Color Corps

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Fourth Degree is to encourage active Catholic citizenship and foster the spirit of patriotism in members and the community at large.

The Color Corps members exemplify all the principles of our Order:

• Charity – by the gift of their time and energies necessary to practice, perfect and perform the ceremonials and sword drill;
• Unity – by the united efforts of Sir Knights to practice and perfect a coordinated drill for the good of the Church and the Order;
• Fraternity – by expressing an “Esprit de Corps,” sharing a common desire for drill excellence and camaraderie; and
• Patriotism – by performing precision drill as a salute to God and to country and visually exhibiting a love for both.

Description

The Color Corps (C.C.) has two sub-groups, the Color Guard (C.G.) and the Honor Guard (H.G.). The Color Guard consists of the flag bearers and at least two members of the Honor Guard who escort the colors. The Honor Guard consists of members of the Color Corps who have mastered the Manual of the Sword.

In many assemblies, all members of the Color Corps belong to the Honor Guard. This should be kept in mind when following the procedures in this manual.

The public appearance of Fourth Degree Knights as a Color Corps at religious and civic functions is an important activity for each assembly. They add dignity and the pride of Church and country to any event. By these public demonstrations their loyalties bring credit to themselves and to the Knights of Columbus.

Abbreviation Guide