April 1
| 2018
VOL 27 NO 4
IN THIS ISSUE
A5 REGIONAL ENCUENTRO
A10 PASSION PICTORIAL
Diocesan delegates take part in convocation
Living Stations of the Cross come alive
OF B1 RITE ELECTION
Bishop Stika welcomes new members
He dwells among us ......................... A2 Parish news ....................................... B4 Diocesan calendar ............................ B5 Columns ............................................. B7 Catholic youth ................................... B8 La Cosecha ............................Section C
First Chrism Mass celebrated in new cathedral ‘The Lord has anointed us,’ Bishop Stika declares as 1,000 gather for diocesan Holy Week service
By Dan McWilliams
DAN MCWILLIIAMS
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he still-sparkling new Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus hosted its first Chrism Mass on March 27 as Bishop Richard F. Stika and more than 60 priests joined some 1,000 of the faithful for the annual Holy Week celebration. The priests renewed their vows before the bishop and the people, and Bishop Stika blessed the holy oils that will be used in the Church throughout the year. Principal concelebrants of the Chrism Mass were Cardinal Justin Rigali, cathedral rector and vicar general Father David Boettner, vicar general Father Doug Owens, episcopal vicar for priests Monsignor Patrick Garrity, and diocesan deans Father Charlie Burton, Father Michael Cummins, Father Brent Shelton, and Father Ron Franco, CSP. Forty deacons along with men and women religious, Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre, and a diocesan choir and orchestra also took part in the Chrism Mass. “Coming together on this historic day in the life of the Diocese of Knoxville, the Catholic Church in East Tennessee, we begin this Chrism Mass in our new cathedral in the presence of God,” the bishop said in his opening remarks. “In the name of the cardinal, I welcome you all, as we bless and consecrate the oils, as we celebrate the gift of the priesthood, as we celebrate the faith, and we do together what we cannot do by ourselves; in many parishes and areas of East Tennessee, we’re joined together as one
Oil of new life Bishop Richard F. Stika breathes on the sacred chrism during the Chrism Mass at the new Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on March 27, recalling how Jesus breathed on his apostles to receive the Holy Spirit. through Jesus.” In his homily, Bishop Stika recalled his days in St. Louis. “The predecessor to Cardinal Rigali as archbishop was Archbishop John L. May, God be good to him. During the confirmation season, he would always have the same exact homily. And he would start out, ‘How many are here in the cathedral, the mother church, for the first time?’ Now one person could raise a hand, or the entire cathedral
could raise their hand, and he always said, ‘Oh, I see, about half.’” Then Bishop Stika asked the same question of his Sacred Heart audience. “How many are here in the cathedral for the first time? I see, a lot. Welcome to your mother church.” The bishop also posed another question. “What brings all of us together? We come from all different segments of East Tennessee, big
parishes and small parishes, long distances away. . . . If our answer as individuals is not love, then we’re confused. The love of God the Father to the Son . . . love brings us together, followers of Jesus.” The evening’s first reading was from Isaiah 61. “It’s a beautiful reading about the Spirit of God,” Bishop Stika said. “‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has Chrism Mass continued on page A9
Family life center at the heart of future plans for St. Mary-Gatlinburg Despite setbacks from wildfires, Sevier County parish is outgrowing present space for activities
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Steps toward expansion Father Antony Punnackal, CMI, and Kevin Tierney are shown next to the site on St. Mary Parish’s property in Gatlinburg where a proposed new family life center could be built. St. Mary parishioners are raising money to fund the expansion, which would add room for parish activities such as CCD, RCIA, and Bible study.
BILL BREWER
nlike the proverbial phoenix, St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg hasn’t had to rise from the ashes, though that possibility was a sobering thought for Father Antony Punnackal on Nov. 28, 2016. Still, Father Punnackal, CMI, has construction on his mind. As many of his Gatlinburg neighbors rebuild from the devastating wildfires 17 months ago, Father Punnackal and his parishioners are making plans to expand St. Mary, which was spared in the firestorm. Despite the fact St. Mary lost some parishioners who chose to relocate from Gatlinburg following the wildfires, the parish’s membership over time has swelled, and there is little room anymore for participation in church programs. “This is a small parish. When I came here we had only about 100 families. Now it has gone up to 125 families. Plus, the Hispanic community has grown here. When I came here we celebrated Mass in Spanish on Wednesdays. The average attendance then was 25 to 30. Now it has gone up to 100 to 125. So you can see big growth here if you consider the 125 families and more in the Hispanic community,” Father Punnackal said. St. Mary was founded as a parish in 1969,
By Bill Brewer
and its roots extend farther back to the opening of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1934. Its presence in downtown Gatlinburg makes it a tourist parish whose pews frequently are full from spring through late fall. Father Punnackal emphasized that the number of full-time parishioners has been on the rise, especially within the church’s Hispanic com-
munity. Accompanying that increase has been a demand for parish programs. “There wasn’t a CCD program when I came here. And I thought that wasn’t right. That is closing the door, especially when I saw the Hispanic community that is growing, and I can see the number of Hispanic children. I decided, yes, St. Mary continued on page A12
He dwells among us
by Bishop Richard F. Stika
Do not be afraid of God’s mercy Ensure that the suffering Jesus underwent in His Passion has its Easter triumph in our hearts Give praise to the Lord, for He is good, his mercy endures forever. — Psalm 118:1
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aster is so special that the Church celebrates it over eight days—an octave—culminating on the following Sunday, which we call “Divine Mercy Sunday.” To understand why this second Sunday of Easter is so important to our octave celebration, we need only reflect upon the image that Jesus commanded a Polish nun, St. Faustina Kowalska, to have painted of Him with the prayer, “Jesus, I trust in you,” inscribed on it. St. Faustina lived but a short life of 33 years, dying in 1938, but so significant is her life and the message of God’s mercy described in her diary that the Church extols her as the “Apostle of Mercy.” It was while serving Cardinal Justin Rigali as his priest secretary when he was archbishop of St. Louis that I grew to understand the importance of the Divine Mercy devotion. Having come from Rome where he had closely served St. John Paul II for many years, Cardinal Rigali was very familiar with the saintly pope’s love of this mystic of God’s mercy. Little did I know then but the seed for later choosing my episcopal motto — “Jesus, I trust in you” — was planted at this time. I recall in 1998 when Cardinal Rigali wrote a pastoral letter urging all the priests of the archdiocese to “observe the Second Sunday of Easter as a celebration of Divine Mercy.” This was two years before Pope St. John Paul II would canonize St. Faustina and officially formal-
Follow Bishop Richard Stika on Twitter @bishopstika, on Facebook, and on Relevant Radio for news and events from the Diocese of Knoxville. ize the celebration of the feast of God’s Mercy in the Church’s calendar. In that letter, he emphasized that: “The disposition of trust in God’s mercy is essential for receiving the graces God wants us to have. The time of preparation for the Divine Mercy Sunday is meant to strengthen our people’s trust in God’s mercy.” And regarding the image of Divine Mercy, Cardinal Rigali wrote: “Like a good icon, it confronts the praying and worshiping person with the merciful love of Christ, and its inscription, “Jesus, I trust in you,” encourages the believer to respond to this invitation with greater confidence.” So, why is the Divine Mercy so important? One word: peace. In Pope St. John Paul II’s homily for the canonization of St. Faustina in 2000, he quotes the words from her diary, where Jesus stresses that “Humanity will not find peace until it turns trustfully to Divine Mercy.” These are words for each of us personally, for we will not find the peace we long for—in our hearts, in our marriages, our families, our society and in our world—until we turn trustfully to the Divine Mercy. Jesus wants to heal us and press us to His merciful Heart. Who of us is without need of healing or of being drawn closer and closer each day to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? Who of us wants greater peace
April Prayer Intentions “For those who have responsibility in economic matters that economists may have the courage to reject any economy of exclusion and know how to open new paths.” –– Pope Francis ”Let us pray for all those who have fallen away from the faith that they will rediscover Jesus, who continues to walk with them in their journey of life.” –– Bishop Stika
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In St. Faustina’s diary, she writes how Jesus longs for us to entrust our weaknesses and sinfulness to His mercy. Doing so consoles His heart. Why? Because that is why He suffered and died for us. and joy in their life? Do not be afraid, though your sins be great, to approach His mercy. Allow Mary to bring you to the pierced side of Jesus on the cross that you might drink from the font of His mercy—His Sacred Heart. In St. Faustina’s diary, she writes how Jesus longs for us to entrust our weaknesses and sinfulness to His mercy. Doing so consoles His heart. Why? Because that is why He suffered and died for us. When we do not accept His mercy, it saddens Him because the suffering He underwent in His Passion does not have its Easter triumph in our hearts. When I think of Divine Mercy, I think of entitlement. I know how strange this sounds, given our reaction to people with an exaggerated sense of entitlement for something they may not be deserving of. Spiritually speaking, though, having a strong sense of entitlement is healthy and is in fact essential to both our personal salvation and our evangelization efforts. But don’t take my word for it; read the words of Jesus recorded by St. Faustina in her diary: “The greater the sinner, the greater the right He has to My mercy (no. 723).”
