Young Men's Institute Bakersfield Council #100
Who We Are
The YMI is a fraternal order of Catholic men that has been in existence since 1883. Today, we operate across 37 Councils in three states and our membership is over 2,500. Our purpose is three fold: Faith, Patriotism, and Fraternalism.
- Faith – We pledge ourselves to be practicing Catholics and we are active participants supporting our parishes.
- Patriotism – We love our country, respect her laws, and show our public support for America by voting, flying our flags, and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at each meeting.
- Fraternalism – As members of YMI, we extend our hand to each other in brotherly love and call each other “brother.” Family values are important to us, so our families are included in many of our functions.
Our motto is “Pro Deo, Pro Patria: For God, For Country.” Accordingly, we actively support programs and activities that benefit the Catholic faith, such as religious orders, seminarians, and missions as well as community and civic causes such as youth recreation, education, and people in need.
The emblem of the YMI consists of a cross, star, and a palm branch. The cross is a symbol of holy religion and is a reminder that Jesus Christ became man and died for us. The star represents the star that the wise men followed to find our Lord Finally, the palm branch reminds us that peace and goodwill should always prevail among us.