Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Knights of Columbus an official part of the Catholic Church?

No. It is an independent, non-canonical organization that nonetheless is completely supportive of the Church at the parish, diocesan, national and international levels. Many thousands of priests and bishops are members. We have always regarded ourselves as the “strong right arm of the Church,” and a major part of the Order’s work is devoted to supporting our parish priests, bishops, and the Pope in a wide variety of ways. Last year, we provided more than $17.6 million for church-related grants and programs, including $2.3 million for vocations support. Each year, the Order presents the Pope with earnings from our Vicarius Christi Fund for his personal charities. Last year, the earnings totaled $1.6 million.