The Knights of Columbus : an illustrated history /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This book tells a uniquely American story of faith in action. From its 1882 founding by a handful of men from a small, predominantly Irish Catholic parish in New Haven, Connecticut, the Knights of Columbus has grown to an international brotherhood of nearly 2 million members across North America and throughout the world. Formed by Father Michael J. McGivney with the men of his parish, the new fraternal organization was committed to the principles of charity and unity, while supporting the faith and financial viability of its members and their families. From its earliest days, the organization made the case that one could be both a good Catholic and a true American citizen, pushing back against the religious discrimination that was all too common. It would soon grow into an organization whose members supported one another while also contributing to their parishes, their communities, their countries, and the world.

Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of beautiful photos, The Knights of Columbus: An Illustrated History presents the story of this remarkable organization--and the many ways in which it has helped individuals, while also helping shape American and world history at key moments. You will discover the Knights' decisive contributions during times of disaster as far back as the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906 and as recently as Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, and Harvey. The book presents the very public resistance to the Ku Klux Klan and its message of hate in the 1920s--just one example of the Knights' stand against bigotry. Also featured is the Knights' respect for the importance of education, as the group worked to rectify the historical inaccuracies of the nation's textbooks and narratives during the 1920s. That work would help to tell the previously overlooked stories of America's Catholics, African Americans, and Jews, among others. Also highlighted is the organization's active role in the fight for religious freedom throughout the world, from its involvement in ending the Mexican government's persecution of Catholics during the 1920s to its current work to end persecution of religious minorities in the Middle East and provide assistance for ISIS genocide survivors. K of C support for America's troops and veterans saw soldiers through two world wars and continues today.

In nearly a century and a half since its humble beginnings, the Knights of Columbus has touched the lives of countless individuals--Catholic and non-Catholic--in communities around the world. Through war and peace, it has remained the "strong right arm of the Catholic Church," helping its neighbors next door and around the world with help and hope, faith and freedom.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Married coauthors Andrew and Maureen Walther--vice president for communications and strategic planning and a former special assistant to the Knights of Columbus CEO, respectively--explore the formation, goals, and accomplishments of the Catholic fraternal organization in this laudatory history. Full of engaging vignettes and images, the book details many Catholic Americans who built an organization that provided material and spiritual aid to people around the world. The history covers the organization's origins in Connecticut in 1882 and its mission to support Catholics in maintaining their distinctiveness (particularly immigrant Catholics) while also being good American citizens. While the Knights are an all-male organization, it is notable that women barely appear outside of sections on abortion, given that they were significant recipients of the organization's broad-reaching social programs. Overall, though, this well-designed history will be informative to any reader interested in the Knights of Columbus. (Mar.)

Booklist Review

People forget that Catholics were once deeply despised in the U.S., and suspected of being un-American. Father Michael McGivney established the Knights of Columbus in the late 1800s to help Catholic families face the day-to-day difficulties of finding jobs and feeding their children, but he also saw them struggle for acceptance as citizens. Rivaling other fraternal aid organizations, the Knights focused on charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. This book chronicles the group's activities, from helping in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake through Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and beyond. Throughout the organization's mission-minded history, the Knights have opposed Communism and the Ku Klux Klan and made inroads to promote racial harmony. In towns all over America, local KC halls have become community hubs of aid and support. Andrew and Maureen Walther's history is chock-a-block with archival photographs and documents, with luminaries called "notable knights" featured on many pages. On other pages, thumbnail photos and accompanying factoids provide visual interest to the layout. Catholic and non-Catholic readers alike will find much to enjoy.

Kirkus Book Review

A richly illustrated and entertaining history of the Knights of Columbus.Andrew Walther, the Knights' vice president for communications and strategic planning, and Maureen Walther, who worked for the CEO for 10 years, begin with an overview of anti-Catholic sentiments in the United States, which led to Father Michael Joseph McGivney's founding of an organization of Catholic men in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1882. The group eventually became the Knights of Columbus, taking as its namesake Christopher Columbus and focusing on such concepts as charity, fraternity, and patriotism. The authors explain that the Knights expanded quickly and acted as a major force for Catholic pride and unity in the face of bigoted actions by the Ku Klux Klan and anti-Catholic voices in society at large. The Knights took an active role in serving the military during World War I and in fighting poverty during the Great Depression, cementing their place in American society. As the Walthers guide readers through the religiously active 1950s and '60s, the challenges to religious life of the later 20th century, and the global perspective of recent years, they focus not only on the inner workings of the Knights and their mission, but also on their interaction with the wider church and society, including popes and presidents. The authors enrich the flow of text with countless photos, a number of inset sidebars, and a series of "Notable Knight" minibiographies, including such diverse individuals as Babe Ruth and Sargent Shriver. A running timeline at the bottom of most pages reminds readers of the broader historical backdrop of the Knights' story. Though far from a critical account, this history does its primary job well: introducing lay readers to the Knights and providing devotees with an informative resource for casual browsing or more serious study.An approachable, worthwhile history of a venerable Catholic brotherhood. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.