Elsewhere, Jesus tells St. Faustina, “I am more generous toward sinners than toward the just. It was for their sake that I came down from heaven; it was for their sake that My Blood was spilled. Let them not fear to approach Me; they are most in need of My mercy (no. 1275). “On the cross, the fountain of mercy was opened wide by the lance for all souls — no one have I excluded (no. 1182).” Such is God’s merciful love, that he wishes for none of us to escape it. We should want and expect God’s mercy — we should expect everything from God though we did not work for it — for it is Christ’s work of salvation. He is the one who suffered His Passion and Cross for love of us. And as love is never satisfied until it rests in the bosom of the one that is loved, so Christ is not satisfied until He rests in our hearts and we rest in His. Love is never about minimum limits, but always asks, “What more can I do?” For this reason, Jesus encourages St. Faustina and all of us to promote the message of Divine Mercy: “Encourage souls to place great trust in My fathomless mercy. Let the weak, sinful soul have no fear to approach Me, for even if it had more sins than there are grains of sand in the world, all would be drowned in the immeasurable depths of My mercy.” (no. 1059) This is the “Great Invitation” of Divine Mercy. We need only answer, “Jesus, I trust in you.” To learn more about the Divine Mercy, visit the website of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception at www.marian.org. ■
Bishop Stika’s calendar of events for the next month n April 1: Easter Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 4: 11 a.m., funeral Mass for Father John Milewski at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in LaFollette n April 6: Noon Mass and blessing of the columbarium at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 6: 7 p.m. confirmation Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 7: 10 a.m. confirmation Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 7: 2 p.m. confirma-
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tion Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 8: 9 a.m. confirmation Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 8: 4 p.m. Sending of the Neophytes at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 9: 7 p.m. Mass and blessing of the Blessed Virgin Mary Altar at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 12: 5 p.m., annual KDCCW memorial Mass at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga n April 14: 10 a.m. con-
firmation Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 15: 4 p.m. confirmation Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 17: 11 a.m., Presbyteral Council meeting at the Chancery n April 19: 7 p.m. ecumenical prayer service at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 21: 10 a.m. confirmation Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 22: 4 p.m. confirmation Mass at the CatheEvents continued on page A5
TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C A TH OLI C
TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C A T HO L I C
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New Nashville bishop urges flock to accept Jesus in their hearts Fr. J. Mark Spalding ordained, installed as bishop of Nashville; Bishop Stika, Cardinal Rigali attend
By Andy Telli/Catholic News Service
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE/RICK MUSACCHIO
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Nashville’s new bishop Bishop J. Mark Spalding delivers remarks after he was ordained and installed as the 12th bishop of Nashville on Feb. 2 at Sagrado Corazon Church at the Catholic Pastoral Center in Nashville. “Both of them were pastors over me when I was an associate, a young priest,” Bishop Spalding said. “And look what they did.” The ordination and installation Mass was held in Sagrado Corazon Church, the home of the Hispanic ministry of the Diocese of Nashville, located in the Catholic Pastoral Center. Both are part of the legacy of Bishop Spalding’s predecessor, Bishop Choby. “I thank God for Bishop David Choby,” Bishop Spalding said. “May he rest in peace and know of our prayers for him this day. He has shepherded us so well to this moment in the Church.” He also thanked Father Michael Johnston, the diocesan administrator since Bishop Choby’s death. “He did as much as he could to make my transition to this chair so good, and I will never forget the favor given to me,” Bishop Spalding said. Sagrado Corazon is the largest church in the diocese and seats more than 3,000 people. It was full for Bishop Spalding’s installation. The congregation included family, friends, priests, deacons, and religious sisters from Kentucky, where he was born and
Rite of ordination As principal consecrator, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., who was the second bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville, presents the Gospels to Bishop J. Mark Spalding as he is ordained and installed as the 12th bishop of Nashville. CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE/RICK MUSACCHIO
n the day he was ordained and installed as the 12th bishop of Nashville, Bishop J. Mark Spalding urged the congregation of more than 3,000 people to allow the love of Jesus in their hearts. “I love the saying ‘the love of Jesus in my heart,’” Bishop Spalding said in his remarks at the end of the Mass on Feb. 2. “Pray, pray to God that the love of Jesus ever increases in your heart,” Bishop Spalding said. “If you do that, not only do I believe you save yourself, but you help save others and that is what the Church is all about.” Bishop Spalding spent 26 years as a priest for the Archdiocese of Louisville, Ky., before Pope Francis appointed him to be the bishop of Nashville. He succeeds Bishop David R. Choby, who died June 3. “When you have the love of Jesus in your heart, it means a couple of things,” Bishop Spalding said. “First, the love of the person of Jesus, and we can never forget that as Church. ... The more we know the person of Jesus, the more our life is changed. The more we know God, the more we are able to change the world.” “Second, when we have Jesus in our heart, we love like Jesus loves,” he added. “Our eyes open up, our ears open up, our arms open up, our hands open up to others, and we help them create a new world. “We see others and we lift them up and we walk with them and we build God’s kingdom on this earth, and that’s what we’re all about in the Diocese of Nashville,” Bishop Spalding said. “It’s about Jesus. It’s not about me. It’s about Him who lived and died for me.” Presiding at the Mass was Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, for whom then-Father Spalding served as vicar general since 2011. The archbishop was the principal consecrator. The co-consecrators were Archbishop Charles C. Thompson of Indianapolis and Bishop William F. Medley of Owensboro, Ky. Both were ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Louisville and are close friends of Bishop Spalding.
