The Knights of Columbus Council # 1078 maintains a
facility across from St. Augustine Church at 10 Brook Street Andover, MA.
Our council hosts a
large number of activities throughout the year, including Church
Activities, Youth Activities, Family Activities, Community Service and
Council Activities.
The Grand Knight for 2007/2008 is John DeCourcy.
Membership
information may be obtained from Chancellor John Lozowski by e-mail or through any Brother Knight.
A list of our Officers can be found at the Officers Page
Council #1078 was founded in 1906, with 66 names on the Charter. Our first Grand Knight was the Postmaster John McDonald. Things slowed during the depression and World War II. Grand Knight Eddie Doyle kept the flame alive and served as Grand Knight from 1940-1952.
Continuing to serve in 1956 PGK Doyle became Financial Secretary. Under Grand Knights including Bill McDonald and Larry Morrisroe in the early 1950's the council began a resurgence and membership increased dramatically.
The council has supported many Catholic causes including St. Augustine's Church, St. Robert's and Merrimack College.
In the 1950's Council 1078 was one of about 30 Massachusetts Councils that regularly supported Archbishop Richard Cushing's efforts for Exceptional Children.
The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men's fraternal benefit society that was formed to render financial aid to members and their families. Mutual aid and assistance are offered to sick, disabled and needy members and their families. Social and intellectual fellowship is promoted among members and their families through educational, charitable, religious, social welfare, war relief and public relief works.
The history of the Order shows how the foresight of Father Michael J. McGivney, whose cause for sainthood is being investigated by the Vatican, brought about what has become the world's foremost Catholic fraternal benefit society. The Order has helped families obtain economic security and stability through its life insurance, annuity and long-term care programs, and has contributed time and energy worldwide to service in communities.
The Knights of Columbus has grown from several members in one council to more than 12,000 councils and 1.6 million members throughout the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan.
The PDF version of the publication "These Men They Call Knights" has additional information about who we are.
The emblem of the Order dates from the second Supreme Council meeting on May 12, 1883, when James T. Mullen, who was then supreme knight, designed it.
The emblem indicates a shield mounted upon the Formée cross (having the arms narrow at the center and expanding toward the ends). The shield is that associated with a medieval knight. The Formée cross is the representation of a traditional artistic design of the cross of Christ through which all graces of redemption were procured for mankind. This then represents the Catholic spirit of the Order.
Mounted on the shield are three objects: a fasces (a bundle of rods bound together about an ax with the blade projecting) standing vertically and, crossed behind it, an anchor and a dagger or short sword. The fasces from Roman days, carried before magistrates as an emblem of authority, is symbolic of authority which must exist in any tightly-bonded and efficiently operating organization. The anchor is the mariner's symbol for Columbus, patron of the Order, while the short sword or dagger was the weapon of the Knight when engaged upon an errand of mercy. Thus, the shield expresses Catholic Knighthood in organized merciful action, and with the letters, K of C, it proclaims this specific form of activity.