Council History

Thanks to the efforts of Father Michael J. McGivney, assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven and some of his parishioners, the Connecticut state legislature on March 29, 1882, officially chartered the Knights of Columbus as a fraternal benefit society. The Order is still true to its founding principles of charity, unity and fraternity.

In February, 1968, a small body of men sat around a table, as did the Knights of Old, and discussed the possibility of forming a Knights of Columbus Council in Mount Olive. With the blessings of Father Leo P. Carey, pastor of St. Jude's Church, Mickey Callahan, Chuck Digney, Pete Kinsella, Walter Lata, Phil Pelligra, Rich Phillips, Bob Piatt, John Planker, Tom Puco, and Frank Ruggiero held the first official meeting in St. Jude's Church Hall. July 18 of that year saw the Knights of Columbus Council 6100 instituted with 85 names appearing on the charter. The first Grand Knight was Phil Pelligra and the Deputy Grand Knight was Mickey Callahan. Under the watchful eyes of State Deputy, Patrick O'Reily, and District Deputy Hugh E. DeFazio, the new organization was well on its way to becoming one of the township's largest with a current membership roll of well over 300 members.

The formation of the Mount Olive Columbian Club became a reality in July, 1970. The Knights now had their own home on Lake Shore Drive in Budd Lake. A Board of Trustees consisting of 15 Knights were elected to have the duty to oversee the operation of the Columbian Club. The first officers were president George Byron, vice-president Bob King Sr., secretary E. Carroll Gagnon, treasurer Mitsie Kruzel, and house chairman Frank Ruggiero.

Our Council's official name is now the Fr. Joseph A. Cassidy Council 6100. The council has been renamed after our deceased former Chaplin Fr. Joseph Cassidy. There was a formal installation of new officers and a renaming of the council held on July 26, 1998. Our Council continues to thrive and we were named Star Council for the 1999-2000 Columbian Year.

It was through the efforts of many of the founding members that the Mount Olive Squires were formed. On January 17, 1971 twenty-two young Catholic gentlemen put their signatures on the charter of the St. Jude Columbian Squires Circle 2192. The first members met weekly at the Mount Olive Columbian Club. Their officers were chief squire Steven Phillips, deputy chief squire John Kulawiak, notary Sal Ruggiero, bursar Joe Butrymowicz, marshall squire Jim Butrymowicz, sentries Raymond Phillips and Ed Nicolicchia. The Father Prier was Father Ed Whorlan of St. Jude's Church

In 2008 the Squires circle was officially renamed the Thomas Christopher DeLalla Squires Circle 2192 in honor of it’s past Chief Squire (1999-2000) and former 3rd Degree Council 6100 Knight who, at age 22, was fatally injured in an accident in 2004 while attending the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.