COR
The Heart of Our Mission
Blessed Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus with a keen understanding of every man’s call to holiness and a fatherly vocation. Cor (Latin for “heart”) continues this mission by centering men’s hearts on Jesus so they can be transformed by an authentic relationship with him and each other.
Everything flows from the heart. If you get the heart right, you get the man right — a man of faith who will courageously live out the mission God calls him to.
Christ is the heart of Cor. We invite all men to join us in uniting our hearts with his.
Why Christ-Centered Brotherhood?
In a world that often promotes isolation, we can forget that God designed us for community. We are not meant to walk this journey of faith alone.
The bond of Christ-centered brotherhood helps men remain focused on their mission to grow in holiness. It fosters a sense of duty to one another — we are our brother’s keeper. We desire the good of our brothers as much as our own, striving to support one another in becoming the husbands, fathers and saints that God calls us to be.
As the center of our bond, Jesus is the unifying source of our strength, purpose, and direction.
What is Christ-Centered Brotherhood?
Christ-centered brotherhood is a bond formed through baptism, uniting us as adopted sons of God and brothers with Jesus.
As brothers in Christ, we are called to grow in relationship with Jesus, sharpen each other in virtue and support one another in living out our Catholic faith. We strive to live a life worthy of our calling — to become the men God created us to be, and to walk together toward heaven.
Why Cor?
Why? Because families need strong husbands and fathers, and the world needs courageous witnesses to Jesus Christ. Through Cor, men will be formed and sharpened as disciples of Jesus, who are committed to serving him and willing to boldly live and share their faith. It is the mandate of every Catholic man to bring Jesus to a broken world. To live his faith and engage in this mission, every Catholic man needs a strong relationship with God that is rooted in prayer and the sacraments. Catholic men need to proactively invest in their ongoing faith formation, to be a part of a dynamic brotherhood that supports, sharpens, and strengthens them to be holy men, husbands, and fathers, and to engage in the mission of the Church.
The mission of Cor is to refocus Catholic men on Jesus Christ and to form and strengthen them in faith and virtue through a brotherhood committed to prayer, formation, and fraternity. The goal of each Cor gathering is to provide the opportunity for men to encounter Christ, to pray together, to be formed in their faith, and to strengthen their bonds of brotherhood, preparing them for courageous leadership and the mission of evangelization for their families and communities.
How to run Cor
This general structure is meant to provide a simple framework for the leadership to fill with appropriate content according to what is previously planned and shared with the pastor/chaplain. Each gathering must have a designated leader to manage the content flow and timing.
Set Up:
- Considering hospitality, if any materials or books are needed for prayer, formation, or fraternity, either provide them or communicate in advance. Ensure that the space is set up to match your predetermined content.
Welcome & Opening Prayer
- Open with a prayer, even if starting with food and social fraternal time.
- Clergy should be asked to lead the prayer, if present.
- The opening prayer alone does not satisfy the required “prayer” element.
Introduce Theme or Focus
- Make any needed introductions or announcements such as the focus or theme. Use this as an opportunity to transition into the main content or focus for this specific gathering.
Cor Content – Prayer, Formation, Fraternity
- Begin the predetermined content structure, either emphasizing the key elements equally or with a specified emphasis. Formation and fraternity usu-ally occur first, concluding. The examples provided above have the content arranged with formation and fraternity occurring first and ending with prayer.
- If utilizing Into the Breach or another Catholic Information Service® resource such as the Cor Ecclesiae series, here is where it fits.
Wrap up
- Always end on time. This honors everyone’s time.
- Recap any action items, reminder for next Cor, and invite to any upcoming council and/or parish events.
Closing Prayer
- Consider using a consistent prayer and asking for prayer intentions that allows for repetition and familiarity.
- The closing prayer alone does not satisfy the required “prayer” element.
Schedule and Content—First six months (EXAMPLE)
Frequency: 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month @ 8 am
Content:
- This is a proposed structure to show how simple and flexible the structure can be using resources and materials readily available at www.kofc.org/cor.
- This example shows planning in advance, however, if the demands of the men attending require different content, then adapt accordingly. This is to emphasize that the formation and prayer content is supplementary to the needs of the fraternal brotherhood and not necessarily a set formal curriculum.
