When Uriri Melchizedek Okrokoto first entered the seminary, he brought only a small bag with him. A priest drove him there because his family was in Nigeria.

He also had to leave his nursing job behind, but trusted that God would provide a way for him to get his books, toiletries and other essentials while preparing to become a priest.

God’s providence came by way of a sponsorship from the Knights of Columbus. The Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP) is an initiative of the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council, in which councils and assemblies “adopt” one or more seminarians or postulants and provide them with financial assistance and moral support.

Like Okrokoto, other seminarians thanked the Knights for their generous support during Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio’s annual barbecue for seminarians in mid-August.

The fraternal celebration at the Immaculate Conception Center, Douglaston, began with a prayer service and a speech by seminarian Ambiorix Osorio, who thanked the Knights for their help. He explained that because being a seminarian “is a full-time job,” having a way to pay for their expenses was crucial. 

“We are grateful,” Osorio said. “We pray for the Knights of Columbus who are there for us. We pray for their families and for their work for the church. Thank you for being part of God’s grace and providence in helping us to achieve the goal and encourage us to get there.”

Bishop DiMarzio said that – while the diocese pays for the seminarians’ tuition, rooms and health insurance – there are incidental expenses with which the Knights help the seminarians.

The Knights “are very good at supporting seminarians, enforcing vocations,” Bishop DiMarzio said. “One thing that is necessary is that we encourage vocations; people need to be encouraged to make a life commitment, which is not an easy one. So the more encouragement they can get, the better it is and the Knights are very good at it.”

Joseph Marino Sr., chairman of the Long Island Chapter of the Knights, which is made of almost 80 councils, said they were happy to help seminarians through their studies on their way to priesthood.

“The Knights of Columbus stand behind them 100 percent,” he said.

Louis Pepe, vice chairman, agreed, saying the Knights were proud to sponsor the barbecue to thank the Grand Knights and assemblies of Brooklyn and Queens for helping them build relationships with the future priests of the diocese.

“This gives us a chance to meet them individually in a comfortable setting where we can break bread together and celebrate the gift of the priesthood,” he said.

Father Michael Gelfant, grand knight and bishop’s liaison to the Knights of Columbus, said the Knights have given grants of $500 to 90 percent of the seminarians in the Brooklyn Diocese, as a way to help them with ordinary expenses, like school supplies and incidental costs.

“They have less worries about finances and focus on their studies and prayer life as they prepare for the priesthood,” Father Gelfant said.                                

In addition to the grants, council members keep in touch with their sponsored seminarian through letters, invite them to different events, and cultivate a relationship of prayer, he added. 

The grant money also allows the seminarians to do leisure activities with their brothers.

“The social component is important. We don’t expect them to be inside four walls praying and studying 24/7,” Father Gelfant said. “These are the communities they are going to be ministering to.”

Last year, the Knights donated close to $50,000 toward vocation efforts – which included buying the vestments for the 13 priests who were ordained in 2014 and providing funds for Cathedral Prep and Seminary, Elmhurst.

Okrokoto, said the books he bought through the Knights’ RSVP program proved priceless during his summer assignments.

“I saw this hunger for true knowledge of what the church teaches from Catholic people in my parish and people who passed by,” he recalled. “Sometimes, I would have the answers, but other times I would get back to them after consulting my theology books.”

The response he received showed him people understood Church teaching better.

“I don’t know if they (the Knights) realize that in their support, they are actually evangelizing people,” he said.

Okrokoto also wanted to thank the Knights not only for their financial support, but also for their prayers and “their outstanding example of dedicated men that shows us what it means to give yourself to the Church.”