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Join UsWhat It Means To Be A Knight of Columbus
Be a part of the world's largest Catholic fraternal organization.
Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to practical Catholic men in union with the Holy See who are at least 18 years old. A practical Catholic lives up to God's commandments and the Church's precepts. Click below to apply and become a member of the Knights of Columbus. -
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The Passing of Pope FrancisMy Brother KnightsGreetings and salutations.It is with great sorrow that I must announce the death of His Holiness Pope Francis.."At 9:45 AM, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced the death of Pope Francis from the o Santa Marta with these words:“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church.He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”Let us keep him in our prayers and seek comfort for his soul. Your thoughts and prayers make a meaningful difference at this time.
Cardinal Tobin will celebrate a Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 7:30 pm, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. Priest are invited to concelebrate. All the faithful are invited to attend. The Mass will also be live-streamed on the Cathedral Basilica’s and Archdiocese’s social media channels.Yours in friendship and fraternity,For the Faith and Benefit of All,Raymond SandsState DeputyNJ State Council, Knights of Columbus
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Happy Easter!
My Brother Knights,
Praised be Jesus Christ! Now and forever.Happy Easter!
My March Video for you: https://youtu.be/fdFxMMwDShY
A hard copy is here.May God bless you and your family abundantly for all you do in His name through our Order of Columbian Knights.
For the faith and benefit of all
Beat Texas !Vivat Jesus,Raymond Sands
State Deputy
NJ State Council, Knights of Columbus
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State Officer Recommendations
My Brother Knights,
Advent greetings to you and your family!
I would like to share the results of our recent recommendation meeting, which took place on Wednesday, December 4th. PSD Andy Lipenta chaired the meeting, which was attended by voting members Bishop Bootkowski and seven active past state deputies, along with myself.
During this meeting, we interviewed the current officers and six applicants for the State Warden position.
Please join me in congratulating and supporting the recommendation committee's choice of:
- Jim Sweeney for State Deputy
- Russ Petrocelli for State Secretary
- Scott Williams for State Treasurer
- Ed Michalak for State Advocate
- George Tutwiler for State Warden
The convention is approaching, so please be on the lookout for the Call to Convention letter from our State Secretary.
Yours in friendship and fraternity,
For the Faith and Benefit of all,
Raymond Sands
State Deputy
NJ State Council, Knights of Columbus
[email protected]
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Welcome - Raymond Sands - State Deputy
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Greetings and salutations! Welcome to the New Jersey State Council Knights of Columbus website!
We are proudly part of the largest global family fraternal Catholic organization – the Knights of Columbus. Our founder, Blessed Rev. Michael McGivney, was inspired in 1882 with an innovation to strengthen his congregation's faith while aiding widows and orphans. He explained his vision to a small gathering of twenty working-class and immigrant Catholic men in the basement of St. Mary's Church located in New Haven, Connecticut. This humble meeting established the Knights of Columbus, and the organization has since grown to over two million dedicated members worldwide.If you have ever entertained getting involved through your faith while helping your family, parish, local youth, and community, I would like you to consider joining the Knights of Columbus! We are the fraternal service organization of like-minded Catholic men you’ve been seeking.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A KNIGHT? As a Knight, you put your faith into action through corporal works of mercy in your community and around the world. You also have the opportunity to protect yourself and your family through our fraternal benefits society. A Knight demonstrates respect and defense while promoting the dignity of every human person at every moment in every condition.
HOW DO WE ACHIEVE BLESSED McGIVNEY'S DREAM? The Knights of Columbus practice four guiding principles: charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism.
Are you still unsure about becoming a Knight? Explore our website to see firsthand who we are and visiting https://www.kofc.org/en/who-we-are/our-story/index.html OR, better yet, join for FREE by using the promotional code BLESSEDMCGIVNEY. I believe you will find there are many incredible opportunities waiting for you and your family within our organization.
I look forward to shaking your hand and congratulating you on your decision to become a brother Knight soon!
Yours in friendship and fraternity,
Raymond Sands
State Deputy
NJ State Council, Knights of Columbus
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New Orleans TragedyMy Brother Knights,
Praised be Jesus Christ. Now and forever!Greetings from the flat lands down Jersey!In this challenging time, let us come together in unity to pray for the victims of this heartbreaking tragedy in our community of New Orleans. We turn to Saint Michael the Archangel, seeking his powerful intercession for the souls we have lost, for those fighting to overcome their injuries, and for all the families. Your prayers and those of our brother Knights form a powerful collective support for those struggling to survive and make sense of this tragedy.
With love-filled hearts, we pray that God openly receives the souls of the victims in heaven.St. Michael, The archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world, seeking the ruin of souls. AmenFor the Faith and Benefit of All,
Raymond Sands State Deputy
NJ State Council, Knights of Columbus
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Freedom Isn't Free
My brother Knights
Happy belated birthday to our Marines! Thank you for your service.
