Building the Domestic Church

Knights of Columbus has always been an organization dedicated to the well-being and support of Catholic family life. The family is the first and primary place where we experience and are formed in our Catholic faith. By building upon our current programs and activities, the Knights of Columbus continues to promote the family as a ”domestic church” where husbands and wives, parent and children, grow in their knowledge and practice of the Catholic Faith. In order to perform its important mission of evangelization, each family needs to find support in the sacramental life of the parish.

“It is in the parish that one becomes engaged with the Church community, learns how to become a disciple of Christ, is nurtured by Scripture, is nourished by the sacraments, and ultimately becomes an evangelizer. Successful evangelization and catechetical initiatives must be focused on the parish.”

Strengthening our Parishes

Knights of Columbus councils have always responded to the most urgent needs of the Church, particularly through charitable and social outreach. In order to support the evangelization of family life today, our councils must be even more fully integrated into our parishes. As the world’s largest Catholic fraternal and family organization, we have a responsibility to dedicate our time, talent and resources to ensuring that our parishes our beacons of the new evangelization.

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New Requirement for Columbian Award

A new requirement for the Columbian Award was announced during the annual Membership Seminar at the Supreme Convention. To earn the Columbian Award, councils must now conduct at least FOUR Surge With Service activities that are also designated as domestic church programs.

These programs currently include:

Journey to the Inn Father’s Day Affirmation of Wedding Vows
Consecration to the Holy Family The Family Fully Alive
Diocesan-Wide Holy Family Celebrations Food for Families
Keep Christ in Christmas Into the Breach Spiritual Formation Groups
5th Sunday Rosary Program Family Week Celebrations

Please visit http://kofc.org/domesticchurch for the most up-to-date list of eligible programs and activities and to find resources that will help your council conduct them.

The Columbian Award Application (SP-7) has been revised to reflect these changes.

Questions regarding the revised application should be directed to Robert Ennis at robert.ennis@kofc.org. Questions regarding the Building the Domestic Church initiative should be directed to the Department of Fraternal Mission at fraternalmission@kofc.org or 203-752-4270

Frequently Asked Questions