The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal family Catholic organization, dedicated to service of others. Membership is open to practicing Catholic men, who are at least 18 years old. The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by a 29-year-old parish priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, in the basement of St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Connecticut. Today, more than a century later, the Knights of Columbus has become the largest lay organization in the Catholic Church.