105th Annual Knights of Columbus State Convention

Report of Marian Hour of Prayer Program
To the officers and members of the 105 th State Convention Meeting of the Louisiana State Council assembled in
Lafayette on May 1st and 2nd, 2010.
Requiescat in pace, Sir Knight Wade Dupuis, past chairman, Marian Devotion Program/ Father Michael J. McGivney
Program
During this reporting period, 2009- 2010, the Supreme Council, Knights of Columbus, in the 127 th Convention announced
a change in focus for the Marian Devotion Program.
Specifically, the Marian Devotion Program changed from the previous intercessory prayers to Mary under her title of
Our Lady of Charity (La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre) to Mary under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestre Senora
de la Guadalupe), patroness of the Americas and the central Marian ikon for the Respect Life Program.
In response to this reorientation of Marian devotion, there was an initial issue of ikons of Our Lady of Guadalupe
during the Supreme Convention. There was also a change in responsibility for ikons that would be available to state councils
and other Columbian programs in Louisiana. At the same time, Supreme Council made an initial distribution of a new
devotional pamphlet with prayers appropriate to Mary, Mother of God, and Our Lady of Guadalupe. At the same time, this
change in focus reaffirmed the Supreme Council’s support to a program of Hispanic Outreach, a program feature important to
our knights in Louisiana.
There was a change in program direction to a more decentralized, locally managed program. Where the responsibility
for the control of the ikons for the program had previously rested with the state program chairman, area coordinators were
now assigned responsibility for control and coordinated scheduling of the ikons within their respective geographic jurisdictions.
This change in program management called for additional ikons, beyond those provided at the Supreme Convention.
To establish and maintain an effective program called for additional ikons so that there would be one ikon made available
within each area of the state.
Fortunately, with the leadership of our then State Treasurer, Sir Knight, John Boudreaux, funds were obtained and
frames for the additionally needed icons fabricated. There was also an initial issue of devotional pamphets to each area
coordinator. The revamped program was in place.
From Fall 2009 to present, this program as described has been in place.
Substantially, the role, then, of the state chair for this program needs to be redefined. At present, there are no established
management guidelines in place to assure the support needed by our area coordinators.
There are at least two issues that need to be addressed. First, while there has been an initial distribution of the Marian
icons, there is no clearly articulated policy of accountability for them. As area coordinators change through periodic rotation
and even during the terms of office of individual area coordinators, there needs to be some means of maintaining accountability.
Even when the icon distribution and scheduling of the ikons was maintained by the state chair, there were problems of
communication, coordination, and control. Consequently, as the program changes were being implemented, one of the
previous ikons seems to have been lost and not recovered. With decentralized management, the issue of control and
responsibility for this state council property needs to be defined. As ikons come up missing, how will they be replaced?
Second, there needs to be a means of maintaining a supply and distribution of the devotional pamphlets. As the supply
of these pamphlets are distributed and need to be replaced, there needs to be some provision logistics process. It is unclear
if this responsibility falls to the area coordinators, program host councils, or to the state. If this distribution is to be
coordinated from the state council office, then it seems logical there would be some budgeting for pamphlet reprinting.
There are two other issues that need to be addressed concerning this program. The first is that it would seem
appropriate that there should be some goals and objectives defined for the state Marian devotion program and communicated
throughout the state. For example, in reviewing the annual council church activity report form, perhaps there should be
some provision for points to be earned by councils for their Marian devotion activities, whether in conjunction with the ikon
or not.
This, then, could be an incentive for more active Marian devotional programs and activities. Similarly, there could be
activities related to Marian devotion with the youth, family, and community.
The second issue relates to the icons themselves. As the devotion to Mary proceeds through her intercessory title of
Our Lady of Guadalupe, visibility of this ikon should increase. It is recommended that consideration be given to providing
one of the current Marian ikons to each of the seminaries in the state and also to St Mary’s Home, Alexandria. It is further
recommended that other opportunities be developed for displaying and offering intercessory prayers to Our Lady of Guadalupe
at major state, area, and even district activities.
Respectfully submitted.
/s/ Paul McKeough
Paul McKeough
Marian Hour Chairman
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