Nov. 21, 2010, ET Catholic by Diocese of Knoxville

CNS PHOTO/NANCY WIECHEC

Kurtz elected VP for USCCB Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., is pictured after his election as the next vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Nov. 16 at a USCCB meeting in Baltimore. He was elected 147 to 91 over Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver.

THE EAST TENNESSEE

Volume 20 • Number 6 • November 21, 2010

The

newspaper

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

Father Patrick Garrity

Father Garrity named DOK vicar for priests B Y D A N M C W ILLIAMS

Garrity continued on page 3

Pray for vocations, and help Bishop Stika celebrate his silver jubilee, at Dec. 19 Mass Bishop Richard F. Stika’s silver jubilee of priestly ordination (Dec. 14, 1985) will be celebrated at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, at Sacred Heart Cathedral. The focus of the event is prayer for vocations, and Bishop Stika has asked the diocese’s seminarians to serve the Mass. A reception will follow in the Sacred Heart Cathedral School gymnasium. Everyone is invited to attend. Please join Bishop Stika in expressing gratitude for the gift of his priesthood and in praying for vocations.

MARY C. WEAVER

ather Pat Garrity has taken on a number of diocesanlevel responsibilities in his nearly 35 years as a priest, but his latest such assignment may be the most personal because of the group he will be serving. Effective Nov. 9, Bishop Richard F. Stika appointed Father Garrity as an episcopal vicar and the Diocese of Knoxville’s first vicar for priests. He will remain pastor of St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut. Episcopal vicars are appointed “to serve either a specific part of the diocese or in a certain type of affairs,” according to the Code of Canon Law. The office of vicar for priests will “promote the personal and ministerial well-being of individual priests and the total presbyterate of the Diocese of Knoxville,” said Bishop Stika. “The vicar for priests serves as an advocate for priests, with emphasis on those experiencing difficulties. The office also exists in order to promote the fraternal bond that unites the priests in one presbyterate of diocesan and religious-order priests, active and retired.” Father Garrity was able to speak to his fellow priests about his new assignment on the day it became effective, when the diocese’s presbyterate gathered at the Chancery for its regular general meeting. “As I said at the general priests meeting, of all the different jobs and appointments I’ve had, I think this one is probably nearest to my heart because it’s an opportunity to minister to my brother priests, to be able to walk a little more closely with them in that position,”

Father Moises Moreno ordained for DOK in Mexico Father Moises Moreno blesses Bishop Richard F. Stika during the new priest’s ordination Mass in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico, on Nov. 13. Deacon Sean Smith is seen in the background. The story will appear in the next edition of the ETC.

letters to the

EDITOR

Santorum ‘instrumental’ in Iraq war

Gushing praise for Rick Santorum in The East

Tennessee Catholic (“Rick Santorum keynotes Knox Right to Life dinner,” Nov. 7 ETC) should have been modified with some information based on his previous experiences as a U.S. senator. Mr. Santorum was instrumental in fostering the American attack on Iraq, resulting in the horrific deaths of thousands of people. Pope John Paul pleaded with American leaders not to attack Iraq but rather to lift punishing sanctions against Iraq. Mr. Santorum chose to ignore the Holy Father. Ironically, the story on page 10 about the persecution of Catholics in Iraq demonstrated the consequences of Mr. Santorum’s support for the Iraq war. The Catholic population of Iraq has dropped from about 800,000 to fewer than 400,000. Where have they gone? Would Mr. Santorum support giving refugee status to Iraqi Christians and help them resettle in the United States? In addition, Mr. Santorum was instrumental in attacking the balanced budget and plans to eliminate the U.S. national debt developed by the Clinton administration. The Clinton plans and budget surplus would have been a great gift to the country and especially beneficial to middleclass and poor people. Mr. Santorum cheered on and supported actions that led to abuses by bankers and Wall Street financiers resulting in a nearly complete economic collapse. The Republicans controlled both the Senate and the House for six years. Where was the prolife leadership at this time? You also failed to mention that Mr. Santorum was defeated in a reelection bid for the U.S. Senate. —Ed Dwyer Johnson City

Pro-Obama bishops silent on abortion issue

Another excellent column by Ginger Hutton in

the Nov. 7 ETC (“Orthodoxy plus”). This time she probably will not draw the ire of so-called progressive Catholics since she calls what she attacks “orthodoxy plus,” which is, of course, a misnomer, as there is nothing orthodox about the practices she lists. Otherwise she, as usual, chooses words wisely, as when she says we should cooperate with our bishops “when they instruct us.” The fact is that many of the American bishops have been slow to instruct us unambiguously about grave moral dangers. How many bishops before the last presidential election (when voters could prevent the election of Obama) clearly said that if you vote for a pro-abortion candidate who is clearly promising to remove all legal obstacles to abortion, you will be complicit in the resulting sinful killing of innocent children? There was no question about Obama’s intentions during the campaign. No informed person could be surprised when almost immediately he removed all prohibitions to funding abortions in our foreign aid by executive order (so we are now killing foreign babies). Good Catholics, even members of parish councils, sported large Obama buttons as they approached Communion. They could point to photos in the press of smiling bishops shaking hands with pro-abortion politicians. With the complicity of many bishops, Obama was elected with 51 percent of the Catholic vote. Only now, as the electorate is turning against Obama, are the bishops finding their orthodox, anti-abortion voice. They follow rather than lead. By the grace of God and the persistence of those who support life, one hopes that future generations will look back on abortion as the consummate evil it is. Then some of today’s bishops may hang their heads in shame because they will be publicly excoriated for their silence, not unlike the bishops who formerly were complicit by inaction in the sexual abuse of minors. n —Jan Hicks Oak Ridge 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.

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 train2

NOVEMBER 21, 2010

ing sessions have been scheduled: n All Saints Church, Knoxville, 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13 n Sacred Heart Cathedral, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18 (session will be held in the Shea Room) n Notre Dame Church, Greeneville, 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13 (session will be conducted in Spanish). Participants are asked to donate $1 for session materials. To register, visit virtus online.org. n

living the

READINGS

BY FATHER JOSEPH BRANDO

Sharing an inheritance We are heirs of the kingdom, even though we think we aren’t deserving.

There are many ways of amassing a fortune. You can work hard for a very long time and be thrifty with your money. You could be exceedingly lucky and win a lottery. You could be a genius and invent something useful. You could turn a company around, taking it from the edge of bankruptcy to profitability. Or you could inherit it. In today’s second reading Paul writes to his brothers and sisters in Colossae, telling them the Father has given them the inheritance of the holy ones in light. That message is also addressed to us. Thanks to the Father’s love for us, we have been “transferred to the kingdom of his

beloved Son in whom we have redemption.” Entering the kingdom is a big thing. We receive much more than a tidy sum of money. We become one with God. With that, we become heirs to heaven. Yes, thanks to no personal attribute, we inherit heaven. We do not have to work hard, be a genius, or be lucky. All we need has already been given to us. We merely have to remember what our parents taught us and say, “thank you.” Our first reaction to this message, probably, is to think it too good to be true. Actually, salvation does take work, but all of the work was done by our Savior. Perhaps a second reaction is to deny that we’re worthy of such a marvelous gift as eternal happiness with God. We look at ourselves and see a sinner. No one with our faults, we think, deserves to be with God. Such

Noah clue The Bible shows how to ace the most important test ever.

very student who ever lived has wished he or she had an advance copy of the questions on an examination. With that information, students could narrow their study and presumably ace the test. One event on which theologians and scientists agree is that the world will end. Whenever that happens (and neither good biblical experts nor good scientists can give us an exact date), it will feature the most important pop quiz in the history of the universe. The permanent disposition of our immortal souls

hangs in the balance. And with those consequences looming, our whole disposition on life could be radically changed if we knew the questions on the ultimate exam. It’s the same test we’ll face if we die before the end of the world. So everyone is affected. Fortunately, Advent, which begins today, is all about preparing for eternal salvation. Today’s Scripture readings and all the Advent readings are filled with clues on how to pass the test and enter into heavenly joy. St. Paul’s letter to the Romans narrows

Taken together, these Scriptures show us how to enter God’s kingdom.

f all the readings during this Advent season present what we need to learn to go to heaven, today’s readings specifically present the attitude we must develop now to enter into paradise. That attitude comes to us by means of the poetry of Isaiah, the practicality of Paul, and the personality of John the Baptist. Just watch the three disparate images overlap to form a clear picture of what our attitude should become. Isaiah paints us a picture of lambs hosting wolves, calves browsing with lions, and babies playing near cobras—all

without harm or ruin. On God’s mountain everyone is safe. He’s referring to age-old enemies coming together in peace. He is begging the question “How can such a situation happen in the real world?” The answer is “By the spirit of God, who brings justice.” Israel’s goal should be peace with the peoples around it, not never-ending wars. That is the goal, and it can be attained with the help of God. The same is true for us in relationship to all the people we fear, ridicule, or detest. We need to change these folks into our friends.

likens test day to the time of Noah. What he and his family did before the deluge— and what no one else did—was listen to God. They believed, and they were the only survivors. We can live forever in heaven if we listen to God calling us. What a great advantage it is to know that! We can spend this Advent listening for God’s voice. For that, we need to zone out all the clattering chatter of this world. Another of the questions God may ask us is “Did you listen to me?” n Nov. 28, first Sunday of Advent Isaiah 2:1-5 Psalm 122:1-9 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:37-44

Paul tells us how this can take place. He prays that “the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another . . .” We don’t have to have the same voice; we only need to sing in harmony. Simply put, that means we have to “welcome one another.” He is expressly asking us to welcome people we formerly fought with or distrusted. There should be no barriers. As all are welcome to heaven, Christianity must be a union into which all are welcome Readings continued on page 6

Dec. 5, second Sunday of Advent Isaiah 11:1-10 Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 Romans 15:4-9 Matthew 3:1-12

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

THE EAST TENNESSEE

805 Northshore Drive S.W .

Nov. 21, the solemnity of Christ the King 2 Samuel 5:1-3 Psalm 122:1-5 Colossians 1:12-20 Luke 23:35-43

the context for our study to the topic of salvation, and it is near. We will have to account for how we lived in this world. Paul gives us a list of what he calls “works of darkness.” In summary, he tells us, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.” For one question on the test will be, “Did you act spiritually?” Isaiah had a vision. In a sense, he had a sneak peek at the exam. He tells us he saw God judging the nations, and what they needed to do was stop fighting and go to Jerusalem to listen to the Lord’s word. The best clue of all comes from Jesus. He

A composite picture I

an attitude might seem to be logically correct. But it is theologically wrong! The proof that this concept is mistaken can be found in today’s Gospel. There, Luke presents us with a witness, whom we call Dismas, the “good thief.” Luke introduced him as “the other criminal.” He has only two lines in the Gospel, but they are dramatically powerful. After the soldiers at Jesus’ crucifixion told him to save himself, the first criminal added, “Save yourself and us.” Dismas harshly rebuked his companion, admitting that the two of them had been justly condemned to death. Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into you kingdom.” In response Jesus promised him paradise. If he can enter heaven, so can we. For Christ has made us heirs of the kingdom. n

Margaret Hunt Administrative assistant Toni Pacitti Intern

Knoxville, TN 37919-7551

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

Phone: 865-584-3307 • fax: 865-584-8124 • e-mail: webmaster@dioknox.org • web: dioknox.org The East Tennessee Catholic is mailed to all registered Catholic families in East Tennessee. Subscription rate for others is $15 a year in the United States. Make checks payable to the Diocese of Knoxville. www.dioknox.org

THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC

he dwells

AMONG US

BY BISHOP RICHARD F. STIKA

Season of hope Advent reminds us that there is hope for overcoming addictions.

