Most Reverend Francis C. Kelley Province

4^th Degree Officers

Supreme Master:

Dennis Stoddard  1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, Ct 06510-3326  Tel: 203-752-4519

Vice Supreme Master:

Charles A. (Chuck) MacAulay  38 Astour Drive, Estern Passage, NS., B3G 1P9 Tel: 902-225-9850

Master:

Camille Albert  Fredericton, NB  Tel: 506-454-3295

Immediate Past Master:

Leo Hickey  Riverview, NB  Tel: 506-386-7905

District Marshall:

Omer Richard  Cocagne, NB

Vice-Masters:

Lévonie Savoie  Tracadie-Sheila, NB  Tel: 506-395-2150

Lucien LeBlanc  Campbellton, NB  Tel: 506-759-9370

Raymond Ouellette  Grand-Sault, NB  Tel: 506-473-5821

Roger Snow  Lincoln, NB Tel: 506-446-4606

The Patriotic Degree

Another degree open to members in the Knights of Columbus is that of the Fourth (or Patriotic) Degree. On Feb 22, 1900, the first exemplification of that degree was held in New York City. The ritual added patriotism to the three original principles of the Order: Charity, Unity and Fraternity. Any Third Degree member in good standing, one year after the anniversary of his First Degree, is eligible for membership in the Fourth Degree.

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 active membership in Local Fourth Degree groups called Assemblies. Fourth Degree members in the local council to remain in good standing.

Certain members of the Fourth Degree serve as honour guards at civic and religious functions, an activity which has brought world wide recognition to the Knights of Columbus organization.

Biography of Bishop Francis Clement Kelley

Francis Clement Kelly was born in 1870 in Summerville, Prince Edward Island, the son of John and Mary (Murphy) Kelly. After High School, young Frank Kelly received his classical education at St Dunstan's College, Charlottetown; he was a gold medalist and Valedictorian of his class. He then studied philosophy and theology leading to the Priesthood in Quebec. Unknown reasons saw him transfer to the Diocese of Detroit in 1893 where he was ordained on 23 Aug. 1893. When he moved to the United States, he changed the spelling of his name to Kelley.

As the pastor at Lapeer, Michigan, Father Kelley realized the need for a national organization to assist the Church in rural area's where Catholics were few and poor. His experience led him to form the "Catholic Church Extension Society" of the United States in 1905, an organization which thrived under his leadership. The chief purpose of the Society, of which he became head in 1906 with offices in Chicago, was to raise funds for the building of Catholic institution in rural areas. The Society was very successful in the early years and by 1924, it was estimated it helped finance half of the Catholic Churches build in the United States between 1906 and 1924.

Father Kelley was also greatly involved in what can be described as international diplomacy, but he was often embroiled in controversy. Several of his efforts met with what might well be considered as disasters. Nonetheless, Father Kelley had already established himself as a devoted priest whose writings and lectures gained him a wide reputation. He was much in demand as a speaker and retreat master. Later, when he was Bishop of Oklahoma, he was rebuked by the apostolic delegate for his too frequent absences from his diocese.

In 1924, Father Kelley was appointed Bishop of Oklahoma, which included the whole state and comprised over 70 000 squares miles. As Bishop of Oklahoma, he experienced much difficulty in managing the financial plight of the sprawling diocese. His work, however, in aiding the Church in Mexico seems to have won much favour. In 1937, for instance, he founded Montezuma Seminary in Las Vegas for the education of Mexican seminarians for service in their own country. Bishop Kelley was also a strong advocate for the Knights of Columbus. An article in Columbiad cites him among three distinguished Knights and their work. Bishop Kelley was a prolific writer having authored 17 books and gained praise from one of America's most severe critics, H. L. Meneker. Because of health, he asked for a coadjutor Bishop to help him run the diocese in 1944.On February 1^st, 1948, he died in Oklahoma City.

The Atlantic Provinces of Canada were designated "Bishop Francis C. Kelley Province" of the Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree by Supreme Office Board of Directors October 18, 1975.

Compiled by Michael O. Nowlan (February 4, 2002)

Sources: Columbiad (Jan. 1908); The Encyclopedia of American History (Minnesota, 1997); The Encyclopedia of the Irish in America ( Indiana, 1999)

4^th DEGREE ASSEMBLIES IN NEW BRUNSWICK