The Knights of Father Mathew was a Catholic

Catholic

The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...

 temperance society

Temperance movement

A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...

  that originated in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 and promoted complete abstinence

Teetotalism

Teetotalism refers to either the practice of or the promotion of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages. A person who practices teetotalism is called a teetotaler or is simply said to be teetotal...

 from intoxicating liquors.

It was founded in Cork

Cork (city)

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...

 in 1838 by Theobald Mathew

Theobald Mathew (temperance reformer)

Theobald Mathew , an Irish teetotalist reformer, popularly known as Father Mathew was born at Thomastown, near Golden, County Tipperary, on October 10, 1790....

, a Capuchin friar - generally known as Father Mathew. Under his influence, branches the organization spread throughout Ireland, though it was badly disrupted by the Great Irish Famine of 1846 to 1849. Father Mathew also travelled in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 and Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 (1842) and in the USA (1849 to 1851) to preach temperance. It is estimated that 7,000,000 took the pledge of abstinence under his influence.

Father Mathew began his work in the U.S. in 1849, at which time he was entertained by the President and granted a seat within the bar of the Senate and on the floor of the House. Only one foreigner, General Lafayette, had previously been given that honor. He was also lauded on the occasion by famous statesman Henry Clay.

Father Mathew spent two and one-half years in the U.S., traveled 37,000 miles, visited 25 states, administered the temperance pledge in over 300 cities and towns to an estimated more than 500,000 persons.

The Knights of Father Mathew organization in the U.S. was established in St. Louis, Missouri, on 26 April, 1872. In 1881, it added life insurance as a benefit available to members.

Chapters or “councils” were permitted to organize branches of Catholic women that were called "Ladies' Auxiliaries of the Knights of Father Mathew." The Ladies' Auxiliaries were especially active in promoting temperance among children. Both the Knights of Father Mathew and the Ladies' Auxiliaries of the Knights of Father Mathew became affiliated with the Catholic Total Abstinence Union of America in 1895.

Some members were buried with KFM or K. of F. M. - Knights of Father Mathew - or LAKFM - Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Father Mathew on their tombstones.