On Thursday, the Civitan Club of Natchez will be celebrating Clergy Appreciation Day at the Eola Hotel at 11:45 a.m.

Sixty years ago the USS Dorchester set sail from Staten Island to Greenland, carrying 902 men for the purpose of replacing troops in Greenland.

At Newfoundland they picked up two freighters and became a convoy. Because of ice and rough seas the trip was slow and difficult.

The convoy was within 150 miles of Greenland when a torpedo ripped into the Dorchester’s right side and the old ship began to sink. They heard the order to abandon ship. When all of the life jackets were exhausted, each of the four chaplains aboard gave theirs to a soldier. The last time the soldiers saw the four chaplains they were standing on the deck praying for the safety of their men.

And so these four chaplains — Protestant, Catholic and Jew from different towns had a rendezvous with God whose hand had plucked these four men from their parishes and set them together in an act of heroism that still inspires today.

Therefore, we will be honoring the clergy of our area and hope that you will attend. Please contact Glenda Wilson at 601-807-5533, Ms. Billy Bunch at 601-446-8835, or Carolyn Couch at 601-442-2125.

Glenda Wilson is a member of Civitan.