Knights of Columbus honors Msgr. Duchaine with award

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
August 27, 2006

DANBURY - The Iowa Knights of Columbus recently honored Msgr. Mark Duchaine, chaplain of Knights of Columbus Council #2839 in Danbury, with the Chaplain of the Year award for the Diocese of Sioux City.

Msgr. Duchaine received the award on May 5 at the Iowa Knights of Columbus convention in Des Moines at the Downtown Marriott.

"It is a nice tribute from my brother Knights," said Msgr. Duchaine. "I have been involved with the KCs since I was ordained in 1978. At my first assignment at St. Cecelia's in Algona, I also participated in the local council, which was very active."

He noted that he was then and is now active in the Knights of Columbus. He is currently pastor at St. Mary Parish in Oto and St. Mary Parish in Mapleton.

"It gave me a good sense of what the KCs are about as a religious organization of men, a service organization and a patriotic organization," said the KC chaplain. "I continued my relationship with the Knights through the years."

When he went to Mapleton in 2002, he became the co-chaplain for the local council.

"It is a nice tribute to think that at least in terms of what I have done at my present assignment makes me worthy of such an honor as diocesan chaplain of the year," said Msgr. Duchaine. "I am honored and humbled that the members of my local council would nominate me for this honor and that the state leadership of the Knights concurred in that nomination and presented me with this honor. I am grateful."

He noted that as chaplain his primary duties are to serve as a visible presence of the church in the deliberations and decisions that are made by the council and to provide spiritual guidance and some religious instruction to the members.

"It is a worldwide fraternity of Catholic men," said Msgr. Duchaine. "It enjoys a very sustained and excellent reputation within the church. To my knowledge it is the only Catholic men's organization that enjoys this stature and reputation. It has the ability to help form the individual member into a good, faithful, patriotic, Catholic individual."

At the convention, other awards were presented along with the election of the new state officers.