Knightline March 2010 by Knights of Columbus

M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ✦ V O L U M E 2 7 ✦ N U M B E R 3 ✦ W W W. K O F C . O R G

KNIGHTLINE

INSIDE: Pope John Paul II gave dignity and meaning to suffering, says Supreme Knight. Page 6

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS In Service to One. In Service to All.

On the day following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Justin Arnold (center) and other sailors move an injured woman from a Coast Guard helicopter to the U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Arnold is a member of Msgr. Newman Council 4665 in Louisville, Ky.

THE MANY WAYS KNIGHTS ARE ...

Helping Haiti A

s the cleanup continues and rebuilding begins amid the destruction caused by the massive 7.0 earthquake on Jan. 12 in Haiti, the Knights of Columbus continues to channel aid to that devastated nation. At its quarterly meeting on Feb. 6, the Board of Directors voted to donate $150,000 for the purchase of 1,000 wheelchairs for distribution to those whose limbs have been amputated or who have SEE HAITI RELIEF, PAGE 6

Open Houses

‘ABORTION IMMORAL’

A Great Way to Tell Your Council’s Story

nformational open houses allow you to inform prospects your council contacted during the “Blitz” — held the weekend prior to Founder’s Day (March 27-28) — that your council is active and organized. It shows them how joining would be a worthwhile expenditure of their valuable spare time. Invite your council’s insurance representative to the open house to address any questions regarding our top-rated insurance program. Every council should also ask its chaplain to speak on how membership in the Knights of Columbus would be a great way for every Catholic man to further live out his faith. A well-planned informational open house will prove very fruitful to any council’s recruitment efforts. Here’s how:  Appoint a committee to organize the open house.  Set a date and time. SEE OPEN, PAGE 7

More than 40 college Knights from schools all over the country marched together at the 37th annual March for Life in Washington, DC on Jan. 22. FIND THE FULL STORY, AND MORE PHOTOS, ON PAGE 4.

Poll: ‘Millennials’ Oppose Abortion & Wall Street Greed, Embrace Religion

ociety and “Millennials” (18-29 yearolds) in particular view abortion as morally wrong, oppose greed on Wall Street and government regulation, and believe in

God, according to the most recent Knights of Columbus/Marist survey. This report is the latest in a series of such surveys commissioned by the Knights of Columbus and conducted by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. This report presents the findings from a survey of 2,243 Americans — including an SEE SURVEYS, PAGE 7

MEMBERSHIP IN THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS is open to men 18 years of age or older who are practical (that is, practicing) Catholics in union with the Holy See. This means that an applicant or member accepts the teaching authority of the Catholic Church on matters of faith and morals, aspires to live in accord with the precepts of the Catholic Church, and is in good standing in the Catholic Church.

REUTERS/Bill Mesta/U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Public Affairs/Handout

NEWS FOR KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS LEADERS ✦ 1 COLUMBUS PLAZA NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326 USA

Answering the Call to Service Holy Cross Council 8493

ervice to widows, orphans and people in need — a strong element in the founding of the Order — continues to be a clarion call to Knights. In November 2009 Knights from Holy Cross Council 8493 in The Colony, Texas, came to the assistance of a legally blind widow who was about to lose her home to foreclosure. On learning of her crisis from the parish priest, one Knight who is an attorney came repeatedly to the widow’s defense in stopping the foreclosure and restructuring the mortgage. Later, members of Council 8493 solicited assistance and materials

to replace the roof on the house, which required extensive repairs before the refinancing could be completed. Members and volunteers gathered for the day-long task of replacing the roof. Repair estimates were more than $10,000. After the Knights obtained donations and building materials, 40 members started work by removing the roof. Once the shingles were taken off, it was evident that much of the decking also needed replacing. The repair project took a full day to complete. The roof is new, the mortgage refinanced, and the widow can remain comfortably in her home, thanks to Council 8493 and their helpers.

