1. Membership Growing Your Circle
Anthony Critelli
State Bursar Squire
New York State Circle of Columbian Squires

2. The Problem of Membership
Serious members are difficult to find
Many dedicated members age out
No core group = no Squires activities
A good age mix is necessary for leadership
Circles must employ methods which acquire good members
Dedicated, serious members are very difficult to come by. In many cases, circles have a group of Squires who are simply not mature or serious enough to commit to the standards of the organization.
By the time some members are mature enough, they are 18 and must age out of the circle. They can no longer hold positions of leadership in the circle.
Building a core group involves investing many members and seeing who “steps up to the plate.” A good, solid core group is necessary for every circle's advancement.
There should be a good mix of ages in your circle. Without this, there can be no sense of leadership. Older kids should hold positions of seniority over younger kids. Otherwise, the circle will not function properly. (Teens won't listen to young kids)
It is necessary to use methods which maximize the number of Squires brought in so that a core group can be procured.

3. The Membership Drive Annual membership drives are fundamental
Membership drives should be year long
Membership drives must be far-reaching
Membership drives must target a wide range of youth
Membership drives should be led by example
Membership drives should be led by Squires
Membership drives are the most basic and most necessary of methods to acquire members for the circle. They are the backbone of every Squires program.
They should not just be held on a weekend or two. They should consist of a year long program which is in constant motion and which becomes a part of regular circle life. Sustaining the circle should be a regular duty.
They should not just be held outside of church. They should reach must farther than just the parish community. This is a common mistake.
They should target young men of all ages so that a proper hierarchy exists.
They should be led by the constant enthusiasm and excitement of Squires who are happy to be Squires.
They should be led by Squires. Young men are more likely to join if they see other young men who are interested in the organization.

4. Main Sources for Squires
K of C Sons
Parish Community
Catholic Schools
Altar Serving Program
Youth Groups
Confirmation Classes/Religious Ed.

5. Knights of Columbus Sons
This is the most obvious source
Every son of a Knight should become a Squire
Many will be enthusiastic if their father is enthusiastic
Creates mutual respect between father and son
Father and Son carry on importance of charitable works
The sons of KofC Members are an obvious and easily accessible choice for advancement in circle membership.
Each interested son of a Knight should be made a Squire.
If their fathers are enthusiastic as Knights, young men will be more enthusiastic about Squires. Fathers who are in the Knights sometimes take the Squires program and its obligations more seriously than those who are not Knights.
Mutual respect between Father and son because of the nature of their work in the name of charity and Holy Mother Church.
Father and son are working together by doing beneficial deeds.

6. Parish Community Obvious place for membership drive: outside of Church
Easy marketing in your Parish
Youth already committed in some way to God
Youth may be looking for friends in parish
Good source, but not only source
Announce drive in bulletin
Outside of church on Sundays is an excellent place for holding a membership drive and distributing information.
It is easy to hold drives outside of church. It is essentially free publicity for the Squires program.
Many youth who attend Mass regularly (assuming they are not made to by their parents) already have some commitment to God, a basis for being a Squire.
Some young men who attend Mass may be looking for friends in their Parish. The Squires program is a great way to build new friendships and make new acquaintances.
This is a good source, but it should not be the only source. Too often, membership drives are restricted to only the parish community, a resource which is often incapable to nourishing the entire circle.

7. Catholic Schools Another obvious and accessible choice
Meetings can be held during school day
Charity can include work around school
Young men already know each other
They will be excited if their friends are excited
Squires helps to build on Catholic education
If your parish has a school, it is an easily accessible option for advertising the Squires program. If many young men are interested from different classes, it can be a considerable amount (Burke Catholic example).
Meetings can sometimes be held during the school day or immediately after school. This eliminates the difficult of transportation or remembering when a meeting is.
Squires can help out around school by tutoring, cleaning up, working, etc. as part of their charitable actions. It is also easy to hold coat drives and other functions.
The young men already know each other and will probably feel more comfortable because their friends will be involved.
When friends become excited about a project or trip, it is contagious (convention example.)
The Squires program is a superb supplement to the fine Catholic education which the young men will already be receiving.

8. Altar Serving Programs
Young men already have a commitment to God
Altar servers are held to a higher standard because of their office
Young men know each other
Serving Mass is part of a Squire's work

9. Confirmation Classes/Religious Ed
Students need community service time
Older students are good source for leaders
Squire service compliments Catholic education
Entire classes can be invested
Confirmation classes and religious education classes are great resources for potential Squires.
Most students, especially those in Confirmation classes, will need community service time to fulfill their requirements. Performing the duties of a Squire can count as this time. Some students might become more interested in the Squires.
Older students, such as those in confirmation classes, can be good leaders for the younger students.
Working as a Squire is a compliment to studying the Catholic education, as one does in religious ed. The principles of the Squires program are modeled after those of Holy Mother Church.
Entire classes can be invested each year as young men become old enough to join. This is an excellent way to expand your circle.

10. Tips for Increasing Membership
Invest many members
Hold investitures often
See who “sticks” and maintains interest
Circles must attempt to build a “core group”
Membership drives must be constant
You can not build or expand a circle without investing a lot of members into that circle.
In order to invest a lot of members, you must have a lot of investitures. An investiture every other month is a good idea because it will ensure that no person with an interest in the organization will have to wait to enter into the Squires program.
Not every invested Squire is going to be loyal and devoted. Some might flake out. It is important to not be discouraged. Some members will stick and become very interested in being a Squire. These will form the core group.
I can not stress enough that membership drives can not be held once in awhile. They must be a constant aspect of your Squires program if you wish to have a diverse and successful circle.

11. Investiture Tips Practice well in advance
Impress upon the candidates the importance of being a Squire
Hold investitures at night
Use lighting and music to your advantage
Have food and recreation after ceremony
Investiture ceremonies contain a lot of dialogue, and therefore require a lot of preparation and pre-planning to be done correctly. A well-trained investiture crew is a good idea.
The reverence and seriousness of the ceremony should impress upon the candidates the importance of the oaths which they take and the organization which they enter into. There should be not laughing, joking, etc. It should be a solemn ceremony.
Investitures held at night seem to have a better overall “feel.” Just as lighting and music can be used to your advantage, so can time of day.
Food and recreational activities such as an open gym, basketball, etc. set the general mood for the brotherhood and enjoyment which is to be found in the Squires program.

12. Maintaining Membership
Give your Squires a purpose!
Hold meetings often
Call your Squires, do not use
Talk to parents, keep them involved
Have food occasionally at meetings
Remind Squires often about upcoming activities
Your Squires need a purpose if you want to keep them around! They need to see that your organization is doing a great deal of activities, otherwise they will lose interest. (All of my losses have been during down times)
Hold your meetings often (once every other week) and on a convenient day. Weeknights are bad for Squires because of school and extracurriculars.
Call Squires and talk to parents. Some Squires do not check their often. Even if they do, s are more likely to be forgotten than phone calls, especially if those phone calls are to parents.
Food at meetings is a small way to show that Squires are repayed for their actions. However, don't make food the primary reason for meeting attendance.
Keep Squires well-informed. Remind them many weeks in advance about something and then call them again the week before that event.

13. Closing Points to Remember
Membership drives should be year round
Use every resource at your disposal
Invest many, keep few
Have Squires of different ages
Develop a good core group
Always have your membership drive all year. It should constantly be in the minds of your Squires for them to recruit friends, etc.
Use every resource such as your parish school, altar serving program, youth group program, or any other repository of Catholic young men.
You will invest many Squires but not everyone will be dedicated. This is ok, because it shows you who is capable of leading the circle and who is not. The one's who do not come around often can still be useful, so do not stop calling them.
Squires of different age groups ensures better leadership. Older kids (especially teenagers) are not going to take well to orders given by a very young Squire.
A good core group is the key to success in a Squires circle. The core group should be dynamic: always growing, adding new members as they come in and losing them as they age out.