Chesterton Academy: joyful, classical, Catholic

The new, independent Catholic high school in Knox County opens its doors for the 2023-24 year

Anew Catholic school has opened its doors in Knox County for the 2023-24 academic year.

Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow is an independent Catholic high school in the classical tradition that opened on Aug. 9.

The idea for the school originally “sprung out of the homeschooling Catholic community of Knoxville,” said Zach Summers, who serves as the school’s headmaster. Mr. Summers is a parishioner at Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville.

“I was approached about a year and a half ago by another gentleman, Jeff Baker, about starting this school, again expressed by a lot of the homeschooling community. They wanted to finish their children’s education in the same Catholic classical manner that many of them are currently receiving,” he said.

The Department of Education for the state of Tennessee conducted its pre-operational visit of the school in July and approved the school as a Category V Non-Public School.

The Chesterton Schools Network

Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow is part of the Chesterton Schools Network.

Based in Minneapolis, the network is an “apostolate of the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton” and offers “consulting services, templates for evaluating interest and operating a school, and the Chesterton Academy curriculum framework,” according to its website.

There currently are 44 Chesterton schools operating in the United States and Canada, with one sister school in Italy. Several additional schools will open this year.

The Knoxville academy is named after two patrons, G.K. Chesterton and St. Margaret Clitherow.

G.K. Chesterton was an English writer and convert to the Catholic faith, and he was considered “one of the world’s most outstanding men of letters in the early 20th century,” cites the Chesterton Schools Network website. He was chosen as the network’s patron “because he not only represents the fullness of faith and reason but also Catholic joy and common sense.”

St. Margaret Clitherow was a wife, mother, and Catholic school teacher who lived during the 1500s.

“St. Margaret Clitherow seemed very appropriate for us,” Mr. Summers said. “She was a schoolteacher of the Catholic faith, she helped hide and protect Catholic priests during the English persecutions. She was pressed to death with a door and in the process of that it was even believed she was with child at the time, pregnant…. So, schoolteacher, defender of the faith, protector of the priesthood, and pro-life; it just for us embodied all the aspects of our school, along with Chesterton.”

The physical location for the school is in a commercial building on Rutledge Pike in Knoxville.

Carolina DuPont, a parishioner at Holy Ghost and whose husband, Rory, is chair of the board of directors for the new school, said the location is an “immediate answer” and will likely be a short-term solution.

“We’re expecting big growth, even just after the first year, so as we grow we have to continually kind of assess and then hopefully end up in a permanent location that holds us, I think, into year five and beyond,” Mrs. DuPont said.

“We are one of 15 in the cohort of 2023 that

By Gabrielle Nolan

will open their doors in the fall of this year, and so one of the pillars that they’ve discovered that has been so successful is understanding and accepting that where you start at within the first year or two is not where you’ll end, and they very highly emphasize that,” Mr. Summers said.

Most beginning Chesterton schools start out with 20 to 30 students, but some start with lower numbers. Knoxville’s Chesterton Academy will start off with 11 students.

“The ninth grade, the freshman class, is usually the largest within the school simply because of parents wanting their children to start and end the entire process instead of halfway through,” Mr. Summers said. “We’ve also already received students in the 10th-, 11th-, and 12th-grade years, so non-freshmen who simply want to be a part of the Chesterton experience.”

“All four grades will be represented, but all four grades will be receiving the ninth-grade education as far as humanities go, but the math Chesterton continued on page B2

Father Dowling marks 40th priestly anniversary

The pastor of St. Augustine in Signal Mountain reflects on ‘serving people by God’s grace’

After morning Mass on June 18, the parishioners of St. Augustine in Signal Mountain honored pastor Father John Dowling with a reception as he marked the 40th anniversary of his priestly ordination.

Father Dowling commented on his milestone in his typical selfeffacing manner.

“I think some people might think I’m more like Moses, basically after 40 years of wondering if we’re ever going to get to the Promised Land with this leader,” he said. “But it’s been a joy, and, yes, I did think I’d make it 40 years with all of the support and the prayer and the love that people have and the energy that you gain from being a priest and the variety of ways that you’re able to serve people by God’s grace and in His name.”

The reception, the only anniversary-related event during the weekend, was not the only way parishioners recognized their pastor’s milestone.

“They honored me by their presence at Mass,” Father Dowling said. “I didn’t want to be honored in any particular way, and I’ve been here only four years, and they probably think that’s way too long already. They have been so welcoming, and I know they’ve had a lot of priests over the years and a variety of priests with various gifts.”

Father Dowling has served several parishes in his four decades as a priest, with some assignments lasting many years, including those at Holy Ghost in Knoxville, St. John Neumann in Farragut, and Holy Family in Seymour. He has also served at St. Jude in Chattanooga, where he was ordained a priest, at St. Francis of Assisi in Fairfield Glade, and Christ the King in Tazewell.

