Welcome to the website of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe) Council 10723 in Falls Church, VA. The Council serves St. Anthony of Padua Parish, which is located at Route 7 and Glen Carlyn Road in Falls Church, VA. . The Grand Knight for 2011-2012 is RICK KRAUSE. You can contact the Knights by phone at 703-231-8410, or by email at rickk@fb.org.

Regular Council business meetings are the second Wednesdays of each month. They are held in room 12 of Corpus Christi School at 3305 Glen Carlyn Road, Falls Church, VA 22041 beginning at 7:30 pm. Officers meetings are on the 4th Wednesdays of the month at same time and place, and all Council members are welcome. Squires and Squire/Roses meet on the third Saturdays of the month beginning at 9 am and 10 am in rooms 12 and 11 in Corpus Christi School.

Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe) Council 10723 was established in 1992 as the first Spanish council in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2005 it became a multi-cultural Council to better serve the diverse interests of St. Anthony of Padua Parish.

The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by a 29-year-old parish priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, in the basement of St. Mary's Church in New Haven, Connecticut. Today, more than a century later, the Knights of Columbus has become the largest lay organization in the Catholic Church. They sought strength in solidarity, and security through unity of purpose and devotion to a holy cause: they vowed to be defenders of their country and their families and their Faith. These men were bound together by the ideal of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of the Americas, the one whose hand brought the Holy Faith to this New World. They were Knights of Columbus.

Through the foresight and leadership of Father McGivney, and the sacrifice and dedication of those early Knights, and the millions of their brother who have followed in their footsteps, the Knights of Columbus would become the world's foremost Catholic fraternal benefit society, one that has helped millions of Catholic families grow in their faith and defend their beliefs. It has made its members better husbands, fathers, sons, and citizens. It has helped families obtain economic security and stability through the Knights' life insurance program. It has built Catholic communities, fed the poor and defended the vulnerable. It has helped to renovate the Vatican and bring the Pope to the world.

Charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism-these are the watchwords of the Knights of Columbus. And, since 1882, Knights of Columbus have backed up these words with actions. Knights of Columbus have helped to build and support the Catholic Church, from the United States to the Philippines. Knights have lived for their faith in Canada, and died for their faith in Mexico. Throughout the history of the Order, in these and many other ways, Knights of Columbus have provided immeasurable support to their families and communities, to their countries and the Church. The Knights of Columbus has enabled its members to strengthen and protect their loved ones-spiritually, by developing their faith, and financially, with the highest quality life insurance available, a product that has brought security and prosperity to millions of Knights and their families.

The Order has been called "the strong right arm of the Church," and has been praised by popes, presidents and other world leaders, for support of the Church, programs of evangelization and Catholic education, civic involvement and aid to those in need. As recently as 1992, Mother Teresa of Calcutta praised the Knights in a speech on the occasion of her reception of the first Knights of Columbus Gaudium et Spes Award.

Thanks to the inspired work of Father McGivney-as well as that of millions of other Knights over the past century-the Knights of Columbus now stands at its pinnacle of membership, benefits and service. Currently, there are over 1.6 million Knights of Columbus-more than ever before in our Order's history. Together with their families, the Knights are nearly 6 million strong. In addition, from the first local council in New Haven, the Order has grown to more than 12,000 councils in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Panama, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan. Each year, the Order continues this strong growth.