Guidelines

ELIGIBILITY

• Seminarians who have been accepted by a diocese and are currently in their spirituality year
• Seminarians attending major seminary in preparation for priestly ordination
• Seminarians in their pastoral year
• Seminarians attending minor seminaries
• Seminarians who belong to a religious institute and are currently in formation for the priesthood ( religious seminarians are often called “Brother” even though they will eventually be ordained as priests)
• Men and women who are novices or postulants in religious orders or religious communities

Persons not eligible for RSVP funds are:

• Priests or religious seeking assistance for continuing education
• Religious brothers not studying for priesthood
• Candidates for the permanent diaconate

Action Steps

• Review RSVP guidelines and eligibility requirements.
• Locate a candidate to support. If you need help, contact your pastor or diocesan vocations director.
• After a candidate's name and address is secured, set up a planning meeting to determine:
  • The Amount of Money to be raised.
  • How the relationship will be managed.
  • Presentation of the check.
• When presenting money to an RSVP candidate, notify the diocesan vocations director.
• Take photos and send them to your local and diocesan newspapers, and Columbia magazine. Be sure caption information is complete and each individual’s name is spelled correctly.
• RSVP assistance also involves prayer and moral support. 
  • Make at least one personal visit to each sponsored seminarian, or postulant.
  • Encourage members and their families to keep the seminarian or postulant in their prayers.
  • Send communications throughout the year – e.g., birthday, Christmas and Easter greetings.
  • Invite them to all council activities.
  • Include them in mailing of newsletter or other communications.
  • Invite them to make a presentation to the council, parish, and/or parish youth groups on what it means to prepare for priesthood or religious life.
  • Arrange for them to host a group of young people from the council or parish at their seminary to meet other seminarians.
  • Make sure to offer congratulations and support to your seminarian or postulant on their ordination.

Support Materials

In addition to supporting seminarians and postulants through RSVP, councils, assemblies and circles are encouraged to conduct programs and activities that promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

The following vocations materials are available from the Supreme Council.

To order audiovisual productions, please contact the Supreme Council Department of Fraternal Mission or order online.

To order the printed pamphlets, brochures and certificates, please contact the Supreme Council Supply Department.

Audiovisual
Title	Item #
Everyone Has a Vocation to Love. What's Yours? – DVD	50046

 

Print Materials
Title	Item #
Vocations Prayer Card	1874
Vocations Handbook	1942
Vocations Poster (11 by 17 inches)	2959
Parish Priest: Father McGivney and American Catholicism (hard cover $20.00; soft cover $12.00)	40095
A Model for Our Times: The Heroic Virtue of Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney	5044

 

Booklets
To order the following booklets, please contact the Supreme Council Catholic Information Service.
Luke E. Hart Series	Number
Introduction to the Sacraments	112
Holy Orders and the Anointing of the Sick	117

When ordering materials, please use the online request form when available; or mail or fax a Requisition Form (#1) to the Supply Department.

Orders made online or faxed in should not be mailed because it may result in duplicate order. Please allow four weeks to ensure delivery by the event.

Department	Postal Service	Telephone / Fax
Supply Department	Knights of Columbus P.O. Box 1670 New Haven, CT 06507	Tel: 203-752-4214 Fax: 800-266-6340
Fraternal Mission Department	Knights of Columbus 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510	Tel: 203-752-4270 Fax: 203-752-4108