ministry
offers life-giving prenatal care to mothers in need
By Dan McWilliams
Catholic Charities of East Tennessee debuted a mobile ultrasound van on Jan. 23 at its Pregnancy Help Center in Helenwood, allowing mothers to see images of their unborn babies—a service that most often leads them to choose life.
The gently used, low-mileage vehicle will ultimately travel throughout the diocese, said Deacon David Duhamel, executive director of CCETN.
“We’re looking to expand our ultrasound and our services to moms out into our rural areas. Helenwood is one of those rural areas, and right now we’re just doing some trial runs,” he said. “We’re trying to work on our procedures and processes so that we can properly support our clientele.
“We have plans to go down to Chattanooga to the Basilica [of Sts. Peter and Paul], to Signal Mountain, up to the Johnson City-Tri Cities area, and up along our Kentucky-Tennessee border, where we have three Pregnancy Help Centers. We’re expanding our ultrasound offerings to clients in those areas, as well as Cumber-
‘Bring
land County—we’ve just started a new relationship there, working very closely with St. Francis of Assisi in Fairfield Glade and St. Alphonsus in Crossville. We’re working with community partners out there as well.”
The Knights of Columbus are a vital reason why the ultrasound van came to be. The Supreme Council donated the ultrasound machine, while many East Tennessee councils have donated to the van’s support.
“The Knights of Columbus have been a phenomenal partner with us,” Deacon Duhamel said. “Not only did Supreme buy us the actual ultrasound machine, but the councils also pitched in and gave us a substantial amount of contributions to help pay for the first two years of operating expenses, so we’ve relied quite heavily on them.”
Deacon Duhamel singled out Knights Ted H. Denning Jr. Council 8781 from St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut and Council 5207 from the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Also providing extra support were Council 4264 from St. Mary in Johnson City, Holy Family Council 6099 from St. Stephen in Chattanooga, and Council 14079 from Holy Spirit in Soddy-Daisy.
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t identify the Knights at Sacred Heart as well as St. John Neumann as being some of the major players,” Deacon Duhamel said.
The ultrasound van is a 2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
“We worked very closely with an organization called Save the Stork. They put us in touch with a
Ultrasound continued on page A19
the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ ’
St. Thomas the Apostle Parish embraces international prison ministry
By Gabrielle Nolan
Ateam of East Tennessee men enters a local prison on a regular basis to bring the love of Christ to inmates.
Since 2017, Stu McFadden has joined other men at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City in a local chapter of Kairos, an international and ecumenical prison ministry that holds retreats for prisoners.
The men from St. Thomas the Apostle, along with men from seven other local East Tennessee Christian churches, host their retreat twice a year at the Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg.
“The Lord asked me Himself to be part of this ministry,” Mr. McFadden shared. “My faith has grown so much stronger being part of this ministry. You watch the Holy Spirit work on these guys over a weekend, and it’s just amazing. Sometimes you just plant the seed where it may grow two years from now. It’s a real impact on the guys, and when you see the impact on them it’s pretty powerful on the team members, too.”
Curtis “Chip” Young, also a parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle, became involved with the prison ministry in 2019.
“The thing that I like about it is the message gets really concentrated on the idea of Christ’s salvation, or the salvation that Jesus offers us through His death and resurrection,” Mr. Young said. “Just the whole message that we bring to guys that are in a very dark place and the opportunity to give them some hope.”
‘Christ loves him no matter what’ Based on a Catholic Cursillo retreat, the Kairos retreat lasts 3.5 days and can host between a minimum of 18 inmates up to around 30 inmates. The prisoners, called “insiders,” are placed into family
groups with Kairos team members, called “outsiders.” The family groups are named after the disciples Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and James. The first night of the retreat, a Thursday, is a meet-and-greet between the insiders and the outsiders, with some instructions on what to expect during the retreat. The team is there for about four hours, sharing a meal with the inmates and getting them to relax and enjoy themselves.
The 10 retreat presentations begin on Friday morning and are staggered throughout the day, continuing through Saturday and Sunday. The Kairos team spends about 12 hours in the prison on Friday and Saturday, while Sunday is an eighthour day.
“It’s a series of talks where they get to listen to the talk and then discuss at the table what
Ministering behind the wall The Kairos Prison Ministry team that serves the Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg includes, from left, Bill Taylor, Greg Hoffman, Brent Thompson, Michael Kelly, Stu McFadden, Ed Solack, Danny Cooper, Butch Crouch Bill Mongeau, Greg Collins, Bob Jessee, Daniel Woods, Michael Yeager, Steve Cantrell, Ken Kinzler, and Dale Snyder. The group, shown at St. Thomas the Apostle Church ministers to inmates inside the prison on
Babies on board Catholic Charities of East Tennessee's new mobile ultrasound van was in action on Jan. 23 in Helenwood at CCETN's Pregnancy Help Center, which is located next to St. Jude Church. Shown with the van are, from left, Samantha Bigley, RN; Nyah Lay, Pregnancy Help Center program coordinator; Melissa Coldiron, RN; and Sandi Davidson, CCETN Pregnancy Services program leader.
U.S. bishops call for prayer after D.C. air disaster
Pope Francis joins in the request as investigators look for cause of midair collision
By Gina Christian OSV News
U
.S. Catholic bishops joined by Pope Francis are calling for prayer after a deadly aviation crash in the nation's capital claimed 67 lives.
“Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Washington today join men and women of good will here and around the world in praying for those who perished in last night’s heartbreaking accident,” Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, the retired archbishop and current apostolic administrator of the archdiocese, said in a Jan. 30 statement.
The Jan. 29 midair collision between a regional jet operated by American Airlines and a U.S. military helicopter took place over the Potomac River at approximately 9 p.m.
Within hours of the accident, all on both aircraft were reported to have died.
American Eagle Flight 5342,
Praying for those who perished A plane flies over crosses near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the aftermath of the midair collision of American Eagle flight 5342 and a military helicopter, both of which crashed into the Potomac River, in Arlington, Va., on Feb. 1.
which originated in Wichita, Kan., had been preparing to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and carried 60 passengers and four crew members
The Handmaids of the Precious Blood this year celebrate the 78th year since their founding in 1947; more than three-quarters of a century of prayer and sacrifice for priests. To receive weekly cartoons and short reflections and news from the Handmaids of the Precious Blood, visit their website, nunsforpriests.org, and sign up for the FIAT newsletter.
A February prayer intention
for vocations to the priesthood and religious life
“Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ's mission in the priesthood and religious life.”
Pope Francis
on board. The helicopter involved in the collision, a UH-60 Black Hawk assigned to Fort Belvoir, Va., was carrying three troops on a routine training fl ight.
The initial rescue operation was soon declared a recovery effort, with fi rst responders and dive crews battling the Potomac’s icy waters to retrieve the bodies. The incident remains under investigation by multiple agencies led by the National Transportation Safety Board and including the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Army.
“We praise God for the generous assistance of our courageous fi rst responders,” Cardinal Gregory said in his statement.
“May this disaster serve as an impetus to strengthen our unity and collaboration.”
In a Jan. 30 post on the X social media platform, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Va., asked people to be “united in prayer” for the people aboard the fl ights and their families and friends.
“May we be united in prayer for all those tragically impacted by the accident near Reagan airport,”
How to sign up and qualify for Diocese of Knoxville’s safe-environment program
The Diocese of Knoxville has implemented the CMG Connect platform to administer the Safe Environment Program, which replaces the former Safe Environment Program (VIRTUS “Protecting God’s Children”).
CMG Connect is a web-based platform that will assist in ensuring that all employees and volunteers who are in a position of trust with children and vulnerable adults within Diocese of Knoxville schools and parishes are trained to recognize behavior patterns of potential abusers and provide pro-active measures for preventing abuse in any context.
“Safe Haven-It’s Up to You” is a three-part video that provides vignettes of real-life situations to educate the viewer about methods of grooming, desensitization, bullying, and neglect, all of which can lead to abuse.
Each part of the video is immediately followed by a brief questionnaire to further develop understanding.
Education is a key
element of the Safe Environment Program
All clergy, employees, contracted school personnel, volunteers, members of groups and organizations over the age of 18 who work, volunteer, or participate in any capacity are required to complete the diocesan Safe Environment training and a criminal-background check before they can begin employment, volunteer, or participate with ministries, groups, and organizations affiliated with the Diocese of Knoxville.
In addition, the mandatory renewal training must be completed every five years and a new background check submitted before the five-year expiration of prior training.
The Diocese of Knoxville Safe Environment compliance training and renewal training is a condition of employment and for volunteer ministry in the Diocese of Knoxville.
The CMG Connect
platform contains all three elements of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program: n Annual review of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Policy and Procedures Relating to Sexual Misconduct; n CMG Connect Safe Haven training program to be completed every five years; n Criminal background check to be completed every five years.
In compliance with the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program, all affiliates require that volunteers and employees complete the requirements prior to working and/or volunteering in a parish, school, or through Catholic Charities of East Tennessee and/ or St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic Go to https:// dioknox.org/safeenvironment on the Diocese of Knoxville website for more information ■
Sr. Regina © 2025 Handmaids of the Precious Blood
Tragedy continued on page A21
TA Word from the Bishop by Bishop
Mark Beckman
‘ Love in the Flesh ’ Let us examine our hearts and resolve to improve the world
oday, I write on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, having just celebrated the liturgy in our Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Anna and Simeon meet God in that ancient place of sacred encounter in a wholly new way. They meet God in the flesh, as a most vulnerable child in the arms of Mary, His Mother.
This past Oct. 24, Pope Francis presented to the Church a new encyclical letter “On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ.” Many of us have memories of childhood on Valentine’s Day exchanging small cards and even candy hearts with messages of love. It is timely for all of us to reflect on the infinite love and goodness that flow from God through the tender heart of His Son.
Pope Francis notes that “…if love reigns in our heart, we become, in a complete and luminous way, the persons we are meant to be, for every human being is created above all else for love. In the deepest fibre of our being, we were made to love and be loved” (21).
If we pause for a moment, we may note that our world is desperately in need of this message today. Survey for a moment the wars and violence that touch our world in Ukraine, the Holy Land, across Africa, and in so many places.
Note the lack of a loving, compassionate response and the indifference of many to the faces of the most vulnerable in our world today—in the faces of refugees, migrants seeking a safer and better place to live and work, and countless others.
Pope Francis, quoting the Second Vatican Council, notes “every one of us needs a change of heart; we must set our gaze on the whole
"... if love reigns in our heart, we become, in a complete and luminous way, the persons we are meant to be, for every human being is created above all else for love. In the deepest fibre of our being, we were made to love and be loved."
— Pope Francis
world and look to the tasks we can all perform together in order to bring about the betterment of our race. For the imbalances affecting our world today are in fact a symptom of a deeper imbalance rooted in the human heart (29).
“Let us never forget that our hearts are not self-sufficient, but frail and wounded. … We need the help of God’s love. Let us turn, then, to the heart of Christ, that core of His being, which is a blazing furnace of divine and human love and the most sublime fulfillment to which humanity can aspire. There, in that heart, we truly come at last to know ourselves and we learn to love” (30).
The “Sacred Heart is the unifying principle of all reality…and the paschal mystery of His death and resurrection the centre of history…” Pope Francis lifts up a timely and urgent appeal of prayer: “In the presence of the heart of Christ, I once more ask the Lord to have mercy on this suffering world in which He chose to dwell as one of us. May He pour out the treasures of His light and love, so that our world, which presses forward despite wars and socioeconomic disparities and uses of technology that threaten our humanity, may regain the most important and necessary thing of all: its heart” (31).
I believe it is only when we ourselves have experienced deeply the tender, merciful love of God that flows from the heart of Jesus for us, that we are capable of being set free to love others as we are loved. Then, like Anna and Simeon, we begin to meet God in the vulnerable, tender flesh of others. “The eternal Son of God…chose to love each of us with a human heart. His human emotions became the sacrament of that infinite and endless love” (60).
May the love of Christ, who poured out His life for us, inspire in us a burning fire of love for others in our world today that expresses itself in concrete actions of noble kindness, generosity, goodness, and love. ■
Meditating on Christ ’s passion and St. Thomas More
Martyr's words resonate with readers amid Church's challenges
By Lauretta Brown OSV News
At the beginning of 2024, I set out to read and reflect on one spiritual classic a month. Bearing in mind that only about 9 percent of people complete their New Year’s resolutions at all, I was content to complete mine a bit late with gratitude for the 12 books this past year that each helped me grow closer to God in different ways.
At the close of the old year and the beginning of a new one, I took up The Sadness of Christ, the last work that St. Thomas More ever wrote before being beheaded in 1535 for his opposition to King Henry VIII’s claim to be the supreme head of the church in England.
The work—written during St. Thomas’ 15-month imprisonment in the Tower of London—contains meditations likely inspired by his impending martyrdom but also features simple and practical advice on prayer and living life in view of the final end of eternal salvation.
He began by emphasizing the need to put oneself in God’s presence during prayer despite the natural human tendency toward bodily comfort and allowing the mind to wander.
Referencing Christ’s example of falling on the ground in prayer to humbly ask that this cup pass from Him, St. Thomas asked how often in prayer “will we have a cushion laid under” our knees and "a cushion to bear up our elbows, too, and so like an old rotten ruinous house, we be fain therewith to be stayed and underpropped. And then further do we every way discover how far wide our mind is wandering from God.”
In prostrating himself in prayer, he wrote that Christ provides the admonition “we ought not only secretly with our heart, but also with our body openly in the face of the world, to serve and honour God, the creator of them both.” Christ’s action showed us “a sample Himself of most humble submission in prayer; who with such lowly out-
The power of prayer and living life A statue of St. Thomas More, patron of statesmen, politicians, and members of the legal profession, is seen at St. Thomas More Church in Hauppauge, N.Y. Lord chancellor of England under King Henry VIII, St. Thomas More was beheaded in 1535 on charges of treason after refusing to recognize the king as the supreme head of the Church of England. His feast is June 22, the first day of the U.S. Catholic Church's annual Religious Freedom Week observance.
ward gesture worshipped His heavenly Father.”
With words that may resonate to the modern reader amid the modern Church’s abuse scandals, St. Thomas—who had to contend in his own time with priests in England who lacked the courage to stand for the faith— offered encouragement to the faithful to be ever vigilant and pray for sinful priests due to their impact on the community of believers. He wrote that Christ is “delivered into the hands of sinners, whensoever His blessed body in the holy sacrament is consecrated and handled of beastly, vicious, and most abominable priests” and in these cases, “let us reckon that Christ Himself then speaketh these words unto us afresh: ‘Why sleep you? Watch, arise, and pray, that you enter not into temptation. For
the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.’”
By the examples of these priests, “vice and evil living lightly increase and creep in among the people.” The worse the priests are, he wrote, the more it is necessary for people “to watch, rise, and heartily pray for themselves, and yet not for themselves only, but for such priests.”
St. Thomas offered what was likely a very personal reflection on the call to martyrdom, drawing comfort from Christ’s example during His anguish in the garden of Gethsemane.
Taking Christ’s words from Matthew, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death,” he wrote that some may “marvel how this could be, that our saviour Christ, being very God equal with His almighty Father, could be heavy, sad, and sorrowful.”
He saw Christ’s expression of sorrow partly as a recognition that “to suffer martyrdom nature is not able without the help of grace” and for those in the Church who were afraid of suffering for Christ’s sake to “pluck up thy courage, faint
Commentary
At this conclusion of my year of journeying through the spiritual classics, these last written words from St. Thomas More offered a timely reminder to have courage and lean on Christ in the face of struggles new and old, for His strength "is made perfect in weakness."
heart, and despair never a deal.”
Christ Himself “vanquished the whole world,” but felt “far more fear, sorrow, weariness, and much more inward anguish” before His “most bitter, painful passion.”
“He that is stronghearted may find a thousand glorious valiant martyrs, whose example he may right joyfully follow,” he wrote, but he imagined that Christ would tell the fearful martyr: “O timorous and weak silly sheep, think it sufficient for thee, only to walk after me, which am thy shepherd and governor, and so mistrust thyself and put thy trust in me. For this self same dreadful passage lo! have I myself passed before thee. Take hold on the hem of my garment therefore.”
St. Thomas’ life is a heroic tale of martyrdom as he chose to die “the King’s good servant and God’s first.”
But for today’s Catholic who might have trouble imagining dying for the faith and who struggles every day to follow in Christ’s footsteps, there is something especially comforting about his encouragement to the “timorous and weak silly sheep” who needs to take hold of Christ’s garment in order to suffer for His sake.
At this conclusion of my year of journeying through the spiritual classics, these last written words from St. Thomas More offered a timely reminder to have courage and lean on Christ in the face of struggles new and old, for His strength “is made perfect in weakness.” ■ Lauretta Brown is the culture editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @ LaurettaBrown6.
Lauretta Brown
‘ We are growing ’
By Dan McWilliams
St. Joseph the Worker Par-
ish in Madisonville is planning to build a new family life center as the community in Monroe County has outgrown its current spaces for office staff and ministries.
The building, whose cost is estimated at $4 million, will be approximately 10,000 to 12,000 square feet. The center will “completely blend with the existing sanctuary building and fellowship hall to appear to be one larger facility,” said pastor Father Julius Abuh
“During construction, the FLC will be built parallel to our current church building. There will be a main covered entrance set between the two structures to accommodate easier entrance to the church. The two buildings are connected by two corridors, one in the front and the other to the rear.”
Drawing up a new building
The George Armour Ewart firm in Knoxville is designing the new building.
“George’s organization was one of the architectural firms recommended by the diocese,” Father Abuh said. “We are so pleased with their creativity, quality of work, and timeliness of completing approved work phases. His organization is a true partner with us.”
The Ewart company’s design is “beautiful and inclusive,” Father Abuh said. “The facility will provide a healthy, safe, and fun place to continue to grow and build on the legacy our founding families created so many years ago.”
St. Joseph the Worker has raised almost half of the total amount needed for the family life center project.
“Currently, $4 million is our original estimated cost to build
our project, and that is our stated capital goal,” Father Abuh said.
“We are in the process of working to identify a general contractor who will help us determine the accurate cost of construction that will guide our efforts going forward.
