State Deputy’s Message

“We have a moral obligation to offer every eligible Catholic gentleman to be a member of the Knights of Columbus” is our Supreme Knights mission statement. Our charity as Knights of Columbus defines who we are, and that we have a great story to tell. The average person, though; does not know; who we are, what we do, or why men join our ranks.

One member, per council per month, at a minimum, is the focus of our Membership 365 Strategic Growth Plan. The better we tell our story of volunteerism and lay spiritual leadership at the council level, the better we will recruit, retain and reactivate members, and take the Order to the next level.

Councils must effectively recruit new members, retain those members, and reactivate silent members and former members. So, our three R’s are – RECRUIT, RETAIN and REACTIVATE. Recruit to keep our founder the Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney’s vision alive; retain by keeping the new members involved in at least one council charitable program to establish and maintain a council-member connection. Everyone has a need to give back, a need to fulfil a spiritual obligation. Reactivate to keep all our members in the fold and to reach out to those members who have lost touch with us. It is easier to reactivate than to recruit a new member.

Let us be United in Purpose, United in Action and United in Faith. Let us reach out and “Evangelize” by recruiting a new brother knight and truly earn the title “I am my brother’s keeper.”

May the Advent of the Season be a time of joy and love for you and your family! My wife Connie and I wish all of you and your family a blessed Merry Christ-mas, a happy, healthy and a prosperous New Year.

God bless
Vivat Jesus

Merlyn Onyschuk