June 7, 2015, ET Catholic by Diocese of Knoxville

This issue

He dwells among us ................ 2 Diocesan calendar ................. 15 Deanery news ........................ 16 La Cosecha ......... center pullout

The East Tennessee

Catholic schools......................22 Columns...................................33 Virtus training...........................37

June 7, 2015 Volume 24 Number 5 Bishop Richard F. Stika

News from The Diocese of Knoxville • Visit us at dioknox.org or etcatholic.org

Priestly moves Bishop Stika announces new assignments

Newest deacon Seminarian Adam Royal a step closer to priesthood

Year of Consecrated Life The Alexian Brothers

Going by the Book

Whether the Good one or the baseball bible, author Bryan Steverson never at a loss connecting sport, faith

By Jim Wogan

JIM WOGAN

ryan Steverson doesn’t go anywhere, including Mass, without a pen and some three-by-five index cards in his back pocket. The Virginia native and his wife, Barbara, have been parishioners at Our Lady of Fatima in Alcoa for 30 years. During Mass, Mr. Steverson’s focus is on the celebration, the litur”The obvious thing gy, the Eucharist and the message a priest or we all know is ‘In deacon offers during the Beginning,’ or his homily. In the Big Inning, And if part of that as Genesis, and message has anything actually as John, to do with baseball – opens. As you Mr. Steverson reaches continue, you find for his cards. other links where “My wife will get on Scripture is related me. I take notes durto baseball.” ing the homily,” he –– Bryan Steverson said with a laugh. If anything strikes a chord between the game he loves and his faith, Mr. Steverson is quick to write it down. God’s gift Bryan Steverson shows a copy of his latest book, “Baseball — A Special Gift from God,” during “Seriously, at Christmas you hear about Beth- a recent outing to Smokies Park in Sevier County. The longtime parishioner of Our Lady of Fatima Church lehem being one of the smallest places in Judea. in Alcoa and a lifelong fan of the game of baseball has written about the many links between Scripture and Baseball continued on page 7

America’s favorite pastime that offer lessons for life.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

He dwells among us

by Bishop Richard F. Stika

Bishop’s schedule

Wanting what is best

These are some of Bishop Stika’s public appointments:

God’s loving providential plan for us needs only our trust and our ‘yes’

everal weeks ago I stopped at a favorite breakfast restaurant, and two of the servers who know me came to my table to greet me. When I told them what my order was, they both tried to talk me into ordering something they felt was healthier. “We’re watching out for your health,” they said. In the end I prevailed. I still smile when I think of this because I experienced at this restaurant something of the kind of love that God the Father has for us. He knows and wants what is best for us. Our struggles come when our own ideas and desires don’t match what God has in mind. One area where many struggle is in regard to their vocation. We can have all kinds of wonderful plans and dreams of what we would like to do and be. We can even be so determined to accomplish our goals that we go to great lengths for them to happen, even to the point of insisting on them, much like I did with my breakfast order. When it comes to a vocation — a calling from God — it is a far different matter. Like St. Paul, we want to pray, “Lord, what would you

Diocesan policy for reporting sexual abuse

Follow Bishop Stika on Twitter @bishopstika and on Facebook for news and events from the diocese have me to do?” During this Year of Consecrated Life and in this month of June, when we celebrate special feasts like Corpus Christi, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary along with Father’s Day, graduations, weddings and ordinations to the priesthood, I thought I would say a few words about discerning a vocation. A vocation, whether to the priesthood, or to the married, single, or consecrated life, is not a goal to be achieved, but a gift to be received. God has a beautiful, providential plan for each one of us, and it is through prayer, guidance, and encounter that we discern the path where God is leading us. He often speaks to us and draws us in a particular direction through the example and good witness of others. That’s what the three cardinals brought out in my conversation with them at the Tennessee Theatre in April when I asked them, “Why

June 1-4: Convocation with Dioceses of Knoxville and Nashville presbyterates in Chattanooga

did you become a priest?” The priesthood is a pure gift. As St. John Vianney said, it is “the love of the Heart of Jesus.” We could never deserve or demand to be a priest, just as no one could insist on being the Mother of God. It is a grace, a divine calling, a ministry no one could fulfill on his own strength or by his own efforts. It is a gift from God that requires constant receptivity and cooperation from us. If you feel our Lord may be calling you, come to Him. Spend time in adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Get to know our eucharistic Lord in a much deeper way, and ask Him to make His will clear. Entrust your life to Jesus through Mary. Like Mary, priests are called to bring God into the world — body, blood, soul and divinity — yet in an even more humble way: under the form of bread and wine. The Blessed Mother knows more than anyone the magnitude of this gift and the vast responsibility entrusted to a priest, and she is ever ready to help us be faithful to our calling. On Saturday, June 27, I will have the great joy of ordaining four new

The East Tennessee

June 6: 10:45 a.m., opening the Festival of Families at St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut June 7: 11 a.m., Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus June 8-12: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s summer meeting in St. Louis June 14: 10:30 a.m., confirmation at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in South Pittsburg June 19: 10 a.m. CST, Tennessee Catholic Public Policy Commission meeting in Nashville June 21: 11 a.m., Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus June 23: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., senior leadership meeting June 24: 1 p.m., Catholic Charities of East Tennessee board meeting at the Chancery June 27: 11 a.m., Mass with ordination to the holy priesthood of Deacons Scott Russell, Jesús Guerrero Rodriguez, Ray Powell and Michael Hendershott at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus June 28: 10 a.m., confirma-

Schedule continued on page 38

Bishop continued on page 36

Bishop Richard F. Stika Publisher

Bill Brewer Editor

Dan McWilliams

Assistant editor Anyone who has actual knowledge of or who has reasonable 805 S. Northshore Drive • Knoxville, TN 37919 cause to suspect an incident of The Diocese of Knoxville sexual abuse should report such The East Tennessee Catholic (USPS 007211) is published bi-monthly by The Diocese of Knoxville, 805 S. Northshore Drive, information to the appropriate Knoxville, TN 37919-7551. Periodicals-class postage paid at Knoxville, Tenn. Printed on recycled paper by the Knoxville News Sentinel. civil authorities first, then to the The East Tennessee Catholic is mailed to all registered Catholic families in East Tennessee. Subscription rate for others is $15 a year bishop’s office, 865-584-3307, or in the United States. Make checks payable to The Diocese of Knoxville. the diocesan victims’ assistance coordinator, Marla Lenihan, 865Postmaster: Send address changes to The East Tennessee Catholic, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551 Reach us by phone: 865-584-3307 • fax: 865-584-8124 • e-mail: webmaster@dioknox.org • web: dioknox.org 482-1388. ■

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The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

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Priest assignments announced for Diocese of Knoxville Moves will affect more than a dozen priests and parishes across East Tennessee as well as key ministries

By Bill Brewer

ishop Richard F. Stika has announced new pastoral assignments for nine diocesan priests and four transitional deacons who will be ordained as priests on June 27. The assignments will be effective July 1 unless otherwise noted. Father Brent Shelton, who currently is pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend, will become pastor of St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge. Father Mike Creson, who currently is associate pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga, will become pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in LaFollette and Christ the King Church in Tazewell. Father Joe Campbell, currently pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in LaFollette and Christ the King Church in Tazewell, will become pastor of St. Henry Church in Rogersville and St. James the Apostle Church in Sneedville. Father Jerry Daniels, who has been chaplain at the diocese’s Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center near Benton, will be parochial administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend. Father Bede Aboh, currently pastor of St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge, will become chaplain of the Catholic Center at East Tennessee State University. Father Antonio Giraldo, currently associate pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City, will become associate pastor of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Church in Maynardville and St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge. He will be in-residence at Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City. Father Adam Kane, currently associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, will become associate pastor at All The East Tennessee Catholic

Fr. Shelton

Fr. Creson

Fr. Campbell

Fr. Daniels

Fr. Aboh

Fr. Giraldo

Fr. Kane

Fr. Blatchford

Fr. Cardona

Dcn. Russell

Dcn. Powell

Dcn. Hendershott

Fr. Kiyimba

Fr. Torres

Fr. Vélez-Cardona

Fr. Mathis

Saints Church in Knoxville. Father Colin Blatchford, currently associate pastor at All Saints Church, will become associate pastor at the Dcn. Guerrero Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga and sacramental minister to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Catholic Center. Father Julian Cardona, who currently is associate pastor at St. Mary Church in Johnson City, will become associate pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Among the seminarians who will be ordained as priests this month, Deacon Scott Russell will become chaplain of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga and parttime associate pastor of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul as well as associate vocations director for the diocese. Deacon Raymond Powell will become associate pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga. Deacon Michael Hendershott will become associate pastor of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Je-

sus, part-time teacher of religion at Knoxville Catholic High School, and also associate vocations director. Deacon Jesús Guerrero Rodriguez will become an associate pastor of St. Mary Church in Johnson City. In other announcements by Bishop Stika regarding priests, the bishop has appointed Father Pontian Kiyimba, associate pastor at All Saints Church, to assist with the diocese’s Hispanic Jail Ministry. The appointment, which was effective May 1, calls for Father Kiyimba to celebrate monthly Mass in either the minimum or maximum security men’s jail. Bishop Stika has appointed Father Arthur Torres Barona, associate pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral, as moderator of the Hispanic Marriage Encounter Ecclesial

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

Movement. The appointment was effective May 1. As moderator, Father Torres will participate in the Hispanic Marriage Encounter weekends sponsored by the diocese. And the bishop has appointed Father Miguel Vélez-Cardona, associate pastor of All Saints Church, as moderator of Charismatic Movements for Hispanics for the diocese. His appointment also was effective May 1. As moderator, Father Vélez-Cardona will monitor the Charismatic Ecclesial Movements that have arisen in the diocese within the Hispanic community. Father Christian Mathis, who has been serving as chaplain of the Catholic Center at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, has requested and has been granted a leave of absence in order to have time for discernment. ■ June 7, 2015 3

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Seminarian Adam Royal ordained into transitional diaconate Ordination Mass celebrated by Bishop Stika at St. Stephen Church, concelebrated by diocesan priests

By Bill Brewer

The East Tennessee Catholic

BILL BREWER

Joining the diaconate Bishop Richard F. Stika places his hands on seminarian Adam Royal and prays the Prayer of Ordination. Deacon Royal was ordained into the transitional diaconate May 30 at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga.

resents Jesus and the Church. “They always talk about a deacon or a priest or a bishop on a pedestal. The pedestal is the cross, not something a statue stands on. A pedestal for an authentic minister of the Church is the cross to bear the sufferings of the people, but also to uplift the people as Jesus was uplifted on that cross to give himself for everyone. “If you want to be a good deacon, allow yourself to be on that cross. Allow yourself to be a true minister of Jesus,” Bishop Stika said. More than a dozen priests and permanent deacons joined Bishop Stika in celebrating the Mass. Concelebrants included Father Joe Reed, diocesan director of voca-

tions; Father David Carter, diocesan vocation promotions coordinator; Father Harry Hagan, OSB, associate professor of Scripture at St. Meinrad School of Theology; Father Manuel Pérez, pastor of St. Stephen Church; and Father Gilbert Diaz, a former pastor of St. Stephen who now is at Holy Family Church in Seymour. Before the homily, the deacon candidate was called forward by Deacon Sean Smith, responding “present” to his call. Bishop Stika then told Deacon Royal that as the seminarian answered “present,” he is giving his total life to the Lord with the gift of celibacy, the total embrace of the Church as the Church totally emDeacon continued on page 14

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

BILL BREWER

he Diocese of Knoxville welcomed its newest transitional deacon May 30 when seminarian Adam Royal was elevated to holy orders by Bishop Richard F. Stika at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga. Fellow deacons, priests, family, friends and members of St. Stephen joined Deacon Royal for the Rite of Ordination. In his homily, Bishop Stika reminded Deacon Royal that people from all walks of life will see Jesus through him as he carries out his new ministry. Bishop Stika referred to Zacchaeus, who climbed a tree to see Jesus, as well as the blind man and the paralytic, who both took extraordinary measures to get close to Christ. “Time and time and time again there are people who wanted to see Jesus. And I bet if I did a survey today, I think all of us would like to see Jesus. I think all of us want to go to heaven. We all want to see Jesus. We see him when we celebrate the Eucharist. We see him when the Word is open to us in the Scriptures, in the sacraments, in prayer,” Bishop Stika said. “When the Christian Catholic community comes together, there is Christ, the mystical body. And we have people who are called by Jesus to do a particular work in the Church. They’re seeing the same thing. They want to see in their priest, in their deacon, and in their bishop the presence of Christ, the presence of Jesus. And when a priest or the bishop celebrates the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, there is Christ in our hands and in the cup,” he added. Bishop Stika encouraged Deacon Royal to be humble. “Humility to all Christians and all Catholics is so very important, but especially to a person who rep-

Respect, obedience Deacon Adam

Royal lays prostrate during ordination. June 7, 2015 5

Patty Johnson, Monsignor Mankel honored at KDCCW convention Former national CCW president receives papal honor for lifetime service; event dedicated to longtime diocesan priest

By Dan McWilliams

6 June 7, 2015

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Papal honor Bishop Richard F. Stika reads the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice papal honor that lifelong Council of Catholic Women member Patty Johnson received from the Vatican during an April 23 Mass to open the KDCCW convention.

Father himself for her service to the Church and the diocese and to all of us who just appreciate her sense of leadership,” he said. The award came as a complete surprise to Mrs. Johnson, whose family—also unbeknownst to her— attended the Mass and greeted her after the award presentation. “I was totally surprised,” she said. “I had no idea of this award. It’s something to be extra proud of and is so special. For me to receive it is almost unbelievable. I’m very, very proud, and I’m very, very grateful.” The papal honor recognized a lifetime of service to the CCW and the Church. “A lot of years—over 50 years in the NCCW,” Mrs. Johnson said. “I started in my council working about the time I got married, and that’s been about 52 years.” During the banquet Monsignor

DAN MCWILLIAMS

wo people very special to the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women were honored at the council’s 26th annual convention April 23-25. Patty Johnson, a lifelong CCW member and former National CCW president, received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice papal honor from Bishop Richard F. Stika at the convention-opening memorial Mass April 23 at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut. And Monsignor Xavier Mankel, the KDCCW’s spiritual moderator for many years, was recognized at the convention’s banquet April 23. The 2015 convention was dedicated to Monsignor Mankel. This year’s convention theme was “Be not afraid, for I am with you.” “Be not afraid” was repeated three times by St. John Paul II during his papal installation ceremony. The bishop celebrated the memorial Mass along with 17 diocesan priests. A sunny day greeted the Mass-goers. “As beautiful as it is outside, there’s more beauty in this Church, not only because we’re surrounded by women, but also because we celebrate our trust and faith in Jesus Christ and how it brings us all together with our gifts and talents to build up the Church when we celebrate our faith, and that’s what we do this afternoon,” Bishop Stika said. “We celebrate our faith and honor the God who created us.” During the memorial Mass, priestspiritual advisers for each deanery read off the names of his deanery’s CCW members who had passed away in the last year. Deanery CCW moderators held lighted candles as the names were read. The bishop introduced the award for Mrs. Johnson. “In the name of Pope Francis, Patty has been given the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, awarded by the Holy

Faithful moderator Monsignor Xavier Mankel, shown with KDCCW member

Linda Lambert, received special honors at the KDCCW convention in Knoxville.

Mankel received a book of notes written by KDCCW members thanking him for his service over the years.

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Mrs. Johnson, before the presentation to Monsignor Mankel, gave “a special tribute to a very special

KDCCW continued on page 31 dioknox.org

Baseball continued from page 1

The East Tennessee Catholic

JIM WOGAN

Well, guess what? Henry Aaron was small.” That quickly, Mr. Steverson places one of the greatest players in baseball history into a side-by-side comparison with one of the greatest villages in Christianity. Both were undersized, perhaps even unappreciated in the beginning, but both became landmarks to the faithful – for different reasons. Or perhaps, not so different. Mr. Steverson connects almost everything about his Christian and Catholic faith to a game he has followed passionately since his youth. And now he’s writing about it. Baseball, A Special Gift from God, from Tennessee Valley Publishing and WestBow Press, is Mr. Steverson’s second book. Both are about baseball. “I had written an earlier book called Amazing Baseball Heroes, which had to do with the Negro Leagues, and as I did research and attended games and continued to read I found that there continued to be some link between baseball and Scripture,” Mr. Steverson said. “The obvious thing we all know is ‘In the Beginning,’ or In the Big Inning, as Genesis, and actually as John, opens. As you continue, you find other links where Scripture is related to baseball.” Mr. Steverson grew up in the Tidewater region of Virginia, joined the Army, and after his discharge settled into a job at Alcoa. “I grew up with Marty Brennaman, the voice of the Reds. I am very much a Reds fan. I just love baseball in general,” Mr. Steverson said. “I like all of the teams in the major leagues, but primarily the Cincinnati Reds. We try to go to Redsfest when we can in December and we try to meet Marty in Cincinnati during the season when we can. We used to go to spring training, but now (the Reds) are in Arizona, so it’s a little more difficult.”

A student of faith and baseball Bryan Steverson, a parishioner at Our Lady of

Fatima Church in Alcoa, shows both books he has written on the subject of baseball that have spiritual implications.

