Oct. 6, 2019, ET Catholic, B section

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE

B section

St. Henry Parish celebrates two milestones

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t. Henry Parish found itself with two things to celebrate July 28.

The Rogersville Catholic community marked its 55th anniversary during the Sunday morning Mass, and it concluded the liturgy with a burning of the mortgage on its 2013 church addition.

Bishop Richard F. Stika, getting through Mass with a cane following a recent ankle injury, presided at the celebration. With him were St. Henry pastor Father Bart Okere and Monsignor Theophilus Okere, a mentor to Father Okere (no relation) from his native Nigeria. Deacon Don Griffith assisted.

“It’s a great joy for me to be with all of you here at St. Henry,” Bishop Stika said in his greeting. “This might be my third visit in the last year, and it’s a joy. It’s a beautiful drive from Knoxville, and it’s also a beautiful thing to see all of you, especially as we celebrate the 55th anniversary of this parish and the burning of the mortgage. It doesn’t seem Catholic not to have a debt.”

In his homily, the bishop asked “what is a parish?”

“Here at St. Henry’s in this beautiful area of East Tennessee, so many have done so much, to build a church building that speaks proudly in a Christian sense and loudly of what it means to be Catholic in an area in which we all know we’re not

the largest faith community in Tennessee. It’s a physical thing to see,” he said. “It’s like when you come into a Catholic church, for the most part if you see that red candle burning; it’s a physical remembrance that the Lord himself is contained in the building in the Blessed Sacrament.

“But also a church, a community of faith, is the way the people come together to worship God. That’s the whole purpose of the Eucharist of the Mass. As Vatican II tells us, it’s the greatest way that we can pray, to hear the words, ‘Take this all of you and eat of it. Take this all of you and drink of it, for this is my body.

This is my blood.’ That’s the core of who we are as a sacramental entity in the world in which we live.”

Bishop Stika added that there’s much more that goes on in a parish.

“If you look at the environment of a parish, there’s so much that goes on from Sunday to Sunday. The building of community, of praying together, of celebrating together, of mourning together, of praying together and praying for each other.

The strength of a community of faith, and that’s what we celebrate, in this historic place called Rogersville, Tenn.”

The bishop said his GPS could not locate St. Henry Church.

“But by your effort, by your witness, by your desire to be Catholic,

By Dan McWilliams

DAN MCWILLIAMS

The Rogersville community marks its 55th anniversary and burns a mortgage at the same Mass

No more debt Bishop Richard F. Stika assists St. Henry pastor Father Bart Okere in the burning of the mortgage on the church’s 2013 addition. you don’t need a GPS to know about St. Henry’s,” he said.

“I want to commend all of you here in the parish. You who are here today represent 55 years of tradition, that those who founded this community gave you a gift. They struggled, as we struggle, but thank God that he is merciful.”

Hawkins County was among the mission field of circuit-riding Father Emmanuel F. Callahan at the turn of the 20th century. Father Callahan served 34 counties from his home base in Johnson City. A boon to Rogersville-area Catholics came in

1910 when the International Printing and Pressmen and Assistants’ Union of North America established Pressmen’s Home in Rogersville, a headquarters that included a sanatorium, hotel, and trade school.

Mrs. George L. Berry, wife of the union’s president, was a devout Catholic and arranged to have a priest celebrate Mass at Pressmen’s Home as often as possible. An ecumenical chapel was erected at Pressmen’s Home in 1926 and was used for monthly liturgies in 1935 and weekly Masses in later years.

St. Henry continued on page B3

A family’s ‘beautifully tragic story’

Peppermans rely on faith as they remember the husband and father who died saving their lives

COURTESY OF JULIE PEPPERMAN

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he love of a close-knit family is among the strongest bonds—strong enough to withstand even the grip of a hurricane-strength rip current.

Julie Pepperman is thankful for family. She wouldn’t be here today without them. Her four daughters wouldn’t either.

And sadly, their husband and father isn’t here despite their family’s rescue feats.

Mrs. Pepperman and her daughters have been in the prayers of family, friends, and strangers from around the world who are seeking comfort for the Blount County family following the nightmare that occurred on July 14 in Seacrest, Fla., in seemingly calm Gulf of Mexico waters.

The prayers also are for Fred Pepperman, who died saving the lives of his wife and daughters in a selfless act of love and heroism.

Mrs. Pepperman said she and her girls are leaning on their Catholic faith to help them through this time of almost unbearable grief.

“It’s hard. The grief, and the trauma, and the what-if discussions.

Our two youngest girls, Olivia and Grace, are having the hardest time.

Grace is the youngest and is so sad that her father won’t be here to celebrate her special days,” Mrs. Pepperman said. The older daughters are Kathryn and Mallory.

July 26 was an especially difficult day for the Peppermans. It would have been Julie and Fred’s 28th wedding anniversary, a date she was looking forward to sharing with the guy she first met as a 16-year-old student at the all-girls St. Mary’s Dominican High School in New Orleans while on a camping trip and he was a 21-year-old on spring break. They both were from New Orleans.

When Mrs. Pepperman was going through personal effects in their

By Bill Brewer

Family portrait Fred and Julie Pepperman (center) gather with family on an outing in the mountains. Oct. 14 will mark the third month since Mr. Pepperman tragically died saving his wife and daughters. home, she happened on a memento that has now become priceless to her. It’s the halves of a parking permit with Fred’s and Julie’s names and phone numbers on them that they exchanged when they met, the only way they would have of cultivating a budding relationship.

She recalls that Mr. Pepperman was smitten and worked hard at getting to know her, even overcoming her parents’ misgivings. Her father refused to let her date at that young age, but Fred – in his red Toyota truck – persisted and eventually won her parents over.

They dated for five years, and when they married in 1991 they honeymooned about a mile from where the family vacationed this summer in the Florida panhandle. It was their favorite getaway spot.

And it will always trigger memories of the longtime love they

shared, like so many other places, things, and dates. Oct. 14 will mark the third month since the tragedy occurred.

All the Peppermans, Mrs. Pepperman’s parents, sisters, brothers-inlaw, and nieces had gathered for the summer vacation. On July 14, they had congregated on the beach for some fun in the sun and water.

Mrs. Pepperman remembers how her girls had waded out knee-deep in the Gulf of Mexico under good weather conditions. There seemed to be little reason to pay attention to Barry, a tropical storm far out in the Gulf that was threatening Louisiana.

But as Barry intensified into a Category 1 hurricane on July 13 as it made landfall over Louisiana, it was kicking up rip currents back toward Alabama and Florida.

Unbeknownst to the Peppermans, those dangerous currents were

roiling toward shore. And with no lifeguards or beach flags to warn of unseen dangers, the tide swelled rapidly and the rip current strengthened. Knee-deep rapidly became chest-deep.

The current first began carrying Grace and Olivia away from shore.

Kathryn, the oldest daughter, found herself in trouble, too.

“Our love was used against us.

We all went in together,” Mrs. Pepperman recalled, noting that if a family member wasn’t in the water, they were on shore feverishly trying to help those in distress back to shore.

“Everyone was involved. It’s rare that every single member of your family is a firsthand participant in the tragedy,” she said.

In describing the tragic circumstances, Mrs. Pepperman said she, Pepperman continued on page B6

Nashville Dominican Sisters profess final vows

RICK MUSACCHIO/TENNESSEE REGISTER

from each other and had fun together. They learned how to be a team.”

Sister Anna Ruth is from New South Wales, Australia.

“She would teach the students about some of the Australian culture. She taught the class how to play cricket, and they would often play it together during recess,” Sister Marie Blanchette said. “Several of her students and a few of the teachers traveled to Nashville to attend her final profession Mass.”

Making her final vows “is a blessing on so many levels” for Sister Anna Ruth, Sister Marie Blanchette said.

“In a time when the Church is suffering from the sexual abuse scandal, to see eight young women freely and gladly dedicate themselves to God alone for the rest of their lives is a powerful testimony,” she said. “They remind us that, with God’s grace, a celibate life lived for God is possible. The witness of these young women gives strength to all people to live the vocation God has given them.

Their consecration is building up the holiness of the Church and is encouraging others to grow in their relationship with God. “The Sisters in our community are blessed to be able to attend final profession every year. It is exciting when that can be shared

with the families we serve around the country. One of the sisters who professed her final vows this summer taught in Cottleville, Miss., two years ago. Several families chartered a bus so they could attend final profession because that sister had touched their lives. I believe it was 34 students who came and several of their parents.”

Sister Anna Ruth said “the grace of making my final vows is very powerful and very real. I am filled with gratitude to Our Lord for the gift of my religious vocation and for this beautiful community of which I am a part. It was especially powerful having so many of our sisters home for the occasion. Their prayers were tangible on the day as was their joy at witnessing to our final profession.”

Her favorite memories of East Tennessee were easy to identify, Sister Anna Ruth said.

“My fondest memories of East Tennessee all surround our beautiful children. Children are naturally so close to God and unashamedly desire Him, which leads me to desire Him more also. Their purity of heart is inspiring,” she said.

Sister John Magdalene is the daughter of Patsy and Kyle McCoy, also parishioners at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Sister is a graduate of West High School in Knoxville, attended the University of Texas,

and graduated from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor of science degree. She is currently studying for a master’s in secondary education (English) at Aquinas College in Nashville.

The Mass for the Rite of First Religious Profession was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville. Father David Boettner, vicar general of the Diocese of Knoxville and Sacred Heart Cathedral rector, was the main celebrant. The homilist was Father Mark Chrismer of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, chaplain of St. Cecilia Motherhouse.

For more information on the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation, visit their website at www.nashvilledominican.org. n

Sister John Magdalene McCoy, OP

COURTESY OF STEVE COY

Bishop’s blessing Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville blesses the eight Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation who made their perpetual profession of vows July 25.

Important step Sister Anna Ruth Wilson, OP, makes her perpetual profession of vows before Mother Anna Grace Neenan, OP, on July 25 at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville.

COURTESY OF PAIGE MATTHEWS

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wo Dominican Sisters with East Tennessee ties reached important milestones over the summer.

Sister Anna Ruth Wilson was among eight Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation to make their perpetual profession of vows before Mother Anna Grace Neenan, OP, on July 25 at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville.

Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville was the principal celebrant at Mass.

