Knights of Columbus
Council 5322
Knights of Columbus News Release
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NEWS FOR KNIGHTS
Standard & Poor's reaffirms Knights of Columbus AAA rating 
K of C's investment portfolio has "very strong credit quality" S&P logo
 
NEW HAVEN, CT -  For the 16th consecutive year, the Knights of Columbus insurance program has earned Standard & Poor's highest rating: AAA (Extremely Strong). With more than 140 years experience, S&P is the financial industry's foremost independent rating bureau, providing investment, credit, and risk analyses of financial institutions around the world.
 
"K of C is achieving its primary objective of providing members and their families with high-quality, low-cost insurance products," the 2008 S&P rating report said. The Knights of Columbus insurance program has "a stable outlook," and in addition, its "capitalization is expected to remain extremely strong, and liquidity is expected to remain extremely strong also."   
 
The report cited the strengths of the K of C's operational and financial management, calling its financial strategy "very conservative, as demonstrated by its capital structure, investment portfolio, and approach to business growth."  It further claimed that "K of C's capital adequacy, as measured by Standard & Poor's capital model, is among the strongest in the industry."
 
Referring to the K of C's management of its assets, the S&P report stated, "the investment portfolio has very strong credit quality, with the majority of assets being invested in publicly traded investment-grade bonds. Management's strategy is to grow its business conservatively by offering profitable products and adhering to strict underwriting standards. Standard & Poor's expects this level of conservatism to continue."
 
"The company returned 87% of its earnings to its members in 2007," S&P added. "Its consistently strong profitability is attributable to high persistency rates, favorable mortality experience, and strong investment returns over the past 10 years."
 
Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson welcomed the news from S&P, and noted that "despite the difficulties suffered by so many well-known financial institutions due to the sub-prime mortgage crisis, we have not only remained solvent but improved our financial stability, while continuing to provide top quality products and service to our members."
 
The Knights of Columbus recently received an A.M. Best Company rating of A++ (Superior) for the 33rd consecutive year. The K of C is one of only five insurance providers in North America to receive the highest ratings from both Standard & Poor's and A.M. Best, as well as certification from the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association (IMSA) for ethical business practices.
 
Founded 126 years ago, the Knights of Columbus is a fraternal benefit society and is the world's largest lay Catholic organization with more than 1.75 million members. Last year members of the Knights of Columbus donated more than 68 million hours of volunteer service for charitable causes, and contributed more than $144 million to charity.

August 14, 2008
 
 
   
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NEWS FOR KNIGHTS

Knights of Columbus convention delegates adopt resolutions challenging Catholic office-holders on abortion, affirming marriage as union of one man and one woman

(Quebec City, Quebec) - Delegates to the annual international convention of the Knights of Columbus today adopted a resolution opposing "any governmental action or policy that promotes abortion, embryonic stem cell research, human cloning, euthanasia, assisted suicide and other offenses against life."
 
The delegates also challenged "our fellow Catholics who are elected officials to be true to the faith they claim to profess by acting bravely and publicly in defense of life, affirming with Pope Benedict XVI that 'there can be no room for purely private religion.'"
 
The resolution stated that the organization reaffirms its "commitment to building a culture of life by promoting policies that favor the family," and reaffirmed the organization's "long standing policy of not inviting to any Knights of Columbus event persons, especially public officials or candidates for public office, who do not support the legal protection of unborn children."
 
The resolution on life issues follows by several days the opening convention address by Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, in which he called on Catholic voters to "stop accommodating pro-abortion politicians," and encouraged them to "say 'no' to every candidate of every political party who supports abortion."
 
Delegates also adopted a resolution calling for "legal and constitutional protection . . . for the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others."  

The resolution declares that "marriage is a natural institution based on ancient human values that have evolved over time into a unique and deeply rooted social, legal and religious institution," and that it "reflects the natural biological complementarity between man and woman which predates the state and which is woven into the social and religious fabric of every major culture and society."
 
Marriage between man and woman "provides the most favorable environment in which to protect the rights and the best interests of children," the resolution stated.
 
Convention delegates adopted resolutions dealing with other public policy issues as well, including building a culture of life, religious liberty, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, decency on the Internet and in the media, Catholic education, and the Pledge of Allegiance.  The texts of all the resolutions can be found at: 
 
 
For complete coverage of convention events, go to the "Convention Central" web page at:
 

 
Thursday, August 7, 2008

 


   
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NEWS FOR KNIGHTS
Knights of Columbus sets record for charitable giving, volunteer service 
 
SK
New Haven, CT - June 6, 2008 - The Knights of Columbus announced today that it set new all-time records for charitable giving and volunteer service hours in 2007.   Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson released the results of the survey in a speech to state deputies and members of the board of directors in New Haven.
 
The results of the Order's Annual Survey of Fraternal Activity for the year ending December 31, 2007 show that total contributions to charity at all levels reached $144,911,781 - exceeding the previous year's total by more $1 million.  The figure includes $31,235,220 donated by the Supreme Council, and $113,676,561 in charitable donations from state and local councils, Fourth Degree assemblies, and squire circles.
 
The survey also shows that the reported number of volunteer hours by Knights for charitable causes grew to 68,695,768 hours, up more than 400,000 hours from 2005.  There were 393,030 Knights of Columbus blood donors during the year, and Knights made more than 5.5 million visits to the sick and bereaved.
 
Cumulative figures show that during the past decade, the Knights of Columbus has donated nearly $1.28 billion to charity, and provided in excess of 612 million hours of volunteer service in support of charitable causes.
 
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest lay Catholic organization, with more than 1.75 million members in the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Central America, and Poland.
 
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(The release sent out earlier today contained two errors, which are corrected in this version of the news release.  We apologize for the error.)

   
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NEWS FOR KNIGHTS
Poll: big shift among practicing and non-practicing Catholics after papal visit

More likely to vote, better understand Church teaching

 

New Haven, CT - New polling data released by the Knights of Columbus shows that Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States in April produced a sharp jump in the proportion of American Catholics with a more positive view of the pope following his trip. 

 

The new information provides data specifically about Catholics, and is a companion to the analysis released last week about the views of Americans generally.  The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion interviewed 1,013 adults nationwide, and the survey results issued today are from an oversample of an additional 502 Catholics nationwide, and are statistically significant at ±4.4%.  All polling was done between April 22 and April 29, 2008, immediately following the pope's return to Rome.

 

Of particular interest are data showing much more positive views among both practicing and non-practicing Catholics.  For example, the proportion of practicing Catholics describing Benedict positively as a spiritual leader went from 70% before the visit to 82% afterward, a 12% jump.  Among non-practicing Catholics, the proportion went from 62% before the visit to 79% afterward, a 17% jump.

 

A majority of Catholics, 54%, said they were more in touch with their spiritual values as a result of the pope's visit, and 41% said they were more likely to vote in the November elections as a result.  Sixty-four percent of Catholics said they better understand the Catholic Church's position on important issues as a result of the trip.

 

Among the other key findings:

 

·         88% of practicing Catholic, and 73% of non-practicing Catholics say the trip met or exceeded their expectations.

·         72% of Catholics have a more positive view of the Church as a result of the visit, including 82% of practicing Catholics and 56% of non-practicing Catholics.

·         81% of Catholics - practicing and non-practicing - have a positive view of Pope Benedict, compared to 63% before the visit.

·         72% have a more positive view of the Catholic Church, including 82% of practicing and 56% of non-practicing Catholics.

·         82% of American Catholics view Pope Benedict positively as a world leader

 

Also important, half (50%) say they are more likely to lead a moral life and make family a bigger part of their lives, while nearly 40% say they are more likely to become more active in their community or church.

 

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said that the poll results "show clearly that Pope Benedict has presented the Catholics of the United States with a tremendous opportunity.  Americans are a religious people, and they responded very positively to the message of faith, hope and love that the Holy Father delivered throughout his visit.  It is now up to all of us in the Catholic community to walk through the door he has opened for us, and work together to build a civilization of love."

Here are links to all three Knights of Columbus poll analyses related to Pope Benedict's visit to the United States:

Poll 1 - taken two weeks prior to the pope's visit

Poll 2 - Poll taken immediately after papal visit - response of all Americans

Poll 3 - Poll taken immediately after papal visit - response of Catholic Americans


A Civilization of Love available outside U.S.ACOL
 
Carl Anderson's new book, A Civilization of Love, is now available at select bookstores outside the United States.  Here is the current listing:
 
Australia - A&R, Koorong

Canada - Indigo Books

Guatemala - Libreria Artemis Edinter

Italy - Libreria Coletti, Libreria Belardetti, Libreria S. Paolo, Feltrinelli (Largo Argentina)

Mexico - Libreria Gandhi
New Zealand - Dymocks

Panama - Exedra Books, Hombre de la Mancha

Philippines - National Bookstore

South Africa - Exclusive Books, Fascination Books

United Kingdom - Wesley Owen, Waterstones
 
   
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Knights of Columbus Public Policy Update

Marriage Amendment: California Signature Effort Successful 

Florida will also vote on marriage amendment this year

 

Sponsors of the proposed state constitutional amendment protecting marriage in California have submitted 1.1 million signatures to state authorities - more than enough to put the measure on the ballot in November. The Knights of Columbus, working closely with the National Organization for Marriage - California, were instrumental in the signature-gathering effort.  Maggie Gallagher, the President of the National Organization for Marriage recently said, "The Knights made the difference between success and failure in this first step in California."   

 

California voters will now have a chance to vote to protect marriage by defining it as an institution between one man and one woman.  If passed by California voters, the amendment will place this definition into the state constitution, where the courts and the legislature cannot overturn it.  The sponsors of the amendment wanted the measure to go before the voters this November because the California Supreme Court is expected to rule this summer on a series of lawsuits seeking to establish same-sex marriage in the state.

 

The Knights of Columbus will always pursue laws that protect the dignity and integrity of marriage and family life.  As Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said at the 2007 Supreme Convention in Nashville, "We must pray for, and support, those of every party who stand firm on the side of life and family."  

 

In recent months Pope Benedict XVI has spoken publicly of the centrality of marriage and family.  When receiving the new U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See in February, the Holy Father praised the efforts of American citizens and government leaders who seek to "safeguard the institution of marriage, acknowledged as a stable union between one man and woman."

 

And in "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," a document issued by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in November 2007, the bishops add their voices:  "The family - based on marriage between a man and a woman - is the first and fundamental unit of society and is a sanctuary for the creation and nurturing of children.  It should be defended and strengthened, not redefined or undermined by permitting same-sex unions or other distortions of marriage."

 

Twenty-seven states have passed constitutional amendments protecting marriage as the union of one man and one woman.  In Florida earlier this year, a proposed state constitutional amendment protecting marriage was certified by the State Divisions of Elections, and the measure will go before Florida voters in November.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: