Requirements of Membership in the Knights of Columbus

Introduction

Many times the question is asked about how to qualify for membership in the Knights of Columbus. Usually the short answer is that one must be a Catholic man at least 18 years old. Is it the correct answer? Well, no. In fact, it doesn’t come close. Section 101 of our Charter Constitution Laws defines the qualifications of membership as follows:

Only practical Catholics in union with the Holy See shall be eligible to and entitled to continue membership in the order. An applicant for membership shall not be less than 18 years of age on his last birthday.

The second sentence of this requirement is self explanatory. So, we will examine the first one to understand its importance. To do this, we shall rely on the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC).

Note: All underlined texts contained herein are either active internet links provided for reference, or bookmarks.

What does Catholic mean?

The word "catholic" means "universal," in the sense of "according to the totality" or "in keeping with the whole." (CCC 830). A two part explanation on why the church is catholic is found here. First, it is because Christ is found in her, and second it is because the church was sent by Christ on a mission to the entire human race. You will do well to refer to this section to read the beautiful teaching on this subject in its entirety.

How does one become a member of the Catholic Church?

Baptism makes us members of the Body of Christ (CCC 1267), but “Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together constitute the "sacraments of Christian initiation," whose unity must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. For "by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed” (CCC 1285).

What is the Catholic Church?

The whole Catholic Church is made up of many churches, mainly the Western Church and the Eastern Churches. The Western Church, with its Latin Rite, is centered in Rome and is the one we’re most familiar with. The Eastern Churches are those who are in full communion with the Western Church. Although they have there own patriarch or leader, they recognize the Pope as the sole authority of the entire Catholic Church. A listing of these eastern Churches appears in the appendix.

What is a practical Catholic in Communion with the Holy See?

The term practical means something that is relating to, governed by, or acquired through practice or action. Being a practical Catholic means that a person strives to live by the basic truths of our faith which are the Apostle’s Creed, the Commandments of God, the Precepts and Tenets of the Catholic Church, and accepts the apostolic nature of the Church.

The Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he arose again from the dead; he descended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

There are Ten Commandments of God. 1.      I am the Lord your God: You shall not have strange Gods before me. 2.      You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. 3.      Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. 4.      Honor your father and mother. 5.      You shall not kill. 6.      You shall not commit adultery. 7.      You shall not steal. 8.      You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 9.      You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. 10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

The Commandments of God may be restated in simpler form: the "Greatest Commandment." The "Greatest Commandment" is: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole mind and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. (CCC 2055).

How can I live up to the Commandments of God?

It is difficult for the unaided human being to live up to the Commandments of God. To assist us in this regard Jesus has left us the Church and the sacraments. The sacraments are signs instituted by Christ to give grace.

There are seven:

Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders can be received only once because these sacraments leave an indelible mark on the soul of the recipient. Penance, Eucharist, Matrimony, and the Anointing of the Sick can be received more than once.

Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life (CCC 1996). There are two kinds of grace. Sanctifying grace makes us holy and pleasing to God. Actual grace helps us to do good and avoid evil.

What are the precepts of the Church?

The precepts of the church are the laws of the church and they are made lawful by the authority of the church given to it by our Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound under pain of sin to observe all of them:

(CCC 2041) The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor.

The requirements of practical catholicity are summarized as follows: v      To assist at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, v      To confess our sins at least once a year, if you are in the state of mortal sin. v      To receive Holy Communion during the Easter Season, v      To fast and abstain on days appointed. v      To observe the Church’s laws regarding marriage, and v      To contribute to the support of the Church.

There are six holy days of obligation in the United States for the Roman Rite: v      Christmas Day (December 25) v      The Solemnity of the Mother of God (January 1) v      Ascension Thursday (40 days after Easter) v      The Assumption (August 15) v      All Saint’s Day (November 1) v      The Immaculate Conception (December 8)

The apostolic church

The Church is apostolic. “She is built on a lasting foundation: "the twelve apostles of the Lamb" (Rev 21:14). She is indestructible (cf  Mt 16:18). She is upheld infallibly in the truth: Christ governs her through Peter and the other apostles, who are present in their successors, the Pope and the college of bishops. (CCC 869). From this we accept the Magisterium, that is, the teaching office of the Holy Father and our Bishops who are "heralds of faith, who draw new disciples to Christ; they are authentic teachers" of the apostolic faith "endowed with the authority of Christ." (CCC 888).

Must a prospect for membership in our order meet all of the requirements given above?
The short answer is yes, of course. The reality though is oftentimes different. Remembering that all the Saints are in Heaven, the rest of us here on God’s good earth are still working out our salvation, each varying from one degree to another. Being confirmed in the faith and accepting the teaching authority of our bishops is a good foundation. Should there however, be any question if a man is enough of a practical Catholic to be a Knight of Columbus, it is a question best answered by your pastor.

Conclusion
Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said that it is our moral obligation to invite eligible Catholic men to join our order. Having examined what makes a man eligible to join, we must be mindful that we are also required to maintain our eligibility to continue our membership in the order. Isn’t it true that many Knights continually strive to be practical Catholics? Although we do fail to always love God and our neighbor as we should, we rely on all that our Church provides to give us the strength to keep trying. We as Knights also have the opportunity to exemplify the principles of our order: charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. In this manner, we can progress to being better Catholics. No wonder then, that it is our moral obligation to invite other Catholic men to join us.

Appendix

The Eastern Churches          

There are 24 “other” Catholic Churches in full communion with the Church of Rome. These churches add to the richness to what makes up the “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church”. See the publication The Eastern Churches (#342) available on the Supreme council web site. Also, click here to see LETTER TO THE BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON SOME ASPECTS OF THE CHURCH UNDERSTOOD AS COMMUNION.

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