Nov. 7, 2021, ET Catholic, A section by Diocese of Knoxville

November 7

| 2021

VOL 31 NO 3

IN THIS ISSUE BISHOP'S VERY A6 SPECIAL DAY

A celebration for those with special needs

THIS! TOPPA JOPPA B1 ON B10 DIG KCHS volleyball team East Tennessee is home to Glenmary training program

wins state championship by unseating Briarcrest

He dwells among us ......................... A3 Columns ..........................................B2-3 Parish news ....................................... B4 Diocesan calendar ............................ B5 Catholic schools .......................... B7,10 La Cosecha ............................Section C

Building Our Church Rutledge Catholic mission preparing to move into new worship space By Bill Brewer

JIM WOGAN

t. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Grainger County is approaching an important milestone toward its goal of becoming a Diocese of Knoxville parish. One of the newest faith communities in the diocese is nearing completion on construction of a church building in Rutledge that will provide a permanent home for Catholics in this area. A church building Catholics in this part of East Tennessee can call home has been years in the making. The Glenmary Home Missioners founded the mission in 2011 along with St. Teresa of Kolkata Catholic Mission in Maynardville and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Mission in Erwin. In all three locations, the Glenmary priests began by identifying as many Catholics as possible in Grainger, Union, and Unicoi counties. Masses were then initially held in homes until the congregations began to grow for regular weekly Masses. Then storefront retail spaces in Rutledge and Maynardville were leased for dedicated church services. A house in Erwin continued to serve as St. Michael’s church and rectory.

Under construction Father Neil Pezzulo, GHM, is shown in front of what will be the altar of the new St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge. Father Pezzulo hopes to be celebrating Mass there by Easter. St. Teresa of Kolkata was elevated from mission to parish by Bishop Richard F. Stika in September 2014. The parishioners there raised money and erected their own church building, which Bishop Stika dedicated in February 2019. Bishop Stika also elevated St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Mission to parish status and dedicated its then-new church building in September 2018 after parishion-

ers raised funds. Now, St. John Paul II is anticipating the dedication of its new church and possible elevation to parish by Bishop Stika. Father Neil Pezzulo, GHM, pastor of St. John Paul II Catholic Mission and St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish, credits fellow Glenmary priest Father Steve Pawelk for establishing the Rutledge and Maynardville Catholic communi-

ties. Father Pawelk was pastor of St. Teresa of Kolkata when Bishop Stika elevated it and dedicated its new church, and he was pastor of St. John Paul II as construction on its new church building began. Father Pawelk received another assignment from the Glenmary order in January 2020, and Father Pezzulo succeeded him. Father Pezzulo said it is a gift to be able to follow a “visionary” like Father Pawelk, who saw in the design of the new church what the needs of St. John Paul II Parish were going to be and also saw a vision for the future. When Father Pezzulo arrived, some initial excavation work had been done on the site of the new church, located at 161 Bryan Road at the corner of Rutledge Pike. “A couple of months before I came they broke ground officially, and the excavator had been working when I arrived,” Father Pezzulo recalled. “We’re very fortunate to get that piece of property. It’s one of the prettiest pieces of property in the town. It’s in a great location, right on the main drag near the schools. Rutledge Pike is the main road through Grainger County. We have a wonderful location that came to us through the Catholic Foundation of East Mission continued on page A8

Chattanooga hosts U.S. Catholic youth ministry convocation By Janice Fritz Ryken

f it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a parish to do youth ministry.” These words, uttered by Sister Thea Bowman more than 40 years ago, still ring true today … and they were said before smartphones came along! Sister Thea, a Servant of God who was a teacher, scholar, and in the order of Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, made a major contribution to the African American ministry of the Catholic Church. Although she died more than 30 years ago, Sister Thea was right on the mark about what’s needed to foster a thriving youth ministry in today’s Catholic parishes. Sister Thea, who died in 1990 and is on the road to canonization (she was designated a Servant of God in 2018), would definitely double down on her statement if she could see today’s teens. With so many everyday distractions

teens now have — academic pressures, competitive sports, and social media to name only a handful — it’s easy to see how challenging it is to attract and keep them engaged in their Catholic communities. This is especially true during the formative years that follow receiving the sacraments of reconciliation, confirmation, and Holy Communion. Sadly, many parents allow teens to taper off their faith after the initial, obligatory sacraments are made, even though there’s still so much faith formation needed as they grow into adulthood. What’s more, it takes dedicated people in parishes willing to invest their time and money into attracting and keeping teens engaged in their faith during the last years before they reach their independence. Thankfully, there are many such people in parishes across the country who dedicate themselves to doing just that, and a delegation of them recently gathered in downtown Chattanooga

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAUL DITTUS (2)

Thriveanooga! event rejuvenates parish youth ministers, looks at ways to re-emphasize student outreach amid pandemic, cultural distractions

Hello East Tennessee! Youth ministers from around the country were in Chattanooga Sept. 27-30 to share experiences and discuss ways to effectively minister to U.S. Catholic youth during Thriveanooga! to participate in a weeklong event called Thriveanooga!. Nearly 50 youth ministers from 26 dioceses across the country joined together Sept. 27-30 to break bread and

share the joys, challenges, and fresh perspectives involved in running Catholic youth ministries in this new millennium. The late September weather Youth continued on page A11

Random acts of kindness

These employees have been pushed to their limits with staff shortening and supplies decreasing by the day, and in such an important field even outside of a global pandemic, this is not an ideal situation in which to work. Parishioners of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City and St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Erwin have recognized the need to thank these employees and have taken matters into their own hands to perform a small gesture of kindness for some employees at Johnson City Medical Center. “It was really just about letting them know that they are appreciated and that someone is out there praying for them and the work that they do,” said Maria Whiston, who initiated the gift-bag operation. The parishes collaborated to make and distribute 80 goodie bags in total for the hospital staff. The bags were created in collaboration with the Church Mobilization Network Project, which seeks to “connect churches, meet needs, and impact lives.” The CMNP is a multidenominational nonprofit organization in the Tri-Cities region that serves to connect churches with qualified volunteers for whatever needs that may arise. Donors for the goodie bags included Texas Burritos and More Restaurant, as well as prayer cards and small donations from members of

By Casey Keeley

he COVID-19 pandemic has hit everyone hard, but none more than those working on the frontlines in the hospitals across the world.

Spreading kindness Stephen Wang distributes goodie bags to Johnson City Medical Center employees.

Sr. Regina

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARIA WHISTON (2)

Johnson City, Erwin parishioners carry out good deeds for local hospital employees

The spirit of giving Volunteers worked together to make up to 80 goodie bags for the employees at Johnson City Medical Center. both parishes who wish to remain anonymous. Parishioners Joanne Lawson, Stephen Wang, Mary Alice Basconi, and Maria Whiston delivered the bags to the hospital to distribute to staff members. ■

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

T Did you know you can receive weekly cartoons and short reflections and news from the Handmaids of the Precious Blood? Visit their website, nunsforpriests.org, and sign up for the FIAT newsletter. You also can learn about praying for priests and adopting them.

Prayer Intentions “We pray that people who suffer from depression or burnout will find support and a light that opens them up to life.” –– Pope Francis ”Dear God, we give thanks for our blessings. In Your mercy and kindness, please accept our gratitude — expressed in these humble words and represented by our good deeds, so that the bountiful harvest we have received from You can be shared to assist others. Amen.” –– Bishop Stika

DIOCESE PROCEDURE

FOR

KNOXVILLE

REPORTING

SEXUAL

ABUSE

Anyone who has actual knowledge of or who has reasonable cause to suspect an incident of sexual abuse should report such information to the appropriate civil authorities first, then to the bishop's office 865.584.3307, or the diocesan victims' assistance coordinator, Marla Lenihan, 865.482.1388.

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

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

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

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NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Bishop Richard F. Stika Bill Brewer COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

bbrewer@dioknox.org ASSISTANT EDITOR

Jim Wogan Dan McWilliams

jwogan@dioknox.org THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC (USPS 007211) is published bi-monthly by The Diocese of Knoxville, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551. Periodicals-class postage paid at Knoxville, TN. Printed by the Knoxville News Sentinel. THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC is mailed to all registered Catholic families in East Tennessee. Subscription rate for others is $15 per year in the United States. Make checks payable to The Diocese of Knoxville. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551.

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Emily Booker Gabrielle Nolan

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

A Pastoral Letter

by Bishop Richard F. Stika

Sin and the worthy reception of the Holy Eucharist U.S. bishops are meeting Nov. 15-18 for their annual General Assembly, and among the items to be discussed and voted on is their statement on “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church.” Given the “declining belief and understanding of the Eucharist among the Catholic faithful,” and the critical importance of a proper catechesis on the Eucharist, Bishop Stika wishes to re-present his Pastoral Letter on “Sin and the Worthy Reception of the Holy Eucharist” that was previously published in the Aug. 8, 2021, edition of “The East Tennessee Catholic.” It is Bishop Stika’s intent to soon follow with a pastoral letter on the Liturgy. “Many of his disciples who were listening said, ‘This saying is hard; who can accept it?’” — John 6:60

hen Jesus taught His followers about the Eucharist, explaining that they must “eat His body” and “drink His blood,” many responded, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Sadly, “As a result of this, many [of] His disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him” (John 6:60, 66). Christ continues to teach and sanctify us through His Church, having vested it with His power and authority (cf. Matthew 16:18-19 and 18:18; John 20:23). Therefore, when we disagree with something the Church teaches, we must always invoke the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding and ask the hard question of our self, “Is the Church wrong, or is my understanding of what the Church teaches wrong?”

God’s prophet in the world

The moral teachings of the Church and its consistent teaching on the worthy reception of the Eucharist are neither defined by majority opinions nor driven by politics. But the accusations of such are as old as the attacks upon the Church since its infancy. The incredible number of martyrs in the Church’s long history attests to the violence suffered by the Church as God’s prophet in the world. So, on the occasion of proclaiming St. Thomas More as the Patron of Statesmen and Politicians, who was martyred for defending the moral teachings of the Church against political aggression, Pope St. John Paul II stressed that “Man cannot be separated from God, nor politics from morality.”

In perspective

The subject of sin is rarely popular, but the controversy surrounding the worthy reception of the Eucharist is in truth a question of sin, and specifically that of mortal sin. For if we do not understand the true nature of sin and the serious and even grave harm it brings upon the sinner and the collective body of Christ, and to our relationship with God, then we will not understand the Church’s teaching on the worthy reception of the Eucharist. If the Eucharist is not the body and blood, soul and divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, but only a symbol, there would be no need to write of its worthy reception. But if the Eucharist truly is the “Real Presence” of Christ, then it should not only be our greatest joy to receive Him in Holy Communion but also our greatest desire to receive Him worthily.

Good vs. evil

“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled,” French poet Charles Baudelaire wrote, “was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” And intimately connected to this is the loss of the “sense of sin.” But behind every temptation is “the seductive voice, opposed to God,” of Satan, who never stops trying to deceive us and turn our hearts away from God (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 391). For as St. Paul states, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). For good reason then does the Church warn us that “Ignorance of the fact that man has a wounded nature inclined to evil gives rise to serious errors in education, politics, social action, and morals” (CCC, 407).

Conscience

The Church is God’s prophet in the world who calls out, “Hear what the Lord has to say” (Micah 6:1). But it also warns us of those “who call evil good, and good evil, who change darkness into light, and light into darkness” (Isaiah 5:20), for the scandal of confusion they sow and the eternal ruin they lead others into requires the Church to speak out. If our conscience is a sacred sanctuary where God’s inner prophet speaks to us, then we must always be on guard against the “seductive voice” of Satan, who continually seeks to pollute it through his many false prophets, who echo his lies and false promises. For our conscience, as sacred as it is, is not infallible in its judgments regarding faith and morals as the Church is in its teaching. Therefore, we must always strive to “listen to the voice of the Lord” (Psalm 95:7), which the Church helps us to TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

hear, and correctly form our conscience as St. John Paul II warns: “Because of the nature of conscience, the admonition always to follow it must immediately be followed by the question of whether what our conscience is telling us is true or not. If we fail to make this necessary clarification, conscience –– instead of being that holy place where God reveals to us our true good –– becomes a force which is destructive of our true humanity and of all our relationships (General Audience, Aug. 17, 1983).”

Mortal vs. venial sin

Given this, the Church distinguishes between sin that is “mortal” and that which is “venial”—between sin that is “deadly” and sin “that is not deadly” (1 John 5:16, 17). Mortal sin is that which crucifies Christ in us, for it is the death of the divine life and supernatural charity we received at baptism, which is sanctifying grace. Venial sin, though not deadly, wounds and hampers our desire to allow God’s grace to act upon us—distancing us, but not completely separating us from Him as mortal sin does. Moses summarized all the moral demands of the Law as specified in the Ten Commandments as truly a choice between “life and death.” (Deuteronomy 30:19). If we are to “choose life,” as the Israelites were counseled, then we must choose “life in Christ” over the way of death. Using the Decalogue, you can evaluate the moral choices before you by whether they foster the life of Christ and His love in you and others or rather harm or even extinguish that divine life and love (CCC 1854-1876).

Saying “no” to God

Because our moral life is a spiritual worship, we should never think of venial sin, much less mortal sin, as “no big deal,” for all sin, as St. Augustine explains, is a “love of self even to contempt of God.” For every sin, in the degree of its gravity, is an echo of Satan’s “Non serviam” to God—”I will not serve.” And as the “father of lies” (John 8:44), he wants us, as he tempted Adam and Eve, to believe that we have the power to determine what is good and evil, not God. But it belongs to God alone, and to the Church as “the pillar and foundation of truth” (1 Timothy 3:15) that He established, to define what is good and what is evil. To receive God’s mercy, then, we must not attempt to deny or disguise the ugliness of sin. Instead, we must let the grace of God do its work in us, allowing the Holy Spirit to “convict” our heart of our sin so that we might desire to be reconciled to Him through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, who gave His life to save us from the darkness of sin and death. But, as emphasized by Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen, “Sin is serious, but it is more serious to deny sin.” To deny our sin, then, is to make forgiveness impossible for we prevent God’s healing remedy from being applied.

Sin and Holy Communion

If we are in a “state of grace” (meaning no mortal sin) and are moved by this grace to express in some act of penance a sincere sorrow for our venial sins, they are forgiven, without having to go to sacramental confession as one must do if in a state of mortal sin. For though venial sin wounds us, it does not “diminish” sanctifying grace in us, unlike mortal sin that extinguishes it. Therefore, anyone who is in a “state of grace” may receive the Eucharist without first going to sacramental confession for their venial sins. However, our reverence and love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament should be such that we always examine our conscience and strive to make a “perfect” act of contrition for our venial sins—something we should do daily. This is why the Mass begins with the Penitential Rite. And for our contrition of sin to be “perfect,” our sorrow should be as we are counseled to do in making a good act of contrition: “O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all, because they offend Thee, my God, who is all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin.” To receive Jesus in Holy Communion without first expressing our sorrow for our sins is to give Him insult, for it is to take for granted all that He suffered for love of us in His passion and cross. (Note: Though we do not need to go to the sacrament of reconciliation for the forgiveness of our venial sins, the Church’s precept is that we do so at least once a year. Still, monthly confession is highly recommended for the many blessings we receive in this great sacrament.)

Mortal sin and confession

Because the divine life has been extinguished in the person who is in a “state of mortal sin,” they must first receive the “breath” of divine life w ww.di o k no x .o rg

through the sacrament of reconciliation before receiving the Eucharist. For just as a deceased person is no longer able to receive bodily food, so it is that one who is spiritually dead cannot partake of the “bread of life.” The Divine Physician must first be allowed to “raise us up” from our spiritual grave so that He might again give us back into the arms of Mother Church as on the day of our baptism (cf. Luke 7:1114). Only then can we be “given something to eat,” which is the Eucharist (cf. Mark 5:35-43).

Church teaching on mortal sin and Holy Communion

The Church has always taught that “the Eucharist is not ordered to the forgiveness of mortal sins” but is “proper to the sacrament of reconciliation.” For “the Eucharist is properly the sacrament of those who are in full communion with the Church” (CCC, 1395). If this is not clear enough, the Church’s “Code of Canon Law” states, “Anyone who is conscious of grave sin may not celebrate Mass (priest) or receive the body of the Lord without previously having been to sacramental confession…” (c. 916). It matters not, then, if you are a politician, a priest, a religious, or even the pope—no one in a state of mortal sin can receive the Eucharist without first being reconciled to God through sacramental confession.

Two important parables

To best understand the important reasons for the Church’s consistent teaching on the worthy reception of the Eucharist, we should reflect upon the parables of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) and the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1-14). The first reveals the proper path for the forgiveness of mortal sin and reconciliation if we are to again be admitted to our heavenly Father’s table. And in the second parable we learn of the grave sacrilege of receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin without first being sacramentally reconciled with God.

Mortal sin and the path of reconciliation

The parable of the prodigal son offers a fitting image of one in a state of mortal sin. We become like this son who abandons his father as well as his work in the father’s field. And the effects of choosing a “foreign land” over the “father’s house” and his “reckless living” leaves him destitute and starving for the good food that only his father’s table has. In his mortal sin, he resembles a “zombie”—the walking dead.

The first step

The first step to forgiveness and reconciliation, like the prodigal son’s, begins with the realization of the grave harm mortal sin does to us separated from “life” in the father’s house. This desire must lead us to the confessional, the proper gateway to the Father’s house, where with all humility and true contrition we pray, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.”

