Council History

Knights of Columbus
Wilmington Council 1074

The vision of Father Michael McGivney slowly becomes a reality!

 It began in 1881 when Father Michael McGivney decided something had to be done to help the Catholic Families suffering during this difficult time in American history. As Curator of St Mary’s church in New Haven Connecticut, he explained to a group of men that they need to be 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 widows and children would not find themselves in dire financial straits should their husband die.

 With the support of this small group of men and his determination to find a solution to help these families, The Knights of Columbus was formed and chartered on March 29 1882 in the State of Connecticut.

Father Michael McGivney envisioned that a group of Catholic men would support each other and help their church and priest in every parish

 The ideals of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism in the Knights of Columbus organization became rooted in New England, along the upper Atlantic seaboard and into Canada during the first 15 years. Within the next eight years the Knights of Columbus branched out from Quebec to California and from Florida to Washington.

 In 1905, the Rev Christopher Dennen, pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Wilmington along with 36 catholic men decided they believed in the ideals of the Knights of Columbus and sought to join the organization. On the 21^st of January 1906, this group of men were chartered in the Knights of Columbus and known as Wilmington Council 1074.

 During the course of the next 50 years, membership in council 1074 fluctuated. At one point in history, the Knights of Columbus had their own home located off Market and North 24^th Street, now occupied by the Odd Fellow Club. All possessions’ and history of the council were lost when the Knights vacated premises.

 In the 1970’s membership in the council flourished as more and more Catholics relocated in Southeast North Carolina. Catholic men from Southport in Brunswick County to Whiteville in Columbus County and north to Wallace and Hampstead in Pender County were members of Council 1074.

 The Ideals of Columbianism spread and membership increased in Council 1074.

 Membership in the Knights of Columbus continued to flourish from the late 1980’s to present day. As membership increased, it was possible to form other councils in other parishes in Southeast North Carolina.

 Members from Wilmington Council 1074 were able to branch out. On June 21^st 1985, Our Lady of the Rosary, Council Number 9039 in Shallotte Brunswick County was chartered.  This same year an Assembly of the Fourth Degree was chartered March 16^th. This patriotic degree in Wilmington was known as The Monsignor Christopher Dennen Assembly.

 As Wilmington Council 1074 continued to flourish, other councils developed, and were chartered by the Supreme Council in New Haven Connecticut. They were:

• Father Roland Gross Council, Number 11187, at St Stanislaus Church, Castle Hayne. October 12, 1993
• Father James E Waters Council, Number 12017, at St Mark's Church, Wilmington. June 21, 1997
• St Jude’s Council, Number 12281, at St Jude's Church, Hampstead. August 4, 1998
• Sacred Heart Council, Number 12537, at Sacred Heart Church, Southport. August 25, 1999
• St Therese Council, Number 12885, at St Therese Church, Wrightsville Beach. February 24, 2001
• Father Bernadine Golden Council, Number 12921, at St Joseph Church, Wallace. May 14, 2001.

Father Michael McGivney envisioned a council of Knights of Columbus in every parish. It is slowly becoming a reality.