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DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Grand Knight [President]
Deputy Grand Knight [Vice President]
Chancellor
Warden [Master at Arms]
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the Top
Trustees
Advocate [Parliamentarian]
Lecturer
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the Top
Treasurer
Financial Secretary
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Recorder [Recording Secretary]
Guards
Charity
Church
Community
Council
Family
Youth
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OFFICES IN DETAIL
GRAND KNIGHT
The grand knight is responsible for the overall
welfare of the council. Elected annually by the
council membership, the grand knight must provide
thoughtful and inspired leadership to the council
officers, the Service Program directors, chairmen
and members of the council.
More specifically, his duties include: presiding
over council meetings, details of which are outlined
in the flyer, "Method of Conducting a Council
Meeting" (#1937); acting as an ex officio member of
all committees; appointing the membership and
program directors and working with them on the
selection of Service Program activities chairmen and
membership recruitment teams and retention chairmen;
convening officers for a monthly meeting; appointing
special committees not mandated by the laws of the
council; overseeing the proper exemplification of
the First Degree; and, finally, making sure that all
reports and reporting forms required by the state or
Supreme Council offices are submitted on time.
Another area of the grand knight's duties is
overseeing the important work of the council's
admission committee. Immediately after entering upon
his term of office, the grand knight must appoint an
admission committee composed of seven members. The
grand knight monitors their work and makes sure
their results are in line with the laws governing
the actions of the committee.
The grand knight also interacts with the financial
secretary and treasurer to ensure the council is
meeting its financial obligations to the Supreme and
state councils, and others. The grand knight
countersigns all orders drawn and signed by the
financial secretary and all checks drawn and signed
by the treasurer. He also reads the vouchers from
the financial secretary of moneys paid to the
treasurer and from the treasurer of moneys deposited
in the bank. By these procedures, the grand knight
monitors the performance of the financial secretary
and treasurer, working with them to help the council
meet its financial obligations.
In accordance with section 130 of the "Charter,
Constitution and Laws" (#30), each financial
secretary, upon appointment by the supreme knight,
is bonded automatically in the amount of $5,000.00.
Additional bonding may be provided at a cost of
$7.00 per thousand by contacting the office of the
supreme secretary. The same will apply to the
council treasurer when the "Report Of Officers"
(#185) is received at the Supreme Council office.
The grand knight is a member of the Advisory Board
charged with general supervision of a Columbian
Squires circle sponsored by his council.
Finally, the grand knight, together with the deputy
grand knight and trustees, is responsible for
recommending a chaplain to the ordinary of the
diocese for his appointment in accordance with
section 128 of the "Supreme Charter, Constitution
and Laws" (#30). He also appoints a lecturer.
DEPUTY GRAND KNIGHT
The deputy grand knight is the second in command in
the local council. He is also elected annually,
assists the grand knight in the operation of council
affairs and is responsible for any duties assigned
to him by the grand knight.
In the absence of the grand knight, the deputy grand
knight presides at council meetings and functions as
the grand knight would. The deputy grand knight is a
member of the Advisory Board charged with general
supervision of a Columbian Squires circle sponsored
by his council. It is suggested that the deputy
grand knight and the board of trustees serve on the
council's retention committee.
CHANCELLOR
The chancellor is elected annually to serve the
council in a variety of ways. Primarily, he assists
the grand knight and deputy grand knight in the
execution of their duties and takes charge of the
council during the incapacity or extended absence of
both. With the cooperation and support of the grand
knight, the chancellor has the important duty of
strengthening the members' interest in council
activities.
It is recommended that the chancellor serve as the
chairman of the council's Admission Committee. The
chancellor is also a member of the council's
Columbian Squires circle ceremonial team.
RECORDER
The recorder is responsible for keeping a true
record of all the actions of the council and
maintains all correspondence of the council. He
should use the "Recorder's Minute Book" {#1403,
available from the Supreme Council
FINANCIAL SECRETARY
The financial secretary's important role is
underscored by the fact that he is not elected by
the membership but, his appointment - upon the
recommendation of the grand knight and trustees - is
approved by the supreme knight for a period of three
years. His work has a direct effect on council
members, his fellow officers, the state council and
the Supreme Council.
