By Antonio Banuelos
For The Catholic Messenger
Refugio Ceniceros, a member of Knights of Columbus Council 13960 in Muscatine, was recognized at the 115th Convention of the Iowa Knights of Columbus as Star District Deputy. Refugio, a member of Ss. Mary & Mathias Parish, also in Muscatine, oversees three Hispanic Knights of Columbus councils in eastern Iowa: Muscatine, Columbus Junction 14042 and Davenport 14131. The Star District is presented to district deputies whose councils fulfill their recruitment and insurance membership goals.
Refugio Ceniceros of Ss. Mary & Mathias Knights of Columbus Council 13960 in Muscatine, poses with State Deputy Jon Aldrich and State Membership Director Michael Gaspers at the Iowa KC Banquet in mid-April. Ceniceros was honored at the banquet.
The Muscatine council doubled its recruitment goals while Davenport and Columbus Junction fulfilled 50 percent of their recruitment goals. The Muscatine council was also recognized as a Double Star Council earlier in the year. Refugio was the only district deputy in the state to receive such recognition. At the state convention in mid-April he received a plaque, pin and shirt from State Deputy Jon Aldrich and Membership Director Michael Gaspers.
Refugio also was elected as a delegate for Iowa to the 134th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus in Toronto, Canada. Adam Bormann of Davenport and David Ritchie of Solon were also selected to serve as delegates.
The presence of Hispanics is growing among the Iowa Knights of Columbus. This year, 15 Hispanic delegates (the largest number ever) attended the state convention in Des Moines: eight from the Diocese of Davenport, two from the Archdiocese of Dubuque, and five from the Diocese of Des Moines. Recognition achieved by Refugio and by the KC Council in Muscatine help the order to become more visible in the Hispanic community. The State Council is working on making the benefits of the order available to Hispanics throughout Iowa while inviting Hispanic men to join their ranks and become better Catholics, better husbands and better fathers.
For more information on the Iowa Knights of Columbus, visit iowakofc.org or email membership@iowakofc.org.
Founded in 1882, the Knights of Columbus is the largest Catholic fraternal organization in the world with more than 1.9 million members throughout 15 countries.
The Iowa Knights of Columbus, with more than 31,000 members, continues to serve parishes and communities in Iowa’s four diocese through charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism.