HAS YOUR COUNCIL CONDUCTED AN OUTSTANDING PROJECT LIKE THE ONE ABOVE? If so we’d like to hear about it. Please send information on your project (including the when, where, what, who, why and how of the activity) and photos to knightline@kofc.org. Be sure to also send you reports to columbia@kofc.org for possible use in the “Knights in Action” section of Columbia magazine. When sending in photos, please make sure they are “action” photos (ones that show people doing something) — not “grip and grins” or “police lineup” photos (where people stand shaking hands, holding a check, or just staring). Also, make sure the photos you send us are usable, in focus, are large enough for print use (do not send photos taken with cell phones), are not put into collages (i.e. combining one or more photo) or altered in any way, and are jpeg attachments (not embedded). Also, having your members wear Knights of Columbus shirts, hats, etc., when volunteering is great publicity for your council and looks terrific in photos. If you have any questions about sending in photos, please feel free to contact us at 203-752-4264.

KNIGHTS DONATE HALF MILLION MILITARY PRAYER BOOKS

nights of Columbus, including Military Affairs Director Charles Gallina and District of Columbia area college Knights, spent Jan. 30 delivering a shipment of 100,000 copies of the Order’s prayer book for those serving in the American military. This brings the total number of prayer books donated to half a million. The latest delivery of Armed with the Faith: A Catholic Handbook for Military Personnel was taken to the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the Archdiocese for the Military Services. The version provided to members of the armed forces is spiral-bound, printed on special waterproof and tear-resistant stock, and sized to fit in the pockets of uniforms worn in 2

the field. The Knights offer a version on regular paper to family members of service members and the general public. These prayer books can be obtained through the Knights of Columbus Catholic Information Service at

www.kofc.org/cis. Last year, the Knights of Columbus also produced Armour of Faith: A Catholic Handbook for Canadian Military Personnel, and 30,000 of that version have been printed and distributed to Canadian soldiers.

AL S E RVI CE ON N ATI ER I NT NTE RN AT IO NAL P RO GRAM W I NNE R :

Youth

(TIE FOR FIRST PLACE)

MANDAUE COUNCIL 7101

FATIMA

in Mandaue City in the Philippines, organized and ran a program offering spiritual formation for children aged 6 to 12, providing basic catechism and instruction on how to pray the rosary. More than 40 Knights and family members, together with 53 Squires and “Squirettes,” provided these classes for several hours each Saturday and Sunday afternoon to more than 2,500 children who were divided into several age groups. MEMBERS OF POPE JOHN PAUL II COUNCIL 14023 in Starachowice,

Poland, worried about a trend among teenagers and even younger children of skipping school and becoming involved with drugs and alcohol. They decided that they could help many of these children develop a better outlook on their futures, and help create a positive image of the Knights of Columbus, by popularizing the game of chess for young people. The council members taught 124 youngsters to play, organized 19 chess tournaments, and sent participants to events held by other area clubs. For more information on entering your council’s top activities in the areas of Church, Community, Council, Family, ProLife and Youth in your jurisdiction’s Service Program competition, please visit www.kofc.org/service

and then select “Council” link.

the

Submit Family of Year and Service Program Entries to Your State Council If you haven’t done so and your jurisdiction’s deadline hasn’t passed, please submit your Family of the Year entry and Service Program entries to your state council immediately. Do not send these entries to the Supreme Council.

S HORT TAK ES

Membership Madness Ends This Month! March 31 ends the Membership Madness competition — the Order’s intake-based challenge among similarly sized jurisdictions. The competition challenges each state to compete against the other jurisdictions in its particular bracket for the highest intake percentage, based on the state council’s fraternal year intake goal. These intake brackets will be updated daily and are viewable at the “For Officers” section of the Order’s Web site at www.kofc.org. Help your state council win jurisdictional bragging rights by revving up your recruitment efforts during this contest!

