at
Sacred Heart
Church at St. Christopher.
“We were like no, we aren’t Catholics. She said, ‘That won’t matter. I can make that happen.’ Now I think she is probably sitting up there on that cloud of witnesses saying, ‘I tried to tell you two,’” Ms. Dillard said, smiling.
And like Deacon Beaty’s father, Ms. Dillard found the ordination to be an uplifting, emotional moment in the life of the family.
“I am so proud of Bo. It has been amazing to watch his commitment and his surrender to Jesus and what He has for him on this path. My breath was taken away just watching him ordained as a deacon. I can’t wait until next year to watch him be ordained as a priest. It’s exciting,” Ms. Dillard said.
Catholic Church.
“It’s unreal. It’s something to be proud of. It is amazing what he has made himself into,” Mr. Beaty said.
Was Deacon Beaty’s call to the priesthood pre-ordained by God?
Certainly so, and his mother, Marsha Dillard, shared an interesting family story that provided a hint. She explained that the woman who helped found St. Christopher wanted the Beatys to have infant Bo christened in the Catholic
Tammy Cross said June 3 was a very emotional day for her as well, with some crying. The mother of Deacon Michael Willey described her son’s ordination as awe-inspiring.
“I have been crying. It’s just so humbling, and I’m so proud. It was an absolutely beautiful Mass,” she said.
Deacon Willey’s father shared those sentiments.
“It’s just a very proud day. It’s been a long road for him, and
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One step closer Bishop Richard F. Stika addresses ordinand Michael Willey during the Rite of Ordination for deacons on June 3 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
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ers, to the responsibility of the priesthood,” he said.
Bishop Stika asked, “Do you know them to be worthy?” and Father Torres replied, “After inquiry among the Christian people and upon the recommendation of those responsible, I testify that they have been found worthy.”
“Relying on the help of our Lord God and our savior, Jesus Christ, we now choose these, our brothers, for the order of priesthood,” the bishop said, and the assembly responded, “Thanks be to God.”
The priestly ordination followed a transitional diaconate ordination of three seminarians the weekend before at the cathedral. Bishop Stika has ordained four men to the transitional diaconate this year. He ordained this year’s new priests to the transitional diaconate in May 2022.
“We gathered together in this cathedral a year ago to celebrate the ordination to the diaconate, like we did last week with three new deacons who will join another, and you made promises and commitments to celibacy, to the Liturgy of the Hours, to handle the sacred mysteries, to assist the priests and the bishop, and to obedience to the Church,” the bishop said as he opened his homily. “Do you remember those moments? I hope so. Well, today, again, you stand before the Church, the Church Universal and the Church of East Tennessee, the Catholic Church in Knoxville, to again pledge your life in a magnificent way. But it’s a lot different, for now you will be given the grace to confect the sacrament of the Eucharist, to hold in your hands bread. At some point because of the grace of the Church and the words you speak, that bread becomes Jesus, and likewise with the cup because of the grace of the Church and because of those words and the intention of the Church, it becomes the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ given to all the people who are here today and all the people that they represent.”
Bishop Stika then referred to a sign that is often seen in a certain part of a church.
“Many times you go into a sacristy, and you still see it, it says, ‘O priest of God, celebrate this Mass as if it was your first Mass’—which actually today is your first Mass; tomorrow is your Mass of thanksgiving—‘to celebrate it as if it was your last Mass,’ but also ‘to celebrate it as if it was your only Mass.’ So precious is the Eucharist, the summit of all we do. Last year, you underwent an ontological change. Remember? Did you feel different? Probably not, at least in your physical being, but in your spiritual life, there was a change, a blessing, a mark on your soul. Today, again, as we gather together as a church, another mark on your soul, in your essence of who you are, to be a minister of the altar, to be a witness to our faith, to follow in the order of Melchizedek, and to follow in the order of all the priests of this diocese since that day in September of 1988 when the Holy Father through the nuncio elevated this part of what was called the Diocese of Nashville up to become its own diocese, and all the priests who have been ordained since that moment, now 24 that I have been able to ordain with you.”
The bishop recalled three priests who have passed away in the year since the newly ordained priests became transitional deacons. The newly ordained will join the legacy of all those priests who came before and of those they will serve with now, the bishop said.
“Recently we lost three good priests: Father Chris Riehl just right after his 45th birthday, Monsignor Bob [Hofstetter], who made the best applesauce in the world, and Monsignor [Bill] Gahagan, who constantly said and believed what he said when he said, ‘I love you,’ and all the priests who have come before them and all the priests in this presbyterate order that you now join, men just like yourselves who said ‘present’ at one moment
or twice. That’s the group that you will join. Love them and allow them to love you. Bond with them in a very special bond as you join this fraternity, this presbyterate, of men who just desire to be priests and to celebrate the sacraments.
“The other sacrament that is so vital, especially in the day and age in which we live, is the sacrament of reconciliation. And if you remember the prayer, because it’s really not a judgment that you make on another person, remember the prayer of absolution: ‘God the Father of mercy,’ not ‘God the Father of judgment’ but of mercy, for people will come to you broken and in need of healing, lost and wish to be found, struggling and wish to find peace.
“And to all of you [in the assembly], if you haven’t been to confession for a long time, it’s a grace that God gives to us, unless of course none of you are sinners. The anointing of the sick, again a beautiful sacrament in which people who may be fearful again or lost are looking for that salvific gift of God, to be united with Jesus, to be united with that Jesus who so many centuries ago brought healing of mind, of body, of spirit to others.”
Imitating Jesus
Bishop Stika said the ordinands will imitate Jesus in their priestly lives as men who teach, feed, and heal.
“As Jesus entered a village, he usually did three things. No. 1, he talked, and you will be teachers like Jesus in so many magnificent ways. You will teach by your witness of faith, you will teach by the words that you speak, you will teach by the preaching of the Gospel. You will feed, like in the Eucharist: ‘this is my body, this is my blood, given for you,’ the people of God and for you, the priests of God. And you will heal by your witness, by your presence, by the anointing of the sick.
“At some moment, too, you will be able to celebrate confirmation, like at the Easter Vigil, again invoking the Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that came upon Jesus, the same Holy Spirit that was at Pentecost, the same Holy Spirit when you confect the sacrament in that which is called the epiclesis—invoking the Holy Spirit. As a deacon you have been able to witness for the Church and for the state the sacrament of marriage. You know, so often as I have celebrated marriages in the past and now this ordination, in some ways you have the same look as a bride and a groom: a look of wonderment, a look of love. For a married couple, it’s to each other, but for you it’s the union with Je-
sus, with the Father, opening yourself to the Holy Spirit.”
The bishop urged the ordinands as they lay prostrate during the Litany of the Saints, which came later in the Mass, not to forget one thing.
“Soon, during the Litany of the Saints, as I told each one of you, remember to pray for those people who have brought you to this moment: your parents, brothers and sisters, friends, and all the people around the world who pray for vocations to the priesthood,” he said. “Remember them as you abandon yourself to the Church, as you die to yourself as you did as a deacon and when you stand after that prayer of consecration and my anointing of your hands—the present moment, it’s a moment that will be with you forever.”
Bishop Stika mentioned another passing, that of Father Crabtree’s father, Robbie, which took place in November, also between the ordinands’ diaconate and priesthood Masses.
“Last year, there was a bit of sadness because our brother Andrew’s dad was in the hospital. He died, and since that moment his dad has gone home to God, but I know your dad’s present with you because you are here and your mother is here and your family is here,” the bishop said. “And you’ve got the memories of your dad, who was able to watch [the diaconate ordination] on TV, so he was present and he is present.”
The bishop joked that soon-to-be Father Neil Blatchford had “what, 33 brothers and sisters or something” at the Mass before adding in a more serious vein, “and then you have a brother who’s a priest,” which might confuse family gatherings with the parents and the sons who are priests: “Just like your mom and dad, this is Father, this is Father, and I’m the father. What a blessing. And Joseph from St. Dominic [in Kingsport], your family brings you to this moment.”
Bishop Stika closed his homily with a request for the faithful.
“My sisters and brothers, pray for these, your brothers. Pray that their ministry as a priest of Jesus Christ might always bear fruit, that they will be servants of mercy, that they will be servants of the Gospel, that they be witnesses to that Gospel, and that every time, every moment they celebrate the Eucharist, in the order of Melchizedek, that it be their first Mass, their last Mass, their only Mass. What a blessing you are now giving to this Church, my three brothers. What a blessing the Church is now giving to you. Let it prosper and flourish and be
blessed. Amen.”
Ordinand examination
The bishop then led the Promise of the Elect.
“Andrew, Neil, Joseph, my sons, before you proceed to the order of the priesthood, you must declare before the people of God your resolve to undertake this office,” the bishop stated and then asked:
n “Do you resolve to discharge unfailingly, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the office of priesthood in the presbyteral rank, as trusty coworkers with the order of bishops in feeding the Lord’s flock?
n “Do you resolve to carry out the ministry of the Word worthily and wisely in the preaching of the Gospel and the teaching of the Catholic faith?
n ”Do you resolve to celebrate the mysteries of Christ reverently and faithfully according to the tradition of the Church, especially in the sacrifice of the Eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation, for the praise of God and the sanctification of the Christian people?
n “Do you resolve to implore with us the mercy of God for the people entrusted to you, with zeal for the commandment to pray without ceasing?
n “Do you resolve to be united more closely each day to Christ the high priest, who offered Himself for us to the Father as a pure sacrifice, and with Him to consecrate yourselves to God for the salvation of all?”
The ordinands replied “I do” to the first four questions and “I do, with the help of God,” to the final one.
Bishop Stika asked each ordinand individually to “promise respect and obedience to me and my successors.” After each said, “I do,” the bishop said, “May God, who has begun the good work in you, bring it to fulfillment.”
The assembly knelt as the Litany of the Saints was sung by the cathedral choir. Bishop Stika then laid his hands on each priest’s head and uttered the prayer of ordination.
The newly ordained were then vested with a stole and a chasuble—
Father Austin by Father Cummins, Father Neil Blatchford by his brother, Father Colin Blatchford, and Father Crabtree by Father David Carter.
Bishop Stika anointed the palms of each priest with chrism, telling them: “May the Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, guard and preserve you that you may sanctify the Christian people and offer sacrifice to God.”
After the gifts were presented by Wink Crabtree and Clare Blatchford, the bishop placed them in the hands of the new priests as they knelt before him.
“Receive the oblation of the holy people, to be offered to God. Understand what you do, imitate what you celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord’s cross,” the bishop said.
Bishop Stika then offered a greeting of peace and welcome to each new priest, saying “Peace be with you,” as they responded, “And with your spirit.” All the concelebrating priests then greeted the newly ordained men.
Father Austin, Father Neil Blatchford, and Father Crabtree then joined the bishop at the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
In his closing remarks, Bishop Stika referred to two acts that take place following a priestly ordination.
“There usually is a tradition where the bishop gets the first blessing from the newly ordained priests. I’ve always thought that was kind of silly,” he said. “It should be the parents. We’ll start with Andrew. Andrew, come down here—Father Andrew, I’m sorry. We invite his mom to come forward.”
The faithful who attended a reception for the new priests after Mass in the cathedral parish hall next door took part in another tradition.
“There’s also a tradition when you greet a newly ordained priest to kiss their hands. I think you get
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an indulgence because their newly anointed hands will be part of the confection of the Eucharist,” the bishop said.
A round of applause followed each new priest’s blessing of his parents.
Then it was the bishop’s turn for a blessing.
“Now I claim my right,” he said.
Two more traditions attend a priestly ordination, the bishop said, crediting Chancery receptionist and cathedral sacristan Dorothy Curtis for assisting with one of them.
“There’s an old tradition: after I have anointed the hands of the priests, then they cleanse their hands on a cloth, and eventually that cloth is folded, and it is placed in the casket of the mother. We’re not hurrying any of this to happen. But also in the casket of the father, there is a purple stole that is placed in the casket with him. Through the generosity of Dorothy, who works at the Chancery, they’re also embroidered with the names and with the dates, so I am grateful for that,” Bishop Stika said.
After Mass, the bishop talked of the special blessing it is for him to preside at the ordination of priests.
“Any time a bishop ordains a priest, just think of all the people who will be affected into the future. Here we have three, who are very much going to be involved in the life of the Diocese of Knoxville, all through East Tennessee. It’s always an honor for any bishop, for me, too, to ordain a priest,” he said. Home
is the first seminary
The bishop repeated a statement from earlier at Mass as he reflected on the moms, dads, sisters, brothers, and other relatives of the new priests who attended the liturgy.
“The family is the first seminary. The parents are such an instrumental part of what it means to be a priest. That’s why, instead of getting the first blessing, I got the second blessing,” he said.
Each new priest reflected on his new title after the ordination. Father Austin said that “‘Father Joseph’ sounds wonderful.” Father Blatchford said that “‘Father Neil’ sounds pretty good.”
The newly ordained Father Blatchford said he will use his first name with his title, having a brother who is a priest.
“People have been calling me Father Neil and Father Blatchford, but since I have a brother in the diocese, they’ve joked about the lesser and the greater, but I think I’m going to go with ‘Father Neil,’” he said.
Father Crabtree said that “‘Father
Andrew’ sounds terrifying and exciting. There’s so much responsibility but so much beautiful responsibility, and I look forward to just giving myself to the people of God in Knoxville.”
Father Austin said the most moving part of the ordination Mass was the Litany of the Saints as he remembered what he called Bishop Stika’s “touching” words to “think about family who’s gotten you to the point where you’re at in making this transition into the priesthood. It was really moving to me because we’re asking for the help of the saints in heaven, but at the same time we need the prayers of the people here on earth to be praying for us.”
His parents, Rhett and Shirley Austin of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport, and his family were “absolutely pivotal” in his vocation, Father Austin said. “I’m a cradle Catholic. Faith has always been the most important thing for the family.”
Father Colin Blatchford said he was “excited” over his brother becoming a priest after his many years in seminary.
“It’s really exciting and fulfilling. I’ve been with him my whole life. He decided this about nine years ago, and to watch him go through the whole process—I was almost more excited seeing all this come together than I was for my own,” he said.
Father Colin said he hopes he had an influence on his brother’s vocation.
“He definitely believes so, and I hope that following the Lord’s call
helped lead to that,” he said.
Father Colin serves Courage International Apostolate, doing pastor outreach to those with same-sex attraction or gender-identity discordance who are trying to live their Catholic faith. He is based in Connecticut, “but I travel all over the world to take care of that,” he said.
The bishop may have joked about his many siblings, but to Father Neil Blatchford his family’s presence at the ordination “just meant the world.”
“The family is so foundational to my priesthood and what it built up from. Without them here and without their foundation, I would not be here, so it means the world to me that they’re here,” he said.
Father Neil used one word to describe his brother, Father Colin’s, influence on his vocation.
“Profound, to say the least. He was there at my side all the way through seminary in the hard times and in the easy times as well. He never hesitated to help me along the way. He helped me with things I didn’t know that he knew going through seminary. It made it more of a relaxing breeze instead of a lot of shocks along the way and stumbles and all that kind of stuff. It was huge,” he said.
Father Neil’s parents are Tim and Virginia Blatchford, now of Gastonia, N.C.
“I originally grew up in Chattanooga at St. Stephen, so that’s where I grew up and received my first Communion,” the new priest said.
Father Crabtree said the ordination Mass was “such a blur.”
“Up until after the rite of ordination, I was able to sit down for just a second before the Eucharist and listen to the music and just kind of accept and understand what had taken place with me and what had just happened right before. It was very moving, and I was weeping. It was just that small little break to think and pray and be thankful to God for what had just happened,” he said.
Having his family present for the Mass “was so moving,” he said.
“I’m a convert, so most of my family, the vast majority of my family, are Protestant. Having them here, not completely understanding what’s happening, is so beautiful and meaningful for them to just be so supportive and loving and prayerful for me throughout this journey,” Father Crabtree said.
Despite their not being Catholic, his family “absolutely” influenced his vocation, he added.
“They would never say, ‘You know, I want you to be a Catholic priest,’ but they encouraged me to be a good, holy man of God and to really pursue that, and this is where I’ve ended up because of that,” Father Crabtree said.
While his mom, Janice Crabtree, attended the ordination Mass, Father Crabtree said his late father saw it as well. He placed a picture of Robbie Crabtree in the cathedral hall where he offered blessings to those attending the reception after Mass.
“I brought a picture of him. He’s over there on my table. I know he’s looking down on me. He was really proud. He told me right before he died how proud he was of me, and that really meant a lot coming from him,” said Father Crabtree.
Father Crabtree, who has played bass in the Christian rock band Calling Glory that has had hits on the Billboard Christian charts, was recently featured in Our Sunday Visitor
Each new priest celebrated his Mass of thanksgiving June 11 in his home parish: Father Austin at St. Dominic, Father Blatchford at the cathedral, and Father Crabtree at St. Mary in Athens.
The new priests recently received their first assignments from the bishop. In two assignments that became effective July 1, Father Austin began serving as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Fatima in Alcoa and Father Blatchford as parochial vicar of St. Mary in Oak Ridge. Father Crabtree began assisting at the cathedral July 1 and will remain there through Aug. 6 before he becomes parochial vicar at St. Dominic on Aug. 7. ■
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it’s finally coming to conclusion. I’m very proud of him and all my kids,” Richard Willey said.
The ordination took on a special vocational significance for the Herman family.
Deacon Joe Herman, who was ordained to the permanent diaconate last year at the cathedral and now serves at his home parish, St. Anthony of Padua in Mountain City, assisted Bishop Stika as deacon of the Word during the Mass.
And he vested his son during the part of the liturgy where the new deacons first put on their diaconate vestments.
During the ordination Mass, Bishop Stika joked that the next year will be interesting in the Herman household.
“There’s going to be a little confusion in Mountain City. If someone calls up and says, ‘We’d like to speak to Deacon Herman.’ We’re going to have a fight. ‘That’s me. No, that’s me.’ And then next year, Deacon Herman the father will have to say, ‘Father Herman, how are you today?’ I bet he’s a little nervous. But there is joy in his eyes,” Bishop Stika remarked.
Deacon Daniel Herman said it feels somewhat overwhelming to be called “deacon” because he still has so much work to do.
“As a deacon, there is a lot of work involved in serving the people of God. I see that as a calling and a mission. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity,” he said as the thanked Jesus Christ for instituting the diaconate and for allowing him to serve as a deacon. He also thanked his family and friends, his church family at St. Anthony of Padua, and the staff at St. Meinrad.
The ordination Mass let Deacon Daniel know that something he has prayed so fervently for can come about.
