June 5, 2022, ET Catholic, A section by Diocese of Knoxville

June 5

| 2022

VOL 31 NO 10

IN THIS ISSUE PRAISE OF OF FAITH A5 IN A4 STUDY HOLY FAMILIES ON ROCKY TOP Sister of Mercy is also a college co-ed

KDCCW convenes at St. �érèse of Lisieux

GOLDEN MILESTONE B1 AMsgr. Al Humbrecht celebrates his 50th anniversary as a priest

He dwells among us ......................... A3 Parish news ....................................... B4 Diocesan calendar ............................ B5 Columns ............................................. B6 Catholic schools ........................B10-12 La Cosecha ............................Section C

Bishop Stika dedicates Rutledge church New St. John Paul II Catholic Mission building serves Grainger County faith community By Dan McWilliams

Dedicated to St. John Paul II Left: Bishop Richard F. Stika incenses the altar in the sanctuary of the new St. John Paul II Catholic Mission building. Observing from behind the altar are St. John Paul II Catholic Mission pastor Father Neil Pezzulo, GHM, and Father Chet Artysiewicz, GHM. Below: Bishop Stika blesses the mission building with holy water. A standingroom-only gathering of the faithful joined in the dedication Mass on May 29 in Rutledge. nardville were created more than a decade ago. Deacon Larry Rossini assisted at Mass, and Deacon Walt Otey was master of ceremonies. Glenmary Brother Joe Steen, who designed the new church and helped build it, was in attendance. Glenmary Father Steve Pawelk, the founding pastor of the Rutledge and Maynardville communities, who is now serving as director of the Glenmary novitiate in Cincinnati, was remembered by Bishop Stika at the Mass. “One of the great decisions I’ve made in my life as a bishop was to say yes to the Glenmary community when they wanted to come back to the diocese,” Bishop Stika said. “Because of their work and their ambition and their dedication, we now have two new parishes and this mission: we have St. Michael the

BILL BREWER

DAN MCWILLIAMS

hen Bishop Richard F. Stika dedicated the new church building for St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge on May 29, he shared his personal connection with its namesake pope. The bishop was wearing a Pope St. John Paul II Totus Tuus vestment for the occasion, which was attended by some 150 of the faithful as they filled the new worship space on Memorial Day weekend. “Coming together this day, I have been waiting for this for a long time,” he said. “In my short life of 65 years, I had the privilege of meeting St. John Paul probably 10 or 12 times, so I’m thinking about that and all those moments. I was at his beatification and his canonization, so this is very, very dear to my heart. This vestment actually came from Poland. It was given to me by some Sisters.” Bishop Stika blessed the altar and walls in the new building at 161 Bryan Road at the corner of Rutledge Pike, praying, “Sanctify therefore with your blessing this water You have created, that, sprinkled on us and on the walls of this church dedicated to St. John Paul, it may be a sign of the cleansing waters of salvation in which we have been cleansed in Christ and made a temple of Your Spirit.” St. John Paul II pastor Father Neil Pezzulo and Father Chet Artysiewicz, both Glenmary fathers, concelebrated the Mass. Father Artysiewicz is with the Glenmary Home Missioners development office and was president of Glenmary when St. John Paul II Mission and its sister parish St. Teresa of Kolkata in May-

Archangel [in Erwin] and St. Teresa of Kolkata and now the mission of St. John Paul.” As a successor of the Apostles, Bishop Stika said that “because of

their work so many centuries ago, we’re in Rutledge, Tenn., dedicating a church under the title of St. John Paul.” Dedication continued on page A15

Diocese delivers Synod report to USCCB Chancellor calls process ‘inspiring and illuminating’ as local document heads to Rome

JIM WOGAN

hen Pope Francis laid out his plan for the upcoming Church Synod, Deacon Sean Smith knew it eventually would come to this. Collecting the thoughts and opinions of more than 1.2 billion Catholics around the world sounded like an admirable and historic ambition. But in practice, the process was going to be a challenge for individual dioceses and Deacon Smith knew it. Despite that, and under Deacon Smith’s direction, the Diocese of Knoxville fulfilled the mandate it received from the Holy Father last year. On May 7, Deacon Smith forwarded to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops the official diocesan synthesis for Synodus Episcoporum, Synod 2021-2023. With that, the deacon, who also serves as chancellor of the Diocese of Knoxville, took a deep breath, smiled, and reflected on what had just happened. “This was an inspiring and illuminating process. Yes, it was filled

In support of immigration Bishop Richard F. Stika joins dozens of other Diocese of Knoxville parishioners taking part in the V Encuentro initiative for Hispanic ministry, which is a key element in the diocese’s Synod report. with its share of logistical challenges,” Deacon Smith said. “But thanks to the help I received from my colleagues Lisa Healy, Deacon Scott Maentz, and John Steger, and from all of our parish group leaders,

our diocesan Synod team members, our pastors, school leaders, ministry directors, and the faithful, I am pleased to say that the mission given to us by Pope Francis has been fulfilled.”

By Jim Wogan

Deacon Smith and Mrs. Healy were appointed by Bishop Richard F. Stika in September 2021 to lead the diocesan Synod effort. They quickly assembled a diocesan Synod team that was composed of 26 members and reflected the diversity of the Catholic Church in East Tennessee. The team helped formulate an online survey to be used by parishes, schools, and ministries. A second survey was designed for non-Catholics, and a third survey was developed for people who lived on the margins of society—primarily the homeless. “We did our best to reach everyone,” Deacon Smith said. The most daunting part of the process was compiling thousands of pages of raw data Deacon Smith received from the online diocesan survey, and reports from townhall-style listening sessions held at locations around the diocese—and then synthesizing the results into a concise 10-page summary for the USCCB. Synod continued on page A20

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee opens Columbus Home Safe Place for Kids By Jim Wogan

Sr. Regina

JIM WOGAN

our bedrooms and a lot of love. That might be the best way to describe the newest ministry of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee. The Columbus Home Safe Place for Kids is a recently opened haven for children who have come into custody of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, giving the youngsters temporary shelter while the state navigates the legal process to place them in foster care or with other family members. “It’s just a safe, warm place for these kids to be under the care of DCS while they’re getting placed,” said Lisa Healy, executive director of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, moments after the official ribboncutting on May 13. The idea for Columbus Home Safe Place for Kids arose out of conversations initiated by Knox County Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin, state DCS officials, and Catholic Charities. The need for a comfortable, home-like environment, some place children could be situated other than an austere office, while cases are settled, appealed to Judge Irwin.

Keeping our kids safe Catholic Charities of East Tennessee opened its Columbus Home Safe Place for Kids in May. Taking part in the official ribbon-cutting are from left, Michelle Kitts, CCETN program manager; Lisa Healy, CCETN executive director; Charles Baumgardner, DCS regional administrator; Knox County Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin; Jennifer Nichols, state DCS commissioner; Marcia Klukken, CCETN program leader; and Paul Ritter, CCETN program director. “There are not a lot of placement options out there,” he said. “This is what happens when a faith-based organization sees something that needs to be done and steps in and does it. It’s a problem for myself and © 2022 Handmaids of the Precious Blood

my magistrates when we must place a child in custody, and we know in our hearts that is going to mean a stay in a room on Western Avenue… it made it tough on us. To know this place is here now and these chil-

dren, while waiting on placement, have a place to go…and they will be safe. It means a lot.” “I want to thank you for stepping up, Catholic Charities. I am Catholic, and you make me very proud to be Catholic,” the judge added. Judge Irwin was joined by Mrs. Healy, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services commissioner Jennifer Nichols, Knox Regional DCS administrator Charles Baumgardner, deputy regional DCS administrator Ashley Westaway, Tennessee Child Protective Services (CPS) director April Osborne, CPS team coordinator Jeff Olkowski, DCS foster team coordinators Greg Freeman and Heather Schad, and Knox County Juvenile Detention Center superintendent Richard L. Bean. Representing Catholic Charities of East Tennessee were CCETN board of trustees president Barrett Simonis, CCETN program director Paul Ritter, CCETN facilities manager Lisa Ingle, CCETN program manager Michelle Kitts, and CCETN program leader Marcia Klukken, along with other CCETN staff members. CCETN continued on page A14

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

T This year the Handmaids of the Precious Blood celebrate their Diamond Jubilee: 75 years since their founding in 1947; 75 years of prayer and sacrifice for priests. Did you know you can receive weekly cartoons and short reflections and news from the Handmaids of the Precious Blood? Visit their website, nunsforpriests.org, and sign up for the FIAT newsletter.

June Prayer Intentions “We pray for Christian families around the world; may they embody and experience unconditional love and advance in holiness in their daily lives.” –– Pope Francis “We give thanks this month for the growth of vocations in our diocese. We pray that the men ordained by me as permanent deacons will be guided by the Holy Spirit as they serve their parish communities, and that the three men recently ordained as transitional deacons will find strength through You to continue their formation, so that next year they may be ordained as new priests in the Diocese of Knoxville. We pray for our recent graduates that they remain faithful to You and to Catholic teachings as they transition to new challenges. And for all the faithful, dear Lord, we pray for a peaceful and restful summer.” –– Bishop Stika

DIOCESE PROCEDURE

FOR

KNOXVILLE

REPORTING

SEXUAL

ABUSE

Anyone who has actual knowledge of or who has reasonable cause to suspect an incident of sexual abuse should report such information to the appropriate civil authorities first, then to the bishop's office, 865.584.3307.

he Diocese of Knoxville has implemented the CMG Connect platform to administer the Safe Environment Program, which replaces the former Safe Environment Program (VIRTUS “Protecting God’s Children”). CMG Connect is a web-based platform that will assist in ensuring that all employees and volunteers who are in a position of trust with children and vulnerable adults within Diocese of Knoxville schools and parishes are trained to recognize behavior patterns of potential abusers and provide pro-active measures for preventing abuse in any context. “Safe Haven-It’s Up to You” is a three-part video that provides vignettes of real-life situations to educate the viewer about methods of grooming, desensitization, bullying, and neglect, all of which can lead to abuse. Each part of the video is immediately followed by a brief questionnaire to further develop understanding. Education is a key

KnoxDiocese

element of the Safe Environment Program. All clergy, employees, contracted school personnel, volunteers, members of groups and organizations over the age of 18 who work, volunteer, or participate in any capacity are required to complete the diocesan Safe Environment training and a criminal-background check before they can begin employment, volunteer, or participate with ministries, groups, and organizations affiliated with the Diocese of Knoxville. In addition, the mandatory renewal training must be completed every five years and a new background check submitted before the five-year expiration of prior training. The Diocese of Knoxville Safe Environment compliance training and renewal training is a condition of employment and for volunteer ministry in the Diocese of Knoxville. The CMG Connect

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A DVERTISE IN THE EAST TENNESSEE C AT H O L I C

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platform contains all three elements of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program: n Annual review of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Policy and Procedures Relating to Sexual Misconduct; n CMG Connect Safe Haven training program to be completed every five years; n Criminal background check to be completed every five years. In compliance with the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program, all affiliates require that volunteers and employees complete the requirements prior to working and/or volunteering in a parish, school, The Paraclete, or through Catholic Charities and/or St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic. Go to https:// dioknox.org/safeenvironment on the Diocese of Knoxville website for more information. ■

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NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE PUBLISHER

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bbrewer@dioknox.org ASSISTANT EDITOR

Jim Wogan Dan McWilliams

jwogan@dioknox.org THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC (USPS 007211) is published monthly by The Diocese of Knoxville, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551. Periodicals-class postage paid at Knoxville, TN. Printed by the Knoxville News Sentinel. THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC is mailed to all registered Catholic families in East Tennessee.

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

He dwells among us

by Bishop Richard F. Stika

Mystery of iniquity We live in a time ‘marked by distress’ and a trial that does not spare the Church “Why do the nations rage and the peoples utter folly? The kings of the earth rise up, and the princes conspire together against the Lord and his anointed: ‘Let us break their fetters and cast their bonds from us!’” — Psalm 2:1-3

o much rage. When a draft of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling was leaked at the beginning of May, signaling the overturning of Roe v. Wade, an immense rage immediately erupted from abortion supporters nationwide with the promise of unleashing “pandemonium”—literally, “all demons.” And beyond the justices who are the proximate object of their hatred, their infernal rage is particularly directed against the Catholic Church and anyone faithful to her teachings. There is so much rage today— from where does it all come? So much evil. Each day seems to bring news of some horrible evil and tragic loss of innocent life. What is it that consumes someone so much as to methodically plot and gun down innocent schoolchildren, or ambush unsuspecting people in their workplace, in a grocery store, or even in their place of worship? What is at work within the hearts of those who order senseless and ruthless wars, like that launched against Ukraine? And what of the absolute darkness and horror of the genocides that continue to spill unimaginable amounts of innocent blood throughout that world? Why so much evil? Mysterium iniquitatis. Evil is a great mystery. It is deeper than can be explained by the science of mental illness, than socio-economic and political reasons, or historical

injustices, inequalities, and racism. There is something even darker we sense about the evils and growing rage we are witnessing. But St. Paul tells us very clearly the origin of this dark reality: “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). So much division. “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled,” French poet Charles Baudelaire wrote, “was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” What easily follows upon this is “the loss of the sense of sin.” And the more our conscience is weakened, the more our sense of God is obscured. If there is no sin, what need have we of a Redeemer? And the more we lose of our sense of God’s merciful love, the more we lose our sense of identity and purpose in life, and the more divided and conflicted we become within our heart and in all our relationships. The word “diabolical” captures the essence of this—to divide, to set against, to make us enemies of God and each other. This is what Satan does so well. Fallen angels. God is love (1 John 4:8), and it is in His image that we are created. And for love to truly be love, it must be a choice we can freely make—love can never be forced. This is why God created us with the awesome and powerful gift of

freedom. All the angels were created with this same freedom—to choose God or to reject Him. But Satan and the other demons (fallen angels) “radically and irrevocably” rejected God with their “Non serviam”—”I will not serve.” Pride, envy, and disobedience are the trinity of all division. And it is the same “seductive voice” that turned the hearts of Adam and Eve that seeks to seduce ours. Three snares. The Italian exorcist, Father Gabriele Amorth, highlights in his writings and interviews three basic snares that Satan uses to seduce us. First, he plies us with the lie that we are “free” to do whatever we want—we don’t have to abide by those “restrictive rules” of the Church that only keep us from the things we want. Second, he encourages us to reject any authority that would interfere with our desires—our parents, rightful civil authorities, and especially the Church and ecclesial authority. And third, he convinces us that we are our own “god” and can decide what is good and what is evil, what is true and what is false—not God nor the Church He entrusted with the fullness of truth to teach and guard. Another trick. Satan knows that our heart, at its deepest core, desires a love that only God our Creator can truly satisfy. So, Satan works very hard to turn our heart

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and efforts toward decoys. Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen wondered if “One of the reasons [why] so many suffer from psychoses and neuroses is because they are in a fruitless and constant search for the infinite in the finite, for God in carnality?” This, too, is one of Satan’s great tricks—steering us onto paths that lead to dead-ends and despair, and away from the path of the Church that leads to our true good and goal of life’s pilgrimage, to our heavenly Bridegroom and “the wedding feast of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9). This is why Jesus teaches us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides” (Matthew 6:33). As St. Augustine discovered in his life’s search, “Our heart is restless until it rests in You.” A murderer from the beginning. Satan knows he cannot destroy God, so he instead targets those who God created in His image – man and woman. Jesus calls Satan “a murderer from the beginning” and a “liar” in whom there is no truth (John 8:44). This is because he seeks to destroy “the supernatural life of grace and love” that God created us to have in Him, a life lived in accordance with the truth of who we are in God. This is why St. John Paul II reminds us that “whoever attacks human life, in some way attacks God Himself.” And Satan’s success in spilling blood is almost unimaginable. So much innocent blood. Since the beginning of the 20th century (122 years), the number of Rage continued on page A22

‘Arise, my beautiful one, and come’

Diocese of Knoxville’s new consecrated virgin dedicates her life to Christ, Church

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

EMILY BOOKER

ulie Radachy knew from an early age that she would one day be a bride of Christ. “This has kind of been an ongoing call for me,” Miss Radachy said. “I knew when I was going to receive my first Holy Communion, which was in third grade, that I was going to be a bride of Christ. Everybody told me, ‘Oh, the next time you wear white you’re going to be walking down the aisle getting married to a guy, and you’ll have a family,’ and all those things that a lot of women do. And that, too, is a beautiful vocation. But I knew that my vocation was different. I didn’t really understand it at all at that point. It was just one of those little seeds God planted.” On April 23, that call was fully realized as she was solemnly consecrated to a life of virginity at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. A consecrated virgin is considered a “bride of Christ,” meaning that she freely offers herself and all the love she would have given to a husband and children, to Christ. Consecrated virginity is actually the oldest form of consecrated life in the Church, predating religious orders by hundreds of years. In the early Church, women would forswear marriage and offer their virginity to the Lord and service to the Church. It was a grand sacrifice and a radical gesture at the time, contradicting the pagan culture’s views of sexuality or societal expectations of women. As it still is in today’s world. “It’s such a counter-cultural vocation because in today’s society—and sometimes in ancient times—virginity has not been something people have been proud of; it’s almost a humiliation,” Miss Radachy said. “To be able to have that vocation and be able to respond to the call is just really beautiful.” Consecrated virginity declined as religious orders arose in popularity over the centuries. But there has been a small, recent resurgence since the Second Vatican Council revised the Rite of Consecration and the Order of Virgins was restored as a distinct form of consecrated life in 1970. According to canon law, consecrated virgins make a commitment to follow Christ more closely, and are consecrated to God by the diocesan bishop, betrothed mystically to Christ, and dedicated to the service of the Church. There are currently around 3,000 consecrated virgins in the world. They hold jobs and provide for their own needs. They do not live together as religious orders do, but as members of the Order

Consecrated to Christ Bishop Richard F. Stika presents the veil and ring that are the insignia of Julie Radachy’s consecration. Bishop Stika told Miss Radachy to keep her fidelity to her Bridegroom unstained, “and never forget that you are bound to the service of Christ and of His body, the Church.” of Virgins, they do associate with one another and pray together. Miss Radachy noted that their online meetings provided her a place to learn more and meet other consecrated virgins as she was discerning the vocation.

Called to be His bride

Although Miss Radachy, 42, who works as an online teacher and real estate agent in Knoxville, knew that she was to be a bride of Christ, it took her a long time to discern exactly what that meant and what her vocation truly would be. In her early 20s, she wanted to pursue looking into religious orders, but a health setback prevented that at the time. “I had talked with my mom at that point because I started feeling this call from God,” she said. “I started talking to her about religious life, w ww.di o k no x .o rg

By Emily Booker

and she said, ‘I know why you want to do it. It’s beautiful, but you’re not healthy enough to do that,’ which was completely true. I just kept going through the journey.” After her mother died in 2015, Miss Radachy began attending daily Mass and the holy hour before Mass at her local church in Ohio. She kept feeling a pull, but she wasn’t sure to what. Shortly after, she moved to Knoxville and became a parishioner at the cathedral. She also began exploring a religious vocation again. She visited a couple of religious orders. And although she did not join an order, it was these visits and conversations with religious Sisters that helped her find her call. “The second monastery I went to, a Carmelite one, I was invited back,” she said. “It was really hard for me to say no, because I really loved the Sisters there, and in many ways I could see myself there. “But I had the opportunity to ask them a lot of questions, and one of the things I asked was, ‘There’s so many orders; how do you know where you fit?’ And they said to think about the saints that you love. I love the Carmelite saints; I definitely have that charism as well. … But I also love the virgin saints.” She cited St. Lucy, St. Agnes, and St. Cecilia specifically as some of her favorite saints. While she had heard of consecrated virgins before, Miss Radachy had never given it much thought. But while preparing for her visit to the Carmelites, she ran across a page about a consecrated virgin in their diocese. “It’s not like it was foreign to me but there was something about seeing it there that I was just kind of like drawn to it,” Miss Radachy said. “So, then I started reading about consecrated virginity. When I did, it was like reading my life back to myself. Like this is what I’ve been living my whole entire life.” Still, she wasn’t sure if this was truly her call. She began a formation process with Sister Mary Charles Mayer, RSM, who at the time was the associate chancellor for pastoral services and delegate for consecrated life for the Diocese of Knoxville. But she also began discerning with the Secular Carmelites, a community of laypeople who take vows of Carmelite spirituality. A notable difference is that consecrated virgins are ecclesiastical, formally connected to the Consecrated continued on page A21 JUNE 5, 2022 n A3

Religious Sister of Mercy is a witness of faith on Rocky Top Sr. Joan Miriam Nelson attends the University of Tennessee with an eye toward nursing By Gabrielle Nolan

College, take two

Sister Joan Miriam, whose birth name is Adelina Rebecca Clementine Nelson, was born and raised in Oklahoma.

