The Order of the Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus and dedicated to the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. There are more than 1.7 million members in 14,000 councils, including nearly 200 on college campuses. Membership is limited to "practical Catholic" men who are at least 18 years old. Councils have been chartered in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, the Philippines, Guam, Saipan and most recently in Poland. All the Order's ceremonials and business meetings are restricted to members though all other events are open to the public. An oath not to reveal any details of the ceremonials except to an equally qualified Knight is required to ensure their impact and meaning for new members; an additional clause in the oath subordinates the vow to the swearer's legal and religious duties. Knights are known for their strong Catholicity and have been called the "strong right arm of the Church." In the 2005 fraternal year the Order gave $136 million directly to charity and performed over 63.2 million hours of voluntary service. (More...)
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