Knights, guilds and lay societies
Napa Institute
The Napa Institute · Napa
Catholic nonprofit (501(c)(3)) that runs conferences, pilgrimages, and formation events, with an Ecclesiastical Advisor and an Ecclesiastical Advisory Board of bishops. It is not a membership society at all, which matters for a directory of groups you can join.
A few minutes' work
Free online form. No membership dues. Full summer conference registration listed at $3,100 (2026) and $3,500 (2027); bishops waived and priests and religious at half price.
Enroll nowJoin Our Community only subscribes you to the newsletter; to actually take part you register and pay for a specific event on the events page.
Members have a portal to sign in to.
Napa is often named alongside Legatus, but it works completely differently. There are no members, no dues, no chapters, and no obligations. It is a conference organization built on three stated pillars of liturgy, community, and formation, best known for an annual summer conference in Napa, California with Mass and adoration throughout, plus a Faith and Business conference, events in Rome, and programs for priests and bishops. If you want in, you register and pay for an event. The Join Our Community link is an email newsletter signup, not an enrollment, which is worth flagging because the wording suggests otherwise.
What you promise
None. There is nothing to maintain between events. The practical cost is conference registration, with full summer conference registration listed at $3,100 for the 2026 conference and $3,500 for 2027, hotel and travel on top. Registration is waived for bishops and discounted 50 percent for priests and religious, funded by donors.
What the Church attaches
The Eucharist is placed at the center of its events, with daily Mass in multiple rites, adoration, benediction, and confession available throughout. There is an Ecclesiastical Advisor (Archbishop Paul Coakley) and an advisory board of bishops and a cardinal. The Napa Institute prayer, approved by the Bishop of Santa Rosa, consecrates the institute to Our Lady of Guadalupe. No indulgences are attached and there is no chaplaincy over members, because there are no members.
Enrollment checked 2026-10-22. Details change without notice and parish practice varies. Confirm before relying on this sheet.