June 7, 2020, ET Catholic, B section

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE

B section

High school seniors reflect on an unusual year

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Jason called the experience “both unusual and challenging, yet positive as well.”

“Before spring break and the pandemic began, I was staying up all hours of the night to finish my work,” he said. “Without knowing it, there was a day I put on my uniform for the last time. For me, remote learning and being at home all the time has made finding silence and getting rest much easier. Even though both my parents have been working every day, I have been able to spend more time with them.

However, being alone most of the day has required more discipline on my part to stay motivated and engaged in my studies.”

Jason said “there is a facet of education that is, in my opinion, essential but extremely difficult to acquire when remote: a genuine connection with others.”

“Despite our remoteness, my school has found a way to provide this as well—through prayer and service,” he said. “After the tornado hit Chattanooga, remote learning

COURTESY OF SARAH EISELSTEIN

he coronavirus pandemic brought attending school to an early end this spring, and the impact may have been felt most by high school seniors.

Diocese of Knoxville seniors Sarah Eiselstein and Jason Oliver of Notre Dame High School and fellow Class of 2020 members Alexandra “Alex” Dally and Parker Griffey of Knoxville Catholic High School, representing their senior classmates, reflected on their unique senior years.

Sarah said the experience “is definitely different and not at all what I had imagined my senior year would be like.”

“It seems so strange that we left for spring break with all the hopes that we would be back in a week— and never returned,” she said. “It has been heartbreaking, knowing that we won’t have another class at the place we have spent our last four years. With that being said, I have loved having all this extra time spent with my family, knowing that I will be leaving for college in a few months.”

Special box for seniors Sarah Eiselstein proudly displays her surprise box delivered by Notre Dame High School librarian Becky Light (left) and science teacher Barbara McGirl.

By Dan McWilliams

STEPHANIE RICHER

The coronavirus forced them to finish their learning at home and miss proms and other events

Parade of seniors Knoxville Catholic High School seniors were treated to a drive-through parade on campus May 6. was suspended for a week to aid those affected. Because of this, I was feeling sluggish with little motivation to do anything, but at the same time, I felt awful for those who had lost their houses or been hurt. I reflected on the decisions throughout my high school career and the things I may have done differently.

“I sat down with my father because he could tell something was wrong, so I told him about the thoughts that were troubling me.

After offering words of comfort, he said, ‘Life is random; we have to look at it that way or we might not ever be happy. It’s really very simple; we just overcomplicate it.’ I then thought to ask, ‘If life’s so simple, why do we mess up so much?’ He said, ‘Because it’s simple!’ ‘Whoa,’ I thought, ‘all right, if countless people have no power and damaged houses and our school is offering their constant support, then the least I can do is find the motivation to complete my work to the best of my ability.’

“We were recently notified about a senior awards night video that the school put together and put on their website, and it was absolutely wonderful. The awards portion was very nice, but I think what everyone

savored the most was the slide show of pictures from our years together growing up. I couldn’t help but think how much can happen in that short amount of time, how much everyone can change. It was much too quick.

This experience brought us closer together without us even realizing it.”

Although many, if not most, public schools closed for the school year in March when public health experts warned of expanding coronavirus infections, the Diocese of Knoxville’s 10 schools continued teaching students via distance learning programs, where students were taught at their homes using Internet-based teaching tools.

Alex dubbed the coronavirus shutdown experience “very strange—I definitely miss all of my friends, teachers, and doing things in person, but I’ve really loved being at home and being able to do my work on my own time,” she said. “It’s given me more flexibility to practice music things, take other online courses, and spend time with my family. My dad’s job is located out of town, and it’s been awesome to have him home this whole time— otherwise I rarely get to see him!”

Parker used the words “rather Seniors continued on page B2

Robotics team uses 3D printing to aid health workers Special tensioners make mask-wearing more comfortable for those on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle

COURTESY OF PAM RHOADES

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n a time of pandemic, even a small piece of plastic can be a big act of charity.

The Knoxville Catholic High School robotics team, the Robotichauns, found a way to use its knowledge of technology and engineering to provide a bit of comfort for medical workers on the front lines of fighting COVID-19.

Doug Parris, who is the team mentor for the KCHS Robotichauns, had heard stories of the discomfort from the long-term wear of masks.

Mask strings rub against medical workers’ ears or slip when they adjust their glasses. Tensioners, small plastic strips, can hook the mask in the back, keeping it taut without straining the ears.

“I have friends that work in the medical field. When I learned about the mask tensioners, I asked my friends if they would be helpful. The reply was overwhelming in favor of us providing them,” he said.

Tony Spezia, a senior at KCHS planning to study mechanical engineering at the University of Tennessee in the fall, took the lead in using the Robotichauns’ 3D printer to produce tensioners.

“We started printing the tensioners when we saw that some doctors and nurses in the area were noting the discomfort that wearing a mask

Greater comfort A yellow tensioner printed by the KCHS Robotichauns makes mask-wearing easier for this health-care worker. all day caused, especially around the ears,” he said.

He explained that the process starts with a 3D model and inputting it into the “slicer,” which writes

instructions for the printer. The printer replicates the tensioner. The Robotichauns are using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a common thermoplastic polymer, because of

By Emily Booker

its strength and durability.

“Before this project, I had been printing parts for the robotics team throughout our competition season, so I was familiar with the process,” Tony said.

Using an open source file, they were able to produce a trial run of 60 tensioners that they delivered to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and the UT Cancer Institute.

As news of the project got out, requests started to come in. By the end of April, they had made and donated more than 500 tensioners to those on the front lines across the country.

With a little adaptation of the source file, they were able to print the letters “KCHS” and numbers “2393” (their robotics team number) on the tensioners, so people all over the country can know who made them. They also were able to adapt the tensioner to have an extra rung to better fit smaller heads.

“We have gotten feedback from medical workers that they have been working great and that their ears have been much more comfortable,” Tony said.

Mr. Parris concurred.

“Doctors and nurses with hearing aids and glasses love them, and they do not have to keep adjusting the Robotichauns continued on page B6

Congratulations to the Knoxville Catholic

Zoom! Although we aren’t able to go to school, having this platform makes ‘at home learning’ feel a little more normal.”

Jason called remote learning “an adjustment for both teachers and students.”

“However, after a couple weeks, all the teachers were assigning and asking that we upload our work through Microsoft Teams,” he said.

“This was the new platform and schedule for our learning, and it eventually became very routine.

Teachers would record themselves giving a lesson and had virtual office hours—times they’d be readily available for a call or message and to take care of any questions or other aid we needed. Every so often, we would have live classes that would occur at the times we might have had that class at school.

“For me, it was a psychology lecture, a yoga practice, or a debriefing before a biology quiz. Zoom calls were surely the highlight of every week, for teachers to help us catch up, review for exams, or just connect with friends. Our school put together many videos: one every Friday from our president, Mr. [George] Valadie, to offer hope and prayers.

Students and teachers would organize videos for the school to watch or participate in: ‘minute-to-winit’ competitions, arts and crafts, weekly Mass and rosary celebrated by [chaplain] Father [Christopher] Manning, and most recently, underclassmen and senior awards nights.”

Alex said that “until May 6, all of our classes were conducted online,

DAN MCWILLIAMS

sad” to describe the experience.

“When my principal, Mr. [Dickie] Sompayrac, came on the intercom to tell us we would get the day off in order to prepare for at-home learning, I had an idea of what was to come.

However, I never knew the extent of how much our lives were going to change,” he said. “I hated being away from all of my friends and teachers at school. I never thought I would miss the simple luxury of being able to hang out in the hallways between classes with all my friends.

“The worst part was missing the adventures every other senior class before us had the opportunity to embark on, such as: my final baseball season, senior retreat, and prom. Every ‘game day’ I was supposed to have was a painful reminder of the senior experience I was supposed to have. Although it was not all bad: I’m happy we have the chance to have a graduation ceremony in June, as well as the fact I got to spend more time with my family.

But, this is a year I will regretfully never forget.”

As the seniors at Notre Dame and Knoxville Catholic continued to learn by attending class virtually, they were able to complete their senior year academically.

“At Notre Dame, we have been using Microsoft Teams to do all of our classwork,” Sarah said. “My classes have consisted of video lectures, PowerPoint notes, online quizzes, and even tests. We have Zoom meetings so that we can see our classmates and teachers, and I even got to attend yoga class on

Say ‘hi’ Knoxville Catholic seniors wave to onlookers in the parade on campus May 6.