Cor Training Videos
Startup Videos: These videos accompany the Cor Startup Guide and are designed to simplify the process of launching and sustaining Cor. They provide concise, focused insights on key startup topics, making it easy to navigate and revisit when needed.
• Videos 1-6 below, more Startup Videos coming soon.
EFF Training Videos: Evangelization & Faith Formation (EFF) training on Cor is held yearly, providing state level leadership with essential Cor information to support their councils.
• 5 highlight videos from EFF Training 2024 below, along with all the videos from EFF Training 2024 & 2023.
https://www.kofc.org/en/who-we-are/our-faith/cor-training-videos.html
Veterans
Veterans Affairs Volunteer Services (VAVS) Opportunities at the VA Hospital
You may serve Veterans at the VA Hospital in a full-time or part-time volunteer position. Whatever time you have to spare is always greatly appreciated! The hospital needs all types of volunteers from manning a telephone to driving Veterans. No position is too small. Please contact SK Joe Bouley, VAVS Representative, for more information. You can also visit the VA website or contact Chris Scott at Christopher.Scott3@va.gov or 801-582-1565.
More Opportunities To Serve Our Veterans
On several occasions the Knights are called upon to deliver gifts to our Veterans receiving short- and long-term care at the VA Hospital. These usually occur around Christmas, Veteran’s Day, Flag Day and Valentine’s Day. You can volunteer to help put these gift bags together and deliver them to the Veterans or you can donate items and funds to the cause. The Knights also provide Color Guards on occasion and may serve dinner at the Fisher House, where families of hospitalized Veterans stay.
Salt Lake City Fisher House
The Fisher House Is very important to the Utah Knights since 2012. It provides free housing for Veterans and their families during in-patient stays at the hospital. But there are needs for these families, such as supplies and food. If your Council would like to help, you can still arrange to provide a meal, needed supplies or gift cards.
Any arrangements can be made with Heather Dunnigan at 801-588-5900, heather.dunnigan@va.gov. The Fisher House is located at 690 S Valdez Drive, on the VA Hospital grounds.
More information can be found at fisherhouse.org, then navigate to the Utah location. There you will find a wish list and online donations. Remember to get Knights of Columbus credit.
Thank you for supporting the needs of our VETERANS!
Food Hub Needs List
Canned soups (all kinds)
Canned or packaged tuna
Canned or packaged chicken
Canned Salmon
Canned chili
Canned stew
Canned pastas (eg., ravioli, spaghetti O’s)
Baked beans
Peanut butter
Rice and rice mixes
Noodle mixes (Hamburger Helper, Pasta Roni, Knorr Pasta Sides, etc.)
Raman Noodles
Dry noodles and pasta
Macaroni and cheese
Instant mashed potatoes
Cold cereals
Instant oatmeal
Bread, muffin, and pancake mixes
Crackers (all kinds)
Granola bars/protein bars
Apple sauce
Pudding cups
Shelf-stable milk
Spaghetti Sauce/Pasta Sauce
Nuts/Trail mixes
Non-food Items
Hygiene products (shampoo, deodorant, bar soap, toothpaste/brush, etc.)
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Hand soap
Laundry soap
Cleaning products (sanitizing wipes, NO spray chemicals)
VETERANS AFFAIRS DONATION NEWS
VA FOOD HUB
At a recent VA Hospital committee meeting, it was announced that food donations have further restrictions. All food must be from “approved vendors only.” That means no home-baked goods and no food that has expired or is “beyond the best use date.” You can still purchase food, including fresh food, from stores like Smith’s and Costco.
One of the best options for Councils to donate is by giving gift cards – the best denominations needed are $25 or $50 cards. If you choose this route, the cards can be delivered to the head of the VAVS at 801-582-1568 or Sarah.Hallen@va.gov. The Food Hub is located in Building 5, Room 1A31, Monday through Friday, 0800-1700, at 801-582-1565 or VHASLCFoodPantry@va.gov.
I have included the Food Hub wish list. As always, let them know you are from the Knights of Columbus and get a receipt.
Questions?
