St. Dominic hosts second men’s conference

Those attending learn about true friendship, go to confession, and attend Mass with Bishop Stika

For the 100 men who attended the second annual Catholic Men’s Conference at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport on March 11, the event offered them a chance to make new friends, participate in adoration and a rosary, experience the sacrament of reconciliation, and attend Mass with Bishop Richard F. Stika.

The event’s theme was “building true friendship” and featured morning and afternoon talks by Jonathan Cardinal and Ben O’Neill. Gift bags at each table in the parish life center conference room included a printed program that offered the men a “how-to” guide to confession, a pamphlet with an examination of conscience, and a copy of the book Making Missionary Disciples: How to Live the Method Modeled by the Master by Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) founder Curtis Martin.

Both Mr. Cardinal and Mr. O’Neill have connections to FOCUS. Mr. Cardinal is a regional director of the organization living in Littleton, Colo., and Mr. O’Neill helped launch FOCUS at two universities in Alabama and served as a FOCUS team director at Cal State-Fullerton and as a regional director over all

FOCUS programs in California. He is now with the Napa Institute.

Mr. Cardinal’s morning talk focused on the true-friendship theme.

“Part of the whole point of this morning was to say, OK, if I want to be a true friend, who is the first true friend to us, and that’s Jesus Christ,” said Mr. Cardinal, whose wife Kathleen’s home parish is St. Dominic.

“If we want true friendship, it needs to be founded on the truth, and Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. This morning was really just focused on being able to say, God, I realize that I’m yours, and that you invite me to trust in You more. The thought was, if we don’t know whose and who we are, then we’re not going to actually be able to give ourselves away in friendship. This reality of whose we are is that we are made sons of the Father because of the friendship that Jesus Christ gives us. Being able to walk through that, once we know whose we are, we can actually live in the reality of who we are, that we are created as sons and daughters of God, that through that sonship we can actually invite other people to experience that as well,” Mr. Cardinal continued.

“Part of when you’re friends with somebody, you start in some ways to become like the other,” he added. “The only way to actually be a true friend is if I first allow Jesus to form Himself in me, if I allow Jesus to invite me into me looking like Him and being like Him and acting like Him, and I’m forming those habits of a disciple, then I can therefore be a true friend to someone else—when I give myself to someone, I’m actu- ally giving Jesus.”

Mr. Cardinal has been with FOCUS for four years.

“It’s something that I think has been not only extremely transformative in me and my family being able to do mission, but it’s actually transformed my own life. I’ve been married for about 10 years, and part of our response to ‘why FOCUS’

By Dan McWilliams Conference

KCHS a 24-21 lead before Ensworth rallied to go up 27-26. Caroline Krueger’s layup and a free throw by Tinsley Walker gave the Lady Irish the halftime advantage.

Evaiya’s scoring surge in the third quarter kept Knoxville Catholic close, but the Tigers took a 43-41 lead into the final frame.

Sydney’s go-ahead layup midway through the fourth quarter started a 13-8 run by the Lady Irish to end the game. Ensworth pulled within two points multiple times, but layups by Sydney and Amaya, six free throws by Sydney, and a foul shot by Amaya held off the Tigers.

In the state semifinals, the Lady Irish—except for a 10-10 tie early in the second quarter—led wire to wire in a 56-46 victory over Harpeth Hall. Sydney scored a game-high 27 points, made three steals, and tied Jazmin and Amaya for the team lead in rebounds with six. Jazmin added a team-high eight assists. KCHS posted leads of 10-8, 23-20, and 39-31 at the quarter breaks.

Tinsley with seven points, Amaya and Caroline with six each, Jazmin and Logan Connatser with four each, and Margaret Frana with two also tallied for the Lady Irish. Ensley Perry and senior Kate Pettinger also saw playing time for KCHS.

Taylor McCall led the Honeybears (25-5) in scoring with 16 points, while Ava Krumwiede added 10 points and nine rebounds.

Sydney said the Lady Irish’s first state championship “means a lot to us.”

“The seniors were sophomores when this program began the turnaround. They are the leaders of our team and lead by example,” she said. “Our goal all season was to send the seniors out with a state championship, so accomplishing that was the rewarding part of it all. Jaz and I have played travel ball together for around the last nine years. We couldn’t end our playing days together with a loss.”

Ensworth’s superior record did not faze the Lady Irish. “By playing together as a team,” Sydney said, KCHS achieved the victory.

“Our coaches preach sticking to our principles and roles, which means play within our offense and take shots that we practice. I think we did that,” she said. “We all understand our roles, and we play for each other. That’s why we have been successful.”

Sydney said she does not feel the burden of being the team’s leading scorer and was surprised at tallying so many points in the state-title game.

“Honestly, I didn’t realize that I had scored 33 points. I was taking shots that I practice, and they were in the rhythm of the offense,” she said. “I wouldn’t have been able to get open to score if it wasn’t for my teammates. We are all supposed to score within the framework of our offense—that’s what makes us dangerous. I am not the only shooter on this team—Logan and Tinsley have both had great shooting games, too. When my shots are not falling, someone else’s will be. So I wouldn’t say that I am burdened to score—everyone has stepped up in different games all year.”

She said she is “pretty used” to having her dad and mom coach her.

“They’ve coached me since fifth grade either in travel basketball or school basketball,” Sydney said.

“They also separate being my coaches and parents. So while at practice or in a game, I don’t see them as my mom and dad. When I am at home, they are not my coaches—they are mom and dad. If they are mad at me for not doing laundry, they don’t make me run.”

Most of KCHS’s losses came in the 2022 portion of its schedule. Low points were lopsided defeats home and away against Bradley Central, the latter coming right after the New Year. Before the calendar changed, though, the Lady Irish finished second in the prestigious Ladies Classic in Greeneville.

