About us

 

Father Michael J. McGivney

On March 29, 1882, the Connecticut state legislature officially chartered the Knights of Columbus, a fraternal benefit society founded by Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney with a group of parishioners in the basement of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven. Still true to its founding principles of charity, unity, and fraternity 128 years later, the Knights of Columbus has grown to the largest lay Catholic organization in the world with more than 1.8 million members. The world –wide organization has also contributed billions of dollars and millions of hours of volunteer service to charity. No other Catholic men’s organization has been in existence that long or has been dedicated to the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. You can learn more about the history of the KOC at the Supreme Council website of www.kofc.org.