latest edition - Archdiocese of Ottawa Association

Ontario Fraternal Success Planner
MARCH 2015
“I BELIEVE OUR SAINTLY FOUNDER SEES INTO THE HEARTS OF HIS BROTHER KNIGHTS TODAY. ONE
HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW, HE WILL NOT BE SURPRISED BY WHAT HIS BROTHER KNIGHTS CONTINUE
TO ACCOMPLISH.”
Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight
---------------------------------------------------------------Kevin Daudlin, Ontario State Deputy
Brother Knights, It is a little frosty outside. Yes, the temperature is cold but so are the number of First Degrees being scheduled and it
needs a bit of “heating up”. Grand Knights and members, it is urgent that your councils schedule First Degrees and work to add
members. The recruiting in Ontario has been off to a slow start the first six months of the year but it is time for it to get back in fullswing. We have the tools. Every council should be scheduling First Degrees on a regular base but maybe your council should look at
some creative times to have the First Degrees rather than always having them at the same time. Being creative can help make it more
convenient for a new member to get to a First Degree. You might want to consider a First Degree before Sunday Mass or possibly on a
Saturday morning. We have many councils that are being flexible with the schedule of their First Degrees and having great success.
Remember to schedule the First Degree and recruit to it and not wait to schedule the First Degree until you have a new member. It is
important to be able to tell a new recruit when the degree is right away. Let's have a good membership drive this month. Remember
Founders Day at the end of March. The Knights of Columbus councils in Ontario are filled with guys who do great things. Please be
aware that there are many men who want to be around guys like we have in our councils. Thanks for all you do for the Knights of
Columbus
----------------------------------------------------------------------------Bill Country, State Program Director
Worthy Sirs, At a council meeting a comment was made that we look at recruiting as just a number. The comment was nowhere near
the truth. Yes, some of our recruiting talks and messages deal with numbers and goals. If not by numbers, how else do we count or
measure a council’s successes and accomplishments? A sad statistical reality is that a council is either growing or shrinking as it is
impossible to stay the same size because of deaths and attrition. The problem with thinking that it is just about numbers is that a
council that thinks that way will always struggle adding members and struggle with retention also and get stuck looking for the perfect
man, so to speak. You know, everyone reading this article was recruited by someone to join the Knights of Columbus. I don’t know
what kind of expectations that recruiter had for you when you were recruited but I doubt that it had to do with any thing spectacular., he
just wanted you to take part in what we do and be one of us.
I don't know what your long range expectations of council office, district or state office is but I do know, however, that when you were
recruited the council or someone saw something in you that made them believe that you would be a good fit for the Knights of
Columbus. Those recruiters wanted you to help build our programs. Many new members of K of C take years to hit their stride or take
on a leadership position. Some guys hit the ground running and love the K of C from the minute they join and find something that they
want to participate in or lead. Other members aren’t really “meeting guys” but do participate in some activities with time or a donation.
The point in this is that no one knows what kind of a member anyone is going to be when they join. I do know this: we will NEVER find
out what kind of a member anyone will be if they are never asked to join. As Supreme Knight Carl Anderson has said so often: “We
have a moral obligation to offer membership in the Knights of Columbus to every eligible Catholic man!”
I am not going to mention all of the councils doing good work with their programs but if you want to feel enthusiasm and positive
energy hang around with some of the councils having all of the recruiting and program success. Men obviously want to be part of that
type of council. All of the councils in Ontario should be inspired by the councils that are adding members and try and emulate their
success. This is going to be a record setting year in Ontario, so be part of what we do. ONE MEMBER, PER COUNCIL, PER MONTH
goal works for every council. Vivat Jesus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mario Duguay, State Membership Retention Director
Brothers, Membership retention is not any magic but it requires some effort. Look at your current programs and activities to evaluate
whether your council's resources and members are being fully used. Do members express interest in these programs? Are a majority
of the members participating? What type of council image do these programs project to the community? Are these programs
meaningful, sincere and diversified enough to appeal to all council members?