“[The state title] has been our goal all season, but we definitely got off to a slow start, and people doubted us,” Sydney said. “We knew that if we could get healthy that we had a shot at winning it all. The Ladies Classic in Greeneville was kind of our turning point. We went into that tournament saying it was the start of a new season for us. We came in second in that tournament and only lost like four games from that point to the championship.”

Sydney said she is “blessed to have several scholarship offers from colleges at this point.”

“I am not ready to narrow down any of my options. Travel basketball season is pretty important as far as playing on the next level. I didn’t get to play in front of colleges last summer because of my knee injury, so I am looking forward to playing this summer. I think I will have a better idea around August as far as finding the school that is the best fit,” she said.

Fellow junior Caroline said the Knoxville Catholic seniors “have sacrificed so much for our team, and they are amazing people, and we wanted to send them out on a positive and history-making note. We were able to do that for them, which was really exciting. The main goal has always been to win a state championship, and we knew we had a really strong chance to do it at the beginning of the sea- son despite what others might have thought.”

Ensworth and its top-rated player did not intimidate the Lady Irish.

“We knew that Ensworth was a good team, and they had the No. 1 player in the nation, so we knew that we had to contain her as much as possible and play as a team,” Caroline said. “Coach Mains gave us the best game plan to lead us to a huge win, and he told us we were the best team there. Since basketball is a team sport, the best team wins, and that’s what we went out and did.”

Caroline added that the Lady Irish have players whose efforts don’t always show up in the stat sheet.

“One of the best parts about our team is that everyone knows their roles, and they are happy to play those roles,” she said. “Some people rebound and score, while other roles go more unnoticed like solid defense, making the offense flow, and even cheering on the bench. Everyone executed those roles really well, and that helped us win.”

The Ladies Classic helped defined those parts of the team, Caroline said.

“Once we started the Greeneville tournament, we really set into our roles,” she said. “We had almost everyone back from their injuries, and we really started getting into a flow. We are such a tight group, and that translated onto the court for us. We knew our strengths and played close to those, and we knew our weaknesses and tried to stay away from those.” n and ‘why joining’ is recognizing that me and my wife and my family are called to be a gift of ourselves to others. We really sell the opportunity of being in FOCUS and working with college students, and bringing the Gospel, especially to men and women who often come from broken homes and families and a lot of woundedness, to be able to speak truth in their lives, to be an example and witnesses, even though we’re not a perfect family, has been absolutely incredible, to be able to be on mission and to encounter and share the Gospel with them.”

Mr. O’Neill gave two talks, on virtuous friendship and on the call to be apostles.

“The presentation I gave focused on understanding our call as disciples to live out true friendship by intentionally investing in our community, particularly our parish, and one of the greatest ways to do that is to teach someone how to pray by praying with them” he said.

Mr. O’Neill conducted two discussions with young people Kelly Cliffords and Christian Schmidt as part of his talks.

St. Dominic pastor Father Michael Cummins said “we are privileged to host” the men’s conference. He credited parishioner Kevin Musser, who helped plan men’s conferences at his former parish in Ohio, for starting the event at the Kingsport parish.

“When he came down here, he approached me I guess a couple of years ago now, saying this is a great experience for men to gather together just for a day to grow in faith, to share faith, and we decided this would be a wonderful thing for us to host,” Father Cummins said. “Even though it’s here at St. Dominic’s, it’s an invitation to men throughout our area. I think today we have men certainly from St. Dominic’s but also from St. Mary’s [in Johnson City], men from up in Virginia, men from St. Henry’s in Rogersville, and I think there are some men also from St. Michael’s in Erwin, and also some students from the Catholic Center at ETSU. It’s open to men, and also there are some high school students here— their fathers have brought their sons. That’s a wonderful experience, to see the father and son sharing faith.”

Father Cummins said he was “very pleased” that the attendance swelled from about 70 to 80 men at last year’s conference to triple digits this year.

“The hope was to grow from last year, and I think we’ve reached that goal,” he said.

The St. Dominic pastor talked about the takeaway for each man attending the conference.

“Really the hope of this gathering is that they’re strengthened in their faith, and then they take that back to their parish, they take that back to their families, they take that back to their communities, and they’re better equipped to serve and to live their witness as Christian men in our world,” he said.

Father Cummins talked about the importance of adoration and the rosary at the event, as well as the time for confessions during the morning portion of the schedule.

“We had five priests who were here to hear confessions, and I be- lieve we were all busy all the way through,” he said. “For the men to have that opportunity to encounter our Lord in the sacrament of confession and to receive His healing grace is a wonderful thing.”

Event planner Mr. Musser, also the deputy Grand Knight of St. Dominic’s Aldo J. Zazzi Council 6992 of the Knights of Columbus, oversaw 10 men’s conferences at his Ohio parish before moving south.

“We started one, the first year we had 35 attendees. Now it’s in its 13th year, and they’re closing in on about 300 men each year,” he said.

The decision to bring the conference to St. Dominic was an easy one, Mr. Musser said.

“I’ve known for many years that men are really hungry for the Gospel,” he said “They’re really hungry to fellowship together. They’re really hungry to say it’s great to pray and do things together like that. Being spiritual is normal.”

He agreed with Father Cummins about the importance of adoration, the rosary, and confession at the conference.

“Without the sacraments, what would we have?” he said.

Mr. Musser said he hopes to expand the conference at St. Dominic’s to a conference-room-filling capacity of 230 men.

“The other phase of this is we’re trying to get men to be spiritual leaders in their families and to engage in the Church, to make the Church grow,” he said. “By providing, if you will, the launch pad of the sacraments and encouragement and sitting with other men, that’s going to happen. That’s just a fruit of the whole experience.”

