IN SERVICE TO ONE. IN SERVICE TO ALL MONTHLY PUBLICATION FOR THE OHIO STATE COUNCIL
Brother Knights, A little about membership… Here is where we stand as of September 1st as a Jurisdiction. Take note, it’s not where we want to be and certainly not where we should be. We are much better that our numbers reveal. Gross Intake (New Member Recruitment) We are currently 45th of 74 Jurisdictions in the Order with an 8.49% of intake goal. To date we have recruited but 191 new members in the first two months of the Fraternal Year. This places us 7th among the Division 1 Jurisdictions. To put this into perspective we should be at 17% of gross intake or 383 new members. We will have to step up our recruiting pace to get back on track in September. Net Intake (New Member Recruitment less Suspensions and Withdrawals)
We are currently 37th of 74 Jurisdictions in the Order with a 5.65% of intake goal. To date we have retained but 89 of those new members in the first two months of the Fraternal Year. This places us 5th among the Division 1 Jurisdictions. Again to put this into perspective we should be at 17% of our net goal or 268 members retained. Net/Net Intake (New Member Recruitment and Out of State Transfers) We are currently 65th of 74 Jurisdictions in the Order with a 146% of intake goal. To date we haven’t retained any of the 191 new members in the first two months of the Fraternal Year and lost and have lost an additional 146 members. This again places us 5th among the Division 1 Jurisdictions. Again to put this into perspective we should be at 17% of our net/net goal or 17 members retained.
YEAR 2 MONTH 3 SEPTEMBER 2016
Robert F. Collins, Jr State Deputy
The only positive outlook I see is that we have a solid 10 months to recover our losses. With a good membership plan and an aggressive approach to church drives and new council development we can get back on track. Keep scheduling those 1st Degrees. Every District Deputy is required to schedule and conduct a 1st Degree in his district every month. Our Degree Page on the website should be “Busting’ Out” and overflowing with degree information. We will need each of those degrees to be productive so everyone may help us reach our goal of 2,250 new members. A thought on Degree Work: I have attended some degree work throughout Ohio and need to address (Continued on page 2)
CHARITY - UNITY - FRATERNITY PATRIOTISM 1
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Town Hall Meetings: one observation. An Admission, Formation, or Knighthood Degree is no place for a Stranger, Candidate or Brother Knight in t-shirts and shorts. Please have the respect to the Order and the Ceremonials to dress appropriately. Golf or polo shirts with Dockers type slacks are a minimum dress that should be worn to any one attending these degrees. Please inform all attending degrees to dress the same. State Council Finances: State per capita billings were sent to all Financial Secretaries of record in early June and the per capita dues amounts are due now. If you have not paid your State per capita please make arrangements to do so as soon as possible. A special thank goes out to all of the councils who have already mailed in their check. All $178,000.00 in Super Cash Bonanza Rebate checks were written in July and should have been received by your Council’s Financial Secretary. Thank you to everyone involved in the Super Cash Program for an outstanding campaign. All $300,000.00 in Measure Up Grant checks were written last month and have been sent to the Council’s Financial Secretary. Councils that are delinquent in sending in their Measure Up donations to the State Chairman will receive their Council’s Grant Checks accordingly upon receipt of that donation. All $52,000.00 in State Convention Mileage and Per Diem checks have been written and sent to the Council’s Financial Secretary of the councils who have paid their State Per Capita Tax. Councils that are delinquent in State Per Capita Tax will receive their checks accordingly after their State Per Capita Tax has been received.