“This has been a dream come true. This is an answered prayer, a lot of prayers from family and friends, and from my small parish in Mountain City, St. Anthony of Padua. It doesn’t seem real that this day has finally come. … There have been a lot of people behind our formation, and I feel like God has truly prepared them to prepare us,” he said.
And as for the family situation, the ordinand said now that he is a deacon, he gets to see his father from a unique perspective.
“It’s good. Now I get to see my father in a whole new light. At home, he’s my father, and the fourth commandment says to love my father and my mother and to honor them. At the same time, he’s my brother, someone I can rely on in more ways than I would if he wasn’t a deacon,” Deacon Daniel said. “Bishop Stika calls the home the first seminary. From the time I was born, my father instilled a love of God, a love for prayer, and the duty one has for faith.”
Deacons Daniel and Joe agree that their mother and wife, Lucia, deserves much of the credit for the richness of faith in their family.
“Our faith and attending Mass were always a priority to us. My wife was very instrumental and was very strong in her faith. She deserves a lot of the credit,” Deacon Joe said, noting that he and his wife are blessed. “It’s a very proud moment to say the least. We feel so blessed. I know he’s worked very hard to do this, but most importantly he has followed God’s calling.”
Deacon Joe doesn’t see any confusion about who is who for the next year.
“At home, it probably will continue to be dad and Danny. But at Mass or around church it will definitely be Deacon Daniel,” he noted.
Meeting the ordinands
The ordinands processed into the cathedral along with Bishop Stika, more than 20 priests, and some 20 fellow deacons from the diocese. Cardinal Justin Rigali
served in choir during the Mass.
Bishop Stika greeted the families of the ordinands to begin Mass as well as the congregation that included friends and supporters of the young men.
“The Church of the Diocese of Knoxville, scattered throughout all the counties of East Tennessee, this day again celebrates a historic moment in which three men have been called by God Himself to become transitional deacons, the last stage before priesthood next year. We are grateful for all those who have brought us to this moment, especially their families,” Bishop Stika said.
Father David Carter, rector of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, called for the deacon candidates to step forward toward the altar at which time Donald Bocephus Beaty, Daniel Joseph Herman, and Michael Daniel Willey responded “present.”
Then Father Arthur Torres, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga and director of vocations for the diocese, asked
Bishop Stika and the Church to ordain the men to the diaconate.
Bishop Stika responded: “Father Arthur, do you know them to be worthy?”
Father Torres answered: “After inquiry among the Christian people and upon recommendation of those concerned with their formation, I testify that they have been found worthy.”
Bishop Stika then said, “Relying on the help of our Lord, God, and savior, Jesus Christ, we now choose these, our brothers, for the order of the diaconate. Thanks be to God.”
In his homily, Bishop Stika introduced the ordinands to the assembly but also to the diocese and beyond.
“You just said ‘present.’ You presented yourselves, my brothers, to the whole Church. Not just the Church in this cathedral, or the Church in the Diocese of Knoxville, but to the whole Church universal scattered throughout the world.
“Your life has brought you to
this moment, a moment that God always knew because He’s here (pointing to his heart), and maybe in the mystery of life and experiences you could never have fathomed years ago,” Bishop Stika said.
Bishop Stika then spoke about each ordinand.
“So, we have Bo, a product of St. Christopher Parish in Jamestown who began his journey in Jamestown and eventually converted to the Catholic Church. He is the only Catholic in his family. We welcome his family with open hearts because we still believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ.
“Bo began his journey at CarsonNewman in terms of faith, where one day he stopped by St. Patrick Church in Morristown, and eventually he met up with Monsignor (Patrick) Garrity, who Bo attributes to instilling in him a sense of vocation to the priesthood. And so began a very warm friendship. But it wasn’t only Monsignor. Father Michael Sweeney, who has the distinction of pastoring three parishes and drives hundreds of miles to celebrate Mass with people at St. Christopher in Jamestown, St. Ann in Lancing, as well as his parish in Harriman, Blessed Sacrament. Bo worked at McDonald’s, to which I have contributed a great deal of money over the years. Bo, you present yourself before God,” the bishop continued.
He then turned to Daniel Herman and Michael Willey.
“Now Danny, also a product of a smaller parish in Mountain City, Tenn. He has the distinction of having his father as my deacon here today. He was ordained last year. Danny is a true product of Mountain City. He played football and was involved,” the bishop said. “Eventually, he entered the United States Navy to be a pilot. But for a reason, God called him to this moment, with all of his experiences and all of his joys with his family.”
“We also have Michael, a product of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland. Michael studied philosophy at St. Louis University, where I attended, before he was planning to come into the seminary. He received his degree, and he is very talented with languages. I have learned that Michael did not waste any time during COVID. He began to fall in love with kayaking,” he added.
Understanding the office
As the Rite of Ordination for deacons continued, Bishop Stika reminded the congregation that a deacon’s role “is to be a minister of charity, to be a minister of the Gospel who has that privilege of preaching and proclaiming the Gospel, to celebrate at wakes and funerals, baptisms, beautiful sacraments, but to represent the bishop, to represent the Church, to represent the people of God in sacramental ways, but also the witness by how they choose to live their lives.”
He said the deacons will commit to faithfully praying the Liturgy of the Hours, which is the official daily prayer of the Church, to join with the Church throughout the world in praying the Psalms, to pray through intercessory prayer, and to celebrate the feast days.
Bishop Stika also instructed the assembly on celibacy as a part of the men’s ordination.
“They will also make a commitment to celibacy, which is sometimes so misunderstood. Celibacy is giving one’s life to the Church. It’s not just chastity, but it’s celibacy. As I have been reminding people over the 14 years that I have been here, if you forget to pray, if you forget to focus on Jesus, if you forget the sacramental understanding of who you are as deacons and as priests, down the road you will cease to be a celibate, maybe a name only, but you could become just a cranky old bachelor who demands of others what you should
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‘A great day in the history of the diocese’
Photo 1: Deacon Bo Beaty’s parents, Donald Beaty and Marsha Dillard, present the gifts at the ordination Mass. Photo 2: The ordinands (from left), Bo Beaty, Daniel Herman, and Michael Willey, wait to be called forward. Photo 3: Bishop Stika preaches the homily with Deacon Joe Herman alongside him. Photo 4: Fellow deacons greet the newly ordained (from left) Deacons Michael Willey, Daniel Herman, and Bo Beaty.
be giving to them. Prayer is the root and foundation of celibacy as you give your life to the Church,” the bishop said.
Bishop Stika instructed the ordinands on the vow of obedience that deacons and priests take, which extends to the bishop and beyond.
“You will promise respect and obedience to me and my successors. What does that mean? What that means is you will promise obedience to the Church, and respect to the Church, to me and my successors, but through me and through my successors to the Church and to the people of God, who will continue to teach you about what it means to be a man of faith and a man of God, to be the sacramental presence in their lives,” Bishop Stika advised the ordinands.
He also cautioned the young men against thinking their formal education is coming to an end as they prepare to celebrate the Holy Eucharist at the altar. Seminary is at least a four-year commitment before ordination to the priesthood depending on the coursework a seminarian undertakes.
“You may think, ‘Oh, thank goodness. The seminary is almost finished.’ No, your life begins anew. For the people of God will now be your professors, and the grade will be how they choose then to respond to your message. The deacon serves at the altar to assist the ministers, the priests, and the bishops. There’s nothing more fundamental. As the Church reminds us in Vatican II, the Eucharist itself is the summit of everything we believe in. It is the glue that binds us together in the love of Jesus Christ, in the love of His Father, inspired by the Holy Spirit,” Bishop Stika said.
The bishop shared that he has now ordained 24 men to the priesthood for the Diocese of Knoxville, reminding the ordinands that in a year they will join that list.
“So, I say to you, thank you. Thank you for this radical change in your life. A radical change. An ontological change. A beautiful change in your life. Thank you in the name of all the people of God,” Bishop Stika told the newest members of the Diocese of Knoxville diaconate.
Deacon Beaty has been assigned to the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus when he is not in school for his last year at St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind. Deacon Herman, who also is studying at St. Meinrad, has been assigned to St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville. Deacon Willey, who is studying at St. Meinrad, too, has been assigned to St. Patrick Parish in Morristown.
Bishop Stika concluded his homily by saying when the young men are ordained as priests in 2024, “the totality of your lives is now given to the Church. What a blessing. What a grace. And what a gift. Amen. Alleluia!”
Bishop Stika then proceeded with the examination phase of the Rite of Ordination, the
Promise of the Elect.
“My dear sons, Bo, Danny, and Michael, before you proceed to the Order of the Diaconate you must declare before the people your resolve to undertake this office. So, I ask you:
n “Do you resolve to be consecrated for the ministry of the Church through the laying on of my hands and the gift of the Holy Spirit?
n “Do you resolve to discharge with humble charity the office of the diaconate so as to assist the priestly order and to benefit the Christian people?
n “Do you resolve to hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience, as the apostle says, and to proclaim the faith by word and deed according to the Gospel and the Church’s tradition?
n “Those of you who are prepared to embrace the celibate state, do you resolve to keep this commitment perpetually as a sign of the dedication of your life to Christ the Lord for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and in service to God and others?
n “Do you resolve to guard and increase the spirit of prayer proper to your way of life, and in keeping with this spirit and the circumstances of your life, to celebrate faithfully the Liturgy of the Hours with and for the people of God and indeed for the whole world?
n “Do you resolve to conform your manner of life always to the example of Christ, whose Body and Blood you will handle at the altar?”
