KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
Mother Cabrini Assembly # 1572
Member Councils
St. Lawrence Council # 1495 - Brewster, NY
Fr. John Mooney Council # 5743 - Mahopac, NY
Monsignor Raymond M. Collins Council # 6205 - Somers, NY
Our Lady of the Lakes Council # 6318 - Carmel, NY
Fr. James T. Breen Council # 7490 - Patterson, NY
About the Fourth Degree - The Patriotic Degree of our Order
On February 22, 1900, the first exemplification of the Fourth Degree was held in the New York City. To the three principles of our Order -- Charity, Unity and Fraternity -- a final lesson was added: the virtue of Patriotism. The focus of the Fourth Degree is on this principle, an abiding love for, and devotion to, one's country. The primary purpose of the Fourth Degree is to foster the spirit of patriotism by promoting responsible citizenship and a love of, and loyalty to, the Knights' respective countries through membership in local Fourth Degree groups called Assemblies.
The structure of the Fourth Degree consists of the Supreme Assembly, Provinces and Provincial Assemblies, Districts and District Assemblies, and Assemblies.
The Supreme Assembly is composed of the Supreme Master, Supreme Knight, Supreme Secretary, and Vice Supreme Masters. Their duties are to give careful consideration to all matters concerning the welfare of the Fourth Degree. Each Province and Provincial Assembly are headed by a Vice Supreme Master, who has general supervision over Masters, assemblies, and 4th Degree Exemplifications in his Province. Each Province is divided into districts. Each Assembly District is composed of the Faithful Navigator and one delegate for each 100 members in each Assembly in the District. Each District is headed by a Master who has been appointed by the Supreme Master.
An Assembly is established by Fourth Degree members in an area by
requesting the Master of the District to petition the Vice Supreme Master
to recommend to the Supreme Master and Board of Directors to create an
Assembly. Thus, our Assembly is Mother Cabrini Assembly #
1572, comprised of the member Councils listed above. Our current Faithful
Navigator is Sir Knight Robert Cuthbert, PGK.
Assembly Officers
The Faithful Navigator presides at all meetings and enforces the rules and regulations of the assembly and the laws of the order. He is also the chairman of the Board of Trustees.
The Faithful Friar is the spiritual leader of the Assembly. He is appointed by the Faithful Navigator.
In the absence of the Faithful Navigator, the Faithful Captain performs the duties of the Faithful Navigator. He is also in charge of social activities and those under the Good of the Order.
The Faithful Pilot has charge of all properties of the assembly and is responsible for the assembly chamber. He is also responsible for the Sentinels.
The Faithful Comptroller maintains membership records, collects and receives all money for the assembly, and prepares orders to the Purser for bills to be paid.
The Faithful Scribe maintains records of all meetings and conducts all correspondence of the assembly.
The Faithful Purser receives money from the Faithful Comptroller and pays orders signed by the Faithful Comptroller and the Faithful Navigator. He also maintains all money accounts.
The Faithful Sentinels ensure that all attending an assembly function are in possession of both a 3rd and 4th Degree Membership Card.
The Faithful Admiral is responsible for recruiting new members and the assembly’s participation in the 4th degree exemplification.
The Board of Trustees consists of the Faithful Navigator, who is the chairman, and three members, usually Past Faithful Navigators. They supervise all the financial business of the assembly.
The Color
Corps
Certain members of the Fourth Degree are members of
the Color Corps and serve as color guards and honor guards at civic and
religious functions. All Color Corps members have mastered the
"Manual of the Sword." The members of the Color Corps, who wear
colorful regalia, are "the visible arm of the Knights of Columbus."
The Color Corps is frequently seen in parades as well as at the wakes
and funerals of our deceased Brother Knights. This honorable activity has
brought worldwide recognition to the Knights of Columbus and to local
Assemblies.
Each level within the hierarchy of the Fourth Degree has its own color scheme. The Vice Supreme Master wears a blue cape and chapeau. The Master wears a gold cape and chapeau. The District Marshal wears a green cape and chapeau. The Navigator of an Assembly wears a white cape and chapeau, while his Color Corps Commander wears a purple cape and chapeau. All other members of the Color Corps wear a red cape and white chapeau.
Our Faithful Color Corps Commander is Sir Knight Robert Palazzo, PGK.
The uniform of the Fourth Degree was originally styled according to the formal wear of the day, at the turn of the 20th century, consisting of a top hat, Prince Albert coat, etc., with a red, white and blue baldric, on which was pinned an emblem depicting the United States Constitution. Sir Knights wore a sword with a cross-handle grip, signifying Christian Knighthood.
From its beginning, the Fourth Degree provided honor guards for religious and civic ceremonies. In order to fully appreciate this uniformed degree, one must realize that in the early 1900s, civic parades and religious processions played a very important role in America’s public life -- much more so than today. For Catholics, displaying pride in their religion evoked an experience analogous to that of the patriot witnessing the national flag ascending against a clear blue sky as a band played the national anthem.
Our
Emblem 
The Knights of the Fourth Degree deem it an honor and
a great privilege to carry the triad emblem, which features the DOVE, CROSS, and GLOBE.
Our honored order cherishes Christopher Columbus as its patron. "Christopher" means "Christ Bearer," and "Columbus" (or "Colombo," in Italian) means ‘Dove of Peace,’ symbolizing the Holy Spirit. The Cross of Christ is the sign of our Christian faith and is in the form of an Isabella Cross, for Columbus' patron, Queen Isabella of Spain. The Globe depicts the New World of America, the miraculous discovery by Christopher Columbus.
Spiritually, the sacred symbols fashioned on the cape, sword and lapel pins of the Fourth Degree symbolize the union of the Three Divine Persons in God, The Most Holy Trinity:
The blue Globe: God the Father, Creator of the universe;
The red Cross: God the Son, Jesus Christ, the redeemer of mankind; and
The white Dove: God the Holy Spirit, sanctifier of humanity.
Red, white and blue are the colors of the United States flag, the country in which our order originated. They are used to stress the basic principle of the Fourth Degree, Patriotism.
Eligibility for Membership in
the Fourth Degree
Any Third Degree
member in good standing, six months after the anniversary of his First
Degree, is eligible for membership in the Fourth Degree. Fourth
Degree members must retain their membership as
Third Degree members in any Knights of Columbus Council to remain in good
standing. Fourth Degree members are entitled to be called
"Sir Knight."
The Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus is considered to be a soldier
of Christ, a model of Christian living. Fourth Degree brothers (and for
that matter, all Knights of Columbus) should be dedicated, good Catholic
gentlemen, who glory in the saying, "They are the Strong Right Arm of the
Catholic Church," for it is to them that people look for example and
courage.
If you are interested in becoming a Fourth Degree Sir
Knight in Mother Cabrini Assembly # 1572, contact the Grand
Knight of any of the member Councils listed above.
According to the
Supreme Knight's Annual Report, there are more than 300,000 Fourth Degree
Sir Knights out of 1.8 million members of the Knights of Columbus.
The Brother Sir Knights who already celebrate "Faith, Family and
Fraternity" stand ready to welcome you as a member in the Fourth
Degree.