“Town Hall” meetings throughout Ohio have begun with the following meeting dates, times, and locations. The meetings are open form and we may talk about whatever might be on your mind at evening. The meetings have been posted on the State Website Calendar. Anyone from anywhere is welcome at any time to come to any one of the meetings. Meetings are open to all 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Degree members, one day as a Knight of Columbus or 80 years as a Knight of Columbus. All meetings will begin at 7 p.m. and last for about 90 minutes or so. Come and bring an open mind, your thoughts, and ideas and help each other become a better Knight. “Town Hall” Meetings scheduled to date are as follows: Thursday, Sep 8, West Chester Thursday, Sep 15, Loveland Thursday, Sep 22, Minster Thursday, Sep 29, Centerville, MPC Officer Training Tuesday, Oct 4, Maumee, MPC Officers Training Monday, Oct 10, Clyde Tuesday, Oct 11, Mansfield Tuesday, Oct 18, Findlay Thursday, Oct 20, Kalida Tuesday, Oct 25, Archbold
Wednesday, Nov 2, Youngstown, MPC Training Thursday, Nov 10, Louisville Tuesday, Nov 29, Canfield Football Frenzy Fund Raiser: The Football Frenzy Campaign has changed greatly this year. This year we have made the program an even bigger contest and have added some new incentives. One incentive for sure is a credit on your State Per Capita Tax. If Ohio and your council meet or exceed their sales quota your council will receive a State Per Capita Tax credit for the 2017 – 2018 Fraternal Year. No ticket should be left on the table. I’m positive that 58,000 Knights should be able to sell 36,000 tickets. The Fraternal Planner: Please get in the habit of using your Fraternal Leader Success Planner. Every District Deputy has received 5 planners for every one of his councils. Each month in a calendar format important dates and deadlines are listed. The opposing page has a list of reminder notes and expected accomplishments for the current month and the month to come. It is a great tool for success. Take every advantage of this Fraternal Planning guide. If you have not received your fraternal Planner please contact your District Deputy immediately. One last thought: Our theme “Through Him, With Him, In Him” is taken to task at every sacrifice of the mass. Take this theme to heart. Give up everything you do for the honor and glory of God and our potential for success just becomes immeasurable. God Bless Brothers, have a good month and a better month than the one before. Bob Collins State Deputy 2
REFLECTIONS FROM OUR STATE CHAPLAIN Father Edward Janoch, State Chaplain “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.” Pope St. John Paul II Perth (A ustralia), 30 November 1986 These prophetic words spoken by St. John Paul II almost thirty years ago are so true for us today. The family has always been the bedrock, the foundation of society. When countries or societies fall, and many have throughout history, it begins with the destruction of the family. The Knights of Columbus have been aware of the fall of the family and has taken the words of St. John Paul II to heart. The following is more of St. John Paul II’s homily in Perth, Australia. Let us read his words of wisdom and challenge spoken then, but still relevant for us today. " he family is the domestic church". The meaning T of this traditional Christian idea is that the home is the Church in miniature. The Church is the sacrament of God’s love. She is a communion of faith and life. She is a mother and teacher. She is at the service of the whole human family as it goes forward towards its ultimate destiny. In the same way the family is a community of life and love. It educates and leads its members to their full human maturity and it serves the good of all along the road of life The family is the "first and vital cell of society". In its own way it is a living image and historical representation of the mystery of the Church. The future of the world and of the Church, therefore, passes through the family. It is not surprising that the Church has given much thought and attention in recent times to questions affecting family life and marriage. Nor is it surprising that governments and public organizations are constantly involved in matters which directly or indirectly affect the institutional well-being of marriage and the family. And it is everyone’s experience that healthy relationships in marriage and the family are of the greatest importance in the development and well-being of the human person. This is why Worthy Supreme Knight Carl Anderson says that these times are so important for us as Knights to uphold the value of the Christian family. At the
Chaplains’ Meeting following the 134th Supreme Convention our Worthy Supreme Knight spoke at length about the Domestic Church and the Parish. Worthy Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore and Worthy Director of Chaplains and Spiritual Development for the Supreme Council Dominican Father Jonathan Kalisch also commented on the Building the Domestic Church initiative. Here are some highlights of that meeting. After outlining the cultural and legal challenges faced by the Church and the Order in societies that are turning more radically secular, the Supreme Knight said that the response of Catholics must be positive in attitude and practice. Toward this end, he said, the Building Domestic Church initiative offers a host of resources for families and parishes to grow in the knowledge and the practice of the faith. The initiative is designed to be embraced by families, councils and parishes working together to enhance the spiritual, moral, social and charitable lives of each, he said. Among the resources of the Building Domestic Church initiative are the Consecration to the Holy Family, which includes a prayer to the Holy Family composed by Archbishop Lori, and a booklet titled Into the Breach, written by Bishop Thomas Olmsted originally for the men of his Phoenix Diocese, and now reprinted by the Supreme Council with a new study guide. “With these two resources, we can reach men on an intellectual and a spiritual formation level,” said Supreme Knight Anderson. “We have to push these programs into our families and into our parishes. We do this for ourselves and for the generations to come. We are the Catholic husbands, the Catholic fathers, the (Continued on page 4)
