Notre Dame Council 10514

 

P. O. Box 2084
Flagler Beach, FL 32136-2084

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Who Are These Men They Call Knights?

Notre Dame Council 10514 Chartered: Father John P. O’Flaherty, Pastor of Santa Maria del Mar Church in Flagler Beach and Pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Korona, invited then District Deputy Patrick Crowley to breakfast in September 1990. “Would you put into motion” Father asked, “to form a Knights of Columbus Council in my jurisdiction?”. District Deputy Patrick Crowley immediately began the steps to form the new council. New members, member transfers, and member readmissions resulted in forty seven ‘Charter Members’ forming Notre Dame Council 10514 on November 30, 1990. Today, Council 10514 has approximately 300 members.

(For information on joining Notre Dame Council 10514, please enter your contact information by emailing us: Contact Us – KofC Notre Dame Council #10514 (council10514.org). We will get in touch with you directly.)

Knights of Columbus Founding: Founded by Blessed Father Michael J. McGivney, curate at St. Mary’s parish in New Haven, Connecticut, the Knights of Columbus was chartered on March 29, 1882, in the State of Connecticut. As the priest explained to a small group of men at a meeting in the basement of St. Mary’s Church in October 1881, his purpose in calling them together was manifold: to help Catholic men remain steadfast in their faith through mutual encouragement: to promote closer ties of fraternity among them: and to set up an elementary system of insurance so that the widows and children of members in the group who might die would not find themselves in dire financial straits.

Why the Name “Knights of Columbus”: The founder and first officers of the fledgling organization chose the name “Knights of Columbus” because they felt that, as a Catholic group, it should relate to Christopher Columbus, the Catholic discoverer of America. This would emphasize that it was a Catholic who discovered, explored, and colonized the North American continent. At the same time “Knights” would signify that the membership embodied knightly ideals of spirituality and service to Church, country and fellowman.

Early Growth: By the end of 1897 the Order was thoroughly rooted in New England, along the upper Atlantic seaboard and into Canada. Within the next eight years it branched out from Quebec to California, and from Florida to Washington.

Membership Today: From such promising beginnings Father McGivney’s original group has blossomed into an international society of more than 2.0 million Catholic men in more than 16,600 councils who have dedicated themselves to the ideals of Columbianism: Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism.

Insurance and Investments Today:  From a very modest beginning, the Knights of Columbus has grown into a Fortune 1000 insurance company. The Order has over $30 Billion in assets and over $123 Billion of life insurance in force. Knights of Columbus Insurance has an A+ Superior rating from A.M. Best as of January 1, 2024 and is recognized as a Forbes 2024 ‘America’s Best Insurance Companies’. The Knights of Columbus currently offers Life Insurance, Annuities, Long Term Care Insurance, and Disability Income insurance products to its members and their families. The Knights also offer a suite of faith-based investment solutions specifically designed for Catholic investors through Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors. The Knights of Columbus provides “value with values”– by helping clients grow their future with faith-based investing. The Knights of Columbus uses socially responsible investment guidelines set by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for all monies it receives.

Knights are Worldwide: Today members of the Order are found in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Panama, Cuba, Guam, Saipan, Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, France, South Korea, the Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. They belong to many races and speak many different languages. They are diverse, yet they are one. Their diversity spells creativity: their unity spells strength.

Faith in Action: In the local community, the Knights of Columbus offers men a place to lead their families and communities in faith and service and put their Faith into Action. Knights of Columbus members, parishes and families have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference through Supreme Council-recommended programs. The Faith in Action Program focuses on four areas: Faith, Community, Family, and Life. These are some of the activities that Notre Dame Council 10514 conducts each fraternal year:

Faith-in-Action-Grid2 Charitable-Outreach-Programs