POWAY — The Knights of Columbus’ San Diego Diocese Chapter held its 33rd annual appreciation dinner for priests and religious on April 25 at St. Michael Parish’s Holy Family Center in Poway. About 245 people attended the event, at which local boys and girls also received awards for excellence as altar servers.
Priests and consecrated religious marking their 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th and 70th jubilee anniversaries were presented with plaques. After the presentations, all of the priests and religious brothers and sisters in attendance were asked to stand and were met with resounding applause.
Rudy Mabolo, vocations director for the Knights of Columbus San Diego Chapter, served as the evening’s emcee. As he prepared to present awards to the jubilarians, he recalled the way that retired military personnel are greeted with the phrase “Thank you for your service” whenever they present their credentials outside the gates of a military base.
“Likewise, by holding formal events like these,” he told the audience, “it is the hope … that those we recognize this evening at key junctures of their service timeline be reminded of the gratitude of the people they serve.”
Tom Davis, chapter secretary, said the Knights of Columbus organizes this event annually to show appreciation to those who have dedicated their lives in service to the Church. He noted that this is needed “especially today, when the Church is often attacked and is still reeling from scandal.”
The Bishop Flores Outstanding Server Award, named in honor of late San Diego Bishop Cirilo B. Flores, was presented to three boys — Jeromey Mascarenhas (Our Mother of Confidence Parish), first place; Aidan Livingston (Mission San Diego Parish), second place; and Richard Obert (St. Gabriel Parish, Poway), third place — and to three girls — Tracey Hussey (St. Gabriel Parish), first place; Audrey Gudino (St. John of the Cross Parish, Lemon Grove), second place; and Hayden Sachiko Ikehara (St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, Carlsbad), third place. In the family team category, the following altar servers also received awards: Alexis and Kera Hernandez (St. John of the Cross Parish), first place; Jonathon and Elizabeth Wilson (San Rafael Parish, Rancho Bernardo), second place; and Viviana, Alanzo and Veronica Fisher (St. Charles Parish, Imperial Beach), third place.
Davis said, “I hope all in attendance know that they are appreciated and their service matters — to the Knights of Columbus, our faith as area Catholics, and to our diocese.”
The Southern Cross