“We are pleased with our capital fundraising progress so far. We have received pledges in the amount of almost $2 million. In addition, our fundraising committee has developed a sound strategy to augment our pledge dollars, and that is starting during the Lenten season. We’ll begin publishing a rolling fundraising event calendar after Easter of this
Fundraising for the new family life center kicked off last May and focused on a parishioner pledge campaign, Father Abuh noted.
“We engaged with Greater Mission, a professional fundraising organization, to lead our efforts,” he added. “In addition to our pledge campaign, our fundraising committee developed a fourprong comprehensive strategy that involves reaching out to the community, businesses and organizations, and foundations as well as conducting regular fun parish events such as meals, galas, wine and chocolate tasting, a brick sale, and children’s activities such as car washes.”
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A good problem to have
Father Abuh likes to refer to his parish as the “only one” in Monroe County, and it is a growing one for the priest who has served Madisonville-area Catholics since 2018.
“Together with my team, we have seen that St. Joseph the Worker has a high-class problem: we are growing!” the pastor said. “Our numbers, from registered families and individuals to Mass attendance, have been surging. Our annual weekend Mass attendance in December 2021 was 15,420. At the end of December 2024, our weekly Mass attendance was 23,522. All our key metrics show similar growth.
“Religious education grew in enrollment to 60 students this year; RCIA has 30 people enrolled, a record number for us; Bible studies now offer two different classes to accommodate the need. Considering the rural nature of our location and the distances our parishioners travel, this is indeed a blessing.”
Those aren’t the only areas of increasing numbers
“Another critical area where we feel the crunch of growth is in our church hall,” Father Abuh said. “Social activities—such as Sunday coffee and doughnuts after Masses, monthly buffets, Christmas and holiday parties, sacrament celebrations, parish special events like a bishop’s visit—find us renting tents or encouraging people when they are done eating to leave so more parishioners can join the fun
“Fellowship and spending time together are what encourage our happy-family reputation. We are a welcoming and friendly parish, but it’s difficult to feel that when we can’t accommodate everyone for our celebrations.”
Committee leaders find it difGrowth continued on page A16
Immigration and the Church
Building bridges with God ’s help
Those at Catholic Social Ministry Gathering working to organize hope
By Kimberley Heatherington OSV News
The theme of bridge-building in community outreach and organizing spanned several presentations at the 2025 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington, D.C., aiming to equip participants with practical and timely tools to transform their communities.
Organized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops with 20 national Catholic organizations, the Jan. 2528 CSMG gathered in Washington at the same time as the new Trump administration issued a whirlwind of policy directives that impact Catholic social priorities.
Emilce Cuda, secretary of the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and an assistant adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago, began the Jan. 26 plenary session titled “Salt and Light: Building Bridges by Organizing Hope” by telling attendees it is impossible to speak about hope without linking politics and the economy.
“Hope,” Ms. Cuda said, “is the dynamo that turns fear into (an) organizing community.”
She explained that oppressed people, properly united, can afford the luxury of hope once their fear is converted into organized action.
Ms. Cuda added that debt a rel-
evant topic for the Jubilee Year, since an important part of the biblical jubilee tradition included forgiveness of debt corrodes hope and remains a primary cause of both poverty and migration.
Ms. Cuda admitted that hope may sometimes seem in short supply, observing a current “air of unrest because Catholic social workers feel that they are being called to supernatural effort.”
Wryly remarking that the daysold second Trump administration would be wise to regard the Catholic Church as “a repository of common
sense,” Ms. Cuda then pointedly, with some amusement, explained why: “We have a lot of history. Donald Trump is the 47th president; Pope Francis is the 266th successor of St. Peter. When George Washington was the first president, we were already on our 250th vicar of Christ.”
Ms. Cuda delved into the task of how to build community bridges locally and across the Americas as Pope Francis exhorted them in his letter to the CSMG shared the day before.
“The first thing is to have a solid foundation that can support the
weight of the load that moves over the bridge,” Ms. Cuda advised. “That is what we call solidarity; it is one of the four principles of the social doctrine of the Church.” (The other three principles are the dignity of the human person; the common good; and subsidiarity basically, handling challenges at the nearest level capable of doing so.)
This isn’t, however, accomplished in isolation. Solidarity, Ms. Cuda explained, “is the result of organizing community; it is not an individual act.”
“Solidarity requires the personal decision to unite in order to be saved,” she added. “And then, along the way, we see which was the strategy that made possible a good and abundant life as our Lord Jesus Christ tells us.”
Ms. Cuda emphasized that the “supernatural help of grace through theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity” also is a critical bridgebuilding tool.
“Without this divine help,” she said, “bridges cannot be built.”
“The Catholic Church is unity. And the solutions it offers to social problems are neither political nor economic, they are evangelical; the whole Gospel calls for unity,” she said. “Far from social antagonism, we Catholics preach unity in differ-
continued on page A7
Pleas for human solidarity U.S.
bishop shares the stories of ‘discarded migrants ’ amid growing fear
By Kimberley Heatherington OSV News
For those to whom America’s escalating immigration crisis feels perhaps comfortably remote or abstract, Bishop Joseph J. Tyson of the Diocese of Yakima, Wash., knows the gritty realities of the people he shepherds.
The bishop’s own diocese is located in central Washington, one of the world’s leading sources of apples and other produce, largely harvested through migrant labor. Yakima County itself has an estimated 24,000 unauthorized immigrants. During harvest, the region may have 100,000 migrant farm workers, many on agricultural visas.
On Jan. 27, Bishop Tyson offered a plenary policy session titled “Pope Francis’ Vision for Ecology, Dialogue, and the Common Good” to hundreds of attendees at the 2025 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington, D.C. He focused on those the pope has described as society’s “discarded” migrants, refugees, and the poor and shared the stark truths of their lives.
“Several years back,” Bishop Tyson told listeners, “a mom who worked on the apple sorting line in one of our many fruit-packing plants took a leave to go home to a village in Michoacán, Mexico, to deal with her own very sick mother. While caring for her mother, she herself was kidnapped.”
“The kidnappers sent the family a ransom note, which made it back to the Yakima Valley,” Bishop Tyson continued. “They wanted $15,000. A collection basket was sent around the fruit-packing plant. Between the family and her co-workers, they raised about $7,000 and sent the money to the kidnappers.”
“A few days later, a note arrived to the family in the village, stapled to a trash bag,” he said. “The kidnappers acknowledged receipt of half the money. When the other half of the money came, they would send a second trash bag
" Nico was kidnapped for money and held for ransom. He was beaten and tortured. His parents borrowed $50,000 from family and friends to free him. But the threat of kidnapping continued. One of the kidnappers was also a 'coyote.' So, in order to protect their son Nico, his parents paid a 'coyote' to get him to the United States. He ended up in the Diocese of Yakima (and is now a seminarian) "
Bishop Joseph J. Tyson
describing the harrowing stories of parishioners in the Diocese of Yakima, Wash.
with the other half of this dead mom’s body.”
“The family in the Yakima Valley,” Bishop Tyson concluded in an even voice, “had memorial Masses celebrated.”
The gruesome narrative painfully underlined two realities: The people Bishop Tyson serves lead very hard and even dangerous lives, and their decisions to leave the violent instability of their homelands are not made lightly.
Organized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops with 20 national Catholic organizations, the Jan. 25-28 CSMG coincided with an avalanche of executive orders targeting immigration from the weekold Trump administration.
Bishop Tyson frequently has referred to the Yakima Diocese as the largest border diocese without a border. “About three-fourths of our parishioners have roots in Mexico,” he remarked, “and the vast majority of people in the Diocese of Yakima attend Mass in Spanish.”
Framing his remarks with Ro-
mans 8:18-27 “Creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God ...” Bishop Tyson commented, “It is important to note here that the very concepts of redemption and salvation come from the ancient trade of human trafficking. Paul applies this common understanding at that time to all of creation, not just to human life.”
Creation in Pope Francis’ teaching and in the Catholic understanding is a rich thematic source. The pope’s landmark encyclicals Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home (2015) and Fratelli Tutti, on Fraternity and Social Friendship (2020) are infused with illustrations of humanity’s relationship to the world and to God.
“One of the key concepts from Laudato Si’ is ‘integral human ecology,’ explained Bishop Tyson. “We humans are not the totality of creation.”
He said, “When creation is respected with dignity, human digni-
ty is enhanced. And when creation is denigrated, so, too, are humans degraded.”
“I see this most clearly in my own diocese,” he added. “Those who work in orchards and fields depend on good treatment of the environment for their health and safety. Redemption is not simply about the redemption of humans, but all creation. God wants humans and all of creation set free.”
Extending the illustration, Bishop Tyson declared, “Redemption by God is not an escape hatch but a rescue plan. We cannot just live our lives in a singular, merely personal relationship with God.”
“Our redemption,” he emphasized, “is dependent on how we live our lives integrally.”
Slavery, Bishop Tyson continued, still infects contemporary society. One of his own seminarians a Guatemalan named Nico is an example.
“Nico was kidnapped for money and held for ransom. He was beaten and tortured. His parents borrowed $50,000 from family and friends to free him,” Bishop Tyson shared. “But the threat of kidnapping continued. One of the kidnappers was also a ‘coyote.’ So, in order to protect their son Nico, his parents paid a ‘coyote’ to get him to the United States. He ended up in the Diocese of Yakima, in the town of Mattawa.”
Nico first worked as a busboy and then a waiter to pay back the money his parents borrowed to free him. After a profound retreat experience, he began to consider the priesthood. Bishop Tyson encouraged him to complete his high school diploma, and the diocesan attorney advised that Nico had a strong case for asylum.
“At our Diocese of Yakima pastoral center Christmas retreat, Nico shared his story with us,” Bishop Tyson said. “In his bones, he grasps that we can’t save ourselves. We can’t pay our own ransom. Someone else must do it for us. He told us this is how Christ saves us. He now understands ‘salvation’
Leading the discussion Dr. Emilce Cuda, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America at the Holy See, encourages participants of the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering to effect political and economic change through community organizing during a panel discussion in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 26.
OSV NEWS/USCCB SECRETARIAT OF JUSTICE AND PEACE
Gathering
Compelling accounts Bishop Joseph J. Tyson of the Diocese of Yakima, Wash., delivers a heartfelt speech about migration and care for creation at the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 27.
OSV NEWS/USCCB SECRETARIAT OF JUSTICE AND PEACE
Migration & Catholic Social Teaching
Key Principles Derived from the Magisterial Teaching of the Catholic Church
• Persons have the right to find opportunities in their homeland (i.e., the right not to migrate).
Irregular Migration and Immigration Enforcement
• When the conditions necessary for a dignified life are absent, persons have the natural right to migrate to support themselves and their family.
• More prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome those in search of the security and means of livelihood unavailable in their country of origin.
• Countries have the right to maintain their borders and regulate immigration, consistent with the common good and with respect for the sanctity of human life.
• Refugees and asylum seekers should be afforded protection.
• The God-given dignity and rights of undocumented immigrants should be respected.
• Immigrants have a responsibility to respect the country that receives them.
Immigration Reform
• As recognized by the Church for decades, the current immigration system is inadequate to address the needs of American families, employers, and communities, as well as immigrants themselves. Reforms and investments are needed to modernize/ increase capacity at ports of entry, increase the number of/access to lawful immigration pathways, and establish earned legalization programs for long-time undocumented residents.
• Pope Francis has stated that “safe, orderly, regular, and sustainable migration is in the interest of all countries.” At the same time, Catholic teaching recognizes that it “is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop.” Threats to human life, therefore, may compel irregular migration. Above all, we must reject an oversimplification of the issue that disregards the human lives involved. One of the main differences between immigrating to the United States today and immigrating to the United States 100 years ago is that the process has become much more complicated and limiting, meaning most who immigrated during the late nineteenth/early twentieth centuries could not do so today.
• Immigration enforcement should always be targeted, proportionate, and humane. According to its nature (i.e., the crossing of international boundaries) and the U.S. Constitution, it is principally and necessarily the responsibility of the federal government to regulate immigration and provide orderly processes for people seeking to immigrate to the United States. However, national, state, and local governments must work collaboratively with one another and civil society to devise a collective and humane response to migration.
Additional Resources
• Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2241 (USCCB).
• Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope (USCCB)
• Q&A on Catholic Ministries Serving Migrants and Refugees (USCCB)
• Human Trafficking, U.S. Policy, and the Catholic Church (USCCB)
• Justice for Immigrants (USCCB)
• The situation at the U.S.-Mexico border is unsustainable for migrants and communities alike, but it can and should be addressed without sacrificing longstanding, life-saving humanitarian protections, such as asylum. Ultimately, no sustainable reduction in migration can be achieved without a longterm commitment to addressing its root causes. Looking only at the U.S.-Mexico border or the domestic situation ignores the realities people face in their countries of origin. Heavy-handed enforcement measures will not alleviate forced migration. Much more attention should be given to the myriad causes of increased migration, rather than simply responding to its symptoms. As Pope Francis has acknowledged, “Ideally, unnecessary migration ought to be avoided; this entails creating in countries of origin the conditions needed for a dignified life and integral development.”
• Responding to Migrants and Refugees: Twenty Action Points (Holy See)
• Pastoral Orientations on Human Trafficking (Holy See)
• And They Shall Know Us by Our Love (Catholic Charities USA)
• Modern Catholic Social Teaching on Immigration: Notable Quotes (CLINIC)
Immigration and the Church
‘Just wrong ’
Audited financials show claims the Church profits from refugee work are incorrect
By Kate Scanlon OSV News
Claims that the U.S. bishops’ conference profits from its partnership with the government to assist refugee populations that qualify for federal assistance, and that the Catholic Church facilitates illegal immigration, are “just wrong,” said William Canny, the U.S. bishops’ migration director.
Mr. Canny, executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services, made the comments in a Jan. 30 interview with OSV News in the wake of remarks by Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump’s press secretary.
Mr. Vance, who is Catholic, questioned the motives of the U.S. bishops’ criticism of President Trump’s new immigration policies in a Jan. 26 interview—including reducing restrictions on raids on churches and schools. He asked if the bishops are actually concerned about receiving federal resettlement funding and “their bottom line.”
The same week, in her debut press briefing as White House press secretary on Jan. 28, Karoline Leavitt, who also is a Catholic, suggested the Trump administration would seek to strip federal funds from nongovernmental organizations, including Catholic Charities, as part of its effort to enforce its immigration policies. In that exchange, Catholic Charities was accused of facilitating illegal immigration, claims the domestic chari-
" The conference does not profit from this money. And in fact, we cannot, we do not run these programs without also putting in some private funds. So, there’s absolutely no profiting from these federal grants. ... Let me be clear that we believe that our country has a right to control its border and a legitimate right to determine who can come in and who can’t into the country, within the bounds of justice and law."
for the U.S.
table arm of the Catholic Church in the United States has long denied.
The USCCB website states that its Migration and Refugee Services “is the largest refugee resettlement agency in the world,” and that in partnership with its affiliates, it
resettles approximately 18 percent of the refugees who arrive in the United States each year.
What the financial statements show
Audited financial statements by
an outside firm show that the USCCB received about $122.6 million in 2022 and about $129.6 million in 2023 in funding from government agencies for refugee-related services. But the same statements show that the USCCB spent more on those services than the government gave them, meaning the conference did not profit from the grants, according to the conference’s auditors. In 2023, for example, the conference spent $134.2 million for such services.
“We have an obligation to the federal government, when we take these grants, to report back to them, to monitor the activities that these agencies carry out. We’re talking food, housing, clothes, medical attention, et cetera, so we have an obligation to monitor that,” Mr. Canny said. “The conference does not profit from this money. And in fact, we cannot, we do not run these programs without also putting in some private funds. So there’s absolutely no profiting from these federal grants.”
The refugees eligible for the program, he added, “are highly vetted” by the U.S. government.
“When these refugees come in through this particular program, they are on a path to citizenship in this country,” Mr. Canny said. He added the program assists them with basic needs like housing, medical care, and job searching.
When it comes to immigration policy, Mr. Canny said, the U.S. bishops are supportive of policies
Will feds strip funds from Catholic Charities,
By Kate Scanlon OSV News
The White House on Jan. 28 sought to clarify what would and would not be impacted by a directive to freeze federal financial assistance programs and suggested it would seek to strip federal funds from nongovernmental organizations, including Catholic Charities, as part of its effort to enforce its immigration policies.
Catholic Charities USA urged the Trump administration to reconsider the freeze of the funds in a Jan. 28 statement. A judge temporarily blocked the freeze the same day.
The White House budget office ordered a pause on all federal grants and loans, which could impact trillions of dollars in government spending and halt public programs that affect millions of Americans, according to a memo from that office. These orders could impact Catholic
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entities that rely on such grants.
In her debut press briefing as White House press secretary on Jan. 28, Karoline Leavitt said, “this is not a blanket pause on federal assistance in grant programs from the Trump administration,” arguing “individual assistance” will not be impacted, listing “Social Security benefits, Medicare benefits, food stamps, welfare benefits” as examples.
“It is the responsibility of this president and this administration to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” she said, arguing the directive was to combat “wokeness” running afoul of President Donald Trump’s other executive orders on topics including diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
But questions remain about how the White House will define “assistance provided directly to individuals,” as indicated in the memo. Some states were cut off from the portal that is used to request and manage
ence as the path to salvation. That is our contribution to politics in the chaos that every change of era generates.”
Ultimately, Ms. Cuda said, the Church transcends secular and time-bound politics.
“The Catholic organizing community is greater than political time. That is why it is enough to start processes, because others will follow. The poor know this,” she continued, “because they start the process with the hope that their children will have a more dignified life. They know that the organization conquers time. This is the Church of the borders.”
That said, Ms. Cuda still had a word of caution: “Hope is never lost, but it can be manipulated. Hope can be politically manipulated. Careful!” she said. “When we do that, we are not doing theology, but ideology, and that is the worst politics.
“Therefore,” Ms. Cuda concluded, “we must go out as Church, but build bridges of communication, without leaving anyone outside or behind.”
An afternoon bridge-building session focused upon “Engaging Restorative Practices for a Synodal Church on Mission” through the Catholic Mobilizing Network’s formation tool, “Conversations in Communion: Parish Dialogues for Connection and Understanding.”
The Catholic Mobilizing Network works to fulfill the Church’s commitment to abolish the death pen-
Medicaid spending.
