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Council History
Founded on February 16, 1898. Florentine Council No. 304 was the first affiliate of Fr. Michael J. McGivney’s New Haven based society to be organized in Dutchess County. Formation of a Council was first suggested by J.A. Lamb, a local Attorney and, through his efforts and those of many others, 66 Charter Members were accepted into the three Degrees of the Order on that day in February. John J. Mylod, also a local Attorney, was elected the first Grand Knight.
The new Council was named in honor of sister Mary Florentine Gallagher, of the Sisters of Charity. Sister had taught at Saint Peters Boys School in Poughkeepsie, from which many of the Charter Members had graduated, for over 25 years. As the first Council in Dutchess County, Florentine has been instrumental in the organization and nurturing of many of the other councils in the Hudson River and Harlem Valleys. Although much smaller today than it was in former years, Florentine continues to be an active and vital part of the local and worldwide Knights of Columbus organization.
The Knights of Columbus were first organized by Fr. McGivney, now Blessed Michael McGiveny, at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Connecticut in 1882. His vision was to unite groups of Catholic men in their faith and to provide financial assistance to the widows and orphans of its members. These men formed a fraternal society that would one day become the world’s largest Catholic, family, fraternal, and service organization. They sought strength in solidarity and security through unity of purpose and devotion to a holy cause. They vowed to be defenders of their country, their families and their faith.
Those simple, basic values continue to guide the work of our Order to the present day. Today, we are an organization of Catholic Men, 1.8 million strong in 14 countries around the world, dedicated to the principles of UNITY, as a group of people with similar beliefs and values, CHARITY towards our fellow man in the hope of building a better world, FRATERNITY towards our Brother Knights, and PATRIOTISM that reflects our loyalty toward the country in which we live and worship.
The charitable work of the Knights of Florentine Council has served the people of Dutchess County well in these past nearly 112 years. The council has made substantial contributions to all of our local catholic Churches and our local hospitals. Contributions from Florentine Council helped the city to build Stitzle Field, one of the city’s finest recreational facilities and many other local organizations have enjoyed the benefits of our support. Over the years, community events like the Annual Christmas Party, have helped countless children to experience the joy of the season; our sponsorship of a number of Little League Teams, as well as a K of C Squires Circle, have likewise provided our young people with an opportunity to become more involved in community activities. Our annual 9/11 Memorial Mass, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, honors those members of our community who lost their lives on that tragic day and helps to insure that we will always remember them. Our involvement in charitable work and community support are vital components of who we are as Knights of Columbus.
Our Founders were bound together by the ideals of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the Americas, the one who brought Christianity to the New World. We are, truly, Knights of Columbus, imbued with his resolute spirit and singleness of purpose. Our Order has been called "the strong right arm of the Church," and has been praised by popes, presidents, and other world leaders, for its support of the Church, its programs of evangelization, for its support of Catholic education, for its civic involvement, and its aid to those in need. Our singular purpose at Florentine Council is to live up to and to merit the high esteem in which the Knights of Columbus are held throughout the world.