Mike Miller of St. Dominic attended the conference and called the experience “very profound.”

“I try to be active in my faith, but I think this has just really brought me together with a lot of other men and helped to share my faith with them,” he said. “Even the discussions around the table after these great talks we’ve already had I think has been very inspiring to me and I think also to them. It’s been good.”

Mr. Miller said he hopes the event leads him “to add even more to my prayer life.”

“That’s been brought out, and it’s made it even more aware to me what we’ve heard today and even in discussions with the other men here, about how important a consistent and good prayer life is,” he said.

Deacon Frank Fischer of St. Dominic also took part in the conference.

“I think this is great. It has good practical recommendations for spreading the faith and for growing spiritually,” he said.

He said the event will help him as a deacon.

“I think it’ll sharpen how I reach out to others,” he said.

Tom Kain of St. Dominic said the men’s conference dovetails with the parish’s That Man Is You ministry.

“It’s been a really good pickup on what we already do with That Man Is You in the parish,” he said. “A lot of the guys here have been through That Man Is You or are current members. It’s across the country. We’ve had a group here for about 10 years.”

Mr. Kain said he “liked the part” of the conference “about friendship and sharpening iron.”

“It’s one of the things we always say in That Man Is You. It’s always good to have somebody to be accountable to who’s going to say, ‘Hey, how’s your prayer life?’ It’s going to be very beneficial to furthering my faith life,” he said.

Bishop Stika celebrated the Mass at the end of the conference with Father Cummins and St. Dominic associate pastor Father Emmanuel Massawe, AJ. Deacon Fischer assisted.

“It’s a great joy for me to be here with you,” the bishop said in his opening greeting. “You’ve spent the whole day learning about your faith and your relationship with God and your relationship with the Church. What a great way to finish that off today with a celebration of the Eucharist.”

Bishop Stika began his homily by referring to the 2016 movie “Hacksaw Ridge,” which profiled World War II Army medic Desmond T. Doss, who received a Congressional Medal of Honor for his life-saving efforts despite refusing to use a firearm because of his religious beliefs. The movie also was discussed by the men attending the conference during the talks before Mass.

Mr. Doss constantly carried a Bible and was known for saying, ‘Please, Lord, help me get one more,’ the bishop recalled. Bishop Stika said Mr. Doss could be compared with Pope Benedict XVI in the respect that the late Holy Father’s last words, “Jesus, I love you,” reflected Mr. Doss’ outlook.

“We are all witnesses of Jesus Christ, aren’t we? That’s who we are. That’s what makes us different from non-Christian entities,” the bishop said. “But what makes us different from our Protestant brothers and sisters?” He pointed behind him: “This, the altar, the Eucharist, Jesus coming to us. The reason we genuflect when we enter a church with the Blessed Sacrament is to say, ‘Jesus, I love you.’ When we receive the Eucharist, we put out our hand or our tongue, and we say, ‘Amen, I believe.’ It’s another way of saying, ‘Jesus, I love you.’”

Bishop Stika said, “We receive strength from the Scriptures, the lessons of the Old Testament and the New Testament. We are given the Word of God, not His words on paper but words that enter our heart, so that we truly can say, ‘Jesus, I love you. Help me to witness to our faith.’ I think that’s what has been given to you today.”

The bishop said the men in the pews may deal with people who are angry with the Church or even “angry just to be alive.” There’s one statement the men can make to such people that is not just idle chatter, he added.

“The one word that you can say to them or a series of words or sentences is just stopping to say, ‘Hey, my friend, I will pray for you,’ and then you remember that contract you made with them,” Bishop Stika said. “When you say to another person, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ it’s not like saying good morning or good evening or how are you doing. When somebody asks you to pray for them, that’s a contract. You might go through the whole day, and you might forget who they are. You know what I do? At the end of the day, when I do my holy hour, when I finish, I say, ‘For all the people who I promised to pray for. I might forget their names, but Lord, I know you know who they are, and I pray for them.’ That simple prayer, that simple conversation, that simple moment when you think, ‘It was just a moment when I interacted with that person.’ But it could make such a profound difference in the life of another person, to witness to Jesus. To be like Benedict: ‘Jesus, I love you.’”

The bishop shared two answers to prayer that he witnessed, including an answer in the life of a couple he met during his St. Louis days who seemingly thought they could not have children. After praying to St. Gerard, the patron saint of expectant mothers, the couple went on to have 11 children. After becoming the Diocese of Knoxville’s shepherd, Bishop Stika met a couple at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus who were experiencing the same issue, including having miscarriages. The bishop asked them to pray to the same saint.

“Pray to St. Gerard, and then abandon yourself to the Lord because the Lord listens,” the bishop recalled telling the couple.

He met the husband and wife a few years later at the cathedral, and they had a baby in their arms.

“They asked for a blessing for their son, Gerard Richard,” Bishop Stika said. “I wasn’t a part of that miracle. They just abandoned themselves to God and trusted Him. So, when you’re tired and worn down, when God Himself is asking you to do ‘just one more,’ pray the prayer of Benedict, ‘Jesus, I love you,’ and then follow the words of Mother Teresa, ‘Every day, do something beautiful for God.’”

The bishop said that “I hope this day has been good for you. I hope maybe it’s bonded you with friendships with people who maybe you didn’t know. Father Michael and other men, the deacons need you, this parish needs you—to be men.”

Bishop Stika concluded his hom-

Conference continued on page B5

Chattanooga Deanery

Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy

Pastor Monsignor Al Humbrecht will lead a book study from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 22, on To You We

Shall Return: Lessons About Our Planet

From the Lakota. The book study will incorporate Native American spirituality of the environment and interject parts of Pope Francis’ encyclical “On Care for Our Common Home.” To register, call the parish office at 423-332-5300.

St. Bridget, Dayton

The second annual Harry “Bunky” Jones Golf Tournament sponsored by Knights of Columbus Council 11424 at St. Bridget and Assembly 2607 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Cleveland and St. Bridget is coming up Thursday, April 20, at Dayton Golf & Country Club.

Mr. Jones was a loyal member of both organizations and died in 2021 from complications of COVID. The best-ball tourney starts at 9 a.m. Cost is $300 per team, and hole sponsorships are $100 each for a sign placed at the tee boxes. Lunch is included as well as a goodie bag, awards, and door prizes.

Last year’s tourney raised $4,400, all of which went to Knights charities in Dayton and Cleveland, as will this year’s proceeds. Mr. Jones’ son Chris traveled in from Fort Lauderdale last year and shot a hole-in-one in addition to winning the longest-putt contest. For information on this year’s event, contact Chris Hill at hillzjc@comcast.net.

The St. Bridget’s Women’s Council hosted Soup and Stations on Fridays in Lent. They will have a luncheon to celebrate March and April birthdays at La Hacienda in Spring City on April 13.

Applications from St. Bridget high school seniors were accepted through April 2 for the annual Service Award & Scholarship given by the Women’s Council.

The Knights hosted a St. Patrick’s Day party March 18 after Mass.

St. Jude, Chattanooga

The fourth annual Jockeys and Juleps event to benefit St. Jude School is scheduled for Saturday, May 6, at The Chattanoogan hotel. The event will begin with a VIP cocktail party at 5:30 p.m. and general admission at 6:30, and it will conclude at 11 p.m. Dancing will be to the music of Nashville’s Bueller Band. General-admission tickets are $75 and VIP tickets $125. Sponsorships begin at $500. A special hotel rate is available until April 10. To purchase tickets, donate items for a silent auction, or learn more, visit mysjs.ejoinme. org/SJSshine. Also for more information, e-mail Kathleen Preston, St. Jude School director of development and admissions, at prestonk@mysjs.com or Victoria Fougere and Skye Sprinz, event co-chairs, at victoriagfougere@gmail. com. Funds raised will enhance school security and facilities.

The parish thanked Gloria and Bill Deml for providing snacks for the Hospital Hospitality ministry for February.

St. Mary, Athens

A women’s bunco night is planned for 6 p.m. Thursday, April 20, in the family life center. Attendees are asked to bring a finger food or dessert and $5 to put toward prizes. RSVP by April 17 by e-mailing Debbie Exum at debexum@ att.net or Gail Buckley at gbuckley4@ comcast.net, or call the parish office at 423-745-4277.

A Hispanic Food Festival will begin after the 8 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 7, in the family life center. Many different international foods will be available. Tickets will be sold at the door for the different choices.

The parish welcomed aboard new director of religious education Debbie Forsythe.

A Ladies Night Out was held March 28 at Michael’s restaurant in Athens.

A “Feed Your Faith—Lenten Box Retreat” for middle and high school youth was held March 24-25.

Sue Granger of the youth ministry thanked all of the youth, their parents and families, and other adults who chipped in to help decorate, work, and clean for the recent Mardi Gras event at the church.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga

The parish’s annual Easter egg hunt (rain or shine) will follow the 11 a.m. Mass on Easter Sunday, April 9.

St. Stephen’s 15th annual golf tournament is set for Saturday, April 15, at Brainerd Golf Course. The four person, select-shot tourney begins with registration at 7:30 a.m. and a shotgun start at 8. The $100 cost per person includes doughnuts and coffee, green fee, a cart, two mulligans, hot dogs at the turn, lunch, a $10,000 hole-in-one prize, awards for first and second place, and longest-drive and closest-to-the-pin contests for men and women. All golfers are welcome—singles, couples, threesomes, foursomes, male, female, youth, and any level of golfer. Sign up in the vestibule to play. Donated prizes and gifts are needed for door prizes.

The Knights of Columbus congratulated the Victor Williams family as family of the month and John Vannucci as Knight of the month.

The Knights’ Ladies Auxiliary will next meet April 13, when the group will have a baby shower to help support the bassinet program at the Ladies of Charity Thrift Store. For more details, call Dot Durr at 315-657-7484.

A charity bingo fundraiser to benefit the Walter E. Boehm Birth Defect Center in Chattanooga was held March 11 at St. Stephen.

Anniversaries: Ebon and Cecile Grubb (70), Kenn and Mary Stroop (60), Keith and Mary Ehrenberger (40), Brian and Ann Marie Gray (20)

Cumberland Mountain Deanery

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

The parish held a St. Patrick’s Day potluck dinner March 19 in Blessed Sacrament Hall, featuring ham and rolls, dessert, music, giveaways, and activities for children.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade

Bishop Richard F. Stika visited the church March 5 and celebrated the 8 and 10 a.m. Masses with Fathers Michael Woods and John Matejek.

A movie about St. Francis of Assisi, his life, and miracles was shown March 9 in the parish hall.

The Stations of the Cross are prayed every Friday at 5 p.m. and led by Father Woods and parish committees.

“Forty Cans of Food for Lent” are being collected by the Knights of Columbus for the less fortunate in the community.

The Gospel of Matthew study continues on Mondays from 9 to 11 a.m. Workbooks are $10. For information, call Kathy Fitch at 931-287-0644.

Prayer Warriors meet every Tuesday after Mass for those in need. Call Dori Sabatini at 931-707-0356 for details.

The Council of Catholic Women held a Lenten Morning of Reflection with speaker Carolyn Berghuis on March 8.

Plateau Pregnancy Center thanked everyone who generously filled baby bottles for its last campaign, which collected $5,388.68.

Father John Matejek conducted a talk on St. Ignatius of Loyola on March 30-31.

