Students at St. Mary-Johnson City ask him about his episcopal ring, how much he is paid, and more
By Bill Brewer
Bishop Mark Beckman was in impressive company during one of his most recent get-toknow-you meetings with Diocese of Knoxville parishioners.
In attendance were young leaders of the community, including a paleontologist, a sheriff, a soldier, a physician, a nurse, a firefighter, a police officer, a school principal, an athlete, a chef, a NASA astronaut, a ballerina, a princess, and Spider-Man.
The bishop had a captive audience at St. Mary School in Johnson City during Catholic Schools Week as these heroes, and even the superhero, took part in a question-andanswer session with the diocese’s shepherd.
Bishop Beckman visited St. Mary on Jan. 28 and met with various classes in the pre-kindergartenthrough-eighth-grade school.
On this theme day, students could dress as their favorite vocation and teachers could dress as St. Mary students. It was a fun and fascinating turnabout.
As Bishop Beckman asked the younger students who they were dressed as, they asked him about being a bishop.
The questions were insightful and probing. And Bishop Beckman didn’t hesitate.
Among the students’ questions were:
n “What do you wear around your neck?”
n “Why do you wear a ring?”
n “Can bishops get married?”
n “How much do you get paid?”
n “What are your favorite movies?”
n “What is your favorite book?”
n “What do you like to do when you’re not being the bishop?”
n “How did you get to be a bishop?”
n “What’s the different between a
priest and a pastor?”
n “Do you have to be a priest first before you become a bishop?”
n “Have you ever met the pope?”
n “Do bishops have to travel?”
Bishop Beckman answered each question, fully explaining the details of his position and interjecting personal anecdotes along the way.
“God called me to be your bishop in the Diocese of Knoxville. So, all of East Tennessee I’m responsible for taking care of. We have 51 churches, eight grade schools, and two Catholic high schools. We have three university centers on the campuses of UT-Chattanooga, UTKnoxville, and East Tennessee State University,” the bishop told the Catholic Schools continued on page B2
Education Freedom Act passes legislature
The legislation was backed by Tennessee’s Catholic bishops, parents, and organizations
By Bill Brewer
School choice will soon be available to students in East Tennessee and across the state as the General Assembly in Nashville approved the Education Freedom Act on Jan. 30 during floor votes in the House and Senate.
Gov. Bill Lee called the approval a “milestone in advancing education,” and it is expected to have a significant impact on the 10 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Knoxville.
Gov. Lee is expected to sign the legislation into law soon. It was adopted during a special session of the legislature that began Jan. 27 and concluded Jan. 30. During the four-day session, legislators also took up and approved a comprehensive disaster-relief package for residents, businesses, and governments affected by Hurricane Helene as well as measures for Tennessee to assist in implementing the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
The school-choice legislation was backed by Tennessee’s three Catholic bishops, who wrote to state legislators in support of the bill. The bill also had support from parents and organizations across the state.
“I’ve long believed we can have the best public schools and give parents a choice in their child’s education, regardless of income or ZIP code,” Gov. Lee said shortly after the legislators cast their votes. “Now families can move forward with an opportunity that they’ve never had before.”
The Education Freedom Act establishes Education Freedom Scholarships, which are the foundation of the state’s first universal school-choice program. In addition to the scholarships it provides for students, the act invests in public schools by providing bonuses to teachers, increasing funding for kindergarten-through-12th-grade facilities, and ensuring state funding to school districts will never decrease due to disenrollment as students transfer to different schools.
An amendment to the act requires local school boards to approve the program to access the one-time, $2,000-per-teacher bonuses.
The act, which has a cost of $447 million, appropriates $145.9 million for the Education Freedom Scholarships, $198.4 million for bonuses for the publicschool teachers, $77.2 million for K-12 infrastructure directed from existing sports wagering revenue, and $2.7 million for administrative costs. Each annual scholarship will be valued at about $7,000 for students to use at state-accredited private or parochial schools. Independent homeschool students or students attending church-related homeschools are not eligible for the scholarships.
Gov. Lee said he and the legislature will continue their commitment to public schools by further investing hundreds of millions of state dollars in the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) formula and increasing pay for starting teachers from $35,000
in 2019 to $47,000 in fiscal year 2025-26.
According to the act, Education Freedom Scholarships will be available to all Tennessee families with school-age students beginning with the 2025-26 school year. Parents have the opportunity to choose the school for their children, regardless of income or where they live.
The act provides 20,000 scholarships for Tennessee students, with 10,000 scholarships reserved for families with household incomes that do not exceed 300 percent of the amount required to receive free or reduced-price lunches in public schools, for students with disabilities, or for students who are eligible for the existing Education Savings Account program. The other 10,000 scholarships have no income limit.
The Education Freedom Act will grow with demand as 5,000 scholarships will be added each year after 75 percent of total scholarships are taken in the prior year. The scholarship money will be deposited into an account for parents to use on tuition and fees first, followed by other qualified education expenses. More than 350 private and parochial schools, including the 10 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Knoxville, will be eligible to receive Education Freedom Scholarships. They would qualify as either Category I (stateapproved or -accredited), Category II (approved by a private-school accrediting agency), or Category III (approved through accreditation by a state-authorized accrediting School choice continued on page B2
Question-and-answer session Bishop Mark Beckman speaks with Mason Mock, a pre-K student in Carrie Booth’s class at St. Mary School in Johnson City. Alondra Quiroga has her hand raised to ask the next question.
DAN MCWILLIAMS
BILL BREWER
Playtime at St. Dominic Kindergarten teacher Michelle Miller, kindergarten assistant Lauri Moncla, and school director of development and admissions Beth Barnette accompany a group of youngsters to the playground.
kindergartners.
A St. Mary teacher asked him what some of his favorite activities are.
“As a bishop, my favorite thing to do so far is doing what I’m doing right now, and that is to go out and visit. I like visiting our churches and our schools and meeting the people of God. I really enjoy traveling all around East Tennessee and seeing everybody,” he answered.
The bishop then turned the conversation around and asked the young students if they knew what his job was.
“Do you talk about things at church?” one kindergartner asked.
“Yes, I do talk about things at church,” the bishop responded. “I teach you all about Jesus and God.”
“You preach,” another young student interjected.
“I also celebrate all the sacraments, like the Eucharist,” Bishop Beckman replied.
“I saw you at Mass,” a student said. “You are in charge of the church.”
“Yes, you did see me at Mass. And yes, I also am in charge of the church. I lead it; I shepherd it. I’m called to be like Jesus, the Good Shepherd,” the bishop acknowledged.
“God loves us,” one of the students remarked.
“Yes, He does. God does love us,” Bishop Beckman assured her.
A student observed that there are priests from different countries in the Diocese of Knoxville.
“Yes, we have priests from Mexico. We have priests from Colombia. We have a priest from Poland. There are priests from lots of different places in this diocese—many, many countries.”
Bishop Beckman then made a further observation.
“We as a community come from many, many countries. My mother’s side of the family was Italian. Her ancestors came from Italy. On my dad’s side of the family, his father came from Germany. His father was half German and half Irish. We have people from all over the planet.”
One topic of particular interest to the students, and to Bishop Beckman: the question of pets. Does the bishop have one?
No, he responded, but…
“I have no pets right now, although in my backyard I have two wild rabbits. They are always out back, and they were playing in the snow. I saw their little footprints in the snow. They are very small; they are little brown ones. They are good. I like rabbits. I enjoy having them in the backyard.”
“Do they take carrots from your house?” asked an inquisitive young girl.
“No, but I have thought about putting food and water out for them
to keep them around. So far, they have plenty to eat,” the bishop said.
He then shared this bit of information: “If I had enough time at home and I weren’t traveling as much, I would love to have a dog.”
The children were especially amused when the guest speaker told how he came to be a bishop.
“The way that I found out that God was calling me to become a bishop was I got a telephone call!” he said.
That comment drew responses of amazement.
“What!” they said in unison.
“I did. Pope Francis, through his representative in Washington, D.C., the nuncio, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, called me and he told me Pope Francis wanted me to be your bishop. That’s how I got called to be your bishop,” he explained.
He went on to tell them that God planted a desire in his heart to be a priest when he was in high school. He shared that a priest in his parish when he was young had a strong impact on his decision to become a priest.
The bishop’s meeting with the kindergartners went well judging by the litany of questions they continued to ask him as they left the classroom on their way to lunch.
A different crowd then greeted Bishop Beckman. Upperclassmen ambled into the room and took their seats, curious about the tall stranger in black clerics (pants and shirt) and a white collar.
As he was introduced, hands went up from the older students with questions of their own.
“Do you always wear black?” one fashion-conscious student asked him.
“I don’t always wear black. Sometimes I go running or I go to the gym and wear my gym clothes. When I go hiking, I wear my hiking clothes. Or if I’m relaxing, I will wear my blue jeans and a T-shirt. But most of the time when I’m working, I wear these clothes,” he answered.
The bishop also explained that the cross he wears around his neck is called a pectoral cross and is worn by most bishops. Similarly, he wears a ring called an episcopal ring that symbolizes his commitment and “marriage” to the Catholic Church, which put to rest the question of whether Catholic bishops can be married.
Another student who appeared to be age-conscious asked him how old he has to be to retire, to which the bishop responded that bishops must retire at age 75, although the pope sometimes extends that.
And then a financially conscious student asked if the bishop is paid for his position.
