Knights of Columbus

Purpose of the Color Corps

When knighthood was in flower, knights carried the sword to defend their God, their Church, their country and their fellow man according to the code of chivalry. Today, Sir Knights wear ceremonial uniforms and carry the sword to honor Christ and His apostles, especially on religious and civic occasions specified in this manual. Hence, the primary purpose of the Fourth Degree is to encourage active Catholic citizenship and foster the spirit of patriotism in members and the community at large.

The Color Corps members exemplify all the principles of our Order:

• Charity - by the gift of their time and energies necessary to practice, perfect and perform the ceremonials and sword drill;
• Unity – by the united efforts of Sir Knights to practice and perfect a coordinated drill for the good of the Church and the Order;
• Fraternity – by expressing an “Esprit de Corps,” sharing a common desire for drill excellence and camaraderie; and
• Patriotism – by performing precision drill as a salute to God and to country and visually exhibiting a love for both.

The public appearance of Fourth Degree Knights as a Color Corps at religious and civic functions is an important activity of each assembly. Their uniforms add dignity and the pride of Church and country to any event. By these public demonstrations their loyalties bring credit to themselves and to the Knights of Columbus.

Guidelines for Honor Guard and Color Guard requests

1. All requests must be submitted at least one meeting prior to the event
2. All requests for attendance at Mass must be made my the Pastor.
3. All requests must be sent to the Faithful Navigator

All Fourth Degree Sir Knights are encouraged to join the Assembly’s Color Corps. Joining is easy and no prior military experience is required. If you are presently a member of the Fourth Degree and would be interested in joining the Color Corps contact our Faithful Navigator or our Color Corps Commander.