And on Aug. 10, Sister John Magdalene McCoy and five other young women professed the simple vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation. Sister John Magdalene is a former parishioner of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville.

Sister Anna Ruth taught fifth grade at St. Mary School in Oak Ridge for three years and is now assigned to St. Croix School in Stillwater, Minn. At St. Mary, Sister Anna Ruth taught her fifth-graders religion, math, English, literature, and social studies.

“Sister was a great teacher. She established her classroom as a community,” said Sister Marie Blanchette, OP, St. Mary principal.

“They were more than just a group of students in one homeroom. They depended on one another and defended one another. They learned

By Dan McWilliams

RICK MUSACCHIO/TENNESSEE REGISTER

One of those sisters taught at St. Mary-Oak Ridge, while another from Sacred Heart made her first vows

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COURTESY OF ELIZABETH CONWAY

International Dinner and ice cream social at St. Joseph-Norris A large crowd (above) enjoys Argentinethemed food, in honor of Pope Francis’ home country, at the recent International Dinner at St. Joseph Church in Norris. Another recent event was an ice cream social, at which kids (right) took part in a game of cornhole.

COURTESY OF AL LESAR (2)

Longtime cathedral organist retires Robert McCarter recently decided to retire from his role as organist for the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mr. McCarter served the parish for 42 years, more than two-thirds of the life of the cathedral. Mr. McCarter will continue to be an active parishioner and will be a substitute organist. His last official day was July 31. In honor of his many years of faithful service, cathedral rector Father David Boettner gave him the honorary title of Cathedral Organist Emeritus.

Monsignor Humbrecht teaches two classes Monsignor Al Humbrecht, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy, conducted a class July 21 on “The Three Great Monotheistic Religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: What they have in common and where they differ.” Continuing each Thursday through Nov. 21, Monsignor Humbrecht is leading a class on “Thomas Merton, Prophet of Renewal.” w ww.di o k no x .o rg

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St. Mary Parish in Johnson City and 13 surrounding counties were placed under the care of the Dominican Fathers in 1916. That was the same year Ellen Wilson Rogan and her family came to Rogersville and became extremely active in the local church, attending the Masses at Pressmen’s Home or having Mass celebrated in their own home.

Mrs. Rogan’s sons, Lance and Tom, and Father James Enright, OP, began a building fund for a church in 1950.

Bishop William L. Adrian of Nashville established the Greeneville Missions in 1954, a nine-county parish that included Hawkins County and Rogersville. Father Bernard Niedergeses succeeded Greeneville Missions founding pastor Father Albert Siener in 1956. More Catholic families moved to the area and swelled the ranks attending the Masses in the Pressmen’s Home chapel.

In 1962, Father Niedergeses and Lance and Tom Rogan began searching for land for a new church.

W.M. Wickham of Bloomfield, Ky., donated two and a half acres of land for the church at the intersection of Tennessee Highway 70 and U.S. 11W. A $10,000 grant from Catholic Extension and a $5,000 gift from Bishop Adrian helped make the new church—to be named for St. Henry—a reality. Architect Milton Robelot of Kingsport, a future deacon, designed the church. A Mass of thanksgiving, with Father Niedergeses presiding, celebrating the completion of St. Henry Church took place July 5, 1964.

St. Henry Parish was 55 families strong in 1981 when the Greeneville mission was declared a parish by Nashville Bishop James D. Niedergeses. St. James the Apostle Parish in Sneedville, then a mission of St. Patrick in Morristown, became a

mission of St. Henry at that time.

The late Father Michael Jennings, who came to St. Henry in 1997, would go on to become its longestserving pastor by the time of his retirement in 2013.

“I congratulate all of you for 55 years of existence here in this parish,” Bishop Stika said. “And following this, if you saw the barbecue pit outside, we’re not having a barbecue; we’re burning the mortgage.

A parish without debt is pretty spectacular in this day and age. I know there was a very generous donor who completed the payments on the mortgage, and I’m grateful to that person.”

Mike Rogan, chair of the parish finance council, spoke at the end of Mass.

“Today is a special day in the history of our church,” he said. “Several years ago we made a commitment to build a new addition, and we made a commitment to pay for it. That we did, and I’d like to thank each and every one of you who gave a contribution to the monthly building fund. It was very few months that it did not equal the payment that we owed, and for that I thank you very much.”

Father Okere introduced Monsignor Okere.

“He was my mentor,” Father Okere said. “Monsignor Theophilus came from Nigeria. He’s on vacation. He’s been in California. He told me, ‘Father Bart, I want to visit with you. Since you’ve been here I have not seen you.’ I said, ‘Please come up.’ I told him about this ceremony. ‘Oh, I’m going to be here to witness this, representing my archdiocese in Nigeria and my bishop in Nigeria, Anthony Obinna.’”

Father Okere also introduced Michael McCusker, newly appointed state deputy of the Knights of Columbus, as well as Fourth Degree Knight John Sopko of Chattanooga and other dignitaries attending.

Visiting priest Monsignor Theophilus Okere, a mentor of Father Bart Okere and his former seminary rector, concelebrated the 55th-anniversary Mass at St. Henry. Monsignor Okere is pictured with Bishop Stika and Deacon Don Griffith.

DAN MCWILLIAMS (5)

St. Henry continued from page B1

Pair of checks Knights of Columbus State Deputy Michael McCusker presents two checks totaling $10,800 to Bishop Stika after the mortgage burning at St. Henry.

From the ambo Bishop Stika preaches the homily at St. Henry’s 55thanniversary Mass.

“My parishioners, beloved parishioners of St. Henry, you people are really great and full of love and hospitality,” Father Okere said. “A small parish, but with a light heart.

We appreciate your dedication. We appreciate your availability of service in all things we do here in the parish since I’ve been here, two and a half years. May God continue to bless and reward you abundantly.”

Bishop Stika gave the closing remarks at Mass.

“It’s a great joy to be here with all of you. I always treasure these moments, visiting any parish, as we do together what we can’t do by ourselves. We’re co-workers in Christ— all of us are.”

Mr. McCusker presented two checks to Bishop Stika during the mortgage-burning ceremony.

“I’m here, Your Excellency, on behalf of the Tennessee Knights of Columbus,” he said. “We are proud to present to you this year’s bishop’s burse, in the amount of $8,000. And as you know, at our state convention we hold the annual seminarian golf tournament, and the proceeds

for the Diocese of Knoxville for our seminarians were $2,800.”

The mortgage burning was a unique experience for Father Okere, he said afterward.

“I’m very highly excited, because it’s the first time I’ve celebrated a mortgage burning anywhere, even in Nigeria or here in America,” he said. “I’m highly excited to be the one to celebrate the mortgage burning and the 55th anniversary of our parish.”

He remarked that St. Henry, which has about 150 families, is the only Catholic church in the Hawkins County area.

“Our church is really an ecumenical church. Our church is open to everybody who comes through here,” he said. “The Lutheran church uses our church for their celebration from 4 to 5 p.m. every Sunday. Our church is open. We welcome everybody. We’re a very inclusive church. We welcome all visitors. In this church, everybody here ‘comes from somewhere,’ from Michigan or from New York or from North Carolina.” n

Music ministry The St. Henry choir was in full voice at the anniversary Mass.

Liturgy of the Eucharist Bishop Stika celebrates the anniversary Mass at St. Henry with Deacon Griffith (left), Father Bart Okere (second from left), and Monsignor Theophilus Okere.

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

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Parish notes

The annual Holiday Craft & Hobby Show is set for Saturday, Nov. 23, also the date of the parish picnic. The show will run all day in the family life center. Anyone is invited to participate in selling homemade items, to make appropriate vendor sales, or to show off hobbies (woodworking, card collections, model railroads, e.g.). To learn more or volunteer, call Kyra in the parish office at 423-870-2386.

St. Jude School welcomed 311 students and 223 families for the 2019-20 school year.

Knights of Columbus Council 8576 held a parish breakfast Sept. 29 in Siener Hall, with all proceeds going toward Hurricane Dorian relief.

The Knights presented the 22nd annual St. Jude Bill Chepul Memorial Golf Classic on Sept. 27. Proceeds benefited St. Jude School.

High-schoolers took part in a lock-in, featuring rock climbing, stargazing, and adoration, on Aug. 2 and 3 at High Point Climbing and Fitness in Chattanooga.

St. Mary, Athens Newcomers: Charlie and Laura Betts; Antonio Santo Cano and Luci Sonia Guitierrez; Gloria Mette; Donald and Laurelie Olin and children, Adam, Colton, and Christopher; Amanda Sanchez; David Tomlinson

The Knights of Columbus conducted a successful golf outing fundraiser in June. The outing proceeds are used for charitable giving. The Knights also conducted the annual “Tootsie Roll” drive for the MR Foundation. This year’s drive was the most successful to date.

The Council of Catholic Women distributed the proceeds from their recent rummage sale to charities in Cumberland County.

In keeping with the parish theme of “Welcome Home,” St. Francis had an afternoon Mass and a Homecoming Dinner/Dance on Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

St. John Neumann, Farragut The Fall Fest Homecoming event is set for 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, in the church pavilion. There is no cost to attend.

The parish hosted Duc in Altum (“Put out into deep waters.”—Luke 5:4), a presentation Sept. 25 by Deacon Al Forsythe on the depths of Catholic teachings and practices.

St. John Neumann School held a “Raise Some Dough” fundraiser Aug. 28 at Blaze Pizza, which donated 20 percent of the proceeds of each meal back to the school.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga St. Joseph, Norris The 29th-anniversary Knights of Columbus Memorial Charity Golf Tournament was held Sept. 7 at Brainerd Golf Club. Remembered were deceased Knights Lonnie Boaz, Rusty Phillips Will Mahn, James Rogers, Henry Tipton, Bill Cornwell, James Westbrooks, Richard Klingler, Tim McGhee, Richard Schults, Ray Bertani, and Chuck Laplante. Proceeds benefited the Knights’ Notre Dame High School Scholarship Fund and their other charitable causes.

Knights Holy Family Council 6099 hosted a luau in the Knights hall Aug. 24 featuring a Hawaiian-themed meal, a limbo contest, a luau outfit contest, gift card raffles, a tiki bar, and live beach music with Kenny Foley & The Wild Knights. Proceeds benefited organizations supporting the mentally challenged.

