Lecturer – February 2025
One of the benefits of membership in the Knights of Colombus is we get a subscription to Columbia, the order’s magazine. Almost every month the magazine presents articles relevant to the activities of the order beyond the actions of our local council. Hopefully you read it but then if you are reading this you probably do. I would like to direct your attention to the December 2024 issue and particularly to the article “Caring for the Called.”
The article is about the orders RSVP program. Until joining the order I understood that “RSVP” stood for the French phrase “Respondez s’il vous plait” usually found at the bottom of an invitation. The phrase translates to “Please respond.” In polite society the invitee would respond, acknowledging the invitation and indicate if they would attend the event or not. Within the Knights, RSVP is the acronym for “Refund Support Vocations Program.”
The article briefly explains the program and then goes on to give examples of the ways other councils exercise the intent of the program. Our council donates $500 each to five (5) seminarians. We receive back from Supreme $100 for each donation. Each council in North Texas is requested to render support of our seminarians with a cash donation. Each seminarian receives support from several councils as the $500 doesn’t go very far.
The program isn’t restricted to seminarians but includes religious postulants and novices as well. The intent of the program was to encourage councils to support those called to a religious life. Some of the ways other councils embrace the spirit of the RSVP program is to ‘adopt’ a religious community. Not only by providing monetary support but by including them in community and council activities. They may be invited as guests to a parish dinner. Our local 4th Degree Assembly invites the sisters from St. Josephs Retirement community to their annual Clergy Appreciation dinner. The sisters enjoy themselves; they appreciate the invitation and look forward to the dinner every year.
One council mentioned in the article sends a Christmas card with their donation to the seminarians they are sponsoring, ensuring that the money arrives in time for Christmas. I would think that additionally a birthday card could be sent with a check for $100 be sent to each insuring that it arrives in time for their birthday. Another council gives a check for $1,000 to the seminarian they have sponsored upon their ordination.
The order’s RSVP program is an invitation for its members to spread the spirit of charity and at the same time to support our future priests and sisters as they prepare for a religious life. It is up to the members to respond through our actions.
Recently, the Admissions Committee received an application from a gentleman who wished to join the order. During his interview he said he was married but not married in the church. His country of origin may require a civil ceremony in addition to a church ceremony. One of the requirements for membership is for an applicant to be a practical Catholic. This has been interpreted to mean to be in good standing with the Holy See, i.e. to be able to receive the sacraments. The Catholic Church recognizes marriage as the lifelong commitment between a man and a woman be it a civil or religious ceremony. We are taught that marriage is one of the seven sacraments. For a marriage to become sacramental both the husband and the wife must be baptized. We are taught that baptism, in an emergency when the death of the person is imminent, may be administered even by a lay person. The Catholic Church recognizes baptisms if they are performed “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. “A non-sacramental marriage becomes sacramental the moment both parties become baptized. Individuals wishing to have their marriage become sacramental should discuss their options with their pastor.