Oct. 7, 2018, ET Catholic, B section

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE

B section

St. Mary-Oak Ridge marks 75th anniversary The parish that was born in the Secret City in the ‘dark, dark hour’ of 1943 celebrates its milestone in style

DAN MCWILLIAMS

I

n 1943, at the dawn of Oak Ridge, the Secret City of the Manhattan Project in World War II, a parish was born.

Today that parish is 75 years old and going strong.

St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge celebrated its 75th anniversary in a big way Aug. 22, with Bishop Richard F. Stika as principal celebrant at Mass and Father Chris Michelson — a son of the parish — as the homilist.

“It is a great joy to be here at St. Mary’s in the Secret City. We give thanks because the parish is not secret,” Bishop Stika said in greeting the assembly at Mass. “Under the patronage of the Blessed Mother, this parish has stood for faith and tradition and beauty and prayer.

And that’s what we give thanks for this day as we celebrate this feast of the Queenship of Mary and 75 years of service to this community, with my brother priests and former pastors and a son of the parish and all of you.”

Father Michelson was among three former St. Mary pastors who joined the parish for the celebration. Also returning were former pastors Monsignor Bob Hofstetter and Father Bill McKenzie, as well as former associate pastor Father Gilbert Diaz. Ten priests overall attended the Mass, and assisting at the liturgy were deacons John DeClue and Gary Sega.

More than 340 people attended the Mass and dinner that followed, including nine Dominican Sisters.

The Dominicans have served at St. Mary since its school was founded

A son of the parish Father Chris Michelson delivers the homily at the 75thanniversary Mass of St. Mary in Oak Ridge. in 1950.

“Wow. This is great. It’s great to be home,” Father Michelson said to open his homily.

Father Michelson’s theme for his sermon was “cross-pollination,” as he covered a large swath of parish history, including the events of 1954, the year of his birth.

“The history of St. Mary’s Church affects so many in this community, not just St. Mary’s Church but the entire community, cross-pollinating great things out there throughout the community,” he said. “1943.

World War II. At war with Germany, at war with Japan. It was a dark, dark hour. People who walk in darkness have seen a great light.

The city of Oak Ridge starts to un-

fold as a group to come together on the Manhattan Project, to make this new weapon to secure world peace.

“People all started to arrive, and it was successful. And we all know the story of what happened, but it didn’t end there, because then the people of Oak Ridge decided, ‘We’re going to cross-pollinate.’ It’s not going to be just about nuclear war and nuclear weapons, but what about nuclear plants to provide energy? What about nuclear medicine to improve people’s lives, to crosspollinate and make great things?

And thus the history of this city, not just because of atomic bombs, but how it has affected so many others and changed so many other lives in very great and very positive ways.”

By Dan McWilliams

Father Michelson asked, “How did Oak Ridge and St. Mary’s Church get here?”

“In 1943, Bishop [William L.] Adrian came, and he appointed Father Joseph Siener as the very first pastor.

He lived at 204 Tennessee Ave., and he celebrated his very first Mass on this feast day in 1943 at the Oak Ridge Rec Center,” Father Michelson said.

“The old-timers will tell you where the Oak Ridge Rec Center is, now called the Oak Ridge Playhouse. But in that day it was the Oak Ridge Rec Center, and there were 20 to 25 people at that very first Mass in 1943.”

By 1945, “Oak Ridge had grown from a city in the low thousands to 75,000 people in just two years,” Father Michelson said. “There were 4,000 Catholics living here, and they were completing 20 new houses a day to live in. Can you imagine?

They were completing 20 houses a day to house the influx of people coming to Oak Ridge. So they built one church, the old-timers will tell you, the Chapel on the Hill. Everyone shared that church.

“The Catholics were rather a large population. They were given the hour of 5:30 on Sunday morning.

They said, ‘Why?’ ‘Because Catholics are the only ones who’ll get up that early to go to church.’ Pollinating the city, setting an example.

Then they would go out and they would have Mass at the Oak Ridge Rec Center — the Playhouse — at the Grove Theater, and then out at the Wheat School out by K-25. Every St. Mary continued on page B7

Holy Family Parish: ‘We burn this mortgage’ on center Seymour faithful celebrate the end of their debt on their family life center, with Bishop Stika joining them for the occasion

By Dan McWilliams

DAN MCWILLIAMS

H

oly Family Parish in Seymour celebrated a doubly special accomplishment Sept. 16: the paying-off of the debt on its family life center and the burning of the mortgage on the building.

Bishop Richard F. Stika joined pastor Father Gilbert Diaz and many of the 328 families in the 34-year-old parish for the occasion.

“We gather together this day to observe a very special moment in the history of this parish: the burning of the mortgage,” the bishop said in his opening remarks at Mass.

In his homily, Bishop Stika mentioned that he had served as Knoxville’s shepherd for more than nine years.

“One of the things I enjoy so much about this diocese is that every Sunday I’m traveling to a different parish,” he said. “I’ve been here at Seymour a number of times to celebrate with you.”

The bishop talked about a verse from the day’s reading from Mark 8.

“There was a question in that Gospel today: who do you say that I am? How do we answer that question? . . . Not Rick Stika, no, no, no.

It’s Jesus asking that question,” the bishop said. “. . . So the question is posed to us as individuals, as a group, as a parish, as a community, when Jesus says, who do you say that I am? “. . . This parish has been kind of acting, living out that commission in the [second] reading [from James 2:14-18] and in the Gospel, and all through the Gospel: teaching, baptizing, feeding, nourishing, being available when somebody has a disaster in their family. All those second collections, all those special collections, like for earthquakes

Up in smoke Bishop Richard F. Stika holds the burning Holy Family mortgage as pastor Father Gilbert Diaz leads the service. or hurricanes or Gatlinburg, but also the things that nobody knows about, because you, in your own personal, private life, have adopted in your heart a response to Jesus, to live lives of goodness and care, concern and love.

“That’s how we answer Jesus, when he says to the apostles, but he also says to you: who do you say that I am? Just don’t say My name.

Action! Jesus invites to a deeper and deeper and deeper relationship, and he waits, and he waits, and he waits.”

At the end of his homily, the bishop said “I just want to commend the parish for what you’ve done, and what you’re going to continue to do: to be Jesus, His face and His voice and His hands. Congratulations on paying off that [mortgage].”

Rain altered the plans to burn the mortgage with the assembly outside, so Father Diaz set fire to the mortgage by the back door of the family life center and let it burn in a barbecue grill just outside the door.

As part of his prayer before the burning, Father Diaz said, “And

now, Holy Father, trusting in Your love and goodness, confident in and through Your power, and dedicating ourselves anew to the support of our beloved Church, and through that support to the growth and expansion of the kingdom of love and light, we burn this mortgage, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Former Holy Family pastor Father Tom O’Connell was remembered during the prayer.

Father Diaz said the mortgage Holy Family continued on page B4

Parish notes Chattanooga Deanery

27 and 29 on Sept. 22.

St. Jude, Chattanooga

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade St. Mary, Athens The parish will be celebrating its 50th anniversary on Sunday, Nov. 18, at the 10 a.m. Mass. Bishop Richard F. Stika will be the celebrant and install Father John Orr as pastor. Following Mass at 11:15 a.m. in the family life center, there will be a partial potluck luncheon, with the meats, cake, and drinks being provided. Parishioners are asked to bring a dish. All past pastors and parishioners are invited to attend. Anyone having old photos is asked to send a copy to the parish to share with newer members.

St. Mary Parish thanked all who participated in the Sept. 16 fall festival, which raised nearly $18,000.

Newcomers: Brad Rouse and Valerie Caramella and son Triston; Michael and Taylor Morr and children Sophia, Evangeline, Zane, and Esther St. Stephen, Chattanooga The Knights of Columbus will be collecting Coats for Christmas in boxes in the vestibule on the weekends of Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 27-28. Needed are coats, jackets, sweaters, hoodies, toiletries, new socks, and new underwear, especially in adult sizes. Donations will be distributed to the Chattanooga Homeless Center, the Ladies of Charity, the Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Women of the parish are invited to the first meeting of the new Council of Catholic Women. The fall theme is “Women and Friendship.” Morning and evening sessions are offered, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, and 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17. For more information, call Arlene Webb at 423-598-2977.

Mary Hess led a public rosary Oct. 13 in front of the church as part of the America Needs Fatima national rally.

A Charity Bingo, benefiting the Walter E. Boehm Birth Defects Center, was held Sept. 15 at St. Stephen.

Anniversaries: Iqbal and Manilla Singh (64), John and Rosemary Laliberte (56), Jim and Ann Simms (56), Lawrence and Sandy Schnur (55), Bob and Jane O’Neal (52), Fos and Carol Goodwin (51), Michael and Wanda Williams (50), Roger and Sandra Kent (45), Ray and Leslie Fox (40), David and Julie Mayfield (35) Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga Bishop Richard F. Stika is planning to consecrate the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul’s new altar on Sunday, Dec. 2, at a special 10 a.m. Mass for the first Sunday of Advent, followed by a reception in Varallo Parish Hall. All are invited to celebrate this return to the renovated sanctuary. The usual 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Masses will not be offered Dec. 2.

Cumberland Mountain Deanery

Anniversaries: Charles and Mary Russella (70), Guy and Victoria Bretl (70), Milton and Regina Jerabek (69), William and Arlene McShane (65), Roger and Sally Vachon (61), Roy and Jackie Richardson (59), Tom and Pauline Higgins (59), Rudy and Denise Difazio (58), Ron and Catherine Debels (58), Michael and Judith Byrd (57), Fred and Dottie Belvo (57), John and Virginia Smith (57), Pat and Sara Tripiciano (56), Lawrence and Myra Opatik (56), Charles and Pat Bunnell (56), John and Susan Gauerke (54), Michael and Diane Treanor (54), Victor and Joan Uscinski (54), Ed and Ramona McCrory (53), Bob and Mary Tobey (53), Robert and Martha Takac (52), John and Mary Anne Kieck (52), Robert and Jane Madon (52), Barry and Barbara Reed (52), Robert and Rosemary Barth (52), Ken and Kathy Bromberek (52), Vincent and Virginia Taylor (51), Terrance and Pam Brophy (51), Jack and Pat Allerton (51), Anthony and Mary Gradle (51), Roland and Jane Wicker (50)

B2 n OCTOBER 7, 2018

Holy Spirit youth hold treat sale for The Home Place The Little Flowers and Blue Knights of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy held a treat sale for The Home Place of Chattanooga. The Little Flowers and Blue Knights are Catholic clubs for girls and boys ages 5-11. The parents of these children instruct them on saints, virtues, and various service projects. The children have the opportunity throughout the year to earn badges reflecting these different virtues that they have learned and demonstrated. The treat sale for The Home Place was held Aug. 4 and 5 after all three Masses. The youth sold various baked goods and ice cream treats as well. Holy Spirit Parish was so generous that the youth sold out of treats after each Mass. The Little Flowers and Blue Knights were able to donate a total of $550 to The Home Place and plan to make this an annual fundraising event. Catholic Charities of East Tennessee operates The Home Place as an independent living facility with a mission to provide affordable housing for the homeless living with HIV/AIDS.

St. John Neumann, Farragut The SJN Fall Festival Homecoming 2018 event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, in the church pavilion. The event is free and includes lunch, a cake walk, face painting, a climbing wall, an obstacle course, a bounce house, and more.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul will hold its annual food drive for the Ladies of Charity on the weekends of Nov. 3-4 and Nov. 10-11. For more information about the society, call 865333-0878 or 742-6121.

The women’s club will present another Speaker Series event Wednesday, Nov. 7, beginning with noon Mass followed by a tea. After the tea, there will be a presentation by Stephanie McElligott, a St. Thomas the Apostle parishioner and author of The Gifts of Man. St. Therese, Clinton St. Therese is forming a youth group for all confirmed school-aged students in the parish. The purpose of the youth group is to provide a forum for continuing faith formation beyond confirmation. Confirmed, school-aged students who would like to participate in youth activities should meet in the parish hall from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, for the first Food and Fellowship event.

Crossville CCW has busy meeting The Council of Catholic Women of St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville met Sept.

11 and presented Father Jim Harvey (top photo) with a check in the amount of $1,500 for the parish building fund. With the St. Alphonsus pastor are (from left) June Martin, Charleen McMahan, Mary Geahan, and Barbara Lawson. Also at the meeting, LouAnn Kelly (not pictured) presented framed awards to past officers and members of the St. Alphonsus CCW. Each woman has dedicated many years of service to the organization and the community. From left to right in the bottom photo are Barbara Braden, Marie Schmitt, Donna Gocella, Lucy Bryan, and Grace Macken. In another meeting event, an induction ceremony was held for the newly elected officers and those continuing their terms: Charleen McMahan, president; June Martin, vice president; Mary Geahan, treasurer; and Barbara Lawson, secretary. Kathleen Kelly, spirituality commissioner of the St. Alphonsus CCW, discussed her report with the members at the meeting.

The Council of Catholic Women held a rummage sale Oct. 5 and 6.

The CCW’s annual potluck dinner took place Sept. 18 for all women and young ladies of the parish.

The CCW hosted an Ice Cream Social on Aug. 19 to celebrate the beginning of the CCD year.

Five Rivers Deanery Holy Trinity, Jefferson City The 85-Plus Birthday Party will be held after the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Oct. 21.

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman The Knights of Columbus will be collecting for their Tootsie Roll Drive in front of the church following weekend Masses throughout October. The Knights also collected for the drive in Kingston at the intersection of highways 70 and 58 on Sept. 8 and in Harriman at the intersection of highways

JJ SALTS

Anniversary: Lt. Col. Eric and Sally Mankel (35)

COURTESY OF JANET GRAY (2)

The parish thanked all of its high school volunteers for the “Treasures of Our Faith” vacation Bible school this year.

Blessed Sacrament parishioners took part in a rosary rally, part of the national America Needs Fatima initiative, on Oct. 13.

The Knights of Columbus hosted an Italian Night dinner Oct. 6.

The parish marked the 10th anniversary of the dedication of its parish life center Oct. 1.

Parishioners beat Holy Trinity’s goal by Parish notes continued on page B3

BILL BREWER

The parish will again sponsor a Holiday Craft & Hobby Show, on Saturday, Nov. 17, also the date for the parish picnic. The craft show will take place in the family life center all day. Those with homemade items to sell or anyone with hobbies such as woodworking, card collections, model railroads, and more are invited to participate. For more information, call Kyra in the parish office at 865-870-2386.

The Council of Catholic Women is accepting clothes and shoes for its 2018 bazaar, set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, in Blessed Sacrament Hall. Usable items such as books, decorating items, small appliances, and framed pictures may be dropped off beginning Oct. 26.

Knights present two checks to Bishop Stika Bishop Richard F. Stika receives two checks totaling more than $12,000 for seminarian education and the Bishop’s Burse from Tracy Staller, state deputy of the Knights of Columbus, on Sept. 19. Mr. Staller, a parishioner of Holy Family in Seymour, said a check for $3,200 was the Diocese of Knoxville’s share of money raised during a statewide Knights of Columbus agents golf tournament. The dioceses of Nashville and Memphis received equal amounts of the tournament proceeds. More than $8,800 for the Bishop’s Burse was collected from Knights of Columbus councils across the state. These proceeds were shared equally with Tennessee’s three bishops.

www.di o k no x .o rg

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

The 68th annual St. Mary Fall Festival will be held on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26 and 27, in Oak Ridge. The festival will again feature a spaghetti dinner, auction, inflatables, music, entertainment, crafts, food vendors, and much more. The festivities begin Friday, Oct. 26, with the Knights of Columbus spaghetti dinner in the parish life center. A variety of desserts and salads will accompany the meal, and beer and wine will be available for purchase. Takeout is available. St. Lucy’s Guild will host a silent auction.

On Saturday, Oct. 27, the festivities begin at 10 a.m. and continue until 5 p.m. on parish grounds. Festival foods begin at 11 a.m. and will include the American Grille, hot wings, the German Bier Garten, and a Spanish food booth. Live music and crowd entertainers will add to the festivities.

Armbands will be available for $20 for unlimited play on select inflatables.

Live entertainment will be on the main stage throughout the day. The festival will present the third annual Fast & Classy Car Club Show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Oak Ridge Turnpike side of the festival grounds. Another of St. Mary’s outreach ministries—The White Elephant—will be open for business on Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. New fall and winter clothing will be available as will Halloween and Christmas decorations.

For more information about this year’s festival, contact the festival chairman, Lenna Aird at 865-256-9130 or lennaaird@gmail.com. To be a vendor, contact Amy Shoenthaler at Kuntrymomma05@aol.com. For information on sponsorship, contact Darcy Welch at development@stmaryoakridge.org or 865-483-9700.

The Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life will hold its annual Celebrate Life Banquet on Monday, Oct. 15, at the Knoxville Convention Center. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $50 per person. The featured speaker is Ann McElhinney, author and producer of the movie Gosnell, the Movie: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer. To make reservations or learn more, call the Knox County chapter of TRL at 865-689-1339, e-mail trlknox@trlknox. com, or visit www.prolifeknox.org.

Sponsorships are available. Child-care is available at a minimal cost.

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 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 second annual 360 Degrees of Hope Holiday Luncheon in Chattanooga will be held Friday, Nov. 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Westin Chattanooga. This luncheon seeks to share the mission and purpose of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee in the community. The luncheon will feature a special program from keynote speaker Vallie Collins, who was a passenger on U.S. Airways Flight 1549 that landed in New York’s Hudson River on Jan. 15, 2009. The fourth annual 360 Degrees of Hope Holiday Luncheon in Knoxville, presented by Covenant Health, will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, at The Press Room, 730 N. Broadway.

The luncheon will feature a holiday menu catered by Café 4 and a program emceed by Jim Wogan, director of communications for the Diocese of Knoxville. The guest speaker will be Bush Brothers & Co. CEO Tom Ferriter. Visit www.ccetn.org/calendar for more information on either luncheon.

CHI Memorial Foundation announced that the 14th annual Pink! Gala will be held Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Dr. Lee and TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C A T HO L I C

Sharron Jackson and Dan and Amber Norton will co-chair the foundation’s signature black-tie event. Over the past 13 years, Pink! has raised more than $4 million to further the mission of the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center at CHI Memorial Hospital. The theme for this year’s gala is “The Greatest Show.”

Proceeds from Pink! are used to ensure the breast center has the latest equipment and technology available, and provides the highest quality care available to women in need. Proceeds from the 2018 event helped build the fourth MaryEllen Locher Breast Center site, located at Atrium Medical Center on Gunbarrel Road, which is scheduled to open later this year. Sponsorship opportunities for Pink! are available and range from $4,000 to $25,000. Individual Pink! tickets go on sale Dec. 1. The $500 individual tickets include cocktails, a four course dinner, entertainment by Party of the Moon, valet parking, tableside bar service on the evening of the event, as well as an invitation to the sponsor pre-party on the Thursday before the event. Visit www.memorial.org/ pink! or call 423-495-PINK (7465) for more information.

A Your Faith Anew! retreat for adults is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, through 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton. Cost is $145 and includes accommodations and meals. Call David Russell at 865-247-5997 to find out more or to reserve your spot.

The 28th annual Crossville Oktoberfest is set for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 19 and 20, at the Knights of Columbus grounds at 2892 Highway 70 East in Crossville. The event features authentic German food such as pork or chicken schnitzel; knackwurst, bratwurst, or weisswurst; spaetzle; sauerkraut; red cabbage; and dessert; imported and domestic beer; continuous live music; dancing; and more.

Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Admission is $6 in advance or $7.50 at the gate. Visit www.CrossvilleOktoberfest.com to learn more or to purchase advance tickets.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga will be hosting a Family Honor Inc. program, Real Love & Real Life, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 9. A chastity program for parents and teens in seventh and eighth grades, the event includes a discussion of life’s most important issues, with a special emphasis on chastity and God’s gift of sexuality.

Deadline to register is Sunday, Feb. 3.

Register online at www.familyhonor. org. Registration fee is $25, which can be paid upon checking in at the first session. This program is sponsored and provided by the Sugar & Spice group of OLPH. The Cursillo Regional Service Team will be at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City for a workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. Special guest Cef Agullon, national English coordinator, National Cursillo Center, will answer participants’ Cursillo questions. Bring a dish for lunch. Cost is a donation. Call Lois Schering at 865681-7858 for more information.

The 16th annual St. Joseph School Memorial Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, Oct. 19, at Three Ridges Golf Course in Knoxville. Check-in and lunch will begin at 11 a.m., with a shotgun start at noon. Contact Howie Sompayrac for more details at 865804-8977 or hsompayrac@sjsknox.org.

A Natural Family Planning class will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on three Wednesdays, Oct. 24, Nov. 28, and Dec. 12, in the St. Dominic religiouseducation building at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga.

Couples should plan on attending together all three classes. Register at register.ccli.org/class_series/11950.

For more information, contact Pete or Sherry at 850-525-2721 or ohotnicky@ alum.mit.edu.

The next Picture of Love engaged couples retreat is scheduled for 7-10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, in the parish life center at St. Stephen Church in Calendar continued on page B4

COURTESY OF DIANE WRIGHT

Calendar

Rain moves St. Mary-Oak Ridge picnic indoors St. Mary parishioners in Oak Ridge did not let rain Sept. 23 put a damper on their outdoor Mass and picnic—they just moved them indoors.

Parish notes continued from page B2 donating $2,800 toward the building of the Chapel of St. Clement within the boundaries of its twin parish of Bainet in Haiti.

The parish’s fifth annual Haiti Fest, benefiting IC’s sister parish in Fond des Blancs, Haiti, was held Sept. 28 at the Southern Depot.

Anniversaries: Bill and Mary Lou Jenkins (60), Earl and Marilyn Blankenship (50), John and Lynn Archambault (45), Bobby and Anna Davidson (35), Tim and Julaine Hammond (35), Randy and Rachel Miller (20)

IC thanked the women’s group for its donation of $375, proceeds from its dessert booth at the Irish Fest.

Newcomers: Gloria Bohrer; Richard and Cynthia Johnston; Trish Wilkins St. Dominic, Kingsport The parish will take part in a Habitat for Humanity build Oct. 18-20. Eight volunteers per day will be needed. Sign up in the vestibule.

St. Dominic parishioners are taking part in a prayer for the end of abortions outside the Bristol Regional Women’s Center, 2901 W. State St., Bristol, Tenn., from noon to 4 p.m. Fridays, continuing through Nov. 2.

On the weekend of Nov. 3 and 4, St. Dominic will celebrate its second annual Day of the Bible. The weekend will include speaker Father Jim McIlhome, a bilingual Mass, a parish dinner, and more.

The senior ministry is taking a trip to the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Va., to see a matinee production of Singing in the Rain at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6. Cost is approximately $30.

Daniel Oberreuter, lead singer of the Catholic band The Thirsting, offered a parish mission concert Sept. 16 at St. Dominic.

On Sept. 8 and 9, the parish introduced new senior ministry coordinator Amy Makemson at each Mass.

St. Patrick, Morristown The Knights of Columbus are sponsoring a Vets Winter Coat & Toiletries Drive to benefit the homeless veterans living outside the VA hospital in Johnson City.

All kinds of clothing are being accepted, including new coats for kids. Collection boxes are at the church inside the main entrance and outside of the west entrance. Collections will continue through Nov. 25.

Smoky Mountain Deanery Immaculate Conception, Knoxville The women’s group craft fair will be held after all Masses on Nov. 10 and 11. The parish hall will be filled with vendors with gifts for the holidays. To have a booth at the fair, contact Beth Meyer at 865-456-8857 or meyer. beth73@gmail.com. The fee is $20, paid in advance.

Bishop Richard F. Stika has asked that, beginning in October, all parishes offer one Mass each week for reparation and forgiveness of sins that have taken place in the Church. At IC, this Mass (the Votive Mass for the Forgiveness of Sins) will be offered Tuesday, Oct. 16; Friday, Oct. 26; Wednesday, Oct. 31; Wednesday, Nov. 7; Wednesday, Nov. 14; and Friday, Nov. 23.

www.di o k no x .o rg

Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa The parish family picnic will take place after the 11 a.m. Mass to about 3 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 21. The event features hamburgers and hot dogs provided by the Knights of Columbus, yard games, bingo, and kids prizes. To volunteer to help at the picnic, contact Andrea Carter at 865-983-3105 or acarter. go.teach@gmail.com.

The Oktoberfest Party will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, in the social hall. Dinner will be served from 6 to 7:30 p.m., followed by entertainment featuring the Rhythm Rogues band.

The event includes authentic German food with German beer and wine.

Tickets are on sale after all weekend Masses, or they may be purchased in the church office during regular office hours.

The Harvest of Blessings Ministries fundraiser will take place before and after weekend Masses on Oct. 27 and 28 in the social hall. Participants can meet those who are passionate about their ministry, explore adult faith formation choices, purchase homemade Mexican food, and partake of cider, cookies, coffee, or doughnuts. Those who want to register a table for their ministry may pick up a registration form in the church office.

Parishioners joined in a public rosary rally, sponsored by America Needs Fatima, on Oct. 13 in the church parking lot.

OLOF parishioners took part in the National Prayer Chain for Life as they joined together Oct. 7 to pray for one hour at the corner of U.S. Highway 321 and Montvale Road.

The parish held a farewell potluck dinner for retiring pastor Father Bill McKenzie on Sept. 30 in the social hall.

St. John XXIII, Knoxville St. John XXIII is starting a new evangelization ministry. Volunteers are needed to greet people, set up and staff a display table, and hand out literature, rosaries, and medals. For more information, contact Deacon Bob Ketteringham at deaconbob@john23rd.org or 865-523-7931.

The parish wished associate pastor Father Bob O’Donnell a happy 70th birthday Sept. 20.

Ben Summers, church custodian since 1965, recently stepped down at age 90 because of health reasons.

St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville The women’s group is sponsoring an Italian Dining Out event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, in the parish hall. Cost is $10 and includes varied authentic entrees, desserts, and a drink. Tickets are sold after all Masses or sold by group members. n OCTOBER 7, 2018 n B3

Holy Family continued from page B1

about $1.5 million, Father Diaz said.

“When I first came here, it was $386,000, and we paid it off in less than four years, and that’s why we are having this celebration because we are grateful.”

Holy Family is “mostly a retirement community,” Father Diaz said, “but we’re gaining more younger families from the area, which is good.” n

DAN MCWILLIAMS (4)

burning “means a great deal” for Holy Family, “because it was a huge sacrifice before I came to this parish four years ago. But through God’s sheer grace, we’ve been able to pay it off in the last four years, and we’re six years in advance of paying it off. I think that by being able to pay it off sooner than expected, it’s a huge celebration for this parish.”

The mortgage was originally

Lighting the flame Father Gilbert Diaz lights the Holy Family mortgage on fire as Bishop Richard F. Stika watches.

Leading the prayer Father Diaz leads a prayer at the mortgage burning as Bishop Stika listens.

Ashes to ashes The mortgage burns in a barbecue grill outside the Holy Family family life center. The mortgage was originally about $1.5 million.

Smile for the camera Bishop Stika poses with Julie (right), Hannah, and Andrew Preske (left) and Johnathan Delgado at Holy Family Church.

IC’s Irish Fest draws more than 2,000 people Immaculate Conception Parish’s annual Irish Fest on Aug. 11 was attended by more than 2,000 people and made a profit of about $18,000, which will be used to remove the holly bushes that border the parish parking lot and to re-landscape the area.

Calendar continued from page B3 Chattanooga. 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, contact Marian Christiana of the diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment at 423-892-2310 or mchristiana@dioknox.org, or visit dioknox.org/marriage-preparation-and-enrichment/ and click on the “programs designed for engaged couples” page.

Bethlehem, Ein Karem, and the Old City of Jerusalem before departing for Jericho, Masada, the Dead Sea, and Kumran. Also on the schedule are visits to the Yad Vashem museum, Emmaus, Meggido, Galilee, Nazareth, Cana, the Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Tabgha, Mount Tabor, Nain, the Jordan River, Mount Carmel, Caesarea, Jaffa, and Tel Aviv. Group coordinator is Sister Albertine Paulus, RSM. Full package is $4,299 (cash or check) or $4,558 (credit card), with the land-only package $3,199 (cash or check) or $3,458 (credit card). For more details, contact Sister Albertine at 865-207-4742 or 545-8270 or smaevang@yahoo.com.

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 Oct. 26-28 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.

