New KCHS football head coach ready for the challenge

Dean Cokinos has ‘the answers to the test’ as he prepares to lead the Irish in a tough region

New Knoxville Catholic High School football head coach

Dean Cokinos is ready to take on the challenge of leading the Fighting Irish as they play in what many call the toughest region in the state in Division II, Class AAA.

Knoxville Catholic competes in the AAA-East Division with Baylor School of Chattanooga, Brentwood Academy, Lipscomb Academy of Nashville, McCallie School of Chattanooga, and Montgomery Bell Academy of Nashville. Lipscomb moves up to AAA after capturing the state title in II-AA last season, while Baylor is the defending IIAAA state champion.

After winning state titles in the non-financial-aid Division I in 2015 and 2017, KCHS moved to Division II in 2019 and in the last two years has found the going rough, compiling a combined record of 8-12.

Mr. Cokinos, named KCHS coach on Dec. 22, brings a broad range of football experience to the Fighting Irish, having been the head coach of arena football teams in Washington, D.C., New Orleans, and Atlanta; working in NFL international football operations in Germany; coaching in the collegiate level at UMass, Austin Peay, and West Ala-

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Catholic homeschool support group in Knoxville and surrounding areas that is recognized by the diocese as a private association of the faithful. The group supports one another as families who choose to educate their children at home in order to live, teach, and preserve their Catholic Christianity. The group celebrates Mass together and has a monthly holy hour; has regular park gatherings, field trips, and feast day celebrations; offers faith-based small groups for children, teens, and adults, as well as many other activities. For more information, contact Lenore Pacitti at lmgouge@gmail.com or 865-684-6358, or Sarah Bryant at jsbry412@gmail.com or 865-742-3534.

Chattanooga Search for Christian Maturity Retreat No. 167 is coming Feb. 24-26 to Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton. Search helps Catholic high school juniors and seniors take a fresh look at their own faith journey, reflecting on their place within their families, schools, parishes, and community as disciples of Christ. This is accomplished through activities and experiences that lead participants to a renewed understanding of Christ at work in their lives. Search is facilitated by teens for teens with the guidance of adult Search coordinators. The main focus of the retreat is threefold: motivating the youth to seek a personal relationship with Christ, getting young people involved with their respective parishes, and promoting leadership. Registration is available at https:// dioknox.org/events/search-167.

“Shrines and Sites, a Pilgrimage to Switzerland,” is set for April 17-27. Join Father Michael Maples to experience the sacred sites and beauty of

Parish notes continued from page B4 setter (40), James and Doris Fernandez (20)

Notre Dame, Greeneville

The Council of Catholic Women met Jan. 15 with a baby shower theme and a speaker from the Hope Center in Greeneville. Those attending brought baby items to donate.

Anniversaries: Leslie and Mary Law (52), Norman and Nancy Clark (40) St. Patrick, Morristown

The parish thanked reader Richard Hidalgo and choirmaster Lonnie Knight, as well as the 9:30 a.m. Mass choir, for presenting songs of Advent and Christmas at December’s Lessons and Carols.

Anniversaries: Ramon and Onelia Rodri- bama; and in the last three seasons as special teams and linebackers coach at both Brentwood Academy and Ensworth in Nashville. His head coaching regular-season record is 165-86-1, with an 11-6 postseason record. His teams qualified for the playoffs 13 times, appeared in the semifinals seven times, and were five-time conference champions and twice league champions.

“Having served in multiple roles as a head coach, general manager, director of operations, director of player personnel, in corporate sponsorship and fundraising as well as in community and media relations, I have obtained a wealth of knowledge in the process of building programs and teams,” Mr. Cokinos said.

“I have now been on both ends of the spectrum in regard to high school football, developing players to move on to the next level and evaluating players for the next level, and I have performed all the duties, from A to Z, required to run a program both on and off the field. I have the answers to the test. The value that I will bring to the staff and team players is to simplify things and focus on things of value that will enhance the build-

Switzerland. The group will have three nights in Lucerne, with stops at Muri Abbey to celebrate Mass and in Solothurn to visit St. Ursus Cathedral. There will be an excursion by coach to Engelberg Abbey and then by cable car to the top of Mount Titlis, considered one of Switzerland’s top destinations. Pilgrims will discover Europe’s highest train station on a full-day train tour to Jungfraujoch. On arrival, they will view the UNESCO-listed landscape and explore summit attractions, such as the Ice Palace and Sphinx Observatory, with views over Aletsch Glacier, Europe’s longest glacier. They will take the scenic Gotthard Panorama Express boat on Lake Lucerne before boarding a train to Lugano, where they will have a two-night stay. A day of sightseeing that includes Santa Maria Degli Angeli Church and a cable-car ride to Monte San Salvatore will follow. The exploration continues with a visit to the Cathedral of Lugano, St. Mary’s, the Rocco Church, San Lorenzo Cathedral, and the Museo D’ Arte. The group will visit the Marian Shrine of Switzerland to see the statue of the Black Madonna, Our Lady of Einsiedeln, and go on to Zurich. Pilgrims will visit St. Gallen Abbey and Library, the oldest in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A boat ride down the Limmat River under the bridges and a visit to the Fraumunster Church to see the Chagall stainedglass windows will follow. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865567-1245 or lisam@select-intl.com.

