Knights of Columbus - Lemont Council #1599 - 210 E. Logan Street • Lemont, Illinois, 60439
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic men's fraternal service organization with over 2 million members. It provides members and their families with volunteer opportunities in service to the Catholic Church, their communities, families and young people. Charity, Unity & Fraternity are our guiding principles. Lemont Council #1599 is located in Lemont, Illinois and supports all Catholic parishes within the city. Vivat Jesus!
In these words, “Jesus Lives!” we find the foundation, meaning and mission of our Order.
Our Grand Knight is Joe Vucko.
Contact the Knights by email at [email protected]
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic men's fraternal service organization with over 2 million members. It provides members and their families with volunteer opportunities in service to the Catholic Church, their communities, families and young people. Charity, Unity & Fraternity are our guiding principles. Lemont Council #1599 is located in Lemont, Illinois and supports all Catholic parishes within the city. Vivat Jesus!
In these words, “Jesus Lives!” we find the foundation, meaning and mission of our Order.
Our Grand Knight is Joe Vucko.
Contact the Knights by email at [email protected]
Knights of Columbus
LEMONT COUNCIL #1599
Lemont, Illinois
( The History of Our Council )
LEMONT COUNCIL #1599
Lemont, Illinois
( The History of Our Council )
The Knights of Columbus Lemont Council #1599 was instituted on December 10,1911 with membership recruited from the three Lemont parishes.
The Council is one of the more than 15,000 local councils in seventeen countries around the world that comprise the Knights of Columbus (“the Order”) founded in 1882 and committed to its core values of charitable service, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. Internationally, the Knights of Columbus has more than 1.9 million members in traditional councils, military councils, college councils, Columbian Squires Circles, and Fourth Degree Assemblies. The Order has 75 jurisdictional (state & territorial councils) organizations around the world, including the Illinois State Council composed of more than 65,000 members and nearly 500 active councils of which Lemont Council is one. Lemont Council #1599 is also part of the Joliet Chapter Knights of Columbus currently composed of 76 councils and six Fourth Degree Assemblies. As a local unit of the Supreme Council Knights of Columbus, Lemont Council members can avail themselves of the Order’s fraternal benefits programs which include life insurance, retirement income products, long-term care insurance and disability income insurance. Knight of Columbus Asset Advisors (“KoCAA”) provides institutional asset management, donor-advised funds and an array of securities products and services, as well as retail mutual funds.
At the time of the Council’s founding, the Knights of Columbus required that new councils have existing members act as “sponsors” to provide leadership and guidance to new members. The pastors from all three Lemont parishes were existing members of the Order and other sponsors included Reverend John A. Hemlock, William Nelson, Gilbert Helbig, Arthur Heinz, James Lynch, Thomas Lynch, Daniel Reidy, William Mulcahy, and Walter Lynch. At the institution of the council, ceremonial presentations of the Admission degree and the Formation degree were conferred upon the new members by the officers of Santa Maria Council #1511 (Chicago). The Knighthood degree was conferred by Illinois State Deputy James Maher. The Rev. John A. Hemlock served as the Charter Chaplain for two years and was succeeded by Rev. F. J. Schiedgen who served as Council Chaplain for many years. The Charter Grand Knight of the council was William J. Nelson, followed by Peter W. Dean, Harr J. Gerardin, Thomas W. Lynch, and Alex Kickles. For a period of three years, the council rented a flat to serve as its council home which was furnished with a reading room, card tables, and athletic equipment for the enjoyment of its membership.
Each local council evaluates the needs of their community and implements those programs and activities that are most needed in their community. The first notable event sponsored by the Lemont council was a local talent vaudeville show that was both a social and financial success. The annual Easter Monday night ball (dinner & dance) was another distinct social success.
During World War I, twenty-four of Lemont Council’s members saw active service, one made the supreme sacrifice, four were wounded, and several others were mentioned for bravery in action. The council also sponsored monthly Masses during the War years for its members and the men of the community serving in the Armed Services. These Masses were offered, alternately, in the three Lemont parishes. Order-wide, more than 1,000 K of C secretaries served overseas, where they established 250 rest and recreation centers to Allied servicemen of all faiths (forerunners of the USO). Nearly 2,000 additional “Caseys” served the troops in more than 450 sites at home. $14 million (approximately $200 million today) was raised by the Knights of Columbus Committee on War Activities. Well over 100 priests also served with the Knights as chaplains. Nearly 15,000 baseballs, in addition to more than 1,600 footballs and 2,200 sets of boxing gloves, were freely distributed at K of C recreation centers during the first months overseas. More than 300,000 veterans found jobs after the war thanks to a K of C employment campaign. Some 400,000 men joined the Knights of Columbus between 1917 and 1923.