Mr. Steverson’s second book turns more than 300 pages. There is a reference table to make it easy to find nuggets about iconic and revered Hall of Fame players like Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Stan Musial and Cal Ripken. But those who know the game understand its history is splashed with gritty guys whose behavior hasn’t always invoked saintly accolades. Ty Cobb is referenced in two chapters. Babe Ruth is referenced in nine. “That’s right; Babe Ruth. And guess what? Ruth is one of the chapters in the Bible,” Mr. Steverson noted. “Babe Ruth was raised in a Catholic school and when the (Baltimore) Orioles came to get him (in 1914), a brother at the school was asked, ‘How much do you want for him?’ What did the brother say? ‘All we want for him is a good home – not money, a good home.’ What a wonderful Christian message that is.” Ruth went on to define the game — and hit 714 home runs over his career. It’s also noteworthy that Babe

Ruth wore No. 3 – a simple numerical connection Mr. Steverson expounds on every chance he can. “I have a chapter on the number 3 and you think gee whiz, it’s Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the Bible,’” he said. Then he continues. “Noah had three sons. Jesus was in the grave three days. He rose on the third day. There were three on the cross. You can go through the Bible and it’s three, three, three. Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days. Well, how many outs in an inning? How many strikes until you’re out? How many outfielders in baseball? Mr. Steverson doesn’t stop there. Baseball’s cherished statistical abbreviations, when recited, take on a similar reverential tone, delivered in staccato. “MVP, OBP, OPS, all of those three letter words,” he said. If you believe Mr. Steverson can find a biblical connection to baseball anywhere, you’re right. In addition to the Hall of Fame player table, the book contains more than 13 pages for a table of Biblical references – starting with Genesis

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and ending, as you’d expect, with Revelation. Common themes include saves (games and souls), sacrifices (plays and lives) and salvation (seasonal and eternal). He also deals with perfection and redemption. “The one chapter I like best is (about) Jackie Robinson. The book of Esther in the Old Testament talks about the potential elimination of the Jewish faith. Mordecai told Esther she had to make an intercession for the Jews. For her to step into the king’s court was to put her life to risk. Mordecai says to Esther, ‘Who knows that you weren’t chosen for a time such as this?’ “Jackie Robinson fits that description precisely. In 1946, he played for the Montreal Royals. So did (Negro League players) John Wright and Roy Partlow. Wright lasted a few weeks. Partlow lasted a few weeks. Only one made it, and he wasn’t even the best player. But who knows that (Robinson) wasn’t chosen for a time such as this. Jackie Robinson is considered by many one of the greatest Americans of the 20th century,” Mr. Steverson said. The book isn’t written strictly from a Catholic point of view. Mr. Steverson, who converted to Catholicism in 1964, has taken an ecumenical approach — with words devoted to great Jewish players like Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg, both Hall of Famers. Dale Murphy and Vernon Law are remembered as great players with a devotion to their Mormon faith. Mr. Steverson also recounts the story of the Rev. Bill Greason, a Baptist minister and former U.S. Marine who was part of the invasion of Iwo Jima in 1942. “I was in Washington, D.C., recently when Rev. Greason received (a congressional medal). When he was on Iwo Jima, as a black Marine, he was digging into that

Baseball continued on page 8 June 7, 2015 7

Bishop Stika presides at Mass for Sending of the Neophytes Catechumens, candidates of all ages from across diocese take part in annual ceremony to conclude RCIA journey “To all of you, as bishop of this Diocese of Knoxville, the Catholic Church of East Tennessee, from all 51 parishes and missions, all the institutions, I say to you welcome.” — Bishop Stika who joined the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Knoxville after participating in the Rite of Christian

volcanic ash, some of his friends were killed, and he sat with his Bible and he said a prayer, ‘Lord if you get me off this island, I will do anything you ask, just get me off this island.’ “He went on to play baseball. In 1954, he helped integrate the St. Louis Cardinals as their first black pitcher. After baseball, guess what? The good Lord came knocking and he became a pastor. He’s a pastor today at age 90, at Bethel Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. He made a pledge to the Lord and the Lord called on him and he responded. I think it’s just a wonderful story,” Mr. Steverson said. Research for his books includes visits, personal interviews and gleaning as much history as possible from newspapers and other published works. He estimates he has more than 3,000 documents of information acquired over the years. And his research continues. Mr. Steverson has read 12 books on former New York Yankee second baseman and World Serieswinning manager Billy Martin. He is eagerly awaiting the next. “I look forward to obtaining Bill Pennington’s new biography (2015) on Martin,” said Mr. Steverson. Although there were many negatives in his life, Billy Martin was a devout Catholic, attending Mass

8 June 7, 2015

JIM WOGAN

Baseball continued from page 7

Taking notes Mr. Steverson shares some of the note cards he uses to draw comparisons between Christianity and baseball.

more than just on Sundays. He had a visible cross on his Yankee cap within the Y of the NY, according to Mr. Steverson. Not bad for a guy who wasn’t always quick to forgive an umpire’s bad call or the cavalier attitude of his star player — Reggie Jackson. Mr. Steverson recalls the devotion of another Yankee great. “Roger Maris, when he hit the (record-breaking) 61st home run (in 1961), Roger and his wife went out to dinner that night with another couple. It was a Sunday, Oct. 1. They go into the restaurant and Roger and Pat notice there is a Catholic church across the street.

Initiation of Adults were formally sent into the community to live their faith through their parishes in full communion with the Church. Candidates and catechumens who joined the Church in East Tennessee represented many of the diocese’s parishes and missions at the Mass. Bishop Stika congratulated the diocese’s newest members on their faith formation. “To all of you, as bishop of this He tells the other couple to wait; he and Pat are going to Mass that night. So he had his good friends wait while he attended Mass.” Baseball, A Special Gift from God is steeped in history but also touches on the good works and faithfulness of contemporary players like Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols and a littleknown college outfielder named Grant Desme, who turned his back on the game to become a Catholic priest. Mr. Steverson’s favorite baseball movie is Field of Dreams and he admits he can’t watch it without tearing up. He recounts James Earl Jones’ classic line when describing the game to main character Ray Kinsella, played by Kevin Costner. “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked time. This field, this game, it is part of our past. It reminds us of all that once was good and that could be again.” Baseball fans treat the game with a level of reverence usually not seen in other sports. College football comes close, but passion and reverence are separate things. Passion is often displayed by action.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

Diocese of Knoxville, the Catholic Church of East Tennessee, from all the 51 parishes and missions, all the institutions, I say to you welcome.” Bishop Stika said. The bishop noted the significance of sending the neophytes on Trinity Sunday, acknowledging that the Holy Trinity is probably one of the most difficult theological facts to explain and was even difficult for the

Neophytes continued on page 32

JIM WOGAN

ishop Richard F. Stika celebrated the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity on May 31 by recognizing the 233 catechumens and candidates who were baptized and confirmed at Easter Vigil during the Sending of the Neophytes at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Bishop Stika celebrated Mass and presided at the Sending of the Neophytes ceremony, where those

By Bill Brewer

Spotting them early Mr. Steverson shows off a baseball signed by emerging Chicago Cubs star Kris Bryant

Reverence is deeper — a mindset encompassing respect for rules and tradition, not unlike our own Catholic faith. “Any time in our daily lives when a sight, sound or experience brings us back to our faith, the Bible and its teachings, that is good,” said Mr. Steverson. “Ways of linking our faith to real life can only be an enabler in our spiritual journey. Baseball has, and continues, to do this.” ■ dioknox.org

Notre Dame Parish celebrates 60th anniversary with special Mass Church established in 1955 but Catholic history in Greeneville goes back even farther

JIM WOGAN

reeneville is known as the former home of President Andrew Johnson. Turns out, the nation’s 17th president also had an indirect hand in helping establish the roots of Catholicism in East Tennessee. Bishop Richard F. Stika and Father Dan Whitman celebrated Mass marking the 60th anniversary of Notre Dame parish in Greeneville on April 25. The Mass was also used to officially install Father Whitman as pastor there. Notre Dame was established in 1955, but the history of Catholicism in Greeneville goes back even farther. The Church secured a foothold in Greene County in the late 1800s with the construction and dedication of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. President Johnson, whose daughter had converted to Catholicism, made a financial donation to help with the project – and was present at the dedication.

Happy anniversary, Notre Dame Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrates Mass at

Notre Dame Church in Greeneville for the parish’s 60th anniversary. Father Dan Whitman concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Stika.

By the mid-20th century, St. Patrick’s was torn down and the local faithful attended Masses held at the Capitol Theater in downtown Greeneville. The current parish was estab-

lished by the Diocese of Nashville in 1955 and Notre Dame Catholic Church was built. As for St. Patrick’s parish – it hasn’t disappeared. It is now based in Morristown.

By Jim Wogan

Notre Dame has grown into a community of nearly 400 families, a far cry from those early days when a few families, including President Johnson’s, committed to a Catholic church that was built by Irish immigrant railroad laborers. But that early church, St. Patrick’s, had an important supporter in Father Emmanuel Callahan, the missionary priest who traveled on horseback throughout rural East Tennessee and western North Carolina spreading the Catholic faith. In those early days, the Greene County church was served by the staff of Immaculate Conception Church in Knoxville. When Notre Dame opened in 1955, Father Albert Siener was the first pastor, and the church was the center of mission activities in eight counties called the Greeneville Missions, and the parish bordered Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina. ■

More than 150 fans of fun and fitness participated in Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s 17th annual Kids Helping Kids Fun Walk at Knoxville Catholic High School on April 26. Supporters of all ages took part in the fun walk on the KCHS/All Saints Church campus. The event is one of Catholic Charities’ largest fundraisers. Money raised for the fun walk benefits Catholic Charities’ Columbus Home Children’s Services. Jim Wogan, Diocese of Knoxville communications director and former sports anchor for WATE-TV, was the honorary chair. Key sponsors were Kimberly-Clark, Covenant Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee Community Trust, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Alcoa, Aubrey’s, WBIR-TV, the News Sentinel, Star 102.1, and FMB Advertising. The East Tennessee Catholic

BILL BREWER

Competitive spirit

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

June 7, 2015 9

Ladies of Charity name Susan Unbehaun first executive director Former manager with JCPenney, Universal Foods Corp. setting goals for diocesan charitable services organization

10 June 7, 2015

BILL BREWER

ike many East Tennesseans, Susan Unbehaun was familiar with the Ladies of Charity of Knoxville from having donated items there. She also purchased merchandise from the Ladies of Charity thrift store from time to time. Her familiarity with the Ladies of Charity was aided by Immaculate Conception Church, where she is a member and where she has worked with groups that assist the nonprofit. But it wasn’t until she was named the first executive director of the Diocese of Knoxville charitable organization in March that she realized its broad scope or the depth to which volunteers drive its success. That new outlook has prompted Mrs. Unbehaun to develop a strategy that will hitch her goals for the Ladies of Charity to its dedicated team of 200 volunteers in keeping with St. Vincent de Paul’s mission. Among those goals are to connect with other like-minded charitable groups in the Knoxville area as part of a network of agencies that assist those in need in the community, and streamline the inventory system at Ladies of Charity so donated items get into the hands of customers more efficiently. Other goals are more modest, but still critical. The Ladies of Charity Thrift Shop and Warehouse Store inside the organization’s 25,787-square-foot facility at 120 W. Baxter Ave. has only one cash register despite serving an estimated average of 13,000 customers a year. And 5,000 square feet of office space on the second floor can be accessed only by stairs because there is no elevator, so there is a major need to install an elevator in the building. “Using the floor space to the best

Leading the Ladies of Charity Susan Unbehaun, left, is the Ladies of Charity’s first executive director. She is standing with volunteer Mary Davidson.

of our ability is one goal we have. Our warehouse space is an asset. And we have so many donations coming in right now that getting them to our retail space quickly is one of our biggest challenges. But that is a good problem to have,” Mrs. Unbehaun said. The new executive director is examining Ladies of Charity operations, looking at how the nonprofit’s three critical demographics – donors, store customers, and clients – are being served. Mrs. Unbehaun is quick to point out that the Ladies of Charity staff and volunteers provide excellent service, but the organization’s growth is prompting the need for system upgrades. Founded in 1942 during World War II, the Knoxville Ladies of Charity chapter was able in 2011 to consolidate under one roof its Emergency Assistance Program and food pantry with the Thrift Shop and Warehouse Store. The merged operations and continued growth pointed to a need to make changes, including the hiring of Mrs. Unbehaun as the first

executive director. “We’re learning to improve our business,” she said. “We don’t have the technology we need to run as efficiently as we would like. The question is can we get what we need donated because we want to spend every dollar on our clients.” The Ladies of Charity’s wish list is modest by most standards. There is a need for widescreen computer monitors for a new emergency-assistance program as well as men’s shoes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, clothing sorters, and furniture. There are other needs, too. The only option to weigh donations, whether in clothes or food, is by using a standard bathroom scale. The weights are an important tool in tracking donated inventory. And a point-of-sale system also would allow Ladies of Charity to begin tracking inventory as it’s sold. “Currently we weigh all food donations on a bathroom-type scale. At times, a volunteer must hold a box, get the weight, and

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

By Bill Brewer

then weigh themselves and subtract this to determine the weight,” Mrs. Unbehaun said. And while those boxes add up, there is never a shortage of people in need. The Ladies of Charity serve 50 to 80 clients daily who need assistance with food, clothing, shelter and utilities. The organization annually distributes an estimated average of 18,523 pounds of food and 9,096 pounds of clothing. In addition to generous donations from the public, the Ladies of Charity receive grants to offset the cost of operations. As a United Way agency, the Ladies of Charity receive a $47,500 annual grant from United Way, Mrs. Unbehaun said. They also receive a $22,000 grant from the St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation to provide milk to clients in addition to grants from Variety, TJ Maxx, Akima, and Ladies of Charity USA for items ranging from cribs and car seats to underwear and boots. All of the grants go to provide services or food to Ladies of Charity clients. The organization’s operating expenses are paid for through sales at the Thrift Shop and Warehouse Store, she added. A Ladies of Charity initiative is to raise awareness of the need for steel-toed work boots as well as construction attire for men and women entering the workforce but who do not have the required clothes. Mrs. Unbehaun is hopeful the new work boots program will gain a foothold since the demand is apparent. What also is apparent is a parking crunch at the Baxter Avenue facility – yet another indication of growing pains and the Ladies of Charity’s important presence in the community. In addition to Charity continued on page 13 dioknox.org

Year of Consecrated Life

The Alexian Brothers: Ordinary men of God, extraordinary service Longtime religious order with a headquarters in Signal Mountain offers spiritual, mental and physical health care

By Paul Schulz

The East Tennessee Catholic

COURTESY OF THE ALEXIAN BROTHERS

Longevity of service Brother John Howard, CFA, an Alexian Brother serving at the order’s Generalate and Brothers Residence in Signal Mountain, points out that while the order is small, it has hundreds of years of experience in assisting the ill, neglected and forgotten.

Brothers coat of arms: Caritas Christi urget nos, meaning “The love of Christ compels us.” “Anyone in the health-care business knows you can’t do this alone,” he said. “You have to hire tons of people to provide health care. We employ between 500 and 600 people in the Chattanooga area alone. We’re all the extended hands of Christ.” The presence of Christ and community are essential bonders for the brothers. “Our day is like most other religious communities,” said Brother John. “We begin and end each day Alexians continued on page 30

COURTESY OF THE ALEXIAN BROTHERS

he Alexian Brothers, a lay, apostolic Catholic order of men whose world headquarters is located atop Signal Mountain near Chattanooga, is a modern-day parable of the loaves and fishes. Seldom have so few served so many for so long. “I tell people our order is old, not large,” Brother John Howard, CFA, director of community for the Signal Mountain brothers, said with a smile. With nearly 800 years of history dating back to care for the sick and dying during Europe’s medieval Black Death plague, old is an understatement for this congregation that caters to the spiritual, mental and physical health of all they encounter. With well under 100 professed brothers — about 27 in the United States and around 30 in Europe — “not large” qualifies as an understatement, too. But the notion of small ends when discussion turns to results for this group that ministers in partnership with Ascension Health. The Alexian Brothers’ ministry to the ill, elderly, poor and disenfranchised touches tens of thousands from Chattanooga, Chicago, St. Louis and Milwaukee in the United States; to Germany, Belgium, Ireland, England and Hungary in Europe; and the Philippines in Southeast Asia. There are seniors facilities featuring every level of care; facilities for those who are HIV positive; acute-care and mental-health hospitals; clinics; award-winning, in-home, wellness programs; homeless and prison outreach ministries; and a global initiative with in-country leaders to create and sustain health infrastructure. How can a few more than 50 men sustain all that? Brother John has a quick answer rooted deeply in the motto emblazoned on the Alexian

Community partner Alexian Brothers Community Services provides assistance

for those in need in the Chattanooga area.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

June 7, 2015 11

St. Francis of Assisi riding a wave of Home campaign success

arishioners at St. Francis of Assisi in Fairfield Glade are riding the wave. And they’re doing it with stunning success. The parish, located on the Cumberland Plateau about 70 miles west of Knoxville, is participating in Wave 1 of the Home campaign, a diocesanwide effort that aims to strengthen parishes through building projects and charitable giving. “We came to this parish and we had Sheehan Hall and a rectory and offices and a nice, practically new church,” said campaign co-chair Rollie Wicker. “People before us did the work and paid for it. We look at this campaign as an opportunity for us, our generation, to pay it forward for the next group (of parishioners).” Established in 1983, St. Francis of

Assisi serves more than 500 families. It is located on a magnificently maintained and well-manicured lot just off Peavine Road, highly visible to thousands of people who live in and visit the popular resort town. But over the years, space has become an issue. Church offices are now located in different buildings and the current social hall has become one-dimensional. When the parish came together in 2014 to set campaign goals, expanding Sheehan Hall and bringing the parish office staff together, under one roof, were tangible options. So was charity. “There are countless numbers of opportunities that allow our parishioners to get involved and all of it is geared toward making this community a better place to live,” said cam-

By Jim Wogan

COURTESY OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH

Fairfield Glade parish surpasses initial goal, on its way to reaching million-dollar level

A capital idea This artist’s rendering shows Sheehan Hall after construction of a

6,000-square-foot addition that will provide additional social, meeting and storage space. The Sheehan Hall capital project is part of the Home campaign effort that will include an addition to the St. Francis of Assisi office in Fairfield Glade.

paign co-chair Vince D’Alessandro. “St. Francis of Assisi parish is right in the middle of all that.”