Anniversaries: Iqbal and Manilla Singh (65), Laurence and Sandy Schnur (56), Bob and Jane O’Neal (53), James and Sue Berros (51), Mike and Wanda Williams (51), Ronald and Olivia Andrews (50), Ron and Myrtle Englert (50), Jim and Ann Simms (50), Rich and Nancy Koprek (45), Ron and Jan Redding (45), David and Susan Blackwell (40), Mike and Dot Durr (30), Marco and Irene Salenda (20)

The recent International Dinner, which featured food and decorations from Argentina, was a huge success. More than 50 people, some of whom were visitors hoping to take advantage of an intriguing bargain, enjoyed the lavish spread. Money raised from the event was donated to help fight juvenile diabetes.

The best way to send the youngsters of the parish into another school year was a big bowl (sometimes even two bowls) of free ice cream—with plenty of toppings. About 35 people spent a recent Saturday afternoon cooling off with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry—and several sauces.

Cleaning out the closet was important this time of year. In early September, the St. Joseph Council of Catholic Women staged its annual yard sale.

St. Therese, Clinton The Council of Catholic Women held a fall rummage and bake sale Sept.

27-28.

HOYST (Holy Oasis Youth of St. Therese) is back in session and held a boating event Sept. 15 to kick off the school year.

Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga

Five Rivers Deanery

The Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul has completed the refinishing of the sanctuary floors. The church is now reopened for Masses as usual.

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City

It’s not too late to join the American Heritage Girls or Trail Life USA for boys, hosted by the basilica. They meet from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays.

Everyone is welcome to come for one meeting before officially joining. Contact Terrance Jones at terrancejoneslaw@gmail.com or Connie Holub at ahgchattanooga@gmail.com for more details.

Cumberland Mountain Deanery Blessed Sacrament, Harriman A parish day of reflection, with the topic “The Church in the Third Millennium: Dying or Thriving?” was held Sept. 7.

The Council of Catholic Women sponsored the event.

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Sister Imelda Quechol, MAG, celebrates 25th anniversary In August, Sister Imelda Quechol, MAG, the superior of the local community serving the Hispanic community at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, celebrated the 25th anniversary of her profession of solemn vows. On Sept. 14, the basilica parish took the opportunity to celebrate vocations with a gathering of Hispanic youth and seven clergy to discuss God’s call in their life. On Sept. 15, the basilica celebrated the renewal of vows for Sister Imelda at Mass. Father Santiago Gassín Ordoñez, a native Spaniard who has been a guest priest at the basilica the past few summers, preached the homily, and Father David Carter, rector, was the celebrant and receiver of Sister Imelda’s renewed promises. Deacons Hicks Armor and Gaspar DeGaetano assisted. Afterward, all were invited to a large reception in Varallo Parish Hall with mariachi music, desserts, and lots of food and fun.

Glade couples mark major anniversaries

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t. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade congratulates four couples who are celebrating major anniversaries this summer and fall. n Milton and Regina Jerabek celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary Sept. 24.

They were married at St. Mary Church in Maplewood, Wis., with Father Walter T. Short officiating.

Mr. Jerabek met his wife in history class in high school.

Their three sons are Daniel of Lafayette, Calif.; David of Carrollton, Va.; and Donald of Oakland, Calif.; and they have four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

When Mr. Jerabek was in the first grade, he eventually hoped to become a Marine and was in the U.S. Marine Corps for 23 years. Then for his second career, he taught high school for 28 years in Muncie, Ind. The Jerabeks moved to the Glade in 2012 and then retired to a cottage at Good Samaritan retirement community, where they both volunteer their services. They enjoy traveling, playing bridge, photography, and gardening. n Thomas and Pauline Higgins celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Sept. 12.

They were married at St. Teresa of Avila Church in South Ozone Park, N.Y., with Father James J. Tuohy officiating.

Their five children are Kathleen Waisane of Crossville; Thomas of Laurel, Md.; Laura Ford of Crossville; Paul of Sacramento, Calif.; and James of Crossville. They have 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mr. Higgins retired from the Long Island Railroad in New York, and they retired from the town of Huntington, Long Island, N.Y., and moved to the Glade in 2002.

They celebrated their anniversary with family. Their hobbies are gardening, genealogy, and reading. n Roy and Jackie Richardson celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Sept. 5.

They were marred at St. Gabriel Church in Glendale, Ohio, with Father L.V. Montaus officiating.

The couple’s four children are Periann Richardson of Cincinnati; Marc of Mason, Ohio; Rory of Hopkinton, N.H; and Suzanne Richardson of Lexington Park, Md. They have seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mr. Richardson retired from the Chrysler Corp. in Cincinnati, and Mrs. Richardson volunteered at their children’s schools. They moved to the Glade in 2005.

Mr. Richardson is a member of the Model Train Club, and Mrs. Richardson enjoys gardening and reading. They both like doing jigsaw puzzles and traveling with friends. n William (Bill) and Judith (Judy) Sundstrom celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Sept. 6.

They were married at St. Emydius Church in Lynwood, Calif., with Father John Folliard officiating. Their son, Michael, lives in Crossville.

They both retired from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance (working together for 20-plus years) in San Diego and retired to the Glade in 2006. n

The 20th year of Appalachian Outreach was a great success. From July 15-19, Holy Trinity saw 104 volunteers come together for a week of work and fellowship to either help those who cannot afford or are physically unable to make home repairs, or to feed the teams of all denominations who came to help those in need.

Glenmary Father Steve Pawelk of St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge thanked parishioners who made donations to the mission’s successful yard sale.

Anniversaries: Bill and Mary Lou Jenkins (61), Ed and Peggy Kertis (60), Gary and Joan Colclasure (55), Greg and Brenda Foreman (50), Deacon Matt and Margo Pidgeon (40), Pete and Viki Van Ormer (30), Christopher and Stacy Mynuk (25), Tommy and Brandy Arnold (15), Gerald and Amanda Knapke (15)

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade The parish welcomed Father Kris Bartos on the first weekend in August with

COURTESY OF MARIA RIST

St. Jude, Chattanooga

a reception after each Mass. Father Bartos and his family have been taking their vacation in Fairfield Glade for many years. Father Bartos again served in the parish for the whole month of August.

Newcomers: Brian and Jennifer Baumgartner and their children, Breanna Parish notes continued on page B5

COURTESY OF RALEIGH COOPER

Chattanooga Deanery

Chattanooga Serrans induct new members The Chattanooga Serra Club recently inducted new members at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. Performing the induction was Father Christopher Floersh (back row, center), co-chaplain of the club. The Serra Club is a ministry within the Church that encourages vocations to the priesthood and the religious life. There are more than 750 Serra clubs in 42 countries, with a total membership of more than 20,000 lay men and women. Locally, the club supports seminarians, priests, and vowed religious, as well as the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Catholic Student Center, and provides a $1,000 scholarship to a Notre Dame High School student. The Chattanooga Serrans recently received notification from the membership vice president of the Serra Council USA that their recent increase in membership, 11 new members, was the third highest of all the Serra clubs in the nation. This increase in membership was largely due to the efforts of Betty Anne Neal and Larry Parks, president and membership chairman, respectively.

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

Calendar

The Our Lady of Guadalupe Curia of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Legion of Mary is sponsoring a day retreat, themed “The Mystical Rose,” from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at St. Mary Church in Athens. All adult men and women, priests, and religious are invited. Speakers will be Father John Orr, St. Mary pastor and spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Curia; Father David Carter, rector of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga; and Deacon Don Amelse of St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut, who is spiritual director of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Praesidium. The retreat will include morning Mass, the book “The Mystical Rose,” lunch, coffee, water, and snacks. Cost is $30 per person. For more information, contact Father Orr at 423-745-4277 or JohnArthurOrr@att. net, or Cindy Carter at 865-256-4268 or knoxmikecindy@gmail.com, or visit dioknox.org/event/the-mystical-rose.

Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM, director of the diocesan Office of Christian Formation, will present a free talk on St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at St. Joseph Church in Norris. Adult men and women of all local parishes are welcome. Mass will be celebrated at 9:15 a.m. Reconciliation will be available at lunch. Deli sandwich plates and beverages will be provided for lunch. Bring fruit, a vegetable, chips, or a salad. Space is limited; RSVP by Oct. 16. If child care is needed, advise so when you RSVP. RSVP to Beverly Froning by phone or text at 865-6073627 or to the St. Joseph parish office at 865-494-7746.

The annual Celebrate Life Banquet, sponsored by the Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life, will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Knoxville Convention Center. The event will feature Connie and Ashley DeRamus. Ashley has Down syndrome. She and her mother, Connie, travel the country to increase awareness and enlighten others about the rewards and positive contributions those with Down syndrome make to society. Cost is $60 per person. Make reservations by e-mailing trlknox@trlknox.com or by calling 865-689-1339.

The annual 365 Days of Hope Luncheon, sponsored by Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, at The Press Room, 730 N. Broadway in Knoxville. The guest speaker will be Phillip Fulmer, former University of Tennessee football coach and current UT athletics director. The luncheon offers networking opportunities to business leaders in the Knoxville area. Proceeds benefit Knoxville’s Children’s Emergency Shelter. For tickets, sponsorship details, or more information, visit ccetn. org/lunch.

All Saints Parish in Knoxville will host a Public Square Rosary Crusade at noon Saturday, Oct. 12, the anniversary of the Fatima miracle of the sun. Participants may pray the rosary with an “America Needs Fatima” banner on the Cedar Bluff Road side of the church.

The Rosary Crusade will be one of more than 20,000 rallies being held simultaneously across the United States on that date. Join in offering reparation for the sins and offenses committed against the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and pray for the conversion of the United States and other intentions. For more information, call Kim Pichiarella at 203-558-6824.

The Ladies of Charity are looking for dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, and optometrists for its Remote Area Medical (RAM) Clinic on April 25, 2020.

For more information, call Dave Roulier TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

at 865-607-6330.

A family picnic, sponsored by Knights of Columbus Council 645, is set for 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, at St. Joseph School in Knoxville. Stations of the Cross will be held at 3 p.m., and ribs, hot dogs, and salads will be served at 4 p.m. Bring a covered dish. Cost is $5 per person or $20 per family. RSVP to Phil Flanagan at utkncr@utk.edu.

