By Barb Arland-Fye
Father Thom Hennen noticed during clergy gatherings held away from a church that the Davenport Diocese lacked metal chalices and ciboria for celebrating the Eucharist.
“Our liturgy with the bishop should be a model liturgy,” said Fr. Hennen, parochial vicar of Prince of Peace Parish in Clinton.
After consulting with Deacon Frank Agnoli, the diocese’s director of liturgy, Fr. Hennen approached Grand Knight Jim Horst of Clinton Knights of Columbus St. Edwards Council 707 for help. The priest asked Horst if the Knights might be interested in donating chalices and ciboria for Masses at clergy convocations and other gatherings. The clergy needed four chalices and four ciboria.
Horst said the council would be glad to help, and he in turn contacted Wiley Plummer, district deputy of the KCs District 29, for further assistance.
“As soon as I heard about it (after the priests’ June Institute), I decided to go to all of my councils to see if we could go together to get four sets,” Plummer said. His district represents 487 KC members from four councils: Clinton, DeWitt No. 959, LeClaire No. 13084, and Long Grove No. 14695. He also approached the Msgr. Leo Feeney Assembly 260 4th Degree Knights. Plummer is one of its 265 members.
Each council and the assembly gladly contributed so that four, gold-plated chalices and ciboria could be given as a gift to the clergy of the diocese. One of the chalices was donated in honor of Mike Clemence, a deceased 4th Degree Knight from Clinton.
The vessels were ready just in time for the Fall Clergy Gathering in Iowa City. Deacon Agnoli invited the Knights to make a presentation of the vessels during Mass on Nov. 4 at the Quality Inn. The chalices and ciboria were brought up after the intercessions and were blessed by Bishop Martin Amos. They were used for the first time at that Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Knights in attendance at the presentation were: Plummer; Past State Deputy James Chambers; and from the Clinton council, Past State Deputy and former District Master Henry Fullick, Grand Knight Jim Horst, Commander of the 4th Degree Assembly Jim Winkel, and Lyle Bronkema.
“In the Year for Priests we wanted to do something for all of you and the diocese,” Plummer told the clergy during the Mass. “This is from all of us for all you do for us.”
