but also rejects any effort to criminalize those who provide humanitarian assistance to undocumented immigrants, and provides these immigrants an avenue by which they can emerge from the shadows of society and seek legal residency and citizenship in the U. Humanitarianism is an active belief in Humanism (the idea of the value of human life whereby Humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans Permanent residency refers to a person's visa status the person is allowed to reside indefinitely within a country despite not having Citizenship. S. "^[37]

Heads of state

The Knights of Columbus invites the head of state of every country they operate in to the Supreme Convention each year. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state In 1971, U. S. President Richard Nixon gave the keynote address at the States Dinner; Secretary of Transportation and Knight John Volpe was responsible for this first appearance of a U. The United States Secretary of Transportation is the head of the United States Department of Transportation. John Anthony Volpe ( December 8, 1908 - November 11, 1994) was a Governor of Massachusetts and a U S. President at a Supreme Council gathering. ^[38] President Ronald Reagan spoke at the Centennial Convention in 1982. President George H.W. Bush appeared in 1992. George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 President Bill Clinton sent a written message while he was in office, and President George W. Bush sent videotaped messages before he attended in person at the 2004 convention. William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. ^[39]

John F. Kennedy, the only Catholic to be elected President of the United States, was a Fourth Degree member of Bunker Hill Council No. John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by 62 and Bishop Cheverus General Assembly. Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart visited Kennedy at the White House on Columbus Day, 1961. Luke E Hart ( July 31, 1880 - February 19, 1964) was the tenth Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from September 1 See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence The president told Hart that his younger brother, Ted Kennedy, had received "his Third Degree in our Order three weeks before. Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (born February 22 1932 is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic " Hart presented Kennedy with a poster of the American Flag with the story of how the Order got the words "under God" inserted in the Pledge of Allegiance. ^[40]

In 1959 Fidel Castro sent an aide to represent him at a Fourth Degree banquet in honor of the Golden Jubilee of the Order's entry into Cuba. Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born August 13 1926 is a Cuban revolutionary leader who was prime minister of Cuba from December 1959 to December 1976 and then president until A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary of a monarch's reign The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Supreme Knight Hart attended a banquet in the Cuban Prime Minister's honor in April of that year sponsored by the Overseas Press Club and later sent him a letter expressing regret that they were not able to meet in person. The Overseas Press Club (also referred to by abbreviation as OPC) of America, founded in 1939 in New York City by a group of Foreign correspondents ^[41]

Knights of Columbus were among the groups that welcomed Pope Benedict XVI on the South Lawn of the White House on April 16, 2008, the pontiff's 81st birthday. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence ^[42]

Famous Knights

Many famous Catholic men from all over the world are Knights of Columbus. In the United States several of the most notable include John F. Kennedy, Samuel Alito, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and Jeb Bush, the former Governor of Florida and brother of President George W. John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of Samuel Anthony Alito Jr (born April 1, 1950) is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States John Ellis "Jeb" Bush (born February 11, 1953) is an American Politician and was the 43rd Governor of Florida List of Governors Military governor Spanish Florida was acquired from Spain in the Adams-Onís Treaty, which took effect July 10 Bush. Sergeant Major Daniel Daly, a two-time Medal of Honor recipient, once described by the commandant of the Marine Corps as "the most outstanding Marine of all time"^[43] was also a Knight of Columbus. Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph "Dan" Daly (November 11 1873 &ndash April 27 1937 was a United States Marine and one of only 19 men (and two Marines to receive The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government.

Many notable clerics are also Knights, including William Joseph Levada, the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, the Archbishop of Boston and Cardinal Jaime Sin, the former Archbishop of Manila. William Joseph Cardinal Levada (born June 15, 1936) is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Prefect (from the Latin praefectus, perfect participle of praeficere: "make in front" i The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF ( Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei) previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston ( Latin: Archidioecesis Bostoniensis) is an ecclesiastical territory or Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church Jaime Cardinal Sin, also Jaime Lachica Cardinal Sin ( August 31, 1928 &ndash June 21, 2005) ( Chinese name 辛海梅 The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila or Archdiocese of Manila is a Particular church or Diocese of the Catholic Church in the Philippines In the world of sports, Vince Lombardi, the famed former coach of the Green Bay Packers, Lou Albano Wrestler, James Connolly, the first Olympic Gold Medal champion in modern times, and baseball star Babe Ruth were Knights. Vincent Thomas Lombardi ( June 11, 1913 &ndash September 3, 1970) was an American football coach The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay Wisconsin. Louis Vincent Albano (born July 29 1933 in Mount Vernon New York) better known by his Ring name Captain Lou Albano, is an Italian-American James Brendan Bennet Connolly ( October 28, 1868 &ndash January 20, 1957) was an American athlete and author The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games George Herman Ruth Jr (February 6 1895 &ndash August 16 1948 also popularly known as " Babe " " The Bambino " and " The Sultan of Former heavyweight boxing champion, Floyd Patterson, was also a Knight. Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, Floyd Patterson ( January 4, 1935 – May 11, 2006) was an American heavyweight boxing champion. ^[44]

On October 15, 2006, Bishop Rafael Guizar Valencia (1878–1938) was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in Rome, thereby becoming the first Knights of Columbus bishop declared a saint. Events 533 - Byzantine General Belisarius makes his formal entry into Carthage, having conquered it from the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Saint Rafael Guízar Valencia ( April 26, 1878 &ndash June 6, 1938) was a Catholic Bishop who cared for the wounded Already in 2000, six other Knights were declared saints by Pope John Paul II. ^[45]

For a more comprehensive list see List of notable Knights of Columbus. The following is a list of notable Knights of Columbus, the world's largest Catholic Family, fraternal, service organization Also see Category:Knights of Columbus.

