About Our Council

Our Mission / Our Principles

Our Charter

Our Knights of Columbus Council was chartered at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Manchester, Missouri on March 22, 1984.  At that time, approximately 60 Catholic men received the charter from the Supreme Council in New Haven Connecticut, the birthplace of our founder Father Michael McGivney, and became members of the Marian Council 9522 Knights of Columbus.

Our Mission

The Knights of Columbus was established in 1882 to provide a means by which Catholic men could support the Catholic Church, provide financial protection to protect their families, and engage in works of charity to benefit the less fortunate. Today, its nearly 1.8 million members make up the largest Catholic lay organization in the world, its insurance program has $74 billion of life insurance in force, and last year Knights donated more than $150 million and volunteered 68 million hours of their time to charity. From helping children in need to providing wheelchairs for the physically disabled and support for the intellectually handicapped, from helping to stock food banks to offering top-rated and affordable life insurance to its members, the Knights has been at the service of the communities in which we live and the needy around the world for more than 133 years.

Our Principles

All the good works we do are informed by our four core principles: 

Charity - Our Catholic faith teaches us to “Love thy neighbor as thyself”.  Members of the Knights of Columbus show love for their neighbors by conducting food drives and donating the food to local soup kitchens and food pantries, by volunteering at Special Olympics, and by supporting, both spiritually and materially, mothers who choose life for their babies. Knights recognize that our mission, and our faith in God, compels us to action. There is no better way to experience love and compassion than by helping those in need, a call we answer every day.

Unity – None of us is as good as all of us. Members of the Knights of Columbus all know that – together – we can accomplish far more than any of us could individually. So we stick together…we support one another. That doesn’t mean that we always agree or that there is never a difference of opinion. It does mean that – as a Knight of Columbus – you can count on the support and encouragement of your brother Knights as you work to make life better in your parish and community.

Fraternity – The Venerable Michael J. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus, in large part, to provide assistance to the widows and children left behind when the family breadwinner died – often prematurely. The Order’s top-rated insurance program continues to do this today, as do individual Knights, who last year gave more than 10 million hours of their time to assist sick and/or disabled members and their families. In the Knights of Columbus, we watch out for and take care of one another.

Patriotism – Members of the Knights of Columbus, be they Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Cubans,Filipinos, Poles, or Dominicans, are patriotic citizens. We are proud of our devotion to God and country, and believe in standing up for both. Whether it’s in public or private, the Knights remind the world that Catholics support their God and Country.

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What We Have Done

What We Have Done

Our Brother Knights and Ladies Auxiliary profess a common faith and we work together as brothers and sisters to achieve God’s work. Since our inception we have provided an infusion of man and woman power to the Parish to help support annual functions such as Lenten Fish Fries, Sausage Supper, Parish Gala, Donut Sunday, and the Parish Carnival. Every month, dedicated members of the Knights and Ladies Auxiliary spend valuable time serving the needy at the Sisters of the Poor soup kitchen in the city. In addition to financially supporting the Parish, the Knights also provide support to those in need through unique activities and fund-raising programs such as:

• Our Council, Marian #9522 sponsored and constructed a memorial to unborn children that served as a prominent reminder to students at JFK High School. Archbishop Rigali dedicated the memorial. Recently, the Knights moved this memorial to our Parish grounds where again it serves as a constant reminder and symbol of the Right-to-Life of the unborn.
• Every January, we organize “Roses for Life” in the Parish, a petition that goes to Washington D.C. asking our Senators and Congressman to Respect Life and the rights of the unborn.
• Donated funds for the construction of the perpetual adoration chapel and purchased the portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe that resides in the chapel. The fourth degree honor guard participated in the dedication mass.
• We are well known for our annual Tootsie Roll Drive which benefits God’s special people that have developmental disabilities. Our council is consistently among the top contributors in the state. Cardinal Glennon Developmental Center and several local agencies are the beneficiaries of this worthy effort. In the last decade alone, we have raised over $150,000 in support of over 1,000 persons with a developmental disability, helping to enrich their lives through supporting the agencies that provide employment, living arrangements, health and well-being, and day social programs.
• In 1981, the Missouri Knights of Columbus established the first developmental Center in the region dedicated to children with specials needs. The Knights of Columbus Developmental Center grew from a small staff of 3 to a team of experts in developmental pediatrics, neurology, genetics, psychiatry, psychology, nurse practitioner, clinical nurses, speech-language pathology, OT, therapy, family resource specialist, our research team and support staff. The “Cardinal Glennon Developmental Center” was designated as a Missouri Center for Autism by the Department of Mental Health. Our efforts have contributed to the statewide development of best practices for screening and treatment guidelines for autism spectrum disorders. In May 2013, we moved into our new dedicated space at 3800 Park Avenue, right next to SSM Cardinal Glennon’s main hospital.
• We sponsor a portion of Sulphur Springs Road through the county Adopt-A-Highway clean-up program.
• Our annual Spring Plant Sale benefits the Missouri Special Olympics through our contest of concern program.
• In conjunction with our Councils, we sponsor and organized “Felice Coeur’s” which provides a monthly dance social for adults with developmental disabilities. Since its inception, attendance has reached over 15,000 guests over the years.
• Through our fund-raising activities, the Knights donated funds for the purchase of new tables for the school cafeteria.
• Every year, we hold the “Knights of Columbus annual Golf Tournament” which also has supported various agencies in need of funds to support children’s shelters, Challenger baseball, independent living for persons with disabilities, and other worthwhile causes.
• We also have the “Handy Helpers”, who help parishioners in need of help for repairs and small jobs at their homes, free of charge.
• Annually we organize a Soccer Challenge, Basketball Free Throw Challenge, and an Essay Contest at our parish school.

• We provided a scholarship through the Knights’ Mancusso Award.

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  We provided scholarship funds from the New Year’s Eve event.

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  We provided a Hot Dog lunch for the entire Vacation Bible School at the end of their session.

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  We provided funding for a St. Joe’s Eagle Scout project.

As a long-time parishioner recently stated, “the St. Joe’s Knights are our parish Men’s Club; they are always there when and where you need them!”

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