Mr. D’Alessandro cited parish involvement at the Peavine Care

Home continued on page 36

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12 June 7, 2015

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The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

dioknox.org

Pope Francis’ encyclical on environment set to be released Title ‘Laudato sii’ is from St. Francis of Assisi prayer thanking God for gifts of creation

aken from St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Sun, the name of Pope Francis’ upcoming encyclical, Laudato sii, is the introductory phrase to eight verses of St. Francis of Assisi’s famous prayer thanking God for the gifts of creation. The Pope’s encyclical is scheduled to

be published June 18, according to Vatican officials. “Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, who is the day, and through whom you give us light” is one of the first lines of the prayer. The prayer also praises God for the gifts of “Sister Moon,” “Brother Wind,” “Sister Wa-

ter,” “Brother Fire” and “Sister Mother Earth.” Also referred to as the Canticle of Creatures, the Canticle of the Sun was written by St. Francis of Assisi around the year 1224. The encyclical is also expected to be given the Italian subtitle: Sulla cura della casa comune, (On the care of the com-

Knoxville, the Ladies of Charity have operations in Chattanooga and Nashville. The Knoxville chapter is the largest in the Southeast Ladies of Charity USA district, according to Mrs. Unbehaun. Mrs. Unbehaun constantly praises the team of volunteers and the three full-time and five part-time staff members who are vital to the Ladies of Charity success. She points to the sale of Christmas merchandise – everything from wreaths to holiday sweaters – that raised $15,000 for the nonprofit last year and was organized by the volunteers. And volunteers make Easter baskets each spring, which are a popular sales item that brings in revenue. Driven by volunteers and donations, the Ladies of Charity leave nearly nothing to waste. Most everything is recycled if not sold. Unsold clothing is given to homeless shelters and even blankets that are too worn or damaged to be sold or given away are made available to the Humane Society for animal bedding. A volunteer even takes surplus clothing to charitable groups in rural areas of the region, where he often trades the clothing for food to be distributed by the Ladies of Charity. Mrs. Unbehaun’s imprint already can be seen. The former merchandise supervisor for JCPenney has worked with the volunThe East Tennessee Catholic

BILL BREWER

Charity continued from page 10

Driven by volunteers and donations Ladies of Charity Executive Director Susan Unbehaun stands amid the many donated items the agency provides.

teers to improve warehouse and retail systems as part of her strategy to streamline operations from point of donation to point of sale. She also is a former product manager for Universal Foods Corp., which is valuable experience as she and the volunteers build on the Ladies of Charity’s network of area grocers that donate surplus food for the pantry. She and the volunteers also are working to make visits to the Ladies of Charity more pleasant for clients who are in need of charitable services, for retail customers and for those making donations. “We want all individuals to feel comfortable and welcome when they come in the door,” she said. Mrs. Unbehaun also wants La-

dies of Charity donors and board members to feel comfortable and welcome. To that end, the Ladies of Charity’s annual fundraiser,

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

By CNS/CNA mon home). Father Giuseppe Costa, director of the Vatican Publishing House, told SIR – the official news agency of the Italian Bishops Conference – May 30 that “there are many foreign publishers who are already interested in the publication of the encyclical in their countries.”

Pope continued on page 14

themed this year as “Summer Shenanigans,” will be held Sunday, June 28, at 5:30 p.m. For the first time, the fundraiser will be held at the Baxter Avenue facility. Tours of the facility will be given in addition to the dinner. Mrs. Unbehaun hopes to show the Ladies of Charity’s needs in addition to all the good they do. “We’re going to show a need for an elevator and also a need for additional parking. Parking is now an issue for us,” she said. “The assumption is that people know what we do, but many people don’t know the extent of our operation. I shopped here and I donated here, but I didn’t know the extent of the business,” she added. “It really is a volunteerdriven ministry. And when it comes down to it, we’re feeding and clothing people.” ■

June 7, 2015 13

Pope continued from page 13

RCIA SUMMER CONFERENCE

The Pope has said an early draft of the encyclical was “a third bigger” than his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium and was delivered to him just four days before he left for South Korea. He told journalists that ecology is “not an easy issue because on the protection of creation and the study of human ecology. You can speak with sure certainty up to a certain point, then come the scientific hypotheses, some of which are rather sure, others aren’t.” “In an encyclical like this that must be magisterial, it must only go forward on certainties, things that are sure,” he said, explaining that if a pope decides to say that the earth is the center of the universe rather than the sun, then he’s wrong because he said something that’s scientifically untrue. We need to make the study, number by number, and I think (the encyclical) will become smaller. But going to the essence is what we can affirm with certainty.” Pope Francis is set to address a U.N. Special Summit on Sustainable Development Sept. 25. U.N. secretary-general Ban Ki Moon told journalists while in Rome April 28 for a summit on the theme of the environment and sustainable development that the Pope’s speech will have “a profound impact.” “Respect for creation, then, is a requirement of our faith: the ‘garden’ in which we live is not entrusted to us to be exploited, but rather to be cultivated and tended with respect,” Pope Francis said. ■

$25 Registration Fee

Deacon continued from page 5

(Lunch is Provided) Sessions End at 3:30 PM

braces him. .. During the Rite of Ordination, Deacon Royal was called by Bishop Stika in the Election of Candidates and then was questioned by the bishop in the Promise of the Elect, where he took his vows of the diaconate. He then promised respect and obedience to the bishop, who laid his hands on him and gave the Prayer of Ordination. The new deacon then took part in the investiture with stole and dalmatic, where Father Diaz assisted Deacon Royal in putting on the diaconal stole and dalmatic. Deacon Royal is set to complete his studies at St. Meinrad in St. Meinrad, Ind., next spring and then will be ordained a priest. His ordination into the transitional diaconate comes just ahead of the ordination of four current transitional deacons into the priesthood. Jesús Guerrero Rodriguez, Scott Russell, Ray Powell, and Michael Hendershott will be ordained priests on June 27 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. ■

14 June 7, 2015

Sharing our Faith... ...Fearlessly! ...Faithfully! ...Fruitfully! JUNE 13th 2015 Mass 9:00 AM

9:30 AM Registration

Keynote Session: “Food for the Soul”... The Art of Lectio Divina by Thomas Smith Afternoon Session: “7 Keys for Faithfully and Fruitfully Sharing your Faith”... An inspiring presentation by Thomas Smith Thomas Smith

RCIA Afternoon Educational Track “THE RITES OF THE CATECHUMENATE”... An insightful review by Deacon Bill Jacobs ...”we highly encourage all RCIA teams (and anyone

who has interest) to attend these informative sessions

to help improve the efficacy of your evangelization and Deacon Bill Jacobs

faith formation efforts” - Sr. Mary Timothea

Event Location:

St. Thomas the Apostle Parish 1580 St. Thomas Way

Lenoir City, TN 37772

To learn more and to obtain your registration form please visit www.dioknox.org or contact us 865-584-3307

The Diocese of Knoxville Office of Christian Formation

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

dioknox.org

Diocesan calendar by Margaret Hunt The Ladies of Charity of Knoxville will hold their annual fundraiser at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, June 28, in the Ladies of Charity’s main facility at 120 W. Baxter Ave. The fundraiser, themed “Summer Shenanigans,” will feature a dinner and guided tours of the Ladies of Charity operations. Make reservations by June 22 by calling Joan Adono at 865-385-3272. The Diocese of Knoxville Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment is developing a support group for married couples experiencing infertility. The support group will meet in the Knoxville area. Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive a child after one year of trying. The most recent data indicates that as many as one in six couples experience infertility within their marriage. If you are experiencing infertility, either from a known or unknown condition, and are looking for support, contact Marian Christiana at mchristiana@dioknox.org. A retreat sponsored by the Beginning Experience of East Tennessee ministry, for those whose marriage ended through the death of a spouse, separation, or divorce, is set for Aug. 28-30 at the Carson Springs Retreat Center in Newport. For more details, contact Maria Curd at 423-943-2301 or maria. curd31@gmail.com or Marian Christiana at 423-892-2310 or mchristiana@ dioknox.org. Download a registration form at dioknox.org/marriage-preparation-and-enrichment; click on the B.E.E.T. link under Loss and Healing on the right-hand side of the page. Visit www.beginningexperience.org for information about the weekend. The Common Good Golf Tournament benefiting Catholic Charities of East Tennessee will take place Monday, June 15, at Cherokee Country Club. To register a team or learn more, call Carrie at 865-684-1884 or e-mail carrie@ ccetn.org. The East Tennessee Catholic

Tennessee Right to Life is holding its annual rummage sale from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on the weekends of June 12-13 and June 19-20 at St. Joseph School, 1810 Howard Road in Knoxville. TRL is accepting donations of household items, furniture, toys, books, clothes, etc. Donations can be brought to the St. Joseph School cafeteria beginning June 8 during the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 7-8 p.m. or by special arrangement. For more information, or to arrange for a drop-off, contact TRL at 865-689-1339 or trlknox@trlknox. com. The diocesan Office of Christian Formation is sponsoring the RCIA Summer Conference, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, June 13, at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. The event will begin with Mass at 9 a.m. The keynote speaker will be Thomas Smith, a nationally known speaker who is a regular guest on EWTN and Catholic radio. Mr. Smith is a co-author of the Great Adventure Catholic Bible study on Adventures in Revelation: The Kingdom Yet to Come and an international presenter for the Great Adventure Bible Timeline. Deacon Bill Jacobs of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Knoxville also will speak on “The Rites of the Catechumenate.” The cost is $25 and includes lunch. To register or learn more, call the Office of Christian Formation at 865584-3307 or e-mail ckite@dioknox.org. The annual God Camps for rising fifth- through eighth-grade students will take place during June at Harrison Bay State Park. The “Reach” camp for rising seventh- and eighth-grade students is scheduled for June 2225. The “Discover” camp for rising fifth- and sixth-graders will take place June 25-27. Activities include swimming, games, learning more about the Catholic faith, a bonfire, and a dance. The cost is $125 per person for Reach and $100 for Discover. To register or learn more, contact Donna Jones at 423-267-9878 or djones6029@gmail. com. Information is also available by visiting the youth ministry page on the

Diocese of Knoxville webpage, www. dioknox.org. The next Picture of Love engaged couples retreat is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, June 19, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at the St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church parish life center in Cleveland. The retreat is to supplement couples’ marriage formation process with their parish priests. The cost is $135 per couple, which includes a certificate good for $60 off a marriage license. Couples must attend the entire program to receive the certificate. Mass will be celebrated during the event. For more information, contact Marian Christiana at 423-892-2310 or mchristiana@dioknox.org. A Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend is scheduled for Aug. 1416 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Knoxville West/Cedar Bluff hotel, 216 Peregrine Way. The program will be led by Father Joe Brando of the Diocese of Knoxville and Roger and Annie Borrello of the WWME Georgia-Tennessee Encounter Ecclesial Team. For more information, call 678-242-WWME. The Dare to Dream camp for rising ninth- through 12th-grade students will take place June 13-17 at the Ocoee Retreat Center in Ocoee, Tenn. Attendees will have the opportunity to go to the water park, attempt the high and low ropes courses, be challenged in an adventure race, and listen to a variety of guest speakers. The cost is $269 per person. For more information, visit the youth ministry page on the Diocese of Knoxville website at www.dioknox.org or call Donna Jones at 423-267-9878. An Engaged Encounter weekend is scheduled for July 17-19 at the Holiday Inn-Express in Lenoir City. For more information, contact Jason or Carmen Jeansonne, weekend registration couple, at 865-377-3077, or Tom and Maggie Slankas, local coordinators, at 483-7896 or ceeknoxville@yahoo.com. The 32nd annual Mid-South Regional

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

Charismatic Conference, themed “One Heart . . . One Spirit,” is set for Friday and Saturday, July 17-18, at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church in Antioch, Tenn. This year’s speakers are Father Mark Goring and Caroline Gambale-Dirkes. Nashville Bishop David R. Choby will be the homilist at the conference Mass. Registration fees are $35 for individuals, $65 for families, $55 for married couples, and $25 for Saturday only (add $10 after July 10). Register online at www.msrcc.org. For more information, call 615-789-4598 or e-mail tseibert@bellsouth.net. For information on local accommodations, call Teresa Seibert at 615-430-9343 or Bob Schwartz at 615-424-7470. To become a conference sponsor, e-mail Ms. Seibert at the address above. The Secular Carmelites are hosting a garage sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 13, at 6921 Lark Lane in Knoxville. There will be religious articles, books, household goods, clothes, toys, CDs, DVDs, and more. Proceeds will go toward the 500th-birthday celebration of St. Teresa of Jesus in October. Father Randy Stice and Father Jerry Tully, CSP, will be the spiritual directors of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from Aug. 10-21. Stops on the pilgrimage include the Mount of the Beatitudes, Cana, the Sea of Galilee, Mount Tabor, Nazareth, Jericho, Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, and the Via Dolorosa. The cost is $2,945 per person (double occupancy) for hotel, tour fees, and meal; or $4,295 per person including airfare. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or Lisam@ select-intl.com. Monsignor Al Humbrecht will be the spiritual director of a 12-day pilgrimage to Austria and Germany from Oct. 4-15. Stops include Vienna, the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariazell, Salzburg, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and Oberammergau, site of the decennial passion play. The registration fee is $400. The tour package price is $3,928, which Calendar continued on page 25 June 7, 2015 15

Chattanooga Deanery calendar Jim Fry will present an organ recital to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 27. The recital will feature organ arrangements of ancient Gregorian chants, Baroque music by Clarke, Mouret, Purcell, and others. There is no admission charge. There will be a reception in the Varallo Parish Hall following the concert. For more information, call the basilica office at 423-266-1618. A series of four music reading classes for beginners will be offered in June by professional music teacher Andrea Tierney at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. The classes will aim to help participants carry a melody with confidence and to sight read the parts of a choral hymn. This class is intended for people who currently sing but need help with sight reading, as well as those

Parish notes: Chattanooga Deanery

who would like to explore the possibility of singing in the church. No experience is required. Classes will be held in the Varallo Parish Hall from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays over a twoweek period: June 15, 16, 22, and 23. A contribution of $50 per student for the series is requested to defray costs. Call, text, or e-mail the basilica’s sacred-music coordinator, Maria Rist, at 865-3350588 or MariaRist@comcast.net with your name, e-mail address, and phone number to reserve a space for the class or to obtain more information.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Chattanooga The Sisters of Charity BVM Christian Living Awards were presented to the following students this school year: Valeria Garcia, kindergarten; Katie Laufer, first grade; Molly Lawson, second grade; VyLyhn Jensen, third grade; Tori Soutuyo, fourth grade; Christian Kidwell, fifth grade; Gwen Jimenez, sixth grade; Valentina Rosellini, seventh grade; and Gretchen Eckler, eighth grade.

St. Augustine, Signal Mountain First communicants: Tynan Borders, Palmer Brennan, John Paul Chapman, Fiona Cisto, Sophia Dockery, Cecilia Finch, Manoa Hall, Christopher Kennedy, Isaac McGann, Jack Micus, Anne Olds, Tyler J. Rice, Hannah Strubberg

Notre Dame High School is hosting a variety of summer camps focusing on sports, fine arts, and academic enrichment for students in kindergarten through high school. Register online or download a brochure at www.myndhs. com. Call 423-624-4618 to request a brochure by mail. ■

St. Jude, Chattanooga The St. Jude Parish vacation Bible school, “Fishing With Our Father,” is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 22-26 for rising pre-K through rising fifth-grade youth. Call Sandy at 423-619-1163 or Kyra Ross at 423-870-2386 to volunteer or learn more. St. Jude School Spanish teachers Claudia Pickett and Cindy Avendano will lead two summer Spanish camps for rising kindergarten through fifth-grade students at the school. The first session will be June 8-12, and the second will be June 15-19. Both sessions will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $125 per week with a $25 discount per additional sibling. Students at St. Jude Summercare will be picked up and dropped off by their instructors. To register, contact Claudia at claudiapickett78@yahoo.com, or Cindy at cindyrubim@hotmail.com.

St. Mary, Athens The St. Mary Parish picnic has been scheduled for Saturday, June 20. Call the parish office at 423-745-4277 for more information.

COURTESY OF GINNY BISHOP

St. Stephen, Chattanooga

Live Stations of the Cross at St. Bridget Jesus, portrayed by Isaac Zavala, falls for the third time during live Stations of the Cross conducted recently at St. Bridget Church in Dayton. Cali Michak portrayed Mary in the live Stations.

OLPH School accepting applications for 2015-16

ur Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga is accepting applications for the 2015-16 school year for grades pre-

16 June 7, 2015

K (age 4) through eighth. For more information, contact Teresa Hennen, director of admissions, at 423-698-3274 or teresahennen@catholicweb.com. ■

During a vocations-celebration weekend May 30 and 31, the parish marked Father Manuel Pérez’s 10th anniversary as a priest as well as the diaconate ordination of Adam Royal (held at St. Stephen). Confirmandi: Juliana Acosta, Rose Albert, Mia Bertani, Anthony de la Cruz, Matthew Fox, Kersten Hicks, Marlens Manuel, Miles Parkey, Alexandra Pendon, Cassidy Simms, Daniel Walsh, Brenda Zaragoza, Carli Zeh Anniversaries: John and Pat O’Keefe (59), Roger and Sheila Trudell (50), Rick and Nancy Powell (30), Jerry and Gena Nunley (25)

Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga Bishop Richard F. Stika will celebrate Mass at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in honor of the 125th anniversary of the church at 5 p.m. Sunday, June 28, the vigil of the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. A banquet will follow immediately after Mass. Reservations are required. Call the parish office for more information at 423-266-1618. The basilica hosts adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every first Friday from noon to 5:15 p.m., closing with Benediction at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend. ■

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

dioknox.org

Cumberland Mountain Deanery calendar

Parish notes: Cumberland Mountain Deanery

The Knoxville Frassati Fellowship for Young Adults ages 18-35 meets Thursdays at 7 p.m. at the Chancery office, located at 805 S. Northshore Drive next door to the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Other events and activities are planned. Visit the Knoxville Frassati Fellowship Facebook page or call Jess Mearns at 865-206-6026 for more information.

All Saints, Knoxville The parish vacation Bible school, “Everest: Conquering Challenges With God’s Mighty Power,” is planned for 9 a.m. until noon June 15-19 in the education building. To volunteer, e-mail vbsallsaints@gmail.com. All volunteers age 18 and older must be Virtus-trained and be able to pass a background check.

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

St. Mary School in Oak Ridge will host three weeklong Lego Engineering Camps for all ages and seven one-day science camps with University of Tennessee chemistry professor Dr. Al Hazari. Visit stmarysschooloakridge. wordpress.com/summer-camp-2015/ for more information or to register online. ■

The parish congratulated graduating high school seniors Angelo Ferrante, Jonathon Higgins, Alison Smith, Aaron Tapley, and Holly Winegardner.

