The founders and first officers of the fledgling organization chose the name "Knights of Columbus" because they felt that, as a Catholic group, it should relate to Christopher Columbus, the Catholic discoverer of America. This would emphasize that it was Catholics who discovered, explored and colonized the North American continent. At the same time "Knights" would signify that the membership embodied knightly ideals of spirituality and service to Church, country and fellowman. By the end of 1897 the Order was thoroughly rooted in New England, along the upper Atlantic seaboard and into Canada. Within the next eight years it branched out from Quebec to California, and from Florida to Washington. From such promising beginnings Father McGivney's original group has blossomed into an international society of more than 1.3 million Catholic men in some 7,000 councils who have dedicated themselves to the ideals of Columbianism: Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism. Today members of the Order are found in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Panama, Cuba, Guam and the Virgin Islands. They belong to many races and speak many different languages. They are diverse yet they are one. Their diversity spells creativity; their unity spells strength. The Knights' creativity is manifested in numerous programs and projects directed to the benefit of their fellowman. Their strength assures that these programs are operated effectively and brought to positive conclusions. Since assuming leadership of the Order in January 1977, Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant has embarked on a series of significant projects designed to strengthen Columbianism, the Church, the family and each individual Knight. One of his first moves was to place his stewardship under the patronage and protection of Our Lady, and he formalized this dedication during a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., soon after he took office. As a further concrete sign of his devotion to the Blessed Virgin under her title, "Our Lady of the Rosary," he implemented a plan to present a special "K. of C. Rosary" to each new member enrolled in the society. These have been distributed at the rate of 10,000 per month over the last several years. A subsequent program - 'The Pilgrim Virgin-Marian Hour of Prayer" - attracted almost one million participants to almost 5,000 prayer services Orderwide in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. His other initiatives have gone far toward strengthening the Order as it confronts the egoism, hedonism and increasing secularism of our modern, atheistic age. He has renewed the knights' pledge of loyalty and fidelity to the magisterium and to the hierarchy of the Church in the countries where the Order exists. He also has renewed the society's commitment to the pro-life activities of the U.S. and Canadian bishops through periodic grants of $50,000 and $10,000 respectively made by the Order to support the bishops' pro-life programs. Among other thrusts, the Supreme Knight formulated a program to maintain the involvement of the widows and children of deceased members in the activities of the Order. A resolution passed at the 95th annual meeting of the Supreme Council in August 1977 calls for the establishment of a committee in every unit of the Order which shall be responsible for keeping contact with widows and dependent children of deceased members. These children will remain eligible for all educational benefits, such as student loans and all the society's fellowships and trusts. Upon receipt of notice that a member has died, the Supreme Knight sends a letter of condolence to the widow or next of kin, informing them first of all that their loved one has been enrolled in a Mass offered at St. Mary's Church, birthplace of the Order, on every day throughout the year. Upon request, the widow's name is added to the mailing list for COLUMBIA magazine. State and local councils are encouraged to do the same for their publications. They also are called on to extend to widows and their families any scholarship or loan programs they may conduct. A renewed emphasis on family life seeks to involve the member's wife and children in his commitment to the life of Catholic knighthood. Their participation in his promise to be a staunch Catholic layman is essential if it is to be effective and long-lasting. The Order's Service Program has been revised to permit more participation by the wives and children of members and also to enable greater identification on their part with the Order. The wives now can wear the Order's emblem in the form of jewelry and children can wear it in badge form. A separate family-life director has been added to the "Surge with Service" program. His responsibility is to assure that a number of activities and projects is directed specifically to the family and that families are encouraged to take part in them. Cooperating with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Order began a three-year project in 1980 by underwriting an educational media campaign designed to strengthen family life. Titled "Growth in Faith - In and through the Family," the multi-phase program has the full support of the CCCB. A major sign of the Order's active concern for the future of the Church and the spread of the Gospel is the establishment of the Supreme Council Vocations Program, now operating in all jurisdictions and already showing promise of success in turning around the decline in the number of candidates to the priestly and religious life. But more will be said of this in subsequent pages. One of Father McGivney's initial objectives in founding the Order, that of providing security for the widows and children of deceased members, has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. The Knights of Columbus insurance program offers its certificate holders a versatile portfolio of protection - all done "for Brother Knights by Brother Knights." The Knights of Columbus have a long and enviable tradition of aid to Catholic education. As early as 1904 the Order endowed a chair in American history at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., and later provided an endowment of $500,000 for graduate fellowships there which still reaps its benefits today. The million-dollar "Father Michael J. McGivney Memorial Fund for New Initiatives in Catholic Education" established in 1980 is devoted to fostering improvements through research and development. Programs offering scholarships and student loans are described further on in this booklet. "Don't keep the Faith - spread it!" long has been a guiding principle of the Knights of Columbus. Almost $1 million are budgeted annually by the Order for various projects of the Catholic Advertising Program. The Knights of Columbus funded the construction of the companile or Knight's Tower at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The bells for the tower were donated by the Order as well. In keeping with this commitment to Our Lady's Shrine the Order established the "Luke E. Hart Memorial Fund" in 1979 in the amount of $500,000. Earnings are used to promote Marian devotion and to preserve the beauty of the Shrine in perpetuity. And it was the leadership of the Knights which finally succeeded in having the words "under God" inserted in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag. Faith in the future is a distinctive mark of a vital organization. The Knights traditionally have manifested such a faith by trying to help mold and serve tomorrow's leaders. "Esto Dignus," "Be Worthy," is the motto of the Columbian Squires, official organization of the Knights of Columbus for young men between the ages of 12-18. The goals of the Squires are the spiritual, cultural, civic, social and physical improvement of its members and the development of leadership qualities. Each Squire is enjoined to take an active part in the administration and planning of his circle. The Order also has had a long-term interest in the scouting movement. The Knights' backing of Boy Scout troops dates back to 1923. Today more than a thousand Boy Scout units are sponsored by local councils. Knights also sponsor, support and give time to Little League baseball and football teams, the Catholic Youth Organization in various dioceses, Girl Scouts, Girl Guides, 4-H Clubs, Big Brothers, Babe Ruth or Pony League, Junior Soccer and Junior Hockey. Each year reports of the annual survey of fraternal activity conducted for the National Fraternal Congress of America reveal an impressive Knights of Columbus donation of