Links of Interest

For the latest news, contact information and links to other councils in Western New York, visit the WNY Chapter's website!

History of the Founding of the K of C

An article in the February 8, 1882 edition of the New Haven Morning Journal and Courier mentions the first meeting of the Knights of Columbus that took place on February 6, 1882.

The Truth About Columbus

Christopher Columbus was a man ahead of his time whose vision and discovery changed the course of world history by connecting the peoples of the world for the first time.

On this linked website, we will separate the myths from the facts about Columbus and share many of the historical truths that too often are obscured or ignored as his detractors attempt to reinterpret the past.

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 500 YEARS LATER by SUPREME KNIGHT, CARL A. ANDERSON

The Knights of Columbus today [May 20, 2006] remembers the death of Christopher Columbus. It was Columbus who opened the Americas to Christianity, and we pause to remember why it is that we bear his name.

At the time of our Order's founding, anti-Catholic sentiment in the United States continued to marginalize Catholics and Catholic immigrants simply because of their faith.

As a result, in 1882, our founder, Father Michael J. McGivney, and our first Supreme Knight, James Mullen, chose the name Knights of Columbus because the explorer was a Catholic who was nonetheless universally regarded as a national hero.

By taking the name of Columbus, the Knights were able to remind the entire country of the Catholic roots of the New World, and to highlight the fact that faithful Catholics could also be good citizens, a fact that few would question today.

We ask God to grant eternal rest to Christopher Columbus, and take pride in the fact that in naming our organization for him, we helped to establish the now widely-accepted principle that every nation should always accept and honor the contributions of all its citizens, whatever their background, and wherever they come from.

THE ADMIRAL'S MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

A Knights of Columbus honor guard stands in front of the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain in Washington, D.C., during ceremonies on Columbus Day 2011.

Western New York Chapter K of C

The objectives of this Chapter are as follows:

(a) To serve as the service organization and the medium for the exchange of ideas and measures for the benefit of the Order and the Knights of Columbus councils in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York.

(b) To exemplify among its members the principles of the Order, namely, Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism.

(c) To provide help for eligible members of affiliated councils who require financial assistance on account of illness or accident.

(d) To promote Catholic Action and Catholic Education.

(e) To foster and promote recommended programs for Catholic Youth.