Twelve thousand young men of the Knights of Columbus enlisted for military service in World War 1 (1914-1918). Twenty-nine of them were from Lemont Council #1599:
The Council is one of the more than 15,000 local councils in seventeen countries around the world that comprise the Knights of Columbus (“the Order”) founded in 1882 and committed to its core values of charitable service, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. Internationally, the Knights of Columbus has more than 1.9 million members in traditional councils, military councils, college councils, Columbian Squires Circles, and Fourth Degree Assemblies. The Order has 75 jurisdictional (state & territorial councils) organizations around the world, including the Illinois State Council composed of more than 65,000 members and nearly 500 active councils of which Lemont Council is one. Lemont Council #1599 is also part of the Joliet Chapter Knights of Columbus currently composed of 76 councils and six Fourth Degree Assemblies. As a local unit of the Supreme Council Knights of Columbus, Lemont Council members can avail themselves of the Order’s fraternal benefits programs which include life insurance, retirement income products, long-term care insurance and disability income insurance. Knight of Columbus Asset Advisors (“KoCAA”) provides institutional asset management, donor-advised funds and an array of securities products and services, as well as retail mutual funds.
At the time of the Council’s founding, the Knights of Columbus required that new councils have existing members act as “sponsors” to provide leadership and guidance to new members. The pastors from all three Lemont parishes were existing members of the Order and other sponsors included Reverend John A. Hemlock, William Nelson, Gilbert Helbig, Arthur Heinz, James Lynch, Thomas Lynch, Daniel Reidy, William Mulcahy, and Walter Lynch. At the institution of the council, ceremonial presentations of the Admission degree and the Formation degree were conferred upon the new members by the officers of Santa Maria Council #1511 (Chicago). The Knighthood degree was conferred by Illinois State Deputy James Maher. The Rev. John A. Hemlock served as the Charter Chaplain for two years and was succeeded by Rev. F. J. Schiedgen who served as Council Chaplain for many years. The Charter Grand Knight of the council was William J. Nelson, followed by Peter W. Dean, Harr J. Gerardin, Thomas W. Lynch, and Alex Kickles. For a period of three years, the council rented a flat to serve as its council home which was furnished with a reading room, card tables, and athletic equipment for the enjoyment of its membership.
Each local council evaluates the needs of their community and implements those programs and activities that are most needed in their community. The first notable event sponsored by the Lemont council was a local talent vaudeville show that was both a social and financial success. The annual Easter Monday night ball (dinner & dance) was another distinct social success.
During World War I, twenty-four of Lemont Council’s members saw active service, one made the supreme sacrifice, four were wounded, and several others were mentioned for bravery in action. The council also sponsored monthly Masses during the War years for its members and the men of the community serving in the Armed Services. These Masses were offered, alternately, in the three Lemont parishes. Order-wide, more than 1,000 K of C secretaries served overseas, where they established 250 rest and recreation centers to Allied servicemen of all faiths (forerunners of the USO). Nearly 2,000 additional “Caseys” served the troops in more than 450 sites at home. $14 million (approximately $200 million today) was raised by the Knights of Columbus Committee on War Activities. Well over 100 priests also served with the Knights as chaplains. Nearly 15,000 baseballs, in addition to more than 1,600 footballs and 2,200 sets of boxing gloves, were freely distributed at K of C recreation centers during the first months overseas. More than 300,000 veterans found jobs after the war thanks to a K of C employment campaign. Some 400,000 men joined the Knights of Columbus between 1917 and 1923.
Twelve thousand young men of the Knights of Columbus enlisted for military service in World War 1 (1914-1918). Twenty-nine of them were from Lemont Council #1599:
Illinois Knights of Columbus membership was 43,963, and since 12,000 of the members in Illinois entered the service, it is apparent that one in every three and one-half members were in the service.** At that time, the Knights of Columbus of Illinois constituted less than six-tenths of one percent of the population of Illinois, but three and four-tenths percent of all the men in the service from Illinois were Knights of Columbus.'**
( Photo above - Lemont Council #1599 during the World War I years. )
In 1937 the Knights sponsored a new lecture tour and expanded its anti-communism program to include a Crusade for Social Justice and the Council sponsored a series of educational programs for its members after each of its meetings. Among these were an address by the Chicago Knights of Columbus Chapter President J. J. Sheehan, entitled “Communism the Destroyer” and another by Reverend Cletus Lynak entitled “Irreligion the Destroyer”. In the same year, the council sponsored a baseball movie at the American Legion with former Cleveland Indians first baseman Louis Albert “Lou” Fonseca providing commentary.
When the U.S. entered World War II, the Order’s outreach to soldiers was conducted via the National Catholic Community Service organization (NCCS) which modeled many of its programs on the Order’s successful WWI efforts. Lemont Council contributed to a $1 million trust fund for the children of members who died or became disabled in World War II as well as to the Knights of Columbus Crusade for the Preservation and Promotion of American Ideals, which published books and pamphlets to educate the public on “the perils of communism”.
In 1951, the Lemont Council, especially its Fourth Degree members, participated in the Order’s campaign for public adoption of the phrase “under God” in the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance after amending the pledge’s recitation at Fourth Degree assembly meetings. On June 14, 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a law that officially added the words “under God” to the pledge.
