Feb. 20, 2011, ET Catholic by Diocese of Knoxville

CNS/YANNIS BEHRAKIS, REUTERS

Historic moment in Egypt Anti-government protesters celebrate atop a tank in Tahrir Square after the announcement in Cairo of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation Feb. 11. Egyptian Christians are hopeful but concerned about their future. page 10

THE EAST TENNESSEE

Volume 20 • Number 12 • February 20, 2011

The

newspaper

of the D iocese of K noxville www.dioknox.org

he Diocesan Catholic Com mittee on Scout ing’s latest Bishop’s Gathering and Adult Recognition luncheon included a talk by the national Catholic com mittee chairman and a presentation to Bishop Richard F. Stika of a popemobile edition of a Pinewood Derby car. The annual event, held Jan. 29 in the parish hall of All Saints Church in Knoxville, honored adult volun teers from Boy Scout, Girl Scout, and Ameri can Heritage Girls troops in the diocese. Retired Army Col. John Halloran Jr., chair of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, and Bishop Stika spoke after the meal. George Le Crone Sr., longtime lay chair of the diocesan Scouting committee, convened a Court of Honor to present sev eral awards to adult Scouters. Giannine Morris, reli gious-activity chair for the diocesan Scout ing committee and a longtime Girl Scout leader, received the St. Anne Award for her service to Catholic Girl Scouting. “She’s my right arm on this committee,” said Mr. LeCrone. The St. George Award for service to Catholic Boy Scout ing was presented to veteran troop leaders Howard Hendershott and Stuart Lewis. Jack Watson, long time Boy Scout advo cate Monica Hackett, and former diocesan Scouting committee secretary Sarah Hen dershott each received a Bronze Pelican Award for their service. Sarah’s younger sister Anne has succeeded her as secretary. Mr. Watson is not Catholic but as a unit leader for more than 25 years “has served more Catholic Scouts in the Diocese of Knoxville than you could imagine,” said Mr. LeCrone. Diocesan Scouting chaplain Deacon Otto Preske presented a Silver Pelican Award to Mr. LeCrone for his ser vice to Scouting, and Mrs. Morris and Bishop Stika gave Mr. LeCrone and wife Anna Marie a Scouting continued on page 3

A husband in Kabul renews vows with his wife in East Tennessee at a diocesan marriage celebration. By Dan McWilliams

ose Parella of St. Patrick Parish in Morristown didn’t let distance stop her from renewing her wedding vows with husband Stephen during the diocese’s Mass in celebration of marriage held at her church Feb. 5. Mr. Parella is an engineer in civil service on his third tour in Afghanistan. Before Bishop Richard F. Stika led couples through the renewal of vows, Mrs. Parella contacted her husband in Kabul on her Blackberry so he could hear the bishop’s words and respond along with his wife of 33 years. “When the time came for the renewal, I just buzzed him, and nobody saw me,” said Mrs. Parella. “He heard everything, and now we’re good for another 30-something years.” The Parellas have been parishioners of St. Patrick throughout their marriage. Mrs. Parella came up with the idea of a long-distance renewal of vows. “He’s been there going on 13 months,” she said. “He’ll be home March 10. The first tour was with the military, and the last two have been with civil service.” The call from the St. Patrick pews required some planning. “When we were renewing the vows, he was getting ready to go to bed, so we kind of had to plan in advance,” said Mrs. Parella. Host pastor Father Joseph Hammond, CHS, and Fa-

DAN MCWILLIAMS

B Y D A N M C W I LLIAMS

‘The one unique sacrament’

Rose Parella of St. Patrick Parish holds a photo of herself with husband Stephen at the luncheon following the Mass in celebration of marriage held Feb. 5 at the Morristown church. Mrs. Parella and her husband, who is in civil service in Afghanistan, renewed their vows via cellphone. Additional celebrations of marriage took place Jan. 15 at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Alcoa and Feb. 12 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Cleveland. View a slide show at dioknox.org/marriage-slideshow. LONG-DISTANCE DEDICATION

ther Bob Hofstetter of Good Shepherd Parish in Newport concelebrated at the Mass, which was primarily for Five Rivers Deanery couples but drew some visitors from points beyond the Lakeway and Upper East Tennessee area. Deacons Bob Lange and Bob Smearing assisted, and spouses Janel Lange and Lee Smearing joined their husbands and approximately 75 other couples in renewing their vows.

Bishop Stika also presided at a Mass in celebration of marriage for Cumberland and Smoky Mountain deanery couples Jan. 15 at Our Lady of Fatima in Alcoa and for Chattanooga Deanery couples Feb. 12 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Cleveland. The annual Masses are coordinated by the diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment. Longtime St. Patrick office manager Bonnie Tomas-

soni and husband John, at 57 years, were the longestmarried couple attending the Five Rivers celebration. They joined Bishop Stika and 55-year couple Rosemary and Bill Pooler in cutting the wedding cake. The Poolers celebrated their 50th anniversary at a similar event in 2006 with then– Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz presiding. About 50 couples each Marriage continued on page 6

Vespers service honors those living consecrated life Bishop Richard F. Stika leads prayer for men and women who ‘sing the praises of the Lord in so many ways.’ BY MARY C. WEAVER

lergy, the faithful, and members of several religious communities serving in East Tennessee gave thanks for the gift of consecrated life with a Vespers service Feb. 6 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Knoxville. The event marked the 2011 celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life. About 80 people took part in the service, held on the sunny afternoon of Super Bowl Sunday. “I feel so enriched to have been touched by religious men and women who have followed the call of God,” said Bishop Richard F. Stika in his homily. The bishop spoke of the many ways he was aided by the prayers and deeds of the Sisters of Mercy who taught him in school, the Jesuits at St. Louis University, where

MARY C. WEAVER

Annual Bishop’s Gathering honors adult Scouters

Dominicans Sister Augusta Nickel (left) and Sister Michaela Martinez were cantors for a Feb. 6 Vespers service in honor of consecrated life. Sister Augusta teaches fifth grade at St. Mary School in Oak Ridge; Sister Michaela teaches religion at KCHS. GIFT OF VOCATIONS

he earned his undergraduate degree, and the Vincentians who served at Kenrick Seminary.

Those in religious life, he said, “sing the praises of the Lord in so many ways: in education, nursing, so-

cial work, and teaching the poorest of the poor—working with the variety of the people of God.” Held annually, World Day for Consecrated Life was begun by Pope John Paul II in 1997. “As we gather on this significant day, it’s not about the Super Bowl or Green Bay winning later on,” joked the bishop. “It’s all about a day of celebration, first instituted by soon-tobe Blessed John Paul II, in which the Church is invited to pray in thanksgiving for the gift of vocations and the gifts of service and dedication. “We sing a hymn of thanksgiving for all those here this day who serve the people of the Diocese of Knoxville.” The bishop named Vespers continued on page 2

Three deanery-wide diaconate information sessions remain

ast Tennessee men who believe they may have a call to the permanent diaconate can learn more about the diocese’s formation program during one of three remaining information ses sions. For details about eligibility and qualifica tions, see “Do you have a call to the permanent diaconate?” (Jan. 23 ETC, available online at bit.ly/huEzCc). The two-hour sessions, all held on Saturdays, will outline diocesan admission policies, the work of the deacon in the diocese, the theology of dia conal ministry, and preparation for the diaconate. Potential applicants should attend the session held in their deanery. The remaining sessions are as follows: n 1 p.m. Feb. 26 at All Saints Church, Knoxville n 10 a.m. March 12 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church, Cleveland n 10 a.m. March 26 at St. Albert the Great Church, Knoxville. For more information, call Deacon Tim Elliott, diocesan director of the Diaconate Office and coordinator of ongoing formation for deacons, at 865-584-3307, or e-mail telliott@dioknox.org. n

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

Catechetical days continue

he Office of Christian Formation in collabora tion with Aquinas College in Nashville, con tinues its catechetical-formation program for adults this year, with three catechetical days, all on Saturdays. The program is intended for parish catechists, teachers in Catholic schools, ministry leaders, and other interested adults. There is no charge. Each session will include hourlong modules on the sacraments, morality, prayer, and creative methods for teaching. The days will be conduct ed by the Nashville Dominican sisters. Formation days, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (choose one): n March 12, St. John Neumann School, Farragut n April 2, St. Patrick Church, Morristown n April 16, St. Jude Parish Life Center, Chattanooga. For details, contact Father Richard Armstrong at rarmstrong@dioknox.org or 865-584-3307. Register online at bit.ly/faith-formation. n

Vespers continued from page 1

the communities currently serving in East Tennessee: n the Congregation of Sisters of the Holy Cross n the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia n the Missionary Congregation of the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary n the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes” (MAG) n the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas n the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich. n the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth n the Sisters of St. Joseph, Third Order of St. Francis n the Sisters of the Divine Compassion n the Alexian Brothers n the Apostles of Jesus n the Paulist Fathers n the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate n the Crusaders of the Holy Spirit n the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales n the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity n and the Glenmary Home Missioners. “We should never forget to pray for the many religious who have touched us,” said Bishop Stika, encouraging the congregation to commend to God all who have helped to build the “foundation of the Church universal, the Church in the United States, and the Church in East Tennessee.” He also prayed that all the religious communities serving in the diocese “might continue to grow with people who join you because they believe in your mission.” n

living the

READINGS

BY FATHER JOSEPH BRANDO

Perfect—who, me? Those in the early Church ‘shamed their enemies with kindness.’

Weak people are not capable of forgiving: forgiveness is an attribute of the strong. These words come not from a great Christian theologian but from Mohandas Gandhi. Yet they fit today’s Gospel, which is taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In this passage the Lord tells us to “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Christian saints and scholars have explained that verse in many different ways. It seems like too tall an order to be taken literally. Yet the sentence is in the context of practical advice for the Church Jesus was establishing. Jesus speaks, for example, of offering no resistance to evil people. Specifically, if someone

takes us to court, we should settle in his favor before we get to trial. This problem was very real for the early Christians. Under pagan Roman rule, the penalty for being a Christian was the loss of civil rights. One of those was the right to a fair trial. If a Christian were sued, he or she would be denied a defense and therefore always lose. Jesus’ advice is to give people who take advantage of those rules whatever they want. By putting this instruction into practice, the early Christians shamed their enemies with extraordinary kindness. They proved that Christians were strong in such virtues as love and courage. They lived for something higher than material things. Their lives witnessed to the power of God. By not resisting the people who were taking advantage

of them, the Christians won them over. In forgiving their accusers, the Christians were correctly perceived as becoming perfect. In due time thousands in the Roman Empire converted to the faith. They longed for the power of faith that Christians had displayed so vividly. When times got bad and the penalty for being a Christian escalated to death, the blood of the martyrs became the seed that spread the faith even more rapidly. These were ordinary people who took Jesus’ words literally. Abiding by those words made a historic difference. They can still make a difference in the world—but only if we are strong and forgiving. We must resist the temptation to anger when someone hurts us. That would only propagate evil. Rather, we must forgive sin in all its manifestations. Then we might find ourselves becoming perfect. n Feb. 20, seventh Sunday in ordinary time Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18 Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 Matthew 5:38-48

Don’t worry Christians—if we realize it—have ‘that special gift’ that can ‘dispel all our fears.’

oday’s Gospel shows that Jesus’ primary enemy may not have been sin. After all, Jesus had total control over sin. He could and did forgive people from their sins many times, and he does it now on a large scale through the sacrament of reconciliation. Instead, his No. 1 enemy is, most probably, fear. Jesus tells us not to worry about such things as starvation, nakedness, death, fashion, what people think of us, or even what’s going to happen tomorrow. Those fears are the real enemies of the kingdom. For the most part, our fears are what lead us

into sin, and they are much more difficult to eradicate. The first way to start eliminating our fears is to recognize the goodness of God. If you analyze the words and actions of Christ, they all demonstrate the care God has for us. For example, John tells us outright that the picture his Gospel paints is that of the one who is love. His love roots out fear. The same is true of the other Gospels and the entire New Testament. We need to see that picture and meditate on it. The result is a deep inner joy that melts all our fears. Another way to

conquer fear is to realize what St. Paul tells the Corinthians in today’s second reading. He tells us we are the “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” What a vocation! Our lives are outward signs that show the world what God is like. We do this by receiving the sacraments. When we are baptized, we share in Christ’s life. As Paul tells us elsewhere, it is not he who lives, but Christ lives in him. That’s true of each of us as well. And it is even more pronounced when we consider our receiving the body of Christ

in Eucharist and the power of the Holy Spirit at confirmation. We are filled with the power of the infinite God. That’s why Paul had to mention this to the Corinthians. They needed to know what amazing gifts they had. They had the presence of the God who is love. So do we. We have that precious gift. We need to realize it. When we do, we will be filled with a wonder that can dispel all our fears. We’ll never worry again. n Father Brando is the pastor of St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg. Feb. 27, eighth Sunday in ordinary time Isaiah 49:14-15 Psalm 62:2-3, 6-9 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Matthew 6:24-34

WEEKDAY READINGS Monday, Feb. 21: Sirach 1:1-10; Psalm 93:1-2, 5; Mark 9:14-29 Tuesday, Feb. 22: Feast, the Chair of Peter, apostle, 1 Peter 5:1-4; Psalm 23:1-6; Matthew 16:13-19 Wednesday, Feb. 23: Memorial, Polycarp, bishop, martyr, Sirach 4:1119; Psalm 119:165, 168, 171-172, 174-175; Mark 9:38-40 Thursday, Feb. 24: Sirach 5:1-8;

Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Mark 9:41-50 Friday, Feb. 25: Sirach 6:5-17; Psalm 119:12, 16, 18, 27, 34-35; Mark 10:1-12 Saturday, Feb. 26: Sirach 17:1-15; Psalm 103:13-18; Mark 10:13-16 Monday, Feb. 28: Sirach 17:20-24; Psalm 32:1-2, 5-7; Mark 10:17-27 Tuesday, March 1: Sirach 35:1-12; Psalm 50:5-8, 14, 23; Mark 10:28-31

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

THE EAST TENNESSEE

805 Northshore Drive S.W .

Wednesday, March 2: Sirach 36:1, 4-5, 10-17; Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13; Mark 10:32-45 Thursday, March 3: Sirach 42:1525; Psalm 33:2-9; Mark 10:46-52 Friday, March 4: Sirach 44:1, 9-13; Psalm 149:1-6, 9; Mark 11:11-26 Saturday, March 5: Sirach 51:1220; Psalm 19:8-11; Mark 11:27-33 n

Margaret Hunt Administrative assistant Dan Pacitti Intern

Knoxville, TN 37919-7551

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

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FEBRUARY 20, 2011

www.dioknox.org

THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC

he dwells

AMONG US

BY BISHOP RICHARD F. STIKA

Lightening the load Humility and forgiveness keep our spiritual backpack light.

Losing weight is never easy. That’s why there’s no shortage of weight-loss products available promising quick results with the least amount of effort. But if we are to lose weight and keep it off, a certain discipline is required, and this can often require the help of a medical professional. And if it is prudent to seek sound medical advice in our efforts to properly care for our physical health, it is also wise to seek good spiritual counsel in attempting to care for the health of our soul. I know how much Father David Boettner, a vicar general of the diocese and the rector of the cathedral church, likes to hike. With spring fast approaching, it won’t be long before he’s hitting the trails on a frequent basis. Serious hikers like Father David are sensitive to the weight of their backpack and its contents because the heavier the load, the faster you wear out, the slower your progress, and the less distance you cover. Even airlines are restricting how much baggage air travelers can take on flights because of the associated costs (although I think it’s because they want less of our baggage to lose). As Father David can attest, hikers like to play jokes on one another. One timeless prank involves putting rocks in the backpack of an unsuspecting fellow hiker. The

discovery of this added weight sometimes comes only after a lot of extra energy has been expended, along with a lot more sweat. Although we can laugh about this prank, we all carry things in our spiritual backpack that weigh us down and impede the progress of our pilgrim journey in life. Jesus tells us to “take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in [your] belts” (Mark 6:8). This command encourages us to “crave grace” more than material things for our journey. If we are to travel light, we need to trust in God. I think this is why the Holy Spirit drew me to choose “Jesus, I trust in you” as my episcopal motto. During life’s journey there is one very important spot where we should make frequent stops: the confessional. This is God’s “rest stop,” where our soul is refreshed in his love and mercy. Through his minister of forgiveness, our packs are emptied of the rocks of our sins and selfishness. So many people are burdened by the weight of what they carry spiritually, yet they bypass the gift God offers to help us in our journey. In my 25 years as a priest I have heard many confessions. And if there is one weight that particularly burdens souls, it is that of not forgiving others. Whenever I pray the Lord’s prayer, I find it easy to pray the petition, “forgive us our trespasses . . .” But the second part of the petition is not so easy to pray: “as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We all want to be for-

given, but sometimes we don’t want to forgive. In truth, the two are intimately connected. It can be very difficult for some people to forgive others for the hurts they have received. But sadness, bitterness, resentment, and anger flow from an unforgiving heart, and they only create more stones to be carried. Frequent recourse to the sacrament of reconciliation and the help of a good confessor are invaluable for learning the key to forgiving: humility. Humility helps us see our own sins rather than those of others. It helps us recognize that in God’s audit, the debts we are forgiven are always far greater than any debt owed us by others (cf. Matthew 18:21-35). Humility helps us see the far greater offense to God caused by our own sins rather than the much smaller offenses given to us by others. Christ directed those who wished to throw stones at the adulterous woman first to reflect on their own offenses against God. Only then were they willing to drop the rocks in their hands and leave the woman’s offense to God’s mercy (John 8:1-11). All of us have stones of which we must rid ourselves: in our spiritual backpack and in our hands. The first words of Christ upon the cross, “Father, forgive them . . .” (Luke 23:34), are the words we must repeat if we are to receive the words he spoke after his resurrection: “Peace be with you . . .” (John 20:26). n BISHOP STIKA’S SCHEDULE These are some of Bishop Stika’s appointments: Feb. 27: noon, confirmation, Christ the King Church, Tazewell Feb. 28–March 1: priest retreat, Gatlinburg March 3: 6 p.m., Catholic Charities of East Tennessee dinner, Knoxville Convention Center n

Scouting continued from page 1

Special Easter collection set to support seminarian education BY JIM LINK

or the second year in a row Bishop Richard F. Stika has approved the addition of a special collection for seminarian education over Easter weekend, April 23 and 24. Last year’s collection raised more than $130,000. The diocese is blessed to have 15 seminarians and grateful that generous donors to the Catholic Foundation of East Tennessee contribute enough to cover the tuition, room, board, medical insur ance, and stipends for two men each year. The cost of a third seminarian is provided by gifts to the Annual Catholic Appeal, leaving the expense of 12 seminarians to be absorbed by the dioc esan budget. At $45,000 per seminarian, that comes to $540,000 a year. Bishop Stika hopes the special Easter collection will cover at least one-quarter of this amount, or $135,000. Parishes are asked to place the dates for this special collection on their calendar. For parishes that use monthly packets of offertory envelopes from Our Sunday Visitor, OSV will insert an enve lope for this purpose in April’s packets. Parishes that use annual boxed sets may request a supply of envelopes for the special collection. The faithful are asked to generously support this special collection. Preparing good and holy priests ensures the Church’s future vitality. n

Diocese offers ongoing Virtus child-protection training sessions

he Diocese of Knoxville’s program for the protection of children and youth—a three-hour seminar called “Protecting God’s Children”—is offered regularly throughout the dio cese. The seminars are required for parish and school employees and regular volunteers in contact with children or vulnerable adults and are recommend ed for parents and grandparents. The following train ing sessions have been scheduled: n Notre Dame High School, Chattanooga, 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24 n St. Alphonsus Church, Crossville, 1 p.m. CST, Sunday, Feb. 27

St. Dominic Church, Kingsport, 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 16; 6 p.m. Wednes day, May 11; 9:30 a.m. Thursday, June 9; 1 p.m. Saturday, July 30; 9:30 a.m. Thurs day, Nov. 10 n All Saints Church, Knoxville, 1 p.m. Sat urday, March 19 (ses sion will be held in the parish hall) n St. Mary Church, Johnson City, 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 18; 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20; 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14; 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17 (ses sions will be held in St. Ann Hall). Participants are asked to donate $1 for session materials. To register, visit virtus online.org. n n

Positions available at Sacred Heart

acred Heart Cathedral School in Knoxville, a K through 8 parish school with more than 600 students, seeks an athletic director. The ath letic director is responsible for coordinating and administering athletic programs in accordance with the school philosophy and diocesan policies. A bachelor’s degree is required; a Tennessee teaching license is preferred. Qualified applicants should send a letter of interest and resume to Sedonna Prater, Principal, Sacred Heart Cathe dral School, 711 Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919, or sprater@shcknox.org by March 11. The school is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

DAN MCWILLIAMS

sacred heart cathedral in knoxville seeks a direc-

St. Anne Award recipient Giannine Morris poses with Bishop Richard F. Stika at the Bishop’s Gathering and Adult Recognition luncheon. The Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting sponsors the annual event. Joining the bishop in speaking after the meal was retired Army Col. John Halloran Jr., chairman of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting. View a slide show of the luncheon at dioknox.org/scouting-slideshow. SERVICE RECOGNIZED