“I had 15 years at Holy Ghost, 12 years at St. John Neumann, and nine years at Holy Family. Those were the longer stays, but every single parish I’ve been privileged to serve at indeed was a pleasure,” he said. “They all have special moments. I wouldn’t say special trials because . . . I know there are difficult times for people, but the Lord’s grace has seen us through it. I just think that from the larger parishes you

By Dan McWilliams

get to develop more friendships and longer-lasting friendships, and also I think people are more willing to tell you what they think after you’ve been there a while. I appreciate people being upfront and feeling comfortable to be able to know that I am a person who’s open to information and insights, because I certainly don’t have all the answers.”

The 40-year priest did not want to thank any individual person upon his anniversary but mentioned the Knights of Columbus and the ladies who have served in his parish offices over the years.

“The Knights of Columbus have been a real support to me, not just in this parish but all throughout the diocese,” Father Dowling said. “The Knights have really helped me develop as a priest. One of the reasons I’ve been a Knight for almost 50 years now is because of the many ways they serve people. I think they’re an arm of the Catholic Church in a very beautiful way because they take every issue that has the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and they take them seriously and take it to heart. They are a way of reaching out in Christ’s name in a very powerful way, and I think they allow men to find their center in and science is appropriate to their grade level,” he continued. “This is very typical of a Chesterton school when it starts off because the ninthgrade curriculum already encapsulates in its subjects the levels of wisdom and knowledge that might be contained in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade in other schools. Plus, the material is not dated.”

Mr. Summers noted that the new school has hired six teachers and one teacher’s assistant.

“I will be teaching several of the humanities classes as well as being an administrator,” Mr. Summers continued. “My non-negotiable is never fully leaving the classroom.”

Mr. Summers, who holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Alabama, has been a teacher for the past 10 years at a variety of schools. His courses have included English, honors literature, religion, Latin, logic, broadcasting, and debate.

“I had formerly helped convert a Catholic parochial school to classical and had taught at a classical Protestant school a few years, and myself was classically educated,” he said.

As an independent classical school, Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow is not associated with Diocese of Knoxville schools.

“We have those who ask us, well what about the other schools in the area, do they not have something to offer? Our answer is they do,” Mr. Summers said. “Each school is a different member of the Body of Christ, just like the Jesuits, the Franciscans, the Dominicans, the Benedictines. They’re different religious orders but all a religious order.”

“We do notice with a lot of these schools there is a focus, and rightly so, on the technical and the proficient and college and career readiness, and we have college and career readiness as well,” he continued. “But the focus, just like all of them do prepare you for the ‘real world,’ our focus is we also are preparing them to be well-rounded individuals and understand that their education transcends the immediate need. Is it just that they can pass a test, is it just so that they can acquire a skill? These are good things, but are they readers? Are they thinkers?”

“I think it strikes a balance in our communities,” Mrs. DuPont added. “We have a great selection of STEM schools and technical schools in the Knoxville area, and I think this school strikes the balance with giving the arts with dance, too, and presenting it in a really fun way but also rounds out the student really well academically with classic literature, the great books.”

“I think the focus that we are really trying to get people talking about, and I’m really trying to get the diocese buzzing about, is what a joyful approach this is to the classical curriculum and just to our faith all around for these kids,” she continued. “That is truly our hope with this school, and that is the foundation to all Chesterton schools, is that joyful aspect.”

The Pearl Gala

On March 25, the academy hosted the Pearl Gala, its premier fundraising event. The gala included both silent and live auctions to benefit school funding.

Attendees raised $233,000 to fully fund the first year of the school.

Father Michael Hendershott, associate pastor at Holy Ghost in Knox- ville, led the group in prayer.

“How could we have a gala to support such a great work without quoting St. Thomas Aquinas?” he said. “The great doctor of the Church who spoke so much about virtue and grace, particularly the virtue that we’re here to perform tonight: the virtue of magnificence.”

“This particular virtue is a subset of the virtue of fortitude; it’s difficult work to do something magnificent,” he said. “The purpose of this magnificence is to grow in virtue, to grow in grace. So, we should all leave here tonight holier, more like unto God.”

Father Hendershott gave the example of Father John Dowling, who previously served as pastor of St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut and now serves as pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Signal Mountain.

“When he was building the beautiful St. John Neumann, one thing that he did was he spoke of generosity, and not only did he speak of generosity, he lived generosity,” Father Hendershott shared. “He pledged a year of his own salary to build that church. So, like Father Dowling, I’m not going to ask you to do something that I’m not willing to do myself. I’m going to pledge a year of my salary to Chesterton Academy.”

After a round of applause, Father Hendershott added that he also pledged a year of his salary to Knoxville Catholic High School when he previously was the chaplain there.

“Education is a tremendous work, it’s magnificent,” he said. “To bring souls to the knowledge of truth and love of truth that is Jesus Christ, that is what this school is for. I’m grateful for your presence. I’m grateful that you’re here and willing to learn about this great virtue that St. Thomas spoke of, magnificence, to do something great.”

There were more than 90 attendees for the premier gala.

Jennifer Hay, a parishioner at St. John Neumann, said her son will be entering the school as a freshman.

“I love that the Diocese of Knoxville is going to have a classical school that’s small, a small number of students to teachers,” she said. “I think more individual attention from teachers is going to be very helpful for him.”

“Classical education really does take you through the thought process, how to think good thoughts with the best thinkers of history, and I love that there’s not going to be any computers in the classroom, I think that’s a big distraction,” she said.

Priscilla McKinney, a parishioner at Holy Ghost, also said that one of her sons will enter as a freshman.

“We are really looking forward to this option for next year for our son, for fall of 2023,” she shared. “We already have one son who’s at Knox Catholic and he loves it, and it’s a really good fit for him, but we just have different needs and different wants for our other son, and I really think this is going to be the best fit.”

Mrs. McKinney said that she wants to support the school “as much as possible.”

“I want to support another option for Catholic families in the area. I just think it’s really important that we have multiple options for the multiple needs of our different children,” she said. “It’s going to serve certain families really well. It’s not for everyone, and it doesn’t need to be for everyone, because it’s just another option for families that are looking for that classical education.”

Barry Walsh, a parishioner at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, said he sees “the need for this type of education.”

“There’s a demographic that it works perfect for,” he said. “I’m for pretty much anything Catholic. I love our faith. … I like opportunities for, especially homeschool kids, they’re working their way through and as they get older it becomes more difficult for parents to be able to school them, so to have a smaller environment to be able to bring them through these critical times. And the classical education is solid.”

Following the gala dinner, board member Curt Jawdy and Mr. Summers led presentations about the school.

“We need Chesterton schools because our society is great at answering ‘how’ questions but terrible at answering ‘why’ questions,” Mr. Jawdy said. “The reason that we struggle at answering these ‘why’ questions is because much of society has gone along with the flow, and that’s towards modernism. And by its nature this denies the existence of anything transcendent beyond the material world.”

“We can create stuff, but we struggle at creating meaning,” Mr. Jawdy continued. “So, we need a Chesterton school now to begin with the wisdom of the past, as we build a generation of Catholics ready to provide a reason for the hope that is in them. We need a generation that can use all of the gifts that God has given them, to reorient society towards valuable ends. We need people to rearticulate the knowledge that God has given in His Word and in the natural order He created. We need leaders, and leaders must be trained from a young age.”

Mr. Jawdy said that the Holy Spirit is active in each generation, “showing new facets of God’s goodness to us.”

“His work at various times and in various places has brought us the Benedictines, the Dominicans, the Franciscans, and many orders besides,” he said. “He ministers to us through the Latin, Alexandrian, Maronite, and four other rites. So, we pray that he’s now ready to add a younger brother in the Catholic schools of Knoxville. So, we thank you for joining us in this adventure as we create a community and school to form our most valuable heritage: our kids.”

Mr. Summers addressed the three pillars of the school: joyful, classical, and Catholic.

“We’re here to form souls; we’re here to help form souls. There is nothing more important in anything that we do than to help our children get to heaven,” he said. “We want children who are able to remain holy, to become holy, to remain holy, and to go into the world to increase in their holiness and to help others increase in their holiness. … We want children who can go into the world whole and intact and be able to spread the Gospel, be able to think, be able to articulate.”

Mr. Summers spoke about the school’s patron, G.K. Chesterton.

“He was staunch friends with George Bernard Shaw, the devout atheist,” he explained. “They would argue throughout the entire day. They would debate fiercely. They would hold to their own, but they would be friends at night, and they’d go share a drink together.”

“The first pillar of Chesterton Academy is joy,” he continued. “To be able to have joy in our lives, not just know the truth but be able to share that truth with others. Joy is that levity, joy is that cure, joy allows us to know, love, and serve God but to have humility and to not take ourselves so seriously that we can’t be friends with others and spread that faith.”

“The second part, as Curt touched upon, Curt said our students are taught in school how to do something but they’re not taught why. I would add to that that they’re not taught the ‘should,’” he added. “The ‘should’ is the pillar of what Chesterton Academy is about. ‘Should’ involves wisdom. You can teach a student how to put a sword together, you can teach a student how to use that sword, but have they been taught should they use that sword? When should they fight? When should they apply the knowledge? That’s wisdom, and you don’t find that sense of wisdom in a great many schools. That’s what we want to teach these students is wisdom, how to use the knowledge that they have.”

Mr. Summers said that the third pillar of being Catholic is the most important.

“A joyful classical school in the Catholic tradition, and that’s why at Chesterton Academy we have the Mass every day, hopefully, God willing,” he said. “We have the sacraments. Nothing we can do inside of this school is more important than that Mass in the morning.”

