Guest Book

What do the Knights do?

The Supreme Council has published a list of various activities of the order. These activities are divided into four themes descriptive of the Order: Catholic, Family, Fraternal, and Service.

Catholic

• Supporting vocations through the Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP) and the million Knights of Columbus Vocations Scholarship Fund.
• Promoting evangelization through our Catholic advertising program and by assistance to the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). Providing a mobile TV production unit to the Vatican and funding satellite appliance for papal ceremonies.
• Establishing the million Vicarius Christi Fund, with earnings given to the Pope each year for his personal charities.
• Establishing a $1 million Fr. McGivney Memorial Fund for the development/enhancement of Catholic education in the U.S. and Canada.
• Sponsoring the Pope John XXIII Center's seminars on life-death issues for bishops of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and the Philippines.
• Underwriting the renovation of the fascade of St. Peter's Basilica and the statues of Sts. Peter and Paul in the square.
• Distributing special K of C rosaries at the rate of 10,000 monthly especially to new members.
• Subsidizing construction of the "Knights' Chapel" dedicated to Mary, Mother of the Church, at the new headquarters of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and providing help to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops through the Bishop de Laval Fund.
• Creating a million endowment for the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
• Funding the Order's response to Catholic issues in Canada and special Catholic projects through the Catholic Initiatives in Canada Fund.

Family

• Defending the innocent unborn by promoting legislation to secure their right to life.
• Establishing the Pope John Paul II Institute for the Study of Marriage and the Family in Washington, D.C.
• Involving the entire family in our local programs, from service projects to religious, social and recreational activities. We are 1.5 million dues-paying members with programs for and participation from the nearly 6 million members of our families.
• Providing the budget for the Natural Family Planning offices of U.S. and Canadian bishops and assisting the NFP office of Mexican bishops.
• Recognizing the need for strong Catholic families through our "Family of the Month" and "Family of the Year" programs on the local, state and international levels.
• Supporting the Archdiocese for Military Services in providing for the spiritual welfare of armed services personnel and their families around the globe.
• Awarding fellowships, scholarships and student loans for members and their families.

Fraternal

• Numbering 1.5 million dues-paying members in more than 9,000 councils throughout North and Central America the Philippines, the Caribbean area and Guam; having grown from humble roots in New Haven, Conn. where the Order was founded in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, a parish priest.
• Providing major renovation of St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Conn. birthplace of the and entombing there the remains of our founder.
• Sponsoring daily Mass at St. Mary's for deceased knights.
• Establishing rock-solid financial footing, with assets of nearly billion. and .8 billion worth of life insurance in force. 
• Providing leadership skills development to more than 20,000 young men who belong to 1,000 Columbian Squires circles, each sponsored by a K of C council or assembly.

Service

• Donating more than million to charitable causes (sick, disaster victims, disabled, civic and community projects) last year ( million since 1979) and volunteering more than 27 million manhours in community service to youth, hospitals, orphanages, handicapped individuals, retarded citizens, food banks (164 million manhours since 1979).
• Making more than 3.4 million visits to the sick and bereaved, donating well over million to churches, homes for the aged, orphanages and hospitals and providing more than 6.4 million hours of service to sick or disabled family members last year.
• Raising funds and donating time to help house, educate, employ and provide social opportunities for mentally and physically handicapped citizens.
• Working with local food banks and soup kitchens collecting food and providing manpower through "Operation Care and Share."
• Promoting patriotism. Nearly 220,000 Sir Knights in 1,847 assemblies participate in the Fourth Degree the patriotic arm of the Order, fostering responsible citizenship and love of country.
• Organizing educational, social, service and athletic programs for young people. Local councils and assemblies sponsor Columbian Squires circles, Scout troops programs to help teens deal with alcohol, drugs, suicide and other problems, as well as opportunities simply to have fun.
• Donating blood from over 300,000 donors last year alone.