“I do get paid to be a bishop. I get paid almost the same amount as priests do but $100 more a month,
so just about the same,” said the leader of the Catholic Church in East Tennessee.
When a student asked if he was the bishop for just Catholics or people of all faiths, the bishop responded, “Just Catholics. I am the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Knoxville. Now, obviously, I should be concerned about everybody living in East Tennessee. We have a responsibility to everybody in East Tennessee.”
And when asked, the bishop acknowledged getting nervous on occasion, especially when it’s something big that he hasn’t done before.
When asked if he sees God in visions, the bishop said he is blessed to see God almost everywhere he looks. “And I see God in your faces,” he shared with them.
In response to another question, the bishop explained that no one “applies” to be a bishop. Bishops are called by God, and that calling is relayed by the Holy Father.
Other fun topics included his favorite movies and books, which include The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia series, and where are his favorite places to eat.
Bishop Beckman was able to relate to the students even more when he was asked if he has ever met the pope. He shared with them that he met Pope Francis in September when he had to go back to school, to “new bishop school” in Rome.
“Wow, you have asked lots of great questions,” Bishop Beckman told them as they left for another class.
The bishop began Catholic Schools Week in Chattanooga on Jan. 26 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, where he celebrated a Mass in which Our Lady of Perpetual Help School students participated.
He concluded Catholic Schools Week by celebrating an all-school Mass for Sacred Heart Cathedral School at the cathedral on Jan. 31 and by celebrating Mass at the cathedral on Feb. 1 for Scouts in the
diocese.
The bishop expressed joy and gratitude at being able to celebrate Catholic Schools Week with so many students around the diocese.
“Catholic schools are a place where we learn how to live the will of God in our lives,” he said, emphasizing the two love commandments of Jesus, loving the Lord Our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbor as our self.
“The schools are a great place to learn that love because there are so many good models of living that in our Catholic schools,” he added.
“The kids were so excited.”
“The greatest thing about Catholic Schools Week is [that] being at a Catholic school is something that’s wonderful year-round. But it’s nice to stop and have the time to celebrate it. The things that the kids do during Catholic Schools Week they remember the rest of their lives.
“I remember when we were kids and had Catholic Schools Week: we had volleyball competitions, we had a field day, we had the red and blue day. The memories of those things stay with you throughout your life. I think it’s great that we do that,” he noted.
The bishop believes strongly in the role of Catholic schools in strengthening faith and helping the faithful hold on to their unique Catholic identity, especially in parts of the world and this country that are not predominantly Catholic.
Bishop Beckman was delighted by the variety of questions he was asked at St. Mary School.
“Oh, my goodness. The questions from the kids were delightful. The funny things I didn’t expect were the littlest kids who were excited to tell me about their pets. And the older kids were surprisingly animated to tell me about the best places to eat in Johnson City. Aside from that, they asked what a bishop does every day, how much am I paid, where do I live, what do I like doing best, and those kinds of things. That was fun,” he concluded. ■ agency) schools.
Among their requirements for a scholarship, students would be required to take standardized national or state tests. The results would be shared with parents and anonymously reported to the state legislature for annual review.
According to the new law, no additional requirements for participating private and parochial schools will be created, and participating schools will not be required to accept scholarship recipients.
House members voted 54-44 in favor of the Education Freedom Act. The Senate vote was 20-13 in favor.
“Education has the power to change the trajectory of a child’s life, and every Tennessee child deserves to attend the school that fits their unique needs, regardless of income or ZIP code,” Gov. Lee said. “In partnership with the General Assembly, Tennessee passed meaningful legislation to address three pressing issues that President Trump and Tennesseans overwhelmingly support: the Education Freedom Act, additional disaster relief for East Tennesseans, and measures to halt illegal immigration.”
George Valadie, interim schools superintendent for the Diocese of Knoxville, welcomed approval of
the Education Freedom Act. He believes it will be a winning situation for students, parents, and schools, especially diocesan schools. And he applauds the legislature’s commitment to maintaining funding levels and support for public schools and teachers in Tennessee.
“We are keenly aware how divisive an issue this has been for many years. And we acknowledge that a multitude of different viewpoints exists. But we believe in and are grateful that an increased number of families—and not just those with the resources to do so—will now have the ability to seek alternatives, to choose the school option that best suits what moms and dads believe is needed by their particular child. Different schools have different missions and different strengths. None do everything perfectly. Kids have different strengths and weaknesses, too, and that is why choice is so valuable,” Mr. Valadie said.
“Our state is immeasurably better when all our students—public and non-public alike—receive an exceptional education. On a personal note, and as a lifelong educator, I am especially grateful our legislators have included stipulations designed to continue their support of public schools and their teachers. It is where the largest percentage
situation
of our children attend,” he continued. “Though the application and implementation details of this new legislation are unknown at this time, we have already scheduled a school leaders meeting to continue our discussions about the best practices to have in place. Because we want to ensure that we, too, will be the best school and the best match for what a new family needs.”
Mr. Valadie and the diocese especially look forward to sharing the faith with additional students who may choose to attend the diocese’s schools.
“And needless to say, as our
of
schools are missions of the Catholic Church, we welcome the opportunity to spread the Gospel message to all who have wanted Christ’s life to be a part of their child’s life,” he added. Bishop Mark Beckman of the Diocese of Knoxville, Bishop J. Mark Spalding of the Diocese of Nashville, and Bishop David P. Talley of the Diocese of Memphis have been working through the Tennessee Catholic Conference to support the Education Freedom Act. The conference has been closely monitoring legislation for education savings accounts (ESAs) for many
BILL BREWER
All sing Dana Bellino leads a group of third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders in a song at St. Dominic School on Jan. 28.
School choice continued from page B1 School choice continued on page B8
BILL BREWER
A winning
George Valadie, interim superintendent
schools for the Diocese of Knoxville, said that school choice is ‘so valuable.’
audience
Student body Bishop Mark Beckman stands with clergy from the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the students and staff of Sacred Heart Cathedral School after an all-school Mass on Jan. 31 in the cathedral during Catholic Schools Week.
Front rank Students at St. Dominic School in Kingsport stand with principal Bonnie Saleh.
Greetings at OLPH Bishop Mark Beckman greets kindergartner Samantha Parra Chavez, pictured with fifth-grader Valentina Parra Chavez, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga on Jan. 26 during Catholic Schools Week as Deacon A.J. Houston (center) and Deacon Wade Eckler look on.
Posing with a priest Father Martin Gladysz, an associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, stands with four Sacred Heart Cathedral School students on Jan. 31.
Blessing from the bishop A young student from St. Mary School in Johnson City receives a blessing from Bishop Mark Beckman at Mass on Jan. 28.
High school Mass Father Mike Nolan distributes Holy Communion during Mass at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga on Jan. 30.
Family photo Bishop Mark Beckman stands with (from left) sixth-grader Patrick, dad Jay, and seventh-grader Holder Donnelly at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School on Jan. 26.
‘We love our Catholic school’ Students at St. Dominic School on Jan. 28 stand in front of a Catholic Schools Week sign in a hallway.
Classroom
Bishop Mark Beckman speaks to a class Jan. 28 at St. Mary School in Johnson City during Catholic Schools Week.
Lord, hear our prayer Sacred Heart Cathedral School student Kaleb Woldemichael leads the intercessory prayers during an all-school Mass on Jan. 31 at the cathedral during Catholic Schools Week.
Chattanooga Deanery
St. Bridget, Dayton
Father Jim Vick resumed his Bible study classes Jan. 28 with classes held at 2 and 7 p.m. Tuesdays. The subject is “The Joseph Saga” as told in the Book of Genesis chapters 37-50.
St. Jude, Chattanooga
A celebration of pastor Father Charlie Burton’s birthday will be held at noon Thursday, Feb. 20, following an 11:15 a.m. Mass. Chicken and dessert will be provided, but those attending are asked to bring a side dish. Father Burton’s birthday is Feb. 17.
Recent Knights of Columbus families of the month were Roland and Emily Knoch for October, Thomas and Irene Scoggins for November, and Richard and Janice Grau for December.
St. Mary, Athens
A Mardi Gras-themed adult night out is set for 6 p.m. Saturday, March 1, in the family life center. The evening features trivia, dinner, a silent auction, and prizes. Cost is $30 per person or $200 for a table for eight. Ages 21 and over only. Register at saint maryathens.org/trivia-night
St. Stephen, Chattanooga
The Knights of Columbus are sponsoring a Fat Saturday charity dinner and dance in the large hall at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1. The event features music by The Beaters.
The Knights held their 23rd annual Super Bowl Pork Loin Sale on Feb. 9 to benefit their pro-life efforts. Pastries baked by Ladies Auxiliary members and chicken strips were also sold.
Thirty members of the St. Stephen Respect Life ministry attended a rosary and prayer service Jan. 18 at the Shrine of the Unborn in Chattanooga.
Anniversary: Phil and Doreen Wirchansky (56)
Cumberland Mountain Deanery
All Saints, Knoxville
Deacon Tim Elliott’s Theology Uncorked series continues from 6 to 8 p.m. in the parish hall on the following dates and topics: Thursday, Feb. 20, “Towing the Line,” on the dignity of work and the rights of workers; Thursday, April 10, “I’m With You,” on solidarity; and Thursday, June 19, “We’ve Got to Get Back to the Garden,” on care for God’s creation.