Criticism

Some public colleges refuse to recognize Knights of Columbus Councils as official student organizations because the men-only membership policy is considered discriminatory. The Supreme Council issues Charters to qualifying groups despite lack of college recognition and the students often get around the anti-discrimination policy. Clubs named the "Friends of the Knights of Columbus" are open to all students and they then sponsor meeting space for the Council. Still other College Councils apply for recognition as an on-campus fraternity or fraternal organization, and are made subject to the same rules and regulations that apply to all-male Greek fraternities and similar groups.

Some local councils were accused of being racist during the early half of the 20th century. List of racism-related topics|Racism by country Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that While nothing prohibited black men from joining and the membership application did not ask what race the candidate was, black men were sometimes turned down. During this time five negative votes on a membership application resulted in the applicant being rejected. While some Councils were integrated, increasing pressure came from Church officials and organizations to change its blackball system and Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart was actively encouraging councils to accept black candidates by the end of the 1950s. Blackballing was a rejection technique used in elections to membership of a Gentlemen's club (as well as similarly organised institutions such as Freemasonry Luke E Hart ( July 31, 1880 - February 19, 1964) was the tenth Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from September 1 ^[46]

In 1963 Hart attended a special meeting at the White House hosted by President Kennedy to discuss civil rights with other religious leaders. A few months later, a Notre Dame alumnus' application was rejected because he was black. The University of Notre Dame du Lac (or simply Notre Dame) (ˌnoʊtɚˈdeɪm is a private Roman Catholic Research university located in Six council officers resigned in protest and the incident made national news. Hart then declared that the process for membership would be revised at the next Supreme Convention, but died before he could see it take place. ^[47]

The 1964 Supreme Convention was scheduled to be held at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans. New Orleans (nʲuːˈɔrliənz nʲuːˈɔrlənz French: La Nouvelle-Orléans) is a major United States port city and the largest city in Louisiana A few days before the Convention, new Supreme Knight John W. McDevitt learned the hotel only admitted white guests and immediately threatened to move to another hotel. Doctor John McDevitt ( December 28, 1906 - December 6, 1994) was the eleventh Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from 1964 to The hotel changed its policy and so did the Order. The Convention amended the admissions rule to require one-third of those voting to reject a new member and in 1972 the Supreme Convention again amended its rules to require a majority of members voting to reject a candidate. ^[48]

In 2005, a local Knights of Columbus Council in Canada was fined $2,000 by the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal for refusing to rent their hall to lesbians Tracey Smith and Deborah Chymyshynto. The Council's Hall Manager signed a contract with the women but canceled it after they became aware that it was for a same-sex wedding reception. ^[49] The two women claimed they were unaware that the facility was affiliated with the Catholic Church. The local council responded that the hall is on the same compound as a parish church and there were Catholic symbols such as a picture of the Pope and a crucifix inside. A crucifix (from Latin cruci fixus meaning "(one fixed to a cross" is a cross with a representation of Jesus ' body or corpus ^[50] The tribunal ruled the Council was within its rights to refuse to rent it based on their religious convictions but fined them "for injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect" of the women. ^[51]

Similar organizations

The Knights of Columbus is a member of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights, which includes fifteen fraternal orders such as the Knights of Saint Columbanus in Ireland, the Knights of Saint Columba in the United Kingdom, the Knights of Peter Claver in the United States, the Knights of the Southern Cross in Australia and New Zealand, and the Knights of St. Mulumba in Nigeria. The International Alliance of Catholic Knights ( IACK) is a Non-governmental organization made up of fifteen Roman Catholic fraternal societies The Order of the Knights of Saint Columbanus is an Irish Catholic fraternal and service organization for lay men over twenty-one years of age Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world The Knights of St Columba (KSC are an Order of Catholic Laymen founded in Glasgow, Scotland in 1919 who are dedicated to the service of the church The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Knights of Peter Claver Inc and Ladies Auxiliary is the largest African-American Lay Catholic organization The Knights of the Southern Cross ( KSC) is a Catholic fraternal order committed to promoting the Christian way of life throughout Australia For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The Knights of Saint Mulumba were founded in Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria in 1953. Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal ^[52]

Many councils also have women's auxiliaries. However, the Supreme Council does not charter them and they may adopt any name they choose. At the turn of the 20th century two were formed by local councils and each took the name the Daughters of Isabella. Using the same name, both groups expanded and issued charters to other Circles but never merged. The newer organization renamed itself the Catholic Daughters of the Americas in 1921 and both have structures independent of the Knights of Columbus. Additionally, the Columbiettes is a female auxiliary conceived to work with the Knights of Columbus.

See also

• Columbian Squires
• Vatican Film Library

External links

• Official web site of the Knights of Columbus
• Father Michael J. McGivney Guild
• Dr Dooley-Father McGivney Council #430 Flushing, Queens
• New Advent Article
• The Daughters of Isabella
• The Catholic Daughters of the Americas
• Knights of Saint Columba
• Free Samples of Catholic Information Service publications
• Catholic Information Service
• The Columbiettes

References

• Brinkley, Douglas; Julie Fenster (2006). The Columbian Squires is an international youth fraternity run by the Knights of Columbus for Catholic boys between the ages of 10 and 18 This article is about the Film Library in St Louis Missouri For the one in the Vatican see Vatican Library The Knights of Columbus Vatican Film Library Parish Priest: Father Michael McGivney and American Catholicism. William Morrow Publishers.  

• Kaufman, Christopher (1982). Faith and Fraternalism. Harper and Row.  

Notes

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