Introduction

Throughout much of the nineteenth century Catholics found themselves in the position of a more or less persecuted minority, for the spirit of Nativism long survived the demise of its political party. The tension was particularly noticeable in New England where the Irish were settling in growing numbers. As a consequence Catholics began to search for some means of offsetting the social disability thrust upon them. One means was organization, and Catholics everywhere organized, usually in local societies, for purposes of charity, spiritual and social activity, and mutual benefit. By the last quarter of the century there was a strong trend toward unifying these efforts on a national basis. Men joined national mutual benefit societies, such as the Irish Catholic Benevolent Union, or local parish benefit societies joined state and national federations. But these were to be superseded by a national Catholic fraternal and insurance organization that offered more than the limited advantages of its predecessors.

This organization grew out of what started as a local society in New Haven, Conn. There, after some preliminaries, a group of men met with Reverend Michael Joseph McGivney, assistant pastor of St. Mary's Church, on January 16, 1882. At first they considered starting a branch of an already existing benefit society, but deeming its advantages too limited, they decided to start an organization of their own. In subsequent meetings they adopted the per capita scheme of insurance then in vogue, and chose as a name for their society, The Knights of Columbus. They secured their charter of incorporation from the state of Connecticut on March 29, 1882. They elected their first officers and labored with much care in writing their constitution. The cardinal principles of the Order: Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism, were indelibly impressed upon the members through the use of an appropriate ritual.

The per capita insurance system was found to be inequitable, unscientific, and certain in time to lead to financial difficulty. In 1901, under the guidance of a professional actuary, the entire system was changed to a scientific assessment system.

The Knights of Columbus grew rapidly in and around New Haven, but at first there was no attempt to make it a national organization. Its first growth depended on new groups of Catholic men learning of the society from friends who were members. In 1892 it was still limited to Connecticut and Rhode Island. At the same time there was some opposition to the organization. In some quarters it was viewed with the skepticism accorded any innovation, while in others it suffered from the suspicion aroused by a secret ritual, even though the ritual was secret only by pledge and was always open to ecclesiastical authority. The blessing of the local bishop no longer sufficed and consequently the approval given by Archbishop Satolli, Apostolic Delegate to the United States, was of great importance.

By 1895 there were councils throughout New England and in New York. In the following year Chicago received a council. By 1900 the society changed its policy and set out to organize a council in each state to serve as a nucleus around which other councils could grow. This was accomplished by 1904 and after that date the councils simply multiplied. This, in brief, is the story of the origin of this outstanding society of Catholic laymen.