Chalice serves as legacy gift

By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
(Second in a series)
 
When Father Bill McCarthy received his chalice for his May 31, 2003, priestly ordination, he was also receiving a piece of family history.
 
“The chalice was a gift in 1959 for Msgr. John M. Brady who would have been a great, great uncle,” Father McCarthy explained. “He received that as for the 50^th year he served in the Diocese of Sioux Falls. He was the vicar general.”

 The Mitchell, South Dakota, Daily Republic newspaper archive noted that the monsignor had served as a priest, teacher, farmer and school superintendent. He had served as a Knights of Columbus chaplain “who served in France with the AEF during World War I.” He was ordained June 16, 1909, at the age of 40 by Bishop Thomas O’Gorman at the old Cathedral in Sioux Falls. 
Father McCarthy, who is now pastor of St. Therese of Lisieux Parish in Ida Grove, said Msgr. Brady gifted the chalice to Msgr. Edward Burian, Father McCarthy’s uncle.
 
Msgr. Burian was a former educator in Bonesteel, South Dakota, before entering the St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, according to his obituary. He was ordained to the priesthood at Holy Family Church in Mitchell, South Dakota. He retired in 2006 and helped with ministry in several parishes and a convent for many years. He died Dec. 11, 2023, just a few months after celebrating 53 years as a priest.
 
It was Msgr. Burian who gifted the chalice to his nephew for his upcoming priestly ordination 21 years ago. Father McCarthy said he received the chalice a few months prior to ordination and brought it to the Sioux City Fitzgibbins religious supply store to facilitate refurbishing the chalice in New York.

 Read Chalices Part I

“I got it back just prior to ordination. At the time it cost $450 (to refurbish). I was so thankful we did that back when we did,” Father McCarthy said.
 
The priest believes that his uncle “had it in his mind to pass it along,” to a future priest in the family.
 

Msgr. Burian

“What makes it special are the silver medallions on the base with Jesus, Joseph and Mary, and the cup has angels on it. It’s a beautiful chalice,” Father McCarthy said of the vessel. 

The St. Therese of Lisieux pastor said he brings out his chalice at special Masses “when the bishop is where I’m at.” He also has it available for the first Mass of a newly-ordained priest or deacon at his parish.
 
“We’ve been blessed with permanent deacons ordained at Remsen where I was before,” he pointed out.
 
The chalice has also been used as “a recruiting tool” when visiting with young men discerning a vocation to the priesthood, Father McCarthy explained. He shows the discerners the chalice and describes the history behind it.
 
Although Father McCarthy has many years of active ministry ahead of him, he plans to continue the tradition of passing the chalice on to a brother priest who happens to be family.
 
“That goes to the family. There are seven priests in my family tree. Hopefully, there will be another priest someday,” he said.
 
Until then, the chalice continues to serve as a reminder to the priest of the history of the deep faith of his family members, which is “an immense blessing.”
 
“It’s a great reminder of the challenge to pass the faith on to future generations,” Father McCarthy said.