The Knights of Columbus are committed to helping those in need. For over 136 years our order has been committed to our principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. The Knights strive to help build strong families, parishes and communities. We are again setting new records for helping in all those areas. We are convinced that through our programs we can make a difference.
Do you believe that our religious freedoms are under attack?
- Our council sponsored a youth essay contest with the theme “The Importance of Religious Freedom”
- Pope Francis recently praised the organization’s charitable works and encouraged the Knights to continue to champion religious liberty and defend the integrity of marriage and the family.
Would you like to support Sacred Heart parish and academy activities which strengthen our families?
- Our council supported the Sacred Heart All Saints party
- Planned and supported the Corpus Christi procession
- Supported the academy March for Life trip to Washington DC
- Funded the recent altar boy appreciation party
Do you believe we should support local community pro-life organizations like Help Pregnancy Crisis Aid?
- Our annual Baby Bottle Boomerang collection brings in an average of over $2000 a year to support Help
- The Knights of Columbus have purchased 600 ultrasound machines across North America, including one at Help Pregnancy and over 30 across Michigan to support agencies who provide help to those considering an abortion
- Our Thank You Mom campaign identified the important role our mother’s played in our lives and collected over 3800 diapers and baby supplies for Help Pregnancy
Do you believe in supporting our clergy and seminarians discerning for the priesthood?
- Sponsored the recent Funding a Future Father dinner to raise funds for our Grand Rapids diocese seminarian Michael Goodwin
- Sponsored two seminarians in prior years who have recently been ordained
- Sponsored one seminarian who was recently ordained a deacon and will be ordained to the priesthood in June 2016
- Last year, financial help from 3,224 councils, assemblies and circles to future priests, sisters and brothers, exceeded $3.7 million
- Since 1981, the Order has provided more than $60 million in aid through RSVP, helping more than 91,600 men and women follow their vocations
- Michigan State Council of the Knights of Columbus have established 1.25 million dollar Fr. Michael J. McGiveny Chair of Life Ethics endowment at Sacred Heart Major Seminary located in Detroit
- Provided information and support to foster vocations in our parish and families
Do you believe we should support persecuted Christians in the Middle East?
- Our council sold solidarity crosses to help raise awareness and money to help refugees
- Knights of Columbus order has pledged over $3,000,000 from dues and insurance profits to help Middle East Christian refugees
- The Knights took the lead to get the US State department to label the persecution in the Middle East as genocide
Do you believe that it is important to help our intellectually challenged brothers and sisters?
- Our local council participates in the annual Mentally Impaired tootsie roll drive to raise funds for Michigan agencies who support the mentally impaired
- The order supported the recent Special Olympics World Games by donating over 1.4 million in funds to help US and Canadian athletes
Do you believe that we should help evangelize our families and those around us?
- Our council supplies and maintains the Saint Joseph’s CD rack in our parish
- Supported and organized the fourth annual Sacred Heart Christmas Market
- The Sacred Heart council sponsors the annual Keep Christ in Christmas card design contest
- Grand Rapids diocese councils, including Sacred Heart, sponsored Keep Christ in Christmas billboards
- Created the Fathers For Good web site to highlight the importance of a strong father figure who isn’t afraid to show his children the importance of faith in their lives
- Supported the Catholic Forum television show
- Provide monthly hot breakfasts to boys housed at the Holy Cross Haven
- Our council sponsored the Holy Family Images and Prayer Program
- Works to strengthen families with events like the Free Throw Championship competition and Soccer Challenge
Would you like to support the pope’s charities?
- The Knights of Columbus donated 1.6 million dollars to the pope’s Vicarius Christi Fund in 2015
- The Vicarius Christi Fund has an endowment of $20 million and has earned more than $34 million since its establishment in 1981 for the Pope’s personal charities
For their support for the Church and local communities, as well as for their philanthropic efforts, Pope John Paul II referred to the Order as a “strong right arm of the Church.” In 2014, the Knights gave over US$173 million directly to charity and performed over 71.5 million man-hours of voluntary service.
Please consider joining the Knights of Columbus and help us make a difference.