NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Roman Catholic fraternal service organization. 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. 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] Catholic Church redirects here. ... A fraternal organization, sometimes also known as a fraternity, is an organization or club that represents the relationship between its members as akin to brotherhood. ... For other uses, see Volunteer (disambiguation). ... Christopher Columbus (1451 â€“ May 20, 1506) was a navigator, colonizer, and explorer and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas after the Vikings. ...

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. The Knights' official junior organization, the Columbian Squires, has over 5,000 Circles. All the Order's ceremonials and business meetings are restricted to members though all other events are open to the public. 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. West Indies redirects here. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... Saipan seen from the air A map of Saipan, Tinian & Aguijan For other uses, see Saipan (disambiguation). ... Columbian Squires logo The Columbian Squires is an international youth fraternity run by the Knights of Columbus for Catholic boys between the ages of 10 and 18. ... Part of the ceremony of the Changing of the Guard in Whitehall, London. ...

In the 2006 fraternal year the Order gave US$143.8 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. USD redirects here. ... One thousand million (1,000,000,000) is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001. ... A.M. Best is a NRSRO (Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. ... Publications Standard & Poors publishes a weekly (48 times a year) stock market analysis newsletter called The Outlook, which is issued both in print and online to subscribers. ...

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... 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 and most populous city in Larimer County, Colorado. ... Official language(s) English Demonym Coloradan Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area Ranked 8th in the US - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 kmÂ²) - Width 280 miles (451 km) - Length 380 miles (612 km) - % water 0. ...

History

The Knights of Columbus was founded by an Irish-American Catholic priest, Father Michael J. McGivney in New Haven, Connecticut. 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.^[3] Though the first councils were all in that state, the Order spread throughout New England and the United States in subsequent years. Father Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. ... Father Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. ... Categories: Stub | 1852 births | 1890 deaths | Roman Catholic priests ... Irish Americans (Irish: Gael-MheiriceÃ¡nach) are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in the west European island of Ireland. ... The Ministerial Priesthood in the Roman Catholic Church and other Catholic Churches includes both the orders of bishops and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. ... Categories: Stub | 1852 births | 1890 deaths | Roman Catholic priests ... New Haven redirects here. ... Official language(s) none (de facto English) Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[2] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[3] Area Ranked 48th in the US - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 kmÂ²) - Width 70 miles (113 km) - Length 110 miles (177 km) - % water 12. ... is the 275th day of the year (276th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... Official language(s) none (de facto English) Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[2] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[3] Area Ranked 48th in the US - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 kmÂ²) - Width 70 miles (113 km) - Length 110 miles (177 km) - % water 12. ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ...

The primary motivation for the Order was to be a mutual benefit society. 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. 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.^[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. 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. A friendly society (sometimes called a mutual society, benevolent society or fraternal organization) is a mutual association for insurance-like purposes, and often, especially in the past, serving ceremonial and friendship purposes also. ... Knights of Columbus emblem The Knights of Columbus is the worlds largest Roman Catholic fraternal service organization. ... A widow is a woman whose spouse has died. ... For other uses, see Orphan (disambiguation). ... A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers... Freemasons redirects here. ... This box: This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia The Roman Catholic Church has long been an outspoken critic of Freemasonry, and has continually prohibited members from being Freemasons since In Eminenti Secula in 1739. ...

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. 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] Boston redirects here. ... This article is about the New York City borough, or Kings County, New York. ...

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.^[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. James T. Mullen was the first Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from 1882 to 1886. ... Generally, patronage is the act of supporting or favoring some person, group, or institution. ...

The Connecticut Catholic ran an editorial in 1878 that illustrated the esteem in which American Catholics held Columbus. "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] Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Christopher Columbus (1451 â€“ May 20, 1506) was a navigator, colonizer, and explorer and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas after the Vikings. ... The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern region of the United States. ...

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. 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.^{[citation needed]} White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, commonly abbreviated to the acronym WASP, is a term which originated in the United States. ... For other uses, see Genoa (disambiguation). ...

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. In the 1928 Presidential election a million copies were printed in order to hurt the campaign of the Catholic Democratic candidate Al Smith.^[15] Thomas Stalker Butler (November 4, 1855-May 26, 1928) was a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania, serving from March 4, 1897 until his death, having been elected to the House sixteen times. ... Alfred Emanuel Al Smith (December 30, 1873 â€“ October 4, 1944) was Governor of New York, and Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928. ...