time, money and energy. In the category of charitable or benevolent disbursements, including assistance to the sick, handicapped, disaster victims, hospitals and other institutions, civic and community projects, schools and libraries, the Knights contribute in the area of $30 million, including substantial amounts from the Supreme Council. Another $14 million is spent on activities, including some $2 million for work with young people. The Knights also average 650,000 visits to the sick, give 150,000 donations of blood, contribute 8 million man-hours of community service and 700,000 hours of labor for the sick or disabled. In a world where the golden rule - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" - sometimes becomes "Do unto others before they do unto you," the Knights of Columbus stands out as an organization that takes fraternity seriously. The dictionary defines fraternity as "the state or quality of being brothers." It also describes it as a "group of men joined together by common interests" or "a group of people with the same beliefs, interest, work." The Knights of Columbus form real fraternity in all three senses. As practical Catholics, Knights carry fraternity to the limits of love: unselfish service to their Church, country, community and council. Faith, fellowship, philanthropy. These are the distinguishing marks of the Knights. This brief record of some of their achievements shows that they have remained true to their heritage and that they have continued to build on it for future generations. If you are a practical Catholic man, 18 years of age or older, you can become a vital part of the Knights of Columbus and make your own unique contributions to the dream of Father McGivney.
If the Knights of Columbus have grown so steadily and strongly since their charter was granted by the State of Connecticut in 1882, much of the credit can go to the firm structural foundation on which the organization was established, and to the caliber of men attracted to its ranks. As a fraternal benefit society, the Order operates in accordance with the laws relating to such groups. These regulations require a representative form of government comprised of a supreme governing or legislative body and subordinate branches. Members are elected, initiated and admitted into the society according to the provisions of its constitution, laws and rules. Thus the society is governed by the Supreme Council, its top legislative body. There are 61 state councils and several territorial jurisdictions encompassing some 7,000 subordinate councils to which the more than 1.3 million members belong. Groups of councils, usually three or four in adjacent or nearby localities, are formed into districts. Groupings of councils may elect to form a chapter to coordinate activities on an areawide level. The Supreme Council is composed of the supreme officers (supreme knight, chaplain, deputy supreme knight, secretary, treasurer, advocate, physician and warden); the supreme directors (a 21-member body elected for three-year terms by the Supreme Council at its annual meeting); the past supreme knights; the state deputy and the last living past state deputy of the various state councils; and such delegates as are duly chosen by the state councils. Executive authority is vested in the supreme officers, who are elected annually by the supreme directors. The state councils are made up of the state deputy, who is the representative of the supreme knight in each state, and other state officers, the last living past state deputy, the grand knight and a past grand knight from each subordinate council. Charters establishing subordinate councils are granted upon completion of a roster of 30 members or applicants for membership. The presiding officer is the grand knight. Titles of other officers on both the state and local levels are similar to those on the supreme level, with some additions. In all there are 17 council officers, of whom 12 are elected to their positions annually. Five others are appointed by the grand knight, including a program director and membership director. These men in turn appoint and supervise various committees charged with council projects and membership recruitment and retention. A new Knight is encouraged to become active in his council by making himself available for membership on one or more of these committees. The council's financial secretary is appointed directly by the supreme knight. It is the responsibility of the program director and his church, community, council and youth directors to provide balanced, attractive and effective activities for the members. There is no doubt that participation in council projects and the experience gained in leadership positions stand a man in good stead throughout his life.
MEMBERSHIP in the Knights of Columbus is open to practical Catholic men in union with the Holy See, who shall not be less than 18 years of age on their last birthday. A practical Catholic is one who lives up to the Commandments of God and the Precepts of the Church. Application blanks are available from any member of the Knights of Columbus. Every Knight is happy to propose eligible Catholic men for consideration as members. In fact, one-to-one recruitment is the most successful method of attracting new members. Acceptance of the applicant depends upon a vote of the members of the subordinate council in which he is making application. All priests and religious brothers having duly made application for membership and participated in the ceremonials become honorary life members of the Order and are exempt from payment of dues. Application for membership must be made through the council in the community nearest the applicant's place of residence. Interested prospects without a permanent domicile, such as men temporarily away from home through duty in the armed forces, must make application through their home-town council. If favorably voted upon, the applicant becomes a member by initiation in what is known as the Admission Degree. He subsequently is advanced through the Formation Degree to the point in membership where he is entitled to wear the emblem of the Knights of Columbus by initiation in the Knighthood Degree. There are modest initiation fees and dues set by subordinate councils under regulations established by the Supreme Council. The insurance privileges are available to all members who can qualify, which represents an important advantage of membership. For men in every walk of life the name of the Knights of Columbus engenders the image of a united organization, efficiently going about its tasks of charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism and defense of the priesthood, composed of men who are giving unselfishly of their time and talents in the service of their God and their country. Membership in the Knights of Columbus provides the opportunity for wholesome association with congenial companions who are, first of all, practical Catholic gentlemen. It offers the opportunity for fellowship with those who are of the same belief, who recognize the same duty to God, to family and to neighbor and who stand side by side in defense of those beliefs. Programs are so organized as to appeal to the individual interest of the members. Through many constructive activities of Christian fraternity, members are enabled to render service to their Church, their country and their fellowman. Through membership they develop a consciousness of their ability to lead and to assist. Organized Columbianism, united behind the individual Knight of Columbus, provides the power of an intelligent, alert body of Catholic men - a strength which the individual by himself cannot achieve. Knights of Columbus have a proud heritage. The qualified Catholic man can share in that heritage and build for an even greater future by affiliating himself with this forceful, effective body. Guidelines, suggestions, training aids and other assistance are provided to the council leadership and membership to implement the special projects on the state and local levels. Although the programs are not mandatory, they do serve a specific need or offer a solution to a special problem and are accepted by most councils. A number of these programs is described throughout this booklet as an indication of the types made available from the Supreme Council. By no means is the list complete nor does it contain any reference to the variety of programs and projects conducted by local and state councils. The reputation enjoyed by the Knights of Columbus was built on what the councils have done and are doing.
