March 3, 2024, ET Catholic, A section

In full communion

Nearly 400 catechumens, candidates entering Catholic Church at Easter Vigil

By Bill Brewer

The season of Lent brings with it newness and growth, as in the hundreds of catechumens and candidates who will be entering into full communion with the Catholic Church at Easter.

Many of those catechumens and candidates gathered at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18 for the Rite of Election of Catechumens and the Call to Continuing Conversion of Candidates, where Father David Boettner, who serves as cathedral rector, told those joining the Church that their faith and courage was an inspiration for all Catholics, many of whom may be prompted to ask themselves, “If I weren’t Catholic, would I have joined the Church?”

“I love the Rite of Election and just the whole process of the RCIA,” Father Boettner said. “I’m always humbled because for those of us who were born Catholic, we were given a gift that we probably didn’t fully appreciate when we were first

Diocesan churches preparing for Easter celebrations as Lent ushers in Holy Week services

The East Tennessee Catholic

Churches in the Diocese of Knoxville are preparing for Easter as Lent leads the faithful into Holy Week.

Laetare Sunday, celebrated on the fourth Sunday in Lent, is a time when the Church pauses the penitential reflections of Lent and “rejoices” in the hope of the coming Easter season. Parish priests will don rosecolored vestments, and faithful Catholics will look up from the somber practices of the 40 days of sacrifice and penance to see a glimpse into Easter.

Laetare Sunday will give way to Passiontide and Palm Sunday. Altars will be draped in purple, and the faithful will immerse themselves in a dark and somber reflection of the Passion of Jesus on His way to the cross. Holy Week begins with the distribution of palms at the Palm Sunday Mass.

In the diocese, the Monday of Holy Week, March 25, is when the Chrism Mass will be celebrated. The annual Mass will begin at 7 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is a change from the usual Chrism Mass time in the diocese the Tuesday of Holy Week.

Easter on page A16

given it. And so, watching folks who are coming into the Church or being baptized for the first time or coming into full communion, I think it causes us to pause and ask ourselves a question: OK, what if I

had not been born into the Catholic faith. Would I have their courage? Would I have their commitment? I think it helps us all to grow a little stronger, a little more intentional about our faith.”

Nearly 300 catechumens and candidates participated in the Rite of Election services for the Chattanooga and Five Rivers deaneries on Feb. 17 and the Cumberland Mountain and Smoky Mountain deaneries on Feb. 18, according to the Diocese of Knoxville’s Office of Christian Formation.

Deacon Jim Bello, who serves as director of the Office of Christian Formation and at Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy, said nearly 400 East Tennessee catechumens and candidates are expected to be in full communion with the Church at Easter Vigil on Saturday, March 30. At that time, catechumens will receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and first Holy Communion. Candidates will receive the sacraments of confirmation and first Communion.

“It was a beautiful two days. This rite is always one of my favorite events of the year because we are welcoming these new people into the Church as they continue their formation. They’ve worked so hard.

Parishes embrace Tenebrae

Moving service highlights the darkness present before Easter

By Emily Booker

Slow. Quiet. Dark. It can be difficult to step away from the busyness and noise of the world and to truly enter into a space that offers a stillness in order to draw you closer to God.

If you are looking for a way to more deeply reflect on Christ’s Passion and death during Holy Week, you may consider attending a Tenebrae service, which has been gaining more popularity at some parishes in the Diocese of Knoxville in recent years.

Tenebrae, which means “darkness” in Latin, is traditionally held during the Triduum, the three days preceding Easter.

Deacon Gordon Lowery has been leading the English Tenebrae service at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville for several years. Holy Ghost has offered the Tenebrae service in both English and traditional Latin forms during Holy Week.

Deacon Lowery explained that Tenebrae was originally a way for the laity to share in praying the Liturgy of the Hours during the holiest time of the year.

“Down the ages it’s changed a lot,” he explained. “Back in the medieval times the Liturgy of the Hours was just for the clergy. This was a form of the Liturgy of the Hours prayed by the laity during Holy Week.”

Since Vatican II, the Tenebrae service is not celebrated as regularly. Now, parish Tenebrae services each

vary slightly but follow the similar themes and the same focus on entering into the darkness with Christ.

The cantors or congregation is divided into two choirs that alternate the chanting or reading of Scripture.

“We chant from the lamentations of Jeremiah the prophet,” Deacon Lowery said. “We’re lamenting what is going on with Jesus, His beating and whipping and scourging, the crown of thorns, the spitting on Him. That’s what the lamentations are all about.”

Darkness before the light

Deacon Gordon Lowery holds the crotalus he uses during the Tenebrae service at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville each Easter Triduum.

Tenebrae is growing in popularity in the Diocese of Knoxville as more churches mark the period of darkness during Jesus Christ's crucifixion before His resurrection.

Each lamentation or psalm is followed by a prayer, and then a candle is extinguished, slowly leaving the church in darkness.

“You go through this process of reading and meditating and extinguishing a candle. And the candles are usually the only light that’s there, so that by the time you’re done, you’re in darkness,” said Deacon Tim Elliott, who has been leading the Tenebrae service at All Saints Church in Knoxville since around 2011.

Tenebrae continued on page A16

BILL BREWER

Welcome to our Church Father David Boettner, second from right, welcomes catechumens and candidates from the Diocese of Knoxville who will be joining the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil Mass during the Rite of Election on Feb. 17 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

BILL BREWER

Beyond the gridiron

Legendary football coach plays critical role in helping school's faith community grow

By Jack Figge National Catholic Register

When Father Tom Ackerman watched University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban support 2009 Heisman winner Mark Ingram at the televised award ceremony in New York, he assumed that Coach Saban would not be at Sunday Mass the next morning.

But much to his surprise, there was Coach Saban and his wife, Terry, sitting in their usual pew at St. Francis of Assisi Church.

Coach Saban recently retired as the head football coach at the University of Alabama. During his storied career, he led Alabama to six national championships during his 17 years as head coach.

Off the turf, however, Coach Saban has helped the school thrive in another area: Catholic evangelization. Coach Saban, a devout Catholic and weekly Massgoer, and wife Terry have been a driving force be-

Sr. Regina

hind the university’s Catholic ministry, Bama Catholic, and its affiliate parish, St. Francis of Assisi.

“It is very evident that the Catho-

The Handmaids of the Precious Blood this year celebrate the 77th year since their founding in 1947; more than three-quarters of a century of prayer and sacrifice for priests. To receive weekly cartoons and short reflections and news from the Handmaids of the Precious Blood, visit their website, nunsforpriests.org, and sign up for the FIAT newsletter.

March prayer intention for the new martyrs

“We pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel in various parts of the world inflame the Church with their courage and missionary enthusiasm.”

Pope Francis

lic faith is a priority for Coach Saban,” Father Ackerman, pastor at St. Francis of Assisi, told the Register. “He goes to Sunday Mass

and has helped with all of our different capital campaigns, and their foundation makes a contribution to our operating fund every year. We are so appreciative of all that the Sabans have done for us.”

In 2013, the Catholic Center announced an ambitious capital campaign, unveiling plans to build a new church, student center, and perpetual adoration chapel. After it was announced, the Sabans supported the campaign, making a significant contribution to the $1.9-million project.

Bama Catholic opened the Saban Catholic Student Center in 2016. The center continues to provide Catholic students with a place to gather, relax, and learn about the faith.

“The Saban Catholic Center has had a huge impact on our students; it’s a safe place for students to land,” Father Ackerman said. “Our student center is open from early morning to late in the evening so

How to sign up and qualify for Diocese of Knoxville’s safe-environment program

The Diocese of Knoxville has implemented the CMG Connect platform to administer the Safe Environment Program, which replaces the former Safe Environment Program (VIRTUS “Protecting God’s Children”).

CMG Connect is a web-based platform that will assist in ensuring that all employees and volunteers who are in a position of trust with children and vulnerable adults within Diocese of Knoxville schools and parishes are trained to recognize behavior patterns of potential abusers and provide pro-active measures for preventing abuse in any context.

“Safe Haven-It’s Up to You” is a three-part video that provides vignettes of real-life situations to educate the viewer about methods of grooming, desensitization, bullying, and neglect, all of which can lead to abuse.

Each part of the video is immediately followed by a brief questionnaire to further develop understanding.

Education is a key

element of the Safe Environment Program

All clergy, employees, contracted school personnel, volunteers, members of groups and organizations over the age of 18 who work, volunteer, or participate in any capacity are required to complete the diocesan Safe Environment training and a criminal-background check before they can begin employment, volunteer, or participate with ministries, groups, and organizations affiliated with the Diocese of Knoxville.

In addition, the mandatory renewal training must be completed every five years and a new background check submitted before the five-year expiration of prior training.

The Diocese of Knoxville Safe Environment compliance training and renewal training is a condition of employment and for volunteer ministry in the Diocese of Knoxville.

The CMG Connect

platform contains all three elements of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment

Program:

n Annual review of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Policy and Procedures Relating to Sexual Misconduct;

n CMG Connect Safe Haven training program to be completed every five years;

n Criminal background check to be completed every five years.

In compliance with the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program, all affiliates require that volunteers and employees complete the requirements prior to working and/or volunteering in a parish, school, The Paraclete, or through Catholic Charities and/or St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic Go to https:// dioknox.org/safeenvironment on the Diocese of Knoxville website for more information ■

© 2024 Handmaids of the Precious Blood

Faith and football Members of Bama Catholic enjoy an afternoon of fellowship at a University of Alabama football game. Catholicism on campus at Alabama has seen a surge, and legendary Alabama football coach Nick Saban and his wife, Terry, are given a lot of credit for that trend.

At Easter, the Church offers ways to celebrate reconciliation with God

By Paul Senz OSV News

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is at the heart of the Christian faith. This is the point at which God defeated death and reconciled the world to Himself, forging a new and eternal covenant with His people.

The resurrection is so important that the early Christians quickly began to commemorate it every week, on Sunday. Of course, it is celebrated in a special way each year at Easter.

When Jesus prophesied His own suffering and death, His Apostles refused to accept it; it was unthinkable for them. Imagine their horror when the man they thought was the Messiah was hung upon a cross to die, slowly and painfully, in utter humiliation. Then, imagine their joy when three days later: an empty tomb! The Lord walking among them once again!

Easter is a time of pure and boundless joy. The Easter season lasts 50 days, from Easter Sunday until Pentecost. The joy that comes from the resurrection cannot be contained in a single day.

The long tradition of the Church has passed down to us numerous ways to cultivate Easter joy in the weeks and months following Easter Sunday.

One way of cultivating Easter joy that the Church provides is to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ by receiving Him body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Eucharist.

Every Sunday is set aside as a special celebration of the resurrection, a commemoration of Christ’s victory over death; but we must bear in mind that every celebration of the Mass makes present the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and celebrates His glorious resurrection.

In that sense, there is no better time than Easter to attend daily Mass whenever possible, making it a priority. More and more parishes offer evening Mass during the week to allow working professionals to attend. Seeking out opportunities like this is one way to cultivate Easter joy and live in the resurrection.

The word “Eucharist” is derived from a Greek term meaning “thanksgiving.” And the Easter season is perfectly suited to help in forming habits of gratitude. One way we can help ourselves recognize and truly internalize just what happened at the resurrection would be to diligently work to grow in gratitude in our own lives.

All of us are given countless bless-

ings by God, and far more often than not they are blessings we do not even recognize or acknowledge. It takes effort, but it is important to try to recognize these blessings and be grateful.

We can start by reflecting on the resurrection itself. What a tremendous blessing, a gift that can never be adequately reciprocated: God became incarnate, offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, and defeated death once and for all. We should give thanks to God every day for this blessing and grow in a general sense of gratitude for the blessings God bestows upon us.

Another way Catholics can cultivate Easter joy during this season is by putting ourselves in the shoes of the Apostles and walking with Jesus during the period after the resurrection. The Stations of the Cross are one of the most widely known and practiced devotions among Catholics; this method of walking with Jesus, prayerfully joining Him in His own steps, helps Catholics to understand Christ’s passion and death.

Following Easter, we should consider walking with Jesus in the same way in regards to His earthly life between the resurrection and the ascension.

The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles recount these days of Jesus’ life, at some points in great detail. Prayerfully reflecting on these passages can lead to great insights and foster a deeper connection with this relatively little-thought-of period.

There are stories of the profound and boundless joy experienced by the disciples of Jesus when they encountered Him risen. Even Thomas, the eponymous doubter, upon realizing that Jesus had truly risen and was standing before him, showing

His wounds, was so overcome that he could but say, “My Lord and my God!” This is the joy we all should cultivate in ourselves and help foster in our community.

The Easter season is also a wonderful opportunity to extend Lenten observances or add more. If one’s Lenten observance was to pray 15 minutes a day, why stop at Easter?

This should be a habit formed in Lent and continued with joy throughout Easter and beyond. This may even be a time to add things like regular adoration of the Blessed Sacrament or praying the rosary or joining the ordained, religious, and many lay men and women all over the world in the praying of the Liturgy of the Hours.

This is not a penitential season, however. Jesus said, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15).

The bridegroom is with us! He is risen! This is not a time for fasting, but for celebration and joy. And we can foster that joy by uniting ourselves with Jesus.

If there is one thing that can be learned from the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is that death is no longer the final answer. In willingly sacrificing Himself for the sake of all humanity and every single individual person specifically and dying on the cross, only to be gloriously resurrected on the third day, our Lord overcame death once and for all.

The gates of heaven have been thrown open, and God extends a hand of welcoming to each and every one of us. We need simply to accept the forgiveness He offers and be welcomed into His loving embrace.

In the Easter season, it seems impossible not to be reminded of the

Prodigal Son. There is perhaps no other story, apart from Christ’s passion and resurrection, that better communicates to us the love and boundless forgiveness of God.

The father in the story tells us so much about how God feels about His own children, and this is even truer after the resurrection: My son who was once lost is now found! How can we contain our joy at this forgiveness and reconciliation? We should not contain it! Death no longer holds sway over us; we have each been given a glorious opportunity to accept God’s unending love and forgiveness. There is no greater gift.

We see this tale again and again throughout salvation history: God forms a covenant with His people, only to have his people betray that covenant and do their best to sever the bond. And yet, time and again, God remains steadfast unfailingly steadfast. There is always reconciliation on the horizon, always an opportunity for God’s people to accept His offer of forgiveness and be reconciled to Him. Recognizing this is one incredibly profound way to celebrate the Easter season.

The theme of God’s forgiveness is particularly close to the heart of our Holy Father. In his first Sunday Angelus address, only a few days after his election to the papacy, Pope Francis famously said, “God’s face is that of a merciful father who is always patient. Have you thought about God’s patience, the patience that He has with each of us? That is His mercy. He always has patience, patience with us; He understands us, He waits for us, He does not tire of forgiving us if we are able to return to Him with a contrite heart. ... The Lord never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking forgiveness."

God has provided ultimate and endless forgiveness to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. It may seem impossible that the second person of the Trinity became incarnate and dwelt among us; it may seem unthinkable that this incarnate second person of the Trinity suffered and died the most ignominious and humiliating death imaginable; and it may seem utterly absurd that, after all that, He rose again, glorified.

But it is true, all of it. For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life (John 3:16). Because of this, we are filled with joy Christ is risen! Let us cultivate that joy in ourselves and everywhere. ■

Frequently asked Holy Week questions: A look at Easter and its meanings

By Lorene Hanley Duquin OSV News

Sometimes the words we use in Holy Week and Easter feel so familiar we don’t consider their origins. Same for the date of Easter, which changes from year to year.

The following is a quick guide of frequently asked questions about Catholics’ Holy Week vocabulary and key history.

Q. Why do we use the word “Passion” to describe the suffering of Jesus?

A. The word “Passion” comes from the Latin word for suffering. When referring to the events leading up to the death of Jesus, we often capitalize the word “Passion” to differentiate from the modern meaning of the word with its romantic overtones.

Q. Why do some parishes cover the cross and statues during Holy Week?

A. The veiling of statues and images is recommended by the Catholic Church to heighten the faithful’s senses and instill a longing for Easter Sunday. Veiling signifies the absence of Christ from the world and is a reminder of the Passion.

Before 1970, it was customary to cover crosses and statues during

the last two weeks of Lent. After 1970, the practice was left up to the discretion of each diocese.

In 1995, the U.S. bishops’ liturgy committee gave individual parishes permission to reinstate the practice on their own.

Q. What is Tenebrae?

A. The word “Tenebrae” comes from the Latin word meaning “shadows” or “darkness.” It was originally the name given to somber parts of the Liturgy of the Hours that are chanted in monasteries on the last three days of Holy Week.

The tone of the prayers is filled with sorrow and desolation. At various points during a Tenebrae service, candles are extinguished and there is a cacophony of noise, which evokes feelings of betrayal, abandonment, pain, sadness, and darkness associated with the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Parishes sometimes offer Tenebrae services during Holy Week (see story on page A1).

Q. Why do we call it “Good Friday”?

A. In the English language the term “Good Friday” probably

evolved from “God’s Friday” in the same way that “goodbye” evolved from “God be with you.”