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. 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. If his cause is successful, he will be the first priest born in the United States to be canonized as a Saint. A patriotic advertisement for Tootsie Rolls during World War I For information about the hip-hop song Tootsee Roll, see 69 Boyz. ... The crowd at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games Opening Ceremonies in Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland. ... This article is about the social movement. ... Official Target logo with an affixed Merry Christmas greeting, after 2005 public pressure to include Christmas. The secularization of Christmas and the War on Christmas refer to the notion that the Christmas holiday is under attack from a general secular trend or from persons and/or organizations with a deliberate... This article is about the process of declaring saints. ... The Congregation for the Causes of Saints (Congregatio de Causis Sanctorum) is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the complex process which leads to the canonization of saints, passing through the steps of a declaration of heroic virtues and beatification. ... Saints redirects here. ...

Organization

The Supreme Council is the governing body of the Order and is composed of elected representatives from each jurisdiction. 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. The twenty-one member board then chooses from its own membership the senior operating officials of the Order, including the Supreme Knight.^[16] Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson Carl A. Anderson (February 27, 1951) is the thirteenth and current Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus. ... Bishop William E. Lori William E. Lori (born May 6, 1951) is the 4th Bishop of Bridgeport, CT. Before succeeding Edward Cardinal Egan in 2001 he was an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington. ... Dennis Savoie is the Supreme Treasurer 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. OReilly 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. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or company (including a corporation) that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a joint stock company. ... Chairman of the Board redirects here. ... Since its founding in 1882, there have been 13 Supreme Knights of the Knights of Columbus. ...

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 first arrived at the Americas. ... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmÃ©rique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ...

The title "Knight" is purely fraternal and is not the equivalent to a sovereign accolade. 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 silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... The Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre walk in a procession at the First Annual Southeastern Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte, NC. The Catholic Order of the Holy Sepulchre (formally Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem) has a foundation myth that connects it with Godfrey of Bouillon or... The Knights Hospitaller (the or Knights of Malta or Knights of Rhodes) is a tradition which began as a Benedictine nursing Order founded in the 11th century based in the Holy Land, but soon became a militant Christian Chivalric Order under its own charter, and was charged with the care... Insignia of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. ... Chivalric Orders were created by European monarchs after the failure 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 lay persons collectively. ...

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

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. 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. Defence of the fatherland is a commonplace of patriotism: The statue in the courtyard of Ã‰cole polytechnique, Paris, commemorating the students involvement in defending France against the 1814 invasion of the Coalition. ... Citizen redirects here. ...

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. 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] Image File history File links Chapeau. ... Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and U.S. President Ronald Reagan wearing black tie with wives in Quebec, Canada, March 18, 1985. ... A baldric is a wide, usually ornamental belt worn around the waist and over one shoulder that is typically used to carry weapons (such as swords). ... For other uses, see Cape (disambiguation). ... Barony robe and chapeau Chapeau is a French term signifying a hat or other covering for the head. ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

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.^[20] Today there are more than 2,500 Assemblies.^[21] New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

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 flourished and matured 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. 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. Only three other insurers in North America have received the highest ratings from both A. M. Best and Standard & Poor. The Order is certified by the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association for ethical sales practices.^[21] The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Term life insurance is the original form of life insurance and is considered to be pure insurance protection because it builds no cash value. ... An annuity is an insurance contract. ... Long-term care insurance, an insurance product sold in the United States, helps provide for the cost of long-term care beyond a predetermined period. ... Fortune 1000 is a reference to a list maintained by the American business magazine Fortune. ... North American redirects here. ... A.M. Best is a NRSRO (Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. ... The Standard and Poors Corporation (S&P), a subsidiary of McGraw-Hill, is a company that performs financial research and analysis on stocks and debt instruments. ...

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. 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.^[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. L'Arche is a faith-based network that provides care, in a community setting, for people with severe developmental disabilities. Mental retardation (abbreviated as MR), is a term for a pattern of persistently slow learning of basic motor and language skills (milestones) during childhood, and a significantly below-normal intellectual capacity as an adult. ... The crowd at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games Opening Ceremonies in Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland. ... 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, Ph. ... LArche is an international network of faith-based communities centered around people who have developmental disabilities (or learning disabilities as they are known in the UK). ...

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. The multimillion dollar Pacem in Terris Fund aids the Catholic Church's efforts for peace in the Middle 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] Look up corpus in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Pope (disambiguation). ... A visibly ill Pope John XXIII, who died shortly afterwards, signing Pacem in Terris. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

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. 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.^[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.^[24] A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11â€”pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 2005. ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans (in Latin Archidioecesis Novae Aureliae) is an ecclesiastical division of the Roman Catholic Church. ... the ... The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux (official Latin name: Dioecesis Humensis-Thibodensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in southeastern Louisiana. ... The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lake Charles, located in southwest Louisiana (USA) is a fairly new diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church; it was founded in 1980. ... The Roman Catholic Diocese of Biloxi encompases the southern 17 counties of Mississippi. ... The Roman Catholic Diocese of Beaumont (Latin: Dioecesis Bellomontensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese covering thirteen counties and portions of two others in Texas. ... The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea (subduction) earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. ... Wikinews has related news: Hurricane season, 2006 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 May and November. ...

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 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. Supreme Knight Anderson serves on CUA's board of trustees and is the vice president of the John Paul II Institute.^[23] The Knights have a long history of donating to CUA. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 879 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Knights of Columbus St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 879 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Knights of Columbus St. ... The Basilica of Saint Peter (Latin: ), officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St. ... The American Cardinals Dinner is an annual fundrasier to benefit The Catholic University of America. ... The Catholic University of America (abbreviated CUA), located in Washington, D.C., is unique as the national university of the Roman Catholic Church and as the only higher education institution founded by U.S. Roman Catholic bishops. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Christian doctrine redirects here. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... As of 2005, the Board of Trustees at The Catholic University of America was composed of: Carl A. Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus Richard D. Banziger, B.A. 1981, Managing Director, Salomon Smith Barney Nancy J. Bidwill, owner, Arizona Cardinals Bertha S. Braddock, Alexandria, VA philanthropist Michael... 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. In missionary territories the Order also pays for the satellite downlink. This article is about the Christian festival. ... For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Italian town. ... World Youth Day 2000 in Rome World Youth Day (It. ... Rear of the Holy door of St. ... The Basilica of Saint Peter (Latin: ), officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St. ... The official logo of the Great Jubilee of 2000 features its motto: Christ Yesterday, Today, Forever. ... Pope John Paul II (Latin: , Italian: , Polish: ) born IPA: ; 18 May 1920 â€“ 2 April 2005) reigned as the 264th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City from 16 October 1978, until his death, almost 27 years later, making his the second-longest... Hebrew (Natzrat or Natzeret) Arabic Ø§Ù„Ù†Ø§ØµØ±Ø© (an-NÄá¹£ira) Government City District North Population 64,800[1] Metropolitan Area: 185,000 (2006) Jurisdiction 14 200 dunams (14. ...

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. The fund is wholly managed, maintained and operated by Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. 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. A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution, with the stipulation that it be invested, and the principal remain intact. ... 501(c)(3) is a provision of the US tax code that provides exempt status, for Federal income tax purposes, for some non-profit organizations in the United States (see 26 U.S.C. Â§ 501(c)(3)). The term refers to: Section 501. ...

Ever since its founding the Knights of Columbus has been involved in evangelization. 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. Evangelism is the proclaiming of the Christian Gospel. ...

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). Today, the University of Notre Dame Knights of Columbus Council 1477, founded in 1910, is the longest-running college council in the country.^[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.^[28] In 1937, the University of Illinois became the first public university with a Knights of Columbus Council, The Illini Council Number 2782. The Catholic University of America (abbreviated CUA), located in Washington, D.C., is unique as the national university of the Roman Catholic Church and as the only higher education institution founded by U.S. Roman Catholic bishops. ... For other universities and colleges named Notre Dame, see Notre Dame. ... Mount Saint Marys University is a private, liberal arts, Catholic university located on a 1,400 acre (5. ... A Corner of Main Quad The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, or simply Illinois), is the oldest, largest, and most prestigious campus in the University of Illinois system. ...

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] Motto Educating Leaders of Faith and Character Founded 1947 School type Private University President Dr. Robert Ivany Location Houston, Texas, USA Enrollment 4875 (Fall 2004) Faculty 242 (Fall 2004) Degree Programs Bachelors degree, Masters degree, Ph. ...

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 2000 in Rome World Youth Day (It. ... Bishop William E. Lori William E. Lori (born May 6, 1951) is the 4th Bishop of Bridgeport, CT. Before succeeding Edward Cardinal Egan in 2001 he was an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington. ... 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

The Knights' official junior organization is the Columbian Squires. The international fraternity for boys 10–18 has over 5,000 circles. According to Brother Barnabas McDonald, F.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. Columbian Squires logo The Columbian Squires is an international youth fraternity run by the Knights of Columbus for Catholic boys between the ages of 10 and 18. ... Columbian Squires logo The Columbian Squires is an international youth fraternity run by the Knights of Columbus for Catholic boys between the ages of 10 and 18. ... Brother Barnabas McDonald F.S.C.(1865-April 24, 1929), was a Brother of the Christian Schools involved with youth work, especially among delinquents and orphans in the United States. ...

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. 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 shield harkens back to medieval knights and the cross represents the Catholicity of the Order. Mounted on the shield is a fasces with an anchor and a short sword crossed behind it. 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. is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... James T. Mullen was the first Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from 1882 to 1886. ... A reliquary in the form of an ornate Christian Cross Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Â· Other religions Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Luther Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury Â· Catholic Pope... For other uses, see Knight (disambiguation) or Knights (disambiguation). ... Roman fasces. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Mariner can refer to The PBM Mariner flying boat The Mariner Space Program An archaic term for sailor This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

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. Both are mounted on the Isabella cross, a variation of the Maltese cross with knobs at the end of each of the 8 points. This cross was often found on the tunics and capes of the crusading knights who fought for the Holy Land. Image File history File links Fourth_degree. ... Image File history File links Fourth_degree. ... The geographical western hemisphere of Earth, highlighted in yellow. ... This article is about the symbol. ... This article is about the medieval crusades. ... For other uses, see Holy Land (disambiguation). ...

Spiritually, the symbols of the emblem symbolize the three persons of God. The Globe represents God the Father, Creator of the Universe. 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. 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. The elements serve as a reminder that the principle of the Degree is patriotism but also that the Order is thoroughly Catholic.^[31] This article is about the Christian Trinity. ... In many religions, the supreme God is given the title and attributions of Father. ... Christian views of Jesus consist of the teachings and beliefs held by Christian groups about Jesus, including his divinity, humanity, and earthly life. ... Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Â· Other religions Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Luther Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury Â· Catholic Pope Coptic Pope Â· Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box: In mainstream... Union Jack. ... Defence of the fatherland is a commonplace of patriotism: The statue in the courtyard of Ã‰cole polytechnique, Paris, commemorating the students involvement in defending France against the 1814 invasion of the Coalition. ...

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:

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

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. 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."^[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. This article is about the political effort. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... The Pledge of Allegiance is a promise or oath of allegiance to the United States and the its national flag. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ... Luke Hart was the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from September 1, 1953 to February 19, 1964. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the... Columbus Day is a holiday celebrating the anniversary of Christopher Columbuss arrival in the Americas, which happened on the October 12, 1492 in the Julian calendar, or October 21, 1492 in the modern Gregorian calendar. ... FDR redirects here. ...

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.^[34] Public policy activity is limited to issue-specific campaigns, typically dealing with Catholic family and life issues. Image File history File linksMetadata March_sign. ... Image File history File linksMetadata March_sign. ... View of the 2007 Pro-life March. ... George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... The phrase culture of life is a rhetorical term arising from Roman Catholic doctrine, used frequently by Republicans in United States politics. ...

In the United States, the Knights of Columbus often adopt socially conservative positions on public issues. 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. The Order also funded a postcard campaign in 2005 in an attempt to stop the Canadian parliament from legalizing same-sex marriage. Social conservatism generally refers to a political ideology or personal belief system that advocates the conservation or resurrection of what one, or ones community, considers to be traditional morality and social structure. ... Matrimony redirects here. ... For the Boy Scouting program within the BSA, see Boy Scouting (Boy Scouts of America). ... The Parliament of Canada (in French: le Parlement du Canada) is Canadas 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.S. and Mexico." 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.S."^[37] is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In 2004, United States President George W. Bush proposed a guest worker program to absorb migrant laborers who would otherwise come to the U.S. as illegal aliens. ... Humanitarianism is the view that all people should be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve as human beings, and that advancing the well-being of humanity is a noble goal. ... Permanent residency refers to a persons visa status: the person is allowed to reside indefinitely within a country despite not having citizenship. ... Citizen redirects here. ...

Heads of state

The Knights of Columbus invites the head of state of every country they operate in to the Supreme Convention each year. 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.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. 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.^[39] Image File history File linksMetadata Bush_&_4th_Degree. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Bush_&_4th_Degree. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... For the comedy film of the same name, see Head of State (film). ... Nixon redirects here. ... Seal of the United States Department of Transportation The United States Secretary of Transportation is the head of the United States Department of Transportation. ... John Anthony Volpe (December 8, 1908 - September 11, 1994) was a Governor of Massachusetts and a U.S. Secretary of Transportation. ... Reagan redirects here. ... Order: 41st President Vice President: Dan Quayle Term of office: January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 Preceded by: Ronald Reagan Succeeded by: Bill Clinton Date of birth: June 12, 1924 Place of birth: Milton, Massachusetts First Lady: Barbara Pierce Bush Political party: Republican George Herbert Walker Bush, KBE (born June... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

John F. Kennedy, the only Catholic to be elected President of the United States, was a Fourth Degree member of Bunker Hill Council No. 62 and Bishop Cheverus General Assembly. Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart visited Kennedy at the White House on Columbus Day, 1961. The president told Hart that his younger brother, Ted Kennedy, had received "his Third Degree in our Order three weeks before." 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] John Kennedy and JFK redirect here. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas US Government Portal For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Luke Hart was the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from September 1, 1953 to February 19, 1964. ... For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ... For other persons named Ted Kennedy, see Ted Kennedy (disambiguation). ...

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. 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.^[41] Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ... A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary of a monarchs reign. ... -1...

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. ^[42] Pope Benedict XVI (Latin: ; born April 16, 1927 as Joseph Alois Ratzinger in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria, Germany) is the 265th reigning pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City. ... For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ... Pope Benedict XVI (Latin: ; born April 16, 1927 as Joseph Alois Ratzinger in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria, Germany) is the 265th reigning pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City. ... For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ...

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. 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. John Kennedy and JFK redirect here. ... Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. ... 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 of Florida: Florida Governors Military Government Territorial Government Statehood Categories: Lists of United States governors | Governors of Florida | Government of Florida ... Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Dan Daly (11 November 1873 â€“ 28 April 1937) was a United States Marine. ... For other uses, see Medal of Honor (disambiguation). ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea,[1] using the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces and is one of seven uniformed services. ...

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. 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. Former heavyweight boxing champion, Floyd Patterson, was also a Knight.^[44] William Joseph Levada William Joseph Levada, (born 15 June 1936, Long Beach, California) is a Roman Catholic bishop, the Archbishop Emeritus of San Francisco, currently serving in the Roman Curia as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. ... A 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) is the oldest of the nine congregations of the Roman Curia. ... Cardinal-Designate Sean P. OMalley, OFM Cap. ... The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. ... Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila, Philippines (1974-2005) Jaime Cardinal Sin, also Jaime Lachica Sin (August 31, 1928â€“June 21, 2005) (Chinese name: è¾›æµ·æ¢…; è¾›æµ·æ£‰), was an archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. ... The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. ... Vincent Thomas Lombardi (June 11, 1913 â€“ September 3, 1970) was an American football coach. ... Packers redirects here. ... Louis Albano (born July 29, 1933 in Carmel, New York), better known as Captain Lou, is an American professional wrestler and manager. ... For the Irish labor leader, see James Connolly (nationalist) James Brendan Bennet Connolly (October 28, 1868 â€“ January 20, 1957) was an American athlete and author. ... The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... This article is about the baseball player. ... For other meanings of these words, see boxing (disambiguation) or boxer. ... Floyd Patterson (January 4, 1935 â€“ May 11, 2006) was an American heavyweight boxing champion. ...

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. Already in 2000, six other Knights were declared saints by Pope John Paul II.^[45] is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bishop Rafael Guizar Valencia, born April 26, 1878 and died on June 6, 1938, was a Catholic bishop who cared for the wounded and dying in Mexicos 1910-17 revolution. ...

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

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. 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.^[46] Manifestations Slavery Racial profiling Lynching Hate speech Hate crime Genocide (examples) Ethnocide Ethnic cleansing Pogrom Race war Religious persecution Blood libel Paternalism Police brutality Movements Policies Discriminatory Race / Religion / Sex segregation Apartheid Redlining Internment Ethnocracy Anti-discriminatory Emancipation Civil rights Desegregation Integration Equal opportunity Counter-discriminatory Affirmative action Racial quota... The blackball was used in elections to membership of a Gentlemens club (and similarly organised institutions, such as Freemasonry). ... Luke Hart was the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from September 1, 1953 to February 19, 1964. ...

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. 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] Civil rights or positive rights are those legal rights retained by citizens and protected by the government. ... For other universities and colleges named Notre Dame, see Notre Dame. ...

The 1964 Supreme Convention was scheduled to be held at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans. 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. 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] NOLA redirects here. ... Doctor John McDevitt (December 28, 1906 - December 6, 1994) was the eleventh Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from 1964 to 1977. ...

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.^[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] For other uses, see Crucifix (disambiguation). ...

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.^[52] The International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK)is a non-governmental organization made up of the national and international leaders 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. ... The Knights of Saint Columba are a Catholic lay organization founded in Glasgow, Scotland in 1919. ... The Knights of Peter Claver is a Catholic lay, fraternal organization made up primarily of black Catholics. ... The Knights of the Southern Cross (KSC) is an order of Catholic men committed to promoting the Christian way of life throughout Australia. ... The Knights of Saint Mulumba were founded in Onitsha, Anambra, Nigeria in 1953. ...

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.

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