ASSEMBLY HISTORY
A History of our Assembly
Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Start
In 1882 the Knights of Columbus were formed in New Haven, Connecticut. The order grew rapidly and held a great convention in New York City in 1898. At the 1898 convention, it was proposed that there should be a Patriotic Branch of the knights to encourage patriotism and strengthen the faith. The new group would be identified with uniforms. The new designation was authorized and the first members of the Fourth Degree were exemplified in New York in 1900. They chose the uniform that is still in use today by the Color Corps of the Fourth Degree.
One of the first councils in the American Midwest was Joliet Council 382, which was formed in November, 1898 when the order was only sixteen years old. The Joliet council was very successful and had a membership of 1171 in 1958.
In 1945, Joliet Council 382 established a local assembly of Fourth Degree knights. The local assembly was part of the council but had its own officers, headed by a President. The Joliet local assembly grew and began accepting members from other councils such as Naperville.
The Diocese of Joliet was created in 1948 but the Knights of Columbus organization remained part of the Archdiocese of Chicago for many purposes. In 1958, John Kelch, President of the Local Joliet Assembly was awarded the title Faithful Navigator. The first exemplification of new fourth degree knights in the Joliet Diocese took place on May 3, 1959 in the former Woodruff Hotel in Joliet.
Joliet Assembly 0204 Started
Joliet Assembly 0204 of the Fourth Degree was established on August 16, 1960. The Assembly kept the name Joliet. Member councils were: Council 382, Joliet; Council 1176, Lockport; Council 1599, Lemont; Council 2601, Wheaton; Council 4053, Hinsdale and Council 4400, Joliet. The new Assembly flourished.
Since 1960 the member councils of the Joliet Assembly have changed greatly. Many of the present member councils did not exist when the Assembly was formed since growth of the Chicago area has greatly increased K of C membership.
In 2010, a new Assembly was formed in Plainfield from councils that were members of the Joliet Assembly. Bishop Roger Kaffer Assembly 3232 was formed with Council 5573, Plainfield; Council 10944, Romeoville; Council 12882, Minooka and Council 14283, Joliet as members.
At the fiftieth anniversary of Assembly 0204 in 2010, the member councils of the Joliet Assembly were: Council 382, Joliet; Council 845, Morris; Council 1176, Lockport; Council 1599, Lemont; Council 4400, Joliet; Council 6993, Mokena; Council 10926, New Lenox; Council 11149, Wilmington; Council 12014, Joliet; Council 12863, Channahon; and Council 15022, Homer Glen.
In 2011 Council 10637, Joliet was reactivated and joined the Joliet Assembly.
The great work of our order goes on!
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