June 2, 2024, ET Catholic, A section

St. Joseph Parish marks 75th anniversary

Norris community’s celebration is a

By Dan McWilliams

When Nashville Bishop

William L. Adrian named the parish in Norris after St. Joseph, he honored not only the carpenter and earthly father of Jesus but also the building spirit of early members of the community, who used their own skills to transform a burned-out house into a worship space dedicated in 1949.

Seventy-five years later, the parish still has a let’s-do-itourselves mentality. St. Joseph celebrated its 75th anniversary on April 28 with a meal and a gathering under a tent that featured presentations on each decade of parish history. Some 135 current and former parishioners came to the celebration at St. Joseph Church, located high on a hill above Andersonville Highway on the outskirts of Norris, its home since 1992.

Father Dennis Kress, assigned last year as pastor of St. Joseph as well as St. Therese in Clinton, al-

blast from the past for members

celebration on April 28

ready knows what makes the Norris parish special.

“It’s just a parish that has been incredibly vibrant and active,” he said. “There are just so many things happening here. It’s been amazing to watch it all take place.

They did all of this,” he added with a laugh, looking around the outdoor tent and the anniversary festivities taking place. “They absolutely did it all. It was all on a volunteer basis. They took it upon themselves.”

Priest assignments made

Archbishop Fabre announces changes for several parishes

The East Tennessee Catholic

Twenty-two priests in the Diocese of Knoxville are transitioning into new roles as Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, apostolic administrator of the diocese, announced a series of assignments that will impact more than a dozen parishes.

Archbishop Fabre announced the assignments publicly on April 15 soon after the priests who are assuming new roles informed their current parishioners.

Father Chris Michelson, a longtime diocesan priest who has served at a number of parishes in the dioceses of Knoxville and Nashville over a 44-year priesthood, will retire from active ministry, effective July 1. He will continue to serve as president of St. Joseph School in Knoxville and as adviser to the president of Knoxville Catholic High School.

Father Michelson is the founding pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish in Knoxville, which was established on July 1, 2007. The parish’s first Masses were held on that date in the Sister Elizabeth Assembly Center at St. Mary’s North hospital, which is now Tennova North. Ground was broken for the parish on Nov. 15, 2008, and the then-new St. Albert the Great Church in the Halls community was dedicated on Aug. 29, 2009.

Father Michelson also was the founding pastor of All Saints Parish in Knoxville when it was established in 1994 and dedicated in January 1999. And he was instrumental in

leading development of Knoxville Catholic High School at its current location in the Cedar Bluff community adjacent to All Saints Church. The school relocated to its present campus from the original site on Magnolia Avenue in January 2000.

Father Michelson was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1980, at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge, where he was baptized and confirmed as a youth. The Oak Ridge native attended St. Mary School. He attended St. Meinrad College and Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West in Cincinnati.

He has served as pastor of All Saints Parish, dean of the Cumberland Mountain Deanery, chairman of the Diocese of Knoxville Presbyteral Council, episcopal vicar in the diocese, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City, and parochial administrator of St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville.

In the 1980s, he served as associate pastor of Christ the King Parish in Nashville, associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Madison, Tenn., a coordinator for youth ministry and an associate director of vocations for the Nashville Diocese, associate pastor of St. Henry

Parish in Nashville, teacher at Father Ryan High School in Nashville, and director of Camp Marymount, also in the Diocese of Nashville.

Father Christopher Floersh will serve as parochial administrator of St. Albert the Great Parish in Knoxville, effective July 1.

Father Floersh has been serving as diocesan director of vocations since 2020, as chaplain at Knoxville Catholic High School, and as parttime associate pastor of St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut.

Following his 2017 ordination to the priesthood, Father Floersh was assigned as chaplain at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga and part-time parochial vicar at St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga.

Father Albert Sescon is retiring from active ministry, effective July 20.

Father Sescon has been serving as chaplain of Ascension Living Alexian Village in Signal Mountain since September 2021. He was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in LaFollette, St. Jude Parish in Helenwood, and Christ Assignments continued on page A19

Reunion of faith

Former St. Joseph pastors Father Mike Creson and Father Julius Abuh returned for the 75thanniversary celebration, as did Father Jim Haley, CSP, who was assigned briefly to St. Joseph last year before Father Kress arrived. Father Mark Schuster, pastor of St. Alphonsus in Crossville and special delegate for the Cumberland Mountain Deanery, read a letter at the dinner from Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Knoxville, congratulating the parish on the occasion.

The late beloved former pastor Monsignor Bill Gahagan, who served three assignments at St. Joseph, was well-remembered at the celebration, as were Father Dan Richardson, the pastor of the Harriman Missions that included Norris when the 1949 building was dedicated, and Father William Nolan, the first resident priest assigned to St. Joseph when it became part of the Norris-LaFollette

Plans for the ordination and installation of Bishop-elect Beckman are being finalized

The East Tennessee Catholic

Bishop-elect Mark Beckman’s ordination and installation is officially on the calendar, and plans are being finalized as the Diocese of Knoxville sets in place the date, time, location, and other details of the upcoming historic Mass. Bishop-elect Beckman will be ordained a bishop on Friday, July 26, at 2 p.m. at the Knoxville Convention Center. And as part of the Mass celebration, he will be installed as the fourth shepherd of the Diocese of Knoxville.

Formal invitations, instructions for clergy, and information about how the faithful can attend the Mass will be announced soon.

D etails will be available in the July issue of The East Tennessee Catholic and on dioknox org

The convention center was selected as the site of the celebration because of its size and extra space for ancillary activities.

In addition to diocesan faithful, clergy, religious, and those in lay ministry from Tennessee and around the country, those expected to attend the Mass are family and friends of Bishop-elect Beckman, who has served as a priest in the Diocese of Nashville since his July 13, 1990, priestly ordination. ■

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Eras illustrated Sally Jackson, the "senior" member of St. Joseph Parish in Norris, shows off her poodle skirt as she gives a reflection on St. Joseph during the 1950s as part of the parish's 75th-anniversary

St. Joseph continued on page A12

Fr. Michelson Fr. Floersh Fr. McNeeley Fr. Orr

Norma Rae and AI

Artificial intelligence is impacting the unionization of white-collar workers

By Kimberley Heatherington OSV News

During America’s “hot labor summer” of 2023—when approximately 300,000 workers staged nationwide work stoppages—commentators praised a great leveling of the labor hierarchy.

There were the strikes and surprising gains of traditional manual trades: auto workers; delivery drivers and warehouse employees; hospitality and hotel staff. But other wage earners also were marching the picket lines: healthcare and call-center workers; Hollywood actors and writers; journalists; teachers and school aides.

If unionization is a guarantor of job security and bargaining power, then surely offi ce and “knowledge” workers—just like their “blue-collar” counterparts— gained a fresh recognition of its value, and accordingly organized in greater numbers against the

labor trend a May 2023 Wall Street Journal headline referred to as “the disappearing white-collar job”?

Yes and no—and as The Wall Street Journal further explained, “A once-in-a-generation convergence

cartoons and short reflections and news from the Handmaids of the Precious Blood, visit their website, nunsforpriests.org, and sign up for the FIAT newsletter.

June prayer intention for migrants fleeing their homes

“We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.”

Pope Francis

of technology and pressure to operate more effi ciently has corporations saying many lost jobs may never return.”

According to January data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor

Statistics, “The union membership rate—the percent of wage and salary workers who were members of unions—was 10 percent in 2023, little changed from the previous year.” The bureau also noted “Unionization rates were lowest in … management occupations (4.1 percent).”

“I am not sure if white-collar professional managerial-class people will always take inspiration from heroic displays of solidarity among blue-collar workers,” said John Trumpbour, research director at Harvard Law School’s Center for Labor and a Just Economy and an executive committee member of Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice.

“But over at Microsoft, some highly compensated white-collar workers seem to have admired the organizing of lowly paid test-

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

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

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

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

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

Education is a key

element of the Safe Environment Program

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

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

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

The CMG Connect

platform contains all three elements of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program: n Annual review of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Policy and Procedures Relating to Sexual Misconduct; n CMG Connect Safe Haven training program to be completed every five years; n Criminal background check to be completed every five years.

In compliance with the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program, all affiliates require that volunteers and employees complete the requirements prior to working and/or volunteering in a parish, school, The Paraclete, or through Catholic Charities and/or St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic

Go to https:// dioknox.org/safeenvironment on the Diocese of Knoxville website for more information ■

Sr. Regina ©

of the Precious Blood

The Handmaids of the Precious Blood this year celebrate the 77th year since their founding in 1947; more than three-quarters of a century of prayer and sacrifice for priests. To receive weekly

Cutting high school grads a break

Pressure to know what ’s ahead is stifling for many graduating seniors

By Sarah Robsdottir OSV News

Last year, my oldest son graduated high school with flying colors. He received a great college scholarship and had a lot to be proud of. So, you’d think he wouldn’t look utterly fatigued each time an aunt, uncle, hairdresser, Sunday school teacher, the guy at the deli, our priest, the trashman literally everyone asked him: “What’s next in your life?”

I chalked up my first-born’s conversational reticence to the fact that he’s quiet by nature, which is why I’m finding it curious that the same exact phenomenon is now happening with my second son, who’s a total extrovert. This graduate is following in his big brother’s footsteps. He has a great GPA and a few college scholarships lined up in the fall, and yet he grimaces at the “what’s next?” question, too.

“I just get sick of it,” he explained when the subject came up recently at the dinner table. He had a few friends over, and they chimed in as well.

“It’s nerve-wracking,” one of the girls said. “I mean, I think I know what I’m doing after graduation, but that might change. Also, I don’t want to go to college, and lots of people find that disappointing.”

My oldest son who was home for the weekend added his voice to the mix: “All this focus on what we plan to do next gets old. I know everyone means well they’re genuinely curious and just want to show they care. But yeah, it gets old.”

The teens and my husband launched into a meaningful conversation about how as Christians we should find our true value in who we are children of God not in what we do, or how much (or how little) we accomplish. This dinnertime chat brought St. John Paul II’s wisdom to mind, specifically from times when he was addressing teens at World Youth Day.

“Only in Christ can [we] fully understand [our] dignity as persons created and loved by God,” he said at the 1993 gathering.

“We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of His

Son,” he reminded young people in 2002.

I’d wager that this late, great pope would agree that we are not the sum of our successes either, but again, “we are the sum of the Father’s love for us.”

I’m certain my teens and their friends aren’t the only ones struggling with this issue of being questioned ad nauseam about their future plans by well-meaning adults (who are not being rude or immoral in any way). I’ve heard the subject discussed among fellow parents and a little on social media. But, in general, I don’t think there’s enough awareness of how we should be more sensitive to our graduates’ emotional needs.

So, how’s a genuinely curious, wellintended relative supposed to connect with that awesome grad in his or her life?

The teens at my dinner table made the following suggestions:

“Just say, ‘It’s great to see you!’” Or, “You look good!” Or, “How are you today?”

“Focus on the here and now,” seemed to be the consensus. “Just say, ‘congratulations!’ And don’t forget to give us money!”

There was a lot of laughter and even a few quirky ideas: “Ask grads about their favorite sugar cereal or video games for a change!”

Personally, my biggest takeaway is that even a highly accomplished graduate with great potential often feels unintended pressure by receiving such a high volume of questions about his or her future.

So, seize the opportunity to be an awesome aunt or a fun uncle and ask about something else instead. Say a prayer for the graduate and throw him some cash if you’re able. Go ahead and ask the grad’s mom about his or her plans if you’re dying to know. If she’s anything like me, she’ll be more than happy to fill you in! ■

Sarah Robsdottir is a Catholic convert and homeschooling mom to seven sons. Her debut novel, “Brave Water,” is available at Voyage Publishing. Visit Sarah at www. sarahrobsdottir.com.

Celebrating the collegiate class of 2024

By Greg Erlandson OSV News

It is always hard to predict how a generation is going to be judged by history. When my dad graduated in 1939, did anyone see that his would be the Greatest Generation? Yet perhaps the stress and pressure of the Great Depression and the nation's response to that challenge helped forge the courage that was to come. I am going to be more than a little interested to see how the graduating class of 2024 turns out, but in my mind, theirs may be our Resilient Generation.

These were the kids who were denied a high school graduation four years ago because a worldwide pandemic was striking us. It is easy to forget what 2020 and 2021 were like. We have lost 1.2 million Americans to this disease (so far), with the majority dying in those first two years. It’s almost three times the number that died in World War II when the Greatest Generation made its reputation.

Of course, it was the Greatest Generation that paid the highest price in our fight with the pandemic as well. The elderly, particularly those in nursing homes, were hard hit. We may have forgotten the refrigerated trucks

where bodies were stacked because morgues were overflowing, but those families who lost loved ones during these years have not. And in many of those families were the students who entered college in 2020.

These students had to adapt to a new way of doing college. At the beginning, public gatherings were taboo as we struggled to find out what would keep us safe. Dorms and classrooms were seen as potentially dangerous. Remote learning and Zoom classes, then-hybrid learning, were

substituted for the normal collegiate experience. Incoming students were often strangers to their classmates for at least the first year.

Not everyone overcame these challenges, of course. Dropout rates and low-attendance rates climbed. Those who earned the right this spring to march into their halls to the magisterial strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” had to overcome much to get there.

All of which makes it more upsetting to know that at some universities, large graduation ceremonies were canceled due to the demonstrations Graduates continued on page A22

Pope: ‘It’ s a manner of communicating my ministry’

The Holy Father has adopted a very personal approach to

By Matthew Bunson National Catholic Register

The last few months have witnessed another flurry of interviews by Pope Francis with secular and Catholic media outlets, the release of several more books on the pope, and even the publication of a memoir by the pontiff under the title Life, My Story Through History

The media blitz by the pope—including his freshly aired interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes—is part of a consistent pattern by the modern popes in the use of social communications and media outreach. Pope Francis, however, is unique in his deliberate and aggressive embrace of interviews for television, radio, newspapers, and magazines. So commonplace are the interviews and publications that they are undeniably part of a deliberate personal communications strategy tied to his wider leadership style and his program of reform for the Church.

Popes and the secular press

For most of Church history, the popes were important but distant figures, even to average Catholics across the globe. That began to change, of course, with the emergence of modern media. Pope

Meeting the press Pope Francis sits down exclusively with "CBS Evening News" anchor Norah O'Donnell at the Vatican on April 24 for an interview ahead of the Vatican's inaugural World Children's Day. The CBS interview marked the first time a pope has given an in-depth, one-on-one interview to a U.S. broadcast network, according to CBS. A roughly 13-minute portion of the interview aired May 19 on the CBS program "60 Minutes," with the balance of the session broadcast in a one-hour prime-time special on May 20.

Blessed Pius IX was the first pope to be photographed, in 1862, and Leo XIII holds the distinction of being the first pontiff to be filmed by a motion-picture camera in 1896 and to have his voice recorded. Four years before that, Leo became the first pope to grant an interview to a secular journalist, Caroline Rémy de Guebhard, who wrote under the nom de plume of Séverine. The interview was published in Le Figaro and caused a bit of a stir, if for no other reason than the

journalist was a famous socialist and atheist.

In keeping with his program of aggiornamento and the subsequent call of the Second Vatican Council to utilize all the means of communications for the good of the Church, Pope St. John XXIII made the watershed decision in 1959 to do an interview with the secular Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. He chose a secular paper specifically to reach beyond the Catholic world

Corriere della Sera was again the newspaper of choice in 1965 when Pope St. Paul VI—poised to close to the Second Vatican Council— spoke with the Italian Vaticanista Alberto Cavallari about the crisis of faith in the world. Paul VI was later featured in a long-forgotten April 1977 New York Times profile, “A Day in the Life of the Pope,” which followed the packed schedule for the already-frail 79-year-old pontiff, who would die the next year. Pope St. John Paul II carried forward the legacy of papal media outreach in a significant but very specific way throughout his 25-year pontificate. He gave interviews from time to time (such as one to La Stampa in 1993); sanctioned what is considered the greatest papal biography of all time, George Weigel’s Witness to Hope; and collaborated with Italian journalist Vittorio Messori on the 1994 book Crossing the Threshold of Hope, which was the result of a failed idea to do a television interview to mark the 15th anniversary of his papacy. It was a huge bestseller and was translated into 40 languages.

Enjoying the moment Graduating seniors Samantha Grella and Justin Allen take a selfie after participating in commencement ceremonies at St. Mary's College Preparatory High School in Manhasset, N.Y., on May 31, 2023.

They ’re now Fighting Irish alumni

By Bill Brewer

The 2023-24 school year is now in the history books, and more than 240 graduating seniors at the Diocese of Knoxville’s two high schools are transitioning to the next phases of their lives.

While most graduates in the class of 2024 are moving on to college, others will be entering different disciplines such as trade schools, the workforce, and the military.

At Knoxville Catholic High School, 149 seniors received their diplomas on Friday night, May 17. And at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, 91 seniors earned their diplomas, walking across the stage on Saturday morning, May 18, in the Chattanooga Convention Center.

Prayers for the graduates’ future success were plentiful as were family members and friends who were on hand to support them.

And the graduates themselves were thankful to have accomplished their academic and extracurricular goals and to have overcome environmental challenges such as those induced by COVID and even the weather.

A steady rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of Knoxville Catholic grads, who were determined to maintain tradition and hold their commencement ceremony outdoors in the school’s stadium. Notre Dame’s graduates enjoyed a different setting for their commencement, indoors in Chattanooga’s stylish downtown exhibition hall.

Dickie Sompayrac, president of KCHS, said the school’s class of 2024 will be remembered for much, including academic success and athletic prowess, but it also will be remembered for the three members of the class who were baptized into the Catholic Church because of their faith and their experience at KCHS.

In fact, he said, the newly baptized include the Mains family, with father Travis, mother Missey, and children Sydney and London being baptized on Mother’s Day, May 12, at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut. Travis Mains is the head coach of the KCHS girls basketball team, and his wife, Missey, is the assistant coach. Graduating senior Sydney Mains led the girls team to two consecutive state championships.

“You will never fully know how special it was for our school that you guys made the decision to be baptized into the Church. What a testament

Faculty support Knoxville Catholic High School president Dickie Sompayrac keeps graduating seniors James Long and Gracie Guess dry as they address their classmates on May 17 during the commencement exercise in the school's stadium. More than 240 students graduated from the diocese's two high schools in May.

" May you, the class of 2024, proudly go forth and shake down the thunder in cheering her name, onward to victory in your future endeavors. Congratulations, and may God bless you."

— Father Mike Nolan, pastor of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish

that is to the mission and to your experience here at KCHS,” Mr. Sompayrac said to the three seniors who entered the Church.

The KCHS president said those experiences and others like them shaped the 2024 graduates into a special class.

“Class of 2024, your legacy is battle-tested. It’s not perfect, but you should be very proud of the

fact that you lived our mission to the fullest. I want to end my remarks to our graduates as I do every year, with these inspiring words from Pope Francis, spoken on World Youth Day a few years ago:

“‘If we want to have real meaning and fulfillment as you want and as you deserve, I say to each one of you put on faith, and your life will take on a new flavor. It will have a compass to show you the way. Put on hope, and every one of your days will be enlightened, and your horizon will no longer be dark but luminous. Put on love, and your life will be like a house built on a rock. Your journey will be joyful because you will find many friends to journey with you.’” It was the 92nd commencement exercise in Knoxville Catholic High School’s history.

In Chattanooga, Deacon Hicks Armor, who has been serving as head of Notre Dame High School for two years, and Father Mike Nolan, pastor of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland, remarked that 2024 marks a time of change for the school’s administration as well as for the graduating seniors.

