History of the Order

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Last Updated on Saturday, 24 September 2011 22:50

On October 2, 1881, a group of men met in the basement of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Connecticut. Called together by their 29-year-old parish priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, these men formed a fraternal society that would one day become the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal service organization. These men were bound together by the ideal of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the Americas, the one whose hand brought Christianity to the New World. Their efforts came to fruition with the incorporation of the Knights of Columbus. 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.

Father McGivney’s founding vision for the Order also included a life insurance program to provide for the widows and orphans of deceased members. The Order’s insurance program has expanded substantially to serve more effectively the Knights’ growing membership.

The Supreme Council is the governing body of the Knights of Columbus and is responsible for the development of the organization as a whole. Members working in local, or subordinate councils, however, carry on the majority of the Knights’ beneficial work.