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VOLUME 106 August 22, 2024 | KOFC.ORG/FORMEMBERS

Earlier this month at the Supreme Convention in Quebec City, our delegates celebrated the achievements of the past year and set new priorities for the year ahead. As a fraternal leader, you should be familiar with the hilghlights of this annual meeting so that you can share this with your members in promoting your council's growth in membership and charity. One of the key moments of the Supreme Convention is the Supreme Knight’s Report. This year during his address, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly highlighted the following:

• As Nigerian Christians face persecution, the Knights of Columbus is funding a collaboration between the Nigerian Catholic Bishops Conference and Franciscan University of Steubenville to form priests and lay leaders. The Order will also help found a national catechetical institute in Nigeria.
• Together with the Arise Foundation, the Knights of Columbus is launching a new initiative in the Philippines called Guardians of Dignity. The program trains Filipino Knights and others to identify signs of human trafficking and to sound the alarm when they see it.
• Knights are encouraged to invite every eligible Catholic man to joins our ranks. A recent study suggests that as many as seven million men are ready to join an organization like ours, but most haven’t been invited. We have a duty to invite these men to build with us. Later this fall, updated and new resources will be provided to help your council extend the invitation of membership to all men in your parish community.

For complete coverage of the Supreme Convention, including to read the supreme knight's report in full, please visit kofc.org/convention.

Congratulations to our Council Award winners. On behalf of the many lives you touched this year, we thank you and your brother knights for the hard work represented in achieving this goal.

The Fraternal Mission department is planning a series of exciting and informative webinars for the 2024-2025 fraternal year. Check out the schedule below and mark your calendars today to ensure you don’t miss one. You can register for the August webinar below and watch future issues of the FLA to register throughout the year.

August 22, 2024.........How to Ensure Your Council Will Have a Great Year

September 19, 2024...Attracting and Engaging Younger Members

September 25, 2024...Making the Most of the Fall Semester (for College Councils)

October 1, 2024..........Becoming Fishers of Men

October 3, 2024..........Building Brotherhood with Cor

October 17, 2024........Council Preps for Advent & Christmas

November 7, 2024......Best Practices for Military Councils (for Military Councils)

November 14, 2024....Protecting Catholic Families

November 21, 2024....Midyear Checkup for Your Council

December 5, 2024......Preparing for Your District Midyear Meeting (for District Deputies

January 6, 2025..........Clear Talk About Leadership Roles

January 16, 2025........Council Preps for Lent & Easter

January 30, 2025........Making the Most of the Spring Semester (for College Councils)

February 4, 2025........Choosing the Right Content for Cor

February 6, 2025........Becoming an All-Star District (for District Deputies)

February 20, 2025......Faith & Fraternity

March 20, 2025...........Practical Tips for a Strong Finish

April 24, 2025.............Programming Ideas to Help Councils Shine

May 1, 2025................Preparing for Your District Organizational Meeting (for District Deputies)

May 15, 2025..............Preparing for the New Fraternal Year

June 12, 2025.............Continuing Fr. McGivney's Legacy

June 19, 2025.............Engaging Your Members with Summer Activities

Join us tonight, August 22nd at 8:00 PM ET for an informative fraternal webinar entitled How to Ensure Your Council Will Have a Great Year.

It is day 53 of the Fraternal Year, do you know where your council is? Checking in with your council, even early in the year, is integral to its success. Are you recruiting new members? Are your current members engaged? Are you streamlining communication? These are just a few issues that may arise.

This webinar takes you through each problem and solution so you can remedy current roadblocks and equip for future obstacles.

And remember, if you can't join us live, it will be available on-demand afterwards. There is still time to sign-up to ensure you get the link for this important webinar. Click on the button below to register.

As the summer season winds down and kids return to school, why don’t you brush up on your skills as well? Our online training sessions are conducted by experienced Fraternal Trainers who want to give you practical guidance and useful tips that will assist you in running a successful council that will make a difference in your community.

Register for upcoming online sessions by clicking on the links below.

Even more sessions are available to watch on demand! Trainings are archived after each live session, and can be found in our library of on demand training.

Note: All Times are Eastern

August 27, 2024 8:00 PM..........Member Management Basics

August 29, 2024 8:00 PM..........Member Billing Basics

September 4, 2024 10:00 PM....Enhancing Member Experience

September 9, 2024 8:00 PM......Introducing Families to the Knights

September 17, 2024 8:00 PM....Council Membership Growth

September 18, 2024 8:00 PM....Conducting Church Drives

District Deputy

• Ensure all your councils have submitted the Semi-Annual Council Audit (#1295) which was due August 15. These audits are necessary to maintain the bonding on council treasurers and financial secretaries. Share this short tutorial on how to successfully complete and submit this form.
• Complete an Annual Report on Council Status (#944) for each council in your district, whether functioning or not. These easy online reports should be submitted right after the District Organization Meeting – don’t wait until the deadline of September 15.
• The Installation of Council Officers should be completed as soon as practical and as close as possible to the start of the new fraternal year. The script can be found in the publication Protocol, Meetings, and Ceremonials (#11620), which is available to download, or can be ordered through Supplies Online.

