Program Overview
Councils and Assemblies can support more than one Seminarian or Religious Aspirant at one time.
Additionally, those receiving sponsorship can receive support from more than one Council or Assembly.
It should be noted that
all of these individuals called to religious life come from different financial backgrounds, even foreign countries, and some may be receiving more scholarships than others during their academic pursuits, so your support means a great deal to them. Councils are also called to provide their “adopted” seminarian or religious aspirant with moral support and prayers for their success.
This includes correspondence from the Council, personal visits to their seminary or religious residence, invitation for them to attend council events, or similar signs of interest.
For RSVP resources to include action steps for fundraising and spiritual support as well as the RSVP Refund Application, visit www.kofc.org/rsvp . Full program details are explained in the RSVP Guidesheet, 10601 RSVP GS (kofc.org) .
Points of Contact to support a Seminarian or Religious Aspirant here in North Carolina,
Diocese of Charlotte
Ms. Lainie Lord
Office of Vocations
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
ldlord@rcdoc.org
704.370.3401 (work)
Vocations - Diocese of Charlotte (charlottediocese.org)
Seminarians - Diocese of Charlotte (charlottediocese.org)
Diocese of Raleigh
Ms. Brenda Elizalde
Administrative Assistant to the Vocations Office
Catholic Diocese of Raleigh
brenda.elizalde@raldioc.org
984.900.3403 (work)
Vocations | Diocese of Raleigh
Seminarians (dioceseofraleigh.org)
These ladies keep track of who is being sponsored already, and those that may be in need of additional support. If your Council is looking to support someone or can support someone additional, please reach out to them. Additionally, it is requested that when a Council or Assembly sends a Seminarian or Religious Aspirant funds to also email the diocesan coordinator. This allows them to track the support on their end as well as help to coordinate if there are any communications issues.
Diocese of Raleigh Seminarians Sponsorship Program
The Seminarian Partnership Program is an annual donor-directed scholarship fund that directly benefits seminarians studying at 5 seminaries across the country. This fund allows individuals, parishes, and groups to contribute directly to the cost of formation for seminarians in the Diocese of Raleigh. Donor generosity has enabled these young men to grow in their intellectual and spiritual formation, ensuring a vibrant Diocese in the years to come. The average annual seminarian education costs the diocese over $48,000 including tuition, room and board, travel, ordination prep, and medical insurance.
To help cover these costs, you can:
- Make a one-time gift.
- Make an annual or multi-year pledge of cash or stock to the Seminarian Partnership Program.
- Support an existing endowment.
- Remember the Diocese of Raleigh Vocations Program in your will.
For more details and to donate online go to Seminarian Partnership Program - The Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh (foundationdor.org)
Father McGivney Military Chaplain Scholarship
Here in North Carolina, we have strong ties to the military, particularly with the Army and Marine Corps bases here in the state. While Catholics make up about 25% of the U.S. Armed Forces, Catholic priests currently account for only 8% of military chaplains. It is extremely important to note that the number of active-duty chaplains has fallen from more than 400 in 2001 to fewer than 200 today. While deployed overseas, servicemembers may end up going well over a month without being able to receive the sacraments if a Catholic Chaplain isn’t assigned to their location or at least able to make a scheduled visit. And this isn’t only an issue while deployed, the current shortage of active-duty chaplains also affects assignments to Stateside installations where “contract priests” are often hired to serve as Base Chaplains; that is if one is even available to take on the role.
There is a way to help overcome the shortage of priests supporting our military personnel. Established in 2011, the Knights of Columbus Father McGivney Military Chaplains scholarship program helps fund the education of seminarians preparing to become Catholic chaplains in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Unlike the RSVP Program, Supreme does not provide any sort of refund to the Council or Assembly for supporting this program. However, support to this program could certainly be tied into support for Patriotic programs, particularly for the 4th Degree. So please consider support to this important program either at the individual or Council/Assembly level.
Currently there is no means of contributing online via credit card. However, if you wish to donate via credit card, you can call 800-694-5713 Monday to Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. EST. To send a check, please make it out to: “Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc” and annotate in the memo section that is it for the “Military Scholarship Fund”. Mail to
Knights of Columbus Charities
1 Columbus Plaza
P.O. Box 1966
New Haven, CT 06510
Further details can be found at Father McGivney Military Chaplain Scholarship | Knights of Columbus (kofc.org) .
For more details about supporting vocations for the Archdiocese of the Military Services, USA, please check out AMS Vocations Archdiocese for the Military, USA (milarch.org) .
Supreme Vocations Fund and Seminarian Scholarships
In addition to the RSVP Program, Supreme also has a Vocations Fund. Under the motto "Keep the Faith Alive," the Order's vocations initiative has a number of programs based on prayer and designed to reach the hearts and minds of young people, as well as to provide financial support during their years of seminary training or religious formation.
Of note the Knights of Columbus administers two scholarship programs for men in the first four years of theology studying for the Catholic priesthood. The Father McGivney Vocations Scholarships are awarded based on financial need, while the Bishop Daily Vocations Scholarships are awarded based on academic merit.
An applicant with appropriate ecclesiastical approval, having been accepted at a major seminary, and studying for a diocese, an archdiocese or religious institute in the United States, its territories, or Canada, is eligible. Preference is given, although not exclusively, to applicants who are members of the Knights of Columbus or whose fathers are members.
Each scholarship of $2,500 is for tuition, room and board. Once awarded, the scholarship is renewable each succeeding year up to a maximum of four years upon certification of continuing enrollment.
More details about the scholarship can be found at Support for Vocations .
Financial gifts allow these programs to continue to grow and thrive. To donate to this fund, go to Vocations Fund .
Holy Hour for Vocations
“We are often asked to pray for vocations, but how? Certainly, we should do so in our daily intentions as well as at Mass. Sometimes, though, holding a special Holy Hour for Vocations provides a more intensive focus for our intercession: as we join in adoration of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, we earnestly ask him to send more laborers into the harvest.”
Check out the resources available at Holy Hour For Vocations | Diocese of Raleigh (ncpriest.org) . This is a great option to get credit for Holy Hour - Faith Programs | Knights of Columbus (kofc.org) that count towards the Columbian Award.
Diocese of Raleigh Curé D'Ars Prayer Group
For those in the Diocese of Raleigh, I would also like to point out a great prayer group that prays daily for the bishop, parish priests, seminarians, and for more vocations in the Diocese of Raleigh. It is The Curé d'Ars Prayer Group. You can opt to sign up for their email distribution list to receive a monthly calendar of intentions, ordination anniversaries, and memorial dates for deaths of priests in the Diocese of Raleigh. Please check it out.
Unfortunately, currently the Diocese of Charlotte does not have a comparable group. If you are aware of one, please let me know!
National Vocation Awareness Week
National Vocation Awareness Week, celebrated the second week of November, is an annual week-long celebration of the Catholic Church in the United States dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renew our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations.
Please check out the USCCB webpage for further details.
Program Requirements
For every $500 given to an individual seminarian or religious aspirant, Supreme will refund the council or assembly $100, with a maximum refund of $400 per individual supported. Report activity using the
RSVP Refund Application (#2863)
In addition to financial support, councils are also required to provide some form of moral and spiritual guidance to support their success.
The following persons are eligible to receive RSVP funds:
• Seminarians who have been accepted by a diocese and are currently in their “spirituality” year
• Seminarians attending major seminaries (usually four years) in preparation for priestly ordination
• Seminarians in their “pastoral” year (most often when they are deacons)
• Seminarians attending college seminaries (sometimes called minor seminaries)
• Seminarians who belong to a religious institute and are currently in formation for the priesthood (religious seminarians often are 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
Those eligible for assistance include foreign seminarians studying in the United States or Canada; U.S. or Canadian seminarians studying overseas; seminarians from your home diocese currently attending seminaries in another diocese, state, or country; and seminarians from other states or dioceses attending a seminary located in your jurisdiction.
The following persons are NOT eligible to receive RSVP Funds:
• Priests or religious seeking assistance for continuing education
• Candidates for the permanent diaconate
• Religious brothers not currently studying for the priesthood
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