Knights of Columbus
- Date:
- 1882 - present
- Areas Of Involvement:
- Roman Catholicism
Knights of Columbus, international fraternal benefit society of Roman Catholic men that was founded by Father Michael J. McGivney and chartered by the state of Connecticut in the United States in 1882. Besides supplying a wide range of insurance benefits and the opportunity for social networking and mutual aid, the organization has been active in religious, educational, war-relief, and social welfare programs.
Overview
Since 1948 the Knights of Columbus has sponsored an evangelization and education program to explain Roman Catholic beliefs and to promote interfaith understanding. Headquarters of the supreme council is in New Haven, Connecticut, where McGivney served as assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church. The supreme council is led by the supreme knight, who functions as the society’s chief executive officer. The society’s four core principles are charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism.
Founder: Father Michael J. McGivney
McGivney was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, on August 12, 1852, to Catholic parents who had immigrated to the United States from Ireland during the Great Famine (1845–49). He was the first of 13 children (6 of whom died at a young age) and attended public schools in the working-class neighborhoods of Waterbury. His family experienced anti-Catholic sentiment, poverty, and social exclusion that was typical of the time because of their Irish heritage. McGivney overcame these challenges with prayer and a deep devotion to God and his Catholic faith. He excelled in school and graduated at the age of 13. Shortly thereafter he joined his father in working at a brass factory, making spoons in order to help support their family. There he witnessed firsthand the plight of women and children who became destitute when their husbands or fathers were killed on the job or succumbed to illness. In 1868, at the age of 16, McGivney entered the seminary to prepare for ordination to the priesthood, but he left prematurely because of the death of his father. After caring for his family during this crisis, he was called to St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland, to resume his studies.
On December 22, 1877, McGivney was ordained a priest and was appointed curate of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven. His compassion for widows and orphans inspired him to make the church the center of community life for families, and he took an active role in the lives of his parishioners. He was also deeply involved with prison ministry and was instrumental in the conversion of a young man on death row who had been condemned for killing a police officer. McGivney died from pneumonia on August 14, 1890.
The cause for McGivney’s canonization as a saint opened in 1997. He was declared “Venerable” by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008 and beatified (declared “Blessed”) in 2020 by Pope Francis, who approved as a miracle the healing, through the intercession of McGivney, of the terminal illness of a baby born with Down syndrome.
Growth of the society
McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus out of a concern that Catholic men were joining other societies with values that were antithetical to Catholic teaching. Based on his personal experience, he also wanted to establish a means of providing financial help to Catholic families with deceased members. The society chose as its patron Christopher Columbus, who was Catholic and, at the time, considered to have been the discoverer of the America; thus, choosing him as a patron expressed the Knights’ loyalty to their country. The society grew and by the early 20th century had established councils throughout the United States and in countries such as Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Cuba, and Panama.
In the early 21st century the Knights of Columbus grew to about two million members, with nearly 16,000 local councils. Membership is limited to men age 18 and older who are practicing Catholics in good standing with the church. In addition to military and college councils, the society has auxiliary councils for women. Prominent members of the society have included baseball player Babe Ruth, religious leader Fulton J. Sheen, filmmaker John Ford, former U.S. president John F. Kennedy, professional football coach Vince Lombardi, boxer Floyd Patterson, and former governor of Florida Jeb Bush.