Q. Why do some parishes celebrate the Good Friday liturgy in the afternoon and others in the evening?

A. Ideally, the liturgy should take place at 3 p.m. However, in order to encourage more people to attend, the liturgy can take place later in the evening, but never after 9 p.m.

Q. What is Pascha?

A. The word “Pascha,” or “Pasch,” comes from the Greek word for the Passover. The early Christians used the word to describe the resurrection of Jesus as the Christian Passover.

Today, we sometimes refer to the death and resurrection of Jesus as the Paschal Mystery, which is derived from the word Pasch. Orthodox Christians still use the word Pascha when referring to Easter.

Q. Who decides the date of Easter?

A. In 325, the Council of Nicaea decreed that Easter would be celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox. It can occur as early as March 22 or as late as April 25. ■

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

PHOTO/JON NAZCA, REUTERS

Holy Week is uplifting Spanish Legionnaires carry a large image of the crucified Christ in the rain on April 18, 2019, outside a church in Malaga, Spain, during a Holy Week ceremony. Dozens of brotherhoods process through the streets of the city with religious images during Holy Week.

New Catholic Charities leader envisions collaboration with priests, parishes Partners in ministry

By Bill Brewer

Deacon

David Duhamel

loves it when a plan comes together

No, he’s not invoking Hannibal Smith when leading his organization, which isn’t “The A-Team.”

Deacon Duhamel is the new executive director of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, which does more good and comes to the rescue more often in real-life situations than anything Hollywood has created

One of his most recent examples occurred in January, when heavy snow and ice totaling from six inches to a foot in parts of East Tennessee partially paralyzed some areas.

Deacon Duhamel and Catholic Charities had just partnered with St. Ann Parish in Lancing on a Christmas food distribution project. After the snowstorm hit, Morgan County emergency management services and the sheriff’s office contacted St. Ann parishioners asking if there was any additional food from the holiday food box distribution

Morgan County emergency crews were in luck. St. Ann did indeed have food left over, and parishioners used the remaining food supplied by Catholic Charities to prepare meal kits. Morgan County officials were able to deliver the food to people who were snowed in, unable to get to stores, and at risk of going hungry

It was the sort of partnership that Deacon Duhamel has envisioned replicating around the Diocese of Knoxville. The cooperative project with St. Ann was first launched in December to minister to people in need “What I want us to do is be a resource for the pastors. I want us to provide some training and

capabilities for their parishioners and their staff, but I also want to make sure that they understand that we’re there to help them,” he said. “I think the best example of that recently was St. Ann’s food distribution during the holidays. It was a great partnership where we had some grant funding that we wanted to make use of.”

Deacon Duhamel further explained, “I knew St. Ann from my experience as a deacon. I knew the people up there; they are friends of mine. I called them up and said, ‘You’ve always wanted to do something. What if I gave you the resources to do something. Would you be interested in doing it?’ They all said, ‘Absolutely!’ Every one of the parishioners contributed in some way, shape, or form. Here was a great partnership. We had the resources, but we didn’t have

the manpower. They had the connections, they had the marketing, they had the manpower. St. Ann put it all together, and we provided them with the resources and the food to distribute.”

And then the new ministry was unexpectedly called on in a time of crisis for the snowbound.

“That is the type of partnership that I want to do. I want to help figure out how to get those types of relationships established. Immaculate Conception (Knoxville parish) already does a meals program for Summit Towers, a nearby low-income housing complex. All they need is some grant funding to help buy some food because they didn’t have the resources. We do that on a regular basis. We have addressed challenges with the immigrant population in Sevierville. They asked us to come out and do some training. Our program

managers in the Offi ce of Immigrant Services went there and did information sessions with parishioners and the population who didn’t know what resources were available to them. Those are the types of partnerships I really want to expand upon in collaboration,” said the deacon and retired military offi cer.

Deacon Duhamel was approached about leading Catholic Charities of East Tennessee last year after then-executive director Lisa Healy had informed diocesan leadership that she intended to retire by the end of 2023. He spent four months learning about the organization from Mrs. Healy and leading it. Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre then announced Deacon Duhamel as Catholic Charities’ new executive director on Dec. 20

When he accepted the position at Catholic Charities, Deacon Duhamel was serving as vice chancellor for strategic planning, school sustainability, and training for the Diocese of Knoxville, a position he had held since last May

And when he joined the diocese, he brought with him 21 years of experience serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. He retired from the Marines as a lieutenant colonel in 2013 and accepted a position with the U.S. Department of Energy in Oak Ridge, a position he held until last spring, when he traded “fulfilling” work for the U.S. government that required international travel and many nights away from home for the Catholic Church, travel limited to East Tennessee, and nights at home.

Deacon Duhamel is a member of the diocese’s most recent class of permanent deacons. He and his family are members of St. Mary

Deacon continued on page A12

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BILL BREWER

Sharing his vision Deacon David Duhamel works at his desk in the Catholic Charities of East Tennessee offices in Knoxville. Deacon Duhamel is excited for the future of Catholic Charities as he lends his vision to the organization.

Lindy Wynne leads Lenten retreat at All Saints

‘Mamas in Spirit ’ podcaster delivers talk on ‘Women at the Well’

By Gabrielle Nolan

Nearly 100 women from around the Diocese of Knoxville attended the annual Lenten evening of reflection hosted by Regnum Christi of Knoxville.

The event took place on Feb. 29 at All Saints Church in Knoxville and included a soup supper, praise and worship music, adoration, confession, and a talk by Lindy Wynne.

Mrs. Wynne is the founder and host of the Mamas in Spirit podcast, which she describes as a “mini-retreat in a podcast” where guests share “how God has converted their hearts and transformed their lives.”

The podcast is now in its sixth season and boasts over 250 episodes, presenting topics on addiction, infertility, marriage, adoption, forgiveness, mental illness, and more.

“I didn’t realize when I started Mamas in Spirit that it’s a healing podcast, and that really occurred to me in the last couple of years because oftentimes I hear from people who are in the podcast and share that it’s a healing experience for them, and it’s also healing for me because I get to see, time and time again, all of the ways that God works in our lives and how God transforms in love all the time,” Mrs. Wynne shared.

“And then also for people who listen, because what I hear is that it helps them to know that they’re not alone and that God is with them and that there’s also other wonderful faith-filled human beings who have been through difficult things who are willing to share so that they know that they’re not alone; and even when it seems like there may not be a way to get through something, there is always a way,” she added.

Mrs. Wynne resides in Tennessee with her husband and three adopted children. She holds a master’s degree in pastoral care and counseling and leads retreats and speaking engagements nationally.

Women at the Well

“Tonight’s talk is called ‘Women at the Well’ because that’s what we are. We’re going to be talking about the parable of the woman at the well, and I believe that God had a divine plan with that parable,” Mrs. Wynne said.

“I love this parable so much because it’s really about her conversion, the conversion of her heart. How Jesus encountered her so personally and so intentionally because He loved her that much like He loves you that much. And so to-

night we’re going to be talking about the woman at the well. I’m going to be sharing my own testimony and witness and story, but ultimately it’s really about you,” she continued. “Open your heart in ways that you didn’t even know that you needed to, so that God can get into your heart and transform and change you and bring new life to you so that this Lent can be truly a Lent where we experience the genuineness of Easter, the joy of Easter … and a new beginning and a new season in our life. Even if our circumstances don’t change, we can change. God can change us.”

Mrs. Wynne shared that the woman at the well went for water “in the ordinariness of her daily life,” not expecting the encounter she received.

“She went to the well for water, but she en-

countered living water, she encountered Christ. Christ revealed Christ’s self to her in that moment, and in the way that only God can, Christ converted her heart,” she said. “He totally changed and transformed her, and I think we can all ask ourselves tonight, what’s the state of my heart? What was the state of her heart? We’re going to dig more into that. Is my heart hardened? How open is my heart?”

Mrs. Wynne encouraged each woman to see herself in the woman at the well.

“He wanted to encounter her, just like He wants to encounter you tonight and every day of your life, every day of my life. Jesus pursued her,” she said. “Jesus pursues us. Jesus wants us. Jesus wants our hearts.”

A9

Podcast continued on page

Team Regnum Christi Left: Lindy Wynne, front row left, is shown with members of Regnum Christi of Knoxville at the All Saints parish life center on Feb. 29.

Bottom: Women from several parishes in the Diocese of Knoxville take part in the soup supper held by Regnum Christi at All Saints.

Show love for the Chiefs, but Christ above all

Kansas City bishops put Ash Wednesday victory parade in context

By Gina Christian OSV News

Kansas City Chiefs fans celebrated their team’s Super Bowl victory parade Feb. 14 but for Catholics, who marked Ash Wednesday that same day, “first place always goes to the Lord Jesus and what He’s done,” said Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo.

On Feb. 11, the Chiefs became the first back-to-back Super Bowl champions in two decades, as they roared back from a 10-point deficit to best the San Francisco 49ers 2522 in overtime in Super Bowl LVIII, which took place in Las Vegas.

Back in Kansas City, officials planned a $1 million celebration on Feb. 14, with a two-mile parade starting at 11 a.m. and ending with a victory rally in front of Union Station.

This year’s crowds were expected to be even larger than last, in part due to some anticipation that singer Taylor Swift who is dating Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce would be in attendance. However, Swift had to jet off to Australia, missing the parade.

In a Feb. 12 video message, Bishop Johnston said the team is in “rare company” with its historic wins, commending the Chiefs as being “a big part of our local community,” and noting that local faithful are “going to celebrate and rejoice in the Chiefs’ victory.”

However, said Bishop Johnston, “while we do rejoice with our hometown Chiefs, we’re going to rejoice even more in the Lord.”

He said that Ash Wednesday was “a very important day in our liturgical year, where we begin the holy season of Lent, in which we turn our minds and our hearts to the Lord, what He’s done, but also what He’s calling us to a deeper conversion in our own lives so that we can be more faithfully His missionary disciples.

“It’s a day of fasting and abstinence and prayer. It’s a day when we go to Mass and receive ashes on our foreheads (and) go to Holy Communion,” said Bishop Johnston, a Knoxville native.

“And so we’re going to focus on that as Catholics,” he said. “We’re identified by what we prioritize and what we celebrate.”

Bishop Johnston invited the faithful to reflect on how “Lent involves sacrifices, important sacrifices.” As a result, he said, “we’re also giving up, in a sense, what other people are taking part in.”

“We’re in this together,” said Bishop Johnston. “I want to wish all of you a blessed Lent. ... May it be a time of great graces and bless-

‘ Cabrini’ film tells story of a ‘little woman’ with great faith

By Lauretta Brown OSV News

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini faced life-threatening health struggles and a crippling fear of water due to a near-drowning experience. And yet, she founded an order of missionary Sisters tending to the poor and orphaned in dangerous parts of New York City and around the world, crossing the Atlantic Ocean 24 times in the process.

Mother Cabrini founded 67 hospitals, orphanages, schools, and other charitable institutions up until the time of her death in 1917.

Her incredible strength amid physical and Church-based challenges is the subject of a film titled “Cabrini” that was set to be released to theaters and streaming services on March 8.

“Cabrini” director Alejandro Monteverde was drawn in by the story of this saint, described by a speaker at the opening of one of her hospitals as “a little woman,” who stood barely 5 feet tall, but held her own in eloquence and grit. The film, written by Rod Barr, was filmed in Buffalo, N.Y., and Niagara Falls as well as in Rome.

“There was so much against her and to see what she was able to build and to build for others,” Mr. Monteverde told OSV News. “That in itself, caught my attention.”

Mr. Monteverde was “shocked” as a Catholic that he didn’t know Mother Cabrini’s story prior to being approached about the film, especially given the fact that she was the first American saint.

The film shows Mother Cabrini’s efforts to go to China, which are met with Pope Leo XIII (Giancarlo Giannini) telling her instead to go “not to the East, but to the West”

to New York City to minister to Italian immigrants and orphans who faced extreme poverty and discrimination.

Italian actress Cristiana Dell'Anna convincingly portrays Mother Cabrini’s determination as she fights to build an orphanage and hospital despite discrimination, opposition from Church hierarchy and politicians, as well as her own health struggles.

Ms. Dell'Anna said the role became personal for her, and she could relate to Mother Cabrini’s perseverance amid obstacles.

“We all have fears of some sort,” she said. “That could connect me to her and the difficulties that she had to overcome.”

In preparing for the role, Ms. Dell'Anna read a collection of Mother Cabrini’s letters, which showed her how “poetic” the saint was. “She came across as a very sensitive and sensible person,” who was also surprisingly “outspoken,” Ms. Dell'Anna said.

Bronwen McShea, a historian and author who also teaches for the Augustine Institute, spoke with OSV News about the film’s historical accuracy. Ms. McShea, who has a doctorate in early modern European history from Yale, has a section on Mother Cabrini in her forthcoming book Women of the Church: What Every Catholic Should Know from Ignatius Press.

Ms. McShea said the depiction of the difficulties Mother Cabrini faced in New York City and the “overall arc” of the film is “mostly accurate.” She found the movie to be visually stunning and wellacted. As a New Yorker herself, she said the film “recreated life in Five Points and other neighborhoods in New York rather well.”

Cabrini continued on page A17

ings for you.”

In the neighboring Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kan., Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann said there was much to celebrate in Kansas City Feb. 14 the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory, the celebratory parade and rally, and St. Valentine’s feast day; but most importantly, Ash Wednesday.

St. Valentine, he noted in a statement, was “a third-century martyr who is believed to have secretly married Christian couples during the persecution of Claudius II.”

“We commemorate ‘Valentine’s Day’ by acts of love and appreciation for one another,” he said.

“The most important celebration today, however, is the celebration of Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent,” Archbishop Naumann said. “On Ash Wednesday, we are called to fasting and abstinence; we are called to attend Mass and receive ashes on our forehead that remind us of our mortality; we are called to reflect on the fact that everything in this life is passing, even Super Bowl victories. During Lent, we prepare ourselves to celebrate the ultimate victory, the victory of Jesus over sin and death, the victory of life.”

He expressed appreciation that many of the Kansas City Chiefs “are devout Christians” and that the team’s CEO, Clark Hunt, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes “so publicly gave gratitude to God for the win. I encourage you to follow their lead by publicly giving gratitude and glory to God for the win; the win of Jesus over sin and death!”

Archbishop Naumann called on everyone “to make God our greatest priority today through our actions of love, penance, and sacrifice.”

“Let us show our love for one another, for our Kansas City Chiefs, but most importantly,” he said, “for our Lord, who sacrificed everything to give us the greatest gift, eternal life with Him.” ■

Christ first Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., delivers an Ash Wednesday homily during noon Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Kansas City on Feb. 14.

OSV NEWS PHOTO/MEGAN

MARLEY

Jesus to believers A Chiefs fan in town for the Super Bowl parade receives ashes from Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., on Feb. 14 at an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Kansas City.

OSV

‘ Teaching Jesus to our students ’

It's not just a job; it's a ministry; educators encouraged to keep up the good work

By Gabrielle Nolan

Nearly 370 Catholic school educators and administrators representing all 10 Diocese of Knoxville schools gathered on Feb. 20 at Sacred Heart Cathedral School for their annual professional-development day.

The event included Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, a keynote speaker, and a networking lunch featuring guided discussions for specific grade levels, content areas, and staff positions.

Catholic schools superintendent Mary Ann Deschaine led the opening prayer and introduction.

“I have the honor and privilege of being the superintendent for the Diocese of Knoxville,” she said. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank you. Thank you for being the professionals that you are and for saying yes to this Catholic school ministry. It is not an easy ministry, and what you are in is a ministry; it’s not a job. You said yes to something that goes beyond the scope of opening up textbooks, preparing assessments.”

Mrs. Deschaine acknowledged that the school communities have faced extreme issues involving parents, students, and communities this year.

“No matter what that extreme issue was in our school communities, what held us together was you. You are the glue, you are the backbone of our Catholic schools. It’s not the superintendent, it’s not the [people] at the Chancery, it’s you. You are a dedicated staff who have been consistent in your commitment to our students, to our schools, and to our faith communities,” she said.

“It is your professionalism, it is your sense of justice and the belief in who we are as a Catholic school community grounded in

the teachings of Jesus Christ that is providing a solid foundation for our students at our school communities,” Mrs. Deschaine continued. “For that commitment to Catholic school education, I say thank you. You are who make us, us. The collective us. A dedicated community preparing souls for the kingdom. … We prepare souls for the kingdom.”

Mrs. Deschaine shared that when she was offered the job as superintendent, one of the

questions she asked was what was expected of her.

“And the reply I received was ‘teach Jesus.’ You do that. I don’t do that in the same sense you do, do I? But you teach Jesus. It doesn’t matter if you’re Catholic, non-Catholic. You’re Christian. What matters is that you’re teaching Jesus to our students. And that’s what we do,” she said. “I do just want to say thank you. Thank you for teaching Jesus, and please know that you are appreciated, that you are loved, respected, and that everything that you do is for the glory of God.”

Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Knoxville, was unable to attend the event in-person but joined for a live Zoom call to share his sentiments with the Catholic school educators.

“I am grateful for this opportunity, for Zoom, to address you, you who give yourselves so generously and sacrificially in the ministry of Catholic education,” the archbishop said. “Catholic education, as you may know, in most if not in all dioceses, is the largest ministry that the Church engages in in a diocese. And by Catholic education I certainly mean parish schools of religion and youth formation, but most of that is accomplished through Catholic schools, and I thank you for your dedication as administrators and faculty and staff at Catholic schools for your great sacrifice.”

Archbishop Fabre looked at the Latin roots of the word sacrifice, which means to “make holy.”

“And so, I believe your sacrifice in Catholic education is an effort to make holy the lives of the young people whose families entrust them to Catholic education,” he said.

The archbishop shared that when he conducts confirmations, he tells the candidates

Educators continued on page A20

Church Militant to shut down as defamation saga concludes

By Damien Fisher OSV News

Trapped in a vortex of scandal, Ferndale, Mich.-based Church Militant is shutting down, the concluding chapter for the online news outlet thanks to a legal drama set in motion by a fringe traditionalist group and its canon lawyer, who is accused of defaming a New Hampshire priest on the opposite side of a canonical dispute.

On Feb. 29, Church Militant and its parent nonprofit, St. Michael’s Media, announced a settlement of the defamation lawsuit brought forward by Father Georges de Laire, the judicial vicar for the Diocese of Manchester, N.H.

Church Militant ended the lawsuit that dragged on for three years in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire in Concord by apologizing to Father de Laire, retracting the January 2019 article that defamed him as “emotionally unstable” and “incompetent” among other unsubstantiated claims, and paid him $500,000.

The organization told Father de Laire’s lawyers that Church Militant will cease operations at the end of April.

Throughout the trial, Father de Laire has declined to comment, and he did not immediately respond to OSV News’ request for comment March 1.

The settlement and shutdown notice come months after Church Militant and St. Michael’s Media founder Michael Voris was ousted in November over allegations of breaching the organization’s morality clause.

However, Mr. Voris is not part of the defamation settlement. According to court sources, Mr. Voris’ related trial is scheduled for mid-April, and he is representing himself.

As part of the settlement, Church Militant acknowledged it did not have any credible sources to substantiate the anonymously written Jan. 17, 2019, article about Father de Laire titled “NH Vicar Changes Dogma into Heresy.”

Church Militant maintains it was written by Marc Balestrieri. The canon lawyer once represented Mr. Voris, but he was representing a radical traditionalist group subject to canonical penalties from the

Manchester Diocese that Father de Laire promulgated at the time the defamatory article was written and published.

“SMM and Church Militant regret that the article was not properly vetted. It was later revealed that Mr. Balestrieri could not substantiate his claims regarding Father de Laire with any credible sources,” St. Michael’s Media said in a statement posted to Church Militant’s site.

“Further, Mr. Balestrieri did not disclose to SMM his active involvement in a canonical dispute in which he was representing a client and Father de Laire was representing the Church at the time he wrote the article, which would have raised questions about the motive behind the anonymous allegations in the article prior to its publication,” St. Michael’s Media continued.

Contacted March 1, Mr. Balestrieri denied being the author of the defamatory story, casting himself instead as one of the sources for the article about Father de Laire, which he still contends is true.

“On February 20, 2024, I telephoned Saint Michael’s Media’s attorneys, Stephen Martin and Seth Hipple, and spoke at length with them both, informing them prior to their entering into the agreement for judgment of February 27 on behalf of their clients that all of the information I provided as a source was true and that there are witnesses, including myself among them, and documentation able to corroborate what Church Militant reported in the article," he wrote in an e-mail to OSV News.

However, according to St. Michael’s Media’s statement, “Mr. Balestrieri, after being sued, did not defend the lawsuit, leading the court to enter a default judgment against him. Mr. Balestrieri further failed to attend his duly-noticed and agreed-upon deposition.”

Mr. Balestrieri was the canon lawyer representing the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a group which operates the St. Benedict Center in rural Richmond, N.H., and is in conflict with the Catholic Church’s authorities over its ideology regarding salvation. The group has unapproved orders for men and women, operates a school, and publishes various tracts and books.

The New Hampshire Slaves

claim their founding to controversial Jesuit Father Leonard Feeney (1897-1978), a Boston priest known for fiery denunciations of Church leadership, nearly two decades of excommunication by Pope Pius XII, and virulent antisemitism.

The New Hampshire Slaves broke away from the main group, located in Still River, Mass., in the 1980s during a dispute over an effort to end hostilities with the Church and gain recognition by toning down

Church Militant continued on page A16

Delivering the message Mary Ann Deschaine, left, and Sheri Wohlfert shared words of wisdom with Diocese of Knoxville educators on Feb. 20 during the annual professional-development day at Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Knoxville.

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Mrs. Wynne noted that Scripture says the woman went to the well during the middle of the day. “And she went to the well in the middle of the day because she was avoiding the other women. It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “I think about the ways she might feel unseen, not just unloved, but unlovable; alone, judged, disregarded, demeaned, suspicious, thirsty, and like ‘the other.’”

Mrs. Wynne spoke about how every person is wounded and looking at people below the surface level, without comparison or judging, as everyone is going through something.

Sharing the quote from St. Augustine, “my heart is restless until it rests in thee, O God,” Mrs. Wynne spoke about the ways women try to fill their hearts with things besides God.

“Oh, my goodness, there are so many ways for us to try to fill ourselves with things other than God,” she said. “There are so many ways to put our minds and our hearts on things that are not of heaven. … There’s alcohol, there’s food, there’s social media, there’s beauty products. There are so many different ways, there’s men, like the woman at the well. There are so many ways to try to fill ourselves. … And so I ask ourselves that tonight, too, especially preparing for reconciliation, what am I trying to fill myself with?”

Mrs. Wynne asked herself what drew the woman at the well to stay there with Christ?

“I think about what draws us to the Lord, like that mystical experience that just knowing Emmanuel, that God is with us and that we are seen and that we are worthy and that we are loved,” she said. “There are really no words for it because it’s so great, it’s something that only God can bless us with.”

“I can’t give you that; I can only point you to the well; I can only point you toward Christ. I can only

that students can come and study, interact with one another, share about the faith, and just relax.”

Shortly after the center opened, Coach Saban shared with EWTN News that he and Mrs. Saban felt that it was important to help fund the new Catholic center so that students “have a place where they can go socialize and develop the kind of relationships that might be helpful to them and their faith development.”

Just as Coach Saban hoped, many students have found a home at Bama Catholic. For Davis Lagarde, a junior biology major, this community helped him discover the truth of the Catholic faith.

Born and raised Episcopalian, Mr. Lagarde hoped to join Alabama’s Episcopalian student center, but it was closed due to COVID restrictions. So, he stopped by Bama Catholic and quickly found a home at the center.

“The Catholic center is just a great place to be able to make friends, get to know people,” Mr. Lagarde said. “It’s a place to make quality friends and make real connections; it turns into a home away from home.”

But it’s not just the center’s physical presence that has grown to accommodate the increase in student involvement. To promote this growth, Bama Catholic has expanded the number of ministers on campus. In 2015, the center welcomed a team of missionaries from the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), an international ministry that seeks to evangelize on college campuses through an emphasis on relational ministry.

Since 2015, the campus also has added three new full-time positions to its ministry team. This past summer, Taylor Vincent began serving as the center’s full-time campus minister. Mr. Vincent has witnessed the impact that the center has on students.

“So many of our students are on fire for the faith, and it doesn’t take long for them to get immersed in the

point myself toward Christ, and hopefully you point me toward Christ, too,” she added. “Because it’s a divine gift; it’s the gift of God’s self so that we know how treasured we are. No matter what other human beings have told us or are telling us, or no matter what we’re telling us, or our own internal experience, that God loves us that fully and that completely, and that’s what I experienced as a 9-year-old child.”

Mrs. Wynne spoke about how the woman at the well chose with her free will to “open her heart to the Lord.”

“Every podcast I’ve ever recorded,

every person I’ve ever sat with, this is the critical component, the choice to return to God. The choice to reopen my heart to God again and again and again,” she noted. “I love talking about the heart because we see that as the center of our interior life, which is really what matters. That’s the part of us that’s eternal.”

In Scripture, the woman at the well says that the well is deep.

“The things that we face in our challenges, in our sufferings, and our sorrows in life can be deep,” Mrs. Wynne said. “It almost feels so deep at times that they can feel untouchable. Yet, the well of living water is deeper than the depths

“Oh, my goodness, there are so many ways for us to try to fill ourselves with things other than God. ... There’s alcohol, there’s food, there’s social media, there’s beauty products. There are so many different ways, there’s men, like the woman at the well ”

— Lindy Wynne,

‘ Mamas in Spirit ’ podcaster

culture of prayer and the sacraments that we have,” Mr. Vincent said.

Since he began as a student in 2015, Mr. Vincent has seen more and more students participate in the center’s life and offerings. According to Mr. Vincent and Father Ackerman, more than 700 students attend Sunday Mass, close to 600 students partake in weekly FOCUS Bible studies; and weekly dinners and other center offerings, from adoration to fellowship and trivia nights, often draw hundreds of students.

Mr. Vincent, however, has a unique perspective on the impact the Catholic center can and has had on students. He attributes his own love of Christ and passion for ministry to the formation he received at the center when he was a student at the University of Alabama between 2015 and 2019.

Growing up Catholic, Mr. Vincent knew what the Church taught and attended weekly Mass, but he felt like he did not know Christ in a personal way. Through his involvement with Bama Catholic, Mr. Vincent encountered Christ in a radical way, which instilled in him a passion for ministry.

“Bama Catholic really set me on fire for the Lord and gave me a de-

of any suffering or woundedness. There is nothing that is untouchable by God. ... Forgiveness is possible in all circumstances. God’s mercy is unending. He is the fount of mercy. She went to the well and she was with the fount of mercy.”

Mrs. Wynne recounted from Scripture that the woman of the well returns to the town to share her encounter with Jesus with others, even those who may have judged her.

“She was full of living water. Her thirst, that deep desire and longing was quenched, and she became a vessel of living water,” the podcaster said. “God will fill, and God will carry us supernaturally in ways that we never could have imagined. … God wants to encounter us in the ordinariness of our lives and convert our hearts, help us to return to Him time and time again, and go out and share that love.”

Mrs. Wynne hopes that the women who attended her talk will “come to know the mercy, love, and presence of God more fully, and that they’re able to see how God’s love for the woman at the well reflects God’s love for each one of the women at the Lenten night of reflection.”

“We’re all invited to be that barren, that transparent and vulnerable with Christ, and to be in the presence of love itself,” she continued. “Like when I think of the woman at the well being there with Christ, He was able to tell her what He told her because she knew that she was in the presence of love itself. And I pray for that for all of us, and that we’re able to bring all the things to God in our lives and in our hearts, so that they can be refreshed and renewed and purified by living water, and that we can experience healing and reconciliation and grace and peace and love to then return to our lives with new life and want to proclaim the love of God like the woman at the well because she experienced it first.”

To learn more about Mrs. Wynne and to listen to her podcast, visit mamasinspirit.com ■

me, is one of the most powerful things we do at Bama Catholic,” said Ella Evans, a junior business major. “We bring Christ all around our campus; to walk with Him through fraternity row and past all of the sorority houses is a really powerful experience, not just for all those that see us, but also for the participants—because we are literally walking with Christ as a Church.”

After he was confirmed, Mr. Lagarde found another outlet for evangelization within his fraternity, Tau Kappa Epsilon; he has found joy in sharing Christ with his fraternity brothers.

sire to listen to His call for my life,” Mr. Vincent said. “It really impacted me, in that while I was there, I knew I wanted to do ministry; I wanted to be a part of the work that the Church is doing. I didn’t know if it was going to specifically lead to a job here at St. Francis, but it definitely set things in motion for wanting to be a part of the Lord’s work in His Church.”

But for Mr. Vincent and Father Ackerman, the most beautiful witness of student engagement has occurred in the perpetual adoration chapel, which opened in 2016.

“Since the perpetual adoration chapel was finished, there’s just been a huge shift towards students deepening their prayer lives,” Mr. Vincent said. “It’s really beautiful to see how many students come to the chapel at all hours.”

Bama Catholics, though, are not keeping the joy of the faith to themselves. Instead, they are seeking to proclaim the faith to a campus inundated with the vices associated with college life. Every year, they hold a two-hour-plus eucharistic procession to bring Christ to all parts of the Southeastern Conference campus.

“The eucharistic procession, for

“It is a special mission field here, reaching out to those who live in fraternity and sorority houses,” Mr. Lagarde said. “We really encourage each other to reach out to people in those houses and evangelize to them in a very human way through inviting them to come to the center with us.”

The center has even tapped into its celebrity parishioner’s fame to invite students into the community, according to Mr. Lagarde.

“When we are tabling in the student union or after Mass, we pass out stickers that say ‘Where the coach goes after the game’ because after every game, Coach Saban will be at Sunday Mass—no matter what,” Mr. Lagarde said.

But for the students, Coach Saban is more than a recruitment ploy, he is a witness. Every week, he shows students that even a six-time championship coach needs the sacraments and a relationship with Jesus Christ.

“That Coach Saban, who is this big football coach with this huge legacy, has a faith that he practices is so inspiring,” Ms. Evans said. “Seeing someone who is a celebrity that is consistent about practicing the Catholic faith is beautiful because it can be really easy for public figures to claim that they are Christian or Catholic and not care about it, so to have his witness to the faith is a powerful example for myself and other students.” ■

Saban continued from page A2

NATIONAL CATHOLIC REGISTER/COURTESY OF BAMA

CATHOLIC

Crimson Tide Catholics The Saban Catholic Student Center is a gathering spot for Catholic students at the University of Alabama. The new student center is named for generous benefactors Nick and Terry Saban.

Prayer time A parishioner takes part in the Regnum Christi Lenten evening of reflection on Feb. 29 at All Saints Church.

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Time for reflection Kodi SchutteRogers of Regnum Christi of Knoxville introduces keynote speaker Lindy Wynne.

A celebration of faith and education

Diocese of Knoxville campuses participate in Catholic Schools Week

By Gabrielle Nolan

Spelling bees, talent shows, and pep rallies. Tournaments, dress-up days, and special Masses. Fun events and programs such as these marked the 50th anniversary of Catholic Schools Week, which was celebrated Jan. 28–Feb. 3 across the country.

The Diocese of Knoxville boasts 10 Catholic schools, two of which are high schools, and eight of which are primary schools. The schools span the diocese, with locations in Kingsport, Johnson City, Chattanooga, Oak Ridge, Farragut, and Knoxville.

“Catholic Schools Week is a celebration of faith, knowledge, and community, uniting students, educators, families, and parish members in a shared commitment to academic excellence and spiritual development,” said Dr. Caroline Carlin, principal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga.

Dr. Kelly Mechelke, principal of St. John Neumann School in Farragut, believes that celebrating Catholic Schools Week each year is important.

“I think because of the time commitment and the dedication that everyone from families to staff put into being a Catholic school and making Catholic schools so great, we need to celebrate every year that dedication and that commitment,” Dr. Mechelke said.

“We celebrate because there is a lot to celebrate!” said Andy Zengel, prin-

cipal of St. Joseph School in Knoxville.

“St. Joseph and all Catholic schools are called to spread the Good News, and celebrating the many gifts we share is the focus of Catholic Schools Week,” he said. “It is our hope that parishioners, neighbors, and extended family take notice and feel invited to learn more about our schools and more about our Catholic faith.”

The theme of this year’s Catholic Schools Week was “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.” Several principals shared what that means to them and their schools.

“St. Mary School has been here

since 1950 with the mission to unite the school and the parish and the community, so it really is just in the framework of the school; it’s in the feel of the school,” shared Sister Mary John Slonkosky, OP, principal of St. Mary School in Oak Ridge.

“Parents come here and experience that family feel where family is feeling connected, feeling home. So, whether they come to the school and visit or they’ve been here for years, they experience that both times, they have that sense of we’re united here to bring the Lord Jesus to the children through education in a con-

certed effort, so not just the school but the parish, the incredible support from the parish, from the community at large, from the diocese, and then insert the family that brings those two worlds together. It’s a great theme, it’s a perennial theme, and we’re happy that we have this school to give to our children,” she said.

St. Dominic School principal Andrew Cooper believes that the school unites faith and community in two different manners, both internally and externally.

“Internally, our ministry is devoted to offering our parishioners an educational environment where their children will not only have the benefit of the best education, but also provide students with daily encounters with Jesus Christ, in intended and unintended ways,” he said.

