 Fr. Michael J. McGivney |
The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal charity organization founded in 1882 by Fr. Michael J. McGivney (1852 – 1890) in New Haven, Connecticut. Fr. McGivney started the organization at a time when Catholic families were routinely experiencing discrimination. These Catholic men were turned down by other fraternal organizations and couldn’t get life insurance for their families and widows were often left penniless.
Father McGivney sought to improve this situation by taking care of widows and orphans, and by providing a means for Catholic men to get insurance. The insurance arm of the Knights now has over 100 billion dollars worth of insurance in force and continues to garner Best’s AAA Rating. This is the highest rating an insurance company can receive in the industry.
Today, the Knights of Columbus donate over $100,000,000 worldwide to various causes every year and volunteer millions of hours of labor through over 15,000 councils around the globe. Learn more about the Knights history and visit our Supreme Council’s site, www.kofc.org, which goes into great detail about our Order and Father Michael J. McGivney
QUALIFICATIONS
To join the Knights you must meet three qualifications:
1. Be a “practical” Catholic man, i.e. attend Mass on Sundays, practice the Sacraments.
2. Be in communion with the Holy See, i.e. be in agreement and good standing with the Catholic Church.
3. Be 18 years of age or older.
OUR TERRITORY
The Bishop O’Dowd Council #3474 territory covers five parish churches in the Diocese of San Jose:
Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Los Gatos, California, 95030
Saint Lucy Parish, Campbell, California, 95008
Saint Frances Cabrini Parish, San Jose, California, 95124
Church of the Transfiguration, San Jose, California, 95118
Saint Christopher Parish, San Jose, California, 95125
MEMBERSHIP FEES
Our annual dues are $42. Initiation fees for the First Degree Exemplification is $15. Annual dues are prorated for new members. If you cannot pay due to financial hardship yet want to be an active knight, the council will make special arrangements. If you happen to be disabled in some way, you may qualify for a dues waiver. Priests are exempt from membership dues.
BENEFITS
The Knights of Columbus are an International Catholic Fraternal Order that is recognized for improving lives of people in need locally and throughout the world. You will become part of a global organization, where you will be welcomed as a brother in any of 15,000 councils around the world.The Knights of Columbus at the Bishop O’Dowd Council #3474 bring together Catholic gentlemen from 5 DSJ Parish Churches. We encourage you to support our new and ongoing programs with other men who are doing good works in all of our parish communities.
Your membership also includes a subscription to the monthly Columbia magazine. You are also eligible for great insurance from the Knights of Columbus Insurance Company. Higher education scholarship programs are available to members, their spouses, and their children.
A Mass of Remembrance is said every day at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Connecticut (the birthplace of the Order) for deceased members and their wives. Widows of 3474 members may attend #3474 Council Socials without charge. When you’ve put in 25 years with the Knights and are 70-years-old or older, your annual dues are waived. Ask the council financial secretary for a list of other benefits.
“I WANT TO HELP, BUT I DON’T NEED THE INSURANCE.”
Some Knights take advantage of KofC life insurance and some do not. The insurance program is optional. As a member of the Knights, you do get an accidental death benefit simply for being a member. Accidental death benefits starts at $1,000 and increase $500 per year until it reaches $2,500. At about age 65 it decreases $500 per year until it settles back to $1,000 again.
If you want to look at the various insurance programs, contact our KofC general insurance field agency (gutierrezagencymail@kofc.org). The benefit for your family is security with great value? Knights of Columbus Insurance is a great insurance product and the program donates profits to great causes.
“THE KNIGHTS DO GREAT WORK, BUT I DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME TO VOLUNTEER.”
As a Knight, your rock bottom requirement is “keep your dues current.” We hope that, from time to time, you can help but we understand how busy life can be for some members.
Some members can only come to the monthly business meetings. Some members can only make our monthly social dinners.
You may have a special interest and some time to help other brother knights with charitable activities. Some members are hands-on with projects asked for by our parish pastors and communities. We promise you won’t get bored and you will not be disappointed.
We’ve had some Grand Knights (council leaders) who have had full-time jobs and are raising children too. They devoted their time and talents in managing our council while some of our members can only attend a couple of events a year. How much time you can give is completely up to you. You set your own participation level that is comfortable for you and your family.
“WON’T MY WIFE TO FEEL LEFT OUT?”
While only members can come to the business meetings, wives of members are an important part of the work our Order does. Wives are active with our monthly socials and participate in our charitable works, women groups and council activities.
“WHAT ARE THE DEGREES?”
There are four degrees (or levels of membership) in the Knights, each degree is associated with a virtue:
First Degree: Charity
Second Degree: Unity
Third Degree: Fraternity
Fourth Degree: Patriotism
Council Officers are required to be Third Degree members. The Third Degree is considered “Full Knighthood” in the Order. The Second and Third Degree exemplifications (initiation ceremonies) are offered in our area a few times a year.
Fourth Degree exemplifications have been traditionally offered twice a year, once in Southern California and once in Northern California. These Forth Degree exemplifications are attended by hundreds of people who show up to support and experience a beautiful Gala Event with their Assembly’s Fourth Degree Candidates.
To qualify for the Fourth Degree (the Patriotic Degree of the Order), you have to be a U. S. Citizen, and a Third Degree member in good standing with your council. Each Fourth Degree Assembly sponsors a Color Corps (ceremonial, uniformed group for special events).
“I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN NOW!”
Email us at: Knights@kofclosgatos3474.org
The First Degree Exemplification (our initiation ceremony) usually takes place every month in our area. And our council hosts a First Degree Exemplification as often as needed, so you could be a member within weeks.
“HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION”
You can e-mail us or call us. It is our pleasure to explain and answer questions you have. We are looking forward to inviting you to an opportunity to create new friendships.
Here are some videos we that give a sense of what you can find when you join the Knights of Columbus!
The Knights of Columbus
Review of 2017