A Pilgrimage to Greece, “In the Footsteps of St. Paul,” is set for April 30-May 11. Join Father Michael Maples on a journey to the sites where St. Paul spread the Gospel, including Philippi, Thessaloniki, Kalambaka, Delphi, and Athens, before departing for a four-day cruise visiting the islands of Mykonos, Patmos, Santorini, Rhodes, and Crete, including a visit to Mary’s house in Ephesus. Pilgrims will visit ancient Corinth and see where Paul wrote his letters to the Corinthians. Land and air, all-inclusive price is $4,495.

To receive a brochure with the day-to-day itinerary or to learn more, contact Lisa Morris, Select International Tours, at 865-567-1245 or lisam@select-intl.com.

An “After Divorce” retreat is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

CDT Saturday, Oct. 27, in the Clunan Center at St. Louis Church, 203 S. White Station Road, Memphis, TN 38117. Cost is $20 and includes lunch. Register at www.cdom.org/CatholicDiocese.php?op=Events_ SupportpctwtGroups#bookmark1. For more information, call Alma Abuelouf at 901-373-1224.

The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend is set for Nov. 16-18. Apply online at GATN-wwme. org or call 678-242-WWME. A 14-day Lenten Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, under the spiritual direction of Monsignor Al Humbrecht, will take place March 10-23. Pilgrims will visit Gethsemane, Mount Scopus, the Mount of Olives, B4 n OCTOBER 7, 2018

Bishop Richard F. Stika will be leading a pilgrimage to Poland, May 25-June 4, along with Cardinal Justin Rigali and Deacon Sean Smith. Participants will visit Czestochowa, Krakow, Wadowice (the birthplace of Pope St. John Paul II), the Divine Mercy Sanctuary, and Auschwitz before journeying on to Zakopane, Budapest, and Vienna. All-inclusive price is $4,395. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or lisam@select-intl.com A Low Mass in the ancient form of the Roman Rite is normally offered every Monday morning at 7 a.m. www.di o k no x .o rg

at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga.

A Missa Cantata (sung Mass) in the ancient form of the Roman Rite is normally celebrated at 5 p.m. on fourth Sundays at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. On Oct. 28 at 5 p.m., a Missa Cantata will be celebrated for the Kingship of Jesus Christ. On Nov. 25 at 5 p.m., a Missa Cantata will be celebrated for the Last Sunday after Pentecost. As the sanctuary renovation is in progress, all Masses are being offered in Varallo Parish Hall, and a fourth Sunday potluck will not be offered.

The Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga offers morning prayer after the 7 a.m. Mass on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday currently in Varallo Parish Hall because of the sanctuary renovation.

The Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul offers adoration every first Friday in the rectory chapel following the noon Mass, concluding with Benediction at 5:30 p.m. Adoration continues from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. in Varallo Parish Hall, with songs and prayers through the night led by the Hispanic community. All are invited.

Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at noon each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville; at 3 p.m. on first and third Sundays at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland; every Sunday at 8 a.m. at St. Mary Church in Athens; and at 3 p.m. on the first and third Sundays at St. Mary Church in Johnson City. 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 865584-3307 or visit www.saintthomasknoxville.org/ for details. n TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C A TH OLI C

S

t. Joseph School is marking its continued growth with the opening of a new wing that will serve middle-school students.

Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrated Mass at the North Knoxville school Sept. 21 and blessed the addition that opened in August with the new school year.

Joining Bishop Stika for the dedication and blessing were Father Chris Michelson, pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish; Father John Dowling, pastor of Holy Ghost Parish; and Father Ron Franco, CSP, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish. Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Knoxville, also attended as did a number of special guests, including former St. Joseph faculty members, school board members, financial supporters, and members of the construction team.

In the first phase of the wing completed in 2015, a new library, technology lab, and video studio were built. The just-finished second half of the project that completes the wing adds three new middle school classrooms for science, math, and history as well as full bathrooms.

St. Joseph principal Andy Zengel said the existing technology lab was converted to a religion/language arts classroom now that the middle school has technology integrated throughout the curriculum with each of the 80 students enrolled in grades six through eight having access to Chromebooks.

“The new middle-school wing is an investment in our children’s future. It will help prepare them for a life of holiness and for continuing their education at Knoxville Catholic High School and beyond,” Mr. Zengel said.

In his homily to the students during an all-school Mass on Sept.

21, Bishop Stika reminded them that St. Joseph is his favorite saint, which means St. Joseph School is one of his favorite places to visit.

The bishop recalled as a child building small structures with toy erector sets or Lincoln Logs and

asked them if they ever did the same with Lego toys.

“I’m always excited to come to St. Joseph. One reason is that every time I come here it seems like there is a new building or the renovation of a building,” he said. “Do we build these buildings because they look nice? Why do we build the buildings?”

One young student replied that the middle-school expansion was built to “get rid of the older students.”

After the unexpected answer and much laughing, Bishop Stika said, “Jesus is our foundation, and we build upon Him. That is the beauty of St. Joseph School. You are spreading out and you’re growing.

You have more students this year than you did last year.”

Following Mass, Bishop Stika blessed the addition, walking through it room by room sprinkling holy water as students, faculty, and special guests gathered to take part.

“We are all grateful for the leadership of your principal, Andy Zengel, for Father Chris Michelson, and all the people on the committee working with them to make this place better, bigger, and more of a place for education,” said Bishop Stika, who thanked Sister Mary Marta for her leadership and noted that the St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation also was instrumental in funding the St. Joseph expansion.

Father Michelson, who also serves as St. Joseph School president, said the new wing represents growth in the St. Joseph community, adding that seven years ago the average class size was 14 and now that number is 28.

“There has been a great energy in the St. Joseph community. Our parents are thrilled and excited. Any time you build something there is a sense of energy,” Father Michelson said. “This growth has doubled the size of our middle school. I think the parents see that this will better prepare their children for high school. We work very closely with Knoxville Catholic High School to help the kids transition seamlessly to high school. This gives our students the resources they need

Bishop’s blessing Bishop Stika sprinkled holy water throughout the new addition at St. Joseph School.

BILL BREWER

By Bill Brewer

STEPHANIE RICHER

Bishop blesses new addition at St. Joseph School

Kneeling at Mass St. Joseph School youngsters peep over the top edge of the pew in front of them. to prepare them for high school, especially in science, math, and technology.”

Father Michelson, who noted that enrollment at St. Joseph has jumped from 170 students to 240 over the past seven years, credited supporters who made the $520,000 expansion possible.

“We’ve had tremendous financial support. Through the Home Campaign, this new building had 100 percent funding from 12 donors, who gave everything we needed.

Parents provided all the furnishings we needed for the classrooms.

We said all along we weren’t going to build this building unless it was 100 percent paid for because St. Joseph can’t afford debt. From day

one it was 100 percent paid for,” the St. Albert the Great Parish pastor said.

Sister Mary Marta pointed out that Mr. Zengel and Father Michelson have been effective in directing St. Joseph in recent years.

The school, which opened in 1963, added a new gym in 2010 and also has added pre-K education.

“With Andy and Father Chris leading St. Joseph, they are a good team. And the school has grown since they’ve been there,” she said.

“The new wing really does create dedicated space for our middle school students and separate space for our younger grades.”

Father Dowling agreed that the St. Joseph School continued on page B6

By Dan McWilliams

T

he diocesan Ministries Day on Aug. 18 drew 239 people who share the Catholic faith to All Saints Church and Knoxville Catholic High School.

The seventh annual event was open to parents and student youth leaders, coordinators of youth ministry, liturgy and ministry teams, RCIA teams, directors of religious education, adult educators, and catechists and assistants.

Twenty-four workshops were offered, plus a Spanish track. The theme was “God Gives Joy to My Youth.”

Bishop Richard F. Stika gave opening remarks before the day of workshops began.

“When I was growing up . . . when you heard the word ‘minister,’ you’d think of a Protestant preacher,” he said. “When you’d talk about ministry, you’d talk about what the priest is doing . . . . But you never really heard

the word ‘ministry’ or ‘ministers.’

That’s a word that has evolved now over the last number of years.

“Even the Vatican about 20 years ago said you know, you have to be careful about that word, that we don’t confuse that word with the work of a priest or deacon, in terms of sacramental ministries.”

Bishop Stika said “the Church is not just about the priests, the bishops, the deacons — the people who are ordained or religious. It’s about all of us doing our part in a very intentional way, to build the Church, to teach, to share the faith.

We all look into our hearts to see what is your gift, what is my gift.

What can I do to help another person discover Jesus in their life, to help them to unfold the mysteries, to see the beauty of the sacraments?

Then when you do that in a very intentional way, that’s ministry.”

The bishop repeated one of his favorite sayings, in his time as the Diocese of Knoxville’s leader, to the

Greetings, everyone Father Richard Armstrong, assisted by Susan Collins (also pictured), was the coordinator of Ministries Day. TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C A T HO L I C

DAN MCWILLIAMS (2)

Seventh diocesan Ministries Day attended by 239

‘It’s about all of us doing our part . . .’ Bishop Stika speaks to a large gathering in the All Saints parish hall at the start of Ministries Day. Ministries Day audience.

“If you say you are a minister of the Church or you participate in the ministries of the Church, like I’ve been saying for nine and a half years now, you’re the face of Jesus to people,” he said.

Bishop Stika encouraged “you all to know that what you do in the name of Jesus is important in the lives of people. . . . I just want to thank you for being here today and for your wil­ lingness and desire to build the kingdom of God in your own unique way.”

Sara Carey was among many attending Ministries Day. She is the assistant director of faith formation at St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville. “[Ministries Day provides] a lot of good information; the workshops and whatnot give us a lot of good training to start the school year,” she said. “It’s also good networking, because you get to talk to other people who are in the same ministries and find out what’s go-

www.di o k no x .o rg

ing on in different parishes.”

