Navigators of Catholic Patriotism

October 20, 2026

Knights of Columbus honor their namesake with Columbus Day celebrations in New York and Washington, D.C.

By Columbia staff

October 20, 2026

Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus march up Fifth Avenue in the 82nd annual Columbus Day parade in Manhattan. — Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus march up Fifth Avenue in the 82nd annual Columbus Day parade in Manhattan on Oct. 12. (Photo by Tamino Petelinsek)

In 1892, just two years after the death of Blessed Michael McGivney, Knights of Columbus enthusiastically celebrated the first national Columbus Day, marking the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ landing in the Americas. More than 130 years later, Knights continue to observe the holiday throughout the country with fanfare and solemnity, remembering the legacy of the Catholic explorer who is the namesake of the Order.

On Oct. 12, Columbus Day, Supreme Officers of the Knights of Columbus, including Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly, and more than 200 Fourth Degree Knights from several jurisdictions marched in the 82nd annual Columbus Day parade in Manhattan. The parade coincided with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and marked the first year Supreme Officers participated in the parade.

“It’s a great day to celebrate our American heritage, that is to say, the heritage of all immigrants,” Supreme Knight Kelly said. “I think in many ways Columbus is a symbol of immigration to this country, and … this is a nation of immigrants. This is the great melting pot, and the Knights of Columbus play a particular role in that.”

When founding the Order, Blessed Michael McGivney chose Christopher Columbus to symbolize a place of belonging for Catholics — and immigrants — in the country, explained the supreme knight.

“In the very beginning of the Knights of Columbus, it was a time of great anti-Catholic prejudice in the United States,” he continued. “Columbus was a figure who was widely known to the American population in general, and he was a Catholic.”

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly marches with Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus in the 82nd annual Columbus Day parade in Manhattan. — Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly marches with Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus in the 82nd annual Columbus Day parade in Manhattan on Oct. 12. (Photo by Tamino Petelinsek)

Before the parade, Knights attended Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop emeritus of New York, was the principal celebrant, with dozens of priests and bishops concelebrating. Archbishop Charles Balvo, apostolic nuncio emeritus to Australia and a longtime Knight, delivered the homily, emphasizing the important role immigrants have played in the history of the United States. Referencing Pope Leo XIV’s letter to the United States on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Archbishop Balvo highlighted the pope’s emphasis on the nation’s responsibility to defend all human life, which includes “welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants, whose hopes, sacrifices and contribution have formed part of the history of this country from its very beginning.”

Archbishop Balvo concluded with a prayer from Pope Leo XIV’s message for the 2026 World Day of Migrants and Refugees: “Let us make ours the prayer of Pope Leo XIV. Let us entrust migrant and refugee children to the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who together with St. Joseph and the child Jesus experienced the cruelty of Herod’s violence and the tragedy of exile in Egypt. May she accompany their steps and help our communities to become living and credible signs of the Gospel.”

This year’s Columbus Day parade in New York celebrated both America’s 250th anniversary and Italian Americans under the theme “Two Flags, One Home: Celebrating 250 Years of Italian Contribution to America.” The presence of the Fourth Degree, the patriotic arm of the Order, was particularly significant, said Supreme Master Michael McCusker.

“By being here today, we’re doing two things,” the supreme master said. “One, we’re honoring our namesake, Christopher Columbus, and two, we’re recognizing the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. … To be able to be here today in New York City, where the Fourth Degree was established, and to participate in this parade demonstrates the great strength of the Fourth Degree in continuing the mission of patriotism and recognizing the exceptional role that Catholics have played in the history of this country.”

Supreme Director Stephen Kehoe reads President Donald Trump’s 2026 Columbus Day proclamation during the annual National Columbus Day Ceremony at the Columbus Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 12. (Photo by Matthew Barrick)

The same day in Washington, D.C., Knights of Columbus leaders from several jurisdictions participated in the annual National Columbus Day Ceremony at the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain, commemorating the 534th anniversary of Columbus’ arrival in the Americas. Auxiliary Bishop Gary Studniewski of Washington, a past state chaplain of the District of Columbia, led the opening prayer at the event, sponsored by the National Christopher Columbus Association and the National Park Service. The Order successfully advocated for the construction of the memorial, which was dedicated in 1912 at a ceremony that included an address by President William Howard Taft. The memorial underwent a major restoration earlier this year.

“The message that the Knights of Columbus are bringing today is a sense of patriotism, a sense of pride in being an American, pride in this culture,” Supreme Knight Kelly said in New York. “It’s a reverence to God — and really thanking him for the tremendous gifts that we have been given: the gift of faith, the gift of community, and the gift of one another.”

Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus march past St. Patrick’s Cathedral in the 82nd annual Columbus Day parade in Manhattan.

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly greets Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop emeritus of New York.

Supreme Officers of the Knights of Columbus stand with Fourth Degree Knights in Manhattan’s Central Park.

District of Columbia State Treasurer Joseph Njoku Jr. (left) and State Secretary Ryan Mulvey carry a memorial wreath to the Columbus Memorial.

Joseph McInerney speaks at the Symposium on Young American Men in Washington, D.C., Sept. 25.

Navigators of Catholic Patriotism

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