The White House confirmed the outage, with Ms. Leavitt writing on social media that they are “aware of the Medicaid website portal outage,” but said it would soon be available.
“We have confirmed no payments have been affected—they are still being processed and sent,” she said. “We expect the portal will be back online shortly.”
Ms. Leavitt was asked about the impact on organizations like Meals on Wheels, which is funded in part by the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) program to deliver meals to homebound seniors rather than the grant funds going directly to the seniors themselves.
“It does not affect individual assistance that’s going to Americans,” she replied.
Elsewhere in the briefing, Ms. Leavitt was asked if President Trump “intended to permanently cut off funding to NGOs that are bringing
alty, advance justice solutions aligned with Catholic principles, and promote healing and restorative justice.
Designed to equip Catholics to introduce the restorative practice of the circle process in their parishes and ministries, “Conversations in Communion” aims to deepen, expand, and strengthen the synodal culture called for by Pope Francis.
Informed by Indigenous peacemaking traditions, circle process literally involves participants sitting in a physical or virtual circle, passing a “talking piece” to signal speaking order. Facilitators guide the dialogue using a series of prompts and questions. Practically, it creates a forum for communal dialogue and engagement with difficult topics through storytelling.
“For 15 years, Catholic Mobilizing Network has been introducing, facilitating, and training in the restorative practice of circle process at local and national levels,” said Caitlin Morneau, director of Restorative Justice at the Catholic Mobilizing Network. “As we work to dismantle the death penalty, we also need to be building up capacities and awareness for responses to harm and crime that are healing and transformative, and offer alternatives to some of those most punitive responses to crime that we see as kind of the default in our country.”
Other sessions covered on Jan. 26 included discussions centered on how to provide hope by understanding community needs, addressing social
illegal foreign nationals to the country, such as Catholic Charities?”
“I am actually quite certain that the president signed an executive order that did just that,” she said. Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, issued a statement that did not reference the exchange in the White House briefing room but defended the work of her organization.
“Last year, 92 percent of the services provided by the 168 independent Catholic Charities agencies around the country covered basic needs—access to food, housing, health care, and other necessities—for families and individuals struggling to get by,” Ms. Robinson said. “These vital services include food pantries for those who can’t afford groceries, child-care programs for low-income families, meal deliveries for homebound seniors, job training resources for veterans, temporary and permaCharities continued on page A8
distrust and misinformation, foster care, the climate crisis, caring for elders and those dealing with sickness, fighting human trafficking, and community action to heal intergenerational trauma in Native American contexts.
A late afternoon session dubbed “Encountering Migrants in Your Parishes and at the Border” originally intended to discuss helpful methods of welcoming and accompanying immigrants was instead transformed by the flurry of immigrationrelated executive orders issued by the Trump administration.
The executive orders include enhanced vetting of visa applicants; limiting of birthright citizenship an act a federal judge has already called “blatantly unconstitutional”; declaration of a “national emergency” at the southern border with new immigration enforcement policies, including the broad authorization of conducting arrests at churches, schools, and hospitals by immigration-enforcement agents; and suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
“We received one of the stop-work orders from the Department of State, which funds the bulk of our overseas work,” said Hilary Chester, vice president of Domestic Program Operations for Jesuit Refugee Service USA. “We are one of the organizations that received a hard stop notice.”
“We’re very concerned about, really, all of our programs,” she said. ■
Restoring human dignity Migrants seeking asylum in the United States walk into a temporary humanitarian respite center run by Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in McAllen, Texas, on April 8, 2021.
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/GO NAKAMURA, REUTERS
William Canny, migration director
Conference of Catholic Bishops
Immigration and the Church
‘Justice and mercy ’
Bishops defend migrants, call for immigration reform to fix broken system
By Gina Christian OSV News
The United States is a “nation with a proud legacy of welcome to immigrants” that also “needs secure, safe, sturdy borders,” said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York.
But in a video message released Jan. 28 through The Good Newsroom, the media platform of the New York Archdiocese, the cardinal declared the Catholic Church “should not be blasted for simply obeying the Bible and caring for those immigrants” who have entered the country through its “clumsy, fractured” immigration system.
The cardinal—a successor to New York Archbishop “Dagger John” Hughes, the 19th-century defender of Irish Catholic immigrants who laid the cornerstone of today’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral—is among the many U.S. prelates to weigh in on sweeping changes newly inaugurated President Donald Trump has made in recent days to the nation’s immigration policies.
Trump administration officials sparred with Catholic organizations after pushback on some of their immigration policies.
In her debut press briefing as White House press secretary on Jan. 28, Karoline Leavitt suggested the Trump administration would strip federal funds from Catholic Charities. The comments came two days after Vice President JD Vance questioned the motives of the U.S.
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that are just, yet humane.
" In exercising the basic human right of religious liberty, all Catholics, regardless of national origin or citizenship status, have a right to gather for the celebration of Mass and to receive the sacraments without harassment or intimidation."
Texas bishops, in their letter on immigration
Mexico border to assist with immigration enforcement.
President Trump also ordered an end to the 14th Amendment’s provision for birthright citizenship, effective Feb. 19, although that action has since been temporarily blocked by a federal judge in Seattle who described the move as “blatantly unconstitutional.”
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a Jan. 22 statement that some of President Trump’s executive orders “focused on the treatment of immigrants and refugees” are “deeply troubling and will have negative consequences.”
bishops’ criticism of the new immigration policies in a Jan. 26 interview—including raids on churches and schools—suggesting the bishops are actually concerned about receiving federal resettlement funding and “their bottom line.”
Fulfilling campaign pledges to tighten border security and ensure mass deportations of unauthorized migrants, President Trump issued a
with refugees.
Wider Catholic reaction
slew of executive orders following his Jan. 20 inauguration. Refugee travel to the United States has been canceled; policies preventing immigration arrests at houses of worship, schools, and other “sensitive locations” have been scrapped; and a program enabling private U.S. citizens to sponsor refugees has been halted. Some 1,600 U.S. troops also have been dispatched to the U.S.-
Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, Texas, who chairs the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, issued multiple statements, warning that some of the executive orders seek to “eviscerate humanitarian protections enshrined in federal law and undermine due process, subjecting vulnerable families and children to grave danger” and that immigration enforcement could only be carried out morally “in a targeted, proportional, and humane way.”
Catholic social teaching on immigration balances three interrelated principles: the right of people to migrate in order to sustain their lives and those of their families, the right of a country to regulate its borders and control immigration, and a nation’s duty to regulate its borders Bishops continued on page A10
“You think we make money caring for the immigrants? We’re losing it hand over fist,” Cardinal Dolan said.
“Let me be clear that we believe that our country has a right to control its border and a legitimate right to determine who can come in and who can’t into the country, within the bounds of justice and law,” Mr. Canny said.
He added, “The sanctity of every human life is important to the Catholic Church—the God-given dignity of each person, regardless of nationality or immigration status. So, some of these executive orders that have a tendency to disregard the humanness of people” are cause for concern.
“Government authorities have the right and responsibility to promote public safety and security and to enforce just laws,” Mr. Canny said. But he pointed to denying entry to those with “legitimate asylum claims,” and fewer restrictions on raids in sensitive locations like churches and schools as particular causes for concern.
After Vice President Vance’s comments, the USCCB issued a statement defending its work
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Others weighed in more sharply, including Kim Daniels, the director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University, who wrote on X that arguments the U.S. bishops are “advocating for open borders” are false.
“It all comes down to an old strategy: politicians targeting Catholics for political gain,” she said.
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, who gave prayers at both of President Trump’s inaugurations, including his second with Vice President Vance just days earlier, called the new vice president’s comments “just scurrilous” on his SiriusXM Catholic Channel show.
“I was really disappointed,” Cardinal Dolan said, calling the comments “not only harmful, this was inaccurate.”
“It’s very nasty,” Cardinal Dolan added, inviting Vice President Vance to “come look at our audits.”
Cardinal Dolan praised Vice President Vance on other issues, including comments he recently delivered to the March for Life, and said he hoped the comments against the Church were “uncharacteristic.”
Mr. Canny said the Catholic Church has long held its view on serving refugees, and the United States is a nation of immigrants. He pointed out the first American citizen to be canonized— Mother Frances Cabrini—was an immigrant.
Asked how they planned to engage with the Trump administration on immigration policy, Mr. Canny said, “Certainly as they organize and get people into place, we hope to be able to meet with them directly and discuss these matters as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has done with every administration.”
“So we hope that that will happen to avoid misunderstandings in the future,” he added. ■
The millions of Americans “who rely on this life-giving support,” she added, “will suffer due to the unprecedented effort to freeze federal aid supporting these programs.”
“The people who will lose access to crucial care are our neighbors and family members,” Ms. Robinson said. “They live in every corner of the country and represent all races, religions, and political affiliations.”
“For more than a century, the Catholic Charities network has worked with the government to care for poor and vulnerable people in every
Creation continued from page A5 nent housing, mental-health services, and much more."
more than most, and thus will make a very fine priest.”
“Modern-day slavery takes many forms,” he added. “But at the root is a profound disconnection or a willful disregard for paying attention to and cultivating the three key relationships Pope Francis noted in Laudato Si’: with creation, with one another, and with God.”
To build solidarity with those they will serve, Bishop Tyson explained that he requires his seminarians to labor in Yakima’s produce fields.
“If my men are to elevate the bread and wine, gifts of the earth, and the work of human hands,” he reasoned, “then I want them to know the sweat and hard human labor behind those ecological gifts.”
Patiently encountering those with different ideas also can assist in the work of connections and redemption, Bishop Tyson said.
community in the U.S., and we continue to be eager to work with government to care for our neighbors in need. We strongly urge the administration to rethink this decision,” she continued.
The group also urged its supporters to contact their congressional representatives.
Both Catholic Charities USA and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have said they abide by the law in their work with migrants and refugees.
In a Jan. 26 statement, issued hours after Vice President JD Vance questioned the motives of the U.S. bishops’ criticism of President Trump's new immigration policies in an interview that aired that morning, the USCCB said, “Faithful to the
One way to do so, he suggested, is to ask questions “about how others came to their emotionally anchored and deeply seated beliefs and opinions.”
“All these things are connected,” he said. “And the work of redemption and the idea of integral human development demand that we see the connections.”
Bishop Tyson then made an impassioned plea of interconnectedness.
“Can we not perceive that so many who migrate here do so in order that they and their children can have a better, more secure life? Can we not grasp the connection between environmental concerns and their rural agricultural labor? Can we not see that the flow of drugs from the south are related to the flow of arms from the United States into the hands of the cartels in Mexico?” he asked.
“Can we not see that the migration from
teaching of Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church has a long history of serving refugees.”
“In 1980, the bishops of the United States began partnering with the federal government to carry out this service when Congress created the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP),” the statement said. “Every person resettled through USRAP is vetted and approved for the program by the federal government while outside of the United States. In our agreements with the government, the USCCB receives funds to do this work; however, these funds are not sufficient to cover the entire cost of these programs. Nonetheless, this remains a work of mercy and ministry of the Church.” ■
Mexico has multiple causes that include fleeing violence in rural areas? Can we not see that the flow of drugs is related to people in our neighborhoods who struggle with addictions?”
Bishop Tyson asked. “Can we focus not only on the question of why we are flooded with opioids, but why are the people we serve turning towards drugs. Why are we here in the north so addicted?”
“Such questions take us on a pilgrimage of accompaniment, and challenge us to see God in all people and all creation,” he concluded.
And although spiritual and societal challenges may sometimes threaten to overwhelm, there is, Bishop Tyson added, a prevailing truth of which to always be mindful.
“There is not one inch of creation that escapes the salvific power of Christ’s horrific and torturous death on a cross,” he proclaimed. “If our hearts are open!” ■
Catholic presence New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan delivers the invocation during U.S. President Donald Trump's swearing-in as the 47th U.S. president in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington on Jan. 20.
OSV NEWS PHOTO/SAUL LOEB, POOL VIA REUTERS
Immigration and the Church
CCETN: A beacon of hope
I magining a world without Catholic Charities is difficult and disheartening
By John Mecklenborg
Looking back on Inauguration Day, it's easy to feel as if you are peering across the stern toward a fading shoreline. The emergent waters of this new administration are tempestuous like a Nor’easter overwhelming the weary and making even well-traveled seafarers seek shelter from the storm.
Intentions aside, the onslaught of claims, contradictions, and change is tossing us about relentlessly and indiscriminately. As we learn in Acts 27, when neither star nor sun are visible, we are to take refuge in the Lord and let ourselves be driven by the wind listening for His word, hoping for His light, searching for land in the middle of the night.
As a relative newcomer at the Chancery, amid a career transition and seeking to better understand the depths of our faith, I find myself making the rounds, getting acquainted with our parishes, and exploring our diverse ministries. This led me to one of my first priorities of 2025: touring Catholic Charities of East Tennessee.
Upon my return from Christmas break, I met with the executive director, Deacon Dave Duhamel, to learn more about the extent of CCETN programs. He graciously guided me through the facility and introduced me to their delightful and dedicated staff.
During the visit, we discussed the food pantry and Hope Kitchen, and I learned about the vital work of the Pregnancy Help Center and the launch of their new ultrasound van, the complex challenges facing their immigration legal staff, the vulnerable seniors finding shelter at Samaritan Place, the children’s emergency shelter providing safe harbor until courts find suitable arrangements, and the mobilization of resources for immediate disaster response in East Tennessee following Hurricane Helene, along with preparations for the long road to recovery.
As I walked those halls, hearing stories of heartbreak and hope, understanding their relentless work against seemingly insurmountable challenges, it became crystal clear: these are the people we are called to be, these are the precious souls we are called to serve, this is the radiant light of Jesus shining in our world.
The Pregnancy Help Centers often are the first beacon of hope for expectant mothers in crisis with nowhere else to turn. They
Lending a helping hand Catholic Charities of East Tennessee has worked with law enforcement agencies like the Knoxville Police Department to distribute toys to hundreds of children in need. Catholic Charities staff and volunteers donate the toys, which are handed out by police officers during their shifts.
provide comprehensive support through prenatal education, mentorship, adoption-care plans, lifeskill training and basic needs. In a particularly moving moment just weeks ago, the center celebrated an extraordinary milestone: facilitating two same-day adoptions in a single week matching mothers choosing adoption with loving families who were waiting with open arms for these precious newborns.
Speaking with the counselors in the Office of Immigrant Services, I learned of the hundreds of abused women and neglected and trafficked children they have helped through the years. They shared a story of reuniting a 4-year-old girl from Mexico with her desperate mother here in East Tennessee.
After being abandoned by her father, the child lived with her
Marriage: A sacrament of lasting love
By Heidi Busse and Cory Busse OSV News
The great marriage myth of our time is that happy marriages
“just happen.” When we were first married, we like many young couples were under the impression that true love was all that was required to live “happily ever after.” We certainly didn’t believe that we needed to put any work into our marriage, because only unhappy couples work on their marriages. Wow were we wrong.
The images of love and marriage that surround us in popular culture reinforce the idea that real love is easy, and experiencing hardship means you’ve married the wrong person. The reality is, we are all human beings struggling to find our way through relationships. Successful spouses know that putting time and energy into marriage is essential in building the foundation of a lasting love.
As we mark National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14), World Marriage Day (Feb. 9), and Valentine’s Day
seniors, immigrants, and the unborn providing not just basic necessities but supporting life itself. This isn't mere charity; this is Jesus’ light extended to the vulnerable, the neglected, the hopeless, and the underserved, reaching those adrift in the darkest hours of night.
Learning this firsthand makes it particularly disheartening when our new Catholic vice president, JD Vance, and Congressman Tim Burchett of Tennessee’s 2nd District encompassing Knox, Blount, and Loudon counties call for the defunding of Catholic Charities amid national blowback for legally processing refugees and providing basic legal education resources for our nation’s newcomers.
While we have a right to humane border protection, this call to defund hits especially close to home. Catholic Charities’ efforts are bound by law and effectively filling crucial gaps in government capabilities helping children and families, touching lives, guiding them to shore.
grandparents in Guerrero, Mexico a region plagued by cartel violence and gang warfare. When her grandfather was murdered, her mother's worst fears were realized. Facing the terrifying prospect that her daughter could meet the same fate, she turned to Catholic Charities.
Their legal team skillfully navigated immigration benefits designed for abandoned, abused, or neglected children. Through their tireless advocacy, mother and daughter were finally reunited, offering this young child not just safety but the promise of a new beginning far from the shadows of violence that had darkened her early years.
Reflecting on my visit, I am overwhelmed by their impact and inspired by their good work. Catholic Charities touches every walk of life children, homeless,
Moreover, Congressman Burchett has long supported Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, speaking at its fundraisers during his tenure as Knoxville Mayor, attending its luncheons, and standing steadfast with the area’s Catholic community in support of the right to life.
Like the Apostle Paul’s stormtossed vessel in the Adriatic Sea, Catholic Charities offers sustenance and hope when all seems lost. This Diocese of Knoxville organization links faith to action, bridging the gap between pew and problem. Experience it yourself: meet the people, walk the halls, hear the stories. If compelled, offer your time and talents for in serving Catholic Charities you are casting off your anchors, setting a course to encounter Christ’s love in a tangible and transformative way. ■
John Mecklenborg serves as the communications director for the Diocese of Knoxville.
(Feb. 14) this month, the Church teaches that marriage is a sacrament.
When a baptized man and a baptized woman freely consent to marry one another, their bond becomes sacramental that is, it is a living and effective sign of God’s love. Christian marriage is more than a signed piece of paper and a shared checking account. Sacramental marriage means that the couple shares together in the life of grace by the very fact of being married to one another.
The Church goes even further, teaching that the sign of God’s presence in marriage is the couple themselves. While the priest is an essential witness at a Catholic marriage ceremony, the spouses are the true ministers of the sacrament of matrimony. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Christian marriage in its turn becomes an efficacious sign, the sacrament of the covenant of Christ and the Church.
Marriage continued on page A21 Commentary
Caregiving A Catholic Charities of East Tennessee counselor works with a young mother on care options for her and her children. Catholic Charities of East Tennessee serves thousands of East Tennesseans each year with shelter for people of all ages, immigrant services, adoption, pregnancy care, disaster relief, food pantries, feeding the homeless, and counseling. THE EAST TENNESSEE
John Mecklenborg
New repo rt offers insights into vocations
Church emphasizes quality over quantity amid CARA study results
By Gina Christian OSV News
Those who embrace consecrated life “bring the hope of the Gospel to the world in both visible and hidden ways,” said Bishop Earl A. Boyea of Lansing, Mich., who serves as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations.