Grand Knight

• If your council has not submitted the Semiannual Council Audit (#1295) which was due August 15, please do so immediately.
• Make sure your council has submitted the Report of Officers Chosen for the Term (#185) and Service Program Personnel Report (#365). These forms are necessary to ensure access to Officers Online and Safe Environment training, and to allow for effective communication with the Supreme Council.
• If your council will be running Cor this fraternal year, you are encouraged to appoint an Evangelization and Faith Formation (EFF) Director to support these efforts. Please submit your returning or newly appointed EFF Director as soon as possible using this Council EFF Director Submission Form. This form supplements your council personnel report #365 as there is not a space for the EFF Director on the #365 at this time.
• Share the Program Forms Reference Guide with all council officers and directors. This resource provides filing instructions for every program with a link to the necessary form.

Financial Secretary

• The Report of Officers Chosen for the Term (#185) and Service Program Personnel Report (#365) were due by June 30. Use the easy Member Management system to submit yours if still necessary.
• Review the Fraternal Excellence Guide (#11619) for the latest information on council operations and the role of Financial Secretary.
• Check your council's supply inventory and order Candidate Kits (#531) and other supplies as needed. Printed material over two years old should be discarded and replaced.

Fourth Degree

New District Master training for all newly appointed and current District Masters:

District Master Training: Part 1 will be held on August 26, 2024 at 8:00 PM ET

Every Assembly should be a star Assembly. As a newly appointed District Master, this training will preview all the elements you need to make the Assemblies in your District successful. This includes an overview of membership goals, effective communication strategies to foster growth in your District, as well as important resources and deadlines.

District Master Training: Part 2 will be held on August 29, 2024 at 8:00 PM ET

This training will guide newly appointed District Managers through their responsibilities within their Districts. It will dive into each job duty, including exemplification, communication with Assembly officers, and visibility within parishes, and highlight important points of contact, schedules, and objectives. This training will also provide all District Masters with resources for further guidance.

And remember, if you can't join us live, both webinars will be available on-demand afterwards. Sign up now to ensure you get the link for these important webinars.

District Masters can email with any questions: Michael J. Porter, 4th Degree Director of Training: MJPKNIGHT9282@AOL.COM

2023-2024 International Program Award Winners

Congratulations to the 2023-2024 International Program Award Winners!

Click here to read about their programs!

Faith Program:

St. Thomas Aquinas Council 15294, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO

• Anima Christi ’24 (Cross State Eucharistic Procession)

Family Programs (tie):

Mason Council 9182, Mason, MI

• Tragic Farm Accident (Support for Family of Deceased Brother Knight)

Our Lady of Guadalupe Council 17913, Lviv, Ukraine

• Support of a Family-Type Orphanage

Community Program:

Pope Pius Council 5295, Narragansett, RI

• Jacob’s Ladder, Men on a Mission (Support for an Orphanage for People with Special Needs)

Life Program:

Pope St. John XXIII Council 15968, Spokane, WA

• Recovery Program for Newborns (installed shelves and assembled baby care backpacks)

Family of the Year:

The Ampe Family – Council 689, Marquette, MI

Blessed Michael McGivney Medal:

Very Rev. Chad Wilhelm - State Chaplain of ND, Jamestown, ND

For the 2024-2025 fraternal year, don’t forget to submit your council’s best programs to your State Council – you can find the process and the list of forms, here! 

A new graphic novel - A Father’s Heart: The Story of Blessed Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus - has just been released about the life, times, virtues and Vatican-approved miracle of Blessed Michael McGivney. The ‘graphic novel’ (or comic book style) will appeal to young readers and is great for families to read together and share the heroic story of this simple Parish Priest. It is perfect as a gift or for council fundraisers. You can find out more and order your copy through KnightsGear.

Join Knights of Columbus, your premier Catholic partner for financial services, for a free financial webinar to learn more about how extended care planning can help you protect your family’s future.

Use the attached flyer to help share the upcoming webinar to all!

Tuesday, September 10^th at 7:30 ET | Register now: Protect Those You Love the Most - 1681743 (webcasts.com)

NEW for the 2024-2025 fraternal year:

Virtual FBEs hosted by the Supreme Council will automatically be credited towards your council’s Founders’ Award progress! A confirmation email will be sent to the Grand Knight after the event. You will not need to submit a Fraternal Benefits Event Report (#11077) unless one of the following issues exists:

• You believe there were more attendees from your council than we recorded. If this is the case, contact your State Deputy for a list of recorded attendees and submit form 11077 to report additional member or member-eligible attendees not included on that report.
• You held a watch party for the event where one person registered for the event, and multiple people attended. Submit a form 11077 for all member or member-eligible attendees that did not register on their own. 

The Knights of Columbus Fraternal Mission Department has a fantastic job opportunity. Please feel free to forward to any members who may be qualified:



Coordinator of Program Engagement

The Coordinator of Program Engagement supports the Director of Programs and Program Managers in the administration and promotion of programs. This includes, but is not limited to, engaging volunteer leaders, planning and executing special program events, coordinating essential external partnerships, and advancing Faith in Action programs/initiatives.

The ideal candidate for this position is a college graduate with knowledge of the teachings of the Catholic Church and the ability to apply that to Knights of Columbus programs. Must have the ability to coordinate different tasks simultaneously and prioritize projects efficiently while working collaboratively with a team. The position is hybrid (remote Monday and Friday, in the office Tuesday – Thursday) and located at the Supreme Council Headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut.

Click HERE for more information and to apply.

To view the FLA Archives, please click here.