Throughout their history Lemont Council #1599, the Joliet Chapter, the Illinois State Council, and the Supreme Council have consistently provided church, community, council, and youth activities. Some examples are: assisting the Order to underwrite the restoration of the 65,000-square-foot facade of St. Peter’s Basilica, the first time it had been cleaned in more than 350 years; after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the establishment of a fund to deliver immediate assistance to the families of fallen first responders; when natural disasters strike, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Coal City, Plainfield, and Downers Grove tornados, they similarly responded with immediate aid. Over the last twenty years, Lemont Council #1599 has assisted the Illinois State Council in raising over $20 million through participation in six state-wide funds: the Newman Fund which supports Catholic Newman centers at Illinois non-secular universities, the General Assistance Fund supporting natural disaster assistance, the Catholic Vocations Fund providing assistance for those studying for priesthood, pro-life initiatives including funding for ultrasound machines in pregnancy crisis centers, and the Intellectual Disabilities Fund (IDF) which began in a neighboring Illinois council in 1967, has spread to 44 states, and raised over $2 million last year in Illinois alone.
Lemont Council #1599 has earned numerous Illinois State Council recognition awards for its programming, membership, and charitable activities and has received the Star Council Award (highest Supreme Council recognition award) many years in a row. An additional honor was given to Lemont Council #1599 current member and Former Deputy Supreme Knight Logan Ludwig in 2011 when he was given executive oversite for the establishment of the Shrine of Blessed John Paul II in Washington, D.C., at the site of the former John Paul II Cultural Center. The initiative includes permanent exhibits celebrating the life and teachings of the late pope and the 500-year Catholic heritage of North America. In 2016, he and Special Olympics leadership founded the Special Olympics Unified Football Tournament utilizing Rome, Italy soccer fields operated by the Knights of Columbus.
** Report of Adjutant General, Illinois; Illinois in the World War, (States Publication Society) p. 14.
Thanks to PDSK Logan Ludwig for supplying this narrative history of our council! - Originally posted January 2024
When the U.S. entered World War II, the Order’s outreach to soldiers was conducted via the National Catholic Community Service organization (NCCS) which modeled many of its programs on the Order’s successful WWI efforts. Lemont Council contributed to a $1 million trust fund for the children of members who died or became disabled in World War II as well as to the Knights of Columbus Crusade for the Preservation and Promotion of American Ideals, which published books and pamphlets to educate the public on “the perils of communism”.
In 1951, the Lemont Council, especially its Fourth Degree members, participated in the Order’s campaign for public adoption of the phrase “under God” in the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance after amending the pledge’s recitation at Fourth Degree assembly meetings. On June 14, 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a law that officially added the words “under God” to the pledge.
Throughout their history Lemont Council #1599, the Joliet Chapter, the Illinois State Council, and the Supreme Council have consistently provided church, community, council, and youth activities. Some examples are: assisting the Order to underwrite the restoration of the 65,000-square-foot facade of St. Peter’s Basilica, the first time it had been cleaned in more than 350 years; after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the establishment of a fund to deliver immediate assistance to the families of fallen first responders; when natural disasters strike, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Coal City, Plainfield, and Downers Grove tornados, they similarly responded with immediate aid. Over the last twenty years, Lemont Council #1599 has assisted the Illinois State Council in raising over $20 million through participation in six state-wide funds: the Newman Fund which supports Catholic Newman centers at Illinois non-secular universities, the General Assistance Fund supporting natural disaster assistance, the Catholic Vocations Fund providing assistance for those studying for priesthood, pro-life initiatives including funding for ultrasound machines in pregnancy crisis centers, and the Intellectual Disabilities Fund (IDF) which began in a neighboring Illinois council in 1967, has spread to 44 states, and raised over $2 million last year in Illinois alone.
Lemont Council #1599 has earned numerous Illinois State Council recognition awards for its programming, membership, and charitable activities and has received the Star Council Award (highest Supreme Council recognition award) many years in a row. An additional honor was given to Lemont Council #1599 current member and Former Deputy Supreme Knight Logan Ludwig in 2011 when he was given executive oversite for the establishment of the Shrine of Blessed John Paul II in Washington, D.C., at the site of the former John Paul II Cultural Center. The initiative includes permanent exhibits celebrating the life and teachings of the late pope and the 500-year Catholic heritage of North America. In 2016, he and Special Olympics leadership founded the Special Olympics Unified Football Tournament utilizing Rome, Italy soccer fields operated by the Knights of Columbus.
** Report of Adjutant General, Illinois; Illinois in the World War, (States Publication Society) p. 14.
Thanks to PDSK Logan Ludwig for supplying this narrative history of our council! - Originally posted January 2024
Our council charter...December 10, 1911.
Our Council's 100th Anniversary Celebration - 2011 ( COMING SOON... )