May 9, 2010, ET Catholic by Diocese of Knoxville

CNS/JONATH AN ERNST, REUTERS

Protesting punitive law Amilcar Ramirez weeps as he holds a U.S. flag at a May Day rally in Washington on May 1. Demonstrators at rallies across the nation criticized Arizona’s new immigration law, which makes it a state crime to be in the United States illegally. page 10

THE EAST TENNESSEE

Volume 19 • Number 17 • May 9, 2010

The

N E W S PA P E R

of the D I O C E S E of K N O X V I L L E w w w. d i o k n o x . o r g

VATICAN CITY (CNS)—After nine years of work involving Vatican officials, English-speaking bishops around the world, and hundreds of consultants, Pope Benedict XVI received a complete version of the English translation of the Roman Missal. The white-bound gold-edged Missal, which contains all the prayers used at Mass, was given to the pope during a luncheon April 28 with members of the Vox Clara Committee, an international group of bishops who advise the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments about English liturgical translations. “Soon the fruits of your labors will be made available to English-speaking congregations everywhere,” the pope told Vox Clara members. “Many will find it hard to adjust to unfamiliar texts after nearly 40 years of continuous use of the previous translations,” the pope said, which is why

Talks will help ‘keep kids safe’ Catholic Charities’ Kim Cook is speaking to parents around the diocese on personal safety. By Dan McWilliams he recent admission by East Tennessee priest William Casey—that there was credibility to a man’s charge that he sexually abused him when he was a boy in the 1970s— has led the Diocese of Knoxville to hold a series of talks around East Tennessee to help the faithful deal with the news. At the talks parents will also learn how to discuss sexual abuse with their children. Warren A. Tucker, now 44 and living in Jeffersonville, Ind., made the charge April 14 that Mr. Casey “sexually abused me in every way imaginable” from the time Mr. Tucker—a former student at St. Dominic School in Kingsport—was 10 to 15 years old [April 25 ETC]. Bishop Richard F. Stika permanently suspended Mr. Casey from ministry April 14 after the latter made his admission. The talks around

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Pope receives complete copy of new Roman Missal in English

A series of sessions in the four deaneries will help parents learn how to talk with their children about sex abuse. The first took place May 3; others are set for May 6, 12, and 13. FAMILY TIME

the diocese are being conducted by Kim Cook, case coordinator with Columbus Home Assisting Parents (CHAP), a program of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee that educates parents on preventing

abuse and neglect and the removal of children from families because of those factors. Representatives of the diocese will be on hand as well at each meeting. The first talk was held at Notre Dame

Church in Greeneville on May 3. No longer allowed to use the title “Father,” Mr. Casey has lived in Greeneville in retirement, and the news about him may have hit hardest at Notre Dame, where he had

served for many years. The talks, all scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., will continue Thursday, May 6, in the parish hall at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport; WednesTalks continued on page 3

Missal continued on page 2

Dear Lord: We pray that the Blessed Mother will wrap her mantle around your priests and through her intercession strengthen them for their ministry. We pray that Mary will guide your priests to follow her own words, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). May your priests have the heart of St. Joseph, Mary’s most chaste spouse. May the Blessed Mother’s own pierced heart inspire them to embrace all who suffer at the foot of the cross. May your priests be holy and filled with the fire of your love, seeking nothing but your greater glory and the salvation of souls. Amen. St. John Vianney, pray for us. ■ Download prayers and a rosary booklet: bit.ly/priestprayers.

All East Tennessee parishes now have ‘full status’ The diocese, for the first time ever, has only ‘full’ parishes, as two missions and a quasi-parish establish the financial independence needed for elevation. BY DAN M C WILLIAM S

he Diocese of Knoxville’s only remaining quasi-parish and its last two mission parishes have now

been elevated to full-parish status. Effective Feb. 15, St. Anthony of Padua in Mountain City, a quasi-parish,

and the missions of St. Christopher in Jamestown and St. Francis of Assisi in Townsend became full parishes. In a first for the

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Please pray for our priests

ONCE A MISSION PARISH Bishop

Richard F. Stika speaks at the dedication of St. Christopher Church in Jamestown on July 25, 2009. St. Christopher and St. Francis of Assisi in Townsend, formerly missions, have been erected as full parishes, along with St. Anthony of Padua in Mountain City, previously a quasi-parish.

diocese, founded in 1988, all of its parishes—47 total—are full parishes. The Presbyteral Council heard the petition of Bishop Richard F. Stika regarding those parishes’ status at its February meeting, and that made their elevation official. In late April diocesan chancellor Deacon Sean Smith finished a canonical decree for the bishop to sign to complete the process. “The only requirement for a bishop to erect a parish is that the Presbyteral Council has to hear the petition, and that happened at the meeting on Feb. 15,” said Deacon Smith. “That’s when it all went into effect.” A quasi-parish has “particular circumstances,” per canon law, that prevent it from being a full parish. Financial independence is one such circumstance. “To simplify, it is one in which they’re not in a financial situation in which they can exist independently from another parish,” Parishes continued on page 3

letters to the

EDITOR

Catholic faith lives despite ‘rotten apples’

Tertullian, who was born about 155 and died about 222 AD, was an early Father of the Church. One of his most-quoted lines about the Catholic faith is, “It is to be believed because it is absurd.” Problems arose when he found infidelities, apostasy, cowardice, lukewarmness, and immorality among his fellow Christians, Christians who fell into mortal sin. Calling for a purer Church, he fell into heresy. He founded the Tertullianists, who survived until about 400 AD. Tertullian died separated from the Catholic Church he had spent passionate years to build up. But because of those passionate years, he is still a Father of the Church. Our Lord himself chose a rotten apple. There always have been and always will be rotten apples in the Catholic Church. ■ —Joe Schaad Rutledge Letters should be 350 words or less and will be edited for grammar, style, clarity, and length. Submit them by e-mail or mail: news@ dioknox.org, 805 Northshore Drive Southwest, Knoxville, TN 37919. Letters to the editor reflect the opinions of their authors and not those of the editorial staff or the publisher.

Missal continued from page 1

“the change will need to be introduced with due sensitivity.” The pope thanked the Vox Clara members and all those who contributed to the translation process because “through these sacred texts and the actions that accompany them, Christ will be made present and active in the midst of his people.” The new English-language Missal is a translation of the Latin edition officially promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 2000 and released in 2002. The copy given to the pope includes the recognitio, or approval for use, dated March 25, 2010, and signed by Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera, prefect of the worship congregation, and U.S. Archbishop J. Augustine Di Noia, congregation secretary. Chicago Cardinal Francis E. George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said that although the overall text has been approved for use, editions with specific adaptations for each country are pending. He said he expected the recognitio for the U.S. version before the end of May. Catholics will definitely notice the new translation, Cardinal George said, but the change will be “far less dramatic than going from Latin to English was.” “When they see what a beautiful text it is, many people will welcome it,” the cardinal told Catholic News Service on April 29. Some people, for a variety of reasons, will not like the translation, he said, “but in the end it will be the text the Church uses for prayer.” Archbishop Terrence Prendergast of Ottawa, a member of Vox Clara, told CNS that members expect bishops’ conferences in most Englishspeaking countries to begin using the new translation in Advent 2011. After the Vox Clara meeting in January, the archbishop said, members left Rome wondering whether it would be finished in time for the April meeting. The congregation and a group of volunteers working with Monsignor James P. Moroney, former executive director of the Secretariat for the Liturgy at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, “made sure that every line was checked and rechecked,” he said. Before a copy was presented to the pope April 28, the Vox Clara members were briefed on “how they brought the final version together—how the final recensions were made, the copy editing, and the consultation with different people on how it sounded,” he said. Because the Missal was translated in parts and approved in sections by the various bishops’ conferences, some prayers that are used only occasionally had been translated slightly differently in different parts of the Missal. The congregation determined which of the translations to use consistently, the archbishop said. “While we may have had some reservations when we first started the project—you know, ‘I’d rather this than that’—we began to see that the thing really came together and was a wonderful work of collaboration among the different countries of the world,” Archbishop Prendergast said. “I think we have a majestic, reverent text that will be a great contribution to the Church,” he said. The Latin Missal text was translated into English by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, a body established by Englishspeaking bishops’ conferences. The conferences voted on each text and requested some specific wording for use in their own countries. The texts approved by the bishops’ conferences were forwarded to the Vatican for approval. The congregation examined the texts with input from the members of the Vox Clara Committee. For more on the new Missal, visit USCCB’s online guide: usccb.org/romanmissal/. ■ Copyright 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops 2

■

MAY 9, 2010

living the

READINGS

BY FATHER JOSEPH BRANDO

Don’t call me God has already made the call and is waiting ‘on hold’ for our response.

When you’re looking for a job or trying to get accepted by a college, the last thing you want to hear from your contact are the disconcerting words, “Don’t call us; we’ll call you.” With a sigh, you immediately think to yourself that those are the last words you’ll hear from them. Today’s readings assure us that we will never have to worry about God’s response to us when we want to stay in contact with him. Quite the opposite is the case. Contact with God is not dependent on our calling God but on his faithfulness to call us first. In the Book of Revelation,

John testifies that “an angel took me in spirit to a . . . mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.” It is important to know that we don’t make the effort to begin the long journey to the New Jerusalem from where we find ourselves. God sends it to us. We don’t achieve heaven. We are taken there in spirit. It is a gift, complete with walls of precious gemstones, that comes totally from God without our applying for it. God provides us with light and his divine presence. Our function is to appreciate it with awe and praise. Today’s Gospel adds a word of advice for those who want to do something to ensure that God is with us. All we need is to do his will: “Then my Father will love him and we will come to him and

make our dwelling with him.” In the meantime (between his Ascension into heaven and his Second Coming) we have the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we should not be wasting our prayer asking for God to show himself to us. Rather, we should become aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit who is, right now, present in us, through our baptism and confirmation. The first reading indicates the early Church operated on the principles they learned from God. When a major issue divided the Church in Antioch, the apostles in Jerusalem heard all the arguments, listened to God for an inspired answer, and soon sent representatives back to Antioch with the answer and encouragement. We need to encourage one another that we don’t need to wait for God to call. He’s on hold, waiting for us to pick up. ■ May 9, sixth Sunday of Easter Acts 15:1-2, 22-29 Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6,8 Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23 John 14:23-29

Developing an attitude Luke’s two books help us to understand how we should approach the Lord.

s we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord and come close to the end of the Easter season, a question arises. How do these events change us? What should our attitude be for the rest of our life? Perhaps the entire New Testament was written in re-

sponse to those important questions. Today’s readings give us the highlights of the advice the apostles and evangelists have left for us. Today’s Gospel passage is the very end of Luke’s Gospel. Our first reading is the beginning of Luke’s second book,

The Acts of the Apostles. Usually you can determine the major message of a literary work by its first and last words. Today the Church presents us with the themes of Luke’s two contributions to the Scriptures. The Gospel ends with the answer to

one of our questions: “They [the disciples after the Lord’s Ascension] returned to Jerusalem with great joy and they were continually in the temple praising God.” Our present attitude, then, should Readings continued on page 3

May 16, the Ascension of the Lord Acts 1:1-11 Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9 Hebrews 9:24-28; 10:19-23 Luke 24:46-53

WEEKDAY READINGS Monday, May 10: Acts 16:11-15; Psalm 149:1-6, 9; John 15:26–16:4 Tuesday, May 11: Acts 16:22-34; Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8; John 16:5-11 Wednesday, May 12: Acts 17:15 and 17:22–18:1; Psalm 148:1-2, 1114; John 16:12-15 Thursday, May 13: Acts 18:1-8; Psalm 98:1-4; John 16:16-20 Friday, May 14: Feast, Matthias, apostle, Acts 1:15-17, 20-26; Psalm

113:1-8; John 15:9-17 Saturday, May 15: Acts 18:23-28; Psalm 47:2-3, 8-10; John 16:23-28 Monday, May 17: Acts 19:1-8; Psalm 68:2-7; John 16:29-33 Tuesday, May 18: Acts 20:17-27; Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21; John 17:111 Wednesday, May 19: Acts 20:28-38; Psalm 68:29-30, 33-36; John 17:1119

Thursday, May 20: Acts 22:30 and 23:6-11; Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; John 17:20-26 Friday, May 21: Acts 25:13-21; Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20; John 21:15-19 Saturday, May 22: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31; Psalm 11:4-5, 7; John 21:2025; vigil of Pentecost: Acts 11:1-9; Psalm 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-30; Romans 8:22-27; John 7:37-39 ■

Catholic Communication Campaign collection set for May 15-16 WASHINGTON (CNS)—The annual collection for the Catholic Communication Campaign will be taken up in most U.S. dioceses the weekend of May 15-16. “Help Us Connect the World with God’s Word!” is this year’s theme. The CCC supports the use of new media, including the Internet and efforts in digital and social media but also radio, television, and print. Recent CCC grants included the creation of an adult catechism video/DVD; a documentary called Interrupted Lives, distributed to ABC affiliates, on the oppression of women religious under com-

munism in Central and Eastern Europe; and the production and broadcast of a Christmas Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception celebrated by Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington. Half of the funds collected each year go to the national CCC office to support Catholic media projects, including Catholic newspapers, radio and television programming and public-service announcements, as well as web resources such as daily liturgical and Scripture readings, podcasts, and videos on YouTube. The rest remains in

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

THE EAST TENNESSEE

805 Northshore Drive S.W .

the diocese to support local communication projects. “The Catholic Communication Campaign provides essential funding for the church to engage in using new communication technology in its evangelization efforts,” said Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Cincinnati, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ subcommittee on CCC. “Many Catholics turn to their mobile devices to find the world. The church needs to be in that world.” ■

Margaret Hunt Administrative assistant Toni Pacitti Intern

Knoxville, TN 37919-7551

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TH E E A S T TE N N E S S E E C ATH OLI C

he dwells

AMONG US

BY BISHOP RICHARD F. STIKA

Life and motherhood Gardens offer us lessons on nurturing the gift of all life.

Gardens fascinate me, and what never fails to impress me is how suddenly the beauty of newborn life blossoms around us as if all of nature were celebrating the Easter season too. It seems no coincidence that Jesus’ passion began in a garden and triumphed in another. Even one of the women who first beheld our Risen Lord mistook him for a gardener. During this season when we particularly contemplate the mystery of the resurrection of Our Lord, my own reflections are drawn to what springtime gardens seem so naturally to celebrate: life and motherhood. My mother, Helen, loved to garden, and with her caring hands, every springtime she skillfully nurtured a new garden’s life to maturity and fruitfulness. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why Mother’s Day is celebrated when it is: the season speaks so much to the nurturing gift that is particularly a mother’s. My mother’s love extended well beyond the life she brought into this world. She welcomed not only my brothers, Lawrence and Robert, and me but also my adoptive brother, Joseph. I am so grateful to her for the gift of Joseph in our family. And I am likewise grateful to Sandi Davidson and those who assist her at Catholic Charities of East Tennessee in laboring so hard to make adoptions possible as a part of Pregnancy Help Services.

I recently was reminded of the preciousness of life and the special blessing of a mother’s love during a visit with Deacon Joseph Hieu Vinh and his daughter, Trang, while they were recovering at Vanderbilt Medical Center following the tragic accident at Immaculate Conception Church on Holy Saturday. When I entered Trang’s room, I was greeted by her mother, Lehang, whom we know affectionately as Cathy. She had not left her daughter’s side since the terrible accident, and I could see the exhaustion in her face from the suffering in which she had shared. But I also saw a mother’s tremendous love, which could never be exhausted in nurturing her child back to health. I couldn’t help but think of Our Blessed Mother at the foot of the cross of her son and how she suffered with him for love of us. I was also reminded of the figure of Veronica, about whom we know so little except for her act of kindness to Our Lord that we celebrate in the Stations of the Cross. Just as Veronica was left with the sacred image of Our Lord’s face on the veil she had offered him, Cathy had also captured the image of Christ in her acts of motherly kindness. In our daily witness to life, isn’t that what we are all called to do? It seems to me that the sacredness and dignity of human life is most evident in the vulnerability of the weak and suffering, who are therefore especially deserving of our care and protection. This is certainly true of life in the womb as well as the life of the elderly. Because of their

frailty, society increasingly views them as a fiscal burden and advocates programs of veiled euthanasia. Defending human dignity even entails defending the life of those whom we are most tempted to dismiss. I’ll never forget a specific moment during Pope John Paul II’s 1999 visit to St. Louis, which I helped coordinate. In that moment the Holy Father leaned over to Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan and in his thick Polish accent said, “Show mercy for Mr. Mease.” The governor knew exactly what the pope was asking: on the day of the pope’s arrival, Darrell Mease had been scheduled for execution for a triple murder he had committed in 1988. But so that the execution would not coincide with the pope’s visit, it had been set to occur after his departure. At the pope’s request, however, Gov. Carnahan commuted the sentence to life in prison without parole. I remember clearly the governor’s saying, “How could I say no to the pope?” I pray a similar miracle will occur here in Tennessee and that a son’s appeal to GoverBishop continued on page 7

BISHOP STIKA’S SCHEDULE These are some of Bishop Stika’s appointments: May 9: depart for pilgrimage to Poland May 17: return from Poland May 18: 6 p.m., confirmation, Notre Dame Church, Greeneville May 19: 9:45 a.m., Mass, Knoxville Catholic High School; 7 p.m., confirmation, St. Mary Church, Athens May 20: 8:40 a.m., Mass, Knoxville Catholic High School May 22: 10 a.m., graduation ceremony, Knoxville Catholic High School; 5 p.m., bilingual confirmation Mass, Our Lady of Fatima Church, Alcoa May 23: 11 a.m., confirmation, St. Bridget Church, Dayton; 2 p.m., graduation, Notre Dame High School, Chattanooga ■

Talks continued from page 1

day, May 12, in the downstairs parish hall at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga; and Thursday, May 13, in the gymnasium at St. John Neumann School in Farragut. This month’s series of talks is similar to those in the “Keeping Kids Safe” program the diocese conducted in 2004 and ’05 at churches and schools, Mrs. Cook said. “It’s going to be covering issues such as what parents can do to protect their children and what they should know about child-abuse prevention, child-abuse awareness, and risk reduction,” she said. “So we’ll have some practical guidelines that all parents or caretakers—whether it’s grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, or anyone who is taking care of a child—would be able to follow.” Father Ragan Schriver, CCET executive director, and Father David Boettner, diocesan moderator of the curia and episcopal vicar, came up with the idea for the sessions. “This is a difficult time for folks to process the information about this case, but also we’ve had a number of calls from parents who are struggling, trying to understand how to talk with children about the sexual abuse of children—when is it appropriate and what’s the best way to approach it without scaring children,” said Father Boettner. The talks will not focus on Mr. Casey’s situation. “[The focus is] going to be not so much the events that occurred a couple of weeks ago but on information all parents should be aware of,” said Mrs. Cook. “It’s safety T H E EA S T TE N N E S S E E C AT H OL IC

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Parishes continued from page 1

said Deacon Smith. “Clearly [the St. Anthony of Padua community] demonstrated that they are financially independent, and honestly, they’ve been that way for some time. Once I got wind of that, I pursued it.” Canon law does not specifically address mission parishes, but they are defined as parishes or quasi-parishes whose community lacks one or more of the following qualifications: a resident pastor; necessary financial resources; territorial boundaries; or a natural grouping by way of rite, nationality, or language. Because St. Anthony of Padua, St. Christopher, and St. Francis of Assisi can stand on their own financially, they deserved elevation, said Deacon Smith. “In all three cases, those parishes are financially independent and do not need financial resources from another parish or from the diocese,” he said. “Each of the three erected parishes has a non-resident pastor, and these pastors serve as pastors at other parishes as well; for example, Father Michael Sweeney serves as pastor for Blessed Sacrament in Harriman, St. Ann in Lancing, and St. Christopher.” St. Joseph the Worker in Madisonville in spring 2006, until then a quasi-parish, was the most recent quasi- or mission parish erected as a full parish. Three other quasi-parishes, Holy Cross in Pigeon Forge, Shepherd of the Valley in Dunlap, and Holy Spirit in Soddy-Daisy, were elevated earlier in the decade. ■

Readings continued from page 2

teaching for children, and it’s what I present through my [CHAP] program. “We talk about personal safety for children, which can be incorporated into your regular safety teaching such as why we don’t touch things that are hot, why we don’t cross the road without holding an adult’s hand, and—for older kids—why we don’t give out personal information over the Internet and so on.” Father Boettner said one of the handouts for the meetings is titled “How do you talk to kids without scaring them?” “The talks will give us an opportunity to understand better how to approach difficult topics with our children,” he said. The sessions will allow the Church “to be better able to help people heal when they’ve [experienced sexual abuse], to be better able to prevent it, and to be a community that works together to keep our children safe and to provide a safe environment.” Bringing personal safety into the discussion makes such talks nonthreatening for children, Mrs. Cook said. “And it gives them some guidelines to follow if they’re ever approached by a person in a situation that’s not appropriate—where if they don’t feel safe, they’ll know what to do. It’s about what we do on a daily basis through Catholic Charities for caretakers of children and not really focused on what happened” with Mr. Casey. Because the topic of the recent abuse case is bound to come up at her talks, Mrs. Cook said, she has a presentation ready.

