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Diocesan priest in Rome for close of Year for Priests

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
(Email Renee)

A priest of the Diocese of Sioux City was among the thousands in Rome for the close of the Year for Priests.

Father Brian Danner, pastor at St. Joseph Church in Milford, was invited to take part in the Knights of Columbus pilgrimage to Rome thanks to his role as KC chaplain for the State of Iowa. All state chaplains had the opportunity to participate in this trip.

The highlight of the June 6-13 pilgrimage for him was the June 11 papal Mass. Concelebrating Mass with the pope and the thousands of brother priests was a profound experience for Father Danner who said it is something that he will always remember. He described the opportunity as “a privilege and honor.”

“We truly realized that the Catholic Church was more than our diocesan church,” he said. “Brother priests were there from all over the world.” The universal and multicultural dimension of the Catholic Church was also evident at the liturgy and other events in the many translations of language to native tongues.

During Mass, Father Danner recalled how Pope Benedict XVI addressed the sex abuse scandal. The pope noted that the church needs to recognize the people’s heavy hearts and at the same time take continued action to prevent abuse from happening again.

“The Holy Father knew it was paramount for him to address the abuse crisis,” he said. “He did that and now it’s up to the church – all of us – to accept the church’s desire for forgiveness and take concrete measures to prevent abuse from happening again.”

In addition to the June 11 liturgy, Father Danner was able to participate in other special events such as an international conference at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls that was held in conjunction with the Year for Priests. Along with education components, the KC group had Mass and adoration twice at the well-known basilica.

The trip also enabled the Iowa chaplain to realize how much of an impact that the Knights of Columbus have had on supporting the Catholic Church, the Vatican and the city of Rome. While in Rome, they celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Knights of Columbus’ presence in the city at a local museum, Rome’s Capitoline Museum. The KC celebration was attended by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the former Vatican secretary of state, who spoke briefly about the KCs impact upon the Catholic Church.

Father Danner learned that the Knights of Columbus have supported various Vatican projects in their 90 years including the restoration of the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica, papal tombs, grottos and more.

“This trip was symbolic of the Knights of Columbus mission to be solidarity with the bishops and priests,” he said.

He pointed out that each chaplain received a medallion in commemoration of the 90th years of Knights service in Rome as well as a commemorative chasuble in remembrance of the pilgrimage to Rome.

“It was truly a pilgrimage because we were all there celebrating our faith together and hoping at the same time to grow in our faith knowing that we are not out here as priests alone in our local parishes,” Father Danner said. “We are in this mission in Christ’s name with the world.”