Advent is often a time when I, like many, am faced with situations where I must say no to the many foods and drinks that would be easy to enjoy beyond moderation. As a diabetic, I know how important it is to be able to discipline this desire because of the consequences it can have on my health. Having the freedom to say no to many things in life—things that can harm us when enjoyed beyond moderation—is important for healthy living. When we lose that ability, our physical, mental, and spiritual life suffers. The former slave Frederick Douglass once remarked that he did not realize he was a slave until he discovered he could not do the things he wanted. This realization led him to seek his freedom and eventually to become one of the greatest leaders of the abolitionist movement to end slavery. I know many such people today who, like Frederick Douglas, were once enslaved but are now abolitionists fighting the forms of slavery known as addictions. Addictions, like slavery, keep people locked in an ever-constricting circle that increasingly limits their freedom to act in keeping with their dignity. Sadly, the number of people suffering from addictions today, whether to alcohol, drugs, gambling, food, sex, pornography, or many other things, is growing. It is estimated that one in eight Americans suffers from alcohol or drug addiction. The fastest-growing addiction in the world is to pornography. But for everyone suffering from an addiction, there are almost always others who are

wounded as a result: spouses, children, family members, and friends. Fortunately, many people within our own communities and parishes can help. When we think of addiction and programs of recovery, alcoholism and Alcoholics’ Anonymous (AA), with its 12-step program, may come to mind. As a result of the great success countless people have experienced with this program, the 12 steps have been adapted to help with many other types of addictions. It isn’t my intent to describe these programs of recovery, but I do wish to emphasize that their success lies not just in following the steps for recovery but also largely with those who labor selflessly in solidarity with those struggling to overcome their enslavement. These are the wounded healers who accompany and encourage those who must journey along the difficult and painful path to sobriety of body and soul. Archbishop Fulton Sheen, whose writings and recordings of talks continue to inspire me, often spoke of addictions and the grace needed to overcome them. He understood the many complexities and factors involved in counseling those with addictions, and his pastoral approach was simple: he encouraged the addicted to introduce a new love into their life. He would say that people cannot push addiction out of their life but can only “crowd it out” with the affection of a new love. That’s what grace is. Addictions, like slavery, limit people’s ability to do the things they want. Grace allows us to do the things we want because it is Christ who acts in us. In this regard the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist, as channels of God’s

mercy and love, are invaluable. An excellent resource on the subject of addictions, from which I’ve learned a great deal, is my dear friend Cardinal Justin F. Rigali’s book Let the Oppressed Go Free: Breaking the Bonds of Addiction (Basilica Press, 2009). It has confirmed what I have come to appreciate in my nearly 25 years as a priest—that we are all on a spiritual journey that is truly an exodus out of the slavery and darkness of sin. Advent is a season of hope and a time in which those “living in darkness” need our help in order to experience that “great light” that alone can free them (Isaiah 9:1; Matthew 4:16). Let us join Pope Benedict XVI in his prayer intention for the month of November, “That through the support of the Christian community, all victims of addiction may find in the power of our saving God [the] strength for a radical life change.” n BISHOP STIKA’S SCHEDULE These are some of Bishop Stika’s appointments: Nov. 21: 9 a.m., Mass and blessing of Holy Family statue and religiouseducation building, St. Joseph Church, Norris; 5:30 p.m., Mass and dinner with University of Tennessee students, Blessed John XXIII Catholic Center, Knoxville Nov. 23: 8:05 a.m., Mass with students, Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; 10 a.m., day of recollection with presbyterate, Chancery Nov. 25: 9 a.m., Thanksgiving Mass, Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Nov. 29: provincial bishop’s meeting, Owensboro, Ky. Dec. 3: 8:05 a.m., Mass, Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Dec. 4: noon, gathering of Diocesan Hispanic Council, bishop’s residence Dec. 5: 1-3 p.m., annual Ladies of Charity Bishop’s Tea, Chancery Dec. 6: 11:30 a.m., Mass and luncheon with Chattanooga Serra Club, Chattanooga Choo Choo Dec. 8: 6 p.m., St. Gerard Guild meeting and dinner, bishop’s residence Dec. 9: 8:05 a.m., Mass with students, Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Dec. 12: Papal Foundation conference, Washington, D.C. n

Advent penance services scheduled

ere is a list of upcoming Advent penance services around the Diocese of Knoxville:

7 p.m. EST, except as noted. Nov. 30—St. Augustine, Signal Mountain; Dec. 6— Shepherd of the Valley, Dunlap, 6:30 p.m. CST; Dec. 9—Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga, 5:30 p.m.; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Chattanooga; Dec. 13—Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy; Dec. 14—Our Lady of Lourdes, South Pitts burg, 6:30 p.m. CST; St. Jude, Chattanooga; Dec. 15—St. Bridget, Dayton, 6:30 p.m.; Dec. 16—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Cleveland; Dec. 17—St. Mary, Athens; Dec. 21—St. Stephen, Chattanooga (At St. Catherine Labouré in Copperhill, confession will be available after the 9 a.m. Mass on Fridays, from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. Saturdays, and from 8:15 to 8:45 a.m. Sundays.)

CNS PHOTO/KAREN CALLAWAY, CATHOLIC NEW WORLD

Chattanooga Deanery

Cumberland Mountain Deanery 7 p.m. EST, except as noted. Nov. 29—St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City; Nov. 30—Knoxville Catholic High School, 10:30 a.m.; Dec. 1—KCHS, 10:30 a.m.; St. Ann, Lancing; St. Therese, Clinton, and St. Joseph, Norris, at St. Joseph; Dec. 2—St. John Neumann, Farragut; Dec. 6—St. Alphonsus, Crossville, 6 p.m. CST; Dec. 8—

THE E A S T T E N N E S S E E C A T H OLIC

Christ the King, Tazewell; Dec. 9—St. Mary, Oak Ridge; Dec. 13— All Saints, Knoxville; Dec. 14—St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade, 6 p.m. CST; Dec. 15—Blessed Sacrament, Harriman; Dec. 16—Our Lady of Perpetual Help, LaFollette; Dec. 18—St. Christopher, Jamestown, 6 p.m. CST.

Five Rivers Deanery 7 p.m. Dec. 1—St. Elizabeth, Elizabeth-

ton; Dec. 6—Good Shepherd, Newport; Dec. 9—St. Patrick, Morristown; Dec. 13—St. Dominic, Kingsport; Dec. 14— St. Mary, Johnson City; Dec. 15—Holy Trinity, Jefferson City; Dec. 16—St. Henry, Rogersville; Dec. 19— Notre Dame, Greeneville; TBA—St. Anthony of Padua, Mountain City

Smoky Mountain Deanery 7 p.m., except as noted. Nov. 29— Blessed John XXIII, Knoxville, 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 1—Holy Cross, Pigeon Forge; Dec. 5—Holy Ghost, Knoxville, and Immaculate Conception, Knoxville, at St. Joseph School, 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 6—St. Albert the Great, Knoxville; Dec. 9—Sacred Heart Cathedral; Dec. 13— Holy Family, Seymour; Dec. 14—Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa; Dec. 15—St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville; Dec. 16—St. Mary, Gatlinburg; Dec. 21— St. Francis of Assisi, Townsend n

www.dioknox.org

from the bishop’s

OFFICE

Deacon Elliott to direct deacon formation for DOK

ishop Richard F. Stika announced on Oct. 28 that he has named Deacon Tim Elliott the director of deacon formation for the diocese. Deacon Elliott is also director of the diaconate. “It is my intent to provide a realistic, practical, yet pastoral structure within which the diaconate can continue to flourish, evolving into ever broader areas of ministry,” the bishop wrote. “I view our deacons as the hands with which I can reach out and minister to the people of God in our diocese.” On Nov. 6 the bishop announced that after an extended retreat Father Michael Maples had requested a formal leave of absence from his priestly ministry. Father Maples “leaves active ministry as a devoted servant of the Gospel,” the bishop wrote, “and it is my hope that he might return someday.” Father Maples had been serving as associate pastor of St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Cleveland. Bishop Stika has appointed Father Patrick Garrity an episcopal vicar for the diocese, effective Nov. 9. (See the story on page 1.) His “specific function will be to serve as the Diocese of Knoxville’s vicar for priests,” the bishop wrote. His “current appointment as pastor of St. John Neumann Parish [in Farragut] remains unchanged.” n

One more catechetical day for ’10

he Office of Christian Formation in collaboration with Aquinas College in Nashville, continues its catechetical-formation program for adults this fall, with one remaining catechetical day, set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga. The program is intended for parish catechists, teachers in Catholic schools, ministry leaders, and other interested adults. There is no charge. Each session includes hourlong modules on the sacraments, morality, prayer, and creative methods for teaching. The program is conducted by the Nashville Dominican sisters. For details, contact Father Richard Armstrong at rarmstrong@dioknox.org or 865-584-3307. Register online at bit.ly/faith-formation. n

Garrity continued from page 1

said Father Garrity. A vicar for priests is new for the Church in East Tennessee but not elsewhere. “Many other dioceses have vicars for priests, and it’s an effort by the bishop to reach out to the presbyterate in a personal way to help assist in the development and the growth of our presbyterate,” said Father Garrity. The “difficulties” Father Garrity could help out with might be physical or emotional, and his assistance could come in the form of making a hospital visit or simply providing a listening ear. “Let’s just say if a priest feels overwhelmed or taxed out and wants to talk to somebody, he could come talk to me privately about it,” said Father Garrity. “Or with priests who are suffering from physical disabilities, [the vicar for priests would be] someone from the diocese who could maintain contact and give them support and encouragement.” For formal address, an episcopal vicar should be referred to as “Very Rev.” rather than “Rev.,” with “VE” after his name. Father Garrity over the years has chaired the diocesan Presbyteral Council, the committee that started the Growing in Faith Together capital campaign, and a committee that planned for the diocese’s first full-time lay director of Youth Ministry. He has now been the pastor of two of the diocese’s largest parishes, coming to St. John Neumann earlier this year after more than 12 years at St. Patrick in Morristown. He served as principal of Knoxville Catholic High School before his St. Patrick days and as dean of the Five Rivers Deanery while he was at the Morristown parish. “I look forward to being the vicar for priests,” he said. “I’m humbled by it and the fact that the bishop put a lot of confidence in me to minister to and to walk with my brother priests in a special way, which I hope will be beneficial for them as individuals and for the presbyterate as a whole.” n

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

NOVEMBER 21, 2010

BY TONI PACITTI

OLPH, Chattanooga

n Parishioner Tyler Enos won his

age division in an NFL Punt, Pass & Kick team championship at the Tennessee Titans’ home football game Oct. 24 in Nashville. As of press day Tyler, who has competed in PP&K contests since 2006, had posted the second-best score nationwide for his 12-13 age group. In Nashville his punt, pass, and kickoff from a tee totaled 342 feet, 1 inch, to place him first among sectional winners from the Titans’ region, topping the score from the 14-15 age group. Tyler will advance to the national finals in January if he is still in the top four after the last of the 32 team championships concludes Dec. 19. n The Knights of Columbus will sponsor a trip to see the Atlanta Falcons play Green Bay on Sunday, Nov. 28, in Atlanta. Cost is $145 and includes transportation, ticket, and lunch. Call 423-899-9989 for tickets.

St. Catherine Labouré, Copperhill n The parish youth breakfast (Nov.

7 ETC) has been moved from Sunday, Dec. 12, to Sunday, Jan. 23.

St. Jude, Chattanooga

n The Knights of Columbus will

have a “Mass of Remembrance” at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 22, in the church to honor deceased Knights and family members of Council 8576. n A greeting-card workshop will be held from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, in the parish life center. To RSVP or learn more, call Kyra at 423-870-2386.

St. Mary, Athens

n The parish hosted a retreat Nov. 9

through 11 with the theme “Living Your Faith in Everyday Life.” Father Ed Buvens, SJ, conducted the retreat. Cumberland Mountain Deanery

All Saints, Knoxville

n The Council of Catholic Women

will sponsor its annual “Harvest of Blessings” from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, to benefit parish ministries. Ham certificates, popcorn, crafts, and other items will be sold by All Saints ministries, and The Paraclete Catholic bookstore will have gift items available. n The CCW’s “Advent by Candlelight” service will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, in the parish hall. Dr. Ruth Queen Smith, pastoral associate at Blessed John XXIII Parish in Knoxville, will be the featured speaker. Women are encouraged to “host” a table by inviting six to eight friends, decorating the table, and bringing a dessert (coffee will be provided). RSVP by Friday, Nov. 19. Call Catherine McHugh at 865-6944971 or Christy Robson at 470-4936 to RSVP or obtain more information. n The parish adult Christmas party will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, at Knoxville Catholic High School. The event includes dinner and dancing. Call the parish office at 5310770 for details. n The middle school youth will prepare and serve lunch from 9:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, at the Volunteer Ministry Center. Register at allsaintsknoxvilleorg/node/89 or pick up a form in the church office.

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

n The angel tree will be set up Satur-

day, Nov. 20, in the parish hall to assist the children of the parish.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade n A pizza party will be held after the

5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, Dec. 11, for all parishioners. n Anniversaries: Darius and Joanne Bielicki (51), Fred and Donna Laufenberg (40), Bob and Pat Baiocchi (30)

St. John Neumann, Farragut

n The St. Vincent de Paul Society and

the Knights of Columbus will present a “Pasta Extravaganza” from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at the school. Bring a salad, dessert, or bread. A cash bar will be offered, and a family movie will be shown at 7 p.m. in the library. Donations will be accepted to benefit parish families. Contact David Campbell at 865-777-9402 or dcamp@charter.net to volunteer or learn more.

St. Mary, Oak Ridge

n The school needs a new electronic 4

NOVEMBER 21, 2010

piano. Call Sister Andrea Marie at 865-483-9700. n The St. Joseph Food Pantry needs financial donations to help it offset holiday expenses. For more information, call Elizabeth Fischer at 617-2987.

COURTESY OF GEORGE FREDERICK

Chattanooga Deanery

St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City n The recent Fall Fashion Show and

Brunch netted more than $4,200 for local charitable organizations, said Lil Pendergast, president of the women’s guild, which sponsored the event. More than 200 women, including nonparishioners, attended. Guild members prepared and Knights of Columbus served the brunch, and parishioners modeled fashions at the event. Jane Venable narrated the fashion show. n Newcomers: Gary and Sheila Capitosti, James and Martha Raque Five Rivers Deanery

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City

n The parish has been asked to pro-

vide boxes of saltine crackers for its part in the “Sharing Christmas in Jefferson County” food collection. Place donations in the box in the narthex by Monday, Dec. 6. n Anniversary: William and Gretchen Rivers (5) n Newcomers: Charles, Tricia, Taylor, and Kyle Mundelein; Eileen Mundelein

Notre Dame, Greeneville

n The fourth annual madrigal dinner

will be held over three nights this year at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, through Saturday, Dec. 4. The event (for ages 12 and up) features a five-course meal served by parishioners in medieval period costumes, as well as music sung with harpsichord, flute, and hand-cymbal accompaniment. Cost is $25. Purchase tickets in advance at the church or call Susan Collins at 423-639-9382. n The Council of Catholic Women will sell pies during November. Orders may be placed at weekend Masses on Nov. 20 and 21. Volunteers are needed to provide ingredients, prepare pie crusts, and bake the pies. Sign up in the narthex. n The CCW is helping with the “Thanksgiving With Friends” event, conducted by churches in Greene County to provide a complete Thanksgiving meal to those in need. The council will donate 100 pounds of cooked turkey breast. Sign up in the narthex to provide turkey or help prepare it. Call Jean HagenBurger at 5254081 for more information. n Anniversaries: Robert and Charlotte Schaed (53), Douglas and Mary McConnell (51), Randall and Shirley Mashburn (40), Jon and Charlene Thomas (40)

St. Dominic, Kingsport

n The parish cooking teams need

help at the Kitchen of Hope from 3 to 5:30 p.m. or 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on first, third, and fifth Tuesdays. Call Jean Helfrick at 423-343-7542. n A Thanksgiving ecumenical dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21, in the parish life center. Costs are $5 for adults and $2.50 for children under 12. A worship service will take place at 7 p.m. in the church. n The home and school association will sponsor its annual “Breakfast With Santa” from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, in the school gym. Santa will be available for photos from 9 to 11 a.m.

Knights of Equestrian Order attend Baltimore meeting East Tennessee Catholics in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem attended the order’s annual meeting and investiture of new members held in Baltimore on Oct. 29 and 30. The members toured the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where Vespers and the investiture services were held. Above are (from left, seated) Monsignor Al Humbrecht, Sharon Folk, and Peter McGrath, and (standing) regional representative Edward Warwick, Esther and William Riley, George and Mary Jane Frederick, and Bonnie McGrath. Members also met Cardinal William H. Keeler, who recently retired as Grand Prior of the order’s Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy.

St. Augustine Church building turns 40 years old Nov. 4

t. Augustine Parish in Signal Mountain celebrated the 40th anniversary of the dedication of its church building with a small reception after morning Mass on Nov. 4. When St. Augustine began more than 70 years ago, most Catholics on Signal Mountain traveled to Sts. Peter and Paul Church in downtown Chattanooga for Mass. In 1936 the Alexian Brothers purchased the failing Signal Mountain Hotel. They moved to the mountain in summer 1938, converting part of the hotel into a chapel, which they dedicated to St. Augustine. Bishop William L. Adrian assigned Father Roy Gratenrath as chaplain, gave local Catholics permission

to attend Mass at the chapel, and soon after granted the community parish status. World War II brought Monsignor Joseph Mitchell to St. Augustine, where he served for 14 years, establishing religious-education classes for children and opening a mission in Sequatchie Valley. During the 1950s the parish grew to more than 100 families. In 1960 James R. Hedges deeded over a piece of mountain property and its buildings to Sts. Peter and Paul Parish. Bishop Adrian arranged for that property to become the site for a church for the St. Augustine community. Father James M. Bowling, pastor in 1967, converted the old Hedges home for use as a church, and

the parish said farewell to the Alexian chapel, its home for almost 30 years. The present St. Augustine Church building was later completed and dedicated by Bishop Joseph A. Durick on Nov. 4, 1970. It was the first church in Tennessee designed with the new liturgical norms established by the Second Vatican Council. Father Bowling was succeeded as pastor by Fathers Vincent Hines, Herb Prescott, Vincent Kaufman, Paul Hostettler, Al Humbrecht, Bob Hofstetter, Paul Valleroy, Peter Iorio, Patrick Brownell, and Anietie Akata before Father Joseph Kuzhupil, MSFS, became the pastor Oct. 18. The parish now has more than 400 families. n

Audettes celebrate 60th wedding anniversary Oct. 24

oger and Marguerite Audette of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Oct. 24. The Audettes were married at Sacred Heart Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They have four children, Victor and Paul Audette, Pamela Deornellas, and Jeffery Audette, all of Michigan; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. They retired from AMC–Chrysler Co. in Detroit and moved to the Glade in 1989. Mrs. Audette

COURTESY OF ROSEANN STRAZINSKY

NOTES

Roger and Marguerite Audette

is an extraordinary minister at St. Francis, and Mr. Audette is an usher. Both serve as greeters. n

St. Elizabeth, Elizabethton

n Luminaries will be lighted along

the sidewalk outside the church on the evening of Saturday, Nov. 20, to remember deceased loved ones of parishioners. Luminary donations will benefit the high school youth program. n A special collection in honor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, the parish’s patron, will be taken up on the weekend of Nov. 20 and 21 for Food for the Multitude, which feeds the homeless and elderly in Elizabethton. Nov. 17 is the feast day for St. Elizabeth. n Parishioners are invited to bring bread they plan to serve on Thanksgiving so it can be blessed. The blessing will take place during the 10 a.m. Mass on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26. n A potluck supper is planned for 5:30 p.m. on the second Sunday of Advent, Dec. 5. The parish will provide bread and drinks, and parishioners are invited to bring a favorite dish. n The Knights of Columbus conducted a canned-food drive on the Parish notes continued on page 5

COURTESY OF ELIZABETH CONWAY

parish

Soddy-Daisy Knights hold picnic for Holy Spirit servers Knights of Columbus Council 10974 of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy held a picnic and games for the altar servers Oct. 24. The games included a pumpkin roll and several relays. Players were presented with a certificate and T-shirts. The Knights did the cooking for the picnic as well. With Grand Knight Bob Kirn above are (from left, front) Nathaniel Hannah, Christopher Closson, Alyssa Malo, and Adriana Romero; (middle) Ashley Closson, Tiffany Closson, Amy Malo, and Jessie Pohl; and (back) Daniel Malo and Garrett DeGeere.

