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June 29, 2023The Catholic Daughters of the Americas Chapter No. 2166, Saint Jude, hosted their annual priest appreciation dinner on June 14 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Lawton. The chapter is made up of women from both Holy Family Catholic Church and Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.
Being recognized at the dinner were Father Thomas Nallapatti and Father John Paul Lewis of Blessed Sacrament Church in Lawton and Saint Patrick Catholic Church in Walters, Father Phil Seeton of Holy Family Catholic Church in Lawton, Father Rayanna Narisetti of Saint Ann Catholic Church in Elgin, Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church in Apache and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Sterling, Father Vic Luong of Saint Patrick Catholic Church in Anadarko, Saint Richard Catholic Church in Carnegie and Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Binger. Also honored were the priests of Fort Sill, Father Felix Kamai, Father Killian Muli and Pastor Azubuike Igwegbe.
Together, the men represent most of Southwest Oklahoma’s Catholic churches and missions. The honorees were treated to an array of homemade foods from the Catholic Daughters Chapter. Arlene Schonchin of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church prayed the Lord’s Prayer and the Hail Mary prayer in Native American Sign Language.
This year’s theme was “The Beautiful Hands of a Priest,” inspired by a poem. Catholic Daughters of America member Iris Fraticelli made the priests cake in the theme.
“The purpose of the Priest Appreciation Dinner is to bring together and honor the priests and deacons of the churches who do so much for our Catholic communities. They do not get to punch out for the day at 5 o’clock like many of us do. They pray for our families, administer the holy sacraments and sometimes sacrifice their personal time and time with their families to help those in spiritual need,” Jolene Schonchin, regent of the Saint Jude Chapter, said. “This is our way of saying, ’Thank you,’ and ’you are appreciated.’”
Also in attendance were deacons from the churches and seminarian Jonah Beckham.
Jolene Schonchin is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Photos Jolene Schonchin/Sooner Catholic.