St. George icon. Bishop Stika congratulated the award-winners and told them “never to tire of doing good,” as St. Paul wrote, be cause “the world needs to see us being the face and voice of Jesus.” The Diocese of Knoxville won the NCCS Quality Diocese Award for the eighth straight year, Mr. LeCrone announced. Col. Halloran spoke of several problems the national commit tee sees in some areas of the country, including troops that do not involve their chaplain in their activities and events that have no Church presence. “There are no services, no chaplain on-site, no seminar ians—there’s no one represent THE E A S T T E N N E S S E E C A T H OLIC

ing the Christian faith for the youth,” he said. “They’re just not there. A lot of the campo rees over the weekend are not having ministers or priests come and do a service for them. We have a problem with this, and we’ve been fighting it on a national level.” Col. Halloran surveyed his audience, found more veteran Scouters than newcomers, and expressed concern that fewer people are coming along to succeed the older volunteers. “How many of you have been in Scouting at least 20 years or more? Where are your replace ments?” he asked. “How many of you are new to Scouting? Just a very few hands [raised].” Col. Halloran praised the Dio

cese of Knoxville for “having a high-quality program.” “Nationally the Boy Scouts have lost membership in units. We did too. We’ve been losing membership for seven of the past 10 years and losing units for the past 10 years. . . . If we keep going, we will not be a force to be reckoned with at the national level of the BSA, and that would be scary.” The chairman encouraged adult Scouters to become in volved with the diocesan com mittee as well as the national one. “We would love for you all to join us,” said Col. Halloran. Bishop Stika told the youth and adult Scouters that “any

tor of youth and young-adult ministry for a vibrant and diverse faith community of approximately 1,400 families. The director of youth and youngadult ministry is responsible for comprehensive ministry for teens and young adults on the par ish level. Candidates must have a certificate in youth ministry or its equivalent, at least five years’ experience in youth or young-adult ministry, and proficiency in Spanish or experience working in a bilingual community. Resumes should be sent to Father David Boettner at dboettner@shcknox.org by March 11. n

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

Scouting continued on page 8 www.dioknox.org

FEBRUARY 20, 2011

BY DAN PACITTI

n The Knights of Columbus held a

first Friday fish fry Feb. 4, serving fried and baked fish and cheese que sadillas. Proceeds benefited the Ameri can Wheelchair Mission and Food for the Poor. n The youth will attend the Southern Conference basketball tournament March 5 at McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga. n The OLPH football team will celebrate its successful 2010 campaign with an awards dinner at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 16, in the Stadium Club at Finley Stadium. The Rams’ middle school team finished 9-1, and the 12-and-under team went undefeated and claimed the Y League champi onship. Eighth-graders on the team were Chris Albritten, Joe Enos, Tanner Webb, Chris Knox, Michael Hutton, Hunter Stolpmann, Timothy Eubanks, Packy Mullin, Hugh James, and Mark Oliver. The Rams are coached by Billy Dearing, Bucky Dearing, and Robert Kidwell. Visit olphfootball.com for more details on the season.

St. Catherine Labouré, Copperhill

n A Super Bowl party was held in the

parish hall Feb. 6.

St. Jude, Chattanooga

n Knights of Columbus Council 8576

will have a social at 6:30 p.m. Mon day, Feb. 28, in the parish center. A brother and a sister from St. Bernard Abbey and Sacred Heart Monastery in Cullman, Ala., will provide perspectives on consecrated life. The Knights will serve a spaghetti dinner. n The parish will celebrate the birthday of Father Charlie Burton on Thursday, Feb. 17, and welcome Fa ther Moises Moreno to the parish with a noon luncheon sponsored by the Council of Catholic Women.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga

n The PrimeTimers sponsored a so-

cial Feb. 12 for all parishioners 50 and older. n Anniversaries: John and Grace Gridley (63), Chuck and Cynthia Laplante (56)

Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga

n The parish sold tickets for a baby-

quilt drawing Feb. 7 to benefit its ad opted parish in Haiti. The drawing was sponsored by the women’s guild. Cumberland Mountain Deanery

All Saints, Knoxville

n The third annual Men’s Ministry

Gathering will feature a talk by Dr. Ruth Queen Smith on the topic “Scripture for Today’s Challenges” from 9:45 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, in the parish hall. Dr. Smith is the pastoral associate at Blessed John XXIII Parish in Knox ville. Coffee, tea, bagels, and pastries will be served. Participants should bring their own Bible. For more information, e-mail mrvermeulen@babcock.com.

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

n The Council of Catholic Women

will present the Mary Murphy Scholarship to a graduating high senior in 2011. Interested seniors should call Joan Turbyville at 865-882-8421 for de tails on how to receive the scholarship. n The parish thanked those who gave to the recent Church in Latin America special collection. The collection totaled more than $520.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade n The distribution of ashes will take

place at the 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Masses on Wednesday, March 9. n The Stations of the Cross will be prayed at 5 p.m. Fridays during Lent. n Anniversaries: Greg and Shirley Penrod (60), Paul and Barbara Thrower (54), Dick and Helen Gerlach (51)

St. John Neumann, Farragut

n The Knights of Columbus and the St.

Vincent de Paul Society are sponsoring a “Summerfest” parish dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, at the school to benefit parish families. Brat wurst and barbeque and grilled chick en are the main dishes, and a cash bar (beer and wine) will be offered. Family videos will be shown in the cafeteria. The event is free, but donations will be accepted. Contact David Campbell at 865-777-9402 or dcamp44@tds.net to volunteer or learn more. 4

FEBRUARY 20, 2011

n The NGCSU Singers and Le Belle

Voci choral ensembles from North Georgia College & State University will give a free performance at 5 p.m. Friday, March 18, at the church. n Parishioner Barbara Maples is offering beginners piano lessons for children ages 5 and up. Her studio is near the church. Call her at 865-9664097 for more details.

COURTESY OF MARY ANNE MOYER

OLPH, Chattanooga

St. Mary, Oak Ridge

n Father Bill McKenzie, sponsored

by state Sen. Randy McNally of Oak Ridge, was the Minister of the Day at the Senate session Feb. 9 in Nashville.

St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City n A six-week Renew: Why Catholic?

program, “Christian Prayer: Deepening My Experience of God,” will be start ing the week of March 9. Small-group meetings will be held at participants’ houses or at the parish life center. Sign up after weekend Masses on Feb. 19 and 20. Call Tony Hartman at 865-4580936 or director of religious education Jill St. Yves at 986-9885, extension 15, for more information. n Dr. Ruth Queen Smith, pastoral associate at Blessed John XXIII Parish in Knoxville, will give a Lenten reflection at the women’s guild meet ing at 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 28, in the Deacon José Rivera Room of the fam ily life center. Guests are welcome, and admission is free.

Centennial celebration Sybil Larison of Shepherd of the Valley Parish in Dunlap, a former parishioner of Holy Ghost in Knoxville, turned 100 years old Jan. 15. A birthday celebration was held in her honor Jan. 8 in the Father Albert J. Henkel Parish Hall at Holy Ghost with more than 100 relatives and friends in attendance. With her above are her children (from left), Stephen Larison, Louise King, Mary Anne Moyer, and James Larison. All four children graduated from Knoxville Catholic High School, James Larison in 1956, Stephen Larison in ’57, Mrs. King in ’59, and Mrs. Moyer in ’63.

Five Rivers Deanery

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City

COURTESY OF STEPHANIE MILES

Chattanooga Deanery

n Anniversaries: Peggy and Doyle

Hinton (35), Julie and Steve Rex (15) n Newcomers: Christopher and Judith Cutaia

St. Patrick, Morristown

n The parish is holding a celebration

for pastor Father Joseph Hammond, CHS, who will become a U.S. citizen during a ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, at the City County Building in Knoxville. The “Citizenship Celebra tion” will follow the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, Feb. 26, in the parish center. Meat and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided. RSVP to the church office at 586-9174. n The Knights of Columbus will hold a “Pre-Spring Picnic” at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, at the parish cen ter. All-you-can eat chili dogs and hamburgers will be served. Costs are $4 for adults and $3 for children. Pro ceeds will be used toward the parish’s debt reduction. n The social-action committee will be collecting items for CEASE, a bat tered women’s shelter in Morristown, on the weekend of Feb. 19 and 20. The shelter’s most immediate needs are towels and wash cloths, toilet paper, paper towels, deodorant, hair brushes, hair spray, shampoo and conditioner, and canned food (especially soup). Put items in the bin in the narthex. n Items are being collected for the parish’s annual Shamrock Shenanigans silent auction. To donate items, drop them off at the church office during normal business hours or call Renee McGarel at 423-748-1938 or Susan Shafer at 312-4161. Smoky Mountain Deanery

Blessed John XXIII, Knoxville n An informational meeting for

JusticeWalking was held Feb. 10. Jus ticeWalking is an undergraduate and graduate student experience that lasts seven weeks and includes a retreat, readings, and journal keeping. Contact Dr. Ruth Queen Smith at 865-523-7931 or at ruth@john23rd.org for details.

Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa

n The hospitality committee will

sponsor a Mardi Gras dinner and dance Saturday, March 5. A social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m., with the dinner to follow at 6:30. The menu includes roast beef and roasted turkey. Cost is $20. Call Ron Edmundson at 865-3801537 for tickets or purchase them in the narthex after weekend Masses on Feb. 19 and 20 and Feb. 26 and 27. n Parishioner Jeff Parsons recently received the Fraternal Order of Police Officer of the Year award for Blount County.

Deacon Norm Amero receives the Silver Sneaker Award from Choices Resource Center executive director Stephanie Miles (with daughter Bailey in front). Also pictured are (from left) Bill Olka and Suzanne Salzmann, St. Mary’s liaisons to the center, and CRC development director Debbie Raines. NO. 1 AGAIN

Center honors St. Mary in Oak Ridge for fundraising

t. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge has always been a strong presence at the Choices Resource Center Walk for Life and recently captured the center’s first Silver Sneaker Award as the top fundraising church. Nearly all of the center’s funding comes from local churches and individuals, and the annual Walk for Life has grown to generate approximately one-third of its annual income. For the last 10 years the priests at St. Mary have engaged in friendly competition to see who can raise the most money for the pro-life ministry. More recently the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary School have joined in. Almost every year St. Mary has been the No. 1 church in raising

funds out of more than 60 local congregations. The 2010 Walk for Life raised more than $82,500. St. Mary raised $18,278 in pledges. Associate pastor Father Jorge Cano was the overall top walker at $6,380. The sisters followed at $3,300, and St. Mary pastor Father Bill McKenzie was third at $2,758. Choices development director Debbie Raines said the Silver Sneaker was “a way to honor churches who work hard to support our life-affirming ministry. This fun symbol will give area churches something to work toward each year.” The traveling trophy will remain with the top Walk for Life church for a year, until the next walk. n

Holy Spirit parishioners celebrating 50th anniversary

ohn and Dolores Leigh of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Friday, Feb. 18. The Leighs were married at St. Stanislaus Church in Wylam, Ala., with Father John Brunson officiating. They have four children, John Leigh Jr. and Gregory Leigh, both of Chattanooga; Doug Leigh of Soddy-Daisy; and Amelia Longenecker of Hull, Ga.; two granddaughters; and one great-granddaughter. Mr. Leigh retired from TVA, where he worked as an electrical engineer at Watts Bar. Mrs. Leigh retired from the U.S. Postal Service as an automation clerk.

St. Albert the Great, Knoxville n Baptisms: Hunter and Dalton

Thomas, sons of Jerry and Elizabeth Thomas n www.dioknox.org

COURTESY OF DOLORES LEIGH

NOTES

Dolores and John Leigh

The Leighs will renew their vows at the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, Feb. 19, at Holy Spirit Church with Monsignor Al Humbrecht officiating. The Leighs’ children and their families will be in attendance. A reception in the social hall will follow the Mass. n

COURTESY OF DEB PEACHEY

parish

Gatlinburg parish installs new CCW officers New Council of Catholic Women officers were installed during the 9 a.m. Mass on Jan. 30 at St. Mary Church in Gatlinburg. From left are president Karen Joubert, vice president Judy Sherk, secretary Sharon McCutchen, and treasurer Mary Williams.

THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee will hold its annual fundraising dinners in March and April. Each dinner is co-hosted by Bishop Richard F. Stika and Father Ragan Schriver, CCET’s executive director. The Knoxville Re gion’s dinner, themed “An Emerald O’ccasion,” is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at the Knoxville Convention Center. For more information, con tact Elaine Evans at 865-524-9896 or Elaine@ccetn.org. The Chattanooga Region’s dinner has “The Gift of Ser vice” as its theme and is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at The Chattanoogan hotel. Contact Christine Willingham at 423-267-1297 or christine@ccetn.org for more details. The Jonesborough Region’s din ner, with the theme “In My Father’s House,” will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 7, at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport. Contact Brenda Dunn at 423-753-3001 or bdunn0153@ comcast.net for more information. Eighth-graders in the Chattanooga Deanery and their families are invited take part in the Family Honor Program on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25 and 26, in the parish life center at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga. The mission of the program is to improve family commu nication on important life values, with a focus on the truth and goodness of human sexuality and the virtue of chastity. Registration packets may be found at www.myolph.com or in the OLPH vestibule. Limited to 40 families. For more information, call Jan O’Boyle at 706-226-9110 or Mary Pat Haywood at 706-459-6391. The Parent Association at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga will hold a fundraising “Taste of the Irish” dinner, dance, and silent auction from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 12, in the Varallo Center at NDHS. A wine tasting will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The Heart to Heart band will perform. Auction items include a stay in a Florida condo, four Chattanooga Lookouts baseball tickets, and a hand made quilt donated by NDHS parents. Dress is “Irish” cocktail casual. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Reserve a table for eight for $250. Call 423-624-4618 for tickets or purchase them at myndhs.com. The Sts. Francis and Clare Secular Franciscans will hold an informational meeting at Sacred Heart Cathe dral at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 20. All practicing lay Catholics and diocesan clergy are invited to attend. Regular formation meetings will be held after ward on third Sundays, beginning at 1:30 p.m. April 17. For more informa tion, call Carol Pavur at 865-458-4208, Janette Irwin at 671-7220, Nancy Singh at 482-1810, or Patricia Carras co at 250-7566. The Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment is sponsoring a “Six Dates for Catholic Couples” program, de signed to help couples reflect during Lent on their faith journey together. The six meetings will be held on Sat urday evenings beginning Feb. 26, fol lowing the 5:30 p.m. vigil Mass, in the parish life center at Our Lady of Per petual Help Church in Chattanooga. Couples will view a 15-minute video on marriage at each meeting, then go out on a date. The last date will be Sat urday, May 7. Cost is $15 per couple for books and supplies. Contact Mar ian Christiana at 423-892-2310 or mchristiana@dioknox.org to register. Baby-sitting, at an extra cost, is avail able. To register for baby-sitting, call Pam Franklin at OLPH at 622-7232 by Wednesday, Feb. 23. St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City is hosting an iconography workshop May 2 through 7 for those interested in learning how to create icons. Irene Perez-Omer will be the instructor. Sessions will take place from 9:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. daily. Cost is $600 and includes materials and refreshments. A down payment of $300 is due by Monday, Feb. 28, and the balance by Thursday, March 31. For more information, contact pastor Father Christian Mathis or youth minis ter Melanie Thomas at 865-986-9885, frchristian@sthomaslc.com, or melanie@sthomaslc.com. THE E A S T T E N N E S S E E C A T H OLIC

High school students are invited to attend the diocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry’s annual Sleepless! event, which will take place from 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, to 6 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, at the Pigeon Forge Community Center. Mass will be celebrated Saturday evening, and there will be a holy hour with exposi tion and benediction as well as an op portunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Participants may take part in swimming, bowling, racquetball, basketball, volleyball, floor hockey, ultimate Frisbee, ping-pong, and a D.J. dance at the center. Cost is $25 and includes pizza. For more information, contact Deacon Dan Hosford at djh2@ comcast.net or 865-603-9682. Youth should register for the event with their parish youth-ministry coordinator. The diocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry is sponsoring a Spring Music Fest set for 6:15 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at St. Mary Church in Johnson City. The featured artist is Dante Schmitz. The evening will include a concert, food, and adoration. Tickets are $5, with proceeds support ing national and international mission work. Families are welcome to attend. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/ musicfest-dante or e-mail jarodtrunzo@ yahoo.com. Mr. Schmitz’s website is at danteschmitz.com. An ENDOW retreat for high school girls, with the theme “True Beauty Revealed: A Weekend Adventure Ex ploring the Big Questions,” will be held from 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 1, through noon Sunday, April 3, at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge. The retreat will address for participants “the founda tional truths about their dignity, identity, and mission” and teach them “how to live a life rooted in Christ.” Nashville Dominican Sisters and Brigid Sweeney from the ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women) office in Denver will lead the retreat. Cost is $65 and includes lodging and meals. Down load registration forms at tinyurl.com/ girls-retreat-2011. Contact Margaret Merrill at 865-766-8388 or mmerrill@ smcor.org for more information.

GAYLE SCHOENBORN

BY DAN PACITTI

Bishop Richard F. Stika blesses the convent’s altar, which was built and donated by Byron Crouse and twin daughters Katie and Amber of the NDHS class of 2007. Father Augustine Idra, AJ, Notre Dame spiritual director, assists the bishop. Father George Schmidt, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, is at left. The server is John Bouchard. CHAPEL MASS

Bishop blesses Dominicans’ new convent at NDHS

bout 50 benefactors gathered at the newly renovated Notre Dame Convent in Chattanooga on Jan. 16 for the official opening and blessing. The celebration began with Mass in the convent chapel and was followed by lunch in the Varallo Center at Notre Dame High School. Bishop Richard F. Stika presided at the Mass and blessed the convent,

which is now home to Dominican Sisters Mary Evelyn Potts, Anna Wray, Peter Verona Bodoh, and Thomas More Stepnowski of the NDHS faculty. The afternoon concluded with public tours of the convent. In February 2010 Bishop Stika announced that Dominican Sisters of the St. Cecilia Congregation in Nashville would return to the

Sisters speak at St. Mary in Athens Dominican Sisters Anna Wray (left) and Mary Evelyn Potts from Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga spoke following the 10 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Jan. 30, at St. Mary Church in Athens to encourage parishioners to pray for and support Catholic schools. The sisters also visited the children in three of the parish’s grade school CCD classes.

A retreat for high school boys, based on Ephesians 6:11-12 (“Put on the armor of God, so that you may be able to stand firm”), will be held from 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 8, through noon Sunday, April 10, at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge. Participants will learn about strength and courage from a Christian perspective, pray the Sta tions of the Cross and the rosary, attend Mass, and spend an hour in adoration. Cost is $30. Download reg istration forms at tinyurl.com/ArmorRetreat. Contact Deacon Dan Hosford at 865-603-9682 or djh2@comcast. net or Margaret Merrill at 766-8388 or mmerrill@smcor.org for more details. The diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment will be sponsoring a free Date Night for couples of all ages from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, in the Shea Room at Sacred Heart Cathedral and Thursday, Feb. 24, at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport. A light dinner for two will be followed by the presenta tion “Sacrificial Love Expressed in Everyday Moments.” Catholic Charities counselors will be the guest speakers. To make reservations, contact Marian Christiana at mchristiana@dioknox.org or 423-892-2310. The Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment and Knights of Colum bus Council 6099 in Chattanooga are sponsoring a spaghetti dinner after the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, Feb. 26, at St. Stephen Church in Chat tanooga. Dinner will be served in the parish life center, and to-go meals will be available. Cost is $7 per person or $20 per family. Proceeds will offset costs of marriage-enrichment pro grams made available by the Marriage Preparation Office. Rose Mortuary in Knoxville is hosting two free seminars led by author and grief counselor Dr. Alan Wolfelt as part of its annual Spring Servant Se ries. The first session, “Healing Your Grieving Heart When Someone You Love Has Died,” will take place from 7 Calendar continued on page 6

faculty. The Nashville Dominicans founded the school in 1876 and taught there until 1973, returning for a few years in the 1980s and ’90s. Mother Ann Marie Karlovic, OP, prioress general of the St. Cecilia Dominicans, and Memorial Health Care System president and CEO James Hobson were among those attending the convent dedication. n

SCOTT MAENTZ

CALENDAR

JUDY HALL

on the

Holy Trinity holds International Dinner Rwanda native Drocella Mugorewera of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville was the guest speaker Jan. 29 at the annual International Dinner at Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City. She spoke of the lack of clean water and sanitation affecting people in Rwanda and other nations. Mrs. Mugorewera is a member of the Gender and Water Alliance and a former member of the Rwanda parliament. Donations collected at the dinner will benefit the alliance. More than 100 attended the dinner.