Hundreds of thousands of members of the Knights of Columbus have answered the invitation to participate in the Order's fraternal insurance program. The Agency Department's motto, "Insurance for Brother Knights by Brother Knights," gives one insight into the program's success. Organized in a day when the loss of a family's breadwinner was a tragedy overcome only with great fortitude and sacrifice on the part of the survivors, today's program has achieved success because its product continues to be "a family affair." Members secure life insurance because they love their families. They recognize that, through precise planning with the Order's fraternal insurance counselors, they not only can provide for their loved ones in case of death, but also can build up a substantial estate for retirement years or to meet other needs. Consistently the amounts of money paid out in dividends to living members surpass the benefits provided to beneficiaries upon death of a certificate holder. The insurance-in-force has grown dramatically in recent years. The first billion took over 75 years to attain. The $2 billion plateau was achieved 11 years thereafter. The $3 billion level took less than four more years. The $4 billion mark was attained within slightly over two more years; $5 billion was reached in December 1979; and the current total, well beyond $6 billion, is growing constantly. The Agency Department has set a goal designed to bring the utmost in prompt, efficient service to every Knight and his family. Part of this goal is to assure that, by increasing manpower, one full-time, professionally trained field agent will be available for each 1,000 members. To achieve this the Order has reached the number of 113 General Agencies. However, a considerable number of field agents is needed. Any member interested in such a career opportunity may obtain information by contacting the general agent in his area. The Order offers a versatile portfolio of family-oriented insurance plans presented by a staff of competent, concerned professionals backed up by one of the most sophisticated computer systems now operating in the insurance field-thus the outstanding record of secure but dynamic growth and development. Yet the Order's program remains a family-atmosphere insurance "for Brother Knights by Brother Knights."
Personal commitment and direct involvement by the Knights of Columbus are the aims and purposes of the "Surge with Service" program developed by the Supreme Council staff. Adoption of the program on the state and local levels makes the Knights of Columbus a Catholic, family, fraternal and service organization. The Service Program is a revision and improvement of the famous Six Point Program utilized by the Knights in former years.
The Service Program is a program of action under the direction of two men selected by the grand knight as program and membership directors. These men then select others to perform the duties of Church, Community, Council, Family and Youth directors who appoint various committees to plan the projects and activities in the council. Following the guidelines and format designed by the Supreme Council Service Department, a local and state council immediately can put into operation many needed programs by proper use of the talents and abilities of the membership. Flexibility allows local or state selection of activities of interest to the members. Manuals and handbooks are sent to the men selected to serve in the position of directors. Their names are reported to the Supreme Office for a special mailing list so current and up-dated information can be sent to them for use in their councils. Eighteen times a year an issue of PS (Program Supplement) is mailed to each man. An informed and active membership is the goal of every council. The Service Program is one means to that end. A program director will provide the opportunity for activity and the membership director will oversee the work necessary for retention of membership and recruitment of new Knights. Awareness by the members of the beneficial features of the insurance program is a responsibility of the membership director in co-operation with the insurance representatives of the Supreme Council.
Annual programs pertaining to membership retention and recruitment have resulted in net gains in membership statistics. However more important than the numbers represented by the increases is the quality of the new Knights. More and more Catholic men now realize that they can become active and involved through membership in a local Knights of Columbus council.
To remain a viable force in the community and for the Church, the talents and abilities of the members must be utilized effectively. Ideas and suggestions can be put to good use only through efficient organization of manpower. Once organized, training must commence. From the Supreme Council comes the aids that are necessary to teach methods of operation to the members. The Charter, Constitution and Laws of the Order comes in booklet form and should be in the possession of every member. Handbooks and manuals for particular leaders are available. These include a manual for grand knights, a chaplain's manual, a "Surge with Service" manual which explains the Service Program operation, handbooks for the program director, the membership director, and the church, community, council and youth directors. Manuals for ceremonials work include one for the installation of council officers, initiation rituals and a manual for district deputies. Ceremonials manuals must be obtained directly from the Supreme Secretary's office. Films and filmstrips have been produced for training purposes and for instructing non-members concerning the Order's objectives and goals. The latest 16-mm color film, "The K of C Is You and Me," demonstrates the idealism which motivates the fraternal society and the practical activities open to the members. Filmstrips with sound have been produced and distributed throughout the Order on such topics as the district deputy, the Service Program and special membership campaigns. Others are on the planning boards. "Papal Audience 1979" captures a special private audience granted by His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the Supreme officers and directors in October1979 during his historic visit to the U.S. The Knights were the only organization so honored by the Holy Father.
The Knights of Columbus profile of pro-life work shows how Knights are striving to protect the lives of the innocent unborn. The Supreme Council has made annual grants of $50,000 to the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities and $15,000 to the Pro-Life Committee of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops over the last several years. The Knights have donated millions of pieces of literature to pro-life groups, and have provided office space and manpower support for Birthright, Right-to-Life and other agencies through state and local councils. Committees on the state and local levels coordinate members' efforts through ongoing programs, whether manning display booths at regional fairs, sponsoring speakers' nights or hosting baby showers for Birthright. The Supreme Office also has made available in quantity and without charge a supply of the pamphlet "Abortion: Questions and Answers," prepared by the Committee for Pro-Life Activities of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. The four-page booklet gives succinct information on crucial questions surrounding the abortion issue. In addition two anti-abortion billboards have been prepared for use in the community by local councils. The billboards carry an appeal to stop abortion coupled with the sponsoss name. As mentioned, Knights are a source of widespread support for Birthright and similar agencies which provide counseling, maternity care and other assistance required to help a woman persevere in her desire not to kill her infant. Individual councils also honor legislators, governors and other civic officials who take a pro-life stand; set up educational booths to stress the sanctity of human life at various fairs; sponsor essay contests for high-school students; promote respect-for-life proclamations; and organize special memorial Masses on Jan.22, the date of the heartless Supreme Court decision allowing abortions, in memory of the hundreds of thousands of unborn innocents killed each year. In another venture allied with the pro-life cause, the Order has underwritten the cost of special seminars for the Bishops of the United States and Canada in 1980 and again in 1981. Conducted by the Pope John XXIII Medical-Moral Research Center, these briefings and discussions center on life-death issues and the moral response necessary in view of constant advances in science and technology. One priority for the '80s, the "Decade of the Family," is to respond to the papal encyclical "Humanae Vitae" by promotion of methods of natural family planning which are safe, moral and as effective as immoral chemical and artificial means. The Order now underwrites the NFP offices of the U.S., Canadian and Mexican hierarchies.
To show the Order's concern about the ongoing decline in the number of candidates to the priesthood and religious life, the Supreme Council Vocations Committee was formed shortly after Supreme Knight Dechant took office in January 1977. Turning around this "vocation crisis," it was felt, was an urgent task best undertaken by an organization of Catholic families such as the Knights. In initial meetings, the committee expressed the belief that each person has a vocation-in fact, several vocations. Each person is called to be holy; he or she is called to a state in life whether married, religious or single; he or she is called to a career or profession. Brainstorming on this idea, the committee established several goals in relation to its efforts among the faithful:
The Supreme Council committee is responsible for programs on the national level and for assisting state council committees in their projects. Committees on the state level devise, organize and implement programs within the jurisdiction. Committees also have been formed on the district level with the district deputy as chairman. Chancellors of each council in the district also are members of this committee. They have been charged with promotion of vocations-oriented activities on the local level. To help those who may answer God's call, or already have, the Order's Student-Loan Program has been broadened in scope to make priests, nuns, seminarians, novices and postulants eligible for student loans, even if not affiliated with the Knights of Columbus. Under the terms of an Orderwide project, the Supreme office will reimburse $100 to councils for each $500 spent on an individual seminarian on his road to ordination. Awards for "moral support" will be presented to councils which offer personal affirmation and encouragement to a particular seminarian. The Vocations Program bears within it the promise of hope for generations to come.
The Catholic Information Service promotes four kinds of assistance to those seeking answers to questions about the Catholic religion: advertisements in large-circulation Sunday supplements of secular newspapers; free distribution of religious pamphlets to those answering the ads; a correspondence course on the basic beliefs of Catholics; and individual responses to those who seek confidential counsel. In April 1969, the board of directors voted to move the correspondence phase of the Catholic Advertising Program, which had operated in St. Louis, Mo., since 1948, to the new Supreme Office headquarters building in New Haven. Thus the full facilities of the various departments and the manpower in the Supreme Office are in a better position to contribute to the program. Plenty of time was given to effect the transfer so as to make the transition of the program as smooth as possible. The date of April 1,1971, was decided upon; and office space was designated on the 11th floor of the new building. On that date pamphlets were mailed, correspondence answered and other business transacted without losing a day in the operation of the service. A new name was approved by the board of directors, and this phase of the Catholic Advertising Program now can be reached by writing to: The Catholic Information Service It is funded by the Knights of Columbus Charities Inc., and by a semiannual membership assessment of 40~. Many of the pamphlets sent to respondents have been and are being revised continually. New art work has been developed and a completely new home-study course is being sent to those who request it. This course is somewhat different from other inquiry courses. It is an informal reading course. Ten pamphlets have been selected as the basic texts for the course. These cover, in a general way, the fundamental beliefs of Catholicism. Along with the texts (two sent with each mailing) comes a series of "optional choice" questions to reinforce the reader's knowledge of the material learned through reading the texts. The Catholic Advertising Program was founded, financed, promoted and has at all times been directed by the Knights of Columbus. It has a glorious history and continues to be most highly commended by bishops, priests and its beneficiaries, those who learn about the Faith. It is impossible to measure the full results of this great program since its inception in January of 1948. Impressive statistics showing over 6.8 million inquiries and more than 700,000 enrollments in the home study courses indicate the wide interest and popularity of the program. But neither these results nor the generous financial contributions made by the Order for its support can tell the whole story of its worth. How many were led to the Faith through reading the pamphlets and studying the courses never will be known. Nor can statistics ever measure how much prejudice and misunderstanding was overcome through the program's influence.
