Add New Members to Your Council

We will host the first online exemplification on Thursday, April 16, at 8 PM EDT. Start lining up candidates now and coordinate the votes of your members to approve these candidates for admission. Next week, grand knights and financial secretaries will receive emails from me that they must forward to approved candidates. These emails will invite the candidates to participate in the online exemplification and they will contain a link to the registration form that every candidate must complete. Once registered, the candidates must log into the exemplification on April 16 and view it to the end. Upon completing the online exemplification, candidates can be processed as third-degree knights in your council. Existing first- and second-degree knights may also register to complete their journey to knighthood in the third degree.

1. How will candidates be able to register for the online Exemplification on April 16?
An invitation template with a registration link was emailed to all Grand Knights and Financial Secretaries. This invitation is to be filled out by the council and emailed to candidates. Candidates then click on the link to register for the Exemplification. If you are a current Grand Knight or Financial Secretary and did not receive an email with registration link, please contact fraternalmission@kofc.org.
2. Will Online Members, First Degree Members, and Second Degree Members also be permitted to be advanced to the Third Degree in the online Exemplification?
Yes. A council can send invitations to any online members looking to transfer into the council and any first and second degree members looking to advance to the third degree. Please note when an Online Member joins, they are a member of the Knights of Columbus with a valid membership card. However when they transfer into a Council, they still need to attend the ceremony. Online Members do not have a degree. In order to join the council, they must attend the ceremony to become third degree Knights.
3. Will the registration process for the online Exemplification be the same for new members as it is for Online, First, and Second Degree members?
Yes. The registration process is the same for all participants, even existing members who are just observing.
4. Where should council officers send our candidate lists?
There is no reason to send a list of candidates to the Supreme Council office. Your council should send invitations to candidates who then register themselves online. At the conclusion of the Exemplification, each council will receive a list of candidates and members who attended. Councils will then process these members as they normally would after a degree ceremony. File a Form 100 via paper or use the “Candidate” tab in Officers Online for new members and update the status of advancing members via Member Management on Officers Online.
5. How will the signing of the Constitutional Roll be handled for the online Exemplification?
When a candidate registers, he will read the Constitutional Roll, check boxes confirming that he agrees to the Constitutional Roll, and can answer “I do” to the Promises in the Constitutional Roll.
6. Should District Deputies plan to submit the Form 450 with respect to the online Exemplification?
District Deputies do not need to submit Form 450 for this online Exemplification. A report of attendees by jurisdiction will be submitted to the State Deputy and State Membership Director.
7. Will the online Exemplification be held on an ongoing basis in the future, or only because of the current quarantine orders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?

The Exemplification of Charity, Unity and Fraternity was designed to be conducted in Church with brother Knights and family and friends in attendance. Due to social distancing guidelines this format is not possible at this time. The online Exemplification is being held to accommodate these unique circumstances. There has been no decision made on making online Exemplifications an ongoing program.
8. Can Knights of Columbus Third & Fourth Degree members, their families, and the candidates’ families register for and observe the online Exemplification?

Yes, you will be able to attend the Exemplification as a non-candidate. When registering, just fill out the box stating that you are a third or fourth degree Brother Knight. This will ensure that you are registered as a non-candidate. However, observers will still need to answer the same questions as the candidate.
9. The time of the online Exemplification is difficult for our council because of the four-hour time difference. Can the online Exemplification be taken on-demand like the other webinars?
The online Exemplification cannot be taken on-demand. Guidelines are being developed for councils to use the previously released video with the Supreme Knight’s introduction (available at videos.kofc.org/exemplification) for their own online Exemplification.
10. Do councils need to submit a Form 100 for candidates who register and attend the online Exemplification?
Yes. After the Exemplification a list of attendees will be sent to councils. The Financial Secretary will then process the new and advancing members as he would after a typical degree ceremony. The Form 100 can be filed via paper or the “Candidate Tab” on Officers Online.
11. Will candidates who do not have computers or e-mail addresses be able to participate in the online Exemplification?
In order to participate in the online Exemplification, each candidate must have a computer, smartphone, or tablet and a valid email address.
12. What will be the process for tendering the rosary and lapel pin to the candidates?
The rosary and lapel pin will be sent to candidates by the Supreme Council at no cost to local councils.
13. If candidates cannot attend the April 16 online Exemplification, are councils permitted to create and conduct their own online Exemplifications?
Guidelines for councils to hold online Exemplifications are being created.
14. Will the online Exemplification be offered in other languages at a later date? May candidates who speak other languages attend on April 16, or should they plan to attend a different ceremony?
There will be a Spanish and French online Exemplification scheduled. The dates have not yet been finalized.
15. In what manner should councils assess Candidate Fees to new members taking the online Exemplification?
The Supreme Council is not assessing any candidate fees for this Exemplification. The rosary and lapel pin will be sent to candidates at no cost to the council. Council initiation fees and dues should be handled by your council as they normally would for new members.
16. Who can register candidates for the online Exemplification? Does it need to be the grand knight or financial secretary?
Candidates must register themselves for the Exemplification using the link on the email invitation forwarded to them by the council. Anyone other than the Grand Knight or Financial Secretary may send the invitation email to a candidate, but they should make sure the candidate has been approved for membership in the council and should notify the Grand Knight and Financial Secretary of their actions.
17. When can councils expect to receive membership numbers for new members following the Online Exemplification?
After the Exemplification a list of attendees will be sent to each council. The Financial Secretary will then process these names just as he would after any degree ceremony. For new members, a Form 100 must be filed either online using the “Candidate Tab” or via mail to Membership Records. For current members advancing to the third degree, their member information must be updated online using Member Management.