Restored dignity at the father’s table

The father, who has so longed for his son’s return, rejoices on hearing his humble confession and calls for the “finest robe” to be “quickly” brought and placed upon him. This is the robe of supernatural life and salvation we were first clothed in at our baptism that mortal sin strips us of. The father also calls for a “ring” to be placed upon his son’s finger signifying the restored dignity of his “sonship” and for “sandals” to be put upon his feet signifying the great dignity of sharing once again in the work of the father’s field. As the Church defines the word “Liturgy” as the “work of God” that the people of God share in, we can better understand the significance of the sandals. Only after the son has sought to be properly forgiven and reconciled is he again welcomed to the father’s table, where he can partake of the banquet feast.

Proper attire matters

Those who dismiss the need for the sacramental confession of mortal sin prior to receiving the Eucharist should seriously reflect upon Jesus’ parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1-14), for proper attire absolutely matters. Whereas venial sin stains the white wedding garment that we are robed with at our baptism, mortal sin strips us of it and burns our wedding invitation.

The wedding garment

St. John Paul II beautifully describes the Eucharist in his apostolic letter on the “Dignity and Vocation of Women” as the “sacrament of the Bridegroom and Bride” (n. 26). Each of us, by virtue of our baptism, is a bride of Christ in the Church and clothed with the wedding garment that we are to keep “spotless and pure, without wrinkle or stain” for the heavenly banquet (Ephesians 5:27), of which the Mass is a foretaste and participation in. In the parable of the wedding feast, Jesus tells of “a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.” Pastoral Letter continued on page A13 NOVEMBER 7, 2021 n A3

Bishop welcomes Bruderhof to East Tennessee Christian community acquires Hiwassee College, establishes new home in Monroe County

By Dan McWilliams

DAN MCWILLIAMS (2)

he Bruderhof Christian community, which has some 3,000-plus people in 27 settlements worldwide, has come to East Tennessee and is eager to work with Bishop Richard F. Stika. The community, which has purchased the former Hiwassee College campus in Madisonville, hosted a luncheon Oct. 12 for some 60 dignitaries to offer them a look at the Bruderhof’s new home. The college closed in 2019 after 170 years of operation. Bishop Stika was among those attending the meal and program at the Rymer Student Center. Also present were retired Congressman John J. Duncan Jr.; Gus Davis, mayor of Madisonville; Maxine Gernert, office manager for U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, who was scheduled to attend the luncheon but was called back to Washington, D.C., for an important vote; state Rep. Lowell Russell of Monroe County; Tommy Jones, sheriff of Monroe County; Jim Henry, state director for U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty; Larry Sloan, Monroe County clerk; state Sen. Mike Bell; and Bob Griffitts of the Bruderhof, a former chief of staff for Congressman Duncan who helped organize the luncheon. The Bruderhof community, an Anabaptist Christian movement, was founded in Germany in 1921. Members fled Nazi rule in the late 1930s and moved to England and later to Paraguay. The Bruderhofs came to the United States

New voices of East Tennessee Members of the Bruderhof Christian community provide entertainment during an Oct. 12 luncheon the community held for East Tennessee leaders. in 1954 and eventually returned to England and Germany. They also have a presence in Australia as well as Paraguay, where they returned in 2010. “In so many of their beliefs, especially dealing with certain social aspects—marriage and pro-

life and all that—we’re completely together,” Bishop Stika said of the Bruderhof community. “I admire them for the work that they do, for their witness to the faith, and I look forward to working with them into the future because we have so much in common.”

“We have very, very similar values, and many of those values are being attacked. You can see what’s happening to the family unit, the understanding of marriage and commitment and working together.” — Bishop Richard F. Stika speaking to the Bruderhof Christian community

Luncheon emcee John Burleson of the Bruderhof community was quickly corrected (in a friendly manner) by Bishop Stika and others when he used the term “Eastern Tennessee” instead of “East Tennessee.” “It’s a challenging time we’re living in the world. All the more, we need to get together and build bridges and work for causes that we all believe in. I know that’s uppermost on everybody’s mind, making the world a better place for our children,” Mr. Burleson said. The Hiwassee Bruderhof community has existed for just over a year. “It’s been an adventure,” he added. “This campus has been here for many years and also needed a lot of work done and is getting a lot of work done, but there is a lot of work to do. It’s a work in progress. It’s not going to be done today or tomorrow.” Mr. Burleson then stated the community’s purpose. “Building up God’s kingdom is really what we’re here about. We’re thrilled to be here,” he said. Mr. Burleson said the Bruderhof community has renovated the room where the luncheon was held, has renovated single-family homes on the Hiwassee campus, will redo three dormitories into family apartment buildings, will convert the science center into an elementary school, and will convert the former library into a licensed day-care center. Congressman Duncan was Bruderhof continued on page A18

By Laura Keener The Messenger

he Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, Ky., overflowed with joyful excitement on Sept. 30 for the consecration and installation of John C. Iffert, the 11th bishop of Covington. Nearly 700 people gathered for the historic and solemn occasion, including nearly 150 guests from the Diocese of Belleville in Illinois, the home diocese of the bishop-elect. Among the honored guests were Bishop-elect Iffert’s parents, John and Mary Iffert, and sisters, Kim Dorsey and Kathy Nesbit. The principal consecrator and homilist was Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, and the co-consecrators were Bishop Emeritus Roger Foys of Covington and Bishop Michael McGovern of Belleville. Witnessing for the Holy See was Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States. Two

cardinals — Cardinal Blase Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia — and 13 additional bishops attended the celebration. Deacon Sean Smith of the Diocese of Knoxville served as chaplain to Cardinal Rigali during the Mass. Including the bishops, nearly 200 priests, deacons, and an honor guard of Knights, Dames, Foresters, and bearers of the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice were part of the opening procession as trumpets blew and the Bishop’s Choir, led by Dr. Gregory Schaffer, organist and choirmaster, filled the cathedral with praise and thanksgiving to God. The ceremony began as Bishop Foys presented Bishop-elect Iffert to the archbishop for ordination. “Most Reverend Father, the Church of Covington asks you to ordain this priest, John Curtis Iffert, to the responsibility of the Episcopate.”

Take this bread Newly installed Bishop of Covington John C. Iffert celebrates Mass on Sept. 30 for his installation and consecration as the 11th bishop of Covington. Cardinal Justin Rigali is standing behind the new bishop. A4 n NOVEMBER 7, 2021

THE MESSENGER (2)

Diocese of Covington installs Bishop Iffert as newest shepherd in the Louisville province

The Body of Christ Bishop of Covington John C. Iffert is the main celebrant at Mass on Sept. 30 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, where he was installed and consecrated.

“The pectoral cross you place near your heart every day will be your time to remember that in order to listen to the people of God and serve them, you will first need to begin by listening to Jesus.” — Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, speaking to newly installed Bishop John C. Iffert

After which, Archbishop Pierre read the mandate from the Apostolic See confirming the appointment of Bishop-elect Iffert as the 11th bishop of the Diocese of Covington. He then handed the decree to Bishopelect Iffert, who presented it to the bishops and priests and then, coming down from the sanctuary, presented the document, at times raising it above his head, to the congregation as they erupted in loud, continuous applause. Archbishop Kurtz opened his homily thanking John and Mary Iffert for the gift of their son. “You show great love and affection for your dear son, and we do, too. We already have begun to see the good gifts that God has given to him.” Archbishop Kurtz compared Bishop-elect Iffert to a Kentucky racehorse, “you can’t wait to get out of the gate.” But he invited him to pause for a “pop quiz,” to reflect on three questions re-

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corded in the Gospels that Jesus asked Peter: Who do you say that I am?; Do you also wish to go away?; and Do you love me? And Peter ’s responses: You are the Christ; Where am I to go? You have the words of eternal life; and Yes, Lord, you know that I love you, to which Jesus replied, feed my sheep. “The pectoral cross you place near your heart everyday will be your time to remember that in order to listen to the people of God and serve them, you will first need to begin by listening to Jesus,” Archbishop Kurtz said as a way to respond to the first question. Peter ’s response to the second question, Archbishop Kurtz said, demonstrates fidelity. “As you put the episcopal ring on your finger, it will be a sign of fidelity reminding you, and all who will see it, of your desire to be a witness to a fidelity that is faithful to Christ and faithful to Bishop continued on page A9 TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

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Special needs community celebrates with day of faith and fun Diocese of Knoxville hosts inaugural ‘Bishop’s Very Special Day’ on the Sacred Heart Cathedral campus This afternoon, I spent time with people who have special challenges in life. We all have challenges in life ... and yet, we’re all God’s people, loved by our Lord. — Bishop Richard F. Stika said Charles Kite, who is a parishioner at All Saints. “We really need to extend that from the Church because it’s difficult for special needs people.” Mr. Kite attended the event with his granddaughter, Janie, who is nonverbal and unable to communicate. “Everybody’s got their crosses to bear, and I don’t really think of her as a cross to bear,” he said. “She’s family, and she just needs somebody to take care of her.” Mr. Kite described how his previous pastor at All Saints, Father Michael Woods, would go out in the congregation after his homily and ask, “Who’s your face of Jesus?” “I’d talk about [Janie],” Mr. Kite said. “All she wants to do is love you like Jesus does, and you love her back. That’s all she wants.” Joan Stone, who has been a parishioner at Sacred Heart for 31 years, donated snacks for the event. Her son, Matthew, was an attendee who enjoyed the rally and games. “It is such a blessing,” Mrs. Stone said. “I mean, it is more than you could have expected. I didn’t know

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embers of the special needs community from around the Diocese of Knoxville enjoyed a day of fellowship, frivolity, and faith-based activities for the recent “Bishop’s Very Special Day.” The first-time event, which took place on Sept. 25 in the parish hall at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, was free and open to people of all ages with special needs and their families. Katie Helms, a cathedral parishioner who has long had a passion for working with people who have special needs, organized the initiative. “We just want to make them feel that God loves them and that we love them, that this Church is behind them and their whole family,” Ms. Helms said. Each attendee received a colorful tote bag embroidered with “Bishop’s Very Special Day” on it, as well as a rosary that was blessed by Bishop Richard F. Stika. The Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., assisted Ms. Helms in an hourlong rally of songs, dances, and skits, where participants were able to interact with instruments and props. In addition to the rally, attendees enjoyed an arts and crafts station as well as outdoor beanbag-toss games. “I’m glad to see this happening because, you know, we have so many disabled or special needs people,”

By Gabrielle Nolan

Name that tune! Bishop Richard F. Stika and a young, budding musician collaborate on the beat for a song during “the Bishop’s Very Special Day” at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Sept. 25. what to expect. [Ms. Helms] is such a blessing. There’s no way to even say thank you.” “Hopefully we can do it again and have more kids,” Ms. Helms said. “We had a good time with the ones that were here.” Bishop Stika was present to meet with each of the families and participated in the musical parade around the parking lot, where the sounds of bucket drums, cymbals, and tambourines echoed through the air. After the festivities concluded, everyone gathered inside the cathedral for the 5 p.m. vigil Mass, where Bishop Stika presided and members of the special needs community par-

ticipated in the Mass as readers and altar servers. “This afternoon, I spent time with people who have special challenges in life,” Bishop Stika said at the beginning of Mass. “We all have challenges in life… and yet, we’re all God’s people, loved by our Lord.” During his homily, the bishop mentioned his great-niece, Katie, who has autism as well as a rare chromosomal condition. “They said she would never walk, and she walks to this day,” Bishop said. “I admire my niece so much.” “My nieces and nephews love Katie beyond belief. They don’t see Katie Special continued on page A19

Very special people Bishop Richard F. Stika joins participants in “the Bishop’s Very Special Day” for a group photo inside the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus parish hall on Sept. 25. Parishioners with special needs and their families took part in the day of fun and fellowship, which led up to Mass for them celebrated by Bishop Stika. Religious Sisters of Mercy and Dominican Sisters helped lead the event in its first year.

Remembering All Souls’ Day Catholics can get an indulgence for the dead by praying at a cemetery any day during November

his year, the Vatican has decided once again to grant a plenary indulgence to Catholics who visit a cemetery to pray for the dead on any day in the month of November. In a typical year, the Church only grants this plenary indulgence for the souls in purgatory to those who pray in a cemetery on Nov. 1-8, the week of the solemnity of All Souls’ Day. But last year the Apostolic Penitentiary issued a decree that extended the availability of certain plenary indulgences amid concerns about avoiding large gatherings of people in churches or cemeteries due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Vatican announced on Oct. 28 that this same decree would also apply this month. This includes the particular Nov. 2 plenary indulgence one can receive for one’s own soul by visiting a church or an oratory and reciting an Our Father and the Creed, which can now also be done on any day in November. A plenary indulgence remits all temporal punishment due to sin. It must always be accompanied by a full detachment from sin. A Catholic who wishes to obtain a plenary indulgence must also fulfill the ordinary conditions of an indulgence, which are sacramental confession, reception of the Eucharist, and prayer for the pope’s intentions. Sacramental confession and reception of the Eucharist can oc-

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cur up to about 20 days before or after the indulgenced act. With the decree for pandemic conditions, those who cannot leave home, such as the sick and the elderly, can still obtain an indulgence by reciting prayers for the deceased before an image of Jesus or the Virgin Mary. They must also spiritually unite themselves to other Catholics, be completely detached from sin, and have the intention of fulfilling the ordinary conditions as soon as possible. The Vatican’s decree offered examples of prayers that homebound Catholics can pray for the dead, including lauds or vespers of the Office for the Dead, the rosary, the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, other prayers for deceased among their family or friends, or performing a work of mercy by offering their pain and discomfort to God. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, believers have honored and prayed for the dead from the earliest days of Christianity. “From the beginning, the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC ARCHIVE PHOTOS (2)

By Courtney Mares Catholic News Agency

Remembering the faithful departed Above: Catholic faithful take part in an All Souls’ Day rosary at Calvary Cemetery in Knoxville to remember those who have died. Left: A couple share a moment in prayer and silence for a loved one at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chattanooga. The Vatican is again granting a plenary indulgence to Catholics who visit a cemetery to pray for the dead on any day in the month of November.

purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God,” the Catechism states in paragraph 1032. “The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and

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works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead.” “Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them,” it says. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

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And Then There Were None speakers expose abortion industry practices Women who worked in facilities were featured at Tennessee Right to Life annual banquet

uest speakers for the Tennessee Right to Life annual banquet gave rare glimpses into the inner workings of abortion facilities, describing what they said was their descent into the abortion industry and their faith-based deliverance from a business that has claimed more than 62 million infant lives since 1973, when the U.S. Supreme Court issued its controversial Roe v. Wade decision. Annette Lancaster and Kelly Lester work with the nonprofit pro-life organization And Then There Were None, whose mission is to minister to abortion-facility employees and help them transition away from that work. The women testified before the Tennessee General Assembly last April in

support of pro-life legislation that was being considered by state lawmakers. The Unborn Child Dignity Act and the Prenatal Life and Liberty Act were passed by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee earlier this year. The Unborn Child Dignity Act requires the proper burial or cremation for a surgically aborted child. The new law grants the same protection, respect, and dignity to a surgically aborted child that existing law requires of any other deceased human. The Prenatal Life and Liberty Act allows wrongful death claims to be litigated against someone who kills a mother and her unborn child regardless of gestational development.

Tennessee law had only allowed for wrongful death claims for unborn children past the point of “viability.” This new law also prohibits lawsuits against doctors who failed to discover or disclose a child’s medical condition

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prior to the child’s birth. Wrongful birth and wrongful life lawsuits have occurred when parents claim that abortion would have been preferable to birth and life and petition a court for civil monetary damages, claiming physician breach of duty and omission. The speakers shared their experiences in working for Planned Parenthood and a small abortion clinic, experiences that prompted them to quit their jobs after only nine months and join pro-life efforts. The banquet was held Oct. 12 at the Bridgewater Place Event Center in Knoxville. And Then There Were None was founded by former Planned ParentAbortion continued on page A15

If you build it... Left: The unfinished site of the new St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge is seen in this September photo. The church building is at the corner of Rutledge Pike and Bryan Road near the town center. The 5,500-square-foot building sits on nine scenic acres that provide room for expansion if needed. Below: Father David Boettner, Glenmary Home Missioners Brother Joe Steen, and project supervisor Tom Charron discuss progress on the church building, which is expected to be completed in early 2022.