“Externally, the ministry of St. Dominic School serves as a conduit in which St. Dominic Parish reaches out to the community and offers a unique educational experience for Catholic and non-Catholic families alike. Being in a community that is overwhelmingly non-Catholic, SDCS is a unique flash point where non-Catholic families choose to send their children for a great education, and as an intentional by-product, get to see the beauty of the Catholic faith on display and how it works in the lives of their children,” Mr. Cooper continued. “We currently have a handful of school families that are not Catholic but have either come Schools continued on page A11

A look at Catholic Schools Week

SCHOOL

Anything but a backpack day at Notre Dame High School.

Talent is abundant at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School

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Celebrating Catholic schools Among Diocese of Knoxville school leaders are from left, Knoxville Catholic High School vice president of academics Dr. Sedonna Prater, diocesan schools superintendent Mary Ann Deschaine, KCHS president Dickie Sompayrac, and Father Chris Michelson, pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish, special consultant to KCHS, and president of St. Joseph School.

Engineering and demolition skills exhibited at St. Dominic School.

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Looking up to Jesus at Knoxville Catholic High School.

Mass is in very good hands at St. Jude School.

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It's a red-out at St. Joseph School.

into the Church or are in the process of coming into the Church as a direct result of the blessings of faith they see working in their children.”

Knoxville Catholic High School president Dickie Sompayrac echoed a similar sentiment.

“It’s interesting because [Jan. 18-25]

I think worldwide we celebrated a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. While we are predominately Catholic here at Catholic High School, we have lots of kids here from other faith traditions, lots of Protestant students and staff as well, and so I think it was really a continuation of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and specifically as a Catholic school,” he said.

“I always tell people the word Catholic means universal, and I think our community is one that embraces people from lots of different faith traditions, so it’s really a week to celebrate who we are, the universal appeal of the Catholic faith, and just how we have more in common than we do differences with our brothers and sisters from other faith denominations. Catholic Schools Week is really a week to celebrate what makes us special as Catholic schools, and I think part of that is that we don’t just serve Catholic kids and families, we serve all who want a Catholic education,” he added.

To reach out to their communities, many students at various schools wrote letters to local organizations to thank them for the good work they do and the difference they make.

Sixth-graders at Sacred Heart Cathedral School wrote letters of gratitude to St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, which provides free health care to the uninsured in rural East Tennessee.

Ellie from Mrs. Suttles’ class

wrote, “I have been learning about what you do, it’s so special. Thank you for making these people seen, cared about, and loved. All of y’all are so special and you have inspired me to help others. The people you serve probably feel so special because you go and take your time to be with them with a smile on your face. I am praying for you, the work you do, and the people you serve.”

Many of the school principals shared the ongoing initiatives and goals for each of their respective schools.

“Recently we’ve taken a strong initiative just with school safety,” said Joshua Overton, principal of St. Jude School in Chattanooga, noting that access control, cameras, and rewriting policy were important improvements.

“We’re also looking at how we’re going to upgrade our campus, always looking to advance curriculum in the right direction … and we’re placing a heavy emphasis on integrating religion into the whole curriculum, so how can we take that, the foundation of who we are, and expound on it,” Mr. Overton shared.

Mary Sue Kosky, principal of Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Knoxville, noted that the annual fund is supporting STREAM initiatives in the school.

“A STREAM initiative is exciting because it integrates science, technology, religion, engineering, arts, and mathematics into the curriculum, fostering a holistic education,” she said. “This approach aligns with our school’s mission, encouraging students to develop these disciplines within a framework that values ethics, morality, and spiritual growth. It provides a well-rounded educational experience that not only prepares

students academically but also nurtures the whole child.”

Dr. Carlin said at Our Lady of Perpetual Help they are seeking to “expand our outdoor facilities to include outdoor restrooms and storage.”

“By adding an outdoor storage facility for athletics and recess, we are opening up indoor spaces that can be used for classrooms and meeting spaces,” she said. “The addition of outdoor bathrooms allows us to keep closer watch on our students during recess to prevent them from traversing the parking lot.”

Mary Ann Deschaine, superintendent of diocesan Catholic schools, visited all 10 campuses during Catholic Schools Week.

“It’s been a wonderful week,” she shared. “It’s been very exciting to see all the kids actively engaged in their activities, the spirit that is there with the kids within each of the different buildings, and the traditions of what they’re celebrating. It’s been a fun experience of traveling

throughout the diocese.”

Mrs. Deschaine believes that it is vital to celebrate Catholic Schools Week annually because “it acknowledges who we are and what we do.”

“We thank those people who support us,” she said. “We’re able to thank different organizations that come in and speak with us; we’re able to thank our parents, our faith communities, our parish communities. But it also acknowledges that we’re different than other schools, that we have our own identity, and it’s all centered around who we are and what we do.”

“I want to thank the teachers for their commitment to Catholic school education,” Mrs. Deschaine continued. “I think without them we wouldn’t be able to celebrate what we do and accomplish as much. We give them a goal of teaching Jesus, and they do. It’s there within the mission of each of our different Catholic schools.”

For more information regarding the Diocese of Knoxville’s Catholic schools, visit dioknox.org/schools ■

Schools continued from page A10

GABRIELLE NOLAN

Having a good day at St. Mary School in Johnson City.

Costumes rule at St. John Neumann School.

GABRIELLE NOLAN

Mr. Zengel (center) look-alike day at St. Joseph School.

KATHY RANKIN

Hello from Sacred Heart Cathedral School.

GABRIELLE NOLAN

A pajama party at St. Mary School in Johnson City.

GABRIELLE NOLAN

Friends and future co-workers on Notre Dame High School career day.

Teamwork on display at St. Mary School in Oak Ridge.

GABRIELLE NOLAN

COURTESY OF CLEO

GRAVITT/NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL

Deacon continued from page A4

Parish in Oak Ridge, where he serves When Deacon Duhamel considers his appointment to lead Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, he now recognizes how events came together to put him in that position

“I look at it as maybe all the things lined up properly. So, the executive director, Lisa Healy, had indicated to the diocese a while ago that she was looking to retire. … My role in the diocese was changing. There wasn’t much strategic planning going on in the diocese with the bishop resigning, and I was trying to assist with the schools where I could.

“The opportunity to lead Catholic Charities was presented. Was this something I was interested in? I’ve always told people I came to work for the Church out of a sense of service. There were really no aspirational goals to do any one thing. Wherever the Church needed me, I’m willing to serve. That’s how I interviewed originally with the diocese, and that’s how I continue to look at what I’m doing in the diocese.

“Catholic Charities seemed like a great organization with the services they lead in, with their clients, and their programs. So, Lisa invited me to come and learn about what she was doing, what the organization was doing. It seemed like the right time and a need that needed to be filled. I offered to take it on as an interim role, and I did that for about four months beginning last August. Then before the holidays, they asked if I would consider taking on the job in a permanent role. I said absolutely,” he said

Until he began working with Catholic Charities last summer, Deacon Duhamel said he didn’t realize the depth to which the diocesan social services agency operates in East Tennessee

“I was aware of them more from a charitable organization standpoint. But I didn’t really know the day-to-day activities that they did. That was very interesting and eye-opening. The 14 programs they have going here are quite amazing, to be honest. The second thing that really inspired me was Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, for the size that it is I think we are right around 60 employees is doing some phenomenal work,” he shared

He pointed to Catholic Charities’ ministries, such as immigrant services, adoption, pregnancy help centers, food distribution, children’s shelters, housing for the homeless, housing for those with HIV or AIDS, and individual and family counseling

“I just think the work here is amazing. What I find very interesting, and what I think a lot of people miss, what people outside of our faith community miss, is we’re probably one of the largest nonprofit, private social service entities working in East Tennessee. A lot of the nonprofits that we see are oriented in these urban centers, but no one is really doing the type of outreach that we are doing with the broad programs we have throughout the 36 counties we serve,” Deacon Duhamel said

“We’re not in every single county, although we could be. And that’s one of the areas we’re looking at for potential growth. How do we expand our core competencies out into the more rural, isolated counties where we may not have a very large presence,” he added.

The scope of Catholic Charities’ work was not overwhelming to him when he joined the organization, but it did give him pause.

“I don’t know if it was overwhelming, but there was certainly a sense of ‘don’t screw it up, Duhamel.’ Lisa Healy and

the (Catholic Charities) board of trustees have done a great job of putting this organization on strong financial footing. We’ve done a great job of identifying our core competencies and focusing on them,” Deacon Duhamel said

And that is where he wants to leverage his skillset and contribute to the organization in a way that begins to build its future

Deacon Duhamel is underscoring stability as a key component of Catholic Charities ’ operations, especially at a time when the diocese is anticipating its next bishop and as the economy puts increasing pressure on those operations

“I think it’s important to have stability. I looked at my role, and it’s to figure out how to provide that stability, and part of that is to make sure we’re funded properly. A lot of what I’ve been focused on is trying to hire a new director of development and make sure that we maintain our level of funding, but really increase it because costs have gone up and inflation has hit our organization,” he said.

“So, we really need to start looking at growing our contributions and fundraising efforts in order to meet those needs.

And all those pressures are there for all the other entities in our Church that are looking for funding and contributions. It’s a tough environment, ” the executive director continued.

He pointed out that more than 90 percent of Catholic Charities clients are non-Catholic while more than 80 percent of the organization’s contributions and fundraising comes from Catholics. It also receives funding from grants

As an example, he pointed to the Knights of Columbus, which have been instrumental in raising money for Catholic Charities’ ultrasound outreach

Following a November 2021 arson fire that practically destroyed Catholic Charities’ Knoxville of -

fices at 119 Dameron Ave., the building was reconstructed, and the newly renovated offices were blessed by Archbishop Fabre in September. The new facility includes an ultrasound clinic as part of prenatal care where mothers-to-be can see the first images of their babies growing in the womb.

Deacon Duhamel pointed out that the ultrasound clinic in its first few months is already having an impact. Several pregnant women who had decided to have abortions or were open to abortion instead decided to give birth.

Now, Deacon Duhamel and Catholic Charities are planning to take ultrasound on the road

Through fundraising and donations, the agency of various ministries is putting together a mobile ultrasound clinic that will travel to its pregnancy help centers. According to Deacon Duhamel, Catholic Charities has raised much of the money needed for the mobile clinic but still needs at least $200,000 to finish the project

In building Catholic Charities’ relationship with the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, Deacon Duhamel hopes to see the mobile ultrasound clinic accompany the mobile medical clinic to sites around East Tennessee

“Ideally, when we have our ultrasound vehicle, the ultrasound vehicle could go with their medical bus. If they encounter clients who need an ultrasound for pregnancy purposes, that van would be available,” he said. “In the military, we call that a force multiplier. We look at opportunities where you take the same amount of resources and make a bigger impac t.”

Leaning on his military background, Deacon Duhamel has been assessing Catholic Charities operations and ministries over the last few months and is ready to build on what Mrs. Healy accomplished

From a strategic perspective,

Deacon Duhamel is working on institutional organizational goals in which employees will have buy-in

“There are things that I have identified and areas that I would like to see us work on toward our goals. First and foremost is making sure our employee base is properly compensated. We have a lot of great employees who do a lot of great work. But some of the positions weren’t earning a living wage. So, that’s part of us being fair and just. Next is making sure we have the contributions and fundraising mechanisms in place to grow,” the deacon noted about his goals “As I’ve said to the board of trustees, we’ve done a great job of getting this organization to a healthy position under Lisa Healy’s leadership. Now, I want to see where those areas are that we can take our core competencies and take them out to those areas that may be underserved like the rural areas,” he added.

And building on the St. Ann experience, Deacon Duhamel hopes to see Catholic Charities and its employees more engaged with diocesan parishes

“The third area that I really want to focus on is our collaboration with our parishes. It’s not so much that we’re just ‘the social-service arm of the Catholic Church.’ I don’t buy that. I think that Catholic Charities is in partnership with the parishes to provide services to our neighbors in East Tennessee. So, we’re looking at implementing a Catholic Charities ambassador program to have a Catholic Charities ambassador in the different parishes. We’re going to roll that out in the coming months,” he said

Deacon Duhamel credits the employees and the organization’s board of trustees for Catholic Charities’ success

“I see my role as trying to support our employees. I’m doing this out of a desire to serve. Catholic Charities and our diocese believe in this mission, and I really think my job is to set everybody up for success, giving them the resources and helping them to do the great work that they’re already doing, and then seeing where we can grow and how can we help more of our neighbors in East Tennessee. That’s what I’m focused on,” he said

“I am very blessed. We have a phenomenal board of trustees that is walking with me every step of the way. Our board president, Richard Consoli, the vice president, Matthew McGrath, and the others have been very willing to help me and guide me. Whatever I need, they are right there assisting me. With the leadership team we have, I believe we’re poised for some great successes,” he continued

Deacon Duhamel also credited Mrs. Healy for “doing a phenomenal job setting us up for success .”

Inspiration and faith

Deacon David Duhamel, new executive director of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, shows the Divine Mercy image that hangs in the agency's Knoxville offices. The framed image was hanging near where an arsonist set fire to the Catholic Charities offices. While the building and most of its contents were almost destroyed by the fire and subsequent smoke and water damage, the framed picture was virtually unscathed and is a source of inspiration and faith for employees and clients.

“It’s not a stretch to see us grow and do the great things that we’re going to be doing,” he said

Deacon Duhamel relies on an image of the Divine Mercy, which hangs inside Catholic Charities’ recently renovated offices. The image previously was hanging on a wall in the original offices very near where the arsonist set fire to the building on Nov. 28, 2021.

While nearly all of the building was consumed or damaged by smoke and water, the Divine Mercy image was virtually unscathed. He also has a relic of St. Teresa of Kolkata that he keeps near him at work

“We’re really blessed that we have their inspiration in the work that we do,” he said

The work that Catholic Charities of East Tennessee is doing far exceeds anything portrayed on TV or in movies

But if Deacon Duhamel were going to give his co-workers a different moniker, he believes “The A-Team” would certainly fit the bill based on the job they do ■

Prenatal caregivers Deacon David Duhamel is joined by Sandi Davidson, center, program leader for pregnancy services with Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, and Sasha Cook, nurse manager with Catholic Charities' ultrasound clinic, which is located in Catholic Charities' Knoxville offices.

BILL BREWER (2)

‘Being open to God ’s will’

Young women attend Vocations Day at All Saints Church

By Gabrielle Nolan

Young women under the age of 30 were invited to meet representatives from religious communities and learn more about religious life in an event at All Saints Church in Knoxville on Feb. 3.

Beginning with daily Mass, the event included breakfast, lunch, adoration, and a meet-and-greet with religious Sisters at their respective information booths in the parish hall. More than 20 young women attended the event.

The event was organized by Christine Blair, a parishioner at All Saints, and was run by Beth Parsons, manager of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Office of Vocations.

“Christine Blair had organized this event, I believe two years ago, where she invited religious orders from the diocese specifically female religious orders from the diocese and invited young women middle school-, high school-, young adult-age to come and have a meet-and-greet with the orders.

So, she organized this event as well, and the vocations office was happy to collaborate with her,” Mrs. Par-

sons said.

“I was hired as the vocations office manager in 2018,” Mrs. Parsons noted. “At that time, we were specifically promoting and working with young men who were entering the seminary. ... In the fall of ’21, I became full-time with the sole reason to start promoting and helping young women discern their vocation. So, since then, we’ve had some

discernment groups that we’ve created, and we started promoting more through events at parishes throughout the diocese.”

Mrs. Blair said it is “important for young women to have the opportunity to meet Sisters and learn about different religious communities.”

“I personally discerned with many religious orders quite seriously during my youth and, although

my vocation ended up being a call to marriage and a mother, what I gained, learned, and experienced visiting and living with the Sisters was invaluable,” she said. “This experience I can pass on to my daughters and other young women, share what I have learned, answer their questions, and encourage and pray for their discernment.”

Religious communities present for the event included the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation, also known as the Nashville Dominicans; the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary; and the Handmaids of the Precious Blood. Secular communities present included the Franciscans and the Discalced Carmelites.

Mrs. Parsons said that the religious orders are “a great diverse group of people who attract a lot of different personalities and charisms within the diocese, and then also serve in many different ways in the diocese as well.”

Sister Anna Maria Schreyer, OP, and Sister Maria Trinity Dagher, OP, were present to answer questions about religious life and their community with the Nashville Dominicans.

Vocations Day continued on page A21

‘What calls someone to the priesthood?’ Vocations Night at the basilica highlights stories of faith

By Claire Collins

Alarge crowd gathered at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga on Jan. 26 to be encouraged by the vocation stories of members of the Diocese of Knoxville.

Sister Mary Simone Haakansson of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., organized an evening filled with prayer, food, fellowship, and encouragement. Father Arthur Torres, director of vocations for the diocese, also was in attendance.

Two married couples and three people in religious vocations shared their stories of faith that led them to discern the particular vocation they are now in.

Father David Carter, rector of the basilica, emceed the evening. He began the night sharing his own vocation story following Vespers.

Father Carter talked about the three stages of a call by God: the initial fervor at the beginning when someone discerning is young, the call to persevere in a chosen vocation throughout the middle-age years, and the call to trust that during senior years when someone looks back, even mistakes are part of God’s eternal

plan of salvation, and so trust in His providence.

