Questions about Knights of Columbus

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EugeneCharles

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Hello guys! I have a question about Knights of Columbus. What kind of activities they are doing and what are their mission? What is their role in the Church? What are the requirements to be a part of it? Thank you very much!
 
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Around here, the K of C primarily
  • runs fundraisers such as fish fries and spaghetti dinners for their parishes and local Catholic schools
  • helps organize, and participates in ceremonies for, special religious events such as Right to Life prayer events, saints’ relic tours, and ceremonial Masses often involving a bishop
Their role in the Church was originally to provide life insurance for Catholic men, who couldn’t get this through other societies like the Masons (which Catholics couldn’t join). From there they evolved into being a fellowship and social service group for Catholic men.

For requirements to join, you’d be best off contacting your local chapter.
 
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K of C still has a top rated insurance program.
I am a member. Some chapters are more social than service, some are great at both. I think a Catholic org for men like K of C is sorely needed today and will be more so going forward.

Ours does a variety of Christian service work.
 
@goout @Tis_Bearself Thank you very much for very detailed answers! They are helpful. I will try to look for a chapter after some years.
 
You should not have far to look – The Knights are active in the Philippines.
 
Varies from council to council. Our local counsel is focused on raising funds for area charitable agencies.
 
Our KOC only do fundraising. My husband got involved hoping to meet Catholic men and build friendships, but they were constantly at him to participate in fundraising work. He has limited time because he works, has a family, my daughter and I both have cancer, and he didn’t have time to spare every single week. Our group is 95% older retired men who have tons of time. Younger men with families will join but never stay because the demands are high. The KOC counterpart is the Sweethearts of the Knights, which…bleh. All they do is bake cakes and cook food at KOC events. Ours definitely skews very, very old school.

They are all wonderful people and I really like so many members, but at this time in our lives we don’t have the time. And as important as fundraising is–and God bless those who do it–my husband and I do not have gifts in those areas.

Am I correct I’m remembering that you @EugeneCharles are a young man and don’t have any kids? If so, I’d say attend some meetings of your local group. This would be a great way to surround yourself with older, wiser men. It could be a great blessing to you. They’ll let you participate for awhile before you decide to join, so I say go for it. To be honest, it’s the older people at our parish that nurture and warm my heart. I miss a lot about ‘non pandemic times’ at Mass, but one of the biggest things is I miss my elders and their kindness and warmth. My 14yo daughter has mentioned this dozens of times over the last nine months–a teenager, missing the older people of our parish. She’s been especially worried about two widows in particular. I really miss them.

Farewell, @EugeneCharles. I hate that CAF are coming to an end. I did not always agree with you on matters, but I know that your heart is passionate for God and I know He will honour your quest for Truth and Knowledge.

Be well, EugeneCharles.
 
I’m a Knight. No one has ever pressured me, not at all, to work fundraising. Or any other activities. We are strongly prolife.

You choose the level of involvement. Some guys we see once a year, some are at the council a few times a week.
 
I have had cancer a long time and in October and November our 17yo nearly died from a brain stem tumour; a shunt provided temporary relief but we have to figure out how to extract the tumour without losing her. All of the Knights at our parish know this and our family has been traumatised and devastated by all of this. One of the head guys, who has the most knowledge of our situation, spent ten minutes trying to talk my husband into being grand knight whilst we’re barely holding it together and are terrified about how our girl may turn out. I was floored at the disconnect.

I get that each Knights group is different, but ours is like high pressure sales and many 30-50yo men have been turned off by this–the demands took so much time away from family that they just quit.
 
It doesn’t surprise me that somebody doesn’t understand your situation. Unless a person has been in your shoes, they can’t understand your life. Be glad they can’t understand your life because for them to do so would mean they have similar trials to you.

Perhaps, as a psychologist, you are very aware of everybody’s feelings, as well as your own, but many people do not think like you.
 
NevermoreLenore said:
Our KOC only do fundraising. My husband got involved hoping to meet Catholic men and build friendships, but they were constantly at him to participate in fundraising work. He has limited time because he works, has a family, my daughter and I both have cancer, and he didn’t have time to spare every single week. Our group is 95% older retired men who have tons of time. Younger men with families will join but never stay because the demands are high.
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Same here. My husband was disappointed. We think their original mission sounds really neat, but our parish’s group wasn’t a great fit for a busy dad in his 30’s. I hope your husband finds a better fit!
 
