By founding the Knights of Columbus in 1882, Father Michael McGivney sought to establish a fraternal Order whose members live the Christian virtues by means of the principles of Charity, Unity, and Fraternity. He sought to unite members in their Catholic identity as practical Catholics, that is, as Catholics who accept the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, who aspire to live in accordance with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and who are in good standing in the Catholic Church.