Free Membership for Seminarians

We’re pleased to let you know that effective immediately, membership in the Knights of Columbus is free for all seminarians who join the Order online in the United States and Canada. Using the promo code SEM18 to join at kofc.org/joinus, seminarians can begin their membership in the Knights. After joining online, they also have the opportunity to join a Knights of Columbus council where they can continue to grow in their relationship with Christ and his Church through Faith in Action programs, fraternity and a built-in support network.

As you know, the Order has a long history of providing moral, financial and spiritual support for seminarians and all those discerning a religious vocation. Through Faith In Action’s Refund Support Vocations program (RSVP), we raise funds to support our local seminarians, and perhaps even more importantly, we also provide our “adopted” seminarians with moral support and prayers for their success. At this difficult time for the Church it is crucial that we continue to support our seminarians, and offering free membership to those who join online is just one more way to do so.

The rectors at each seminary across the United States and Canada will be receiving a promotional packet including an introductory letter from the Supreme Knight, posters and brochures about this special membership offer for their seminarians in the coming weeks to ensure that program reaches those it was designed for. A sample of the letter, poster, and brochure, are attached in this email for your reference.

Seminarians who join online using this promo code may maintain their free membership for as long as they remain in seminary, by simply attesting to their continued enrollment at the time of their membership renewal. The process takes place entirely online. If a seminarian is ordained to the priesthood, he is granted honorary life membership and continues to be exempt from dues.

Please spread the word about this membership offer throughout your state and local teams. Making sure your immediate Stat Officer Team, District Deputies, Council Grand Knights, Chaplains and Pastors, will ensure that seminarians in your state have the opportunity to join the Order for free! Of course, if you know any seminarians personally, encourage them to join online at kofc.org/joinus using the promo code SEM18.

Please contact Kevin Smith, Field Liaison with any questions you may have about this program. You can reach him at kevin.smith@kofc.org or 203-752-4572.

FAQ

Are seminarians who are already members eligible to use this promo code for free membership?

If a Seminarian has joined online in the past year, they can use the promo code at their time of renewal to attest and receive that year’s dues for free.

How does a seminarian renew his free membership each year? Seminarians who join online with the promo code will be prompted to re-attest to remaining in seminary each year as part of an automated, online renewal process. His free membership will automatically renew for that following year as long as he attests to remaining in seminary.

Do priests use this promo code for free membership too? No, this offer is only available to current seminarians. Ordained priests will continue to be given Honorary Life Membership, per current policy.

If a seminarian signs up with this promo code and leaves the seminary, will he be charged for membership? If a seminarian has joined the Order for free with the promo code, but leaves the seminary, he will be charged membership dues during the next year’s renewal process. This process is automated and online.

My councils have seminarians whose dues we cover. Can I stop paying those dues? No, this online promo code does not affect any billing processes for councils.

If a seminarian joins online for free with the promo code, and transfers to my council, do I charge him dues? You do not need to charge dues to seminarians who transfer into your council after joining online with the promo code. During the next year’s billing cycle, councils will have the option to make him exempt from membership dues.

Fraternally,

Mark McMullen Senior Vice President Membership and Fraternal Mission

 

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