My Brother Knights,

My brothers, it feels like the new year has just begun, and yet we’re already here in February. Maybe you’ve set resolutions and goals for the year. We tend to do this every New Year. Setting plans, resolutions and goals are just part of our traditions. We do this every year without fail. However, do we always follow through with them? Or do we after a month let them go by the wayside.

The goals that have not gone away are our membership goals. With only five months in this Fraternal Year, we need to ask ourselves where my council stands on membership. I was recently talking with a Grand Knight during an Exemplification. He was worrying that they only recruited three new members so far this year. He told me his council’s goal is thirteen and was uncertain how they were going to recruit an additional ten men to achieve Star Council. I told him not to focus on the total number needed but, look at it as only needing two a month. In that light he saw that his council’s goal was in reach. It’s like eating an elephant, one bite at a time.

In Matthew 4:18 we read, Our Lord was walking along the Sea of Gallilee. He saw Peter and his brother Andrew, both fishermen. He called to them, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed him. He then called James and John, the sons of Zebedee, and they, too, followed him; thus, started His ministry. That call to follow Our Lord has not changed. Today, we are called to be disciples and apostles. Our Lord is calling us to be the modern-day fishers of men.

As knights, we have the unique opportunity to reach out to Catholic men in our parishes and communities to come and join us. We offer them to be part of something greater than themselves. Do you have the passion and vision of Blessed Michael McGivney? Are you willing to reach out and offer the gift that was given to you? I challenge you al to be bold. I challenge each brother knight to recruit one new member before the end of the Fraternal Year. Do it to honor Blessed Michael McGivney. Congratulations to those brother knights that have accepted the challenge. Because of their efforts, our membership goal has been reduced. Currently, we have achieved 62.13% of our new reduced goal of 684 new online members and are currently number 12 in the order. We are halfway through the third quarter of this fraternal year. We have councils that have already met and passed their membership goals, and we have councils that just need one or two new members to achieve their goals. Now is not the time to sit back and take a breather. We must continue to do the good work of Blessed Michael McGivney. Vivat Jesus

Fraternally,
Mike Rutland, PGK, PFN, PSW, FDD
WSC Membership Director