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THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC

St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga is celebrating its 50th anniversary Saturday, Nov. 20. Bishop Richard F. Stika will celebrate the anniversary Mass at 5:30 p.m. Afterward there will be a blessing of the parish’s new kitchen, followed by a banquet in the large hall. A brunch for charter parishioners will be held Sunday, Nov. 21. Tickets for the banquet are required. Costs are $15 per adult and $5 per child 12 and under. Seating is limited. For more information, call the parish office at 423-892-1261. Florence LaRue & The 5th Dimension will perform at the Alexian Brothers Foundation Tennessee Region’s Harvest Moon Ball, set for 5 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Chattanooga Convention Center. A cocktail reception will begin at 5 p.m., with a brief program at 6:30, dinner at 6:45, and the entertainment at 8:45. Tickets are $125; proceeds benefit the Alexians’ services to seniors. Complimentary valet parking will be available. Call 423-755-3430 for more information. The Pope Benedict XVI Schola will present “Sacred Choral Music From Byrd to Bruckner” at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at Holy Ghost Church, 1041 N. Central St., Knoxville, TN 37917. Organist Charles Walden, Holy Ghost’s music director, and cellist Noel Jones will also perform. The schola’s repertory includes Renaissance polyphony, Gregorian chant, and other traditional sacred music. The concert is free, but donations will be gratefully accepted. For more information, contact Mary Weaver at mary@b16schola.org or 865-437-8620. The Ladies of Charity of Knoxville’s annual Christmas party is set for Friday, Dec. 10, at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville. A rosary at 9:30 a.m. and Mass at 10 will be followed by lunch in Father Henkel Hall downstairs. Bring a covered dish and a donation of personal-care items for the Ladies’ food-pantry clients. For more details, call Karen at 865-579-9196. The Ladies of Charity of Knoxville’s annual Holiday Gift Boutique is set for 2 to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, in the Sacred Heart Cathedral School gym. Items for sale will include candles, home decor, jewelry, art, makeup, cookbooks, handbags, ornaments, and toys. Sales will benefit the Ladies’ thrift shop and emergency-assistance fund. Lemonade and cookies will be served on Friday, and breakfast and lunch will be available at the “Soul Food Café” on Saturday. For more information, call Sue Greer at 865-584-7929. Father John Orr, associate pastor of Holy Ghost in Knoxville, next month will continue his series of Marian talks sponsored by the parish Legion of Mary. Father Orr will speak on the meaning and significance of the Immaculate Conception at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8, in Father Henkel Hall downstairs at the church. Refreshments will be available. E-mail info@holyghost knoxville.org if you plan to attend. The Council of Catholic Women at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa will sponsor a free spiritual retreat on lectio divina Saturday, Dec. 4, that will begin with Mass at 9 a.m. Sisters Mary Timothea Elliott, RSM, and Mary Elizabeth Ann McCullough, RSM, will speak. The CCW’s annual Christmas luncheon, featuring soup, salad, bread, and dessert, will follow the program. Luncheon tickets are $15. For more information, call Cheryl Land at 865-9839610 or Esther Golightly at 310-0690. The eighth-grade class at St. Joseph School in Knoxville will serve breakfast at Aubrey’s on Emory Road from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 20. Tickets are $5 per person and $25 per family. Proceeds will go toward the class trip to Camp Greenville and its graduation breakfast. For more information, e-mail Janet Earl at browneyedtn@ hotmail.com or Cathy or Tommy Wade at tcwade32@comcast.net. St. Joseph School in Knoxville has scheduled an open house for 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5. For more information on the school, call the admissions diTHE E A S T T E N N E S S E E C A T H OLIC

Sister of Charity associates make first commitment

BY TONI PACITTI

rector at 865-689-3424, extension 237. Knoxville Catholic High School will give a placement test for current eighthgrade students at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. Pre-registration is requested. A $25 fee is due the day of the test. To register or learn more, contact dean of admissions Barrie Smith at 865-5600502 or bsmith@knoxvillecatholic.com. Knights of Columbus Council 8152 in Crossville will hold a Christmas Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (CST) on Saturday, Dec. 4, at the K of C Activity Park, 2892 Highway 70 East. Items will include ornaments, wreaths, greeting cards, jewelry, children’s and dolls’ clothes, quilts, candles, and baked goods. Admission and parking are free. For more information, call 931-707-7291. Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville, St. Mary in Oak Ridge, and St. Joseph in Norris are holding their annual toy collection for the Crazy Quilt Friendship Center in Newcomb, a ministry of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee that serves the needy of Appalachia. Bring new or good-condition used toys to Holy Ghost or to St. Joseph School in Knoxville by Friday, Dec. 3. For more information, call Merilee B. Kerwin at 865-297-2558. The National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry is set for Thursday, Dec. 9, through Sunday, Dec. 12, in New Orleans. Youth and campus ministers, religious-education leaders, and any others who minister to Catholic youth are invited to attend the event, sponsored by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM). Keynote speakers are Life Teen executive vice president Mark Hart; Father Larry Richards, founder of The Reason for Our Hope Foundation; Brian Johnson, youth-ministry director for the Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston; and Dr. Carole Elpers, vice president of William H. Sadlier Inc. Online registration continues through Friday, Dec. 3. The Diocese of Knoxville is affiliated with NFCYM; registration is $300 for those from affiliate dioceses. Full-time students and spouses of registered members may register for $160 each. To register or learn more, visit nccym. nfcym.org or contact Trina Barlow at 708-352-1677, extension 23, or tbarlow@pipsite.com. Memorial Health Care System in Chattanooga is holding a class for registered nurses who wish to participate in its Faith Community Nursing program. The class is divided into six sessions, all of which must be completed in order to participate in the program. Three eight-hour days are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Feb. 2, 9, and 16. Sessions also will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, March 1, 15, and 29. A commissioning/graduation ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 5. Registration deadline is Thursday, Jan. 20. For more information about the program or tuition costs, contact FCN coordinator Connie Blake at 423-495-6163 or connie_blake@ memorial.org. “One Step Beyond,” a social group for mature adults who are alone, will have its 11th annual Christmas luncheon at Forte’s on the Square in Crossville at 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2. The menu is roast pork, potatoes, vegetable, salad, roll, and dessert. Cost is $13. Reservations are required and must be received by Monday, Nov. 22. Make checks payable to One Step Beyond and mail to Mary Greenwood, 2698 Dunbar Road, Crossville, TN 38572. To learn more about the group, call Carolyn Oshry at 931-788-1155. The diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment will conduct Divorce & Beyond facilitator training from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Chancery office in Knoxville. The workshop is based on the Divorce & Beyond supportgroup program. Anyone interested in learning more about this ministry for separated and divorced Catholics is encouraged to attend the training. Lunch will be provided. To register or learn more, contact Karen Byrne at Calendar continued on page 7

NAZARETH, Ky.— Several candidates made their first commitment to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Associate program Sept. 25, including Dr. Charles Blake, Cindy Carroll, Lisa Harrison, and Jerry McCrary of Chattanooga. Dr. Blake is a retired anesthesiologist, and the other three new associates work for Memorial Health System in Chattanooga. SCN Associates are men and women of all faiths and backgrounds who commit to living out the SCN mission in their own life, deepening their spirituality, building community with other SCN Associates and SCNs, and serving others in the tradition of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Louise de Marillac, and Mother Catherine Spalding, the first superior of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.

COURTESY OF DANA HINTON (4)

CALENDAR

Dr. Charles Blake

Cindy Carroll

Lisa Harrison

Jerry McCrary

Dr. Blake is a parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Chattanooga, Mrs. Carroll of St. Jude in Chattanooga, and Mr. McCrary of Holy Spirit in Soddy-Daisy. There are 180 as-

sociates in the United States, representing 23 states, as well as seven associates in Botswana and 35 in Belize. For more information on the SCN Associates, visit www.scnfamily.org. n

COURTESY OF DONNA GOCELLA

on the

CCW holds All Souls remembrance The Council of Catholic Women at St. Alphonsus in Crossville held its All Souls Day remembrance Nov. 2. Father Jim Harvey presided and Deacon Joe Solis assisted at a Mass for the faithful departed of 2010 and for other deceased parishioners. Father Harvey and CCW members are pictured with roses presented during the Mass. From left are council president Donna Gocella, Pat Kregel, and Barbara Braden.

Knoxville Ladies of Charity holding 19th Bishop’s Tea

he Ladies of Charity of Knoxville’s 19th annual Bishop’s Tea will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, at the Chancery. Bishop Richard F. Stika will attend. All donations made during the event are designated for the Fuel Fund for kerosene, which benefits Ladies of Charity clients whose only heating source for winter is

kerosene. Last year’s donations at the Bishop’s Tea served 290 families. Those who cannot attend but would like to contribute to the Fuel Fund may send donations to Ladies of Charity, 1031 N. Central St., Knoxville, TN 37917. For more information, call Karen at 865-579-9196. n

Chattanooga Ladies of Charity need Angel Project aid

he Ladies of Charity of Chattanooga are seeking financial support for their annual Christmas Angel Project. The project allows the La-

dies to provide needy families financial assistance as well as groceries and holiday gifts for children. Christmas Angel donors last year

helped more than 200 individuals. Send contributions by Friday, Dec. 10, to Ladies of Charity, 2821 Rossville Blvd., Chattanooga, TN 37407. n

Parish notes continued from page 4

weekend of Nov. 13 and 14. The cans were given to Assistance Resource Ministries (ARM) in Elizabethton for Thanksgiving baskets and for its Food for Families program. n Newcomer: Kay Lieb

St. Patrick, Morristown

n A potluck dinner will be held after

the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, Nov. 20, in honor of Deacon Jim Fage’s 25th anniversary of ordination. Parishioners are asked to provide an appetizer or side-dish salad. Deacon Fage has served at St. Patrick since his ordination. n The Knights of Columbus need parishioners to help collect money for their Tootsie Roll Drive on Friday, Nov. 26, and Saturday, Dec. 4. The money raised helps people with intellectual disabilities. Contact Luis Crespo 865-475-4433 or koc_crespo@ yahoo.com to volunteer. Smoky Mountain Deanery

Blessed John XXIII, Knoxville

n The annual parish Thanksgiving

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dinner will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19. Donations of turkeys, cooked and sliced, are needed, as well as side dishes; sign up in the lobby.

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville n Knights of Columbus Council 645

served a complimentary breakfast for veterans after Masses on Nov. 14. n The 10th annual Advent workshop will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, in the parish hall. Cost for a light supper, to be served from 5:30 to 6:15, is $2 per adult and $1 per child. Bring a canned-food item for the FISH pantry. Call Dorothy Romines at 865-577-3035.

