The Knights of Columbus KOC came first (American)…. Then the Knights of St Columba KOSC (UK)… and the Knights of St Columbanus KOSCL (Ireland)
All three have or had similar rituals.
Detailed below are some of the KOC rituals. The KOSC would have been similar, but with American elements changed, like the secret serviceman. I would assume they had a different role-playing character, maybe a police officer.
I haven’t included the preliminary material because it’s not directly relevant except for background.
Sorry if it’s a bit of a pain to read below but you’ll get the idea.
If you find it of interest, the FULL transcript is here.
Full text of “Knights of Columbus: A complete ritual and history of the first three degrees, including all secret “work.” By a former member of the order.”
https://archive.org/stream/knightscolumbus/knightscolumbus_djvu.txt
I also have a KOSCL ritual which bears out the premise that these Knights are all drawing on each other. So it can’t be dismissed as ‘weird Americans’, much as I would love it to be!
The similarities between the three organizations is comprehensive. It’s far more than just the names.
Bear in mind the Knights are ‘covering themselves’ in this transcript by not doing anything actually illegal. Although it’s borderline. Even so, they are clearly messing with a candidate’s head.
Here’s this quote from the ritual
‘Break the spirit of all, if possible’,
Their skill at doing this has serious implications, particularly for grooming children.
And it is a VERY unhealthy ritual that warrants detailed analysis by someone better qualified than myself.
To me, it’s just sick games by arrogant rich Catholic businessmen and a precursor to other far worse rituals that, understandably, have never been written down.
Note the masks and robes. And the organ playing. It’s like something out of Eyes Wide Shut. But the Ipswich KOSC were after children. Imagine the effect on kids of even an adapted form of this nonsense. They were scary, truly evil bastards! I still find it hard to understand how I and others survived. I guess kids have survived a lot worse.
One St J’s Old Boy has presented a strong case and evidence to me that the KOSC actually go back much earlier than their supposed origins date and I’d say he was probably right.
Some points I would add.
A similar ritual to this would have been used across Britain, linked to Catholic churches and to the Knights at least up to the mid-60s.
It’s obviously Masonic. According to Wikipedia the KOSC stopped these Masonic rituals when they modernized in the late 60s. I’m pretty certain I saw the masks and robes etc, but I very much doubt that I would have witnessed these exact rituals. These are for new members and I don’t think I was even considered as a Squire who would have had their own initiation rituals.
Why wasn’t I a Squire?
Because I was just another victim of their organization hunting for children in St Marks, Chantry Estate. Currently I’ve counted up one Catholic girl (see the Darkest Knights) and six Catholic boys including myself who were ‘harvested’ by the Ipswich Knights of St Columba for paedophilia purposes on our council estate in the early 1960s.
I firmly believe that I and the other children on the Council Estate were seen as nothing more than ‘trailer trash’ to be used and abused.
That’s how these vile people saw the poor who they were supposedly helping with their charitable work.
Just like their fellow Knight of St Columba Savile who did so much for charity.
So there was no reason to make me a Squire.
I’m sure that was the primary purpose of the Knights’ presence, lurking at the back of the church – to check the children out and see who they could target next. When they were old enough. One or two children would clearly not be enough for them. My figures are probably on the low side. The use of the large building on the border of of the council estate I’ve previously described – what I used to call the ‘Gingerbread House’ – would suggest this was quite a big operation.
I find this deeply upsetting and this post is dedicated to those children and their memory.
I hope they survived the disgusting and arrogant crimes of the Knights of St Columba.
If you are one of them and you’re reading this, do get in touch. I guarantee your anonymity. Or do tell someone in authority who may be able to help or advise you further. It was a long time ago, but I know just how triggering it can be. These scum still need exposing, despite the passage of time. The truth sets us free.
Finally:
Please don’t forget the Ipswich KOSC were intimately connected with St Joseph’s College, Ipswich, from its very conception, see earlier posts, which raises another whole raft of questions that need answering.
Someone, today, should answer for the crimes of their forefathers on whose traditions and organizations they have built and prospered.
Don’t either of these organizations today have anyone in them who has a conscience?
It would seem not.
The secrecy – and the vows of silence – described in detail in these rituals continues to this day.
THIRD DEGREE — PREPARATION.
THE TEAM.
The personnel of the team which gives
this degree is as follows :
A Captain of the Guard in command
of the team.
