Our Fraternity

The Knights of Columbus offers members unique benefits and a global brotherhood more than 2 million strong.

Find Your Brothers

No man is meant to go it alone.

But sometimes, that’s exactly how Catholic men find themselves. Without the right network of friends, without the right models of faith and virtue to look up to, we struggle silently in our work lives, our faith lives, and even our homes.

We need brotherhood — a brotherhood that pushes us to be better men, better husbands, better fathers.

In 1882, when Father Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus, and it’s just as true today. Come and see what brotherhood with the Knights can offer you.

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Quick Facts

Get to Know Our Brotherhood

When you become a Knight, you’re joining a global fraternity. Knights of Columbus is the world’s premier lay Catholic men’s organization, with 2+ million brothers in 17 countries. Members get access to:

Christ-centered brotherhood, especially in our fastest-growing initiative, Cor
Chances to put your faith into action, shoulder-to-shoulder with other service-oriented men
Faith formation and brothers for the spiritual journey, no matter your starting point
Exclusive fraternal benefits that help financially protect your family

Want to know more? Visit our About Membership page.

About Membership

Carrying the flags of their country, the Vatican and the Order, Knights in France embark on an 8-mile walk across the shallow bay between the Normandy coast and Mont Saint-Michel, home to the Catholic abbey of the same name.

Fraternal Benefits

What Do the Knights Offer?

If you’re looking for deeper community and chances to grow in faith, you’ll find it with the Knights.

As a fraternal benefits organization founded on the premise of mutual aid for Catholic men and their families, we also offer tangible benefits to every member:

Member/Spouse Accidental Death Benefit, a minimum $1,500 benefit
Access to our top-rated portfolio of life insurance products
Free subscription to Columbia, our award-winning magazine
And more

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Insurance agent meeting with a couple in their home.

Who Can Join?

An Open Invitation to All Catholic Men

If you’re 18 or older, and you’re a practicing Catholic man, there’s a place for you in the Knights of Columbus.

We’re a diverse brotherhood with members from around the world. Our councils draw men from all walks and stages of life. What unites us is our desire to more faithfully become the men God calls us to be — and to have brotherly company along the way.

No man’s spiritual journey is the same, but as brothers, we walk in the same direction: toward Jesus. We walk together. And we welcome you to join us.

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Knights take a photo while volunteering at Little Blessings Baby Pantry.

Our Structure

What Are Councils and What Do They Do?

Typically based in parishes, individual councils are your local boots on the ground. Led by volunteer officers, councils position themselves as the prime space for men seeking to put down roots in a parish, find community and give themselves in service to others. They strive to foster a good relationship with their pastor and be known as his ready volunteers in parish life.

Other council experiences include college councils and military councils, which cater to the unique circumstances of their members.

At an organizational level, councils are grouped into districts, followed by states or provinces. The Knights of Columbus Supreme Council, our headquarters in New Haven, Conn., supports councils’ activities with resources, training and content for programs and faith formation.

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Members of St. Augustine Council 13450 gather in their parish church.

Online Membership

Stay Connected

We know time is hard to spare, especially if you have a young family. Maybe joining a local council isn’t what you’re looking for right now. You can still access the benefits of being a Knight, including fraternal benefits, with online membership. Best of all, joining online is free for the first year.

Joining online gets you: