How does one quit the Knights of Columbus?

[FaithfulKnight]

There is a process to renounce membership. Notify the Financial Secretary of the Council that is sending you the bills, in writing, that you no longer wish to be a member. Viola!

True, your Financial Secretary should be willing to drop you from the rolls.

Many Councils are glorified beer and football watching clubs.

I, along with maybe 1,800,000 other Knights, am offended by this statement.

A Council is usually no better than its leadership, and the support it gets from its pastor.

True, the Council leadership is charged with keeping the membership active and assisting in the welfare of the Parish (if you belong to a Parish based Council, not all Councils are singular to a specific Parish).

In short, the KofC is a useful, but not indispensible organization.

Some might agree with you but please listen to how Pope Saint John Paul II felt about the Knights. youtube.com/watch?v=8rup_iYz5zc

 

[FaithfulKnight]

The KoC at my wife’s parish have asked me to join several times. I don’t think I’d join, even if I were Catholic, because what would that say to my non-Catholic family and friends?

You must be a practical Catholic to become a member of the Knights of Columbus.
The next time you are approached please tell the person asking that you are not Catholic,
that will stop the requests.

 

[eViLpOpTaRt]

Just ignore them and the magazine. No need to make a fuss.

 

[masuwerte]

You must be a practical Catholic to become a member of the Knights of Columbus.
The next time you are approached please tell the person asking that you are not Catholic,
that will stop the requests.

It hasn’t worked yet. It’s no big deal, I’m certainly not offended by it. Parishoners keep asking me to teach religious education or join the choir, too.

I do help out with coffee and donuts after mass sometimes; I guess even an Episcopalian can pour coffee.

 

[YADA]

Agreed. It has a lot to do with the programs that are in place currently, the ability of the leadership to maintain the programs that are in place, and for an influx of new members with new ideas to institute new programs, when possible.

Actually, the quality of the council and its programs and services is directly related to the membership itself … not the priest nor the leadership …

Like any and all organizations it flourishes and fails due to the rank and file. Your leadership comes from those who participate. Don’t like the direction its heading - then get involved …

The KOC council that serves my parish in active - but I can tell you that all the functions are basically supported by the efforts of about 20% of the members … they support our local St Vincent de Paul Conference with funds and an annual fund raiser dinner, they support our local seminary providing tuition support for a seminarian, they earn money for Catholic High School scholarships, they sponsor a Boy Scouts Troop, they provide financial support to the Father Taaffe Homes for Unwed Mothers, they take students from a local catholic run Home for Boys to hockey games and outings … they provide many maintenance and other services to our parish including the annual parish picnic food and entertainments … I cannot even list all the things they do for us …

Getting the parishioners to support their fundraising efforts … well just say that its about 25% the rest can’t be bothered

Getting the entire membership to come to a meeting or to work at a breakfast/dinner etc … most are just too self absorbed to bother and the core group keeps the faith … and Thank God - they do and see the benefits in their lives and in the lives of those they touch …

But in reality - it all starts with one person - YOU … not someone else

Okay … off my high horse now

 

[petitfleur]

Actually, the quality of the council and its programs and services is directly related to the membership itself … not the priest nor the leadership …

Like any and all organizations it flourishes and fails due to the rank and file. Your leadership comes from those who participate. Don’t like the direction its heading - then get involved …

The KOC council that serves my parish in active - but I can tell you that all the functions are basically supported by the efforts of about 20% of the members … they support our local St Vincent de Paul Conference with funds and an annual fund raiser dinner, they support our local seminary providing tuition support for a seminarian, they earn money for Catholic High School scholarships, they sponsor a Boy Scouts Troop, they provide financial support to the Father Taaffe Homes for Unwed Mothers, they take students from a local catholic run Home for Boys to hockey games and outings … they provide many maintenance and other services to our parish including the annual parish picnic food and entertainments … I cannot even list all the things they do for us …

Getting the parishioners to support their fundraising efforts … well just say that its about 25% the rest can’t be bothered

Getting the entire membership to come to a meeting or to work at a breakfast/dinner etc … most are just too self absorbed to bother and the core group keeps the faith … and Thank God - they do and see the benefits in their lives and in the lives of those they touch …

But in reality - it all starts with one person - YOU … not someone else

Okay … off my high horse now

The problem with most of these kinds of groups is you have three scenarios either 10% of the people do 90% of the work. Or second the majority just drink beer watch TV and it’s really just a social group and do a fundraiser and a couple of good things now and then. They might support a local person or family in need if a member has an association with them. As for the 10% doing most the work, people start off with good intentions, but it becomes a popularity club. people ask thier buddies to join committees and do whatever it is they are working on. It often is not intentional to exclude others. Eventually the active people often fall away for one reason or another and the people not part of the “popular group” get frusterated and stop trying. Then your left without volunteers.
With The second scenario, the new person coming in with great Intentions get nowhere because the majority like drinking beer and watching TV and he eventually leaves or gets run out.
The last scenario is a rarity. The scenario where it actually is an active growing group.

These scenarios happen with all groups, in some version of another.weather it’s volunteering at the school, church, local youth sports clubs…

 

[SED]

It hasn’t worked yet. It’s no big deal, I’m certainly not offended by it. Parishoners keep asking me to teach religious education or join the choir, too.

I do help out with coffee and donuts after mass sometimes; I guess even an Episcopalian can pour coffee.

That is excellent that you help around the Catholic Church too, even when not being catholic yourself. Shows your a person of good will and intent. That won’t go un noticed by our lord.

 

[SED]

It seems that some folks are hitting a stumbling block with councils that are not very active. It is very difficult to keep people involved and committed to anything these days, not just the Knights.

If your interested in joining, and find you are not receiving a call back or replies it may be a case of an inactive council. I would sugest maybe look up other local council that may be more active. There are several within my area, some more active than others. When you do hear back, ask if you may attend a meeting before joining. Some have social meetings or membership drives where a prospective member can check out the group before committing. It’s s great way to see how active and what kind of things they are doing.

There is no rule that you must join a council within your own parish, of course that is most people’s first choice, but if you don’t have one… You can find a different one that is doing more activities can certainly join them. give that a shot… It’s a great organization when youre in an active group, even a small one like mine. I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had in the past few years of being a Knight.

 

[wondrousgnat]

Many councils do great things for the community and parish. Obviously others do not…It seems an interesting organization where some people cannot get in and others cannot get out.
It’s been almost exactly a year since I last posted. I still get the magazine but have never yet been contacted by the council which I may belong to. I am not even sure that I am a member. My interest in joining has long since vanished. Daddy always told me that you do not go where you are not welcome.

My wife is a Lutheran and I have been active in many of their activities but never in my parish. We have none except for the KofC. However my stand on abortion as well as my knowledge of scripture and history means that I am stuck in the church Jesus created.