A Decoy Priest. He wears the ordin
ary street dress of the priest, with Roman
collar and rabbi.
A Secret Service man incognito.
Enough initiated members to scatter
through the candidates and urge them to
action.
HOW ROBED.
Several robed assistants. The robe is
made of any black cloth, fitted with a
peaked cowl like a monk’s habit.
Several doctors attired as for the
operating room.
THE MEMBERS.
All members will wear black robes,
entirely covering their regular habit, and
will be masked.
The Grand Knight will appear as usual
his ribbon of office his only adornment.
In the center of the Council Chamber
will be a table with surgical instruments
and bandages.
A small room leading from the Cham-
ber will be made as warm as possible.
This room is known as the Hot Box or
the H. B.
When all is in readiness, the Grand
Knight will direct the Captain of the
Guard to send his men to their work.
The assistants go to the ante-room,
where the candidates are gathered.
Their work is to stir up the candidates
to anger if possible, using the decoy priest
as a last recourse.
THIRD DEGREE — FIRST SECTION
Line up the candidates in such a surly
manner that they will take offense and re-
fuse to go into line.
The line-up may be made according to
seniority or in any fashion the team may
judge efficient.
Often an old priest, if any priests are
to be initiated, may be called to head the
line. The assistants may try to confuse
and anger him by mispronouncing his
name or calling attention to his position.
Generally, it is not wise to push the priest
too-far. Laymen are better subjects, and
the dignity of the priesthood must be
preserved.
The best method to obtain results is
to treat the candidates as though they
were a crowd of school-boys, who needed
a severe censure for every move made. If
a candidate does not obey any order given
to him, such as to stand for a certain posi-
tion behind his fellow in line, to look
straight ahead, etc., it is good to send him
to the rear and hint that he may not be
allowed to go on.
Break the spirit of all, if possible, and
make all obey timidly the smallest com-
mand of the team members.
If the candidates rebel and refuse to go
on, the Captain of the Guard will be
called. He will enter, wearing any seem-
ingly disreputable robe, such as a bath
robe, which has been soaked in whiskey,
and giving the candidates the impression
that he is drunk. The decoy members
will artfully stimulate this suggestion.
The Captain of the Guard will brutally
inquire the cause of the trouble and when
he has listened to the charges of the can-
didates and the answers of his assistants,
he will deliver his judgment.
This is left to his ingenuity and histri-
onic skill. He will invite the candidates
As a last recourse to stir up the candi-
dates, the decoy priest will leave the line
and walk away.
The Captain of the Guard will angrily
question him :
“Why are you leaving your place?”
D. P. “I am sick. I want a glass of
water.”
C. G. “Go back to your place. No
one may leave his place for any considera-
tion.”
D. P. “But I am sick and I must have
a glass of water or I shall faint.”
C. G. “Faint then.”
He orders his assistants to take the de-
coy priest back by force if necessary.
Meanwhile, the Secret Service man
slips away and comes back with a glass
of water, which he hands to the decoy
priest. As the decoy priest takes it, the
Captain of the Guards leaps forward,
angrily, and knocks the glass from his
hand.
f the candidates have not yet gone be-
yond control, this always stirs them to
fury, and they break ranks in angry con-
fusion, struggling and shouting against
the insult to the priest.
The decoy members of the team skill-
fully urge the stronger-willed candidates
to shout defiance against the Captain of
the Guard and his assistants.
They suggest that he is drunk and that
it is an outrage — it is an insult to the
priesthood.
Many refuse to go on, and threaten to
break down the door and leave for good,
if they are not released. Some try to
catch the Captain of the Guard, but are
skillfully kept away by the decoys.
The candidates are to be aroused to the
last extreme of fury, but are to be handled
so that they cannot do anything.
He will see that the man is punished if
he is guilty. If they will be patient and
allow the work to go on, the case will be
taken care of in due time.
Then he goes back into the Council
Chamber. The decoy priest helps to calm
the candidates, by excusing the Captain
of the Guard on account of his condition.
He is not so much to be blamed because
he is drunk. Gradually the candidates
are calmed and go back into line.
THIRD DEGREE — SECOND SECTION.
They are all blindfolded. They put
their hands on shoulders. The guards
give the signal, the doors are opened, and
the candidates march into the Council
Chamber. The organ is playing. They
are marched around the room several
times and halted in a hollow square fac-
ing the center. The blinds arc removed.
The doctors are seated around the table
covered with surgical instruments and
writing paper. The Grand Knight sits
near the table.
The members of the Order, all covered
with black robes, stand behind the candi-
dates.
The chief surgeon stands up and calls
several of the candidates and decoys. The
guards lead them to the table.
Chief Surgeon — Before you may go
further, you must show that you are
worthy. You must submit to a test of
your strength that will satisfy the Order
that you are in earnest.
He calls on one of the decoys to take
the first test.
Chief Surgeon — I have here a copy of
the pledge which you must take to this
Order. I have also a dagger (picking up
from the table a dagger) . You will take
this dagger, bare your arm, prick your
veins and sign this pledge with your own
blood. Are you willing to take the test?
Decoy feigns reluctance, and plays that
he is afraid to take the test.
Chief Surgeon — You must take the test
or you cannot go on. Are you afraid of
a little blood? There are doctors here
who will see that you do not injure your-
self. Do you call yourself a man — afraid
of pricking a little vein?
Decoy — I cannot take such a pledge;
you have no right to ask it.
THIRD DEGREE— THIRD SECTION.
The organ plays, and the guards lead
the candidates to the Hot Box. When
they are all in, the door is fastened, and
masked guards are stationed inside and
outside of the door.
The Hot Box must be small enough to
make it difficult to move about easily
without jostling. The Captain of the
Guard is found inside and mingles with
the candidates. He is as surly as he was
in the ante-room, and the candidates feel
their anger rising against him.
The decoy priest soon complains of the
heat and asks to be let outside. The Cap-
tain of the Guard refuses to let him go.
They quarrel, and the decoy priest says
he is going to go out whether the Captain
of the Guard likes it or not.
The guards and decoys keep between
the decoy priest, the Captain and the can-
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dictates. As the decoy priest starts to push
the Captain aside, the Captain slaps him
over the mouth.
The decoy priest reels from the blow
and blood seems to flow from his mouth.
He has had some red gum in his mouth,
which gives his sputum the appearance
of blood.
At once there is an uproar. Some of
the decoys shout to be let out, others
pound upon the door, and the candidates
are roused to fury, and try to reach the
Captain of the Guard. The inside and
outside guards and decoys must protect
him and see that the door is opened be-
fore it is broken down.
Then all rush out into the Council
Chamber, shouting and gesticulating.
They rush to the table, where the Grand
Knight and the doctors are sitting.
THIRD DEGREE — FOURTH SECTION.
If necessary, a decoy starts the part.
He stands on a chair and bitterly de-
nounces the whole procedure. They came
as gentlemen, as Catholics, to enter an
Order that has been approved by the
Church, and they are subjected to the in-
dignities of drunken brutes. Even the
sacred character of the priest himself is
not respected. God’s holy anointed is
brutally insulted and even struck by a
drunken wretch.
He demands that the Captain of the
Guard be summarily punished and
thrown out of the meeting and the Order,
and that the real work of the Order be
taken up.
As many as wish may make speeches.
The most hotheaded and devout generally
make the best talks. Some of the priests
make especially eloquent pleas against the
whole procedure, and many of the lay-
men are discovered to be eloquent plead-
ers, who never before had dared to speak
in public.
When all have finished, the Grand
Knight stands upon the chair and begs
them to be patient. He deprecates the
unfortunate occurrence. The man will
be tried at once. Seven men will be
picked from their number as a jury. The
charges will be made in due order, and
the verdict of the jury will be received as
final. Are they willing to abide by such
a procedure?
They answer yes.
The candidates are then told to sit
down in the chairs around the wall and
the jury is selected.
The secret service man is one of the
jurors.
The seven are called to the middle of
the chamber and lined up before the
table. Grand Knight — Gentlemen, you must
give up all your valuables, and have your
pockets entirely empty so that you may
hand nothing to one another during the
trial.
I must ask the Captain of the Guard to
go among you and receive all that you
have on your person.
The Captain, amidst wild glares and
murmurs, begins to take the things that
the jurors hand over to him. Some gen-
erally are very angry at him and show it
by their manner; some do not care to
hand him anything.
The secret service man, especially,
shows resentment, and at first refuses to
give up anything. He objects to the pro-
cedure. One of the guards comes up to
him and runs his hands over his clothes.
