SQUIRES - Knights of Columbus, Supreme Council

1) Sponsor a Memorial
Mass for Brother Barnabas on or near
the anniversary of his death, April 22.
2) Schedule a Squires dinner on the anniversary
of your circle’s institution
with a featured guest speaker.
3) Organize a “Spruce Up the Parish
Day” (Weeding, raking, painting, etc.).
4) Maintain a scrapbook for your circle.
5) Create a video circle scrapbook.
6) Contact former members for a “Where
Are They Now?” listing and reunion.
7) “Adopt” a grandparent at a local
nursing home.
8) If your circle doesn’t already have one,
create a Web site for it.
9) Create an oral history video of your
circle.
10) Devise a strategy early on to win
Brother Barnabas and Corps d’Elite
Awards.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Youth Organization
SQUIRES
J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 0 ✦ V O L U M E 8 2 ✦ N U M B E R 1 ✦ W W W . K O F C . O R G / S Q U I R E S
Plus1
COUNT ‘EM
11) Hold a “Former Chief Squire Dinner.”
12) Sponsor a Squire Family Picnic.
13) Double your circle’s membership
during this fraternal year.
14) Sponsor a Sports Day for other
parish and youth groups.
15) Seek a civic proclamation honoring
your circle’s institution anniversary
or Squires Month (in April).
16) Organize a ceremonial team.
17) March as a unit in a local parade.
18) Arrange for the Squire video
“Something More” to be shown on
a public access cable station.
19) Hold a birthday party on your circle’s
institution date; invite members of
your sponsoring unit as well as
potential Squires.
SEE 50, PAGE 2
NEWSLETTER
M A R C H 2 0 1 0 ✦ V O L U M E 8 2 ✦ N U M B E R 3 ✦ W W W . K O F C . O R G / S Q U I R E S
Program Ideas
for Your Circle
Looking for an activity for your circle to do?
Here are 50 suggestions to get you started:
IN THE SPOTLIGHT:
CIRCLE 5301
When a local pro-life group approached the
recently formed St. Francis of Assisi Circle
5301 in Kerrville, Texas, to help a family, the
Squires jumped into action. The pro-life group informed
the Squires that a wife and mother of six
in her mid-30s was diagnosed with cancer. While
she was facing surgery and treatment options, she
and her family were also nearing the holidays.
The Squires held an emergency meeting and
decided to help the family. “We decided that this
mother did not need to experience all the ‘stress
and mess’ of the holidays,” said Chief
Squire Schylar Vece. “We also thought
that the kids deserved to have a Christmas
that was as normal as possible.”
SEE SPOTLIGHT, PAGE 4
Squire Andrew Champman
explains the project
to Scoutmaster
Robert Collier
of BSA
Troop 111.
Squires Month: Time to Honor Legacies
During April, “Columbian Squires Month,”
Squires should pay tribute to the two men most
responsible for the Squires program: Venerable Michael
McGivney, a parish priest at St. Mary’s Church in New
Haven, Conn., who founded the Knights of Columbus
in 1882 and Brother Barnabas McDonald, a Christian
Brother, who founded the Columbian Squires
in 1925 as the junior Order of the Knights.
April 22, 2010, marks the anniversary of the
death of Brother Barnabas in 1929.
Brother Barnabas Award Requirements
Father McGivney was born in Waterbury, Conn., the
oldest of 13 children. He was ordained a priest on Dec.
22, 1877, in Baltimore’s Cathedral of the Assumption.
Father McGivney was only 29 years old, just 11 years
older than our 18 year-old Squires, when he founded the
Knights of Columbus. What began as a small group of
Catholic men has grown to include more than 1.75 million
members of the Knights of Columbus and over
SEE LEGACIES, PAGE 4
The Brother Barnabas Award recognizes the best program activities among the thousands conducted annually by Squires circles Orderwide.
Every circle is encouraged to submit its best, most successful and unique program of the fraternal year for consideration. Of these
submissions, only 25 are chosen annually, making this award a sought-after, highly competitive honor. SEE BARNABAS, PAGE 4

TOP JURISDICTION CIRCLES
TOP JURISDICTION RECRUITING CIRCLES are shown here by jurisdiction, number, location and number of new members from
July 1, 2009 to Jan. 31, 2010. Jurisdictions with no membership gains or no circles are omitted. Large jurisdictions are represented in a ratio of
one entry per every 40 circles.
AB 4759 St. Albert 2
AK 4882 Anchorage 3
AZ 4859 Phoenix 3
AR 5300 Fayetteville 2
CA 931 Lancaster 15
3875 Chula Vista 11
CO 3851 Sterling 7
CT 5255 Middletown 27
FL 4861 Tallahassee 13
GA 4976 Roswell 6
IL 2637 Riverton 7
IN 4843 Bristol 5
KS 2775 Dodge City 7
LA 1430 Lutcher 4
LP 4000 Maypajo 41
2190 Isabela 36
2758 Tanauan 35
3228 Oriental 31
4639 Asingan 29
4059 Quezon Nueva 27
4206 Malabon 27
4436 Kalayaan Vil. 27
3387 Quezon City 26
2409 Tabuk Mt. 24
4617 Natividad 23
3108 Sta Rita O. 22
MD 4648 Germantown 11
MI 1558 Warren 1
MN 4100 Pine City 2
MO 4893 Chesterfield 2
MXSO 4852 Ciudad del C. 11
MZ 3830 Bo Libertad 28
2492 Davao City 26
4905 Gingoog City 22
5324 Fvr Village Gen 18
3127 Isulan Suitan 18
NB 5339 Ste-Marie 9
NE 4892 Bellevue 12
NV 4992 Henderson 5
NH 4273 Plaistow 3
NJ 5295 So. Plainfield 8
NM 2858 Deming 1
NY 5307 Fishkill 7
1206 Deer Park 6
NC 4426 Fayetteville 4
OH 1854 Coldwater 16(tie)
5266 Middletown 16(tie)
ON 4742 Oshawa 11
5130 Deep River 7
OR 4729 Mt. Angel 1
PA 853 Greensburg 12
RI 5211 Coventry 1
TN 5086 St. Joachim 6
TX 1481 Rio Grande 29
4703 Spring 14
4313 San Antonio 12(tie)
5022 Harker Hghts 12(tie)
VA 5188 Va. Beach 5
VT 4398 Richford 5
VP 3261 Barotac Nuevo 47
1618 Mabolo Cebu 36
2953 Cabatuan 34
3470 Tolosa Leyte 34
WA 2666 Lynnwood 6
50, FROM PAGE ONE
20) Ask parents to display Squires logos on their cars.
21) Plan a service project at a homeless shelter, soup
kitchen, nursing home, hospital or day care center.
22) Prepare a “What Are We Doing” presentation for
your sponsoring council or assembly.
23) Organize an event honoring current and former
counselors.
24) Arrange with your father prior for a Circle retreat.
25) Have a special party for other youth groups.
26) Arrange to visit a nearby seminary.
27) “Adopt” a seminarian.
28) Organize a “living rosary.”
29) Organize a “Baby Shower” to collect layette items
for Birthright or a similar organization.
30) Plan a project to benefit children who are wards of
the state.
31) Clean up a local park or playground.
32) Organize a “Chore Day” to help elderly or
shut-ins.
33) Participate in the Order’s Substance Abuse Awareness
Poster Contest.
34) Sponsor a “Responsibility of the Catholic Citizen in
a Free Society” Essay Contest.
35) Tour local or state government offices.
36) Hold a food drive for a soup kitchen/food pantry.
37) Plant a “Hunger Garden” to raise fresh produce for
a soup kitchen/food pantry.
38) Hold a “Teddy Bear Drive” to collect stuffed animals
for hospitalized children.
39) Supply rosaries for distribution by a hospital
chaplain.
40) Hold an “appreciation” activity for your sponsoring
council or assembly.
41) Volunteer as a group for a community project like
Habitat for Humanity.
42) Plan a “Career Day” inviting people from different
occupations to speak.
43) Sell pro-life lapel roses and donate proceeds to a
pro-life group.
44) Plan a softball tournament for youth groups.
45) Hold a clothing drive for a homeless shelter.
46) Hold a dance with another parish organization.
47) Sponsor a post-prom alcohol-free event.
48) Arrange with your father prior to volunteer for
parish activities.
49) Hold a membership open house.
50) Volunteer for local or state Special Olympics.
Dates to Remember
SUN., MARCH 28: Palm Sunday
MON., MARCH 29: Founder’s Day
THURS., APRIL 1: Holy Thursday
FRI., APRIL 2: Good Friday
SUN., APRIL 4: Easter
SUN., APRIL 11: Divine Mercy Sunday
SUN., MAY 9: Mother’s Day
SUN., MAY 16: Feast of the Ascension
SUN., MAY 23: Pentecost
MON., MAY 24: Victoria Day (Can.)
MON., MAY 31: Memorial Day (U.S.)
Corps d’Elite Awards
The Corps d’Elite Award recognizes circles
that achieve a high level of all-around excellence.
All circles can earn the award by submitting
the proper form and achieving
certain requirements. Applications are due
June 30, and are available in the Circle forms
section of kofc.org/squires. Mail the
form to Columbian Squires, 1 Columbus
Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326.

SQUIRES IN ACTION
Sto. Nino
Circle 3039
in Benquet,
Luzon, hosted
a Squires
Sportsfest event.
Thirty-six
members
attended the
activity, which
included basketball,
volleyball
and badminton
competitions.
Squires from St. Joseph the Carpenter Circle 5197 in Lincoln,
Calif., raised funds to support a program, sponsored by local Knights, combining
water sports and faith building. The Squires raised money through a car wash
that was used to purchase lunch for both days. They assisted serving about 100
people and the 12 Squires also helped set up the day before the event.
Twelve Squires from James Thomson Circle 4892 in Bellevue,
Neb., worked with Knights from their sponsoring council to rake leaves at the
home of the widow of their circle’s namesake.
Squires from Porta Vaga Circle 2450 in Magcauas, Cavite City,
Luzon, along with Knights from their sponsoring council and other parish
groups sponsored a Grand Family Rosary event in honor of the Virgin of Our Lady
of Solitude. The event included a short talk, catechetical teachings, and a praying
of the rosary.
