On October 2, 1881, a small group of men met in the basement of a church in New Haven, Connecticut. Gathered together by their priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, they formed a fraternal society called the Knights of Columbus in honor of the Catholic explorer. Originally conceived as a mutual aid society, the Knights of Columbus was dedicated to helping Catholic families in need--people in the community who, in many cases, were excluded from unions and other organizations that provided social services to so many others.
Well over a century later, the Knights of Columbus is going strong and, with over 1.7 million members, has extended its reach to embrace people around the world. Through fascinating text and photographs, The Knights of Columbus tells the story of an organization that, through war and peace, has remained "the strong right arm of the Church," bringing help and hope to people everywhere.
Andrew T. Walther is the Director of Media Relations for the Knights of Columbus. Previously, he worked as a freelance journalist and taught writing for several years at the University of Southern California. He currently serves on the boards of several nonprofit organizations.
Patrick Korten is Vice President of Communications for the Knights of Columbus. A former chief spokesman for the US Department of Justice, Korten was also a press staffer for three members of Congress, and worked as a consultant in crisis and risk communications for a number of Fortune 500 companies.