Each man responded “I do” or “I do with the help of God” to each question.
During the Litany of the Saints the deacon
candidates prostrated themselves before the altar.
The candidates then knelt before Bishop Stika one at a time, placed their hands in Bishop Stika’s hands, and when asked by the bishop if they promise respect and obedience to him and his successors, responded “I do.”
Bishop Stika replied after each “I do,” “May God, who has begun this good work in you, bring it to fulfillment.”
Prayer of Ordination
Bishop Stika then gave the Prayer of Ordination and led the congregation in a prayer for the diaconate candidates, saying, “Dearly beloved, that God, the almighty Father, will in His mercy pour out the grace of His blessing on these His servants, whom he is pleased to receive into the sacred Order of the Diaconate.
“Grant, O Lord, to your servants, whom you have replenished with heavenly food and drink, that for the sake of your glory and the salvation of believers, they may be found faithful as ministers of the Gospel, of the sacraments, and of charity. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
Following the Prayer of Ordination, the ordinands became deacons.
At this point in the liturgy, the investiture took place with the diaconal stole and dalmatic.
Deacon Beaty was vested by Father Sweeney. Deacon Willey was vested by Deacon Steve Ratterman, who serves at St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Cleveland. After Deacon Joe Herman vested his son, they shared a long embrace.
Bishop Stika led the congregation in a closing prayer for the new deacons:
“May God, who has called you to the service of others in His Church, give you great zeal for all, especially the afflicted and the poor. May He, who has entrusted you with preaching the Gospel of Christ, help you as you live according to His Word to be a sincere and fervent witness. May He, who has appointed you stewards of His mysteries, make you imitators of His Son, Jesus Christ, and ministers of unity and peace in this world. Amen”
“What a great day it is in the history of the Diocese of Knoxville, for once again, like I have in the past 14 years, I’ve had the honor and privilege of ordaining transitional deacons who will be priests next year. These three men join an additional deacon who was ordained earlier this year, and next year we will have four new priests,” the bishop said.
“This is a joyful time for the diocese to have four men who are willing to give service to the Church for the rest of their lives,” he added.
Deacons Willey, Herman, and Beaty join Deacon Renzo Alvarado Suarez, who Bishop Stika ordained to the transitional diaconate in Mexico on Jan. 22. Deacon Suarez, who is in seminary in Mexico, is serving at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga this summer. ■
THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC JULY 2, 2023 n B5 www.dioknox.org Rite of Ordination to the Diaconate, June 3, 2023
Entering the diaconate Top: Newly ordained Deacon Daniel Herman tightly embraces his father, Deacon Joe Herman, who is vesting his son during the ordination Mass. The two Deacons Herman are from St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Mountain City. Deacon Bo Beaty was vested by Father Michael Sweeney, and Deacon Michael Willey was vested by Deacon Steve Ratterman. Above left: Soon-to-be Deacons (from left) Bo Beaty, Daniel Herman, and Michael Willey respond “present” after being called forward. Above right: During Mass, Bishop Stika introduces Deacon Joe Herman as Deacon Bo Beaty watches. Below left: The bishop prays as the ordinands kneel before him. Below right: Deacon Michael Willey stands with his parents, Richard Willey and Tammy Cross, and other family and friends.
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Chattanooga Deanery
Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy
Pastor Monsignor Al Humbrecht will lead a book study on “The Time Is Now: A Call to Uncommon Courage” by Sister Joan Chittister from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 22. The study will end with a brown-bag lunch that will continue the discussion. The book is about prophetic spirituality offering the tradition that begins with the prophets in sacred Scripture. Register by calling the church at 423-332-5300.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Chattanooga
The sixth annual tea party in honor of the Little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi for the Mother Kevin Children Fund was held June 10 at OLPH. Those attending had an opportunity to meet the Sisters, hear about the children they help, and consider sponsoring a child or making a donation. The Sisters live and work among the poorest in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. One of their many endeavors is rescuing and educating vulnerable street children, orphans, and children living in slums. Donations may be made to Little Sisters of St. Francis, Attention: Sister Lilia Kagendo, LSOSF, P.O. Box 25064, Brooklyn, NY 11202.
St. Augustine, Signal Mountain
The parish celebrated the 40th anniversary of priestly ordination of pastor Father John Dowling with cake and other treats at a reception following the 10:30 a.m. Mass on June 18. Look for a story on Father Dowling’s anniversary in the August issue of The East Tennessee Catholic.
A 10-week Bible study on “Ephesians and More,” written by Dr. Scott Hahn and Mark Shea, will be held at 6:45 p.m. Wednesdays beginning July 12 in the parish life center. Contact Michael or Helen Hart at 305-342-5490 or helenhartfl@gmail.com
The first St. Augustine Feast Day Hoedown will take place Saturday, Aug. 26.
St. Bridget, Dayton
Pastor Father Jim Vick held another “short course” Bible study on June 20 and 27 on the subject of “The Creed— What We Believe.”
The St. Bridget Women’s Council hosted a “Father’s Day/Father Jim Ordination Anniversary” potluck following the 5:30 p.m. Mass on June 17. The council also celebrated May and June birthdays at a June 22 luncheon at Carabelle’s in Dayton.
St.
Jude, Chattanooga
The parish will honor pastor Father Charlie Burton’s 43rd anniversary of priestly ordination with a noon potluck luncheon Tuesday, July 11, following Mass at 11:15 a.m.
All those who have made a Cursillo weekend and those who are interested in making a weekend are invited to an Ultreya at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 13, in the parish life center. Ian Buttigieg will be the speaker.
A Cheers for the Years Luau was held June 24 for “young at heart” members of the parish. The event also wished a farewell to director of religious education Kyra King after 13 years with the parish. She is going back to St. Jude School to teach.
The parish thanked Jane Anne Seale for providing snacks for the Hospital Hospitality ministry for May.
St. Mary, Athens
Pastor Father John Orr celebrated a special Mass on June 26 to mark the feast day of St. Josemaría Escrivá.
St. Mary recognized its graduating seniors for this year: Itzy Ayala-Rentiera, Allen Casey, Ethan Domzalski, Braeln Mora, Alejandor Stambury, Mia Suarez, and Anny Luz Vargas.
The Knights of Columbus congratulated Ed Fiegle for being named Knight of the month for April. Mr. Fiegle is active
in the Knights council and parish, and he has helped with the parish grounds by spreading mulch and has assisted with the April fish fry.
Confirmandi: John Peter Mazzei, Samantha Dodge, Skye Isabella Garcia, Angelique Pantoja Ramirez, Sofia Suarez, Andrea Cornejo, Sarahi Cornejo, Alex Ademe Montano, Julian Arrequin, Brallan (Brian) Mora, Braeln M. Mora, Jacqueline McGarry, Erik Campos, Elwood Castellanos, Cesar Garcia Jr.
Newcomers: Louie Mabutas, Felicia Neumeyer and Nathan St. Stephen, Chattanooga
The St. Stephen Sewing Ministry meets at 9:30 a.m. Thursdays to make prayer blankets for the sick in the community. As of June 19, the ministry had given away 199 blankets. The blankets are blessed by pastor Father Manuel Pérez as parishioners hold them. To learn more about the group, call Mary Hess at 423-255-4995.
A number of youth events are scheduled Wednesdays in July, including “Chalk the Walk” on July 12, Beach Blanket Bingo on July 19, and a “Music & Movement Night” on July 26. Vacation Bible school follows on July 31.
The Knights of Columbus congratulated Roger Qualey for being named Knight of the month and Chuck and Jamie Goodhard as family of the month.
Sharon Vannucci was the honoree at the Ladies Recognition Tea on June 13.
The Knights sponsored an outing to the Chattanooga Lookouts’ baseball game June 16 against the Rocket City (Huntsville, Ala.) Trash Pandas. Those attending sat in an air-conditioned suite and were able to partake of hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken wings, home fries, baked beans, pasta salad, dessert, tea, and lemonade.
Anniversaries: John and Lynda Diprima (59), Donald and Anita Johnson (59), Joe and Cathy Burriesci (55), Edgar and Marielu Lopez (45), Richard and Cheryl Ridder (35), Dave and Michelle Pestillo (30), Brian and Paula Zeh (30), Robert and Maureen Streko (20), Omar Roberto Alvarez Bermudez and Irma Carina Lopez Palomino (15), Trace and Elizabeth Cline (5)
Cumberland Mountain Deanery
All Saints, Knoxville
A Fulton Sheen Society meeting took place June 24 in the parish hall. Speaker Dr. Thomas Maurer talked about “History and Development of Church Architecture: Apostolic Age to the 13th Century.” Dr. Maurer was a PhD student at the University of Tennessee and will begin as a professor of history at Ave Maria University in the fall.
Blessed Sacrament, Harriman
The ladies group hosted a Father’s Day brunch on June 18 following the 10:30 a.m. Mass.
The parish has prayer blankets available. Those who would like a blanket for a loved one or friend in need of prayers for healing should contact the office at 865-882-9838 or blessed sacramentoffice@gmail.com
The ladies group has a monthly food drive to support the Hands of Mercy Food Bank that services Harriman and Kingston.
St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade
A Knights of Columbus Silver Rose program in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe took place at the 8 a.m. Mass on May 25.
The parish has a new ministry, the Angel Team. The “angel” is there to guide new parishioners and introduce them to all aspects of the parish family. For more information, call Kathy Small at 931-210-4348.
