Masonic Jewelry

The most important principle upheld by the Knights of Columbus is charity. In the 2009 fraternal year, the Order gave more than $151 million directly to charity and performed over 69 million hours of volunteer service. The Order has been instrumental in helping those in need, regardless of their faith. For instance, the Knights of Columbus donated 1,000 wheelchairs in April 2010 to the people of Haiti. A $1 million initiative was also launched to provide prosthetic limbs for the children of Haiti.

Over the past three decades the Order has donated over $382 million to charities supporting the mentally and physically disabled, particularly the Special Olympics. As members of the Order, my father and grandfather have put in a lot of man hours volunteering at Special Olympics events. It gives them a sense of pride to contribute to the betterment of their community. They wear their Knights of Columbus rings wherever they go, as a subtle way of advertising the good deeds of the Order, and to remind themselves of their commitment to charity.

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal order that has become known for its service work. As one might expect, the patron and namesake of the group is 15th century explorer Christopher Columbus. As a religious service organization, the Knights donate much and often to faith-based charities. One of the main purposes of the group is to foster good Catholic citizenship within the order.

The Knights were instrumental in lobbying for the words “under God” to be added to the Pledge of Allegiance, a change that was made in 1954. More recently, the Knights have been outspoken about social issues, generally adopting a conservative position. For example, many of them are outspoken about pro-life causes. Members of the organization often wear Knights of Columbus rings.

Most of us associate the word “fraternity” with beer drinking and toga parties, but for centuries fraternities have had a much greater significance. Long before the institution of the Greek System in colleges, fraternities have been organizations that are brought together under a common cause.

Fraternities are usually organized on religious or political grounds, such as the Catholic Knights of Columbus. This order is devoted to upholding the tenets of the faith, boasting more than 1.7 million members. Those in the order show their loyalty by donning the emblem on various items, such as Knights of Columbus rings.