Deacon Armor’s term as the interim head of school concludes with the school year’s end as Notre Dame has announced the appointment of Dr. Eric Schexnaildre as the new head of school effective July 1. Dr. Schexnaildre is an NDHS alumnus. The high school also has announced that Melissa Wolff, who is an NDHS faculty member, has been named dean of academics.

Jamie Goodhard, a longtime Diocese of Knoxville educator, has served as the assistant head of school at Notre Dame for the past two years. Her interim term also concludes with the school year’s end.

Father Christopher Manning, who has served as chaplain, teacher, and part of the administrative staff at NDHS since July 2019, has been named parochial administrator of St. Mary Parish in Athens and began his new assignment on June 1

Father Mike Nolan, who has served as dean of the Chattanooga Deanery and is an alumnus of Notre Dame High School as a member of the class of 1978, delivered remarks to the school’s graduates, acknowledging those who have helped seniors earn their diplomas and contributed to the school’s rich 148-year history, in particular Deacon Armor, Ms. Goodhard, and Father Manning. High schools continued on page A5

Danube River Cruise

Including Munich, Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest

plus an optional extension to Krakow

EGYPT plus

including a four-night Nile River Cruise

with Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio Fr. Tim Nolt, Fr. Casey Jones, Fr. Rick Stansberry, Fr. Bry Shields, and Deacon Pete Markwald

11 Day Cruise and Land

October 20-30, 2024

Krakow Extension Oct. 30-Nov. 3, 2024 For

Fighting Irish Grads

“All are going on to different chapters in their lives. All of them selflessly answered the call to serve our school and school system during a critical period of our history. We give thanks for their example and their willingness to put our school over their own wants. May the rewards of their labors and our appreciation go with them,” Father Nolan said.

Father Nolan extended congratulations to the seniors for their achievements and hoped their accomplishments would be celebrated and rewarded.

“And may your hearts be overflowing with gratitude for God and all those God provided you to support you in your journey. May your spiritual growth and maturity fostered in those hallowed halls at 2701 Vermont Ave. grow deeper roots every step of your divergent paths, providing a sure foundation to bloom ever brightly as your God-given gifts are sharpened, and polished, and shared in lives of generosity and service,” Father Nolan told the NDHS graduates. The St. Thérèse of Lisieux pastor then added

the parents to the equation.

“May your folks, who lovingly watched you take your first faltering steps and were ever so near to catch you lest you fall, now be assured that your next steps, perhaps far away from their outstretched arms but never far from their hearts or prayers, may your next steps be guided by the moral compass God has given you and we pray we have fostered,” Father Nolan said. “We also pray that you follow this moral compass willingly, shining the way brightly for others to follow.”

Father Nolan shared with the seniors that he still remembers his Notre Dame High School class of 1978 and walking across the stage to receive his diploma.

“I do recall a deep sense of pride and joy and gratitude, tinged with just a bit of sorrow and perhaps a smidgen of fear, that close friends would now be at least geographically distant, that familiar faces perhaps at times taken for granted would no longer surround me, that I would be moving on from a place I knew I belonged to seeking a sense of belonging in the

chapters ahead,” he said.

“Gratefully, in all these chapters God has provided. And God will provide. I certainly never predicted, nor would anybody have in my class, that I would one day be called upon to participate in conferring diplomas on future alums of our historic school,” he added.

Father Nolan remarked that Pope Francis has appointed someone with ties to Notre Dame High School to be the next bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville, Bishop-elect Mark Beckman. Bishop-elect Beckman taught at the high school during the 1989-90 academic year.

Father Nolan also pointed to the example set by Notre Dame, “Our Lady,” who said yes to God and brought Jesus Christ into the world. He remarked that there is no better role model than the mother of Christ.

He also said he owes much to his alma mater.

“May you, the class of 2024, proudly go forth and shake down the thunder in cheering her name, onward to victory in your future endeavors. Congratulations, and may God bless you,” Father Nolan concluded. ■

BILL BREWER

High schools continued from page A4

GABRIELLE NOLAN

GABRIELLE NOLAN

BILL BREWER

BILL BREWER

GABRIELLE NOLAN

GABRIELLE NOLAN

BILL BREWER

BILL BREWER

St. Patrick acquires land for parish expansion

Parishioners join Haggard family in generous gift to the Church in Morristown

By Emily Booker

Through generous gifts, St. Patrick Parish in Morristown has acquired 3.3 acres of land adjacent to the parish property to aid with parish expansion.

The Haggard family donated 2.3 acres of land in memory of community leader and philanthropist George O. Haggard Jr., who was an active parishioner at St. Patrick.

A group of families in the parish, who wish to remain anonymous, bought the additional acre of land that separated the donated land from the parish property.

Pastor Father Miguel VelezCardona is grateful that the parish was able to acquire the land, which sits behind the parish property, at this time.

The parish has seen tremendous growth in recent years, according to Father Velez, and the additional land will help the parish accommodate that growth.

Set on Andrew Johnson Highway in the heart of Morristown, St. Patrick is locked in in every other direction. It was important to the parish to acquire this land now before it was bought and developed.

The generosity of the donors made it possible for St. Patrick to secure the space to plan for its future and meet the needs of a growing, active parish.

“Everything began with the need we have for an expansion in our church,” Father Velez said.

“Right now, the population is

growing fast, so we have problems with parking space. We added an extra Mass on Sunday just to make things easier for people in terms of parking.”

“Another thing we need to think about is more meeting space. As I said, the parish is growing, the Hispanic community is growing fast, and there are many new peo -

" Everything began with the need we have for an expansion in our church. Right now, the population is growing fast, so we have problems with parking space. We added an extra Mass on Sunday just to make things easier for people in terms of parking."

Father Miguel Velez-Cardona, pastor of St. Patrick Parish

ple coming to town. So, we need more space for meetings, too,” the pastor added.

In coming months, St. Patrick’s parish council will be meeting with engineers and architects to formulate a plan on how to best use the land to accommodate the needs of the parish.

“I want to express how thankful we are to the Haggard family and the people who put together the money to buy the other acre of land,” Father Velez said. “Thanks to them and their love of the parish, all these things are happening now, and we are able to expand our parish, not only in the territory of the parish but also in growing this community of faith.” ■

To trust in the big things, we must start small Let every moment of every day be a radical act of trusting completely in God

By Claire Collins

Trust in the Lord with all your heart…” (Proverbs 3:5). What does it mean to trust?

If you’re like me, trust has been a hard concept to nail down. I’ve mostly seen trust as a passive submission to some “big” thing to come, or accepting something I didn’t want from God, “trusting” that it was His will despite my feelings about it.

I’ve also seen trust as synonymous with faith, but have often felt unsatisfied with a common trope, “It’s a mystery, you just have to believe.”

In my life, as in yours, there are many opportunities for trust. I’ve been asked to trust God with my dad’s terminal cancer diagnosis, my time as a missionary with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, in my vocation, and the birth of my three children. But recently I was given the space to reframe how I see trust, and to experience how this reframing has actually allowed me to live out a more radical daily trust in God.

We see saints like St. Teresa of Calcutta, who founded the Missionaries of Charity, and St. Maximilian Kolbe, who gave up his life in a Nazi concentration camp. We see Bishop Robert Barron and his Word on Fire ministry, or Curtis Martin, the founder of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students.

We see the big things they do and the radical trust it must have taken to get to where they were and are, and we might think, “How could I ever do something great like that?”

But the building blocks of trust for these great and holy men and women were in the small, little, everyday acts of love. Their times of daily prayer, their faithfulness to their vocations, the excellence with which they did every simple act, the faith they had as they walked every step toward their larger accomplishments.

It was trust that allowed the saints to see that these small moments would build the virtue required to be able to say yes to the larger acts of trust that God would invite them to.

One story that comes to mind is of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. It is said that she, when preparing the table for meals, would fold each napkin as if she was folding it for God Himself. She let no small act go by without meriting whatever grace was waiting for her in it.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen has wise words for us seeking to more deeply understand the trust God desires us to have in Him.

Archbishop Sheen said in his book Life Is Worth Living , “All of us would like to make our own crosses tailor-made trials. But not many of us welcome the crosses God sends. Yet it is in doing perfectly the little chores He gives that saints find holiness. The big, world-shattering things many of us imagine we would like to do for God might, in the end, feed only our egotism.”

“On the other hand, to accept the crosses of

our state of life because they come from an all-loving God is to have taken the most important step in the reformation of the world, namely, the reformation of the self.

Sanctity can be built out of patient endurance of the incessant grumbling of a husband, the almost intolerable nagging of a wife, the boss’ habit of smoking a pipe while he dictates, the noise the children make with their soup, the unexpected illness, the failure to find a husband, the inability to get rich. All these can become occasions of merit and be made into prayers if they are borne patiently for love of One Who bears so patiently with us, despite our shortcomings, our failures, and our sins,” the archbishop continued.

The truth is that the foundation of trust is, as with most things, in the little, day-to-day moments. “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones…” (Luke 16:10). It begins with the belief that God is good, that He is loving, and that He wants to fulfill the deepest longings of our hearts. If we can live from that place, even the smallest of crosses can become rivers of grace.

A good and holy priest recently articulated what radical trust in God looks like for me as a wife and mother. It looks like submitting to

“The truth is that the foundation of trust is, as with most things, in the little day-to-day moments. ... The beauty is that God has created us each uniquely, with a completely different set of circumstances and contexts in which to live out the trust we are called to have in Him. It's not black and white; it's nuanced and complex.”

the needs of my children and husband with love and joy. It looks like putting that load of laundry or dirty dish down for a moment because I have a child in need, believing God will make time for me to pick up the chore once again.

It looks like allowing God to make time for me to pray on a car ride to school, in the middle of the night as I rock or comfort a little one, in my three minutes of silence in the bathroom. It looks like relinquishing control over my household being “perfect” and making it a place of welcome and community without fear of what others may think. And it looks like believing that it is actually in THESE opportunities that God is inviting me to holiness, rather than some “big” thing to come.

For others, it might look like pursuing a career or job that makes less money but allows for richer family life. It might look like joining a small group even though you don’t know anyone in it. It might look like tithing before doing any other budgeting so as to entrust one’s finances to God, believing He will provide. It might look like submitting to a teaching of the Church that is particularly hard to wrap one’s mind around.

The beauty is that God has created us each uniquely, with a completely different set of circumstances and contexts in which to live out the trust we are called to have in Him. It’s not black and white; it’s nuanced and complex.

And He gave us the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of Holy Mother Church with which to discern what a life of trust would look like in each life lived for God, rather than just a collective sense of what faithfulness means.

After a certain viral commencement speech a few weeks ago, I found myself thinking about the body of Christ and its many members. There are many ways to live out Christ’s teachings. There is no one “right way.” There are dogmas and truths that cannot be argued with, but even within that boundary there seem to be limitless opportunities for what a life lived for Christ can look like.

There are different vocations, many apostolates, many religious orders doing many different things to serve the people of God. There are different preferences and interpretations within the Church (though arguably some closer to the truth than others).

And in the midst of all of the variety, God allows for it. God does not force us to subscribe to one way to live. He is not a tyrant who makes demands without freedom. He actually trusts us enough to let us discern for ourselves, with the Holy Spirit, how He is calling us to live. He is not a God of control, but a God of freedom. And it is within all of our different decisions and choices that God brings about His will in the world.

Let every moment of your day be a radical act of trust in God, believing that it all can “work for good for those who love God” (Romans 8:28). ■

Growing Morristown's parish St. Patrick Church is located at 2518 W. Andrew Johnson Highway in Hamblen County.

Claire Collins is a freelance writer whose columns appear in Radiant Magazine. Claire and her husband, Andrew, live in Chattanooga with their sons, Joe and Frank.

Column

Completing the journey to confirmation

37 adults receive the sacrament during special Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral

By Gabrielle Nolan

Every year, the Diocese of Knoxville holds a special Mass of confirmation for those adult Catholics who have been baptized and received their first Holy Communion but have not been confirmed.

There are a variety of reasons as to why children and young adults delay their confirmation, such as changing locations during their confirmation year, not feeling ready to receive the sacrament, or leaving the Church.

“It’s very common that people have fallen away from the Church,” said Deacon Jim Bello, director of Christian formation for the diocese. “A lot of time as youngsters they receive their first Communion and then kind of fall away because their parents didn’t follow through with their formation.”

“A lot of times we see people who just feel unworthy,” he continued. “I get a lot of comments like that from parishes that they just don’t feel ready. We’ve catechized them well, they just don’t feel ready. And what I wish people would begin to understand is that we catechize, but we’re very dependent on the Holy Spirit to do His work in us. It’s not a matter of our worthiness. It’s a matter of our seeking to have the Holy Spirit give us His gifts so that we can become more and more worthy as we continue our faith journey.”

Courtney Sadowski, a parishioner at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville, grew up Catholic and was raised in the Church.

“I kind of came out from the Church, so the last few years I’ve been working on coming back to church, so that was something that was important to me,” she said. “I never went through confirmation as a child, so it was something I

May 19 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Assisting are Deacons Walt Otey and Vic Landa.

always knew I wanted to do as an adult.”

Ms. Sadowski’s chosen patron saint for confirmation was St. Maria Goretti.

“She’s the saint of forgiveness, so I felt like that’s something very

important to me, to learn to forgive others and myself,” Ms. Sadowski shared.

Shawn Kegley, a parishioner of Holy Ghost in Knoxville, has been a practicing Catholic and attending Mass for 30 years.

“I was recently studying the Bible, and the Genesis chapters spoke to me about following God’s law and following the rules,” Mr. Kegley said. “I knew that I needed to do this piece to be confirmed and to light the fire in me to evangelize and be someone to go out into the world and be an example of our Catholic faith.”

Mr. Kegley acknowledged that he struggled with his experience of “spending 30 years in the Church without being confirmed.”

“To have that now is really incredible, so I hope that I am able to be an example and to help others to find the fullness in the sacraments,” he said.

He chose Pope St. John Paul II as his confirmation saint.

“I guess the key tenets of his message throughout his life was the dignity of life from conception to death, the evangelization and the constant pursuit of restoring and learning and becoming deeper in your faith, and those tenets just spoke to me in a way. They always have, and there’s no saint I could think of that fully encompassed my current position in life and the direction I’m trying to go,” Mr. Kegley shared.

The confirmation Mass for adults took place at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Pentecost Sunday, May 19.

Because Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, apostolic administrator for the diocese, was unable to attend the Mass due to other obligations, Father Doug Owens presided. Father Owens is the delegate to the apostolic administrator as well as pastor of All Saints Parish in Knoxville.

“I want to thank you all for being here today,” Father Owens said during his homily. “Thank you especially to those who have made the journey from different parts

Confirmation continued on page A23

Pope OKs miracle needed for Church ’s first ‘ millennial’ saint

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

Pope Francis formally recognized a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a 15-year-old Italian teenager whose birth in 1991 will make him the first “millennial” to become a saint.

In a meeting on May 23 with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for Saints’ Causes, the pope signed decrees advancing the sainthood causes of Blessed Acutis, as well as one woman, and six men. The Vatican announced May 23 that the pope had signed the decrees and that he would convene a consistory to set a date for the canonization of Carlo and other future saints: Blesseds Giuseppe Allamano; Marie-Léonie Paradis of Québec, Canada; Elena Guerra; and eight Franciscan friars and three Maronite laymen who were martyred in Damascus, Syria, in 1860.

Blessed Acutis was born and baptized in London to Italian parents in 1991, but the family moved back to Milan, Italy, while he was still an infant.

After he started high school, he began to curate, create, or design websites, including one for a local parish, for his Jesuit-run high school, and for the Pontifical Academy Cultorum Martyrum, according to the saints’ dicastery. He also used his computer skills to create an online database of eucharistic miracles around the world.

He volunteered at a church-run soup kitchen, helped the poor in his neighborhood, assisted children struggling with their homework, played saxophone, soccer, and video games, and loved making videos with his dogs and cats, according to carloacutis.com, the website dedicated to his cause for canonization.

“To always be close to Jesus, that’s my life plan,” he wrote when he was 7 years old.

He was devoted to the Eucharist and Our Lady, praying the rosary every day.

“The Eucharist is the highway to heaven,” he wrote. When people sit in the sun, they become tan, “but when they sit before eucharistic Jesus, they become saints.”

When he was only 15, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia and died on Oct. 12, 2006.

cemetery in Assisi in 2007 to fulfill his wish to be in the city of St. Francis. Then his remains were moved to the Shrine of the Renunciation at the Church of St. Mary Major in Assisi in 2019. He was buried wearing Nike sneakers, black jeans, and an athletic warmup jacket clothes he was used to wearing every day.

In February 2020, Pope Francis formally recognized a miracle attributed to Carlo’s intercession, and in October that year, the teen was beatified during a Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis. An estimated 117,000 pilgrims visited the teen’s tomb in just the first year after his beatification, the Diocese of Assisi said the day before his feast day, Oct. 12, 2021.

The two miracles attributed to the intercession of the teen involved alleged miraculous recoveries for a young boy in Brazil in 2013 and a young woman in Florence in 2022.

The miracle Pope Francis recognized May 23 that paves the way for the blessed’s canonization involved a young woman who was born in Costa Rica in 2001 and moved to Florence in 2018 to study.

The woman fell from her bicycle at 4 a.m. on July 2, 2022, and suffered a serious head injury, according to the dicastery website. Even after emergency surgery removing part of her skull to reduce severe intracranial pressure, doctors warned her family she could die at any moment.

He had said, “I’m happy to die because I’ve lived my life without wasting even a minute of it

doing things that wouldn’t have pleased God,” according to carloacutis.com

His mortal remains were moved to the municipal

An associate of the young woman’s mother began praying to Blessed Acutis the same day, and the mother went to Assisi and prayed at the blessed’s tomb on July 8 the same day the young woman began to breathe on her own again. She slowly recovered basic mobility, and a CT scan showed the hemorrhage was gone.

After a period of rehabilitation therapy and a complete recovery, she and her mother visited his tomb on Sept. 2.

Pope Francis has urged young people to learn about Blessed Acutis, who “did a great deal of good things,” despite his short life.

“Above all, he was impassioned by Jesus; and since he was very good at getting around on the Internet, he used it in the service of the Gospel, spreading love for prayer, the witness of faith, and charity toward others,” the pope told young Italians on Jan. 29.

“Prayer, witness, and charity” were

Confirmed Father Doug Owens confers the sacrament of confirmation on a young man taking part in the diocesan-wide adult confirmation Mass on

the hallmarks of Blessed Acutis’ life and should be a key part of the life of every Christian, the Holy Father said. ■

Receiving the sacrament Julio Tomas holds his certificate of confirmation after the diocesan-wide adult confirmation Mass on May 19 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. With Julio are his godparents.

Millennial saint Pope Francis formally recognized a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a 15-year-old Italian teenager whose birth in 1991 will make him the first "millennial" to become a saint.

A student of Blessed Acutis At Immaculate Conception Church in Clarksville, Tenn., Victoria Sanchez, 9, looks over an exhibition created and designed by Blessed Carlo Acutis.

‘All gifts from God ’

By Maria Wiering OSV News

In their first week, pilgrims on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage faced blisters, a busted toe, and thunderstorms, but those “hiccups” along the routes are “all gifts from God,” said Jack Krebs, a perpetual pilgrim on the pilgrimage’s St. Junipero Serra Route.

As the pilgrims made their way to Indianapolis with the Eucharist, Mr. Krebs said he is amazed at the number of people showing up for processions or adoration. In San Francisco, where the Serra Route launched on May 18, an estimated 4,000 people walked in a eucharistic procession over the Golden Gate Bridge following Mass on May 19.