Not only are the Knights of Columbus concerned about young adults being able to attend college, as demonstrated through the scholarship and student-loan programs, but they have implemented a plan to allow Catholic young men to associate with others through membership in a Knights of Columbus council on their college campus. Membership in one of the approximately 50 college councils offers the student an opportunity to associate with fellow Catholics, to participate in an active campus organization and thereby accept positions of responsibility. It also enables him to become involved in the college and local community through the activities and projects sponsored by the council. A national conference of representatives meets annually to discuss the particular situation of college councils and makes recommendations for the growth and improvement of the college-council program. Members in college councils are encouraged to transfer their membership to the community council in which they locate after graduation. Their field of education and their experience as an active Knight on the college campus can be of substantial benefit to the local council into which they transfer.
Since their early days the Knights of Columbus have been actively concerned for the welfare of youth. The organization stands second to none in its commitment to and involvement with youths individually or collectively though organizations. "Partnership with Youth" is the theme that motivates ongoing programs in local and state councils. Boy Scout units, C.Y.O. sponsorship, C.C.D. training, Little Leagues, Big Brothers, 4-H Clubs and many others have been assisted financially and by manpower donated by the Knights. In the early 1 920s the Order decided to organize and sponsor its own youth program, known as Columbian Squires. This organization of Catholic young men can be sponsored only by Knights of Columbus councils and has as its purpose the training of its members in the art and techniques of leadership. It is literally the junior organization of the Knights. The program is highly structured and operates internationally. Opportunity to accept positions of leadership and responsibility is the major attraction to membership in the Squires program. During the past few years Columbian Squires have shown great interest in participating in projects that "bind" them together for one common purpose. Since 1975 the Squires' "Crusade against Poverty" and "Project Build" raised some $50,000 through the efforts and sacrifices of circles and individuals. The centennial of the Order will bring a special project for the Squires in honor of Father McGivney.
In 1944 the Knights of Columbus established its million-dollar Educational Trust Fund to provide a college education to the children of members who were killed or permanently and totally disabled in World War II. Later this benefit was extended to children of members who were killed or disabled in the Korean war, in Vietnam or in service with a United Nations peace-keeping force. In 1970 this privilege was developed further to include children of members of the Order who are killed or permanently and totally disabled as a result of criminal violence while functioning as law-enforcement officers and in 1971 to those who were killed or disabled as a result of criminal violence while performing their duties as fulltime firefighters. These scholarships include tuition, board and room, books, lab fees and other incidental expenses at the Catholic college of the student's choice. Under provisions of the Pro Deo and Pro Patria scholarship program, the Supreme Council annually awards $1,000-a-year scholarships on the basis of merit to 10 members or the sons or daughters of members in good standing or who were so at the time of their death. Five scholarships are for use at Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.; the rest may be used at a Catholic college of the recipient's choice. Two additional scholarships are available to Columbian Squires, one at the Catholic University, one at the Catholic college of the Squire's choice. Four merit scholarships paying up to $1,000 a year at Canadian colleges or universities are awarded annually to the members of Canadian councils or the sons and daughters of living or deceased members. Similar benefits are available to members in Mexico and the Philippines. The Supreme Council also has set up post-graduate fellowships at the Catholic University of America. The fellowships are open to lay men and women, both married and unmarried, and cover board, lodging and tuition. Maximum tenure is four years, with a course in American history a requisite. In 1973 the Supreme Council established the Bishop Charles P. Greco graduate fellowships for specialization in the field of teaching the mentally retarded. The $200,000 trust honors the Order's supreme chaplain for his pioneering work in the construction and maintenance of Catholic-oriented facilities for the retarded. The grant provides $500 a semester and is renewable for a maximum of four semesters. An eligible candidate must be a member of the Order or the son or daughter of a member in good standing. The candidate also must be engaged in or planning a full-time graduate study leading to a master's degree in the field of teaching the educationally handicapped with emphasis on the mentally retarded. With the purpose of improving performance in achieving the objectives of Catholic education, delegates to the 1980 Supreme Council established the million-dollar "Father Michael J. McGivney Fund for New Initiatives in Catholic Education." Earnings from the fund will support research projects of vital importance to the U.S. and Canada through the auspices of the National Catholic Education Association with the approval of the Board of Directors. These programs at the Supreme Council level combine with other projects on the state and local level to total a $3-million-a-year, orderwide commitment to students.
In 1971 the Order established a Knights of Columbus Student Loan Program which already has made a multimillion-dollar commitment to tens of thousands of young people seeking the opportunity to pursue a higher education. The program is funded by the Knights of Columbus and guaranteed by the U.S. Government. Under the program eligible students can apply for an annual loan for each full academic year continuing for as many as five years. Everyone eligible for a student loan qualifies for an interest subsidy during the in-school period. Depending on the rate at which the loan is granted, there also is a grace period after completion of studies before repayment begins. In the midst of the financial crisis faced by nonpublic schools, the Order made a grant in 1972 of $100,000 to Parents for Nonpublic Education, an association of Catholics formed to lend support to an interfaith organization called Citizens' Relief for Education by Income Tax (C.R.E.D.l.T.). The latter group is composed of Catholic, Protestant and Jewish leaders and representatives of nonpublic schools who are seeking to obtain relief through income tax credits for parents who are educating their children in these schools. In 1979, in a continuation of this effort, the Order decided to underwrite the annual budget in the amount of $167,000 of the United States Catholic Conference's Office for Educational Assistance, part of the USCO Department of Education, in its pursuit of legal tuition tax credits for the parents of children enrolled in non-public schools. While still a young organization, just beginning to expand across the continent, the Knights of Columbus presented a gift of $50,000 to endow a Chair of American History at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. In 1907, when a great need confronted Catholic University, the Order raised among its own members the then stupendous sum of $500,000 to endow scholarships there. Besides helping the university out of a difficult situation, this gift has enabled many young men and women to receive the benefits of higher education over the years through the resulting fellowship program. Following the close of the First World War, the Order expended more than $8 million in support of schools in various cities where 313,916 veterans received free training in academic, commercial, trade and technical fields. This fund also maintained scholarships at 41 college and universities leading to the degrees of bachelor of arts, bachelor of science and their equivalent for 403 veterans, of whom 284 were graduated. For five years after the First World War, the Order provided home-study courses without charge for veterans who were unable to attend evening schools. More than 125,000 were enrolled.
