Officers

Program Personnel

What we support

Seminarians: One of the core principals of the Knights is to support the Church. Encouraging and supporting those considering the Priesthood and those attending a seminary is vital. Our council currently supports local seminarians with prayers and financial help of approximately $14,000.00 per year with direct payments of $500.00 - $1,000.00 per seminarian per year.

Local Church: Aside from the community building activities of our fish fry's, smoked BBQ Dinners and breakfasts, we actively try to support the major events that happen at the Church of the Nativity. We regularly work with other parish organizations and the parish administration to help sponsor, coordinate or fund special events throughout the year like an ordination reception, the Fall Festival, Breakfast with Santa, alter server training, set up and maintenance of the Nativity Scene, as well as our own Free Throw Competition.

Community: Our council's annual Tootsie Roll drive raises money for children with mental disabilities. Eighty percent of the money raised stays local, which allows us to donate to the Lake Mary Center in Paola, KS and the Down Syndrome Guild in Mission, KS. Our council's annual Roses for Life drive raises money for pro-life causes and all the money raised goes to the local Advice and Aid Pregnancy Center in Leawood, KS. We organize a few parish food drives each year to support Catholic Charities food pantries. The parish blood drives are organized by our council and we also participate in the St Mary's Food Kitchen by serving our Parish's August meal with our famous pulled pork.

Fundraising Efforts

Lenten Fish Fry's: 6 weeks during Lent with proceeds benefiting our general fund.

Football Raffle: 17 week profession football lottery raffle with proceeds benefiting our general fund.

Tootsie Roll Drive: Every October with proceeds benefiting the mentally challenged.

Roses for Life: Every January with proceeds benefiting pro-life causes.

Breakfasts / BBQ Smoke Events: Several per year with proceeds benefiting our general fund.

Addition Local Links

Knights are Catholic men, 18 years of age and older, who are committed to making their community a better place, while supporting their Church. Being a Knight is more than camaraderie; it is being involved with your community; it is supporting your local Catholic Church, while enhancing your own faith; it is about protecting and enhancing your family life.

Founded on the principles of charity, unity and fraternity, the Knights of Columbus was established in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney, assistant pastor of St. Mary's Church in New Haven, CT and a group of parishioners. The Order has grown from several members in one council to over 15,000 councils and 1.9 million members throughout the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Cuba, Guatemala, Guam, Saipan, Lithuania, Ukraine, and South Korea.

Service and charity are at the heart of the Knights. Founded to meet the needs of immigrants, refugees and families suffering from the death of a breadwinner, the Knights began as a small service organization and has grown into a worldwide financial and charitable organization. The Order has been called "the strong right arm of the Church," and has been praised by popes, presidents and other world leaders, for support of the Church, programs of evangelization, Catholic education, civic involvement, and aid to those in need.

The Supreme Council is the governing body of the Knights of Columbus and is responsible for the development of the organization as a whole. Supreme Council duties include establishing the Order in new regions and setting up regional authorities, defining and advancing its values and goals, undertaking organization-wide initiatives, promoting awareness of the Knights’ mission worldwide, and protecting the families of members through its extensive insurance program. Members working in local, or subordinate councils, however, carry on the majority of the Knights’ beneficial work. More information about the Knights of Columbus organization, it's founder, history and mission can be found on the Supreme Council website link below

Knights of Columbus Supreme Site

Additional Web Links

Membership into the Knights is available to Catholic men, 18 years of age and older, who are committed to making their community a better place, while supporting their Church. Being a Knight is more than camaraderie; it is being involved with your community; it is supporting your local Catholic Church, while enhancing your own faith; it is about protecting and enhancing your family life.

We encourage all active men of our Parish to consider becoming a member of our council. Our council is not as formal as many councils and we encourage non-members to attend our monthly meetings as a guest to get a first hand look and feel for what being a Knight is all about.

What are the requirements?

Membership requirements are being a practical Catholic gentleman, who is 18 years of age or older.

What is a practical Catholic?

A practical Catholic is one who is in union with the Holy See and who practices the precepts of the Catholic Church.

What are Degrees?

There are four degrees within the Knights of Columbus. Each degree ceremony imparts a lesson on the Order's core virtues of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism. New members are required to participate in an approximately 30 minute ceremonial which covers the first three degrees in order to participate as a member of our council. Our council typically schedules these ceremonies to start at 5:30pm prior to our normal monthly council meetings. The Patriotic or fourth degree is a separate assembly of Knights that is open to all third degree members. The Fourth Degree Assembly conducts its own ceremony, holds its own meetings, and collects its own annual dues.

Do I have to purchase Insurance?

No; unlike many fraternal organizations one does not become a member by purchasing insurance. In the Knights of Columbus a man has to be a member before he may avail himself of the insurance benefit. Purchasing insurance is optional, however; the life insurance and long-term care insurance products offered by the Order are not only competitively priced, they are among the most solid and highly rated products available anywhere. Standard & Poor's and A.M. Best, the leading independent agencies that rate insurance companies, give K of C insurance their highest ratings.

How much time is involved?

As a Knight you can choose the projects with which you wish to be involved in within your own community. The Order is dedicated to family life and the many benefits it offers. From insurance to scholarships to service and social activities and programs, all are open to the whole family.

If you would like to join our Church of the Nativity council of the Knights of Columbus, the initial process is done online at the link below. This will register you as an affiliate or eMember of the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council. Online registration is $30 and will cover your current years (Jan-Dec) annual dues. Affiliate or eMembers are eligible for insurance and will receive the monthly "Columbian" magazine along with some email correspondence from Supreme. During the signup process, there is a checkbox to indicate "I am interested in joining a local council". Please include our council number 11067, Church of Nativity Parish, Leawood, KS in this area when you sign up. The Proposer Member Number is 5103132 or can be left blank.

Join the Knights of Columbus

Once you have received email confirmation from Supreme that you have registered, please email us at knights@knightsofnativity.com or contact Ben Biller, our membership chairman by email or phone. Our membership chairman will contact you to schedule a degree ceremony for an upcoming meeting and this will allow you to transfer into our council. The degree ceremonies are normally scheduled just prior to our regular monthly council meetings.