Pilgrim Icon Program | Knights of Columbus

Overview

Every few years, the Knights of Columbus select a Catholic icon featuring an image that is particularly edifying to Knights and their communities. Each jurisdiction receives one or several of these icons which travel from council to council and serve as the centerpieces for prayer services in parishes throughout the Order. The current icon in circulation depicts the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is the aim of this program to continue to foster greater devotion to the Sacred Heart among Knights and their communities. More than 191,000 council and parish prayer services with some 23 million participants have been held since the first traveling pilgrim icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1979. For Pilgrim Icon Program resources, visit www.kofc.org/pilgrimicon.

Additionally, in conjunction with the Sacred Heart Holy Hour, Knights and their families are encouraged toenthrone the Sacred Heart of Jesus in their homes using this the enthronement resources mentioned in this guide sheet.

Action Steps

Identify a program chairman to oversee all action steps and delegate tasks as needed. If coordinating with the parish, confirm pastor approval with the grand knight, and then set up subsequent planning meetings.
Working with your jurisdiction’s Pilgrim Icon Program chairman and your pastor, coordinate when your council is scheduled to receive the icon. To identify your chairman, contact your state council or email fraternalmission@kofc.org.
Determine whether your prayer service will include exposition of the Blessed Sacrament or not. The Sacred Heart Holy Hour Booklet (#5050) can be used for a prayer service with or without exposition.
Review the Sacred Heart Holy Hour Booklet (#5050) and identify council and parish members to fulfill the various roles required in the holy hour. Examples include a leader for the readings, such as a member of the clergy or council officer, additional lectors, a cantor or choir, and musicians.
Accompanying each icon will be a case containing prayer cards, prayer service booklets, posters, and a log book. Working with your jurisdiction’s Pilgrim Icon Program chairman, determine if enough booklets remain from previous services. Additional copies of the Sacred Heart Holy Hour Booklet (#5050) and Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer Cards (#11520) can be ordered through Supplies Online via Officers Online.
Prior to the Sacred Heart Holy Hour, use the Pilgrim Icon News Release (#11266) as a model to create and distribute a tailored release to your parish, council, and local media.
Build public interest for the event! Promote the Pilgrim Icon Program in your parish and larger community through a variety of efforts:

Prominently display promotional posters (which can be ordered through Supplies Online)
Bulletin announcements
Pulpit announcements
Posting on your council and parish website / social media pages
Share the event in all digital council communications

Invite council officers from the next host council to your holy hour.
Hold your holy hour with the following guidelines in mind:

Ask your pastor if he needs any support for the event
Place the icon in a place of honor. If exposition will occur, be sure the icon does not obstruct the Blessed Sacrament.
Provide the music director of your parish with the hymns for the holy hour ahead of time so he or she can prepare
If exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is desired, a priest or deacon will be needed.
In advance of the service, advise the lectors to recite the readings at a moderate pace to ensure the service is truly reverent
Throughout the evening, be ever mindful of the intentions of your holy hour
No money should be collected at the holy hour itself

At the close of the holy hour, formally present the icon to the next host council. Council officers from the next host council can receive the icon at the front of the church or meeting place after it concludes.
Following the conclusion of the holy hour, distribute Sacred Heart Images (#4361), Enthronement Ceremony Booklets (#11769), Enthronement Certificates (#11762) and Enthronement Prayer Cards (#11774) to participants and families.
Invite Catholic men attending the event to join the Order:

On the day of the event, wear Knights of Columbus-branded apparel and have the council membership director set up a table with brochures, a list of upcoming council programs and events, and membership documents (including Prospect Cards #921A).
Encourage men to join at the event using the kofc.org/join website on their phone.
A Knight should open or close the event and share information about the Order.

Enlist a fellow Knight or community member to photograph the event.
Collect all Sacred Heart Holy Hour Booklets (#5050) and other resources, to be sent along with the icon to the next council.
Complete your council’s entry in the log book. The log book can be found inside the case of the icon. If there is no log book, contact your State Pilgrim Icon Chairman or fraternalmission@kofc.org.
Strongly consider hosting a dinner or other social event in conjunction with the holy hour. Although the Pilgrim Icon Program cannot be double counted for other Faith in Action programs, you can coordinate other programs, events, membership drives and fundraisers to coincide with the time your council has the pilgrim icon.