Knights of Peter Claver - Council 5

The Fraternal Order was founded Nov 7, 1909 at Mobile Alabama by four of the St. Joseph's Society of the Sacred Heart (The Josephite Fathers) of Baltimore, Maryland - Fathers: Conrad F. Rebesher, John H. Dorsey, Samuel J. Kelly, and Joseph P. Van Baast, S.S.J.'s and the three lay men of the Diocese of Mobile - Messrs: Gilbert Faustina, Frank Collins and Frank Trenier, they have all now passed to their eternal rewards.

The following are key events in the Orders history:

*The order was incorporated July 12, 1911
*The Fourth Degree was authorized in 1917
*The Constitution for Junior Knights was compiled by the Reverend Joseph P. Van Baast, S.S.J. and his committee
The Ladies Auxiliary was authorized and their constitution adopted at Opelousas, Louisiana, August, 1922
*The constitution of the National Council was revised by committee August, 1925; August, 1929; October, 1936; August, 1948; August, 1951; August, 1971 and August, 1979 August, 1989 and August, 1999.
*The Ladies Auxiliary was recognized as a Division of the National Council at Galveston, Texas, August, 1926
*The Junior Daughters was established in 1930
*The Constitution of the Junior Knights was revised establishing the Junior Knights as a Division of the National Council, effective October 1, 1935
*The first official organ of the Order was The Shield published for the first time at Mobile, Alabama, November 1910, with Frank Trenier, Charter Member and National Secretary, as Editor.
*The successor to The Shield is The Claverite, authorized in 1922 as a monthly publication, and its first Editor was Joseph H. Rieras who served until 1928.
*The Claverite changed to a Quarterly Publication in 1948 at which time it was edited by the National Secretary. Presently, The Claverite is published biennially by the Executive Director.