“You ask, what calls someone to the priesthood?” Father Carter said. “I would say, what makes a young man say yes to a young woman? It’s attraction, love, a sense of purpose. I was drawn to it. And when you feel God speak-

ing these things, even if you have doubts and worries, you have to make an act of faith and trust that He will not lead you astray.”

Sister Scholastica Niemann, who is a Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia Congregation and currently teaches at Knoxville Catholic High School, next shared about the

“plan of love” that God had for her life and how He brought her to consider joining the convent.

“I was so surprised to see that the Lord had a plan, and it was a plan of love for me. And it included all the circumstances of my life, all the graces and inspirations that I was given, even the mistakes that I made and the use of my own free will. Our God is so good.” She said that unlike St. Paul’s grand story of conversion, “my own story was much more interior, much more a working on my heart over years of time, which enabled me to want to respond with everything that I had, all the love of my heart, for the Lord.”

She recalled always having an interior sense of God’s presence, but two defining moments changed her life’s direction, almost as if she was, “being picked up and turned around.” These moments were losing her father and attending World Youth Day in Denver in 1993.

After losing her father, she recounted that, “In that suffering … I was very much aware that the Lord was working not only in my life, but in my family’s life. I

Vocations Night continued on page A21

Sisterly advice Young women in the Diocese of Knoxville ask questions of Sister Anna Maria Schreyer, OP, and Sister Maria Trinity Dagher, OP, during a vocations event at All Saints Church on Feb. 3.

GABRIELLE NOLAN

COURTESY OF CAROLYN KRINGS

A priest among them? Sister Eloisa Torralba Aquino of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus "Ad Gentes" is joined by young men of the Diocese of Knoxville attending a vocations event at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul

So, to have a viewpoint where I can see their faces as this goes on, you can tell there is a great peace and a great joy that settles over them,” said Deacon Bello, who recognized all the parishes taking part during the services.

“Both of these events over the last two days were just absolutely beautiful. I think the attendance was very good. Father David (Boettner) did a great job. … His homilies were beautiful. Whenever we see this on paper, I always worry about the attendance. But as soon as the cathedral began to fill up, and as soon as it was go-time, there was no question. The cathedral was three-quarters full on both days. It was beautiful,” he added.

In his Feb. 17 homily, Father Boettner recounted to the elect, those preparing to join the Church, how he was born in 1968 in Cleveland, Tenn., a location he described as heavily Protestant. And he likened his faith experience growing up in the Protestant Bible belt to challenges those entering the Church from other faiths or no faith at all may be exposed to.

“When I first started attending school, I received a lot of questions. ‘Why do you guys worship Mary?’ ‘Why are you Catholic?’ ‘Why do you guys worship saints?’ ‘Do you really believe that that little wafer is God?’ At first, I found a lot of those questions pretty annoying. I thought it was really kind of a hardship to be one of few Catholics in my school,” Father Boettner said. “Then, when I responded to God’s call to consider being a priest, I was sent to Chicago. Chicago is a very Catholic town. In fact, if you ask anyone where they live in Chicago, they won’t tell you what street they live on, they’ll tell you what parish they live in. Chicago was a center of people who professed the Catholic faith.”

“What was interesting is while I lived in Chicago, I started to realize what a gift it had been to grow up in an area where there were very few Catholics because I learned how to value my faith. I learned how to explain my faith. And I learned from the witness of so many other good Christian people how to live my faith on a regular basis,” the cathedral rector added.

Father Boettner is buoyed by and empathized with the catechumens and candidates for the challenges they have or may face in the name of faith.

“I also was tremendously impressed with people in this area who, for various reasons, heard the call of God and felt God drawing them into the Catholic Church. Because to join the Catholic Church in East Tennessee is a perilous journey. That’s because oftentimes you can encounter conflicts with your friends or family; you can face some resistance from people who ask those same questions: ‘why do you worship Mary?’; ‘why would you want to be Catholic?’; ‘isn’t the Catholic Church the one that has all those scandals?’ So, there are legitimate reasons for being a little bit scared.

“But what’s amazing is you’re here today because God has called you. God has called you to learn more, to grow deeper in your own journey of faith, and to take that journey with other people, to recognize that none of us ultimately journey alone. All of us are on this journey of faith together as a pilgrim people. Hopefully, as you’ve continued along in your various RCIA groups, you’ve learned how to respond to many of those questions. You’ve not only learned how to respond to them, you’ve been able to value the gift that’s being offered to you, the gift of a profound faith in Jesus Christ.”

The Rite of Election is an important liturgical event for the catechumens and candidates, who for the 2023-24 East Tennessee group continue their faith journey at a time when the Diocese of Knoxville is without a bishop. Bishops typically preside at Rites of Election and sign the Book of the Elect, which signifies commitment and discipleship of the people entering the Church.

Father Boettner presided in place of a bishop and for Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, who is serving as ap-

“I want to commend you for your courage. I want to commend you for your humility in pursuing this journey of faith. And I want to assure you that the Christian community, the whole Christian community, is praying for you because what you do is part of the action of the Holy Spirit.”

ostolic administrator of the Diocese of Knoxville until a new bishop is named. Archbishop Fabre leads the Archdiocese of Louisville.

Father Boettner noted how the catechumens’ and candidates’ commitment serves as a shining example for Catholics and all people of faith.

“Your witness is a witness to the whole Christian community. That is one of the intentions of the RCIA the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Your own response to God’s invitation actually helps those sitting in the pews who are already Catholic to be better Catholics. Your courage in pursuing the call that God has given to you helps those who maybe received that gift as a child and didn’t really appreciate the gift they had received to open the gift that they have and maybe explore that

gift more profoundly.

“So, I want to commend you for your courage. I want to commend you for your humility in pursuing this journey of faith. And I want to assure you that the Christian community, the whole Christian community, is praying for you because what you do is part of the action of the Holy Spirit. And we hear about that action of the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel, we hear how Jesus was pushed out into the desert by the Spirit. And He was pushed out into the desert so that He could have clarity, so that He could hear more clearly what God was inviting Him to do in responding to His mission in the world. God gives that same gift to all of us,” the rector said.

In his Sunday homily for the catechumens and candidates of the

Cumberland Mountain and Smoky Mountain deaneries, Father Boettner compared their journey into Lent to Jesus’ journey into the desert.

Father Boettner presented the congregation with three themes: the weather, the struggle, and the company on the journey. In complimenting the catechumens and candidates on their first step in joining the Catholic Church, he wanted to gauge their personal forecast.

“This is a great early start to your Lenten journey. I want to ask you to just think about what the weather is like in your soul. Just like we have sunny days, we have cloudy days, we have rainy days. We have weather in our soul, too. And it’s important to just ask that question. How is my soul feeling in the beginning of this Lenten journey? Because that is precisely the place where God wants to meet you. He doesn’t want to meet you in some imaginary place. He wants to meet you in the place where you are today. He wants to be with you whatever the weather may be,” Father Boettner said.

Then he reminded them of God’s covenant the rainbow and what that magnificent kaleidoscopic image signifies.

“The other thing God does is regardless of the weather, He always gives us a sign of hope. That is what we hear in the first reading. That rainbow is His sign of hope. Even on the cloudy days, even on the rainy days, we can remember that sign, that rainbow that reminds us of God’s covenant, of God’s promise to us that He will remain faithful even when the weather seems a little scary,” Father Boettner continued.

He detailed for them the challenges Catholics take on during Lent to grow in their relationship with Jesus, such as giving up something that is well-liked or doing acts of charity

“Of course, whatever it is you’ve chosen to do will become exponentially more difficult the further into Lent you go. And that’s good. Because the struggle is not yours alone. The struggle is where God struggles with us. Lent is not about personal improvement. Lent is not about us somehow or other doing selfimprovement. It’s about us opening ourselves up more to God so that He can bring about in us His plan, what He sees in us, so that He can bring to the surface those great gifts that He has given to each one of us,” he said.

Thirdly, Father Boettner explained to those joining the Church that Catholics call themselves members of the body of Christ. And as members of the body of Christ, they are surrounded by people of faith.

“Jesus Christ is the head of the body of Christ. His temptation in the desert shows us how to enter into this season. We will be tempted. We will struggle some. We might even fail some. But we know that God will send angels to minister to us to help us along the way. Thankfully, you have leaders of your RCIA, your fellow parishioners, and the community of faith to walk with you on this journey,” Father Boettner told them.

“That’s part of the Rite of Election we are gathered together to pray for and with each other as we prepare for the great celebration of Easter. And as we do so, we recognize the ways that God is sending messengers to us, those angels, to help us along the way,” he said. “As we enter into this Rite of Election, we have the opportunity to be aware of those ministering angels, to recognize where we are today, where we want to invite God to be present with us, and in the struggle to ask for God’s help because God desires to bring to completion a great work that He has begun in each of us.”

Once the catechumens and candidates throughout the diocese enter the Church during Easter Vigil Masses, receiving their first Holy Communion, confirmation, and baptism for the catechumens, their journey into Catholicism is nearly complete. On April 28 at 4 p.m., they will gather again at the cathedral for the Sending of the Neophytes Mass, where they will be formally sent into the community to live their faith through their parishes in full communion with the Church. ■

DAN MCWILLIAMS

The Elect Above: Father David Boettner, rector of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, greets candidates and catechumens during the Rite of Election service on Feb. 18 at the cathedral. Below: Father Boettner signs the Book of the Elect, which records the names of the catechumens entering the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil. Assisting are Deacon David Lucheon, left, and Deacon Walt Otey.

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Book keepers Representatives from Chattanooga and Five Rivers deaneries deliver the Books of the Elect from their parishes to the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Feb. 17 for the Rite of Election. Father David Boettner, rector of the cathedral who presided at the Rite of Election, signed the books.

BILL BREWER

— Father David Boettner, Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus rector

Archbishop Fabre leads deacons in renewal of vows

By Bill Brewer

Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre presided at a Vespers service in which the Diocese of Knoxville’s deacons renewed their diaconal vows.

The service was held on Feb. 22, the feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle, in Cathedral Hall on the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus campus.

The deacons were joined by their wives, who also renewed their pledge of support before Archbishop Fabre.

Joining the permanent deacons for the service were several candidates in the next class preparing for the permanent diaconate.

Assisting Archbishop Fabre in leading the service was Deacon Jim Bello, who assists in leading the Diocese of Knoxville Office of the Diaconate and Deacon Formation.

Deacon Bello shared that Archbishop Fabre inquired about a gathering where he could meet the diocese’s deacons.

“He asked if there was anything on the schedule for deacons and their wives where I could meet everybody. I just thought I love this guy because at some point about 90 percent of you have asked me when are we going to have something where we can meet Archbishop Fabre. Well, tonight is our night, and we truly appreciate you, Archbishop, being with us,” Deacon Bello said.

Archbishop Fabre led the deacons in the Liturgy of the Hours and then spoke to them about their ministry and spoke to the wives about their role in supporting their husbands’ ministry in the Church.

The archbishop reminded the deacons and their wives that the deacons’ primary responsibility is to their wives and families.

“I’m very, very grateful for all that you do as a diaconate community. I’m very grateful to you deacons, and I'm very grateful to your wives,” he said.

The archbishop shared with them that everywhere he has served has had active and robust diaconal communities.

“I have very much appreciated the ministry of deacons, which always has been but is more

and more today vital to the ministry of the Church, particularly in parish communities. I thank you for the many, many ways you provide sacramentally and spiritually for the people that you serve,” Archbishop Fabre said.

“I think the diaconate community is a very important part of the life of a diocese, and I have throughout my ministry as a priest and as a bishop had nothing but wonderful, wonderful experiences with deacons and with diaconate formation,” he added. “Please note my great gratitude for all that you do here in the Diocese of Knoxville. And my gratitude to the wives for all that you allow your husbands to do.”

Archbishop Fabre then took questions from the deacons and their wives.

He told the gathering that in the Diocese of Knoxville and in the Archdiocese of Louisville, where he is shepherd, he is surrounded by very competent people who love the Church and also love the dioceses they serve.

“First and foremost, the Lord Jesus Christ, I would like to believe, is giving me the guidance and the strength to lead these dioceses. And the

As Haiti descends into more chaos, priests vow to remain

By OSV News

As the nation of Haiti spirals into further violence and chaos due to armed gangs overtaking the government, Catholic clergy there are reported to be remaining in place to serve the populace.

“Where can we go? We have to stay in the midst of the people,” said Haitian native Father Eugène Almonor, an Oblate of Mary Immaculate and chaplain of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Haitian Catholic Community, told OSV News regarding his order's determination to stay in Haiti.

“It is our mission to be with

them and to try to support them, to accompany them,” Father Thomas Hagan, an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales who has lived and worked in Port-au-Prince since 1997, said in a March 3 livestreamed Mass.

Father Hagan said “probably in all the years I’ve been in Haiti, I don’t think it’s ever been as bad as it is right now.”

Father Hagan, who in July 2023 brokered a truce among four gang members, divulged that his own life might be at risk.

“We cannot continue (like this),” Father Almonor said. “Now is the time to stop. Because we want to live in serenity and peace.” ■

Lord has also provided men and women, clergy and laity who have helped me do this work. It’s a delight and it has been a real joy to come to know the Diocese of Knoxville. ... I ask your prayers for me, and I assure you of my prayers for you,” he said.

Deacon Bello thanked Archbishop Fabre for his leadership of the Diocese of Knoxville, which is awaiting news of a new bishop.

“Thank you, Archbishop. We have all faith that our Lord will send us a bishop after His own heart. But you have certainly made your way into the hearts of the people of this diocese, and we thank you for everything, for all of your sacrifices. I know you’ve said the people of the Archdiocese of Louisville are praying for us regularly, and we pray for them in thanksgiving for that as well,” Deacon Bello said.

Deacon Bello thanked Deacon Tim Elliott for the work he has done in building the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Knoxville. Deacon Elliott is the director of the Diocese of Knoxville’s diaconate and deacon formation. ■

East Tennessee Catholic News

Chrism Mass to be celebrated on Monday, March 25

Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre will celebrate the Diocese of Knoxville ’s Chrism Mass on Monday, March 25, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Mass, which will begin at 7 p.m., will have a congregation representing all parishes in the diocese.

Archbishop Fabre will bless the oil of the catechumens and the oil of the sick, and will consecrate the chrism to be used in all diocesan parishes during the year. Also during the Chrism Mass, the priests of the diocese will renew their priestly vows.

St. Mary’ s Legacy Clinic seeking volunteer assistance

The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic is grateful for all the support it receives this time of year. The clinic currently is in need of volunteer assistance in the following areas: Vietnamese translators, volunteers interested in assisting with the cleaning of the mobile clinic, volunteers interested in assisting with the office phone calls, and volunteers with any accounting background or background in maintenance.

Please reach out to Brianna Vinyard, St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic volunteer coordinator, at bvinyard@smlcares.com, or call the office at 865-212-5570 if you are interested in joining the clinic’s mission. ■

BILL BREWER

A gathering of deacons Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, front row center, is pictured with members of the permanent diaconate in the Diocese of Knoxville and their wives. Archbishop Fabre renewed the deacons' vows during a Vespers service and Liturgy of the Hours on Feb. 22 in Cathedral Hall.

teachings of Father Feeney.

For decades, the New Hampshire Slaves taught a rigorist interpretation of Catholicism that condemned Jewish people as part of their adherence to Father Feeney’s personal interpretation of the doctrine “no salvation outside the Church.”

The group is currently led by Brother Andre Marie, born Louis Villarubia, and was named in a now-withdrawn FBI field office memo concerned with an intersection between “radical traditionalist Catholics” who reject the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and threats of racially or ethnically motivated violence. The group has rejected the characterization, associating it with violence.

Mr. Villarubia did not respond to OSV News’ request for comment.

After years of the New Hampshire Slaves refusing to follow guidance from the Manchester Diocese and the Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith on how the Catholic Church understands the doctrine of “no salvation outside the Church,” Father de Laire sent Mr. Villarubia a formal decree in January 2019, which barred the group from calling itself Catholic, having Mass celebrated in the Slaves’ chapel, and from raising money in the name of any Catholic institution or organization, among other prohibitions.

Within weeks of Father de Laire's decree, Mr. Voris was in New Hampshire to interview Mr. Villarubia. Over the next several months, Church Militant would publish and air stories casting Father de Laire as ambitious and incompetent, alleging he was known in the Vatican and the diocese as an emotionally unstable bumbler.

However, Mr. Voris never tried to contact Father de Laire for an interview before publication. The priest was not media averse; Father de Laire had spoken with other outlets concerning the decree. Mr. Voris did not respond to requests for comment from OSV News.

According to a statement released by Todd & Weld, the law firm representing Father de Laire, Mr. Balestrieri wrote the article to gain an edge on Father de Laire on behalf of the New Hampshire Slaves, and to help the Slaves score fundraising dollars to cover his fee.

“The defamation was used, apparently, as an attempt to discredit Father de Laire and the diocese and to raise funds including to pay for Mr. Balestrieri’s services as a canonist,” the Todd & Weld statement reads.

