In Service To One. In Service To All.
|
 |
|
Knights of Columbus
Santa Maria Council #4654
Vienna, Virginia
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
How to Join the Knights of Columbus
Are you a practicing Catholic male, at least 18 years of age, looking to enrich your spiritual life through the generosity
of charity, the strength of unity, the camaraderie of fraternity and the honor of patriotism? Look no further than the
Knights of Columbus. Click here to send us an email, or call our council at (703) 938-8670.
The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by a 29-year-old parish priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, in the
basement of St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Connecticut. Today, more than a century later, the Knights of
Columbus has become the largest lay organization in the Catholic Church.
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. As recently as 1992, Mother Teresa of Calcutta praised the Knights in a speech on the
occasion of her reception of the first Knights of Columbus Gaudium et Spes Award.
Thanks to the inspired work of Father McGivney - as well as that of millions of other Knights over the past century -
the Knights of Columbus now stands at its pinnacle of membership, benefits and service. Currently, there are over 1.6
million Knights of Columbus - more than ever before in our Order's history. Together with their families, the Knights
are nearly 6 million strong. In addition, from the first local council in New Haven, the Order has grown to more than
12,000 councils in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic,
Panama, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Spain. Each year, the Order continues this strong growth.
|
|