“I’ve taught for 10 years in every different type of school, and there is nothing that we can do better for our children than this education. It not only teaches them holiness, it not only teaches them wisdom, it not only teaches them joyfulness, but it rounds them out; it forms the whole person,” he shared.

For more information on Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow, visit knoxchesterton.com ■ a parish. I think the biggest surprise I’ve had is how helpful the Knights of Columbus have been.”

Regarding parish office workers, Father Dowling said, “I’ve depended on the staff down over the years, including the ones today who serve the Lord in St. Augustine’s name and of course in Jesus’ name here at St. Augustine Parish but all the way back to my first parish in this diocese, at St. Jude, Holy Ghost, Holy Family, St. Francis, and the six schools I’ve been affiliated with—that’s been a real joy. Really, the secretaries and the DREs and the people in the dayto-day who you see, that’s really key, because if you have tension there it’s going to show to the parish. We’ve had primarily women who are working in the office down through the years, and they show the Lord’s best face and best foot forward and help a priest, and they’re invaluable. I’d say the Knights of Columbus on the one hand and then all of the staff who are there day in and day out and basically holding down the fort while the priest is doing what he needs to do.”

Being a priest has allowed Father Dowling to literally see the world.

“I feel like there’s no way I would have had the same privilege of meeting the numbers of people and the places I’ve been, including the Holy Land three times, no way I would have been able to afford that or even thought about or dreamed of doing that. That has been a real blessing. That has been a real benefit for me, eye-opening experiences, to see the universal Church active in Europe, in Canada, and throughout the United States.”

Father Dowling has seen much of the United States on hiking trips with his younger brother Father Kevin Dowling and with longtime friend Bishop James Vann Johnston Jr. of the Diocese of Kansas CitySt. Joseph, a son of the Diocese of Knoxville who served as a priest alongside Father John Dowling for many years. The latter thanked those fellow clergy and also Father John Orr and Father David Carter for their friendship.

“Bishop Vann Johnston and my brother Kevin, we hiked for about 30 years together, until recently,” Father John Dowling said. “Just about every year we hiked together. Besides my own family, too, those two priests have been special to me. Of course, I know many priests throughout the diocese, too numerous to name. Those two have been really, really special, Father Orr and Father Carter and others as well. The deacons who serve in the parish have been a blessing and accommodating and working for nothing except for God’s glory. I don’t want to forget about those deacons.”

Father Dowling said he misses the hiking trips, “but I know Bishop Vann has got a lot more things on his mind, and my brother Kevin is nestled down in Middle Tennessee. He’s serving in kind of a semi-retirement way, serving for those priests who are able to get a vacation and take off three or four weeks at a time, especially the ones who are from India, Africa, Ireland, or South America—he’s able to cover for them. He’s been a big help, even though he’s not a pastor anywhere.”

Father Kevin Dowling is one of Father John Dowling’s three younger brothers but has been ordained two and a half years longer than his older sibling.

The hiking trio earned national recognition from the U.S. Department of the Interior after they rescued a father and two of his children from going over a waterfall in August 2002 at Glacier National Park in Montana. The man’s son had fallen into a creek near Ptarmigan Falls, and the man—with an infant daughter in a carrier on his back—went into the water to try and save his son. The priests formed a human chain with then-Father Johnston on shore and the sibling priests in the water. Despite slick rocks in the creek bed and nothing to hang on to on the shore, the three priests with the help of the boy’s father passed the youngster along the line until he reached his mother on the bank. The priests then rescued the father and daughter. The boy ended up 20 feet short of the waterfall.

The Department of the Interior held its 62nd Department Honor Awards Convocation in February 2005 in Washington, D.C., and Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton presented the priests with the Citizen’s Award for Bravery.

John R. Dowling was born in Savannah, Ga., the eldest of seven children. The future priest attended Catholic elementary schools in Savannah and Cincinnati before his family moved to Chattanooga in 1964. There he attended Notre Dame High School, graduating in 1968. He graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1973.

After college, he worked for five years in the marketing and sales department of the Chattanooga CocaCola Bottling Co., doing price forecasting and acting as the firm’s conveniencestore representative.

His priestly vocation began to take root in those days.

“It was certainly by the grace of God. It started by going to St. Jude and reflecting on and thinking about becoming a priest of the diocese,” Father Dowl - ing said. “Then I went and tested the waters out in California, didn’t stay there long at all. It was before I got to seminary—I thought about going to a religious order out in California. I was going to stay there a week, and I thought, ‘Yep, that’s for me.’ When I finally got there, I was out there 36 hours, and I said, ‘Nope.’ I don’t know what I was thinking, so I came back and got my old job back at Coca-Cola, and then I worked another two years there and I decided, ‘You know, the Lord wants me to be a priest. He just doesn’t want me to be in a religious order.’”

Father Dowling went to Borromeo Seminary in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1978 for a year of pre-theology, then to Mount St. Mary’s in Cincinnati. He was ordained a deacon on April 3, 1982, by Archbishop Joseph L. Bernardin of Cincinnati, a future cardinal. He was ordained a priest on June 17, 1983, at St. Jude by Bishop James D. Niedergeses.

“I was ordained as a priest of the Diocese of Nashville, and then five years later in 1988 I was part of the new Diocese of Knoxville,” Father Dowling said.

After a brief assignment as associate pastor of the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville, the young Father Dowling was named associate pastor of St. Jude in July 1983. He spent four years there before being named associate pastor of Holy Ghost in Knoxville and pastor of Holy Family in Seymour. His assignment at Holy Family ended in 1996 when he was named pastor of Christ the King in Tazewell while also remaining at Holy Ghost. When longtime Holy Ghost pastor Father Albert Henkel died in 1996, Father Dowling became parochial administrator there.

In 1997, Father Dowling became pastor of St. John Neumann in Farragut. He was leading the West Knox County parish in 2006 when it began construction on the impressive Romanesque church it now calls home. In 2010, Father Dowling was assigned as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi in Fairfield Glade, where he served until his return to Holy Ghost in 2014. Father Dowling became pastor of St. Augustine in 2019.

At Holy Ghost, Father Dowling hosted a weekly radio program, “Let There Be Light,” on WITA-AM. During his years at St. Jude, Father Dowling taught at Notre Dame High School, and he later taught at Knoxville Catholic High School.

Father Dowling has published pamphlets for Liguori Publications that include “Have You Been Saved? A Catholic Perspective,” “The Truth About the Eucharist,” and “Why Confess Your Sins to a Priest?”

Karlin Baker, a parishioner at St. Augustine for 15 years and the parish’s secretary/bookkeeper, reflected on her pastor’s 40th anniversary.

“He came to St. Augustine right after I started the position,” she said. “We’re so blessed to have him here. He’s so joyful, and he’s so passionate about his vocation and just really inspires a lot of people and gets that fire burning for God.”

Heather Chapman, director of religious education for St. Augustine, said it’s “great” working for Father Dowling.

“He’s very supportive of the religious-ed program and always available to teach when we need him. He’s very good with the kids and very supportive of whatever we need to do. He wants to encourage people to come to Mass and receive the Eucharist and the sacraments. He’s very hands-on.”

In 2010, Father Dowling told The East Tennessee Catholic what aspect of the priesthood gave him the most joy.

“Working with people, day in and day out, in the many ways you can serve the people of God. Probably the highlight for me is the diversity in the priesthood, which enables you to use your God-given gifts in so many ways that it’s always exciting. You meet people of all walks of life in every imaginable situation, in the good times and bad, in sickness and in health, and in death. You represent Christ’s face to the world and especially to the parish, to the young and the old and people who are suffering greatly, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. You see people who are at the top of their game who certainly can minister to you.

“We priests are so blessed by so many people who are ministering to us, and I feel guilty at times. Sometimes it’s difficult to minister to people because they are so busy taking care of you. I meet so many people whose spirituality far surpasses mine, and they give me an opportunity to reflect on whether I’m really measuring up. They challenge me but in very positive ways. Not in-your-face challenges but by their very presence. They reveal God’s love through their sacrificial giving and their willingness to help and reach out.” ■

Chattanooga Deanery

Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy

A Knights of Columbus silent auction to raise money for the Orange Grove Center in Chattanooga is scheduled for Friday evening, Sept. 8. To donate an item, a skill, or vacation spot, call Jeanne Ferrere at 920-279-0034.

St. Augustine, Signal Mountain

The first St. Augustine Feast Day Hoedown will take place Saturday, Aug. 26.

St. Bridget, Dayton

Registration is underway for 2023-24 religious-education classes, which begin in August. Forms should be completed and turned in to the church office between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesday or Thursday or after Sunday Mass.

A new church directory is coming soon. Signups are held after each Mass for the photo sessions scheduled for Aug. 25 and 26.

The St. Bridget Women’s Council celebrated July and August birthdays Aug. 8 at Panda Garden Buffet in Dayton.

St. Jude, Chattanooga

The annual St. Jude Holiday Craft Fair will take place Saturday, Nov. 18, in the Hofstetter Family Life Center gym, and it will feature a large collection of handcrafted items from the parish and the Chattanooga Catholic community. The Knights of Columbus will serve food at the event. To register for a booth, fill out a form available in the outer vestibule. Space is limited to the first 45 applicants. To help or learn more, call Laura in the parish office at 423-870-2386.

After 13 years, Kyra King recently left the parish office as the director of religious education and family-life coordinator to teach at St. Jude School. Deb Weiss will be taking over as DRE and Laura Bryant as family-life coordinator. Those with questions regarding parish religious education (PRE) or parish ministries should call the St. Jude office at 423-870-2386.

