April 12, 2009, East Tennessee Catholic

CNS/MARCELO DEL POZO, REUTERS

Preparing for Holy Week Children hold crosses as they take part in a procession at school in the Andalusian capital of Seville, southern Spain, on April 3. The children were preparing for the upcoming Holy Week. Easter Sunday this year is April 12.

THE EAST TENNESSEE

Volume 18 • Number 15 • April 12, 2009

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

CNS PHOTO/MAX ROSSI, REUTERS

www.d ioces eof kn ox ville.or g

HOLY WEEK BEGINS

Pope Benedict XVI holds a palm frond as he leads Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 5.

Pope: the key to Christian life is self-sacrifice VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Celebrating Mass on Palm Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI said daily self-sacrifice in imitation of Christ was the key to the Christian life.

“Sacrifice and renunciation belong to the just life. Whoever promises a life without this continuing gift of self is fooling people,” the pope said during the liturgy in St. Peter’s Square on April 5.

The papal liturgy began with a procession of hundreds of cardinals, bishops, priests, and laypeople, who carried palms and olive branches in commemoration of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem a few days before his passion and death.

At the head of the procession nine young people from Australia carried the World Youth Day cross to the altar, where it was later consigned to a group of Spanish youths for the next international celebration of World Youth Day in Madrid.

The pope, his red vestments resplendent in the sunshine, carried a braided garland of palm fronds across the cobblestone square. It was the first of seven major Holy Week events for the pope, who turns 82 later in the month.

In his homily Pope Benedict spoke of Jesus’ words after his Pope continued on page 2

IN THIS ISSUE Living the readings.............2 He dwells among us ..........3 The view from here ............3 Parish notes ........................4 On the calendar ..................5 Deaths .................................6 Catholic youth ....................7 Bishop Stika........................9 Called to follow...................9 From the Paraclete ............9 From the wire....................10

DEACON PATRICK MURPHY-RACEY

B Y J OHN THAVIS

GREETING HIS FLOCK Bishop Richard F. Stika waves to the congregation during his episcopal ordination Mass on March 19. At left is principal consecrator Cardinal Justin F. Rigali of Philadelphia. Bishop Stika’s crosier was a gift from the cardinal.

Third bishop of Knoxville ordained East Tennesseans gained a new shepherd March 19 with the ordination of Bishop Richard F. Stika. By Dan McWilliams consolation for me is to know that of St. Louis. ishop Richard F. Stika was orwhen the Eucharist is celebrated in “When we were doing the webcast, I dained to lead the Diocese of this great Diocese of Knoxville, got text messages from St. Louis, Knoxville on March 19 before a crowd prayers for ‘Benedict our pope’ and North Carolina, California, and Rome, of 5,000 that included members of his ‘Richard our bishop’ will rise to the saying that people not only really ennew flock in East Tennessee and hunheavens.

And in my moments of joyed what they saw but were so apdreds of friends from a lifetime spent weakness, I have the assurance of the preciative to have the opportunity to in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

Scriptures, knowing that the Lord see it,” said Ms. Steffens.

One of his dearest friends was also takes the weak, and he makes them Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic Bishop Stika’s principal consecrator, strong.” nuncio to the United States, read the Cardinal Justin F. Rigali, the former Knoxville’ s second bishop, Archbishletter from Pope Benedict XVI aparchbishop of St. Louis. Then–Monop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, was a pointing Bishop Stika. signor Stika worked for the future carco-consecrator of Bishop Stika along Traveling the farthest to the ordinadinal in a variety of roles, including with Bishop Robert.

J. Shaheen.

The tion were Father Anthony Asoanya, secretary, vicar general, and organizer latter, the bishop of the Maronite chancellor of the Archdiocese of Onitof the 1999 papal visit of John Paul II Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, is ansha, Nigeria, who was representing to St. Louis. Monsignor Stika was subother longtime friend of Bishop Stika.

Bishop Stika’ s friend Archbishop Valersequently appointed pastor of the The opening procession included 32 ian Okeke, and Father David Carter, a Church of the Annunziata in Ladue, bishops, two abbots, more than 60 Diocese of Knoxville priest studying Mo., in 2004 and was serving there men and women religious, about 125 canon law in Rome. when he was named bishop of Knoxdeacons, and dozens of priests from Also in attendance were two of the ville on Jan. 12. the Knoxville and St. Louis dioceses. bishop’ s brothers—Joseph Calabro and “It is impressive to see how many Those attending the Mass could Bob Stika—as well as numerous other people—your priests, deacons, semiview the proceedings on one of several family members.

The Mass was celenarians, religious, and laity, and so large screens at the convention center. brated on the feast of St. Joseph, many members of the wonderful Recorded messages from Bishop Stika which is also Mr. Calabro’ s birthday. choir—have assembled here today in appeared on the screens at the begin“Today the church rejoices in a douprayer, to welcome you as their own ble celebration,” said shepherd,” said CardiCardinal Rigali.

“The nal Rigali in his homily two events that we celeat the Knoxville Conbrate are the feast of St. vention Center. “It is Joseph, husband of the gratifying also to see f you were not able to attend the ordination Mass—or you’d like to Blessed Virgin Mary, the large delegation view it again—the entire event may be seen on the diocesan website foster father of Jesus, from St. Louis who are through April 17. To watch the video, visit dioceseofknoxville.org. ■ and patron of the unihere to show you their versal church, and the love and support and to ning and end of Mass. The liturgy itepiscopal ordination of Bishop-elect show their solidarity with your new self could be seen live online at Richard Stika.” family, the Diocese of Knoxville.” dioceseofknoxville.org (it will remain St. Joseph “makes us think today Bishop Stika, 51, is the third bishop viewable there through April 17). Proto lead the Diocese of Knoxville. He also about his family, the Holy Family, viding commentary during the webpledged “to the good people of the and the many families that you, Bishcast were Father David Boettner, diocese to be a good shepherd to you, op-elect Stika, are now called to lead diocesan moderator of the curia; Saand I promise that I will give you to Jesus, and through him to the Faeverything that I have.” cred Heart parishioner and ESPN ther in the communion of the Holy “I consider it a true grace to have recommentator Dr. Jerry Punch; and Spirit,” said Cardinal Rigali. ceived the call of His Holiness to be Anne Steffens, director of the Office of The cardinal recalled Bishop Stika’s your bishop,” he said. “And a great Communications for the Archdiocese Ordination continued on page 6

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Watch the Mass online

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letters to the

EDITOR

Notre Dame going ‘in the wrong direction’

The Holy Cross Fathers of the University of Notre Dame have been leading the institution in the wrong direction in matters important to our faith.

Years ago I discontinued my annual contributions in protest of their tolerance of homosexuality.

Their advocacy for homosexual rights and allowing students in past years to promote the wearing of shirts stating GAY IS OKAY is very misguided.

In their quest for a higher ranking among leading universities, they began recruiting a much higher number of non-Catholic professors. A group known as the Sycamore Trust has recognized the inherent dangers of this position—one of which is that professors vote on the selection of new hires and have been selecting even greater numbers of non-Catholics to teach at UND. They have allowed “The Vagina Monologues” to be presented on campus and defend that decision on the basis that there will be a dialogue on the subject at the conclusion of the performance. I understand that only a few remained for the discussion.

The latest insult to our religion’s core beliefs was inviting President Barack Obama to be the commencement speaker at this year’s graduation and to confer on him an honorary doctorate. This man openly supports abortion. He has voted to allow babies to be killed as they emerge from the womb. He wants government funding of stemcell research.

The university gets some funds from the government as well as research grants. Their methods and actions for broader acceptance and a higher status in academic circles while downplaying the tenets of Catholicism indicates to me that they are willing to sell their souls to the devil.

Please join in protesting the actions of the UND leadership and also consider supporting www.sycamoretrust.org. ■ —John W. Robinson Harriman We welcome letters to the editor and carefully consider all submissions. Letters should be 350 words or less and will be edited for grammar, style, clarity, and length. Submit them by e-mail, mail, or fax: mary@dioceseofknoxville.org, P.O. Box 11127, Knoxville, TN 37939-1127, 865-5848124. Letters to the editor reflect the opinions of their authors and not those of the editorial staff or the publisher.

Rev. Albert J. Henkel Memorial Golf Tournament set for April 24 he Ladies of Charity will honor the late Father Albert J. Henkel during their annual fundraiser, “Helping Hands and Generous Hearts,” set for April 24. The full day of events begins with the first-ever Rev. Albert J. Henkel Memorial Golf Tournament. It will be held at Knoxville Municipal Golf Course on Schaad Road. After lunch at 11:30 a.m., participants will tee off at 12:30 p.m.

Winners of the tournament will be announced at dinner, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Rothchild Catering and Conference Center. Entertainment will include a magician and an auction. Proceeds from the events will benefit the Ladies of Charity Building Fund. The goal for the fundraiser is $25,000.

Since 1942 the Ladies of Charity of Knoxville have provided emergency assistance to those in need. In addition to food and clothing, LOC helps with heating, rent, and prescription medicine and formula, diapers, and layettes for infants. Its mission is to help with clients’ immediate needs so they can focus on making changes in their lives.

Last year LOC, a United Way agency, filled more than 30,000 requests for aid. Through the emergency food pantry, enough food for more than 180,000 was provided. “We are happy we have been able to continue our mission, but the increased number of clients we are seeing makes the community’s support even more necessary,” said program coordinator Amy Drews.

In addition to providing a three-day supply of food to each client, caseworkers coordinate with pharmacies, utility boards, and housing authorities to provide assistance. LOC raises money for its mission at its thrift store, which sells gently used items and provides free clothing to those who cannot afford to pay.

The mission is disadvantaged because it operates out of two facilities. The emergency-assistance office is at 119 Dameron Ave. The thrift shop is at 1031 N. Central St. Because of a lack of space, the organization is seeking a new site that will allow the program to grow.

More room for the emergency-assistance program will allow LOC to provide greater privacy to clients. Currently, multiple client interviews are conducted in a single room. And the limited waiting area often forces clients to wait outside in the rain or cold. A larger facility will also make it easier for clients who have small children. Often mothers struggle to carry their boxes of food and small children as they walk to the thrift shop to receive help with clothing.

For more information about the golf tournament, contact Joe Fuhr at 865-693-1810. For information about the Ladies of Charity, contact Mrs. Drews at 971-3556, extension 110, or amy.ladiesofcharity@gmail.com. ■

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APRIL 12, 2009

living the

READINGS

BY FATHER JOSEPH BRANDO

Race to the tomb That’s where Christ will ‘take us with him to glory.’

A lot of running took place early on that first Easter morning. We know that Mary Magdalene ran from the tomb to the Upper Room when she saw that the stone that had sealed Jesus’ tomb had been rolled back and his body was not inside. In response, Peter and another disciple raced from there to the tomb. If today’s sites are accurate (and that is close to certain), you could walk the distance comfortably in about 15 minutes and run it fast in five. Why did the apostles want to save 10 minutes? They must have been excited by Mary’s news. They must have believed time was

of the essence.

Perhaps they wanted to check out the area before anybody else arrived. It was still very early in the morning.

Maybe they thought they could tell from the ground whether there were footprints or hoof prints or other clues about what had happened to Jesus’ body and in what direction it had gone.

When they arrived at the site, they felt as though they were on sacred ground. The “other” disciple, who got there first, did not dare go into the tomb. When he followed Peter in, he “saw and believed.” Peter, for his part, witnessed to the burial cloths and the rolled-up head covering. This was not the scene burglars or government or religious workers would leave after removing a body.

In fact, they now realized,

Jesus’ body had not been removed but had departed on its own power. Christ was alive! That news was worth running about. It still is.

We should join that race to the tomb. Peter’s speech, quoted in the first reading from Acts, provides one reason: “Everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Receiving a clean slate in our relationship to God is an outstanding reason to hurry to the tomb. Paul offers an even greater incentive: “When Christ your life appears, you too will appear with him in glory.”

Just think of how high the stakes have grown. The prize is everlasting life.

So we should be running in a spiritual way. All our focus needs to be on the tomb where Jesus rose to new life and will take us with him to glory. ■ April 12, Easter Sunday Acts 10:34, 37-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 Colossians 3:1-4 John 20:1-9

What happens to the losers?

The Lord’s ‘consolation prize’ also includes eternal life.

f there were a race to the tomb on Easter Sunday morning, and if we need to join that race, what happens to those who do not get there first? Today’s liturgical readings answer that question. In them we find out about the abundant mercy of God. If we were racing to

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get to a store to take advantage of a tremendous sale, the extraordinary prices would probably be good for the first so many shoppers or for the day—or until the item runs out. It is not that way with the Lord. Just look at the readings.

In the Gospel we learn what happened

to one of the Twelve who was not around on Sunday. Thomas missed Easter. Was he a complete loser?

Of course not! He got an amazing consolation prize. He not only got his wish of feeling Jesus’ wounds but also—and more importantly—was able to realize Jesus’ divinity and became

the first to publicly proclaim it.

In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles we hear what happened to the people who much later “came to the tomb” (which is now the place of resurrecReadings continued on page 7

April 19, Divine Mercy Sunday Acts 4:32-35 Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 1 John 5:1-6 John 20:19-31

W E E KDAY RE ADINGS Easter Monday, April 13: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; Matthew 28:8-15 Easter Tuesday, April 14: Acts 2:36-41; Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22; John 20:11-18 Easter Wednesday, April 15: Acts 3:1-10; Psalms 105:1-4, 6-9; Luke 24:13-35 Easter Thursday, April 16: Acts 3:11-

26; Psalm 8:2, 5-9; Luke 24:35-48 Easter Friday, April 17: Acts 4:1-12; Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27; John 21:114 Easter Saturday, April 18: Acts 4:13-21; Psalm 118:1, 14-21; Mark 16:9-15 Monday, April 20: Acts 4:23-31; Psalm 2:1-9; John 3:1-8 Tuesday, April 21: Acts 4:32-37;

Psalm 93:1-2, 5; John 3:7-15 Wednesday, April 22: Acts 5:17-26; Psalm 34:2-9; John 3:16-21 Thursday, April 23: Acts 5:27-33; Psalm 34:2, 9, 17-20; John 3:31-36 Friday, April 24: Acts 5:34-42; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14; John 6:1-15 Saturday, April 25: Feast, Mark, evangelist, 1 Peter 5:5-14; Psalm 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17; Mark 16:15-20 ■

tinuing attitude implemented daily in everyday situations.

“No successful life exists without sacrifice. When I look back on my personal life, I have to say that precisely the times when I said ‘yes’ to a sacrifice were the greatest and most important moments of my life,” he said.

The pope said the days Jesus spent in Jerusalem also highlight the fact that self-sacrifice produces inner doubt and anguish. Even Jesus asked whether he should turn to God and say: “Father, save me from this hour.”

That Jesus suffered in this way offers an insight into prayer, which sometimes involves questioning and lament in the face of suffering and in-

justice, the pope said. Everyone can and should pray this way, he said.

“Before God we shouldn’t take refuge in pious phrases, in a fictitious world. To pray always signifies struggling with God too,” he said.

At the end of the liturgy the Australian young people transferred the tall wooden cross and an icon of Mary to a group of young Spaniards, who were taking the two symbols on a spiritual pilgrimage ahead of the next World Youth Day international gathering in Madrid in 2011.

The pope recalled that he presided over World Youth Day events in Sydney, Australia, last summer. He said the cross’s pil-

Pope continued from page 1

entry into Jerusalem: “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.”

Christ’s message was that the person who wants to live only for himself and exploit all life’s possibilities for personal gain finds that life itself becomes “boring and empty,” the pope said.

The principle of love, which is at the heart of the Christian faith and is exemplified in Christ’s crucifixion, demands a more universal vision that looks outward and not just inward, he said.

This orientation toward others involves not only a “single great decision” in a person’s life, which is relatively easy, the pope said, but must be a con-

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

THE EAST TENNESSEE

805 Northshore Drive S.W.

Pope continued on page 3

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Knoxville, TN 37919-7551

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THE E A S T TE NNE S S E E CATHOLI C

he dwells

AMONG US

BY BISHOP RICHARD F. STIKA

A celebration of faith It’s up to us, God’s people, ‘to be the face of Jesus to all we meet.’

What an exciting few weeks it has been! I am still processing the spectacular event that occurred in our diocese on March 19.

Now, some may believe that it was a celebration of my ordination and installation as the Roman Catholic bishop of Knoxville. Well, it was. But even more than that, it was a celebration of the people of the Diocese of Knoxville. We celebrated the precious gift of faith!

We celebrated talents given to us by God: to organize and to plan, to sing and to chant, to proclaim and to live what we are and who we are as Christians and Catholics in East Tennessee. It was much more about you than me. And so now it is about us, God’s people, to be the face of Jesus to all we meet. Thanks to all who planned and implemented, to those who donated and to those who prayed. But most of all, thanks be to God! So far I have enjoyed celebrating confirmation with the parish communities of All Saints, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Holy Ghost, Immaculate Conception, and St. Augustine.

I’ve visited three deaneries, dropped by for a visit at Notre Dame High School and Knoxville Catholic High School, and I’ve had meetings galore.

That’s just in the first weeks— and I love it!

One question that is continually posed to me is: “Do you feel at home?” Without a sec-

the view from

HERE

ond to pause, my answer from the heart is “Yes! Thanks to you and your warm hospitality.”

Some people have asked my thoughts on the recent invitation of the University of Notre Dame to the president of the United States to serve as a commencement speaker.

I can understand how important it is for a university to invite a sitting president, especially one who is young and charismatic, with a beautiful family. His election as the first African-American president is a testimony to the movement of our nation to get beyond judging a person by the color of one’s skin as opposed to one’s character.

There are many qualities of the president that I admire.

That being said, however, there are other facts to weigh.

As a Catholic, I am embarrassed by this gesture of the University of Notre Dame. It is fine to honor an individual because of his accomplishments, but can one seriously believe that it is in keeping with the teachings of Jesus to honor someone who is so powerful and influential that innocent and pure human life is in danger of death? It might be simplistic, but so often when I am confronted by moral decisions, I reflect on “what would Jesus do.” For the life of me, I cannot explain how anyone can justify the horrible destruction of human life.

The president’s approach to abortion rights, embryonicstem-cell research, and other issues is not in keeping with the teachings of our Catholic faith. It seems that the Uni-

BY MARY C. WEAVER

Dramatic texts The seasons of Lent and Easter are inseparable from their chants.

As I write, we’re two days into Holy Week.

Palm Sunday was yesterday, and I can’t attend Mass on that day without recalling the chant Hosanna filio David (“Hosanna to the Son of David”) that precedes the procession. Funny how a text and melody heard (or sung)

just once a year can be so memorable.

When the Easter Vigil rolls around—a feast on which I’ve sung for at least the past 10 years—it’s the chanted Exsultet I remember. “O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam,” goes the English translation, “that gained for us so great a Redeemer!” Despite all the ornate and festive music we used to sing during the vigil at Immaculate Conception, my former parish, the relatively simple Exsultet was

versity of Notre Dame has abandoned its Catholic identity in this matter. I feel that it is embarrassing and shameful.

Finally, as we prepare for Holy Week, I am ever mindful of the special nature of this week. From the celebration of Palm Sunday through the Mass of the Holy Chrism to the holiest of nights, when we proclaim to all the world that Christ is our Light, we celebrate with gratitude the gift of Jesus Christ.

I pray that you will open your hearts to the Lord in these days as well as open your hearts to those who join our community of faith at the Easter Vigil.

May God bless you—and remember to pray: “Jesus, we trust in you!” ■ BISHOP STIKA’ S SCHE DUL E April 12: 9 a.m., Mass, Sacred Heart Cathedral April 14-15: installation of Archbishop Timothy Dolan, New York City April 17: 7 p.m., confirmation, St. Dominic Church, Kingsport April 18: 5:30 p.m., confirmation, John XXIII Center, Knoxville April 19: 10 a.m., confirmation, St. Joseph the Worker Church, Madisonville; 2 p.m., confirmation, Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Chattanooga April 21: 10:30 a.m., Shepherding Them Rightly workshop, followed by general priest meeting, Chancery April 22: 7 p.m., confirmation, Blessed Sacrament Church, Harriman April 23: noon, gathering with Cumberland Mountain Deanery priests, St. Mary Church, Oak Ridge; 7 p.m., confirmation, St. Albert the Great Church, Knoxville April 24: 11:30 a.m., Ladies of Charity golf tournament luncheon, Knoxville Municipal Golf Course; 7 p.m., Chattanoogans for Life annual banquet, Chattanoogan hotel April 25: 10 a.m., confirmation, St. Jude Church, Chattanooga April 26: 11:30 a.m., confirmation, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Lenoir City; 6 p.m., confirmation, St. John Neumann Church, Farragut ■

what people commented on.

On Easter Sunday we have the opportunity to sing Victimae pascali laudes, one of only three sequences remaining in the ordinary form of the Mass.

The text (some of which is given here in English translation) is dramatic: “Death and life confronted each other in a prodigious battle; the Prince of life who died now lives and reigns.” Whoever composed the chant melody to support those astonishing words knew what he was doing.

As with all Gregorian chant, the melody was composed with no other purpose than fittingly to communicate the text. If you’ve never heard it, you’ve missed a treat—and why not ask your music director whether perhaps next year the choir could introduce it? ■

THE E A S T TE NNE S S E E CATHOLIC

ASSIGNMENTS

Appointments made for priests, deacons ishop Richard F. Stika has named Monsignor Xavier Mankel vicar general, effective March 19. Monsignor Mankel, the pastor of Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville, served as vicar general for both previous bishops.

The bishop has also named Father David Boettner moderator of the curia, effective March 19.

Father Boettner is the pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City and has served as moderator since Father Al Humbrecht, then–diocesan administrator, appointed him to the role on March 24, 2008.

Deacon Timothy Elliott of All Saints Parish in Knoxville has been named director of the permanent diaconate and coordinator of ongoing formation of deacons, effective March 1. The appointment was made by the diocesan administrator in conjunction with then–Bishop-elect Stika.

The bishop has also assigned Deacon Gary Brinkworth, formerly of the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee, Fla., to St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga. The appointment was effective April 3. ■

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Adult faith-formation classes to continue in 2009 he first in a new series of adult faith-formation classes began Feb. 3, with additional classes scheduled throughout the year and in locations around the diocese. The adult faith-formation program is one of the educational initiatives funded through the Growing in Faith Together capital-stewardship campaign. Classes are offered at no charge to adults in the diocese. All sessions begin at 7 p.m. and end at 9.

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Personal Morality, taught by Father Randy Stice.

Explores the foundations of how we are to live as Catholics. The class will examine the concepts of human dignity, freedom, law, sin, virtue, and conscience as well as current moral issues. Sessions take place on Tuesdays.

■ April 21, St. Therese Church, Clinton ■ Sept. 15, Sacred Heart Cathedral ■ Oct. 20, Sts. Peter & Paul Church, Chattanooga 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. Sessions take place on Tuesdays except where noted.

■ May 12, St. Bridget Church, Dayton ■ Thursday, Oct. 8, Notre Dame Church, Greeneville ■ Nov. 17, Sacred Heart Cathedral The Sacraments, taught by Amy Roberts. Explores the foundations of what we celebrate as Catholics. The class will examine how we encounter the living Christ through each of the church’s seven sacraments. Sessions take place on Tuesdays except where noted.

■ Thursday, Sept. 24, St. Stephen Church, Chattanooga ■ Nov. 10, St. Dominic Church, Kingsport To register, visit dioceseofknoxville.org, click Resources/ETC, then click Event registration in the left frame. For details, contact Rich Armstrong at rarmstrong@dioceseofknoxville.org or 865-584-3307. ■

Take note of ETC deadlines e welcome submissions about parish and community events. Send notices by e-mail (mary@dioceseofknoxville.org), fax (865584-8124), or mail (P.O. Box 11127, Knoxville, TN 37939). To make sure we receive information about upcoming events in time for publication, please submit it by the following deadlines: ■ Monday, April 13, for the April 26 issue ■ Monday, April 27, for the May 10 issue When submitting information about past events, note that we have a backlog of submissions. ■

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CNS PHOTO/GIAMPIERO SPOSITO, REUTERS

Pope continued from page 2

grimage was deeply symbolic.

“The cross is in movement from one side of the world to the other, from sea to sea. And we are accompanying it,” he said.

A group of 150 Spanish Catholics—bishops, priests, and young people—were in Rome for preliminary planning meetings for the 2011 encounter. They cheered and waved Spanish flags when the pope, speaking after the Mass, encouraged them to prepare a spiritual path toward the international gathering.

The 2011 encounter has as its theme “Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith.” The quotation is taken from Chapter 2 of St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians.

On April 6 the pope met with some 7,000 young Spaniards who had traveled to Rome for the Palm Sunday liturgy and spoke about World Youth Day as

pastoral

WYD PREPARATIONS BEGIN Spanish young people hold a wooden cross as a symbol of the next World Youth Day as Pope Benedict XVI leads Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 5. World Youth Day will be held in Madrid, Spain, in 2011.

an opportunity to experience the joy of belonging to the church.

“The World Youth Days demonstrate the dynamism of the church and its eternal youth. Whoever loves Christ loves the church with the same

passion because it allows us to live in a close relationship with the Lord,” he said. ■ Copyright 2009 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

www.dioceseofk noxville.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.

APRIL 12, 2009

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BY TONI PACITTI

Chattanooga Deanery

Holy Spirit, Chattanooga ■ The rite of sending was celebrated Feb. 22 for new catechumens and candidates Lori Cunningham, Carol and Steve Newton, Peggy Rourke, and Jason Tablada.

■ The Lenten Cross Project is asking for prayers for families of prisoners. The project is an outreach of Chattanooga Endeavors that restores former offenders to productive roles in society. Holy Cross and other area parishes are participating in the program.

■ A men’s day of reflection was held March 7 in the parish hall.

■ An Easter egg hunt will be held at the pavilion after the 10:30 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass.

■ “Celebration Games” for altar servers will be held Sunday, April 19, at the pavilion after the 10:30 a.m. Mass.

■ Women are encouraged to wear a special hat and dressy outfit to a Mother’s Day celebration Tuesday, May 12.

Mass will be celebrated at 6 p.m., followed by a tea. Volunteers should call Deni Stockburger at 423-332-9902.

OLPH, Chattanooga ■ Claydough’s Pizza sponsored an “Our Lady of Perpetual Help Spirit Night” on March 26, giving 10 percent of receipts from parishioners back to the parish.

■ The seventh-grade Girl Scout Troop 67 collected food March 14 through 31 for the annual Craniofacial Camp at Camp Adahi, set for April 24 through 26.

The camp started nine years ago as a Gold Award project of Heather Henderson, a graduate of OLPH School and Notre Dame High School.

St. Bridget, Dayton ■ The parish has a new website at saintbridget.net.

St. Catherine Labouré, Copperhill ■ Volunteers are needed to clean the

church and parish hall, to serve as members of various committees and organizations, and to help prepare the weekly bulletin.

St. Jude, Chattanooga ■ The youth sponsored a bake sale

after morning Masses on Palm Sunday.

Knights of Columbus Council 8576 will hold an “Easter Egg Scramble” after the 12:15 p.m. Mass on Easter Sunday, April 12, on the football field (or in Siener Hall if it rains).

■ The youth will have a flea market Saturday, May 16. To rent a booth for $10, make a donation, volunteer to help, arrange for pickup of large items, or ask questions, e-mail Alicia at bradshawa5@gmail.com or call 423870-8002.

■ Proceeds from a Seder meal April 6, cosponsored by St. Jude and St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland, will benefit a youth mission trip to Colombia this June.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga ■ The parish provided sandwiches, fruit, cookies, and soft drinks to the intensive-care waiting rooms at Memorial Hospital on April 1.

Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga ■ Father Joseph Vijayan will make an

appeal for the Love and Care Mission, a Catholic organization founded by priests and laypeople to help the needy worldwide, on the weekend of April 18 and 19.

Cumberland Mountain Deanery

All Saints, Knoxville ■ The parish will sponsor its second annual Spring Fling Family Fun Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 9. A variety of food, inflatable games, and music will be provided.

■ All Saints’ third annual plant sale will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Annual and perennial flowering plants will be available. Proceeds will benefit grounds care at the parish.

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman ■ Parishioners donated $1,122.66 to

Catholic Relief Services recently.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade ■ The parish book club will meet at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 22, to discuss The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (Dial Press, 2008) by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

■ Anniversaries: Ted and Jean Bowles

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APRIL 12, 2009

(57), Ray and Susan Butkus (55), Ed and Claire Sisson (54), Don and Carolyn Beck (54), Jerry and Judy Smith (50)

St. John Neumann, Farragut ■ An Easter egg hunt will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at the school for children 8 and under. Milk, juice, and cookies will be served after the hunt.

■ The parish will offer an hour of Divine Mercy from 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 19, in the church. The event will include a procession, singing, opening prayer, Scripture meditation, the chaplet of Divine Mercy, a solemn blessing and veneration of the Divine Mercy image, and benediction. Bring a snack.

Beverages will be provided. For more information, e-mail Sue Hendershott at tennhendershotts08@gmail.com.

■ The parish is seeking donations of furniture, kitchenware, and other items for an Iraqi Catholic family of three women who arrived in Knoxville on March 26. For more information, call Rita Mardini at 865-216-3686.

COURTESY OF JANEL LANGE (2)

NOTES

St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City ■ The parish hosted a book drive April

4 and 5 to raise money to buy reading books for the children at Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos.

■ Divine Mercy Sunday will be celebrated at St. Thomas at 3 p.m. April 19. Eucharistic adoration, prayer, song, and praises will be followed by light refreshments. Come at 2 p.m. to view a new DVD, Tell All Souls My Mercy— Conversations With Jesus from the Diary of St. Faustina.

■ Newcomers: Tim, Mary, and Brian Boyer; Vince and Debbie Apolloni; Laurie Beeler; Bill and Kathy Richgels

Marriage Day couples dance at St. Thomas the Apostle The Worldwide Marriage Encounter community of East Tennessee hosted a Marriage Day celebration on Valentine’s Day at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City.

Couples attended a vigil Mass, followed by a dinner-dance in the parish life center.

After receiving a little instruction, the couples took the floor (top photo) for a waltz.

Margaret and Hilaire Vandooren (bottom) of St. John Neumann in Farragut were recognized at the dance as the couple married the longest, at 58 years.

Five Rivers Deanery

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City ■ The Council of Catholic Women will host a reception for parish RCIA candidates April 11. The CCW’s guest for its April meeting will be Dr. Ruth Queen Smith, pastoral associate at John XXIII in Knoxville, who will lecture on St. Paul.

■ The CCW will host a pancake breakfast Sunday, April 26, for the first Communion children: Lauren Allen, Jessica Bonnell, Lorenzo and Diego Manalili, MacKenzie Robinson, Reilly Schneider, Max Sickman, and Nicholas Taylor.

■ The Knights of Columbus will host a luncheon for wives and widows of Knights on Sunday, April 26.

■ An Easter egg hunt was held April 4.

■ Eighteen units have been purchased in the new parish columbarium.

Charles Salley and his committee worked for many months on the project, and the concrete pad for the columbarium was poured in March.

For more information, call Deacon Jim Prosak at 865-393-8110.

Notre Dame, Greeneville ■ The movie The Passion was shown in the parish hall during Holy Week.

■ Parish youth went on a mission trip to Mobile, Ala., from March 25 through 29 and worked on a home damaged in Hurricane Katrina.

St. Dominic, Kingsport ■ The sewing committee recently

thanked women of the parish for sewing 135 Christmas stockings and hats for newborns and preemies at Holston Valley Community Hospital.

■ The Martha and Mary ministry will host its third annual tea at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 26, in the parish life center.

St. Elizabeth, Elizabethton ■ St. Elizabeth volunteers prepared

and served meals for 278 homeless and elderly March 21 at St. John Episcopal Church as part of the Food for the Multitude program.

■ Some 70 parishioners attended the church potluck supper March 29, helping to break in the newly renovated kitchen.

■ A church garage sale in early March raised $1,400, which will be used to purchase a new processional crucifix for the church.

■ Newcomer: Dora Kinzer

St. Patrick, Morristown ■ Volunteers are needed for spring

cleaning Saturday, April 18.

■ The Council of Catholic Women is collecting stuffed animals, baby dolls, and blankets in good condition to take to an area nursing home. Contact Mary Henrich at 423-581-5814 or Parish notes continued on page 5

COURTESY OF SUSAN COLLINS

parish

Notre Dame holds open house, blessing for office building An open house was held recently for the office building at Notre Dame Church in Greeneville. Father John Appiah blessed the building after leading the community in prayer. From left with the Notre Dame pastor are Rick Longworth, Kathy Longworth, Vandy Nachazel, Danny Collins, Dick Nojeim, Dorothy Nachazel, Margaret Wayson, and Rita Chaloux. Parishioners could tour the facility, which includes a video and book library with titles available for checkout at no cost. A list of titles is in an Excel file on the parish website (notredamechurchtn.org). A new multipurpose room, available for educational opportunities and meetings, was completed in time for the open house and includes training tables and chairs, a television with a DVD and VCR, a computer station, and a copy station. Refreshments were served in the kitchen area, and a 2009 parish directory was distributed to those attending.

DCCW’s annual convention offers many workshops he Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will hold its 20th-anniversary convention Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2, at St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga, and the event features a number of workshops.

Women of the diocese looking for faith-based strategies to deal with the current economic crisis may attend Nancy Twigg’s workshop, “The Joys and Blessings of Living Simply.” Those concerned about the economy’s impact on the youngest members of the community will want to attend “Children in Poverty,” presented

by Anne Wharton.

Lisa Morris will present “Proclaim the Gift of Life.” Father Michael

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Woods will lead a workshop titled “Development of Prayer,” and Rose Schumaker will present “Where They Went and Why.” Eileen White will facilitate a DVD presentation of Look Beneath the Surface: Human Trafficking is Modern Day Slavery.