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Tennessee.” Father Pezzulo said the current church space, a small storefront with a few hundred square feet in a retail strip center in the middle of Rutledge, gets crowded for Masses. When the new church is completed, it will be 5,500 square feet on nine acres. It will seat up to 125 people for Masses with capacity to easily add chairs if the congregation size requires it. Father Pezzulo is uncertain how many Catholics are in Grainger County because Mass attendance varies from Sunday to Sunday. “We’re averaging about 65 people for the Mass in Spanish each week, but it isn’t always the same 65 people. It comes and goes; there are work schedules and the rhythms of life. Pre-COVID, we were getting 80 to 100 people at the Spanish Mass, and that was crowded. We get about 30 at the English Mass, and that has been consistent. And there is a little growth,” he said. He channeled Yogi Berra in explaining the logistics of currently celebrating Mass in Rutledge. Yogi is famously quoted as saying, “No one goes there nowadays; it’s too crowded.” But Father Pezzulo is excited about the immediate future. “Yogi Berra was right, no one comes because they can’t get a seat anymore. But they’ll be able to get a seat now. And if you think about it on a very practical level, if you go to a place and there is room for you, and you can sit down and relax and be a part of it, then you’re more inclined to be part of it,” he said. Current Mass accommodations also don’t promote growth, to which Father Pezzulo can attest. And it’s not just the present lack of room for Mass and other services. “We’ve had some people come in, look around, and say this isn’t a real church and leave. One person who is retiring and moving to Rutledge from the Chicago area said he will come back when we get a ‘real church.’ He’s also very kind and generous. He has called a couple of times when he was in town to see when weekday Masses are held. It wasn’t like he was angry and left. He was just like, ‘I don’t know. I’ve never been in a church like this,’” Father Pezzulo said, referring to the storefront space. St. John Paul II Catholic Mission is the third Glenmary Home Missioners church-construction project Father Pezzulo has been involved in. With that knowledge, he’s confident the Rutledge Catholic community will see continued growth. “Based on my experience, people will surface when there’s a new building who have never surfaced before. I think that’s going to happen here in both the English community and the Spanish community,” he said. According to Father Pezzulo, St. John Paul II volunteers and members who are professionals in the construction business have made the church project financially possible. The Glenmary priest is one of the volunteers. Another is Glen-

By Bill Brewer

mary Brother Joe Steen, who is an accomplished woodworker and built the St. John Paul II walls as well as other parts of the new building. And the general contractor on the project, who is licensed and bonded, is a parishioner at St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish. “This is the only way we could have afforded this project without a mortgage. But the real gift here isn’t so much about the economics; it’s about the ownership, the sweat equity. This is our church. We built our church. There is a lot of ownership in it, which is kind of a new concept for a lot of people,” Father Pezzulo explained. “The woodworker, who built the altar or altar furnishings, every Sunday is going to look and say, ‘I built that.’ Fredy, the guy who installed the drywall, is going to say, ‘Look, I did that.’ They built the table for the St. Mary statue or the Our Lady of Guadalupe statue; they put in the sound system. They did this themselves, so they can see it.” Father Pezzulo compared it to a couple who have just renovated their house. They are very proud to show off their work. “They’re invested. This makes it their place. It’s primarily an immigrant community. It gives the immigrants a place to call their own. Everywhere they go, nothing is theirs. It’s not their food, it’s not their language, it’s not their system, it’s not their culture. Here, they can have that. And if I can provide a place for them to come and feel safe, let their kids play on a playground or hang out, play football, soccer, basketball, and their parents can relax and socialize, and build those strong bonds that build community and neighborhoods, we’ve done something good,” he added. He pointed out that when the Glenmary priests arrived in Rutledge, Maynardville, and Erwin in 2011, they discovered there were many more Catholics in these areas than they thought. Still, Catholics are less than 1 percent of the population in Grainger, Union, and Unicoi counties. “But they wanted a Catholic community. They wanted a church in town, which they were able to do in Maynardville and Erwin,” he said. Now, that dream is becoming a reality in Rutledge. He said the Glenmary Home Missioners serve the general community in addition to the Catholic

community. “The way things have unfolded in the last 10 years, it’s clear to me that God wants a Catholic church in that town (Rutledge), but I don’t think we need to be the biggest church, or the high-powered church in town. We need to be the faithful church in town,” Father Pezzulo said. “Scripture speaks of leaving the 99 and going after the one. Pope Francis speaks of going to the periphery. The founder of Glenmary speaks about going after the lost and forgotten. It’s three different ways of saying the same thing. There are people out there who have no connection. They may not necessarily be lost, but they don’t have a strong connection anywhere. So, let’s invite them in and build a relationship or an encounter,” he continued. He said the St. John Paul II Catholic Mission hosts a weekly Bible study that includes people from neighboring faiths who are Baptist, Methodist, Quaker, even a lady who says she’s a spiritualist. Glenmary pastoral associate Clarisia Chavarria leads the Bible study. “We do it every Tuesday afternoon at 4 o’clock. You can plug in or you can plug out, depending on your schedule. Everyone is welcome,” the Glenmary priest said. “Even though we’re small, less than 1 percent of the population, we have a broad base of support and supporters. Many of our supporters, in prayer and in time, talent, and treasure, understand what we’re doing is good. They understand it’s of God. And they understand it’s not about denominations. A Jewish guy who donates, a guy I grew up with, sometimes gives $500 a month, sometimes it’s $300 a month. But every month it comes . . . for the poor. He respects what we’re trying to do to show dignity and respect toward the

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poor. Baptists I’ve become friends with are very supportive of what we’re trying to do because we’re not only there to serve the Catholics, we’re there to serve the town, and they see us doing that.” He noted that people around the town of Rutledge are fascinated how he is friends with clergy from different denominations. Father David Boettner, rector of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and a vicar general for the diocese, has been working with Father Pezzulo in overseeing the St. John Paul II project. He shares Father Pezzulo’s excitement about the new church and what it means for a growing East Tennessee faith community and the diocese. “This is a historic moment for the Catholic community in Grainger County because it signals a permanent commitment to have a Catholic presence in an area that has never had a Catholic presence previous to the arrival of the Glenmary Missioners,” Father Boettner said. The vicar general, who managed construction of the large cathedral building project, describes what the Rutledge faithful are accomplishing as inspirational. “The support of the local community and the volunteer crews from the parish has been inspiring. I am so proud of the investment of the parishioners in building a permanent home for their community. They have also had a lot of support from the non-Catholic community who are excited about their growth,” Father Boettner noted. Father Pezzulo is hopeful the steady construction pace will continue and that St. John Paul II members are in their new church in early 2022 if not sooner. “I have every intention of celebrating the Easter vigil at that new church,” the Glenmary priest said. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Diocese of Memphis marks 50th anniversary with eucharistic congress Christ’s mission is ‘our mission,’ Memphis bishop tells congress attendees

By Robert Alan Glover/Catholic News Service

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Congress in procession The faithful attend Mass near the steps of St. Peter Catholic Church during the Oct. 9 closing of the Diocese of Memphis eucharistic congress marking the 50th anniversary of the diocese.

“Without the Eucharist, we would lack the faith to face our daily problems, and life would be very difficult for us all. ... Go in peace and announce the presence of the Lord.” Lord — Archbishop J. Peter Sartain Archbishop Emeritus of Seattle, speaking at the Diocese of Memphis eucharistic congress

we have the doors to our hearts open, and other days they are chained and locked,” he said. “May we all be one, just as the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one,” he said. At a breakout session Oct. 9, Bishop Marshall talked about “Living the Eucharistic Life,” addressing a number of issues but returning time and again to the theme of achieving oneness with each other and the Eucharist. He told Catholic News Service that the congress “was a beautiful event,

Celebrating the Eucharist Retired Bishop J. Terry Steib, SVD, of Memphis celebrates Mass Oct. 8 at the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis during the Diocese of Memphis’ eucharistic congress.

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those you are called to serve.” And reflecting on the third question, Archbishop Kurtz said, “The pastoral staff you will hold will be that image of the shepherd after the heart of Jesus Christ, the one who came not to be served but to serve. You will feed with the gift of encouragement, and you feed with bold teaching — teaching Jesus fully.” “Bishop-elect John,” Archbishop Kurtz concluded, “preach Jesus boldly, celebrate the sacred sacraments and mysteries reverently, serve those entrusted to your care lovingly and joyfully so that you might, in all things, give thanks to our God.” In his first public remarks closing the installation ceremony, Bishop Iffert offered his thanks to all of those gathered, especially his parents, Bishop Emeritus Foys, Archbishop Kurtz, Bishop McGovern, and all those who had a hand in planning for the celebration. He began his remarks by reflecting on his episcopal motto, In All Things Give Thanks, and begging for prayers and unity. “My motto comes from St. Paul ... we remember it as the formula for discipleship — rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in all things give thanks.” “As I reach for that great teaching of the apostle, the patron saint of the Diocese of Covington, I do so quite specifically in the midst of pandemic, in the midst of conflict, in the midst of a strain against union. In every circumstance, wherever we find ourselves — give things,” Bishop Iffert said. TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

and there is a great feeling of hope and peace here. I am really excited by that.” As Alexandria’s bishop for just over a year, he said, “I am still discerning my leadership role here.” “I oversee 71 parishes and missions, spread out over several civil parishes,” he said. A “civil parish” is Louisiana’s term for counties. “I hope to bring all of my gifts, talents, and prayers to my people,” Bishop Marshall continued. He also noted that “my time as a

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n his welcoming remarks to open the Diocese of Memphis eucharistic congress, Memphis Bishop David P. Talley told attendees that “we are all the living body of Christ, in that we are what we receive” — the Eucharist. Christ’s mission “is our mission, for we are members of His body,” he said. “Our work is with our parishes, our parishioners, and all of those who have not heard the words of Jesus Christ,” emphasized the bishop, who was installed as the sixth bishop of Memphis in April 2019. Guided by the theme, “That All May Be One” from John 17:21, the Memphis Diocese celebrated its 50th anniversary with its first eucharistic congress, held at the city’s downtown Renasant Convention Center the evening of Oct. 8 and all day Oct. 9. The congress — and the anniversary celebration — was delayed a full year by the arrival of COVID-19 and the havoc it caused. Passion and a sense of purpose were evident nonetheless — and in great abundance. The diocese, which was established on June 20, 1970, is home to 47 parishes and missions; 15 Catholic schools — diocesan, parochial, and private; four deaneries spread across 21 counties in western Tennessee; and has a Catholic population of 70,000. The “Opening Mass for All” was celebrated Oct. 8 by retired Memphis Bishop J. Terry Steib, SVD, who was the diocese’s fourth bishop and was its first African American shepherd. He headed the diocese for 23 years, retiring in 2016. The homilist was Bishop Robert P. Marshall Jr. of Alexandria, La. He succeeded Bishop Talley in Alexandria, when the prelate was named to Memphis. Bishop Marshall began his homily by asking for “a moment of silence for members of our diocese who have died from COVID-19, and the families who are still struggling with this pandemic.” Commenting on the divisive atmosphere in the country, the bishop noted that “in many ways, things are different (since the diocese was founded) and in many ways some are the same.” “Some issues have been resolved, some buried — for a time — and others forgotten, but these days we cannot get along with our own families,” he noted. While addressing the country’s division into “red states and blue states,” Bishop Marshall also stayed close to the congress’s theme of spiritual and eucharistic unity. “Our gaze is too narrow and our perfection incomplete. If we are truly to become one, it is because we open our hearts to Jesus Christ; some days

“As we gather around this altar and we bring every need, every joy, every brokenness, and every affliction, and offer it to God and give thanks, we know what God does with that. He takes, he blesses, he breaks and makes plenty for us. In all things, in every circumstance, even now, even here, under every strain, under every threat of disunity, in the midst of pandemic — give thanks. It is the proper Christian response to everything. Today I want to proclaim that,” the bishop

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bishop here has been one spent in a COVID-19 episcopacy.” After the crucifixion, Christians “gathered for Mass in secret” because they knew they could not live without the Eucharist, retired Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle told the Memphis audience. Just like the early Christians needed the Eucharist in their grief-filled days following the crucifixion, he said, modern-day Catholics have a continuing need for the Eucharist. Mass was celebrated in secret “and in violation of the Roman edict against such worship,” Archbishop Sartain said, “because even then they realized that we cannot live without the Eucharist, and for that belief many of them were martyred. Without the Eucharist, we would lack the faith to face our daily problems, and life would be very difficult for us all.” The archbishop made the comments in a session during the congress, which was a first for the diocese. After praying the Hail Mary with audience members, Archbishop Sartain began his address, titled “Go in Peace and Announce the Presence of the Lord.” “I am not a professional speaker,” Archbishop Sartain said modestly, but his gentle words seemed to give a spiritual lift to his listeners. Noelle Garcia, a nationally known Catholic recording artist and youth speaker from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, led a youth breakout session Oct. 9. Her speaking topic was titled “That All May be One In Truth.” “I was happy to be invited to speak here, because I grew up in Memphis and attended Christian Brothers University; I was also impressed that so much care was taken to make people come back to the Eucharist,” Ms. Garcia said. “With so many churches shutting down (due to the pandemic), I feel that this a way of inviting (teaching) people about the Eucharist and bringing one into the street,” she added. She said that in her session, “I spoke on truth and how it leads to the Eucharist, but I also talked about how important trust is to a relationship, and how for example, Adam and Eve broke their word to God.” Ms. Garcia noted that “we know what God said, because his words have power. When he says, ‘let there be light,’ we know that there will be light, because this is his body.” “Adam and Eve let their trust in him die in their hearts, because Satan convinced them not to trust God,” she said. A musician for 18 years, Ms. Garcia has a number of recorded works available on iTunes. Her session drew 60 or more peoMemphis continued on page A17

added. “I rejoice with you today and I rejoice in the Church gathered and I rejoice in God’s gracious mercy. I am ready. I am excited to have prayed with you and I beg you to pray for me, pray for the Diocese of Covington, pray for the Universal Church, pray for our unity in Christ — pray without ceasing,” he concluded. The Messenger is the newspaper of the Diocese of Covington. ■

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Cardinal Dolan outlines 7 ‘non-negotiables’ for Synod on Synodality

By Joe Bukuras Catholic News Agency

n an effort to explain Pope Francis’ vision for the Synod on Synodality for his flock, a recent homily by Cardinal Timothy Dolan offered seven “nonnegotiables” that Jesus intended for the Church. The Synod on Synodality, initiated by Pope Francis last month, is a two-year, worldwide undertaking during which Catholics will be encouraged to submit feedback to their local dioceses. A synod is a meeting of bishops gathered to discuss a topic of theological or pastoral significance in order to prepare a document of advice or counsel to the pope. “[Pope Francis] wants us to join him in praying, listening, discerning, examining ourselves personally, and the Church communally, to see if we’re truly on the path Jesus has set for His beloved bride, His mystical body, the Church,” Cardinal Dolan said. “He has reminded us of certain clear essentials intended by Jesus, constant, although, at times, we admit, clouded and dimmed, in the Church’s amazing 2,000-year drama. Here are some of those non-negotiables.” Cardinal Dolan went on to outline the following points: He said “the energy and direction driving the Church come from the Holy Spirit, not ourselves.” “While in the world, we are not of the world, and thus our guiding principles come from the Gospel, revelation, and the patrimony of the Church’s settled teaching,” he said. “The principles of the innate dignity of every human person and the inherent sacredness of all human life are the towering moral lighthouses on our path,” the New York Archbishop continued. Cardinal Dolan said that “our journey through this life back to our true and eternal home of heaven is most effectively accomplished precisely as a journey as we walk with and accompany each other, with Jesus as our guide, His Mother and the saints, and we sinners at each other’s side.” “On this journey we pay special attention to those at the side of the road, especially those who are sick, weak, poor, or unable to keep up with us,” he added. “Our wealth only comes from faith, trust, prayer, the sacraments, and His grace.” Finally, Cardinal Dolan noted that “mercy, love, invitation, humility, joy, selfless generous service, and good example are our only tools, never harshness, condemnation, or pride.” Cardinal Dolan sees these seven “non-negotiables” as “synodality in a nutshell.” He said that throughout its history, the Church has “expanded and developed its style of organization and authority.” After comparing and contrasting the different sufferings and triumphs the Church has experienced throughout its history, Cardinal Dolan said “now the successor of St. Peter as bishop of Rome and pastor of the Church Universal, Pope Francis, has asked us all to commence an examination of conscience on how we as a Church are living up to the model of the Church given us by Jesus.” “We are loyal Catholics,” Cardinal Dolan added. “The Holy Father has asked us to help him keep the Church always under the direction Jesus, our Good Shepherd, intends.” The concept of “synodality” has been a topic of frequent discussion by Pope Francis, particularly during the previous ordinary Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith, and vocational discernment in October 2018. Synodality, as defined by the International Theological Commission in 2018, is “the action of the Spirit in the communion of the Body of Christ and in the missionary journey of the People of God.” The term is generally understood to represent a process of discernment, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, involving bishops, priests, religious, and lay Catholics, each according to the gifts and charisms of their vocation. Pope Francis told the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s theological commission in November 2019 that synodality will be key for the Church in the future. The Vatican announced in May that the Synod on Synodality would open with a diocesan phase lasting from October 2021 to April 2022. A second, continental phase will take place from September 2022 to March 2023. The third, universal phase will begin with the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, dedicated to the theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission,” at the Vatican in October 2023. Pope Francis formally launched the process at a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 10 with a call to “look others in the eye and listen to what they have to say.” While a Synod of Bishops is not a parliament and its preparatory process is not “an opinion poll,” Pope Francis insisted that involving as many people as possible in the process and prayerfully listening to all of them is the only way to recognize the call of the Holy Spirit. “I underline this because sometimes there is an elitism” among priests and bishops “that causes them to separate themselves from the laity,” the pope said Oct. 9 as he opened a day of reflection at the Vatican as part

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Synod process moves forward with formation of Diocese of Knoxville team

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/GREGORY A. SHEMITZ

New York Archbishop: ‘Energy, direction driving the Church come from the Holy Spirit, not ourselves’

By Jim Wogan

D Spreading the Good News Cardinal Timothy Dolan delivers a homily as he celebrates Mass on Sept. 16 marking the 125th anniversary of the opening of St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y.

of the official launch of the process that will lead up to the assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2023. Widespread involvement “is not a matter of form, but of faith. Participation is a requirement of the faith received in baptism,” Pope Francis insisted during his talk to cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, and laypeople meeting in the Vatican Synod Hall. “Without real participation by the people of God, talk about communion risks remaining a devout wish,” he said. “In this regard, we have taken some steps forward, but a certain difficulty remains, and we must acknowledge the frustration and impatience felt by many pastoral workers, members of diocesan and parish consultative bodies, and women, who frequently remain on the fringes.” Cardinal Dolan shared his homily on Oct. 18 after noting that “many have asked about the “‘synod process’ initiated by Pope Francis.” The Cardinal acknowledged in his homily that he himself has questions. “I don’t know if I completely understand [Synodality],“ Cardinal Dolan said, adding that ”the Holy Father is honest in admitting that neither does he have the full comprehension, which is precisely why he has summoned us to this endeavor.” ■

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iocese of Knoxville chancellor Deacon Sean Smith and Catholic Charities of East Tennessee executive director Lisa Healy have announced members of a Diocesan Synod Team who will help fulfill the first phase of Pope Francis’ call to canvass the entire Catholic Church for the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of Bishops in Rome in 2023. Catholic dioceses around the world, including the Diocese of Knoxville, received a preparatory document in early September that outlined a course of action the Vatican calls both “a gift and a task” and “invites the entire Church to reflect on a theme that is decisive for its life and mission.” Bishop Richard F. Stika appointed Deacon Smith and Ms. Healy to serve as co-leaders of the synod process for the Diocese of Knoxville. Members of the Diocesan Synod Team will serve as advisers to Deacon Smith and Ms. Healy and lead training sessions for group coordinators at the parish and ministry levels. Training for group coordinators is taking place this month. After training, and over the course of the next few months, group coordinators will be tasked with surveying their parish or ministry communities. The “listening sessions” can be in-person or electronic (survey) and will be used to compile a diocesan report that Deacon Smith will finalize and submit to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in April 2022. Members making up the Diocesan Synod Team are: n Smoky Mountain Deanery Father Charlie Donahue, CSP Patricia St. Martin n Cumberland Mountain Deanery Patty Johnson Father Pontian Kiyimba, AJ Sister Elizabeth Wanyoike, ESM Sister Mary John Slonkosky, OP n Chattanooga Deanery Marta Arcelia Camacho Deacon Gary Brinkworth Matthew Miles Father Nick Tran n Five Rivers Deanery James Riddle Synod continued on page A16

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was perfect to showcase the Scenic City to people who traveled from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Lansing, Las Vegas, Louisville, Miami, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Phoenix, Sacramento, and Seattle. Michael Marchand, a member of St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga and co-founder and director of Project YM, which hosted the event, said the biggest takeaway from the convocation was the camaraderie. “People took a week off from work to travel here to deal with the important issues regarding youth ministry; it was humbling,” Mr. Marchand said. “We figured maybe we’d be lucky if 20-25 people could come, but the response was huge. More and more people sent in their replies and we started to worry there wouldn’t be a venue available at this time to hold us all. But we knew God would make this work, and it has been so great to see everyone come together. Everyone was excited to share ideas and help each other address ways to build and maintain a flourishing youth ministry.” Mr. Marchand said it was important to bring youth ministers together for morale. “We work with over 7,000 Catholic youth workers across the country and we hear much of the same sentiment. Many will lament about just how lonely and isolating working in youth ministry can be,” Mr. Marchand said. “Thankfully, our online platform lets us step into that loneliness and bring support and community to youth ministers across the country. Thriveanooga! did the same thing but in a much more powerful way because we were able to physically be in the same room together, to pray together, play together, learn together, and support one another.” ProjectYM has been doing ministry with Catholic youth workers for almost a decade now, and Mr. Marchand says Thriveanooga! was the best week of ministry he’s ever been a part of. “This was the most representative of exactly what our ministry is all about: helping Catholic youth ministers thrive! When they’re excited about their ministries, they take that excitement back to their parishes, and their excitement then spreads to the young people we’re trying to reach.” Chris Bartlett, director of leadership formation for Ablaze Ministries in Bryan, Texas, agrees. “For me, the biggest takeaway was how we tackled so many relevant topics together. This conference took an intentionally collaborative approach, and the genius of each participant was showcased,” Mr. Bartlett said. “But an even bigger takeaway is that not only is God madly in love with young people, God is also madly in love with those who journey with young people.” Mr. Bartlett believes that fostering a strong youth ministry is key to having a flourishing parish, and he said youth apathy is probably the most dangerous to Mother Church as a whole. “There are many factors that can hurt a church. In our case, poor attendance or misinterpretation of the dogma/catechism can be very big factors…budget cuts, of course…. but personally I believe mediocrity is an even bigger threat to our Church than heresy,” Mr. Bartlett said. “People can often get lazy about our rich traditions, especially about passing down the fullness of truth, and that can be a real blow to our faith traditions. But I also believe the secret to that not happening is in paying attention to our young people. They are so creative and they bring fresh perspective and excitement.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAUL DITTUS (4)

Youth continued from page A1

Getting to the heart and soul of ministry Catholic youth ministers gathered in small break-out sessions and also socialized in downtown Chattanooga during the four-day national convocation called Thriveanooga! in late September. The event, which participants described as inspiring and rejuvenating, is scheduled to return to Chattanooga in 2022.

What they said about Thriveanooga! “Most beneficial gathering of youth ministry that I have experienced in my 25 years!” –– Jonna O’Bryan, Louisville “Thriveanooga! was a great chance to sit with fellow youth ministers and discuss the blessings and challenges of ministry. There was inspiration. There was healing. There was a lot of fun!” –– Chris Leach, Detroit “This week was what I really needed for my own personal rejuvenation. I was poured into as a youth minister, and I was able to actually enter into relationship and fruitful discussion with other youth ministers from around the country.” –– Katie Smith, Dallas “Thriveanooga! was so beautiful because it was so unifying. It was amazing to just sit in a room with people who understand my passions, my heartbreaks, and my day-today life. I loved every second of this week; thank you.” –– Maggie Downing, Bryan, Texas “Thriveanooga! built my confidence as a youth minister and gave me so much info to help me build ministry.” –– Monica Elsey, Chicago “I had no idea how much I needed this experience. It was everything I hoped and prayed for and then a whole lot more. I’m so thankful we were able to connect, share ideas, problem solve, and be spiritually fed in a way that I’ve never experienced before.” –– Jill Alderfer, St. Augustine, Fla. “I have never felt so fed and inspired and seen in my 10 years of ministry. At Thriveanooga!, I found companions on this road of ministry who’ve lived the same experiences as me. The solidarity and support is second to none. The opportunity to be poured into rather than being the sole person pouring into others was invaluable.” –– Megan Moore, Dubuque, Iowa “Thriveanooga! was life changing!” –– Brandy Adams, Shreveport, La.

Youth is the antidote to mediocrity because young people bring the gift of hope.” It was through the new perspective of the youth in his own ministry with Ablaze Ministries that Mr. Bartlett said there’s been a paradigm shift among the young people within his diocese. “The old think that we unintentionally passed down to our youth was less inclusive because we were sending the message that first we must behave like Jesus, then we must believe in Jesus, and only then do we belong to the Church,” Mr. Bartlett said. “But the new model is much more inviting to our youth. Now focus on belonging to the Church and believing in Jesus first, and finally, after a sense of community and acceptance, the Christ-like behavior naturally flows from there; it’s not forced. It’s easier because people who believe already want to behave like Jesus.” But even the most pure-hearted young people were deeply affected once 2020 hit. Both Mr. Bartlett and Mr. Marchand admit the coronavirus pandemic has affected youth ministries across the country. Being forced to stand six feet apart from other people while in public and then being locked down in homes for months was as devastating to our parishes and our parish youth groups as anywhere else, and it gave youth ministers pause to step back and think about how they will function going forward in a postCOVID-19 world. “The craziness of the last couple of years has helped us realize just how important relationships are,” Mr. Marchand said. “It’s not about the size or spectacle of ministry programs and events; it’s about making sure every young person is seen, known, and loved. It’s from those relationships that adult leaders are given the opportunity to introduce young people to Jesus and accompany them as they draw closer to Him.” Mr. Marchand believes one of the challenges facing Catholic youth ministries today is culture-driven. “This generation is simultaneously the most connected and loneliest generation ever,” he explained. “In a world filled with filters and followers, young people are just looking for someone to truly see them and love them for who they are, not try to change them or dictate morality to them. As youth ministers, we have the opportunity to do just that, to see them, love them, and speak truth into their lives.” He added that to make that happen, youth ministers have to be more focused on reaching young people than they are at merely building programs. “We have to be more concerned with helping teenagers meet Jesus than just to be checking boxes,” Mr. Marchand said. “And we have to be willing to step out of our comfort zones and go to where they are, instead of just waiting for them to walk through the doors of our church.” According to Mr. Marchand, the future of youth ministry is all about relationships. “We know (statistically and anecdotally) that program-oriented and event-based youth ministry doesn’t work. Coming out of this pandemic is the perfect opportunity to try new things, think outside the box, and radically embrace the call of the Gospel,” he pointed out. Mr. Marchand and Mr. Bartlett both agreed that all churches across the country need pastors and parishes that are ready and willing to invest in ministry that goes beyond the walls of Youth continued on page A12

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NOVEMBER 7, 2021 n A11

Our Lady of Fatima author offers healing for parents via prose By Claire Collins

egan Ulrich, a parishioner of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa, is using her God-given gift of writing to shed light on and start more conversations about the realities of motherhood and parenthood — the things that are the most beautiful and the most challenging to talk about. “It’s this big thing that the Church is asking us to do, and it’s this big cross in a lot of ways. And then we don’t talk about it. In every stage of it, like being pregnant and maybe not wanting to be pregnant, but being Catholic and being like, ‘I signed up for this.’ Or not being able to get pregnant, or then having a child and then miscarrying a child. Or having a 6-year-old that irritates you,” Mrs. Ulrich shared. Motherhood is a challenging transition for any woman, from the biological changes happening in her body, to the rollercoaster of emotions, to the ways a new baby affects her relationships, to the traumas and losses that also come with being open to the gift of life. It can be hard for any woman to process it all. For Mrs. Ulrich, she finds writing to be the best outlet. At first, writing was something Mrs. Ulrich just did for herself. It was a way to get out everything that was going on inside of her and to process the complexity of emotions and experiences that she was facing as a young wife and mother. What she realized, though, was that the art she created from her experiences of motherhood might be something others could not only relate to but benefit from as well. After only a few years of marriage, Mrs. Ulrich happened upon a “dreams list” she and her husband, Joe, had made when they were first married. On that list, she had written “publish a book of poetry.” “There’s really nothing standing in the way of me doing that,” Mrs. Ulrich remembered thinking. “So I hired a babysitter for two hours a week and went to the library and put all of my poems to-

Healing words The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus serves as the backdrop for the cover of Megan Ulrch’s book, “Return Unto Me,” which provides words of comfort to those dealing with motherhood or parenthood. gether to see if I had enough for a book, and I did. I edited them and just started from there.” What came from this was Mrs. Ulrich’s first book of poetry entitled Hell, Bring the Kids Too. In it, she vulnerably shares some of her experiences of being a newly married young adult. She reflects on unfulfilled desires, fears, dreams, and realizations that only maturity and responsibility can procure. “As I was pregnant with my first child, I was really afraid of losing him, so there were a few poems of just like, ‘what would that be like to lose a child?’ and processing what that would feel like, entering into a space where I could just think about that,” she recalled. Little did she know that reality became more of a possibility with her second son when her water broke at just 24 weeks. After three weeks of hospi-

talized bedrest, an emergency cesarean section, and a long stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, their miracle baby finally came home with them. During and after her hospital stay, however, Mrs. Ulrich encountered many other families whose stories ended differently. “My friend, she was 32 weeks pregnant at the time, and her son died. I went to go see her in the hospital before she delivered him, and then she very graciously invited me back the next day to see him. And it was just the most beautiful thing I think I have seen in my entire life. Seeing her husband hold her son, so beautiful, and I just wanted to capture it, and I wanted to remember it. There was something very real about knowing that I would never see this child again on this side of heaven, but I just wanted to honor him and remember him. So I came home and just wrote a poem about him. And from there, I also felt like I was also processing what almost happened to my son,” Mrs. Ulrich said. She didn’t think she’d have anything else to write about after her first book. But her experience with her second son, coupled with the many grieving mothers and fathers she encountered in the hospital and beyond, helped her to realize that God wasn’t finished with her writing. She wrote 4 east about her friend’s son, and this is where the inspiration for her second book, Return Unto Me, was born. “I wrote that poem, and then I wrote the end note,” she explained, detailing how writing this book helped heal her of fears from her traumatic second birth. “...I found so much in common with these women, even though my child came home and their children never would. So I did what I always do when I can’t articulate my feelings: I wrote about them,” Mrs. Ulrich wrote in Return Unto Me. “What began to emerge was a collection of my own healing. Healing from a loss I never truly experienced, healing from the anxiety that I one day would truly lose everything I had ever loved, and Poet continued on page A17

Youth continued from page A11

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Thriving through Thriveanooga! Church youth ministers take part in a discussion about the best ways of ministering to U.S. Catholic youth. Some 50 youth ministers from around the country took part in the Thriveanooga! event Sept. 27-30 in downtown Chattanooga.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAUL DITTUS (3)

their parish property. They need the support of people with a heart for the young Church. By 2019, nearly half of all parish priests in America had reached the minimum age of retirement (age 70) and many are staying at their parish posts longer because of a shortage of priests, although in recent years there has been an uptick of new, young priests being ordained. And while older priests and lay people are the ones who carry on the traditions of the Catholic Church, the perspective of youth shouldn’t be excluded going forward. Mr. Bartlett said that while current challenges, like budget cuts, negative perceptions of the Church after the fallout from scandals, fractured families due to divorce, and a general lack of attendance and participation lend to concerns about the future of young people continuing in their Catholic faith, one of the biggest challenges facing Catholic youth is most immediate: recovering from the pandemic with limited engagement and small budgets in the midst of a rising secular culture becoming less accommodating to believers. Such problems are an issue, but that doesn’t mean it’s not something that can’t be overcome, according to Mr. Bartlett, who is confident there’s always a solution. “The solution is to make sure youth ministry is a priority at our parishes, and also we should be looking to form young people as missionaries who engage the culture and seek to transform through the many gifts God has given them,” he said. “If we make it a priority and realize our youth will carry our faith, we will always have thriving parishes. Our youth is always our hope.” And if the participants in Thriveanooga! have any say about it, that hope is overflowing. Mr. Marchand said he is confident that participants left the event armed and ready to lead their ministries forward, excited to go back and build a stronger, livelier Church. And for anyone who is interested in building a stronger youth ministry in any parish, he offered these four key ways to actively support a thriving young church: n Invest in young people. Be intentional about building relationships with the teenagers in your life. Be welcoming and encouraging to the teens in your parish. n Encourage parish leaders. Be vocal in support of youth ministry in your parish — to your pastor, your youth

Fun and fellowship Participants in the Thriveanooga! convocation took time to socialize during their down time, taking advantage of the many social venues and activities available in downtown Chattanooga.

Walking and talking Thriveanooga! participants walk between the convocation site and hotels and restaurants, taking in the scenery of downtown Chattanooga.

minister, and other parishioners. Be willing to step out of your comfort zone to challenge parish leaders to prioritize ministry and outreach to young people. n Provide support for youth ministers. “Our organization (ProjectYM) exists

to provide much-needed training and support for Catholic youth ministers, but we’re only able to do that with financial support of people like you,” Mr. Marchand said. n Pray for this generation. “Young peo-

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ple today are facing challenges that you and I never had to deal with (or could have even imagined), and they need your prayers. Be sure to also pray for the specific young people in your life daily,” he said. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Raising the flag

tures more handicap-accessible parking spaces and bicycle racks, with room for 50 vehicles at one time. Mrs. Unbehaun also noted that the property upgrade, performed by Joseph Construction of Knoxville, led to a Ladies of Charity nomination for a 2021 City of Knoxville Orchid Award for public beautification. Mrs. Unbehaun also noted that Ladies of Charity is nominated for Best Thrift Store in Knoxville. Special guests for the dedication and blessing ceremony were Erika Fuhr and her family, Cindy and Don Hudson. The new flagpole and accompanying memo-

Pastoral Letter continued from page A3

Weaponizing the Eucharist

rial stone are in memory of Mrs. Fuhr's husband, Joseph E. "Joe" Fuhr, for his faith-filled volunteer service to the Ladies of Charity. Ladies of Charity president Lisa Daley made a special presentation to the Fuhr family. Father Bill McNeeley, pastor of Holy Ghost Parish, and Father Tim Sullivan, CSP, associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish and spiritual moderator for the Ladies of Charity, led the blessing phase of the ceremony. The ceremony guests were then treated to a dinner on the Ladies of Charity grounds at 120 W. Baxter Ave. ■

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he Ladies of Charity in Knoxville held a dedication and blessing ceremony on Oct. 22 to officially mark the completion of its new, expanded parking lot and the installation of a flag pole and memorial stone that honors one of its longtime volunteers. Susan Unbehaun, Ladies of Charity executive director, noted that the Catholic non-profit social services ministry will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2022 and will do so with a history of growth that now reflects a wide array of services in addition to its traditional and popular thrift store. The reconfigured and enlarged parking lot fea-

During the royal celebration, the king discovers someone who is not properly attired and asks, “My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?” This is the question God asks of anyone in a state of mortal sin who approaches the Eucharist. Such is the grave sacrilege of doing so, that Jesus ends the parable with the shocking judgment of the king— “Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” For good reason then does St. Paul offer this very stern warning about the worthy reception of the Eucharist: “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. If we discerned ourselves, we would not be under judgment; but since we are judged by (the) Lord, we are being disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:27-32).”

Scandal

Sin is a horrible thing in what it does to the sinner, to others, and to one’s relationship with God and our eternal salvation. But we live in a society that mocks the Church’s moral teachings and tempts us, as Satan did in the Garden of Eden, to believe that “You will certainly not die!” (Genesis 3:4). Sadly, those who echo Satan’s “seductive” words, by virtue of their public prominence, give scandal, which the Church defines as “an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2284). As scandal “can be provoked by laws or institutions,” those especially entrusted with legislative or judicial powers must exercise their responsibilities with great care. As there is no greater destroyer of human life than the genocide of abortion, with more than 19,000 innocent unborn children slaughtered every week in our country alone, those who in their public capacity “obstinately persist” in support of the “culture of death” by working to legislate, fund, protect, or promote it cannot be admitted to Holy Communion, for such is the grave scandal of their public efforts. The only path for receiving the Eucharist is through the sacrament of reconciliation with a perfect act of contrition and a public renunciation of this most horrible sin. TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

But those who accuse the Church of “weaponizing the Eucharist” are in truth wanting their personal and political beliefs to be enshrined above the Truth that Christ entrusted His Church to teach and defend. As St. John Paul II warns, “Democracy cannot be idolized to the point of making it a substitute for morality or a panacea for immorality” (Gospel of Life, 70). The Church does not wish “that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Pope Francis

In 2007, Cardinal Bergoglio—later Pope Francis—participated in the Fifth General Conference of the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops’ Conferences. He was elected by his brother bishops to chair the committee that prepared the conference’s final document, which among many other subjects, addressed scandal and the reception of the Holy Eucharist: “We hope that legislators, heads of government, and health professionals, conscious of the dignity of human life and of the rootedness of the family in our peoples, will defend and protect it from the abominable crimes of abortion and euthanasia; that is their responsibility. Hence, in response to government laws and provisions that are unjust in the light of faith and reason, conscientious objection should be encouraged. We must adhere to “eucharistic coherence,” that is, be conscious that they cannot receive Holy Communion and at the same time act with deeds or words against the commandments, particularly when abortion, euthanasia, and other grave crimes against life and family are encouraged. This responsibility weighs particularly over legislators, heads of governments, and health professionals (n. 436).”

The “bread of sinners”

The Church is a Church of sinners, and the Eucharist, as Pope Francis stated in his Angelus reflection of June 6, 2021, is the “bread of sinners” that “heals because it unites us with Jesus.” This is absolutely true—the infusion of grace in receiving Jesus in the Eucharist wipes out venial sin. But the proper reception of the Eucharist for those in a state of mortal sin must be through the sacrament of reconciliation. So, understood properly, the Church does not withhold the Eucharist, but stipulates that one simply cannot receive Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin until their grave sin has first been properly confessed sacramentally so as to receive the Blessed Sacrament without its desecration. www.di o k no x .o rg

The Church must speak out

As St. John Paul II affirms in his encyclical letter, On the Eucharist in Its Relationship to the Church, the Church has a special responsibility to those who scandalously disregard the Church’s teaching on the worthy reception of the Eucharist: “The judgment of one’s state of grace obviously belongs only to the person involved, since it is a question of examining one’s conscience. However, in cases of outward conduct which is seriously, clearly, and steadfastly contrary to the moral norm, the Church, in her pastoral concern for the good order of the community and out of respect for the sacrament, cannot fail to feel directly involved. The Code of Canon Law refers to this situation of a manifest lack of proper moral disposition when it states that those who “obstinately persist in manifest grave sin” are not to be admitted to eucharistic Communion (n. 37).”

Conclusion

If the Church speaks out, as I also must as shepherd of this diocese, it is to awaken the consciences of those who are spiritually dead in their grave sin and to call them to repentance. It is to call those who are obstinate in their grave sin and who have become false prophets leading others into grave evils and the loss of eternal salvation. The truth can be ignored, but at what cost? We are all sinners and in need of the mercy and healing that God will never withhold unless, as the prophets warned, we remain “hard of heart.” So, if we choose to ignore the seriousness of mortal sin and the need of sacramental confession prior to receiving Christ in the Eucharist, the same terrible and tragic words will echo that Jesus spoke to Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Friend, do what you have come for” (Matthew 26:50). Such is the sacrilege we commit. But may we hear instead, in preparing ourselves to worthily receive Our Lord and Bridegroom in the most Holy Eucharist, the joy of Christ: “Blessed are they who wash their robes so as to have the right to the tree of life and enter the city through its gates” (Revelation 22:14). My intention in offering this pastoral letter is not only to awaken consciences, but to encourage everyone to strive for holiness through God’s merciful love. For only when we are in a state of grace and nourished with the bread of life can we be the face, and hands, and the heart of Jesus to others. More than ever, the world needs saints. ■ NOVEMBER 7, 2021 n A13

Crossville Oktoberfest celebration attracts record attendance By Gabrielle Nolan

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rossville’s annual Oktoberfest reached new milestones by celebrating its 30th year of celebrating German traditions in East Tennessee and hosting its largest crowd to date. The German-themed festival took place Oct. 15-16 and is put on by the Catholic Social Club of Cumberland County, which owns the grounds and buildings where the festival has been held since 1994 off Highway 70 East in Crossville. Knights of Columbus Council 8152 from St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville sponsors the event, and profits pay for the festival’s expenses as well as support various charities. Attendees flock from all over the state, and several travel from out-ofstate for the autumn celebration. The family-friendly event draws visitors aged 9 months to 90 years old.

Oktober Oompah The Rheingold Band performs during Crossville’s Oktoberfest. It and the Frank Moravcik Band played continuous Beer Barrel Polka and other selections, including Elvis, Johnny Cash, and the Chicken Dance. Many women attend in the traditional dirndl skirts with a bodice, blouse, and apron, while the men

wear the iconic lederhosen with Hshaped suspenders and felt hats. Still others don silly hats in the shape of

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beer mugs or in the white and blue Bavarian colors from an ancient coat of arms. “It’s a lot of fun,” said Denny Roy, the current president of the Catholic Social Club. “A lot of people come year after year, and when they leave they’ll say, ‘we’ll see you again next year.’” While the festivals in 2018 and 2019 hosted around 2,000 for the two-day event, the numbers jumped to over 2,400 for the 2021 weekend. Oktoberfest was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, which may explain the uptick in attendance for this year’s event. Rita Reali is a parishioner at St. Alphonsus and has volunteered as the publicity coordinator for Crossville Oktoberfest since 2017. “I think in large part people were just tired of being cooped up after last year’s fiasco with the pandemic,” Mrs. Oktoberfest continued on page A18

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Abortion continued from page A8

hood director Abby Johnson and provides financial, legal, spiritual, and emotional support to abortion workers who want to leave the abortion industry. Ms. Johnson is author of the book Unplanned, which was made into a feature film of the same name. Stacy Dunn, president of Tennessee Right to Life who also leads the Knox County chapter of the organization, welcomed the 400 pro-life supporters attending the event with a summary of the current state of abortion in the United States as the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments in December in a Mississippi case that could overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion in every state. “The light shines brightly in this room, but we all know that the world out there is a dark place and seems to be getting darker every day. With the current administration in the White House, we are experiencing unprecedented attacks on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” Mrs. Dunn said. “The Biden administration has made it clear that it wants nothing less but abortion on demand with no limits and with the taxpayers, you and me, paying for it. They even want to make sure that no doctor or pharmacist can object to or opt out of taking the lives of children. The attacks are endless.” “Then you have Nancy Pelosi pushing through the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would undo every state life-saving regulation like our own 48-hour waiting period and informed consent law plus others. Every state protection would be struck down. It is her attempt to codify Roe v. Wade in our federal law. Pelosi and her abortion-loving friends are making all these desperate attempts because of one word: Texas,” Mrs. Dunn added. The Texas legislature recently banned abortion in the state after a heartbeat is detected. The law is unique in that it does not depend on the state to enforce it. Instead, it says if anyone performs or assists with aborting a baby after a heartbeat has been detected, any citizen can bring a civil lawsuit against that individual. If successful, the defendant in such a lawsuit can be fined no less than $10,000 for breaking the law. The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed the law to go into effect, although the high court could review the Texas law this month. On Dec. 1, the Supreme Court will hear the case of Mississippi’s ban on abortions once a baby reaches week 16 of development. “The court will hear the case of Mississippi’s 16-week ban, and the justices have indicated that with this case they will be considering all pre-viability bans, heartbeat, 12 weeks, etc. What you need to understand is that we are living under Roe v. Wade. In Roe, the court decided that no state law could ban abortion before viability, which currently is considered around 20 weeks. So, if the court is willing to look at a 16-week ban, they will have to be willing to take another look at Roe, Mrs. Dunn said. “Here’s the great news: they cannot visit a 16-week ban without visiting Roe. And if they overturn Roe in whole or in part, the next state you will hear about is Tennessee. It will trigger the Tennessee law that we passed in 2019 that says Tennessee will return to the pre-Roe laws that are still on our books, and abortion will be banned except for the life of the mother,” she added. “So, while Texas and Mississippi strike fear in the hearts of the abortion industry and its friends in government, those two words offer us great hope that the end of Roe v. Wade is near. It is way past time.” Mrs. Dunn pointed out that at a time when abortion is under the microscope across the United States and in the Supreme Court, Planned Parenthood is nearly doubling the size of its facility in East Knoxville, possibly ramping up abortion procedures there.

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Supreme Court update

Sharing their experiences Annette Lancaster, center, and Kelly Lester, right, are interviewed by Tennessee Right to Life’s Angel Brewer during the sold-out TRL annual banquet on Oct. 12 in Knoxville. given, there was no discussion about options, and there was no explanation of potential risks or side effects. There was also no discussion about what was going to happen to my baby after being torn from my young body. And this was in a state that required all of these things as a standard of care for abortion. This date changed my life,” she said. “Before this day, I had received early acceptance to college. I was a nationally ranked athlete and a regular church-attender. After this date, I barely passed my senior year of high school. I quit playing sports, stopped going to church, and I eventually began using drugs. I began running drugs up and down the East Coast. I developed an eating disorder. And I was in countless abusive relationships,” Ms. Lester told Tennessee lawmakers. “Interestingly enough, I later worked at the very clinic where I had my first abortion. I hoped to escape the chaos of my life and do something to help women. My job as receptionist was to fill the appointment book, prepare the reception room, and oversee the recovery room. Part of this was editing magazines to make sure that nothing would change these women’s minds from why they had come to us: abortion. We often bypassed laws. We shortcutted regulations to prevent shaming the women we served. The reality is that where there were not strict requirements of reporting, we blurred lines and we cut corners. “This fetal remains bill is another step in guaranteeing there is proper accountability for these women. Where are the 10,800 babies reportedly aborted last year in Tennessee? There are many victims in the violence of abortion. While this bill does not lessen the number of casualties, it may potentially bring closure and healing to not only the mother, but the father, grandparents, and possible siblings of the child. Abortion is an ugly reality for many, myself included. But it is your job to protect the dignity and humanity of those you serve. Thank you,” she concluded. Ms. Lester, who told the banquet audience that the time she spent testifying before the Tennessee General Assembly were some of the most important moments of her life, explained how she was hired as a Virginia abortion clinic receptionist and was paid $18 an hour two decades ago when the minimum wage was $5.15 an hour, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. She and Ms. Lancaster were interviewed on stage by Tennessee Right to Life’s Angel Brewer. And in her remarks to the state

General Assembly, Ms. Lancaster described how she was a highly educated nursing administrator who witnessed the horrors of abortion firsthand and was required to perform tasks only a registered nurse should perform even though she had no clinical education or training.

Job descriptions

“I was never raised talking about abortions. I was neither pro-life or pro-choice. It was just a topic that was never brought up in my house. It never affected me, or any of my friends, or my family members. I found myself unemployed at one time, but I had just recently completed my master’s degree in health-care administration, and Planned Parenthood sought me out. I worked at the largest Planned Parenthood in North Carolina. And like Kelly said, they were paying really good money. So, I found myself working there for about nine months. Our stories are so parallel. In that nine months, it literally almost ruined my life. It tore me apart. It really affected my mind. And I just thank God that I no longer am in the industry,” Mrs. Lancaster told the audience in the sold-out venue. “It took me a while to get out. I wish I could say there was one pivotal moment for me, but God knows each and every one of us. He knows the number of hairs on our head, and He knew that I needed several instances to get out of the industry. I’ve been out since 2015, and I’m happy to be out,” she added. Among her regrets about working for Planned Parenthood is being misled about her job responsibilities. “I was absolutely deceived. I went in to working at Planned Parenthood under the auspices that this was going to be an administrative position. I have an MHA, a master’s in health-care administration. I do not have any clinical experience. I do not have any clinical background. I don’t even know how to take my own blood pressure, and I’m on blood-pressure pills. But going into Planned Parenthood, I was under the assumption that, as the health center director, I would be in the office. After being there not even two to three weeks, I found myself not only in the back of a procedure room, but actually assisting the abortionist and also holding the ultrasound machine for procedures with no clinical training. And they told me, ‘You’re doing a great job,’” she recalled. Ms. Lester then said, “That is one of the things with And Then There Were None that we are finding. It’s not an isolated thing, which is so interesting. She (Ms. Lancaster) was with one of the largest Planned Parenthoods in the

Gripping testimony

In her remarks to the state General Assembly, Ms. Lester described how she was raped as a pre-teen and then became pregnant as a young teen, deciding to abort her child, and how her life continued to spiral downward. “I walked in alone for my first abortion. There was no parental consent TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

Making a pro-life statement Annette Lancaster, seated left, and Kelly Lester, seated right, were hosted by Tennessee Right to Life’s Stacy Dunn, seated center, Monica Irvine, standing left, Elizabeth Hargett, standing center, and Angel Brewer, standing right, at TRL’s annual banquet. www.di o k no x .o rg

nation, and I was at a small, private clinic. But what is systemic in the abortion industry, whether it is a big clinic or a small clinic, is that the abortion industry hires underqualified people; they overcompensate them so they can train them in their way. So, then their way is not legal, quite honestly. For myself, same thing. I was hired as a receptionist with no medical training. But one of my jobs was the recovery room. So, with these women who have been under heavy anesthesia, it was my job to go in, supposedly to take their blood pressure, which we didn’t do, and say whether or not they were fit to be released from the clinic. The number of women who were hemorrhaging and other things is what finally drove me to leave the clinic. “But I had no medical background at all. I was also the one who handed them their first medication when they came in. The first thing we did was hand them Valium. I’m not able to do that, but I was the one who handed them the Valium. I also, during chemical abortions, was handing them the bag of pills for them to go home and do this procedure. Remember, I was the receptionist. I cannot tell you a single person who was hired to do a job and that is the job they ended up doing. Everybody is moved to do more and further and deeper (abortion-related jobs) because that way Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry can control the narrative. If you do not know about the chemical procedure, you need to find out about it. It is where the abortion industry is going, and it is terrifying what they are doing,” Ms. Lester continued. Ms. Lancaster further clarified that, “when you work in the health-care industry, when it’s true health care, in any recovery room you are required to be a registered nurse, not a receptionist. You cannot even give medication as an LPN. You have to be an RN. But in the abortion industry, although they say they’re providing health care, you have receptionists and office managers doing RN roles.” The speakers were asked about the inner workings of the abortion industry based on their experiences. Ms. Lester said her job responsibilities included overseeing the recovery room of the clinic where she worked in addition to the reception area. “We would edit magazines. I would look through a magazine, and anything in that magazine that might trigger a woman to keep this baby we would remove it from the magazine. And remember this was 20 years ago, so we had a VCR tape that we would put what looked like live TV up on the screens of the TVs in the waiting room. But it was actually edited because we didn’t want a Pampers commercial or something like that to come on that might trigger her,” Ms. Lester said. “Now this was in the state of Virginia, so there was a 24-hour waiting period. When the women would come for their first appointment, they typically would come with their boyfriend or husband. We would turn the heat on super, super hot, or the air conditioning on super, super cold so that he would get up and leave the waiting room. Because when she came out from her consultation, we did not want him there waiting for her because we did not want her to feel supported,” she continued. Ms. Lester has been asked why she would take part in that. “Remember, I had chosen abortion. And it was phrased to me as, ‘You know how hard this decision is. We want to make it easier for her.’ And I was like, ‘Yes, it is hard. We do want to make it easier for her.’ But then I quickly realized that was not what we were trying to do. We were trying to manipulate her.” Ms. Lancaster added, “It is definitely what I call emotional manipulation. We did very similar things. I was in the industry more recently, so we didn’t have VCRs, but we did very similar things. We would play radio stations that had R&B or love-making music. We didn’t play elevator music. We did edit our magazines still. It was just total emotional manipulation.” Ms. Lancaster said she saw no compassion toward women while she was working at Planned Parenthood. “We were taught. We were given cards, and we were told what to say to patients. I found myself being really Abortion continued on page A16 NOVEMBER 7, 2021 n A15

By James Ramos Catholic News Service

here might be angels in the outfield, but in the Space City, the Houston Astros have Dominicans in the stands. And in a sea of orange and blue garb, their bright white Dominican habits and black veils stand out. Dubbed the “Rally Nuns,” the Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province, a growing congregation of Vietnamese consecrated women religious in Houston, became a viral sensation when they filled the rows of Minute Maid Park for two games of the American League Championship Series in Houston in late October. The Astros won both games, helping them topple the Boston Red Sox to punch their ticket to the World Series. The sisters returned for Game 1 of the World Series against the

CNS PHOTO/JEROME MIRON, USA TODAY SPORTS VIA REUTERS

In Houston, #RallyNuns are Astros’ secret weapon in getting to World Series

Spiritual support The “Rally Nuns” of the Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province celebrate at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Oct. 27 during Game 2 of the 2021 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves. The Astros were counting on the Rally Nuns to provide divine inspiration in their quest for a second World Series title. Atlanta Braves Oct. 26, thanks to Houston legend Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, a Catholic businessman well-known for his charity.

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n Ministries and Catholic organizations Sister Maria Juan Anderson, RSM Ada Hernandez-Bell Alessandra Ceccarelli Brittany Garcia Lisa Healy Janie Hennessy

Dominican Sister Mary Catherine Do, who previously taught at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School in Houston and now teaches in Shiner, Texas, threw

Michelle Kitts Deacon Scott Maentz Dr. Sedonna Prater Blanca Primm Chester Punchuen Paul Simoneau Most Rev. Richard F. Stika Deacon Sean Smith

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BILL BREWER

Standing room only A sold-out Bridgewater Place Event Center in Knoxville was the site of the annual banquet for Tennessee Right to Life, where the speakers shared their experiences of working in the abortion industry. ing a job that gives you nightmares? But when you’re making $200,000 a year working only four hours a day, three days a week…when you’re making $18 an hour 20 years ago…,” she said.

When to get out

Ms. Lancaster said she had several ‘aha’ moments that led her to leave the industry. “The one that haunts me to this day is I had a patient, and while she was in the procedure room on the table, I was holding the ultrasound on her for the procedure. She grabbed my hand, looked me in my eyes and asked me, ‘do you think God is going to forgive me for what I’m about to do?’ I knew what I wanted to say. I knew what Annette wanted to say. I also was born and raised in a church, AME Apostolic Pentecostal, so I knew what I wanted to say. I used the Planned Parenthood mantra that I was taught. I looked at her and said, ‘Well, do you believe in a forgiving God?’ She said, ‘Well, yeah.’ And I said, ‘Well, there you go. Go ahead and have the procedure. He’ll forgive you. Go ahead and graduate. You can have a baby later on.’ It haunts me to this day. Because even though she believed in a forgiving God, that’s not the answer she was looking for. And I knew that,” Ms. Lancaster recalled. Ms. Lester said she did not have a specific “aha” moment but a series of “aha” moments that prompted her to quit the abortion industry. “The manipulation in the front (reception area of the facility) I could kind of get past that. But seeing the women in the recovery room who were hemorrhaging and knowing we were ‘fixing them up’ and sending them on their way without ever telling them what had happened; we never told them that their uterus had been perforated or whatever else may have happened, that started to wear on me. And I thought I came here to help women. This isn’t helping women. And then

the conversations that were happening in the back rooms, the way the workers talked about these women. Remember, I had been a patient at this clinic, so my thoughts were did they talk about me like that? Did they say those things about me? I actually went and got my file after seeing what was happening to these other women. I wondered did that happen to me? Those kinds of things started to make me think this isn’t actually helping women. “I was pro-choice at that point, but I still wouldn’t tell anybody that I worked in an abortion clinic. I told them I worked in a women’s clinic, because I knew that even though I was pro-choice, even though I had had abortions, I knew it wasn’t something to be proud of, so I kept it a secret.” During her testimony before the Tennessee General Assembly in support of requiring proper burials or cremations for aborted children, Ms. Lancaster explained that it was her job “15 to 20 times a day” to find the arms, legs, torsos, and heads after each surgical abortion. What she did, “and what is still being done today,” is discard the tiny humans in the trash can “as if they were garbage.” She said she still is haunted by performing that heartbreaking task and knows how dehumanizing abortions are. She also described how words used in the abortion industry are purposely chosen to dehumanize children who are killed in the womb. “Patient” is used instead of woman or mother; POC, or product of conception, is used instead of fetus; “remains” is used instead of baby. She said nights spent in prayer, asking for God to reach out to her, led her to reject the practice of abortion and the abortion industry. She described how she began drinking with her Planned Parenthood co-workers after work and during “staff meetings” in bars to numb the pain of abortion. “For me, the re-humanization of these babies came from God. I was on

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Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, MO A list of group coordinators for parishes, ministries, and other Catholic communities in the Diocese of Knoxville is available online at dioknox.org. Please read more about the Synod on Synodality, which was initiated by Pope Francis in October, at dioknox.org. ■

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cold and treating these women like herds of cattle. I never treated anyone like a patient. It was always ‘hurry up and sign this paperwork. ‘You came here, you already signed up to do this, you already signed half the consent forms. Just finish signing the paperwork and go ahead and have your procedure,’” she said. “When we did what was called consent, or counseling, there really was no counseling. I used to ask, ‘Where’s the counseling portion of this?’ And they said, ‘That’s just the part where you talk to the women and have them sign the paperwork.’ So, I asked again, ‘When are they getting counseling and when are we giving them their options?’ We didn’t go over any options. We didn’t discuss anything other than abortion. It was just check this off, here, here, and here, so that we told you about it. So, you now know your options even though we didn’t go into any detail about it. You’ve signed everything, so go ahead and get your procedure. There was absolutely no compassion,” she continued. And this was in a state that has an informed consent law, according to Ms. Lancaster. “North Carolina has an informed consent law, but as long as they sign it and it’s checked off in a box, they’ve received informed consent. In the facility where I worked, we also checked off where we had done so many referrals for adoption. We did not. … Check it off and sign it, and go ahead and have your procedure. These women are really being pushed through to make a decision without even being given the proper amount of time to think about it,” she said. “You’re also told there’s no quota. I asked three times specifically. Because toward the end of my tenure there I was being reprimanded and written up for my numbers not being as high as they were previously. So, I asked is there a quota? ‘No, Annette, there’s no quota.’ So, I’m being written up for my numbers dropping, but there’s no quota. ‘No, there’s no quota. But you didn’t meet your numbers.’ That’s the emotional manipulation, and just the manipulation in general, that you learn at Planned Parenthood,” she added. Ms. Lancaster said there is a high turnover rate among employees at abortion facilities. However, for people who work in the industry for many years, “I really think they are what the Bible talks about as ‘reprobates,’ and that’s how they can stay in it that long.” “I remember having a one-on-one conversation with the head abortionist at a Chapel Hill, N.C., facility. And he was also the medical director. And I asked him one day how can you do this day in and day out? How is this easy for you? And he said, ‘Oh, it’s not easy. It gives me nightmares.’ I thought why would you want to continue do-

the first pitch of Game 6 of the ALCS. She joins an elite list of Galveston-Houston Catholics who have taken to the mound, including Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and his predecessor, retired Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza, as well as a number of Catholic school teachers and superintendents. Though she isn’t the first sister to go viral for her throw — that would be Chicago’s Sister Mary Jo Sobieck, also a Dominican — Sister Mary Catherine stepped into the limelight to remind the Astros that “this is our time!” Wearing a custom jersey with “RALLY NUNS” declared on the back (it also matched her white habit perfectly), Sister Mary Catherine took to the field, her black rosary beads swinging with each jovial step. Crossing near home plate, she pointed a finger heavenward. A

such a downward spiral that I really couldn’t think, and I couldn’t see what I was doing,” she said. Now, Ms. Lancaster and Ms. Lester are working to extricate other abortionindustry workers from the grim profession through the And Then There Were None organization and its websites, abortionworker.com and prolove. com, and they are having success. They emphasized that there are no magic words used to persuade a woman against having an abortion or convince an abortion-industry worker to leave the business. “It’s really all about love,” Ms. Lancaster said. “I am loving people out of the industry.” And Ms. Lester added, “What there is is we have a big God who does amazing things. If He can pull me out, if He can pull Annette out, if He can pull the other 600-plus workers out, He can pull others out. But you have to be faithful in prayer, you have to be led by the Holy Spirit.” They both advised pro-life supporters who stand in prayerful vigil outside abortion facilities, such as with the 40 Days for Life ministry that the Diocese of Knoxville participates in, to be prayerful with love, not anger, because the very women and men they are praying for will know if they are doing so in anger and it will turn them off. “If you are angry, stay home and pray. Because those women and those men are going to feel your anger. … When you’re on that sidewalk, you should feel compassion and love. If you don’t the women and the men going into that clinic are going to feel it,” Ms. Lester said. “You may not see change, but it is happening. It is affecting what goes on in the clinic. I can promise you it makes a difference.” Their testimony to the General Assembly received support from lawmakers. Rep. Paul Sherrell, R-Sparta, said, “I appreciate you all having the courage and the guts to come and tell us this. I wish America could hear what you ladies have to say, what we’re doing to our people in this world, our babies. It just touches my heart. I appreciate you all very much.” And Rep. Robin Smith, R-Hixson, added, “Thank you, ladies, for being courageous and for being strong. Thank you for sharing your firsthand testimony. I would just simply say be very truthful. We’re living in a culture where life is being redefined to be cells and to be less than human. Consider me as someone who is signing on to this bill as a sponsor. Also, do not soften your voice. Do not allow our culture to cancel what you’re doing because that which our culture celebrates is that which it is known for. We will all have to stand before a judge that is much greater than this life. Thank you and God bless you for what you’re doing.”■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Afghan family now in U.S. describes last days in Kabul By Katie Peterson Catholic News Service

hen the Taliban began taking control of Afghanistan in mid-August, “in one night, everything changed,” recalled Adam. Adam, his wife and their 7-year-old son are three of the more than 150 Afghans whom Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Nashville have helped and will continue to help resettle in the next several months through the State Department’s Afghan Placement Assistance Program. At the beginning of September, the Department of Homeland Security implemented Operation Allies Welcome “to support vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked alongside us in Afghanistan for the past two decades as they safely resettle in the United States,” according to the official Department of Homeland Security website, further leading to implementation of the placement program. Since August 2018, Adam served as an Afghan interpreter for U.S. service members through the security office at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. Because of his service to the U.S. troops, he requested his family’s true identity remain anonymous to protect their loved ones who are still in Kabul. “I loved working with the U.S. Embassy because of that diplomatic mission. That was very important for Afghans,” Adam said. “At that time, I needed to work with them and to support them for their security, for everything. That diplomatic mission, that built our government, and I’m greatly appreciative that I worked with them.” “We had a really nice life in Kabul. We had everything,” he said. “We had an apartment; we had our own car. All of our families were very happy.” Then everything changed. Adam said he was on duty like any other night, taking security instructions, checking posts, and even creating e-mails for other security guards so that they could communicate with their guard force commanders.

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ple, ranging in age from sixth grade to 12th grade. They also had included eucharistic adoration, she said, “and many of the youths left their seats to come and kneel closer.” “The teens were very energized and very much open to it all,” she noted. Father Robbie Favazza, pastor of St. Philip Catholic Church in nearby Somerville, Tenn., complemented Ms. Garcia’s presentation with his own youth session on “That All May Be One In Christ,” emphasizing that “we are chosen to worship and serve.” “I got very positive feedback from the audience which — like my parish — was pretty diverse,” he said.

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Husband, wife, son are among many Catholic Charities in Diocese of Nashville is helping to resettle

Welcoming our allies An Afghan child participates in social and emotional art initiatives after being evacuated and arriving at the Philadelphia International Airport on Oct. 25. “We had intelligence reports that Kabul couldn’t be safe,” Adam told the Tennessee Register, Nashville’s diocesan newspaper, so he decided “to create e-mail addresses for each individual, so that they would be able to apply for the Special Immigration Visa program in the near future.” “The next morning, I came home, and my friend called me saying that our bank accounts will be closed,” Adam said. Sure enough, when he went to the bank later that morning, even with his ID card from the U.S. Embassy and mobile phone photos proving his identity, he was unable to withdraw funds. He was forced to leave behind three years of savings from his salary as an interpreter. Adam later returned to the U.S. Embassy to retrieve another of his ID cards and saw more changes. “The police were not wearing their uniforms, but they were holding their posts,” he said. “I got permission from them to take my ID card because that was important for me, and I went back home. I was very afraid at that time.” Adam and his family spent three more nights in Kabul before his guard force commander called to say that he could go to the airport to The afternoon keynote speaker, Scott Hahn, addressed the topic of “Renewing Eucharistic Amazement.” Mr. Hahn is founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology in Steubenville, Ohio. “We’ve all heard the statistic that only a little over 30 percent of Catholics in America believe in the Real Presence” in the Eucharist, Mr. Hahn said. But there is another statistic that came out of the recent Pew poll that he said “has been largely overlooked” and one he finds especially worrisome. “Most of the 70 percent of Catholics who believe the Eucharist is merely a symbol also believe that this is what the Church teaches,” he said. “If this is true, we’re not just facing a crisis of faith, but a crisis of

leave. Unfortunately, only his immediate family could come with him, forcing him and his wife to both leave extended family members behind. At the airport, “we had a very bad problem with the crowd of people,” he said. “The U.S. Marine forces helped us, but they couldn’t control the situation inside the airport. Even my son was very scared at the time. His shoes were gone, but he didn’t mention that because he couldn’t talk at that time.” “He was so afraid, and he couldn’t even breathe,” Adam’s wife added. The family spent a full 24 hours at the Kabul airport before they were able to fly out on a military airplane; they went without their belongings because their luggage was lost. That flight got them out of Kabul. They were at their next stop for 48 hours. Because it took time to prepare sleeping arrangements in the airplane hangar, Adam and his family sat under the wings of the airplane to try to shield themselves from the hot sun. Eventually, the family ended up at a U.S. air base in Germany for eight days and nights. From Germany, Adam and his family arrived at Fort Beckett in Virginia, where they were processed. During processing, Afghans go through medical screenings, including testing for COVID-19, receiving vaccinations, applying for immigration status, and more as coordinated by the U.S. State Department. After a month in Virginia, they headed to their final destination of Nashville, where they met with Catholic Charities at the airport Sept. 30. The agency has helped provide the family with an apartment, furniture, dishes, and more. Adam’s brother has lived in Nashville since 2011 and also is helping the family get settled. But they’re still waiting for health care, food stamps, and education opportunities. “I know the process takes time, and Catholic Charities is helping with that,” Adam said. Additionally, Adam’s work as an interpreter with the U.S. Embassy was not documented as it should have been by the Department of Homeland Security, which means he doesn’t Kabul continued on page A20

catechesis.” The eucharistic congress concluded with a 4:30 p.m. Mass in the Renasant Convention Center. Bishop Talley was the main celebrant and homilist. The Mass ended with a four-block eucharistic procession through downtown Memphis to St. Peter Catholic Church, the oldest Catholic church in Memphis. On the steps of St. Peter, Bishop Talley led the Benediction and invited the crowd to the 55th anniversary of the diocese. “See you again in five years,” he said. Father Favazza was at the Mass and walked with the crowd to St. Peter. “It was beautiful, especially the procession, and when the bishop led us in the Benediction of the Eucharist upon our arrival at St. Peter’s,” he said. ■

of course, the realization that life will continue, that there will be a next day. Whether it’s a day I’m prepared for is still unclear to me, but I’m beginning to submit to the providence of God, even though at times I find myself with rather white knuckles.” She didn’t know whether or not healing would actually come, but she hoped it would through this process of writing. As she wrote Return Unto Me, mostly filled with poems of babies who had passed away or who she had encountered in the NICU, prayer, time, and processing through writing helped her to sift through all of the loss, trauma, hurt, and hope. By the end of the book, she was indeed able to find the healing she had hoped for when she first had written the end note. Mrs. Ulrich also experienced healing from walking with and seeing other people who were going through something similar to what she experienced in the hospital those many weeks. These “parents of saints” were courageously fighting for the lives of their tiny babies, not ever knowing for sure what the outcome would be. She realized that her worst fear was actually her greatest hope for her children: that they would be with God for eternity. And this gave her peace. She also knew that she wanted these children to be honored and remembered, especially for the sake of the families they left behind here. “I want people to know that their children need to be celebrated and that it’s OK to celebrate them; it’s OK to talk about them,” she said. TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

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Family matters Author and Our Lady of Fatima parishioner Megan Ulrich and husband Joe share a bonding moment with sons Rowan and Asher. Not pictured is son Judah. Though there are never perfect words to say to those who grieve, Mrs. Ulrich hopes through her work to remind everyone that it is OK to talk about these hard realities, to remember important dates, to say the names of these children, and to give comfort in any way possible to families grieving their loss. Mrs. Ulrich wants those who read her book to be able to open up a place of vulnerability within themselves that they might not have felt comfortable going to without help. “(Readers) can look at this book and the discussion questions that I’ve included as a way of talking with other people. I hope that this would be a launching point for people to talk about grief, to talk about their grief,

children’s grief, just to be able to have a safe spot to open up that conversation,” she said, hoping to open a door to give people the chance to share their feelings and be known, especially in the trials of parenthood and child loss, no matter where they are on their journey of dealing with these sorrows. While many women feel that family and children can keep a dream from coming to fruition, Mrs. Ulrich has a different perspective. For her, having a family wasn’t a hindrance to her dreams but the very way God chose to make them reality, and she knows this will only continue. “My vocation is not the thing that’s in the way between me and God; it’s the thing bringing me there.”