The Knights of Columbus’ Raleigh Cooper recently received the Bishops Award on behalf of the St. Jude Council from Nashville Bishop J. Mark Spalding and State Deputy Fred Laufenberg. Mr. Cooper also received the Knights’ state Pro-Life Kimball Award for his advocacy for the unborn from Bishop Spalding and Mr. Laufenberg.

The St. Jude Knights named Foster Goodwin as Knight of the year and Gary and Teri Gabor as family of the year. Recent Knights families of the month were Mary-Jo and David Densmore, Summer and Jimmy Hartman, and Rose and Rob Lovelace. For more information about Council 8576 at St. Jude, contact Eric Pelton at 423-5931510 or ejpelton@ejpelton.com

St. Mary, Athens

The parish celebrated its 19th anniversary at its East Madison Avenue location on the weekend of Aug. 1213 with the rosary recited before all Masses and refreshments and treats following the Masses. Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz dedicated the current St. Mary Church on Aug. 14, 2004.

St. Mary’s second annual Community Yard Sale is planned for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 18 and 19, at the church. A pre-sale for parishioners will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17. Items (no clothes) may be donated Aug. 14-16. A bake sale with pies, cakes, breads, and more will also take place at the yard sale. The event is a fundraiser organized by the Knights of Columbus with proceeds benefiting the parish. To learn more or offer to help, call Lou Dionne at 423-507-4108.

The recent vacation Bible school drew seven preschool to kindergartners, seven first- and second-graders, five thirdand fourth-graders, nine fifth- and sixth-graders, plus 19 seventh- through 12th-grade helpers and 47 adult helpers. The parish thanked all who gave of their time and talents with the VBS.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga

Anniversaries: John and Lillian Yarosh (68), Joseph and Anita D’Andrea (60), Allan and Darlene Lacy (56), Anh and Mary Le (35), George and Susan McDowell (35), Juan and Maria LopezRoman (30)

Cumberland Mountain Deanery

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

Deacon Vic Landa led “Praying with Jesus” gatherings July 29 and Aug. 12.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade

The Council of Catholic Women reports it had a successful bake sale that will help its 20 charities and nonprofits. Thanks went to all who set up, baked, sold, and donated and to the clean-up group.

The Knights of Columbus report that the Hilltoppers concert on July 13 was a great success and took in $3,744 to help support the Hilltoppers of Crossville, a nonprofit agency that provides support and services to adults with intellectual and other specific disabilities promoting health, independence, and employment to achieve success and a full life.

On July 16, Father Tim Sullivan, CSP, of Knoxville was at the church to celebrate Mass and bless the 10 new members who completed the 33 Days of Morning Glory Retreat program. They were consecrated to Our Lady on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. They are the ninth group to complete this retreat.

For a Christmas in July project, Cross Catholic Outreach delivered 400 shoesize boxes that had to be folded into shape so that parishioners could pick up one or two to shop for Christmas gifts for Haitian children.

The Social Action Ministry is looking for new members to volunteer. They need help with the food pantries at Peavine Care Center, Crab Orchard Care Center, and St. Alphonsus Community Services; medical volunteers for the St. Mary’s Mobile Medical Clinic and the Plateau Pregnancy Center; and volunteers for a Cumberland County Fair booth, Rosaries in the Park, and special projects such as Thanksgiving/Christmas baskets, a Christmas giving tree, Easter projects, and the Haiti ministry. The ministry meets at 8:45 a.m. after Mass on first Thursdays in the parish office conference room. For information, call Mary Lampugnano at 504-371-2479.

Anniversaries: Ben and Jacqueline Ryba (66), Paul and Carole Forkapa (64), Dennis and Colleen Richardson (62), Bruce and Carol Heisterkamp (59), Don and Sherry Koch (58), Patrick and Patricia McGraw (58), William and Pat Maas (58), James and Corrine Gabriel (58), Samuel and Janet Chippetta (57), David and Barbara Sheperd (57), Wayne and Carol Fasske (56), Raymond and Laurie Falk (55), Pat and Norma Donahue (54), Jim and Rosemary Wells (54), Richard and Monica Jahn (54), Don and Cheryl Chrobot (53), Jim and Terri Auckland (52), Jan and Martha Novack (52), Raymond and Claudette Purzycki (52), Ronald and Lynn Varcak (52), John and Kathleen Johnson (51), Michael and Geraldine White (51), Richard and Darla Kepner (51), Dick and Becky Bishop (51), Jack and Jan Anderson (50), Steve and Cindy Clark (50), David and Diane Dean (45), Philip and Rosemary Chesser (45), David and Catherine Henderson (25) St. John Neumann, Farragut

A trivia-night adult social is set for 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, in the school gym. The evening features prizes and a potluck dinner, and it is a BYOB event. RSVP to sjnccwomensclub@ gmail.com

On June 15, Knights of Columbus Ted H. Denning Jr. Council 8781 elected its slate of officers for the fraternal year that began July 1. They were installed in the church at a ceremony after the July 22 vigil Mass. The new leaders are Terry Scoggins, Grand Knight;

Parish notes continued on page B8

St. Francis-Fairfield Glade presents St. Alphonsus with a $30,000 gift

St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade recently made a $30,000 gift to St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville to help with the latter’s building campaign.