If your council has lost good Knights, develop a campaign to retrieve those members. Make it a part of this upcoming membership
drive. Organize a number of active members with good telephone personalities located throughout the geographic area your council
covers. Give each volunteer a list of lapsed members in his neighborhood, with details of when they joined, what committees each
served on and what each did for the organization. Add to the list whatever personal data your records contain. This information serves
as a good starting point for conversation. Supply these workers with up-to-date information about the organization including present
activities, future plans, a supply of current K of C publications, and Membership Document (#100) forms.
Recruit lapsed members just as you would new prospects. Sell the organization to former members. Ask them what they enjoyed most
about their participation in the past. Keep questioning on a positive basis. Emphasize the aspects of the organization the member is
most likely to miss in allowing his membership to lapse.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Alain Cayer, Pro-Life Director
Reminder:
March for Life Week in Ottawa May 13 – 15, 2015, Pro-Life Mass St Theresa Parish May 13, 2015 at 7:30 PM , Candle Light Procession May
13, 2015 at 8:30 PM , All Night Vigil St. Pat’s Basilica May 13 at 10:00 PM to May 8 at 7:00 AM. Pro-Life Mass St. Pat’s Basilica May 14, 2015
at 10:00 AM .Pro-Life Rally – Parliament Hill May 14, 2015 at 12:00 (noon), Pro-Life March (through downtown Ottawa) May 14, 2015 at 1:00
PM .Youth Conference May 15, 2015 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM Hampton Inn. Many Councils have in the past organized buses full of students
to come down to Ottawa and be present on the Hill. Last year, the numbers of buses were down, and I believe with an earlier preparation, we
can bring this up again. Our youth can learn so much from this experience, let’s make sure they can live it.
-------------------------------------------------Jim Farrand State Council Retention Director
H.O.P.E. APPROACH TO COUNCIL PROGRAMS (Part 2 of 2)
We need hope to be successful. We also know that successful councils follow rules and habits in their programs. Rules and habits usually can
turn into habits and passions for a council activity.
H….Hype … creates some excitement. Be Happy … it shows you are confident.
O ….Optimism is a plus as you promote your program. Outcome, know what you want to achieve at the end of the program.
P ….Positive in your promotion of the event. Persistence in making the project work. Participation from as many as possible assures your
success. Purpose …. Why are you doing this program?
E ….Enable it so anyone can help and open the door to all who have an interest. Enthusiasm for your work … it is contagious. Enjoy the
process … people will help you again.
Your programs are for your membership and your membership will grow your programs and programs
Create new members. Good luck.
--------------------------------------------------------Jerry Hayes State Council Director
District Deputies, please remind your councils that March 15th is virtually upon us. This date of course is the final cut-off for the submissions of
STSP applications in order to receive State recognition for the many undertakings that your councils initiated over the past year. However, it
must be strongly reinforced that the application MUST contain sufficient detail outlining the event so as to be able to clearly determine the
positive impact that the undertaking had on others. For ease of reference I am providing a link to the actual application. http://www.kofc.org/un/en/forms/council/state_serviceaward_p.pdf
Councils should also be reminded that there is still an opportunity to be recognized as a “Star Council”, Any council that did not submit their
form 365 (Service Program Personnel Report) last August can still do so without Star Council penalty. As long as the form is on file with
Supreme before the end of June and you have met the other mandatory requirements for the award, you will be fine. Remember that your Field
Agent can be a tremendous support in assisting your attaining your membership quota. Make sure you call on him regularly to assist in this
area. Also make note that many of the STSP programs outlined in the first paragraph above can qualify as a “featured program” for category
fulfillment for Stat Council. By meeting all requirements for a featured program activity in a particular category, a council fulfills all requirements
for that category.
