A closeup of Dcn. Conrad Jaconette’s chalice, depicting St. Teresa of Avila, is seen prior to its full restoration in this undated photo. COURTESY OF DCN. CONRAD JACONETTE
‘We bring what we have to the altar’
Seminarian’s chalice continues long legacy of ‘keeping traditions alive’
BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
Dcn. Conrad Jaconette, who will be ordained a priest of the Diocese of Owensboro this May at St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro, did not originally seek out an ornate chalice.
“I wasn’t planning on getting something that elaborate; it just happened,” he said.
Dcn. Jaconette, whose Mass of Ordination is open to the public and will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on May 31, said his priest’s chalice has a multi-century legacy.
“It was made by a Belgian silversmith in 1890,” said Dcn. Jaconette, who acquired it after discovering it was available in England. “I wanted something that’s old, that’s been a part of the sacrifice of the Mass for centuries, in keeping the Church and her traditions alive.”
The base of the chalice features images of St. James, St. Dominic, St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Teresa of Avila, and the Madonna and Child. It is made of silver, plated in gold, and has 12 pieces of pure blue lapis stones.
Dcn. Jaconette said lapis “is the rarest natural bright blue in the world,” and was used in ancient iconography to color Our Lady’s mantle.
To add a personal touch as the chalice is being refurbished, jewels will be set in it from Dcn. Jaconette’s parents and sister, such as his grandmother’s pearls, his great-grandmother’s rubies, and diamonds from his mother. His family also provided some gold jewelry that will be melted down and used in the finish.
He said that unlike most chalices made today, which are mass-produced from a mold, this 17th-century chalice was handmade in multiple pieces that lock together with a screw at the base. It bears hand-done filigree, which the artisan restoring the chalice told Dcn. Jaconette is becoming a lost art.
Dcn. Conrad Jaconette’s chalice is seen prior to its full restoration in this undated photo. The chalice will be completed in time for the seminarian’s priestly ordination on May 31, 2025. COURTESY OF DCN. CONRAD JACONETTE
The chalice’s history is interesting as well. On the base is an inscription dedicated to the priest and original owner who received it as a gift from his family for his 50th ordination anniversary. Dcn. Jaconette said the plan had been to flip that piece upside down and put his own name on the top side, and to retain the original inscription to keep the previous owner’s memory in mind. However, in the ongoing restoration, it was discovered that the chalice also bore another priest owner’s name from June 1, 1912.
“My first Mass will be celebrated on June 1,” said Dcn. Jaconette, adding that he chose to also keep that other priest’s name on the chalice to continue its holy legacy. His own name will now be inscribed below that priest’s name.
Dcn. Jaconette acknowledged that the diverse array of saints around the base, the variety of gems and colors, and the addition of his family’s various heirloom jewelry pieces, results in a chalice that has a lot going on.
But “I wanted a chalice that’s beautiful and chaotic, because that’s how my spirituality has been,” he said. “I will always be finding something new (to look at on the chalice).”
Another reason why he desired such an elegant chalice is because he will eventually serve as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force (his seminary education is co-sponsored by both the Diocese of Owensboro and the Archdiocese for the Military Services, U.S.A.). As a priest, he will celebrate Mass in many unconventional locations.
“I might be saying Mass on a picnic table,” he said, but explained that with a chalice that speaks to the unseen reality of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, it will still “capture the beauty and magnitude of what’s happening.”
Dcn. Jaconette explained that creating beautiful vessels and other items for the liturgy illustrate how the faithful can use what God has provided through his creation, “and use it for his Mass,” he said.
His chalice’s “beautiful artistry – plus the family connection – show how we can bring what we have to the altar,” he said. “This is a gift from my family, out of their love and support and sacrifice in giving up a son for the Church.”
Originally printed in the May 2025 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
