Steps to Success When Communicating With Your Bishop

Most important thing to remember:

The State Council is in service to the Dioceses in their jurisdiction. This must be believed and emulated by the State Council – especially the State Deputy.

1. Request to meet with your Bishop(s) for one purpose: to ask how your jurisdiction may better serve his diocese.

Quarterly meetings are ideal if he is available.
- At least an annual meeting within the first few months of the new Fraternal Year.
The meeting with the Bishop(s) should include the State Chaplain as a matter of protocol.
Unless the State Deputy already has a strong relationship with a particular Bishop, it is often best for the State Chaplain to request the meeting with the local Ordinary for himself and the SD.
If it’s unclear who should request the meeting with the local Ordinary, the default is always the State Chaplain.
Bishops usually have very tight schedules. Be sure to coordinate everything that will be discussed with the State Chaplain in advance of the meeting(s).

2. When you meet with a Bishop to discuss a new idea or project, make sure that the following two points are very clear:

The idea/project will cost him no money
The idea/project will not create more work for him

3. Prior to creating the calendar for your jurisdiction, ask the Bishop (or his designate) if you may see the diocese’s public calendar for the Fraternal year.

Stress that you want to make sure your jurisdiction is aware of and ready to assist the Bishop(s) with important events(s) throughout the year.

4. Understand the Faith in Action Programs very well. Prior to meeting with the Bishop, do your homework and learn what programs and initiatives are important to him.

Make him aware of the Faith in Action programs that directly contribute to the initiatives/programs important to him.

He may not be aware of what the Faith in Action programs are.

An excellent place to start is to show him the trailer for the Into the Breach video series.
He will also be very interested in the RSVP Program.

5. Offer to work with the Bishop’s designee. Too often it is assumed that one must work directly with the Bishop. This is simply not true or practical.

Bishops, like most CEO’s, oversee a very large organization with many moving parts. To be successful in their leadership role, they must surround themselves with smart, productive people.

Know this in advance and if the Bishop offers, be ready and willing to work with his designee.
Unless otherwise instructed, the Bishop’s designee will be the person to update the Bishop and be the liaison between you and him.

6. The Bishop should be kept informed (well in advance) of any major KofC events in his diocese that go beyond the parish level.

A Bishop should never be surprised by major KofC events that take place in his diocese.
- Unless otherwise requested by a Bishop, he should be notified a minimum of 60-90 days aheadof a major KofC event.
Major events often necessitate or may generate a public relations (PR) opportunity that a diocese deserves the time to prepare for if they choose.

7. At all costs, be the group in the diocese that he can depend on the most.

If the Bishop asks for your help, do everything possible to do so, even if it’s something “we don’t normally do.”
If the Bishop implements a new initiative, and he does not ask for your assistance, reach out to him and offer to help in any way you can.

8. Always follow up a meeting with the Bishop (or his designee) with a “thank you” letter.

In addition to words of gratitude, this is an opportunity to acknowledge (briefly) what you discussed and, in some cases, what you have agreed to do based on his request.