Anniversaries: James and Lynda Tjaarda (63), Paul and Mary Demet (60), Blaine and Lenore Drake (60), Ralph and Judi Miller (56), Monty and Dolores Carolan (55), Chuck and Linda McDermott (50), Michael and Rebecca Countess (50), Joseph and Pat Nanna (35), James and Carol Stephenson

Parish notes continued on page B8

St. Bridget golf tourney scheduled for April 20

The second annual Harry “Bunky” Jones Golf Tournament sponsored by Knights of Columbus Council 11424 at St. Bridget Parish in Dayton and Assembly 2607 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Cleveland and St. Bridget is set for Thursday, April 20, at Dayton Golf & Country Club. For details, see St. Bridget’s parish notes at left. Pictured above at last year’s tourney are (from left) Knights State Deputy Fred Laufenberg, Bill Boland, Larry Opatik, and Father Michael Woods, all of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade.

Construction progressing on new St. Alphonsus Church

The building of the new St. Alphonsus Church was progressing as of this March 5 photo. The Crossville parishioners have worshiped in a parish life center since 2003 and are looking forward to their new church. The dedication could be as soon as early June.

St. Henry Knights donate $1,130 to pregnancy help center

Members of Knights of Columbus Council 8860 at St. Henry Parish in Rogersville stand with Hawkins County Pregnancy Help Center director Kelly Snodgrass. At a ceremony March 20, Grand Knight Robert McDaniel presented a check for $1,130 from a baby-bottle fundraiser held in February to Ms. Snodgrass. Mr. McDaniel is in the blue shirt behind Ms. Snodgrass, next to St. Henry pastor Father Bart Okere.

St. Francis-Fairfield Glade congratulates a pair of 60th-anniversary couples

St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade congratulates two couples who are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversaries April 27.

Paul and Mary Eva Demet were married at St. Mary Church in Fond du Lac, Wis., with Father Henry A. Maurer officiating. Their children are Nicholas of Lake Forest, Ill.; Matthew of Whitefish Bay, Wis.; and Sarah and Kathleen, both of Chicago. They have six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mr. Demet retired from the Lindner and Marsack law firm in Milwaukee, and Mrs. Demet retired from Bay Shore Graphics in Glendale, Wis. They settled in Fairfield Glade in September 2005. They traveled North America for two years before coming to the

Glade, which had been on their list of favored locations. They will celebrate their anniversary in Rhodes, Greece.

Blaine and Lenore Drake were married at St. Augustine Church in Rensselaer, Ind., with Father Joseph Zimerle officiating. Their children are David of Coatesville, Ind.; Deborah Weinstein of Indianapolis; and Dyana Hollars of Mooresville, Ind. They have four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Mr. Drake retired from the United Technologies/Carrier Corp. and Mrs. Drake from Wooden, Mclaughlin law firm in Indianapolis. They retired to the Glade in 1999.

“We are extremely blessed and grateful for our years together. We will be celebrating quietly over a nice candlelit dinner—looking back as usual,” Mrs. Drake said. n

The new Catholics who enter the Church this Easter will be formally sent forth by Bishop Richard F. Stika at the annual Sending of the Neophytes ceremony at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 7, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Bishop Richard F. Stika will confer the sacrament of confirmation on adults from around the diocese at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 28. Any adult (18 and over) who has had the sacraments of baptism, first Holy Communion, and reconciliation but has not been confirmed can receive the sacrament on this date. Interested candidates should call their parish office for more information. Learn more on the diocesan Christian Formation page at https://dioknox.org/ adult-confirmation

The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus will be hosting a morning of preaching, reflection, and eucharistic procession from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 29, with Bishop Richard F. Stika and Preacher of the National Eucharistic Revival Father Stephen Dominic Hayes. The day will begin with Mass at 8 a.m., followed by preaching on the Eucharist and a eucharistic procession, and ending with time for fellowship.

The diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation & Enrichment has planned a special day for all couples married in the Catholic Church and their families: a Marriage and Anniversary Mass celebration with Bishop Richard F. Stika. On Sunday, April 30, the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart will host a Mass and light reception honoring married couples in the Diocese of Knoxville. Couples will have an opportunity to reaffirm their vows and receive a blessing. Commemorative certificates will be distributed at the reception. There will be a backdrop set up for photo opportunities with Bishop Stika. Registration deadline is April 20. Mass begins at 4 p.m. The reception, certificate, and photo are gifts from the diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation & Enrichment. To register for or volunteer for the event, visit dioknox.org/events/ marriage-anniversary-celebration/

All women are invited to the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Convention, to be held Thursday through Saturday, April 20-22, at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. The convention theme is “Be the One,” and it will feature keynote speakers Melissa Foley and Father John Orr. Bishop Richard F. Stika will celebrate a memorial Mass on Thursday, followed by a banquet and Mrs. Foley’s first talk. She will also speak Friday morning. Father Orr will speak on the Eucharist on Saturday. Breakout sessions will allow participants to choose from a variety of interactive sessions geared to their interests. Breakout sessions and presenters are “Adoption: A Loving Option,” Ada Hernandez-Bell; “Caring for Women and Their Maternal Health in a Post-Roe v. Wade World,” Sandi Davidson; “For the Girls (Sewing Project),” Jeanette Fanfarillo; “Funny Poems About Life,” Tom Catalano; “Holy Holidays—Summer/Fall” and “Holy Holidays—Winter/ Spring,” Anne Wharton; “Lemons and Love,” Kathleen Kelly; “Life After Roe: What Does It Mean and What Now?,” Stacy Dunn; “Patriotic Rosary,” Karen Vacaliuc; “The Heart—Crunchy on the Outside With a Fruit Filled Center,” Deacon Jim Bello; “We Are Always Better When We Are Together,” Kathy DeAngelis; and “Women Doctors of the Church,” Sara Carey. Early-bird registration is $125. For a convention schedule, registration, silent-auction guidelines, hotel information, a description of each breakout session, and other details, visit KDCCW.org Singers, choir directors, organists, clergy, and others interested in sacred music are invited to the eighth Southeastern Summer Sacred Music Workshop, to be held midday Friday, July 28, through Saturday, July 29, at Mary Our Queen Church in Peachtree Corners, Ga. The workshop is an ideal opportunity for participants to learn Gregorian chant or improve their chant skills and to prepare and sing polyphonic music for Mass Saturday afternoon. Presentations will include the history and purpose of Gregorian chant, what the Church teaches about sacred music, improving parish music programs on a limited budget, free online sources of liturgical music, and more. Cost of the workshop, including all materials, is $100 per person. Cost rises to $110 on May 31. Online registration is available now. Southeastern Sacred Music is a chapter of the Church Music Association of America. For more information, visit southeasternsacred music.com/ or e-mail olmchoirs@ gmail.com.

The Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga in conjunction with the Diocese of Knoxville is proud to announce the gala premiere screening of Father Ryan: A Higher Call, a film on the life of the basilica’s Servant of God, Father Patrick Ryan. During the Chattanooga yellow fever epidemic of 1878, Father Ryan stayed behind to tend to the sick and dying when most of the residents fled to the hills. He gave his life to serve all, regardless of their religion. The film premiere will be on Saturday, April 15, at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga. A VIP champagne reception begins at 6:30 p.m. (cost is $20 or two for $30). General admission to the film begins at 7 p.m. ($5) and the screening at 7:30. Invitations will be sent to all parishioners in the diocese, who are encouraged to sign up quickly as seats are limited. Ticket sales will help defray the costs of the cause for the beatification and canonization of the Servant of God, Father Ryan. For more information about Father Ryan and the cause for sainthood, visit www.frpatrickryan.com For a movie trailer, visit youtu.be/ vvuLrXgSNhM. For tickets and other details, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/ movie-premiere-father-ryan-ahigher-call-tickets-588718712517

The Race for Kids 5K & Family Walk is Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s (CCETN) annual premier event. This year’s race is set for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 29, at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville. Participation supports all 11 of CCETN’s children’s and family programs across East Tennessee, including the Children’s Emergency Shelter, Columbus Home Assisting Parents, pregnancy and adoption services, counseling services, and the Office of Immigrant Services. Run or walk in the event to help deliver critical services to promote safety, stability, and opportunities for children and families to thrive by providing emergency food and shelter, education, access to resources, and compassionate support. Those who can’t make it to the race in person may still register and run or walk anywhere they like. Costs are $30 for adults ($35 on race day) and $15 for children under 18 ($20 on race day). Visit the CCETN Race for Kids site to register or learn more, at runsignup.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/ RaceforKids

The annual fundraiser for Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville, the Blue & Gold Gala, is set for 5 p.m. Saturday, April 29, in the St. Joseph School gym. The event features the Bravura Academy Quartet, silent and live auctions, dinner, wine and beer, and dessert. Cost is $40 per person. Last year, the gala raised almost $20,000 to support the mission works of the parish. To purchase tickets, donate auction items including gift baskets, or sponsor a table, visit holyghostknoxville.org

The new Knoxville Guild of the Catholic Medical Association is having its first meeting to elect leaders and plan for future events at 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 13, in the Monsignor Mankel Room of the Chancery Office in Knoxville. Food will be provided. Any Catholic medical professional interested in joining the CMA Guild is welcome to come. RSVP by e-mailing Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, at sr marylisa@smlcares.com. For more information, visit dioknox.org/events/ knoxville-guild-cma-meeting

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee is offering a Rachel’s Vineyard healing retreat, for those experiencing

Calendar continued on page B8

Legion of Mary members renew commitment of service

Members of the Legion of Mary took part in an Acies ceremony on March 19 at St. Mary Church in Athens to renew their commitment of service to others in the lay apostolic ministry. Thirty-seven members and guests from Chattanooga, Knoxville, Oak Ridge, and Rogersville attended the Legion’s 16th annual Acies, hosted by the Our Lady of Guadalupe Curia. St. Mary pastor Father John Orr opened the ceremony with 35 Legionaries taking the consecration promise followed by a Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

One-woman passion play performed at deanery CCW meeting

About 100 women attended the Cumberland Mountain Deanery Council of Catholic Women spring meeting at All Saints Church in Knoxville on March 23. The women were treated to a performance of “The Heart of the Cross,” a onewoman play by actress and storyteller Olivia Woodford. Through her ministry, Bible Women Speak, Ms. Woodford presents six original one-woman plays and facilitates retreats focused on biblical women and the cultural and historical context of first-century Israel. In “The Heart of the Cross,” Ms. Woodford portrayed relatable women who witnessed Jesus’ passion and resurrection. Scenes included hosting Jesus and the Apostles at the Last Supper, wiping Jesus’ face on the walk to Calvary, standing at the foot of the cross, preparing His body for burial, finding the empty tomb, and experiencing the Spirit move at Pentecost. The performance asked women to place themselves in the Passion story and reflect on those events as Holy Week approached.

Fifty participate in Family Holy Hour at St. John Neumann

St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut held a Family Holy Hour on March 19. Eight families participated with a total of 50 people taking part. The group celebrated the solemnity of St. Joseph. Deacon Shawn Ballard gave a special blessing over the children, placing them under the protection of St. Joseph. The holy hour was followed by an enactment of the “Tupa-Tupa” or knock-knock tradition, with the “Holy Family” (the children) going door to door looking for food and shelter. They eventually found food and shelter at the school cafeteria, where all were invited to a feast at the St. Joseph table.