Holy Fire, an event for middle school students, will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Diocese of Nashville Pastoral Center, 2800 McGavock Pike, Nashville, TN 37214. The event features speakers and music, and its mission is “to engage young teens with the conviction of their baptismal promises and to challenge them to take a stand for their Catholic faith as they are sent forth to live as disciples in the world.” Cost is $45.

For more information, visit nfcym.org/ holyfirenashville.

The newly formed Monsignor Xavier Mankel Schola seeks singers of all voice parts and of any faith. The schola was created to sing the great works of the Church’s musical tradition, particularly the polyphonic music of the Renaissance and Gregorian and English chant. The schola sings for the 7:30 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on the first and third Sunday of each month and will also occasionally put on concerts and support other events and liturgical functions. The group rehearses every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. To learn more, visit https://dokmusic.org/audition/ or contact Mary Weaver, the schola’s director: 865-437-8620 or mary@b16schola.org.

The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Haiti Outreach Program’s annual medical banquet fundraiser will celebrate the mission’s 20th anniversary. Funds raised finance the operations of staffing and medicine of the medical clinic in the remote village of Bouly, Haiti. The banquet will be held Friday, Oct. 18, in the Cathedral Hall. The event begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by a dinner and short program.

Frank Murphy of 93.1/WNOX will emcee the event. To attend, RSVP to Mirefamily6@gmail.com.

The University of Notre Dame Club of Chattanooga and the Department of Psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will present a lecture by Dr. Bruce Huber, professor of law at the University of Notre Dame Law School. The talk is scheduled for 1 to 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21, in the UTC University Center Auditorium and is open to the public. Nearly one in every three acres within America’s borders is owned by the federal government of the United States. From Acadia to Yellowstone, Denali to the Everglades, the federal public lands are home to a staggeringly diverse array of natural resources. Beyond the iconic landscapes of national parks, the people of the United States own oil and gas, minerals, forests, grazing lands, and wilderness in untold quantities. These resources are of enormous value and are therefore the subject of fierce disputes. In his lecture, entitled “This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land,” Dr. Huber will explore some of these disputes and provide an overview of America’s natural resource policies, pausing along the way to marvel at the beauty and bounty of the country’s public land heritage. For further information about the lecture or the local University of Notre Dame Club, call Dr. Brian O’Leary at 423-425-4283 at UTC. All young adults 18 and over are invited to a diocesan soccer tournament.

Form teams of eight or more for an 8-vs.-8 tournament. The tournament will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut.

The winners will receive a trophy. Registration is not necessary. The cost is $40 per team, which can be paid on the day of the tournament. For more information, contact Brittany Garcia at 865-7769635 or at bgarcia@dioknox.org.

The Secular Franciscan Order was started by St. Francis of Assisi for the laity who desire to live the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis by means of Calendar continued on page B6

COURTESY OF NEDRA HEADEN

Diocese of Knoxville Catholic schools are holding their 2019 raffle. For $10, entrants will have 12 chances to win a cash prize ranging from $750 to $10,000. A total of $3 of each ticket sold goes directly back to the school from which it was purchased, with the remaining proceeds after expenses going toward the regional Catholic Schools Tuition Assistance Fund. Tickets are on sale now through Saturday, Dec. 22.

The drawing is Jan. 7. For tickets, visit a diocesan school or log on to dioknox. org/catholic-schools-2019-raffle/.

Children of St. Teresa thank donor of funds for parish center One member of St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish in Maynardville, Lynn Doria, lost her mother, Patricia Cassels, a year ago. Mrs. Doria’s father, Pete, gave the parish $30,000 to fund the parish center that is to the left of the church, so it is owned clear of any debt. A bench and placard were purchased for Mr. Cassels to create a memorial garden near the center in honor of Patricia. The children who attend religious education at the center all signed a card thanking Mr. Cassels for his gift honoring his wife. Deacon Larry Rossini read the card as the memorial bench and placard were presented at the end of a recent 9 a.m. Sunday Mass. Pictured are Mrs. Doria; her husband, Keith Doria; Mr. Cassels; Glenmary Father Steve Pawelk, St. Teresa pastor; and Deacon Rossini.

Parish notes continued from page B4 and Maximus; Christopher and Jenny Withem and their children, Kate and Aiden; Gary and Sandra Dube; Abraham and Melissa Gossman; Michael and Holly Hogan St. Dominic, Kingsport The St. James Society is sponsoring a Craft-a-Palooza event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19. Those selling crafts, plants, baked goods, and more are welcome to participate. Cost is $25 per table, with proceeds going to support the Providence Medical Clinic, which cares for the most needy of the community at no cost. Call Delores at 423-288-8101, extension 118, or e-mail her at dbertuso@ me.com for more details.

On Sunday, Oct. 20, the youth group and Apprentices Workshop will be joining together for a Halloween Trunk or Treat.

Adults or youth who would like to decorate their vehicles for Trunk or Treating or who would like to run a game should contact Daniel at st.dominics.youth@ gmail.com or 828-260-2197.

The St. Dominic Parish Festival was held Sept. 28 and featured an inflatable water slide, a bounce house, an obstacle course, face painting, and more.

The St. Dominic School annual tailgate dinner-dance took place Sept. 14.

The Martha & Mary ministry sponsored a wine, cheese, and dessert party Sept. 8 in the parish life center.

The school’s third annual flea market, sponsored by the St. Dominic Home and School Association, was held Aug. 24 in the parking lot and gym.

St. Patrick, Morristown Parishioners may eat at Freddy’s Steakburgers, 140 Hatfield Drive in Morristown, from 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 24, Nov. 21, or Dec. 19, mention “Knights of Columbus,” and have Freddy’s donate 15 percent of the meal cost to the Knights.

Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM, director of the diocesan Office of Christian Formation, led a discussion and video introduction to “Ananias Training”—how to accompany others on the path of discipleship—on Sept. 25 in the basement youth room.

of Blessings is set for the weekend of Oct. 26-27.

A new kiosk near the church sign will house resources and information for the homeless, the hungry, and the financially unstable and those who support them. Richard Cawthorn built the kiosk, which was the idea of Tammy Pilkington, with the stewardship committee helping her to get it done.

A new ministry, Litany for Priests, has been formed at OLOF to pray for the parish’s priests and all clergy. The prayer group meets in the adoration chapel from 1 to 2 p.m. Mondays. Participants recite the Litany for Priests, the rosary, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet As of Aug. 5, the name of Knights of Columbus Alcoa Council 3832 was officially changed to the Our Lady of Fatima Council 3832.

The parish held a narrative Mass on Sept. 18, open to all parishioners as an opportunity to learn more about the Mass and what happens during the Mass.

A men’s evening of recollection took place Sept. 17. It began in the adoration chapel with a preached meditation, examination of conscience, and time for confession and meditation with Benediction, followed by a talk in the library on virtue.

Catholic War Veterans Post 1973 held an Oktoberfest on Sept. 13 featuring bratwurst and pork roast, sauerkraut, German dumplings, and more. Proceeds went toward the post’s efforts to provide needed assistance to area veterans who require help to improve their lives.

The Knights held the Doug Hill Memorial Golf Outing on Sept. 6 at Egwani Farms Golf Course in Rockford.

Proceeds benefited several Knights charities.

St. John XXIII, Knoxville The parish is holding Compline, the traditional night prayer of the Church, in the chapel at 9 p.m. Mondays and 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.

Smoky Mountain Deanery

St. John XXIII hosted a Festival of Ministries the weekend of Sept. 21-22.

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville

St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville

Father Jerry Tully, associate pastor of IC from 2010 to 2016, returned Sept.

22 to celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving for his 25th anniversary of priestly ordination.

The parish will hold an Italian Dining Out event, sponsored by the St. Joseph the Worker Women’s Group, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, in the parish hall. Cost is $12 per person. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are limited and are sold after Masses, or they may be purchased from women’s group members.

The Knoxville Catholic High School class of 1959 joined parishioners for the 10 a.m. Mass on Sept. 22, the weekend of the class’s 60th-year reunion.

A parish potluck picnic was held Sept.

22 at a parishioner’s home in Corryton and featured games and swimming as well as food.

Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa The annual family picnic is coming up Sunday, Oct. 13, and the Fall Harvest

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St. Joseph the Worker pastor Father Julius Abuh thanked Brian Baldwin, Bob Clowers, Bob Wolf, and Mike Cummings—the Knights of Columbus who cleaned the siding on the outside of the rectory.

The St. Joseph the Worker family picnic, sponsored by Knights of Columbus Council 15585, was held Sept. 28 at Hidden Lake Campground. n OCTOBER 6, 2019 n B5

her husband, and the girls were wading just offshore, with their youngest child, Grace, slightly farther out than the others. Secondyoungest child Olivia was between Grace and her parents.

She explained that Grace was in the surf up to her knees when suddenly the tide swelled and the rip current began carrying her off. She began yelling for help and Olivia immediately responded and pulled Grace closer to shore, but then Olivia became caught in the unrelenting current.

As the emergency was unfolding, and with no lifeguards on this section of the panhandle beach, parents reacted, but they were in the same rip current. Mrs. Pepperman quickly found herself in distress and called for help, too. As Mr. Pepperman swam over to assist her, daughter Olivia began yelling for help.

“At one point I heard three of my children screaming for help at one time. My husband came over to save me when we heard Olivia calling for help. We looked at each other and Fred went to help save her. Olivia went under and Fred pulled her up by her hair. He was holding a boogie board, and as she went under a second time Fred let go of the boogie board he was holding and pulled her up again and threw Olivia to the boogie board,” Mrs. Pepperman said, reliving the unforgettable moment.

She pointed out, while overcome with emotion, that when her husband threw Olivia to the boogie board, it pushed him farther out into the water and he went under.

“Our oldest daughter Kathryn was in trouble, too,” she noted.

As this dire situation was occurring, a human chain had formed from the beach into the water as family members and bystanders jumped into action to pull the swimmers to safety.

Mrs. Pepperman was rescued by her daughter’s fiancé. Mrs. Pepperman’s sisters and brothers-in-law rushed in to assist, and one of her sisters who is a trauma nurse pulled their father to safety. He was at the

COURTESY OF JULIE PEPPERMAN

Pepperman continued from page B1

Seaside portrait The Florida Gulf Coast has been a favorite vacation spot for Fred and Julie Pepperman and their daughters, Kathryn, Mallory, Olivia, and Grace. head of the human chain and went under water twice.

Despite efforts to rescue Mr. Pepperman, he drowned in the rip current. A bystander pulled him from the water and Mrs. Pepperman’s sister began doing CPR, assisted by others who performed chest compressions. First responders rushed him to Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach, Fla., where his death was pronounced. He was 53.

“My dad told me later that night that he couldn’t believe all four daughters were so close to drowning, and that I was so close to drowning. It honestly is a miracle that our whole family, or at least our daughters, didn’t drown. No one can explain how all four girls made it out of the water,” Mrs. Pepperman said.

“In my personal opinion, if God went to Fred and said today is the day you will give your life to save your family, that would have been fine with him. We were all together, and it was in his favorite spot, and he saved all his girls. At least his death had meaning,” she added.

As news of Mr. Pepperman’s heroic act and the improbable rescue of his girls spread in the news and on the Internet, Mrs. Pepperman questioned why there weren’t clear warnings to tourists about the rip currents. She said other water rescues were reported in the same area on the same day.

Calendar continued from page B5 his Rule. If you are sensing a call to something deeper in your spiritual life, perhaps you are being called to the vocation of a Secular Franciscan. The Channel of Peace Fraternity in Chattanooga is hosting a “Come & See” gathering at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, in the St. Jude parish life center, 930 Ashland Terrace in Chattanooga. Anyone who is interested in learning about the Franciscan way of life is invited. Those with questions should call Gerri Toeller, OFS, at 423-580-2004.

A Rachel’s Vineyard healing and recovery retreat for those who have experienced emotional or spiritual difficulties from an abortion is scheduled for the weekend of Feb. 28-March 1, 2020, at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton. Complete confidentiality is honored at all times. One-on-one counseling is available with a trained counselor for those who cannot attend a weekend retreat. For more information, contact Sandi Davidson at 865-776-4510 or sandi@ccetn.org, or visit https://dioknox.org/event/ rachels-vineyard/.

Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga is currently accepting applications for the 2020-21 academic year. Visit www.myndhs.com/apps/pages/AdmissionsProcess to apply online and view important upcoming events. Call Laura Goodhard at 423-624-4618 with any questions.

The next Retrouvaille program in Nashville, designed to help couples rebuild their marriages, is scheduled for March 6-8, 2020. Call 800-470-2230 or 615-523-0631, e-mail nrv3043@gmail.com, or visit www.HelpOurMarriage.com.

The next Picture of Love engaged couples retreat is scheduled for 7-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, in the parish life center at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga (note dates and site changes). The retreat is to supplement couples’ marriage formation process with their parish priest or deacon. The cost is $135 per couple, which includes a certificate good for $60 off a marriage license. To receive a $60 discount couples must attend the entire program and attend the program within one year of purchasing the license. Mass will be celebrated during the event. For more information, e-mail kbyrne@ dioknox.org or visit dioknox.org/event/picture-of-loveengaged-couple-retreat-2-2/. The next Picture of Love retreat is set for Feb. 7-8 at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga.

The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends are set for Nov. 8-10 and Feb. 28-March 1. Apply online at GATN-wwme.org or call 678-242-WWME. B6 n OCTOBER 6, 2019

She described the area where they were staying as a private beach that wasn’t required to fly riptide warning flags. The nearest flag was a quarter-mile away. The nearest lifeguard was two miles away.

The funeral for Mr. Pepperman was held at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend, where the Pepperman family attend Mass.

They also attend Our Lady of Fatima Church in Alcoa, where the Pepperman girls have been active in youth programs.

Mr. Pepperman’s survivors have been working through their grief.

Mrs. Pepperman, an eighth-grade science teacher at Heritage Middle School in Blount County, returned to her classroom in August as her daughters returned to work and school.

She and her daughters are consoled by a daily devotional with Scripture and by a journal they received from The Paraclete Catholic Bookstore.

And the family is touched by the outpouring of concern and sympathy from friends and church family as well as strangers in other parts of the world who know about the tragic accident from the news.

“People all over the world have been reaching out to us. My sister said it is a ‘beautifully tragic story.’

It’s the love story we had and how our daughters always came first and are such good girls. He (Fred) did the ultimate thing a dad could do,

Search for Christian Maturity weekend retreat No. 159 for high school juniors and seniors is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, through 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center, 300 Locke Lane in Benton. Search is a retreat program that tries to help high school juniors and seniors see how they can be faith leaders in their schools and parishes. This is done by having the participants come to know God, themselves, and others in a more loving, personal way. Cost is $80. For more information, contact Donna Jones at 423-718-4387 or djones@dioknox.org or visit https://dioknox.org/event/ chattanooga-search-weekend-159/.

The diocesan Office of Christian Formation will host a diocesan men’s retreat Saturday, Nov. 16, at All Saints Church in Knoxville. The guest speaker will be Pete Burak of Renewal Ministries. Registration will be available on dioknox.org soon.

Father Charlie Burton and Gail Black of St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga will lead a Holy Land and Jordan pilgrimage Oct. 30 to Nov. 11. Participants will visit a number of sites, including Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Galilee, Gethsemane, the Nativity Church, Capernaum, Tel Aviv, Petra, and Amman. Cost is $4,699 and includes airfare, five-star accommodations, taxes, tips, fees, transportation, breakfast, and dinners.

Register through www.procatholictours.com or call 612-730-2890 or 769-220-2702.

Father Mike Nolan will lead a pilgrimage to Cuba from Feb. 10-18, 2020. The travel ban on cruise ships to Cuba will not affect this pilgrimage, since it is with a religious group. Participants will visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Old Havana and walk the cobblestone streets, learning of 500 years of history and culture. Pilgrims will next go on to Trinidad, known as “the city time forgot” and a UNESCO World Heritage site, and hear about Catholic social teaching as they visit Valle de los Ingenios, the valleys of the sugar cane plantations, also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Mass will be celebrated each day, including at Parraquial Mayor, the oldest church on the island, built in 1522.

The group will visit Sancti Spiritus, the oldest Cuban European settlement. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or lisam@select-intl.com.

The Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga is now normally open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturdays, with extended hours on some weeknights. The weekday schedule includes daily Mass at 7 a.m. Monday (ancient form), Wednesday, and Friday and noon Monday through Friday. Confessions are offered at 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Morning prayer is offered after the 7 w ww.di o k no x .o rg

and that touches you,” Mrs. Pepperman said.

“I’ve told the girls to not feel guilty. If it had been any child out there, he would have tried to save them. He was a protector,” she added, explaining that her husband was an equal partner in raising their girls, helping inspire them to do well in school, coaching and cheering them in sports, and seeing to it that they were active in their Catholic faith.

“We were a good team. We went to church together. He wanted the girls to be confident Catholic women,” Mrs. Pepperman recalled, noting that he supported her work as she has pursued a Ph.D. in educational leadership and curriculum development, and he even had a nameplate made that says “Dr. Pepperman” with a note saying how proud he is of her doctoral work.

Mr. Pepperman and a business partner had started a successful business in Blount County called Appalachian Fire Alarm Solutions, and he was a carpenter on the side.

Our Lady of Fatima and Knoxville Catholic High School have been among the company’s customers.

The Peppermans have a strong support system to help them through this difficult time, including Mrs. Pepperman’s parents, who also live in Blount County. She and her daughters spent her and Fred’s wedding anniversary on July 26 watching old VHS and camcorder movies of the family.

Mrs. Pepperman knows her daughters will rely on their faith to help them with the loss of their father, including Olivia, who was saved by her dad. “She (Olivia) told me later that she had given up out in the water. She was too tired and was thinking she was going to die. She said the way her dad grabbed her hair twice when she was under water never hurt her. Olivia has a strong faith. She knows Dad went ahead to heaven to prepare for us. She’s sad, but she is going to be OK.” A GoFundMe page has been set up in memory of Frederick Pepperman III for his daughters to assist with their education at www.gofundme.com/freddy-pepperman. n

a.m. Mass on Monday/Wednesday/Friday. Adoration is offered first Fridays following the noon Mass, concluding with Benediction at 5:30 p.m. Adoration continues from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m. Saturday.

A Missa Cantata (sung Mass) in the ancient form of the Roman Rite is normally celebrated at 5 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. The next Missa Cantata celebrations will be Oct. 27 and Nov. 24 at 5 p.m.

The next men’s Evening of Formation With the Saints at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul is from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30. The next women’s Evening of Formation is from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, confession, formation, and fellowship await participants.

Come and bring a friend. Call Dan or Nancy Fisher at 423-803-0257.

New young-adult ministries are being hosted at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, including a Young Couples Ministry (married, engaged, or dating). Contact Christina or Andrew Bankson at hello@christinamphoto.com to get involved. A Young Catholic Singles Ministry (ages 18-35) meets on first Fridays at the basilica for prayer and community. Adoration concludes with Benediction at 5:30 p.m. Prayer and social time will follow. Upcoming dates include Dec. 6. E-mail burton.jessica@mail.com or call 860-5022458, or join Chattanooga Young Catholic Singles on Facebook.

The Gloria Dei Schola will give a choral concert at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10, as part of the basilica’s 2019-20 Sacred Music Concert Series. The program is entitled “Requiem” and will include motets and selections from Faure’s Requiem with themes of death, mercy, and eternal life. Donations to benefit Food for the Poor will be collected. A reception will follow.

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; and 5 p.m. each fourth Sunday at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. For more information, visit www.KnoxLatinMass.net.

The St. Thomas the Apostle Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Mission located at 2304 Ault Road, Knoxville, TN 37914 meets for Divine Liturgy every first, second, and fourth Sunday at 3 p.m. All services are in English.

Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865-584-3307 or visit www.saintthomasknoxville.org/ for details. n TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

SHERRY FERGUSON

Parish and community news

First Communion celebrated at St. Elizabeth Church in Elizabethton Nine students received their first Holy Communion on Mother’s Day weekend at St. Elizabeth Church in Elizabethton. From left are (top photo, front) Elijah Hoyt, Sophia Johnson, Mariana Mendez, and Yasmin Mendez, and (back) Elisha Hoyt, Ben Shutko, Azucena Mendez, and Lux Bienaime. Leo Grubb is in the photo at left.