served, as well as the clergy and faithful of his new diocese. Among those taking part in the installation and ordination were Bishop Richard F. Stika and Cardinal Justin Rigali of the Diocese of Knoxville and Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nun-
cio to the United States. “I come to you humbled by the faith shown to me by the Holy Father, Pope Francis,” Bishop Spalding said. “He will always have my prayers, my support and my fraternal love. Ordination continued on page A5
KCHS, Notre Dame students make statements on school safety Campus activities follow recent shootings in other states as parents, faculties share concerns about disturbing trend
By Emily Booker
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CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE/HARRISON MCCLARY-REUTERS
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oday’s high school students were born after Columbine—a word that has become synonymous with student shootings. These students have always known lockdown drills and breaking news of gun violence in schools. They are young, but not too young to address the tragedy and the danger of violence in their hallways. In the wake of the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., the national conversation about school safety and school shooting prevention has taken a distinctively younger tone. High school students are adding their voices to the discussions on school safety, gun control, and violence prevention. Both Diocese of Knoxville high schools, Notre Dame in Chattanooga and Knoxville Catholic, recently addressed the tragedy of school shootings and the hope that it won’t continue. On March 14, students at NDHS walked out of class to a prayer service to pray for victims of school shootings and ask God’s blessings for safer school environments. Although the walkout was optional, around 200 students participated. NDHS president George Valadie found that a prayer service was a way for the student body to take action without becoming divisive or too political. “As I shared with the students, I didn’t want us just to walk out to draw attention to something I felt already had the nation’s attention. That, in my opinion, did not accomplish anything. I wanted to
Praying for healing Students attend a prayer vigil Jan. 23 at a church in Marion, Ky., after a 15-year-old boy opened fire with a handgun that day at Marshall County High School. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called for prayers for the victims killed and injured in school shootings. accomplish something. Praying is something that, in my opinion, does accomplish something.” Mr. Valadie had created a card for each school shooting victim—including those injured and killed—since Columbine. Each card included the school, city, age of the shooter, number of victims in that shooting, and if the student victim died. In total, he
made 447 cards that were handed out during the prayer service. “We passed them around so everybody had their own card, identifying with one person as best they could,” he said. After 17 minutes of silence in memory of the Parkland shooting victims, they prayed for all the other victims as well. The service also included Scripture
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readings and petitions. “The petitions were focused not so much in memory but more looking forward,” Mr. Valadie explained. “Praying for wisdom for legislators, praying for the safety for all, praying for gun owners, that they would work to be safe, just a variety of petitions.” Schools continued on page A6 TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C A TH OLI C
Diocese of Knoxville parishioners take part in Regional Encuentro East Tennessee delegates gather in Miami with peers from 29 Southeast dioceses to plan for National Encuentro
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in Knoxville; Blanca Primm, diocesan director of Hispanic Ministry; Sedonna Prater, diocesan director of Curriculum and Instruction for the Catholic Schools Office; and this writer. The group joined all delegates from the 29 other dioceses in the Southeast that make up Regions 5 and 14. The delegates numbered approximately 300, including bishops, priests, deacons, religious sisters, and laity. The delegates met in the lovely Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which was quite appropriate since she is the star of the New Evangelization and patroness of the Americas. One of the most beautiful aspects of this Regional Encounter was seeing the various ministries and vocations within the Church coming together to share a dialogue and process. As one could imagine, there was a great deal of information gathered from all the Southeast diocesan Encounters. Delegates were split into 13 focus groups to work more efficiently: vocations, immigration, global solidarity, Catholic education, liturgy and spirituality, leadership development, catechetical forma-
tion, Pastoral Juvenil (Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry), intercultural competence, campus ministry, evangelization and mission, family ministry, and institutional development. Delegates spent three days discussing challenges and opportunities in each of these areas, prioritizing needs on a regional and national level, and identifying the best strategies to meet these challenges and opportunities, which was done by being faithful to the voices and results that came out of the Southeast Encounters. “I was impressed with the realization of the collective power
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE/RICK MUSACCHIO
ome people have heard much about the V Encuentro (the 5th National Encounter of Hispanic/Latino Ministry). Others, perhaps, have not heard so much. But the V Encuentro is an exciting, four-year process of evangelization, accompaniment, and consultation to shed light on the Latino/Hispanic community within the U.S. Catholic Church and the real issues its faces in this day and age. At the end of February, V Encuentro organizers and participants reached the halfway point in this four-year process with the Regional Encounter in Miami. A group of seven delegates from the Diocese of Knoxville traveled to Miami Feb. 22-24 to take part in this key event for the Encuentro process. Those from the diocese included Bishop Richard F. Stika’s delegate, Father Julian Cardona, associate pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle in Lenoir City; Sister Imelda Quechol, MAG, who is with the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga; Alexander Vasquez, a young-adult parishioner from the Basilica; Coral Getino, a parishioner at All Saints Church
Ordained and installed Bishop J. Mark Spalding delivers his remarks after he was ordained and installed as the 12th bishop of Nashville on Feb. 2 at Sagrado Corazon Church at the Catholic Pastoral Center in Nashville. Ordination continued from page A4
“And I also come to you excited about the opportunity to link arms with you in our common mission of sharing the joy and hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of Middle Tennessee.” The ordination and installation took place on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. As is traditional for the feast, also known as Candlemas, the Mass began with Archbishop Kurtz blessing liturgical candles that were carried in the entrance procession by representatives of every parish in the diocese. Next came representatives of the Ladies of Peter Claver, the Ladies and Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, 85 deacons, 163 priests, and 14 bishops. More than 100 Knights of Columbus and Knights of Peter Claver in full regalia lined the main aisle during the procession. In his homily, Archbishop Kurtz noted that in the Gospel reading about the presentation of Jesus at the temple, Simeon lifts the child “to both cherish the presence of his savior and also to show him to the world.” “Similarly, Bishop Spalding will lift up Jesus. Jesus will be his standard to shape his life and his ministry as a new bishop,” ArchEvents continued from page A2
dral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 24: 7 p.m., confirmation Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 26: 6 p.m., Mass for the KDCCW at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n April 28: 4 p.m. CST, Mass for the Knights of Columbus State Convention in Franklin n April 29: 3:30 p.m., confirmation Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C A T HO L I C
bishop Kurtz said. “United with Pope Francis and all the bishops, you will carry the light of Jesus before and with those you serve,” Archbishop Kurtz said. “Preach Jesus boldly, celebrate the sacred mysteries reverently. Serve those entrusted to your care lovingly and joyfully so that God might lift up the lowly through you.” Pope Francis’ appointment of Bishop Spalding was first publicized on Nov. 21. While the See of Nashville was vacant after Bishop Choby’s death, Father Johnston served as administrator when he was chosen by priests of the diocese’s College of Consultors. Bishop Spalding, 53, a native of Fredericktown, Ky., and a member of a large extended family with roots dating to the earliest days of Catholic life west of the Appalachian Mountains, was ordained to the priesthood in 1991 at the St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown, Ky. He is a graduate of Bethlehem High School in Bardstown and St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, Ind. He received a master of religious studies and a licentiate in canon law from American University in Louvain, Belgium. Before his appointment, he served as pastor of Holy Trinity
Parish and Holy Name Parish in the Archdiocese of Louisville. He has also served as a vicar general for the archdiocese since 2011. In addition to serving as associate pastor at St. Joseph and chaplain at Bethlehem High School in Bardstown, associate pastor at St. Augustine in Lebanon, Ky., associate pastor at St. Margaret Mary in Louisville, and pastor of Immaculate Conception in LaGrange, Ky., he served as a judge, judicial vicar, and director of the tribunal for the Archdiocese of Louisville. The entire state of Tennessee was established as the Diocese of Nashville on July 28, 1837, from the territory of the Diocese of Bardstown, Ky., by Pope Gregory
By Brittany Garcia
of using our experiences and knowledge from the diocesan Encuentros to come to conclusions about the needs of the Hispanic community and how we can address these needs,” Mrs. Prater said, noting the simple genius of the structure of the V Encuentro working process. At the Diocese of Knoxville group’s Encounter on Oct. 21, the five areas of priority identified were family ministry, Pastoral Juvenil, leadership development, immigration, and evangelization. Within the full work schedule for the Regional Encuentro there also was set aside time for liturgical prayer, social action, and celebration. Delegates celebrated the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Southeast Pastoral Institute for Hispanic Ministry (SEPI), an institute the Diocese of Knoxville benefits from multiple times a year through workshops and trainings. As part of the celebration of SEPI, delegates sang “Happy Birthday” in Spanish and English around a giant birthday cake. The president and CEO of Catholic Encuentro continued on page A13
XVI. In 1971 the western third of the state was established as the Diocese of Memphis. In 1988 the eastern third of the state was established as the Diocese of Knoxville. The Diocese of Nashville now covers 38 counties of Middle Tennessee and includes about 76,000 registered Catholics in 53 parishes and three missions. Masses are offered in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Latin, and Korean. ■ Andy Telli is managing editor of the Tennessee Register, the newspaper of the Diocese of Nashville. Diocese of Nashville communications director Rick Musacchio contributed to this report.
PILGRIMAGE TO THE
HOLY LAND
n May 3: 5:30 p.m., Mass in celebration of the golden jubilee of Father Jim Haley, CSP, at Immaculate Conception Church n May 5: 2 p.m., confirmation Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n May 6: 4 p.m., confirmation Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus n May 8-9: province meeting in Louisville, Ky. n May 12: 10 a.m., confirmation Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus ■ www.di o k no x .o rg
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APRIL 1, 2018 n A5
Program to develop Catholic school leaders seeing results Diocese of Knoxville taking part in innovative Catholic Extension, Loyola Marymount program
Schools continued from page A4
Mr. Valadie noted that the school had posted the addresses of legislators for students who wanted to contact their government representatives with concerns or suggestions. Knoxville Catholic High School dedicated its Mass on March 22 to the victims of the Parkland shooting. KCHS then held a town hall meeting on March 28 to discuss the troubling rising number of school shootings and concerns for school safety. Around 150 students, teachers, and parents attended. The town hall, which was studentdriven and emceed by senior Conor Metz, featured a panel of students, teachers, administrators, and first responders to guide and answer questions. People shared their ideas, opinions, and concerns related to mass shootings, prevention, and safety. “Several days after [the Parkland shooting], I had a group of our student council members approach me about trying to coordinate our school’s response to the tragic school shooting,” said Dickie Sompayrac, president of Knoxville Catholic High School. “The students were great. They came up with the ideas, and they had the idea to do a town hall.” “One of the things we decided early was whatever we did as a school, we really wanted the students to be the ones driving it, and they did. Our student council did a great job, along with some other students, of really taking the lead,” he added. Coincidentally, earlier in the day of the town hall meeting, KCHS went into lockdown as a result of a shooting and subsequent police search for an armed suspect in the area near the school. The incident was unrelated to the KCHS community. “It was really interesting to do one that was not a drill. This was a real lockdown,” Mr. Sompayrac said. “For a lot of students, it made the town hall even that much more important.… Now students had experienced a heart-pumping lockdown where you didn’t know exactly what was going on.” A6 n APRIL 1, 2018
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Educating masterpieces Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, superintendent of Diocese of Knoxville schools, and Tucker Davis, principal of St. Dominic School in Kingsport, celebrate a student project during Catholic Schools Week 2017. Sabatino, an associate professor at Loyola Marymount, who died last May. He described the program’s “overarching theme” as “the integration of faith and professional practice in Catholic school administration.” For principals new to a Catholic environment, the program teaches them to connect with their school’s faith-based mission.
“When I joined the program, I had been an administrator for almost eight years, but most of my administrative training was secular,” said Brianne Thoreson, principal of Bishop Manogue Catholic High School in the Diocese of Reno, Nev. “This was the first opportunity that I had to be part of a program that developed Catholic leaders specifically, and the first
EMILY BOOKER
t a time when many Catholic schools are struggling with enrollment, fighting to survive and at times shutting their doors, Catholic Extension and Loyola Marymount University have teamed up to strengthen Catholic schools in some of the nation’s poorest communities. They have launched the Catholic School Leadership Development Initiative to develop a pipeline of educated Catholic school leaders in dioceses with limited resources and staff. Participants complete courses online to receive a graduate-level certificate in Catholic school administration from Loyola Marymount. Upon completion of the program, participants are asked to commit a minimum of two years of service to a Catholic school in their diocese. In the past five years, 68 leaders from 23 dioceses have earned the certificate. The Diocese of Knoxville is one of those participating in the program. Catholic Extension is a Chicagobased papal society that works to build up Catholic faith communities in the poorest regions of the United States. Loyola Marymount is located in Los Angeles. “This program has been the most valuable educational experience of my professional career,” said Michelle Buhs, who completed the program in 2017. She is the instructional support coordinator for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Tucson, Ariz. Funded by Catholic Extension, the initiative gives promising teachers the graduate-level training they need to eventually become Catholic school principals or superintendents. Five of the first 14 teachers to participate have since become school principals, and one principal has become a diocesan superintendent. The architect of the certificate program was the late Anthony
The gifts that surround us Sister Angela Nikwobazeirwe, ESM, gathers with her young charges at St. John Neumann School in Farragut. Mr. Sompayrac was pleased with the effort the students put into leading the town hall, and with the turnout and response it received. “School safety was a big topic that night. Gun control came up that night. But we also talked about what can we do as individuals, as a school community, and as a broader community to help prevent incidents like the shooting that happened in Parkland. So it was a really, really positive night in terms of folks getting to discuss not only their own views but to ask questions too,” he noted. Student council members also set up a table for anyone who wanted to write a letter to their legislators. The students had stationery and envelopes available. People could write a letter, drop it in a box, and the student council made sure it was mailed to the appropriate legislator. Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Knoxville, was glad to see the diocesan high schools address the sobering topic of school safety. “I think it’s great that the high schools are doing something,” she said. As the topic of school safety is at the top of the national consciousness again, Sister Mary Marta knows that some parents might have questions about safety policies at their children’s schools. “I know in general, since the whole thing happened in Florida, our schools have been putting out more messages about safety.…I know everyone’s been trying to be more aware of what they’re doing,” she said. She noted that all 10 diocesan schools are locked during the day and require visitors to contact the front office for entrance. “I think everything we’re doing right now, with our schools to keep them safe, overall, I think we’re doing a good job. And we have good communication with the cities and counties that we’re in.” The Catholic Schools Office currently is developing a system-wide policy to address weapons on school campuses and other safety procedures. ■
By Catholic News Service opportunity to receive training in how to really be a Catholic school principal.” Many participants come from schools in poverty-stricken areas of the United States that are dealing with drug abuse, alcoholism, violence, and other community issues. Such realities often leave teachers and administrators disillusioned and overwhelmed. By sharing these experiences with peers who come from similar circumstances, they say they feel a sense of solidarity and support. “At the program’s core is the desire to build prayerful, faithimbued, faith-driven leaders who will affect the future of Catholic education through reflective practice,” said Jane Walker, academic dean at Knoxville Catholic High School. “As a school leader in a region that is only 2 percent Catholic, I have appreciated the opportunity to form an invaluable network of innovative thinkers who face the same triumphs and tribulations,” added Ms. Walker, who took part in the Catholic Extension-Loyola Marymount program. The Diocese of Knoxville worked with Catholic Extension and Loyola Marymount to provide leadership development to several diocesan schools leaders. Antonio Trujillo, a recent alumnus of the program, credits the initiative’s communal and spiritual elements with helping him to overcome a feeling of being “burned out” and restoring a Catholic identity to his school. Trujillo is principal of St. Joseph Mission School, which serves a largely Native American population in rural San Fidel, N.M., in the Gallup Diocese. Under his leadership, the school’s enrollment has grown from 12 to 60 students. “The program renewed my heart and made me ready to go back Loyola continued on page A7
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Villanova, Loyola Catholic chaplains take center court Sister Jean, Father Rob share basketball shoes as their teams find March Madness success
By Matthew Davis/Catholic News Service
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into the ministry of education,” Trujillo said. “It was very helpful in making us see that our work is a ministry to bring our children and their families to Jesus.” The initiative continues to expand its reach. This year’s participants hail from 10 dioceses around the country, including Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Guam. For Nicole Miller, the new principal of Holy Name Catholic School in Ketchikan, Alaska — located on an island and the only Catholic school in the Diocese of Juneau — the program has been an essential antidote to isolation. TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C A T HO L I C
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Net asset Father Rob Hagan, 53, chaplain of Villanova University’s basketball team, cuts the net after Villanova defeated Texas Tech March 25 in the 2018 NCAA Tournament in Boston. The Augustinian priest has been Villanova’s basketball chaplain since 2004 and joined the Wildcats in their third Final Four since 2009. thing they did well. A retired sister, she still lives on campus and reaches out to students. Father Hagan offers pastoral ministry to the players in addition to his primary role in the athletic department as associate athletic director. He also serves as chaplain for the football team. He has maintained relationships with players beyond their time at Villanova and has offered the sacraments for some alumni along the way. “You forge these relationships that go beyond struggles they might have with injuries, the joys that they celebrate like a marriage or a birth of a child,” Father Hagan said. Father Hagan also has a strong friendship with Wildcats coach Jay Wright. Father Hagan said Coach Wright is “not just a coach, he’s a mentor ... and places great value and emphasis on family and developing the whole person” in his work. During the season, Father Hagan offers Mass for the football and basketball teams before games and on Sundays and Holy Days. That includes the Easter Triduum liturgies when the Wildcats’ tournament games have overlapped with Holy Week. In 2016, he offered the Holy Thursday Mass for the team during the tournament and washed the players’ feet. “It was very profound and a team-building exercise,” Father Hagan said. “It’s a reminder of what Jesus’ call to all of us is ... not to focus so much on being served as on serving others. We have kind of a mantra that we echo on our team, and that is ‘our roles may be different but our status is the same.’” Villanova defeated Kansas 9579 in the semifinals in San Antonio, which hosted the Final Four March 31-April 2. Father Hagan then offered the Easter Vigil Mass for players after that game. Loyola lost to Michigan 69-57 March 31 in the other semi-final game, ending its quest for a second national title and the chance to play Villanova. ■
Seal of approval Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM, the 98-year-old longtime chaplain of the Loyola University Chicago men’s basketball team and campus icon, gives a thumbs up after the team defeated Nevada in the 2018 NCAA Tournament March 24 in Atlanta.