“It’s called the four preconditions for an abusive environment,” she said. “Parents don’t really need or want to know a whole lot about sexoffender behavior or predator behavior. If they have a little bit of knowledge, it’ll go a long way to reinforcing why they should be talking to their children about safety, because most likely a sex-abuse incident will occur between a child and someone a child knows. “That’s why we have to talk to kids about what to do if someone they know wants to do something that’s not appropriate, that’s when they go and tell a safe adult. So we’ll be covering a little bit of ‘Keeping Kids Safe’ information.” The emphasis is on “little bit,” she said. “We’ll make [Keeping Kids Safe details] available as well as provide a one-page quick read for parents. My experience has been that on the tail end of a crisis like this, when people are concerned and maybe a little fearful, they want information, but they don’t want to be flooded with information. I want to make sure that what we’re giving them answers their concerns, specifically the question ‘How can I keep my child safe?’” The diocese recommends that parents not bring their children to the talks because content inappropriate for them to hear may arise. Parents should contact the host parish regarding the availability of baby-sitting. For more information on the sessions, call Peggy Humphreys at the Chancery office at 865-584-3307. ■ www.d ioknox.org

begin with great joy and praise that are prayerful and continuous. Luke’s mentor, Paul, calls the latter “praying without ceasing” and demands it for Christians. As we look at the beginning of Acts, we see that Luke begins exactly where he left off in the first book, namely, with the Ascension of Jesus. There Jesus’ last words are, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the world.” Briefly, Jesus told us to maintain an unquestioning trust that gives the whole world witness to our experience of the power of the Holy Spirit. Both of Luke’s answers to our basic question of Christian life can be summed up in the reading from the Epistle to the Hebrews: “We have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary. . . . Let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust . . . holding unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope.” So the bottom line of the New Testament is that we Christians are hopeful. We need to be joyfully confident and to remain in prayerful awe of the power of God within us as we offer this relationship with Christ to all we meet. What an attitude! ■ Father Brando is pastor of St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg.

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

MAY 9, 2010

■

BY TONI PACITTI

OLPH, Chattanooga ■ The Knights of Columbus sponsored

a 7 Up pancake breakfast on the weekend of April 24 and 25 to benefit Food for the Poor.

St. Augustine, Signal Mountain ■ “Baobab Blast” is the theme for this

year’s vacation Bible school, to be held from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, June 1, through Friday, June 4. Visit www.thecatholicvbsplace.org/theme/ or contact Karlin Baker at 423-8863643 or karlinbaker@yahoo.com or Colleen LaLiberte at 544-6534 or skwalking@hotmail.com.

St. Jude, Chattanooga ■ Senior high youth will prepare din-

ner for mothers after the 5:30 p.m. youth Mass on Sunday, May 9. ■ The last first Friday breakfast of the school year will be served after the 8:15 a.m. Mass on Friday, May 7, in the parish-life center to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Those wanting to bring food or learn more should contact Mary Arnold at 423-843-0507 or mla3197@comcast.net or Monica Griffin at 842-7930 or monicamg@ bellsouth.net.

St. Mary, Athens ■ The youth-ministry yard sale will be held Saturday, May 8. To donate items, call Sue Granger at 423-5067836 or Sissy Aparicio-Rascon at 7455625 or 462-5625.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga ■ The parish raised $2,407.13 for the

Pregnancy Help Center in recent weeks. Cumberland Mountain Deanery

All Saints, Knoxville

students, has an “It’s a Mystery” theme. Call Karen Wilkins-Butz at 865766-8386.

St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City ■ Parish children processed to the

grotto to crown the Blessed Mother on May 2. ■ Jared Riggs, son of parishioners Steve and Candy Riggs and grandson of Vince and Maryann Clayton, was recently named one of Lenoir City High School’s Academic Achievers. CAROL BIRD

Chattanooga Deanery

Five Rivers Deanery

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City ■ A rosary was prayed April 24 for American military troops. ■ The Knights of Columbus will host a Polish dinner after the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, May 15. Cost is $10 (free for children under 10). ■ Anniversaries: William and Elva Connors (60), Joe and Peg Kistner (57), Clyde and Joyce Ward (57), Dick and Bette Zyla (50), Gordon and Kathy Marshall (45)

Notre Dame, Greeneville ■ The parish council hosted a recep-

tion after all Masses on the weekend of April 24 and 25 to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the parish. ■ High school seniors will be recognized by the Knights of Columbus during the 11 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 16. The Council of Catholic Women will serve a brunch afterward. Seniors should call Barbara Price at 423-638-7042 with the number of their family members who will attend. ■ Anniversaries: George and Lois Toth (59), Jack and Jean Siersma (56), Roger and Margaret Gardner (55), Roy and Mary Drulard (45), John and Pamela Conley (30)

■ The parish May crowning was held after the morning Mass on May 4 at the outdoor statue of the Blessed Mother. ■ Moms & Tots will host an end-ofthe-year cookout for all playgroups at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 8, at Anchor Park in Farragut.

St. Dominic, Kingsport

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

St. Elizabeth, Elizabethton

■ The rosary will be prayed before

■ Volunteers prepared and served meals for 248 homeless and elderly people April 10 at St. John Episcopal Church as part of the Food for the Multitude program. The next opportunity for St. Elizabeth parishioners to volunteer is Saturday, May 22. ■ The parish garage sale April 16 and 17 raised almost $2,200. Plans are to use the money to purchase new Stations of the Cross. ■ This year’s Lenten baby-bottle project raised $2,169 for Abortion Alternatives & Women’s Center in Elizabethton. ■ Anniversary: Jos and Thea Tummers (45)

weekend Masses throughout May.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairﬁeld Glade ■ Applications for the Harmonia Din-

ner Group are available in the church office and on the bulletin board in Sheehan Hall. Four couples gather for dinner, with the host couple providing an entrée and potato while the guests bring a vegetable, salad, or dessert. Each couple hosts only once a year, and during the four dinners per season a couple is with three different couples each time. ■ A ministry rally and reception will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 19. Father Ragan Schriver, executive director of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, will speak about commitment. ■ Volunteers are needed for a mission trip to the Mazahua Indian Territory in Mexico from Tuesday, June 15, to Wednesday, June 23, to care for handicapped adults and children. Contact Bill McComb at 931-456-5306 to learn more. ■ Katie Norton, Arvie Paba, and Isabella Del Rossi will receive their first Holy Communion at the 10 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 9. Father John Dowling will present the girls with special Bibles to commemorate the occasion. ■ Anniversaries: Andrew and Stella Olinik (62), Donald and Shirley Savercool (60), Kevin and Helen Coyne (57), James and Rosemary Juif (56), Ed and Carolyn Mayo (53), Irvin and Carol Stenger (52), John and Yvonne Marciniak (51), Medard and Laura Kaluska (50), James and Ann Brendel (45), Dennis and Rosemarie Robak (40), Bob and Kathleen Small (5)

St. John Neumann, Farragut

raise money for the Relay for Life team April 28. ■ St. Dominic School graduate Amber Kent won the Daughters of the American Revolution 2010 essay contest.

St. Patrick, Morristown ■ The Council of Catholic Women’s

third annual Ladies’ Spring Garden Party and vintage jewelry sale will be held after the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 23, at the home of Christine Matthews. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased after weekend Masses. All women of the parish are encouraged to donate old jewelry for the sale. ■ New computers are needed for the church office. Call Deacon Jim Fage at 423-748-2836 to learn the office’s technical requirements. ■ Retrouvaille, a program for troubled marriages, will meet from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 15, in the office conference room. ■ Knights of Columbus Council 6730 will conduct its annual free prostatecancer screening from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 22, at the Hamblen County Health Department at 331 W. Main St. in Morristown. PSA testing will be available at a cost of $20. Smoky Mountain Deanery

Holy Ghost, Knoxville

pastor Father John Dowling presided over the dedication of the new church organ April 25. Brenda Goslee, Mary Lewis, Will Thomas, Michelle Walter, and the parish choir performed.

■ Knights of Columbus Council 645

St. Mary, Oak Ridge

Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa

■ Volunteers are needed to help with

■ Organist Will Thomas, who per-

vacation Bible school from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, June 14, through Thursday, June 18. This year’s VBS, open to rising kindergarten through sixth-grade

formed at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut on April 25 (see above), will do likewise for the dedication of Our

■

MAY 9, 2010

Two confirmed at St. Mary in Gatlinburg Father Joe Brando (back row, right) confirmed Nicole Groteler and Spencer Brien on April 6 at St. Mary Church in Gatlinburg. Also pictured with Nicole and Spencer are sponsors Debbie Reed and Alex McMillan and Deacon Otto Preske.

■ A spaghetti dinner was served to

■ Father Patrick Garrity and former

Sixteen in St. Augustine confirmation class Bishop Richard F. Stika confirmed 16 youth April 16 at St Augustine Church in Signal Mountain. With him are (front, from left) Lindsey Limerick, Karla Mendez, Jennifer Arnold, Emmy King, Mary Portera, Carol Portera, Katie McHugh, Stephanie Mersch, Jessica Keane, and Emily Keane and (back) Mark Koenig, Garrett Sexton, Eric Young, John Bradley Connor, Chris Muzyn, and Adam Stark.

COURTESY OF DEB PEACHEY

NOTES

hosted a spaghetti supper April 20 to raise money for the victims burned in an accident during the Easter vigil at Immaculate Conception Church.’

Parish notes continued on page 5

FATHER PETER IORIO

parish

Parishioner spruces up sign at Cleveland church Marnia Alexander of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland improves the sign outside the church on Earth Day, April 22. Mrs. Alexander and her family have taken on the project of doing a “spring cleaning” on the sign.

Holy Trinity Parish hosting Life in the Spirit Seminar he People of Praise prayer group of Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City will offer a Life in the Spirit Seminar from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 22. Purposes of the seminar are “to help those who come to establish, re-establish, or deepen a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” “to help them to yield to the action of the Holy Spirit in their lives so they can begin to experience his presence and can begin to experience him working in them and through

them,” “to help them be joined to Christ more fully by becoming part of a group of Christians with whom they can share their Christian life and from whom they can receive support in that life,” and “to help them to make use of effective means of growth in their relationship with Jesus Christ.” Coffee and doughnuts will be served at 8:30, and lunch will be furnished. Holy Trinity’s vigil Mass at 5 p.m. will follow the seminar. For more details, call Jack or Sue Elsaesser at 865-933-2538. ■

Young adults invited to cathedral’s Festival of Praise acred Heart Cathedral will host a eucharistic Festival of Praise for all diocesan young adults from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, May 23. The focus of the festival is to deepen one’s relationship with Christ, especially with Christ present in the Eucharist, and then “using this relationship and using the gifts we have been given from God to build up his kingdom here on earth.” The Festival of Praise will follow a format similar to the one used at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Exposition will begin at 7:30, and there will be Scripture readings and reflections

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by a young adult, a vowed religious, and a priest or deacon. Soft praise music will precede the first reading, with medium and “high energy” praise music preceding the next two. Times of meditation and prayer will follow the music before benediction and reposition at 8:35. Opportunities will be available for confession and for talking with priests. Fellowship in the Shea Room from 8:45 to 9:30 will conclude the evening. For more information, contact Sarah Best at 865-742-3534 or bests26@aol.com or Nate Puplis at 269-861-5440 or npuplis@ gmail.com. ■ TH E E A S T TE N N E S S E E C ATH OLI C

