By Joanne Dorr
The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—The Knights of Columbus (KofC) is a service organization that is 124 years in the making. Founded by Father Michael J. McGivney in New Haven Connecticut on February 6, 1882, KofC now has over 16,000 councils around the world. Of those councils there are 560 in Ontario, with three of them located in Haldimand County.
As a Catholic-based organization, KofC focuses on the principles of charity, unity, and fraternity and their mission is to empower Catholic men to live their faith at home, in their parish, at work, and in their community.
CALEDONIA—April 30, 2023 the Knights of Columbus St Patrick’s Council presented funds to recipient families of the Chili Cook Off fundraiser. Following the fundraiser, donations were collected at Zehrs in Caledonia. Event organizers are seen in their yellow/green t-shirts with (l-r) Brad Lee, Assistant Store Manager, Zehrs; Cara Haist, Store Manager, Zehrs; and recipient families Riadh and George Hermis; and Nina, Emily, Charles and Eli Heaslip. Absent is recipient Tanika Jacobs. —Haldimand Press photo by Joanne Dorr.
The benefits of being a KofC member include access to faith resources, KofC’s Insurance program, opportunities for charity, subscription to the Columbia Magazine, a fraternity of faith, and the chance to participate in Catholic-based advocacy efforts. To become a member of KofC, you must be a baptized Catholic male, over 18 years of age, and in good standing in the Catholic Church.
Among the countless examples of their work, KofC sent prayer kits to Ukrainian soldiers in 2022, provided disaster relief around the world, gave out scholarships to seminarians, and supported those fleeing religious persecution. Similar opportunities exist for Catholic women with the Catholic Women’s League of Canada (CWLC), an affiliated organization of KofC.
CWLC was organized nationally on June 17, 1920 and granted federal incorporation on December 12, 1923. Like KofC, the CWLC’s mission is to grow in faith and to witness the love of God through ministry and service.
The many membership benefits of CWLC include belonging to a sisterhood of support and understanding, the chance to act on important social justice issues, and opportunities to be of service in the community.
With membership fees varying among KofC councils and CWLC groups, it is best to reach out to your local Catholic Church to inquire about rates. If you are interested in learning more about KofC visit kofc.org and for CWLC visit cwl.ca. Alternatively, you can reach out to your local KofC and CWLC organizations to see how you can get involved as a volunteer.
Haldimand County recently had the chance to support KofC’s charitable efforts when St. Patricks’ Council held their Chili Cook Off in Caledonia on April 22. This event supports local families in crisis with children who are either very ill or have a challenging condition that requires major medical treatment/support. During the event they raised $54,000, which amounted to $18,000 for each of the three 2023 recipient families.
Get in touch! Contact these organizations to get involved:
ST. PATRICKS – CALEDONIA
- KofC – Council 9300 – Alex Komarniski 905-765-4908 or komar1948@hotmail.com
- CWLC – Cherie Murphy 905-765-6701
ST. STEPHEN’S – CAYUGA
- KofC – Council 13162, Case Hanrath 289-682-7420 or ontariokofc.ca
- CWLC – Parish office 905-772-5314
ST. MARY’S – HAGERSVILLE
- KofC – Council 6091, Randy Reid 905-379-7676, Greg Lougheed 519-718-3649 or ontariokofc.ca
- CWLC – Janice Goricra 905-768-0970