Mr. Krebs witnessed “the excitement that the people are showing for the Eucharist,” he said during a May 22 media conference. “And I really do trust that it is having a bigger impact on their hearts.”

On May 18-19, Mr. Krebs and 22 other young adults chosen to be perpetual pilgrims, along with seven seminarians and a rotating cadre of chap-

‘

lains, began the pilgrimage in four groups from Brownsville, Texas; New Haven, Conn.; northern Minnesota; and San Francisco.

Over the next weeks, they are journeying often by foot but always with the Eucharist to Indianapolis, where the first National Eucharistic Congress in 83 years takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium July 17-21.

The pilgrimage and the congress are highlights of the National Eucharistic Revival, a three-year initiative the U.S. bishops launched in 2022 to inspire deeper love for and understanding of Jesus’ Real Presence in the Eucharist.

In California, Serra Route pilgrims began in San Francisco at the Mission Dolores Basilica, one of the missions established in the 1700s by the route’s patron, the Spanish Franciscan missionary priest Junipero Serra.

After the milestone of crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, they continued their pilgrimage May 20-24 in the Diocese of Sacramento, Calif. Sacramento, the state’s capital, and its adjacent river, were named

Jesus Thirsts: T he Miracle of the Eucharist’

By John Mulderig OSV News

The three-year National Eucharistic Revival that began in 2022 came to the big screen with the educational and energizing documentary “Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist” (Fathom Events).

Written and directed by Tim Moriarty, the roughly 90-minute film was first shown in theaters June 4-6, with screenings twice a day.

An early sequence of personin-the-street interviews illustrates the complex of problems the revival is meant to address and at least partially remedy. These brief dialogues give viewers evidence of alienation from, or indifference to, the Church as a whole as well as an all-too-widespread deficient understanding of the nature of the Blessed Sacrament.

Perhaps as a result of poor catechesis, perhaps due to the secular, materialist worldview that has taken hold in many quarters, this random survey reveals a common view of the eucharistic elements as no more than symbolic representations of the body and blood of Jesus an outlook wholly at odds, of course, with the bimillennial tradition of the Catholic Church.

As those dedicated to Church teaching make clear throughout the movie, this abandonment of faith in the Real Presence has grave consequences. While dissolving one of the bonds most likely to keep believers actively connected to the Church as well as one of the motives most likely to spur regular attendance at Mass it also undermines respect for the priesthood.

To explain and vindicate the Church’s supernatural perception of what takes place at every celebration of the Eucharist, the filmmakers turn to theologians, priests, bishops, missionaries, and converts. These include Marian Fathers Chris Alar and Donald Calloway, Sis-

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ters of Life Marie Veritas and Mary Grace, and renowned biblical scholar Scott Hahn.

The most vivid presence on screen is that of St. Clare Sister Briege McKenna. An indefatigable champion of the priesthood disheartening scandals and the weak state of the Church in her homeland of Ireland notwithstanding she makes a compelling case for viewing each priest as a gift from God to the faithful. She’s equally forceful in talking about the value of the liturgy.

“You go to Mass to claim the victory that was already won for you,” Sister Briege explains. “And if you claim the victory, Satan can't get near you.”

Viewers are also brought along on a globetrotting journey to witness the impact of the Eucharist in widely divergent parts of the world. Locales visited range from a Texas prison and a small town in rural Uganda to a Norbertine abbey in California and New York City's St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

The story of persecuted Vietnamese prelate Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan (1928-2002) is particularly poignant. During a long imprisonment, most of it spent in solitary confinement, the cardinal’s family found ingenious ways to supply him with the bread and wine needed to celebrate Mass in his cell.

One especially valuable element of “Jesus Thirsts” is its placement, via reenactments, of the Eucharist within the wider context of salvation history. The connection of Jesus’ action at the Last Supper to such events as the first Passover, the gift of manna in the wilderness, the crucifixion and the appearance of the Risen Lord on the road to Emmaus are all highlighted.

While too sophisticated for small children, the documentary is likely to prove a formative but also easy-toenjoy catechetical lesson for teens and adults alike. For more information on the new documentary, go to: JesusThirstsFilm.com ■

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Immaculate Heart of Mary Hybrid Cooperative is looking for part time teachers to join our program. Teachers will be responsible for teaching core subjects in their assigned grades as well as jointly teaching 2-3 elective classes per semester. Teachers will be required to be on campus two days per week (Monday/Thursday) from 8:15-3:15.

Pilgrimage continued on page A9

Basilica, Chattanooga preparing for Eucharistic Pilgrimage

The East Tennessee Catholic

The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is heading toward Chattanooga and the Diocese of Knoxville as it makes its way to Indianapolis.

Pilgrims who are trekking on the St. Juan Diego Route began their eight-week journey north to the capital of Indiana May 18-19, when they started out from the Diocese of Brownsville in Texas. There are three other U.S. pilgrimages travers-

for the Blessed Sacrament.

On May 23, the Serra Route pilgrims visited Folsom Prison. This portion of their journey has included several boat processions down the river and ended with a boat procession across Lake Tahoe into the Diocese of Reno, Nev., where they visited May 24-26.

Pilgrims on the Marian Route began at the Mississippi River’s headwaters in the Diocese of Crookston, Minn., and continued through the state in the Diocese of Duluth and into the Diocese of St. Cloud before spending May 24-31 in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, where they joined a five-mile procession down historic St. Paul Avenue on May 27.

For the first four days, they were accompanied by Crookston Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens, who led the development of the national congress and pilgrimage while serving as the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis from 2020-23, and who is now board chairman of National Eucharistic Congress, Inc., the organization created to oversee the congress.

On the St. Elizabeth Seton Route, which began in the Diocese of Hartford, Conn., pilgrims took a boat on May 19 to the Diocese of Bridgeport. On May 22, they entered the Archdiocese of New York, where they joined Auxiliary Bishop Edmund J. Whalen for a bilingual Mass in English and Spanish, followed by a Holy Hour that led into all-night adoration.

On May 26, they processed from St. Patrick’s Cathedral through Manhattan to the Brooklyn Bridge for Benediction before continuing into the Diocese of Brooklyn.

At St. Cyril and Methodius Oratory on Bridgeport’s East Side, where the pilgrims stopped on a procession route, Canon Fran -

ing from around the country to Indianapolis.

The southern route is winding through Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia before it enters Tennessee in Chattanooga.

It is scheduled to arrive at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga on Monday, June 24, where Father David Carter, basilica rector, will lead a tour followed by a Holy Hour with morning prayer, then a noon Mass. An evening eucharistic procession will take place beginning at the University of

cis Xavier Altiere told the Fairfield County Catholic , the Diocese of Bridgeport’s monthly newspaper, that “in a world that’s very indifferent or even just ignorant of the faith, a public procession like this is a good opportunity also to share the faith.”

“It’s important for the Catholics of Bridgeport,” the oratory’s rector, a member of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, added. “But whether they know it or not, it’s also very important for the non-Catholics of Bridgeport.”

Pilgrims on the St. Juan Diego Route spent May 19-22 in the Diocese of Brownsville, leaving after a closing Mass with Bishop Daniel E. Flores at the beloved Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-National Shrine in San Juan, Texas. They spent May 22-27 in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Texas, which, like Sacramento, is named for the Eucharist. “Corpus Christi” is Latin for “the body of Christ.”

At a May 19 Mass, Bishop Flores a board member of the National Eucharistic Congress Inc., and its USCCB liaison talked about St. John’s vision of the Celestial City “where the lamb is in His throne” in the Book of Revelation and said that the Church’s mission is to go to that city.

“What we do as people today is gather around the throne of the Lamb, which is the altar of sacrifice,” Bishop Flores said. “It helps us understand why it is important for us Catholics to have the Mass because God is preparing us, because without this we become disoriented.”

Shayla Elm, one of the Juan Diego Route perpetual pilgrims who is originally from Minot, N.D., and currently lives in Denver, noted that Brownsville’s 10-mile procession had a local flair, with lively expressions of personal faith and Texas hospitality, as they followed the Eucharist in a monstrance on an altar affixed to an open-air roofed trailer

Tennessee-Chattanooga Catholic Center followed by Benediction and fellowship. The St. Juan Diego pilgrimage will then travel June 25-30 to and through the Diocese of Nashville, where Masses, eucharistic processions, and other solemn, prayerful events are planned for the St. Rose of Lima, St. Ignatius of Antioch, and Our Lady of Guadalupe parishes, the Cathedral of the Incarnation, and the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia motherhouse. ■

hauled by a moving white pickup truck.

“It was very much Brownsville’s pilgrimage today,” she said. “It was just really beautiful to see how personal the Lord is with the people here.”

As she and the other pilgrims journey from the south to Indianapolis, Ms. Elm said she hoped that every city they go through embraces the pilgrimage as their own.

On all routes, the perpetual pilgrims are collecting prayer intentions, asking people at each stop to share them in writing or via a website at tinyurl.com/NEP-prayers

Pilgrims said they were already getting glimpses into the pilgrimage's impact. On the Seton Route, perpetual pilgrim Natalie Garza said a policeman who assisted them in the Diocese of Bridgeport told them that the experience has inspired him to bring his family back to church.

For her, the tremendous amount of time with Jesus concealed under the appearance of bread has prompted reflection on “the profundity and mystery that it is to say that we eat God,” she said while in Greenwich, Conn. “I find myself staring at Him in what looks like bread, though it is actually Him, and marveling at how outrageous the claim is that we can eat God this idea that the God of the universe doesn’t even just become creation ... but something that was created by creation,” Ms. Garza said. “That is the thing that God uses as His vehicle, so this is the idea that God Himself becomes food and we eat Him (that) is remarkable to me.”

The pilgrims hope that that kind of wonder and reverence spreads to the people who encounter the Eucharist during the pilgrimage, even those who don’t understand that the Eucharist is Jesus’ body, blood, soul, and divinity.

“It’s big,” Mr. Krebs said of the pilgrimage. “And lives are going to be changed.” ■

Pilgrimage continued from page A8

•Our Lady of Lourdes, South Pittsburg

•St. Ann, Lancing

•St. Anthony of Padua, Mountain City

•St. Christopher, Jamestown

•St. Elizabeth, Elizabethton

•All Saints, Knoxville

•Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Knoxville

•Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa

•St. Dominic, Kingsport

•St. John Neumann, Knoxville

Thank you to the more than 6,800 households who participated in the Bishop’s Appeal for Ministries! Together, we raised nearly $3 million to help support the essential ministries of our diocese that help bring the light of Jesus Christ and advance the Kingdom of God to our local churches every day. We appreciate you, and the great work of our parishes throughout East Tennessee. Your generosity makes the ministries of our local Church possible!

•St. Henry, Rogersville

•St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville

•St. Jude, Helenwood

•St. Mary, Athens

•St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City

•St. Jude, Chattanooga

•St. Mary, Johnson City

•St. Mary, Oak Ridge

•St. Stephen, Chattanooga

•St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City

TOP 10 PARISHES  HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF PLEDGES PAID

•Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

•Christ the King, Tazewell

•Our Lady of Lourdes, South Pittsburg

•St. Ann, Lancing

•St. Catherine Laboure, Copperhill

•St. Christopher, Jamestown

•St. Elizabeth, Elizabethton

•St. Francis of Assisi, Townsend

•St. Jude, Helenwood

•St. Therese, Clinton

HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF RECURRING DONORS

•Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

•Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy

•Our Lady of Lourdes, South Pittsburg

•St. Albert the Great, Knoxville

•St. Anthony of Padua, Mountain City

•St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade

•St. John XXIII, Knoxville

•St. Jude, Helenwood

•St. Mary, Athens

•St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City

*Recurring donors maximize the impact of their gifts by providing consistent, ongoing support each month to serve the ministries and mission of the Catholic Church in East Tennessee.

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•Church of Divine Mercy, Knoxville

•Holy Trinity, Jefferson City

•Notre Dame, Greeneville

•Our Lady of Perpetual Help, LaFollette

•St. Anthony of Padua, Mountain City

•Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

•Holy Ghost, Knoxville

•Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Chattanooga

•Our Lady of Perpetual Help, LaFollette

•St. Augustine, Signal Mountain

•St. Christopher, Jamestown

•St. James the Apostle, Sneedville

•St. Mary, Johnson City

•St. Michael the Archangel, Erwin

•Shepherd of the Valley, Dunlap

•St. John XXIII, Knoxville

•St. John Paul II Mission, Rutledge

•St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville

•St. Mary, Gatlinburg

•Shepherd of the Valley, Dunlap

GREATEST PERCENT INCREASE OVER PREVIOUS YEAR

•Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

•Church of Divine Mercy, Knoxville

•Our Lady of Lourdes, South Pittsburg

•Our Lady of Perpetual Help, LaFollette

•St. Alphonsus, Crossville

•St. Ann, Lancing

•St. Christopher, Jamestown

•St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville

•St. Mary, Gatlinburg

•Shepherd of the Valley, Dunlap

GREATEST NUMBER OF NEW BA23 DONORS

•All Saints, Knoxville

•Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga

•Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Knoxville

•Holy Ghost, Knoxville

•St. John Neumann, Knoxville

•St. Mary, Johnson City

•St. Patrick, Morristown

•St. Stephen, Chattanooga

•St. Therese of Lisieux, Cleveland

•St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City

Missions in 1967.

The celebration began with a Vespers service in the church led by Deacon Dan Hosford, the only deacon ever to serve at St. Joseph. It continued in the parish hall as those attending sampled hors d’oeuvres and wine while looking at displays of parish history on easels. A dinner and program under the tent followed.

Karen Thompson chaired the organizing committee for the anniversary event. Also on the committee were Dennis and Judy Curtin, Dick and Gail Shriver, Kathy Ferowich, Kelly Dake, Margaret Donaldson, Mike Carberry, and Susan Baker.

The celebration “has been great,” Mrs. Thompson said, “and I am really happy at the turnout. We have a lot of people who have joined us and are celebrating this day, so it’s a real good day for us, former members and obviously current members, so it’s been really good.”

Mrs. Thompson and husband Bobby have no plans to change parishes after 17 years at St. Joseph.

“I love it. My husband and I moved here from New Jersey, and we’re staying here forever,” she said. “Let’s put it this way: I’ve had family members ask me to move to other places, and I said, ‘No, I’m not leaving because of my church.’”

Mrs. Thompson fondly recalls Monsignor Gahagan and Father Abuh, she said.

“It’s a great parish. It’s just a small community. We are really close, and everybody helps each other.”

Links to the past

Betty Anne and William Warren Jolly Sr. opened their Norris home for Masses in the 1930s before the parish was established. One of their nine children, Terri Jolly, attended the 75th-anniversary celebration and said Mr. Jolly worked for TVA when it was established in 1933. The construction of Norris Dam began in 1933 and was completed in 1936.

“Our parents moved in to Norris in the early ’30s,” Mrs. Jolly said. “They came from Minnesota and settled in North Knoxville, and then TVA got established and my dad worked for TVA. We were part of this parish from the beginning of this parish. We used to have Mass in our house. We were all very young.”

A converted burned-out house at 86 W. Norris Road served as the first St. Joseph Church from 1949 to 1991. The building still stands.

“I was young, so I don’t remember a whole lot. I remember going to the old church, or the first church,” Mrs. Jolly said. “I remember my dad going down to help with the reconstruction of the house because it burned down initially. The bishop, the diocese, bought the house, and the men of the parish redid the house into a church.”

Mrs. Jolly said the early days of the parish were “great” as she attended Mass with her eight siblings.

“We were little kids. We misbehaved in the church all the time. I remember that we would start laughing uncontrollably when we were sitting in the pews. The Jollys, there were nine of us, so at one time or another there were 11 of us in the two pews. We commandeered two pews in the back. When we started laughing, Mother would

pinch us. She wouldn’t just pinch, she would pinch and twist,” she said with a laugh, “so it really hurt.”

Mrs. Jolly spoke of Father Richardson, who came to the Harriman Missions in the 1940s and was pastor when the church was dedicated before leaving in 1950.

“I remember Father Dan Richardson. He was the first priest in the parish,” she said. “He was wonderful. He was one of the best priests I’ve ever known. And Father Gahagan—I just remember what a kind person he was, and he was always available if you needed help. He helped my mom a lot, too.”

St. Joseph parishioner Kathy Morin said she “loves the celebration” of its 75-year anniversary.

“But I love being a part of the parish—very welcoming, great people here,” she said.

Mrs. Morin knows from experience what makes a good parish.

“I’m in my 39th home, so I’ve been in a lot of different parishes, and this is one of my favorites. My dad was at General Motors, and then I married into the Army,” she said, adding that the people of St. Joseph “are just so open and welcoming.”

The great-grandmother of four said the parish at first seemed to skew “kind of old, but then younger people started moving in. You could hear more kids crying in church.”

Father Haley’s assignment at St. Joseph was only for May and June last year before Father Kress’ arrival.

“I visited a number of times, but that’s the only time I was assigned here,” he said. “It’s a wonderful community. I was mostly here just on the weekends, so I didn’t see a lot of people, but it’s a very cohesive and beautiful community.”

Father Creson served as pastor of St. Joseph from 1992 to 1996, coming in just after its current church was dedicated. He credited Father Michael Sweeney, pastor from 1982 to 1992, for building the new church and setting the parish on solid footing.

“This parish is always a self-starting parish. Anything you needed done, people always stepped up. You didn’t have to worry about whether it was going to be done or not done right,” Father Creson said. “It’s just a wonderful parish. It’s always had that. I think, going back to at least Father Mike Sweeney, he really set that up. He was here right before me and got this parish in really good shape and built the church. Father Sweeney put a lot of things in place.”

Father Creson was speaking as he stood in the parish hall, the extension behind the worship area that was dedicated in November 1996.

“I was able to be part of the building that we’re in right now. The church was complete (when he was assigned to St. Joseph), and then we built this (parish hall) while I was here. I was reassigned just before this was finished.”

Father Creson now assists at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland on weekends and is chaplain at CHI Memorial hospital in Chattanooga during the week. He has good memories of St. Joseph Parish.

“They were really, really good to me,” he said.

Father Abuh served at St. Joseph from 2013 to 2018 before leaving for St. Joseph the Worker in

Madisonville. He recalls the people of the Norris parish having everything all set up for him to celebrate Mass or other events.

“My memories of this parish, the first one is: this parish is an auto-parish. That means it’s a parish that can rotate on its own, most of the time without the priest,” he said. “Most of the time I came in just to celebrate the sacraments. The parishioners are very good people, very generous people, very devout parishioners. The laity had everything arranged most of the time. If I had a baptism, everything was well-arranged.”

Devout in their devotion

Father Abuh said he especially remembers the St. Joseph parishioners’ devotion.

“They are very devout people. Their love for the Eucharist is very outstanding. They have a big love for the Eucharist. Most of the time when we had eucharistic adoration, we had good participation. Even after I left the parish, Deacon Dan invited me to come and give a talk on the Eucharist, which shows that they are very devout to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.”

Father Abuh, a native of Nigeria, remembered one of St. Joseph’s longtime parishioners, Angelo Miceli, who played piano and organ at Masses for more than 40 years before his death at age 107 in 2021.

“Angelo really encouraged me when I came in at the beginning, because some parishioners said they did not understand my accent, but Angelo would give a summary of my homily,” he said. “Every month, he made a summary of my homilies and gave them to me, and to be honest, some of the summaries he made were better than the homilies I gave,” Father Abuh added with a laugh. “So, I have very good memories of Angelo Miceli with his family and many other families.”

Deacon Hosford has been serving at St. Joseph almost since his diaconate ordination in 2007, minus a one-year assignment at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in LaFollette. He has been attending St. Joseph since about 1992. Three generations of his family attend St. Joseph now: his wife, Penny, who came into the Church in 2021; his daughter, China Marriah; and his great-grandsons, Sebastian and Draven.

“The people of St. Joseph are honest in their love of God and life,” Deacon Hosford said. “They are joyful and accepting. Humor, good humor, has to be the prevailing tendency for the people of St. Joe—there is always a smile to be found and a laugh to be had. There is a deep sense of prayer, prayer in living life’s moments, and respect they give each generation of our parish family.”

The 75th-anniversary celebration was “more than one day,” Deacon Hosford noted.

“There were a series of ‘minor’ celebrations: prayers, adoration, stories told leading up to the main event,” he said. “And, it was a wonderful day! Pastors who had led us in prior years attended; those who couldn't be with us wrote letters that were published in our bulletins or read from the ambo. The local news outlet had a full page in their paper about St. Joseph. It was great to see past parishioners join us in celebrating—so many have had a part in the growth and maturing of the parish.” St. Joseph continued on page A13

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History on display Priests who have served at St. Joseph Parish are shown

Heavenly voices The St. Joseph Church choir delivers the music liturgy during Vespers as part of the 75th-anniversary commemoration for St. Joseph Parish in Norris.

The Norris years Father Mike Creson, a former St. Joseph pastor, took part in the anniversary festivities and reflected on his ministry.

Renewing friendships Father Julius Abuh, former pastor of St. Joseph Parish, shares memories with St. Joseph parishioner Judy Kuhens.

St. Joseph continued from page A1

of the 2000s. Johnny Fecco did the honors for the 2010s.

Sally Jackson, the office volunteer at St. Joseph for 20 years, is the senior parishioner. She stresses that she is not the oldest—that honor belongs to Monique Helton, 92, a parishioner for more than 55 years.

“I came in 1963. I’m the most-senior parishioner. I am not the oldest, just the most senior,” Mrs. Jackson said.

She added that the efforts that went into the 75th-anniversary celebration “brought back lots of memories.” Mrs. Jackson formerly lived on West Norris Road near the old St. Joseph Church.

“I lived just across the street, and when I moved here I was pregnant with our second daughter, and I was sick half the time,” she said. “The people would line up outside the door and the windows all the way to the street to hear Mass. Sometimes we would just drive to Oak Ridge so we could go to Mass. People had a good time. We had a close-knit parish.”

Summer crowds overflowed the original church, Mrs. Jackson said.

“It was too full because of the lake visitors. In the ’60s if you missed Mass, it was a mortal sin. So, all the lake visitors would come in the summer. In the winter, we didn’t have that problem until later,” she recalled.

Mrs. Jackson remembers the Jolly family at the West Norris Road church.

“The Jollys sat on the right-hand side, the back two pews were theirs, to hold nine children and two adults,” she said, adding with a laugh: “The confessional was the old commode, the old bathroom. You went right up on the altar to get into the confessional.”

In 1963, Father and future Monsignor Joel Wiggs was pastor of the Harriman Missions. He was assisted by Father Anthony Stredny.

“When I came, it was Father Joel Wiggs and Father Stredny,” Mrs. Jackson said. “Our first resident priest was Father Nolan. He came straight out of the monastery, and we put him in a rental house right across from the same house I lived in. We all went through our homes and gave him our leftovers, and that was the rectory for a while. At first, he lived in a little apartment for several months, I guess, then we bought a house on West Norris Road.”

Mrs. Jackson remembered parishioners of days gone by at the anniversary celebration.

“Some of my best friends were Ruby Kaplan and her husband. When we moved to Norris, I was pregnant, probably 23, had a son. They were very close together, and they just adopted us. Her husband was Kap or Charles Kaplan, and he came from Zanesville, Ohio, which is where my family was from, so as soon as he made that connection, I mean we had Christmases together, Thanksgivings, all the holidays. Ruby went to Hawaii for my 50th-birthday party. We were just family.”

Growing pains

Mrs. Jackson as office volunteer does bookkeeping for the parish and helps train new secretaries. On the parish’s 75th anniversary, she said the outlook for St. Joseph is great.

“It’s growing. During COVID, it sort of dwindled and seemed like it was static, and now it seems to be growing. We actually recognized 25 families recently as newcomers, but that was over a two-year period, so that’s good,” she said. “We have several families that have several generations, which I think is good.”

Displays in the parish hall during the 75th-anniversary celebration highlighted spiritual life at the parish, the Council of Catholic Women, former pastors and Father Kress (with one easel dedicated to Monsignor Gahagan), Deacon Hosford, youth and faith formation, the choir, the men’s group, and more.

After dinner under the tent at the celebration, a program was held focusing on each decade of the parish’s history. Mrs. Jackson donned a poodle skirt to talk about church and parish life in the 1950s. Annie Goodman, dressed appropriately for the era, spoke about the 1960s. Dick Shriver dressed as Sonny Bono and Judy Kuhens as Cher for the 1970s, and Doug Perry put on a green vestment to appear as Monsignor Gahagan. Larry Donovan represented the 1980s. He played guitar and sang Van Morrison’s 1967 song “Brown Eyed Girl,” which he acknowledged wasn’t from the ’80s but that he (Mr. Donovan) played it in the ’80s. Nancy Sickau and Mike Carberry talked about the 1990s, and Lori and Rory Puckett—in newscaster fashion—recounted the first decade

Father Haley led the closing prayer after the program.

The first Catholic services in Norris were held for TVA and Civilian Conservation Corps workers in 1933, celebrated by a priest from Johnson City. With the completion of Norris Dam in 1936, more permanence came to the town as well as the Catholic community. Most of the CCC workers were transferred and their camp closed in 1936 when the dam was finished, but some 60 families came to the area afterward, attracted by the beauty of the area.

The Jollys lived at 103 W. Norris Road and offered their home as a temporary chapel. Once a month, they moved their buffet from the dining room to the living room, where it was draped with linen to serve as an altar. Norris, LaFollette, Oneida, and Newcomb made up the northern sector of the Harriman Missions in those days, with the pastor still living in Harriman. With several stations served by the mission, the priests often had difficulty remembering the time and location of each Mass and to bring the materials necessary for celebrating liturgies. Betty Anne Jolly—for whom the Norris Library is named—once draped Father Leo Baldinger, who forgot his alb, in linen from her wedding trousseau.

Around 1939, the Catholic population in Norris grew to the point where celebrating Mass in the Jollys’ home was no longer practical. Masses began to be held bi-weekly and finally weekly in a variety of places, including in the high school auditorium, at the Norris Religious Fellowship, and at a community building before the establishment of a permanent church. The weekly Masses started when the community’s status was changed from a station to a mission. Religious-education classes were added, and the Catholic Women’s Club was formed in 1939.

The shell of a three-bedroom home that had almost been destroyed by fire was bought for a new church during Father Richardson’s days as pastor, with Bishop Adrian approving the purchase of the lot and remains of the building for $4,000. The congregation remodeled the inside, with camp chairs providing seating.

Father Richardson helped wax the floor on his hands and knees. Bishop Adrian crafted the frames for each of the Stations of the Cross. William Jolly supervised the building of the church. Raphael Saraceni designed the interior of the chapel.

Bishop Adrian celebrated the dedication Mass of the new St. Joseph Church on April 20, 1949.

The women’s club undertook the care and maintenance of the church, preparing the altar for each service, cleaning the building monthly, ironing and repairing linen and vestments, contributing money for the tuition of students attending Knoxville Catholic High School, paying the parish’s utility bills, supervising and often instructing religious-education classes, and raising funds for paving the sidewalk and graveling the parking lot. The club debuted its first major fundraiser in 1951, the Mardi Gras Card Party, an annual event for 13 years whose proceeds helped pay for lumber to build pews to replace folding chairs. Men of the parish constructed the pews.

A 1955 census recorded 23 families in the parish. Mass was on an irregular schedule in the mission parish then, at 7:30 a.m. on first and third Sundays, at 9:30 a.m. on second and fourth Sundays, and at 10:30 a.m. on fifth Sundays.

On June 18, 1967, St. Joseph left the Harriman Missions and became part of the Norris-LaFollette Missions. Father Nolan became St. Joseph’s first resident priest and added weekday Masses to the schedule. The rectory moved from 83 W. Norris Road to 88 W. Norris Road, the latter purchased by the parish with the help of a loan from the diocese.

Father David Bowes succeeded Father Nolan as pastor in 1970 and was followed by Father and future Monsignor Gahagan in 1976. Monsignor Gahagan would serve at the parish again from 2006 to 2012 and in 2017. Father Greg Boisvert, AA, served as pastor from 1978 to 1982, when St. Joseph had grown to about 50 families.

The old St. Joseph Church could seat 60 comfortably and 80 “squeezed together,” but even that was not enough with the arrival of summer visitors. With busy Sundays and holy days causing many to stand outside on the front porch and lawn, St. Joseph built a Holy Family Room in 1981 that doubled the size of the church, handled the overflow from Mass, and served as a space for catechism classes, as a cry room, as a meet-

ing room for the parish council, and other uses. Ninety percent of the labor for the new room was provided by parishioners and their families, with longtime parishioners Claxton Chandler and Mr. Miceli co-chairing the project. In 1986, the windows of the church were replaced with stained glass.

Overcrowding again became a problem as people from Clinton, Lake City (now Rocky Top), Powell, and other areas began attending Mass at St. Joseph, resulting in a standing-room-only situation in the Holy Family Room during Mass.

The Diocese of Knoxville was established in 1988, and founding Bishop Anthony J. O’Connell gave permission for St. Joseph to sell its building and use the money to build a new church on Andersonville Highway (State Route 61) on land donated by John and Johanna (Chandler) Humphrey. The parish sold the old-house location on Aug. 6, 1991, and met for Mass at the Norris Religious Fellowship until its new church was finished.

Bishop O’Connell broke ground on the new building in October 1991, with parishioners bringing their own shovels, and he dedicated the approximately $260,000 church on April 30, 1992. Parishioners again donated their skills for the new church, with John Froning casting and fashioning a bell, Linda Rauch making a stained-glass window near the tabernacle, and Mr. Chandler creating a mosaic depicting Joseph and the child Jesus. Joe Sprouls made the altar of repose for the tabernacle, the cross, the candle wall sconces, and the holy water font, and Steve Chandler carved a life-sized statue of the risen Christ. Many items were moved from the old church to the new, including the altar, statues, tabernacle, and stainedglass windows.

The parish hall was dedicated by Bishop O’Connell on Nov. 24, 1996. Knoxville’s founding bishop was in Norris again on April 11, 1999, when St. Joseph celebrated its 50th anniversary. The parish counted more than 80 families on its rolls at that time.

In 2008, a small addition to the church proper was built to accommodate St. Joseph’s growing choir. A columbarium was also added in 2008, surrounded by a Holy Family Garden. Bishop Richard F. Stika in 2010 blessed new Holy Family statues at St. Joseph and a house on the campus that serves as a religious-education center. Outdoor Stations of the Cross were built this year.

The parish has added numerous ministries over the years, and St. Joseph supports the Norris Food Pantry and Clothing Closet, Anderson County Community Action, Catholic Charities’ Crazy Quilt Friendship Center, Boxes of Joy, the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, and Ronald McDonald House.

Other St. Joseph pastors over the years include Father John Walsh in the early days, Father Albert Henkel (1950-57), Father Frank Brett (1996-2001), Father Gerard Finucane (2001-04), and Father William McKenzie (2004-05). Fathers John Seola, Patrick Gavigan, and John McMurray served during the 1960s. Sister Yvette Gillen, RSM, was a pastoral associate at St. Joseph and at St. Therese in Clinton for many years.

St. Joseph now has 140 families and continues to have larger numbers in the summer from Norris Lake visitors and summer residents there. And in something that is always good news for the Church in East Tennessee, St. Joseph again needs more space for Mass, with plans now afoot to expand the worship area into the current parish hall.

“We’re going to expand the gathering space,” Father Kress said. “The gathering space is going to become worship area. It’s proposed that we build a building out behind here, and then that will be used as a gathering space or a social hall. That’s a few years off.”

Growth is a key word for St. Joseph’s future, Deacon Hosford said.

“I think St. Joseph will continue to grow spiritually and physically,” he said. “The parish demands a great deal of itself, never compromising in its care of families. Education in the faith is a priority for the children, youth, and adults. There has been a great deal of growth in Anderson County; we see that in the number of new members joining the parish. So, we are hopeful, and we endeavor to reach out to the new residential areas being built, to the hotels and campgrounds, offering our information such as Mass times in an effort to be open and welcoming. God willing, we will continue to grow. May we be His good servants.” ■

The beat goes on Sonny and Cher entertain as they reflect on St. Joseph in the 1970s. Dick Shriver was Sonny Bono and Judy Kuhens was Cher.

Rise and shine Youth perform for those celebrating the 75th anniversary of St. Joseph Parish in Norris

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St. Joseph continued from page A12

‘ A great mission for the Church ’

Neophytes sent forth into their communities following missioning Mass

By Gabrielle Nolan

More than 110 new Catholics and their sponsors attended the Sending of the Neophytes Mass, a special missioning for those who entered the Catholic Church across the diocese this past Easter.

According to the office of Christian formation, 360 people entered into full communion at the Easter Vigil, while still another 70 were brought into the Church during the year through smaller catechesis programs outside of the traditional RCIA cycle.

The Sending of the Neophytes Mass took place at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville on April 28.

Father David Boettner, rector of the cathedral, was the celebrant of the bilingual Mass. Deacon Walt Otey served as deacon of the Eucharist, and Deacon Butch Feldhaus served as deacon of the Word

Deacon Jim Bello, director of Christian formation, and Chris Kite, Christian formation administrative assistant, proclaimed the readings

“We’re so excited to be able to celebrate this missioning because God has a great plan for each of you in the world and God’s plan of salvation actually depends on you. No pressure,” Father Boettner said to a laughing crowd

Father Boettner preached to the neophytes about all three Scripture readings from the Sunday liturgy.

The Gospel reading from John 15 portrays Jesus as the true vine and God as the vine grower.

“Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches, and if we remain in Christ we will bear fruit. And that’s absolutely true,” Father Boettner said. “And we want to talk a little bit about two of those fruits: to be a Barnabas and the gift of love. And it’s important we talk about those gifts because we’re here today to send our neophytes out into the world. And the word ‘neophyte’ is kind of a strange word because it’s really only a temporary identity. So, neophyte is really just a new Catholic,

someone who is newly planted. In fact, that’s what the Greek word for neophyte means, someone who is newly planted.”

The first reading from Acts 9 tells the story of Barnabas and Saul.

“The name Barnabas is a great name, and Barnabas is a critical figure in the first reading because without Barnabas, Saul would have never encountered the disciples in Jerusalem,” Father Boettner said. “They were afraid of Saul. They didn’t believe his conversion was real. They didn’t believe that he wasn’t still dangerous. And it took Barnabas, whose name means son of encouragement, to encourage Saul to come with him and meet the disciples. And it was Barnabas who encouraged the disciples to trust in the action of the Holy Spirit that not only was Saul’s conversion real, but that Saul had an important mission in the Church.”

“One of the things I want you to think about is, who is the Barnabas, the son or daughter of encouragement, that helped you to gather with the community of disci-

ples? Who has helped you along your journey to grow closer in love with the person of Jesus Christ? Who took you by the hand and said, ‘I’ll go with

you.’ Whoever that person is, pray for them today in thanksgiving. Thank God for the Barnabas who assisted you on this journey to this point.”

“And then also, think about your call to be a Barnabas,” he continued.

“Because that’s part of that fruit that comes from remaining in Christ. When we remain in Christ, we become fruitful, and one of the ways to be fruitful is to think about who needs me to be a Barnabas for them. Who needs me to encourage them to join with the community of disciples? Because you’re also called to be a Barnabas.”

The second reading from 1 John 3 speaks of loving in deed and truth, rather than word or speech.

“And that’s important for us because, you know, sometimes in a poetic sense people talk about falling in love, like you tripped over a curb or something,” Father Boettner said.

“And it’s a nice poetic term, but it’s not true. You don’t fall into love. You may feel things, and feelings are important, but real love requires a decision. Real love is when we make a commitment. Real love is when you decided that your relationship with Christ was going to be the most important part of your life, and you didn’t want anything else to get in the way of that. That’s a decision. And when we make the decision for love, it comes with concrete action.”

Father Boettner spoke about the Eucharist as the sacrament of unity and charity.

“Our world is desperately in need of both of those things,” he said.

“And so, when we come together and we receive the Eucharist into our bodies, we’re being missioned to go out into the world and to work for unity and charity. And that means all the division we see around our country, whether it’s on a college campus or in our own neighborhood. We’re called to be people who build unity, not division. We’re called to be people who focus on concrete acts of charity rather than dissension. That’s

Hot takes on a very hot topic

Harrison Butker's commencement address attracts a variety of opinions

By Alyssa Murphy National Catholic Register

As parents gathered at Benedictine College over Mother’s Day weekend to watch their graduates walk across the stage with their diplomas, little did they know the commencement speech Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs gave would still be one of the biggest news stories weeks later.

In a word that he himself used early on in the now-viral commencement speech that hit on fatherhood, homemaking, protecting life, and so much more, Mr. Butker dared to be “countercultural.” As Kathleen Parker put it in The Washington Post, “The man is a revolutionary.”

Mr. Butker said succinctly: “Our Catholic faith has always been countercultural. Our Lord, along with countless followers, were all put to death for their adherence to her teachings.”

One proud father in the stands that Saturday was Brian Horvath, marketing director of EWTN News, there to cheer on his daughter, who was just one semester shy from experiencing COVID lockdown.

“Having attended the commencement in person, I was especially intrigued by Harrison’s constructive comments toward strengthening the Church,” he told the Register, adding: “I hope that those he was addressing across the world in the leadership of the Church ‘hear and understand…’ (Matthew 15:10), so that the flock may not be led astray.”

The verdict is still out if we’ve been led astray, but the speech did throw many into a frenzy. Social-media scourging mainly focused on the part about “the diabolical lies” that are told to women—and what followed.

Perhaps he meant to point to the perceptions of secular society, which doesn’t really place value on being a homemaker or see taking care of one’s family as being the most vitally important thing. Remember the society that applauds companies for paying for their employee’s abortions? That society.

Speaking to freshly minted graduates who are eager to embrace their futures, many with dreams

of jobs, homes, and wedding bells in their heads and on their hearts—on the campus of a faithfully Catholic college—Mr. Butker received applause throughout his speech (one instance lasting as long as 18 seconds!) and a standing ovation from his intended audience

Post-speech, thousands of people agreed with what the devout Catholic, husband, and father said.

Others were quick to take issue with certain turns of phrase in the address, including that a woman’s life begins once she is a wife and mother.

When you’re an NFL place-kicker who also serves the traditional Latin Mass, words move quickly in our media-driven world, rippling through AP stories that only cite mention of “deadly sin of Pride month” to television’s The View, where hosts tore apart his take on traditional homemaking only to then watch host Whoopi

Goldberg defend the professional athlete and his “Catholic values.”

Several Catholic professional women, as well as an order of women religious, have challenged the graduation speech.

Mr. Butker’s claim that women have had “diabolical lies” told to them about their vocation, combined with his remarks that focused on women’s roles as homemakers and mothers in contrast to achieving career dreams, failed to capture the fullness of Catholic teaching about the role of women, said the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica, co-founders of Benedictine College, moral theologian Pia de Solenni, and California Catholic Conference director Kathleen Domingo. Ms. de Solenni and Ms. Domingo pointed to St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI’s teaching that family and professional life “are not mutually exclusive” for women exercising their different vocations in society.