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COURTESY OF SARAH EISELSTEIN

Seniors continued from page B1

Senior duo Jason Oliver and Sarah Eiselstein of Notre Dame High School offered their reflections on their senior year in the story that begins on page B1. as well as counselor advising and senior spotlight events (academic signing day, etc.). Several classes simply posted assignments for us to complete and submit, while others hosted online meetings through Teams to review material, troubleshoot how everything was going, and prepare for AP exams.”

Parker was able to do “all my homework and class notes on my computer.”

“Knoxville Catholic High School has class meeting days every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,” he said. “In most classes, they handed us work to do or had us do homework every class-meeting day.

Teachers did try their best to allow students to learn the material as closely to regular class as possible.”

The suspension of in-school attendance forced the cancellation of spring sports and that most quintessential of high school events: the prom.

“I had not bought a prom dress, but many of my friends had and are trying to sell them due to the cancellation of prom,” Sarah said.

One sense of normalcy remains:

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each high school is having a graduation ceremony. Notre Dame’s graduation is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, June 27, at Eberle Field on the NDHS campus (weather permitting; otherwise it will be in the Jim D. Phifer Gymnasium on campus). Knoxville Catholic’s commencement will be held at 8 p.m. Friday, June 19, at Blaine Stadium on campus.

“The fact that we are still having a graduation ceremony is really exciting to me,” Sarah said. “Graduation is something you look forward to all year! I think it gives us a way to finalize our senior year in a bittersweet way. At Notre Dame, our graduation has been moved to the football field, and I find it special that our school is doing all they can to give us this special day, despite all the other changes this year.”

Graduation “helps bring back some normalcy for sure,” Jason said.

“Mr. Valadie had continuously promised the seniors that Notre Dame would hold a graduation ceremony for us. At first, he couldn’t tell us when it would be, but it helped tremendously to know that it Seniors continued on page B3 TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

and Notre Dame high schools’ class of 2020 notre dame high school class of 2019-2020 Mirelly Acosta, Marina Avendano – Rubi, Emma Bain, Nora Bauer, Lauren Bird

Jason Oliver, Valentina Rosellini, Jeffrey Watkins, Lane Widerkehr, Casey Scire

Julian Bonds, Antonio Bonner, Anna Booker, Chandler Brady, Jacob Brigman

Averie Sheppard, Cara Smith, Ryan Signiski, Bradley Summitt, Jazzmyne Watkins

Dallas Brown, Saylor Brown, Lucy Bruce, Sloane Burgess, Lane Cannon

Lauren Stevens, Lilly Schafluetzel, Alex Turley, Joseph Reddick, Hugh Robinson

Evan Cheney, Gabe Davis, Sofia Dobson, Ashlynn Dumsday, Maddie Eagle

Sean Seiner, Makenzie Sims, Dru Schenk, Brenna Scott, Jenny Swope

McKinsey Eaves, Freddie Ellis, Dilon Farmer, Sandra Flores, Kate Ford

Anna Qualey, Urvi Patel, Andrew Nguyen, Alex Parvin, Sohee Myung

Tad Ervin, Sarah Eiselstein, Isabella Gearinger, Kathleen Hillman, Brenden Greene

Holly Monroe, Izzy Lewis, Rehgan Lovelace, Ian Naessig, Kyle Parker

Hunter Hill, Cole LeSar, Elizabeth Lenhart, Andres Lee, Liam Keir

Glory Perry, Bernard Lisy, Trey Patterson, Kevin Perez, Reeve Mullinax

Mason Jurka, Charles Hoang, Jane Haywood, Grace Hill, Caleb Harrigan

Will Marsh, Carlos Perez, Jolie McGann, Domenic Mariani, William Meagher

sonal handwritten notes from Mr. Valadie and some of our teachers, honors cords, tassel, and our cap and gown. Seeing one of my favorite teachers at the door made me feel incredibly special and reminded me how much I love my school and its sense of family.”

Knoxville Catholic seniors were given a celebratory drive-through car parade on campus May 6.

“The parade was so much fun!”

Alex said. “I’m actually captain of the drumline, and we got permission to grab our drums and play for the seniors—so what would’ve been our tradition of playing at lunch on the seniors’ last day became playing for the senior parade (and of course I had everyone wear masks and stand spaced apart outside!). It was great to get to do our ‘one last thing’ as this year’s drumline!”

Parker said “the parade of seniors was a very fun idea.”

“It was fun to be able to go through the line with everyone cheering for you, and overall it was a great experience,” he said. “I would not say it was a really emotional experience for me, but it did give me a sinking feeling of a final goodbye.”

Sarah plans on attending college at the University of Kentucky and studying nursing.

Jason will attend Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business and major in business administration.

Alex will attend the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and major in percussion performance with theater, leadership, and business minors.

Parker will attend UTK and do the pre-med track to “become some sort of doctor. My major is not yet decided.”

Besides losing the prom, the seniors were unable to participate in a number of other events.

Go, seniors! Parade-goers show their enthusiasm for Knoxville Catholic seniors.

“I had decided to be in the school play this spring,” Sarah said. “We were going to be performing High School Musical, but due to the outbreak our play was canceled.”

Jason said he “greatly missed playing bass during Mass this last quarter, service at Clifton Hills Food Bank, our last Games Day, and of course, our senior prom.”

Alex lost out on a number of events in her senior spring.

“The biggest thing for me was the postponing of Catholic’s spring musical. This is my second show as music director with the KCHS Theatre Co., and I poured so much work (though it doesn’t seem like work because I loved every second) into this year’s production of Little Women, and we had almost made it to tech week,” she said. “It was amazing to see the group of musicians I was working with for the pit orchestra grow from the beginning of January to where we ended up with rehearsals, and I’m really sad that hard work and amazing musicality most likely won’t get to be showcased.

“Even if the musical is done over the summer, it’s very unlikely that everyone from the original pit orchestra would be available for the new dates. Theater is so important

to me—even though I just got involved during junior year, it has become my true passion and what I’m really striving to do for the rest of my life! Other things I wasn’t able to do included All-State (percussion), my final Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra concert, the KCHS band spring concert, various spring percussion events, and my senior trip to New York City to see Beetlejuice the Musical three times.”

Parker was unable to play baseball for the Fighting Irish this spring.

“Overall, I think that was the worst part of my high school closing down. I miss the family bond I created with my team,” he said. “I miss the game-day feeling in every class and the excitement it brought. I miss the pregame meals where everyone could just joke around and relax. I miss playing third base and looking to my left and seeing my players right next to me. I miss the feeling of squaring up the baseball and knowing it’s hit very far.

“Finally, I miss celebrating a win with my friends. These are the simple pleasures of playing high school baseball I will miss the most. Being a part of Knoxville Catholic High School baseball changed my life forever.” n

BILL BREWER

DAN MCWILLIAMS

was ultimately going to happen,” he said. “Of course, the end of the year has been like no other, but having that knowledge that we’ll be together again helps me remember all the things we were able to do our senior year: retreats, house competitions and events, homecoming dance, and every single day in class, which we never thought we’d miss so much.

It’s not the same as it would have been, but that goes for everything else I think.”

Alex said graduation “somewhat” fails to completely alter her senior year.

“I’m really glad we’ll get to be honored in person and see everyone again, but it’s definitely still weird that we didn’t get to physically be at school for the last few months of high school,” she said.

Parker said “the graduation ceremony has certainly given me a little closure with the loss of my senior year. I am very happy for being able to be with all of my classmates for one final farewell.”

Notre Dame staff made the seniors’ stay-at-home experience more pleasant with a special act.

“At Notre Dame, we had surprise packages delivered to each senior’s home by faculty members,” Sarah said. “The packages contained handwritten letters, our cap and gown, rosaries, senior T-shirts, and advice for college from our teachers.

This was one of my favorite memories from all of Notre Dame because it was so special!”

Each senior “was truly surprised to receive a wrapped gift box (Irishthemed of course), which was delivered right to our homes—in a socially distant manner—by one of our teachers,” Jason said.

“In the box, we found cookies,” he said, “a rosary, used to pray specifically for us and blessed by Father Manning, our 2020 class T-shirt, per-

STEPHANIE RICHER

Seniors continued from page B2

Banner year There’s no doubt what class is represented in this car during the KCHS senor parade.

TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

A note for her teachers A KCHS senior in the parade has a nice message for her teachers.

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JUNE 7, 2020 n B3

Parish notes

The parish congratulated its high school and university and tech-school graduates. High school graduates were Melena Amato, Dylan Ayala Reteria, Samuel Lauterbach, Cesar Mireles, and Manuel Zavala. College grads were Dante Michaud from Tennessee Wesleyan University and Raymond Trembley from Tennessee College of Applied Technology.

St. Mary Parish saluted the recipients of its St. Mary Scholarship: Dylan Ayala Reteria, Madlen Conley, Noah Dahle, Makinley Fillyaw, Rylan Fugate, Haley Land, Addison Liner, Victor Medrano, Madison Miner, Stacy Mora, Connor O’Malley, Hailey Parente, Cabrina Pascarella, Katie-Grace Reynolds, Evelyn Sandoval, Miguel Silva, Manuel Zavala First communicant: Sophia Morr St. Stephen, Chattanooga St. Stephen congratulated its high school graduates: Micah Ireland (salutatorian), Red Bank High School; Mason Henry Jurka, Notre Dame High School; and Abby Nunley, Thelonious James Parkey, and Olivia Christine Snuggs, East Hamilton High School.

Anniversaries: Ivka and Jozo Mrkonjic (67), Dr. Andres and Dr. Hilda Alisago (55), William and Mary Apps (51), Don and Betty Manes (40), Donnie and Roxanna Freeman (35), Michael and Jo Anne Jobe (35), Rick and Nancy Powell (35), Jerry and Gena Nunley (30), Jonathan and Micheline Parkey (25) St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Cleveland Amanda Henderson will begin as the parish’s new fulltime youth minister July 1. She has been working in parish youth ministry in the Chattanooga Deanery for the past five years.

Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga The basilica hosted a virtual piano concert on April 15 by Father Valentin Iurochkin, who is currently in residence at Sts. Peter and Paul.

Father David Carter, rector of the basilica, hosted a virtual entertainment night April 22: a comedy routine, “Father Knows Best: A ‘Dad Joke’ Night,” with him and a couple of parishioner dads (Dan Pacitti and Terry Jones) tuned in virtually.

Parish organist Andrea Tierney gave a mini-organ recital, “From the Heart of a Parish Organist,” on the basilica’s historic pipe organ April 29. The 20-minute recital featured “elevations”

by Frescobaldi, Zipoli, and Benoit: meditative pieces originally composed to be played during the elevations of the Precious Body and Blood of Jesus at the consecration. Ms. Tierney closed the recital with pieces that showcased some of the colorful stops on the organ.

Father Carter gave a virtual tour of the basilica on May 6, following the ninth anniversary May 3 of the dedication of Sts. Peter and Paul as a minor basilica.

Mass schedule: 5:30 p.m. Saturday vigil, English ordinary form (spoken); 7 a.m. Sunday, Spanish ordinary form (spoken); 9 a.m. Sunday, English ordinary form (sung); 11:30 a.m. Sunday, extraordinary form (Latin, sung); 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Spanish ordinary form (sung); 7 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, English ordinary form (spoken); noon Monday through Friday, English ordinary form (spoken).

Morning prayer: 7:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.

Latin Vespers: 5 p.m. daily (Saturday at 6:30 p.m.).

Confessions: 11 a.m to noon daily or by appointment.

Adoration: 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. on first Fridays.

Five Rivers Deanery​ Holy Trinity, Jefferson City The parish congratulated its high school and college graduates. Graduating from high school were Jomarie Duites and Sarah Hawkins. College graduates are Jenna Mynatt, from Middle Tennessee State University with a bachelor of science degree in outdoor recreation administration, and Jessica Mynatt, from East Tennessee State University with a master of arts degree in teaching.

Parishioners are collecting “Change for Life” in a baby-bottle drive that supports Life Outreach Center in Jefferson City. The collection began on Mother’s Day and concludes on Father’s Day, June 21.

Holy Trinity’s bi-annual rummage sale is set for Oct. 30-31. Items may be dropped off at the church beginning Oct. 25.

CECILIA APARICIO-RASCON

St. Mary, Athens

ordinary form Mass like the other daily Masses. Also, the daily morning prayer and evening prayer and weekday confession times are now established:

Choosing life From left are Peggy Burnett, pro-life representative at St Mary Parish; Julie Ladd, executive director of the Full Circle Medical Center for Woman; and Father John Orr, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Athens.

Athens Knights provide new ultrasound machine for Full Circle Medical Center

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he Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative aims to help abortion-minded women choose life by viewing their unborn children on ultrasound machines.

Lawrence Roussell Knights Council 8396 at St. Mary Parish in Athens, with help from a pious benefactor, pooled monies raised from a pancake breakfast with a matching grant from the Supreme Council Culture of Life Fund to buy a new Esaotate MyLabSigma ultrasound machine with both 2D and 3D capability for the Full Circle Medical Center for Women in Athens.

Full Circle has a strong Christian ethos, not only with its concern for the dignity and worth of all life, born and unborn, but it also venerates the Holy Trinity, the inspired Word of God found in sacred Scripture together with other core beliefs enumerated in its “statement of faith.”

Following a state council meeting of the Knights of Columbus in Tennessee in May 2018, Pat

Anniversaries: Ken and Karen Booker (64), Jim and Lillian Katzbeck (62), James and Margaret Ray (61), Joe and Betty Jo Lavelle (59), George and Jane Lane (57), Dan and Marion Byron (55), Gordon and Kathy Marshall (55), James and Mary Cavanaugh (53), William and Nancy Chereb (52), Alan and Rhea Palmieri (51), Jim and Therese Shannon (51), Hal and Trish Morrill (45), David and Deanna Bednarzyk (35), Bob and Pam Rowland (35), Thomas and Jessica Richards (30), Jeff and Stephanie Pardue (15), Joe and Nichole Zabel (15)

Schwartz made initial contact with Julie Ladd. Ms. Ladd serves as the executive director of the Full Circle Medical Center. In the fall of 2019, Father John Orr, pastor of St. Mary in Athens, was made aware of the need for a new ultrasound machine

by Orville Fisher of All Saints Parish Council 15706 in Knoxville.

Father Orr was able to coordinate with Lou Dionne, Grand Knight, and Mr. Schwartz, council faith director and faithful navigator of Assembly 3680, on the initiative.

Diocese of Knoxville vice chancellor for administration Paul Simoneau signed off on the project on Feb. 25. When State Deputy Michael R. McCusker signed off on the project on March 5, he commented that while the average has been one ultrasound machine purchased by the Knights every five years in Tennessee, this may be the sixth machine this year.

The new ultrasound machine was to arrive from Italy in early May, providing a window to the womb. n

Baptism: Hazel Scarlet Oatney, daughter of Deacon David and Nicol Oatney Newcomers: Cesar and Maria Bedoya; Brenda Galvan; Omar, Luz, Jomarie, and Rodneil Duites Notre Dame, Greeneville

COURTESY OF FATHER JULIUS ABUH (2)

Chattanooga Deanery

With blood supplies running short during the coronavirus pandemic, Notre Dame hosted a blood drive in the parish hall weekdays from May 4-15.

St. Patrick, Morristown

The basilica’s “Quarantine Quartet” presented “Sacred Songs of Paschal-​ tide” on May 13. The program included sacred polyphony, choral hymns, and an aria from Handel’s Messiah.

The basilica has a new Mass schedule that began with the resumption of public Masses on May 31 to better balance its attendance. All of the regular Sunday Mass times that were offered before the suspension of public Masses will resume, but the parish is adding another Mass in Spanish at 7 a.m. Also, the 11:30 a.m. Sunday Mass is changing to an extraordinary-form Latin sung Mass (Missa Cantata) every Sunday.

The parish will no longer offer the fourth Sunday Missa Cantata. The basilica is going forward with this schedule as a trial for the summer but may adopt it for the long term if it proves to meet the needs of the parish and its three communities. Another change to note is that the Monday 7 a.m. Mass, which had been started as a Low Mass in the ancient form, will now be an English B4 n JUNE 7, 2020

The parish congratulated its high school and its college and medical-school graduates. High school grads are Dalton Miksa, Carly McKenna, Timothy G. Healy, Zachary Christensen, Angel Flynn, Christian Yates, Bryan EsquivelSosa, Stephen Solórzano, Christopher Verzosa, Nathan Sia, and Bianca Diaz from Morristown West High School; Darlin Navarro-Monterrosas, Haidee Gonzalez Merchant, Luceli De La Cruz, Jennifer De La Cruz, Jimmy Tellez, Juan Zuniga, Sierra Garcia, Gustavo Rafael, and Devaughntez Vazquez from Morristown East High School; Sahira Maldonado, Sarah Tollefson, Abbigale Zander, Diana Ortiz, Tristan Calfee, and Nicanor Pasaye-Molina from Jefferson County High School; and Brandon Pocklington from Cherokee High School.

