Cor Central EFF Newsletter: October 2026

Quarterly Issue 8

October 2026

“He that is a friend loveth at all times: and a brother is proved in distress.”

- Proverbs 17:17

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

As the fraternal year gets underway, thank you for your continued commitment to Cor and the men you lead. Your leadership creates opportunities for men to encounter Christ through prayer, formation and fraternity.

As an EFF Director, you do not have to have all the answers or do everything yourself. Your role is to help create the space, invite men into brotherhood and walk alongside them as they grow in faith. Trust that God can work through even the simplest gathering, conversation or invitation.

As the Lord continues to work through you and the men of Cor, please share how things are going by submitting the Quarterly Report for FY Q1 that ended on September 30. This helps us share the broader impact of what God is doing through the Knights of Columbus and Cor around the world.

May the Lord bless your efforts and give you renewed zeal to build Christ-centered brotherhood and bring more men closer to Jesus.

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

We want to share updates and new resources designed to help you build and strengthen Cor in your parish.

State EFF Training 2026, New Haven 9/10-9/13

The annual State EFF Training went extremely well. There were 122 delegates from 70 jurisdictions in attendance.
The weekend was filled with prayer, formation and fraternity. A highlight was the Cornhole Tournament – a great way to build fraternity!
Your State EFF Director is your primary resource and advocate. Reach out to him with any questions or for support in your role.

New Cor Leaders Website

We are excited to announce that we’ve redesigned the web pages for Cor Leaders. Check it out here: How to Lead Cor . A few areas to highlight:

Now easier to find all Cor forms: Stay Connected
New step-by-step guidance for starting up Cor: Startup Steps
New hub of essential elements to lead Cor: Leading Cor 101

Council Cor Kit – Now Available on www.shopcatholicinfo.com

The Council Cor Kit is designed to be a one stop shop with essential leader resources and promotional materials needed to launch or expand Cor. 1 kit per council. Items include:

Role Descriptions (1)
Cor Brochure (100)
Starting Cor in 3 Steps Brochure (5)
A Guide for Clergy Brochure (5)
Cor Leader Guide (2)
Cor Stickers (25)
Cor Formation Content Guide (5)
Working with Your Pastor (2)

Working with Men’s Ministries (2)
How to Promote Cor (1)
Parish Talk Script (1)
Bulletin Announcement (1)
Interest Survey (1)
Formation Samples: Into the Breach Study Guide (1) & McGivney Cor Session Guide (1)

Where to Order?

NOW AVAILABLE on Shop Catholic Info under Cor Resources.
Supplies Online under Cor Resources

New Cor Session Guide

The new Magnificent Humanity Cor Session Guide provides faith formation guides for 7 Cor sessions based on Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic letter Magnificent Humanity (Magnifica Humanitas). These sessions discuss the pressing social, economic and spiritual challenges posed by revolutionary new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).

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. Start planning now for All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, and Advent.

Prayer: Lifting minds & hearts to God

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

Holy Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet
Novena to Blessed Michael McGivney (Video Version)
Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Great option in light of the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart.
Magnificat Advent Companion 2026

Formation: Becoming like Christ

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

Eternal Rest or Advent with Tim Gray on FORMED. Get access to your free FORMED subscription HERE.
Advent Video Reflections – Weekly Advent reflections by Dr. Jonathan Reyes
Into the Breach: Dignity of Work – This compelling five-episode series explores the Catholic vision of man’s mission in the world and the nature of work. Great resource to use in Cor.
Magnificent Humanity Cor Session Guide - 7 Cor sessions based on Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic letter Magnificent Humanity (Magnifica Humanitas) discussing the spiritual challenges of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).

Fraternity: Christ-centered brotherhood

Here are some intentional conversation starters for your group. Whether it's through these questions or asking meaningful questions within the formation content, the goal is to share life and get to know our brothers on a deeper level.

October Idea: Along with the Holy Rosary, October is dedicated to Guardian Angels. Can you recall a time when you strongly felt your Guardian Angel was protecting you?
November Idea: As we honor All Saints' and All Souls' Day, we're invited to reflect on those who have gone before us. What saint do you most relate to or admire? A possible activity this month is to visit a local cemetery and pray for the souls in purgatory.
December Idea: What is your favorite Advent or Christmas tradition, and how does your tradition help you draw closer to Christ?

ACTION ITEMS

1. Share your Feedback on the Heart of the Gospel Retreat

Brother Knights across the Order have been telling us how powerful the Heart of the Gospel retreat has been for the men of their parishes and are recommending it to other councils.
If you are planning to offer the Heart of the Gospel retreat or already have, please take a moment to share your feedback here.

If you haven’t yet explored this new retreat, find everything you need at kofc.org/Gospel.

Click Here for the Heart of the Gospel Retreat Survey

2. Submit the Cor Quarterly Report

Please submit your Cor Quarterly Report as the quarter (FY Q1) ended on September 30. This information is essential to understanding how Cor is going across the Order and how we can better support you and your Cor team.

Click Here for the Cor Quarterly Report Form

3. Check Out the New Promotional Materials Tab on Website

Intentional promotion and consistent communication are key to generating Cor awareness and attendance. Be sure to check out the new Promotional Materials tab on the Cor Leaders website to make it easier to find the resources you need to promote Cor. It includes:

Updated How to Promote Cor resource for practical ideas and tools to raise awareness of Cor.
Script samples are available for a pulpit talk, bulletin announcement and interest survey.
Posters and social media graphics/text are now available directly on website (scroll down on tab). They are also still available on Supplies Online.

MISSIONARY MINDSET TIPS

The Power of Personal Invitation

In the July issue of Cor Central, we talked about how a missionary mindset is rooted in accompaniment. This issue’s tip is a natural next step from that foundation.

One of the simplest ways to live out a missionary mindset is also one of the most powerful: invite someone to encounter Christ. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus personally called people to follow him. He met them where they were and invited them to take a step toward something greater.

The same can happen through a simple, personal invitation to Cor. A man may be willing to come because another man noticed him, reached out and said, “Come join us.” That invitation can open the door to friendship, faith and ultimately a deeper relationship with Christ.

Within Cor, consider:

Who are the men in your parish you have not yet personally invited?
Are you inviting men regularly throughout the year, not just when Cor began?
Do you follow-up with men who have attended before but have not returned?
Are the men already involved in Cor encouraged to invite someone they know?

Remember, the goal is not simply to fill a room. The goal is to reach a man. We never know what is happening in someone’s heart or what weight he may be carrying. A simple invitation can be the first step toward a life-changing encounter with Christ.

Ask God to place one man on your heart and take the step to invite him. A conversation, a call, a text or an invitation to grab a cup of coffee may be all it takes to open the door.

Mission often begins with one man inviting another to take the next step toward Christ.

COR TESTIMONIALS

“Cor fulfills the vision and mission of Blessed Michael McGivney in a lot of different ways. He formed the Knights of Columbus to provide an organization that would help men to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, to help men in the everyday circumstances of their lives and to build a fraternity of men who could support one another, to pray for one another, to grow in the faith together.” – Fr. Sands, District of Columbia Watch Short Testimony

“This council invited some of their non-Catholic friends and they came and they prayed and just from that fraternity, from that praying together and being formed together, they realized that everything that they were searching for throughout their faith journeys, it was all there, all within the Catholic Church.” – Jamey, British Columbia Watch Short Testimony

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