Any VAVS questions can be forwarded to SK Joe Bouley or his deputy representatives, SK John Wainscott, PSD, or SK Sid Cowand, PSD. Thank you for your generous support!
Joe Bouley, Veterans Affairs Chair
Coats for Kids
Every year councils collect money to buy winter coats for kids in need. Each council has its own way of distributing them from big fun events to quieter pickup times. Some councils will collect money after masses. Check with your local council or parish on how to donate and/or help.
Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids® Updates
The Knights of Columbus has worked closely with our supplier, Knights Gear, to secure high-quality coats at an affordable price for this year’s Coats for Kids program. As in previous years, the final cost of coats reflects several external factors. Due to increased costs for the programs, prices for coats have increased by $3 per coat ($36 per case of 12 coats) for toddler, child, youth, teen, and adult size coats. Lightweight coats have increased by $1.50 per coat ($36 per case of 24 coats). Please visit the Coats for Kids pages on KnightsGear.com in the United States and Canada for this year’s selection of coats.
Additionally, Supreme will again offer state councils BOGO (Buy One, Get One) sales for coats. To receive priority consideration, submit your proposal by September 15. All Black Friday or Boxing Day BOGO proposals submitted by state councils must be approved by Supreme’s Fraternal Operations Department before state councils can place their order. Please note that due to the increased costs of this program, there will be limits on the number of coats that Supreme will match for each jurisdiction. Please anticipate that your jurisdiction may receive fewer free coats as part of this incentive this year. Finally, as a reminder, the purpose of the BOGO incentive is to donate coats AND to invite men to join the Order during membership drives. All proposals must describe how the jurisdiction’s Black Friday or Boxing Day distribution will achieve those goals. All resources for the Coats for Kids program and BOGO incentive can be found here. Thank you for your support of the Coats for Kids program!
Special Olympics
Utah Knights of Columbus has a strong support for Special Olympics. Assemblies and councils can support an athlete, make a donation or participate in an activity. In 2016 we had two Color Corps averaging 14 men per event and over 1,500 athletes were “High-Fived”. We have many special events planned for this year.
2025 Calendar of Events and Contribution Form
Your financial support is vital to the continued success of this program. We are aiming for support from 100% of the councils this year. You can lend your support right now. Any amount will be accepted (it costs about $250 to support one athlete for one year). Just print out the form, fill in the information, include your check, and mail it to the address on the form. Any amount will be accepted. Additionally, when councils that donate and report it to supreme, they will support the athletes as well.
Scholarships
Utah Knights of Columbus Endowment Scholarship
The objective is to assist a Catholic student, graduating from a Utah high school, with their expenses during their first year of continuing education at a college, university or technical institute of their choice. The winner of the scholarship is announced at the annual State Convention’s Saturday Banquet. – Scholarship Application Package
Requirements
- Graduating from high school this year
- A member or child of a member in a Utah council of the Knights of Columbus in good standing
- A child of a deceased member of a Utah council of the Knights of Columbus who was in good standing at the time of death.
- Minimum average GPA of 2.0.
- Acceptance to the college, university or technical institute of their choice.
Dan Higgins, PSD Memorial Scholarship
Provided by the Council 602 Columbian Society. Each application for the Utah Knights of Columbus Endowment Scholarship is shared with Judges for this scholarship, so you only have to apply once.
