Knights of Columbus

Bishop Marrocco Council # 10283 - Wildfield (Brampton), Ontario

History of the KofC

The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by a 29-year-old parish priest, now-Blessed Michael J. McGivney, in the basement of the St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Connecticut. Today, more than a century later, the Knights of Columbus has become the largest lay organization in the Catholic Church.

The Order has been called "the strong right arm of the Church," and has been praised by popes, presidents and other world leaders, for support of the Church, programs of evangelization and Catholic education, civic involvement and aid to those in need. As recently as 1992, Mother Theresa of Calcutta praised the Knights in a speech on the occasion of her reception of the first Knights of Columbus Gaudium et Spes Award.

Thanks to the inspired work of Father McGivney -- as well as that of millions of other Knights over the past century -- the Knights of Columbus now stands at is pinnacle of membership, benefits and service. Currently, ther are over 1.6 million Knights of Columbus.