Blessed Sacrament, Harriman
The old religious-education building has been removed, making access to the back parking lot available only from the entrance on Oakdale Highway (state Highway 29A) until the driveway access on Margrave Drive is repaired.
The Knights of Columbus sold Super Bowl subs this month as a fundraiser.
St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade
At the Council of Catholic Women’s meeting Jan. 8, the guest speaker was Mark Baldwin, deputy director of Creative Compassion in Crossville.
Deacon Gary Brinkworth is leading discussions on the book Beautiful Mercy, compiled by Matthew Kelly and featuring contributions from Pope Francis and many others. The book focuses on the seven corporal and seven spiritual works of mercy. Discussions followed Mass on Feb. 6 on the corporal works and will follow Mass on Friday, Feb. 21, on the spiritual works.
Each week, the Social Action Ministry empties the wagons in the narthex that are filled with donated food from parishioners that supports local food pantries plus the foods received from the volunteers who staff the pantries. The ministry also works with St. Alphonsus Community Services to provide food assistance for families who are in immediate need, as well as the Peavine Care Center and Crab Orchard Care Center, which offer
constant food subsidies to families who need help weekly. The parish has now been asked to help a fourth food pantry, the Avalon Center in Crossville, which serves victims of domestic violence both during and post-crisis. The center also donates personal-hygiene items and household supplies.
It is estimated that in 2024 St. Francis of Assisi Parish helped more than 450 families in the community, most of them on a regular basis.
Anniversaries: Don and Deidre Walker (55), Don and Cynthia Lent (51), Mark and Debra Tune (15), Tony and Pat Zimmermann (5)
St. John Neumann, Farragut
The Senior Ministry is holding a Lenten preparation gathering, “Celebrating Lent as a Season of Mercy,” at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, on the SJN campus. Publix subs will be served for lunch. To RSVP or find out the cost and site, e-mail Steve at stephen behnke2@gmail.com
St. John Neumann School’s annual Off to the Races Derby Auction is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 1.
A parish Lenten retreat, themed “Stay With Me, Watch, and Pray,” will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 8. The event will include adult and child sessions led by Father Bo Beaty, Sister Elizabeth Wanyoike, ESM, Deacon Shawn Ballard, and others. There will be time for prayer, Mass, adoration, a rosary, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Register by Friday, Feb. 28. Contact Julie at dre@sjnknox.org with questions.
Knights of Columbus Council 8781 held its annual basketball free-throw contest Feb. 9 at the school.
St. Joseph, Norris
The Council of Catholic Women invites parishioners to a Celebration of Love at 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, in the social hall. The event will honor several couples at St. Joseph. RSVP by Sunday, Feb. 16, on the signup sheets at the church entrances.
The CCW will make Valentine’s Day cards for the residents of Norris Health and Rehabilitation Center after Mass on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
A Valentine’s Day bake sale after Mass on Feb. 9 benefited Hurricane Helene relief as well as the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic.
Five Rivers Deanery
Holy Trinity, Jefferson City
Anniversary: Peter and Diane Heinen (60) Notre Dame, Greeneville
A celebration of the 70th anniversary of the dedication of Notre Dame Church is set for Sunday, April 27, with a bilingual Mass at 4 p.m. celebrated by Bishop Mark Beckman followed by a dinner and dance at the Greeneville Parks & Recreation building near Notre Dame. The church was dedicated April 26, 1955.
Parishioners are invited to join religious-education students and catechists for a Fat Tuesday dinner and parade at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 4. The evening features a pancake dinner with plenty of beads and a king cake as well as a parade of homemade floats by the students.
A Lenten parish mission will take place Friday through Tuesday, April 4-8.
Anniversaries: Ernest and Gigi Hampton (57), James and Theresa Slemp (25)
St. Patrick, Morristown
The Knights of Columbus recently named Corky Evers as Knight of the month and Andy Simms and wife Mary as family of the month.
St. Patrick hosted Father Chris Arockiaraj, PSS, representing Cross Catholic Outreach, at weekend Masses on Jan. 11-12.
Parish notes continued on page B8
Father Ryan High School creates Monsignor Campion scholarship
The Tennessee Register
Father Ryan High School in Nashville has established a new scholarship in honor of alumnus Monsignor Owen Campion, a native of the Diocese of Nashville who served in East Tennessee before a long career as an editor and publisher.
In a ceremony Dec. 21 at Father Ryan, school president Paul Davis surprised Monsignor Campion by announcing the Monsignor Owen F. Campion ’58 Scholarship. Mr. Davis said almost $200,000 of a $250,000 goal had been raised for the scholarship as he spoke at the event attended by Monsignor Campion’s classmates, fellow priests, and friends.
“What a beautiful occasion, and what a surprise,” Monsignor Campion said. “Father Ryan has meant so much to me throughout my life, and I am honored to be remembered in this way. Thank you all very much.”
Monsignor Campion was born in Nashville and educated by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation at Overbrook School in the city. He graduated from Father Ryan in 1958 and St. Bernard College in Cullman, Ala., and he completed his theological training at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore.
He was ordained to the priesthood at his home parish of the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville on May 21, 1966, by Bishop Joseph A. Durick. The new priest’s first assignments were at St. Jude Parish and Notre Dame High School, both in Chattanooga, and then at Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville.
For four years, he served as associate director of religious education for the Diocese of Nashville, with the special duty of training teachers and directors in parish programs.
Then-Father Campion served as editor of the Tennessee Register,
newspaper of the Diocese of Nashville, from 1971 to 1988 before becoming associate publisher of Our Sunday Visitor. He was active in the Catholic Press Association, which he served in several roles, including as president from 1984 to 1986.
Along the way, Pope John Paul II conferred on him the dignity of Prelate of Honor, with the title of “Reverend Monsignor,” expressly complimenting his involvement in Church communications worldwide and especially his service to Catholic journalists in Eastern Europe and developing states in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Monsignor Campion also was appointed by the Vatican to serve as an ecclesiastical assistant to help establish relationships between the Holy See and Catholic publishers around the world.
He retired as editor of OSV and of The Priest magazine in 2016, the year he celebrated his 50th anniversary in the priesthood, and now serves both OSV as a chaplain and the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Huntington, Ind. ■
Portions of this article were obtained from Today’s Catholic, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind.
COURTESY OF MARY THEW
Four confirmed at Blessed Sacrament Bishop Mark Beckman celebrated the sacrament of confirmation Jan. 18 at Blessed Sacrament Church in Harriman. From left with the bishop are confirmandi Joanna Griffin, Natalie Griffin, Caleb Griffin, and Storm Johnson.
Monsignor Owen Campion
COURTESY OF RALEIGH COOPER
Chattanooga Serrans hold Vocation Appreciation Dinner
The Serra Club of Chattanooga held its annual Vocation Appreciation Dinner on Jan. 20, with Bishop Mark Beckman as one of the guests. At the event, club members expressed their appreciation for all of the Chattanooga clergy and religious, specifically recognizing those who had recently celebrated significant milestones in their vocations. From left are George Valadie, master of ceremonies; Raleigh Cooper, Serra Club president; Bishop Beckman; Sister Dominica Bickerton, OP, 15 years professed; Father Jim Vick, 25 years ordained; and Betty Anne Neal, Serra Club president-elect.
Bishop Mark Beckman will celebrate the annual Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion of Candidates at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 8, the first Saturday of Lent, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Catechumens and candidates from across the diocese will participate.
The diocesan Office of Vocations is holding a Men’s Discernment Group for men interested in discerning if God is calling them to the priesthood. The group will be hosted by Father Mark Schuster from 9 a.m. to noon on fourth Saturdays in the St. John Paul II Conference Room at the Chancery office in Knoxville, with the next meeting Feb. 22. There will be a Zoom option for those not in the Knoxville area. Register at forms.office.com/r/ CmSwudiVnf
The Fulton Sheen Society invites families to an evening of reflection and fellowship from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at All Saints Church in Knoxville. The meeting will be in the parish hall, with the talk running 45 minutes to an hour, followed by food and fellowship. Free child care will be provided in the nursery during the talk and pizza after the talk. A side item or drink is requested for families to bring to help round out the meal. The Fulton Sheen Society is a ministry focused on strengthening marriages and families. The society is named after Venerable Fulton Sheen, who encouraged families to grow in faith using modern technology. To learn more about the Fulton Sheen Society, contact Christine Blair at christine.h.blair@gmail.com
The eighth-grade class at St. Joseph School in Knoxville will host its annual pancake breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at Aubrey’s, 214 E. Emory Road in Powell. The meal will include pancakes, eggs, and bacon and either coffee, water, orange juice, or soda. Cost is $7, with proceeds funding the class trip.
The Amadeus Concert Ensemble and the Knoxville Symphony Youth Choir will perform “The Lighter Side of Beethoven” beginning at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, part of the Cathedral Concert Series. The concert features a selection of rarely heard Beethoven works, including material from the composer’s cantatas, concert scenes, his Ritterballet, and his unfinished opera Vestas Feuer, as well as some other musical surprises. Soprano Mary-Hollis Hundley and bass-baritone Michael Anthony McGee will make their ACE and Knoxville debuts. Knoxville artists Jacqueline Brecheen, a soprano, and tenor John Overholt fill out the quartet of soloists. Brian Salesky returns to the ACE podium to conduct the program. Admission is free, but seating is limited. Tickets are available online via the Eventbrite link at shcathedral.org/cathedralconcert-series. Donations are welcome and will support the Amadeus Concert Ensemble and the Cathedral Concert Series.