Faith and science Sister Joan Miriam Nelson, RSM, left, examines bacteria in the microbiology lab with University of Tennessee-Knoxville lab assistant Diana Ramirez.

GABRIELLE NOLAN (2)

mong the sea of orange and white on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville, one particular student stands out. She wears a dark blue habit with a large cross around her neck, and a black veil covers her hair. Twenty-eight-year-old Sister Joan Miriam Nelson, a Religious Sister of Mercy of Alma, Mich., is going back to school to pursue a nursing degree for her community. “I’m trying to get into the nursing program,” she said. “I am basically entering in as a freshman. … I’m just finishing my second semester at UT taking mostly the science courses that I did not take (in undergraduate studies).” Sister Joan Miriam will apply to enter UT’s nursing program this fall and is scheduled to graduate in three years. “Once I have the degree, it’s where can I serve best,” she said, noting that her religious order’s superior general will decide that. “I do have a personal love for the aging population, so I would love if it was an option to be a nurse for aging adults, but we also have other opportunities,” Sister Joan Miriam said. While at the motherhouse in Alma for the first two years of her novitiate, Sister Joan Miriam discovered a passion for helping others. “There was an elderly Sister who had dementia,” she explained. “The postulants and the novices were the ones who took care of her, and it was through that that I realized I really, really loved attending to the physical needs of this Sister. And then other Sisters were like, you’re good at it.” “It sort of coupled with gifts that God gave me and a desire,” Sister Joan Miriam continued. “So then after talking to my formator and then the superior general as well, she said to go ahead and pursue a degree in nursing. It was not something I had ever thought about before I entered. I was pretty adamant that I could not be a nurse.” She arrived in Knoxville in July 2020 as a second-year novice and volunteered for one year with the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, a ministry within the diocese that travels to provide health care to the poor and underserved rural areas of East Tennessee.

“Once I have the degree, it’s where can I serve best. I do have a personal love for the aging population, so I would love if it was an option to be a nurse for aging adults, but we also have other opportunities.” — Sister Joan Miriam Nelson, RSM

A friend to Smokey Sister Joan Miriam poses with a statue of Tennessee Volunteers mascot Smokey on the University of Tennessee-Knoxville campus, where the Religious Sister of Mercy of Alma, Mich., is studying. Sister Joan Miriam lived near Oklahoma City for most of her life and graduated in 2017 from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater with a degree in human development and family science. She then found herself back on a university campus in August 2021. Returning to the college scene has both its challenges and its blessings. “In Oklahoma, there are no hills, at least not where I was. So those hills [at the University of Tennessee] were pretty killer,” Sister Joan Miriam said while laughing. She described the changes from when she was an undergraduate student as a layperson to her life

now as a Sister and student. “It was very different,” Sister Joan Miriam said. “Now I’m coming onto campus for classes after we do our morning prayers, and then I leave campus at a certain time so I can get back for our evening prayers. So, it’s not living that traditional life of the college students.” Sister Joan Miriam said it was an adjustment to have homework assignments again, as she is “really having to regiment my time because it’s not like I have all evening to study.” “My work at this point and what I’m being asked to do with the community is go to school, but there’s

also sort of a timeframe on that,” she explained, noting how her schedule also carves out time for prayer, rest, and recreation (she loves to sew and do paper crafts). “It’s been interesting,” Sister Joan Miriam said of her school experience. “Last fall, as I was going into my classes, I’m like, I feel awkward. I’m a new student, I’m at least 10 years older than half of the kids in this class, and I found that people were very hesitant to talk to me.” “I don’t know if they were just scared or nervous or like, what is this?” she continued. “I mean, thinking about it, it’s probably just as interesting for me to be around them as for them to have a Sister in their class.” Not being immune to loneliness, Sister Joan Miriam felt the distance from her peers. “It was hard at first, it was really hard,” she said. “Being lonely was definitely difficult.” One of Sister Joan Miriam’s first friends on campus was her microbiology professor who, though not Catholic, was intrigued to learn about her life as a religious Sister. “I would go to her office hours, and she was very open, and she just wanted to know about me being a Sister,” she said. “It was lovely, and I still visit her. Office hours is what really got me through those first few months.” Because the University of Tennessee is so large, classes can have hundreds of students at a time. However, labs are smaller classrooms with around 20 or so students, offering a better chance for connection. “You’re working with partners [and] you have to talk to each Sister continued on page A11

By Juno Arocho Esteves and Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

ope Francis announced he will create 21 new cardinals Aug. 27, including 68-yearold Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego. The pope made the announcement at the end of his Regina Coeli address May 29, telling the crowd in St. Peter’s Square the names of the 16 cardinals under the age of 80 who will be eligible to vote in a conclave, and the names of five elderly churchmen whose red hats are a sign of esteem and honor. “Let us pray for the new cardinals so that, in confirming their adhesion to Christ, they may help me in my ministry as bishop of Rome for the good of the entire holy people of God,” the pope said. After the Aug. 27 consistory, there will be 132 cardinals eligible to enter a conclave, and the number of those over 80 will be 97, bringing the total number of cardinals to 229. Here is the full list of the new cardinals, in the order named by the pope: n Archbishop Arthur Roche, 72, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments; n Archbishop Lazarus You Heung-sik, 70, prefect of the Congregation for Clergy; n Archbishop Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, 77, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Governorate of Vatican City State;

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n Archbishop Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille, France, 63; n Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke of Ekwulobia, Nigeria, 59; n Archbishop Leonardo Ulrich Steiner of Manaus, Brazil, 71; n Archbishop Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão of Goa, India, 69; n Bishop Robert Walter McElroy of San Diego, 68; n Archbishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva of Dili, Timor-Leste, 54; n Bishop Oscar Cantoni of Como, Italy, 71; n Archbishop Anthony Poola of Hyderabad, India, 60; n Archbishop Paulo Cezar Costa of Brasília, Brazil, 54; n Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr of Wa, Ghana, 62; n Archbishop William Goh Seng Chye of Singapore, 64; n Archbishop Adalberto Martínez Flores of Asunción, Paraguay, 70; n Bishop Giorgio Marengo, apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 48; n Retired Archbishop Jorge Jiménez Carvajal of Cartagena, Colombia, 80; n Retired Archbishop Lucas Van Looy of Ghent, Belgium, 80; n Retired Archbishop Arrigo Miglio of Cagliari, Italy, who turns 80 on July 18; n Jesuit Father Gianfranco Ghirlanda, professor of canon law, who turns 80 on July 5; n Monsignor Fortunato Frezza, canon of St. Peter’s Basilica, 80. www.di o k no x .o rg

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Pope announces new cardinals, including U.S. Bishop McElroy

Cardinal-designate Bishop Robert W. McElroy of the Diocese of San Diego was among 21 new cardinals named by Pope Francis on May 29. Cardinal-designate McElroy told reporters May 31 that when he learned he is among the 21 new cardinals Pope Francis will create Aug. 27, “I said a big prayer.” “I said several prayers because I was stunned and so shocked by this,” said the prelate who heads the San Diego Diocese. He is the only American in the group the pope announced. “It was prayer in gratitude for my family and the many people who have helped form me over the years and thanksgiving to God for all their roles in my life,” he said during a 25-minute news conference held outside the diocesan pastoral center. A native of San Francisco, Bishop McElroy is the sixth bishop of San Diego. He was installed April Cardinals continued on page A25 TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Holy Family is the focus of KDCCW convention

Annual diocesan gathering takes place at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland By Emily Booker

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

EMILY BOOKER

he family is the building block of society. The family is the domestic Church where children first learn about God. It is through a family that Jesus came into the world in human flesh. Family was at the heart of the 32nd Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women annual convention held at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland April 28-30. The theme of the convention was “The Holy Family: Our guidance and our strength.” More than 100 people attended the three-day convention. MJ Uhlik, who was the chair for this year’s convention, said the theme arose over the past few years where so many people realized the importance of family and spending time together. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve had the pandemic, and that is sort of what our theme grew out of. It seems we’ve all gone back to family. So, the theme is ‘The Holy Family: Our guidance and our strength’ because we thought that that was what we all relied on, even if we couldn’t see them for the past two years.” The convention opened April 28 with the Mass of Remembrance for members of the KDCCW who died

Convening for the 32nd time Members of the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women gather at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland April 28-30 for the annual KDCCW convention as Theola Copeland, director of the Louisville Province Council of Catholic Women, addresses them. in the past year. Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrated the Mass. Monsignor Al Humbrecht and Fathers Mike Nolan, Charlie Burton, Mike Creson, Alex Waraksa, Ray Powell, Dan Whitman, and Michael Woods concelebrated. “It’s good to be here during this Easter season as we celebrate unity and faith and purpose and sharing in life, and also to remember those who have died, those who have

gone before us marked with the sign of faith,” the bishop said. In his homily, Bishop Stika recalled the early Church as seen in Acts. “That first Church—they talk about the blood of the martyrs as that which gives life to the Church. It is seen through history. When the Church looks like it’s going to be completely destroyed…people stand up because they trust in faith,” he said.

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“When we look at the Acts of the Apostles, we see the beginnings of the Church—like this diocese in 1988—we see the beginnings of the Church and the need to educate, to catechize, to build.” “Today, we remember. I’ve been doing this for 14 years, minus two or three. All the names. All the names of people just like yourself who saw something important in this organization, who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.” At the end of Mass, the names of the women who had died in the past year were read, and a bell tolled after each name. A candle was lit for each deanery. Monsignor Humbrecht read the names for the Chattanooga Deanery, Father Powell read the names for the Cumberland Mountain Deanery, and Father Whitman, who also serves as KDCCW chaplain, read the names for the Smoky Mountain and Five Rivers deaneries.

Raising holy families

Following Mass was a banquet dinner. Deacon Scott Maentz gave the keynote talk, “The Christian Family: Tips for Growing in Holiness.” Deacon Maentz serves at Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville and leads the Bridge Ministry, which ministers to the homeless in downtown KDCCW continued on page A10

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Going forth to live the faith Diocese’s newest members embrace Catholicism as they complete their RCIA formation

By Bill Brewer

BILL BREWER (2)

ohn Patterson has been sent forth to proclaim “It wasn’t until the time of Constantine that the faith as a new Catholic—and as an the pressures on the Church began to lessen but octogenarian. never, never disappear. Even in our own day So, does Mr. Patterson feel like a neophyte at and age, the Church, the believers of Jesus, are age 80? still pursued. Just recently, 90-year-old Cardinal “Sure, I’m a rookie. I told the bishop I may be (Joseph) Zen, former archbishop of Hong Kong, the oldest rookie on your team. He said, ‘No, I was arrested by the Chinese government because have one who’s 95,’” Mr. Patterson quipped folof who he was. Not because he was a cardinal of lowing the Sending of the Neophytes Mass on the Church, but because he is a Christian. He is May 15 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart Catholic. of Jesus that was celebrated by Bishop Richard F. “The treasure you have been given, the ability Stika. to receive the Eucharist—the Body and Blood of Deacon Walt Otey, who serves at the cathedral, our Lord, Jesus Christ—always hold precious to emceed the special Mass. Deacon Doug Bitzer, your heart. In many places, in the sacristy where who serves at Immaculate Conception Church, the priest will vest, you see these small plaques was deacon of the Word, and Deacon Robert that say, ‘O priest of God, celebrate this Mass as if Rust, who serves at All Saints Church, was deait were your first Mass. Celebrate this Mass as if con of the Eucharist. it were your last Mass. Celebrate this Mass as if it Mr. Patterson, who is from St. Alphonsus Parwere your only Mass,’ which means treasure it,” ish in Crossville, is one of more than 180 people Bishop Stika said. who joined the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil in He then imparted some bishop-ly advice to the the Diocese of Knoxville. neophytes along the lines of the popular sacristy He attended the Sending of the Neophytes plaque. Mass, where Bishop Stika formally sent into the “I can say the same thing to you. O Catholic, O community the newest members of the Church Christian, receive the Eucharist as if it were the who participated in faith formation through the first time you received the Eucharist. Receive the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults in order to Eucharist as if it were the last time you receive live their faith through their parishes in full comthe Eucharist. Receive the Eucharist as if it were munion with the Church. the only time because it is precious,” Bishop Stika Each parish in the diocese with catechumens advised. and candidates who entered the Church at Easter He agreed that faith can be confusing, notably was represented at the Sending of the Neophytes the Holy Trinity and the Eucharist: “For on the Joining the team Bishop Richard F. Stika gives service. Bishop Stika greeted and congratulated night He was betrayed, He took bread, and givHoly Communion to John Patterson of St. Alphoneach parishioner as he or she processed to the ing thanks He broke the bread, and He gave it to sus Parish during the Sending of the Neophytes front of the cathedral. And each person was preHis disciples saying, ‘Take this all of you and eat Mass on May 15 at the Cathedral of the Most Sasented a welcome-to-the-Catholic-Church kit by of it for this is My Body. And when He had taken cred Heart of Jesus. the bishop that included a bottle of holy water, a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saya rosary in a small carrying case, and guides for ing, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is My Blood “You’re never going to know all the anpraying the rosary and using holy water. of the covenant, which is being poured out for swers because the questions are many. All those who became new Catholics at the many for forgiveness of sins.’” Questions about what the Church is and April 16 Easter Vigil, as well as their godparents “You’re never going to know all the answers the sacraments, but also questions that and sponsors, were invited to attend the May 15 because the questions are many. Questions about you might ask yourself, ‘Who am I, Lord? I Mass and ceremony, where Bishop Stika encourwhat the Church is and the sacraments, but also come to do Your will.’”” aged them to continue their lifelong journey of questions that you might ask yourself: ‘Who conversion and discipleship in their parishes. am I, Lord, in front of You? Who am I, Lord, in — Bishop Richard F. Stika Also among those who went forth to proclaim this world in which I live? Who am I, Lord, surthe faith were the Conley family of St. Joseph Christians, who often are criticized for their rounded by other people, some who agree with the Worker Parish in Madisonville and motherbeliefs. Now, as then, it can be challenging to exme in faith and others who ignore faith? Who am daughter neophytes Marie and Stephanie Barr of press the faith and receive the Eucharist. I, Lord?’ But also, in the Scriptures we hear ‘Who St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport. “During this Easter season, we’ve been hearing am I, Lord? I come to do Your will,’” the bishop Mr. Patterson, the Conleys, and the Barrs stories about the early Church. From the Acts of told the neophytes. “So, my friends, this day reagreed that they were drawn to the Catholic the Apostles, my favorite book in the New Testamember that Jesus died for you.” Church because it felt like home, and it was a ment, about how the Apostles, the first followers Bishop Stika reminded them that Holy Comgood fit. of Jesus, had to begin to ascertain what does it munion is not a gift that is just given to individuThat is welcome news to Bishop Stika, who mean to be a follower of Jesus, a Christian? als. It’s a gift that is given to individuals to share gave the catechumens and candidates a warm “What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus in with others so that they, too, might join in. welcome. easy times? What does it mean to be a follower of The shepherd of the diocese emphasized his “It is such a joy and a gift for me to be able to Jesus in those challenging times? Remember, in delight in welcoming the new Catholics into the celebrate this Eucharist as we gather together those first three centuries of the Christian faith, Church. as new members of this Church, united in faith, the Church was an underground Church. If you “It has been a great joy to see you all. I sinunited in the Eucharist itself,” Bishop Stika said. were a believer in Jesus, you had to know the secerely mean that. In the life of a bishop, there are “So, how does it feel to be a Catholic? Good? cret passwords in order to identify with another many moments of great joy. Some are real sigI would hope so, for all those months that you person. And there was a real risk if someone nificant like the ordination of a priest or deacon. studied, and prayed, and discovered more about found out that you were a believer,” the bishop Others are different ceremonies. But today, to the Catholic Church. Do any of you still believe explained. welcome you into the Church as you have gone that we pray to the saints, statues, through this long process, in a very and that Mary is equal to God? I hope particular way you are special to my not. Sometimes there are misconcepheart. Thank you for being here to tions,” he added, seeking to answer celebrate Jesus in our midst,” he said. common questions non-Catholics Stephanie Barr credited her typically have. young son for leading her and her “In my own life, I have been a mother into the Church. She exbishop for 14-plus years, a priest for plained that she became interested almost 37 years, and a Catholic for alin the Catholic Church through her most 65 years, and I still don’t know son, who started pre-school and everything about the Church. And kindergarten at St. Dominic School. that is true for all of us. If you have She wanted the same small-class-size been a Catholic for years and years, environment for him that she had or only just for a few months or a few growing up in Virginia and attending weeks, it’s like life itself. We never a small public school. have all the answers to life. We have Ms. Barr, whose son is a rising to experience it in order to figure out second-grader at St. Dominic and was all the questions,” the bishop continbaptized in the Catholic Church at ued. “I think that is true for all of us.” Easter, praised St. Dominic pastor FaIn his homily, Bishop Stika related ther Michael Cummins and associate the stories of Jesus’ early followers, pastor Father Emmanuel Massawe, Faith through the generations Stephanie Barr, left, and her mother, Marie who often had to shield their faith AJ. Barr, center, joined the Catholic Church through St. Dominic Parish in Kingfrom persecutors. He compared “Both are such great priests,” sport. They attended the Sending of the Neophytes Mass with mother and those experiences to modern-day grandmother Irene McNelly, right. Neophytes continued on page A8

U.S. bishops urge Congress to address gun violence By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service

n response to the multiple mass shootings in recent weeks, the chairmen of four U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ committees sent a letter to Congress urging lawmakers to “stop the massacres of innocent lives.” “We urge all members of Congress to reflect on the compassion all of you undoubtedly feel in light of these tragic events and be moved to action because of it,” the bishops wrote in a June 3 letter. They said finding a way to stop

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ongoing acts of violence as demonstrated in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, N.Y., to name just a few examples, requires a broad response that examines “mental health, the state of families, the valuation of life, the influence of entertainment and gaming industries, bullying, and the availability of firearms.” And although they see a need for broad reform, they focused on guns in particular, stressing that “among the many steps toward addressing this endemic of violence is the passage of reasonable gun control measures.” The letter was signed by Arch-

bishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco, chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth; Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities; and Bishop Thomas A. Daly of Spokane, Wash., chairman of the Committee on Catholic Education. These committee leaders noted that even though work needs to be done to address the root causes of violence, there were practical steps Congress

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could take right now by supporting legislation to expand background checks for gun sales. They also criticized Congress for its lack of action on gun control, noting that in the 10 years since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., “very little has been done by Congress to regulate these weapons and prevent another catastrophe.” “We urgently call on members of Congress to work together in a bipartisan fashion to make these horrific attacks less likely to happen again,” they wrote. Violence continued on page A23 TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Tennessee Knights urged to be ‘anchored in Christ’ State convention held in person for the first time in three years

By Andy Telli/Tennessee Register

COURTESY OF THE TENNESSEE REGISTER

eeting in person for the first time in three years, the Tennessee Knights of Columbus were lauded for their efforts to continue serving the Church and their neighbors during the COVID-19 pandemic. “When we look back on this historic time in the years to come, I hope you will remember that we, the Knights of Columbus, did not hide from the challenges of this pandemic,” State Deputy Fred Laufenberg said in his State of the State address at the Knights’ 119th state convention, held April 29-30 at the Franklin Marriott Cool Springs in Franklin. “You kept the light of Christ alive. You helped ensure no neighbor was left behind. You took food and other necessities to those who had no way to take care of themselves. You took our fraternal charge to heart, as you picked up the phone, wrote e-mails, and held Zoom meetings to make sure your brothers never felt alone or left behind,” said Mr. Laufenberg, a parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fairfield Glade and a member of Monsignor Philip Thoni Council 16088. Mr. Laufenberg also highlighted the Knights’ response to the flooding that devastated Waverly, Tenn., in the last year.

Knight recognition Above: Mike Wills, center, receives a Knights of Columbus Lifetime Achievement Award. Among those with him are Diocese of Nashville Bishop J. Mark Spalding, Father Bart Okere, and Knights of Columbus State Deputy Fred Laufenberg. Above right: Bill Wicke, left, who also received a Knights Lifetime Achievement Award, delivers a shipment of wheelchairs as part of a mission to make wheelchairs available for free to those in need. “When the call went out, you instantly responded with love, compassion, and support for those affected by flooding in Middle Tennessee,” the State Deputy said. “Over $126,000 and hundreds of hours were donated. … Brothers, you are each shining examples of the great 140-year tradition of the many corporal works of mercy done by the Knights of Columbus worldwide.”

Mr. Laufenberg thanked the Knights who attended the previous two state conventions that were held virtually. At this year’s convention, some were able to attend in person and others participated virtually. “We hope this new vehicle of communication and virtual participation will help us continue to grow and strengthen our Church, our state council, and our order,” Mr. Laufenberg said.

