July 1, 2012, ET Catholic by Diocese of Knoxville

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

This issue

The East Tennessee

Catholic youth......................... 15 Mass Times........................ 18,19 Columns............................. 20-24

dioknox.org July 1, 2012 Volume 21 Number 11

Bishop Richard F. Stika

News from The Diocese of Knoxville

Fortnight For Freedom Parishes unite in observance

Missioning Mass New Catholics enter the Church

National spotlight Parish singer takes ‘Duets” stage

Diocese of Knoxville’s 40th priest ordained Dustin Collins, calling ordination a blessing, assigned to St. Mary in Oak Ridge

By Dan McWilliams

he diocese’s newest priest called his ordination “a very exciting blessing for me in my life after eight years of being a seminarian.” “It’s a blessing to be ordained a priest of God, a priest of the Church, and to have the opportunity to serve the people of the diocese as a priest,” said Father Dustin Collins. “It’s truly an honor.” Father Collins became the 40th priest ordained for the Diocese of Knoxville on June 2 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Bishop Richard F. Stika presided. Concelebrants included cathedral rector Father David Boettner, vicar general Monsignor Xavier Mankel, Father Samuel Russell, OSB, of Conception Seminary College, and Father Jonathan Fassero, OSB, of St. Meinrad Seminary. Also present in the sanctuary was Cardinal Justin F. Rigali, who lives in retirement in the diocese. “It’s my prayer ... that you may always grow closer and closer to the Lord and that you might live your Others concelebrating were the diocese’s director of vocations, Father Michael Cummins, and assistant director of vocations, Father David Carter. Deacon Dean Burry and Deacon Mike Gouge assisted. About 30 priests concelebrated overall. Ten of the diocese’s seminarians served during the Mass. Also attend-

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DAN MCWILLIAMS

priesthood for that practical love and for his people.”

The grace of holy orders Bishop Richard F. Stika lays his hands on the head of Dustin Collins during the latter’s priestly ordination Mass on June 2 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. With them are (from left) master of ceremonies Father David Carter, Deacon Mike Gouge, and seminarian Scott Russell.

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

He dwells among us

by Bishop Richard F. Stika

Bishop Stika’s schedule

Protecting what we celebrate

The truths, rights and freedoms our country commemorates also are a summons to protect and defend

ndependence Day always reminds me of the Gateway Arch on the west bank of the Mississippi River in St. Louis. Since the time it was completed in 1965, when I was 8 years old, I would gather each Fourth of July with family and friends to watch the magnificent fireworks display at the foot of the Arch. Given that it also was my birthday, I certainly felt all the greater sense of celebration, but not without a growing appreciation over the years for the day commemorating our country’s birth, born from a quest for freedom and rights that history shows must be ever safeguarded from threats. What stands out most in my memory about these celebrations is how the multicolored lights from the cascade of exploding fireworks would reflect off the massive legs of the Arch and two prominent architectural landmarks framed by it— the “Old Cathedral Church” and the “Old Courthouse.” It is fitting that representations of church and state are the first things seen through the memorial window of the Gateway Arch erected as a symbol of our country’s westward expansion.

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These landmarks represent the freedoms we cherish most—the freedom of religion and the rule of law meant to protect our constitutional freedoms. The “Old Courthouse” in particular represents the struggles and difficulties our nation has experienced in its history in recognizing the “truths” that the Declaration of Independence declared “to be selfevident”—“that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” In this courthouse, the first two trials of the pivotal Dred Scott case were heard regarding the issue of slavery and freedom. After the first case was dismissed in 1847 over a technicality, a second case in 1850 would result in a verdict by a St. Louis jury recognizing Dred Scott as a “free man.” But the plaintiffs appealed the case over what they claimed to be “their lost property,” and the case ultimately was overturned by the Supreme Court in 1857. The nation’s highest court, in a 7-2 decision, declared a whole class

of people to be less than human—to be “property”—and therefore not deserving of the same rights belonging to those said to be “created equal.” This decision set the stage for our Civil War four years later. We ask ourselves today, how could these “truths,” said to be self-evident, evade the understanding of the most learned men in our country? And yet 116 years later, the Supreme Court would repeat this ruling, declaring another whole class of people as property less than deserving of the “unalienable” right to “Life.” Compare the language of the 1857 Dred Scott and the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decisions and you cannot help but be appalled. History demonstrates that the self-evident “truths” and our “unalienable Rights,” celebrated in our Declaration of Independence, and those of our “Freedoms” guaranteed in our Constitution are never long without being challenged and attacked. These rights and freedoms are a great gift, but they also are a summons to us to be vigilant to protect them. We celebrate as a nation now one

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These are some of Bishop Stika’s public appointments: July 1: 10:30 a.m., Confirmation at Blessed Sacrament Church in Harriman July 11: 6 p.m., Mass and installation of minister of lector for Michael Hendershott at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut July 12: 11 a.m. CDT, Memorial Mass for Deacon Joe Solis at St. Alphonsus Church in Crossville July 13: 2 p.m., Mass for Youth Leadership Institute in Horn’s Creek, Ocoee July 15: 8 a.m. CDT, Confirmation at Shepherd of the Valley Church in Dunlap July 22: 10 a.m., Confirmation at St. Bridget Church in Dayton n

Bishop makes appointments Bishop Richard F. Stika announced the following appointments to diocesan clergy and staff: Given his vast experience and his commitment to the Church, I wish to announce that I have appointed Paul Simoneau as vice

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Bishop Richard F. Stika Publisher

Dan McWilliams Assistant editor

Bill Brewer

Margaret Hunt

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

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Parishes observe Fortnight For Freedom Local, national Catholic communities show unity on religious liberty issue

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such man—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—for standing up to defend the “Truths, Rights, and Freedoms” that our Founding Fathers recognized as coming “from above” and not from man. That it took 100 years after the Civil War for racial bigotry to begin giving way to a greater respect for equality and civil rights tells of the struggle and slowness of the human heart to respect these self-evident “truths,” and how easily they can be undone. The East Tennessee Catholic

DAN MCWILLIAMS

s the Catholic Church works to preserve religious liberty amid the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ controversial “preventive services” mandate, parishes across the Diocese of Knoxville are observing Fortnight For Freedom. The special two-week time of prayer, education and public witness is dedicated to protecting religious freedom and is being held around the country. The observance began June 21 and continues through July 4, with parishioners taking part in activities like Holy Hours, rosaries, and religious freedom discussions. Bishop Richard F. Stika launched the observance in the diocese on June 21, leading a holy hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament at Sacred Heart Cathedral and on June 17 issued a letter that was read during Masses at all churches in the diocese. In mid-June, Bishop Stika attended the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ spring meeting in Atlanta, where religious freedom and the HHS mandate took center stage. The USCCB has outlined its objections to the “preventive services” mandate to the Obama administra-

By Bill Brewer

Prayer and reflection Bishop Richard F. Stika and Cardinal Justin F. Rigali pray during a holy hour service June 21 at Sacred Heart Cathedral for the Fortnight For Freedom.

tion and has urged the administration to resolve these issues “in favor of more, not less, religious freedom,” the USCCB has stated. In Atlanta, the bishops discussed at length the impending mandate and its ramifications if enacted, heard reports on the topic and reaffirmed by a unanimous voice vote a recent statement of the USCCB Administrative Committee regarding the HHS mandate. At the end of their discussion on U.S. religious freedom, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the USCCB, asked the

body of bishops if it would declare its approval of “United for Religious Freedom,” the statement of the Administrative Committee issued on March 14. The bishops responded with unanimous affirmation. “United for Religious Freedom” describes the bishops as “strongly unified and intensely focused in ... opposition to the various threats to religious freedom in our day,” and explains that the HHS mandate “demands our immediate attention.” The document identifies three basic problems with the mandate: “an un-

So today, particularly, when our religious freedom and rights of conscience are threatened, and with attacks against the Catholic Church only becoming bolder and more vile, we must have the courage to stand up and defend the fullness of the “Truth” that comes from God and the Church He has entrusted it with and that is to be the protector of. My memories of fireworks at the foot of the Gateway Arch also include the hymn so often sung at the

Masses of that holiday weekend— “America the Beautiful.” But one verse in particular always struck me and has become my prayer for this country I love—“America, America, God mend thine every flaw, confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law!” May your celebration of our nation’s birth be blessed and may God grant you the courage to defend and protect the “Truths, Rights, and Freedoms” that we celebrate. n

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Chancellor for Administration. Paul will continue with his current duties as director of the Office of Justice and Peace. In accepting this appointment, Paul will now also assist Deacon Sean Smith and Deacon David Lucheon in various administrative tasks. Paul’s appointment is effective July 1, 2012.

I am also happy to announce the appointment of Rev. Bede Aboh as my delegate to be of service to our international priests. Father Aboh will work with Monsignor Garrity in assisting priests currently serving in the Diocese of Knoxville and he will also serve as a liaison to new foreign born priests coming into the diocese in the future. Father Aboh’s appointment is effective July 1, 2012.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Rev. Joseph Thomas Kanavallil as parochial vicar of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville. Father Kanavallil’s appointment is effective July 1, 2012. I grant Father Kanavallil the necessary faculties to fulfill this office and ministry. Welcome to the Diocese of Knoxville and be assured of my continued prayers for you as you begin your service to the good people of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. n

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In holy communion Newly ordained Father Dustin Collins joins Bishop Stika for the Liturgy of the Eucharist. At right is Father David Carter.

grace of holy orders,” the bishop continued. Priestly fraternity “in this expansive diocese covering so much territory is of vital importance,” the bishop said to Father Collins. “Make every effort in your life as a priest to always be there for your brothers.” One of the first duties of a bishop is “to love his priests,” Bishop Stika said. “I pray that you recognize in this love the very love of Christ himself. I also pray that you would be a genuine distributor of this love to the

and the love of Jesus will fill you greater in those moments when you come into that situation where you

“I pray that you recognize in this love the very love of Christ himself. I also pray that you would be a genuine distributor of this love to the people...” people you are called to serve as a person who is a co-worker with me in Christ.” The bishop quoted St. John the Baptist in saying, “He must increase; I must decrease.” “With each gift of yourself of priestly service, you humbly diminish yourself,” Bishop Stika told Father Collins. “We pray that the Lord The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

see yourself less and less, and more and more as a priest of Jesus Christ. “It’s my prayer as your friend, as your bishop, as a brother, that you may always grow closer and closer to the Lord and that you might live your priesthood for that practical love and for his people.” The bishop said the prayer during the fractioning rite of the Mass, when the host is broken, “has come to mean very much to me in my 27 years of priesthood as I realized how much I rely upon the grace of God himself to carry out this ministry of priesthood. “The prayer is simply this, ‘Lord, keep me faithful to your teaching, and never let me be parted from you.’ Dustin, realize how much you, too, rely upon the grace of God.” Bishop Stika reminded the new priest “to be faithful to your promise to pray. “When you pray the prayer of the In obedience to Christ Dustin Collins prostrates himself during the Litany of Supplication at his priestly ordination Mass. Bishop Richard F. Stika (kneeling, center) began the litany by inviting the assembly to pray, saying, “My dear people, let us pray that God the all-powerful Father will pour out abundantly the gifts of heaven on this, his servant, whom he has chosen for the office of priest.”

DAN MCWILLIAMS

ing were eight deacons and about 15 women religious. A native of Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville, Father Collins is the fifth priest ordained by Bishop Stika. He is the son of Danny and Susan Collins of Greeneville. The bishop announced during the Mass that Father Collins’ first assignment is to serve as an associate pastor at St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge. “Dustin, when you go there,” Bishop Stika said, “be a good priest, be a holy priest, be a faithful priest, but especially be a loving priest, and I can guarantee you, God willing ... that if you keep those ingredients together with the gift of prayer, you’ll be a good and faithful servant to our Lord Jesus and make us all proud.” Father Collins celebrated his first Mass as a new priest June 3 at Notre Dame Church. In his homily at the ordination Mass, Bishop Stika said that “through the ordination rite this day, the reality of apostolic succession is made present.” “It’s visible and active, reminding us today that our unity has always been and shall ever be the person of Jesus Christ.” The bishop said he prayed for the ordinand to “cultivate a life of holiness daily.” Part of the ordination rite sees the ordinand place his hands in those of the bishop. “Dustin, as you soon approach me to place your hands in mine and to make a promise of obedience to me and to my successors, understand it is the hand of Christ embracing you, and in that embrace of obedience is his promise of fidelity to you for the rest of your life,” Bishop Stika said. “I pray that you live your life of priesthood always in the hope of this fidelity of Christ, and no matter what he would ask of you through your Church and your bishop in the coming years, he will give you the grace to fulfill. Trust always in the

DAN MCWILLIAMS

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Missioning Mass sends forth new Catholics Trinity Sunday marks beginning of journey with Christ for newcomers

Church, the Liturgy of the Hours, at the appropriate hours of the day, realize that you pray in and with and for the Church, the people you are called to serve.” A pair of “very important individuals will always be there in moments of challenge to help you bear the burdens of the cross,” the bishop said. “One is the Blessed Mother, and the other is a little bit harder to contain and control and understand: the Holy Spirit.” Father Collins was ordained before an audience that included his family and parishioners of Notre Dame. “There was a very good turnout from the people of Notre Dame,” said the new priest, “and that means a lot to me with their being The East Tennessee Catholic

DAN MCWILLIAMS

ew Catholics were officially “sent forth” in the annual Missioning of the Neophytes Mass and ceremony June 3 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Bishop Richard F. Stika presided at the Mass, assisted by Deacons Joe Stackhouse and Gary Brinkworth. “Welcome to the cathedral for this great celebration in which we continue the celebration you began when you decided to join the RCIA to learn more about the Church and to eventually be received into the Church,” the bishop said at the beginning of the liturgy. At the end of Mass—in the “sending of the neophytes”—the new Catholics were called forward by parish by Sister Timothea Elliott, RSM, and greeted by Bishop Stika. Sister Timothea is the director of the diocesan Office of Christian Formation. The bishop gave each newcomer a copy of an icon of the Holy Trinity written by Andrei Rublev. The missioning Mass took place on Trinity Sunday. “On Trinity Sunday we celebrate not a theoretical God, not some God who is distant and far away, not some God

By Dan McWilliams

Welcome to the Church Bishop Stika greets Susan Kelloes (right) of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy during the Missioning of the Neophytes Mass. With them is Linda Frantz, RCIA coordinator for Holy Spirit.

who is lurking behind a cloud waiting to zap us with a lightning bolt when we make a mistake, but a loving God who loved us so much that he sent his son Jesus into the world so that we

might know that love,” Bishop Stika said in his homily. “Then Jesus loves us so much that he didn’t want us to be alone, so he gave us each other— the Church—strengthened by the gift

from the parish I grew up in, was baptized in, and was ordained a deacon in.” Father Collins was vested by Notre Dame pastor Father Jim Harvey. “He was the priest who encouraged me to enter the seminary eight years ago, so it only seems right to have him vest me,” said Father Collins. Of his first assignment, Father Collins said he is “looking forward to it a lot.” The Oak Ridge parish is already familiar to him. “It was my first assignment as a seminarian, so to have the opportunity to be able to go back there again—I know a lot of the parishioners, so I look forward to serving St. Mary’s in Oak Ridge.”

The chalice carried by Father Collins’ mother, Susan Collins, to the altar during Mass was Danny and Susan Collins’ gift to their son. Bishop Stika blessed the chalice before Mass. The stem of the chalice contains the wedding rings of Father Collins’ late grandparents, Alphonse and Antoinette Zdaniewicz, Mrs. Collins’ parents. “Dustin just found out [about the rings] the night before ordination,” said Mrs. Collins. “It was very special to him to have his grandparents’ rings on his chalice. They played a big part in his early life. Dustin’s first Mass of thanksgiving was for my parents’ intention.” For a slide show of Father Collins’ ordination, visit dioknox.org/Fr DustinCollins. n

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

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

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Immaculate Conception parishioner in spotlight on ‘Duets’ Alexis Foster takes national stage on ABC talent series after honing skills in church choir

ABC/KELSEY MCNEAL

lexis Foster’s final semester at the University of Tennessee came in stages. Actually, Ms. Foster has gone from the graduation stage to a nationally televised stage as part of the new ABC prime-time talent search show “Duets.” The recent UT graduate and a parishioner at Immaculate Conception Church received a chance of a lifetime this spring when she was selected to compete on the show, where eight contestants compete to be one of America’s newest singing stars. Ms. Foster was one of eight contestants vying to win the “Duets” competition, with an opportunity to launch a professional singing career. The “Duets” contestants have been paired with a professional singer to showcase their talents. Ms. Foster was paired with Robin Thicke, a singer-songwriter and record producer known for performing rhythm and blues, soul and hip hop, before being eliminated from the show in June. Before leaving the show, Ms. Foster made several performances with Mr. Thicke as viewers and the panel of recording industry professionals sized

Singing to a national audience Immaculate Conception parishioner and recent University of Tennessee graduate Alexis Foster performs May 31 with Robin Thicke on ABC’s prime-time talent show “Duets.” Alexis was one of eight contestants vying to win the national competition. Singing stars on the show included Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Nettles of the country group Sugarland.

up their skills. She left the show in an episode that appeared in early June. Ms. Foster was born and raised in Knoxville and graduated this spring from UT in public relations and business. She has been developing her singing talent in school and by singing in church choirs. Her father, Dr. James Foster, an internal medicine physician, said his 21-year-old daughter has been singing

since she was a child, although it has only been in the past six months that she felt comfortable enough to test her talent on a national stage. “She has always been musically inclined. Alexis seemed to have an ear for music. She had a very good grasp of music at a very early age. She has hung in there and has wanted to do more,” Dr. Foster said. Since graduation and her appearance on “Duets,” Ms. Foster has

By Bill Brewer

decided to explore a career in music and will be working with a producer in New York to get her singing off the L ground, according to her father. 1 He credits her early performances 7 in church and youth choirs, especially c the Knoxville Children’s Choir and thee UT Singers, for helping her develop musically. s He and wife Dawn Michelle Foster, w deputy director for redevelopment s with the city of Knoxville, also give 1 credit to their other children, Jason, h 27, Alexis’ twin sister Allyson, and i younger daughter Camera, 19. w Dr. Foster said the girls especially liked to harmonize when singing C hymns at Immaculate Conception. He t said their singing eventually attracted w attention from parishioners sitting r next to them in Mass. The Fosters have known for some- s time that their daughter Alexis has a O special talent. In fact, Dr. Foster said each of his college-educated children G was exposed to music at an early age o through his passion for music. He o plays saxophone and keyboards. However, it hasn’t always been easy for Alexis to show off her skills. Dr. Foster said she is naturally shy and an introvert when it comes to

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ROY EHMAN

Extraordinary-form wedding Mass at Holy Ghost Christine Hendershott and Matthew Blair exchange marriage vows in a solemn Latin nuptial Mass celebrated in the extraordinary form June 2 at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville. Facing the bride and groom (from left) are masters of ceremony Joshua Jakubowski, seminarian Michael Hendershott, Father John Orr, Monsignor Charles Sangermano, and Father Christopher Riehl.

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Generations of Dorris family leave mark on OLPH school Heads of household honored at Grandparents’ Day as youngest member of Chattanooga clan graduates

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warranted government definition of religion,” “a mandate to act against 1our teachings,” and “a violation of personal civil rights.” “United for Religious Freedom” is available on the USCCB website at: www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/ religious-liberty/march-14-statement-on-religious-freedom-andhhs-mandate.cfm Some 43 Catholic dioceses, schools, hospitals, social service agencies and other institutions filed a federal lawsuit in May to stop three government agencies from implementing the mandate that would require them to cover contraceptives and sterilization in their health plans. The Church is fighting the mandate on grounds that the government is imposing its values and The East Tennessee Catholic

COURTESY OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP PARISH

hen Jim Dorris watched the foundation cornerstone being laid at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in 1937, it never occurred to him that 75 years later his youngest grandchild would be completing her eeighth-grade year at OLPH School. Mr. Dorris was a young altar server when the church opened and was an eighth-grader in the church school’s first graduating class in 1938. There were nine students in his graduating class and 63 students in the entire school, which actually was a farmhouse. Since then, Mr. Dorris and wife Charlotte have put seven children through OLPH School and have watched as nine of 18 grandchildren received educations there. The years of dedication to the school have not gone unnoticed by Our Lady of Perpetual Help. As OLPH School celebrated Grandparents’ Day near the end of the school year, the school recognized Jim and Charlotte Dorris

All in the family Jim and Charlotte Dorris, sitting, are shown with their children, standing from left, Jim, Mary Therese Annand, John, and Rick, and granddaughter Andie.

as their last grandchild, Andie, graduated. “Through the years, I certainly

never thought I would have grandchildren going there. I’ve loved all the priests that have served there,

policies on Catholic organizations in direct violation of their religious beliefs. Cardinal Dolan said Church leaders have tried negotiations with the administration and legislation with Congress, and will keep doing that, but time is running out before the mandate takes effect and fundamental rights hang in the balance, warranting the lawsuits. While the USCCB is not a party to the lawsuits, Cardinal Dolan’s archdiocese in New York is a plaintiff. Bishop Stika said the U.S. bishops in Atlanta were in agreement on a response to what the federal government is mandating and what the Church’s response should be. “I think the bishops are unified in terms of not only what is being mandated in these last months, but

in what the future might hold in terms of the government more and more stepping into areas where it begins to define what a church is,” Bishop Stika said. He said the federal mandate would have a chilling effect on diocesan health insurance programs. “We’re self-insured, as are most dioceses and universities, so even with the compromise that was announced by the president we would still be mandated to provide coverage for birth control. So I’m going to have to make a choice as a bishop, in consultation with the diocese, about our next step. Do we compromise basic principles of our faith? Because if we compromise those principles, what do we stand for,” Bishop Stika said. The Department of Health and

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By Bill Brewer

beginning with Father (J. Harold) Shea, our first pastor.,” Mr. Dorris said. “We’ve been very happy with Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and School. They’ve helped us in many ways.” Kathy Sumrell, development director for OLPH School, has noted the school events Jim and Charlotte Dorris have attended: 17 consecutive grandparent’s days; 37 Christmas programs without missing one of their children’s or grandchildren’s performances; and a countless string of sporting events. The Dorris family’s commitment to their parish and school has been apparent to Father Mike Nolan for decades. Father Nolan grew up in the OLPH parish and school and has known the Dorrises since he was a boy. “The Dorris family emulates the faith we are all called to live, by example, not words or simple membership. They have certainly inspired my faith throughout my life,” Dorris continued on page 8

Human Services’ Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on preventive services expresses the administration’s intention to propose additional regulations to establish alternative ways of ensuring contraceptive coverage for employees enrolled in health plans of religious organizations not exempted from the HHS mandate while still “accommodating” such organizations. The USCCB maintains that religious employers and other stakeholders still would have their employee health insurance plans and premiums used for services they find morally objectionable, even under future government accommodations. The USCCB contends such accommodations only apply to some religious organizations. n July 1, 2012 7

Father Schriver is member-elect to Catholic Charities USA board

ather Ragan Schriver, executive director of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, has been named board member-elect to Catholic Charities USA’s (CCUSA) Board of Trustees. His three-year term is scheduled to begin during CCUSA’s Annual Gathering in St. Louis on Sept. 29. Catholic Charities USA is the national office for Catholic Charities agencies and affiliates across the country that serve more than 10 million people annually regardless of religious, social or economic background. CCUSA’s Board of Trustees governs the organization that represents more than 170 Catholic Charities agencies. “We are so very fortunate that Father Ragan will be joining our board. He brings not only a wealth of experience, but also a tremendous amount of passion

and energy for life and our work,” said Rev. Larry Snyder, president and CEO of CCUSA. “We have benefited from his engagement Father Ragan Schriver and inspiring speaking for many years, and now we welcome his further involvement and leadership.” “Here at Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, we serve the most vulnerable in our region, providing help, creating hope and restoring dignity,” Father Schriver said in a statement. “That’s why I am beyond excited to serve on the board of our national organization to help change the face of poverty in America. I get to en-

Dorris continued from page 7

The Dorrises first child, Ann, began school in 1956. Their seventh child graduated from OLPH 20 years later in 1976. “During that time, they volunteered and helped with many school activities including school committees, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, carnivals, playground and homeroom parents,” Ms. Sumrell said. The Dorrises have had nine of their 18 grandchildren attend OLPH School, with seven who have attended from kindergarten through eighth grade graduation. They have had a grandchild attending class at OLPH each year since 1995. Their seventh grandchild, Andie Dorris, graduated in May. Education has been a mainstay with the Dorrises. All of their children went on to college and have received degrees, including three Ph.Ds, and the grandchildren are following suit. Father Nolan is a believer. “They are just a powerful, faithful family,” he said. n

Father Nolan said, recalling how the Dorrises rallied around his family on the day his mother died suddenly even as the Dorrises had just come from the funeral of their daughter Ann, who was killed in a car accident when she was in college. Father Nolan, who is pastor of St. Dominic Church in Kingsport, said OLPH has been blessed with several families that have had three generations of parishioners and students, such as the Payne, Hailey/Neuhoff/ West, and Labbe families. After attending college in Chattanooga, Jim and Charlotte, a nurse from New York, were married. They stayed in the Chattanooga area and started a family. They had seven children, one for each day of the week, according to Ms. Sumrell, who noted that each Dorris child was born on a different weekday. All attended OLPH School from the start of elementary education through eighthgrade graduation.

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courage and help direct the more than 170 other Catholic Charities agencies that are serving millions of people across the nation.” A Knoxville native, Father Schriver has been executive director of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee since 1999. During that time, he also has served as an associate pastor and teacher and coach at Knoxville Catholic High School. Currently, he is the pastor of Holy Family Parish in Seymour. He has served as chair of the Diocesan Directors section of CCUSA, as director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and as a member of CCUSA’s Social Policy Committee. Father Schriver also has been honored as the professional of the year by the Tennessee Conference of Social Welfare. Congrats Ad_Layout 1 5/29/12 Knox For Dustin almost 300 years, Catholic

Charities agencies have worked to reduce poverty by providing a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from health care and job training to food and housing. In the Knoxville region, Catholic Charities of East Tennessee for 40 years has been assisting people in need through its network that extends from Chattanooga to the Tri-Cities. With 17 programs throughout the region, the social service agency delivers services to approximately 27,000 clients each year, regardless of religious, social or economic background. Catholic Charities of East Tennessee is a member of Catholic Charities USA, one of the nation’s top providers of social services. Fewer than 5 percent of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s 2:45 PM Page clients are1Catholic. n

Congratulations, Fr. Dustin!

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

We are happy to congratulate Saint Meinrad graduate Rev. Dustin Collins on his ordination to the priesthood. Very Rev. Denis Robinson, OSB, and the students, faculty, monks and staff of Saint Meinrad Seminary & School of Theology

Saint Meinrad Seminary & School of Theology 200 Hill Drive St. Meinrad, IN 47577 www.saintmeinrad.edu

dioknox.org

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

DAN MCWILLIAMS

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Movie night Bishop Richard F. Stika, shown with some young movie-goers, hosted Catholic Movie Night Out on June 2 to watch the film “For Greater Glory” at Regal Cinemas’ Downtown West theater. About 300 people turned out for the event, which was made possible by Regal Entertainment Group and its president and chief operating officer, Greg Dunn, who is a Sacred Heart Cathedral parishioner; Lourdes Garza, who is the director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Knoxville; and an anonymous donor.

Area parishioners treated to ‘Movie Night Out’

he diocesan Office of Justice and Peace cosponsored a Catholic Movie Night Out with Bishop Richard F. Stika on June 2 as many of the faithful joined the bishop to watch “For Greater Glory” at Regal Cinema’s Downtown West Cinema 8 theater in Knoxville. The movie depicts the “Cristero” forces in 1920s Mexico battling the government’s curbing of religious freedoms and co-stars Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria, Ruben Blades, Nestor Carbonell, Peter O’Toole, and Eduardo Verástegui. Catholics helped fill a large auditorium at Downtown West for the screening. “We owe a special note of thanks to and prayers for three particular people who helped make the movie night possible,” said Paul Simoneau, director of Justice and Peace for the diocese. “The first is Mr. Greg Dunn, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Cathedral and president and chief The East Tennessee Catholic

operating officer of Regal Entertainment Group, who provided special accommodations for the movie’s showing and helped to open it up to an even greater audience of people such that we were able to fill their largest theater. “This thanks extends also to those of Regal Entertainment Group who worked so hard with us to make this night such a memorable experience.” The second person “wishes to remain anonymous but helped us to ‘go big’ in our planning for this night with a most generous personal donation,” said Mr. Simoneau. “Such generosity speaks of an even greater heart. “And finally, we need to thank Lourdes Garza, director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry, who inspired this ‘Catholic Movie Night Out’ and whose many sacrifices and sufferings have brought far more than a movie into our hearts. Thank you, Lourdes!” n

Italy/Switzerland: June 16-28, July 7-19, Sept. 1-13, Sept. 8-20, Sept. 15-27, Sept. 22-Oct. 4, Sept. 24Oct. 6, Sept. 29-Oct. 11, Oct. 6-18, Oct. 13-25, Oct. 20-Nov. 1, Nov 3-15 Italy Regular: June 9-17, June 16-24, June 23-July 1, June 30-July 8, July 7-15, Sept. 1-9, Sept. 8-16, Sept. 15-23, Sept. 22-30, Sept. 29-Oct. 7, Oct. 6-14, Oct. 13-21, Oct. 20-28 … Holy Land: Aug. 27-Sept. 6, Sept. 3-13, Sept. 10-20, Sept. 17-27, Sept. 24-Oct. 4, Oct. 1-11, Oct. 8-18, Oct. 15-25, Oct. 22-Nov 1, Oct. 29-Nov. 8, Nov. 5-15 Holy Land/Italy: June 18-July 1, June 25-July 8, July 2-15, Aug. 27-Sept. 9, Sept. 3-16, Sept. 10-23, Sept. 17-30, Sept. 24-Oct. 7, Oct. 1-14, Oct. 8-21 ... France/Portugal/Spain: June 30-July 12, Sept. 113, Sept. 8-20, Sept. 22-Oct. 4, Oct. 6-18 … Ireland/Scotland: June 24-July 6, June 30-July 12, Sept. 8-20, Sept. 15-27, Sept. 22-Oct. 4 Italy South: Sept. 8-20, Sept. 15-27, Sept. 22-Oct. 4, Sept. 29-Oct. 11, Oct. 6-18, Oct. 13-25, Nov. 3-15 Greece/Turkey: September 8-20 Tuscany/Assisi/Cinque Terre: September 3-14 … France: September 11-23, September 25-October 7, October 9-21, October 23-November 4 Holy Land/Jordan/Egypt: November 8-21 www.proximotravel.com email: anthony@proximotravel.com

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

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

July 1, 2012 9

Diocesan calendar by Margaret Hunt The “Not Your Average Joe” Catholic men’s conference, sponsored by the diocesan Office of Christian Formation, will be held at All Saints Church in Knoxville from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25. The conference will focus on St. Joseph’s example for men to become better husbands, workers, and fathers. Jeff Cavins, a Catholic author of several books, including The Great Adventure Bible Study, and Steve Wood, founder of St. Joseph’s Covenant Keepers, will be the keynote speakers. Bishop Richard F. Stika will be the principal celebrant and homilist at the conference’s Mass. The cost is $40 per person before July 15 or $50 thereafter. Register online at stjosephsociety. org/conference. The diocesan Youth Leadership Institute will take place July 13-16 at Horn’s Creek Resort in Ocoee. The institute will feature workshops on faith development, leadership styles, methods of prayer, tips for facilitating meetings, and more. Participants will also have the opportunity to try the low ropes course, swim, and meet other youth from throughout the Knoxville Diocese. The retreat is limited to high school students, and the deadline for registration is Friday, July 6. The cost is $239 per person. Contact Al Forsythe, director of the diocesan Youth and Young Adult Ministry office, at 865-862-5754 or aforsythe@ dioknox.org for more information. Forms can be downloaded at bit.ly/hM8U57. A local World Youth Day celebration, “Rejoice in the Lord Always,” will take place at St. Albert the Great Church in Knoxville on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 18 and 19. Michael James Mette, The Thirsting, and Johnny Fecco will perform at the event. The cost is $20, but oneday tickets for $10 are available. The host hotel is the Comfort Inn off Emory Road about five minutes away; for a special church rate of $69.99 for the night of Aug. 18, call the hotel at 865938-5508. To learn more about the cel-

10 July 1, 2012

ebration, visit tinyurl.com/LWYDinfo or contact Al Forsythe at 865-862-5754. Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga is again offering a number of summer camps this year. Academic-enrichment camps include an SAT/PSAT test-preparation workshop for rising ninth- through 12th-graders July 16-20 and a “jump start” camp for incoming ninth-graders July 30-Aug. 3. Arts-enrichment camps include a beginners baking class for rising fifth-graders and up July 9-13 and a dance camp for rising kindergartners through fifth-graders July 16-20. The school is also offering a boys and girls soccer camp for rising first- through eighth-graders July 9-13, a volleyball camp for rising fifth- through eighthgraders July 9-13, and a baseball camp for rising first- through eighth-graders July 16-20. For more information, visit myndhs.com, e-mail summercamp@ myndhs.com, or call 423-624-4618. The Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life is sponsoring a presentation on end-of-life issues at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 10, at the Bearden Banquet Hall. The registration fee of $15 includes a meal and a packet of resources including a copy of a durable power of attorney for health-care decisions document. The registration deadline is Monday, July 2. To learn more, contact the Tennessee Right to Life office at 865689-1339 or trlknox@knology.net. The Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life is accepting donations for its annual rummage sale scheduled for Aug. 10 and 11 at the TRL office. The hours of the sale are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11. Contact the TRL office at 865-689-1339 or trlknox@ knology.net. National Natural Family Planning Awareness week will be July 22-28. A free introductory session of the Creighton Method will be given following the noon Mass at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland on Sunday, July 29, in the Trinity Room. The presenta-

tion will include an introduction to the Creighton Model System’s monitoring of a couple’s fertility along with information on the Church’s teaching on Natural Family Planning. To RSVP or to register, contact Judi Phillips, FCP, at 423-8924668 or jphillips-nfp@hotmail.com. The next “Picture of Love” engagedcouples retreat is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 12 and 13, in Siener Hall at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga. The retreat will meet from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and continue Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mass will be celebrated during the retreat. The cost is $135 and includes a certificate good for a $60 discount on a marriage license. Couples must attend the entire program to receive a certificate. To register, contact Marian Christiana at 423892-2310 or mchristiana@dioknox.org. Father Patrick Resen will be the chaplain on a pilgrimage to southern Italy from Sept. 8-20. Pilgrims will visit Rome, Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Ravello, Sicily, Catania, Mount Etna, Syracuse, Taormina, and Calabria. Cost is $3,999. E-mail anthony@proximo travel.com or call 855-842-8001. Father William Oruko is leading a pilgrimage to Kenya from Sept. 17-Oct. 1. Father Oruko will facilitate a three-day mission in Nairobi on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and visit his home parish for the opening of Laura’s Educational Resource Center. Contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or lccte@bellsouth.net. Father Charlie Burton will be the spiritual director for a 10-day pilgrimage to Italy from Sept. 17-26. Sites visited will include Rome, Tuscany, Assisi, Florence, Orvieto, and Venice. The cost is $3,699 per person. To register or learn more, contact Proximo Travel at 508340-9370 or toll free at 855-842-8001 or Dr. Anthony Nachef at anthony@ proximotravel.com. The fourth annual Catholic Writers’ Conference Live will take place Aug. 29-31 at the Arlington Convention Center in Arlington, Texas. This year’s confer-

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

ence will focus on “Writing and the New Evangelization.” Speakers include Catholic publishing representatives Claudia Volkman of Servant Books/St.Anthony Messenger Press and Mike Marshall of FAITH Catholic Publishing; authors Ellen Hrkach, Patti Armstrong, and Ann Margaret Lewis; and EWTN personalities Teresa Tomeo and Father Andrew Apostoli, CFR. Registration costs $70 for Catholic Writers Guild members, $75 for nonmembers, and $40 for students. To register or learn more, visit www.catholicwritersconference.com. The Mid-South Regional Charismatic Conference, with the theme “A Conference of Faith, Hope, and Healing,” will take place Friday and Saturday, July 20 and 21, at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church in Antioch. For more information, call Teresa Siebert at 615-430-9343. The next Marriage Encounter weekend in the diocese is scheduled for Aug. 24-26 in Knoxville. For more information, contact John or Anne Wharton at 423-581-1815 or acw193@bellsouth. net, or visit www.loveinthesmokies.org or wwme.org. The next Engaged Encounter weekend in the diocese will be held July 2729 in the greater Knoxville area. To register, call Jason or Carmen Jeansonne at 865-377-3077. For more information on Engaged Encounter, contact Jerry or Mary Daugherty at 865-458-4117 or ceeknoxville@gmail.com or visit www. rc.net/knoxville/cee/. The Community of Sant’Egidio is a Catholic lay ecclesial movement that focuses on prayer and service to the poor. For more information, call Father Michael Cummins at 423-926-7061. Everyone is welcome.

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

Chattanooga Deanery calendar Kitty Cleveland, an award-winning Catholic singer-songwriter and missionary, will be in concert at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 1, at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga. The two-hour concert will feature Ms. Cleveland’s music and personal testimony. An offering will be collected during the concert. For more information, contact the parish office at 423-870-2386. The youth-ministry office at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga is planning a Family Mission Week from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 17, through Saturday, July 21, for families with youth who are rising seventh- through 12th-grade students. Families will participate in a variety of service projects in the downtown Chattanooga area, followed by recreational activities, talks, and spiritual reflections. For more information, call Alicia Bradshaw at 423-870-2386. The Haiti ministry at St. Augustine Church in Signal Mountain will be col-

Parish notes: Chattanooga Deanery

lecting items for its annual “Hot as Haiti Yard Sale” beginning July 8 in the parish life center. Yard sale items will be available for purchase during July at the parish life center and at the World’s Longest Yard Sale during the weekend of Aug. 2-5. During the yard sale, the group from St. Augustine will be stationed in front of Price-Rite Marking Systems at 2900 Taft Highway. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the St. Antoine School in Petite Rivière de Nippes, Haiti. Contact Karen Vessels to volunteer at 423-8866223. Contact Larry Chapman at 423886-6972 for assistance with donating large furniture items.

St. Augustine, Signal Mountain The “White Hot for Haiti” dinner-dance and auction May 5 raised more than $15,000 to provide education and food for the 1,200 students who attend St. Antoine School in Petite Rivière de Nippes, Haiti. Tracie and Chris Lesar were thanked for chairing the event along with numerous patrons and sponsors.

St. Catherine Labouré, Copperhill The parish held its second annual International Tasters Dinner on June 19. Parishioners were asked to bring their favorite ethnic dish or dessert. Donations at the event benefited the Divine Mercy Society.

St. Jude, Chattanooga St. Jude Church held holy hours June 21 and 28 to observe the “Fortnight for Freedom” designed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as a means to pray for religious freedom in this country.

Knights of Columbus Council 6099 will sponsor two Tootsie Roll drives in Chattanooga to benefit the mentally challenged during July and August. The first will be on the weekend of July 20-22 in front of the Sam’s Club located at 6101 Lee Highway and the second one on the weekend of Aug. 17-19 in front of the Wal-Mart at 2020 Gunbarrel Road. n

St. Jude School recognized several graduating eighth-grade students for their achievements during the 2011-12 school year: Niamh Cahill, Guy Westhoff, Hailey Shelby, Kendra Masterson, Nick Coronis, Colin Sawyer, Annie Ripper, Emma Higgins, Aaron Marini, and Vidas Dubininkus.

St. Mary, Athens The parish welcomed seminarian Jeff Emitt, who worked at St. Mary during June. St. Mary will have a vacation Bible school, “Sonrise National Park,” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 16-19. Registration packets are available in the narthex. Contact Holly Gates at 423-507-5899 or the parish office at 745-4277 for more information.

Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga Father Patrick J. Ryan Assembly 1084 of the Knights of Columbus conducted a flag-retirement ceremony June 14 at Camp Columbus. n

Calendar continued from page 10

CAROL BIRD

on second and fourth Sundays at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Madisonville. Visit www.knoxlatinmass.net for updated information.

Confirmation celebrated at St. Augustine Bishop Richard F. Stika confirmed youth at St. Augustine Church in Signal Mountain on May 19. Pictured with the bishop and St. Augustine pastor Father Joseph Kuzhupil are (from left, front row) Rachel Mersch, Carolynn Thielges, Trinh Keegan, Keely Dunavin, Eleanore Porter, Katie Sutton, and Sarah Baker and (back row) Andrew Clark, Mathias Porter, Brandon Hall, Justin Garrett, Jimmy Billings, 1Sam McHugh, Jack Limerick, and Zach Brown. The East Tennessee Catholic

The St. Thomas the Apostle Ukrainian Catholic Mission celebrates Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. Sundays in the chapel at the Chancery office in Knoxville. All services are in English. Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865-584-3307 or visit www.saintthomasknoxville.org for details. Holy Resurrection Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Mission has Divine Liturgy celebrations at 9:30 a.m. Sundays at the old Holy Ghost Church, 1031 N. Central St. in Knoxville. For times of holy-day services or for more information, visit www. knoxbyz.org or call Father Thomas O’Connell at 865-256-4880. n

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

July 1, 2012 11

Parish notes: Cumberland Mountain Deanery The social-action committee is asking parishioners to bring in a nonperishable food donation when they come in to be photographed for the parish directory through Aug. 11. Participants will receive a $5 discount on their portrait order from Lifetouch. The canned goods will be used to stock the Ladies of Charity food pantry. The parish congratulated the 118 students who received their first Holy Communion on April 29. Father John Appiah is in the process of finalizing plans for a medical mission to Nkonya-Wurupong, Ghana, scheduled for July 29-Aug. 10. More than $20,000 has been donated and will be used to purchase medication and eyeglasses for the patients of the medical clinic. Thirty-three people from the diocese, including 11 doctors and four nurses, will be participating in the mission. Dr. Elaine Bunick will be making her fourth trip to Ghana to assist with the mission. Contact Father Appiah at 865-531-0770 for more information about the mission or to make a monetary donation.

COURTESY OF DEACON DAN HOSFORD

All Saints, Knoxville

Bishop confirms 20 from Norris and Clinton parishes Bishop Richard F. Stika confirmed 20 youth from St. Joseph Parish in Norris and St. Therese in Clinton on April 29 at St. Joseph. The bishop is pictured with St. Therese parochial administrator Father Julius Abuh, St. Joseph pastor Father Bill Gahagan, and Deacon Dan Hosford of St. Joseph.

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman Confirmandi: Megan Butler, Connor Cooney, Samantha Eisenberg, Kyra Grubbs, Jonathan Higgins, Scott Nelson, Cody Palko, Aubrey Riggs, Adam Roberts, Cynthia Roberts, Alison Smith, Aaron Tapley

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade

A prayer-blanket workshop is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 17, at the church. Participants should bring an iron, an ironing board, a sewing machine, or any other materials deemed helpful for completing their projects. Lunch will be served. Contact the parish office for more details at 931-484-3628. Anniversaries: Guy and Billie LaBorde (64), Al and Kay Evans (62), Joe and Millie Walisinski (62), Bernard and Darlene DeFillipi (58), Victor and Loretta Galdes (57), William and Janette LaRou (57), Mark and Eileen White (57), Larry and Reva Lanzerotti (56), Ken and Norma Guillory (55), Philip and Johanne Ardire (54), Bernard and JoAnne Bunyak (52), John and Sally Price (52), Neil and Barbara Ferency (50)

St. John Neumann, Farragut The parish welcomed Yvonne Kidder, who will be the new confirmation coordinator. Ms. Kidder replaces Tom Perry, who coordinated the program since 2006 and had been involved with teaching confirmandi since 1989. Michelle Walters, a home-schooled senior, and several volunteers have built and installed a Stations of the Cross along a 471-foot path that the group dug behind St. John Neumann Church. The project helped fulfill requirements for the Stars and Stripes Award, the highest recognition award in the American Heritage Girls program. Father Dustin Collins, the diocese’s most recently ordained priest, celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving at St. John Neumann Church on June 17. n

12 July 1, 2012

COURTESY OF MEGAN LOCKE

Sign-ups are being accepted for the Harmonia Dinner Group. This group meets four times a year in member homes and offers a way to meet other parishioners, make new friends, and renew old acquaintances. Sign-up sheets are on the parish hall bulletin board and in the parish office.

KCHS students take part in Habitat Blitz Build For the second year in a row, Knoxville Catholic High School participated in Habitat for Humanity’s Blitz Build Week in early April. Habitat, along with 12 corporate partners and more than 1,400 volunteers, built six houses in seven days in its Silver Leaf subdivision of East Knoxville. Pictured above are (from left) KCHS students Alyssa Novak, Erin Catanach, Ronshea Martin, Antonio Quintero, Amy Pham, John Pickering, Stephen Barnes, and Catherine Scheb. Knoxville Catholic, with the assistance of Barrie Smith, dean of admissions, and her husband, Tom Schmitt, partnered with Wells Fargo to build a home for Ronshea Martin and her family. The school, along with many of its student clubs, funded the remaining portion of the money. More than 120 KCHS students, teachers, and parent volunteers participated in the build, logging more than 600 hours of labor to build the Martin family home. Starting with only a concrete slab for the house, student volunteers built everything from exterior and interior walls to trusses and roofing—even cabinetry and painting.

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

dioknox.org

Parish notes: Five Rivers Deanery Holy Trinity, Jefferson City Deacons Gordy Lowery, Jim Prosak, and John Riehl were recognized in June for their service in honor of the fifth anniversary of their ordination. Anniversaries: Stan and Virginia Borzick (54), Vinnie and Katherine Clossey (54), James and Margaret Ray (53) Newcomer: Kelsey Fleck

Notre Dame, Greeneville The parish vacation Bible school, “Prayer Safari,” will meet Wednesday nights between 6 and 8:30 p.m. July 11 through Aug. 1. Participants will study Bible stories, make crafts, perform skits, and sing songs. Dinner will be provided each night. To register or to volunteer, call Susan Collins at 423-329-9173. Notre Dame celebrated the Fortnight for Freedom by sponsoring two holy hours at the church June 21 and 28.

COURTESY OF CHERYL PROSAK

Anniversaries: Vandy and Dorothy Nachazel (53), Bob and Maggie May (50), Anthony and Carol LaMarca (45), Arthur and Eleanor LaPoint (30), Terry and Rebecca Barekman (15)

St. Dominic, Kingsport During June, the parish collected diapers and baby wipes for Hope House, a crisis pregnancy center. To donate other items, contact Angie at 423-247-7994.

St. Henry, Rogersville

First Communion at Holy Trinity Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City celebrated the first Holy Communion for six children May 6. From left are (first row) Emily Sexton, Jazdin Weatherbie, and Laura Hawkins; (second row) Austin Sexton, Amelia Gill, and Joshua LaMonte; and (back row) server Ashley Sexton, Deacon Jim Prosak, teacher Karin Collins, Holy Trinity pastor Father Dan Whitman, and server Heather Sexton.

The women of St. Henry held a yard sale May 4 and 5 to benefit the building fund. They also met May 16 to plan a craft project and again May 23 at Juanita’s Mexican Restaurant for their monthly luncheon. Anniversary: Mory and Rita DeWitte (56)

St. Mary, Johnson City

COURTESY OF MURVIN H. PERRY

Betty Cox and Mary Jordan made their initial covenant as Mercy Associates during a ceremony at the 5 p.m. Mass on June 9.

St. Patrick, Morristown The Knights of Columbus honored Brandon Lawson as Knight of the Quarter for his work with the basketball and soccer contests as well as his help with other council activities. Greg and Mary Oparyk were recognized as the Family of the Quarter. n

Johnson City parish holds eucharistic procession Approximately 130 parishioners at St. Mary Parish in Johnson City marched in a eucharistic procession celebrating the feast of Corpus Christi on Sunday afternoon, June 10. Led by girls from the recent first Communion class who scattered petals along the route, parishioners from infants to 90 years of age followed the monstrance bearing the Holy Eucharist on an hourlong route to four altars established on the church and school campus. Participants sang hymns, and Scripture was read at each altar. The celebration concluded with Benediction in the church. The East Tennessee Catholic

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

July 1, 2012 13

Smoky Mountain Deanery calendar

Parish notes: Smoky Mountain Deanery

A Seekers of Silence Contemplative Saturday Morning will be held July 14 at Blessed John XXIII Catholic Center in Knoxville. David Bolt will speak on the topic

Blessed John XXIII, Knoxville The Pregnancy Help Center thanked the parishioners of John XXIII for their participation in the annual Baby Bottle Drive. The parish raised more than $4,400.

“The Joy of Sustainable Living.” Coffee and tea will be served at 8:30 a.m.; the workshop will run from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring a bag lunch. RSVP at 865-523-7931. n

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville The parish’s fifth annual Irish Fest on the Hill is set for Saturday, Aug. 11, and includes music, dancing, a silent auction, and a variety of activities for all ages. IC is looking for vendors to sell their Celtic wares, volunteers to help with planning for or working at the event, and donations for silent-auction items. Sponsors are also needed. For more information, contact Becky Birdwell at 865-414-7430 or bird wellent@bellsouth.net to volunteer or to donate items for the silent auction. On May 14 the FISH team distributed food to 80 families, with a total of 214 people served. BEKKI DUNLAP

Anniversary: John and Ann McAllister (60)

Sacred Heart, Knoxville

Chant workshop held at Holy Ghost Participants in a May 12 Gregorian chant workshop for grades two through 12 gather for a photo. The workshop was conducted at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville by Father David Carter (back row, center), Knoxville Latin Mass Schola director Mary Garner (front row, right), and Pope Benedict XVI Schola director Mary Weaver (front, left), with additional clinicians Erica McCarty (back row, right), Mark Galbaugh (second row, left), and Anne Hendershott (second row, second from left) of the Knoxville Latin Mass Schola. At the closing 4 p.m. Mass the participants chanted the ordinary (Gloria, Credo, etc.) of the Missa de Angelus in Latin and the English propers of the Mass of the sixth Sunday of Easter (ordinary form).

The demolition of part of the parish office building is under way, beginning a renovation to expand the preschool facilities. To assist with labor during the project, call Tom Greer at 865-588-4108. The Anthony Mary Memorial Blood Drive was held June 13 in the Shea Room.

Totus Tuus Vacation Bible School will be held July 22-27 at the cathedral. Children in grades one through six will meet from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day July 23-27, and junior high and high school students will meet from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. July 22-26. Participants will receive age-appropriate catechetical instruction about the Eucharist, Marian devotion, and vocations through talks, skits, crafts, and outdoor activities. Registration forms are on the Sacred Heart Cathedral website, shcknox.org, and at the parish office. Every family will be asked to provide an adult volunteer for either a day or an evening or to provide dinner for the Totus Tuus team. For more information, contact Brigid Johnson at 865-584-4528 or BJohnson@shcknox.org or visit shcathedral.org.

St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville The St. Joseph the Worker women’s group is collecting donations for a RosaryMeditation Garden. The group hopes to purchase a statue of the Blessed Mother and build a grotto on the parish grounds. Contact the parish office to make a donation at 423-442-7273. St. Joseph the Worker is participating in the Fortnight for Freedom by praying the rosary at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 4. n

14 July 1, 2012

COURTESY OF DEB PEACHEY

Bishop Richard F. Stika will be leading a holy hour of prayer following the 8:05 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Wednesday, July 4, in observance of the final day of the Fortnight for Freedom, a special period of prayer, study, catechesis, and public action for the cause of religious freedom in the United States.

Gatlinburg parish honors grads St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg recognized its graduates June 3. From left are Amy Ejma, Carol Pullium (accepting Joseph Pullium’s scholarship), Andrew Quilliams, St. Mary pastor Father Joe Brando, and committee chair Lee Murray. Ms. Ejma is currently a schoolteacher at Pittman Center Elementary School and just graduated from East Tennessee State University with honors with a master’s degree in education. Joseph and Andrew graduated from Gatlinburg-Pittman High School. Andrew graduated with honors and was valedictorian of his class. Andrew and Joseph were given the Monsignor Phillip Thoni Scholarship award; they each received $500.

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

dioknox.org

Catholic youth

KCHS student athletes sign with colleges Knoxville Catholic has six seniors commit to play at the next level

The East Tennessee Catholic

Playing at the collegiate level Six KCHS student athletes signed with colleges May 17. From left are Kenzie Sawyer, Stevie Gleason, Claire Stauber, Megan Ferowich, Tim Baker, and Rebecca Sauter.

as studies,” said Knoxville Catholic athletics director Jason Surlas. “They earned the opportunity to

continue their careers in college, and that is something for which they should be very proud.” n

Recyclebank announced May 15 that Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga had reached its fundraising goal and received a grant from the Recyclebank Green Schools program, which awards schools grant money for unique student projects that will green their classrooms and communities. Representatives from Recyclebank presented OLPH with a check for $1,565.97 on May 15 to fund additional recycling containers for the school’s classroom, office, cafeteria, gym, and athletic fields to further reduce the amount of trash going into the landfill. Schools across the country submitted green project proposals to Recyclebank in order to participate in the Green Schools program. Recyclebank members donated their points to help fund the schools’ projects, and Recyclebank matched member point donations dollar-for-dollar. To learn more about the Recyclebank Green Schools program, visit www.Recyclebank. com/greenschoolsprogram. n

Scouting awards presented in Clinton Father Julius Abuh and George LeCrone Sr., chair of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, presented three Scouting awards at the 5 p.m. Mass on April 14 at St. Therese Church in Clinton. Receiving I Live My Faith awards were Shannyn Leigh Carter and Jenna Marie Carter, both of Girl Scout troop 20237. John David Carter of Cub Scout Pack 73 received the Parvuli Dei award. n

COURTESY OF VIRGINIA P. THOMPSON

St. Dominic artists shine The results for the 42nd Children’s Art Exhibition sponsored by the Pentel Corp. of Japan are in, and 11 students from St. Dominic School in Kingsport won prizes. Winners of honorable-mention awards are Kamryn Bauer from the 4-year-old class; Aidan Boldea and Dominic Coleman, second grade; Annika Cleven and Angelo Nyonzima, fifth grade; and Turner Stout, first grade. A bronze medal and art supplies went to Lauren Reilly, kindergarten. Winning silver medals and art supplies were Braeden Morrow, first grade, and Ethan Palmer, kindergarten. Tatiana Cope and Alyssa Bentley, first grade, each won gold medals and art supplies. From left are Turner, Annika, Lauren, Ethan, Dominic, Aidan, and Tatiana.

COURTESY OF MEGAN LOCKE

noxville Catholic High School saw six Fighting Irish student athletes make the commitment to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level May 17. These seniors joined four other KCHS seniors who have already signed on to play collegiately. The talented group combined to earn partial scholarships and full scholarships. The following seniors signed letters of intent in May: Tim Baker in soccer with Lee University, Megan Ferowich in track and field with Stanford University, Stevie Gleason in volleyball with Maryville College, Rebecca Sauter in soccer with the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Kenzie Sawyer in volleyball with Maryville College, and Claire Stauber in soccer with Wofford College. “I am extremely proud of our athletic department, our coaches and, of course, our student athletes for their dedication to athletics as well

OLPH School receives grant for going green

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

July 1, 2012 15

Catholic youth

St. John Neumann JV soccer team wins KISL championship The JV soccer team at St. John Neumann School in Farragut defeated host Maryville Christian on May 7 to become the Knoxville Independent Soccer League tournament champions. The Mustangs won their game 1-0 with four minutes left in the first overtime. n

16 July 1, 2012

OLPH presents Christian Living Awards Students from each grade level at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga are chosen each year to receive the Sisters of Charity, BVM, Christian Living Awards. The students selected “exemplify faithfulness and love of God to those in the community and to all God’s people. They use the gifts of freedom, education, charity, and justice in their daily virtuous lives.” Pictured with OLPH pastor Father Jim Vick are the winners of this year’s awards. In the front row are (from left) Ian Agbannaoag, second grade; Lorelei Tinney, first grade; Aiden Corbitt, kindergarten; and Chase Post, third grade. In back are (from left) Andrew Hollingsworth, eighth grade; Lauralee Rast, eighth grade; Andrew Lisy, seventh grade; Elizabeth Labbe, sixth grade; Samantha Schultz, fifth grade; and Bernard Lisy, fourth grade.

Cortese receives Eagle Scout award in April ceremony

ohn Paul Cortese, son of Jim and Carol Akerman Cortese of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout by the Boy Scouts of America at a ceremony April 15. John is a member of Troop 25, chartered to Fountain City Presbyterian Church in 1917. He is a recent graduate of Knoxville Catholic High School. His Eagle project included the research, design, and construction of 21 portable 5-feet-by-8-feet cloth-covered room dividers for the Ladies of Charity of Knoxville. Twenty-six other members of Troop 25 and friends assisted with the project, which was completed in

COURTESY OF MEGAN LOCKE

The 60th annual Southern Appalachian Science and Engineering Fair was held at the University of Tennessee in Thompson-Boling Arena recently. Twenty-one students from St. Mary School in Oak Ridge were entered in the fair, and for the fifth year in a row a student from St. Mary was crowned as grand champion. Eighth-grader Julia Britto won the title for her project, “The Plight of the Monarch.” Fellow eighth-grade student Natalia Gorrondona won reserve champion/second-place-overall honors. Seventh-grader Shannon Rearden placed third, and classmate Elena Martin placed fifth. Other students who won excellence awards, special awards and/or honorable mention were J. P. Kaffer, Olivia Milloway, Darryl Bonner, Madelyn Fahhoum, Emma Milloway, Garrett Mesmer, Lily Deinhart, Connor Krings, Crawford Zebroski, Jack Deinhart, Suzanne Kass, Lindsey Burtis-Fuller, and Corey Santodonato. n

COURTESY OF KATHY SUMRELL

St. Mary - Oak Ridge students stand out at science fair

John Paul Cortese

summer 2011. John is currently completing

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

scholarship applications and will be attending the University of Tennessee this fall, where he plans on majoring in history. John attended Camp Buck Toms annually since he was 6 years old. He has earned 41 badges and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow. Scouting has provided many opportunities for John, such as backpacking in the snow at Frozen Head State Park. His favorite backpacking spots include Walnut Bottoms and Engine Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In addition he has canoed down the Holston, Clinch, and numerous other rivers. n dioknox.org

Our seminarians

Cali seminarian embraces challenges of priestly studies Arthur Torres Barona served internship at St. Mary in Johnson City

rthur Torres Barona is a Theology III student at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis. He recently completed an internship at St. Mary Parish in Johnson City. He is the son of Duvan Torres Gil and Ana Julia Barona of Cali, Colombia. What is your most challenging course in seminary? Canon law might be one of the most challenging courses that I have had during my theological formation. One of its goals is to make possible that the people of God live according to their faith and tradition. It is a kind of challenge to bring people into it to understand fully God’s will through the Church’s law. Though it challenges me, too, I think that canon law must be seen as something that invites and encourages people to live out their faith in the Catholic Church and not to keep them away from it. What is your favorite course? I would say eschatology (which is concerned about “the last and future realities”: death, purgatory, heaven, and hell) because along with some other courses that I’ve been taught, this one teaches me and invites me to improve my life while being here on earth; to be a better person, to do well, to be right and watch what I do. This is a course that instead of providing fear or anguish produces hope and joy in me to know that God is loving and merciful and is always there waiting for us with his arms open when for some reason we turn away from him. What do you most look forward to in your future life as a priest? I’m not very sure about how it would be because there are so many challenges that always come ahead. Even The East Tennessee Catholic

By Dan McWilliams

When I was 8 years old, I already started to feel God’s calling to the priesthood. My parents used to bring us (my brothers and me) every Tuesday to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Shrine in my city. I think these were the strongest moments where I felt God’s call, as the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, praying the novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, the Rosary and Holy Mass made me experience once more my desire to become a priest.

Arthur Torres Barona

when you prepared so well yourself you will find something that you didn’t expect. But certainly there are some exciting things that I look forward to as a future priest. I’m pursuing to be a good human and spiritual resource for the Diocese of Knoxville and for the whole Church. I would like to be creative and plant in every heart the seed of charity and unity, making parishioners excited about one common cause for the diocese. Who are your inspirations as a seminarian, and why? It was a priest who at that time was the pastor in my home parish in Cali, Colombia, and afterwards my spiritual director. He lived his Catholic faith and his priesthood in such a manner that he became for us in youth ministry our model and example to love and serve God without measure or reserve. He was truly a champion of faith and a seeker of the most needed. When did you first consider the priesthood? I can say openly that no one told me or asked me to become a priest.

What things about you have changed the most as a seminarian? The first and most important thing that has changed in my life is the personal relationship I had with God before entering the seminary. During the time I have been in the seminary, my relationship with God has been growing a lot. Now I have a better sense and understanding of how important the sacraments are for me. Before entering the seminary I used to go to Mass but I did not experience what I experience now. It is in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist that I have found a lot of meaning in my life. The seminary life has helped me to develop a very profound personal relationship in which I have come to know God and realize his purpose for my life. Along with their prayers for you, is there another way East Tennessee Catholics can support you? I would like to say thanks to those who pray for us and for the fulfillment of our vocation in the priesthood. But also I would like to call upon the Christian families of the diocese to open their hearts in guiding and allowing their sons and daughters to follow Jesus’ way, either in the priesthood or in the religious consecrated life. n

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

Job opportunities Sacred Heart Cathedral School, a SACS accredited, K-8, faith-based educational community, is seeking a qualified, creative and energetic teacher for middle school English and literature. Applicants must be certified and hold a current Tennessee teaching license. Excellent benefits and opportunities for extracurricular involvement are included. Qualified applicants should send a letter of interest and resume to Sedonna Prater, principal, Sacred Heart Cathedral School, 711 Northshore Dr., Knoxville, TN 37919. E-mail resumes to: djackson@shcknox.org. Sacred Heart Cathedral School is an equal opportunity employer. St. Stephen Catholic Church is seeking a part-time coordinator of youth ministry to implement the parish’s commitment to youth as outlined in the 1997 USCCB document, Renewing the Vision. The coordinator collaborates with the pastor and staff in implementing the mission of the parish by participating in the comprehensive planning and evaluation of parish goals and objectives, with specific focus on our youth. These activities should include, but not be limited to, socials, recreation, athletics, outreach programs, youth oriented liturgies, retreats and community service opportunities. Please send a cover letter with resume including, education, previous experience, personal and professional references to: Father Gilbert M. Diaz, Pastor/St. Stephen Church, 7111 Lee Highway, Chattanooga, TN. 37421. n

July 1, 2012 17

Diocese of Knoxville Mass Times Chattanooga Deanery St. Mary, Athens Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul OLPH, Chattanooga

Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m., 1 p.m. (Spanish)

St. Jude, Chattanooga

Saturday, 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. (Spanish) Sunday, 8, 10:30 a.m.; 12:15, 5:30 p.m

St. Stephen, Chattanooga St. Catherine Laboure, Copperhill

Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 8:30, 11 a.m.

Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 9, 11:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. (Spanish) Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 7:30, 10 a.m.; noon Sunday, 2 p.m. (Spanish) 2nd Sunday, 4 p.m. (Korean)

Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m.; 6 p.m. (Spanish)

St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Cleveland

Saturday, 6 p.m. Sunday, 8 a.m. (Spanish) Sunday, 9:30 a.m.; noon 1st/3rd Sunday, 3 p.m. (Latin)

St. Bridget, Dayton

Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.; 12:30 p.m. (Spanish)

Shepherd of the Valley, Dunlap

Sunday, 8 a.m. (Central) Thursday, 6:30 p.m. (Spanish)

St. Augustine, Signal Mountain

Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 10:30 a.m.

Holy Spirit, Soddy Daisy

Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 8, 10:30 a.m.

Our Lady of Lourdes, South Pittsburg

Saturday, 5:30 p.m. (Central) Sunday, 10:30 a.m.

Cumberland Mountain Deanery St. Therese, Clinton St. Alphonsus, Crossville St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade

Saturday, 5:30 p.m.; All Saints, Knoxville Sunday, 10:15 a.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. (Central) OLPH, LaFollette Sunday, 8:30, 11 a.m. 1st Sunday, 6 p.m. (Spanish) St. Ann, Lancing

Saturday, 5, 7 p.m. (Spanish) Sunday, 8:15, 10, 11:45 a.m.

Saturday, 5 p.m. (Central) Sunday, 8, 10 a.m.

St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City

Saturday, 5, 7 p.m. (Spanish) Sunday, 9, 11:30 a.m.

St. John Neumann, Farragut

Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Sunday, 8:30, 10:30 a.m.; 6 p.m.

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Mission, Maynardville

Sunday, 9, 11 a.m. (Spanish)

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, 10:30 a.m.

St. Joseph, Norris

Sunday, 9 a.m.

St. Jude, Helenwood

Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

St. Christopher, Jamestown

Saturday, 6:30 p.m. (Central)

St. Mary, Oak Ridge

Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 (Spanish), 8, 10 a.m.; noon

Christ the King, Tazewell

Sunday, noon

Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Sunday, 8:30 a.m.

* For additional information, go to the Diocese of Knoxville website, www.dioknox.org, or http://bit.ly/MiNS7n

18 July 1, 2012

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

dioknox.org

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Diocese of Knoxville Mass Times Five Rivers Deanery St. Elizabeth, Elizabethton

Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m.

Catholic Community of Unicoi County, Erwin

Sunday, 10 a.m.

Notre Dame, Greeneville

Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, 8, 11 a.m.; 3 p.m. (Spanish)

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City

Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, 10:30 a.m.

St. Mary, Johnson City

Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, 8, 10 a.m.; noon (Spanish)

St. Dominic, Kingsport

Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 8, 9:30, 11 (Spanish); 12:30 p.m.

St. Patrick, Morristown St. Anthony of Padua, Mountain City

Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, 9, 11:30 a.m.; 5:30 p.m. (Spanish) Sunday, 11 a.m.

Good Shepherd, Newport

Sunday, 8:30 a.m.

St. Henry, Rogersville

Sunday, 9 a.m.

Blessed John Paul II Catholic Mission, Rutledge

Saturday, 5 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m. (Spanish)

St. James the Apostle, Sneedville

Sunday, 12:30 p.m.

Smoky Mountain Deanery Saturday, 5, 7 p.m. (Spanish); Sunday, 8:30, 11 a.m.

St. Albert the Great, Knoxville

Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, 9, 11 a.m.

St. Mary, Gatlinburg Saturday, 7 p.m.; Sunday, 9, 11 a.m. Blessed John XXIII, Knoxville Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 9, 11:15 a.m.; 8 p.m. Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Saturday, 5 p.m.; Sunday, 7:30, 9, 11 a.m.; 1 p.m. (Spanish)

St. Thomas Byzantine Catholic Mission, Knoxville

Sunday, 10 a.m.

St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville

Sunday, 8, 10 a.m.; 12:30 p.m. (Spanish); 2nd, 4th, 5th Sun. 3 p.m. (Latin)

Holy Cross, Pigeon Forge Holy Family, Seymour

Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, 8, 10:30 a.m.; 6 p.m. (Spanish) Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, 8, 10:30 a.m.

St. Francis of Assisi, Townsend

Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m.

Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa

Saturday, 7 p.m. (Spanish) Sunday, 7, 8:30, 10, 11:30 a.m.; 6 p.m.; 1:30 p.m. (Latin)

Holy Ghost, Knoxville Holy Resurrection Mission

9:30 a.m. (Ruthenian Rite)

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville

Saturday, 6 p.m. Sunday, 8:30, 10, 11:30 a.m. 1st/ 3rd Sunday, 6 p.m. Vietnamese

* For additional information, go to the Diocese of Knoxville website, www.dioknox.org, or http://bit.ly/MiNS7n The East Tennessee Catholic

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

July 1, 2012 19

Living the readings

Weekday Readings Sunday, July 1: Wisdom 1:13-15 and 2:23-24; Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 1113; 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9, 13-15; Mark 5:21-43 Monday, July 2: Amos 2:6-10, 13-16; Psalm 50:16-23; Matthew 8:18-22 Tuesday, July 3: Ephesians 2:1922; Psalm 117:1-2; John 20:24-29 Wednesday, July 4: Amos 5:14-15, 21-24; Psalm 50:7-13, 16-17; Matthew 8:28-34 Thursday, July 5: Amos 7:10-17; Psalm 19:8-11; Matthew 9:1-8 Friday, July 6: Amos 8:4-6, 9-12; Psalm 119:2, 10, 20, 30, 40, 131; Matthew 9:9-13 Saturday, July 7: Amos 9:11-15; Psalm 85:9-14; Matthew 9:14-17 Sunday, July 8: Ezekiel 2:2-5; Psalm 123:1-4; 2 Corinthians 12:710; Mark 6:1-6 Monday, July 9: Hosea 2:16-18, 21-22; Psalm 145:2-9; Matthew 9:18-26 Tuesday, July 10: Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13; Psalm 115:3-10; Matthew 9:32-38 Wednesday, July 11: Memorial, Benedict, abbot, Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12; Psalm 105:2-7; Matthew 10:1-7 Thursday, July 12: Hosea 11:1-4, 8-9; Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16; Matthew 10:7-15 Friday, July 13: Hosea 14:2-10; Psalm 51:3-4, 8-9, 12-14, 17; Matthew 10:16-23 Saturday, July 14: Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 93:1-2, 5; Matthew 10:24-33 Sunday, July 15: Amos 7:12-15; Psalm 85:9-14, Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13 Monday, July 16: Isaiah 1:10-17; Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23; Matthew 10:34–11:1 Tuesday, July 17: Isaiah 7:1-9; Psalm 48:2-8; Matthew 11:20-24 Wednesday, July 18: Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16; Psalm 94:5-10, 14-15; Matthew 11:25-27 Readings continued on page 21

20 July 1, 2012

by Father Joseph Brando

The extraordinary ordinary

Beautiful examples teach us how to live righteously in this world

s opposed to last month when we were blessed with an abundance of such solemnities as Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi and the feast of John the Baptist, in July we come to the unnamed Sundays in Ordinary Time called merely 13 through 17. Most of us would prefer to be called by a name as opposed to a number. Names make us special. However, we do live in an ordinary world here on Earth. We live ordinary lives day after day. Or, do we? There are realities we confront every day on Earth that are far from ordinary. We deal with some basic and primordial dichotomies that challenge us daily. There are the problems of life and death, sickness and health, being rich or poor, powerful or weak, humble or proud, holy or worldly. All these break down in some way to discerning whether we are ‘of God’ or not. All of these conundrums are treated in the Scripture readings for the five Sundays in July. Let’s look at some of them and the beautiful examples that teach us how to live righteously in this world. The month starts on the Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time with an attention-grabbing statement from the Book of Wisdom, “God did not make death.” We immediately see that God is on the side of life and that death came as a consequence of the devil. Implied here is the insight that we live in between life and death and have to make choices. Do we always choose life? Paul puts that last question in quite an unexpected light when he urges the Corinthians to contribute to a fund to help the Church in Israel, which was suffering from famine. He examines the problem of life and death and that of choosing wealth or poverty. Jesus had the choice and chose to be poor.

Then Paul urges the Corinthians who enjoyed abundance to give to those suffering in Palestine so that they both may be equal. Mark’s Gospel presents us an example of this principle. It is found in Jesus’ life and death. Jesus shows us he is on the side of life by restoring life to the daughter of Jairus. Framed inside the story of this exquisite miracle is the curing of the woman suffering from years of hemorrhaging. Jesus is against sickness as well as death. He is for us who are victims of these realities. He gives of his life and wholeness to those who need. We can do the same. The readings for the Fourteenth Sunday consider the perennial problem of weakness versus power. Which should we seek? Paul tells us about his situation. He suffered from a “thorn in the flesh.” We don’t know exactly what that pain was but it made him weak. It led him to the extraordinary discovery that, “power is made perfect in weakness.” What the world considers power pales in comparison to the real power we receive when we choose what the world calls weakness. Jesus looked ‘weak’ to his relatives and friends in his hometown. They had heard that he healed and performed miraculous feats elsewhere. They found him incapable of doing anything powerful here. There are two problems with their analysis. First, their lack of faith, not Jesus’ lack of power, was really in question. Second, they didn’t have the benefit of seeing Jesus on the cross. If you saw Jesus at Golgotha, would you consider him a totally powerless recipient of Roman punishment or would you realize that he was patiently enduring the world’s most painful form of death for the purpose of redeeming sinful humanity? We

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

also can apply such a standard to our own actions as we choose either D weakness or power. This leads us directly to the Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time during which we learn to discern between being holy or profane. Are we “of God” or of the world? Our example is Amos. Is he a legitimate prophet of God? In the day’s first reading, the religious leaders of the Northern Kingdom of Israel want to deport Amos south to Judah because they judge he is not “of God” and, therefore, not a real prophet. In defense, Amos agrees. He does not make a living by preaching. He’s a farmer who has been called by God. To determine if we are ‘of God,’ we can look to the day’s second reading. There, Paul teaches us that Christians are chosen to be holy for praise and glory of God. If we can see ourselves as impelled to love and praise God, then we may be experiencing the action of the Holy Spirit alive in us. Then, we possess “the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption.” The Gospel presents us yet another good example of such a life. The 12 were sent out by Jesus. To look at them you’d see they had no food, no money, not a stitch of extra clothing. They had nothing material on them to indicate they could succeed. Yet, they drove out demons and cured many who were sick. The only explanation for their accomplishments could be they were ‘of God.’ There is one warning. Remember that Judas was one of those 12 and presumably performed miracles. A person who is ‘of God’ must strive to remain faithful. Another problem people in the real world need to grapple with is the tension between being involved or detached. The readings of the Sixteenth Sunday take on that subject. Jeremiah condemns the religious leaders of his day for not caring for the people who had scattered due to a lack of good leadership. God promises to fill that void with a king dioknox.org

Duets continued from page 6

performing. The Fosters and friends of their daughter encouraged her to try out for the hit TV show “American Idol” when she was 16. In the meantime, she has pursued other interests, such as academics and the study of public relations and business. Despite his daughter’s shyness, Dr. Foster said years of performing in groups has reversed her publicperformance discomfort to the point where she jumped at the chance to go on “Duets.” In an interview after her elimination with writer Gina Scarpa, who writes for a website about singing, Ms. Foster said her appearance on “Duets” has reignited a passion for singing to the point

where she is testing a career in the music industry. In entertainment, timing is critical and Ms. Foster found that out performing on “Duets.” She said her last performance was on the day she graduated from UT. She was unable to attend graduation because she was doing the show. While her participation on “Duets” was short-lived, she said she gained confidence appearing on the show. The competitors on the show have been paired with singing stars Kelly Clarkson, who has had a successful professional career since winning the first “American Idol” singing competition on television; John Legend, who has won nine Grammy Awards; Jennifer Nettles, the lead vocalist in the

from David’s line who will make the people safe and secure. That promise has, of course, been fulfilled in the person of Jesus. In the Gospel, Jesus tried to gather the apostles he had sent out two by two. He planned to spend some time alone with them. That plan didn’t work as people kept following until Jesus gave up and, out of pity, started teaching them. Notice there is a neat ebb and flow between getting away and becoming close. The dilemma between distance and closeness is solved by doing both at the appropriate times. Paul, in the second reading, advises the Ephesians that we “who were once far off have become near thanks to the blood of Christ.” We also are one with the entire Church in the Body of Christ. Yet, we also are

autonomous in the peace of Christ. Finally, we come to the last Sunday of July and are invited to sit down on the grass and eat a meal with the Lord and an intimate group of 5,000 men. Jesus somehow felt obliged to them and asked Philip how much it would cost to feed them. Translating his answer into present U.S. dollars, it would take at least $11,440. Jesus responded by feeding them, rendering the men obligated to him. That’s what they wanted. They were looking for someone they could make king. Jesus’ reaction was to withdraw to a mountain alone. He wanted to be close; but the bonds of unity were to be religious, not political. In this incident, Jesus fulfills the essence of what a Christian ought to do to overcome all the conflicts and

hit country duo Sugarland; and Mr. Thicke, a musician-composer who has written hits for popular artists Jennifer Hudson, Usher and Mary J. Blige. Viewers of the show vote each week for who they want to continue via phone, online or Facebook. Each week, the singer who receives the lowest number of votes is eliminated until there is a winner, who gets an opportunity to launch a professional singing career with a recording contract with Hollywood Records. Dr. Foster can see that his daughter’s experience on “Duets” has heightened her interest in a music career, and at a good time. “She now has experience performing, but she can be a studio singer, too. We’re all given gifts. Alexis has the gift of music.” n dilemmas we might encounter. Jesus came close to people but maintained the agenda of the Kingdom. He risked death fearlessly and embraced life. He was poor; yet he lacked nothing. He had an intimate relationship with his Father that did not hinder his enjoyment of close ties to his mother, the Twelve, and to Mary, Martha and Lazarus to name a few. He had almighty power and used every bit of it, although, at the end, he was unable to carry his cross. He accepted all these paradoxes and more and thrived. As a result, we learn that this Christian life we strive to live is possible. In this era of ordinariness, when all is reduced to numbers and least common denominators, remember that—with Christ —we can attain heavenly glory. n

Readings continued from page 20 Thursday, July 19: Isaiah 26:7-9, 12, 16-19; Psalm 102:13-21; Matthew 11:28-30 Friday, July 20: Isaiah 38:1-6, 2122, 7-8; Isaiah 38:10-12, 16; Matthew 12:1-8 Saturday, July 21: Micah 2:1-5; Psalm 10:1-4, 7-8, 14; Matthew 12:14-21 Sunday, July 22: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 23:1-6; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34 Monday, July 23: Micah 6:1-4, 6-8; Psalm 50:5-6, 8-9, 16-17, 21, 23; Matthew 12:38-42 Tuesday, July 24: Micah 7:14-15, 18-20; Psalm 85:2-8; Matthew 12:46-50 Wednesday, July 25: Feast, James, apostle, 2 Corinthians 4:7-15; Psalm 126:1-6; Matthew 20:20-28 Thursday, July 26: Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13; Psalm 36:6-11; Matthew 13:10-17 Friday, July 27: Jeremiah 3:1417; Jeremiah 31:10-13; Matthew 13:18-23 Saturday, July 28: Jeremiah 7:111; Psalm 84:3-6, 8, 11; Matthew 13:24-30 Sunday, July 29: 2 Kings 4:42-44; Psalm 145:10-11, 15-18; Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-15 Monday, July 30: Jeremiah 13:111; Deuteronomy 32:18-21; Matthew 13:31-35 Tuesday, July 31: Jeremiah 14:1722; Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13; Matthew 13:36-43 Wednesday, Aug. 1: Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21; Psalm 59:2-4, 10-11, 17-18; Matthew 13:44-46 Thursday, Aug. 2: Jeremiah 18:1-6; Psalm 146:1-6; Matthew 13:47-53

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

Friday, Aug. 3: Jeremiah 26:1-9; Psalm 69:5, 8-10, 14; Matthew 13:54-58 Saturday, Aug. 4: Jeremiah 26:1116, 24; Psalm 69:15-16, 30-31, 3334; Matthew 14:1-12 n

July 1, 2012 21

Discovering more about Natural Family Planning By Marian Christiana Each year the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) designates a National Natural Family Planning (NFP) Awareness Week to coincide with the anniversary of the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae, written by Pope Paul VI (July 25, 1968). The encyclical articulates Catholic Church beliefs about human sexuality, conjugal love and responsible parenthood. This year, NFP Awareness Week and the educational campaign that goes along with it takes place July 22-29. There are several ways you can educate yourself about NFP. First, you can go to the USCCB website to read articles on NFP that cover a variety of topics, including current Catholic teaching and the latest medical research on the subject. Here is the link to NFP information on the USCCB website: http://www.usccb.org/ issues-and-action/marriage-andfamily/natural-family-planning/ awareness-week/index.cfm. Next, you can attend an Introduction to NFP presentation in your deanery. The Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment will offer three educational presentations to raise NFP awareness. The first session will be held in the Chattanooga Deanery on July 29 in the Trinity Room at St. Therese of Lisieux parish in Cleveland. The presentation is 1-2:30 p.m. There will be a second session scheduled in August for the Knoxville area and a third session will be held in the Five Rivers Deanery in September. The locations and dates for the Knoxville and Five Rivers sessions will be announced in the August issue of The East Tennessee Catholic and in deanery bulletins.

by Paul Simoneau

Cautions and Warnings

Marriage continued on page 23

22 July 1, 2012

Life and dignity

Flying can be a lot like the spiritual life – you need a flight plan and radar guidance

ilots quickly come to appreciate an important maxim that “It is better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground.” Many may recall the “Miracle on the Hudson” on Jan. 15, 2009, when Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger skillfully guided and ditched his aircraft in New York City’s Hudson River after losing power shortly after takeoff with 155 people on board. In a later CBS television interview, he said that “for 42 years I’ve been making small, regular deposits in this bank of experience: education and training. And on Jan. 15 the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal.” Pilots don’t depend on miracles, but they do prepare for them. While there is much to be said of the discipline and skill of an aviator, there is yet another dimension of travel that all of us must be attentive to. There is something of an aviator in all of us that speaks to this mystery of life and journey. It is no coincidence then that the Church has traditionally used the Latin word viator, meaning “one on the way,” to describe our journey toward a destination that lies beyond our earthly horizon. For all of the thousands of hours of flight time I logged as a Marine Corps pilot, there were countless more hours of study and preparation, beginning with flight school and continuing until the very last flight of my career. The reason was simple—the difference between life and death in aviation can come down to a moment’s decision or hesitation. How a pilot prepares for every flight and the possibility of that one moment is almost religious in nature. It is no exaggeration to say that the cockpit represents something of a

sacred sanctuary of communion between pilot and aircraft. The serious aviator approaches every flight with great respect, and never without a sacrificial offering of time, study and discipline. It is always hoped that this offering will be sufficient to accomplish the mission and further serve as a means to develop the knowledge, skills and experience needed for the more difficult flights that lie ahead. In the German language, the word for “experience” is closely related to the word “journey.” This is particularly true of our spiritual journey, which should be lived as a response to the experience of the gift of God. This is the moral life that the Church speaks of and that is meant to help us

There is something of an aviator in all of us that speaks to this mystery of life and journey. arrive safely at our life’s true destination. More appropriately, the moral life is “Life in Christ,” which is why the third part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is entitled as such—“I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Some may think of morality as nothing but a collection of antiquated rules and “thou shall not’s” that the Church has failed to loosen or rescind, and that can be simply ignored. But I doubt very much any of us would be comfortable boarding a passenger jet with a pilot possessing that same attitude regarding aircraft standard operating procedures, safety parameters and regulations. Here I am reminded of two words of tremendous importance in aviation safety—Caution and Warning. Both are defined in the preface of every Marine and Navy aircraft flight

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manual and found throughout their pages, highlighted within a shaded box next to important text that call for a pilot’s great care in observing. A Caution is defined as “An operating procedure, practice, or condition, etc., which may result in damage to equipment if not carefully observed or followed.” A Warning is worded exactly the same, except the consequence of neglect “may result in injury or death.” Even if a pilot should not fully understand initially why the caution or warning exists, he certainly should never disregard it. Aviators often are reminded that many of our operating procedures and safety parameters, particularly those for handling emergencies, are written in blood—lessons learned from those whom the journey claimed. But the Church’s spiritual flight manual, containing all of life’s operating procedures, is written with the Blood of Christ, who repaired all of sin’s damage to the airframe of our humanity, correcting for its vertigo and disorientations, and completing man’s journey that had been interrupted by the deadly “crash” of sin. If the Church seems so careful in its emphasis of what the moral life consists—of our response to the experience of God—it is simply because it is the flight plan that Christ Himself flew and navigated for us, and entrusted to the Church to teach and safeguard from all deviation. And it is the Church that continues to provide, with the voice of Christ, all the radar vectors and instructions that we need to safely navigate through the hazards, storms and turbulence of life. What our heart truly longs for is what the Church directs and guides us to. n Mr. Simoneau directs the diocesan Justice and Peace Office. dioknox.org

Understanding the sacraments

by Father Randy Stice

Marriage continued from page 22

Transformed into divine life

Christ at work is the heart of understanding the efficacy of the sacraments

rom the earliest centuries, the Church has dealt with various questions regarding the efficacy of the sacraments. How important, for example, are the specific words spoken? How does the holiness or sinfulness of the minister affect the sacrament? Does the faith of the recipient determine the efficacy of the sacrament? Each of these questions deals with what sacramental theologians call “validity,” which means the sacrament took place or was effected. By contrast, if a sacrament is invalid it means that some essential part was absent and so the sacrament did not take place. Let’s take the first question, concerning the importance of the words spoken during the sacrament. We know, for example, that in the first two or three centuries of the Church the priest had a degree of freedom in composing the Eucharistic prayer. However, by the year 215 we see the first complete text of a Eucharistic prayer, and we know that our Eucharistic Prayer I, known as the Roman Canon, was complete in its essential by the year 380. Clearly, the Church felt that the words did matter. Another example of the importance of liturgical words comes from the sacrament of baptism. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus clearly instructed his disciples to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” However, in recent decades some ministers have replaced Father, Son and Holy Spirit with Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. In 2008 the Church determined that baptism using the latter titles is invalid and those baptized using this formula needed to be baptized “absolutely” (i.e., again). A second question concerns the holiness of the minister: Does the sinfulness of the minister render the sacraments invalid? This question The East Tennessee Catholic

first arose in the third and fourth centuries when some priests and bishops committed apostasy during the Roman persecutions but later returned to the Church. The Donatists (named after their bishop Donatus) argued that their sinfulness rendered their administration of the sacraments invalid. St. Augustine disagreed—and prevailed (it was never a good idea to oppose St. Augustine), arguing that baptism “belongs to Christ, regardless of who may give it.” Forty years after St. Augustine, Pope Anastasius II affirmed this teaching: “If the rays of the sun do not become tainted by passing through repulsive filth, much less is the power of God working in the sacraments diminished by the unworthiness of their minister.” The Church’s affirmation that the sacraments act ex opere operato must not be understood as some sort of magic. The sinfulness of the minister was raised again in the 13th century by the Waldensians and again in the 16th century by the reformers Wyclif and Hus. Pope Martin V replied that a bad priest who uses the essential elements “and has the intention of doing what the Church does, truly performs the Eucharist, truly absolves, truly baptizes, truly confers the other sacraments.” Drawing on the work of theologians beginning in the 13th century, the Council of Trent taught that the sacraments are effective ex opere operato—“by the very fact of the action’s being performed,“ i.e., by virtue of the saving work of Christ accomplished once for all” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1128). Martin Luther raised our third question, arguing that the validity of the sacraments is determined by the faith of the recipient rather than

by the performance of the rite, thus rejecting the principle of ex opere operato. His view was condemned by the Council of Trent. The faith of the recipient is important for the fruitfulness of the sacrament, but not for its validity, for “the fruits of the sacraments also depend on the disposition of the one who receives them” (Catechism, 1128). The Church’s affirmation that the sacraments act ex opere operato must not be understood as some sort of magic. In the words of the Catechism, “From the moment that a sacrament is celebrated in accordance with the intention of the Church, the power of Christ and his Spirit acts in and through it, independently of the personal holiness of the minister” (Catechism, 1128). In the words of one theologian, ex opere operato “is Christ’s guarantee that He will act in the sacraments independent of the worthiness of his minister. In this way, Christ’s faithful are not at the mercy of the holiness of the minister for their own pursuit of holiness” (The Sacramental Mystery, 13). The Catechism offers us a beautiful summary of sacramental causality. The sacraments “are efficacious because in them Christ himself is at work: it is he who baptizes, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies. The Father always hears the prayer of his Son’s Church, which, in the epiclesis of each sacrament, expresses her faith in the power of the Spirit. As fire transforms into itself everything it touches, so the Holy Spirit transforms into the divine life whatever is subjected to his power” (Catechism, 1127). n Father Stice directs the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox.org.

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Finally, you can access YouTube. com to view personal testimonies on NFP usage before you dig deeper into the subject. Here’s a link to one of the testimonies: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=4CTJ22Qicjk&feature=related. Now you might ask yourself, “Why should I learn more about Natural Family Planning?” Practicing NFP has had a positive impact on many marriages and here are five benefits that come from practicing NFP that you may want to consider: 1. Open communication — You cannot effectively practice NFP without improving your level of communication with your spouse. 2. A stronger bond — Talking about the intricacies of fertility signs and interpreting those signs creates a bond that only the two of you share. 3. Increased appreciation of intimacy — Experiencing times of abstinence helps couples find other ways to show their love and respect for each other. 4. Mutual decision-making — For NFP to be successful, both spouses must be involved 100 percent. Decisions concerning sexual activity cannot be one-sided. 5. Married for life — The divorce rate for couples practicing NFP is less than 5 percent. Divorce in the general population in 2011 was more than 50 percent. Once you have done some investigation, learned more about NFP and want to find a natural family planning teacher in your area, go to the following Diocese of Knoxville website for contact information: dioknox.org/officesministries/marriage-and-familylife/natural-family-planning-nfp/. n Mrs. Christiana is coordinator of the diocesan Marriage Preparation and Enrichment Office.

July 1, 2012 23

Funeral Mass set for Deacon Joe Solis The funeral Mass for Deacon Joe Solis will be held at 11 a.m. CDT Thursday, July 12, at St. Alphonsus Church in Crossville. Bishop Richard F. Stika will preside, with concelebrating priests of the diocese. Interment will be at the columbarium at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fairfield Glade, immediately following the funeral. A luncheon will be provided at St. Alphonsus after the interment. Anyone wishing to attend the luncheon should contact the parish office at 931-484-2358. Deacon Solis died in a car accident Saturday, Jan. 14, in Cumberland County. n

Former Good Shepherd sister dies in Michigan Sister Mary Ann Konieski, formerly known as Sister Marie Cordia Konieski, died Thursday, April 26, at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Mich. She was 81 years old and in the 62nd year of her religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation. Sister Mary Ann formerly served at Good Shepherd Parish in Newport. She was born in Detroit to Herman and Anna (Hebel) Konieski. She graduated from St. Joseph Academy in Adrian, Mich., and received a bachelor of home economics degree from Siena Heights College in Adrian and a master of education degree from Michigan State University in East Lansing. Sister Mary Ann spent 21 years ministering in education in Port Huron, Brighton, and Detroit, Mich., and in Chicago and Rockford, Ill. She was a pastoral minister for 16 years at Visitation Parish and St. Agnes Parish in Detroit, for four years at St. Ladislaus Parish in Hamtramck, Mich., and for 11 years in Celina and Newport, Ten-

Once upon a time

by Monsignor Xavier Mankel

Hands-off attitude has a federal history

Fortnight For Freedom reminds us how Catholics have long backed the separation of church and state

s we’ve experienced a Fortnight For Freedom, many of our people reviewed this term fortnight (from fourtene night: two weeks) and surfaced other terms that help us mark our civil and ecclesial periods of time. The era comes to mind: a period typified by some special feature, e.g. the pontificate of Pope Pius XII; the octave: the group of eight days beginning with a special solemnity or feast; and the novena: our Church’s nine days of devotion — the most famous one is the novena in preparation for Pentecost (the nine days between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost). Hopefully the recent Fortnight for Freedom has been a wonder experience for our readers. Life seems to get more complicated as centuries fly by. The Fortnight gave us cause to remember what a wonderful relationship has existed between our church and our government from the beginning of these United States. If Catholics did not figure prominently in the new nation’s public life, it was because of a combination of circumstances, such as their scarcity of numbers, general poverty and obscurity, the widespread antiCatholic prejudice that accounted for legal disabilities still in force against them in several states, the Catholics’ own lack of knowledge and experience in public affairs, and the persistence among them of a

mentality common to a proscribed minority. Moreover, as the immigrants overshadowed the native Catholic families, their status and influence as a religious group decreased steadily. These factors were more important than any deliberate Catholic aloofness born of disapproval of American ways. There was very little of the latter, for the patriotic actions of Charles Carroll of Carrollton in the Continental Congress and of Thomas FitzSimons and Daniel Carroll in the Constitutional Convention were a reflection of the sentiments of the vast majority of their coreligionists. Moreover, Catholics strongly supported the American political principle of separation of church and state. As early as 1784 John Carroll had publicly commended the civil and religious freedom enjoyed by Americans. Which, he said, ”If we have the wisdom and temper to preserve, America may come to exhibit a proof to the world, that general and equal toleration, by giving a free circulation to the argument, is the most effectual method to bring all denominations of Christians to a unity of faith” (An Address to the Roman Catholics of the United States of America (Annapolis 1784) 115). In this matter Carroll helped to shape his fellow Catholics’ patterns of thought, as he did in so many other ways. One example is the belief that the clergy should remain

aloof from politics. He had agreed only very reluctantly to accompany the delegation of the Continental Congress to Canada (1776) to seek the latter’s aid in the Revolutionary War. His American coreligionists shared his view that “when ministers of religion leave the duties of their profession to take a busy part in political matters, they generally fall into contempt, and sometimes they even bring discredit to the cause in whose service they are engaged (P. Guilday, John Carroll 1:97). In 1783, when Rome sounded out the official American reaction to the appointment of a bishop for the United States, the Continental Congress replied (May 1784) that since the matter was purely spiritual, “it is without the jurisdiction and powers of Congress, who have no authority to permit or refuse it…” (G. Hunt, ed., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789 (Washington 1928) 37:368). This hands-off attitude was repeated 22 years later in the reply of Secretary of State James Madison to an inquiry from Carroll about how the government would view the latter’s recommendation of a man for the vacant Diocese of Louisiana. Madison stated that since the case was “entirely ecclesiastical,” it was felt to be more in keeping with the Constitution, “in guarding against a political interference with religious affairs,” to decline to express any opinion. By a series of steps of this

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

Sister continued on page 25

24 July 1, 2012

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dioknox.org

INDIANAPOLIS (CNS)—As members of the Catholic media gathered here, Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput reminded them that “religious freedom is a cornerstone of the American experience.” Speaking June 20 to the press group amid the “Fortnight For Freedom” observance, a U.S. Catholic Church effort to galvanize Catholics across the country to pray for and learn about religious liberty, Archbishop Chaput said in an address on religious freedom that the U.S. founders “saw religious faith as vital to the life of a free people.” “Liberty and happiness grow organically out of virtue,” he said. “And virtue needs a grounding in religious faith.” The archbishop said religious liberty, however, is more than freedom of worship. “It begins in worship, but it also demands preaching, teaching and service,” he said. “It’s always personal but never private.” This liberty seen as so vital to the kind the constitutional principle gradually became fixed, and the Catholic Church proceeded on its way free from any official interference or hindrance by the Federal government. However, despite this freedom, for many years the special circum-

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

Media offered lesson in Fortnight For Freedom

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput

nation’s founders, Archbishop Chaput said, is now facing threats that are “immediate, serious and real” and are often linked to a hostile reaction to Catholic teachings on sexuality and life issues. Citing an article written by University of Notre Dame law professor Gerry Bradley, Archbishop Chaput said critics of these teachings see stances described above prevented Catholics from identifying themselves in any numbers with public affairs. We are indebted to Monsignor John Tracy Ellis, one of America’s great Catholic historians, for many of the thoughts found above. Main-

them merely as “subjective religious . . . that can’t be rationally defended . . . and should be treated as a form of prejudice.” “In effect, 2,000 years of moral tradition and religious belief become a species of bias,” Archbishop Chaput said. “Opposing same-sex ‘marriage’ thus amounts to religiously blessed homophobia.” In the face of such opposition to church teaching, Archbishop Chaput said Catholics need to work hard to preserve their religious liberty. “In practice, nothing guarantees our freedoms except our willingness to fight for them,” he said. “That means fighting politically and through the courts, without tiring and without apologies.” In the end, however, Archbishop Chaput suggested that threats to religious liberty can also be found within the church in the United States itself. “Religious liberty is an empty shell if the spiritual core of a people is weak,” he said. n taining context is an important part of our focus on the here and now as life in the United States becomes more complicated. n Monsignor Mankel is a vicar general of the diocese and the pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville.

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Virtus training The Diocese of Knoxville’s program for the protection of children and youth–a threehour seminar called “Protecting God’s Children”–is offered throughout the diocese. The seminars are required for parish and school employees and regular volunteers in contact with children or vulnerable adults. The following training sessions have been scheduled: • St. Dominic Church, Kingsport, 6 p.m. Wed., July 11. • St. Augustine Church, Signal Mountain, 5:30 p.m., Thurs., July 12. • Holy Cross Church, Pigeon Forge, 9 a.m. Sat., July 14; 9 a.m., Sat., Sept. 8. • St. Jude Church, Chattanooga, noon, Mon., July 16; noon Thurs., Sept. 6. • All Saints Church, Knoxville, 10:30 a.m., Sat., Aug. 4. • St. Mary Church, Johnson City, 9:30 a.m., Sat., Aug. 18; 9:30 a.m., Tues., Sept. 11. • Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 7 p.m., Tues., Aug. 21.n Sister continued from page 24

nessee. She served at Divine Savior Parish in Celina from 1988 to 1990 and at Good Shepherd from 1990 to 1999. Sister Mary Ann became a resident of the Dominican Life Center in Adrian in 2012. She is survived by two sisters, Audrey Negro and Delphine Wronski of St. Clair Shores, Mich., and by many nieces and nephews. Burial took place Friday, April 27, in the congregation cemetery. The memorial Mass was held in St. Catherine Chapel on Saturday, April 28. The ritual of remembrance was also held April 28 in the chapel. Memorial gifts may be made to the Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 E. Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, MI 49221. n July 1, 2012 25

ATLANTA (CNS) — While the Catholic Church has taken major steps in addressing allegations of clergy sexual abuse, it must continue to be vigilant in assuring that victims and their families will receive the attention and care they deserve, said the chairman of the National Review Board. In a report marking the 10th anniversary of the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” Al J. Notzon III told the U.S. bishops June 13 at their spring meeting that transparency remains a crucial component of building and maintaining credibility among the Catholic faithful as well as the general public. He credited the country’s bishops for developing more pastoral responses, rather than being concerned primarily with legal issues when allegations are made. “In the long run, the strictly legal response caused more pain, did more damage and cost more money,” Notzon said. “The lesson learned by the church is clear: We must treat those making allegations of sexual abuse with compassion and care. It is not only the best solution, but the right thing to do and an integral part of the church’s spiritual mission.” The charter was part of the U.S. bishops’ response to the clergy abuse scandal that was a major concern when they met in Dallas in 2002. Notzon also commended the bishops for readily reporting abuse allegations to law enforcement authorities for investigation, a requirement of the charter. He cautioned that the bishops must continue to do so. “When one bishop fails to do so, the whole church suffers,” he said. Despite the successes, Notzon said the church’s credibility continues to suffer because many Catholics and the broader community not only believe clergy sexual abuse remains at a high level but also think that local bishops continue to cover up the

26 July 1, 2012

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Progress report details success dioceses have in abuse cases B

Meet the press Al J. Notzon III answers questions from the media about findings in the report marking the 10th anniversary of the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” during the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ spring meeting in Atlanta in June. Sitting next to Mr. Notzon is Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City.

problem by not reporting allegations of abuse to local authorities. “This suggests a trust problem and must be met with scrupulous adherence to the charter,” he said. “The truth is the dioceses and eparchies are still receiving reports of sexual abuse of minors and most are being reported to civil authorities as required by law. Those few cases that are not reported quickly become news. “The harm that could be done to children and a distant second, the negative publicity that results, should serve as a reminder to all to follow canon law, diocesan policy and state law.” Notzon also noted that all 195 U.S. dioceses and eparchies have victim assistance coordinators whereas in 2002 when the abuse scandal came to light, only about 25 dioceses and eparchies had someone in place to work with victims. Since the charter was adopted, nearly all dioceses and eparchies have undergone an annual audit by private agencies hired by the USCCB to determine how well they comply

with the 17 areas of the document. The compliance rate has increased steadily over the last decade, Notzon said. The charter also required that safe environment programs be adopted by dioceses, parishes, Catholic schools and nonprofit organizations. Notzon said $20 million is spent annually on such programs and that during the last decade dioceses have conducted background checks on 60,190 clerics and candidates for ordination, 159,689 educators, 249,133 employees and 1.8 million volunteers. In addition, 94 percent of the country’s 5.1 million students currently enrolled in Catholic schools and parish school of religion classes have undergone awareness training, he said. Challenges still remain, Notzon explained. He warned against “complacency or charter drift, that is, thinking 10 years of action is enough and programs and vigilance can be taken for granted or worse, watered down.” He also said that greater collaboration is needed between religious

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orders and individual dioceses and eparchies when a report of alleged abuse received against a religiousorder priest goes unreported to the local bishop. Under canon law, disciplinary actions against religiousorder clergy who have been accused of abuse are handled by the superior of the order. “Ten years is too long for there still to be incidents where dioceses and eparchies are not informed of religious-order priest offenders living in the diocese until it is too late,” he said. The National Review Board recommends dialogue between the bishops and religious superiors within the diocese on a yearly basis to address these issues.” Notzon also presented a series of recommendations stemming from “The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010” undertaken by John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. The study, which examined the reasons for clergy sexual abuse, was commissioned by the lay-led National Review Board and not by the bishops. Among the review board’s recommendations are: • That dioceses and eparchies address situational factors that can contribute to the possibility of abuse. Such factors include job stress, social isolation and decreased contact with peers. • Developing a system of clergy evaluation similar to those in other professions. • Continuing safe environment training of all parish staff, volunteers, teachers and anyone ministering to children. • Continuously improving the annual audit process within dioceses to ensure strong cooperation between the auditing firm and parishes. • Sharing at least annually diocesan policies and procedures with parishioners so that they understand the protections in place. n dioknox.org

ATLANTA (CNS) — Making an impassioned plea on behalf of Iraq’s dwindling Christian population, Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni of Baghdad called upon U.S. bishops to press the Obama administration to take steps to protect religious rights in the Middle Eastern country. Speaking June 13 during the spring general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the cleric from Iraq said the country’s Christians are being targeted by Muslim extremists bent on ridding the country of all religious minorities. He said in the session presented by the bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace that the Missioning continued from page 5

of the Holy Spirit.” The bishop told the newcomers and older Catholics of their importance as individuals. - “For all of you who have joined the Church in East Tennessee these last weeks and for all of you seasoned veterans, it’s just a reminder to all of us of the importance that we have as individuals. The Lord waits for each and every one of us to make a difference, to share the faith, to be like those apostles strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Bishop Stika said there are times— such as at confirmations, weddings, or a child’s baptism—when faith is easy. “But also the promise of Jesus and faith is standing there watching someone walk by us with this thump, thump, thump of wood on a cobblestone as we see Jesus fall the first time and the second time in the city of Jerusalem on his way to Calvary, his crucifixion,” he said. “‘Come and take up your cross and follow me,’ that same Jesus says to each and every one of us.” Everyone who wears the title of Catholic “has a role to play in the growth of the Church,” Bishop Stika The East Tennessee Catholic

difficulties Christians face emerged only after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. “As leaders of the church in the United States,” he told the bishops, “you bear a special responsibility toward the people and Christians of Iraq. In 2003, your government led the war that brought some terrible consequences. The U.S. government can and must do all it can to encourage tolerance and respect in Iraq, to help Iraq strengthen the rule of law and to provide assistance that helps create jobs for Iraqis, especially those on the margins. “Many times we ask, ‘Where can we find justice and peace?’ Our Lord says, ‘I give you my peace, but not like the world gives.’ The peace said. “Being baptized or confirmed or receiving the Eucharist is not just an honor, it is a tremendous gift, but it’s also a gift that reminds us to make a difference, to help build the kingdom, to be missionaries, to be prophets, to evangelize, and to teach. “That’s my charge to all of you— your mission; a mission that doesn’t really come from me, but comes from Jesus himself on that Ascension day when he said, ‘Go, therefore, and teach all nations and baptize them.’” Bishop Stika thanked “all of you who have been a part of the catechesis” for the new Church members, “those of you who are teachers and role models of faith, sponsors, godparents, spouses—whatever you might have done, but I also want to thank those of you who have joined us in faith. Please know I need you, each and every one of you, in your parishes, in your lives, to be the face and the voice and the hands of Jesus Christ to build his kingdom.” In his closing remarks at Mass, the bishop told the newcomers “how grateful I am that you decided to join our Church. From whatever faith community, from whatever your background is, the reason you’re here

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

Bishops warned of dwindling Christian population in Iraq

Chaldean auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni of Baghdad speaks to the USCCB.

of Jesus is love. This love guides us to unity, because love works miracles, and builds justice and peace. This can be realized when all the church works together in one heart and one thought,” the bishop said. “We beg you to do something for us,” he continued. “We want only today is you’ve been guided by the Holy Spirit.” Lifelong Catholics sometimes erroneously believe they “know everything you need to know” about the Church, he said. “Faith is a thing that needs to be nurtured and alive, so I pray that all of you who have joined the Church are involved. If there’s Scripture study in your parish, attend that. If there’s ongoing formation, attend that. If they need somebody to volunteer to work at a fish fry or a soup kitchen or a food pantry—you know the beauty of the Church is that we’re called to be of service. ... I invite you to be a part of your parish, to be a part of your Church. And I always find this to be ironic: in some ways, God, who created everything, needs us to help him build his Church.” All the newcomers are “important to the building of the kingdom of God,” the bishop told those gathered at Sacred Heart Cathedral. “Never forget that, and don’t forget to participate in that ongoing formation and what it means to be Catholic and Christian in the world in which we live today.” n

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

peace, security and freedom. You can tell everybody Iraq was very rich, but now is very poor, because of the war and much discrimination. We want to cry out to you: we want peace, justice, stability, freedom of religion. No more war, no more death, no more explosions, no more injustice. Please help us talk to everybody. Push the cause of peace. Bishop Warduni cited brutal attacks on churches as tragic, including the October 2010 assault on the Syriac Catholic Church of Our Lady of Deliverance that claimed 58 lives. He said incidents have forced more than half of Iraq’s Christians to flee to neighboring countries, reducing the Chaldean population to about 400,000. n

Leaders say the plight of refugees must be addressed WASHINGTON (CNS)— In observance of World Refugee Day June 20, Catholic leaders noted that not much has changed in the plight of more than 15 million refugees in the world today. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor of Little Rock, Ark., spoke of the need for the global community to “welcome the stranger” and to aid the millions of refugees who are forced to escape violence and other kinds of persecution in their homeland. Anastasia Brown, director of resettlement services for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services, said since 800,000 new people became refugees last year, the 75,000 refugees that the United States has committed to receive every year continues to be not enough, with recent government-instituted security clearances reducing the numbers of refugees coming to the U.S. Globally, more people were being forced to flee to other countries in 2011 than at any time since 2000. n July 1, 2012 27

Vatican announces calendar of events to celebrate Year of Faith VATICAN CITY (CNS)—With a hymn and a prayer, Italian Archbishop Rino Fisichella presented the Vatican’s initial calendar of events for the Year of Faith, which begins with a Mass Oct. 11 in St. Peter’s Square. Archbishop Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, said the pope has invited as concelebrants bishops and theologians who, like the pontiff, served as members or experts at the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council. The archbishop said he hoped about 35 “council fathers” would be able to join the presidents of national bishops’ conferences and bishops participating in the world Synod of Bishops in concelebrating the opening Mass. During a news conference at the Vatican June 21, Archbishop Fisichella unveiled the sheet music for the official hymn for the Year of Faith, “Credo, Domine, Adauge No-

28 July 1, 2012

bis Fidem” (I believe, Lord, increase our faith). “I’ll spare you my musical interpretation,” he said, smiling. He also distributed copies of the official Year of Faith logo and prayer card, which features a mosaic image of Christ from the cathedral in Cefalu, Italy. The Nicene Creed is printed on the back of the cards, with the idea that the profession of faith would become “a daily prayer, learned by heart, as it was in the first centuries of Christianity,” the archbishop said. Archbishop Fisichella also announced that the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments had just approved prayer texts in Latin and Italian for a special “Mass for New Evangelization.” The archbishop’s office is translating the Latin text into English, Spanish and other languages and hopes to have the congregation’s approval of the translations by the time the Year of

Faith opens, he said. Pope Benedict called the Year of Faith to strengthen Catholics who go to church, reach out to those who have left but still yearn for God in their lives, offer a response to those who are searching for meaning and help those who think they do not need God, he said. “We are not hiding the fact that there is a crisis of faith, but it is

only when one becomes completely aware of a crisis that one can find ways to remedy it,” the archbishop said. He said the pope decided it was right to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church with a year dedicated to encouraging Catholics to study, profess and demonstrate their faith. The Vatican launched a website—www.annusfidei.va—containing information about the Year of Faith and the calendar of special events Pope Benedict will celebrate during the year. Many of the pope’s traditional appointments, like the Jan. 25 celebration marking the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Feb. 2 prayer with religious, will be incorporated into the Year of Faith, which concludes Nov. 24, 2013. n

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

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