The Patriotic Scholarship of the Utah Fourth Degree
This scholarship is to assist a fourth degree member, his spouse or his children with their expenses of continuing education at a college, university or technical institute of their choice. The winner of the scholarship is announced at the annual State Convention. – Application
Soccer Challenge
The Soccer Challenge is a competition designed for boys and girls ages 9-14 to demonstrate the most challenging of soccer skills; the penalty kick. Each player is allowed 15 shots at the goal from the penalty line. The goal is divided into a series of five scoring zones. The upper corners of the goal are designated as 20 point zones. The lower corners are designated as 10 point zones and the central region is a five-point zone. All competitors must register using the official Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge Entry Form andt be residents of the State of Utah to enter. Ages 9, 10 and 11 use a #4 regulation-sized soccer ball and shoot from the 10-yard line. 12, 13 and 14 year olds use a #5 regulation size soccer ball and shoot from the 10-yard line. The Challenge is at the State level. The first, second and third place winners in each division are recognized (first place winners each receive a soccer ball). – Information from Supreme Council
Free Throw Championship
Held annually, the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is for boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 14 (age as of January 1). The championship is set up to have the contestants compete within their own gender and age group. All competition starts at the local level in January. Winners move on to the district competition in February and the state finals in March. At the Council level each contestant shoots 15 consecutive Free Throws. At the District and State level each contestant shoots 25 consecutive Free Throws. More information is available from Supreme Council page. – Official Rules
Science Fair
The Diocese of Salt Lake City Parochial schools have mission statements that serve to develop the whole child according to the dictates of the Gospel and the Catholic Church and are commissioned by the Church and delegated by parents to teach the children entrusted to their care. The Schools provide well-rounded programs by addressing the spiritual, academic, social, psychological, aesthetic and physical development of each person. The Utah Knights of Columbus, in the furtherance of this mission, assist by recognition, encouragement and award of Parochial School students and educators in their accomplishments in the field of science. The Knights of Columbus Diocesan Science Fair is open to all Diocesan Middle School students in grades 6, 7, and 8. All participants must have the approval of their teacher and parents. A project entry form must be completely filled out and given to the school representative for each exhibit and all fees paid prior to the fair. The Diocesan Science Fair is held annually in February.
Essay Contest
The Knights of Columbus Essay Contest is open to students graduating from Catholic elementary schools and Catholic high schools. The goal of the Knights Essay Contest is to give students the opportunity to define the role of a Catholic Citizen in a Free Society, and to strengthen the bond between the Knights of Columbus and Catholic schools. The theme of the Knights Essay Contest is announced each year (e.g., “The Importance of Religious Freedom”). Essays must be typed on 8.5″ x 11″ paper, one side, double spaced, with one-inch margins. Essays must be between 500 and 750 words long. The official responsible for the contest is the grand knight of the sponsoring council or faithful navigator of the sponsoring assembly.
Councils and assemblies should consider monetary awards along with certificates for winners in each category. – Information from Supreme Council. – Utah Guide.
Keep Christ in Christmas Poster Contest
Conducting a Knights of Columbus “Keep Christ in Christmas” Poster Contest is an excellent way to get the young people of your community thinking about the true meaning of Christmas.
Substance Abuse Awareness Poster Contest
This contest was for posters in two categories: Alcohol Awareness and Abuse & Drug Awareness and Abuse. Each poster includes a slogan reflecting either of the topics and an original visual image. With the “Faith in Action” program model, this was dropped as a supreme-recommended program, but it continued in Utah until there was a lack of interest and participation. Please contact a state officer if you would like to see it return.
Culture of Life
Every life is sacred, from the moment of conception till natural death. As Knights of Columbus, we are called to defend the dignity of each human being at every stage and work together in building a culture of life and a civilization of love. Every year, the Knights of Columbus participate in the March for Life. Here are some Culture of Life ideas for councils from former Utah State Culture of Life Couple Kim and Don Franklin. There are also many other Utah Pro-Life Groups you can work with.
Aid and Support After Pregnancy (ASAP)
For every $500 a council or assembly donates to a pregnancy resource center or maternity home (up to $2,000), Supreme will donate $100. Our State Life Director put together these directions for councils donating.
Supreme Council ASAP Page – Current List of Approved Organizations in Utah
Questions?
The Utah Knights of Columbus need a volunteer to fill this important role. If you are interested, please reach out to SD Frank Carmona. Thank you.
New Faith in Action Programs
Resources for two new Community programs – Bright Futures and Celebrating Our Catholic Heritage – are now available at kofc.org/community. The Bright Futures program invites councils to support the students and schools in their communities. Celebrating Our Catholic Heritage encourages councils to celebrate the cultures and traditions of their parish communities through festivals and other events. While these programs appeal to all councils, they will have special appeal to those serving Hispanic parish communities. Review these new programs and their resources and consider running them in the new fraternal year since they are featured programs!
The guide sheet and brochure for each program are linked below:
Bright Futures
Celebrating Our Catholic Heritage