Cor Central EFF Newsletter: January 2026

Quarterly Issue 5 (Revised)

January 2026

“Finally, all of you, be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate, humble.”

- 1 Peter 3:8

MISSION & VISION

Cor Mission:

To help focus men on Jesus by building Christ-centered brotherhood through a flexible framework of prayer, formation and fraternity.

Cor Vision:

To aid in transforming the hearts of men through Christ-centered brotherhood. Rooted in prayer, formation and fraternity, men will be sharpened in faith and virtue as they cultivate authentic friendships with Christ and each other.

We envision a future where Cor continuously helps sustain these men to lead their families, strengthen their parish communities and courageously evangelize the world as missionary disciples of Jesus Christ.

Cor Video

Cor Testimony

EVANGELIZATION & FAITH FORMATION (EFF) DIRECTOR MESSAGE

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14) We just concluded the celebration of Christmas and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into the world. In the Incarnation, Jesus Christ, God, humbled himself to become like us in all things but sin, to be with us, to love us and to redeem us. Our Lord Jesus models for us the humility required to bring souls to God the Father.

In the prayer, formation, and fraternity of Cor, we imitate this love as we “dwell among each other” and share a life of faith, walking shoulder-to-shoulder, as iron sharpens iron, as disciples of Jesus. As we move toward the season of Lent and prepare for Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection, let us renew our commitment to imitating our Lord and bringing souls to Christ through the brotherhood we share.

NOTE: Any words that are Red and Underlined in this newsletter means it is a link to a document or webpage (press CTRL + CLICK or just CLICK on text to open link).

WHAT'S NEW

With the new year underway, we want to share some new resources designed to support you build and strengthen Cor in your parish. Here’s what’s new and coming soon:

Training Resources:

NEW Cor Startup Videos: 5 new startup videos have been added to accompany the Cor Startup Guide, designed to simplify the process of launching and sustaining Cor.

Formation Material:

NEW Cor Session Guides, including Eucharist Cor Session Guide, Pope Francis: The Joy of the Gospel Cor Session Guide and Freedom and Faithfulness.
NEW Cor Ecclesiae Series: The Gospel of Life Cor S tudy Guide, explores Pope St. John Paul II’s historic 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae and his call to build a “culture of life.”
UPDATED Cor Ecclesiae Series: The Sacrament of Charity Cor S tudy Guide, dives into the Eucharist and Pope Benedict XVI’s apostolic exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis.
COMING SOON Into the Breach: The Dignity of Work: Watch the trailer to the compelling new video series that explores the Catholic vision of man’s mission in the world and the nature of work. Coming early 2026.

Prayer Material:

NEW Vivat Jesus Spiritual Planner 2026: A prayer guide and calendar for 2026, featuring monthly devotionals, ideas for celebrating the saints and important feast days, the Supreme Chaplain’s monthly challenges, and more.
NEW Relics: How to Pray with the Saints: An informative brochure on the Catholic understanding about saints, relics, and intercessory prayer.

Don’t know what material is right for your group? Check out this short video on Selecting Cor Content.

COR ELEMENTS CORNER

As a reminder, Cor is designed to be flexible. It is important to offer all 3 elements during each Cor gathering but how that is done, in what order and for what duration, is up to what is best for your group. Below are suggested offerings for each element.

Prayer: Lifting minds & hearts to God

A great way to begin prayer is to ask your group for prayer intentions.

Holy Hour: What is a Eucharistic Holy Hour?
Stations of the Cross – Great Lent resource
Consecration to St. Joseph
Holy Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet
Check out more Lent resources HERE

Formation: Becoming like Christ

Remember to allow for good conversation time to discuss the formation content and apply it.

January Supreme Chaplain's Monthly Challenge – New year of spiritual reflections and challenges.
The Gospel of Life Cor Study Guide – 12 Cor sessions on the value of human life.
Lent to Remember on FORMED – 4 videos exploring the ways God reaches out to each of us with his mercy. Get access to your free FORMED subscription HERE.
St. Joseph: Our Spiritual Father video and discussion guide offers us a model of masculinity that is noble, strong, and self-emptying.
Eucharist Cor Session Guide - 5 Cor sessions (with videos) focused on the Eucharist.