Anniversaries: Vern and Jean Bolish (63), Bob and Genie Gruber (63), Don and Bernie Gundy (62), John and Jean Sohnly (61), John and Gerry Eisenlord (60), Richard and Caroline Cieszenski (60), Don and Mina Napierala (60), Bob and Joanne Ames (59), Ed and Carolyn Mayo (58), Don and Shirley Savercool (58), Don and Rosemary Verbrugge (58), Irvin and Carol Stenger (57), Tom and Peg Loughran (57), Robin and Carol Campbell (57), John and Yvonne Marciniak (56), Frank and Ann Zingheim (56), Walt and Dianne Burling (56), Medard and Laura Kaluszka (55), Mitchell and Joan Kaminski (55), Norm and Judith Charest (55), John and Anna Moyer (55), C. Thomas and Mary Anna Teall (55), Tom and Dorothy Powers (55) Ron and Virginia Reynolds (55), Don and Mary Lou Wiskow (55), John and Barbara Coye (54), Patrick and Anna Chowning (54), Fred and Kitty Sasse (54), Anthony and Bernice Mattioli (54), Ed and Marjorie Lewis (54), Ramon and Barbara Clark (53), James and Mary Ann Lintz (53), Joseph and Nancy Grunduski (52), Joe and Marti Maxwell (52), Shelton and Patty Johnson (52), John and Dorothy Ferguson (52), John and Norma Hall (52), Tom and Anne Marano (52), John and Cathy Manning (51), R. Terry and Nancy Allen (51), Joe and Susanna Bour (51), B. Dean and Betty Clement(51), John and Betty Morici (51), Norm and Carol Adams (50), James and Ann Brendel (50), Bob and Kathleen McCone (50), Ed and Connie Bock (50), Frank and Karen Goluszka (50), Max and Pat Streibel (50), Jerome and Judy Peabody (50)

St. John Neumann, Farragut Sam Melhorn is St. John Neumann Boy Scout Troop 125’s newest Eagle Scout. Members of St. John Neumann are planning a mission trip to Marsella, Colombia, June 8-24 and are collecting rosaries and holy medals to be distributed to the people they will be serving there. Place donations in the basket in the narthex. The St. John Neumann youth ministry will be collecting gently worn or new shoes through June 15 to be distributed through the Funds2Orgs network, which helps impoverished people start, maintain, and grow businesses in Haiti, Honduras, and other nations in Central America and Africa. Funds2Orgs also will pay the St. John Neumann youth ministry based on the number of pairs of shoes collected, and the proceeds will be used to help defray the expenses for its trip to the National Catholic Youth Conference. Shoe donations may be dropped off in the narthex or the parish office. For more information, call Al Forsythe at 865-584-3307. The parish’s 12th annual Corpus Christi procession took place June 7.

St. Therese, Clinton The annual parish picnic is set for Sunday, June 14, after the 10:30 a.m. Mass. ■ The East Tennessee Catholic

COURTESY OF JERRY DOUGHERTY

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade

New Fourth Degree Knights Bishop Richard F. Stika stands with the newly Knighted men at St. Thomas the Apostle Church.

Fourth Degree exemplification held at St. Thomas

n March 21, Pope John Paul Assembly 2920 of the Knights of Columbus hosted a Fourth Degree exemplification ceremony at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. Michael J. Porter, past state deputy and Tennessee district master, presided at the exemplification. Father P. J. McGinnity, who joined the Knights of Columbus in 1993 and is currently pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville, was chosen as the honoree. For more than 21 years he has been a loyal and supportive advocate for the Knights of Columbus. Often in his homilies, he recognizes the Knights for their many contributions to Church, family and community. Attending either the exemplification or the banquet or both were Bishop Richard F. Stika; Father Doug Owens, pastor of St. Thomas

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the Apostle; Michael Wills, a member of the Knights’ supreme board of directors; Knights State Deputy John Park; as well as Steve Comm, state secretary, and Tracy Staller, state treasurer. Becoming Fourth Degree Knights were D. Scott Elmore of Council 5207 in West Knoxville; Father Pontian Kiyimba, AJ, and Dr. John McElligott of Council 15706 at All Saints Parish; Salvino Losongco Jr. and Deacon Michael Nestor of Council 3832 in Alcoa; James Wakefield of Council 15585 in Madisonville; William Agee, John Carey, Joseph Corry, Joseph Filosi Jr., and Thomas Gondoly of host Council 12633 in Lenoir City; Edward Drapela and Theodore Lucas of Council 3175 in Oak Ridge; Tommy Lawson, Lorenzo Ortega, and Brent Woncki of Council 8273 in Harriman; and Charles Payne of Council 8781 in Farragut. ■ June 7, 2015 17

Five Rivers Deanery calendar The St. Dominic Church youth group will be participating in a New York City pilgrimage with the Community of Sant’Egidio from June 19-26. Attendees will visit the elderly in nursing homes, work with the homeless, and visit

Parish notes: Five Rivers Deanery

the 9-11 Memorial and the United Nations. The pilgrimage is open to rising juniors and seniors and rising freshmen and sophomores in college and their chaperones. Call Paul Vachon at the church at 423-288-8101. ■

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City The parish congratulated its high school graduate, Fausto Crapiz. Newcomers: Rose Hafkey, Carolina and Mick Needham Anniversaries: Walter and Ruth Hedrick (61), Ken and Karen Booker (59), Jim and Lillian Katzbeck (57), Lawrence and Veronica Merryman (56) Confirmandi: Fausto Crapiz, Kyle Mundelein, Jenna Mynatt, Ashley Sexton, Heather Sexton, Thomas Witkowski

Notre Dame, Greeneville

COLEEN SCHNEIDER

The Fall Festival of Nations is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19. The next committee meeting for the festival will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, in the parish hall. Sign up for a committee in the narthex.

Youths from St. Elizabeth and St. Anthony of Padua confirmed Four girls from St. Elizabeth Parish in Elizabethton and two from St. Anthony of Padua in Mountain City were confirmed May 9 at St. Elizabeth. From left are Father Dennis Kress, pastor of St. Elizabeth and St. Anthony of Padua; Daniela Mendoza and Esmeralda Mendoza, both of St. Anthony; Emma Hecht of St. Elizabeth; Bishop Richard F. Stika; Nichole Swink, Gabrielle Mardis, and Katy Sehrer, all of St. Elizabeth; Linda Muraski, director of religious education at St. Elizabeth; and Leni Smith, DRE at St. Anthony.

St. Dominic, Kingsport The annual Rummage, Book, and Bake Sale will be held beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, in the parish life center. Gently used and working “stuff” may be dropped off at the PLC beginning July 16. Volunteers are needed. A potluck June 6 celebrated the 20th anniversary of Father Mike Nolan’s ordination to the priesthood. The parish celebrated the 25th anniversary of Father Alex Waraksa’s ordination to the priesthood May 24. Father Waraksa was the first priest to be ordained in the newly created Diocese of Knoxville. The Italian Night potluck dinner and dance with live music is set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, in the parish life center

COURTESY OF MONSIGNOR BOB HOFSTETTER

St. Mary, Johnson City

Good Shepherd celebrates first Holy Communion First Holy Communion was celebrated during the Mass in Spanish on May 8 at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Newport. From left are Carrina McCarthy Ledezma, Celeste Barrientos, David Soto Hernandez, Kevin Mendez Chavez, Gherlyn Librado, Father Alex Waraksa, Maria Campos-Nuci, Benito Torres, and Laura Campos-Nuci.

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On May 16, the Juniors of Girl Scout Troop 94 in Johnson City cooked for and served a meal to Father Pete Iorio, pastor of St. Mary Parish; Randi McKee, principal of St. Mary School; and Stephanie Mann, religion teacher for grades 4-8 at St. Mary School. This event was held at St. Mary Church to complete the girls’ cooking skills so they could receive their cooking patch. Amy Stout, chef of One Acre Café in Johnson City, worked with the girls in mentoring and guiding them through the process. Participating were Emily Peoples, Amy Stout, Audrey Harris, Zinnah Fahngon, Lily Abrams, Lidija Cline, Beth Zinnanti, and Tabitha Quesenberry.

St. Patrick, Morristown St. Patrick Knights of Columbus Council 6730 has donated $4,825 to seven groups from the Five Rivers Deanery from proceeds raised from their recent Tootsie Roll Drive. Recipients were the Sutherland Metz Home, the East High and Lincoln Elementary special-education classes, Manley Elementary PreSchool, Special Olympics, Riding High Therapeutic Horse Program, and the Central Services Cerebral Palsy Fund. Parishioners Michael Sia, Abby McGarel, Amy Escobar Olvera, Hennri Coxanteje Rafael, Sara Spain, Jacob Rex, Kaitlyn Zander, and Jared Schaff were confirmed by Bishop Richard F. Stika on April 29. ■

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Parish notes: Smoky Mountain Deanery The parish is collecting donations of diapers, infant clothing, baby food, and other items to be donated to the Smoky Mountain Alliance for the Unborn in Gatlinburg and the Women’s Care Center in Sevierville. For more information, call the parish office at 865-429-5587. Twelve young people were confirmed at a Mass on May 20 at the church. The confirmandi were Josue Lara, Arely Guevara, Dolly Aguilar, Alexa Alana, Noah Goodson, Matthew Kieta, Christopher Lucas, Brenda Sanchez, Jackelyn Sanchez, Catelyn Spentzos, Dalton White, and Kelly Champagne.

Holy Ghost, Knoxville The parish life committee is collecting flip-flops, sandals, canvas shoes, Tshirts, and shorts for the young people housed in the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Detention Center in Knoxville. For more information, e-mail Carolyn Toal at toalcarolyn@gmail.com. Newcomers: Amber Davis, Faith Logsdon, Matthew Lynch, Benjamin Moore, Angela Trout

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville The parish celebrated a Mass for married couples celebrating 25, 50, or 60plus years of marriage at the 10 a.m. Mass on May 31. Eight students were confirmed by Cardinal Justin Rigali at the 6 p.m. Mass on May 2. Those confirmed were Cameron Adkins, Morgan Birdwell, Annie Graham, Raphael Jones, Audrey MacDonald, Caleb McLaughlin, Gemma Pierce, and Devin Poole.

Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa The parish vacation Bible school, “Assorted Saints and the Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love,” will be presented June 15-19 at the church. Children ages kindergarten through sixth grade are welcome. The cost is $20 per child or $40 per family. Scholarships are available. For more information, call the parish office at 865-982-3672. Parishioner and diocesan seminarian Alex Hernandez earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy in May at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis.

St. John XXIII, Knoxville The parish wished happy priestly ordination anniversaries to Father Don Andrie, CSP (21 years on May 14), and Father Rich Andre, CSP (three years on May 19). ■

The East Tennessee Catholic

PHOTO BY BILL BREWER

Holy Cross, Pigeon Forge

Deanery CCW honors Monsignor Mankel with cathedral contribution Sue Greer (center) presents a check to Father David Boettner and Mary Mac Wilson, Father Boettner’s executive assistant, on behalf of the Smoky Mountain Deanery chapter of the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women in honor of Monsignor Xavier Mankel. The check is for $2,500: $100 in honor of every year of service Monsignor Mankel has given as spiritual moderator of the KDCCW. The money will go to the Sacred Heart Cathedral Home Campaign for the new cathedral.

Glade couples celebrate golden anniversaries

t. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade congratulates six couples celebrating 50th wedding anniversaries. Norman and Carol Adams celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary May 8. They were married at the Nativity of Our Lord Church in Cincinnati. Their two children are David Adams of Centreville, Va., and James Adams of Chicago, and they have four grandchildren. Mr. Adams retired from the Abbott Laboratories of North Chicago, Ill., and Mrs. Adams—who submits parish news to The East Tennessee Catholic—retired from Oak Grove School in Libertyville, Ill. The Adamses retired to the Glade in 1994. A celebration with relatives in Ohio is planned. Robert and Kathleen McCone celebrated their 50th anniversary May 29. The McCones were married at St. Patrick Church in Owego, N.Y., with Father William O’Brien officiating. They have three daughters, Erin Elizabeth Fitzgibbons of Gurnee, Ill.; Kellie Ann McClellan of Victoria, Minn.; and Megan Kathleen Kolacin-

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ski of Cumming, Ga.; and they have seven grandchildren. Mr. McCone retired from the Eastman Kodak Co. in Chicago, and Mrs. McCone retired from School District 203 in Naperville, Ill. They moved to the Glade in 2002. James and Ann Brendel celebrated their 50th anniversary on May 22. They were married at St. Malachy Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. Their two children are Joanne Nastasi of Peachtree City, Ga., and Michael Brendel of Kings Park, N.Y., and they have four grandchildren. Mr. Brendel retired from the Long Island Railroad Co. in Long Island, N.Y., while Mrs. Brendel was a legal secretary in Hicksville, N.Y. They moved to the Glade in 2008. An anniversary celebration was planned for May 8 with family and a trip to Italy on June 6. Frank and Karen Goluszka celebrated their 50th anniversary on June 5. They were married at St. Rita of Cascia Church in Chicago. Their four children are Christine Draves of Winnebago, Ill.; Richard Goluszka of Aurora, Ill.; Robert

Anniversaries continued on page 25 June 7, 2015 19

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The East Tennessee Catholic

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

June 7, 2015 21

Catholic schools

KCHS has tremendous Spring Fling run Knoxville Catholic wins three tennis state championships; Notre Dame girls tennis team captures title By Dan McWilliams noxville Catholic High School captured three state tennis titles and finished runner-up in the state baseball tournament and track-and-field meet last month, while Notre Dame High School claimed a state championship in girls tennis during the TSSAA’s Spring Fling. The KCHS boys tennis team repeated as Class A-AA state champs with a 4-0 triumph over Trinity Christian in the finals. Mitchell Jostes won 6-3, 6-4 at No. 1 singles, Jacob Lorino swept his opponent 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2, Michael Aleman won 6-2, 6-3 at No. 3, and Matt Holloway nearly recorded a shutout with a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 4. Jostes, Lorino, Aleman, and Holloway also each won in straight sets in a 4-0 semifinal win over Lipscomb Academy. Lorino also claimed the boys singles state championship with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Alex Condra of Hixson in the finals May 22. One day earlier, Lorino defeated Charles Jabaley of Notre Dame 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals and Ben Tyus of Nashville Martin Luther King 6-0, 6-2 in the semifinals. Holloway and Jostes scored a state doubles championship for Knoxville Catholic with a 6-4, 6-1 win over their opponents from Middle Tennessee Christian School in the finals May 22. On the day before, the KCHS duo swept a team from Christ Presbyterian 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals and a team from Hixson 6-2, 6-1 in the semifinals. The Notre Dame girls tennis team held off Greeneville 4-2 to win the Class A-AA state championship. Sarah Faith Ingell won 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2 singles, Mary Margaret Haywood triumphed 6-4, 6-2 at No. 3, and Bowie Strozak won 6-4, 6-3 at No. 5. Sarah Joyce and Ingell won 8-4

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COURTESY OF DEACON SEAN SMITH

Two straight state titles The Knoxville Catholic boys tennis team poses with the state championship trophy. From left are coach Karen Lorino, Mitchell Jostes, Jacob Lorino, Michael Aleman, Matt Holloway, Matt Dovgan, Joshua Sommers, and coach Rusty Morris. For a photo of the state champion Notre Dame girls tennis team, see page 28.

in No. 1 doubles for the Lady Irish. Joyce at No. 1, Ingell at No. 2, Haywood at No. 3, and Jessica Moore at No. 4 all won in straight sets as Notre Dame blanked Lipscomb Academy 4-0 in the semifinals. Joyce and Ingell swept their opening doubles match 7-5, 6-1 before falling in the semifinals 6-1, 6-4 to the eventual state champs from Christian Academy of Knoxville. Sarah Myers of KCHS qualified for the girls tennis state quarterfinals but fell in her opening match 6-1, 6-1. The Knoxville Catholic baseball team lost by a single run in the Class AA state championship game for the second year in a row, falling to Christ Presbyterian 2-1. Dominic Souder tied the game at 1-all with a sacrifice fly in the third inning, but CPA took the lead in the fourth. The Fighting Irish battled out of the losers’ bracket with two wins over Cascade to reach the title game. KCHS run-ruled Cascade 13-3 in

six innings, scoring seven runs in the sixth to end the game early, and defeated the same team 6-5 in 11 innings in the losers’ bracket final. Earlier in the tournament, KCHS walloped Murfreesboro Central 13-1 before falling to Cascade 4-1. In track and field, KCHS placed second out of more than 50 scoring schools in the overall Class A-AA boys team standings. Joe Bindner won a state title for the Irish in the 800-meter run with a first-place time of 1 minute, 54.50 seconds. Teammate William Doktycz placed sixth. Jake Poczobut captured the state high-jump title for KCHS with a leap of 6 feet, 6 inches. Knoxville Catholic also won the state crown in the 3,200 run with a time of 8:15.56. Johnathan Chavez was the state runner-up in the 3,200 run with a time of 9:47.65. Bindner was third

St. Mary-Oak Ridge awarded $10,000 phys-ed grant St. Mary School in Oak Ridge is one of 20 Tennessee middle schools to have been awarded a 2015 “Shape the State” grant to improve its physical-education program. The grant, valued at $10,000, is funded by the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation. In addition, St. Mary will also receive $1,000 to spend at its discretion for PE, nutrition, and wellness efforts. St. Mary’s first-year athletics director and physical-education teacher, Shannon Adcock, submitted the grant in April. According to the state Department of Health, about 40 percent of Tennessee children are overweight or obese. The Shape the State grants continue a longstanding practice of BlueCross’ Tennessee Health Foundation’s supporting efforts to fight childhood obesity in the state. This fall Mrs. Adcock and other Shape the State grant winners will gather for training from SPARK professionals on using the program with their students. In addition, they will receive complete SPARK curriculum materials as well as accompanying exercise equipment. SPARK was launched in 1989 after being developed by researchers at San Diego State University. Since then, its evidence-based curriculum has been used in public schools, YMCAs, and other settings across the nation. ■

Spring Fling continued on page 25

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Under the direction of Jonathan Leichman and Jay Romines, the St. John Neumann School and Sacred Heart Cathedral School band programs combined to form a 39-member instrumental ensemble that performed at the East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association’s Middle Area Concert Band Festival on March 12. The ensemble included 32 students from St. John Neumann and seven from Sacred Heart. Knoxville Catholic High School has competed in this prestigious music competition for the past 10 years, consistently receiving an overall superior rating under the direction of Mr. Romines. However, this marked the first time in the history of the Diocese of Knoxville that a Catholic middle school band program undertook such an endeavor. Mr. Leichman, band director at St. John Neumann, said, “Music is a beautiful gift from God, and it is an incredible part of who we are as a people. I am very proud of our students for courageously taking the stage to represent our Catholic schools among the other 20 well-established public school band programs in our area who have competed at this festival as regulars for decades.” Mr. Romines said, “We are greatly appreciative of the encouragement and support shown by [superintendent] Sister Mary Marta Abbott and our school administrations. Having our foundation schools perform at this festival is a major step in the right direction.” ■

The East Tennessee Catholic

Catholic schools

Harrison Smith Scholarship awarded at SHCS By Dan McWilliams acred Heart Cathedral School celebrated a few special honors for students at the end of morning Mass on May 22, and Minnesota Vikings safety and SHCS alum Harrison Smith was on hand to present the scholarship award named after him. “This time of year we celebrate a lot of wonderful accomplishments,” said Sacred Heart Principal Sarah Trent. Seventh-grader Callie Grace Tucker received the third annual Harrison Smith Scholarship. Criteria for the award are that the student must have high academic achievement, show service to school and community, demonstrate strong leadership, demonstrate outstanding character and compassion for others, and be involved in extracurricular activities. “This year’s award recipient is known because she volunteers in class, she’s a great helper, she’s a good all-around sport and jumps in at 100 percent whenever she needs to, she has a great attitude, she’s polite to all students and teachers, she’s dedicated and has good character,” said Father David Boettner, the cathedral rector, who presided at Mass. In introducing the scholarship presentation, Sacred Heart admissions and development director Joni Punch talked about its namesake. “Harrison has never forgotten where he came from,” she said. “Today he continues to support his very first school. He quietly slips in, spends time with our kids, and slips out, never drawing any attention to himself or asking for any fanfare. He gives quietly, and he gives often, to our kids. Boys and girls, that’s character. “Harrison, thank you for being a role model all of these kids can look up to, especially in a day and age when it’s hard to find role models who have strong faith and firm values.”

