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Supreme Master
Michael McCusker
suprememaster@kofc.org
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Supporting our Country, Community, and Church
With Respect and Honor
Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree
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A late friend and brother knight once told me a tale of how as a young man in Memphis he worked in a pet shop. One evening, as he was about to close up, several Cadillacs pulled into the parking lot. A dozen or so men poured out of the cars and knocked on the door, begging for permission to enter. Acquiescing, my friend suddenly found himself face-to-face with a young man named Elvis Presley, who looked at him and asked, “Hey, man. You got any monkeys?”
It so happened that there were two in the shop. Payment was made and out the door they went. As my friend Francis finished his story, he thoughtfully remarked, “I always worried about those two little monkeys and what became of them. I can only imagine that they ended up in the Jungle Room at Graceland.”
Long ago, monkeys were caught by hunters in a most ingenious way. Small holes were drilled into dried out, hollow coconuts. Holes just big enough to receive the monkey’s hand. Chains were then attached to the coconut with an eye bolt. The coconuts were then strewn about the jungle floor and sugar cubes were dropped in the holes. The monkeys would come along, smell the sugar, reach in and grab the sugar cubes.
With their hands now forming a fist, they could no longer retrieve their hand from the coconut. In essence, freedom was in their own hands. All they had to do was let go.
Most would not and some ended up with Elvis and his buddies.
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As 2025 nears its conclusion, we should ask ourselves: Where do we as Sir Knights have our fists stuck in a coconut, holding onto the past or clinging to outdated or unproductive ways of managing assemblies, districts or provinces? Where are opportunities to grow that go unnoticed because we only see what we want instead of what’s possible? Where can we better engage our communities and parishes by seeking new challenges, instead of doing the same things over and over again? Where can we become more appealing to the young men who are quickly populating the ranks of the Knights of Columbus at a historic rate - who only see the Fourth Degree as old and out of touch? Where are we holding on to what entraps us instead of embracing what God has planned for us in our next one-hundred-and-twenty-five years?
Let’s use what’s left of 2025 to start planning for 2026. Let’s dedicate ourselves to freely moving forward for the Good of the Order. The choice is in our hands. Vivat Jesus!
Michael McCusker
Supreme Master
| | Message from Fourth Degree Director of Programs | | |
Food for Veterans and Families
As we can see, the increase in costs for food, housing, and energy has caused an increase of homeless in our cities, with the veterans in our communities being similarly affected. According to a new report from the Department of Veterans Affairs, veteran homelessness in the U.S. increased by 7.4% last year for the largest surge in 12 years, as revealed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. On a single night in January 2023, there were 35,574 homeless veterans in the US and approximately 2,500 to 5,000 homeless veterans in Canada. This year's results revealed that 20,076 veterans experienced sheltered homelessness, which means they lived in shelters, a number which has increased 2.6% from 2022. Meanwhile over 15,507 veterans went unsheltered, representing an increase of 14.3% from the prior year. Unsheltered veterans represented nearly 80% of the overall increase in homelessness seen in 2023. The Department of Defense also recognizes that 24% of all active-duty military have food insecurity issues.
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We need to take action, by collaborating with local St. Vincent DePaul's, Food Banks, Veterans of Foreign Wars, VAs, and our local councils. Also find out if one of your local National Guard Units are being deployed and offer to do a food drive for those families.
Knights of Columbus are committed to helping to end hunger through the Food for Families Program which has donated millions of dollars and millions of pounds of food toward this cause. In this program, council, assembly and parish families raise funds to support their local food pantries, food banks and soup kitchens. For every $500 or 1,000 pounds of food donated, the Supreme Council will refund $100 back to the council/assembly, up to a maximum of $500 per council/assembly per fraternal year. Though in-kind donation of food is valuable, leaders of hunger-relief organizations often comment that financial contributions can be stretched even further and allow nonprofits to procure the exact items needed by the organization and its clients.
Ron Boyce, PSD
Fourth Degree Director of Programs
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Let me be one of the first to wish you a Happy Advent.
I’m sure that this phrase is of the minority phrases you hear during this time of the year. Most of the popular phrases being Merry Christmas or the dreadful Happy Holidays. If it’s one thing that can make us stand out this time of the year is to use “Happy Advent” properly and proudly.
So, what does this have to do with Membership in the Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus? Glad you asked. Hear are my thoughts with the aid of Copilot.
Advent and the Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus: A Shared Spirit
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Spiritual Preparation and Dedication
- Advent is a season of spiritual preparation, anticipation, and reflection as Christians await the birth of Christ.
- Fourth Degree Knights are called to exemplify patriotism and the highest ideals of Catholic citizenship, which includes deep spiritual commitment and public witness to faith.
Service and Sacrifice
- Advent invites believers to prepare their hearts through acts of charity, prayer, and penance.
- Fourth Degree Knights are often involved in visible acts of service — participating in honor guards, civic events, and charitable outreach — especially during the Advent season.
Public Witness to Faith
- Advent is a time when Catholics are encouraged to live their faith more intentionally and visibly.
- The Fourth Degree is the most ceremonial and public-facing degree of the Knights, emphasizing patriotism and faith in action — often through participation in liturgical celebrations and community events during Advent.