Construction is nearing completion on a new St. Alphonsus Church. Parishioners have been worshiping in a parish life center since 2003.

In his letter announcing the gift, St. Francis of Assisi pastor Father Michael Woods wrote to St. Alphonsus pastor Father Mark Schuster:

“Dear Father Mark and parishioners of St. Alphonsus Parish. You and your parishioners must be very proud and grateful as you fulfill the hopes and dreams of all the faithful gone before you and those of you who now carry the light of the Gos- pel. You have raised a worthy, living sanctuary to give glory, praise, and honor to our Lord, Jesus Christ, as expressed by our beloved Catholic faith. Well done!

“The faithful at St. Francis of Assisi Parish join you in your gratitude and praise to God for such a gift. After all, we received our first beginnings as a parish from you, our mother parish. Please accept our gift of $30,000 from our parishioners as a remembrance of our belonging to each other in faith and our mutual, cooperative endeavor to spread the Gospel in Cumberland County.

“Every blessing from our Lord, Jesus Christ, and Mary, His mother. Peace, Father Michael Woods and the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Parish.” n

Water-gun fight caps basilica’s vacation Bible school

The Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul recently held its annual vacation Bible school. On the last day, participants challenged basilica rector Father David Carter (above) and seminarian Daniel Cooper to a water-gun fight. A total of 55 children and 20 youth and adult helpers took part in the VBS.

Offutts of the Glade celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary July 6

David and Laetitia Offutt of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on July 6.

They were married at the Newman Hall on the campus of the University of California in Berkeley. Father Edward V. Warren, SJ, officiated their marriage. Father Warren is Mrs. Offutt‘s uncle.

The couple’s son, Michael, and wife Dora live in Albuquerque, N.M.

Mr. Offutt retired from law practice after 40 years in Northern California. The couple moved to the Glade in 2004.

The Offutts celebrated their 60th anniversary with a home Mass presided over by Monsignor Bradley Offutt of St. Mark Parish in Independence, Mo., with the couple’s children, nieces, and nephews in attendance.

Mrs. Offutt plays the violin at the 8 a.m. Sunday Mass at St. Francis of Assisi. n

Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Knoxville, is scheduled to visit the diocese’s four deaneries and celebrate Masses at the following times and locations: 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14, at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga (Chattanooga Deanery); 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport (Five Rivers Deanery); at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16, at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville (Smoky Mountain Deanery); and at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17, at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut (Cumberland Mountain Deanery). Archbishop Fabre extends an invitation to the faithful to attend these Masses.

All Saints Parish in Knoxville is hosting “How Do You Feel About Food?,” a morning of stories and discussion, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, in the parish hall. Food is a gift from God and should not be a source of strife and suffering, but for many people, it is a source of contention and unhappiness. The goal of the discussion is to help bring joy back to the table with tips/ways for helping participants and their children and grandchildren to have healthy body images and relationships with food. Two parishioners and All Saints pastor Father Doug Owens will talk about how their relationship with food, family, mental health, and spirituality has affected them and those around them. Professionals will speak on the best ways to enjoy food and family without fights, diets, and tears. The event is free, and there will be separate activities available for children. Families are encouraged to attend. For more information, e-mail Chris Lucheon at clucheon@dioknox.org

EWTN’s free Family Celebration event will be held Saturday, Aug. 26, in the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Ala. The event features talks by EWTN hosts and clergy, talks in Spanish by TV hosts, a chance to meet favorite Catholic authors, an opportunity to be part of a television audience and shop for holy reminders, and a time to attend Mass and go to confession. Kids will have fun learning about the faith. To register, visit www.ewtn.com/family celebration or call 800-447-EWTN (3986).

The Annual Charity Golf Tournament benefiting the Ladies of Charity of Knoxville is set for Thursday, Aug. 31, at Egwani Farms Golf Course in Rockford. The format is a four-person scramble. Golfers of all abilities are welcome. Costs are $125 per player and $500 per team and include a light breakfast, beverages, lunch, and prizes at the end of play. Sponsorship opportunities are available from $100 to $2,500 levels. For more information on sponsorships, contact golf committee chair Joe Sutter at 865-588-4013 or sutterjtn@aol.com

See the registration ad for the tourney on page A7 of this issue.

Knights of Columbus Council 610 is collecting items for its White Elephant Yard Sale at the annual Labor Day Picnic scheduled for Monday, Sept. 4, at Camp Columbus. For pickup or drop-off information, call Chris Petrin at 423-558-6980 or John Chrnalogar at 423-544-1562. Proceeds support the council’s charitable activities throughout the year.