The Knights of Columbus won a notable victory for the American people, and especially for the children of generations to come, by its successful fight against the so-called Oregon School Law. It began in 1922, when a law proposed by initiative petition was enacted in Oregon which would prevent children from attending private and parochial schools. Responding to an appeal from Archbishop Alexander Christie of Portland, the Knights of Columbus provided $25,000 with which to carry a suit testing the constitutionality of the law to the Supreme Court of the United States. The court ruled that the law violated the rights of American citizens to educate their children in accordance with the dictates of their own conscience. It is due to that action that parents today are not interfered with in the operation of their private and parochial schools and in the rearing of their children in the manner in which they wish them to be raised. Similarly the Order responded in more recent times when a case arose in British Columbia that would place in jeopardy the rights of the hierarchy to conduct its schools in a manner consistent with its beliefs.
In 1920 the Knights of Columbus contributed $60,000 toward the erection of a gymnasium at the Catholic University of America. In the same year a gift of $35,000 was made to the Cardinal Mercier Fund for the restoration of Louvain University and its magnificent library in Belgium. The Order raised $1,500,000 in 1922 at the request of Pope Benedict XV to provide for the spiritual and recreational welfare of the children of Rome, Italy, through the establishment of seven playgrounds. The following year a gift of $38,000 was made to the Cardinal Gibbons Institute for the care and education of minority children in Maryland. For more than 30 years, a correspondence school was maintained by the Order providing instruction in 108 subjects for its widespread membership and their families. More than 45,000 took advantage of these benefits. In 1924 the Order, at its own expense, established at Notre Dame University a course in boy-guidance to develop trained leaders interested in the counseling of boys as a life work. For 15 years the Order provided 12 annual scholarships of two years each for students in the boy-guidance course. During that period the Order expended more than $400,000 in support of the program. It was discontinued only when this type of training and instruction was made available in schools throughout the country. More than 200 benefited from scholarships during this period.
In 1921 the Knights of Columbus organized a Historical Commission composed of respected educators to investigate and protect the United States from propaganda designed to undermine a feeling of American identity. As a result of this investigation, certain widely used history and other textbooks read in schools were eliminated or rewritten to remove matter misrepresenting historical facts or subverting American ideals. The Knights of Columbus Historical Commission conducted a prize competition for studies in American history. Many notable books on the subject were written as a result, including "Jay's Treaty," by Samuel Flagg Bemis; "The Monroe Doctrine," by Thomas H. Mahoney, and "The American States," by Allan Nevin. More than $60,000 were expended by the Order in carrying out the work of the Historical Commission. In 1939 the Knights of Columbus contributed $10,000 to the Golden Jubilee Fund of the Catholic University. Over $100,000 were contributed to the maintenance of the Catholic Radio Hour broadcasts from Washington and Toronto.
The incredible range of devastation throughout Europe during World War II underscored the possibility that at some future time the precincts of Vatican City might fall prey to aggressors. Destruction of the Vatican library, art collections and museum, the unrivaled depositories of the world's cultural treasures, would constitute a tragic loss to both present and future civilizations. In the spring of 1951, word was received by the Order that the Vatican would be receptive to suggestions about how such an eventuality could be avoided. The Order began consultations and on receiving approval initiated the monumental task of microfilm-mg Vatican documents which was to occupy the better part of eight years. Competent scholars first surveyed the manuscripts involved to estimate the probable cost of the project. Next a committee of world-renowned scholars was appointed to decide which documents should be microfilmed. This accomplished, a master list of all the material necessary for the microfilming on such a vast scale was compiled. By the spring of 1952 a completely equipped microfilm laboratory, second to none in the United States and Europe, had been set up at the Vatican and photographing had commenced. Under the supervision of personnel from St. Louis (Mo.) University, 815,000 feet of microfilm, representing 11 million pages of rare manuscript, were recorded. The total number of manuscript codices in microfilm copies is 30,500. The Knights of Columbus Vatican Film Library, as it now is designated, is located on the first floor of the Pius XII Memorial Library at St. Louis University. The true importance of this library to the universal scholastic community cannot be adequately described.
In 1977, Pope Paul VI requested help from the Order to make feasible a project of collecting films of the popes and 6f activities of the Holy See dating back to 1897 when Pope Leo XIII was first filmed. These films now are scattered throughout various public and private collections around the world. The Holy See hopes to obtain copies of these films and gather them in a special library in Rome. There the collection would be available to scholars and journalists as resource material for newscasts and documentaries. The Order has granted a sum of $10,000 to initiate a study on what films might be obtained for this central library.
