St. Joseph's Parish

Knights of Columbus

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 Knights of Columbus Council 4697

Thanks to the efforts of Father Michael J. McGivney, assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven and some of his parishioners, the Connecticut state legislature on March 29, 1882, officially chartered the Knights of Columbus as a fraternal benefit society. The Order is still true to its founding principles of charity, unity and fraternity.


The Knights  was formed to render financial aid to members and their families. Mutual aid and assistance are offered to sick, disabled and needy members and their families. Social and intellectual fellowship is promoted among members and their families through educational, charitable, religious, social welfare, war relief and public relief works.

The history of the Order shows how the foresight of Father Michael J. McGivney, whose cause for sainthood is being investigated by the Vatican, brought about what has become the world's foremost Catholic fraternal benefit society. The Order has helped families obtain economic security and stability through its life insurance, annuity and long-term care programs, and has contributed time and energy worldwide to service in communities.

The Knights of Columbus has grown from several members in one council to more than 13,000 councils and 1.7 million members throughout the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan.

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Knights of Columbus Sets Record for Charitable Giving, Volunteer Service

  • Written by Knight of Columbus

New Haven, CT - June 6, 2008 - The Knights of Columbus announced today that it set new all-time records for charitable giving and volunteer service hours in 2007. Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson released the results of the survey in a speech to state deputies and members of the board of directors in New Haven, Connecticut.

The results of the Order's Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity for the year ending December 31, 2007 show that total contributions to charity at all levels reached $144,911,781 - exceeding the previous year's total by more $1 million. The figure includes $31,235,220 donated by the Supreme Council, and $113,676,561 in charitable donations from state and local councils, Fourth Degree assemblies, and squire circles.

The survey also shows that the reported number of volunteer hours by Knights for charitable causes grew to 68,695,768 hours, up more than 400,000 hours from 2005. There were 393,030 Knights of Columbus blood donors during the year, and Knights made more than 5.5 million visits to the sick and bereaved.

Cumulative figures show that during the past decade, the Knights of Columbus has donated nearly $1.28 billion to charity, and provided in excess of 612 million hours of volunteer service in support of charitable causes.

The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest lay Catholic organization, with more than 1.75 million members in the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Central America, and Poland.

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Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll Drive

  • Written by Denise Cook

The Knights of Columbus of Jackson County had their Tootsie Roll drive the weekend of April 25th.  This included the churches of Immaculate Conception of Alma Center, St. Joseph’s of Fairview, St. Kevin’s of Melrose and St. Joseph’s of Black River Falls.   They took donations at Wal-mart, Kwik Trip and Burnstad’s in BRF with the help of five students from St. Joseph in Black River Falls that are to be confirmed on May 14, 2008.  Hannah Ripp, Tyler Roskos, Lizzy Cook, Brian Smetana and Seth Windsor braved the cold to help with this yearly project.  This helped them fulfill hours of service needed before Confirmation.  Charles Casper, a student from Alma Center also volunteered some time along side his dad. 

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