Bishop Boyea shared his thoughts in a Jan. 29 statement released by the USCCB ahead of the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life on Feb. 2, the feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. The day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life was instituted by St. John Paul II in 1997.
Along with Bishop Boyea’s statement, the USCCB also announced the release of a new report on men and women religious in the United States who professed their perpetual vows in 2024.
The annual survey is conducted for the bishops by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.
With responses from 75 percent of the U.S.-based institutes contacted by CARA, a total of 140 religious members 73 Sisters and nuns, and 67 Brothers and priests participated in the survey. It represents a response rate of 72 percent out of the 194 identified men and women religious in the profession class of 2024.
The CARA data shows that a majority of responding religious orders 81 percent had no one profess perpetual vows in 2024.
sion class found that while on average respondents were 19 years old when they first considered religious life, almost three quarters 73 percent had earned an undergraduate or graduate degree before entering their religious institute.
“I have multiple art degrees and came back to the faith at one of the most secular art institutes in the country. God is everywhere,” said Sister Mary Michael Di Palma, a member of the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word, in a statement posted to the USCCB’s online profile of members from the 2024 profession class.
Trappist Sister Jennifer Illig said in her USCCB profile that she had first visited the community in 2003 but entered nine years later after earning her doctorate in theology.
At the same time, only 11 percent reported having their entrance to religious life delayed (generally by about three years) due to educational debt. On average, this group spent three years paying off more than $46,000 in educational debt. Family and friends were the most common form of assistance.
The CARA report also noted 82 percent of the respondents had prior work experience, largely in the fields of business, education, and health care.
According to CARA’s report, 91 women and 103 men professed perpetual vows in religious life in 2024, with an average age of 37. Their ages ranged from 25 to 69. Half of the respondents were aged 34 or younger Candidates who do seek consecrated religious life are ardent in faith, explained Father Jorge Torres, a priest of the Diocese of Orlando, Fla., and executive director of the USCCB’s Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations.
continued from page A8
with justice and mercy.
Referencing this teaching, the Colorado Catholic bishops issued a statement condemning an “open borders policy” while temporary or permanent legal immigration “takes years and is expensive.”
“This is not conducive for families who need to migrate quickly to sustain their lives or the lives of their families,” they said.
The bishops also stressed, “Mass deportation is not the solution to our present situation in the United States, especially when it may separate parents and children.”
A reference point for that teaching can be found in the Second Vatican Council’s teaching in Gaudium et Spes—reaffirmed verbatim in two encyclicals on truth and the dignity of human life by St. John Paul II— that names deportation (deportatio) along with abortion in a list of specific acts offensive to human life and dignity.
The council teaches they “are a disgrace, and so long as they infect human civilization they contaminate those who inflict them more than those who suffer injustice, and they are a negation of the honor due to the Creator.”
Catholic bishops’ conferences from several states—among them Tennessee, Texas, Maryland, and Michigan—also have issued statements on the immigration changes, assuring immigrants of their solidarity and pastoral concern. They called upon the new administration to address the immigration crisis with a focus on human dignity, root causes of migration, and the need to fix the nation’s troubled immigration legal system.
The Texas bishops emphasized their support of the USCCB’s statements and underscored the importance of the government respecting the life of the Church.
“In exercising the basic human right of religious liberty, all Catholics, regardless of national origin or citi-
“There are so many young people who are saying yes. They are attracted to those communities that are challenging them to live the Gospel in its fullness, and that’s
zenship status, have a right to gather for the celebration of Mass and to receive the sacraments without harassment or intimidation,” they said.
Maryland’s bishops committed to advocating for policies that protect migrants’ rights and dignity, while also declaring the Church’s “parishes, schools, and ministries are here for you, offering spaces where you can find community and grow in faith.”
Michigan’s bishops pleaded with elected officials “to support policies that keep immigrant and undocumented families safe and united, and to protect those who arrived as children.”
Like Cardinal Dolan, other U.S. bishops also have spoken out individually as well, pledging the Church’s firm solidarity with immigrants while also calling on the nation’s leaders to make a deal on immigration within moral parameters.
In a Jan. 21 statement, Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, N.M., said that he felt “a profound obligation to speak on behalf of immigrants,” particularly those whose countries of origins are in dire straits, and called for “a bipartisan effort to enact immigration reform that honors both citizens and immigrants, addressing the intricate issues at hand.”
Likewise, in a Jan. 24 letter to the faithful of northwest Iowa, Bishop R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City said the Catholic Church stands “ready to work with our national leaders on responsible immigration reform, including smart border security, (and) pathways to lawfully being present in our country and towards citizenship.”
But he also said the Church and the nation had a “duty” from Jesus Christ, defined in Scripture, to “value each and every person created by our loving God and give them the dignity they deserve as sons and daughters of God our Father.”
He said, “All of this must be done in justice and mercy.” ■
one thing that sometimes people may not see,” Father Torres said. “Do we have the numbers that we had some generations ago? We don’t, but we have great quality.”
That quality includes a range of educational and life experiences prior to entrance into religious life.
CARA’s report on the 2024 profes-
Augustinian Brother David Relstab of the Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel said in his USCCB profile that he had been a mechanic for Mercedes-Benz (a job that requires mastery of complex electronic systems) and still teaches automotive technology at a local community college.
Most (84 percent) respondents said they had received encouragement from someone to consider religious life, generally a religious Sister or Brother (59 percent), friend (59 percent), or parish priest (38 percent). Over half (57 percent) also
The joy of religious life Above: Sister Mariana Koonce, RSM, reacts while professing her perpetual vows before Mother Mary McGreevy, RSM. Below: Diocese of Knoxville seminarian A.J. Houston is ordained into the transitional diaconate on June 8 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre is center and Bishop Mark Beckman is at left.
Bishops
DAN MCWILLIAMS
Faith and fun with friends
Cumberland Mountain CCW hosts special event at St. Mary-Oak Ridge
By Gabrielle Nolan
Nearly 100 women gathered in the gymnasium of St. Mary School in Oak Ridge for a women’s event sponsored by the Cumberland Mountain Deanery Council of Catholic Women.
“Faith and Fun with Friends” on Jan. 26 included socializing, snacks and a hot chocolate bar, prayer, door prizes, a talk, and a performance from the San Miguel Dancers from All Saints Parish in Knoxville
CCW leaders present for the event included Karen MarabellaMiller, deanery CCW president; Sally Jackson, chair of the Father Brando Committee and event cochair; Kelly Rowden, facility chair; Karen Joubert, Spirituality Commission chair; Karen Meiring, Spirituality Commission co-chair; Carrie Manabat; Eileen Widmer; Suzanne Erpenbach; and Jan Scobey.
Financing for the event was provided by the Father Brando Fund.
Father Joe Brando was ordained a priest in 1972 at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Chattanooga. Over his decades of priesthood, he served at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Chattanooga, St. Patrick in Morristown, Our Lady of Fatima in Alcoa, St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Cleveland, St. Jude in Chattanooga, St. Mary in Gatlinburg, and more parishes. He wrote columns for The East Tennessee Catholic for more than 22 years. Additionally, Father Brando served as a diocesan director of Marriage Encounter and was an Army chaplain. He strongly supported the Council of Catholic Women.
“Father Joe loved CCW,” Ms. Jackson said. “Father Joe remembered the Diocesan CCW in his will. It was Father Brando’s desire to see CCW grow and thrive. He involved himself in many CCW activities, including auctioning women’s purses at
one of the conventions in Gatlinburg. It was hilarious because he had no idea what a woman’s purse was.”
Ms. Jackson thanked the attendees for coming and mentioned the CCW is striving to reach the tens of thousands of women in the Diocese
Bishop Johnston of Kansas City eyes 3-peat
By John Knebels OSV News
When it comes to the pressures associated with being the shepherd of a diocese, it doesn’t get much easier than advocating for your community’s football team.
Such is the situation for Bishop James V. Johnston, who has spearheaded the Diocese of Kansas CitySt. Joseph, Mo., since 2015. On Feb. 9, Bishop Johnston’s favorite football team, the Kansas City Chiefs, met the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
To the dismay of every other NFL fan base, watching the Chiefs grapple for the Lombardi Trophy has almost become an annual occurrence. No team has won more games than Kansas City since two-time NFL Most Valuable Player quarterback Patrick Mahomes assumed the reins in 2018.
The worldwide event marked Kansas City’s fifth Super Bowl appearance overall and the team’s third during Bishop Johnston’s tenure. The Chiefs have won three crowns, including the past two before the Feb. 9 contest. If they defeated the Eagles, the Chiefs would become the first franchise to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
“While our faith is paramount as we journey through this life, sports and teams have a very important role in a community,” Bishop Johnston told OSV News. “The Chiefs’ run over these last seven years is something that I was privileged to be a part of during my years here as bishop.”
Regardless of the Super Bowl victor, Bishop Johnston said fans from all over the globe are encouraged to
maintain perspective.
“A Super Bowl brings people together across so many lines and in ways no other event could,” Bishop Johnston said. “It supercharges community spirit and common identity in ways that are truly amazing. The greater Kansas City area, and indeed this multistate area of the Midwest, feels like a family when it comes to the Chiefs. It's a source of pride and joy.”
Two years ago, Bishop Johnston and Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia found themselves in the exact same scenario. Shouldering a tradition known as the “Bishops’ Bet” a friendly wager between the Catholic spiritual guides of the respective dioceses of the Super Bowl teams the two leaders promised to send a $500 donation to the charity of the other’s choice. The Chiefs’ last-second win secured a generous offering to Catholic Charities of Kansas CitySt. Joseph. Before the Chiefs’ 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers last year, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco had promised and reportedly ultimately delivered a monetary donation along with a shipment of San Francisco-based food product Rice-A-Roni.
This year, in addition to a charitable donation, there has been some
Super Bowl continued on page A17
of Knoxville.
“Just imagine for a moment if we all worked together in our Lord’s vineyard on one project annually,” Ms. Jackson remarked. “Think about all those women in your parish, think about all those Catholic women that aren’t coming to Mass. Think about all those women who are I don’t know where they are, but we need them. We could change the world if we all worked on one project, or at least East Tennessee, which I believe Father Joe envisioned when he gave this money to CCW. It is up to each one of us to become the leaders of the Church and the CCW that Father Joe wished. So just say yes when you are asked to serve in any way or any position. Thank you, Father Joe, for your love of council.”
Mrs. Manabat, the director of faith formation at All Saints Parish, was the keynote speaker for the event, with her talk titled “A Sisterhood of Saints.”
She spoke of how she wrote a reflection last year for the parish’s Ad-
vent by Candlelight program, honing in on what Mary said in Scripture.
In chapter two of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus’ family is returning home from Jerusalem when they discover that Jesus is not with them, and double back to find Him in the temple.
“If I’m being honest with you, for me it’s the most relatable thing Mary said in Scripture,” Mrs. Manabat remarked. “When they finally find Him in the temple, Mary says the words that any mother, grandmother, auntie, caretaker can empathize with: ‘Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for You with great anxiety.’”
“It struck me during Mass as I listened to that Gospel that day that I, as a mom, had never felt so seen by the Blessed Mother,” she continued.
“And although that statement is really relatable, I do actually want to spend our time today reflecting on the other statements that Mary said in Scripture. Those that light a path for us to join her in heaven as a sisterhood of saints. But really, before we follow her in action, we must follow her in our hearts. Mary was already a woman who was in tune to what God was asking of her. She knew her Scripture, she held things in her heart in prayer, so she was already a woman who had holy habits, who tended the soil of her own heart so that when she heard the message to act she would be able to do it.”
Mrs. Manabat suggested the first step to imitating Mary is to contemplate and cultivate a heart that is “ready to follow.” The second step is to take action with “humility and service.”
“The very first thing that Mary did after getting [words from the angel], she chooses to see herself as a handmaid of the Lord. And what’s beautiful is she expressed from the first statement that she would serve God and His Church, already showing a
continued on page A13
On this pilgrimage to the Shrines of Italy, it encompasses some of the holiest Catholic sites that Italy has to offer! In Rome, step into the four Major Basilicas, see the Square from St. Peter’s Basilica, and attend a Papal Audience with his successor, Pope Francis. In San Giovanni Rotondo, visit sites from the life of St. Padre Pio. Enjoy touring the beautiful hometown of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. Close out your pilgrimage visiting Pompeii and Naples.
CCW
Friends in faith Above: Carrie Manabat, director of faith formation at All Saints Parish, leads a talk on "A Sisterhood of Saints" at St. Mary School in Oak Ridge. Below: A series of speakers addressed members of the Cumberland Mountain Deanery Council of Catholic Women attending the "Faith and Fun with Friends" event on Jan. 26.
GABRIELLE NOLAN (2)
Bishop Johnston
First diocesan Vietnamese parish is entrusted
Church of Divine Mercy affiliates with Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer
The East Tennessee Catholic
The Diocese of Knoxville and the Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer, U.S. Assumption Province, have signed a written agreement for the province to assume spiritual and pastoral care of Divine Mercy Vietnamese Parish in Knoxville.
The Church of Divine Mercy will remain under diocesan administration and operations, according to the agreement that was signed on Dec. 20.
“The Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer has been a tremendous blessing ministering to our Vietnamese community at the Church of Divine Mercy,” Bishop Mark Beckman said. “The vibrant faith community at Divine Mercy continues to grow and enrich our diocesan family. I am grateful to the Congregation for taking on the pastoral care of this community as we go forward in the future.”
According to Bishop Beckman and the Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer, this significant transition marks a new chapter, assuring stability in the spiritual leadership and pastoral care of the Vietnamese community in the Diocese of Knoxville.
The Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer, established in Bùi Chu, Vietnam, in 1953 and provincially based in Carthage, Mo., since 1975, is dedicated to serving the people of God through pastoral ministry, personal sanctification, evangelization of the unbaptized, and promotion of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redeemer.
“The Congregation brings a rich tradition of Marian devotion and service to the faithful. Their charism and spiritual heritage will enhance the parish’s existing mission of spreading God’s mercy,” Bishop Beckman said.
19. Below: Father Nguyen, right, and Deacon Vinh lead a prayer during Mass at the West Knoxville church.
The Church of Divine Mercy was established in 2012 and dedicated in 2013. The parish has been an integral part of the Knoxville area’s Catholic Vietnamese community, ministering to both local parishioners and visitors. The parish holds a special dedication to Divine Mercy and provides spiritual nourishment through liturgical celebrations and pastoral care.
It is a vital part of the growing Vietnamese Catholic community in East Tennessee. In Chattanooga, the St. Faustina Public Association
Washington bill would force bishops to break the seal of confession
By Daniel Payne Catholic News Agency
Spokane Bishop Thomas A. Daly is urging Catholic voters in Washington state to oppose a proposed law that would order priests to violate the seal of confession in cases where child abuse is revealed during the sacrament.
The bill, proposed in both houses of the state Legislature, would amend state law to require clergy to report instances of child abuse with no exemption for instances where the abuse is learned during the sacrament of penance.
A 2023 version of the proposal offered an exemption for abuse allegations learned “solely as a result of a confession.” The latest bill does not contain such a carve-out.
State Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, told the Washington State Standard that the proposal was “a hard subject for many of my colleagues, especially those with deep religious views.”
“I also know far too many children have been victims of abuse—the Legislature has a duty to act,” she argued.
Canon law stipulates that any priest who deliberately violates the seal of confession is automatically excommunicated. Bishop Daly stressed his opposition to the measure, assuring the faithful that clergy “are committed to keeping the seal of confession—even to the point of going to jail.”
“The sacrament of penance is sacred and will remain that way in the Diocese of Spokane,” the bishop said.
Bishop Daly noted that the Diocese of Spokane devotes considerable resources to child safety and holds “a zero-tolerance policy regarding child sexual abuse.”
The bishop said the diocese would follow the legislative process around the bill. He called for prayers “that our legislators will create sound law” that respects freedom of religion in the United States.
“I strongly encourage the Catholic faithful of eastern Washington to call our state representatives and respectfully ask them to vote against this measure,” Bishop Daly wrote.
This is not the only recent effort to order priests to violate the seal of confession in an effort to combat child abuse. A bill proposed in Montana earlier this year proposed to “eliminate clergy exemption in mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect.” Clergy “may not refuse to make a report as required ... on the grounds of a physician-patient or similar privilege,” the Montana bill said.
That measure stalled in committee in January.
In May 2023, Delaware legislators proposed a bill requiring priests to break the seal of confession in cases of reporting sexual abuse.
A similar law was proposed in Vermont around the same time. Both bills failed to advance in their respective legislatures ■
ing in the church. I see it growing tremendously.”
Affiliations are not unusual for the Diocese of Knoxville.
The diocese has an agreement with the Paulist Fathers religious order to lead the spiritual and pastoral care of Immaculate Conception Parish and St. John XXIII University Parish in Knoxville.
And the diocese has a similar agreement with the Glenmary Home Missioners to provide for the spiritual and pastoral care of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Erwin, St. John Paul Catholic Mission in Rutledge, and St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish in Maynardville.
of the Faithful also is seeing an increase in members, and the community is working toward becoming a more permanent part of the diocese.
Divine Mercy parishioners were told of the entrustment last month by the diocese and Divine Mercy pastor Father Dominic Nguyen, CRM. Deacon Joseph Hieu Vinh, who serves at Divine Mercy, said the Vietnamese parish is “growing tremendously.”
He pointed out that the Saturday vigil Masses now have the same full attendance as the Sunday morning Masses, which is an important indicator that a parish is thriving.
Deacon Vinh said the entrustment of Divine Mercy to the Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer is a positive move.
“This is a big way to go,” he said. “There are a lot of people of Vietnamese descent participat-
The diocese has long worked with the Glenmary Home Missioners to build Catholic communities in rural areas of East Tennessee and subsequently open churches.
The Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer, U.S. Assumption Province’s motherhouse is located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The U.S. Assumption Province maintains a monastery in Carthage, Mo., where it hosts an annual Marian Days pilgrimage, one of the largest annual Catholic festivals in the United States.
