Knights of Columbus host annual Past Grand Knights and Clergy Appreciation Dinner

SALT LAKE CITY— The Knights of Columbus, Council 602 hosted their annual Past Grand Knight and Clergy Appreciation Dinner at St. Ann Parish on Feb. 12th. The event celebrates the good works of the clergy throughout the state of Utah.

Past Grand Knights representing the eight parishes under the umbrella of Council 602 as well as clergy shared a convivial evening meeting and discussing everything from sporting events such as the recent Super Bowl to what can be done regarding undocumented workers and those businesses which exploit them.

This was the first Knights of Columbus appreciation dinner that Bishop John C. Wester attended as Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. Father Colin Bircumshaw, host priest, welcomed his fellow priests from throughout the state and offered a blessing for the meal. Council 602 chaplain, Father Joseph Mayo, had the diocesan deacons introduce themselves and the parishes they represented. Grand Knight Jeff Itami, introduced the officers and members of Council 602 and the state officers present as well as John Wainscott, the state delegate to the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus Board of Directors. Chef Tom Catrow and his staff prepared and served the meal.

The keynote speaker, Tom Wharton, Salt Lake Tribune, Travel Editor, spoke about his family’s many adventures attending Mass in remote areas of Southern Utah during Easter holidays when they took their annual vacation camping trips.

He gave a unique insight into the kindness and hospitality his family had received in our many outlying parishes and related vignettes about stumbling into remote missions and being welcomed to meals afterwards with the parishioners. He spoke about the warmth and generosity of people at these missions and how happy his family had been for having shared those past Easters.

In his closing remarks, Bishop Wester spoke about his appreciation for the clergy, their traveling so many miles in service to the Catholic families of Utah and thanked the Knights of Columbus for their assistance to the various parishes with which they are affiliated. Rudy Roca appeared in the traditional Filipino dress and sang the Bishop’s favorite Filipino song in Tagaloga to end the evening.