Worthy Grand Knights and District Deputies:

As you are aware, the Knights of Columbus are very supportive of our Seminarians, Priests and Novices, and strongly encourage our Councils and Assemblies to support them as much as they can.  This support is not only financial, but emotional as well.   As we well know, the future of our faith and our Churches are dependent on the Seminarians completing their studies and being ordained priests.  

Our Supreme Council asks that our Councils who are supporting any Seminarian, Priest, Military Chaplain, or Novice participate in the Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP) and share with them information about any one or more of these individuals they are supporting.  

As noted on the RSVP form, if each Council or Assembly supports a Seminarian, Priest, Military Chaplain, or Novice and gives them $500 during the course of one fraternal year, Supreme will give that Council or Assembly a rebate of $100.  

As a recommendation, when the Assembly or Council receives this rebate, they should consider purchasing gift cards that can be given to the religious individual they are supporting as a gift for Easter, Christmas or on their birthday.  The support these wonderful people need is not only monetary, but also words of support and encouragement from parishioners.  We need to show our religious individuals that we care about them, which can be done by talking to our local Pastors and getting their permission to invite them to our Church or to a social event the Church is holding, such as a breakfast or dinner.  

Since we have 507 active Councils in Pennsylvania, my goal is to have about 250 of them to participate in the RSVP.  If you have any questions, you can reach out to me at [email protected].
 
 Vivat Jesus,
 Andy

Through the Knights of Columbus Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP), councils, assemblies, and Squires circles “adopt” one or more seminarians or postulants and provide them with financial assistance and moral support.
Qualifing councils and assemblies receive a $100 refund for every $500 donated. Up to a limit of $2000 donated to an individual.

The following persons are eligible to receive RSVP funds:

• Seminarians attending college seminaries.
• Seminarians who have been accepted by a diocese.
• Seminarian attending seminaries in preparation for priestly ordination.
• Seminarians in their “Pastoral" year, ie:transitional deacons.
• Men and women who are novices or postulants in religious orders or religious communities.