Knights of Columbus from councils around Middle Tennessee raised $22,000 for the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation vocations program at the annual Postulant Banquet.
The banquet, held on Saturday, Nov. 13, drew Knights from 14 councils in Middle Tennessee, and each were asked to bring a dessert that was auctioned off during the evening.
“The results of this year’s auction garnered a net amount of $22,000 that goes to the Dominican Mother House for the Postulant program,” said Mike Porter of Council 9282 at St. Stephen Catholic Community in Old Hickory. Postulants are in their first year of formation as members of the Nashville Dominican community.
“The banquet began with a full course Thanksgiving dinner, followed by the auction. All the councils came prepared to bid for all the 23 desserts that were brought. We had a winning bid as high as $1,200 for a single cake,” said Porter, the auctioneer for the event. “We enjoyed the desserts after the auction and what was left went back to the Mother House for all the sisters to enjoy.
“The postulants sang songs and helped auction the desserts and told us a little bit about themselves as well,” Porter added. “We all learned a lot about these special young ladies and their calling from God to come to Nashville as a Dominican postulant.”
It was the 26th year Council 9282 at St. Stephen has hosted the banquet and the 20th year it has benefited the Nashville Dominicans. Previously, the proceeds from the banquet were donated to the Safe Haven Homeless Shelter for families.
“This was the first live auction we have had since Covid began, and we had a packed social hall at St. Stephen,” Porter said. “We filled 25 tables with over 200 in attendance.”
Knights Mark Mayer, who served as the emcee for the banquet, Council 9282 Grand Knight Chip Harris, Council 9282 Deputy Grand Knight Joe Fariello, and Porter presented the check at the Dominican Motherhouse on Monday, Dec. 6.
The councils represented at the banquet included: 9282 at St. Stephen; 9168 at St. Luke Church in Smyrna; 8354 at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church; 9586 at St. Edward Church; 4563 at St. Rose of Lima Church in Murfreesboro; 9132 at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Hendersonville; 3763 at St. Joseph Church in Madison; 4972 in Donelson serving Holy Rosary Church; 12012 at St. Henry Church; 11925 at St. Ann Church; 12256 at Christ the King Church; 9787 at St. Frances Cabrini Church in Lebanon; 544 at the Cathedral of the Incarnation; and 15234 at Holy Family Church in Brentwood.
Also attending were State Deputy Fred Laufenberg of Fairfield Glade, Immediate Past State Deputy Michal McCusker of Memphis; State Warden Alan Stanley of Nashville; Supreme Council Representative Mark McMullen, the senior vice president of membership for the order; Dan Schachle, the General Agent for Knights of Columbus life insurance in Tennessee; and Assistant General Agent Stephen Regan.
The next Postulant Banquet will be held at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Hendersonville on Nov. 12, 2022.
