KNIGHTLINE. KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS In Service to One. In Service to All.

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1 KNIGHTLINE F E B R U A R Y f V o l U m E 2 9 f N U m B E R 2 f w w w. k o F c. o R g KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS In Service to One. In Service to All. N E w s F o R k N i g h t s o F c o l U m B U s l E A d E R s f 1 c o l U m B U s P l A z A, N E w h A V E N, c t , U s A BrXtdrnXl Ourvdx2 Ouamht Jow he Vou DXvdn)t Vdt Councils, assemblies and circles should have completed the 2011 annual Survey of Fraternal activity (#1728) and submitted it to the Supreme Council office by Jan. 31. If you have not already done so, please send in your survey immediately. This form is available at kofc.org/forms or in the Council Reports Forms Booklet (#1436). Supreme Council Sends Aid to Flood Victims in Philippines This Founder s Day: Share the Order s legacy with a new member This March 29 marks the 130th anniversary of the founding of the Knights of Columbus by Father Michael J. Mcgivney. He called the men of St. Mary s to become leaders in tough times and to be providers for their families, Church and community. From those beginnings in a church basement we now have the gift of our Order to share with all Catholic men and their families. On this Founder s Day. every council is encouraged to celebrate the legacy of Father Mcgivney. This is a day to share with your parish, not just your brother Knights. Our founder s vision was one for the entire Church, calling each man to active participation in the sacramental life of the parish. During the week of Founder s Day, or as close as possible, each council is asked to hold a First Degree in conjunction with a Mass for the parish. There is no better or more significant way for a man to join the Order than to share in corporate communion with his fellow Knights, his family and the parish community after dedicating himself to the service and defense of the Catholic faith. Here are a few things to remember when planning your Founder s Day First Degree exemplification and Mass: Schedule a date for your First Degree exemplification. ask your chaplain or pastor to invite the men of the parish to join the Knights of Columbus See Founder s day First degreepage 7 Residents retrieve belongings from a house after it was swept away by flash floods caused by Typhoon Washi in a subdivision in Iligan, Philippines. Catholic agencies and officials in the Philippines are working to provide housing for victims of recent flooding that left more than 1,200 people dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced. (CNS photo/erik De Castro, Reuters) In response to devastating flash floods that swept across a southern portion of the Philippines shortly before Christmas, the Supreme Council sent $30,000 in emergency relief funds to assist with the humanitarian efforts in the Mindanao jurisdiction. The money was sent to Caritas Philippines, the charitable and humanitarian organization of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. Our hearts and our prayers go out to the people of the Philippines who have been struck by this disaster, and we especially remember all our brother Knights and their families who have been directly affected, and also those others who are working hard to bring relief, said Supreme Knight Carl a. anderson. We know the great suffering, hardship, homelessness and loss of life that this storm has brought to the Philippines, and we will continue to work with our Knights and the local Church leaders as they provide help where it is most needed. One of the worst natural disasters to hit the southern Pacific nation in decades, Tropical Storm Washi (known locally as Typhoon Sendong) brought more than a month s worth of rain in the space of 12 hours on Dec. 16, 2011, causing more than 1,000 reported deaths and leaving some 500,000 people displaced in and around the area s population centers of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City. Rescue efforts continued as the New Year dawned, with crews searching thousands of collapsed homes and removing tons of downed trees and debris. In addition to releasing the emergency $30,000 donation, the Supreme Council also has also asked councils and individuals to donate to the Order s Philippines Disaster Relief fund, which can be accessed through the Knights of Columbus website. Ongoing relief efforts will seek to restore electricity, purify water sources and replenish the food supply. There are more than 260,000 Knights of Columbus members throughout the three jurisdictions in the Philippines.

2 Substance Abuse Awareness Poster Contest Participation If your council has participated in the Supreme Council Substance Abuse Poster Contest, please complete and submit the participation form (#4001). What is Your Council Doing for Lent? One Can Can Make a Difference Free Throw Participation Our Lady of Guadalupe Council 8306 in Helotes, Texas, collected 4,300 cans of food during its 40 Cans for Lent drive in Hunger knows no season. as the economy sputters along many people are going hungry. Fortunately, through our Food for Families program, the Knights of Columbus is in a position to help. Councils should reach out to parish food pantries, community food banks and soup kitchens andcollect non-perishable food at weekend Masses. Many grocery stores will allow the collection of food outside of their stores. The key is to ask and to work within the parameters that the store manager has established. The goal is to help keep food pantries well-stocked all year round. also purchase or secure through donations enough food to prepare a meal at a soup kitchen or in the parish hall. During Lent, conduct a 40 Cans for Lent program in your council and parish. The goal of this program is for each council member and each parishioner to contribute one can of food per day during the forty days of Lent. This program was conducted in 2011 by Our Lady of SHORT TAKES If your council has participated in the Supreme Council International Free Throw Championship, and you have not yet submitted a completed participation form (#FT- 1), please do so at once. Semiannual Audit Your council s Semi-Annual Council Audit should be completed as soon as possible after Dec. 31, Make sure the treasurer and financial secretary are on hand with their membership and financial records and that the trustees complete the audit as soon as possible. These forms are available at or in the Council Reports Forms Booklet (#1436). guadalupe Council 8306 in Helotes, Texas, and 4,300 cans of food were collected for distribution to food pantries, food banks and soup kitchens. as an incentive, the Supreme Council will count a qualifying Food for Families program as fulfilling all four of the Family activities requirements for the Columbian award. In order to qualify, councils must meet the minimum requirements (a minimum of 1,000 pounds of food collected and distributed and 100 man-hours of service in the preparation/distribution/service of meals to needy people), then complete and submit the Food for Families report form. also, outline the details of your council s Food for Families program on your Columbian award application (due by June 30, 2012). all of these forms can be easily accessed at Contact Jason Porrello, program manager for Food for Families, with any questions you may have at or jason.porrello@kofc.org. Columbia magazine is now available as a paid subscription on the Amazon Kindle Readers now have the opportunity to experience Columbia magazine through their amazon Kindle reader. Columbia on the Kindle lets you access the official magazine of the Knights of Columbus whenever and wherever you are. You can even read Columbia when you re not connected to a wireless network since the magazine is downloaded completely onto your Kindle device. Columbia is available for $1.99 per issue when you sign up for a monthly subscription or $5.99 for individual issues purchased without a subscription. Visit kofc.org/columbia for more information on subscribing to Columbia on your Kindle today. MEMBERSHIP IN THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church. 2

3 Earning the Columbian Award in a New Way through Featured Programs For the fraternal year, the Supreme Council is offering an alternative means for councils to qualify for the Columbian award, and ultimately the Star Council award. as in the past, councils can qualify for the Columbian award by conducting four programs in each of the six Service Program categories (Church, community, council, family, culture of life and youth activities). This year, by sponsoring one of the Featured Programs outlined below, and meeting the minimum participation requirements, councils will receive full Columbian award credit in the Service Program category that the program falls under. To qualify, councils must report all activity on the report form for the particular program, in addition to filing the Columbian award application (#SP-7) by June 30. a mailing containing the forms mentioned below was sent to all grand knights of in October If you need additional forms, please contact or robert.ennis@kofc.org. CHURCH activities RSVP Qualify for the RSVP refund and plaque for a minimum of one seminarian by providing both financial and moral support. Report activity using the RSVP Refund/Plaque application (#2863) as well as on the Columbian award application (#SP-7). COMMUNITY activities HaBITaT FOR HUMaNITY activity must be in a council sponsored project with a minimum of 200 man-hours of service from the council, parish or community and a minimum donation of $1000 to Habitat for Humanity. Report activity using the Featured Programs Worksheet and the Columbian award application (#SP-7). Working side-by-side on a Habitat for Humanity building project, members can show prospects that there is a place for them in the Knights of Columbus. COMMUNITY activities WHeeLCHaIR MISSION The council must purchase a minimum of one case of 100 wheelchairs by raising the funds through council, parish or community activities. Report activity using the enclosed Featured Programs Worksheet and the Columbian award application (#SP-7). Seeing their efforts bearing fruit around the world will reinforce for both members and prospects the global impact of the Knights of Columbus. COUNCIL activities SPeCIaL OLYMPICS Council members must contribute a minimum of 200 man-hours in support of state/local Special Olympics activities, and must raise through council or parish activities a minimum of $2,000 for Special Olympics. Report activity using the Partnership Profile with Special Olympics form (#4584) and the Columbian award application (#SP-7). Working together in support of Special Olympics presents members with an excellent opportunity to ask prospective members to join the council. FaMILY activities FOOD FOR FaMILIeS a council must sponsor events with the parish community to collect a minimum of 1,000 pounds of food to be donated to a parish food pantry or community food bank. In addition, council members must contribute a minimum of 100 man-hours in the preparation/ distribution/service of meals to needy people. Report activity using the Food for Families report form and the Columbian award application (#SP-7). Knights are always willing to roll up their sleeves to help others; parishioners and other eligible Catholic men who participate in Food for Families programs make excellent membership recruitment prospects. CULTURe OF LIFe activities MaRCHeS FOR LIFe as part of an organized program of the council, with parish and community participation, a minimum of 100 marchers must participate in a local, regional or national March for Life. Report activity using the Featured Programs Worksheet and the Columbian award application (#SP-7). The time spent traveling to and from a March for Life gives members the opportunity to explain to prospects the many ways in which the Knights of Columbus is working to build a Culture of Life. CULTURe OF LIFe activities ULTRaSOUND INITIaTIVe The council must identify a Pregnancy Care Center that is medically certified to utilize and maintain an ultrasound machine, and comply with all regulations of the Ultrasound Initiative to place an ultrasound machine at the facility. The council must raise through council, parish, or community activities sufficient funds to cover one half of the purchase price of the ultrasound machine, and follow the published See Columbian award, Page 4 Award Adjustments for Fraternal Year Below are the award adjustments/corrections for the fraternal year. The list is in alphabetical state order, followed by council number and the award won (S-Star Council, C-Columbian, M-Mcgivney, F-Founders, -Double Star). AL 3989 S S M/F AR S AZ 3419 S BC S CA S 9594 S S CO S CT 5633 FL S S GA C IA 952 C S S IL 2932 C/M 4483 C 4741 C/M 5025 M/F 5025 S 8087 S KS 2408 S 7446 S 7737 S LA 2657 C C LP S MD 3849 F S ME 8144 S MI 8284C/M MO MS S NB 6796 S ND 9043 S NH 9058 S NJ C 5324 C NM NS 9093 S NY 7085 C OH 4539 S 4539 S OK 9668 M/F S ON 1130 C 5523 S OR 1623 S PA 431 S RI S SC S S SK S TX 3910 S 4204 S 6950 S 8771 S S S WA 1327 S 2126 S S WI 4125 C WV S 3

4 4 Columbian award, FROM Page 3 guidelines for obtaining the remaining half of the purchase price from the Supreme Council. Report activity using the Ultrasound application and the Columbian award application (#SP-7). YOUTH activities COaTS FOR KI Council must purchase and donate to needy children a minimum of 8 cases of coats. a case contains 12 coats. Report activity using the The Los angeles Memorial Coliseum will play host to a massive guadalupe Celebration on aug. 5, co-sponsored by the Order and the archdiocese of Los angeles. The event will feature prayer, music and speakers honoring of Our Lady of guadalupe, the Patroness of the americas. The celebration will bring together tens of thousands of Catholics from across the ethnically diverse fivemillion member archdiocese, as well as faithful from other areas of southern California and beyond. We are pleased to be able to cosponsor this event with the archdiocese of Los angeles, said Supreme Knight Carl a. anderson. We strongly believe that Our Lady of guadalupe has an important message to share with all of us and has an important role to play in unifying the faithful of this hemisphere. The guadalupe Celebration will be an opportunity for us to bring Our Lady s message to a large audience joined together in prayer and celebrating the great gift she has given this hemisphere. In 2009 anderson coauthored the New York Times bestseller Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love, with Monsignor eduardo Chávez, who oversaw the cause for canonization of St. Juan Diego. archbishop José gomez of Los angeles, Supreme Knight anderson and Msgr. Chávez will be featured speakers at the event in august. at certain times, the Church gathers together for an event that provides the opportunity for the expression of faith in a very public way, said archbishop gomez. In this celebration, we will renew our devotion to Our Lady of guadalupe and our commitment to continue the process of evangelization that she began on this continent nearly 500 years ago. Both the archdiocese of Los angeles and the Knights of Columbus Columbian award application (#SP-7). The publicity generated by a Coats for Kids distribution will present the Knights of Columbus in a very positive light to prospective members. The days following the distribution are an excellent time to ask those prospects to join the council. For more information on conducting a Coats for Kids program, see page 15 of the Charitable Programs Plan for Celebration Honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe Set for L.A. Coliseum in August Aug. 5 celebration will feature prayer, music and speakers honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe have a history tied to Our Lady of guadalupe. Our Lady of guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego a Native american living in Mexico in She left her image, miraculously on his cloak, or tilma. Today, the tilma is enshrined in Mexico City s basilica, which stands on the site of the Blessed Mother s apparition. It is the most-visited shrine in the Western Hemisphere. Los angeles Cathedral of Our Lady of the angels is home to the only relic of St. Juan Diego s tilma in the United States. The archdiocese has also been home to several large-scale Marian events in the past, including 2007 s Rosary Bowl in Pasadena, which drew more than 40,000, and the annual archdiocesan Procession and Mass in honor of Our Lady of guadalupe in east Los angeles, which typically draws 25,000. The Knights of Columbus devotion to Our Lady of guadalupe reached a milestone with the chartering of its first Mexican council as the guadalupe Council in Mexico City in Since then, Knights have done much to spread Our Lady s message, including co-sponsoring a U.S. tour of the archdiocese s tilma relic in The Knights also held its first-ever International Marian Congress on the Feast Day of Our Lady of guadalupe in 2009, which concluded with the 22,000-person guadalupe Festival in Phoenix, ariz. The archdiocese of Los angeles is the largest Catholic archdiocese in the United States with more than five million Catholics. The diocese was established in 1840, and was created an archbishopric in archbishop José Horacio gómez is the fifth archbishop of Los angeles. There are a total of 287 parishes located in 120 cities throughout the archdiocese. For more information on the Guadalupe Celebration visit guadalupecelebration.com.

5 Posada Celebrated on New Haven Green The New Haven green was the site of a Posada celebration, a popular Hispanic Christmas tradition, on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011, when hundreds of area residents took part in the event sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. a Posada is a traditional, family-oriented Christmas celebration popular in Latin american culture. Combining Bible readings and dramatic reenactment, the Posada (Spanish term for inn ) recounts the story of the first Christmas. Participants made their way in procession with the characters of Mary and Joseph as they traveled across the green on their journey to Bethlehem. Supreme advocate John Marrella acted as the narrator for the english portions of the program. al Cala, director of Hispanic growth, acted as narrator for the Spanish portions of the celebration. Members of Nuestra Senora de guadalupe Council served as volunteers at the event. Americans by 2:1 Margin Prefer Merry Christmas to Happy Holidays Nearly two-thirds prefer traditional religious greeting anew survey finds americans by a wide margin prefer the traditional Merry Christmas greeting to the non-specific Happy Holidays. This Knights of Columbus-Marist Poll found that nearly two-thirds of adults nationally 64 percent think people should say, Merry Christmas, while less than one-third 31 percent believe the appropriate greeting is Happy Holidays. Five percent are unsure. The proportion that prefers Merry Christmas increased slightly this year. Last year, 61 percent thought Merry Christmas was the more appropriate greeting while 35 percent preferred Happy Holidays. Four percent, at that time, were unsure. That we prefer Merry Christmas by such a wide margin is indicative of the importance that Christmas has in the lives of the great majority of americans, said Supreme Knight Carl a. anderson. For Catholic Information Service to Launch Series on the New Evangelization Series will focus on the papal teaching of John Paul II and Benedict XVI The Catholic Information Service a division of the Knights of Columbus that provides Catholic booklets and online content recently announced that it will launch a new series of booklets and online content focused on issues of evangelizing modern culture an idea brought forth by Pope Paul VI, who called for a new period of evangelization in his 1975 apostolic exhortation, Evangelium Nuntiandi. e new series will draw primarily from the extensive discussion of the new evangelization by Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. John Paul II coined the phrase new evangelization early in his pontificate in Poland in Over the next 25 years, he often returned to this theme in his speeches and writing. His successor, Pope Benedict XVI, has continued to champion the idea. Pope Benedict XVI has made the new evangelization a priority, said Supreme Knight Carl a. anderson. In the next year, the Church will explore the new evangelization during the synod of bishops and will ask all Catholics to live out the new evangelization in their own lives during the Year of Faith. It is our hope that this new CIS series will help Catholics to learn about their faith in a way that allows them to participate first hand in the Church s mission. Michelle Borras, Ph.D., the newly appointed director of the Catholic Information Service, will serve as general editor of the new series. CIS currently publishes more than 75 booklets in two series, with many available as free podcasts and PDFs. e booklets cover many aspects of the Catholic faith. e Luke e. Hart Series, named for a past supreme knight and written by Boston College philosophy professor and popular author Peter Kreeft, was designed to give a systematic introduction to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. e 30-book series is now available on 30 individual CDs. each part of the series is packaged in 10 CD units. all three cases are shrink wrapped together and sent as a single package. e set is available for $65 and the cost of shipping and handling. To order, send a check or money order to Knights of Columbus, attn. CIS, PO Box 1971, New Haven, CT e Veritas Series offers Catholic perspectives on a wide variety of issues that range from the existence of god to annulments to stem-cell research. For more than 60 years, CIS has printed and distributed millions of booklets, and thousands of people have enrolled in its catechetical courses. It has expanded its audience in recent years with French, Spanish and Polish translations of many of its resources. Today, it continues the Order s tradition of evangelization by providing low-cost, Catholic publications to the general public, as well as to parishes, schools, retreat houses, military installations, correctional facilities, legislatures and the medical community. For more information, visit kofc.org/cis. that vast majority of americans who observe Christmas, this day and season are a time for us to celebrate the fact that god exists and is with us. Saying Merry Christmas allows us to celebrate that fact with joy, and to share our joy with our loved ones and neighbors. The meaning of Christmas has long been important to the Knights of Columbus. For more than five decades, the Knights has been at the forefront of the campaign to Keep Christ in Christmas, producing PSas with the Keep Christ in Christmas message since the 1980s. Last year the radio and television PSa spots reached almost 75 million people. The PSas can be accessed at This Knights of Columbus-Marist Poll surveyed 1,026 adults and was conducted Nov. 8-10, 2011, and has a margin of error within +/- 3 percentage points. 5

6 Day of Prayer for the Unborn Child With the Knights of Columbus Day of the Unborn Child soon approaching on March 25, Knights have the opportunity to stand up and speak out against the evil of abortion. all members of the Order are encouraged to hold a special prayer service in council meeting places or local parishes. When celebrating the Day of the Unborn Child, councils are encouraged to conduct a pro-life Mass or rosary service. Remember to invite all members of the community, including public officials and health care workers. Strength in numbers gives others the courage to speak up and also lets the community know there is a group willing to help women in crisis pregnancies. To plan a service, councils should: Consult with your chaplain or the pastor of the local parish to establish a time and the kind of service (i.e. rosary, Mass, etc). ask the pastor to make a pulpit or bulletin announcement regarding the program at all Masses the weekend prior to the event. Send a notice to the local diocesan newspaper and local secular media. Distribute Prayer for Life cards (#4665), available in reasonable The Knights of Columbus began in the basement of St. Mary s Church in New Haven, in 1882, when Father Michael J. Mcgivney called together a small group of pioneering Catholic laymen, and founded a society designed to provide financial assistance for widows and orphans of members. March 29 marks the anniversary of the Order receiving its charter from the state of Connecticut. The anniversary of the realization of Father Mcgivney s dream is a cause for celebration. Here are just a few Founder s Day events your council can sponsor to celebrate the founding of our Order, as well as the institution of your council: Hold a Founder s Day reception for your parish and community. Conduct an open house and give out information on the Order. Show The Life and Legacy of Father McGivney to members, families and guests. This film documents the life of our Order s founder. Prepare a council history display featuring old photos and written records. Publish and distribute a council history to all council members and post it on your website. ask your local government to issue a proclamation declaring March 29 as Knights of Columbus Founder s Day. Send press releases on your celebration to the local media. Invite them to cover the event. Hold a First Degree exemplification in honor of Father Mcgivney. Recognize your council s founders your charter members by presenting them with Charter Member Certificates (#1456, e,f,s). These vertical certificates are 8.5 by 11 inches and can be purchased from the Supreme Council Supply Department for 25 cents each. Founder s Day activities are the perfect forum for asking eligible Catholic men to join the Knights of Columbus. Tie in your quantities from the Supply Department. The Knights of Columbus Day of the Unborn Child was instituted as an addition to the Order s commitment to build a culture that respects and protects every human life, from conception to natural death. For more information on the Knights of Columbus Day of the Unborn Child see the community section of kofc.org/service. In addition, to further assist your pro-life activities, the Supreme Council offers the following materials (all of which are free of charge when ordered in reasonable quantities; there is only a shipping charge): The four-page, full-color Winning Words of Life flyer (#2275) offers thoughtful responses to common abortion arguments. The brochure a People of Life and for Life (#4795) outlines the Order s commitment to reversing the trend toward a culture of death and building a culture that values human life at every stage. a poster (#4804) with a similar design is also available. Pray the Rosary to end abortion poster (#2073) and prayer card (#2072). gospel of Life poster (#4238) and prayer card (#4237e, F, or S) in english, French or Spanish Honor our Founder on March 29 anniversary celebrations with membership activities. For more ideas on celebrating Founder s Day visit the Council section of kofc.org/service. Parish Round Tables Our Order s goal is a Knights of Columbus presence in every parish. Our round table program can assist in accomplishing that. If your council serves more than one parish, consider establishing a round table in each. The round table works with the pastor to help meet the needs to that parish. See the Parish Round Table booklet (#2632) for details. Special Olympics Report The Knights of Columbus has always had a close relationship with Special Olympics. To further track local councils involvement, make sure that your council completes the Partnership Profile Report with Special Olympics (#4584) and submits it to the Supreme Council Office, with copies to the state deputy, district deputy and the council s files. This form is available at kofc.org/forms. 6

7 Founder s day First degree, FROM Page 1 in the weeks leading up to the First Degree. Be sure to promote membership at all council events during the Lenten season, sign up potential members and invite them to the degree. Place a membership announcement in the parish bulletin during the weeks leading up to Founder s Day Have a pulpit announcement read at the Masses on the Sundays prior to the Founder s Day First Degree. Consider a light reception or coffee and event following Masses for all attendees, especially new members and their families. Be sure to have information on the Order for new prospects and someone responsible to greet them. every man who joins the Order during this Founder s Day First Degree will be remembered along with his family in a special Mass at the Holy Family Chapel in the Supreme Council offices in New Haven, Conn. Make this Founder s Day special by offering the gift of Knights of Columbus membership to the men of your parish. INVITe QUaLIFIeD MeN TO JOIN DURINg LeNT This year Founder s Day falls during Lent, the Church s annual call to conversion and penance. During the Lenten season, each of us is asked to examine how we are living the call to holiness and to take on new practices which will aide us in our journey. Lent is a time to turn towards god and away from the distractions that life presents. This is the gift Father Mcgivney nurtured when he founded the Knights of Columbus. Membership in our Order opens up a wealth of resources and opportunities to a Catholic man and his family. We owe it to our brothers in the Church to offer the gift of membership during the Lenten season. In anticipation of a Founder s Day First Degree the season of Lent is the time to introduce the men of your parish to the benefits of membership in the Knights of Columbus through a variety of parish and council activities and programs. Consult with your chaplain and pastor to offer the council s assistance during Lent. a Knights of Columbus council is just the help a parish priest may need as new and returning Catholics return to the Church during Lent. Some ideas for council activities include: Sponsoring a Stations of the Cross on a Friday during Lent. Holding a men s rosary for your parish or providing guides to Praying the Rosary (#4772, available in english, French and Spanish in lots of 100 for $5). Host a holy hour of adoration for members of your parish. ask your chaplain to lead the prayer program with members of the council assisting and reading. Have a reception afterwards for non-members. Organize a service project for your parish, emphasizing Lenten sacrifice and service. (See 40 Cans for Lent, page 2) Sponsor an Our Lady of guadalupe Marian prayer program. Check with your state Marian Prayer Program Chairman for the schedule of the icon in your district and other details. also, see Church activities at kofc.org/service for more information. What Makes a Star Council? Commitment Focus on building a Star Council culture in your council. Programs and activities involve your council members, build enthusiasm and bolster your membership efforts. Programs are opportunities to invite new members into your council. Now is the time to make sure your council has met all the requirements for the Star Council award by qualifying for the Father Mcgivney, Founder s and Columbian awards (see article on page 3). The eligibility requirements for these awards are: conducting and reporting at least four major programs in each of the Service Program categories (using the Columbian award application found in the Council Report Forms Booklet [#1436] or on the Order s website by June 30), achieving new member quota, achieving new insurance member quota, and hosting/participating in four First Degree exemplifications. For more detailed information on achieving these awards refer to the Surge... with Service program manual (#962) or the Grand Knight s Handbook (#915). To ensure timely processing, all Form 100s must be received, processed and recorded at the Supreme Council before noon est on June 29 to be counted toward fraternal year quotas. all insurance policies must be issued and released by June 30 in order to count for the fraternal year quotas. Be Not Afraid! Membership Campaign As a way to thank recruiters and honor the beatification of Blessed John Paul II, the Knights of Columbus is continuing the Be Not afraid! membership campaign. Here are the campaign incentives: as begun on July 1, 2011, recruiters that bring in at least one new member per month receive a Blessed John Paul II Medallion for that month. an additional incentive began on Dec. 1, 2011 and will run through the end of the campaign on June 29, 2012 at noon (edt): Recruiters who bring in a minimum of four new members will receive a large, specially struck Blessed John Paul II medallion with a display stand. When a council recruits a minimum of six new members during the Be Not afraid! membership campaign, their council chaplain will receive a specially struck Blessed John Paul II medallion with display stand. a member degree certificate (#268) is available from the Supply Department to present to new members that have taken their First Degree in honor of the Beatification of Blessed John Paul II. 7

8 KNIGHTLINE 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT Knights of Columbus Insurance: Your Shield for Life. Record-breaking streak extends to eleven years he Knights of Columbus Tis truly a remarkable, one-of-a-kind organization, and our insurance program continues to show its strength and stability in spite of economic turmoil. In fact, 2011 marked the 11 th consecutive year of growth in many categories. This accomplishment illustrates the faith our members have in the products and services we offer to protect their families. allow me to share a few of the Order s 2011 achievements with you. During 2011, the Order issued more life insurance than ever before in our history: $7.9 billion. Our total insurance in force reached a new high of $83.5 billion. To put this remarkable number in perspective, consider that at the end of 2000, we stood at $40.4 billion. The Order introduced a new disability income insurance product in april. Called Income armor, this addition to our portfolio is designed in the spirit of Father Michael J. Mcgivney, and can provide a steady stream of income in the event of a long-term injury or illness. We finished the year with more field agents serving our members than ever before. Still, as our membership continues to grow, new agent candidates are always in demand across the United States and Canada. The ultimate goal is to have all of our members served by a dedicated, full-time agent, and, if you know someone who may be interested in becoming an agent, please contact me. The Order s assets under management reached a new high, exceeding $18 billion. During 2011, we celebrated four exceptional months that were in the best ever category. Records were set in May, august, October and November. Nearly 20,000 new retirement annuities were issued to our members and their families in Our a++ (Superior) rating from a.m. Best was reaffirmed, and there continues to be no more highly rated life insurer in Thomas P. Smith Jr. Executive Vice President (Agencies and Marketing) as the costs of long-term care continue to rise, members and their spouses continue to turn to the Knights of Columbus to help them prepare for this expense. Our agents can show you how this product can protect the assets you ve worked so hard to accumulate. Our number of associate members becoming insured members continued to grow, showing more of our brothers availed themselves to our products. We hope this trend continues and that more members understand the value of owning our products. My purpose in sharing these statistics with you is twofold. First, take pride in the success your organization is having in fulfilling the vision of Father Mcgivney by caring for the financial security of our members and their families. Second, I want to remind you that today is a great day to meet your agent to discuss coverage or review the policies you already have with us. If you don t know who he is, please visitwww.kofc.org and click on North america. Find an agent. You ll be glad you did. PUBLISHED 12 TIMES A YEAR BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS SUPREME COUNCIL f 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT CUSTOMER SERVICE: f f KNIGHTLINE@KOFC.ORG