100 years later, Houma’s Catholic Knights still going strong

For 100 years, charity, unity, fraternalism and patriotism have been cornerstones of Houma’s Knights of Columbus Council No. 1317.

“It was the pursuit of these ideals that knighthood was established centuries ago,” the council’s grand knight Prosper J. Toups Jr. said.

The Knights of Columbus formed in 1882 when the Rev. Michael J. McGivney, an Irish-American priest, and several male parishioners from Waterbury, Conn., met to ponder the question: How can we build a better world?

The council’s first mission was to offer low-income life insurance to immigrant families facing destitution after the death of the breadwinner of their households.

“Back then, there were a lot of sawmill factories and people could not afford life or health insurance, and they did not have charity hospitals like Chabert (Medical Center),” Toups said. “When people died they had no money to bury them, so the Knights came up with a way to help the community and its parishioners.”

The charitable spirit spread like a wildfire, and before long the Knights of Columbus was one of the world’s largest Catholic fraternal service organizations in the U.S.

When members of the Knights organization migrated to Terrebonne Parish in 1907, it wasn’t long before a council took root. On May 3, 1908, Council No. 1317 was formed.

Members met on the second floor of the old Knights of Pythias Building at the northwest corner of the intersection of Main and Grinage streets.

“The material progress of the Council and the achievement of our pioneering Knights can only be understood and appreciated in the light of conditions existent during the early years of the council,” Toups explained.

The local Knights have come a long way from those initial meetings. Today, in addition to sponsoring a seminarian, hosting meals for priests and deacons, and donating to families burdened with funeral expenses, the group gives annually to the diocesan Excellence in Religious Education program and is involved with the Youth Expansion program.

Council No. 1317 has grown to 197 members. And the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux has eight Fourth Degree – the highest order attainable – diocesan assemblies.

“We’ve been praised by the popes, presidents and world leaders for our support of the church, Catholic education, evangelization and community involvement,” Toups said.

Houma’s Knights of Columbus Council No. 1317 celebrated its 100th year of service to the Catholic community. Prosper J. Toups Jr. credits the council’s commitment to Terrebonne Parish for the organization’s longevity. * Photo by SOPHIA RUFFIN