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE/BRETT DAVIS-USA TODAY
ather Rob Hagan has been in Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt’s shoes before. Now an Augustinian priest and Villanova University men’s basketball chaplain, as a student he witnessed the Wildcats’ Cinderella run to the 1985 Final Four and national title. He holds the memory dear as he has made more memories with the program as chaplain over the past decade. “One of the great memories of my life,” Father Hagan said about the Wildcats’ 1985 championship. Now, Father Hagan has another great memory to add as Villanova defeated Michigan 79-62 April 2 to win its third national championship and its second title in the last three years. Also a basketball team chaplain, Sister Jean, 98, has been serving in that role for the Loyola University Chicago men’s basketball team since 1994. She saw the Ramblers’ first national title in 1963 when serving at Mundelein College, which later merged with Loyola. The retired Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary has become a media sensation during the Ramblers’ recent run to the Final Four in San Antonio March 31-April 2, the program’s first NCAA tournament appearance since 1985. “It’s wonderful because what it’s doing is just highlighting a lot of the universal values that we all share that sometimes get buried underneath all the other coverage,” Father Hagan said about Sister Jean being in the spotlight. “You have to hand it to Sister Jean. She really has charisma, she has joy, [and] she has a spirit about her. She really is a captivating person in her own right,” he said in an interview for Catholic News Service. Father Hagan has been Villanova’s basketball chaplain since 2004 and joined the Wildcats in their third Final Four since 2009. He has seen the program become one of college basketball’s elite, which includes a national title in 2016. “It’s one of the great joys of my priesthood,” Father Hagan said about serving the team. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to minister. We don’t always make it to the Final Four, but that doesn’t take away from ... the joy we see in seeing these student athletes just simply do their best and discover gifts within themselves and how they help each other get stronger.” Mainstream media attention has come Father Hagan’s way, too, with an appearance in The New York Times. In addition, he sees all the media coverage on hoops chaplains as a “hunger and thirst for something deeper.” “It kind of highlights maybe that yearning and longing that we all have for things that run beyond just a game and score,” Father Hagan said. “Things like relationships and forgiveness and getting up when you’re knocked down and education and opportunities for all people.” Father Hagan and Sister Jean bring that to the table in their ministries. Both lead pregame prayers before each contest, but it goes beyond that. Sister Jean e-mails each Loyola player after games affirming some-
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“In the past, we have had to look outside of our community and state to hire someone who is qualified to lead our school,” she said. “Now we can not only equip someone like myself who is already rooted in this community, but we can also connect our entire school staff to literally hundreds of educators around the country who are also passionate about the ministry of education.” The next cohort of Catholic school leaders will begin the program in July. Catholic Extension is currently raising funds to support them at http://www.catholicextension.org/teacher. ■ www.di o k no x .o rg
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Easter Week celebration Diocese of Knoxville priests and deacons prepare to process into the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus at the beginning of the Chrism Mass on Tuesday, March 27. It was the first Chrism Mass celebrated in the new cathedral, which was dedicated on March 3 during a Mass attended by more than 1,000 people. The cathedral was again at capacity during the Chrism Mass.
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A new and everlasting covenant Bishop Stika elevates the chalice during the Eucharistic Prayer at the 2018 Chrism Mass.
DR. KELLY KEARSE
our mother church, that we might never be hesitant to bring glad tidings, to heal, to proclaim, to release. And in this 30th anniversary of our diocese, we announce a year of favor from the Lord.” After the homily, the priests renewed their commitment to priestly service, pledging to “be more united with the Lord Jesus and more closely conformed to Him” and to be “faithful stewards of the mysteries of God in the Holy Eucharist.” The bishop then asked the assembly to “pray for your priests, that the Lord may pour out his gifts abundantly on them” and to “pray for me, that I may be faithful to the apostolic office entrusted to me in my lowliness.” The procession of oils followed, with the balsam for the chrism being presented by the senior active priest of the diocese, Monsignor Bob Hofstetter. The oil of catechumens, the oil of the sick, and the oil for the sacred chrism also were presented to the bishop, the latter by the diocese’s most recently ordained priest, Father Christopher Floersh. The bishop blessed the oil of the sick and the oil of catechumens, then mixed the balsam and chrism and breathed over the chrism, praying that the Holy Spirit be present in the oil. Two of the many in attendance at the Chrism Mass said the annual liturgy marked their first visit to Sacred Heart. “Oh, my gosh. I’m in absolute heaven,” said Suzanne Saltzman of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge. “It is really beautiful. It’s joyful. Everybody spoke up very loudly for all of the responses. It was a heavenly experience. It reminds me of my cathedral back home in Louisiana. It’s just very ornate, very beautiful. St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux, La. It was spectacular, and I told the bishop that in one word, all I could describe the Mass was [highpitched] “Aaaaaaaaaah,” she added with a laugh. Henry Bentz of Clinton, a parishioner of St. Therese there, attended the Chrism Mass with wife Jackie and son Matthew, 6. “It’s beautiful, the first time I ever went to [a Chrism Mass],” he said. “I came originally from New York, and I never got a chance to go because they usually had theirs Holy Thursday morning, and I was always working. I’m happy that they have it now on Tuesday night here.” Mr. Bentz said he enjoyed hearing the bishop speak. “Bishop Stika is hilarious. Loved his homily. He had a great homily. Just his ‘impromptuness,’ a new word I made up. When the baby was crying, it’s like, ‘I cry, too.’ And then, ‘God’s calling.’ Very funny, great homily.” In his closing remarks at Mass, Bishop Stika said he was asked in an interview, “Who are the people of the Diocese of Knoxville?” “We are now 72,000-plus strong,” he said. “Fifty-one parishes and institutions. From Mountain City to South Pittsburg, from Johnson City to Crossville, and all these places in between. We are the Church, men and women faithful to Jesus; conse-
DR. KELLY KEARSE
DR. KELLY KEARSE
Presenting the oils Monsignor Bob Hofstetter, center, accompanied by acolyte Jerry Bodie, left, and seminarian Drew Crabtree, prepare to present oils to Bishop Stika, who consecrated the sacred chrism.
DAN MCWILLIAMS
anointed me. He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and release to the prisoners.’ “If we look at that at face value or dig deep into that, isn’t that who we are as Christians, as followers of Jesus and the truth? God has commissioned all of us by virtue of our baptism, our reception of the Eucharist and confirmation, of the sacraments, to know that the Spirit of God is upon each and every one of us, because the Lord has anointed us, at our baptism and confirmation.” The bishop added that “the Lord has anointed us, has commissioned us, has challenged us, to be His followers. And what do we do with that? To proclaim liberty, to heal, to release, to assist those, as the Beatitudes and all the works of mercy remind us to do, because we are anointed. And today is that perfect combination, that perfect connection, by virtue of what we call the Mass of the Chrism. Its primary focus is on the priesthood. “It’s about the priesthood, for [the priests] can say authentically that the Spirit of the Lord is upon them, to heal and to proclaim and to release and to announce a favor of the Lord, in a particular way as ministers of the Gospel, as those who take the bread and take the cup and say the words, ‘This is my body. This is my blood, given for you.’ They have been commissioned. They have undergone that ontological change. They are different, they are set aside—not for better, not worse— but they are set aside.” Bishop Stika, after foreshadowing the priests’ recommitment ceremony that followed the homily, said to his brother priests, “If you’re becoming self-centered or tired or confused, call upon the power of Jesus, the Jesus that called you to the priesthood, the Jesus that renews you in the priesthood, the Jesus who says to you, ‘My people need you to build the kingdom of God in your hearts and in your lives, the very essence of who you are.’” Then the bishop addressed the deacons. “And to you, my deacons, even though this is a different celebration, the same goes for you,” he said. A baby then began crying, prompting the first of two ad-libs from the bishop. “I know, it’s tough. Sometimes you just want to cry about it,” he said, joking that he paid the baby $5 to begin crying at that moment. For “all of us who have received holy orders, it’s not a fun job sometimes, my sisters and brothers,” the bishop continued, “and sometimes you get a little down, a little tired, a little confused, a little worn down. That’s why we need love. “Also part of this Mass of the Chrism is I ask you, O people of God, to pray for them, so that they might constantly be renewed in the Holy Spirit, by God who is love.” The holy chrism is an “oil that is used in baptism, when the Spirit of the Lord comes upon us,” Bishop Stika said. “It’s used in healing, when a person is ill, preparing for surgery, maybe suffering from a chronic illness: depression, or whatever it might be.” At that point in the homily, a cellphone started ringing. “God calls us,” the bishop said. “I ain’t joking. Do you ever think that God does not call you? . . . And my brother priests, and my brothers and sisters, I ask you this, do you really believe that the Spirit of the Lord God is upon you? Has God anointed you at your baptism or confirmation? Do you really believe and are you committed to opening your heart so that you might bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners? Do you do that in your life? “And for all of us, it’s a reminder that in order to teach Jesus, whom we profess, we have to know Him. So I pray that this diocese, as we now celebrate our 30th anniversary, as we begin this new journey with
Hands of Jesus Bishop Stika receives balsam for the chrism from Monsignor Bob Hofstetter, pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Newport. crated men and women, faithful to Jesus; permanent deacons, faithful to Jesus; brother priests from religious communities or diocesan, we are committed to Jesus. “During these next few days, we witness that Jesus is committed to us, by his death and resurrection. Did I leave the cardinal out? We’re committed to Jesus, too. ‘Absolute-
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ly,’ the cardinal says. So in the name of his eminence, I want to wish you all a holy and sacred next few days. For we witness the miracle that Jesus gives to us, the miracle of the gift of charity, the miracle of the Eucharist, the miracle of His death and His resurrection, the miracle of Jesus Himself, with glad tidings and great joy.” ■ APRIL 1, 2018 n A9
Christ’s Passion relived in Living Stations of the Cross All Saints, Holy Ghost among several Diocese of Knoxville parishes to re-enact the crucifixion, resurrection on Good Friday
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he Diocese of Knoxville’s Office of Hispanic Ministry invited parishioners around the diocese to accompany Jesus through his Passion and death in the Living Stations of the Cross on Good Friday, March 30, that were held at several parishes throughout the diocese. There were opportunities for people to participate in this traditional Hispanic devotion that continues to grow throughout the diocese. St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Cleveland, Holy Trinity in Jefferson City, St. Thomas the Apostle in Lenoir City, St. Mary in Johnson City, St. Patrick in Morristown, St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge, St. Teresa of Kolkata in Maynardville, St. Mary in Athens, and Holy Ghost and All Saints in Knoxville were among the area parishes that held Living Stations of the Cross services. Photographer Stephanie Richer attended the Living Stations at Holy Ghost and shared her photos. Photographer Dr. Kelly Kearse attended the Living Stations at All Saints and shared his photos. ■
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To honor Rev. King, work harder for justice, U.S. bishops urge April 4 marked 50th anniversary of legendary civil rights leader’s assassination in Memphis
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE/YOICHI OKAMOTO
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ifty years after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, “we need to ask ourselves if we are doing all we can to build the culture of love, respect, and peace to which the Gospel calls us,” the U.S. bishops’ Administrative Committee said March 28. On April 4, 1968, James Earl Ray gunned down the civil rights leader as he stood on the balcony of his hotel room in Memphis. Rev. King, a Baptist minister, was 39. In reflecting on Rev. King’s life and work, “what are we being asked to do for the sake of our brother or sister who still suffers under the weight of racism?” the committee said in a statement. “Where could God use our efforts to help change the hearts of those who harbor racist thoughts or engage in racist actions?” This 50th anniversary “gives us an important moment to draw inspiration from the way in which Dr. King remained undeterred in his principle of nonviolent resistance, even in the face of years of ridicule, threats, and violence for the cause of justice,” the committee said. As the most prominent civil rights activist of his time, Rev. King fought for all races and against a system that promoted racism and racial divide. He is well-known for advocating nonviolence and civil disobedience to bring about change. He was
Honoring Rev. King U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson is pictured in this 1964 photo with a group of civil rights leaders, including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Clarence Mitchell, and Patricia Roberts Harris. The 50th anniversary of Rev. King’s assassination was April 4. inspired by his Christian beliefs and the nonviolent activism of Mahatma Gandhi. In its statement, the Administrative Committee recalled that Rev. King went to Memphis to support underpaid and exploited AfricanAmerican sanitation workers. “(He) arrived on a plane that was under a bomb threat. He felt God had called him to solidarity with his brothers and sisters in need,” the committee said. “In his final speech on the night before he died, Dr. King openly referenced the many threats
against him, and made clear that he would love a long life. But more important to him, he said, was his desire to simply do the will of God.” “Our faith urges us to be courageous, to risk something of ourselves, in defending the dignity of our neighbor who is made in the image of God,” the committee continued. “Pope Francis reminds us often that we must never sit on the sidelines in the face of great evil or extreme need, even when danger surrounds us.” Quoting chapter 15, verse 13, of
we should start a program. When I met the parish council chairperson immediately after I arrived, I discussed the details of the parish with the chairperson. He asked me if I would start a CCD program here. I asked him why there is not a CCD program already, and he said there were not enough children. I then asked how can we start a CCD program without enough children,” Father Punnackal said. The parish lay leader told him the few St. Mary children needing a CCD program were receiving Catholic education at other parishes. “Finally, I said if there is only one child here, we will have a CCD program in this parish. I asked him if he would help, and he and his wife have helped organize a CCD program here. The first day, we had 24 children signed up for CCD. That was never expected, and by the end of the year, we had 45 children. It has continued to grow. Last year, we had 85 children, and I didn’t know what to do. We do not have enough space. We are very crowded,” Father Punnackal said. To make do, St. Mary’s pastor said parishioners are filling two small basement classrooms and using the daily chapel for meeting space. In the warm months, they use the outdoor grotto as a meeting site. “We discussed several options, but nothing was working. Finally, we had the idea to build a multipurpose parish hall that can be used for parish activities, including CCD programs,” he said. Kevin Tierney, a Gatlinburg businessman who now heads the parish council, said St. Mary parishioners are committed to adding space to accommodate the expanding needs. “With the growth of our CCD program, it’s essential that we expand our facilities, as it is actually a high-liability situation with all those kids in such cramped confines. We are dedicated to making sure anyone interested in receiving CCD education do so. At our meetings several months ago, all the attendees unanimously agreed with the commitment to provide CCD and adequate/safe facilities for the children and teachers, so we are following through with the desires of our entire parish as I see it,” Mr. Tierney said. “We are also in need of larger and better facilities for our family life center. When we gather for dinners and other activities as a A12 n APRIL 1, 2018
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Footprint for growth Father Antony Punnackal, CMI, goes over architectural plans for a new family life center at St. Mary Church in Gatlinburg. St. Mary parishioners are raising funds for the center, which will allow the parish to continue expanding its ministries and activities. We don’t want to build a Taj Mahal. We simply want something that will match the existing church building. I’m not building anything for me. I’m building for God and God’s people. He’ll show the way.