While St. Michael’s Media denied they had any

Easter continued from page A1

The Chrism Mass is an opportunity for the entire diocese to come together at its cathedral to celebrate as Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre blesses the oil of the sick and the oil of the catechumens and consecrates the chrism that will be used in diocesan churches throughout the year.

It also is a special time when the priests of the diocese renew their vow to priestly service.

Many parishes will hold a Tenebrae service early in Holy Week. Tenebrae means “shadows” or “darkness,” which offers a hint into the meaning of this ritual. The Church will be lit only by candles as the prayers of the Divine Office are prayed. Each candle will be extinguished one by one until the church is in darkness and quiet, a foreshadowing of the fate of Good Friday.

The Holy Triduum begins with the reflections of Holy Thursday. The days of the Triduum are distinct in that daily Mass is not offered as usual. The only church service for

Tenebrae continued from page A1

“That suits the church because the church is dark after Holy Thursday Mass. They strip the altar, and everything is dark.”

All Saints Church holds its Tenebrae service on the night of Holy Thursday to reflect waiting in the garden with Jesus and preparing for Good Friday.

“It’s kind of nice, because it adds to the movement of the Triduum as there is no dismissal on Thursday or Friday—it’s like one long Mass— and this is like the movement from the first section to the next section into Good Friday,” Deacon Elliott explained. “And it’s scriptural in the fact that it is the time that Jesus was in Gethsemane and betrayed. So, from that aspect, I think it’s a pretty good tie-in between Holy Thursday and Good Friday.”

“It can be emotional for people. As the lights go out, they get that connection of Jesus being betrayed by the Apostles, being betrayed by Judas. The readings are somewhat emotional as well. I encourage peo-

knowledge Mr. Balestrieri was representing the Slaves when Mr. Voris published the 2019 article, Mr. Balestrieri had contributed articles to Church Militant for years under the pseudonym Tom Moore.

Howard Cooper, the lawyer for Father de Laire, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

In a brief phone call with OSV News, Mr. Balestrieri denied he was trying to gain an advantage on Father de Laire with the article.

Mr. Voris and Church Militant published the article anonymously, and hid Mr. Balestrieri’s connection to the report for years. When the lawsuit was filed in early 2021, Mr. Voris claimed in legal documents he himself was the author in order to conceal Mr. Balestrieri.

Mr. Balestrieri’s identity as the author came out in discovery in early 2022, setting off panic behind the scenes, according to court records. Mr. Voris pressed Mr. Balestrieri for details on his sources, while Mr. Balestrieri tried to hide from Father de Laire's lawyers. At one point in June 2022, Mr. Voris used Church Militant funds to give Mr. Balestrieri an interest-free $65,000 loan.

Lawyers for Father de Laire had Mr. Balestrieri added as a co-defendant in June 2022, but the canon lawyer dodged process servers as part of his legal strategy, according to text messages released during the litigation. This resulted in Mr. Balestrieri being found liable by default in the lawsuit.

In spring 2023, Mr. Balestrieri started claiming he was not the author of the article, and denied he wrote it during a conversation with Mr. Villarubia, according to deposition transcripts.

Further complicating the case for Mr. Voris, Mr.

Catholics on Holy Thursday is the evening service marking the washing of the feet and the Last Supper. At the end of Holy Thursday Mass, the altar is stripped in preparation of remembrance of the devastating events of Good Friday. The Blessed Sacrament is removed from the main altar and placed on a side altar for adoration until end of day.

Good Friday offers a somber day of reflection, marked by fasting and abstinence of the faithful. Many parishes produce Living Stations of the Cross, a powerful reminder of Jesus’ walk to Calvary. All are called to Good Friday service, which commemorates the death of Jesus on the Cross, including veneration of the cross. The altar is bare, the Blessed Sacrament has been removed, and the people leave quietly. Jesus is in the tomb. His disciples are alone.

Holy Saturday is the one day of the liturgical year when there is no Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, no confessions, and no activity in the church until Easter Vigil Mass

ple to not just come at the very end but to spend that time in the garden,” he added.

St. Mary Church in Johnson City holds its Tenebrae service on the night of Good Friday to reflect on Christ in the tomb and the darkness over the earth.

“Tenebrae is about darkness and is the meaning of the word. It leads an individual toward the darkness that comes with the death of Christ. From this darkness comes the light of Christ’s resurrection,” said Father Dustin Collins, pastor of St. Mary.

The Tenebrae service at St. Mary concludes with the strepitus, or “great noise.” This signifies the earthquake following Christ’s death.

Participants of the service create the rumbling noise by banging on pews, stomping feet, or using a crotalus—a wooden instrument just for making a loud, clapping noise in place of bells during the Triduum.

The last candle extinguished at the Tenebrae service at Holy Ghost is the paschal candle, the large candle first lit at the Easter Vigil the year before.

Militant no more

A reporter with Church Militant, also known as St. Michael's Media, interviews Matt DePerno, a candidate for Michigan attorney general, on Oct. 12, 2021, in Lansing, Mich. A recent court ruling has prompted the Catholic media outlet to cease operations.

Balestrieri changed his mind about going to court and made a surprise appearance at a June 15, 2023, hearing in Concord.

Mr. Voris responded by handing over scores of evidence to Father de Laire’s team that linked Mr. Balestrieri to the story. Mr. Voris also sent Mr. Balestrieri a text threatening him if he denied authorship under oath.

“We have all the receipts. You go through with this, and we will rain down on you publicly. You are a liar and a Welch,” Mr. Voris texted to Mr. Balestrieri on June 15, 2023.

But in linking the story to Mr. Balestrieri, Mr. Voris also exposed the fact he had been sitting on evidence that was supposed to be turned over through discovery orders. Mr. Voris and Church Militant saw three attorneys quit the defense, and Judge Joseph LaPlante threatened financial sanctions if all evidence was not turned over.

With the trial slated for March, Mr. Voris on Jan. 31 handed over 17 pages of text messages with Mr. Balestrieri. A few days later, Church Militant turned over 30,000 documents.

The St. Michael’s Media and Church Militant settlement with Father de Laire was reached a few weeks later.

Late last year, Church Militant sold its only assets, two Ferndale office buildings. The organization is currently advertising a liquidation sale for its online store.

St. Michael’s Media is not shutting down, but it is not yet clear if the organization will launch a new media outlet to replace Church Militant. It’s also unknown if Mr. Voris, who was removed from the board of directors in December, will play any role. ■

begins at dusk. Easter Vigil begins with the faithful gathered around a fire outside of the church. That fire is then brought into the dark church with the lighting of the Paschal candle. This candle will burn at the altar throughout the year until it is extinguished during next year’s Holy Thursday service. Catechumens and candidates who have been preparing for this night throughout the year will gather at Easter Vigils around the diocese. Along with godparents and sponsors, these new members of the Church will receive the sacraments, including first Holy Communion. The churches will be filled with the sounds of the Litany of the Saints and the renewal of baptismal promises. The congregation will listen and participate in an extended Liturgy of the Word, and the words of the Gloria and Alleluia will again resonate.

Easter Masses will celebrate our Risen Lord and the promise of salvation that Christ on the Cross

“I pick that up and carry it out of the sanctuary back to where nobody can see it, and it signifies the crucifixion of Jesus and the Light of the World passing from the world. Then the whole sanctuary is in total darkness,” Deacon Lowery said.

After the strepitus and a few moments of dark silence, the paschal candle is brought back in, a reminder that death is not the victor; the resurrection is coming.

Deacon Lowery said that he finds the Tenebrae service to be a good way to reflect on the suffering of Christ.

He noted that some Christians sometimes “skip over, or don’t really contemplate on the sufferings of what Jesus went through for us, the love that He went through it with.”

Taking the time to walk with Him during Holy Week, either via Stations of the Cross or Tenebrae or other time in spent in prayer can draw you closer to that sacrifice.

“It’s spiritual. It gets you into what Jesus suffered,” Deacon Lowery said. “When that last light is carried

delivers to all who are baptized. “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me,” Jesus declares. On Easter, Christians celebrate the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

The Easter season in the liturgical calendar lasts for 50 days until the celebration of Pentecost, this year on May 19. This season is the longest of the liturgical calendar, outside of Ordinary Time. In addition to Pentecost Sunday, one of the final celebrations of the Easter season is the Sending of the Neophytes Mass, which this year will be on Sunday, April 28. During this Mass, catechumens and candidates who entered the Church at Easter Vigil and are now in full communion are sent forth into the community to proclaim the Good News.

As Catholics move through the final days of Lent and enter Holy Week and the Easter season, they reflect on the words of Pope John Paul II, “We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song.” ■

out and you’re in total darkness, it’s kind of like, this is what sin is: total darkness. And then the light comes back in anticipating the resurrection, the Light of the World. … It gets you in touch with your own spirituality and gets you ready for the resurrection.”

Deacon Elliott encouraged people to try out a Tenebrae service if one is available near them.

“I think that if people experience it once or twice they get hooked on it,” he said.

By taking the time to pause, reflect, and pray during a service like Tenebrae during Holy Week, one can truly appreciate the miracle and joy of Christ’s resurrection at Easter.

Tenebrae is reversed at the Easter Vigil, when light is slowly added into the church, from the sole light of the paschal candle at the processional to the full illumination of the church at the reading of the Gospel. The people who have experienced the depths of Christ’s suffering and death now get to celebrate the joyous heights of His glorious resurrection. ■

Church Militant continued from

CATHOLIC

Q&A: Why does the Church oppose IVF? What about frozen embryos?

By Father Francis J. Hoffman OSV News

When the Alabama Supreme Court recently recognized the personhood of embryos, it gave legal standing to something the Church has clearly established: An embryo is a human being and should be treated with the dignity and rights due to all people, especially the most vulnerable who cannot speak for themselves.

This is part of the reason the Church opposes in vitro fertilization, in which embryos created in a laboratory are transferred to a woman for gestation.

Father Francis J. Hoffman, a priest of Opus Dei well known as “Father Rocky” in his role as executive director and CEO of Relevant Radio, dives deeper into the Church’s teaching on IVF and the related issue of frozen embryos in this Q&A.

Q. I know there are very good reasons for the Church to teach against IVF (in vitro fertilization), but what are they? Also, what forms are allowed, and what is the difference?

A. The Church hopes and prays that God will bless married couples with children, but knows very well from experience and stories in the Bible that not every married couple receives the gift of children.

So, to begin to answer your question, it needs to be stated that children are a gift from God they are not a right. While every married couple has a right to try to have children, it is important to respect God’s law and the law of nature for procreation.

In this regard the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “A child is not something owed to one, but is a gift. The ‘supreme gift of marriage’ is a human person. A child may not be considered a piece of property, an idea to which an alleged ‘right to a child’ would lead. In this area, only the child possesses genuine rights: the right ‘to be the fruit of the specific act of the conjugal love of his parents,’ and ‘the right to be respected as a person from the moment of his conception.’ The Gospel shows that physical sterility is not an absolute evil. Spouses who still suffer from infertility after exhausting legitimate medical procedures should unite themselves with the

One of the first obstacles Mother Cabrini faced in New York was a chilly welcome from the local Church authorities. Archbishop Michael Corrigan of New York, who was archbishop from 1885 to 1902, initially asked Mother Cabrini to return to Italy, and she reminded him that she was there at Pope Leo XIII’s behest.

A letter from Archbishop Corrigan to Pope Leo XIII in 1886, a few years prior to Mother Cabrini’s arrival, shows the prejudices and the tense politics of the time.

“For four years now, they have had free use of the basement of Fr. Lynch’s church,” Archbishop Corrigan wrote of the Italian immigrants. “Why only the basement? Forgive me, Excellency, if I tell you frankly that these poor devils are not very clean, so that the others do not want to have them in the upstairs church. Otherwise the others move out, and then good-bye the income. In time we hope to remedy these things. But it is necessary to move slowly.”

The film shows a physically weak Mother Cabrini fearlessly cutting through such prejudice and politics and finding creative means of helping the many Italian orphans, as well as getting funding for a hospital that would treat Italians.

Mother Cabrini used the media to spread the message of her mission

“She was using a lot of the newspaper outlets to communicate,” Mr. Monteverde said, adding that the character of the reporter Theodore Calloway, played by Jeremy Bobb, “was a combination of all the media outlets that she used, all the journalists that she approached.”

A glimpse of an article from 1889 in the New York Sun shows the Sisters’ bravery amid the dangers of the city and how Mother Cabrini spread her message through the media.

“During the past few weeks,” the Sun reported, “dark-featured women, in the garb of Sisters of Charity, have been going through the Italian quarters in the Bend and in Little Italy, climbing up dark,

Lord’s cross, the source of all spiritual fecundity. They can give expression to their generosity by adopting abandoned children or performing demanding services for others” (Nos. 2378-2379).

There are several reasons why IVF is unethical. The first reason is that in the attempt to create new human life, IVF results in the disproportionate risk of loss of innocent human life. Innocent human lives are lost through IVF because “excess” human embryos created in the process are either discarded or placed in cryopreservation (deep freeze).

Since human embryos are human lives, and human beings have an inherent right to life, which is denied by cryopreservation or by be-

ing discarded, IVF is unethical. Pope Francis has been remarkably strong in his condemnation of our modern “throwaway” culture. Up to 90 percent of the human embryos that are created never make it. They never had a chance.

Again, the Catechism, based on the instruction on respect for human life in its origin (“Donum Vitae,” Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1987), states: “It is immoral to produce human embryos intended for exploitation as disposable biological material.”

It continues: “’Certain attempts to influence chromosomic or genetic inheritance are not therapeutic but are aimed at producing human beings selected according to sex or other predetermined qualities. Such manipulations are contrary to the personal dignity of the human being and his integrity and identity,’ which are unique and unrepeatable” (No. 2275).

The second reason IVF is unethical may be difficult for people to understand if they do not have an appreciation for natural law, but here it is anyway. Because IVF invades the sacred space of interpersonal human sexual relations and relies too much on technology, it winds up separating the spouses from each other and often separating the real parents from their offspring.

Here it will be helpful to reprint what the Catechism teaches us in this regard:

“Techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple (donation of sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus), are gravely immoral.

“These techniques (heterologous artificial insemination and fertilization) infringe the child’s right to be born of a father and mother known to him and bound to each other by marriage. They betray the spouses’ ‘right to become a father and a mother only through each other.’

“Techniques involving only the married couple (homologous artificial insemination and fertilization) are perhaps less reprehensible, yet remain morally unacceptable. They dissociate the sexual act from the procreative act. The act which brings the child into existence is no longer an act by which two persons give themselves to one another, but one that ‘entrusts the life and identity of the embryo into the power of doctors and biologists and establishes the domination of technology over the origin and destiny of the human person. Such a relationship of domina-

IVF continued on page A19

steep, and narrow stairways, diving down into foul basements, and into dens which even a New York policeman does not care to enter without assistance.”

“Our object,” Mother Cabrini told the paper, “is to rescue the Italian orphans of the city from the misery and dangers that threaten them and to make good men and women of them.” The interview revealed her special care for Italian girls, who, she said, the Sisters were “especially anxious” about due to the “terrible” temptations that the city offered them. This is shown in the film through her friendship with Vittoria (Romana Maggiora Vergano), a girl who leaves a life of prostitution to stay with the Sisters.

As the film depicts Mother Cabrini overcoming obstacles, a battle-of-the-sexes narrative can feel over-emphasized at times. In one scene with Pope Leo XIII, she asks if he is rejecting her proposal of being a missionary to China because she’s a woman.

Mr. Monteverde said the portrayal of Mother Cabrini’s struggles with men in power was “very true to the times,” adding that “it’s not like men were these bad guys,” but at the time, “women had no voice and they did not have a very strong voice also within the Church.”

However, he pointed out that the film shows how Mother Cabrini received assistance from Pope Leo XIII and how Archbishop Corrigan reversed his initial opposition to the Sisters and became her ally.

“They built a beautiful friend-

ship after he started supporting her,” Mr. Monteverde said of the archbishop.

He also noted that a scene in which the fictional character of New York City Mayor Gould (John Lithgow) tells Mother Cabrini she would have made “an excellent man” was inspired by real comments made about her, including by Mayor des Planches, Italian ambassador to the United States at the time who called Mother Cabrini a “great man,” and Italian Minister Francesco Saverio Nitti, who referred to her as a “statesman.”

In one scene, Pope Leo XIII tells Mother Cabrini that he would be making her “the first woman to lead an overseas mission” and because of this, the Church would look at her “as proof of what women can or cannot accomplish.”

Ms. McShea provided some additional context for this claim, saying that Mother Cabrini only founded “one of the first missionary orders for women authorized by the pope after Vatican I.” There were, in fact, a number of women-led missionary groups prior to Vatican I as it was “easier to start congregations without Roman authorization first,” and women’s missionary groups before Mother Cabrini’s time operated in this way.

One such missionary was St. Émilie de Vialar, a French woman who lived from 1797 to 1856 and founded the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition as a missionary congregation. The group went to Algeria in the early 19th century with the support of a bishop in France.

