Nov. 3, 2024, ET Catholic, A section

Choosing God’s plan for marriage Diocese of Knoxville bucks national trend of falling wedding numbers

By Gabrielle Nolan

While national marriage rates are on the decline within the United States, the Diocese of Knoxville is seeing growth that it hopes to sustain.

Catholic News Agency reported in July that Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) showed that between 1969 and 2019, Catholic marriage rates dropped by around 70 percent.

The article also listed Pew Research data showing that currently in the United States, 25 percent of 40-year-olds have never been married.

Within the Diocese of Knoxville, marriage rates went up by 5.68 percent from 2022 to 2023. The diocese had 264 marriages in 2022 and 279 in 2023. The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville and the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga

‘

hosted the highest and secondhighest number of weddings in

the diocese, respectively.

Scott Barron, director of parish ministries at the cathedral, said he cannot speak to the national decline of marriage, but he acknowledged the cathedral is seeing “phenomenal growth.”

“We are booked out usually more than a year in advance for weddings here at the cathedral,” he shared. “But for the sacrament of marriage to mean a lot to those outside of our parish team, it must mean a lot to us. We work very hard to ensure our preparation program and process are intentional, respectful of people’s time, and welcoming (hospitality). We know if we get the marriage process right, we have a great chance to have a lifetime relationship with this couple. That means the family will bring their children back to be baptized and then hopefully Marriage continued on page A17

A community of light’

Catholic Extension presents Lumen Christi Award; St. Mary's Legacy Clinic is honored

By Emily Booker

Catholic Extension Society presented Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, medical director of the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic (SMLC), with the Lumen Christi Award on Oct. 30. The award is Catholic Extension’s highest honor, given to people who “radiate and reveal the light of Christ present in the communities where they serve.”

The award was presented during SMLC’s annual volunteer appreciation Mass and luncheon at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City.

Bishop Mark Beckman celebrated the Mass. Catholic Extension president Father Jack Wall and Father David Boettner concelebrated.

Deacon Sean Smith, chancellor of the Diocese of Knoxville, served as deacon of the Word and Eucharist, and SMLC volunteer Bruce Fisher gave the first reading.

In his homily, Bishop Beckman spoke of entering through the narrow gate, which is mentioned in Matthew 7:13

“The narrow gate could be expressed in some ways as the small way of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. It’s the way of love,” he said.

He reminded the SMLC volunteers that their work with the clinic brings them opportunities to encounter people and show them love.

“To be aware that every single person we encounter is an opportunity to love the Lord by loving strangers who we meet is really the small way of St. Thérèse, the narrow gate. Our medical clinic, the persons who come to you week by week, day by day, when you meet them, you meet them at a moment of pro-

the way Sister Mary

"Over the past 17 years, Catholic Extension Society has provided more than $3 million in assistance to the Diocese of Knoxville in support of seminarian education, the work of our religious Sisters, the building of new churches, with our various ministries and programs of outreach to the poor, as well as programs of educational and leadership development and much more. Where would we be without the assistance of the Catholic Extension Society?"

Paul Simoneau

Diocese of Knoxville vice chancellor

found need. Your attention to them, your love for them, your presence to them, your medical care for them,

bring the light of Christ to them.”

Bishop Beckman acknowledged Sister Mary Lisa and the work of

St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic in encountering others and being a face of Christ to them.

“Sister Mary Lisa, today you will receive the Lumen Christi Award. It represents the beautiful, good work that you’ve done in cooperation with so many others to bring the light of Christ to the unloved, the persons who need that love the most. Thank you for doing that,” the bishop said.

“I want to thank all of you volunteers and workers of the clinic. You, too, in all your different ways, bring the light of Christ to those most in need of it.”

He also thanked Catholic Extension Society for its work in supporting U.S. mission dioceses.

“Catholic Extension does incredibly good work throughout the country and beyond,” he said. “You are helping people all over the place bring the light of Christ. Thank you for all of the good work that you are doing.”

Sharing the light of Christ

Several representatives from Catholic Extension Society were present to honor Sister Mary Lisa as she received the Lumen Christi Award at the volunteer luncheon following Mass.

Father Wall spoke on the work of Sister Mary Lisa and the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic. He noted how Sister Mary Lisa and the Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., are following a long tradition of women religious offering medical care to those in need.

“We’ve been given a beautiful gift through the American experience in terms of health care, and we know it’s been from women

Lighting

Lisa Renfer, RSM, who is medical director of the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic, holds the Lumen Christi Award presented to her on Oct. 30 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. With Sister Mary Lisa are Bishop Mark Beckman, left, and Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension Society, who made the presentation.

Wedded bliss A couple takes part in a retreat given by the Diocese of Knoxville Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment and Regnum Christi. The retreat was held at St. Thomas the Apostle Church on June 15.

Supporting vocations

Knights of Columbus exceed $100 million to assist those seeking

By Gina Christian OSV News

As Catholics in the United States wrapped up National Vocation Awareness Week Nov. 3-9, one of the world’s largest Catholic fraternal organizations announced it has provided more than $100 million to date to those seeking religious life.

In a Nov. 8 media release, the Knights of Columbus said that its local councils, which globally total over 16,800, have helped to donate more than $100 million directly to seminarians, postulants, and novices.

That support is channeled through the Knights’ Refund Support Vocations Program, which was launched in 1981 as vocations in North America began to decline.

Through RSVP, every $500 a local council provides to a seminarian or religious-life aspirant is incentivized by a refund of $100

Promoting religious life Dominican Sisters Maria Benedicta Mantia, John Peter Clarke, and John Catherine Kennedy are joyful at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville on July 24, 2018, as 10 members of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation made their final profession of vows. Sister John Catherine taught at Knoxville Catholic High School.

from the Knights’ Supreme Council, up to $400 for $2,000 donated. In addition, the local council must offer non-financial sup-

The Handmaids of the Precious Blood this year celebrate the 77th year since their founding in 1947; more than three-quarters of a century of prayer and sacrifice for priests. To 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.

A

November prayer intention for anyone who has lost a child

“We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.”

Pope Francis

port through letters, personal visits to the seminary or religious residence, or invitations to attend council events.

The program works to form “strong and long-lasting bonds” to those seeking to dedicate their lives to the Church, according to the Knights.

Donations to RSVP hit an alltime high last year, with more than 2,700 local councils contributing $4.1 million, the Knights reported.

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly noted that the Knights’ own founder, Blessed Michael McGivney, “almost had to leave seminary after his father’s death because of the financial strain facing his family.”

The son of Irish immigrants, Father McGivney, who was born in 1852 in Waterbury, Conn., first had to leave school at the age of 13 to supplement his family’s meager income by working in a brass factory. He eventually completed his education and enrolled in seminary classes at St. Mary’s College in Montreal, but his for-

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

The Diocese of Knoxville has implemented the CMG Connect platform to administer the Safe Environment Program, which replaces the former Safe Environment 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 pro-active 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.

Each part of the video is immediately followed by a brief questionnaire to further develop understanding.

Education is a key

element of the Safe Environment Program

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 criminal-background check before they can begin employment, volunteer, or participate with ministries, groups, and organizations affiliated with the Diocese of Knoxville.

In addition, the 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 of Knoxville.

The CMG Connect

platform contains all three elements of the 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 ■

Sr. Regina

of the Precious Blood

EAdvent beginnings

A new Pentecost Springtime awaits as we emerge from the dark days of winter

very Advent is the dawn of a new liturgical year. As the days grow shorter, Christians have for centuries lit candles in preparation for the coming feast of Christmas. The Advent wreath itself has German roots and was made with evergreen branches. As northern Europeans experienced the darkening days of winter (very short, indeed, in my memories of Belgium!), evergreens were a tangible reminder that spring would return after the cold of winter.

It is of course Jesus Christ Himself who is the true Light of the World, the dayspring that brings new life. Recently I met with the priests of our diocese to lay out a vision for the future. My prayer for all of us is focused on a new Springtime of Pentecost for our whole diocese. The first great moment of Pentecost happens on Easter Sunday evening (John 20), when the Risen Lord appears to the disciples who are behind locked doors—closed for fear and perhaps shame and guilt. They witnessed the traumatic events of the crucifixion. We, too, at times live behind closed doors of fear and shame because of the wounding events in our lives. None of this prevents the appearance of the Risen Lord. Peace be with you! (He speaks it twice.) Joy replaces fear. No guilt or shame, but healing, as Jesus reveals His own wounds to the Apostles in that upper room. He breathes the Holy Spirit into them and sends them as the Father sent Him. This is the origin of Pentecost.

My prayer is that each of us will

continue to encounter in a very personal way the Risen Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh for us. That our wounds may be healed by His wounds, that we, too, may know a peace that surpasses all understanding and know we are sent by Him into the world.

The second great moment of Pentecost, 50 days later, is recounted by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles. The gift of the Holy Spirit fills the whole room like a mighty, powerful wind, and tongues of fire descend on all gathered. Wind and fire are transformative in their power, and the Apostles begin to speak a new language understood by all! It is the

language of God, the language of love, that heals the divisions in humanity, the undoing of that moment of Babel (Genesis 11), when humans became divided against each other and were scattered across the earth.

Pope St. Paul VI spoke of building a “civilization of love,” and Pope St. John Paul II referred to it many times. In 1982 in Rimini, Pope John Paul II proclaimed: “Behold, dear friends, the charge I entrust to you today: be disciples and witnesses of the Gospel, so the Gospel may be the good seed of God’s Kingdom, the civilization of love.”

That is Pentecost in a nutshell.

All of us must contribute, each

in our own way, to the new building of a communion of love in our own time and place. We must build together, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, the civilization of love here and now.

The priorities I see in the coming years to enable us to fulfill this mission will be:

n A focus on priests and vocations to the priesthood, since an encounter with the Risen Lord is intimately connected to the sacramental mysteries, and all other Christian vocations (diaconate, religious life, marriage, and committed Christian single life).

n A special emphasis on youth and young adults, as we must entrust the light of Christ faithfully to the next generation.

n An outreach beyond ourselves in witness and charity. As Pope Francis often reminds us, the Church must always be on mission, going outside of itself. Our ecumenical and interfaith efforts, our service and charity (think of Catholic Charities and our mobile medical clinic), and all that we do as attractive witnesses to draw others to Christ, are part of our own vocation given by the Holy Spirit of Pentecost.

As we light our Advent candles and prepare to celebrate the great feast of Christmas, let us indeed pray for a new Pentecost in our diocese, that each of us may encounter the Risen Lord more deeply in peace and healing, and be sent by Him to build together a profound communion of love, indeed, a civilization of love. ■

From inferno to an epiphany

A story of Notre Dame Cathedral’s prayed-for resurrection after 2019 fire

By Caroline de Sury OSV News

In 2017, The New York Times

reported that Notre Dame Cathedral was in dire need of a makeover. Weather and time had taken a toll on the edifice. Broken gargoyles were replaced by plastic, and limestone crumbled at the touch, with a renovation expected to exceed $180 million.

The interest in saving it from misery, however, was minimal. Little did anyone know that two years later, the icon of Paris would be burning, with shocked Parisians flocking to the streets on April 15, 2019, praying for their heroic firefighters one of the best fire brigades in the world trying to save the soul of the city. Millions of people all over the world were glued to their television screens, many in tears.

Within hours after the fire was contained, donors pledged almost $1 billion to restore the Parisian icon to its former glory. But it has been a long and busy five years and a budget of $760 million that has led to the restoration of the beloved cathedral and its planned Dec. 8 reopening.

It was a Monday, 6:30 p.m. local Paris time, when stunned passersby looked on from Parisian bridges as the fire engulfed the spire and most of Notre Dame’s roof.

It was no ordinary Monday, however. It was Holy Week.

“Catholics should be commemorating Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection in its pews at Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday services. Instead, a massive inferno is threatening to destroy the culturally and religiously significant icon for good,” USA Today wrote as Catholics and non-Catholics around the world held their breath.

The cathedral burned until the next morning, Tuesday, April 16. Europeans woke up to a painful hole in place of the cathedral’s spire and images of its devastated

interior, with one heartbreaking picture going viral: ashes still smoking as sunbeams shone through the collapsed roof, spotlighting the rubble that used to be the main altar.

Paris’ fire brigade got the blaze under control, and the main structure including the bell towers and rose windows was saved. No one was injured, and the Catholic relics housed in the cathedral and price-

less works of art were rescued.

Father Jean-Marc Fournier was a close witness to the moment the fire began to attack the north tower.

As chaplain to the Paris fire department, he was on the scene, wearing his firefighting uniform and taking part in the massive operation with the 600 firefighters mobilized. With the help of a team of colleagues, he had taken Jesus’ crown of thorns to safety a relic particu-

larly dear to his heart, and one of Notre Dame’s most valuable treasures. As a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, he felt an urgency to ensure its protection.

“After the crown of thorns, I helped save a number of works of art, paintings … and altar furnishings, and then I became concerned with the Blessed Sacrament,” Father Fournier told OSV News.

“There was the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle of the high altar, but it was absolutely impossible to reach it. There were blazing infernos on the floor in front, with tangles of beams burning, showers of flames and molten lead falling from the roof. It was a furnace,” he recalled.

“Surprisingly, the statue of the Virgin Mary of the Pillar was immaculate, unharmed in this glowing atmosphere,” Father Fournier pointed out.

There was a second reserve of consecrated hosts at the altar of St. George, one of the chapels around the choir, Father Fournier recounted. “There, on the contrary, was a great silence, a great tranquility, and an astonishing freshness. We found the keys, and I retrieved the Blessed Sacrament.”

“I then thought of blessing the cathedral with the Eucharist,” he added.

“It was an act of faith. I asked Jesus, whom I believe to be truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, to fight the flames and preserve this building, which is like a jewel box dedicated to His Mother,” he said.

The 40-foot metal cross, designed in the 19th century along with its spire by the architect restoring Notre Dame at the time, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, is the only element of the choir roof to have survived the 2019 fire. It had fallen to the ground when the roof frame collapsed but was not badly damaged.

Agnès Poirier, the Parisian author of Notre Dame: The Soul of France

OSV News that

, told

“to

OSV NEWS PHOTO/TOM MCCARTHY JR., CATHOLIC REVIEW

Looking forward to a Pentecost Springtime A family lights an Advent wreath in their home in this photo illustration. As Advent signals the birth of Jesus Christ and lights the dark days of winter, a Pentecost Springtime awaits as the Church in the Diocese of Knoxville prepares for the Risen Lord.

OSV NEWS PHOTO/SARAH MEYSSONNIER, REUTERS

Rising from the ashes Cranes are seen around Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Nov. 7. The cathedral was ravaged by a 2019 fire, and restoration work continues before its reopening. The iconic cathedral is scheduled to reopen on Dec. 8, to be followed by six months of celebrations, Masses, pilgrimages, prayers, and exhibitions.

OSV NEWS PHOTO/CHARLES PLATIAU, REUTERS

Tourist destination Tourists file by Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in this file photo, taking time to look and shoot photos and video.

Notre Dame continued on

Getting to know you

nearly half of parishes and all 10 Catholic schools

By Bill Brewer, Dan McWilliams, and Gabrielle Nolan

The Cumberland County churches of St. Alphonsus and St. Francis of Assisi as well as St. Henry in Rogersville, St. Thomas the Apostle in Lenoir City, and the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga welcomed Bishop Mark Beckman in recent days as the shepherd of the Diocese of Knoxville continues his inaugural visits to East Tennessee parishes.

In addition, Bishop Beckman celebrated Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend on Oct. 6, where he installed Father Antonio Giraldo as pastor.

Since his July 26 ordination and installation as the diocese’s fourth shepherd, Bishop Beckman has been celebrating Masses at churches and schools as he continues his “looking, listening, and learning” tour of the diocese.

As of Nov. 15, the bishop has been to nearly half of the churches in the Diocese of Knoxville and all 10 diocesan schools.

The windows of St. Alphonsus St. Alphonsus parishioners and pastor Father Mark Schuster greeted the bishop warmly on Sept. 12, the one-year anniversary of the dedication of the new St. Alphonsus Church building.

They also were eager to show Bishop Beckman the new stainedglass windows that have been installed in the church since last year.

“It is so good to be with you here at St. Alphonsus one year after the dedication of this church. Glory to God. Those of you who are here are part of the living stones, which form the foundation of this beautiful church. We

Living stones Above: Bishop Mark Beckman delivers the homily during Mass on Sept. 12 at St. Alphonsus Church in Crossville. Seated to the left are Father Mark Schuster, pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish, Deacon Hicks Armor, and Deacon Peter Minneci. Below: Father David Carter, rector of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, delivers remarks at the conclusion of a Sept. 29 Mass celebrated by Bishop Mark Beckman, seated center. Deacon Hicks Armor is seated to the left, and Deacon Joe Roy is seated to the right.

are blessed to be able to bless the beautiful stained-glass windows that depict the Way of the Cross of the Lord Jesus and lead us to our Lord,” Bishop Beckman said. Bishop Beckman, in his homily, highlighted the Sept. 12 words

from St. Luke’s Gospel. “I have always thought the words of Jesus in the Gospel today were the most challenging words: love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for your persecutors. If someone strikes

you on one cheek, then offer the other. That kind of love is hard to do,” he said. He then shared that he remembers vividly the day when Luke 6:27-38 became so clear to him.

“It was two days after Sept. 11, 2001, when this Gospel appeared. The fi rst reading that year had the same thing. I remember looking at the fi rst reading and thinking, ‘I’m not going to preach that this year.’ And when I saw that Gospel, I realized the Lord was speaking directly to me. I realized that was the beginning of a call to a conversion to a deeper kind of love,” the bishop said.

Bishop Beckman said he recently read a beautiful refl ection about that very Gospel. The refl ection’s author pointed out that the love Jesus speaks about in the Gospel “is the very love He embodied as He went to the cross.”

“When His cheek was struck, He turned the other cheek. His cloak was taken from Him, and He did not hold on to it. To those who took from Him, He gave freely. He prayed for His persecutors, those who crucifi ed Him. He loved His enemies,” Bishop Beckman said. “He embodied the fullness of God’s love and showed us the way. In the psalm today, ‘Lord, guide us along the everlasting way.’ The way is the way of Christ.”

He pointed out that the 23 new stained-glass windows beautifully show the Way of the Cross for Jesus. And he noted that all were healed fully by the love of God for everyone, an unconditional love.

“We are called to mirror that love. We are blessed here at St. Alphonsus to be surrounded by the great journey of love that Jesus walked. And we know that as soon as He gave himself to the Masses continued on page A14

Erase that to-do list and embrace

living on top of scenic Signal Mountain.

Tired of daily chores and considering a maintenance-free lifestyle? Then look no further than Ascension Living Alexian Village Tennessee. Rooted in the loving ministry of Jesus as healer, we are dedicated to helping provide compassionate care and personalized experiences that empower older adults to age successfully — in mind, body and spirit.

Picture living your retirement without the worry of home or yard maintenance; allowing you the ability to travel or visit your loved ones, all at your own pace. We offer a variety of living options, amenities, activities and more. Also, take comfort in knowing that you will not have to make another move, even if your health situation changes.

She prayed for vocations; God called her son

East Tennessee mother helped found a parish and raised a future priest

Catholic Extension Society

Afew days after Lucia Herman had her first child, Danny, she and her husband brought their infant son to Mass. Like Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, Mrs. Herman was so grateful to God for the gift of this new life.

“I presented him to God. I remember saying, ‘Here is your child. Thank you. Help me become the mother that you want me to be so he can be the person that you have created him to be,’” Mrs. Herman said.

Thirty years later, Mrs. Herman was in Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus alongside her husband, Deacon Joe Herman. This time, their son was at the altar, being ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Knoxville.

Foundation of faith

Mrs. Herman played no small role in her son’s journey to the priesthood.

She raised him and her two other children in the faith despite many challenges. Mrs. Herman had grown up in southern Arizona, an area where many more people shared her faith. When the family moved to Mountain City in northeast Tennessee, she found herself living in a place in which Catholics were an extremely small minority. There was no Catholic church in their town. They had to drive to North Carolina just to attend Mass.

“People used to say that we were not Christian because we were Catholic,” she said.

Father Tom Vos, OFM, a priest who was trying to build a church in Mountain City, noticed Mrs. Herman’s commitment to the faith.

“I remember Father Tom coming to our front door saying, ‘OK, Lucia. It’s up to you,’” she recalled.

The priest told her that if she wanted her kids to learn about the Catholic faith, she would have to start teaching them.

She and a few other parents started teaching religious-education classes from home to prepare their children to receive the sacraments. She joined other families in the effort to raise funds to build a church. They began by converting a storefront into a chapel. Father Danny Herman said one of his first memories as a child was hanging a crucifix up on a pegboard in this temporary space.

As part of the fundraising effort, Mrs. Herman wrote letters to every Catholic parish in the country that had the same name as their future church: St. Anthony of Padua.

“We had yard sales, we had bake sales, we had all sorts of things to raise money to build this church,” she said.

In 2001, with support from Catholic Extension Society, they finally completed their new church.

Vocations continued from page A2

mation was imperiled when his father died in 1873.

“Thankfully, the bishop of Hartford stepped in and provided the necessary scholarship that allowed Father McGivney to continue his studies at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore,” Mr. Kelly said. “Were it not for that crucial financial support, the Knights of Columbus would not exist.”

With seminary formation averaging as much as $55,000 annually in some parts of the nation, and with many seminarians and religious-life aspirants pursuing their vocations after incurring student-loan debt for undergraduate degrees, initiatives such as RSVP have become increasingly vital.

Mr. Kelly noted that “RSVP and our other vocation scholarships are really our way of paying that forward and supporting the next generation of priests and religious.”

As the U.S. Catholic Church

Answered prayers

As Mrs. Herman raised her three children, she always made sure that prayer was part of their lives.

“Prayer is a lot more than just words,” she said. “It’s an ongoing conversation with God.”

Prayer is what led Father Herman away from a military career and into the seminary.

Father Herman initially wanted to go into the medical field. He was studying pre-med in college when he met a recruiter and decided to become a naval aviator instead. He trained in the Navy’s flight school for three years.

He began to realize that he was searching for joy and satisfaction in acquiring things and obtaining notoriety.

“I gained more satisfaction from

people’s opinion of me rather than what I was actually doing,” he said. He realized that he was unhappy.

He was a few months away from “getting his wings” and committing the next eight years of his life to being a naval aviator when he realized that. Although he was successful in his training, he knew that there was something more he was supposed to do.

“I heard a voice in my heart just saying, ‘You’re not meant for this. I made you for something else.’ And I knew it was God through a life of prayer with family, and I knew that this was a discerning moment,” Father Herman said.

His commanding officer, a man of faith, was supportive of his decision.

“He recognized that I wasn’t running away from anything,” Father

"I have never gone once without knowing that my mother loved me. She was always there. I wasn't always appreciative of the sacrifices she made for me."