–– Father Antony Punnackal
parish group, the present facility is very cramped and challenging for serving the people attending. So a larger and better gathering place will be important as well,” he added. As parish discussions on the space issue were taking place, Father Punnackal realized that parents would wait at the church while their children were in CCD. So he decided to offer the parents a faith-formation program while their children were in CCD. St. Mary members who speak Spanish help lead the new programs. “I started with seven parents. Now I have 45 to 50 parents in attendance. As I’m looking at this growth, we need something for this parish, which is why we are discussing a multipurpose parish hall,” he noted. But the addition of yet another new faith formation program made an already-challenging space situation acute. A new parish family life center could include an office, kitchen, bathrooms, storage space, and classrooms. The site for the parish hall is currently occupied by the rectory garage adjacent to the rectory. So the garage would need to be torn down and replaced elsewhere on the property, which sits just off the
Gatlinburg Parkway at 304 Historic Nature Trail. When Father Punnackal arrived at St. Mary in July 2014, the parish had over $200,000 in savings. And he has been able to raise another $300,000 since he arrived, including proceeds from the Home Campaign, bringing total financial reserves to about $500,000. Plans for the parish hall and fundraising programs started nearly a year ago. St. Mary still needs to finalize architectural plans and the project cost and identify a builder for the project before it can proceed. Father Punnackal said another factor affecting construction is architects and builders are so busy right now with rebuilding projects in Sevier County from the 2016 fires. “Once we get the cost, we are ready to start,” he said. “We don’t want to build a Taj Mahal. We simply want something that will match the existing church building. I’m not building anything for me. I’m building for God and God’s people. He’ll show the way, and we’ll bring the money. If we can raise $300,000 in three years, anything is possible.” He said he cannot abandon the children who are needing CCD. “But it’s not just CCD alone. We
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By Catholic News Service St. John’s Gospel, the committee said: :No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The best way to honor Rev. King “and preserve his legacy,” it added, is “by boldly asking God — today and always — to deepen our own commitment to follow his will wherever it leads in the cause of promoting justice.” Rev. King’s assassination sparked a wave of rioting and other civil disturbances in cities across the country. Known as the Holy Week Uprising, it lasted from April 6 to April 14, which was Easter that year. The 50th anniversary of Rev. King’s assassination prompted Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori to write a pastoral letter on the civil rights leader’s principles of nonviolence. The new document comes almost three years after riots shook the city of Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray Jr. from injuries sustained while in police custody. It also follows on the archbishop’s call in a New Year’s service and in columns and other discussions encouraging people to “change the narrative” about Baltimore. “The Enduring Power of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Principles of Nonviolence: A Pastoral Reflection” was formally issued on Ash King continued on page A13
need parish activities. We need a church office,” he said, adding that the church office is now in the rectory, which is not suitable. “This is a little place, and we are so congested.” He noted that when Bishop Richard F. Stika and the diocesan priests gather in Gatlinburg each year for retreat, they worship at St. Mary. “We are blessed. It is wonderful when the people of our parish are coming together here with the priests and the bishop. We are so happy and privileged to have these opportunities,” he said. Mr. Tierney said he and the parish members are grateful to Father Punnackal for his leadership on this important moment in the life of St. Mary. “I’m very proud of Father Antony for having the foresight and dedication to this project in particular and the future of our church in general. He has been a great spiritual leader as well as the church leader. We’ve been blessed to have him pastoring our church, and I look forward to moving into our future with him leading the way. His interaction with the children is very inspiring; he loves them and they love him – very much as Jesus would do,” he said. Mr. Tierney said the parish will move ahead carefully on the project, vowing not to move too fast. But he’s confident the project will happen. “I’m very confident that we will be able to complete the project in due time, but when we can actually break ground is yet to be determined. … We need to be patient and move in a careful way so as to dot all i’s and cross all the t’s,” he said. “I’m pleased with the response from our parishioners, both local and visiting, with their financial support so far. We have just begun the project and are still in the process of putting some fundraising programs together,” added Mr. Tierney, who also serves as cantor for St. Mary Masses. “I feel that with this commitment to our youth in the church, we are building a better future for our church in so far as making sure any and all families can bring their children to St. Mary and receive the proper CCD education. With this building in place, I know we will continue to attract and provide the proper opportunities for families moving to the area, which of course is the necessary element for growth in the church,” he said. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C A TH OLI C
COURTESY OF THE SOUTHEAST PASTORAL INSTITUTE
COURTESY OF BLANCA PRIMM
Encuentro audience Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, is shown with Diocese of Knoxville delegates to the Regional Encuentro in Miami. From left are Father Julian Cardona, Sedonna Prater, Blanca Primm, Archbishop Pierre, Sister Imelda Quechol, MAG, Brittany Garcia, Coral Getino, and Alexander Vasquez. ”Sometimes in a world as fragmented as ours, where there is a danger of individualism, in a world where each one of us, and each of you, people, your history and the history of this world, the history of this country, we are the displaced. We have come from a certain place, a certain culture, we enter another culture, there is an uncertainty about our identity. Here the Lord, as he did with Moses, with the bishops, makes a convocation to make a new people, but that people will not be of any human form; no, it will be the people of God.”
Regional delegation Delegates to the Regional Encuentro gather for a photograph at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Doral, Fla. The delegates represented 30 dioceses across the South who took part in the Regional Encuentro hosted by the Southeast Pastoral Institute in Miami, which leads to the National Encuentro in September in Texas. “As missionary disciples, witnesses of God’s love, let us bring the Good News to the poorest, to the immigrants, to those who live under the fear of being deported, and to all those who suffer any kind of exclusion or abandonment. May the V Encuentro of Hispanic Ministry, for which we have been preparing, be a special moment of grace, and as Pope Francis said, ‘a contribution to the renewal of society, as well as to the apostolate of the Church in the U.S.’”
–– Miami Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski at the opening Mass of the Regional Encuentro
–– Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Christophe Pierre at the closing Mass of the Regional Encuentro
Encuentro continued from page A5
Relief Services, Sean Callahan, gave a moving presentation on the work CRS does nationally and internationally. CRS representative Michael Trujillo also encouraged Encuentro participants to write letters to legislators requesting action be taken in favor of the young Dreamers and immigrants in our country. For delegates wanting to write their legislators, CRS provided pens, paper, stamps, and letter templates. On the last evening delegates were all together, they joined in contemplating the Stations of the Cross through the eyes of Jesus the immigrant. The Stations of the Cross procession was unique in that it took place outside, and at each station was an image of Our Lady on either King continued from page A12
Wednesday, Feb. 14. In it, the archbishop says, “Now is the time for all of us to reconnect with Dr. King and his teaching.” A pastoral letter is an open letter about Catholic teaching or practice from a bishop to his people. The archbishop’s first pastoral, “A Light Brightly Visible,” laid out his goals for missionary discipleship and evangelization in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. In the pastoral, Archbishop Lori said Rev. King’s principles do not apply “only to troubled urban neighborhoods or solely to our AfricanAmerican brothers and sisters.” “Violence, racism, and a host of social problems exist in different forms and degrees throughout our suburban and rural areas as well,” he wrote, noting that every community experiences domestic violence, drug abuse, and other social ills, and that immigrants face discrimination, hatred, denied opportunities, and unjust deportation. “Think of how vitriolic and coarse public rhetoric has become in politics and the media, a coarseness that often spills over into private conversation,” the archbishop said. “Instead of trying peacefully to reach the common ground of understanding, people far too often and far too quickly resort to abusive language. They may not kill their neighbors with bullets, but they do ‘kill’ them with words and gestures of disrespect.” In an interview for a video produced by the archdiocese to accompany the pastoral, Archbishop Lori reflected that when he was a seminarian, he realized he did not have any experience in either the inner city or a rural area, experience that would allow him to serve wherever he was assigned. He asked then-Archbishop William Baum of Washington to assign him, while he was a seminarian, to an inner-city parish. He was asTH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C A T HO L I C
side, totaling 28 different Marian images — all from Latin-American countries. This regional Encounter culminated with the closing Mass celebrated by the apostolic nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Christophe Pierre. Delegates considered it a blessing to have him with the Encuentro group and felt the support of Pope Francis through the presence of the apostolic nuncio. Two words best summarize this Regional Encounter: hope and commitment. There is great hope for the future of the U.S. Catholic Church, hope for more inter-ministerial collaboration, hope of unity among diversity, hope of reaching those on the periphery, hope of engaging those already in the pews, hope of signed to St. Vincent de Paul Parish in the District of Columbia’s Anacostia neighborhood. “I learned, and that was a great experience for me,” he said about an area that historically has been a majority black neighborhood. More times than he could count, the archbishop said, he has gone to visit parishioners where he has encountered people in a very poor situation. “I carry back so much more than I brought. … It’s humbling, it’s beautiful, it’s ennobling. “And that’s why I say at the end [of the pastoral] I said that you get out to the peripheries and find [the people] are not peripheral,” he said. “We just thought they were a periphery. Once they become real people with a real story and God-given gifts, you know that’s not the case.” Archbishop Lori noted that although the Catholic Church is already present in communities in Baltimore City and the nine counties that compose the archdiocese, it must raise its profile in the larger community, speaking out more forcefully on issues that beset communities. “We have to advocate for justice, and we have to meet the social needs as best we can,” he said, noting that Catholic Charities of Baltimore is the largest private human services provider in Maryland. “We have to intensify our efforts to provide a good education for kids. We have to be involved in housing issues and all kinds of things that get at the root causes of these things.” In the letter, Archbishop Lori said: “If we truly allow Dr. King’s principles of nonviolence to guide us to conversion, we will not be content to camouflage our problems but rather be spurred into action; we will be moved to address and resist injustice in our community. Ultimately, however, it is only a change of mind and heart on the part of many that will lead to a new beginning for us and our beloved community.” ■
the Holy Spirit blowing something new into our midst. All of these hopes require commitment from the faithful, who must be committed to collaborate, allow space for diversity, reach out to those on the margins, find new paths of evangelization, and pray often. “The V Encuentro process has brought to our diocese a spring of new hope, new energy, and recommitted efforts for the New Evangelization. It is a wave of blessings that we need to foster and continue to grow even more with the help of the Holy Spirit,” Mrs. Primm said, testifying to the spirit of hope and commitment that she witnessed. Much fruit has already come from
this V Encuentro process in the Diocese of Knoxville, including new parish groups forming, new leaders emerging, attentiveness to the needs of Latino youth and young adults increasing, revamping of the diocesan Spanish radio program, the return of people who have strayed from the Church, and improved collaboration among diocesan and parish offices. Prayers are asked for more fruit to spring forth from the V Encuentro process, especially as the march toward the National Encounter in Texas in September continues. ■ Brittany Garcia is the Diocese of Knoxville’s coordinator of Pastoral Juvenil Hispana.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION TRAINING PROGRAM 2018-2020
F
eeling called to companion others on their journey with God? Sign up for the 2018-2020 Spiritual Direction Training Program, sponsored by Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center and the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. Beginning Oct. 15, 2018, you will meet for a weekly training session eight times over a two-year period, entering into study, reflection and prayer around a topic fundamental to the understanding and practice of spiritual direction. You will receive intense training, practice and supervision by a coordinating team of religious sisters and educators. The program, which leads to certification as a spiritual director, takes place on a quiet, rural campus in Maple Mount, Kentucky. Close to 50 individuals from across the U.S. have completed the program since 2004.
