Welcome! By clicking this link you have already taken the first step to joining our order by showing interest and researching it. As membership chairman it is my duty to tell you more about the specifics of our council and the different ways we provide service to our community and the fraternal benefits we offer our members, and the steps you need to take to become a Knight. In addition I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

Let me start by telling you I have been a Knight now for five years. My father is a Knight and I have been familiar with the Knights since I was a young child and have experienced firsthand the service they have provided to the community, and to their Brother Knights and their families. It is for this reason I joined the Knights as soon as I was eligible when I turned 18, and got involved right away.

The first thing you would have noticed about our council is the name Msgr. Cass. Most K of C councils are named after the parish they serve or a Priest in that parish or that helped establish the council. Msgr. Cass was the founding Pastor of St Ignatius Martyr church, and was Pastor when our council was established back in the 1920’s. Our council is unique in that we do not just serve St Ignatius, we serve the other two parishes on the barrier island as well, St Mary of the Isle in the East End of Long Beach, and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Point Lookout. Our members are happy to serve all three church’s depending on that parish’s needs and requests by their pastors. One of the major ways we assist the Parish’s is by assisting the parish’s Food pantry and Outreach program. We conduct food drives to ensure the hungry of our community are fed, and assist in fundraising for the parishes to assist them with their ministry. In recent years the Knights have also assisted at Liturgical functions such as carrying the big cross on Good Friday, and keeping the fire for the Easter Vigil, in addition we also assist with the physical maintenance of Church with painting, cleaning, construction, etc. As we provide service to our Church, the Church services our Spiritual needs with a Priest Chaplin. Our Current Chaplin is Fr. Tom Donohoe, Pastor Emeritus of St Mary of the Isle, currently residing at Miraculous Medal. Fr. Tom is a dedicated Priest and makes himself available to his Brother Knights, whenever they call.

When Fr. McGivney founded the Knights in 1882, it was a time of persecution for newly arriving Irish Immigrants who were persecuted because of their religious beliefs. In doing so he founded an organization structured on Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism, that not only served the church, but aided each other in times of need and trial. In that same vision of assisting newly arriving immigrants adapt and succeed in their new country, Past Grand Knights of the Msgr. Cass Council, worked with Fr. Tom to establish a Spanish-speaking council for the Hispanic congregation at St Mary’s. We are very proud to have a Sister Council that we work closely to serve our community.

Not only does our council serve our Barrier Island but we assist with other charities in the area. As we are blessed to be right down the street from our beautiful beach, every July we host about 50 underprivileged children from a Church ministry in Westbury to a day at the beach, and lunch back at the council.

Another major aspect of our order is the fraternal bond or our brother knights and their families. We run different social events throughout the year. We have an annual Christmas party for members, and one for member’s children, an annual fishing trip, and an annual oldies dance. This year for the first time we have a bus trip to Madison Square Garden to watch support the St John’s University Men’s Basketball Team. The Knights are a big supporter of Catholic Education and it is for this reason we have scholarships available for member’s children attending a Catholic School at any level whether it be elementary, high school, or university.

The Knights of Columbus provides you with the opportunity to serve other’s and develop friendship’s that will last a life time. We are proud to be a family oriented organization and spouses and children are just as important to us as our Brother Knight. God forbid a brother falls into financial difficulties, illness, injury or death the Knights are there for him and his family.

We welcome anyone interested in being a Knight and new ideas. You can always contact me and I’ll be happy to answer any of your questions or meet with you to discuss more details. In addition our lounge is open to the public, you do not need to be a member to go there, feel free to stop by anytime and enjoy great company. Introduce yourself as a prospective member and anyone there will be happy to talk to you about their experience as a Knight and answer any questions.

In Christ,
Sir Knight Tim Robinson Jr
Membership Chairman
Knights of Columbus
Msgr Cass Council 2626
Long Beach, NY
joinus@theknightsoflongbeach.com