Before 1975, the Congregation was relatively small in Vietnam compared with the Dominican, Franciscan, Jesuit, and Redemptorist institutes, among others. However, in the United States, virtually all Vietnamese Roman Catholics are familiar with the Congregation. In 2008, the Congregation had 700 members worldwide, including 360 priests, 170 brothers, and 10 novices. In 2009, the U.S. province included 23 priests, 54 brothers, five novices, and seven postulants. In 2012, the Congregation had 500 seminarians in Ho Chi Minh City and sponsored 150 in the United States. Priests of the Congregation serve parishes in several states. ■
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Entrusted in faith Above: Father Dominic Nguyen, CRM, and Deacon Joseph Hieu Vinh distribute Communion at Mass at the Church of Divine Mercy on Jan.
Bishop Thomas A. Daly
picture, a foreshadowing of what her Son would teach in the Gospel of Mark that the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve,” she said Praising Mary’s servant leadership, Mrs. Manabat turned to chapter 31 of Proverbs to share the “secret to the servant’s heart.”
“Let’s break down for a moment just what this woman was being praised for,” she said after reading the chapter aloud. “She’s trustworthy. I’m sure you have friends who are willing to tell you a secret. She seeks the good of others. She makes wise decisions. She takes care of her household. What I noticed here is we are already doing some of these things as we serve our families and our parishes. Are you feeding your family? Amen, you’re a Proverbs 31 woman. Are you making sure your children have clothes in season that fit them? … Amen, you’re a Proverbs 31 woman. Grandparents, are you making sure your children do these things so that your grandchildren are not hungry and without clothing? I know you’re doing that because my mom is doing it, too. I see women around me doing this in big and small ways all the time.”
Mrs. Manabat remarked that she was “preaching to the choir” when speaking about service at a CCW event.
“It is women that keep these churches running,” she said. “I work for the parish, so I see you. I see you coming and laundering the altar linens and serving the funeral luncheons and counting the collection on Monday and every other single thing that keeps the parish running behind the scenes. I know it’s you; I know you’re doing these things. But that’s one of the reasons I wanted to share this passage because I want you to see yourselves as God sees you, His beloved daughters, in whom He is well pleased. Seeing ourselves as He does will give us that strength, dignity, and conviction to not only serve Him but share Him. And not just in our parishes, but in the world.”
Terri Shaffer, a parishioner at St. John Neumann in Farragut, attended the event at the invitation of a friend.
“I just felt like I hadn’t been to a talk for a while, and so I wanted to get rejuvenated in my faith,” she shared. “I think [the talk] was a good kind of nudge to remember our roles as women
and mothers and how we can serve the Lord in little ways. We don’t have to be doing great things, it can be just little ways like St. Thérèse or some of the other saints she mentioned.”
Colette de la Barre, a parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle in Lenoir City, said she always loves Mrs. Manabat’s talks.
“I thought it was a very inviting forum, very easy to be here as a new person, and very spiritual,” she commented. “I think the readings Carrie did out of the Bible, Proverbs 31, were very insightful.”
Dee Woods, a parishioner at St. Therese in Clinton, is new to the area.
“It was a good day to come and meet new ladies from the other parishes,” she said. “I’m excited to meet people because I’m a new widow.”
Ms. Woods thought Mrs. Manabat’s talk was “wonderful.”
“It kept our attention, and it was a very inspiring talk that she gave,” she said.
For more information on the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, visit the website at kdccw.org ■
KNOXVILLE DIOCESAN COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN
Dr. Anne DeSantis
A warm welcome and hot tickets
Sisters help U.S. visitors see the pope, Vatican through Bishops ’ Rome office
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
Smiles, laughter, prayer, and strategizing abound at the Bishops’ Offi ce for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican.
Just a few blocks from Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain, the visitors’ offi ce is where hundreds of Americans—and not only—go on Tuesday afternoons to pick up their tickets for the pope’s weekly general audience on Wednesdays.
They are welcomed by the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., aided by U.S. priests and seminarians studying in Rome. The office is sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pontifical North American College.
Attending the pope’s weekly general audience
After requesting tickets online before beginning their journeys, the visitors pick up their tickets at the offi ce in Rome and receive clear information on when to get to the Vatican for the audience and what to bring or not bring— metal water bottles and rolling suitcases topping the no-no list.
The Sisters also explain that sitting near the central aisle in the audience hall or near any barricade in St. Peter’s Square will give guests the best chance to see Pope Francis up close.
And, at least at the visitors’ orientation on Feb. 4, Mercy Sister Celeste Mary Poche spilled the beans about sitting or standing near a baby—always a pope magnet.
Things to know while visiting Rome
Mercy Sister Maria Juan Anderson, coordinator of the visitors’ offi ce, told Catholic News Service that the visitors include all sorts of people of all ages. Some are very active in their parishes, and some are not Catholic.
The orientation offered to visitors includes some catechesis, although it does not look or sound like a CCD class. The Sisters explain who the pope is, why he is important, and what the meaning of his blessing is.
They also briefl y talk about the sacraments and their availability in Rome, including at the visitors’ offi ce, which is located in the Casa Santa Maria, the residence for U.S. priests doing graduate studies in Rome.
Sister Celeste Mary and Sister Maria Juan recently served in the Diocese of Knoxville.
“The sacraments are gifts to us from God. They are how we re-
American College in Rome on Feb. 4. The visitors' office distributes tickets to papal audiences and provides information and guidance to visitors and pilgrims.
Good with people Mercy Sister Maria Juan Anderson smiles at a child as the child’s parents collect their tickets for a papal audience from the Bishops' Office for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican at the Casa Santa Maria of the Pontifical North American College in Rome on Feb. 4.
Sister Maria Juan was asked, "Have you met the pope?" "I have not—I know ‘cobbler sons,' right?" she said, referencing the old saying, "The cobbler's children have no shoes" to mean people do not always benefit from the services they provide others. But, she said, "I am really happy that I can help other people every week have the opportunity to see the Holy Father, receive his blessing, and hopefully encounter the Church in a meaningful way in God’s mercy."
ceive His grace and His mercy,”
Sister Maria Juan said.
“What I have found in my two and a half years here is, if you just take a little bit of time and lovingly and disarmingly make the catechesis about confession available to people,” many will want to take advantage of that while in Rome, she said.
Our Lady of Martyrs in N.Y. is officially a national shrine
By Tessa Gervasini Catholic News Agency
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has confirmed that the Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine, which encompasses the village where Sts. Isaac Jogues, René Goupil, and Jean de Lalande were martyred and where St. Kateri Tekakwitha was born, has officially been named a national shrine.
On Jan. 27, the USCCB informed Friends of Our Lady of Martyrs, the nonprofit corporation that owns the shrine, that it could carry the “national” designation after requesting the title in August 2024.
The shrine’s chairman, Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger of Albany, N.Y., said in a statement: “We are delighted that the bishops have confirmed what the faithful have long instinctually known: The National Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs is our home for the cultivation of holiness here in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.”
The shrine received its national title after bishops approved that it aligns with the USCCB’s standards,
“Norms for the Designation of National Shrines,” including being “dedicated to promoting the faith of the pilgrims by centering on a mystery of the Catholic faith, a devotion based on authentic Church tradition, revelations recognized by the Church, or the lives of those in the Church’s calendar of saints.”
Monsignor Roger Landry, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies and a board member of Friends of Our Lady of Martyrs, said the shrine is a place where all Catholics are confirmed in the missionary dimension of the Christian life.
“As Pope Francis repeatedly teaches us, we Catholics do not just have a mission but are a mission. We have been entrusted by Jesus Christ with the completion of His saving mission on earth,” Monsignor Landry said in a statement.
Because of its association with four great saints and heroes of the faith, Monsignor Landry said the shrine “probably is, after the tabernacles that adorn our churches and the souls of newly baptized babies, the holiest place for Catholics in the country.” ■
long time since they have been to confession and they do not remember what to say, they should just tell the priest that and he will be happy to walk them through it.
“Every single week we have a line” for confessions. “Every week we have two priests hearing confessions for two hours,” she said.
“And during our busy seasons, I would say it is pretty common to have four to six priests hearing confessions for two hours.”
Special section for newlyweds at Wednesday audience
In the low season for pilgrims and tourists—January and February—the sisters hand out about 300 of the free audience tickets each week. The number climbs to 900-1,000 tickets a week during Holy Week, the Easter season, and for the pope’s Mass on Christmas Eve.
While every guest is special, extra fuss is made over the newlywed couples who sit in a special section at the pope’s audience, receive a special blessing from him, and usually get their photos taken with him. The brides wear their wedding gowns or other white dresses, and the grooms wear suits and ties.
In the space of just a few minutes on Feb. 4, three couples who were married Feb. 1 arrived to pick up their tickets. Sister Maria Juan introduced them to each other, and they were soon sharing about their weddings in Philadelphia, Houston, and Lafayette, La., how long they were engaged, and what their honeymoon plans were.
Later, a newlywed couple with two children arrived, and so did a couple who were married civilly for more than 20 years before having their marriage convalidated by the Church.
They, too, would sit in the newlyweds’ section at the audience in St. Peter’s Square.
All the couples met Pope Francis at the end of his Feb. 5 general audience.
Sister Maria Juan was asked, “Have you met the pope?”
“You just simply say the truth: We are all sinners. We all need healing from these wounds that we experience, and there is a remedy for sin, and it is God’s mercy, and we have priests here available who want to hear confessions,” she said.
Sister Maria Juan also always tells visitors that if it has been a
“I have not—I know ‘cobbler sons,’ right?” she said, referencing the old saying, “The cobbler’s children have no shoes” to mean people do not always benefi t from the services they provide others.
But, she said, “I am really happy that I can help other people every week have the opportunity to see the Holy Father, receive his blessing and hopefully encounter the Church in a meaningful way in God’s mercy.” ■
Inspired tutorials Mercy Sister Celeste Mary Poche, a staff member of the Bishops’ Office for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican, gives a brief orientation at the Casa Santa Maria of the Pontifical North
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
PHOTO/LOLA GOMEZ (2)
Signs of hope
Holy Father: religious poverty, chastity, obedience can offer light amid darkness
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
The way consecrated women and men live their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience can offer light and hope to a world looking for authentic relationships marked by love and selfgiving, Pope Francis said.
Celebrating Vespers on Feb. 1, the eve of the feast of the Presentation of the Lord and of the Catholic Church’s celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life, the pope thanked members of religious congregations for their witness, saying it is “leaven for the Church.”
Pope Francis was joined by hundreds of Sisters, Brothers, consecrated virgins, and religious-order priests, including the new leadership of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life: Consolata Missionary Sister Simona Brambilla, who serves as the prefect; and Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, a Salesian, who serves as the pro-prefect.
According to Vatican statistics, there are close to 600,000 professed women religious in the Catholic Church. The number of religiousorder priests is about 128,500, and the number of religious Brothers is close to 50,000.
The Vespers for the feast of the Presentation, also known as Candlemas, began with eight religious women and men lighting candles around the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica, evoking the feast’s celebration of Simeon and Anna recognizing Christ as the light of the world when Mary and Joseph presented Him in the temple.
The light of Christ Members of the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict mark World Day for Consecrated Life at morning Mass at the St. Joseph Home for the Aged in Huntington, N.Y., on Feb. 2, 2024, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas. The Benedictine religious community composed of Polish-born nuns has cared for the elderly at their assisted-living residence for more than 60 years.
Deacons put incense in three large braziers at the foot of the altar, sending up thick clouds of smoke to represent prayers rising to heaven. In his homily, Pope Francis focused on how religious consecra-
tion aims to imitate Jesus and His complete devotion to doing God’s
will, and “how, through the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience that you have professed, you can bring its light to the women and men of our time.”
Through poverty, the pope said, religious show how things have value “in the order of love, rejecting everything that can obscure their beauty—selfishness, greed, dependence, violent use and misuse for the purpose of death and destruction—and embracing instead all that can highlight that beauty: simplicity, generosity, sharing, and solidarity.”
Choosing chastity and not marriage, the pope said, “reaffirms the absolute primacy of God’s love, to be received with an undivided and spousal heart.”
Too often, he said, the world is marked by “distorted forms of affectivity, in which the principle of pleasure drives people to seek in others the satisfaction of their own needs rather than the joy born of a fruitful encounter.”
“The chosen spouse of a lifetime is replaced by the ‘partner’ of the moment,” Pope Francis said, “while children freely accepted as a gift are replaced by those demanded as a ‘right’ or eliminated as ‘unwanted.’”
The chaste love of a consecrated person, on the other hand, shows modern men and women “a way to heal the malady of isolation through the exercise of a free and liberating way of loving—a way of loving that accepts and respects everyone, while coercing or rejecting no one,” the pope said.
The obedience exercised in religious communities, he said, is “a prophetic sign for our society” because it is based on listening to one another and then acting, “even at the cost of setting aside our own tastes, plans, and preferences.” ■
Illuminated hearts Priests hold candles as they wait for Pope Francis to arrive for Mass with consecrated women and men marking the feast of the Presentation of the
Consecrated life is ...
‘A call to remember Jesus at every moment ’
By Gina Christian OSV News
For World Day for Consecrated Life on Feb. 2 an observance that was instituted in 1997 by St. John Paul II and is attached to the feast of the Presentation of the Lord OSV News spoke with Father Jorge Torres, a priest of the Diocese of Orlando, Fla., and executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
n OSV News: At its core, what is consecrated life in the Catholic Church?
n Father Torres: Consecrated life is living our calling from a baptismal call. Poverty, chastity, and obedience are the evangelical counsels that guide consecrated life. What they’re doing is living exactly like Jesus did, in obedience to the will of the Father, seeking to
Growth continued from page A4
ficult to secure available meeting space in the church hall or the Marian center to conduct their business, Father Abuh said. Choirs need more practice space, he said, as they serve at four weekend Masses
“With our English Masses starting with the 4 p.m. Saturday vigil as well as the 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday morning and our 12:30 p.m. Spanish Mass, the logistics of choir practice can be quite a challenge,” Father Abuh said.
Parish staff need more room, too, he added
“We have completely outgrown our offices and storage spaces,” he said. “Having adequate space to conduct back-office operations of bookkeeping, recordkeeping, coordinating funerals and weddings, working with parishioners’ needs, and extending helping hands to our less fortunate neighbors has illustrated that some of those activities require security or confidentiality or both. Both are difficult in our current office arrangement.”
Forecasting key events for the project
It’s still early days for the family life center building effort, but a groundbreaking for it might occur later this year, Father Abuh said.
“Despite the fact that the steering committee has been working on this project for two years, we are still in the early stages,” he said. “We have come a long way from gathering parishioners’ input for the project to securing an architect to create a picture of our vision. But now the hard and exciting work begins to bring our vision and plans to fruition.
“Our best estimate of key tasks is the selection of our general contractor to partner with the architect and the committee by mid-February, completion of the detailed construction drawings in April or May, completion of construction crews and material orders in late August, and groundbreaking in the fall. Of course, all these targets are predicated on securing the funding needed. The new fundraising strategic events will begin in March and continue until the new mortgage is paid off.”
The new center could open sometime next year, Father Abuh said.
“Since we still have many details to complete before construction can begin, our best estimate would be nine to 11 months from groundbreaking,” he said. “We are praying for late 2026 occupancy providing all the necessary funding is in place to stay on our schedule.”
St. Joseph the Worker has been coordinating with Shannon Hepp,
serve those in need, spending life in prayer. … It’s living to their fullness our baptismal promises, and then letting the evangelical counsels guide you throughout your life in community.
n OSV News: What trends are you currently seeing in those seeking consecrated life today in the United States?
n Father Torres: One of the trends that we are seeing is that those who are coming (to consecrated life) have more life experience and have had a career. They sold the house. In some cases, they were engaged, and they parted ways with all of those dynamics to at least discern and eventually enter into a life of service with Almighty God in consecrated life.
I’m very hopeful about consecrated life as a whole in the nation. There are so many young people who are saying yes. They are attracted to those communities that are challenging them to live the Gospel in its fullness, and that’s
one thing that sometimes people may not see.
Do we have the numbers that we had some generations ago? We don’t, but we have great quality. We have young men and women who are choosing to be Brothers, who are choosing to be monks, who are choosing to go into the cloister and give their life in prayer.
And to me, that is not only inspiring, but it also challenges me. How am I responding to the Lord today?
And so, we’re incredibly grateful to those who are in consecrated life for their daily witness, and for saying “yes” to the Lord, living here on earth the way that we’re going to live in heaven the way Our Lady and St. Joseph did, as they lived the evangelical counsels. n OSV News: What is the connection between the feast of the Pres-
diocesan chief financial officer, and Deacon Hicks Armor, director of the diocesan Office of Stewardship and Strategic Planning.
“The diocese has been very supportive of our building initiative,” Father Abuh said. “We have worked with Shannon Hepp and the Diocesan Finance Council. Deacon Hicks has been very instrumental in advising and guiding us on this journey. We are grateful to the other parishes that we contacted to gather the lessons learned from their construction projects. It is the input of these people and their different experiences and insights that is helping us as we plan and execute our family life center vision.”
A peek inside the family life center
The new center will have two floors, Father Abuh said.
“The first level will be our new social hall, a reception area, and a large kitchen area to include a storage room, pantry, and utility closet,” he said. “The lower level will include meeting and classrooms and the director of religious education’s office along with a reception area.”
St. Joseph the Worker is considering a new worship space but has to juggle that effort with the family life center construction.
“The steering committee and I recognized that we couldn’t conduct Mass in a construction zone,” Father Abuh said. “If the church was the first building project, we wouldn’t have a location for Mass. We would need to rent facilities, which would add costs to the project. By starting with the family life center, the social hall could be converted to a configuration for Mass.
“This strategy would allow us to continue to grow while paying off one loan before undertaking a second building project to expand or replace the church sanctuary.”
Father Abuh and the steering committee must “exercise prudent financial judgment and be good
entation of the Lord and the World Day for Consecrated Life?
n Father Torres: The reason why we celebrate this day of prayer on Feb. 2 is because that’s the day Our Lord also was consecrated during the presentation. And so, they (those in consecrated life) also can rejoice that the genesis of their consecration is when Our Lady walked into the temple and Simeon welcomed her. … And so much was said at that moment: “A sword will pierce your heart” (Luke 2:35). Certainly for consecrated life, I’m sure that they know which sword has pierced their heart. And we’re grateful for their witness.
For Simeon, the consecration of our Lord moves his heart so deeply. In his canticle (Luke 2:29-32), Simeon says, “You may let your servant go in peace. I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life. I can now enter eternity.”
And so, the next time you attend the consecration of perpetual Consecrated continued on page A18
our space needs. Open our hearts to share the blessings You have given to us with others. May Your light shine on us as we align with Your divine will to provide the resources that will be needed to make this vision a reality in Your name.
“Guide us as a faith family to consider, prayerfully, Your will in all matters. In the name of St. Joseph the Worker, we pray. Amen.
How to help
Anyone who would like to make a donation to support the family life center may contact Claudia in the parish office at office@sjtwrcc.org or call 423-442-7273.
stewards of the parish’s funds while planning for future growth,” he said.
A look back
St. Joseph the Worker Parish began life in 1992 as the Monroe County Catholic Community, meeting for Mass in a leaky Madisonville storefront on U.S. Highway 411. The community was then staffed by the Glenmary Home Missioners, with lay pastoral coordinators Jay Gilchrist serving the mission church from 1992 to 1999 and Paul and Ginny Witte from 1999 to 2003, when the diocese took over its care.
Mr. Gilchrist, with diocesan founding Bishop Anthony J. O’Connell’s approval, initiated a project to build a new church. The Monroe County community purchased land in 1997, then broke ground for a $570,000 building on June 24, 2000, on a 17.2-acre site on Old Tellico Highway
Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz issued a decree that was read by Mr. Witte during Christmas Mass in 2000 stating that the parish would be named for St. Joseph the Worker.
The first Mass in the new church was celebrated on May 27, 2001, and Bishop Kurtz blessed the downstairs parish hall that would serve as the worship area on June 23 of that year. Construction was completed on the 6,764-square-foot church in fall 2002, and Knoxville’s second bishop returned to consecrate the altar and worship space on Jan. 12, 2003.
Prayer for their new building
St. Joseph the Worker parishioners are saying a prayer for their family life center campaign:
“Dear most merciful and loving God, we pray for your guidance as our faith family is moving forward to construct a family life center to further Your work of evangelization in our community.
“The additional space will allow us to expand our ministries to serve our family and our neighbors. Please guide us as we consider all possibilities for
“Our parishioners are very generous; however, we are also relying on the generosity of other Christians who may be happy to support this worthy cause,” Father Abuh said. “Our immediate goal is to achieve the $2 million in available cash from pledges and fundraising efforts to begin construction, with the idea of securing a loan for the balance. With our trust in God and in the generosity of other Catholics, businesses, and community members, we will be successful.”
East Tennessee Catholics may also support St. Joseph the Worker’s building project by attending meals in the church hall at 5 p.m. on the Fridays of Lent, followed by Stations of the Cross in English at 6 p.m. and in Spanish at 7. The Women’s Group, Knights of Columbus, and Hispanic community are among those providing the meals. Tickets may be purchased in advance for adults for $10 and children 2 to 12 years for $5, using the contact information above.
Updates on the new building are posted at sjtwrcc.wixsite.com/ sjtwrcc
“As the pastor, I have been enjoying the cooperation of my parishioners. I am very happy to be in this parish,” Father Abuh said. “We are hopeful, through the cooperation of families and friends here and around the country, that this worthy project sees the light of day.”
Another project underway in LaFollette
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in LaFollette is building a new adoration chapel. To contribute to that effort, donors may e-mail OLPHLaFollette@dioknox.org
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is the diocese’s fourth-oldest parish and achieved parish status in 1988
The present church building was dedicated on March 26, 1994, and the parish’s 100th anniversary was celebrated on Oct. 3, 2004
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is one of 16 parishes in the Cumberland Mountain Deanery and is located at 1142 E. Elm St. in LaFollette. The pastor is Father Sam Sturm. ■
Standing room only The present parish hall in St. Joseph the Worker Church is located in the basement and includes a commons area for meetings and dinners and a small kitchen. As the number of parishioners continues to grow, St. Joseph the Worker is needing expanded space.
Nothing is worth sacrificing the life of a child
Pope to world leaders: right to life, a dignified childhood must be paramount
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
It is unacceptable that a child’s right to life and a dignified childhood should be sacrificed to “the idols” of power, profit, ideology, and nationalistic self-interest, Pope Francis told world experts and leaders.
“A childhood denied is a silent scream condemning the wrongness of the economic system, the criminal nature of wars, the lack of adequate medical care and schooling,” the Holy Father said in his address opening a Feb. 3 summit at the Vatican on children’s rights.
“We are here today to say that we do not want this to become the new normal,” he said, and “we are all here together, to put children, their rights, their dreams, and their demand for a future at the center of our concern.”
About 50 guests from all over the world, including former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, attended the one-day world leaders’ summit that was titled “Love them and protect them.”
Talks were divided into topics of concern including a child’s right to food, health care, education, a family, free time, and the right to live free from violence and exploitation.
The pope opened the summit by urging everyone to listen to children their hopes, dreams, and fears and “to build a better world for children, and consequently for everyone!” “I am confident that, by pooling your experience and expertise, you can open new avenues to assist and protect the children whose rights are daily trampled upon and ignored,” he said.
“Listening to those children who today live in violence, exploitation, or injustice serves to strengthen our ‘no’ to war, to the throwaway culture of waste and profit, in which everything is bought and sold without respect or care for life, especially when that life is small and defenseless,” the pope said.
“In the name of this throwaway mentality, in which the human being becomes all-powerful, unborn life is sacrificed through the mur-
The right to life Above: Queen Rania of Jordan, left, signs a document during the world leaders’ summit on children’s rights at the Vatican on Feb. 3. Pope Francis sits at center, and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore is at right. Below: Knights of Columbus from the greater Chattanooga area participated in the annual Chattanooga March for Life on Feb. 1. Joining them were clergy from the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in downtown Chattanooga. Priests pictured from left are Father Michael Hendershott and Father Alex Hernandez, parochial vicars at the basilica, and at right is Father David Carter, basilica rector, who led the group in a rosary during the march.
derous practice of abortion,” he said. “Abortion suppresses the life of children and cuts off the source of hope for the whole of society.”
The pope highlighted the plight of children living in “limbo” because they were not registered at birth and of “undocumented” children at the border of the United States, “those first victims of that exodus of despair and hope made by the thousands of people coming from the south toward the United States of America.”
“What we have tragically seen almost every day in recent times, namely children dying beneath bombs, sacrificed to the idols of
power, ideology, and nationalistic interests, is unacceptable,” he said. “In truth, nothing is worth the life of a child. To kill children is to deny the future.”
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Vatican foreign minister, followed up on the pope’s condemnation of abortion in his talk.
“All children, even before birth, have the right to life and should be protected from discrimination on the grounds of sex or health,” he said. “The choices that societies make regarding the protection of the child in its mother’s womb have an impact on the way we see children, indicating the space and
importance we are prepared to give them.”
He also said, “Every child should have the right to a family, the right to be raised by a father and a mother,” as “it is within the family that the rights and the well-being of children are best protected and promoted.”
Parents also have the right to “educate their offspring according to their own religious beliefs,” the archbishop added.
Pope Francis attended the early morning panels and was present for the speech of Jordan’s Queen Rania, who told the gathering that “the Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history.”
“In theory, the consensus is clear: Every right for every child. Yet so many children around the world are excluded from this promise, particularly in war zones,” she said. “Worse yet, people have grown desensitized to their pain.”
The media blur horrific scenes of war “for our protection,” she said, adding that it is absurd that a child’s “lived reality is deemed too graphic for even adults to watch.” Some children are even denied the promise and protections of childhood, she said, when “they are demonized, aged up, portrayed as threats or simply dismissed as human shields.”
“From Palestine to Sudan, Yemen to Myanmar and beyond, this unchilding creates chasms in our compassion. It stifles urgency in favor of complacency. It allows politicians to sidestep blame,” she said.
Queen Rania said there is “a status quo that deems some children’s suffering acceptable based on their name, faith, or the land of their birth, where every child’s fate depends on where they fall on some artificial line between ‘our’ children and ‘theirs.’”
“Without equal application, global commitments ring hollow. Because if a right can be willfully denied, then it is not a right at all. It is a privilege for the lucky few,” she said. “Every child has an equal claim to our protection and care. No exceptions, no exclusions, no preconditions.” ■
The future of women’s health care
Trusting pregnancy help centers to meet the needs of those who need these services
By Dr. Susan Bane OSV News
Icame to Choices Women’s Center because I was building my exit plan.”
Those were my patient’s words, and that exit plan included leaving her marriage and possibly ending the life of her child. As she said, “I was 100 percent considering aborting my baby.”
Pregnancy centers are essential in the landscape of women’s health care, providing access to compassionate, high-quality, life-affirming care for women just like this patient.
As a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and medical director of four pregnancy centers in North Carolina, my medical practice specializes in the care of women with unplanned pregnancies. I witness firsthand the critical role these four centers and the 2,700-plus across this country play in saving lives both of women and their unborn children.
Pregnancy centers offer exceptional care in state-of-the-art environments, standing as an alternative to facilities focused solely on induced abortion. Patients are seen by a highly qualified team of licensed and board-certified health-care professionals.
Data from a Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI)
Super Bowl continued from page A11
talk of cheesesteaks a culinary delight that originated in Philadelphia heading to the Midwest should the Chiefs capture an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl. An Eagles Super Bowl win which would be the franchise’s second could procure some Kansas City barbecue spicing the environs of the City of Brotherly Love.
“This doesn’t get old,” Bishop Johnston said. “It’s all in good fun. We try to use it to emphasize the positives that sports offer, but also the friendship between the bishops and our dioceses.”
survey of 2,750 pregnancy centers in the United States demonstrated in their 2022 Hope for a New Generation Report that 16 million client/patient visits occurred at no charge, both in-person and through tele-health in 2021.
Women and their families received services and goods valued at $358 million, including appointments with healthcare professionals, pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, parenting education programs, material goods, and much more. Ninety-seven percent of the women served reported a positive experience.
Those of us who work in pregnancy centers see the merit of the life-affirming medical care we provide care that values both women and their unborn children. We recognize that the purpose of medicine is health, healing, and wholeness, and thus the direct and intentional killing of one of our patients, an innocent human being, is not health care. It never has been and never will be. Our approach aligns with the majority of obstetrician/gynecologists who do not perform induced abortions as part of their
Despite the Chiefs’ sustained success, Bishop Johnston recognizes that sports often result in bitter disappointment.
A native of Knoxville and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Bishop Johnston vividly recalls Super Bowl XXXIV on Jan. 30, 2000, a contest that defined the ubiquitous thrill of victory and agony of defeat.
Trailing the St. Louis Rams, 23-16, in the waning seconds, the Tennessee Titans fell one yard shy of a touchdown as the clock posted all zeroes. The scene of grown men not to mention
Commentary
medical practice.
There is, however, a critical need to educate the public and rebuild trust in pregnancy centers that have been intentionally attacked by medical organizations that have become an openly partisan wing of the abortion lobby at the expense of both babies and moms.
In January, I attended the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. (now renamed “The People’s March”), and spoke to many women who have experienced abortions. One woman told me she was pro-choice because of the story of a friend whose baby had a potentially life-limiting diagnosis, and who was told she needed to go to another state to get an abortion. When I asked her if her friend was told about the option of prenatal palliative care, similar to hospice, she said no.
This lack of doctors sharing options is unlike what occurs at pregnancy centers in which women are empowered with information and provided with a host of care options.
What’s more, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) works to advance extreme abortion policies with no
Health continued on page A19
stunned Titans fans scattered throughout the Georgia Dome in Atlanta visibly crying tears of disbelief remains a legendary talking point a quarter of a century later.
“I'm first a Tennessee Volunteer fan, still cheering for the Big Orange,” Bishop Johnston said. “The Titans moved to Tennessee from Houston, and so my emotional ties to them are not as strong. But I did pull for the Titans and vividly remember the ending to that Super Bowl, where they were so close. I pull for the Titans unless they’re up against the Chiefs.” ■
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA
Dr. Susan Bane
COURTESY OF RALEIGH COOPER
vows, think of how Simeon would look at that moment, now with all of the salvation history we have to enlighten us to the graces that he was foretelling. He would probably go to the highest levels of heaven, saying, “People are saying ‘yes’ to the Almighty and all of the challenges (it involves).”
n OSV News: What are some of the riches of consecrated life?
n Father Torres: It depends on the particular charism of the community. For those who are serving the poor, they are serving Jesus in the infirm, in the person who is destitute.
For the ones who are in perpetual adoration, they are seeing Jesus in the Eucharist.
And so, it’s both a seeing of Jesus, but it’s also what we have in the Shema (a central Jewish prayer taken from Deuteronomy 6:4): “Remember, O Israel, the Lord, your God; love him with all your strength, with all your might, with all your heart.”
Study continued from page A10
reported being discouraged from the prospect, with women (61 percent) more likely than men (43 percent) to experience such pushback.
Well over three-quarters (78 percent) had participated in a “come and see” vocational discernment experience.
Regarding their habits of prayer before consecrated life, CARA found going on retreat was “the most common type of formative prayer experience” for four out of five. A similar number prayed the rosary regularly before joining their religious institute. And seven out of 10 went regularly to eucharistic adoration.
The CARA report also found: n The majority of respondents (92
And so, we have the (command to) remember there, and we also have it in the words of the institution (of the Eucharist): “Remember, do this in memory of me” (Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:1920, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25).
The consecrated are living their life, day in and day out, in a way that reminds me and hopefully others as well, that Jesus is present in those who need and in the Eucharist. And it’s also a call for me to remember Him at every moment.
n OSV News: In several homilies and remarks, Metropolitan Archbishop Borys A. Gudziak of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia has called consecrated life one of the most radical, countercultural choices a woman could make. Would you agree?
n Father Torres: Oh, totally. It is radical because it’s saying to the Lord, saying to the world, saying to herself, “I will only belong to my Spouse.” A lot of times nuptial language is used in describing this relationship, particularly for females. It is radical because they’re saying, “I will belong to no one else except Jesus.”
n OSV News: What would you say to someone considering consecrated life?
n Father Torres: Increase your prayer, take up “lectio divina” (spiritual reading of sacred Scripture), get to know the community you’re discerning with.
There is a desire within the human heart to give yourself completely to someone, to something something that will not only be your North Star, your compass in life; but it’s an absolute gift, and it’s total, and whenever we hold back, that’s when we get into trouble. It’s an absolute call. It doesn’t allow for halfways or negotiations. It’s completely out of love that we receive, and then out of love that we respond.
n OSV News: What would you say to those in consecrated life who may be struggling with their vocation?
n Father Torres: Return to that moment when you felt the call, and you wanted to give it your all. Someone who loves you called you. Return to your first love. ■
"There are so many young people who are saying yes. They are attracted to those communities that are challenging them to live the Gospel in its fullness, and that's one thing that sometimes people may not see. Do we have the numbers that we had some generations ago? We don't, but we have great quality."
Father Jorge Torres, a priest of the Diocese of Orlando, Fla., and executive director of the USCCB's Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations
percent) have been Catholic since baptism shortly after birth, with 92 percent having at least one parent who was Catholic, while for 87 percent both parents were Catholic. n Almost all (97 percent) respondents were raised during their formative years by their biological
parents, with 90 percent raised by a married couple living together, with 96 percent also having at least one sibling;
n Over half (64 percent) of the respondents listed their primary race or ethnicity as Caucasian, European American, or white, with 14 percent
identifying as Asian, Pacific Islander, or Native Hawaiian; 11 percent as Hispanic or Latino; 6 percent as African, African American, or black; 5 percent as mixed race or other; n Slightly less than three-quarters (69 percent) of respondents were born in the United States, with 12 percent born in Asia, 10 percent in Latin America, and 6 percent in Africa.
In his statement, Bishop Boyea said that women and men in consecrated life “remind us of the deep desire of the human heart to see the face of God.”
Bishop Boyea added, “We thank them for their dedication ‘to stay awake, to be vigilant, to persevere in waiting’ as Pope Francis has said.” ■
limits or barriers going so far as to release briefs to both their membership and the public that discredit our medical services and state that pregnancy centers “operate unethically.” They have lost sight of their mission to care for both maternal and fetal patients.
If ACOG truly cared for women, they might encourage health-care professionals to refer patients to pregnancy centers and stop misleading women who need care, thus denying them services that can often be provided the same day and at no charge.
As a veteran medical director who is pioneering a regional medical model that is serving some of the poorest and most rural counties in my state of North Carolina, I have seen the progress that can be made when we fill in the gaps of care for women who cannot access the support and treatment they need elsewhere.
At pregnancy centers, we don’t just provide medical care, we walk with women through this time that can prove challenging in their lives. One very valuable service we provide brings
nonprofit out of northern Indiana that was looking to sell their used van,” Deacon Duhamel said. “This particular van has only about 10,000 miles on it. It’s a 2016, so it certainly has a long life ahead of it. They gave us a great discount on the vehicle itself.
“All totaled, without anything on the inside in terms of medical equipment, it cost us roughly about $70,000. We got a large grant from Save the Stork, about $50,000, and then we made up the difference from contributions here that we got from Catholic Charities to focus on this program.”
Sandi Davidson, Catholic Charities Pregnancy Services program leader, was in Helenwood for the big day.
“This means that we will be able to reach women in every part of our diocese,” she said. “We won’t be covering areas where other pregnancy centers already have a mobile unit because we don’t want to duplicate services. There are a lot of pregnancy centers that don’t offer ultrasounds, so we’re going to partner with them.”
Catholic Charities will be partnering with the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, and the van will visit pregnancy centers—Catholic-based ones or not—around East Tennessee, Ms. Davidson said.
“We’re going be covering a large territory,” she said.
Catholic Charities also operates pregnancy centers in Knoxville, Chattanooga, LaFollette, Newcomb, and Johnson City.
The pregnancy center in Helenwood saw clients and put the van to use on its first day.
“This is our first time out. We have three or four patients already scheduled to do ultrasounds, but currently we’re doing ultrasounds and pregnancy tests,” Ms. Davidson said.
Ultrasound images “certainly are” an influence on young mothers, she added.
“Statistics say anywhere from 75 to 95 percent of women change their mind when they see their baby’s heartbeat if they’re abortionminded,” Ms. Davidson said.
The Helenwood Pregnancy Help Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays but has the demand to be open more, Ms. Davidson said.
“We’re hoping to expand to five days,” she said.
Nyah Lay is the program coordinator for the pregnancy center in Helenwood:
“Right now, she has 38 clients. It’s a lot for three days a week and one person,” Ms. Davidson said. “She’s fantastic. There’s a big need, and she’s doing really well at meeting that need. We just need to have two more days so that she can add clients to her list.”
Melissa Coldiron of Maryville is a registered nurse for the ultrasound van, which she said “means women have access to being able to see their baby, to make a better choice about what they want to do with their pregnancy. It’s just wonderful to be able to see God’s creation.” Samantha Bigley, an RN with
case workers into our centers to aid pregnant women and girls. Sixty percent of women say that they would not have sought abortions if their life circumstances were different.
We serve as a lifeline for vulnerable women to access better health care and address disparities they might face. Through our case workers, we have supported several mothers who were unsure whether they wanted to give birth due to lack of housing, child care, food, clothing, insurance, and transportation.
By addressing the barriers they faced, we helped these women choose the better option for both themselves, and their child. We partner with hospital systems, health departments, private practices, and other nonprofits to create a network of care that ensures no woman is left behind. In short, we provide more viable options for women than the local abortion facility.
The future of women's health care lies in building trust and expanding the reach of our centers. My mission is to encourage more of my physician colleagues to consider working with pregnancy centers to reach underserved
patients. I also want to encourage the millions of women who have received exceptional health care at pregnancy centers to let your stories be heard.
My patient exited the doors of our pregnancy center with a different plan than when she entered, largely due to the exceptional care she received. “They held my hand until I was confident and had hope…”
Pregnancy centers are an essential part of the solution to addressing gaps in the medical community, offering compassion, resources, and most importantly, high-quality care. It is time for all of us medical professionals, community leaders, and the public to work together to support these centers and ensure every woman has access to the excellent care and support she deserves. ■
Dr. Susan Bane, M.D., Ph.D, is a practicing OB/ GYN with 25 years of experience and the founder of Dr. Pink Glasses. She serves on the board of The American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the medical board for CareNet
CCETN’s Pregnancy Help Center on Dameron Avenue in Knoxville, described the ultrasound van as “amazing.”
“The more babies we can see, the more babies we can save,” she said.
Two mothers-to-be from Scott County shared their experiences of the new van.
Aaliayah Claxton called it “pretty incredible.”
“It was a new experience,” she said.
Ms. Claxton is expecting a boy, due May 5.
“It’s definitely different each time we get to see him, but this time it was a little more special because he’s just growing so much more,” she said.
Her fiancé, Dustin Terry, said “it was pretty good, not driving so far” to have the imaging done in Helenwood. “You can actually drive in town to get an ultrasound. They did a really great job.”
“We usually have to go to Knoxville, so we saved an hour’s time just by coming here,” Ms. Claxton added.
“We saved a lot of gas,” Mr. Terry said.
Samantha Lowe came to Helenwood with her young daughter.
“It was wonderful. She got to see the baby, and I got to see the baby and make sure everything’s good and the heartbeat’s good. That was just a blessing,” said Ms. Lowe, whose child is due Aug. 14.
“It was really convenient. We
didn’t have to drive an hour away to the doctor to get an ultrasound. Just to be able to easily check to make sure that the baby’s OK is always a blessing.”
A crew from McCosh Films was on hand in Helenwood for the ultrasound van’s first day.
Tammy Roberts, a parishioner of St. Thomas the Apostle in Lenoir City, is vice president of client success for the Knoxville video company.
“Today’s experience was fantastic. We have filmed many films of all the programs at Catholic Charities, so it has been quite a journey of learning about the homeless and adoption and immigration services, all the services that Catholic Charities of East Tennessee provides,” Ms. Roberts said. “I just have such a great appreciation of it now that I’ve interviewed so many people and gotten their testimonials about how they helped.”
Interviewing expectant mothers in Helenwood also was a moving experience, she said.
“It was so nice to hear the moms say that to be able to see their baby and hear the heartbeat just makes all the difference in the world, and not having to travel too far to get that service was a real value to them.”
Ms. Roberts’ adopted daughter, McKensie Rogowski, served as still photographer for the four-person crew in Helenwood.
“It just makes my heart feel so warm because to know that there’s such a high percentage—and this is a proven statistic—related to moms who keep their babies once they hear the heartbeat and see the baby,” Ms. Roberts said. “To know that Catholic Charities of East Tennessee is saving b abies really warms my heart.” ■
Ultrasound continued from page A1
The sound of joy Expectant mother Aaliayah Claxton, shown with her fiancé, Dustin Terry, was among the first to have an ultrasound on Catholic Charities of East Tennessee's new mobile ultrasound van, which was serving the Helenwood Pregnancy Help Center on Jan. 23.
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Proof of life Samantha Bigley, a registered nurse with Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, performs an ultrasound on expectant mother Aaliayah Claxton as Ms. Claxton's fiancé, Dustin Terry, observes their baby. Catholic Charities registered nurse Melissa Coldiron is monitoring the ultrasound equipment as McCosh Films videographer Thompson Nguyen films the noninvasive procedure for Catholic Charities.
MCKENSIE ROGOWSKI/MCCOSH FILMS
Counting the days Samantha Lowe of Scott County visited the Helenwood Pregnancy Help Center on Jan. 23 for prenatal care and to monitor the progress of her unborn child. Accompanying Ms. Lowe is her daughter, Leah, who is holding photos of the ultrasound showing her sibling. The Pregnancy Help Center is located next to St. Jude Church at 13067 Scott Highway in Helenwood.
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means to them, and then they get to make a poster, a drawing, or something of what they think that talk meant,” Mr. McFadden explained. “The very first talk is on making choices good, bad, even not making a choice is making a choice. So, you get into that and then you slowly bring in the love of Christ over the next two days and the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.”
“Saturday night culminates in a forgiveness ceremony where they learn how important it is to forgive others and for others to forgive them and knowing that they’re a precious child of God and that Jesus Christ loves them as much as anybody,” Mr. McFadden continued. “Sunday, we talk pretty much about the love of Christ and what it means to change your life and what it means to be a Christian and Christian action.”
The team sleeps in a nearby Baptist church about two miles away from the prison.
Mr. McFadden said the most physically challenging part of the weekend is the lack of sleep and the long hours, but the experience is worth it because it is spiritually uplifting to the team members.
“If you see a guy realize that Christ loves him no matter what he’s done, and he would like to be saved. … To see a guy changed and accept that is absolutely, totally amazing. You can watch the Holy Spirit work. You almost physically can see the Holy Spirit working in these guys,” Mr. McFadden remarked.
He said that the team is there to help “break down barriers” for the prisoners.
“Each one of these guys has got a barrier or wall built around him for his own protection,” Mr. McFadden said. “There are two things we don’t do: we don’t ask them what they did and we don’t ask how long they’re in for. They might tell you, but we’re not there to be prejudiced against them in any way, no matter what they’ve done. So, we don’t ask them. We’re there to bring the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to them.”
In Mr. McFadden’s opinion, the best job during the prison retreats is to sit at a table with the insiders and “actually get to know them, talk to them about their issues, and what they think about things.”
“If they weren’t in a prison uniform, and you didn’t know where you were, you would think you were sitting at a restaurant talking to an average person,” he said. “These guys have made some bad decisions along their lives, and they realize it, and they want to change. A lot of them are [at the retreat] because they realize at some point when they get out, they don’t want to come back in.” However, not every prisoner has that experience.
“Out of the 30 people that may come on the weekend, not everybody is going to be convinced that they’re a precious child of God,” Mr. McFadden said. “Almost every one of them has come from a broken family of some sort, and gangs wind up being their families and they get in trouble. Drugs are prevalent.”
Mr. McFadden shared that when the men are released from the prison, the Kairos ministry team wants them to “become faithful Christians and good citizens.”
“The recidivism rate is way lower for people who go through the Kairos prison ministry and attend a weekend,” he said.
One prisoner who attended a Kairos retreat in 2005 now helps lead them.
Bill Mongeau, a nondenominational pastor who leads services at the Morgan County Correctional Complex, was released from the prison in 2006.
“I go back and see those guys, and some of them remember me from when I was there, and then even the ones that don’t remember me, when we have conversations, I can relate to them because I’ve been in their shoes,” Mr. Mongeau said. “I had to reside there, so that makes us relatable.”
He believes that when a person is passionate about something, it will shine through.
“When your heart is into something, like it is with me and Kairos,
Preparing for prison Steve Cantrell, center, a member of the Kairos Prison Ministry at the Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg, relies on the Bible and the Kairos manual to make a point during a ministry meeting last fall at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Seated with Mr. Cantrell are fellow Kairos members Michael Yeager, left, and Ed Solack. The T-shirt Mr. Solack is wearing says "Kairos Prison Ministry...I was in prison and you visited me" (Matthew 25:36).
it’s evident just by communicating it it’s evident that you love it. That speaks volumes when you’re talking to people who have not really experienced love that well. They actually get to see it, and it makes a big difference. That’s like going down and feeding people who are hungry, you’re filling a need, a desire that they have. At the same time, and when you’re passionate about it, people see that,” Mr. Mongeau remarked.
Mr. McFadden also emphasized that what is said in the prison stays in the prison.
“We don’t talk about a guy or anything outside that. Trust is hard to find anywhere in a prison,” he observed. “But there are guys who have been on the street and really had a tough life, and to have a prisoner at the end of the week tell you that he loves you is just mindboggling. I’ve had prisoners tell me they’ve never felt love like that before. We go in and listen, listen, love, love. That’s our motto. The guys, in their upbringing, many of them have never felt real love before.”
A unique attribute of the Kairos prison ministry is that once a retreat ends, the team continues to visit prisoners with monthly reunions.
“We go in and support the guys who have been through Kairos and who are interested in coming to a future Kairos,” Mr. McFadden explained. “The objective when we leave is that they form their own prayer and share groups and continue their learning and development, their journey of faith. So,
“It’s not very easy to recruit people to want to go into a prison,” Mr. McFadden said. “You just can’t put a notice in the bulletin saying, hey, you want to go in a prison? Nobody does that. It’s talking to guys and making presentations at different churches. We presently have five people from St. Thomas who are in the ministry.” Mr. Young noted that to become involved in prison ministry is a calling.
“From a volunteer standpoint because it isn’t for everybody,” he said. “It’s not an easy thing. I was a lot more worried about it before I went in than afterwards. Once I went the first time, I went, this is a really, really good thing.”
“You hope you change somebody inside the prison, but you end up coming out changed yourself. That’s a big deal,” Mr. Young continued.
Other St. Thomas parishioners get involved, however, by baking cookies for the retreats.
Leading a corporal work of mercy
Stu McFadden, right, a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City and a leader with the Kairos Prison Ministry, which evangelizes at the Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg, is pictured with Bill Mongeau, who also is a leader in the Kairos ministry. Mr. Mongeau is a nondenominational pastor who leads services at the Morgan County Correctional Complex. He was released in 2006 from the prison, where he served time as an inmate, and has been active in prison ministry since then.
we go back monthly; it’s the fourth Saturday of each month in the evening for about an hour and a half. It’s quite a commitment of time when you’re part of the ministry.”
‘This is a really, really good thing’
The Kairos ministry has an advisory council that reports to a state Kairos ministry, which reports to the international Kairos organization, located in Florida.
Before being allowed to enter the prison as a volunteer, each man has to apply through the state Department of Corrections to complete an application, submit to a background check, and then participate in online class training. After those tasks are complete, there is orientation training in the prison itself.
Before the Kairos team goes into the prison for a retreat, the men attend trainings for five Saturdays to learn their assignments, practice giving talks, and complete other tasks for the retreat.
“You work your way up to be a leader, if possible,” Mr. McFadden said. “You’re asked to be a leader only once because being a leader involves about a full-time job for about six months because you have to organize everything and get the team together and volunteers. If you have 30 prisoners, the team will be roughly 28-34 team members. We try to have new team members on each team to keep building the ministry.”
When the team is not hosting retreats, they are recruiting men for the ministry.
“We bring in a dozen cookies for every person in the prison, which there’s 2,000 prisoners in that prison,” Mr. McFadden explained. “The guys on the weekend get to eat cookies all weekend, as much as they want. We bring in somewhere around 2,500-2,600 dozen cookies for a weekend. All the churches that are involved cook a lot now. St. Thomas, we usually cook about 600 dozen we provide for the weekend. We’ll put it in the bulletin about two months before the weekend, and it’s become a routine where a lot of ladies will ask, isn’t it time to cook cookies again?”
The ministry uses Gordon Food, which sells a frozen cookie dough in boxes of 10 dozen. The parish buys the cookie dough, and then the Kairos ministry reimburses the parish after they make their sales.
The Kairos prison ministry depends on donations to succeed, as a retreat weekend costs roughly between $6,000 and $7,000.
“We sell meal tickets, too, for five bucks; you buy a meal for a prisoner,” Mr. McFadden said. “During mealtime, we’ll put that little piece of paper at his plate and say, Fred or Charlotte or somebody bought you dinner tonight. They get Sunday school kids from different churches to make little paper place mats, and actually the guys love those. To see a little 5-year-old kid make a little picture on a place mat and say God bless you or Jesus loves you or something like that on there, it touches the hearts of the guys.
Mr. Young would like for others to “consider it a personal invitation to join us and learn more about Kairos.”
“They can support the ministry in many ways, of course be prayer warriors for us. We actually have a prayer vigil wall. It’s an online thing where you can go on and people can sign up for a 30-minute slot throughout the whole weekend that we’re in the prison. So, they can help us out by praying for us. We bring cookies and food in; they can help us, support us by baking cookies and donating money so we can buy the food that we bring in. And then most importantly, just kind of search their own hearts and talk to us, contact us and find out more about it and see if they’d be interested in participating.”
Mr. Mongeau noted that it’s inevitable for the Kairos team members to form bonds with one another because of the amount of time spent training and planning together.
“I get to know all of the weekend leaders, I know all the leadership on the Kairos team, we’re all very good friends, brothers you know, all of us are,” he said. “So, it’s basically a men’s group inside a men’s group. Outside of the body, the great body, is larger than any of us or larger than any denomination worldwide. The believers are all over the place, but when you bring a few of them together, miracles happen, beautiful things happen. When you let God take care of the logistics, He creates miracles. The Scripture says, Jesus said, these things you have witnessed Me do, but you’ll do greater things than I.”
For more information on Kairos Prison Ministry International, visit kairosprisonministry.org
To learn more about St. Thomas the Apostle’s Kairos team, contact Stu McFadden at sjmcfadden1999@ gmail.com ■
Bringing Jesus behind bars The Morgan County Correctional Complex is located in Wartburg, which is in Morgan County. The facility replaced Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in nearby Petros in 2009.
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Bishop Burbidge, whose diocese borders the Potomac, said in his post. “We ask God to embrace them in His love; to grant strength to their families; and to watch over all fi rst responders.”
According to the Arlington Diocese, Bishop Burbidge led a liturgy carried also via livestream at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington to pray for the victims.
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, in a statement issued on Jan. 30, “on behalf of the clergy and faithful” of the archdiocese, prayed for those “who tragically perished” in the crash and expressed “prayerful solidarity” with the families of all the victims.
“May Almighty God grant them peace and serenity and consolation to those left behind,” he said. “Reagan National Airport is a very familiar place to me. This tragedy strikes very close to home.”
Shortly after the crash, Bishop Carl A. Kemme of Wichita, Kan., posted on Facebook that he was “praying for all involved” in the disaster. Bishop Kemme said he and two other priests had been on that fl ight a week earlier. ■
continued from page A9
Since it signifies and communicates grace, marriage between baptized persons is a true sacrament of the New Covenant” (1617).
As spouses, we are called to be signs of God’s love and presence through our words and actions, by raising our children in the faith, and through the way we show love for one another.
Christian marriage is a holy vocation in which each spouse is called “to love one another with supernatural, tender, and fruitful love. In the joys of their love and family life He gives them here on earth a foretaste of the wedding feast of the Lamb” (CCC 1642). Married life gives us a glimpse of the eternal union of God and His Church and calls each spouse to build the other up for everlasting life in heaven.
Think of the shape of an hourglass. Wide at the top, continually tapering, tight at the middle, and flaring out again to its widest point on the other side. That’s the shape of a marriage. At times we’re far apart, at other times we’re as close as we could be. The only thing constant in marriage is change.
In most marriages, there are four main seasons: the honeymoon, young parenthood, middle age and empty nesting, and the later years. Each season or cycle has unique joys and challenges.
n The honeymoon: The heady, early days of romance are like “living on a breath mint,” because it seems like it takes almost no effort to keep your marriage happy and healthy. As time goes by, novelty is replaced by familiarity. It’s critical to navigate this transition because you want it to breed satisfaction instead of contempt. Falling in love is a wonderful blessing. Staying in love is a choice we make every day (and it takes a lot of work).
n Young parenthood: Children often give a marriage greater meaning and some amazing stuff to post on social media. Kids can be a source of joy and fulfillment. But this phase of marriage is also among the toughest and it can last two decades or more. So, finding joy in one another and your blossoming family is critical.
n Middle age/empty nest: During this phase, your careers are probably flowing well, and the house is paid off (or getting closer to it). Now that the kids are grown and gone, you can refocus your time and energy on one another. The world is your oyster so long as you’ve taken care to stay connected and interested in one another.
n The later years: Couples that age together often find a deepening love. Many couples who have been married for 20, 30, or 40 years say that they are even more in love in the later years of marriage than in their early days. This phase of marriage may also be called the “best friend” phase because spouses rely on one another and enjoy spending time together. One couple in their later years summed it up this way: “We simply can’t imagine life without each other!”
It is important to foster closeness with your spouse through all cycles of marriage. Parenting often becomes the main connection while the “couple relationship” is no longer prioritized. Spending time together alone as a couple is essential to staying connected.
Date nights may seem trite, but they really do work! If a babysitter isn’t forthcoming, turn off your devices and share the news of the day with each other. A friend of ours who was married for more than 40 years says that the secret to a lasting marriage is “to periodically learn something new about your spouse.”