Basically, the financial secretary's duties revolve
around two key areas of council activities:
financial records and membership records. The
financial secretary collects and receives all moneys
that come into the council from any source. He then
turns that money over to the treasurer for deposit
in the council account.
In accordance with section 130 of the "Charter,
Constitution and Laws" (#30), each financial
secretary, upon appointment by the supreme knight,
is bonded automatically in the amount of $5,000.00.
Additional bonding may be provided at a cost of
$7.00 per thousand by contacting the office of the
supreme secretary. One main function of the
financial secretary is to collect money, in the form
of dues, from members. He sends out billing notices
before the start of the billing period and initiates
retention measures to prevent members from being
suspended for nonpayment of dues.
The compilation of membership records is another of
the financial secretary's important roles. He must
ensure, that new members sign the constitutional
roll of membership at the time of their First
Degree. The financial secretary also applies to the
Supreme Council office for honorary and honorary
life membership cards for qualified members. Besides
these two major responsibilities, the financial
secretary has several others. They include: handling
supply orders for members with the Supreme Council
Supply Department; filing the "Report of Officers"
(#185) with the Supreme Council office; and
reporting all membership/insurance transactions to
the Supreme Council office in a timely and correct
manner.
When a financial secretary wishes to retire from his
office, he should send a brief statement of
resignation to the supreme knight. The statement
should designate a final date by which the
resignation is to be effective according to the
wishes of the financial secretary. It is to be
remembered, however, that every financial secretary
has been appointed on the condition that he will
remain in the office, if needed, until the supreme
knight has been able to appoint the new financial
secretary. Upon receipt of the financial secretary's
letter of resignation at the Supreme Council office,
the appropriate forms for the nomination and
appointment of the new financial secretary will be
forwarded to the grand knight.
Because the duties and responsibilities of the
financial secretary are so varied and complex, a
Financial Secretary's Handbook (#1410) and an
audiovisual production, The Financial Secretary--Our
Answer Man, available at no charge, except postage
and handling, from the Supreme Council Department of
Fraternal Services, have been created to help him
and council members understand his task more
completely. The Supreme Council also makes available
personal computer software and associated reports
and supplies to assist financial secretaries to
automate record keeping/billing tasks. Information
on hardware requirements and ordering information
for the software and supplies may be obtained by
contacting the Supply or the department of
Membership Records.
TREASURER
The treasurer is the elected official in charge of
handling all council funds. He receives money from
the financial secretary and issues a receipt for
such. He is also responsible for depositing all
money in the proper council accounts and providing a
voucher or certificate of deposit to the grand
knight for each transaction. The treasurer is also
responsible for issuing payments to the Supreme
Council on all assessments made by it to the council
and for all orders of the council.
Finally, the treasurer is responsible for keeping
accurate accounts of the monies in the general
expense fund of the council and the amount of money
in any special funds established by the council. He
must be able to provide up-to-date records on these
accounts to the grand knight, financial secretary or
board of trustees. In accordance with section 130 of
the "Charter, Constitution and Laws" (#30), the
treasurer is automatically bonded in the amount of
$5,000 upon receipt of the "Report of Officers"
(#185) at the Supreme Council office. Additional
bonding may be provided at a cost of $7.00 per
thousand by contacting the office of the supreme
secretary.
LECTURER
The lecturer is appointed by the grand knight to
provide suitable educational and entertaining
programs under the "Good of the Order" section of
the council meeting. The "Good of the Order" may
include such items as speakers, presentations on
special topics, etc. The lecturer is responsible for
presenting the "Good of the Order" section at
council meetings.
The lecturer must be knowledgeable of all aspects of
council programming in order to provide members with
informative and entertaining programs. If the
meetings have been conducted in accordance with the
ceremonials and the agenda, there will be ample time
at each meeting for the lecturer to present a
worthwhile program that will help build meeting
attendance and provide benefits to the membership
that is present.
ADVOCATE
The advocate is the parliamentarian for the council.
He need not be a member of the legal profession;
however, he should be thoroughly familiar with all
of the laws of the Order as stated in the "Charter,
Constitution and Laws" and with the council by-laws.
When a by-law is to be revised, the advocate serves
as chairman of the revision committee.
The advocate should also have a working knowledge of
"Robert's Rules of Order," and the Supreme Council
flyer, "Methods of Conducting a Council Meeting"
(#1937). An understanding of both of these will help
keep meetings on track. When needed, the advocate
shall seek legal assistance from the state advocate.