We extend a heartfelt thank you to all our veterans. Today, we honor and appreciate your contributions.
As Knights, we aim to lead lives filled with meaning and purpose. To our veterans: you chose to serve and dedicate your lives to live with meaning and purpose, ensuring that your legacy continues in our nation and in the freedoms, we enjoy due to your sacrifices. Your commitment has made a lasting impact on our lives and the values we cherish.
Once again, we struggle to find the right words to express our respect, admiration, and gratitude.
In December 2007, Worthy Former Master Paul Pinkman persuaded the NJ Assembly to designate November as "Veterans Month." Let us take the time in November to personally thank all those we know who served. CLICK HERE to download a copy of Paul's approved resolution.
God bless you and your family.
Yours in friendships and fraternity,
For the faith and benefit of All
Raymond Sands
State Deputy
NJ State Council, Knights of Columbus
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Pray for Peace and Civility
My Brother Knights
Praised be Jesus Christ!
Let us all come together in prayer today, as one community of faith, to ask our Lord Jesus Christ for peace and civility in our country and world.
I don't recognize the world we live in today. I have always understood "agree to disagree" and never held someone's opinion personally against them.
Let us unite in prayer. Take a moment to say a rosary and ask our Lord for His intervention. Together, let's pray for peace in our world, for everyone to take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember we are all God's children.
We pray for the former president, the two people shot who are in intensive care, the person who was killed, may he rest in peace, the shooter, and all the families involved.
We are grateful to God for His mercy and grace.
St. Michael, protect us.
Blessed McGivney, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Yours in Christ and Fraternity
Raymond Sands
State Deputy
NJ State Council, Knights of Columbus
[email protected]
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Need for Peace in Israel
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Request for Prayers
My Brother Knights,
Greetings and Salutations!
With a heavy heart, I reach out to you for prayers.
Let us all pray for peace, peace for Israel, and peace for all in the Middle East.
We pray they come to know and live what Jesus preached.
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."— Mark 12:28–31
Thank you, my Brother Knights, for your consideration and action on my request.
Yours in friendship and fraternity,
For the Faith and Benefit of All,
Raymond Sands
State Deputy
NJ State Council, Knights of Columbus
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NJ Knights & COR: Heart Speaks to Heart
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My Brother Knights,
COR: Heart Speaks to Heart
Christ calls us to gather in his name, preach the gospel, and give witness to our faith. Saint John Paul II referred to it as the “new evangelization.”
“To this end, it is more necessary than ever for all the faithful to move from a faith of habit, sustained perhaps by social context alone, to a conscious and personally lived faith. The renewal of faith will always be the best way to lead others to the Truth that is Christ” (Bl. John Paul II, Ecclesia in America, no. 73).
Supreme has created an opportunity called Cor – Latin for Heart.
Cor seeks to form and strengthen Catholic men in faith and virtue, establish Christ–centered friendships and have a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer, formation, and fraternity. The Cor gathering is open to all Catholic men. We have two faith-filled brother Knights to lead us on this pathway: John Tirado, COR Director, and James Vargas, Evangelization and Formation Director, who report directly to me.
The program has a drop-down tab on our website at;
https://njkofc.com/new-jersey-cor-team
We have all the available materials here for your reference and knowledge. I ask that you familiarize yourself with Cor. You may have been looking to get involved but didn’t know where to go.
Brothers John and Jim will attend our Diocese Grand Knights Membership Training meetings in late September and early October. They will answer any questions and help you establish your program. Please visit with them and thank and congratulate them for taking on their roles in these most important initiatives.
Yours in friendship and fraternity,
For the Faith and Benefit of All,
Raymond Sands
State Deputy
NJ State Council, Knights of Columbus
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ARCHBISHOP OF LVIV Ukraine
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Today's Readings
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News from the Vatican
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3 days agoSince the moment of his election in 2013, Pope Francis captivated the world not only with his simple style and familiar speech, but through his unique way of communicating more through actions than... -
4 days agoMourners on Wednesday morning began filling St. Peter’s Square to await their turn to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, whose remains will lie in state inside the basilica for the next three... -
4 days agoHaving spent twelve years at the helm of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis was a globally beloved and respected figure, but he also generated more than his fair share of controversy.
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Upcoming Events
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Knights of Columbus History
Founded by Father Michael J. McGivney, curate at St. Mary's Parish in New Haven, Connecticut, the Knights of Columbus was chartered in the State of Connecticut on March 29, 1882.
As the Priest explained to a small group of men at a meeting in the basement of St. Mary's Church in October 1881, his purpose in calling them together was manifold: to help Catholic men remain 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 the widows and children of members in the group who might die would not find themselves in dire financial straits.
Learn More
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