He resists, and the guard calls out that
he has a revolver in his pocket.
The Grand Knight asks him if it is
true that he has a concealed weapon. He
says that it is true. He is a secret service
man and always carries a revolver.
75
The Grand Knight — You must give
it up.
Secret Service Man — I will not give it
up. 1 am under orders to carry it and
never to allow it to pass from my posses-
sion.
The Grand Knight — Captain of the
Guard, you will see that this gentleman
gives up his weapon.
The Captain steps up to the secret serv-
ice man and asks him for the weapon.
Secret Service Man — You dirty brute,
I would not give it to you in any case.
The Captain catches hold of him and
76
tries to drag the gun from his pocket.
They struggle, and the guards close
around them.
Suddenly the revolver comes out in the
secret service man’s hand. Captain
catches the hand and pulls it down, and
then there is a flash and the sharp report
of the weapon. The Captain reels back-
ward, and blood pours out over his chest.
He falls into the arms of the guards.
77
The Captain of the Guard has a rubber
bag full of red fluid under his robe. This
is pierced by a knife just before the shot,
and gives the delusion of blood flowing
from his breast.
Confusion reigns in the chamber. The
priests rush to give the man absolution,
some of the guards hurry away the secret
service man, and the wounded Captain is
carried out into the ante-room and the
crowd is closed in the chamber.
Experience has shown that the body of
the candidates is always in a strange con-
dition of mind during this period of wait-
ing. The members go about and whisper
of the terrible accident, and hint of the
scandal if the newspapers find out about
the affair. If the secret service man dies,
it will be the end of the Knights of Co-
lumbus.
The dramatic climax is worked up nat-
urally until all the candidates are con-
sumed with anxiety to know the worst.
After ten or fifteen minutes the door of
the ante-room is opened, and the Grand
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Knight walks into the chamber, followed
by the doctors, the secret service man, and
a well-dressed, clean looking man, whom
all recognize as the Captain of the Guard,
and the decoy priest.
The Grand Knight takes the middle of
the floor, with the others around him, and
begins to speak:
Grand Knight — Gentlemen and Broth-
ers : When I have given the solution of
the strange adventures which you have
gone through this day, you will learn the
most telling lesson ever devised to teach
you that things are not always what they
seem.
He turns to the decoy priest, and pulls
off his collar and rabbi, saying:
Grand Knight — Our good friend and
brother here is not a priest at all. He
bore all the outward marks, but the inner
seal of the sacrament of Orders has never
been imprinted upon his soul. He was
playing a part, and that he played it well,
I know. For I can see upon the faces of
all of you, the expression of relief which
comes to those who awake from a terrible
dream and find that it was only a dream.
And this good brother (turning to the
secret service man and taking him by the
hand) is not a desperate criminal, with
the blood of his fellow upon his head.
Our old friend, the Captain of the Guard,
stands here beaming upon us. A short
time past, you wished almost to tear him
to pieces. You thought him a brute; you
believed him a sacrilegious wretch who
dared to raise his hand against the Lord’s
anointed. It was a delusion. The good
Captain and the good pseudo-father had
conspired together to deceive you. See
how they love each other! (The two
shake hands heartily.)
Brothers, take this lesson to heart, and
bear it with you in all your activities of
life. Judge not by appearances. Things
may not be what they seem. Suspend your
judgment until there can be no mistake.
Then act. Remember this lesson. Cherish
it in your hearts.
You have seen that men are led. Un-
der certain conditions men will do things
that they never would do if they were
alone or stopped to realize what their acts
may lead to.
We asked you to take this dagger and
let your own blood and write with your
own blood your acceptance of our Order.
We had no right to ask you to do such a
thing. If you had insisted upon taking
the pledge, you would have discovered
that this dagger is a trick also. You could
not have hurt yourselves. It is filled with
red fluid, and when you pushed it against
your arm, the red fluid would have flowed
out and looked like blood (demonstrates
with dagger). But it would have been
wrong in intention anyway. If it had
been a real dagger, some zealous brother
would be sure to cut himself badly.
Learn the lesson of your rights as an
individual. You are responsible before
your conscience to God alone. No one
has any right to ask you to do an act which
is evil, no matter for what purpose. Re-
member this lesson.
n dramatic form for you on this occasion.
You were many. The guards were few.
Yet they were able to control you from
the ante-room to the climax you have just
witnessed. Why? They were an organ-
ized unit and knew what they were doing.
You were unorganized and did not know
what to do. If at any moment, one or
two of you had taken the lead and had
gathered the forces of your body about
you, you would have controlled and
beaten the guards. Without leaders you
were simply a mob, expending a great
deal of energy, but accomplishing noth-
ing.
Extend this lesson to your daily life.
Study and work to be leaders of men.
The world is sick because there are not
enough in the active life of today who
can visualize the meaning of life for man-
kind. As Knights of Columbus, you must
be leaders. You are sons of the old
Mother Church, who is the divinely ap-
pointed mother of men.
Study her; learn her ideals, her God-
given means of saving the world, and as
laymen be missionaries in every walk of
life. We must assist our clergy in their
laborious work of saving souls. They are
our spiritual guides and leaders. We
must become leaders of the world, under
their direction, and bring to this sad earth
the kingdom of God and the brotherhood
of man. All must be united in one grand,
glorious band of humanity under the one
mother church.
” ‘I now solemnly pledge myself to
keep sacred the secrets of this Order; to
be a loyal and true son of the Church, and
a faithful member of the Knights of Co-
lumbus. I will always be ruled by
knightly courtesy in my relations with
my fellow men. I pledge myself to God,
to His Holy Church, to my country, to
mankind, to be always a true Knight.
Amen.’
“It is well, brothers. I shall now de-
clare this Council adjourned.”
The secret work is made a part of the
regular council meeting for the benefit of
new members, usually at the first meeting
following the initiation.
It is generally demonstrated by the
Grand Knight, under the head of New
Business.
The new members are led by the Cap-
tain of the Guard to the Grand Knight’s
chair.
The Grand Knight addresses them:
“Brothers, as duly accredited members
of the Knights of Columbus, it is your
right and your duty to become acquainted
with the secret work of the Order.
“The password is important. It ad-
mits you to the Council Chamber. It
must be kept a secret from all outsiders.
89
“The word is changed once a year. For
the present year it is: (One password
was ‘Knights of Columbus shall rule/)
“When you come to a council meeting,
attract the attention of the Outside Guard.
Whisper in his ear the first half of the
password. He will admit you into the
ante-room. Rap upon the entrance of the
Council Chamber. The Inside Guard
will open the wicket and you will whisper
into his ear the last half of the password.
He will then admit you to the Council
Chamber. You will walk to the center
of the chamber and salute the Captain of
the Guard with the usual military salute.
When he returns the salute, you may take
your place among the members of the
council.
“The Grip : The grip is given by shak-
ing hands in the ordinary way, and giv-
90
ing two distinct pressures with all the fin-
gers. This is answered by one sharp pres-
sure. The question which goes with the
grip is, What council do you belong to?’
“If any brother is in distress or needs
aid to accomplish any work, generally in
a crowd, he will call out, ‘Are there any
good men here?’ If there are any Knights
of Columbus present, they will answer,
{ Yes I 1 and come to his assistance.
“The training in the Third Degree will
make it easy for a few to accomplish won-
ders even in a large crowd.
“Brothers, you are now duly accredited
members of the Knight? of Columbus.
You are initiated into the secvets of the
Order. You may come in and go out as
children of one family. I charge you to
be faithful to the Order; true to your
pledge. Never reveal our secrets to out-
siders.
“As Catholics you have all the sanc-
tions of the Church to keep you faithful.
We have the approval and blessing of the
91
Church. The Pope himself, our Most
Holy Father, has given us his Apostolic
benediction. If then — which may God
forbid! — anyone is tempted to reveal our
secrets, let him think well before he acts.
Such a one would surely incur the curse
of God. His name would become a by-
word and a reproach among all honorable
men. He would be shunned and cursed
by all his former fellows, the conscience
of a guilty wretch who has sold his soul,
would sooner or later come home to him,
to chastise him day and night until he
made his peace with God and did true
penance for his crime.
“It is impossible to imagine a brother
who could be guilty of such an act. He
must first become a renegade and an un-
believer, and join himself to the forces of
the devil, who prowls about the world
seeking whom he may devour.
“He deserves the reception which the
devil himself received from God — to be
cast into eternal torture. Only the Infi-
nite Mercy of God can save him from
such a fate. Think well, then, brothers,
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Pat Mills 