While not speaking to Mr. Butker’s comments, Theresa Notare, assistant director of the U.S. bishops’ natural family planning office, explained that NFP is consistent with the Church’s longstanding teaching on responsible parenthood and should not be dismissed as “Catholic birth control.” Theresa Farnan, a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., said some of Mr. Butker’s remarks aligned with St. John Paul’s teaching on the role of women but noted the 28-year-old professional kicker had spoken “from the heart” and “based on his own life experiences ”

The NFL publicly distanced itself from Mr. Butker as a Change.org petition circulated, asking for him to be removed from the Chiefs. In return, supporters of the kicker have started a petition for those who support his message (and free speech).

The Chiefs even took to social media to disown him in a quickly deleted tweet

Does the NFL have an issue with Catholics in a league that has its own “police” to keep players’ misdeeds out of the press?

Taking faith to the community Father David Boettner welcomes a new Catholic (baby in tow) during the Sending of the Neophytes Mass. Joining Father Boettner at Sacred Heart Cathedral are Deacons Walt Otey and Jim Bello.

Prayerful keepsakes Father Boettner blesses rosaries that were given to neophytes during the Sending of the Neophytes Mass April 28 at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Neophytes continued on page A15

Memorable speech Harrison Butker, kicker for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, delivers the May 11 commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan.

‘ A vocation to love ’ KDCCW retreat focuses on prayer, forgiveness, living as an image of God

By Emily Booker

The Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (KDCCW) held a one-day retreat for women in the Diocese of Knoxville on April 27 at All Saints Church in Knoxville. The retreat, “Come to the Table: A Renewed Encounter with Jesus,” was a day focused on forgiveness, healing, and the power of prayer.

The evening before the retreat, the KDCCW celebrated its annual Mass of Remembrance honoring each woman of the diocese who died in the past year. Father Dan Whitman, chaplain of the KDCCW, celebrated the Mass, and Father Ray Powell, spiritual moderator of the Cumberland Mountain Deanery CCW and pastor of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge, concelebrated. Deanery representatives held candles as the name of each deceased woman was read.

Speaker and author Genevieve Kineke, who wrote The Authentic Catholic Woman, was the featured speaker of the retreat. A convert to Catholicism, Mrs. Kineke said she was drawn to the practical question of how to live out her new faith and what it means to be a woman made in the image of God

She encouraged the more than 130 women gathered to live their lives as icons of the Church.

“There’s a nuptial backdrop to all of creation,” she said, noting that from Eve being created from the side of Adam to the Church being created from the wound in Christ’s side at His crucifixion, there is nuptial imagery throughout the Bible.

“You can look at the Church in two different ways. When a lot of people think of the Church, they think of the pope, the cardinals, the archbishops, the bishops, the priests and the deacons, the hierarchy of the Church,” she said. “Fine, of course. That is what is called the Petrine Church, Petrine meaning related to St. Peter, the first pope. That’s the bridegroom. And there’s another way of looking

Neophytes continued from page A14

part of our mission as Christians, and that’s one of the ways we bear fruit, by remaining in Christ.”

At the end of his homily, Father Boettner stated how thrilled he was to see the neophytes present.

“I’m excited that God has been working in your lives and that God has led you to enter into the full communion with the Catholic Church,” he said. “And this is just the beginning. That’s why the missioning is so important. In fact, the final words of the Mass in Latin are “Ite, missa est.” It’s an incomplete sentence, but it’s beautiful. It says, ‘Go, the Mass is.’ Well, that’s true because that’s where the missioning comes from. Missa means mission. It means to go out into the world and live what we have celebrated. And so, we gather together today to receive the body and blood of Christ, to receive that mission to be missionaries of unity and charity in the world.”

At the conclusion of Mass, Father Boettner blessed rosaries provided by the diocesan Office of Christian Formation to give as gifts to the neophytes and their sponsors.

“At your confirmation, you received the gift of the Holy Spirit,” Father Boettner said. “Today, you get another gift; it’s a gift of a rosary that we will bless and give to each of you as a sign of the love of the Diocese of Knoxville for each of you and a desire to continue to walk with you in your journey of faith.”

Deacon Bello said that “the gift of a rosary is an accessible and tangible reminder to pray and ask our Mother’s intercession for our needs and the needs of others.”

“Many of these neophytes were carrying their own rosaries with them as they entered the cathedral, but I believe this one will remind them that they are part of something much bigger, but still intimate in the Diocese of Knoxville,” Deacon Bello shared.

Deacon Bello noted that during the neophytes’ first year as Catholics, most of the parishes continue to walk with the neophytes in the “tra-

Sharing a lighthearted moment Genevieve Kineke shares a humorous anecdote during one of her talks at the KDCCW retreat. Mrs. Kineke is the author of "The Authentic Catholic Woman" and was the featured speaker at the retreat.

at the Church: the Marian Church. As I said, the Church was born from the side of Christ. In that sense the Church is the bride along the line of created wisdom, daughter of Zion, city of Jerusalem. ...”

“So, when you hear Church, anything about the Church, you should go ‘ooh, that’s about me.’ Because the beautiful thing is all of you are called to be icons of Holy Mother Church.”

What does being an icon mean?

Mrs. Kineke explained that being an icon of the Church means looking at the truth and role of the Church and applying that on a micro scale to one’s own life.

For example, in baptism, the Church washes away original sin and welcomes a person into the body of Christ

“Washing and welcoming. This whole idea of creating order, keep-

dition of mystagogy, which is that period of continued faith formation that follows their coming into full communion with the Church.”

“Our diocese has a strong culture of continuing that journey through sponsors, godparents, and fellow parishioners,” he said.

Jeffrey Doody, a neophyte from the Church of the Good Shepherd in Newport, attended the missioning Mass

“[The cathedral] is a beautiful place, only my second time to be here,” he said. “But I really love it. When Deacon called me about coming, I was like, yep, we’ll be there; I love this place ”

Mr. Doody said he had always wanted to be a Catholic, calling it a “lifelong desire.”

His experience of coming into the Church at Easter was “wonderful.”

“Definitely the best Easter ever,” he said.

Cullen Chrivia, a neophyte from All Saints Parish in Knoxville, said his experience of coming into the Church at Easter was “unlike any other experience I’ve had.”

Mr. Chrivia was inspired to become a Catholic after “a lot of digging and research and soul-searching and God reaching out,” he said.

Father Boettner’s homily focused on spreading Christ’s love and Gospel message to others, which is something Mr. Chrivia plans to do through his work.

“It kind of harkens to my career almost because I want to go into politics, and I want to take what I’ve learned from God and His teachings and I want to abide that to how I work every day and how I help people in the future,” he shared.

Deacon Bello noted that not only did the body of Christ grow in numbers but also in faith.

“The movement of the Holy Spirit was apparent in this Mass and sending of the neophytes,” he said. “I believe the fire in these hearts will result in immediate evangelization of those they meet. This group truly seems to understand that this is the beginning of a great mission for the Church.” ■

ing things clean, hospitable to the people, and we do this on different levels,” she said. “Do we welcome people? Now maybe in your home, your little apartment, your little bedroom under the stairs because you’re a mother-in-law, I don’t know. … This is what I mean by you take a sacrament and say ‘What is the Church doing?’ and then ‘How do I live as an icon or an echo of this in my little world?’”

Each woman living as an icon of the Church will look different, Mrs. Kineke noted. There is no one way to live holiness.

“You’ve got the Church as mother and teacher. You’ve got the Church as wisdom. You’ve got all the dimensions of the Church. And you say, ‘OK, how do I fit into this template?’ And the beautiful thing is every single one of us in this room does it differently,” she said.

“You have different strengths. You have different foibles. You have different husbands or no husbands. You might be married, you might be single, you might be widowed, or you might be divorced. It doesn’t matter. You have different incomes. You have different jobs. You have different everything,” she added. “So, the point of this template is that you sit before the Blessed Sacrament, and you say, ‘Dear Lord, how do I live as an icon of your bride?’”

The purpose of living as an icon of the Church is to share Christ and His Church in the world, to align one’s life with the mission and vocation of the Church.

“In the end though, what is the vocation of the Church? If we’re all going to live as icons of Holy Mother Church, in our own beautiful and unique ways, what is the vocation of the Church?” she asked. “The vocation of the Church is to receive the Word of God and to give life to the world. The vocation of the Church is

continued on page A17

KDCCW

Captivated audience Mrs. Kineke speaks to the women attending the KDCCW retreat at All Saints Church in Knoxville about living as icons of the Church and the power of forgiveness.

Knights of Columbus put spotlight on faith, charity Diocese of Knoxville well represented at annual state convention

By Andy Telli

The Knights of Columbus’ commitment to charity and helping Catholic men deepen their faith was on full display during the 121st State Convention of the Tennessee State Council, held April 26-27 at the Marriott Cool Springs Hotel in Franklin.

In Tennessee, the Knights’ leadership has been promoting Christocentric leadership and the order’s COR initiative, a faith-formation program using small groups open to men who are members and nonmembers alike, explained State Deputy Bill Markiewicz of Cleveland, the highest-ranking officer in the state.

“With our COR initiative and Christo-centric leadership, we’re really trying to focus more around our faith and the sacraments and the Eucharist and not about having a clubhouse or just about recruiting new members,” Mr. Markiewicz said. “It’s really faith-focused … and we’ve made a lot of progress

topic continued from page A14

On the issue of diabolical lies, Mr. Butker couched “life beginning” between having a career and “one of the most important titles of all. Homemaker.” Many took offense to this, even bringing ’90s grunge rock guy Eddie Vedder of the band Pearl Jam out of the woodwork to condemn the speech.

But as a Catholic author and writer—who is a mother of many children and a college professor with a Ph.D.—said in her piece on the topic, the speech was not for society at large.

Catholic writer and proud homemaker Emily Zanotti took a look at the speech through the eyes of Pope St. John Paul II, who wrote beautifully on the topic of women and vocation. “The ‘diabolical lie’ of feminism is that women have nothing unique to offer to society that differs from what men offer, rather than assets, intrinsically linked to their womanhood, that make them essential to every area of life,” Ms. Zanotti wrote, concluding:

“We can’t reduce Catholic thought on how women do that to a shallow, bumper-sticker observation on a single woman’s vocation, nor can we say that ‘life’ begins for women when they become wives and mothers. Certainly, for me, despite years in the workforce, and my position writing to you now, raising my children remains the most significant job of my life. It is, as many women know, the greatest job I could have hoped for. But that is not to say that my life only began at their birth. As humans, made in the image of God, our lives begin the moment we come into existence as an individual thought of our Creator, and there are as many plans, purposes, and vocations as there are people. That is, of course, very hard to fit in a commencement speech.”

Pro-life podcaster and activist, wife, and mother Lila Rose championed motherhood and the feminine genius in full in her response:

“Lots of debate right now about homemakers. Being a homemaker is something to be proud of and is one of the most undervalued but important roles in our society. It’s not an insult; it’s an honor. The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. Being a homemaker includes work lots of work. In and sometimes outside of the home, depending on circumstances, callings, needs, and gifts. All this work is ultimately ordered towards love loving our children, loving our spouse, loving others. I work outside the home, and I am a homemaker. My husband works outside the home, and he helps make our home in so many ways. … The very best homes for children are created by a strong marriage where both man and woman give 100 percent. …”

Catholic commentator Amy Welborn was not impressed with the speech, writing in a blog, “Harrison

faith-formation opportunities for Catholic men is part of the strategic plan of the Supreme Council of the order, headquartered in New Haven, Conn., said Anthony Minopoli, a member of the Supreme Council board of directors who represented the Supreme Council at the Tennessee convention.

The first principle of the Knights, with more than 2 million members around the world, is charity. In 2023, the Knights donated $185 million to charity and devoted 49 million hours to volunteer service.

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly set a goal for the Knights to do in the faith what it does in charity, Mr. Minopoli explained. “That’s one of the pillars of our strategic plan: being first in faith as in charity.”

Faith and charity in action During the 121st State Convention of the Knights of Columbus Tennessee State Council, held in Franklin, Tenn., April 26-27, Council 8576 at St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga received the highest recognition, the Bishops' Award. Pictured from left are State Deputy Bill Markiewicz, Grand Knight Naino Leo, past Grand Knight Raleigh Cooper, Bishop J. Mark Spalding of the Diocese of Nashville, State Secretary Eric Pelton, and State Chaplain Father Gervan Menezes Knights continued on page A22

there this past year.”

The emphasis on providing

Butker makes millions of dollars a year for kicking a ball for an employer that does not, in the least, embody traditional Christian values on basically anything, from economic justice to sexuality.”

Perhaps Mr. Butker was trying to say something nice about the vocation of motherhood, marking the Mother’s Day weekend.

Regardless, his speech has sparked an online debate that is now making its way into blogs, social-media posts, and heated dinner conversations on women and motherhood. #Tradwife videos are now trending, there is much googling about the traditional Latin Mass, and might some young atheist right now be looking up JPII?

Compelled by Mr. Butker’s words on homemaking, Emily Stimpson Chapman weighed in, too, through the lens of her series on the “Manosphere,” which apparently defines young millennial men who are misogynistic and don’t think women should work at all outside the home.

Ms. Chapman writes: “But unless we help young men find a better understanding of what it means to be a man—a healthy, faithful, and richly Catholic understanding—that spirit will soon enough find its way into your world, making it as challenging for you to put a charitable spin on Harrison Butker’s words as it is for many of the women (like me) who are being called ‘disappointing’ (and worse) for our less-than-enthusiastic response to his speech.”

It has also led to enriching conversations on the balance between career and home, a challenge for those women who love being a mother and wife and enjoy a professional career, many of whom, as an added kicker, love Mr. Butker’s speech.

Dr. Grazie Christie, a physician, EWTN Radio host, and fellow at The Catholic Association, was up for the challenge, issuing a viral tweet:

“I am an MD, but my most important and satisfying job is making a cheerful, bright home for my dear husband and our children. When

I have put too much time and energy into my professional life, it has been a disordered and miserable existence.”

We are also witnessing inspiring moments of reflection on the beauty of motherhood and staying at home to serve the domestic Church. National Catholic Register contributor Nicole LeBlanc reflected on the love she has in this and about the extremely important roles that Pope St. John Paul II spoke so passionately about, including the role of spiritual mothers who do not have children.

Ms. LeBlanc wrote, “My life truly began when I became a wife and a mother. My husband is also my own flesh and bones. My role as a housewife has profoundly impacted me to be more selfless and to serve others. Marriage has made me a better person.”

Catholic writer and commentator Amber Duke (formerly Amber Athey) also weighed in about what has so ruffled feathers.

“What’s so infuriating about the backlash to Harrison Butker’s commencement speech is that he did not say that women have to stay in the kitchen, or whatever other false pejoratives people have projected onto his comments. He was very clear that many of the women in the audience would go on to have fruitful and satisfying careers. But for most women, they will be happier focusing on family. …,” Ms. Duke wrote.

A former NFL employee addressed the terrible work environment of the NFL, saying Mr. Butker was the last one who should be losing his job.

Catholic influencer Sachin Jose threw his hat in, offering “full support.” And others support Mr. Butker’s call for men to live masculine virtue.

And actress Patricia Heaton told everyone to calm down.

Catholic bishops also took to social media to voice support for Mr. Butker, including one who is no stranger to controversy.

Bishop Joseph E. Strickland said, “Thank you, Harrison, for speaking

Since the COR initiative was launched, more than 4,000 councils have adopted the program, Mr. Minopoli said. He also noted that several recent studies have found

truth. It is no surprise that some are reacting with extreme negativity. Too many today hate the truth and merely want ‘their’ truth, which is not truth at all. You are in my prayers.” Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco promoted the speech, seeing a message in it for himself as a spiritual father: “(Mr. Butker’s) call for young Catholic men to put their vocations as husbands and fathers first could not be more important. Surely, we spiritual fathers can ponder his call to us, too. Faithfulness is the way.”

But an interesting tidbit surfaced following the speech, in reference to how Benedictine College not only ends the year with a commencement address but also starts with a convocation. Catholic author and speaker Tim Carney was the man to offer words as the 2024 graduates began their senior year. And the message was very similar in spirit, reflecting on God’s calling to be “fruitful and multiply.”

“Autonomy has become a new god a golden calf. Attachment is seen as weakness. Belonging is a crutch. We’re supposed to put career above family and ‘rise above’ our upbringing. …,” Mr. Carney said The Family Unfriendly author has a lot to say about where society stands right now: on life, demographic winters, and family, and there seems to be a teachable moment surfacing in all of this

“We are forgetting that humans belong in community. That fellowship and camaraderie aren’t nice diversions. They are as necessary for the soul as food and water is for the body. Modern man forgets this. He reveres autonomy too much and neglects his duty to others,” Mr. Carney has written.

Too bad the football player didn’t have the savvy writing skills of Mr. Carney or the intellectual and spiritual prowess of St. John Paul II, not to mention saintly voices like St. Edith Stein; perhaps he would have proclaimed the dignity of “women who work” more effectively, and remembered the founders of the university, thanking consecrated life, and included in his motherhood definition all women who play a role as spiritual mothers, as well as single women who are serving Christ in the world. Then he’d have even more voices cheering him on.

Bravo to all of the graduates. And for the rest of us, let us carry on this vital conversation kicked off by Harrison Butker ■

Alyssa Murphy is the National Catholic Register’s managing editor of digital assets. Starting her career on the airwaves in San Francisco, she has worked in all facets of media. She enjoys writing and covering stories that inspire and uplift. National Catholic Register readers may be familiar with her voice from EWTN Radio’s Morning Glory. Mrs. Murphy lives in New Jersey just outside Manhattan with her husband, Andrew, and young daughter, Annabelle.

COURTESY OF THE TENNESSEE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

Laying it on the line Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker connects on the game-winning 58-yard field goal against the Los Angeles Chargers during overtime at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Sept. 20, 2020.

Hot

In the images of God

St. Mary Knights fund Choices Resource Center's ultrasound to avert abortions

By Bill Brewer

Thanks to an effective fundraising campaign by Knights of Columbus Council 3175 at St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge, Choices Resource Center is now counseling expectant mothers with the aid of new ultrasound technology.

Choices Resource Center provides free pregnancy-related counseling services to women and couples, specializing in crisis pregnancies.

According to its mission statement, Choices Resource Center “provides life-affirming services to women and men facing reproductive choices and unplanned pregnancies while glorifying Jesus Christ and mirroring His grace and truth.”

Representatives with Choices and the St. Mary Knights of Columbus cut the ceremonial ribbon for the new ultrasound equipment on May 14 at Choices’ Oak Ridge center located at 107 Raleigh Road.

Father Ray Powell, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge, offered prayers and blessed the new equipment.

At the ceremony, Choices executive director Malissa Mocsari, who is a registered nurse, thanked the Knights of Columbus for partnering with the center.

“Without them, we would not be here today,” Ms. Mocsari said. “Ultrasound technology continues to improve each year. Being able to provide the clearest images makes all the difference in the world when it comes to women seeing their baby in the womb and choosing life. … We just cannot thank you enough for this updated technology.”

Ms. Mocsari cited a recent example where a pregnant woman approached Choices after purchasing abortion pills online. Ms. Mocsari de-

to love.”

However, she noted, most people fail to love fully because they have been hurt in the past. Carrying the weight of past hurts limits people from being able to love as Christ instructed.