College and medical-school grads are Dr. Megan McGarel, Abigael McGarel, Patrick Jacobs, Sara Spain, Yessica Lopez, Dr. Hanna Mullins, and Kate Zander. n

Father Abuh conducts ‘street blessing ministry’ Father Julius Abuh, pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville, conducted a Divine Mercy Sunday “street blessing ministry” April 18 and 19.

Together with server Jack Croker, Father Abuh blessed the major jurisdictions of his parish with the Blessed Sacrament. Where parishioners were waiting for Our Lord, the two stopped to bless them.

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TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

NOTE: Because of the coronavirus pandemic, numerous events around the diocese have been canceled or postponed. The events below were still scheduled to take place as of press time; however, those planning to attend/participate should contact the event organizers or visit their websites to make sure the event will be held.

The second annual Call to Love marriage conference is set for Saturday, July 18, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM, director of the diocesan Office of Christian Formation, will give three talks on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” and how better understanding the teaching can enrich one’s marriage. Cost is $25 per couple (lunch included), and each couple will receive a discount coupon for the Paraclete Catholic Books and Gifts store. Registration/payment is due by Friday, July 10. To register by mail, send a check to the Diocese of Knoxville, Attention: Karen Byrne, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919. Register online at tinyurl.com/ DoK-Call-to-Love-20. For more information, contact Mrs. Byrne at 865584-3307 or kbyrne@dioknox.org.

The 2020 Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Convention has been postponed to Oct. 22-24. The 31st annual event is hosted by the Five Rivers Deanery CCW at the Best Western Plus Morristown Convention Center and at St. Patrick Church in Morristown. The convention theme is “Mary’s Fiat, Our Yes: A Vision for the Future.” Patricia Livingston, Sonja Corbitt, and Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM, will be the convention’s speakers. Early registration is $115, which includes meals. Deadline is Sept. 25.

Contact Susan Collins at 423-4702560 or scollins51@hotmail.com or Kathy DeAngelis at 423-277-6296 or krdeangelis@yahoo.com for details about hotel arrangements or about the convention. More information and registration forms may be found at http:// kdccw.org/conventions.html.

The current project of the beautification committee of Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chattanooga is to purchase and install a sign. This is a costly project; send donations to: Ladies of Charity, 2821 Rossville Blvd., Chattanooga, TN 37407. Make checks payable to “Mount Olivet Cemetery Beautification.”

By Don Clemmer/Catholic News Service

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uilting used to be a big deal across Perry County in eastern Kentucky, but over the years and from one generation to the next, the craft of making quilts has fallen out of practice.

“A lot of that is dying, because people haven’t continued it,” said Lori Helfrich, parish life director at Mother of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Hazard, Ky. The same could be said of farming and gardening in the area. The lack of families who grow at least some of their own foods is one of numerous factors contributing to widespread food insecurity in the area.

Some churches have responded with programs to feed hungry people but in a largely scattered and uncoordinated way. Recognizing the challenge of hunger, Helfrich and other faith leaders stepped up to create what is in effect a quilt of their own out of the patchwork of services as they develop a plan to cover the chasm of need.

“You have to be creative about it,” Helfrich told Cross Roads, the magazine of the Diocese of Lexington, Ky. “How do you encourage people to come together? ... You have to build relationships between people who don’t normally interact.”

So last fall, Helfrich and collaborators from across different Christian denominations and secular groups organized the Food and Faith Summit, an effort to get the faith leaders on the same page and start building on existing programs.

“We still have a lot of folks who need food assistance to make ends meet, but there seem to be fewer resources now to help them,” said Jennifer Weeber, Northfork local food coordinator for the Community Farm Alliance, which promotes grassroots agriculture and works with local farmers’ markets. “We have a lot of people going hungry, (who) are not certain where their next meal is coming from, and who are having to make the difficult choice between food and medicine, food and rent, food and utilities.”

Helfrich said the area’s deep poverty is rooted in different factors.

“You have people who have jobs, but they’re not paying enough to be living on. If you’re a single parent, you might be working three jobs, but you still might not be able to cover what you need to,” she said.

Helfrich also cited the widespread role of drug and alcohol addiction.

“It’s in nearly every family, because

Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga is currently accepting applications for the 2020-21 academic year.

Visit www.myndhs.com to apply online and view important upcoming events.

Call Laura Goodhard at 423-624-4618 with any questions.

St. Jude School in Chattanooga is currently accepting applications for grades PK3 through eight for the 2020-21 school year. To learn more or schedule a tour, contact Kathie Preston at 423-877-6022 or prestonk@ mysjs.com.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga is currently accepting applications for grades pre-kindergarten through eight for the 2020-21 school year. To learn more, contact Teresa Hennen at 423-622-1481 or teresahennen@myolph.com or visit school.myolph.com.

The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend is set for June 26-28 in Atlanta. Apply online at GATN-wwme.org or call 678-242WWME. Also, WWME has a focused program for couples with a spouse in the military. Information can be found at www.foryourmilitarymarriage.com.

Father Michael Cummins of St. Dominic Church in Kingsport will lead a pilgrimage to Yellowstone National Park from Oct. 11-16. The days will consist of wildlife viewing, Mass, retreat talks, and prayer opportunities. Cost is $1,995 (airfare not included). For more information, contact the St. Dominic office at 423288-8101 or stdomchurch@aol.com.

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

The St. Thomas the Apostle Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Mission located at 2304 Ault Road, Knoxville, TN 37914 meets for Divine Liturgy every first, second, and fourth Sunday at 3 p.m.

All services are in English. Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865-621-8499 or visit www.facebook.com/SaintThomasKnoxville/ for details. n

Feeding the needy Lori Helfrich and Emily Whitaker of Hazard, Ky., are seen in this undated photo. it’s available and it’s a numbing of the other issues that people are facing,” she said. The addictions make it difficult for people to pass a drug test, a requirement of many employers.

Also contributing is the legacy of strip mining in the area, which “strips the land of everything and any topsoil,” Helfrich said. “That adds to food insecurity.”

And most recently, there’s the impact of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

“Food security was precarious here before the pandemic, and now the problem becomes exacerbated,” Helfrich said. “The most vulnerable populations are hit hardest when something like this unexpected happens. All of this ties together with care for our common home and ‘Laudato Si.’” After last fall’s summit, Helfrich and her allies established the Food and Faith Coalition. The organization is seeking funding for some of its initiatives, which often draw on the values expressed by Pope Francis in his 2015 encyclical on integral ecology, ‘Laudato Si,’ on Care for Our Common Home.”

“We’re trying to link all these things,” said Emily Whitaker, a Presbyterian and one of Helfrich’s collaborators. “I love being involved in all of these projects.”

Whitaker, who moved onto her parents’ nearby property after their death, has overseen a farmers’ market for several years. She also has helped organize dinners that introduce residents to locally grown foods and recipes derived from them.

“We can talk all day about having foods at the farmers’ market, but if people don’t buy them and put them in their mouth, it’s not going to help,” Whitaker said. “You can be one of the people that helps that farmer continue their work and increase that amount of local food that’s available.” n Don Clemmer is managing editor of Cross Roads, the magazine of the Diocese of Lexington.

COURTESY OF NANCY POWELL (4)

Join the Catholic Marriage Summit, a free online event open to all couples, on June 11-13 and hear from 60-plus couples along with the top marriage

experts in the world discussing practical tips on dealing with the real issues couples face every day. Register online at https://www.joyfuleverafter.org/ catholic-marriage-summit-2020.

CNS PHOTO/DON CLEMMER

Multidenominational Food and Faith Summit helps hungry in eastern Kentucky

Calendar

St. Stephen celebrates Father Pérez’s 15th anniversary On May 24, following the noon livestreamed Mass, the parish community at St. Stephen in Chattanooga celebrated its pastor, Father Manuel Pérez, with a parade for his 15th anniversary as a priest. Practicing their social distancing, parishioners secretly decorated their cars and lined up for the parade. When Mass was over, Father Christopher Manning, who was in on the secret, led Father Pérez out the side door to the portico, where the parade began with “the pope” (a Pope Francis cutout in a car) and followed with many horns honking, music playing, and lots of fun and laughter. Father Pérez was definitely surprised and thoroughly enjoyed himself at the event. At the end of the parade, Father Pérez said, “I was really surprised by them—I had no idea. It is wonderful despite our pandemic that the community supports priests and is with them on this special day. This is my family, wonderful, surprising. Hey—what else can I ask for? Thank you! Gracias!”

