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Growth of the Knights of Columbus

On Oct. 2, 1881, a small group of men met in the basement of St. Mary’s Church on Hillhouse Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut. Called together by their 29-year-old parish priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, these men formed a fraternal society that would one day become the world’s largest Catholic family fraternal service organization.

They sought strength in solidarity, and security through unity of purpose and devotion to a holy cause: they vowed to be defenders of their country, their families and their faith.

These men were bound together by the ideal of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the Americas, the one whose hand brought Christianity to the New World. Their efforts came to fruition with the incorporation of the Knights of Columbus on March 29, 1882.

They were Knights of Columbus.

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.

Father McGivney’s founding vision for the Order also included a life insurance program to provide for the widows and orphans of deceased members. The Order’s insurance program has expanded substantially to serve more effectively the Knights’ growing membership.

Year after year, the Knights of Columbus has earned the highest possible quality ratings for financial soundness from A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s. The Order provides the highest quality insurance, annuity and long-term care products to its members, along with many other fraternal benefits.

The Supreme Council is the governing body of the Knights of Columbus and is responsible for the development of the organization as a whole. Supreme Council duties include establishing the Order in new regions and setting up regional authorities, defining and advancing its values and goals, undertaking organization-wide initiatives, promoting awareness of the Knights’ mission worldwide, and protecting the families of members through its extensive insurance program. Members working in local, or subordinate councils, however, carry on the majority of the Knights’ beneficial work.

The Growth of St. Lawrence Council

On the eighteenth day of March, Nineteen Hundred Twenty Three, the St. Lawrence Council #2458 was chartered, in the city of Sayville in Suffolk County, State of New York. The Charter reads: Whereas, it having been made known to the Officers of the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus that a sufficient number of eligible men residing in the city of Sayville in Suffolk County - State of New York have duly petitioned that they be granted a charter and authorized to organize and maintain a Council of the Knights of Columbus within said Sayville and it appearing to be for the benefit of said Knights of Columbus, that their petition be granted: Therefore Be it Known that the duly authorized Officers of the Knights of Columbus by and with the consent of said Supreme Council hereby authorize and direct the following named gentleman to assemble and work as a regularly constituted Council of the Knights of Columbus to designated by the name St. Lawrence Council No. 2458.

The names as they appear on the original Charter the 84 members are Rev. George L. Gardner, Robert L. McIntryre, JNO. J. Hoek, Edw.Hincken, Edw. Fellerath, Wm. H. Whalen, Jos. F. Ocker, Rich’d J. Williams, Rich’D D. Webster, Harry H. Reynolds, Thos’ Concagh, Edw. Mussler, Arthur A. McNeill, Wm. St. Lawrence, Jacob DeRoo, Vern W. Doan, Anton J. Egger, Ernest C. Kaler, Jr., Albert J. Bruno, Leroy E. Arata, Frank C. Suda, Leonard Beebe Jr., Jos. P. Steigerwald, Clarence G. Sharp, Joseph H. Bott, Henry Sharp, William C. Griffin, Joseph J. Shaber, Peter Mottle, William Kaler, Edward L. Ocker, Francis Fellerath, Alfred R. Kopf, Justin Steigerwald, Anthony S. Romaine, Jno J. Griffin, Jno R. Woods, Jas Mullen, Jas. F. Donohue, George F. McPhillmy, Garrett Van Emmerick, Marinus De Roo, William Steigerwald, Frank C. Kalbac, Len herd Steigerwald, Joseph Kaschata, Jno. F. Winter, William Leach, William McCann, Jno. L.Sullivan, Jno. St. Lawrence, Thos. Geraghty, Wm. J. Crawford, Camile J. Van Thomme, Edward J Phillips, Jno. J. Costigan, Myron G. Spauling, Edmond Fellows, Joseph Nolan, Patk. Griffin, Jas. Costigan Jr., Jas. Costigan, Fredk C.W. Trinkwald, Nunzio Pisani, Jno. Corrigan, Jno. J. Winter, Alex. W. Maasch, Paul D. Gerety, Robert F. Gerety, Charles E. Pagels, Jno Brady, Juno F. Winter, Jno Mullen, Patk. Mullen, Will Leach, Jullian J. Leone, J. Chapman Rohdes, Mich’l More, Edward Zarembo, Allan Van Emmerick, Jno. J. Fitzgerald, Phillip H. Reynolds.

Third-century archdeacon of Rome, distributor of alms, and “keeper of the treasures of the church” in a time when Christianity was outlawed. On 6 August 258, by decree of Emperor Valerian, Pope Saint Sixtus II and six deacons were beheaded, leaving Lawrence as the ranking Church official in Rome.

While in prison awaiting execution Sixtus reassured Lawrence that he was not being left behind; they would be reunited in four days. Lawrence saw this time as an opportunity to disperse the material wealth of the church before the Roman authorities could lay their hands on it. On 10 August Lawrence was commanded to appear for his execution, and to bring along the treasure with which he had been entrusted by the pope. When he arrived, the archdeacon was accompanied by a multitude of Rome’s crippled, blind, sick, and indigent. He announced that these were the true treasures of the Church. Martyr.

Lawrence’s care for the poor, the ill, and the neglected have led to his patronage of them. His work to save the material wealth of the Church, including its documents, brought librarians and those in related fields to see him as a patron, and to ask for his intercession. And his incredible strength and courage when being grilled to death led to his patronage of cooks and those who work in or supply things to the kitchen. The meteor shower that follows the passage of the Swift-Tuttle comet was known in the middle ages as the “burning tears of Saint Lawrence” because they appear at the same time as Lawrence’s feast.