Revised 4-6-07

St. Peter the Apostle, Council #13290 ABOUT the Knights Home    Officers    Awards    Bulletin Board   Calendar  Program / Activities Current Newsletter   Previous Newsletter Maryland State Council  Supreme Council

About Our Council
St. Peter the Apostle Council was instituted on March 6, 2003.  The St. Peter the Apostle Council works closely with St. Peter's Parish in Libertytown, providing support for church and community events.

Council Information
The St. Peter the Apostle Council is located at St. Peter the Apostle Church in Libertytown, MD on Rt. 75.  The Grand Knight for 2006-2007 is Nicholas DiSipio, III.  You can contact the Grand Knight by phone at (301) 829-1893, or by email at njdisipioiii@hotmail.com

Council Meetings
The first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm.  The first Tuesday is the social meeting and the third Tuesday is the business meeting.  Meeting are held in Sappington Hall.


Membership

Who are the Knights?
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic family fraternal service organization with 1.7 million members.  Founded in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, it provides members and their families with volunteer opportunities in service to the Catholic Church, their communities, families and young people.

As a member of the Knights of Columbus you and your family enjoy many benefits, including 12 free issues annually of the Columbia magazine, the world's largest Catholic family magazine, eligibility to join the Knights of Columbus top-ranked life insurance program, and many more family and personal benefits.

Our local Council will be involved in many activities.  These activities are broken down into five committees- Church, Community, Council, Family, and Youth.  Visit the Program/Activities page for more information.

How To Join
Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to practicing Catholic men in union with the Holy See, who are at least 18 years old.  A practicing Catholic is one who lives up to the Commandments of God and the precepts of the Church.  Application blanks are available from any member of the Knights of Columbus.

Please contact our membership director, Martin Nau, 301--620-0658 writenau@hotmail.com or Robert Droter, PGK, 301-865-4565  bobbyjorjd@aol.com or the Grand Knight, if you have any specific questions.

4th Degree 
Third Degree member in good standing, one year after the anniversary of his First Degree, is eligible for membership in the Fourth Degree.  The primary purpose of the Fourth Degree is to foster the spirit of patriotism by promoting responsible citizenship and a love of and loyalty to the Knights' respective countries through active membership in local Fourth Degree groups (called "assemblies").  Certain members of the Fourth Degree serve as honor guards at civic and religious functions, an activity that has brought worldwide recognition to the Knights of Columbus.

Ladies Auxiliary
The Ladies Auxiliary's main function is to SUPPORT the men and the council.  They do this primarily by providing help at events, cooking for events and providing monetary help.  They also generally do help with setting up and beautifying the hall for events.

Squires
Under the guidance of Christian Brother Barnabas McDonald (1865-1929), the first Columbian Squires circle was instituted in 1925.  Membership in the Squires is for Catholic boys between the ages of 12 and 17.  Squires' activities are many, varying from spiritual to active service for the Church and community.  Each circle elects officer members from their own rank, teaching skills of leadership and responsibility.

Knights of Columbus EMBLEM         
The emblem of the Order dates from the second Supreme Council meeting May 12, 1883, when it was designed by James T. Mullen, who was then Supreme Knight.

A quick glance at the emblem indicates a shield mounted upon the Formee Cross.  The shield is that associated with a medieval Knight.  The Formee Cross is the representation of a traditionally 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 standing vertically, and , crossed behind it, an anchor and a dagger or short sword.  The fasces from Roman days 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.

The red, white and blue in the background of the shield and the foreground of the Cross of Malta are the colors of our country.  As such, red is the symbol of hope, of calm tranquility under God and of confidence in the protection of our country.  White is the symbol of nobility of purpose, of purity of aim and of crucible -- tried ideals to be carried out.

But there is another symbolism of color in red, white and blue.  This is the ecclesiastical symbolism in which red becomes the reflection of the drips of Christ's redemptive blood shed upon Calvary, and the martyr's blood shed in defense of the faith.

Red then is the symbol of Faith, of belief in Christ, in the Redemption and in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.  White is the color of the Eucharistic Host, pledge of God's Eucharistic presence among men, of the infinite love God has for man and the overwhelming affection which the God-man has for each individual.  White then is the symbol of Christ-like Charity.  Blue is the color of our Lady's mantle, in which she wrapped her beloved Son, through Whom came salvation to a sinful world.  Blue is then the symbol of Hope.

Nearby Councils

Bishop McNamara Council 1622   http://users.adelphia.net/~satterf/kc1622/

St Michaels of Poplar Springs Council 10525

St Pauls Council 11105

Our Lady of the Valley Council 11703

Archbishop John Carroll of Brunswick Council 11715

St Ignatius of Loyola of Urbana Council 11815   http://kofc.e-stignatius.org/

St. Timothy Council 12255   http://www.kofc-sttimothys.org/