How to Join the Knights of Columbus

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posted on 16 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal organization of Catholic men, 18 years of age and older, who are committed to making their community a better place and supporting their Church through charitable work. With nearly two million members worldwide, it is the largest Catholic fraternal organization dedicated to service. The Order also offers an insurance program to members. If you would like multiple charitable options for getting involved with your community, start by learning about the organization and the steps for submitting an application to the Knights of Columbus.

Steps

Requirements and Application Process

Determine if you qualify. In good conscience, make sure that you can answer the following questions in the affirmative. Am I a Catholic gentleman who is in union with the Holy See and who practices the precepts of the Catholic Church? Am I 18 years of age or older? Am I willing to give my time? Your commitment can be as little as twenty-four hours in a year, or as many hours as you are able to dedicate to charitable work.

Contact a member of the Order and inquire about joining. If you don't know a member, contact your parish Priest or check the phone book for a local council. If you still are having trouble finding a member, visit the Knights of Columbus web site and use the "Find a Council" feature.

Fill out the form. A member of the order will give you an application form that you will need to complete. The form will ask for your address, your parish information, your interest in the organization, and your annuity commitment. The form is then submitted to the members of the local council for a vote.

Ask how you can prepare for the ceremony. If the council votes in favor of your admission, you will then be scheduled for the next First Degree ceremony. Ask the Knight that you have been in contact with if you should make any specific preparations.

Organization Structure

Respect the Order’s secrets. The Knights of Columbus, like most fraternal organizations, keep the content of their ceremonies secret. You have to become a member in order to learn the specific practices of the organization. As a member, you will be asked to keep the ceremonies of the order secret.

Approach the process patiently. There are four degrees of membership and it takes up to a year to progress through them all. The ceremony for each level focuses on one of the core values and you must progress through them in order. You are considered a full member of the Knights of Columbus once you have attained the Third Degree. An initiate becomes a First Degree Knight of Columbus through the exemplification ceremony. Subsequent degree ceremonies, each focused on one of the four principle virtues, are held throughout the year. Members who have been in the Knights for one year (six months with special approval) and have attained Third Degree membership are eligible to join the Fourth Degree. The Fourth Degree color guard are the members of the Knights of Columbus you see with the regalia (cape, chapeaux, and sword). Participation in the Honor Guard is voluntary, and not an automatic part of becoming a Fourth Degree Knight. Fourth Degree members are encouraged to participate in this highly visible arm of the Order.

Understand the governing structure. The order is organized into councils, districts, and jurisdictions that are collectively governed by a supreme council. Each member belongs to their local council, which is typically connected to a specific parish. The districts and jurisdictions connect these local groups and aid in regional planning. The Supreme Council provides leadership and administrative support..

Organization Values

Know the purpose of the Order. The Knights of Columbus were founded in 1882, by Father Michael J. McGivney, to offer mutual aid and assistance to members and their families. The Order specifically served recent Catholic immigrants. Today, the order promotes social and intellectual fellowship through educational, charitable, and social welfare works.

Familiarize yourself with the principle values. The Knights of Columbus promote charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism as their four principle values. Collectively, these values are meant to strengthen community ties.

Recognize the global impact of the Order. The organization has a significant charitable impact. It reports donating over $185,000,000 and generating over 75 million hours of volunteer service in 2017. The Knights of Columbus has grown from an initial community in New Haven, Connecticut into an international organization with 1.9 million members throughout North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia.