KNIGHTLINEKNIGHTLINEN 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 � 1 C O L U M B U S P L A Z A N E W H A V E N , C T 0 6 5 1 0 - 3 3 2 6 U S A

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 � V O L U M E 2 7 � N U M B E R 2 � W W W . K O F C . O R G

H onor the memory of our founder by inviting qualified Catholicmen into his creation — the Knights of Columbus. On the

weekend prior to March 29, arrange for your council to conduct achurch drive as part of the Orderwide recruitment blitz.

A church drive is an ideal opportunity to reach an audience of qual-ified prospects. Its ultimate success depends on careful planning andexecution. Start by obtaining your pastor’s approval to hold a mem-bership drive at all Masses on the target weekend.

Order quantities of Prospect Cards (#921A), “The Greatness of aMan” flyer (#4496), “What this Organization Stands for” flyer(#4547), “Membership Benefits” (#2773), and the Membership Doc-ument (#100).

Tie ‘Blitz’ to Founder’s Day

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS In Service to One. In Service to Al l .

Order Rushes Aid to Haiti IN THE WAKE OF THE MASSIVE DESTRUCTION on Jan.12, caused by the 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, and the tremendous suffering of the people there in its wake, the Knights of Columbus sent an immediate contributionof $50,000 to Catholic Relief Services. Officials estimate that 200,000 people mayhave perished under the rubble of thousands of collapsed buildings. Among thedead is Catholic Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot of Port-au-Prince, whose bodywas found in the ruins of his office.

Knights are invited to make contributions through the Supreme Council to maximize theimpact of the funds raised, and document the amount donated in this tragedy by mem-bers of the Order. State and local councils, and individual Knights, have contributed a totalof more than $150,000 to Haiti earthquake relief during the first 12 days following the dis-aster. Among these contributions were a $1,200 donation from the California State Coun-cil, approximately $3,500 raised through a benefit concert held by Edward DouglassWhite Council 2473 in Arlington, Va., and twelve $1,000 donations by individuals.

DONATION CHECKS should be made out to Knights of Columbus Charities,Inc. and mailed to 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510. Please write “HaitiEarthquake Relief” on the memo line of the check.

POPE JOHN PAUL II

P ope Benedict XVI announced the opening of the cause for saint-hood of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II (Karol Wojtyta, d.

April 2, 2005), on May 13, 2005. On Dec. 19, 2009, Pope Benedictdeclared that John Paul lived a life of “heroic virtue” or holiness, andthat the Church considers the late pope as “Venerable.” This importantstep allows for John Paul to be beatified after the Congregation for theCauses of Saints certifies a miracle through his intercession.

The Knights of Columbus enjoyed a long and close relationship withPope John Paul II, who reigned from 1978 to 2005. The timeline be-ginning on Page 2 in this newsletter tells the story of the Knights’ in-volvement with one of the most beloved and remarkable popes in thehistory of the Church.

Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson issued the following statement onbehalf of the Knights of Columbus regarding the Vatican pronounce-ments on Pope John Paul II and also Father Jerzy Popieluszko:

SEE FOUNDER’S DAY, PAGE 2

Knights Rejoice over ‘Venerable’ Declaration;Sainthood Cause Advances

In April 2002, Pope John Paul II granted Supreme KnightCarl A. Anderson a private audience, at which time they discussed the Cause for Canonization of FatherMichael J. McGivney. Supreme Knight Anderson presented a bas-relief of Father

McGivney, sculpted by Donatella Gismondi, to the Holy Father.

CNS photo

L'Osservatore Romano

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 theHoly 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 preceptsof the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.

SEE DECLARATIONS, PAGE 2

“The Knights of Columbus welcomes thedeclaration of John Paul II as Venerableand of Father Jerzy Popieluszko as amartyr. Both men were willing to laydown their lives for their sheep, and forspeaking the truth of the dignity of theirfellow man. John Paul was shot for his efforts, and Father Jerzy was killed. “But as our members in Poland knowwell, the heroism of these men and count-less others helped to create the Europe weknow today, a Europe in which the ironcurtain has fallen and opportunity for both individuals and evan-gelization is now possible. It is important that, true to the legacy ofthese men, we continue our efforts to evangelize our neighbors, bringthe Gospel back to Europe, and strive to create a just society in which

the rights of every human person are rec-ognized.”

JOY OVER BESSETTE CAUSE

Additionally, Supreme Knight Ander-son issued a statement regarding the mir-acle for the cause of Blessed AndréBessette:“The Knights of Columbus share inCanada’s joy over the approval of a mir-acle in the cause for canonization ofBlessed André Bessette. Brother André isa shining example for the Knights andall Catholics in Canada of faith, hu-

mility and charity to those most in need. By allowing himself to bethe instrument of God, he touched the lives of thousands of people.May we always follow in his footsteps of faith, humility, devotion toSt. Joseph, and charity to his neighbors.”

CNS file photo

Father Jerzy Popieluszko, left, and Blessed André Bessette

DECLARATIONS, FROM PAGE ONE

2

1978 — The Order underwrites the costs ofthe uplink and downlink of the telecast in missioncountries of the installation of Pope John Paul II,

and funds a film of hisfirst trip to Mexico.

1979 — In October,the Order collaborateswith the U.S. Confer-

ence of Bishops byproviding funding

for the filming ofPope John PaulII’s United

States visit.

1986 — The Holy Father presents,as a gift to the Knights ofColumbus Museum inNew Haven, the coppercross held in the arms ofthe statue of the Savioron the very top of St.Peter’s façade. The gift isin appreciation for thecollaboration of the Orderin restoring the façade.

1987 — During the September visit of the HolyFather to the United States, and in particular to theSouthwest, the pope grants an audience to theBoard of Directors in San Francisco.

1981 — The Order establishes the Knights of ColumbusVicarius Christi Foundation, the earnings of which will be presented to the Holy Father for his charitable purposes.

1984 — At the request of Canadian Knights, theSupreme Council authorizes a special $1 per capita onCanadian members to assist the Canadian Conference ofBishops in defraying expenses coincident with the HolyFather’s visit to Canada.

1985 — The Order provides funding to enablethe Vatican Television Center (CTV) to purchase acompletely equipped television production studiohoused in a van and trailer.

1985 — At the wish of the Holy Father, the Orderis presented with the opportunity to restore the entirefaçade of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Timeline: Pope John Paul II and the K of CFor a more detailed account of Pope John Paul II and the Order visit www.kofc.org/JPII.

1970S1970S 1980S1980S

Prepare an announcement for the parish bulletin and ask that it berun during the two weekends prior to the drive.

Put together a tabletop display that highlights your council’s activitiesand the benefits of membership. This display should include handoutswith information about your council and copies of your council’snewsletter. Select a spot near the main church entry for this display.

Arrange for the pastor, grand knight or membership director to makea brief announcement before the Mass explaining the Order and en-couraging men to complete the Prospect Cards and turn them in as theyleave the church. Read a letter of support from the state council or thelocal bishop, or use a Sample Pulpit Announcement (#2678) availablefrom the Supreme Council Supply Department. Collate materials forpresentation to men as they leave the church. Have Knights in positionat church exits to answer questions from prospects, and assist interestedmen in completing Membership Documents.

After the event, deliver Membership Documents and completedProspect Cards to the membership director for follow-up. Men whosigned Membership Documents should be immediately informed of thedate and time of their meeting with the Admission Committee and theFirst Degree exemplification.

FOUNDER’S DAY, FROM PAGE ONE

Images courtesy of CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano/ K of C archives

Founder’s Day, March 29Founder’s Day this year marks our 128th anniversary!Make it memorable by holding recruitment activities, orby honoring parish priests as a testament to ourfounder. Consider presenting priests with the “In Soli-darity with Our Priests” certificate (#4362) from theSupply Department. For more information on Founder’sDay, visit the “Council” section atwww.kofc.org/service.

3

1991, AUGUST — The Knights launch an Orderwide Quincen-tennial Prayer Service centering on replicas of the cross that had

been presented, in 1984, by Pope John Paul II to the bishopsof the Americas in the Dominican Republic.

1993, AUGUST — World Youth Day in Denver — The Order staffs a booth and distributes 100,000 Rosaries,200,000 rosary prayer cards, and 100,000 confession cards.

1993 — The Fourth Degree funds restoration of the Cathedralof the Immaculate Conception in Denver to commemorate PopeJohn Paul II’s visit there for World Youth Day.

