What Can I Do for the Order during the Pandemic

We are all experiencing the effects of the COVID 19 Pandemic in our daily lives. Some of us have been affected in the worst way through the death or virus related serious illness of a loved one or close friend. All of us have been affected by changes in our daily lives and routines including not being able to worship or receive Holy Communion at Mass and not being able to meet with our Brother Knights and Knights Ladies and fellow Parishioners.

During this extremely difficult time, the question arises for each of us as Knights of Columbus as to what we can do during the pandemic to help the Order and our Parish Community. The Order, as always, is heavily involved in aiding those in need and we can all help in this effort through our online contributions, and if we are able and healthy enough, by purchasing and distributing meals, groceries, and other essential items to those who are homebound.

In addition, the Order has instituted procedures for New Members and 1st Degree Members wishing to advance to the 2nd and 3rd Degrees of the Order to partake in the Online Exemplification of Charity, Unity, and Fraternity in a condensed 35 minute Ceremonial. I encourage each of my Brother Knights in Texas to reach out to good, Catholic gentlemen you know who are not already Knights to join the Order at www.kofc.org/join. They can either pay $15.00 for immediate emembership or a $30.00 membership to ensure that their first year’s dues payment is used and matched by the Order as a contribution to Pandemic Relief efforts. You can also help your Brother Knights who are 1st Degree Members by encouraging them to take the Online Exemplification to advance to the 2nd and 3rd Degrees of the Order.

Another thing that you can do is to reach out to a fellow or neighboring Parishioner who is already a Knight but who belongs to a Council in your area that has been suspended by Supreme. These Members may not be aware that they have lost their fraternal benefits when their Council was suspended. It is our fraternal duty to work with these members to either transfer them into an Active Council in their area or to encourage them to work with other members of their suspended Council to get that Council reactivated.

Finally, and this is a critical item that I hope every Knight in Texas will take seriously and work on. We need all Brother Knights to get the name and contact information of young Catholic Men going off to College in the Fall, and to send that information to the College Council Coordinator on the Council Growth Team so he can put the young man in touch with the Grand Knight of the College Council where he will be attending. It is imperative that we bring young men into the Order and that we strengthen our College Councils with their additions. These young men are not only the future of the Catholic Church but they are also the future of the Knights of Columbus in Texas.

In closing, it has been my honor to serve you all these past two years as your Council Growth Director and I wish all of my Brother Knights of Texas health, happiness & all of God’s abundant blessings.