ELIZABETH CONWAY (2)

COURTESY OF JANET GRAY (2)

COURTESY OF KATHLEEN GRUBB

COURTESY OF REBECCA JOHNSON

Holy Family Assembly Knights hold Roland Lee Clothing Drive Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus Holy Family Assembly 3250 held its seventh annual Roland Lee Memorial Clothing Drive for veterans during weekends in July. The drive also included donations of personal-care and hygiene items. Pastor Father Manuel Pérez hosted the drive at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga.

The clothing drive was named for a deceased military veteran who was a charter member of the assembly. The members of St. Stephen have always been generous in support of this clothing drive over the past seven years. Each year of the drive the donated items are taken to the Chattanooga Veterans Center, where staff members distribute the items to local veterans who are in need. Pictured are those who assisted with the loading and delivery of the donations to Kevin J. Baker, outreach coordinator for the Chattanooga Veteran’s Center. Mr. Baker estimated that the donations were valued at $18,125. From left are John Sopko, Assembly 3250 faithful inner sentinel; Steve Reker, parish facilities manager and member of Assembly 3250; John Chenkus, Assembly 3250 faithful captain and faithful color corps commander; Bill Balsis, Knights Council 6099 chair of the committee to help the mentally challenged; Bill Reynolds, Assembly 3250 faithful admiral and veterans committee chair; Father Pérez, chaplain of Assembly 3250; Mary Wurm of the parish pastoral council and social action committee chair; Paul Wurm, parish finance board member; and Joann Williams (Mary Wurm’s mother), volunteer.

CCW installs officers, presents check to Father Harvey The Council of Catholic Women at St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville installed new officers for the next fiscal year at its Sept. 10 general meeting. From left (top photo) are Kathleen Kelly, spirituality commission, who led the installation of officers; Mary Friedman, vice president; Barbara Lawson, secretary; June Martin, president; and Mary Geahan, treasurer. At the same meeting, the CCW presented St. Alphonsus pastor Father Jim Harvey (bottom photo) with a “big” check in the amount of $1,700 for the church building fund.

Donations made at Spiritual Adoption of the Unborn baby shower Cathy Gleason, executive director of LOC Resources in Jefferson City, accepts donations Aug. 14 from pastor Father Patrick Resen and parishioners of Holy Trinity in Jefferson City. The donations were made at a Spiritual Adoption of the Unborn baby shower. The Spiritual Adoption of the Unborn program involves individuals agreeing to pray each day for nine months for a baby, unknown to them, who is in danger of abortion. At the end of the nine months, a baby shower is held, with all donations benefiting LOC Resources, the local pregnancy assistance center.

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

COURTESY OF WILLIAM HEWITT

COURTESY OF MARLENE YURICK

Holy Spirit children hold treat sale for The Home Place The Little Flowers, Little Women, and Blue Knights are the children sponsored

by Knights of Columbus Council 14079 at Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy.

On a recent weekend after each Mass they held their second annual treat sale. All proceeds went directly to The Home Place, a Catholic Charities residential facility that provides a stable, healthy environment and case-management services for individuals with limited income who are living with HIV/AIDS. The children raised more than $600. Taking part were Jack, Johnny, Joie, and Jami Salts; Suzanne Perry; Lindsey, Monica, and Kenny Suttles; Aubrey and Nick Barbeauld; Freddie Bussey; and (bottom photo) McKenna and McCall Webster.

St. Henry Knights participate in Special Olympics event A Hawkins County Special Olympics event was held Sept. 11. Knights of Columbus from St. Henry Council 8860 in Rogersville donated $400 and participated in a Warpath Bowling Center event held in Kingsport. More than 160 sponsors, parents, and students participated. Miss Teen Tennessee Taylor Parsons and Miss Kingsport Taylor Hubbard met and greeted the athletes. The Knights pinned on award ribbons, while Miss Teen Tennessee and the Texas Roadhouse mascot assisted the athletes. Texas Roadhouse provided lunch for the event.

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OCTOBER 6, 2019 n B7

Praying for Perspective

by George Valadie

Chilling words: ‘You know neither the day nor the hour’ Some Sundays the Gospel can be terrifying, such as when Christ reminds us to be ready for our own death

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can’t speak for everyone, but I’m willing to bet that—for at least a few of us—what we know about the words of Christ has come to us in very small doses.

A bit at a time, mostly at Mass, mostly on Sundays.

Scripture scholars we are not.

Some weeks the Gospel challenges us; the next week Jesus inspires us to go beyond what and where we thought we could. There are times His actions amaze, others when His words confound, and on occasion, the man just leaves me hanging.

And on more than a few occasions, when His parable ends—just in case there’s any doubt in our minds—he hammers home the point with a “You better not mess this up,” so to speak.

Those are the Sundays that terrify me.

One such parable has stuck with me for years, telling of the 10 virgins who went out to meet the late-arriving bridegroom; some were foolish, some were not; some brought enough oil, some did not; some had to run to the store, some did not; and some got in to the party … but some did not.

And His hammer?

“Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Boom! And that’s just bone-chilling to me.

We lost a school parent recently that way. No heads up, no ailments, no time to get ready.

In our rational intellect, we of course understand that the moment of our death is unpredictable. But it means a lot more when we’re re-

befallen others of her race, I’d be surprised if she really had much intention of being a troublemaker either.

Mostly, I picture her as being too tired to move and too fed up with having to.

So she found herself face-to-face with two things: an angry enforcer of the rules and one of those unexpected moments of which Christ might well have been speaking.

The woman was “awake” and she was ready.

She is acclaimed—and rightfully so—because of her courage, her choice, her doing the hard thing when virtually everyone else would have done the other.

But my guess is that she acted that way because she had lived that way. And I think that’s exactly what Christ was talking about. Being ready. All the time. To do good.

Life had presented her with one of those slip-up-on-you moments she didn’t let pass. Her beliefs and her faith and her sense of right and wrong had prepared her.

We recall what she did that day; we should celebrate the life that led up to it.

On our end, we don’t have to tackle the global issues of racism or poverty to seize upon an unexpected moment. In fact, the great multitude of us don’t and won’t ever get that sort of chance.

Those are heavy and huge and mostly out of our reach.

I believe greatness of character— living a life that’s “ready” for the unexpected—should also be attributed to the student who invites the

Rather, [Christ] seemed to be talking about living the right kind of life.

The kind of life from which goodness flows freely and readily at those unexpected and unforeseen moments that land in our laps more than we realize. minded by the Christ Himself.

I noticed, however, that Jesus never specifically says that He’s talking about our dying, though most of us generally accept that He is indeed referring to “the day and the hour” of our demise. Unknown and unknowable. So get ready. No, be ready. Even better, stay ready.

“Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

But is it possible that he could have also been talking about so much more than that one final moment of our lives?

Aren’t there all sorts of important “moments” that arrive equally suddenly? Unexpected chances to act, to make a difference?

Not only do most of these instants come and go without our knowing they were coming, but oftentimes, once concluded, we didn’t even know that they came.

Rosa Parks had such a moment.

She comes to mind as I’m reminded this is the month she passed away not all that long ago.

I wasn’t on the bus to see her in action, but based on what I’ve read about her, she doesn’t strike me as a lady whose goal in life was to be anyone’s heroine. Given the climate of that day, and what she knew had

new kid to the lunch table. Or the household that welcomes an evacuee—or the family black sheep. The office worker who refuses to join in the gossip. The forgiving spouse who’s tempted to feel otherwise.

True, there’s no fear of Alabama jail time for failing to do any of these things, but Christ never made that a requisite.

Rather, He seemed to be talking about living the right kind of life.

The kind of life from which goodness flows freely and readily at those unexpected and unforeseen moments that land in our laps more than we realize.

You know the kind …

Normally, you see him from a distance, but today your car put you face-to-face with that homeless man.

The Facebook post—and now the person—you cannot abide.

That random utility bill offering an option to donate $1 to the needy.

The food that was cold and late because of the kitchen—not your waitress.

These chances to make a difference arrive unexpectedly and way more frequently than we realize.

But I don’t think we want to miss any—because there most assuredly will be that one last day and hour.

Dear God—We are seldom confused about what is right and what is wrong.

Our vision is clear, it’s our courage that’s cloudy. Please give us what we need. Amen. ■ George Valadie is president of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga.

BILL BREWER

COURTESY OF LAWRENCE FINNERAN

Parish and community news

IC Church hosts 12th annual Irish Fest on the Hill The 12th annual Irish Fest on the Hill on Aug. 10 at Immaculate Conception Church in Knoxville was as popular as ever, drawing 1,530 people—including parishioners volunteering in various activities—and making a profit of $10,000 for the general parish fund. The event featured Irish food, Irish music, a silent auction, activities for kids, and more.

Dance partners Kitty and Ken Jansen dance at the St. Patrick’s Day Dinner-Dance sponsored by Father John Savoca Council 12633 of the Knights of Columbus.

St. Thomas Knights hold dinner-dance

COURTESY OF WILLIAM HEWITT

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Veterans at Rogersville assisted-living center receive quilts The Quilt of Valor Foundation held a quilt ceremony at Signature Assisted Living Center in Rogersville on Aug. 13. The Quilt of Valor (QOV) Foundation was begun in 2003 by Catherine Roberts, when she made a quilt for her son Nat, who was deployed to Iraq. Since 2003, thousands of quilts have been presented. Lena Hewitt emceed the Aug. 13 event, assisted by Jean Elkins from Post 21 Ladies Auxiliary, and both are members of the Happy Hearts Quilt Guild. Eight veterans were honored with QOV quilts, which were draped across their laps. These veterans represented World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The Knights of Columbus of St. Henry Parish in Rogersville perform acts of support to disabled veterans. Others helping Aug. 13 were two students from Cherokee High School and parishioners from St. Henry. Also attending was Maria Cerniasukas, Mountain Home Veterans Administration representative.

The QOV Foundation extends thanks to Signature Assisted Living staff for helping coordinate and set up the event.

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he Knights of Columbus of Father John Savoca Council 12633 at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City held their 18th annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner-Dance this spring.

Steve and Pat McAvoy have served as chairpersons for every one of the parties. During the first two years, the celebration was held in the Tellico Village Recreation Center since the parish had not yet built its family life center. It has consistently been the premiere “good time” combined with fundraising activity for the Knights.

The event featured an evening of fun, good food, and charitable giving. Included was an authentic Irish meal of corned beef and cabbage, good music, a festive atmosphere, spirited dancing, plus a new event: a silent auction.

The Knights are grateful and thank the community business sponsors who provided donations for the auction. Their assistance helped the council to exceed its annual charitable fundraising goals.

Because of the success of the St. Patrick’s Dinner-Dance and many

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other fundraising events held throughout the year, the Father Savoca Council was able to present more than $22,000 in support to the following charities during its 2018-19 fraternal year: M.R. Intellectual Disabilities Foundation of Tennessee, Coats for Kids, Child Advocacy Center of Loudon County, Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics of Loudon County, Good Samaritan Center, Catholic Charities Pregnancy Help Center, Boy Scout Troop 770, Adult Training Center of Loudon County, Columbia Mission, Boys and Girls Club of Lenoir City, Crisis Center for Women (Loudon County), ARC Knox County, St. Vincent de Paul Society, S.T.A.R., American Wheelchair Mission, CASA of Monroe County, Dominican Sisters, and NPH International.

Council 12633 of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish makes charity its primary work. If you would like to get involved or need information about sponsorship opportunities, call Patrick Noone, deputy Grand Knight and director of fundraising, at 865-986-9885. n TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Scripture and the Spiritual Life

by Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM

The occult disposes us to Satan The rise in interest in things mystical is symptomatic of the loss of faith in God

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hat is occultism, and why is it becoming such a popular topic today? Is it the same as black magic? Is it astrology?

Is it all of the above, or a mixture of these elements and others, perhaps darker and more dangerous?

The word “occult” comes from Latin, and the root meaning is to conceal or to cover over (occultare).

The idea behind occultism is that there is secret knowledge that gives the owner of that knowledge magical power over elements that are otherwise beyond man’s control.

Usually, this secret knowledge is obtained through some sort of communication with demonic powers or the souls of the dead.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is clear on the matter: “All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others—even if this were for the sake of restoring their health—are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion.

These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons” (No. 2117, emphasis in original). Notice that this section condemns what we would call both white magic and black magic. Magic and sorcery are sins against the First Commandment.

What about astrology? Is it the same thing? Astrology is an occult science that determines the influ-

Hear more from Sister Anna Marie on her podcast, Scripture and the Spiritual Life. ence of the stars and planets upon the fate of man. The sky at the time of a person’s birth is said to predict different aspects of an individual’s life, like friends and enemies, spouse and children, inheritance and longevity, etc. In ancient times, astrology and divination were considered very important sciences. For the modern Christian, what harm are they? Again, here is what the Catechism has to say: “All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to ‘unveil’ the future.

Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone” (No. 2116, emphasis in original). Once again, we find here sins against the First Commandment.

The rise in interest in things occult, whether astrology, magic, or Ouija boards (Yes, I said Ouija boards. If you have one in your house, get rid of it!) is symptomatic of the loss of faith in God. When

Thoughts and Prayers for the Faithful

people stop believing in God, whether at a highly intellectual level or on a practical level, their innate spiritual desires do not disappear.

Instead, those desires become distorted. People have a natural desire to be in touch with the supernatural, as odd as that sounds. If we shut out the one, true God, then that natural desire for God will simply turn its gaze on something else. This can be pleasures of various sorts, like honor, or power, or sense. Sometimes, simple curiosity can lead a person to inquire about the occult. Other times, people are led there precisely by a desire to control or a desire for power.

The problem, of course, is that of our own nature we cannot manipulate spiritual powers to affect anything, yet that is what practitioners of the occult think they are doing. In reality, they are the ones being manipulated, and the powers manipulating them are invariably demonic. It makes sense that those who practice occultism are deceived. This is what Jesus says about Satan: “He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44, RSV).

Besides the loss of faith in God in our time, there is an equally disturbing misunderstanding about the nature of evil and the devil. Some don’t believe that Satan exists, nor

other demons. The truth is Satan exists. He and the other demons are in reality fallen angels, spiritual beings that refused to accept God’s reign.

All the demons, Satan included, were created naturally good and became evil by their own choosing.

They are at work in the world all the time, working out of their hatred for God and for us. Read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis to get a sense of what this looks like.

The curiosity of some gets piqued when the subject of demons comes up. This is also attributable to a misunderstanding of the nature of the demonic. It is nothing to be curious about. Demons use humanity’s curiosity to their own advantage, tempting men, women, and young people to try one little palm-reading or one visit to a tarot card reader. “What harm could a Ouija board do?” This thought comes from we don’t know where. Then, we open ourselves to the influence of the evil spirit.

There is good reason that the Church warns against meddling in the occult. To do so disposes a person to the influence of Satan and other demonic powers, and Satan hates God and humankind. He seeks only to destroy us. ■ Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM, is the director of the Office of Christian Formation for the Diocese of Knoxville.

She also writes for SimplyCatholic.com, a ministry of Our Sunday Visitor.

This column originally appeared at SimplyCatholic.com.

by Bob Hunt

We are part of the communion of saints even now It is our identity as baptized members of the Body of Christ that makes us saints

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want to be a saint. I don’t say that with any arrogance, much less with any presumption that my canonization will be imminent upon my death. Still, I do say that I want to be a saint, and that it ought to be the desire of every believer in Jesus Christ to be a saint.

Leon Bloy, the temperamental French Catholic novelist, famously declared, “The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy of life, is not to become a saint.” In the decades since the Second Vatican Council, we’ve heard much about “the universal call to holiness,” which is about God having called every believer to sanctity.

Because of our practice of canonizing great Christians and giving them the title “saint,” we sometimes forget that we are all saints because we are members of the Church, the Body of Christ. We speak of “the Church triumphant, the Church suffering, and the Church militant.” The Church triumphant are those saints already in heaven. The Church suffering are those saints in purgatory. The Church militant are those saints still here on earth. The point is, each part of the Church is composed of saints, and all three to-

Daily readings Tuesday, Oct. 1: Memorial of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church, Zechariah 8:2023; Psalm 87:1-7; Luke 9:51-56 Wednesday, Oct. 2: Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels, Nehemiah 2:18; Psalm 137:1-6; Matthew 18:1-5, 10 Thursday, Oct. 3: Nehemiah 8:1-12; Psalm 19:8-11; Luke 10:1-12 Friday, Oct. 4: Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi, Baruch 1:15-22; Psalm 79:1-5, 8-9; Luke 10:13-16 Saturday, Oct. 5: Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29; Psalm 69:33-37; Luke 10:17-24 Sunday, Oct. 6: Habakkuk 1:2-3 and 2:2-4; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9; 2 Timothy 1:68, 13-14; Luke 17:5-10 Monday, Oct. 7: Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, Jonah 1:1--2:1-2, TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

gether comprise the communion of saints. We are part of that communion of saints even now. It is our identity as baptized members of the Body of Christ that makes us saints, and not the measure of our progress in sanctity at any given time.

It is Christ that has made us holy and calls us to perfection in holiness. Just as the kingdom of God is “already, but not yet,” among us already, but not yet realized in all its glory, so our sanctity is “already, but not yet.” We are saints called to sanctity, holy ones called to holiness.

Bishop Robert Barron says the first path to sanctity is to find your center in Jesus Christ. This is so much more than simply “self-identifying” as a Christian. It is to make every aspect of your life a reflection of your commitment to Jesus Christ. How do I do this? A first thought is to be conscious of myself

as a Christian at every moment. For too many, and for me too often, being a Catholic is simply one of my many identities carried around in a backpack or valise that is taken out periodically to help define myself to others. Toward my children I am a parent. Toward my spouse I am a husband or wife. To my boss I am an employee. I bring these various identities out of my backpack or valise according to the circumstances of any particular encounter.

So, too, when I am at church, at worship, teaching a Sunday school class, or volunteering my services for the parish, I bring out my identity as a Catholic. But, rather than my identity as a Catholic being one of many I carry around with me, my life in Christ ought to be the backpack or valise in which I carry all aspects of my life—as a parent, a spouse, a worker, etc. It is my being a Christian that gives meaning and substance to every aspect of who I am.

St. Paul wrote to the Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me” (Galatians

2:19b-20). Christ lives in each of us.

We live by faith in Christ. Rather than wallowing in false humility and focusing our spirituality on our unworthiness, recognizing that Christ lives in us ought to inspire in every believer a desire to live more faithfully the call to holiness.

In their document Lumen gentium, the fathers of the Second Vatican Council wrote, “… all Christians in whatever state or walk in life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity, … following in [Christ’s] footsteps and conformed to his image, doing the will of God in everything, they may wholeheartedly devote themselves to the glory of God and the service of their neighbor” (LG, 40).

