Welcome from the Supreme Regent

Hello, everyone! My name is Carl Krzystofczyk, and I was elected as Supreme Regent in August 2014 to lead our organization through our next election in the summer of 2016. I'm excited to begin my first blog entry as a new way to directly interact with our members and prospective members. You'll be hearing a lot from me over the next 18 months, and I hope that this is a way we can stay in contact with each other.

My first seven months as Supreme Regent have been been a wonderful experience of visiting some of our jurisdictions throughout North America. I've been able to present my program to Québec, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Illinois, Ontario, Florida, Ohio, and New York. That's only about half of our active jurisdictions, and I'm looking forward to getting to visit everywhere else. It is a humbling and inspirational experience to travel to new places and be greeted as a welcome friend in every instance.

At each place I've been, the message of the Royal Arcanum is strong: our founding principles of Virtue, Mercy, and Charity are strong in our members. I've been traveling and introducing my program, A Royal Gift, which highlights the gift our members offer in becoming members and in giving back to the community we live in. I'll be explaining more about our wonderful society as time goes on, but I thought some of you might want to know my background.

I joined the Royal Arcanum in 1988 as I married into a 100% Royal Arcanum family. As I approached my marriage, I asked my soon to be in-laws, Nick and Ann Shargo, if I could call them "Dad" and "Mom". Nick said, "Not until you first call me brother," and he began to share with me the wonderful world of the Royal Arcanum. I happily joined and became active right away.

The story is important for a few reasons. First, it highlights the best way we can grow our society: through earnest, personal recommendations. The Shargo family was very involved, and urged me to not only become a member but to become active in my council and move up in the organization. This is a great model for us all, to invite our families and friends to be part of the great fraternal family that provides protection in our need and incredible caring and charitable acts in our communities.

The second part of my story is another ringing endorsement of the Royal Arcanum. Sadly, my marriage to Nick and Ann's daughter Jan did not last long: one warm summer night after an enjoyable family party, she experienced a brain aneurysm. She was in rehab a few weeks later, and while her parents were on their way to a Royal Arcanum mini vacation, she suddenly passed away, just shy of our our 3rd anniversary. It was the family of the Royal Arcanum who were there to comfort Nick and Ann as they arrived to the news of Jan's passing, providing support while they were away from home. And it was the Royal Arcanum policies that were the only insurance Jan had in force, as she had just started a new job and did not have any other coverage.

This is what the Royal Arcanum is about: caring people, and an organization to provide for those in need. They were there in my time of need, and I want to make sure that we are there for all our members, now and for years to come. My first three years of membership introduced me to all that our society offers, and helped me to weather the storm as my life moved on. I've grown and flourished since then, and I've always remained an active part of the Royal Arcanum. My wife, Christine, and our son Geoff are both proud members of the Royal Arcanum.

I share my story so you know my involvement with our great society is very sincere, and very real. I've experienced the true gifts we offer, the welcoming of our fraternal family, the protection against painful loss, and the joyous giving of our charitable acts. I'm proud to be able to help lead us all toward a reawakening of the importance the Royal Arcanum has in our lives, and in the lives of those who will soon join us. Thank you for letting me be a small part of your proud history!