The Knights Of Columbus: Living Out The Principles Of Charity, Unity And Fraternity
For parishioner John Veith, Financial Secretary for the Knights of Columbus Council 583, the opportunity to participate in the active discipleship nurtured in our local branch of the organization is one that he really appreciates.
“The Knights of Columbus gives you great pleasure in defending your faith, helping out the community, and supporting a lot of different organizations,” John says. “It also helps you get involved in a lot of national and international efforts.”
Founded in 1882, the Knights of Columbus began with the goal of bringing together men with a shared Catholic faith, while assisting the many families that were left fatherless by the dangerous working conditions in local factories. To this day, charity, unity and fraternity remain the three central principles of the organization.
Our Knights of Columbus Council 583 meets on the second Tuesday of each month at their clubhouse on South 36 th Street. Officers meet every fourth Tuesday to plan the general meetings. With men from all local parishes welcome to join the council, we have over 780 participating members.
Our council consistently hosts many great fundraising events for our community, the largest of which is the annual barbeque and carnival. Hosted on the Knights of Columbus grounds, this four-day event draws in tens of thousands of people each year. The delicious barbeque beef is the star dish of the event, but fish is also typically available on Friday, and chicken on Saturday.
Money brought in by the various Knights of Columbus fundraisers has benefited countless organizations over the years.
“It’s rewarding to help people in the community and make donations to different schools and colleges, food pantries, and coats for kids,” John says. “We also give out three scholarships to Quincy University, four or five to Catholic grade schools, and one to the Catholic high school each year.”
Each Knight has a unique story about what first brought him to the organization. John joined when he was living in Mount Sterling after seeing how much his uncle enjoyed being a part of this rewarding organization.
Knowing the great blessing that participation in the Knights of Columbus has been in his life, John would encourage any Catholic man, young or old, to consider joining our local council.
“Becoming a Knight deepens your faith and gives you a lot of resources to be a better father, son and family man,” he says. “Participating in the fundraisers and the giving brings you closer to your brother Knights. We’re all one big family.”
Are you interested in learning more about our Knights of Columbus Council? If so, please call Grand Knight John Benz at 217-440-0875, or Financial Secretary John Veith at 217-653-0258.