Christian recording artist and Catholic lay evangelist Katrina Rae will perform in two different sessions Saturday.

Members of the clergy and religious are special guests of the convention. All Catholic women in the Knoxville Diocese are invited. Downloadable registration brochures are available at www. kdccw.org or in parish offices throughout the diocese. ■

KCHS-CAK baseball games to benefit pregnancy center he sixth annual Fighting Irish– Warriors Baseball Classic high school doubleheader will be held Friday, April 24, at Smokies Park in Sevierville, and the event again will benefit Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Pregnancy Help Center in Knoxville.

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www.dioceseofk noxville.org

This year, Grace Christian Academy will play Christian Academy of Knoxville in the first game at 6 p.m., and Knoxville Catholic will go against Gibbs in the nightcap. Entertainment will be provided by several groups, including the Grace Christian Senior

High Ensemble, CAK’s Junior Praise Ensemble, the St. Joseph School Special Events Choir, and the TTJC Karate School Demo Team.

Knights of Columbus Council 5207 in West Knoxville and Life 88.3 FM are cosponsoring the doubleheader. ■

THE E A S T TE NNE S S E E CATHOLI C

CALENDAR

The 11th annual Columbus Home “Kids Helping Kids” two-mile fun walk will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at All Saints Church in Knoxville. Registration will begin at 2 p.m. in the parish hall. Former University of Tennessee basketball player Dane Bradshaw will be the honorary chair.

Numerous games at the fun walk include a free-throw contest with Mr. Bradshaw. Cost is $10 per individual or $25 per family and includes a free T-shirt (up to four per family). Food is free. Register online at www.ccetn.org and follow the link to www.active.com.

Proceeds will benefit Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Columbus Home programs to assist abused, neglected, and marginalized children.

Call CCET at 865-524-9896 for more information.

The Cumberland Mountain Deanery will host the annual It’s Cool to Be Catholic youth rally from 1 to 9 p.m.

Saturday, May 9, at St. John Neumann School in Farragut. The rally, which is for upcoming freshmen through 2009 graduates, features a concert at 7 p.m.

by The Thirsting as part of the band’s Ocean of Mercy tour. The schedule includes icebreakers, skits, a tour of the new St. John Neumann Church, the vigil Mass at 4:30 p.m., and dinner.

Cost is $15 for the day or $10 for the concert only. The concert is open to the public. Youth should register with their parish youth minister by Wednesday, April 29. For more information, contact Karen Byrne at 865-966-3562 or karenbyrnetn@hotmail.com.

The diocesan Youth Ministry Office and the Sant’Egidio community are sponsoring a Peace Pilgrimage to New York City, designed to help students explore opportunities for peace work in the city, from June 21 through 26. Numerous sites will be visited, including St. Patrick’s Cathedral and other churches, Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and Columbia University. Students should attend a preparation meeting at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 13, at the Chancery office in Knoxville. Trip cost is $895.75, if 12 youth and two chaperones participate, and includes transportation, lodging, and meals. The cost will decrease accordingly if numbers exceed 12 (18 is the limit). Registration fee is $100. Full payment is due

by Friday, May 15. For more information, contact Father Michael Cummins at frmc@charterinternet.com or Maria Hermon at 865-584-3307 or mhermon@dioceseofknoxville.org.

In celebration of the Year of St. Paul, St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City will host a mission Sunday through Wednesday, May 3 through 6, in the social hall. Father Noel Mueller, OSB, will talk about the life and teachings of St. Paul. Father Mueller is a Benedictine monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey who has served as a missionary in Peru and worked in hospital ministry, with Marriage and Engaged Encounter, and with youth and disabled persons. The mission will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. in Spanish on May 3 and 6:30 to 8 p.m. on the remaining days. For more information, call director of religious education Jill St. Yves at 865-986-9885.

The Senior Neighbors will meet at 6 p.m. Friday, April 24, at The Mill, 1601 Gulf St. in Chattanooga, for the Ginny Power Ball to celebrate seniors in the community. The event will begin with wine and cheese followed by a three-course meal, various musical performances, and dancing. Tickets are $75. Senior Neighbors, a ministry of the Alexian Brothers, was founded in 1960 to promote active aging through civic engagement, lifelong learning, community leadership, and creative expression. Call 423-755-6100

by Friday, April 17, for tickets.

Knights of Columbus Council 645 will sponsor an art auction at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 2, at St. Joseph School in Knoxville, with proceeds benefiting the school. Artwork such as lithographs, original oil paintings, animation cels, and sports memorabilia will be available from Marlin Fine Auctions.

The preview begins at 6:30 p.m. Ticket price includes wine and cheese, hors d’oeuvres, dessert, and coffee. Call THE E A S T TE NNE S S E E CATHOLI C

Sixth annual United We Stand life banquet set April 24

BY TONI PACITTI

Jack McCusker at 865-748-8700 or Patti Johanson at 689-3424 for ticket information. Adults only.

The next charismatic Mass will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 26, at Holy Spirit Church in Soddy-Daisy. Father Dan Whitman of Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City will be the celebrant.

Call Dee Leigh at 423-842-2305 for more information. Additional charismatic Masses this year will be celebrated Aug. 30 and Oct. 25.

The Chattanooga Deanery Divorced and Separated Support Group will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, April 19, in the parish office library at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga. The group provides support through sharing groups, speakers, social activities, and liturgical celebrations. For information and directions, call Anne Wells at 706-937-6953 or 581-0410.

Father Patrick Resen of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville will discuss The Spirit of the Liturgy (Ignatius Press, 2000) by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at the Chancery office in Knoxville. All are invited to attend. For more information, contact Peggy Humphreys at 865584-3307 or phumphreys@dioceseof knoxville.org.

hattanoogans for Life and the Knights of Columbus are cosponsoring the sixth annual United We Stand: A Banquet in Celebration of Life at 7 p.m. Friday, April 24, at the Chattanoogan hotel.

Author and attorney Dr. Kelly Hollowell, a biotechnology expert, will be the keynote speaker.

A prayer service will be held at 3 p.m. at the National Memorial for the Unborn at 6232 Vance Road in Chattanooga.

Father Tony Dickerson will preside at the service, which will include hymns, Scripture readings, silent reflection, and petitions read by local students.

Dr. Hollowell works for the law firm of Williams Mullen with a focus on biotechnology, patent prosecu-

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tion, licensing, and litigation support. She earned her doctorate in molecular and cellular pharmacology from the University of Miami School of Medicine but has experience in the areas of chemistry, polymer technology, marine science, and forensics.

Before joining the firm, Dr. Hollowell managed her own biotechnology consulting company, served as an adjunct professor in biotechnology and bioethics for two Virginia law schools, and served for three years on the Joint Subcommittee Studying Stem Cell Research and Medical Ethics for the Virginia General Assembly.

She has written and reviewed both state and federal legislation and is the author of the book Struggling for Life: How

Your Tax Dollars and Twisted Science Target the Unborn (CRM Publishing, 2006).

She has also written more than 100 published articles and editorials related to biotechnology and medicine in periodicals such as the Journal of Neurobiology and Regent University Law Review.

Banquet cost is $50 or $400 for a table for eight. Sponsorship opportunities are available at levels ranging from $400 to $5,000.

To reserve tickets, send a check payable to Chattanoogans for Life to Sue Shramko, Reservations Chair, 4196 Obar Drive, Chattanooga, TN 37419. Tickets may be picked up at the registration table at the banquet. For more information, call Kitty Cross at 423-322-8356. ■

The Irish Tennis Camp will be held the weeks of May 26 through 29, June 8 through 11, July 13 through 16, and Aug. 3 through 6, at Cedar Bluff Racquet Club in Knoxville. Taught by coaches Rusty Morris and David Price of defending state champion Knoxville Catholic High School, the camp is designed to focus on stroke fundamentals and the development of match-play skills in a fun environment for all levels. Ten percent of proceeds will benefit Catholic Charities of East Tennessee. Call the tennis club at 865690-5700 for more information.

The next “Picture of Love” engagedcouples retreat will begin with breakfast at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 6, at Holy Spirit Church in Soddy-Daisy.

This marriage-preparation one-day retreat is a supplement to couples’ marriage formation with their parish priest and is designed to help couples gain a better understanding of the joys and challenges of living the sacrament of matrimony in their day-to-day lives.

The day will include Mass and end with dinner at 6 p.m. Cost is $135 per couple. The retreat certificate is good for a $60 discount on a marriage license. To register or learn more, contact Marian Christiana at 423-892-2310 or marianchristiana @msn.com.

The Ulster Project of Knoxville seeks families with teenagers ages 14 to 16 to host a teen from Northern Ireland this July. The purpose of the project is to bring Catholic and Protestant teens from Northern Ireland together with American teens for a busy, fun-filled month. To find out more, call Katie Allen at 865-583-0075 or visit www.the ulsterproject.com.

The Benedictine Sisters Retreat Center in Cullman, Ala., is sponsoring a weekend retreat April 24 through 26 titled “Rule of Benedict: Deepening Christ-Awareness.” To register, contact the center at 256-734-8302 or retreats@shmon.org.

Sant’Egidio is a Catholic lay ecclesial movement that focuses on prayer, communicating the Gospel, friendship with the poor, and the work of peace.

The Johnson City community meets for prayer at 6:30 p.m. on first and third Mondays at the Catholic Center at East Tennessee State University.

The Knoxville community of Sant’ Egidio meets at 5:30 p.m. on second and fourth Mondays at the Chancery office in Knoxville. For more information, call Father Michael Cummins at 423-926-7061.

Heart’s Home, an international Catholic organization committed to promoting a culture of compassion, is currently accepting applications for volunteers. Heart’s Home provides an Calendar continued on page 7

COURTESY OF RICHARD ARMSTRONG

on the

St. Jude hosts annual catechetical leaders retreat The annual diocesan Frazzled in the Vineyard catechetical leaders retreat was held Feb. 20 and 21 at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga and drew 40 participants. The retreat masters were Dominican Sisters Mary Michael and (above) John Catherine.

The theme was “St. Paul’s Reflections on Faith, Hope, and Charity.” The retreat began Friday evening at Country Inn & Suites with an initial reflection, followed by a wine-and-cheese social. The event continued Saturday at St. Jude with Mass, a reflection and meditation period, lunch, an afternoon reflection, and dismissal at 2:30.

Parish notes continued from page 4

henrichs@charter.net. Deadline is Wednesday, April 15.

Smoky Mountain Deanery

Holy Ghost, Knoxville ■ Retired Diocese of Knoxville priest

Father Frank Brett was in town for Bishop Richard F. Stika’s ordination March 19 and concelebrated Mass at Holy Ghost over the next several days.

■ Confirmandi: Joshua Gustavo Alanis, Kimberly Elizabeth Cannon, Christina Ann Chargualaf, Mary Margaret Cook, Kelly Ann Kerwin, Patrick David Pickering, Lauren Danielle Stiles, Cathleen Elizabeth Wilson, Sylvia Marie Woods

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville ■ The FISH team distributed food to

184 families March 9 with a total of 425 people served.

■ Confirmandi: Ian Beaver, Manila Bui, Kathleen Connelly, Wesley O’Connor, Zachary Osgood, Natalie Pierce, Addison Springer, Morgan Zialcita

John XXIII, Knoxville ■ The parish recently launched its

redesigned website at john23rd.org.

