PRIESTS & RELIGIOUS DINNER

What is the Priest & Religious Appreciation Dinner?

This is an annual dinner sponsored by a Knights of Columbus Chapter or Council. The main purpose of the dinner is to show appreciation to the priest, religious, deacons and altar servers in the diocese.

Unlike the Bishop Vocation Dinner this is not a fund raiser but a dinner to honor and say thanks to the priest, religious, deacons and altar servers to serve our Catholic Community. 

Who is honored?

Create awards to be given out at the dinner.

Priest, Religious & Deacons: A plaque or certificate honoring their 25th and 50th anniversary.

Altar Servers: Identify the top altar servers in the diocese. Select one girl, one boy and one family team for this honor. You can give out a first, second and third place award in each category. All other altar servers who were nominated will receive a certificate.

Preparation for Honorees:

Priest, Religious & Deacons:  Contact the diocese and find out who is celebrating their 25th or 50th anniversary.  Send a personal invitation to attend the dinner.

Altar Servers Nomination Process:  Send out a letter to all pastors with instructions on how to nominate their altar servers for this award.  In the San Diego Diocese, the award is named after Bishop Cirilo Flores.  Contact Chair for detail information and a procedures packet.

Seminarians: Send an invitation to all your seminarians in the diocese.

Who should attend?

Your Bishop, Priests, religious, seminarians, deacons and altar servers and their parents.  Each council, or parish (that do not have a council), are asked to purchase one or more tables for the dinner.  Guests invited to the dinner are provided tickets purchased by the sponsoring council or parish ministry.

Sample program?

Pledge of Allegiance.

Invocation.

Introduction of guests by MC.  Best to have an informed master of ceremonies.

Dinner

Bishop presents KofC Certificates to priest, religious & deacons celebrating an anniversary.

Bishop presents the Outstanding Altar Server Achievement Awards

Program contains the list of all priests, religious & deacons celebrating anniversaries and the names of all the altar servers nominated.

Bishop is invited to speak (5 min)

Closing Prayer

Step 1:  Contact your bishop to secure an open date for him.
Step 2:  Secure a location and date for the dinner. (Include caterer)
Step 3:  Put together a time table: (Mail out nomination forms, Deadline to return forms, date to notify all priests, religious, deacons and councils, date to secure anniversary list, date to order plaques and/or certificates, date for award selection committee to meet, date to hire caterer.)
Step 4:  Distribute Altar Server Award Nomination Form to Pastors (Form is in packet)
Step 5:  Select committee to determine winners Committee meet to select winners
Step 6:  Committee meet to select winners
Step 7:  Secure anniversary names, date of ordination or profession of vows
Step 8:  Invite councils, priests, religious to dinner
Step 9:  Encourage councils to purchase a table
Step 10:  Encourage councils to invite their chaplains and other priests and religious
Step 11:  Have a great time at the dinner.

Richard S. Jarrett, Committeeman
(925) 964-9675
ricjarrett@comcast.net