St. Albert the Great, Knoxville

n The parish life committee will host

a “Silver Generation Lunch” for all parishioners ages 60 and older following the 11 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Dec. 5. n Newcomers: John Byrne and Alicia Miller; David, Susie, and Tucker Nowak; Scott, Patty, and Brendan Palko; Steve Mitchell and Julie Upton n NOVEMBER 21, 2010

Seminars on 2011 tax changes set

Readings continued from page 2

here on earth. John the Baptist epitomizes what is needed to build such a welcoming community: an entirely different outlook on life. The biblical word for that is repentance. John’s clothing, diet, and language indicated he was totally independent of the social ties that bind us to a particular earthly society. His appearance showed one could be free of worldly ties and enjoy a new life now. His words were tough but welcoming. By accepting his baptism, a person would be freed from the bondage of earthly thinking and enter the kingdom. There, we all would have the mind of God, whose love is all encompassing. That’s a great picture. n Father Brando is the pastor of St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg. W E EKDAY READINGS Matthew 15:29-37 Thursday, Dec. 2: Isaiah 26:1-6; Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27; Matthew 7:21, 24-27 Friday, Dec. 3: Memorial, Francis Xavier, priest, Isaiah 29:17-24; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14; Matthew 9:27-31 Saturday, Dec. 4: Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26; Psalm 147:1-6; Matthew 9:35– 10:1 and 10:5-8 Monday, Dec. 6: Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 85:9-14; Luke 5:17-26 Tuesday, Dec. 7: Memorial, Ambrose, bishop, doctor of the Church, Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 96:1-3, 1013; Matthew 18:12-14 Wednesday, Dec. 8: Solemnity, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Genesis 3:915, 20; Psalm 98:1-4; Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12; Luke 1:26-38 Thursday, Dec. 9: Isaiah 41:13-20; Psalm 145:1, 9-13; Matthew 11:11-15 Friday, Dec. 10: Isaiah 48:17-19; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Matthew 11:16-19 Saturday, Dec. 11: Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11; Psalm 80:23, 15-16, 18-19; Matthew 17:9-13 n

Bishop Richard F. Stika, assisted by Deacon Sean Smith, presides at the dedication of the Emma Strahle “Bootie” Varallo Parish Hall at Sts. Peter and Paul Church. Also in the photo are parishioner Justine Jacobs and Sts. Peter and Paul pastor Father George Schmidt. IN MEMORY OF MRS. VARALLO

Bishop dedicates Varallo Parish Hall Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga renovates a downstairs area and names it for a lifelong parishioner. BY D A N M C W I L L I A M S

newly renovated lower T he level of Sts. Peter and

Paul Church in downtown Chattanooga now bears the name of a lifelong parishioner. Bishop Richard F. Stika dedicated the Emma Strahle “Bootie” Varallo Parish Hall after the 9 a.m. Mass on Oct. 24. The $1.151 million project began in December and was funded by donations to the parish, including one from the Varallo family. The Varallos have made many contributions to the parish over the years, including a sizable one for the renovation of Sts. Peter and Paul’s pipe organ, a project completed in 2007. Mrs. Varallo died Dec. 11, 2007, at 83. Her grandfather served on the building committee for the church in the 1880s. He donated the organ, and more than a century later she supervised its restoration. “She had a great affection for Sts. Peter and Paul Church,” said the parish’s longtime pastor, Father George Schmidt. The bishop, Father Schmidt, and Father Bertin Glennon, ST, of Sts. Peter and Paul led the faithful after Mass in a procession from the church to the hall for the dedication. Diocesan chancellor Deacon Sean Smith assisted the bishop, who blessed the room with holy water and joined parishioners at a reception after the ceremony. Mrs. Varallo’s husband of 62 years, Frank, was unable to be at the dedication. Mr. Varallo was among the diocese’s 2006 class of papal honorees, receiving the Benemerenti Medal. The Varallos’ daughter,

Youth attending the dedication of the Varallo Parish Hall pose by the sign outside the room. The $1.151 million project turned an undeveloped storage space into a large reception area for the downtown parish.

Cathy Bratton, and a close friend of Mrs. Varallo, Josephine Lavecchia, attended the dedication. Rick Thompson of Artech Design Group in Chattanooga was the project’s architect. T.U. Parks Construction Co., also of Chattanooga, was the contractor. The 9,100-square-foot lower level, previously undeveloped and used for storage, will now serve as a large reception area for Sts. Peter and Paul. Father Schmidt said the project turned out “much nicer than I expected.” “This will complement our parish functions and special events and enhance our parish community,” he said. The renovated space includes a kitchen furnished

with commercial-grade appliances, new rest rooms, an elevator, a new enclosed stairwell that connects the church with Varallo Hall, two new emergency exits, and new glass for the windows. The floor in Varallo Hall was raised to accommodate new plumbing, wiring, and heat and air ducts required by city code. A dropped ceiling was installed to reduce heating and cooling costs. The project also included an extension of the walkway from the church to Eighth Street. Father Schmidt said that parishioners have given the project rave reviews. “They just couldn’t imagine it could be this good.” n Margaret Hunt assisted with this story.

MARY KLAGES

Monday, Nov. 22: Memorial, Cecilia, virgin, martyr, Revelation 14:1-5; Psalm 24:1-6; Luke 21:1-4 Tuesday, Nov. 23: Revelation 14:14-19; Psalm 96:10-13; Luke 21:5-11 Wednesday, Nov. 24: Memorial, Andrew DungLac, priest, martyr, and his companions, martyrs, Revelation 15:1-4, Psalm 98:13, 7-9; Luke 21:12-19 Thursday, Nov. 25: Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23 and 19:1-3, 9; Psalm 100:1-5; Luke 21:20-28; optional readings for Thanksgiving Day, Sirach 50:2224; Psalm 145:2-11; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Luke 17:11-19 Friday, Nov. 26: Revelation 20:1-4 and 20:11– 21:2; Psalm 84:3-6, 8; Luke 21:29-33 Saturday, Nov. 27: Revelation 22:1-7; Psalm 95:17; Luke 21:34-36 Monday, Nov. 29: Isaiah 4:2-6; Psalm 122:1-9; Matthew 8:5-11 Tuesday, Nov. 30: Feast, Andrew, apostle, Romans 10:9-18; Psalm 19:8-11; Matthew 4:18-22 Wednesday, Dec. 1: Isaiah 25:6-10; Psalm 23:1-6;

MARY MOORE (2)

he Office of Stewardship and Planned Giving is hosting a series of workshops for pastors, principals, development directors, stewardship-committee members, and donors, beginning with seminars in December on the proposed tax changes. Attorney Richard Buhrman, a parishioner of St. Jude in Chattanooga, will lead the workshops on tax changes. Many of the tax cuts implemented in the last decade are due to expire at the end of this year. The administration proposes extending the tax cuts to those earning less than $250,000 or (if single) $200,000 while letting cuts expire for those who earn more. Those in the 33 and 35 percent individual tax brackets, as an example, would see their rates increase to 36 and 39.6 percent, respectively. Another tax increase could limit the benefit of itemized deductions; this and other changes affecting charitable giving and the estate tax will be discussed at the workshops. The tax-change workshops are set for Wednesday, Dec. 1, at the Chancery office in Knoxville; Tuesday, Dec. 7, in the parish life center at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga; and Tuesday, Dec. 14, at St. Mary Church in Johnson City. Each begins at 6 p.m., and a complimentary dinner will be provided. To reserve a seat, contact Maura Lentz at 865-584-3307 or mlentz@dioknox.org. The stewardship office has additional workshops planned to discuss ways to increase parish offertory/annual giving and to launch a successful capital campaign. The office also has a number of estate-planning professionals available to speak at parishes and schools wishing to host workshops for alumni, parents, and parishioners. To host a workshop, contact Jim Link, the diocesan director of Stewardship and Planned Giving, at 865-584-3307 or jlink@dioknox.org. n

Ukrainian Catholic bishop visits St. Thomas Mission in Knoxville Bishop John Bura, apostolic administrator of the Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma (Ohio), visited the St. Thomas the Apostle Ukrainian Catholic Mission for its Divine Liturgy on Oct. 31 at the Chancery in Knoxville. With the bishop are (from left) server Lee Kibbe, St. Thomas pastor Father Richard Armstrong, Diocese of Knoxville vicar general Father David Boettner, Father Mark Shuey, and server Andrew Nugent. Father Shuey is pastor of the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Mission in Raleigh, N.C., and Mr. Kibbe is a parishioner there. 6

NOVEMBER 21, 2010

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THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC

YOUTH

COURTESY OF GAYLE SCHOENBORN

catholic

Notre Dame students Marco Rios and Michaelyn Robinson stand with communityservice coordinator Candy Corneliussen at the new center. CENTER FOR SERVICE

COURTESY OF GAYLE SCHOENBORN

NDHS has grand opening for new Community Service Center

N Notre Dame girls soccer team nets Class A-AA state championship

he girls soccer team at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga captured the program’s second state championship Nov. 6 with a 1-0 victory over Christian Academy of Knoxville in the Class A-AA final at Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga. The Lady Irish allowed just five goals in their last 13 games in finishing their season 12-7-3, winning the district and region tournaments as part of an undefeated postseason. Junior Sophie Mullin was selected as the most valuable player at the state tournament. Sophie assisted on

Lacey Mahoney’s goal in the 63rd minute of the state-title game. Notre Dame outshot the Warriors 16-7, and goalie Grace Courter made four saves in recording the shutout. Notre Dame began the state tournament Nov. 3 with a 2-1 sudden-death-overtime win over Christ Presbyterian Academy at Chattanooga Christian School. Erin Freeman scored off a pass from Blair Barker in the 107th minute to end the match after the teams had played to a 1-1 tie through 80 minutes of regulation, a pair of 10-minute overtimes, and the first of the two fiveminute sudden-death

periods. CPA outshot the Lady Irish 21-11 in the game, but Grace made 13 saves in goal. Gabby Gurrola’s goal, with Michelle Spangler assisting, put Notre Dame ahead 1-0 in the 52nd minute before CPA tied the game in the 68th. In the semifinals the next day, also at Chattanooga Christian, the Lady Irish edged Page 1-0 on Sophie’s goal in the 79th minute. Blair assisted on the play as Notre Dame defeated the Franklin team, which was 19-3-2 entering the game. Kathryn Healy scored the only goal of the game early in the second half to give Notre Dame a 1-0

win over Chattanooga Christian on Oct. 21 in the District 7-A-AA Tournament final. The Lady Irish rolled past DeKalb County 10-0 in the first round of the Region 4-A-AA Tournament on Oct. 26. Notre Dame nipped Livingston Academy 1-0 in the region finals Oct. 28 in Livingston and blanked Boyd-Buchanan 6-0 two days later at NDHS in the sectional round to advance to the state tourney. The Lady Irish are coached by Jim Schermerhorn, assisted by Dave Weikel. Notre Dame won its first girls soccer title in 1988. n

Knoxville Catholic High School has two Mr. Football nominees

wo Knoxville Catholic High School football players were nominated for Tennessee Titans Mr. Football Awards, the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association announced Nov. 9. Kyler Kerbyson, who committed to the University of Tennessee earlier this season, is one of the three finalists for the Mr. Football lineman award for Class AAA, and

