Knights of Columbus 125th Anniversary Celebration

Westborough Knights of Columbus Observes 125th Anniversary

Westborough – John Boyle O’Reilly Knights of Columbus Council 85 was chartered by the Supreme Council in New Haven Connecticut on January 7, 1894. The members have been observing this 125th anniversary with events throughout the year. Members are proud to be among the first 100 councils formed during the earliest days of the order. The Knights of Columbus is the largest Catholic Men’s fraternal organization with nearly 2 million members worldwide.

The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by the Venerable Father Michael McGivney, an Irish-American Catholic priest assigned to a New Haven, Connecticut parish. He first met with a group of men from St. Mary’s Parish in New Haven on October 2, 1881. Shortly thereafter, on March 29, 1882, the Knights of Columbus was incorporated under the laws of the State of Connecticut. Although the first councils were all located in Connecticut, the order spread throughout New England, the United States, and now the world.

The John Boyle O’Reilly Council was the 85th council founded. We are proud of our volunteer work and we are proud to be associated with St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church, Westborough, MA.

A Social and Celebration Dinner will be held at the John Boyle O’Reilly Hall on Willow Street on Saturday October 12, 2019. This event will be a celebration of the years of promoting charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism in our community and beyond. The Council is proud that they have served St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church which had been in Westborough for almost 25 years itself at the time the council began. Current Grand Knight Andrew Whamond will preside over the evening which will celebrate and recall some of the successes and also recognize some of our oldest members.

Members of the 125th Committee have been working on updating the history of the council. A very good historical account was written at the time of the Centennial celebration in 1994 by then Grand Knight Richard Drohan. The updated history will cover the last 25 years.

Grand Knight Andrew Whamond wrote the following closing for the updated history of the Council: “The John Boyle O’Reilly Knights of Columbus Council #85 continues to be fortunate to have members who maintain the integrity the Knights of Columbus’ core values: Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. Council 85 has a rich history of providing protection and care of its many members and their families as well as charitable giving. Our council continues to grow and perform life changing charitable work. We are active in our community and we continue to provide much needed charitable support to those members of our community who need help. The Council exemplifies what is good about the Knights of Columbus. In the 100th Anniversary booklet, Richard Drohan, the then Grand Knight and Past District Deputy, encouraged us to continue to perform charitable work and to demonstrate that our work is performed for the good of the church, community, youth and families. It was his hope that our good deeds would attract new members and continue forward.

I am proud of our many accomplishments since our 100th Anniversary. I am honored to carry on the legacy my grandfather, Mark J. Connors Sr., began many years ago when he participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Knights of Columbus Hall in Westborough. His son and my uncle Mark J. Connors, Jr., both of whom have passed away, were committed Knights. And now my brother, Connor, and I, are eager to continue living the motto that my grandfather and uncle lived: “In service to One, in service to All”. I am looking forward to making a real and lasting difference in our community and I knew that the Knights of Columbus would make that happen. Unlike other aspects of life that I may not be able to control, volunteering allows me to choose where and how to make a difference. It’s easy to get inspired with a cause I truly care about and it is rewarding to see my direct impact. I look forward to a healthy, growing and giving Council well into the future.”

Appetizers will be served at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Contact Herman Millet 508-735-8465 or Guido Lonardo 978-457-6253 for tickets ($25 per person). For more information visit www.kofc85.org.