A final reminder; - I am still looking for council participation in the “Program Open House” on the Friday evening of the State Convention. If
your council has undertaken a project that you would like to display, by all means let me know and I will provide a table for you. This could
prove to be very motivating for another council to recognize your success and undertake the same initiative down the road in their council.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bro. Marcel Lemmen, New Council Development / Round Tables
Operating a Parish Round Table ( editors note: reprinted from the February issue)
Round Tables are established and sponsored by an existing council in a neighboring parish where there is not currently a Knights of Columbus
Council and with the permission of the pastor. The Round Table Coordinator is appointed by the Grand Knight and he is the designated leader
of the Round Table. He meets with the pastor frequently to determine what the Knights of the parish can do to help. The Round Table does not
hold regular meetings. Knights who are members of the Parish Round Table attend the regular meetings of the sponsoring council and continue
to meet their financial obligations to their council. The Round Table itself has no dues and any financial transactions are done through the
sponsoring council. All projects undertaken by the Round Table are council projects and the coordinator calls on members of the council to help
if there are not enough Round Table members to do the job. In addition to providing a Knights of Columbus presence in a parish, the purpose of
the Round Table is to help lighten the workload of the pastor. The coordinator may ask non-members to help with Round Table projects and are
an excellent way to recruit new members to the order.
If you have any questions about setting up or operating a Round Table, please contact me at (905) 546-6923 or [email protected]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Francisco Naar State Community Director:
Brother as we have just enter in to the Lent Season, Let’s carry this positive momentum into Easter, As Charity the principal of our order, We
should continue on conducting the Food Drive campaign for Easter with the theme “40 cans for lent” and as leaders should always, “Lead
by Example” demonstrating that we care, by bringing canned goods to your Council meeting, and Share what you Can. Please remember to
submit the Food for Families report form 10057 Charity is the principal of our Organization.
The vision of Fr. Michael McGivney. I have been encouraging all Grand Knights and members of the Councils to continue promoting
the Coins on a Mission by collecting the Coins at your meeting to support the Catholic Mission in Canada.
Let’s do something very simple, practical and easier if you will. We have over 500 active Councils and, if every Council sends in the
SO42 form with just $20.00 we will make a huge impact in our community by presenting a cheque for $10,000.00 at the State Convention in
April, a contribution that will help the Missionaries working in isolated areas, poor and hard to reach missions in Ontario Canada. Please make
the cheque payable to Knights of Columbus Charities Foundation. I believe we CAN do this; it is affordable for every Council in Ontario.
Brothers with just a little effort from your Councils and Assemblies this is an achievable goal, to present a cheque to Catholic Missions in
Canada on behalf of all Councils and Assemblies from Knights of Columbus in Ontario.
----------------------------------------------------Joseph Salini PSD, State Ceremonials Director
A very common question that is asked during Lent is, what have you given up for Lent? Maybe this Lent you can ask yourself, what can I do
that will help me to better myself during this Lenten season? What can I do to help others?
If I were to relate this to the Knights, the answer might be that you would help out in the various programs that our councils run during the year.
We have always considered the possibility of bringing new members into the order by asking them. Why don’t we consider helping in a church,
community or family based event that is run by the Knights, that involves members and their families as well those who do not. The chance of
then being asked by someone who is not presently a member of the Knights about the Knights and the possibility of membership increases
dramatically.
The next step that is taken is to put on a first degree and fulfill the wishes of that prospective member by bringing him into the order. Hopefully
he, along with his family will become active members of the Knights of Columbus family.
Let our programs speak for themselves and drive the membership. We do many good deeds. It is only proper that we allow more men and their
families to also be part of these deeds.
On another note, the time is drawing near to make sure those students who wish to get their applications in for our bursary program. There are
many young people out there who could use the monies for their ongoing education. We just have to point them in the right direction.
We also need to let our communities know about the In Memoriam program and that the memory of our loved ones can be perpetuated by a
simple donation to the Knights of Columbus Charity Foundation. This can be simply accomplished and is certainly a way of making sure our
loved ones stay in our thoughts and prayers. Vivat Jesus
-------------------------------------------Anna Kocmarek , Ontario State Office ( Editors note ... reprinted from the February issue... it is worth repeating )
2015 Ontario State Lottery Draw – a program that helps many
Great Work of the Regional Lottery Directors! Many Councils are now coming back into the program to participate. Some have sold their
initial block of tickets and are requesting more. I’ve noticed many Councils listing other events in their church bulletins but no one has
mentioned the lottery!!! Please get it out there that tickets are available. Even if you don’t plan on selling at an event, you can sell to your
Council members, your family and Church community. Also, let us know of your events so that we can post it on our website. Be careful, some
Grand Knights are blocking the sale of tickets for their Council even though we have the Special Olympics Ontario providing volunteer services
as needed…. and remember, this is a program that every Knight should be involved in!!!!
---------------------------------------------Peter Lemon State Lottery Chairman
The Knights of Columbus Ontario Charities Lottery only does one program per year. This lottery funds many charities within Ontario. Arthritis,
Special Olympics, Ontario Catholic Bishops fund and 20 other charities all funded with the help of the Councils of Ontario. Also funded with a
majority of the funds collected are charities within each of the areas where tickets are sold. Through your hard work and dedication many
projects within our churches and communities are helped.
Just a few updates in regards the Lottery. These are a few dates to remember. If you have sold out your tickets and wish to return them before
the deadline you may return them at the State Convention in April or to the Office in Hamilton. If you have not sold out your tickets you can
continue to sell right up to the second week of June. ALL TICKETS MUST BE BACK IN THE STATE OFFICE BY JUNE 22. The draw will be
July 16th at the International Plaza 655 Dixon Rd. in Toronto starting at 9:00 a.m.
Brothers we are hearing many good things from across the province in relation to the Lottery. Lets make this the best year ever for the Lottery.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------Kevin Heffernan, Ontario State Church Director
Does your Council need ideas and resources for the Church Drive on March 15 & March 16? Click on
http://www.kofc.org/un/en/membership/drive/church_drive.html which gives tips on Conducting an effective Church Drive. In addition to tips on
planning the drive (i.e. lining up fraternal benefits advisor and Brother Knights to assist with the drive), the link includes sample bulletin
announcements, pastor endorsements and a pulpit announcement.
Consider adding in a parish event into your membership recruitment strategy. Actions speak louder than words and families take notice when
we recruit through our actions. Participation in Lenten Parish Activities like Stations of the Cross and sponsoring a Communion Breakfast
(consider picture displays showing your Council in action) may inspire potential members to join our Order
-------------------------------------------------------------------Sandy Harkes, State Family & In-Memoriam Director. Family of the Month, Family of the Year & John P. Rodina Seniors & Widows
Programs
Brothers; To date the submissions for “Family of the Year” are slow in coming!
A reminder to everyone, the “State Family of the Year” form must be received at the State Council Office no later than Monday March 16th
2015. Note the date is earlier than in previous years, due to the Convention move to April 2015.
Each year the “State Family of the Year for Ontario” is invited to and will be recognized at the State Convention for their contribution to parish
and community. Some recent “Family of the Month” recipients are worthy of the “Family of the Year” Award.
I ask the Grand Knights to submit names of their member Families on the “Family of the Year” form found on the Supreme website under
council forms. (www.kofc.org). Printable & fill able form.
I can’t emphasis enough that the latest submission date is March 16th 2015.
It would be tragic for a Family to miss the opportunity to represent Ontario internationally, simply because the due date was missed. Submit the
forms to: Ontario State Office 393 Rymal Rd. West Suite 201, Hamilton, Ontario L9B 1V2 Or by email to Liane ([email protected])
On behalf of State Deputy Kevin Daudlin, thank you in advance for your participation.
--------------------------------------------Sandy Harkes, State Family Director.
BULDING THE DOMISTIC CHRUCH …..March
Because the joy of all parents is to teach their children the art of living, as parents we want to be the primary educators of
our children.
To educate is to teach the very art of life, the art of humanity. It is a new birth not simply to life, but to the personal life. A child is called to
something greater than himself or herself and will realize this through his or her relationship with others. To educate means to help a child to
become a good son or daughter, a good brother or sister, a good friend and student until he or she becomes a good husband or
wife and a good father or mother, or a good priest or religious sister.
Parents are the primary educators of their children. We — the whole of society, the school, the parish and other families — are called to
collaborate in this great mission.
“What will this child be? For surely the hand of the Lord is with him” (Lk 1:66). In Nazareth, Jesus grew and advanced “in wisdom, age and
favor before God and man” (Lk 2:52).
Family Project
Invite the families of your children’s friends to join you in a pilgrimage to a religious site. A pilgrimage
is a journey a person or a group makes to a sacred place for the purpose of venerating it or to ask for
heavenly aid, and to ultimately come to know God better.
During the journey to the destination, consider:
• Praying for the family to grow closer to Godthrough the journey
• Discussing how the destination is important tothe faith of each participant
• Exploring how any suffering experienced helps a pilgrim to know God
Bring Song Into Your Home
Jesus, Remember Me (Taize chant)
Jesus, remember me,
When you come into your Kingdom.
Psalm of the Month ( Psalm 78 ) Pray the Psalm of the Month during every Sunday of the month at your family prayer space.th (Psalm
-------------------------------------------------Dan Duval – General Agent , Northern Ontario - Insurance Liaison
A Founding Notion: Protecting the Breadwinner’s Income
While jobs may be safer in 2015, accidents, injuries, and illnesses that can impact your ability to work still happen. Most, in fact, do not happen
on the job site or place of employment. Did you know that a 2011 study revealed that more than 95 percent of the long-term disability claims on
file were not work related?
The Knights have always sought to protect members’ families from the “loss” of a breadwinner. I’m sure you know all about Father McGivney’s
vision for our insurance program. But you may not know that Father McGivney also wanted to find a way to help members who couldn’t work
because of an illness. After all, the “loss” of the breadwinner does not have to mean that person’s death; it can also mean the loss of the
breadwinner’s income.
Consider that loss for a moment. How would your family fare if a source of income suddenly stopped? Could a dual-income family manage on
one income stream? What about young families with a working father and a mother who cares for the children? What if his income halted due
to an accident or illness?
I’ve heard some people say they have coverage at work, but too many aren’t sure what this coverage entails, how much income it would
provide or for how long. Having this protection counts for something, certainly, but it isn’t “yours”; it’s provided by the company for which you
work at their discretion. It could be eliminated tomorrow.
That’s where a personally-owned disability income insurance product, like Income Armor, comes into play. It can offer valuable income
replacement in the event of an injury or illness.. If you have a job, you must know about this coverage. Fraternally,
-----------------------------------------------------------------Bro. Savio Fernandes, State Youth Director
Free Throw Program: Thank you for all your support for our Free Throw Program:We are currently, doing our Regional Free Throw
Competitions, please contact your Regional Chairmen to find out more details, about the Regional Free Throw Competition; their contact
information is in the Free Throw Information package.(This info was also sent via email from RIDS in January 2015, as a reminder).
Please inform the State Youth Director by email at [email protected], the number of councils, in your district participating in the
Free Throw Competition, by using the form included in the Free Throw Information package. Thank you to all the DDs who have already
sent this information to me.
Substance Abuse Awareness Poster Contest: Please ensure all your Councils have completed the Substance Abuse Awareness
Participation form #4001. To obtain the Medallions for the District Winners, please ensure you have completed the form in the Substance
Abuse Awareness Poster memo and forwarded to the Ontario State Office.
Please encourage your Councils to fill in the Trillium Award Application Form
carried out, this should be done before March 15.
Form SO-11, for the Youth Activites they have
Please send me your success stories, pictures and suggestions, as we could use these to improve and promote our future youth
programs. Thank You in advance, for your effort in promoting our Youth Programs in Ontario.
---------------------------------------------------------David Peter State Warden
Fr. Michael J. McGivney ... an association and anniversary worth celebrating
My Brothers, we are less than a month away from another important milestone for our magnificent Order. March 29th. will mark 133 years since
the Connecticut State Assembly issued a Charter to the Knights of Columbus.
As you are all aware, we celebrate this date as “Founder's Day”. What have you and your Council planned as a special tribute to our Founder
on the occasion of this anniversary?
It does not have to be an elaborate affair ... for Fr. McGivney certainly exhibited during his time here on earth that simplicity and concern for the
less fortunate in society should be the focus of our efforts; CHARITY.
A commitment to a special period of prayer ... either in the solitude of your own hearts or in a dedicated group ... would be extremely fitting.
This might be a suitable time to consider joining “The Fr. McGivney Guild”, an association established to help further (by prayer) the cause for
our Founder's canonization. The cost to you and your family? ... a commitment to pray for the advancement of the cause.
