It is an honor and privilege to provide you with this guidebook regarding the process and procedures for councils and districts to host and perform First and Second Degrees of our Order. Our degrees are most rewarding and very important steps in the life of a man who is joining the Knights of Columbus. A properly conducted degree can and should make a lasting impression on new and existing candidates. Over the last few years, Supreme has revised our First, Second, and Third Degrees and will continue to do so over time. This constant review and update reflects the importance and seriousness Supreme has placed on ceremonials and the need to ensure all candidates and edified by the beauty and dignity of the lessons taught – Charity, Unity, and Fraternity.
It is my belief that in North Carolina we have some of the best degree teams, bar none, of any jurisdiction in the Order and it is because of the level of dedication and commitment of the brothers who make up council, district, and state teams. It is also my belief that there is always room for improvement. Sometimes information can be communicated improperly or interpreted differently. There are times when some do not understand the importance of setting up the degree chamber properly. Many questions come up like who is responsible for what; when is a good time to hold a degree; who should be contacted about a degree. These are all good questions and I’m sure there are many more. Hopefully this manual will help to answer these and other questions you may have.
The Goal of any team exemplifying a degree must be that each degree is done for the “Beauty, Dignity and Edification” of all observing and receiving the degree.
One immediate difference you should see is that we have now broken the Guidebook into sections so that if you have a particular question about a specific part of a degree, you can now easily turn to that section without having to read through ALL the material to find what you are looking for. This guidebook should be reviewed and referenced frequently to ensure that all degrees are being done properly per the requirements laid out by Supreme and the expectations of the State Deputy of North Carolina. This manual should be referenced especially when new members join a degree team.
Because Third Degrees are exemplified by certified Conferring Officers assigned by the State Deputy, guidelines for the performance of those degrees will not be included in this guidebook. However, we have created a separate section regarding the hosting and assistance of a council in support of a Third Degree. Thus any council interested in hosting a Third Degree will understand the expectations surrounding such an event.
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the major contribution of FDD Rick Lewis, Jr. in the creation of this guidebook. Rick and I have spent many hours discussing how to improve our ceremonial processes and procedures. He then put our discussions to paper, edited the documentation I already created, added a great deal of his own thoughts, based on his experience as a member of First and Second Degree Teams, and as a certified Conferring Officer of the Third Degree. Thank you Rick!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 919-552-7817 or donofrio@nc.rr.com.
Fraternally,
Dave Onofrio
David L. Onofrio, PSD
State Ceremonials Chairman