Aug. 5, 2012, ET Catholic by Diocese of Knoxville

He dwells among us.................. 2 Diocesan calendar................... 10 Deanery news.......................... 11 La Cosecha............ center pullout

This issue

The East Tennessee

Catholic youth......................... 15 Our priests............................... 17 Columns............................. 18-22

dioknox.org Aug. 5, 2012 Volume 21 Number 12

Bishop Richard F. Stika

News from The Diocese of Knoxville

Holy Land pilgrimage Cardinal Rigali to lead Feb. trip

Divine Mercy Vietnamese mission gets priest, new name

God Camp Diocese youth mix fellowship, fun with leadership

Growing the diocese — Mission Possible St. Mary parish life center, new missions, other projects are the face of expansion

By Dan McWilliams

t. Mary Parish in Athens has come a long way from the late 1960s when parishioners gathered for Mass in a converted funeral parlor and later in a former restaurant on Congress Parkway that served as the church building for more than three decades. The parish moved to a spacious new church on Madison Avenue in 2004. The latest step in the parish’s growth occurred June 30 when Bishop Richard F. Stika dedicated a new parish life center at St. Mary. Work on the $1,709,613 structure began last September and was completed in June. Bishop Stika celebrated Mass before beginning the dedication ceremony outdoors in triple-digit temperatures. Concelebrating were St. Mary pastor Father William Oruko, AJ, and two former pastors, vicar general Father David Boettner and Father Jim Vick. Seminarian Jeff Emitt assisted. Blessed Mother, has been able to continually grow.” “This parish, dedicated under the patronage of the Blessed Mother, has been able to continually grow,” Bishop Stika said. “Father David was telling me about the previous church. It sounded like a magnificent structure. And the first rectory—the trailer—still sits across the road. Just think of what you’ve accomplished: new prop-

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DAN MCWILLIAMS

“This parish, dedicated under the patronage of the

Dedication in Athens Bishop Richard F. Stika begins the dedication of the parish life center at St. Mary in Athens with a ribbon-cutting. The 9,827-square-foot building was completed in June at a cost of $1,709,613. The center has a large event hall, a conference room, a kitchen, and space for youth activities. Seminarian Jeff Emitt (right) is joined by St. Mary parishioners at the June 30 event.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

He dwells among us

by Bishop Richard F. Stika

Bishop’s schedule

Pray for one another

These are some of Bishop Stika’s public appointments:

When we pray generously for others, we truly become like Simon of Cyrene—bearers of the cross

hen a request for assistance is made to help someone in need, I am always amazed at how generous people can be, even strangers, with their time, resources, and monetary support. But there is one request for help, usually of the briefest description, that requires an even more generous response. These are the requests for our prayers—“Will you pray for me? Will you pray for… this loved one of mine, this person who is suffering, my marriage, a job, this intention?” Our prayer is one of the greatest gifts of charity that we can offer another and it is what truly completes any other form of help we can offer someone. When someone asks for our prayers, we must make every effort to provide them, to bring the person and their need before God. This is not always easy to do, and I must admit that there was one occasion last month when I thought I might have to decline a prayer request of Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago, while attending a meeting of U.S. bishops in Atlanta. Happening upon the Cardinal

Diocesan policy for reporting sexual abuse

and the Vatican’s Papal Nuncio to the United States, I asked His Eminence, “So Cardinal, how are the Cubs doing?” The reaction of Cardinal George, a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, was predictable. Of course, the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, knew nothing of the century-old rivalry between the Cubs, who have not won a World Series since 1908, and my St. Louis Cardinals, who won their 11th title last year. Nor did Archbishop Viganò know that with each new baseball season, Cardinal George leads Cubs fans in praying for the elusive World Series win. I was grateful that His Eminence didn’t turn my question around on me and ask me to pray for that intention. The Church always has considered intercessory prayer to be an integral part of its praise and worship of God, and a most necessary part of living out our faith. One of the highest expressions of this is to have a Mass offered for someone’s intention. And lest we forget, praying for the living and the dead is no less a work of mercy than giving drink to the thirsty is or food to the hungry.

I often think of how requests for our prayers resemble the petition of the Good Thief to Jesus upon Calvary—“Remember me…” (Luke 23:42). So many are crushed in spirit beneath the weight of the cross they struggle with. But in truly praying for another we become like Simon of Cyrene (Mark 15:21), who helped carry Christ’s cross, giving our shoulder and some relief to those heavily burdened. Indeed, it is our prayer for others that help form us into the saints we are called to be. It is said that true intercessory prayer knows no boundaries. Of the many we pray for, beginning with the needs of the Church, St. Paul reminds us to also pray “for kings and for all in authority” (1 Timothy 2:1), and even for “those who persecute [us],” praying for their salvation (Romans 12:14; 10:1). But is it possible to pray for those who have caused great and immeasurable harm to us or to our loved ones? The terrible scarring and painful memories from such offenses can be like a long crucifixion, and it is these who most especially need our sustained prayers.

The East Tennessee

Aug. 4: 11 a.m., Christopher Manning ordination to transitional diaconate at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Aug. 5: 11:30 a.m., Mass and presentation with diaconal aspirants and wives at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Lenoir City. Aug. 9-10: Provincial bishop’s meeting, Louisville. Aug. 12: 11 a.m., Mass at St. Therese Church, Clinton. Aug. 16: 10:30 a.m., Mass and Perpetual Vows for Religious Sisters of Mercy, Alma, Mich. Aug. 19: 11 a.m., Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Aug. 19: 6:30 p.m., Mass with Vietnamese community, Immaculate Conception Church. Aug. 21: noon, Luncheon meeting at the bishop’s residence with priests who offer Tridentine Mass. Aug. 22: 10 a.m., Opening Mass at Notre Dame High School, Chattanooga. Aug. 25: 2 p.m., Closing Mass for Not Your Average Joe Men’s Conference, All Saints Church. Aug. 26: 9 a.m., Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. n

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Bishop Richard F. Stika Publisher

Dan McWilliams Assistant editor

Bill Brewer

Margaret Hunt

Anyone who has actual knowlEditor Administrative assistant edge of or who has reasonable 805 Northshore Drive, S.W. • Knoxville, TN 37919 cause to suspect an incident of The Diocese of Knoxville sexual abuse should report such The East Tennessee Catholic (USPS 007211) is published monthly by The Diocese of Knoxville, 805 Northshore Drive Southwest, information to the appropriate Knoxville, TN 37919-7551. Periodicals-class postage paid at Knoxville, Tenn. Printed on recycled paper by the Knoxville News Sentinel. civil authorities first, then to the The East Tennessee Catholic is mailed to all registered Catholic families in East Tennessee. Subscription rate for others is $15 a year in bishop’s office, 865-584-3307, or the United States. Make checks payable to The Diocese of Knoxville. the diocesan victims’ assistance coordinator, Marla Lenihan, 865Postmaster: Send address changes to The East Tennessee Catholic, 805 Northshore Drive Southwest, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551 Reach us by phone: 865-584-3307 • fax: 865-584-8124 • e-mail: webmaster@dioknox.org • web: dioknox.org 482-1388. n

2 August 5, 2012

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

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St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation begins grants Program provides support for ministry begun by the Sisters of Mercy

By Bill Brewer

ducation, health care and charitable programs in the Diocese of Knoxville now have access to critical funding as the St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation of East Tennessee begins accepting grant requests. The foundation, made possible through funds provided by the September 2011 sale of Knoxville-area hospital operator Mercy Health Partners to Health Management Associates, was formed to continue providing support for the ministry begun by the Sisters of Mercy with the opening of St. Mary’s Hospital in 1930. Mercy Health Partners was the parent company of St. Mary’s Hospital. Incorporated in November, St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation provides direct support for charity, health care and education through Catholic organizations serving those in need in

East Tennessee. Similar to Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, where more than 95 percent of the beneficiaries are not Catholic, a large number of benefit recipients from St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation will be non-Catholic. “While grants will be awarded to Catholic organizations, the fruits of those grants will really benefit everyone here in East Tennessee as these organizations reach out to all of our brothers and sisters regardless of race, nationality, or religion. Take for example the model of Catholic Charities. They provide services to anyone with a demonstrated need, and less than 5 percent of their clients are Catholic,” said diocesan staff officer John Deinhart. The foundation’s 17-member board of directors includes clergy, religious and lay church leaders from across the diocese.

“It is an honor and a privilege to serve as a member of the St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation of East Tennessee because I get to participate in attending to the needs of the most vulnerable of East Tennessee by helping them overcome obstacles that keep them from living full, healthy and dignified lives. Furthermore, it brings me great joy knowing that the foundation helps our community to continue to faithfully exercise the spiritual and corporal works of mercy just as the Mercy Sisters and St. Mary’s Hospital did for over 80 years,” said Deacon Sean Smith, chancellor for the Diocese of Knoxville. Grant requests will be considered once and can be submitted beginning Aug. 1 of this year. Applications must be submitted using the St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation’s grant

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those whom we have particularly hurt and sinned against during the course of our life. If we honestly examine our heart, we should have little difficulty assembling a list of those we should pray for daily. With the month of August, I am reminded in a very personal way of the tremendous gift of people’s prayers. My own health emergency in 2009 certainly helped me to better identify my priestly life with the sick and the suffering. In praying for them and for the many needs of the Church, I have often prayed the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. With this beautiful prayer of petition we call upon her intercession under various titles that include, “Mother of good Counsel,” “Health of the sick,” “Refuge of sinners,” “Comforter of the afflicted,” and “Help of Christians.” What a wonderful Mother we have. I also have come to more fully appreciate the prayers of saintly

people. Here I think of one person in particular who, with his many prayers, helped form my vocation to the priesthood, who guided me through my priestly life, and helped me through the many challenges that none of us are ever short of in life. It was my dear friend Archbishop Francis Zayek whose most generous life of prayer had so blessed me and countless others, and who with his passing continues to intercede for us as one of the saints of heaven that I truly believe he is. So I ask you to join me in praying generously each day for others, especially the sick and the suffering. With the start of a new school year, please particularly pray for our students, teachers and staffs of our Catholic schools, and especially for the Class of 2013. May they be blessed in their studies, grow in their faith, and become the saints that they are called to be. n

Ultimately, suffering can make us either a worse person or a better one. We see this in the two thieves crucified on either side of Christ (Luke 23:32-43). One only cursed all the more in his suffering and even turned to mocking Christ. But the other thief, in turning toward Christ and moved no doubt by the words of mercy he heard—“Father, forgive them…” (Luke 23:34), no longer experienced his crucifixion alone, but with Jesus. With our prayers, those tragically wounded by others can be helped to discover their sufferings in Christ’s and even their prayer, “Remember me,” transformed in His mercy so as to include the intention, “Remember them,” for those who had harmed them. But we must not simply wait for people to ask us to pray for them to begin doing so. A good starting point is to pray individually for The East Tennessee Catholic

Foundation continued on page 7

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

Cardinal Rigali to lead pilgrimage to Holy Land Cardinal Justin Rigali will lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in February, guiding parishioners from the Diocese of Knoxville and other dioceses on a tour of some of the most historically significant sites in the world. Cardinal Rigali, who has served as archbishop of Philadelphia and St. Louis, is in residence in Knoxville. The trip, directed by tour operator Select International, is open to people in the Diocese of Knoxville and also is being offered to people in the St. Louis and Philadelphia archdioceses. The pilgrimage will be Feb. 11-20 and destinations include Tel Aviv, Nazareth, and Jerusalem in Israel. “I’m immensely delighted to be returning with Select International to the holy places in the company of people from the Diocese of Knoxville and from my former archdioceses of Philadelphia and St. Louis as well as all others who wish to accompany me,” Cardinal Rigali said. Mass will be celebrated daily on the trip, and visits are planned to the Garden of Gethsemane, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Cana, the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea, the Sermon on the Mount site, Bethlehem, and the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth. While in Jerusalem, the group will stay at Notre Dame, a guest house/ hotel owned by the Vatican. A private audience with the patriarch of Jerusalem also is being scheduled. The patriarch is a former student of Cardinal Rigali in Rome. “We will be able to do certain things that most groups can’t because Cardinal Rigali is leading the group,” said Ms. Edita Krunic, president of Select International. Registration for the trip is under way and anyone seeking information can contact Select International at 800-842-4842 or www. selectinternationaltours.com. n August 5, 2012 3

“So many of our parishes have projects that are so important...It just demonstrates the vitality and the growth of the diocese.” our parishes have projects that are so important,” Bishop Stika said. “It just demonstrates the vitality and the growth of the diocese. For example, St. Mary’s in Athens—it’s a parish center, a family center, so that will allow them for education as well as a place to gather, and it just again shows the dynamic growth of the diocese as well as the commitment of people to expand their parish locations.” Already completed is a new parish office, youth center, and maintenance building at St. John Neumann in Farragut, finished in April at a cost of $529,430. St. Therese in Clinton completed a $364,699 church renovation in April. St. Henry in Rogersville underwent a $451,745 church addition and renovation in a