The Supreme Knight’s Book Club Discusses: Be a Man! ... By Father Larry Richards (Ignatius Press) Join Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson and Father Larry Richards for an online discussion of the book Be A Man! Becoming the Man God Created You to Be. In this work, Father Richards examines his years as a priest and personal experiences to recount his struggle to learn true manhood and inspire other men to do the same while living their faith with courage. Visit www.kofc.org to submit your questions online and participate in the discussion, which takes place March 30 at 5 p.m. EST. Find archived book club discussions at www.kofc.org/bookclub.

Ordering Supplies To order any of the items mentioned in this newsletter, or listed in the Supply Catalog (#1264) complete a Requisition Form (#1) and send it to: Supply Department, Knights of Columbus, 78 Meadow Street, New Haven CT 06519. The Supply Department also accepts fax orders at 1-800-266-6340. Only orders that are to be charged to a council, assembly, circle or agency account are accepted. Use the Requisition Form (#1) for fax orders. Include the council, assembly or circle number on all requisitions. Please be sure the return address on the form is written legibly. Do not mail in orders that have been faxed and send in separate forms for promotional, gift and print orders.

Special Council Incentive As part of the “Food for Families” initiative, councils can earn all four of the “community” programs required for the Columbian Award application by conducting a food drive. To qualify, the council (not individual members) must conduct the drive and include written documentation with the Columbian Award application (#SP-7). Include the date and location of the event, the number of council members involved, number of families who benefitted, and the amount of food collected.

Coming Up On 15,000! As of Feb. 1, 2010, the Order was within 50 new councils of instituting its 15,000th council. In recognition of this landmark occasion, all new councils instituted between Feb. 1 and May 29, will be eligible for a drawing on June 5 for the council No. 15000. As new councils are formed during this period, they will be given a number and placed in the drawing for No. 15000. The council that wins the number will be presented with a new charter reflecting No. 15000. The number the winning council received when initially instituted will be retired.

Check Us Out Online If you like what you see in this issue of Knightline then check out the online version, which includes color photographs and active links that will allow you to quickly access much more information related to the subject matter of the articles. Access other newsletters and an archive of past issues at www.kofc.org/ newsletters. Also use this link to access online versions of Chaplain’s Report, Squires Newsletter and other publications.

‘Your Shield for Life’ The Knights of Columbus has adopted a new theme for its highly successful insurance program. The “Your Shield for Life” theme reinforces the standing of Knights of Columbus Insurance as one of North America’s most financially secure life insurance providers. Knights of Columbus Insurance has a long history of financial strength and business integrity. It is one of only three U.S. insurance companies – and the only one in Canada – to receive the top ratings from A.M. Best (A++ “Superior”) and Standard & Poor’s (AAA “Extremely Strong”) as well as certification for ethical business practices from the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association (IMSA). The shield, reminiscent of those carried by medieval knights in sturdy armor, symbolizes the organization’s continued dedication to safeguarding the financial future of its members. With its classic, battle-tested look, the shield embodies the tradition of strength, security and stability that K of C Insurance has offered for more than 125 years. “The knight’s shield has long been a symbol of strength and honor,” Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said. “And those are exactly the words that best describe the Knights of Columbus insurance program. Especially in difficult economic times, our exceptional strength and our long history of integrity and service to brother Knights and their families remind everyone that we provide the best protection available.” 3

Knights Join Annual March

for

Life

Clockwise from far left: Three members of Holy Innocents Council 3581 (Levittown, N.Y.) march together up Constitution Avenue; The Indiana Jurisdiction of the Knights of Columbus brought more than 200 Knights and family to the march and were highly visible in their K of C caps (center of picture); Squires from Father John Howard Circle 5195 in Highland, Mich., made the trip; Supreme Chaplain Bishop William E. Lori pauses for a photo with members of Polish Seminarians for Life.

housands of Knights, young and old alike, were among the hundreds of thousands of participants in the Jan. 22 March for Life in Washington, D.C. Supreme Secretary Donald Kehoe led the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance, and provided news about a new Knights of Columbus/Marist College Opinion Poll (see article on page 1) during a rally on the Mall prior to the march. “Year after year, in season and out of season, we will keep marching on Washington until we get the change this country really needs,” Kehoe said. “And the thing we need to change is the culture. We must build a culture of life, where every life — born and unborn — is respected and protected, and where women faced with difficult situations know that they are not alone, and that they will get the help they deserve. “A Knights of Columbus/Marist College Poll released today ... found that 56 percent of Americans ... consider abortion ‘morally 4

wrong.’ The nearly 1.8 million Knights of Columbus, many thousands of whom are here today, are proud to choose life.”

Although many of the marchers came from states along the Atlantic coast, Knights from throughout the Midwest were also well represented. The Indiana state council organized a group of more than 200 Knights and family members, and Ohio, Michigan and other Midwestern states were also well represented. The West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco drew an estimated 40,000 participants, who braved a hard, steady rain to publicly witness to this opposition to abortion.

Support Those Who Heed God’s Call World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Sunday, April 25, 2010

upport for vocations has always been a priority for the Order, and observance of World Day of Prayer for Vocations is one way we can encourage people to answer the call to priesthood and religious life. By providing support and prayer for those who answer God’s call to priesthood and a life of consecrated poverty, chastity and obedience, we serve as a much-needed resource — enabling them to continue their vocational discernment. One way to support these men and women is to stand with the entire Church and celebrate the day dedicated to religious vocations throughout the world. You and your fellow council members can join Catholics from every nation in observing World Day of Prayer for Vocations on Sunday, April 25, in a variety of ways. To assist your council in celebrating World Day of Prayer for Vocations, the supreme council will be sending a packet of vocations materials to grand knights of record. This packet, which features Pope Benedict XVI’s theme for the day of prayer — “Witness Awakens Vocations” — includes program suggestions and a listing of available vocations materials. Here are some other suggestions:  Invite seminarians, postulants and young religious to your council or assembly’s community events or social gatherings as guests of honor to speak and give witness to the dedication of their lives to the service of God and neighbor. Continue the event with an appreciation dinner to honor your guests.  Promote a “Vocations Day” event such as a vocations fair, a presentation by various seminarians, postulants and/or young religious, or a drive to raise funds for a needy seminarian or religious.  Work with your pastor to celebrate the ordination or

Vocations Materials Available To help you promote your vocations programs, the Supreme Council Supply Department offers a variety of vocations-related materials: The DVD, Everyone Has A Vocation to Love, (#50046) includes the Order’s four vocations titles: “The Vocation of the Laity,” “The Vocation to Marriage,” “The Vocation to the Priesthood” and “The Vocation to Religious Life for Women.” It also includes a 16-page study guide that features discussion questions, notes and memorable quotes from each segment. Order and distribute the “Prayer for Vocations/Prayer to Know One’s Vocation” prayer card (#1874); the full-color vocational bookmarks (featuring, respectively, Pope Benedict XVI [#4200], a religious brother [#4201], and a religious sister [#4202]); and a vocational “Keep the Faith Alive” poster (#2959). Not to be Served, but to Serve (#827) is a booklet outlining the various religious vocations and how to begin one’s journey. The booklet contains accounts of personal experiences. It is available in reasonable quantities. Columbia Magazine Vocation Profiles (#4719) tell the story of those who have answered the call, explaining their path to the seminary or religious formation, and the fulfillment they have found in following God’s will. Packaged as a set of six 8-by-10.75-inch posters, these are great for parish and school bulletin boards. These items are all available from the Supreme Council Supply Department in reasonable quantities. Please use a Requisition Form (#1) when ordering.

religious profession of a parishioner.  Make the Order’s scholarship information available to seminarians and postulants.  Sponsor a trip for local youth groups to a nearby seminary or religious house to explore the idea of priesthood or religious life.  Pray for the Lord to prompt young people’s hearts to respond to His call to a priestly or religious vocation at the beginning or end of your council and assembly meetings.  Design an ad for vocations (or use one from the Knights of Columbus Clip Art page on the Order’s Web site at www.kofc.org) and place it in your parish bulletin or local newspaper.  Hold an open house within your council for families and friends of your parish with a vocations theme. Present your guests with speeches and displays on religious vocations.  Schedule a retreat for those contemplating a priestly or religious vocation. Retreats often enable an individual to better discern his or her vocation. This April 25, show the strength of your council or assembly in support of those contemplating a life of priestly or religious service. By standing together in our councils, assemblies and the Order, we can help eliminate the fear or isolation often experienced by those discerning a priestly or religious vocation. And we can fill their hearts with our love and support.

Pope Benedict XVI ordaining a new priest during Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 29, 2007. The pope pleaded for vocations worldwide as he marked the annual celebration of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. CNS photo/Alessandro Bianchi, Reuters

Supreme Knight Addresses Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers Calls Pope John Paul II’s Suffering Expression of Human Dignity

hrough his demeanor during the final days of his life as his health failed, Pope John Paul II showed the world the true meaning of human dignity, said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson during a keynote presentation at a meeting titled “The Church in the Service of Love for the Suffering” sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers. The Vatican conference on health care, held Feb. 9-11, marked the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II establishing that council. “John Paul suffered boldly before millions. He was willing to have the humility to do this before the world,” Anderson said. “Through this, John Paul showed exactly what human dignity is all about.” The supreme knight added that throughout his long and public illness, the pope lived in a way that reflected the central place that Jesus Christ held in his life. Pope John Paul II “showed that it’s not about the sickness, or even about the man at all. It’s about the other man. It’s about Christ,” he said. Pope John Paul II died April 2, 2005.

In this archive picture from 2004, Pope John Paul II receives Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, who presents the pope with a financial gift from the Vicarius Christi Fund. Established by the Knights of Columbus in 1981, the fund created an endowment of $10 million, the interest from which would be given annually to the pope for his personal charities. Since that time, the fund has grown to $25 million and its earnings have provided the pope with more than $46 million.

HAITI RELIEF, FROM PAGE ONE

H AITI R EL IEF L OCAL E FF ORTS

otherwise become disabled in Haiti. The Order will work through the Global Wheelchair Mission to get the wheelchairs to Haiti as soon as possible. The Supreme Council had earlier donated $50,000 to Catholic Relief Services for Haiti relief. In addition, Knights of Columbus donations from state and local councils for Haiti earthquake relief exceeded $173,500 as of Feb. 15. Approximately $89,000 came from individual members. Donors may send checks, made out to Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc. and mailed to 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510. Please write “Haiti Earthquake Relief ” on the memo line of the check.

 Father O’Byrne Council 3574 in Jacksonville, N.C., donated $500 to Catholic Relief Services to aid with ongoing relief.  The members of St. Christopher Church in West Covina, Calif., in conjunction with the American Wheelchair Mission and Knights of Columbus Father Maguire Council 3851, held a fundraising drive to buy wheelchairs for the victims in Haiti. The proceeds of the drive amounted to more than $20,000 — enough to buy about 135 wheelchairs. Chris Lewis, President of the American Wheelchair Mission and a member of the Knights, spoke to parishioners during each Mass on the weekend of Jan. 23-24. explaining how wheelchairs can be delivered to Haiti through an existing relationship with a relief agency in the Dominican Republic, at a total cost of $150 each. He said that many Haitian people required limb amputations as a result of injuries caused by collapsing buildings, with some amputations



required to simply rescue them from the rubble. The wives of the members of Our Lady of Guadalupe Council 6174, in Corpus Christi, Texas, made a $10,000 donation to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund. A benefit concert held by Edward Douglass White Council 2473 in Arlington, Va., raised more than $3,600 for Haiti relief efforts. Swing Shift, a 19-piece big band, donated their performance at the council’s “Swing for Haiti” event. Christ the King Council 5148 in Kitimat, British Columbia, cooked pancakes during a council breakfast to benefit Haitian earthquake victims. The event raised $330, which was added to the parish’s overall relief fund. More than 300 people attended the eighth annual crab feed, sponsored by St. Pius X Council 12656 in Portland, Ore., at its parish. The event garnered $5,600 for Catholic Relief Services Haitian Relief.

Be a well-informed Catholic. Get your daily digest of “News Catholics Need to Know.”

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OPEN, FROM PAGE ONE

 Publicize the event in local newspapers, radio, cable television and church bulletins.  Order quantities of promotional materials including the “Open House” poster (#9430) from the Supply Department.  Compile a list of prospective members including those prospects contacted during your “Blitz” event.  Send open house invitations to prospects and their spouses.  Follow up this mailing with a telephone confirmation of receipt and availability to attend.  As the event approaches, reconfirm all

arrangements for the site, materials, program, etc.  Arrange for a display of council scrapbooks, awards, programs and activities.  Assign to each attending prospect a recruiter who will act as a personal host throughout the gathering.  Plan the program: n Establish a welcome committee to greet guests. n Introduce officers and members. n The grand knight/membership director should explain the aims of the council and the Order. n Ask the insurance agent to explain the

SURVEYS, FROM PAGE ONE

oversample of 1,006 “Millennials.” Reports for Americans have a margin of error of +/-2 percent and for “Millennials” it is +/-3 percent. Data were collected from Dec. 23, 2009, through Jan. 4, 2010, using an online, probability-based panel from Knowledge Networks, Inc. For more details on the results see the stories below and visit www.kofc.org . Data on the polls commissioned by the Knights of Columbus are available at www.kofc.org/moralcompass.

benefits of membership. Show a promotional film: Experience of a Lifetime, Membership Recruitment Flip Chart, Life and Legacy of Father McGivney, or Founding to Future. These can be ordered at www.kofc.org/films.  Schedule a question and answer session following the film further explaining the Order and the council. Conclude with refreshments or a light buffet. n

Make certain that council members ask prospects to join, and assist them in completing their Membership Document (#100).

Anderson concluded: “There is much good news for the Church in this survey, especially when we consider that 2 in 3 Catholic young people want to learn more about the faith. The Church has a great opportunity to evangelize, and has much to build on with the next generation of Catholics, but it must act and teach in a way that makes clear the reasons for Church teaching as part of what our pope has called our “yes” to Jesus Christ.”

M AJ ORIT Y V IE W A B ORT ION Y O UN G C AT HO LI C S B EL IEV E

GOD

Religious attitudes of young Americans and young Catholics holds both promise and challenges for the Catholic Church. Some of the good news for the Catholic Church in the survey includes:  85 percent of Catholic Millennials (18-29 year-olds) believe in God.  82 percent of Catholic Millennials believe commitment to marriage is under-valued. 63 percent say the same about concern for the less fortunate.  80 percent of Catholic Millennials see religion as at least “somewhat important” in their lives. 98 percent of practicing Catholics agree.  55 percent of Catholic Millennials think that religious values should influence business decisions. 75 percent of practicing Catholics agree. Among the challenges for the Church in reaching young people in the United States, the survey found that:  nearly 2 in 3 Catholic Millennials see themselves as at least somewhat more “spiritual” than “religious.” On the other hand, 55 percent of practicing Catholics see themselves as more “religious.”  61 percent of Catholic Millennials believe that it is acceptable for a Catholic to practice more than one religion. 57 percent of practicing Catholics disagree.  82 percent of Catholic Millennials see morals as “relative.” The majority of practicing Catholics (54 percent) disagree. Despite whatever differences Catholic Millennials may have with the Church, nearly 2 in 3 (65 percent) are very or somewhat interested in learning more about their faith. “It is very important for the Church to understand the outlook of the next generation of adult Catholics,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson. “Catholic Millennials support Church teachings in a wide variety of areas, including contentious issues like abortion and euthanasia.

