The Knights of Columbus is a global Catholic fraternal service order founded by Blessed Michael J. McGivney. Membership is limited to practicing Catholic men. It is led by Patrick E. Kelly, the order's 14th Supreme Knight.
Michael Joseph McGivney was an American Catholic priest based in New Haven, Connecticut. He founded the Knights of Columbus at a local parish to serve as a mutual aid and insurance organization, particularly for immigrants and their families. It developed through the 20th century as the world's largest Catholic fraternal organization.
The Cristero War, also known as the Cristero Rebellion or La cristiada, was a widespread struggle in central and western Mexico from 3 August 1926 to 21 June 1929 in response to the implementation of secularist and anticlerical articles of the 1917 Constitution. The rebellion was instigated as a response to an executive decree by Mexican President Plutarco Elías Calles to strictly enforce Article 130 of the Constitution, a decision known as the Calles Law. Calles sought to limit the power of the Catholic Church in Mexico, its affiliated organizations and to suppress popular religiosity.
Peter Maurin was a French Catholic social activist, theologian, and De La Salle Brother who founded the Catholic Worker Movement in 1933 with Dorothy Day.
The Columbian Squires is an international youth fraternity run by the Knights of Columbus for Catholic boys between the ages of 10 and 18. Its stated mission is "to develop young men as leaders who understand their Catholic religion, who have a strong commitment to the Church and who are ready, willing and capable of patterning their lives after the Youth Christ."
William Edward Lori is an American prelate of the Catholic Church who has served as the 16th archbishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in Maryland since 2012.
Count Edward Leo Hearn was the fifth Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from April 1, 1899, to August 31, 1909.
James Terrance Mullen was the first Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from March 29, 1882 to May 17, 1886. He also served in the New Haven, Connecticut police and Fire Departments, and as an alderman. With his service in the Union Army and in several fraternal orders, he has been described as "veteran of fraternity."
A Catholic lay association, also referred to as Catholic Congress, is an association of lay Catholics aiming to discuss certain political or social issues from a Catholic perspective.
Brother Barnabas McDonald , was a Brother of the Christian Schools involved with youth work, especially among delinquents and orphans in the United States. He is remembered as founder of the Columbian Squires of the Knights of Columbus and as a driving force in establishing the early relationship between the Boy Scouts of America and the American Catholic Church.
Mateo Correa Magallanes was a Knight of Columbus, of Council 2140.
The Scapular of St. Dominic is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular. This scapular was approved by Pope Pius X in 1903.
Francis Joseph Kane is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. Kane served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois from 2003 to 2018.
The history of the Knights of Columbus and Catholic University of America is one of "a close and supportive relationship" that dates back almost to the founding of the university. David M. O'Connell, then-president of CUA, has said, "It is difficult to speak about the progress of The Catholic University of America throughout its long history without, at the same time and in the same breath, mentioning the Knights of Columbus. So much of what CUA is today is the result of the generosity and support of the Knights of Columbus." The fourth rector of the University, Monsignor Thomas J. Shahan, congratulated the Order for having founded a "Knights of Columbus College" after a particularly large donation saved the University after a rocky financial period.
Brendan John Cahill is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Victoria in Texas since 2015.
The history of the Knights of Columbus begins with its founding in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney at St. Mary's Parish in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. The Knights of Columbus was initially a mutual benefit society for a membership of practicing male Catholics. Today, it advocates for Catholic causes and provides a range of philanthropic and support services to Catholic institutions worldwide. It is also one of the world's largest insurance companies and operates the shrine to Pope John Paul II in Washington, D.C.
The political activity of the Knights of Columbus deals with the involvement of the fraternal order in efforts to influence public policy.
The charitable activities of the Knights of Columbus include the time and money which are donated to charitable causes by the Supreme, state, and local councils of the Order of the Knights of Columbus. Charity is the foremost principle of the Knights of Columbus. At its 2019 convention, the supreme knight reported the Knights had donated $185 million and 76 million volunteer hours to charitable projects the previous year.
Monsignor Charles Alphonsus "Zip" Finn was a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston. At the time of his death, he was the oldest priest in the United States, the oldest alumnus of Boston College, and the Pontifical North American College, and the oldest Knight of Columbus.
Gerardo Joseph Colacicco is an American Catholic prelate who has served as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of New York since 2019. He serves as the episcopal vicar for the northern counties of the archdiocese.
