About the knights

Blessed Michael J. McGiveny

Born in Waterbury, to Irish immigrant parents, Fr. Michael J. McGivney grew up at a time when millions of Catholic immigrants — and their children — were struggling to overcome poverty and anti-Catholic prejudice.

McGivney knew well the tenuous realities of life in the immigrant community. He worked in a spoon factory as a youth before entering the seminary. While studying for the priesthood, his father died suddenly, and Michael was only able to continue his seminary studies thanks to the financial support of the bishop of Hartford. Later, as a young parish priest, he observed how, throughout the immigrant community, families could be split apart and devastated by the untimely death of a breadwinner. The tragedies he witnessed in his own life and his experiences as a priest had a deep effect on him and led him to found the Knights of Columbus.

Begun in the basement of St. Mary’s parish in New Haven in 1882, the Knights of Columbus today has more than 1.8 million members organized in 15,000 councils throughout North and Central America, the Philippines, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe. With charity as their first principle, Knights donated more than $170 million and more than 70.5 million hours to charitable causes last year alone.

At a time when Catholics in general and Catholic immigrants in particular lived on the margins of society in the United States, Father McGivney saw the opportunity to bring the men of his parish together to strengthen their faith, to reach out in charity to those in need, and to protect the future of their families. His work anticipated in many ways the coalescence of the Church’s social teaching beginning with Rerum Novarum, the emphasis on the Catholic laity in the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, and the pontificate of St. John Paul II, the emphasis on charity in the encyclicals of Pope Benedict XVI and the charitable witness and promotion of a the Catholic understanding of fraternity by Pope Francis.

Father McGivney’s vision has touched millions of lives, while remaining relevant and inspiring today.

McGivney chose Christopher Columbus as the organization’s namesake because Columbus was one of the few Catholics celebrated as a hero of American history by 19th century Protestants in the United States.

Find information on Father McGivney at www.fathermcgivney.org.

Today’s Knights

Thanks to the efforts of Father Michael J. McGivney, assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven and some of his parishioners, the Connecticut state legislature on March 29, 1882, officially chartered the Knights of Columbus as a fraternal benefit society. The Order is still true to its founding principles of charity, unity and fraternity.

The Knights was formed to render financial aid to members and their families. Mutual aid and assistance are offered to sick, disabled and needy members and their families. Social and intellectual fellowship is promoted among members and their families through educational, charitable, religious, social welfare, war relief and public relief works.

The history of the Order shows how the foresight of Father Michael J. McGivney, whose cause for sainthood is being investigated by the Vatican, brought about what has become the world's foremost Catholic fraternal benefit society. The Order has helped families obtain economic security and stability through its life insurance, annuity and long-term care programs, and has contributed time and energy worldwide to service in communities.

The Knights of Columbus has grown from several members in one council to 15,342 councils and 1.9 million members throughout the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Cuba, Guatemala, Guam, Saipan, Lithuania, Ukraine, and South Korea.

Membership Requirements

Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. (A practical Catholic accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.)

As a Knight you can choose the projects with which you wish to be involved in within your own community. What is more, the Order is dedicated to family life and the many benefits it offers. From insurance to scholarships to service and social activities and programs, all are open to the whole family.