In the next year, the state council will continue its efforts to return the Knights of Columbus “to our original Christocentric mission that was instituted by a simple parish priest we now call Blessed Father Michael J. McGivney,” Mr. Laufenberg said, referring to the Knights founder who was beatified in 2020 after Pope Francis proclaimed the cure of young Michael Schachle of Dickson, Tenn., was a miracle through the intercession of Father McGivney. “We are embracing a new age of evangelization, with Tennessee leading the way into a bright future for Catholic men everywhere,” he continued. Knights continued on page A8

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The Tennessee State Council motto for the 2022-23 fraternal year, which begins in July, will be “Anchored in Christ.” During the state convention, Mr. Laufenberg and the other state officers were re-elected to a second oneyear term. The other state officers are: n State Secretary Bill Markiewicz of Council 4572 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland; n State Treasurer Eric Pelton of Council 8576 at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga; n State Advocate David Zwissler of Council 9317 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Cordova; n State Warden Alan Stanley of Council 9168 at St. Luke Church in Smyrna. At the state convention, several

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The state council will focus on discipleship and evangelization in the coming year, following up on a four-day retreat held in Nashville in March that was attended by 40 Tennessee Knights and staff members from the Knights’ Supreme Council offices in New Haven, Conn. The retreat was part of a new initiative by the order to train Knights how to be missionary disciples. “We will be sharing that knowledge with every council so that we can take our commitment of helping men grow closer to Christ to the next level,” Mr. Laufenberg said. “To succeed in our ongoing mission, we must help all Catholics to become men of the cross. We must be anchored in Christ.”

In support of life Former state representative Bill Dunn was recognized by the Knights of Columbus for his pro-life work in the General Assembly. Diocese of Knoxville Knights were recognized with special awards during the state dinner. Former state representative Bill

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BILL BREWER

Neophytes continued from page A6

she said. “I always considered myself a religious person, but not a church person. Going to the school and meeting the people there at St. Dominic, they were so warm and welcoming. I was a church-hopper growing up, so I went to all of them. And it never felt very homey. You never felt a good sense of community like you do at St. Dominic.” “I do now feel very Catholic in the community. It’s great, especially being in our parish. I love St. Dominic. The people there are so wonderful,” she added. “So, we just decided to join, too. It was through the school.” Stephanie was attending the Sending of the Neophytes Mass with her mother and grandmother. In addition to Stephanie and her son joining the Church, her mother, Marie, also joined the Church at Easter Vigil. “It has been the warmest feeling. It just feels like coming home. I get very emotional talking about it. We’ve been to all kinds of churches, and it never felt right. But we found a home at St. Dominic,” Marie said. “We went to the school. And what really sold me was this little girl coming down the hill to go to school. A siren went off and an ambulance went by, and she crossed herself. I was, like, wow! And then it hit me. It made sense to me. It just hit home. She was just a little-bitty kid. She had no parents there knocking her on the head saying, ‘Do this!’ She just did it because it was right.” The Conleys also shared their unique path to the Catholic Church. The family was Baptist for 40 years before converting to Catholicism. Their son was attending Lee University in Cleveland and took a course in the early Catholic Church, which prompted their conversion process. “I remember (my son) saying, ‘I think there’s something to this Catholic stuff.’ I said, ‘No way.’ And he said, ‘Really!’ I said, ‘Even the Mary stuff?’ And he said, ‘Yeah.’ And then I said, ‘Ben, no,’” Matt Conley recalled. He explained that the conversation continued, and at the time the pandemic shutdown had just begun. He and wife Elisha are in education in Monroe County, so as schools closed they had time on their hands. “I began to Google for information, and I put in ‘evangelical conversion to Catholicism’ or something like that, and Scott Hahn popped up. I began to read about him and got his book, Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism. Then, we did what everybody else does. We started watching YouTube, and I began watching Father Mike Schmitz (Catholic priest in the Diocese of Duluth, Minn.). She and I began watching some of his videos. It went from there. We started reading. We started studying. We started talking,” he said. Mrs. Conley pointed out that the talking began to take form. “It just kept evolving. Over a year ago we started going to St. Joseph the Worker Church and getting involved with people and talking to them. Then we started in the RCIA program. [Daughter] Madlen joined us. It was just a fit. It felt right,” she said. Mrs. Conley indicated that her path to Catholicism was smoother than her husband’s. “I think he struggled with it more than I did

A family of faith Bishop Richard F. Stika is shown with Matt and Elisha Conley and their daughter Madlen, who is a University of Tennessee student. The Conleys, who attend St. Joseph the Worker Church in Madisonville, entered the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil 2022 and took part in the Sending of the Neophytes Mass that Bishop Stika celebrated on May 15 at the cathedral. because he was doing a lot of the research and telling me. Then we would all talk about it. By the time he was ready to get into it I was ready to go.” Mr. Conley agreed, saying the newfound faith wasn’t a perfect fit for him at first. “When this was going on, it was a struggle. I was a deacon in the Baptist church. It was different, and I was just praying, ‘Lord, take this away if this is what You want.’ It was a struggle,” he said. “It was easy, but it was hard. Our whole social life was wrapped up in our Baptist church.” Madlen said she was very interested in joining the Catholic Church after spending time talking about it with her parents. Madlen, who is a junior at the University of Tennessee studying geography, usually attends Mass with her parents at St. Joseph the Worker but occasionally attends St. John XXIII University Parish on the UTKnoxville campus. “They talked about it so much that I was excited to keep progressing with it. He would tell me something about Mass, and then I would go to Mass and see it in person. It was really cool to see it all,” she said. The Conley’s son has yet to join the Catholic Church after introducing his parents and sister to the faith. “That’s the running joke. He’s the only one who hasn’t converted. He’s the holdout,” Mr. Conley said with a smile on his face. He pointed out that his son was married in May, and a relative who is a Presbyterian minister officiated the wedding. “I looked over at (my son) during the prayer, and after the prayer he crossed himself. As I was looking at him, I thought this is a sign. We went to adoration before he got married, and we prayed together,” Mr. Conley said. Like Mr. and Mrs. Conley, Mr. Patterson, the octogenarian from St. Alphonsus, was a longtime Protestant who found the Catholic Church later in life. He indicated that his church left him instead of him leaving his church. Also like the Conleys, research was an essential part of his conversion. “I was raised Presbyterian, and that church has evolved beyond what I could accept. Late-term abortion and same-sex marriage are not part of my beliefs. I did a lot of research. The more research I did, the more I became attracted to the

Catholic Church,” he said. Mr. Patterson noted that his wife, who is in a nursing home, is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church, but the closest location is an hourand-20-minute drive from Cumberland County and in a different time zone. However, St. Alphonsus and St. Francis of Assisi parishes are less than 12 miles from them. He enjoys the relationships he and

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Dunn, a member of Council 15623 at Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville, was awarded the Mary Kimball Award for his dedication to protecting the sanctity of life. Mike Wills of Council 15706 at All Saints Parish in Knoxville and Bill Wicke of Council 8781 at St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut were awarded the state Knights of Columbus Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Wills is retiring from the Knights of Columbus supreme board of directors this month. He was first elected to the supreme board of directors on Aug. 7, 2013, at the Knights of Columbus Supreme Convention in San Antonio, Texas. He is only the second Knight in recent memory from Tennessee to serve on the board. ■ his wife have built at St. Alphonsus. “I’ve learned to worship with our physician, which is more than a doctor-patient relationship. We’re honorary grandparents, so I just felt drawn. I like the feeling of community, and the sacrament of the Eucharist means a lot to me. Actually, it’s very similar to the Greek Orthodox Church. I just felt right at home,” Mr. Patterson said. The Virginia Tech graduate who is a self-described “computer geek” spent his career as a finance executive, serving as a chief financial officer. He was born in McKeesport, Pa., but his father was in the U.S. Navy, so the family lived in different locations. He is appreciative of the St. Alphonsus RCIA leaders for guiding him through his conversion. He and five others from St. Alphonsus who entered the Church this spring were accompanied to the Sending of the Neophytes Mass by RCIA director Sara Carey. Ms. Carey said Mr. Patterson’s entrance into the Catholic Church has been inspirational as evidenced by his presence at the Sending of the Neophytes Mass, which he gladly attended. “It’s just a joyous occasion, and it was a pleasure to meet the bishop,” Mr. Patterson said. ■

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Pursuing faith-filled vacations Chancery staff share holy sites from their travels By Gabrielle Nolan

veryone can benefit from a vacation now and then. Vacations help weary souls to rest and recharge, learn and explore, and also break out of the usual routine at home. But how often do faith and prayer take the back burner during times of vacation and travel? What if, instead, moments of faith were sought out during vacation? What if families explored what the Catholic faith looked Mother Cabrini Shrine like in different cities or in different countries? For those who are traveling this summer, consider tacking on a day of the itinerary to explore a Cathedral of the Madeleine holy Catholic site, such as a shrine, church, or museum. The staff at the Chancery in Knoxville have provided some ideas for where to travel based on their own family experiences.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Summer travel continued on page A22

COURTESY OF LISA MORRIS

Beth Parsons, the vocations office manager, drove with her husband and children to New Mexico in March to visit one of her sons, who is in the Air Force. During their vacation, they visited the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, N.M. “I had heard, over the years, a lot

of people who had been out to see that,” Mrs. Parsons said. “We just decided this was the time we needed to go and see the Loretto Chapel and the miraculous staircase that’s inside.” The chapel, built in 1873, was left incomplete without a staircase after the architect died. The Sisters of Loretto prayed a novena that someone would be sent to them to build a staircase to the choir loft. “Tradition says that a mysterious person showed up, built the staircase with wood that was not from that region, and it was a spiral staircase that has no center pole and has no nails in it,” Mrs. Parsons explained. “At the end of the construction, the man disappeared without asking to be paid and without telling who he was. So, tradition says that they believe it was St. Joseph, who came and built the staircase.” The Parsons family also decided to visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, which is the cathedral for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. The cathedral includes a small adobe chapel that was built in 1714 and contains a 30-inch wooden statue of the Blessed Mother that was brought over from Spain. “In the original part of the cathedral, which was 400 years old, there was a statue of Mary, which was 500 years old. It had been in the cathedral for 400 years, and it’s the oldest statue of Mary in the United States. It was very exciting,” Mrs. Parsons said. “A lot of times we think there’s not a lot of history in our country because it’s still new compared to the European churches and everything,” she explained. “But it’s great to find out that there are older things and newer things that are still beautiful that we can visit in this country, as well.”

Touring again Pilgrimages taken by Diocese of Knoxville faithful, like the one above, are seeing a post-COVID resurgence, according to pilgrimage organizer Lisa Morris, right.

Making a comeback Pilgrimages to holy sites seeing a post-COVID surge By Bill Brewer

s president of the Sacred Heart Apostolate and a sacristan at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Lisa Morris has plenty to keep her busy. But for the past two years, she hasn’t been as busy as she is used to being—or would like to be—because of the international COVID shutdown. But so far in 2022, all that has changed. Mrs. Morris, who also serves as the pilgrimage coordinator for Select International Tours in the Diocese of Knoxville, is back to being busy. “After a two-year hiatus, we’re back,” Mrs. Morris said, referring to the unofficial end of the COVID shutdown. “I’m just so grateful to God that things are opening back up, and pilgrimages are again booked, and the faithful are able to visit these holy sites again.” In recent weeks, Mrs. Morris has

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been organizing several pilgrimages, including tours to Rome, Ireland and Scotland, and to Greece. She remembered the last pilgrimage she organized before the coronavirus closed off the world in early 2020 was to Cuba and was led by the pastor of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland. “Father Mike Nolan had a pilgrimage to Cuba in February 2020, and when we came back from that trip, within a week things started to shut down,” Mrs. Morris recalled. As it turns out, Father Nolan was a COVID last and a COVID first. “In August 2021, Father Nolan was the first pilgrimage that Select International started back. On that first pilgrimage back, we had Rome to ourselves. It’s still really a good time to go on a pilgrimage. A lot of these sites still are not very crowded like pre-COVID,” she added. She noted that she now is seeing pilgrimages “across the spectrum” Pilgrimages continued on page A19 w ww.di o k no x .o rg

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More than DNA

April 29 was a jam-packed day of activity with the convention business meeting, a silent auction, ministry booths, a bunco social, and two speakers. It was announced at the business meeting that the KDCCW’s recent food-packing service project, which prepared 50,126 meals for those in need in developing countries, had been chosen as one of two projects presented to Pope Francis as part of a spiritual bouquet presented by the National Council of Catholic Women. Along with the service projects, thousands of rosaries, Masses, hours of adoration, novenas, and Hail Mary prayers were pledged by CCW members for the pope’s intentions. The theme of the Holy Family continued to permeate the day. Speaker Arlene Webb, a parishioner of St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga, gave a talk titled “Family is more than DNA.” She said when people chose to get involved and love unconditionally, they become like family. As part of the Christian family, all are able to reach out and bond with others and create that much-needed connection of love and support. Some people do not have a supportive or healthy family structure. When that is the case, or when they are separated from family due to distance or death, it is important to find people who will become family, because everyone needs a family. “I’d like to reflect on the people the Lord has placed in our lives who are not blood relatives but who have become family in the deepest way,” Mrs. Webb said. She shared personal stories of people who had done just that. Mrs. Webb said that for her, sharing stories and hearing others’ stories is a way of connecting. “I’m going to go back to the power of stories,” she said. “Jesus was a master storyteller. Stories stay with you. So I’m choosing to tell a series of stories and hoping that some might connect with you.” A10 n JUNE 5, 2022

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KDCCW continued from page A5 Knoxville. Deacon Maentz spoke on how the family unit is under attack in many ways and how we must be intentional in raising families in the faith. “Pope Francis recently said, ‘It could be said, without exaggeration, that the family is the driving force of the world and of history.’ The driving force of the world and of history. Think about that,” he said. “It is in the family that children learn about love and forgiveness. It is in the family where children first learn to give thanks to God for all they have, both their material goods and their many other personal gifts and talents.” Parents must recognize the power and the responsibility of the family, he said. As the domestic Church, the family influences the next generation’s values and faith. Both parents must be involved and intentional in this pursuit. God created the family unit. He entered the world through a family. Every family is called to holiness. “What does it mean for a family to be holy? Being holy doesn’t mean being perfect. Thank God. Holiness means being sacred or set apart. Holiness means to be set apart. For us as people, it means we are set apart to belong to God. But belonging to God is actually much simpler than we might believe. … Holiness looks different for everyone. It’s an individual journey into holiness; it’s not a checklist.” How a family journeys toward holiness will look as different as each family. Yet, Deacon Maentz, who is the father of five and grandfather of 14, offered several tips for how to keep the family close, united, and growing in holiness. He emphasized that families should pray together and play together. “An important part of your family’s health and happiness is making time to have fun together,” he said. “Now, this may sound like an oversimplification, but the family that isn’t working is probably the family that isn’t playing together. Playing together is an essential trait of a happy, healthy family.” Deacon Maentz suggested family dinners, weekly game nights, regular outings, and other simple activities that bond families and establish routine, traditions, and memories. He also gave several examples of how to pray together, including praying a family rosary, enthroning your home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, consecrating yourself to Mary, and establishing family traditions around holy days. Deacon Maentz shared several resources where families can find ideas and prayers to nourish their spiritual life. “A holy family is our greatest weapon against the influences of the world and our most effective way of influencing the world,” he said. During the deacon’s keynote talk, the convention attendees were blessed with an icon of St. Joseph presented in the front of the banquet hall. The icon was chosen by the Knights of Columbus to travel from council to council across America to spread devotion to St. Joseph and pray for the courage to carry out the mission of protecting, defending, and raising future generations. Lester Brown of St. Thérèse of Lisieux arranged to have the icon of the father of the Holy Family displayed for the convention’s opening.

Spiritual advisers Bishop Richard F. Stika, center, is joined for Mass at the KDCCW convention by, from left, Father Mike Nolan, Father Michael Woods, Father Alex Waraksa, Father Mike Creson, Father Dan Whitman, Monsignor Al Humbrecht, Father Charlie Burton, and Father Ray Powell. the things that she did.’” Hearing those individual stories helped the family to understand how their loved one truly impacted others, how she became family to them, and how much her and her memory would remain in them. For Mrs. Webb, although everyone is born into a family, all also form families throughout life. Sometimes it is done formally, through marriage and having or adopting children, and sometimes informally, intentionally adopting another person and showing them love and presence.

Finding God through life’s challenges

Understanding the Holy Family Deacon Scott Maentz, who serves at Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville, was a featured speaker at the 32nd annual KDCCW convention in Cleveland. There were her next-door neighbors, who cheered her and her siblings on as they grew up, proud of every school and personal accomplishment. There was the roommate who became a close friend and confidant. There was the caregiver at her father’s nursing home who took extra time to come and visit with him in his last days. And there was the community that walked with her during her grief after her father died. There was the friend who met a newly married woman, Maria, on a military base in Hawaii. Maria was from Puerto Rico, had married just out of high school, and was desperately lonely and homesick. The woman immediately took Maria under her wing and helped her connect with other Spanishspeaking women on base who helped her with practical skills like shopping and cooking, but more importantly, gave her a community and family to rely on while so far away from her own home. There was Mrs. Webb’s aunt, who became a religious Sister and teacher. The family did not realize the impact the woman had had on so many other families until after her death. “When she died of cancer, the parish shut the school down so everyone could go. My mother and her sister and I all came down to the convent for the wake. [A Sister at the convent] said, ‘Well, the wake is going to be from 2 p.m. until 10.’ I was appalled. I said, ‘My mother is over 80.’ And she said, ‘Well, we felt it was necessary.’ “So, about a quarter to 2, I looked out the window, and I said, ‘Mother, come see.’ And we looked out, and there were people as far as the eye could see, lined up all the way around the block. And they started coming. And there started to be stories. “At one point I said, ‘Are you tired, Mother?’ She said, ‘No! I’m thrilled. It’s just fantastic to hear all

Leah Carroll spoke on finding God through the challenges of family life. Mrs. Carroll is familiar with challenges. “I have the privilege of having a testimony of my own, and I also have the privilege of caring for and having two other testimonies for my children,” she said, introducing herself. The Carrolls have two sons, both of whom have a series of medical conditions. About 24 weeks into her pregnancy with their first son, Malachi, she started feeling that something was wrong. At the hospital, doctors couldn’t find the baby’s heartbeat. Mrs. Carroll recalled being wheeled into emergency surgery. “I remember thinking, I’m supposed to be praying right now. There was something that I need to be praying for, and I don’t know what to even pray. So, I asked God to just speak through me, and all that He said, all He put on my mind was the verse from Job: ‘The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.’ And I didn’t want to hear that. I wanted to hear something else.” Malachi was born without a heartbeat. It took 15 minutes of CPR for his heart to start beating. Mrs. Carroll also had complications during the delivery. She didn’t get to meet her son until three days later. Malachi had suffered brain bleeds and lack of oxygen. His prognosis was not good. Doctors predicted that he would never breathe, eat, talk, or walk on his own. A medical team met with the Carrolls. “They said, ‘How would you like us to proceed?’ And I remember in that moment being offended. I looked at [my husband] Jake, and they were asking me if they should continue lifesaving care for my son. I looked at them and I said, ‘He’s here for a reason. We want him to live.’ I think of the shock on their faces. It was very powerful for me. It told me a lot. It told me a lot about how the other conversations that they’ve had in their careers went, and it breaks my heart, knowing that a lot of families didn’t get to meet their Malachis.” Malachi was in the neonatal intensive care unit for 112 days. While the Carrolls had always been people of faith, this period of trial drew them even closer to God. “The Bible started to come to life for me, just all the stories you read and the verses that you read just started to grow legs and started walking with us in a way I didn’t know existed,” Mrs. Carroll said. “I felt very much like Hagar. I felt invisible. God revealed himself to Hagar in the desert, and she gave him the name ‘el-roi,’ ‘the God who sees me,’ KDCCW continued on page A14

Calling all Cursillistas! Near and far! Recent or years ago! Wherever you experienced your Cursillo! The Diocese of Knoxville is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Cursillo Movement in East Tennessee this fall. Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 1st. Bishop Stika is celebrating an Anniversary Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Knoxville at 10AM. Following Mass, we will have a Grand Ultreya and Fiesta in the parish hall. Please bring a dish to share. Please RSVP to Lois Schering at schering4@aol.com or (865) 681-7858 by August 1, 2022. If you love this Cursillo Movement, please join us for this special event!

De Colores!

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Knights from around the world bound for Tennessee By Andy Telli Tennessee Register

friends, Mr. McCusker said. Volunteers can register on the Tennessee Knights’ website, kofc-tn.org. The Supreme Convention, which will be held Aug. 2-4 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, will be attended by about 1,500 delegates and about 3,000 people in total, Mr. McCusker said. People will start arriving several days before, and activities will begin on July 29. Instead of the typical welcome party, this year’s convention will take advantage of visiting Music City to have a welcome concert for the delegates and their families, featuring country music star Craig Morgan, who is a Catholic. About 100 cardinals and bishops are expected to attend the convention, Mr. McCusker said, including Nashville Bishop J. Mark Spalding and Knoxville Bishop Richard F. Stika. “It’s very impressive to see the opening Mass” when a long line of the hierarchy and priests are in the opening procession, he added. The Knights of Columbus were

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he Knights of Columbus’ 140th Supreme Convention, scheduled for August in Nashville, is fast approaching, and the Tennessee Knights are busy preparing to host brother Knights from around the world. “We’re now in the final stretch,” said Michael McCusker, the Tennessee Immediate Past State Deputy and the chairman of Tennessee’s preparations for the Supreme Convention. “The biggest thing is the need for volunteers.” Among the activities volunteers are needed to help with include tours for delegates and their families, welcoming cardinals and bishops when they arrive at the airport and transporting them to their hotels, hospitality support, information technology, the Ladies Luncheon, registration support, and a Fourth Degree honor guard at the adoration chapel. Volunteers can be Knights, their wives, their children, and their

Scientific Sister Sister Joan Miriam wears her white lab coat over her habit as she examines bacteria in a science lab on the University of Tennessee-Knoxville campus.

A witness to faith on campus Sister Joan Miriam stands in front of the iconic Ayres Hall on the University of Tennessee-Knoxville campus in April as she was attending classes.

Sister continued from page A4

would offer.” She went down to receive the blessing, and her youth minister cried because she was so happy. “I was like, what did I just do? So, that was sort of the first time I had ever thought about being a Sister,” Sister Joan Miriam said. After she started school at Oklahoma State, Sister Joan Miriam joined the Catholic student group on campus. “They were very vibrant and very faithful, and it really helped me in my faith,” she said. “I started going to daily Mass, which was a completely foreign concept to me up until that point.” Throughout her time in college, Sister Joan Miriam said she was thinking about pursuing religious life but knew she wanted to graduate first. The summer after she graduated from college, she met with the vocations director for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Sister Joan Miriam told him that she knew she wanted to pursue religious life but didn’t know how to find an order. While flipping through a booklet of the various religious orders around the world, they came across the Religious Sisters of Mercy from Alma. “When he got to the Religious Sisters of Mercy, he said, ‘You have to look at them! I love them,’ and he folded the page halfway over so that I would be able to find it again. Then from there, it had contact information, and I called and came on a Come and See (retreat).” During her visit in January 2018, Sister Joan Miriam wrote a letter requesting to enter. She entered postulancy in August of that year. In August 2021 she took her first vows. “They are temporary vows, so it is for three years,” Sister Joan Miriam said. “Then after three years, you renew vows for two more years; then after that two years is up, then you can profess perpetual vows.”

other,” Sister Joan Miriam said. “That was how I first started to build friendships.” She shared that interacting with students has been a blessing, especially when those interactions turn to faith. “It was beautiful because being a Sister in a habit, it makes a clear statement about who I am and what I believe without me saying it,” Sister Joan Miriam said. “So, there was one young woman in particular who was also faithful, not Catholic, but she asked me to pray for her at different times because she knows that is what I do.” “To see at times the students be somewhat vulnerable… and then to have that privilege to pray for them, that’s definitely been a blessing,” she said.

‘Trying to live my faith well’

For Sister Joan Miriam, her own faith journey ignited after receiving the sacrament of confirmation as a sophomore in high school. “After confirmation, I realized that sort of the preparation for confirmation couldn’t have been it,” she said. “So, that idea of just one moment wasn’t the end. So, then I started going to youth group after, and then through that I went to one of the Steubenville conferences, and that was the first time I had really seen Sisters in habit who were also younger.” While at a Steubenville conference, there was an invitation for all of the young women considering religious life to come forward for a special blessing. “When they had asked, are any of the young women here open to religious life, being a Sister, I was like, I am,” Sister Joan Miriam said. “I realized, at that moment, I was trying to live my faith well, and I had just sort of put it together that to live my Catholic faith well meant I had to be open to all the vocations that God TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

ANDY TELLI

Diocese of Nashville will be hosting 140th Supreme Convention in August at the Opryland

Welcoming committee Tennessee Knights of Columbus leaders include, from left, State Treasurer Eric Pelton of Council 8576 at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga; State Secretary Bill Markiewicz of Council 4572 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland; Immediate Past State Deputy Michael McCusker of Council 9317 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Cordova; State Chaplain Father Bart Okere, pastor of St. Henry Parish in Rogersville; State Deputy Fred Laufenberg of Council 16088 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fairfield Glade; State Advocate David Zwissler of Council 9317 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Cordova; and State Warden Alan Stanley of Council 9168 at St. Luke Church in Smyrna. founded in 1882 by Blessed Father Michael McGivney in New Ha-

ven, Conn., to help Catholic men

It wasn’t difficult for Sister Joan Miriam to think about a new name for her religious life. “One of my favorite saints is St. Joan of Arc, whom I’m named after,” Sister Joan Miriam said. “She’s my patroness. She and I have been friends for a long time.” “And then we all have a form of Mary in our name,” she added. “I chose Miriam because it’s more indicative of the Hebrew way to say Mary, and I really love the Old Testament, specifically the first five books.” Before entering religious life, Sister Joan Miriam said she had not previously sat down with the Bible just to pray with it. “So, about a year and a half after I became a Sister I just started reading the Old Testament. I got to part-way through Kings, and I was like, OK, I’m going to pause,” she said while

laughing. “But those first five books, they’re beautiful,” she continued. “I just found, especially with the stories of Moses and the Israelite community, of how often they turned away…in some versions it says they grumbled against God. But in His providential care, He always provided them what they needed, led them to the promised land. It wasn’t always easy, but He was always calling them to Himself. I just love to read those and pray with those.” This summer, Sister Joan Miriam will join the other temporarily professed Sisters at the motherhouse in Alma for over a month to retreat there and take continuing formation classes. She will resume her classes at the University of Tennessee in the fall semester. ■

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Convention continued on page A18

One Heart, One World Pilgrimages with Lisa invites you on a pilgrimage to

GREECE

In the footsteps of St. Paul with Fr. Steve Pawelk including a 4-Day Aegean Cruise

12 Days September 18-29, 2023

For More Information Contact: Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 lisam@select-intl.com www.selectinternationaltours.com

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Cross Catholic Outreach Empowers Educational Missions in Ghana to Transform Lives When Church leaders in developing countries want to undertake ambitious projects — the construction of a school or classrooms, for example — they often turn to Cross Catholic Outreach for help. Since Cross Catholic Outreach was launched more than 20 years ago, its ministry team has had tremendous success funding, equipping and empowering in-country Catholic missions. One recent example involves educational projects desperately needed in the African nation of Ghana. “Each of the countries we work in is unique, has specific needs and is working to solve different problems. In Ghana, the Church has identified education projects as a priority, and we are doing what we can to support that mission,” confirmed Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach. The Catholic Church’s interest in improving educational opportunities in Ghana is justified. While that country has made a lot of improvements to its education system in recent years, the poor still face many challenges in obtaining a quality education. Low education rates are believed to directly correlate to a higher incidence of childhood marriage, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS infection rates and poverty. For rural students, daily commutes to and from school can be daunting and even unsafe. Some students don’t even attend traditional schools at the end of that journey — their education takes place underneath a tree, according to Cavnar. “Fortunately, Catholic leaders in Ghana are aware of these problems and are mobilizing to provide solutions,” he said. “They have plans to build safe classrooms, provide desks and other school furniture, bring in quality study supplies, and improve or build modern bathroom facilities to alleviate the hardships caused by contaminated water systems. These changes could have a dramatic impact on how the poor are educated — but they can’t be achieved without help. That is why I’m encouraging compassionate American Catholics to support the Church’s educational mission. With the financial help of donors in the U.S., Catholic leaders in Ghana will be able to complete their wonderful educational projects and restore hope in the country’s poorest communities.” Cavnar added that young girls will benefit most from this support. “Because they traditionally

Above: In Ghana, Africa, Cross Catholic Outreach is working to replace unsuitable classrooms like this with improved schools and quality supplies to enhance learning. Below: Ghana’s children are eager to learn, but they face incredible challenges. Schools need major improvements. Dioceses in the country are working hard to bring about that change, but they will need the support of American Catholics to succeed.

face greater hurdles to attending school than boys do, girls from the poorest families only receive 4 years of education on average,” he said. “That is unacceptable, and we should be doing everything we can to improve their access to education. In countries like Ghana, education isn’t just a matter of personal growth. It is essential to escape poverty. When we educate these children, we give them an opportunity to explore their talents and achieve their God-given potential.” Readers interested in supporting Cross Catholic Outreach education programs and other outreaches to the poor can contribute through the ministry brochure inserted in this issue or send tax-deductible gifts to Cross Catholic Outreach, Dept. AC01995, PO Box 97168, Washington, DC 20090-7168. The ministry has a special need for partners willing to make gifts on a monthly basis. Use the inserted brochure to become a Mission Partner or write “Monthly Mission Partner” on mailed checks to be contacted about setting up those arrangements.

Dedicated Catholics Make Major Impact on Poverty by Serving as ‘Mission Partners’ Consistency and reliability have always been recognized as important character traits in American culture, and most of us bring up our children to uphold those values, especially in the workplace. We do that because we know consistency and reliability produce stability and help us weather the unexpected storms in life. The same is true when it comes to charity, according to Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach. That is why his ministry cherishes its Mission

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Partners — donors who have committed to monthly giving. “Mission Partners represent the foundation of our ministry,” he said. “Their commitment to helping the poor on a monthly basis gives us a steady, reliable way to serve. Without them, the missions we support in the developing world would never know whether they could rely on us to help with long-term projects, and it would be much more difficult for us to respond to disaster situations. When we can depend on the support of Mission

Partners, we can move forward confidently and take on every challenge that’s put before us.” Because monthly giving is so important to Cross Catholic Outreach’s work overseas, the ministry makes it as easy as possible for its donors to become Mission Partners. That option is included on appeals, on the charity’s website and in the brochures it distributes at Catholic parishes and in Catholic newspapers. “Ultimately, we ask people to become Mission Partners because

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monthly giving has a huge impact on the priests, religious sisters and Catholic lay leaders working in the trenches, fighting to end hunger and alleviate poverty,” Cavnar said. “When they face an unexpected crisis or a natural disaster strikes, the missions know they can come to us for help because our Mission Partners have provided the resources needed to overcome those immediate challenges. We can make decisions in a matter of hours and send help within days — and the poor are blessed as a result.”

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American Catholics See Education as Key to Helping Poor Children Escape Generational Poverty

For more than 20 years, Cross Catholic Outreach has been helping Catholic missions in developing countries expand their educational outreaches to the poor. Children who could not read or write have been blessed incredibly by these programs, and many have since gone on to college — breaking free of the cycle of poverty that had plagued their families for generations.

Even before the American colonies became a sovereign nation, civic leaders began to explore new ideas that would create a brighter and more prosperous future for their descendants. One of the goals they pursued involved establishing a more accessible public education system. The first taxpayer-supported public school was opened in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and it offered access to free education as early as 1639.

“...people are getting involved because they want poor boys and girls to have the same blessings their own children or grandchildren enjoy.” Jim Cavnar, President Cross Catholic Outreach

Hundreds of years have passed since then, but the importance of accessible education has remained a vital part of the American dream — and this view is just as sacred to Church leaders working to better the lives of the poor in developing countries. In fact, many priests and religious sisters firmly believe education is the best way to free families from hope-draining poverty. “You might assume the priests and religious sister working in impoverished communities overseas are focused only on fighting hunger and providing safe water — and they are working

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hard to address those urgent needs — but they are just as eager to educate poor children because that’s the best way to break the cycle of poverty and put families on an upward trajectory in life,” explained Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, one of the leading Catholic ministries working to alleviate poverty in the developing world. “The only thing stopping these Church leaders from doing more is a lack of funding and resources. If we American Catholics help them, they can address the education problem — and do much more.” Cavnar added that his ministry has received a lot of support for educational outreaches in recent years, and he commends compassionate Catholics in the U.S. who are making that need a priority. It is their support that ensures Church missions succeed. “Some of these people are getting involved because they want poor boys and girls to have the same blessings their own children or grandchildren enjoy,” Cavnar said. “Others are familiar with the saying, ‘Give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.’ They take that idea to heart and know that education will have a lasting impact. Ultimately, both groups of donors value education because it restores the dignity of a person and opens doors to opportunity. When it is offered through the Church, it can have a life-transforming spiritual impact as well.” Cavnar speaks from experience.

He has been involved in Catholic international relief and development work for more than 30 years and has seen its impact in developing countries firsthand. In fact, Cross Catholic Outreach and its American donors have blessed the poor through educational projects in more than 20 countries over the years, and thousands of children have benefited dramatically. “When educational options are so severely limited — as is often the case in very poor communities — many children grow up illiterate and have very few opportunities to better their lives. As those kids grow up and have families of their own, that terrible cycle of illiteracy and poverty often continues from one generation to the next,” Cavnar said. “When we provide the poor with education, we can break that trend and create a cycle of blessings in its place. Our efforts help children escape the slums, and when they do, those young people often lift their parents and siblings out of poverty too. As educated kids become adults, they also make educating their own children

a priority, and the good cycle we created continues.” As with the other humanitarian efforts it supports — feeding programs, water system installations, housing initiatives and the like — Cross Catholic Outreach achieves its successes in education by empowering Catholic missions already working in areas of great need. According to Cavnar, this resourcing of the Church’s existing work is both wise and effective. “The dioceses, priests and religious sisters we empower are perfectly positioned to help the poor. They just lack proper funding, supplies and equipment,” he said. “When compassionate American Catholics donate to Cross Catholic Outreach, we can supply those resources, and that makes the most of the in-country missions’ existing facilities and staff. It’s a very cost-effective way of helping the poor, and one of the projects we are working on now is focused on improving educational opportunities in Ghana, Africa.” (See the related story on the opposite page.)

How to Help To fund Cross Catholic Outreach’s effort to help the poor worldwide, use the postage-paid brochure inserted in this newspaper, or mail your gift to Cross Catholic Outreach, Dept. AC01995, PO Box 97168, Washington, DC 20090-7168. The brochure also includes instructions on becoming a Mission Partner and making a regular monthly donation to this cause. If you identify an aid project, 100% of the donation will be restricted to be used for that specific project. However, if more is raised for the project than needed, funds will be redirected to other urgent needs in the ministry.

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EMILY BOOKER

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and I remember reading that and just feeling the presence of God and saying, ‘God sees me. He sees me.’” The Carrolls’ second son, Levi, was born five years later. He was born with paralyzed vocal chords, inhibiting his ability to breathe on his own. The Carrolls fought to get him admitted to a children’s hospital in Cincinnati that had successfully done experimental surgery on the condition. Levi had dozens of surgeries and spent five months in the NICU in Cincinnati. During that time, Mrs. Carroll cared for Malachi at the Ronald McDonald House near the hospital while Mr. Carroll had to stay and work in Tennessee and commute to Ohio every weekend. Malachi is now 9, and Levi is 4. Both still have lots of medical problems, but they are also typical young boys who play together, fight as brothers do, and are being raised to love God. Mrs. Carroll said that while it is a difficult life, her family has weathered the storms, and God has used these challenges to grow her own faith. She recalls how a refiner’s fire and crucible burns off all that is unclean, leaving the metal purer. “I saw God just scrape off these things in me, my pride, my arrogance, so many ugly parts of myself. I’ve learned to really appreciate the refiner’s fire, being refined by God, as painful as it is. There is so much that comes out of being right by God,” she noted. Mrs. Carroll said her family has had to learn to let go of control, to trust God, to appreciate every moment of life. “Contentment is an action,” she said. “It’s something you have to choose. When you look through the eyes of God, you realize that a lot of the trials you go through actually aren’t about you…It’s a blessing to be able to be used by God even in the trials and the hard stuff to influence the faith of others looking in.” She said that while people want to experience the joy of spiritual mountaintops, life often casts us into the valley. But it is in the valleys, the dark moments, that we can find God, too. Finding God in the valley can make it a valley of peace. “There is so much to be learned in the valley. Sometimes resting in the valley is where we need to be to reconnect to God. So, learn to love your time in the valley. Time in the valley is never wasted. I don’t know where you’re at in your life right now. I don’t know what things you’re struggling with. I know that

Theological Q&A Sister John Catherine Kennedy, OP, converses with members of the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women during her talk about the members of the Holy Family. Sister John Catherine taught religion at Knoxville Catholic High School for years before returning to Nashville to teach at Aquinas College. my trials are very hard to relate with in terms of other people’s trials, but we all have things that are hard. We all have fires that we’re put in. We all have those moments where our faith is tested, and I just hope that you’re able to learn to look through the eyes of God in those moments.”

Grace in the Holy Family

On April 30, Sister John Catherine Kennedy, OP, wrapped up the convention by bringing focus back to the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. She took time to focus on each member of the Holy Family, their relationship with grace, and how people find grace in their domestic lives. “I just want to call our minds to the mysteries, these realities of our faith, that are so beautiful and are the foundation of all we believe as Catholics,” she said. “We have Jesus as the source of grace in the Holy Family. We also have the Immaculate Conception, the Blessed Mother. And then we have poor St. Joseph, the only sinner in the Holy Family. He has to spend his life with the Immaculate Conception and the Word made Flesh and not feel shabby about that. “What comes to mind there with St. Joseph is the virtue of magnanimity, how he was able to become great even though he was living in the shadow of so much greatness,” Sister John Catherine said, recalling how God entered the world through a family. Part of His humanity was having a family. “The whole point of the entire operation, of Jesus taking flesh, of the Holy Family existing, is for our salvation. That’s the only reason

why. Which I guess why [the Gospel of] John calls us back to the beginning in the garden. Why the incarnation? Why the Holy Family at all? Because we need to be redeemed, and that happens through grace, and the source of that grace is the Lord Himself.” Mary’s response to God’s grace and her fiat is what welcomes God into the world and into a family. “Grace is dynamically working through her,” Sister John Catherine said. “She’s on a pilgrimage, as we are on a pilgrimage. It’s not a one and done, no, no, no. She is on a pilgrimage of ever-increasing faith. She freely cooperated in our redemption, and she kept cooperating.” Joseph also needed strong trust in the Lord and cooperating with God’s grace to fulfill his role in the Holy Family. “St. Joseph also needed special graces and virtues to fulfill his responsibilities in keeping with the dignity of his wife and son. And Joseph was not immaculately conceived, so he must have needed tremendous grace as he cooperated in faith with what he was given to do.” Sister John Catherine pointed out, however, that the Holy Family, while given special graces, also lived out their lives as a typical family. They grew in holiness while doing everyday chores, living on a carpenter’s wages in a small village, and creating an ordinary but loving home. “When Mary was sweeping the floor, washing the clothes, making the meals, Joseph’s in the workshop, doing what he’s doing, Jesus is growing up in the ordinary way that little guys grow up, and they are being really holy. And they are grow-

Commissioner Nichols traveled from Nashville to attend the ribboncutting and cited the unique role of Columbus Home Safe Place for Kids. “We have 95 counties, and we only have 17 spaces like this across the whole state,” she said. “Having this in Knox County, in one of our urban areas, is huge. It is my honor to travel here; I wanted to be here; I wanted to see it. I wanted to say thank you to the people who made it possible. I think it’s important for all of us who work for and with this population to make sure to tell people how much we appreciate it.” Fulfilling the Safe Place dream took hard work by volunteers and financial support from donors. Construction of the facility took about six months and was supported financially by the Crumley Family Trust. Ms. Ingle, who also is CCETN’s operations administrator, worked on and oversaw the project and was an integral part of getting the facility ready for service. Knights of Columbus Council 16523 from Holy Ghost Parish donated time and talent to provide some much-needed painting, according to Mr. Ritter. The living space occupies 1,100 square feet and includes four bedrooms, an office for DCS staff, restrooms, closets, and a large living room with areas that include toys, games, televisions, and furniture. There is a fully stocked kitchen for the children and staff. “This mission represents an opporA14 n JUNE 5, 2022

JIM WOGAN

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Comfortable surroundings One of the rooms for children is shown inside Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Columbus Home Safe Place for Kids, which recently opened to give children in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services a comfortable, safe place to stay while their cases are going through DCS and Knox County Juvenile Court. tunity to extend a helping hand to some of the most vulnerable people of our community: our children,” Mrs. Healy said. “The mission here specifically is a safe place for kids. While these kids are in the custody of the Department of Children Services, they have a place here and an appropriate age-designed place where they can wait for their case managers to get them into foster care, or wherever they are going to be placed. If they must stay overnight, they can stay here. We provide hospitality.” Mrs. Healy commended commu-

nity partners and CCETN supporters for helping make the Safe Place project succeed. “Advocates like (Knox County) Juvenile Court, DCS, Child Protective Services, United Way of Greater Knoxville, the Roddy Foundation, and the Crumley Family Trust. There are just so many people that care, and we are fortunate to receive this support so that we can provide much-needed services and continue to provide them as the needs continue to arise. Catholic Charities of East Tennessee will always be here,” Mrs.

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ing, deepening in faith. “How is it that in the ordinary, day-to-day, humdrum, unremarkable circumstances of their life in Nazareth, they’re becoming the greatest saints that the Church knows?” It is not about what worldly influence or power they achieve, Sister John Catherine said. It is about their response to God’s call and their cooperation with God’s grace. Growing in holiness is not always outwardly seen, but it is working within each person who accepts that grace. It is our response to grace in our day-to-day that will lead us to grow in holiness, she said. “We have a high call to perfection…Grace is being offered to us in that call. You are qualified. The call is there; if you’re baptized, the call is there. And the qualification is there. So, the grace is there, too.” The Holy Family exemplifies what it is to receive grace in our ordinary lives. “Joseph saw the high call, he depended on God’s grace, and he responded to the call. He was faithful to God, not letting fear of failure or inadequacy hold him back,” she said. “Likewise, Mary sought greatness in every respect. And Jesus, too, in His human nature, had the fullness of grace and lived every virtue to perfection. “They were the greatest of the great in their very ordinary—and in some ways very narrow—hidden life. They didn’t go anywhere. They didn’t do anything noteworthy. … But in each action, each thought, and each word, there was magnanimity, this opening, this reaching out to greatness, this allowing God to do great things in me. “Because that’s what He’s created me for. He’s created me for the greatest thing there is: Himself.” By the end of the convention, the attendees were energized to bring renewed intentionality and grace into their families, be it their immediate family, their extended family, or their parish family. Mrs. Uhlik felt that the Women of Faith of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish did a wonderful job hosting the gathering, and that this year’s conference was a success. “I think the conference has gone well. It’s always energizing to see all of these women together with a common goal, and it’s just fun to be with all of them,” she said. Next year’s KDCCW convention will be held at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City April 20-22. To learn more about the KDCCW, visit www.kdccw.org. ■ Healy said. The Safe Place for Kids occupies one side of the Columbus Home building on Division Street in West Knoxville. The other side houses the Children’s Emergency Shelter and Assessment Center (CESAC)—a CCETN ministry that provides shelter for children removed from their home due to allegations of neglect, abuse, or other issues, who are not specifically in DCS custody. Children may be housed at the CESAC for up to 10 days. Catholic Charities sheltered 125 children for various lengths of time at the Children’s Emergency Shelter last year. “I work with Judge Irwin a good bit, of course, and I know his support for Catholic Charities,” Commissioner Nichols said. “I was already familiar with what is on the other side of this building (Children’s Emergency Shelter) because it keeps kids from coming into custody. They can go there and wait sometimes while Judge Irwin is navigating perhaps (having the child join) a family member that is out of state. So, I kind of feel like this is full circle.” Responding to a media question moments after the ribbon-cutting, Mrs. Healy said that the effort to rebuild the fire-damaged Catholic Charities headquarters on Dameron Avenue in North Knoxville continues to move forward. Architectural plans are being finalized, and construction should begin soon. The CCETN building was badly damaged in a fire on Nov. 28. Arson investigators said the fire was intentionally set. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

BILL BREWER

DAN MCWILLIAMS

BILL BREWER

Making a church Upper left: An exterior view of the new St. John Paul II Catholic Mission building in Rutledge. Upper right: Young parishioners take part in the dedication Mass for the new Rutledge church building. Lower left: Tom Charron, left, a general contractor and member of Holy Ghost Parish, worked with Glenmary Home Missioners Brother Joe Steen, right, to construct the new building. Lower right: Father Neil Pezzulo, GHM, gives Holy Communion and blessings during Mass. Dedication continued from page A1

The bishop referred to the mission’s previous location, a storefront church nearby across Rutledge Pike. “You miss that, don’t you?” he said, drawing laughter. “The early Church met in caves and houses.” Bishop Stika was a priest in his native St. Louis when Pope John Paul II came to that city. “When he came to St. Louis, his last visit to the United States, in 1999, I was in charge of the visit. I also got kicked out of my room for two days. I had to sleep on a recliner while he enjoyed my bed,” the bishop recalled. “One of the most powerful things that St. John Paul said was early on at his inauguration as pope in 1979,” Bishop Stika continued. “You know what he said? ‘Be not afraid.’” The bishop exhorted his Grainger County listeners with the same words. “Be not afraid to be a follower of Jesus. Be not afraid to teach other people about the faith by your example. Be not afraid to grow in your spirituality, to take the Scriptures and make them living in your lives. Be not afraid to teach others by your witness, by how you choose to live your lives. Be not afraid in those moments of doubt—is God really listening to me?” In his homily, Bishop Stika mentioned that the statues of the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph inside the mission church came from the former St. Mary’s Hospital in Knoxville. The many wood items around the altar were built from pews that were at the old Sacred Heart Cathedral. The bishop also said he has a 3 1/2-foot statue of St. John Paul II that was carved in Italy that he plans to give to the Rutledge faithful, but it was stuck on a cargo ship somewhere. “You know what that means? I’ll have to come back and bless that statue,” he said. Bishop Stika went on to mention two relics. “I also have another gift. Altars of a church have a relic of a saint. I’m going to give you a relic of St. John Paul for public veneration, but in this altar will be a relic of St. Pius X, who was pope from 1903 to 1914,” he said. The bishop concluded his homily by saying, “to the Glenmary community and to all of you, I’m glad you took up the banner of St. John Paul, because you’re not afraid to build this house of worship, this church, and you have not been afraid to teach the faith by witnessing to Jesus publicly.” At the end of Mass, Bishop Stika recalled Pope John Paul II’s Mass before 120,000 people in the Trans World Dome in St. Louis on Jan. 27, 1999—and a dramatic moment. TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

“He raises the chalice, and thousands and thousands of flash bulbs—remember those?—went off, and in the photograph it’s most special: as he raised the chalice, the reflection of the gold took in the flashbulbs, and in his hand he held the sun. In the photo, it looks like he’s holding the sun,” the bishop remembered. Bishop Stika also told of a story from the sainted pope’s latter days, when he was in ill health. “This bishop he had known a long time said, ‘Holy Father, I feel so sad. This will likely be the last time I see you.’ And John Paul replied to the bishop, ‘Why, are you sick?’” Bishop Stika said. “It just shows the character of John Paul. He never gave up. He always trusted in Jesus. He spent hours and hours before the Blessed Sacrament. I witnessed that in St. Louis. He loved Jesus.” Bishop Stika closed by thanking Glenmary Home Missioners, the Catholic Foundation of East Tennessee—which purchased the property for the church in Rutledge in 2013— as well as veterans in the assembly. A nod to Brother Joe for his contributions drew a round of applause. After Mass, the bishop spoke of special liturgies, including ordinations, such as the triple ordination of transitional deacons he celebrated later in the day following the Rutledge Mass. “Mass is always the same: the sacrifice of Jesus. But there are certain celebrations that encircle the Mass. Ordinations like I’ll do this afternoon, ordinations to the diaconate or priesthood. I’ve had a couple Masses now of consecrated virgins. I just celebrated Mass for the Handmaids of the Precious Blood,” he said. “But there’s something unique also about the dedication of a church. This is a simple dedication, because, God willing, someday they’ll have another, larger church. But it’s still the same thing—this is a house of worship, this is Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament, and so it really touches my heart.” The ordination of transitional deacons took place at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, parts of whose original building live on at St. John Paul II Mission. “I think today in a special way, knowing that when I go home later this afternoon and go to the cathedral, where I’ll ordain deacons, in some ways the cathedral is the mother church—and it’s present here,” Bishop Stika said. “So much of the cathedral pews and other wood in the [old] cathedral are now the altar and the ambo and the future baptismal font and some of the wood in the sanctuary. It’s that connection to the mother church.” The bishop spoke of the Rutledge mission’s chances of becoming a full parish.

“Soon, soon,” he said. “We’ve got to look at the financials, and they have to petition for that, so we’ll see. God willing, soon.” Father Pezzulo talked of the immigrant community at St. John Paul II, referring not just to its thriving Hispanic population, on the dedication day. “What makes it special for this particular community is, most of this community is not from here— they’re all immigrants. And even the English-speaking members are really not from Grainger County,” he said. “So here we’ve built a permanent place to call our home, a place to come and offer praise and thanksgiving, a place to gather as a community of Catholics, and not only just for us, but we’re really laying the foundation for future generations to come.” Father Pezzulo spoke of the construction of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. At different stages of the construction, workers were asked what they were doing. Early on, one worker said he was “building a wall.” Later, a worker told one who questioned him, “I’m building a church.” Finally, the question was asked of a worker, and he said, “I’m building a future.” “I think that’s what we’re doing here: building a future,” Father Pezzulo said. “During the Mass, my prayer isn’t so much, ‘What does John Paul II Church look like in 2022, but what about 2032 or ’42?’” The bishop’s visit was notable, the pastor said. “It’s always special because it reminds people, because we’re kind of isolated up in this area, that we are connected to a larger Church,” Father Pezzulo said. “Sometimes we forget that, because most of our day-to-day interactions are with the Methodists and the Baptists and us, and we get along very well and work together very well in town and forget that as Catholics we’re part of a larger Church.” Father Pezzulo said the new church cost about $350,000 to $400,000 and was built by the parishioners themselves. The building covers 5,800 square feet. The project, Father Pezzulo stated in the Mass program, is debt free, “truly another blessing,” he wrote. He spoke of his favorite feature of the new church. “The thing I love the most about it is the patio—which is an odd thing for a priest to say—because it lends itself to hospitality,” he said. “It flows from the sanctuary to the patio, so the celebration flows from the table of the Lord to continue to share at another table. The whole design of the building lends itself to groups and hospitality. Because it’s a multi-use space, we can rearrange furniture as we need to. The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic comes

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here once a month, and they’ve got a couple of rooms they can talk to people in private in. It just lends itself to that mission as well. And we can open it up to the town to have meetings and gatherings.” Father Pezzulo talked about some local visitors who came to the dedication. “Today, we had a handful of people from the Methodist church. One of the men singing in the choir is a member of Buffalo Baptist Church. The Baptist pastor stopped in right before Mass to drop off some flowers. He couldn’t change his service time, but he would have been here any other time. We’ve already gathered once here as a town, during Lent, to have a prayer service and a meal. We invited the whole town in,” he said. The two largest benefactors of the new church choose to remain anonymous, Father Pezzulo said. “I couldn’t have done it without them. I couldn’t have done it without Glenmary’s support,” he said. Tom Charron helped Brother Joe build the new church. “I volunteered to help build this, and me and Brother Joe worked our tails off,” he said. “I got most of the materials for the beginning stages really reasonable, but with COVID all the prices went sky-high, so we were scrambling everywhere trying to get prices on stuff.” Mr. Charron was glad to see dedication day come. “It was very good. I’m so happy. We worked getting everything straightened out and finished up at the last minute,” he said. That included heat-and-air ducts that run down the sides of the worship space, ducts that are now well concealed and have lighting to illuminate the ceiling. “We had to put in two heat-andair units so we could have heat and air on both sides. When we did that we had to build all these huge ducts to make that work,” Mr. Charron said. “Now that’s framed in with steel, and I did extra to get the lighting up on top to wash the ceiling, just to make it brighter in here, to light up the whole ceiling.” Mr. Charron had to perform repair work on the statues from St. Mary’s Hospital. “The Blessed Mother got dropped, and her base was broken off. I repainted both statues. I patched up the Blessed Mother and had to put a new finger on St. Joseph and a toe. I did it all with plaster and horsehair and painted them up. They both came out beautiful,” he said. Mr. Charron built the credence table for the new church, “and Brother Joe and I framed it and built everything, painting and all the patching and drywall. I put the kitchen in and did the bathrooms while he was Dedication continued on page A18 JUNE 5, 2022 n A15

Bishop’s Appeal for Ministries

With hearts full of gratitude, we sincerely thank everyone for their prayers and support of the ministries of the Catholic Church in East Tennessee. This past year, the Bishop’s Appeal for Ministries reached an incredible milestone. In 2021, more than 6,400 people came together to ha been given with others generously share what they have who need the love of Jesus Christ and His Church. Over $2,900,000 was raised and distributed to ministries – a new record for our growing Church! And while these numbers are a wonderful blessing, the annual Bishop’s Appeal for Ministries cannot be deﬁned by a dollar goal. Rather, it is all about the works of the Church that are made possible because of you!

Thank you!

Honor Roll Top Ten Parishes with Highest Percentage of Participation

Top Ten Parishes with Highest Percentage Over Goal

• • • • • • • • • •

Holy Cross, Pigeon Forge Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy Our Lady of Lourdes, South Piisburg St. Christopher, Jamestown St. Francis of Assisi, Fairﬁeld Glade St. Henry, Rogersville St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville St. Jude, Helenwood St. Mary, Athens St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City

Church of Divine Mercy, Knoxville Sacred Heart Cathedral, Knoxville St. Anthony of Padua, Mountain City St. Christopher, Jamestown St. Francis of Assisi, Townsend St. James the Apostle, Sneedville St. John Neumann, Knoxville St. Michael the Archangel, Erwin St. Teresa of Kolkata, Maynardville St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City

Top Ten Parishes with Highest Percentage of Pledges Paid

Top Ten Parishes with Highest Total Gifts Received

• • • • • • • • • •

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman Christ the King, Tazewell Church of Divine Mercy, Knoxville St. Ann, Lancing St. Bridget, Dayton St. Christopher, Jamestown St. Henry, Rogersville St. John XXIII, Knoxville St. Jude, Helenwood Shepherd of the Valley, Dunlap

All Saints, Knoxville Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa Sacred Heart Cathedral, Knoxville St. Dominic, Kingsport St. Francis of Assisi, Fairﬁeld Glade St. John Neumann, Knoxville St. Jude, Chaaanooga St. Mary, Johnson City St. Mary, Oak Ridge St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City

Thank you for your stewardship!

Scan here to learn more about the Bishop’s Appeal for Ministries

A16 n JUNE 5, 2022

Clergy and Seminarian Formation

Christian Formation

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St. Mary’s Mobile Medical Clinic

Justice and Peace

Youth, Young Adult & Campus Ministries

Catholic Charities

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

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

Parishes with Highest Number of Recurring Donors • • • • • • • • • • • •

All Saints, Knoxville Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Chaaanooga Sacred Heart Cathedral, Knoxville St. Albert the Great, Knoxville St. Dominic, Kingsport St. Francis of Assisi, Fairﬁeld Glade St. John Neumann, Knoxville St. Jude, Chaaanooga St. Mary, Johnson City St. Mary, Oak Ridge St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, His mercy endures forever.” -Psalm 118:1

Most Improved Greatest Percent Growth Over the Last Five Years (BA17-BA21)

Greatest Increase in Average Contribution from BA20 to BA21

• • • • • • • • • •

Holy Family, Seymour Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy Immaculate Conception, Knoxville St. Anthony of Padua, Mountain City St. Francis of Assisi, Fairﬁeld Glade St. Francis of Assisi, Townsend St. Henry, Rogersville St. Joseph, Norris St. Jude, Helenwood St. Therese of Lisieux, Cleveland

Church of Divine Mercy, Knoxville Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy Immaculate Conception, Knoxville St. Anthony of Padua, Mountain City St. Augustine, Signal Mountain St. Catherine Laboure, Copperhill St. Francis of Assisi, Townsend St. John XXIII, Knoxville St. Jude, Chaaanooga St. Mary, Gatlinburg

Greatest Percent Increase Over Previous Year • • • • • • • • • •

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

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Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Chaaanooga Christ the King, Tazewell Holy Ghost, Knoxville Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy Immaculate Conception, Knoxville St. Anthony of Padua, Mountain City St. Mary, Gatlinburg St. Mary, Johnson City St. Stephen, Chaaanooga St. Therese, Clinton

JUNE 5, 2022 n A17

Catholic author includes St. JPII Mission in new book Daniel Markham has traveled the United States to chronicle unique ministries for ‘52 Masses’ By Gabrielle Nolan

Mr. Markham said, noting that the community also looked forward to the church’s dedication by Bishop Richard F. Stika on May 29. “I pray the church will continue to grow and the faith will flourish in Grainger County,” Mr. Markham continued. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time in East Tennessee. It’s always a blessing when I can see firsthand the fruits of the story I’m covering.”

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Mass travel

Book tour Author Daniel Markham, left, gets a tour of the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic on its weekly visit to St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge. Mr. Markham, who is featuring the clinic and mission in his upcoming book, “52 Masses,” was greeted by clinic executive director Martin Vargas, center, and clinic nurse manager Beth Ann Arrigo, right. Also on board the clinic was Alisa LaPolt, second from left, of the Tennessee Charitable Care Network, and Annabelle Cruz-Orengo, second from right, also of TCCN. “It’s so great that God guided him to us and that we’re able to share our ministry with him,” Mr. Vargas said. “What I loved about when he came and saw us is he was moved by the spirit of how we provide the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to those in need in East Tennessee.” Mr. Vargas also noted the uniqueness of the clinic site in Rutledge. “We minister to a lot of the Hispanic families that work in the fields in the area,” he said. “I say

families because the young kid will get seen, the mom will be seen or the dad, and the grandma, grandpa. ... It’s total family medicine, and it was unique that he got to see that aspect of our clinic.” The following Saturday, May 14, Mr. Markham returned to St. John Paul II for the vigil Mass, celebrated by pastor Father Neil Pezzulo, a Glenmary Home Missioner. “To come back to enjoy Mass with the parishioners in the beautiful worship space was also a treat,”

Face to face Author Daniel Markham, right, meets with Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, physician and medical director of the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic on May 12 in Rutledge. Mr. Markham was learning about the mobile clinic and its ministry in East Tennessee for the book he is writing titled “52 Masses.”

BILL BREWER (3)

Dedication continued from page A15 doing other things. We just worked on everything together,” he said. Brother Joe recalled the “team effort” that went into building the church, with help coming from the Glenmary volunteer program on Grainger County’s Joppa Mountain, known as “Toppa Joppa.” “There was a team of us that got together, this was back when Father Steve [Pawelk, GHM] was pastor here, and got it organized and drew up plans,” Brother Joe said. “All different types of folks have been involved in the project, even from our sister parish over in Maynardville, and then we had volunteers from the Glenmary program up at Toppa Joppa, and then we’ve had volunteers come from places like Wisconsin and Iowa to work on the church also and lots of local folks, too. It was really a team effort.” The Glenmary brother said he worked mainly “on the design and general construction and getting materials and those kinds of things.” The new church seats officially just under 150, he said. “Those doors in the back can open if we ever get an overflow crowd. People can be sitting out in the pavilion. You could probably add another 100 back there if we had to,” he said. Brother Joe said he is “always happy to see a church finished.” “But it’s really how the building is used—that’s the most important thing,” he said. “It’s nice to have the building done, but it’s how much it really reaches out to the community, because that’s what the Church is all about.” ■

GABRIELLE NOLAN (2)

ut of all the Catholic churches in the state of Tennessee, writer Daniel Markham chose to visit St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge. One element in particular attracted him to the Diocese of Knoxville: the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic. In his research for Tennessee, Mr. Markham came across the mobile clinic and “knew that was something that would make a good subject” for his upcoming book, 52 Masses. For the past year, Mr. Markham has been traveling around the country to attend Mass in every state, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. “The idea is to write about the many different ways Catholics are experiencing and living out the faith in the United States,” he said. Mr. Markham looked at the various Catholic churches on the clinic’s rotation and “saw they would be in Rutledge on the second Thursday, which fit nicely into my schedule.” The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic continues the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy by providing health care to the poor and rural areas of East Tennessee, where clients are often medically underserved as well as underinsured or uninsured. Mr. Markham said he “was overjoyed to see how neatly the work of the Glenmary Missionaries parallels the work being done by the volunteers from the clinic.” The Glenmary Home Missioners started St. John Paul II in Grainger County in 2011. Mr. Markham met with the staff and volunteers of the clinic on May 12. “The efforts of the volunteers were inspiring,” he said. “They were, across the board, committed to serving the clients from the Rutledge community not just with the utmost professionalism, but while filled with a Catholic spirit that never wavered. It was a privilege to experience their work.” Mr. Markham conducted interviews for his book with medical director Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, nurse manager Beth Ann Arrigo, and executive director Martin Vargas.

Dedicating a church Top left: Father Neil Pezzulo, GHM, pastor of St. John Paul II Catholic Mission, purifies the new church building with incense. Top right: Members of St. John Paul II who are in the music ministry practice before the dedication Mass. Above: St. John Paul II Catholic Mission’s attendance for the dedication Mass was standing room only as Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrated the liturgy. www.di o k no x .o rg

The idea for Mr. Markham’s book, which is over four years in the making, first came to mind in 2016 on an ordinary day. “I just dropped off my youngest son at soccer practice when he was a freshman in high school, and it just kind of came to me,” Mr. Markham recounted. “The whole idea of traveling and writing…that was very sudden.” In the fall of 2018, Mr. Markham began writing to the archbishops and bishops across the country to let them in on his plans after receiving a blessing from his own pastor and bishop in Indiana. “When I started getting phone calls is when I realized OK, this isn’t something that I can do, this is something that I’m supposed to be doing,” he said. Mr. Markham’s first road trip kicked off in June 2021, when he visited St. Patrick in Nashua, N.H. Since then, he has visited more than 40 parishes. One memorable experience occurred in Warsaw, N.D., home of St. Gianna’s Maternity Home. Mr. Markham met young women experiencing crisis pregnancies who can raise their children until the age of 2 in a faith-filled, safe, and loving home. “That was an incredible experience; I knew it was going to be. I spent the whole weekend there,” he said. Mr. Markham didn’t have any expectations when he traveled to a tri-parish area of Idaho County, Idaho, and “was surprised.” “It is overwhelmingly Catholic,” he said, noting that the three parishes serve about 900 individuals. Nearby, there is also St. Gertrude’s Monastery, which houses Benedictine religious sisters. “It was just this so unexpected Book continued on page A19

Convention continued from page A11 strengthen their faith and protect their families through the Knights’ life insurance program. Today, it is one of the largest organizations for lay Catholics in the Church with 1.9 million members around the world. The Supreme Convention will draw Knights from South Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, Poland, Canada, and every state in the United States. “We’re hopeful that our brothers from the Ukraine will be able to make it,” Mr. McCusker said. “It’s putting Nashville on the world stage with so many Catholics coming from around the world,” said Mr. McCusker, who lives in the Memphis suburb of Germantown. Nashville last hosted a Supreme Convention in 2007. This year’s convention is unique for several reasons, according to Mr. McCusker. It will be the first in-person convention since 2019, and it will be the first Supreme Convention for Supreme Deputy Patrick Kelly, who took office in March 2021, succeeding longtime Supreme Deputy Carl A. Anderson. Mr. Anderson led the Knights of Columbus from October 2000 to June 2021. Also, the convention will be held in Middle Tennessee, the home of Michael Schachle, the boy whose cure was declared by Pope Francis to be a miracle due to the intercession of Knights’ founder Father McGivney. The miracle cleared the way for the beatification of Blessed McGivney. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Book continued from page A18 Catholic oasis in Idaho, and the people were wonderful,” he continued. “I didn’t want to leave.” A professional writer for 30 years, Mr. Markham takes advantage of writing his book while completing duties for his day job. “I work for a trade magazine, so I write about metal distribution,” he explained. “I write about steel and aluminum; that’s my field. I’m still doing that while I’m on the road, where fortunately my job is mostly just staying at home and making phone calls.” When traveling for a work conference or meeting with an advertiser, he’ll attend Mass at the specific parish he’s chosen for that state. “I’ve tried to do that as much as possible, combine work-related travel with my trips,” he said. “It would have been really difficult with a different kind of job to do this, and it also would have been really difficult if I wasn’t located in the Midwest, where it’s a decent distance to a lot of places.”

A supportive family

When Mr. Markham first shared his idea with family and friends, the responses were a mixed bag. “I think there was both, ‘there’s no way you can do that, there’s no way you can pull that off,’ as well as ‘that’s a really great idea,’” Mr. Markham said. “I think when I would talk to people and when they understood what I was trying to do, then they would get excited and then they would provide ideas, which was great.” While on the road, Mr. Markham is away from his wife, Kemberly. Together, they have three adult children who live across the country. After living in Indiana for 30 years, the couple moved to Illinois in 2020 and currently attend St. Gerald Parish in Oak Lawn. “My wife has been incredibly supportive,” he said. “I’m gone most every weekend. … It’s been incredible on her part that she was perfectly fine with me going.” “Now the time that I left with her keys in my pocket, [she was] not as happy about that,” Mr. Markham continued. “I mailed them as soon as I got to Iowa City, eight days later I got home… It was three days after I got home, the keys got home.” Mr. Markham has had a few opportunities to see his children during his travels, too. TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

COURTESY OF LISA MORRIS

Faithful travelers Father Mike Nolan, pastor of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland, kneeling second from left, and Lisa Morris, who organizes pilgrimages in the Diocese of Knoxville, kneeling to the right of Father Nolan, lead a pilgrimage to Rome and St. Peter’s Square. cause she doesn’t want to see pilgrims miss the chance to see the Christian spectacle due to the pandemic. "Only two times has it been suspended: World War I and World War II. It has been going on since the 1600s. And it only happens once every 10 years." “We have been able to wait until this year. It will be an amazing experience because of what the world has gone through,” Mrs. Morris continued. “Isn't it interesting that the plague is what led to this play and another type of plague has suspended it?” Mrs. Morris believes that only through God's graces is religious travel resuming. And she is

thankful to the Holy Spirit for this blessing. “What we’ve all been through we can’t take for granted God’s graces. Being able to travel again made me aware of the blessing it is to be able to visit these holy and sacred sites,” she said. And it was through faith and prayer that the tour operator she represents was able to continue in business during the international COVID shutdown, Mrs. Morris said. “The company was able to keep up with its clients, and Edita [Krunic, Select International president] persevered in spite of all odds, praying it would get better and trusting in God.” Mrs. Morris said “my heart broke” hearing shutdown stories about the places Select International visits and the many on-site tour guides who assist the pilgrimages. “This was their livelihood, so many guides, bus drivers, hotels, and hotel staff. This is what they’ve done for a lifetime,” she said, lamenting that some were not able to commercially survive the shutdown. But for the ones who have been able to continue, "dedication and perseverance of people like this show it's so much more than a job. It's a passion to bring God so close to the faithful. It's who they are." Mrs. Morris is seeing that in Europe and the Holy Land, travel restrictions are easing. "I'm very confident and hopeful that we're only moving foward and things, by the grace of God, are getting back to a sense of normalcy. Restrictions in Europe and worldwide are easing. These countries want pilgrims back, especially the Holy Land and Italy." Danielle Guttila, a travel consultant with Catholic tour operator 206 Tours Inc. in Brentwood, Tenn., said 206 Tours is able to keep up with the pent-up demand now and is seeing more people sign up for pilgrimages. “Pilgrims have been eagerly awaiting these last two years, transferring to future dates for the same tour, to make the pilgrimage they have been waiting their entire life to go on,” Ms. Guttila said. “As countries reopen, we see more and more pilgrimages being operated.” ■

COURTESY OF FATHER NEIL PEZZULO, GHM

Pilgrimages continued from page A9 being organized, pointing out that during the pandemic Select International’s phones nearly fell silent, but now they are again ringing. On that spectrum is a long-awaited pilgrimage to Oberammergau, Germany, where once every decade the townspeople put on the Passion Play. Oberammergau residents have been staging the Passion Play since 1634, when they promised to perform the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus every 10th year as they prayed to God for relief from the black plague. The 42nd Oberammergau Passion Play is being performed daily from May 14 through Oct. 2, when it will go dormant for another 10 years. The play was to have been held in 2020 and was postponed for two years. Emily Booker, a Sacred Heart Cathedral parishioner, is one of several Diocese of Knoxville pilgrims going to Oberammergau this summer with Mrs. Morris. And like other pilgrims looking forward to their bucket-list trip to Germany, Emily and her mother have endured the twoyear postponement due to COVID. “The village of Oberammergau began performing its Passion Play in response to an outbreak of plague in the 1630s, so it was really ironic that the play had to be postponed due to a pandemic. But it also made me reflect more on what the village must have been going through back then that led to the tradition of the play,” Ms. Booker said. “Even though we had to wait two years, I’m so glad that the play is resuming and we’re still able to go on this pilgrimage. I’m excited to pray and explore the faith in the countries of some of my ancestors, Germany and Switzerland. I think it will be a rewarding experience and worth the wait.” Flemington, N.J.-based Select International specializes in pilgrimage tours and cruises as do other tour operators that work with Diocese of Knoxville groups. Mrs. Morris looks forward to leading the Oberammergau pilgrimage because it’s such a unique, faith-based destination and also be-

Breaking bread Author Daniel Markham, left, and Father Neil Pezzulo, GHM, pastor of St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge, get together at a local restaurant to discuss the mission church for Mr. Markham’s book, “52 Masses.” “My son has been with me a couple times; he was in Utah and Oregon, and then my daughter will be with me in Maine when I go to visit her in Vermont,” Mr. Markham said. The whole family traveled to New Orleans for Christmas last year, where they attended a Jazz Mass in the French Quarter. Later this summer, the family will meet up again, but this time in one of the three locations that Mr. Markham must fly to. “My family’s going to meet me in Hawaii because it’s hard to justify going to Hawaii just to go to Mass,” he quipped. Mr. Markham noted that they will attend a Hawaiian Mass in Honolulu, and he will write about a growing young adult ministry that encompasses multiple parishes on the island. His last Mass of the yearlong journey will be at the parish where “the whole thing started,” Nativity of Our Savior in Portage, Ind. “The idea was I would come home, and then the last chapter (of the book) is more reflective…a reflection of the trip and its effect on me.”

‘I’ve changed’

Mr. Markham, a lifelong practicing Catholic, is involved in his parish as a eucharistic minister and as a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the Knights of Columbus. He describes himself as “truly a lay Catholic” whose faith is “very

much growing.” “My involvement in St. Vincent de Paul has probably been the biggest transformation in my faith life, I would say. … Praying with the people that we work with,” Mr. Markham said. As one might imagine, journeying around the country specifically to attend Masses has only fueled Mr. Markham’s faith life. “I feel different. I feel closer to Christ,” he shared. “I feel just more at peace. I feel more excited about Mass, about everything.” “This has accelerated my faith, the growth in my faith life, tremendously,” he continued. “I’ve been so blessed to not just experience all these wonderful things. … I’ve gotten this well-rounded education in so many facets, whether it’s about art or music or just the history of the faith and just perspectives that I had never considered.” Sometimes Mr. Markham will attend multiple Masses in one weekend, allowing him to hear God’s Word on a deeper level. “It was the very first weekend and I went to like three Masses,” he explained. “It was three different priests delivering the homily, all of which were on the same subject on the Gospel reading, but all of which came from a very different perspective and view of taking something different out of it.” Mr. Markham noted how most Catholics hear the same priest give the homily every weekend and usually only hear the readings one

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time. “So, to get these three vastly different perspectives, all of which were grounded in Catholic teaching, I never really contemplated the depth of and the breadth of what all is in each reading,” he said. “The other thing is, it seemed throughout how often that the Gospel reading or the homily was directed at me,” he continued. “After a while you realize, no, I was just more open to that message. … This message really relates to me in a way that maybe I didn’t really embrace before. … And I don’t think the message is changing; I’ve changed, that I’ve been more open to the Word.” Mr. Markham admits that in the beginning, he thought this adventure came from him. “When I was naïve, I thought it was my idea,” he said. “And then as time went on, initially when I first started talking to people, I realized that this is what I’ve been asked to do, that I feel like this is what I’ve been called to do. And I’ve never had that feeling before, but it became very clear to me, this is what is asked of me.” “I realized that I’m kind of just being directed, that the Holy Spirit is pointing me—you need to go here and talk to this person, or you need to go to this parish,” he continued. “I just feel like I was blessed with this idea. I don’t know why I was chosen. I’m very grateful that I was because it’s been an experience. I mean, I knew it was going to be great, and it’s vastly exceeded everything I expected.” The book will be published by Peregrino Press, a media publishing company based in Wisconsin. Each chapter of the book will reflect Mr. Markham’s experiences of his visits, resulting in 52 individual anecdotes, rather than one long narrative. While an exact date is unknown, Mr. Markham hopes the book will be published by the end of this year. “The thing that’s great is, if someone wanted to do it, do the same thing I did, [they] could just go to 52 different Catholic churches and have just as many amazing stories because every parish has a story,” Mr. Markham said. “It’s everywhere in our Church. I didn’t pick the only 52 churches or stories that are inspiring.” To learn more about Mr. Markham’s journey and book, visit 52masses.com. ■ JUNE 5, 2022 n A19

Bishops lament that Nigerians not safe anywhere after church attack

Synod continued from page A1 Feedback from the Diocese of Knoxville will be used to help the bishops conference formulate its own report, which eventually will find its way to Rome for the Synod of Bishops to take place in 2023. The survey, completed by 4,693 people, and listening sessions held at parishes, schools, and ministries across the diocese, addressed several issues facing the Church and allowed respondents to add thoughts on other topics they deemed important. Among other things, the diocesan report covered the following topics: n Journeying together: More than 75 percent of the respondents feel that their parish/school/organization works well journeying together (synodality) and offers activities and ways to feel welcomed and involved in their community of faith. Over 85 percent feel their parish/school/ organization attracts and welcomes newcomers. Many of the respondents feel their local church leaves certain groups on the margins. Specifically, 39 percent feel the LGBTQ+ community is not well served, while 29 percent feel the Church could do a better job serving the homeless. n Living the faith: 81 percent of the respondents say they attend Mass every Sunday, while 16 percent attend Mass one to three times a month; 2 percent never attend Mass and 1 percent only attend on Christmas and Easter; 15 percent attend Mass daily; 94 percent believe in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, with 2 percent not believing and 4 percent saying they are unsure; 84 percent of the respondents feel the Eucharist is the source and summit of their Catholic life while 8 percent disagree, and 8 percent are unsure. n Immigration: The belief that one of the Church’s missions is to receive and welcome with love and respect people from outside the United States was shared by 86 percent of the participants, with 6 percent disagreeing and 8 percent not sure. Among the reasons given for immigrants being allowed to come to the United States, 76 percent feel they should only be allowed to enter/ remain if they comply with the laws of the United States, 65 percent if they are fleeing war/persecution/national disasters, 62 percent for work, 61 percent for study, and 57 percent for reunification of family. Sixty-five percent of the respondents feel unaccompanied minors, children who have grown up in the United States, and people arriving because of human trafficking should be allowed to remain in the country and pursue a pathway to citizenship, while 16 percent disagree, and 19 percent are unsure. n Celibacy and ordination: The issue of clergy came up routinely in the parish listening sessions and was A20 n JUNE 5, 2022

Prayers for healing and safety Adetunji Henry, 15, one of the victims of the attack by gunmen during Pentecost Mass at St. Francis Xavier Church, receives treatment at the Federal Medical Centre in Owo, Nigeria, on June 6. Reports said at least 50 people were killed in the attack. “Nowhere seems to be safe again in our country; not even the sacred precincts of a church,” said Archbishop Ugorji, who is preparing to be installed as the leader of the Archdiocese of Owerri June 22. “We condemn in the strongest terms the spilling of innocent blood in the house of God. The criminals responsible for such a sacrilegious and barbaric act dem-

onstrate their lack of the sense of the sacred and the fear of the God,” he said. The archbishop called on the government to quickly find the gunmen, saying that if they were not taken into custody and prosecuted, he feared the country would descend into anarchy. “The world is watching us. Above all, God is also watching

THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC ARCHIVE PHOTO

ondemning the actions of gunmen who attacked a Catholic Church as parishioners gathered for Mass on the feast of Pentecost, Nigeria’s Catholic bishops lamented that nowhere is safe in the country after the incident left dozens of people dead. Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, president of the Nigerian Catholic bishops’ conference, released a statement from the bishops June 6, saying he was shocked and dismayed to learn of the attack a day earlier at St. Francis Xavier Church in Owo, a town in Ondo state in the southwestern part of the country. Witnesses said unidentified gunmen began shooting at people during Mass and outside the church. The gunmen escaped and remained at large June 6. Nigeria has experienced an increase in violence in recent months. A doctor said at least 50 people had died and were taken to two hospitals, the Reuters news agency reported. The dead included children, witnesses said.

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/TEMILADE ADELAJA, REUTERS

By Peter Ajayi Dada Catholic News Service

Supporting those in need Diocese of Knoxville parishioners volunteer for the Bridge Ministry, which provides meals and personal-care items for Knoxville’s homeless community. a component of the online surveys. Fifty-five percent of participants feel that in certain circumstances or in certain parts of the world where celibate men are in short supply and access to Mass is extremely limited the ordination of married men should be considered. Twenty-eight percent of the respondents disagree, and 18 percent are unsure. Forty-nine percent of the respondents are in favor of women being ordained permanent deacons, while 37 percent disagree, and 14 percent are unsure. Additionally, although not in a clerical perspective, 92 percent of the respondents believe the role of women in the life and mission of the Church is necessary and irreplaceable. n Same-sex attractions: An overwhelming majority of the respondents, 90 percent, feel that men and women with homosexual tendencies should be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity and that every sign of unjust discrimination against them should be avoided. Ten percent disagree or are unsure. Fifty-six percent of the respondents feel homosexual acts are acts of grave depravity, intrinsically disordered, and are contrary to natural law, with 34 percent disagreeing and 10 percent unsure. n Sacredness of human life: An overwhelming majority, 88 percent of the respondents, feel that human life must be respected and protected from the moment of conception and must be recognized as having the rights of a person. Five percent disagree and 6 percent are unsure. The same 88 percent feel that the embryo is a person and must be defended in its integrity and tended and cared for in the same way as any other human being. Five percent disagree and 7 percent are unsure. n Non-Catholic results: A total of 256 people completed the non-Catholic survey. Sixty-five percent feel the Catholic Church welcomes non-

Catholics to attend Mass and to get involved in their community of faith. The response of non-Catholics reflected views not always consistent with Catholic teaching. Only 8 percent of non-Catholics feel that Catholic married couples should not use contraception. Eighty-four percent of non-Catholic respondents disagree with Catholic teaching on the use of contraception and 8 percent are unsure. Seventy-seven percent of non-Catholic respondents feel that in vitro fertilization should be allowed for Catholic couples who experience infertility. n Homeless results: A total of 27 people completed the homeless survey of which 52 percent feel the Catholic Church welcomes the homeless to attend Mass as they are, while 30 percent said “sometimes,” and 19 percent said the Church is not welcoming. Thirty-seven percent of the homeless respondents feel comfortable asking the Catholic Church for help. Unfortunately, 44 percent said they do not feel comfortable, and 19 percent are unsure. Only 23 percent of the homeless respondents feel that the Catholic Church is actively involved in helping people who are experiencing homelessness. Thirtyfive percent indicate that the Church helps them “sometimes,” and 42 percent feel the Church never helps them. n Abuse scandal: Among its final conclusions, the report to the USCCB indicated that many parishioners in the Diocese of Knoxville feel broken and scandalized by the way the Church has handled clergy abuse— “both sexually and through the abuse of power.” The diocesan report concluded that a forceful statement from the Church needs to state that “scandals within the Church will no longer be tolerated and will be dealt with swiftly. Clericalism in its negative connotations should be a thing of the past,”

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us,” he added. Ondo governor Rotimi Akeredolu hours after the attack said his administration will do everything possible to find the perpetrators and prosecute them. Saying through a spokesman that he was saddened by the unprovoked attack, Akeredolu said he spoke with Bishop Jude Arogundade of Ondo, who was traveling to Owo. “The vile and satanic attack is a calculated assault on the peaceloving people of Owo kingdom who have enjoyed relative peace over the years, ” the spokesman quoted the governor as saying. “It is a black Sunday in Owo. Our hearts are heavy. Our peace and tranquility have been attacked by the enemies of the people. This is a personal loss, an attack on our dear state.” Bishop Arogundade appealed for calm in the wake of the violence. In a June 5 statement, the bishop acknowledged that the parish community was devastated by the violence and asked for prayers for peace in Nigeria and for normalcy to return to Owo and Ondo state. “At this point in the history of Nigeria continued on page A23

the diocesan report said. n Additional conclusions: “We need to recognize the heroic contributions of the laity, both men and women, as well as our priests,” the report said. “We found that many did not understand and disagreed with the moral teachings of the Church, such as those relating to marriage, contraception, in vitro fertilization, and acceptance of people with different sexual orientation. “There was a sentiment that the Church should be less judgmental and more pastoral to the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, there was a significant number of respondents who felt the annulment process was too lengthy and difficult.” The report also addressed the current social and political climate in the country and how it is impacting the faithful. “We found an equal division of opinion that the Church was involved in politically motivated issues too much or too little,” the report said. Examples cited include COVID policies, policies regarding border security and the treatment of migrants, and Holy Communion for prominent political figures who support abortion. The report’s conclusion also touched on awareness of Church teaching and catechesis. “From our surveys and listening sessions, it was clear there was a poor understanding of the Church’s moral teachings and disciplines,” the report said. “We found a general lack of knowledge and understanding concerning the teachings of the Church in many areas, especially those related to the Eucharist and Catholic social teachings. “There is an ongoing and growing need for catechesis for adults as well as children on both the diocesan and local parish levels. In the opinion of some, general improvement of Catholic education for children was the suggested answer to this lack of education. The survey and listening sessions tell us that adult faith formation is as much needed as catechesis of youth,” the report added. “While the survey and listening sessions may have shown areas in which we do not understand, agree with, or support the teaching of the Church, like the journeying disciples on the road to Emmaus, we recognize Christ among us and have as our biggest takeaway a renewed desire to work together to solve those problems that were presented and to continue the synodal process of always maintaining a spirit of communion, participation, and mission! “May what the Holy Spirit intended in placing the Synod 2021-23 in Pope Francis’ heart be done as it was in the womb and heart of our Blessed Mother Mary when the angel spoke to her,” the report continued. The full report can be found online at dioknox.org. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

‘A woman of great faith’

Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrated the Mass for consecration. Father Ray Powell, Miss Radachy’s spiritual director, concelebrated. “Today, we celebrate a very beautiful moment in the life of the diocese and the life of the Church universal, for a member of this diocese, Julie Ann Radachy, will make a commitment to the consecration of a life of virginity,” Bishop Stika said. “She comes from God’s holy people, from your own family. She is a daughter. She is your sister. And she is joined by the ties of family and friendship. God has called her to be more closely united to Himself and to be dedicated to the service of the Church and of the world. Her consecration is a call to greater fervor and spreading the kingdom of God and in giving to the world the spirit of Christ. Think of all the good that will accomplish in her prayers, in good works, and in the abundant blessings that she will obtain from God for all of us, the Church.” During the homily, Bishop Stika talked about the grace of the vocation of consecrated virginity and how it reflects the state of the Church and the kingdom of God. “Our Lord Himself taught us the high calling of such a life consecrated to God and chosen for the kingdom of heaven,” he said. “By His whole life and especially by His labors, the teaching of Jesus, and above all by His paschal mystery, He brought His Church into being. He desired it to be a virgin, bride, and mother: a virgin to keep the faith whole and entire, a bride to be one with Him forever, and a mother to raise up the family of the Church.” Bishop Stika pointed out that people are called to serve in the Church in all sorts of ways, through different vocations. Each is important and integral to the community of faith. “All of us are called to certain principles: charity, chastity, forgiveness, mercy, kindness. We’re all called to those things. And we’re called to those things in a particular way of life,” he said. “Now some people do it all their life as a single person. They’re committed to just being a single person; that’s their call. Others do it as a celibate, like myself. We’re called to that for the sake of the kingdom of God. Other people are called to the beautiful state of marriage, where two become one. …Some people live life in a religious community, like the Sisters of Mercy of Alma or the Dominican Sisters or other religious communities. They live in community. They share in community. Here in the diocese, we also have a hermitess. “You see, the Church has all these beautiful stones in the crown of salvation that glisten and proclaim that witness. And now my sister here is making that commitment. …She’s a woman of great faith called by the Eucharist to make a proclamation for all of you, to pray for you. She will pray the Liturgy of the Hours; she will pray before the Blessed Sacrament. She consecrates her life for the Church, to pray for all the needs of the Church, needs that are known by you and needs that are only known by God. And she makes this profession freely, to be in a life of grace. “She will pray for those in the single state or in the celibate state or in the married state, sometimes in the confusion state as well. She makes this commitment because God has called her to this moment. Let TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

EMILY BOOKER (3)

Consecrated continued from page A3

Church through the bishop, who confers the consecration, whereas Secular Carmelites are not. Miss Radachy noted that while some consecrated virgins are also members of third orders religious, she knew that for her, she had to make a choice. “For me, I had to make a decision. I kept thinking about it, and the more I kept thinking about it, praying about it, talking to people who are way wiser than I am and way more objective, I realized Secular Carmelites was always my will, and consecrated virginity was God’s will. So, having the choice between the two, I definitely want to live in God’s will for my life.”

One with Christ Above, Julie Radachy clutches her copy of the Liturgy of the Hours as she exits the sanctuary of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus with Sister Anunziata Grace (light habit) and Sister Maria Juan Anderson, RSM (dark habit). Below, Julie Radachy lays prostrate as the Litany of the Saints is sung during her consecration to a life of virginity. us rejoice in that, especially on this weekend in which we celebrate ‘Jesu, confideo in te,’ ‘Jesus, I trust in you,’ the weekend of mercy. Always trust in Jesus, and He will take you to the place where He wants you to be.” Then the bishop addressed Miss Radachy directly. “Today, through my ministry as bishop, [the Holy Spirit] anoints you with a great new grace and consecrates you to God by a new title. He gives you the dignity of being a bride of Christ and binds you to the Son of God in a covenant to last forever. “I pray that you make your whole life reflect your vocation and your dignity. Our holy mother, the Church, sees in you a chosen company within the flock of Christ. Through you the Church’s motherhood of grace bears its abundant fruit. “You have renounced marriage for the sake of Christ. Your motherhood will be a motherhood of the Spirit as you do the will of your Father and work with others in the spirit of charity so that a great family of children may be born or reborn to the life of grace. Your joy and your crown, even here on earth, will be Christ, the Son of the virgin Mary and the Bridegroom of virgins. He will call you to His presence and into His kingdom, where you will sing a new song as you follow the Lamb of God wherever He leads you.” Following the homily, Miss Radachy entered the sanctuary with her attendants, Sister Anunziata Grace, the hermitess in the diocese, and Sister Maria Juan Anderson, RSM. Miss Radachy later pointed out how the three women lived out different vocations but bonded over their shared desire to live lives pointing toward the kingdom of heaven. Unlike those joining religious orders, consecrated virgins do not take vows. Rather, they make a propositum (promise) to live in a state of chastity for the rest of their lives. They then receive consecration from the bishop. As part of the consecration ceremony, Bishop Stika asked Miss Radachy a series of questions: “Are you resolved to persevere to the end of days in the holy state of virginity and in the service of God and his Church? “Are you so resolved to follow Christ in the spirit of the Gospel that your whole life may be a faithful witness to God’s love and a convincing sign of the kingdom of heaven?

“Are you resolved to accept solemn consecration as a bride of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God?” After each question, Miss Radachy responded, “I am.” Miss Radachy then prostrated herself before the altar as the Litany of the Saints was sung. Following the Litany of the Saints, Miss Radachy knelt before Bishop Stika and made her statement of intention: “Father, receive my resolution to follow Christ in a life of perfect chastity, which, with God’s help, I here profess before you and God’s holy people.” Then Bishop Stika extended his hands over her and recited the prayer of consecration. Upon receiving consecration, Miss Radachy was then presented with a veil and a ring. “Receive the veil and ring that are the insignia of your consecration. Keep unstained your fidelity to your Bridegroom, and never forget that you are bound to the service of Christ and of His body, the Church,” the bishop said. The ring was Miss Radachy’s late mother’s wedding ring. The bishop also presented her with a book of the Liturgy of the Hours, which she will now pray every day. “Receive the book of the Liturgy of the Hours, the prayer of the Church. May the praise of our heavenly Father be always on your lips. Pray without ceasing for the salvation of the whole world,” he said. Following Mass, a reception was held in the cathedral hall.

‘There’s so much joy’

So, what does the life of a conse-

A prayer of consecration Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrates a Mass of consecration for Julie Radachy. Assisting Bishop Stika are Deacon Fredy Vargas and altar server Scott Barron. Attending to Miss Radachy are Sister Maria Juan Anderson, RSM, and Sister Anunziata Grace. www.di o k no x .o rg

crated virgin look like? To the outsider looking in, Miss Radachy’s life may not look that different. But to her, there has been a change. “I’m still very much living in the world. I still have the same jobs and people that I’m working with. Yet, it’s all very different, because there’s this new purpose to my life. I really am pointing to the kingdom of God with everything that I do and every interaction that I have with people now. I’m always thinking about how I can bring God to people—not like hit them over the head with it, but just in the way that I conduct myself.” Every consecrated virgin lives out her vocation a bit differently. Her career, community, and charisms shape how her vocation looks. Miss Radachy continues to find value in the Carmelite tradition. “That’s one of the neat things about consecrated virginity, too, that there are different charisms that you can have. It’s very easy for me to bring that Carmelite spirituality into my life,” she said. She also attends daily Mass and regular adoration and prays the Liturgy of the Hours. “The Eucharist of course is the source and summit for all Catholics, but for consecrated virgins it’s also the center of our lives,” she noted. To help her live out her promise to serve the Church, she developed a rule of life, with the help of Mother Timothea Elliot, RSM, and Father Powell. The rule guides her and is rooted in the four pillars of consecrated virginity: prayer, penance, apostolic ministry, and works of mercy. She has chosen to specifically pray for people who are physically or spiritually at risk. “That includes priests and seminarians, souls in purgatory, conversion of sinners and salvation of souls, and also for the unborn and their mothers,” she explained. “Those are just kinds of things I’ve always prayed for. It’s kind of natural that it works into my life that way.” She also is very involved in her parish, reading at Mass or arranging altar flowers. “What I try to do with all these different things that I do is follow St. Paul’s advice about praying unceasingly. When I’m doing flowers, for example, if there’s a wedding coming up, I’ll pray for the couple getting married, that they’ll have a successful marriage. Things like that. I try to make everything I do a prayer to God.” For someone who has promised her virginity to God and the Church, the church family becomes even more important. “I’ve always been more drawn to the parish family,” Miss Radachy said. “I’ve just always seen them as my family, even from being a kid. I just always felt that family environment in the parish, even now. It’s like it is my family. It is my family.” But it’s more than just the tight bonds of a parish community. As a consecrated virgin and a bride of Christ, Miss Radachy also has assumed the role of spiritual mother. And she finds that this form of motherhood is what best suits her. “The vocation itself, we are all spiritual mothers to the Church,” she said. “You know, I’ve been a teacher for many years, too, so I always call my students my kids. So, in many ways with this vocation, it’s kind of like that. I have the ability to be the spiritual mother for the Church. Not to decrease marriage and the family because that, too, is super important— but I have that fulfillment in being a spiritual mother for the Church.” As Bishop Stika noted, the Church has different, beautiful stones in the crown of salvation. Every vocation makes the Church stronger and shine brighter. Miss Radachy is a shining example of a life led in joyful response to God’s call. “It took me awhile to actually be able to discover my vocation, but once I did there’s just so much joy in it,” she said. “To be consecrated and be at the service of the Church, there’s so much joy, so much fulfillment like I’ve never really felt before. It’s wonderful.” ■ JUNE 5, 2022 n A21

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Salt Lake City, Utah

Allison DiGennaro, assistant director of stewardship and strategic planning, visited Utah with her family during summer 2019. “We had a wonderful vacation week of visiting family and exploring the area—from the Great Salt Lake to the Wasatch Mountains in Park City. We were able to see so many beautiful sites while we were in town,” Mrs. DiGennaro said. While in Salt Lake City, the DiGennaro family visited the Cathedral of the Madeleine, located in the heart of downtown. “Before we go on a vacation, we look online for local Catholic churches to visit in the area so that we know when and where a local Mass is being held,” Mrs. DiGennaro said. Built in the early 1900s, the Cathedral of the Madeleine is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “It is a place of historical significance for the Catholic faith in the United States as well as a place of beauty that draws us more deeply into a Rage continued from page A3

people killed by wars and genocide throughout the world is estimated to be as high as 258 million—more than 2 million a year. It’s hard to fathom such a horrific scale of death. But in just the past 50 years, the genocide of abortion has claimed an estimated 2 billion to 2.5 billion unborn children in the world—an estimated 40 million to 50 million innocent lives each year! The ancient serpent. The image of such murderous horror is captured in St. John’s vision of the “huge red dragon” that wages a relentless war against the “children” of the “woman,” which is the Church, the image of Mary (Revelation 12:1-18). It is that most ancient enmity between the serpent and the “woman and her offspring” since the fall in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15). For good reason, then, does St. Peter warn us: “Stay sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith” (1 Peter 5:8). A liar and plagiarist. There is something else behind the spilling of so much blood though. Because Satan is a “liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44), his pride and envy is such that he mimics and perverts everything of God with “infernal counterfeits of eternal truths.” Early Christian writer Tertullian stated “Satan imitates the sacraments of God,” and most especially that of the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Satan’s blood lust. The highest form of worship, as it is of love, is A22 n JUNE 5, 2022

COURTESY OF BETH PARSONS

Brittany García, director of youth, young adult, and pastoral juvenil ministry, went on a road trip with her family to Colorado in August 2020. In addition to their visiting state and national parks, the Garcías stopped by the Mother Cabrini Shrine located outside of Denver. “It wasn’t originally in our plans to visit there, but some FOCUS missionary friends we met up with while in Denver let us know that it was a worthwhile stop,” Mrs. García said. Mother Cabrini, or St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, was an Italian religious Sister who came to the United States as a missionary to help the poor, sick, and immigrants. “We discovered that St. Frances Cabrini is the patroness of immigrants, which really impacted us personally as we have so many family and friends who are recent immigrants to this country,” Mrs. García said. “We were able to ask for her intercession on behalf of all immigrants in such a beautiful and sacred space dedicated to honoring her life.” The expansive property contains a famous spring, a grotto, a rosary garden, a stairway with the Stations of the Cross, a 22-foot statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a chapel, and a stone house that once served as an orphanage for girls. “The shrine really is an unforgettable place on top of a mountain with nature all around,” Mrs. García said. “I recall it being so peaceful and prayer was so easy to enter into.” Mrs. García noted that while on vacation her family enjoys “learning the different ways the Catholic faith is displayed in the local culture and learning about the active ministries in each community.” Her family often will pray a rosary or Divine Mercy chaplet during their long drives. “It is important to us that God remain the center of our lives, even while on vacation and outside the normal routine,” she said. “We figure it is right and just to thank Him for the gift of being able to get to go on a vacation, as well as for the beauty of His creation we so admire.”

COURTESY OF DEACON SEAN SMITH

Golden, Colorado

Spiritual getaway The Parsons family visits the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, N.M.

Spring break Masses The Smith family visits St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.

relationship with Jesus Christ,” she said. “Taking time to pray in the cathedral was a beautiful experience,” she continued. “We were amazed by the architecture as well as the many breathtaking stained-glass windows, which tell the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Our Savior, Jesus Christ.” Mrs. DiGennaro noted that U.S. Catholic parishes are “centers for evangelization.” “They offer the hope of Jesus Christ through the sacraments and are often the first place that a person may come to know Him,” she said. “It is important to our family that we support and celebrate the missionary work of Catholic parishes, both in our diocese and while we travel. We are so very blessed to be able to participate in our faith no matter where we may travel while we are away from home.”

Smith family also visited several other churches during their time in New York City: a small parish on the New Jersey side of the Washington Bridge, a Franciscan church in Manhattan, and even a Ukrainian Orthodox cathedral. “There was this beautiful, beautiful church and all these flags and flowers and candles… it was the Ukrainian church,” Deacon Smith said. “We were able to pray for peace. That was complete luck! We had no idea that the church even existed, but we were walking and there it was. It was very meaningful for all of us just because of the timing (with the ongoing war).” Deacon Smith is adamant about going to Mass while on vacation. “I don’t care what it is, everybody can go to Mass,” Deacon Smith said. “People say, ‘Oh well.’” If you’re on a cruise line, then pick a cruise line that has a priest and a Mass on it. That’s how we’ve done it. It’s just what you prioritize, and there’s always something to see—always—that impacts you.” “The key for us is, everywhere there’s something that you can go see. Churches or shrines, there’s always something you can do. I just like having Mass at different places,” he added. For families traveling this summer, here are some suggestions for a spiritual packing list: n Holy water: Bless yourself and your family members before you travel, asking for God’s protection. Sprinkle some holy water on the car, cruise ship, plane, or train. n Bible: God’s Word is always available to us, no matter the situation or location. Reading the Bible while on vacation can remind families to not take a break from prayer just because they’re away from home. n Rosary: Sitting in the car for five hours on a road trip? It’s the perfect time to pray the mysteries of the rosary! You can also use your rosary to pray a Divine Mercy Chaplet. n List of local parishes: Ahead of time, look up the closest Catholic churches to your destination and write down the weekend Mass times. Even while on vacation, Catholics are obliged to attend Sunday Mass. Happy, safe, and blessed travels this summer! ■

New York City

Deacon Sean Smith, Diocese of Knoxville chancellor and chief operating officer, visited New York City with his family this past March. “My son was running in a national championship meet in New York City,” Deacon Smith said. “It just so happened that the following week was spring break, and so we decided instead of going somewhere on the beach, we would just stay in New York.” Deacon Smith shared that they visited the “typical New York things,” such as the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. However, Deacon Smith also is a longtime friend of Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan and was invited to visit the cardinal’s residence at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on St. Patrick’s Day morning. “To be able to be in St. Patrick’s Cathedral for the beautiful Mass…to hear the music, it was just beautiful,” Deacon Smith said. “And it’s the first time my son has ever been.” After the Mass ended, Deacon Smith, his wife, Melissa, and son Keegan got to witness something that most people only see on television. “I got to stand on the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and watch the St. Patrick’s Day parade, which is a famous parade. That was a highlight of that trip by far,” he said. In addition to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the

sacrifice: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). For Catholics, the highest form of worship we can offer God is that of the holy sacrifice of the Mass— Christ’s sacrifice and the shedding of His most innocent blood upon Calvary that our great High Priest eternally offers to the Father with the Holy Spirit in the heavenly liturgy of which our Mass is a participation. But Satan, in his murderous pride and perverted mimicry, demands no less than the innocent blood of victims in worship of him. And the blood that comes closest to the innocence of the Lamb of God is the innocent blood of the unborn. Even the words of Christ instituting the Eucharist at the Last Supper—“This is my body given up for you”—are twisted and perverted by the mantra of abortion supporters—“It’s my body, I’ll do what I want.” Indeed, it is the same “furious rage” of Herod in ordering the slaughter of the holy innocents after the birth of Christ (Matthew 2:16). Sin and forgiveness. Satan also twists the words that Christ pronounces in the voice of His priest in the sacrament of reconciliation: “I absolve you from all your sins….” Instead, Satan whispers to us, “There is no sin—there’s nothing to forgive.” But as Archbishop Sheen reminds us, “Sin is serious, but it is more serious to deny sin.” For when we reject what the Church teaches us about sin and deny the sinfulness of something, we make forgiveness

for that sin impossible because we prevent the healing antitoxin of Christ’s blood from being applied— we let the poison of sin in us remain untreated. Attack upon marriage and family. Three years before her death in 2005, the surviving Fatima visionary, Sister Lucia, wrote that “The final battle between the Lord and the kingdom of Satan will be about marriage and the family.” Marriage is considered the “first sacrament” because it was first instituted by God in the Garden of Eden. Satan has obviously been working very hard to pervert this beautiful sacrament and confuse the very meaning of the covenant of love between a man and woman, to say nothing of the attacks upon motherhood and fatherhood, and the confusion he has sown regarding “sexual identity.” A hard battle. What is particularly important to understand, though, is that we are all engaged in spiritual warfare. The word “battle” is used 37 times in the Catechism of the Catholic Church to describe what the Second Vatican Council calls the “dramatic struggle between good and evil, between light and darkness,” of “dour combat with the power of evil,” all of which makes our life “a hard battle.” It is a struggle none of us can evade. But because the cross is Christ’s victory over sin and death and the sign of Satan’s great defeat, it is our greatest weapon and armor of defense against the “wickedness and snares” of the devil. And when

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we sign ourselves and pray that most basic and yet important prayer, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” we are saying to God, “I want to serve,” and to do everything under the banner of Christ’s cross. When we do so with reverence and faith, according to St. John Vianney, it “makes all hell tremble,” for we open our heart up to God and to the blessings and the power of the cross that Christ shed His blood upon for our salvation. Where O death is your victory? Do not grow discouraged, then, by the growing evil around us and when sufferings afflict you. But remember, as expressed by the Second Vatican Council, that, “Through Christ and in Christ, the riddles of sorrow and death grow meaningful. Apart from His Gospel, they overwhelm us.” Stay close to Christ in the Eucharist and have frequent recourse to the sacrament of reconciliation that heals the wounds and division of sin. Enlist the help of Mary in overcoming the spirit of Satan, she who has the heavenly mandate of crushing the head of the serpent! Enlist, too, the help of St. Joseph, who bears the title of “Terror of demons” because his heart is such a pure reflection of the Fatherhood of God. And implore the help of your guardian angel, and pray frequently, “St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle….” Remember, though, the struggle is already won in the definitive victory of Christ over sin and death. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Violence continued from page A6

The bishops said the USCCB has long supported measures to address gun violence and continues to do so. Looking at specific measures, they said they support a total ban on assault weapons and limitations on civilian access to high-capacity weapons and ammunition magazines. They also cited their support for universal background checks for all gun purchases. “We ask that Congress pass a federal law to criminalize gun trafficking,” the bishops added, saying this was particularly important because the United States “not only suffers from domestic gun violence but is a major international exporter of weapons.” The Church leaders also said they support proposals for a more appropriate minimum age for gun ownership and a ban on bump stocks—adNigeria continued from page A20

our dear country, Nigeria, we need God’s ultimate intervention to restore peace and tranquility,” Bishop Arogundade said. The Owo Diocese said that the parish priests were safe. Early social media reports erroneously said they had been kidnapped by the gunmen. One of the priests, Father Andrew Abayomi, told local media that the attack occurred near the end of Mass when gunshots could be heard from different locations. “We hid inside the church, but some people had left when the TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

ditional gun parts that dramatically increase the guns’ rate of firing. They pointed out that while “strengthened gun laws could reduce mass-casualty events, not even the most effective gun laws, by themselves, will suffice to address the roots of these violent attacks in our country” and stressed the need for improved mental health care access and resources as well as “peacebuilding in our communities through restorative justice models.” “Bipartisanship is never more important than when it is required to protect life and end the culture of death. We invite you to support these measures and to be part of building up the culture of life that is so needed in our society, not just as elected officials but as mothers and fathers, grandparents, and aunts and uncles of little children or teachers whom

you expect to return home safely today,” they wrote. The bishops’ letter was sent to Congress the day after President Joe Biden addressed the nation from the White House June 2 pleading with Congress to pass what he described as “rational, commonsense measures” to curb gun violence. He said it was time to put an end to the “carnage” and loss of American lives. The president called for the ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines to be reinstated and said the minimum purchasing age for semi-automatic weapons should be raised from 18 to 21. He also called for a strengthening of background checks and red-flag laws aimed at keeping guns away from those with mental illness. He also urged a repeal of the immunity that shields gun manufacturers from liability.

While Biden was addressing the nation, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee passed a gun-control package following heated discussion. The legislation, called Protecting Our Kids Act, includes eight bills related to gun control. The House passed the bill June 8 in a mostly party-line vote. The measure would raise the age of purchasing semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, create new requirements for storing guns in a home with children, prevent gun trafficking, require firearms to be traceable, and regulate bump stocks. It was expected to pass in the House but not the Senate, where it needs 60 votes. Republicans in Congress have criticized Democrats for rushing to pass gun legislation and have blamed recent mass shootings on mental health issues and an overall lack of family values. ■

attack happened,” he said. “We locked ourselves inside the church for more than 20 minutes. It was when we heard that they had left that we opened the church and rushed the victims to the hospital.” He said an unknown number of parishioners died in the attack. At the Vatican, Pope Francis expressed his solidarity and closeness with Catholics in Nigeria in response to the violence. “While the details of the incident are being clarified, Pope Francis prays for the victims and the country, painfully stricken in a moment of celebration, and entrusts both to

the Lord, so that He may send His Spirit to comfort them,” said Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, in a statement June 5. The attack met with swift condemnation from other prelates and community organizations. Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins of Lagos expressed concern for the victims and questioned the country’s existence to protecting innocent people. “We have never had it so bad for our country to be failing in nearly all aspects of her corporate existence,” he said in a statement released June 5 by the archdiocese.

“Security is in shambles, the economy has failed as a majority of Nigerians are living in extreme poverty, and even the trend in politics gives a lot of concern to the average Nigerian,” he said. Nigerians are living in a time of fear and anxiety and that their concerns were not being addressed by the government, he said, while calling on Nigerian leaders to step up effort to prevent similar attacks. “This only points to a failing state that has abdicated all its statutory responsibilities such that nonstate actors operate freely and with impunity,” the archbishop said. ■

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JUNE 5, 2022 n A23

Funeral Mass for Judge Susano Longtime appellate jurist, cathedral member died May 7

funeral Mass for retired Tennessee appeals court judge Charles D. Susano Jr. was celebrated on May 17 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Father David Boettner, rector of the cathedral, served as the Mass celebrant. He was assisted by Deacon Walt Otey. Judge Susano passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on May 7. He was 86. Judge Susano was born in 1936 in Knoxville to Charles D. Susano Sr. and his wife, Eloise (Dondero). Both preceded him in death as did his brother, Michael. Judge Susano is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 57 years, Carolyn, son, Stephen of Nashville and his wife, Ana, daughter, Maria Susano of Arlington, Va., son, Charles III of Knoxville and his wife, Robin, and Preston Warren, who he loved like a son, of Dallas and his wife, Lynn. Judge Susano also is survived by his brother, Tommy, brotherin-law, David King and his wife, Jennifer, and six grandchildren, Sophie, Jacob, Madison, Sydney, Hanna, and Hudson. Guided by his strong Catholic faith, Judge Susano’s remarkable life and career were even more extraordinary because for the last 30 years he was confined to a wheelchair after a sleepwalking accident left him paralyzed from the chest down. He never considered himself handicapped, saying, “I’m only handicapped if I let myself be. At worst, I have been challenged, forcing me to reinvent new ways to negotiate the new times.” Judge Susano, a prayerful and faithful man, always relied upon God to steer him in the correct direction. His early values were formed and honed by his Catholic upbringing, first at home, then at Knoxville Catholic High School, where he was captain of the basketball team that won the sixth district championship in 1954. One of his greatest joys was his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated magna cum laude from the College of Commerce with a major in accounting in 1958. He could always be found, and often heard, in front of the TV on fall football Saturdays cheering for the Irish. Judge Susano was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1958 and was honorably discharged in 1960, when he returned to Knoxville. He enrolled in the University of Tennessee College of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif in 1963. He then served in

the inaugural group of law clerks to the Tennessee Supreme Court, clerking for Chief Justice Hamilton S. Burnett. Judge Susano Judge Susano began his successful legal career in private practice in Knoxville, first at Bernstein, Susano & Stair, and later at Susano, Sheppeard, Giordano & Swanson. He served on the advisory committee to the Tennessee Supreme Court on Civil Rules and served his community on numerous nonprofit boards and in many capacities at his beloved Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. His legal career took a momentous turn in March 1994, when then-Gov. Ned Ray McWherter appointed him to the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Eastern Section. He subsequently was elected to the Court of Appeals on statewide ballots in 1994 and then again in 1998, 2006, and 2014. He served as chief judge of the Court of Appeals from 2013 to 2015, retiring in April 2020 as Tennessee’s longest serving appellate judge with a prolific body of work that included over 1,000 opinions. Judge Susano was the recipient of the Justice Frank F. Drowota III Outstanding Judicial Service Award in 2017, received the Knoxville Bar Association’s Courage in the Face of Adversity Award in 2004, and the American Board of Trial Advocates, Tennessee Chapter Appellate Judge of the Year in 2003. The longtime jurist embraced technology to assist his mobility in everyday life, which allowed him to meet the statewide responsibilities of his office. He continued to drive daily and was frequently seen zipping around downtown Knoxville in his motorized wheelchair from the courthouse to Gay Street for a constant stream of lunches and meetings. Donations in Judge Susano’s memory may be made to The Judge Charles D. Susano Jr. Memorial Scholarship Endowment at the University of Tennessee College of Law, Attention: Ellen Cole, Director of Advancement at UT College of Law, 1505 Cumberland Ave., Suite 248, Knoxville, TN 37996. Donations also may be made to the disABILITY Resource Center, Attention: Brook Rogers, 9111 Cross Park Drive, Suite E 135, Knoxville, TN 37923. ■

East Tennessee Catholic News Bishop Stika appoints Fr. Michael Cummins vicar for priests Bishop Richard F. Stika has appointed Father Michael Cummins as vicar for priests effective July 1. Father Cummins will continue as pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport as well as continuing to chair the Diocese of Knoxville’s Presbyteral Council until the end of his term in November. Father Cummins also will continue to serve as dean of the Five Rivers Deanery, which encompasses the upper East Tennessee area. The vicar for priests appointment is for three years and can be renewed at Bishop Stika’s discretion. Fr. Cummins In his announcement, Bishop Stika said a number of priests have recommended Father Cummins for this position. Father Cummins succeeds Monsignor Patrick Garrity, who has served as vicar for priests for 11 years. Bishop Stika extended his thanks to Monsignor Garrity for his years of service as vicar for priests.

Funeral Mass held for Sr. Margaret Mary Turk, RSM Sister Margaret Mary Turk, RSM, died May 9 at Mercy Convent in Nashville following a long illness. Sister Margaret, who was 86, served as a Sister of Mercy for 69 years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Matthew and Margaret Coleman Turk, and her siblings, Father Matthew Turk, SJ, David, George, Vincent, Michael, Don, and John Turk, and Patricia Yoste. She is survived by her sister, Alice Dunbar, and many loving nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. Sister Margaret also is survived by her loving Mercy community. Sister Margaret held positions in education in CathoSr. Margaret lic schools in Tennessee and Ohio. She served as a parish associate and prison chaplain. She ministered at Brescia College in Owensboro, Ky., and in the office of Sexual Assault Prevention in Lebanon, Va. In 2002, Sister Margaret began working at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Knoxville. During her ministry in Senior Community Services, she wrote grants, developed parish nurse programs, taught alternative stress reduction techniques, and counseled abused women. And as a member of the pastoral care team, she brought her smiling and caring presence to patients, families, and employees. Sister Margaret retired in 2016 and moved to Mercy Convent in Nashville to continue her ministry of prayer and service. Following the legacy of Catherine McCauley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, Sister Margaret extended compassion and hospitality. Her commitment to God was reflected by the motto “Thy Will Be Done” inscribed in her ring. Her closeness to God was evidenced by all. A private funeral was held at Mercy Convent followed by a burial at Calvary Cemetery in Nashville. Memories and expressions of sympathy can be shared at www.marshalldonnellycombs.com for the Turk family and for Sister Margaret’s Sisters of Mercy family.

Fr. Joe Pat Breen, a beloved priest of Nashville, dies A funeral Mass was celebrated May 27 for Father Joseph Patrick “Joe Pat” Breen, a priest of the Diocese of Nashville who at one time served as pastor of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland as well as at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Chattanooga and as assistant principal at Notre Dame High School. Father Breen, who was considered one of Nashville’s best-known Catholics, died May 21 after a long illness. He was 87. The funeral Mass was at Christ the King Church in Nashville. Father Breen, who was ordained to the priesthood on Dec. 20, 1961, retired in 2014 after serving as pastor at St. Rose of Lima Church in Murfreesboro from 1974 to 1984 Fr. Breen and then at St. Edward Church in Nashville for 30 years. Following his death, Father Breen’s family released a statement: “Father Joe Pat Breen was the patriarch of our family, and we never lost sight of the blessing that he was to all of us. We grieve tonight, but we know that we aren’t the only ones. Joe Pat’s family extended far beyond his blood kin. He loved everyone he ever met from the bottom of his heart. Father Joe Pat was genuine. He was exactly what he appeared to be; a man who loved God and the world and all the people God made regardless of race or gender or sexual orientation or faith or lack thereof. He was an encourager. He was accepting. He was far ahead of his time. We miss him already.” ■

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San Francisco prelate: No Communion for Pelosi over abortion stand By Julie Asher Catholic News Service

an Francisco’s archbishop declared May 20 that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, DCalif., is not “to be admitted” to Communion unless and until she publicly repudiates “support for abortion ‘rights’” and goes to confession and receives absolution “for her cooperation in this evil.” Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone said he decided to make this declaration “after numerous attempts to speak with her to help her understand the grave evil she is perpetrating, the scandal she is causing, and the danger to her own soul she is risking” as a Catholic who supports legalized abortion. Rep. Pelosi represents California’s 12th Congressional District, which is entirely within San Francisco. A call to Rep. Pelosi’s Washington, D.C., office from Catholic News Service to request a comment was not returned immediately. “Please know that I find no pleasure whatsoever in fulfilling my pastoral duty here,” Archbishop Cordileone said. “Speaker Pelosi remains our sister in Christ. Her advocacy for the care of the poor and vulnerable elicits my admiration. I assure you that my action here is purely pastoral, not political. I have been very clear in my words and actions about this.” The archbishop opened his 1,300-word letter by saying that Pope Francis “has been one of the world’s most vocal advocates of human dignity in every stage and condition of life.” “He decries what he evocatively calls the ‘throwaway culture,’” Archbishop Cordileone said. “There can be no more extreme example of this cultural depravity than when direct attacks on human life are enshrined in a nation’s law, celebrated by society, and even paid for by the government.”

Church and state San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone has said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not “to be admitted” to Holy Communion until she publicly repudiates support for abortion rights. “This is why Pope Francis, as much as any pope in living memory, has repeatedly and vividly affirmed the Church’s clear and constant teaching that abortion is a grave moral evil,” he said. Last October, Rep. Pelosi met privately with Pope Francis at the Vatican while she was in Rome to speak at a meeting of legislators from around the world in preparation for the U.N. climate summit. The Vatican released photos of the meeting but provided no details of the encounter. A photo of the pope and Rep. Pelosi from that visit is on the homepage of her congressional website. Rep. Pelosi said in a statement it was “a spiritual, personal, and official honor” to have an audience with the pope. “His Holiness’ leadership is a source of joy and hope for Catholics and for all people, challenging each of us to be good stewards of God’s creation, to act on climate, to embrace the refugee, the immigrant, and the poor, and to recognize the dignity and divinity in everyone,” the House Speaker’s statement said. Archbishop Cordileone said he is bound by canon law to be “con-

cerned for all the Christian faithful entrusted” to his care. He added that over the years he has heard from many Catholics “expressing distress over the scandal being caused by such Catholics in public life who promote such grievously evil practices as abortion.” In September, Archbishop Cordileone asked Catholics in the archdiocese to pray for Rep. Pelosi on abortion. What prompted the call for prayer was her leadership on the Women’s Health Protection Act, or H.R. 3755, passed by the House in a 218-211 vote Sept. 24. The measure establishes the legal right to abortion on demand at any stage of pregnancy in all 50 states under federal law. The bill was pushed forward over fears by abortion supporters the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade in its decision on a Mississippi ban on abortion after 15 weeks. The measure failed to advance to a full vote in the Senate on May 11. Rep. Pelosi considers abortion health care and, as recently as May 13 in remarks on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, she warned the Supreme Court to keep its “hands off women’s reproductive health care.” She also said if Roe is over-

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15, 2015. Ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of San Francisco April 12, 1980, he was an auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese from September 2010 until he was named to head the Diocese of San Diego in 2015. “By naming Bishop Robert McElroy as a cardinal, Pope Francis has shown his pastoral care for the Church in the United States,” said Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “I have known and have had the privilege of working with Cardinaldesignate McElroy for many years.” “His strong faith and the pastoral concern for the faithful he has shown in his diocese will serve the global Church well,” Archbishop Gomez continued in a May 29 statement. “Please join me in praying for the continued ministry of Bishop McElroy.” Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco also sent his congratulations to Cardinal-designate McElroy. For many people in Rome, Pope Francis’ decision to schedule a consistory to create new cardinals in August was more surprising than the men he chose to receive the red hat. Rome typically empties of everyone but tourists in sweltering August. And Pope Francis’ choices for inclusion in the College of Cardinals are, by now, predictably unpredictable except that they will represent a broader geographical range, and, with few exceptions, they will skip over archdioceses once guaranteed to have a cardinal. In fact, in a brief article in Vatican News, the editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication explained the pope’s unusual decision to hold the consistory Aug. 27 was made to coincide with a previously announced gathering of the world’s cardinals Aug. 29-30 to discuss the new structure of the Roman Curia. Pope Francis announced May 29 that he would create 21 new cardinals—16 of whom are under the age

Red hats reuniting Cardinals gather before the start of a consistory in 2014 at the Vatican. Pope Francis announced May 29 that he would create 21 new cardinals in August; the 16 who are under the age of 80 include Bishop Robert W. McElroy of San Diego. of 80 and so will be eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. The 21 churchmen come from 16 countries. The cardinals-designate include three senior members of the Roman Curia, who generally were presumed to be named cardinals eventually: British Cardinal-designate Arthur Roche, head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments; South Korean Cardinaldesignate Lazarus You Heung-sik, head of the Congregation for Clergy; and Spanish Cardinal-designate Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, head of the office in charge of Vatican City State operations. Cardinal-designate Vérgez is the first member of the Legionaries of Christ to become a cardinal. U.S. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family, and Life, was a member of the order, but left to become a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington. Six other members of religious orders are on the list for the August ceremony, including two Salesians—Archbishop Virgílio do Carmo da Silva of Dili, TimorLeste, and retired Archbishop Lucas Van Looy of Ghent, Belgium. The lone Jesuit on the list is Father Gianfranco Ghirlanda, professor of canon law, who turns 80 on July 5. Archbishop Leonardo Ulrich

Steiner of Manaus, Brazil, is a Franciscan, and Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr of Wa, Ghana, is a member of the Missionaries of Africa. Pope Francis is a Jesuit as are six current members of the College of Cardinals. The Friars Minor, the Franciscan branch to which Bishop Ulrich Steiner belongs, already has two cardinals, and the Missionaries of Africa have one. But the Salesians, who will gain two cardinals, lead the pack with nine cardinals already. The only Consolata Missionary that will be part of the college is Cardinal-designate Giorgio Marengo, apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, who also will be the youngest cleric with a red hat. He celebrated his 48th birthday June 7. Although born in Italy, he is one of six cardinals-designate under 80 who minister in or are from Asia. Four others are Europe-based; three are Latin Americans; two are Africans. After the consistory in late August, the College of Cardinals will have 132 members under the age of 80 and eligible to enter a conclave; 83 of them—almost 63 percent— will have been created cardinals by Pope Francis; 11 of the remaining voters were made cardinals by St. John Paul II and 38 by retired Pope Benedict XVI. While some pundits spoke about Pope Francis “packing” the College

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turned, Republicans have a “dangerous and extreme agenda” that could see “an all-out assault” on more rights. Rep. Pelosi’s position on abortion “has become only more extreme over the years, especially in the last few months,” Archbishop Cordileone said. “Just earlier this month she once again, as she has many times before, explicitly cited her Catholic faith while justifying abortion as a ‘choice,’ this time setting herself in direct opposition to Pope Francis.” “Conversion is always better than exclusion, and before any such action can be taken it must be preceded by sincere and diligent efforts at dialogue and persuasion,” the archbishop wrote. If the person in question still presents himself or herself to receive the Eucharist, “the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it,” he said, quoting canon law. Pope Francis has said he did not want to comment directly on the issue of denying Communion in the United States “because I do not know the details; I am speaking of the principle” of the matter. However, he said while there is no question that “abortion is homicide,” bishops must take a pastoral approach rather than wade into the political sphere. He also said he never denied Holy Communion to anyone, but he was “never aware of anyone in front of me under those conditions that you mentioned.” Recalling his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, the pope said “Communion is not a prize for the perfect,” but rather “a gift, the presence of Jesus in His Church and in the community. That is the theology.” However, Pope Francis also said he understood why the Church takes a hard stance because accepting abortion “is a bit as if daily murder was accepted.” ■ of Cardinals, it must be remembered that of the 115 cardinals who entered the conclave in March 2013 and elected him, 67 were named to the college by Pope Benedict XVI and 48 were created cardinals by St. John Paul II. Counting Cardinal-designate Marengo as an Asian, not a European cardinal, after the consistory 53 of the electors—just over 40 percent— will be European; 18 percent will be Latin American; almost 16 percent Asian; almost 13 percent African; 10 percent North American; and just over 2 percent from Oceania. Mongolia, which has a Catholic population of 1,359, according to the latest Vatican figures, will have its first cardinal, as will Singapore with Cardinal-designate William Goh Seng Chye, and Paraguay with Cardinal-designate Adalberto Martínez Flores of Asunción. Much was made in the Italian press of Pope Francis’ choice of Bishop Oscar Cantoni of Como, Italy, to receive the red hat, especially when the archdioceses of Milan and Venice are not led by cardinals. But Como does have a cardinalatial past; granted, the last was Blessed Andrea Ferrari, who was made a cardinal May 18, 1894, and named archbishop of Milan three days later. The last cardinal to minister in the Diocese of Como for an extended period was Bishop Carlo Ciceri, who was appointed to the see in 1680 and made a cardinal in 1686. He died in Como in 1694 at the age of 77. India and Brazil both will have two new cardinals in August, and Cardinal-designate Anthony Poola of Hyderabad, India, made headlines in his home country for being the first cardinal of the Telugu people from the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and, especially, for being the first Dalit cardinal. “Dalit,” which means “trampled upon” in Sanskrit, refers to people treated as untouchables under India’s former caste system and often still treated with disrespect today, including in the Church at times. ■ JUNE 5, 2022 n A25

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