On first Mondays, a Communion service is held followed by a rosary for the
Parish notes continued on page B10
Meals on Wheels volunteers of St. Mary-Athens recognized
The Meals on Wheels volunteers of St. Mary Parish in Athens were honored recently in a luncheon at the Etowah Senior Center. St. Mary has provided volunteers for this program for more than 50 years. From left are Gail Buckley, Lois Preece, Helen Dionne, Hugh Reed, Connie Reed, Priscille Stuckey, Marilyn Langdon, Jim Langdon, Thelma Pikciunas, Tom Pikciunas, and Marie McCartney. Not pictured are Lou Dionne, Connie Guthrie, Rose Midkiff, and Diane Schwartz.
Bishop confirms youth at St. Bridget
Bishop Richard F. Stika confirmed 16 youth April 19 at St. Bridget Church in Dayton. From left are (front row) Jesus López, Bishop Stika, Adalyn López, Allison Santiago, and pastor Father Jim Vick; (middle row) altar server Juan Velez, Juan Pablo Sanchez, Nathaniel Skubisz, Adan Plata, Jackson Wente, Leah Reyna, Arianna Martinez, Alyson Ramos, and Ayleen Sanchez; and (back row) Angel de Jesus Ramos, Jase Farmer, Jacob Martinez, Alexsander Piña, Bruce Ramos, and altar server Omar Ayala.
Ten receive first Holy Communion at St. Michael the Archangel
Ten children celebrated their first Holy Communion on May 7 at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Erwin. Receiving the sacrament were Angela Guadalupe Munez Negrete, Isabella Sofia Silva Acevedo, Jacqueline Cecena, Arriana Lizbeth Cecena, Sofia Carolina Perez, Oscar Guadalupe Soto, Adrian Rene Carrillo, Alejandro Torres Betancourt, Carlos Alfredo Mendoza Lomeli, and Cecilia Jasmine Reynoso. COURTESY
THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC B6 n JULY 2, 2023 www.dioknox.org
Parish notes
COURTESY OF SISSY APARICIO-RASCON
OF MARIA WHISTON
COURTESY OF JANET SPRAKER COURTESY OF MIKE SWEENEY
Confirmation celebrated at St. Mary-Gatlinburg Bishop Richard F. Stika confirmed nine youth at the 11 a.m. Mass on June 4 at St. Mary Church in Gatlinburg. From left are (front row) Deysi Garcia, Jeyli Amador, Lily Turcios, and Bryana Turcios; (middle row) Cristhofer Hernandez, Alejandra Quevedo, Kimberlee Garcia, and Kyla Salimbene; and (back row) associate pastor Father Moises Moreno, Bishop Stika, confirmation instructor Amelia Sweeney, and Daniel Rios.
The 14th annual Irish Fest on the Hill is set for 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, at Immaculate Conception Church in downtown Knoxville. The event features live Irish music, kids activities, and Irish food including corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pies, and Reuben sandwiches as well as hot dogs and hamburgers. Volunteers are needed, and service hours are available for students for setup, cleanup, food prep and sales, the admission gate, kids’ activities, and more. For more information on positions and times, contact Beth Wolf at 865-6790535 or beth7137@att.net. The Irish Fest committee is accepting auction items and sponsorships. For more information, contact Becky Birdwell at birdwellent@bellsouth.net
Catholic in Recovery is a program that meets at 7 p.m. Mondays in the St. Anne Room/Knights of Columbus building at St. Mary Church in Johnson City. Catholic in Recovery provides healing from addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments. Family members impacted by a loved one’s addiction are also encouraged to attend. Meetings combine the spiritual principles of 12-step recovery and the sacraments of the Catholic Church. Join others in recovery as participants overlap Scripture from Sunday’s Mass readings, liturgical themes, and recovery topics with honest discussion and prayer. Confidentiality is protected. Healing is available for alcoholism; drug addiction; disordered eating; technology addiction; lust/ pornography addiction; control, fear, resentment, and grief; adult children of dysfunctional homes; and family members impacted by addiction. For more information, visit www.catholicin recovery.com or contact Beth at 714651-2008, Ed at 865-599-4823, or Jena at tricities.tn.cir@gmail.com
The relics of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) will be exposed at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus beginning at 8:30 a.m. and concluding at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26. A Mass in honor of Padre Pio will be celebrated at noon. The relics are part of a touring exhibition of the Saint Pio Foundation, which is dedicated to the promotion of the spiritual charism of Padre Pio. Contact the cathedral at 865-588-0249 or shcathedral@shc knox.org for additional information.
Singers, choir directors, organists, clergy, and others interested in sacred music are invited to the eighth Southeastern Summer Sacred Music Workshop, to be held midday Friday, July 28, through Saturday, July 29, at Mary Our Queen Church in Peachtree Corners, Ga. The workshop is an ideal opportunity for participants to learn Gregorian chant or improve their chant skills and to prepare and sing polyphonic music for Mass Saturday afternoon. Presentations will include the history and purpose of Gregorian chant, what the Church teaches about sacred music, improving parish music programs on a limited budget, free online sources of liturgical music, and more. Cost of the workshop, including all materials, is $110 per person. Online registration is available now. Southeastern Sacred Music is a chapter of the Church Music Association of America. For more information, visit southeasternsacredmusic.com/ or email olmchoirs@gmail.com
A Living the Beatitudes retreat is scheduled for the weekend of Aug. 25-27 at the Catholic Conference Center in Hickory, N.C. The retreat is an invitation to ponder the paradox of the Beatitudes in one’s own life and experience how they can be used to receive God’s blessing, immerse one’s life in God’s blessing, and become a blessing to the world. The weekend includes thoughtful meditations, practical applications, and time to reflect on the sacred spaces and beautiful trails, plus Mass, adoration, confession, and more. Visit catholicconference.org/ beatitude/ for more details.
Holy Fire Nashville, a day of talks, praise and worship, and Mass for middle-schoolers, is set for 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21. Participants are invited to travel together with others from the Diocese of Knoxville. More details coming soon. Visit dio-
knox.org/events/holy-fire-2023 for updates.
Catholic Charities of East Tennessee is offering a Rachel’s Vineyard healing retreat, for those experiencing emotional or spiritual difficulties from a past abortion, from Sept. 15-17 at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton. You can learn more about Rachel’s Vineyard on the CCETN website at ccetn.org/project-rachel For more information, contact Sandi Davidson at sandi@ccetn.org or call or text 865-776-4510. Complete confidentiality is honored at all times.
The Healing Ministry at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa offers healing prayers every third weekend of the month for anyone who has a physical, emotional, or spiritual need. Individual healing prayer will be offered in Spanish in the church immediately following the 7 p.m. Saturday Mass in Spanish, and prayer will be offered in English in the chapel immediately following the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass. Call Toni Jacobs at 561-315-5911 if you have any questions.
The 37th annual Mid-South Regional Charismatic Conference is set for Friday and Saturday, July 14-15, at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church in Antioch, Tenn. The keynote speaker is Father Juan Pablo Orozco, CC, and the conference theme is “Christ is the victor over the darkness of this age.”
The conference will take place from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Costs are $50 for individuals, $70 for married couples, and $80 for families. Clergy and religious are guests of the conference but need to register. Sponsorship opportunities are available—e-mail Teresa Seibert at tseibert@bellsouth.net. For suggestions on hotels in the area, call Ms. Seibert at 615-430-9343 or Bob Schwartz at 615-424-7470. For more information on the conference, call 615-789-4598 or e-mail Ms. Seibert. Register online at www.msrcc.org
A young adult and seminarian summer social is planned for noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at Immaculate Conception Church in Knoxville. Young adults (ages 18-35) are invited to join Diocese of Knoxville seminarians for food and fellowship. Download a flyer at dioknox.org/events/young-adultand-seminarian-summer-social. To RSVP or learn more, contact vocations office manager Beth Parsons at bparsons@dioknox.org
Young adults ages 18 to 35 who cannot travel to Portugal for World Youth Day are invited to take part in a Stateside World Youth Day set for the weekend of Aug. 4-6 in Washington, D.C. Travelers will stay at the Washington Retreat House. They will leave early on the morning of Friday, Aug. 4, and return late Sunday night, Aug. 6. Pilgrimage sites will include the St. John Paul II Shrine, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, and more. A Diocese of Knoxville seminarian, Deacon Daniel Herman, will join the group as a spiritual guide. Cost is $150 per person and includes lodging, transportation, two breakfasts, and pilgrimage materials. Travelers should bring extra cash for lunches and dinners out as well as for any donations they would like to make at the holy sites. Register, view a pilgrimage flyer, and see links to the websites of the two shrines and the monastery at dioknox.org/events/ wyd-stateside-pilgrimage. For more information, contact Brittany Garcia at bgarcia@dioknox.org or 865-776-9635.
The Diocese of Knoxville Youth Ministry Office is offering the Reach Summer God Camp for all rising seventh- and eighth-graders July 24-27 and the Discover Summer God Camp for all rising fifth- and sixth-graders July 27-29, both at Adventure Ocoee in Ocoee, Tenn. Campers will be staying in air-conditioned bunkhouses. God Camp activities will include lake-day inflatables, a water park (with wave pool, lazy river, and giant water slide), a high ropes course, an adventure race, outdoor sports, bonfires with s’mores, prayer services, skits, crafts, the celebration
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St. Jude in Chattanooga celebrates 33rd anniversary of Father Waraksa St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga celebrated the 33rd anniversary of priestly ordination for associate pastor Father Alex Waraksa with a luncheon on May 25. Father Waraksa was the first priest ordained for service in the Diocese of Knoxville. His ordination was May 26, 1990. Above, Father Waraksa (left) is pictured with St. Jude pastor Father Charlie Burton.
Six receive first Communion at St. Bridget
Six children received their first Holy Communion on May 3 at St. Bridget Church in Dayton. From left are (front) Dominick Lucio Monreal, Loriah Esperanza Reyna, and Jack Major Robinson and (back) Dayana Guadalupe López García, Angelo Manuel Pina, and Meilani Guadalupe López García.
Seven confirmed at St. Elizabeth
Bishop Richard F. Stika confirmed seven students May 27 at the vigil Mass for Pentecost at St. Elizabeth Church in Elizabethton. With the bishop are (from left) Declan Burke, Deacon Rich Carner, Princess Torres, Mariana Mendez, Ben Shutko, Carl Johnson, Grace Artz, Lux Bienaime, and pastor Father Dennis Kress.
Silver Rose service held at St. Joseph the Worker
St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville held a Silver Rose prayer service May 3 in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Knights of Columbus council, together with pro-life parishioners, joined for the prayers. Father Julius Abuh, pastor, received a Silver Rose presented to him by deputy Grand Knight Francisco Lemus. The group processed into the church for the service. The Knights instituted the Silver Rose, which also includes Pledge for Life cards. The journey of the Silver Rose begins in the United States each year in March. Both the rose and the cards will arrive at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City for her feast day Dec. 12.
THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC JULY 2, 2023 n B7 www.dioknox.org
Calendar
COURTESY OF LAURA BRYANT (2)
COURTESY OF JANET SPRAKER
COLEEN SCHNEIDER
COURTESY OF FATHER JULIUS ABUH
A catechesis on the Eucharistic Prayers
Their
The center and high point” of the Mass is the Eucharistic Prayer, “the prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification.” 1 Pope Benedict XVI describes it as action “in the highest sense of the word”— although proclaimed by the priest acting in the person of Christ the head, “God Himself acts and does what is essential.” 2 The Eucharistic Prayers in the current Missal, wrote Pope Benedict XVI, “have been handed down to us by the Church’s living tradition and are noteworthy for their inexhaustible theological and spiritual richness,” and so he urged that all Catholics “be enabled to appreciate that richness.” 3 In this column, I want to begin a catechesis on the Eucharistic Prayers. We have sources on the Eucharistic Prayer from the earliest centuries of the Church. St. Justin Martyr (died 165) left us an account of the Eucharist from the mid-second century. After the readings, homily, and prayer of the faithful, bread and wine mixed with water are brought to the presider, who then “offers praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and for a considerable time he gives thanks that we have been judged worthy of these gifts,” and the people say, “Amen.” 4 Justin also says that Jesus’ words over the bread and the cup (the words of consecration) were said. Several decades later, we have a Eucharistic Prayer from
Hippolytus (d. 235) that is the basis for Eucharistic Prayer II in the current Missal. And we know from the writing of St. Ambrose (d. 397) that much of the content and wording of the Roman Canon—Eucharistic Prayer I—was in existence in the fourth century.
In the current liturgy, there are
13 Eucharistic Prayers. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (no. 365) offers guidance on the use of each. Eucharistic Prayer I, the Roman Canon, “may always be used… it is especially suited for use on Sundays.” Eucharistic Prayer II “is more appropriately used on weekdays or in special circumstances.” Eucharistic Prayer III “should be preferred on Sundays and festive days.” Eucharistic Prayer IV includes its own preface, and so may only “be used when a Mass has no preface of its own and on Sundays in Ordinary Time.”
In addition to these four, there are two Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation. These “may be used in Masses in which the mystery of reconciliation is conveyed to the faithful in a special way…as well as in Masses during Lent.” There are four Eucharistic Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions to be “used in the various occasions of Christian life for the needs of the whole world or for the needs of the Church, whether universal or local.” These 10 Eucharistic Prayers are in the third edition of the Roman Missal. In a separate volume, there are
also three Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children that are only to be used in Masses celebrated with children.
Every Eucharistic Prayer is addressed to God the Father and is composed of the same elements: thanksgiving, acclamation, epiclesis, institution narrative and consecration, anamnesis, offering, intercessions, and final doxology.
The thanksgiving refers primarily to the preface, which praises and thanks God the Father “for the whole work of salvation or for some particular aspect of it, according to the varying day, festivity, or time of year” (there are almost 100 in the current Missal). The acclamation is the “Holy, holy, holy,” which leads into one of the 13 Eucharistic Prayers described above. I will use Eucharistic Prayer II to illustrate the remaining elements.
The epiclesis asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit “like the dewfall” upon the bread and wine “so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Then begins the institution narrative when, before he “entered willing into his passion,” Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying the words of consecration, “this is my body,” and then “in a similar way” gave the chalice to his disciples saying, “this is the chalice of my blood…do this in memory of me.”
Through the epiclesis and the words
Mass
and actions of Jesus, the bread and wine are now Christ’s body and blood. The anamnesis proclaims that “we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection,” and in the oblation (offering) “we offer you, Lord, the Bread of Life and the chalice of salvation.”
Then comes a series of intercessions: for the Church, our pope, our bishop, and the clergy, “all who have died in your mercy,” and for “mercy on us all.” We invoke the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Joseph, and all the Saints that “we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life.” The doxology gives glory and honor to the Father through, with, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, and is “affirmed and concluded by the people’s acclamation, ‘Amen.’”
In the months ahead, we will continue to explore the theological and spiritual riches of the Eucharistic Prayer, “the heart and summit of the celebration.” 5
1 General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 78.
2 The Spirit of the Liturgy, 172-3.
3 The Sacrament of Charity, no. 48.
4 Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1345.
5 CCC, no. 1352. ■
Father Randy Stice is director of the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox. org.
St. Elizabeth Parish bids a fond farewell to Father Kress
About 110 people bid Father Dennis Kress farewell at his going-away party hosted by the Ladies’ Guild on June 10 at St. Elizabeth Church in Elizabethton. Father Kress served St. Elizabeth for almost 21 years, 20 of them as pastor. He also was pastor most of those years at St. Anthony of Padua in Mountain City. On July 1, he started his new assignments as pastor of St. Therese in Clinton and St. Joseph in Norris. At top left, Father Kress visits with longtime parishioners Ric and Norma Martin. At bottom left, Maureen Strickling (left) and Barbara White from the Ladies’ Guild take a break from serving cake at the farewell party. At far right, Father Kress stands with Barbara Paul and Daniel Grubb (in the background).
Daily readings
Saturday, July 1: Genesis 18:1-15; Luke 1:46-50, 53-55; Matthew 8:5-17
Sunday, July 2: 2 Kings 4:8-11, 1416; Psalm 89:2-3, 16-19; Romans 6:34, 8-11; Matthew 10:37-42
Monday, July 3: Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle, Ephesians 2:19-22; Psalm 117:1-2; John 20:24-29
Tuesday, July 4: Genesis 19:15-29; Psalm 26:2-3, 9-12; Matthew 8:23-27
Wednesday, July 5: Genesis 21:5, 8-20; Psalm 34:7-8, 10-13; Matthew 8:28-34
Thursday, July 6: Genesis 22:1-19; Psalm 115:1-6, 8-9; Matthew 9:1-8
Friday, July 7: Genesis 23:1-4, 19 and 24:1-8, 62-67; Psalm 106:1-5; Matthew 9:9-13
Saturday, July 8: Genesis 27:1-5, 1529; Psalm 135:1-6; Matthew 9:14-17
Sunday, July 9: Zechariah 9:9-10; Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14; Romans 8:9, 11-13; Matthew 11:25-30
Monday, July 10: Genesis 28:10-22; Psalm 91:1-4, 14-15; Matthew 9:18-26
Tuesday, July 11: Memorial of St. Benedict, abbot, Genesis 32:23-33; Psalm 17:1-3, 6-8, 15; Matthew 9:32-38
Wednesday, July 12: Genesis 41:5557 and 42:5-7, 17-24; Psalm 33:2-3, 10-11, 18-19; Matthew 10:1-7
Thursday, July 13: Genesis 44:18-21, 23-29 and 45:1-5; Psalm 105:16-21; Matthew 10:7-15
Friday, July 14: Memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, virgin, Genesis 46:17, 28-30; Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40; Matthew 10:16-23
Saturday, July 15: Memorial of St. Bonaventure, bishop and doctor of the Church, Genesis 49:29-32 and 50:15-26; Psalm 105:1-4, 6-7; Matthew 10:24-33
Sunday, July 16: Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalm 65:10-14; Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 13:1-23
Monday, July 17: Exodus 1:8-14, 22;
Psalm 124:1-8; Matthew 10:34–11:1
Tuesday, July 18: Exodus 2:1-15; Psalm 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34; Matthew 11:20-24
Wednesday, July 19: Exodus 3:1-6, 9-12; Psalm 103:1-4, 6-7; Matthew 11:25-27
Thursday, July 20: Exodus 3:13-20; Psalm 105:1, 5, 8-9, 24-27; Matthew 11:28-30
Friday, July 21: Exodus 11:10–12:14; Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18; Matthew 12:1-8
Saturday, July 22: Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, Song of Songs 3:1-4; Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9; John 20:1-2, 11-18
Sunday, July 23: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19; Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43
Monday, July 24: Exodus 14:5-18; Exodus 15:1-6; Matthew 12:38-42
Tuesday, July 25: Feast of St. James, Apostle, 2 Corinthians 4:7-15; Psalm 126:1-6; Matthew 20:20-28
Wednesday, July 26: Memorial of
Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15; Psalm 78:18-19, 23-28; Matthew 13:1-9
Thursday, July 27: Exodus 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20; Daniel 3:52-56; Matthew 13:10-17
Friday, July 28: Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19:8-11; Matthew 13:18-23
Saturday, July 29: Memorial of Sts. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, Exodus 24:3-8; Psalm 50:1-2, 5-6, 14-15; John 11:19-27
Sunday, July 30: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12; Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52
Monday, July 31: Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, priest, Exodus 32:15-24, 30-34; Psalm 106:19-23; Matthew 13:31-35
Tuesday, Aug. 1: Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, bishop and doctor of the Church, Exodus 33:7-11 and 34:5-9, 28; Psalm 103:6-13; Matthew 13:36-43 n
THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC JULY 2, 2023 n B9 www.dioknox.org
Encountering God in the Liturgy by Father Randy Stice
theological and spiritual riches are ‘the heart and summit of the celebration’ of
COURTESY OF COLEEN SCHNEIDER (3)
of Mass, team-building activities, group games, and time to simply enjoy camp. Some more camp highlights include four square, basketball, volleyball, capture the flag, and some surprise activities planned by the leaders. Youth at the camps can make new friendships, enjoy the great outdoors, and grow in their relationship with the God who created them. To register, download a camp flyer, or view medical-release and code-ofconduct forms and an Adventure Ocoee waiver, visit dioknox.org/events/reachcamp-2023 or dioknox.org/events/ discover-camp-2023
Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga is currently accepting applications for the 2023-24 academic year. Apply by visiting www.myndhs.com and submit an online application. Contact Lisa Costello at 423-624-4618 or costellol@myndhs.com with any questions.