Spencer Roth is a finalist for Kicker of the Year. Only three players, from all enrollment classifications, were nominated for the top-kicker award. A committee of sports writers statewide selected the nominees based on their 2010 regular-season performance. Academics and character were also taken into consideration. High school head coaches and members of the media then

nominated the finalists. The awards ceremony will be held Monday, Nov. 29, at the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center in Murfreesboro. The awards will be presented by Mike Keith, the play-by-play announcer for the Titans. More than 600 people, including the nominees, their coaches, school administrators, family, and media, are expected to attend the event. n

COURTESY OF BERNARD COOMBES

Notre Dame High School won the state championship in girls soccer this fall with a 1-0 victory over Christian Academy of Knoxville in the finals Nov. 6. TITLE FOR LADY IRISH

otre Dame High School students have a new Community Service Center in their school. Candy Corneliussen, the school’s community-service coordinator, planned the center as a gathering place for students to coordinate their community-service efforts. At a recent grand opening, the new center was blessed by Father Augustine Idra, AJ, the school’s spiritual director. Members of the community-service class attended the ceremony along with members of the faculty and staff. Last year Notre Dame students provided more than 15,000 hours of community service to various organizations in the greater Chattanooga area. n

Scouting honorees (from left) Luke Lewis, Chris Muzyn, Nathan Burriss, and Gabe Hall stand with diocesan Scouting committee vice chairman Bernard Coombes (back row, left), Scouting committee chair George LeCrone Sr., and Father Charlie Burton. QUARTET RECOGNIZED

St. Jude Scouts are first to earn Four Pillars award in diocese

roop 172 Boy Scouts Nathan Burriss, Chris Muzyn, and Luke Lewis received their Pope Pius XII awards, the highest given in Catholic Scouting, and Gabe Hall of Cub Pack 3172 received his Parvuli Dei medal, the highest in the Cub Scout program, in presentations at Mass on Sept. 26 at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga. Luke and Chris also received the Four Pillars award certifying that they had earned all four medals in the Catholic Scouting program: Light of Christ, Parvuli Dei, Ad Altare Dei, and Pope Pius XII. George LeCrone Sr., chairman of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, said that Luke and Chris are the first Scouts in the diocese to have earned the Four Pillars. Mr. LeCrone presented the awards, and Deacon Brian Gabor, an alumnus of Troop 172, assisted. St. Jude pastor Father Charlie Burton celebrated the Mass. After Mass the honorees and families attended the monthly breakfast offered by Knights of Columbus Council 8576, which underwrote the awards. n

Calendar continued from page 5

865-584-3307 or kbyrne@dioknox.org.

COURTESY OF RENEE MCNUTT

A Search for Christian Maturity retreat is planned for high school juniors and seniors in the Cumberland Mountain and Smoky Mountain deaneries. Search 90 is scheduled for the weekend of Nov. 19 through 21 at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge. The retreat will begin at 8 p.m. Friday and continue through a closing Mass at 3 p.m. Sunday. Search helps youth see how they can become faith leaders in their schools and parishes. Cost is $55. Contact: Deacon Dan Hosford at 865603-9682 or djh2@comcast.net.

Catholic Youth Football team wins division championship The Catholic Youth Football Fighting Irish won the 2010 Knox County NFC Junior Midgets division (ages 12 and under) with an undefeated season. From left are (front row) Robert Crowell, Steven Corum, Logan Punch, Jake Kyle, Mark Chargualaf, Kimon Swanson, Cole Skvara, David Bodewig, Augie Fortune, Philip Nogorny, and Drew Wells; (middle) Dylan Sharp, Jake Newton, Terrell Hall, James Orler, Jones Albritton, Parker Bevins, David Kraski, Tanner Morgan, Kyle Minor, Payne McNutt, Nicholas Partilla, Spencer Jefferies, Josiah Ruelas, and Craig Carter; and (back) coaches Mike Jester and Kent Kyle, Will Mullaly, Beau Hollin, Ambrose Bechtel, and coaches Felipe Ruelas, Greg Swanson, Chris Fortune, Ryan Chesney and Jerry Punch. THE E A S T T E N N E S S E E C A T H OLIC

www.dioknox.org

High school juniors and seniors in the Chattanooga Deanery are invited to attend one of three Search for Christian Maturity retreats, all at the All Saints Academy building in Chattanooga. Search 131 is set for Nov. 19-21, Search 132 for Feb. 25-27, and Search 133 for March 25-27. Cost is $55, and scholarships are available. To obtain a form, see a youth minister, visit the Notre Dame High School office, or contact Donna Jones at 423-718-4387 or djones6029@gmail.com. Mercy Health Partners is sponsoring Farragut’s 2010 Hot to Trot 5K/10K Road Race, which will begin at Calendar continued on page 8

NOVEMBER 21, 2010

The stewardship difference I greatly appreciate all the staff at the school. My son made a 100-degree turnaround in his grades, in his personality, in his thoughts about God, and how he thinks about things with his heart and soul. He enjoys coming to school, and there are not enough words to say how thankful I am. St. Joseph School is the most important thing that I’ve ever done for my son. God bless you. n —The mother of a 2007 graduate of St. Joseph School in Knoxville who is now a sophomore at Knoxville Catholic High School

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7:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 25, on Parkside Drive. This year’s race will benefit the Farragut Department of Recreation as well as Catholic Charities of East Tennessee and Sister Martha’s Food Pantry. Those bringing canned food for the pantry may enter to win a pair of New Balance shoes. Interested runners can register by following the links on the Mercy website, www.mercy.com, or by visiting www.fleetfeetknoxville.com/hottotrot. Early registrants are guaranteed a long-sleeved technical T-shirt. The race fee is $25 through Sunday, Nov. 21, and $30 during race week. For more information, visit the Fleet Feet Knoxville website, call 865-675-FEET (3338), or e-mail hottotrot10@fleetfeetknoxville.com. Worldwide Marriage Encounter is searching for the longest-married couple in the United States and is accepting applications through Monday, Jan. 10. The couple will receive special gifts Feb. 14, and individual state winners will receive a certificate of achievement from the WWME movement. Couples nominated may be from any faith tradition. To nominate a couple, send their name and wedding date, where they currently live, and their phone number or e-mail to Dick and Diane Baumbach, 1430 Scorpious Court, Merritt Island, FL 32953. E-mail or call in nominations to dickanddiane66@bellsouth.net or 321-453-2475. The next Marriage Encounter weekend is scheduled for Nov. 19 through 21 at the Meadowview Marriott in Kingsport. To register, contact John or Manuela Ptacek at 865-531-1719 or celebrate-love@ earthlink.net, or visit www.loveinthesmokies.org or wwme.org. For more information, contact John or Anne Wharton at 423-581-1815 or acw193@bellsouth.net. The next Engaged Encounter weekend in the diocese will be held Feb. 11 through 13 at the Magnuson Hotel in Sweetwater. To register, call Jason or Carmen Jeansonne at 865-377-3077. For more information on Engaged Encounter, e-mail Paul or Pam Schaffer at ceeknoxville@gmail.com or visit www. rc.net/knoxville/cee/. 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 Church in Madisonville. The schedule for St. Thérèse after the Mass on Dec. 5 is to be announced. Visit www.knoxlatinmass.net for details. The Serra Club of Knoxville meets on second and fourth Thursdays in the Shea Room at Sacred Heart Cathedral’s office building. Meetings begin with Mass at noon, followed by lunch and a speaker. The Serra Club of Greater Chattanooga meets on second and fourth Mondays at the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Meetings begin with Mass at 11:40 a.m. celebrated by club chaplain Father George Schmidt, with lunch and a speaker following. The Nov. 22 meeting will include a memorial service for deceased Serrans. The club’s Christmas luncheon with Bishop Richard F. Stika is set for Monday, Dec. 6, and will be the club’s only meeting in December. Visit www.serrachatta.org for more details. A Seekers of Silence Contemplative Saturday Morning will be held Dec. 4 at Blessed John XXIII Catholic Center in Knoxville. Dr. Joan Easterly will give a talk titled “Joan of Arc: Heroine, Heretic, Saint.” Coffee and tea will be served at 8:30 a.m.; the workshop will run from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring a bag lunch. To RSVP or learn more, call 865-523-7931. The Community of Sant’Egidio is a Catholic lay ecclesial movement that focuses on prayer and service to the poor. Two Sant’Egidio groups regularly meet in the Diocese of Knoxville, in Knoxville and Johnson City. For more information on the Knoxville group, call Ellen Macek at 865-675-5541. Call Father Michael Cummins at 423-926-7061 for more details on the Johnson City group. Everyone is welcome to attend. Holy Resurrection Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic 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. The St. Thomas the Apostle Ukrainian Catholic Mission celebrates Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. Sundays in the chapel at the Chancery office in Knoxville. Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865-584-3307 for more information. n 8

NOVEMBER 21, 2010

life and

DIGNITY

BY PAUL SIMONEAU

Joy and gift We must be bearers of joy if there are to be justice and peace in the world.

When the shepherds heard “the tidings of great joy . . .” announced by the angel of the Lord, which were “to be shared by the whole people” (Luke 2:10), their response was, “Let us go . . . to Bethlehem” (Luke 2:15). St. Paul reminds us that the kingdom of God is not only a kingdom of justice and peace but also of joy (cf. Romans 14:17). The joy of which the angel spoke is to be shared with everyone, and we too must be heralds of joy if there are to be justice and peace in the world. In an age of growing materialism, joy is a word that has lost much of its meaning and is used almost interchangeably today with pleasure and happiness. In response, Pope Paul VI penned a beautiful document on Christian joy, Gaudete in Domino (“Rejoice in the Lord”). In it he notes that “technological society has succeeded in multiplying the opportunities for pleasure, but it has great difficulty in generating joy. For joy comes from another source” and “is the result of a human–divine communion.”It is a “spiritual sharing in the unfathomable joy, both divine and human, which is in the heart of Jesus Christ glorified.” the new

MISSAL

Consider for a moment the rich young man who asked Jesus, “Teacher, what good must I do to possess everlasting life?” (Matthew 19:16). In reply, Jesus invites him to experience a foretaste of the joy that the young man hopes to experience only in the afterlife. But first he is asked to separate himself from the things he mistakenly associates with that foretaste of joy and to give them to the poor. Only then can he accept Christ’s invitation to experience the joy of human–divine communion as Jesus’ follower. Unable to comprehend joy apart from the temporal and material, the young man “went away sad” (verse 22). Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta understood that joy and the gift of our very self to Christ are inseparable. She remarked that “When I see someone sad, I always think, [he is] refusing something to Jesus” (Come Be My Light, [Doubleday, 2007] p. 33). But she also realized that we experience joy not just in giving something but also in giving someone. As Pope Benedict XVI points out, “he who does not give God gives too little” (Milan Cathedral, Feb. 24, 2005). Joy and the moral life are closely intertwined. Sadly, many think of the Church’s moral teaching as an impediment to joy rather than as a protection of its true source— communion with Our Lord.

BY FATHER RANDY STICE

The language of sacrifice In recent years our understanding of the Mass has been ‘somewhat obscured.’