M ORA LLY W RO NG

“Millennials” consider abortion to be “morally wrong” even more (58 percent) than Baby Boomers (45-64 year-olds) (51 percent). Generation X (30-44 year-olds) are similar to “Millennials” (60 percent see abortion as “morally wrong”). More than 6 in 10 of the Greatest Generation (65+) feel the same. “Americans of all ages — and younger people in even greater numbers than their parents — see abortion as something morally wrong,” said Supreme Knight Anderson. “America has turned a corner and is embracing life, and in doing so is embracing a future we can all be proud of.”

L IT T LE FAI TH

G OV ER NM EN T, WAL L S TREET

Strong majorities oppose greed on Wall Street, regulation by Washington, and see the United States headed in the wrong direction according to the Knights of Columbus/Marist poll. Among the key findings, Americans and “Millennials”:  are not confident in the government’s ability to handle the economic crisis. (59 percent of Americans; 55 percent of “Millennials”)  want a free market approach and oppose greater government regulation of business. (55 percent of Americans; 53 percent of “Millennials”)  believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. (67 percent of Americans; 60 percent of “Millennials”)  want the same set of moral standards in business life as in personal life. (75 percent of Americans; 66 percent of “Millennials”)  see business decisions based on greed as morally wrong. (74 percent of Americans; 77 percent of “Millennials”)  think their careers will be negatively impacted for the long-term by the current economic situation. (55 percent of Americans under 65 years old; 55 percent of “Millennials”) 7

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Knights of Columbus Insurance: Your Shield for Life.

We Can Help I

n the January column, I wrote about the alarming statistic, which tells us that about 50 percent of the households in the U.S. and Canada have no individually owned life insurance. If you recall, we talked about group life insurance and the tendency to get very comfortable that you are “covered” if you have this benefit at work. But that certainly doesn’t comprise the entire 50 percent block of people. What else could cause a person to carry no coverage? The statistics for why people have not availed themselves of life insurance coverage are pretty clear, and they really don’t change from survey to survey. First, let’s look at the survey results (provided by the Life Insurance Marketing Research Association). Why people don’t buy life insurance: 74 PERCENT list “can’t afford the coverage” as a major reason they don’t buy.

say a major reason is that they “can’t decide what to buy.” 50 PERCENT agree it is a good idea but “put it off until tomorrow.” 43 PERCENT worry about “making the wrong decision.” Let’s examine each of these reasons. First, the vast majority lists a major reason as lack of affordability in the coverage, yet coverage is only offered if it meets your budget. It is in no one’s best interest to offer you a product that you cannot afford. A good agent (like ours) goes through a process with you of determining what the affordable monthly cost is. For the record, a healthy non-smoking 40year-old male can get $500,000 of term coverage with the Order for just about $1.50 a day. If a client can’t decide what to buy, the agent will help him decide, and a lot has to 52 PERCENT

Thomas P. Smith Jr. Executive Vice President (Agencies and Marketing)

do with identifying goals and objectives as well as a budget. We offer term insurance, permanent insurance or a mix of both. We believe a combination of these products can solve all personal protection issues. Putting the purchase of life insurance off can be costly, and we would recommend against that. You get older and premiums go up, and you run the very real risk that your health can change. A negative change in your health can cause your costs to increase, or cause you to be denied coverage all together. Delay can be disaster. For those who worry about “making the wrong decision” well, we can help. You have to trust us. Our professionally trained agents work with hundreds of families just like yours. They know what to look for and what to recommend. A conversation with a K of C agent can help erase your doubt.

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