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What is there purpose? Is there a Byzantine K of C? I�ve been told by members that it is a secret society within the Church?

I used to be the Grand Knight of a Byzantine Knights of Columbus Council which unfortunately fizzled; now I am a member of what I believe is the only active Maronite Catholic Knights of Columbus Council.

We basically just do charitable things. It's not political or anything. Just a bunch of guys who hang out together and try to do good. No big secrets. Conspiracy theorists would find us boring.

In Christ,

anastasios

I am also a Knight. Nothing special. They are big into pro-life issues, as we all should be, and they support seminarians like me.

Peter

Dear Friends,

We have our Ukie Knights of Columbus - I turned down an offer to join, their plumed hats would make me sneeze . . .

They are regarded, in a number of our "Orthodox in communion with Rome" churches as a Latin thing whose uniforms clash with the Eastern church culture etc.

Our bishop-emeritus organized another group, the "Knights of the Holy Sepulchre" that was truly ecumenical and was/is open to both Catholics and Orthodox - even the EP signed the document of their foundation.

These Knights wore white mantles with red Crosses, very much like the Templars!

One problem with such "Knights" is that they recall the various western Knightly orders that sacked Constantinople, attacked Rus' in the time of St Alexander Nevsky (he showed 'em, didn't he? ) etc.

Alex

Dear Odo,

The K of C's in my parish are a good bunch. Their purpose is charity and service to the Church. They also have family and social functions. They are involved in Pro-life activities.

I've never heard of them as a secret society.

Paul

Dear Friends,

It is a fact that the Knights of Columbus were at first conceived as a "replacement" for the Masons after the latter were excommunicated in the 18th century.

Popes and others belonged to the Catholic Masons, the society honouring the Four Holy Crowned Ones, who were working masons and the society itself came from the Templars founded by St Bernard of Clairvaux.

The Knights were deemed to be secular defenders of the Pope and Catholicism, performing all manner of good works and promoting solid devotions.

Some of their symbolism is actually a carry-over from the Templars, including their Cross Pattee and the symbol of Christ the King, the Cross encircled near the base with the Crown - also symbols of contemporary Masonic Templar groups.

But groups such as Opus Dei are much more "secretive" than the K of C.

They are just not liked by our "High Byzantine" people and parishes as a Latin group.

Alex

3rd degree Knight here.

Columcille

Dear Columcille,

Did you have to go to "Knight School" to achieve that?

I mean giving the 'third degree' . . .

God bless!

Alex

[whisper]

Pssst, Paromer,

Our meetings are only open to members, ergo, we're a 'secret society'

[/whisper]

Vivat Jesu!

-Brendan (Troy Council KofC)

Dear Columcille:

Despite Alex's "dislike" of anything Latin, I hope that you will, someday, go to "Knight" school and earned the "Fourth Degree", if you are or become eligible.

AmdG

Dear Amado,

If you yourself had stayed a bit longer in school and/or had learned to read properly, you would see that I personally never said I didn't like anything "Latin" .

I said that there are people in our Church who don't like the K of C because of this reason.

The plumed hats are a bit much, but what the heck?

If it was up to me, even the Ruthenian Church would be made to have certain Latin features.

But what the heck?

Alex

Alex-

Actually, only the 4th degree members wear the plumed hats. Come join us and make your third degree. You never have to worry about putting on any headwear

Columcille

Dear Friends:

The late Father Michael McGivney, a son of Irish immigrants and Founder of the KofC, envisioned that the ". . . Order's primary objective was to dissuade Catholics from joining secret societies. . ."

Some of the more "visible" contributions of the KofC are:

(1) In 1954, the Knights of Columbus led the effort to officially include the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, a crusade that resulted in federal legislation signed by US President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

(2) In 1957, the Knights of Columbus donated a $1 million, 329-foot bell tower to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC—a tower that became known as "the Knights' Tower." The Order has since donated a 56-bell carillon to the Shrine and provided funding for its operation.

(3) At the request of Pope John Paul II, the Knights of Columbus financed the restoration of the facade of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City between 1985 and 1987 and funded the restoration of the ATRIUM of St. Peter's Basilica started in 1998 and finished on time for the Great Jubilee of the Catholic Church 2000 A.D.

Previously, the Knights' pro-life activities have been mentioned. But the KofC is, also, legendary in its Rosary Program whereby thousands of Rosaries, blessed by their Supreme Chaplain, are distributed monthly.

The KofC's apostolate is not as "secretive" as some have perceived.

AmdG

Dear Columcille,

I probably will join them or else the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre in future!

Mantles, capts, swords, medallions - are you kidding, I'm RIGHT THERE, Big Guy!

Alex

Another thing the Knights did was bail out the Archdiocese of Boston after the bank canceled its 15 million dollar line of credit. SO now the Knights own the Archdiocese of Boston.

Peter
2nd Degree