Officers from Msgr. Edward F. Bily Circle 5111 of New Braunfels,
Texas, prepare to leave for the Texas State Squires Leadership Conference
in Leakey.
Squires from St. Leonides Circle 5177 in Sparta, N.J., participated
in the 2009 New Jersey Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk at Liberty State
Park in Jersey City. An estimated 1,000 walkers from New Jersey came to build
awareness of Alzheimer’s and raise funds to support the 350,000 patients and
families impacted by the disease in the Garden State. Deputy Grand Knight and
Youth Director Nick Cutrone led a walking team that included squires Frank
Cutrone, Joseph More, Quincy Samson, Dominick Bartolomeo, and Ben Insley
along with Brittany Salter, and Steve and Lorraine Insley. The combined Knights/
Squires team from Blessed Kateri Church raised more than $1,700 in sponsorships
and donations that will help support critical patient and caregiver services
provided by the New Jersey Alzheimer’s Association.
Send Us Your Squires News
USE THE “SQUIRES NEWSLETTER/MAJOR ACTIVITY
REPORT” (#363) located in the Circle Report Forms Booklet (#401),
or use the online form at www.kofc.org/squires. Be sure to include
the circle name and number, a description of the event, the
number of hours given on the project, funds raised and/or donated,
number of participants and other specifics. Also, list the project chairman’s
name with a phone number and/or e-mail address. Please include
a photo, especially an “action” shot.
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS SUPREME COUNCIL
1 COLUMBUS PLAZA • NEW HAVEN, CT 06510-3326 • 203-752-4000 • www.kofc.org/squires

SQUIRES
NEWSLETTER 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326
Nonprofit Organization
U.S. POSTAGE
P A I D
NEW HAVEN CT
PERMIT No. 400
LEGACIES, FROM PAGE ONE
25,000 members of the Columbian Squires.
Pope Benedict XVI has approved a decree
recognizing the heroic virtue of Father
McGivney. The decree gives Father McGivney
the distinction of “Venerable Servant
of God.” During “Squires Month,”
remember Father McGivney and
pray for him.
Brother Barnabas McDonald, F.S.C.,
was a Christian Brother whose entire life was
devoted to the welfare of young men. Because
of his experience, the Knights of Columbus
charged him in 1922 to create a program for
Catholic young men that would develop their
leadership abilities. The first official investiture
of new members for Duluth Circle 1 took
place in Duluth, Minn., on Aug. 4, 1925.
Only four years after the formation of the
Columbian Squires, Brother Barnabas died in
New Mexico. The New York Times described
his as, “a Saint walking amid the crowded,
busy modern ways of men in active ministry to
boyhood. ... to how many thousands of individuals
he has given a helping hand, no one
can estimate.”
Brother Barnabas is buried at Gate of
Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, N.Y. A
large Celtic cross (shown here) purchased by
the Columbian Squires in tribute to
Brother Barnabas stands a short distance
from the graveside.
BARNABAS, FROM PAGE ONE
When choosing a program to submit,
consider the impact it had on the group
it was serving (your church/parish,
school, community or an organization),
and how much work and
how many volunteers
were needed to carry
out the project.
Each circle’s best program activity
must be described in detail on the
Brother Barnabas Award Application
(#279). Be sure the form is filled out
completely and in detail so the judges
can get a clear understanding of the program.
Submit the form to the Supreme
Council office by June 30. The submissions
are judged on the following criteria:
the nature of the activity;
participation of the circle; results; originality;
committee planning; delegation of
responsibility; how much money was
raised and/or time donated; and how effectively
was the program publicized before
and after the event on the radio,
television, in newspapers, church bulletins,
on the Internet and your circle’s
Web page.
To obtain an application form,
visit the circle forms section on
www.kofc.org in the Squires
area. Print and mail to Columbian
Squires, 1 Columbus Plaza, New
Haven, CT 06510-3326.
SPOTLIGHT, FROM PAGE ONE
With a donation provided
from the pro-life group, the
Squires purchased supplies and
dedicated five hours on a Saturday
assembling holiday gift jars
of tortilla soup mix and doublefudge
brownie mix.
The items were sold for $10 a
jar. However, some customers
insisted on purchasing jars for as
much as $50 each. “We were impressed
by everyone’s generosity
and it’s a good cause,” said Squire
Ashton Smith. Overall, $1,320
was raised for the family to be
used for gas, groceries and gifts.
Squire Andrew Chapman,
upon delivery of the gift, said,
“Now I understand why St.
Nicholas gave so many gifts. It’s
a wonderful thing to do.”
The recipient said words
could not express “how grateful
we are. We are truly blessed as a
community and as people to
have Squires assisting those in
need. This is a demonstration
that the Spirit of the Lord is
strong in our youth.”
This was the second activity
for the four-month-old circle.
Their first was running a lost
parent/first aid booth at the annual
parish festival.
ARTICLE PREPARED BY CARL
STAKES, CHIEF COUNSELOR,
CIRCLE 5301.