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St. Mary’s past, present and future Former St. Mary pastors Father Jim Vick, left, and Father David Boettner, second from right, join Bishop Richard F. Stika, center, and current St. Mary pastor Father William Oruko, right, in celebrating Mass and the dedication of St. Mary’s new family life center on June 30. Father Vick now is at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga and Father Boettner is at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxvillle.

project that wrapped up in June. Knoxville Catholic High School this month is completing a $468,988 project to install FieldTurf at its football stadium. All Saints Parish in

Knoxville is scheduled to complete a $585,750 expansion of its parish offices in November. And construction is scheduled to start soon on two additional proj-

DAN MCWILLIAMS

erty, a new rectory, a new church, and now the parish life center. When’s the golf course going in?” Golf course quips aside, the St. Mary project is among eight building or renovation efforts under way in the diocese—at a total cost of nearly $6 million—that illustrate the diocese’s expansion. And they are in addition to recent projects that attest to the diocese’s dynamic expansion, such as the creation of the St. Albert the Great parish in Knoxville, completion of new churches at St. John Neumann in Knoxville, St. Thomas the Apostle in Lenoir City and St. Christopher in Jamestown, renovation and expansion at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in LaFollette, a new gymnasium at St. Joseph School, and creation of new missions in Maynardville, Rutledge and Erwin. “As I travel throughout the diocese, parish to parish, so many of

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Growth continued from page 1

The new parish life center at St. Mary in Athens “represents the can-do attitude of our parish,” said building-committee chair Paul Kessler. The building project is one of several completed or on tap in the diocese. See the story for details. The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

ects around the diocese. Our Lady of Fatima in Alcoa is planning a 3,300-square-foot addition to and renovation of the Fatima Center in a project costing $1,704,789. St. John Neumann is building a 40-by-80foot pavilion at a cost of $147,273. The St. Mary parish life center has a large event hall, a conference room, and a kitchen as well as space for youth activities. Paul Kessler, who chairs St. Mary’s building committee, spoke at the end of Mass. Mr. Kessler thanked several people involved with the building project, including Deacon David Lucheon, the diocesan finance officer; architect Chris Malone of Foxhollow Goodson in Farragut; project manager Chris Myers and site construction manager Rocky Welch, both of contractor Rentenbach Constructors; and Tim Rentenbach. Building-committee members also were saluted by Mr. Kessler. Father Oruko is on the committee, along dioknox.org

Vietnamese mission receives priest, name Father Hoan Dinh appointed chaplain to growing Divine Mercy community

with John and Melanie Fortuna, site construction managers Lou Dionne and Ed Fiegle, Sissy AparicioRascon, Jim Rodgers, and Mary Guthrie. “I would say it was a great synergistic mix of left-brained and rightbrained people who took their job seriously and made my job much easier,” Mr. Kessler said. The new building “represents the continuation of a dream,” Mr. Kessler said, “starting with the founding families of St. Mary Parish having Mass in a funeral home before moving to our former site on Congress Parkway in 1967 and having Mass in the social hall until the church was built in 1973. I’m sure they envisioned great things for our parish.” The East Tennessee Catholic

BILL BREWER

ai Nguyen remembers the first organizational meetings for an upstart Vietnamese parish within the Diocese of Knoxville. That was nearly two decades ago. An idea planted in the mid-1990s has taken time to develop, but the community has formed to the point of needing permanent leadership and worship space. Now, the Diocese of Knoxville’s Vietnamese parishioners have their first permanent priest to lead the growing community and are making plans to relocate to their own place of worship. And the faith community now has a name: Divine Mercy Catholic Mission. Bishop Richard F. Stika last month announced the new mission’s name and welcomed Father Hoan Dinh as the full-time chaplain, effective July 1. Since then, Father Hoan has increased Mass times from twice a month to each Sunday, with daily Masses on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Vietnamese Masses are celebrated at Immaculate Conception Church in Knoxville on Sunday nights.

By Bill Brewer

Reaching the faithful Father Hoan Dinh, left, celebrates Mass July 15 with members of Divine Mercy Catholic Mission at Immaculate Conception Church, assisted by Deacon Hieu Vinh. Father Hoan has been named permanent chaplain of Divine Mercy.

Father Hoan and the Divine Mercy Catholic Mission have been a long time coming, according to Mr. Nguyen, who was elected chair of the Vietnamese mission’s council. “When it started 18 years ago, it

was a very small community and difficult to get a priest to drive four to six hours to say Mass once or twice a month,” Mr. Nguyen said, explaining that the dioceses of Memphis and

The building also “represents the visions of our parish priests,” Mr. Kessler said, citing Father Joseph Fiedorowicz, who formed a parish building committee in the 1990s. Father Boettner, Father Michael Cummins, and Father Vick followed as pastor before Father Oruko came on board. Father Boettner shepherded the parish as it was preparing to build a new church in 2004, which was dedicated in Father Cummins’ time as pastor. Father Vick “placed some things in motion” for a parish life center, Mr. Kessler said. “He passed the torch on to Father William,” Mr. Kessler said. “Father William was able to develop the support and pursue the project, which has led to the building you

will see in just a few moments.” St. Mary Parish has 314 families, and the new building “represents the can-do attitude of our parish,” Mr. Kessler said. “It is quite an accomplishment to have a relatively short capital campaign for such a project within a relatively small parish that resulted in enough commitment to fund the project. Kudos to the capitalcampaign committee for its work in getting the project funded.” In many ways, the church building is the parish life center, Bishop Stika said at St. Mary. “For without the Eucharist, without the sacraments, without baptism, without confirmation, whatever the sacrament might be, there is no parish life,” he said. n

Vietnamese continued on page 6

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

Job opportunity St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge seeks applicants for its full-time director of music position. Responsibilities include coordinating the parish music program, directing four of five choirs, serving as accompanist and choir director for three of four English language Masses each weekend, holy days, parish sacramental celebrations, funerals, daily 8 a.m. Masses and special services, participation in pastoral staff committees and other duties assigned by the pastor. Candidates should be practicing Catholics with a strong understanding of the Roman Catholic liturgy. Qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in music, sacred music, music education or a comparable field; prior experience in developing and conducting parish choirs with adults and children in a church setting, keyboard skills, and experience in directing both traditional and contemporary liturgical music. To apply, submit a cover letter, resume and three letters of reference to: The Director of Music St. Mary Church 327 Vermont Ave. Oak Ridge, TN 37830 E-mail applications may be sent to office@smcor.org. n

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August 5, 2012 5

St. Michael the Archangel building a home in Unicoi County Year-old mission, equipped with a new name, laying foundation for growth in Upper East Tennessee

By Bill Brewer

ather Tom Charters is invested in the New Evangelization, something he wanted members of his Unicoi County mission to be before it could take an important step to mark its growth. The Catholic Community of Unicoi County has taken that step, according to Father Charters, broadening its reach and becoming an asset to the community since beginning to form last September. And now, with that accomplishment, comes a name for one of the Diocese of Knoxville’s newest communities. Bishop Richard F. Stika has approved the name St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Mission for the Erwin community, attesting to its permanence in upper East Tennessee. Father Charters thought it was more important to establish the mission first before giving it a permanent identity.

Mission continued on page 19

Vietnamese continued from page 5

Lexington, Ky., for years dispatched Vietnamese priests each month to Knoxville to lead Mass. “Also, on special occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter we had to call a priest from St. Louis to come in and say Mass,” he added. According to Father Hoan and Mr. Nguyen, the community has grown from about 35 members initially to about 400 now, or about 150 families. When Mr. Nguyen felt the Vietnamese Catholic community had grown to the point of needing a priest and permanent worship space, he, Deacon Hieu Vinh of Immaculate Conception and Father Linh Nguyen of the Diocese of Lexington met with Bishop Stika about the community’s growth. With Bishop Stika’s blessing and encouragement and a commitment from the Vietnamese Catholic community to financially support the mission, plans

6 August 5, 2012

GLENMARY HOME MISSIONERS WWW.GLENMARY.ORG

Mission accomplished Father Tom Charters, chaplain of the newly named St. Michael the Archangel Mission, visits with mission members Keldon and Joyce Clapp.

“What I wanted first was to form a community and I wanted a community with members who saw themselves as evangelizers,” Father

Charters said. “I wanted a name to surface from that experience. That’s why I waited so long.” Members of the mission submit-

moved forward. Father Linh recommended Father Hoan, who is with the Franciscan Order, to Bishop Stika. “I’m thankful to Bishop Stika and the Diocese of Knoxville for this opportunity to lead our Vietnamese Catholic community. And I’m thankful to the bishop and the diocese for their encouragement in building up this community,” Father Hoan said. Father Hoan, 41, was born in northern Vietnam and lived in Saigon in southern Vietnam, where he joined the Franciscans. He relocated to the United States in 2008 to study in Maryland and Washington, D.C. “I have a desire to work with people, especially in a parish setting,” Father Hoan said about his decision to lead the Diocese of Knoxville’s first Vietnamese mission. “Many in the mission are from Vietnam and don’t speak English fluently. When people attend and celebrate Mass and

participate in the liturgy, it’s important that they are able to do it in their language.” With the Divine Mercy Catholic Mission’s foundation firmly in place, Father Hoan and Mr. Nguyen are confident growth will continue, perhaps reaching the point where the mission can become a parish. “To have a permanent priest here has required a lot of work and financial stability,” Mr. Nguyen said, noting that the mission has begun looking to lease space in West Knoxville for Divine Mercy, which would be more convenient for most of the mission’s members. “It requires a financial commitment by the Vietnamese community to make these things happen,” he added. The mission must be self-supporting, with members providing financial support for Father Hoan, the location where Masses are held, and other

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ted three names to the bishop, who made the final decision. Father Charters said the other v two names offered were Christ of u the Mountains Mission and Our p Lady of the Mountains Mission, buti most of the members preferred the d bishop’s choice. a He noted that the selection met with immediate approval, includ- a ing from two former Marines who are members and pointed out that s the patron saint of the Marine a Corps is St. Michael the Archangel. t “It’s a very powerful name and f has an identity,” said Father Char- t ters, who is directing the mission p with the assistance of Glenmary Brother Tom Sheehy. y Father Charters expected mem- g bers to be active in the mission but i he is surprised at the turnout, not- a ing that after arriving in Erwin in y August 2011 to build the mission o more than 40 people turned out for Y

a costs. o As Father Hoan mulls the imme- w diate need for leased space that can a accommodate Masses, confession, g funerals and classroom space for chil- i dren to learn the Vietnamese language and culture, he’s thinking of the future and the possibility of acquiring a permanent location within three to five years. “We have great expectations for growth, especially if we can move to a place where we can have Sunday morning Mass. We have great expectations now that I’m here permanently. When we get a place for Mass then we will see more growth. That is my goal,” Father Hoan said. Mr. Nguyen agrees. “Once he is established in his work and the community knows he’s here, then more people will attend Mass. I think things will fall into place as we’ve planned.” n dioknox.org

Diocesan camps are leadership training ground for youth Fun, learning is stressed at God Camps and Youth Leadership Institute, where participation is strong

Foundation continued from page 3

application form and postmarked or delivered before Oct. 1. Applicants will be notified by mail about the status of their application by Dec. 1. Because the foundation’s focus is charity, health care and education, it normally will not accept requests for fundraising activities; operational support, unless requested for program start-up; annual support; multi-year support (beyond two years); support for projects outside of East Tennessee (Diocese of Knoxville territory); or support for a single individual. To be considered for funding by St. The East Tennessee Catholic

MANUELA SCOTT PTACEK

hen school lets out in May and many students look for the nearest pool, mall, video game or smartphone to inhabit until August, a number of diocesan pre-teens and teens make plans to tinteract with peers from around the diocese to develop team-building and leadership skills. Sound like summer school? Think again. God Camp and the Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) are key parts of a strategy to bring kids from across the diocese together in the spirit of fellowship, fun, faith-building and to identify youth leaders among the parishes. “This is an opportunity for our youth to see the larger Church. They get the idea that they’re not alone in this. Some of the kids come from areas where there are few Catholic youth,” said Al Forsythe, director of the diocese’s Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. 9 As the students establish camaraderie and teamwork through activities and competitions, a group of adults and older students work with them to hone their leadership abilities, preparing them to take on greater roles within the Church during high school, college and beyond.

Developing leadership Matt Drury of St. Thérése of Lisieux Church leads a DYMAC workshop called Success Comes in Cans during the Youth Leadership Institute held July 13-16 at Horn’s Creek Resort. Assisting Matt in the presentation was Jay Nguyen.

This summer, the Youth and Young Adult Ministry held camps in June and July that attracted more than 200 students. Through its summer God Camps, the diocese offers three opportunities for young people to get together to meet others their own age, celebrate life, explore nature and discern what

is the will of God for their life. Camp activities are held at the 1,200-acre Harrison Bay State Park in Harrison, Tenn., in the Chattanooga Deanery. The campground has 24 cabins, an Olympic-size swimming pool, outdoor sports, camp fires, prayer services, celebration of Mass. Teambuilding and group interaction activ-

Mary’s Legacy Foundation of East Tennessee Inc., organizations seeking support must be a Catholic 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization (or a subordinate of one) and have a project that will provide a direct benefit toward meeting the charitable, health care and educational needs of the people in East Tennessee: Grant application forms and information about the grant process will be posted on the diocesan website, www.dioknox.org. For additional information, contact Mr. Deinhart at jdeinhart@dioknox.org or Paul Simoneau, who is the diocesan vice chancellor for administration and director

of the Office of Justice and Peace, at psimoneau@dioknox.org. The foundation’s board held a retreat June 14-15 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church’s family life center in Lenoir City, where members established and approved guidelines and processes for applications and developed key operational processes for foundation functions. The retreat was led by Dr. Glen Gerard, president and founder of Foundation Consulting Services, a Grand Rapids, Mich., firm specializing in the creation and development of charitable foundations and alumni associations.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

By Bill Brewer

ities include four square, basketball, softball, volleyball, horseshoes and an evening dance. Three separate God Camps, all open to any youth in the diocese, are held base on student ages. Dare to Dream, for high school students, was held June 18-22. Reach, for incoming seventh- and eighth-grade students, was held June 25-28. And Discover, for incoming fifth- and sixth-graders, was held June 28-30. The YLI camp was held July 1316 at Horn’s Creek NOC Resort in Ocoee, Tenn. The camp’s aim is for diocesan youth to gather in common faith and fellowship to learn the dynamics of Christian leadership as developed in sacred Scripture, Church tradition and teaching, Christian witness and discipleship. The high school students attended workshops on faith development, leadership styles, methods of prayer, how to run meetings, how to lead prayer services and sharing sessions. Skills and insight developed at the workshops help youth become Christian leaders at home and in their parish, school and community. The diocesan Youth and Young Adult Ministry staff, along with Diocesan Youth Ministry Advisory

Camps continued on page 8

Sister Mary Martha Naber, RSM, presented a reflection on the mission of Venerable Mother Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy, and the beginnings of the religious order. Through the retreat, the board reaffirmed its focus on the three-fold mission of charity, health care and education, which are what the foundation will carry out through its work around East Tennessee. “Sister Mary Martha’s reflection really set the tone for the day and anchored us in our mission of continuing the work of Mother McAuley,” Mr. Deinhart said. n August 5, 2012 7

Second collection on Aug. 25-26 for Catholic schools tuition support

By Bill Brewer tudents across the Diocese of Knoxville will benefit from parishioners’ giving on Aug. 25 and 26 when the second collection at all Masses is directed to tuition assistance, where requests are outpacing funding. Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, the Diocese of Knoxville’s superintendent of schools, said the need for tuition assistance is great and getting greater as a new school year approaches and families continue to struggle in a difficult economy. “It is my hope that everyone who has ever benefited from a Catholic education or knows someone who has benefited from such an education will give to this second collection in order to provide for every Catholic child in this diocese an opportunity to attend one of our 10 Catholic schools,” Sister Mary Marta said. According to the diocesan schools office, in the past three years the number of Catholic students attending diocese schools with the help of supplemental tuition support has grown by nearly 40 percent. The total amount of tuition assistance going to Catholic families in the diocese this year alone is more than Camps continued from page 7

Council (DYMAC) representatives from the four deaneries, work months in advance to plan the YLI camp. Mr. Forsythe said one of the goals at YLI is to encourage campers to “step up and step out” as a way to get out of their comfort zones by doing challenging activities in a team atmosphere. Activities included paintball contests and rafting. “A lot of people say the youth are the future of our church. They are our church today. When they develop leadership skills they can contribute to their church. They can become leaders in their church like readers, music ministers and those active in

8 August 5, 2012

$2.5 million. That number is up by $1 million in the past four years, which is an increase of 60 percent. “The amount granted this school year was trimmed down based on the amount of assistance available. The actual amount of need recommended by our evaluators for Catholic families was nearly $2.9 million,” said Lori Trikones, assistant controller for the diocese. Sister Mary Marta said the 10 Catholic schools provided a faithenriched and strong academic environment to 3,295 students in grades kindergarten through 12 for the 2011-12 school year. Enrollment was 86 percent Catholic students, with 2,832 of the students Catholic and 463 non-Catholic.

She noted that giving to the Diocese of Knoxville’s schools results in a solid return on investment. Students are consistently scoring above state and national averages on standardized testing and the graduation rate at the high schools is 99.9 percent. And 249 graduates at Knoxville Catholic and Notre Dame high schools were offered scholarships this year totaling $15 million. “The total dollars provided to Catholic families in need of tuition support today are the highest ever in the history of our diocese,” said Sister Mary Marta. Catholic families in need of tuition assistance must complete a parish affiliation form indicating their intent to apply for assistance and have

their pastor approve the form. Families then complete a tuition assistance application from their school or school website and return it by the deadline. The application is reviewed and a tuition assistance evaluator interviews the applicants. The information is used to determine the amount of tuition assistance recommended based on the amount of assistance available. Once approved by the church pastor, the family is notified and receives a letter of agreement that must be signed and returned to the school. In addition to Mass collections, tuition support is funded by contributions from parishes, Catholic Education Trust Fund donations, family contributions, parish/school fundraisers and fund account interest. Sister Mary Marta stresses the importance and necessity of all parishioners giving to the second collection, even if their parish doesn’t have a school. “We are all part of the Church and need to support our schools. By providing tuition support for our students, you are investing in Catholic families of our diocese and the future of our Church in East Tennessee,” she said. n

the pro-life ministry,” Mr. Forsythe said. Bernadette Hunt, 17, who will be a senior at Bearden High School, represented Immaculate Conception Church at YLI and praised the program, which began the week with “ice-breakers” and sessions with diocesan leaders.

“By the end of the week no one wanted to leave and we all talked about how to become better leaders. It definitely helped a lot. It was a great experience,” said Miss Hunt, who noted that students learned how to lead a group, better communicate with others and how to defend the teachings of the Catholic

Church. To further underscore his point, Mr. Forsythe said studies show young people need good role models and if they find them within the Church, they will stay with the Church. “Church becomes home and everyone wants to come home,” he said. n

RESERVE THE DATE! Diocese of Knoxville’s 25th Anniversary Jubilee Kickoff Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 Eucharistic Congress Keynote speaker: Timothy Cardinal Dolan

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

dioknox.org

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Trips to Scotland, France, Ireland, Shrines of Europe and much more… ranging from $3,599—$4,699 for 2012.

Contributions from the Knights Bishop Richard F. Stika accepts a pair of checks totaling nearly $10,000 from Knights of Columbus State Deputy Mike Wills (right). State advocate Tracy Staller (left) joined Mr. Wills for the presentation.

Knights of Columbus make donation to diocese

By Dan McWilliams he Diocese of Knoxville has received nearly $10,000 from the Knights of Columbus for projects in the diocese. Bishop Richard F. Stika received the contributions from the Knights in a presentation July 19 in his office at the Chancery. State Deputy Mike Wills, a parishioner of All Saints Church in Knoxville, gave the bishop checks for $8,009 and $1,872. Accompanying him was Tracy Staller of Holy Family Church in Seymour, the Knights’ state advocate. For the larger check, “the contributions came from the various councils across the state,” Mr. Wills said. “We have 80 active councils, and they gave money. The money was then divided among the three dioceses of the state and this amount was for the Diocese of Knoxville to be applied to the projects as the bishop directs.” The second check “came from the proceeds of a golf tournament that was sponsored by the insurance arm of the state [council], and that money has been designated for the needs of seminarians,” Mr. Wills said. The Seminarians Golf Tournament was held in April as part of the Knights’ state convention in Franklin. Mr. Wills said it was rewarding to present the checks personally to The East Tennessee Catholic

the bishop. “It’s always a pleasure. It represents the work of the 11,000 Knights in the state of Tennessee, and being able to represent them to our bishop is an honor and a privilege.” The check presentation is an annual event, he added. “We do this every year, and the amounts due to the generosity of the Knights have continued to increase.” Bishop Stika expressed appreciation for the donations. “The Knights of Columbus are always so generous, and here in the state of Tennessee they’ve contributed over the years to seminarian education as well as to other projects deemed important by the bishops, so I’m always grateful to them,” the bishop said. “One of my proud affiliations is to say that I’m a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus.” The $8,009 donation will go into the bishop’s Episcopal Fund, which he uses for special projects. “Throughout the year, there are special projects that I might be involved in that I might be able to make a donation to,” Bishop Stika said, noting the $1,872 check “goes strictly for seminarian education, which we can always use, especially with the large amount of seminarians we’ll have.” n

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Italy/Switzerland: Sept. 8-20, Sept. 15-27, Sept. 29Oct. 11, Oct. 6-18, Oct. 13-25, Oct. 20-Nov. 1, Nov. 315 2013: April 6-18, April 13-25, April 20-May 2 … Italy Regular: Sept. 1-9, Sept. 8-16, Sept. 15-23, Sept. 22-30, Sept. 29-Oct. 7, Oct. 6-14, Oct. 13-21, Oct. 20-28, Nov. 3-11 2013: April 6-14, April 13-21... Holy Land: Sept. 3-13, Sept. 10-20, Sept. 24-Oct. 4, Oct. 1-11, Oct. 8-18, Oct. 15-25, Oct. 15-25 … Holy Land/Italy: Aug. 27-Sept. 9, Sept. 3-16, Sept. 10-23, Sept. 17-30, Sept. 24-Oct. 7, Oct. 1-14, Oct. 8 -21, Oct. 15-28, Oct. 29-Nov. 11 2013: April 1-14 … France: Sept. 25-Oct. 7, Oct. 9-21, Oct. 23November 4 2013: April 27-May 9, May 4-16 … Tuscany/Assisi/Cinque Terre: Sept. 3-14 Italy South: Sept. 8-20, Sept. 29-Oct. 11, Oct. 6-18, Oct. 13-25, Nov. 3-15 2013: April 27-May 9 … Greece/Turkey: Sept. 8-20 2013: May 4-16 … Ireland/Scotland: Sept. 8-20 2013: April 27-May 9... France/Portugal/Spain: Sept. 8-20, Sept. 22October 4, October 6-18, October 20-November 1 Holy Land/Jordan/Egypt: November 8-21 Medjugorje/Lourdes/Fatima: Sept. 2-13 2013: April 22-May 3, April 29-May 10, May 6-17, May 13-24 … Italy/Lourdes/Fatima: Sept. 8-20, Oct. 6-18 2013: April 20-May 2, April 27-May 9, May 4-16 … www.proximotravel.com email: anthony@proximotravel.com

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

855-842-8001 | 508-340-9370 Carmela A. Dupuis, Executive Director

August 5, 2012 9

Diocesan calendar by Margaret Hunt The “Not Your Average Joe” Catholic men’s conference, sponsored by the diocesan Office of Christian Formation, will be held at All Saints Church in Knoxville from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25. The conference will focus on St. Joseph’s example for men to become better husbands, workers, and fathers. Jeff Cavins, a Catholic author of several books, including The Great Adventure Bible Study, and Steve Wood, founder of St. Joseph’s Covenant Keepers, will be the keynote speakers. Bishop Richard F. Stika will be the principal celebrant and homilist at the conference’s Mass. The cost is $50 per person. Register online at stjosephsociety.org/conference. The diocesan Office of Christian Formation is hosting an RCIA Fall Conference from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15. Father Christian Mathis will present a keynote address on the topic of “The Use of Social Media in the RCIA.” Registration is available online at bit.ly/Mjbcje. Lunch will be served. For more details, contact Sister Timothea Elliott, RSM, at srmarytimothea@dioknox.org or Jennifer Perkins at jperkins@dioknox.org, or call 865-584-3307. Father David Carter will present an overview of the annulment process at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish life center in Chattanooga from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, in the Shea Room at Sacred Heart Cathedral, and from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, in the parish life center at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport. The sessions will be simultaneously translated in Spanish. For more details, contact Marian Christiana, coordinator of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment, at 423-892-2310 or mchristiana@dioknox.org. The diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy and Sacred Heart Cathedral are sponsoring “Glory to God: Exploring Music for the Mass,” a workshop

10 August 5, 2012

for diocesan music ministers, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, in the Sacred Heart Cathedral School gym. The cost is $15 and includes lunch. For more information, contact Father Randy Stice at 865-584-3307 or frrandy@ dioknox.org. More registration information will appear in the September issue of the ETC. A local World Youth Day celebration, “Rejoice in the Lord Always,” will take place at St. Albert the Great Church in Knoxville on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 18 and 19. Michael James Mette, The Thirsting, and Johnny Fecco will perform at the event. The cost is $20, but oneday tickets for $10 are available. The host hotel is the Comfort Inn off Emory Road about five minutes away; for a special church rate of $69.99 for the night of Aug. 18, call the hotel at 865938-5508. To learn more about the celebration, visit tinyurl.com/LWYDinfo or contact Al Forsythe at 865-862-5754. The Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life is accepting donations for its annual rummage sale scheduled for Aug. 10 and 11 at the TRL office. The hours of the sale are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11. Contact the TRL office at 865-689-1339 or trlknox@knology.net. A Beginning Experience retreat for those who have lost a spouse through death or divorce is scheduled for Oct. 5-7. The location and other details will appear in a future issue. More information about the weekend can be found at www.beginningexperience.org. Contact Marian Christiana at 423-892-2310 or mchristiana@dioknox.org to register. The Sevier County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life is sponsoring a Cutest Baby Contest at the Sevier County Fair Sept. 3-8. The contest is open to Sevier County babies and toddlers between the ages of newborn to 3 1/2 years of age. Submit a photo no larger than 4 by 6 with the child’s name, age, and family contact information to Sevier County Right to Life, c/o Patti Gallo-