The fullness of Christian life and the perfection of charity is what sanctity is all about. The saints in heaven lived such with great courage and often at great cost. As saints of God still here on earth, we are called to do likewise.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all. ■

11; Jonah 2:3-5, 8; Luke 10:25-37 Tuesday, Oct. 8: Jonah 3:1-10; Psalm 130:1-4, 7-8; Luke 10:38-42 Wednesday, Oct. 9: Jonah 4:1-11; Psalm 86:3-6, 9-10; Luke 11:1-4 Thursday, Oct. 10: Malachi 3:13-20; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Luke 11:5-13 Friday, Oct. 11: Joel 1:13-15 and 2:1-2; Psalm 9:2-3, 6, 16, 8-9; Luke 11:15-26 Saturday, Oct. 12: Joel 4:12-21; Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12; Luke 11:27-28 Sunday, Oct. 13: 2 Kings 5:14-17; Psalm 98:1-4; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19 Monday, Oct. 14: Romans 1:1-7; Psalm 98:1-4; Luke 11:29-32 Tuesday, Oct. 15: Memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church, Romans 1:16-25; Psalm 19:2-5; Luke 11:37-41 Wednesday, Oct. 16: Romans 2:1-11:

Psalm 62:2-3, 6-7, 9; Luke 11:42-46 Thursday, Oct. 17: Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr, Romans 3:21-30; Psalm 130:1-6; Luke 11:47-54 Friday, Oct. 18: Feast of St. Luke, evangelist, 2 Timothy 4:10-17; Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18; Luke 10:1-9 Saturday, Oct. 19: Memorial of Sts. John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, priests, and companions, martyrs, Romans 4:13, 16-18; Psalm 105:6-9, 42-43; Luke 12:8-12 Sunday, Oct. 20: Exodus 17:8-13; Psalm 121:1-8; 2 Timothy 3:14--4:2; Luke 18:1-8 Monday, Oct. 21: Romans 4:20-25; Luke 1:69-75; Luke 12:13-21 Tuesday, Oct. 22: Romans 5:12, 15, 17-21; Psalm 40:7-10, 17; Luke 12:35-38

Wednesday, Oct. 23: Romans 6:12-18; Psalm 124:1-8; Luke 12:39-48 Thursday, Oct. 24: Romans 6:19-23; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Luke 12:49-53 Friday, Oct. 25: Romans 7:18-25; Psalm 119:66, 68, 76-77, 93-94 Saturday, Oct. 26: Romans 8:1-11; Psalm 24:1-6; Luke 13:1-9 Sunday, Oct. 27: Sirach 35:12-14, 1618; Psalm 34:2-3, 17-19, 23; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14 Monday, Oct. 28: Feasts of Sts. Simon and Jude, apostles, Ephesians 2:19-22; Psalm 19:2-5; Luke 6:12-16 Tuesday, Oct. 29: Romans 8:18-25; Psalm 126:1-6; Luke 13:18-21 Wednesday, Oct. 30: Romans 8:26-30; Psalm 13:4-6; Luke 13:22-30 Thursday, Oct. 31: Romans 8:31-39; Psalm 109:21-22, 26-27, 30-31; Luke 13:31-35 n

The fullness of Christian life and the perfection of charity is what sanctity is all about. The saints in heaven lived such with great courage and often at great cost. As saints of God still here on earth, we are called to do likewise.

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Bob Hunt is a husband, father, and parishioner at All Saints Church in Knoxville.

OCTOBER 6, 2019 n B9

Oldest living KCHS alum honored at homecoming game Margaret Meehan Vance, who is 99 years young, was honored at the Knoxville Catholic High School homecoming game Sept. 27. The school’s oldest living alum, Mrs. Vance graduated from Knoxville Catholic in 1937 and was married to Jack Vance for 50 years, having seven children, all attending KCHS. She comes back every year for the Golden Grad brunch in the spring. She is pictured with KCHS president Dickie Sompayrac. See Mrs. Vance say “Go Irish!” at https://youtu.be/8vrYknabPj8.

Alumnus gives NDHS two $500,000 gifts

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otre Dame High School president George Valadie announced Aug. 27 that the school has received two significant gifts: a $500,000 restricted gift to not only complete the final three phases of renovation in the school’s theater/ auditorium but also to provide for multiple needs in other curricular and capital areas, as well as an additional $500,000 restricted challenge gift.

Both gifts, to be spread over the next five years, have been given by alumnus Michael Miller. Mr. Miller recently visited Chattanooga to celebrate his 60th reunion with classmates.

“My 60th reunion brought back a lot of fond memories of my time at NDHS all those years ago,” reflected Mr. Miller. “I have much to be grateful for in my life, and that includes the four years I spent at ND growing up in a disciplined environment that taught me many of the values I have carried with me throughout my life. Without that experience I doubt that I would have been able to pursue my dreams and succeed in fulfilling many of them.

It is with that in mind that I want to share some of my success with Notre Dame and perhaps help others succeed in a similar way.”

Constructed in 1980, the performing-arts space is home to musical and theatrical presentations, student assemblies as well as multiple liturgical celebrations. To be renamed the “Michael and Eleanor Miller Theater” when rededicated, the gift will also pay tribute to Mr.

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Miller’s wife who passed away seven years ago and will allow for acquisition of other school needs.

The additional matching gift challenge is being offered over the next five years to match dollar-for-dollar all donations from supporters who make a gift to Notre Dame High School in the 2019-20 fiscal year.

“I’m usually pretty good with words, but I told Mr. Miller I’ve been struggling to find a way to adequately express the thanks and appreciation of the Notre Dame family,” Mr. Valadie said. “Notre Dame has educated thousands of alums through the years, many of whom have achieved remarkable success and generously returned their gratitude.

“It’s both gratifying—and incredibly challenging—to know the impact we make on young people … those of the past and those of the future. For Mr. Miller to recognize that in this way is life-changing, not to mention what can be accomplished with the benefit of his challenge offer. I just know the Notre Dame family will respond.”

The renovation of the theater space that houses the David Harr Stage was begun on the occasion of the school’s 140th anniversary and was made possible by the generosity of some 400-plus members of the Notre Dame family along with foundation and corporate support.

This new gift will allow the school to complete the renovation with new carpet as well as the installation of new sound, lighting, and audio-visual systems. n

‘We try to have the kids do everything’ The St. Dominic School garden is a bright spot in downtown Kingsport.

St. Dominic School students maintaining a Wildlife Federation-certified garden

By Alyssa Nuehoff here are numerous headlines in the news each week about the state of the environment, the need to plant more trees, and the necessity of increasing sustainability.

While most articles seem to be negative, pushing fault on people across the earth, there are the occasional ones that present new inventions and devoted people and give hope. There are many ways in which to learn about and care for nature, whether it be in a large or small way. Amanda Carr, thirdgrade teacher at St. Dominic School in Kingsport, is teaching just that to students of all ages. She is showing them by example how to care for all of God’s creations.

What started as an idea for small outdoor projects to demonstrate different aspects of nature to the elementary children at St. Dominic has grown over the last four years to become a National Wildlife Federation-certified Schoolyard Habitat.

In order to certify a garden, it is necessary to confirm the presence of several elements. These include food, water, cover for animals, places to raise young, and sustainable practices. The goal of creating these habitats is to assist in the creation and restoration of wildlife habitats. According to the NWF, the Schoolyard Habitats, “which create and restore wildlife habits on school grounds while providing outdoor classrooms for learning across the curriculum,” are a fantastic way to teach young children about the nature around them.

Ms. Carr’s enthusiasm for helping wildlife and growing gardens has been the driving force behind the development in the schoolyard for the last four years.

“We’ve been adding on to it every year bit by bit. It’s been a long progression of various little projects coming to fruition,” Ms. Carr said of the development at the school.

She described the learning process as slow as they discovered their green thumbs. Now, St. Dominic’s garden has everything from fruits and vegetables like corn, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and various melons to flowers like coreopsises, black-eyed Susans, and 10-foot tall sunflowers.

The main goal of St. Dominic’s certified habitat is to help monarchs and other pollinators on their journey. The monarchs are attracted to a native flower.

“We have two types of milkweed. We have a native milkweed and a tropical milkweed. It is definitely like chocolate cake for the monarchs. They love it. They absolutely love it,” Ms. Carr said.

The tropical variety is not perennial and must be replanted each year, but the native milkweed is perennial and plentiful.

The abundant number of flowers and flowers on plants that produce food means the natural area attracts many bees, butterflies, and birds.

Since its start, the number of gardeners attending to the habitat has grown.

“Even our 3-year-old and 4-year-

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COURTESY OF DAVID ARWOOD

St. Mary-Johnson City students turn garden into a business St. Mary School in Johnson City has turned a grant to raise a few flower beds six years ago into a business today. The students, with the help of a few adults, cultivate the garden from the ground up—from seeds to fully grown flowers and vegetables, which are sold at farmers’ markets and other locations to raise money for the eighth-grade class trip to Washington, D.C., the Johnson City Press reported. Since last fall, the students have raised about $3,500. Middle school students participate in the class as if it’s a “boardroom.” As “board” members, students are taught a variety of skills, including how to write agendas and professional e-mails, keep minutes, and marketing, among other skills. Pictured from left are (front row) eighth-graders Molly Wilson, Charlotte Johnson, and Dakota Ward and (back row) Melyssah Toledo, Jacob Allen, Bitania Ayele, Sofia Diaz, Maria Bran, Mara Donahue, Raehnee Finley, and Sophia Donahue.

COURTESY OF ST. DOMINIC SCHOOL

DR. KELLY KEARSE

Catholic schools

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old preschool classes have a little spot in the garden,” Ms. Carr said.

While their abilities and knowledge in the garden may vary, the students all have the opportunity to learn something about the nature that surrounds them. The “touch and smell garden” is one way that they are able to learn.

“A lot of times kids are told to stay off the grass, to not mess up the landscaping, or to not touch the flowers. We’re actually encouraging them to touch and smell them and interact with all of the plants,” Ms. Carr said.

Many of the plants in this section have unique qualities that excite the younger children. Some smell when you touch them, while some are soft or have a distinct texture.

For the older grades, Ms. Carr said, “we try to have the kids do everything.”

Everything they do in the garden fits with the curriculum of each of their classes. Math is used to calculate and measure the materials in order to build raised beds, and science in order to learn what nutrients are necessary to grow the plants.

The children even raise monarchs from the caterpillar stage. While there is not as much to do in the winter, the teachers of St. Dominic have found numerous ways to teach class using the natural habitat.

The benefits of the schoolyard habitat are diverse. Besides helping pollinators, the foods that are grown are used to feed classroom pets and people.

With the growth in the garden, the support for this project has also grown. Besides having the support of the principal, Darlene Lyons, as of the beginning of the 2019-20 school year, it was also important to have financial support. Organizations like the Daughters of the American Revolution have donated money that has gone to support major changes in the garden like the building of a greenhouse.

Although the project started small, and there was a large learning curve, Ms. Carr has been impressed with the results.

“I think we have it down to a finely tuned machine; everything is getting tended to and taken care of,” she said.

Ms. Carr’s goal is to “appreciate God’s creation and take care of it. I think we’re in an age where everything is screen-based, and we tend to neglect what is natural to the earth. This is where we come from; this is where we live; this is what God has given us to sustain us.”

The children are amazed by the results of the garden.

“It almost seems like magic to them… I want them to be comfortable and to know that this is our environment; this is our planet; and we can take care of it,” Ms. Carr said.

“It’s not some far-off science that we don’t understand. It’s as simple as caring for the plants and wildlife in your little corner of the world.”

This integration of school lessons with learning while submersed in nature will have a great impact on the education and appreciation of nature for these children. n TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C