Service and charity are at the heart of the Knights of Columbus. Founded in 1882 to meet the real needs of immigrants and refugees living in the New Haven, Connecticut area who suffered from the loss of a breadwinner, at first it was a small local service organization. It has since then grown into a worldwide financial and charitable organization with over 1.9 million members. Its members share a desire to be better husbands, fathers, sons, neighbors, and role models who put charity and community first. The Knights offer programs, resources, and opportunities at an international level to live out and spread the Catholic faith. Check out the website kofc.org to see how deep and far-reaching their influence is.
The Knights of Columbus St. Patrick Parish Council 1765 reflects the spirit and goals of the larger organization but is a little more modest in their application. Their main goal is to assist the pastor in any way possible; next, to assist the parish; then to meet the needs of the community and the greater world. The Knights have had fundraisers, most notably the Fish Frys during Lent and the auction/meat raffles. The money has been used to improve the Parish center, to reward the musicians for their service, to make sure the altar servers have the fun of Adventureland, and to better the lives of orphans in Kenya. They have contributed to Feed the Pack and to the ministerial alliance who assists travelers and the poor with immediate needs. The local Knights have cooked and served breakfasts at Parish events. With their combined muscle and time, they have helped families move and gotten odd jobs done for the elderly. Service and charity are at the heart of the local Knights of Columbus. While most of the men of the parish are already members, there is always room for one more. Consider joining up.