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Middle school bands combine for performance

Seventh-grader earns scholarship Callie Grace Tucker received the third annual Harrison Smith Scholarship. She is pictured with Mr. Smith and (from left) Joni Punch, Sacred Heart Cathedral School director of admissions and development; Sarah Trent, SHCS principal; Father David Boettner, Sacred Heart Cathedral rector; and Father Joe Reed, Sacred Heart associate pastor.

Mr. Smith said “it’s an honor” to have the scholarship in his name. “It’s obviously not for me, it’s for Callie and it’s for the kids who receive it, just to be recognized for their commitment to being a student, just being an all-around good person, and then doing extracurricular activities as well. It’s a tribute to Callie for what she’s done,” he said. Mr. Smith seemed humbled by the chance to give back to his alma mater. “I just like to be around and interact with the kids and see if I can help them. Any way I can be around, I try to be if I can,” he said. He gave an outlook for the Vikings in the 2015 season. “Hopefully we’ll be on the winning side this year and make a playoff run, and we’ll see what happens,” he said. Last fall Sacred Heart held a Medal of Honor Convention, and two medal recipients visited the school. Each left behind a Challenge Coin to be presented to a student meeting

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special criteria. “One of the most important gestures that a Medal of Honor recipient can give is their Challenge Coin,” said Joe Thompson, co-chair of the Medal of Honor Convention. “As insignificant as it looks, a little 1 3/4 or 2-inch piece of brass, I can tell you from experience that the Medal of Honor recipients only give those coins out to people they respect. “You think, these are the individuals who have received our nation’s highest award for valor and service and sacrifice, and here they are – a little 2-inch piece of brass, that is their way of saying we honor you, and that is a great and a profound achievement.” There are six character traits for Medal of Honor coin recipients: courage, integrity, sacrifice, commitment, citizenship, patriotism. Receiving the SSgt. Leroy A. Petry Challenge Coin was eighth-grader Sean Halstead, and receiving the Specialist Ty M. Carter Challenge Coin was fifth-grader Kai Ringle. ■ June 7, 2015 23

Catholic schools

Winners named in diocese’s Year of Consecrated Life art contest

BILL BREWER

n art contest put on by the Diocese of Knoxville to celebrate the Year of Consecrated Life attracted more than 100 entries, with four students ranging in age from kindergarten to high school selected as winners. Bishop Richard F. Stika presented awards to the four winners – Mary Zengel, Sofia Filigenzi, Kailey Kear, and Rachel Howard – during a recognition luncheon April 11 in the Shea Room at Sacred Heart Cathedral. The bishop was joined by Sister Mary Charles Mayer, RSM, associate chancellor for pastoral services and delegate to the religious for the diocese. The contest’s theme was “Wake up the world! Be witnesses of a different way of doing things, of acting, of living!” The theme was inspired by Pope Francis. Mary, a kindergarten student at St. Joseph School in Knoxville who attends Immaculate Conception Church with her parents, Andy and Caroline Zengel, won for artwork she created of St. Therese.

Top artists Bishop Richard F. Stika and Sister Mary Charles Mayer, RSM, are shown with art contest winners (from left) Rachel Howard, Kailey Kear, Sofia Filigenzi, and Mary Zengel.

Sofia, a fourth-grade student at St. Mary School in Oak Ridge who attends St. Mary Church with her parents, Marc and Maria Filigenzi, won for her color pastel of a “Wake up the world!” heart.

Kailey, an eighth-grade student who attends St. John Neumann Church in Farragut with her mother, Christine Kear, won for her large painting of the Eucharist, hands and Bible stories.

Rachel, a senior at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga who attends Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church with her parents, Mandy and Clarence Howard, won for her color artwork depicting a Phoenix. The contest, open to all students of the Catholic faith living in the diocese, began with Catholic Schools Week Jan. 25-29 and continued through February. The competition was split into age groups for students in kindergarten through second grade, third through fifth grades, grades six through eight, and students in high school. There was one winner from each age group. “We hoped the quote from Pope Francis would inspire the kids to think about consecrated life and their own vocation,” Sister Mary Charles said. The contest entrants represented each of the diocese’s four deaneries: Smoky Mountain, Cumberland Mountain, Five Rivers, and Chattanooga. ■

By Dan McWilliams thletes receive plenty of attention on signing days throughout the school year, but on May 5 Knoxville Catholic High School turned the spotlight on more than a dozen academic standouts by giving them their own signing day. Thirteen KCHS students who received full-ride scholarships were recognized in a ceremony in the gym led by Principal Dickie Sompayrac and Jane Walker, academic dean. Students honored were Nick Armendarez, University of Kentucky; Christian Atwater, University of Alabama; Matthew Balo, East Tennessee State University; Michael Boehm, University of Tennessee at Chat-

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tanooga; Brian Curtin, U.S. Military Academy at West Point; Christopher Dunn, Lincoln Memorial University; Mike Fitzgerald, University of Tennessee at Knoxville; Parker Gensheimer, UTK; MacKenzie Jackson, Lindsey Wilson College; Emily Pabst, University of Alabama; Nicole Reinhold-Larsson, Ohio State University; Donovan Ricche, University of Kentucky; and Sarah Rouse, UTK. Ms. Walker spoke at the ceremony on what God has planted in each of the students recognized. “They each came in, I kind of remember some of these students as freshmen—absolutely young, scared freshmen,” she said, “who Academic continued on page 25

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Knoxville Catholic High School holds academic signing day

Spotlight on academics Participating in the academic signing day at KCHS were (from left, front) Matthew Balo, Christian Atwater, Michael Boehm, and Christopher Dunn and (back) Parker Gensheimer, Nick Armendarez, Sarah Rouse, Donovan Ricche, MacKenzie Jackson, Nicole Reinhold-Larsson, and Emily Pabst.

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COURTESY OF MEGAN LOCKE ERPENBACH

Catholic schools

KCHS Latin Program finishes third in convention The Knoxville Catholic High School Latin Program recently competed in the Tennessee Junior Classical League state Latin convention, where they placed third. This is the highest finish ever for the program. The school congratulated the students and instructor Jenny Fields for the accomplishment.

Academic continued from page 24

Spring Fling continued from page 22

didn’t know what they wanted to do, didn’t necessarily stand out, but they were willing to look within themselves and at what their strengths were, and that’s what the counselors have always told them. “The counselors said, ‘Look at your strengths and play upon your strengths,’ so I think that’s what each one of these students has done. They have found out who they are. Each one of these kids really knows who he is, and then they’ve built upon that and capitalized on it as evidenced by today’s ceremony.” The students in the ceremony have “insane class schedules,” Ms. Walker said. ■

and Chavez fourth in the 1,600 run. A. J. Flemister of Notre Dame placed third in the 400 dash with time of 50.34 seconds and sixth in the 200 dash (22.44). NDHS teammate Auston Banks was eighth in the 200 dash. The KCHS girls track-and-field team placed 12th in the state out of more than 40 scoring schools. Camille Mancini scored a thirdplace finish in the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.54 seconds and a fifthplace time (49.34) in the 300 hurdles. Shila Kapaya recorded two sixthplace finishes for the Lady Irish, in the 1,600 run and 3,200 run. The KCHS girls 3,200 relay team placed third with a time of 10:13.65. ■

Visit www.knoxlatinmass.net for updated information. A Missa Recitata (low Mass) in the ancient form of the Roman Rite will be offered by Father David Carter on Mondays at 7 a.m. at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga.

The St. Thomas the Apostle Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Mission located at 2304 Ault Road, Knoxville, TN 37914 meets for Divine Liturgy each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. All services are in English. Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865584-3307 or visit www.saintthomasknoxville.org/ for details.

A Missa Cantata (sung high Mass) in the ancient form of the Roman Rite will be celebrated by Father David Carter on the fourth Sunday of every month at 5 p.m. at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. The next scheduled celebration is July 26. A potluck dinner will be held in Varallo Parish Hall following Mass. All are invited. Call the parish office at 423-266-1618.

Holy Resurrection Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Mission has Divine Liturgy celebrations at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays at the old Holy Ghost Church, located at 1031 N. Central St. in Knoxville. For times of holy-day services or for more information, visit www.knoxbyz.org or call Father Thomas O’Connell at 865256-4880. ■

The Bocks retired from CSE Marketing in Brooklyn Park, Minn., and moved to the Glade in December 2013. Max and Pat Streibel will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this month. They were married June 12, 1965, at St. Thomas Church in Delmar (Albany), N.Y.

Their two children are Stephen of Webster, N.Y., and Amy of Nolensville, Tenn., and they have four grandchildren. The Streibels retired from Eastman Kodak Co. in Rochester, N.Y., and moved to the Glade in 2010. A family anniversary celebration was held Christmas week of 2014 in the Dominican Republic. ■

Calendar continued from page 15 includes air fare from Atlanta, first-class hotel accommodations, most meals, sightseeing tour fees, airport taxes, security fees, and fuel surcharges. The final payment is due 90 days before departure. For more information on the pilgrimage, contact Sister Albertine Paulus, RSM, at 865-207-4742 or smaevang@ yahoo.com. Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at 1:30 p.m. each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville; at 3 p.m. on first and third Sundays at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland; at 3 p.m. on second and fourth Sundays at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Madisonville; at

11 a.m. on most Sundays at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend; and at 3 p.m. on the first and third Sundays at St. Mary Church in Johnson City. A traditional Latin Mass of thanksgiving for the external solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul will be celebrated at Holy Ghost Church by the newly ordained Father Michael Hendershott at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, June 28. The Knoxville Latin Mass Schola will sing the Gregorian chants for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, along with sacred polyphony, motets, and ordinary parts in the choral setting of Wolfgang Mozart’s Missa Brevis. A reception will follow in Father Henkel Hall in the church basement.

Anniversaries continued from page 19

Goluszka of Winnebago; and John Goluszka of Rochelle, Ill.; and they have six grandchildren. Mr. Goluszka was a driver for Dominick’s Finer Foods Co. in Northlake, Ill., before retiring, and Mrs. Goluszka was office manager of Perfetti Sales and Marketing Ltd. in Countryside, Ill. They moved to the Glade in 2006. The East Tennessee Catholic

A family celebration is planned for June 13 in Chicago. Edward and Connie Bock celebrated their 50th anniversary on June 1. They were married at St. Augustine Church in Austin, Minn. Their two children are Rhonda Borden of Andover, Minn., and Julie Krick of Glen Allen, Va., and they have two grandchildren.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

June 7, 2015 25

COURTESY OF PATRICE STALEY

Catholic schools

KCHS has six delegates to Boys State Knoxville Catholic High School delegates for the 2015 Tennessee Boys State are pictured. Boys State was held at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville from May 17-30. There were 600 boys in attendance from across the state. This is the 76th year of Tennessee Boys State, and it is the No. 1 Boys State program in the nation. The delegates selected by the faculty at Knoxville Catholic to attend were Addison Bond, Jones Albritton, Owen Flomberg, Thomas Morris, Thomas Norville, and Jack Staley. All six of these boys attended Sacred Heart Cathedral School.

COURTESY OF SUZANNA PICKERING

KCHS Girls State delegates Knoxville Catholic High School’s Girls State delegates for 2015 are (from left) Suzanna Pickering, Liza Cunningham, Kristin Fields, counselor Morgan Briggs, Jessica Hamilton, and Anastasia McGrath (not pictured: Rosa Cisneros). Girls State was held at Lipscomb University from May 24-30.

‘Irish Soles’ event lets NDHS students walk back into history By Barry Courter n March 28 students and faculty at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga took a six-mile round-trip walk back into history. The students walked from the current school location on Vermont Avenue in the Glenwood area to the former site of the school on Eighth Street. The activity was both a fundraiser—students solicited sponsors during the mini-walkathon—and a history lesson regarding the school’s 139-year past. The event, Irish Soles Crossing Chattanooga, was the idea of alumni and development director Robert Jones, who was inspired by football coach Charles Fant, who had his players make a similar trek last fall. “Notre Dame is the oldest private school in Chattanooga,” Mr. Jones said, “and many of our students were not aware of that fact or that it used to be downtown. I thought it was a great idea when Coach Fant did it, and we wanted the entire student body to see where we came from.”

26 June 7, 2015

COURTESY OF GAYLE SCHOENBORN

Trek into the past Notre Dame High School students walk from the school’s current location on Vermont Avenue to its original Eighth Street site.

Notre Dame was started in 1876 by the Dominican Sisters of the St. Cecilia Community in Nashville at the request of Father Patrick Ryan, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church. It was the first school in the city

to become racially integrated in 1963, and in 1965 it was the first predominantly white school in the city to play a basketball game against an all-black school. That game against Howard High School

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

50 years ago has been recognized in several recent media accounts for its historic significance. The school moved to its present location in the fall of that same year. ■ dioknox.org

COURTESY OF CISSY WEST

Catholic youth

Eagle Scout award for Taylor Griess Chattanoogaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish Boy Scout Troop 115 gathered April 12 for a Court of Honor to award the Eagle Scout rank, the highest award in Scouting, to Taylor Griess, son of Dan and Sharon Griess of OLPH Parish. Taylor has been a member of Troop 115 for six years and most recently served as senior patrol leader. His Eagle Scout project involved the installation of outdoor seating near the Spring Frog Cabin and along the Wonderland Trail at Audubon Acres. Taylor just finished his senior year at East Hamilton High School.

COURTESY OF GEORGE LECRONE SR.

Adults, youth receive Scouting presentations On April 26 at the 11 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, four boys received their Ad Altare Dei religious-emblem award, and four adults received their counselor training certificate. The presentations were made by Father Joe Reed and Giannine Morris, religious-activities chair for the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting. Martin Vargas was the coordinator of the multiweek certificate program, which was monitored by George LeCrone Sr., DCCS chairman, while the adults earned their certificates. Mr. Vargas and his team will continue to provide the program; those interested in receiving the award should contact Mr. LeCrone at lecroneg@charter. net. Youth pictured are Christian Fox, Ryan Seaver, Matthew Sellers, and Leonardo Vargas. Adults pictured with their certificates are Patricia Sellers, Michele Halstead, Martin Vargas, and Diana Seaver.

Arrow of Light Award goes to eight Cub Scouts On April 29 eight boys from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Pack 3017 in Chattanooga received the highest award that can be earned in Cub Scouting: the Arrow of Light. All were fifth-graders in the Webelos II den. The Arrow of Light badge is the only Cub Scout badge that can be worn on the Boy Scout uniform. The eight included six OLPH School students and parishioners: Timbo Monahan, Logan Qualey, Anthony Britto, Augustine Britto, Warren Yap, and Drew Ingle. Also included were Sam Fox and E. J. Novak. All eight also crossed over to Boy Scouts that night as well. Seven will join OLPH Boy Scout Troop 115, and E. J. will go to the Signal Mountain troop. From left in front are Timbo Monahan, Augustine Britto, Logan Qualey, Anthony Britto, Drew Ingle, Sam Fox, and Warren Yap. Not pictured is E. J. Novak. The East Tennessee Catholic

Catholic HEART Workcamp draws nearly 300

early 300 high school and college students descended upon Knoxville to participate in a Catholic HEART (Helping Everyone Attain Relief Today) Workcamp June 7-13. Teens performed in community service projects in the East Tennessee region by day. At night they laughed, shared, prayed, sang, and spent time together in high-energy, faith-filled programs including music, testimonies, drama, videos, and more. This year marked the seventh time that Knoxville has hosted this event. Groups traveled from Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio, In-

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

diana, Arkansas, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin to serve Knoxville. Catholic HEART Workcamp (CHWC) partnered with local agencies to set up the work projects, which included painting, yard work, home repair, light construction, working with children and the elderly, and more. Partnering agencies include Catholic Charities, the Ladies of Charity, Knoxvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Knox County Community Action Committee, Second Harvest Food Bank, Caris Healthcare, Blount Habitat for Humanity, Knox Area Rescue Ministries, Volunteer Ministry Center, Workcamp continued on page 28 June 7, 2015 27

COURTESY OF KLIMAS STUDIO

Catholic youth

St. Mary-Oak Ridge celebrates sacrament of confirmation St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge recently celebrated the sacrament of confirmation. Pictured with Cardinal Justin Rigali in the back row are (from left) Stacy Riikola, Faith Mountain, Scott Colburn, Deacon Gary Sega, Father Dustin Collins, St. Mary pastor Father Bede Aboh, and Margaret Merrill.

COURTESY OF MATT POBIEGLO

Notre Dame High School girls tennis state champs Notre Dame High School won the Class A-AA girls tennis state championship at last month’s Spring Fling (see the story on page 22). From left are head coach Nancy Fox, Bowie Strozak, Maddie Robbins, Jessica Moore, Sarah Joyce, Sarah Faith Ingell, Mary Margaret Haywood, and assistant coach Gary McIntyre. Notre Dame defeated Greeneville 4-2 in the state finals. Ingell won at No. 2 singles, Haywood at No. 3, and Strozak at No. 5, while Joyce and Ingell won in No. 1 doubles for the Lady Irish.

COURTESY OF KLIMAS STUDIO

Workcamp continued from page 27

First Communion at St. Mary-Oak Ridge The sacrament of first Holy Communion was celebrated recently at St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge. Adults pictured in the back row are (from left) Lacey Metz, Sheila Quilty, Jacquelin Griffis, Deacon Gary Sega, Father Bede Aboh, Father Dustin Collins, Ruth Campbell, and Sister Grace Mary, OP.

