There are some programs that come to us from the Maryland State Council. We should participate and/or have representatives at the Annual Founder’s Day Mass. There is also a Rosary & Icon Program that has been in place for a number of years. The rosary is given to each member early in his Knighthood. We should pray it daily and always keep a rosary in one of our pockets. Some councils begin their meetings with The Lord’s Prayer, ten Hail Marys (a decade), and conclude with a Glory Be and the Fatima Aspiration. Father Jenkins has asked that we do this instead of a single Our Father. When we remember the sick and distressed brothers and their family members, he has asked that we do The Lord’s Prayer, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be. Every Knight must be a man of prayer. Our meetings must also be permeated with prayer. Our meetings end with the following prayers: Our Lady Queen of the Knights and a Prayer for Vocations. Father Jenkins has asked that we might sometimes add a Pro-Life prayer and/or the Father McGivney Guild prayer. As for the Icons, many different images of Jesus and Mary have been used. These images travel from council to council. Prayer books are reserved for its use and we could participate with the whole parish. Father Jenkins has asked that we reserve or schedule our use of one of the traveling icons in the coming fraternal year. While our men would still have obligations to support their home parish, the Knights offer the Shrine Usher Program. Our men would do well to participate in this program as a help to faith pilgrims and to honor Our Lady. The Knights have along history of involvement at the Basilica and financed the great tower that is part of the wonderful church. State retreats are offered or we might make a men’s retreat with Father Jenkins or another priest as director. If we support a seminarian, what we give will be supplemented. This is highly recommended. What we give will be returned to us in another generation of priests. The Maryland State Council also suggests some form of involvement regarding Holy Land Outreach. At the end of this month a vendor will come to Holy Family to sell olive wood carvings. We could help set up and maybe purchase some of these wonderful items (images of Jesus, Mary, Nativity scenes, the Last Supper, etc). These objects would edify our homes and we would help the struggling Christians of the Holy Land.
While we are a young council, we should also schedule an Annual Memorial Mass (for deceased members and family members). Knights are among the first to pray for the dead and to respect the fact of our mortality and dependence upon God. The State Council promotes the Living Rosary, either as a formal service with a large (light bulb?) rosary or just with members praying varying decades. We might try both (borrowing the large rosary or building our own) and by regularly praying various decades in union with other Knights. One practice that Father Jenkins likes is for various decades to be assigned to each Knight at the end of meetings. We could pray that decade in the car or at home, but spiritually, linked to our brothers, it would constitute a complete rosary. Booklets are available from supply that give a rosary service that Knights can use at funerals for their brothers and/or their families.
Father Jenkins noted that the Council Directory booklet said something about a monthly Mass for the Knights to participate at 12 Noon on the second Sunday. This is fine and good, but there would have to be serious coordination with the usher, lector and server programs so that no one would feel displaced. He suggested that the Wednesday Mass at 7:30 PM once a month might be easier for some, and it is followed by the Novena to the Miraculous Medal. His previous council did Saturday mornings (Corporate Communion Masses) followed by coffee and donuts. Father Jenkins said that he would be willing to entertain any of these possible scenerios.
Supreme has asked that Knights participate in the Father Michael J. McGivney Guild. We should enroll our men as soon as possible. We pray that Father McGivney will be raised to the honors of the altar. He has already been declared as Venerable by the Holy See.
Participation in the parish tree planting project (450 trees) would help the parish, but might also be considered a community project because it may add beauty to our neighborhood. There may be other parish needs for which we can volunteer our skills and services.
The Knights bring about immense good will by recognizing those who minister in the parish. Some councils already have clergy and nun nights, maybe we could assist in these projects? We could also offer Outstanding Catechist Awards and offer an Appreciation Party, Outing and/or Awards for Altar Servers, Youth Lectors and Youth Ushers.
There are also all sorts of special prayer services we could offer. Father Jenkins offered Stations of the Cross which he wrote originally for use with the Knights of Columbus. He would also like to conduct a prayer service, maybe in July, for our servicemen and veterans. He wrote the service last year and has an icon or picture in his office that goes along with it. The parish already has all day Eucharistic adoration on first Saturdays and we can urge our men and their ladies to take part. Other memorials and novenas could also be conducted by the Knights.
O great and glorious God, You imbued Your holy priest. Father Michael J. McGivney, with deep priestly virtue and especially with pastoral concern for the poor, the orphan, the widow, for the Christian education of youth, for the protection of the faith of the working man of his day.
Now that his priestly ministry continues to spread to countless millions throughout the world, through the efforts and influence of the Order of the Knights of Columbus, which Father McGivney founded, we beseech Your, Heavenly Father, to raise Your faithful servant, Michael, to the honors of the altar. We ask this favor through our Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Mother, Mary and our Mother, Amen. 
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