The morning and afternoon schedule makes for “a full day,” Mrs. Carey said, “and it’s a long day for those of us coming from a different time zone. But it’s good — they’ve been doing this for I don’t know how many years, but it’s always really good, and I like that they use a lot of local talent. They find other people in the diocese a lot of times to do the presenting, and I think that’s good because it highlights what’s available here.”

Monsignor Al Humbrecht, pastor of Holy Spirit in Soddy-Daisy, taught a two-hour workshop, which filled to capacity quickly before the day began, on “The Three Great Monotheistic Religions: Commonality and Differences.”

“For me, I think [Ministries Day] offers a special chance with this that I’m doing on ‘The Three Great Monotheistic Religions’ to help Ministries Day continued on page B6 OCTOBER 7, 2018 n B5

St. Joseph School continued from page B5

through the years and continue to support the school.

“It was wonderful to see all the builders present at the dedication— our bishop and pastors, benefactors and architects, veteran teachers and administrators, and our parents and staff—all those who have tirelessly built St. Joseph School over the years and continue to support our mission. St. Joseph exists for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Our growth is the result of our entire community supporting that mission,” Mr. Zengel said. n

BILL BREWER

new middle-school wing is an unmistakable indicator of the school community’s vibrancy. “It is a sign of growth. At Holy Ghost, we pray that this new building be a sign of growth and that this growth continues. I’m proud to be part of it.”

Father Dowling cited Mr. Zengel’s work in strengthening the school’s mission to provide a quality Catholic education and prepare scholars, leaders, and saints.

Mr. Zengel said he and the school community are grateful to all those who have supported St. Joseph

Fist bump Bishop Stika greets a student during the blessing of the new wing at St. Joseph School.

STEPHANIE RICHER

BILL BREWER

School officials attend blessing Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Knoxville and Dickie Sompayrac, president of Knoxville Catholic High School, were among the dignitaries attending the blessing at St. Joseph School.

Presentation of the gifts Bishop Stika, with Deacon Mike Eiffe (left) and Father Chris Michelson alongside, accepts the gifts at Mass at St. Joseph School.

clear up some misconceptions that people have, especially about Islam.

There’s so much in the news today that is not accurate and does not really reflect the true Islam. It’s a chance to help people with that,” Monsignor Humbrecht said.

Ministries Day also offers “an opportunity to see a lot of people, too, and to see how many people are excited about continuing their own formation,” he said.

Kathy O’Brien, pastoral associate at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Erwin, said Ministries Day “for myself, personally,” means “just getting a few different perspectives. I brought 14 people from our parish here. For them it’s getting some training and exposure to the bigger Church and to what ministry’s all about.”

The other two-hour workshop at Ministries Day was a “Catechist Orientation,” led by Jason Gale, director of the Catechist Formation Program at Aquinas College.

One-hour workshops included one on “Apologetics” and another on “Joy: The Mark of the Christian,” both led by Father Michael Sweeney, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Harriman, St. Ann Parish in Lancing, and St. Christopher Parish in Jamestown. Both of Father Sweeney’s workshops were filled before Ministries Day began.

Additional hourlong workshops included “Building Intercultural Competence for Ministers,” led by Brittany García, coordinator of Pastoral Juvenil Hispana in the diocese; “Connections: Knowing the Faith, Teaching Your Kids, Changing the Culture,” led by Andy Zengel, principal of St. Joseph School in Knoxville; “Discussion Tips for Youth and Adult Leaders” and “Hands-On Help for Catechists,” both led by Arlene Webb, who has served as a religious educator for 44 years; and “Exploring the Vocation of Marriage Through the Lens of Our Family of Origin,”

led by Marian Christiana, coordinator of the diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment.

Father Richard Armstrong, assistant director of the diocesan Office of Christian Formation (the Ministries Day sponsor), was the coordinator of Ministries Day, assisted by Susan Collins, director of religious education and youth minister at Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville.

“We were extremely pleased with how the day went,” Father Armstrong said. “Several workshops filled up to capacity two weeks before the event. Our hope was that participants would enjoy the day, learn a few things, and walk away with a new vigor and zeal for our Catholic faith. All indicators reveal that it was successful.”

The greatest asset in the diocese “is our own people, and Ministries Day gives us the opportunity to showcase that,” Father Armstrong said. “The vast majority of presenters lives and works in the diocese, and each in his or her own way has contributed to the building-up of the Church here in East Tennessee.”

Ministries Day “is important because it gives those who work for the Church an occasion to deepen their own faith,” Father Armstrong said. “Those involved in parish ministries are the ones serving the faithful throughout the diocese; Ministries Day is our opportunity to serve those who serve. Each time we help form one pastoral minister, he or she in turn goes out and forms countless others in the parish. Thus, what we do at Ministries Day has a ripple effect throughout the diocese.”

This year’s Ministries Day attendance was among the best ever.

“There’s an awful lot of enthusiasm today for all the various workshops that we have, and there’s a great variety in the workshops as well,” Father Armstrong said. “There’s something for everyone here today.” n

According to Paul Paul Simoneau, director of the Office of Justice and Peace for the Diocese of Knoxville, leads the Ministries Day workshop “Rosary and Icons—Enrichment for our Prayer and Healing of Memory.”

B6 n OCTOBER 7, 2018

DAN MCWILLIAMS (4)

Ministries Day continued from page B5

Head of the class Monsignor Al Humbrecht leads a class on “The Three Great Monotheistic Religions” at Ministries Day.

Father Sweeney’s class Father Michael Sweeney teaches a class on “Apologetics” at Ministries Day.

Listening to the teacher Bob Hunt, a registered nurse who has been teaching the Catholic faith for more than 35 years, leads the Ministries Day class “How the Domestic Church Can Help Keep Your Kids Catholic.”

www.di o k no x .o rg

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

Sunday they would travel through and around, to be able to celebrate, to grow that burgeoning community that was St. Mary’s Church.”

Five years after the founding, the Atomic Energy Commission began to sell property in Oak Ridge, and St. Mary was among the buyers, Father Michelson said. “Now, St. Mary’s was one of the few places in town that had been saving for that day, because up to that point nobody owned anything. Everything was owned by the government. Houses were owned by the government. Everything was owned by the government. Nobody owned anything. Now they were going to sell some property.

“St. Mary’s had anticipated that.

They had saved their money, and they bought 12 acres on which we now are sitting, for $1,812, and they paid in cash. Not a check, they paid with cash to buy their 12 acres.”

Also in 1948, St. Mary started a couple of traditions that lasted for many generations, Father Michelson said. “One which I don’t think is any longer in place, but WATO radio was given the first Christmas Eve Mass. Christmas Eve midnight Mass was so popular and so hard to get into because everyone in town came. It was the place to come.

“So the Catholics couldn’t get into the church because all the non-Catholics had come and filled up the church. So they went and they put it on WATO radio so we could sit at home and listen to midnight Mass. I remember many nights listening to Rand McNally as he would narrate the celebration of midnight Mass here at St. Mary’s.”

The year 1948 was important for another reason because that was when Knights of Columbus Council 3175 at St. Mary came into existence, Father Michelson said.

On March 19, 1950, St. Mary held a groundbreaking for its new church complex.

“School opened Sept. 11, 1950.

They built that in five and a half months, and so we began,” Father Michelson said. “We had the Dominican Sisters, who were there from day one and are still with us today, to be able to bring that faith base to the community.”

In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education decision came down from the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Father [Francis] McRedmond, the second pastor of the parish, announced the day after that decision that St. Mary’s-Oak Ridge will be now and forever an integrated school,” Father Michelson said. “We don’t know if it was the first, but it was the day after that decision that he announced that was an important priority. That’s what Church was.”

In fall 1950, St. Mary School opened its doors.

“Sister Mary Francis was the first principal of St. Mary’s School.

It opened with 200 students that fall. At its peak it got up to 387 students,” Father Michelson said. “Also in 1950, that fall, because [the parish] had a debt from the new building that they had built, the Council of Catholic Women started a fall bazaar to raise money for the building fund. As the fall went on, the next year and the next year, it then became the St. Mary’s Fall Festival as others joined in: a great celebration of the entire community as we continued to cross-pollinate.”

The year 1954 “personally was a very good year: I was born,” Father Michelson said. “I was also baptized here by Father John Cain.”

In 1957, the rectory was constructed at St. Mary, according to the homilist. “In 1961 was the groundbreaking for this church, and a year later, 1962, on Aug. 26, this church was dedicated at a cost of $475,000.

How times and things change.”

Three diocesan priests and at least three Dominican Sisters have come from St. Mary Parish, Father Michelson noted.

“Again, cross-pollinating,” he said.

Father Michelson shared some of his memories of his early life in Oak Ridge, including the fact that it was a dry city, and how those re-entering Oak Ridge had to check in at one of the guard shacks that stood at each corner of the city.

“I remember when they built the church. I would have been 7 years old,” he said. “It was the best thing that ever happened. When they dug out this, they had this fantastic dirt pile out there, and we got to go play on that every day. It was the best thing ever. We could care less about the church; we had the best dirt pile around.”

Father Michelson’s memories included the fall festival, CYO, May crownings, Boy Scouts, Wednesday afternoon sirens, and Oak Ridge’s “B” houses and “E” houses.

“I remember the janitors, Charlie and Snake. What a great name: Snake. You think that didn’t put fear into the kids at school? You know, ‘stay away from Snake.’”

St. Mary Parish “in so many different ways, showed others what it meant to have a close, personal relationship with God and through the intercession of Mary as the Mother of God,” Father Michelson said. “So many came to understand what it is that we believe as Catholics and how we live our faith.

“What a great example Mary was to this parish community, to be able to reach out and touch so many.”

Just a few ways “of how we’ve touched this community” include the White Elephant Thrift Store, the

Singing along The Barnes family at St. Mary Church takes part in the anniversary Mass.

Gifts of bread and wine Bishop Stika accepts the gifts from the Corbett family of St. Mary.

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

DAN MCWILLIAMS (4)

St. Mary continued from page B1

Greeting the faithful Bishop Richard F. Stika, with Deacon John DeClue, welcomes the assembly to the 75th-anniversary Mass.

Dominicans a deep part of St. Mary history Nine Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation attended the anniversary Mass.

Holiday Bureau, Brushy Mountain Prison ministry, Scouts, vacation Bible school, and more, Father Michelson said. “And it goes on and on and on over the years.”

As the parish celebrates 75 years, “we look back at accomplishments, but most especially we look forward to future opportunities, opportunities to be able to create and to continue to build His kingdom.

‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord,’” Father Michelson said.

He concluded his homily by recalling former pastors and associates at St. Mary, including Father Joseph Julius and Father Michael Woods.

“May God continue to bless this community, now and far into the future,” Father Michelson said.

At the end of Mass, Bishop Stika congratulated the parish.

“Seventy-five years! That’s a long time. Just think how the world has changed. Things are so much more complicated these days,” he said. “I just want to thank you for what you do in this neck of the woods. The school is still doing great. Thank you, Dominican Sisters, for being here since day one.

“History celebrates the past, but grace celebrates the present and future, the grace of Jesus being with us. That will continue.”

The bishop urged the congregation to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

“Continue to celebrate the presence of Jesus,” Bishop Stika said.

“He’s much more powerful than any nuclear weapon.”

Sister Marie Blanchette, OP, is the current principal of St. Mary School.

“We love St. Mary’s Parish,” she said. “I think it’s very significant that the Dominican Sisters have been here since its founding. The sisters have a great love for the parishioners. They love their faith.

They wanted a school from the beginning. The faith is still alive, and this just feels like home to us.”

Ruth Ellen Martin has been a parishioner of St. Mary since 1964. She calls the church her “second address.”

“I love this church. I love the heartbeat of it. I love the activities, and I feel my Lord very often here in my church,” she said.

When asked how the church has changed over the years, Ms. Martin said, “Our church doesn’t change.

The people change, but the Mass is the same as when I went to the first Mass when I was a child. It’s the surroundings that change. The people, they move here and they move away, but mostly the heart of the church is inside right now, celebrating Mass.”

Pat Zanolli, who plays Mrs. Santa Claus for St. Mary School, first arrived at St. Mary in 1954. She said the parish means to her after 64 years “the same as when the first

www.di o k no x .o rg

day I came. It’s part of the family. I have six children raised here in this school. Father Chris was a young whippersnapper. He went through school with my children.”

Sister Mary Louis, OP, returned to St. Mary for the celebration. She was principal at the school in the late 1970s and early ’80s.

“Mrs. Helen Kington and Mrs. Marge Snyder were seventh- and eighth-grade teachers,” she said. “It was a wonderful place to be. I was a young principal just starting out in my first principal job. They had a wonderful faculty: Mrs. Regina Banick and Mrs. Mary Colley. I just loved it here. I was here five years.

Just wonderful memories. The kids were kids, but they were great. They were smart kids. It was a wonderful experience.”

Sister Mary Louis now works in the business office at the Dominican motherhouse in Nashville.

Former St. Mary teacher Cathy Lewis, now of Pierce City, Mo., also attended the 75th-anniversary celebration. She taught at St. Mary “after 1967,” she said.

“I taught for 15 years in the first grade, and I helped with the CCD program,” she said.

She called serving at St. Mary “a privilege because it’s such an excellent educational atmosphere because it mixes all of the right elements.

It’s the Catholic philosophy. It’s the community philosophy. It’s the first place that taught me that when you go into a community that it’s a ‘we.’

It’s all the churches in the community. Then you come back home and you just build foundations. That’s what we’ve been known for here forever is foundations.”

The parish means much to her, she said.

“I was a young kid in those days,” Ms. Lewis said. “In fact, I had just turned 20 when I had first come. I had such wonderful role models.

There’s not a person who would forget people like Helen Kington and Marge Snyder and Sister Veronica and Sister Margaret Mary. Just people that had such expertise. It’s a funny way to put this, but people had so much humility, and yet collectively it was a gigantic group of talents, and yet you were made to feel like a part, all the way to Charles and Snake, the janitors.”

Peter Waraksa, older brother of diocesan priest Father Alex Waraksa, reflected on the anniversary. Mr. Waraksa directs the 5:30 p.m. Saturday Mass choir, is involved with the Knights of Columbus, and helps maintain the parish building and grounds.

“It’s just a beautiful way to reminisce on all the great things that were part of St. Mary’s growing up and through the years beyond going to school here,” he said. n OCTOBER 7, 2018 n B7

Praying for Perspective

by George Valadie

What did Jesus write in the sand?

Was he asking for safety for the woman caught in adultery, whom he was about to forgive, or was he praying for us?

L

ike many of you, I’m running out of words. Though I seem to have no shortage of anger.

All in all, I’m having real trouble getting over this scandalous mess.

And finding it harder still to forgive these publicly declared men of God who it turns out might not have been.

Seriously, I got fired once and didn’t get this angry.

It all came up again at a recent meeting I attended—mostly because I brought it up. I told you I’ve been struggling. Thankfully though, what also came up was the topic of forgiveness and the Lord’s teaching on the topic. I’d like to say that came from me, too, but sadly—no.

We all agreed we should work on giving it a try, though I acknowledge I’ve got quite a ways to go.

Later, on the drive home with time to reflect, I found myself taken back to John’s Gospel in which he relates the story of Christ teaching near the Mount of Olives. He was in the temple one morning; a crowd gathered at his feet to learn.

Then, pushing their way to the front, grabbing all the attention that comes with interruption, the Pharisees dragged out a woman “who had been caught in adultery.”

Yes, I wonder how these men had actually come upon such a discovery and even more curious why the offending male—it does take two— wasn’t part of the accused and indicted. But that #MeToo discussion

is for another day.

“We got you now,” you can imagine them thinking, “ … in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”

We’re used to reading about these sorts of verbal tricks. There were always folks trying to tie him up with his own words, looking for any reason to pit him against their preferred Mosaic law. Them vs. Him, hoping he’d speak heresy, knowing it would do him in.

Skip to the end of the story. Jesus embarrassed all of them with maybe his snappiest comeback, “Any of you who haven’t messed up yet, go ahead and pick up the first rock.”

Well now, that would have taken a bit of nerve, wouldn’t it? After all, these folks lived in a very small town. Everybody knew everybody.

And in such a place, everybody also knows what everybody doesn’t want them to know. There weren’t going to be any rock throwers there that day.

“Ma’am, none of them condemned you and neither will I. Go on—and get your life together.”

But before he got to that verbal lesson of the day, theirs and hers— Scripture says “Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.”

Has anyone ever known why?

What exactly did he write there?

Anyone can guess, anyone can imagine.

Maybe he wrote … “This is gonna

Marriage Enrichment

be fun.”

I mean you just know he knew they were coming. He knew they’d be trying to make him look bad.

And he had to have known exactly how this particular episode would turn out. These guys wanted the spotlight but today would be his turn.

Or maybe, he was inclined to write something like, “Are you kidding me?”

He’d been teaching and preaching for going on three years, and it was obvious some people still didn’t get it. Sadly, maybe they were never going to get it. Neither the Pharisees—nor the woman. Was anyone listening at all?

I could also see him scribbling, “I’ll be back.”

Today—this little word puzzle from these un-learned learned men—this would be a piece of cake.

These jokers were never going to be the real challenge. That would come in a few weeks when he returned to this same Mount to be betrayed.

That’s when things would get really hard.

Perhaps this sandbox is where we first got introduced to the age-old adage “Patience is a virtue.”

Can’t you imagine these hypocrites had been driving him crazy?

Ever since he had begun this journey. Always acting as if they were who they were not. He had to have been fed up. Who wouldn’t have? I imagine even Jesus got worn out at

times, didn’t he?

Maybe his sand scratching was never that complicated at all. Not a sentence but just a thought, a word, the obvious word. “Forgiveness.”

Perhaps it was the concept he was trying to teach them and the world, but then again, maybe he was trying to focus on all the forgiving he himself would soon be needing to do. How could he ever empower the apostles to do what he could not?

Sand’s not the best place to write words. So maybe it was just a picture. A crucifix. Three crucifixes. His mom’s face. The face of God. What if he had just been doodling? The way we all do. Squiggles and boxes, circles and stars. Could he have been creating the proverbial pregnant pause giving everyone there some time to think about their own sins?

Or was it him needing a minute.

Seeking the inspiration of the Spirit.

Asking for the wisdom of the Father. Praying for the safety of the prostitute he had only just met.

Or maybe, just maybe, he was praying for us.

Dear God—I imagine you’ve seen worse. I imagine it pains you worse. I imagine you keep loving them anyway.

Please send me some of that. Amen. ■ George Valadie is president of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga.

by Marian Christiana

Attending the World Meeting of Families in Dublin Pilgrims ‘had the wonderful privilege to be part of a weeklong celebration . . . with people from all over the world’

W

ow! What an experience!

The World Meeting of Families 2018 in Dublin, Ireland, is now part of the history of the Church and its people.

Our Diocese of Knoxville pilgrimage group had the wonderful privilege to be part of a weeklong celebration of faith and family with people from all over the world. It is hard to put into words the excitement that was in the air. You could hear people speaking in different languages as you walked around the Congress, the Festival of Families, and the final Mass, but we were all there for the same reason, to celebrate our faith with other Catholics and with Pope Francis. The vitality of the event was contagious. I left re-energized and reaffirmed that family life is holy—messy—but holy.

Messy is a real understatement when we start talking about the families that have been hurt by the sexual-abuse crisis. Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland came at a time when the Pennsylvania attorney general released a report on sexual abuse scandals in Pennsylvania. Ireland, already hurting from its own abuse scandals, was looking to Pope Francis for help with the healing process.

Pope Francis did not shy away from the topic, although some say he did not go far enough with his comments. On his arrival, Pope Francis spoke to about 250 Irish political, civil, and religious leaders at the 700-yearold Dublin Castle and said that he was “very conscious of the circumstances of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters. With regard to the most vulnerable, I cannot fail to acknowledge the grave scandal caused in Ireland by the abuse of young people by members of the Church charged with responsibility for their protection and education.” He then said that “The failure of ecclesiastical authorities: bishops, religious superiors, priests, and others adequately to

My big takeaway from attending the World Meeting of Families 2018 is that every family is a combination of holiness and messiness. We are not all good or bad. We need to be patient with each other, love one another, and stay grounded in Christ. address these repugnant crimes has rightly risen to outrage.”

He continued to lift up the abuse victims in prayer throughout his visit, but for me the most meaningful acknowledgement of the abuse crisis came during the opening prayer of the closing Mass on Sunday. The day before, Pope Francis had met with eight survivors who had suffered abuse of power and sexual abuse. He referenced that visit and wanted to place before the mercy of the Lord these crimes and ask forgiveness for them.

Pope Francis then began with a litany of petitions, asking forgiveness for the Church’s actions. First, he asked for forgiveness for the acts themselves and the lack of compassion shown toward the survivors. He asked for forgiveness for the clergy, men and women religious, and the hierarchy that did not take charge of the situations, as they should have.

Lastly, he asked for forgiveness for all of those times those in authority told single mothers in Ireland it was a mortal sin to search for their children who had been sent to orphanages, and for the times children trying to find their mothers were told the same thing. Pope Francis emphatically stated, “These are not mortal sins.” Cheers went up after each request for forgiveness. It was incredibly moving to be a witness to this powerful moment.

While the abuse crisis was definitely a serious topic at the World Meeting of Families, it was by no means the primary focus. The meetings, gatherings, and celebrations all re-

flected Church teachings focusing on Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, “The Joy of Love,” and it was clear how important family life is in the formation of all of us. The Festival of Families event, the night before the papal Mass, was delightful. Pope Francis described the event as “a family celebration of thanksgiving to God for who we are: one family, in Christ, spread throughout the world.”

The excellent entertainment was interspersed with the testimonies of five families representing Ireland, Canada, India, Iraq, and Africa. The families spoke on topics that focused on forgiveness, hope, and technology, as well as the importance of grandparents. All of the families shared how much the love and support of their families helped them through their most difficult challenges. Pope Francis thanked them for their testimony and said “God wants every family to be a beacon of the joy of His love in the world. All of us are called to find, in the family, our fulfilment in love.” He quickly added, “No one said it would be easy.”

The fact that it is not always easy to be a loving family helps to make the good times all the sweeter. In past articles, I have written about the impact of our families of origin on our married lives. We bring into our marriages a combination of each: the family’s messiness as well as each family’s holiness. We may not always recognize the moments of holiness while we are living them. One day our Ireland pilgrimage took us to the Father Patrick Peyton, CSC, Memorial Centre in Ballina. Father Peyton is famous for his slogan “The family that prays together stays together.”

Father Peyton was particularly dedicated to the Blessed Mother.

During the 1950s, he started the Prayer Crusades and encouraged every family to pray the rosary to-

gether. He was the founder of “Family Rosary” and “Family Theatre.”

He staged hundreds of radio and television shows with many of the famous movie stars of Broadway and Hollywood taking part. I grew up in Los Angeles during the ’50s and ’60s.

As I walked into his center the large rosary beads hanging on the wall instantly struck me. My father had made one the exact same size for our home. We prayed the rosary together as a family using our large rosary in our home but also in our car. We called it the “Freeway Rosary.” We thought that was very fitting since our car was always breaking down. Our “Freeway Rosary” was made of pink plastic and had a very distinct aroma to it. My father was a dental technician by trade and had made the rosary out of spare plastic used to make false teeth! Many happy memories of my family of origin and our “Freeway Rosary” came flooding back to me.

I realized that those memories were moments of holiness and helped us through the more difficult times.

I also realized that, because of my family of origin experience, each of our children had a special rosary next to their bed while they were growing up that we used during times of trial.

My big takeaway from attending the World Meeting of Families 2018 is that every family is a combination of holiness and messiness. We are not all good or all bad. We need to be patient with each other, love one another, and stay grounded in Christ.

Together, whether we are talking about our individual family or our church family, we can get through anything. ■ Marian Christiana is coordinator of the diocesan Marriage Preparation and Enrichment Office.

Sixteenth annual St. Joseph School Memorial Golf Tournament scheduled for Oct. 19 The 16th annual St. Joseph School Memorial Golf Tournament will be B8 n OCTOBER 7, 2018

held on Friday, Oct. 19, at Three Ridges Golf Course in Knoxville.

Check-in and lunch will begin at 11 a.m., with a shotgun start at noon.

www.di o k no x .o rg

Contact Howie Sompayrac at 865804-8977 or hsompayrac@sjsknox.org. n TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C A TH OLI C

Parish and community news

Twenty-eighth Crossville Oktoberfest set Oct. 19-20

By Rita M. Reali ircle Oct. 19 and 20 on your calendar. It’s time for Crossville Oktoberfest.

Hosted by Knights of Columbus Council 8152, the 28th annual event takes place that Friday and Saturday at the K of C grounds, 2892 Highway 70 East, three miles from downtown Crossville.

Featuring continuous live music both days, along with traditional German food and beer, Crossville Oktoberfest has earned its reputation as the premier German-American festival in the Cumberlands. It’s become a favored attraction among autumn visitors to the area, many of whom flock to Tennessee for “leaf-peeping” season or to enjoy some cool-weather golf, hiking, or other outdoor activities. Thousands

man chocolate cake or cheesecake.

A full meal (entrée, three sides, and dessert) is $10; kids’ meals (hot dog, chips, and dessert) are $5. All menu items are available a la carte.

Soft drinks, pretzels, and a wide variety of imported and domestic beers are also available for sale.

Plus, there’ll be plenty of free peanuts and popcorn for between-meal snacking.

Admission at the gate is $7.50.

Children under 14 get in free. Advance single-day admission tickets ($6) are available at these local businesses: both Cancun Mexican Restaurant locations, Sears of Crossville, Best One Tire & Auto, The Lace Place & Chocolate Emporium, Romo’s Mexican Restaurant, Crossville Heating & Cooling, Physicians’ Associates, and Star Realty. n

COURTESY OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH

C

sic from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., throughout the two-day festival.

The Frank Moravcik Band, the Rheingold Band, and the Crossvillebased Bavarian Echo have become perennial favorites at Crossville Oktoberfest.

Those attending may choose from among five entrees of German food—all prepared on site. These include pork schnitzel (breaded pork loin), chicken schnitzel, smoked bratwurst (a Northern German pork sausage), knackwurst (a Northern German sausage made from ground pork, ground veal, and fresh garlic) and weisswurst (a traditional Bavarian sausage made of minced veal and back bacon).

Side dishes are spaetzle (buttered egg noodles), red cabbage, and sauerkraut. For dessert, there’s Ger-

of folks come from across Tennessee and beyond; last year’s event drew attendees from as far away as Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan.

And not even bad weather can dampen the festive spirit—Crossville Oktoberfest goes on rain or shine, beneath the pavilion and in the enormous tent set up on the grounds.

The merriment begins at 11:30 Friday morning, Oct. 19, with the ceremonial tapping of the keg and presentation of a proclamation to the festival’s Lord and Lady Mayor—whose identities are a closely guarded secret until the start of the event. Many revelers specifically plan to be on hand for the kickoff events.

Three authentic German bands will provide continuous live mu-

BILL BREWER

Double celebration at St. Francis-Fairfield Glade Bishop Richard F. Stika visited St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade on Oct. 4 to install Father Michael Woods (above) as pastor and to celebrate the parish’s 40th anniversary.

Notre Dame Parish meets with Hispanic Ministry Office The community of Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville met for the recitation of the rosary during a visit by the Diocese of Knoxville’s Office of Hispanic Ministry. Blanca Primm, director of Hispanic Ministry, met with the Notre Dame community and discussed with them their pastoral needs and the opportunities the diocese can offer young people and families. In this month of the rosary, Pope Francis and Bishop Stika encourage all diocesan communities to pray the rosary and pray to St. Michael the Archangel.