The Marriage Course, a series of seven sessions designed to help couples invest in their relationship, will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays from Sept. 7 through Oct. 19 in the Cathedral Hall at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Each session features leading experts, teaching content, and stories from around the globe. Topics include the art of communication, resolving conflict, the power of forgiveness, and the impact of family—past and present. Childcare will be available. Whether couples have been married for six months or 40 years, or whether they are in a good place or struggling, the course helps them navigate the modern challenges of marriage. For more information, e-mail SHCathedral@ shcknox.org

The 37th annual Shamrock Open benefiting the students of Knoxville Catholic High School will be held Friday, Sept. 8, at Avalon Golf & Country Club in Lenoir City. A morning flight will start at 8 a.m. and an afternoon flight at 2 p.m. “Irish Legend” John MacDonald (’71) will be the honoree at the event. Some 200 golfers are expected to take part. The day includes 18 holes of golf, lunch, barbecue, lots of beverages, souvenirs, and goodie bags. Costs are $150 per player and $600 per team. To register, view a full schedule, make a donation, or learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit knoxvillecatholic.com/shamrockopen. Since 1986, the Shamrock Open has raised $1,165,000.

Jason Evert will present two talks titled “Purified” and “Gender and the Theology of Your Body” on Sunday, Oct. 22, at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut. The “Purified” talk will take place from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and the second talk from 6 to 7 p.m. A dinner break is set for 5 to 6 p.m. The family-based event (ages 13 and up) 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. Adoration will be held, and the sacrament of reconciliation will be offered, from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are available at chastity.com/events/ jason-evert-double-feature-20/ or tinyurl.com/knoxvilledoublefeature or by contacting Lisa Sinclair at 703862-8165 or lisasinclair@gmail.com

For more information, visit chastity. com/purified/

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.catholicinrecovery. com or contact Beth at 714-651-2008, Ed at 865-599-4823, or Jena at tri cities.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 on Tuesday, Sept. 26, and at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga on Wednesday, Sept. 27. At the cathedral, the relics will be exposed beginning at 8:30 a.m. and concluding at 6 p.m. A Mass in honor of Padre Pio will be celebrated at noon. At the basilica, the regular weekday Mass in English will be celebrated at noon. Veneration of the relics will take place from 12:30 to 7 p.m. Reflections on Padre Pio will be presented in English at 5:30 p.m. by Father Michael Hendershott and in Spanish at 6:15 p.m. by Deacon Renzo Alvarado Suarez, both in Varallo Parish Hall. A multilingual Mass in honor of Padre Pio will be celebrated at 7 p.m. in the basilica. The St. Pio Foundation will offer personalized devotional items for purchase by the faithful visiting the relics at the basilica. Ample parking will be available near the basilica that evening. The relics are part of a touring exhibition of the St. Pio Foundation (saintpio foundation.org), 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. Visiting clergy to the basilica should RSVP to admin@stspeterandpaul basilica.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

Calendar continued on page B8

St. Bridget Knights’ golf tourney raises more than $5,200 Knights of Columbus Council 11424 of St. Bridget Parish in Dayton hosted the second annual Harry “Bunky” Jones Golf Tournament on April 20 at Dayton Golf & Country Club. Thirteen teams participated, with more than $5,200 raised to support a number of regional charities in the Dayton and Cleveland areas. First place went to the team from Hi-Tech Tire (above). From left are Mike Richey, Regina Richey, Melvin Cook, and Roger Anderson. Mr. Jones’ son, Chris, and some friends came up from the Miami area to participate and ended up taking home the trophy for second place. The third annual event is already on the books for April 18, 2024.

St. Joseph the Worker honors its graduates

St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville honored its graduates at a Mass of thanksgiving on June 4. With pastor Father Julius Abuh are (from left) Mary Cornilla, Conrad Kemble, Sam Kemble, and Andrew Huffor. Conrad Kemble graduated from Cleveland State Community College, Mary from Midway High School in Kingston, Andrew from Sequoyah High School in Madisonville, and Sam Kemble from Cross Creek Christian School in Sweetwater, through whom he was homeschooled. During the Mass, Father Abuh expressed the parish’s gratitude to God and to the students for their dedication at school. Family and friends of the grads attended the Mass.

St. Mary-Athens hosts vacation Bible school

St. Mary Parish in Athens hosted vacation Bible school June 19-22. The theme was “Son Treasure Island.” A total of 25 children in kindergarten through high school took park in the VBS. Eight youth and eight adult volunteers assisted along with parents. The four-day event featured singing, dancing, food, and prayer, with Mass included.

Holy Trinity holds annual picnic

Holy Trinity in Jefferson City held its annual parish picnic on June 4. Pastor (and magician) Father Jim Harvey presented a show at the event. Above, a youngster assists him in the magic show.

Praying for Perspective by George Valadie