Knights of Columbus in Canada and Around the World

First Canadian Knights of Columbus Council Formed in 1897

The first Knights of Columbus council in Canada was formed in Montreal in 1897. For more than a century, the Knights of Columbus has thrived in Canada, and today, there are more than 229,500 Canadian members in nearly 1,900 councils throughout Canada's 10 provinces. As Knights, members witness to their Catholic faith by serving the Church and engaging in volunteer service to those in need. In 2003, Knights in Canada donated more than $23 million to Church, community and youth charities, and more than 9 million hours of volunteer service.

The international headquarters of the Knights of Columbus is located in New Haven, Conn., a few blocks away from St. Mary 's Catholic Church, where the Order was founded by Father Michael J. McGivney in 1882. The organization has been truly international from its earliest years. Shortly after the first Canadian councils were established in 1897, the Order expanded to Mexico and the Philippines, where Knights are celebrating their 100th anniversaries in 2005. In all, there are nearly 1.7 million Knights of Columbus in Canada, the United States, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan.

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