Difficult times visit every marriage. Unexpected challenges arise: illness, job loss, or death in the family. But that doesn’t mean your marriage is doomed far from it. Even the happiest and most successful marriages you can think of have had troubles many of them big troubles.
Sacramental marriages work through the tough times. When marital conflicts arise, it is helpful to remember there are no “winners” because you are always on the same team. Being “right” is not so much the goal as being heard and understood. And listening is just as important as talking. It is important to respect your spouse enough to listen and consider his or her side of the conflict. The
best marriages are a union of two “forgivers.”
Nourishing your faith life together is also essential to a lasting union. Praying together at bedtime and at mealtimes is a great way to keep God at the center of your marriage (and serves as a faith model for children and friends as well).
It is a great gift to journey through life together as a married couple. There will be “ups and downs,” and as you move through the many
phases of married life, it is most important to remember that you’re not alone.
The Church is there for your marriage long after the flowers have faded and the dress no longer fits. In times of joy and in times of trouble, remember that you have an entire faith community that wants your marriage to succeed and is committed to helping you in any way it can. Count your blessings and they will flow. ■
Making memorials Roberto Marquez from Dallas reacts as he makes a memorial near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, in the aftermath of the collision of American Eagle flight 5342 and the military helicopter that crashed into the Potomac River, in Arlington, Va., on Feb. 1.
OSV NEWS
PHOTO/JEENAH MOON, REUTERS
Marriage
Father Thomas Foley, CSP
The Paulist Fathers announce with great sadness that our brother, Father Thomas F. Foley, has entered eternal life.
Father Foley died on Jan. 22 at the Mercy Retirement & Care Center in Oakland, Calif. He was 77.
Father Foley was a member of the Paulist community for 53 years and a priest for 47 years, serving as a campus minister and parish priest.
Thomas Francis Foley was born on July 28, 1947, in New York City, a son of Daniel and Matilda Fragia Foley. He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s College in Winona, Minn. He entered the Paulist novitiate on Sept. 16, 1971.
Father Foley made his first promises on Aug. 26, 1972, and his final promises on June 2, 1976. During his years in the seminary, he studied at Washington Theological Coalition (later renamed Washington Theological Union). He was ordained a priest on May 14, 1977.
In his first priestly assignment, he was a campus minister at St. John XXIII University Parish in Knoxville through August 1979.
Father Foley then moved to Boston, where he served as a campus minister for students at Tufts University until May 1984. In the latter half of 1984, he studied Spanish in Colombia. From 1985 to 1987, he was an associate pastor at St. Peter’s Church in Toronto. He was based at Holy Name of Jesus Parish in West Palm Beach, Fla., from 1988 to 1990 and at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Boca Raton, Fla., in 1990 and 1991. He then served at Paulist Press from 1992 to 1996.
Father Foley was an associate pastor at St. Austin Church in Austin, Texas, from 1998 to 2002, and an associate pastor at Old St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco from 2002 to 2009. He then continued to live at Old St. Mary’s Cathedral in senior ministry.
Father Foley, who co-wrote the book The Key Is in The Darkness: Unlocking The Door to a Spiritual Life with Mark Lewis, moved in 2021 to the Mercy Retirement & Care Center in Oakland.
A funeral Mass for Father Foley was celebrated on Feb. 6 at Old St. Mary’s Cathedral. The principal celebrant was Father René Constanza, president of the Paulist Fathers. Father Tom Hall, CSP, another member of the Paulist ordination class of 1977, delivered the homily. Father Foley was buried in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Colma, Calif.
Faithful Departed
Chrissi Rhea
Chrissi Callaghan Rhea, a pioneering mortgage banking leader and co-founder of Mortgage Investors Group (MIG), passed away on Nov. 8 at Turkey Creek Medical Center in Knoxville, surrounded by her beloved family.
As one of the few women in mortgage banking at the time, Ms. Rhea shattered barriers and set a powerful example for women in a male-dominated industry. Known for her bold leadership and unwavering dedication, she built a legacy of innovation, compassionate service, and a commitment to affordable housing.
Ms. Rhea was born on Aug. 14, 1951, in Oak Ridge and graduated from Oak Ridge High School. She embraced her family’s values of service and community impact, instilled by her father, Frank Callaghan, a passionate advocate for affordable housing.
In 1989, Ms. Rhea co-founded MIG in Knoxville with a mission to build an employeecentered, customer-focused company. Under her leadership, MIG grew from seven employees in one office to more than 400 employees across the Southeast. She also served on the boards of the national Mortgage Bankers Association and the Tennessee Housing Development Authority.
Ms. Rhea’s warmth extended far beyond her professional life. Known for her magnetic personality, she loved opening her home and welcoming everyone with open arms.
Ms. Rhea and longtime friend Russell Beatty shared a love for travel, immersing themselves in the diverse cultures and experiences of the world. Her children and grandchildren were her greatest joy, and she was their biggest cheerleader, always first to celebrate their achievements and offer unwavering support.
Ms. Rhea was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Lois Callaghan of Oak Ridge. She is survived by her daughter, Andrea Reyes (Tim) of Knoxville; son, Kevin Rhea (Pam) of Knoxville; life partner, Russell Beatty; siblings, Patti Callaghan of Newburgh, Ind., Susan Callaghan, and Kathy Callaghan (Wayne Edwards) of Pittsboro, N.C., and brother, Kevin Callaghan (Deborah) of Plano, Texas; her adored grandchildren, Olivia Rhea, Patrick Rhea, and Evan Reyes; beloved cousins, Tom and Joyce Calla-
ghan of Boston; former husband, John Rhea, of Knoxville; and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral Mass for Ms. Rhea was held on Nov. 26 at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge. A private family burial service followed. The family requests that donations in Ms. Rhea’s memory be made to Breast Connect (www.breastconnect. org) or a charity of choice.
Josephine ‘ JoMarie’ Lowe
Josephine “JoMarie” S. Lowe, age 83, passed away peacefully on Jan. 20 at Rain Forest Landings in Knoxville.
Mrs. Lowe, who was a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, was the oldest of nine children. Her life was a testament to love, kindness, and devotion.
Josephine Marie Salomone was born on Feb. 18, 1941, in Nashville. She was a graduate of Knoxville Catholic High School, class of 1959. She went to work after high school for AT&T, where she was a switchboard operator. She moved with her family to Annapolis, Md., where her father did masonry work in the Washington, D.C., area.
Mrs. Lowe was married on April 25, 1964, in Annapolis to Jack E. Lowe Sr. They returned to East Tennessee to start a family. Mrs. Lowe was not one to sit idle. While raising their four children, she decided to try her hand at making and designing wedding cakes. Over 20 years, she became a premier wedding-cake designer, making multiple beautiful wedding cakes on most weekends.
During University of Tennessee basketball seasons, she enjoyed traveling around the country with her husband following the Lady Vols basketball team. She also enjoyed spending time and playing bridge with her bridge club.
Mrs. Lowe was preceded in death by her husband and parents, Vincent and Josephine “Dodie” Prickett Salomone. She is survived by four children: Jack E. Lowe Jr. (Tina), James E. Lowe, Julia Wamack (Albert), and Jody Skole (Tony); five sisters; one brother; and eight grandchildren.
Father Tim Sullivan led a rosary for Mrs. Lowe on Feb. 2 at Rose Funeral & Cremation-Broadway in Knoxville. A commemoration service for Mrs. Lowe was held on Feb. 3 at East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery Chapel in Knoxville.
Father Foley
Ms. Rhea
Mrs. Lowe
LaVerne Van Dorselaer
LaVerne F. Van Dorselaer, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on Jan. 23 at her home in Knoxville.
To tell the story of LaVerne is to tell a love story. For above all else, her unrelenting love flowed freely and deeply through her family and all those who knew her.
Mrs. Van Dorselaer was preceded in death by her husband, Roland “Van” Van Dorselaer; her son, Steven Van Dorselaer; and her parents, Fredrick Donald and Annie Nancy Cottrell.
She is survived by her daughter, Karen Van Dorselaer; her sons, Thomas (Traci) Van Dorselaer, Robert (Vickie) Van Dorselaer, and Roy Alan (Diane) Pinkard. She was the proud grandmother of David (Tracy) Van Dorselaer, Kristin Van Dorselaer, Tom (Ella Johnstone) Hewetson, Matthew Hewetson, Michael Van Dorselaer, Nicholas Price, and Connor Pinkard; and of great-grandchildren Jack Van Dorselaer, Troy Van Dorselaer, Claire Van Dorselaer, and Asher Roland Hewetson.
Mrs. Van Dorselaer was born in Chicago on Jan. 30, 1930, and was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. Her family’s move to Knoxville resulted in her passionate support of the Tennessee Vols. Having her four children and four of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren attend the University of Tennessee, Mrs. Van Dorselaer rarely missed watching the Vols and Lady Vols play. Also, the warmer climate of Knoxville allowed her to create gorgeous gardens, with each successive year bursting with more color than the year before. Her gardens also revealed her whimsical side with gnomes peeking around every corner. Her faith was gently woven into the fabric of who she was. She was a strong believer in angels and relied on them throughout her life. She was also the most creative spotter of shapes in the clouds. Her family delighted in her mastery to see these wonderful shapes and will forever look to the skies and be reminded of her.
Above all else, Mrs. Van Dorselaer counted being a wife and mother as her greatest blessings. Her family grew up in a home filled with love, faith, and plenty of laughter. When challenges arose, she was always there with a well-timed word and the wisdom and strength that made everything better. And when there were successes, she was the one clapping the loudest and longest. She was the anchor, the mainstay, the touchstone, and in short, she was “home.”
Mrs. Van Dorselaer’s legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew her. Her life was celebrated on Jan. 30 with a funeral Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, followed by a burial service in Pleasant Forest Cemetery in Farragut.
Patricia ‘Pat ’ Johnson
Patricia “Pat” Johnson, age 84, passed away on Jan. 25.
Faithful Departed
Shelba Fritz King
Shelba Fritz King, age 65, of Oak Ridge, passed away peacefully surrounded by loving members of her family on Jan. 28.
Mrs. King, formerly of Knoxville, was of the Roman Catholic faith and attended St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge and Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville. She attended St. Joseph School and graduated from Knoxville Catholic High School in the class of 1978.
Mrs. King, who worked at ORNL Federal Credit Union for 26 years, had a love for all animals, especially her dogs Marley and GiGi. She was a loving and devoted wife and mother. She had a deep love for books, movies, and puzzles. With a remarkable flair for creativity, she found joy in bringing her imagination to life through painting and drawing.
Mrs. King cherished her family and loved spending time with all of them, especially on camping and beach trips. She was preceded in death by her mother, Christine (Ingram) Fritz; her father, Daniel Fritz; and her brothers-in-law, Donald King and Roger Williams. She is survived by her loving husband, to whom she was married for 44 years, Douglas King; daughter Mary Jo (Stephen) Trobaugh; brothers Daniel (Antoinette) Fritz, Charles (Tracy) Fritz, and Joseph Fritz; sisters Grace Cox, Mary (Jim) Barnes and Karen (David) Thurman; brother-in-law Dayton (Cheryl) King Jr.; and sisters-in-law Diane Williams and Sandy King; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and other relatives, and special friends Glenda Wright and Robert Gaylor.
A funeral Mass for Mrs. King was held on Feb. 1 at Holy Ghost Church, with Father Valentin Iurochkin serving as the celebrant. A burial service followed in Calvary Cemetery. Pallbearers were Mrs. King’s nephews, Jim Barnes, John Williams, and Jeremy Peak; son-in-law Stephen Trobaugh; great nephew Aidan Peak; and family friend Daniel Dougherty. An honorary pallbearer was her niece, Kathy Peak.
Ronald Barnum Sr.
Family and friends are honoring the life of beloved husband and father Ronald Barnum Sr., who passed away on Feb. 1 at the age of 92.
Mr. Barnum was born in 1932 and was a member of the First Families of Tennessee. He was a devout Christian, a patriot, loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and a loyal friend.
Mrs. Johnson was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Johnson; parents, Evelyn and John Gormley; and daughterin-law, Darlene Johnson. She is survived by her son, Patrick (Meaghan) Johnson; stepsons, Hank Johnson and Jay (Jenny) Johnson; grandchildren, Michael (Elizabeth) Johnson, Christopher (Teira) Johnson, and Jessica Johnson; several great-grandchildren and great-greatgrandchildren; brothers, Bill Gormley and Bob (Tracey) Gormley; nephew, Jeremy (Tina) Gormley; nieces, Tara Gormley, Nicole Gormley, and Kimberly (Ethan) Nuenschwander; and several great nieces and great nephews.
Mrs. Johnson once dreamed of joining the Peace Corps, and she lived her life with a servant’s heart. She was generous and always ready to help those in need and had many lifelong friendships, many of which she developed while working for more than 30 years as a lab technician at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center.
Mrs. Johnson was a devout Catholic and member of Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville. She was especially honored to be a Franciscan.
She loved a bad joke, a cold beer, and the University of Tennessee Vols. She will be missed by many.
A funeral Mass for Mrs. Johnson was held on Jan. 30 at Holy Ghost, with Father John Orr serving as the celebrant. A burial service followed in East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on Lyons View Pike in Knoxville.
Donations in Mrs. Johnson’s memory can be made to Ladies of Charity, 120 W. Baxter Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917 or www.ladiesofcharity knox.org/supportus
Mr. Barnum was a charter member of All Saints Parish and member of the Knights of Columbus council. He served in the Navy from 1951–1955, working in both naval aviation and at the National Security Agency. He volunteered for the U.S. Navy and also had experience in the Army, Air Force, and civil service.
Mr. Barnum attended Ohio State University, receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering. He was employed at the Defense Construction Supply Center, Battelle Memorial Institute, and TVA. He retired in 1989, after which he and wife Deanna visited all 50 states and enjoyed cruises and international travel.
Mr. Barnum is survived by his dear wife of 63 years, four children, 11 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral and burial services were held on Feb. 8. Donations in Mr. Barnum’s memory may be made to GarySiniseFoundation. org and/or Heart of the Nation Catholic Mass, P.O. Box 14428, Milwaukee, WI, 53214, 855-855-MASS.
Ebon Ralph Grubb Jr.
Ebon Ralph Grubb Jr., a longtime member of St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga, passed away on Oct. 5 at the age of 94.
Mr. Grubb was the first male baby born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Knoxville on May 10, 1930. He graduated from Knoxville Central High School in 1948. Upon graduation, he attended the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. When the Korean War broke out, he proudly served in the U.S. Air Force from 1950 to 1954. While serving near the border of Canada, he met the love of his life, Cecile Hachez Grubb, and they were married for 71 years until her death on July 21, 2024. He was honorably discharged from Presque Isle Air Force Base, Maine, in 1954. After his military service, he returned to Knoxville, resumed his studies at the University of Tennessee, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1956. He continued his studies and received a master’s degree in science in 1958.
In 1958, he began a long career with U.S. Gypsum Co. He was a sales representative in both Greenville, S.C., and Knoxville. In 1974, he was promoted to branch manager for L&W Supply, the wholesale distribution arm of USG. As branch manager, he opened a new branch in Chattanooga. After a long and successful career, he retired in 1997. His legacy with L&W Supply continues, as both his son (Karl) and grandson (Zack) followed him into careers with L&W Supply.
Mr. Grubb was a parishioner of St. Stephen Church for 50 years, and he served as an usher there for 20 years. He was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a tireless and selfless volunteer for nearly 20 years delivering food and emotional support for Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga. His hobbies and interests included University of Tennessee sports and gardening. He continued working in his yard until he turned 90.
In his last years, he was the caretaker for his beloved wife, Cecile, who had Alzheimer's disease. Despite numerous heart issues, Mr. Grubb willed himself to remain strong, and he took care of Cecile until she passed away. With another selfless job completed, he succumbed to a broken heart on Oct. 5.
He was a devoted husband, a beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He leaves behind his daughters, Deborah Ledford and Kimberly Wood (Dennis); and a son, Karl Grubb. He was blessed with seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
A graveside service was held on Nov. 4 in Chattanooga National Cemetery that was officiated by Father Manuel Peréz, pastor of St. Stephen Parish.
Cecile H. Grubb
Cecile Hachez Grubb, who was born on Dec. 12, 1934, in Cabano, Quebec, Canada, passed away on July 21 at the age of 89.
Mrs. Grubb was very proud of her Canadian heritage and enjoyed speaking French with anyone she could. She was of the Catholic faith and was a member of St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga for 50 years. In 2020, she was awarded woman volunteer of the year for her 30year ministry of serving meals to families at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga.
Mrs. Grubb left behind her beloved husband of 71 years, Ebon Ralph Grubb Jr.; daughters, Deborah Ledford and Kimberly Wood (Dennis); and her son, Karl Grubb. She was blessed with seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren. A celebration of Mrs. Grubb’s life was held on Aug. 16 at St. Stephen Church, with Father Manuel Peréz officiating. A burial service followed in Chattanooga National Cemetery.
Eddie Ankar
Eddie Ankar, 76, of Chattanooga, a lifelong and faithful follower of Christ who attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga, passed away on Oct. 7.
Mr. Ankar was a beloved figure in his community, known for his dedication as an owner and operator of Ankar’s Hoagies, which is located on Hixson Pike in Chattanooga.
Mr. Ankar also was a passionate supporter of the Alabama football team—ROLL TIDE!
Mr. Ankar devoted his life to serving God and cherishing his family. His greatest joy came from filling his home with love and laughter alongside his wife, daughters, and grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Giselle; his parents, Farid and Yasmeen; his brothers, George and Joseph; and his sister, Nawal.
Mr. Ankar is survived by his four daughters: Christy (Daniel), Jennifer, Nickey, and Gina; his sister, Nadia; and many grandchildren, nieces, and nephews who will miss him dearly.
A funeral Mass for Mr. Ankar was celebrated at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Oct. 14, with Father Mike Nolan serving as the celebrant.
Donations in Mr. Ankar’s memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org ■
Mrs. Van Dorselaer
Mrs. Johnson
Mrs. King
Mrs. Grubb
Mr. Barnum
Mr. Grubb
Mr. Ankar