1993, MARCH — Renovations of the roof and mosaicsin the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica (left)are offered as a gift to the Holy Father by the Order.

1996, FALL —The Order publishesa study guide forEvangelium Vitae(The Gospel ofLife).

1995, JAN. 15 — Supreme Knight Virgil Dechant (left) attendsthe closing World Youth Day Mass of the Holy Father in Manila.

1990S1990S 1990S CONTINUED1990S CONTINUED

1997 — A grant is givento the Pontifical Council forthe Laity to support WorldYouth Day in Paris. The Ordersends nine college councilrepresentatives to attend.

1995, OCTOBER —The Knights of Columbus

and the Diocese of Brooklynco-host the Holy Father’s

Mass at Aqueduct.

Deadline for Star CouncilNow is the time to make sure your council has met allthe requirements for the Star Council Award by quali-fying for the Father McGivney, Founders’ andColumbian awards. The eligibility requirements forthese awards are: conducting and reporting at least

four major programs in each ofthe Service Program cate-gories (using the Columbian

Award Application found in theCouncil Report Forms Booklet

(#1436) or on the Order’s Website by June 30), achievingassociate member quota,and achieving insurance

member quota. For more detailed informationon achieving these awards refer to the Surge ...

with Service program manual (#962) or the GrandKnight’s Handbook (#915). To ensure timely process-ing, all Form #100s must be received, processed andrecorded at the Supreme Council before 4:30 p.m. ETby June 30, to be counted toward 2009-10 fraternalyear quotas. All insurance policies must be issued andreleased by June 30 in order to count for the 2009-10fraternal year quotas.

Special Olympics ReportThe Knights of Columbus has always had a close rela-tionship with Special Olympics. To further track localcouncils’ involvement, make sure that your councilcompletes the Partnership Profile Report with SpecialOlympics (#4584) and submits it to the SupremeCouncil Office as quickly as possible, with copies tothe state deputy, district deputy and the council’s files.

Fraternal Surveys Past Due:Submit Now if You Haven’t YetCouncils, assemblies and circles should have com-pleted the 2009 Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity(#1728) and submitted it to the Supreme Council of-fice by Jan. 31, 2010.

Free Throw Participation If your council has participated in the Supreme Coun-cil International Free Throw Championship, and youhave not yet submitted a completed participation form(#FT-1), please do so at once.

Substance Abuse AwarenessPoster Contest ParticipationIf your council has participated in the Supreme Coun-cil Substance Abuse Poster Contest, please completeand submit the participation form (#4001).

Semiannual AuditHave you planned your council’s Semi-Annual CouncilAudit yet for the period ending Dec. 31, 2009? Makesure the treasurer and financial secretary are on handwith their records and that the trustees schedule theaudit as soon as possible.

SHORT TAKES

Ordering SuppliesTo order any of the items mentioned in this newsletter, or listed in the Supply Catalog (#1264) complete a Requisition Form (#1) and send it to: Supply Department, Knights of Columbus, 78 Meadow Street, New Haven CT 06519. The Supply Department also accepts fax orders at 1-800-266-6340. Only orders that are to be charged to a council, assembly, circle or agency account are accepted. Use the Requisition Form (#1) for fax orders. Include the council, assembly or circle number on all requisitions. Please besure the return address on the form is written legibly. Do not mail in orders that have been faxed and send in separate forms for promotional, gift and print orders.

K of C Receives CPTV AwardOn Dec. 12, 2009, Connecticut Public Televisiongave their “Power of Giving Award” to the Knightsof Columbus and Newman’s Own Foundation fortheir support of a special TV series on voluntarismand philanthropy. Pictured are (left to right):Robert Forrester, President and CEO of Newman’sOwn Foundation; Jerry Franklin, President and CEOof CPTV; Supreme Secretary Donald Kehoe; andSupreme Advocate John Marrella.

The Supreme Knight’s Book Club Discusses: The Difference God Makes: A Catholic Vision of Faith, Communion, and Culture (The Crossroad Publishing Company) Join Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson and CardinalFrancis George OMI, Archbishop of Chicago, for an online discussion of the cardinal’s first book.The work explores our relationship with God, the responsibility of community and the transfor-mation of culture. Visit www.kofc.org to submit your questions online and participate in thediscussion, which takes place Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. EST. Find archived book club discussions atwww.kofc.org/bookclub.

These forms are available at www.kofc.org/forms or in the Council Reports Forms Booklet (#1436).

4

1998, JANUARY — A grant is given by Knights tothe bishops’ conference of Cuba to help with expenses ofPope John Paul’s visit there.

1999, JANUARY — The Order an-nounces funding for the restoration of the 17thCentury Maderno Atrium in St. Peter’s Basilicaas a gift to the Holy Father and to theuniversal Church for Jubilee 2000.

1997, DECEMBER — The Holy Fatherreceives the Supreme Officers in audience. A

spiritual bouquet of prayers is offered byKnights to mark his 50th Anniversary as a priest.

2000, MAY 21 — Pope John Paul II canonizes25 Mexican martyrs, victims of the religious persecu-tion of the 1920s who were members of the Knightsof Columbus, and of whom six were priests. Thepriests had been beatified on Nov. 22, 1992.

1999, OCTOBER — The HolyFather receives the Board of Directors

in audience. He blesses a mosaic ofOur Lady of Guadalupe commissioned

from the Vatican Mosaic Studios forthe Knights of Columbus Museum.

1990S CONTINUED1990S CONTINUED 200020002000, FEBRUARY —

Then-Supreme Secretary Carl A. Anderson participates in Vatican

events marking the fifth anniversaryof Pope John Paul II’s encyclical on

life issues — Evangelium Vitae.

2000, MARCH — TheOrder funds the telecast ofthe Holy Father’s visit to theHoly Land, and in particular to Nazareth.

Celebrating 50 Years

T hree silver roses were exchanged on theInternational Bridge on the border be-

tween the United States and Mexico, on Dec.10, 2009. It was the first in a series of eventssponsored by the Knights of Columbus tocommemorate the 50th running of the silverrose and the 478th anniversary of the appari-tion of Our Lady of Guadalupe, on Dec. 12.

The “Running of the Silver Rose” began in1960 as an initiative of the members of theColumbian Squires, the youth arm of theKnights of Columbus. The roses, symbols ofunity among the peoples in the Americas, arealso symbols of the pro-life movement of

which the Order is heavily involved. The pro-gram’s devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupestems from the fact that she is considered thepatroness of the pro-life movement.

The roses began their journey in Canadalast May, and spent the last six months travel-ing throughout the western, central and east-ern corridors of North America, with Knightsof Columbus from Canada to Mexico carry-ing them from destination to destination.

On the morning of Dec. 10, runners car-rying the roses began the final leg of the 50th“Running of the Silver Rose.” Their journeyconcluded in Mexico City at the Basilica ofOur Lady of Guadalupe on Saturday, Dec.

SILVER ROSE RUN

Three silver roses were exchanged on the International Bridge on the border between the United States and Mex-ico, on Dec. 10, 2009. Fourth Degree Knights and Father Francisco Hernandez, administrator of San AgustinCathedral, far right, helped escort the roses, shown here being carried by Grand Knight Pedro L. Garcia of LaredoCouncil 2304 .

INTERNATIONAL SERVICEPROGRAM WINNER:

Pro-LifeThis year, we have added a category to our inter-national service program awards: the best Pro-Lifeactivity. The first winner in this new category is acouncil that has put together an especially note-worthy program to help mothers, who decide tohave their baby instead of an abortion, care fortheir infant children. Recognizing that an esti-mated one-third of the million-plus abortions per-formed every year in the U.S. are done becausethe mother is afraid she won’t be able to meet herbaby’s needs, Council 4226 in Murrysville, Pa.,launched “Our Rosebud Program” back in 2004and it is now in its fifth year.

In cooperation with “Welcome Little Ones” ofSouthwestern Pennsylvania, the program pairs ayoung mother or couple with a sponsoring couplefrom the council. They provide emotional supportthroughout the pregnancy and for a full year afterthe child is born. They identify unmet needs, suchas baby furniture and clothing, as well as ongoingneeds like diapers, baby wipes, bath products andlaundry detergent that are provided throughout theyear.

The council sponsors four little “Rosebuds” eachyear, and to date 17 mothers and 18 babies havebenefitted from the program, including a 15-year-old mother from a dysfunctional family who hadtwins. With the help of the “Our Rosebud Pro-gram,” she has since gone on to graduate withhonors from high school and is now in college.

For more information on entering your council’stop activities in the areas of Church, Community,Council, Family, Pro-Life and Youth in your juris-diction’s Service Program competition, please visitwww.kofc.org/service and then select the“Council” link.SEE ROSES, PAGE 6

5

SERVING THOSE WHO SERVEDW hen our country needed them our

veterans answered the call to serve.Now Knights are being called to serve our vet-erans through a new program: “Serving ThoseWho Served.”

Our goal is to have an active corps ofKnights serving, on an ongoing basis, as vol-unteers at every Veterans Administration med-ical facility in the nation. Through the“Serving Those Who Served” program, coun-cils and assemblies are asked to form volunteergroups to regularly meet veterans’ needs.

Some volunteer opportunities for Knightsinclude: coordinating volunteer activities – matching the

volunteers available with the needs of hospitalizedveterans.

providing transportation for veterans.

distributing toiletries, sweaters and other items thathelp make veterans more comfortable.

providing “Pet Therapy” – bringing pets to facilitiesto interact with the veterans at appropriate placesand times.

vocational rehabilitation – helping or providing theopportunity for veterans to participate in job skillsprograms.

arts and crafts – providing materials and programsthat help veterans use artistic and creative skills.

patient visiting.

patient check-in and escort and/or reception areaand information services.

offering holiday celebrations – organizing partiesfor veterans.

taking patients to sporting events or performances.

hosting picnics, parties or recreational outings.

Upon discharge from the VA facility someveterans find they have lost touch with friendsand family. Discharged veterans need compas-

sionate, caring and committed individuals, likea K of C volunteer, to: help them access community events and services.

visit, listening to, and talk with them.

note changes in the patient’s condition and informthe healthcare team.

Van Provides Freedom for VetsWHAT STARTED AS A NEED EXPRESSED by a member of the West Haven Vet-

erans Affairs Health center’s amputee support group for a means of transportation to allowveterans who use wheelchairs to attend outside events, grew into a project resulting in thepurchasing of a van capable of carrying eight motorized wheelchairs and three aides –thanks in part to the lead-ership of Knights.

District Deputy GaryThomas worked with themembers of the amputeesupport group to raise themore than $90,000 forthe vehicle. Through do-nations solicited fromKnights of ColumbusSupreme Council, localcouncils and assemblies,military support groups(e.g. American Legion,VFW, etc.) local and na-tional businesses and the general public, and the sale of “I Support Our Amputee Veter-ans” pins by the veterans, more than $100,000 was raised. Excess funds will be given tothe VA to buy non-standard accessories (e.g. PA system) and to pay for ongoing fees androutine maintenance and up-keep.

“This (the van donation) shows what dedicated Knights can do,” said Assistant for Mil-itary and Veterans Affairs Chuck Gallina in referring to Thomas’ efforts.

“It’s a perfect example of people working together for one purpose,” said Sharon Croteau,Chief of Voluntary Services at the West Haven VA facility. “This van brings the vets whouse wheelchairs the gift of freedom.”

2001, APRIL 29 —In St. Peter’s Square, PopeJohn Paul II beatifies Carlos

Manuel Rodriguez, a member of the Knights ofColumbus in Puerto Rico.

2001, JUNE — The Holy Fathermakes a gift to the Knights of Colum-bus of a mitre worn by him during theJubilee Year, specifically at aMass cele-brated onMarch 21,2000, inAmman,Jordan,during hisvisit to theHoly Land.

2002, JANUARY — TheOrder provides funding for theworldwide satellite coverage ofthe Jan. 24 peace summit,convened by the Holy Father inAssisi, which attracted morethan 200 religious leadersfrom around the world.

2002, JANUARY — TheOrder authorizes a grant of $1million to fund “Duc in Altum”park, where the sacrament ofreconciliation was available toyoung people attending WorldYouth Day in Toronto.

2001 — Beginning on Sept. 30, SupremeKnight Carl A. Anderson participated as an

auditor in the month-long Synod of Bishops,having been named to that post by Pope JohnPaul II, one of 22 auditors chosen by the HolyFather from throughout the world. On Oct. 10,the Supreme Knight addresses the session of

the Synod of Bishops (shown above).

20012001 20022002

Attendees gather for the dedication ceremony, presided by Father CosmasArchibong, Catholic chaplain of the VA center.

SEE IDEAS, PAGE 7

6

2002, FEBRUARY 25 —The Holy Father appoints SupremeKnight Anderson as oneof 25 new members ofthe Pontifical Council

for the Laity.

2002, APRIL — Supreme KnightAnderson is granted a private audienceby Pope John Paul II, at which time theydiscusses the Cause for Canonization ofFather Michael J. McGivney. A sculpturalrepresentation of Father McGivney cre-ated by Donatella Gismondi is presentedto the Holy Father, who expresses keeninterest in Father McGivney’s cause.

2002, NOV. 23 —Supreme Knight An-derson is given a let-ter on peace,personally handwrit-

ten by the Pope. The letter became thecenterpiece of a display at the Knights ofColumbus Museum: “John Paul II — APassion for Peace” that opened in 2003.

2002, MARCH — As a sign of solidaritywith the Holy Father, the Order establishes the $2million Pacem in Terris Fund, the earnings ofwhich will be used to promote peace initiatives inthe Holy Land and assist the Latin patriarchate insupporting the Christian community there.

2003, JULY/ AUGUST —The Holy Father’s Encyclical on theEucharist, Ecclesia de Eucharistia isthe topic of the second Knights of

Columbus Eucharistic Congress heldat the Basilica of the National Shrine

of the Immaculate Conception inWashington, D.C., Aug. 7-8.

2002 — For Christmas, the Order col-laborates with the Pontifical Council forSocial Communications in a streamingvideo production of a 24-hour televisionprogram celebrating the 25th Christmasof the Holy Father’s Pontificate.

2002 CONTINUED2002 CONTINUED 20032003

From the 2000Vicarius Christimeeting

12, where the roses were presented to Our Lady. Each part of the bouquet has an important

meaning. The five roses (one of the three is abouquet of three roses) represent the fivedecades in which this tradition has been inplace. The seven guides carrying the roses rep-resent the sacraments of the Catholic faith andthe ways to approach God. The thorns repre-

sent all the efforts and sacrifices of theColumbian Squires and Knights of Columbusalong the way. And the strong stem representsfaith.

Also in attendance at these events was Msgr.Eduardo Chávez, postulator for the cause forcanonization of St. Juan Diego. Our Lady ap-peared to St. Juan Diego on that fateful day in1531. Msgr. Chávez recently co-authored aNew York Times bestselling book with Supreme

Knight Carl A. Anderson titled: Our Lady ofGuadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love, which reached No. 6 on the bestseller listin August 2009. (For more information on thebook, visit www.guadalupebook.com.)

For more information on the history and origins of the “Running of the Silver Rose” aswell as more detailed information about that weekend’s events, please visit www.runningoftherose.org.

Day of Prayer for the Unborn ChildT he Knights of Columbus has been a leader in the Right to Life

movement for the past 37 years. With the Knights of ColumbusDay of the Unborn Child soon approaching on March 25, also the dayof the feast of the Annunciation this year, Knights have the opportunityto stand up and speak out against the evil of abortion.

All members of our Order are encouraged to participate by holding aspecial prayer service in council homes, meeting places or local parishes.When celebrating the Day of the Unborn Child councils are encour-aged to conduct a pro-life Mass or rosary service.

Remember to invite all members of the community, including publicofficials and health care workers. Strength in numbers gives others thecourage to speak up and also lets the community know there is a groupwilling to help women in crisis pregnancies. To plan a service, councilsshould:vConsult with your chaplain or the pastor of the local parish to estab-

lish a time and the kind of service (i.e. rosary, Mass, etc);vAsk the pastor to make a pulpit or bulletin announcement regarding

the program at all Masses the weekend prior to the event;vSend a notice to the local diocesan newspaper and local secular media;vDistribute Prayer for Life cards (#4665). Additional copies are avail-

able in reasonable quantities from the Supply Department. Also, uti-lize this sample prayer service in planning your council’s event.The Knights of Columbus Day of the Unborn Child was instituted

as an addition to the Order’s commitment to build a culture that re-spects and protects every human life from conception to natural death.

For more information on the Knights of Columbus Day of the unbornChild see the “community” section of www.kofc.org/service.

ROSES, FROM PAGE 4

IN ADDITION, TO FURTHER ASSIST your pro-life activities,the Supreme Council offers the following materials (all of which are free ofcharge when ordered in reasonable quantities; there is only a shippingcharge):

vThe brochure “A People of Life – And for Life” (#4795) outlines theOrder’s commitment to reversing the trend toward a culture of death andbuilding a culture that values human lifeat every stage. The beautifully designed,full-color brochure explains the commonsense and common law basis for theprotection of life, and also offers fivepractical action items to help members,their families and all concerned individu-als get involved in building a culture oflife. A poster, shown at right, (#4804)with a similar design is also available.

v“Pray the Rosary to End Abortion”poster (#2073) and prayer card (#2072)

v“Gospel of Life” poster (#4238) andprayer card (#4237E, F, or S) in English, French or Spanish

7

‘Coats for Kids’ InitiativeMoves to Canada

remember them on birthdays, holidays andother special occasions.

Sometimes councils and assemblies arenot located close enough to a veterans med-ical facility to make regular efforts practical.However, they may still participate in andmake a valuable contribution to, the “Serv-ing Those Who Served” program. The pos-sibilities are limited only by the imaginationand the needs of the veterans. For instance: Organize a drive to collect clothing, coats,

gloves, pajamas, robes, toiletries, etc.

Organize program to provide rosaries, Bibles,Catholic literature, and Chapel items like Massbells, Easter candle holders and altar lines.

Volunteer as Eucharistic Ministers to take Com-munion to bed patients.

Collect and donate to veterans facilities TV sets,DVD players, stereo equipment, audio books,DVDs, CDs, personal computers and computerprograms, printers (as well paper and ink).

If possible, plan and conduct a special outing orholiday event for veterans and travel to the facil-ity to conduct it. Or, “adopt” veterans at a distantfacility and remember them regularly with cardsand letters.

For more details on volunteering as anindividual, or as a council/assembly, contactthe Chief of Voluntary Service at the nearestVA Medical Center to arrange an initialscreening. Volunteering opportunities arealso listed at www.va.gov/volunteer.

Assemblies can honor military personneland veterans by presenting them with “Pa-triotic Service Award” certificates – (#839).These vertical certificates are available for 25cents each from the Supreme Council Sup-ply Department. Specify English, French,Spanish or Philippines.

2003 — In October, the Order begins a year-longprayer program in honor of Pope John Paul II and priests

through a “Divine Mercy PrayerService,” featuring the image of

Divine Mercyblessed by theHoly Father.

2003, OCTOBER — At an audience granted to the Board of Directors,Pope John Paul II encourages the Knights as follows: “In fidelity to the vision ofFather Michael J. McGivney, may you continue to seek new ways of being a leavenof the Gospel in the world, and a spiritual force for the renewal of the Church.”

2003,NOV. 24 —

The Holy Father names

SupremeKnight Carl A.Anderson as

a consultant tothe PontificalCouncil forJustice andPeace, the

only Americanamong 10 new

appointees.

2003, OCT. 9— The Holy Fatherreceives the Board

of Directors in audi-ence, at which time

Supreme Knight Anderson presents

the pope with a gift of $2.5 million,including earnings

on the VicariusChristi Fund.

2005, APRIL 8 — SupremeKnight Anderson, past SurpremeKnight Dechant, their wives,and Coun Enrico Demajo (theOrder’s Romerepresentative) rep-resent the Knightsof Columbus at PopeJohn Paul II’s funeral.

2004 — In solidarity with theHoly Father and his proclamationthat October 2004-2005 will bethe Year of the Eucharist, the

Knights of Columbus plans a thirdKnights of Columbus EucharisticCongress that takes place imme-

diately following the SupremeConvention in Chicago.

2003 CONTINUED2003 CONTINUED 20042004 20052005

C anadian Knights joined the Order’splan to bring warm winter coats to

children through the Order’s “Coats for Kids”initiative, with the first distribution held inCanada as part of the 2009-10 program.