Conference continued from page B3 ily by telling of his devotion to St. Joseph.

“Of all the people in the history of the world, it was Joseph who was chosen to love the Blessed Mother and to teach Jesus how to be a man, to be a carpenter,” he said. “Make that be your motto: pray to St. Joseph in those moments when it is difficult, whether you’re a father or a brother, young or old. Pray to St. Joseph. May your prayer be ‘just one more,’ and sum it up with ‘Jesus, I love you.’”

The bishop also spoke at the end of Mass.

“I always take this opportunity when I travel to parishes, whether it’s a confirmation, a Sunday liturgy, or something like this, just to say thank you for all you do for the Church,” he said. “For all you do for your parish, and in fact what you do for God. Even being here today, whatever brought you here, it’s an invitation from God to enrich your spiritual life and to touch your families in a positive way and your friendships.”

Bishop Stika also gave thanks for the successful Bishop’s Appeal in 2022 as well as for Deacon Joseph Austin of St. Dominic, a diocesan seminarian who will be ordained to the priesthood in June.

Also, at the end of Mass, Bishop Stika engaged with teens and young men in the front pews about vocations to the priesthood. The conversation between the bishop and the young people continued in front of the altar steps after Mass.

One of the young men in the talk with the bishop, Gerald Stults of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City, said he actually is discerning a call to the priesthood. He enjoyed the opportunity to interact with Bishop Stika.

“I thought it was very cool how he took an interest in all of us as individuals and asked us all about what we were planning to do in our futures, what our vocations were. I thought it was a really great experience,” he said. n

She’s incapacitated; he’s doing the cooking

His IOU to her is seemingly

I’ll tell you the truth: being a housewife is hell. At this very moment, instead of writing this column, I really ought to be in the kitchen.

There are dirty dishes in the sink in need of being moved to the dishwasher. But that’s currently on hold while the clean ones already in there are in need of being put away, not to mention the pots and pans I allowed to drip-dry last night that are also in need of being relocated to their respective homes.

Throw in the floors that are in need of a good mopping, and that’s a lot of stuff in “need” of a lot of stuff. Especially for a room that’s barely 10 square feet.

Just down the hall, the laundry’s piling up—and I have no idea where it all comes from—there are only two of us. The bed needs making, the sheets really ought to be washed, and the bathrooms are in need of … well, they’re in need of everything.

I’ve only had this new gig for five weeks but dang!

My wife is currently incapacitated while she recuperates from some pretty extensive foot surgery. She’s free of pain, but her follow-up prescription was “get in a recliner, make sure your foot’s above your heart, knee-roll to the bathroom when you have to. Sleep with your foot elevated. And come see me in six weeks.”

She thinks we’re just a week away from her regaining her freedom and being allowed to put weight on her foot. But even then, I think we’re in this for a bit of a longer haul.

In a nutshell, we’re here because Nanc inherited her mother’s feet. Mammaw was a wonderful mother, wife, and human being. Kind, gentle, God-fearing, she was a wizard in the kitchen, played Yahtzee on the floor with the kids, could give a nifty haircut, and stood on her head at the age of 80.

But her feet were an absolute mess.

As a result, Nancy has been living with the same combination of arthritis, bunions, hammertoes, lousy bal- ance, and a lot of pain that keeps her from enjoying a lot of life.

It was three years ago when she underwent the first surgical attempt on her right foot in hopes of correcting this mess. The results can only be described as a complete bust.

There’s some debate about whether her current neuropathy existed pre- or post-op. And while the nerve block prevented the pain it was intended to block, it never really went away, so you can add in some unexpected numbness.

And worst of all, the screws holding her realigned bones together broke. They just broke.

“Yeah, I hate that, but it happens sometimes,” was all he could say.

As life would have it, she had a follow-up appointment on the day before our youngest daughter’s wedding. The doc said, “I really need to remove that broken pin. It’s getting ready to break through the skin.”

“Well, not today, you’re not,” she countered. “My daughter’s getting married tomorrow.”

“Look,” he re-countered, “if I don’t take that out today, there’s a good chance it’s gonna poke through your skin during the wedding.”

That logic won the argument, the pliers came out, and thankfully, she could still wear the new shoes she had bought.

Now, three years later, back at square one with a jacked-up foot and as much pain as ever, she has found a different doctor. And even though it involves driving to Nashville periodically, she decided to give him a chance to operate on that same foot once again.

I’m pretty good with words, but I have none to adequately describe what we all saw in her X-rays. Not to mention the bones of one toe weren’t even connected to anything else. They were just hanging there. Were it not for the skin holding everything in, she’d be minus a toe.

The doctor was nothing if not frank: “This is going to be a lot of work. I’m planning to take out all the old hardware that’s still in

She Makes A Comment About The Bedsheets

there. There’s going to be several different incisions and a lot of sawing because I need to shorten up several bones. And I’ll reattach everything with plates instead of screws.”

“I don’t know that you’ll ever be 21 again, but I think you’ll be better than you are. We’re hoping so anyway.”

And so here we are, she’s in the recliner, doing what she’s been told to do and hoping his hope does indeed come to pass. Her days are spent bouncing back and forth between Fox News and Andy Griffith reruns while I’m the one reading recipes and trying to decide what to cook for dinner.

She thinks it’s cute. I think it’s a pain. No wonder she loves eating out so much.

I’ve always been pretty good with breakfast foods and burgers on the grill. But she handed me a stack of options that include entrees such as “Romesco Chicken & Poblano Pepper” and “Crispy Skin Salmon & Orzo.” All are testing my limited skills.

Not to mention I’ve never even heard of ingredients like tzatziki or miso paste, and I darn sure couldn’t find them in a grocery store.