Unity and Brotherhood
- Advent brings families and communities together in hope and joy.
- The Knights foster fraternity and unity, especially among Fourth Degree members who often serve together in visible roles during parish and diocesan Advent activities.
In essence, both "Happy Advent" and being a Fourth Degree Knight are about living your faith with purpose, visibility, and devotion — preparing the way for Christ not just in your heart, but in your community.
Let us all be present in this season and make sure to ask our fellow Catholic Brothers to be part of our Community.
Vivat Jesus.
Bret Ladenburger, Wyoming PSD
Fourth Degree Membership Director
| | Message From Fourth Degree Director of Training | | |
Honor Guards at CUF Exemplifications
Last weekend, at the Saturday evening 5:00 PM Mass, my council held their quarterly Mass for council members and their families, followed by an Exemplification of Charity, Unity, and Fraternity.
We included a Fourth-Degree honor guard for the mass, escorted the gift bearers, and remained in force for the Exemplification.
We train monthly and did a quick walk through prior to mass. Our Honor Guard was PREPARED!
Our Honor Guard looked great, and we left a very good impression on the Parishioners and the new candidates.
Our Grand Knight spoke on the Fourth Degree (he was in the honor guard) at the end of the CUF and I am happy to report that we will have one (likely both) of those new members as a candidate(s) for the next Fourth Degree in our area.
Training in advance is more than a good idea; it is vital to achieve our goals.
- We showed the Parishioners our Faith as we served in the Honor Guard for mass
- We showed our support for one of our councils in our Assembly
- We set an example for new members and encouraged them to not only get involved in their council, but to join us in the Fourth Degree.
Take advantage of these opportunities and be prepared with regular training.
If you have any other questions on training your members, please email me at
MJPKNIGHT9282@aol.com.
Fraternally,
Michael J. Porter, PSD,FM,FVSM
Fourth Degree Director of Training
| | Message from the Director of Ceremonials | | |
My brother Sir Knights,
Welcome to the Holiday season! As we spend time with family, remember to continue our work in making all things the very best that we can!
One way to do this is for the Vice Supreme Masters to work with their District Masters and work for perfection in your inputs to the Fourth Degree Exemplification Schedule Spreadsheet. We, as a Fourth Degree, had about a 60% success rate in doing this last year. First, insist that your District Masters inform you of every exemplification that they plan to hold (you should be approving them!). That way you will have the information on all planned events and can send it to me. If that doesn’t work, then insist that the District Masters send the information to me as soon as they know it. Second, when exemplifications are held, I need to have information on the number of new sir knights made. If we can accomplish both, then we will have the useful tool that the Supreme Master desires and requires. Thank you in advance for your attention to detail in this area.
Remember, if you need any resources related to ceremonials, please let me know. If I have them, I will share them with you. If I do not have them, then I will work to get them for you.
Thank you for all that you do for the Fourth Degree, the Order, our Church and our Country!
Vivat Jesus!
Mike Thumm, FVSM
Fourth Degree Director of Ceremonials
| | 2026 Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage | | |
Since the early middle ages, Catholics have celebrated the Feast of St Martin, or Martinmas, in honor of the soldier-saint of France on November 11th. As the patron saint of soldiers, St Martins Day has historically been a day of celebration for the soldiers of all Catholic nations. In 1918, by accident of history, or perhaps his intercession, the Great War was brought to an end by an armistice signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
One year later, King George V instituted the first Armistice Day celebration declaring “…there may be for the brief space of two minutes a complete suspension of all our normal activities. During that time… all work, all sound, and all locomotion should cease, so that in perfect stillness the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead.” In the United States, President Woodrow Wilson concurrently declared “To us in America the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.” Since 1919, the 11th of November has continued to be a somber remembrance.
This November, in honor of St Martin, to celebrate Veterans Day, your assembly should consider sponsoring a pilgrim for the 2026 Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage. For only $3,000, an assembly can provide the opportunity for a warrior to attend the pilgrimage. Donations can be made HERE.
Through generous donations of Assemblies, this program continues to thrive. In 2025, the Knights of Columbus, on behalf of the Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, sent 223 pilgrims to the 65th International Military Pilgrimage as part of the Warriors to Lourdes Program. Additionally, encourage someone you know to apply as a pilgrim. Applicants should be spiritually motivated to participate as a pilgrim, and they must be active-duty, recently retired or separated U.S. military personnel (post-9/11 era). Warrior companions, pre-9/11 veterans and non military-affiliated volunteers are also eligible to apply. Wounded, ill or injured warriors must be able to fully perform activities of daily living either alone or with the assistance of a VA-approved designated caregiver. Applicants and their clinical providers should not anticipate that professional medical or nursing services, including hospitalization, will be delivered during the pilgrimage. To apply to attend the 2026 Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage visit WarriorstoLourdes.com. Applications close on 15 January, 2026.
St Martin of Tours, pray for us! Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
Sterling C. Roatch
Director of Fourth Degree Communications
| | If you would like to see your Assembly or Province’s activities featured here, please submit them to CatholicPatriot@kofc.org! | | | | |
