Vocations to the priesthood and religious life are very important to the Catholic Church and to our Order.

We need priests to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and to teach and lead us on the path to Jesus.

Education costs are extremely high for the candidates to the priesthood and religious life. The NH State Council wants to assist these men and women with a special calling by providing financial support for their education.

The Penny-A-Knight-A-Day (PKD) program was established by the NH State Council at the October

2009 Quarterly Meeting.  This program is voluntary and provides needed dollars to the NH State Council Vocations fund.   This fund is used to support religious vocations to qualified candidates throughout the State of NH.

On an annual basis, the PKD program asks each Brother Knight to add an additional $3.65 (Penny-A- Knight-A-Day) to their annual council dues.  The entire $3.65 would be deposited into the NH State Council Vocations fund and used for priests and religious.

The process is as follows:

  • Council Financial Secretary (FS) sends out the annual dues statements to the members.
    • An additional note is added to the billing statement using in Member Management System (or separate insert - see page 3) asking the member to addPKD - $3.65 (.01 per day X 365) to their annual dues for the NH State Council Vocations Fund NOTE: Keep in mind this is a voluntary program.FS collects the additional $3.65 and maintains separate documentation to track the PKD funds collected.
  • The FS prepares a Report of Vouchers entry for all PKD donations from the Council to the Council Treasurer who in turn will write one check payable to the “NH State Council”, annotating in the “Memo” line “Vocations Fund.”
  • Treasurer mails the check to the State Council Secretary before the State Convention.
  • The State Deputy will present a check representing the combined donations of all NH State Councils to the Bishop of Manchester at the State Convention.
  • A check in the amount of $3,355.75 was presented to our Bishop at the April 2023 Convention.

I want to emphasize again that this is a  voluntary program. However, because of the shortage of priests and religious, it is imperative that we as Knights of Columbus do all we can to promote religious vocations throughout the world and especially in the State of New Hampshire. Please bring this proposal to the membership at your very next Council Business meeting.

The candidates for the priesthood and religious life will be most grateful to the Order for our donations to assist them in completing their theological studies.

Fraternally,
David A. Wilson
Penny A Knight A Day (PKD), NH State Council Chairman

Attachment: Billing insert

NOTE: The below text can also be copied and pasted into the body of the Billing Statement created using the Supreme Member Management System Billing application.

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Penny-A-Knight-A-Day (PKD) Program
Voluntary program to provide funding to support the NH State Council Vocations Fund
100% of the funds collected will go directly to the Vocations Fund for candidates to the priesthood and religious life.
Add $3.65 to your council’s annual dues assessment and include in the check sent to your Financial Secretary
The State Deputy will present a check representing the combined donations of all NH State
Councils to the Bishop of Manchester at the State Convention.

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