By the time of her death, Sister Vialar had founded 42 houses from North Africa to Burma. She was canonized in 1951.

Another woman who did missionary work for the Church prior to Mother Cabrini’s time was Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey, who lived from 1779 to 1851. In 1807, she founded the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, who did mission work in Madagascar and West Africa

“Mother Cabrini was just one of many remarkable women like this,” Ms. McShea said, calling them “the unsung heroes of the 19th century and of earlier times. Women were serving as missionaries in the 17th and 18th centuries, too.”

And many churchmen proactively favored their work, seeing them as necessary partners in mission settings, she added. “This was also true in Cabrini’s case, as the film might have illustrated a bit more.”

At the same time, Ms. McShea noted that one of Mother Cabrini’s lines in the film is something she really did say to a skeptical churchman who said missionaries were typically men. Mother Cabrini told him that “if the mission of announcing the Lord’s resurrection to His Apostles had been entrusted to Mary Magdalene, it would seem a very good thing to confide to other women an evangelizing mission.”

Mother Cabrini’s letters illustrate that prayer was at the heart of her mission. She once wrote to her Sisters, “We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect. Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone.”

While the film mostly focuses on Mother Cabrini’s work, a few scenes show her in prayer at pivotal moments. Mr. Monteverde said that’s because “her life is the ultimate prayer,” and there is power in seeing someone pray through their actions.

The movie also features Mother Cabrini’s motto from Scripture, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). ■

The IVF question An embryologist removes a vial of frozen embryos from a storage tank at the Smotrich IVF Clinic in La Jolla, Calif., in this 2007 file photo. The Vatican document Dignitas Personae ("The Dignity of a Person") warns that certain recent developments in stem-cell research, gene therapy, and embryonic experimentation violate moral principles and reflect an attempt by man to "take the place of his Creator."

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

PHOTO/SANDY HUFFAKER

Sister of strength Cristiana Dell’Anna stars in a scene from the movie "Cabrini." The OSV News classification is A-II adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG-13 parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13

OSV NEWS

PHOTO/ANGEL STUDIOS

Cabrini continued from page A7

Father Charles J. Brunick, CSP

Father Charles J. Brunick, CSP, entered eternal life on Feb. 26.

Father Brunick died at the Paulist Motherhouse in New York City after a struggle with cancer. He was 80.

Father Brunick had been a member of the Paulist community for 60 years and a priest for almost 54 years. During his priesthood, he was a parish pastor, campus minister, and staff member at Catholic Information Centers.

Charles Joseph Brunick was born May 26, 1943, in Quincy, Mass., one of five children of Vincent and Elizabeth Brunick.

When he was in the sixth grade, his family moved to Camden, N.J., where he attended Catholic schools. As a young teen, he went to a vocations exhibit in Philadelphia, where he picked up a Paulist brochure with the title “Are You a Missionary to Main Street?”

In September 1961, he began to study at St. Peter’s, the one-time Paulist junior seminary in Baltimore. He entered the Paulist novitiate on Sept. 6, 1963. He made his First Promise to the Paulist community on Sept. 8, 1964, and his Final Promise on Sept. 8, 1967.

During these years, he studied at St. Paul’s College, the Paulist’s major seminary in Washington, D.C., which was then a degree-granting institution. He was ordained a priest on March 7, 1970.

Father Brunick was a campus minister for the first 15 years of his priesthood.

From 1970 to 1974, he served at the University of Texas at Austin. There, he taught for-credit courses in the “Bible Chair” program. He served in Boston from 1974 to 1977 as director of the Newman Center at Boston University.

In 1977, Father Brunick became pastor at St. John XXIII University Parish at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, serving there through 1985. From 1986 to 1988, he was pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Layton, Utah.

Father Brunick entered preaching ministry and evangelization work in 1990 as an associate director of the Catholic Information Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.

That work took him to Chicago in 1993, where he spent the next 14 years as an associate pastor at Old St. Mary’s Church, while still being involved in evangelization work.

In 2007, Father Brunick moved to Portland, Ore., where he served first at the Northwest Center for Evangelization and Reconciliation. In 2010, he became pastor at Portland’s St. Philip Neri Church.

He entered senior ministry in 2016, living first at the Paulist Motherhouse in New York City. From 2018 to 2022, he lived at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Grand Rapids, Mich. Last July, he returned to the Motherhouse.

In a 2022 oral history, Father Brunick said, “being a teacher and a preacher has been the most important part of my ministry.”

In addition to his parents, Father Brunick was preceded in death by his brothers, Vincent and John Brunick; and his sister, Jane Kolongowski. Father Brunick is survived by his brother Paulists; his sister, Betty Ann Wells; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

May the angels lead you into paradise, may the martyrs come to welcome you, and take you to the holy city, the new and eternal Jerusalem.

Sister Angelina Langston, OP

Sister Angelina Langston, a member of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation in Nashville for 71 years, died Feb. 15. She was 89. Born in Paducah, Ky., Sister Angelina was the daughter of Paul Vernon and Lena Mae Langston. She graduated from St. Thomas Academy in Memphis in 1952 and entered the Dominican Sisters in August of that year, making her profession of vows in 1954.

Sister Angelina served for over 50 years as a teacher in Catholic schools in Tennessee, Virginia, and Alabama. In the Diocese of Knoxville, she served at Notre Dame in Chattanooga from 1962-66.

She also served in Chattanooga at Sts. Peter and Paul School from 1972-73 and St. Jude School from 1973-76.

In the Diocese of Nashville, she taught at St. Joseph, St. John Vianney, St. Lawrence, St. Patrick, St. Pius X, and Good Shepherd schools and at St. Mary’s Orphanage.

Sister Angelina is preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Emily (Buddy) Jones. She is survived by her sisters and their husbands: Laura

and Louis Steinkirk, Jenny and Chuck Pinkowski, nieces and nephews, and her Dominican Sisters.

A funeral Mass for Sister Angelina was celebrated on Feb. 17 at the St. Cecilia Convent, with Father Mark Chrismer, who is chaplain for the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation, serving as the celebrant. Burial, which followed the Mass, was in the convent cemetery.

Janet Leahey Coombes

Janet Leahey Coombes, age 90, of Hixson, passed away on Feb. 1, 2024.

Mrs. Coombes was born Nov. 2, 1933, in Wesleyville, Pa., to the late Harry and Marie Mensing Leahey. She graduated from Villa Maria Academy in 1951. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Villa Maria College.

Mrs. Coombes was a longtime member of St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga, where she served as a Girl Scout leader and was active in activities for the church and St. Jude School.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Bernard Frederick Coombes; a son, Thomas Coombes; and daughter-in-law, Nancy Coombes.

Mrs. Coombes is survived by her children, Kevin Coombes, Mary Pat (Garrick) Hall, and Daniel (Renee Martin) Coombes, Lt. Col., USMC (Ret.); grandchildren, Ryan Coombes, Drew Lewis, Austin (Lane) Coombes, Luke (Jamie) Lewis, Harrison Coombes, and Gabe Hall; brother, Ray Leahey, Col., Army (Ret.); and many nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass for Mrs. Coombes was celebrated on Feb. 9 at St. Jude, with Father Charlie Burton, pastor of St. Jude, serving as the celebrant. Burial was on Feb. 10 at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.

Memorial contributions in Mrs. Coombes name may be made to St. Jude Church, Hospice of Chattanooga, or a favorite charity.

Geraldine Skahan

Geraldine M. Skahan, 90, of Hixson, passed away peacefully Feb. 1.

Mrs. Skahan was born Oct. 17, 1933, in Flushing, N.Y. In 1954, she met and married a sailor, Paul Skahan, and three months later they were living in Naples, Italy, where he was stationed. The first of her six children, daughter Kathleen, was born the next year.

Mr. and Mrs. Skahan would continue to travel as his military career continued and their family grew. Upon Mr. Skahan’s retirement from the Navy in 1965, the family moved to Long Island, N.Y., where they had extended family. In 1968, the move to Cumberland, Maine, would prove to be Mrs. Skahan’s favorite, as she loved being close to both lakes and the ocean, often taking her children to the beach several times a week during the summers.

In 1978, Mr. Skahan took a different job, and the family moved to Red Bank in the Chattanooga area. It was quite an adjustment, but Mrs. Skahan did the best she could, eventually acclimating to the warmer climate. The kids grew up, and Mr. and Mrs. Skahan eventually retired to Navarre, Fla. Health issues for Mr. Skahan meant returning north for more family support. Mr. Skahan passed away in 2008, and Mrs. Skahan had a remarkably active and healthy life until recently.

She was a member of St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga.

She is survived by Kathleen Schumann (Rob) of Gray, Maine, Patrick Skahan (Melissa) of Cumberland, Maine, Judge Paula Skahan (Wendy) of Memphis, Kevin Skahan of Hixson, Thomas Skahan (Kim) of Stuart, Fla., and Gerald Skahan of Memphis; one brother, James Reardon of Dayton, Ohio. Mrs. Skahan was “Grandma” to 18 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A funeral Mass for Mrs. Skahan was celebrated on Feb. 10 at St. Jude Church.

David Kosnikowski

David Bertram Kosnikowski, age 81, passed away at home on Feb. 7 surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with cancer and COVID-19.

Mr. Kosnikowski is survived by his wife, Julia; daughters, Judy, Karen, and Amy; son, Bernie; grandsons, Theodore and Anthony; and beloved family and friends far and wide.

A funeral Mass for Mr. Kosnikowski was celebrated on Feb. 12 at All Saints Church in Knoxville. As the family mourns Mr. Kosnikowski, they request that all remain vigilant in the battle against COVID, including vaccines and cautious protection of our fragile populations.

Larry Metz

Larry L. Metz, age 70, of Knoxville, passed away suddenly on the morning of Jan. 30.

Mr. Metz was born in Waynesboro, Penn., where he attended Waynesboro Senior High. He played soccer and baseball for his school until graduating in 1971. He enjoyed cars, and this passion became his occupation.

He, with his growing family, moved from Richmond, Ind., to Findlay, Ohio, and then eventually to Knoxville, which became their permanent home for more than 30 years.

Mr. Metz loved to play baseball growing up and this love transferred to his boys. He coached little league baseball and really loved watching his sons play sports as they grew up. He also loved to play golf with his sons.

Mr. Metz’s primary passion was his family. This is evident in the character, integrity, love, and humor that each of the Metz boys emanate. Mrs. Metz and their boys are a testimony to the effort that Mr. Metz poured into his family.

Mr. Metz’s work ethic and dedication was evident at his employer, JTEKT. He recently achieved 30 years with the company’s Vonore plant. He enjoyed the teamwork and camaraderie he shared with fellow employees at JTEKT.

Mr. Metz is preceded in death by his parents, Sarah V. Unger and Lewis W. Metz.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Mary F. Metz; sons and daughter-in-laws, Joshua and Maggie Metz, Benjamin and Erin Metz, Andrew and Audrey Metz, and Samuel and Jamie Metz; his nine beautiful grandchildren; and his sisters, Darcia Bittner and Dorothy Kugler, with their children Lori Miller, Roni Kugler, and Amy Gittens.

A funeral Mass for Mr. Metz was celebrated on Feb. 5 at All Saints Church in Knoxville followed by an inurnment at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus columbarium.

Donations in Mr. Metz’s memory may be made to the St. John Neumann School annual fund or the Sacred Heart Cathedral School annual fund. These donations will provide financial aid for students who desire a Catholic education but cannot afford one.

Dennis Greenwood

Dennis George Greenwood, 84, died on Jan. 23. He was a native of Kankakee, Ill., born on March 27, 1939, and he was the only son of the late Ernest and Leah Greenwood.

Mr. Greenwood was a resident of the Heritage Ridge community in Hixson for 25 years, where he proudly served as the HOA president for several years. He was a member of St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga.

At age 18, Mr. Greenwood and his best friend, Dick Williams, joined the U.S. Navy under the Buddy Plan. Their orders did not come as promised, and Mr. Greenwood was sent to Norfolk, Va. He served on the USS Boston as a mechanic in the Drone Unit while Mr. Williams was sent to San Diego and served on a destroyer as a boiler tender.

Although their Buddy Plan fell through, Mr. Greenwood and Mr. Williams remained lifetime buddies and opened the D&D City Service Gas Station together after proudly serving their country with honor in the U.S. Navy.

In 1962, Mr. Greenwood married Linda DeCarlo, his best friend who later became his sweetheart. They were married for 61 years. Together they had two daughters, Shelly (Rodney) Mitchell and Christy Greenwood, and one son, Darren (Holly) Greenwood; four grandchildren, Reid and Chloe Mitchell, and Kyle and Brayden Greenwood; and eight nieces and nephews, Doug, Dennis, Danna, Darcy, Lesa and David Blanchette, Shelia Green, and Stephanie Jenkins. Other family members include two sisters, Diane Blanchette (deceased) and Linda Landgraf, as well as beloved friends Donna and Wilson Gee and Joann Story.

In 1964, Mr. Greenwood began his 28-year career with Roper Corp. in Kankakee, Ill. After working on the assembly line for eight years, he was transferred to Lafayette, Ga., where he helped Harry Betourne start up the new Roper Corp. plant. After advancing through the managerial ranks, he was appointed general superintendent of the Lafayette plant

Mr. Greenwood was hardworking and enjoyed fixing things. He also enjoyed golf, coin collecting, playing cards, cars, working in his yard, family vacations in his RV, and his West Highland terriers.

A funeral Mass for Mr. Greenwood was celebrated on Feb. 16 at St. Jude Church. Following the funeral Mass, a burial service with full military honors was at the Chattanooga National Cemetery. Donations in Mr. Greenwood’s memory can be made to St. Jude Church, 930 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, TN 37415. ■

Fr. Brunick

Mrs. Coombes

Sr. Angelina

Mr. Metz

Mr. Kosnikowski

Mr. Greenwood

tion is in itself contrary to the dignity and equality that must be common to parents and children.’ ‘Under the moral aspect, procreation is deprived of its proper perfection when it is not willed as the fruit of the conjugal act, that is to say, of the specific act of the spouses’ union. ... Only respect for the link between the meanings of the conjugal act and respect for the unity of the human being make possible procreation in conformity with the dignity of the person’” (Nos. 2376-77).

Finally, reproductive medical assistance or techniques allowed include any that respect the life of the embryo and the exclusive sexual union of the married mother and father. LTOF (lower tubal ovum transfer) and GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) are methods that the Church does not condemn.

Q. I understand that as a result of science there are many (millions?) of frozen embryos that have been preserved for different reasons, such as IVF. What is their designation by the Church? What is permitted by the Church? What are the accepted forms of use for them? If they are being destroyed for medical purposes, isn’t this another slaughter of the innocents?

A. There is no good solution to the situation of frozen embryos. Biological science and the Church are in agreement about their status: From the moment of conception, they are human beings.

The Church does not permit them to be destroyed. It would be best if their natural parents brought them to term.

Whenever we discuss the ethics of human reproduction, the necessary starting point as mentioned above is the recognition that children are a gift from God and not a human right. That premise may be difficult for some to accept, but it is based on the unique sacred dignity of each human person endowed with a unique spiritual and immortal soul.

With respect to IVF, the Catechism

is quite clear in No. 2377, a teaching that repeats verbatim what the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated in Donum Vitae in 1987. This same teaching is expressed in Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclicals Veritatis Splendor (1994) and Evangelium Vitae (1995). The Holy See has repeated this teaching with the instruction Dignitatis Personae (2008). All of those documents declare IVF to be immoral and do so for a variety of reasons.

There are several moral problems with IVF. A serious problem is the disposition of “excess” embryos. Often, they are left in a state of suspended animation or even destroyed. We cannot treat human beings so callously.

Here it will be helpful to revisit what St. John Paul II taught on this subject in 1995:

“The various techniques of artificial reproduction, which would seem to be at the service of life and which are frequently used with this intention, actually open the door to new threats against life. Apart from the fact that they are morally unacceptable, since they separate procreation from the fully human context of the conjugal act, these techniques have a high rate of failure: not just failure in relation to fertilization, but with regard to the subsequent development of the embryo, which is exposed to the risk of death, generally within a very short space of time.

“Furthermore, the number of embryos produced is often greater than that needed for implantation in the woman’s womb, and these so-called spare embryos are then destroyed or used for research which, under the pretext of scientific or medical pro-

gress, in fact reduces human life to the level of simple ‘biological material’ to be freely disposed of.” There seem to be four ways to treat the embryos, but not all of them are ethical:

1. Use them for research. This is clearly wrong because it constitutes the direct killing of human life. No matter how good the intention of the research, this would always be wrong.

2. Do nothing, and eventually they will die. (They deteriorate even while frozen.) This seems unsatisfactory.

3. Thaw them, let them die, and bury them. This also seems unsatisfactory, for all human life deserves to be cared for. How could it be moral or ethical to bury alive a living human being?

4. Implant them in the mother or in another woman willing to adopt the child and bring them to term. Implanting them in the mother is the best course of action at this point, but unlikely in many cases.

