CHARLOTTE — Since its founding in 1903, the Bishop Michael J. Begley Knights of Columbus Council 770 has supported the local community. The council has aided Catholic families in need, rebuilt churches, run the Tootsie Roll drive for individuals with developmental disabilities and provided disaster relief in Western North Carolina after Tropical Storm Helene. Now the oldest Knights of Columbus council in North Carolina is assisting future priests.
Council 770, with members from St. Patrick, St. Gabriel, St. Ann and St. Peter parishes, recently approved the establishment of a $250,000 endowment in the Diocesan Foundation for St. Joseph College Seminary to help young men pursue their vocations despite unexpected financial challenges. Deputy Grand Knight Jason Burgess spearheaded the initiative with Sergio Miranda, the state deputy for the North Carolina Knights of Columbus.
The endowment will help cover essential expenses such as books, tutoring, uniforms and other necessities. An endowment is a permanent fund, the principal of which is invested – not spent – that generates distributions to help pay for projects and programs specified by the donor. Endowments are tax deductible and help sustain the strength and viability of the diocese and its entities by paying for important expenditures such as capital improvements, charitable outreach, education and parish operations.
As the seminary rector’s Father Matthew Kauth noted, “This endowment makes it possible to support the various personal, medical and educational needs of our men. We may buy a pair of shoes for one seminarian or ensure that he can have dental work done. Some men struggle with dyslexia and other learning challenges, and this endowment makes it possible to attend to their needs, too.”
Burgess added, “The biggest element of being a Knight of Columbus is charity. What better way than this endowment to help nourish future priests?”
Burgess’ son Micah, also a Knight and a seminarian at St. Joseph College Seminary, helped present the idea to the council alongside his father. Micah is confident he is following his calling and wants to ensure financial issues do not prevent others from doing the same. “Money shouldn’t stand in the way of something like this,” Micah Burgess said.
The founder of the Knights of Columbus, Blessed Michael Joseph McGivney, almost had to abandon his priestly vocation after his father passed away. The Bishop of Hartford stepped in, offering financial support for McGivney to attend St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, where he completed his studies and was ordained, ultimately leading to the creation of the Knights of Columbus. “Without minor seminary, there is no major seminary,” Jason Burgess said. “Without it, we have no future priests.”
As Father Kauth said, “I am so grateful that the Knights of Columbus have seen fit to offer this gift to benefit seminarians. Part of our charism as Knights is to support a strong and holy priesthood. While we have always been beneficiaries of the Knights’ generosity, this gift has an order of magnitude that will help many a man into the future.”
Jim Kelley, the diocese’s development director, noted that “Several Knights of Columbus councils have established endowments in our diocesan foundation. The Knights are always thinking about others and the future of our Church. They are such a gift to our diocese. We are grateful to Council 770 for caring for our future priests.”
— Catholic News Herald
Fund an endowment
Interested in setting up – or adding to – an endowment to benefit your parish or Catholic school? You can establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of real estate, life insurance, cash or securities. Join over 1,700 parishioners who have informed the diocese they plan to remember the Church in their estate plans.
For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..