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Catholic grandfathers, and we need to step up to protect our kids and grandkids.” Other Building the Domestic programs are the Affirmation of Wedding Vows for couples, recommended to be performed in parishes on Father’s Day; a diocesan-wide Holy Family event based on the Order’s Holy Family prayer program, and the Building the Domestic Church: The Family Fully Alive booklet, a month-by-month guide for families on faith, prayer and charitable works within the family. More programs and resources will be introduced in the present fraternal year, he added. Speaking personally to the bishops and priests, the Supreme Knight said that Knights of Columbus councils need regular input from their chaplains, who are asked to help form Knights spiritually and invite them more deeply into the life of the parish. In his address, Archbishop Lori spoke of a “missionary shift” for councils based on the teaching and example of Pope Francis. Councils must reach out with new initiatives to help those in need and to attract more men to their ranks. “We should focus not just on maintaining our councils, but rather on transforming our councils into missionary units, making for a dynamic organization, working hand in glove with the pastors of their parishes,” he said. He pointed out that the Building the Domestic Church initiative should not be viewed as one more program for councils and parishes. Instead, the initiative takes two aspects that the Order has always focused on – families and spirituality – and brings them to a new level of focus and care. “These are the basic elements for evangelization in our time, responding to the particular cultural challenges of our day,” he said. So what are we going to do as Knights of Columbus in the Great State of Ohio on Building the Domestic Church While Strengthening our Parishes? I would like to recommend the following ideas so that the Domestic Church can be strengthened to withstand the attacks that it faces in our secular society.
XCreate ways that the “family that prays together, stays together” in each individual Knights of Columbus family. One council has a traveling statue of Mary that is given to a brother Knight to have for about two week in which the family is asked to pray the rosary. The statue is then returned at the next meeting and another Knight takes it home to his family. Other families attend a Eucharistic Holy Hour at an adoration chapel or at the parish church, praying for the needs of the family, the council or the parish. Others just spend time in the presence of their Eucharistic Lord. There are many other ways that a family can pray together in order to stay together. XFamilies can volunteer at parish events. There is always a need for volunteers to help the parish conduct many of the programs and activities that take place at a parish. XParticipate in a number of the Supreme Council’s Building the Domestic Church programs. Here are just a few of them. +Journey to the Inn +Father’s Day Affirmation of Wedding Vows +Consecration to the Holy Family +Family Fully Alive Devotional Program +Food for Families +Keep Christ in Christmas +Spiritual Formation Groups (Into the Breach Program) +5th Sunday Rosary Program +Family Week Celebrations Information onf these programs and more that are being developed can be found at the Supreme Website kofc.org. At one council, their Council Chaplain purchased the booklet Into the Breach and has set up a spiritual formation group of Knights to discuss the information found in this booklet. This booklet along with the Building the Domestic Church booklet [a new one is being developed to follow the Liturgical Year and will be available later this year] can be purchased through Knights Gear. The Building the Domestic Church booklet is free, only shipping is charged while the Into the Breach is available for $1.00 a booklet. Discounts are available for larger quantity of booklets purchased. Another council ordered Building the Domestic Church booklet and gave them to the school children to take home as a Christmas present from the Knights to their families.
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Knights and their Councils need to develop a good, holy relationship with their pastors so that these programs can be implemented into the parishes. If we can show our pastors that these programs will help him and the parish to have stronger, more faithful families, then our communities, nation and the world will become stronger and holier. Council chaplains need to be more than “window dressing” at social events. They need to “roll up their sleeves” and “dig in” to the spiritual and faith
formation of their council members. Using the programs from the Supreme Council, we can strengthen our domestic churches; our parish families, so that they can strengthen the parish. “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.” Vivat Jesus! Fr. Edward J. Janoch Worthy State Chaplain
This year I will be taking Matters of Faith and Catholic Knowledge from the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is formatted into a question and answer format. I will give a question or two and its answer to matters of faith that are relevant for this year. Here are four questions for this month.
HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTIONS Offered in Solidarity with Pope Francis September 2016 Universal: Centrality of the Human Person That each may contribute to the common good and to the building of a society that places the human person at the center.
Evangelization: Mission to Evangelize That by participating in the Sacraments and meditating on Scripture, Christians may become more aware of their mission to evangelize.
Question 350. Why is the Christian family called a domestic church? The Christian family is called the domestic church because the family manifests and lives out the communal and familial nature of the Church as the family of God. Each family member, in accord with their own role, exercises the baptismal priesthood and contributes toward making the family a community of grace and of prayer, a school of human and Christian virtue and the place where the faith is first proclaimed to children. [See CCC #1655-1658, 1666] Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, USCCB Publishing, Washington, DC, 2006, p 98.
Question 456. What is the nature of the family in the plan of God? A man and woman united in marriage form a family together with their children. God instituted the family and endowed it with its fundamental constitution. Marriage and the family are ordered to the good of the spouses and to the procreation and education of children. Members of the same family establish among themselves personal relationships and primary responsibilities. In Christ the family becomes the domestic church because it is a community of faith, of hope, and of charity. [See CCC #2201-2205, 2249] Question 457. What place does the family occupy in society? The family is the original cell of human society and is, therefore, prior to any recognition by public authority. Family values and principles constitute the foundation of social life. Family life is an initiation into the life of society. [See CCC #2201-2208] Question 458. What are the duties that society has toward the family? Society, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity, has the duty to support and strengthen marriage and the family. Public authority must respect, protect and foster the true nature of marriage and the family, public morality, the rights of parents, and domestic prosperity. [See CCC #2209-2213, 2250] Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, USCCB Publishing,
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Mother of Good Counsel Prayer By Venerable Pope Pius XII
O Holy Virgin, to whose feet we are led by our anxious uncertainty in our search for and attainment of what is true and good, invoking you by the sweet title of Mother of Good Counsel, we beseech you to come to our assistance, when, along the road of this life, the darkness of error and of evil conspires towards our ruin by leading our minds and our hearts astray. O Seat of Wisdom and Star of the Sea, enlighten the doubtful and the erring, that they be not seduced by the false appearances of good; render them steadfast in the face of the hostile and corrupting influences of passion and of sin. O Mother of Good Counsel, obtain for us from your Divine Son a great love of virtue, and, in the hour of uncertainty and trial, the strength to embrace the way that leads to our salvation. If your hand sustains us, we shall walk unmolested along the path indicated to us by the life and words of Jesus, our Redeemer; and having followed freely and securely, even in the midst of this world's strife, the Sun of Truth and Justice under your maternal Star, we shall come to the enjoyment of full and eternal peace with you in the haven of salvation. Amen.
INSURANCE Dave Roberts, General Agent Since its addition to the Order’s product portfolio in 2000, long-term care (LTC) insurance has provided the Knights of Columbus with an excellent opportunity to further serve members and their families. And, for our long-term care policy holders in the United States, there’s an added bonus. It’s called “Provider Pathway,” a program offering access to a network of long-term care providers at discounted rates. The network includes discounts on products, such as hearing aids, diabetic supplies, personal emergency response systems, and durable medical equipment, as well as skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, and adult day care. Eligibility for participation in this program is open to Knights of Columbus long-term care insurance policyholders, their spouses, dependent children, parents and parents-in-law. All providers are fully credentialed and meet state licensing requirements. If you haven’t yet spoken with your Knights of Columbus Feld Agent about long-term care insurance, you owe it to yourself to do so. There are a few decisions to make in choosing a “plan” — a comprehensive plan
that covers care whether you’re at home or in a facility, or one that covers facility only; daily benefit amounts and benefit durations (how much and how long it will last); and the length of the elimination period (waiting period) before benefits kick -in. Having a professionally trained agent ― and a brother Knight you can trust ― to help guide you through the process is yet another valuable benefit that comes with your membership. Take advantage of it; contact local Field Agent today. Vivat Jesus, David W. Roberts, FICF General Agent
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MEMBERSHIP Nick Gresko, State Membership Director
CONDUCTING A SUCCESSFUL MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN "THE OCTOBER CHURCH DRIVE" What is a Church Drive? The Knights of Columbus designates time each year when every council is encouraged to conduct a Church drive. All councils are being asked to conduct a church drive in each parish they serve in October during Columbus Day weekend (October 10-11) or any weekend in October. The church drive may be the most effective way of presenting our message to fellow parishioners as well as to recruit new members. If you have not ordered your church drive materials from Supreme now is the time!!! This is a time to tell our story of faith in action with emphasis on fraternal care and charitable works. Prepare yourselves:
Meet with the pastor and inform him of your intentions and secure his permission. Place an insert in your parish bulletin/s notifying the parishioners of the upcoming drive. Order recruitment brochures, posters and flyers from the Supreme Council Supply Department (Allow 4 – 5 weeks for delivery) Develop or update the council’s brochure and make adequate copies. Prepare an effective and concise pulpit talk to be given within the time frame allowed. Contact and schedule members to assist with recruitment activity and do not forget to invite your field agent to attend. Identify teams to call on prospects or schedule an information night, and then schedule at least two first degree opportunities for the new candidates.
