of its affairs, the protection of its property and funds and the
advancement of its own well-being; for the government, suspension,
expulsion and punishment of its members; for the election and
appointment of its officers and agents and the defining of their duties,
and it may alter and repeal the same. It shall have all other powers
granted to corporations by the general laws of this state.
SEC. 4. Said corporation may locate and establish subordinate
councils, or other branches and divisions thereof, composed of mem-
bers of said corporation, in this or any other state of the United
States, or in any other country, and said subordinate councils or
branches, when so established, shall be governed and managed by
such laws, by-laws, rules and regulations as said corporation shall
determine.
SEC. 5. All by-laws, regulations and rules of said corporation in
force at the time of the adoption of this act shall remain in full force
and effect until amended or repealed.
SEC. 6. Said corporation shall make no laws, by-laws, rules or reg-
ulations inconsistent with the laws of this state.
SEC. 7. The corporation shall have a chaplain who shall be desig-
nated the Supreme Chaplain. He shall be a Catholic priest or bishop
who conducts his ministry to the Order in the spirit of Father Michael
J. McGivney. He shall, by virtue of his office, serve as a member of the
Supreme Board of Directors and its Executive and Finance
Committee. He shall serve, ex officio, on the Supreme Council. The
Supreme Chaplain shall be responsible for forming the members of
the Supreme Council and the Board of Directors in Catholic values
and doctrine. He shall advise those bodies as to whether their actions
are consistent with Catholic values and doctrine and with the corpo-
ration’s Catholic purposes. The Supreme Chaplain shall guide the
chaplains of the subordinate councils, ensuring that they support the
Catholic identity and evangelical mission of their councils and the
corporation at all levels and in all activities. He shall be responsible
for instructing the members in the Catholic faith and leading the
Order in prayer, and he shall be consulted regarding any changes in
the religious content of the Order’s rites of initiation.
4 ACT OF INCORPORATION
CONSTITUTION
OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
THE SUPREME COUNCIL
CHAPTER I
In the name of God. Amen:
The following is hereby established as the Constitution of the
Knights of Columbus:
Establishment
SEC. 1. A Board of Government is established to be known by the
name and style of the “Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus.”
Powers
SEC. 2. The Supreme Council is hereby vested with full power and
authority to make, alter and repeal all laws, rules and regulations for
the government, management, discipline and control of the Knights
of Columbus, or of any council or division thereof, and the members
of the same in any state, district, territory or country where the
Knights of Columbus is now or may hereafter be established, and to
enforce the laws, rules and regulations enacted by said Supreme
Council or any regulation or order made by the Board of Directors.
Meetings — Special Sessions
SEC. 3. The Supreme Council shall meet annually on the first
Tuesday of August, provided that if by reason of war or other emer-
gency it shall be made to appear to the Board of Directors that the
meeting cannot be held on the first Tuesday of August, the Board of
Directors may, by a two-thirds vote, postpone the meeting from time
to time until such annual meeting can be held. The Supreme Council
may determine the place of its next annual meeting, but if the
Supreme Council shall fail to determine the place for its next annual
meeting, then the Board of Directors shall do so. In the event that it
shall be made to appear to the Board of Directors that it is impractical
to hold the meeting at the place so designated by the Supreme
Council or the Board of Directors, then the Board of Directors may,
by a two-thirds vote, change the place of meeting. Special meetings of
the Supreme Council may be called by the Supreme Knight upon a
two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors at such time and place as
may be determined by said vote.
Who Compose
SEC. 4. (a) The Supreme Council shall be composed of the follow-
ing members, all of whom must be in good standing:
1. The incorporators named in the charter.
2. The State Deputy and the last living Past State Deputy of each
State Council who is actually residing in the state or jurisdiction.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS 5
3. The Territorial Deputy of each district not under the jurisdiction
of a State Council. The last living former Deputy of Luzon, Mindanao
and Visayas who is actually residing in the jurisdiction.
4. Past Supreme Knights of the Order.
5. Supreme Officers ex officio during their terms of office.
6. Members of the Board of Directors other than the Supreme
Officers, who shall have the privileges of the floor but not the right to
vote, unless otherwise thereto entitled.
7. One representative from each State Council for the first two
thousand insurance members, and one representative for the first
two thousand associate members, and one representative for each
additional two thousand insurance members or major part thereof
and one representative for each additional two thousand associate
members or major part thereof represented in said State Council as
shall appear from the records of the Supreme Secretary. However,
any state council having an insurance membership of more than 50%
of its total membership will be given credit for any excess insurance
members over the minimum number necessary to achieve its last
insurance delegate. This excess amount of insurance membership
will then be applied toward an additional associate member delegate
pursuant to the requirements of this section. But no State Council
shall be entitled to more than eight elected representatives to the
Supreme Council.
(b) Alternates shall be elected by State Councils from the insurance
membership for the representatives enumerated in the second and
seventh subdivisions of this section, provided, however, that the alter-
nates for the representatives of associate members provided for in
the foregoing paragraph may be elected from the associate member-
ship; but those for the insurance membership shall be elected from
the insurance membership. A Territorial Deputy may appoint an alter-
nate from the insurance membership. Said alternate may act in the
absence of such representative; but a representative and his alternate
shall not both be admitted during any one meeting of the Supreme
Council, save by a two-thirds vote, and if so admitted, only the repre-
sentative or alternate first admitted shall be entitled to per diem or
expenses.
(c) Vacancies created by the inability of representatives to attend
the Supreme Council shall be filled by the alternates in the order of
their precedence, according to the vote electing them, provided that
only insurance alternates shall fill vacancies for insurance represen-
tatives. In case of a tie vote, the State Deputy shall designate which
one shall serve. If the alternate above provided for is not present, the
next in order who is present may fill the vacancy.
Limited Vote
SEC. 5. Representatives of associate members shall not be entitled
to vote on questions affecting insurance money or matters nor as to
what is insurance money or matters, but on all other questions they
shall be entitled to vote.
Election Time
SEC. 6. The election of Directors shall be the first order of business
on the second day of the meeting of the Supreme Council.
6 CONSTITUTION
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