There was a period about five years ago when I had some brain surgery. A mastoid craniotomy was what they called it. And this woman took incredible care of me.

But when she recalls my time as a patient, though, she says I was a pain. I get it now.

“George, can you please get me some more Diet Coke? Thanks, honey, I appreciate it. But can you please get me some more ice, I like more than you do.”

“Can you please get me my hairbrushes? Oh wait, you forgot the big round one. It’s in the bottom drawer.”

“When you wash my clothes, will you please put my underwear in that net bag that zips up? And will you wash all my black things together? Oh, and that one sits out to dry, that one hangs up, and the rest can go in the dryer.”

It’s all been really good, though.

Deacon Bob Hunt

We rented a ramp to get her wheelchair out of the house, though it’s not as gradual a slope as one would hope for. I haven’t dumped her off yet, so there’s that!

All that being said, you’ll be happy to know that as this experience has unfolded, it has occurred to me more than once how much she does around the house. Maybe it’s that way in your house, too.

I’m not a complete slacker. We have our separate chores. I do stuff. Though I’m not entirely sure she likes the way I do it.

What has happened most though is a rekindling of a recurring guilt I feel for all those years of marriage when our three girls were growing up.

Yes, she chose to work in the home while I went to teach and coach other people’s kids. Leaving early, getting home late, spending most nights grading papers.

She did the rest. All of it.

I realize there’s a good chance you’re just shaking your head as you read about my little bit of pitching in. Such probably seems laughably trite, especially in this Easter season when we just celebrated the greatest sacrifice man has ever known.

A little cooking, a little cleaning, heck, it feels trite just to write about it.

Still, I’ll be as happy as she will when she regains her mobility. But if she never did, I’ve also realized I’d gladly do it all day, every day. My IOU is never-ending.

Until today. That’s when she couldn’t hold it in anymore. She spilled her guts. “George, have you noticed that the zigzag pattern on the bottom bed sheet lies in a different direction than the zigzags in the top sheet? It’s just driving me crazy.”

She gets no more miso paste in her chicken.

Dear God—May your Good Friday suffering inspire us to sacrifice for others more than we have, more than we want to. Amen. ■

George Valadie is a parishioner at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga.

Redemptive suffering. Can purpose be given to the sufferings we endure over the course of our lives? Is suffering simply a part of life we must put up with, hoping that it lasts as briefly as possible, and causes few or no long-term effects? The reality is, to be human is to suffer. There is no escaping suffering. If we love others, our hearts will be broken. If we are well today, we may be ill tomorrow. If we are true to ourselves and to our faith, we may be called on to suffer consequences for taking a stand.

Our culture sees little purpose in suffering. It regards all suffering as all bad and to be avoided at all costs. This is ridiculous. Suffering cannot be avoided forever. Ultimately, we either suffer or we die. Our Catholic faith does not despair in this, however. Rather, we realize that, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “By his passion and death on the cross Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive passion” (CCC, 1505).

Our sufferings can configure us to Christ. We are called to live the life of Christ, and the life of Christ was a life of redemptive suffering. Jesus did not come to this earth to live the good life. He came to live a life of perfect obedience to the will of the Father. This led Him, inevitably, to the cross because the world would not tolerate such a life. When Jesus faced the cross, He remained obedient, even unto death (Philippians 2:8).

But that is not the end of the story! It was because of His perfect obedience, even to death on a cross, that God exalted Him, raising Him up on the third day, and bestowing on Him the name above every other name (Philippians 2:9). Just so, when we live the life of Christ, the life of obedience to the will of the Father, we, too, will be called to suffer for our faithfulness (1 Peter 4:12-16). If we remain faithful, God will raise us up just as He raised up Jesus. Jesus’ suffering was suffering unto glory. If we follow Christ in suffering, we will share in His glory (Romans 8:17).

Our suffering can unite us with Christ’s redemptive passion. Jesus’ life of perfect obedience to the will of the Father even unto death was not a mere demonstration, an exercise to show that it could be done, that Jesus could succeed where

Adam had failed. No. Jesus’ life was a life lived for others. Because of Adam’s disobedience, we all became sinners. Because of Jesus’ perfect obedience, we all can become righteous (Romans 5). Jesus’ life of perfect obedience and the sufferings He endured for living such a life were for the sake of our salvation, to free us from our slavery to sin and death and raise us to new life. Just so, our sufferings can be united with those of Christ for the redemption of ourselves and others.

We can offer our sufferings, such as they are, with those of Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and those of others, in penance for our sins and those of others, for our continued conversion and for that of others (2 Corinthians 1:6-7; Colossians 1:24).

Suffering cannot be wholly avoided, but it need not be wasted. The heartaches we endure, the illnesses, both acute and chronic, that bedevil us, the setbacks we encounter, the disappointments we experience—all of these, even the slightest thing, can be offered up with the sufferings of Christ for the sake of ourselves and others.

Not only that, but we can offer sacrifices we choose, penances we practice, and devotions we adopt of a redemptive nature. Every Mass is a participation in the one sacrifice Jesus Christ offered on the cross for the whole world. It is especially efficacious to offer our participation in the holy sacrifice of the Mass for the sake of others. Redemptive suffering is not only the work of priests, sisters, or monks. It is for all of us.

Pope St. John Paul II wrote, “In bringing about the Redemption through suffering, Christ raised human suffering to the level of the Redemption. Thus, each man, in his sufferings, can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ” (Salvifici Doloris, 1984). Suffering for its own sake is not a Christian virtue. Suffering united with the suffering of Christ for the sake of others, for the sake of the redemption of the world, is a Christian mystery so profound that it causes heaven and earth to be still for a moment before a wonder so great.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all. ■

Deacon Bob Hunt is a husband, father, grandfather, and parishioner at All Saints Church in Knoxville.