Father Danny Herman Associate pastor Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

commemorated National Vocation Awareness Week, the faithful are being encouraged to “pray with gratitude” for those who respond to their vocation.

Each year, dioceses, parishes, and schools take the opportunity to raise awareness for vocations, particularly for those who are discerning a vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life.

“We pray with gratitude for those who seek and respond in their daily lives to their vocation, whether that be as husbands, wives, parents, priests and other ordained ministers, and consecrated persons,” Bishop Earl A. Boyea of the Diocese of Lansing, Mich., said in a message issued on Oct. 29.

Bishop Boyea, who serves as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations, took special note of the historic National Eucharistic Congress in July, tying it to the annual

Herman said. “He told me, ‘I think you’re running towards something.’ And he allowed me to work with the chaplains for my last six months in military service.”

Father Herman values the risk management skills that he developed during his time in the military, and he has a special appreciation for military members and their families.

Then, Father Herman told his mother about his big life change.

“When he told me he had the calling, I was not surprised,” Mrs. Herman said. At the time, she had been attending Holy Hour and praying before the Blessed Sacrament. She was praying for a priest who could shepherd the growing faith community in northeast Tennessee—someone who understood the people and cared for them.

She also was praying for her eldest son because she knew he was struggling to find his true purpose in life.

“And God has a sense of humor. Danny comes up and says that he has a calling to become a priest,” she recalled.

Mrs. Herman said she understood God’s message to her: “Well, there you are, Lucia. You wanted a priest. I’m asking for your son.”

Father Herman is now serving as associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville.

He said that during his time in seminary, he developed a greater appreciation for his mother.

“I have never gone once without knowing that my mother loved me,” he said. “She was always there. I wasn’t always appreciative of the sacrifices she made for me.”

Mrs. Herman has a special devotion to Our Lady.

“I know that with her help I have been able to raise my kids and be a good wife with her example,” she said.

“I see the greatness of God in my children,” she added. “When they were conceived, when they were in my womb; what a beautiful thing. … My children are my happiness; they are God’s graces. What better way than to return my eldest to Him?”

Catholic Extension Society proudly supported Father Herman’s seminarian education as well as the construction of the church that his mother helped found when he was a child.

“There’s a Catholic church in Mountain City, Tenn., now because of Catholic Extension. Without that, then I don’t know if I’d be Catholic,” Father Herman said. “I ask donors to heavily consider continuing their support to allow money to not be the dictating force in where our Lord chooses his future priests.”

To donate to Catholic Extension Society or to learn more about the lay organization, visit www. catholicextension.org ■

vocations commemoration. The Eucharistic Congress was the centerpiece of a three-year National Eucharistic Revival initiated by the bishops in 2021.

“Joy and enthusiasm were palpable as thousands of seminarians, religious, deacons, priests, bishops, and cardinals processed witnessing to the world that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, affirming their own vocations. There were people in tears who embraced each other as they experienced this historic moment in the life of our Church in the United States,” he said.

“We hope and pray the Eucharistic Revival and also this summer’s National Eucharistic Congress yield a generous harvest of vocations,” he added, reflecting on the eucharistic procession held during the congress that saw over 50,000 people gather in Indianapolis.

Beginning in 1976, the U.S. bishops designated the 28th Sunday

of the liturgical year as an opportunity for the Catholic Church in the United States to renew its prayerful support for those discerning an ecclesial vocation. In 2014, the commemoration of National Vocation Awareness Week in the United States was moved to the first week of November to better engage Catholic educational institutions in the efforts to raise awareness for vocations.

“During National Vocation Awareness Week,” Bishop Boyea said, “we celebrate in a special way the men and women who offer their lives to God through a life of service to the Church, ‘sowing seeds of hope and revealing to all the beauty of God's kingdom,’” as Pope Francis said in his message for World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which was delivered on April 21.

Resources on vocations are available in English and Spanish on the USCCB’s website, www. usccb.org ■

Answering God's call Father Danny Herman embraces his mother, Lucia Herman, at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Mountain City as he presents her with his maniturgium during the first Mass he celebrated following his June 8 ordination. Standing to the right is Deacon Joe Herman, Father Herman's dad.

DAN MCWILLIAMS (2)

A blessed mother Father Danny Herman gives Communion to his mother, Lucia Herman, at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Mountain City during the first Mass he celebrated following his June 8 ordination. Standing to the right is Father Jesús Guerrero, St. Anthony of Padua Parish parochial administrator.

SVDP conferences in the diocese gather for spiritual renewal festival Celebrating St. Vincent de Paul

The East Tennessee Catholic

The feast of St. Vincent de Paul was commemorated on Sept. 28 when Society of St. Vincent de Paul conferences from around the Diocese of Knoxville gathered for a festival at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut.

Jim Moretti, president of the diocesan Society of St. Vincent de Paul Council, invited Father David Mary Engo, OFM, and Father Doug Owens to speak at the council festival, which was held the day after St. Vincent de Paul’s feast day.

The council festival is an opportunity to bring together for spiritual renewal and friendship the nine St. Vincent de Paul conferences that serve in the Diocese of Knoxville, according to Ray Chan, president of the St. Vincent de Paul Conference at St. John Neumann Parish.

Father Engo serves as parochial administrator of Holy Cross Parish in Pigeon Forge, and Father Doug Owens serves as pastor of All Saints Parish in Knoxville and has served as a vicar general for the Diocese of Knoxville.

“Both of their talks were excellent and well-received by the 100 or so Vincentians in attendance,” Mr. Chan said.

The 2024 festival was special because it marked the 10th anniversary of the diocesan council and also it marked the feast of the patron saint of the society.

The St. Vincent de Paul Council and its individual conferences are volunteer lay organizations typically associated with parish churches. Each year, a conference is invited to host the annual festival and make available its church and facilities.

“This year it was St. John Neumann’s turn,” Mr. Chan said, “Why are we here? It boils down to trying to follow God’s commandments.”

Mr. Chan offered 15 commandments given to the faithful by God, starting with the primary 10 and ending with Matthew 25, where the Son of God separates the sheep to His right and the goats to His left.

“To the sheep, He says, ‘Blessed are you, for when I was thirsty you gave Me something to drink, and when I was sick you cared for Me. The sheep then asked, ‘When did we give you something to drink, and when did we care for you when you were sick?’ Jesus replied, ‘Whatever you did for the least of these you did it for me,’” Mr. Chan said.

When Mr. Chan first took part in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, he remembered the words of Bill

Paying tribute Above: Anita Gouge, center, is surrounded by members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at St.

The St. Vincent de Paul Council and its individual conferences are volunteer lay organizations typically associated with parish churches. Each year, a conference is invited to host the annual festival and make available its church and facilities.

Migley, who served as national senior vice president of the southeast region for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

“Bill said the primary purpose of the society was holiness, not charity. Following God’s commandment isn’t always easy, but working alongside like-minded friends in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul makes it easier,” Mr. Chan said.

“Starting off the festival at St. John Neumann, Father Engo celebrated Mass to commemorate the feast of St. Vincent de Paul. Blessed Frederic Ozanam founded the society in 1833. He named the society after St. Vincent de Paul and placed it under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Interestingly, the first meeting for the St. Vincent de Paul conference at St.

John Neumann was on the feast of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8, 2007,” Mr Chan said. “Fittingly, the first hymn sung at this festival Mass was ‘Hail Holy Queen.’”

Deacon Shawn Ballard, who serves at St. John Neumann and is spiritual director for the parish’s SVDP conference, assisted along with altar servers from the Tiny Saints, a youth group from St. John Neumann Parish.

Mr. Chan explained that Father Engo, the Franciscan priest from Holy Family Parish in Pigeon Forge, spoke of the similarity between the Franciscans and Vincentians in that both organizations serve the poor.

“The difference, however, is the Franciscans dress like the poor, wearing the familiar brown habit made of wool, no shoes, and pos-

sessing nothing that would be described in today’s terms as flashy or sharp,” Mr. Chan pointed out. “He shared his prior experience in working with the homeless, gangs, and the poor in the Philadelphia and New York areas. He also described the times he met Mother Teresa. He remarked that while Mother Teresa’s face was lined with wrinkles and her toes were crooked, when you looked into her eyes, you saw the most beautiful person.

“Father Engo was privileged to have spent time in adoration with Mother Teresa. He shared a valuable lesson that he learned from the sainted nun. When a Sister from her Missionaries of Charity expressed uncertainty and frustration in wondering if what she was doing was really helping, Mother Teresa told her to always remember these five words. Uttering each word, she put her fingers together, “YOU—DID—IT— TO—ME,” forming a beak with her fingers. Then with her fingers, she sharply poked the Sister’s head, and said, ‘This is not our concern!’ After all, isn’t Mother Teresa also known to have said, ‘God does not require us to be successful, only faithful.’”

Father Owens, reminiscing to 2015 when he became the pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle in Lenoir City, shared his experience in starting a new Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference there. Bishop Richard F. Stika encouraged the move, and calls for assistance would come into Father Owens’ office.

“Today, St. Thomas has a vibrant St. Vincent de Paul conference that is generously supported by the parish,” said Father Owens, who also oversees a vibrant SVDP conference at All Saints.

Observing the meeting room where the festival was held, Father Owens remarked that while the festival was well attended, the number of people present was only a small percentage of the population within the diocese.

Father Owens recognized the work done by St. Vincent de Paul conferences, such as making home visits as part of the one-neighborat-a-time project.

“Father Owens expressed gratitude for those who participate in the home-visit ministry. In providing relief to our neighbors, he reminded all that the society should try to abide by the Catholic principle of subsidiarity, that is, SVDP should help those who need help but guide and encourage our neighbors-in-need to become more self-sufficient,” Mr. Chan said.

John Neumann Parish in Farragut on Sept. 28. The SVDP members were recognizing Deacon Mike Gouge, who was instrumental in starting the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the Diocese of Knoxville. Deacon Gouge died on July 11. Below: Those attending the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Council festival gather for a group photo before Mass at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut on Sept. 28.

COURTESY OF RAY CHAN (2)

Economic concerns likely a factor in Trump victory as Catholic vote shifts Decision 2024

By Kate Scanlon OSV News

Economic concerns among voters likely played a key role in former President Donald Trump’s defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris, analysts have told OSV News.

Early exit polls indicated economic concerns ranked among the top issues for voters, and that Catholic voters may have undergone a significant shift to the right since 2020.

President Trump, a Republican, was elected to a second term in the Oval Office on Nov. 5, four years after he lost his run for a second consecutive term.

Representatives for the Harris and Trump campaigns said Vice President Harris called the president-elect on Nov. 6 to concede and to congratulate him.

A spokesperson for the Harris campaign said the pair “discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans.” A spokesperson for President Trump said he “acknowledged Vice President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country.”

In a concession speech on Nov. 6 at Howard University in Washington, D.C., Vice President Harris said, “A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results. That principle, as much as any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny, and anyone who seeks the public trust must honor it.”

“I am here to say, while I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign the fight: the fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and the dignity of all people, a fight for the ideals

at the heart of our nation, the ideals that reflect America at our best,” Vice President Harris said. “That is a fight I will never give up.”

John White, a professor of politics at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., said the election result “validates James Carville’s famous maxim, ‘It’s the economy, stupid!’”

“While democracy was named in the exit polls as the most important issue for voters, the economy ranked a close second,” Mr. White said.

“Inflation is a job-killer, and it killed Kamala Harris’ job prospects.”

President Trump’s victory, according to Mr. White, defied some conventional election metrics.

“The striking thing to me is how the results contradicted the signs that Harris was on track to win,” Mr. White said. “Namely, the money she raised; the crowd sizes; the things that Donald Trump said and did; his abject character; and the modest leads that she had in the polls. Once

Beyond election day

Faithful citizenship happens brick by brick at the local level, says Catholic policy expert

By Gina Christian OSV News

Ahead of the general election, OSV News spoke with Jason Adkins, executive director and general counsel of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, on the importance of local as well as presidential elections.

OSV News: Why is it important for faithful to engage in the local, as well as the presidential, election process?

Jason Adkins: In any election like ours, we have a lot of different issues. There are ballot questions. There are state elections for state races, the state house, or state senate. And some of the big questions are decided at that state level.

Yet many people don’t know who their state legislator or state senator is. And so it’s very important that people get to know their legislators, and get to know who they are, and be in relationship with them.

The first step in that process is to identify the candidates and make an informed choice about those local races, because not every fundamental question in American political life is decided by the president of the United States.

So, we need to retrain ourselves to understand how lawmaking works, the importance of overlapping jurisdictions in a federal system, and recognize that those state officials especially make important decisions. Officials at the local level, cities, counties, school boards also make important decisions that affect the quality of life of the people they serve.

We need to be informed about who those people are and make good choices and not ignore those races simply because we don’t like

who’s running at the top of the ticket.

OSV: What are some practical things people can do to stay more informed of and engaged locally—not just during elections, but throughout the whole process of governance?

Adkins: I would recommend, first of all, that if your state Catholic conference has an advocacy network, sign up for that. That breaks down the barriers to participation. It helps people know what to say, when to say, how to say it, and join their voice with the voice of their bishop on important matters of public policy concern.

I also recommend that they sign up for the e-mails that their state legislators send out. Most state legislators send out e-mails probably on a biweekly or a monthly basis to let them know what’s going on at the state house, and what issues are on their radar and how they’re responding to those issues.

And certainly, that’s the case for local officials, too. City council members will also have similar systems, as will county commissioners. The easiest way to stay informed is to sign up for their information.

Most elected officials have social media pages. That’s a great way to stay informed about what your elected officials are doing and saying. People are surprised that you can actually get in touch with your elected officials. And more often than not, they want to meet with you and hear what their constituents are thinking about things.

Voting is just one day of the year. The meat of faithful citizenship really happens on the other 364 days of the year. We don’t simply wash our hands of the process after we cast a ballot.

again, Trump over-performed in every way possible.”

Data suggests that Catholic voters swung back to support President Trump after narrowly supporting President Joe Biden, the nation's second Catholic president, in 2020. An early exit poll by NBC accessed on Nov. 6 indicated Catholics supported Trump over Harris 58 percent to 40 percent.

“His overwhelming lead in the Catholic vote cannot be overlooked,” Mr. White said. “While his performance with white Catholics was not surprising, his performance with Hispanics was the best since George W. Bush in 2004. The Hispanic vote is no longer guaranteed for Democrats, and the party has a lot of work to do with this group and others.”

Margaret Susan Thompson, an associate professor of history at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs, who has studied the intersection of religion and politics in the United

States, stressed that early exit-poll data is preliminary and subject to change, but several such polls indicate Catholic voters did break for President Trump although the exact margin, and their motivation, requires further study.

“Is the relationship between being a Catholic and voting for a particular candidate a causal one?” she asked of what will be examined as the data becomes clear. “That is, I am voting for this candidate because of my Catholic beliefs, my faith has shaped my vote, or I happen to be Catholic, and I happen to vote for this candidate, but there’s no direct relationship between the two?”

Ethnicity and age are examples of two other demographics that could intersect with Catholic voters’ choices, Ms. Thompson said.

“Catholics, to some extent, may have broken more for Trump than the general public, this time, depending upon which exit poll you look at, but they’re still as divided as the American public,” she said of early data, adding that their voting behavior might not ultimately be “all that different from the public at large.”

Early data indicates President Trump might be on track to win the popular vote for the first time in his three presidential bids. Although President Trump was elected in 2016 after securing the requisite number of votes in the Electoral College, his rival that year, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, received more votes from the general electorate. President Trump lost both the popular and Electoral College votes to President Biden in 2020.

Economic concerns weren’t the only hurdle for Vice President Harris, another analyst suggested. There also is her role in the administration of President Biden, who has had low approval ratings.

Civil leaders U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump greet each other before taking part in the presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Sept. 10. President-elect Trump was declared the winner of the hotly contested presidential election on Nov. 6.

OSV NEWS

PHOTO/BRIAN SNYDER, REUTERS

‘ She protected that life ’

TRL

keynote speaker gives thanks to mother for saving her from abortion

By Dan McWilliams

Kathy Barnette, keynote speaker for the Celebrate Life Banquet sponsored by the Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life, frequently said her remarks were addressed to “the adults in the room,” comparing them to the adults in her mother’s life who fought to save her from abortion after she was conceived as a result of rape.

The annual banquet was held Oct. 15 at Bridgewater Place in Knoxville and was attended by 400 supporters of the sanctity of life. The event had a strong Catholic presence, with Bishop Mark Beckman giving the invocation; two parishioners of Holy Ghost in Knoxville, TRL state president Stacy Dunn, who offered remarks, and Knox County chapter executive director Angel Brewer, who emceed; Will Brewer, a parishioner of St. John Neumann in Farragut, the state TRL’s legal counsel and legislative liaison, who provided a legislative update; and the Diocese of Knoxville, area parishes, and several East Tennessee Catholics serving as sponsors.

Also taking the microphone were Carol Zimmerman, who has served as president of the board of the Knox County TRL chapter; the TRL youth oratory contest winner, Ilse Dale, who was recognized alongside the organization’s youth art contest winner, Olivia Turner; national anthem singer Tomi Robb; and pastor Clayton Wood of Lonsdale Community Church, who led the closing prayer.

Mrs. Zimmerman welcomed the large gathering at the banquet after dinner and drew applause with her first remark about the state being a leader in the pro-life cause.

A celebration of life Above:

speaker Kathy Barnette shares her story of how she was conceived in rape and her mother and grandparents were determined to choose life rather than abortion.

life created in Your image and likeness, from the moment of conception until natural death. May we build a world, Lord, of greater respect for human life, for the dignity of every human person. Inspire us, Lord, with actions of compassion and justice and deep abiding care and love. All of this we ask in the name of Jesus, the Lord. Amen.”

Mr. Brewer introduced a number of legislators attending the banquet, including Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, state Reps. Jason Zachary and Michele Carringer, former state Rep. Pete Drew, former state Rep. and interim speaker of the House Bill Dunn, former state Rep. Jimmy Matlock, Town of Farragut Mayor Ron Williams, and state Rep. Elaine Davis.

Mrs. Brewer recognized clergy as well as the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation who were attending.

“We rejoice with you that Tennessee is now a safe place for the unborn,” she said. “All praise to God that more babies are alive, and mothers are safe from the pain and the devastation of abortion.”

‘

Mrs. Brewer presented Bishop Beckman with a gift of an angel made out of wood by TRL supporter Jim Flood, who is a member of All Saints Parish.

Giving thanks for life

In his invocation, the bishop

Catholic ’ newspapers are appearing in more states as bishops deny Church support of them

By Jonah McKeown Catholic News Agency

In recent days, residents of at least five U.S. states have received newspapers in the mail bearing variations of the name “Catholic Tribune” and featuring mostly pro-Republican articles along with quotes from U.S. bishops, among other Catholic-oriented content.

“[Democratic Sen. Mark] Kelly Co-Sponsored Bill Bishops Call ‘Most Unjust and Extreme…Ever Seen’” reads one recent headline from the Arizona Catholic Tribune Their names and Catholic-focused content suggest the papers are locally published—and possibly affiliated with the Catholic Church. But that's not the case.

Bishops in the states where the newspapers have appeared have stressed that the papers are not affiliated with the Church, and have reiterated that Catholics should vote based on their own well-formed consciences, and not necessarily for or against any particular person or political party. In addition to Arizona and Michigan, the papers have also shown up recently in mailboxes in Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Nevada.

A similar newspaper was mailed to residents of Wisconsin in 2020 just two weeks before the presidential election. Catholic Tribune sites for Minnesota and Florida both exist online, too, although it’s not yet clear if physical newspapers have been mailed in those states. Dioceses in several states

say they have received questions from Catholics about the papers.

The Diocese of Phoenix said in a Nov. 1 statement that it is “in no way affiliated with or supportive of the Arizona Catholic Tribune publication that many have received in the mail or may have seen online in recent days.”

The statement continued: “Catholic organizations and ministries in the Diocese of Phoenix do not engage in partisan politics and do not endorse candidates or parties during any election. The Diocese of Phoenix does encourage voters to prayerfully inform themselves about the issues on the ballot this November, form their consciences well, and vote accordingly.”

In Michigan, the Diocese of Grand Rapids said it had been notified that the Michigan Catholic Tribune, “a newspaper purporting itself to be Catholic,” is being mailed to parishioners within the diocese and that the paper made use of a quote from Bishop David Walkowiak.

“This publication and its accompanying website are not endorsed by nor are they affiliated with the Diocese of Grand Rapids or the Catholic Church,” a statement from the diocese reads.

The bishops of Iowa addressed the newspapers on their website at the bottom of a page discussing the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ guide on forming consciences for faithful citizenship.

“The Iowa Catholic Conference has received several questions Catholic Tribune continued on page A20

prayed, “O God, who has formed each of us in the womb of our mother and shaped us from the clay of the earth and breathed into our nostrils the breath of life: thank you, Lord, for the gift of our life. We ask Your blessings upon us as we gather tonight, Lord. Help us, Lord, to be diligent and caring for each and every human

“Without the church leaders, we would be nowhere,” she said. “In 2014, when we passed Amendment 1”—an amendment to the Tennessee Constitution that ensures the Constitution will not support, fund, or protect the right to abortion—“even the opposition the next day were chastising each other for losing, and they said we won by going into the churches, into the small counties and the rural areas, so we can’t do any of this without the church because we all know that the center of all of this is God. It’s a spiritual matter, so we thank you all very much.”

Mrs. Brewer introduced Miss Turner, whose winning artwork was on display, and Miss Dale, a 2024 Knoxville Catholic High School graduate who delivered her winning speech. Miss Dale won the local chapter’s oratory

On this pilgrimage to the Shrines of Italy, it encompasses some of the holiest Catholic sites that Italy has to offer! In Rome, step into the four Major Basilicas, see the Square from St. Peter’s Basilica, and attend a Papal Audience with his successor, Pope Francis. In San Giovanni Rotondo, visit sites from the life of St. Padre Pio. Enjoy touring the beautiful hometown of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. Close out your pilgrimage visiting Pompeii and Naples.

Bishop Mark Beckman gives the invocation at Tennessee Right to Life's annual banquet on Oct. 15, which was attended by 400 pro-life supporters. Below: Keynote

TRL continued on page A19

‘ Serve and protect the nation I call home’

Tribunal staff member Jimmy Olson talks faith, family, military service

By Gabrielle Nolan

Sgt. James “Jimmy” Olson is currently on his first overseas deployment with the Tennessee Army National Guard.

The husband and father of four is on leave from his position as moderator of the Tribunal and ecclesiastical notary for the Diocese of Knoxville.

After leaving at the end of September, Sgt. Olson is expected to be overseas in the Middle East for about nine months, with time before and after in Texas for additional training and administrative duties. He is expected to return home in July.

Prior to his deployment, Sgt. Olson spoke with The East Tennessee Catholic about faith, family, and service to the military.

Faith and sacrifice

Sgt. Olson shared that he grew up in the military, noting that when he was 13 years old his father joined the Army. Still active duty, his father is currently stationed in Japan as a chaplain.

Sgt. Olson joined the Army while in college in November 2013.

“Initially, I thought to go active duty once I graduated, but I ended up getting married and started to have kids, and one thing that I wanted to make sure I did was be able to give my kids a home,” he said. “My dad joined the military kind of late, and so I had a home. I grew up until I was 13 here in East Tennessee, and I wanted to be able to give my kids that same kind of groundedness I guess that comes from having a place where you’re from. That’s just not something that happens if you grow up in the military; you’re kind of from everywhere. You don’t really have a place you call home, and I wanted that home for my kids. So, I ended up staying in the National Guard, not going active.”

Every year, Sgt. Olson has train-

ing requirements he has to meet with the Army National Guard. In addition, he attends monthly drills that normally last three to four days. During their monthly drills, the soldiers qualify on the vehicles they operate and the individual weapons that they use.

For Sgt. Olson, what he enjoys most about the military is the camaraderie among the soldiers.

“There’s kind of an underlying

bond that’s forged with other men when you go through adversity together that’s not really able to be replicated anywhere else. That’s probably my favorite thing about it,” he said.

On the other end of the spectrum, the most challenging part about being in the military is time away from family, Sgt. Olson shared.

“It does take me away from my

family quite a bit. I have four kids; we just recently had our fourth about three months ago, and actually I was on a training assignment in Texas the day he was born. I did not get to see him until he was almost a month old. So, it’s that kind of stuff that I think is the most challenging,” he said. “This upcoming deployment, I’m going to leave him, and he’ll be about 4 months old, and by the time I get back he’ll be a year. And all those milestones I’m going to miss, the birthdays I’m going to miss, the mornings where they run into my room and jump in bed with me, that kind of stuff. I think that’s the hardest part about it, is the time away from family.”

A convert to Catholicism, Sgt. Olson came into the Church in 2018 alongside his wife, Naomi. He was Southern Baptist, and she was non-denominational.

Sgt. Olson said the biggest thing that drew him to the Catholic Church was the Eucharist.

“I kind of fell away from my faith for a while, and I started searching to get back into it,” he explained. “I started reading the Bible again, and it was shortly after reading through the Bread of Life discourse in John 6 and seeing the kind of nonchalant way that churches I grew up in and churches I was in then treated Communion, kind of made me sit there and wonder: it seems like it’s supposed to be a bigger deal, who seems to make a big deal out of Communion?”

Sgt. Olson shared he had a “Holy Spirit frying pan moment” then.

“I was like, oh Catholics seem to make a big deal about this, I’ll go check them out. So, I dropped that bombshell on my wife that evening and told her I was going to check out a Catholic church, and the rest is history I guess,” he recalled. Since becoming Catholic, some of Sgt. Olson’s favorite devotions in-

Service continued on page A10

Remembering those who serve

‘ We thank you for and honor your service. We mean it ’

By Father Charlie Donahue, CSP

In 1989, a movie came out, Born on the Fourth of July. It starred Tom Cruise and is the biography of a man named Ronald Kovic. He is an injured and paralyzed veteran of the Vietnam War. Returning home and encountering the Veterans Administration bureaucracy and to people on both sides of the political divide who don’t understand what he went through, Ron Kovic becomes an impassioned critic of the war and advocate for veterans.

The movie is set in the early 1970s in the town of Massapequa, N.Y., my hometown. Many of the memorable characters his high school wrestling coach and others are folks that I remembered. One of the more intense scenes is at Massapequa’s July 4 parade. It was jarring to watch for the first time as I probably marched in that parade as an 8-, 9-, or 10-year-old Boy Scout. It was patriotic, fun, and celebratory for me and my friends. But as the movie recounted, not for everyone.

As we pray with Elijah the prophet, and Zarephath and the poor widow from there in the Gospel, we can pray with all the families and survivor veterans who made it home as well as with the families and friends of those who did not. Given the warlike state of so many ages and cultures, these widows may have been war or battle widows, now invisible in their pa-

triarchal cultures where the husband and fathers controlled so much. Their need is great, and their faith is greater.

We honor your service.

Thank you for your service. Those four or five words are easy to say: We. Honor. Your. Service. Thank. You. For. Your. Service. But the task of actually honoring your service involves so much more than words.

Our gratitude must come at a cost, made tangible in offering our service to the veteran.

I am sure that there was much to enjoy in the services: the work and talent development, the camaraderie and friendships made, and the adventures day in and day out. At the same time, the horror of war leaves scars.

As a police chaplain, I have seen some things that I wish I had not seen, heard what I wish I had not heard. I have been with folks grievously injured, held on to a hand or forehead as best I could, and tried to bless them and their loved ones. I have sat with survivors of others’ cruelty to them with simple water and blankets and listening and time.

Coming off of duty, some folks will ask “how was it?” or “are you

OK?” and I won’t tell them what happened or what it was like. I don’t want to ruin their day or reject their kindness, but there are other chaplains and police folks that can process it all together so we won’t become too burnt out or too haunted by what’s happened. And we then carry each other through that.

We thank you for and honor your service. We mean it.

I am willing to bet, too, that even in peacetime service our veterans and others have seen some things, heard some things, done some things that stay with you. These unforgettable experiences can inform so much of our lives as we recognize life’s true preciousness.

These experiences can be arduous to share, even with our closest loved ones. Folded deep within, like the flags folded into tight triangles that animate so many homes.

Like our widow in the Gospel, we can give sacrificially, we can put in what we have to offer without comparisons, and it is enough.

Veteran or not, your experiences and memories and traumas and burdens and hopes and joys are all welcome here (in the Church).

But wait. No. It is not just welcome. Welcome betokens that there is a list of who is welcome and who is not. Welcome is not the right word. The word we are looking for is belonging.

Your experiences and memories and traumas and burdens and hopes and joys belong here. This is

what we are here for. To honor and thank God for all He had done, for all He has carried us through, to bring our needful hearts and minds and lay them at the feet of Christ in a joyful, grateful sadness.

We honor and thank you!

Since Memorial Day, we have been asking in our bulletins and announcements to let us know if you are a veteran or active duty in any branch of service. We did this so we’d know and perhaps serve you better. There is a lovely group of women who call themselves the “IC Bees” who gather together and make quilts and other crafts. They had the idea of handmaking quilts for each of our veterans, custom for each of them. For months they have worked in preparing these quilts, and we’d like to present one to each of our dear veterans.

Father, bless our veterans and all who serve defending our nation. For those who bravely gave their lives, grant them eternal rest. For those who are serving, give them courage. For those who served, we offer our gratitude. And we bless them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit! We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen. ■

Father Charlie Donahue, CSP, is the pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville. This is the homily he delivered on Sunday, Nov. 10, to mark Veterans Day, which was Nov. 11.

COURTESY OF JIMMY OLSON (3)

Family, faith, and service Top: A 2023 Olson family portrait includes Jimmy and his wife, Naomi, their children, and their dog, Cuthbert. Above left: Jimmy Olson takes part in training exercises in Texas in July 2020. Above right: Mr. Olson, a U.S. Army sergeant, was in Texas for predeployment exercises in June.

Fr. Donahue

Remembering all the saints and all the souls

Masses, rosaries are said as the faithful mark the month of remembrance

By Bill Brewer

Diocese of Knoxville faithful ushered in the month of remembrance and thanksgiving on Nov. 1 as young students at diocesan schools adopted their favorite saints on All Saints’ Day, and churches organized rosaries on All Souls’ Day.

Bishop Mark Beckman celebrated Mass with the students and faculty of St. Joseph School on Nov. 1 and then visited classrooms during his introduction to the North Knoxville campus. St. Joseph marked the last of 10 diocesan schools the bishop has visited since his July 26 ordination and installation.

The day before, on Halloween, Bishop Beckman surprised the students at Sacred Heart Cathedral School by visiting them dressed as Gandalf, a protagonist character from The Lord of the Rings novels written by renowned Catholic author J.R.R. Tolkien.

Halloween costumes are an annual occurrence on the Sacred Heart Cathedral School campus on All Hallows’ Eve. Sacred Heart dads traditionally dress up in Halloween costumes as they greet students in the morning drop-off line outside the school.

Bishop Beckman toured St. Joseph with its principal, Andy Zengel, and Father Chris Michelson, who has served as president of St. Joseph as well as pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish until his retirement from active ministry in July.

While meeting with St. Joseph students in their classrooms, the bishop asked them questions about academics, their favorite saints, and their interests. In turn, they asked him about being a bishop and a priest as well as his favorite hobbies.

The all-school Mass at St. Joseph was concelebrated by Father Michelson, Father Neil Pezzulo, GHM, pastor of St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish in Maynardville and St. John Paul II Catholic Mis -

Saints in waiting Above: Bishop Mark Beckman visits the first-grade class at St. Joseph School on Nov. 1, which was All Saints' Day. Students in the class were dressed as their favorite saints. Pictured with Bishop Beckman is Andy Zengel, principal of St. Joseph School, first-grade teachers Cathy Sompayrac, left, and Jackie Delaney, right. Below: Bishop Beckman engages St. Joseph students in questions and answers during his homily.

sion in Rutledge, and Father Tim Sullivan, CSP, who serves at Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville. Deacon Michael Eiffe, who serves at St. Albert the Great Church in Knoxville, assisted at the Mass.

Bishop Beckman told the students that everyone is called by the grace of God to become saints.

“To be a saint is to be close to the Lord and to become like the Lord. In a sense it is to live the

Beatitudes, which we hear in the Gospel today. So, we pray today that the Lord will give us the grace someday to be with Him forever in heaven,” the bishop said.

In his homily, Bishop Beckman took the opportunity to point out the various saints in attendance, looking toward the younger grades and the saintly costumes they were wearing. He also noted the school’s namesake, who lived such a humble, ordinary life as he

cared for Jesus and Mary.

“This is also a day when we remember not only all of the saints that we celebrate the rest of the year, but we also remember some people in our personal lives who we now believe and trust and hope are with the Lord in heaven. Some of them loved us very well. Often this time of year, when we remember all the saints, I think about some of the people in my own life who have been such good witnesses of God’s love for me,” the bishop said. He noted an older prayer that speaks of saints as living witnesses of God’s unchanging love.

“One of those witnesses for me was my grandmother. She was Italian. She had a way of loving with such a clear heart. I felt uniquely loved by her as if I was the only person in the world when I was with her. When she went to the Lord when I was about 30 years old, of course I prayed for her, but very soon thereafter I really felt like she was with the Lord in heaven. So, sometimes I will ask her to pray for me now with the Lord. I say, ‘Grandma, I believe you are with the Lord. Would you say a prayer so that I can also love like you did and be a living witness of your love?”

Bishop Beckman shared.

“So, some of you all may know people in your life who also have gone to the Lord. You can ask their prayers on your behalf. You can pray for them. So, we’re still connected with them,” he added.

He then pointed out that All Souls’ Day would follow All Saints’ Day and is a day when all the faithful departed are remembered.

The bishop wanted the students to know that becoming loving is the most important step they can take in living out the Beatitudes and understanding what love looks like “all of those beautiful qualities that make us good Christians.”

Bishop Beckman shared with the

Remembrance continued on page A12

Paraclete book, gift store ceases operations

The East Tennessee Catholic

The Paraclete Catholic book and gift store, which operated in Knoxville for 37 years, closed permanently on July 3. The store had used space since 1990 in a building now owned by the Diocese of Knoxville and the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, but with the growth of the cathedral parish, additional office and daytime meeting space was needed to support parish ministries.

The store’s online sales also have ceased.

Diocese of Knoxville parishioner

Service continued from page A9

clude wearing the brown scapular, praying the rosary, and praying the Liturgy of the Hours.

“When I first converted, I had a priest that confirmed me into the Church; he gave me some very good advice. He said there’s a million and one different devotions in the Church; find two or three that you like. So, those are the two or three I’ve grown accustomed to and grown a devotion to,” he said.

Additionally, he has a handful of patron saints to rely on.

“St. Joseph was my confirmation saint,” Sgt. Olson said. “My job in the military is I’m a cavalryman, and so the patron saint of cavalrymen is St. George; and of course, St. Michael. All saints that I regularly ask the intercession of, along with St. Benedict, would probably be the biggest ones.”

His faith inspires him to fulfill the duties of his military obligations.

“The Catholic faith has always encouraged service and patriotism,”

Karl Fillauer founded The Paraclete and funded it as a ministry in 1987.

The first building used by the store belonged to Mr. Fillauer and was on North Broadway near the Fourth and Gill neighborhood in Knoxville. Three years later, The Paraclete moved to another building owned by Mr. Fillauer adjacent to the cathedral at 417 Erin Drive. Until 1995, the store shared space with the Chancery offices before a new Chancery building opened on the opposite side of the cathedral.

The Diocese of Knoxville took ownership of The Paraclete on April 1, 2012, when Mr. Fillauer and his

Sgt. Olson said. “I remember reading, specifically, Pope Pius XII exhorting particularly the Americans to patriotism and love of country. While I wasn’t Catholic when I initially joined the military, I found confirmation in the service I can give to my country through various Catholic teachings and social teachings, particularly. As I’ve grown in my Catholic faith, I have been confirmed in my desire to serve and protect the nation that I call home.”

The ‘front lines’ of the Church

While deployed, Sgt. Olson’s position with the Tribunal will be held. His work duties will be distributed among other members of the staff.

He has served the Tribunal for three years.

“Specifically, my duties are to make sure that all the documents are drawn up correctly, all the procedures are followed, and coordinate with our administrative assistant to make sure that communications to and from the Tribunal

wife, Becky, gifted the store to the diocese.

It served as the only dedicated Catholic book and gift store in the Diocese of Knoxville, although several parishes operate small shops within their church buildings that sell similar faith-based merchandise.

In addition to books and gifts, The Paraclete supplied many diocesan churches with items such as candles, Communion hosts, and vestments and clerical shirts for priests and deacons.

Mr. Fillauer hired Vonnie Spicer to manage the store, and she and daughter Tricia Sellers were long-

from the faithful are handled in a timely and efficient manner,” Sgt. Olson said.

In addition to his bachelor’s degree in business administration, Sgt. Olson also received a certificate from the Tribunal Institute from The Catholic University of America.

“Life is messy, inside and outside the Church, but particularly for those outside the Church,” he said. “People come from a variety of backgrounds, and a large majority of the cases that we process here are for people who are coming into the Church and people who may not have known that marriage is a lifelong commitment, and that you can’t get remarried after being married once.”

“People come from a variety of different backgrounds, secular to pagan to evangelical Protestant, high-church Protestant, and they come with a variety of different beliefs; and oftentimes there’s messy situations that have occurred in their lives,” Sgt. Olson continued.

time employees. Mrs. Spicer died on Oct. 29 at age 79 (see her obituary on page A25).

The word “Paraclete” means the Holy Spirit but can also signify “called to the side of,” “counselor,” “comforter,” and “consoler.”

The Paraclete closing may be part of a national trend as dedicated Catholic book and gift stores face increasing challenges from online sales as more consumers choose to make their retail purchases over the internet.

The only book and gift store serving the Archdiocese of New Orleans closed earlier this year. ■

“And the Church in her wisdom and mercy has devised this pastoral ministry that we can look at these messy circumstances and see if there’s some sort of defect or problem with the marriages that they had prior to coming to the Church that would have compromised the ability of them to actually contract a marriage. And so in doing that, enabling these people who are coming in from messy situations to live a full life in the Church rather than having to live with something they had done in the past and that bound them.”

He recognizes the importance of serving the Church via the Tribunal.

“Any job working for the Church is a ministry, but particularly I feel that where I’m at here in the Tribunal is kind of on the front lines of ministering to the people here in East Tennessee. I love working here, and I love being able to help people to live the fullest sacramental life that they can within the Catholic Church,” he said. ■

KATHY RANKIN

Commemorating the faithful departed Bishop Beckman celebrates memorial Mass at cathedral columbarium

By Bill Brewer

The commemoration of All Souls’ Day, which was Nov. 2, took on special meaning at churches, cemeteries, and columbaria around the Diocese of Knoxville as the faithful departed were remembered and intently prayed for on that weekend.

The columbarium at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus was one of those solemn places as Bishop Mark Beckman celebrated Mass in commemoration of all those who have died.

Underneath a picturesque blue fall sky, the bishop comforted those who have lost loved ones, and he blessed the columbarium niches with holy water.

The well-attended outdoor Mass included music liturgy from the Sacred Heart Cathedral choir, led by Glenn Kahler. More than 100 people made up the congregation.

Concelebrating the Mass were cathedral rector Father David Boettner and cathedral associate pastors Father Martin Gladysz and Father Danny Herman. Deacon Walt Otey assisted at the Mass.

continued from page A10

students his love of Catholic schools. He attended Sacred Heart School in his hometown of Lawrenceburg, Tenn.

“One of the things I love about Catholic schools is Catholic schools help us to learn how to become holy, don’t they? What’s the best way Catholic schools help you to become holy,” he asked the students, who gave a variety of answers such as attending Mass, learning religion, and “letting Jesus shine.”

The bishop compared a Catholic school to a laboratory of love, where all of those in the school community, such as priests, deacons, principals, teachers, guidance counselors, coaches, custodians, and cafeteria staff are helping each student to learn to love like Christ.

Following Mass, Bishop Beckman toured the school and visited classrooms, where he interacted with the students ranging in grades from kindergarten to eighth.

As he completed Mass and his introduction to all 10 diocesan schools, the bishop remarked how special and unique each school community is and how well they are educating children to grow in the love of God.

“What a beautiful celebration of the Eucharist. You all prayed together very well today at St. Joseph School. I can tell that this is a very special Catholic school. The palpable sense of faith here in this community and your love for the Lord are so clear. Those of you who have been helping teach these young people, I want to thank you,” the bishop remarked to conclude Mass.

The bishop took joy in the fact he is now familiar with the Diocese of Knoxville’s elementary and high schools as well as the Catholic student centers on the campuses of the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga and Knoxville.

“I have now been bishop for less than 100 days, and I’ve been to all of our Catholic schools in the diocese. So, that delights me. I love meeting the kids. Every school I’ve been to I’ve been very impressed with,” Bishop Beckman said.

The bishop noted that he began his school campus tour by visiting St. Dominic on Aug. 8, which was the feast of St. Dominic. Since then, he has been to St. Mary in Johnson City, Sacred Heart in Knoxville, St.

The Mass began with the entrance antiphon: “Just as Jesus died and has risen again, so through Jesus God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep; and as in Adam all die, so also in Christ will all be brought to life.”

“Today is a day of remembrance of all of those who have gone before us. And we pray for those who are in the process of being purified to enter into the life of God forever,” Bishop Beckman said as he began the Mass. “It is so good that we are here in this place to celebrate the sacred mysteries surrounded

by the remains of so many of our loved ones who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.”

The bishop told those in attendance to be mindful that in the journey through life, the place where we are closest to heaven is during the Eucharist itself.

“So, here as we celebrate the Eucharist, our loved ones, who have gone before us, are very close indeed,” the bishop said.

Bishop Beckman related a “very moving passage” from the Confessions of St. Augustine that appears in Columbarium continued on page A22

Hail Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death Above: People from around the Diocese of Knoxville pray the rosary at Calvary Cemetery in Knoxville on Nov. 3 for All Souls' Day. Father Tim Sullivan, CSP, associate pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in Knoxville, led the

Below: Father David Carter, rector of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, distributes Communion at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chattanooga on Nov. 2 to commemorate All Souls' Day. Assisting Father Carter is

Mary in Oak Ridge, Knoxville Catholic High School, St. John Neumann in Farragut, and in Chattanooga Notre Dame High School, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and St. Jude, then concluding with St. Joseph.

In between, he visited the Newman Center on the UT-C campus as well as St. John XXIII University Parish on the UT-K campus.

“I went to my first school in Kingsport at St. Dominic. And I thought to myself that first day that it was one of the most precious schools. I had the same thought today here at St. Joseph. I thought this is the most wonderful Catholic

school. I was overwhelmed. It’s a special place. The kids today at Mass prayed together beautifully. The students who led the Mass doing roles of ministry were so comfortable and articulate. This is a wonderful community. You can tell,” Bishop Beckman said, adding that he encountered similar academic communities at the other schools.

Bishop Beckman believes Catholic schools are essential in building the faith.

“I think there is not much better that we do than Catholic schools for our young people. A quality,

good Catholic school is probably one of the best gifts that we can give our young people. Absolutely. No question,” he said. In his comments to students just before Mass, Mr. Zengel noted that in addition to Bishop Beckman, Father Michelson, Father Sullivan, and Father Pezzulo, Diocese of Knoxville interim superintendent of schools George Valadie was in attendance.

“Jesus is currently here in the tabernacle, and I think I see my wife, Caroline, in the back. So, please pray for me since all of my bosses are here in the same room,” Mr. Zengel said, drawing laughs.

The principal then turned his attention to the students.

“What does it mean to be a saint? You might say to be with Jesus in heaven. One famous saint said, ‘All the way to heaven is heaven.’ The great thing about Jesus is that He comes to us here on earth to make us into saints in advance, if we let Him, just as we say here at St. Joseph School: Holiness is a way of life,” Mr. Zengel said.

“So, get ready. In just a short while, heaven will touch down to earth right here. And we will praise Him in the company of all the angels and saints,” Mr. Zengel added as Mass began.

Solemn observances to mark All Souls’ Day were held at the Diocese of Knoxville’s two Catholic cemeteries: Mount Olivet in Chattanooga and Calvary in Knoxville.

At Mount Olivet, Father David Carter, rector of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, and Father Alex Hernandez, associate pastor of the basilica, celebrated Mass on All Souls’ Day. The priests were assisted by Deacon Hicks Armor. And at Calvary, Father Tim Sullivan, CSP, associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, prayed the rosary for those who were remembering the faithful departed.

The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Alphonsus in Crossville were among the parishes holding remembrance services at their columbariums.

At. St. Alphonsus, Father Mark Schuster blessed the columbarium niches with holy water and parishioners lit luminary paper bags to honor the faithful departed. ■

Remembrance

Praying for the faithful departed Father David Carter, rector of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, celebrates Mass at Mount Olivet Cemetery on Nov. 2, which was All Souls' Day. Father Alex Hernandez, associate pastor at the basilica, concelebrated the Mass, and Deacon Hicks Armor assisted.

COURTESY OF ROBIN RUDD

Lighting the way Father Mark Schuster, pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville, leads an All Souls' Day service at the St. Alphonsus columbarium, where he blessed the columbarium niches with holy water, and parishioners lit luminaries dedicated to the faithful departed of the parish.

BILL BREWER

rosary.

Deacon Hicks Armor.

COURTESY OF ROBIN RUDD

Celebrating God ’s presence in nature

Care for Creation is at heart of Our Lady of Fatima outdoor Mass, pet blessing

By Maggie Parsons

On the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa invited the faithful from around the diocese to attend an outdoor Mass and take part in the annual pet blessing.

“This is to celebrate the month we have had, to celebrate God’s creation,” said Mary Cawthorn, a longtime parishioner at Our Lady of Fatima and member of the parish’s Care for Creation ministry.

The Care for Creation team is following Pope Francis’ teaching on respecting God’s creation. The Care for Creation ministry meets at Our Lady of Fatima Church on the first and third Thursdays of the month.

The Oct. 4 Mass took place on the last day of the Season of Creation, which begins each year on Sept. 1 and concludes Oct. 4. During the Season of Creation, the global Catholic community of approximately 2.2 billion people joins in prayer from homes, churches, and hosts of special activities.

Pope Francis, who introduced the Season of Creation in 2015, welcomed the 2024 theme, which was “To hope and act with Creation.”

“Our pope has printed some pamphlets to the world saying our world is in trouble, and we are morally responsible to take care of it. We are headed into a nasty future if we don’t start doing things differently,” said Jim Holtslag, a member of Our Lady of Fatima’s Care for Creation group. “So, our message is to spread that news to everybody because it seems like a lot of people say it’s not real. It really is real, and we’ve got to get people to believe it.”

The blessing of pets preceded Mass at the outdoor pavilion. Parishioners brought their dogs, cats, and even birds to the celebration.

“We do have a relationship with animals, our pets especially,” said Father Peter Iorio, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish.

“You can see that, evidently, by the way people come out. They come out in big numbers with their pets, grateful to receive God’s blessing on their pets, whom they love.”

The Our Lady of Fatima Mass community gathered with their pets while Father Iorio read the blessing aloud and sprinkled each animal with holy water. With the dogs barking loudly and

U.S. bishops conclude fall plenary assembly

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which gathered for the fall plenary assembly in Baltimore Nov. 11-14, began the meeting by sending a message to Pope Francis before hearing an address by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, papal nuncio to the United States.

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, who serves as president of the USCCB, also addressed the bishops.

Attending the plenary as a special guest was Bishop Stepan Sus, auxiliary and curial bishop to the head of the Ukrainian GreekCatholic Metropolitan of KyivHalych, who shared his testimony of the Church in Ukraine in the midst of war.

Bishop Roy E. Campbell, auxiliary bishop of Washington, D.C., and president of The National Black Catholic Congress, gave a

presentation on the history, mission, and programs of the NBCC.

As the universal Church prepares to celebrate the Jubilee Year 2025, Sister Maria Juan Anderson, a Religious Sister of Mercy of Alma, Mich., who currently serves as the coordinator for the Bishops’ Office for United States Visitors to the Vatican, shared information about her office and the services it provides to pilgrims visiting Rome.

Sister Maria Juan recently has served in the Diocese of Knoxville, working in the Chancery.

Patrick Kelly, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, provided an update on the lay order’s Cor initiative.

The bishops received a report on the 2021-24 Synod of Bishops

Festival continued from page A6

During the festival, recognition was given to Deacon Mike Gouge, who was instrumental in establishing the Society of St. Vincent De Paul in the Knoxville area. Just after the Diocese of Knoxville was formed, Deacon Gouge established the first SVDP conference in 1989 at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Deacon Gouge, who died on July 11, also helped form the SVDP conference at St. John Neumann in 2007 and was the spiritual director for the conference at St. John Neumann and the diocesan-wide council until his illness. Anita

that concluded in Rome last month; a report on the eucharistic revival initiative and the National Eucharistic Congress held last summer; and an update on the interim implementation of Antiquum Ministerium (on the ministry of the catechist).

An update also was given on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) as a follow up to the discussion the bishops had at their June plenary on the best way that the CCHD could continue the vital work of fighting poverty.

The bishops’ migration committee chairman gave an update on the work of the committee, which aims to help reshape the national narrative on migration to be more welcoming and responsive to the

needs of migrants and to help the faithful better understand Catholic teaching on migration.

A presentation also was given on the resources available for diocesan and parish leaders in applying the Vatican’s declaration, Dignitas Infinita (on human dignity) to the specific cultural context of the United States.

This effort is an ongoing collaboration among several committees of the USCCB.

Exemplifying synodality, the bishops engaged in a table discussion during the public session on the pastoral implementation of integral ecology and Laudato si’ and how best to mark the 10th anniversary of Laudato si’

Pierre Mr. Kelly USCCB continued on page A22

Gouge, Deacon Gouge’s wife, attended the festival to receive recognition for her husband’s contribution to the Society of St. Vincent De Paul in the Diocese of Knoxville.

Mr. Moretti said one of his goals is to expand the number of SVDP conferences within the Diocese of Knoxville. There currently are nine active SVDP conferences among the 51 parishes within the diocese.

“There are opportunities for other SVDP conferences to help serve the poor. The diocese covers a big area. Knox County alone is over 500 square miles, but yet there are only two active

conferences in Knox County: St. John Neumann and All Saints,” Mr. Moretti said. “As Jesus has said, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.’ Father Engo reminded those in attendance that some of Jesus’ harshest comments were directed at those for not helping the poor.”

“The people in the society serve Jesus in the poor and help each other get to heaven. What could be more important? You can point to the crucifix in church and say that all we have is from Jesus and all we do is for Jesus. When people say, ‘thank you,’ you can tell them to thank Jesus,” Mr. Moretti concluded. ■

Care for creation Above: Father Peter Iorio, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa, celebrates Mass in the outdoor pavilion to conclude the Season of Creation. Below: Dogs, cats, and birds receive a blessing from Father Iorio on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Oct. 4.

Creation continued on page A16

MAGGIE

PARSONS

(2)

Festival remarks Father Doug Owens, pastor of All Saints Parish in Knoxville, speaks to members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the Diocese of Knoxville during an SVDP spiritual renewal festival at St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut on Sept. 28.

Society stalwarts Father David Mary Engo, OFM, parochial administrator of Holy Cross Parish in Pigeon Forge, is shown with Society of St. Vincent de Paul members Jim Moretti and Cindy Chan during the SVDP spiritual renewal festival at St. John Neumann Parish.

Sr. Maria Juan

Cardinal

cross, that is not the end of the story. The resurrection of the Lord from the dead revealed a fullness of the effect of love in the face of evil,” the bishop continued.

He noted that everyone is invited to join Christ on that journey and that we are called in this world to establish a communion of love.

“You all here at St. Alphonsus are already doing that in a beautiful and wonderful way. What a joy it is to be here in this place,” Bishop Beckman said, adding that when he arrived, he went around the St. Alphonsus campus and marveled at what a lovely and cared-for site it is.

The bishop also complimented the congregation for its stewardship.

“I have heard from your pastor and others that you all have already paid for your church and the stained-glass windows. This is a community of good stewardship. I see how you all have cared for everything that has been entrusted to you. I also see the beautiful way you celebrated the liturgy together,” he said.

Bishop Beckman thanked Father Schuster for his pastoral ministry at St. Alphonsus.

“Given by the Lord, this community, thank you for saying yes to that call. These beautiful images that we bless depict the journey that all of us are called to walk, which is the journey of love,” the bishop concluded.

He then walked around the sanctuary and nave, sprinkling holy water on the colorful, ornate windows before celebrating the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Father Schuster concelebrated the Mass, with Deacon Hicks Armor and Deacon Peter Minneci assisting.

Father Schuster explained that much thought and care went into installing the new windows.

“It was always part of the plan to have stained-glass windows. We were praying and thinking about what windows to put in. That’s when we thought, well we have seven windows facing north and seven windows facing south. That’s 14, and there are 14 Stations of the Cross. St. Alphonsus wrote a beautiful meditation on the Stations of the Cross, so that’s when we decided to make them Stations of the Cross. Great idea,” the St. Alphonsus pastor said.

“We had other windows we needed to fill in, so one is St. Cecilia. And St. Cecilia is over by the choir, and it fits perfectly there, which is why we remember the Dominicans of St. Cecilia in Nashville and their ministry in our diocese and the presence they have,”

Father Schuster said. “We also have St. Monica and St. Augustine, and we have great devotions to St. Monica and St. Augustine. We have St. Juan Diego because we have a large Hispanic community in our parish and in our diocese. On the tilma is Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is the mother of America. We incorporated all of that into the windows, and it works well.”

He noted that the windows, which combine traditional and modern styles, were created by Lynchburg Stained Glass in Lynchburg, Va.

“I love the windows. They are beautiful windows, and they are easy to pray and meditate with. We are very pleased. And they are paid for,” Father Schuster said.

He shared that the new church building was paid for before Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre dedicated it on Sept. 12, 2023.

“The people here have been saving for a long time. And when we had to raise extra funds, the people responded so generously. It’s gone perfectly, more perfect than I could have planned for,” the parish priest said. “It’s humbling to trust in the Holy Spirit, but God’s time, it turns out, is the perfect time. Because of His timing, everything worked out beautifully.”

Father Schuster was grateful to Bishop Beckman for celebrating the one-year anniversary of the new church and for blessing the new

windows.

Sara Carey, who serves as assistant director of faith formation and religious education at St. Alphonsus, pointed out that parishioners have been raising funds for 20 years to build the church and saved about $2.5 million for the project. As construction was set to begin, the COVID-19 outbreak struck in 2020 and suspended construction.

For years, parishioners attended Mass in the original building that also served as a parish hall.

“The new church is so much nicer. You can come and you’re in a sacred space and a dedicated space. From a practical standpoint, it’s great because you can have gatherings, receptions, meetings in the parish hall, and you don’t have to rearrange the interior for Mass,” Ms. Carey said. “From a spiritual perspective, it’s nice to have a sacred space with sacred silence.”

Ms. Carey also noted that the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic is now serving Crossville regularly from the St. Alphonsus campus.

“This has been good for us, and it has been good for the clinic, too, because it’s easier for some people in Cumberland County to get to our location,” she said.

The Legacy Clinic also provides health care to people in the Crab Orchard community of Cumberland County.

St. Alphonsus also offers community services in Cumberland County to assist people in need.

The intercession of Servant of God Patrick Ryan On Sept. 29, Bishop Beckman cel -

remember what the first 12 were like. That should give you some consolation,’ with all of their weaknesses and human frailties. That did give me consolation,” he told the congregation. He pointed out that the Gospel of Mark, of all four Gospels, really does highlight the humanity of the Apostles, their limitations, their weaknesses, their failures, and their misunderstandings.

“I remember one of the seminary professors I had in liturgy made the observation that the disciples of Jesus have a remarkable dexterity for missing the point,” the bishop said. “And John, in today’s Gospel, makes that same mistake. ‘Jesus, we saw someone trying to free a person of a demon in your name. But he is not one of us, so we tried to stop him.’”

The bishop used that account from the Bible to show that Jesus recoiled from “us versus they” situations.

“Jesus uses this moment, as He does so often in the Gospel of Mark, to give a new horizon to the Apostles. ‘John, don’t try to stop them. Anyone who is doing something good in My name cannot at the same time speak ill of me.’ The heart of we human beings has for so long been limited. It’s such a human thing for us to connect with people we know and love well, people who think like us, and to separate the world from us and them. Why do we do that?

“I suspect part of that is fear. What if ‘they’ were in the same boat that I’m in? Do I get less? The remedy for that is trusting in the goodness of God, and the work of God in all persons and in creation,” Bishop Beckman said. He noted that “simple actions of love,” such as giving someone a cup of water, reflect on the goodness of the Lord.

Bishop Beckman said those simple actions, such as those who responded by contributing to disaster relief following the Hurricane Helene floods, are so meaningful to those in need.

ebrated Mass in Chattanooga at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul and began by asking for prayers for all those who were affected by devastating flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Helene.

After the storm dumped record amounts of rain in the mountains of western North Carolina and East Tennessee, rivers and streams became raging torrents of water and spilled over their banks on Sept. 27.

“There are people in our own diocese who lost their lives in the Tri-Cities and Newport during the flooding. Let’s please keep our brothers and sisters in prayer today,” Bishop Beckman shared with the basilica congregation.

The bishop began his homily by remarking about the beauty of the basilica and relating a story.

“It is so good to be with you this morning at this basilica church. The day after it was announced that I would be the new bishop of Knoxville, your pastor, Father David Carter, greeted me warmly here at the basilica, showed me around your beautiful church, and we were able to venerate the remains of Father Patrick Ryan. It was a joy to be here on that very next day after becoming aware that the Lord would be sending me to this Church in Knoxville to be your pastor, your shepherd, to be, as Father Carter often says, an apostle, one who is sent,” Bishop Beckman said Bishop Beckman recalled a priest friend, in telling him he was going to become a successor of the Apostles, who asked the bishop if that made him nervous.

“I said, ‘Yes.’ And he said, ‘Well,

“There is no us or them. We are all part of one human family. And when one person anywhere in the whole world is suffering, we, as followers of Jesus, are invited to do good for them, even if it’s only a cup of water,” the bishop said. “Actions of genuine love, compassion, and solidarity. I believe Jesus is inviting our hearts to grow and to open. We, too, have a remarkable dexterity at times for missing the point. That’s one of the things I love about the Gospels. They are for us a continuous school of discipleship. We pay attention to them and listen to the words of Jesus and follow His example. He shows us how to live as God created us to live.”

Bishop Beckman then suggested that the congregation pray and ask for the intercession of the saints, as well as Servant of God Patrick Ryan, and the angels.

Father David Carter, rector of the basilica, concelebrated the Mass. Deacon Hicks Armor served as deacon of the altar, and Deacon Joe Roy served as deacon of the Word. At the conclusion of Mass, Father Carter expressed the basilica community’s gratitude to Bishop Beckman for leading the Mass. The bishop shared with the parishioners that Chattanooga is very meaningful to him because he spent two summers while in seminary serving in St. Augustine and Our Lady of Perpetual Help parishes and then served as a teacher at Notre Dame High School for one year.

“I am so glad to be back with you all in Chattanooga. It is a special joy. And I am so grateful for your priests who serve here at the basilica, Father David Carter, Father Michael Hendershott, Father Alex Hernandez, and Father Nick Tran,” the bishop said.

Celebrating St. Francis of Assisi Bishop Beckman made his first visit to St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade on its

patronal

The joy of faith Above: Bishop Mark Beckman, center, enjoys a lighthearted moment with, from left, Father John Matejek, Deacon Gary Brinkworth, Father Michael Woods, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade, and Deacon Hicks Armor while celebrating Mass at St. Francis of Assisi. Below: St. Henry parishioners Margaret Palko and Cathy Litton present Bishop Beckman with gifts from the parish during his visit to the Rogersville community on Oct. 27.

GABRIELLE NOLAN

Upon these stones Bishop Mark Beckman celebrates the liturgy of the Eucharist at St. Alphonsus Church on Sept. 12. Concelebrating the Mass was Father Mark Schuster of St. Alphonsus, standing left of Bishop Beckman. Assisting at the Mass were Deacon Hicks Armor and Deacon Peter Minneci.

BILL BREWER

BILL BREWER

feast day on Oct. 4. Concelebrating the Mass was pastor Father Michael Woods. Father John Matejek, a priest retired from active ministry who lives in Fairfield Glade, also was in attendance. Deacon Hicks Armor served as deacon of the altar and master of ceremonies, and Deacon Gary Brinkworth served as deacon of the Word.

The bishop shared that one of his favorite books about the life of St. Francis of Assisi was called God’s Fool by Julian Green.

“It’s hard to find these days, but if you go online you can go to Amazon and find old copies of it,” he said. “It’s a translation from a French book beautiful, poetically written, and it gives you something of the spirit of the person of St. Francis, this journey of transformation and the impact it had on the world of his century. In Italy in those days, there was a palpable feeling that Christ was present with them, in a new way, because of Francis.

“When we are close to Christ, and we let Him change our heart, it changes us. It makes us more like Christ so that we become Christ for the others in the world today. That’s the mystery of holiness: to be so intimately united to the person of Jesus that we become like Him, and He becomes present through us to others. And the world so needs that beautiful presence of Christ the Lord today.”

Bishop Beckman commented that St. Francis was the first person known to bear the stigmata, or wounds of Christ, on his body.

“I believe the reason that Francis received that particular grace was that he longed to be united with Jesus so intimately, to know everything about Christ, that he even longed to know what it was like to suffer as Christ had suffered for him on the cross,” he said.

The bishop continued by saying that St. Francis had the same desire to know the birth of Jesus. The saint began the first live Nativity scene, paving the way for the modern crèche scene.

“He, above the village on the mountaintop, had living people on a midnight Mass create that first living Nativity with real animals,” Bishop Beckman said. “And they said everyone walked up from the villages below with torches at night, and when they left the entire mountain was full of light as people went home from midnight Mass. That sense of being touched by the light of Christ and carrying that light to the world.

“Here, at St. Francis of Assisi, you all are invited by the Lord Himself. He’s saying to you, come to me, draw close to me, let me continue to change you so that when you go from this church out into the world the light of Christ is carried with you to every place that you go outside of this beautiful place. What a beautiful church you have, by the way, here. When I walked in this evening I thought, it is a place of beauty. And St. Francis would have appreciated that; he loved beauty, especially the beauty of God’s creation.”

The life of St. Francis has seemingly followed Bishop Beckman. When the bishop was in college in the 1980s, his college celebrated the 800th birthday of the saint. About 10 years ago, the bishop walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain, which happened to be the 800th anniversary of when St. Francis himself trekked the Camino.

“I was literally walking in his footsteps, and we got to the oldest church along the way. It’s O Cebreiro; it’s on a mountaintop, a Franciscan church … and I walked into the church, and there on the left was a replica of the baptismal font of the church of Francis back in Assisi. Had the cross of San Damiano, a replica of it, as well,” he said.

“And I walked into that space, and I suddenly felt, palpably, the presence of St. Francis of Assisi. I thought, ‘You are walking this journey with me, Francis.’ And I walked over to the woman who

All eyes upon thee Above: Bishop Mark Beckman delivers his homily to the congregation at St. Thomas the Apostle Church on Nov. 9 during his first Mass at the Loudon County parish. Concelebrating the Mass were Father Julian Cardona, Father Adam Royal, and Father Jhon Mario Garcia. Below: Bishop Mark Beckman celebrates Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend on Oct. 6. During the Mass, Bishop Beckman installed Father Antonio Giraldo, right, as pastor of the Blount County parish. Assisting at the Mass was Deacon Jim Schmall, left.

Take this cup Bishop Mark Beckman celebrates the liturgy of the Eucharist at St. Henry Church on Oct. 27. Concelebrating the Mass is Father Michael Cummins, pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport, who also is serving as parochial administrator of St. Henry. Deacon Steve Helmbrecht assisted at the Mass, which was Bishop Beckman's first visit to the Rogersville parish

was taking care of the church, and I said, ‘Did St. Francis come to this church?’ And she smiled and nodded, and she said, ‘Yes, we believe so. That is why today it is in the care of the Franciscans.’

And we ended up attending Mass that evening, beautiful Mass,” he added.

At the conclusion of his homily, Bishop Beckman encouraged the congregation to “be inspired once more by someone who heard the call of Jesus, come to me, and responded with such an open heart that the love of Jesus flowed through him to all creatures great and small.”

Before the Mass ended, Father Woods spoke a word of gratitude to the completely full church.

“Bishop, I just want you to know that my heart is overflowing right now … overflowing with gratitude for this congregation because I put out a word, please come and welcome,” the Irish priest said. “If you like, the father of the family saying you got to be there, and they did, and I’m filled with joy that they would respond as a community like this to you.”

Father Woods informed the bishop that his parishioners come from all over the United States.

“They want community when they come because they’re strangers. And one of the lovely things I really believe that they are doing in their senior years, we’re learning to become like what Jesus asked us to do, to become like children,” he said. “And we’re learning that all over again, not just because we’re

administrator of St. Henry. Deacon Steve Helmbrecht, who serves at St. Dominic, assisted at the Mass. “Peace be with you. It is so good to be with you at St. Henry in Rogersville. Did you know I was pastor of St. Henry Church in Nashville, Tenn., when I got the call to become a bishop? So, I feel kind of a special bond and connection with this community of faith. It’s a joy to be here,” Bishop Beckman said.

Another connection Bishop Beckman shared with the Hawkins County congregation was that when he attended St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa, preparing for the priesthood, his roommate his freshman year was a young man whose family was active in the Rogersville parish.

“Mark told me many things about growing up in Rogersville, and it’s the first time I’ve been here. It’s a joy to be with you,” the bishop said.

In his homily, Bishop Beckman related a story from shortly after his ordination to the priesthood when he was serving at a Nashville Catholic high school. During a team-building exercise he organized, students and then-Father Beckman, as their teacher, were blindfolded and put into a maze with instructions to find their way out.

He said he and the students were told to find their way out of the maze with no assistance except a rope and without taking off their blindfolds. They could ask for help if they needed it.

“By the time I got to the end of the rope, I could hear that some of my students had already gotten out. I said, ‘Am I out yet?’ And they said, ‘No.’ So, systematically I make my way to the other end of the rope, and one of the students says, ‘Do you need any help?’ And I say, ‘No, I’m going to find my way out.’ So, I continued all the way to the other end of the rope. I then thought that I have to be out by now. I turned and said, ‘Am I out yet?’ ‘No, you’re not out.’ By this time, more of my students had gotten out of the maze. I began to worry. Finally, as I’m moving along the rope, I turn to one of my students, I can hear her voice, and I said, ‘Can you give me some help, please?’ She came over and took me by the shoulder and led me off to the side, and she said, ‘You are out now.’ I then took the blindfold off.

growing old, but I think we’re beginning to catch the meaning of Jesus asking everyone to trust God as our Father, and they’re doing it here, I have to say, so beautifully. They’re learning the Scriptures; they’re reaching out to the community. Many of the great efforts in our community here began at St. Francis of Assisi long before I got here. But I really do believe that we are working very hard on being a family, supporting each other, encouraging each other, and being so grateful.”

Father Woods concluded by sharing that he had missed the office of the bishop over the past year.

“We’ve missed not having the bishop, and you’re connecting us again because we have a tendency to go off on our own and do our own thing,” he said. “But having you come among us again, drawing us into the universal Church is such a gift, and I’m so excited to be a part of it with the priests of the diocese, with the deacons, and with our congregation. So, welcome, and thank you for saying yes.”

A St. Henry connection

On Oct. 27, Bishop Beckman celebrated Mass in Rogersville at St. Henry Church, where parishioners offered a warm welcome and afterward prepared a covered-dish reception fit for, well, a bishop.

The well-attended Sunday morning Mass was concelebrated by Father Michael Cummins, pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport, who also is serving as parochial

“What we learned that day was the only way to get out of the maze was to ask for help. If you were not willing to ask for help, you would not get out. I remember those students asking me, ‘Do you need help?’ And I kept saying, ‘No, I don’t need help,’” the bishop recalled.

Bishop Beckman then referenced Bartimaeus, the blind beggar on the side of the road healed by Jesus as told in the Gospel of Mark. The bishop notes that many people must have indifferently passed Bartimaeus along the way. But it was Jesus who stopped and engaged the blind beggar.

“This day is different. He (Bartimaeus) hears that Jesus is coming by. And he begins to call out, ‘Jesus, son of David. Have mercy on me.’ He asks for help. And notice; some people try to tell him to be quiet. I think that is a reflection of the voices in our own hearts, that tell ourselves that we don’t need to ask for help, that we have to do it ourselves, it is up to us. And yet, Jesus hears him,” the bishop said. As Jesus engaged Bartimaeus, the beggar jumped up, leaving his cloak behind.

“That cloak was one that probably had lots of pockets containing everything he owned. His willingness to leave his security behind and go to Jesus showed his willingness to receive the help the Lord was offering,” Bishop Beckman said.

“All of us in life at times need something to be healed by the Lord, don’t we? We need to be able to see more clearly. The invitation today is to accept the help the Lord wants to offer us. Indeed, to ask

DAN MCWILLIAMS

BILL BREWER

COURTESY OF KATHY MEYERKORD

Masses

The president-elect Republican President-elect Donald Trump addresses supporters during his rally at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Nov. 6 after being elected the 47th president of the United States. OSV News photo/Brendan McDermid, Reuters

Election continued from page A7

James Patterson, chair of the politics department at Ave Maria University in Naples, Fla., said the 2024 outcome makes President Trump’s 2020 loss seem “now like something of a fluke of the pandemic, rapidly changing voting methods in response to it, and President Trump running a bad campaign” at that time.

“It is hard to remember, but after 2022, the leading GOP presidential nominee was Ron DeSantis,” Mr. Patterson said, arguing that after criminal prosecutions of President Trump for his role in seeking to overturn the 2020 election results and other alleged misconduct, “the GOP rallied to Trump much more than they did before.”

“As for what Trump changed in his campaign this year, he was the only candidate talking about issues,” Mr. Patterson said.

As a member of the incumbent administration, Mr. Patterson argued, Vice President Harris “was stuck.”

“She could not be the incumbent because of Americans overwhelmingly thinking America is on the wrong track,” he said. “She could not even run as herself because she had taken some extreme positions.”

Catholic lobbying groups that backed one of the candidates also reacted to the results with praise or concern. Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote,

Creation continued from page A13

with the blessing being outside, parishioners were reminded of God’s creation and its surrounding presence.

“Pets bring creation home to people; the pets are as close to natural creation as people will get. I think that it is important to let them see that part of creation can be a part of their life,” Ms. Cawthorn remarked.

After Father Iorio blessed the animals, he celebrated Mass in the outdoor pavilion as Mass-goers sat

Masses continued from page A15

The vice president Vice President Kamala Harris takes part in a 2021 roundtable discussion on immigration issues with faith and community leaders. She contacted President-elect Trump on Nov. 6 to congratulate him on the victory.

Catholic News Service photo/Evelyn Hockstein, Reuters

a group that supported President Trump, said in a statement that Vice President Harris “exposed the fact that the Democratic Party has a big Catholic problem, with the Republican realignment now incorporating Hispanics, union members, and working-class voters who had reliably voted for Democrats in the past.”

Meanwhile, Denise Murphy McGraw, national chair of Catholics Vote Common Good, which supported Vice President Harris, thanked the vice president and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for “a positive and inclusive campaign that was willing to bring together and listen to all voices, including those of faith voters.”

“We wish Donald Trump well and look forward to him unifying the country to begin the healing we so richly desire,” Ms. McGraw said in a statement.

The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement calling for prayer and unity. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, said in a Nov. 6 statement, “I congratulate President-elect Trump, as well as the national, state, and local officials who campaigned to represent the people. Now, we move from campaigning to governing.”

The archbishop said that Americans are “fortunate to live in a democracy,” and that “we rejoice in our ability to transition peacefully from one gov-

with their pets.

“To praise God through every living thing, [St. Francis] wrote that beautiful canticle of the creatures, and it is just a song of praise from his heart, and I think that’s a teaching that is so beautiful,” Father Iorio said, especially noting how the canticle illustrates how people should praise God and His Son, Jesus Christ, through every living thing.

“Sometimes people don’t know how they are supposed to praise God and honor Him and honor St.

the Lord for what we need. I love the fact that Jesus asked Bartimaeus the question, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Bartimaeus could have said, ‘Could you give me a little money for food today? That’s what he did as a beggar on the side of the road. But no, he went to the core of his being. He knew what he most wanted. He wanted to see, and so he asked Jesus, ‘Lord, I want to see, ” Bishop Beckman noted. That is when Jesus told Bartimaeus that the beggar’s faith had healed him, and immediately Bartimaeus sees Jesus face to face, “a beautiful personal encounter.”

Bishop Beckman explained that Bartimaeus then becomes a follower of Jesus and goes with the Lord to Jerusalem.

“All of us daily, in some ways, come to the Lord like Bartimaeus. Jesus is asking us today, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Perhaps we should take some time to let the deepest part of ourselves speak. ‘Lord, what do I need from you or want from you more than anything in life?’ Do we trust the Lord enough to simply ask Him for what we need?” the bishop continued.

Bishop Beckman assured the congregation that everyone, if they continue to draw close to Jesus, will experience healing.

Bishop Beckman then quoted from the song “Day by Day” from the musical “Godspell.” “Day by day. Three things I pray. To see you more clearly. To love you more dearly. And to follow you more nearly. Day by day.”

Following Mass, St. Henry parishioners Margaret Palko and Cathy Litton presented Bishop Beckman with a holy card the children of St. Henry made depicting the future saints as themselves in addition to a basket full of items the bishop would enjoy.

“This is a beautiful community of faith, a precious community of prayer. There is support and love for each other. You can feel it here. And the music ministry is so beautiful,” Bishop Beckman told the congregation.

The bishop then told Father Cummins that he was “deeply grateful” to the priest for shepherding St. Henry until a new pastor is named in addition to leading St. Dominic Parish.

The president President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the 2024 election results and the upcoming presidential transition of power at the White House on Nov. 7, the day after President-elect Donald Trump was declared the 47th U.S. president. OSV News photo/Kevin Lamarque, Reuters

ernment to the next.”

He said that “the Catholic Church is not aligned with any political party, and neither is the bishops’ conference.”

“No matter who occupies the White House or holds the majority on Capitol Hill, the Church’s teachings remain unchanged, and we bishops look forward to working with the people’s elected representatives to advance the common good of all,” Archbishop Broglio said. “As Christians, and as Americans, we have the duty to treat each other with charity, respect, and civility, even if we may disagree on how to carry out matters of public policy.”

Likewise, Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., said in a statement that “as our nation prepares to take a new direction in governance, it is vitally important for each of us to remember that, as people of faith and goodwill, we are called to work together to seek truth, justice, and peace in our homes, in our communities, and in our nation.”

“Some people today are breathing a sigh of relief at the outcome of our national, state, and local elections, even as others are experiencing anxiety about our future,” Cardinal Gregory said. “Our path forward lies in our respect for one another and in the God-given dignity we share, offered freely with prayer, patience, kindness, and hope.” ■

Francis’ legacy in their everyday lives. But we should see the good in every living thing as God would want us to and as St. Francis did,” Father Iorio added.

The Mass with a pet blessing is seen as an example of a way to involve creation more in the lives of parishioners and do as God asks. St. Francis’ example is seen as inspiration to future generations who will be celebrating nature and teaching the faithful how to honor God.

“I think we try to see God’s

“So many roles of ministry make a small community like this really beautiful. It’s the gift of yourselves that creates a great beauty in God’s presence,” the bishop concluded.

The congregation then joined Bishop Beckman in the parish hall for a dinner and fellowship.

St. Thomas the Apostle

The St. Thomas the Apostle Parish community in Lenoir City turned out in full for Bishop Mark Beckman’s first Mass there on Nov. 9

The nave was packed for the bishop’s visit, including the area in the back that was once part of the narthex and now converted to worship space.

Bishop Beckman celebrated Mass with St. Thomas the Apostle pastor Father Julian Cardona and associate pastor Father Adam Royal concelebrating. Also concelebrating was Fa -

goodness even in the animal, especially in nature and creation,” Father Iorio said. “I think we also honor St. Francis by what Pope Francis has told us to do with taking care of creation and trying to make a better world for future generations.”

For more information on Our Lady of Fatima’s Care of Creation ministry, contact the parish office via ourladyoffatima.org

To learn more about the Season of Creation, visit seasonofcreation. org ■

ther Jhon Mario Garcia, an associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Four deacons from St. Thomas the Apostle assisted at Mass. Deacon Jack Conrad was deacon of the Word, and Deacon Roberto Cortes was deacon of the altar. Also present were Deacon Norman Alexander and master of ceremonies Deacon David Egan.

Bishop Beckman’s trip to St. Thomas the Apostle concluded a whirlwind week that saw him visit multiple parishes as well as the diocese’s Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton for two events Nov. 8-9.

“In the last few days, I’ve been to several different locations,” he said. “I went down to CPOP this week and did a retreat for the Chancery staff, and then this morning the deacon candidates were down there for their weekend of formation. I celebrated Mass with them at CPOP.”

The bishop enjoyed multiple aspects of his Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle.

“It was beautiful. The energy, the joy, the hospitality, the welcome, and the gift of the music were truly beautiful,” he said.

The bishop was at the Lenoir City church once before, on Oct. 30, after he became shepherd of the Church in East Tennessee this summer.

“I came up for the St. Mary’s Mobile Medical Clinic volunteer appreciation Mass and lunch. That was my first time to see the parish and the church and the setting. It’s so beautiful here,” he said.

Deacon Conrad estimated that some 500-600 people attended the Mass with the bishop at St. Thomas the Apostle and the reception and meal that followed.

“It was the first time I’ve gotten to meet him, and it was wonderful,” he said about the bishop. “The parish community rallied around and got so excited about his coming for a visit.”

The parish was “incredibly enthusiastic” over the chance to see Bishop Beckman, Deacon Conrad added.

“It’s a very active community. We have a whole bunch of retired people and a very, very active and young Hispanic community here, so it’s wonderful,” he said. ■

Window blessing Bishop Mark Beckman sprinkles holy water on the new stained-glass windows at St. Alphonsus Church in Crossville. Bishop Beckman blessed the windows during the Mass he celebrated on Sept. 12.

Experts: Historic rise of ‘never-marrieds ’ calls Catholic Church to act on a ‘ three-alarm ’ fire

By Kimberley Heatherington OSV News

Arecently released study from the Institute for Family Studies, a Charlottesville, Va.-based think tank dedicated to strengthening marriage and family life, reveals that a record number of young adults are predicted to never marry.

The research brief by IFS research fellow Lyman Stone found that based on current marriage data “plausibly, one-third of men and women who turn 45 in 2050 (those who are about 18 or 19 today) will not have married.”

Mr. Stone’s research indicates the percentage of never-married adults is at a historic high in the United States, and because marriage is coming later and later in life, a growing share of Americans will never marry at all.

According to Mr. Stone’s figures, 61 percent of 35-year-old men were ever married in 2023, down from 90 percent in 1980; 70 percent of 35-year-old women were ever married in 2023, down from 93 percent in 1980.

“I think economic factors delaying the life course are the dominant force shaping declining marriage, alongside marriage penalties in tax and welfare policies,” Mr. Stone told OSV News. “Overwhelming majorities of young people still report a strong desire to marry, and at younger ages than the current median age of marriage.”

Mr. Stone said, “The long delay between adulthood and economic independence is the main cause of declining marriage.”

Asked if individualism plays a role, Mr. Stone replied that something more fundamental is going on.

“Highly individualistic societies often still have high marriage rates,” he said. “The bigger values shift is about marriage as a ‘capstone’ to personal success rather than marriage as a ‘foundation’ for couple success.”

The best way to deal with these outcomes, Mr. Stone said, “is to try and help people get into good marriages earlier in life. There is no societal substitute for marriage.”

IFS’ collected data is “a rather bleak portrait of where marriage is now, and where it’s heading,” said Julia Dezelski, associate director of marriage and family life at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth.

“Unfortunately, I would say I’m not so surprised,” Ms. Dezelski said.

Changes in social attitudes have made a major impact upon marriage, Ms. Dezelski reflected, citing “the pervasive permissiveness in society towards those things that

enrolled in our school. By fostering a lifelong relationship with Jesus, sacraments are viewed not as a checkpoint but rather as part of their journey.”

Mr. Barron said the cathedral takes a “team approach” to marriage preparation with couples.

He walks the couple through the process as they take the FOCCUS inventory, meet with clergy, and go through either Pre-Cana or the parish’s mentor program. The director of music and liturgy, Glenn Kahler, works with the couples on their readings, music selections, and programs.

“The team pours into them so that they have a smooth, stress-free process,” Mr. Barron said.

The FOCCUS pre-marriage inventory is a comprehensive, user-friendly tool to help couples prepare for marriage. It is designed to help engaged couples appreciate their unique relationship, learn more about themselves, and discuss topics important to their lifelong marriage. Pre-Cana is a marriage-preparation course for couples who will be married in the Catholic Church.

Mr. Barron noted that the most common obstacle couples face when preparing for marriage is working with one side of the family that is not Catholic.

“It is a great opportunity for us to share our faith and why this sacrament is so important,” Mr. Barron said. “The couples themselves may be hesitant about the process but quickly learn that it deepens their relationships and strengthens their foundation.”

Mr. Barron shared that couples need to continually invest in their marriages.

“Like anything else in life, putting time and effort into things that are important to you is essential for long-term success. We are not the same people we were 10 years or even 10 months ago. Investing in your marriage ensures that you grow closer together and not apart. Simple things such as a weekly or monthly marriage meeting are great. ... Dedicated date nights are underrated as well. Intentional effort is a crucial piece,” he noted.

‘That all married couples will be strengthened’ Deacon Al Forsythe recently retired as director of the Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment for the diocese.

He recognizes the importance of diocesan marriage ministry in a society that is “kind of a hook-up society where relationships don’t really mean anything.”

enable other forms of so-called marital life that’s not officially married. The promiscuity, and the cohabitation, and all the so-called ‘perks’ that come with this kind of lifestyle, obviously does not lend itself to encouraging couples to marry if they can reap the benefits of just cohabiting at a lower cost and without the risks of pregnancy, thanks to contraception.”

“And then, why not delay if IVF would allow them to have children later on, too?" she asked rhetorically, referring to in vitro fertilization.

The Church opposes the artificial reproduction method on the grounds that it treats the child as a product, divorces sex from procreation, and the process often involves the destruction of human embryos in order to achieve pregnancy resulting in birth.

“It’s this permissive society in which young people are living,” Ms. Dezelski said, “that doesn’t make marriage much of an incentive in the light of all of these other

Preparation and Enrichment ministry at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. The Carlisles are members of Regnum Christi and lead marriage retreats

“It’s just a quick way to get together to meet each other, meet our carnal needs of sex, and then move on to the next one. And so, we kind of are treating our relationships as if they don’t have any meaning to them,” Deacon Forsythe remarked. “So, when we get young people who are interested in having that meaningful relationship and are connected to our faith and the life of the Church, we want to encourage that as much as possible. Because it’s against what the world is teaching, and our faith has always been one that’s counter-cultural, going all the way back to Jesus and His ministry.”

Cohabitation is another factor leading to the decline of marriages nationwide.

“Our society is one that says let’s try something out first, and so that’s why they cohabitate to see if it’s going to work,” Deacon Forsythe said. “And the difference between cohabitation and marriage? Marriage says that I’m not experimenting to see if this is going to work; I’m making a commitment to that person and to our relationship. If they’re just in that relationship to see if it’s going to work, then they are probably going in the wrong direction. If we

things.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that marriage as a vocation “is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator.”

But Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate notes that in 1965, U.S. Catholic sacramental marriages reported from the previous year numbered 347,179. In 2022, the figure was 98,354.

A 2020 Pew Research Center study of millennials the generation usually defined as anyone born between 1981 and 1996 also gave cause for concern, stating, “Millennials are much less likely to be living with a family of their own than previous generations when they were the same age.”

Pew found that in 2019, 55 percent of millennials lived with their spouse, their own child, or both, noting, “This compares with 66 percent of Gen Xers in 2003, 69 percent of Boomers in 1987, and 85 percent of members of the Silent Generation in 1968.”

“The Church has a huge responsibility here in trying to paint a picture of marriage as truly the beautiful vocation that it is and also, just to hearken back to how it fits into God’s plan for salvation,” Ms. Dezelski said.

The costs of not reversing the nonmarriage trend “are enormous, really for everyone; for the Church, and for society,” she observed. “If we’re not supporting the family, then we will not have families in Church to support.”

The marriage shift, said J.P. De Gance, founder and president of Communio, a Virginia-based nonprofit ministry that trains and equips churches to renew healthy

Never-marrieds continued on page A18

just did what’s going to work, it doesn’t always mean we’re going to give our full intention to that relationship, that support to it, because we always have an out.”

“It’s not going to be easy all the time, but how do we not go to a part of our relationship that says let’s not work on it, I’m just going to throw it out, the relationship says it’s not working?” he asked. “How do we make it work? What can we do better? How do we support each other in our role? How do we maintain instead of throw away?”

As part of his former role, Deacon Forsythe planned marriage retreats alongside his administrative assistant, Carolyn Krings. The Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment partnered with Regnum Christi and hosted a marriage retreat on June 15 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City.

The marriage retreat, which was open to couples of all ages, was led by Bruce and Marybel Carlisle from the Atlanta area. The Carlisles are members of Regnum Christi and have been leading marriage retreats for several years.

Topics during the retreat included God’s desire for men and women, God’s desire for marriage, impediments to living the life God calls married couples to, and seeking forgiveness from God and spouse.

“It is my hope that all married couples will be strengthened in their love for one another,” said Mrs. Krings. “That we will uphold the gift of marriage as a committed vocation call and an icon to the world in need of inspiring witnesses. I recall hearing in a Walking with Purpose’ Bible study that my marriage with my spouse was a sacrament, not my relationship with my children. This information transformed me and my family life. Let all married couples go forth investing in each other, recalling why we came together, our love story with each other and with the Lord, and recognizing that our goal is to get our spouse to heaven with a lot of happy memories along the way.”

“If we’re going to sustain our faith and build our faith life, it’s based on marriage and the fruits of those marriages,” Deacon Forsythe added. “And I told Father David Carter, when he became the head of the Tribunal and I became part of this marriage ministry, it is my goal to get him out of a Tribunal job, that we don’t have to worry about annulments, and going forward that we will have established some good preparations, some good boundaries, some good growth experiences for young couples and … married couples to build their relationships.”

Marriage continued from page A1

Preaching matrimony Marybel Carlisle is joined at the podium by her husband, Bruce Carlisle, during a marriage retreat held by the Diocese of Knoxville's Marriage

GABRIELLE

NOLAN

Wedded bliss Pope Francis greets a newlywed couple after leading his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Sept. 18.

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA

Radiating love Marriage initiative helps couples, families grow stronger

By Gina Christian OSV News

As more U.S. adults are delaying marriage—or simply saying, “I don’t”—the Catholic bishops of California have launched a new initiative to inspire and encourage the vocation.

“Radiate Love” provides an array of resources such as monthly reflections, prayers, videos, homiletic guides, and even social media graphics, all designed to “help families become witnesses of God’s love” as it is expressed through marriage and family life, according to the initiative’s website.

Launched in July, “Radiate Love” seeks to “shift the narrative” on marriage, especially in light of the U.S. bishops’ three-year National Eucharistic Revival, Kathleen Domingo, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, said.

“The (California Catholic) bishops had this great idea that it

Never-marrieds continued from page A17

would be a fantastic outgrowth of a year spent talking about the Eucharist to talk about marriage, and for

relationships, marriages, and the family, is nothing short of seismic.

“Too frequently, our Catholic pastors do not see the revolutionary moment that we now live in or at least if they see it, they’re not altering their pastoral practices given this revolutionary moment,” Mr. De Gance said. “Whatever pastoral steps that we’ve been taking given where we are in the free-fall of marriage we didn’t make a change.”

And that conversion, Mr. De Gance said, must happen now.

“We need a metanoia,” Mr. De Gance declared, referring to the Greek word for a radical reorientation. “I think we have to recognize that parishes are frequently functioning as sacramental service stations.”

Buying into the prevailing social narrative also has endangered marriage, Mr. De Gance explained.

“A lot of faithful Christian parents, faithful Catholic parents, will simply repeat what the culture has to say about it like, ‘You’re too young to get married; why don’t you make sure to get that advanced degree; make sure to land a great

Marriage continued from page A17

‘We believe in the sacrament of marriage’

Father Carter, who serves as rector of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, also serves the Diocese of Knoxville as judicial vicar for the Tribunal.

In 2022, the Tribunal processed 34 cases for defective consent (annulments), the most popular type of case. In 2023, that number jumped by a 109 percent increase to 71 cases, although only 30 of those cases have reached the Tribunal hearing phase. The time that it takes to process a case is generally between eight and 18 months, depending on different factors.

Father Carter noted that most of the Tribunal’s clients are seeking to marry for a second time.

“Oftentimes, it’s they’ve already been through a failed marriage and sought divorce from the civil authorities and are now in a relationship or are seeking a relationship that hopefully the Church would recognize as a second marriage,” he said. “So, that’s the reason why people seek annulments, because they are wanting to engage in marriage again. But the problem is they’ve already made vows once, and the vows were till death do them part and for better or for worse, and in sickness and health, and all those kinds of things. So, now they’re asking to make those vows again, even though they didn’t fulfill them the first time, or the other partner didn’t fulfill them.”

Father Carter mentioned that often it is the abandoned spouse who seeks the annulment, but sometimes the couple mutually decides “to stop living their vows.”

However, the Church does not grant annulments to every petition.

“We honor marriage vows as

them to kind of lead the conversation—to lead some education, reflection, information, and prayer; to

job; make sure to have these great life experiences; and then later on then you could consider getting married,’” Mr. De Gance said. “It’s great to have a great career of course it is. It’s great to have a good education. But is it more important than the transcendent and enduring things?”

Parish-level accompaniment, Mr. De Gance emphasized, is essential.

“My question for every priest, pastor, and bishop is: How much longer do we have to continue to see the annual, year-over-year decline of marriage before we start becoming effective and strategic about actually promoting the vocation of marriage? Eighty-two percent of all Catholic parishes spend zero dollars on marriage ministry each year,” he said. “It may be nice that there’s somebody who’s compensated by the diocese to be the marriage and family life director but life change doesn’t happen in a diocesan office.”

A survey by Barna, a Christian research organization commissioned by Communio, found 72 percent of all American churches lack a substantive marriage ministry, while 74 percent have no ministry for newlyweds to help them through their first critical years of marriage. Additionally,

share some resources to help people who are already married; and to give encouragement to people who would like to be married,” she said.

The initiative will also lead seamlessly into the universal Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year 2025, announced by Pope Francis in February 2022, with dioceses and parishes invited to “consider working on marriage even more as part of their Jubilee plans,” according to Ms. Domingo.

The goal of the effort is “to help families grow stronger and deeper, and really prioritize sort of that understanding of the sacramental nature of marriage as an outgrowth, an icon of the love of Jesus and His Church as we find in the Eucharist,” Ms. Domingo added.

Yet that perspective has been overshadowed by a decades-long downturn in marriage rates, with the number of those walking down the aisle in the United States plummeting almost 60 percent since 1970.

Radiating love continued on page A20

93 percent of churches don’t offer any ministries for singles, which Communio identifies as a “huge opportunity area to encourage healthy habits around dating or finding the right spouse for marriage.”

Mr. De Gance spared no words to urge collective responsibility by the Church.

“There are people who will read this article and will nod vigorously. There are priests who will read this article and will nod vigorously. There are bishops who will read this article and will nod vigorously,” he said. “And so, I want to ask them a question: ‘What are you currently doing right now to promote marriage, and to equip people to discern marriage, and to equip them to live marriage?’ If there aren’t specific answers that they have and if there’s not a specific amount of money that they’re allocating to that then they shouldn’t be nodding vigorously.”

Mr. De Gance explained that this illustrates how the Church is “part of the problem” and indicated the Church’s leadership needs to actively address these issues to be part of the solution.

“We’re long past the time for polite concern,” he said. “We’re at a point where marriage is in a three-alarm fire.” ■

sacred ground, and we dare not trample the sacred ground of marriage vows,” Father Carter stated.

“What God has joined together, let no man put asunder. That’s in the Bible. … The two are no longer two but one flesh. Do not separate what

God has joined together. … The reality is that not everyone who petitions has a reason; not everybody’s marriage is invalid even if it fails. Not every failed marriage is invalid. A lot of times what happens is that people decide to stop working

on their marriage, and it inevitably falls apart. That’s not a candidate for a declaration of nullity; that’s just failure to take care of what you had.”

Father Carter noted that in the United States the divorce rate is close to 50 percent.

“We’re trying to fight against those statistics,” he said. “We believe in the sacrament of marriage, that God intends men and women to bind themselves for life in a faithful and fruitful union. We want to equip couples for the vocation, this divine vocation they’re receiving, to equip them with what’s necessary to combat the enemies of the success of marriage.”

“An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of correction after things have gone wrong,” Father Carter continued. “The more young people take seriously their marriage preparation, it will pay dividends in their married life. The more they are willing to make the sacrifices to live their lives as dating couples, engaged couples, according to God’s mind and His will, and what they know to be true and right and moral, it will pay dividends in their married life.”

“That’s the message. How do we stem the tide of divorce? Well, you have to convince young people to follow the Lord’s way. Good luck, but that’s our job. That’s the task ahead of us. It’s an evangelical impulse that we need to get not only the Good News out to people, but we need to introduce them to the means by which the Good News bears fruit in their life: self-control, the life of virtue, sacrificial giving of self. These are important things for married life,” the basilica rector concluded.

For marriage-related resources, visit dioknox.org/marriage ■

Public displays of affection Above: Couples from around the diocese enjoy social time and a meal together during the June 15 marriage retreat. Below: Couples hold hands in prayer as Bruce and Marybel Carlisle lead a reflection on the sanctity of marriage.

GABRIELLE NOLAN (2)

Wedded kiss An Wang and Wei Cui kiss at the top of the Empire State Building in New York after their Valentine’s Day wedding on Feb. 14, 2018. The Catholic bishops of California have launched the initiative "Radiate Love" to inspire and encourage the vocation of marriage and to strengthen marriage and families.

OSV NEWS

PHOTO/BRENDAN MCDERMID, REUTERS

contest and placed second in the state. Her theme was “What are we afraid of?”

“We have been afraid of things from a very young age. When I was 5 years old, I was afraid of heights and spiders and vampires, but today I want to ask my fellow teenagers and young adults: what are we afraid of?” she said. “Even though Tennessee is now one of the most prolife states in America, thanks to Tennessee Right to Life, my experience is that teenagers are afraid to speak about the heavy realities surrounding abortion. Worse, they are afraid to even examine the realities.”

Miss Dale spoke of the origins of Planned Parenthood, founded by Margaret Sanger based on eugenics.

“My fellow teenagers think abortion is noble, but it was founded on racism. How many teenagers know this?” Miss Dale said. “The racist dislike of so-called less-important people has now evolved into an over-arching hatred of the ultimate unimportant person: the unborn, unseen child.”

Miss Dale received a standing ovation after her speech.

Mrs. Dunn spoke next and quipped, “I don’t want to follow that.”

The TRL president talked about the state of life issues in the nation. One side of the aisle has attempted to turn the nation’s emergency rooms into abortion providers, succeeded in making VA hospitals immune to state laws, allowed the Department of Defense to pay to abort children of military personnel, and suspended FDA safeguards on abortion chemicals, allowing them to be dispensed by pharmacists and sent through the mail.

“Sadly, not all the attacks have come from proabortion Democrats,” Mrs. Dunn said. “Earlier this year at the Republican National Convention, the longstanding pro-life plank of the Republican Party was significantly weakened. The platform meeting that took place in Milwaukee back in July was by all accounts a sham. Everything had already been decided by the time the delegates got there. The proposed language was introduced, no discussion was allowed, and within 15 minutes it was all said and done

“Years of hard-fought victories were removed just like that. The statement that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life and support for a human-life amendment to the Constitution: gone. The opposition of using tax dollars to fund or promote aborting children or to fund organizations like Planned Parenthood: gone. The opposition to infanticide and support of the Born-Alive victims act, which would require that babies born alive after an attempted abortion be cared for—that language is gone as well. The plank was reduced to a statement about how the states are now free to pass laws to protect life. Late-term abortions are opposed. Support for prenatal care, contraception, and IVF are mentioned. That’s it: four measly sentences.”

The miracle of Roe v. Wade being overturned “changed everything,” Mrs. Dunn said.

“The pro-abortion forces went crazy, and they immediately went on the offensive,” she added.

Tennessee: A pro-life state

Mr. Brewer thanked the “staunchly pro-life legislators who attended” as he began his update. “Here we are in Tennessee. We have the strongest pro-life law in the country that continues to remain in effect today despite the other side’s strong opposition to it both politically and legally,” he said. “It is because of that law that pro-abortion statistic websites estimate that there are over 1,000 less abortions in the state of Tennessee, and that the birth rate in Tennessee has increased 3 percent since 2022. And if you think that that is difficult, Tennessee and North Dakota are the only states in the country where the birth rate has increased at all. Every other state has decreased.”

Mr. Brewer said that the Human Life Protection Act that passed in Tennessee in 2019 “immediately went into effect as soon as Roe v. Wade was overturned. Our attorney general was legislatively given the authority to determine that Roe v. Wade had been overturned and that Tennessee could ban abortion at all stages of gestation. That is still in effect today—both medical abortions and surgical abortions are not happening in the state of Tennessee, at least they’re not happening legally, and so thank God for that.”

Mr. Brewer acknowledged Rep. Zachary’s abortion-trafficking law, which required parents of children who wanted to travel out of state to have an abortion to give their written consent, “the same parents who have to give written consent for their child to get a Tylenol in their elementary-school clinic have to also give consent for their child to get an abortion.”

“But, boy oh boy, such a simple law—how could anybody oppose?—was the hot-topic item in the media and the legislature,” Mr. Brewer said, asking “How many calls did you get, Rep. Zachary, on that law?” and getting the reply, “Thousands, and I’m sure they were very friendly and kind. Although it passed, it received much scrutiny from fellow legislators; it received much scrutiny from the media; and state Rep. Aftyn Behn from Nashville sued the

state of Tennessee over the law, claiming that it was a violation of counselors’, clergy’s, and psychiatrists’ free speech for them not to be able to advise their minor clients and parishioners and congregants on how to get an abortion in another state.

“So, she took this lawsuit to court, and so far she has won: this law is currently enjoined from going into effect. I anticipate that as it makes it way up to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, that will be overturned, and it will come back into effect, but that is just to say the battle is not over. Such a simple law that is parental consent has been enjoined, and so we continue to fight the battles both in the legislature and the courts.”

Mr. Brewer said the state legislature passed a bill this year called the Baby Olivia Act.

“The nonprofit organization Live Action, who does a lot of good pro-life work, has created a cartoon video of a baby in utero through each stage of gestation. The legislature passed a law that requires any public school in Tennessee that already has an existing family-life curriculum to show that video or one just like it to its students when teaching sex ed in their schools.”

The Human Life Protection Act, the state’s universal abortion ban, has also been litigated over, Mr. Brewer noted.

The Susan B. Anthony List, one of the largest and most influential pro-life groups in the country and which “certainly has a lot of sway on Capitol Hill, has deemed it fit to create a public-relations campaign and named Tennessee as the most pro-life state in the country,” Mr. Brewer said. “They want to take what Tennessee has done and model it to the other states in the country to say, ‘Marching on this issue is not always a bad thing. It’s not always a detractor of votes. It’s not always a detractor of public interest. Here is what Tennessee has done. Here are the lives that Tennessee has saved. Here’s how you can do it, too.’”

Before introducing Mrs. Barnette, Mrs. Brewer talked about the state TRL’s Choose Life license plates, which, according to a U.S. Army training course this year, constituted a driver with the plate as a “domestic terrorist.”

“Tennessee Right to Life sponsored the license plate and defended it in court when it was challenged. ... That Choose Life license plate is actually doing so much good because every year it generates over $100,000. It comes back to the Tennessee Right to Life Education Fund, and then the Education Fund is able to disburse it out to the pregnancy-resource centers, so it’s doing a lot of good. In fact, Stacy and her team just last month gave $5,000 each to the four pregnancy-resource centers that were affected in flood-ravaged upper East Tennessee,” Mrs. Brewer said.

Mrs. Brewer remembered Dennis Williams, a TRL board member who died on Sept. 13. She also mentioned a piece of property donated to the Knox County chapter that is next to Planned Parenthood’s recently reopened facility in East Knoxville. The property has been developed into a prayer garden.

“That’s just a miracle of God that we couldn’t have planned on,” Mrs. Brewer said before concluding: “I just wanted to reassure you that no matter who is in the White House in January or in four years or in 24 years, it doesn’t matter because we know who is on the throne. God is on the throne. It is His battle that we are fighting, and we know that He is on our side, that we are walking with Him. We’ve read the Book, and we know how it ends, and God wins.”

She is exceptional

Mrs. Barnette’s keynote was titled “I Am the Exception,” and gratitude was a major theme of her talk. She is a former national grassroots director and senior adviser to Vivek Ramaswamy’s presidential campaign and now founder and president of Being Better America Strategies. She is the host of the Kathy Barnette podcast as well as an author, a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves, a former adjunct professor in corporate finance, a wife, a homeschooling mom, and a 2022 candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania. Her first book, Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain: Being Black and Conservative

in America, went to No. 1 on Amazon.

Mrs. Barnette grew up in poverty on a pig farm in southern Alabama and was raised in a home with no insulation or running water that had an outhouse and a well.

Her mother was raped at age 11 and gave birth to her at age 12.

“That is my story, and yet I am crying because it is a very real part of who I am and my identity. I look at that story and I think about my mom, and I think about my children, and I think about my husband—we just celebrated 23 years of marriage,” she said. “I’m so grateful to you, God. I’m so grateful to our God. He saw value in my life, and by the grace of God the adults in the room saw value in my life. I am eternally grateful for that. I offer no apologies that I am here. I am grateful, so very grateful.”

Her husband and two “amazing children” would not have been possible had not “the adults in the room,” who included her grandparents, “not seen value in my life, had they seen an inconvenience, something to be shunned, something hopeless, full of despair.”

“Aborting me would have destroyed everything that has come as a result of me and my presence in this world. Aborting me would not have resolved the real wrong that had been inflicted upon my mom, and there was a wrong that had been inflicted upon her. My mother has suffered the consequence. . . . As you can imagine, when something so horrible is inflicted upon a little child, the trajectory of their life shifts, and the hurt and the harm and the shame and all that you have to live through—aborting me would not have corrected that wrong.”

Some people may see hopelessness in her beginnings, Mrs. Barnette said.

“But I see purpose because God sees purpose. God said before the foundation of the world, ‘I saw you, Kathy. I chose you, I set you apart for Me, and at the right time I will call you,’ and He did. Where some see despair, I see hope,” she added.

Mrs. Barnette remembered her grandparents fondly despite the poverty she grew up in.

“We were so poor, we couldn’t afford the other ‘o’—we were just po’. But when you’re a child and you’re loved, and I had everything—I had no idea. I was loved, and I was protected. I don’t recall one time anyone looking at me and calling me a victim. ... I remember being loved. I remember feeling protected. I remember running around until the lights came on—there was only one, but it was there. I remember that, and I’m so grateful for that beginning because no one told me that I was a victim and all the odds were against me.”

Mrs. Barnette didn’t plan on homeschooling her children until her daughter “came home, and they were going to be teaching her about same-sex marriage: she was 5 years old. My husband and I made a choice that I would step out of the corporate race and stay home, and let me tell you, I’m so grateful to God that somehow He planted a seed. I was one of those moms who looked forward to that little yellow bus driving off so I could get back to my own life. I had plans, but I am so grateful to God that He has a way of interrupting our plans, and now my babies are 18—my son just graduated from high school and is now in college, and my daughter is 15—I’m so grateful to God that when they were so little in kindergarten and up that He interrupted my own plans and showed me something more precious. I wish I could give up 10 of my future years to go back 10 years and do it again. That’s how precious it is, if that helps anyone in the room. I pray that it does.”

The keynote speaker said she has “lived a full life, an adventurous life—traveled the world, done so many different things, had so many experiences, but above all I’ve been able to live, and that I am eternally grateful for, that I was not the exception to the rule to my grandparents. Instead, it was life. My grandmother—I never saw her read anything, so I don’t know if she cannot read...but she was smart enough to know that what was growing in my mother’s womb was life, and she protected that life.” ■

DAN MCWILLIAMS (2)

Speaking from the heart Ilse Dale, a 2024 graduate of Knoxville Catholic High School, delivers her award-winning speech about the sanctity of life during Tennessee Right to Life's annual banquet on Oct. 15

A mother's love Caroline and Mary Zengel attend Tennessee Right to Life's banquet. The Zengels were recognized as the focus of a TRL billboard campaign when Caroline was pregnant with Mary, now a Knoxville Catholic High School student

OSV: What are some practical ways to counter the cynicism and even despair some people, including Catholics, may feel even at the local level over the electoral and governance processes?

Adkins: We were planted in a particular corner of the vineyard, and most of us have real agency in the place that we’re planted. We know the issues, we know the problems, and we should know the people who are making those decisions.

I think we have to retrain ourselves to think that the primary locus of our political agency is not in Congress. It’s not at the presidential level or the international level. It’s in our corner of the vineyard where we’ve been planted.

Alexis de Tocqueville (a 19th-century political scientist and author of Democracy in America) viewed local politics as a school of democracy. That’s often where our higher officials start … working on a school board, a city council, or as a county commissioner.

And when you practice the politics of encounter, you understand that most people get involved because they’ve been willing to make that sacrifice, to take that step forward and serve their communities.

I think that’s the big antidote—going to those places where we don’t often get coverage in the news media, but where we’re really working together to solve important quality-oflife questions. I’d love to see Catholics be more engaged at the local levels. We can rebuild this community, this nation, from the ground up.

If we start local, if you build strong communities, it doesn’t matter as much what happens at the national level. That does matter, but if we had

Catholic Tribune continued from page A8

50 million Catholics in this country working to build strong communities, using the parish as kind of a base camp and being involved at every level of politics, we could renew this nation from the ground up. So, I think we really need to retrain our focus. Obviously, what happens at the

presidential level—because of significant moral questions and the appointment of judges—has really attracted our attention. But if we want to make a difference, then we need to be in conversation and in relationship with our state officials, because that’s where the big ques-

about an Iowa Catholic Tribune newspaper showing up in some people’s mailboxes in Central Iowa. The newspaper in question is not a publication of the Catholic bishops of Iowa or the Catholic Diocese of Des Moines,” the page on the website of the Iowa Catholic Conference says.

The Diocese of Scranton released a statement Nov. 3 (2022) saying that “numerous parishioners” have received a publication in their mailbox called the Pennsylvania Catholic Tribune

“Purporting itself to be Catholic, the newspaper features politically related content among its many articles. The publication also has accompanying websites, pacatholictribune and/ or americancatholictribune, which appear to mention several dioceses in Pennsylvania, including the Diocese of Scranton. It is important for all people to know that this publication and its accompanying website are neither endorsed by, nor are they affiliated with, the Diocese of Scranton or the Catholic Church,” the diocesan statement says.

The papers have begun showing up in Nevada, too. The Diocese of Reno told local outlet Fox11 that they are aware of the Nevada Catholic Tribune being distributed in the Reno-Sparks metro area, and that it is not an official publication of the Church.

It’s not clear if similar papers are being mailed in Wisconsin this election season, but in 2020 Father John Girotti, vicar for canonical services and associate moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Green Bay, said that to his knowledge, “the Wisconsin Catholic Tribune has no direct connec-

Radiating love continued from page A18

“Today … many despair of marriage. Marriage rates are declining,” the California’s bishops said in a letter to the faithful about the “Radiate Love” initiative. “(Marriage) is increasingly seen as an unattainable luxury by poorer and marginalized Americans. And the ties between marriage and children are breaking with unfortunate consequences.” At the same time, divorce rates have declined over the past 20 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and with the average marriage age now between 28 and 30—as well as midlife first-marriage rates rising since the 1990s—the statistics may suggest less of an outright rejection of marriage, and more of a reprioritization of, or possible hesitancy toward, the vocation.

Ms. Domingo said “Radiate Love” also is looking to address that angle by reaching “people (who) have had really bad experiences” with marriage.

tions like abortion and assisted suicide, parental choice, and education are being decided. Building our communities from the ground up is going to require that we engage the local politics more intentionally.

OSV: And that’s the Catholic principle of subsidiarity (which states that larger institutions should not overwhelm or interfere with smaller institutions, while still providing proportional assistance as needed) when you think of it, correct?

Adkins: Exactly. Subsidiarity and solidarity, the dignity of the human person, the common good—all these work together.

City council (may discuss) a lot of (simple) zoning variances, but also taxation issues, housing issues, and questions like that. How do we build communities that make housing more affordable?

Everyone’s concerned about what’s going on in the schools. Well, who’s signing up to engage those school-board electoral races? Who’s working to ensure our schools are places that are focused on skills and principles and not indoctrination?

A lot of those issues are decided at the county and city level.

The amount of time that we spent … on social media could be better spent sitting in on a school-board meeting, or a city council meeting, or writing a letter to the editor. There’s a million things you can do.

Along with a Holy Hour, why not a “citizenship hour” every week, where we focus on a way where we can actually identify those ways that we can make a difference?

And then, be patient and persevere. Understand that we’re not going to turn the ship around in one day. It takes a lot of people working brick by brick. ■

mation about Mass intentions.

tion to any diocese or bishop in the Church.”

The Catholic bishops of Arizona issued a more general warning on Oct. 31 about groups calling themselves Catholic while openly advocating for political candidates. The bishops noted that Canon 216 of the Code of Canon Law states that no initiative can lay claim to the title “Catholic” without the consent of the competent ecclesiastical authority.

“We must stress that the Catholic Church is always politically non-partisan. Moreover, it is worth recalling that the Catholic Church has a long tradition of our beliefs influencing our personal politics—not our personal politics trying to influence our faith. When we reverse those two, we place ourselves outside the tradition and teachings of the Catholic Church,” the Arizona bishops’ statement read.

The Arizona bishops’ conference statement did not explicitly name any of the political groups calling themselves Catholic that the faithful should watch out for, but a spokesman for the conference said the statement was a response to confusion and media inquiries related to the Arizona Catholic Tribune newspaper.

The Catholic Tribune papers appear to be similar in design across the several states where they have been mailed. They contain full-color photos and articles—with much of the material repackaged from other sources—about local politicians and political races. The papers all sport the same slogan on the front page: “Real data. Real value. Real news.” The papers cite various news and commentary sources and pro-life groups while drawing on content from diocesan or parish social media feeds and bulletins, including infor-

“Maybe they’re hurting, maybe they’re grieving … whether it was from their childhood, or whether it was from something that happened as an adult,” she said. “We have a lot of people in our parishes whose marriages have fallen apart, or maybe what they hoped for isn’t coming true for them. A lot of people are suffering with the loss of children or infertility issues and things like that. And there are people who are married and their marriage is not really a joyful moment for them.”

By acknowledging such woundedness, the initiative can provide authentic, impactful support that is rooted in Christ and Church teaching, she said. “How can we really help those people through the lens of the Church and through all of her apostolates and all of her resources to bring these folks before Jesus and say, ‘You can be healed in this moment?’” Ms. Domingo asked. “If we understand that the sacrament of

An article on the front page of the Arizona Catholic Tribune, for example, discusses the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ opposition to the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have codified a right to abortion into federal law, and notes that Sen. Mark Kelly, DArizona, was a co-sponsor of the legislation.

The Pennsylvania Catholic Tribune featured a front-page story on Mark Houck, a Catholic father of seven who was recently arrested and federally charged after allegedly pushing an abortion clinic escort to the ground.

While the papers themselves do not list a publisher, investigations by The New York Times and the Columbia Journalism Review found that the various Catholic Tribune sites across the country are owned by Metric Media, an organization that operates more than 1,000 websites that aim to fill a void in local news coverage.

According to the Columbia Journalism Review, Metric Media launched the network of seven Catholic Tribune sites in early 2020: six were state-centric and one was national, the American Catholic Tribune, which says on its website that it was created in 2019 “to provide more robust news reporting on parish life and issues affecting Catholics.”

Many of the articles on Metric Media’s sites have a conservative bent, and officers at the company have links to think tanks and political action committees funded by libertarian businessman Charles Koch and allied donors, the Columbia Journalism Review says.

Catholic News Agency was unable to reach a Metric Media representative for comment. ■

marriage is truly a participation in the salvation, the saving act of Jesus, then there is salvation to be found in this process. How can we help you find that?”

The task is not limited to marriage partners but extends to the broader context of family and social life, Ms. Domingo pointed out.

“St. John Paul II talked about remote preparation for marriage, a lifelong plan for talking about marriage and family,” she said. “And I think that we’re still trying to unpack all of that. … We’re tapping into the U.S. bishops’ programming and the Vatican’s programming (in those areas).”

As part of that approach, the “Radiate Love” initiative works to “help people have a vocabulary to share about marriage” naturally, in “classrooms, catechetical settings, retreats, and youth ministry,” she said.

“Radiate Love” provides resources to help parents “be really genuine and intentional” in living their mar-

riages, noted Ms. Domingo, since “the way kids really learn the most about marriage and family is by watching their parents.”

“Be intentional about praying together, be intentional about having conversations at the dinner table,” she said. “Talk to your kids about your marriage: ‘Do you notice that we work together? Do you notice that we share responsibilities? Do you notice how much we love each other?’ All those kinds of things can be shared around the dinner table or just in the context of living your life at home, if it’s an intentional sense of wanting your kids to grow up with a positive understanding about marriage.”

“The institution of marriage is held dear by God,” the bishops said in their letter. “This is because marriage offers a penetrating glimpse into God’s identity as a communion of persons and a model for how He loves us and how we are to love Him and every neighbor.” ■

Faithful citizenship A man holding a rosary with the U.S. flag as a backdrop is silhouetted in this photo illustration.

OSV NEWS ILLUSTRATION/MIKE CRUPI, CATHOLIC COURIER

religious. It goes all the way back. The whole health-care system, all the questions about good care, who started it? Who were the driving forces? Women religious,” he said.

“They created the American healthcare system, were the heart of it. And you have been blessed here in Knoxville with a wonderful community of Sisters of Mercy. Mercy. Pope Francis keeps trying to remind us that mercy is what we’re meant to be, the mercy of God. We’re healing in a world of division and bringing health and wholeness to people’s lives.”

Father Wall said the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic is a continuation of this tradition, a “community of light” that “lifts up the poorest of the poor among us.”

He said Sister Mary Lisa is a person who recognizes the light of Christ in everyone she meets, and she encourages those around her to recognize that light and share it with others.

“The movement of St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic is truly light to the world,” Father Wall said.

Lumen Christi means “light of Christ,” and Father Wall recalled the beautiful symbolism in the paschal candle at Easter Vigil.

“To be part of the Easter Vigil is one of the most holy things you can do. If you only do it once in your life, take time and really experience that moment of going into a darkened church on the night before Easter and lighting one candle—one candle—and the one candle breaks the darkness. Just the one candle. We believe that one candle, that one light, is the Christ. And then from that one candle—the Christ—many candles are lit, each one of us lighting from one candle. It’s one light. It’s the light of Christ. It’s the light of God in the world,” Father Wall pointed out.

He noted that this is how we share love and mercy—from the light each of us receives, we spread it to many others, connecting us all to the same, one light of Christ.

“We’re here today to proclaim that that’s what we’ve experienced, what this light of Christ can mean to the world and into your community. We’ve been given a wonderful group of women who have chosen as their life vocation to keep their eyes fixated on this mystery of the power of God’s light, God’s energy, God’s light. This is meant to be a movement, a powerful movement, that truly transforms the world.

“There is a beautiful song that is sung at the Easter Vigil: ‘This is the light of Christ, thanks be to God. Live in the light of Christ, thanks be to God. We are the light of Christ, thanks be to God.’ Sister Mary Lisa, you are the light of Christ, thanks be to God.” He then presented Sister Mary Lisa with the award. There was a large, enthusiastic round of applause.

“This beautiful cross that symbolizes Christ as our light,” Father Wall said as he handed Sister Mary Lisa the crystal cross award. “I hope it continues to inspire you, because you do it so beautifully for all of us.”

Sister Mary Lisa thanked Catholic Extension and everyone present.

“Thank you so much to everyone. Thank you to Catholic Extension for being here and supporting the Church in mission. It’s been beautiful to get to know some of you and have you with us. The work that you do is really precious. Thank you for that and know of our prayers for all of you.

“Thank you to the diocese and Bishop Beckman for supporting our ministry of St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic. And to Father Boettner for his guidance for our ministry. To all our volunteers and staff, it’s such a blessing to be with all of you. And thank you to all of my Sisters for being here with me and your support. Truly our whole community contributes to this clinic.”

In accepting the award, she reflected on how the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic offers medical care and also strives to love and walk with its patients.

“We see the light of Christ in one another. We see the light of Christ of those we serve along with. We see the light of Christ in the patients that we serve. And the hope and prayer are that we all follow that light to its source, to come to know Christ in a deeper way, to know of His love for each of you and to let that sustain you in moments that

opportunity to love the Lord Bishop Mark Beckman celebrates Mass for the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic and its volunteers on Oct. 30 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. Concelebrating the Mass are Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension Society, and Father David Boettner, rector of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Deacon Sean Smith, kneeling, Diocese of Knoxville chancellor, assisted at the Mass. St. Mary's Legacy Clinic volunteer Bruce Fisher, foreground, gave the first reading.

seem dark or confusing, to know that that light will never leave you, that the light of Christ is always there,” the Sister and physician said.

Sister Mary Lisa recalled a particular patient who came to the clinic in a dark place.

“It was a huge experience of the Lord’s providence and mercy at work when I came to meet this woman. She came in; she had lost her medical insurance, she had some major medical issues, and she was in a place of severe depression, so severe that she had attempted suicide, so very stark,” she said.

In the woman’s suicide attempt, the gun misfired, which saved her life.

“She had this whole 180 in that moment of suddenly realizing that she was here for a reason, that she was brought there by the Lord, and that she was worthy to live and worthy of care. So, she came to our clinic with that, and I think it was this profound moment for all of us caring for her.

“What she experienced in an intense way in that moment is what I think we need to remember in reality for all of us, that we are here for a reason, that we come together for a reason, and that the Lord’s mercy is holding us in being, and His love is what sustains and guides us. She was able to stay with us and come to a place of peace, come to a place of being treated for her medical conditions, thanks be to God. The Lord had held her.

“I think what I want to remember today and for each of us to remember is that you are here for a reason,

needs as they arise.

“Having Sister Mary Lisa recognized for being the light of Christ to our patients, staff, and volunteers, and the communities that we serve by Catholic Extension Society, is such an honor and testament to her work with the clinic and her vocation as a Religious Sister of Mercy,” said Martin Vargas, SMLC executive director.

“She is an amazing witness to faith and works as she lives the Gospel and is the face of Christ to our patients. I’m so grateful and inspired to work alongside her as she delivers the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to those in need in East Tennessee. She truly reflects the light of Christ in her work and our ministry,” Mr. Vargas noted.

Thanking volunteers

Several SMLC volunteers were also honored at the volunteer luncheon.

Mr. Vargas thanked all the volunteers for their work with the clinic.

“You are amazing. Your smiles reflect the face of Christ to our patients and each other,” he said.

“Today we're here to celebrate you and the impact you make in the lives of our patients and the communities where they live.”

Gail Buckley, Diana Curtis, Patricia Gould, Sandy Scott, Beth Williamson, and Toni Wolff were awarded their five-year service pins. Mary Frances Bridges, Deacon Gil Campos, Ruth Ann Cope, Bob Nevil, Mary Ann Toenisson, and Shelia Yarborough received their 10-year pins.

Diana Curtis and Tom Thornton received Volunteer of the Year awards.

“Diana is a nurse and translator who works with our patients at the sites, supports our physicians, and behind the scenes calls both English and Spanish-speaking patients with their lab results,” Mr. Vargas said.

“Tom is generous with his time and talent as a CDL certified driver of our clinic. Not only has he joined our crew that drives the clinic to the field, but he has been instrumental in its maintenance, helping us get to get it to our mechanic for necessary repairs.”

Kat Dull received the Judy Award, named for the late Judy Schmidt, a nurse volunteer and the founder of the SMLC’s volunteer corps.

“Kat was chosen [as the Judy Award winner] based on the recognition of her fellow volunteers. … She truly reflects the face of Jesus Christ to our patients,” Mr. Vargas said.

Together, the SMLC volunteers had logged 10,511 hours of service in the year to date. Mr. Vargas called it “the single largest source of support” of the clinic.

and what you do is important, every one of you.”

Similar to Bishop Beckman’s homily, Sister Mary Lisa noted that the Lord’s light shines in our small actions and everyday encounters.

“It’s the little actions, the little moments that no one knows about or sees, but the Lord knows and sees. That’s how we receive that light of Christ—we receive it in the sacraments, we receive it from one another, and then we’re able to share that with others. So, thank you to each of you for being the light of Christ to me and to our community. I am so grateful for each of you,” she shared.

Sister Mary Lisa expressed her thanks for her Sisters of Mercy community and the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic community who have committed themselves to serving others.

“Thank you again to each of you. I’m so blessed to be a part of this, that my community has sent me to be a part of this ministry. I pray that we can continue to serve well together and to bring that love of Christ to each person that we meet.”

As the Lumen Christi Award recipient, Sister Mary Lisa received a $25,000 grant to support the mission of the clinic. The Diocese of Knoxville, as the nominating diocese, received an additional $25,000 grant.

Bishop Beckman said the full $50,000 will go to St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic.

Sister Mary Lisa said that the funds would be used for patient care, including covering labs, medications, medical supplies, and other

“With you and our partners, we are realizing a vision to provide a village of wraparound care to meet the needs of our patients and the communities we serve,” he said.

Mr. Vargas also expressed his thanks to Bishop Beckman, Father Boettner, and Catholic Extension Society for their presence and their support of the clinic.

Bishop Beckman also spoke of how the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic reaches out to the needy and reflects the light of Christ. He expressed his thanks to the staff and volunteers who go above and beyond to show compassion and care to the patients they serve.

“I really do believe that the mobile medical clinic brings light to the folks who need light the most. There are so many volunteers and staff members here today. Thank you for helping to bring the light of Christ to others. That is truly a gift.

“I referenced that little way of St. Thérèse of Lisieux in my homily. I think the message is we are called to love each person who we encounter on the path of life. Who has God put in front of me today? Lord, help me to love that person. I love the fact that the mobile clinic does that in such a beautiful, individualized way.”

Mr. Vargas shared how the clinic had grown in the past year and the number of lives impacted by its work.

SMLC recently added two new clinic sites in Crossville and Pigeon Forge. The clinic is now in the field 50 percent of the time, serving 10 different clinic locations throughout each month.

In 2023, SMLC added 226 new patients and made 1,371 patient visits.

An

Teamwork makes the clinic work St. Mary's Legacy Clinic volunteers are joined by Diocese of Knoxville supporters for a group photo on Oct. 30 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church.

Honoring volunteers St. Mary's Legacy Clinic medical director Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, left, SMLC volunteer coordinator Brianna Vinyard, second from right, and SMLC executive director Martin Vargas, right, recognize St. Mary's Legacy Clinic 10-year volunteers Bob Nevil, second from left, and Mary Ann Toenisson, third from left, during the Oct. 30 volunteer luncheon.

EMILY BOOKER (3)

Reports from each bishop group will be used to guide the work of conference committees. The bishops also approved the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth to move forward with the drafting of a document to guide lay ecclesial ministry, which is meant to be a follow-up to the bishops’ 2005 document, Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord. The bishops also voted to pass the 2025 USCCB budget and the conference ’s 2025-28 Mission Directive, which will guide the work of the conference staff over the next three years. During the plenary meeting, the bishops voted for a new treasurer and new chairmen of five standing committees. All six elected bishops will serve for one year as the chairmanelect before beginning a three-year term that

begins at the conclusion of the bishops’ 2025 plenary assembly. They also held a consultation on advancing the causes for beatification and canonization for Sister Annella Zervas, a professed religious of the Order of St. Benedict, and of the Servant of God Gertrude Agnes Barber, a laywoman, and by voice vote, they affirmed the advancement of both causes at the local levels.

The bishops discussed and voted on three action items related to liturgical texts presented by the USCCB’s Committee on Divine Worship:

n The bishops voted to approve the revised New American Bible for liturgical use. The approval of this requires a two-thirds vote of the Latin Church members, with subsequent confirmation from the Vatican’s Dicastery

continued from page A12

the Liturgy of the Hours and its Office of Readings. As St. Monica was approaching the hour of her death, she became very ill. Some of those accompanying Monica wanted her to return home to North Africa to die.

The bishop said that Monica responded, “Do not worry about where you bury me. I ask one thing of you. Wherever you go, remember me at the altar of the Lord.” Very shortly after that, Monica did indeed fall asleep in the Lord, the bishop noted.

“To me, the reminder is that on this day, especially on the commemoration of all the faithful departed, we gather to remember those we’ve known and loved who have gone before us. As Augustine was asked by his mother, Monica, to remember her, wherever he went, at the altar of the Lord. That’s what we do here

Light continued from page A21

Mr. Vargas said he expects that by the end of 2024, SMLC will have more than 500 patients.

He noted that the clinic is particularly proud of “graduating” 15 percent of its patients. This means a patient’s situation has improved to where they can gain health insurance, thus accessing more medical-care options.

“This is something particularly for you to celebrate, as you walked with them in their journey from uninsured to insured,” he told the volunteers. “This is how to change lives.”

Mr. Vargas also expressed a particular thanks to the translators who assist Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking patients. The percentage of Hispanic patients rose from 25 percent to 35 percent in the past year.

To learn more about St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic and its volunteer opportunities, visit SMLCares.com

Walking alongside neighbors

Catholic Extension Society serves 87 of the 196 dioceses in the United States, with the goal of connecting poor and remote Catholic communities with financial support, educational partnerships, and infrastructure.

Father Wall said Catholic Extension accompanies dioceses and ministries in their mission

“We just come in and say, ‘Can we walk with you?’” he said.

While in East Tennessee for the Lumen Christi Award ceremony, the delegation from Catholic Extension visited St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Erwin. Erwin was one of the hardest-hit areas in Tennessee by Hurricane Helene. St. Michael the Archangel Parish lost four parishioners who died in the flooding.

The Catholic Extension delegation

today,” Bishop Beckman said.

“It’s a sacred place of remembrance. It is true that anytime and anyplace, we can remember them. We can pray for them. And we can come to this place, this columbarium, especially if your loved ones’ remains are here, we can come to this place at any moment,” he added.

The fact that friends and family were gathered on All Souls’ Day around the table of the Lord to celebrate the Eucharist for loved ones together as a community of faith is impactful, according to Bishop Beckman.

“I find that very profound and very healing. This place is a place of closeness with the risen Lord. What we are praying for today is that the goodness of God, the mercy of God, and the love of God may continue to purify and heal all of those who

for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

n The bishops voted to approve the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) Gray Book of the Order of Crowning of an Image of the Blessed Virgin Mary . The approval of this requires a two-thirds vote of the Latin Church members, with subsequent confirmation by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

n The bishops voted to approve the Liturgia de las Horas: Textos propios y adaptaciones para las diócesis de los Estados Unidos de América . The approval of this requires a two-thirds vote of the Latin Church members, with subsequent recognition by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. ■

journey to the kingdom of heaven,” he shared.

“Those experiencing the unfolding mystery of God’s purgative love, that they may know forever the life of God’s goodness, and that someday we will see them again face to face in God’s kingdom,” he continued.

Bishop Beckman spoke of the “sacred emptiness” some people feel when they lose a cherished loved one. He said when that happens, loved ones always carry inside themselves an emptiness.

“That special place is reserved until we see them again face to face in God’s kingdom,” he noted. “That is a holy mystery, and we bring that place to the Lord here, at the table of the Lord.”

Following his homily, Bishop Beckman blessed the columbarium and sprinkled the niches with holy

met with Glenmary Father Tom Charters, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel, and Glenmary Brother Corey Soignier, who shared how the Unicoi County parish had been responding to the disaster, offering physical and spiritual support to the community.

The Catholic Extension team also visited several places in Unicoi County and surveyed the flood damage and rebuilding efforts.

In the immediate aftermath, St. Michael the Archangel rallied to set up a distribution center, providing food, water, batteries, and other needed items to those affected by the storm. It also held rosaries and prayer services for the missing and met with members of the community who were grieving.

“It’s was hard,” Father Charters

said. “It was just hard.”

Yet the Erwin community rallied together to support one another.

“I’ve been extremely pleased with the response of the people in the community, and the Hispanic community especially. We had an ecumenical prayer service in the town a week after this happened. … It was a beautiful prayer service, very powerful,” Father Charters said.

One month after the storm, the community was still working to get back to a sense of normalcy. On the day of Catholic Extension’s visit, Oct. 29, Unicoi County students were returning to school for the first time since the storm. The next day, Interstate 26, which connects Tennessee and North Carolina through Erwin,

water, a comforting and pastoral moment for those in attendance who have experienced the loss of loved ones. The intercessions read by Deacon Otey included prayers for the Church to remain strong in the faith of the resurrection of the dead and diligent in praying for the faithful departed, for those mourning the loss of loved ones and that family suffering may be eased, and that Jesus’ death and resurrection may free those in purgatory who most need God’s mercy. Afterward, Bishop Beckman and the concelebrating priests greeted those who attended the solemn Mass outside of the columbarium. The Mass has become an annual ceremony since the columbarium and the surrounding memorial garden were completed about five years ago. ■

partially reopened. A section of Interstate 40 between Newport and Ashville, N.C., remains closed to traffic.

“We have parishioners from North Carolina, and they just got their water and electricity the other day,” Father Charters said.

Several parishioners were on site at the parish distribution center sorting donated items that had arrived. Father Charters said donations had poured in from all over the country.

St. Michael the Archangel also is helping clean out and restore a few of the homes that experienced severe flooding. Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, Glenmary Home Missioners, and Catholic Extension Society are all helping with support and resources as the parish reaches out to the community as it rebuilds.

Father Wall said the parish was truly an example of walking with others.

“May God continue to bless this community,” he said. “He’s blessed it with great beauty. He has also blessed it with great and beautiful people who continue to support and do the great ministry of mercy to those who are suffering.”

The role Catholic Extension Society has played in the Diocese of Knoxville is greatly appreciated.

“Over the past 17 years, Catholic Extension Society has provided more than $3 million in assistance to the Diocese of Knoxville in support of seminarian education, the work of our religious Sisters, the building of new churches, with our various ministries and programs of outreach to the poor, as well as programs of educational and leadership development and much more. Where would we be without the assistance of the Catholic Extension Society?” said

Paul Simoneau, Diocese of Knoxville vice chancellor ■

In remembrance Bishop Mark Beckman celebrates Mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral columbarium on All Souls' Day, Nov. 2. Concelebrating the Mass are Father David Boettner, Father Martin Gladysz, and Father Danny Herman

Bless the faithful departed Bishop Mark Beckman blesses the columbarium niches at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus with holy water during the All Souls' Day Mass on Nov. 2. BILL

Assessing the damage Father Tom Charters, GHM, standing left, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Erwin, on Oct. 29 shows Catholic Extension Society president Father Jack Wall, center, the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene in Erwin. Joining them as a photographer takes their picture is Brother Corey Soignier, GHM, who serves with Father Charters in Erwin. In the background is Unicoi County Hospital, which was overrun by Hurricane Helene floodwaters.

Columbarium

Vocal students welcome new bishop

St. John Neumann

By Bill Brewer

Bishop Mark Beckman didn’t expect to be serenaded during his visit to St. John Neumann Church and School on Oct. 18.

But serenaded he was as students who were gathered for an all-school Mass launched into “Happy Birthday,” led by the student choir. The bishop was celebrating Mass at the Farragut elementary school on the day before his 62nd birthday.

The a cappella rendition of the classic tune wasn’t the only birthday wish Bishop Beckman received. As he met with older students in the gym and visited the classrooms of younger students in the K-8 school, class after class presented him with student-created birthday cards.

Bishop Beckman was grateful for their kindness and generosity and relished interacting with the young people.

On the feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, the bishop put on his teaching hat and told the students how St. Luke, one of the four authors of the Gospels, made known the glorious wonders of the kingdom of God “in such a beautiful way.”

“I sometimes say in sort of a humorous way that St. Luke’s Gospel is one of my favorite four Gospels. Since there are only four, of course, they are all my favorites. One of the things I love about the Gospel of

Notre Dame continued from page A3

’s all-school chorus has an a cappella birthday surprise

think that Our Lady may completely disappear from our view and our lives was simply unimaginable. What was impossible for us to process was that with Notre Dame on fire, we were watching history burning. Our common history. Closely connected, of course, to the history of France, Notre Dame’s universalism, however, speaks to the whole of humanity.”

For its five years of reconstruction, Notre Dame was sealed off from the public, with tourists patiently viewing the front towers of the cathedral from wooden risers installed in front of it.

The risers are placed not far from the place where Philippe Villeneuve, Notre Dame’s chief architect, found the copper rooster, usually perched atop the spire, that was feared lost on April 15. However, at dawn on April 16, Mr. Villeneuve found the battered rooster lying in the gutter of Rue du Cloître-Notre-Dame, a street along the cathedral square. Relics of Paris’ patron, St. Genevieve, were found intact inside.

After five years of intense work and installation of a new rooster one he designed himself on top of the new spire, Mr. Villeneuve emphasized that this magnificent project was made possible by the international outpouring of generosity and donations that followed the fire.

“I would never have imagined that Notre Dame could have aroused such emotion throughout the world, during and after the fire,” he said. “It was astonishing.”

Those involved in the reconstruction emphasize that many American donors generously supported Notre Dame’s rebuilding.

“Notre Dame shows France’s influence in the world, and its extraordinary heritage,” he said. “But the fire was not just a national issue. Notre Dame is also a (UNESCO) World Heritage site, and during the fire, we really felt that it was humanity that was seeing its heritage disappear.”

Mr. Villeneuve said every person working in the reconstruction had a symbolic task of passing on their knowledge and work for future generations.

Highly skilled carpenters from four different companies were working together to rebuild the spire before the December reopening with the new construction, identical to the destroyed one, unveiled in March. Workers were chosen from companies that followed a strict ethical code and were skilled in sacred-art restoration.

“What has moved me so much over the years is precisely the joy that has animated all those involved in the project since the day after the fire,”

Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris said.

“All the trades worked together, craftsmen, artists … believers and nonbelievers alike. Competing companies joined forces. ... Nowadays, every time I visit the site, or meet those working on the liturgical furniture, sound, and lighting, I witness this joy,” he said.

Mr. Villeneuve, an architect, like hundreds of professionals working on the cathedral’s reconstruction, didn’t treat the cathedral’s reconstruction merely as a work project. In a conversation with OSV News, he described the cathedral as if it were a human being.

“I would like to give people something that will touch them,” he said. “I would like to help Notre Dame Cathedral speak to people, as best as it can.”

Notre Dame’s reopening will include “six months of celebration and praise,” Archbishop Ulrich said in a Feb. 2 pastoral letter.

The archbishop announced that “this celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame deserves an octave: from Dec. 8 to 15, every day, we will have a solemn celebration with a particular theme.” But the festive “reopening” time will last until June 8, when Pentecost falls in 2025.

That way, the archbishop said, “many will be able to say: ‘I was at the reopening!’”

“It must in fact be taken into account that the number of seats in the cathedral is not very large: Notre Dame is certainly not the largest church in Paris,” Archbishop Ulrich said.

At the end of November, a procession will take place in the streets of the French capital to return the statue of the Virgin Mary to the cathedral.

Throughout the restoration period, it was housed in the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois, directly across the street from the Louvre Palace. The sculpture, called the Virgin of the Pillar or the Virgin of Paris, dates to the mid14th century.

The reopening celebration will begin on Dec. 7, with representatives of the French state, which owns the cathedral, officially handing Notre Dame over to the archbishop of Paris “the assignee, which is the Catholic Church,” the letter said. The event will include the “awakening of the organ,” restored since the fire, followed by a “liturgical celebration with blessing, a Magnificat

And in a timely way, as the Church prepares to enter the season of Advent, Bishop Beckman glimpsed the Christmas story.

“Almost from the first moment of the Gospel, beautiful notes of joy are part of the Gospel. Think about how all the angels begin to sing to the shepherds announcing the birth of Jesus. Only Luke tells us that story. Without this Gospel, we wouldn’t know about the shepherds and the angels appearing to them, and what they are saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people.’ So, joy,” he remarked.

He informed the students that Luke emphasizes the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the saint also authored a second book of the Bible. In asking the congregation if they knew what the second book is, a student quickly and correctly answered, “The Acts of the Apostles.” In the Acts of the Apostles, the bishop said, Luke provides the story of the early Church and how the Holy Spirit was at work in the early Church.

Bishop Beckman then shared another key aspect of the Gospel of St. Luke.

“Luke, more than any of the four Gospels, emphasizes how important are the poor, little children, women, and people who were not in the normal part of the society.

to be followed by six months of celebrations, Masses, pilgrimages, prayers, and exhibitions.

or a ‘Te Deum,’ then Vespers.”

The first Mass will be celebrated in Notre Dame on Sunday, Dec. 8, the day when the new altar will be consecrated, highlighting the celebrative week. The bronze altar, with a flared shape reminiscent of a cup, was designed by Guillaume Bardet. Based south of Lyon, Mr. Bardet was chosen from among 70 candidates vying for the project. He also is in charge of the other pieces of furniture, baptistery, ambo, pulpit, and tabernacle.

The feast of the Immaculate Conception will be celebrated in the reopened cathedral on Dec. 9, a day later than the actual feast.

“We will have the joy of celebrating the Immaculate Conception, which the liturgy celebrates this year on Dec. 9, due to the Second Sunday of Advent,” the archbishop wrote.

“My very deep desire is to be able to welcome visitors,” the cathedral’s rector-archpriest, Father Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, said. “Notre Dame is a place of worship that welcomes 15 million people every year. As a priest, I seek above all to enable these people to encounter Christ. This can be done through the witness of faith that is the Masses celebrated as visitors continue their tour of the cathedral.”

“I would like this reopening to be the occasion of a spiritual awakening for France,” he added. Archbishop Ulrich said that “Like the Mother of God, the cathedral is not the Light, but it reflects the Light; it is a peaceful and sure sign that the Lord is here, in our lives, that He is present in our world and that He comes to meet each person along the way.” ■

Spire fire Flames and smoke billow from Notre Dame Cathedral after a fire broke out in the Paris landmark on April 15, 2019.

Rooster's perch The golden rooster is seen atop the spire amid reconstruction work at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris that entered its last phase as the world observed the fifth anniversary of the April 15, 2019, blaze that caused the spire to collapse inside the cathedral. Notre Dame is scheduled to reopen on Dec. 8,

St. Luke is the fact that Luke’s Gospel, more than any other Gospel, is a Gospel full of joy,” the bishop shared.

BILL BREWER (2)

Happy Birthday! Above: First-graders in Ashley Remeta's class at St. John Neumann School received a visit from Bishop Mark Beckman on Oct. 18. Below: Bishop Beckman celebrates Mass at St. John Neumann Church. Concelebrating the all-school Mass were Father Joe Reed and Father Michael Maples.

Students continued on page A26

Father James McQuade, CSP

Father James McQuade, CSP, entered eternal life on Aug. 2 at the Mary Manning Walsh Home in New York City. He was 95.

Father McQuade, a priest for 68 years, was a parish priest, campus minister, Catholic Information Center staff member, and hospital chaplain. He had a nearly lifelong relationship with the Paulist Fathers. He grew up in a Paulist parish and was a student in the Paulists’ one-time high school and junior-college seminary programs.

James Francis McQuade was born on July 17, 1929, in New York City, a son of John and Margaret Kiely McQuade. He was baptized at the Church of the Ascension in Manhattan.

Father McQuade attended the Inwood Good Shepherd Parish elementary school, where, he later wrote, he was “greatly influenced by the Paulist Fathers, the Sisters of Mercy, the De La Salle Christian Brothers, and an impressive list of lay teachers.” He was in the school marching band and the school orchestra.

He then entered the one-time Paulist high school seminary program at St. Charles College in Baltimore and continued into the Paulist junior seminary for his first years of college. On Aug. 29, 1949, he entered the Paulist novitiate in Oak Ridge, N.J.

He made his First Promises on Sept. 8, 1950, and his Final Promises on Sept. 8, 1953. He earned his undergraduate degree at St. Paul’s College, the Paulists’ former major seminary in Washington, D.C., which was then a degree-granting institution. Father McQuade later earned a master’s degree at the Institute for Religious Studies at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y.

He was ordained a priest on May 3, 1956, by Cardinal Francis Spellman at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City. He was one of 17 men ordained that day, the largest ordination class thus far in the missionary society’s history.

In his first priestly assignment, Father McQuade was an associate pastor at St. Paul’s in New York through August 1958. He then served on the staff of the Catholic Information Center in Grand Rapids, Mich., through 1962, when he became an associate pastor at Good Shepherd Church in Inwood.

In 1964, he moved to Austin, Texas, where he

first served for one year as an associate pastor at St. Austin Church. From 1965 to 1974, Father McQuade was a chaplain at the Austin State Hospital. While there, he received training in the ecumenical clinical pastoral training program and was certified as a clinically trained chaplain supervisor by the National Catholic Chaplains Association. He would later certify other priests and religious sisters as trained chaplains.

From 1975 to 1977, Father McQuade assisted with the development of the Catholic parish in the Montbello neighborhood of Denver before again spending a year as an associate pastor at St. Paul’s in New York City.

In 1978, he moved to Morgantown, W.Va., where he was an associate pastor and campus minister at St. John’s University Parish at West Virginia University through 1983.

Father McQuade then served for two years as administrator and then pastor of St. Peter’s Church in Greeley, Colo.; one year on the staff of the Catholic Information Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.; and one year as an associate pastor at St. Peter’s Church and the Catholic Information Center in Toronto.

He returned to Catholic campus ministry in 1988 for three years as pastor of John XXIII University Parish at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

In 1991, Father McQuade moved to the Paulist Motherhouse in New York City and began a 24year tenure as a devoted chaplain at Roosevelt Hospital on Manhattan’s West Side (today’s Mount Sinai West). He entered senior ministry in 2014. In his later years, he engaged in volunteer priestly ministries, including distributing ashes at St. Paul’s on Ash Wednesdays. He also was dedicated to sharing the history of the Paulists as well as the stories of historic Catholics and their associations with the Paulists. In July 2023, Father McQuade moved to the Mary Manning Walsh Home.

Father McQuade was preceded in death by his parents and his younger brother, Robert.

In addition to his Paulist brothers, he is survived by his nieces, Elizabeth and Nancy; his nephews, John and Terrence; his great-nieces, Nora and Kiely; and his great-nephew, Hugh.

A funeral Mass for Father McQuade was celebrated on Aug. 7 at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City. The principal celebrant of the Mass was Father René Constanza, CSP, president of the Paulist Fathers. The homily was shared by Father John Duffy, CSP.

A burial service in the Paulist section of St. Thomas Cemetery in Oak Ridge, N.J., followed the Mass.

Jan Johnsson

Janis (Jan) Maples Johnsson entered eternal life on Oct. 24.

Ms. Johnsson spent 30 years in ministry to the Catholic Church in education and at the parish level. She served at both Knoxville Catholic High School and St. Joseph School.

In the last decade of her work life, she worked for “the nicest man I’ve ever known,” Dr. Jim Pickering.

She would quickly tell you that her greatest joy and that for which she was most proud were her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, her son-in-law and daughter-in-law, whom she counted as her own, her big brother, Greg, and her nieces and nephew.

She felt privileged to enjoy the friendship of her “sisters,” Aurelia Montgomery, Jamie Hanson, and Dawn Harbin, and she delighted in all her friends at Pickering and Allen Orthodontics.

She logged hundreds of miles with her Lakeshore Park buddies, especially Judy, for whom she was very grateful. She spoke often, with great fondness, for all the people who extended prayers, care, and concern during her cancer journey, including her cathedral buddies, especially Libby, Jane, and Dottie, her neighbor Kathryn, and her dear friends, Henry and Alice. Father John Orr was a source of strength on whom she relied more than he knew.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lois Newman Maples and Paul Theodore Maples, her maternal and paternal grandparents, sister-inlaw Sylvia Maples, and nephew Jacob Maples.

She is survived by her children, Kelly (Michael) Lay and Justin (Jeni Hollon) Manies; grandsons Jordan (Alisa) Lay, Noah Lay, and Eli Manies; great-grandchildren Rebecca Lay and Jonathan Lay; her brother, Greg Maples; and several nieces and a nephew.

A funeral Mass for Ms. Johnsson was celebrated on Oct. 31 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, with Father Orr serving as the celebrant. Inurnment followed the funeral Mass in the cathedral columbarium.

Contributions in Ms. Johnsson’s memory may be made to Knoxville Catholic High School (www.knoxvillecatholic.com/make-a-gift/) or the University of Tennessee Cancer Institute (www.utmedicalcenter.org/give-back/ give-now).

Fr. McQuade

Ms. Johnsson

Lavonne Marion Spicer

Lavonne (Vonnie) Marion Spicer, OFS, was called to her eternal rest, surrounded by family, on Oct. 29. She was 79.

Born on July 19, 1945, in Oak Ridge, she was the oldest of five children. She attended the University of Tennessee, where she studied zoology. She met her to-be husband James (Jack) Spicer in Oak Ridge and eventually moved to Knoxville.

Mrs. Spicer lived a fulfilling life. Her greatest works are her family and sharing her faith through love and deeds. She was a kind and generous soul, always putting others’ needs before her own. Her love and compassion extended to all who knew her, and she will be remembered for her infectious smile and warm personality. She was a beautiful example of God’s love.

Mrs. Spicer was steadfast in her Catholic faith and prayed daily for her family and friends. She dedicated over 32 wonderful years managing The Paraclete Catholic book and gift store, where her kindness and generosity created bonds that will forever be cherished throughout the Diocese of Knoxville and beyond.

Through her ministry, she helped so many people grow deeper in their faith, return to the faith, and even helped many people join the faith. She continued to grow deeper in her faith and studied for many years to become a Secular Franciscan. She is preceded in death by her parents, John (Jack) and Dolores Cunningham of Oak Ridge, and her sons, Tom and Joe Spicer. She is survived by her husband of nearly 58 years, James (Jack) Spicer; her daughter, Tricia (David) Sellers; grandchildren Kelly (Aaron) Hiscock, Alex Spicer, Jessica (Paul) Karr, Amy Sellers, Elise (Elias) Torres, Otto Spicer, Matthew Sellers, and Brynn Spicer; and her great-grandchildren, Eleanor Spicer, Bodhi Hiscock, and Cade Karr; sisters Joan Wofford (Paul) and Diane Jameson; brother Jack Cunningham (Wendy); and nieces, nephews, cousins, and other family members who will miss her dearly. A funeral Mass for Mrs. Spicer was celebrated on Nov. 9 at All Saints Church, with inurnment following at the St. Mary Parish columbarium in Oak Ridge. Donations in Mrs. Spicer ’ s memory may be made to the Ladies of Charity.

Dennis B. Francis

Dennis Bruce Francis died on Oct. 29 in his West Knox County home after a brief, fierce battle with cancer. His wife, Theresa Habiger, daughter McKennah, and grandsons Bentley and Grayson were with him at his passing.

Faithful Departed

Joseph C. Gallagher

Joseph Cornelius Gallagher, a former resident of East Tennessee and faithful member of the Diocese of Knoxville whose award-winning career in sports broadcasting spanned many decades, passed away peacefully on June 13, just three weeks shy of his 97th birthday.

Born on July 5, 1927, to Edward and Anna Gallagher, Mr. Gallagher was predeceased by all 10 of his siblings: Anne, Ed, Mary, Frank, Tom, Jim, Henry, Dan, Arthur, and John.

He is cherished by his family and is survived by five children, 11 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and numerous nieces and nephews. His children are Ed (Lori), John (wife Rita, deceased in 2020), Bill (Sharon), Joe (Julie), Marie (Terence), Peter, who passed away in 2023, and Michael, who passed away in 1965.

Mr. Gallagher grew up in Riverdale, N.Y., where Manhattan College, a Catholic University located there, played a significant role in his life. Mr. Gallagher graduated from Manhattan College Prep (high school) in 1944 and Manhattan College in 1949. While in college, he served as the sports editor for the Quadrangle student newspaper as a junior and as the newspaper’s editor as a senior. His work at Manhattan College launched Mr. Gallagher into a long, distinguished career in the television sports business. He served his country in the U.S. Army from February 1946 to February 1947, training with the Army Corps of Engineers at Fort Belvoir in northern Virginia.

Mr. Gallagher’s lengthy and fascinating career in broadcasting began at WINS radio in New York in 1949, where he worked as a production assistant for Manhattan College alumnus Don Dunphy during New York Yankee broadcasts. He then worked directly for the Yankees, supporting legendary announcers Mel Allen and Red Barber. In 1954, Mr. Gallagher joined CBS Sports, focusing on TV sports production, including the Major League Baseball Game of the Week, the National Football League, and college football games.

Phyllis Rueff

Phyllis Mae Stanberry Rueff, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully at her Nashville home on Oct. 13 surrounded by her family and the love of her devoted husband of more than 60 years. She was 81. Born in Fayetteville, Ark., on March 15, 1943, Mrs. Rueff grew up in a close-knit family and attended Fayetteville High School before pursuing her passion for dental hygiene at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. Her plan to return to Fayetteville as the first dental hygienist there changed when her best friend set her up on a blind date.

She reluctantly agreed to go and met the love of her life, Dr. David A. Rueff, beginning a lifetime of love and adventure.

The couple married on June 11, 1964, and together they built a strong and nurturing home at Valley View Farm in Knoxville, a 64-acre sanctuary where their five children, eight grandchildren, and extended family and friends created countless cherished memories.

Throughout her life, Mrs. Rueff poured her heart into her family, ensuring that each person felt seen, loved, and valued. Her warm smile and boundless generosity left an indelible mark on all who had the fortune of knowing her. She was a devoted mother, “Gamma,” “Nanny,” and friend.

In addition to her role as a loving homemaker, Mrs. Rueff was an astute businesswoman. After her children were grown and became independent, she took over management of the day-to-day operations of Dr. Rueff’s busy OB/GYN practice until his retirement in 2000. She then turned her talents to helping run her nephew Art Clancy III’s custom woodworking business, Clancy Custom Woodworking, before she and Dr. Rueff moved to Nashville in 2015.

A woman of deep faith, Mrs. Rueff was a devout Catholic whose life was guided by her love for Christ and service to others. She leaves behind a legacy of love, faith, and compassion that will be remembered and treasured by her family and friends.

Mr. Francis was a lifelong Catholic and a gifted trial lawyer who softened the edges of his razor wit with a touch of blarney and an abundance of Irish charm. A yellow dog Democrat, he was a past chair of the Knox County Election Commission and a passionate defender of voting rights who also served on the state Democratic Executive Committee. He was a ride-or-die Buffalo Bills fan and a gregarious soul who celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by handing out green carnations to friends and strangers alike.

The youngest of six children born to Irene and Malcolm Francis of Buffalo, N.Y., Mr. Francis arrived on April 15, 1946, weighing in at 10 pounds and sporting a head full of dark curly hair. His sister, Mary, describes him as an extraordinarily beautiful child.

He arrived in Knoxville in 1970 after being accepted to the University of Tennessee College of Law. He was a graduate of Indiana State University. While attending UT, he lived in Fort Sanders and worked on Cumberland Avenue as well as buying and selling antique furniture and stained-glass windows.

He earned his law degree in 1974 and accepted a job as general counsel at Eastern State Psychiatric Hospital (later Lakeshore Mental Health Institute), where he settled in and began to establish himself professionally. He settled into Knoxville, too, and became a respected member of the local bar.

In addition to Theresa, McKennah, Bentley, and Grayson, Mr. Francis is survived by his daughter Savannah, sister Mary, brother Patrick, several nieces and nephews, and too many friends to count.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Irene and Malcolm; sister JoAnne; brothers Edward and Malcolm; and a niece, Shannon.

A funeral Mass for Mr. Francis was celebrated on Nov. 5 at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut. Burial was at Edgewood Cemetery.

In 1962, Mr. Gallagher was named the television producer for the expansion New York Mets baseball club, working with the renowned announcing trio of Lindsey Nelson, Ralph Kiner, and Bob Murphy. In 1965, he moved to NBC Sports to work on MLB, National Hockey League, and NFL games of the week. During the 1970s, he worked for TVS, an independent producer of college basketball games, often teaming legendary play-by-play announcer Marv Albert with ex-Duke University coach Bucky Waters.

Mr. Gallagher also founded his own production company, broadcasting college basketball games throughout the New York metro area. His significant contributions to sports media led to his induction into the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. He was proud of his nearly lifelong connection to Manhattan College and Jasper athletics.

Mr. Gallagher’s career later included positions with Syracuse University, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Houston Oilers. His work with ABC during the 1984 Summer Olympics earned him a national Emmy Award.

Mr. Gallagher, along with his wife, Mary, instilled a strong work ethic in their children. He believed in being a good neighbor, exercising one’s right to vote, and he supported his children’s educational pursuits. He enjoyed raising his family in Crestwood, N.Y., and coached numerous youth sports teams involving all his children.

In retirement, Mr. Gallagher spent many happy years living in East Tennessee, attending Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Alcoa, and he was active in Blount County politics, occasionally making guest appearances on local radio shows. He also worked as a media-relations assistant in the press box at Tennessee Smokies games.

Mr. Gallagher’s legacy of dedication, family, and community will be fondly remembered by all who knew him. His life and career were documented by the Manhattan Quadrangle in a 2018 editorial, as well as in the podcast “Instant Replay with Joe Gallagher,” produced and cohosted by Mr. Gallagher’s friend, Jim Wogan.

A funeral Mass for Mr. Gallagher was celebrated in New York on Sept. 28, and burial was at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, N.Y. Monsignor Robert Kinnally, VG, of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., served as the celebrant. As a side note, Gate of Heaven is the burial place of Babe Ruth, actor Jimmy Cagney, and other notable New Yorkers.

For anyone interested in making a donation to honor Mr. Gallagher’s life, the family recommends a memorial gift to Manhattan College, Make A Gift—Manhattan College, 4513 Manhattan College Parkway, Riverdale, NY 10471.

Mrs. Rueff was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Argie Stanberry; her sister, Shirley Stanberry Lucas; and her brother, Ernest Stanberry Jr. She is survived by her devoted husband, Dr. David Rueff of Nashville; her children, David Rueff Jr. (Dawn) of Jackson, Miss., Ellen Rueff Strunk (Randall) of Birmingham, Ala., Andrew Rueff (Betsy) of Knoxville, Sarah Rueff Ryan of Las Vegas, and Mary Rueff Hobeika (Omar) of Nashville. She also leaves behind eight cherished grandchildren, Alex Rueff (Jordan), Blake Rueff (Elizabeth), Cole Rueff, Josef and Nadia Hobeika, Gabby Ryan, and Anna and Benjamin Rueff; as well as her great-grandchild, Hazel Rueff.

Donations in Mrs. Rueff’s memory can be made to Samaritan’s Purse at https://www. samaritanspurse.org/memorial-page/phyllisrueff-nashville-tn/ or St. Joseph’s Indian School (Lakota) at stjo.org/flowers

A funeral Mass for Mrs. Rueff was celebrated on Oct. 26 at Immaculate Conception Church in Knoxville. Father Joe Ciccone, CSP, served as the celebrant.

Dr. Thomas Haddox

Dr. Thomas “Tom” Fredrick Haddox, age 52, of Knoxville, passed away on Oct. 13.

Dr. Haddox was a faithful member of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville since 2001. He was a graduate of Tulane University, University of Kent (England), and Vanderbilt University. He also was a Marshall Scholar and a recipient of the Paul Tulane Award and the Beinecke Award.

Dr. Haddox was a beloved and accomplished teacher of both undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Tennessee, and he was an accomplished scholar, having published three books of southern studies, religion and literature, and American literature. He enjoyed playing the piano and spending time with his family.

Dr. Haddox leaves behind to cherish his memory his loving wife, Honor Wallace Haddox; sons James Wallace Haddox, Anthony George Haddox, and Joseph Lovelace Haddox; daughter Elizabeth McKitrick Haddox; parents Tom and Margaret Haddox; sister Kathy (Matt) Jollit; nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends and colleagues.

A funeral Mass for Dr. Haddox was celebrated on Oct. 25 at Holy Ghost, with Father John Orr serving as the celebrant. Donations in memory of Dr. Haddox may be made to Holy Ghost Church or the Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow, 217 Fox Road., Knoxville, TN 37922. Donations are also accepted online at www.knox chesterton.com/donate ■

Mrs. Spicer

Mr. Francis

Mr. Gallagher

Mrs. Rueff

Dr. Haddox

Students continued from page A23

Luke is most concerned about those people. So is his concern for the poor,” he said.

And Luke, more than any other Gospel, writes of the importance of prayer, Bishop Beckman said.

Bishop Beckman shared with the students the importance of Catholic schools.

He told them about attending Catholic school as a boy in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., from first grade through eighth grade. He said he

first heard about the Gospel of the Good News of Jesus while attending Sacred Heart School.

The students were eager to participate in a question-and-answer session about St. Luke as part of the homily. Raised hands were plentiful.

At the conclusion of Mass, the bishop complimented the student choir for its “beautiful music” and noted, “St. Augustine said a song is a thing of love and a thing of joy.”

“You all brought great joy to this

beautiful celebration of the liturgy,” he added, while also thanking the priests who concelebrated the Mass.

The concelebrants were Father Joe Reed, pastor of St. John Neumann Parish; Father Michael Maples, St. John Neumann parochial vicar; Father Bo Beaty, St. John Neumann associate pastor; and Father Joseph Hammond, CHS, who is in residence at St. John Neumann.

While visiting St. John Neumann

School, Bishop Beckman met with students in the upper grades who engaged him with questions about the office he now holds, his ministry, and his interests.

One of the students presented him with a color drawing she created of the interior of St. John Neumann Church.

The bishop took time to read many of the birthday cards that were given to him by students in the lower grades, and he spoke to each of those classes. ■

Make holy these gifts Young gift-bearers present the bread and wine for consecration by Bishop Mark Beckman, who was celebrating the all-school Mass at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut on Oct. 18.

BILL BREWER

(2)

Ordinary Q&A Students at St. John Neumann School in Farragut respond to questions from Bishop Mark Beckman, who was visiting for the first time since his July ordination as the Diocese of Knoxville's new ordinary.