About Camarillo Knights of Columbus 5272
Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal organization founded by Fr. Michael J. McGivney in 1882 has served the Church and its parishes and communities for 130 years!
Today it is the world’s largest Catholic men’s organization dedicated to upholding the teachings of the Catholic Church, helping people in need and fostering a bond between members.
As a Knight, men 18+ have the opportunity to strengthen our parish, give back to the community, and grow in faith. Joining our local council doesn’t mean sacrificing quality time with your family; volunteering an hour here or there with your family can make a real difference.
Our local Knights of Columbus Council #5272 is made up of men from the Camarillo parishes of St. Mary Magdalen and Padre Serra. They coordinate and carry out fundraising and social events to support a variety of charitable causes and Catholic education.
About the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus History
Founded by Father Michael J. McGivney in 1882 in New Haven, Connecticut, the Knights of Columbus has grown to a worldwide Catholic fraternal brotherhood of more than 14,000 councils and 1.8 million members.
Every member of the Knights of Columbus plays a part in improving the world around them, one community at a time. Knights stand together in faith, dedicated to uphold the principles they cherish while lending their support and strength to parish, home and fellow Knights.
From charity for worldwide causes, to helping closer to home with volunteer activities, to a top-rated insurance program, the Knights makes the most of its brotherhood.
Early History
Late-19th century Connecticut was marked by the growing fraternal benefit societies, anti-Catholic prejudice and dangerous factory working conditions that left many families fatherless. Recognizing a need in his community, Father Michael J. McGivney, the 29-year-old assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Conn., gathered a group of men at his parish on Oct. 2, 1881. He proposed establishing a lay organization to prevent Catholic men from entering secret societies antithetical to Church teaching, uniting Catholic men and helping families of deceased members.
To demonstrate their loyalty to their country as well as their faith, these men took Christopher Columbus — recognized as a Catholic and celebrated as the discoverer of America – as their patron. The Knights of Columbus elected officers in February 1882 and assumed corporate status on March 29.
In addition to the Order’s benefits, Catholic men were drawn to the Knights because of its emphasis on serving one’s Church, community and family with virtue. Fraternity and patriotism were added to the Knights’ founding principles of charity and unity in 1885 and 1900, respectively.
1882: The Knights of Columbus is born on Feb. 6, 1882, when the first members choose Columbus as their patron. Immediately after the Order’s March 29 incorporation, Father McGivney sends a diocesan-wide appeal for new members to priests.
1886: By the end of his four-year term as supreme knight, James T. Mullen presides at the institution of 22 of the first 38 councils. John J. Phelan is elected and is the first supreme knight to see the Order’s future as a national society.
1895: The Vatican’s first acknowledgment of the Knights comes when Archbishop Francesco Satolli, apostolic delegate to the United States, writes a letter extolling the “merits of this splendid Catholic organization” and giving the Order his apostolic blessing.
Learn more about Knights of Columbus history at https://www.kofc.org/en/who-we-are/our-history/index.html