There are three dimensions to the Eucharist (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1358). First, it is thanksgiving and praise to the Father. Second, it is the presence of Christ by the power of his word and his Spirit. Third, it is the sacrificial memorial of Christ and his body. The Church has never wavered in its insistence on the sacrificial character of the Mass. When the Protestant reformers rejected the Mass as a true sacrifice, the Council of Trent in 1562 asserted that Christ left “to his beloved spouse the Church a visible sacrifice by which the blood sacrifice which he was to accomplish once for all on the cross would be represented, its memory perpetuated until the end of the world, and its salutary power be applied to the forgiveness of the sins we daily commit.” The sacrifice of Christ on the cross and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice. Listen again to the words of the fathers of Trent: “The victim is one and the same . . . only the manner of offering is different . . . the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner . . . this sacrifice is truly propitiatory” (emphasis added). When we say that the Euwww.dioknox.org

charist is the memorial of Christ’s Passover, we do not simply mean the remembrance of past events. Rather, “when the Church celebrates the Eucharist, she commemorates Christ’s Passover, and it is made present: the sacrifice of Christ offered once for all on the cross remains ever present” (CCC, No. 1364; emphasis added). The sacrificial character of the Mass is expressed in the very words of institution: “This is my body which is given for you” and “This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood.” It is also expressed in the priest’s invitation to the faithful to pray “that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.” But in recent decades the Mass as a true sacrifice has been somewhat obscured. In his 2003 encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia (“The Church of the Eucharist”) Pope John Paul II wrote, “At times one encounters an extremely reductive understanding of the eucharistic mystery. “Stripped of its sacrificial meaning, it is celebrated as if it were simply a fraternal banquet” (No. 10). One of the strengths of the translation of Eucharistic Prayer III in the third edition of the Missal, which we will begin using on Nov. 27, 2011, is the renewed clarity of its sacrificial language. Let me give three examples. In the current translation we pray “that from east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your

The reaction of the Israelites when read the Law of Moses after their return from the Babylonian exile is not unlike the reaction of some Catholics to Church teachings. When Ezra once again read from the Law, the people wept. But they were then reminded “not [to] be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). In the visit to her cousin Elizabeth, we read that the unborn child in Elizabeth’s womb “leaped for joy” at the sound of Mary’s greeting (Luke 1:44). It is she who is the “God-bearer,” and particularly in the Eastern Catholic tradition she is known by the title Theotokos. Though many understand this title in its less-literal sense to mean Mother of God, a more correct translation is God-bearer. Like the Ark of the Covenant of old (see St. Paul’s description in Hebrews 9:4), Mary bore within her not just the Commandments but the word of God, not just a jar of manna, but the bread of life, and not just a symbol of the priesthood in the rod of Aaron but both priest and sacrifice. Mary brings us true joy and helps us also become bearers of joy. Only then can we be bearers of justice and peace. It is from her that we learn to pronounce the words that can bring joy to every moment of our lives, even when those moments are filled with suffering: ”Be it done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Ending with a traditional play upon the words of Pope Paul VI, “If you want peace . . . ,” rejoice in the Lord. n Mr. Simoneau directs the diocesan Justice and Peace Office. name.” In the new Missal we will pray “that from the rising of the sun to its setting a pure sacrifice [in Latin, oblatio munda] may be offered to your name” (emphasis added). As I noted in an earlier column, the biblical basis for this petition is Malachi 1:11. In the Communion epiclesis the priest invokes the Holy Spirit upon the community to change them into the body of Christ (just as in the consecratory epiclesis he invokes the Holy Spirit upon the bread and wine to change them into the body and blood of Christ). Presently the prayer is “look with favor on your Church’s offering.” In the new Missal this has been translated as “Look, we pray, upon the oblation of your Church [oblationem Ecclesiae tuae]” (emphasis added). A third change also appears in the Communion epiclesis. Currently we ask God to “see the Victim whose death has reconciled us to yourself.” In the new Missal we ask God to recognize “the sacrificial Victim [agnoscens Hostiam] by whose death you willed to reconcile us to yourself” (emphasis added). In his letter Dominicae Cenae (1980) Pope John Paul II wrote, “The Eucharist is above all else a sacrifice . . . Accordingly, precisely by making this single sacrifice of our salvation present, man and the world are restored to God through the paschal newness of redemption” (No. 9). The new Missal will deepen our understanding of and our participation in this profound and luminous mystery, the source and summit of our Christian life. n Father Stice directs the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@ dioknox.org. THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC

LETTER

from the

BY CINDY WOODEN

The pope’s Bible school

VATICAN CITY (CNS)—In his post-synodal apostolic exhortation Verbum Domini (“The Word of the Lord”) Pope Benedict XVI urged all Christians to get to know the sacred Scriptures better. (See story above.) He paid particular attention to the importance and efficacy of lectio divina, a form of prayerful meditation on the word of God, and he offered a step-by-step guide on the practice. The pope said the first step is to open with a reading (lectio) of a text, “which leads to a desire to understand its true context: What does the biblical text say in itself?” Understanding what the text is trying to say is important in order to move beyond one’s own notions and ideas, he said.

THE E A S T T E N N E S S E E C A T H OLIC

CNS PHOTO/GREGORY A. SHEMITZ

hristmas is just around the corner, and we at The Paraclete are ready for it. There are so many exciting things going on at the store, and we want to invite you to join us for them. Did you know we brew fresh wassail every day? There is nothing like a warm cup of spiced apple juice on a cold morning. Come share a cup and a smile with us. The Thanksgiving sale on Nov. 26 and 27 is sure to help you find just the right gift. Look for coupons on Facebook (online at on.fb.me/the paraclete) and in our newsletter via e-mail. You can also stop by the store for a print copy. Our weeklong sale begins on Nov. 29, with discounts in a specific section of the store every day until Dec. 4. Our annual Fontanini open house is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. Fontanini Nativity figures, produced in Italy, are durable and beautiful and make fantastic gifts. The limitededition piece we are offering is called Flight into Egypt. During the open house we will draw for prizes every hour, and all Christmas merchandise except Fontanini products will be on sale. As always, we will be delighted to help you find just the right gift for that special someone on your list. Shop early for the best selection. n Call the store at 865-588-0388 or 800-333-2097.

A young woman flips through the pages of a Bible while attending a New Testament class at St. Luke Church in Brentwood, N.Y. In his new document Verbum Domini, Pope Benedict XVI said that God constantly tries to enter into dialogue with the people he created, particularly through the Bible and through his son, Jesus Christ. WORD OF GOD

spired and were to be considered the New Testament, the pope said. And it was the Church that interpreted it for hundreds of years. “The primary setting for scriptural interpretation is the life of the Church,” he said, not because the Church is imposing some kind of power play but because the Scriptures can be understood fully only when one understands “the way they gradually came into being.” Obviously, he said, the key message of the Bible—the story of God’s love for his creatures and the history of his attempts to save them— can be grasped only if people recognize that the fullness of God’s word is Jesus Christ. Jesus “is the definitive word which God speaks to humanity,” the pope wrote, and “in a world which often feels that God is superfluous or extraneous, we confess with Peter that he alone has ‘the words of eternal life.’“ The Scriptures themselves teach that God created human beings with a special dignity, giving them intelligence and free will. In approaching the Scriptures, he said, people must use that intelligence to understand what is written. Pope Benedict, a theologian

who served for more than 20 years as president of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, said academic approaches to Scripture studies were essential for helping people understand the Bible, as long as those studies recognize that the Bible is not simply a piece of literature. For example, he said, a lot of Catholics—including priests giving homilies—are completely at a loss when dealing with “those passages in the Bible which, due to the violence and immorality they occasionally contain, prove obscure and difficult.” Those passages, he said, demonstrate that “God’s plan is manifested progressively and it is accomplished slowly, in successive stages and despite human resistance. God chose a people and patiently worked to guide and educate them.” God’s education of his people continues today, for example, by helping people understand the importance of safeguarding creation and working for more justice in social and political systems, he said. Pope Benedict said God’s dialogue with humanity through the Bible must lead to greater Verbum continued on page 10

Pope offers how-to guide on lectio divina B Y C A R O L GLATZ

BY BETHANY MARINAC

A season for sales, Fontanini event

In a new document, Benedict encourages a reasoned, devoted approach to sacred Scripture.

VATICAN CITY (CNS)—God constantly tries to enter into dialogue with the people he created—speaking through creation and even through silence but mainly in the Church through the Bible and through his son Jesus Christ, Pope Benedict XVI said. In his apostolic exhortation Verbum Domini (“The Word of the Lord”) the pope encouraged Catholics to embrace and value each of the ways God tries to speak to humanity. The document, a papal reflection on the conclusions of the 2008 Synod of Bishops on the Word of God, was released at the Vatican Nov. 11 and emphasized the need to improve Catholics’ familiarity with the Bible and the need to read and understand it in harmony with the Church. It may be read online at bit.ly/ verbumdomini. The Bible is not a dusty collection of ancient writings addressed only to ancient peoples, he said. But it’s also not some sort of private letter addressed to individuals who are free to interpret it any way they please, the pope said in the document, which is close to 200 pages long. The pope said he wrote Verbum Domini because “I would like the work of the synod to have a real effect on the life of the Church: on our personal relationship with the sacred Scriptures, on their interpretation in the liturgy and catechesis, and in scientific research so that the Bible may not be simply a word from the past but a living and timely word.” Pope Benedict asked for greater Church efforts to teach Catholics about the Bible, to help them learn to read it and pray with it, to treat it with great dignity during the liturgy and emphasize its importance by making sure homilies are based on the day’s readings. For centuries Catholic laity actually were discouraged from reading the Bible themselves. Even though that began changing 100 years ago, Bible reading often is seen as a Protestant activity. In fact, some evangelical Christians use passages from the Bible to preach against the Catholic Church, which the pope said is truly ironic because “the Bible is the Church’s book.” It was the Church that decided which of the ancient Christian writings were in-

PARACLETE

“Next comes meditation (meditatio), which asks, What does the biblical text say to us?” the pope wrote. Christians both as individuals and as a community need to let themselves be “moved and challenged” by what the sacred text is telling them. “Following this comes prayer (oratio), which asks the question, What do we say to the Lord in response to his word?” wrote the pope. Prayer is critical for hearts and minds to be transformed, he wrote. “Finally, lectio divina concludes with contemplation (contemplatio), during which we take up, as a gift from God, his own way of seeing and judging reality, and ask ourselves what conversion of mind, heart, and life . . . the Lord [is] asking of us,” he wrote.