DOK parishes hosting missions in coming weeks

ere is a look at upcoming parish missions in the Diocese of Knoxville: n St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut will host a “Mission on the Life of John Neumann” at 7 p.m. daily Monday, Feb. 21, through Thursday, Feb. 24, in honor of the saint’s 200th anniversary. Redemptorist Father Vic Karls will be the presenter. For more information, call the parish office at 865-966-4540. n The parishes of Blessed John XXIII in Knoxville and Sacred Heart Cathedral will co-host a mission from 7 to 8 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, March 6 through 8, at Sacred Heart with a potluck dinner at 6 p.m. in the school cafeteria each day. Adore Ministries will conduct the mission in English, while Father Jose Robles Sanchez will conduct it in Spanish. Contact Shelly Letendre at the parish office at 865-588-0249 or ts3@comcast.net for more details. n St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga will hold a Lenten parish mission, “The Road to Discipleship,”

www.dioknox.org

from Monday through Wednesday, March 28 through 30. Father Tim O’Toole of Cross International Catholic Outreach will lead the mission. Presentations will be given at 11 a.m. and again during Mass at 6:30 p.m. on the first two days, with a healing Mass scheduled at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. March 30. Everyone in the Chattanooga Deanery is invited to attend. Download a mission poster at ststephenchattanooga.com or call the St. Stephen office at 423-8922957 to learn more. n Father Simon Stefanowicz, OSPPE, will present a mission, “The Divine Mercy of Jesus,” at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Alcoa at all weekend Masses on April 9 and 10 and at 7 p.m. daily Monday through Wednesday, April 11 through 13. Father Stefanowicz, a monk of the Pauline order, said the purpose of the mission is to “strengthen and increase your faith, your love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and your devotion to Mary, our Blessed Mother.” Call the parish at 865-982-3672 for more details. n FEBRUARY 20, 2011

Calendar continued from page 5

Marriage continued from page 1

to 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 23, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Dr. Wolfelt will present “The Art of ‘Compan ioning’ the Mourner: The Caregiver’s Helping Role” from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at Cherokee Country Club. Breakfast and lunch will be provided at the second seminar. Registration dead line is Thursday, March 17. To register or learn more, call 865-523-2121 or 588-8578.

The 14th annual Catholic Day on the Hill will be held Wednesday, April 13, in Nashville, and the third annual Catholic Student Day on the Hill will be held Tuesday, April 5. Adults and students will have an opportunity to advocate with their legislators at the state capitol on issues of importance to the Church and attend Mass at St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows Church downtown. All three of the state’s bishops will concelebrate the Mass for the adults’ Day on the Hill. Costs are $30 for adults, $20 for students, and $20 for teachers and chaperones. Registration deadlines are Tuesday, March 22, for the student day and Wednes day, March 30, for the adult day. When forms and fees have been received, registrants will receive the final agenda, preparation materials, and information on Catholic Day via e-mail. For more information, contact Kathleen Murphy at 615-828-4713 or tncppc@bell south.net. Download a registration form and tentative agendas for the adult and student days at tncppc.org. St. Dominic School in Kingsport will have a dinner–dance Saturday, Feb. 19, as part of its 65thanniversary celebration this school year. St. Dominic pastor Father Mike Nolan will celebrate Mass at 5:30 p.m., with dinner, a short program, and danc ing to follow in the parish life center. Giuseppe’s restaurant will cater the dinner, and The Has Beens band will perform. The event is for adults only. Adults inside and outside the parish are welcome to attend the dinner–dance. Cost is $25 per couple. Tickets are being sold after all Masses and may be purchased at the church office. Call 423-288-8101 or e-mail hrivnak@chartertn.net for more details. The 21st annual Sacred Heart Cathedral School Dinner, Dance & Auction is set for Saturday, March 5, at the Crowne Plaza in Knoxville. This year’s theme is “21! Blackjack Black & White Bash: The Auction Comes of Age.” A cocktail reception and silent auction will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m., with dinner, a cer emony, and a live auction from 8:15 to 10 and dancing from 10 to midnight. Auction items include an “Ultimate Vol Fan Package” and a dinner for 10 prepared by Tom Greer and hosted by Sacred Heart rector Father David Boettner. The Vibraslaps band will perform. Blackand-white cocktail attire is encouraged. Child care will be available. For tickets or more information, contact Donna Brunson at 865-414-1830 or molegirl@aol.com. St. John Neumann School in Farragut will hold its fifth annual Dinner, Dance, and Silent Auction from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, at Fox Den Country Club. Auction items include gift baskets and gift cer tificates. Tickets are $50; to purchase them, contact Kelly Stephenson at 865-671-6994 or akms@tds.com. The February calendar for Memorial Health Care System includes a free abdominal aortic-aneurysm screening weekdays Feb. 21 through 25 at Memo rial Hospital, Memorial North Park, and Memorial Ooltewah. The screening is for men and women 65 and older who have not had a previous diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysm and have not had an ab dominal CT scan in the past five years. Registration and an appointment are required; call 423-495-6000. Cancer, heart, and diabetes patients should call 4957778, 495-7764, or 495-7970, respectively, to learn more about Memorial’s events for them.

DAN MCWILLIAMS

A “come and see” retreat hosted by the Associates of the Sisters of Mercy in America will be held from 1 to 4:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, at St. Albert the Great Church in Knoxville. To RSVP or learn more, contact Priscilla Hales at 531-4537 or pwhales@comcast.net or Sister Marie Moore at 5458814 or mmoore@mercy.com.

Bonnie and John Tomassoni, at 57 years, were the longest-married couple attending the celebration at St. Patrick Church in Morristown. Above, Bishop Stika joins them in cutting the wedding cake at the luncheon. A couple celebrating 55 years of marriage, Rosemary and Bill Pooler, also cut the cake with the bishop. MAKING THE CUT

attended the Masses at Our Lady of Fatima and St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Longestmarried honors at those celebrations went to 62-year couples Norman and Louise Miller of the host Alcoa parish at the January event, and Dan and Mardee Kauffman of St. Catherine Labouré in Copperhill at the Feb. 12 Mass. During the luncheons held after all three Masses, Bishop Stika was available for photos with the couples. Each couple also received a certificate recognizing their marriage. In his homily at St. Patrick, Bishop Stika spoke of how “there’s nothing more special” for a priest “than to stand before a couple” during their wedding. The bishop officiated at another special celebration of marriage in a couple’s home several years ago for a husband and wife who had marked many anniversaries. “It was not for 25 years or 50, 60, or 70 years—they were celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary,” he said. “He was near a hundred, and she was a little younger, but as I witnessed their recommitment, the thing that caught my attention was that their eyes still had a sparkle. “They were holding hands, and I said to the man, ‘How does this work?’ He said, ‘because she’s my friend, and she has accepted me for who I am all these years.’ Then we talked a little more, and as I was leaving, he said, ‘Monsignor, by the way, we eloped. Eventually we had it validated in the Church, but we eloped because her dad said it would

never work.’” Bishop Stika congratulated the couples on behalf of the diocese, not only for the vows they took on their wedding day “but also for the commitment you make moment to moment in the sacrament of marriage.” The sacrament of matrimony differs from the other six sacraments, the bishop said. “Marriage is that one unique sacrament that the priest or the deacon doesn’t celebrate. The sacrament of marriage is witnessed by the priest or the deacon, but you are the ones who live the sacrament of marriage.” The Tomassoni union may be the only one in the country that couples natives of Bean Station and Brooklyn. Mrs. Tomassoni hails from the Grainger County town and her husband from the Big Apple borough. “When I met Bonnie, I don’t think Bean Station was even on the map,” said Mr. Tomassoni. The groom, an Air Force veteran, met his bride in East Tennessee. “I was working in Knoxville, and he was stationed at McGhee Tyson,” said Mrs. Tomassoni. Both husband and wife told their secrets to a long marriage. “You’ve got to have a lot of patience,” said Mr. Tomassoni. “You’ve got to have a lot of understanding. Our relationship is based on sincerity, truth, and a lot of love—a lot of love for our Church and our country, especially.”

Mrs. Tomassoni said that “being forgiving” is the key to many years of marriage, and she added “patience, love, being kind to each other, and listening to each other. Maybe getting angry every once in a while.” At least one couple crossed a state line to attend the Mass in Morristown. Samuel Ottley, wife Susana, and son Ismael, 8, of Middlesboro, Ky., make the 45-mile trip to St. Patrick every weekend to attend Masses in Spanish because there are no such liturgies closer to their home. Ismael read the book Miss Spider’s Wedding (Scholastic Press, 1995), and when he found out that his parents were going to the marriagecelebration Mass, he encouraged them to dress like the spider couple in the book. “He said, ‘We need for you to wear a top hat, and Mommy needs to wear a veil,’” said Mr. Ottley. “Of course, if I’m going to have a top hat, he should have a top hat also. Then he had a little flower on it because Frosty the Snowman’s top hat has a flower. My wife took the time to make both hats and the veil and basically design the whole get-up.” The wedding outfits befitted the occasion, especially for many couples arriving for Mass who met the Ottleys at the door of St. Patrick. “We also got wrangled into greeting today,” said Mr. Ott ley. “It actually was a double blessing and helped put the exclamation point on why we were here.” n

The next Marriage Encounter weekend in the dio cese is scheduled for March 4 through 6 at the Edge water Hotel & Conference Center in Gatlinburg. 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 Serra Club of Knoxville meets on second and fourth Thursdays in the Shea Room at Sacred Heart Cathedral’s office building. Meetings begin with Mass at noon, followed by lunch and a speaker. Father Charlie Donahue, CSP, pastor of Blessed John XXIII Parish in Knoxville, will speak on the topic “Genera tional Church” at the Feb. 24 meeting. Club chap lain Father Pat Garrity will also attend. Bring a bag lunch. For more information, call Florence Holland at 865-483-0624. The Serra Club of Greater Chattanooga meets on second and fourth Mondays at the Chattanooga Calendar continued on page 8

FEBRUARY 20, 2011

COURTESY OF MUNDELEIN SEMINARY

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 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.knoxlatin mass.net for details.

Bishop Stika takes part in acolyte Mass at Mundelein Seminary On Feb. 9 seminarians of Mundelein Seminary College in Mundelein, Ill., were installed into the order of acolyte. Bishop Richard F. Stika, who presided during the installation Mass, poses with the men, including diocesan seminarian Christopher Manning, second from left on the front row. Mr. Manning, a member of Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish, is the son of James Manning and Dr. Marlyn Leisy of Knoxville. He is a Theology II student. www.dioknox.org

THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC

YOUTH

COURTESY OF GEORGE LECRONE JR.

catholic

COURTESY OF MEGAN LOCKE

KCHS student receives Eagle award Knoxville Catholic High School sophomore Dakota Raines received his Eagle Scout award Jan. 22 at St. Joseph School. He is pictured with George LeCrone Sr., director of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, who presented him with the National Catholic Committee on Scouting’s Eagle Scout certificate.