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and the Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley. The participating youth have fundraised all year in order to travel to Knoxville to participate in this experience. The teens were based at Knoxville Catholic High School and All Saints Church, where they ate, slept, and showered. The teens sacrifice the comforts of home to come to camp. Participants slept on air mattresses in classrooms, showered in locker rooms, and ate cafeteria food. “With the recent current events, we often only hear about what our youth of today are doing wrong,” said Annie Nassis, manager for Knoxville Catholic HEART Workcamp. “Teens often get only negative publicity. It is an amazing thing to see the positive ways that teenag-

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ers are helping others. These volunteers have paid money to sweat, sleep on the floor, and sacrifice a week to do service work to help strangers. It is inspiring to see how their small actions can truly change the lives of others.” On Thursday, June 11, the clients and agency representatives were invited to come to the evening program to share their experiences from having the teens work on their homes during the week. Catholic HEART Workcamp began in 1993 and is based outside of Orlando, Fla. CHWC holds 54 camps nationwide, in the Caribbean, and in Central America each summer, with more than 15,000 teens participating. For more information about Catholic HEART Workcamp, visit www.heartworkcamp.com. ■ dioknox.org

Catholic youth

St. Mary-Oak Ridge announces science-fair winners

COURTESY OF ROB HALCROW

Winning again St. Mary School in Oak Ridge continued its tradition of receiving awards at the Southern Appalachian Science & Engineering Fair.

Certificates of excellence as well as eligibility to enter Broadcom Masters Competition: Erin Van Berkel, UV Light project; Sydney Mesmer, “#Phone Germs”; Mary Miller, “Separate Colors”; Cooper Souza, “Lo-Cal Ethanol”; Anna Kasemir, “Lights, Antennae, Radio” project; and Kendra Zebroski, “Got Chalk?” Special awards: American Chemical Society:

Mary Miller; American Institute of Chemical Engineers: Erin Van Berkel; Sigma Xi award for innovation: Erin Van Berkel; ASM Material Education Foundation: Anna Kasemir; IEEE: Anna Kasemir; Knoxville Gem and Mineral Society: Emily Pichiarella, “Radon: The Secret Visitor”; American Nuclear Society: Emily Pichiarella; and National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis Award for research at the Interface of Mathematics and Biology: Piper Halcrow and Olivia Ricche, “Mutant vs. Wild, Who Will Survive?” Honorable mention: Jackie Audet, “The Most Eggcellent Eggstraordinary Colors”; Andrew Busko, “The Great Material Race”; Anthony Filiginzi, “A Battery That Makes Cents”; Piper Halcrow and Olivia Ricche (team project); Jonathan Milloway, “Hitting Home: The Science of Hit Charts”; Ashlyn Riikola, “Want to Go for a Swim?”; Stephanie Romanoski, “Let’s Shed a Little Light on the Subject, Shall We?”; and Elizabeth Waltman, “Nailed It! The Science of Speedy Spuds.” ■

COURTESY OF SARA CAREY

tudents at St. Mary School in Oak Ridge recently participated in the school’s internal science fair. Nineteen of those students received awards for their projects. The winners from each category of physical and biological science attended the Southern Appalachian Science & Engineering Fair (SASEF) at the University of Tennessee on March 31. Eighteen students from grades five through eight competed during the event. The SASEF draws students from 23 counties in East Tennessee and is the premier science competition for students in middle and high school. The fair is sponsored by the University of Tennessee and many local companies and agencies. For the last 11 out of 14 years, a St. Mary student has been crowned as grand champion at this science fair. Listed below are the award recipients and their projects. Overall awards: Reserve Champion (second place): Erin Van Berkel, “Fading Away in the UV Light”; fifth place: Anna Kasemir, “Lights, Antennae, Radio.”

First Communion celebrated at St. Alphonsus St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville recently celebrated the sacraments of first Holy Communion and confirmation. First communicants, shown with director of religious education Sara Carey and catechist MaryAnne Farinella, are (from left, front) Jean Marc Gudet, Lanie Flynn, Ernesto Paz, Will Flynn, and Samantha Gibson; (middle) Taylor Vickers, Karla Gil Velazquez, Vince Vitor, Oswaldo Romo, and Richard Abel; and (back) Isabela Garcia, Aracely Contreras, and Lara Lockridge. The East Tennessee Catholic

COURTESY OF SARA CAREY

St. Alphonsus confirmandi Cardinal Justin Rigali presided for confirmation at St. Alphonsus in Crossville. Confirmandi, shown with Cardinal Rigali, pastor Father Jim Harvey, and their sponsors are (from left) Matthew Bosze, Juan Loza, Nolan McClain, Christian Staton, Francisco Garcia, John Weismuller, and Shyanne Tesar. Not pictured is Isabel Gray.

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June 7, 2015 29

Alexians continued from page 11

30 June 7, 2015

The Alexians at a glance Congregation of Alexian Brothers charism statement: The Alexian Charism is the prophetic and daring response of a faith community to the gospel of Jesus. It is rooted in prayer and simple life style. In discipleship with Jesus, our response is reaching out to the poor, sick and dying, especially the marginalized and the powerless. Our charism calls us to conversion and total self-giving in continuing the healing and reconciling mission of Jesus in collaboration with others. — Approved by the Congregation of Alexian Brothers at the 1986 General Chapter, Schilde, Belgium

STEPHANIE RICHER

with prayer. We eat meals together. In between, we go out and work in the field. It is community life. We depend on each other, support each other through ups and downs.” What leads a man to the Alexian Brothers? “They come to us to share their talents with the people of God,” Brother John said. “Postulants come from second or third careers, sometimes after marriage. They usually consider several orders to discern God’s calling for them. “Everyone is different,” he added. “It used to be that they came to us to serve faithfully in a health-care setting. But I believe it is much broader than that now. We serve the homeless, the ill, the neglected and forgotten. Though we do a lot of health care, it’s not as much about that as it is being with people as they live out their lives.” Seven men, ranging from novice Brother Steve Fogt, CFA, to 18-year world Superior General Brother Edward Walsh, CFA, are in residence at Signal Mountain. They support each other while ministering to approximately 900 people who live and work on the 38-acre campus and thousands more through other facilities and programs spread across the Chattanooga area. Members of the order currently in residence in Signal Mountain are Brother Edward of Pittsburgh; Brother John of San Diego; Brother Steve of Nekersulm, Germany; Brother Andrew Dinegar, CFA, of New York City; Brother Tom Klein, CFA, of Milwaukee; Brother Lawrence Krueger, CFA, of Tucson, Ariz.; and Brother Andrew Thome, CFA, of Atlanta. The spotlight long has fallen most heavily on the order’s highly visible network of health-care facilities for the elderly. But the Brothers’ ministry stretches well beyond that. “The future is about programs for the homeless and neglected,” said Brother John. “There are a lot

Superior General Brother Edward Walsh, CFA, leads the Congregation of Alexian Brothers.

of wonderful existing programs (in Chattanooga), such as Community Kitchen, Salvation Army, churches and other organizations. We want to help coordinate the care of those so we are more effective serving the people. The goal is to best serve the people who live outdoors, in tents, under bridges, in unsafe conditions, the people who have fallen through the cracks. Our goal is to figure out how we can get those people into safe dwellings — small apartments, maybe — and help get them back on their feet.” Perhaps the best illustration of the heart of the Alexian Brothers ministry is its Angel Call, a brief prayer service available to everyone in Alexian facilities. With approval from residents and their families, upon a resident’s death an Angel Call announcement is broadcast throughout the facility. When the funeral director arrives, those who wish to participate gather for a final farewell and accompany the deceased through the main entrance with honor, rather than secreting the deceased out a back door. For the Alexian Brothers, it’s all about faith, community and being with people as they live out their lives to their very last breath. ■

Congregation of Alexian Brothers seal: The seal of the Congregation is divided into three fields. In each field is a symbolic representation of the end or work of the Institute. The upper half shows on a red background the Pelican nourishing its young with her heart’s blood - a symbol of the self-consuming sacrifice of Christian Charity. The two spades on the black background, in the lower half, is a remembrance of former activity of the Alexian Brothers in burying the dead in time of calamity. The flying raven on a silver-gray background represents the feeding of the destitute, a virtue the Congregation has practiced for centuries. From the back of the shield projects the cross, indicating that in the cross is salvation. Inscribed on the band are the words of St. Paul: “Caritas Christi Urget Nos” or “The Love of Christ Compels Us.” Alexian Brothers philosophy: Compassion — We manifest God’s presence in the world by our concerned approach and competent care of those we serve. Dignity of the person — Because we believe that all individuals are created in God’s image, we treat them with respect. Care of the poor — We serve the sick, aged, dying and unwanted, of all socio-economic levels, especially the poor. Holism — We promote healing of the whole person (body, mind and spirit) through physical, psycho-social and spiritual care of the whole person. Partnership — We collaborate with those who share our ministry in carrying out our mission. — Approved by the Provincial Council, May 18, 1990 ■

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dioknox.org

KDCCW continued from page 6

spiritual moderator and adviser who has served the CCW practically since his ordination in 1961.” Her first recollection of Monsignor Mankel “was immediately after his first Mass in his home parish,” Mrs. Johnson said. “I was a student nurse at St. Mary’s School of Nursing at the time, so I was at the reception for him. It was an exciting day for the newly ordained Father Xavier Mankel, and we were called on by the Sisters of Mercy to be the best of hostesses for this very special occasion. “The next recollection was in the late 1960s. Monsignor was serving as principal of Catholic High School, an assignment he loved, teaching the students the Catholic faith and driving the team bus to away games, but my memories of this time center on him as the spiritual moderator of the Junior Club of Catholic Women. Look at him shaking his head. He remembers those days. This was an interparochial council affiliate and one for young married women and mothers in all of the parishes in Knoxville to enjoy a night out and to be supported, empowered, and educated in spirituality, leadership, and service as we are called to do in our NCCW mission statement. “Monsignor Mankel faithfully attended our meetings and always had words of wisdom for us. He helped strengthen our faith and mature in the graces of the sacraments.” The sacrament of baptism was one of Monsignor Mankel’s favorite topics then, Mrs. Johnson said. “Most of us were at the height of our childbearing years, and monsignor wanted us to know how important it was for us to take our babies to the church as soon as possible for baptism,” she said. “I especially remember him saying that it would be wonderful if their first car trip after they came home from the The East Tennessee Catholic

hospital would be to the church. He was kind, gentle, and compassionate with us as young mothers living out the sacrament of marriage.” Mrs. Johnson said to Monsignor Mankel, “We are sincerely grateful for your loyalty to the KDCCW. Our meetings and conventions would not have been the same without your presence. We thank the Lord for all that we have experienced with Monsignor constantly at our side, like a guardian angel, to light, to guard, to rule, and to guide. We felt secure and loved by his presence. We will miss you as our spiritual moderator in so many ways. We wish you happiness and good health and many blessings in your retirement. We pray that you will find much joy in serving as historical archivist for the Diocese of Knoxville. “Monsignor Mankel, we will always respect you as a holy priest living a consecrated life for God and as a man for all seasons as our spiritual moderator for the CCW in the Nashville and Knoxville dioceses. May the peace and joy of the Lord be always with you.” Monsignor Mankel then expressed his gratitude. “I thank you for the nice things that have been said about me tonight, because it’s about you anything should be said,” he said. “You work so hard for and in the name of the Church, and I urge you to keep it up. There are still too few, in my estimation, young women involved in council, but not that they’re not involved in church, but maybe they’ll gravitate over to council. To share the platform with the Johnsons tonight is wonderful indeed. We started off a long time ago, and Patty and [husband] Shelton are still going strong, so it’s a wonderful, wonderful thing. God bless you all.” Jane Carter led a tribute to Mrs. Johnson, also the first KDCCW president, during the banquet. “I am honored to speak tonight

about one of our beloved council sisters,” Mrs. Carter said. “I’m privileged to call her my sister in council and grateful for her friendship. In true southern tradition in everything she does, she makes us proud. . . . From the inception of the diocese, she has taken an active leadership role in the development and growth of our Knoxville DCCW and several parishes and deaneries along the way, making friends everywhere she goes.” Mrs. Carter crowned Mrs. Johnson “Queen of Council” and gave her a crown to wear. Janice Michael followed Mrs. Carter to the microphone and presented Mrs. Johnson with a friendship quilt signed with notes to the honoree from KDCCW members. Author and speaker Patty Schneier was the keynoter for the banquet. Her banquet topic was “Unlock the Treasure,” and she also spoke April 24 on the topic “Onward — Without Fear.” At the banquet, Mrs. Schneier told of two gold coins that are in the “treasure box of the Catholic Church”: the theology of the body and the sacrament of reconciliation. A cradle Catholic, she said that in 2002 she was 36 years old and had been married for 13 years but had become a “cafeteria Catholic.” “I was picking and choosing what I wanted out of our Catholic faith and rejecting what I didn’t want, especially in the area of sex and marriage,” she said. “I was one of the millions of modern-day Catholics who ignored the Church’s teaching toward contraception, that hot-button issue that secretly affects so many of us. It was my wall of dissent. I rationalized it, I justified it, claiming that I was following my own conscience and thought it was no big deal. I felt the Church should butt out, and I thought the Church was unrealistic in asking its families to follow this teaching. “But when my husband and I dis-

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

covered two books, The Good News About Sex and Marriage: Answers to Your Honest Questions About Catholic Teaching, by Christopher West, and The Theology of the Body for Beginners, also by Christopher West, our lives were changed forever. These two books spoke to the deepest desires of my heart.” All she wanted to do “after discovering the truth about the Catholic Church and sex and marriage,” Mrs. Schneier said, “was to dive in to that treasure chest. I couldn’t get enough. I wanted more. I had been missing out with my wall of dissent, and once my wall of dissent fell, I wanted it all. I couldn’t get enough of Scripture, daily readings of the Church. I discovered eucharistic adoration, the rosary, daily Mass, the lives of the saints, all of it. “The joy of this journey has been tremendous, and this joy of now publicly helping others spread the good news of the theology of the body and our Catholic faith has been awesome.” Suzanne Erpenbach was the KDCCW convention chair for 2015. Bette Purvis, president of the Cumberland Mountain Deanery CCW, was the convention co-chair and represented the host deanery. CCW members from St. Alphonsus Church in Crossville were the banquet hostesses. A total of 185 women registered to attend the convention. Among those at the banquet were Father Dan Whitman, the current KDCCW spiritual moderator; Shirley Riehl, KDCCW president; Linda Lambert, KDCCW immediate past president; Father Michael Woods, the Cumberland Mountain Deanery CCW spiritual moderator; members of the first KDCCW board from 1989; Monsignor Al Humbrecht, spiritual moderator for the Chattanooga Deanery CCW and a member of the first KDCCW board; and Nancy Poll, the NCCW Province of Louisville director. ■ June 7, 2015 31

this is my blood. And this is what I really like – given for you, given for the person next to you, given for me, given for all of us. Jesus gives his life for us.” Bishop Stika reassured the new Catholics that while they will help make up the body of Christ and the body of the Church, they are not perfect and not expected to be, nor is the Church. As followers of Jesus, Bishop Stika said, we are all frail, and we make mistakes. But he encouraged them to continue to embrace the path they have chosen. “I have a question,” he said. “Do you feel Catholic? Know this, just because you receive the Eucharist for the first time, or are baptized or confirmed, that’s only a moment in your journey of faith. That journey is long. So my prayer for you is never to lose your curiosity, never be afraid to talk about Jesus, never be afraid to say I’m sorry.” Sister Mary Timothea Elliott, RSM, director of the diocesan Office of Christian Formation, pointed out that people continue to join the

Identical hello Bishop Richard F. Stika greets two of the newest members of the

Diocese of Knoxville May 31 during the Sending of the Neophytes ceremony at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

PHOTO BY SCOTT MAENTZ

apostles to grasp. “What we celebrate is the very essence of who we are: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit,” Bishop Stika told those assembled. “But it’s not so important that we need to understand it because, after all, who actually can understand the mysteries of God? We know about Jesus; He died for our sins because he loves us,” he added. Citing St. Thomas Aquinas, Bishop Stika explained that the love that existed between the Father and the Son is actually the Holy Spirit. “Have you ever felt the Holy Spirit in your life? Maybe you were in a situation where you might have just said, ‘Lord, help me,’” the bishop said. “Today, we gather together in this church, Sacred Heart. As new Catholics, we gather around the table to receive the most precious gift that God has given to us – Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Take this all of you and eat. Take this all of you and drink, for this is my body and

PHOTO BY SCOTT MAENTZ

Neophytes continued from page 8

Thank you and welcome Bishop Richard F. Stika meets the diocese’s new-

est members during the Sending of the Neophytes ceremony at Sacred Heart Cathedral. More than 200 catechumens and candidates came into the diocese through Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults programs in parishes throughout the diocese that began in September.

32 June 7, 2015

Church in East Tennessee in everincreasing numbers. She noted that St. Patrick Church in Morristown had 10 adults and 29 children join the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil. “This year 233 people entered the Church in the Diocese of Knoxville. Of note is the large number of entire families who completed the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults with their children,” said Sister Timothea, who assisted Bishop Stika during the Sending of the Neophytes ceremony. “During 2015-16, the Office of Christian Formation will be focusing upon the period of mystagogy by means of three regional conferences for RCIA teams and one diocesan-wide conference in June 2016. Our hope is to enrich our approach, awaken enthusiasm for this important time of deepening faith, and to invite parishes to sponsor opportunities for all Catholics to learn more about their faith and to become committed disciples of Jesus Christ.” Sister Timothea pointed out the significance of the ceremony and the opportunity the neophytes have to

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make a difference in their parishes. Noting that the bishop tells them they now are ready help carry out the New Evangelization and take part in the life of their parishes, she said it’s a continuous effort to work on their faith in their parishes. She also explained that the Mass and ceremony of Sending the Neophytes (or “Missioning the Neophytes”) takes place at the end of the Easter season. On the first Sunday of Lent those who intend to receive the sacraments of initiation or enter full communion with the Catholic Church, are sent by their parish to the Rite of Election. After Easter Vigil and during the seven weeks of the Easter season, the Neophytes enter the period of mystagogy, a time of opening the sacramental mysteries to a deeper level. Finally, at the end of the Easter season the Neophytes come to the cathedral for Mass celebrated by the bishop, who sends the Neophytes back to their parishes to continue their journey of faith, continual conversion, and participation in parish life and ministry, especially in evangelization. ■ dioknox.org

Praying for perspective

by George Valadie

Moms – they are the ultimate inspiration for prayer Asking blessings for mothers because they’re important, they’re worthwhile, and they matter

ot that it matters to anyone who might read what I write here, but I usually sit down to craft my words on Sunday afternoons. Last month’s deadline was no different. Sometimes, it’s a story or a thought that pours right out, seemingly writing itself. Other times, it’s a real struggle. And yes, I know, it can be a struggle to read it, too. This time, in an effort to get ahead, I spent all day on a Saturday pondering a topic people would enjoy reading. But not much came my way. So I was left to call upon a higher power. When I walked into Mass the following Sunday, I did what I always do. I found a spot for my keys so I wouldn’t sit on them or forget them, took a quick glance at the Sunday bulletin, scanned the congregation to see who I knew, and pulled down the kneeler for a short prayer before we got started. I’m not sure if it’s all that appropriate, but I usually ask God to take care of this or handle that … the same sorts of requests I make when I go to bed each night. And though said in silence, the first words out of my mouth today were “Dear God, please inspire me to write a good column this week.” Just as the last word was coming

out of my brain, my eyes simultaneously came to rest on the crucifix that sits above our altar. And I started to laugh at myself. A crown of thorns. Nails that are larger than any I’ve ever used. Blood flowing out of a nasty looking gash. Head down, no light in his eyes, no life in his body. Some voice was right to the point. “Oh yeah, George, he really cares about that column of yours. Come on, if you’re gonna ask for something, at least make it important. Make it worthwhile. Pray for something or someone that matters.” Whoever or whatever was speaking to me was exactly right. And as if shamed by my shallowness, I was hit with this mental rush, causing me to recall some of the many really stupid things for which I have prayed through the years. On more than one occasion, I’ve asked for divine help in winning the lottery. Because on way more than one occasion, we’ve been in a financial bind, sometimes two or three at once. But since I’ve yet to win, I’m guessing it also never mattered that I was negotiating with a promise to give some of my dollars away. (And I’m still open to that deal if He’s listening!) I’ve prayed for good weather when our school had planned an event, and I pray for snow all the other days.

I’ve prayed for a new job, and I’ve prayed to keep one I thought I might lose. I’ve prayed that an angry parent would calm down before Monday morning. I’ve asked God to speak to an occasional employee so they’d quit – so I wouldn’t have to quit them. But I’ve also prayed that I might figure out a better way to celebrate all those phenomenal instructors who cast a much bigger shadow. I’ve prayed that our children would each get into the college of their choice and then followed that with one that their parents would find a way to pay for it. I’ve prayed that they’d have good friends, date nice guys and never know pain. And I eventually followed that with prayers for happy marriages, healthy children and normal in-laws. I’ve prayed to remember things I’ve forgotten and to find things that I’ve lost. All in all, it occurred to me that I’ve provided no shortage of simpleminded and idiotic prayers; hugely embarrassing, really. But thankfully, it was all happening in my head. So I decided to heed that voice and pray for something important, worthwhile, something that would matter. And it came to me. Or should I say, she did. There she was, in the last pew, by

herself, down on her knees. Head buried in her hands. She didn’t look all that peaceful really. Rather, her body language indicated a human in pain, though I couldn’t even see her face. I didn’t know her or a thing about her. So it’s purely a guess on my part, but she seemed as if she had a child on her mind. It seemed like a mother’s sort of pain – and a mother’s sort of prayer. I say that because I’ve seen it. My mom has had that look and so has my wife. It’s deep and gutwrenching. And it leads one to God when there’s nowhere else to go. I also saw it in my office recently. The news wasn’t good, I know, because I was delivering it. Her daughter had experienced her own moment of idiocy and the consequences were serious. Torn between wanting to kill her – or me – the girl’s mom was doing all the things that any normal mom would do: Negotiating. Hurting. Cringing. Crying. And praying. So after a less than impressive start, I prayed for all moms. They’re important. They’re worthwhile. They matter. Dear God – No job compares. No pain compares. No love compares. Please bless them all. Amen. ■ George Valadie is president of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga.

Sacred Heart Cathedral construction underway as site preparation begins

he April 19 official groundbreaking for the new Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ushered in a changing landscape for the Diocese of Knoxville’s mother church. Following a Merit Construction The East Tennessee Catholic

backhoe’s breaking of soil, with Bishop Richard F. Stika at the controls, and a host of VIPs donning hard hats and shovels for the ceremonial turning of dirt, construction crews have been busy reshaping the earth in preparation for the erection

of steel and stone that will become the new cathedral. While initial clearing of the Sacred Heart campus took place in May, serious construction on the site and existing buildings began June 1 once Sacred Heart School was dismissed for the

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

summer. Construction crews also have been busy replacing the existing narrow north bridge from Northshore Drive into the Sacred Heart campus over Fourth Creek with a new, three-lane Construction continued on page 37 June 7, 2015 33

Living the readings

Weekday readings Monday, June 1: Tobit 1:3 and 2:1-8; Psalm 112:1-6; Mark 12:1-12 Tuesday, June 2: Tobit 2:9-14; Psalm 112:1-2, 7-9; Mark 12:13-17 Wednesday, June 3: Tobit 3:1-11, 16-17; Psalm 25:2-9; Mark 12:18-27 Thursday, June 4: Tobit 6:10-11 and 7:1, 7:9-17, and 8:4-9; Psalm 128:1-5; Mark 12:28-34 Friday, June 5: Tobit 11:517; Psalm 146:1-2, 6-10; Mark 12:35-37 Saturday, June 6: Tobit 12:1, 5-15, 20; Tobit 13:2, 6-8; Mark 12:38-44 Sunday, June 7: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), Exodus 24:3-8; Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18; Hebrews 9:11-15; Mark 14:1216, 22-26 Monday, June 8: 2 Corinthians 1:1-7; Psalm 34:2-9; Matthew 5:1-12 Tuesday, June 9: 2 Corinthians 1:18-22; Psalm 119:129-133, 135; Matthew 5:13-16 Wednesday, June 10: 2 Corinthians 3:4-11; Psalm 99:5-9; Matthew 5:17-19 Thursday, June 11: Acts 11:21-26 and 13:1-3; Psalm 98:1-6; Matthew 5:20-26 Friday, June 12: Solemnity, the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8-9; Isaiah 12:2-6; Ephesians 3:8-12, 14-19; John 19:31-37 Saturday, June 13: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Psalm 103:1-4, 9-12; Matthew 5:33-37 Sunday, June 14: Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalm 92:2-3, 1316; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34 Monday, June 15: 2 Corinthians 6:1-10; Psalm 98:1-4; Matthew 5:38-42

Readings continued on page 35

34 June 7, 2015

by Father Joseph Brando

A covenant for eternity Jesus helps us to remain at peace as we depend on God

ometimes after a long period filled with giant holidays and deep thought about the wonders Easter and Holy Week open up to us, it is soothing to return to Ordinary Time. June is that month when we can relax and take in the mysteries of our faith one by one. All the ideas and revealed dogma that we were force-fed at Holy Week now come again one at a time. We can take our time, relaxed at the chance to take in the principles of our religion one little bit at a time. This time we begin with the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. We get to know our faith slowly. At this time we can contrast the Old and New Testament and develop beautiful insight into the nature of our Savior, Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, Moses went up Mount Sinai and heard the voice of God. He cherished each word and remembered them well. By the time he returned to his people at the bottom of the mountain, he first told the people every word he was told during his 40 days at the top of Sinai. Then he wrote those words down for all of us to take to heart. At the end of this period, he set up a feast day that the people of God were never to forget. The people were to enter into a covenant with God. It was based on blood. Moses took the blood of young bulls and poured half of it over an altar and 12 columns representing the tribes of Israel. The people enthusiastically joined this covenant uniting the offspring of Jacob in unity with God. It was based on blood. That is to represent an action taking place firmly on Earth. The people soon learned that their work and their obedience to God’s will showed

their non-Jewish neighbors what kind of God we all have. When the Jews obeyed the will of God that was revealed to them, God’s rewards would follow, revealing how loving God can be. However, if they disobeyed, they would be punished, thus showing how important it was to God that his will would be done lovingly. Not to fulfill God’s will is to cut us off from His goodness and love. So, this Old Covenant was very much for humans to discern God’s presence and His love for everyone. It is worldly and aimed at teaching us how to live in God’s presence. On the other hand, the Gospel of the festival Mass of the Body and Blood of Christ reveals a New Covenant that begins in this world, but ends in heaven. The blood is not of a young bull. It is the precious blood of Christ, which first fell on Christians at the cross on Calvary. This blood still gloriously falls on Christians in heaven. It now symbolizes and realizes our deep relationship with Christ and the whole Trinity in the eternal life in heaven. This same blood is ours to drink in the sacrament of the Eucharist. The wine at Mass becomes the blood of Christ and can be consumed as a sign of our unity with Christ. His blood, uniting us ever tighter with the second person of the Trinity, unites us with each other. It also brings us deeper spiritually with our brothers and sisters with whom we share the cup of blessing. So, it is possible to experience in a real way the oneness the saints in heaven enjoy with each other. If God is love, then heaven is a place where love becomes joy as we relate to one another. Here on Earth, we need to live out this experiencing of love morphing into a pure

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joy as we come together as people totally living the love of Christ. That profound lesson in both the Old and New Covenants works on blood as a sign of human closeness with God here on Earth and as sharing in his blood leads us out of the world into the banquet of the Lamb in heaven. We can be there, if only for a time, as we offer our lives together with Jesus, who gives his blood for the salvation of the world. From the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, which celebrates the Eucharist, we dive for a landing in Ordinary Time – smooth and productive of wisdom. The reading from the prophet Ezekiel gives us a rare look at sin. The scene is in the Garden of Eden soon after the committing of Adam’s and Eve’s first sin. Both humans make excuses for themselves. Our first parents trade blame for the sin to be the other’s fault. Then the serpent was blamed by Eve for tricking her into encouraging Adam to go ahead and eat of the forbidden fruit. Evil has disastrous consequences. The serpent, as the chief perpetrator of the crime, gets the hardest punishment. He is banned from all the other animals. He is relegated to crawl on his belly as his only means of movement. And the woman, together with her offspring, will strike at his head. His only retaliation could be to strike at their ankles. In effect, the punishment goes to the snake. So much does God love Adam and Eve that He accepts their woeful excuses and backs them as the serpent is crushed and chased away. Evil actions have an outside source, yet the humans have not only an obligation to find the source of sin, but we have a mandate to wipe it out. That will settle the problem and make the world a more beautiful place to live. Along that same line, in the Gos-

Ordinary continued on page 35 dioknox.org

Readings continued from page 34 Ordinary continued from page 34

pel Jesus creates the image of a farmer. The man is sowing seed, which will feed many people. As he helps alleviate hunger, the farmer also is making the countryside more beautiful. Even further, he is creating life as the seeds grow into a life form that will nourish the hungry of the countryside. That’s what the Lord is doing. He is feeding us with the Word of God. Our hunger for God is being fulfilled as the Lord speaks to us about the Kingdom of God, which seems to be so far away. Actually, it is so close to us. It is as close as our hearts, which yearn for the Lord. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that grows wild and becomes ubiquitous throughout the Galilean countryside. You can’t get away from it. So is the kingdom. It is as close to us as the mustard seed, which desires to take control of our lives and bring us peace and wisdom. The next several Sundays continue the Sundays of Ordinary Time. They serve to instruct us and fill our lives with divine insight into the kingdom. In the 12th Sunday, Jesus teaches us about suffering, about knowing Christ, not according to the flesh, but as the New Creation, and about Jesus controlling the forces of nature. He fills his disciples with a true fear of the Lord that leads them to true faith. In the first reading, taken from the Book of Job, Jesus teaches us about suffering. Suffering is like a sea that is boxed in by the Lord. That raging sea is hemmed in darkness by God so as to avoid hurting humankind. Yet mankind

is afraid of the darkness of illness. Still, God protects us from the pain of sickness just as Jesus protects us from the torment of disease as He protected His disciples from the storm at sea. The scene in the Gospel is that of Jesus asleep in the back of the fishing boat as an evening squall makes the world dark and gloomy to the point of horrible danger as the disciples give in to deep fear. Through this Jesus slept in peace. The disciples made sure he was awake. Actually, Jesus was correct in relaxing in the face of mortal danger. He knew His Father would get them through this danger. Indeed, He did. All Jesus did was order the sea to quiet and be still. Representing incurable disease and fatal situations of all kinds in which humans have no answer, Jesus provides a way for us to remain at peace as we depend on God. The end of the story of the storm at sea is that the disciples were filled with great awe. Jesus was master of the untamed sea as well as diseases that threaten our mortal lives. Faith conquers terror. In the last Sunday of the month, the 13th of Ordinary Time, the Scripture readings travel from images of disease leading to death to the real thing. Here, the first reading from the Old Testament Book of Wisdom tells us outright that “God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.” Interestingly, we are told that God rejoices at what is good about creation. But what God did not create, He wants to change. “For He fash-

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The East Tennessee Catholic

ioned all things that they may have being.” God wants us alive and healthy. He wants all His creatures to be wholesome. And “God formed man to be imperishable.” Jesus knows that mankind will live beyond his tenure in this world. We are destined for eternity. That, in turn, warns us not to be upset by illnesses of this world. Our lives will continue beyond death. We know, in faith, that we will live forever and that the pains of this world will be ended. Paul explains this in the second reading from Second Corinthians. “For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich (in eternal life), for your sake became poor (he died for us) so that by His poverty (ending his human life) you might become rich (in His eternal life). In short, we have nothing of which to be afraid. So, then, why do we fear anything in this life? All is well with our souls! In the Gospel, Mark gives us a few cues of Jesus’ love for us. He stays by the sea as if to protect his disciples from the possible ravages from his hitherto unleashed menace threatening mankind with storm, drowning, and death. But life returns to normal. And all is well. May all be well with you at this Ordinary Time. This time may be identified with mere numbers and not words. Still, you may find the rich lessons it teaches us. ■ Father Brando is retired from the active priesthood in the Diocese of Knoxville. Follow the diocese on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ knoxdiocese

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

Tuesday, June 16: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9; Psalm 146:2, 5-9; Matthew 5:43-48 Wednesday, June 17: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11; Psalm 112:1-4, 9; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Thursday, June 18: 2 Corinthians 11:1-11; Psalm 111:1-4, 7-8; Matthew 6:7-15 Friday, June 19: 2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30; Psalm 34:2-7; Matthew 6:19-23 Saturday, June 20: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Psalm 34:813; Matthew 6:24-34 Sunday, June 21: Job 38:1, 8-11; Psalm 107:23-26, 2831; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Mark 4:35-41 Monday, June 22: Genesis 12:1-9; Psalm 33:12-13, 1820, 22; Matthew 7:1-5 Tuesday, June 23: Genesis 13:2, 5-18; Psalm 15:2-5; Matthew 7:6, 12-14; Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6, 15, 17; 1 Peter 1:8-12; Luke 1:5-17 Wednesday, June 24: Isaiah 49:1-6; Psalm 139:1-3, 13-15; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66, 80 Thursday, June 25: Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16; Psalm 106:1-5; Matthew 7:21-29 Friday, June 26: Genesis 17:1, 9-10, 15-22; Psalm 128:1-5; Matthew 8:1-4 Saturday, June 27: Genesis 18:1-15; Luke 1:46-50, 5355; Matthew 8:5-17 Sunday, June 28: Wisdom 1:13-15 and 2:23-24; Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13; 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43; Acts 3:1-10; Psalm 19:2-5; Galatians 1:11-20; John 21:15-19 Monday, June 29: Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 34:2-9; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16:13-19 Tuesday, June 30: Genesis 19:15-29; Psalm 26:2-3, 9-12; Matthew 8:23-27 ■

June 7, 2015 35

Home continued from page 12

Center, a food pantry that serves area residents. The parish also is involved in financial support for Haiti. “Our ministers are wonderful people and they work hard to reach out to other people, not just the Catholic community, but the whole community of Fairfield Glade” said Father Albert Sescon, pastor at St. Francis. Father Sescon recalled work his parishioners did to assist those impacted by a severe winter storm that hit the Cumberland Plateau in February. “There were (members of our parish) who had damage to their own homes, but (they) still found time to help others,” he added. “There is that family feeling with each other that we belong, that we can depend on one another.” That feeling of community also is evident in the early success of the Home campaign effort. St. Francis of Assisi started with a Home campaign goal of $630,120. They already have far exceeded that

figure and are now focusing on their Parish Challenge goal of $1.2 million. That success didn’t come without planning, hard work and communication. After a series of meetings with the pastor and ministry directors, parish objectives were established in late 2014 and early 2015. The campaign was launched in April. St. Francis of Assisi is one of 14 parishes in Wave 1. Other early Home campaign success stories are

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta in Maynardville, which has reached 160 percent of its initial goal, and St. Patrick in Morristown, where parishioners are working toward a goal of $1 million. “It’s a sacrificial offering that we’re asking people to do, a pledge above and beyond their weekly giving to their parish or their weekly or monthly giving to the Bishop’s Appeal,” said Mr. Wicker. “They need to understand that.” Wave 1 parishes are working on

the heels of four pilot parishes — All Saints, Sacred Heart Cathedral, St. John Neumann and Sts. Peter and Paul Basilica — that began their Home campaigns in late 2014. As the campaign moves forward, so will participation, with Wave 2 parishes set to start their Home campaigns in August and with Wave 3 parishes beginning in February. For parishes looking ahead, the folks at St. Francis of Assisi are offering some sage advice. Pastor support and volunteer leadership are vital, but communication is crucial. “The chairpersons took an active role in putting together a communications package that would be meaningful to the parishioners,” Mr. D’Alessandro said of the continuing effort at St. Francis. “If the goals you have set are reasonable and if the projects are something parishioners can see, feel and touch, you can encourage parishioners to participate in a more meaningful way,” he added. ■

Bishop continued from page 2

your bishop and priests, and be sure to get enough rest. Don’t argue with the Lord. Let Him choose what He wants to do with you. Trust Him and be not afraid. Learn from Mary true humility and obedience. Keep your heart ever joyful and full of peace. To my young friends drawn to marriage, know that your bishop is praying for you and asking the Blessed Mother to help you find your soul mate. I encourage you to pray for your future spouse and for the grace to recognize the special one God has chosen for you. As you know, marriage and the family are under grave attack today. The witness of a holy marriage and a holy family strengthens and brings healing to the very core of our society. Husbands and wives, love one another; love and pray with your children. Pray the rosary together. Spend time with each other. Put

down your smart phones and take a hold of each other’s hands. Look, listen, and converse face to face. Ask the parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who will be canonized together this fall during the Synod on the Family, to help obtain all the graces you need for your sacred calling. Not much tends to be said about the single life, but it, too, is a holy vocation in Christ, our heavenly spouse. What we need more than ever in the world and in the Church today are Saints. Those of you who are single have an important role and can make a great difference in your parish and community because of your self-giving, generous dedication, and the certain freedom you have to be of service. May your freedom be used to give glory to God. (How grateful I am and may God richly reward those who have ever volunteered their time to help get me from one place to another!)

I know first-hand how young adults can lift others up and bring new life, hope, and joy, for that is what you do for me. And for all those who discovered your vocation years ago and are now well-seasoned and celebrating special anniversaries this year, I commend you and exhort you to be faithful and persevere in your love. Share your wisdom and experience and help to guide and encourage those who are still searching to discover their calling in life. To those who are struggling or undergoing any kind of pain or heartache, open yourselves every day and in an ever greater way to the grace and peace of Christ. Allow Him to live in you and through you, and show you how great it is to always do what pleases the Father. You won’t be disappointed, for our Heavenly Father loves us and wants the very best for us. ■

priests for our diocese. This beautiful day also happens to be the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Another special joy of my priesthood is my closeness to those in the consecrated life. I see them as part of the hundredfold Jesus promised to those who give up everything to follow Him. I am especially grateful for all the Sisters He has blessed me with, since when I was growing up there were only brothers in my family. I pray that my spiritual family will keep increasing and that men and women interested in religious life will have the courage to “come and see.” What can I say to my dear religious? You are deeply loved and I thank you for the gift of your life and for all your prayers and sacrifices, and for everything you do to build up the Body of Christ. Be patient and kind, particularly with

36 June 7, 2015

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

dioknox.org

Once upon a time

by Monsignor Xavier Mankel

Upcoming Virtus training sessions

Who could ask for more? Remembering a model person, parishioner, wife and mother — Willia Frances Duncan Mankel

illia Frances Duncan was born on Jan. 8, 1912, to Joshua Howard Duncan and Edith Litteral in Corbin, Ky. Six children followed – three boys and three girls. Josh worked as a brakeman and then as a conductor for Southern Railroad, and the family “followed” Josh’s job from Corbin to Jellico to Bulls Gap to Morristown and ultimately to Knoxville, although not in that order. Willia graduated from Morristown High School in 1930. Her family lived in Bulls Gap during those years. She rode the train from Bulls Gap to Morristown every day for three years (her father, working for the railroad, provided a complimentary pass for her during those years). She graduated first in her class. Her love of reading, which she maintained until she was well into her late 90s, was part of her success as a student. In fact, had she not suffered from macular deterioration, she probably would have died with a book in her hands, such as the Bible, her prayer book, some other religious book, or one about travel. After high school, she matriculated to East Tennessee State Teacher’s College in Johnson City before transferring to St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in Knoxville. She married George Whitehead Mankel Sr. on March 25, 1933. Four children were born of this marriage. The oldest, a boy, lived just a few days. Then came Francis Xavier

in 1935, Cecilia Anne in 1936, and George Jr. in 1939. The three children all attended St. Mary’s School (next to Immaculate Conception Church in downtown Knoxville) and Knoxville Catholic High School. Each spent some time at the University of Tennessee, but each one attended other schools, too: St. Ambrose College, St. Mary’s Seminary and Loyola College in Baltimore, Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., Our Lady of Cincinnati College, Knoxville College, St. Thomas Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and East Tennessee State University, in addition to many hours of classes in the U.S. Army. Willia had to drop out of St. Mary’s School of Nursing because in those days (the early 1930s) one could not be married and registered in the nursing school. She later obtained the licensed practical nurse credential and taught home nursing for the American Red Cross. For years she was known as the “shot lady.” She was particularly interested in teaching CPR to high school students and their teachers. Finally, she taught cake decorating through UT’s Evening School. As her ninth wedding anniversary approached in 1942, she took instructions from her pastor, the Rev. C.P. Murray, at Immaculate Conception Church and was received into the Catholic Church on March 24, 1942. She had been raised in the Northern Methodist Communion and had been somewhat active.

Monsignor Mankel is a vicar general and the historical archivist for the Diocese of Knoxville.

Construction continued from page 33

dergo a major renovation to the original 100-Wing built in 1955-56. Also, to accommodate the site work necessary for the construction of the new cathedral, the school’s front entrance and adminis-

tration will be moved to the east side of the school building. The school renovations are to go on through Sept. 2 and cathedral construction is expected to be completed in late 2017. ■

span. As work occurs on the cathedral, renovation of the school building and demolition of the rectory will take place. Over the summer, the school will unThe East Tennessee Catholic

Many converts have what we call a “first fervor,” which begins to erode in a few months, certainly within a few years. Her “first fervor” never wore off. She participated in daily Mass for some 70 years; read all she could about the Mass in Latin and then plunged into new Rituals in English as they came along. Occasionally she would attend a Mass offered by a priest who had not taken the study of the Mass in its beautiful details as seriously as she had done. After such a celebration, she would say, “Well, we had another Donald Duck Mass today.” Bishop (then Monsignor) Fulton J. Sheen attended early DCCW conventions. At such a convention in Knoxville, the ladies had the option of purchasing an 8-by-10-inch photograph of Monsignor Sheen. They got in line to have him autograph their photos, and when she placed her photograph before the monsignor, she said, “I don’t know if you will want to sign my picture of you. You see, I’m not Catholic.” As he signed her copy, he looked up at her and said, “You will be.” A beautiful person, wife, mother, and model parishioner. Who could ask for more? She passed away May 11 at age 103. May her soul and the souls of our beloved faithful departed rest in peace. ■

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

The Diocese of Knoxville’s program for the protection of children, youth and vulnerable adults is offered throughout the diocese. The seminars are required for parish and school employees and regular volunteers in contact with children and vulnerable adults. The following training sessions are scheduled: ■ Notre Dame Church, Greeneville, 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 17. ■ St. Henry Church, Rogersville, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 18; 10:30 a.m. Sunday, June 21. ■ St. Mary Church, Athens, 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 24. ■ St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Lenoir City, 6 p.m. Monday, June 29. ■ Holy Cross Church, Pigeon Forge, 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 30. ■ St. Mary Church, Johnson City, 9 a.m. Saturday, July 25. ■ St. Jude Church, Chattanooga, noon Thursday, July 30. ■ All Saints Church, Knoxville, 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1. ■

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June 7, 2015 37

Marriage enrichment corner Schedule continued from page 2

Help for couples facing infertility

tion at St. Joseph the Worker in Madisonville June 28: 5 p.m., Mass celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga ■

Funeral Mass held for Father O’Connor A funeral Mass was celebrated May 18 for Father Bernard J. O’Connor, a priest who formerly served at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Holy Ghost and Knoxville Catholic High School while earning a doctorate in jurisprudence from the University of Tennessee Law School. Father O’Connor, who was widely known as “Father “Bernie,” died May 10 following a lingering illness. His last position was Fellow and John Henry Cardinal Newman Professor of Theology and Ecclesial Mediation at the Graduate Theological Foundation in Mishawaka, Ind. He received degrees from St. Francis Xavier University, Creighton University, St. Paul’s University, the University of Ottawa, and the Gregorian University. Father O’Connor, a native of Nova Scotia, was born in 1951 and was ordained a priest in 1977 for the Diocese of Antigonish in Nova Scotia. In 1994, he received a law degree from the UT Law School, and while a visiting priest in the Diocese of Knoxville he served in various parishes and roles. A renowned expert on papal diplomacy, he authored two books on the subject, “Papal Diplomacy: John Paul II and the Culture of Peace” and a forthcoming book on Pope Benedict XVI. Services for Father O’Connor, who is survived by his mother, Ella Mae O’Connor, and many friends, were held in his native Nova Scotia, with the funeral Mass celebrated by Bishop Brian Dunn of Antigonish and concelebrated by priests of the Diocese of Antigonish. ■

38 June 7, 2015

by Marian Christiana

Diocese launching Catholic-based support system to assist those who are married

ast November, a woman contacted my office to ask for help in developing a support group for couples experiencing infertility, either for known or unknown reasons. She was hoping to start the support group initially in the Knoxville area. She explained that she and her husband were in the middle of surgical procedures to correct medical conditions that were possibly impeding their ability to achieve a pregnancy. She also explained that she would be moving out of the area at the end of the year, and even though she was going to be in East Tennessee for only a little while longer, she wanted to help build support for other couples experiencing the frustration of infertility in their marriages. She had researched support groups for couples who were in the same situation that she and her husband found themselves in but found nothing that existed in the area. We held our first meeting Nov. 23 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. The support team we had assembled was ready and waiting. No one came. It was very disappointing but we knew there were people in the pews of our parishes that were hurting deeply and did not know where to turn, either for emotional support or medical treatment. Our dilemma was in developing a way to reach these couples with information about this new support ministry. This month, beginning with this article, we are making a concerted effort to reach out to any couple interested in or in need of this type of support. First I need to define what we are talking about when we use the word infertility. Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive a child after one year of trying. The most recent data indicates that as many as one in six couples experience infertility within their marriage. Infertility is a natural condition invisible to anyone outside

the marriage and one that causes many couples to bear in silence the anxiety the situation creates. Because those of us outside of a married couple’s particular circumstance may be unaware of what is going on, we unknowingly can cause them pain by asking insensitive questions about when they plan to have their first baby, etc. We certainly don’t mean to be insensitive or hurtful, but these types of questions are invasive. We should be mindful of this and respect another couple’s privacy. As we begin this effort to build support for couples experiencing the physical and psychological issues related to infertility in marriage we ask you for your prayers. With those prayers, please pray for the couples who are experiencing infertility and pray for our efforts to develop a strong and ongoing support system for them. St. Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, is the patron saint of childless wives and infertile women. Let’s ask St. Hannah to intercede on our behalf. Also, there is a very helpful website dedicated to St. Hannah that offers prayer support and comfort to those experiencing the sadness of infertility at any stage of life. You can find it at hannahstears.net. Another important step is for couples to understand their bodies and the natural biology necessary to achieve pregnancy. Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler, is a good overview of how the female body functions as it relates to pregnancy and childbirth. Also, consider learning about Natural Family Planning (NFP) or Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM) such as the Creighton Model Fertility Care System. NFP is a way of determining the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle by observing the normal, physiologic changes associated with ovulation.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

There have been great strides made in researching the science behind women’s fertility. Natural Procreative Technology, or “NaPro,” helps women identify and address the underlying causes behind any gynecological health issues from which they may suffer. It really puts a woman’s best interests at the forefront. You can learn more about Natural Family Planning through the teachers listed on our website at http://dioknox.org/marriage-preparation-and-enrichment/ natural-family-planning-nfp/. Obviously, Natural Family Planning is not the solution to everyone’s health issue, but knowledge is power. People owe it to themselves and their spouses to learn as much as possible about their own health issues. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (http://www.usccb.org/ issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/resources/infertility.cfm) has additional information about the Church’s position on treatments and offers compassionate guidance for couples struggling with infertility. This guidance emphasizes approaching infertility in a way that respects and protects the dignity of each person and God’s plan for married love. The Diocese of Knoxville Marriage Preparation and Enrichment web page also has links to books and web sites related to the subject of infertility that may occur at any stage of life. If you or someone you know can be helped by a couples’ support group focusing on infertility in marriage, contact me at mchristiana@dioknox.org. Your privacy will be respected. It is our goal to prayerfully walk with you on this journey. St. Hannah, pray for us. ■ Mrs. Christiana is coordinator of the diocesan Marriage Preparation and Enrichment Office. dioknox.org

Understanding the sacraments

by Father Randy Stice

Anything but ‘Ordinary’ Time The liturgical year is not some lifeless calendar, it is Christ, who is ever living in His Church

ollowing the celebration of Pentecost on May 24, we “re-entered” Ordinary Time (in Latin, tempus per annum, “time in the yearly cycle”). The term “Ordinary Time” is somewhat unfortunate, for, as Bishop Peter J. Elliott notes, it “is in no sense ‘ordinary’. The dignity of Sunday…is meant to shine forth, prolonging the joy of Easter and Pentecost, to celebrate the whole mystery of Christ” (Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year, n. 336). Indeed, the Sundays of Ordinary Time “represent the ideal Christian Sunday, without any further specification. That is, each of them is the Lord’s Day in its pure state as presented to us in the Church’s tradition. Each is an Easter, each a feast” (Pierre Jounel, The Liturgy and Time, p. 23). The term Ordinary Time, despite the connotation of “ordinary,” does not mean dull or unimportant. Rather, it is ordinary because the weeks are numbered or ordered. Ordinary Time is the standard, ordered, counted time outside of the liturgical season of Advent, Christ, Lent and Easter. In the early centuries of the Church there was no concept of a liturgical or Church year alongside the civil year. However, beginning in the 10th/11th century, texts for the first Sunday of Advent were placed at the beginning of sacramentaries (the book which, during the High Middle Ages, contained all of the texts needed by the priest). This began the development of an annual cycle of feasts that we now have, beginning with the Advent and concluding with Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The readings for the Sundays in Ordinary Time have been chosen to present the whole mystery of Christ. The center is “a semicontinuous reading of the Synoptic Gospels” — this year the Gospel of Mark. The distribution of The East Tennessee Catholic

readings “provides a certain coordination between the meaning of each Gospel and the progress of the liturgical year” (Introduction to the Lectionary, 105). Old Testament readings correspond to the Gospel passages “above all to bring out the unity between the Old and the New Testament” (IL, 106). The second reading is a semicontinuous reading of the Letters of Paul and James. For the remainder of this year we will hear selections from 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, James and Hebrews. The phase of Ordinary Time that follows Pentecost includes four solemnities of the Lord: Holy Trinity, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy (DPPL) offers important insights on these solemnities. The DPPL notes that the Corpus Christi has been the focus for popular piety’s concentration on the Eucharist for centuries. This devotion to the Eucharist, it says, “must integrate two basic principles: ■ The supreme reference point for Eucharistic devotion is the Lord’s Passover; the Pasch as understood by the Fathers, is the feast of Easter, while the Eucharist is before all else the celebration of Paschal Mystery or of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ; ■ All forms of Eucharistic devotion must have an intrinsic reference to the Eucharistic Sacrifice, or dispose the faithful for its celebration, or prolong the worship, which is essential to that sacrifice.” (161). Thus, when worshiping and adoring the eucharistic Christ, we should always remember “that this presence comes from the sacrifice of the Eucharist, and tends towards sacramental and spiritual communion”(161). In the Sacrament of Charity, Pope Benedict XVI reaffirmed the value of

different forms of eucharistic piety, including the Forty Hours devotion, eucharistic congresses (which our diocese held in 2013) and processions with the Blessed Sacrament, “especially the traditional procession on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi” (Sacramentum Caritatis, 68). Eucharistic processions express the truth that Christ’s eucharistic presence is never something that we can keep for ourselves, as St. John Paul II taught, “Our faith in the God who took flesh in order to become our companion along the way needs to be everywhere proclaimed, especially in our streets and homes, as an expression of our grateful love and as an inexhaustible source of blessings” (Stay with Us Lord, n. 18). They also strengthen the faith and witness of the faithful, who “are aware of being ‘the People of God,’ journeying with the Lord, and proclaiming faith in him who has become truly ‘God-amongstus’” (DPPL, 162). “The liturgical year…is not a cold and lifeless representation of the events of the past or a simple and bare record of a former age,” wrote Pius XII, “It is rather Christ Himself who is ever living in His Church. Here He continues that journey of immense mercy, which He lovingly began in His mortal life…He who teaches us truth, heals the sick, consoles the afflicted… a master to whom we should listen readily, a Shepherd whom we should follow, Author of our salvation, the Source of our holiness and the Head of the Mystical Body whose members we are, living by His very life” (Mediator Dei, 163, 165). Let us joyfully continue our journey with Him. ■

Converting CDs to a Catholic Gift Annuity Now may be the time to convert your bank certificates of deposit to a Catholic Gift Annuity. Do you currently have a bank CD earning a disappointingly low interest rate? Are you ready to do something about it instead of complaining? Did you know when your CD matures you can use the funds to establish a charitable Catholic Gift Annuity? By doing so, you can lock in a payout rate for life, receive an income tax deduction and give to your church at the same time. To establish a Catholic Gift Annuity, the minimum is $5,000 and your minimum age to receive income is 55. Annual payouts for an individual annuity begin at 4 percent and go up to 9 percent depending on your age. You will receive fixed payments for life with tax benefits as allowable by Internal Revenue Service rules. Your remainder will be given as a gift to your Catholic parish, school or ministry of choice within the Diocese of Knoxville. To calculate your payment, go to catholicgiftannuity.org or contact Deanene Catani with the Diocese of Knoxville’s Stewardship Office at dcatani@ dioknox.org or 865-584-3307. ■

Want to try online delivery? The East Tennessee Catholic offers online delivery for those who wish to receive a digital copy and discontinue the print edition. Sign up for online delivery at bit.ly/subscribe-online. If you decide online delivery isn’t for you, you can return to a print subscription at any time. If you have questions, e-mail Dan McWilliams at dan@dioknox.org.

Father Stice is pastor of St. Mary Church in Athens and directs the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox.org.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

June 7, 2015 39

UT honors longtime athletics official, parishioner Gus Manning By UTSports.com ol for Life and five-time National Football League Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning and his wife, Ashley, announced a $3 million leadership commitment to the University of Tennessee that will benefit the Tennessee football program and the Peyton Manning Scholarship Endowment. The commitment also will honor two individuals, longtime Knoxville Catholic Gus Manning and Carmen Tegano, who are very special to Peyton Manning. Gate 16 at Neyland Stadium will be named the Gus Manning Gate, honoring the Tennessee legend who has served the university and its athletic program for 64 years and is a longtime parishioner of St. John XXIII Catholic Center. Gus Manning joined the UT department of athletics in 1951 as the sports information director and worked closely for many years as the

COURTESY OF UTSPORTS.COM

From one Manning to another Peyton Manning joins UT athletics director Dave Hart and Vols football coach Butch Jones in recognizing Gus Manning, left, and Carmen and Deborah Tegano for their years of service to the University of Tennessee.

top assistant within athletics to Gen. Robert R. Neyland. He has served in many roles during his tenure at Tennessee, including responsibility for all business operations as a senior associate athletics director and also as the executive assistant to director of

athletics Doug Dickey. The Carmen and Deborah Tegano Student-Athlete Dining Hall will be established in the new residence hall under construction at the corner of Lake Loudoun Boulevard and Volunteer Boulevard on the UT campus.

Mr. Tegano is an associate athletics director for UT and is in his 31st year of service to the university, while Deborah was one of Peyton Manning’s professors during his time at UT. “Gus and Carmen both personify what it means to be a Vol for Life, and both have made the University of Tennessee a better place,” Peyton Manning said. “No one has served Tennessee and its athletics program better than Gus, and Carmen has also served this university with tremendous distinction.” Awarded annually since the 1998-99 academic year, the Peyton Manning Scholarship is a four-year scholarship presented to first-year students participating in the University of Tennessee Honors Program. It covers the costs of tuition, room, and board and is granted on the basis of academic achievement, leadership and community service. ■

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