In matters of trail of council members, the advocate
shall prosecute the charges on behalf of the
council.
WARDEN
The warden is responsible for supervising and
maintaining all council property, except that which
belongs to the financial secretary. He sets up the
council chambers for meetings and degrees and
appoints and supervises guards for ceremonial
exemplifications.
The warden should also oversee the inside and
outside guards and make sure they are fulfilling the
duties assigned to them.
INSIDE/OUTSIDE GUARDS
The guards attend the doors of the council chamber,
checking on current membership cards before allowing
entrance.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The board of trustees consists of the grand knight
and three members elected by the council. Trustees
supervise all financial business of the council.
They serve as auditors for the semiannual audits and
oversee the work of the financial secretary and
treasurer.
The grand knight is the chairman of the board. It is
suggested that the board of trustees and the deputy
grand knight serve on the council's retention
committee. Trustees are elected for terms of three
years, two years and one year. At each regular
election, the position of each trustee will be voted
upon, and the current three and two year trustees
move on to become two and one year trustees,
respectively.
CHAPLAIN
The priest chosen to serve the council as chaplain
will primarily act as spiritual advisor to the
brother knights and families of that council. Since
he will more than likely have a full-time ministry
demanding the major part of his time and effort, no
specific duties with regard to running the council
have been assigned to him. He is expected, however,
to make a report at council meetings.
The chaplain's report, scheduled in the "Method of
Conducting a Council Meeting" (#1937), consists of
any business matters relative to his office and a
brief talk by him on any religious matters. The
chaplain should also serve as an advisor to the
Church activities director and members of that
committee. Section 128 of the Laws explains that
"the grand knight, deputy grand knight and board of
trustees may annually select a priest to act as
chaplain, but such selection must be made in
accordance with any rules established by the bishop
of the diocese in which the council is located." It
is the responsibility of the grand knight to follow
any established rules of the diocese. If questions
arise, the grand knight should contact the state
deputy or the chancery's office of the diocese.
Deacons and religious brothers cannot serve as a
council chaplain, but may be designated as the
"spiritual director" of the council.
After the selection of the chaplain, the grand
knight, the program director and the director of
Church activities should conduct a meeting with the
council chaplain to outline the work of the council
in the field of Church activity for the fraternal
year. In addition, as early as possible after the
election of officers, there should be a meeting of
all council officers including the council chaplain
to discuss particular programs in which the chaplain
will participate. Since the chaplain is a priest, it
is expected that the council officers will provide
him with as many opportunities as possible to
exercise the teaching phase of his ministry for the
benefit of the council members themselves, their
families and the community.
Every opportunity should be provided the chaplain to
help train the members of the council in their
rightful positions as Catholic leaders. Through such
a program the chaplain can make a great contribution
to the development of a better informed Catholic
leadership by clearing up any questions which the
members may have and by interpreting religious
information which comes to them through secular
newspapers, the radio, television, etc.
The chaplain should also cooperate with the council
in conducting public affairs of a Catholic nature --
such as lectures, special religious services,
publication of Catholic advertisements and
assistance to the clergy in the community through
intelligent and trained Catholic manpower.
Occasionally there arise in a community, in a
jurisdiction or on a nationwide basis controversial
questions in which the position of the Church or of
Catholics is involved. Before any public action is
taken with regard to such a matter, the council
officers and the committee chairmen involved should
sit down with the chaplain and discuss the matter
thoroughly, so that if the council does take a
position, or if it should ask its members to take a
position, the question will be thoroughly understood
and handled properly.
Following the order of business outlined in the
"Method of Conducting a Council Meeting" (#1937) and
to give greater importance to the role of the
chaplain at Council meetings, the chaplain will
report to members immediately after the grand
knight's report or whenever he so desires. He is
also provided an opportunity for a summation just
prior to the closing prayer.
Council chaplains can enhance the interest at
council meetings by arranging to conduct special
informational programs for a specified time period
during the chaplain's report section of the council
meeting. The advice and counsel of the chaplain are
often needed by the officers and members and,
therefore, his presence at as many meetings as
possible would be most helpful.
Copyright Supreme Council of Knights of Columbus
1999-2004, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510,
(203) 772-2130
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