The KCHS signees are (from left) Alex Cunningham, Josh Lucheon, Joanna Thompson, Mike Wegzyn, Joey Gaston, Kyler Kerbyson, Cody Shirley, Alex Saah, Zach Cooper, Morgan Stiles, and Tyler Wilson. MOVING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

leven Knoxville Catholic High School seniors signed letters of intent to play sports at the collegiate level on National Signing Day, Feb. 2. The group included six football players, one golfer, one crosscountry athlete, and one swimmer. Also

among the athletes were KCHS’s firstever lacrosse signees. All 11 seniors have excelled in the classroom as well. Signing letters of intent were Zach Cooper in football with the University of Charleston, Alex Cunningham in golf with Tusculum Col-

lege, Joey Gaston in football with the U.S. Naval Academy, Kyler Kerbyson in football with the University of Tennessee, Josh Lucheon in swimming with Carnegie Mellon University, Alex Saah in football with Lindsey Wilson College, Cody Shirley in football with Virginia Mili-

tary Institute, Morgan Stiles in lacrosse with Tennessee Wesleyan College, Joanna Thompson in cross country with North Carolina State University, Mike Wegzyn in football at the University of Massachusetts, and Tyler Wilson in lacrosse at Tennessee Wesleyan. n

Lee University lands two Notre Dame High School soccer players

Notre Dame parishioner earns Eagle David Place of Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville received his Eagle Scout award at a Court of Honor on Jan. 31 at his church. Above, his mother, Aimee Place, pins the award on him as his father, Jack, watches. David is a member of Boy Scout Troop 94 in Greeneville. Also attending the ceremony were Notre Dame parishioners, pastor Father Jim Harvey, and former pastor Father John Appiah.

COURTESY OF GAYLE SCHOENBORN

COURTESY OF GEORGE LECRONE JR.

Michelle Spangler (left) and Kathryn Healy signed with Lee University recently at Notre Dame High School. With them are their parents (from left), Linda and Richard Spangler and Paul and Kathryn Healy. The Spanglers are parishioners of St. Augustine in Signal Mountain, and the Healys are parishioners of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. LADY IRISH SIGNEES

Geography bee top three St. John Neumann School in Farragut recently held its annual school geography bee, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. Students in fourth through eighth grades competed in classroom bees, with winners going on to compete in the school bee held Jan. 12. After several rounds of questions, fifth-grader Nathan Geist (center) was crowned the champion. He will take a written test to qualify for the Tennessee Geographic Bee in the spring. With him at right are the first runner-up, seventhgrader John Pierce (left), and the second runner-up, eighthgrader Matthew Flood. THE E A S T T E N N E S S E E C A T H OLIC

up on us,” she said. “Coach Schermerhorn helped us improve our skills each year, and he reinforced good sportsmanship both on and off the field.” Both girls added that they are excited to be reunited with their former Notre Dame teammates Darcy Brannen and Danielle Ciabattone. Ms. Brannen is currently a sophomore and Ms. Ciabattone

Scouting honor for Daniel Daniel LeBlanc of Blessed John XXIII Parish in Knoxville received his Parvuli Dei award at the 11:15 a.m. Mass on Dec. 12. With him are his parents, Wayne and Rachael, and Paulist Father Charlie Donahue, pastor of John XXIII.

a freshman with the Lady Flames’ nationally ranked soccer program. “I am so proud of both of these girls,” said Mr. Schermerhorn. “They have been so dedicated to this team and were committed to continually improving their skills. We would never have achieved this level of success without them, and we are really going to miss them.” n

COURTESY OF GIANNINE MORRIS

ers who have helped me become a stronger player and who have all had a part in bringing me to this next level of soccer.” Michelle, who was a rare four-year starter for the Lady Irish, also credited the NDHS program for helping take her game to the next level. “The Notre Dame program offered challenging competition with an outstanding coach who never let

Young fencer advances to nationals Thomas Morris, a seventh-grader at Sacred Heart Cathedral School, placed third in an under-17 “Cadet” Men’s Epee qualifier for the Tennessee Division of the U.S. Fencing Association held Jan. 8 in the gym at St. John Neumann School in Farragut. That qualified Thomas for the Junior Olympic National Championships to be held in Dallas from Feb. 18 through 21. He is pictured with Tennessee Division vice chair and Knoxville Academy of the Blade coach John Farmer.

COURTESY OF MICHELLE DOUGHERTY

occer standouts Kathryn Healy and Michelle Spangler of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga recently signed letters of intent in the Varallo Athletic Center to continue their playing careers at Lee University. Kathryn and Michelle helped lead the Lady Irish program to four straight state Final Fours, which included a runner-up finish in 2009 and a state championship this past fall. Both players cited Lee’s strong academic reputation along with its nationally ranked soccer program as reasons that attracted them to the university. “[NDHS girls soccer] Coach [Jim] Schermerhorn always had faith in me, as he continually built on my strengths and helped me improve on my weaknesses,” said Kathryn, who was the leading goal scorer for the Lady Irish this year. “I have been fortunate to play with such a dedicated group of soccer play-

COURTESY OF MAGGIE MAY

Eleven KCHS athletes commit to colleges on National Signing Day

www.dioknox.org

FEBRUARY 20, 2011

from the

PARACLETE

BY BETHANY MARINAC

Jesus’ perspective ‘from the cross’

ne of my favorite things to do is lose myself in the words of a good book, to experience a story in my imagination. I especially love a good history, and lately I’m reading as many books as I can about the Church. Most tell the history of the Apostles and the struggles of the early Church. But I wanted to go further back in time, so I began reading What Jesus Saw From the Cross by Father A. G. Sertillanges (Sophia In stitute Press, 2008). This book offers a unique perspective on the crucifixion story and gives the reader a personal and intimate look at Jerusalem at the time of Je sus’ death. Father Sertillanges lived in Jerusalem and describes the life of that city as it shaped our faith. He wrote, “You will be jostled by crowds as you enter Jerusalem, choke on the dust of the narrow streets, smell the exotic scents of the city at festi val time, share the Last Supper with the disciples, stare into the faces of [Jesus’] accusers, and look down at the milling crowd as he dies on the Cross.” I long to know Jesus’ perspective as I prepare myself for Lent. I want to weep with him and pray with him, and maybe I will gain some deeper un derstanding of his love for all of us. Knowing that he chose this for us makes it easier for me to lose myself in the story and in a deeper state of con templative prayer. n Call the store at 865-588-0388 or 800-333-2097. Visit its Facebook page at bit.ly/paracleteknoxville.

Scouting continued from page 3

thing we do as a Church centers on Jesus.” “Everything we do as a Church—whether it be the Scouts, volunteer work, the Ladies of Char ity, volunteering in a parish, setting up, cleaning up, working in a school, teaching in a school, serving as a bishop—whatever we do, we should always hope it’s about Jesus. Each of us makes a contribution.” He pointed to the stained-glass window in the parish hall and said the Scouts are among the pieces that compose the Church in East Tennes see, just as the different pieces of glass make up the window. “We come from different backgrounds,” he said. “We’re all a little bit different, but as individ uals in the eyes of God, we’re beautiful,” he said. Bishop Stika thanked the Scouting volunteers “for everything you do for the Church.” “No matter what you do, you make a contribu tion to the beauty of what we call the Church,” he said. Mrs. Morris presented awards for a dessert cook-off and for the luncheon’s living displays. Boy Scout Troop 630 of All Saints won the cook-off with a Dutch-oven pineapple upsidedown cake. The troop also was presented with a Golden Bow certificate of appreciation for assisting with fire-pit safety for the cook-off. Cub Scout Pack 630 of All Saints won the liv ing-display top prize for a Pinewood Derby track that included a popemobile the Scouts made for Bishop Stika. Dessert cook-off judges were Brother David Bry ant, OSB, of Cullman, Ala., a Knoxville native; Ken neth Jacobs; and Andrew MacDonald, all Eagle Scouts. Living-display judges were Carolyn Bryant, Deacon Norm Amero, and Col. Halloran. n

Calendar continued from page 6

Choo Choo. Meetings begin with Mass at 11:40 a.m. celebrated by club chaplain Father George Schmidt, with lunch and a speaker following. Visit www.serra chatta.org for further details. A Seekers of Silence Contemplative Saturday Morning will be held March 12 at Blessed John XXIII Catho lic Center in Knoxville. In observation of Contemplative Outreach’s United in Prayer Day, participants will view a new video by Father Thomas Keating, OCSO. Coffee and tea will be served at 8:30 a.m.; the workshop will run from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring a bag lunch. To RSVP or learn more, call 865-523-7931. The Community of Sant’Egidio is a Catholic lay ecclesial movement that focuses on prayer and ser vice to the poor. Two Sant’Egidio groups regularly meet in the Diocese of Knoxville, in Knoxville and Johnson City. For more information on the Knoxville group, call Ellen Macek at 865-675-5541. Call Father Michael Cummins at 423-926-7061 for more details on the Johnson City group. Everyone is welcome to attend. Holy Resurrection Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Mis sion has Divine Liturgy celebrations at 3:30 p.m. Sundays at Holy Ghost Church, 1041 N. Central St. in Knoxville. Call Father Thomas O’Connell at 865-256-4880. The St. Thomas the Apostle Ukrainian Catholic Mis sion celebrates Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. Sundays in the chapel at the Chancery office in Knoxville. Call Fa ther Richard Armstrong at 865-584-3307 for details. n 8

FEBRUARY 20, 2011

life and

DIGNITY

BY PAUL SIMONEAU

Flunk Planned Parenthood Help give abortion providers a failing grade in our children’s classrooms.

Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, has been given a “hallway pass” to the classrooms of Knox County schools. Approved in 2008 by the Knox County school district, Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee (PPMET) has since been invited into the classrooms of more than just Hardin Valley Academy to speak on an array of topics concerning human sexuality. But this is far more than an issue concerning the appropriateness of PPMET’s sanitized curriculum: it extends to the very nature of an organization that has the highest contempt for the fundamental moral values that embrace the sanctity of life, marriage and family, and parental rights. The recent revelation of yet another series of scandals involving Planned Parenthood clinic staff, captured on video in New Jersey, Virginia, and New York, once again unmasks Planned Parenthood’s true nature. These incidents reveal a disturbing pattern of “rampant sexual abuse cover-up, violation of parental consent and notification laws, and medical misinformation” (www.exposeplanned parenthood.com). Planned Parenthood’s claim that these videos are hoaxes only highlights a continued pattern of deception that further undermines its credibility (bit. ly.PPdeception). These scandals alone cast a dark shadow over the organization and demonstrate that it is not one of “upright charac-

the catholic

ter and of good public standing.” If this is the requirement for those who teach sex education, as specified by the Tennessee Code Annotated (49-6-1302), should it not also be the standard for all guest speakers in our schools? How many organizations on the school district’s approved speaker list routinely have picketers outside their offices protesting their work, as does PPMET? As parents learn more about the involvement of Planned Parenthood in our schools, concerns are being raised about the relationships that may have been forged by PPMET with school-district officials, school staff members and educators, and others in the health and human-services field. PPMET regularly conducts a three-and-a-half day “Sexuality Education Training Series” (SETS) workshop for “educators, counselors, social workers, youth workers, ministers, and other professionals who work with youth” (bit. ly.PPSETS). Perhaps out of concern for the reaction some parents might have, at least one wellness instructor is not willing to discuss her relationship with PPMET. When the teacher was asked whether she had ever attended any conference or event organized by Planned Parenthood as a part of ongoing professional development, the principal responded for her, citing her right to privacy. But we can still ask whether the school district has funded officials’ and teachers’ attendance at these events and paid their fees and expenses as well as daily salaries and substitutes’ salaries. What would the reaction be if history teachers attended a

DIFFERENCE

BY GEORGE WEIGEL

Christian number-crunching As the Church adds newcomers by the thousands, atheists are dwindling.

For 27 years the International Bulletin of Missionary Research has published an annual “Status of Global Mission” report, which attempts to quantify the world Christian reality, comparing Christianity’s circumstances with those of other faiths and assaying how Christianity’s various expressions are faring when measured against the recent (and not-so-recent) past. The report is unfailingly interesting, sometimes jarring, and occasionally provocative. The provocation in the 2011 report involves martyrdom. For purposes of research, the report defines martyrs as “believers in Christ who have lost their lives, prematurely, in situations of witness, as a result of human hostility.” The report estimates that there were, on average, 270 new Christian martyrs every 24 hours over the past decade, such that “the number of martyrs [in the period 2000-2010] was approximately 1 million.” Compare this to an estimated 34,000 Christian martyrs in 1900. As for the interesting, try the aggregate numbers. According to the report, by mid-2011 www.dioknox.org

there will be 2,306,609,000 Christians of all kinds in the world, representing 33 percent of world population—a slight percentage rise from mid-2000 (32.7 percent) but a slight percentage drop since 1900 (34.5 percent). Of those 2.3 billion Christians, some 1.5 billion are regular church attendees who worship in 5,171,000 congregations, or “worship centers”—up from 400,000 in 1900 and 3.5 million in 2000. Compared with the world’s 2.3 billion Christians, there are 1.6 billion Muslims, 951 million Hindus, 468 million Buddhists, 458 million Chinese folk-religionists, and 137 million atheists, whose numbers have dropped over the past decade, despite the caterwauling of Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and company. One cluster of comparative growth statistics is striking: as of mid-2011 there will be an average of 80,000 new Christians per day (of whom 31,000 will be Catholics) and 79,000 new Muslims per day but 300 fewer atheists every 24 hours. Africa has been the most stunning area of Christian growth over the past century. There were 8.7 million African Christians in 1900; today there are 475 million African Christians, and their numbers are projected to reach 670 million by 2025. Another astonishing growth spurt, measured

southern heritage conference sponsored by the Ku Klux Klan and received school funding? Concerns would certainly be raised about whether those teaching our children were prejudiced in their views on the dignity and equality of all people, regardless of race or religion. Concerning the sensitive subject of human sexuality, shouldn’t parents also have the right to know whether their children’s teachers have attended Planned Parenthood events? Parents might also want to know that Planned Parenthood has a robust cadre of “peer educators.” These are teenagers who have received “40 hours of comprehensive sexuality training” and are responsible for making “100 educational peer contacts” as a part of PPMET’s teenage outreach (source: PPMET newsletter, Flash, Volume 7, Issue 2, Winter 2008). At 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, parents and citizens have an opportunity to attend the Knox County school board meeting in the main assembly room of the City-County Building at 400 Main St. in Knoxville. I encourage you to attend and join others who wish Planned Parenthood to be permanently expelled from our schools. I also urge you to sign the petition available at www.noknoxvilleabortion. org. Parents are encouraged to contact their school officials and their children’s wellness instructors to ask what PPMET’s involvement in their school has been and whether educators have attended any of the organization’s events. Given the above, why would any parent want an organization that promotes abortion, promiscuity, and the usurping of parental consent and notification laws left alone behind closed doors with our students and given the opportunity to influence our educators? n Mr. Simoneau directs the diocesan Justice and Peace Office. typologically, has been among Pentecostals and charismatics: 981,000 in 1900 compared with 612,472,000 in 2011, with an average of 37,000 new adherents every day—the fastest growth in Christian history. As for the quest for Christian unity, in 1900 there were 1,600 Christian denominations, in 1970 there were 18,800, and today there are 42,000. Other impressive numbers: $545 billion is given to Christian causes annually. There are some 600 million computers in Christian use, up from 1,000 in 1970. This year 71,425,000 Bibles will be distributed, and two billion people will tune in at least once a month to Christian radio or TV. This year 7.1 million books about Christianity will be published, compared with 1.8 million in 1970. The big lesson of the 2011 “Status of Global Mission” report can be borrowed from Mark Twain’s famous crack about his alleged death: reports of Christianity’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Christianity may be waning in Western Europe, but it’s on an impressive growth curve in other parts of the world, including that toughest of regions for Christian evangelism, Asia. Indeed, the continuing growth of Christianity as compared with the decline of atheism (in absolute numbers and considering atheists as a percentage of total world population) suggests the possibility that the vitriolic character of the New Atheism—displayed in all its crudity before Pope Benedict’s September 2010 visit to Great Weigel continued on page 10

THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC

our

PRIESTS

building the

BY MARGARET HUNT

Spiritual growth: ‘a lifelong process’ Father Moser’s vocation has been strengthened by the sacraments, people, and books.

ather Tom Moser is the parochial vicar (associate pastor) of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. He was ordained on June 11, 1994, at the Church of St. Leo the Great in St. Paul, Minn. He was a Franciscan brother before entering the seminary and had also worked in the banking and mortgage-data industry. He is the youngest of six children born to the late Larry and Margaret Moser. He loves classical, jazz, and pop music and enjoys reading, taking nature walks, and watching football and baseball. Who supported you most in your decision to consider priesthood? Father John Milewski, Father Bill Gahagan, Monsignor Xavier Mankel, and my parents all helped me follow the call to priesthood. The priests and seminarians of Knoxville helped me move forward during my discernment process as I prayed about the priesthood. The advice they gave me was to be myself, relax, pray, and study hard. They were my role models in their day-to-day ministry to God’s people. How did you decide to study for the priesthood in the Diocese of Knoxville when you had been living in Minnesota? In the summer of 1988, when I was a Franciscan, I participated in a spiritual exercise called “Being With the Poor.” One of the experiences involved traveling down to Rose’s Creek near Jellico to learn about Appalachian Community Development, land reclamation, coal mining, and the projects led by Marie Cirillo. We heard about the creation of the new Diocese of Knoxville and Bishop [Anthony J.] O’Connell. The following year I came down again to meet him, and he supported my priestly vocation in every way. After I took part in some pastoral ministry at Sacred Heart Cathedral in 1990, Bishop O’Connell sent me to Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis., to study for the priesthood. What brings you the most joy as a priest? Celebrating Mass, preaching the Gospel, baptizing, going on retreats, and teaching what I have learned.

DEACON PATRICK MURPHY-RACEY

Father Tom Moser How have you grown as a priest? I have become stronger and more confident in my ability to preach the Good News. This growth has come from prayer, reading good spiritual books, and the sacraments. Do you think it’s important for priests to go on retreat and keep up with spiritual reading? Yes. Both strengthen and recharge my “spiritual batteries.” They enable me to go back out into the world as an instrument of God’s peace and to administer the sacraments to those who hunger for Jesus Christ. I found my priestly vocation through books such as The Seven Storey Mountain (Harcourt, Brace & Co., 1948) by Father Thomas Merton, The Confessions of St. Augustine, and Francis of Assisi (Dover, 2008) by G. K. Chesterton. One learns that spiritual discernment and growth are a lifelong process, not just one fixed moment in time. I’ve also learned to listen more and more through the Holy Spirit’s working in everyday life and how God works so wonderfully through all the good and holy people of God. God is a God of second, third, and fourth chances.

KINGDOM

BY JIM LINK

Small numbers, big impact Knoxville’s young diocese has contributed mightily in education, health care, and more.

In my first column (“The greatest force for good,” Feb. 6 ETC) I highlighted Catholic contributions to Western civilization and offered a snapshot of the Church’s charitable work in the United States. In this issue I want to focus on East Tennessee, drawing attention to services provided in our region. Our diocese is one of the youngest in the United States, and the area we live in has the lowest percentage of Catholics in the country. Fewer than 3 percent of East Tennesseans are Catholic, compared with nearly 25 percent of Americans nationwide. Given these numbers, few would expect the Church to have a dramatic impact on society. Yet that’s precisely what we’ve done. The contributions Catholics have made to enhance the quality of life in our region defy our modest numbers. The Church in East Tennessee founded three health-care systems, which now comprise nine hospitals, 16 diagnostic and treatment centers, eight home-health agencies, and three extended-care facilities. Together they treat more than 120,000 people a year and provide more than $50 million worth of uncompensated care for the poor and marginalized. More than 3,500 students are educated in 10 Catholic schools, with another 6,000 enrolled in parish religious-education programs. Catholic school students outperform those who attend

public and private schools, with 98 percent of them graduating from college within four years. Catholic social-service programs in East Tennessee feed more than 10,000 people a year and shelter 300 homeless families. Another 11,000 who struggle with unemployment, poverty, depression, addiction, unexpected pregnancy, divorce, or the death of a loved one receive counseling and support. Thousands of seniors benefit from Church-sponsored programs for the elderly. Hundreds who seek to become American citizens are assisted, and more than $1 million in disaster relief was sent to those who lost their homes in the Nashville floods and Haitian earthquake. Evidence of the Church’s vitality abounds in East Tennessee. By investing in the Church, we not only transform people’s lives but also advance the Lord’s mission. Is there any cause more compelling or worthy of support? In future columns I hope to celebrate heroic stewards—people who make extraordinary contributions of time, talent, and treasure. If you know people who inspire you to grow in holiness and share your gifts of time, talent, and treasure, please let me know. I would welcome the opportunity to see whether they’d allow us to celebrate their contributions, inspiring others to hear the Lord’s call and respond generously. You can reach me at jlink@ dioknox.org. n Mr. Link directs the diocesan Stewardship and Planned Giving Office.

What would you tell a young man considering a vocation to the priesthood? Priesthood and religious life empower one to be an instrument of God’s peace—enable a person to become a living imitation of Christ to a world in need of his healing compassion, his light, and his good news. n

Mrs. Hunt is administrative assistant for the Media Office.

Appreciation urged for classical music’s contributions B Y E M I L Y L A HR

WASHINGTON (CNS)—Classical music is underappreciated for its spiritual contribution to the Church, the metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church said in a Feb. 9 address at The Catholic University of America. “I am well aware of the insignificant number of young people who listen to classical music, whereas almost everyone listens to popular music,” said Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev. “This I consider to be a real tragedy.” He said, however, that he believes secular music “is possible within Christianity, including that which exceeds the limits of classical music which I love so much.” “Christianity is inclusive; it does not set strict canonical limits to art,” he said, adding that “Christianity can even inspire a secular artist” to convey sacred messages in “the language of modern musical culture.” Metropolitan Hilarion, the archbishop of Volokolamsk and a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow, delivered a multimedia presentation on “The Intersection of Music and Faith” to students, faculty, and guests in the university’s Caldwell Hall Auditorium. Trained in violin, piano, and THE E A S T T E N N E S S E E C A T H OLIC

composition, the metropolitan served in the Soviet military before entering the monastery in 1987. He has a master’s in theology from the Moscow Theological Academy and a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Oxford in Great Britain. He is the author of more than 300 published monographs and other written works and has composed numerous musical works. His setting of the “St. Matthew Passion,” a grand oratorio for soloists, choir, and orchestra written in 2006, has received standing ovations at performances in Moscow, Rome, and Melbourne, Australia. Its English-language U.S. premiere was Feb. 7 in New York City. His 2007 “Christmas Oratorio” has been performed in Washington, Boston, and New York to critical acclaim. In his presentation Metropolitan Hilarion said genuine art serves God directly or indirectly and even if it is not intended for worship, it can be dedicated to God. “The works of Beethoven and Brahms may not directly praise God, yet they are capable of elevating the human person morally and educating him spiritually,” he said. He praised Bach for composing music he said contains a universal

Missal continued from page 8

Hilarion continued on page 10 www.dioknox.org

FEBRUARY 20, 2011

Permanent end to taxpayer abortion funding long overdue B Y N A N C Y F R AZIER O’BRIEN

WASHINGTON (CNS)—The effort to make perma nent a ban on federal funding of abortion is both long overdue and widely supported by Americans, an official of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bish ops told a House subcommittee Feb. 8. Richard M. Doerflinger, associate director of the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, was one of three witnesses testifying on the No Tax payer Funding for Abortion Act, H.R. 3, before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution. “H.R. 3 is a well-crafted and reasonable mea sure to maintain longstanding and widely support ed policies against active government promotion of abortion,” he said. “It consistently applies to all branches of the federal government the principle that government can encourage childbirth over abortion . . . and that it should not coerce anyone’s involvement in abortion.” In his testimony Doerflinger cited past surveys showing that the Hyde amendment—attached to annual Department of Health and Human Servic es appropriations bills since 1976—has “consis tently had the support of the American people,” with many wrongly assuming that “it is already fully implemented.” “Congress’ policy has been remarkably consis tent for decades, but the implementation of that policy in practice has been piecemeal, confusing, and sometimes sadly inadequate,” he said. Loopholes have been found that allowed or could have allowed for the funding of abortions through the Indian Health Service, state Medicaid funding to HMOs, and Medicare reimbursements for nonelderly disabled people, he added. He urged Congress to “finally put a stop to this ungainly mechanism and simply apply the prin ciple of the Hyde amendment across the federal government once and for all.” Also addressing the subcommittee Feb. 8 was Cathy Cleaver Ruse, senior fellow for legal stud ies at the Family Research Council and a former spokeswoman for the USCCB on pro-life issues. Ruse said the Hyde amendment represented a consensus between those who support abortion and those who oppose it. “A majority of pro-life and pro-choice Ameri cans came together in agreement that, whatever their differences on the underlying question of le gality, the government should not subsidize abor tions,” she said. “H.R. 3 does not affect in any way the legality of any abortion, nor does it strengthen or dimin ish the arguments on either side of the abortion divide,” Ruse added. But it does respond to President Barack Obama’s call to “find common ground” on abortion, she said. “For more than three decades Americans have come together in what may be the only truly bipar tisan agreement possible: that whatever our dif ferences on the underlying question of legality, we agree the federal government should not subsidize abortions with taxpayer dollars,” Ruse said. Witnesses at a Feb. 9 hearing on the Protect Life Act before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health included Helen Alvare, an associate professor at George Mason University School of Law and Ruse’s pre decessor as the USCCB pro-life spokeswoman, and Douglas Johnson, director of federal legisla tion for the National Right to Life Committee. The bill on which they were testifying would make changes in the Patient Protection and Af fordable Care Act to ensure that there is no fed eral funding of abortion and the conscience rights of health providers are protected. Alvare focused her remarks on conscience protection, saying it should not be seen as “a zero-sum game between conscience-driven health-care providers and the patients they serve, particularly the most vulnerable women.” “The nation can and should both respect conscience-driven health-care providers and de liver to the most vulnerable Americans the health care their human dignity requires,” she told the subcommittee. Those who oppose conscience protections “are only attempting to force the government and conscience-driven private providers to give them what the market has steadfastly refused to do,” Alvare said. “If opponents of conscience believe this to be too few abortions, current law leaves them free to provide more abortion services.” n Copyright 2011 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Weigel continued from page 8

Britain—may have something to do with the atheists’ fear that they’re losing, and the clock is running. That’s something you’re unlikely to hear reported in the mainstream media. The numbers are there, however, and they are suggestive. n George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. 10

FEBRUARY 20, 2011

Egyptian priests fear youth may turn from Church Christian leaders ‘played it safe’ and may have lost credibility. By Barb Fraze NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS)—Two priests with strong ties to Egypt said they feared young Egyptian Catholics will turn away from the Church because it did not back the protests that led to the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. “If we lose the youth in the Church, we are done,” said Father Makarios Isaac, an Egyptian-born priest of the Archdiocese of Toronto and an associate of Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers who is based in Kenya. Father Isaac, originally ordained for the Coptic Catholic Diocese of Minya, Egypt, and its former diocesan development director, said the main Muslim and Orthodox leaders forbade participation in the protests. He said the Coptic Catholic patriarch of Alexandria, Cardinal Antonios Naguib, told protesters to go home. The priest said he feared young people will “turn their backs on the Church” and say, “You never stood with us . . . you never taught us to stand up for our rights.” Maryknoll Father Douglas May, who worked in Egypt for 18 years of Mubarak’s nearly 30-year rule, said he thought “the Christian leaders in Egypt played it safe.” “I’m afraid the Church leadership has lost its credibility with the Christian youth over this,” said Father May, now stationed in Nairobi. Both priests, who have indults to minister to Coptic- and Latin-rite Catholics, spoke of discrimination Christians faced under Mubarak’s rule and that of his predecessor, Anwar Sadat. In separate interviews with Catholic

CNS PHOTO/DYLAN MARTINEZ, REUTERS

WIRE

Young people wave flags atop an army vehicle at Tahrir Square in Cairo Feb. 12, a day after the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. Two priests with ties to Egypt said they feared young Egyptian Catholics will turn away from the Church because it did not back the people’s protests. PEACEFUL REVOLUTION

News Service in the days following Mubarak’s Feb. 11 resignation, they said any permit to do with a church building— even repainting it— had to be signed by the former president. “We had to wait 21 years to get a permit,” said Father Isaac. Even after the permit was granted, he said, state or local officials could stop construction for “security issues.” Father May, who left Egypt in 2007 but still visits at least twice a year, said that in the town of Dalga, Coptic Orthodox literally worship underground because they have not had a permit for a church for 20 years. In the same town a mosque was built next to a Catholic church, and local authorities closed down the church because Muslims complained that the long Sunday liturgies were interfering with their noon call to prayer. He said that as a foreign priest, he was often called in by the Egyptian secret police, which he said had spies at the Coptic Catholic seminary where he taught. He said police would mention that the bishop was not going

to attend a meeting— when no one else knew that—and even repeated to the American things he had said in confidence to four seminarians. Both priests also spoke of discrimination against Christians. In the Egyptian army, said Father May, discrimination against Christians was constant. “There’s a fair amount of conversion” to Islam in the military because of the pressure, he said. Christians are called “mushrik,” which means someone who believes in many gods or is an idol worshipper. He compared it to calling an American “the N-word.” He said he knew of one army officer who was refused a pen by a colleague when the colleague saw the cross on the Christian’s wrist. Father Isaac said that in the 1970s, two of his brothers were kidnapped by members of the Muslim Brotherhood in an effort to get Muslim prisoners released. His brothers later were freed in a prisoner exchange. He said when he attended two different universities in

the 1970s and early 1980s, he was asked whether he were Christian or Muslim because professors could not tell by his name. “If you were Christian, you would feel it right away,” he said, adding that Christians never got the top grades, even if they were most intelligent. He said that everyone in Egypt was expecting some sort of explosion, not a fairly peaceful revolution, because there are “not enough jobs, everything’s so expensive.” He added there is “great hope” about the country’s future— including that whoever leads Egypt will be concerned not to make the same mistakes as Mubarak “because they can see the power of the people.” Father May said he thought it was too early to tell how things would turn out for Egypt’s Christians. “If Muslims and Christians can see that their destinies are linked as Egyptians . . . there’s a chance that this could get better,” he said. n Copyright 2011 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Hilarion continued from page 9

element that is allembracing. He added that the composer was able to combine “unsurpassed compositional skill” with rare diversity, true beauty, and profound spirituality. “Even Bach’s secular music is permeated by a sense of love for God, of standing in God’s presence, of awe before him,” he said. He commented that Bach, a Lutheran, was “truly ‘catholic,’” the original Greek term meaning “universal,” for he saw the Church as “a universal organism.” Bach’s music “belongs to the world as a whole and to each citizen separately,” he said. The metropolitan used his own spiritual journey as an example of how faith and music can intersect. He was always a talented musician,

CNS PHOTO/ED PFUELLER, CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

from the

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev of the Russian Orthodox Church discusses the intersection of faith and music in an address Feb. 9 at The Catholic University of America in Washington. ‘CATHOLIC’ MUSIC

he said, but for a time he intentionally abandoned music because he felt caught between ministry to music and ministry to the Church. He

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chose to renounce the world, including his love for music, to follow his calling to serve the Church. “I neither played musical instruments

nor listened to recorded music,” he said. Slowly Metropolitan Hilarion changed his outlook, but it took listening to a performance of one of his own compositions at a festival of Orthodox music he was invited to attend. It helped him realize there was a piece of himself that was missing, he said. “Listening to my own music, something stirred inside me, and I began to compose again almost at once,” he said. His presentation was a part of a series of events celebrating the theme of Catholic University President John Garvey’s inaugural year: “Intellect and Virtue: The Idea of a Catholic University.” n Copyright 2011 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

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