A pilgrimage to Poland with Father Martin Gladysz is scheduled for July 17-26. The group will spend a day in Warsaw visiting the sites before continuing on to Czestochowa, where pilgrims will visit the Jasna Gora Mon- guez (70), John and Bonnie Tomassoni (69), Vincent and Carole Liposky (60), Herbert and Timmi Oaks (55), Thomas and Rosalind Kilroy (50), Edward and Noelle Schaekel (30), Jorge and Maria Correa (25), Carlos Curiel-Beltran and Maria Curiel (20), Oscar Zavala and Mari Pantoja-Torres (15)

Smoky Mountain Deanery

Holy Ghost, Knoxville

The Knights of Columbus thanked Phil Oakley for planning and overseeing the annual youth free-throw competition at St. Joseph School in January. He was assisted by Sam Costadina, John Hitt, David Orzechowski, and John Saucier.

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville

As part of its Haiti Fest, IC will serve an ing process and avoid the noise or busy work that can hinder player development.”

Mr. Cokinos said “the goal is simple” at KCHS: “Identify each astery, the Treasury, and the famous icon of the Black Madonna, to which many miracles have been attributed. They will visit Wadowice, the hometown of Pope St. John Paul II, and visit his childhood home, and visit the church where he was baptized. They will visit the Shrine of Divine Mercy and visit St. Faustina’s convent chapel and her tomb, and have a tour led by one of the Sisters. Another visit will be to Europe’s oldest salt mine, which UNESCO has listed as a World Heritage Site. The mines are a unique place where many generations of Polish miners have created a world of underground chambers and decorated chapels carved out of salt, including the famous Chapel of St. Kinga. The group will visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Ludzmierz, the Niepokalanow Sanctuary, and the Franciscan Monastery, linked with St. Maximilian Kolbe, and have a chance to visit Auschwitz, where St. Maximilian Kolbe died a martyr. Other sites visited will be Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, a popular pilgrimage place for Pope St. John Paul II, and Zakopane, in the highlands of Poland, and the group will enjoy a peaceful river trip through the beautiful towering cliffs. Father Gladysz is from Krakow and is excited to be leading this pilgrimage to his homeland of Poland. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865-5671245 or lisam@select-intl.com.

A pilgrimage to Greece, including a four-day Aegean cruise, is set for Sept. 18-29. Join Glenmary Father Steve Pawelk “In the Footsteps of St. Paul” as pilgrims visit the places where St. Paul preached the Gospel—Thessaloniki, Philippi, Corinth, and Athens— and visit the Meteora Monasteries. The Aegean cruise stops on the islands of Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes, authentic Haitian meal from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, and 12:30 to 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12. Entrée options are ribs, gumbo, and vegan gumbo, each served with sides, or Soup Joumou. The IC women’s group will provide tropical cake. Cost is $20 per person or $60 per family of four or more. Proceeds will support IC’s sister parish in Fond des Blancs, Haiti.

The women’s group is collecting fleece or yarn blankets as well as quilts for its annual “Wrap It Up” project that began in January and runs through Lent. Bring new or gently used blankets or quilts to the marked basket at the entrance to the church. The blankets are given to folks in the Meals on Wheels program. Financial donations are always accepted. For more information on the program, call Jeanie Matthews at 865-320-4673.

By Dan McWilliams

player’s skill set and build a toolbox for each player that evolves around strong fundamentals, explaining and demonstrating ‘why’ and Patmos and will also visit the ancient city of Ephesus, featuring some of the most magnificent excavations in the world, and visit Mary’s house. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or lisam@select-intl. com.

Join Father Michael Cummins on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from Oct. 16-26, with an optional extension to Jordan from Oct. 26-29. Pilgrims will walk in the footsteps of Jesus, visiting the holy and sacred sites of His life, death, and resurrection. They will journey to Bethlehem, Bethany, Masada, Caesarea, Mount Carmel, and the Sea of Galilee area, including the Mount of Beatitudes, Nazareth, Capernaum, Magdala, and Tabgha. They will journey on to Mount Tabor, Jericho, the Mount of Temptation, the Jordan River, and the Dead Sea, then travel to Jerusalem, visiting the Mount of Olives, the church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Wailing Wall. They will have the blessing of walking the way of the cross, the Via Dolorosa. There will be the opportunity to extend the pilgrimage for three days, visiting Jordan, including Petra. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or lisam@select-intl. com.

Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at noon each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville; every Sunday at 8 a.m. at St. Mary Church in Athens; at 2 p.m. each Sunday at St. Mary Church in Johnson City; at 6 p.m. most Thursdays at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge; and at 11:30 a.m. every Sunday at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. For more information, visit www.Knox LatinMass.net. n

Knights of Columbus Council 645 sponsored a movie night, featuring “Mother Teresa: No Greater Love,” on Feb. 3. St. John XXIII, Knoxville

The parish Mardi Gras party and silent auction will be held Friday, Feb. 10. St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville

The two new parish council members for this year are Richard Burris and Marguerite Lewis. They succeed Ken King and Mike Cummings.

Parishioner Rod Bennett, a nationally recognized author and speaker, gave a presentation on Church history Jan. 25.

The Knights of Columbus hosted for men an “Into the Breach” session on prayer Jan. 28. n

Knights honor St. John Neumann School essayists

Knights of Columbus Council 8781 presented awards Jan. 13 to A.J. Sinclair and Molly Falvey, eighth-graders at St. John Neumann School in Farragut, for being the top boy and girl essayists in a parish competition. Both received certificates and $100 as prizes. A.J.’s essay was scored the highest and will represent the council and parish at the next level of an international competition. The council received 40 entries. Entrants were asked to explain, in 500 to 750 words, how young Catholics can evangelize the faith to families and friends who have turned away from religion and encourage them to return to the Church and embrace the sacraments. A.J. and Molly are pictured receiving their awards from Grand Knight Walt Hanson.