God asks all people not to conform themselves to the world but to be transformed by conversion, he wrote. Contemplation and reflection let the mind consider reality as God sees it and help foster within oneself “the mind of Christ,” the document said. “The process of lectio divina is not concluded until it arrives at action (actio), which moves the believer to make his or her life a gift for others in charity,” said the pope. The pope said in his document that the monastic tradition of lectio divina is “truly capable of opening up to the faithful the treasures of God’s word but also of bringing about an encounter with Christ, the living word of God.” n Copyright 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

www.dioknox.org

Scholarship fund established to honor Chattanooga attorney

he Duke University Estate Planning Council recently established a scholarship at Duke University School of Law to honor Richard W. Buhrman, chairman of the council for the past 14 years and a parishioner of St. Jude in Chattanooga. Mr. Buhrman is a 1966 graduate of Duke Law School and received his undergraduate degree in 1963 from the University of Chattanooga. He received a commission in the U.S. Army through Richard W. Buhrman the ROTC at the University of Chattanooga and served three years in the Army as a captain. He later earned a master’s in taxation at George Washington University. He returned to Chattanooga to practice law in 1970 and has been the owner of his own law firm since 1974. Today the firm is known as Buhrman & Associates, PC, and includes Mr. Buhrman’s son John R. Buhrman. Their practice is focused on tax and estate-planning matters, trusts, probate, and estate administration; elder law; and business formation and related commercial legal matters. Mr. Buhrman, who was born and raised in Chattanooga, is also a member of the Chattanooga Estate Planning Council and various professional organizations in the field of tax and estate planning. He has been active in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Alumni Association and at St. Jude, where he has served as a reader and an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. He is a former Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 172 at St. Jude and a past president of the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. He is a charter member of the Catholic Foundation of East Tennessee and has been active in Serra International, the Knights of Columbus, and the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs. Mr. Buhrman and wife Judy have three children and five grandchildren. n

New website for ETSU Catholic Center

he Catholic Center at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City has launched a new website. The address is catholiccenter atetsu.com. n

ENDOW training set for Dec. 11

he Diocese of Knoxville Christian Formation Office will sponsor an ENDOW facilitator training for adult and youth programs that begins with Mass at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, at All Saints Church in Knoxville, and continues in the parish hall. Cost is $40 and includes training materials, the “Letter to Women” source document, an ENDOW study guide, and lunch. Visit bit.ly/ENDOWtennessee or call Mary Sue Kenny at 303-715-3291 to register by Tuesday, Dec. 7. Bring completed registration forms to the training session. ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women) is a Catholic educational organization that brings women together to discover their God-given dignity and to understand their role in humanizing and transforming society. n NOVEMBER 21, 2010

SHARON KING

vatican

Cardinal George: health-care debate wounded Church

WIRE

United States must ‘redouble efforts’ to protect Iraqis WASHINGTON (CNS)—The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops urged the U.S. government to “redouble its efforts to assist Iraqis” in providing safety for its citizens, especially religious minorities. “To meet its moral obligations to the Iraqi people, it is critically important that the United States take additional steps now to help Iraq protect its citizens, especially Christians and others who are victims of organized attacks,” said Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago in a Nov. 9 letter to U.S. President Barack Obama. Reminding Obama that the U.S. bishops had expressed “grave moral questions” before the U.S.–led combat began in Iraq and had warned of the “unpredictable consequences” of that action, Cardinal George said, “The decimation of the Christian community in Iraq and the continuing violence that threatens all Iraqis are among those tragic consequences.” The cardinal sent the letter following the Oct. 31 attack on the Syrian Catholic cathedral in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad that killed 58 people and wounded 75. The attack, along with recent bombings in Baghdad, “are grim evidence of the savage violence and lack of security that [have] plagued the Iraqi people, especially Christians and other minorities, for over seven years,” he said. Although the U.S. bishops welcome the end of U.S. combat in Iraq, Cardinal George said, the United States “has so far failed in helping Iraqis to develop the political will needed to deploy effective strategies to protect the lives of all citizens.” “Having invaded Iraq, our nation has a moral obligation not to abandon those Iraqis who cannot defend themselves,” he added. The cardinal outlined a series of steps that, “at a minimum,” the United States and the international community must help Iraq to achieve: n “enable the Iraqi government to function for the common good of all Iraqis n “build the capacity of Iraq’s military and police to provide security for all citizens, including minorities n “improve the judicial system and rule of law n “promote reconciliation and the protection of human rights, especially religious freedom n “rebuild Iraq’s shattered economy so that Iraqis can support their families n “assist refugees and . . . displaced Iraqis.” n Copyright 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Verbum continued from page 9

faith and a more powerful witness in the world. Although the papal exhortation mentioned plenty of early Church theologians and their approaches to understanding Scripture, it also included a long section about men and women who read the Bible and were inspired to live its message in the world. “Every saint is like a ray of light streaming forth from the word of God,” he said, listing examples from St. Clare of Assisi to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, St. Dominic, and St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, the founder of Opus Dei. Some of the Bible’s lessons are old but need to be given new attention, Pope Benedict wrote. For example, the Scriptures make it clear that the family founded on marriage is part of God’s plan for humanity and for human happiness. “In the face of widespread confusion in the sphere of affectivity and the rise of ways of thinking which trivialize the human body and sexual differentiation, the word of God reaffirms the original goodness of the human being, created as man and woman and called to a love which is faithful, reciprocal, and fruitful,” he wrote. The Bible, the pope said, is filled with words of consolation and joy, but as God’s word it also is “a word which disrupts, which calls to conversion.” n Copyright 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

The good we do lives after us— when we remember to make a will.

Only you can divide your own property as you want it divided. A bequest to your church can be a living memorial to the nobility of your life. 10

NOVEMBER 21, 2010

The USCCB president notes that ‘the bishops speak for the Church.’ By Nancy Frazier O’Brien BALTIMORE (CNS)—In his final address as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago criticized those who define the church’s usefulness by whether it provides “foot soldiers for a political commitment, whether of the left or the right.” In his talk opening the Nov. 15 through 18 fall general assembly of the USCCB, the cardinal devoted much of his time to reviewing the debate over health-care reform earlier this year and the “wound to the church’s unity” caused by differences over the final legislation. Cardinal George said “developments since the passage of the legislation” have confirmed that “our analysis of what the law itself says was correct and our moral judgments are secure.” He did not specify what those developments were. The USCCB opposed passage of the final health-reform legislation, saying that it would permit federal funding of abortion, inadequately protect the conscience rights of health-care providers, and leave out immigrants. Other Catholic groups, including the Catholic Health Association and many orders of women religious, said the final bill and an executive order signed by President Barack Obama would exclude any possibility of federal money going to pay for abortions under the health plan. Cardinal George said the debate also raised the question of “who speaks for the Catholic Church.” “The bishops . . . speak for the church in matters of faith and in moral issues and the laws surrounding them,” he

CNS PHOTO/NANCY WIECHEC

from the

Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, addresses the U.S. bishops at the start of their annual fall meeting in Baltimore Nov. 15. OUTGOING PRESIDENT

said. “All the rest is opinion, often wellconsidered opinion and important opinion that deserves a careful and respectful hearing, but still opinion.” He said the Catholic Church “should not fear political isolation; the church has often been isolated in politics and in diplomacy.” “We need to be deeply concerned, however, about the wound to the church’s unity that has been inflicted in this debate, and I hope, trusting in the good will of all concerned, that means can be found to restore the seamless garment of ecclesial communion,” he added. He also dismissed arguments that the health-reform legislation was too complex for the bishops to understand it. “If you will excuse my saying so, this implies either that no one can understand or judge complicated pieces of legislation, in which case it is immoral to act until

sufficient clarity is obtained, or it is to say that only bishops are too dense to understand complicated pieces of legislation,” Cardinal George said. The latter comment drew laughter from the bishops and a comment from the cardinal that this was “an arguable proposition, but we won’t argue it now.” The cardinal, who was completing a three-year term as USCCB president, also warned against the U.S. Catholic Church’s seeing itself as “a purely American denomination.” He expressed concern for Christians in the Middle East, saying that they were “uniquely . . . without protection in the wake of the American invasion of Iraq.” Cardinal George’s voice caught as he told the story, recounted by a U.S. Dominican sister in Iraq who is a friend of a friend, of a 3-year-old boy named Adam who “witnessed the horror of dozens of deaths, including that of his

own parents,” during the Oct. 31 massacre at the Syrian Catholic church in Baghdad. “He wandered among the corpses and the blood, following the terrorists around and admonishing them, ‘Enough, enough, enough,’” the cardinal said, quoting the Dominican. “According to witnesses, this continued for two hours until Adam was himself murdered.” “As bishops, as Americans, we cannot turn from this scene or allow the world to overlook it,” Cardinal George said. He also urged attention to “the active persecution of Catholics in other parts of the Middle East, in India and Pakistan, in China and in Vietnam, in Sudan and African countries rent by civil conflict.” Cardinal George also stressed the church’s “consistent concern for the gift of human life, a concern that judges the full continuum of technological manipulation of life, [from] the use of artificial contraception to the destruction of human embryos, the artificial conception of human beings in a Petri dish, genetic profiling [and] the killing of unwanted children through abortion.” “If the poor are allowed to be born, then the voice of Christ continues to speak to the homeless and the jobless, the hungry and the naked, the uneducated, the migrant, the imprisoned, the sick and the dying,” he said. “Our ministry is consistent because the concerns of Jesus Christ are consistent,” he added. “He is at the side of the poor.” n Copyright 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Bishops urged to embrace social media for evangelization BALTIMORE—The Catholic Church faces an urgent call to evangelize the new “digital continent” of social media, according to a presentation to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) at their annual fall general assembly. Bishop Ronald Herzog of Alexandria, La., a member of the USCCB Communications Committee, delivered the presentation Nov. 15. “Although social media have been around for less than 10 years, they don’t have the makings of a fad,” said Bishop Herzog. “We’re being told that social media are causing as fundamental a shift in communication patterns and behavior as the printing press did 500 years ago. And I don’t think I have to remind you of what happened when the Catholic Church was slow to adapt to that new technology,” www.dioknox.org

he said, referencing the Protestant Reformation. Bishop Herzog described the communication habits of young people today, which he noted have moved beyond e-mail to the world of social media. “If the Church is not on their mobile device, it doesn’t exist,” he said. “The Church does not have to change its teachings to reach young people, but we must deliver it to them in a new way.” He compared this outreach to evangelizing a new digital continent and said the Church has serious challenges to overcome, noting, “Most of us don’t understand the culture.” Bishop Herzog said the egalitarian nature of the Internet makes it particularly challenging to the Church. “Anyone can create a blog,” he noted. “Everyone’s opinion

is valid. And if a question or contradiction is posted, the digital natives expect a response and something resembling a conversation. We can choose not to enter into that cultural mindset, but we do so at great peril to the Church’s credibility and approachability in the minds of the natives, those who are growing up in this new culture. This is a new form of pastoral ministry.” Bishop Herzog cited a survey of diocesan communications personnel conducted by USCCB that saw great variation in the use of new media, with respondents expressing a desire to learn more about the technologies and requesting training and additional resources. The most frequently requested resources were not additional dollars but staff who are trained in the use of social media. n THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC