Who we are….

We are a Catholic auxiliary youth organization, and the junior division of the Knights of Peter Claver, Ladies Auxiliary

Presently we have approximately 1,600 members.

The membership of the Junior Daughters is made up of Roman Catholic youth from age 7-18. We are national in scope.

This program is of wide range and strives to meet the interests and needs of the members as follows:

• Spiritual – To supplement the formal instructional religious training received in the church, school or home. (Days of Reflection. Retreats, Prayer Breakfasts, Rosary Rallies, etc)
• Social – To cultivate the many social graces, develop poise and self-confidence in social situations, enjoy the companionship of other people in wholesome surroundings. (Dances, cotillions, skating parties, ice-cream socials, bowling parties, parades, etc)
• Educational – To encourage academic achievement and earn funds toward secondary education. (Workshops, Health Fairs, scholarships, conferences, conventions, etc)
• Physical – To develop physical efficiency through a program of activities built upon youth functioning in the light of their capacities. (Sports activities, fitness days, etc)
• Civic-Cultural – To cultivate interests and tastes that will produce a more profitable use of leisure time and develop an appreciation of their duties as Catholics and citizens. (Habitat for humanity, Visiting Nursing homes. Brown Bag Project, Blanket Drives, volunteering in shelters, etc)

Who can join?

• Practicing Roman Catholic young ladies between the ages of 7-18
• Young ladies who have received their first Holy Communion
• Young ladies who have completed an application for membership. All applications for membership must be voted on by the Junior Daughters at their regular monthly meetings.

What we do…

Once you have been initiated, you should begin to attend regular monthly meetings. These meetings are run by the Officers of the Local Junior Court.

The Officers of your court consist of…

• Junior Grand Lady – Presides at the meetings of the Junior Court. It is her duty to enforce the bylaws of the Junior National Court, the local Junior Court and shall keep strict order during the meeting. She appoints all committees and is the leader of her court in all matters, especially spiritual so it is important that she set a good example at all times.
• Junior Vice grand Lady – Fills in for the Grand Lady if she is absent. If for some reason the office of Junior Grand Lady is vacant, she will fill the unexpired term until the next regular meeting.
• Junior Financial Secretary – Keeps account of all the financial transactions of the court. At the end of the meeting, she shall turn over all money collected at the meeting to the Junior Treasurer.
• Junior Recording Secretary – Keeps a record of all proceedings of the court during meetings. If the Junior Secretary is absent from the meeting, the Junior Grand Lady can appoint a substitute.
• Junior Treasurer – Assists the Junior Financial Secretary at the meeting in collecting money and/or receipting financial books. At the end of the meeting she will receive the money that was collected by the Junior Financial Secretary and turn the money over to the Junior Daughter Counselor who will present the money to the Financial Secretary of the Senior Court who will turn the money over to the Senior Treasurer for deposit.
• Junior Mistress-At-Arms – Is in charge of the conduct of the meetings. She makes sure that proper decorum is maintained at all times.
• Junior Guards – (Inner and Outer) – Attend the entrance of the court chambers and receive the passwords and report to the presiding officer.

These Officers work WITH the Junior Daughter Counselor who is the elected liaison of her Senior Court. REMEMBER, Junior Daughters are minors and cannot meet without adult supervision.

You should also:

1. Become knowledgeable about our Organization.
2. Attend workshops and training sessions
3. Be an active member of your court. Attend meetings regularly. Participate in court activities, fund-raisers and religious award programs of they are available.
4. Ask questions if you do not understand something.
5. Become familiar with Parliamentary Procedure and Robert’s Rules of Order
6. Attend Jr. Conferences and Jr. Conventions if possible.

Junior Daughter Meetings

Junior Daughter meetings should be held monthly. Counselors, Assistants and Ladies attending the meetings should have taken the “Protecting God’s Children” training that has been offered by your local Diocese or Archdiocese. Counselors should always have another adult present with them during the meetings.

Prior to the meeting, Junior Grand Lady and Junior Daughter Counselor should confer to prepare an agenda.

Junior Daughters should be running their own meetings. Adults attending the meetings must be recognized by the Junior Grand Lady before speaking in the meeting. During the meeting parliamentary procedures should be followed.

PASSWORDS: Upon entering your meeting chamber, conferences and conventions, the guards will ask you for your passwords. Passwords are very important because they allow you entry into the chambers. Your Junior Grand Lady will give you your password after you are initiated and in January and July of each year. Unless you are the Jr. Grand Lady, you should give out the passwords.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES are the “rules” of the game of democracy. So, in order to be in the “game”, knowledge of the rules is essential.

The purpose of parliamentary rules is to

• expedite business
• maintain order
• ensure justice
• provide equal treatment for members
• help the organization achieve its goals

MEMBERS

A member of the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary - Junior Division is a person that has been duly initiated into the order, is financial, and therefore has the right to participate fully in meetings.

Each member has a right to:

1. Attend meetings
2. Make motions and debate motions within the rules of the organization.
3. Exercise the right to vote for or against motions or chose not to vote.
4. Run for office and hold office.
5. Make nominations for office.

Your duties as a member are to:

1. Obey the Constitution and By-laws.
2. Constantly act to further the objectives of the organization.
3. Be loyal in regular attendance at meetings.
4. Insist on proper enforcement of the rules of the organization by the officers and other members.
5. Fulfill any assigned duties - if this is not possible, the member should ask to be excused or should resign.

P I C K

• Be Punctual
• Be Involved
• Be Courteous
• Be Knowledgeable

Junior Daughter Elections

Presently, a term of Office for Junior Daughter officers in your local court is 1 year. Junior Daughter elections in your local court are held EVERY December.

Timetable for elections:

• October – Nomination/Election Committee is voted on
• November – Slate of Officers is brought to the meeting. Nominations are also take from the floor.
• December – Election of Officers

What Junior Daughters Wear…

Junior Daughter monthly meetings are business meetings where you are learning how to conduct business. When you attend conferences and conventions, you will be attending business sessions and you will be expected to dress as follows:

• Dress, Suit, or Pantsuit
• Dress Socks or Hosiery
• Dress shoes (gym shoes, flip flops are not appropriate)

At all formal occasions where the Junior Daughters are assembled as a body, the uniform shall be:

• White dress (plain, not after-five)
• Suit
• Skirt and blouse
• Kufi hat (chapel veil for new members)
• Skin tone hosiery/ white socks for young juniors (7-9)
• One set of small white earrings
• White gloves
• White shoes

ALL ACCESSORIES MUST BE WHITE

Recruiting Members…

There are thousands of Catholic Youth all over the country that have no knowledge of our Junior Knight/Junior Daughter Program. We must keep strengthening and expanding our program.

As members of the Knights of Peter Claver, Inc., We must:

1. Find perspective members who are eligible for membership and capable of making a potential contribution in some way to the organization.
2. Sell them on the merits of our organization and actually sign them up.
3. Keep our members, not only on the rolls, but active status.

Ask Youth to join. How do they know you want them unless you ask? Make personal contact. Send invitations.

Some methods that are used to recruit new members include:

• Receptions
• Teas
• Open Meetings
• Picnics/ Recreation Days
• Visiting Catholic Schools
• Posters/Bulletin Board Displays

These methods allow prospective members to be introduced to our Junior Programs, mingle informally and ask questions.

We can also find new members through:

1. Present membership, suggestions listed from the entire membership (Juniors and Seniors).
2. Newcomers in the Parish.
3. New First Communicants
4. School teachers and principals
5. Pastor/Parish Priest

Junior Daughter Transfers:

When a Junior Daughter reaches transfer age, the Junior Daughter Counselor should talk to the young lady and encourage her to transfer into the senior division. A Junior Daughter may remain in her court until she reaches the age of 19, however, she may wish to transfer at the age of 18. When a Junior Daughter transfers, she must….

• Fill out an application for membership into the Senior Division. The application needs to be voted on at the Senior Court’s regular meeting.
• Request that a transfer form be filled out by her Junior Daughter Counselor.

When a Junior Daughter transfers, her initiation fee is paid by the National Court if she has been a member in good standing for at least 2 years.