final thoughts

Commentary

            Most of the work I did on The Knights of Columbus went smoothly. They have a very helpful website that has information on almost every aspect of the group. I had only a few problems with my study. The first was not being able to attend any meetings. The meetings are “secretive” and for Knights members only so I was not allowed to observe. The other problem I found was distinguishing members of The Knights of Columbus from regular people in KC halls. They are open to the public. It was a little awkward walking around asking older men if they were members. Everything else ran smoothly and all members I talked to were very helpful and polite.

the lapel pin emblem

Father Michael Mcgiveney

Comments

           Most of the work I did on The Knights of Columbus went smoothly. They have a very helpful website that has information on almost every aspect of the group. I had only a few problems with my study. The first was not being able to attend any meetings. The meetings are “secretive” and for Knights members only so I was not allowed to observe. The other problem I found was distinguishing members of The Knights of Columbus from regular people in KC halls. They are open to the public. It was a little awkward walking around asking older men if they were members. Everything else ran smoothly and all members I talked to were very helpful and polite.

thoughts!

When I began this research study, I chose the Knights of Columbus with no other reason then that it was the first thing that came to mind. I previously had no knowledge of exactly what this group was about. I had no other thoughts on them other then they are “nice.” Even though I was raised as a Catholic, I found my beginning research to be uninteresting and boring. They just seemed to be a group of older men that hang out at KC Halls drinking with buddies and I was not going to have much in common with them. After learning just how “nice” these guys are, I realized that I would like to be more like them. To be less selfish, and do things that benefits others.       

dress

full regalia

When you see the Knights of Columbus dressed up in their full regalia they indeed look rather “odd” with their capes and sword and feathered hats. The Knights wear these outfits for special occasions such as first communions, confirmations, Easter, and Christmas masses, and parades. At these events the honor guards are required to wear a black tuxedo, cummerbund or vest, black bow tie, black socks, black polished shoes,

pleated white shirt with color, black studs and cufflinks, official lapel pin,  a service baldric and sword, cape of the appropriate color, chapeaux, and white gloves. Color guards carry flags. Being unfamiliar with some of these terms I had to ask what a service baldric and chapeaux are. “The service baldric is a strap the fourth degree honor guards wear to hold their swords… The chapeaux is the hat with the fourth degree emblem and white feathers the knights wear.” (Hood)

The Knights are only required to wear their full regalia for certain, special occasions. For social dress, such as catering weddings at their hall, they wear the same apparel excluding the chapeaux, flag, sword and social baldric and add on a name tag and any military award pins.  For business meetings they can wear a suit and tie or dress business casual. When just hanging out in the KC Halls there is no dress code regulations and can dress however they like.

Structure

The Knights of Columbus has a complex hierarchy of power. They have a Supreme Council which is the governing body of the entire organization. This council elects seven members to the Supreme Board of Directors for three-year terms. The board has twenty-one members and they are responsible for electing the senior operating officials and the Supreme Knight, from its members. “Each state, the District of Columbia, every province in Canada, and many other jurisdictions have State Councils.” (“Knights of Columbus”) These councils are ran by State Deputies. District Deputies are appointed by the Supreme Knight, with recommendation from the State Deputy. These District Deputies oversee a variety of local councils; each being ran by a Grand Knight. The Grand Knight is responsible for his KC Hall and members of the council. “In each hall there are elected council officers with Grand Knight (being the head), the Deputy Grand Knight, Chancellor, Warden, Recorder, Treasurer, Advocate, Guards, and Trustees.” (“Knights of Columbus”) Lastly would be the members which are ranked by four degrees. First degree is the new members who have joined the order. Each degree focuses on a virtue of the four core principles: Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. When reaching the third degree a member is considered a full member. The fourth degree is optional and is the highest degree of this order. “Only about 18% of members reach this degree.” (Curran) Each member of the Knights of Columbus receives an Emblem representing their membership. Fourth degree members have a separate emblem to represent their rank.

Keep Christ in Christmas

Giving that the Knights of Columbus are a religious group, each Christmas they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Every year the Knights dedicate their time in reminding society that Christmas is a holy day. They use their "Keep Christ in Christmas" campaign. Hers's a list from their website that they have given to help guide people of the ways they can support the cause:

• Serve or prepare meals at a soup kitchen.
• Bring presents to children or elderly people in the hospital.
  Clean, repair and refurbish a church in a poor neighborhood.
  Visit someone who’s shut-in.
• Send a Christmas card to someone you have not seen or talked to in years.
  Invite a friend or neighbor who will be alone to share your Christmas celebration.
• Reconcile with a friend or relative with whom you have quarreled. Apologize if you were wrong.
• Provide transportation to shelters for homeless people.
• Wish people you meet a good day and a happy and holy Christmas.
• Get the family together to clean out all the closets and dressers. Donate usable clothing, shoes, blankets and other items to a program for needy families.
• Send care packages to military personnel stationed overseas.
• Sing Christmas carols at nursing homes or hospitals.
• Collect baby clothes, blankets, food, diapers or money and donate these items to an organization that helps needy people.
• Supply car seats or cradles to underprivileged mothers.
• Sponsor a drive for children to donate their old toys to youngsters.
• Be a part of the holiday spirit by undertaking one or more of the items listed above and help make Christmas merry for someone else and yourself.

Holiday charities

Community Food Drives & Soup Kitchen Volunteers
Members of KOFC are asked to support a variety of community food drives and soup kitchens by volunteering their time and talent. They collect food in mid-November and the Post Office sponsors the Letter Carriers' Food Drive in May. Cathedral hosts a Saturday breakfast weekly for area homeless, and volunteers are needed to help serve meals on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter at locations in Belleville.

Fourth degree Emblem

The Fourth Degree emblem is a dove, a cross, and the globe. The dove is over top of the globe. A dove is the symbol for the Holy Spirit and peace. The dove and globe are mounted on the Crusader’s cross, of the knights who battled to regain the Holy Land from the Pagans. If you are Catholic, the emblem would symbolize the Trinity. The globe for God, the cross for Jesus, and the dove for the Holy Spirit. The colors of the emblem are red, white, and blue for patriotism. Patriotism being the basic principle of the Fourth Degree.

The Fourth Degree Emblem

emblem

Artifacts: Emblem

The Knights of Columbus emblem is a national symbol for the Knights of Columbus group. It was designed in 1883 by James T. Mullen, who was the Supreme Knight of the time. The emblem is a shield mounted on a Formee cross. The shield corresponds with the shield of a medieval knight. The Formee Cross has the arms narrowing at the center, and extending on the ends. It is a representation of the Cross of Christ, "through which all graces of redemption were procured for mankind."(www.kofc.org) The cross and shield represent the Catholic spirit and commitment of the Knights of Columbus order.
There are three objects on the shield: a vertical fasces (medieval ax bound by rods) and, crossed behind it, an anchor and a dagger. The ax represents strong leadership, authority, and a efficient operating organization. The anchor is the symbol for Christopher Columbus, the patron of the order. The dagger is the weapon of a knight. The letters K of C are on top of the shield represent the knighthood of the Catholic man. Each Knight receives a lapel pin of this emblem when initiated.

New letter

The group I have decided to study this semester is the Knights of Columbus. This is the largest catholic fraternal group that raises millions of dollars a year for charity. The Knights of Columbus have many branches all around the world, and several I’ve found in Southern Illinois. (Including one in Belleville). Although, the Knights of Columbus is a male organization, they also have a ladies auxiliary, that I plan to find out more about. The Knights of Columbus have a website that details a lot of the work the Knights do. I plan to study these knights at their meetings at their Casey Hall in Belleville. Also all their charity events are open to the public. Meeting and observing members should be fairly easy. This group is legal and observation can begin at any time. Information on the Knights is widely available, being that this group is so large and been around since the late 1800’s. Each division has their own web site on upcoming events and charities they participate in.

I know of The Knights of Columbus being a Catholic charity group, but am not familiar with their rituals, behavior, or language of this group. Knowing that this is a charitable group will make it easy to keep an open mind and avoid creating biases. In this ethnographic study I plan to learn everything I can about being a member including;

· the type of charities they provide

· what it is like being a member

· if there are guidelines to being a member

· how much time must be devoted to the group

· how they officer election works and what the officers do compared to regular members

· and anything and everything between



Studying of the group shall begin soon as I receive the approval. Thanks.



Sincerely,

Jessica Shadrick

My subculture group letter

Dear Mr. Nadziejko and my entire English 102 class,




The group I have decided to study this semester is the Knights of Columbus. This is the largest catholic fraternal group that raises millions of dollars a year for charity. The Knights of Columbus have many branches all around the world, and several I’ve found in Southern Illinois. (Including one in Belleville). Although, the Knights of Columbus is a male organization, they also have a ladies auxiliary. (Which is the group I will study). I have not received confirmation back of the group I plan to study, but have learned through their web site that all events are open to the public. Meeting and observing members should be fairly easy. This group is legal and when receive the okay back from one of the divisions, observation can begin at any time. Information on the Knights is widely available, being that this group is so large and been around since the late 1800’s. Each division has their own web site on upcoming events and charities they participate in.

I know of The Knights of Columbus being a Catholic charity group, but am not familiar with their rituals, behavior, or language of this group. Knowing that this is a charitable group will make it easy to keep an open mind and avoid creating biases. In this ethnographic study I plan to learn everything I can about being a member including;



· the type of charities they provide

· what it is like being a member

· if there are guidelines to being a member

· how much time must be devoted to the group

· how they officer election works and what the officers do compared to regular members

· and anything and everything between



Studying of the group shall begin soon as I receive the approval. Thanks.



Sincerely,

Jessica Shadrick

Hi

Heya!! My name’s Jessica Shadrick and I am a first time blogger!! This is a little weird making my first posting considering I have zero followers to read this. So I guess it is kind of like talking to myself. So I live in Steeleville, Illinois about 37 farms away from SWIC, AKA 1 hour drive. I’m majoring in Business Management and plan on continuing on to get my masters. I’ve lived in Illinois a little over a year now. Before I was living in Connecticut and many states before that, which are mentioned in my profile. My mom and I moved back here to be closer to family. My dad and his wife live in Milwaukee with my older brother and younger stepsister. I fly and visit them about every other month. I am 21 years old right and don’t let anyone tell you that it is much different from being 20, because that is crap. It is awesome! Anyway, I love hanging out with friends, going to concerts, fishing, and pretty much anything that involves being in the sun. I’m into all different types of music, such as, rock, pop, rap, but mostly country! Well, that’s pretty much all I got so far!