CALENDAR

BY TONI PACITTI

Bishop Richard F. Stika will celebrate the annual Mass and rite of missioning—for all those received into the Catholic Church at the Easter vigil—at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 30, the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Approximately 300 people throughout the diocese celebrated the rite of baptism or made a profession of faith, followed by confirmation and Eucharist, at the Easter vigil. Those new Catholics will be recognized with certificates from the bishop. Sponsors, family members, and guests are invited to attend the Mass and a reception afterward in the gym. Knights of Columbus Council 8152 in Crossville will host its 18th annual charity golf tournament beginning at 1 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, June 16, at The Bear Trace at Cumberland Mountain, a Jack Nicklaus–designed course. The format will be a four-person scramble with a maximum of 36 teams. Entry cost is $70 ($280 per foursome) and includes greens fees, cart fees, one mulligan, and an awards banquet at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Highway 70 ($12 for the banquet alone). All proceeds will benefit Cumberland Mountain charities. The first-place team in each men’s and women’s flight will receive $300 and the runner-up men’s team $100. The women’s flight will have a $100 second-place prize if eight or more teams enter. Closest-to-the-pin and straightest-drive prizes will be awarded, as will banquet door prizes. For more information, call Mike Wilkiel at 931-7078040, Rollie Wicker at 707-7087, or Fred Laufenberg at 484-2468. The Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life is asking pro-life supporters to submit their names for inclusion in its annual Mother’s Day ad in the Knoxville News Sentinel. Cost (to help pay for the ad) is $10 per person or $15 per family. For more information, contact the chapter at 865-689-1339 or trlknox@knology.net by Thursday, May 6. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum will be the guest speaker at the chapter’s annual Celebrate Life Benefit Banquet, set for Oct. 21 at the Knoxville Convention Center. St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge is holding its seventh annual Haiti Run for Health at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 8, to benefit health care in Haiti. The event will take place at the church and will feature a four-mile run and a two-anda-half-mile walk. “Virtual runners”— donors who don’t run or walk—also receive a T-shirt. Register online at www.epivox.com/ortc. Race-day registration will be held from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m. for runners and walkers and 6:45 to 9 a.m. for virtual runners. Entry fee is $25 for runners and walkers. The fee is $12 for youths 18 and under and $20 for virtual runners. Proceeds will be used to purchase medications for St. Mary’s twin parish in St. Louis du Nord, Haiti. Call Peggy Gruzalski at 865-482-2910 for more information. The Ladies of Charity of Knoxville are holding their annual “Helping Hands and Generous Hearts” fundraiser from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 7, at The Foundry, 747 World’s Fair Park Drive in Knoxville. The evening includes dinner, a live auction, a cash bar, and entertainment by The Chillbillies. Father Ragan Schriver, executive director of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, will be the auctioneer. Cost is $75. To RSVP or learn more, call the Ladies of Charity at 865-524-0538. The women’s guild of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City will be selling ceramic jewelry pins at its annual card party and luncheon Thursday, May 13, in the family-life center. The jewelry is designed by Linda Yates, a formerly homeless person whose mission is to provide much-needed financial help to nonprofit organizations. Several variations of six basic designs, which are $14 each, will be on display and sold at the event. The card party and luncheon are part of a series of events that the guild sponsors throughout the year to support local charities. For more information, call Lois Hudgens at 865-458-4018. Advance registration is under way for Diocese of Knoxville young peoTH E EA S T TE N N E S S E E C AT H OL IC

ple who plan to attend World Youth Day in Madrid in August 2011. Total cost is $3,321 per person, which includes accommodations (double occupancy), daily American buffet breakfasts, WYD fees, and airline taxes and fuel charges. A deposit of $250 is needed by Tuesday, June 15, to hold a reservation and entitle the registrant to a $75 discount. Second and third payments of $500 each are due by Oct. 31 and Feb. 15, with the final payment due no later than May 15, 2011. For more information, contact Al Forsythe, diocesan director of Youth and Youth Adult Ministry, at 865-584-3307 or aforsythe@dioknox.org, or Lucille of Regina Tours at 800-CATHOLIC, extension 208. Sacred Heart Cathedral School is accepting applications for grades kindergarten through eight. For more information, call admissions at 865558-4136, visit www.shcschool.org, or follow SHCS on Facebook and Twitter (twitter.com/SHCSEagles). Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga is now taking applications for the 2010-11 school year. Contact Teresa Hennen at 423-6221481 or Teresahennen@catholicweb. com to request a registration packet or schedule a tour. Anyone who has ever been on a Search retreat is invited to gather on the weekend of July 16 through 18 at All Saints Academy in Chattanooga for a Re-Search 2 retreat. Cost is $50 and includes food, snacks, and a T-shirt, plus $15 for Sunday-afternoon events (a picnic lunch and canoeing at Greenway Farms in Hixson). Pick up a form from a youth minister or contact Donna Jones at 423-267-9878 or djones 6029@gmail.com for more information. The Chattanooga Deanery’s summer God Camps will be held in June and July at the Harrison Bay State Park group camp in Harrison. “Dare to Dream,” for rising high school students, will be held June 21 through 26. Cost is $130. Early registration deadline is June 4. “Reach,” for rising seventh- and eighth-graders, is set for June 28 through July 1. Cost is $95. “Discover,” for rising fifth- and sixthgraders, will be held July 1 through 3. Cost is $80. Early-registration deadline is June 11 for the Reach and Discover camps. Fees are $20 higher after the deadlines for all three camps. Contact Donna Jones at 423-267-9878 or djones6029@gmail.com. Download registration forms at bit.ly/bFPcU8. The Sevier County chapter of Tennessee Right To Life is holding a “Play for Life” picnic and game day for high school students Saturday, May 22, at Northview Park in Sevierville. Activities include a double-elimination flag-football competition with prizes for the winning team. For details, call Lizette Aparicio at 865-654-7685. A charismatic Mass will be celebrated at Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 23. For more information, call the parish office at 865-471-0347. The next Engaged Encounter weekend in the diocese will be held May 21 through 23 at the Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center in Newport. To register, call Mike or Charla Haley at 865-220-0120. For more information on Engaged Encounter, e-mail Paul or Pam Schaffer at ceeknoxville@ gmail.com or visit www.rc.net/ knoxville/cee. A Seekers of Silence Contemplative Saturday Morning will be held Saturday, May 15, at Blessed John XXIII Catholic Center in Knoxville. Bill Toth will give a talk titled “The Holy Grail: Modern Interpretations of an Ancient Legend.” Coffee and tea will be served at 8:30 a.m.; the workshop will run from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring a bag lunch. To RSVP, call 865-523-7931. Holy Resurrection Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Mission has Divine Liturgy celebrations at 3:30 p.m. Sundays at Holy Ghost Church, 1041 N. Central St. in Knoxville. Call Father Thomas O’Connell at 865-256-4880. Calendar continued on page 8

COURTESY OF CINDY KEDROWSKI

on the

Chattanoogans for Life president Cindy Kedrowski (center) stands with honorees Karen and Paul Schulz and their daughters Jackie (left) and Kelly at the Chattanoogans for Life banquet April 23. Mr. and Mrs. Schulz, parishioners of St. Jude in Chattanooga, received the Brother Cajetan Memorial Award at the banquet.

PRO-LIFE EFFORTS RECOGNIZED

Chattanoogans for Life banquet draws 360-plus ore than 360 people attended the annual Banquet in Celebration of Life, sponsored by Chattanoogans for Life and held April 23 at The Chattanoogan hotel. Singer Jamie Thietten was the featured speaker at the banquet, which was emceed by Jim Bello and chaired by Kitty Cross with Jayme Upton. This year’s theme was adoption, and Mrs. Upton honored all families whose lives had been touched by adoption with a red rose, and Father Peter Iorio blessed them as they stood up. Honored at the banquet were Paul and Karen Schulz, who received the Brother Cajetan Memorial Award, named for Alexian Brother Cajetan Gavranich, a prolife advocate. Chattanoogans for Life secretary Frances King presented the award.

Those in attendance included 20 Notre Dame High School students and the confirmation class from Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville. Religion teacher Kristie Hopwood brought students from Knoxville Catholic High School, and together with students from NDHS they helped Deacon Gaspar DeGaetano at the annual prayer service at the National Memorial for the Unborn in Chattanooga that afternoon. The service precedes the banquet each year. Chattanoogans for Life, an allvolunteer nonprofit organization, will use the money from the banquet to pay for activities and other needs, including the two buses it sends to Washington, D.C., for the National March for Life in January, speech-contest prizes, a prayer chain on Respect Life Sunday, and an educational curriculum. ■

Mercy St. Mary’s hospital marks 80th anniversary isters, physicians, administrators, and associates at Mercy Medical Center St. Mary’s celebrated 80 years of service to the people of Knoxville and East Tennessee on April 22 in the Oak Hill Café. “According to our records, many doctors in the Knoxville area in the 1920s reported the hospital situation to be ‘acute and deplorable,’ and asked the Catholic Church to send sisters to open a new hospital that would meet the need in Knoxville,” said Mer-

cy Sister Mary Martha Naber, regional liaison for Mercy Sponsorship and the historian at Mercy St. Mary’s. “Building a new hospital in North Knoxville on property donated by Daniel DeWine was a true community effort. St. Mary’s opened on April 22, 1930, and began its mission of continuing the healing ministry of Jesus.” The need for the new hospital was shown by the fact that, by the end of 1930, St. Mary’s had admitted 1,484 pa-

tients, performed 931 operations, and delivered 160 babies. Mercy Medical Center St. Mary’s is part of Mercy Health Partners. Mercy was formed by the merger of St. Mary’s Health System and Baptist Health System of East Tennessee in 2008. The new health-care system operates seven acute-care hospitals and 20 other healthcare facilities across East Tennessee. Learn about upcoming Mercy events and news on the Mercy Facebook page and on Twitter. ■

Catholic Charities hosting 12th Columbus Home walk he 12th annual Catholic Charities of East Tennessee “Kids Helping Kids” Fun Walk benefiting Columbus Home Children’s Services is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, May 16, on the grounds of All Saints Church and Knoxville Catholic High School. CCET executive director Father Ragan Schriver will lead the walk, and former All Saints associate Father Augustine Idra, AJ, will make a return visit. Frank Murphy

of radio station Star 102.1 is the honorary chairman this year. Registration and entertainment will begin at 2 p.m. Activities include inflatable games, basketball, and other games and exhibits. The event also features door prizes and complimentary pizza, doughnuts, and water ice. Costs are $25 per family (four T-shirts maximum) or $10 per person, each increasing by $5 on the day of the event. Ad-

ditional T-shirts are $10 but are guaranteed only with preregistration. Register at active.com (enter “Kids Helping Kids” in the search box) or call Lisa Ingle at CCET at 865-5249896, extension 102, for a brochure. To volunteer, contact Linda McDermott at 588-3181 or jlmcd45@comcast.net. For sponsorship information, contact Mike Martin at 694-0629 or mikemartin1@ knology.net. ■

Parish notes continued from page 4

Lady of Fatima’s organ at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 8.

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville

■ The annual spring barbecue May 2 honored graduating students.

■ The parish’s piano fund was at

St. Albert the Great, Knoxville

$10,673 as of the weekend of April 18.

■ A rosary walk will be held at 7 p.m.

