St. John Council #3738
• 25 N. Cass • Westmont, IL 60559 • 630-969-3738 •
The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal and benevolent society of Catholic men founded at St. Mary's parish in New Haven, Connecticut on March 29, 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney. Please click here to learn more about Father McGivney. Father McGivney's purpose was to help Catholic men remain steadfast in their faith through mutual encouragement; to promote closer ties to 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 Knights of Columbus is led by the Supreme Council headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut. The Order is organized into local Councils throughout the world. These Councils and the Order stand on four pillars:
The Knights of Columbus is not a political organization. Partisan political activity is expressly forbidden by our constitution. However, we do take an active interest in particular issues and laws dear to our beliefs and our communities.
The Order has been called "the strong right arm of the Church," and has been praised by popes, presidents and other world leaders, for support of the Church, programs of evangelization and Catholic education, civic involvement and aid to those in need. As recently as 1992, Mother Teresa of Calcutta praised the Knights in a speech on the occasion of her reception of the first Knights of Columbus Gaudium et Spes Award.
The Knights of Columbus are Catholic gentlemen committed to the exemplification of charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism, and defense of the priesthood. The Order is consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Order is unequivocal in its loyalty to the Pope, the Vicar of Christ on earth. It is firmly committed to the protection of human life, from conception to natural death, and to the preservation and defense of the family. It was on these bedrock principles that the Order was founded over a century ago and remains true to them today.
For more information on the beginnings of the Order, please read the article Knights of Columbus from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia.
Christopher Columbus was very popular among the powerful Anglo-Saxon community of the nineteenth century. Yet this same group tended to be antagonistic toward the numbers of Catholic immigrants from Ireland and southern/eastern Europe that were landing on New England's shores. Christopher Columbus, an Italian and a Catholic who was himself an immigrant (to Spain) seemed an ideal symbol. In his name the founders of the Knights of Columbus said "We have something in common! ".
While opinions about this man have changed in the past century, we admire Christopher Columbus because of his desire (which we share) to expand the world's horizons.
Men 18 years or older who are practicing Catholics in
communion with the Holy See may become
Knights. This includes members of all rites of the Catholic
Church: Byzantine, Latin (Roman), Maronite, Melkite,
Women over 18 years of age who are wives, mothers, sisters, daughters or widows of members of the Knights of Columbus may join a Ladies Auxiliary. The Ladies Auxiliary shall aid the Council's spiritual and charitable growth, enhance the social life of the entire family, promote good fellowship and love, perform selected works of charity and support the Knights of Columbus Council activities when asked. Young men who are practicing Catholics may join a Columbian Squires Circle.
The Knights of Columbus has no teaching of its own.
The Knights are dedicated to the teaching and tradition of the holy Catholic Church including:
These beliefs are expressed in:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church Very thorough. Intended to be read cover to cover.
The Baltimore Catechism Question & answer format written for children. Searchable.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent Written for parish priests as the official book of instruction for the faithful. Also known as the Roman Catechism, the Catechism for Parish Priests, or the Catechism of Pius V.
The Supreme Council has published a list of various activities of the order. These activities are divided into four themes descriptive of the Order: Catholic, Family, Fraternal, and Service.
Supporting vocations through the Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP) and the $2 million Knights of Columbus Vocations Scholarship Fund.
Promoting evangelization through our Catholic advertising program and by assistance to the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). Providing a mobile TV production unit to the Vatican and funding satellite appliance for papal ceremonies.
Establishing the $20 million Vicarius Christi Fund, with earnings given to the Pope each year for his personal charities.
Establishing a $1 million Father McGivney Memorial Fund for the development/enhancement of Catholic education in the U.S. and Canada.
Sponsoring the Pope John XXIII Center's seminars on life-death issues for bishops of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and the Philippines.
Underwriting the renovation of the façade of St. Peter's Basilica and the statues of Sts. Peter and Paul in the square.
Distributing special K of C rosaries at the rate of 10,000 monthly—especially to new members.
Subsidizing construction of the "Knights' Chapel" dedicated to Mary, Mother of the Church, at the new headquarters of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and providing help to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops through the Bishop de Laval Fund.
Creating a $2 million endowment for the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Funding the Order's response to Catholic issues in Canada and special Catholic projects through the $150,000 Catholic Initiatives in Canada Fund.
Instrumental in getting the words "under God" added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. Click here to learn more.
Defending the innocent unborn by promoting legislation to secure their right to life.
Establishing the Pope John Paul II Institute for the Study of Marriage and the Family in Washington, D.C.
Involving the entire family in our local programs, from service projects to religious, social and recreational activities. We are 1.7 million dues-paying members with programs for and participation from the nearly 6 million members of our families.
Providing the budget for the Natural Family Planning offices of U.S. and Canadian bishops and assisting the NFP office of Mexican bishops.
Recognizing the need for strong Catholic families through our "Family of the Month" and "Family of the Year" programs on the local, state and international levels.
Supporting the Archdiocese for Military Services in providing for the spiritual welfare of armed services personnel and their families around the globe.
Awarding fellowships, scholarships and student loans for members and their families.
Numbering 1.7 million dues-paying members in more than 13,000 councils throughout 70 jurisdictions in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and other nations in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific rim; having grown from humble roots in New Haven, Conn. where the Order was founded in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, a parish priest.
Providing major renovation of St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Conn.—birthplace of the Order—and entombing there the remains of our founder.
Sponsoring daily Mass at St. Mary's for deceased Knights.
Establishing rock-solid financial footing, with more than $12 billion in assets, over $6 billion in sales and 1.6 million policies covering more than $55 billion of life insurance in force during 2006. Our variety of low-cost top quality products are available to members and their families.
Providing leadership skills development to more than 20,000 young men who belong to over 1,000 Columbian Squires circles, each sponsored by a KofC council or assembly.
Donating more than $143 million to charitable causes (sick, disaster victims, disabled, civic and community projects) in 2006 (more than $14.1 billion in the past ten years) and volunteering more than 68 million man hours (more than 593 million man hours in the past ten years) in community service to youth, hospitals, orphanages, handicapped individuals, special needs citizens, food banks.
Making more than 6 million visits to the sick and bereaved, donating well over $41 million to churches, homes for the aged, orphanages and hospitals and providing more than 9.5 million hours of service to sick or disabled family members in 2006.
Raising funds and donating time to help house, educate, employ and provide social opportunities for special needs and handicapped citizens.
Working with local food banks and soup kitchens collecting food and providing manpower through "Operation Care and Share."
Promoting patriotism. More than 300,000 Sir Knights in 1,847 assemblies participate in the Fourth Degree the patriotic arm of the Order, fostering responsible citizenship and love of country.
Organizing educational, social, service and athletic programs for young people. Local councils and assemblies sponsor Columbian Squires circles, Scout troops programs to help teens deal with alcohol, drugs, suicide and other problems, as well as opportunities simply to have fun.
Donating blood—393,807 donors in 2006.
Response of over $10 Million for Hurricane Katrina and Rita.
Creation of the $1 Million "Knights of Columbus Hero Fund" in response to the terrorist attacks on American on 9/11/01.
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