Knights of Columbus
3 members Public
The world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization.
History
The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney, a parish priest at St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Connecticut. McGivney established the order to provide financial protection for Catholic families who lost their breadwinner and to give Catholic men — many of them immigrants facing discrimination — a way to remain firm in their faith while serving their communities.
From a single council in New Haven, the order grew rapidly across the United States, Canada, and beyond. Through the 20th century the Knights became known for their charitable giving, their defense of religious liberty, and their support of the Church and the priesthood. Father McGivney was beatified by Pope Francis in 2020.
Today the Knights of Columbus has roughly two million members worldwide and is one of the largest charitable organizations in the Catholic world, donating hundreds of millions of dollars and tens of millions of volunteer hours each year to parishes, communities, and people in need.
What they do
- Charitable works at the parish, council, and international level
- Insurance and financial protection for Catholic families
- Support for vocations, the priesthood, and Catholic education
- Defense of religious liberty and the dignity of life
- Disaster relief and aid to persecuted Christians
How to get involved
Practical Catholic men age 18 and older may join. Find your local council through the official Knights of Columbus website's council locator, or contact your parish — most Catholic parishes host or are connected to a council. Many councils also offer online membership to get started.
Official links
Knights of Columbus chapters
Local chapters from our directory.
