Knights, guilds and lay societies
Legatus
Legatus International · Legatus (ambassador)
Founded 1987Tax-exempt 501(c)(3) membership organization of Catholic chief executives and business owners and their spouses, with chapters and chaplains. A private lay association in practice, not canonically erected.5500
Worth some persistence
Free online form. Unclear; annual chapter dues are set per chapter, payable 1 November, and the amount is not published.
Enroll nowSubmit the membership inquiry form, which Legatus says is not the formal application but a first introduction, and a regional representative follows up and walks you through the real application; many members arrive instead through a referral from an existing member.
Members have a portal to sign in to.
Legatus is for Catholics at the very top of a company, and it is openly selective about that. A chapter meets monthly and the format is consistent: confession, Mass, dinner, and a speaker, with spouses included as members in their own right. What members describe getting is a room full of people carrying the same weight of decisions who also take the faith seriously, plus forums, which are small confidential groups inside a chapter that meet monthly. The thresholds are hard numbers, not vibes, so most people reading a directory entry will not qualify. Retired executives who met the criteria while working can still come in as Emeritus members, and there is an At-Large category for people with no chapter nearby.
What you promise
All four criteria must be met: Catholic in good standing; holding the top position of a qualifying company, subsidiary, or division and directly responsible for all its operations; overseeing at least 40 employees or $1.5 million in annual payroll excluding your own; and business volume of at least $10 million, or $2 million for financial or commission-based client services. Annual chapter dues are payable on 1 November and cover the full year of chapter programs. Members agree to a non-solicitation policy barring charitable or political fundraising at Legatus events or through member contact, a confidentiality policy, and the organization's bylaws and policy manual.
What the Church attaches
Mass and the opportunity for confession at every chapter meeting, chapter chaplains, pilgrimages, Legatus magazine, and ongoing formation in Catholic teaching aimed at business and professional life. The organization is explicitly built around the sacraments rather than around indulgences.
Enrollment checked 2026-10-22. Details change without notice and parish practice varies. Confirm before relying on this sheet.