“Each one of you is called to love and be a beacon of the truth and a proclaimer of the Word and a safe place,” she said. “So, why don’t we love? Because we’re not stupid. We loved, and we got hurt. You learn very early on as a child that all of your efforts at love are not well received. And people who were supposed to love you let you down. And some people who loved you not only scandalized you but hurt you badly.”

That, she said, is why forgiveness is so important. “If you’re not going to love because you are injured, that’s a problem. It’s a perfectly logical response, but the Church demands that you love anyway. And that’s why we’ve got to transcend those wounds. How do we do it? We do it through forgiveness.”

She discussed how forgiveness is not excusing an injury, nor is it a feeling that one waits for. It is a choice and an action that is a critical step in healing and learning to love.

“If you’re waiting for the right apology or for them to change, it’s not going to work. You have to forgive anyway. For your peace of mind, for your ability to see the clarity, and for your ability to love, because the world is desperate for love, desperate for mother love.”

“Forgiveness is not excusing the injury. … You are not going to chew down the sides. The idea of forgiveness is not to work it down to something palatable and forgive just the tiny little bit that’s left over. You forgive the worst of it. … Then, after you’ve forgiven, your heart can soften,” she advised.

Mrs. Kineke discussed how the process of forgiveness can be helped by sharing one’s struggles with a trusted friend and talking through all the emotions of a situation. She also emphasized the need to go to confession as part of the process of forgiveness. Finally, Mrs. Kineke shared a

scribed the woman as scared and said she decided against taking the pills.

Instead of aborting her child, the young mother decided to give birth to her baby after seeing an ultrasound image.

“Being able to provide those services is just incredible. Thank you so much,” Ms. Mocsari said. “Praise God, our Creator, and for the tech-

nology to be able to see into the womb.”

She said the Choices staff was humbled by the generosity of the Knights of Columbus in making the project possible and pointed out that Council 3175 spent months raising money, including staffing a concessions booth at University of Tennessee football games that generated funds.

special resource for women in later stages of life.

Domus Aurea, which means “house of gold,” is her small resource book on prayer for women over 50 or in the empty-nest stage of life. Mrs. Kineke designed Domus Aurea for women who might feel a little lost in their vocation after their children leave the home.

“When I hit the empty nest, I was gobsmacked, and I was utterly disoriented. … I was shocked at how hard it was, with all my book learning, how hard it was to have an empty

nest. And I go, what now? I’m in a new phase of life; what am I going to do?” she shared.

“For empty nesters who kind of wonder what’s the point, what am I doing? You are going to do your part in saving civilization,” she continued. She had tables of participants write down advice they had received from the women in their lives. They discussed the virtues and social conventions shared by these women, advice and influence that still remains long after those

Father Powell said he is grateful for the work Choices and its staff do in assisting women with their pregnancies.

“It’s a wonderful facility, and this is an important piece of equipment that truly gives women real options and real knowledge to make sure they are making the best, informed decision they possibly can. And, of course, we hope they choose life, that beautiful gift from God,” Father Powell shared.

Father Powell said he is proud of the St. Mary Knights council, not only for the work they’ve done with Choices, but also for all their efforts in serving the parish and the larger Oak Ridge community.

Council 3175 member Morgan Paul said the ultrasound project took three years to complete. According to Mr. Paul, the UT concessions booth was hard work but provided an effective way to raise the needed funds.

He noted that Council 3175 raised $7,500 toward the ultrasound, with matching funds contributed by the 4US organization, which helps deliver ultrasound technology to organizations like Choices Resource Center, and by the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council.

In total, Choices received $27,000 from the fundraising campaign, which covered the cost of the new ultrasound system.

“They (Choices) do all the hard work. But we’re glad to be able to provide them the tool they need to save lives,” Mr. Paul said.

As part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Choices showed the attendees a recent ultrasound of a baby in the womb of an unidentified client. The image of the baby was sharp, and it was apparent the child was breathing and moving. A Choices volunteer compared

women have passed on.

“How many things on the list are from older, maybe fragile women in your life, who had no pulpit, had no platform as they say today, and they were making a difference?” Mrs. Kineke asked. “Here we are 40, 60 years later remembering what they told us because they loved us. And it did make a difference. I want you to understand that what you say makes a difference.” Mrs. Kineke talked about the power of prayer and how important a strong prayer life is, not just for the individual but the whole world. She encouraged all women, but especially older women, to recognize their role in praying for the world and growing in holiness.

Jeanie Matthews, vice president of the Smoky Mountain Deanery CCW and chair of the event, said she felt that Mrs. Kineke was a good fit as speaker for “Come to the Table: A Renewed Encounter with Jesus” because she spoke about laying down resentments at His table and asking the Lord for forgiveness and healing.

“All the feedback that I’ve heard so far has been that they were very grateful for her coming,” Ms. Matthews said. “A lot of women really needed to hear about forgiveness at this time. I feel like it’s just the right time to revisit forgiveness.”

After the afternoon talk, there was time for reflection and confession. The day concluded with Vigil Mass. The one-day retreat was held in lieu of the KDCCW’s annual threeday convention. The KDCCW made the change of alternating convention years with biannual events in order to draw more participants, give them a taste of the KDCCW, and offer a day solely focused on spiritual needs.

“This is the first time that the KDCCW has done a one-day retreat in lieu of a convention, so we were very excited,” Ms. Matthews said.

The KDCCW will hold its 2025 Convention at St. Mary Church in Johnson City April 24-26. You can learn more about the KDCCW and its parish af-

www.kdccw.org

BILL BREWER (2)

Saving lives Above: Father Ray Powell, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge, blesses a new ultrasound for Choices Resource Center. Observing the blessing are Malissa Mocsari, Ariana Walker, and Laura Maddox. Below: Ms. Mocsari shows clear images of a baby in the womb from the new ultrasound

Ultrasound continued on page A22

filiates at

■

KDCCW board members The Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women board pauses for a picture during the KDCCW retreat. This was the first year the KDCCW hosted a one-day retreat in lieu of its annual convention. The retreat successfully drew more than 130 women in attendance.

Remembering their members During a Mass of Remembrance on April 26, the KDCCW remembers all women of the diocese who died the previous year. Patricia Forde reads the names of the deceased women as Amelia Sweeney, Karen Marabella Miller, and Kathy DeAngelis hold candles for each deanery.

EMILY BOOKER (2)

KDCCW continued from page A15

He also christened the in-flight papal press conference and made immense strides in developing the Vatican’s Communications Office and the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, what is now the Dicastery for Communication. But John Paul II relied less on interviews with secular outlets and more on his unprecedented global travels to 129 countries, where he spoke directly to the faithful and to the media. He shaped public opinion by the power of the images and his impressive presence both as the leader of the Church and as a head of state.

Pope Benedict XVI—always a shy and scholarly figure—nevertheless understood the power of media. He coined the term “digital continent” as a new environment for evangelization, but his forays into media were centered in book-length interviews, especially with Peter Seewald, and the papal in-flight pressers, which were themselves not without controversy.

Francis speaks for himself

Pope Francis inherited a welldeveloped communications structure, but he preferred from the very beginning of his pontificate to make outreach to secular media his personal purview. Francis uses secular interviews—sprinkled with interviews with perceived friendly Catholic outlets—as a centerpiece of his papal communications strategy. He speaks for himself and rarely through the filter of the Vatican communications apparatus. It is estimated that in the last decade he has given well more than 100 interviews or pressers, most of them to secular publications. His style in interviews is earthy and blunt, filled with maxims and pithy phrases and a loose attention to theological precision. It has

AI continued from page A2

ers for the vast gaming industry,” Mr. Trumpbour told OSV News. “Microsoft has agreed to a version of card-check neutrality and has not pursued the usual corporate ruse of making life difficult for workers seeking to organize the workplace.”

Through a “card check,” employees can organize by signing authorization forms—or “cards”—stating they want union representation.

The Alphabet Workers Union— also referred to as the Google Union—was founded in January 2021. “Google’s motto used to be ‘Don’t Be Evil’—we are working to make sure they live up to that and more,” Alphabet Workers asserts on its website. Recent campaigns have centered on artificial intelligence (AI), employment classifications, pay standards and parity, and more.

“Over the past few years, highly paid white-collar workers have begun to assert themselves far beyond Google, engaging in forms of collective action that resemble union organizing,” explained Mr. Trumpbour. “Corporate employees have protested what they see as overly strict return-to-office policies at companies like Apple and Starbucks, and over a variety of social issues, like their employers’ carbon footprint (Amazon) or lack of diversity (Nike).”

Still, the list of layoffs has been lengthy.

In 2023, it included Amazon, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Microsoft, Salesforce, 3M, Boeing, Dell, Disney, Goldman Sachs, Capital One, IBM, SAP, PayPal, Wayfair, and Yahoo, among others.

Each planned to trim their workforce by thousands of employees—often citing reasons of efficiency—with few sectors seemingly immune.

In 2024, cuts are expected to be smaller—but still include corporate household names such as Tesla, Google, Amazon, and UPS.

“Streamlining” is a word often heard in statements from executives announcing lost jobs.

“A lot of U.S. corporations have grown quite fat, in bureaucratic

made him extremely quotable and popular with interviewers, but the approach is not without risks. His off-the-cuff remarks can create challenges for himself and Vatican communications. Confusion abounded, for example, about what Francis supposedly said about the existence of hell in his interviews with the late Italian atheist editor of La Repubblica, Eugenio Scalfari, who reconstructed the conversations with the pope entirely from memory.

The Vatican has been forced to issue clarifications on several other occasions after interviews. More recently, the pope infuriated the Ukrainians by suggesting that Ukraine should waive the “white flag” and negotiate a settlement with its Russian invaders. The Vatican tried to clarify what Francis meant, but the damage was done.

These are risks he is willing to take, however. In the preface to the interview book Now Ask Your Questions in 2021, Pope Francis said that interviews for him are a dialogue, not a lesson, that he does not prepare for them and declines to look at questions ahead of time. He knows that he might be misinterpreted, but he is determined it is the way forward for him.

“Everything that I do has pastoral value, in one way or in another,” he wrote. “If I did not trust this, I would not allow interviews. For me, it is clear. It’s a manner of communicating my ministry.”

That direct personal communication style possesses a greater structure and intent than might meet the eye. It allows him to shape the messaging very directly, especially now at what he sees is a critical crossroad for his legacy and his vision of a synodal Church and when resistance seems particularly pointed.

This brings us to his interview on May 19 with the CBS program

terms, over the last 10-15 years,” said Jesús Fernández-Villaverde, professor of economics at the University of Pennsylvania and president of the Catholic Research Economists Discussion Organization, or CREDO.

AI is increasingly regarded as a way to trim that corporate “fat,” Mr. Fernández-Villaverde observed.

“Imagine we rate everyone in society, in terms of skills—0 is the person who has the lowest skills, and 100 is the person who has the most skills,” Mr. FernándezVillaverde explained. “Artificial intelligence will be good for people who are between 0-75, because artificial intelligence cannot really substitute for a cleaning person. Still, someone has to clean a bathroom; still someone has to put a brick in a construction site.”

“Artificial intelligence will also be great for people at the top 5 percent of abilities and skills,” Mr. Fernández-Villaverde said, “because artificial intelligence means that now they have ways to do a lot of things in way more powerful approaches than before.”

“Where ChatGPT and artificial intelligence more in general is terrible,” said Mr. FernándezVillaverde, “is for people between 75 percent-95 percent of the distribution: people who do things that are sophisticated—but not too sophisticated.”

“A lot of the supervision at the middle level within firms, I can substitute it with artificial intelligence,” Mr. Fernández-Villaverde said. “That’s creating the need within firms to reorganize the way in which they organize their middle management—and firms are just reacting to it.”

On March 26, the American business journal Inc. confirmed that trend, reporting a survey by Beautiful.ai among 3,000 managers: 41 percent thought they could replace employees with “cheaper AI tools” in 2024; another 40 percent believe AI tools can replace team members without an impact on their operations; and 48 percent of managers said their business could save greatly on payroll costs if a “large

60 Minutes. The interview is a classic example of the communications strategy in play. A sycophantic reporter, in this case Norah O’Donnell, asks unchallenging and less-than-hard-hitting questions, providing him the opportunity to give a sharp rebuke to those he sees are hostage to ideologies and opposing his project of reform.

“You use the adjective ‘conservatives,’” he said. “That is to say, a conservative is one who sticks to something and does not want to see anything else. It is a suicidal attitude.”

Like other criticisms of so-called conservative critics in the United States, Pope Francis’ remarks went viral, and the pontiff certainly understands that CBS provides him a very large platform and an opportunity to speak directly and pointedly to the American audience.

He also made the most of Ms. O’Donnell’s softball questions on subjects the Holy Father has stressed throughout his pontificate: immigration, peace, being a welcoming Church to sinners, and his own claims of continuity with his predecessors. These are all equally on display in two books published almost simultaneously this year— his autobiography and his reflections on his election and that of his predecessor, Pope Benedict. In the first, he recounts his life through the major events of the 20th century. Along the way, he provides valuable insights into his childhood, ordination, and service as a bishop, archbishop, and cardinal. But each chapter also connects his life and his experiences directly to key elements of his program: immigration, fighting ideologies, fraternity, and opposition to his reforms.

In the second, the interview book El Sucesor: Mis Recuerdos de Benedicto XVI (The Successor: My Memories of Benedict XVI) with

number” of employees are replaced by AI in 2024.

“The technology has changed, and I think a lot of people in middle-range positions need to understand there is very little you can do about that,” Mr. FernándezVillaverde emphasized. “Trying to deny the reality that artificial intelligence is completely transforming our business models is not good for anyone.”

Such labor evolution, Mr. Fernández-Villaverde said, isn’t new.

“In the United States, around 98 percent of people used to work in agriculture—now, only 1 percent of people work in agriculture. We just don’t need 20 percent doing the middle range of jobs in the U.S. anymore,” he said, adding, “We need to think about what can we do for these people to transition into well-paid jobs.”

“Technological disruption often creates losers as well as winners,” Mr. Trumpbour noted. “The trouble in the current economic order is that typically so many of the winners are a privileged elite at the apex of corporate power. It is interesting that more high-tech gurus and captains of industry openly admit that there will be what Mustafa Suleyman (CEO of Microsoft AI) calls a ‘serious number of losers.’”

While that may seem inevitable, “we had better make sure there are better human guidelines for control of advanced technology, as sometimes the survival of communities may depend on establishing oversight,” Mr. Trumpbour cautioned. “There are many work situations in which humanitarian values must trump the cult of efficiency.”

The Catholic Church’s teaching and defense of unions might provide such a tool to protect workers, families, and their communities from an unchallenged “cult of efficiency” marching its way through society.

“I call union rights ‘the forgotten civil right,’” said Dan Bowling, former head of human resources for Coca-Cola and a senior lecturing fellow at Duke University’s Law School.

Spanish journalist Javier MartínezBrocal reveals details from Pope Francis’ perspective of the conclave that elected Pope Benedict and his relationship with the late pontiff. He is shaping opinion about the conclaves that went before him but also blunting criticism that he somehow seeks a rupture in continuity with his predecessors. As loose as his style might appear, the interviews are not random, nor are the points he makes. And where Francis may seem repetitive—witness the frequent recourse to what he describes in Italian as indietrismo, which translates into English as “backwardness” or “looking backward”—he is making the same points across different platforms, languages, and audiences. It is a strategic positioning to maximize his messaging.

Pope Francis has forged his own path in communication and in governance. He is trying to shape how the world perceives him, how his reforms are received and implemented, and how permanent his program for the Church will be. He unquestionably stands in continuity with the modern popes in his embrace of the media, but he is unprecedented in the way he goes about it. How effective this strategy proves in the long-term will depend significantly on his successors but also, ironically, on the very media—Catholic and secular—he has tried to influence. ■

Matthew Bunson is vice president and editorial director of EWTN News. He is a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and the author or co-author of over 50 books, including: “The Encyclopedia of Catholic History,” “The Pope Encyclopedia,” “We Have a Pope!” “Benedict XVI,” “The Saints Encyclopedia,” and bestselling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

The right to unionize and seek workplace equity—and to strike, if necessary—is fundamental to Catholic social teaching. Pope Leo XIII, St. John XXIII, St. Paul VI, St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis have all expounded on unionized labor topics, in both official and unofficial pronouncements.

“My labor law classes are full,” Mr. Bowling reported. “It used to be nobody wanted to take labor law. But it’s more relevant when you have Starbucks workers wearing union buttons; graduate students are organizing unions, striking at some schools; and tenured faculties are organizing.”

Union membership, Mr. Bowling said, isn’t “a blue-collar phenomenon anymore. It crosses any sort of economic boundaries.”

Nonetheless, there are challenges to unionizing in the office versus on the assembly line.

“A lot of the white-collar type that may be pro-union—more socially justice-oriented—are spread out; they’re knowledge workers; they do a lot of part-time gigs, work for a variety of places,” Mr. Bowling explained. “The most successful unionization (model) is to have a highly concentrated group of workers in one place or two places.”

Public visibility—an important ingredient of union leverage—is another factor.

“Does it make headlines if you organize nine emergency-room physicians, against 900 plant workers at an Amazon warehouse?” Mr. Bowling asked.

Still, some traditional barriers to unionization have begun to fall.

“When a student grows up—and has been taught by a person who is in a union—and they say, ‘No classes next week; we’re on strike,’ they’re going to pay attention. Or the Starbucks worker has a button saying, ‘Vote Union.’ That has cleared the way; there’s an acceptability among this group of whitecollar workers,” Mr. Bowling suggested. “So, white-collar unions are becoming much more common— the sort of stigma attached to them is long gone.” ■

the King Parish in Tazewell in July 2018. And he was named pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade in July 2014.

He previously served as parochial administrator and pastor of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland and as a chaplain at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.

Father Sescon was incardinated into the Diocese of Knoxville in July 2016 after serving in the Archdiocese of Detroit for eight years. He was ordained a priest in June 1986 in Cebu City in the Philippines and has ministered to the Diocese of Knoxville’s Filipino Catholic community.

St. Augustine Parish in Signal Mountain will temporarily be providing sacramental ministry for Alexian Village.

Father Gilbert Diaz, who has been pastor of Holy Family Parish in Seymour for nearly 10 years, has retired from active ministry, effective May 1

Father Diaz was ordained to the priesthood in January 1994 at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge. His first assignment in February 1994 was as an associate pastor at St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga.

In August 1997, Father Diaz left St. Jude and was assigned to St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge as an associate pastor. In July 2001, he was appointed pastor of St. Bridget Parish in Dayton. From St. Bridget, Father Diaz was assigned as pastor of St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga in July 2006. He was assigned as pastor of Holy Family in July 2014.

Father Bill McNeeley will serve as parochial administrator of Holy Family Parish in Seymour, effective June 1 Father McNeeley has served as pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville since July 2019. Father McNeeley became the first man in Diocese of Knoxville history to enter the presbyterate under the Pastoral Provision, established in 1982 by Pope St. John Paul II to allow Anglican clerics to petition for ordination to the Catholic priesthood.

Father McNeeley previously has served as assistant to the pastor and as parochial administrator of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa.

Father John Orr will serve as parochial administrator of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville, effective June 1. Father Orr was assigned as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Athens in July 2018. Prior to his St. Mary assignment, he was named pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville in July 2016. He also has served as pastor of St. Therese Parish in Clinton and associate pastor of Holy Ghost.

At St. Joseph the Worker, St. Therese, and Holy Ghost, Father Orr has offered Masses in the extraordinary form [the “traditional Latin Mass”] in addition to the standard Roman Rite Mass. He also has led Hispanic ministry in those parishes.