An Evening with Newlyweds and Special Anniversaries is set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, in the Cathedral Hall at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Couples married in the cathedral or anywhere else in 2023, parishioners married anywhere in 2024, and couples with anniversaries ending in 0 or 5 are welcome to attend. The evening offers a dinner (no cost), games, and a special blessing. RSVP to Scott Barron at sbarron@ shcknox.org
A Fatherhood Retreat featuring Deacon Bob Hunt as speaker will take place Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. The event will offer insights on Catholic fatherhood as a reflection of the Fatherhood of God and of saints who were fathers. Participants will reflect on the responsibilities of fathers, the importance of fathers in the formation of their children, and practical steps fathers can take in living out their responsibilities in the healthy growth and development of their children. The day begins at 7 a.m. with the Office of Readings and morning prayer in the church. An introduction to the
Liturgy of the Hours, praying in community, and chant will be provided. A Mass for the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Apostle, will follow at 8 a.m. Sign-in for the retreat will start at 8:45 in Varallo Parish Hall. Talks will be held at 9 and 11 a.m. with small- and largegroup discussion afterward. Lunch is set for 12:30 p.m., with the third talk at 1:30 and discussion following The retreat will conclude at 3. Coffee, tea, and water will be provided. Retreat cost is $20. Register at tinyurl. com/3sppfu94. Contact Deacon Wade Eckler at 423-322-3493 or weckler@ myolph.com for more information.
A Diocesan Marriage Celebration and Mass will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Bishop Mark Beckman and the Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment invite participants to celebrate the sacrament of matrimony and their own marriage. Married couples will have the opportunity to renew their vows at a special Mass, which will be followed by a reception. Register at dioknox. org/events/diocesan-marriagecelebration-and-mass
The Scruffy City Orchestra, conducted by Ace Edewards, will perform “Hidden Treasures from the United Kingdom” beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, part of the Cathedral Concert Series. The concert features Ernest John Moeran’s “In the Mountain Country,” a symphonic impression for orchestra; Eric Coates’ “London Every Day,” a suite for orchestra; and Arthur Sullivan’s “Symphony in E Major,” also known as the “Irish Symphony.” Admission is free, but seating is limited. Tickets are available online via the Eventbrite link at shcathedral.org/cathedral-concertseries. Donations are welcome and will support the Scruffy City Orchestra and the Cathedral Concert Series.
The diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation & Enrichment offers resources at dioknox.org/help-forhurting-marriages to assist couples in navigating difficult marriages and finding hope and restoration. Retrouvaille retreats have helped tens of thousands of couples at all stages of disillusionment or misery in their marriage. Couples who could benefit from this program should visit HelpOurMarriage. com for confidential information about a retreat or to register for the program. The next Retrouvaille retreat in Tennessee will be in Nashville from Feb. 28 to March 2.
Catholic Charities of East Tennessee in March will hold its two annual fundraising dinners, each featuring Bishop Mark Beckman as keynote speaker. The Creators of Hope Gala is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at Bridgewater Place in Knoxville. Register at ccetn.org/creators-ofhope-gala/. The Creators of Hope Celebration will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 27, at the Whiskey Thief rooftop lounge at the Edwin Hotel in Chattanooga. Register at ccetn. org/events/. Both events feature food, drinks, and live entertainment as well as presentations that showcase Catholic Charities programs and the clients who benefit from them.
The fourth annual Appalachian Highlands Men’s Conference will be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport. This year’s event again aims to be enlightening and spiritually fulfilling for fathers, sons, brothers, and men of all ages. Boys under 18 can attend for free. The one-day event includes fellowship, speakers, breakout sessions, music, prayers, opportunities for confession, and Mass. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Register at dioknox.org/ events/4th-annual-mens-conference
The Amadeus Concert Ensemble will perform “The Golden Age of Strauss” beginning at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, part of the Cathedral Concert Series. The concert features waltzes, songs, marches, and scenes from Der Rosenkavalier,
Calendar continued on page B8
Women of St. Joseph the Worker tour cathedral
The Women’s Group of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville toured the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Jan. 4. The tour was led by Rick Grinstead, Sacred Heart director of evangelization, youth, and adult ministry. It was the first time the women had seen the cathedral. Members saw the Stations of the Cross and learned that the architectural plan of the building was modeled after the Duomo Cathedral in Florence, Italy. Mr. Grinstead showed them the painting of the Holy Spirit above the altar, with many ladies in the group commenting that that was a favorite moment of the tour, as was Sacred Heart’s collection of first-class relics. After the visit, the women’s group and the cathedral tour guides convened for a lunch and discussion at Water into Wine bistro and lounge in Farragut.
St. Bridget Women’s Council delivers baby items to The Care Center
The Women’s Council of St. Bridget Parish in Dayton recently delivered babyshower items collected from parishioners along with $350 in cash donations to The Care Center in Dayton. From left are Carly McAuley, executive director of The Care Center, and Louise Ganss, Deb Smith, and Sherrie Cobb from St. Bridget.
Kingsport Knights
make $8,987 donation to Special
Knights of Columbus Aldo J Zazzi Council 6992 from St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport presented a check for $8,987 to Special Olympics Area 32 director Kelly Middleton on Jan. 8.
The funds came from a grant of almost $9,000 provided by KIND Charities of Tennessee, a Knightssponsored nonprofit charity that helps individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Parents and Special Olympics athletes took part in the checkpresentation ceremony in the
Olympics
Knights meeting room held before the council’s monthly planning meeting. More than 25 Knights attended, and a videographer from WJHL in Johnson City recorded the ceremony.
Ms. Middleton said that the check will help “fund future events, pay travel expenses, food and lodging, and other event expenses throughout the year for the athletes.” She concluded by saying she could not thank the KIND organization and the Knights enough for their generosity and support. ■
St. Joseph School Mardi Gras set Feb. 22
St. Joseph School in Knoxville is holding its annual Mardi Gras fundraiser from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, in the gym.
Costs are $80 per person, $600 for a table for eight, and $750 for a
table for 10. To donate to the event or to its silent or live auctions, e-mail St. Joseph director of communications Kristyn Walker at kwalker@ sjsknox.org. Purchase tickets at sjsknox.org/mardigras/ ■
COURTESY OF JENNIFER NEWMAN
COURTESY OF JANET SPRAKER
Special contribution Council 6992 Grand Knight Kevin Musser (front row, left) and District Deputy and Council 6992 financial secretary Dave Austin hold the check presented to Special Olympics. Standing, from left, are Teresa Patterson, Kelly Middleton, Justin Middleton, Casey Raleigh, Thomas Patterson, Grace Neal, Isaiah Kennedy, Keith Esteppe, Blake Neal, and Spring Esteppe.
COURTESY OF BILL HEWITT
Praying
for Perspective by
George Valadie
Unspoken love is real, but not with God
St. Valentine’s legacy was as priest, martyr, rebel, and protector of forbidden love
Hoping you have a happy Valentine’s Day! Or that at least you don’t mess it up. I’ve done that on occasion.
You’d think since it originated somewhere in the 14th century, we’d have figured out how to do this day really well by now. It’s not like it sneaked up on us.
Still, I won’t lie, it’s a lot of pressure. Nancy’s much better at it than I. She has a knack for finding the perfect little gift that says she knows me and loves me. Like the year she sent me a dozen long-stemmed Krystal hamburgers in a vase.
See what I mean. And as another sign of her love, I think she’s mostly tolerated my “nice try” efforts.
This particular holiday never fails to take me back to my grade-school days. I wasn’t very good at it then either.
I have unusually vivid memories of spending the night before at our dining-room table, decorating a homemade Valentine’s shoebox with aluminum foil, cutting out red construction paper hearts, and trying to make it all look as eye-catching as possible without any excess globs of Elmer’s glue.
I can recall devoting equal time to engineering some cool method to attach it to or hang it from my desk so classmates could be casually subtle while each took a turn wandering the room and dropping in their cards. Kindness—minus any emotion or eye contact—would have been the preference of my day.
But I did indeed have emotion.
Mom would buy those packets of 25 cards, and my sisters and I would spend hours deciphering the
Lhidden meanings behind “be mine” and “you’re the best” and “you’re sweet” in hopes of giving just the right card to just the right classmate. And I’d make sure the one card in the group that mentioned the word “LOVE” would go to that perfect girl—whom I most likely admired from afar and to whom it was even more likely I’d never actually spoken.
Probably still haven’t.
It’s 60 years later. Finley is 10 years old and our fifth-grade granddaughter. And she’s sorta going through the same thing with a young male classmate—let’s call him Murphy—with whom she shares some mutual interest.
It’s both cute—and hilarious.
I say “sorta going through the same thing” because whereas I likely communicated with my dream girl with nothing more than the occasional awkward smile (from which I hoped she correctly interpreted the depth of my unspoken love and not anything weird), these two get to text. A lot—a whole lot.
Thankfully it’s nothing bad. Her mom has set up her iPad so she can read every word (or so she hopes). But all looks good for now.
You can tell Murphy is head over heels. There’s a mutual attraction for sure. But they seldom—practically never—actually speak to each other.
A few months ago, he texted a request asking if they might be boyfriend and girlfriend. She replied, “I like you. But maybe we should wait until we talk to each other some.” I hear her science grade is a struggle, but on this topic Finley earned an A-plus.