As for adoption and implantation, reputable, trustworthy, and orthodox moral theologians have different opinions about adoption of the embryos. But there seems to be a growing consensus that it could be ethical and even “heroic” to adopt a frozen embryo, although that action would not be morally obligatory for anyone.

However, implantation (adopted or not) is not free of ethical concerns: It constitutes a material cooperation in the business of IVF, which is intrinsically evil in the first place, although the implantation could be allowed under the principle of double effect.

The only answer to this dilemma is to prohibit IVF.

In the words of Bishop Elio Sgreccia, a former president of the Pontifical Academy of Life who died in 2019: “The practice of in vitro fertilization must be stopped. It only encourages the production of frozen embryos, and freezing embryos is utilitarianism without mercy. When you start a wrong procedure like this, any solution is wrong and sad.” ■

Life begins Frozen human embryos being checked in a laboratory are pictured in this file photo

OSV NEWS

PHOTO/IAN HODGSON

to “be loud and proud and be bold” when they recite the promises of baptism.

“Proud in the best sense of that word, not the sinful sense of that word. Because that ‘I do’ has to echo throughout the rest of their lives. And I think your role in Catholic education is similar to that. What you impart to these students and what they learn … hopefully it will echo throughout the rest of their lives, calling them continually to be the person whom God calls us to be,” he said.

“So, with sincere gratitude, I thank you very much for the sacrifice that you undertake to make holy the students whom, in so many ways, you form in faith and educate so that their faith formation and their experiences in Catholic schools can in a positive way echo throughout the rest of their lives, so that they might always return to this really foundational time in their lives as they grow in age and wisdom and grace before God and all people and become adults within the Church and adults within the country,” the archbishop continued.

“I thank you for your role, and in this largest ministry in the Diocese of Knoxville I thank you for the sacrifice that you undertake, and I thank you for the ways that every day you are a reflection of the love of God with the students entrusted to your care. I thank you for the many ways that you are a reflection of the love of God to the parents and families who entrust their children to Catholic education. I thank you for the fact that every day you are the reflection of the Diocese of Knoxville, of our call to accompany one another, joining with one another, and journeying to the person that Jesus Christ calls each and every one of us to be,” he said.

Following the archbishop was the keynote speaker, Sheri Wohlfert.

Mrs. Wohlfert was an educator for nearly 30 years in both Catholic and public schools, teaching almost every grade between kindergarten and senior year in high school. She has a degree in secondary education from Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan., and a master’s degree in elementary education from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Mrs. Wohlfert resides in Michigan with her husband and maintains her website, joyfulwords. org

“Mary Ann (Deschaine) very succinctly said at the very beginning, this is not your job, this is

your vocation. You were called to this. … God called us to this work not just for our students or our parents, but for our self. Our vocation is our sanctification. This is, my friends, how we’re going to get to heaven. This is it. And for one of us it should probably be a straight shot. I’ve had that class many times,” Mrs. Wohlfert quipped, causing the crowd to laugh.

She used a very long white rope that had a short green end for a demonstration.

“Imagine for a minute, that stretch between me and the edge of the gym, this timeline represents our life. We know as Godfearing Christians that our life is eternal, and there would never really be an end. … So, this is your life, from beginning to on and on and on. … As life is stretched out before me, I want you to turn your focus to this little green piece of the rope. This is the part that represents our time on earth, and the rest of it is what happens next. And I know two things, for real and for true. One, we have no idea how long the green part of our rope is. And the second thing I know for real and for true, is that we don’t get a do-over. And how we do [the green part] is completely what determines [the white part]. Now what do we do? We try to get it right. Thank God for Lent; we can recalibrate,” she said.

“There’s no message more important than the one we get to spend every day instilling in the hearts and souls and minds of children, God’s favorites,” she continued. “We have to get it together first. We have to realize what’s our green look like, and where’s it going to indicate my white to be? And today’s the perfect day to look at the green. … That’s totally in our control. We get to do all the things in the green part of our rope, but what should we be doing with it? How

should it look? By virtue of our work, you are called to God’s greatest commandment. You are called to serve.”

Mrs. Wohlfert shared a story of a small village in France that acquired a handmade statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. During World War II, the church was bombed, breaking the statue so that when the villagers put all of the broken pieces back together, only Jesus’ hands were missing. Rather than fixing the statue, the villagers placed a plaque below it stating that ‘Christ has no hands but yours…’

“And I think as Catholic school educators, that’s our mission: to be the hands of Christ, to be the feet of Christ,” she said. “So, the real truth of our job as Christian educators is simply to see Christ and to be Christ. So, how do I make sure the green part of my rope is going to get me where I want it to be? It’s as simple as I’m going to serve. I’m going to serve whatever person He puts in our path, no matter how much they love me back, no matter how much they agree with me or don’t, no matter how difficult or wonderful they are. I’m going to see Christ and I’m going to be Christ. It’s my mission, that’s my mission. Either we learn to find our Lord in the ordinary everyday life, or else we shall never find him, St. Josemaria (said).”

“Our living is the most powerful witness we offer. Experiencing His love and being His great witness requires understanding and truth, perspective, joy, love, and prayer,” Mrs. Wohlfert added.

She shared one way teachers can witness to their faith each school year.

“Every year before school started, I would sit at each child’s desk, and I would bless it with holy water. If you have never done that, start tomorrow. … Sit in it, bless it, pray for that child, and pray that you can be the

teacher that child needs. It’s not just about them being the way we want them to be, it’s help me be what they need,” she shared.

“Whose job is it to teach not just who Jesus is and what He did, but what He’s still doing?” Mrs. Wohlfert asked. “Whose job is that? That’s ours. And that’s just not a job, that’s a gift. That’s a vocation. That’s a vocation that changes lives, but it requires focus. It requires us to see things differently, to see things as He sees them. A godly perspective is based in faith, and the faith sees the invisible, it believes the incredible, and receives the impossible.”

Following the keynote and Mass, educators attended their grade- or content-level networking sessions, which this year included four special genres:

n Hospitality ministry for administrative assistants, receptionists, and secretaries, led by Mrs. Wohlfert;

n Admissions, advancement, and stewardship, led by Mary Hannah MacCurdy, Catholic diocesan schools development coordinator;

n Bookkeepers, led by Lori Trikones, diocesan controller; and

n Northwest Evaluation Association presentation, led by senior account executive Jessica Knierim-Lindsay.

Catherine Clifford and Kate Roden of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School traveled from Chattanooga to attend the daylong event.

“Today’s event gives us an opportunity to get together, to get to know each other, to see what’s working in schools, to see what hasn’t worked in the past, and just again to grow in our mission to bring up our students forward in a Catholic education,” said Ms. Clifford, who serves as director of development for the school.

Ms. Roden serves as director of admissions for OLPH.

“It was a great event,” she commented. “The keynote speaker was awesome, she was funny, had a lot of good messaging, and then the breakout session was super helpful just getting to hear from other schools and what they’re doing to help the admission and enrollment in their schools.”

“I grew up in a Catholic school, I have my kids in a Catholic school, and so transitioning into an admissions role into this Catholic school, I know what the faith is all about,” she continued. “I know what they teach in our schools, and it just helps me to sell the school really, because I know how I grew up and how my kids are growing up, and I want it for every kid that comes through our school.” ■

Showing their school spirit Educators with St. Mary School in Oak Ridge attend a professional day of development at Sacred Heart Cathedral School on Feb. 20. Nearly 370 diocesan educators participated in the daylong event

GABRIELLE NOLAN

“The most common questions that I receive are about our daily schedule and our communication with our families. We also often receive questions about our habit and the vows, as well as community life,” Sister Anna Maria said.

“Women who are discerning religious life often ask questions about our own vocation stories, the Dominican Order, and about the process of discernment. They may ask general questions such as what a typical day looks like for a Sister, what the formation process is like, how community life works, what the contemplative and active dimensions look like, and what our apostolate is,” Sister Maria Trinity added. “They also ask personal questions such as what our vocation stories are, whether we ever wanted to get married, what it means to be a bride of Christ, which communities we visited, and why we chose our community.”

Sister Anna Maria entered the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation in 2014, making her final profession in 2021.

“My vocation itself is such a gift and a joy each of the vows, our life in common, Dominican study and preaching, our times of prayer, and our monastic observances such as silence and the cloister each speak to me of the love of our Lord, and are a source of joy for me,” she shared.

Sister Anna Maria called Vocations Day “a great experience.”

“There were several women there in various stages of discernment, and it was a privilege to see how the Holy Spirit is speaking to their hearts,” she said.

remember thinking ‘I am made for eternity.’” It made her start to ask what she could do differently if that was true.

Then, she encountered St. John Paul II at Denver’s World Youth Day, and his famous utterance of “Be Not Afraid” inspired her to truly change her trajectory. She started to encounter the person of Jesus, not just to know more about Him, and she felt her only response was to give her whole self to Him.

After visiting and discerning with the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation in Nashville, she professed final vows in 2015.

“It is the greatest gift of my life to belong fully to the Lord,” she said.

Jack and Mary Cooper, who are basilica parishioners, next shared about their recently celebrated 64 years of marriage. After meeting at a Fireman’s Ball in December 1959, they found themselves civilly married two months after first meeting.

“Two kids doing everything the wrong way,” they recalled, “and life turning out as positive as it has for us. And we couldn’t be happier.”

Mr. Cooper, who wasn’t Catholic when they were married, started secretly taking faith classes while their oldest child was in preparation for first Communion. He was able to receive his first Holy Communion with his oldest son. They also experienced a big change in their marriage after attending a Marriage Encounter weekend 20 years into their life together.

The Coopers emphasized that one of the most influential decisions they made as a family was consistent prayer at night together, even if they had guests over. “We got down on our knees, all the kids, Jack and I. … We never missed a night.”

Brother Kevin Dierge, who is discerning with the Canons Regular of St. John Cancius, shared about his story of running from God and God’s call to finding peace and rest in his priestly discernment.

After falling away from the faith in college, Brother Kevin found himself feeling a longing and emptiness in his secular work. He found himself back at Mass and he prayed a bold and genuine prayer from his heart: “Lord, I don’t know if you exist, and if you do exist, I don’t know if it's in the means that the Catholic Church taught me as a kid, but I know if you do exist that you would take delight in my

Sister Maria Trinity added it “is always renewing to speak with young women about our vocations.”

“It is beautiful to see the Lord at work in their hearts and to be reminded ourselves of our first calling,” she shared.

Gloria Jenkins, a 16-year-old student at Knoxville Catholic High School, attended the event to be “open for discernment.”

“I’ve been around convents and different orders of Sisters and trying to figure out my call as a 16-yearold, as a single, just discerning that process and being open to God’s will,” she said.

Gloria said the religious Sisters were “so beautiful.”

“They have so much joy … it inspires me to do more,” she said.

Gloria shared that her Catholic faith is inspired by God’s personal love for her.

“No matter what I do, no matter how hard I fail, He always will love me, no matter what happens,” she said.

Thirteen-year-old Felicity Weber, a student at the Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow in Knoxville, also attended the event.

“The first time I went was because I was curious about the discernment, and this year I’m more strong in that I’m asking more questions to the Sisters, more devout in my discernment of vocation, mainly with the Franciscan order,” Felicity said.

Felicity said the event was helpful to her because she has learned more about religious orders while at school.

“Starting at the Chesterton Academy, I learn a lot more about different orders and their big differences, so I’m asking more questions, like with the Dominicans and with the clois-

service of the poor, so I pray for an opportunity to do that.”

At the next Mass he attended at the basilica, a visiting priest from Haiti invited the congregation to come to Haiti, and Father Carter launched a committee to organize trips to serve the poor there. This answer to prayer catapulted Brother Kevin’s full return to the faith and his eventual priestly discernment.

He stopped studying for his actuary exams and started studying theology instead. He felt a tug to the priesthood, but turned to Catholic Match and was engaged to a “wonderful” Catholic woman.

Eventually, though, he realized God was not calling him to marriage, and he broke off his engagement. He took some time to continue growing before finally deciding to apply to the Canons Regular. This included finding deep joy in sharing the beauty of John 6 and the Catholic teaching on the Eucharist with some friends in a Protestant Bible study.

He entered the order in June 2021, and he just professed his first vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in August. In discerning a priestly vocation, Brother Kevin said, “If you don’t feel worthy, you’re not, but if you’re called He gives you the grace. You don’t have to fear. The Lord knows you better than you know yourself. When I finally surrendered and stopped trying to do the Lord’s will on my own terms, I’ve known a peace and a joy that I was chasing for many years in all

tered Carmelites and just different orders and what’s the difference,” she said. “I think it’s always helpful for girls, even if you’re going to discern with marriage, to know at least a little bit about each order.”

Felicity shared that when she turned 12 she realized that God has a plan for her.

“It’s not just going to hit me like, I’ve got to go, I’ve got to go find that discernment path on my own. God’s ready to hold my hand when that starts, and He’ll be with me till I get there,” she said. “So, it’s just kind of like leaning on God, learning that you need to lean on God coming to these things. I think that it’s just kind of remembering that if I hold His hand, He’ll hold mine.”

Mrs. Blair encourages all young women “to discern their Godgiven charisms and find a spiritual director.”

“Then, listen to their well-formed conscience by turning inward and listening to where God is lovingly calling them,” she said. “Young women should ask the Holy Spirit every day to guide them to discern well and seek where our good God is calling them with an open and available heart to do His will.”

The diocesan offices of Vocations and Youth, Young Adult, and Pastoral Juvenil Ministry are sponsoring a Bilingual Vocational Retreat at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge on May 4.

The event is open to men and women ages 18-35 and will include a day of reflection and discernment featuring priests, deacons, married couples, and religious Sisters.

For more information on vocations, contact Mrs. Parsons at bparsons@ dioknox.org ■

journey of grief and healing.

“At some point, we had to accept that there were answers we would never have this side of heaven,” Mr. Truett said. “We had to come to terms with the reality that God had allowed our child to suffer. That was a really hard thing to accept. … We looked at the smoldering ruins of our lives and decided that we had two choices. We could become a statistic and let this tragedy cause even more damage to what was left of our family. Or we could try to rebuild.”

the wrong places. Whatever your vocation is, the complete and total surrender to the Lord’s will is the only true path to happiness.”

The last couple to share their story, Lance and Ashley Truett, told of suffering after losing their oldest daughter, Lorelei, to leukemia in 2021. Their story showed how vocations, and life, will always be sources of great grief and great mercy from God.

The Truetts’ pediatrician sent Ashley and Lorelei to the hospital for further testing after Lorelei experienced a nosebleed that wouldn’t stop. They received a diagnosis of mixed phenotype acute leukemia and began a series of treatments, none of which were as effective as the doctors had hoped. Their family went from enjoying normal, everyday life to living part time in the hospital and barely being able to see one another. The protocols for COVID-19 only made this more complicated.

A last-effort trip for treatment in Houston unfortunately resulted in severe complications, and just before noon 11 days later, at 14½ years old, Lorelei passed away embraced by the love of her parents. Her two brothers were left without one of their best friends, and Mr. and Mrs. Truett were forced to face life without their firstborn and only daughter.

The pain they experienced that continues today as they still navigate being forever changed by losing Lorelei also has led them on a spiritual

“Without both of us,” he continued, “Lorelei would not have been born. Our two boys, Max and Clark, would not be here. Like in the movie ‘It’s A Wonderful Life,’ taking either one of us out of the equation changes everything. If we’d chosen a different path, we may have been able to avoid the utter heartbreak that losing Lorelei has caused. But we also would never have met her. We wouldn’t be who we are today without experiencing the unfailing love she had for us. And we willingly endure this lifetime of pain because she was worth it.

At the end of 2022, the family joyfully welcomed baby boy Hollis into their family, which has also been a part of their healing journey.

“When we signed up for marriage, we made vows. But we weren’t expecting this. Nothing that happened to Lorelei was our choosing or in our control. We still have a long way to go in our healing, our family, and our faith. Every day a conscious effort must be made to honor the commitment that we made,” Mr. Truett said.

It is hoped that more faith-sharing nights happen throughout the diocese in the future.

Father Torres shared his hopes, saying, “Seeing that night at the basilica, so many families and young adults was indeed a blessing from God. Having done it in the context of adoration and then as a talk and fellowship made it seem very spiritual, special, and welcoming to the people that attended this event. The fact that it was divided by the different vocations we have in the Church—priesthood, religious life, and marriage—helped people understand that God in His wisdom has different ministries in which every Christian can participate for the sake of His kingdom. I hope and pray this can be done in other deaneries of the diocese.” ■

COURTESY OF BETH PARSONS

Answering the call Father David Carter, rector of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, shares his story of being called to the priesthood during a vocations event on Jan. 26 in the basilica's Varallo Parish Hall.

Vocations Night continued from page A13

GABRIELLE NOLAN

Sharing the faith Young women attending a vocations event at All Saints Church speak to Sister Restituta Nyinoweitu, left, and Sister Maureen Ouma with the Missionary Congregation of the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary.