Politics + Social Media: KofC Rules

As Catholics, and as Knights of Columbus, each of us is called to faithful citizenship—to live out our Catholic faith in our public lives as well as our private lives. But how to do this, especially when representing yourself as a knight on social media, is not always clear. When in doubt, follow these guidelines:

Talk about the issues, not the candidates. It is very important that your council’s official Facebook Page never endorse one specific candidate or party. Instead, share information about the prolife movement and issues that Catholics care about when they go to the polls. Your council can also encourage your community to register to vote with the Knights of Columbus ‘Get Out the Vote’ initiative.

Separate your candidacy from your being a knight. If you are running for your city council, state legislature, or a national office, you cannot campaign as a member of the Knights of Columbus on social media, or offline. The Officer’s Desk Reference has a detailed guide of how to conduct yourself as a knight when running for political office—it’s a resource every brother knight should look to!

Be positive and polite online (and in person!). As always, be gracious and charitable when using social media to discuss political issues. Rather than attacking a candidate or political party, share resources to guide others in their faithful citizenship. Refrain from engaging with people who leave inflammatory or impolite comments on your council’s Facebook Page.

Knightline, October 2016