Thoughts and Prayers for the Faithful by
Her mom also shared this recent story: “Finley got up early so she could go watch her friend play basketball. She wanted to stay so she could also watch Murphy play in his game.
“Our schedule couldn’t make it work, but Murphy and a couple of his friends did come early to watch the girls game. I said, “Oh, that’s fun. Did y’all get to talk?”
“And she looked at me like I had 13 eyeballs for asking such a dumb question like that.”
So, some things haven’t changed. Murphy’s apparently a good kid. He’s polite and thoughtful. We know because Finley’s mom is Meg—our middle daughter—and she shares all of their back-and-forth with her sisters and her mom and me in our own daily text chain.
He told Finley he was a little sad that she spent so much time at dance because it was less time they could chat. “But I would never want you to give up something you love so much.”
The boy is 10 … and killing it!
As a dad of three grown-up girls, experience tells me the occasion will someday come, however, when Finley will echo what girls for generations have cried into their pillows: “Why are boys so stupid?!”
But until then, if I took a vote right now—the females in our family are hoping these two get married someday. How much fun is young love!
Even when it springs to life in forbidden circumstances.
There’s a tradition that says Valentine, a third century priest and martyr, defied a ban from the Emperor Claudius forbidding soldiers getting
Deacon Bob Hunt
married. Valentine rebelled by performing weddings for Christians, thus preventing their husbands being sent off to war.
A second tradition says Valentine helped Christians escape Roman prisons and while doing so fell in love with the jailer’s daughter. He signed a letter to her “from your Valentine.”
And so it began.
I doubt I am the only one who has felt “unspoken love.” And fourth grade certainly wasn’t my last time. But we’d all agree that such cannot be true love. Probably can’t be called love at all. Not really.
You’ve got to at least talk to the person, right?
And so it is with God. We gotta talk to Him. We gotta tell Him how we feel and what we like and the dreams we harbor. We have to tell Him our struggles, our temptations, our fears. We have to cry with Him and laugh with Him and share the secrets no one else knows.
I’m betting the Creator has some good stuff to say, too. We should listen.
Because none of us want to reach the Pearly Gates and hear “maybe we should wait to have a relationship until we talk to each other some.”
Dear God—So many don’t feel loved. Or even thought about. By you or us. Sorry, a lot of that’s on us. Please inspire us to love the unloved. Amen. ■
George Valadie is a parishioner at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga and author of the newly released book “We Lost Our Fifth Fork … and other moments when we need some perspective.”
Focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving
They represent the totality of the Christian life, which calls us out of ourselves
ent is a season of transformation. The Church calls us to focus on three aspects of our Christian life: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. But focusing on these aspects of the Christian life is not intended as an end in and of themselves. The intent is to transform our entire life so that it better reflects the will of God—that our will comes to better reflect the will of God, so that every aspect of our life is transformed according to His grace. These three aspects represent, if you will, the totality of the Christian life. Prayer represents our focus on God and recognizing our need for Him. We cannot live without God. We cannot achieve our own salvation. It is God who saves. Our part in our salvation is to cooperate with God’s grace, to embrace His grace, that our life might be transformed into one that reflects His glory. Prayer represents our dependence on Him and our knowing we depend on Him. Those who foolishly think they don’t need God don’t pray. Why would they? What is prayer, after all, but our acknowledgement that we depend upon God and our desire to do so? The very act of praying is an acknowledgment of our need for God. We focus on our prayer life during Lent so that we can more deeply appreciate our dependence on Him and that our life may reflect such. The Scriptures say: “If then my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). This is the promise: humble ourselves in prayer, turn from evil, and God will hear our
prayers, forgive, and heal us. But it all begins with prayer. We cannot seek God’s face unless we pray. We cannot turn away from evil unless we pray. What better goal could there be for this Lent?
Fasting represents our detaching ourselves from the things of this world so that we can better live for God. Fasting from food has always been a way of letting go of our attachment, not only to food but also to whatever it is that keeps us from giving ourselves entirely to God. What is it that keeps me from giving my all to the life of the Gospel? It may be food. But it may be an attachment to other things: media, sports, politics. Even a good cause, such as the pro-life cause or opposition to human trafficking, can be an obstacle to giving myself entirely to God if my devotion to these things replaces my devotion to God, especially, for instance, in living out the commitments I have made to my family.
I had a brother who was very dedicated to his church. He would spend many days, and many hours each day, in worship and fellowship at his church. As a result, however, he often neglected his duties to our mother, who was ill and in need of care. Of course, there are those who are tragically attached to very destructive things, such as drugs, alcohol, pornography, or gambling. What sense does it make to give up chocolate for Lent if our lives remain consumed by destructive habits? The point of fasting, regardless of what we’re fasting from, is to re-prioritize our life so that God is at the center. The Scriptures say: “Is this not, rather, the fast that I choose: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6). The purpose of fasting, ultimately, is to transform our world and ourselves, to break the yoke that binds the oppressed and that ties us to the things of this world that prevent us from giving our all to God. Almsgiving represents our turning outward from our insular selves to seek to serve the other, especially the downtrodden, the poor, and the oppressed. We see God in all, but especially in what St. Teresa of Calcutta called “the distressing disguise of the poor.” In letting go of some small portion of our income, we learn better to let go of greater things: our selfishness, our hoarding, our false dependence on money. The Word of God teaches us that depending on savings, on resources stored away for a “rainy day,” is a fool’s security blanket. We don’t know when God will call us home, so why hold on to what may be of no use to us tomorrow? Better to depend on His grace, His mercy, His protection. We trick ourselves into thinking that we need bank accounts full of money, which tempts us to forget that everything that we have has been given to us by God, and God only gives that what He gives might be shared with others for the benefit of all. We truly are our brother’s keeper, and we have a responsibility to be there for those in need. There are those who are poor in material things, certainly. But there are also those who are poor in spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical things. These, too, require our help in whatever way we can help. The point is to give while not being overly concerned with how much one is able to give. I recall asking a Sister who was fundraising for her community’s ministry, “How much
should I give?” She replied, “Give until it hurts and then a little more.” The Scriptures say: “Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6). If we hope to reap bountifully of the rewards of God’s grace, we must give bountifully. That’s how it works. Lent is a season that reminds us of this truth and calls us to live it more faithfully. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving represent the totality of the Christian life. It is the life of Christ that calls us to pray, knowing that we depend on God. It is the life of Christ that calls us to be detached from the things of this world, precisely because those things hold us back from giving our all to God. And it is the life of Christ that calls us out of ourselves, to focus on the other rather than on one’s self and to sacrifice for the sake of others, because present in the other who is our neighbor is the Other who is God.
Lent is a season of transformation. By focusing on the three elements of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we truly learn the value of the Christian life of grace: grace to depend on God, grace to detach ourselves from the things that keep us from giving our all, and grace to give of ourselves for the sake of those in need. In doing so, our life will better reflect the life of Christ, and each of us will better be the presence of Christ in this world sorely in need of Him. Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all. ■
Deacon Bob Hunt is a husband, father, grandfather, and parishioner at All Saints Church in Knoxville. He is author of the book “Thy Word: An Introduction to the Bible for People in the Pews.”
Praying for
‘a new springtime of Pentecost’
Confirmation allows us to experience a ‘personal Pentecost’ that leads to new life in the Spirit
In his Advent column, Bishop Mark Beckman shared that his prayer for our diocese is for “a new springtime of Pentecost,” and that one of his priorities for the coming years is “a special emphasis on youth and young adults, as we must entrust the light of Christ faithfully to the next generation.” Over the next few months, Bishop Beckman will be celebrating the sacrament of confirmation at parishes throughout the diocese, the sacrament that unites the baptized more completely to the Church and enriches them “with a special strength of the Holy Spirit,” enabling them “as true witnesses of Christ … to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.”1 In the sacrament of confirmation, Bishop Beckman’s prayer for a new Pentecost and his emphasis on faithfully entrusting Christ’s light to the next generation are realized in a distinct way.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes Pentecost as the event when “the Holy Spirit was manifested, given, and communicated as a divine Person to the Church… the Church celebrates the memory of the Pentecost as the beginning of the new ‘age of the Church,’ when Christ lives and acts in and with His Church … through the liturgy of His Church, ‘until He comes again.’”2
The Order of Confirmation makes frequent reference to the relationship between confirmation and Pentecost, beginning with a reference to the passage in the Letter to the Hebrews about the laying on of hands (6:2). “This laying on of hands is rightly
recognized by Catholic tradition as the beginning of the sacrament of confirmation, which in a certain way perpetuates the grace of Pentecost in the Church.”3 This is the essential relationship—the grace of Pentecost is perpetuated in confirmation.
