Knights of Columbus Q&A

What is the Knights of Columbus?

Founded in 1882, the Knights of
Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic fraternal organization, with more than 1.7 million members in the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan. Started as one council by Father Michael J. McGivney in New Haven, Conn., the Knights of Columbus now encompasses more than 14,000 local councils.


Who Are the Knights?

Brother Knights are practical Catholic men 18 years or older who serve the Catholic Church, local communities and the families of Knights through works of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. Brother Knights come from all walks of life, ages and professions to live their Faith by action. More than 14,000 local K of C councils are chartered by the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council in New Haven, Conn. The Supreme Knight is Carl A. Anderson.


What Do You Mean by ‘Knights in Action’?

The Knights of Columbus and its local councils carries out the widest range of charitable and fraternal programs that focus on Faith, Community, Family, Youth and
Fellowship. Annually, Knights volunteer more than 68 million hours and donate more than $143 million to charitable causes.

Just a few examples include supplying free wheelchairs for the disabled, conducting blood drives, raising funds for programs that serve the disabled, supplying prayer books to soldiers overseas, conducting educational programs on substance abuse, supporting pro-life causes, the annual Keep Christ in Christmas awareness campaign, and a range of educational and athletics programs for local youth.


What are the Principles of the Knights?

  1. •Charity — Knights are followers of Christ and men of faith who are committed to easing the plight of the less fortunate.

  2. •Unity — The earliest Knights stood shoulder to shoulder united against rampant anti-Catholicism. Today Knights stand united promoting religiously rooted moral values in a world that often forsakes those values.

  3. •Fraternity — From its inception, the Knights of Columbus has helped members and their families with insurance and financial programs to ease times of grief and distress.

  4. •Patriotism — The principal of the Fourth Degree, patriotism shows that Knights are proud, active citizens with a love for God and country.


What is Meant by ‘Degrees’ in the K of C?

Membership in the Knights of Columbus is classified by Degrees (First, Second, Third and Fourth), with each Degree
corresponding to a core value of the Knights. Upon completion of the Third Degree, a member is known as a full Knight. The Fourth Degree, also known as the Patriotic Degree, is the most visible. The Fourth Degree has a Color Corps, consisting of members outfitted in full regalia with tuxedo, plumed chapeau, cape and sword. The Color Corps participate in civic events, special religious events and serve as an Honor Guard at funerals.


What is the Symbolism in the Emblems?

The Knights of Columbus has two emblems, each rich in symbolism:

• Emblem of the Order features a shield mounted on a Formee cross. The shield is associated with
the medieval knight. The cross represents the Cross of Christ and the Redemption He secured for mankind. Mounted on the shield are a fasces (a bundle of rods bound to an ax), an anchor and a dagger or short sword. The fasces dates to Roman times and is a symbol of authority. The anchor is the mariner’s symbol for Christopher Columbus, patron of the order. The sword was the weapon of the Knight when engaged upon an errand of mercy.
• Fourth Degree Emblem depicts a dove hovering over the Earth, mounted on a variation of a Crusader’s cross.
The triad emblem symbolizes the union of the Three Divine Persons of the Trinity. The Globe represents God the Father, Creator of the universe. The Cross represents God the Son, Redeemer of Mankind. The Dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier of Humanity. The emblem’s colors (red cross, white dove and blue globe) represent the United States and stress patriotism, the basic tenet of the Fourth Degree.


What is the Association with Columbus?

The Genoan explorer who discovered the New World in the 15th century believed from early on that it was his destiny to carry the Gospel
of Christ across the water. The Catholic Columbus, whose first name means “Christ Bearer,” is almost universally regarded as a national hero. It was for these reasons and more that in 1882 he was chosen as the patron for the Knights of Columbus. This allowed the Knights to remind the entire country of the Catholic roots of the New World. It also highlighted the truth that Catholics can also be good citizens – a view not widely held in the late 1800s.

  1. •Watch informational videos on the Knights of Columbus

 

Did You Know?

The Knights of Columbus was the leading proponent of adding “Under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. Fourth Degree assemblies began adding “Under God” to the pledge in 1951, a year before the U.S. Supreme Court adopted a resolution supporting the change.


The earliest K of C councils in the 1880s provided a death benefit to widows and children of deceased Knights by collecting $1 from each member. Today, the Knights of Columbus has more than $66 billion in life insurance in force and is one of the top-rated insurers in the United States.

With more than 1.7 million members, the Knights of Columbus is the largest Catholic lay organization in the world. There are more than 14,000 local councils in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan.