About the Knights

The best way to truly learn about us is to become a member. However, more information about this council is below.

Monthly Meetings

Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. We pray the rosary at 7:30 PM prior to each meeting which starts at 8:00 PM. All members are welcome to join us!

The Lounge

Open 7 days a week, our lounge is a great place to relax and catch up with your fellow Knights. Multiple HD flat screen TVs, a pool table and busy bar highlight the lounge, while its tables and chairs offer a place to sit down with friends. The lounge is open to families and friends when accompanied by members.

Lounge hours:

• Monday-Thursday: 4-8 PM

• Friday: 4-11 PM

• Saturday: 2-8 PM

• Sunday: 12:30-7:30 PM

Don't forget to come by and sign the book!

Cantrel Ballroom

When not being used for our meetings, the ballroom is home to fundraisers, banquets, awards nights, and more. Private parties of many kinds are also held here.

Our History

Our History is a rich one. The order of The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney in New Haven, Connecticut.

Fifty-six years later, Rock Creek Council was born on June 12, 1938, in the town of Bethesda, Montgomery County, Maryland, as the 2797th of our order. Its birthday was preceded by a serious period of gestation, sound pre-natal care by its founders, and a firm resolve that it would be nurtured faithfully through life to become a starry jewel in the grand firmament of Columbianism.

Our birth day was celebrated by a gala major First Degree for forty-five charter members at Old Saint Mary's Parish Hall, in Gaithersburg. The Degree was followed by a sumptuous banquet.

With our baptism concluded, life began for us as we elected our Council Officers, under the leadership of Joseph A. Cantrel, our First Grand Knight. Our first meetings were held in the loft of an old barn on the premises of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Bethesda. We plotted our course, acquired robes and regalia, and contemplated our council publication, which at first was only a typewritten newsletter issued periodically. Our first printed publication, the "Knight Chatter," was issued on the 12th of September, 1940, and has continued, with few exceptions, throughout the years as a monthly (except August) publication.

In a few years we had established a sound financial status, our membership began to increase, growing pains set in, and our sights were set in acquiring a home for our council. We though we were there in early 1941 when a charter member arranged for a gift of a parcel of land next to Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Our dreams of a club house site were not to be, as the pastor of the parish, our chaplain, needed the land to expand his school. We yielded to his request, and donated the property to the parish.

Soon after, we lost our meeting place as the old barn was torn down to make way for church and school buildings.

For a number of years we met at different places, such as: Forest Glen Council (now Father Rosensteel Council), Kenwood Club, the Women's Club of Bethesda, and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase American Legion home. But we never lost sight of our desire for a council home.

When we purchased some property on Old Georgetown Road next to the Women's Club of Bethesda, we thought that our dream would finally come true. We even had plans for a new clubhouse prepared by an architect. But soon we scrapped that idea because good fortune brought us a more suitable site: our present location. It consisted of 2.5 acres of property with a stone and brick house located thereon. On May 22, 1952 we signed the contract for the purchase of this site. We then organized our holding company, the Rock Creek Kay-Cee Club, Inc. Our now sizable membership turned out enmasse to remodel the house, and in January 1954 we had the property zoned for club purposes.

We were now 'housed' in our own home, and it met all our needs. The internal facilities continued improving, landscape and parking was added. But we soon discovered that because of our ever-increasing membership, our home had been outgrown. Expansion was urgently needed. By the summer of 1961 work was concluded on the expansion. A success such as this called for a gala dedication banquet on August 16, 1961. We had come a long way in a quarter century, and we could now enjoy the fruits of our labors.

In 1999, and after careful consideration, we realized our physical plant had suffered a bit of neglect, so, the Kay-Cee Club started a campaign of improvements. Today our Council Home includes Cantrel Ballroom and the Knight Lounge in the main floor; a members' lounge with a pool and billiard area downstairs; office space for council officers, and the Past Grand Knight Lounge upstairs, spacious lawns for family picnics, and a comfortable and ample parking area. Rock Creek Council sits proudly on a hill overlooking its surroundings and is in constant demand by members and guests for banquets, dances, meetings, mitzvahs, and wedding receptions.

Our membership embraces every walk of life: prelates and priests, judges and lawyers, doctors and dentists, artists and architects, plumbers and electricians, carpenters and bankers, sailors and soldiers, businessmen and executives, retirees and students.

Today, Rock Creek is but one of about 13,000 Councils worldwide, its 700 members just a sample of the over a million and a half dues paying members, and the cause for sainthood of Fr. McGivney is on its way in Rome.

Ours is a rich history, indeed.

NEW —- Click here to learn more about the history of our Council from its founding in 1938 to 1997!

How to Pray the Rosary

Praying the rosary is a simple and powerful way to stay strong in your faith. It allows for 15 to 20 minutes of quiet prayer to Christ. Depending on the day, the Glorious, Joyful, Sorrowful, or Luminous Mysteries are said. Use the guide below to refresh your commitment to grow in holiness.

• Make the Sign of the Cross and say The Apostles' Creed while holding the cross of your Rosary beads.

• Say the Our Father at the first single bead next to the cross.

• Say three (3) Hail Marys , one at each of the following three beads.

• Say the Glory Be to the Father at the following single bead.

• Announce the First Mystery at the chaplet that joins the ring of beads.

• Say the Our Father at the first space following the chaplet.

• Say ten (10) Hail Mary’s, one at each of the following beads, while meditating on the Mystery.

• Say the Glory Be to the Father and the O My Jesus (Fatima Prayer) at the following space.

• Announce the Second Mystery at the single bead.

• Say the Our Father at the next space, followed by 10 Hail Mary’s, a Glory Be to the Father, and the Fatima Prayer as in the previous Mystery.

• Say the Hail, Holy Queen at the chaplet concluding the circle of beads, and finish your prayer with the Sign of the Cross.

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.

Our Father

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory Be to the Father

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The Fatima Prayer

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

Hail Holy Queen

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.