15 years a priest Father Manuel Pérez was ordained a priest on May 28, 2005, in Cuchicuato, Guanajuato, Mexico

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JUNE 7, 2020 n B5

Bishop Stika celebrates Easter vigil Mass Bishop Richard F. Stika presided at the Easter vigil Mass on April 11 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Concelebrating were cathedral rector Father David Boettner and Father Martin Gladysz of the cathedral. Assisting were Deacon Walt Otey and seminarian Wojciech Sobczuk. With churches still closed to the public at the time, the Mass was livestreamed on the dioknox.org and cathedral websites.

Donald and Mary Lou Wiskow n of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary June 18.

They were married at St. Charles Borromeo Church in St. Charles, Minn., with Father Roy Literski officiating.

Their children are: Kelly (Tom) Corrigan of Waterbury, Conn; Karen (Curtis) Buhman, of St. Louis Park, Minn.; Julie (Dan) Wink, of Maple Grove, Minn.; and Joanne ( Paul) Rud of Drapes, Utah; and they have eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Mr. Wiskow retired from H.B. Fuller Co. in St. Paul, Minn., and Mrs. Wiskow from Motion Technology Inc. in St. Paul. They moved to the Glade in December 2001.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, a family gathering planned for June in Nashville and Fairfield Glade has been postponed, but the family hopes to resume it at a later date.

St. Francis of Assisi Parish in n Fairfield Glade congratulates Bernard and Stasia LeFrancois, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary June 13. They were married in Albany, N.Y. Their daughter, Janine Renee Bellow, lives in Kokomo, Ind., and they have five grandchildren and four step-grandchildren, as well as three great-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren.

Mr. LeFrancois was a New York state government employee, and Mrs. LeFrancois retired from accounting and floral-design careers.

They moved to the Glade in 2004.

A river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam in June was planned but because of COVID-19 it has been canceled.

St. Francis of Assisi Parish in n Fairfield Glade congratulates Greg and Jenny Pehler, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary May 16. They were married at St. Rose Church in Milwaukee with Father Robert Murphy officiating.

Their children are Karen HarB6 n JUNE 7, 2020

rington of Franklin, Wis., and Kevin Pehler of Oconomowoc, Wis., and they have four grandchildren.

Mr. Pehler retired from USBA and Mrs. Pehler from nursing, and they moved to the Glade in 2010.

They will celebrate their anniversary with family.

Dennis and Rosemarie Robak of n St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary May 16. They were married at Our Lady Gate of Heaven Church in Detroit with Father Cletus Suttman officiating.

The couple’s children are: Maribeth (Brian) Wolverton of Lima, Ohio, and Karen (Taras) Terleckyj of Brownstown, Mich., and they have four grandchildren.

Mr. Robak retired from the Ford Motor Co. after 35 years in Dearborn, Mich., and Mrs. Robak was an RN for 30 years at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn and eight years at Good Samaritan in Fairfield Glade.

They moved to the Glade in 1999.

They will celebrate their anniversary at a later date.

Both daughters followed their mother’s career in nursing; Maribeth is a registered occupational therapist, and Karen is an RN-BSN. St. Francis of Assisi Parish in n Fairfield Glade congratulates Joseph (Norm) Charest and Judy Soroka Charest on their 60th wedding anniversary May 28. They were married at the Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, Mich., with Father Walter D. Bracken officiating.

Their children are Ted of Winston-Salem, N.C.; Tim (deceased); and Kathy Marvinetz of Chesterfield, Mich.; and they have seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Mr. Charest retired from General Motors TEC Center in Warren, Mich., and Mrs. Charest is a selfemployed artist. They moved to the Glade in 1999. They will celebrate their 60th anniversary at another date. n

COURTESY OF TONY SPEZIA

Couples at St. Francis of Assisi in Fairfield Glade celebrate anniversaries

‘A great way to teach kids about community . . .’ A Knoxville Catholic 3D printer rolls out new tensioners to use on face masks.

Robotichauns continued from page B1

masks or their glasses.

Nurses with ears bleeding from wearing the masks all day have seen great relief from wearing them. [The tensioners] fit all the different masks being designed and used. We also hear they are easy to sanitize,” he said.

The robotics team at KCHS competes annually in an organization called FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

Teams are given a challenge and then build and program robots to complete that challenge. The challenges enhance not just engineering and math skills but problem solving

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and self-confidence.

“Normally this time of year we would be competing in regional competitions,” Mr. Parris said several weeks ago. “We would also be working on improvements to our robot and teaching the younger members of our team.”

But with school closed and competitions canceled, Mr. Parris was glad to see students still working hard and developing their skills to help others.

Robotics teams across the country have answered the call to help during the pandemic.

And while the 3D printed tensioners are

only small pieces of plastic, they make a big difference to the medical professionals and front-line workers using them.

“I think it is a great way to teach kids about community and societal responsibility,” Mr. Parris said. “One of the great things about FIRST robotics is their push to teach kids about helping those in need.

“Tony, who has been in our program since his freshman year, is a great example.

His Catholic faith has taught him that he has God-given gifts, and his way to honor God is to use those gifts to better those in need.” n

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Catholic schools

Knoxville Catholic High School names new girls soccer head coach its best rankings in the university’s history, finishing the season ranked No. 6 in 2017 and No. 4 in 2018.

“I am honored for this opportunity to lead such a storied program” Mr. McNally said. “The caliber of individual and athlete present at Knoxville Catholic is outstanding, and I consider it a privilege to continue the facilitation of a program that breeds such excellence. I look forward to seeing what the Lady Irish will bring to the field this season.”

A Joplin, Mo., native, Mr. McNally enjoyed a stellar playing career at Johnson, where he was a first team all-conference selection three consecutive years and an integral part of the first two regional-championship teams in school history that advanced to the national tournament.

He and his wife, Amy, and 10-month-old daughter, Finley, live in Knoxville with their two German Shepherds. n

KATHY RANKIN

COURTESY OF DARCY WELCH

COURTESY OF CAROLINE CARLIN

COURTESY OF NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL (3)

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ason McNally has been announced as the new head coach of the Knoxville Catholic High School girls soccer program, according to athletics director Jason Surlas.

The spot was vacated when previous coach Vahan Janoyan resigned this past winter.

“We are excited to add someone of Coach McNally’s exceptional character and experience coaching in the soccer arena, more specifically on the girls’ side of the game,” Mr. Surlas said.

Mr. McNally most recently coached the women’s soccer program at Johnson University in Knoxville (his alma mater), where he spent time as an assistant before being promoted to head coach.

The team during his seven seasons secured four consecutive regional championship appearances, and five players earned All-American honors in six years. As head coach, Mr. McNally led the team to two of

East Tennessee Catholic students learn from home While public schools were closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Diocese of Knoxville Catholic Schools remained open through distance learning. Students at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga, St. Mary School in Oak Ridge, and St. Joseph School in Knoxville were among those continuing their learning at home. In the top photo, OLPH first-grader Julienne Walker interacts on the computer with teacher Jenny Jones. In the center photo, St. Mary eighth-grade student Olivia Fellers joins her class online from home. At bottom, St. Joseph teacher Katie Drakos receives homework from student Jade Randle.

KCHS holds fourth athletic signing day

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ecause of the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine, Knoxville Catholic High School was unable to host its fourth signing-day ceremony of the 2019-20 school year.

The school formally announced the names of six student-athletes who have committed to sign letters of intent: • Davis Clem, Savannah College of Art and Design, tennis (see story on

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page B10); • Anika Van Buskirk, Erskine College, lacrosse; • Annalise Weedman, Centre College, soccer; • Major Hollin, Maryville College, baseball; • Nick Harpst, Roane State Community College, baseball; • Cody Duncan, Virginia Tech, football (preferred walk-on). n

Solo ceremony Kyle Parker (top) stands with Notre Dame High School president George Valadie after receiving his diploma May 27.

Special graduation ceremony held for Notre Dame High’s Kyle Parker

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special, socially distant graduation ceremony was held May 27 for Notre Dame High School senior Kyle Parker.

Notre Dame president George Valadie and a group of teachers took part in a commencement service for Kyle in the NDHS auditorium.

Kyle will not be able to graduate with his senior class later this summer because, as a member of the Army Reserves, he will be going through Army Reserves training at Fort Leonard Wood in mid-June before beginning classes at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga this fall.

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Mr. Valadie commented on social media that he and Notre Dame High School are “forever indebted to Kyle and all who serve.”

Notre Dame chaplain Father Christopher Manning gave the invocation at Kyle’s graduation. The diploma was presented by Laura Swenson, academic dean, and John Mullin, dean of students. Director of admissions Laura Goodhard also inducted Kyle into the Alumni Association.

Jeff McIntosh, band director and chair of the Fine Arts Department, played both “Pomp and Circumstance” as Kyle entered and the National Anthem. n JUNE 7, 2020 n B7

Praying for Perspective

by George Valadie

Thank God almighty—schools are looking to reopen ‘Schools weren’t built to be empty, and fields and gyms and theaters weren’t erected to stand silent’

I

don’t know about your world but I think things in mine are actually getting a little better.

I think.

After all, it is still 2020. Don’t want to jinx anything.

Though only in her early 40s, our oldest daughter, Katy, is one of those folks who lives life in the “pretty susceptible” category; immuno-suppressed is, I believe, the technical term.

A Crohn’s sufferer for many years, a brilliant surgeon—and her daily meds combined to return to her the sort of life she thought she’d lost.

But as often happens, the longterm medication also weakens the immune system. It’s a trade-off she’s welcomed. But from day one of this pandemic, she’s had no choice but to be very, very careful.

Like many, for these last three months she’s not been inside a store or a restaurant. She’s barely left her home—neither have her children. Her husband was assigned shopping and carry-outdinner and margarita-retrieval duties, after which she douses him in a variety of disinfectants—a lesson she learned from her mother.

It took a while, but she finally conceded to a weekly “happy hour” of sorts with her sister, her sister’s boyfriend, and her mother and me. We all gathered in her cul-de-sac, safely and socially distanced, sitting in the street each in our own lawn chairs, sipping on an afternoon libation, and catching up on each other’s lives.

It was so much better than Zooming them!

At our first outing, we’d been there a bit when nature called,

The plans we’re piecing together now don’t resemble any we’ve compiled before. We’re rethinking and gearing up for school ‘the old-fashioned way’ . . . we’re dreaming of the sort of school where we try to keep 400 teenagers six feet apart. and I asked permission to use her bathroom. Seemed like the polite thing to do.

“Don’t even think about it,” she fired back. “You’re not coming in my house.”

“But I’m not kidding, I really have to go.”

“Look down there, Dad,” as she pointed at the construction port-opotty a block away, “They’re gone for the day; they won’t mind.”

With a look of incredulity on my face and a look of you-better-notcross-me on hers, I set off on a hurried walk.

Didn’t seem all that polite to me.

But I knew the world must be healing when after a few weeks she relented and has now begun allowing us to use her bathroom … provided we don’t breathe or touch anything.

None too soon since the construction is now finished.

But there’s more good news: in addition to the reopening of businesses, we’re talking about resuming schools, too.

Thank God! Thank God almighty!

But I won’t lie, planning for the unknowable might be the most challenging thing we’ve ever done.

One thing’s for sure, this summer’s preparations won’t be like any of the others we’ve known.

We’re usually cleaning classrooms,

waxing hallways. We’re always hosting camps for the little kids and reunions for the old ones.

Turns out we’ve been cleaning since March so we’ve about got that part knocked out. The rest got canceled.

The plans we’re piecing together now don’t resemble any we’ve compiled before. We’re re-thinking and gearing up for school “the oldfashioned way”; we’re also trying to improve our recent experience with school the “at-home way”; and lastly, we’re dreaming of the sort of school where we try to keep 400 teenagers six feet apart.

Imagine that if you can. I’m struggling to.

We spent two-and-a-half hours today alone trying to figure out the best ways for our students and staff to serve and eat lunch safely.

Microwaves or not? Fountain drinks or not? Refills or not?

Coke machines or not? Eat in the classroom or not? Eat in the gym or not? Eat outside or not? Clean your own space or not? Longer lunches? Shorter lunches? Split lunches? Queue lines or footprints on the floor? Cash or not?

And I’m still not sure.

Whatever we decide, that just covers 30 minutes of their day.

I didn’t have to make the calendar decision, happy to pass that along to higher powers. But our input was requested.

Start early or on time? Fall break or not? End the semester at Thanksgiving or not? Long weekends or not?

And if we do open in some form or another, what exactly should the new normal look like?

Like most, we’ll be taking tem-

peratures, asking questions, and logging answers for posterity and contact tracing. We’ll have oneway traffic in the halls and hand sanitizer dispensers in every nook and cranny.

We’ll clean desks after each class and doorknobs all day long. Kids will wear masks and teachers will wear shields. If that’s not enough to separate us, we’ll install plexiglass to make sure.

We’re doing away with … well, just about everything. No wind instruments. No shared paint brushes. No Mass choir. No sign-in pen at the desk. A teacher asked me if they should collect student papers and then return them after they had touched each other? I didn’t know what to say.

It’s bordering on the insane. I know I am.

Is some of this overkill? Maybe so. Probably so. But a school superintendent was quoted as saying, “The world will never know if we over-reacted. But it will be painfully obvious if we under-react.”

I think he’s dead on.

But I’ll take it all, every bit of it, the smart things and the you’vegot-be-kidding-me things if we can just get them back. Schools weren’t built to be empty, and fields and gyms and theaters weren’t erected to stand silent. We are better—much better—when we are together.

I can’t wait.

Dear God—Please guide those who have to decide anything. We have no idea what we’re doing. Amen. ■ George Valadie is president of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga.

DAN MCWILLIAMS (4)

Catholic schools

Sacred Heart students have year-end ‘honk out’ parade Eighth-grade students at Sacred Heart Cathedral School took part in a May crowning and a year-end “honk out” parade through the cathedral campus May 13. Above, Luke Gensheimer of the class of 2020 holds the crown for the Blessed Virgin Mary as cathedral rector Father David Boettner leads a ceremony at the statue, assisted by Father Arthur Torres. Below right, Tom Quinones, Sacred Heart director of housekeeping, places the crown on the Blessed Virgin’s head at the end of the parade.

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Scripture and the Spiritual Life

by Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM

A look at the divisions of the New Testament The Gospels, the letters or epistles, and the apocalyptic genre have their equivalents in the Old Testament

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fter having examined the divisions of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch or Torah, the Historical Books, the Prophets, and the Wisdom books—see the April ETC), a similar division of the New Testament can also be helpful. The purpose of such a schematic outline is to orient the reader as he reads each book in this second part of the Bible known as the New Testament.

Knowing what type of writing one is reading can be extremely useful in understanding the text. For example, the book of Revelation is a symbolic or allegorical interpretation of history and eschatology. It does not carry the same historical valence as the four Gospels, and it is not meant to be read as a literal historical account of the end times.

The New Testament literature can be divided more easily by genre or type of writing than the Old Testament because the contents of each book are more uniform. Interestingly, as in the Old Testament divisions, one can perceive three categories of texts: the Gospels, the letters or epistles, and the apocalyptic genre.

These correspond roughly to the three-fold division of the Old Testament according to the Jewish mindset: the Gospels are the new Law; the letters and epistles are similar to the wisdom literature in that they contain doctrinal teachings, practical

Hear more from Sister Anna Marie on her podcast, Scripture and the Spiritual Life. counsel, and moral exhortation; and the apocalyptic genre can be compared to the prophets. In fact, some of the symbolic and allegorical imagery in the book of Revelation, which can seem very strange to the modern reader, is very similar to some passages in the Old Testament prophets.

The texture of each section is different, which becomes almost immediately apparent as one begins to read.

The Gospels are historical in nature, but they also contain a theological message: who is Jesus of Nazareth and what is the meaning of His life, death, and resurrection? The four Gospels are according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Acts of the Apostles is also a historical-theological book, and is almost certainly the second volume of a two-volume work that includes the Gospel According to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. A look at the introductory verses of those two works makes it clear that they are meant to be read together (Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-3).

The epistles and letters of the New Testament claim various authors, most notably St. Paul. He is the purported author of 13 letters in the New Testament, not counting the Letter to the

Thoughts and Prayers for the Faithful

Hebrews, which has been traditionally ascribed to him as well. St. Paul’s style is intelligent, direct, and zealous.

After preaching the Gospel in Israel, Syria, Asia Minor, and Greece, he corresponded with the communities to teach and encourage them in the faith.

He was on a mission to bring the salvation won by Jesus Christ to as many as he could. He did so by almost constant traveling. Hence, his letters allowed him to keep in touch with many communities. He also asked that the communities share his letters with one another, which they did.

Other New Testament letters are attributed to St. Peter, St. John, St. James, and St. Jude. Like the letters of St. Paul, they include doctrinal content and encouragement on the path of virtue. Some scholars posit that certain letters of the New Testament, like 1 Peter, are actually homilies because of their pastoral tone and Scriptural explanations.

The Book of Revelation is in a category all its own as far as New Testament writings. The genre is that of apocalyptic literature, and it contains specific elements that, if not understood correctly, can lead to misinterpretation. For example, the use of numbers, colors, and physical descriptions of monstrous beasts and cosmological disturbances is a symbolic way of describing and explaining the vicissitudes of history and the

end-times. Apocalyptic genre is not meant to be read literally; it purposely describes events of history in mysterious images to offer a theological reading of that same history. The goal is to describe the theological import of the events. For this reason, many scholars understand the Book of Revelation as a theological interpretation of the persecutions the first Christians were facing. The ultimate triumph of the armies of God over the bestial forces of evil, and each person’s decision to worship God or bow down to the beast summarizes the Christian understanding of history: despite the horrific persecutions the Christians suffered, the war against evil has been won in the triumph of Christ, but each person must freely believe and cooperate with God to be saved.

The focus of all the New Testament writings is one: to bring to the world the Person of Jesus Christ and the salvation He won for us. The diversity of literary styles and genre correspond to the needs present in different communities and to the most effective way for the evangelists and other authors to preach the Gospel. ■ Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM, is the director of the Office of Christian Formation for the Diocese of Knoxville. She also writes for SimplyCatholic.com, a ministry of Our Sunday Visitor. This column originally appeared at SimplyCatholic.com.

by Bob Hunt

Some endure months, years without sacraments ‘Our own experience during the lockdown can inspire us to appreciate the freedoms we possess’

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s I write this, the Church is approaching the celebration of our Lord’s Ascension. The week after, Pentecost Sunday, our diocese will begin to celebrate public Sunday Mass again, with some restrictions in consideration of social distancing and commonsense safety measures intended to decrease the chance of spreading infection. Our entire Easter season has been spent under the pall of the coronavirus epidemic lockdown. My prayer, shared by most I’m sure, is that the opening up of our society and our economy can be done successfully without sparking widespread infection.

The lockdown has had its own cost.

Millions have lost their jobs, some never to be recovered. Businesses have closed, some never to reopen.

Connections with loved ones have been stretched thin and sometimes even severed. It will take a while to discern the social and economic impact as well as the health impact of this pandemic and the lockdown adopted to manage it. But, safe to say, few of us have ever experienced anything like this before and, by God’s grace, will not experience it again.

Truly a great loss has been the opportunity to worship together and

Daily readings Monday, June 1: Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, Genesis 3:9-15, 20; Psalm 87:1-3, 5-7; John 19:25-34 Tuesday, June 2: 2 Peter 3:12-15, 17-18; Psalm 90:2-4, 10, 14, 16; Mark 12:13-17 Wednesday, June 3: Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and companions, martyrs, 2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12; Psalm 123:1-2; Mark 12:18-27 Thursday, June 4: 2 Timothy 2:8-15; Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14; Mark 12:28-34 Friday, June 5: Memorial of St. Boniface, bishop and martyr, 2 Timothy 3:10-17; Psalm 119:157, 160-161, 165166, 168; Mark 12:35-37 Saturday, June 6: 2 Timothy 4:18; Psalm 71:8-9, 14-17, 22; Mark 12:38-44 Sunday, June 7: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9; Daniel 3:52-56; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; John 3:16-18 TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

to be nourished by our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Watching Mass via livestreaming has been something of a comfort, and I don’t dismiss the grace of spiritual Communion. As well, we all appreciate the efforts of our pastors and associate pastors to keep us connected. But, there’s no getting around the fact that not being able to attend Mass has been a trial.

Nothing can replace being present for the Divine Liturgy, hearing the Word, praying the prayers, and receiving our good and gracious Lord in His Body and Blood.

That being said, this might be a good time to reflect on the experience of our brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the world, especially in the Third World, where priests are few and Catholics are many and the opportunity to worship and receive the sacraments limited. Last year, bishops of the Amazon region met in synod to discuss the efforts they make to bring the sacraments to the faithful who live in remote areas. The report sent to the Holy Father was frank: “Many of the ecclesial communities of the Amazonian territory have enormous difficulties in accessing the Eucharist. Sometimes it takes not just months but even several years before

a priest can return to a community to celebrate the Eucharist.” Various ideas were considered on how to resolve this matter. I’ll leave that to the Magisterium. My point is that there are many Catholics who suffer lack of access to Mass and the sacraments, not just for a few weeks, but for years.

Other Catholics endure months or years without the sacraments because of state or social persecution.

Too often, that persecution takes the form of violence against Catholics and other Christians who simply want to worship and practice the faith in peace. Christians in China and North Korea suffer official sanction by the state, and Christians in India and many Islamic countries are threatened by the prejudice of their own countrymen. Many martyrs testify to their efforts to keep the faith under great pressure and duress.

Our own experience during the lockdown can inspire us to appreciate the freedoms we possess and recommit ourselves to hold on to them against a state that is sometimes too aggressive in pushing a secular agenda, and assist us in opening our hearts in prayer for those fellow members of the Body of Christ who don’t have the freedoms and resources we enjoy.

If you wish, you can offer part of your treasure as well as your prayers to organizations committed to protecting our freedoms here at home and that assist our confreres around the world.

Two such organizations are the Thomas More Society and Aid to the Church in Need. The Thomas More Society (www.thomasmoresociety. org) identifies itself as “a nonprofit, national public-interest law firm dedicated to restoring respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty.”

Aid to the Church in Need (www. churchinneed.org) is an international charity under the guidance of the pope to assist Catholics in remote and persecuted areas by training seminarians, building churches, and providing resources and comfort to Catholics who suffer persecution.

Take some time to check them out.

Perhaps the spiritual desert through which we’ve traveled can prove a spring of hope for the future of the Church.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all.

See Christ in all. ■

Monday, June 8: 1 Kings 17:1-6; Psalm 121:1-8; Matthew 5:1-12 Tuesday, June 9: 1 Kings 17:7-16; Psalm 42:2-5, 7-8; Matthew 5:13-16 Wednesday, June 10: 1 Kings 18:2039; Psalm 16:1-2, 4-5, 8, 11; Matthew 5:17-19 Thursday, June 11: Memorial of St. Barnabas, apostle, Acts 11:21-26 and 13:1-3; Psalm 98:1-6; Matthew 5:20-26 Friday, June 12: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-16; Psalm 27:7-9, 13-14; Matthew 5:27-32 Saturday, June 13: Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, priest and doctor of the Church, 1 Kings 19:1921; Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-10; Matthew 5:33-37 Sunday, June 14: Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16; Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; John 6:51-58 Monday, June 15: 1 Kings 21:1-16; Psalm 5:2-7; Matthew 5:38-42

Tuesday, June 16: 1 Kings 21:1729; Psalm 51:3-6, 11, 16; Matthew 5:43-48 Wednesday, June 17: 2 Kings 2:1, 6-14; Psalm 31:20-21, 24; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Thursday, June 18: Sirach 48:1-14; Psalm 97:1-7; Matthew 6:7-15 Friday, June 19: Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Deuteronomy 7:6-11; Psalm 103:1-4, 6-8, 10; 1 John 4:7-16; Matthew 11:25-30 Saturday, June 20: Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 2 Chronicles 24:17-25; Psalm 89:4-5, 29-34; Luke 2:41-51 Sunday, June 21: Jeremiah 20:10-13; Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35; Romans 5:12-15; Matthew 10:26-33 Monday, June 22: 2 Kings 17:5-8, 1315, 18; Psalm 60:3-5, 12-13; Matthew 7:1-5 Tuesday, June 23: 2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-36; Psalm 48:2-4, 10-11; Matthew 7:6, 12-14; vigil of the

Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6, 15, 17; 1 Peter 1:8-12; Luke 1:5-17 Wednesday, June 24: Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Mass during the day, Isaiah 49:1-6; Psalm 139:1-3, 13-15; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66, 80 Thursday, June 25: 2 Kings 24:8-17; Psalm 79:1-5, 8-9; Matthew 7:21-29 Friday, June 26: 2 Kings 25:1-12; Psalm 137:1-6; Matthew 8:1-4 Saturday, June 27: Lamentations 2:2, 10-14, 18-19; Psalm 74:1-7, 20-21; Matthew 8:5-17 Sunday, June 28: 2 Kings 4:8-11, 1416; Psalm 89:2-3, 16-19; Romans 6:34, 8-11; Matthew 10:37-42 Monday, June 29: Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 34:2-9; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16:13-19 Tuesday, June 30: Amos 3:1-8 and 4:​11-12; Psalm 5:4-8; Matthew 8:2327 n

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Bob Hunt is a husband, father, and parishioner at All Saints Church in Knoxville and is a candidate for the permanent diaconate.

