Knights of Columbus Why Do We Recruit

Jose L. Jimenez, PSDMembership & Program Consultant

Knights of Columbus Why Do We Recruit

Nebraska Membership Status December 3, 2010

Intake 196 Loss 112 Net 84 Deaths 114

Suspensions 73 Withdrawals 39 Transfers -11

Net/Net -153 (Growth)

Knights of Columbus Why Do We Recruit

To grow our Order in the council:

•For new leadership• For new ideas & prospective• Establish and offer new programs• Build fraternity among our Catholic Community• To invite Catholic families to join

Knights of Columbus Why Do We Recruit

To grow our Order in the Community:The Beatrice Council 1723 retrieve an old tire from the Big Blue River during a river cleanup event and the side of a road during a community-wide clean up event.

Knights of Columbus Why Do We Recruit

To address the needs of the Church:

• To support our pastors & clergy• To serve as lay ministers in the Church• To evangelize and support vocations• Provide religious devotion to members• To assist with maintenance and building projects

Knights of Columbus Why Do We Recruit

To strengthen Catholic family life:

• Providing family activities• Supporting needy families• Volunteering as a family• Memorial Mass for deceased members

Knights of Columbus Why Do We Recruit

To defend the dignity on human life:

• K of C Ultrasound initiative• March for life activities• Pro- Life education to the youth• Monuments to the unborn• Prayers to end abortion

Knights of Columbus Why Do We RecruitTo fulfill Fr. Michael McGivney’s Dream:

• Organize Catholic men to serve• Provide support to the widow & orphans• Provide support to the Church• Provide support to the community• Provide fraternalism to each other• Provide financial security to our families

The Knights of Columbus Supreme Council in New Haven, Conn., donated 1,625 turkeys to food banks in East Haven and Stamford, and members of three Connecticut councils volunteered their time to help distribute the turkeys and other foodstuffs to local shelters, food pantries, soup kitchens and charitable agencies.

Kennedy Gravesite Restoration Work Under Way at Arlington National Cemetery

Knights of Columbus underwrites cost of restoring legibility of JFK inaugural address.

“Am I my brother’s keeper”

This is why we recruit

Knights of Columbus Why Do We Recruit

If not us, who will:

• Defend our Church and Clergy• Provide 10,000 children with coats• Provide the thousands of Wheelchairs• $17 million on youth activities• $117 million in Church loans• $77 billion in insurance protection• $1.6 million to Pope Benedict XVI• $2.8 million vocations support• $1 million Food for Families

Knights of Columbus Why Do We Recruit

Was not this unity of vision and purpose – rooted in faith and a spirit of constant conversion and self-sacrifice – the secret of the impressive growth of the Church in this country? We need but think of the remarkable accomplishment of that exemplary American priest, the Venerable Michael McGivney, whose vision and zeal led to the establishment of the Knights of Columbus…– Pope Benedict XVI

“I am my brother’s keeper”

This is why we recruit

• We have to believe in who we are and why we are knights.

• If we understand this simple message then every council should be able to invite men into the Order. • It isn’t about numbers it’s about keeping people catholic and active in their faith.

• It is about impacting our youth at an early age and it is about planting seeds.

• It’s about inviting our ethnic brothers and sisters to join us in our efforts.

Long term growth for the future:

Work to be done:

Back to the basics:

• Creating/shifting/enhancing a cultural environment that portrays our catholic identity to all people both catholic and non-catholic alike. (Changing our image, branding, how do people see us)

• The importance of each level of leadership (Gk, DD, SD) teams to establish measurable goals, foster environments that motivate councils to buy-in and achieve those goals.

• The District and State levels should provide assistance, guidance, and direction when councils fail to reach or even strive to support organizational goals.

Leadership:

• The importance of ensuring that each level of the organization provides input to the operational plan.

• The council should build activity schedules that support district growth plans and the district input should roll into the state’s overall plan.

• Modify the plan for the next six months!

Alignment:

• Using the long term planning process to not only create a plan but to also build synergy within the jurisdiction, which will yield continuity and unity on the future direction of the jurisdiction

• Identify leaders early and mentor/coach them into increasingly larger leadership roles

Succession Planning:

• Foster a sense of teamwork between the state , districts and councils through open and frequent dialogue

Communication:

• Using all available tools to be successful: the new Membership Growth Dept., Membership Program Consultant, the various membership tools (one-one, husband-wife, blitz, church drives).

Resources:

Training will be available for District Deputies in order to accomplish a mission to ensure that every council is active. Achieve Star District

District Deputies:

Inspire Grand Knights and their officers to set goals, build long-term plans, and then provide them the resources to be successful. Achieve Star Council

Grand Knights:

2009 Fraternal Survey Report

• Total Church Activities Disbursement $ 629,641• Total Community Activity Disbursements $ 840,480• Total Youth Activity Disbursement $ 204,355• Visits to the Sick: 72,846• Visits to the Bereaved: 35,583• Number of Blood Donations: 12,052• Total Volunteer Hours: 969,261

Population

• Total Nebraska Population 1,774,571• Total Catholic Population 366,894• Estimated Catholic Families 143,954• Nebraska Knights 24,242 – 17%

• Estimated Eligible Catholic Men 95,000

District Deputies

• Establish a plan to achieve your district goal and attain State District• Share that plan with your councils at District Meeting• Support the councils to attain Star Council• Identify NCD and R/T opportunities in your district (KofC Presence in all parishes)• Identify any ethnic opportunities• Ask for help – we want you to succeed

Jose L. Jimenez, PSDMembership & Program Consultant1221 N.W. 34th StreetOklahoma City, OK 73118

Jose.jimenez@kofc.org

Hm: 405-521-1221Cell: 203-804-9767