How compassionate, your post :roll_eyes: I find your words harsh. Of course I consider other perspectives.
Lara said:
Unless a person has been in your shoes, they can’t understand your life.
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It’s called empathy.
Lara said:
Be glad they can’t understand your life because for them to do so would mean they have similar trials to you.
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So, whilst in the midst of trying to save my daughter and make the right decisions concerning her brain tumour, dealing with my own worsening health, other traumas I won’t name here, and helping our other kids understand their angst of ‘why is God letting this all happen?’ I’m supposed to focus more on my joy that no one else I know is suffering is as much as us? Of course I’d want no one to suffer as we are and I know many more suffer worse than us.
Lara said:
Perhaps, as a psychologist, you are very aware of everybody’s feelings, as well as your own, but many people do not think like you.
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This is very condescending. Being a psychologist doesn’t remove my heart or pain or make me less human. My heart is crushed right now. I have children who need me and I have some re-emerging symptoms that indicate my pancreatic cancer is escalating. I have no family since my dad died…from the exact same tumour my girl has.

Do you have children? Have you seen them on the edge of death?

I know people mean well, but to pressure a man to participate in fundraising when he has a wife with cancer and a near-death child? Oblivious.

Not sure from where your animosity comes :woman_shrugging:t2:
 
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I actually believe that their methods are old school and worked well in previous generations. I think they need to adapt to today’s needs. All the knights I know are wonderful men and visiting the older couples and widows are one of the things our whole family misses during Covid times.
 
NevermoreLenore said:
My husband got involved hoping to meet Catholic men and build friendships, but they were constantly at him to participate in fundraising work.
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It’s just my opinion, but working together on a project is actually how men build friendships.
 
I agree, but men with a job and family have far less time to devote than retirees who can give several days/evenings per week. It just wasn’t a good fit. Maybe some day, but now isn’t the time.
 
Sorry, I don’t know your family or your parish, but I have never seen the Knights of Columbus as an all or nothing organization. Usually, they have a variety of programs and knights sign up for them based on interest and availability. We have many knights in my council whose only participation in the Knights is selling Christmas trees for a couple of hours each year - and we’re happy to have them.

For the record, I have a job and a family, and I spend several hours each week with the Knights. Yes, it sometimes is a strain, but I see it as a worthwhile sacrifice because being a Knight of Columbus helps make me a better Catholic, a better father and a better man.
 
MikeInVA said:
Sorry, I don’t know your family or your parish, but I have never seen the Knights of Columbus as an all or nothing organization.
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That’s fine! I’m saying that the feedback that the 30-50+yo men for our parish has been as I’ve stated consistently for years. There are only fundraising activities at my parish.
MikeInVA said:
For the record, I have a job and a family, and I spend several hours each week with the Knights. Yes, it sometimes is a strain, but I see it as a worthwhile sacrifice because being a Knight of Columbus helps make me a better Catholic, a better father and a better man.
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I appreciate that you can participate. Ideally, my husband would, too. With all due respect, time offered to a good cause wherein it ‘sometimes is a strain’ is different than working full time, taking care of a wife with cancer, and teenage kids, one of whom spent the majority of October and November in critical condition on the edge of death. My husband has a true servant’s heart and his family, the Domestic Church, is his first responsibility. He and I rarely commit to things because we would hate to have people counting on us and then I’m too sick to go or we’re spending yet another night in the ER. A couple hours for him is hard to pull off and therefore at this time in his life he is tending to the work God has given him as his role as leader of our family.

I don’t know why you and @Lara are so quick to judge my situation. I have deep respect for the men and women in our parish and we participate when we can. I know not everyone can understand fully another family’s struggles, but I don’t get why you and @Lara are chastising my perspective. You don’t understand me, nor I you, but this little thing called EMPATHY works wonders when people are suffering. I’m barely holding on with my broken body, poor spirit, and crushed heart and yet instead of empathising I’m getting ‘be happy others don’t suffer your issues’ and ‘a few hours is a strain but hey, I’ve pulled it off’ and ‘I’ve never known Knights to run like you’re describing so you’re wrong’. Thanks for the entertainment though; I’ve been reading this thread to my daughter and we’re having some laughs over the whole thing’.
 
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