JUNE 7, 2020 n B9

KCHS basketball head coach, team honored with state resolution State Rep. Martin Daniel (R-Knoxville), chairman of the Government Operations Committee, presented Knoxville Catholic High School head basketball coach Michael Hutchens with House Resolution 268 to honor and congratulate the team upon winning the TSSAA Division II, Class AA state championship this spring. Rep. Daniel made a formal presentation in the KCHS gymnasium June 1. From left are Rep. Daniel, team manager Allaynah Scott, associate head coach Tony Scott, team captain B.J. Edwards, Mr. Hutchens, athletics director Jason Surlas, and assistant coach Geraud Hall.

COURTESY OF DARCY WELCH

COURTESY OF PAM RHOADES

Catholic schools

All the buzz Victoria Corbett of St. Mary School in Oak Ridge stands by her science-fair award-winning project, “There MITE BEE a Problem.”

St. Mary-Oak Ridge students once again place high in UT-Knoxville science fair

DAN MCWILLIAMS

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KCHS senior Akeem Odusipe commits to Vanderbilt Knoxville Catholic High School senior Akeem Odusipe (34), a 6-foot-9 forward, committed to Vanderbilt University on April 22. Akeem, a native of Nigeria, picked the Commodores over Maryland, Georgia, West Virginia, and Texas-Arlington, reported the Knoxville News Sentinel. Akeem averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks in his final year with the Fighting Irish. Above, Akeem is shown in the TSSAA Division II, Class AA State Tournament finals against Briarcrest Christian, where in March the Fighting Irish won their first state title. Teammate Pressley Patterson (4) is at left.

NDHS’s Petrin named bowling All-Star

COURTESY OF LAURA GOODHARD

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he 2019-20 All-Star bowling teams have been announced by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association. CJ Petrin of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga was named to the Division II squad.

CJ, the 2020 state Mr. Bowling winner, led the Irish to the Division II state championship with an average of 211.5 across nine games at the state meet with a pin-fall of 1,905. The junior athlete then finished second to fellow all-star Matthew Mesecher of Pope St. John Paul II in the individual championships, losing by only three pins. n

CJ Petrin

Knoxville Catholic students earning full ride honored with special video

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noxville Catholic High School has announced its students who have been offered academic scholarships, covering all tuition, at the college they plan to attend this fall.

While the school couldn’t host a live event as it has done in the past with parents, family members, teachers, coaches, friends, and media, it honored these scholars with a video hosted by academic dean Jane Walker and the KCHS guidance department at https://youtu. be/DF15QVQJeTo. KCHS congratulated the following students: • Alex Dally, University of Tennessee at Knoxville;

• Blaine Dolin, U.S. Military Academy at West Point; • Ethan Boder, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Navy ROTC; • Joe Duhamel, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; • Olivia Escher, UTK; • Zoe Haub, Middle Tennessee State University; • Anna Huang, U.S. Naval Academy; • Kiersten Man, MTSU; • Abby Orillion, Carson-Newman University; • Tony Spezia, UTK; • Michael Stapleton, Christendom College; • Andrea Subtirelu, UTK; • Ellen Vo, UTC. n

St. John Neumann student receives state History Day contest award

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elen Liulevicius, a student at St. John Neumann School in Farragut, earned a third-place award in the junior individual performance category at this year’s virtual Tennessee History Day contest.

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Her project was titled “Nellie Bly: Breaking Barriers Worldwide.” Helen’s teacher for the project is Joe Caldwell. Helen was one of nine Knox County students earning a top-three finish in the state contest, held in early April. n

tudents at St. Mary School in Oak Ridge continued their tradition of success at the Southern Appalachian Science & Engineering Fair (SASEF), this year held virtually because of COVID-19 on March 30.

The annual St. Mary School middle school science fair was held Feb. 6. Projects were divided into two categories: biological and physical sciences. Awards were determined by an expert panel of judges representing local civic organizations, industry, and educational entities. Fourteen St. Mary students received awards, making them eligible to compete at the regional SASEF at the University of Tennessee.

The SASEF is sponsored by UT and numerous local companies and agencies and draws students from 23 counties in East Tennessee. The goal of the fair is to promote teaching the scientific method in science, engineering, and math. Over the past 20 years, 13 St. Mary students have been named grand champion or reserve champion at SASEF. This year, St. Mary had six students, representing five projects, entered into the fair, and those five projects won a total of seven awards. The

following awards were received this year by St. Mary students: n The SASEF Local Award—Southern Appalachian Science and Engineering Fair staff presents $50 cash awards and certificates to its favorite projects: “Music to My Ears,” by Maverick Queern n Junior Division honorable mention—SASEF awards the distinction of honorable mention to those students whose projects were determined by the judges to be of exceptional merit: “Dropping Like Flies,” by Tennison Barnes and Isabella Zolnierczuk; “Music to My Ears,” by Maverick Queern; “Is it Worth Dying For?” by Sarah Duhamel; “Set Them Up and Knock Them Down,” by Jonas Tilson n Junior Division Certificate of Excellence awards—The Certificate of Excellence Award is given to those students whose project was determined by the judges to be of exceptional merit and deserving of higher honors. Each Certificate of Excellence winner will receive at least $50: “There MITE BEE a Problem,” by Victoria Corbett. Victoria also won the overall Junior Division Award, fourth place, which carries a $75 prize, for her project. n

KCHS junior is leukemia society’s fundraising ‘student of the year’

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hrough The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) newest innovation in fundraising, Students of the Year, five motivated Knoxville high school students raised more than $42,545 for LLS’s cuttingedge cancer research and patient services.

Gabriela Sweet, a junior at Knoxville Catholic High School, Gabriela Sweet raised the most funds and earned the title of “Student of the Year” as well as a college scholarship. This “fundraising superstar” raised funds to support LLS’s goal to find cures for blood cancers and ensure that patients have access to lifesaving treatments.

Students of the Year is a sevenweek philanthropic leadership development program during which students foster professional skills such as entrepreneurship, marketing, and project management in order to raise funds for LLS, the world’s largest nonprofit fighting blood cancers. The title of Student(s) of the Year is awarded to the candi-

date or co-candidates in each community who raise the most funds during the competition.

Gabriela ran an incredible fundraising campaign, which involved making personal asks, sending letters and e-mails to friends and family, selling ads for the Grand Finale program book, hosting a neighborhood tailgate party, and organizing a proceeds night at Painting With a Twist. She dedicated her campaign to a family friend, who is a 10-year leukemia survivor.

“Congratulations to Gabriela and all of our candidates, supporters, and volunteers who helped to make the 2020 Students of the Year campaign a huge success,” said Jeff Parsley, executive director for LLS’s Tennessee Chapter. “These incredible students did an amazing job raising funds, especially during this unprecedented time with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact they are making in their communities will help patients here in Tennessee and also help LLS advance new treatments for childhood leukemia using precision medicine and immunotherapy.”

To learn more about LLS’s Students of the Year program and how to get involved, visit www.students​ oftheyear.org. n

Knoxville Catholic tennis player signs

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avis Clem of Knoxville Catholic High School has signed to play tennis at Savannah College of Art & Design.

He intends to major in advertising and commercial photography at the Savannah campus. Davis is a 2019 TSSAA Large Public School Division sectional boys singles champion, boys

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singles state semifinalist, a Tennessee Sports Writers Association first-team All-State selection, a 5 Star Preps firstteam All-State pick, and was a nominee for the Knoxville News Sentinel boys tennis player of the year.

Davis is a KCHS Scholar Athlete and member of the National Honor Society. n TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C