The Introduction to the Rite explains confirmation in reference to Pentecost. “Those who have been baptized continue on the path of Christian initiation through the sacrament of confirmation, by which they receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord sent upon the Apostles at Pentecost.”4
The Catechism reiterates this point: “It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of confirmation is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost.”5
Pentecost is also the reason why the bishop is the normal minister of confirmation—“so that there will be a clearer reference to the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. For after the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, they themselves transmitted the Spirit to the faithful through the laying on of hands.”6 The model homily in the rite expands on this point. “The Apostles, who had received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in fulfillment of the Lord’s promise, had power to complete the work of baptism by the giving of the Holy Spirit, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles. When St. Paul had laid his hands on certain people who had been baptized, the Holy Spirit
Daily readings
Saturday, Feb. 15: Genesis 3:9-24; Psalm 90:2-6, 12-13; Mark 8:1-10
came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. The bishops, as successors of the Apostles, possess the same power.”7
The rite of confirmation includes the renewal of baptismal promises, an affirmation of the basic beliefs of our faith in the form of question and response. The question about the Holy Spirit speaks of the gift of the Holy Spirit as first given at Pentecost: “Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who today through the sacrament of confirmation is given to you in a special way just as He was given to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost?”8 The candidates’ assent expresses their desire to receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
Confirmation is an important step in faithfully entrusting the light of Christ to the next generation. It deepens our relationship with the Most Holy Trinity by enriching us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, conforming us more closely to the Son, uniting us more perfectly to His body, the Church, and drawing us more deeply into the building up of His kingdom. At the same time, it makes us more fully who God intended each of us to be from eternity (Ephesians 1:4). And becoming our true selves does not mean turning in on our own selfish wants and desires but rather opening ourselves to others, becoming men and women “for others,” “just as Christ is ‘the man for others.’”9
The essence of Pentecost, wrote Bishop Beckman, is summed up in a quote from St. John Paul II in 1982: “Behold, dear friends, the charge I entrust to you today: be disciples and witnesses of the Gospel, so that the Gospel may be the good seed of God’s Kingdom, the civilization of love.” Confirmation equips us to do this by perpetuating “the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost.”10 When we receive the sacrament of confirmation, we experience a “personal Pentecost” that leads us “into the new life in the Holy Spirit, which is the true life of the Church.”11
1 Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) no. 1285
2 CCC glossary
3 Apostolic Constitution on the Sacrament of Confirmation, Paul VI, 1971
4 Order of Confirmation (OC) no. 1
5 CCC no. 1302
6 OC no. 7
7 OC no. 22
8 OC no. 23
9 Dominus Iesu, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 2000, no. 19
10 CCC no. 1302
11 Alexander Schmemann, For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy, second revised and expanded edition (Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1973), 75 ■
Father Randy Stice is director of the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox. org.
Thirty-four take part in pilgrimage to Egypt
Father Mike Nolan led a pilgrimage to Egypt that included a four-night Nile River cruise Dec. 2-14. Pilgrimage coordinator Lisa Morris accompanied the group of 34 travelers. The pilgrims visited St. Teresa Church in Aswan (top left), where Father Nolan concelebrated the parish’s regular Sunday Mass with their local priest. The parishioners asked the travelers to sing “Immaculate Mary,” and they in turn sang it in Egyptian. At bottom left, the group stands in front of the Temple of Abu Simbel, built by Ramesses II. The pilgrims also visited the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (top right) and the Grand Egyptian Museum (bottom right). The museum, newly opened last October, is the largest archaeological museum in the world with more than 100,000 artifacts from ancient Egyptian civilization.
Friday, Feb. 21: Genesis 11:1-9; Psalm 33:10-15; Mark 8:34–9:1
Saturday, Feb. 22: Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Apostle, 1 Peter 5:1-4; Psalm 23:1-6; Matthew 16:13-19
Sunday, Feb. 23: 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23; Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13; 1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Luke
6:27-38
Monday, Feb. 24: Sirach 1:1-10; Psalm 93:1-2, 5; Mark 9:14-29
Saturday, March 1: Sirach 17:1-15; Psalm 103:13-18; Mark 10:13-16
Sunday, March 2: Sirach 27:4-7; Psalm 92:2-3, 13-16; 1 Corinthians 15:54-58; Luke 6:39-45
Monday, March 3: Sirach 17:20-24; Psalm 32:1-2, 5-7; Mark 10:17-27
Tuesday, March 4: Sirach 35:1-12; Psalm 50:5-8, 14, 23; Mark 10:28-31
Ash Wednesday, March 5: Joel 2:12-18; Psalm 51:3-6, 12-14, 17; 2 Corinthians 5:20–6:2; Matthew 6:16, 16-18
Saturday, March 8: Isaiah 58:9-14; Psalm 86:1-6; Luke 5:27-32 Sunday, March 9: Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 91:1-2, 10-15; Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13
Monday, March 10: Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18; Psalm 19:8-10, 15; Matthew 25:31-46 Tuesday, March 11: Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalm 34:4-7, 16-19; Matthew 6:7-15
Wednesday, March 12: Jonah 3:110; Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19; Luke 11:29-32
Thursday, March 13: Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25; Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8; Matthew 7:7-12
Thursday, March 6: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Luke 9:22-25 Friday, March 7: Isaiah 58:1-9; Psalm 51:3-6, 18-19; Matthew 9:14-15
Friday, March 14: Ezekiel 18:21-28; Psalm 130:1-8; Matthew 5:20-26 ■
months, including the ESA program already in place in Hamilton, Davidson, and Shelby counties.
“The Tennessee Catholic Conference celebrates the passage of the Education Freedom Act of 2025 as a significant step forward in advancing educational opportunities for all students across our state. This landmark legislation reflects our shared commitment to ensuring families that every child, regardless of background, has access to an education that nurtures their potential and supports their families’ unique needs,” according to a statement released by the conference, which represents Bishop Beckman, Bishop Spalding, and Bishop Talley.
“In addition to supporting family choice in education, the new law includes provisions to support public schools across the state with significant funding for facility maintenance and expansion as well as
Calendar continued from page B5
Fledermaus, and Ariadne auf Naxos and other works by Richard Strauss, Johann Strauss Sr. and Jr., and Oscar Straus. Sopranos Katherine Whyte and Ashley Fabian and mezzo soprano Anna Kelly will make their ACE debuts. Also featured are Knoxville tenor John Overholt and conductor Brian Salesky. Admission is free, but seating is limited. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available online via the Eventbrite link at shcathedral.org/cathedral-concertseries. Donations are welcome and will support the Amadeus Concert Ensemble and the Cathedral Concert Series.
The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic is hosting a volunteer orientation from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, March 14, at the SMLC warehouse, 10919 Carmichael Road in Knoxville, for any interested new or current volunteers. The orientation will consist of important training and offer a good time to get trained on all volunteer roles. Those interested in taking part should contact Bri Vinyard at 865-212-5570 or bvinyard@sml cares.com
All women are invited to attend the spring general meeting of the Cumberland Mountain Deanery Council of Catholic Women from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, March 20, at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. Deacon Tim Elliott will speak on “A Year of Favor,” offering a history of the Jubilee Year in the Church. The agenda for the day includes a business meeting at 11:15 a.m., lunch at 12:15 p.m., Deacon Elliott’s talk at 1, and a Communion service and installation of officers at 2. Cost for lunch is $10, payable at the door. RSVP by Monday, March 10, to Teri Cleary at dontericleary@gmail.com
The Women of Faith Council of Catholic Women at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland is sponsoring a Women’s Lenten Retreat, themed “RE: Creation,” featuring Grammy-nominated songwriter and speaker Sarah Hart. The retreat is set for 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 22, at the church at 900 Clingan Ridge Drive NW, and Bishop Mark Beckman will celebrate an opening Mass accompanied by Mrs. Hart and the St. Thérèse of Lisieux choirs. Doors open at 7:30 a.m. for check-in, and there will be a closing prayer at 2 p.m. The event is focused on finding and sharing one’s God-given gifts during all stages of life, with humor, songs, prayer, Scripture, and Mrs. Hart’s personal stories being part of the experience. Cost is $20 per person and includes a continental breakfast and a light lunch, and seating is limited. Register online at www.weshare giving.org/app/giving/ WeShare-2207?tab=home, or use the QR code in the advertisement on page A14 of this issue. For more information,
Parish notes continued from page B4
Anniversaries: Tom and Mary Henrichs (61), Andrew and Carol Findish (60), Tom and Maureen Clemmons (55), Mark and Elizabeth Handren (30), Arturo Zapoticla and Maria Sosa-Toral (30), Laith Callahan and Stephanie Smith (5) Smoky Mountain Deanery
Immaculate Conception, Knoxville
The Women’s Group will host a
financial bonuses for public-school teachers,” the conference statement continued. “We thank Gov. Bill Lee for his leadership in the area of family choice in education. The education scholarships already in place in Memphis, Chattanooga, and Nashville are making progress educating students looking for opportunities not available in public schools. This new program will make options available across the state.”
In its statement, the conference said Catholic schools have long been dedicated to serving the common good by providing an education that values not only academic excellence but also the holistic development of students. Rooted in faith and guided by the principles of compassion, justice, and respect for human dignity, Catholic schools focus on the needs of students and families, striving to form individuals who will contribute positively to society.
“The Education Freedom Act
call Karen Agnello at 407-252-0320.
The annual Pro-Life Day on the Hill, sponsored by Tennessee Right to Life, is set to begin Tuesday, March 25, at the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum, 401 Gay St. in Nashville. Doors open at 8 a.m., followed by a program at 9 and lunch at 11:30. Cost to attend is $40. Register or learn about sponsorship opportunities at www.tnrtl.org/ prolifeday2025
Those experiencing emotional or spiritual difficulties from a past abortion are invited to attend a Catholic Charities Rachel’s Vineyard healing and recovery retreat on the weekend of March 28-30 at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton. Complete confidentiality is honored at all times. The deadline for registration is Friday, March 21. For more information, contact Sandi Davidson at 865-7764510 or sandi@ccetn.org
Knights of Columbus Council 11424 from St. Bridget Parish in Dayton will hold the annual Bunky Jones Memorial Golf Tournament on Thursday, April 3, at Dayton Golf & Country Club. Registration is at 7:30 a.m., with a shotgun start at 8:30. The entry fee is $75 per person, with proceeds going to help several local charities. More information, including details on corporate and hole sponsorships, is available from committee chair Chris Hill at 865-384-0626.
The Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will hold its 34th biennial convention Thursday through Saturday, April 24-26, at St. Mary Church in Johnson City. The theme is “Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope: Where Meaning Meets Purpose.” Guest speakers are Anne DeSantis, executive director of the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation; Evelyn Garcia, pilgrimage coordinator for Dynamic Catholic; and Michele Marquis, senior executive coach at Floyd Consulting. Early-bird full registration is $125 and must be postmarked by Monday, March 24; full registration is $140 afterward. Thursday-only registration for the Mass of remembrance and banquet is $40. Friday-only registration for workshops, a business meeting, lunch, dinner, and a concert is $85. Saturday-only registration (speaker and installation of officers) is $30. Full registration for a priest, religious, or spouse is $75. Arrangements for overnight accommodations should be made with Fairfield Inn & Suites, 3078 Hamilton Place, Johnson City. Reserve a room by calling 423-9008640 and asking for the KDCCW block. Room rates are $119 per night for Thursday and Friday with a maximum of four per room. Reservation deadline is March 24. Visit dioknox.org/events/
“Sweetheart Tea” for ladies of IC and their guests at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, in the parish hall. The group is also holding its Wrap It Up project for Lent, collecting new or gently used yarn, fleece, and handmade blankets, throws, and quilts for those participating in the Meals on Wheels program.
The Haiti Committee provided Haitian coffee and chocolate as well as special desserts on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9.
aligns with our mission to create an environment where all children can thrive, offering families more flexibility and access to the educational opportunities that best fit their values and aspirations. We believe this law will help foster a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape, empowering parents to make choices that reflect their children’s needs and supporting schools in their efforts to provide the highest quality of education,” the conference said. “As Catholic schools continue to serve Tennessee communities, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the common good, working together with families, educators, and policymakers to ensure a future where every child can succeed in both faith and learning.”
Approval of the legislation drew positive statements from House and Senate leaders.
“This special session scored many victories for the people of Tennes-
kdccw-convention-2025 or kdccw. org/convention
A men’s Cursillo weekend will be held June 5-8 at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton. Through Cursillo, participants can gain a better understanding of themselves, experience the presence and love of Jesus, and see how personal and spiritual growth can be enhanced through a caring Christian community. An application and pamphlet may be found at knoxvillecursillo.org E-mail Gary Gabor at garygabor@ hotmail.com for details on the weekend.
A Picture of Love retreat for engaged couples is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12-13, at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga. This marriagepreparation program is a supplement to a couple’s marriage formation with their parish priest or deacon. Picture of Love explores the joys and challenges of living out the sacrament of matrimony with special focus on the importance of inviting Jesus to be the center of marriage and family life. Participants who complete the program will receive a certificate to present to their county clerk and receive a $60 discount on their marriage license. The marriage license is valid for 30 days from issuance and is good for ceremonies performed anywhere in Tennessee. Cost is $175 per couple. Registration will be available soon at dioknox.org/ events/. Also at the website are three exercises: a personality test, a “love language profile for couples,” and a fillable budget worksheet. Couples are asked to complete the exercises in advance and bring them to the retreat—see the website for more details. Contact Carolyn Krings at 865-584-3307 or ckrings@ dioknox.org for more information.
Catholic in Recovery is a 12-step recovery ministry that holds meetings each Monday at 7 p.m. at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga and each Sunday at 6 p.m. at All Saints Church in Knoxville. CIR provides hope and healing from addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments. Family members impacted by a loved one’s addiction are also encouraged to attend. Meetings combine the spiritual principles of 12-step recovery and the sacraments of the Catholic Church. Join others in recovery as the meetings overlap Scripture from Sunday Mass readings, liturgical themes, and recovery topics with honest discussion and prayer. Confidentiality is protected. The St. Dominic gatherings are hybrid meetings, in person in the St. Thomas Aquinas Room of the parish life center or online at tinyurl.com/cirzoom-tricities-tn. For more information, visit www.catholicinrecovery.com For more details on the meetings at St. Dominic, contact Jena at cir.tricities. tn@gmail.com or call Oscar at 423-213-
The Bag of Blessings ministry recently celebrated its 3,000th bag given to the homeless. The bags can contain individually wrapped food items, toiletries, socks, or blankets.
St. John XXIII, Knoxville
The parish’s annual Mardi Gras party will be held from 5:45 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28. Bring donations for the event’s silent auction to the Catholic Center before Monday, Feb. 24.
see. One more piece of the education-reform puzzle has been put in its proper place. No longer will students be trapped by circumstance and geography. Parents across the state finally have a true choice in education,” said Sen. Randy McNally of Oak Ridge, who also serves as the lieutenant governor.
Lt. Gov. McNally is a member of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge.
“I am proud of the work we’ve accomplished in this special session to address timely issues that matter to Tennesseans. We passed legislation empowering parents to choose the best educational path for their children…,” said Sen. Jack Johnson of Franklin, who serves as the Senate majority leader.
“Today, the legislature delivered a major victory for Tennessee families. We empowered parents with the freedom to choose the best education for their children…,” said House Speaker Cameron Sexton of Crossville. ■
2434. For the meetings at All Saints, call Martin Ohmes at 865-438-4905 or e-mail CIRAllSaintsKnoxville@gmail. com. Contact Deacon Wade Eckler about the meetings at OLPH at 423322-3493 or weckler@myolph.com
The Healing Ministry at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa offers healing prayers every third weekend of the month for anyone who has a physical, emotional, or spiritual need. Individual healing prayer will be offered in Spanish in the church immediately following the 7 p.m. Saturday Mass in Spanish, and prayer will be offered in English in the chapel immediately following the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass. Call Toni Jacobs at 561315-5911 if you have any questions.
Join Father Mike Nolan from May 1223 on a pilgrimage to Malta, Sicily, and the Amalfi Coast with an optional extension to Rome from May 23-26 to celebrate the Jubilee this year. Pilgrims will be visiting the places where St. Paul preached and spent time, including Mdina, Rabat, Valletta, and Taormina, to name a few, and will explore the Amalfi Coast. They will visit Our Lady of Mellieha Sanctuary, which is dedicated to Our Lady and is a very important part of the Catholic history of the island of Malta, and continue with a visit to the “Mosta Rotunda,” a domed church in Mosta. Travelers will walk through the streets of Mdina, Malta’s first capital, and visit the cathedral dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. As they tour Valletta, the capital of Malta, they will become acquainted with the history of the island, perhaps best known as the seat of the Knights of St. John, more commonly known as the Knights of Malta. The pilgrims will also see the story of St. Paul’s shipwreck as told in paintings found in the church of the same name. Our Lady of the Rock is one of Taormina’s most popular destinations, with a panorama of the surrounding city and Mount Etna. Next, they will continue to Messina for a panoramic tour and a visit to the cathedral. The Cathedral of Messina’s bell tower contains the world’s biggest and most complex mechanical and astronomical clock. For those going on the Rome extension, they will visit St. Peter’s Basilica and walk through the holy door for the Jubilee and visit St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, Holy Cross, and the Catacombs. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or lisam@select-intl.com
Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at noon each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville, at 2 p.m. each Sunday and at 6 p.m. most Mondays at St. Mary Church in Johnson City, and at 11:30 a.m. every Sunday at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. For more information, visit www.Knox LatinMass.net n
St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville Knights of Columbus Council 15585 recently received the Star Council Award, recognizing outstanding achievement in membership, insurance, programming, and overall operations. Less than 30 percent of U.S. councils receive the honor, but Council 15585 has earned it four straight years and five times overall.
Anniversary: Ron and Lorene Steffes (59) n
Bishop Beckman celebrates first Scouting Mass
Scouts of all ages attend the liturgy as well as a breakfast afterward that recognized adult leaders
By Dan McWilliams
When youth and adults in Scouting received awards from the diocese’s shepherd at the annual Bishop’s Mass and breakfast for them, they were being presented by a former Scout himself.
Bishop Mark Beckman celebrated his first Scouting Mass in East Tennessee on Feb. 1 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The native of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., is no stranger to Scouting.
“I’m deeply grateful for the presence of our Scouts here today at Mass. . . . I’m also grateful for what Scouts do,” Bishop Beckman said in his welcoming remarks at Mass. “I grew up in a little parish in southern Middle Tennessee as a Cub Scout and Webelo—in those days they had Webelos—and then as a Boy Scout, so I’m deeply grateful for that gift for young people.”
Bishop Beckman celebrated the Mass with Father Dustin Collins, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City and the chaplain for the Knoxville Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting. Father Collins is an Eagle Scout. Deacon Walt Otey of the cathedral assisted at Mass. Some 75 youth and adult Scouts attended.
The Scouting committee has sponsored the bishop’s Mass and breakfast most years dating back to 1999.
Bishop Beckman recalled his Scouting days as he began his homily.
