St. Francis of Assisi Parish is a community of service and ministry. No one exemplifies this mission more than the Knights of Columbus. In a ministry profile that appeared in the August 10, 2025, bulletin, former Grand Knight Bryan Kozak provided the history of the Knights of Columbus as an order and the Council at St. Francis (All Saints Council 9709) as a vital ministry within the faith community of St. Francis of Assisi since 1988.
The mission of the Knights of Columbus is to empower Catholic men to live their faith actively in their families and communities. The Order’s principles center on Charity, Unity, and Fraternity, with four pillars of service: Faith, Community, Life, and Family. At St. Francis of Assisi, the efforts of this ministry include:
- Supporting our pastor and parish ministries by providing dependable service.
- Serve those in need with concrete acts of charity through good works and monetary donations.
- Build a community of fraternal brotherhood that encourages prayer, formation, and mutual support.
- Advance the Church’s mission by living out the principles of the Gospel in everyday parish life.
- Promote faith‑building programs and parish engagement centered around family.
The faith community of St. Francis of Assisi is deeply committed to the principles of Catholic Social teaching. It has many ministries that serve those in need in the broader community, including the Knights. Charity is the first principle of the Knights of Columbus. The Council at St. Francis, through a variety of fundraising activities, provides substantial resources, both in service and financial support, to worthy organizations aligned with the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. To this end, in 2021, the Council at St. Francis created a dedicated philanthropy committee and expanded fundraising efforts to address the most pressing needs in our community.
Since this effort began, they have raised and distributed over $80,000 in Council funds to charity. In addition, the Council collected over $25,000 in personal donations from brother Knights. In the last 5 years, the Council raised and donated over $100,000 to worthy organizations (list current through 2025). Recipient organizations address the fundamental rights of people for food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, and education; organizations supporting people with intellectual or physical disabilities; organizations that support a culture of life; direct support to men and women who answer Gods call to a life of religious vocations; support for veterans and disaster relief, including over $10,000 provided to victims of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina.
Interested in finding out more about the Knights of Columbus? The All Saints Council here at St. Francis welcomes adult Catholic men of all ages and backgrounds. Members of the Knights of Columbus are encouraged to live their faith through the principles of charity, unity, and fraternity; to strengthen their families as supportive husbands and strong fathers; to support parish ministries and Catholic education; and to serve those in the broader community who are in need.
In our busy and overscheduled world, we often hear, “I am too busy to be a Knight.” We believe no man is too busy to be a Knight. Even a small investment of time, spread over an entire year, can make a meaningful difference to our parish, your family, and your own spiritual life. You can pick the projects that fit your schedule, your family life, and your interests. Just as every Catholic church parish has its own personality, the Council at St. Francis reflects the values of our faith community. The Knights are a brotherhood of men who will enrich your life.
If you are interested in joining or just finding out more about the Knights of Columbus, please contact Mark Baumgartner, our chapter’s Grand Knight, at gk@kofc9709.org