Every member of the Knights of Columbus receives a monthly issue of the organization's magazine, COLUMBIA. Articles on a wide variety of subjects of interest to members and their families are published regularly. Projects and initiatives within the order's far-flung membership are described and illustrated in reports and pictures. The editorial page carries informed comment on matters of current interest. Elected and appointed leaders - officers and program directors - automatically are placed on a special mailing list when they are reported to the Supreme Office. They receive the monthly PS (Program Supplement), a publication of special interest to the officers and directors of the Service Program. It contains current ideas, suggestions and guidelines to assist the program and membership chairmen in the discharge of their duties. The SQUIRES NEWSLETTER is published monthly as a medium of exchanging ideas and information of use to Squires circles. CAMPUS KNIGHT appears four times a year and is aimed at members of college councils. Recognizing the need for Knights to become involved in the battle against pornography, a program of partnership with Morality in Media was launched in the late 1970's. Based in New York City, Morality in Media is perhaps the foremost organization engaged in combatting the spread of smut. State and local councils are encouraged to affiliate with Morality in Media by taking out organizational memberships. Thus the councils benefit from the expertise, information and services provided by Morality in Media while assisting that organization in its work through their participation. Following a resolution at the 1981 Supreme Council meeting the Order formulated the "Action for Responsible Television" project to involve the membership in promoting wholesome TV programming. The Order also assists Morality in Media by pledging support for an attorney who directs its National Obscenity Law Center, a clearinghouse of legal information for prosecutors engaged in enforcing anti-pornography statutes. Members in Canada and Mexico support similar groups in their own countries.
In 1920 Pope Benedict XV appealed to the Knights of Columbus to provide playgrounds for the needy children of Rome. Since that time the Order has established and maintained seven such playgrounds. On May 10,1959, Pope John XXI II visited the playground at St. Peter's Oratory and, after expressing gratitude to all who bestow kindnesses upon youth, noted particularly the "praiseworthy society of the Knights of Columbus" who made these playgrounds possible. In 1966, learning that the Vatican had expressed a wish to erect a Papal Audience Hall adjacent to St. Peter's Basilica, the Order conveyed the property upon which St. Peter's Oratory was located to the Holy See. The deed of gift for the land was executed and delivered on July 1st of that year. Visitors to Rome have no difficulty in identifying the remaining playgrounds marked by attractive modern signs showing they were founded by the Knights of Columbus.
On June 30,1966, two new 100-kilowatt short-wave transmitters donated respectively by the late Francis Cardinal Spellman and by the Knights of Columbus were dedicated at Vatican City and accepted personally by Pope Paul VI. The transmitters still are in use, bringing programs reflecting the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church to the four corners of the globe. Under the aegis of the Catholic Advertising Program, the Knights began a project in 1975 of televising the pope to the world. The programs utilize the four satellites placed in space by the International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium (INTEL-SAT) of which the Holy See is a member. The K. of C. pays the costs of beaming the programs to the satellites, and also part of the charges for capturing the signal by TV stations in mission lands.A minimum of three 90-minute programs are planned each year. These include the pope's Midnight Mass at Christmas, a series of Holy Week ceremonies; and one other outstanding event of interest to Catholics worldwide. In 1977, the canonization of St. John Neumann was broadcast to the United States. Had it not been for the intervention of the Knights, this historic ceremony in which the "little bishop of Philadelphia" became a saint might never have been seen live in the U.S. The funeral of Pope Paul VI, the Mass initiating the ministry of Pope John Paul I, his subsequent funeral and the initiation of Pope John Paul II's pontificate all were brought to a global audience of some half-billion persons under this program. In another initiative, the Order provided the $75,000 necessary for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops to film the entire journey of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the United States in October 1979. Beyond the goal of preserving these days for p05terity, various films edited from this footage are being used for purposes of evangelization. The Order also underwrote the cost of producing a film on His Holiness' trip to Poland. Delegates to the 1981 Supreme Council meeting unanimously approved the creation of a $10 million fund, the "Vicarius Christi" fund, for the personal charities of the Holy Father. Earnings of the fund will be presented annually to the Pope in perpetiuty.
Several jurisdictions conduct an annual "Pennies for Heaven" campaign in which spare cents are collected from members at all council meetings and activities and subsequently are totaled at the state convention. Proceeds are used to support vocations programs. Almost every jurisdiction conducts a fund-raising project with proceeds earmarked for the retarded, with the orderwide total approaching $10 million annually. The funds remain in the states and communities in which they were raised. For example Illinois surpassed the $800,000 mark; Michigan and Ohio approached the half-million dollar figure; New Jersey amassed $230,000; and Missouri collected $160,000. Other state councils achieved substantial amounts, and donations have been made both on the state and local council levels to agencies and institutions working with the retarded. An easy-to-learn technique that can save countless lives in emergency situations has been given widespread publicity-and practical application-by many councils. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) courses have been showcased by councils, with the help of the American Heart Association, to teach the technique to members and other interested citizens. Tens of thousands of boys and girls aged 11 through 14 take part annually in the Knights of Columbus International Free-Throw Contest. The project was initiated in 1974 when two state councils, North Dakota and Florida, agreed to participate in a pilot endeavor. In 1975 it was expanded to l0jurisdictions and in 1976 went orderwide. Engraved plaques are forwarded to the winners, who also receive prizes as they move through the council, district and state competitions. Each youngster who signs up to compete receives a certificate of participation. When it comes to community service, Knights are among those who have not forgotten a segment of the population often otherwise shamefully neglected: the elderly. Many councils have opened their homes and facilities to weekly programs for senior citizens. Meals, socials, card and bingo parties, dancing and arts and crafts are among the activities provided.