More than 400 from around the country and beyond are expected to attend the 22nd National Conference for Single Catholics set for Aug. 25-27 at St. John’s Resort in Plymouth, Mich. The weekend includes talks by dynamic speakers, music, social events, Mass, adoration, fellowship, and more. Register at NationalCatholicSingles.com
A Picture of Love retreat for engaged couples is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22 and 23, at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga. This marriagepreparation program is a supplement to a couple’s marriage formation with
Parish notes continued from page B6 prisoners at Bledsoe County Correctional Complex. At the service, parishioners also pray for the Prayer Warriors—pen pals who help inspire the prisoners and the prison ministers who evangelize the Gospel with them twice each month.
Members of the Council of Catholic Women started an ecumenical luncheon in the early 1990s for the churches of the Glade, at which participants could get to know and understand each one’s belief in God and grow together in faith. St. Francis of Assisi hosted the latest gathering June 14. A total of 88 women attended the ecumenical luncheon, which featured pork loin and all the trimmings. Since it was Flag Day, appropriate songs were sung by a choir. The speaker was Arlene Webb, a religious educator for more than 46 years.
On June 17, a potluck meal was wellattended after the Saturday vigil Mass. This meal offered thanks for all the gifts that have been showered upon the parish. The occasion was also a celebration of pastor Father Michael Woods’ return from Ireland and of his 57th anniversary in the priesthood.
The Haitian group thanked the parish for a great gift of $13,000 donated to Father Glenn Meaux and his Haitian mission. On May 20, the parish held an art show for guest Father Meaux. Music was provided by Eric Wheeler.
On Corpus Christi Sunday, a procession was held on church grounds that continued with Benediction inside. The guest speaker was Deacon Vic Landa of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Harriman.
Anniversaries: Kenneth and Norma Guillory (66), David and Tish Offutt (60), Paul and Barbara Dahar (59), Ronald and Virginia Schuster (58), Ronald and Janeene Lemieux (55), Luke and Andrea Hebert (55), William and Gail Boland (55), Robert and Marion Cope (54), James and Kathleen Veen (54), James and Jacqueline Bronson (54), James and Margaret Snyder (54), David and Maralee Rivard (53), Roger and Suzette Hulgan (53), Vince and Sandy D’Alessandro (52), Art and Linda Meyer (52), Dick and Sally Weller (52), Raymond and Kathleen Pilon (51), Ken and Christine Kuczka (51), Robert and Mary Terrafore (51), Gerald and Mary Ceurvorst (40), George and Catherine Falconer (40), Don and Kathy White (35)
St. John Neumann, Farragut
A newcomers adult social is set for Saturday, Aug. 12. E-mail welcometosjn@ gmail.com for details.
Two talks on Jason Evert’s “Purified” and “Gender and the Theology of Your
their parish priest or deacon. Picture of Love explores the joys and challenges of living out the sacrament of matrimony with special focus on the importance of inviting Jesus to be the center of marriage and family life. The program will help each couple gain insights into their relationship as well as give them practical ideas and tools to help smooth their journey and become the “Picture of Love” to one another. Meeting times are 6:45 to 10 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Cost is $150 per couple. Payment is due two weeks before the weekend. For a registration form, visit dioknox.org/events/picture-of-loveretreat. Also at the website are three exercises: a personality test, a “love language profile for couples,” and a fillable budget worksheet. Couples are asked to complete the exercises in advance and bring them to the retreat—see the website for more details.
An Engaged Encounter weekend is set for Saturday, Sept. 30, at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Alcoa. Catholic Engaged Encounter is a weekend to plan for a sacramental marriage. It is designed to give couples an opportunity to talk privately, honestly, and intensively about their prospective lives together—their strengths and weaknesses; desires, ambitions, and goals; their attitudes about money, sex, children, and family; and their role in the Church and society—in a guided format. Cost of the weekend is $205 per couple, which includes a certificate good for a $60 discount on the couple’s marriage license in Tennessee.
Body” are planned for Sunday, Oct. 22.
The family-based event invites parents, teens, and all adults to learn about God’s plan for love and to consider what is the meaning of sex, gender, and the human body. There will be time for prayer and adoration, with the sacrament of reconciliation available.
Five Rivers Deanery
Holy Trinity, Jefferson City
The annual school-supply drive for Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies will take place at Holy Trinity through July 23. Supplies such as binders, three-prong folders with pockets, glue, composition books, colored pencils, highlighters, Kleenex, safety scissors, crayons, wide-rule paper, pens and pencils, and backpacks may be placed in a box in the narthex.
Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies
Week is set for July 10-13. Parishioners are needed to help cook for or serve the volunteers of all denominations who come together for a week of work and fellowship. The program helps those who cannot afford or are physically unable to make home repairs.
A potluck dinner was held June 26 in Trinity Hall followed by a presentation of the Council of Catholic Women’s community-service summer project of making sleeping mats for the homeless.
A parish picnic June 4 that included a magic show by pastor Father Jim Harvey was a success. Members of the family-life committee and the Knights of Columbus did the grilling.
CCW officers for the next year were installed at a May meeting: Cindy Giardiello, president; Barbara Lawson, secretary; and Rose Colasuonno, treasurer.
Newcomers: Aaron and Indra Brennan, Tara Rosenberg
Notre Dame, Greeneville
Vacation Bible school was held on Wednesday nights in June for prekindergarten through fifth-grade youth. VBS concluded on July 5 with Mass, a potluck meal, and water games.
Fundraising for youth to attend the National Catholic Youth Conference this fall has included a rummage sale June 24 and the sale of “uncommon” stock at different levels, including “gold” ($100). For more information, contact Susan Collins in the parish office at susan@notredametn.org
Notre Dame’s annual Fall Festival of
To receive a $60 discount, couples must attend a marriage-preparation weekend within one year of purchasing the license.
To register for a weekend or learn more, visit knoxville.engagedencounter.com or call Leslie Consoli at 865-803-6790.
Join Father Alex Hernandez on a pilgrimage walking the Camino to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, from Aug. 29 to Sept. 8. Upon arrival in Santiago de Compostela, pilgrims will be met by their tour guide and depart for Sarria, the last point at which a pilgrim can start the journey and still complete the 100 kilometers needed to claim the compostela. The journey will follow a pilgrim path that has existed since the ninth century. Mass and confession will be available daily. Cost is $4,199. To register, call 508-505-6078. To view full details and an itinerary, visit dioknox.org/events/ pilgrimage-to-santiago-de-compostela
Father Bill and Sherri McNeeley are leading a Holy Land pilgrimage Sept. 13-22 with an optional post-tour to Rome from Sept. 22-26. Places visited will include Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Stella Maris, Nazareth, Tiberias, Cana, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, Mount Tabor, Jericho, Jerusalem, Temple Model, Ein Karem, Bethlehem, Bethany, the Dead Sea, the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, Mount Zion (Upper Room), the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. For more information, including pricing and a daily itinerary, visit www.pilgrimages.com/frmcneeley or contact Danielle at danielle@206tours.
Nations fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 7. The event will include samples of food from around the world, free entertainment, a silent auction, a bake sale, games and inflatables, vendors and displays, an art show, a yard sale, a raffle, and more. A meeting on the festival is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 11. Sponsorships are available from $100 to $2,000. T-shirts with the festival logo are available to order in the narthex for $20. Call co-chairs Mark Sweet at 423-673-3018 or DJ Dalton at 423-588-0150 to get involved.
