The Knights of Columbus, founded in 1882 by Father Michael J. McGivney in New Haven, Connecticut, was created as a Catholic mutual aid society at a time when Catholic immigrants faced discrimination and economic insecurity. Combining insurance benefits, fraternity, patriotism, and parish life, the order grew rapidly across the United States. By the early twentieth century, local councils functioned not merely as religious associations but as powerful civic institutions embedded in their communities.
In Englewood, that institutional presence took form with the establishment of Madonna Council No. 520, organized on July 4, 1900. Nicknamed the “Mother Council,” it was the first Knights of Columbus council formed in Bergen County. It began modestly with forty-two members, under the leadership of J. J. Marnell, past grand knight of Hoboken Council.
From the outset, Madonna Council positioned itself as both a fraternal and civic force. It hosted dances, receptions, and anniversary celebrations at the Englewood Armory. It sponsored athletic programs, cultivated inter-council rivalries, and maintained strong ties with neighboring councils throughout northern New Jersey and Jersey City.
A turning point came in the early 1920s. In 1923, the Council purchased property at Forest Avenue and William Street—land that would become known as Madonna Field (commonly called Madonna Park).
In 1923 the field was formally opened, and the dedication was treated as a major civic event. The mayor participated, a band led a procession, and the American flag was raised before the singing of the national anthem. The Englewood Madonnas baseball team christened the new park with a victory.
The Council constructed a grandstand with seating for approximately 2,000 spectators. What began as a fraternal athletic ground quickly developed into one of Bergen County’s most active sporting venues.
Madonna Park became home to the Englewood Madonnas baseball team and hosted strong amateur and semi-professional competition. It drew teams from Jersey City, Newark, and New York, integrating Englewood into the wider metropolitan baseball circuit.
The park even hosted the first Bergen Evening Record Diamond Gloves competition, further cementing its reputation as a regional athletic center.
Boxing elevated Madonna Park’s status even further. The baseball diamond was converted into a fighting arena, using a professional ring previously employed for major bouts in Jersey City. During the 1920s—the golden age of boxing—the Council staged some of the first large amateur boxing shows in Bergen County and later hosted professional cards.
Newspaper advertisements described full boxing programs offered to fans at Madonna Park. Fighters from the New York–New Jersey circuit competed there, drawing large crowds and connecting Englewood to the East Coast’s thriving fight culture.
The Council continued professional boxing at Madonna Park until the economic pressures of the Great Depression forced it to relinquish the field back to its original owners.
The 1951 article marking Madonna Council’s 50th anniversary provides a fuller picture of its long-term civic role.
By mid-century, Madonna Council had grown into one of the strongest councils in New Jersey. It was described as having maintained, throughout its history, a steady program of fraternal and cultural activities.
Notable developments included:
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Sponsorship of an annual track and field trophy at Dwight Morrow High School in honor of a Catholic athlete killed in action.
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Participation in Englewood’s 1949 Golden Jubilee celebration.
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Support for youth athletics across the Northern Valley.
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Sending boys annually to Camp Columbus at Culver Lake.
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Hosting communion breakfasts, retreats, commemorative services, and social functions.
The Council also maintained a headquarters and later operated from the Elks Club on Bennett Road before eventually relocating.
Trustees and officers over the years included figures such as Frank J. Growney, William J. Corcoran, Thomas Jardine, Edward McKeever, William J. Fitzpatrick, James J. Markham, Joseph M. E. Rafferty, John T. Markham, and Charles J. Anastasia—names that appear repeatedly in Englewood’s civic and fraternal records.
Taken together, the athletic programs of Madonna Council—especially between 1923 and the early 1930s—made Madonna Park one of the most active sports venues in Bergen County. Its importance rested on several factors:
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Geography – Englewood’s proximity to New York City made it accessible to metropolitan fighters and ballclubs.
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Infrastructure – The grandstand and enclosed grounds allowed for organized, ticketed sporting events.
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Institutional backing – The Knights provided stable leadership, financing, and promotional capacity.
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Golden Age timing – The rise of both baseball and boxing in the 1920s coincided perfectly with the park’s development.
For a period, Madonna Park functioned as a genuine node in the East Coast sporting network—particularly in amateur and semi-professional boxing and baseball.
By the time Madonna Council celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1951, the era of major boxing cards at Madonna Park had passed, but the institutional legacy remained strong. The Council had evolved from an immigrant fraternal society into a pillar of Englewood civic life.
Its contributions included:
Madonna Council’s history illustrates how Catholic fraternal organizations helped shape suburban civic identity in the early twentieth century. Through Madonna Park, Englewood briefly became a significant sporting destination. Through its ongoing programs, it remained a stable community institution well into the mid-century.
The Jersey Journal (Jersey City, NJ), December 26, 1905, p. 7.
The Record (Hackensack, NJ), October 1, 1928, p. 6.
The Record (Hackensack, NJ), July 23, 1921, p. 7.
The Record (Hackensack, NJ), May 21, 1923, p. 10.
The Record (Hackensack, NJ), August 29, 1923, p. 11.
The Record (Hackensack, NJ), April 27, 1951, p. 26.
The Record (Hackensack, NJ), November 26, 1902, p. 1.
The Jersey Journal (Jersey City, NJ), November 26, 1912, p. 6.
Jersey Observer and Jersey Journal (Jersey City, NJ), May 15, 1913, p. 4.
The Record (Hackensack, NJ), October 14, 1914, p. 5.
The Record (Hackensack, NJ), October 13, 1914, p. 1.
The Record (Hackensack, NJ), June 20, 1913, p. 2.
