The Columbian Squires is an international youth fraternity run by the

Knights of Columbus The Knights of Columbus (K of C) is a global Catholic fraternal service order founded by Michael J. McGivney on March 29, 1882. Membership is limited to practicing Catholic men. It is led by Patrick E. Kelly, the order's 14th Supreme Knight. ...

for Catholic boys between the ages of 10 and 18. Its stated mission is "to develop young men as leaders who understand their Catholic religion, who have a strong commitment to the Church and who are ready, willing and capable of patterning their lives after the Youth Christ."

History

The Squires were established under the direction of Brother Barnabas McDonald, F.S.C., together with Supreme Director Daniel A. Tobin on August 4, 1925. At that time there was a national interest in youth in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, as reflected by the development of the

Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded ...

and the Big Brother movement. The Boy Movement Committee of the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus sent questionnaires to each Grand Knight and after receiving the responses met with Brother Barnabas. Brother Barnabas had gained a national reputation for his pioneering work with delinquents and orphans. As of 2016, the formation of new Squire Circles in the United States and Canada is discouraged, since the Catholic Church has a desire to move youth activities from exclusive clubs into the local parish youth groups.

Organization

Each Circle is supervised by a Knights of Columbus Council or Assembly and has an advisory board made up of either the Grand Knight, the Deputy Grand Knight and Chaplain or the Faithful Navigator, the Faithful Captain and Faithful Friar. Circles are either Council based, parish based, or school based, depending on the location of the circle and the Knight counselors. The Squires officers consist of Chief Squire, Deputy Chief Squire, Bursar Squire, Notary Squire, Marshall, Sentry, Arm Captain and Pole Captain. Adults (members of the

) fill the roles of Chief Counselor, Chancellor and the priest fills the role of the Father Prior. Squires circles have been instituted throughout the

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, the

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, Guatemala,

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, the

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, the

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, and various

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bases abroad.

Sister Organization

In 1996 the Virginia State Council of Knights of Columbus endorsed the Squire Roses as the official youth group for girls aged 10 to 18, in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Since then the Squire Roses have expanded into new Knights of Columbus jurisdictions, growing in both size and stature. The Squire Roses have their own ceremonials, logo, and slogan, each similar yet distinct from the Squires. In Canada, the Squire Roses are called Squirettes.

References

External links

Knights of Columbus – Columbian Squires Web Site

Squires Newsletter

Ontario Provincial Board

Michigan Columbian Squires

Harker Heights, Texas Columbian Squires Circle 5022
{{Authority control Knights of Columbus Catholic youth organizations Youth organizations established in 1925 Child-related organizations in the United States

History

Organization

Sister Organization

See also

References

External links