Anniversaries: Tim and Cecilia Marcy (59), Roger and Barbara Violette (59), Joseph and Wendy Hankins (45) St. Patrick, Morristown
A Tuesday-morning group study on Father Michael Gaitley’s “Consoling the Heart of Jesus,” a devotion to the Sacred Heart, will be held from July 11 through Sept. 5 in the basement youth room. The study will be accompanied by a group program on Divine Mercy. Cost is $15. The study will be led by Lori Batman, Susan Haywood, and Renee McGarel. RSVP with the church office or contact Ms. McGarel at 423748-1938 or rmcgarel22@gmail.com
The Council of Catholic Women is collecting Christmas/holiday items for its Christmas Resale Shop at the “Breakfast with St. Nick” event in December. Bring items to the church office during office hours. For more information, contact Kathy DeAngelis at 423-277-6296 or krdeangelis@yahoo.com
Anniversaries: Richard and Marilyn Giddish (68), Charles and Diane Johnson (67), Nick and Elena Longo (64), Thomas and Laura Dziezyk (55), Paul and Pamela Von Herbulis (53), Kevin and Kim Brown (30), Candido Gallardo and Maria de los Angelez Hernandez (20), Brad and Nichole Jacobs (20), Mark and Ashleigh Preston (10)
Smoky Mountain Deanery
Holy Ghost, Knoxville
The Legion of Mary hosted a patriotic rosary to honor veterans on July 4 at Knoxville National Cemetery.
The parish wished associate pastor Father Michael Hendershott a happy eighth anniversary of priestly ordination June 27.
Immaculate Conception, Knoxville
The women’s group’s Christ the Child Baby Shower was held in the parish hall after all Masses on July 8 and 9. All gifts will be donated to the Ladies of Charity’s
com or 800-206-8687.
A pilgrimage to Greece, including a four-day Aegean cruise, is set for Sept. 18-29. Join Glenmary Father Steve Pawelk “In the Footsteps of St. Paul” as pilgrims visit the places where St. Paul preached the Gospel—Thessaloniki, Philippi, Corinth, and Athens— and visit the Meteora Monasteries. The Aegean cruise stops on the islands of Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes, and Patmos and will also visit the ancient city of Ephesus, featuring some of the most magnificent excavations in the world, and visit Mary’s house. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865567-1245 or lisam@select-intl.com
“Prayers Echoing Off Ancient Walls: A Pilgrimage Through England,” led by Father Joe Reed and Father Michael Maples, is set for April 17 to May 1, 2024. Sites (subject to change) include London, Walsingham, Canterbury, Aylesford, Norwich, York, Oxford, and Rievaulx. The final itinerary and other details will be announced soon. Contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or lisam@select-intl.com
Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at noon each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville; every Sunday at 8 a.m. at St. Mary Church in Athens; at 2 p.m. each Sunday and at 6 p.m. most Mondays at St. Mary Church in Johnson City; and at 11:30 a.m. every Sunday at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. Visit www.KnoxLatinMass.net n
Mary’s Cradle Baby Layette Ministry. IC’s outreach program to support survivors of human trafficking began in 2018. Today there is a need to provide fresh meals to women in transition staying at the Grow Free Tennessee safe house in Knoxville. Volunteers are needed for one or more Tuesdays and Thursdays; visit www.mealtrain.com/ trains/5ygrvy. For more information, contact Theresa Miller at 732-319-0070 or trm.cpl@comcast.net
St. John XXIII, Knoxville
A parish picnic featuring burgers and more was held July 1 at St. Albert the Great Church in Knoxville.
Three people from St. John XXIII and a fourth who helped out with supplies formed a Knoxville Immigrant Transit Assistance team who met a Greyhound bus at a stop in East Knoxville on May 20 to help asylum seekers traveling east. To help with KITA, e-mail Mary Beth at john23music@gmail.com
Paulist seminarian James Marquez is helping out at St. John XXIII Catholic Center and Immaculate Conception Church this summer. He made his first promise Sept. 2, 2022. He is a 2018 graduate of UCLA and previously worked as a teacher at a Catholic high school.
St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville
The parish thanked all those who donated during a second collection June 17-18 for the Franciscan Sisters of Tanzania. A total of $4,885 was collected. Mother Dativa, the mother superior, was present that weekend.
A meet-and-greet for new members took place June 25 in the parish hall.
St. Joseph the Worker recognized its graduating high school and college students at the 10 a.m. Mass on June 4.
The Knights of Columbus yard sale is set for 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16.
All items of value that are clean and in working order are welcome for donation, including books, clothing, furniture, pictures, decorative items, bedding goods, large and small appliances, power and hand tools, lawn and garden equipment, pots and pans, dishes and utensils, automobiles and auto parts, sporting goods, camping gear, boats and boating equipment, Christmas decorations, electronics, musical instruments, crafts, and toys. Contact any Knight or call Ed Harless at 423-494-4761 for more information.
Anniversary: Gary and Patricia Boeckenstedt (45) n
THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC B10 n JULY 2, 2023 www.dioknox.org
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Notre Dame High School graduate earns $27,000 in scholarship awards
Over the weekend of June 25, recent graduate of the class of 2023 Maggie Haimelin of Notre Dame High School was announced as the first runner-up in the Distinguished Young Women of Tennessee. This is a significant scholarship program, one for which Maggie has spent years preparing.
Maggie was awarded the following:
n A preliminary fitness award worth $1,000.
n A preliminary talent award worth $1,000.
n A top eight finalist award worth $5,000.
And then if that already wasn’t enough to celebrate, Maggie was named the first alternate to the Distinguished Young Women of America for 2023, worth $20,000 in scholarships. That gave her a total of $27,000 in cash scholarships earned at the national level.
She has gained incomparable experiences since her Distinguished
Maggie Haimelin DAN MCWILLIAMS
Young Women experience started in the at-large program in East Tennessee more than a year ago. These scholarships are a reward for all the time and energy Maggie has spent preparing and representing the state. She heads to the University of Alabama this fall, taking advantage of those college-granted scholarships. For more information Distinguished Young Women visit distinguishedyw.org/ n
St. John Neumann Knights present Bishop’s Award to two eighth-graders
The 2023 Bishop’s Award of Excellence for graduating eighth-graders at St. John Neumann School in Farragut was given by Knights of Columbus Council 8781 to Estella Goad and Dresden LaFasto on May 15. St. John Neumann teachers observe the students throughout their time at the school for behaviors that are exemplary of good Christians. They see these behaviors in many students over the years. However, at the end of the eighth grade the faculty chooses students who demonstrate the most commitment to living their faith. These students have maintained high standards both academically and personally throughout their time at St. John
Neumann.
Estella served her peers and neighbors in multiple ways. She volunteered at vacation Bible school as a group leader and in this capacity gave witness to others about God and her faith. She helped clean elderly neighbors’ yards and helped write letters and Christmas cards for them when needed. She also did babysitting as a way of helping others.
Dresden volunteered as an altar server and read at Masses. He participated in a number of faith activities and is known to be kind and courteous. He has been part of the SJN campus clean-up. He understood that in serving others, he served Christ. n
Knoxville Catholic hosts spring, summer signing days
Knoxville Catholic High School’s fifth National Signing Day of the year took place May 30 in the St. Gregory the Great Auditorium as six student-athletes signed national letters of intent that will chart their future academic and athletic careers. Signing were (from left, top photo) Sam Brott with Lincoln Memorial University in lacrosse; Sam O’Leary, East Tennessee State University, football; Ellie Brickner, ETSU, cheer; Ella Perry, University of South Carolina, cheer; Anna Kauffman, Maryville College, cheer; and Devyn Dunn, University of North Carolina at Asheville, volleyball. A special summer signing day was held June 21 in the auditorium for two members of the Fighting Irish’s state-championship baseball team. Ian Hubbard signed with Radford University in baseball and Ben Sompayrac with Cleveland State Community College in baseball. In the bottom photo, Irish baseball head coach Caleb Moore introduces Ben (left) and Ian. Family, friends, and coaches joined the students at both signings.
Ladies of Charity award first St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Scholarship
The Ladies of Charity of Knoxville presented their first St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Scholarship, an award of $1,000, to Tucker Riley on May 16 at the Ladies’ headquarters in North Knoxville. Tucker graduated from Career Magnet Academy in Knoxville and plans to attend the University of Tennessee and major in international business. With him above are (from left) Susan Cannon, Ladies of Charity board treasurer; Carol Curry, scholarship committee member; Lisa Daley, past board president; and Melissa Cupp, board correspondence secretary.
THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC JULY 2, 2023 n B11 www.dioknox.org Catholic schools
COURTESY OF PAM RHOADES
COURTESY OF STEPHANIE GREINER (2)
Knights honorees Grand Knight Walt Hanson presents the Bishop’s Award to Estella Goad (left) and Dresden LaFasto.
COURTESY
SPRAKER
St. Bridget Women’s Council presents Service Award The Women’s Council at St. Bridget Parish in Dayton gave a Service Award to Isaac Zavala following Mass on May 28. Above, council president Deb Smith presents the award to Isaac, a graduating senior at Rhea County High School.
OF JANET
DAN MCWILLIAMS
Notre Dame cyclist competes in national championship Brady Lawson, a rising senior at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, competed in the USA Cycling Amateur Criterium National Championship Men’s 17/18 Race on June 17 in Roanoke, Va. Brady finished 38th out of 80 racers and was the only athlete racing from Tennessee.
COURTESY OF MEAGHAN REDNER