Blessed John XXIII, Knoxville

■ Vacation Bible school is set for

■ A parish appreciation dinner was held April 23 to honor all volunteers at John XXIII, including readers, Sunday School teachers, and nursery workers.

9:30 a.m. to noon Monday, June 21, through Friday, June 25. The theme is “Baobab Blast.” E-mail Megan Gallagher at megangallagher518@gmail.com. ■

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daily during May.

MAY 9, 2010

■

from the

PARACLETE

BY VONNIE SPICER

‘Our life, our sweetness, our hope’ ince the end of the 13th century it has been the custom to honor Mary during the month of May “to rediscover the role of . . . Mary in Christian life . . . as mother and teacher, a role she carries out for Christians of all times” (Pope Benedict XVI). The coffee-table book Maria: Pope Benedict XVI on the Mother of God (Ignatius Press, 2009) abounds with images of Mary from all over the world, accompanied by the pope’s reflections and homilies as he emphasizes Mary’s role in salvation, her closeness to each of us, and her example of discipleship. For readers of a scholarly bent, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has published Mary in the Church: A Selection of Teaching Documents (2003). This compendium includes the bishops’ pastoral letter “Behold Your Mother: Woman of Faith,” Pope Paul VI’s Marialis Cultus: For the Right Ordering and Development of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and two of Pope John Paul II’s documents: Redemptoris Mater (“Mother of the Redeemer”) and Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Apostolic Letter on the Most Holy Rosary). Following the admonition of John Paul II

to immerse ourselves “in [Mary’s] school, so that she may teach us how to live from faith, how to grow in faith, how to remain in contact with the mystery of God in the ordinary, everyday events of our lives” (Redemptoris Mater), we have the opportunity in May to follow Mary’s contemplation of her son’s life and her submission to God’s plan. Mary, My Hope (Catholic Book Publishing, 1998) is a small prayer book of Marian devotions and prayers gathered by Father Lawrence G. Lovasik. Then, of course, there is the rosary. In Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Pope John Paul II reminds us that “though clearly Marian in character, [the rosary] is at heart a Christocentric prayer . . . it has all the depth of the Gospel message in its entirety, of which it can be said to be a compendium.” Whether you use aids to gain new insights on praying the rosary—such as Living the Rosary Today (Devon, 2009) and Scriptural Rosary (Christianica, 1989) or rosary CDs—this meditative devotion is the perfect model for contemplating Jesus in the company of Mary. ■ Call the store at 865588-0388 or 800-3332097.

Diocese offers ongoing Virtus child-protection training sessions he Diocese of Knoxville’s program for the protection of children and youth—a three-hour seminar called “Protecting God’s Children”—is offered regularly throughout the diocese. The seminars are required for parish and school employees and regular volunteers in contact with children or vulnerable adults and are recommended for parents and grandparents. The following training sessions have been scheduled: ■ St. Mary Church, Oak Ridge, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 11 (session will be held in the

youth center) ■ All Saints Church, Knoxville, 1 p.m. Thursday, May 13; 1 p.m. Saturday, May 15; 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 9 ■ Our Lady of Lourdes Church, South Pittsburg, noon Sunday, May 16 ■ St. Albert the Great Church, Knoxville, 6 p.m. Monday, May 17 ■ St. Mary Church, Johnson City, 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21; 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15; 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18 (sessions will be held in St. Anne Hall). To register for a session, visit virtusonline. org. ■

Faith-formation classes continue he diocese’s catechetical formation program for adults will offer one more catechist-orientation session this spring. It will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 22, at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge. The program, presented in collaboration with Aquinas College in Nashville, is intended for parish catechists, teachers in Catholic schools, ministry leaders, and other interested adults. The orientation introduces participants to the various dimensions of catechetical ministry: spirituality of the catechist, the catechetical process, catechetical documents and resources, ecclesial methodology, and the development of a catechist portfolio. The course is primarily for catechists but is open to any interested adult. There is no charge. For further details, contact Father Richard Armstrong at rarmstrong@dioknox.org or 865-5843307. Online registration is available at bit.ly/faith-formation. ■

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MAY 9, 2010

the new

MISSAL

BY FATHER RANDY STICE

‘I confess’ The Confiteor undergoes a few changes in the new translation of the Missal.

In previous columns we have looked at isolated examples from the new Missal and compared them to the current translation. In this month’s column I would like to look at the Confiteor—“I confess to almighty God”—and explain the changes in the new translation. Some of the differences will serve as a review of principles we have already discussed, but others will be new. The two versions have been placed side by side in the box below, and the changes are in bold type. You’ll see from the comparison that “sinned through my own fault” has been changed to “greatly sinned,” and “through my fault” has been placed after the list of sins (thoughts, words, deeds, and omissions). This was done for at least two reasons. First, the new translation is a more accurate rendering of the word order of the Latin original and thus follows the principle that the “straightforward, concise, and compact manner of expression is to be maintained insofar as possible” (Authentic Liturgy, No. 57). The second reason goes back to the intimate relationship between sacred Scripture and liturgical texts, a relationship that should be made evident in the translation (Authentic Liturgy, No. 49). The biblical source for the Confiteor is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14. While the Pharisee congratulated himself on his holiness

obsessions

and looked down on the tax collector, the latter lowered his head, beat his breast, and confessed his sinfulness. It was the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who went home justified. In describing the tax collector’s words and actions, the Greek uses the imperfect tense, which expresses a repeated action. Thus, he was repeatedly beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” That same humility and honesty are expressed in the Confiteor through the threefold confession of personal fault— “through my fault” (in Latin, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa). This is an example of why Authentic Liturgy insists that “repetition” be accurately translated (No. 59). The final difference is the change from “and I ask blessed Mary” to “therefore I ask blessed Mary.” Again, there are a couple of reasons for this. First, it is a more accurate rendering of the Latin original, which has ideo (therefore), not et (and). This follows Authentic Liturgy, which specifies that “the the-

New text

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Meeting death head-on A best friend’s death leads to hours of contemplating Jesus’ corpse.

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

Present text

BY GINGER HUTTON

This past Good Friday I spent hours in an empty church, considering Jesus as corpse. I wasn’t interested in the pretty meditations on the Stations of the Cross that we had all prayed earlier. Those only made me realize that I wanted nothing but Jesus cold, blue, dead. I wanted to contemplate his body as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus saw it, stiff and lifeless, without breath, nonresponsive. This was not mere morbidity on my part. I spent the last week in Lent watching my best friend die. She had a massive stroke at age 45 and died three days later, leaving behind three young children—my godchildren. We held her very beautiful funeral a few hours before the first vigil Mass of Palm Sunday. Heather died a good and holy death. She received the final sacraments and was constantly surrounded by people who loved her. After the stroke but before the swelling in her brain caused catastrophic injury, there was a period when she was still responsive, and almost all the

ological significance of words expressing causality, purpose, or consequence be maintained” (No. 57c). But what is the “theological significance” of this change? Why, after confessing our sins, do we implore the intercession of Mary, the saints and angels, and our brothers and sisters? We do this because we are acutely conscious of our weakness and sinfulness. We know we do not become holy solely through our own efforts but through the grace of God and his help, which come to us through the intercession of his Blessed Mother, the saints and angels, and the body of Christ. “Therefore”—not “and”—we ask for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels and saints, and one another. The new translation of the Confiteor is not simply more faithful to the Latin original. It also gives more accurate expression to important theological and spiritual truths: our need for the communion of saints and the importance of honesty and humility before God. Finally, it sets more clearly before us the example of the humble and contrite tax collector, who went home justified. ■

people closest to her had time to say goodbye. In the hours I got to spend alone with her, I came to realize what an enormous gift our friendship had been. Standing by her bed, speaking to her for the last time, I knew that I had no regrets and there was nothing unresolved between us. We had loved each other well to the end. And though that end came long before it was expected, I found that the pain of losing such a friendship was accompanied by wonder at ever having had such a gift. All that said, death is physically ugly. Contemplating the dead body of someone you love leaves awful images. In this case, I was there for the very disturbing tests that were performed to determine that Heather was brain dead. I wanted to be there, wanted to look death directly in the face. Watching her not respond during those tests was a more brutal and definitive experience of her death than was watching her heart stop beating, which mercifully occurred a few hours later, without our having to remove the respirator. After that, I had no patience with art depicting Jesus dying beautifully. Death isn’t beautiful, and the cross was particularly gruesome. I wanted to

see what those who buried him saw, a battered, nonresponsive corpse that was growing cold and blue; a corpse, which, because it was a corpse, suggested nothing hopeful or messianic. I spent hours considering that corpse in my head, knowing somehow that solace was to be found there and nowhere else. Nothing in this life is more permanent and final than death, nothing more horribly irredeemable. Death does not change, cannot be undone. All one wants when someone dies is for that person no longer to be dead. The wildest joy imaginable would be for it no longer to be true, for the dead person to live again. We Christians know that our dead are spiritually alive, and we know that is the life that truly matters. Nevertheless, in the face of death, our deepest human longing is for the dead to be with us not only spiritually but physically. What gave the disciples such courage and hope was that they received precisely that. Whatever sublime theological insights they may have been given, I think the source of their transformation was really quite simple and physical: Jesus was thoroughly, indisputably dead—and they got to see him alive again, even while their minds were still filled with the horrible images, the seeming finality of his death. They got to see with their own eyes, in a way we cannot until we die, the truth that death has been defeated and that love is Hutton continued on page 8

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PRIESTS

BY MARGARET HUNT

Giving in to ‘the Hound of Heaven’ Father Patrick Resen talks about his life before and after ordination.

ather Patrick Resen is the pastor of St. Catherine Labouré Parish in Copperhill. He was born in Walla Walla, Wash., and is the only child of Mary Ellen and the late John Resen. Before he entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary near Philadelphia, he worked as an attorney and a judge. He studied with the Missionaries of the Holy Apostles before transferring to the Diocese of Knoxville at the suggestion of his aunt, Pat Flederbach, a parishioner of St. Patrick in Morristown. He was ordained for the Diocese of Knoxville on June 2, 2007, at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” It is a great pleasure to share a bottle of wine with a friend.

Tell us about your family. I am an only child. My mother almost didn’t have me; she had to spend the last three months of her pregnancy in the hospital and could never have more children. What’s the most fulfilling aspect of being a priest? Bringing the sacraments to people, that is, bringing them closer to God, in the Mass, in the confessional, in anointing, weddings, baptisms. This is how God chooses to bring us grace, and it is wonderful and humbling to be a part of it. But also in preaching, trying to make the word of God alive, more approachable. What’s most challenging about your vocation? Trying to reach those who, often, don’t want to be reached—those who are comfortable in what they do and want no advance in their spiritual lives, who want to be part of the Church of Me, rather than the Catholic Church: “I don’t want to learn anything new or address anything difficult.” I do believe that many times the priest’s job is to comfort the afflicted and also to afflict the comfortable. I feel so sad for those who have never read a single thing about the faith, who have never learned a single thing since they were confirmed. Has your experience as an attorney and a judge helped you in your ministry? Very much so. Much of practicing law is counseling people, advising them. I practiced mostly family law, that is, mostly divorce. It was an opportunity to help people during one of the most difficult times in their life. I likened it to trauma-room medicine: we don’t do plastic surgery and

ETC FILE PHOTO

Father Patrick Resen

make you beautiful, but we try to stop the bleeding and get you back on your feet. Working in the field of divorce is very stressful. One sees the best people at their worst times. Many psychological studies have indicated that a divorce is more stressful than the death of a spouse. One of the things I learned was the ministry of listening. People need to talk through their pain. How did you discern your call to the priesthood? It was there from early on, from age 12 or 13. I enrolled in a high school seminary when I was in eighth grade, then changed my mind for a multiplicity of reasons, none of which were that I had lost interest in the priesthood. But as time went on, the call seemed more distant, though it never went away. When people ask me why I became a priest, I honestly say that I gave in, gave in to the Hound of Heaven (read Francis Thompson’s poem of that name). God is patient and persistent, and we need to listen to him much more than talk to him. What do you do on your days off? What is a “day off”? I’ve heard of this but am unsure what it means. Theoretically, Friday is my day off, so sometimes I change into a polo shirt after Mass. I try not to schedule appointments on Friday, which means I can try to catch up on paperwork. Tell us about your extracurricular interests. I love to scuba dive. I only get a few days a year now; maybe I can increase that. The beauty of a reef and of sea creatures cannot be adequately described. I feel very appreciative of God’s creation down there. I used to collect wine and have some bottles left from my life in California. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Wine is

What is it like pastoring a small parish? It’s like pastoring in a large parish except that small problems can seem much bigger. It does require trying to address problems and programs with fewer resources, especially the resource of talent. There is the blessing of knowing your people more quickly, better, being involved in their lives more. Fewer staff to help out, more reliance on volunteers. What has surprised you most about the life of a priest? Not much. I grew up with a lot of priests, was active in my parishes, had priest friends. Sometimes I am surprised at how much people rely on you—very humbling, that. Sometimes I am surprised at how they will ignore your counsel, how they will want, for example, liturgy because “I think it’s nice,” with no theological understanding or basis, no knowledge of the history, the development. But still, it’s a great life! What are some resources you use to evangelize the faithful and invite them to a better understanding of the faith and a more intimate relationship with Christ and the Church? I use anything and everything to evangelize people and to encourage people to evangelize: preaching and recommending books, magazines. I frequently say that one of the great things about being Catholic is that you never run out of books to read. We have wonderful spiritual reading: Francis de Sales, St. Thérèse, Thomas Merton. One of my favorites to recommend is Self Abandonment to Divine Providence. I encourage the practice of lectio divina and popular devotions: first Friday holy hours and Benediction, First Friday novena, the five first Saturdays. We have Lauds [morning prayer] of the Liturgy of the Hours each morning before Mass. Unfortunately, my current responsibility for Mass in Spanish prevents me from having an effective adult-faithformation program, so I try to work things into homilies. ■

Q and A with seminarian Christopher Manning BY DA N MCW I L L I A MS

hristopher Manning is a Theology I student at Mundelein Seminary in Illinois. He is the son of James Manning and Dr. Marlyn Leisy of Knoxville. His home parish is Sacred Heart Cathedral.

What are your most challenging courses in seminary and why? Greek and Latin. Although I have great respect for both languages and their importance to the Church, I am not gifted with an ability to learn languages.

Christopher Manning

What is your favorite course and why? I have enjoyed many courses, but perhaps my favorite has been Christology because we had the opportunity to learn about the personhood of Jesus and to see how he directly relates to us and brings about our salvation. It was a complicated class but a very enjoyable one.

What do you most look forward to in your future life as a priest? Of course, I look forward to being able to celebrate the Mass but also to the teaching work priests do. Every priest is a teacher, whether it is in a classroom setting or during the homily.

Who has inspired you? All of Knoxville’s bishops have played into my vocation story at some point and have each inspired me in different ways. Monsignor Xavier Mankel and Monsignor Al Humbrecht, both of whom were pastors at Sacred Heart, have also helped me in my discernment by word and by example. Lastly, my family as a whole has been very supportive of my decision to become a seminarian and obviously helped to shape me into the person I am today and to inspire me to continue in the path God has chosen for me.

How old were you when you first considered the priesthood? I guess the thought first entered my mind when I was in third grade and started attending Sacred Heart Cathedral School. The decision to enter seminary fully took hold during my junior year at Knoxville Catholic High School. But after talking to Bishop [Joseph E.] Kurtz, I decided to hold off on entering seminary and complete both a college degree and a master’s degree in history.

What things about you have changed the most as a seminarian? Looking back over my three years at Mundelein (I completed two years of pre-theology here), I can say with certainty that I am different from when I entered. My prayer life especially is much deeper than it was before entering. This has helped me to see God in my life on a daily basis. You simply cannot have an experience with God without being transformed in some way. St. Paul constantly points out that we can know God is at work by looking at how our lives have changed.

Along with their prayers for you, is there another way East Tennessee Catholics can support you? Praying is the most important thing the people of East Tennessee can do to support us as seminarians and future priests. Also, sending cards or letters to let us know of your prayers can help connect us to the diocese, especially since we must study away from the good people of the Diocese of Knoxville. ■

Mrs. Hunt is administrative assistant for the Media Office. Bishop continued from page 3

USCCB ofﬁcial: social networks key to reaching the young BY J O HN T HAVI S

ROME (CNS)—Social networks and other interactive media challenge traditional Church models of communication but offer unprecedented evangelizing opportunities, said a leading U.S. Catholic communications official. “In some ways we are returning to the pre–printing press means of communication—old-fashioned word of mouth. St. Paul had his stump or rock upon which he stood to broadcast the Gospel in the marketplace. We have devices that literally can put the Gospel message in the palm of people’s hands,” said Helen Osman, secretary for communications at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, during a conference in Rome on April 27. “We now have an opportuTH E E A S T TE N N E S S E E C AT H OL IC

nor Phil Bredesen for clemency on behalf of his mother will be granted. Gaile Owens, scheduled to be executed on Sept. 28, was convicted of the contract murder of her husband 25 years ago. After a long struggle to forgive his mother, her son is now leading the appeal for clemency. Following the example of John Paul II, I will make my own appeal to Gov. Bredesen and ask him to show mercy to Gaile Owens. I ask that you join me—for every life is precious, whether the life of a child in the womb or the life of a mother on death row. On the last day of his visit to St. Louis, Pope John Paul II concluded his homily with these words, which I ask you to reflect on: “If you want peace, work for justice. If you want justice, defend life. If you want life, embrace the truth—the truth revealed by God.” This is how mercy and love triumph. Let me close by wishing a happy Mother’s Day to all mothers. May God bless you! ■

You can communicate with the Diocese of Knoxville on Twitter (twitter.com/knoxdiocese), Facebook (bit.ly/agXKrJ), and YouTube (www.youtube.com/Knoxvillediocese). NEW MEDIA

nity to get the Church’s message and story directly to Catholics—and others—without having to negotiate the

filters of mainstream media. We have the opportunity to connect with young adult and Networks continued on page 8

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Diocese hires two: stewardship director and controller n April 30 Father David Boettner, moderator of the curia, announced that the diocese had hired two new full-time staff members. Jim Link will become the director of the Stewardship and Planned Giving Office on June 1, and Shannon Hepp will begin as diocesan controller on June 2. Mr. Link has more than 25 years’ experience in educational administration and institutional advancement. Father Boettner called Mr. Link “a pioneer in using technology to maximize fundraising revenues.” He has served as president of the Coast Guard Foundation and as vice president for advancement for Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., and Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y. At Hartwick he completed a $35 million campaign and provided leadership for the college’s marketing, communications, fund development, and constituent-relations initiatives. At Iona he planned and launched the institution’s most ambitious campaign, targeted at raising more than $80 million. He has also worked with a variety of nonprofits, helping plan, launch, and direct capital campaigns at New Milford Hospital, Sound Shore Medical Center, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the Visiting Nurse Association of South Central Connecticut. He studied at Iona, the Catholic University of America, and the Wharton School of Business. He served as chairman of the board of directors of the Greenwich Council of Boy Scouts of America and is active in his church. On June 1 Mr. Link will begin working with current director Suzanne Erpenbach to transition into his position. Mrs. Erpenbach will conclude her position on June 11. Shannon Hepp comes to the diocese from Ruby Tuesday Inc., where she served as vice president—franchise controller. She has also served as a VP for Ruby Tuesday in investor relations and financial planning, operations, and franchise finance. She has a master’s degree in accountancy and a bachelor’s in business administration. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Tennessee Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs. Mrs. Hepp is a graduate of Leadership Blount 2008, a previous member of the board of the Blount County Education Foundation, and a supporter of the Blount County Children’s Advocacy Center, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, and Habitat for Humanity. She and her husband, Andy, are members of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa, with their two sons, Noah, 5, and Evan, 2. Until June 2 Mrs. Hepp will be working two days a week with Chris Lucheon, the current controller. Mrs. Lucheon is preparing to move into a teaching and support role with parish bookkeepers. ■

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stronger than death. I knew on Good Friday why I had to see the tests declaring Heather dead and why I needed to spend all afternoon imagining Jesus’ lifeless body in such brutal detail. I needed to meet that horror head on in order to understand the magnitude of the good Christ did for us when he defeated death and gave us hope. ■ Miss Hutton is a parishioner of Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville and a full-time godmother.

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The St. Thomas the Apostle Ukrainian Catholic Mission celebrates Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. Sundays in the chapel at the Chancery. Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865-584-3307. 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. on second and fourth Sundays at St. Joseph the Worker in Madisonville. Visit www. knoxlatinmass.net for details. Upcoming events for Catholic Singles of Greater Knoxville (40 and over) include the following: ■ Sunday, May 9: Singles hike and picnic at Ijams Nature Center, 10 a.m. To donate an item for the picnic or to obtain more information, contact Cindi at ckc1960@hotmail.com. ■ Wednesday, May 12: Coffee and conversation at Panera Bread (Cedar Bluff Road), 6:30 p.m. Call Randy S. at 865-556-3781 for details. ■ Friday, May 14: Tennessee Smokies baseball game and fireworks show at Smokies Park, 7:15 p.m. Meet in the Sacred Heart Cathedral parking lot at 6:15 to carpool. RSVP by May 13 to 966-8205 or gbraunsroth@charter.net. ■ Sunday, May 16: “Brunch and banter” at Mimi’s Café in Turkey Creek, 12:30 p.m. RSVP to Hannelore at 694-2791 by May 15. ■ Friday, May 21: May birthday celebration and happy hour at Aubrey’s, 6 p.m. RSVP to host Sandra J. by May 20 at 504-913-1610. ■ 8

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MAY 9, 2010

called to

BY SUZANNE ERPENBACH

New directions The columnist plans to ‘look for God’s blessings as my life changes.’

It’s my father’s birthday as I write. Yesterday was his father’s. I remember both men with love. Though both have been dead many years, it’s easy to see the influence that each still has on my life, our family, and our faith practices and well as the people who have been served through their work and other efforts. Life is all about relationships. Stewardship bonds thoughts, attitudes, actions, and expressions that we share and as we serve through daily living. Love, faith, and stewardship combine in marvelous ways to nurture, build, mentor, encourage, and inspire all they reach. Seven years ago I proposed the idea of this column. Its name, which I carefully chose, was intended to be a regular reminder of Christ’s invitation and call to follow. We cannot dream or imagine all the experiences and opportunities that develop as part of our life journey. As a phrase from the movie Forrest Gump reminds us, we never know what we’re going to get—whether in boxes of chocolate or daily life. For example, a trip we made back to Tennessee from North Carolina several months ago didn’t go quite according to my plans and schedule. God had something else in mind: a lengthy de-

tour. Though the trip was different than planned, the morning was a beautiful gift, we traveled through scenic areas, prayer time was opportune, and our reflections were beneficial. God proved that all time is his time. His detour turned out to be a real gift for observation and contemplation. God readjusts our time and direction in many ways. Sometimes we are given new opportunities. Other times he wants us to slow down and refocus, perhaps as a result of sickness, loss, or change. God also diverts our attention to make us stop, think, reconsider, and alter our life. He may surprise us with a relationship that becomes significant. He might plant seeds of a vocation or career. He provides opportunities to discover new interests and develop talents. We also may have to pick up and move, start over, or choose to take a different road on our journey through life. There are crosses to bear as we journey, but God is with us through it all. Think of the people you’ve met who have become an important influence on your development. Where have you gone, and what have you observed, that has changed your perspective or direction? How often do you stop and absorb the God-given “wows” of your daily and lifetime experiences? How frequently have you found and acknowledged God’s love, and that of others, in your life? How does loving in return make you feel? What God-given gifts, abili-

ties, interests, and talents have you discovered or gained through the support of others? What dreams do you wish to realize in your lifetime? How are you different than you were five or 10 years ago? Have you ever changed direction to serve a need just because you realized you were the person called to respond? This month we honor, remember, and celebrate mothers; those serving in our military; graduates; and the disciples for their efforts, selfgiving generosity, and outreach. Perhaps we can spend some time considering, acknowledging, and appreciating their contributions. Their choices reflect decisions to accept responsibility for living and serving the call each has discerned for his or her life. These and so many others help us grow in knowledge, ability, love, and faith. We also celebrate the feast of the Ascension as Christ returns to heaven, having completed his work on earth. One can only imagine the joy of God the Father’s welcome upon Christ’s faithful completion of his ministry. Focusing on the future, we strive for a similar welcome and greeting for having lived our life well. We also celebrate Pentecost and are reminded of the Holy Spirit’s presence, inspiration, and guidance for our day-today living. I’m thankful that through life’s changes and detours, opportunities and experiences, we find caring role models and mentors. I’ll be looking for God’s blessings as my life changes and I am called to follow in new directions. I pray you’ll do the same. God bless you. ■ Mrs. Erpenbach is the director of the diocesan Stewardship and Development Office.

Sister Betty Slown, BVM, dies at age 71 ister Betty Slown, BVM (Laetitia), 71, a former teacher at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga, died Thursday, April 8, at Marian Hall in Dubuque, Iowa. The BVM Sisters served at OLPH from its founding in 1937 until 2003. She taught first grade at OLPH from 1966 to 1979, where she was known as Sister Elizabeth. She also taught elementary school in East Moline, Ill., and

Chicago; Clinton and Davenport, Iowa; Glendale and Tempe, Ariz.; Stockton, Calif.; Chickasaw, Ala.; and Warrington, Fla. Sister Betty also served in volunteer parish ministry to the elderly and worked part-time in a variety of clerical positions in Pensacola, Fla., from 1990 to 2004. Sister Betty was born March 12, 1939, in Lexington, Ill., to George W. and Mary C. (Benedino) Slown. She entered the BVM congregation Aug. 2,

Sister Betty Slown, BVM

1957, from St. Mary Parish in Pontiac, Ill. She professed first vows Feb. 3, 1960, and final vows July 16, 1965. Her parents preced-

ed her in death. Survivors include three brothers, Bob of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Thomas and Stan of Odell, Ill.; two sisters, Wilma of Oklahoma City and Mary Lou of Platte City, Mo. Burial will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery in Dubuque. Memorials may be sent to the Sisters of Charity, BVM Support Fund at 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, IA 52003 or made online at bit.ly/dvusoi. ■

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youth Catholics to create relationships that will last their entire lives,” she said. Osman spoke at a seminar for Church communications officials sponsored by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. She described how being the Church’s spokesperson in the digital age brought a whole new set of challenges and uncertainties. In social media, she said, the Church needs to view itself as “one participant in the dialogue among many.” The traditional one-way model of communication has been replaced by a more interactive model, in which everyone participates on the same level. Likewise, the relationships created in social media are a series of overlapping networks. This fits well with the Church’s focus on community but not as easily with its hierarchical structure, she said. Osman said trust is important for social-media users, www.d ioknox.org

who tend to follow sources of information they consider reliable and to block others. “The most successful approach by organizations to social-media environments seems be an emphasis on openness, transparency, and a willingness to dialogue,” she said. The explosion in social media has placed new demands on Church spokespersons, Osman said. “Most days it feels very chaotic. We find ourselves responding to one particular blog post or a video that has ‘gone viral,’” she said. Misinformation circulates online, and one can spend a lot of time stamping out a fire created by a sloppy or malicious blogger, she said. At the same time, the opportunities offered by new media are immense, she said. It costs the Church nothing, for example, to have bloggers, Facebook fans, and Twitter

users forward its digital messages throughout their social networks. Osman said the USCCB’s Facebook page, launched a year ago, has grown to include nearly 14,000 fans. Comments are allowed, and although they are monitored, there’s a “fairly high tolerance of various opinions,” she said. “The delicate balance is in allowing conversations without letting it get so out of hand that others ‘un-friend’ us,” she said. Such initiatives are important because young people today often use their Facebook community as their first reference point when doing research. If the Church is not there, “it perpetuates for them the concept that the faith is not relevant to their daily lives,” Osman said. ■ Copyright 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops TH E E A S T TE N N E S S E E C ATH OLI C

catholic

YOUTH

Notre Dame High School wins national Charity and Social Service Award otre Dame High School was awarded the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception’s Charity and Social Service Award on April 11. Notre Dame’s Christian Leadership Group was selected as a recipient of this award based on its extensive service with three main projects in the 2008-09 school year. Senior students Lindsey McGirl of Soddy-Daisy and Danielle Anderson of McDonald traveled to Washington, D.C., to accept the award on behalf of the Christian Leadership Group. Monsignor Walter R. Rossi, rector of the basilica, began the presentation by stating how difficult it was to select the top five recipients. “All of the applications were amazing, but these stood above the rest,” he said. As the group’s applications were read to the crowd of 1,000-plus people, Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl congratulated and awarded the recipients with a medal and certificate from the basilica.

COURTESY OF VERONICA SEAMAN

Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl and award chair Mickey Garland present the Charity and Social Service Award to Notre Dame students Lindsey McGirl (left) and Danielle Anderson.

146 needy children and their families. For the third project, Christian Leadership worked in collaboration with the city of Chattanooga toward a citywide reading initiative. Christian Leadership collected more than $1,000 in funds and books for the Glenwood Recreation Center. In addition, students spent time after school reading to the children at the center. Notre Dame was one of six recipients to receive the award. More than 20 dioce-

san organizations across the United States applied for the honor. The basilica established the award in conjunction with Pope Benedict’s promotion of “charity in action” to the youth of the nation during his apostolic visit to the United States in April 2008. Last year Notre Dame students performed more than 15,000 hours of service in the Tennessee Valley. The 21 members of the Christian Leadership Group provided 1,600 of these hours. ■

Knoxville Catholic High School swim teammates sign with colleges

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Jake Lucheon (left) signed with Southern Illinois and Zach Wright with Milligan on April 14 in the KCHS library. With them are Fighting Irish assistant swim coach Jim McCollum and head coach Anita Dinwiddie. COLLEGE-BOUND SWIMMERS

Author speaks at OLPH Phillip W. Rodgers, author and illustrator of the Discovering God series, recently spoke to kindergarten, first-, and second-grade students at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga. Second-grade teacher Kari Ingle (above) and son Drew, a kindergartner at OLPH, were among those attending the presentation. The Discovering God series, which includes How Tall Is God? (Kregel Kidzone, 2003), combines poetry with color illustrations to teach different lessons. Mr. Rodgers lives in his hometown of Ringgold, Ga., with wife Stephanie and daughters Kaylee and Abby.

KCHS footballers place in top 15 at Nike Combine in Pittsburgh noxville Catholic High School junior football players Patrick Haun and Cody Shirley placed in the top 15 in the ESPN Pittsburgh Nike Combine recently. More than 500 athletes from around the Northeast participated in the event to see where they stand among one another. Each athlete competed in a number of individual events where they earned percentage points based on performance. At the end of the competition, those percentage points were combined for a total. Cody, a running back, finished 11th overall and Patrick, a wide receiver, placed 15th. In addition, Patrick made the event’s “All-Combine Team” as a receiver. They were joined in Pittsburgh by Bearden High School running back Devrin Young, who finished second overall. ■

COURTESY OF MAUREEN FRICKE

Retreat weekend for junior high students at St. Mary in Oak Ridge Members of the junior high youth group at St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge held their weekend retreat at the Eagle Rock Retreat Center near Maryville on the weekend of March 27 and 28. At bottom left is chaperone Valerie Bouchard, with parish youth minister Margaret Merrill behind her.

ished 30th in the breast and 67th in the IM. Jake is a son of Deacon David and Chris Lucheon of Sacred Heart Cathedral. Zach is the son of Charles and Christina Wright of Corryton, parishioners of Immaculate Conception in Knoxville. ■

COURTESY OF KATHIE ETHERTON

and 19th in the 100 back and swam on a 400 free-relay team that took 15th place. Zach placed seventh in the 100 breaststroke and 11th in the 200 individual medley and helped a 200 free-relay team place sixth, all at the KISL finals. In the state meet, he fin-

Visit from the superintendent Dr. Sherry Morgan, diocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools, traveled to Chattanooga to read to and visit with St. Jude School third- and fourth-grade students. The students had just completed their weeklong Iowa Tests of Basic Skills when Dr. Morgan came.

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Eagle award for Jake Jake Everett attained the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouting, at a ceremony held recently at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. Jake is a member of Troop 125, sponsored by St. John Neumann Church in Farragut. He is the son of Jim and Bridgett Everett of Farragut. He is pictured alongside his Scoutmaster, Robert Baugh. For his Eagle service project, Jake designed and constructed pedestrian walkways across islands in the parking lot of St. Thomas the Apostle.

COURTESY OF KATHY SUMRELL

noxville Catholic High School swimmers Jake Lucheon and Zach Wright signed with colleges on April 14 in the school library. Jake will continue his swimming career at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, and Zach will be swimming for Milligan College in Upper East Tennessee. Jake and Zach swam on a medley-relay team that finished second in the Knoxvillearea Interscholastic Swim League (KISL) championship meet, and the teammates swam on a medley-relay team that finished 12th in the state meet. Josh Lucheon, a KCHS junior, swam alongside his older brother and Zach on the relay teams. Jake also placed fourth in the 100-yard backstroke and fifth in the 100 butterfly and swam on a 400 freestyle-relay team that finished fourth, all at the KISL championships. In the state meet, Jake placed seventh in the 100 fly

KCHS pitcher signs with college Knoxville Catholic High School’s Travis Donahoo has signed a baseball scholarship to play for Young Harris College near Blairsville, Ga. Through May 2, Travis was 6-1 with one save, an ERA of 3.14, and 61 strikeouts for the Fighting Irish. The son of Duane and Debbie Donahoo, Travis is an active member of All Saints Parish in Knoxville and a member of the National Honor Society.

COURTESY OF ROBERT BAUGH

Lindsey and Danielle toured Washington with basilica staff before the ceremony. The Christian Leadership Group’s first project provided direct service to the students and teachers of Clifton Hills Elementary School in Chattanooga. Christian Leadership students read to children and assisted teachers with projects. For Christmas, Christian Leadership organized an angeltree drive that provided clothing and gifts to more than

JACKIE BROWN

HONORED AT BASILICA

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from the

WIRE

Reform of Legionaries of Christ begins

SOLIDARITY WITH MIGRANTS Franciscan Father Ed Shea cheers on protesters after handing out water with the group Priests for Justice for Immigrants at the annual May Day march in Chicago. Demonstrators at rallies across the nation criticized Arizona’s tough new immigration law, which makes it a state crime to be in the United States illegally.

Rallies across the country take aim at new Arizona law B Y J . D . L O N G-GAR CI A

PHOENIX (CNS)—About 10,000 protesters rallied May 1 at the Arizona State Capitol to demonstrate against the state’s new immigrationenforcement law. Bigger rallies took place the same day in states not affected by the law. In Los Angeles an estimated 50,000 gathered; a reported 20,000 assembled in Dallas. Two rallies took place in New York City. Other cities holding rallies included St. Louis; Oakland, San Jose, San Mateo, Berkeley, and Gilroy, Calif.; Wichita, Kan.; Columbus, Ohio; and Lancaster, Pa. The law, which sets into place tough new standards, has galvanized immigrant-rights groups around the United States. It also resulted in a late-night April 29 session of the Arizona Legislature to limit the bill’s scope. Whereas the original bill, signed into law April 23, previously required law enforcement to make a “reasonable attempt” to determine legal status during “any lawful contact,” it now limits the reach to any lawful “stop, detention, or arrest.” Another revision states that law enforcement “may not consider race, color, or national origin,” striking the word “solely” that many of the bill’s opponents took issue with. Frank Perez brought a group of traditional Mexican dancers from St. Catherine Parish in Phoenix to the May 1 rally. He said he turned out to support immigrant customs. “We need to help each other in both the good and the bad times,” Perez said. “This is a hard time for Hispanic culture. With the help of our Lord and the Virgin Mary, we can pull through and build a bridge. We must live as one, as human beings.” Juan Carlos Tapia, a member of St. Anne Parish in Gilbert, said he lives every day with the fear of being deported. He and his wife—who is also undocumented—have eight children, all born in the United States. “We live with the fear of being separated from our children,” he said. “But through this demonstration, we can testify that God is with us. God can change the hearts of our legislators. I hope God will bring them clarity of thought so they can see how we are suffering.” “People need to be calm,” said Ron Johnson, executive director of the Arizona Catholic Conference, April 29, nothing that the law had not yet taken effect. “The local church is concerned with how this will be enforced.” Ignacio Rodriguez, associate director of ethnic ministries for the Diocese of Phoenix, said his office was receiving lots of calls from concerned parishioners. “They don’t know if they’re just going to get pulled over in the street,” Rodriguez said. “People are already looking to move back to Mexico or to other states like New Mexico and Texas.” Jose Robles, director of diocesan Hispanic ministry, said he was pleased to see legal challenges to “this punitive law.” He encouraged Catholics to turn to prayer. “We’re asking our parishioners to remain calm, not to overreact to the situation,” he said. Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Migration, did not cite the Arizona law specifically in an April 29 statement urging federal measures to reform U.S. immigration policy. “Over the past several years the United States has poured billions of dollars into immigration enforcement, which has not only not solved the problem but in some cases led to the abuse of migrants,” Bishop Wester said. “We urge members of both parties to begin a process toward introducing and enacting bipartisan legislation which affirms the rule of law and basic human rights,” he added. “Our immigration system is badly broken and is in need of immediate repair.” ■ Copyright 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops 10

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MAY 9, 2010

VATICAN CITY (CNS)— Pope Benedict XVI will name a personal delegate with authority over the Legionaries of Christ and a commission to study its constitutions, the first steps toward a profound reform of the order, the Vatican said. In a lengthy statement released May 1, the Vatican indicated that the Legionaries would need to undergo very deep changes, including a redefinition of the order’s religious charism and a revision of the way authority is exercised among its members. Although the pope will have the final word on whatever changes are eventually imposed, one Vatican source said after seeing the statement: “It looks like they are calling for a refoundation of the order.” The pope met April 30 with the five bishops who conducted a visitation of the Legionaries’ institutions over the past year. They visited almost all the order’s religious houses and most of its pastoral institutions, meeting with more than 1,000 Legionaries. The Vatican emphasized what it said was a high degree of sincerity and cooperation shown by the Legionaries and said the visitors encountered many young priests who were “exemplary, honest, and full of talent.” The Vatican statement castigated the Legionaries’ founder, the late Father Marcial Maciel Degollado, who had been found to have fathered children and sexually abused seminarians. His “most grave and objectively immoral conduct” calls for “a path of profound revision” in the order, the statement said. It said Father Maciel committed “true crimes” that reflected “a life devoid of scruples and of authentic religious sentiment.” Most Legionaries didn’t know about his conduct because Father Maciel was able to skillfully “create alibis and obtain the trust, confidence, and silence of those around him,” it said. Most Legionaries, because of their “sincere zeal,” believed accusations against Father Maciel could only be slander, it said. The statement did not specifically refer to leaders of the Legionaries of Christ or how much they may have known about their

CNS PHOTO/GREGORY A. SHEMITZ

CNS PHOTO/KAREN CALLAWAY, CATHOLIC NEW WORLD

Pope assures Legionaries of his prayers as they enter the ‘path of purification.’ By John Thavis

Seminarians from the Legionaries of Christ seminary in Thornwood, N.Y., assemble outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York in April 2009 before Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan’s installation as head of the New York Archdiocese. The Vatican-ordered visitation of the Legionaries recently ended and will result in a reform of the order.

PROFOUND REFORM

founder’s transgressions. The Vatican said the visitation highlighted three primary requirements: ■ the need to “redefine the charism” of the Legionaries of Christ, preserving “the true nucleus, that of militia Christi (“the army of Christ”), which distinguishes the apostolic and missionary action of the Church” ■ the need to revise the exercise of authority in the order in a way that “respects the conscience” and is closely connected with truth ■ the need to preserve the enthusiasm and missionary zeal of younger members through adequate formation. “In fact, the disappointment about the founder could place in question the vocation and that nucleus of charism that belongs particularly to the Legionaries of Christ,” it said. The Vatican said the pope wanted to assure the Legionaries and members of the order’s lay movement, Regnum Christi, that the Church will “accompany them and help them on the path of purification that awaits them.” Part of that path, it said, is a reaching out to those inside and outside the order who were “victims of the sexual abuse and of the system of power put in place by the founder.” “To them at this moment go the thoughts and prayers of the Holy Father, together with gratitude for those among them who, in the face of great difficulty, had the courage and the constancy to demand the truth,” it said. As for future steps, the

statement said the pope has “reserved to himself” those decisions, beginning with the naming of his delegate and the commission to study the order’s constitutions. He will also name a visitor for the Regnum Christi movement, at their request. The five bishops who conducted the investigation into the Legionaries of Christ included Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput. The Vatican said the bishops had also consulted with many diocesan bishops in the countries where the Legionaries operate. Although the five bishops acted independently, “they have reached a widely convergent evaluation and a shared opinion,” it said. They handed in their reports to the pope and other top Vatican officials at a meeting that began April 30 and continued the next day. After investigating allegations that Father Maciel had sexually abused young seminarians, the Vatican in May 2006 ordered him to stop practicing his ministry in public and to live a life of prayer and penitence. Father Maciel died in January 2008 at age 87. In early 2009 the Legionaries said that Father Maciel had fathered a daughter; more recently Legionary officials acknowledged he had sexually abused seminarians, and they asked forgiveness for having failed to listen to his accusers. ■ Copyright 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Pro-life ‘freedom rides’ set to begin in Birmingham BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (CNS)— Calling for an end to the nation’s “enslavement to legal abortion,” Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life announced April 27 that a series of “freedom rides” for the unborn would begin this summer. The rides will be nonpartisan, interdenominational, and nonviolent and will involve a crosssection of people, Father Pavone said at a news conference in Birmingham’s Kelly Ingram Park. “Like the freedom rides of five decades ago, these freedom rides symbolize the principle . . . that justice and equal protection of human rights belong to each and every human being, regardless of size or age or any other condition,” he said. Among those joining Father Pavone in the announcement was Alveda King, director of African-American outreach at Priests for Life and niece of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Her father, the Rev. A. D. King, is depicted in a statue of praying ministers at Kelly Ingram Park. “When I lived in Birmingham, www.d ioknox.org

when our home was bombed in this very city, when my classmate was part of the group of four little girls killed in the bombing of historic 16th Street Baptist Church across the way, I dreamed of a world when life would be better, when freedom would prevail for all,” King said. “Now, almost 50 years later, we pay tribute to the freedom riders of 1961.” The pro-life freedom rides are to begin with a July 23 send-off concert and rally at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Center, followed by a ride to Atlanta through July 25. Father Pavone said dozens of rides in all parts of the country could be scheduled over the next year. The rides commemorate the civil-rights rides protesting segregation in public transportation in the South, despite Supreme Court rulings that such segregation was illegal. The first ride left Washington on May 4, 1961, headed for New Orleans; hundreds of riders were beaten or arrested during the rides. “We join our lives and hearts together with those who have

gone before us,” King said at the Birmingham news conference. “We take to the bus, to the streets of America, riding for justice and freedom for all, from conception till natural death.” Father Pavone said the rides would be preceded by a period of intense prayer to end abortion, beginning on Pentecost Sunday, May 23, and continuing until July 4. Others participating in the Birmingham news conference were the Rev. Clenard Childress, a Baptist minister from New Jersey who is director of the Life Education and Resource Network; the Rev. Stephen Broden, senior pastor of Fair Park Bible Fellowship in Dallas and a candidate for Congress; Father Michael Deering, vicar general for the Diocese of Birmingham; members of Catholics United for Life of Huntsville, Ala.; and Bishop Demetrics Roscoe, founder of Living Church Ministries in Birmingham. ■ Copyright 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops TH E E A S T TE N N E S S E E C ATH OLI C