Parishioner Dan Greene is the webmaster. Nicole Burriesci Galletta constructed the website in 2001 as part of her requirements for a master’s degree in information science.

Sacred Heart, Knoxville ■ A spring shopping boutique was

held April 3 to benefit the Ladies of Charity food pantry.

■ Easter Sunday Masses will be celebrated at 7:30, 9, and 11 a.m. and in Spanish at 12:30 p.m.

■ The parish will offer an Easter Egg hunt for children after the 9 a.m. East-

www.dioceseofk noxville.org

er Sunday Mass.

■ The Divine Mercy chaplet will be prayed at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, in the Shea Room.

■ A Yom HaShoah commemoration will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 19, to remember the Righteous Among the Nations who risked their lives to save and support the Jews of Europe from 1933 through 1945.

■ The Compassion Coalition Furniture Ministry, of which Sacred Heart is a member, donated furniture to 204 families in 2008. Call Charlotte at 865251-1591 to make donations or form a team of volunteers.

St. Albert the Great, Knoxville ■ The Corporal Works of Mercy Com-

mittee thanked parishioners for donating nearly $2,500 worth of food March 28 and 29 to benefit St. Mary’s Medical Center North and area food pantries.

St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville ■ Father Ray Gelineau will celebrate his 40th anniversary of ordination to priesthood Sunday, May 3. St. Joseph the Worker will host a Mass of thanksgiving at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2, and a covered-dish meal afterward in the parish hall. Father Gelinaeau is a priest of the Diocese of Worcester, Mass., who retired to East Tennessee several years ago. To attend, contact Marion Leudemann at marion53@tds. net or Sue Mangiaracina at sjtwrcc@ bellsouth.net, or call the parish office at 442-7273, before Sunday, April 19.

■ The parish is considering starting a community garden on its grounds to feed the poor. Those interested in the idea should call the parish office at 423-442-7273. ■

APRIL 12, 2009

■

5

Deaths

DOTTIE SMITH

Dorothy Jean “Dottie” Smith, 68, died peacefully in the hospice wing of Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga on Tuesday, March 17.

Mrs. Smith was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

She spent many years of her life as a drug and alcohol counselor.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, James C. “Bo” Smith, and her mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene B. Hyden.

Mrs. Smith is survived by three children, Karen Barker of Southaven, Miss.; Michael Shannon Barker of Madison, Miss.; and Hugh Smith of Dickson; and five grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Friday, March 20, at OLPH Church with Father Mike Nolan officiating.

Burial was in Chattanooga Memorial Park.

Donations may be sent to OLPH or to Discovery Place, an alcohol- and drug-treatment facility in Dickson.

HELEN CHANDLER

Helen Maroney Chandler, 92, of Anderson County died peacefully Friday, March 27, surrounded by her husband and children.

Mrs. Chandler was a parishioner of St. Joseph in Norris and a former parishioner of Immaculate Conception and Holy Ghost, both in Knoxville. She was in the first graduating class of Knoxville Catholic High School and attended the old St. Mary grade school in Knoxville. She was an active member of the Ladies of Charity over the years and also of the Altar Society at St. Joseph. As a member of the Altar Society, she made the pall that covered her casket.

Having many children who attended St. Mary and St. Joseph School in Knoxville, she was a mainstay in the home and school associations at both schools.

At a diocesan Celebration of Marriage on Feb. 11, 2007, at All 6

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APRIL 12, 2009

Saints Church in Knoxville, Mrs. Chandler and husband Claxton were honored as the longest-married couple among those attending. They had celebrated their 70th anniversary three months before, on Nov. 11. The Chandlers were married in 1936, at St. Julian Church in Middlesboro, Ky. Mrs. Chandler was preceded in death by her parents, John and Mary Agnes Maroney; brother, William Edward Maroney and wife Edith; and sister, Kathleen Maroney Faller and husband George.

Survivors include her husband of 72 years, Claxton V. Chandler; daughters, Johanna Chandler Humphrey and husband John, Carol Chandler Mullane and husband John, Lucy Chandler Stephenson and husband Barry, Helen Chandler Forbes and husband Tim, and Dolores Chandler; sons, Charles Vernon and wife Mary Pat, John Edward and wife Louise, James Terrell and wife Jan, Thomas Jarrell and wife Mary Ruth, Philip Stephen and wife Ginny, Michael Kevin and wife Anne, Francis Joseph and wife Nell, and Christopher Anthony; 28 grandchildren; and 20 great grandchildren.

The funeral Mass was celebrated Wednesday, April 1, at St. Joseph Church with Father Bill Gahagan, Monsignor Xavier Mankel, and Fathers Eric Andrews, CSP, Joe Ciccone, CSP, and Michael Sweeney officiating. Interment was in Calvary Cemetery, Knoxville.

Memorials may be made to the church building fund at St. Joseph Church, P.O. Box 387, Norris TN 37828.

JACK CUNNINGHAM

John Edward “Jack” Cunningham, 88, of Oak Ridge died Monday, March 9, in Knoxville.

Mr. Cunningham, a parishioner of St. Mary in Oak Ridge for 63 years, was born in Chicago, where he attended Tilden Technical High School. He was awarded a bachelor of science degree in mining and metallurgical engineering from the University of Illinois and a master of science degree in materials science and engineering from the University of Tennessee in 1954.

After completing his undergraduate schooling and before undertaking a military commitment with the Army Corps of Engineers in World War II, he worked at Thompson Products in Cleveland, Ohio, as an automotive and engine-parts maker and was granted U.S. and foreign patents for the development of sodium-cooled, hollowedstem valves for Deaths continued on page 8

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Ed Karstens, 86, of Chattanooga died Thursday, March 26, at his home.

Mr. Karstens was born Nov. 30, 1922.

He was a veteran of World War II and a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, two sons, one daughter, five grandchildren, and two brothers.

A Mass for the family was held Monday, March 30. Burial was in Chattanooga National Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Gift Fund at Chattanooga National Cemetery for beautification of the cemetery grounds.

MOMENT OF CONSECRATION Cardinal Justin F. Rigali of Philadelphia lays hands on the head of Bishop Stika during his episcopal ordination. Co-consecrators were Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., second from left, and Bishop Robert J. Shaheen of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon. At left is Father Tony Dickerson, an emcee for the Mass. Father Dickerson is chaplain of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga.

late parents, Frank and Helen Stika.

“As a bishop of the church, you are called to proclaim the same holy Catholic faith which you first learned from them and to which they bore witness in the family to you and to your brothers,” he said. “And we are convinced that your beloved parents are close to us today in the communion of saints, as are Cardinal [John J.] Carberry, who ordained you a deacon, and Archbishop [John L.] May, who ordained you a priest.”

The new bishop’s silver crosier and pectoral cross are gifts from Cardinal Rigali and from the Calabro family, respectively. Bishop Stika’s gold episcopal ring is a gift from the Chancery staff in Knoxville.

“What is this ministry of bishop that you, Rick, have been designated to fulfill by our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, and which you will always exercise in union with the successor of St. Peter and all the other bishops of the church? How can we describe this ministry?” asked Cardinal Rigali.

“We all remember, dear friends, that mo-

ment in the Gospel of St. John when a group of Greeks came to the apostle Philip and said to him, ‘We would like to see Jesus’ [John 12:21]. Philip introduced them to his fellow apostle Andrew, and Andrew and Philip brought them to Jesus. This tells us a great deal about the role of each apostle and of every bishop: to lead people to Jesus.”

Bishop Shaheen, who as pastor of St. Raymond Church in St. Louis hired a young Rick Stika to work for him, read a letter from the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, during the ordination.

“You are the one of

the closest people to the Maronite Church in St. Louis, and you have conducted the annual retreat for its priests,” Cardinal Sfeir wrote. “I do congratulate you on the sacred order that the Holy Spirit has called you to, and I ask the almighty Lord to bestow upon you his abundant graces in order to undertake the mission that he has mandated for you and your diocese.”

In his remarks at the end of Mass Bishop Stika remembered working for then-Father Shaheen at St. Raymond as a high-schooler.

“I have the distinction of having been fired by him a number of times in my life. I think he still

owes me severance pay,” he said.

Bishop Stika thanked Cardinal Rigali, who had a diplomatic career in the Vatican for many years, for his friendship. “In days past, His Eminence introduced me to the universal church by his long experience in the Vatican, and I, for my part, introduced him to fast food and baseball,” said Bishop Stika, an ardent St. Louis Cardinals fan.

His voice cracked a little as he addressed the visitors from St. Louis, an area where he had spent virtually every day of his life.

“To my family and friends who join together this day with my new family in Ordination continued on page 7

DEACON PATRICK MURPHY-RACEY (2)

ED KARSTENS

Ordination continued from page 1

Translators (from left) Blanca Primm and Lorena Sweet are seen at work during the March 19 Mass. Mrs. Primm is an administrative assistant for the Hispanic Ministry Office. Mrs. Sweet is a member of St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut.

Cantors (from left) Amelia Sweeney of Holy Cross Parish in Pigeon Forge and Jenifer Lowe of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Chattanooga proclaim the responsorial psalm during the ordination Mass. Behind the seated bishops can be seen the Divine Mercy image. www.d ioceseofknoxville.or g

THE E A S T TE NNE S S E E CATHOL I C

catholic

YOUTH

Child-protection training sessions

BY LOURDES GARZA

Faith in action for Bethlehem’s poor and hungry Young Hispanic Catholics recently fasted and gave alms to help the needy. he Pastoral Juvenil Hispana of the Diocese of Knoxville held its third Catholic Relief Services 24-hour Food Fast retreat on March 7 and 8 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland.

This Lenten experience includes fasting, almsgiving, and prayer, and the youth really enjoy participating. The theme this year was “La migración, el hambre y la doctrina social Católica” (immigration, hunger, and Catholic social teaching).

The newly elected all-youth board of this diocesan organization worked diligently for more than a month to plan the

COURTESY OF LOURDES GARZA

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More than 100 people, including 13 adults, participated in the diocese’s third annual Catholic Relief Services 24-hour Food Fast retreat. The event was held on March 7 and 8 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland.

LENTEN RETREAT

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■ St. Therese Church, Clinton, 7 p.m. Monday, April 20 (session will be held in the parish hall) ■ St. Mary Church, Johnson City, 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 27; 9:30 a.m.

Saturday, Aug. 22; 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16; 6:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 19 (sessions will be held in St. Ann’s Hall) ■ All Saints Church, Knoxville, 1 p.m. Monday, May 18 (session will be held in the parish hall); 1 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 15.

To register, visit virtusonline.org. ■

Readings continued from page 2

event and invited all Hispanic youth of the diocese to participate in the fast. In attendance at the fast were 102 people, including 13 adult leaders. The rest were all mem-

bers of the nine “grupos juveniles” (Hispanic youth/young adult groups) of the diocese.

The most memorable experiences of the event were the

prayer and reflection activities. Using the Food Fast manual, the planning team created a varied scheduled of activities focusing on why it is Fast continued on page 9

Ordination continued from page 6

of tiny FM radios, Spanish-speaking Mass-goers were able to tune in and hear the celebration in their own language.

Alicia Mora of St. Joseph the Worker in Madisonville said that when Bishop Stika “spoke in Spanish, I cried. I loved it. He wanted to reach out to us.”

Hispanic Catholics attending the ordination were “overjoyed at the inclusiveness that they felt from the moment they walked in, as Our Lady of Guadalupe was the first religious symbol they saw, and then as the procession song in Spanish was sung by the choir,” said Lourdes Garza, diocesan director of the Hispanic Ministry Office.

“When the excerpt from the hymn ‘¡Alabaré!’ [I shall praise the Lord] was sung, they rejoiced in anticipation of what was about to happen in the ceremony.”

Eduardo Cabrero of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville called the ordination “the greatest experience of my life.”

“I will always remember it. I never thought I would ever attend a bishop’s ordi-

tion). They became a community that was of “one heart and one mind.” They lived this life in harmony with one another, helping their brothers and sisters enjoy a happy life in this world. That’s not a bad consolation prize either, especially if you realize that it also includes eternal life.

Then we have a reading from John’s first epistle. He adds a little more to the winnings. He writes that those who participate in the resurrection of the Lord “conquer the world.” You win the world. No other race offers more to the winner. And with Christ we are all winners!

Are there losers? There can be. That makes celebrating Easter so important. People lose if they decide not to enter the race. If they are not influenced by people who live in Christ, they will not have motivation to run. They will not experience the infinite mercy of God. John tells us at the end of today’s Gospel why he wrote. It was so “that you may come to believe . . . and through this belief you may have life in his name.” Let all of us live our lives for the same reason. ■ Father Brando is the pastor of St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga.

Calendar continued from page 5 DEACON PATRICK MURPHY-RACEY (2)

Knoxville, you know of my love and my support and my friendship,” he said.

“Even though I have moved a few miles, nothing has changed except distance. In particular, I greet my brothers and sisters who have come from the Archdiocese of St. Louis, my brother priests and deacons and especially my families that I have known throughout the assignments that I have been privileged to serve in the archdiocese. It is through your friendship and guidance that I am with you all this day.”

Bishop Stika offered greetings in Spanish and then made a promise.

“My pledge in English to those who speak Spanish is, by the end of the year I’m going to preach in Spanish,” he said.

“But I’ve got to tell you, I’m still working on English.”

Blanca Primm, administrative assistant for the Hispanic Ministry Office, and Lorena Sweet of St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut provided simultaneous translation of the entire Mass into Spanish. With the aid

he Diocese of Knoxville’s program for the protection of children and youth is based on training developed by Virtus and is offered regularly throughout the diocese.

A three-hour seminar for adults, “Protecting God’s Children,” is required for parish and school employees and regular volunteers in contact with children or vulnerable adults and is also recommended for parents and grandparents.

The following training sessions have been scheduled:

opportunity for young people to dedicate at least 14 months of their life to serve suffering people. Mission countries include France, Italy, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Peru, India, El Salvador, and the United States. Visit www.heartshomeusa.org or call 718-5222121 for details.

Bishop James Vann Johnston Jr. of Springfield–Cape Girardeau, Mo., is seen seated during the ordination Mass. Bishop Johnston was formerly a priest of the Diocese of Knoxville. The more-than-lifesize crucifix in the background was borrowed from Holy Cross Parish in Pigeon Forge for the ordination.

NATIVE SON

nation,” he said.

José Luis Santiago of Holy Ghost said that “the fact that the program was bilingual means someone thought about us [the Spanish-speakers].

We were included, and we appreciate it.”

Mauricio Candelas said he “got chills when they held the Book of the Gospels over the bishop’s

head” during the ordination rite.

“I thought of this as the moment when he is emotionally committing himself to this new role, from his heart,” he said. “I shared the emotion.

It was unforgettable.”

Armando Fernández of St. Mary in Athens recalled the words that anOrdination continued on page 8

A Marriage Encounter weekend is set for May 1 through 3 at the Carnegie Hotel in Johnson City. For reservations, contact John or Manuela Ptacek at celebrate-love@earthlink.net or 865-531-1719.

The next Engaged Encounter weekend in the diocese will be held April 17 through 19 at Steiner Bell Mountain Haven in Gatlinburg. Weekend cost is $239, including meals, rooms, and materials, and couples completing the entire weekend will receive a $60 discount on their marriage license. To register, call Mike or Charla Haley at 865-220-0120. For more information on Engaged Encounter, e-mail Charlie or Blanca Primm at ceeknoxville@gmail.com or visit www.rc.net/knoxville/cee.

A Seekers of Silence Contemplative Saturday Morning will be held April 11 at John XXIII Catholic Center in Knoxville. Paulist Father Eric Andrews will give a talk titled “John XXIII: Pastor, Peacemaker, and Prophet.” 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. RSVP to 865-523-7931.

Holy Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Mission—in a time change effective Easter Sunday, April 12—will now hold Divine Liturgy celebrations at 1:30 p.m.

Sundays at Holy Family Church in Seymour. Call 865609-1081 for more information.

Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at 1:30 p.m. each Sunday at St. Therese Church in Clinton and at 3 p.m. on first and third Sundays at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland. Visit www.knoxlatinmass.net for details.

Bishop-elect Stika lies prostrate during the Litany of the Saints a few minutes before he is ordained to the episcopacy.

THE E A S T TE NNE S S E E CATHOLI C

www.dioceseofk noxville.org

Upcoming events for Catholic Singles of Greater Knoxville (40 and over) include the following: ■ Sunday, April 12: Easter luncheon at Gail B.’s, 1:30 p.m. Bring a side dish or dessert and a beverage of choice. Arrive at 2:30 to 3 for coffee and dessert. RSVP to Gail at 865-966-8205 or gbraunsroth@charter.net by April 11.

■ Thursday, April 16: Deadline to submit articles and events for the May-June newsletter.

■ Friday, April 17: Monthly birthday celebration and happy hour at Pelancho’s, Downtown West, 6 p.m.

RSVP to Hannalore, 694-2791.

■ Sunday, April 19: Easy to moderate hike, 9:30 a.m.

Meet at in the All Saints Church parking lot near the pavilion. Call Randy S. at 556-3781. ■ APRIL 12, 2009

■

7

Ordination continued from page 7

He was active in the Knights of Columbus, the Prayer and Rosary Group, the Oak Ridge chapter of Tennessee Volunteers for Life, and the Tennessee Prison Aid Society.

His wife of 62 years, Dolores Geneva Cunningham, and a brother, Bill Cunningham, preceded him in death.

Survivors include his children, LaVonne and husband Jack Spicer of Knoxville; Diane and husband Bob Jameson of Waldorf, Md.; Jack E. Jr. and wife Wendy Cunningham of Marlboro, N.J.; Joan and husband Paul Wofford of New Market, Ala.; and Robert Cunningham of Oak Ridge; 12 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; sister, June Tunelius, of Tinley Park, Ill.; and brother, Edward Cunningham, of New Lennox, Ill. The funeral Mass was held Wednesday, March 11, at St. Mary Church with Father Bill McKenzie officiating. Burial followed in Anderson Memorial Gardens. ■

Youth continued from page 9

it,” said Mr. Kalist.

Having been raised in Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in South St. Louis helped a young Rick Stika see what a flourishing youth ministry can do, said Mr. Kalist.

“Monsignor grew up in a very active youth parish that had enormous numbers and a lot of activities for everybody,” he said. “The pastor he grew up under was a former director of the [archdiocesan] youth department, Monsignor Lloyd Sullivan. So Monsignor Stika was very familiar with the youth program, the ins and outs of it, and how beneficial it can be for the young people. He’s always been extremely supportive of what we do.”

Mr. Kalist said that “it doesn’t surprise me at all that Monsignor was appointed a bishop somewhere.” He said that some people in positions of high authority “don’t seem approachable. You hold back going up and talking to them, but I can’t believe that Monsignor will ever get to that point.”

As Archbishop Rigali’s master of ceremonies, Monsignor Stika helped provided a special guest star for an annual stage-show fundraiser.

“I jokingly mentioned to Monsignor, ‘could we maybe get the archbishop to do a cameo role’ in the show,” said Mr. Kalist. “He said, ‘Yeah, I can work that out.’ A couple of weeks later he called up and said, ‘What night do you want him there?’

“We had the archbishop walk on stage, and of course everyone knew who he was. The place erupted. He had a couple of lines and did a couple of ad libs and went off.” ■

Obama continued from page 10

tution’s admiration for the accomplishments of the recipient. They do not signify blanket moral approbation.”

As of April 6 the Cardinal Newman Society—a Catholic college watchdog group based in Manassas, Va.—had received more than 245,000 signatures for an online petition calling for Notre Dame to rescind its invitation to Obama.

On campus about a dozen student groups formed a coalition called Notre Dame Response to express their opposition and held a prayer rally April 5.

Charles Rice, a professor emeritus of law who is on the law school faculty, wrote in the March 31 issue of Notre Dame’s student newspaper, The Observer, that “on-site demonstrations would be counterproductive” and urged those against Obama’s presence at the school to pray the rosary at the campus Grotto during the commencement.

The Associated Press reported that less than a week after the university announced its commencement speaker Notre Dame’s student newspaper had received more than 600 letters—almost equally divided among alumni and current students—about it.

Seventy percent of the alumni letters said they opposed the invitation to Obama and 73 percent of students supported it. Of the 95 seniors who wrote to the paper, 97 percent supported the school’s decision. ■ Copyright 2009 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops 8

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APRIL 12, 2009

DEACON PATRICK MURPHY-RACEY

heavy-duty service in truck engines.

His longest and most productive tenure of professional service came while employed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he worked in the Metals and Ceramics Division as supervisor of the Melting and Fabrication Facility, assistant director, and associate director from 1948 to 1985. Mr. Cunningham was named a U.S. delegate to the 1955 Geneva Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy and was a member of the technical team that designed, built, and operated the display reactor in Geneva.

Mr. Cunningham was a fellow of the American Nuclear Society and the American Society for Metals and held elective office in several professional societies. He is the holder of several patents and honorific awards and had 40 professional articles in journals and open literature publications.

Deacons (from left) Joseph Armento and Jorge Cano hold the book of the Gospels over Bishop Stika’s head while the prayer of consecration is completed.

THE GOOD NEWS

nounced Pope Benedict XVI as the new Holy Father in May 2005.

“Do you remember when we said ‘Habemus Papam!’ just about four years ago? Well, today in Knoxville, we can say ‘Habemus Episcopus!’”

After the ordination Mass the bishop spent more than two hours greeting well-wishers and giving each a blessing.

Among those at the end of the long line were Ann and Don Boyce of Mary, Queen of Peace Parish in St. Louis, where Bishop Stika served in his first assignment as a priest. The Boyces also attended a Mass for family and friends celebrated at Sacred Heart the following day.

“He was absolutely wonderful. We miss him,” said Mrs. Boyce. “His homilies are always great. He was a lot of fun. It was a great time in our parish.”

Mrs. Boyce said she loved seeing the episcopal ordination of her former associate pastor.

“I have a picture of him dancing to ‘Shout’ when he was newly ordained,” she said. “He went to our son’s eighth-grade-class graduation party, and he joined in with the kids and was dancing, and the kids all thought he was the greatest thing going.”

Mr. Boyce called March 19 “a beautiful day.”

“It’s an honor to him and the city of Knoxville to get somebody so great,” he said.

Mary Lou and George Convy of St. Louis also recalled the new bishop’s days at Mary, Queen of Peace.

“He was still a baby priest when he came to us,” said Mrs. Convy.

Mr. Convy said the Mass was “an amazing demonstration of the Catholic interest

and enthusiasm that Monsignor Stika will generate.”

Greg English of Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville said he was impressed by the bishop’s ordination, the first one he had ever attended. Peggy English, his wife, sang with the choir for the liturgy.

“It’s just an awesome experience to sit there and see that many bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and priests come together for something like this, and our new bishop made a very good impression on me,” said Mr. English. “I think I’m going to like him really well.

The new bishop closed his ordination remarks by expressing his hope that “all of us, deep in our hearts, can pray my episcopal motto daily: ‘Jesus, we trust in you.’” ■ Lourdes Garza and Mary C. Weaver contributed to this story.

Sisters acknowledged at special-guest luncheon ust a few hours before his ordination and installation March 19, Bishop Richard F. Stika acknowledged three women religious attending a luncheon for concelebrants and other special guests at the Knoxville Convention Center.

One of them, retired Carmelite Sister Regina, was present because the new bishop helped arrange her transportation on a private jet.

Sister Regina lives at St. Agnes Home in Kirkwood, Mo., also once the home of the bishop’s late mother, Helen.

“That particular branch of the Carmelites takes care of the elderly and the very young, and Sister Regina wanted to be here,” said Bishop Stika.

“I’m not going to tell you how old she is, but she made a real effort. My mother lived in St. Agnes Home for a number of years, and Sister Regina and the other sisters took such great care of her.”

The provincial superior of the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus helped get the ball rolling on Sister Regina’s trip to Knoxville.

“Sister Mary Joseph called Father Stika and said, ‘Sister Regina would like to come, but she can’t travel that long—it’s eight hours,’” said Sister Regina. “And he said, ‘Well, I think I can do something for her.’ Then he called back in a couple of days, and he said he had a private

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DAN MCWILLIAMS

Deaths continued from page 6

Sister Regina, DCJ

plane and had a place on it, and if I wanted to go I could go.”

“I said, ‘Why sure, I’d go on a plane,” she added with a laugh. “I’ve enjoyed every minute here.”

Retired Cardinal John J. Carberry of St. Louis, who died in 1998, lived at St. Agnes Home as well. The Diocese of Knoxville’s future bishop would visit the cardinal before celebrating Mass for the sisters.

“He always went in there and got Cardinal Carberry’s blessing,” said Sister Regina.

“It made me feel so good.

He would never say Mass unless he got his blessing.”

Bishop Stika introduced Sister Antona Ebo, FSM, at

www.dioceseofk noxville.org

the luncheon as well. Sister Antona is a longtime civilrights leader who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Sister is a legend in the human-rights movement,” said the bishop. “Sister is in poor health, and she really made an effort to be here.

She’s sitting over there— she’s shy. She also said she would give me $10 if I said that.”

Cardinal Justin F. Rigali, the principal consecrator of Bishop Stika, may have nudged him into making a third luncheon introduction, of a certain Sister of St. Joseph. Bishop Stika had begun his remarks by saying he would mention two sisters.

“The last one I’d like to acknowledge is Sister Charlotte Rigali, the sister of His Eminence,” said Bishop Stika. “If I did not acknowledge her, he might not ordain me today.”

Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York, who will be installed in his new archdiocese on April 15, led the blessing at the luncheon.

Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, Knoxville’s second bishop, and Knoxville native son Bishop James Vann Johnston Jr. were among many concelebrants attending. Archbishop Dolan and Bishop Stika are fellow natives of St. Louis.

When Sister Regina heard that her transportation to Knoxville was secured, the sister had a quick response: “I just love that boy,” she said. ■

THE E A S T TE NNE S S E E CATHOLI C

bishop

STIKA

from the

BY DAN MCWILLIAMS

‘He was able to bring some joy’ A pair of the bishop’s colleagues from the Archdiocese of St. Louis talk about their friend. wo longtime friends of Bishop Richard F. Stika in the Archdiocese of St. Louis crossed paths with the future shepherd of East Tennessee Catholics in a number of different ways over the years.

Monsignor Mark Rivituso and Mike Kalist talked about their relationship with Knoxville’s new bishop in recent interviews at the Catholic Center in St. Louis.

Monsignor Rivituso is now pastor of Curé of Ars Parish in Shrewsbury, Mo., and the judicial vicar for the Tribunal of Second Instance for the Province of St. Louis.

The bishop-to-be was a couple of years ahead of the monsignor when the two studied at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis. They later served together when Bishop Stika was chancellor and master of ceremonies for the archdiocese under then–Archbishop Justin F. Rigali. “[Monsignor Stika was responsible for] administration, and he also aided the archbishop on different matters. I dealt mostly with canonical matters with the archbishop as well as ceremonies. Since he lived with the archbishop, we had contact many times, and we would aid each other on different things he needed to have accomplished with ‘Protecting God’s Children.’ There might be things that would come across his desk, and I’d try to be thoughtful and aid him where I could.”

called to

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Monsignor Mark Rivituso and Mike Kalist have known Bishop Stika for many years. The monsignor is now judicial vicar for the Tribunal of Second Instance for the Province of St. Louis, and Mr. Kalist is building-facilities manager for the archdiocese.

OLD PALS

Monsignor Rivituso praised Bishop Stika for his sense of humor and having a “lightheartedness about life,” and for being compassionate when faced with deadly serious issues.

“When you’re dealing with priest abuse cases or talking about caring for victims of abuse, or [speaking to] people who obviously are disgruntled or have an ax to grind with the church, we need to be present to people—to listen to them, care for them, give them healing.

Monsignor Stika was personable, and he really did have a genuine care to help those who were hurting. He was able to bring some joy in the

FOLLOW

midst of the darkness that we faced as a church.”

Monsignor Rivituso said that he knows his friend will “trust that the Lord will give him the grace to fulfill this duty” as bishop of Knoxville.

His first reaction upon hearing the news of Bishop Stika’s appointment was, “I’m going to pray for him,” he said.

“But obviously I believe the Holy Spirit chose him because there were certain needs in your own diocese, and I think he has much to bring to fulfill those needs.

So the Holy Spirit will bless him, guide him, and help him to be the good shepherd that Knoxville needs at this time.”

BY SUZANNE ERPENBACH

The work of a lifetime Over a lifetime, our actions become ‘the means by which we are judged.’

Early morning offers a fresh perspective to the activities ahead. Relationships and attitude will greatly affect the spirit of the day. Stewardship is based on these. Partnering with Christ is the greatest of all relationships. Believing in his constant love and presence supports and adds trust to all aspects of our life.

We plan a schedule and map out the day. It’s when the day doesn’t go our way that we get flustered and upset, which affects our attitude and our relationships with others.

In contrast, when we awake and thank God for a new day, dedicating our words and actions to him, we become more flexible and accepting.

We place our trust in God’s guidance for the day, affirmTHE E A S T TE NNE S S E E CATHOLIC

ing that we do not own or have control over our life or our time.

Beyond our relationships with God are those with family and others. Integrating Christ’s teaching in these relationships motivates respect, care, patience, and generosity.

For example, mornings are often hectic as family members get ready for work or school.

Bringing Christ into the moment, by thinking about how he would act, prompts patience in coping with one another’s difficulties. The moment becomes a teaching time and an opportunity for attitude adjustment. Working with consideration and team spirit, we share Christ with others.

The way we prioritize and dedicate our time, our willingness to share our talents and abilities, and our generosity are all directly tied to our relationships and attitudes. It helps to find a quiet time of day for prayer and reflection.

It is in sharing Christ’s love

Mr. Kalist is now building-facilities manager for the archdiocese. As the first lay director of youth ministry there, a role he filled from 1985 to 2007, he knew Bishop Stika from the latter’s early years as a priest. The youth office in St. Louis oversees athletics, camping, Scouting, and more.

“Archbishop [John.

L.] May, who appointed me, wanted to have a spiritual moderator, and I guess about 1988 Father Rick Stika became our spiritual moderator. He advised and oversaw any of the activities that had a liturgical or religious aspect.

We have religious awards in the Scouting program. He would be there to make sure we had everything going.”

In his later and much busier years with the archbishop, Father (later Monsignor) Stika would still make time to see Mr. Kalist, he said.

“If I needed advice or wanted somebody to give me another perspective on something, I could always go to Monsignor Stika,” he said. “The thing I noticed was that he was always available. When you’re working with the local archbishop, there’s a lot of stuff on your plate, but he never said, ‘I can’t see you now.’ You always had some time to talk about things.”

As a St. Louis native, Monsignor Stika had a lifelong familiarity with archdiocesan youth ministry.

“He grew up with Youth continued on page 8

and guiding others to him that we live out our call to be good stewards and disciples.

As we approach Holy Week and Easter, we will have many opportunities to observe different attitudes toward Christ and others. We’ll observe extremes of welcoming cheers and shouts of contempt. We will witness both denial and steady love. Simon acts in response to pressure, in contrast to Nicodemus’s willing and generous offer. We also observe Christ demonstrating patience with his disciples and tolerance while being questioned and tortured. His faithfulness to God the Father is steady. Christ demonstrates his compassion for people, shows love for his mother, and forgives sinners. He offers the ultimate gift in sacrificing his life for us.

The significance of Christ’s resurrection continues to echo around the world. How blessed we are to have a special relationship with Christ and to continue his ministry in our lives. We can confidently place our trust in him as we journey through life.

May God bless you. ■

PARACLETE

BY ROBERT CURTIS

Mercy in a merciless world even years ago Father Matthew Kelty of Gethsemani Abbey brought up the subject of saints in general and the recently canonized St. Faustina Kowalska in particular. He said that saints are often shown a need by God and then asked to fill that need. We have St. Francis’s ”rebuild my church, St. John Bosco’s “care for my orphans,” and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta’s “tend to the poorest of my poor.”

Unfortunately, we sometimes need to be reminded that we live in a merciless culture.

According to the National Center for Children Exposed to Violence, the average 18-year-old in this country has seen almost a quarter of a million acts of violence on TV. Innocent children are murdered (let’s call it what it is, for once) daily in the sanctity of their mothers’ womb. We’ve grown too used to it all. Mercy seems to be becoming passé, yet what can we do? Enter St. Faustina. Jesus showed her a merciless world and then gave her the task to “tell all souls of my mercy.”

She did and still does today. She left us her diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul (Marian Publications, 2008; $7.95 and $15.95 in paperback; $29.95 for a leather-bound edition), now in its sixth printing. She has also given us “The Novena and Chaplet of Divine Mercy,” a chaplet that may be prayed on your own rosary (Divine Mercy Publica-

S

tions, 1997, 35 cents).

This is the same chaplet often sung on EWTN. We also carry it on CD (Congregation of Marians of the Immaculate Conception, 2002, $15.99). Finally, St. Faustina has left us her vision of Jesus, whose face fits the image of our Lord on the Shroud of Turin. We carry the Divine Mercy image in many forms, from holy cards to framed pictures.

También, tenemos artículos de la Divina Misericordia en español. Tenemos el diario de Santa Faustina, La Divina Misericordia en mi Alma (Marian Publications, 2008, $7.95) así como la “Novena y Rosario de la Divina Misericordia” (Divine Mercy Publications, 2007, 35 centavos).

Divine Mercy Sunday follows Easter, on April 19. To pray to the Lord of Mercy is to become merciful yourself, and mercy is a sort of divine “infection.” It can be contagious. It can change others. It is “going around,” and it’s worth catching.

In closing, we wish to congratulate Margaret Hood, the winner of last month’s drawing. We also wish you a blessed and a merciful Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday. May God bless you. ■ The Paraclete is a fullservice Catholic book and supply store. Visit 417 Erin Drive in Knoxville, near Sacred Heart Cathedral, or call 865-588-0388 or 800-333-2097. Download the Paraclete’s newsletter online at snipr.com/paraclete.

Fast continued from page 7

necessary for people to migrate and look for a place to live where they can earn a decent living and emerge from poverty. The other focus area was hunger in the Middle East, specifically in Bethlehem, the land where Jesus was born and where which Mary and Joseph migrated to be counted in the census (that is, to be documented). They then migrated to Egypt to escape Herod’s mandate to kill all first-born males.

Father J. Antonio Giraldo, the associate pastor of St. Thérèse, presented a talk on global migration, focusing on Hispanic immigrants and their needs, wants, dreams, and hopes. He also celebrated the closing Mass.

One especially meaningful activity was the “hunger trap.” The youth were asked to create a seven-day menu for a family of three (a mother and two children) with weekly earnings of $12. Many were shocked by facing the reality of how little food $12 can buy.

As in past years, the Food Fast was also a fundraising effort for CRS programs that combat hunger and poverty. The youth raised $2,467.28, which will be sent to CRS to benefit the poor in Bethlehem.

In addition, members of the diocesan pilgrimage who visited the Holy Land in March delivered a picture of Food Fast participants to the citizens of Bethlehem as a sign of their solidarity with the poor of that city. ■ Ms. Garza is the director of the Hispanic Ministry Office. Her article appeared in the MarchApril 2009 edition of Catholic Relief Services’ U.S. Operations Partner Mailer.

Mrs. Erpenbach is the director of the Stewardship and Development Office.

www.d ioceseofknoxville.or g

APRIL 12, 2009

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JPII beatification may be drawing near

WIRE

Controversy continues over Notre Dame’s invitation to Obama B Y CA R OL Z I MMERMANN

WASHINGTON (CNS)—Bishops from across the country continued to express their disapproval of the University of Notre Dame’s choice of President Barack Obama as the May 17 commencement speaker.

Their comments, in publicly released letters to Holy Cross Father John I. Jenkins, president of the Indiana university, have used words such as “travesty,” “disappointment,” and “scandal” that Obama would not only address graduates but also be given an honorary degree.

Critics of Obama said his support of legal abortion and embryonic-stem-cell research make him an inappropriate choice to be commencement speaker at a Catholic university.

In criticizing Notre Dame’s decision, announced March 20, most of the bishops referred to their 2004 document, “Catholics in Political Life,” which states in part that “the Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors, or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”

Bishop John M. D’Arcy of Fort Wayne-South Bend—the diocese where Notre Dame is located—said he would not attend the graduation in protest of Obama’s policies regarding life issues.

Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted called the university’s decision “a public act of disobedience to the bishops of the United States.”

Some U.S. bishops have urged Father Jenkins to rescind the offer to Obama. Among them are Archbishop John C. Nienstedt of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Bishop Edward J. Slattery of Tulsa, Okla., and Bishop Thomas G. Doran of Rockford, Ill. Father Jenkins has not issued any statements beyond what he said March 23, when he said the invitation to the president “should not be taken as condoning or endorsing his positions on specific issues regarding the protection of human life, including abortion and embryonic stemcell research.” He also said the university community sees “his visit as a basis for further positive engagement.”

Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in an April 2 letter to U.S. bishops that he has requested a meeting to discuss the issue with Father Jenkins and Holy Cross Father David Tyson, superior of the Indiana province of the Congregation of Holy Cross as well as Richard Notebaert, chairman of Notre Dame’s board of trustees.

The cardinal said he wrote to Father Jenkins to express his “dismay about the action of Notre Dame, taken without consultation or consideration of the consequences for the wider church.”

During an archdiocesan-sponsored conference in Chicago March 28, the cardinal called Notre Dame’s decision an “extreme embarrassment” to Catholics. He also said university officials “didn’t understand what it means to be Catholic when they issued this invitation and didn’t anticipate the kind of uproar that would be consequent to the decision.”

A video of the cardinal’s remarks was posted on LifeSiteNews.com.

Cardinal George urged people “to call, to email, to write letters” of protest, but he also said Notre Dame was not likely to “disinvite the president of the United States.”

“What happens around the ceremony is still up to many people,” he said, without elaborating.

Retired Archbishop John R. Quinn of San Francisco questioned whether a rescinded invitation would do more harm than good.

In a March 30 editorial in Jesuit-run America magazine, he said: “We must weigh very seriously the consequences if the American bishops are seen as the agents of the public embarrassment of the newly elected president by forcing him to withdraw from an appearance at a distinguished Catholic university.”

“It is in the interests of both the church and the nation if both work together in civility, honesty and friendship for the common good, even where there are grave divisions, as there are on abortion,” he added.

Bishop Robert N. Lynch of St. Petersburg, Fla., said in a March 27 blog entry on the diocesan website that the university “may have acted way too early and too generously” in its invitation to Obama.

However, he said he was “more alarmed that the rhetoric being employed is so uncivil and venomous that it weakens the case we place before our fellow citizens, alienates young collegeage students who believe the older generation is behaving like an angry child and they do not wish to be any part of that, and ill-serves the cause of life.”

A March 27 editorial in the Catholic magazine Commonweal said that for many the issue was about giving an honorary degree to Obama, seen as “tantamount to an imprimatur.”

The magazine’s editors disagreed with that view, saying: “Honorary degrees signify an instiObama continued on page 8

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APRIL 12, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI says he is praying for his predecessor’s cause. By John Thavis VATICAN CITY (CNS)— They brought flowers and messages to his grave. They sang songs evoking his memory. And they prayed for his beatification.

The fourth anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II April 2 was marked by a sense of anticipation following reports that the late pontiff would be beatified on the fifth anniversary next year.

The Vatican has played down those rumors. But among the thousands who flocked to his tomb and gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica for a memorial Mass, the feeling was hopeful.

“There’s all kinds of talk about him being beatified. It’s only a matter of time before it happens. He’s heading so fast toward sainthood that they’re only waiting to give him a little bit more legitimacy, I guess,” said Samantha Coveleski, 22, of Lewes, Del. Coveleski was among hundreds of people who jammed the crypt area of St. Peter’s Basilica April 2 to pay their respects at Pope John Paul II’s tomb. They left candles, photos, and letters and murmured prayers in many languages.

On the white marble tombstone lay three red roses.

“So many people loved this guy so much. When you’re at the tomb, you can really see what the big deal is,” Coveleski said. “He was so accessible during his papacy, and here you can really see and feel how much he was loved.”

Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the commemorative Mass and said he was praying for “the gift of beatification” for his predecessor. In 2005 Pope Benedict set Pope John Paul on the fast track to beatification by waiving the normal five-year waiting period for the introduction of his sainthood cause.

That seemed a response to the SANTO SUBITO! (“Sainthood now!”) banners that were held aloft at Pope John Paul’s funeral.

The initial diocesan phase of the cause was completed in April 2007. Last November a team of theological consultors to the Congregation for Saints’ Causes began studying the 2,000-page positio, the document that makes the case for beatification, said Archbishop Angelo Amato, head of the congregation.

Archbishop Amato told Vatican Radio that once the theological study of the positio is completed, the cause will be considered by the cardinal and bishop members of the congregation. If approved, it will then go to the pope for a final decision on a decree of “venerability,” which means the person heroically lived the Christian virtues.

News briefs Iowa bishops say gay marriage will harm families DAVENPORT, Iowa (CNS)— Iowa’s Catholic bishops vigorously disagreed with the Iowa Supreme Court’s unanimous decision April 3 that strikes down state law defining marriage as a union of one man and one woman. “This decision rejects the wisdom of thousands of years of human history. It implements a novel understanding of marriage, which will grievously harm families and children,” the bishops said in a statement. The bishops vowed to continue to protect and promote marriage as a union between a man and a

CNS PHOTO/ALESSIA PIERDOMENICO, REUTERS

from the

Cardinals attend a special Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II at the Vatican on April 2.

REMEMBERING JPII

Meanwhile, a presumed miracle through the intercession of the late pope—involving a French nun said to have been cured of Parkinson’s disease—is being studied in a five-step process that involves medical experts, a medical board, theological consultors, the members of the congregation, and the pope. With the decree of venerability and a confirmed miracle, beatification can take place.

Archbishop Amato emphasized that the Vatican cannot promise a timetable for all this. The fact that the Vatican is expediting the cause doesn’t mean “haste or superficiality.“ On the contrary, he said, the process demands methodical attention to detail.

Five years from death to beatification may not strike people as subito, but it would be a modern record in the church. Even for Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who was described by many as a “living saint” and for whom the waiting period was also waived, completing the process took six years.

Still, the Vatican loves anniversaries, and no one has ruled out next April 2 as the big day. Polish Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, personal secretary to the late pope and one of his biggest beatification boosters, said in March that the process would be completed in a few months.

Cardinal Dziwisz, in Rome for the fourth anniversary, told reporters that a presumed miracle had recently occurred at Pope John Paul II’s tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica.

A 9-year-old Polish boy from Gdansk, suffering from cancer of the kidneys and unable to walk, was brought to the tomb by his parents, Cardinal Dziwisz said. When they left St. Peter’s, the boy told them, “I want to walk“ and began walking in good

health, he said.

Vatican officials are not publicizing what are said to be 251 “inexplicable” healings or other events attributed to Pope John Paul II’s intercession and which have been filed away.

The officials emphasize the seriousness of the study being undertaken and insist there are no foregone conclusions.

The Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, has marked this year’s anniversary with the same serious tone, saying sainthood was more than the elevation of a popular personality.

“The cry of santo subito! after the death of John Paul II had strong meaning. But its repetition by the media is mistaken: The official recognition of sainthood must be connected to the church’s process of sanctification,” said a front-page article April 2.

The same article related an anecdote about the relationship between Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict who, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, served more than 23 years under the late pope as head of the doctrinal congregation.

When meeting to review the drafts of important documents with his top collaborators, it said, Pope John Paul would sometimes sit back at the end of the conversation and say: “We need to go back to this topic again. From his expression, I can see that Cardinal Ratzinger is not fully convinced. We need to reflect some more.”

At the memorial Mass, Pope Benedict underlined the thematic continuity between the late pope’s and his own pontificate. Then he went down to the pope’s tomb and knelt in prayer. ■

woman and asked Catholics and other citizens of Iowa to call for a constitutional amendment on marriage. With the high court’s ruling, Iowa becomes the third state in the nation to recognize marriages for gay and lesbian couples. In its 7-0 decision the court in Des Moines ruled that “limiting civil marriage to a union between a man and a woman violates the Iowa Constitution.” The decision further allows gay and lesbian couples full access to the institution of civil marriage.

revealed that 40 percent of the births were to unwed mothers.

That statistic did not go unnoticed by Catholic leaders who stress the important link between marriage and parenthood. According to the report by the National Center for Health Statistics, 4.3 million babies were born in 2007—more than in any other single year in U.S. history. The number of births to unwed mothers reached its highest level at more than 1.7 million. About 25 percent of these births were to teen mothers. The data reflect an overall trend that society has come to accept, said S. Philip Morgan, a sociology professor and fertility researcher at Duke University in Durham, N.C. ■

Growing number of births are to unwed mothers WASHINGTON (CNS)—A recent federal report showing a rise in U.S. births in 2007 also

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Contributing to this story was Nicole Coia in Rome. Copyright 2009 Catholic News Service/ U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

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