The Holy Family Prayer Program began August 5th at the 132nd Supreme Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This program features an image of the Holy Family. Each Knights of Columbus jurisdiction received a Holy Family image, which will be the centerpiece of prayer services conducted in churches and council meeting places throughout the Order for the duration of the program.
We have two images that will be traveling the State. I am asking that you contact your Councils and find out when the Council/Parish would like to host this Icon. Prayer books and cards will be provided. We need the prayer books returned and the cards passed out sparingly. Books and cards are available in English, Spanish and a limited number of Polish.
The Holy Family Prayer Program is the 17th Marian Prayer Program sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, beginning with the first program – honoring Mary under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe - in 1979. In preparation for the 1982 Centennial of the Order, the second prayer program was initiated, which highlighted the Holy Family. Since then, the Blessed Mother has been honored by her Knights under her titles of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Our Lady of Czestochowa, Our Lady of Pochaiv, Our Lady of the Assumption, Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Charity.
These Order wide programs of Marian Prayer have gathered together more than 16 million people at some 140,000 prayer services conducted at local councils and parishes.
There is a log book with each Icon, this needs to be filled out and kept with the set (set includes Icon, prayer books and prayer cards). On the 15th of each month whoever has the Icon will need to scan and email me the last couple of pages so that I can keep track of the totals. My email address is: bryant.sayers@gmail.com Please place in the subject line “Icon Program”.
Help us improve the Service Program activities offered by the Supreme Council office by having the councils send reports on their council’s successful activities and/or any suggestions they may have on improving our program. Have them send this information to me via email with “Icon Program Suggestions” in the subject line. Any pictures that you, the Council or the Parish may take, please forward these as well, with the same subject line. Also encourage the council to tell us about their program so that it may be included in our report. There will be a page on the State Web site with a calendar that will show where each Icon is scheduled to be. It will be the responsibility of the council holding the Icon at the time and the Council that is scheduled to receive it to coordinate the exchange and to inspect the image for damage. Any damage needs to be photographed and sent to me.
Here are some suggestions to help your council in planning your council’s participation in the Holy Family Prayer Program.
Once you find out from your jurisdiction’s Marian Prayer Program chairman when your council is scheduled to receive the image, consult your chaplain and/or pastor about the service and set a location for the prayer service to be held.
Identify council members and clergy to fulfill the various roles called for in the prayer program.
Representatives of your council should attend the service at the council from whom you will receive the image and bring the image to your council.
Instruct the congregation to say the prayers at a moderate pace to ensure the service is truly reverent.
If possible, the choir leader should review the hymns with the congregation before the service.
Collect prayer books after the service to be sent along with the image to the next council.
No money should be collected nor should any social activity be held in conjunction with the service.
The grand knight should record the council’s program in the log book that accompanies the image before sending it on to the next council.
Additional copies of the prayer books and prayer cards used in the program can be ordered from the Supreme Council Fraternal Services Department
Vivat Jesus!
Bryant R. Sayers
IPSD
Marian Program Chairman
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