Our founder, Father Michael J. McGivney, realized that if the Order was to survive, it would need a firm foundation in the form of a strong constitution, with laws and by-laws. The prudence of Father McGivney proves itself as much in the growth of the Order to more than 1.3 million Brothers since 1882 as in the fact that the laws of the society have served it well for a hundred years. It should be recognized that, because of the very size of the Order, these laws are designed to cover any contingency that may arise. In actual fact, however, a goodly number of the regulations - especially as they pertain to expulsion and suspension -rarely, if ever, need be invoked. Our society is one of fraternity, and members generally conduct themselves as Catholic gentlemen and true Knights. However, it is the exception that requires the rule. An informed Knight will secure a copy of the "Charter, Constitution, Laws" for his own reference. Included herein, however, is a sampling of pertinent regulations with which Knights should be familiar. These are introductory in nature; for specific conditions, the appropriate section of the "Charter, Constitution, Laws" should be consulted. Qualifications For Membership Approval of Insurance Membership To Whom Presented Admission Committee Disposition of Application Application - Where Made Inspection of Ballot Amount of Fees Limited Vote of Associate Members Transfers to Insurance - Additional Insurance Council Funds Meeting Officers Election The Grand Knight, Deputy Grand Knight and Board of Trustees may annually select a priest to act as Chaplain, but such selection must be made in accordance with any rules established by the bishop of the diocese in which the council is located. The Grand Knight shall select annually a Lecturer. The Financial Secretary shall be appointed by the Supreme Knight. He shall hold office at the will of the Supreme Knight. He shall be compensated in a manner approved by the Board of Directors. Misconduct and Nonfeasance Ipso Facto Forfeiture - Members Failure to Remain a PracticaI Catholic Failure to Pay Contributions or Assessments Failure to Pay Dues Conviction of a Felony Special Consideration Granted If there be no living designated beneficiary to present such a petition to the Board of Directors, it may be presented by any person who would have been recognized as a proper beneficiary prior to the forfeiture. Such petition must state fully and explicitly all the reasons, if any, why it is thought that special consideration should be given to the case and what hardship, if any, would result from an absolute forfeiture of all rights to any possible benefits that might accrue under the insurance certificate. The decision of the committee and the reasons therefore shall be stated in writing and placed on file for the information of the Board of Directors. The petitioner shall be notified of the decision, but the reasons shall not be made known except by special direction of the Board of Directors. Effect of Suspension of Members (b) Any member who shall incur the penalty of explusion for any reason whatever, or who shall incur the penalty of forfeiture of membership for the reasons set forth in subdivision 6 of Section 168, shall never again be eligible to membership in the Order without the approval of the Board of Directors, upon petition and for cause shown. Right to Trial 1.In all cases specified by the laws and rules of the Order, as laid down for the government of councils and members where it is or shall be decreed that for any act done or omitted to be done by a member he shall ipso facto forfeit his membership. 2.In all cases, as by law provided, where members may be summarily suspended by the Board of Directors, Supreme Knight, or state, district or territorial deputies. Reinstatement of Insurance Restoration of Membership Sec. 217.1. Reinstatement. An associate member or a former insurance member who has no equity in a life or annuity insurance certificate, and whose recorded suspension has been for a period of less than three months may make application for reinstatement to his council upon payment of all dues and charges which he owed at the time of his suspension and such dues as he would have been liable for had he remained a member in good standing. No action by the council shall be necessary... 2.Readmission. An associate member or a former insurance member who has no equity in a life or annuity certificate and whose recorded suspension has been for a period of more than three months and less than seven years at the date of application, may make application for readmission to any council in the Order under like conditions as a new member upon payment of a fee not to exceed $7.50. Said applicant shall not be required to pay an initiation fee or to again take the degrees previously conferred on him. Said application shall be read by the Grand Knight at the first meeting following the date said application is received and the council shall proceed forthwith to ballot for the readmission of such applicant after said reading; and if a majority of those present and voting approve and accept the application, it shall be sent to the Supreme Secretary, otherwise said application shall be deemed denied and no further consideration shall be given the same for a period of six months. If readmission is made to applicant's former council and his arrearages are less than $7.50, he shall be readmitted for the actual amount of the arrearages ... 3.Reapplication. An associate member or a former insurance member who has no equity in a life or annuity certificate and whose recorded suspension has been for a period of more than seven years at the time of his application, may make application to any council in the Order under like conditions as a new member upon payment to the council to which application is made of a fee not to exceed $7.50 which shall be retained by said council. Said application shall be read by the Grand Knight at the first meeting following the date said application is received and the council shall proceed forthwith to ballot for the reapplication of such applicant after said reading and if the majority of those present and voting approve and accept the application, it shall be sent to the admission committee of the council and processed in the usual manner thereafter. The Admission Committee in this situation shall certify as to applicant's former membership with the assistance of the Supreme Secretary. Said applicant, after approval by the council and clearance by the Admission Committee, shall not be required to pay an initiation fee or to again take the degrees previously conferred on him. 4. Reactivation-Inactive Insurance Member. An inactive insurance member who has been suspended for nonpayment of dues or council charges but who holds a benefit certificate in force, may be reinstated to good standing by payment of all dues and other council charges (but not to exceed $5.00) which were owed at the time of the recorded suspension. Application shall be made to the Financial Secretary of the council where applicant's membership is recorded ... Right to Transfer Withdrawal Card After Withdrawal May Rejoin Membership Cards Liquors Prohibited at Meetings or Degree Work of Order
The road to Knighthood is one of ongoing preparation and constant study. Subjects of this study are the truths of the Catholic Faith and a knowledge of the Order. Our principles of charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism and defense of the priesthood are derived from the truths of religion and undergird our every activity. This little book offers a basic course in all a Knight needs to know to become a proud, informed member. It is fitting then that it also should contain a recapitulation of basic truths of that Faith so dear to all Knights. Thus it will serve a twofold purpose: of explaining to members and prospective members what the Order is and does; of providing a "refresher course," a tool of evangelization, for the practical Catholic.
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