Knights of St Columba
Abbreviation | KSC |
---|---|
Motto | Charity, Unity and Fraternity |
Formation | 5 October 1919 |
Type | Catholic fraternal service |
Headquarters | 75 Hillington Road South, Glasgow, G52 2AE |
Supreme Knight | Charlie McCluskey |
Key people | The Incorporators |
Website | www.ksc.org.uk |
The Knights of St Columba is a Catholic fraternal service organisation.[1] Founded in Glasgow in 1919,[2] it is named in honour of Saint Columba, a Christian missionary from Ireland who helped to introduce Christianity to some of the people in the north. The organisation describes itself as being dedicated to the principles of Charity, Unity and Fraternity.[3] There are more than 4,300 members of the KSC, in over 240 councils across Great Britain — it features in England, Scotland and Wales. Membership is limited to Catholic men aged 16 and over, and promotes the social doctrine of the Catholic Church.[1]
The organisation is non-political and essentially democratic, does not admit women, and exists to support the mission of the Catholic Church. The KSC organisation is a member of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights. Founder of the Knights and first Supreme Knight was P J O'Callaghan.
Admission ceremonies usually take place in a Catholic church during the celebration of the Mass.
The group organises annual pilgrimages to Aylesford Priory and Carfin Grotto
Organisation
At local level, members belong to a Council or Charter Council, led by the Grand Knight. The Charter Councils in an area (often corresponding to a Catholic Diocese) come together to form a Province, under the Provincial Grand Knight. Representatives of the Provinces meet at least once annually at the Supreme Council which governs the Order. The Supreme Knight presides over the Supreme Council.
Chronology of Supreme Knights
- 1919–1922 Patrick Joseph O'Callaghan
- 1922–1929 Edward Henry
- 1929–1933 William Bishop KSG
- 1933–1936 Thomas Davis
- 1936–1945 William Loughrey
- 1945–1948 Thomas Leyland
- 1948–1951 Laurie Arnold
- 1951–1952 Daniel Kelly
- 1952–1955 Thomas McMenemy
- 1955–1958 James Mitton MBE
- 1958–1961 Francis Mildner
- 1961–1964 Stuart Harper
- 1964–1967 William Austin
- 1967–1970 PN Scott
- 1970–1972 Michael May
- 1972–1975 Martin Cairns
- 1975–1978 Christopher Seneviratne
- 1978–1981 Anthony Rouse KC*SG KHS
- 1981–1984 P Layden KCSG KHS
- 1984–1987 Walter Downey
- 1987–1990 Francis Redmond KCSG
- 1990–1993 Anthony Bateman KSG
- 1993–1996 Anthony Britten KSG
- 1996–1999 Kenneth Hargreaves KSG
- 1999–2002 Anthony Britten KCSG KHS
- 2002–2005 Anthony Doherty KSG
- 2005–2008 John Doran KSG
- 2008–2011 Jonjo McDonagh KSG
- 2011–2014 Ron Lynch KSG
- 2014–present Charlie McCluskey
See also
Sources
Notes
- 1 2 "Membership of the Knights of Saint Columba". KSC.org.uk. Archived from the original on October 24, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
- ↑ Herbermann, Charles George. The Catholic Encyclopedia. Appleton.
- ↑ "Knights of St Columba: A Fraternal Order of Catholic Men". Diocese of Middlesbrough. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
References
- Rogers, Nicholas (2003). Catholics in Cambridge. Gracewing. ISBN 0-85244-568-7.
- Barberis, Peter (2003). Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations. Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN 0-8264-5814-9.