Program Manual

Message from the Charity Director

Mark Evans, Charity Director

From the moment of our founding in 1882, charity has been the first principle of the Knights of Columbus. We are men of faith and men of action.
Our Charitable activities encompass an almost infinite variety of local, national, and international projects. From international charitable partnerships with Special Olympics, the Global Wheelchair Mission and Habitat for Humanity to our own local charities, the opportunity to work together with fellow Knights and their families is virtually endless.
As we begin this new fraternal year, let us all keep in mind our theme, “We are Called.” This cannot be more evident than in our State
Charities Program. We must remember what Fr. McGivney started by “calling” that group of men together to start the Order with a common purpose in mind: Charity. Without that first principle we cannot accomplish our other goals.
State Charities
Our main objective this year will be encouraging our Brother Knights to give to State Charities. Not just for their Bishop’s designated charity, but also to their Brother Knights around our great state who find themselves in need. Whether it is for Special Olympics, Catholic Schools, or a natural disaster as seen in the wildfires that swept through Bastrop last year, we are called to respond to all of these needs. We must instill in them that while Charity begins at home, it doesn’t stop at our local boundaries. We are all a part of something larger that requires us to step up and help families wherever the need should arise.
To those councils, districts and dioceses that have met their charity goals in the past, thank you. But, we also want to encourage you to keep meeting those goals and do even more this coming fraternal year. This year we have councils who will attain 25 consecutive years of meeting or exceeding their charity goal. We would like to challenge each of these councils to consider giving at least 125% of their goal to commemorate this achievement. We also challenge any Council who has a 5, 10, 15, or 20 year streak coming up to mark it in a special way by giving 105%, 110%, 115%, or 120% respectively, of their goal, in honor of their particular milestone.
Remember that the Bishop of your Diocese will receive 70% of your State Charity contribution and 100% of all monies that exceed your Diocesan charity goal. To insure that your council receives proper credit: Please make your checks payable to “State Council Charities”. Be sure to include your council number on the check and mail to:

Texas State Council Knights of Columbus,
6633 Hwy 290 East, Suite 204,
Austin, Texas 78723-1157

The following is the list of Dioceses and their designations for the funds received through the Texas State Charities.

Bishop Diocese Bishop’s Charity Designations
Bishop Zurek Amarillo Continuing Spirituality Training for the Priests and Seminarians
Bishop Vasquez Austin Vocation Fund/Emergency Funds for the Priests
Bishop Guillory Beaumont Infirm Priests Fund
Bishop Flores Brownsville Deaf Ministry/Disabled Program
Bishop Mulvey Corpus Christi The ARK Assessment Center and Emergency Shelter for Youth
Bishop Farrell Dallas Persons with Disabilities and Deaf Ministries
Bishop Ochoa El Paso Vocations
Bishop Vann Fort Worth Deaf Ministry and Seminarian Support
Cardinal DiNardo Galveston/Houston Archdiocesan Catholic Schools
Bishop Tamayo Laredo Evangelization/Outreach Charity & Seminarian Support
Bishop Rodriguez Lubbock Vocations/Seminarian Support
Bishop Pfeifer San Angelo Pro-Life, Seminarian Education & Training; Lay Leaders Support and Development
Archbishop García-Siller San Antonio Deaf Ministry
Bishop Corrada del Rio Tyler Seminarian Education & Training
Bishop Felhauer Victoria Continuing Education for Priests, Extension of Lay Ministry and Evangelization