Degree Schedule
| Date | Degree | Contact | Location |
| Dec. 3rd | 2nd & 3rd Degree Exemplification |
DD Jesse Villareal, 503-267-4043 |
St. Patrick parish, Canby |
| Jan. 7th | 4th Degree Exemplification |
DM Carrol Gorg |
Our Lady of LeVang, PDX |
See the Online Calendar for scheduled 1st Degrees.
There are four "Degrees" of Knighthood within the Knights of Columbus. The initiation ceremonies into each of these Degrees (the ceremonies themselves are also called "Degrees") are the only facets of the Order, which are not made known to non-members.
Each of the Degrees, which must be taken in order, is designed to exemplify one of the four Principals of the Order:
• Charity
• Unity
• Fraternity
• Patriotism
Every applicant must take the First, or Membership, Degree before he can be considered a Member of the Knights of Columbus. Once he has taken his First Degree, he becomes a member in good standing in the Order. To reach full Knighthood, members must also take the Second and Third Degrees, and all members are strongly encouraged to do so. Members must have taken the Third degree to be elected to Council offices or to enter into the Fourth Degree. Once a man has been a member of the Knights of Columbus for a year and has taken his Third Degree, he is eligible to join a Fourth Degree Assembly. The Fourth Degree has its own structure separate from that of the Council. Fourth Degree Assemblies gain their membership from Third Degree members of several Councils within a larger geographic area. The most visible members of the Order are often the Fourth Degree Color Corps, with their colorful capes, chapeaux and sabers.