Bryant, P.O. Box 905, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, by Friday, Aug. 24. Winners will be determined by the number of votes each child receives from fair attendees. For further information, contact Ursula Beckmann at 865-908-2689, or Patti Bryant at 323-3203. Knights of Columbus Council 3832 is sponsoring its 14th annual Community Golf Outing on Friday, Sept. 7 (rain date Sept. 14), at Lambert Acres Golf Club in Maryville. The event has a 1 p.m. shotgun start and a four-person swat format. Check-in is at 11 a.m. and lunch at 11:30. Entry fee is $75 per person and includes golf cart and fees, driving range, lunch, beverages, door prizes, and goody bags. Mulligan packages are $10. Trophies will be awarded to the top three teams and to the winning corporate team. Proceeds benefit the community activities of Council 3832. Sponsor options are available. For more information, call Doug Hill at 865-8568907 or 256-0172, Jim Reggio at 9839276, or Pat Flanagan at 388-3409. The next “Picture of Love” engagedcouples retreat is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 12 and 13, in Siener Hall at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga. The retreat is Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. and then continues on Saturday, going from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mass will be celebrated during the retreat. The cost is $135 and includes a certificate good for a $60 discount on a marriage license. Couples must attend the entire program to receive a certificate. To register, contact Marian Christiana at 423-892-2310 or mchristiana@dioknox.org. Father Patrick Resen will be the chaplain on a pilgrimage to southern Italy from Sept. 8-20. Pilgrims will visit Rome, Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Ravello, Sicily, Catania, Mount Etna, Syracuse, Taormina, and Calabria. Cost is $3,999. E-mail anthony@ proximotravel.com or call 855-842-8001. Father William Oruko is leading a pilgrimage to Kenya from Sept. 17-Oct. 1. Father Oruko will facilitate a three-day

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

mission in Nairobi on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and visit his home parish for the opening of Laura’s Educational Resource Center. Contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or lccte@bellsouth.net. Father Charlie Burton will be the spiritual director for a 10-day pilgrimage to Italy from Sept. 17-26. Sites visited will include Rome, Tuscany, Assisi, Florence, Orvieto, and Venice. The cost is $3,699 per person. To register or learn more, contact Proximo Travel at 508340-9370 or toll free at 855-842-8001 or Dr. Anthony Nachef at anthony@ proximotravel.com. The Catholic Committee of Appalachia will have its annual meeting on the weekend of Sept. 21-23 at the Pine Mountain Settlement School in Bledsoe, Ky. To learn more or register online, visit www.ccappal.org. The next charismatic Mass at Holy Spirit Church in Soddy-Daisy will be celebrated at 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26. Father Dan Whitman of Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City will be the celebrant. Singers and instrumentalists who would like to participate should arrive at 4:30. Prayers for healing will follow the Mass. Call Dee Leigh at 423-842-2305 for more information. The next Marriage Encounter weekend in the diocese is scheduled for Aug. 24-26 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Knoxville. For more information, contact John or Anne Wharton at 423-581-1815 or acw193@bellsouth.net, or visit www. loveinthesmokies.org or wwme.org. The Community of Sant’Egidio is a Catholic lay ecclesial movement that focuses on prayer and service to the poor. For more information, call Father Michael Cummins at 423-926-7061. Everyone is welcome.

Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at 1:30 p.m. each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville, at 3 p.m. on first and third Calendar continued on page 11 dioknox.org

Chattanooga Deanery calendar The Haiti ministry at St. Augustine Church in Signal Mountain is collecting items for its annual “Hot as Haiti Yard Sale.” Yard sale items will be available for purchase at the World’s Longest Yard Sale Aug. 1-5. During the yard sale, the group from St. Augustine will be stationed in front of Price-Rite Marking Systems at 2900 Taft Highway. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the St. Antoine School in Petite Rivière de Nippes, Haiti. Contact Karen Vessels to volunteer at 423-886-6223. Contact Larry Chapman at 886-6972 for assistance with donating large furniture items. St. Jude Church is hosting an evening of dancing and big band–era music from 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, in the family life center. The Brad Walker Orchestra featuring Valerie Duke will perform. Tickets are $50 each, $35 for seniors and students, or $300 for a table of eight. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served, and a beer and

Parish notes: Chattanooga Deanery

wine cash bar will be available. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the local World of Hope Isaiah 58 chapter. For tickets or more information, call 423-544-4445.

Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy The St. Vincent de Paul Society at Holy Spirit Church has been collecting school supplies for five Chattanooga-area elementary schools. Items can be placed in the designated containers in the narthex of the church and outside the parish office.

Knights of Columbus Council 6099 will sponsor a Tootsie Roll drive in Chattanooga to benefit the mentally challenged during August. The drive will take place on the weekend of Aug. 17-19 in front of the Wal-Mart at 2020 Gunbarrel Road.

St. Jude, Chattanooga The parish Good Samaritan collection supported Room in the Inn, a homeless shelter in Chattanooga, through donations of personal-care items and cleaning materials during July.

Knights of Columbus Council 610 in Chattanooga is collecting items for its White Elephant Yard Sale scheduled 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, at Camp Columbus. The sale will coincide with the council’s annual Labor Day picnic. Contact Scott Louisell at 423-667-6936 or scottlouisell@gmail.com, or John Chrnalogar at 544-1562, to donate items. Proceeds from the sale will support the Knights’ charitable activities during the year. n

The St. Jude Parish picnic will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 on the parish grounds. The Knights of Columbus will grill hot dogs and hamburgers, but parishioners are asked to provide side dishes and desserts. Volunteers are needed to help with food preparation, games, crafts, and music. Contact Kyra Ross to volunteer at 423-870-2386. Father Charlie Burton’s summer Bible study on the Acts of the Apostles continues from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays in the parish life center through Aug. 14. Bring a New American Bible to the classes.

St. Stephen Church, Chattanooga The Pregnancy Help Center thanked the St. Stephen families who contributed money to the annual Baby Bottle Drive. The parish raised $1,438.23 for the clients of the center.

Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga

ELIZABETH CONWAY

Religious education and RCIA will have sign-ups during a coffee-and-doughnuts gathering from 10 to 11:15 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, in the parish hall. n

First Communion at Holy Spirit Twenty-five youth recently received their first Holy Communion from celebrant Monsignor Al Humbrecht, assisted by Deacon Mick Spencer, at Holy Spirit Church in Soddy-Daisy. With Monsignor Humbrecht above are (from left, front row) Rosalinda Zarco Valdez, Bryan Calderon Jacobo, Maria Guadalupe Melchor Perez, Soraya Lucia Romero, Riley Elizabeth Markus, Landen Mark LeMaitre, Veronica Ryane Miller, Hannah Terese Melton, and Dulce Maria Luna Aquilar; (middle row) Sergio Antonio Zarco Aquilar, Haden Lee Maxwell, Cooper Owen Allen, Colin Cashman Philpott, Fatima Calderon Jacobo, Conner Dale Boerschig, and Riley Jacquelyn McCormick; and (back row) Jessica Marie Little, Samuel Wyatt Harvey, Cristina Zarco Valenzo, Roberto Angel Tinoco Gonzalez, Seth Rylan Ayala, Edgar Jose Melchor, Connor 1Joseph McNamara, Kevin Yahir Luna Aquilar, and Guadalupe Chavez Gallegos. The East Tennessee Catholic

Calendar continued from page 10 Sundays at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland, and at 3 p.m. on second and fourth Sundays at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Madisonville. Visit www.knoxlatinmass.net for updated information. The St. Thomas the Apostle Ukrainian Catholic Mission celebrates Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. Sundays in the chapel at the Chancery office in Knoxville. All services are in English. Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865-584-3307 or visit www.saintthomasknoxville.org for details. Holy Resurrection Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Mission has Divine Liturgy celebrations at 9:30 a.m. Sundays at the old Holy Ghost Church, 1031 N. Central St. in Knoxville. For times of holy-day services or for more information, visit www. knoxbyz.org or call Father Thomas O’Connell at 865-256-4880. n

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

August 5, 2012 11

Parish notes: Cumberland Mountain Deanery Blessed Sacrament, Harriman The Council of Catholic Women will have its first meeting following its summer break at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 7, at the annex. The CCW is asking for usable items (no used clothing or shoes) for its annual bazaar, set for Saturday, Oct. 13. Items may be left in Blessed Sacrament Hall beginning Saturday, Sept. 1.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade The parish book club will meet at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 15, in the parish conference hall. The book The Warmth of Other Suns (Vintage Books, 2011) by Isabel Wilkerson will be discussed. Anniversaries: Jim and Helen McGonagle (66), George and Jean McGonagle (61), Robert and Madonna Boncher (60), William and Mary Best (58), Ralph and Lois Taylor (55), Ben and Jackie Ryba (55), James and Laura Knoll (54), Russell and Edith Uboldi (54), Paul and Carole Forkapa (53), James and Corrine Gabriel (53), Jerome and Carol Scherer (52), Tom and Peg Clifford (52), Ray and Joan Nadolny (51), Mike and Betty Converse (50)

COURTESY OF KAREN VACALIUC

Confirmandi: Megan Butler, Connor Cooney, Samantha Eisenberg, Kyra Grubb, Jonathan Higgins, Scott Nelson, Cody Palko, Aubrey Riggs, Adam Robert, Cynthia Roberts, Alison Smith, Aaron Tapley.

More than 70 attend VBS at St. Mary in Oak Ridge St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge celebrated vacation Bible school during the last week in June. Participants hopped on “The Vatican Express,” learning about their Catholic faith through crafts, Bible lessons, music, and outdoor activities. More than 70 children attended, with many teen and adult volunteers helping make the week run smoothly. The VBS ended with a Mass and cookout.

St. John Neumann, Farragut The parish collected antibacterial soap, lemon drops, and Curél lotion to help fill comfort care baskets for patients of the Thompson Cancer Survival Center. A blessing of the new church office with an open house will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18. Tours of the offices will also be held after the 4:30 p.m. Mass that day as well as after the 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Masses on Sunday, Aug. 19. Refreshments will be served in the Elizabeth Ann Seton Community Room after each tour.

The St. Mary Knights of Columbus and the parish right-to-life ministry will sponsor a presentation on end-of-life issues by Paul Simoneau, director of the diocesan Office of Justice and Peace, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 4, in Columbus Hall. Dinner will be served during the meeting. n

12 August 5, 2012

COURTESY OF JOAN T. DEGROFF

St. Mary, Oak Ridge

Blessed Sacrament CCW awards scholarship Michaela Grubb (right), a 2012 Roane County High School graduate, was recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Council of Catholic Women at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Harriman. She is pictured with CCW president Jennifer Perkins. Michaela earned a 4.093 grade-point average, ranked fifth in her graduating class, and was active in church, school, and community projects. She was a member of the Beta Club, Key Club, concert band, East Tennessee Community Band, jazz band, and marching band. She plans to attend Tennessee Tech and major in music therapy. Michaela is the daughter of Blessed Sacrament parishioners Melissa and Ralph Grubb of Kingston. The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

dioknox.org

Five Rivers Deanery calendar Judi Phillips, MS, FCP, will present an introduction to the Creighton Model System of Natural Family Planning in the church basement at St. Mary Church in Johnson City from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16. The presentation will include

Parish notes: Five Rivers Deanery

an overview of how the method is used to monitor a couple’s fertility along with Church teachings on NFP. To RSVP or obtain more information, contact Ms. Phillips at 423-892-4668 or jphillips-nfp@ hotmail.com. n

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City Holy Trinity parishioners have collected $2,428.18 toward their goal of $2,500 for their mission parish at St. Pierre de Bainet in Haiti. The parish collected $2,595 during July 2011. The Appalachian Outreach annual school-supply drive took place at Holy Trinity on the weekends of July 21-22 and July 28-29. Anniversaries: Emery and Mildred Faulkner (64), Chuck and Bernice Salley (60), Lee and Evangeline Webster (55), Jeffrey and Julie Greene (15)

Notre Dame, Greeneville

COURTESY OF KATHLEEN GRUBB

The parish picnic will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18. Games and other activities are planned. Contact the parish for more information at 423-639-9381.