Father Orr, who earned his Ph.D. in 2014 from the Maryvale Institute in the United Kingdom and who also previously served as spiritual director at Knoxville Catholic High School, was ordained into the priesthood in 2001 by then-Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz

Father Valentin Iurochkin will continue to serve as associate pastor at Holy Ghost Parish. Archbishop Fabre named him to that position in January.

Father Iurochkin is of Russian descent and joined the Diocese of Knoxville in October 2019. He served as associate pastor of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga and as chaplain at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Newman Center from September 2020 to February 2024.

Father Iurochkin formerly was with the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) religious order and was incardinated into the Diocese of Knoxville in December 2022.

Father Christopher Manning will serve as parochial administrator of St. Mary Parish in Athens, effective June 1. Since July 2019, Father Manning has served as chaplain, teacher, and part of the administrative staff at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga. He has been in residence at St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga and has served as chaplain of the Serra Club of Chattanooga.

Father Manning’s first assignment following his June 2013 ordination to the priesthood was as an associate pastor at St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut beginning in July 2013. He also served as chaplain at Knoxville Catholic High School from 2014-19.

The Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul will provide sacramental ministry to Notre Dame High School beginning with the fall semester.

Father Bartholomew Okere, who has served as pastor of St. Henry Parish in Rogersville and St. James the Apostle Parish in Sneedville, announced he will be leaving those parishes effective June 1. Father Michael Cummins, pastor of St. Dominic Parish in King-

sport, will celebrate Masses at those parishes in the interim.

Father Bede Aboh will serve as associate pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport, effective June 1

Father Aboh has served as chaplain of the Catholic Center at East Tennessee State University since July 2015. Prior to his Johnson City assignment, Father Aboh served as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge, where he was assigned in July 2011.

Father Aboh’s ministry in East Tennessee began following his Aug. 13, 1988, ordination, when he served as a hospital chaplain with the Alexian Brothers in Signal Mountain. He joined the Diocese of Knoxville priesthood in September 2008, when he was incardinated.

In July 2006, Father Aboh was assigned to St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut as an associate pastor. Then in November 2008, he was named pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Mission in Townsend, which was elevated to parish status in 2010.

He also served as pastor of St. Catherine Labouré Parish in Copperhill and associate pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville.

Father Zach Griffith will serve as chaplain of the Catholic Center at East Tennessee State University and as part-time associate pastor of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City, effective July 1.

Father Griffith, who was ordained to the priesthood in August 2020, has served since September 2020 as associate pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Chattanooga.

Archbishop Fabre also announced that ETSU will be welcoming four FOCUS missionaries to its campus beginning in fall 2024.

Father Matthew Donahue has completed his canon law studies in Rome and will be assigned as a judge and documentary case instructor for the Diocese of Knoxville’s Marriage Tribunal.

Father Donahue also will serve as part-time associate pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga, effective July 1. He was ordained to the priesthood in August 2021

Father Mark Schuster will serve as director for the Diocese of Knoxville Office of Vocations, effective June 9. Father Schuster will continue as the pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville, where he has served since July 2021

Father Schuster was ordained to the priesthood in June 2019. Previously, he served as associate pastor of St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut

Father Arthur Torres Barona will become assistant vocations director, effective June 9. He will continue to serve as pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga and as pastoral

leader of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School

Father Torres served as associate pastor of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus following his 2013 ordination to the priesthood. And he has been the deanery coordinator for vocations, master of ceremonies for diocesan Masses, and moderator of the Hispanic Marriage Encounter Ecclesial Movement

He has been pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help since October 2020. He was ordained a priest in December 2013 in his native Cali, Colombia

Father Michael Hendershott will continue to serve as associate pastor of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga and at the Catholic Student Center at the University of TennesseeChattanooga. Archbishop Fabre appointed Father Hendershott to those posts in February.

Father Hendershott, who was ordained to the priesthood in June 2015, was named associate pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in July 2020, where he also coordinated liturgies for the Latin Mass and Hispanic communities. Previously, he has served as associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, as chaplain and on the faculty at Knoxville Catholic High School, and as associate vocations director for the diocese.

Father Alex Hernandez will serve as an associate pastor of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, effective July 1, and as chaplain for EnCourage. He has served as associate pastor of All Saints Parish in Knoxville since September 2020. Father Hernandez was ordained to the priesthood in August 2020

Father Don Andrie, a Paulist priest who has been serving as pastor of St. John XXIII University Parish on the campus of the University of TennesseeKnoxville for 10 years, will be leaving St. John XXIII for Austin, Texas, where he will be on sabbatical. The Paulist Fathers announced that succeeding Father Andrie at St. John XXIII will be Father Larry Rice, CSP Father Rice is a veteran Catholic campus minister and a leader in faith-based communications. He most recently served as chaplain of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.

From September 2016 to June 2020, Father Rice was director of the University Catholic Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and from 2004 to 2010, he served as director of the St. Thomas More Newman Center at The Ohio State University in Columbus Father Rice served in Washington, D.C., on the staff of the Intercommunity Telecommunications Project and at Paulist Media Works from 1990 to 2002. He made his first promises to the Paulist community on Aug. 11, 1984. He was ordained a priest on May 13, 1989.

Father Bo Beaty will, following his June 8 ordination to the priesthood, serve as associate pastor at St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut, effective July 1

Father Daniel Herman will, following his June 8 ordination to the priesthood, serve as associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, effective July 1

Father Michael Willey will, following his June 8 ordination to the priesthood, serve as associate pastor at All Saints Parish in Knoxville, effective July 1

Deacon A.J. Houston will, following his June 8 ordination as a transitional deacon, serve at All Saints, effective June 9. Lt. Houston also is serving in the U.S. Army.

Archbishop Fabre is not appointing any pastors. Rather, priests responsible for parishes will be appointed as parochial administrators for the duration of the vacant see. Bishop-elect Mark Beckman, upon his appointment and installation, will be able to confirm these appointments and name pastors ■

Fr. Manning Fr. Sescon Fr. Donahue Fr. Iurochkin Fr. Hendershott

Fr. Aboh Fr. Griffith Fr. Diaz Fr. Schuster Fr. Hernandez

Fr. Andrie Fr. Beaty Fr. Herman Fr. Willey

Dcn. Houston

Brothers in Christ Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, center, is shown with young priests and aspiring priests in the Diocese of Knoxville. From left are Deacon Renzo Alvarado Suarez, Gerald Stults, Nicholas Hickman, Eli Holt, Father Arthur Torres Barona, Father Bo Beaty, Father Michael Willey, Daniel Cooper, Deacon A.J. Houston, Bobby Denne, and Father Daniel Herman.

Photo by Jim Wogan

Fr. Okere

Fr. Rice

Fr. Torres

Funeral Mass celebrated for Fr. Bertin Glennon

Religious-order

By Dan McWilliams

Father Bertin Glennon, a longtime priest in the Diocese of Knoxville who was a member of the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity religious order, passed away on May 21 at the age of 80.

Father Glennon ministered in Chattanooga during much of his priesthood and resided at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul rectory for many years, first arriving there in 1990.

Among his roles in the diocese were as parochial vicar of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, a religion teacher at Notre Dame High School, and clinical director and founder of the Center for Individual and Family Effectiveness in Chattanooga.

A funeral Mass for Father Glennon was celebrated on May 28 at St. Joseph Church in Fort Mitchell, Ala.

Father Glennon was born on Jan. 6, 1944, in Milwaukee. He had two siblings, a brother, Michael, and a sister, Eibhlin.

Father Glennon, who celebrated 50 years in the priesthood on May 15, 2021, at Holy Spirit Church in Soddy-Daisy, was ordained on May 15, 1971, in Silver Spring, Md., just outside of Washington, D.C. The superior general of the Missionary Servants, Father Mike Barth, ST, delivered the homily and concelebrated the golden-anniversary Mass.

Also present at that Mass were Bishop Emeritus Richard F. Stika and area priests Father Jim Vick, Father Alex Waraksa, Father Charlie Burton, Father Mike Creson, Father David Carter, and host pastor Monsignor Al Humbrecht. Father Glennon frequently joined Monsignor Humbrecht and the Holy Spirit community for Sunday Mass.

Father Glennon also was a counselor with a doctorate in psychology.

Many friends and family, including his sister, Eibhlin Glennon, attended the anniversary Mass.

Father Barth in his homily remarked that “Father Bertin Glennon, in the footsteps of a Peter and a Paul and powered by faith,” was a missionary priest for 50 years.

“It’s a long time. He is a Missionary Servant priest, a congregation that has as its heart, powered by the charism given us by our founder, Father Thomas Augustine Judge, over 100 years ago. It is that charism that is a missionary call to develop and empower and energize laity. And to go out in service to those most in need: the poor, the abandoned, the marginalized, the often-aimless youth, the used and abused of our society, the neglected and rejected; these we consider our treasures,” Father Barth said.

“Our founder charged us to go to what he referred to as the tangled portion of the vineyard and there to be a light to those in darkness,” Father Barth continued. “Father

Bertin, throughout his 50 years, has faithfully followed this path. From a ministry in the hills of coal-mining Appalachia in Manchester, Ky., to the rural south in Kiln, Miss., later in Hohenwald, Tenn., and now the past 35 years in Chattanooga, founding and working at the Center for Individual and Family Effectiveness, ministering to and with some of the most marginalized and abandoned of our society.”

Father Glennon also served as an associate pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga when he first arrived in Chattanooga in 1986, as pastor of St. Bridget Parish in Dayton in 1987, and as founding pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Hohenwald in 1983.

After being ordained to the priesthood, Father Glennon also served as director of the Kentucky State Health Planning Commission, as a regional forensic psychological examiner in Tullahoma, Tenn., as chief psychologist at the Baker Correctional Institution in Olustee, Fla., and as a marital

and family therapist.

Father Barth, saying that he did not want to speak for Father Glennon, nevertheless said, “I feel that it’s safe to say that he probably doesn’t like the focus on him. I suspect that in his heart he really wants to celebrate each of you. Why? Because each of you, without exception, has touched his life and enriched it. Because of you, he is different, more priestly, more Christian, more human. You have touched him in so many ways, beyond counting. You have let him share in your laughter and your tears, your head and your heart, your strength and your weakness. Together, you have played and prayed, thought and fought, have shared much of life and I’m sure no small amount of death.”

Father Glennon “has served humbly now for 50 years,” Father Barth continued.

“We gather today to thank God for those years, to pray for Father Bertin, to pray that God will preserve him and allow him to continue to be the missionary that he is for many years to come,” he said.

Bishop Stika thanked Father Glennon for his care for Monsignor George Schmidt, the longtime rector of the basilica, especially as the monsignor’s health declined in his later years. Monsignor Schmidt passed away in 2016.

“Father Bertin for so long was so good to Monsignor George Schmidt,” the third bishop of Knoxville said.

Bishop Stika also thanked Father Glennon “in the name of all of the priests in this diocese, for all of the lives that you’ve touched in your very, very special work. It is very difficult because you see the fragile nature of human life, or somebody who just needs somebody to talk to.

Priest continued on page A22

THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC ARCHIVES

Let perpetual light shine upon him Father Bertin Glennon, ST, center, concelebrates a Diocese of Knoxville Mass along with other priests of the diocese. Father Glennon died on May 21 while in hospice care in Fort Mitchell, Ala., where his religious order has a presence.

Edward M. Albert

Edward M. Albert, age 84, died March 15 at University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Faithful Departed

dren’s Research Hospital, and the University of Tennessee.

Mr. Albert was born in Springfield, Ill., on July 13, 1939. He was preceded in death by parents Michael and Lillian (Lewis) Albert and his wife of 58 years, Judith (Loman) Albert. He is survived by a daughter, Karen Smith of Mattoon, Ill.; sons Edward Jr. “Ted” of Ashland City, Tenn., and Christopher (Jennifer) of Murrieta, Calif.; grandchildren William, Logan, Alexander, Samantha, and Woodrow Albert.

Mr. Albert attended Purdue University, Southern Illinois University, and Gannon College, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees. An avid golfer, he was a member of Holston Hills Country Club and the Purdue Alumni Association. He served five years in the U.S. Air Force, earning the rank of captain upon release from active duty. His working career included positions at General Electric and ABB/Alstom Power in engineering, marketing, and sales.

A memorial service was held at All Saints Church in Knoxville on March 26. Donations in Mr. Albert’s memory may be made to the USO or the Purdue Alumni Association.

Barbara Voight

Barbara “Granny” Jean Voight, a longtime resident of Seymour, passed into the arms of God on March 23. She was 81.

His contributions to the civic community also were numerous as evidenced by his service as president of Knoxville’s Junior Chamber of Commerce, his work with the U.S. Air Force Association and with the Tennessee Air National Guard, and many other organizations.

Mr. Bowers was a motivated, happy person who lived his life with great gusto and joy. He loved to go to his home on Longboat Key, Fla., and traveled to Colorado to ski every year from 1982 to 1995. He loved Alabama football and attended every game he could. He also was an avid University of Tennessee fan.

He also loved flying. After his time in the Air Force, he flew his own private planes for some 30 years. He especially enjoyed making good Samaritan flights for people in need. He was known throughout the country as a superb aviator who had flown every kind of plane. His love of flying was centered mostly on fighter jets such as the F-102 and the F-104.

Mr. Bowers is preceded in death by his loving wife, Mary Lee Thomas Bowers; parents James Allen and Ruth Alyce Williamson Bowers; brothers Lloyd, Patrick, and David Bowers Sr.; sister Ruth A. Bowers; brother-in-law Floyd and wife Billie Womack; and sister-in-law Schlaine Thomas.

He is survived by a brother, John Bowers; sister and brother-in-law Rose and Richard Turner; sister-in-law Rosie Bowers; brother-in-law Joe Thomas; and special nieces and their families Sherry Lee Bell (John, Madalyn, and Ella), and Tina Marquita Dotson (David and Grace). He also is survived by his very special friend and companion, Norma K. Bailey, and his longtime friend and assistant, Virginia Tarver.

ment service was held at Restlawn Cemetery in Coffeyville, where he was laid to rest next to his mother’s and father’s graves.

Mr. Sapp was dearly loved by his family as well as the many friends he touched during his lifetime. Donations in Mr. Sapp’s memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

Joseph R. Reiser

Joseph Raymond Reiser passed away on March 3 in Knoxville. He was 46.

Mr. Reiser was born on Aug. 28, 1977, in Chicago and resided in Illinois until age 13.

Mr. Reiser’s family moved to Tennessee in 1990. He attended Science Hill High School in Johnson City and attended two universities before graduating and becoming a computer technician.

Mr. Reiser leaves many family members and friends to mourn him, including his mother, Joan T. Reiser; a brother, William V. Reiser IV; a sister Lisabeth Anna Moore and husband Michael; aunt and godmother Arlene Zielinski; and first, second, and third cousins.

A funeral Mass for Mr. Reiser was celebrated on March 22 at St. Mary Church in Johnson City.

Rolfe Anthony Mullins

Rolfe Anthony Mullins, 74, of Madisonville, passed away on May 9. He was 74.

Mrs. Voight was born in Knoxville on June 11, 1942, to James and Ruth Fields as the second of eight children. She graduated in 1960 from Young High School and soon went to work at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. She began as an insurance clerk and retired 37 years later as one of the cornerstones of the hospital, helping the institution grow and make a positive impact on all who knew her.

Mrs. Voight was proudest of her two grandchildren, Garrison and Karson. She spent her happiest years with them, her beloved Bill, and the rest of her family on countless adventures. The love that she had for her family was a love that was unconditional, never ending, and never wavering. She always saw the best in us all.

On April 21, 2023, Mrs. Voight’s beloved husband of 40 years, William “Bill” Voight, passed away, and the sparkle in her eyes began to slowly fade. As she said her long goodbye, we knew that she loved us with all her heart, but a piece of that heart was missing. Her heart is whole again as she is back in the arms of her true love, Bill, and the sparkle in her eyes has become as bright as the sun.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Voight was preceded in death by her parents, James and Ruth Fields; and a brother, Michael Fields. She is survived by her son, Gary Holliday and wife, LeVonda; grandchildren Garrison and Karson Holliday; a beloved stepson, Ray Voight; brothers Jerry, Butch, and Bobby; and sisters Kathy, Sandy, and Ruthie.

A funeral Mass for Mrs. Voight was celebrated on April 4 at Holy Family Church in Seymour. Donations in Mrs. Voight’s memory may be made to The Pat Summitt Foundation, 520 W. Summit Hill Drive, Suite 1101, Knoxville, TN 37902.

James Bowers Jr.

James “Jim” Allen Bowers Jr., age 94, went to join the Lord on April 6 after having lived a full and wonderful life.

A funeral Mass for Mr. Bowers was celebrated on April 12 at Holy Ghost Church, with Father John Dowling serving as the celebrant and Father Bill McNeeley serving as the concelebrant. Burial followed at Sherwood Memorial Gardens in Alcoa. Donations in Mr. Bowers’ memory may be made to Holy Ghost Parish or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

David Sapp

On a hot July afternoon in Coffeyville, Kan., you would see David Sapp pedaling his bike down the streets, delivering the Coffeyville newspaper to the city’s many residents. This was only the beginning of many jobs for Mr. Sapp involving a lot of hard work (as well as blood, sweat, and tears).

Mr. Sapp passed away on March 24 after suffering health issues for many years.

He was born on Aug. 25, 1949, in Jefferson City, Mo., where his family lived until his father took a job in Coffeyville as an optician. He attended elementary school in Coffeyville and graduated from high school. He then attended Coffeyville Community Junior College, where he was nominated as the city’s community ambassador to Spain, where he spent one summer. After he returned from Spain, Mr. Sapp attended college at the University of Kansas, where he would graduate with honors in 1972.

Little did his family know at the time that Mr. Sapp would climb the corporate executive ladder at Pizza Hut Inc., which provided him the opportunity to work in such places as London, Curacao, Guatemala, and the Caribbean. His job took him to many wonderful places but also put many years of very hard work on his body. He loved using the multiple languages he learned, especially Spanish.

Mr. Bowers was born in Birmingham, Ala. After graduation from the University of Alabama, he entered the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant and served for 30 years. The latter part of his military career was with the Tennessee Air National Guard as a liaison officer with the Air Force Reserve, serving under Gen. Lawrence A. Skantze at Systems Command Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Bowers joined the Jostens Co. in the late 1950s. After one year, he was called to active duty in Ramstein, Germany, where he served until a crisis ended. He returned to Knoxville and rejoined Jostens, where he was one of the company’s top salesmen.

Mr. Bowers was a member of Holy Ghost Parish, where he served at 6:30 a.m. Mass almost every day from 1995 until just before he died. He was a well-known leader, motivator, and philanthropist, and he supported a number of charities, including the Catholic Church, Ladies of Charity, Boys Town, Little Sisters of the Poor, University of Alabama, St. Jude Chil-

After leaving Pizza Hut, he moved to Greenville, S.C., where he opened his own restaurant, known as Currant Thymes. In 2004, Mr. Sapp went to work in Knoxville for Food Donation Connection, whose mission is to redistribute food left over from various restaurants around the country and around the world to local food banks and other charities that provide food to the needy. Mr. Sapp was pleased to have been given a job with this faith-based organization that was started by another former Pizza Hut employee and his wife.

Mr. Sapp had a big heart and shared his love with others by providing for friends and family in a most generous manner. It is not surprising that his final job would be working for a company that provided for the needs of others.