Weekday readings Monday, Oct. 1: Memorial of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church, Job 1:6-22; Psalm 17:1-3, 6-7; Luke 9:46-50 Tuesday, Oct. 2: Memorial of the Guardian Angels, Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23; Psalm 88:2-8; Matthew 18:1-5, 10 Wednesday, Oct. 3: Job 9:1-12, 1416; Psalm 88:10-15; Luke 9:57-62 Thursday, Oct. 4: Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi, Job 19:21-27; Psalm 27:7-9, 13-14; Luke 10:1-12 Friday, Oct. 5: Job 38:1, 12-21 and 40:3-5; Psalm 139:1-3, 7-10, 13-14; Luke 10:13-16 Saturday, Oct. 6: Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 1217; Psalm 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130; Luke 10:17-24 TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C A T HO L I C

Sunday, Oct. 7: Genesis 2:18-24; Psalm 128:1-6; Hebrews 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-16 Monday, Oct. 8: Galatians 1:6-12; Psalm 111:1-2, 7-10; Luke 10:25-37 Tuesday, Oct. 9: Galatians 1:1324; Psalm 139:1-3, 13-15; Luke 10:38-42 Wednesday, Oct. 10: Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14; Psalm 117:1-2; Luke 11:1-4 Thursday, Oct. 11: Galatians 3:1-5; Luke 1:69-75; Luke 11:5-13 Friday, Oct. 12: Galatians 3:7-14; Psalm 111:1-6; Luke 11:15-26 Saturday, Oct. 13: Galatians 3:22-29; Psalm 105:2-7; Luke 11:27-28 Sunday, Oct. 14: Wisdom 7:7-11; Psalm 90:12-17; Hebrews 4:12-13; Matthew 10:17-30 Monday, Oct. 15: Memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus, virgin and doctor of

COURTESY OF SANDRA RAYMOND

COURTESY OF BLANCA PRIMM

Father Julius Abuh installed as pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Bishop Richard F. Stika signs the document installing Father Julius Abuh as pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville on Sept. 2. With them are Deacon Scott Maentz (center) of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville and diocesan seminarian Wojciech Sobczuk (second from right).

Sacred relics visit Holy Trinity in Jefferson City Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City presented a teaching and exposition of sacred relics Sept. 30. Father Carlos Martins of the Companions of the Cross visited to teach about these holy objects. He brought with him more than 150 relics, some as old as 2,000 years. Among the treasures were relics of St. Maria Goretti, St. Thérèse of Lisieux (the “Little Flower”), St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Faustina Kowalska. In addition, there was also present a portion of the veil of Our Lady, as well as one of the largest remaining pieces of the True Cross in the world. Those in attendance were able to examine and venerate each relic. In the Church’s history, many miracles and healings have been worked in the presence of relics, and many have been healed through this ministry. Those attending were encouraged to bring articles of devotion such as rosaries and holy cards and pictures of ill friends and family members to touch to the reliquaries as a means of intercession. the Church, Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, and 4:31-5:1; Psalm 113:1-7; Luke 11:29-32 Tuesday, Oct. 16: Galatians 5:1-6; Psalm 119:41, 43-45, 47-48; Luke 11:37-41 Wednesday, Oct. 17: Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr, Galatians 5:18-25; Psalm 1:14, 6; Luke 11:42-46 Thursday, Oct. 18: Feast of St. Luke, evangelist, 2 Timothy 4:10-17; Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18; Luke 10:1-9 Friday, Oct. 19: Ephesians 1:11-14; Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 12-13; Luke 12:1-7 Saturday, Oct. 20: Ephesians 1:1523; Psalm 8:2-7; Luke 12:8-12 Sunday, Oct. 21: Isaiah 53:10-11; Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22; Hebrews 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45 Monday, Oct. 22: Ephesians 2:1-10;

www.di o k no x .o rg

Psalm 100:1-5; Luke 12:13-21 Tuesday, Oct. 23: Ephesians 2:12-22; Psalm 85:9-14; Luke 12:35-38 Wednesday, Oct. 24: Ephesians 3:212; Isaiah 12:2-6; Luke 12:39-48 Thursday, Oct. 25: Ephesians 3:1421; Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19; Luke 12:49-53 Friday, Oct. 26: Ephesians 4:1-6; Psalm 24:1-6; Luke 12:54-59 Saturday, Oct. 27: Ephesians 4:7-16; Psalm 122:1-5; Luke 13:1-9 Sunday, Oct. 28: Jeremiah 31:7-9; Psalm 126:1-6; Hebrews 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52 Monday, Oct. 29: Ephesians 4:325:8; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Luke 13:10-17 Tuesday, Oct. 30: Ephesians 5:21-33; Psalm 128:1-5; Luke 13:18-21 Wednesday, Oct. 31: Ephesians 6:19; Psalm 145:10-14; Luke 13:22-30 n OCTOBER 7, 2018 n B9

COURTESY OF LAURA GOODHARD

Catholic schools

Haley Cionfolo

Cady Kupfner

Olivia Ricche

Liza Barre

Riley Belt

Alex Carter

Welcome aboard From left are new NDHS faculty Sister Scholastica Neimann, OP, Selina Duncan, Martha Mitchum, Connie McNamara, Sister Mary Joseph Wittman, OP, Jennifer Strickler, and David Carter.

NDHS announces new faculty for 2018-19 sophomores.

David Carter returns to Chattanooga and joins the wellness department and football coaching staff.

He previously taught and coached football at St. George’s in Memphis.

He earned a bachelor of arts from Crichton College and will oversee the weight training program.

Sister Scholastica Neimann, OP, joins as head of the theology department. She comes to Notre Dame from St. Cecilia’s in Nashville, where she taught theology for many years. Sister Scholastica holds a bachelor of arts from the University of Dallas.

Sister Mary Joseph Wittman, OP, joins the science department. She holds a bachelor of science in biology from George Mason University.

She is currently completing a master’s program at Aquinas College.

Connie McNamara will join the faculty part-time teaching AP psychology. She earned a bachelor of science degree from Birmingham Southern and a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, where she was also an instructor. n

Keegan Smith defends national 3,000 title

K

eegan Smith, a sixth-grader at Sacred Heart Cathedral School, defended his national title in the 3,000-meter run at the 2018 Junior Olympics, held July 28 to Aug. 4 at Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Keegan, 11, ran the 3,000 in a time of 9 minutes, 57.48 seconds, to win the

KCHS has top National Merit scholars

I

n October of last year more than 1.6 million students in more than 22,000 high schools took the PSAT. The PSAT serves as the qualifying exam for the National Merit Competition.

Knoxville Catholic

High School recently announced the following National Merit Semifinalists who finished in the top 1 percent of high school seniors in the state of Tennessee: Haley Cionfolo, Cady Kupfner, and Olivia Ricche.

In addition, Liza Barre, Riley Belt, and Alex Carter were named National Merit Commended Scholars.

Each of these students placed among the top 5 percent of high school seniors in the state of Tennessee. n

SISTER MARY MARTA ABBOTT, RSM

W

hen Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga began the 2018-19 school year, there were many new faces to welcome. In addition to 109 new students, seven new faculty members join the Notre Dame family.

Selina Duncan joins the faculty teaching German and world geography. Before Notre Dame, Ms. Duncan taught German at Volkswagen. She holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and is finishing graduate coursework at UT-Chattanooga.

Jennifer Strickler will join the visual arts department. She’s been running an after-school art program in the public school system as well as being president/founder of the Children’s Art Place. She earned a bachelor of fine arts degree at Washington University.

Martha Mitchum joins the guidance department. She earned a bachelor of arts degree from UTK and a master’s in education from Wake Forest. She will be the guidance counselor for freshmen and

Bishop celebrates Mass for Notre Dame students Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrates Mass to begin the school year Aug. 23 at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga.

14 full seconds ahead of runner-up Tate McDermott (10:11.44).

In the 1,500 run at the Junior Olympics, Keegan placed 15th in a time of 4:54.54.

Last year, Keegan won the 11-year-olds 3,000 title in 9:59.36. n

Keegan Smith

United States Postal Service

event in the 12-yearolds division against a field of 40 other runners. He was nearly

Statement of ownership, management, and circulation Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685 1. Publication title: The East Tennessee Catholic 2. Publication number: 0007-211 3. Filing date: Oct. 8, 2018 4. Issue frequency: Bi-monthly 5. Number of issues published annually: 6 6. Annual subscription price: $15 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, Knox County, TN 37919-7551 8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher: Same 9. Full names and complete addresses of publisher, editor, and managing editor: publisher, Bishop Richard F. Stika, Diocese of Knoxville, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551; editor, Bill Brewer, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551; managing editor, Dan McWilliams, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551 10. Owner: Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities: None 12. Tax status (for completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at nonprofit rates): Has not changed during preceding 12 months 13. Publication name: The East Tennessee Catholic 14. Issue date for circulation data below: Aug. 5, 2018 15. Extent and nature of circulation

Average number copies each

Number copies of single

issue during preceding 12 months

issue published nearest

COURTESY OF STEVE COY

to filing date

SHCS holds first ‘House Meeting’ of new year The first House Meeting of the 2018-19 school year took place Aug. 22 at Sacred Heart Cathedral School.

SHCS incorporates a “House System” for middle school students. The House System is a step in the development of the mentoring program. The school’s 20 mentorship groups are small gatherings of students from grades six, seven, and eight that allow the mentor to get to know students well in a smaller setting through prayer, activities, and discussion. Each mentorship group is assigned to one of four houses, named for the evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The four pillars of the House System are fun, spirit, community, and service. In the larger context of the houses, new friendships are formed, and students engage in acts of service to others.

B10 n OCTOBER 7, 2018

A. Total number of copies (net press run)

20,875

20,750

B. (1) Mailed outside-county paid 20,018

19,885

(2) Mailed in-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541

subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541

0

0

(3) Paid distribution outside the mails

0

0

(4) Paid distribution by other classes of mail

0

0

20,018

19,885

(1) Outside-county nonrequested copies on Form 3541

434

449

(2) In-county nonrequested copies on Form 3541

0

0

(3) Nonrequested copies mailed at other classes

0

0

(4) Nonrequested copies distributed outside the mail

0

0

E. Total nonrequested distribution

434

449

F. Total distribution

20,452

20,334

G. Copies not distributed

423

416

H. Total

20,875

20,750

I. Percent paid

97.9

97.8

C. Total paid distribution D. Free or nominal rate distribution

16. Electronic copy circulation 17. Statement of ownership will be printed in the Oct. 7, 2018, issue of this publication.

18. Signature and title of editor, publisher, business manager, or owner: Bill Brewer, editor. Date: Oct. 6, 2018 I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties). www.di o k no x .o rg

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