Meet some of our Tennessee graduates! lMonica Armstrong
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APRIL 1, 2018 n A13
Funeral Mass celebrated for Fr. John Milewski
In Brief
Bishop Stika presides at Our Lady of Perpetual Help-LaFollette service
NCCW unites schools in Holy Land, United States The National Council of Catholic Women has announced the first school pairing in a project to enhance knowledge of the daily life of Catholics in the Holy Land. This project was requested by Catholic women in the Holy Land who indicated that they wanted to increase awareness in the United States of the constraints facing Catholics living in the Holy Land. The presence of these “living stones” in the land where Christ walked is diminishing rapidly due to discrimination in jobs, confiscation of their ancestral lands, and difficulty in obtaining passes for travel such as from Bethlehem or Nazareth to Jerusalem. “As they told us, in Bethlehem going to Jerusalem is a dream for most of them. We determined that a very effective way to assure them that we know and care about them and pray for them is to begin a program with our USA Catholic schools and their Franciscan schools in the Holy Land,” said NCCW President Maribeth Stewart. “The students will share this experience with their families and friends, and this will help reassure them that we indeed think of and pray for our sisters and brothers in that ancient troubled land.” The Franciscans indicated that the first school to participate would be Terra Sancta College in Bethlehem, which has students from preschool through high school. They also suggested that the program concentrate first on the grammar-school ages. The NCCW has announced that St. Lawrence School in West Haven, Conn., with grades from pre-K through eighth, was selected as the U.S. school paired with Terra Sancta. After confirming the cooperation of the administration and teachers at both schools, an initial exchange has begun with the lower grades sending drawings and the upper grades letters. “We are very pleased to note that the exchanges worked very well and that the students are now actively engaged in learning about each other and their daily activities,” Ms. Stewart said. ■
Virtus training sessions scheduled for diocesan parishes The Diocese of Knoxville’s program for the protection of children, youth, and vulnerable adults is offered throughout the diocese. These seminars are required for parish and school employees and regular volunteers who come in contact with children and vulnerable adults: St. Mary Church, Johnson City, 1 p.m. Saturday, April 14; 1 p.m. Saturday, June 9; Sacred Heart Cathedral, 6 p.m. Thursday, April 26; 6 p.m. Thursday, May 24; Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga, 1 p.m. Thursday, April 26; St. Dominic Church, Kingsport, 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 15; 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 11; 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12; 6 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 14. ■
St. Anne-Bristol hosts author Eric Litwin
TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C A T HO L I C
EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
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t. Anne School in Bristol, Va., on March 19 hosted author Eric Litwin, who led two assemblies for students. The first assembly was for preK through third grades, and the second was tailored to grades four through eight. During both assemblies he entertained teachers and students with stories and songs from his books. Participation was a key feature of both of his presentations since all of his books have songs and dances. Each presentation ended with a group dance led by Mr. Litwin. Mr. Litwin also visited preschool 3, preschool 4, kindergarten, and first-grade classrooms. In each room, he sang extra songs, tested out new stories, and read his books. Kindergartners presented him with a special book they created based on his Nut Family series. After visiting the classrooms he joined third-, fourth-, and fifthgraders at lunch. Books and music by Mr. Litwin,
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ather John Milewski, a priest of the Diocese of Knoxville who went on to serve outside the diocese in chaplaincy for many years, died Tuesday, March 20. He was 68. John Adolph Milewski was born the son of the late Dr. Edward W. Milewski and Lucille E. Kozlowski on Nov. 30, 1949, in Chicago. He was baptized at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church on Dec. 18, 1949. He was ordained to the diaconate Nov. 29, 1992, at Notre Dame Church in Greeneville and was ordained to the priesthood May 15, 1993, at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport by Bishop Anthony J. O’Connell. Father Milewski received a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy in 1971. He attended seminary at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis., and received a master of divinity degree in 1993. He served his first priestly assignments as associate pastor at Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville and Good Shepherd Parish in Newport before he was appointed administrator of Notre Dame in October 1994. In June 1995, he was appointed associate pastor of St. Mary in Oak Ridge. He was named pastor of St. Bridget in Dayton in August 1997. In June 2001, Father Milewski was appointed pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in Mountain City and as a chaplain at the James H. Quillen Mountain Home VA Medical Center in Johnson City. Father Milewski went on to serve as a priest chaplain under the Archdiocese for the Military Services for the Department of Veterans Affairs from June 2004 until his death. After leaving East Tennessee, he served as a fulltime clinical chaplain in Washington, D.C., where he was also lead chaplain for the Comprehensive Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He served on a variety of interdisciplinary treatment teams that worked with 120 patients. While in Washington, Father Milewski told The East Tennessee Catholic in 2005 that “the nice thing about being a chaplain is that there is no typical day.”
In the same interview, Father Milewski recalled following his father, Dr. Edward W. Milewski, on his hospital rounds as a youth. “I was doing hospital rounds at the age of 5,” Father Milewski said. He said he still recalled the bonds formed between doctor Fr. Milewski and patient in those days. “When you’re working with people who are sick, there is a different kind of connection formed,” he said. “People form a proprietary interest in each other, and the commonality became that the patients were important not just to my dad but to our whole family. We’d visit them in the hospital, and then if they died, as a family we’d go to the wake. “It wasn’t just disease-driven. There was a genuine sense of care going both ways from the doctor ’s family to the patient’s and from the patient’s to the doctor ’s family. That’s an old-fashioned model, and you don’t really find that anymore.” Following his service in Washington, Father Milewski was assigned as chief of the Chaplain Service at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center in Ohio. This assignment involved oversight of a multi-campus hospital with 12 community-based outpatient clinics. Father Milewski also was a Knight Commander in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre. The receiving of friends took place Tuesday, April 3, at Walters Funeral Home in LaFollette. The funeral Mass was celebrated Wednesday, April 4, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in LaFollette. Bishop Richard F. Stika presided, with Monsignor Bill Gahagan delivering the homily and Father Jim Harvey providing a reflection. Interment in Calvary Cemetery in Knoxville followed the funeral Mass. ■
Literary interaction Author Eric Litwin speaks to students at St. Anne School in Bristol on March 19. who is passionate about early literacy, challenge students and teachers to go beyond conventional ways of teaching, using rhythm, rhyme, joy, and prediction to engage students and teachers in what he calls Interactive Reading. ■
www.di o k no x .o rg
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