Serving Brother Knights and the Putnam area for 128 years

Everyone is invited to a short, public outdoor memorial prayer service, to celebrate the 128th anniversary of Cargill Council 64, Knights of Columbus.

The service will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery, on Providence Street in Putnam, at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, July 26, at the grave of Cargill Council’s first Grand Knight, Edward Mullan.

Mullan served as the Catholic family fraternal group’s first elected leader, starting from its founding exactly 128 years before, on July 26, 1892. He was elected to three one-year terms, from 1892 to 1895. Mullan died in 1916, at the age of 61.

With more than 200 members today, Cargill Council 64 serves the community in and around St. Mary Church of the Visitation in Putnam and Most Holy Trinity Church in Pomfret.

Although this event may seem like an unusual way to celebrate, Cargill Council officials deliberately chose to hold a service at Mullan’s grave, to remember and pray for all the council’s deceased members who have served, and their families, down through the organization’s 128 years.

“Despite the location, this is a celebration,” said current Grand Knight John D. Ryan. “We’re so happy to have been here for all these years, and it all started with Edward Mullan and the other Catholic men from the Putnam area who were there at the very beginning. Praying at our first Grand Knight’s grave to celebrate our anniversary puts that right into focus.”