Father Murphy Council 5535
1401 2nd Avenue North		• Jacksonville, FL, 32250		• 904-249-5535

Welcome to Father Murphy Council. The Knights of Columbus is the largest fraternal, family oriented, service organization of Catholic gentlemen in the world, with over 1,700,000 members. From its founding as a small, local Connecticut organization in 1882, the Order, while continuing to consist of small Councils dedicated to local parish and family life, has also become a powerful international force for good in support of Church and State, so much so that our founder, Fr. Michael J. McGivney, is being considered for Canonization.

Father Murphy Council was named after Father Cornelius Murphy, the first permanent priest at St. Paul's Catholic Church.
 
Fred Stack, District Deputy, presented Council #5535 with its charter Friday, March 19, 1964 in Jacksonville to the founding Grand Knight Frank J. Tassone, Sr. and Reverend Father James J. Heslin Chaplin. Some thirty men received their first degree that week and were presented with their Knights of Columbus pins. There were also 28 transfer members from other councils.

Quoted from the Beaches News Wednesday April 1, 1964:
"The first meeting was conducted Wednesday night in the cafeteria of St. Paul's Catholic School in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Following meetings were held in the small parish hall behind St. Paul's Rectory."

The Father Murphy Council works closely with the St. Paul's Parish in Jacksonville Beach, Our Lady Star of the Sea in Ponte Vedra, and Naval Station Mayport's Holy Family by the Sea Chapel providing funds for various projects in and around Jacksonville.

We are located at the intersection of Beach Blvd and Penman Rd. The Grand Knight for 2011-2012 is Don Barnhorst. You can contact the Knights by phone at (904)249-5535, or by email at barnhorst@aol.com.

General Business meetings are the first Monday of every month at 7:30pm and the Officers meetings are the third Monday of every month at 6:30pm. We also celebrate First Friday Mass on the first Friday of each month at 7pm followed by a pot luck dinner provided by the Knights and Ladies Auxilliary. First Friday Mass is open to anyone who wishes to attend.