<Tr> <Th> Affiliations </Th> <Td> International Alliance of Catholic Knights Columbian Squires </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> www.kofc.org </Td> </Tr> <P> The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization . Founded by Father Michael J. McGivney in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1882, it was named in honor of the explorer Christopher Columbus . Originally serving as a mutual benefit society to working class and immigrant Catholics in the United States, it developed into a fraternal benefit society dedicated to providing charitable services, including war and disaster relief, actively defending Catholicism in various nations, and promoting Catholic education . The Knights also support the Catholic Church's positions on public policy issues . They have been active in resisting efforts at same - sex marriage and adoption . </P> <P> There are 1,918,122 members in nearly 15,000 councils, with 302 councils on college campuses . Membership is limited to "practical" Catholic men aged 18 or older . Membership consists of four different degrees, each exemplifying a different principle of the Order . The Order is a member of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights . Councils are chartered in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and around the world . The Knights' official junior organization, the Columbian Squires, has more than 5,000 circles, and the Order's patriotic arm, the Fourth Degree, has more than 2,500 assemblies . Prospective members must support a "culture of life," and oppose legal abortion and euthanasia . The current Supreme Knight is Carl A. Anderson . </P>

Where did the knights of columbus get their name