Mr. Sapp was preceded in death by his mother and father, Rita and Edwin Sapp Sr.; a brother-inlaw, Ralph Hunter; and a nephew, Jeff Hunter. He is survived by a brother, Ed Sapp Jr.; and three sisters, Janet Hunter of Augusta, Kan.; Helen Blake (Roger) of Ponca City, Okla.; and Lynn Sapp of Dallas. He also is survived by 11 nieces and nephews, 22 greatnieces and -nephews, and three great-great-nieces and -nephew. He also is survived by eight cousins. In his younger years, Mr. Sapp was a member of the First Baptist Church in Coffeyville. After moving to Tennessee, he joined the Catholic Church and was a member of St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut.

A funeral Mass for Mr. Sapp was celebrated on April 15 at St. John Neumann Church. An inurn-

Mr. Mullins was born on June 3, 1949, in Johnson City. He attended St. Mary School and St. Mary Church. He graduated from University High School in 1967 and then attended East Tennessee State University, where he became a member of Tennessee Gamma Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. Throughout his life, Mr. Mullins worked for various family businesses, including Rolfe's Cafeteria in Johnson City.

Mr. Mullins had a lifelong love of music, and he played guitar and sang at St. Mary Church as well as performing in several bands in Johnson City. The last band he was with was called Second Time Around, playing oldies music.

He was an avid horseman from a young age at Sunny Acres Stables in Jonesborough. He has owned a horse, DoMore Jose, at Rolling Ridge Farms in Riceville. He was a member of ETWHA and Upper Cumberland WHA, and was also a member of TWHBEA. Another hobby of his was remote-control model airplanes; and he had been a part of Southern Cruisers Motorcycle Association. Mr. Mullins was preceded in death by his parents, Rolfe and Lena Mullins, and a brother, Michael Mullins.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Mullins; brothers and sisters, Carol Mullins Strohm, Barbara Mullins Chitwood, Tollie Mullins, and Revonne Mullins Gibson; sister-in-law, Martha Mullins; many special nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; fur-babies, Gidget, Carmella, and Daisy. He also leaves behind several members of his “adopted” Walking Horse family.

A funeral Mass for Mr. Mullins was celebrated on May 16 at St. Joseph the Worker Church, with Father Julius Abuh serving as the celebrant. A burial service at McMinn Memory Gardens followed.

Richard J. Penpek

Richard “Rick” John Penpek, 63, of Knoxville passed away on May 17 at his home surrounded by his family.

Mr. Penpek was born on Oct. 7, 1960, in Erie, Penn., to Marie Mele Penpek and Richard Frank Penpek. He received his bachelor’s degree in administration of justice from Pennsylvania State University and his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. He married his wife of 33 years, Lisa (Litsinger) Penpek, on Oct. 19, 1990.

Mr. Penpek truly lived life to the fullest through simple pleasures: his deep faith, golfing with friends, coaching his childrens’ sports teams, and exercising his impeccable sarcasm and wit. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Penpek; his children, Richard John “RJ” Penpek Jr., Alyssa (Kenneth) Coulter, and Stephanie Penpek; his sister, Michelle “Taja” Durham; his brothers, Dennis (Lori) Penpek, Frank (Carrie) Penpek, and Robert Penpek; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents.

A funeral Mass for Mr. Penpek was celebrated at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut on May 24, followed by a burial service at Lakeview Cemetery

Donations in Mr. Penpek's memory may be made to Vanderbilt Health to support the Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Fund. Go to: give.vanderbilthealth.org/RickPenpek ■

Mr. Albert

Mr. Sapp

Mrs. Voight

Mr. Bowers

Mr. Mullins

Mr. Penpek

that many men don’t have friends of other men.

COR, which is Latin for heart, “is an affirmative step forward to say we are going to focus on developing men’s faith, developing their charity, and tightening the bonds of brotherhood. And who is more uniquely positioned than the Knights of Columbus?” Mr. Minopoli said.

That focus on the faith has helped the Knights to pass 13,000 members in Tennessee for the first time, Mr. Markiewicz noted.

The state council makes four promises to its members, he said. “That first promise is we will give all men an opportunity to grow closer in relationship to God. And that’s why we think more of it as evangelization and men working together to grow in their faith.”

The other promises of the State Council are:

n Provide opportunities for all Catholic men and their families to serve Christ in His Church.

n Provide opportunities for all Catholic men and their families to serve those most in need in their community in the name of Christ.

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the images from the new ultrasound and the older models with images from a new, high-definition television and those from an older, 13inch TV. She said one of Choices’ “first saves” were twins that were identified through ultrasound.

Ms. Mocsari pointed out that Choices Resource Center has operated in Oak Ridge for 32 years, and she explained that the Oak Ridge Knights contributed 25 percent of the proceeds, 4US contributed another 25 percent, and the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council matched with a 50 percent contribution.

She said ultrasound technology is life-changing for women and lifesaving for their babies.

“Most women in the community who are considering abortion have been told and will believe that it’s just a clump of cells, no matter the gestation. When they see that baby on the ultrasound, they see that it’s a formed head and face and arms, and that beating heart. They see that it is really a baby. It’s not just a clump of cells. It makes it real for them. And it changes minds,” Ms. Mocsari said. She pointed out that 85-95 percent of women considering abortion who see an ultrasound of their baby will change their minds and give birth. And she shared that the ultrasound device is used daily. Choices will continue to use the ultrasound equipment they already have as a back-up system.

Fathers are strongly encouraged to see the ultrasound, too. And Choices

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n Ensure that no Catholic family experiences unnecessary financial hardship due to the loss of a breadwinner or an underfunded pension.

Investing with faith

Mr. Minopoli is the executive vice president and chief investment officer for the Knights of Columbus, responsible for overseeing the team that manages an approximately $30 billion general account that backs the life insurance, long-term care, disability, and annuity programs that are open to Knights and their families.

He also is president and chief investment officer of Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors, a wholly owned subsidiary, registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, that manages the Knights’ family of Catholic-compliant mutual funds. Knights Asset Advisors have about $1.55 billion in mutual funds and another roughly $800 million in accounts it manages for larger investors, such as large dioceses, according to Mr. Minopoli.

Anyone can invest in the Asset Advisors’ mutual funds, and they can be assured their investment will

be consistent with Church teaching, he said.

“We’ve been managing according to the teachings of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for many years,” Mr. Minopoli said. “We developed this family of mutual funds that adheres to those very same teachings. …

“We use a third-party firm to help us screen companies and then we also have a moral theologian on retainer” to help ensure the investments are following the teachings of the bishops, Mr. Minopoli said.

“Our goal is to not just have funds that are compliant with Catholic teachings. Our focus is to try to generate market-competitive, attractive returns in a very risk-adjusted way, with fees that are competitive in the marketplace, and an understanding for anyone who invests with the Knights, and I think this is even more important than knowing about the screening, is that the profitability from what we earn from running these funds support the very same ideals that people in the Catholic Church believe in,” he added.

Earnings from all the Knights investments help fund its charitable

has a team of men who are fathers who mentor the new fathers accompanying the new mothers who are clients.

“There are many young men who grew up without fathers, so they don’t know how to be a man. These volunteers gently help them work through their problems. It’s an incredible thing to watch,” Ms. Mocsari said.

She also pointed out that all of Choices’ services are free, and the organization’s budget is supported solely by donations, with no government funding.

Ms. Mocsari noted that Choices has been working with Catholic

Mike Dunne and wife Amy Katcher-Dunne of St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga were among the good friends of Father Glennon attending his golden jubilee.

“He married us 14 years ago,” they said at the time

“There’s a story behind it because we got married in Cleveland, Ohio,” Mr. Dunne said.

“Which is where I’m from,” Mrs. Katcher-Dunne said, “so he drove up to Cleveland, Ohio.”

“Because we couldn’t get a priest in Cleveland,” Mr. Dunne said. “He was visiting his family in Wisconsin. He drove five hours to do the ceremony.”

Father Glennon is “very special to us,” Mr. Dunne said. “His counsel has helped us in our marriage. We couldn’t be happier. We have a very successful marriage. I think he gives great counsel. His words of advice to us have been so important whenever we have issues. We work them out.”

“He’s a psychologist. He’s a doctor,” Mrs. Katcher-Dunne said. “As part of our pre-Cana [marriagepreparation course], believe it or not, he gave us the Myers-Briggs personality test. We still reference

Graduates continued from page A3

over Gaza. Unhappy graduates told reporters that they had been denied a high school graduation, and now four years later, they and their families were being denied a ceremony once again.

I had the rare honor to speak at one commencement ceremony that was not canceled. It was for the University of St. Francis, a small liberal-arts school in Fort Wayne, Ind.

I didn't talk to them about the state of the Church or the role of women or the proper liturgy they

efforts, including the Coats for Kids program, a program to help pay for ultrasound machines for pregnancy resource centers, disaster relief, support for Ukraine, and others, Mr. Minopoli explained.

Find more information about Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors by visiting Aquinaswealth.com or contacting the Knights of Columbus Insurance Agency in Tennessee at 855-4TN-KofC

Knights honored Individual Knights, families, and councils were honored with a variety of awards presented at the convention’s annual banquet. Those honored included: n Community Program of the Year Council 645 in Knoxville for its Bicycle Program that repairs bicycles for the homeless and those living in poverty, often providing the transportation they need to hold a job. In the past year, 155 bicycles were repaired or donated.

Also recognized for an Outstanding Community Program was Council 14521 at St. Augustine Church in Signal Mountain, which sponsored

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Charities of East Tennessee in supporting women who are expecting a child. She said Catholic Charities recently launched a new ultrasound service, and Choices assisted the Diocese of Knoxville ministry in helping a Catholic Charities staffer get training on the new equipment.

“Our board was enthusiastic about partnering with them. Their nurse manager came here, and we were able to set up model ultrasounds for her, and she got her training ultrasounds in. … And she is now providing ultrasounds at their center,” Ms. Mocsari said. “We love Catholic Charities. We’re all in

that. He’s like, ‘You know, just think about it. You process things differently, you come to the same conclusion, but you have to process it differently,’

should attend.

My advice was simple: Care for others. Be grateful for what they have. Never stop learning.

This generation seated in cap and gown before me has experienced so much stress and anxiety, and I assured them that they don’t have to have everything figured out as soon as they graduate.

I believe the COVID pandemic will be the defining event of their generation, I told them. What I did not want them to forget is that they rose to the challenge. They were not deterred. They were resilient. And

this same fight for life together.” Catholic Charities recently opened its ultrasound clinic for pregnant women. The clinic is located in Catholic Charities’ main facility at 119 Dameron Ave. in Knoxville. According to Choices Resource Center’s 2023 Community Impact Report, the center recorded 1,460 client visits last year. It also performed 252 pregnancy tests, 220 ultrasounds, gave 137 tests for sexually transmitted infections, assisted 85 parenting programming participants, and accumulated more than 1,807 volunteer hours. Among the center’s free services are pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, peer counseling, community referrals, an Earn While You Learn program, parenting classes, prenatal classes, men’s mentoring, providing adoption information, post-abortion counseling, and translation services. As part of its operation, it offers mothers (and fathers) a Baby Barn, where items critical to infant care such as diapers, blankets, clothes, car seats, and cribs can be obtained. Sandy Bradshaw, Choices’ director of advancement, explained that women and couples who attend Choices’ parenting classes earn “baby bucks” that can be redeemed in the Baby Barn for items for newborns and every child they have.

Ms. Bradshaw said individual donors and some companies donate items to Choices to stock the Baby Barn. And she added that the nonprofit organization’s parenting classes are so popular that there is a waiting list ■

and 14 years later we still reference that.”

At a special Mass to mark Father Glennon’s 25th anniversary in the priesthood, the Diocese of Knoxville's first shepherd, Bishop Anthony J. O’Connell, remarked about the many ways Father Glennon was able to serve the Church and the greater community.

The silver-anniversary Mass was celebrated in June 1996 at Sts. Peter and Paul. Bishop O’Connell said of Father Glennon that “his middle name could be service.”

Taking part in the silver-anniversary Mass for Father Glennon was Monsignor Schmidt, who was a close friend to Father Glennon.

Monsignor Schmidt, who died in December 2016, said he treasured the conversations he and Father Glennon would have almost daily at the kitchen table they shared.

Father Glennon retired from active ministry a decade ago and recently had been living at the Cenacle House at St. Joseph Parish in Fort Mitchell.

The Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity also have the Blessed Trinity Shrine Retreat, a spirituality center in Fort Mitchell. ■

their resilience and their determination are what our country needs right now and in the years ahead. If there are any marching orders I think they need, it would simply be: Care for the family you have and the family you may one day have. Care for the weakest and most defenseless, the youngest and the oldest. Be grateful. Be resilient. ■

Greg Erlandson is an award-winning Catholic publisher, editor, and journalist whose column appears monthly at OSV News. Follow him on Twitter @GregErlandson.

DAN MCWILLIAMS

'Service' was his middle name Father Bertin Glennon, ST, who died on May 21 at the age of 80, served in many roles while a priest for more than five decades.

Encouraging the right Choices Knights of Columbus with Council 3175 at St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge join the Choices Resource Center staff in showing off the new ultrasound the Knights raised money to purchase. Pictured are Keith Hood, Rick Sample, John Lulay, Chip Dooley, Larry Carignan, Ray Audet, Morgan Paul, Deacon David Duhamel, Ronnie Holmes, and Father Ray Powell with Choices Resource Center executive director Malissa Mocsari and marketing director Ariana Walker.

BILL BREWER

a yard sale that raised more than $101,000 to help the parish’s sister parish in Haiti to pay to help dig a well for fresh water, and for food and education supplies for the children.

n Faith Program of the Year Council 4572 at St. Therese of Lisieux Church in Cleveland for its Jacob’s Crossing program, which is an extension of the COR Program. This program is a once-a-month faithformation program that includes liturgy, faith discussion, and a meal. This program is credited with helping the council achieve 200 percent of its recruitment target.

n Family Program of the Year Council 16088 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fairfield Glade for its Food for Families program that served more than 400 Thanksgiving meals to families in need and raised $2,245 to supplement the parish’s food-pantry reserves.

n Life Program of the Year Council 17578 at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Memphis for its Souls for Service program that included monthly meeting space for families with special needs to gather for support and socialization. The council provided meals at each of the monthly meetings and included a

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Mass for People with Special Needs. Also recognized for an Outstanding Life Program was Council 8241 at St. Christopher Church in Dickson for its Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) Program. The council passed out candles and prayer cards to interested parishioners who were asked to light the candle and pray for those who have suffered the loss of an unborn baby or infant in their homes at the same time on the same day.

n The Bishops’ Awards honor councils that sponsored a robust programming curriculum in Faith, Family, Life, and Community. The councils recognized included: 3537 at Immaculate Conception Church in Clarksville; 4563 at St. Rose of Lima Church in Murfreesboro; 8152 in serving St. Alphonsus Church in Crossville and St. Christopher Church in Jamestown; 8576 at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga; 9132 at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Hendersonville; 9282 at St. Stephen Church in Old Hickory; 12633 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City; 14079 at Holy Spirit Church in Soddy-Daisy; and 17578 at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Memphis.

n Blessed Michael J. McGivney Award Father Davis Chackaleckel,

of the diocese. Also, I want to thank specifically your sponsors, your godparents, those who have made this journey with you. Your mothers and your fathers, your brothers and your sisters. You began this journey a long time ago, some of you longer than others, and the journey that you’ve made brought you to this place in this time. And as one of the letters from Paul says, there is a place and time for everything.”

Father Owens said that the apostles’ journey was “one of amazement and one of awe.”

“One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is called the fear of the Lord. Now in past years, they’ve stopped using that because it would scare people. They didn’t want to be fearful of the Lord, so now they call it awe. But to be in fear of the Lord is just to be in fear and respect and awe of something so powerful and something so grand and something so beautiful you can’t really understand it,” he said.

“So, when they were in Jerusalem, and the Holy Spirit descended upon them, the great thing that we celebrate today, it was the final act of the journey. God created us, and then God sent his Son down to be with us, and He was in all of His glory. He decided to become a man, a human being like us so that He could understand us and sympathize with us and empathize with us. And then, finally, the journey where the Holy Spirit is generated by the love of the Father to the Son, and the Son back to the Father descends upon the apostles and the disciples,” the pastor added.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord, and fortitude.

“Today I will be calling down the Holy Spirit upon our confirmandi, so that the confirmandi will be filled, those who will be confirmed will be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And as

MSFS, pastor of St. Stephen Church in Old Hickory. The award honors a council chaplain for his work as a teacher of faith, an apostle of Christian family life, a devoted parish priest, an exemplar of charity, a builder of Catholic fraternity, and a role model to the parish.

n Mary Bernadette Kimball Pro-Life Award Sal Lombardi of Council 12012 at St. Henry Church in Nashville. The award honors a Knight for his exceptional commitment to the pro-life cause at the local, state, and national levels. Mr. Lombardi is a physician practicing high-risk obstetrics, the life director for his council, and an active supporter of Mulier Care Pregnancy Resource Center.

n Lifetime Achievement Award Pat Watson of Council 12256 at Christ the King Church in Nashville and Victor Williams of Holy Family Council 6099 in Chattanooga.

n Knight of the Year Jim Morey of Council 645 serving Immaculate Conception Church Knoxville. Mr. Morey, a parishioner at St. Albert the Great in Knoxville, was the driving factor in the council’s Bike Repair program, volunteers with the Ladies of Charity thrift shop, and accompanied a fellow Knight to his weekly cancer treatments while also battling his own case of cancer.

we heard and read in the Gospel, there are certain gifts that are given to us by the Holy Spirit,” Father Owens said. “It’s a gift that’s being given to you, and you already have particular gifts and charisms, talents, holy talents, that you possess that will make your life as a Christian, make your life as an active Catholic. You’ll be able to live it the way that God chooses for you to live it. It’s only up to us to say yes and to respond to the Holy Spirit.”

Father Owens anointed and confirmed 37 adults at the Mass.

n Family of the Year the family of Jessica and Matt Nelson, a member of Council 17578 at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Memphis. As a family, the Nelsons, with their four children, have actively been involved with many programs from the council, including the soccer challenge.

As a family, they chaired and organized the Lenten fish fries. Both parents serve as ushers, lectors, and eucharistic ministers; two of the children are altar servers. The family helps decorate the sanctuary for holidays, Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter.

Officer elections

State officers were elected for a one-year term. Elected for their second terms were: State Deputy Bill Markiewicz of Cleveland; State Secretary Eric Pelton of Chattanooga; State Treasurer David Zwissler of Memphis; and State Advocate Alan Stanley of Smyrna.

Elected to his first term as State Warden was Stephen Watson, a former Grand Knight of Council 4972 in South Nashville, current faithful navigator of Fourth Degree Assembly 1627 in Nashville, and the communications director for the Tennessee State Council. ■

“I know the Holy Spirit has been at work and watching our Church grow like this; I think that we can expect to see these people continuing to evangelize their friends and their family,” said Deacon Bello. “My hope is that the Holy Spirit will set these people confirmed today absolutely ablaze for Christ and start to bring others into the Church as well.”

On April 21, Sacred Heart Parish celebrated an adult confirmation Mass for its Hispanic members who were seeking the sacrament. Cathedral rector David Boettner served as the Mass celebrant.

Adults who are interested in being confirmed at next year’s diocesan adult confirmation Mass should check with their local parish for more information. ■

GABRIELLE NOLAN

Lights of faith Diego Felipe Diego and Juana Miguel Pascual of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville show their confirmation certificates following the adult confirmation Mass on May 19 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit Father David Boettner, rector of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, confirms an adult member of the parish on April 21. Assisting Father Boettner is Deacon Fredy Vargas.

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