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She has many hopes for her work and what will come from it as she continues to write and process life’s challenges and joys and continues to feel called by God to share it with the world. Mrs. Ulrich lives with her husband, Joe, and three sons, Rowan, Asher, and Judah, in Alcoa. She sends out a monthly newsletter of new work as well as updates about her writing, which people can sign up for through her website, www.megan-ulrich.com. She also has access to discussion questions for her books and links to make purchases through her website. Mrs. Ulrich also has made an appearance on the podcast Three Dogs North, where she discussed her work, life, family, and faith. “The Dogs,” three priests in Illinois who record their discussions in light of their Catholic faith and vocations, collectively wrote the forward to Return Unto Me, saying there is something about Mrs. Ulrich’s work that “made (them) feel more human and made (them) want to be more human.” A link to this episode can also be found on Mrs. Ulrich’s website. In a world where no one is left untouched by grief and trauma, Mrs. Ulrich’s work gives all who encounter it the opportunity to let God’s healing touch bring comfort and peace to these hard situations and hurting places. Whether individually, in a book study or small group, or among those who are closest, her poetry is a way to enter into vulnerability and redemption of some of life’s most challenging crosses. ■ NOVEMBER 7, 2021 n A17

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Reali said. “People are ready to get out and they’re ready to enjoy themselves, and this offered an opportunity for that.” The festival is made possible because of volunteers, many of whom are Knights and their wives and children. “It takes a family; it takes a group of great men and their spouses,” said John Peaslee, who is the current Grand Knight of Council 8152. “I made up name badges for 145 volunteers, and that is just for the ones who were there on Friday and Saturday,” Mrs. Reali said. “There were a ton of others who were there throughout the week.” It takes the entire week to prepare for such a large event, with preparations including set-up of the 140-foot-long outdoor tent that is assembled adjacent to the pavilion, placing dumpsters and portable bathrooms, as well as arranging tables, chairs, and the dance floor. The Council of Catholic Women at St. Alphonsus Parish also decorates the buildings and grounds during the week leading up to the festival. “Those ladies come in, and they spend probably three days decorating in the theme of Oktoberfest, which for us is white and blue,” Mr. Peaslee said. “They hang up so much stuff; it’s unreal.” Festivities kicked off on Friday at 11:30 a.m. with introductions by Mr. Peaslee and an opening prayer by Father Mark Schuster, who became parochial administrator at St. Alphonsus in July. “He came out there and he’s been very supportive of us,” Mr. Roy said, noting that Father Schuster returned Saturday to celebrate Mass at 9:30 p.m. with the volunteers after the festival had ended. Local organizations donated to become sponsors for the event at bronze,

Oktoberfest celebrants Bishop Richard F. Stika, donning a traditional Crossville Oktoberfest hat, is joined by, from left, Sister Maria Juan Anderson, RSM, Father Christopher Floersh, Father Mark Schuster, Sister Mary Luke Feldpausch, RSM, and Sister Peter Miriam Dolan, RSM, at the annual festival. silver, and gold levels, and TV monitors set up around the hall displayed sponsor advertisements throughout the weekend. Every hour, door prizes were randomly drawn from tickets scanned upon entry. Door prizes donated by sponsors included 12-ounce plastic beer steins, restaurant gift cards, vehicle emergency kits, and books from a local author. Two German bands, the Frank Moravcik Band and the Rheingold Band, return year after year to entertain the crowds. The two bands switch off every hour from start to finish on both days of the festival. “There was continuous music,” Mrs. Reali said. “Polka music… there was some Elvis, there was some Johnny Cash, there was the Beer Barrel Polka, the Chicken Dance for crying out loud, it was great. It was just a really festive party atmosphere.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be Oktoberfest without the hearty beverages. The beer selection will have you exclaiming “Prost!” (Cheers!) or “Zum Wohl!” (To your health!). “We bring in 12 different types of German beer from Germany,” Mr. Peaslee said. “We have domestic beer; we have some locally state-brewed beer.” If you’re not into drinking beer, the food alone may be reason enough to attend. Entrées like pork and chicken schnitzel, knackwurst, bratwurst, and weisswurst will transport you to Bavaria. Just add a side of sauerkraut, red cabbage, or späetzle, and you’ve got yourself an authentic meal (Don’t forget a slice of the German chocolate cake, too!). “Oh! It’s just so sinful. Eat one meal and you got to go to confession. It’s just terrific,” Mrs. Reali said, laughing. The larger crowds also meant longer

among the first speakers at the luncheon. “I was so pleased that one of the last earmarks I got was $450,000 to start a dental-hygienist program here at this college, and I’m glad that they moved it over to Tennessee Wesleyan and kept it going through the years,” he said. “Monroe County was great to me, and I really appreciate that. I think you all have a wonderful future here, especially with this project that is being done here with the Anabaptists.” He also had a kind word for the bishop. “I’ve always been a great admirer of Bishop Stika, who’s done so many good things. We just couldn’t have a better bishop than him anyplace,” Congressman Duncan said. Mr. Henry saluted the luncheon hosts. “I couldn’t have been more pleased when I saw the present organization take over and buy Hiwassee College and continue the Christian atmosphere that we’ve created,” he said. “Thank you so much for continuing this tradition of Christian leadership and being raised in the right way.” Bruderhof Elder Paul Winter of New York, a native of Paraguay, also spoke at the luncheon and introduced Bishop Stika. “It’s a tremendous joy to be here today. That all of you have come today is wonderful,” he said. “The Bruderhof is a small group, compared to the Catholic Church, and yet in God’s eyes what is small? We are trying to live out family values: marriage for life, one man and one woman for life. “We started in Germany in 1921, so we’ve just celebrated 100 years. We were driven out of Germany when Hitler came to power. We’re pacifists. We’re peace-loving. We went to England. The English were worried about these German people. The government knew we weren’t spies, but the local people thought we were spies. So after seven years in England, we went to Paraguay—that’s where I was born. “We were down there for 20 years in the jungle, pretty cut off from humanity. So in the late ’50s, ’60s, we moved back to England A18 n NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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Friends, new and old Top: Bishop Richard F. Stika and Bruderhof Elder Paul Winter share a moment after a luncheon at the Bruderhof’s new community on the former Hiwassee College campus in Madisonville. Bottom: Bishop Stika makes remarks to the group at the luncheon, including former Congressman John J. Duncan Jr. and Bob Griffitts of Bruderhof.

and to the States. Now, we’ve grown to about 3,000 to 3,500 souls all over the world—Europe, Australia, in America mostly, New York and Pennsylvania, the main groups. Twenty-seven communities, some of this size, some bigger.” Mr. Winter said the Bruderhof community is “trying to live out the Christian values that the Bible teaches you. The Sermon on the Mount is our handbook.” He said the Hiwassee community currently has 50 residents. “We look forward to the community growing here. We hope in a year or two there’ll be 200 brothers and sisters and children living here and becoming part of your community,” Mr. Winter said. “I

can see from today how many of you have come, what this place means to you, and we want to keep that tradition going, of loving God and loving our fellow man, working together and caring for each other, looking after our young and our old. Thank you for how we have been welcomed. We really appreciate it. Just the fact that you all have come today shows us what this place means to you, and we look forward to building up together.” In introducing Bishop Stika, Mr. Winter said, “we’ve had very good contact with the Catholic Church over the years, including Cardinal [Timothy] Dolan in New York City, who’s a good friend of Bishop Stika. We really thank God that

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lines in the dining hall and impromptu runs to the grocery store for more food. “For the past several years I have been in charge of the food services, which includes the grill, the kitchen, and the serving lines,” Mr. Roy said. “This year we ran out of some of the food and we had to go out and buy some more.” “The line was steady for hours. I’m talking 50, 60, 70 people deep sometimes,” Mr. Peaslee said. “We kept up as best we could.” Takeout dinners were also available for purchase without paying an admission fee. Interested in attending next year’s event free of charge? Designated drivers are allowed free entry, as well as children under the age of 12, active military members, and veterans with proper ID. “It’s a lot of teamwork; a lot of people come together to make this a success every year,” Mrs. Reali said. “I feel honored to be a part of this terrific group of people who, every year, put on this whiz-bang festival that is just talked about for weeks.” If you’ve never been to the Crossville Oktoberfest before, you just may be missing out on the good time and schnitzel you didn’t know you needed. “People that come really enjoy themselves,” Mr. Roy said. “There’s nothing there to hold people back, so they’re welcome to dance, they’re welcome to listen to the music, they’re welcome to sit down and eat and chat with friends or others that show up.” Ready to mark your calendars for next year? The 2022 event will be held on Friday, Oct. 14, and Saturday Oct. 15. On-site parking is free, and singleday tickets are $8 at the gate or $6 in advance. For more information visit crossvilleoktoberfest.com. ■ you’ve come today.” The bishop, who also led a prayer at the luncheon, started his talk with a warning. “The worst thing you can do is give a Catholic bishop a microphone,” he said. Bishop Stika told Mr. Winter that “Cardinal Dolan has spoken very, very highly of your community.” The bishop commented on the shared beliefs of the Bruderhof and Catholics. “We have very, very similar values, and many of those values are being attacked,” he said. “You can see what’s happening to the family unit, the understanding of marriage and commitment and working together.” Mr. Winter said after the luncheon that the Bruderhof “were looking to expand the community, and we found this college for sale. It was a good price, so that’s how we ended up here.” The community in Monroe County is growing, he said, but has not decided “what kind of business we do.” “Over the next years we’ll come up with something, some kind of manufacturing,” he said. “Today meant a lot just to meet all the local folk and further afield and to feel the welcoming of the neighborhood and the county for our community.” Johann H. Huleatt is the outreach director for Bruderhof. “It’s a great pleasure to be here, celebrating with the community leadership, including from the business, the government, and churches down here,” he said. “I was here a year ago, and to come back and see all the development that’s happened on the campus but also to see the deepening of the relationships in the neighborhood and the wider community is a joy to see. It’s an honor to be here, and the hospitality is amazing.” Also attending the luncheon was Joe Bailey, regional director for Sen. Hagerty and a former oneyear player for the Hiwassee baseball team. “I think [Bruderhof] is going to be a great addition to our great state. They’re here for all the right reasons. We’re just down here to welcome them to the community and embrace what they’re trying to do,” he said. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Catholic ink? Tattoos, piercings, and the pursuit of holiness The Church doesn’t prohibit them, but does that mean you should get one? By Jonathan Liedl Catholic News Agency

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/DEBBIE HILL

hough Millennials and Gen Z’ers are generally less religious than previous generations, young adults who embrace Catholicism actually tend to be more orthodox in their beliefs and more traditional in their devotions than the majority of their Boomer and Gen X elders. But visit a Theology on Tap or another Catholic young adult event these days, and among the Marian consecration chains and scapulars you’ll also likely spot a different sort of visible expression marking the faithful: a smattering of tattoos, nose rings, and other alternative piercings. From college campuses to the urban young adult scene to which their graduates matriculate, reports are widespread that body ink and piercings have increased in prevalence among young adult Catholics in the past decade, including among those whom self-identify as “conservative Catholics.” In one sense, this trend indicates that younger Catholic generations aren’t much different than the rest of their peers. Recent national reports have found that more young Americans have tattoos and piercings than ever before. In fact, 40 percent of 18-34-year-olds have at least one tattoo, and the national rate of those with tattoos increased by 21 percent between 2012 and 2019, according to an Ipsos poll. Faithfully practicing Catholics are certainly part of this shift.

Tattoo you Tattoo artist Wassim Razzouk, left, poses with Markus Essen, 38, a Syriac Christian who lives in Turkey, after Mr. Razzouk tattooed Mr. Essen’s ankles and hands in the family’s shop in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Razzouk family has been tattooing Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land for 500 years, and 200 years before that in Egypt. when they do. Rather than a sign of one’s “toughness” or non-conformity, Mrs. Williams said people ink their body today because their tattoos “give an easily transported, beautiful representation” of important aspects of their life. She also writes that “people are tired of conforming to arbitrary standards that have little to no moral bearing.” Christopher Ruddy said he began to realize that the cultural context around tattoos and piercings was shifting back in the late

1990s while, as a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame, he started to see women with nose rings kneeling while receiving communion. “It helped me see that some of the longstanding liberal-conservative typologies [related to tattoos and piercings] were breaking down,” shared The Catholic University of America theologian.

Ink with a meaning

But if young adult Catholics are going along with these cultural

Shifting cultural context

A simple way to witness

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Religious art? A woman with tattoos on her arms attends Pope Francis’ general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican on Sept. 8.

Everyone join in Above: Katie Helms, center on guitar, an organizer of “the Bishop’s Very Special Day,” leads participants in song inside the parish hall of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Top right: These ninja turtles are keeping the beat as they parade during “the Bishop’s Very Special Day.” Bottom right: Superheroes carry statues of the Holy Family during the outdoor procession for “the Bishop’s Very Special Day.” Special continued from page A6

as something special, they see Katie as someone they love, their sister,” he said. “So, as so many people have come into their house, my family witnesses those people who enter the doors of [their] house, and they see that Katie is no different than the rest of them.” Bishop Stika emphasized the importance of witnessing faith to others and challenged the congregation to reflect TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

But just as much as the tattoos help Mrs. Williams remind herself of her beliefs and devotions, they also help her share her beliefs with others. She recalls that when she was a youth minister for the first time, her tattoos helped spark a conversation about how the Catholic faith integrates into every aspect of our lives. “That’s the kind of conversation I always hope to generate with my tattoos,” said Mrs. Williams, who added that she is “inevitably” asked about her ink when she meets a new group of people, and so always has a chance to share her story. Catherine Huss agrees, and finds that her tattoos provide her with a simple way to witness to her Tattoo continued on page A20

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Some might find that fact counter-intuitive, even troubling. After all, tattoos, alternative piercings, and the like have long been associated with anti-establishment subcultures, like the punk scene and the criminal underworld. With every septum pierced or forearm tatted, some might ask, aren’t Catholics promoting the same deviant values undergirding these subversive lifestyles? Not really, says Theresa Zoe Williams. As the 36-year-old Catholic writer argues in “Punk Rock Catholicism,” a chapter found in Catholic Hipster: The Next Level, tattoos and piercings have gone mainstream in recent decades, and therefore need to be viewed in a new cultural context to understand what they actually represent. Part of that context includes a rise in transience and minimalism. Young people move around more, and bring less stuff with them

trends, especially regarding tattoos, it’s also true that they’re often going about them in a distinct way. Or rather, as practicing Catholics, the important aspects of their lives they want to highlight through permanently inking their body are often tied to their faith, sometimes explicitly. One only needs to spend a few minutes perusing an online space like “Tatted Catholics” on Instagram to see plenty of examples, from a small rosary tattooed on a finger to an arm-sized depiction of the Blessed Mother. These tattoos aren’t arbitrarily chosen, but typically have deep personal and spiritual significance for the person who gets them. Take, for instance, Mrs. Williams’ tattoos. The Franciscan University of Steubenville graduate, wife, and mother of three has “grace” in Gaelic tattooed on one wrist, and “mercy” in Polish tattooed on the other. She also has a large monstrance tattoo on her left forearm, with a Latin phrase that means “I am all the family you need.” The tattoos contain multiple meanings for Mrs. Williams, and she says they help her to live out her faith. For instance, the two languages of her wrist tattoos remind her of her Irish-Polish mother, and to intercede for her. Their location provides an opportunity to contemplate Christ’s wounds and his sacrifice on the cross. The Polish “mercy” tattoo also provides a point of connection with Sts. Faustina and Pope John Paul II, two Poles who promoted devotion to Divine Mercy. The monstrance tattoo, meanwhile, was inspired by a profound experience Mrs. Williams had as a 17-year-old while in adoration.

on their own witness. “I think the challenge for all of us is to look at your life, to look at my life, I have to, to see how I truly witness to the faith,” he said. “Am I a cafeteria Christian? Do I pick and choose what I want to believe in and ignore that which could be the most challenging by Jesus?” “What did Jesus tell us?” he asked. “Treat others as you would have them treat you.” ■ www.di o k no x .o rg

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Archbishop Aquila: Christ’s challenging

In Brief New members join St. Meinrad Seminary advisory board The Board of Overseers has added seven new members and three returning members to the advisory board for St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, St. Meinrad, Ind. In addition, a former board member has been named an emeritus member. The board advises president-rector Father Denis Robinson, OSB, on matters related to the school’s programs and performance and addresses strategic questions regarding the future of the school. Each member serves a three-year term. New to the board are Steve Church of Evansville, Ind.; Father Michael Maples of the Diocese of Knoxville; Pamela Father Maples Bennett Martin of New Salisbury, Ind; Clayton Nunes of Bloomington, Ind.; Deacon William Reid Jr. of Carmel, Ind.; Carmen Rendon of Taylorsville, Ky.; and Father J. Keith Stewart of Memphis.

Catholic Charities program leader honored Sheri Fava, program leader with Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Pregnancy Help Center in Chattanooga, was recently honored as the Child Passenger Safety Technician of the Year at the 33rd annual Tennessee Lifesavers Conference. The award is for an individual child passenger safety technician who has proved an exceptional advocate for child passenger safety. Ms. Fava was selected based on her demonstrated service to caregivers and children through programs, the number of hours worked at child passenger safety events, the number of individual events at which she has worked, the conscienMs. Fava tious compliance with record-keeping tasks, and a showing of passion for service to the public. As the only child passenger safety technician with Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, Ms. Fava has single-handedly provided education and guidance to more than 100 families in two counties encompassing removing damaged or recalled seats from circulation and helping caregivers learn how to correctly install more than 75 car seats.

Funeral Mass held for James M. Polhamus James M. “Jim” Polhamus III, age 84 of Loudon, passed away peacefully on Sept. 3, at home with his family. Mr. Polhamus served as a longtime sacristan at the church he and his family attended, St. Thomas the Apostle in Lenoir City. Father Ray Powell was the celebrant of the funeral Mass for Mr. Polhamus on Sept. 7 at St. Thomas the Apostle. Mr. Polhamus, who graduated from Loyola UniverMr. Polhamus sity in California, was a devoted and loving husband for more than 63 years. He faithfully served his church for more than 24 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, James M. Polhamus II and Geraldine Polhamus; brother Robert Polhamus; and grandson John Conroy. Survivors include his wife, Faye E. Polhamus; daughters Mary Conroy (Dennis) of Buffalo, N.Y., Jean Kihn (Jeff) of Baltimore; sons James Miles Polhamus IV (Mary Louise) of Gainesville, Va., John Polhamus (Michelle) of Vero Beach, Fla.; sister Roberta Polhamus; 15 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Foodforthepoor.org, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, or the University of Tennessee Medical Center hospice program. ■

truthfulness needed about Communion By Catholic News Agency

s the U.S. bishops prepare to discuss a draft statement on the Eucharist, the Archbishop of Denver has recalled Christ’s direct, challenging approach to the sinners to whom he was close. “His direct truthfulness was challenging, and to some it was so threatening that they plotted against Jesus and eventually killed him. With the world awash in competing voices and narratives about the truth, we could use more of this gift, especially when it comes to receiving the most important sacrament, the Holy Eucharist,” Archbishop Samuel Aquila wrote in his Oct. 21 column at the Denver Catholic. The archbishop noted how Christ told the woman caught in adultery, “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore,” and challenged the rich young man to “go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is discussing The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church, a draft statement, at the Nov. 15-18 general assembly in Baltimore. In June, after extensive debate, the USCCB voted to begin drafting the document. The reception of Communion by pro-abortion politicians has come to the fore as both President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are Catholic and sup-

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have the papers he needs to secure employment. “That was not fair for me,” he said. “I served three years. That should be documented.” They also still live in fear for the safety of their family back in Kabul. “We can’t sleep at night because of what happened,” Adam’s wife said. “We wonder, ‘What do they need? What will happen in the future for them?’ It is a big problem for us.” But Adam and his family remain

faith while working in California’s fashion industry. For instance, the 29-year old has “ADMG” tattooed inside an arrow on her wrist, a reference to “Ad Majorem Dei Gloria,” St. Ignatius of Loyola’s maxim to do all things for the glory of God, which Ms. Huss said “simplifies our life’s duty.” The arrow points away from her, a reminder that everything she does should be done for others. “It’s in an obvious place that I and others see every day to remind me that this call is constant,” said Ms. Huss, founder of Siena and Co., a swimsuit line she said was inspired by Catholic principles of modesty and ethical production. Ms. Huss has similar thoughts about her nose piercing. While admitting that there was a bit of “rebellious spirit” behind her decision to get one, she also said it has an evangelical purpose. “I like being relatable and approachable to non-believers and I do think wearing a nose ring can help facilitate a relatable first impression,” she said. Sara Heselton, who also has a nose piercing, knows that not everyone will see facial piercings as “relatable,” and actually removed hers when she served with a Catholic missionary organization that put on retreats for high schoolers in order to “not pose an obstacle to the faith.” But now, as a graduate student and employee at the St. Paul Seminary and School of Divinity in Minnesota, the 28-year old said she wears her nose piercing with little fear of scandalizing anyone — ironic, given that she first got it as a 17-year-old to challenge people’s perceptions of her and show that she “was more ‘edgy’ than they thought.” “Now, it seems to function like A20 n NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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Faith-based ink Wassim Razzouk tattoos Lema Demir, 46, a Syriac Christian who lives in Sweden, in his family’s shop in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Razzouk family has been tattooing Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land for 500 years, and 200 years before that in Egypt. culturally accepted ear piercings that rarely distract but instead accentuate feminine beauty,” Ms. Heselton said.

Catholic teaching

In terms of moral guidance, the Church’s teaching authority doesn’t say anything explicitly about tattoos or body piercings. Neither practice is strictly prohibited, nor considered intrinsically evil. Regarding tattoos, some point to Leviticus 19:28, which says “You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh on account of the dead or tattoo any marks upon you.” But some theologians point out that this prohibition was in the context of pagan cultures that tattooed the names of the dead as part of their religious practice, and shouldn’t be understood as a condemnation of tattooing in general. Furthermore, it’s part of the Old Covenant law, which also included prohibitions against things like

eating pork and trimming one’s beard, and was abrogated with the coming of Christ. Claims that Pope Adrian I banned tattoos at the Second Council of Nicaea of 787 AD are common on the Internet, though there’s no explicit evidence of this in the council text. The same year, however, the local Council of Northumberland taught, “When an individual undergoes the ordeal of tattooing for the sake of God, he is greatly praised. But one who submits himself to be tattooed for superstitious reason in the manner of the heathens will derive no benefit thereof.” Tattoos have certainly clashed with Christian sensibilities at times. They’ve historically been considered an impediment to ordination, interpreted as an instance of what canon 1041 describes as “bodily mutilation.” Some dioceses, like the Diocese of Cheyenne, maintain this policy, although the

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port legal abortion and taxpayer-funded abortion. The statement would explain Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist, the importance of Abp. Aquila Sunday as a holy day, and the need for Catholics to live out the Church’s teaching in their lives after receiving Communion. While the document does address worthiness to receive Communion, Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chair of the U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee, has said it is not meant to be about one individual or one particularly bad action, but rather a “heightened” awareness of the need for Catholics to be conformed to the Eucharist. The debate, Archbishop Aquila said, “is centered around the questions: What is the best way to encourage greater belief in Jesus’ true presence in the Blessed Sacrament? And flowing from His true presence, how should bishops and pastors best work to win back the souls of Catholic public figures who have failed to act in accord with the Gospel?” “A hands-off attitude with those who publicly defy the Church’s teachings causes scandal and weakens belief in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist,” he noted, adding that to cause scandal is to lead others into sin. ■ hopeful and are grateful to be in a safe place. “We hope to live happily and have everything we need soon,” Adam’s wife said, including schooling opportunities for all three of them. Adam hopes to study anthropology and prepare for his dream career. “My hope for my future in America is to serve as I served before,” Adam said. “I want to serve for the government because the government can help Afghanistan; the government can help my people.” ■ diocese also notes that the bishop may grant a dispensation in particular cases. However, tattoos have also been a feature of the faith in various Christian contexts. Coptic Christians in Egypt, for instance, receive a small cross tattoo on their wrist to designate their Christian identity in a Muslim-majority country, a practice that dates back to the 7th century and the Islamic conquest of North Africa. It was also typical for medieval European visitors to the Holy Land to receive a tattoo of a Jerusalem cross to commemorate their pilgrimage, and crusaders marked their body with a cross to ensure they’d receive a Christian burial if killed in combat.

Discernment needed

Without a clear and authoritative teaching on tattoos, and for that matter, bodily piercings, Catholics today are largely left with some general principles related to bodily integrity, modesty, and aesthetics to aid in their discernment. Unsurprisingly, different Catholic catechists come to different conclusions and offer different advice. For instance, Father Chad Ripperge argues that tattoos are immodest and “a sin against justice” because they mutilate the body, while Catholic apologist Jimmy Akins concludes that, “from a moral perspective, there is no reason why one cannot color one’s skin, which is what tattooing amounts to.” Moral theologian Christian Brugger has argued that while tattoos aren’t intrinsically evil, they’re also not morally indifferent, and that their prevalence today is a sign of the culture’s deeper denial of the sanctity of the body. “It might be helpful to ask ourselves if we’re thinking of getting a tattoo: Would it be appropriate Tattoo continued on page A22 TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Pope Francis, President Biden discuss poverty, climate crisis Meeting between Catholic Church leader, Catholic U.S. leader held at Vatican

By Carol Glatz/Catholic News Service

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA

ope Francis and U.S. President Joe Biden had an unusually long meeting at the Vatican Oct. 29, talking about the climate crisis and poverty, among other issues. The president later told reporters that the two did not talk about abortion. Some U.S. bishops have argued that President Biden, who regularly attends Mass, should not receive Communion because of his support for legalized abortion, while Catholic Church teaching emphasizes the sacredness of human life from conception to natural death. Asked if abortion was one of the topics of his meeting with the pope, President Biden responded, “We just talked about the fact he was happy that I was a good Catholic, and I should keep receiving Communion.” President Biden spoke to reporters at Rome’s Palazzo Chigi, where he was meeting Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. The Vatican described the president’s meetings with both the pope and with top Vatican diplomats as consisting of “cordial discussions,” with both sides “focused on the joint commitment to the protection and care of the planet, the health-care situation, and the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.” They also discussed “refugees and assistance to migrants,” the Vatican said, and “reference was also made to the protection of hu-

Catholic leaders meet Pope Francis greets U.S. President Joe Biden at the Vatican on Oct. 29. The leaders discussed a range of topics. man rights, including freedom of religion and conscience.” The pope and the president also exchanged “views on some matters regarding the current international situation, also in the context of the imminent G20 summit in Rome, and on the promotion of peace in the world through political negotiation,” it said. According to a statement released by the White House, “President Biden thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world’s poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict, and persecution. “He lauded Pope Francis’ leadership in fighting the climate crisis, as well as his advocacy to ensure the pandemic ends for everyone through vaccine sharing and an

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few long steps shy of the pitcher ’s mound, she turned around and faced the catcher and, after a brief pause — maybe a quick Memorare, the prayer asking for Mary’s intercession? — she gave the ball some heat for a successful floating first pitch. Then, in a quick sequence that only a consecrated religious woman could do, Sister Mary Catherine raised her glove and pitching arm in celebration, pointed to her wrist in a tongue-in-cheek reference to Astros shortstop Carlos Correa’s “it’s time” move, flipped her veil over her shoulder, then pointed at her congregation in the stands behind her near where Tal’s Hill once stood. The grassy knoll had to give way to a ballpark upgrade a few years ago. Finally pointing again heavenward, as the crowds cheered, she slowly made her way down the baseline to greet Orbit, the Astros

equitable global economic recovery,” the statement said. During a nearly 90-minute meeting in the library of the Apostolic Palace, which included 75 minutes of closed-door discussions between the two leaders, Pope Francis gave President Biden a large painted ceramic tile of a pilgrim walking along Rome’s Tiber River and pointing to St. Peter’s Basilica in the distance. It and its border of shell designs symbolize “protection from adversity” during one’s spiritual growth and the hope of reaching a deeper and more fulfilling purpose at the end of this spiritual journey, according to an explanation of the artistic piece. Pope Francis also gave the president a signed copy of his message

mascot, as Red Sox and Astros staff slowly filled their dugouts. Though no longer teaching within the archdiocese, Sister Mary Catherine teaches at St. Paul Catholic High School in Shiner, about two hours from the downtown Houston stadium. Her congregation is well-known throughout the archdiocese, active in many catechetical roles and teaching positions at parishes and Catholic schools in the region. Explaining her post-pitch watch-pointing celebration move, Sister Mary Catherine told the Houston Chronicle that she “did that, because this is the Astros’ time, this is our time, this is it.” Mr. McIngvale gifted a number of tickets to the sisters for both Game 1 and Game 6 of the ALCS. A longtime parishioner of Assumption Catholic Church in Houston, the Gallery Furniture maven has been an outspoken advocate for Catholic education and his

for World Day of Peace 2021, a collection of his major documents, including his document on human fraternity, and the book, Why Are You Afraid? Have You No Faith? The World Facing the Pandemic. The book contains photographs and homilies, messages, and prayers the pope delivered during the pandemic, emphasizing the importance of love, hope, solidarity, and the common good. President Biden presented Pope Francis with a framed, handwoven “fiddleback” chasuble that had been made by Gamarellis, the famous Rome tailor shop, in 1930, for Jesuits in the United States. The White House was also making a donation of winter clothing to charities in the name of Pope Francis to commemorate the World Day of the Poor Nov. 14. President Biden also gave the pope a copy of his memoir, Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose, about losing his firstborn son, Beau Biden, to brain cancer at the age of 46 and a presidential command coin inscribed with the unit of his late son, who had been deployed to Iraq in 2008. President Biden explained the reason for the coin to the pope, “I’m not sure this is appropriate, but there’s a tradition in America that the president has what is called a command coin that he gives to warriors and leaders and you are the most significant warrior for peace I’ve ever met,” the president said. ■

faith. He has supported many Catholic schools and the University of St. Thomas, and credited his faith for his actions during Hurricane Harvey and Houston’s other major storms. The Dominicans also join the faithful Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, the congregation that runs Incarnate Word Academy across the street from Minute Maid and next to Annunciation Catholic Church. The sisters also are well-known for their devotion and support of the Astros. Sister Damien Kuhn, a member of the order, had a permanent season ticket for seat 31 in row 35 of Section 116. Though she died in 2010 at age 90, Sister Kuhn is a rally sister in heaven, cheering for the Astros, alongside the Dominican sisters down below in Minute Maid Park, who wave their rally towels and clutch their rosary beads. ■

Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Knoxville prepare SCHOLARS, LEADERS, and SAINTS! S! TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

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DID YOU KNOW? Tattoos-U.S.: n 36 percent: Citizens age 18-29 have at least one tattoo. n 30 percent: College graduates have at least one tattoo. n 11 percent: People with tattoos in the 5064 age range. n 36 percent: �ose in military with tattoos. Tattoo continued from page A20

for me to paint this permanently on the high altar at St. Peter’s Basilica,” Brugger suggests, applying St. Paul’s instruction that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Margaret McCarthy, a theologian at the John Paul II Institute in Washington, D.C., says she is “really agnostic” about tattooing, but does draw out some important distinctions. For instance, she points out the “iconic character” of the cross tattoos that Christians in places like Egypt and Ethiopia receive. This approach to tattooing, she notes, seems to be less about self-expression or treating the body as a “blank slate” without inherent meaning, and more about being marked as a “slave of Christ.” “They are not any artist’s rendering,” she said. “They have a decided [given] form to them.” Ms. McCarthy believes this insight is drawn out in Flannery O’Connor’s short story, “Parker’s Back,” in which a heavily inked man gets an icon of Jesus tattooed on his back — the only “blank space” left on his body. When he looks at the tattoo by use of a mirror, he is struck by the gaze of Christ. “Parker is finally satisfied with an icon, which is a saint looking at you from the depth of heaven (or in this case from the depth of body), versus all the other tattoos he had chosen to ‘express’ himself,” Ms. McCarthy pointed out.

Best practices?

Father Joseph LaJoie ministers in Five Points, one of Denver’s hippest, youngest neighborhoods, where he says tattoos are ubiquitous and “any type of person could be expected to have” one.

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Numbers: n Tattoo industry generates $1.6 billion in annual revenue. n Tattoos cost, on average, $150 an hour of work for larger ones, $45 for smaller ones. n A tattoo artist in the U.S., on average, earns $49,520 annually. n �ere are 21,000 U.S. tattoo parlors.

When young Catholics come to him for guidance on the topic, he can draw from an important resource — his own experience with body ink. The 39-year-old priest, pastor of Sacred Heart parish, has five tattoos, not all of which he’s proud of. He got three of his tattoos in his late teens, and although they’re largely innocuous and memorialize events or interests that still have some significance to him — like a class trip to Costa Rica and the band U2 — he said “they’re not worth having in that form of a souvenir 20 years later.” On the other hand, Father LaJoie has no regrets about his “deconstructed Miraculous Medal” tattoo he’s gotten more recently, because it’s rooted in something more meaningful and permanent. Drawing from his own experience, Father LaJoie said that tattoos should clearly not be lewd, vulgar, or diabolical, and he also cautions people about getting them in a way that’s too distracting, either because of location or size. He also encourages those considering getting tatted up to do a bit of an examination of conscience before making such a permanent decision. “I think people, especially young people, need to think soberly about their motivations,” he said. “Temporary situations, infatuations and interests, names and faces of people can always be very different realities decades down the road.” In fact, although he has tats of his own and says that fact can help him connect with people from different walks of life, he has often encouraged those who ask him to

Piercings-U.S.: n 19 percent: Women with nose piercings. n 15 percent: Men with nose piercings. n 33 percent: Women with belly-button piercings. n 17.5 percent: Men with eyebrow piercings. n 8 percent: Women with eyebrow piercings.

not get tattoos, not only to avoid future regret, but “also because to not get tattooed is more countercultural [today] than getting one.” If you are thinking about getting one, Theresa Zoe Williams has some advice: try it out first. As laid out in “Punk Rock Catholicism,” the author suggests first reflecting on an aspect of faith that is central to your devotion and praying about how it could be in-

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corporated onto your body. Then, she suggested using a Sharpie or a washable marker to draw the image on, leaving it there for a week, and then praying about the experience before committing to the image permanently. Because while tattoo removal exists, it’s an expensive process — though one can probably assume that an unwanted tattoo won’t be part of the glorified body. ■

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