“One of the great things about being part of Scouts is that you have the opportunity to do lots of adventures. That was my experience, and those adventures were often unexpected things that came up, especially on camporees and places like that,” he said. “I remember the experience of some of those adventures as a child. We had one winter campout where I thought I would never survive the cold weather at night. But it created in me a lifelong love for adventure and especially hiking, backpacking, and the wilderness.”
The future bishop once took two of his siblings on an unforgettable outing in Middle Tennessee.
“I remember vividly the first time I took two of my younger brothers on a backpacking trip. They had never been before,” he said. “We set up our tents in the most beautiful location, and the second night the most horrific storm came up—pounding rain. I went into my tent. My two brothers went into their tent. Lightning, strong winds, crashing thunder. We were right next to the gorge at Savage Gulf, if you’ve been there, at the Alum Gap Campground on the edge. And it was truly kind of terrifying. One of my brothers said, ‘I don’t think I slept that night.’”
But Bishop Beckman found peace in the experience.
“I was laying there in the pouring rain, and I thought, ‘Well, what else can I do but lay in the tent?’ I’m not going to hike out in the middle of a storm, and I thought, ‘There’s nothing I can do right now to change the weather, and so if there are lightning, thunder, and pouring rain and something happens, it’s going to happen, and I’m not going to be able to do anything about that.’
“So, a great peace came over me, the kind of peace that comes, I believe, in trusting in the Lord and His care for us.”
The day’s Gospel reading from Mark 4 told of the Apostles’ panic as they crossed the sea when a squall came up, and they failed in trusting in the Lord.
“That’s what the Apostles forgot in the boat, didn’t they? They were in the midst of a great adventure crossing the sea to the other shore when that mighty squall came up, and they were afraid,” Bishop Beckman said. “The water was coming over and filling the boat up, and Jesus was sleeping on a cushion in the back of the boat. In their terror, they began to cry out. And the words of Jesus are so beautiful, spoken to the storm: ‘Quiet. Be still.’ And a great calm occurred.”
That’s not the only storm Christ can still, the bishop added.
“The real storm that Jesus wants to calm in us is inside of ourselves, the storm that happens in our own hearts,” he said. “When we find ourselves in turmoil, that’s when we ask the Lord for that grace.”
The first reading at Mass from Hebrews 11 told of the call Abraham received “to go out to a place . . . not knowing where he was to go.”
“I also love the fact that today’s readings kind of take us all the way back to the beginning of the great adventure that God started with His people with Abraham. ‘Abraham, go forth to a land that I will show you,’” Bishop Beckman said. “So, Abraham, that great migrant, began a great epic journey with God. And I love the fact that it referenced that he was living in tents, so every time we go out to the wilderness and stay in a tent, we can remember that’s sort of how the human adventure began: moving around from place to place trusting in the care of God for us and letting God lead us.”
The Scouting motto—“be prepared”—was appropriate for that day’s readings, the bishop said as he concluded.
“The most important preparation of all is trusting in the Lord’s care for us. And once we trust God, we follow Him,” he said.
At the end of Mass, Scouting committee chair Chris Manning introduced the presentation of certificates to young Scouts who have earned a religious emblem in the past year. Bishop Beckman, as-
sisted by the Scouting committee’s Martin Vargas, gave the certificates to 20 Scouts.
A hearty breakfast buffet in the Cathedral Hall followed the Mass. Father Collins led a blessing before the meal.
Following the breakfast, as Mr. Manning provided introductions, Bishop Beckman presented the Scouting committee’s annual adultrecognition awards.
Three adult Scouters received the Bronze Pelican Award, a diocesan emblem presented to those who have made a significant contribution to Scouting in the field of Catholic relationships.
Karin Turnmire, a parishioner of All Saints in Knoxville; Stacy Langlois of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City; and Dennis LaPointe of the cathedral parish received the Bronze Pelican Award. Mrs. Turnmire and Mrs. Langlois received theirs in person.
Mrs. Turnmire was a Venturer in Crew 59 and was the Great Smoky Mountain Council of Scouting’s first recipient of the Summit Award. She was also the first female in East Tennessee to receive the Ad Altare Dei award. She has served as the Area 5 president for Venturing and as program and
camp director for the Cherokee Area Council’s Skymont Scout Reservation. She is currently program director at Camp Buck Toms. Mrs. Langlois is Cubmaster for Pack 770 at St. Thomas the Apostle. She also serves as the registrar for the Great Smoky Mountain Council.
Mr. LaPointe is pack committee chair of Pack 22, chartered at the cathedral, and he is a member of Council 5207 of the Knights of Columbus.
Mr. Vargas, a parishioner of All Saints who is also executive director of the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, and Kim Carideo of St. John XXIII Parish in Knoxville, received the St. George Emblem, a national Scouting committee award presented through the diocese. The honor recognizes the recipients’ outstanding contribution to the spiritual development of Catholic youth in the Boy Scouts of America.
Mr. Vargas has served the Scouting community on the Knoxville Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting for more than 11 years in various roles.
Ms. Carideo has served as a volunteer with the Great Smoky Mountain Council for 29 years. She has served in a variety of roles promoting Catholic Scouting. Her most recent role was as the district commissioner in the Cades Cove District.
Cheri Van Bynen of Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville received the rarely presented St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Medal. The honor recognizes the meritorious contributions of adults who serve Catholic youth through girls or boys organizations. The medal affirms the work of those who help youth develop their spiritual lives within the context of girls or boys organizations.
Ms. Van Bynen has been a volunteer with the Girl Scouts for 30 years. She has been a valued member of the diocesan Scouting committee for the last three years. She has been instrumental in the increase in Girl Scouts earning their religious emblems.
After breakfast, Bishop Beckman
Certificate from the bishop At the end of the Scouting Mass, Bishop Mark Beckman—assisted by Martin Vargas—presented certificates to young Scouts who had earned a religious-emblem award in the past year.
DAN MCWILLIAMS (3)
Rare honor Cheri Van Bynen received the rarely presented St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Medal and accompanying certificate from Bishop Beckman, standing with Scouting committee chaplain Father Dustin Collins.
A score of Scouts Bishop Beckman presented certificates to 20 youth Scouts at the end of Mass on Feb. 1.
Catholic youth
St. Dominic School holds spelling bee during Catholic Schools Week
St. Dominic School in Kingsport held a spelling bee for third-, fourth-, and fifthgrade students Jan. 28 during Catholic Schools Week. Pictured with principal Bonnie Saleh are bee winner Lilly Hopkins (left) and runner-up Charlotte Tillotson. Both are in fifth grade. The winning word was “cubism.” Third-grader Catherine French finished third in the bee. The school thanked St. Dominic associate pastor Father Andrew Crabtree for moderating the event and teachers and parents for helping to prepare the students.
recalled his Scouting days in elementary and high school in Lawrenceburg. The bishop already had a love of the outdoors before Scouting provided even more opportunities to experience nature.
“I think because I grew up on the outskirts of town—we were surrounded by fields and pastures and forests—my love for the outdoors started when I was a little kid,” the bishop said. “I loved exploring the pine woods that were near our house. There was a little creek that ran through it. We’d play in the pastures and that sort of thing.”
The Scouting breakfast drew what may have been a record 60 youth and adults. The Mass also was well-attended not only by the Scouts but also by cathedral parishioners.
“When I got up, it was a cool, foggy, wintry morning, and this Mass was at 8:05 in the morning, and I thought, ‘I wonder how many people will come out this morning?’” Bishop Beckman said. “I was just delighted by the turnout.” Visit knoxccs.org for more information on the Scouting committee and on youth and adult religious emblems and awards. ■
raises more than $250,000 at 14th annual Green & Gold
Knoxville Catholic High School hosted its 14th annual
&
Jan. 24 in the University of Tennessee’s Student
Petrone of the class of 1967 was the honoree at this year’s event. The gala drew 430 guests and raised more than $250,000 for KCHS technology and campus security. The money came primarily through sponsorships, a “Raise the Paddle” at the event, and live and silent auctions. For Raise the Paddle, KCHS asks guests to raise their bidding paddles for a special cause. This year, the cause was lunch bucks and teacher raises. At top left, Mr. Petrone stands with KCHS president Dickie Sompayrac and Joni Punch, school vice president for institutional advancement. At top right, Mr. Petrone stands with wife Margaret Petrone and (from left) Mark Speight, Claire Petrone Speight (‘03), and Rob Petrone (‘99). At bottom left, Larsen Jay takes part in the Raise the Paddle.
Alex Mendillo
Mia Kinney Tyreek King
Three from Knoxville Catholic make All-State teams
Three Knoxville Catholic High School fall-sports athletes were recently named AllState by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association. Lady Irish volleyball outside hitters Alex Mendillo, a senior, and Mia Kinney, a sophomore, made the Division II-AA team. Wide receiver Tyreek King of the Fighting Irish football team, a junior, made the Division II-AAA squad.
KCHS student named Junior Commissioner Knoxville Catholic High School junior Pierce Broussard has been selected as a Knox County Junior Commissioner for District 6. The Junior Commission civics education and youth leadership program allows students to become more engaged and informed citizens. Participants learn the functions of local government while promoting the importance of community engagement and public service.
Scouting Mass continued from page B9
Four recognized Adults honored at the Scouting breakfast, pictured with Bishop Beckman and Father Collins, included (clockwise from top left) Karin Turnmire, Stacy Langlois, Kim Carideo, and Martin Vargas.