As I was reflecting on “Founder's Day”, I thought about the great “coincidence” (or was it Providential?) that our Charter was issued on a day
which was to become the feast day of Blessed Ludovico of Casoria. This holy man, born near Naples in the early 1800's, shared an amazing
number of traits with Fr. McGivney, who would come into this world in 1852. Blessed Ludovico was a man of learning who committed himself to
the service of the poor, the blind, the elderly, the needy ... does this sound like something we addressed when taking our First Degree?
Blessed Ludovico opened charitable institutions in Naples, in Florence and Assisi. He started the Gray Brothers (and later the Gray Sisters) to
ensure the continuance of his charitable ventures.
The world was blessed at that time to have both Blessed Ludovico and Fr. McGivney working for the betterment of mankind in much the same
way that, in our lifetime, we had both St. Pope John Paul II and Mother Theresa of Calcutta on earth at the same time ... coincidence or
Providence?
In any case, my Brothers, I encourage you to remember our Founder in some “special” way on March 29th..
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Lazure State Membership Director
Some points to remember for the upcoming membership drive.
Membership Drive Checklist, proven to be very effective by councils
1. Arrange date for Membership Drive with your Pastor
2. Order supplies from Supreme such as Form 100’s, “Ask Me” buttons (807E), “These Men they call Knights” (937E or F), “Did you know”
Flyer (1267E or F), “Sample pulpit Announcement” (2678E or F), “Family Fraternal Benefits” (2761E or F), “Member/Spouse Fraternal Benefits”
(2773E or F) and posters to display your Recruitment Drive with dates.
3. Speak with your Fraternal Benefits Advisor and District Deputy to welcome them to participate, they will be a benefit to you since they
understand what it takes to recruit and they have many of the answers you will need to provide about the benefits of membership.
4. Speak with the 4th Degree Assembly in your area about helping at the masses
5. Hand out “Proposer Cards” (1914E) to Council Officers so they can find prospective members before the drive…Note: There is an Officer
Challenge from Supreme ….If each Council Officer recruits at least 1 new member each, Supreme will award 26000 VIP points to the Council,
if it is completed by June 30th, 2015, the points will be doubled to 52000. These points can be used by the council to purchase items from the
Supreme Catalog.
6. Create a core membership team that will be at all masses to recruit members. These members need to be Ambassadors for your council.
Make sure your Pastor is on this team, he alone can be a major tool in your arsenal.
7. Set up a date prior to your Recruitment Drive to sit with your membership team and go over flyers, pamphlets and pulpit announcements
geared to your council. Discuss your plan of attack. Bring your wives to this meeting, they will help on the day of recruitment and can discuss
with prospective wives how “The knights made my husband a better husband and father”
8. Recruitment Day-use your best speaker and give your pulpit announcements from the heart, why did you become a member? What is so
great about the Knights? What is the history of the Knights? Have the members of your team dressed for success with name badges on,
pamphlets in hand and families around them. This will be your greatest asset. Families greeting families will be your best recruitment, it creates
a warm place and everyone has someone to speak with. If your prospective member does not sign a Form 100, then get them to sign a
Prospective Member card for follow up later.
9. After a couple of days have a meeting with your new members and the prospective members and their families at your hall, with
refreshments, your DD, your recruitment team, and your Fraternal Benefits Advisor. These people are going to help you seal the deal and find
out what your prospective members want to do. It would be a good thing to have a membership interest survey handy to give to your new
members to see what they want out of the Knights.
10. The 1st degree should be planned before the membership drive and should be only a week or two after the drive. Have present members
drive the prospective members to the degree and all the degrees that they have in the future. Make sure to include these new members in the
activities of your council, especially the ones outlined in the member interest survey you already had them fill out.
11. Keep in contact with these members and their families, they will tell of their great experiences in the knights and will be your best
recruitment device.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
One last thing:
Laughter is God's sunshine.
Take time to laugh for it is the music of the soul.
…............
May the leprechauns be near you,
To spread luck along your way.
And may all the Irish angels,
Smile upon you on St. Patrick's Day.
.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Power of 1
"1 Member, per Council, per Month"
"1 Star Council, per District"
"1 New Council per Diocese"
"1 First Degree, per District, per Month"
"1 Verbal Contact, per Member, per Month"
"1 Member, per Program
"We are all called to be good shepherds"