Who are the Knights of Columbus?

The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic family fraternal service organization with 1.7 million members. It provides members and their families with volunteer opportunities in service to the Catholic Church, their communities, families and young people.

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.

As a member of the Knights of Columbus you and your family enjoy many benefits, including free monthly issues of Columbia magazine, the world's largest Catholic family magazine, the eligibility to join the Knights of Columbus top-ranked life insurance program, and many more. You get to work with like minded people to better your local community. In the process, you get to make meaningful friendships that will last a lifetime.

Any 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.

    Some of our local activities:

  • Sponsor Local Little League Team
  • Sponsor “Keep Christ in Christmas Contest”
  • Sponsor the Thanksgiving Mass
  • Sponsor Children in Haiti
  • Hold Tootsie Roll Drive (Money stays in our local Community)
  • Fund scholarships to Griswold High School
  • Award to Elementary School for Civic Project
  • Put on an annual ID Party for ARC and Special Olympics
  • Hand out 500 Free Flags at Memorial Day Parade
  • Purchased and placed the Ten Commandments Monument at St. Mary's
  • Purchased and Placed Signs for Rectory, Church and Parish Hall
  • We support:
  • St Mary’s Parish (Donations, purchases and work.)
  • St Mary’s Food Pantry through funding and service
  • Griswold Special Olympics
  • New London County ARC & Fogarty House
  • Summer Bible School
  • 1st Communion and Confirmation Classes
  • Divine Mercy Program
  • American Legion Baseball
  • VFW Loyalty Day
  • Local Fire Department
  • Local Scouting programs
  • Slater Library
  • Flowers for St Mary’s Cemetery
  • Flowers for the Ten Commandments Monument

    Our Current Council Officers

  • Grand Knight   Stephen Champagne
  • Deputy Grand Knight   Stan Stradczuk
  • Chancellor   Larry Garvin
  • Recorder   Mike Lavardo
  • Treasurer   Patrick J Collins
  • Advocate   Joe Lussier
  • Warden   Jim LaCasse
  • Inside Guard   John Tarka
  • Outside Guard   Roland Gervais
  • Trustee   Robert G Roberge
  • Trustee   Joe Thibodeau
  • Trustee   John F Connelly

    Appointed

  • Chaplain   Fr. Ted Tunicki
  • Lecturer   Fred Kral
  • Financial Secretary   Richard Throwe

    Our Grand Knights - Founding to Present

  1. 1922 JohnHennon 1st (Founding) Grand Knight
  2. 1923 E.J.Carroll
  3. 1924 William
  4. 1925-1926 Richard Dudkowski
  5. 1927 John LeClaire
  6. 1928 Chester Dudkowski
  7. 1929 William “Terry” McGovern
  8. 1930 James Morey
  9. 1931-1932 Ted Boule
  10. 1933 Joseph Cadieux
  11. 1934-1936 John Dombrowski
  12. 1937-1941 John LeClaire
  13. 1942 James Morey
  14. 1943 Walter Smith
  15. 1944 John Sawicki
  16. 1945 Clarence Scott
  17. 1946 Richard McCusken
  18. 1947 Stanley Derda
  19. 1948 John Szostak
  20. 1949 Thomas Barnett
  21. 1950 Philip Anthony
  22. 1951 Leo Poitras
  23. 1952 Louis Kiss
  24. 1953 Ted Zajekowski
  25. 1954 Charles LaFreniere
  26. 1955 Francis Quinn
  27. 1956 Fran Woctjuk
  28. 1957 Benjamin Podrugiel
  29. 1958 John Dudek
  30. 1959 Frank Goncharow
  31. 1960 Paul Couture
  32. 1961 John Anthony
  33. 1962 Lloyd Rioux
  34. 1963 Arthur Gibeault
  35. 1964 Thomas Wakely
  36. 1965 Louis Demanche
  37. 1966 Robert Provencher
  38. 1967 Antonio Marinello Jr.
  39. 1968 Carl Millovitch
  40. 1969 Wilfred Jodoin
  41. 1970 Donald Dufficy
  42. 1971 Henry “Bud” Ouillette
  43. 1972 Joseph Carrigan
  44. 1973 Ralph Marsh
  45. 1974 Raymond Gromko
  46. 1975 Roger Roy
  47. 1975 Thomas Leffler
  48. 1976 Joseph Morrissette
  49. 1977 Thomas Leffler
  50. 1978 Joseph Cote
  51. 1979 George Lucier
  52. 1980-1981 Walter Grzelak
  53. 1982 Robert Lamothe
  54. 1983 Robert Selcan
  55. 1984 James LaCasse
  56. 1985 George LeBeouf Jr.
  57. 1986 Joseph LaRose
  58. 1987 George LeBeouf Jr.
  59. 1988-1989 Lawrence Belisle
  60. 1990-1991 James Larrabee
  61. 1992 Hugh Marsh
  62. 1993 Joseph Lussie
  63. 1994 Richard Laidley
  64. 1995-2009 Henry “Bud” Ouillette, PSD
  65. 2010-2012 Stanley Stradczuk
  66. 2013 Larry Garvin
  67. 2014-2018 Richard Brophy
  68. 2018-2019 Larry Garvin
  69. 2019 Stephen Champagne