During the scheduled weekend
Set up information tables, place posters and flyers at all entrances of the Church Personally hand out prospect cards to everyone as they enter the church or have cards and pencils available in each pew of the church. Have a council member give a presentation to the parishioners and ASK them to join the Knights. Ask the Mass celebrant your pastor to give his words of endorsement. Schedule plenty of brother Knights to hand our material and mingle with the crowd Schedule brothers to work, do not rely on those who happen to show up for Mass that day. Hand out material, mix with the parishioners and collect prospect cards.
Follow-up after the weekend drive Within 48 hours make personal contact with every prospect. Set up an appointment to meet with him and his spouse at their home or inform them of the scheduled information night. Offer transportation and refreshments if holding an information night. Information night Be organized, have an adequate number of brochures, explain benefits of being a member, share council activities, have field agent speak about fraternal (Continued on page 8)
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benefits, have chaplain/pastor give his endorsement, show film such as “Experience of a Lifetime”, call on dignitaries for comments. After program, assist each prospect with the completion of a Form #100. Inform them of First Degree dates. Have snack and refreshments available upon conclusion of your meeting. Offer transportation and refreshments if holding an information night.
The First Degree Conduct a First Degree no later than two weeks after your informational meeting. Offer transportation. Prepare degree certificates. Inform them of the next meeting date and time, upcoming activities and how they can be involved with your council.
Membership Mission #15: Parties, Cookouts and M ore! To: Great State of Ohio KofC Members From: Inspector Membership Summer is coming to end as Labor Day approaches. There will be parties, cookouts, fantasy football drafts and more. What a perfect time to get out and talk about the Knights of Columbus to your friends and recruit. Inspector Membership is challenging all of us during this end of summer celebration to go out and recruit some members. Yes, there are incentives provided you accept your mission. Watch the video below and read the flyer - send out to all of your council members. Challenge yourselves to take it to the next level - and we are not talking about just hamburgers and hot dogs either. Form 450 is like GOLD!!!
Click ABOVE for the September Membership Incentive Video!!
Council’s no longer fill out the Form 450C. There is only a Form 450 now and it is the responsibility of the District Deputy to fill this out. District Deputies please make sure within 3-5 days of holding a degree in your District the Form 450 is turned in. This is extremely important because this allows us to track if Supreme actually processed your Form 100’s! If your councils took the time to bring in a new member the State Membership Team wants to make sure these councils get credit for this hard work and effort. These should be 8
New Council Development John Brown My Brother Knights: This is the part where I normally go on and on and on about new council development. I’m not going to do that this month. I’ll simply ask that each DD look seriously around your district. Are there any large parishes without a council? Are there any parishes that look like they could use some help? If you can, please talk with the Pastor. Don’t give him a sales pitch. Simply ask him if he is a Brother Knight. If he says yes, ask which council? If it’s not local, you have the perfect Segway to talk about the benefits of a new council. If he’s interested, we move forward. If he’s not, we revisit this issue down the road. Remember, sometimes it’s best to just stop by some Sunday for Mass and have a chat with Father after – there’s no secretary around to shuttle your call to somebody else or to say he’s too busy. That takes care of New Council Development. What about Revitalization? I know many of the DDs have councils that are unable to fill all the officer positions or where the same guy has been the Grand Knight for fifteen years. Gentlemen, those councils are in trouble. They need an influx of new blood and we’re just the bunch to do it. When you attend the next meeting, suggest that we have the ability to help them jump start their council. If you run into resistance from the council, talk with the Chaplain. Ask him what the Knights could do for him if the council was more active. Then ask him if he’ll let us stage a revitalization effort. Once he says yes, contact me and we’ll make sure you have all the tools (literature, bulletin announcements, pulpit announcements and PowerPoint presentations) you’ll need. You can’t do this by yourself. Recruit some Brothers from your other councils, your Diocesan Membership Director and maybe even your state officer. The goal is to give the men of the parish the opportunity to join the Order while they and their families grow their faith. We have said it before and we’ll keep repeating it – this is not rocket science. You just have to ASK.
