MEMBERSHIP II WORTHY GRAND KNIGHT, COUNCIL OFFICERS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU TODAY. I WELCOME ANY OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS MEMBERSHIP IN THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS AND THE MANY BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF OUR ORDER AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN 1882, THE VENERABLE MICHAEL MCGIVNEY, A YOUNG PRIEST AT ST. MARY'S CHURCH IN NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, CALLED TOGETHER A GROUP OF PARISHIONERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FORMING AN ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD UNITE AND EDUCATE MEN IN THEIR CATHOLIC FAITH, AND WOULD PROVIDE FOR THE WIDOW AND CHILDREN OF A DEPARTED MEMBER. HE FORESAW AN ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD STAND FIRMLY FOR THE CHURCH IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PRIESTS AND BISHOPS. HE DREAMED OF THE DAY WHEN CATHOLIC MEN WOULD BE KNOWN FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, NOT FOR THEIR RELIGIOUS OR ETHNIC BACKGROUND. FATHER MCGIVNEY S DREAM BECAME THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. FROM ITS HUMBLE BEGINNINGS IN THE BASEMENT OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH, THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HAS GROWN INTO
THE WORLD S LARGEST LAY CATHOLIC ORGANIZATION, WHILE REMAINING FAITHFUL TO THE IDEALS OF ITS FOUNDER. TODAY, MORE THAN 135 YEARS LATER, THE ORDER CONTINUES TO PROTECT FAMILIES BY PROVIDING SECURITY THROUGH OUR INSURANCE PROGRAM, WHICH TOTALS MORE THAN 109 BILLION DOLLARS OF INSURANCE IN FORCE. (OUR LOCAL INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVE IS WITH US TONIGHT). HE CAN DO A MUCH BETTER JOB OF EXPLAINING THESE BENEFITS THAN I CAN, AND IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO SERVE US AS BROTHER KNIGHTS. ALSO, WE CONTINUE TO UNITE OUR MEMBERS IN THE CATHOLIC FAITH. TODAY, THERE ARE OVER 1.9 MILLION MEMBERS IN MORE THAN 15,000 LOCAL COUNCILS, COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF THE ORDER: CHARITY, UNITY, FRATERNITY AND PATRIOTISM. I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST CATHOLIC, FAMILY, FRATERNAL, SERVICE ORGANIZATION. TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON THOSE FOUR WORDS - CATHOLIC, FAMILY, FRATERNAL AND SERVICE, AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO MEMBERS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.
AS FOR CATHOLIC, WE KNIGHTS ARE CONSIDERED THE STRONG RIGHT ARM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. OUR MEMBERS ARE COMMITTED TO ASSISTING LOCAL PARISHES AND PRIESTS. KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCILS SUPPORT SEMINARIANS HERE IN, BOTH FINANCIALLY AND WITH MUCH NEEDED MORAL SUPPORT; THE ORDER'S EVANGELIZATION PROGRAM HELPS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CATHOLIC FAITH. LOCALLY THE KNIGHTS SUPPORT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS BY RAISING FUNDS AS WELL AS TEACHING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES, MAKING NECESSARY REPAIRS TO SCHOOL FACILITIES AND TUTORING. WE ARE A FAMILY ORGANIZATION. WHILE MEMBERS OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ARE CATHOLIC MEN OVER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN, OUR SERVICE ACTIVITIES AND SOCIAL EVENTS HAVE ALWAYS ENCOMPASSED THE ENTIRE FAMILY. ACTIVITIES THAT INVOLVE OUR FAMILIES INCLUDE PARTIES DURING THE HOLIDAYS, FAMILY WEEK ACTIVITIES IN AUGUST, PRAYER PROGRAMS AND RETREATS. FAMILY SUPPORT OF SERVICE PROJECTS SUCH AS RAISING MONEY FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS IN NEED, OR SUPPORTING THE LOCAL
PARISH IS VITAL TO OUR SUCCESS. WE ARE A FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION. WE ARE A GROUP OF CATHOLIC MEN INDEED, CATHOLIC FAMILIES READY TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER, AND ENJOY THE CAMARADERIE THAT COMES WITH MEMBERSHIP. WITH OVER 15,000 COUNCILS IN PARISHES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, THE ORDER UNITES MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOES A GREAT DEAL OF GOOD FOR OUR CHURCH AND OUR COMMUNITIES. FINALLY, WE ARE A SERVICE ORGANIZATION. IN 2017, OUR MEMBERS DEVOTED MORE THAN 70 MILLION VOLUNTEER HOURS TO ASSISTING THE NEEDY OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION, THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ALSO GAVE OVER $175 MILLION TO THESE SAME CHARITIES MONIES THAT WERE RAISED AND DONATED LOCALLY BY OUR COUNCILS AND DISTRIBUTED IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE. WE WORK WITH LOCAL FOOD BANKS AND SOUP KITCHENS, COLLECTING FOOD AND PROVIDING MANPOWER TO AID THE LESS FORTUNATE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR DEDICATED CATHOLIC MEN AND THEIR FAMILIES. NEW MEMBERS PROVIDE THE
ENERGY AND FRESH IDEAS THAT WILL ALLOW THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND OUR DEDICATION AND SUPPORT TO OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITIES. TONIGHT WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US... AND BECOME PART OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS AND FOLOW OUR HOLY FATHER IN HELPING TO BUILD UP THE CHURCH.