On Dec. 7, 2009, the Ontario State Coun-cil of the Knights of Columbus, in conjunc-tion with Father Paul J. F. Wattson, S.A.Council 8919 (Windsor) distributed 600coats to children in Windsor (shown at right).Distribution took place at the UnemployedHelp Centre which, along with the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, assistedin the distribution. Coats were given to stu-dents from several local Catholicschools including: AssumptionSecondary, St. Bernard, WJLanglois, St. Francis, St. Anne,OLPH, Holy Name Ele-mentary, Cardinal Carter,St. John, Catholic Cen-tral, Our Lady of Lourdes,Queen of Peace, Christthe King, ImmaculateConception, and St. Jules.

In addition, on Friday,Dec. 18, the New JerseyState Council of the Knightsof Columbus, in conjunc-tion with several local coun-cils in the Newark area,began distribution of newwinter coats to area children inneed. The first distribution tookplace at the Mt. Carmel Guild

Academy in West Orange, where special needschildren received winter coats (left). Addi-tional distributions are planned at BlessedSacrament and St. Michael’s schools, as wellas at other locations around New Jersey.

These events were part of the secondannual “Coats for Kids” initiative of

the Knights of Columbus. Sim-ilar distributions have taken

place in eight U.S cities,and approximately 12more distributions are inthe works in the weeksto come. In total, theKnights of Columbuswill distribute approxi-mately 10,000 Ultimate

Apparel coats this winter.For more information

on this program, visitwww.kofc.org/

coatsforkids.

IDEAS, FROM PAGE 5

KNIGHTLINEKNIGHTLINE1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. POSTAGEP A I D

NEW HAVEN CTPERMIT No. 400

T his past year was a momentous one forthe Knights of Columbus Insurance pro-

gram. Let me just highlight a few of the manymilestones.v The Order issued more life insurance than

ever before in our history: $7.57 billion.v Our total insurance in force reached a new

high of $74 billion. To put this remarkablenumber in perspective, consider that at theend of 1999, just 10 years ago, we stood at$38 billion.

v Our field force continues to grow, and wefinished the year with a net gain of newagents.

v In July, we held our first ever Field AgentSales Conference in St. Louis, Mo., anevent that gathered nearly half our field

force for presentations on how to betterserve their members and their families.

v During 2009, we celebrated an extraordi-nary nine months that were in the “bestever” category. Records were set in Febru-ary, April, May, June, July, August, Septem-ber, October and November.

v Our annuity business saw record growthfrom 2008 to 2009. The number of annu-ity plans issued in 2009 more than doubledfrom those issued in 2008, with over19,000 new annuities issued to our mem-bers and their families.

v Our AAA (Extremely Strong) rating fromStandard and Poor’s was reaffirmed for the17th consecutive year and our A++ (Supe-rior) rating from A.M. Best was reaffirmedfor the 34th consecutive year. Additionally,we were again certified by the InsuranceMarketplace Standards Association (IMSA)for our ethical business and marketingpractices. At the close of 2009, we wereamong only three U.S. insurers with allthree of these distinctions. In Canada, wewere the only insurer with these three.

v 2009 marked the ninth consecutive yearour issued life insurance increased over theprevious year.

v Our number of associate members becom-ing insured members also grew, showingmore of our brothers availed themselvesand their families to our products. Whenthe 2009 totals are included, we can claimthat during the past five years, more than103,000 members of the Knights ofColumbus joined the ranks of our insuredmembers by whether purchasing life in-surance, long-term care or a retirementproduct.What does all of this mean to you? First, it

means that you can take great pride in the suc-cess your organization is having in fulfillingthe vision of Father Michael J. McGivney bycaring for the financial security of our mem-bers and their families. Second, in case youhaven’t already, this would be a great time toget on the bandwagon and have a discussionwith your agent. If you don’t know who he is,please visit www.kofc.org and click on “Findan Agent.” You’ll be glad you did.

Thomas P. Smith Jr.Executive Vice President (Agenciesand Marketing)

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS INSURANCE: MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR LIFE

PUBLISHED 12 TIMES A YEAR BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS SUPREME COUNCIL1 COLUMBUS PLAZA, NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326 � 203-752-4264 � KNIGHTLINE@KOFC.ORG

Momentous Milestones