Form 100’s Within 3-5 days of a degree any Form 100’s should be emailed to the Supreme Council at membershiprecords@kofc.org and to the State Membership Director at greskon@sbcglobal.net and also include your diocesan membership director on those emails. Supreme DVD Admissions Degree is able to process the Form 100 much quicker this way and you have a receipt that they were sent in Worthy Grand Knights and Financial Secretaries it is extremely your sent mail. important that you are talking to Plus this saves your council the cost your District Deputy and that he knows when you are planning these of a stamp every time new because he needs to submit a Form members are brought in. Also, please make sure that every part of 450 and this is not happening all the time right now. Please get this this Form 100 is filled out or the information to your District Deputy Form 100 will not be processed so that he can do what he needs to do and to insure you get credit for the work that you are doing when it comes to degrees.
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GENERAL PROGRAM Robert Walsh, General Program Director The Knights of Columbus was a good friend of St. Mother Teresa, Supreme has commissioned a portrait of her. Will your Council be dedicating some of your hard work in honor of her? Her dedication to the Church and needy is what made her such a special person and one to follow in her footsteps. We as Knights do some of her work in our own Church’s and Communities, as feeding the hungry, clothing and helping the sick and poor. The Domestic Church Programs can help us achieve these programs and honor St. Mother Teresa. For the Church Program, Supreme has a special program to the St. John Paul National Shrine, you can find out about this on the State web site and elsewhere in the Voice of the Spirit, this is a great way to see the Shrine and for fellow Brother Knights and members of your Parish. This also helps in achieving The Domestic Church requirements for the Columbian Award.
The first reporting period has just ended. Did you get all your reports in on time? Remember to check on all programs for the Administration part of the State Program, right now the Football ticket sales is going on, this can help your Council with the program and earn extra money for you. Looking ahead in October, your Supreme Per Capita is due. And in programming Charitable Service Outreach Week is the First thru Ninth, and Council Church Drive is the Oct. 8/9 and 15/16 with Council Admission Degree Week the 17th23rd. Order your Free Throw Championship Kits in October. Are you using the Fraternal Leader Success Planner? Are you using the check list after each month to make sure your Council is staying on track and achieving all its goals? Keep up all the good work your Council is doing and will do in the future.
with raising funds for needy areas. I have heard from councils that are working on The July & August submission of blood drives, Veterans reports is now behind us all and you support, Habitat for should be in full swing for planning Humanity, adopt a and accomplishing the 2016 – 2017 highway cleanup, goals of your council. Just as your raising funds and local high school football & soccer collecting items to teams have mapped out their season feed the homeless. of competition, your council needs to The sky is the limit for the councils execute their game plan for the within the State of Ohio in what you fraternal year. With the fulfilling of can accomplish for the people within your council activities the success your community. stories can be endless as you complete your activities and submit All the planning your council has put them to the state website. together for the fraternal year will be
COMMUNITY Tom Forsthoefel
By participating in your council’s game plan for the fraternal year, your community in which you reside can be the big winner. I have already heard from a lot of active councils that have been working with the communities they live in. Councils have been helping the local festivals
of no good if your council doesn’t execute their game plan. As you complete a program you have mapped out, your council and the community you serve in can both be winners. The individuals & organizations you have served will have been blessed by your generosity and likewise the members of your
council that have worked on the activity will have the satisfaction knowing your charity work has not gone on unnoticed. The charity work you have completed can have a domino effect in the activities of your membership base as well it can help in recruiting new members to join your council. Vivat Jesus, Thomas Forsthoefel State Community Director 937-623-1844 tjf042074@sbcglobal.net 10
CULTURE OF LIFE Brett Gissel
We also have the right and duty to vote and we should help other Catholics vote. Through the As November approaches, we should Nonpartisan National Voter be aware of the election. Every Registration Program and the election cycle is important. Nonpartisan National Get Out The Regardless of how you feel about the Vote Program, we can help others candidates for higher offices, the exercise their right. Councils races for local offices are important participating in this may submit this too. In most cases, people seeking under Council Choice (Program election in higher offices get their #53/54). start at the local level. Knowing where these candidates stand on The National Day Of Remembrance issues is important. We can also For Aborted Children (Program #50) educate our fellow Catholics about will be on September 10, 2016. Hold these candidates. If your council is a vigil for children that were aborted looking for ways to promote a and let others see that we not only candidate based on Pro Life position, advocate for the life of the unborn, please contact me at but we also remember them like we BrettGissel@gmail.com. do for any other person.
The 40 Days For Life campaign will start this month. The next campaign runs from September 28 – November 6. To date the 40 Days For Life program has documented 11,796 lives saved. Aside from participation in the vigils at the clinics, members can also participate in this campaign through public awareness and by praying and fasting during these 40 days. Participation in this campaign can be reported through Program #47. Respect Life Month is October. Any Culture Of Life activities that you do to celebrate Respect Life Month and do not fit into other programs can be submitted through a Council Choice activity (53/54).
connected but less united. We are At the end of the day, it doesn't more in touch but communicate less. matter what the event is or how well We can utilize the family program to planned and executed it was. The disconnect from technology and It's football season again. Where did most important thing is spending reconnect to people. We can create the summer go? Seems like we were time with our families and giving all places and environments where just celebrating everyone's families the opportunity to gather, families can communicate and reaccomplishments at the State mingle, and build community. unite. We can plan times for families Convention and talking about to have fun together. We can rebuild elections. Now, football is here, the We hear so many times while a sense of community in our councils air is supposed to be getting cooler, recruiting that a man doesn't want to and churches through family events. and we just finished the first be away from his family more than We can expand our families from reporting period. Tempest Fugit!!! he already is. Knights of Columbus "me, my wife, and my kids" to "our But for those with a plan it doesn't family events prove to him (and his Knights of Columbus family" and slip by unnoticed. wife) that we care about more than "our parish family". We can build just HIS membership. We care about stronger families. But the first step is Your councils did a great job the FAMILY joining the Knights of to schedule family events. planning summer events like picnics, Columbus. We can use family events festivals, barbecues, and family days' to help lead our children to a If we plan family events, other people at the ball parks. Now is the time to prayerful life of service by to begin to notice that the Knights of work on scheduling the next events demonstrating the joy we (their Columbus builds strong, prayerful, like Halloween or All Saints day parents, grandparents, uncles and faithful families who find joy in parties, fall picnics and bonfires. aunts) find in living our life of prayer service; and they will say "our Never to early to plan a Food for and service. I often read reports of council has strengthened our parish Families food drive around men signing a form 100 at a family community". Thanksgiving or Christmas or the event and largely because of that annual family Christmas party. How family event. about a family New Year's Eve party? As temperatures turn chilly, We, as leaders, need to recognize the maybe utilize the Building the shift that has occurred among our Domestic Church information to plan members and potential members. a family movie night. Technology has made people more
FAMILY Stewart Vetter
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2. Become integrated with the Parish and Engage the entire Parish in our activities. 3. Support Spiritual Development Building the Domestic Church and Charitable works within the Parish In its new initiative, “Building the 4. Evangelize through our “Good Domestic Church” Supreme Council Works” is asking our Councils and Members to adopt new methods suited for what HOW CAN WE ACCOMPLISH our Catholic Community needs today THIS? and in the future. It is asking us to devote greater efforts to the needs Partner with your Pastor/Chaplain. and future of our parishes. How often does your council meet with him? Ask him what he wants to Priorities of our councils should be: implement and… Make it Happen! 1. To promote the “Spiritual Development” and “Catholic I will talk more about this Supreme Fraternity” of our members and initiative and how it relates to local all men of the Parish. councils over the next couple of
CHURCH Jeff Kiliany
“VOS” issues. I am most interested in hearing about how your Councils are “Building the Domestic Church” and activities that your members are doing. Jeff Kiliany – State Church Director (330) 427-9874 home (330) 853-6099 cell jtktg@yahoo.com “As We continue to Build Up His Church”
