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Canadian KofC numbers in ascendancy
Deputy Supreme Knight Arthur Peters reads the Necrology — a list of Knights of Columbus leaders who have died in the past year — during the Memorial Mass of the 142nd Supreme Convention on Aug. 8 in Québec City.
Paul Haring
August 23, 2024
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Photo courtesy Rev. Brad Kenney
“It is a good time to be a Knight of Columbus,” declared Arthur Peters, who joined the worldwide Catholic fraternal service order in 1986.
Based on metrics, community impact and the positive testimonials shared at its 142nd Supreme Convention, held in Quebec City from Aug. 6-8, the Knights of Columbus, notably its Canadian councils, is in ascent mode.
Five of 10 Canadian jurisdictions — Ontario, Alberta/Northwest Territories, British Columbia/Yukon, Saskatchewan and Quebec — earned Circle of Honor status, the highest achievement level. A provincial council must accomplish all recruitment, programming and insurance-selling initiatives to attain this recognition.
Meanwhile, six of the provinces enjoyed a net gain in growth in 2023, which is unprecedented since typically one or two realize this goal. Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia/Yukon and Alberta/Northwest Territories achieved this feat.
Peters, the deputy supreme knight, said recruitment grew 2.5 per cent nationwide last year, and approximately 205,000 Canadian men are currently members of the Knights of Columbus. He said the increased commitment to following up with applicants substantially drives this uptick.
“I think our jurisdictions are doing a better job promoting membership in the Knights of Columbus,” said Peters, who is also executive director of the Archdiocese of Toronto’s ShareLife charitable appeal. “You look at our online membership: people are joining online, and our (leaders) are doing a better job in following up with them and encouraging them to take the next step in becoming a regular council member.”
Peters said witnessing and hearing about how Knights from around the world are committed to doing good works also enkindles a desire to join.
“Last year, over 47 million hours were spent in volunteer service, and over $190 million was donated,” said Peters. “People are seeing that the Knights of Columbus are making an impact in their community, and they want to be a part of that.”
One of the crowning moments of a banner 2023 was the Knights’ Coats for Kids program, attaining a milestone of one million coats delivered to disadvantaged children.
When The Catholic Register spotlighted this landmark endeavour last November, Jason Nelligan, the chairman of the Ontario Knights Coats program, spoke about the power of watching a little girl receive a coat.
“We gave her a coat, and she said, ‘Now I will be able to go to school,’ ” recalled Nelligan. “This was incredible. We thought, ‘Wow.’ This gift, this simple gift of a coat to this child allows her — she was too cold to go to school, so she stayed home — to go to school. It brings tears. It’s very emotional.”
At the annual meeting in Quebec, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly encouraged his fellow Knights to “remain on a mission.” Programs like Coats for Kids will be an integral part of that mission for years to come. There was a call to deliver two million coats by 2030.
Globally, the Knights of Columbus enjoyed a participation bump of over 92,000 men. There are currently 2.1 million members worldwide.
(Amundson is an associate editor and writer for The Catholic Register.)
A version of this story appeared in the August 25, 2024, issue of The Catholic Registerwith the headline "Knights are on the rise".
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