St. Elizabeth has vacation Bible school St. Elizabeth Parish in Elizabethton held its vacation Bible school June 25-27. The theme was “Jesus’ Garden.” From left are (front) participants Allison Jordon, Luke Anspaugh, Quintin Bergenholtz, James Bergenholtz, Marissa Sehrer, Daniel Grubb, Michael Anspaugh, and Timothy Grubb and (back) leaders Katelyn Sehrer, Nichole Swink, Lawrence Mitra, Cole Greer, Ben Paul, and Brian Sehrer. Leaders/helpers not pictured are Rachael Paul, John Paul Mitra, Camryn Greer, and Kalin Estes.

Notre Dame’s Fall Festival of Nations is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22. Cuisine from around the world will be featured at the event. Activities include games, a bake sale, a talent show, a silent auction and a yard sale. The yard sale will be open from 8 a.m. until around noon and the festival will begin at 11 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. Contact Bud Noe, chairman, at 423-639-1074 for more information.

St. Dominic, Kingsport The parish is sponsoring a rummage sale from 7 a.m. until noon, Saturday, Aug. 4 in the parish life center. Clothing, electronic items, furniture, exercise equipment, and baked goods will be available for sale. For details, contact Veronica Bukowski-Stanton at 423-765-1264 or Chris Terry at 423-239-8744. The prison ministry welcomes donations of books in English or Spanish, including mysteries, science fiction, nonfiction, self-help, inspirational, biographies, and history. No items with suggestive subject matter will be accepted. Smaller magazines such as Prevention, Guidepost, Reader’s Digest, and the Magnificat are welcome. Drop off books in the donation tub on the left side of the administration-building doors. For more information, contact Billye Whitaker at 423-2393199 or 384-4878 or billyeann@charter.net.

JRICH PHOTOGRAPHY

The parish held a rafting trip on the Lower Nolichucky River near Erwin on July 28. n

Bishop confirms youth at St. Dominic St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport celebrated confirmation April 12. Adults pictured above with Bishop Richard F. Stika are (from left) pastor Father Mike Nolan, Deacon Bob Lange, and Deacon Jim Prosak. Teachers for the class were Dan Foster, Deacon Lange, Janel Lange, Sandy McAdams, and Ed Parsons. The East Tennessee Catholic

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

August 5, 2012 13

Smoky Mountain Deanery calendar

Parish notes: Smoky Mountain Deanery

A Seekers of Silence Contemplative Saturday Morning will be held Aug. 18 at Buckingham Clubhouse, 7303 Manderly Way in Knoxville. Father Randy Stice will speak on the topic “Silence in the Spirituality of St. John of the Cross.” 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 at 865-523-7931.

Blessed John XXIII, Knoxville The parish is sponsoring a “Summer Bible Extravaganza” for children and adults from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 6-8. The event will include activities for all age groups. RSVP to the office at 865-523-7931 or john23@utk.edu.

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville The IC women’s group thanked the parish for its support of the Creative Cupcake Sale held the weekend of June 9-10. The $620 raised at the sale will benefit Catholic Relief Services.

Judi Phillips, MS, FCP, will present an

The women’s group sponsored its annual Christ Child Baby Shower after the Masses on July 14-15. Items and cash collected were donated to the Ladies of Charity for their layette program.

Confirmation at the cathedral Bishop Richard F. Stika poses with Maggie Simoneau, one of 60 youth he confirmed at Sacred Heart Cathedral on April 24. Instructors for the group were confirmation director Kathleen Edwards, Katy Gonzales, Ashley Siferd, Joey Ernst, Miles Safieh, and Krissy Holvey. Maggie is a daughter of Paul and Ann Simoneau.

On July 9 the FISH team distributed food to 106 families, with a total of 222 people served. The next distribution date is Monday, Aug. 13.

Sacred Heart, Knoxville

Father Chris Michelson thanked those who donated money for the new stained-glass window depicting Mount Sinai to commemorate the church’s fifth anniversary.

PAUL SIMONEAU

The cathedral will host the diaconate ordination of seminarian Christopher Manning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 4. Bishop Richard F. Stika will preside. A reception will follow in the school gym.

St. Albert the Great, Knoxville

introduction to the Creighton Model System of Natural Family Planning in the Shea Room at Sacred Heart Cathedral from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9. The presentation will include an overview of how the method is used to monitor a couple’s fertility along with Church teachings on NFP. To RSVP or obtain more information, contact Ms. Phillips at 423892-4668, or by e-mail, jphillips-nfp@ hotmail.com. n

Baptism: Natalie Nicole Springer, granddaughter of Andrew and Marci Obester

St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville The parish donated new clothes for schoolchildren in need as part of the Good Shepherd Center’s “Christmas in July” program. The Good Shepherd Center provides a new outfit for each child that participates in the program each year.

St. Mary pastor Father Joseph Brando will celebrate the 40th anniversary of his priestly ordination with an open house at the American Legion Post 202 at 1222 E. Parkway in Gatlinburg from 7-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21. RSVP by Friday, Aug. 31. For details, contact Mary Williams, the anniversary committee chair, at 865436-4907. n

14 August 5, 2012

ROY EHMAN

St. Mary, Gatlinburg

Groundbreaking at Our Lady of Fatima Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa broke ground July 22 on an expansion of and a renovation to the Fatima Center’s recreation and office facilities. From left are finance committee chair Tom Witt, Clint Woodfin, Deacon Ken Long, pastor Father Bill McKenzie, Father Bill McNeeley, Dolores Maglione, Kathy Halligan, Carl Sten, Frank Weiskoft, Lynne Musick, and Dick McGill. See the story on page 1 for details on building efforts around the diocese. The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

dioknox.org

Catholic youth

Notre Dame girls tennis team wins state title The Lady Irish capture the program’s second crown with a 4-3 victory in the finals

COURTESY OF GAYLE SCHOENBORN

Eagle Scout award for Chris Chris Cooley attained the rank of Eagle Scout at a ceremony held April 29 at the Farragut Town Hall. Chris is a parishioner at All Saints Parish in Knoxville and is an active member of BSA Troop 125, chartered by St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut. He is the son of Kevin and Gail Cooley. Chris is pictured with his Scoutmaster, Robert Baugh, at the Eagle ceremony. For his Eagle Scout service project, Chris designed and constructed an exterior deck at the Knoxville Salvation Army Center on Broadway. The addition of this deck provided the women and children of the center a safe outdoor area. Including the help of volunteers, Chris’ project totaled some 200 hours of work.

The East Tennessee Catholic

Championship for Notre Dame The Lady Irish tennis team shows off its state-championship hardware and T-shirts. From left are coach Anne Ricksecker, Katie Lamsey, Danika Dorris, Sarah Joyce, Allyson Ross, Callie Voges, Katie Joyce, Anna McIntyre, Bridget Haywood, and coach Gary McIntyre.

Danika triumphed 6-1, 6-3; and Allyson swept her match 6-4, 6-2. Notre Dame blanked Page 4-0 in the state semifinals, with all four

winners combining to lose only one game. Katie was victorious by a 6-1, 6-0 count, while Sarah, Danika, and Allyson all won 6-0, 6-0. n

Jerry Lawlor represented Notre Dame High School as well as the entire region of Chattanooga recently at the Intel ISEF (International Science and Engineering Fair) in Pittsburgh. Jerry received two awards. He was awarded first place in the mathematics divisions from the Air Force Research Laboratory, and he received a medal, trophy, and $3,000 cash prize. Jerry was also selected as a recipient of a $60,000 scholarship to the Florida Institute of Technology. Michael Labbe of Notre Dame, the only Tennessee representative at the International Sustainable World Energy Environmental & Engineering Project Olympiad, earned honorable mention for his thermal solar cell made from post-consumed materials. Michael earned a $200 prize for his project. n

Townsend parish member wins award at science fair At the recent Southern Appalachian Science and Engineering Fair in Knoxville, Erin Smith, a parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi in Townsend, earned the E = MC2 Award with her project, “Television Destroys . . . Your Ability to Concentrate.” Erin, who is a rising eighth-grader at Maryville Middle School, competed in the 60th annual event held at the University of Tennessee. n

COURTESY OF ROBERT BAUGH

he Notre Dame High School girls tennis team won the 2012 Class A-AA state title, finishing the season undefeated at 14-0. The title was the second overall for the Lady Irish program, which also won a championship in 1985. Notre Dame defeated Christian Academy of Knoxville 4-3 in the finals this spring. Each of the girls had outstanding individual seasons, with three players—Katie Joyce, Sarah Joyce, and Allyson Ross—remaining undefeated until the team regionals and two (Sarah and Allyson) going into the state finals undefeated. Allyson remained undefeated throughout. Callie Voges, the only senior on the team, and Danika Dorris also played integral roles in propelling the girls to the title. Sarah and Danika teamed up to clinch the state championship with an 8-4 win in doubles. Also against CAK in the finals, Katie won her singles match 6-0, 6-1;

NDHS student honored at science, engineering fair

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August 5, 2012 15

The 24th annual diocesan Youth Recognition Mass and Evening Extravaganza will be held from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at Sacred Heart Cathedral. This year’s theme is “Be strong, fear not!” Outstanding youth and adults in the diocese will be recognized at the Mass, and the 2012-13 Diocesan Youth Ministry Advisory Council (DYMAC) will be commissioned. Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Richard F. Stika beginning at 5 p.m. Cost is $20 in advance or $30 at the door. T-shirt orders must be in by the morning of Monday, Sept. 3. Registration forms are available at dioknox.org. For more information, contact Deacon Dan Hosford at djh2@ comcast.net or (865) 603-9682. n

St. Jude School celebrates first Fine Arts Festival The first “Fine Arts Festival” was celebrated in style on April 19 at the St. Jude Parish family life center in Chattanooga. St. Jude School students of both staff and private arts teachers had the opportunity to showcase their talents. The night was led by program chairs Shannon Bourn and Nancy Cecil. Performing arts students participated in band performances, choral pieces, guitar, piano, and dance. Visual arts showcased a variety of media, including stained glass, paint, charcoal, clay, and cartooning. One room of the art museum was dedicated to Japanese art. Hundreds of school family members attended the show. n

16 August 5, 2012

Catholic youth

All Saints Parish teens serve at work camps The young people participate in Catholic HEART Workcamps in Philadelphia and Knoxville

any teens from All Saints Parish in Knoxville have been busy this summer. A group of 46 teens and adults traveled to Philadelphia for a week of service with Catholic HEART Workcamp (CHWC), which partners with local agencies to set up work projects that include painting, yard work, home repair, light construction, working with children and the elderly, and more. The camp in Philadelphia provided a unique experience in that many of the worksites were within walking distance of the host school. It was an immersion experience because participants were living in the community in which they were working. “It was an amazing experience that revived my faith in a fun and different way by focusing on what really matters,” said Knoxville Catholic High School senior Kimberly Narro. “This was my first year at camp, and I can’t wait to find out where we go next year,” said freshman Lauren Meyers. Many of the participants from All Saints also had the opportunity to give back at home within a few weeks of their return from Philadelphia. KCHS and All Saints hosted Catholic HEART Workcamp Knoxville 2012 from July 1-7. Nearly 300 high school and college students descended upon Knoxville to participate. Partnering agencies included the Knoxville–Knox County Community Action Committee, Child and Family Tennessee, Second Harvest Food Bank, the Salvation Army, KPD Safety City, the Cancer Fund of America, Caris Healthcare, SOAR Youth Ministry, Habitat for Humanity, Ijams Nature Center, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley.

COURTESY OF ANNIE NASSIS

Annual Youth Mass scheduled Sept. 8

Serving away and at home Teens from All Saints Parish participated in a Catholic HEART Workcamp in Philadelphia (above) this summer as well as one co-hosted by All Saints and Knoxville Catholic High School.

This year marked the fifth time that Knoxville has hosted the event. Groups traveled from Florida, Ohio, South Carolina, Louisiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin to serve in Knoxville. The participating youth raised funds all year in order to participate in the experience. The Knoxville campers were based at KCHS and All Saints where they ate, slept, and showered. Participants slept on air mattresses in classrooms, showered in locker rooms, and ate cafeteria food. “It is an amazing thing to see the wonderful things that teenagers are doing today,” said Annie Nassis, youth minister at All Saints and manager for Knoxville CHWC. “Oftentimes, teens get only negative publicity. These volunteers have paid money to sweat, sleep on the floor, and sacrifice a week to do service work to help strangers. It is inspiring to see how their small ac-

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

tions can truly change the lives of others.” Catholic HEART Workcamp began in 1993 and is based outside of Orlando. CHWC holds 48 camps nationwide and in Jamaica each summer with more than 12,000 teens participating. Plans are under way for the All Saints trip to CHWC next summer. CHWC was founded in 1993 by Steve and Lisa Walker, who at the time were youth ministers at St. Margaret Mary Church in Winter Park, Fla. The organization’s mission is “to share the love of Jesus and serve the neglected, brokenhearted, and marginalized in any way needed” and “to empower participants to live as disciples of Christ through serving others.” For more information, about Catholic HEART Workcamp, visit www. heartworkcamp.com. n dioknox.org

Our priests

‘A deep desire to live the fullness of the Byzantine tradition’ Father Armstrong explains his path to a vocation as a Byzantine Rite priest

ather Richard Armstrong is the assistant director of the Christian Formation Office for the Diocese of Knoxville and pastor of the St. Thomas the Apostle Ukrainian Catholic Mission. A native of Virginia, Father Armstrong was ordained a priest of the Ukrainian Catholic Church on May 3, 2009, at the Cathedral of St. Josaphat in Parma, Ohio, by Bishop Robert M. Moskal. Father Richard and his wife, Emily, have seven children. You had a somewhat different path to the priesthood than many men in the diocese. How did you discern a vocation as a Byzantine Rite priest? My vocation to the priesthood was born of a deep desire to live the fullness of the Byzantine tradition. This was the tradition of my father’s family who had originated from Ukraine. Unfortunately, where I grew up, my family was not able to practice the Byzantine tradition due to a lack of clergy and churches. We simply attended Latin (Roman) Catholic services as Byzantines. As an adult, I was able to rediscover the richness of the Byzantine tradition that I had missed in my youth. My wife, who had already had some familiarity with Eastern European culture, also developed a great love for the Byzantine tradition. We decided that we wanted our own family to live out and experience the Gospel of Christ as Byzantines. As we found out, there were other Byzantines in the Knoxville area and beyond who had the same desire for the fullness of the Byzantine tradition. The only way to have this fullness was for us to have a priest of our tradition. I had the education and could fulfill that need for a Byzantine priest. Who helped you most as you were The East Tennessee Catholic

By Margaret Hunt

desperately longed for the fullness of the Byzantine tradition but had no Byzantine clergy to provide it. What brings you the greatest joy in your life as a priest? Celebrating the Divine Services with my parishioners. At Divine Liturgy, we are already in heaven. To be in heaven with my immediate family, my parish family, and all of the saints and angels is the greatest joy. A particular joy during liturgy is giving the Holy Eucharist to God’s people. To be a witness to what takes place is a wonderful privilege: we have given Christ our humanity; in exchange, Christ gives us the greater gift of his divinity in order for us to become what he is. In Holy Communion we become what we receive and receive what we are. Father Richard Armstrong

going through the discernment process? Did encouragement/advice come from different people or experiences you’ve had? First of all, my immediate family and the desire to raise our family in the Byzantine tradition. Others include Father Constantine Belisarius, a Melkite priest-monk, who is the Religion Studies adviser at Seton Home Study School, and Father Mark Shuey, Ukrainian Catholic protopresbyter of the Mid-Atlantic Deanery. Both encouraged me to pursue the priesthood. Father Stephen Freeman, a local Eastern Orthodox priest, also was instrumental in my discernment. Although Father Stephen would have preferred me to be Orthodox rather than Byzantine Catholic, he and his parish helped me to see the fullness and beauty of the Byzantine tradition. My own future parishioners also were very important to my discernment—they

What challenges have you had to face since your ordination and how have you grown to meet the challenges? Latin Catholic misunderstandings about the Eastern Christian Churches—their rites, liturgies, spirituality, prayers, ecclesial discipline, etc. Through presentations and personal witness, I have tried to help Latin Catholics see that being Catholic is not limited to the Latin Tradition and that the Catholic Church is actually a communion of more than 20 churches. Our faith is the same, but each Church is a unique expression of that one faith, and our unity of faith is not predicated upon a unity of praxis in liturgy, spirituality, discipline, etc.

Sponsors sought The Pastoral Juvenil (Hispanic Youth and Young Adults Ministry) of the Diocese of Knoxville is looking for sponsors for a Spanish language radio program made by the youth for the youth. The program, which will be broadcast on Sundays, will promote the “Year of Faith.” The ministry asks that sponsors make an annual monetary pledge. For more information, call the Hispanic Ministry Office at 865-637-4769. n

Position available Mary, Queen of Angels, a 98-unit assisted living community located in Nashville, is seeking an executive director. The position offers a competitive salary and great benefits. For more information, go to www. dioceseofnashville.com and click on “Employment Opportunities.”n

How has your experience as a father to seven children been helpful to your role as a spiritual father for your parishioners? Marriage and biological fatherhood, I believe, is one of God’s ways of

Father Armstrong continued on page 24

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August 5, 2012 17

Living the readings

Weekday Readings

The Bread of Life

Sunday, Aug. 5: Exodus 16:2-4, 1215; Psalm 78:3-4, 23-25, 54; Ephesians 4:17, 20-24; John 6:24-35 Monday, Aug. 6: Feast, the Transfiguration of the Lord, Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 9; 2 Peter 1:16-19; Mark 9:2-10 Tuesday, Aug. 7: Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22; Psalm 102:16-21, 29, 22-23; Matthew 14:22-36 Wednesday, Aug. 8: Memorial, St. Dominic, priest, Jeremiah 31:17; Jeremiah 31:10-13; Matthew 15:21-28 Thursday, Aug. 9: Jeremiah 31:3134; Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19; Matthew 16:13-23 Friday, Aug. 10: Feast, St. Lawrence, deacon, martyr, 2 Corinthians 9:6-10; Psalm 112:1-2, 5-9; John 12:24-26 Saturday, Aug. 11: Memorial, St. Clare, virgin, Habakkuk 1:12–2:4; Psalm 9:8-13; Matthew 17:14-20 Sunday, Aug. 12: 1 Kings 19:4-8; Psalm 34:2-9; Ephesians 4:30–5:2; John 6:41-51 Monday, Aug. 13: Ezekiel 1:2-5, 2428; Psalm 148:1-2, 11-14; Matthew 17:22-27 Tuesday, Aug. 14: Memorial, St. Maximilian Kolbe, priest, martyr, Ezekiel 2:8–3:4; Psalm 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131; Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14; vigil for the Assumption, 1 Samuel 15:3-4, 15-16 and 16:1-2; Psalm 132:6-7, 9-10, 13-14; 1 Corinthians 15:54-57; Luke 11:27-28 Wednesday, Aug. 15: Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Revelation 11:19 and 12:1-6, 10; Psalm 45:10-12, 16; 1 Corinthians 15:20-27; Luke 1:39-56 Thursday, Aug. 16: Ezekiel 12:1-12; Psalm 78:56-59, 61-62; Matthew 18:21–19:1 Friday, Aug. 17: Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63; Isaiah 12:2-6; Matthew 19:3-12 Saturday, Aug. 18: Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13, 30-32; Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19; Matthew 19:13-15 Readings continued on page 19

18 August 5, 2012

by Father Joseph Brando

In Christ, we have his Word and flesh in the liturgy and Eucharist

ugust is a straight-forward month. Its four Sundays take the Gospel from the sixth chapter of the Gospel According to John and the New Testament reading from the fourth and fifth chapters of Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians. In a way, Paul’s instructions to the Ephesians serve as the setting into which the priceless gem of Jesus’ “Bread of Life” discourse can fit and bring out further meaning. The “Bread of Life” passage can be easily divided into four parts, one each for the four Sundays. The first part is an introduction in the form of a dialogue. The two middle parts make up the substance of the discourse. Finally, John presents the public reaction to Jesus’ words. Before we start discussing the 18th Sunday, we need to go back to the previous Sunday’s Gospel, which actually was the beginning of John’s sixth chapter. There we read about the multiplication of loaves and fish. Thus begins this extraordinary section of Scripture. The preceding day Jesus had left the 5,000 men knowing they were about to try to make him king. So, we proceed to the first segment of Jesus speaking about his being the bread of life. It begins with a dialogue reminiscent of Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well. Here, the crowd, which had fed on the miraculous bread, catches up with Jesus and asks him, “When did you get here?” Jesus advised them not to look for the perishable bread they really craved. The bread he can give fills your body and your soul, too. This bread provides you with eternal life. The people took the bait and asked what they needed to do to accomplish the works of God. Jesus answered all they needed to do was believe. That is to say their duty

is to be on the receiving end and submit to God’s work, which will become clear in Jesus’ words and life. Hearing that, the crowd became unfriendly. They thought salvation is something you earn. Jesus revealed that we need to trust God. We must allow Jesus, the real bread, into our lives. Now, the crowd was wary. Trusting wasn’t easy or satisfying. So, they asked for a sign, like the manna Moses gave the people. Jesus corrected them on two counts. First, Moses did not give bread from heaven; God did. Second, it is not a past event. God is still giving you the real bread that gives life to the world. The crowd reacts with the request, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus concluded the interview saying, “I am the Bread of Life.” That leads us directly to the discourse itself. On the 19th Sunday the Liturgy presents the first part and the 20th Sunday has the second half. The sermon starts with Jesus introducing himself to those who didn’t truly know him. The crowd only saw his human persona. He was the son of Joseph. Jesus revealed to them that those who come to him are drawn by the Father. We are beginning to learn about the nature of God. If we have faith in Jesus we also are in the mystery of a Triune God and enter eternal life. Jesus continues, “I am the bread that came down from Heaven…and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the light of the world.” In effect, Jesus is the bread of life because he feeds us. What he feeds us is divine wisdom and himself. So, in Christ we have both his word and his flesh. We have the Liturgy of the Word and the Sacrament of the Eucharist. He is the Mass. That concept comes more clearly

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

to the fore in the second half of the discourse. Salvation comes not just M from believing in Jesus but from feeding on his flesh. John, at this time, used an alternative Greek word to describe “eating” the Body of Christ. He substituted a word meaning “devour” or “chewing hard” instead of the more polite “eat.” He wanted to depict an aggressive action, perhaps the eating of a person who was terribly hungry. As for drinking his blood, that already was repulsive for Jews. For them, no humans should drink blood. John seems to be trying to temper our tendency to over-spiritualize our receiving the Eucharist. Christ is truly entering our life, body and soul. It is a sacrament and, therefore, a sensual experience leading us to a deeper spiritual awareness of God’s presence within us. Notice, as well, two statements of Jesus recorded in the Gospel on the 20th Sunday that reflect different answers to the perennial Christian question about when salvation comes. Is Christ’s coming an event that has happened, or will happen at the end of time, or some time in between? Jesus gives one answer, “Whoever eats my flesh…remains in me and I in him,” that seems to say salvation has been accomplished and we abide with God here and now in the Eucharist. But then a verse later, Jesus is quoted as saying, “The one who feeds on me will have life because of me.” That seems to indicate we have to wait for the last day to enjoy true union with God. John, I think, is using one of the best teaching methods in the Scriptures. He presents us with an apparent contradiction and leaves it to us to reconcile it. In this case, one can make the case for “anticipated eschatology.” That is, eternal salvation is attained in heaven; but we can anticipate its joy here on earth as we experience, in the Eucharist, a real relationship with the Lord in the unity of the Blessed Trinity. On the 21st Sunday of Ordinary dioknox.org

Mission continued from page 6

the first organizational meeting on Sept. 21. The first Mass was celebrated on Oct. 23. He also began leading a weekly “Food and Faith” group at a local restaurant, which is an informal question-and-answer session about the Church. The Glenmary priest expected about a half-dozen people to attend, but the meetings have attracted 15 to 20 members each week. And the Masses have been averaging about 60 people each Sunday. “They really are committed to this,” Father Charters said. “The members now are engaged. They are doing mission work. They are reaching out.” As an example, Father Charters said St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Mission will have a booth at Unicoi County’s Apple Festival in October, which attracts more than 100,000 people, and will be distributing literature about the Time we close out the “Bread of Life” discourse with the reaction of the listeners. They appear to be similar to the people of Israel in the desert after the Passover. They murmured. Jesus told them there are some who do not believe. And many of his disciples left him returning to their old lifestyle. That’s when Peter comes to the rescue and makes his profession of Faith in Jesus as the “Holy One of God.” The discourse is, indeed, a pearl of great price. Now, at the end, let’s look very briefly at the New Testa-

Church. For now, the mission is using an Elks Club facility in Erwin for Mass. Father Charters and the new mission have been embraced by the Unicoi community, including civic leaders, businesses and residents, and pastors from other churches. The welcome mat has been greatly appreciated by the priest who has been a Glenmary missioner for 40 years. “The ministers here have been wonderful and are very gracious,” Father Charters said. “This has been the most gracious, welcoming and open community, from the ministers to the residents.” With the foundation laid and a new name, Father Charters said building the mission will be a labor of love. A key next step for St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Mission is to find a permanent place for Mass and activities. Much has happened in the misment readings for the month and mention what facet of the Gospels each brings out. Remember, all of these readings come from the fourth and fifth chapters of Ephesians. On the first Sunday of August, Paul reminds us that we have chosen a new way of life and we should not return to our old ways as many of the disciples did after Jesus’ discourse. On the following two Sundays, Paul brings out the relationship we have when we share in the Body of Christ. We are in a relationship of love with everyone. So, we must live deeply

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The East Tennessee Catholic

sion’s first year and much remains to be done. Father Charters fondly remembers arriving in Unicoi County last August. He entered an Erwin bagel shop on his second day and the store’s Catholic coowners Keldon Clapp and Joyce Clapp were thrilled to meet the community’s new Catholic priest. That prompted Keldon Clapp to tell Joyce Clapp, “Well, Mom, we won’t have to drive to Greene County (70 miles roundtrip) for Mass anymore.” Father Charters said a public official of the Baptist faith even remarked that a Catholic church is needed in the area, affirmation of the Church’s work in the mountains of upper East Tennessee, where less than 1 percent of the population is Catholic. “We are doing the New Evangelization. Our people are continuing to do it and are excited about doing it,” he said. n our new life in joy and thanksgiving. Anything less is to “grieve the Spirit.” Finally, Paul presents the greatest example of living the Eucharistic lifestyle: couples living the life of matrimony. Marriage, for Christians, is a happy mystery referring to Christ and the Church. May all married couples remain in love and continue to model what it means to live in the life of God. n Father Brando is the pastor of St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg.

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Readings continued from page 18 Sunday, Aug. 19: Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalm 34:2-7; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58 Monday, Aug. 20: Memorial, St. Bernard, abbot, doctor of the Church, Ezekiel 24:15-23; Deuteronomy 32:18-21; Matthew 19:16-22 Tuesday, Aug. 21: Memorial, St. Pius X, pope, Ezekiel 28:1-10; Deuteronomy 32:26-28, 30, 35-36; Matthew 19:23-30 Wednesday, Aug. 22: Memorial, the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ezekiel 34:1-11; Psalm 23:1-6; Matthew 20:1-16 Thursday, Aug. 23: Ezekiel 36:2328; Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19; Matthew 22:1-14 Friday, Aug. 24: Feast, St. Bartholomew, apostle, Revelation 21:914; Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18; John 1:45-51 Saturday, Aug. 25: Ezekiel 43:1-7; Psalm 85:9-14; Matthew 23:1-12 Sunday, Aug. 26: Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18; Psalm 34:2-3, 16-21; Ephesians 5:21-32; John 6:60-69 Monday, Aug. 27: Memorial, St. Monica, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 1112; Psalm 96:1-5; Matthew 23:13-22 Tuesday, Aug. 28: Memorial, St. Augustine, bishop, doctor of the Church, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 14-17; Psalm 96:10-13; Matthew 23:23-26 Wednesday, Aug. 29: Memorial, the Passion of St. John the Baptist, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18; Psalm 128:1-2, 4-5; Mark 6:17-29 Thursday, Aug. 30: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; Psalm 145:2-7; Matthew 24:42-51 Friday, Aug. 31: 1 Corinthians 1:1725; Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11; Matthew 25:1-13 Saturday, Sept. 1: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Psalm 33:12-13, 18-21; Matthew 25:14-30 n

August 5, 2012 19

Children matter when it comes to discipline By Marian Christiana I have been reading many articles and books lately concerning how disciplining our children can help or hurt our marriages. It can help our marriages when there is a consistent family discipline policy in place and the husband and wife work together as an unbeatable team. Our marriages are hurt when there is no consistent discipline policy; chaos reigns. To keep the chaos at bay and enrich our marriages while we are at it, this month we will focus on the concept of disciplining our children as a team. In the free book Why Children Matter, Johann Christoph Arnold reinforces the Catholic belief that our duty as parents is to raise our children to love God with their whole heart, mind and soul, and to love their neighbor as themselves. He explains in his book that to accomplish these goals joint parenting must include respect, unconditional love and discipline. Our ability to focus on these three requirements starts with our relationship with our spouse. If we demonstrate self-discipline, are respectful of our spouse and show our spouse unconditional love, our family discipline policy will be easier to enforce. When my husband and I were developing our discipline policy we worked to combine lessons that we had learned from our families of origin and our own thoughts on discipline. I grew up without any adult supervision so I believed that all children were guilty until proven innocent and should be treated as such. Luckily for our children, my husband grew up in a more traditional setting so he had the benefit of consistent parenting and believed that discipline should be more even-handed. Together, we cre-

Life and dignity

Marriage continued on page 21

20 August 5, 2012

by Paul Simoneau

Brides of Christ

With the mystery of woman, we learn how to be better ‘turned toward’ our heavenly Bridegroom

ften it seems that God speaks to me through my wife, Ann, the mother of our six children. Of course, I don’t mean that quite as literally as she would perhaps like me to believe at times. But in coming to better appreciate the very prophetic sense of help that is unique to her vocation as a woman, a wife and a mother, I also have come to better understand a very important truth of our Catholic faith. In reflecting upon the description of woman found in Genesis 2:18, often translated as that of a “helper” or “partner” of man, some have pointed out that the fuller Hebrew meaning is that of “a helper turned toward him.” And I think herein lies a woman’s special gift that she prophetically shares. She shows not only what it means to be turned toward her husband, but especially what it means as a bride to be turned toward Christ our bridegroom. And so to the degree that we neglect the mystery of woman, we neglect the mystery of the Church and that of our own faith response as a bride of Christ. Some men are surprised to learn, as I was, that through baptism each of us, male as well as female, becomes a bride of Christ. I had no problem accepting the Church as being the Bride of Christ, or even in thinking of a woman’s great dignity and vocation in life as that of being a bride of Christ as well. I further understood that through the sacrament of Holy Orders, priests and deacons were uniquely configured to the Bridegroom. But yet I still wasn’t exactly comfortable with thinking of myself as a bride, believing such reflections might somehow dilute or even worse, emasculate a man’s faith response. But quite to the contrary, such reflections upon the mystery of woman have only served to strength-

en it. The Church, as the Bride of Christ, represents the mystery of our union with God. This nuptial union of Christ and the Church, St. Paul reminds us, is a “great mystery” (Ephesians 5:32), and through our baptism, we are incorporated into this mystery as a bride of Christ. Communion means fruitfulness and so the Church calls us to respond to God with Mary’s fiat—“Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). And with her rosary we contemplate through her eyes and heart the mystery of the Bridegroom and the Bride. I happened upon a wedding recently that was celebrated according to an Eastern Catholic Rite, which

Some men are surprised to learn, as I was, that through baptism each of us becomes a bride of Christ. includes the crowning of the bridegroom and bride. The crown is a symbol of martyrdom and a sign of the sacrifice of Christ our bridegroom, who for love of his Bride says, “this is my body..., this is my blood,” and of that of his Bride who lovingly responds, “this too is my body..., this too is my blood.” For this reason we can perhaps understand why Blessed John Paul II calls the Eucharist “the sacrament of the Bridegroom and the Bride.” In reflecting upon the mystery of woman, Russian Orthodox theologian Paul Evdokimov (1901-1970) comments that “she is like a mirror that reflects the face of man, reveals man to himself and thereby betters him (The Sacrament of Love, SVS Press, 1985). And it is in what a man sometimes sees in that mirror that causes

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him to “turn toward” Christ, like Peter finally did when put to the test. All four Gospels record the woman who confronts Peter warming himself by the fire in the high priest’s courtyard following Jesus’ arrest (Matthew 26:69-75 and parallels). No doubt we are familiar with Peter’s denials to the woman’s persistent questioning, culminating with his answer— “I do not know the man!” But what Peter said of Christ in his denial was more true of himself—he no longer knew himself in Christ. Only when Peter again “turned toward” Christ and beheld his gaze did he remember (Luke 22:61). Perhaps owing to John’s closeness to the Blessed Mother, he was the only apostle to be found at the foot of the cross with Mary and three other women. Fear subsides and love grows stronger when we draw close to the Blessed Mother. In John’s account of the resurrection, we read of Mary of Magdala, who in discovering the empty tomb ran to tell the others (John 20:1-8). But in seeing for themselves the empty tomb and not understanding, we are told the disciples “went home.” But Mary, to the contrary, remained “outside the tomb weeping” and was rewarded with the risen Christ for her vigil in staying close to the mystery of the Passion. As such, she became the first herald of the resurrection, proclaiming, “I have seen the Lord” (John 20:1-8). If holiness, as Pope John Paul II states, “is measured according to the ‘great mystery’ in which the Bride responds with the gift of love to the gift of the Bridegroom” (Dies Domini, n. 27), then we have much to learn from the mystery of woman. n Mr. Simoneau directs the diocesan Justice and Peace Office. dioknox.org

Understanding the sacraments

by Father Randy Stice

Marriage continued from page 20

In Eucharistic Prayer III the anamnesis, offering and thanksgiving are expressed eloquently and concisely: “Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the saving Passion of your Son, his wondrous resurrection and ascension into heaven, and as we look forward to his second coming [anamnesis], we offer you [oblation] in thanksgiving [doxology] this holy and living sacrifice.” In the Rite of Baptism, the anamnesis is found in the Prayer over the Water: “O God, whose Son, baptized by John in the waters of the Jordan, was anointed with the Holy Spirit, and, as he hung upon the Cross, gave forth water from his side along with blood, and after his Resurrection, commanded his disciples: ‘Go forth, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’” The Rite of Penance includes the anamnesis in the formula of absolution. “God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins...” In each of these examples, reference is made to the death and resurrection of Christ by which we are reconciled to God. The mystery and power of the anamnesis is beautifully summarized by Jean Corbon in The Wellsprings of Worship: “At the source of all our celebrations is to be found a spiritual power, from which we should drink unceasingly in the new time of the resurrection. This breaks into our days, weeks, years until our ancient time is absorbed by it and the mortal veil is torn. Already now, ‘today’ we can participate in it.” n

ated a discipline style that worked well for our particular family. We worked as a team and our children knew it. Teamwork is the key to the success of any policy. Don’t worry if you don’t have a family discipline policy in place. There is no time like the present to develop one. Remember to respect each other’s opinion and agree to develop a discipline plan together. Start by praying together. Read some child-rearing books together and discuss the pros and cons of the approach outlined in each book. Remember, your system does not have to follow the example of your family of origin. Once you have outlined your own family policy, incorporate a plan for handling adjustments to how you discipline your children. Changes in procedures will be required as children become older and more responsible. Sit down with your children and discuss the family policy. Children should understand both your expectations and what consequences there are should they not meet them. Review your policy periodically and make adjustments as needed. Relax. Everything is easier when you do it as a team. If you are looking for a book on child-rearing to read together, try Johann Christoph Arnold’s free book, Why Children Matter. This book offers time-tested wisdom and common-sense advice on how to raise children with character. Simply sign up at www. whychildrenmatter. com?source=NACFLM to receive a free copy, or you can download a free e-book version from the same site. n

Father Stice directs the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox.org.

Mrs. Christiana is coordinator of the diocesan Marriage Preparation and Enrichment Office.

The anamnesis

Making present God’s saving power in keeping with liturgical actions and ritual traditions

he Catechism (1106) teaches that two elements are “at the heart of each sacramental celebration”: the invocation of the Holy Spirit, known as the epiclesis (discussed in a previous column); and the anamnesis. The anamnesis is “the ‘remembrance’ of God’s saving deeds in history in the liturgical action of the Church, which inspires thanksgiving and praise” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Glossary). This “remembrance” or “memorial” is “a living re-presentation before God of the saving deeds he has accomplished in Christ, so that their fullness and power may be effective here and now” (Introduction to the Order of the Mass, 121). The word itself is a transliteration of the Greek word that is translated as “reminder” or “remembrance.” It occurs twice in the earliest account of the Last Supper (1 Corinthians 11:2326), written by St. Paul in the mid-50s. Jesus’ words over the bread (11:24) and the cup (11:25) conclude with the command to “do this in memory [anamnesis] of Me.” St. Paul ends this passage with an exhortation that is one of the Memorial Acclamations of the Mass: “As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (11:26). Some Catholic biblical scholars believe that this “recalling of the Lord’s death may echo the Jewish Passover re-presentation (Hebrew zikkaron; Greek anamnesis), making present again the great salvific act, now shifted from the exodus to the crucifixion/resurrection” (New Jerome Biblical Commentary, 1340). The anamnesis is brought about by the words and actions of the liturgy, as the Second Vatican Council explained in its Constitution on Sacred Scripture (Dei Verbum, 2): “The economy of Revelation is realized by deeds and words The East Tennessee Catholic

which are intrinsically bound up with each other.... (The) words for their part proclaim the works and bring to light the mystery they contain.” These words and actions are made effective by the power and working of the Holy Spirit. “In the Liturgy of the Word the Holy Spirit ‘recalls’ to the assembly all that Christ has done for us. In keeping with the nature of liturgical actions and the ritual traditions of the churches, the celebration ‘makes a remembrance’ of the marvelous works of God in an anamnesis which may be more or less developed. The Holy Spirit who thus awakens the memory of the Church then inspires thanksgiving and praise (doxology)” (CCC, 1103). It cannot be overemphasized that the Every Eucharistic Prayer contains an anamnesis in which the Church calls to mind the Passion, Resurrection, and glorious return of Christ Jesus. anamnesis “is not merely the recollection of past events but the proclamation of the mighty works wrought by God for men. In the liturgical celebration of these events, they become in a certain way present and real. This is how Israel understands its liberation from Egypt: every time Passover is celebrated, the Exodus events are made present to the memory of believers so that they may conform their lives to them” (CCC, 1363). Every Eucharistic Prayer contains an anamnesis “in which the Church calls to mind the Passion, resurrection, and glorious return of Christ Jesus” (CCC, Glossary). The anamnesis always comes after the words of institution and is followed by the oblation, in which the Church “presents to the Father the offering of his Son which reconciles us with him” (CCC, 1354).

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August 5, 2012 21

Funeral Mass held for Louiane Lawson Mrs. Louiane Lawson, a longtime teacher at St. Joseph School in Knoxville and an Associate of the Sisters of Mercy, passed away July 17 after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 68. Mrs. Lawson taught for 12 years at St. Joseph, where she worked with kindergarten, first-grade and third-grade children. She also worked at St. Mary’s Hospital in pastoral care and was an extraordinary minister and reader at All Saints Church. She is survived by husband Deacon Jim Lawson and children Kevin, Jean Louis, Jim, Kerry and Kris Lawson. A funeral Mass for Mrs. Lawson was held July 20 at All Saints, where Father Michael Woods served as principal celebrant, Bishop Richard F. Stika participated in choir and Father Tom O’Connell served as homilist. n

Funeral services held for Deacon Bill Oleck Deacon William Anthony (Bill) Oleck, 90, who served at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga, died Thursday, June 28, in Grand Rapids, Mich. A native of New Jersey, he lived for much of his life in Chattanooga with his wife of 46 years, Rhoda Andrea Oleck. Following her death in 2009, he moved to be closer to family in Grand Rapids. He trained soldiers in the armed forces during World War II and later proclaimed the Gospel as a deacon for the Diocese of Knoxville. He was ordained a deacon Nov. 29, 1985, for the Diocese of Nashville and was incardinated into the Diocese of Knoxville when it was formed. Deacon Oleck spent many years ministering to prisoners. He was a Third Order (lay) Carmelite and a Fourth DeDeacon continued on page 23

22 August 5, 2012

Once upon a time

by Monsignor Xavier Mankel

Reflecting on the work of bishops

Lessons from great churchmen of the past bode well for U.S. Catholic Church in the future

e had a priest in the Nashville diocese, Father Aaron T. Gildea, who was ordained to the sacred priesthood on June 8, 1929. Many of our readers have never heard about him as he never served in the church of eastern Tennessee. But two other priests, both ordained June 14, 1929, will be remembered by our older folk with the fondest of memories: Father John Harold Shea, a member of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville as a child and founding pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga in 1937, where he led the people of that city’s second parish until he was transferred to Memphis some 20 years later; and Father Christopher Power Murray, native of Nashville who served during the 1930s as pastor of the Harriman Missions and was assigned to Immaculate Conception Church in Knoxville in summer 1941. He also served as superintendent of Knoxville Catholic High School, where he led construction of the original gymnasium and science laboratory. He left East Tennessee in 1955 and served in what are now the Nashville and Memphis dioceses before God called him home on Dec. 2, 1985. Old-time priests rumored that Father Gildea memorized the Official Catholic Directory (sort of like St. Thomas Aquinas memorizing the entire Bible). I have no personal knowledge of this as Father Gildea died on March 31, 1961, and I was not ordained a priest until May 27 of that same year. However, when the new edition of the Official Catholic Directory is published each year (I received my copy on July 20) I think of that rumor that now has become legend about a priest who

lived during the middle of the 20th century who was blessed with such a phenomenal memory. My first inspection of the 2012 OCD was to refresh my memory of the archbishops of Baltimore. I would suspect that the first one, Archbishop John Carroll, and the ninth one, James Cardinal Gibbons, are better known to the average “pew “Catholic than the other 14 who have led the see of Baltimore since 1790 (unless the last two, Archbishop (now Cardinal) O’Brien, 2001-2011, and Archbishop William E. Lori, appointed March 20 of this very year, are better known to us because they are contemporary and we can access them via modern media at our disposal these days). These columns have treated, at least by way of mention, the first archbishop of Baltimore, John Carroll; the first bishop of Bardstown (now Louisville), Benedict Joseph Flaget; the first bishop of Nashville, Richard Pius Miles, OP; and our founding bishop of Knoxville, Anthony J. O’Connell. Since I find that so many of our people are quite uninformed on the role played even in civil affairs by our American bishops I hope to mention off and on the names and dates of service of bishops who helped make the Church in the United States the Body of Christ that it is today. The second archbishop of Baltimore, Leonard Neale, became its auxiliary bishop on Dec. 7, 1800. This was the first such ceremony in the English-speaking United States as Archbishop Carroll had been consecrated in England. I draw heavily on the Catholic Encyclopedia for the following information about Archbishop Neale. He was born at Port Tobacco, Md., on Oct. 15, 1746, and died in Baltimore

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on June 18, 1817. He was born of an old Maryland family, son of William and Anne Neale. At about the age of 12, he was sent to Europe to obtain his education under Catholic auspices, a privilege he could not enjoy in the colony. After his course at St. Omer’s in French Flanders he entered the Society of Jesus on Sept. 7, 1767. At the time of the suppression of the Society in 1773, he was a priest and still engaged in the study of theology. He then went to England and from there to Demerara in British Guiana as a missionary. In 1783, he returned to Maryland and was assigned to the mission of Port Tobacco, his birthplace. When the yellow fever plague of 1793 in Philadelphia took the lives of Lorenz Graessel, who had been named coadjutor bishop of Baltimore, and Francis Anthony Fleming, OP, Neale went to Philadelphia and was soon named its vicar general by Bishop John Carroll. During Neale’s ministry in that city, he met Miss Alice Lalor and helped her to found the first community of Visitation Nuns in the United States. In 1798 Bishop Carroll called Father Neale to the presidency of Georgetown College. While retaining this post, he was selected as Carroll’s coadjutor and was consecrated bishop of Gortyna in the procathedral of St. Peter’s in Baltimore on Dec. 7, 1800. Bishop Neale joined Archbishop Carroll in 1803 in writing to Gabriel Gruber, superior of the Jesuits in Russia, to present the petition of the former to be joined with the Society of Jesus still existing in White Russia. Moreover, Neale’s support of this project continued until the viva voce restoration was effected in 1806. He likewise rejoiced with the Jesuits at their final and complete restoration dioknox.org

Bishop appoints Father Franco to deanery post

Virtus training

ather Ronald Franco, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Knoxville, has been appointed dean of the Smoky Mountain Deanery of the Diocese of Knoxville. Bishop Richard F. Stika made the appointment, which is effective Aug. 1 and continues for three years. In making the announcement, Bishop Stika said “I thank you...for your service to the deanery and to the diocese. You are a fine priest and pastor and bring a spirit of faith and enthusiasm to this important work of service.” Father Franco succeeds Father Chris Michelson, who has served as dean since Feb. 1, 2010, and will continue his pastoral responsibilities at St. Albert the Great Church and St. Joseph School in Knoxville As a dean, Father Franco will be responsible for communicating and

n St.

throughout the world in 1814. When Carroll died on Dec. 3, 1815, Neale succeeded to the metropolitan See of Baltimore, receiving the pallium from Pius VII the following year. One of his first acts was to request from the Holy See the formal approval of the Visitation community at Georgetown. His episcopate was sorely tried by schisms in Philadel-

phia and Charleston, S.C. Burdened by these troubles, he sought a coadjutor and selected the Sulpician, Ambrose Marechal. The latter’s appointment as titular bishop of Stauropolis on July 24, 1817, came about a month after the archbishop’s death. Neale is buried in a crypt beneath the altar of the convent chapel of the Visitation Convent in George-

town, Washington, D.C. Our bishops have been great churchmen from the beginning (Sts. Peter and Paul got them off to a good start). I think that you will see an extraordinary leadership displayed by those serving the American Church in the decades to come. Pray for them, help them, love them. n

PAULISTS FILE PHOTO

administering policies and information from the bishop and presbyteral council to priests in his deanery. “I am very humbled to have been named by Bishop Stika to be dean of the Smoky Mountain Deanery. The Paulists have been a part of the Diocese of Knoxville since 1973. Knoxville is an important part of the Paulist mission and I and my fellow

Paulists look forward to continuing to serve in the Knoxville diocese,“ Father Franco said. The Smoky Mountain Deanery includes Knoxville churches Blessed John XXIII, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Holy Ghost, Immaculate Conception, and St. Albert the Great, St. Francis of Assisi in Townsend, St. Joseph the Worker in Madisonville, St. Mary in Gatlinburg, Holy Family in Seymour, Holy Cross in Pigeon Forge, and Our Lady of Fatima in Alcoa. Other deans in the Diocese of Knoxville are Monsignor Bob Hofstetter of Good Shepherd Church in Newport, who leads the Five Rivers Deanery; Monsignor Patrick Garrity of St. John Neumann Church in Knoxville, who leads the Cumberland Mountain Deanery; and Monsignor George Schmidt of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, who leads the Chattanooga deanery. n

Father Ronald Franco

Advertise in The East Tennessee Catholic ••• Contact us at 865-584-3307 or bbrewer@dioknox.org Find us at dioknox.org

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The Diocese of Knoxville’s program for the protection of children and youth–a threehour seminar called “Protecting God’s Children”–is offered throughout the diocese. The seminars are required for parish and school employees and regular volunteers in contact with children or vulnerable adults. The following training sessions have been scheduled: Stephen Church, Chattanooga, 6 p.m., Wed., Aug. 8. n St. Alphonsus Church, Crossville, 1 p.m., Sun., Aug. 12. n St. Mary Church, Johnson City, 9:30 a.m., Sat., Aug. 18; 9:30 a.m., Tues., Sept. 11; Wed., Oct. 22., 6:30 p.m. n Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 7 p.m., Tues., Aug. 21; 7 p.m., Tues., Sept. 18; 7 p.m., Tues. Oct. 23. n St. Albert the Great Church, Knoxville, 6 p.m., Thurs., Aug. 23. n St. Jude Church, Chattanooga, noon, Thurs., Sept. 6. n Holy Cross Church, Pigeon Forge, 9 a.m. Sat., Sept. 8. n Deacon continued from page 22

gree member of the Knights of Columbus. He celebrated his 25th anniversary as a deacon in 2010. His survivors include his brothers, James Oleck and Alexander Oleck and wife Michelle. The funeral Mass was held Friday, July 6, at OLPH. Burial followed in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Chattanooga. In honor of Deacon Oleck, Masses may be offered at OLPH in Chattanooga or St. Isidore in Grand Rapids for the repose of his soul, or donations may be made to the Tuition Assistance Fund for Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Knoxville. Share thoughts and memories at www.Chattanooga EastChapel.com. n

August 5, 2012 23

Vatican’s new doctrinal chief: We can’t forget principal task By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Asked about how he would handle the most controversial cases he inherited, the new head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office said, “For the future of the church, it’s important to overcome ideological conflicts from whatever side they come.” German Archbishop Gerhard L. Muller, named prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in early July, told the Vatican newspaper that the congregation’s discussions with the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X and with the U.S. Leadership Conference of Women Reli-

gious would focus on the fact that being Catholic means believing what the church teaches. Although he has been a member of the congregation for five years, Archbishop Muller told L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, that it would take him some time to get up to speed on all of the details of the congregation’s work. But, in the interview published July 25, the archbishop was asked what he thought about the ongoing discussions aimed at bringing the traditionalist SSPX back into full communion with the church and about the congregation-ordered re-

form of the LCWR, the organization that brings together the superiors of most religious orders of women in the United States. Apparently referring to the talks with the SSPX, which rejects certain reforms introduced by the Second Vatican Council, Archbishop Muller said, “One cannot make reference to the tradition of the church and then accept only parts of it.” In an apparent reference to the LCWR, he said, “One cannot profess the three religious vows (poverty, chastity and obedience) and not take them seriously.” Speaking about the role of women

in the church, the archbishop said, “For the Catholic Church it is completely obvious that men and women have the same value.” Many supporters of the ordination of women, he said, “ignore an important aspect of priestly ministry,” which is that it is not a position of power. It’s a mistake to think “emancipation will occur only when everyone can occupy” that role, he said. Archbishop Muller said a real danger facing the church is losing sight of “our principal task, which is to proclaim the Gospel and explain in a concrete way the doctrine of the church.” n

Father Armstrong continued from page 17

degree of maturity, patience, mercy, humility, and compassion—all characteristics of a good spiritual father. Most importantly, marriage and children have helped me learn how to receive and give unconditional love. These, of course, are things that

celibate priests can learn, too, just in different ways. It has been said that children are a great cure for selfishness and pride. If so, God must be telling me something by blessing me with seven of them. St. Thomas the Apostle Byzantine

Catholic Mission celebrates Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. Sundays in the chapel at the Chancery office in Knoxville. All are welcome to attend, and attendance at Divine Liturgy fulfills one’s Sunday obligation. All services are in English. n

bringing us to a deeper conversion of heart. This is true whether one is a priest or not. While recognizing that I’m still very much a work in progress, I believe marriage and children have brought me an increasing

24 August 5, 2012

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