
Clergy Appreciation and Farewell to Bishop Kelly
The 4th Annual Knights of Columbus Dallas Diocese Clergy Appreciation Banquet was destined to be a success right from the start. By early December we had sold out all the tables and by the evening of the banquet on Friday, January 24th, the KayCee Club was filled to capacity. As the well dressed guests hurried from their cars into the reception area on a cool Friday night at 6 o’clock, they were greeted with warm smiles by an elegant looking couple who very efficiently checked them in and pointed them towards the main room for hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Jeff and Frances MIller were gracious enough to come all the way in from DeSoto to assist with reception that night and Jeff Miller, a Brother Knight from Council 8157 in Duncanville and a freelance writer for the Texas Catholic, would be taking notes for an article he would be writing about Bishop Kelly’s farewell to the Dallas Diocese Knights of Columbus. The article will be published in the Texas Catholic’s Special Edition dedicated to Bishop Kelly in late February.
KayCee Club President Kirk Jockel and Manager David Salazar and staff did another outstanding job with food preparation and service this year. The variety of hors d’oeuvres ranged from charcuterie boards to boiled shrimp with sauce plus several other delicious dishes, almost too many to name in this space. The musical entertainment was again provided this year by The Chris McGuire Quartet, with their smooth jazzy cabaret style sound and wonderful female vocalist gave an air of sophistication and slight retro feel to the evening, they sound smoother and better every year. The great selection of wines has got to be credited to the unofficial KayCee sommelier SK Patrick Vlk, PGK 799 and Past DDC President who has served as the organizing committee chair since the First Annual Clergy Appreciation Banquet.
The event’s organizing committee team includes Mike Courtney, Patrick Vlk, Kirk Jockel, John Little, Jake Fleischer, and Jorge Ruiz.
Among the thirty two Clergy members from different parishes and seminaries across the Dallas Diocese being honored tonight was Bishop Gregory Kelly, who’s keynote speech was a farewell to the Dallas Knights having recently been appointed by the Pope as the next Bishop of Tyler, a post he will be starting on February 24th. To commemorate his service in the Dallas Diocese, the Knights presented Bishop Kelly a check for $8500, a donation to “Priests for Tomorrow” which is a campaign in the Tyler Diocese to create a fund to endow vocations. The presentation was made by SK Mike Courtney, Dallas Diocesan Deputy; SK Patrick Dillon, Grand Knight Council 799; and SK Kirk Jockel, KayCee Club President.
Other special guests included our Worthy State Deputy Ron Alonzo and Lady Margo, who seem to spend more time on the road these days than in their home town of Corpus Christi, as they traverse the great State of Texas visiting their KofC Councils and attending all the events they can squeeze into their tight schedule. SD Alonzo brought with him an Icon and a Relic of Blessed Michael McGivney. The Icon will remain in the Dallas area for the next three years and it will be displayed at several area parishes. The Relic will be back at one of our parishes later this Spring.
Other sponsors were John Regan with the Knights of Columbus Insurance Regan Agency, and the American Wheelchair Mission. The latter was well represented by President Chris Lewis, Texas Executive Director Ricardo Guzman-Hefferan and SK Bill Weber, Texas Wheelchair Mission Director. Mr. Lewis gave a brief speech that was humble and aimed at thanking all of Texas for our support and annual contributions we make to the cause of giving the gift of mobility to those who cannot afford it.
The 2025 Seminarian’s Best Friend Award was presented to Sir Knight Joe Barcevac and Lady Mary Lou from St. Joseph Council 8417 in Waxahachie. Since suffering the loss of their son Zach and daughter Allison, they have remained stedfast in their commitment to donating $2000 annually to the Seminarian cause, as they said, $1000 in honor of each lost child. Making the presentation were SK John Little, the DDC RSVP Program Director and SK Mike Courtney, Dallas Diocesan Deputy.
Two of the four DDC Chaplain of the Year recipients from 2020-2025 were present to be recognized. They are Father Jason Cargo, St. Mark the Evangelist in Plano; and Father Joseph Mehan, St. Michael the Archangel in Garland.
The evening culminated with the clergy being called by name and parish one by one up to the stage for recognition with a hearty round of applause and for the final group photo, followed by all of them being presented a gift as they left the stage.
We are grateful to all brother knights who lent a hand in preparing, organizing and flawlessly executing their tasks on behalf of the Dallas Diocese Chapter Knights of Columbus. Let’s make it bigger next year.