In October of 1881, a young priest named Father Michael J. McGivney called together a small group of men to meet in the basement of St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Connecticut. His purpose was to help Catholic men remain steadfast in their faith, promote closer ties of fraternity among them, and set up a system that would help fellow members and their families in times of hardships.

These men, of this fledgling organization, were chartered on March 29, 1882 to be known as the 'Knights of Columbus'.

Like the Knights of Yore, the organization embodied the ideas of spirituality and service to Church, country and fellow man.

Today, the Knights of Columbus has blossomed into an international society of more than 1.70 million Catholic men in some 12,000 councils throughout the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan. They have dedicated themselves to these basic ideas: Charity. Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism.

The framework of our great organization is that we are a "Catholic, family, fraternal, service organization". This theme permeates the entire Service Program: all church, community, council, family and youth activities.

CATHOLIC is the common denominator for all our members. Catholicism serves as the foundation for continued growth for our faith in God. FAMILY is the very basis of society around which all our programs and activities evolve. FRATERNITY means banding together for the purpose of providing for spiritual and material welfare of our membership. SERVICE means our involvement with and commitment to Church, community, council, family and youth.

As the Order has grown, its benevolence has steadily increased. In the past decade, the Knights have raised and donated nearly $1 Billion to numerous charitable causes and volunteered nearly 400 million hours of service.

Last year (2004) alone, the Knights donated more than $135 million and more than 63 million volunteer hours to charitable causes!

The Protection of Human Life - The Knights of Columbus is unambiguously and proudly pro-life. In accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Order defends human life from the moment of conception until natural death. Building a new Culture of Life where every human life is welcomed and protected by law is one of the highest priorities of the Order!

Church Support - Supporting the Catholic Church has been a hallmark of the Knights of Columbus. From funding the restoration of the facade of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome to operating an usher ministry at a local parish, the Knights of Columbus serves the Church in countless ways. Annually, the Order raises and distributes more than $45 million to Church groups in support of programs at the local, national and international levels. Local Knights and their families donate more than 25 million hours of volunteer time to the Church each year. ‘In Solidarity with our Priests’ – we heartily support Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life!

Through the years we have dedicated ourselves to God's calling. We become involved and participate in what is taking place in the world around each and every one of us. Conditions of present life require that we participate in shaping social issues and political issues, from speaking for the unborn to lending our hands to the less fortunate, and from making our society a place where there is more justice to where there is more love. The challenge to the Knights is trying to see where God is asking us to go and in what direction to move. By becoming a Knight you can be an added voice, a helping hand to humankind, a sign to someone less fortunate - that God truly loves and cares for them.

Why Join The Knights of Columbus??

Camaraderie! Community Involvement! Growing in one’s faith! Supporting the Church! Protecting one’s family! Helping others and expressing love of all! These are a few of the reasons that Catholic men and their families join the Knights of Columbus!

Pope John Paul I Council 6020 was instituted on December 5, 1967 and serves the parishes of St. Bonaventure and St. Vincent de Paul.

Knights of Columbus Sets New Records for Charitable Giving, Volunteer Service

The Knights of Columbus set new records for charitable giving and volunteer service hours in 2006. The results of the Order's Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity for the year ending December 31, 2006 show that total contributions to charity at all levels reached $143,816,004 - exceeding the previous year's total by more than $4 million. The figure includes $35,133,393 donated by the Supreme Council, and $108,682,611 in charitable donations from state and local councils, Fourth Degree assemblies, and squire circles.

The survey also shows that the reported number of volunteer hours by Knights for charitable causes grew to 68,270,432 hours, up more than 4 million hours from 2005.

During the past decade, nearly $1.25 billion has been donated to charity. The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest lay Catholic organization with 1.7 million members.

Who Are the Knights?

The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic family fraternal service organization with 1.7 million members. It provides members and their families with volunteer opportunities in service to the Catholic Church, their communities, families and young people.

Membership Benefits

As a member of the Knights of Columbus you and your family enjoy many benefits, including 12 free issues annually of the Columbia magazine, the world's largest Catholic family magazine, eligibility to join the Knights of Columbus top-ranked life insurance program, and many more family and personal benefits.

How to Join

Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to practicing Catholic men in union with the Holy See, who are at least 18 years old. A practicing Catholic is one who lives up to the Commandments of God and the precepts of the Church. Being a Knight is more than camaraderie; it is being involved with your community; it is supporting your local Catholic Church, while enhancing your own faith; it is about protecting and enhancing your family life. Application blanks are available from any member of the Knights of Columbus.

For membership information please click here.

Our eight-page Overview Booklet (pdf, 415k) gives additional information about what it means to be a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Our "Who Are These Men Called Knights Knights Booklet (pdf, 335k) gives additional information about the Knights of Columbus.