What does KOC mean in Unclassified?

Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. It was founded by the Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1882, and named in honor of the navigator Christopher Columbus. Originally serving as a mutual benefit society to low-income immigrant Catholics, it developed into a fraternal service organization dedicated to providing charitable services, promoting Catholic education and actively defending Catholicism in various nations. There are more than 1.8 million members in 15,000 councils, with nearly 200 councils on college campuses. Membership is limited to "practical Catholic" men aged 18 or older. Membership consists of 4 different degrees, each exemplifying a different principle of the Order. The Order is a member of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights. Most meetings follow a strict protocol based on guidelines from the National Home Office. Councils have been chartered in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Guatemala, Panama, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Guam, Spain, Japan, Cuba, and most recently in Poland and Ukraine. The Knights' official junior organization, the Columbian Squires, has over 5,000 Circles.

see more »