Fraternity: Christ-centered brotherhood

Here are some intentional conversation starters for your group. The goal is to get to know our brothers on a deeper level.

January Idea: March for Life takes place each January. If you can't attend the national or a local march, how can you engage those around you in conversation about the dignity of every person?
February Idea: February is dedicated to the Holy Family. What is your favorite memory of a Catholic tradition you did as a family and how has it shaped your faith?
March Idea: Lent invites us to grow closer to Christ through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Looking back, what has been your most spiritually fruitful Lent? This year, is there a virtue God is asking you to grow in?

ACTION ITEMS

1. New Year Reset

A new year is a natural time to pause, reset, and reflect on what’s going well and what could be improved. Use this time to evaluate your Cor gatherings and begin planning for a fruitful Lent and Easter. Consider using the Lent resources noted in Cor Elements Corner above.

2. Expand Your Team

You’re not meant to lead alone or to carry every responsibility on your own. If you haven’t already, prayerfully consider which men in your parish – including those who aren’t Knights – might be a good fit to help lead and grow Cor.

Assemble a team around roles that best fit your needs and your men’s unique skills and talents. Possible roles include:

Communication/Outreach Coordinator
Hospitality Coordinator
Fraternity/Engagement Leader
Formation Leader
Prayer Leader
Spiritual Advisor/Chaplain

Check out this short video on Building a Team.

3. Re-invite Your Council and Parish

The start of a new year is a great opportunity to re-invite men to Cor. Don’t assume everyone already knows about it and remember, many men need more than one invitation before saying “yes.”

Ask your Grand Knight for time at a council meeting(s) to share Cor’s mission/vision, how things are going and upcoming gathering details. Consider sharing this short video, Cor Foundations, explaining how the mission of Cor aligns with the mission of the Knights and the Church.
Ask your pastor for a brief opportunity to speak after Masses one weekend to reintroduce Cor to the men of the parish and invite them personally. Here is a suggested parish script to get you started with what to say (feel free to make it your own).

MISSIONARY MINDSET TIPS

What Drives Your Missionary Mindset?

A true missionary spirit doesn’t begin with strategy or action – it begins with wonder. We cannot ignite the hearts of others unless our own hearts are first set ablaze. And nothing ignites the Christian heart more powerfully than rediscovering the awe of the Eucharist.

At the center of our faith is a mystery beyond comprehension: God gives himself to us as food. St. Charles Borromeo reflects on this with amazement, asking: What impelled God, all good and most great, to communicate himself as food to this most miserable creature man? His answer is simple and staggering: love alone.

The same God who created the universe…

The same God who rescued Israel…

The same God who took on flesh…

…places himself on our tongues, not out of obligation, but out of a love so fierce and unearned that Borromeo can only cry out: O inexplicable love of God toward us!

This is the fire that fuels mission.

This is the wonder that transforms men.

This is the truth that, if rekindled, would reshape men, families and communities.

Within Cor, ask yourself:

How am I helping men rediscover the love of God and the staggering gift of the Eucharist?
Do our gatherings awaken awe, or do they simply offer information?
Are we providing opportunities for men to encounter the God that loves them so deeply?

If men grasp – even a little – what it means that Christ becomes our food, mission becomes inevitable. Hearts ignite. Love overflows. And the desire to share Jesus with others becomes as natural as breathing.

In preparation for Good Friday and the institution of the Eucharist, help men rekindle the wonder of the Eucharist and transform their experience of Holy Communion.

COR TESTIMONIALS

“Men typically just see the Knights as the guys who flip pancakes, but Cor really opens the door to these men who never really considered the Knights. This is a place where men can be Catholic, men can pray together, build each other up in the faith and… encourage each other to live with integrity.” – Jamey, British Columbia Watch Short Testimony

“Cor is absolutely important because it is another way that we can form more male leaders in our parish to go out and do the work and share in the ministry that we have as priests.” – Very Reverend Jamin, Louisiana Watch Short Testimony

“We had a priest reach out and say ‘I want to start the Knights back up at my parish because I want Cor.’ He wanted Cor because he knew all that would come once Cor was established and the guys were coming together to encounter Christ amongst that brotherhood.” – Gregory, Texas Watch Short Testimony

Help us share the impact of Cor. Send us your Cor Testimony.