April 11, 2010, ET Catholic by Diocese of Knoxville

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

A rainy Easter in Rome Priests walk among rows of daffodils as they prepare to distribute Communion during Pope Benedict XVI’s celebration of Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 4. page 10

THE EAST TENNESSEE

Volume 19 • Number 15 • April 11, 2010

The

N E W S PA P E R

of the D I O C E S E of K N O X V I L L E w w w. d i o k n o x . o r g

Bishop Stika asks prayers for those burned in Easter vigil accident

‘Together we look forward’ Bishop Stika celebrates a busy first year as the leader of the Diocese of Knoxville. By Dan McWilliams

BY M A RY C. WE AV E R

Vigil continued on page 2

Please pray for our priests Dear Lord: We pray that the Blessed Mother will wrap her mantle around your priests and through her intercession strengthen them for their ministry. We pray that Mary will guide your priests to follow her own words, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). May your priests have the heart of St. Joseph, Mary’s most chaste spouse. May the Blessed Mother’s own pierced heart inspire them to embrace all who suffer at the foot of the cross. May your priests be holy and filled with the fire of your love, seeking nothing but your greater glory and the salvation of souls. Amen. St. John Vianney, pray for us. ■

ishop Richard F. Stika saw a somewhat smaller congregation on March 19 at Sacred Heart Cathedral than he did exactly one year earlier at the Knoxville Convention Center, when 5,000 people filled the building for his ordination and installation Mass. Knoxville’s shepherd celebrated his first year as bishop with a Mass at the cathedral on the solemnity of St. Joseph. With him were more than a dozen priests from all four deaneries as well as Sisters of Mercy, Chancery and diocesan staffers, and members of the cathedral parish. “What a difference a year makes. Last year there was a little bit more activity going on, but God is pleased with all of us, I think, as we celebrate this feast of St. Joseph,” said the bishop in his opening remarks. “This feast reminds us that God has given us the ability to build his

Bishop Richard F. Stika gives the homily at his first-anniversary Mass on March 19 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, one year to the day after his ordination and installation at the Knoxville Convention Center. In the background is Deacon Sean Smith. ONE YEAR AND COUNTING

kingdom. As Joseph built things in his life, we as the faithful members of his Church build his kingdom by living Gospel values, by living the commitments that were given to us, the commitments

that we live by virtue of our baptism. We realize that all of us are called to a vocation to be Christ to others.” In his busy first year of leading the church in East Tennessee, Bishop Stika

ordained two priests and a permanent deacon, presided at more than a dozen church and school building dedications and renovations, and attended pro-life events from Chattanooga to Knoxville to Wash-

ington, D.C. (see the list on page 6 for more details). Bishop Stika remembered his parents, the late Frank and Helen Stika, and Nancy and Peter David Feist in his anFirst year continued on page 6

Bishop’s first Catholic Day on the Hill ‘quite enjoyable’ Bishops Stika and Steib visit Gov. Bredesen and discuss a proposed hospital fee and predatory lending in meetings with lawmakers in Nashville. BY DAN M C WILLIAM S

ishop Richard F. Stika’s first Catholic Day on the Hill saw him meet with the governor and state legislators, celebrate Mass with his fellow Tennessee bishops, and encounter disgrun-

tled Tea Party members who descended on Capitol Hill the same day. The bishop and several other East Tennessee Catholics visited Nashville on March 24 for the 13th annual event. Catholic Day

is sponsored by the Tennessee Catholic Public Policy Commission (CPPC), cochaired by the state’s three bishops. Three CPPC members from the diocese attended this year’s Catholic Day: Father Ragan Schriver,

Bishop Stika smiles during a meeting with Gov. Phil Bredesen at Catholic Day on the Hill. Next to the governor is his senior adviser, Pat Miller. With Bishop Stika are (from left) Marty Regan, Memphis diocesan attorney; Bishop J. Terry Steib, SVD, of Memphis; Father Tim Sullivan, CSP, episcopal vicar for social ministry for the Memphis Diocese; and Deacon Sean Smith, Diocese of Knoxville chancellor.

CAPITOL CONFERENCE

Download prayers and a rosary booklet: bit.ly/priestprayers.

MARY C. WEAVER

DAN MCWILLIAMS

ishop Richard F. Stika has asked the clergy, religious, and faithful of East Tennessee to pray for three Immaculate Conception parishioners who were injured in a freak accident during the lighting of the Easter fire at the start of the Knoxville parish’s Easter vigil on April 3. Deacon Joseph Hieu Vinh; his daughter, Trang; and Patrick Connelly suffered burns to their faces and upper bodies when the fire “flashed” and set their vestments ablaze, said Captain D. J. Corcoran of the Knoxville Fire Department. Miss Vinh and Patrick were altar servers for the vigil. The three were taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center immediately after the accident and later airlifted to the burn unit of Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville. Father Joe Ciccone, CSP, the pastor of Immaculate Conception,

executive director of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee; Laura Seymour, CCET executive assistant; and Paul Simoneau, director of the diocesan Justice and Peace Office. Catholic Day offers participants a chance to meet with their legislators to speak out on the Church’s position on various issues. On the Catholic Day radar this year were a hospital fee that would support TennCare, and predatory-lending practices such as payday loans with interest rates as high as 400 percent. Hospitals themselves have proposed the fee, which would come from their net revenues, to offset proposed cuts in hospital reimbursements in the TennCare budget. The fee would also keep open rural medical centers that might otherwise close. House Bill 3111 sets a cap on payday-loan interest at 100 percent APR. Bishop Stika called his initial Catholic Day “quite CDOH continued on page 2

Want to try online delivery? he East Tennessee Catholic offers online delivery for those who would prefer to read a digital copy and to discontinue the print edition. If you would rather read the ETC online, visit bit.ly/subscribe-online to sign up. If you decide online delivery isn’t for you, you can return to a print subscription at any time. If you have questions, e-mail mhunt@dioknox.org. ■

Faith-formation classes continue he 2010 series of adult faith-formation classes will continue throughout the year and in locations around the diocese. Classes are offered at no charge to all interested adults in the diocese. Sessions take place on Tuesdays or Thursdays at 7 p.m. and end at 9. Online registration is available at bit.ly/faith-formation.

Spirituality, taught by Father Michael Woods. Explores the foundations of how our faith is expressed and deepened through prayer and spirituality. The class will examine the concept of spiritual development and how intimate communion with God is available to all people. ■ Tuesday, April 20, Holy Spirit Church, SoddyDaisy ■ Tuesday, May 11, Notre Dame Church, Greeneville What we believe, taught by Deacon David Lucheon. Explores the foundations of what we profess as Catholics. The class will examine the principal truths of the faith as expressed in the creeds of the Church. ■ Tuesday, April 20, St. Mary Church, Oak Ridge ■ Thursday, Oct. 14, St. Mary Church, Johnson City ■ Tuesday, Nov. 9, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Chattanooga Personal morality, taught by Father Michael Sweeney. Explores the foundations of what we believe as Catholics and why we believe it. How do we know the Church’s position on moral issues is correct? How do we live as faithful Catholics in a world that seemingly rejects the Church’s teachings at every turn? This session will examine the concepts of human dignity, freedom, law, sin, virtue, and conscience as well as current moral issues. It will also provide insight into how we may explain the Church’s position to those who are searching for answers in a confusing world. ■ Tuesday, Oct. 5, St. Stephen Church, Chattanooga ■ Thursday, Nov. 4, location TBD

living the

READINGS

BY FATHER JOSEPH BRANDO

Distress and endurance Divine Mercy ‘can be depended upon every time we need it.’

tures an unfamiliar Christian entity—St. Peter’s shadow. Peter is best known for his threefold denial of the Lord before the cock crow of Good Friday morning as well as for the mercy he received from the risen Lord. But Luke relates another element of Peter’s life as leader of the Church. His shadow developed, by the grace and mercy of God, the ability to heal. Peter, who richly received God’s mercy, became an active source of that same mercy. In the Gospel, Jesus mercifully offered his peace to the disciples, many of whom ran away from the crowd that apprehended Jesus. According to John, they joyfully received the Holy Spirit from the Lord on Easter Sunday night. But an important responsibility was attached to that most important gift in the world: They were given the power to

When we meditate on the mercy of God, as we should surely do on this day dedicated to God’s mercy, we tend to look to the past. The Scriptures present hundreds of instances in which the mercy of God prevailed over everything from difficult situations to outright incursions of evil. But Sacred Scripture also tells us loud and clear that God’s mercy can be depended upon every time we need it. In addition, God’s mercy is not some quick fix that gets us out of trouble. It is not a “get out of jail free” card. Today’s Liturgy of the Word reveals how God’s mercy works. The first reading fea-

forgive sins. And they were to make the mercy of God operative and readily available in the world. The second reading gives us an object lesson in how this works. The scene is a penal colony to which Christians were deported. Life there was meant to be miserable. John, nevertheless, wrote that it was also a place where the risen Christ and the heavenly host could be seen. They came with the consolation that God’s mercy is with those suffering for his sake. Punishment becomes a paradise for those who know God’s mercy. John the Divine proclaims by his experience what God’s mercy can really do for us. He offers to share with us the distress of suffering with Christ. But with suffering come the kingdom and the endurance we have in Christ. In God’s mercy we will conquer any trial. ■ April 11, Divine Mercy Sunday Acts 5:12-16 Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 Revelation 1:9-13, 17-19 John 20:19-31

Interrogation The risen Lord asked St. Peter questions he did not expect.

’ve read that the Chinese government, in an effort to develop a national attitude of congeniality, has ordered the police to stop taking suspected dissidents into custody forcibly. Now the police invite such people to come to the station for a “cup of tea.” No cup of tea was offered when the

apostles were brought in to the Sanhedrin. The encounter was meant to be heavyhanded and threatening. The apostles were accused of antigovernment activity. They blamed the officials for crucifying Jesus. Alive in the Spirit, Peter valiantly answered for the accused. He repeated

for his interrogators what he had preached in the streets of Jerusalem. They had had Jesus killed. But Peter finished his statement with the offer of repentance and forgiveness. That must have had some effect on the Sanhedrin. They could have recommended the death penalty or at least jail

time. Instead the apostles got away with a warning Today’s Gospel reports a previous “cup of tea” Peter had had to endure. That time his interrogator was the risen Lord. He had reassembled his fishing company and was starting to go back to his old occuReadings continued on page 3

April 18, third Sunday of Easter Acts 5:27-32, 40-41 Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13 Revelation 5:11-14 John 21:1-19

Catechetical days

WEEKDAY READINGS

The diocese’s catechetical formation program for adults also continues in 2010, with one catechist-orientation session remaining. It will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on May 22 at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge. The program, presented in collaboration with Aquinas College in Nashville, is intended for parish catechists, teachers in Catholic schools, ministry leaders, and other interested adults. The orientation introduces participants to the various dimensions of catechetical ministry: spirituality of the catechist, the catechetical process, catechetical documents and resources, ecclesial methodology, and the development of a catechist portfolio. The course is primarily for catechists but is open to any interested adult. There is no charge. For details about both programs, contact Father Richard Armstrong at rarmstrong@ dioknox.org or 865-584-3307. ■

Monday, April 12: Acts 4:23-31; Psalm 2:1-9; John 3:1-8 Tuesday, April 13: Acts 4:32-37; Psalm 93:1-2, 5; John 3:7-15 Wednesday, April 14: Acts 5:17-26; Psalm 34:2-9; John 3:16-21 Thursday, April 15: Acts 5:27-33; Psalm 34:2, 9, 17-20; John 3:31-36 Friday, April 16: Acts 5:34-42;

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14; John 6:1-15 Saturday, April 17: Acts 6:1-7; Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; John 6:16-21 Monday, April 19: Acts 6:8-15; Psalm 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30; John 6:22-29 Tuesday, April 20: Acts 7:51–8:1; Psalm 31:3-4, 6-8, 17, 21; John 6:30-35

Wednesday, April 21: Acts 8:1-8; Psalm 66:1-7; John 6:35-40 Thursday, April 22: Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 66:8-9, 16-17, 20; John 6:4451 Friday, April 23: Acts 9:1-20; Psalm 117:1-2; John 6:52-59 Saturday, April 24: Acts 9:31-42; Psalm 116:12-17; John 6:60-69 ■

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For Bishop Stika, Catholic Day began with a morning program, visits to Sen. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) and Rep. Steve McManus (R-Cordova), and Mass. Each bishop takes turns celebrating the Catholic Day Mass at 163-year-old St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows Church. This year was Knoxville’s turn, so Bishop Stika was the principal celebrant and homilist while host Bishop David R. Choby of Nashville and Bishop J. Terry Steib, SVD, of Memphis concelebrated. Diocese of Knoxville chancellor Deacon Sean Smith assisted. Bishop Stika began his

homily with a story about Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, who was asked to speak to a Vatican audience that included Pope John Paul II, cardinals, and bishops. She told one bishop that she didn’t know what she was going to talk about, other than to say, “I’m going to speak about Jesus,” said Bishop Stika. “And then she gave the most wonderful reflection on the Eucharist and how the Eucharist ties into being of service to God’s people, especially those most in need,” said the bishop. “I was thinking about that story as I was reflecting on my first visit

Vigil continued from page 1

also suffered injuries to his hands in the process of landing on one of the victims to put out the flames. He was not hospitalized. “I am praying for those who were injured, and I have asked all our priests and the Catholic faithful to keep them in their prayers,” the bishop said. “We ask Our Lord to bring them swift healing and to comfort their loved ones at this difficult time.” Diocesan chancellor Deacon Sean Smith drove to Nashville on Easter Sunday and visited with all three patients. “They are in good spirits and had big smiles when they saw me and when they spoke to Bishop Stika on the phone.” “I spoke to Hieu and Patrick and assured them of the prayers of the good people of Knoxville,” Bishop Stika said Sunday night. “I plan on traveling to Nashville on Tuesday to visit them in person.” Vanderbilt’s Catholic chaplain and Dominican sisters in the Nashville area also paid visits to the injured parishioners on Sunday, said Deacon Smith. Deacon Smith said that Deacon Vinh and his daughter were given rooms across the hall from each other so they could make eye contact. He added that the deacon’s wife and son wished to thank everyone for the many prayers that have been offered. ■ 2

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APRIL 11, 2010

enjoyable.” “I always enjoy politics,” he said. “If I were not a priest, I would probably be back in St. Louis, working on a local level. I would never want to do anything on a state or federal level. It was fascinating just to hear about the different experiences of the political leaders of the state, the challenges of the budgets, and how they try to keep things balanced while not being limited by the budgets.” This is the second year of a new Catholic Day format that offers a separate event for students. Catholic Student Day on the Hill is set for April 14.

Bishop Richard F. Stika Publisher Mary C. Weaver Editor Dan McWilliams Assistant editor

THE EAST TENNESSEE

805 Northshore Drive S.W .

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Margaret Hunt Administrative assistant Toni Pacitti Intern

Knoxville, TN 37919-7551

The East Tennessee Catholic (USPS 007211) is published twice monthly by the Catholic Diocese of Knoxville, 805 Northshore Drive S.W., Knoxville, TN 37919-7551. Periodicals-class postage paid at Knoxville, Tenn. Printed on recycled paper by the Knoxville News Sentinel Postmaster: Send address changes to The East Tennessee Catholic, P.O. Box 11127, Knoxville, TN 37939-1127 How to reach us:

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TH E E A S T TE N N E S S E E C ATH OLI C

he dwells

AMONG US

BY BISHOP RICHARD F. STIKA

Crosses and joy To be the face of Jesus is to be the face of joy.

The “great retreat” of Lent has given way to the great joy of Easter— that of Our Risen Lord! It is a time when we especially speak of joy—a word so often used today interchangeably with “pleasure” and “happiness.” But our joy is so much more than that of the body or the mind. The joy the Church speaks of is both divine and human. I saw this joy in the faces of our priests, deacons, religious, and laity during Holy Week, despite its being a time when the Cross becomes even more predominant in our lives and calls us to a greater emptying of ourselves. This is the joy I saw in the faces of my brother priests during the Chrism Mass, when I consecrated the chrism and blessed the oils that will be used in administering the sacraments this year. Biblically, oil is not only a sign of cleansing and healing, beauty and strength, but also a sign of an abundance of joy. This is the joy of the sacramental life we see in the faces of catechumens, when they are sealed in baptism and anointed in the Holy Spirit—a sign of belonging totally to Christ. This is the joy I see particularly in the sacrificial life of our priests. How proud I am of these men who radiate the joy of Christ despite the many sacrifices they are called upon to make in living out their priestly vocation. During the Chrism Mass, as they renew their priestly commitment, I asked them, “Are you resolved to unite yourselves more closely to Christ and to try to become more like him

by joyfully sacrificing your own pleasure and ambition to bring his peace and love to your brothers and sisters?” How is it possible to ask of our priests, much less anyone, to joyfully sacrifice even the licit pleasures of life for the sake of the Gospel? The answer to this question I saw clearly in the face of Father Evan Eckhoff, OFM, who because of his hospitalization at St. Mary’s could not join us that evening. During my visits with him, I could see that even though his body is afflicted, his life proclaims even more intensely the Gospel, which is above all a Gospel of joy. In his suffering, he remains a witness to the charism of joy with which he was marked in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and holy orders. In the 17 years he has been in our diocese, he has been and remains a special witness and reminder to all of us of the abundance of joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. Please pray for him and for all our priests who suffer and labor for the Gospel. I am also mindful of the joy we see in the service rendered by our deacons to our Church and in the sacrifices of their spouses as they quietly labor to support the needs of our priests and laity alike. Theirs is an example of how all work can be transformed into sacred labor when it is done for the Lord. I am always awed by the consecrated and sacrificial witness of our religious sisters and the radiance of their beauty and joy as brides of Christ. Is not the call to holiness a call to be beautiful for Our Heavenly Bridegroom? How grateful I am for this special light of joy and peace that our sisters bring to our diocese. I was reminded in a special way of the importance of the

oil and charism that mark the sacramental life of the laity while visiting our state capital two weeks ago during Catholic Day on the Hill. It is the laity in particular who are called to be a leaven of joy in this world as the face of Jesus. If anything is urgently needed in the shaping of public policy today, it is the joy that comes from knowing Christ crucified and risen. I could not help but think during my meeting with Governor Phil Bredesen and Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey, as well as several other representatives and senators, how important it is for our laity to be advocates not only for the transformation of structures in our society but also of hearts. The irony of our faith is that the joy of the resurrection comes through the cross. It is my fervent prayer that all may be the face of Christ, which also means being the face of joy. May God richly bless you during this Easter season. ■ BISHOP STIKA’S SCHEDULE These are some of Bishop Stika’s appointments: April 11: 10:30 a.m., Mass to install Father David Boettner, EV, as rector, Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus April 15: 10:30 a.m., all-school Mass, Knoxville Catholic High School April 16: 9:45 a.m., Mass, Knoxville Catholic High School; 5:30 p.m., confirmation, St. Augustine Church, Signal Mountain April 17: 10 a.m., confirmation, Holy Spirit Church, Soddy-Daisy; 5:30 p.m., confirmation, Blessed John XXIII Catholic Center, Knoxville April 18: 10:30 a.m., confirmation, Holy Cross Church, Pigeon Forge; 6 p.m., confirmation, All Saints Church, Knoxville April 20: 1 p.m., visit to St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Wynnewood, Pa. April 21: 5 p.m., confirmation, St. Mary Church, Johnson City April 22: 5:30 p.m., memorial Mass, Diocesan Council of Catholic Women convention, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Lenoir City April 23: 7 p.m., confirmation, St. Dominic Church, Kingsport ■

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from the bishop’s

OFFICE

Father Evan Eckhoff to return to Illinois, Bishop Stika announces ishop Richard F. Stika wrote in an April 1 memo that Father Evan Eckhoff, OFM, would soon be leaving East Tennessee. “Although Father Eckhoff is battling various illnesses, he continues to exhibit a great attitude of joy and Father Evan Eckhoff, OFM fidelity to his priesthood and the Franciscan community,” the bishop said. Because of declining health, Father Eckhoff is set to return to Illinois to receive care from his religious community. The bishop asked clergy and staff to pray for Father Eckhoff and noted that he had “faithfully served the Diocese of Knoxville for the past 17 years.” “The diocese is indebted to Father Eckhoff for his many years of service as the diocesan director of the Adult Christian Living office and for all he did to promote healthy marriages and family life.” ■

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pation. They had caught nothing that night, but they themselves were caught red-handed by the Lord. Jesus was going to “grill” his former disciples, whom he wanted to be his apostles. Before that, he did two things. He miraculously gave them what they had gone fishing for, namely, a huge haul of fish. Then he invited them to breakfast. The first act reminded Peter of his first personal encounter with Jesus, when he acknowledged he was a sinful man. The second reminded him of the Last Supper. Peter and his companions had a lot of explaining to do. Yet Jesus’ questions to Peter were not quite what he expected: “Do you love me?” It was not a question of duty but of love. Peter had been caught doing his own thing and putting the Lord’s work off as a hobby. Jesus wanted him to “follow me.” Chastised, he did indeed follow him through many later interrogations and ultimately to death. Death is not the end. Our second reading tells us there is a final interrogation after death, and the right answer is for us and all creation to proclaim eternally, “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might forever and ever.” ■ Father Brando is the pastor of St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg.

Child-protection training sessions he Diocese of Knoxville’s program for the protection of children and youth—a three-hour seminar called “Protecting God’s Children”—is offered regularly throughout the diocese. The seminars are required for parish and school employees and regular volunteers in contact with children or vulnerable adults and are recommended for parents and grandparents. The following training sessions have been scheduled: ■ Our Lady of Perpet-

DAN MCWILLIAMS

All three Tennessee bishops concelebrated the Catholic Day on the Hill Mass at St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows Church. Deacon Sean Smith assists Bishop Stika above. At left is Bishop J. Terry Steib, SVD, of Memphis; at right is Bishop David R. Choby of Nashville. Catholic Day founder Mary Catherine Willard of Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville was among the East Tennessee Catholics attending this year.

EAST, MIDDLE, AND WEST

with my brother bishops and all of you at this Catholic Day on the Hill. To speak about Jesus: how do we do that? “We can speak about Jesus in a variety of different ways and situations in which we are advocates: for people who fall victim to horrendous lending procedures or those who might be endangered because the hospital might be closing in a small community, and the next hospital might T H E EA S T TE N N E S S E E C AT H OL IC

be counties away.” Catholics’ visit to Nashville that day lived out St. Francis of Assisi’s message to “preach the Gospel always, and sometimes use words,” said Bishop Stika. “By our very presence this day on the hill, we preach Jesus, we preach Gospel values, and we live our faith,” he said. After Mass, Bishop Stika prayed at the tomb of Bishop

Richard Pius Miles, OP, the first bishop of Nashville, in the rear of the church. Bishop Stika and Bishop Steib were part of a large group meeting with Governor Bredesen. “Last year I was a citizen of Missouri. Now I’m a citizen of Tennessee,” said Bishop Stika. “Be sure you pay all your taxes,” the governor replied. CPPC director of public

ual Help Church, Chattanooga, 6 p.m. Monday, April 19 (session will be held in the parish life center) ■ St. Mary Church, Johnson City, 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 26; 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21; 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15; 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18 (sessions will be held in St. Anne Hall) ■ St. Albert the Great Church, Knoxville, 6 p.m. Monday, May 17. To register for a session, visit virtusonline. org. ■

Diocese of Knoxville procedure for reporting sexual abuse Anyone who has actual knowledge of or who has reasonable cause to suspect an incident of sexual abuse should report such information to the appropriate civil authorities first, then to the bishop’s office, 865-584-3307, or the diocesan victims’ assistance coordinator, Marla Lenihan, 865-482-1388.

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www.d ioknox.org

APRIL 11, 2010

■

BY TONI PACITTI

Chattanooga Deanery

OLPH, Chattanooga ■ Our Lady of Perpetual Help School

eighth-grader Christopher Coles qualified to compete in the state level of the National Geographic Bee. The state bee will be held Friday, April 9, at Tennessee State University in Nashville. ■ Dean Magat placed first in the middle school division of the Piano Arts Competition at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

St. Bridget, Dayton ■ The Council of Catholic Women held

a bake sale on the weekend before Easter.

St. Catherine Labouré, Copperhill

and more will be available. Call Barb Dahar at 931-707-1388 for details. ■ Parish-council elections are coming up. Parishioners interested in running for any of the open positions should contact the church office. ■ Anniversaries: Nick and Nicki Herrick (63), Tom and Joan Edwards (58), Joseph and Rose Giorgio (56), Paul and Sue Brink (55), John and Charlotte Marick (54), Frank and Pat Prejna (51), Jerry and Judy Smith (51), James and Lynda Tjaarda (50), Robert and Carole Bogardus (40), Charles and Kathy Baumbusch (20) ■ Newcomers: Wayne and Alice Duckstein, Fred and Rhoda Hiller, Bridget Kurtz HITTING FOR CCET Sandi

■ The parish is invited to provide

St. John Neumann, Farragut

desserts for those less fortunate in the community Monday, April 12. Call Kay Jabaley at 706-492-5311 or Jennie Williams at 374-6363. ■ Newcomers: David and Kathy Ross

■ The eighth grade’s annual pancake breakfast will be served from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, April 24, at Aubrey’s on Campbell Station Road in Farragut. E-mail Trish Gerkins at tgerkins@gmail. com or call the school at 865-7770077 for more information. ■ The St. Vincent de Paul Society is seeking a Windows XP laptop computer for an Iraqi refugee family in the area. Call David Campbell at 7553575.

St. Jude, Chattanooga ■ Father Charlie Burton blessed

Easter baskets on Easter Sunday in the chapel after each Mass. ■ The St. Jude Home and School Association sponsored a used-uniform sale March 24. ■ St. Jude is serving as a Census Questionnaire Assistance Center. A Census employee will be available in the parish life center from 1 to 4 p.m. weekdays until Monday, April 19. Call 865-424-5938. ■ Parishioner Dawn King is teaching a Jazzercise class from 4 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Cost is $25 per month. Call Dawn at 838-2784.

St. Mary, Athens

St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City ■ A four-week informal discussion class on the Catholic Church’s expansion into America will be offered from 9:15 to 10:45 a.m. and 7 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays, April 12, 19, and 26 and May 3. E-mail Kathleen Mitchell at kmitchell730@yahoo.com to sign up. ■ Newcomers: Michael and Marcia Vaughan Five Rivers Deanery

■ Donations in honor or memory of a

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City

loved one are being accepted for the Tabernacle and Sanctuary Fund. A plaque with names will be placed on a new table for the tabernacle.

■ A six-week Bible study will begin after the 9 a.m. Mass on Wednesday, April 14, and continue through Wednesday, May 19, in Trinity Hall. Call George Morin at 865-475-6071 for more information. ■ The parish and family life committee will host its biannual rummage sale Friday and Saturday, May 7 and 8, in the parish life center. ■ Girls in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade are needed for Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Girl Scout troops that are meeting at Holy Trinity. Troops began meeting March 27 and will meet from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Saturdays twice a month at the church. Call Joan Hawkins at 399-0521 for details. ■ Anniversary: Fred and Billie Bitner (40), David and Janice Hobson (30), Tom and Pat Karpick (30)

St. Stephen, Chattanooga ■ Parish second-graders are preparing for their first Holy Communion. As a part of their preparation, they will watch, along with their parents, the movie Grandma’s Bread on Wednesday, April 14. The story focuses on the friendship between a grandmother and her grandson and how making Easter bread relates to the little boy’s firstCommunion preparation. The children will make Easter bread, which will be baked during class and taken home that night. First Communion will take place Sunday, May 2. For more information, call Marilyn St. Pierre at 423892-2957. ■ Parishioners are invited to a dinner and dance after the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, April 17. Proceeds will help fund the kitchen-renovation project.

Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga ■ The parish offered a Seder meal

March 31. ■ All women 18 and older are invited

to Mass and a brunch beginning at 9 a.m. Sunday, April 25, at the Sheraton Read House hotel. Cost is $15 and includes tax and gratuity. Call Donna Tarver at 423-298-2746 or Carolyn Smith at 499-9993 to respond. Deadline for reservations is Sunday, April 11. Cumberland Mountain Deanery

All Saints, Knoxville ■ The parish will hold its Divine Mercy

celebration at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 11, in the church. Reconciliation will be available. Everyone is invited. ■ This year’s vacation Bible school will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, June 21, through Friday, June 25, and has an “All Saints High Seas Expedition” theme. Children ages 4 through 9 may attend; early-registration forms are available in the church office. Adults and high school students are needed to help. Contact Brandi Oliver at 865-6931660 or brandolynn@bellsouth.net to learn more or volunteer. ■ The 12:10 p.m. Thursday and Friday Masses held during Lent will be discontinued beginning Thursday, April 8. A Communion service will be held at 12:10 p.m. each Thursday and Friday.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairﬁeld Glade ■ The annual rummage sale will be

held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, April 16, and 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 17. Furniture, household items, adult and some children’s clothing, holiday items, 4

■

APRIL 11, 2010

COURTESY OF JACKIE BROWN

NOTES

Notre Dame, Greeneville ■ Father John Appiah of Notre Dame

spoke on Haiti at the Council of Catholic Women’s monthly meeting March 28. ■ Anniversaries: James and Joan Heiny (63), Don and Janet Witkiewicz (45), Ronald and Janet Thompson (35)

St. Dominic, Kingsport ■ A Divine Mercy celebration will begin with Mass at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 11. The Divine Mercy chaplet will be sung at 3 p.m. ■ Lt. Bud Hulsey of the Kingsport Police Department will give a talk titled “Why Good Kids Do Bad Things” at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 14. The presentation is sponsored by parish nurse Delores Bertuso and the Home and School Association.

St. Patrick, Morristown ■ The Divine Mercy chaplet will be prayed in the chapel following the 9 a.m. Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 11 (note corrected time). ■ The Knights of Columbus will hold their annual Spring Italian Feast at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 17, in the parish center. Tickets are $10 per adult and $3 for children 5 and older. Takeout is $10. ■ Parish-council elections are scheduled for May. Parishioners interested in running for any of the open positions should call the church office at 423586-9174. ■ The Knights of Columbus will sponsor a bulb exchange at the church pavilion from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 15. Participants are encouraged to label seeds, plants, and bulbs offered for exchange. They may also want to bring containers such as small Parish notes continued on page 5

Davidson, program manager for Catholic Charities’ Pregnancy Services, stands with Knoxville Catholic High School baseball seniors. From left are Travis Donahoo, Taylor Broussard, John Andrew McDermott, John Anders, and Matt Seaver.

Baseball twinbill will beneﬁt Pregnancy Help Center he seventh annual Fighting Irish– Warriors Spring Classic, a high school baseball doubleheader benefiting Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Pregnancy Help Center in Knoxville, is set for Saturday, May 1, at Smokies Park in Kodak. The Knoxville Catholic High School Fighting Irish will take on Gibbs in the second game at 6:45 p.m. “We are extremely excited to be able to play in the Catholic Charities game again,” said KCHS

Academy of Knoxville will play Grace Christian in the first game at 4:45. Tickets for adults are $4 in advance (groups of 10 or more), $5 in advance for singles, and $6 at the gate. Student tickets are $2 in advance for a group of 10 or more, $3 in advance for singles, and $4 at the gate. To purchase tickets, call KCHS at 865560-0313, the Pregnancy Help Center at 212-4942, or the other participating schools. ■

head coach Adam Sullivan. “Playing at the Smokies stadium against a great opponent like Gibbs is a thrill for our players and coaches. We love this night. We also love playing for Catholic Charities.” The evening will begin with a concert at 4 p.m. by the Grace Christian Academy high school ensemble. The special-events choir from St. Joseph School in Knoxville will also perform. The Warriors of Christian

COURTESY OF FATHER PETER IORIO

parish

Deanery CCW meets in Cleveland The Chattanooga Deanery Council of Catholic Women met March 20 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland. Sharon Poston (center), mother of seminarian Michael Poston, gave a talk. With her are daughter Elizabeth and her mother, Marilyn Carpenter, a deanery past president. St. Thérèse pastor Father Peter Iorio is the deanery CCW moderator.

Serra Club of Knox chooses winners in essay contest hirteen winning essays were selected from 681 entries from area grade school children in the Serra Club of Knoxville’s essay contest on the Year for Priests. The winners in the sixththrough eighth-grade division are ■ first place: Morgan Briggs, a seventh-grader from Sacred Heart Cathedral School and All Saints Parish ■ second place: Nora Connelly, a seventh-grade homeschool student from Immaculate Conception Parish ■ third place: Katie Covino, an eighth-grader from Sacred Heart school and parish ■ honorable mention: Katie Longaker, an eighth-grader from St. Mary School in Oak Ridge and St. Mary Parish; Bennett Croft, a seventh-grader from West Valley Middle School in Knoxville and St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut; Allie Woodward, an eighth-grader from St. Mary School in Johnson City and St. Mary Parish; and Matt Dovgan, a seventh-grader from Sacred Heart school and parish. The winners in the thirdthrough fifth-grade division are ■ first place: Jonathan Kreider, a third-grader from St. Joseph School in Knoxville and Holy Ghost Parish ■ second place: Ellie Mamantov, a fifth-grader from Sacred Heart Cathedral School and All Saints Parish ■ honorable mention: Charlie Baker, a fourth-grader from Sacred Heart school and parish; Isabella Klitze, a fourth-grader from Sacred

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Heart Cathedral School and All Saints Parish; Amelia Bryant, a fifth-grader from Sacred Heart school and parish; and Sophie Vaquero, a fourth-grader from Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga and OLPH Parish. Serrans Leo and Florence Holland presented the award at St. Mary in Oak Ridge on March 19. Deacon David Lucheon gave Bennett his award during CCD class March 24. Sam and Harriet Keener made the presentations at Sacred Heart on March 31. Joe and Jean Orzechowski will present Jonathan’s award at 8:45 a.m. Friday, April 23, at St. Joseph. Awards were mailed to St. Mary in Johnson City and OLPH. Many people helped make the contest a success: Dr. Sherry Morgan, diocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools; Brigid Johnson, Sacred Heart director of religious education; and principals Dr. Aurelia Montgomery of St. Joseph; Sedonna Prater of Sacred Heart; Jeri McInturff of OLPH; Randi McKee of St. Mary in Johnson City; and Sister Andrea Marie, OP, of St. Mary in Oak Ridge. The Serra Club also thanked the teachers, the students who participated, their parents, and the priests, who were highly praised by the students for the holy example they set. One entry concluded with the advice: “If you need a friend, call a priest.” The club thanked the contest judges, Father Peter Iorio, Sister Albertine Paulus, RSM, and Mrs. Orzechowski. ■ TH E E A S T TE N N E S S E E C ATH OLI C

CALENDAR

National council speakers to lead KDCCW workshops

BY TONI PACITTI

St. Mary Parish in Johnson City is planning a special observance of Divine Mercy Sunday at 3 p.m. April 11. The observance is part of an evangelization effort to invite Catholics who have drifted away from their faith to return to the Church. Catholics who go to confession during Lent, receive Holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday, and fulfill certain other requirements receive a plenary indulgence. Pope John Paul II established Divine Mercy Sunday in May 2000, proclaiming that he was fulfilling the will of Christ by this action. His proclamation coincided with the elevation to sainthood of Sister Faustina Kowalska. For more information on the St. Mary observance, call the parish office at 423-282-6367.

“Discover,” for rising fifth- and sixthgraders, will be held July 1 through 3. Cost is $80. Early-registration deadline is June 11 for the Reach and Discover camps. Fees are $20 higher after the deadlines for all three camps. Contact Donna Jones at 423-267-9878 or djones6029@gmail.com. Download registration forms at bit.ly/bFPcU8.

St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut is hosting a retreat with the theme “On Fire for Christ” that includes an afternoon session just for youth. Father David Engo, OFM Cap, is the retreat master. Sessions are set for 7 to 8 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, April 11 through 13, with a closing Mass at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 14. The youth session is set for noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 11, and is open to students in grades eight through 12. The day will include games, outdoor activities, talks, music, and food. Father Engo will preach all weekend Masses April 10 and 11 and all weekday Masses through Thursday, April 15. He will lead a Divine Mercy celebration for all parishioners from 2:50 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 11. Contact Leslie Freeze at 865-653-8861 or leslie.freeze@ yahoo.com for more information on the youth session. Call the parish at 9664540 for further details on the retreat.

The Cancer Institute at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga will offer free oral-cancer screenings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 17, in recognition of National Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Awareness Week. Registration is required. Call 423-495-8975 or email penny-andrews@memorial.org to make an appointment. The Chattanooga chapter of Support for People with Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer and the Oral Cancer Foundation will hold an Oral Cancer Awareness Walk on Saturday, April 10. Registration for the three-mile walk is $20 and will begin at 10 a.m. at the Tennessee Riverpark, 4301 Amnicola Highway. The walk begins at 11. To learn more or register, contact Jeanna Richelson at 894-9215 or jeanna1255@aol.com or visit www. oralcancerfoundation.org.

Advance registration is under way for Diocese of Knoxville young people who plan to attend World Youth Day in Madrid in August 2011. Total cost is $3,321 per person, which includes accommodations (double occupancy), daily American buffet breakfasts, WYD fees, and airline taxes and fuel charges. A deposit of $250 is needed by Tuesday, June 15, to hold a reservation and entitle the registrant to a $75 discount. Second and third payments of $500 each are due by Oct. 31 and Feb. 15, with the final payment due no later than May 15, 2011. For more information, contact Al Forsythe, diocesan director of Youth and Youth Adult Ministry, at 865-584-3307 or aforsythe@dioknox.org, or Lucille of Regina Tours at 800-CATHOLIC, extension 208. Sacred Heart Cathedral School is accepting applications for grades kindergarten through eight. A kindergarten-readiness screening makeup day will be held Friday, April 23. For more information, call admissions at 865-558-4136, visit www.shcschool. org, or follow SHCS on its Facebook and Twitter (twitter.com/SHCSEagles) pages. Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga is now taking applications for the 2010-11 school year. Contact Teresa Hennen at 423-6221481 or Teresahennen@catholic web.com to request a registration packet or schedule a tour. Anyone who has ever been on a Search retreat is invited to gather on the weekend of July 16 through 18 at All Saints Academy in Chattanooga for a “Re-Search” retreat. Contact Donna Jones at 423-267-9878 or djones 6029@gmail.com. Registration is under way for the One Million Rosaries for Unborn Babies prayer event May 7 through 9. To register or learn more, visit www.Saint MichaelTheArchangelOrganization.org or send your intentions to P.O. Box 41257, Memphis, TN 38174. Families, schools, and parishes have registered rosaries to date. The Chattanooga Deanery’s summer God Camps will be held in June and July at the Harrison Bay State Park group camp in Harrison. “Dare to Dream,” for rising high school students, will be held June 21 through 26. Cost is $130. Early registration deadline is June 4. “Reach,” for rising seventh- and eighth-graders, is set for June 28 through July 1. Cost is $95. TH E EA S T TE N N E S S E E C AT H OL IC

The Sevier County chapter of Tennessee Right To Life is holding a “Play for Life” picnic and game day for high school students Saturday, May 22, at Northview Park in Sevierville. Activities include a double-elimination flag-football competition with prizes for the winning team. For details, call Lizette Aparicio at 865-654-7685.

The Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life will hold its high school oratory and art contests Tuesday, April 13. Students may download registration forms at trlknox.org. Registration deadline is Thursday, April 8. The chapter is also asking pro-life supporters to submit their names for inclusion in its annual Mother’s Day ad in the Knoxville News Sentinel. Cost (to help pay for the ad) is $10 per person or $15 per family. For more information, contact the chapter at 865-689-1339 or trlknox@knology.net. Registration is under way for Catholic Charities’ inaugural golf tournament, set for Monday, May 10, at Cherokee Country Club in Knoxville. Cost is $1,000 per four-person team and includes hospitality, prizes, and player gifts. For more information, contact Mike Smith at 865-250-1215 or irish100@chartertn.net. The seventh annual Chattanoogans for Life banquet has been set for 7 p.m. Friday, April 23, at the Chattanoogan hotel. The theme is adoption. Singer and pro-life advocate Jaime Thietten is the guest speaker this year. Tickets are $50 or $400 for a table for eight. To reserve a spot or a table, call Sue Shranko at 423-825-5912. To learn more or volunteer, call Kitty at 322-8356 or 290-7314 or visit chattanoogansforlife.org. Bishop Richard F. Stika will host a bilingual celebration at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport on Saturday, July 31, to honor married couples and their commitment to the sacrament of marriage. The celebration will include Mass, an opportunity to renew wedding vows, and a luncheon for couples and their family and friends following the liturgy. Mass will begin at 11 a.m. To attend the luncheon, RSVP to Marian Christiana of the diocesan Marriage Preparation and Enrichment Office at 423-892-2310 or mchristiana@dioknox. org or Karen Byrne at 865-584-3307 or kbyrne@dioknox.org. Camp Marymount, a Catholic residential summer camp in Fairview (17 minutes west of downtown Nashville), is accepting campers for the 2010 summer season. Activities include horseback riding, arts and crafts, nature hikes, canoeing, and archery. An open house will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 18. To register or learn more, visit www.campmarymount.com or call 615-799-0410. Charismatic Masses will be celebrated at 5 p.m. Sundays, April 25, Aug. 29, and Oct. 24, at Holy Spirit Church in Soddy-Daisy. Father Dan Whitman Calendar continued on page 8

he Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will hold its 21st annual convention Thursday through Saturday, April 22 through 24, in the family-life center at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. Plans are to honor the living and deceased mothers of all priests of the diocese during a Mass at 6 p.m. Friday, April 23 celebrated by KDCCW moderator Monsignor Xavier Mankel. The public is invited to attend. Mothers of priests will be the honored guests at a luncheon Saturday, April 24. Mercy Sister Albertine Paulus, the recently retired diocesan director of Evangelization, will be the featured speaker at the luncheon. Sister Albertine, whose talk is titled “Thank God for Mothers!”, will draw on her experiences of education, evangelization, guiding pilgrimages, and life as a Sister of Mercy. The annual service

COURTESY OF SALLY JACKSON

on the

Shamrock Road will perform Friday, April 23, during the KDCCW convention. The band members, all parishioners of St. Mary in Oak Ridge, are (from left) Jake Alexander, Mary Tuscan, Bob Morin, and Amy Fitzsimons.

SOUNDS OF IRELAND

project for the convention will be a collection of socks for men, women, and children to be presented to Bridge Refugee Services, which resettles refugees in the East Tennessee area. Socks may be brought to the St. Thomas family-life center any time during the convention. Friday evening will feature a buffet dinner with music by the Shamrock Road band, whose four members are parishioners of St. Mary in Oak Ridge. The band specializes in Irish folk music and pub ballads.

Following the dinner, the Tellico Tappers adult dance group will perform. The convention will open at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22, with the annual memorial Mass—celebrated by Bishop Richard F. Stika—for all women of the diocese who died in the past year. Registrations for the convention will be accepted through Tuesday, April 13. Forms can be downloaded from kdccw.org. Email sallyajackson@ bellsouth.net for more information. ■

Rare Vatican treasures coming to St. Louis museum “Vatican Splendors: A Journey Through Faith and Art,” one of the largest collections of art, documents, and historically significant objects ever to tour North America, will be displayed at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis from May 15 through Sept. 12. Highlights of the exhibition include artwork by Michelangelo, signed documents, and personal objects such as his drawing caliper, and tools used in his work on the Sistine Chapel and Basilica of St. Peter; works by masters such as Bernini and Giotto; objects dating to the first century; venerated relics (bone fragments) of St. Peter and St. Paul; the first geographical map of Australia; objects discovered at the tombs of Sts. Peter and Paul; and historical objects from the modern and ancient basilicas of

St. Peter in Rome. Tickets may be purchased online beginning Monday, April 19, at Ticketmaster.com and at all Ticketmaster outlets. To charge tickets by phone, call 800-7453000 or 877-2VATICAN (877282-8422). All tickets are timed entry and subject to availability. Advance-ticket purchases are highly recommended. Tickets are $19.50 for adults, $17 for seniors, and $13 for children ages 6 to 12). Children 5 and under are admitted free with an adult ticket purchase. A special group discount for 15 or more tickets is available; call 800-9168212 or e-mail reserv@mohistory. org. For details, visit mohistory.org or vaticansplendors.com. Hours for “Vatican Splendors” will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CDT daily (10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays). ■

Knox Ladies of Charity set annual dinner fundraiser he Ladies of Charity of Knoxville are holding their annual “Helping Hands and Generous Hearts” fundraiser from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 7, at The Foundry, 747 World’s Fair Park Drive in Knoxville.

The evening includes dinner, a live auction, a cash bar, and entertainment by The Chillbillies. Cost is $75; RSVP by Thursday, April 29. To RSVP or learn more, call the Ladies of Charity at 865524-0538. ■

Parish notes continued from page 4

jars or envelopes for seeds and plastic or paper bags to take home bulbs and plants. ■ There will be two first Holy Communion services in April. The first service at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 17, will be for youth in fourth grade and up, and the second service at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 24, will be for children in second and third grades. ■ At the 9 a.m. Mass on Sunday, April 18, children who will receive first Communion on April 24 will be presented with a loaf of bread by their “secret prayer partners,” who have been praying for them during their preparation for the sacrament. In the parish the day has become known as Bread Sunday. Smoky Mountain Deanery

Holy Ghost, Knoxville ■ A refugee family needs an afford-

able house, a van, and furniture. Call Carol Lougheed at 865-660-4108 or 689-7708. ■ Confirmandi: Tara Lauren Crowell, Rachel Haun Dunn, James Joseph Gang, Elizabeth Jean Grim, Stanley

www.d ioknox.org

Pickering Hunter, Caitlin Shea Hurley, Ciara Marie Knight, Asia Marie Montgomery, Daniel Franklin Rose, Morgan Jacob Stiles, Levesta Woods Jr.

Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa ■ The CYO’s annual dinner and auction will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 10. To donate goods or services for the auction, call Beth Parsons at 865-983-1007 or 981-2676. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 3 to 11. Proceeds will help the youth offset the cost of retreats, service trips, diocesan events, and a Catholic camp this summer in Georgia.

St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville ■ The men’s group will serve breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 17. The speaker will be Monroe County Mayor Alan Watson. ■ St. Joseph the Worker has established an investment account with UBS Financial Services in Knoxville. To make a tax-deductible donation of stock or other securities to the account, call John MacDonald at 865329-1206. ■ APRIL 11, 2010

■

marriage

ENRICHMENT

First year continued from page 1

The season of renewal BY M A R I A N CHR I STI ANA

lleluia! He has risen! Let us celebrate this Easter season by remembering the greatest gift given to us by Jesus Christ. Through his life, death, and resurrection, we are renewed and restored. We become a new creation. As a new creation in Christ, we are challenged to renew not only ourselves but also our families and our communities. This month’s date focuses on how the Easter season of renewal can help to enrich your marriage. Pack a picnic lunch, head outside, and enjoy the new life of spring (even if you just go out into your own back yard). ■ Think about the last time you had an intense week. What did you do to recharge your batteries? Share with each other your favorite ways to recharge. ■ How can you help each other feel restored? ■ Decide on a special time each week to relax with each other and reconnect. ■ Encourage each other to use this spring as an opportunity to create habits that renew your spirit. ■ Take time to determine how you can use your renewed spirit to strengthen your connection to God, family, and community. ■ Mrs. Christiana is the coordinator of the diocesan Marriage Preparation and Enrichment Ofﬁce.

CDOH continued from page 3

policy Mike Murphy told Gov. Bredesen that the commission feels TennCare cuts are a “potential disaster in the making.” The governor said Tennessee is ahead of most states in its reimbursements to hospitals and that even with cuts could remain well ahead of the national average. “In the scheme of things, we’re a fairly generous payer for these services,” he said. Gov. Bredesen is nearing the end of his second and final term in office. Bishop Steib thanked him for eight years of meetings with the bishops at Catholic Day. Bishop Stika asked the governor about his future plans. Gov. Bredesen said he was unsure but wants to find “something to do that I like.” The Knoxville and Memphis bishops then visited Senate majority leader Mark Norris (RCollierville). Their discussion began with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act just signed by President Barack Obama. Sen. Norris said that “2014 is the year the tsunami hits Tennessee,” when it has to pay its share of the national health-care bill, and that the state needs to “bank sand against the tide” budget-wise before then. Bishop Stika, Deacon Smith, and Mr. Simoneau went from the Senate leader’s office to a meeting with Rep. Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville), a parishioner of Holy Ghost in Knoxville. The group discussed the hospital fee and a bill Rep. Dunn has introduced to ban mountaintop removal in coal mining. Rep. Dunn had to leave the meeting in a hurry because his presence was needed by a finance committee to form a quorum. Rep. Ryan Haynes (R-Knoxville) quickly stepped in after Rep. Dunn’s departure. His discussion with Bishop Stika soon turned to lending companies’ high interest rates. “Common sense says this just isn’t right,” said the bishop. Rep. Haynes said he learned how vital the hospital fee is to the medical centers after recent meetings with Mercy Health Partners, Covenant Health, and University of Tennessee Medical Center officials. The bishop found out near the end of the meeting that Rep. Haynes’s district includes his residence. “You’re my guy. We’ll have to have lunch or something,” said Bishop Stika. Meetings with Sen. Douglas Henry (D-Nashville) and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) concluded the day. After the group left Sen. Ramsey’s office, Mr. Simoneau introduced the bishop to his district senator, Jamie Woodson (R-Knoxville). As the bishops were going to a morning meeting in the Legislative Plaza, they encountered Tea Party activists who were part of a large group in town to protest President Barack Obama’s signing of the health-care bill into law the day before. The protesters filled a room where a House subcommittee was meeting and the hallway outside, reported The Tennessean. One protester saw the bishops and their group walking by and accused the Catholics of trying to support issues such as health-care reform that the tea-partiers oppose. “As I was walking past, a man said that “the Catholic Church has let us down” in terms of, I guess, the Stupak amendment [prohibiting federal funds from being used for abortion],” said Bishop Stika. “It just seemed that [the tea-partiers] were very angry. There was a woman standing on a chair haranguing folks. I guess people are angry with a whole variety of different things. We have to come together and work together.” ■ 6

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APRIL 11, 2010

MARY C. WEAVER

‘HAPPY ANNIVERSARY’ While Bishop Stika’s anniversary Mass was ending, the entire student body of Sacred Heart Cathedral School gathered in front of the cathedral to surprise him.

niversary homily. The Stikas lived to see their son become a priest but not a bishop. Mrs. Feist was the executive secretary to the bishop’s office for four and a half years, serving Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz and Bishop Stika until she died suddenly June 19. Mrs. Feist was pregnant with her sixth child, Peter, at the time of her death. Doctors delivered the baby but were unable to save his life. “At this Mass today, I have an intention to pray for my parents,” said Bishop Stika. “My dad died in 1986, shortly after I was ordained a priest, and my mom in 1991. They would have been completely mystified by all this. “But I also open my heart to almighty God this day for Nancy Feist and Peter David, her son, and the Feist family as we continue to pray for them in thanksgiving for the gift that God has given to us in their lives. Short as [Peter’s] life was, it was still powerful, and Nancy gave so much to the Church in Knoxville and to individuals in this family.” Bishop Stika visited Knoxville Catholic High School on the day of his anniversary. While he was there, he took a telephone call from Maronite Archbishop Francis M. Zayek that brought back memories of his health scare last Au-

gust, when diabetic ketoacidosis and a mild heart attack had Bishop Stika on the brink of death. “I received a phone call from one of the dearest people I know and a person I know without a doubt is a saint, Archbishop Zayek, whom I had gone to visit when I was in Florida and I got sick,” said Bishop Stika. “He now lives outside of Beirut. He asked me this question in his thick Cuban accent, ‘How’s it been?’ I said, ‘Since I visited you in Florida and almost died, everything else has been fine.’” The visit to KCHS allowed the bishop to “be a priest,” an appropriate way to observe his anniversary, he said. “I had the privilege of celebrating Mass with about a hundred students from freshmen to seniors and visiting a couple of classrooms. I visited one classroom that [was studying] statistics,” he said. “I quickly left because they were beginning to ask me questions about statistics, so I said, ‘Statistically speaking, I have to leave now.’ “Then I heard some confessions of students. What’s better than that: to have the ability on the anniversary of your ordination as a bishop to celebrate Eucharist, to hear confessions, and to visit with God’s people?”

The bishop had a surprise awaiting him at the end of Mass as the entire student body of Sacred Heart Cathedral School congratulated him outside the cathedral doors. Priests and Mercy Sister Albertine Paulus sang “Ad Multos Annos” as the students surrounded Bishop Stika. The bishop posed for photos with the students, asking them to say “Cardinals” on the count of three, in honor of his favorite baseball team. The celebration continued with a reception at the Chancery, where staff, clergy, and religious toasted the bishop while a DVD of his ordination Mass played on the television. Bishop Stika, a native of St. Louis who lived there throughout his childhood, seminary, and priesthood days, said he was in good hands in his new home. “Together we look forward to the future,” he said. “In 22 years I have to offer my resignation, on my 75th birthday. I hope we’ll have a lot of fun and accomplish a whole lot between now and then. God bless you all, and continue to pray for me. “Please know that I’m most grateful to you, not only because we work together but also because, as Jesus says in the Gospel, ‘you are my friends.’” ■

Timeline of events in Bishop Stika’s ﬁrst year ollowing is a list of some of Bishop Richard F. Stika’s public activities since his ordination as the third bishop of Knoxville:

March 19, 2009: was ordained bishop at the Knoxville Convention Center April 7: celebrated his first Chrism Mass as bishop April 15: attended the installation of Archbishop Timothy Dolan in New York City April 24: attended the United We Stand pro-life banquet in Chattanooga May 3: celebrated the Rite of Missioning at Sacred Heart Cathedral May 31: attended 50th-anniversary celebration for St. Patrick Parish in Morristown June 8: celebrated Monsignor Phil Thoni’s 60th ordination anniversary at St. Mary Church in Gatlinburg June 13: ordained Father Jorge Cano to the priesthood at Our Lady of Carmel Church in Pereira, Colombia June 24: celebrated funeral Mass for his executive secretary, Nancy Feist, and her son Peter David Feist at All Saints Church in Knoxville June 26: went to Rome for the www.d ioknox.org

Mass in which Pope Benedict XVI conferred the pallium on new archbishops July 12: dedicated St. John Neumann Church in Farragut July 25: dedicated St. Christopher Church in Jamestown July 30: dedicated the Varallo Center at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga Aug. 15: was hospitalized in Florida after suffering diabetic ketoacidosis and a mild heart attack Aug. 29: dedicated St. Albert the Great parish life center in Knoxville Sept. 6: dedicated addition to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in LaFollette Oct. 2: attended diocesan in-service day for Catholic school teachers at Knoxville Catholic High School Oct. 3: dedicated the St. Justin Convent for the Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich. Oct. 18: dedicated Holy Family Church’s family life center in Seymour Oct. 19: celebrated Mass honoring Sister Albertine Paulus, RSM, upon her retirement from the Chancery staff Oct. 30: broke ground for addition to Notre Dame Church in Greeneville

Nov. 3: dedicated a statue of St.

Joseph on Chancery grounds Nov. 8: attended Catholic Founda-

tion of East Tennessee dinner at Fox Den Country Club in Farragut Nov. 10: dedicated main Chancery conference room in honor of Monsignor Xavier Mankel Nov. 12: dedicated Henkel Hall, the renovated basement of Holy Ghost Church in KnoxvilleNov. 14: ordained Father Christopher Riehl to the priesthood at Sacred Heart Cathedral Nov. 21: received the promises of lay Missionaries of the Gospel of Life in a ceremony at Sacred Heart Cathedral Nov. 22: dedicated a convent in Jonesborough for Ad Gentes sisters serving in the diocese Dec. 3: took part in vocations summit at St. Mary Church in Athens Dec. 13: dedicated Faris Field House at Knoxville Catholic High School Dec. 18: dedicated new gym and arts center at St. Joseph School in Knoxville Jan. 9, 2010: led celebration of marriage at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut Jan. 16: participated in rosary to end abortion in front of the aborTimeline continued on page 10

TH E E A S T TE N N E S S E E C ATH OLI C

our

PRIESTS

Q and A with seminarian Jeff Emitt

BY MARGARET HUNT

A ‘physician of souls’

BY DA N MCW I L L I A MS

East Tennessee’s first Pastoral Provision priest reflects on his journey into the Catholic Church.

ather Bill McNeeley was ordained a Catholic priest under the Pastoral Provision on June 2, 2007. He is the son of Dr. S. Gene and Madeline Johnson McNeeley, and he grew up in Norris. He and his family—his wife, Sherri, and their children, Luke and Kate—entered the Catholic Church on April 14, 2001. In October 2009 he began his current assignment as an assisting priest at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend. You are the first priest in this diocese to be ordained under the Pastoral Provision. Can you explain what that is? John Paul II established a process through which Anglican priests and in some cases their congregations could be welcomed into the Catholic Church. In the case of married priests, if they otherwise prove well-qualified and undertake additional studies and training, the pope can suspend the celibacy requirement so they may be ordained as Catholic priests. In short, the Pastoral Provision is a means of healing the wounds of schism that rent the church asunder during the Protestant Reformation. What influenced your decision to become Catholic? I have always been eucharistic in corporate worship and leaned toward the Catholic tradition within the Anglican communion. As a priest I took my annual retreats at the Abbey of Gethsemani near Bardstown, Ky. Over the years I had a growing awareness that the Catholic Church was where I belonged. One day I borrowed the Catechism of the Catholic Church from a friend. Sherri, my wife, and I sat up reading one night. After I read three or four pages, I said to her, “Hey, this is what they were supposed to teach us in the seminary!” Over the next week or so I read the rest of the Catechism. By then I was hooked, and I began investigating the Pastoral Provision process.

called to

DEACON PATRICK MURPHY-RACEY

Father Bill McNeeley What challenges have you faced since your ordination as a Catholic priest? Many Catholics do not fully understand how or why the church would welcome me or my family into the church while giving me equal status to other priests. A few do not like it even when they do understand. I keep near to my heart the words of our Lord, who on the eve of his Passion said, “I pray that you may be one, just as the Father and I are one.” Despite whatever ways I may fall short of my calling as a Christian and a priest, I have sought to reconcile and mend the one body of Christ. Through this process of reconciliation and healing, I am part of something wonderful and glorious. What gifts do you think Pastoral Provision priests have to offer the Catholic Church? The greatest gifts are those from God, which are imparted by all Catholic priests. Being able to work out our salvation with fear and trembling with all of God’s people is such a gift. The more the body of Christ is reunited, reconciled, and healed, the better it is for us all. Pastoral Provision priests bring with them the rich and beautiful treasures of the Anglican communion and tradition. That is what is so exciting about the Apostolic Constitution for the incorporation of that tradition into the Catholic Church. In the

BY SUZANNE ERPENBACH

The model of love Stewardship begins when we ‘experience the risen Christ in our midst.’

Anyone who has lost a loved one can relate to the disciples’ feelings after Christ’s death. After a loved one’s death, we ponder that person’s qualities and character—desiring to remember and even adopt some of his or her special traits. Throughout life’s journey, we must make choices and decisions. This was the case for the disciples after Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Christ and his disciples spent a great deal of time together. Often after a death, people recall their conversations and experiences with the loved one. Gathering together to share their experiences, stories, and feelings, they support one another with their presence. But the disciples wanted so TH E E A S T TE N N E S S E E C AT H OL IC

much to discuss and remember their companion, friend, mentor, and teacher that they failed to believe the messages they had received of his resurrection. They weren’t even aware that they were in his presence. They completely missed the core of the Easter message, “We have seen the Lord!” (John 20:25). The preface to the U.S. bishops’ pastoral letter Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response sets the tone for our understanding of discipleship, saying, “Stewardship always starts with the personal experience of the Risen Christ in our midst and in our hearts. It is a vocation to discipleship. The following of Christ as a disciple entails a personal response, and this call can result in a positive impact on our faith communities” (page 6). Christ taught, modeled, and inspired love throughout his life. He introduced a concept of love that was without exclusions or limitations. Christ

words of Pope Benedict, it is a more formal structure and process through which the Catholic Church may welcome with open arms our separated brothers and sisters. Personally, there is something to be said for being a priest who has a strong marriage of nearly 30 years and has not only survived but thrived through 15 years of parish ministry and raised two wonderful children to adulthood. How have the graces of your ordination sustained you as a Catholic priest? My late father was the last of the old country doctors who practiced the ministry of healing people’s bodies in and around Norris. He delivered more than 2,000 babies at St. Mary’s Hospital. When my son came home from work at a new job in Oak Ridge, he said, “Granddad delivered half of my coworkers!” The healing love of Jesus Christ has always been with me. I have always understood my identity as a priest to be that of a physician of people’s souls, just as Dad was for people’s bodies. What do you enjoy most about being a priest? Like my father, I can relate to corporate executives and simple farmers. I love being a priest who can relate to and has even shared the worldly burdens and struggles of life and at the same time is called to the sacred priesthood. I love sharing the joys and heartaches of the lives of God’s people. Most of all, I love celebrating the holy sacrifice of the Mass—breaking the bread, proclaiming the word, and drinking the one cup of salvation of the people of God. What would you say to a man who believes he has a vocation to the priesthood? Hold on for dear life, and always follow your heart! ■

Mrs. Hunt is administrative assistant for the diocesan Media Office.

focused on love and loving, with mercy and forgiveness. After his death the disciples were evaluating and absorbing all he had said and demonstrated. They had observed the suspicions, misunderstandings, and judgments in response to Christ’s teaching and treatment of people. They had also witnessed attitudes that ranged from welcome to anger in the course of a week. Fearful of what would happen to them, they gathered together, secluded from society. In the Gospels of the coming weeks we will observe Christ’s returning to interact with the disciples, giving them new signs and telling them to believe that he is the Christ, the Son of God. He tells them that, through their belief, they can have life in his name. He again repeats his message of love, saying, “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). He encourages the disciples to share their knowledge and beliefs with others so that more people might also hear, follow, and have eternal life in his name. Erpenbach continued on page 9

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eff Emitt is a pre-theology student at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis. He is a son of Hal Sr. and Gloria Emitt. His home parish is Holy Ghost in Knoxville.

As a new seminarian, what has been the hardest thing to adjust to? Living in community has been the most difficult adjustment after living alone for a number of years. Being physically distanced from family and friends has been difficult as well, although it feels like an extended family here at Sacred Heart, which is geared especially for delayed or mature vocations to the priesthood.

What is your most challenging course in seminary? Covering the Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible during the past year and being invited to live out their teachings has been an ongoing challenge. Learning to give up control by trusting in Jesus often simplifies things: “Let go and let God.” Acquiring new ways to pray has been an enlightening and beneficial result of my formation.

What is your favorite course? The Old and New Testament classes have been my favorites this year because I learned how closely related they are to each other, such as Christ being the fulfillment of the Old Testament.

What do you most look forward to in your future life as a priest? Saying Mass and extending the sacraments of the Church to the faithful is something I look forward to as well as offering myself to humanity as the gift that Christ exemplified by his life, teachings, and passion.

Who inspires you? A vocation to the priesthood is God’s idea, not mine. My part is simply arriving at a point where I say yes to his gracious call. My parents have been a lifelong source of encouragement, as have a number of priests, especially Monsignor Xavier Mankel, who has taken me under his lofty spiritual wing for some time now, inspiring me to strive for holiness in imitation of his example. Also, Father John O’Neill, Father John Orr, Father Patrick Resen, Monsignor Philip Thoni, Father Michael Cummins, Father Peter Iorio, and a host of others have played a part in furthering my vocation, which led to our holy Bishop [Richard F.] Stika’s endorsement [for me] to move into formation. Last but certainly not least is a longtime close relationship with Mary, who is like my best friend, really.

When did you first consider the priesthood? My earliest memories as a small child were of aspiring to be “a priest like Father Thoni,” who used to visit us back in the ’50s. Somehow that realization stuck, and the inviting call recurred frequently. After my wife, Kathi, died in 2001, the call was so strong I could no longer avoid saying yes.

What things about you have changed the most since you entered the seminary? Learning to accept God’s will by trusting in Christ and the workings of the Holy Spirit and my total dependence on God’s guidance have been made abundantly clear this year as I strive to embrace humility as a foundation on which to build a vocation to the priesthood.

Along with their prayers for you, is there another way East Tennessee Catholics can support you? Pray often as a family, and vocations will happen as a result. Love and attend our Church. Love one another as Jesus does us. What more could I possibly ask? ■

St. Dominic School makes strides he Growing St. Dominic School Steering Committee has begun a number of efforts to improve every aspect of the educational facility. In a March 26 memo to St. Dominic pastor Father Mike Nolan, Bishop Richard F. Stika, superintendent of schools Dr. Sherry Morgan, and other Chancery officials, the committee outlined an extensive list of activities and plans. About 200 people attended a school open house on March 21, and Joanie Hrivnak of the steering committee noted that “we received many positive comments on the school’s appearance and the overall uplifting feeling inside.” Area businesses have helped the school by donating newspaper ads, pizza and salads for the open house, mulch chips for the playground, and other goods and services. Volunteers from the community have also been assisting by donating supplies, distributing questionnaires, recruiting, and handing out school information packets. Technology plans with two-, three- and fiveyear goals have been created, and a business plan for the school is under construction. The St. Dominic School Board has been reorganized and is now meeting biweekly, said Mrs. Hrivnak. ■

APRIL 11, 2010

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Take note of ETC deadlines e welcome submissions about parish and community events. Send notices by e-mail (news@dioknox.org), fax (865-584-8124), or mail (805 Northshore Drive Southwest, Knoxville, TN 37919). To make sure we receive information about upcoming events in time for publication, please submit it by the following deadlines: ■ Monday, April 12, for the April 25 issue ■ Monday, April 26, for the May 9 issue ■ Monday, May 10, for the May 23 issue. When submitting photos or information about past events, please keep in mind that we have a backlog of submissions. ■

Called by Name continued from page 9

who have been recommended,” said the bishop. The third weekend, May 2, may include a wrap-up homily on the program. Parishioners will be asked to pray for nominees from their parish. The cards may be placed in collection baskets during the second and third weekends. For all three weekends, parishes may insert a number of prayers with a vocation theme into the intercessions. Many people likely have thought about another parishioner, “I wonder why he doesn’t think about the priesthood,” or “Why doesn’t she think about the religious life?” said Bishop Stika. Called by Name gives people a way to encourage those potential vocations. “Called by Name is the community calling people forth,” said the bishop. ■

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of Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City will be the celebrant. Call Dee Leigh at 423-842-2305. The Serra Club of Knoxville meets on second and fourth Thursdays in the Shea Room at Sacred Heart Cathedral’s office building. Meetings begin with Mass at 11:30 a.m., followed by lunch at noon and a speaker at 12:30 p.m. The next Marriage Encounter weekend is scheduled for Aug. 27 through 29 at the Hilton Garden Inn in West Knoxville. To register, contact John or Manuela Ptacek at 865-531-1719 or celebrate-love@ earthlink.net, or visit www.loveinthesmokies.org. For more information, contact John or Anne Wharton at 423-581-1815 or ACW193@bellsouth.net. The next Engaged Encounter weekend in the diocese will be held April 16 through 18 at the Magnuson Hotel in Sweetwater. To register, call Mike or Charla Haley at 865-220-0120. For information on Engaged Encounter, e-mail Paul or Pam Schaffer at ceeknoxville@gmail.com or visit www.rc.net/ knoxville/cee. The National Theology of the Body Congress will be held July 28 through 30 at Normandy Farms in Blue Bell, Pa. Speakers include Cardinal Justin F. Rigali, Dr. Janet Smith, Katrina Zeno, and Christopher West. For more information and registration details, visit www.TOBcongress.com or call 877-263-1263. A Seekers of Silence Contemplative Saturday Morning will be held Saturday, April 24, at John XXIII Catholic Center in Knoxville. Linda Doyle will give a talk titled “Some Experiences With Mindful Meditation.” Coffee and tea will be served at 8:30 a.m.; the workshop will run from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring a bag lunch. To RSVP, call 865-523-7931. Holy Resurrection Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Mission has Divine Liturgy celebrations at 3:30 p.m. Sundays at Holy Ghost Church, 1041 N. Central St. in Knoxville. Call Father Thomas O’Connell at 865-2564880. The St. Thomas the Apostle Ukrainian Catholic Mission celebrates Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. Sundays in the chapel at the Chancery. Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865-584-3307. Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at 1:30 p.m. each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville, at 3 p.m. on first and third Sundays at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland, and at 3 p.m. on second and fourth Sundays at St. Joseph the Worker in Madisonville. Visit www. knoxlatinmass.net for details. Upcoming events for Catholic Singles of Greater Knoxville (40 and over) include the following: ■ Thursday, April 15: Deadline to submit articles and events for the May-June singles newsletter. ■ Sunday, April 18: Easy to moderate hike, 9:30 a.m. Meet in the All Saints Church parking lot near the pavilion. Call Randy S. at 865-556-3781. ■ Friday through Sunday, April 23 through 25: Rossini Festival and Italian Street Fair, Gay Street and Market Square, noon to 9 p.m. Visit www.knoxvilleopera. com/rossini for more information. ■ Saturday, April 24: Insurance Professionals of Greater Knoxville Putt-Putt tournament at Putt-Putt Fun Center, 10 a.m. Contact Gail B. at 966-8205 or gbraunsroth@charter.net. ■ Wednesday, April 28: Ronald McDonald House dinner service project. Contact Donna T. at 531-3839 or penguin7@prodigy.net. ■ 8

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APRIL 11, 2010

the catholic

DIFFERENCE

BY GEORGE WEIGEL

Scandal time again In covering the abuse crisis, media are playing fast and loose with the facts.

Reports of the clerical sexual abuse of the young in Europe— and the gross mishandling of these cases by bishops, including connivance in cover-ups—ignited a media firestorm in late March, including calls for the pope’s resignation in light of allegations that he was party to reassigning an abusive priest while archbishop of MunichFreising and that he impeded the disciplining of an abusive Milwaukee priest while prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. As is too often the case, agendas other than an honest accounting for the sins, failures, and crimes of the past and the protection of vulnerable young people in the present and future were at work here. Enemies of the Church saw an opportunity to discredit Catholic moral teaching by painting the Church as a hypocritical criminal conspiracy of sexual abusers and their enablers. Contingent-fee lawyers smelled an opportunity to try to dig into the Vatican’s resources, having already bled the Church in the United States of billions of dollars. The allegations against the pope, which were demonstrably false, were undoubtedly made in service of these latter two agendas. Here are some facts relevant to separating truth from false-

the new

MISSAL

hood as this story unfolds: ■ The sexual abuse of the young is a global plague. Portraying the Catholic Church as its epicenter is malicious and false. Forty to 60 percent of sexual abuse takes place within families. There were 290,000 reported cases of abuse in public schools in 1991-2000. There were six credible cases of sexual abuse reported in the Catholic Church in the United States in 2009: six, in a Church of some 68,000,000 members. Having learned the lessons of 2002, the Catholic Church in America today is likely the safest environment for children in the country. No institution working with the young—not the public schools, not the teachers unions, not the Scouts—has done as much to face its past failures in this area and to put in place policies to prevent such horrors in the future. ■ Pope Benedict XVI did not impede sanctions against Father Lawrence Murphy, the Milwaukee priest who abused 200 deaf children in his care; The New York Times story of March 25 alleging that is falsified by the legal documents the Times itself provided on its website. Then there was the story’s sourcing. For the Times to cite as one of its principal sources the emeritus archbishop of Milwaukee, Rembert Weakland, who notoriously paid hush money to a male lover and who did nothing about Father Murphy for a decade and a half, was bad enough. But to use as a second principal source Jeff

BY FATHER RANDY STICE

Why accuracy matters The new Missal will help us experience anew ‘the riches of the Mass.’

In previous columns we have looked at different aspects of the Mass. We have seen that it is a personal encounter between the Triune God and his beloved children. In addition, it expresses and passes on the faith received from the Apostles: lex orandi, lex credendi— ‘the rule of prayer is the rule of faith.’ Third, the Mass is permeated with the words and images of sacred Scripture. If we keep these aspects of the Mass in mind, we can readily understand why one of the primary guiding principles of the translation of the new Missal is accuracy. The document that outlines the principles of translation, Authentic Liturgy, emphasizes the importance of accuracy. Liturgical texts, it says, “must be translated integrally and in the most exact manner, without omission or additions in terms of their content, and without paraphrase or glosses” (No. 20). The liturgical books must be “exact in wording” (No. 3). Translation consists in “rendering the original texts faithfully and accurately into the vernacular language” (No. 20). The Church’s emphasis on accuracy manifests a solemn recognition of what has been entrusted to her. Let me give www.d ioknox.org

an example of each aspect from the eucharistic prayers. One of the changes in eucharistic prayer III highlights the relational aspect of the Mass. In the current translation the priest asks, “In mercy and love unite all your children, wherever they may be.” With the new Missal he will pray, “In your compassion, O Merciful Father, gather to yourself all of your children scattered throughout the earth.” The new translation asks that God would gather his scattered children to himself, that the basis and focal point of our unity is a Person. People unite around many different things: issues, ideals, causes. But the Church is “a people brought into unity from the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (Lumen Gentium, “Dogmatic Constitution on the Church,” No. 4). A change in eucharistic prayer II touches on the deposit of faith. Instead of the present text—“see the Victim who death has reconciled us to yourself”—the new translation gives us “recognizing the sacrificial Victim by whose death you willed to reconcile us to yourself.” The addition of “sacrificial” to “Victim” emphasizes that the Mass is a true sacrifice. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of the cross, because it is its memorial, and because it

Anderson, the Minnesota attorney who has a direct financial interest in the Murphy case and in painting the Vatican as the center of a global conspiracy to protect pedophiles, suggests that the nation’s former newspaper of record has abandoned serious journalistic standards. ■ The charge that the Church threatened sexual-abuse whistle-blowers with excommunication is false and malicious, as is the charge that then-Cardinal Ratzinger imposed silence on those who wished to report abusers to civil authorities. There has never been any such prohibition, and the confidentiality about abuse cases invoked in a 2001 Ratzinger letter to the world’s bishops on priests who solicited sex in the confessional was intended to protect the integrity of the sacraments and the Church’s own legal process and to encourage victims to come forward without fear of public scandal. Under Ratzinger’s leadership, procedures were put in place in Rome to make sanctions against abusers easier to apply. The pope’s March 20 letter to the Irish Church made clear that Joseph Ratzinger is determined to clean out what he once described as “filth” in the Church and determined to bring the Curia along with him in that cleansing. That there is filth to be cleaned up is not in doubt; much of that filth is decades old. There is no credible evidence, however, that the Catholic Church is at the center of the global sexual-abuse crisis. Honest journalists will recognize that. So will serious Catholics. ■ George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. applies its fruit” (No. 1366). This was stressed by the Council of Trent in 1562: “The victim is one and the same; the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.” Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia (2003), expressed concern that the sacrificial aspect of the Mass is sometimes obscured. “At times one encounters an extremely reductive understanding of the eucharistic mystery. Stripped of its sacrificial meaning, it is celebrated as if it were simply a fraternal banquet” (Ibid, No. 10). The new translation helps us see more clearly this important aspect of the Mass. A change in eucharistic prayer II illustrates how the new translation clarifies the biblical language and imagery of the Mass. In the current translation the priest invokes the Holy Spirit upon the gifts with these words: “Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy.” With the new translation he will say, “Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall.” The reference to dewfall evokes rich allusions from the Old Testament, for dew was an image of the blessing of God: the gift of manna, which sustained Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 16:13-14); Moses’ blessing on the people of Israel before they entered the promised land (Deuteronomy 33:28); and God’s promise to restore Israel after the Exile (Hosea 14:5; Zechariah 8:12). Each of these prefigures God’s definitive blessing in Christ, made present for us in the Missal continued on page 9

TH E E A S T TE N N E S S E E C ATH OLI C

from the

PARACLETE

BY VONNIE SPICER

Conﬁrmation and self-discovery he Catechism of the Catholic Church describes confirmation as a deepening of baptismal gifts, rooting us more intensely in our identity as God’s children, uniting us more firmly with Christ, increasing the gifts of the Holy Spirit, binding us more closely to the Church, and giving us special strength to bear witness to our faith (No. 1303). Confirmation asks us to claim our heritage and identity as Catholics, recognizing that this commitment marks the beginning of an intentional journey to expand our understanding of that heritage and identity. Pure Faith: A Prayer Book for Teens (Catholic Answers, 2009) was designed specifically for teenagers. Compact enough to fit into a knapsack, it can be read in bits and pieces. The first chapter offers advice from saints such as Blessed Mother Teresa, Teresa of Avila, and Thomas More on how to pray without becoming discouraged. The following chapters provide morning and evening prayer as well as traditional prayers: prayers to the Holy Spirit, to Mary and the saints, the Divine Mercy chaplet, the Stations of the Cross, and prayers for specific intentions. The Catholic Youth Prayer Book (Saint Mary’s Press, 2006) not only acts as a reference for our timehonored prayers but also provides guidance on methods: lectio divina, guided meditation, and journaling. Saint Mary’s Press publishes two study

MARY C. WEAVER (2)

Bishop Stika poses with Mother Ann Marie Karlovic, OP (left), prioress general of the St. Cecilia Congregation, and Sister Mary Evelyn Potts, OP, during a reception at Notre Dame High School on March 22. Three Dominican sisters, including Sister Mary Evelyn, will begin teaching at the Chattanooga high school this fall.

HOMECOMING

Dominicans return to Notre Dame High School After a 37-year hiatus Dominican sisters will again serve as teachers in the Chattanooga high school. BY M A RY C. WE AV E R

ishop Richard F. Stika and the faculty, staff, and friends of Notre Dame High School gathered at the school’s media center the evening of March 22 to welcome Dominican sisters to the school family. Present at the reception were Mother Ann Marie Karlovic, OP, prioress general of the St. Cecilia Congregation, and Sister Mary Evelyn Potts, OP, a native of Chattanooga and an alumna of NDHS. Sister Mary Evelyn will begin teaching at the Chattanooga school in fall 2010, joined by two more educators from the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. But this isn’t the first time Dominican sisters will have taught in the school. Members of the congregation founded Notre Dame in 1876—their first school outside of Nashville, their headquarters—and taught there until 1973. The congregation is celebrating its 150th

anniversary this year. Bishop Stika thanked the Dominicans for their willingness to serve and spoke of his immense respect for sisters—a respect that dates back to his childhood in Catholic schools. He said that the Dominicans coming to Chattanooga would need the aid of Notre Dame’s faculty, staff, parents, students, and friends and asked those present to “support them

with your prayers as well as your time, talent, and treasure.” NDHS principal Perry Storey said he had been with the school for 15 years, “and every time I run into our alumni, they ask whether we’re ever going to get any sisters back here.” “There have been a lot of conversations over the years, with all the bishops of Knoxville [and the sisters], and it finally came together.”

He said that students too are excited about the new teachers even though many have had only very limited experience with women religious. Mother Ann Marie said returning to Chattanooga was “like coming home” for the congregation. She said that Millennials, the young generation, are “so open to the Lord, and we need to give the Lord to them.” ■

Bibles directed at teens and young adults. The Catholic Youth Bible: Pray It, Study It, Live It (2005) connects Catholic beliefs and traditions to contemporary life with more than 700 articles. It’s a great beginning study Bible for teens, with a 60-page concordance, nine color maps, a four-page timeline, and insights into how the Church interprets certain Biblical passages. The College Study Bible (2007) was designed for those studying the Scriptures for the first time and those involved in academic Bible study. Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation explains how Catholics approach and interpret Scripture, and introductory material is provided before each section and book. Like The Catholic Youth Bible, this edition contains maps, illustrations, charts, and articles addressing social concerns, life issues, and spiritual growth. The Paraclete offers many gifts and books to commemorate this sacrament. Please stop by and let us help you select a gift for your confirmand. ■ Call the store at 865588-0388 or 800-3332097.

Erpenbach continued from page 7

Sister Mary Evelyn Potts, OP, chats with Notre Dame principal Perry Storey during a reception to welcome the sisters back to the Chattanooga high school. Dominicans founded Notre Dame in 1876 and taught there until 1973.

Program to encourage vocations begins this spring BY DA N M CW I L L I AMS

nyone who has ever thought that a fellow parishioner should consider the priesthood, diaconate, or religious life can submit the person’s name to the diocese through a new vocation-awareness program. Bishop Richard F. Stika is starting the Called by Name program this spring in the Diocese of Knoxville. Parishioners will hear about the program at Sunday Masses from April 18 through May 2. Called by Name was begun some 30 years by the Serra Club in the bishop’s native St. Louis. “We used it in St. Louis, and it was somewhat successful,” he said. “It encourages people to see in their parishes potential candidates for the priesthood and the religious life. A lot of times God calls people, but those vocations are not nurtured or people are afraid to talk about it. All of a sudden, when you have someone else who notices it, it brings to the individual’s attention that, ‘Hey, maybe I do have the characteristics,’ or

TH E EA S T TE N N E S S E E C AT H OL IC

‘possibly I’m not so strange.’” The diocesan Vocation Promotion Council, chaired by Father Michael Cummins, met March 20 at the Chancery to discuss getting information about Called by Name to the parishes. Bulletin announcements April 11 will help get the ball rolling on the program. Parishes are also asked to plan vocation activities, such as eucharistic adoration for vocations, in the days leading up to the start of Called by Name. Materials for the program will be made available in English and Spanish. During April 18 weekend Masses, priests are encouraged to preach on vocations and introduce the details of the program. Parishioners will be asked to pray for vocations and think about those who might be suited to the priesthood or religious life. The second Sunday of the program, April 25, is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations and the day the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will launch a new website, ForYourVocation.org.

That weekend, parishes are asked to present a witness talk by a priest, deacon, or religious on the experience of being called. Parishes will be provided with nomination cards during the second weekend. The faithful can find on the cards a list of several characteristics to look for in a potential candidate for the priesthood, diaconate, or religious life. Characteristics include “a growing prayer life and relationship with God,” “an ability to articulate faith and principles in his or her own words,” “and the distinction of being a real church person who accepts and lives out the teachings and morals of the Church.” The cards will also include a prayer, in English and Spanish, from Bishop Stika for an increase in vocations as well as a form for writing in the nominee’s name and other details. “Eventually the cards will go to the vocation office for the diocese, and they’ll begin to make contact with people Called by Name continued on page 8

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Christ’s early disciples had to make the decision whether to believe and follow. Some left. Others chose to witness to Christ and tell the stories of their experiences with him. Following his direction, they changed from students to teachers and from followers to leaders. Our experiences in life are often challenging and demand difficult choices. Working toward a closer relationship to God and fortified by the Holy Spirit, we too can gain strength and determination to love and serve. Choosing to follow Christ, we learn and instruct, discern and imitate, model and guide as modern-day disciples and stewards. Through the way we choose to direct our time, talents, abilities, and resources, we can positively affect our family, parish, community, nation, and world. The Eucharist, Gospels, and our relationship with Christ enable us to celebrate as resurrection people. Let us thank God for his love and gifts, using and sharing them with purpose and generosity until he calls us home. God bless you. ■ Mrs. Erpenbach directs the diocesan Stewardship and Development Office.

Missal continued from page 8

sacrifice of the Mass through the power of the Holy Spirit, God’s gift given through Christ (Acts 2:38; John 15:26). The translation of the new Missal is not fussy, pedantic, or dry. Rather, in addition to being more faithful to the Latin original, it opens to us in new ways the riches of the Mass, inviting us to contemplate afresh “the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19). ■ Father Stice directs the diocesan Worship and Liturgy Office. He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox.org. APRIL 11, 2010

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Those who endorsed health-care bill ‘severely damaged’ the common good FARGO, N.D. (CNA/EWTN News)—Self-described Catholic groups who endorsed the health-care bill despite objections “severely damaged” the common good and diluted the pro-life witness of the U.S. bishops and the Catholic faithful, said Bishop Samuel J. Aquila of Fargo, North Dakota in a March 30 statement. Bishop Aquila said it was “truly tragic” that some “so-called ‘Catholic’ groups” came out in support of the legislation. “The Catholic Health Association (CHA), Catholics United, and some small groups of religious orders have supported the Act,” the bishop explained. “In recent days, most sadly of all, these groups have received gratitude from proabortion forces.” These groups, Bishop Aquila stressed, acted “in direct contradiction to the bishops,” who are the “guardians” of authentic Christian teaching. “The actions of these groups have betrayed the common good, undermined the teaching authority of the Church, and disregarded the courageous witness by the bishops and the many millions of faithful Catholics to the gift and dignity of human life,” he continued. “We now face the reality of severe damage to the common good by the expansion of abortion throughout our land because of the counter-witness of these groups.” Additionally, the bishop said, these groups and some Catholic legislators and laity have “weakened the bonds of communion” within the Church and diluted “her witness to justice for all, from the moment of conception until natural death.” He then reported that the groups’ influence was evident in North Dakota, whose U.S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy cited the encouragement of “Catholic nuns” to defend his vote for the legislation. Bishop Aquila lamented that some Catholics are “more faithful to their political parties and ideological beliefs than to the teachings of Jesus Christ and his Church.” “Rather than being a leaven in their respective party and in society for the good, by ignoring the primacy of the truths of our Catholic faith, they pave the way for secularism and a culture of death.” Speaking about the effects of the health-carereform bill itself, the bishop said although it seeks to expand access to health care especially for the poor and uninsured, at the same time it “allows for the violation of the sacredness of human life” by expanding federal funding for abortion. “As Catholics, we cannot support something which helps some people while at the same time allows and funds, in part, the destruction of the most innocent among us, the unborn, and does not provide adequate conscience protection for those who are pro-life,” he added. The executive order purporting to apply Hyde Amendment restrictions to the legislation “falls short,” in the bishop’s view, as its efforts to address shortcomings are “highly likely” to be legally invalid. “The legal and policy advisors of the U.S. Catholic bishops have noted the executive order cannot and does not fix the statutory problems of funding abortion, it cannot and does not make up for the absence of conscience protections that are missing from the statute, and it does not strengthen existing conscience protections,” he explained. Bishop Aquila’s statement concluded by calling for Catholics to “remain steadfast” in witnessing to the human dignity of the unborn child and to the need for conscience protections for pro-life medical professionals and institutions. ■

Benedict XVI: Only Christ gives hope Jesus’ passion and resurrection ‘transform reality,’ says the pope. By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Without Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection, life would be without hope, and human destiny would end only in death, Pope Benedict XVI said in his Easter message. However, “Easter does not work magic,” and the human journey will still be marked by grief and anguish, as well as joy and hope for the future, he said April 4 in his message urbi et orbi (“to the city and the world”). Humanity today needs to free itself from sin, not through superficial changes but a true moral and spiritual conversion, he said. “It needs the salvation of the Gospel so as to emerge from a profound crisis, one which requires deep change, beginning with consciences,” the pope said in the message broadcast from St. Peter’s Square to millions of people worldwide. In an unusual departure from the Vatican’s traditional Easter ceremony, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals and former Vatican secretary of state, read aloud a message of Easter greetings and support for the pope before the start of the Easter liturgy in St. Peter’s Square. In reference to the heightened criticism about how the church and Pope Benedict have handled clerical sex-abuse cases, Cardinal Sodano told the pope that the church and “the people of God are with you.” The cardinal thanked the pope for his strength and courage and said Catholics’ faith will not be shaken by the “current petty gossip” and other “ordeals that occasionally strike the church community.” Under a cold rain, Pope Benedict read his message and gave his blessing after celebrating Easter morning Mass with tens of thousands of people gathered in front of

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BRAND-NEW CATHOLIC Pope Benedict XVI blesses a woman he welcomed into the Church during the celebration of the Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on April 3.

St. Peter’s Basilica. Even huddled under umbrellas, the crowd was jubilant, chanting the pope’s name and waving soggy banners and flags. The night before, during the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Benedict baptized and confirmed a woman from Sudan, a woman from Somalia, two women from Albania, and a man from Japan. The pope also baptized a small boy from Russia. The newly baptized, wearing white shawls, had a brief personal exchange with the pope when they brought the offertory gifts to the altar. In his homily at the vigil Mass the pope said baptism marks the beginning of a process of renouncing a world of greed, lies, and cruelty and a culture that worships power. Becoming a Christian is not “mere cleansing, still less is it a somewhat complicated initiation into a new association. It is death and resurrection, rebirth to a new life,” he said. Once stripped of the “old garments” of one’s life of sin, he said, the Christian puts on new clothes of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Baptism is “the beginning of a process that embraces the whole of our life—it makes us fit for eterni-

ty,” so that a person is worthy of appearing before God and can live with him forever. The next morning, after celebrating the Easter Mass, the pope called for an end to “the multiple tragic expressions of a culture of death, which are becoming increasingly widespread, so as to build a future of love and truth in which every human life is respected and welcomed.” He called on world leaders to find the inspiration and strength to promote economic policies that follow “the criteria of truth, justice and fraternal aid.” In his Easter message he called for an end to war and violence in the Middle East, especially in the Holy Land; he offered consolation to persecuted Christian minorities, especially in Iraq and Pakistan; he denounced “the dangerous resurgence of crimes linked to drug trafficking” in Latin American and the Caribbean; and he expressed his hopes that the people of Haiti and Chile could rebuild the areas struck by earthquakes earlier this year. The pope also called for peace and reconciliation in Africa, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, and Nigeria; and he asked that social harmony come to those places experiencing terrorism and social and religious discrimination.

Before celebrating the Resurrection, Pope Benedict presided over the candlelit Way of the Cross at Rome’s Colosseum April 2. “The day of greatest hope is Good Friday” when Christ, through his death, becomes the source of life for all of humanity, he said. Christ’s gift of love on the cross transforms reality, he said, so that “from betrayal can come friendship, from repudiation, pardon, and from hatred, love.” Under an awning on a hill overlooking the Colosseum, the pope stood and then knelt through the entire 90-minute service while women and men from Haiti, Iraq, Vietnam, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Italy, as well as two Franciscan friars from the Holy Land, carried a black wooden cross through and around the Colosseum. After the 14th station Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the papal vicar for Rome, handed the cross to the pope, who stood and held it aloft. Pope Benedict left the Vatican after the Holy Week and Easter celebrations to spend a few days resting at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome. Reciting the Regina Coeli with hundreds of visitors gathered in the courtyard of the villa April 5, the pope said that like the angel who told the disciples Jesus had risen, Christians are called to be messengers of Jesus’ resurrection, his victory over evil and death, and bearers of his love to the world. “Certainly, we remain men and women, but we receive the mission of angels, messengers of Christ,” he said. ■ Contributing to this story was Cindy Wooden at the Vatican. Copyright 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

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tion clinic on Concord Street in Knoxville Jan. 17: conferred papal honors on Monsignor Al Humbrecht at Sacred Heart Cathedral Jan. 22: took part in annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. Feb. 2: participated in protest against the opening of a new Planned Parenthood facility in East Knoxville Feb. 5: visited the Ladies of Charity of Chattanooga Feb. 7: ordained Deacon Dan Alexander to the diaconate at St. Albert the Great Church in Knoxville Feb. 12-14: conducted a vocation retreat for men at The Oaks Retreat Center in Greeneville Feb. 18: toured Catholic Charities’ facility in Knoxville Feb. 20: hosted the annual recognition dinner for the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting at Rothchild Catering & Conference Center in Knoxville Feb. 21: celebrated Rites of Election at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga and St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City March 13: conducted discernment gathering for men at his residence ■

Singing priests A priest schola sang during the annual Chrism Mass held March 30 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Shown here are (from left) Fathers Bill Gahagan, John Appiah, Peter Iorio, Michael Nolan, Joe Campbell, Michael Woods, Sam Sturm, Charlie Donahue, CSP, Bill Casey, and Alex Waraksa. Full coverage of the Chrism Mass will appear in the next edition of the ETC. 10

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