14504 ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY Michael Freil, Trustee/PGK Council 14504 Thirteen Brother Knights from Council 14504 rallied on August 20, 2016 and cleaned up the Off Ramps of exit #7 off of Highway 675, as well as the Intersection of Wilmington Pike surrounding the on-off ramps to the highway. This is the area that was up for Adoption from the Ohio Department of Transportation that Council 14504 adopted which is about 2 blocks away from the Council located at St. Francis of Assisi Parish. It took about two hours to handle the litter cleanup. The weather was good for this event, and the Brother Knights had a good time serving our Community. This cleanup is being done every 3-4 months, or as needed. 12
FOOTBALL FRENZY SWEEPSTAKES Gary Eckstein PSD, State Fundraising Chairman
NO STATE PER CAPITA + REBATES!!! The Ohio State Council is offering to every council in Ohio an opportunity to receive 100% credit on their 2017-18 per capita bills along with at least a $5.50 rebate on each ticket sold in the 2016 Ohio Knights F und Crazr Football Sweepstakes programs. HOW? OUR
GOAL: 35,960 TICKETS!!
If the councils, statewide, achieve sales of 35,960 Football Sweepstakes tickets, then there will be a STATE PER CAPITA CREDIT for all par ticipating councils that r each one of their quotas PLUS near ly $500,000 IN REBATES.
REBATES Council sells 100% of ticket quota – receive 100% per capita credit plus $5.50 a ticket rebate. Council sells 75% of ticket quota – receive 50% per capita credit plus $5.50 a ticket rebate. Council sells 50% of ticket quota – receive 25% per capita credit plus $5.50 a ticket rebate.
COUNCIL QUOTA 75% OF MEMBERSHIP Councils that choose not to participate will need to pay their State Per Capita. The 2016 Football Sweepstakes involves the last 10 weeks of games played by the NFL this season – games that will be played between Oct 30 and Jan 1. Donation is $20.00 per ticket. At least $2,500 in prizes will be awarded each week or at least $25,000 over the contest period. Winners are determine by ticket holders with the four teams that score the most – or the least – number of points in that given week of games. The scores from the previous week’s games are used for teams that are not scheduled to play on any given week. A winners’ list will be posted on www.fundcrazr.com and www.kofcohio.org – Password is going to your ticket number. Tickets that are sold can be turned in any time before October 30. Sold tickets, and money, are to be sent to: PSD Gary Eckstein, 1498 River Trail Drive, Grove City, Ohio 43123. You also may contact me at 614-679-4238 for additional tickets. Winners will be notified and paid automatically each week by the Ohio State Council. Participants must print legibly their name, address, telephone number, and name and number of the selling council, on the ticket stub. The stub, and $20.00, is turned in. The participant keeps the rest of the ticket.
OHIO KNIGHTS FUND CRAZR FOOTBALL SWEEPSTAKES JULY KICKOFF until OCT. 30, 2016 PROMOTION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS 13
MATCHING FUNDS Mark Siracusa, State Advocate I have chosen “Providing needs for Catholic Education” as the theme of the 2016 Matching Funds Program. Your council’s contribution to the fund will assist in strengthening the Catholic Education efforts in every Catholic school, in every religious program, and in every RCIA program of your diocese The Matching Funds Program will run from September 1, 2016 through November 15, 2016. The Ohio Charity Foundation, Inc. of the Ohio State Council is matching the first $25,000 donated to this year’s program. My goal for the 2016 Matching Funds Program is $68,000 combined with a 90% participation of our Ohio
councils. I would hope that all councils across this great state will contribute as generously as they have in past years. More information will be sent in a letter to your Grand Knight in August.
FOR SALE Items Available For Councils, By Councils
CEREMONIAL DEGREE ROBES Contact Russell J. Kamler, PGK Council 5297 at 740412-9372 or via email at kamler7@frontier.com for more information.
TWO ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIRS Contact James Reiman, GK, Council 2790 at 216-6769755.
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