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The Admission Committee – Effective Recruit Screening & Inspiration

Doug Oldmixon, State Advocate

The Constitution and Bylaws in Section 108 provides that a Grand Knight will appoint an Admission Committee of seven members. Though any member in good standing may serve, it is quite often the Council’s Recruitment Chairman who also serves as Chairman of the Admission Committee.

Often the Deputy Grand Knight, Financial Secretary, Chancellor and three Trustees serve as the other six members, but any member in good standing can be appointed to serve on the Committee.  With a total membership of seven, four members is the minimum quorum to conduct business and a majority of at least three votes (or four if all seven are present) are needed to make a recommendation.

Applications received by any member are forwarded to the Chairman, who will convene the Committee and arrange for the attendance of applicants.  It is always helpful to have a short prepared presentation and plenty of recruitment and educational materials available at that meeting. Allow the applicants to ask any questions they wish in order to become knowledgeable and comfortable in making a decision. Ensure the applicant is at least 18 years old, and ask them if they are a practicing Catholic (“…a practical Catholic in union with the Holy See…”).  Ask about the applicant’s wife and/or family (if any), and other organization memberships or social activities the applicant is involved in.  This will allow you to highlight those programs or aspects of the Order that may address his personal or family members’ interests. Once known, the range and depth of our Order’s programs often inspire a man to make that final positive decision to join our ranks. 

Sometimes, this line of conversation also brings up issues regarding the status of a marriage or divorce or perhaps membership in a group such as a Masonic lodge. All questions regarding the details of concerns about whether a particular circumstance affects the man’s standing as a “practical Catholic” should be referred to the Pastor or Chaplain for a private conversation.  It is not our role to make that determination alone; we must seek the pastoral involvement and counsel of the Council’s spiritual advisor.  However, once cleared by the Pastor or Chaplain, the Admission Committee and Council still have a vital role to play.  Other considerations come into play in making a positive or negative recommendation to admit or deny admission to our membership. For example, if a man’s past or current potentially scandalous acts are well known in a community and would tend to bring disrepute on the Order, the Committee must consider such matters. 

Once acted upon, applications are forwarded to the Grand Knight with a report of the recommendations, both positive and negative. Applications are then read to the membership at the next business meeting, along with the Committee’s recommendation, and the membership votes on whether to admit each applicant. If five or more members of the Committee render a written report withholding endorsement of a man’s application because the applicant is not a practical Catholic, then the application is rejected and is not presented to the Council for consideration or a vote. 

Hope these suggestions help.  Happy and successful recruiting efforts to every Council!


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