April 5, 2015, ET Catholic by Diocese of Knoxville

This issue

He dwells among us ................ 2 Diocesan calendar ................. 16 Deanery news ........................ 17 La Cosecha ......... center pullout

The East Tennessee

Catholic schools......................21 Columns...................................31 Virtus training...........................33

April 5, 2015 Volume 24 Number 4 Bishop Richard F. Stika

News from The Diocese of Knoxville • Visit us at dioknox.org or etcatholic.org

Chrism Mass All parishes gather for holy celebration

Weathering the storm St. Francis, St. Alphonsus lend aid despite ice

Year of Consecrated Life The Paulist Fathers

Looking forward to our new cathedral

Cardinals, bishops, governor to take part in events celebrating the Sacred Heart groundbreaking

By Bill Brewer

hat a month! April began with the holiest of weeks leading to Easter Sunday, but the celebration is just A WEEKEND TO REMEMBER beginning. This month ■ Saturday, April 18: will go down in the Following Jesus Conferannals of the Diocese ence with Cardinal of Knoxville as one of Timothy Dolan and Curtis the most memorable Martin. 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 since the diocese was p.m. Knoxville Catholic founded when ground High School/All Saints is broken on the new Church campus. Cathedral of the Sa■ Saturday, April 18: cred Heart of Jesus. A Conversation with the Two weeks after Cardinals with Cardinal Easter Sunday, parishDolan, Cardinal Justin ioners from around Rigali, Cardinal William the diocese will be Levada, Bishop Richard F. joined on April 19 by Stika. 7-9 p.m. Tennessee a Vatican triumvirate Theatre. clad in red as Cardi■ Cathedral groundnals Timothy Dolan breaking: 11 a.m. Mass at and William Levada Sacred Heart Cathedral; 12:35 p.m. Ground offijoin Cardinal Justin cially broken with a pubRigali, Bishop Richard lic reception to follow. F. Stika and cathedral rector Father David Boettner to officially Cathedral continued on page 5

Cardinal Levada

Curtis Martin

Cardinal Rigali

Bishop Stika

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

Cardinal Dolan

He dwells among us

by Bishop Richard F. Stika

KDCCW convention set for April 23-25

The eternal hope of spring

Baseball offers more than a few lessons on how to live our Easter faith

n one of life’s great coincidences, I had the joy this year of announcing the words celebrating our Easter faith – “Christ is Risen!” – on the same day the words “Play Ball!” announced the beginning of a new baseball season. While some may question whether I am confusing baseball and religion, I would answer that many things in life can inspire and excite our faith — baseball among them. But the one thing I have learned from baseball about living out our Easter faith is in accepting setbacks and failure with hope. I recently came across a quote from Rabbi Harold Kushner on life’s successes and failures. Life, he explains, “is like a baseball season, where even the best team loses one-third of its games and even the worst team has its days of brilliance.” Like a long baseball season, our spiritual journey has periods of successes and disappointments — wins and losses. And just as a baseball player who has hope plays differently, so the person who has Christ as his hope lives differently, particularly in overcoming stumbles and falls. Sometimes we may feel there is no hope for us, that we are in last place

Diocesan policy for reporting sexual abuse

Follow Bishop Stika on Twitter @bishopstika and on Facebook for news and events from the diocese and that in order to become a winner, we need to make all kinds of changes: a new team, a new uniform, a new field, better equipment, etc. But God tells us differently. Like a good team manager, he takes us as we are and asks us only to trust his good management and to faithfully follow his instructions. We are to forget about our ego and statistics and be ready to make sacrifices for the good of the team, the Church. In this way he can lead us against all (natural) odds to winning the “World Series” (of sanctity) and becoming a saint! I was personally inspired by one of baseball’s legendary greats, Hall-ofFamer Stan Musial. Known affectionately as “Stan the Man,” he was admired by me when I was a child, and I was blessed to be his pastor at the Church of the Annunziata in St. Louis and honored to give his funeral homily in 2013. I think the quality that most defined him in the sport, as a husband and father, as a generous citizen of the

community, and as a Catholic, was consistency. His lifetime hits were an astounding 3,630 — exactly 50 percent of them at home and 50 percent at away games. Statistics might define a great baseball player, but he showed us what was more important. Another great player of long ago and perhaps the best second baseman in the history of the game was Charlie Gehringer of the Detroit Tigers, who last played in 1942. His nickname, “The Mechanical Man,” was given to him for his consistent throwing skill. But one thing he was even more consistent in was his attendance at daily Mass. He always made daily Mass, even when he was on the road and even on game days. As consistent as we try to be in living out our faith, we still stumble and fall. Baseball is unique in that it records the errors committed in each inning. But great players are not necessarily defined by how few errors they commit, but by how well they recover from them. Baseball fans will remember Game 6 of the 2011 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers as one of the greatest games in the his-

The East Tennessee

The 2015 Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women convention is set for April 23-25 at the Holiday Inn-Cedar Bluff, 9134 Executive Park Drive in Knoxville Hotel check-in begins at 3 p.m. on April 23 followed by the opening Mass at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut, with Bishop Richard F. Stika serving as the main celebrant. The opening banquet will be at the Holiday Inn at 7 p.m. April 23 and will feature Patty Scheiner, Catholic housewife and radio personality featured on the Covenant Network, Ave Maria Radio, and Catholic Answers Live. Other featured speakers during the weekend include Jane Carter, longtime CCW leader and current leadership commission leader; Nancy Poll, service commission leader; and Dr. Ruth Queen Smith, pastoral associate at St. John XXIII Parish in Knoxville. Registration is $125 for the full event. A registration form can be downloaded at https://dioknox. org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ KDCCWRegForm.pdf. Mail checks/registration to Sally Jackson, P.O. Box 55, Norris, TN 37828. Make checks payable to CMDCCW. For more information, contact Karen Vacaliuc by e-mail at kvacaliuc@gmail.com. ■

Bishop continued on page 33

Bishop Richard F. Stika Publisher

Dan McWilliams Assistant editor

Bill Brewer

Margaret Hunt

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

2 April 5, 2015

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

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Bishop Stika marks Holy Week with Chrism Mass celebration Priests, deacons, women and men religious gather at Sacred Heart Cathedral for special liturgy

By Dan McWilliams

The East Tennessee Catholic

DAN MCWILLIAMS

ishop Richard F. Stika, just out of the hospital after a diabetic complication left him gravely ill, vowed at the Chrism Mass to give his “last breath” to the diocese he shepherds. More than 50 priests and two dozen deacons from throughout the diocese joined a Sacred Heart Cathedral gathering of East Tennessee Catholics on March 31 for the annual liturgy at which both the holy oils for the liturgical year are consecrated and the priests renew their vows of service. Among the concelebrants with Bishop Stika were His Eminence, Cardinal Justin Rigali; cathedral rector Father David Boettner; three deans, Monsignor Pat Garrity, Father Ron Franco, CSP, and Father Peter Iorio; and Monsignor Xavier Mankel. Deacon Ray Powell was deacon of the Word, and Deacon Scott Russell was deacon of the Eucharist. A number of women and men religious also attended. The bishop eschewed a chair for the homily, delivering his message instead while standing with his crosier. “Let me assure you, the church of Knoxville, which you represent: I don’t know how much time I’m going to have on this earth,” he said. “All I know is that I will have the time that God has given to me, and I vow to you with every breath that I have, and all my moments of weakness and my moments of frustration and confusion and asking questions, I assure you of this: I will give my last breath to this diocese because you are my family. You are my home. You are the church that I am privileged to govern in all my weaknesses. We’re on our journey as part of God’s plan.” The bishop acknowledged that he was part of God’s plan, even if that included his second diabetic “crash” in six years as bishop of Knoxville.

Chrism Mass Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrates the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on March

31 and is joined at the altar by Cardinal Justin Rigali and priests of the Diocese of Knoxville.

A note from Bishop Stika I want to thank you for your prayers during my recent illness. Your prayers have been a great comfort to me during my recovery and they sustain me as I lead the diocese as your bishop. Please continue to pray for me and all our priests, deacons, and women and men religious as we strive to be the face and hands of Jesus for all the faithful in the Diocese of Knoxville. I look forward to seeing you as I visit your parishes in the coming weeks. –– Bishop Richard F. Stika

“I didn’t say yes to this crashing, but I said yes to the priesthood, to offer myself up to Jesus Christ,” Bishop Stika said. “To offer my hands to Archbishop [John L.] May, who ordained me to the sacred priesthood, and I guess part of that yes is trusting in the Lord because there are times when I would rather not do it like just a few days ago.” To his brother priests, the bishop said they are “part of God’s plan.”

“At one moment in your life, God interrupted your life, and you might have said, ‘What?’ And he called you to the priesthood.” Bishop Stika looked forward to the end of June, when four transitional deacons will be “ordained to the sacred priesthood of Jesus Christ.” The priests and bishop are in the journey of life together, the bishop said.

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

“If we believe in the priesthood and we believe in the Church and we believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, we’re in this journey together .... “That’s the beauty of the Chrism Mass. It’s not just about blessing the oils; it’s about saying yes to Jesus once again when he says, ‘Come and follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” The bishop also looked ahead at the remainder of Holy Week. “For if there is one message of Holy Week, I think, it’s to remember that Jesus loves us so much that he gave his life for us, and if we fail to accept that into our hearts and if we fail to move on that, then it’s just another week of another year and another decade of our lives.” Bishop Stika concluded his homily by asking for “your prayers for me.” “So I ask your prayers that I might deal with my diseases and that I might continue to have the strength to nourish the Church. In those moChrism continued on page 27 April 5, 2015 3

Weather challenges lead to blessings for Cumberland residents While ice storm affects diocesan churches, parishioners lend helping hands to snowbound neighbors without power

4 April 5, 2015

COURTESY OF FRANK RADWICK

Weathering the storm The parish residence at St. Francis of Assisi in Fairfield Glade still shows the remnants of February’s severe winter weather.

because she had been without power for days, which prompted a visit by Father Harvey and a parishioner to deliver aid. “I’m from the mountains of Colorado, but I had never seen ice like this before,” he said. “We had parishioners who didn’t have power for almost three weeks. It was tough. Our people, as always, worked hard.” Father Harvey said St. Alphonsus youth were pressed into action by parish leaders Sara Carey and Pauline O’Keefe following the storm to help remove fallen tree limbs and deliver meals to stranded residents in the community. He said the St. Alphonsus youth joined with young people from other churches in the Crossville area to offer assistance. “Our high school kids helped with young kids from other churches to remove trees and deliver meals,” he said. The St. Alphonsus youth didn’t contribute alone. Senior citizens in the parish were making sure community residents were being fed. “Our 80-year-old-plus gals were making meals out of concern for the older folks in our community. Our St. Alphonsus Community

COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

he winter of 2015 may be a memory to most everyone in the Diocese of Knoxville, but for parishioners in Cumberland County the ice and snow storms that pounded the area in February are having a lasting impact. While Gov. Bill Haslam declared the area served by St. Alphonsus Church in Crossville and St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fairfield Glade a disaster area, Father Jim Harvey at St. Alphonsus and Father Alberto Sescon at St. Francis knew the effects of winter storms were disastrous before the governor’s declaration. A build-up of ice and snow from multiple storms over several days buckled tree limbs and power lines and made travel treacherous. But as Catholic parishes often do, members at St. Alphonsus and St. Francis braved the elements to assist their churches and fellow Cumberland Countians, doing their best to alleviate any suffering. “It was awful. We were without power for a couple of days. It looks like a hurricane came through here,” said Father Harvey, expressing a sentiment shared by nearly everyone in the Cumberland Plateau county. Father Harvey felt the pain of the storms personally when he fell on the ice. And he was forced to cancel Mass on Saturday, Feb. 21, because the church was without power. He said there were a total of 10 people who attended two Masses on Sunday, Feb. 22. The National Weather Service said the February ice storm that hit the Cumberland Plateau was the worst in two decades and temperatures dropped low enough to make it the coldest February in 37 years. Father Harvey joined a number of his parishioners performing storm relief. He said one parishioner’s family member was in danger

The aftermath Downed power lines and tree limbs litter a Cumberland Plateau road following the worst ice storm to hit the plateau in two decades, according to the National Weather Service.

Services was instrumental and had parishioners taking meals to people who otherwise would have gone hungry. There just was a lot of devastation here.“

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

By Bill Brewer

St. Alphonsus certainly wasn’t alone in feeling winter’s wrath in February. A storm on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, forced St. Francis of Assisi Church in nearby Fairfield Glade to cancel Ash Wednesday Masses. “Then the Feb. 21 ice storm severely clobbered us. Starting on Feb. 21, all of Cumberland County had no power,” said Frank Radwick, parish administrator. “Then on Feb. 25, the church rectory and office again lost all power. The power wasn’t restored until March 3.” Mr. Radwick said the temperature in his home fell to 30 degrees before electricity was restored. He was able to maintain some heat with a wood fireplace and a propane heater. St. Francis was forced to cancel Masses on Feb. 20, 21 and 22 and wasn’t able to hold Mass until Feb. 28. The winter storms damaged four of the church’s heat pumps, according to Mr. Radwick. ”Masses were returned on Feb. 28 and March 1, but we had no heat,” he said. Mr. Radwick is thankful there were no incidents that required immediate assistance from emergency responders, noting that firefighters with the Fairfield Glade Volunteer Fire Department joined workers with Volunteer Electric and the staff of the local golf course to clear roads and restore power. To compound the dire situation, Mr. Radwick said the ice storm also took out cell phone towers serving Cumberland County, so there was no cell phone service for a time. “There was no heat, no transportation and no communication. I’ve been here 24 years, but this is the worst I’ve seen here. It affected all 22,000 residents in Cumberland County,” he said. ■ dioknox.org

Cathedral continued from page 1

begin construction on the diocese’s new home. As part of the historic weekend, Bishop Stika will moderate a live event at the Tennessee Theatre in downtown Knoxville featuring Cardinals Dolan, Levada and Rigali. A Conversation with the Cardinals on April 18 at 7 p.m. is open to the public and promises to be a revealing, humorous, insightful and spiritual discussion about the Catholic Church and the cardinals’ experiences as leaders of the world

The East Tennessee Catholic

Church. Ticket information is available on the Diocese of Knoxville website, www.dioknox.org. Also on April 18 on the campus of Knoxville Catholic High School and All Saints Church, Cardinal Dolan, who is archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York, will join Curtis Martin, founder and CEO of FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, in leading the Following Jesus Conference. Mr. Martin will begin the conference at 9:30 a.m. in the KCHS gym, and Cardinal Dolan will speak

at 1:30 p.m. at All Saints Church. Cardinal Dolan will then celebrate Mass at All Saints at 2:30 p.m. There is no admission charge for the Following Jesus Conference, but space is limited and tickets are required. Go to www.dioknox.org for more information. Construction on the new mother church is expected to take two years, with a dedication planned for 2017. “We’re 26 years old now. When I talked to the founding bishop he said at some point we have to

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

build a cathedral. He said initially we had to build the Church in terms of the parishes, and then nurture that with all the entities that we have now – wonderful things like the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic. It’s important to build a new church for the cathedral parish. It’s standing-room-only now, and it’s one of our larger parishes with a large school,” Bishop Stika said. “So that‘s important. But it’s also important that we have the mother

Cathedral continued on page 9

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More than 200 new members join diocesan churches at Easter vigils Bishop Stika welcomes catechumens, candidates in Rite of Election ceremony at Sacred Heart Cathedral

The East Tennessee Catholic

DAN MCWILLIAMS

he Diocese of Knoxville is welcoming more than 220 catechumens and candidates into the Catholic Church during Easter Vigil on April 4, yet another indicator that Catholicism in East Tennessee continues to flourish. The catechumens and candidates declared their intent to join the Church during a Rite of Election ceremony on Feb. 22 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This year the Diocese of Knoxville’s plans were to have two Rite of Election ceremonies at Sacred Heart Cathedral on the first weekend of Lent, with two deaneries participating Feb. 21 and the other two Feb. 22. In previous years, four Rites of Election were held – one in each deanery, with two ceremonies on Saturday and two on Sunday. But the weatherman did not cooperate this year, as ice and snow forced Bishop Richard F. Stika to cancel the Saturday Rite of Election. That brought all four deaneries together for a single Rite on Feb. 22. Some of the more distant parishes were unable to send their catechumens and candidates taking part in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults to the cathedral, but the building was nearly filled to capacity for the all-deaneries-in-one ceremony. Bishop Stika presided at the Rite of Election of Catechumens and the Call to Continuing Conversion of Candidates, as the event is fully known. Sister Mary Timothea Elliott, RSM, who directs the Office of Christian Formation for the diocese, introduced each parish’s catechumens and candidates. In this year’s RCIA class, more than 220 individuals will be entering the Church, and many of them took part in the Rite of Election. Catechumens have never been

Nice to meet you A young admirer and Bishop Richard F. Stika enjoy a brief face-

to-face conversation during the Rite of Election for catechumens and candidates on Feb. 22 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

“The invitation came from his Father, God. For at the moment of our conception, God knew what was going to happen to you. He knows the end result.” — Bishop Richard F. Stika baptized and received the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. Candidates have been baptized and will be confirmed and receive the Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. In his homily during the Rite of Election, Bishop Stika spoke of the journey that Catholics undertake in life, citing his own baptism in 1957. “At that point they probably never thought that I’d be a bishop. In fact, I never thought I’d be a bishop either,” he said. “It’s just funny how things are in the journey of life, isn’t it? How many of you thought when you were baptized, it might have been at birth or later in life, that at some point you would be at Sacred Heart Cathedral and joining the Catholic Church?”

All of the catechumens and candidates “have been invited by Jesus to make a journey of life,” Bishop Stika said. “In fact, the invitation came from his Father, God. For at the moment of your conception, God knew what was going to happen to you. He knows the end result. We all hope that the end result is that at some time, at some moment in life when we’re joined together to see the glory of God in heaven, as the Scriptures remind us, to see God face to face, we hear those words, ‘Welcome, good and faithful servant. Welcome to paradise.’ That’s part of the journey.” The bishop reminded the newcomers that they will not be joining a perfect Church, even though its

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

By Dan McWilliams

head, Jesus, is perfect. “Sometimes people within the Catholic Church speak for the Catholic Church and are wrong, and they tear at the very fabric,” Bishop Stika said. “So if you want to come into a perfect institution, it ain’t here. It’s here as Christ, but as brothers and sisters, we work together to build his kingdom.” The newcomers “bring into this institution the beauty of your faith, the complexities of your life, the mistakes and joys of what it means to be a person in this world that is so often tempted by sin, and yet you’re here,” the bishop said. He added that the catechumens and candidates should “not worry about not knowing everything about the Church.” “Did they tell you about the test you have to take? It’s easy – just name all the popes. It’s real easy, just say, ‘Pope, pope, pope . . .,’” Bishop Stika said, smiling at the Church’s newest members-to-be. The bishop said the newcomers’ experience is like receiving a phone call, such as the one he took in 2008 informing him he was appointed bishop of Knoxville. “In some ways, that’s happened to you,” he said. “The Lord in one way or another in your life has made a phone call to your heart, to your soul, to the very essence of your soul, and that phone call is: Jesus loves you. . . . “The sacraments, the relationship with Jesus, the seeking out of that which is true and perfect: the Lord God himself. That is what has brought you to this moment in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, and I pray that your relationship with Jesus might intensify and grow because know this: Jesus loves you. As imperfect as you are, as scarred as you might be, as befuddled as you

Rite continued on page 26 April 5, 2015 7

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church, the church that welcomes everybody, the parish of hospitality, because that’s what a cathedral parish is, it’s a parish of hospitality for all our brothers and sisters throughout East Tennessee. It’s going to be a dynamic thing. In 100 years, I’m hoping people say ‘that was a spectacular moment. Why don’t we do something like that now – for the next 100?’ I will be somewhere else, though,” he said smiling. The April 19 date coincides with Cardinal Rigali’s 80th birthday, an important milestone in the life of a prince of the Church. Cardinal Rigali, archbishop emeritus of Philadelphia, will celebrate the 11 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, with Bishop Stika and Father Boettner concelebrating Mass and Cardinals Dolan and Levada in choir at the Mass and presiding at the groundbreaking, which will feature Scripture readings, blessings and intercessions. Gov. Bill Haslam is expected to be on hand as are Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero, Jefferson County Mayor Alan Palmieri, state Sens. Becky Duncan Massey and Randy McNally, and state Reps. Bill Dunn and Martin Daniel. Joining Bishop Stika will be Bishop David Choby of the Diocese of Nashville, Bishop Roger Foys of the Diocese of Covington, Ky., Bishop Joseph Bambera of the Diocese of Scranton, Bishop Herbert Bevard of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, Auxiliary Bishop Michael Fitzgerald of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Bishop John Gaydos of the Diocese of Jefferson City, Mo., Auxiliary Bishop-emeritus Robert Hermann of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kan., and Bishop Michael Sheridan of the Diocese of Colorado Springs. The East Tennessee Catholic

BILL BREWER

Cathedral continued from page 5

Giving a cathedral update Father David Boettner, rector of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, briefs parishioners and members of the community on plans to build a new cathedral on the site of the current cathedral. The Diocese of Knoxville is gearing up for the official cathedral groundbreaking on April 19.

As the April 18-19 weekend nears, Father Boettner has noticed the pace of activity surrounding the groundbreaking pick up. Some initial site preparation already is underway, but full site preparation will begin June 1 once Sacred Heart Cathedral School is out for the summer. To allow as much construction work as possible in the absence of students and faculty, Sacred Heart School will delay opening for the 2015-16 school year. The first day for students will be Sept. 8, although there will be in-service and administrative days for faculty and staff beginning Aug. 28. Father Boettner emphasized that Sacred Heart church and school are implementing a comprehensive plan so that the entry and

departure of students and parishioners to school and Mass during construction will be minimally affected. “This is exciting. We’ve been working on this plan for so long, and now we’re getting started,” Father Boettner said, noting the significance of starting construction on a new cathedral. He said there will be many significant events in the life of a diocese, with its founding at the top of the list. The groundbreaking and events surrounding it will certainly be among those. But he also pointed to the ordination and installation of the diocese’s bishops and the upcoming dedication of the new cathedral as historic for the diocese.

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“We are building a worship space for the whole diocese that is permanent, beautiful and transcendent. Just as the bishop is pastor of the entire diocese, the cathedral is the home of the entire diocese. No matter what parish they belong to, the cathedral is their home because it’s where the Church of East Tennessee gathers to pray,” Father Boettner said. He pointed out that Sacred Heart parishioners are raising $10 million of the building project’s total cost of $25 million. “Our goal was $8 million, but we stretched it to $10 million to be able to make upgrades to the school and convert the existing church into a parish events cen-

Cathedral continued on page 12 April 5, 2015 9

Year of Consecrated Life

Paulist Fathers’ vibrant ministry still at work in East Tennessee Since 1900 arrival in Winchester to build the Church in Appalachia, order is active in older and younger parishes

By Margaret Hunt

10 April 5, 2015

BILL BREWER

espite the growing number of Catholics in Tennessee, the state still in many ways is mission territory. One of the religious orders to answer the missionary call was the Paulist Fathers. Father Ron Franco, CSP, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Knoxville, which is one of the U.S. Catholic parishes where the Paulists now serve, said the order was commissioned “to transform America with Roman Catholicism through evangelization in all its forms.” The Paulist Fathers have a presence in more than 20 locations in 10 states and the District of Columbia. They also are in Canada and Italy. A group of Paulists first came to Winchester, Tenn., in 1900 to begin what would be a long relationship with both Catholics and non-Catholics in the area. The Paulists arrived in East Tennessee at the invitation of Bishop James D. Niedergeses, then-bishop of the Diocese of Nashville, in 1973 to help revive Immaculate Conception, which had become a victim of suburbanization in Knoxville. The Paulists also were asked to minister to the college students at the John XXIII Catholic Center on the University of Tennessee-Knoxville campus, which had been established in 1968. The Paulists embraced their call and continue to carry out “the mission of evangelization in all its forms and the ministries of reconciliation, ecumenism, and interfaith dialogue” with the people of Knoxville, Father Franco said. The Paulist Fathers got their start when Father Isaac Hecker, a Redemptorist priest, and three colleagues: Father George Deshon, Father Augustine Hewit, and Father Francis Baker, all converts to the Catholic faith,

Sharing their charism The four Paulist priests currently serving the Diocese of Knoxville, Father Rich Andre (far left), Father Don Andrie (second from left), Father Ron Franco (second from right), and Father Gerard Tully (far right) are shown with Father Eric Andrews (center), president of the Paulist Fathers, at the Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Emerald O’ccasion fundraiser on March 12.

founded the order in 1858 in New York City. Paulist Press, one of their earliest evangelization tools, had its origins as a magazine called The Catholic World, first published in 1865. Today the Paulists seek to engage North America through 16 foundations in parishes and campus ministries in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Tennessee and through their media presence with Paulist Press, Paulist Productions in Los Angeles, and Busted Halo (www.bustedhalo.com), a website geared toward the interests and faith formation of young adults.

Currently there are four Paulists in the Diocese of Knoxville. Father Franco has been the pastor of Immaculate Conception Church since 2010. A native of New York City, he also serves as the dean of the diocese’s Smoky Mountain Deanery and is the chair of the diocesan Presbyteral Council. Father Gerard Tully, CSP, another native New Yorker, is the current associate pastor at Immaculate Conception. Father Don Andrie, CSP, a native of Minnesota, has been the pastor of St. John XXIII University Parish and Catholic Center since 2014. Father Rich Andre, CSP, arrived in the diocese in 2012 as a deacon and was assigned associate pastor after his

priestly ordination later that year. The desire to share the journey of Christian discipleship is evident in how these men minister to the faithful in East Tennessee. Father Andre said the Paulists’ work in campus ministry is “a natural fit for the work of evangelization, reconciliation, ecumenism, and interreligious dialogue.” “We help them struggle to appropriate the Catholic faith for themselves, a faith that is strengthened and tested by interacting with other Christians, people of other faiths, and people of no faith,” Father Andre said. Father Don Andrie believes a

Paulists continued on page 25 The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

dioknox.org

First wave of diocese’s Home Campaign begins this month 13 parishes in 11 counties launching diocesan-wide fundraising program

arishes taking part in the first wave of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Home Campaign begin their fundraising efforts this month. Planning for “Wave 1” was underway prior to the campaign kickoff the weekend of April 18 and 19. Pastors and their leadership teams have been at work recruiting volunteers and finalizing details about the parish projects they hope to accomplish with their share of the campaign funds. Projects planned for Wave 1 parishes range from paying off debt to building a new church. Through the Home Campaign, parishes keep at least 50 percent of the funds raised for their own needs, while also helping to address key diocesan initiatives, including the newly established Pope Francis Charitable Trust Fund, funding for Catholic education and priest retirement, and construction of the diocese’s new cathedral. The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut, the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, and All Saints Parish in

Knoxville began their campaigns last year as part of a pilot wave. Sacred Heart, the first Home Campaign in the diocese, is reporting strong participation by its parishioners and has increased its goal from $8 million to $10 million. Because it is the cathedral parish, Sacred Heart’s goal is larger than other parishes. Waves 2 and 3 in the campaign will begin later this year into next year, with the campaign ending in 2016. Information about the campaign is being disseminated to all parishes in the diocese as the respective waves begin. If your parish is participating in Wave 1, be on the lookout for more information through bulletin and pulpit announcements about your parish’s campaign projects. If you would like to volunteer to help with the campaign, please contact your pastor. To learn more about the Home Campaign, visit www.thehomecampaign.org. ■

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

April 5, 2015 11

Cathedral continued from page 9

ter,” Father Boettner said. “The $10 million represents more than 6.5 times the Sacred Heart’s annual offertory, which is unique in fundraising.” Bishop Stika views April 18-19 as a weekend to bring the diocese together. “Usually when I am speaking to folks I will say the Diocese of Knoxville. Then I talk about the Catholic Church in East Tennessee. Every one of our 51 institutions – parishes and mission churches – is part of what we call the Diocese of Knoxville. Everyone is important. So even though it carries the name of Knoxville, it’s Chattanooga, it’s Mountain City, it’s the Tri-Cities. It’s any place you can imagine – Morristown, Jamestown; it’s all the Diocese of Knoxville. It’s all the Catholic Church in East Tennessee, so I want people to come together and celebrate this weekend,” Bishop Stika said. Bishop Stika is encouraging people in the diocese to participate in the momentous weekend and attend the Following Jesus Conference, the Conversation with the Cardinals, and the cathedral groundbreaking. He noted that the Following Jesus Conference on Saturday, April 18, is open to everyone free of charge. Registration to this event is required to receive a free pass, which can be obtained at www.dioknox.org. “Jesus makes the invitation to all of us. We have room. So we want to make sure these messages from both Curtis Martin and Cardinal Dolan are something that can be shared with others, who then can share that message,” he said. Bishop Stika describes Curtis Martin as a very dynamic speaker who heads a youth-led spiritual movement spreading throughout the United States. The Martincreated Fellowship of Catholic University Students, or FOCUS, has a

12 April 5, 2015

presence at St. John XXIII University Parish and Catholic Center on the University of Tennessee–Knoxville campus. Mr. Martin will be joined by Cardinal Dolan in leading the Following Jesus Conference and is considered a very dynamic speaker in his own right. Cardinal Dolan will then join Cardinal Rigali and Cardinal Levada Saturday evening, April 18, for A Conversation with the Cardinals at the Tennessee Theatre. Bishop Stika considers Cardinal Rigali and Cardinal Dolan “dear friends” of his who he has known for years when they served the Church together in St. Louis. Ticket sales for the Conversation with the Cardinals have been brisk, but good seats still are available and can be purchased from the Tennessee Theatre or via the Diocese of Knoxville’s website. Rigali and Levada have been friends for many years, beginning their service to the Church in Los Angeles and being ordained to the priesthood the same year: 1961. They were created cardinals within three years of each other. Cardinal Levada succeeded Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, one of the most important departments in the Vatican that oversees Catholic doctrine, when Cardinal Ratzinger was elected as Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Dolan and Bishop Stika served then-Archbishop Rigali in the Archdiocese of St. Louis before they were elevated to their current assignments. Cardinal Dolan is the immediate past-president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and has served with Cardinals Rigali and Levada in the College of Cardinals. Cardinal Rigali voted in the papal elections that selected Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. Cardinals Levada and Dolan joined Cardinal Rigali in the most

recent papal election that selected Pope Francis. It will be a return visit to the Diocese of Knoxville for Cardinal Dolan. He was the featured speaker in 2013 for the Eucharistic Congress at the Sevierville Convention Center. “It’s going to be very dynamic. Two of them are dear friends of mine – Cardinal Rigali, who lives with me, and Cardinal Dolan, who I have known for many years from St. Louis. And Cardinal Levada was the chief theologian of the Church and also an archbishop in Portland and San Francisco, so he brings all this international experience. Cardinal Rigali worked intimately with three popes: Blessed Paul VI, John Paul I, and St. John Paul II,” Bishop Stika said. “They are going to show us the Catholic Church is doing well. The Diocese of Knoxville here in East Tennessee, we’re growing, we’re doing good things. Sometimes it’s nice to have neighbors come in from outside the neighborhood to remind us how wonderful our neighborhood is, but also to let us know how wonderful the world is.” Following the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass on April 19 celebrated by Cardinal Rigali, the groundbreaking event will take place at 12:35 p.m. at the front of the cathedral

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

property. A public reception will follow at the Sacred Heart Cathedral pavilion. Like parishioners around the diocese, Father Boettner is excited to finally see construction begin on a new cathedral after years of discussion and planning. “I love to think what this church will be witness to in the years to come: the ordination of bishops and priests, and the consecration of religious; Chrism Masses. This building will be a witness to all these things,” he said, noting that with the 1,200-person capacity of the new cathedral more than doubling the size of the 560-person current cathedral, bishop ordinations and installations can be celebrated in a cathedral, where they normally are held, instead of a convention center. Father Boettner believes attendance by the cardinals sets the tone for such an important event as the groundbreaking for a cathedral. “We’re so blessed by the presence of Cardinal Rigali in our diocese. And the presence of Cardinal Dolan and Cardinal Levada is a great honor for the diocese because it shows that others see a vibrant faith in our diocese, and they want to be a part of that,” Father Boettner said. ■

dioknox.org

Diocesan schools get high marks in 2013-14 assessments Elementary, middle-school students perform among top third of U.S. peers in several areas

he Diocese of Knoxville has released its 2013-14 annual report on diocesan schools, and once again students in the diocese’s 10 schools are performing better than most schools nationally in academic achievement. As an example, second-graders in diocesan schools scored above 80 percent of the nation in social studies. “Our early-elementary students continue to outpace the country in every academic category of the Iowa Assessments,” said Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, superintendent of diocesan schools, referring to the nationally normed standardized tests used by schools across the country. “Students in the third grade, which is the first year students take the test timed and without the assis-

The East Tennessee Catholic

See the entire 2013-14 Diocese of Knoxville schools report, “Faith, Hope and Love,” at http://dioknox.org/schools/ tance of a teacher reading questions, performed better than 73 percent of the nation in science. Our fifthgraders tested above 79 percent of the nation in English,” Sister Mary Marta said. “Eighth-graders tested in the top third of the United States in all categories, performing better than 71 percent of the nation in math and an impressive 88 percent in English. Scores in our middle schools reveal these students are well-prepared to transition to the challenging curriculum of our diocesan high schools,” she added.

Sister Mary Marta said the schools report illustrates the direction diocesan schools are taking. “There is always room for improvement, but I think we’re in a good place. We’re focusing on curriculum, and we’re doing well in all the areas, but we can go higher,” she said. In addition to academic achievement, Sister Mary Marta stressed that the religious character of the schools are what sets them apart and that Gospel values and a Christcentered purpose are the schools’ foundation, with teachers taking lead roles in the religious education of Catholic school students. Religious education is taught at every grade level and is a focal point in the curriculum in elementary, middle, and high schools. Bishop Richard F. Stika said

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

By Bill Brewer the diocese’s schools community is helping to fulfill Pope Francis’ prayer that “to have real meaning and fulfillment in our lives, each of us must put on faith, hope, and love.” Bishop Stika said in the diocese’s schools, students have consistent and frequent opportunities to learn and experience their faith, participate in the sacraments and liturgy as well as perform church service, which are conducive to faith. And through education, the Church in East Tennessee is placing its hope in the youth. “The future of our Church and the world will be in the hands of our youth. It is incumbent upon each of us to equip them with the values, skills and knowledge for an everchanging global society,” Bishop

Schools continued on page 15

April 5, 2015 13

Catholic Charities events held in Chattanooga, Knoxville

atholic Charities of East Tennessee on March 12 marked the 30th anniversary of its Emerald O’ccasion, the organization’s annual fundraising dinner in the Knoxville area. Bishop Richard F. Stika hosted the dinner along with CCETN Executive Director Sister Mary Christine Cremin, RSM, and the Catholic Charities Action Council. The featured speaker was Father Eric Andrews, CSP, president of the Paulist Fathers and former pastor of St. John XXIII Parish on the University of Tennessee-Knoxville campus. Father Andrews spoke of Catholic Charities’ impact in the Diocese of

14 April 5, 2015

Knoxville in assisting the poor and disadvantaged and how he has seen that same spirit in Catholic Charities organizations across the country, including his last assignment as president of Paulist Productions in Los Angeles and in New York, where he now serves. Known for his extemporaneous renditions in song during homilies and talks, Father Andrews didn’t disappoint as he weaved verses of the “Tennessee Waltz” and “Pennies from Heaven” in his remarks – to the delight of the 400 CCETN supporters in attendance. Knoxville radio personality Hallerin Hilton Hill emceed the event

that supports the programs and services of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee. Toys ‘R’ Us received the fourth annual Creating Hope Award. Catholic Charities marked the 33rd anniversary of its key fundraising event in Chattanooga on March 26. During the dinner program, it became apparent that Betty Jolly is serious about baking cookies. And for that, Catholic Charities of East Tennessee is grateful. Ms. Jolly was one of six people honored for their work by CCETN. More than 300 supporters attended Catholic Charities’ Annual

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

Dinner at the Chattanoogan Hotel. The event was billed as a “Commitment to Caring that characterizes the Catholic Charities family,” Sister Mary Christine said. The six honorees were introduced near the end of the program, with Ms. Jolly receiving a loud ovation for her work as a high-volume cookie maker. She began a bake sale in 1984 that helped support Catholic Charities efforts. The bake sale grew and was moved to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. The baked goods are now sold at Chattanoogaarea parishes. Ms. Jolly continues to

CCETN continued on page 26

dioknox.org

New principals appointed at St. Joseph, Sacred Heart All signs point to permanent post for Andrew Zengel

By Bill Brewer

f Andrew Zengel needed some kind of a sign telling him he should be the next principal of St. Joseph School in Knoxville, he didn’t need to look beyond Martinsburg, Pa. Mr. Zengel has been serving as interim principal of St. Joseph since the beginning of the 2014-15 school year and recently was named to the position on a permanent basis by Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Knoxville, and Father Chris Michelson, pastor of St. Albert the Great Church and president of St. Joseph School. Prior to being elevated to the post at the beginning of the school year, Mr. Zengel was on faculty at St. Joseph, serving as a middle

school religion and social studies teacher. He succeeds Sister Mary Elizabeth Ann McCullough, RSM, who is currently pursuing a doctorate degree at Mr. Zengel Michigan State University. But his decision to remain principal wasn’t a spontaneous one. “One of the blessings is Father Chris and Sister Mary Marta gave me time from September through January to see if this is where God is leading me,” Mr. Zengel said. While he felt the Holy Spirit Zengel continued on page 32

Lexington educator selected to lead cathedral school

By Bill Brewer

he Diocese of Knoxville has reached into Kentucky for a principal to lead Sacred Heart Cathedral School. Daniel J. Breen, has been the principal of Christ the King Catholic School in Lexington, will join Sacred Heart School on June 1. He succeeds Sarah Trent, who has expressed a desire to spend more time with her family. “After an extensive nationwide search, our principal search committee has unanimously recommended to me a new principal to lead our school. We had a great response to both our active and passive search processes and have had the opportunity to get to know a wide variety of candidates,” said Father David Boettner, rector of

Stika said. Bishop Stika noted that diocesan parishioners, parents and teachers share Christ’s love through their service, ministry and support of Catholic schools. “Who we serve and how we bring them together inside and outside of the classroom illustrate our love for our ‘community’ and our commitment to do God’s work here on Earth,” he said. Graduates of Diocese of Knoxville schools have left a long and lasting legacy through the decades and serve as reminders to current students and faculty of the value of a Catholic education, according to Sedonna Prater, director of curriculum and instruction for diocesan schools. “The Catholic schools in our diocese have an amazing history of developing Catholic leaders in our Church, community, and the world at large. Our alumni model The East Tennessee Catholic

BILL BREWER

Schools continued from page 13

Academic achievement Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, schools superintendent

for the Diocese of Knoxville, engages in a class discussion with students at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga.

the Catholic virtues the schools strive to instill and nurture in every student. Our schools remain focused on the educational and evangelizing mission of the church and are places where students can experience the love of Jesus every single day,” Mrs. Prater said.

“While the schools’ curriculum remains a traditional, humanistic one, the schools have the courage to embrace innovative approaches to deliver the message. High-performing scores on standardized assessments only tell a small portion of the story. One cannot truly

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

Sacred Heart Cathedral. “Through phone interviews, an online assessment and onsite interviews, we were able to select a candidate who will Mr. Breen be an excellent principal for our school. With great joy, I want to introduce you to Daniel J. Breen, who has accepted my offer to become the principal of Sacred Heart Cathedral School beginning June 1, 2015.” Father Boettner said Mr. Breen has nearly 25 years of teaching and Breen continued on page 32

measure the impact of our schools on the developing student, because much of the intrinsic value or gifts are only seeds that fully flower in time,” she added. The annual report that she and Sister Mary Marta compiled reported that 85 percent of the 3,435 students attending diocesan schools are Catholic, with elementary enrollment of 2,386 and high school enrollment of 1,049. And of the 339 faculty and staff, 72 percent are Catholic and 94 percent are lay, with 6 percent being men or women religious. Also, 54 percent hold advanced degrees, and six members are seeking advanced degrees in Catholic leadership. “We are blessed with an engaged school community made up of parents, alumni, parishioners, faculty, and friends. In 2013-14, more than $3.5 million was contributed to direct supplemental tuition support,” Sister Mary Marta said. ■ April 5, 2015 15

Diocesan calendar by Margaret Hunt The Diocese of Knoxville Catechetical Program in collaboration with Aquinas College is hosting catechetical day, course 2, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Mission in Erwin. Topics covered include the Trinity, the sacraments, moral law, Scripture traditions and methods of prayer. There is no charge for the event. The day is open to catechists, DREs, and those who are interested in broadening their understanding of the Catholic faith. For more information, contact Father Richard Armstrong at 865-584-3307 or rarmstrong@dioknox.org. “A Conversation with the Cardinals” will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville featuring New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Cardinal Justin Rigali, and Cardinal William Levada. Bishop Richard F. Stika will moderate this entertaining and informative night, the proceeds of which will benefit the St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation Mobile Health Clinic. Tickets can be purchased on a first-come, first-served basis at all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 800-745-3000, online at www.tennesseetheatre.com, or at the Tennessee Theatre’s Clinch Avenue box office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. For more information about this special event, visit www. dioknox.org. The “Living Our Faith” weekend, which will include the groundbreaking for the new Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, will take place April 18-19. Events planned include a “Following Jesus Conference” featuring Curtis Martin, founder of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, who will speak to young adults at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 18, at Knoxville Catholic High School. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, will speak at 1:30 p.m. at All Saints Church and

16 April 5, 2015

will preside at Mass following his presentation at 2:30. There is no charge for admission, but register online at www.eventbrite.com/e/following-jesusconference-tickets-15925914840. On Sunday, April 19, Cardinal Justin Rigali will preside at the 11 a.m. Mass at the cathedral. The groundbreaking ceremony will follow at 12:35 p.m. A reception will follow the groundbreaking. The next Marriage Encounter weekend is scheduled for April 17-19 at the Atlanta Marriott Hotel in Norcross, Ga. The weekend will begin at 8 p.m. on the 17th and conclude around 4 p.m. on the 19th. To register, call 404-372-6637 or contact Bill or Carol Louree at 770974-8183 or blouree@aol.com. An Engaged Encounter weekend is scheduled for April 17-19 at the Holiday Inn-Express in Lenoir City. For more information, contact Jason or Carmen Jeansonne, weekend registration couple, at 865-377-3077, or Tom and Maggie Slankas, local coordinators, at 483-7896 or ceeknoxville@yahoo.com. The Diocese of Knoxville Catholic Engaged Encounter community is seeking married couples to assist with presenting weekends, handling logistical details, or praying for couples on the weekend. For more information about Engaged Encounter and for volunteer opportunities, contact Charles or Blanca Primm at charlesandblanca@ yahoo.com or visit engagedencounter. org. St. John Neumann Church in Farragut will be hosting the Diocesan Festival of Families on Saturday, June 6. The festival is based on the 2015 World Meeting of Families theme, “Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.” The keynote speaker will be Father Leo Patlinghug, founder and director of Grace Before Meals, host of “Savoring Our Faith” on EWTN, and co-host of the Sirius XM radio show “Entertaining Truth.” The day will also include workshops, cultural demonstrations, and a picnic. The festival is co-sponsored

by the offices of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment and Hispanic Ministry. For more information, contact Marian Christiana at 423-892-2310 or mchristiana@dioknox.org, Karen Byrne at 865-584-3307 or kbyrne@dioknox. org, Lourdes Garza at 865-584-3307 or lourdes@dioknox.org, or Blanca Primm at bprimm@dioknox.org. Catholic Charities needs volunteers for several of its programs. The Pregnancy Help Center needs Spanishspeaking volunteers to assist with the “Earn While You Learn” program for parents-to-be, giving them the opportunity to learn about pregnancy-related concerns and parenting tips while earning needed supplies for their infants. Contact Sandi Davidson for more information at 865-776-4510 or sandi@ ccetn.org. The Children’s Emergency Shelter is also in serious need of volunteers to care for and prepare meals for the residents of the program. Fingerprinting and a background check are required to participate. Contact Jackie Fleming at 865-544-0578 or jackie@ccetn.org for more information. The next Picture of Love engaged couples retreat is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, June 19, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at the St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church parish life center in Cleveland. The retreat is to supplement couples’ marriage formation process with their parish priests. The cost is $135 per couple, which includes a certificate good for $60 off a marriage license. Couples must attend the entire program to receive the certificate. Mass will be celebrated during the event. For more information, contact Marian Christiana at 423-892-2310 or mchristiana@dioknox.org. Father Randy Stice and Father Jerry Tully, CSP, will be the spiritual directors of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from Aug. 10-21. Stops on the pilgrimage include the Mount of the Beatitudes, Cana, the Sea of Galilee, Mount Ta-

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

bor, Nazareth, Jericho, Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, and the Via Dolorosa. The cost is $2,945 per person (double occupancy) for hotel, tour fees, and meal; or $4,295 per person including airfare. An informational meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, at the Chancery for those interested in the pilgrimage. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or Lisam@select-intl.com. Monsignor Al Humbrecht will be the spiritual director of a 12-day pilgrimage to Austria and Germany from Oct. 4-15. Stops include Vienna, the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariazell, Salzburg, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and Oberammergau, site of the decennial passion play. The registration fee is $400. The tour package price is $3,928, which includes air fare from Atlanta, first-class hotel accommodations, most meals, sightseeing tour fees, airport taxes, security fees, and fuel surcharges. The final payment is due 90 before departure. For more information, contact Sister Albertine Paulus, RSM, at 865-2074742 or smaevang@yahoo.com. 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; at 3 p.m. on second and fourth Sundays at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Madisonville; at 11 a.m. on most Sundays at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend; and at 3 p.m. on the first and third Sundays at St. Mary Church in Johnson City. Visit www.knoxlatinmass.net for updated information. A Missa Privata (low Mass) in the ancient form of the Roman Rite will be offered by Father David Carter on Mondays at 7 a.m. at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga.

A Missa Cantata (sung high Mass) in the ancient form of the Roman Rite will be celebrated by Father David Carter Calendar continued on page 17 dioknox.org

Chattanooga Deanery calendar The Sugar and Spice Brunch benefiting the Family Honor Program is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25, in the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish family life center. Sister Mary Dominic, OP, professor of theology and English at Aquinas College in Nashville, will present “The Virtue of Courage” at the event. A silent auction and a door-prize drawing are also planned. Tickets are $20. Women of all ages are invited to attend. To purchase tickets contact Mary Pat Haywood at 706459-6391 or haywood@epbfi.com or Cathy Oliver at 706-264-6966 or catherineoliver@ optilink.us. The St. Jude Parish vacation Bible school, “Fishing With the Father,” is scheduled for June 22-26 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for grades pre-K4 through

fifth grade. Call Sandy at 423-619-1163 or Kyra Ross at 870-2386 to volunteer or learn more. The Ladies of Charity of Chattanooga inaugural golf tournament is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, at Brainerd Golf Course. Details are still being decided. To volunteer, sponsor, or register for the event, call Ann May at 423-413-3150 or amay04@catt.com. Notre Dame High School is hosting a variety of summer camps focusing on sports, fine arts, and academic enrichment for students in kindergarten through high school. Register online or download a brochure at www.myndhs.com. Call 423-624-4618 to request a brochure by mail. ■

Buhrmans celebrate 50 years of marriage

ichard and Judy Buhrman of St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Mrs. Buhrman is a charter member of St. Jude. The Buhrmans were married in 1964 at Sts. Peter and Paul Church with Father Albert Siener, their pastor, officiating. They held a family reunion in Asheville, N.C., including a special celebration of their marriage, at St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville. Their three children are Tom Buhrman of Durham, N.C.; Audrey Davis of Hillsborough, N.C.; and John Buhrman of Signal Mountain. They have five grandchildren Mr. Buhrman is an attorney and practices law in Chattanooga with his son John. He has served on the parish council of St. Jude several times, including as chairman on two different occasions; he is also a reader and eucharistic minister at St. Jude. He has been president of the Serra Club of Chattanooga, is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and Scoutmaster of Troop 172, sponsored by St. Jude Parish. The East Tennessee Catholic

Parish notes: Chattanooga Deanery St. Mary, Athens St. Mary Church received a $1,000 grant from the St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation of East Tennessee Inc. to assist the Ladies of Charity Sharing Center. This ministry provides charitable assistance to parish families and senior citizens. The grant will be used to set up a food pantry, clothing closet, and an information center for area services. The parish Ladies for Charity yard sale/bake sale is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18, in the parish family life center. Items requested include furniture, antiques, jewelry, toys, sports equipment and outdoor items. No clothing, older televisions, computers or printers will be accepted. Drop off items for the sale after the weekend Masses April 11-12 or between 5-7 p.m. Monday, April 13, or 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 14-16. Proceeds from the event will help fund the group’s ministry for the year. Call the parish office for more information at 423-745-4277.

St. Jude, Chattanooga The St. Jude Fine Arts Festival hosted by the Home and School Association will take place from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, in the Scout room in the school gym. Artists using any type of media are welcome to display their work. Contact Cammie Hunt at 423-645-1437 or Hunt_Cammie@me.com to submit entries to the festival. The parish Haiti ministry is sponsoring a sea container from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 19. Items needed include cases of 8½ by 11 and 8½ by 14 copy paper; backpacks; toiletry items; twin sheet sets; school supplies; blood pressure cuffs; band aids; small garden tools; beet, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, leek, Roma tomato, hot pepper, eggplant, and lettuce seeds; and monetary donations for playground and sports items. Call the parish office for more information at 423-870-2386.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga

Richard and Judy Buhrman

He serves the Diocese of Knoxville as a member of the board of the St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation. He received a regular Army commission upon graduation from the University of Chattanooga and served on active duty for three years as a captain. Mrs. Buhrman has a degree in chemistry from Duke University, a BS-RN and a master’s in nursing degrees from UTC. She has been a registered nurse for 25 years and a board-certified family nurse practitioner for 18 years. Today she is a medical provider at the Memorial Westside Health Clinic in the inner city of Chattanooga, where she has served for more than 15 years. ■

Knights of Columbus Council 6099 is accepting applications for a $4,000 scholarship for an eighth-grade son or daughter of a parish Knight who will be attending Notre Dame High School. The deadline for applications is Friday, April 10. Call Ray Fox at 423-314-5228 or Tom Smelas at 899-9989 for more details. ■

Calendar continued from page 16 on the fourth Sunday of every month at 5 p.m. at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. The next scheduled celebrations are at 5 p.m. April 26 (third Sunday after Easter) and May 24 (Pentecost Sunday). A potluck dinner will be held in Varallo Hall following each Mass. All are invited. For more information, call the parish office at 423-266-1618. The St. Thomas the Apostle Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Mission located at 2304 Ault Road, Knoxville, TN 37914 meets for Divine Liturgy each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. All services are in English. Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865-5843307 or visit http://www.saintthomasknoxville.org/ for details. Holy Resurrection Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Mission has Divine Liturgy celebrations at 9:30 a.m. Sundays at the old Holy Ghost Church, 1031 N. Central St. in Knoxville. For times of holy-day services or for more information, visit www.knoxbyz.org or call Father Thomas O’Connell at 865-256-4880. ■

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

April 5, 2015 17

Cumberland Mountain Deanery calendar

Parish notes: Cumberland Mountain Deanery

All Saints Church in Knoxville is hosting a women’s reception and talk with wellknown Catholic speaker Jeff Cavins from 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, April 10. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Admission is $15 per person. The event is sponsored by the All Saints Peter and Paul Society, the Sacred Heart St. Joseph Society, and Knights of Columbus Councils 5207 and 15706. To purchase tickets visit www.eventbrite. com/e/womens-reception-and-talk-withjeff-cavins-tickets-15805436486.

All Saints, Knoxville The parish youth group will prepare and serve lunch at the Volunteer Ministry Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, May 3. The project is open to high school students and adults. To register, visit vols.pt/EeGnho. For more information, call Annie Nassis at 865-531-0770. A medical mission trip to Ghana is planned July 17-31. Doctors, pharmacists, physician’s assistants, educators, handymen, and students are encouraged to volunteer. The cost is approximately $2,500-3,000, depending on the volunteer’s length of stay. Vaccines for yellow fever and malaria are required. A current visa and passport are required. For more information, contact Dr. Elaine Bunick at sugardoctn@aol.com.

Mr. Cavins will also present a men’s conference from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11, in the All Saints Church parish hall. The cost is $35 per person. Doors open at 9 a.m. and lunch is provided. Purchase tickets at www.eventbrite. com/e/knoxville-mens-conference-withjeff-cavins-tickets-15802986157. For more information on both events, call Jimmy Dee at 865-217-6639.

St. Alphonsus, Crossville The choir will present “The Least of These: We are Called to Serve” at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 26, in the church. For more information, call the parish office at 931-484-2358.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade There will be a mini-retreat in Father Sheehan Hall on Wednesday, April 8, for members of the parish Council of Catholic Women. The annual parish rummage sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, April 17, and 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 18.

St. John Neumann Church is hosting a weekly grief-support workshop for the

Anniversaries: Tom and Joan Edwards (63), Ed and Claire Sisson (60), Don and Carolyn Beck (60), Salvatore and Lois D’Addona (58), Jerry and Judy Smith (56), Frank and Pat Prejna (56), James and Lynda Tjaarda (55), Francis and Alice Radwick (54), Paul and Mary Demet (52), Blaine and Lenore Drake (52), Anthony and Anita June Zimmerman (51)

bereaved beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 11. For more information, contact Natalie Tabler at nprender@knology.net or 865-357-1818. To register, contact Marilyn Derbyshire at mderbyshire@sjnknox. org or 777-4312. A new Natural Family Planning class series will meet on Saturdays, April 25, May 16, and June 13, at 1 p.m. at All Saints Church on the second floor of the education building. For more information, contact Monica or Jared Kimutis at 970-980-5009 or jmkimutis@gmail.com. For more information on Natural Family Planning visit the Couple to Couple League website ccli.org. The Knoxville Frassati Fellowship for young adults ages 18-35 meets Thursdays at 7 p.m. at the Chancery office, located at 805 S. Northshore Drive next door to the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Other events and activities are planned. Visit the Knoxville Frassati Fellowship Facebook page or call Jess Mearns at 865-206-6026 for more information. ■

Members of the St. John Neumann youth-ministry program will be traveling to Osage, W.Va., the week of April 6-10 to perform minor household repairs and building enhancements for the elderly and homebound located in this Appalachian coal-mining region. The group is collecting donations of cash and gift cards from home-improvement stores to help defray the cost of materials needed to complete the work. Donations may be dropped off at the parish office or placed in the collection basket in an envelope marked Youth Mission Trip. For more information, contact Al Forsythe at 865-862-5754 or aforsythe@dioknox.org.

St. Joseph, Norris The first parish Spring Festival is scheduled for 3-6:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19. For more information, call the parish office at 865-494-7746.

St. Therese, Clinton The parish is collecting nonperishable food items for the local food pantry and can tabs to support the efforts of Ronald McDonald House. The CCW is hosting a rummage sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18. For more information, call the parish office at 865-457-4073. ■

18 April 5, 2015

COURTESY OF LARRY FINNERAN

St. John Neumann, Farragut

Regional free-throw contest champs Pictured are the winners of the East Tennessee Regional Knights of Columbus Free Throw Contest held Feb. 14 at St. John Neumann School in Farragut. These students won the right to take part in the state competition in March. Thirty-four councils compose the East Tennessee region. Each holds a local free-throw contest. The winners can then compete in one of seven district contests, with the victorious moving on to the regionals. From left are (front row) Turner Stout, Will Hurd, Caroline Upchurch, Annabella Spezia, and Reed Davis and (back row) Baylor Bryant, Casey Tramel, Amelia Rechter, Kennedy McFarland, Mary Iverson, and Alan Arvidson.

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Five Rivers Deanery calendar The St. Dominic Church youth group will be participating in a New York City pilgrimage with the Community of Sant’Egidio from June 19-26. Attendees will visit the elderly in nursing homes, work with the homeless, and visit

Parish notes: Five Rivers Deanery

the 9-11 Memorial and the United Nations. The pilgrimage is open to rising juniors and seniors and rising freshmen and sophomores in college and their chaperones. Call Paul Vachon at the church at 423-288-8101. ■

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City The parish Council of Catholic Women and parish family-life committee raised $450 from a bake sale in March to help Appalachian Outreach and other area agencies who assist the underserved. Anniversary: Jerry and JoAnn Hopko (50)

St. Dominic, Kingsport The Catholic Daughters of America is offering two $500 scholarships to rising ninth-grade students attending a Catholic, public, or other private school. The deadline for entry is May 1. For qualification information, contact Judy Smith at 423-652-7780 or jumpinjudy6148@embarqmail.com. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance will be providing free tax-preparation services at the Kingsport Public Library for qualified individuals who are elderly, disabled, or have a limited command of the English language. IRS-certified volunteers will be available to assist with basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Monday, April 13. For more information, call 423-224-2439 or visit www.kingsportlibrary.org.

COURTESY OF DENNIS LOWE

The parish young-adult ministry for those ages 18-39 meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. For more information, call Paul Vachon at 423-288-8101.

Father Okere celebrates 25th anniversary On Jan. 25 St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga and the Knights of Columbus celebrated Father Barth Okere’s 25th jubilee as a priest following the 11 a.m. Mass at St. Stephen. Father Okere is chaplain at Memorial Hospital.

Lynches celebrate 50th wedding anniversary

armin and Lynne Lynch of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Feb. 20. They were married at the U.S. Army Chapel at Fort Hood, Texas, with Father Walter J. Keutzer, Chaplain 1st Lieutenant, U.S. Army, officiating. The Lynches have two children, Cynthia (Lynch) Leathers of San Mateo, Calif., and Michelle (Lynch) The East Tennessee Catholic

Cole of Crossville, and they have two grandchildren. Carmin retired from the Unisys Corp. in Bluebell, Pa., and Lynne retired from Retail Sales Management. They moved to the Glade in 1998. Carmin also worked for the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners and retired after 10 years of service. A family celebration was held at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville the weekend of Feb. 20. ■

The Totus Tuus vacation Bible school program will be presented for grades 1-12 the week of June 28-July 3. There will also be a separate program for preschool-age children. The cost is $10 per child. For more information, contact Karen Lewicki at 423-288-8101 or KML8183@gmail.com. The parish youth council is hosting an international potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11, in the gymnasium of the parish life center. For more information, contact Paul Vachon at 423-288-8101.

St. Mary, Johnson City The Totus Tuus vacation Bible school program is scheduled for June 14-19 for grades kindergarten through high school. For more information, call Judy Holt or Stephanie Mann in the parish office at 423-282-6367.

St. Patrick, Morristown A Christ Renews His Parish weekend for men is scheduled for the weekend of April 25-26 at St. Patrick Church. The weekend is intended to help participants experience a personal spiritual renewal, and through this renewal, strengthen Christian community in the parish. For more information, call Sue Kutbay at 423748-2366, Pam Reed at 312-1759 or Susan Shafer at 312-4161. The Knights of Columbus are coordinating a Medic blood drive from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, in the front parking lot of the church. All adult parishioners are welcome to stop by to donate. ■

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April 5, 2015 19

Parish notes: Smoky Mountain Deanery Jennifer Neil received the parish Council of Catholic Women Our Lady of Fatima Award for her service to the Church. Ms. Neil is one of the main coordinators of the Haiti Outreach Program and organizes the annual medical banquet and the Fierce and Fancy Formals Dress Sale each year. Father Joe Reed will speak on prayer at the Wednesday, April 8, meeting of the Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic series. The talk will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be held in the Shea Room. A $5 donation covers program materials. Space is limited. Call the parish office to register at 865-588-0249.

COURTESY OF DONNA PALAZZOLO

Sacred Heart, Knoxville

Holy Family, Seymour

Three confirmed at Christ the King Christ the King Parish in Tazewell celebrated confirmation March 15. Bishop Richard F. Stika is joined by Christ the King pastor Father Joe Campbell and confirmandi (from left) Jonathan Werner, Tori Ramsey, and Anthony Palazzolo.

Father John Orr, associate pastor of Holy Ghost Church, will be the auctioneer for a wine-tasting and benefit auction hosted by Knights of Columbus Council 12961 starting at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 12. Tickets are $15 per person and will be available after all the Masses before the event. Proceeds from the evening will be used to purchase an ultrasound machine for the Women’s Care Center. Call Gene Zdonek at 865-908-3896 for more information.

Holy Ghost, Knoxville The parish St. Vincent de Paul Society requests donations of infant formula including Similac Advanced, Similac Sensitive, Similac Soy, and Similac Alimentum to assist the Ladies of Charity and their ministry to women and their infants. Donation baskets are located at the front and side doors of the church.

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville The Immaculate Conception Women’s Group in conjunction with the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women is collecting change to purchase food for the people of Burkina Faso. The group goal is $5,000, which will feed 10,000 people. The deadline for parish donations will be April 19. Money raised at the parish level will be donated at the KDCCW Convention the weekend of April 23-25. Contact Pat Ryan for more information at paryan6540@yahoo.com or 865-687-0050.

“Assorted Saints and the Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love” will be the theme of the parish vacation Bible school, which will be presented June 15-19. Call Dana Hogan, the faith-formation director, at 865-982-3672 for more details.

St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville The parish is hosting eucharistic adoration on Fridays beginning at 9:30 a.m. and ending with Benediction at 4 p.m. Contact the parish office at 423-442-7273.

St. Mary, Gatlinburg The parish Hispanic ministry is collecting money to purchase musical instruments for the church. Call the parish office at 865-436-4907. ■

20 April 5, 2015

COURTESY OF MARIAN CHRISTIANA

Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa

OLPH hosts Picture of Love retreat Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga hosted a Picture of Love marriage-preparation program Feb. 6 and 7. Twenty-two couples preparing for marriage attended the retreat.

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

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Catholic schools

Sacred Heart boys teams finish strong By Dan McWilliams he Sacred Heart Cathedral School boys basketball teams recently concluded top-notch seasons, with the junior varsity going undefeated and the varsity finishing runner-up in the T-N-T State Tournament. The JV finished the season 21-0, winning the Knoxville Independent School League regular-season title with a 14-0 record in league games and going on to capture the postseason KISL tourney title. Houston Dyer was the tournament MVP after the Eagles defeated Grace Christian in the final game. Major Hollin and Joseph Tornstrom made all-tourney for Sacred Heart. Also playing for the Eagles JV team this year were Alan Arvidson, Quinn Brennan, James Cassell, Reid Davis, Harrison Huntsinger, Reece Preston, Riley Smith, and Wyatt Smith. Head coach Andrew Campbell talked about what made his JV squad special this season.

COURTESY OF DEACON SEAN SMITH

Undefeated squad The Sacred Heart Cathedral School boys JV basketball team completed a perfect 21-0 season with a KISL tournament title.

COURTESY OF GERAUD HALL

“Really what made this particular group so unique was the relentless might that they had,” he said. “They feed off energy, so they feed off each other, and they had that relentless might that they’d never give up and would always try to get better.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral School boys varsity basketball team poses with its T-N-T State Tournament runner-up trophy. The East Tennessee Catholic

The team’s closest games were three contests against Grace and one against Christian Academy of Knoxville. “The ironic part of every game of those [four] was, at halftime we were losing, but during the second half it was like a 180. So they improved and got the victory in the end,” Mr. Campbell said. Future Sacred Heart and high school teams should benefit from having this year’s Sacred Heart JV players on their rosters, Mr. Campbell said. “I would say that these individuals would have an open mind in basketball,” he said. “They would be aware of not only the physical aspect of basketball but also the mental aspect and what it takes to feel about yourself to actually be a good athlete—an all-around athlete, not just on the court but off the court. “And it’s like they are aware of the mental and physical aspect of basketball, but not just the game of basketball, but what all an allaround athlete is like, the holistic

St. Mary-Oak Ridge dedicates new soccer field St. Mary School in Oak Ridge announced the official opening of its soccer field March 24 with a blessing of the field and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Following the ceremony, St. Mary’s varsity coed soccer team played the Paideia Academy in its first-ever home soccer match. The St. Mary soccer field is the result of years of donations and hard work. A designated donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, gave $34,000 to make this long-wished-for dream a reality. Father Bede Aboh, the pastor of St. Mary Parish, approved the project and solicited the support of school, community, and parish members, with particular support provided by Knights of Columbus Council 3175 at St. Mary. Rick Riikola of Riikola Construction and his entire extended family were very generous contributors, providing soil, equipment, and hours of labor. More than six hundred cubic yards of river-bottom soil were used to create a level playing surface. The field also has a sprinkler system designed for athletic fields. ■

Basketball continued on page 24

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April 5, 2015 21

Catholic schools

KCHS teacher receives Holocaust Educator Award

22 April 5, 2015

Regular-season and tourney champs The St. Joseph boys and girls basketball teams and cheerleaders pose with the KISL hardware after the Bulldog squads swept the conference and tournament titles. STEPHANIE RICHER

St. Joseph, OLPH teams win tournament titles

he Bulldogs of St. Joseph School scored a rare doubledouble during the 2014-15 Knoxville Independent School League, small division, with the boys and girls varsity teams claiming both conference and tournament championships. Led by eighth-graders Rece Harpst, Walter Pickering, John Neumann MacDonald, Sean Madigan, Preston Reyda, Sam Griffin, Gavin Francis, and Will Dyson, the boys squad finished 13-1 in league play before defeating the Knoxville Ambassadors 47-40 at Maryville Christian School for the tournament trophy. The Bulldogs’ overall record was 19-3. Rece Harpst was named the tournament’s most valuable player. His brother, Nick Harpst, and Walter Pickering also were named to the all-tournament team. The St. Joseph Bulldogs girls team finished the season with an 18-4 record and were 8-0 in league play, its first league championship in a decade. In a close game, the girls varsity defeated Concord Christian School 38-32 to claim the league title and finish the league season undefeated. The Bulldog girls were led by seventh-graders Grace Morgan, Anna Hoang, Claire Earl, Annalise Weedman, Fannie Njoroge, Ella Trisler, Ki-

ersten Man, and Emily Wilson as well as eighth-graders Suzannah Brown and Emma Waxmonsky. Anna Hoang was the tournament MVP, and Annalise Weedman and Grace Morgan were named all-tournament. The Lady Rams varsity basketball team from Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga also celebrated a strong season. The Lady Rams ended the season

with a first-place finish in the Independent School Conference Small Division tournament. Seventh-grader Carly Goetz was named MVP of the tournament, while Hannah Ingle, Julia Raabe, Gretchen Eckler and Carly Goetz were selected for the all-conference varsity girls team. OLPH eighth-grader Curtis Dearing also was selected for the ISC allconference varsity boys team. ■

COURTESY OF CISSY WEST

The Tennessee Holocaust Commission recently announced the winners of the 2015 Belz-Lipman Holocaust Educator Award. The winners are: • Joan Williams, Knoxville Catholic High School; • Andy Mizell, Margaret Allen Middle School, Nashville; • Gene Traynom, Raleigh-Egypt High School, Memphis. These educators will receive a $1,500 scholarship that can be used to develop new curriculum, purchase resources, and attend trainings that will help further engage their students in the study of the Holocaust. The award, established by Memphis entrepreneurs and philanthropists Jack A. Belz and Ira Lipman, recognizes outstanding educators who excel in the teaching of the Holocaust. Ms. Williams graduated from the University of Tennessee and is in her seventh year of teaching English at Knoxville Catholic High School. Her specialties include Holocaust literature, the modern novel, and Edgar Allan Poe. She first became interested in the study of the Holocaust when she read Art Spiegelman’s “Maus” and is grateful to her high school German teachers for her initial education in the subject. Ms. Williams is a 201314 Teacher Fellow of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. ■

The Our Lady of Perpetual Help girls basketball team won the Independent School Conference Small Division tournament crown.

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

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Catholic schools

Twelfth annual Fighting Irish Spring Classic doubleheader set By Dan McWilliams tradition more than a decade old will be renewed again Tuesday, April 21, with the 12th annual Fighting Irish Spring Classic baseball doubleheader at Smokies Stadium in Kodak. The event, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus at Sacred Heart Cathedral and All Saints Parish, benefits and has raised more than $70,000 for the Catholic Charities Pregnancy Help Center in Knoxville over the years. “We have a very strong commitment to pro-life, and this is our way of promoting pro-life by supporting the Pregnancy Help Center,” said event chairman Tom Ciaccia of the Sacred Heart Knights. “Sandi Davidson and the ladies she works with down there do a tremendous service to our community. It’s truly life-saving work consistent with our Catholic teachings on the sanctity of life, and we Knights of Columbus get behind that, and we try to support it every year through this event. “We’ve done this since 2004, and every penny we’ve earned has gone to the Pregnancy Help Center.” The Classic will start with a concert by the Knoxville Christian School chorus and kazoo band at 5 p.m., followed by a baseball game between KCS and Christian Academy of Knoxville at 5:30. Betweengames entertainment is set for 7 p.m. At approximately 7:30, Knoxville Catholic High School will face Gatlinburg-Pittman in the nightcap. KCHS head coach Adam Sullivan is looking forward to bringing his Fighting Irish team to the Classic again. “It’s unbelievable. I’ll tell you what’s really neat about it,” he said. “It’s funny, no matter what kind of team we have when we go up there, both teams will play really good defense, and it’s usually a pretty clean game. There are a lot of really good plays made, and The East Tennessee Catholic

COURTESY OF DIANNAH MILLER

Game benefits ‘great cause’ Senior Dominic Souder and the KCHS Fighting Irish will take on Gatlinburg-Pittman in the Spring Classic doubleheader.

I really think it’s a cool venue with a backdrop of a stadium, and the surface is obviously pretty nice. They do a great job up there. “And being in a cool park is just nice, the dugouts are really cool, and you just feel like a big-leaguer, and I think the guys really appreciate it and really look forward to it every year.” Mr. Sullivan said he enjoys participating in an event that benefits a “great cause.” “Catholic Charities can’t say enough about that,” he said. “Sometimes I get the opportunity to go on the radio and talk about the game, and I always look forward to it because I know the work that they’re

doing is so meaningful for so many people, and it’s just a neat deal. “It’s kind of selfish: we get to play a baseball game, we get to play it at an awesome place, and Tom Ciaccia does all the work, and we just show up and get to play, but at the end of the day it’s for such a great cause. We kind of feel that this is the easiest charity stuff we’ve ever done because we get such a great time out of it.” The Fighting Irish return several players from last year’s state-runner-up team. Mr. Sullivan said “it’s really hard to tell” whether KCHS can get back to state this year. “We’ve got some really great teams out there. CAK is great, Pi-

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geon Forge, and in our district Alcoa and Kingston will be improved this year, so nothing is given,” he said. Top pitcher and four-year starter Ethan Elliott returns for the Irish. “We have the chance to make some noise with our pitching,” Mr. Sullivan said. Mr. Ciaccia said he is not surprised that the Classic has gone on as long as it has. “There were a lot of skeptics at first that we could promote high school baseball at Smokies Park, but you get the Knights of Columbus behind an event, and sometimes it’s going to be pretty successful.” Tickets for the Classic for adults are $6 at the gate, $5 when purchased in advance, and $4 in group sales of 10 or more. Student tickets are $4, $3, and $2 for the same categories. Call KCHS at 865-560-0313 or Catholic Charities at 865-524-9896 to purchase tickets. For individual and group-ticket information, contact Tom Gilmartin at 865-288-0255 or 2birish@charter.net. Smokies Stadium is located at 3540 Line Drive just off I-40 exit 407. For more information on the Classic, including sponsorship opportunities and advertising in the game program, contact Mr. Ciaccia at 865765-4046 or tciaccia@att.net, or visit the website below. Sponsorship and ad deadline is Friday, April 10. The website for the Classic is www.fightingirishspringclassic.com. “The last two years we’ve been drawing approximately 2,000 people out to Smokies Park for high school baseball,” Mr. Ciaccia said. “We’ve had major-league scouts and talent scouts come out to this event because we always have four strong teams out there, and it’s just a great event, not just for baseball, but it’s a very attractive event for parish ministries to come together as a group and enjoy it as a group outing.” ■ April 5, 2015 23

COURTESY OF MEGAN LOCKE ERPENBACH

Catholic schools

KCHS, Webb Interact clubs join for service activity On Jan. 20 the Interact clubs of Knoxville Catholic High School and Webb School of Knoxville joined forces for an important service activity: writing cards and letters of support and thanks to Americans serving in the armed forces. Students worked with the nonprofit organization A Million Thanks (amillionthanks.org), which helps to connect Americans with men and women serving in the military. Over the course of two hours, the students wrote 34 letters of thanks to military men and women. KCHS Interact Club moderator Phil Petree and Webb School Interact adviser Elizabeth Gregor worked with the club members to organize the service activity. Pictured are Mr. Petree and some of the KCHS students who participated in the project.

Knoxville Catholic government students visit Bishop Stika A group of Knoxville Catholic High School students had the opportunity to have dinner with Bishop Richard F. Stika at his residence Jan. 27. The students were invited to discuss politics and heard about the bishop’s many experiences of being active in government on behalf of the Catholic Church. It was an informal and fun experience for all involved. The students are in Erin Chady’s AP Government class.

Basketball continued from page 21

viewpoint of an athlete, not just one aspect.” The varsity team at Sacred Heart defeated St. Edward’s 41-15 in the first round of the T-N-T tourney before falling to Selmer 48-39 in the finals Feb. 28. The Eagles finished the season 16-11 overall, placing fourth in the KISL large-school regular-season standings with a 6-6 mark. Head coach Geraud Hall said it was an honor for the Eagles to play in the T-N-T tourney. “The eighth-graders who were on the team this year and all the seventh-graders who went from JV to

24 April 5, 2015

varsity got to go and just experience a whole different style of basketball compared to what we’re used to here in Knoxville,” he said. Grace won the KISL large-division title with a 12-0 mark in league games. “We lost to Grace, I think by one in overtime, and that’s probably the closest game they’ve had all year in our league,” Mr. Hall said. The head coach said “the biggest thing” that stood out about the varsity this season “was that we had kids who loved to compete. We had kids that got along. “These kids, they all played football

together, the eighth-graders played football, they all came in and played basketball, then I think the majority of them go and play baseball together, so they’ve been playing sports together since fifth or sixth grade. “I think it was a jelling process, and I think it was them just wanting to compete. They went 8-15 last year and I know the eighth-graders, Ryan MacDonald and Alex DiFelice and Brad Grenkoski, they wanted to win a lot of games and get better.” The eight-win season was “a struggle,” Mr. Hall said. “This year we had three or four guys to step up when you needed

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

them to, and like I said, the eighthgrade group we had this year just loved playing with each other and hated to lose.” The Eagles defeated St. John Neumann in the KISL postseason tourney before losing to Grace in the semifinals. Alex DiFelice made all-tournament for Sacred Heart, while Ryan MacDonald made all-league for the regular season. Also on the Eagles squad this year were Spencer Belanger, Sean Brennan, Dakota Dickinson, Cody Duncan, Adam Jones, Max Langan, Adam Margolis, and Michael Ray. ■ dioknox.org

In their own words: Secular careers inspire Paulists’ discernment Father Ron Franco, CSP I grew up in New York City and went to City College. I was not planning on becoming a priest at that stage in my life. I went to Princeton University and got a graduate degree in politics and taught at Marquette University for four years. During that time, I Father Franco realized what I really wanted to do is be a priest. I knew that I wanted a religious community. I didn’t necessarily know which one and I studied them. By almost an accidental process because I knew someone who was a Paulist, I applied to the Paulist Fathers and entered our novitiate in 1981, which at that time was in northern New Jersey. I certainly was attracted to the story of Isaac Hecker. I could identify with a lot of the things he cared about, and I found that a helpful way of organizing my spiritual understanding of my religious vocation. Father Gerard Tully, CSP Our community is rooted in the Archdiocese of New York, which is my home as well. As I grew up I came to know of their ministry and reputation and was especially impressed whenever I heard Paulists continued from page 10

charism of care with a welcoming attitude can change hearts and minds, whether it is within the Church or in interfaith activities. “By reaching out to people who are already involved in other faith groups, we can work for understanding between groups. I feel that the Paulist charism of trying to reach out in care and welcoming, rather than making people feel as though they are not measuring up, is one of our best charisms. Once we welcome people, then we can help them live out the call of Christ and, if necessary, to help them change some things in their lives,” he said. The East Tennessee Catholic

them preach. Their message was uplifting and affirming yet down to earth and helpful for everyday people living the Gospel in their daily lives. When I decided to explore priesthood I initially thought of applying to the archdiocese. But as I discussed my vocation with one of our parish priests he thought I would “fit better” with the Paulists. As I met with the vocation director and other Paulists it quickly became apparent that their way of life and mission really resonated with me. And so I applied. I had always considered priesthood since childhood. And when I was in high school I thought it would be the likely path for me to follow. But when I graduated Father Tully my parents really encouraged me to make sure. So I declined attending the college seminary and opted to attend Manhattan College and see what else might be possible. While there I worked for a bank as well and got interested in the financial services sector. But as I neared graduation some friends encouraged me to apply with them for openings at the Bell System and I was hired immediately. Af-

Father Don Andrie, CSP To begin with, it was an idea that just popped into my head when I was 29. No one had suggested that I be a priest in the years before I decided to try it. First, I took it to prayer I think – trying to tell Jesus that it was a crazy idea. After all, I liked being a computer software engineer and owning a house and making a good salary. The idea would not go away, so, the following Sunday, I talked to some of my friends at church, who were very encouraging, Father Andrie and later to the pastor of our parish, who also encouraged me and helped me connect to vocations retreats and vocation directors.

Father Rich Andre, CSP I had a “lightning bolt” moment, a sudden sense that God was calling me to consider the priesthood, when I was 27 years old. I now realize that God had probably been calling me for two years, but I hadn’t been listening. Once I struggled through some discernment and began telling friends and family that I was considering a vocation to the priesthood, so many people said, “You know, I always thought Father Andre you’d make a good priest.” I wish they had told me sooner and saved me some of the trouble! If you think someone should consider priesthood or religious life, please let them know! I talked with 10 religious communities, but it soon became clear to me that either I was being called to the Paulists, or I wasn’t being called to the priesthood. ■

Involvement in the local diocese also is a way to connect with people both in and outside the Church to build community and understanding, according to Father Franco. “We have a high profile in the local Church, and I know as a downtown pastor I’m involved in the ecumenical interactions of the local churches. Likewise, the priests at St. John XXIII are involved in the campus ministry council, so we’re certainly involved in ecumenical work, which is part of how we understand our mission. And we try to be a bridge to the culture around us as best we can and with whatever opportunities we have,” he said.

The Paulists’ work in East Tennessee also has brought them personal fulfillment. “Each and every Sunday I love standing outside the church, weather permitting, or sharing breakfast and chatting with the parishioners. I enjoy hearing about their week with its joys and struggles, what they anticipate in the coming one, and being able to affirm them in all of it; reassuring them of Christ’s presence in all of their experience while drawing strength and wisdom from them for my life,” Father Tully said. Father Rich Andre shares that outlook.

“Honestly, I have the best job in the world. At this point I probably know the personal stories of about half the people who come to Mass at St. John XXIII Parish on a regular basis,” Father Andre said. “It is an amazing experience to stand at the altar and look out at all the wonderful people here. When the bread and the wine are brought forward, they represent our joys and sorrows, our hopes and dreams. We are each like a single grain of wheat or a single grape pressed into wine. Through a process that cannot be undone, we are united to one another, and then, at Mass, we are transformed into the body and blood of Christ.” ■

ter five years I finally admitted to myself that the corporate office wasn’t where I should be. My heart was in serving others, not poring over technical schematics and managing projects. I feel God is more calling me to serve in the world as an apostolic religious; embracing it, finding the sacred in the secular and helping to bring God’s healing grace to a world afflicted with so much pain.

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

I considered diocesan priesthood, talking to a priest who I really respected and had known from the parish in which I grew up. I also talked to the Jesuits and to a Benedictine priest who was a friend of the family. None seemed to fit as well as the Paulists.

April 5, 2015 25

bake more than 1,000 thumbprint cookies for the sale every year. Other honorees are: ■ Sophia Bridger, who first began volunteering for CCETN in 2001 after Monsignor Al Humbrecht asked for her help. Over the next seven years, Ms. Bridger served as a volunteer for the Interfaith Senior Services, a member of the Chattanooga Council and co-chair of the annual dinner. ■ Sharon Hogan was invited to volunteer for Catholic Charities in 2001. Over the next seven years Ms. Hogan helped with the Christmas Angel Tree and the Opportunity House and was a member of the Chattanooga Council. She also helped with the Annual Dinner. ■ Verna Watson began volunteering for Catholic Charities more than 30 years ago. She helped form the Pregnancy and Adoption program, chaired the bake sale, co-chaired

JIM WOGAN

CCETN continued from page 14

Catholic Charities honorees Catholic Charities of East Tennessee volunteers in Chattanooga who were recognized were Father Jim Vick, Jill Dearing Walsh, Verna Watson, Sharon Hogan, Sophia Bridger and Betty Jolly.

the dinners and was a member of the Chattanooga Council. She also served as the Chattanooga representative on the board of trustees.

■ Jill

Dearing Walsh has been involved in Catholic Charities for nearly eight years. She served on the Council for two terms and vol-

can approach the world, Jesus loves you, and he will never set us up for failure. And Jesus calls us to be the person that his Father wants you to be – not the person that you think you might be, because God knows exactly who you are.” In the Rite of Election, Sister Timothea presented the catechumens to Bishop Stika and said that “they ask that . . . they be allowed to participate in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist.” RCIA leaders introduced their catechumens, and the bishop asked godparents whether the catechumens had listened and responded to the Word “proclaimed by the Church” and “shared the company of their Christian sisters and brothers and joined with them in prayer.” The catechumens then pledged “to enter fully into the life of the Church” through the three sacra-

26 April 5, 2015

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Rite continued from page 7

Welcome to the Church Bishop Richard F. Stika greets Sacred Heart Cathedral catechumen Tristan Maratos as sponsor Davis Bodie, a teacher at Sacred Heart School, looks on during the Rite of Election on Feb. 22.

ments of initiation. Each RCIA leader brought forward his or her parish’s Book of the Elect for Bish-

op Stika to sign, after which the bishop greeted the catechumens and godparents.

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unteered in the office. Her passion of working with vulnerable women in the Pregnancy Center stems from her Catholic faith and her years as a registered nurse and licensed counselor. ■ Father Jim Vick, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, was invited to be on the Chattanooga Council in 1999 as a representative of the deanery Spanish-speaking community. Father Vick offers invaluable support to the staff and residents of The Home Place as well as other programs. Immigration status was special concern of Father Vick’s for years and with the help of local attorneys, the Office of Immigration Services was developed. Father Michael Nolan, pastor of St. Therese Lisieux Catholic Church in Cleveland, delivered opening remarks and the blessing. The dinner was emceed by Jed Mescon of WRCB, Channel 3 Eyewitness News. ■ Sister Timothea then presented to the bishop “the candidates who seek to complete their Christian initiation.” RCIA leaders introduced their candidates, after which the bishop said “the Christian life and the demands that flow from the sacraments cannot be taken lightly. Therefore, before granting these candidates their request, it is important that the Church hear the testimony of their sponsors about their readiness.” Sponsors affirmed that the candidates “have come to a deeper appreciation of their baptism,” reflected sufficiently on the tradition of the Church,” and “advanced in a life of love and service of others.” The candidates also echoed the catechumens’ desire “to enter fully into the life of the Church.” The bishop signed the Book of the Elect for the candidates and greeted them along with their sponsors. ■ dioknox.org

St. Francis, Our Lady of Fatima parish boundaries updated New map reflects geographic area of parishioners for churches in Blount, Sevier counties

By Bill Brewer

ishop Richard F. Stika has issued decrees establishing new boundaries for Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa and St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Townsend as they relate to Holy Family Parish in Seymour. Bishop Stika said the boundaries were updated after consultation with the Diocese of Knoxville’s Presbyteral Council in accordance with Canon law. The decrees were effective Feb. 10. In his decree, Bishop Stika established that the new Our Lady of Fatima Parish boundary will be all of Blount County excluding the portions east of a line representing the western boundaries of Holy Family Parish and St. Francis of Assisi Parish. The new St. Francis boundary would begin in Blount County at the North Carolina-Tennessee border at the National Park Service’s Foothills Parkway, continuing northeast along Foothills Parkway to East Lamar Alexander Parkway-U.S. Highway 321, then continuing north along East Lamar Alexander Parkway-U.S. Highway 321 to East Millers Cove Road, then continuing east along East Millers Cove Road past Watertown toward the Sevier County border. The Holy Family Parish boundary extends from Watertown on East Millers Cove Road along a line directly north to the intersection of Munsey Hatcher Road and Old Chilhowee Road, following Munsey Hatcher Road to McHenry to Patterson to Doc Norton to Alfred McCammon Road, then north to the county line. St. Francis of Assisi was a mission of Our Lady of Fatima from 1961-2010, when St. Francis became a parish, according to Father Brent Shelton, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi, who added that Canon law requires parishes to have set boundaries. “Any time a parish is created, it has to have boundaries,” Father Shelton said. “This is correcting some overlapping boundaries and clarifying Chrism continued from page 3

ments when I have disappointed you or have not lived up to your expectations, I beg your forgiveness. By working together – bishop, priest, deacon, people of God – we have a beautiful Church in East Tennessee and are blessed by his grace,” he said. The bishop in his closing remarks repeated his earlier vow to the faithThe East Tennessee Catholic

what those boundaries are.” Father Shelton explained that the people of a parish are the body of that parish and that the parish church is its heart. “A parish can’t just be attached to a particular building. The parish has to be a spiritual neighborhood,” he said. “We recognize what a parish is – a spiritual neighborhood and not just where the church is located. A parish has responsibilities

ful of the diocese. “I might have had this bump this week and six years ago, but I can assure you in a couple of weeks I’ll be up and bouncing along with a certain easing into it,” he said. “I have a very dear friend who works out with me, so he’ll make sure I train right, and I have the sisters and I have you to pray for me and I think that’s the miracle that happened a

for caring for everyone within those boundaries whether they are Catholic are not. Belonging to a parish means you belong to a community of the faithful and not just that you are attached to a specific building where you attend Mass.” The decrees and map establishing the new parish boundaries have been officially recorded with Deacon Sean Smith and the Office of Chancellor for the Diocese of Knoxville. ■

few days ago. In fact, people prayed so much that the Lord allowed me to exist just a bit longer. “To my brother priests, and brother deacons, I thank you for your service. To my brother priests, I say thank you for the wondrous ministry you give in leadership. Eminence, please know of my great love for you, and without you last week, I probably would have died . . .

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

“I just want to tell all of you again, I’ll give you my last breath, and I’ve prayed these last days for you through the intercession of the Blessed Mother and St. Faustina, and Padre Pio – they are my heroes as well as St. Joseph. I pray to them that they give me time so that I might give the Church everything that I have. So that’s my gift to you this day.” ■ April 5, 2015 27

Funeral services held in Nashville for Monsignor Philip Thoni Longtime Diocese of Knoxville priest served many parishes, schools in Tennessee and as a military chaplain

28 April 5, 2015

COURTESY OF THE KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL

teacher, a coach, a military chaplain, a friend, and a beloved priest for nearly seven decades who came out of retirement numerous times, Monsignor Philip Thoni was known by many titles. The Diocese of Knoxville’s senior priest died peacefully Thursday, March 19, at the HealthCare Center at West Meade Place in his native Nashville. He was 91. “Monsignor Thoni lived a life of great faith and goodness,” Bishop Richard F. Stika said. “He was a man of God, and he bravely served our country as a military chaplain in two different war zones. “As a teacher and coach, Monsignor Thoni displayed a sense of character, social justice, and awareness—by allowing an allblack high school basketball team to scrimmage a team of players from Catholic High School, years before racial equality became a national focus. “Monsignor Thoni served the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Knoxville for more than 60 years with great humor, passion, and faith. He was a native Tennessean and a very good friend. Our prayers go out to his family and for the repose of his soul to its resting place in heaven.” Philip Fenn Thoni was born Jan. 24, 1924, in Nashville to Edward Arnold Thoni and Aileen Esther Mayers Thoni. He was baptized at St. Patrick Church in Nashville and confirmed May 25, 1930, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. He attended the cathedral grade school and Father Ryan High School. He was educated at St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa; St. Charles College in Catonsville, Md.; and St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. He was ordained to the diaconate Sept. 30, 1948, at St. Mary’s Chapel by Bishop Lawrence J.

Good and faithful servant The dioceses of Knoxville and Nashville are mourning

the death of Monsignor Philip Thoni, who died March 19 at age 91.

Monsignor Thoni was known for his sense of humor. He often wore a shirt with his initials, PFT, on the collar—he said the initials stood for “pray for Thoni.” A full colonel who received numerous honors in the military, including the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Legion of Merit, Father Thoni was called back to duty temporarily during the Desert Storm War in Kuwait and Iraq in 1991. Shehan. His priestly ordination for the Diocese of Nashville took place June 4, 1949, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation with Bishop William L. Adrian presiding. He did graduate work at the University of Notre Dame and Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, N.Y. Father Thoni’s first assignment was to serve as an associate pastor at the Nashville cathedral. In 1950, he became a professor at Father Ryan High School and an associate at St. Patrick Church in Nashville. The year 1952 saw him become both a professor at Knoxville Catholic High School and an associate at Immaculate Conception Parish

in downtown Knoxville. While at KCHS, he taught senior religion, physical education, and sociology and coached the Fighting Irish basketball team. In 1956 he became a professor at Christian Brothers High School while serving as an associate at St. John Parish in Memphis. He became a pastor for the first time at St. Rose of Lima Church in Murfreesboro in 1958. In July 1967, Father Thoni entered the military service as a chaplain. He served in Okinawa, Korea, Vietnam, Germany, and at several posts in the United States before returning to East Tennessee to serve as pastor of St. Patrick

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

By Dan McWilliams

Parish in Morristown in 1989. “There was such a great shortage of priests in the military then,” Father Thoni told The East Tennessee Catholic in 1994, speaking of his entrance into the chaplaincy during the height of the escalation of troops in Vietnam. “And as it turned out, Vietnam was probably my best experience as a priest. There was a real need then. The soldiers really wanted to have priests there for them. “I remember that at one point having a priest was almost a superstition,” he said, adding that the soldiers thought that having a priest with them was lucky. “I finally had to tell the soldiers, ‘Hey, look, priests get killed, too.’ And priests did get killed, and I had many close calls. We lost 12 priests in Vietnam because as a priest we took the sacraments out in the field to where the soldiers were.” A full colonel who received numerous honors in the military, including the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Legion of Merit, Father Thoni was called back to duty temporarily during the Desert Storm War in Kuwait and Iraq in 1991. He first retired from active ministry in 1992 while pastor at St. Patrick, where he was also in charge of the mission church in Jefferson City. He often filled in for other priests – and served again as a chaplain in Germany – until he accepted a temporary assignment in 1995 to serve at parishes in Springfield and Cedar Hill in the Diocese of Nashville. He later served as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade and of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland. In 2001 he was appointed pastor of St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg. While he was pastor of St. Mary Thoni continued on page 29 dioknox.org

Pope Francis names Franciscan priest bishop of Lexington Father John Stowe, who succeeds Bishop Gainer, to be ordained and installed May 5 in Kentucky

Thoni continued from page 28

in Gatlinburg, the parish was known for its generosity, contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to Knoxville Catholic High School, St. Joseph School in Knoxville, Good Shepherd Parish in Newport, the future St. Christopher Parish in Jamestown, Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, and other beneficiaries. “We wanted to help the churches and schools that are in need,” Father Thoni said. “That’s been the history of the Church and this parish, to give to those not as fortunate as we.” Father Thoni celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest June 4, 1999, at St. Francis in Fairfield Glade at a Mass concelebrated by Bishop Anthony J. O’Connell, Bishop EdThe East Tennessee Catholic

priest in 1995. Following ordination, he served as associate pastor (1995-97), administrator (1997-2000) and pastor (2000-03) of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish

in El Paso, Texas. He served as vicar general (2003-10) and chancellor (200810) of the Diocese of El Paso, while also serving as administrator of Our Lady of the Valley Parish (2006-10). He was elected vicar provincial of his congregation’s Province of Our Lady of Consolation based in Mount St. Francis, Ind., and has served as rector of the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio, since 2010. In September 2001, he was one of 2,000 religious and lay leaders of various faiths across the United States who signed a statement urging Americans to deny any claim to victory by the terrorists behind the 9/11 attacks that took place less than two weeks earlier. In Lexington, he succeeds Bishop Ronald W. Gainer, who was appointed bishop of Harrisburg, Pa., in January 2014. The Diocese of Lexington is in the Ecclesiastical Province of Louisville, as is the Diocese of Knoxville. At a news conference the day of his appointment, Bishop-designate Stowe said he was “filled with joy and hum-

bled” about the appointment. He recalled attending a Franciscan conference on peace and justice one fall in the 1990s in Kentucky and “learned a lot about the importance of environment in that visit, surrounded by that great beauty.” He said he also learned about the history of the struggles of the people of Appalachia. Bishop-designate Stowe, who speaks fluent Spanish, also commented on the state’s growing number of Hispanics, who are a life-giving presence in the American church. “We tend to forget the Church in the U.S. is a Church of immigrants,” he said. News of Bishop-designate Stowe’s appointment “brought me great joy,” said Bishop Gainer in a March 12 statement. “I welcome him as a brother bishop and wish him every blessing as he prepares to shepherd the wonderful Diocese of Lexington.” He added, “The appointment of a Conventual Franciscan friar is especially significant as the Catholic Church observes the Year for Consecrated Life.” ■

ward U. Kmiec of Nashville, and retired Nashville Bishop James D. Niedergeses. “I remember waking up on the morning of my ordination and saying, ‘Boy, this is what I’ve been working for,’ and I wasn’t uneasy or nervous,” Father Thoni told The East Tennessee Catholic at the time of his golden jubilee. “I think I’ve been blessed in that I love being a priest.” Father Thoni marked his 55th anniversary in 2004 with a Mass at St. Mary in Gatlinburg with Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz as principal concelebrant. Father Paul Hostettler, a member of the Father Ryan class of 1942 with Father Thoni, was homilist. Father Hostettler recalled a priest-professor at Father Ryan who made a gloomy prediction about

the two boys’ future. “He said, ‘What are you boys going to do when you graduate?’ Both of us said we were going to the seminary, and he was quick to respond, ‘You won’t either one ever finish.’” In 2006, Father Thoni and his good friend and former student at KCHS, Father Xavier Mankel, were named Prelates of Honor to His Holiness and awarded the title monsignor. On June 8, 2009, in Gatlinburg Monsignor Thoni celebrated his 60th anniversary in the priesthood. Bishop Richard F. Stika was the principal celebrant, and Archbishop Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., Nashville Bishop David R. Choby, and Bishop William R. Houck, bishop emeritus of Jackson, Miss., were among the concelebrants.

Later in 2009, Monsignor Thoni retired and became a priest in residence at St. Francis in Fairfield Glade. Monsignor Thoni was known for his sense of humor. He often wore a shirt with his initials, PFT, on the collar—he said the initials stood for “pray for Thoni.” A rosary for Monsignor Thoni was held Friday, March 27, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. The funeral Mass took place Saturday, March 28, at the cathedral with Bishop James Vann Johnston Jr. as the principal celebrant. Bishop Choby and Monsignor Mankel concelebrated, and Father John Dowling, pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville and former pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade, was the homilist. ■

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON -- Pope Francis has named Conventual Franciscan Father John Stowe to be bishop of Lexington, Ky. Bishop-designate Stowe is a vicar provincial for his community and rector of the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio. The appointment was announced March 12 in Washington, D.C., by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the United States. Bishop-designate Stowe’s episcopal ordination and installation in Lexington will be May 5. Bishop-designate Stowe was born April 15, 1966, in Amherst, Ohio. He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Louis University in 1990; a master’s degree in divinity from Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif., in 1993; and a licentiate in sacred theology from Jesuit School of Theology in 1995. He made his solemn profession to the Conventual Franciscans in the Indiana-based Our Lady of Consolation Province in 1992 and was ordained a

By Catholic News Service

Welcome to the province Conventual

Franciscan Father John Stowe will become the newest bishop in the Louisville Province when he is ordained and installed on May 5 in Lexington.

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

April 5, 2015 29

Living the readings

Weekday readings Wednesday, April 1: Isaiah 50:4-9; Psalm 69:8-10, 21-22, 31, 33-34; Matthew 26:14-25 Holy Thursday, April 2: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14; Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-15 Good Friday, April 3: Isaiah 52:13–53:12; Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-17, 25; Hebrews 4:14-16 and 5:7-9; John 18:1–19:42 Holy Saturday, April 4: Genesis 1:1–2:2 and Psalm 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12-14, 24, 35; Genesis 22:1-18 and Psalm 16:5, 8-11; Exodus 14:15–15:1 and Exodus 15:1-6, 17-18; Isaiah 54:514 and Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 1113; Isaiah 55:1-11 and Isaiah 12:2-6; Baruch 3:9-15 and 3:32–4:4 and Psalm 19:8-11; Ezekiel 36:16-28 and Psalms 42:3,5 and 43:3-4; Romans 6:3-11 and Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23; Mark 16:1-7 Easter Sunday, April 5: Acts 10:34, 37-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-9 Easter Monday, April 6: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; Matthew 28:8-15 Easter Tuesday, April 7: Acts 2:36-41; Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22; John 20:11-18 Easter Wednesday, April 8: Acts 3:1-10; Psalm 105:1-4, 6-9; Luke 24:13-35 Easter Thursday, April 9: Acts 3:11-26; Psalm 8:2, 5-9; Luke 24:35-48 Easter Friday, April 10: Acts 4:1-12; Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27; John 21:1-14 Easter Saturday, April 11: Acts 4:13-21; Psalm 118:1, 14-21; Mark 16:9-15 Sunday, April 12: Divine Mercy Sunday, Acts 4:3235; Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 John 5:1-6; John 20:19-31 Readings continued on page 31

30 April 5, 2015

by Father Joseph Brando

The Big Bang Hope, joy reign with the everlasting news that Christ is Risen

he month of April shapes up quite differently from the other months of the year. April this year starts in the midst of Holy Week, the high point of the liturgical year. That amounts to beginning with a gigantic explosion. There’s no waiting in this month for great things to happen unless you’re talking about Lent, which happened in February and March. But, we’re talking about one singular month, April 2015. And it begins with the huge display of God’s light pouring down on us like the sparkles of a fireworks display. You look up and, at first, you think those luminaries falling from the sky may land on you. They don’t. But, the light of Christ during the Holy Triduum (three days) of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday followed by the greatest day of the entire Church year, Easter Sunday, does. The rest of the month constitutes the afterglow when we consider what we have experienced, talk about it, and cherish the warmth of what just happened. If we do it right with the people that we love, then we may feel the love of God bringing us closer to each other as a family. This April we may do well to examine the major liturgies from a different angle than I normally use. Let’s examine this special month by looking at the opening prayer of each liturgy with the hope of discerning the message and promise that they contain. April 1 is Wednesday of Holy Week, which was once labeled “Spy Wednesday” because the Gospel recalls the actions of Judas and the high priests. We need to see that human plots and plans often are as wrong-headed as that of one of Jesus’ disciples and the best and

In conjunction with the explosion of the new life of the Lamb of God, we ask God to enlighten us so that we recognize that we are all children of God and equals. Our position in this world is to wholeheartedly serve the Lord. brightest of Israel, namely the high priests. They had a lot to hide that the light of Christ could have uncovered. They opted to put out the light lest they be exposed. Actually, they failed in that plot. However, they, unwittingly, paved the way for the resurrection of our Savior, who is the light of the world. April 2 is Holy Thursday. Please read and meditate on the operative sentence of the prayer: We pray that in this Eucharist we may find the fullness of love and life. Those are two very difficult quests, each of which can’t be completed satisfactorily in a lifetime using human ways of searching. What is the meaning of life? How do you figure out the vicissitudes of love? The Church is proclaiming that the Eucharist is the light which provides us with the meaning of life and of love. Of course it can, because Eucharist is the light of Jesus Christ, God and man, who participated in designing the world and brought love and meaning into it. Now, in the sacrament, he gives his love and his life to us. Our job is to receive it with humility and slowly begin to realize the nature of love and life. If you succeed, then you will come to experience true joy. The very next day is Good Friday. Its opening prayer ends with this sentence: In your goodness, make us holy and watch over us always. We might need to know what we’re asking for. Holiness is not really avoiding sin although that is a

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consequence of seeking to be holy. Actually, holiness is not ours to achieve. We get it simply by being chosen by God. Holy, at its root, means “other.” It happens to us when God selects us and takes us into his life. When we’ve allowed God to do this to us, everybody can see that something great has happened to us. We become one with God. How about that happening to us! Becoming one with God is a great request we make in this prayer. Yet, the action of the Lord has made it possible. We only need to accept God’s calling. For that, the liturgies of Holy Week and throughout the year prepare us to accept God’s calling us. The Good Friday services do not include a Liturgy of the Eucharist. But, they do offer us the opportunity to receive holy Communion. This brings out the stages in which our salvation has been won. The Second Person of the Triune God was first born into this world as a man at the same time as keeping his nature as God. As men and women, we become able to share his life as a fellow human being. People do that all the time when they share their love with others. That includes family, spouses, and other close friends. Amazingly, when we share our lives in the love of Christ the man, we participate also in Christ the risen savior, the Lord our God. That is how we become holy. On the very next day we celebrate the high point of our spiritual lives at the Easter Vigil. At this liturgy, the sacrament of baptism usually is conferred on the catechumens who have been preparing for a long time. It’s important for a great crowd to be present. You are the people of God whom the catechumens have been preparing to join. We need to show our numbers indicating we are the people who have been praying for them. Now we welcome them into our unity

Easter continued on page 31 dioknox.org

Readings continued from page 30 Easter continued from page 30

with Christ. The church building in which we are celebrating becomes a substitute for heaven itself. Regardless of its architecture, the church should glow with the love of God. Chances are that, on this evening, the ‘opening” prayer will be an hour or so after the impressive starting of the fire, the singing of the Easter song, the Exultet, the reading of seven Old Testament readings, each with a prayer of its own, then we have the official opening prayer: Lord God you have brightened this night with the radiance of the Risen Christ. Quicken the spirit of sonship in your Church; renew us in mind and body to give you wholehearted service. In conjunction with the explosion of the new life of the Lamb of God, we ask God to enlighten us so that we recognize that we are all children of God and equals. Our position in this world is to wholeheartedly serve the Lord. We are to serve mankind in the way Jesus washed his disciple’s feet. That makes us inheritors of eternal life. The Easter Vigil continues with baptism, renewal of our baptismal promises, profession of the already baptized into full communion with the Church and the liturgy of Eucharist. The Prayer of Easter morning’s Mass goes like this: God, our Father, by raising Christ your Son you conquered the power of death and opened the way to eternal life. Let our celebration today raise us up and renew our lives. So, our function is to live in the aftermath of the resurrection. We do this by celebrating and rejoicing in the fact that we will never die. Rather, we will live in the resur-

rected glorified body of Christ. So, it is important that we live in joy. The closer we are to God the more our joy will grow and the more effective will our witness be to the presence of the risen Lord in our lives. The second Sunday of Easter also is the Sunday of Divine Mercy. Its opening prayer says: God of mercy, you wash away our sins in water; you give us new birth in the Spirit and redeem us in the blood of Christ. As we celebrate Christ’s resurrection, increase our awareness of these blessings, and renew your gift of life within us. This prayer asks the Father to mop up the lingering presence of obstacles we put up trying to lose the life we have found in Christ. The prayer presumes we haven’t grown sufficiently in awareness of the divine powers we have received. Hopefully, that will wake us up to all the advances we should have made during Lent and Holy Week. We are weak. Our response to this knowledge should be to wake up and smell the roses. We have been richly blessed, even beyond our most outrageous moment of negative self-awareness. Make these divine gifts come alive in our minds and work that they may have an impact on our own and our neighbor’s lives. That will change the world. On the third Sunday of Easter, the prayer asks God the Father may we look forward with hope to our own resurrection, for you have made us your sons and daughters and restored the joy of our youth. We ask for hope and joy and youth. Why is youth conjoined with joy and hope? The answer may well be that those in middle and

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old age have seen all there is in life and found it unfulfilling. They wish things and past decisions were different. They may have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to change the world. If that were so, then Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were in vain. If the above hits home, then we need to allow Jesus Christ to renew us with his Eucharist. We come to the conclusion that Jesus is alive now because we can feel his power in us. Christ is alive and there is hope for the world. The last Sunday in April is the fourth Sunday of Easter. It is Good Shepherd Sunday. So, the overriding feeling we should be receiving from the Scriptures is the relief a lamb might feel who had been lost, disoriented and panic-filled by the sounds of predators, and now was found by the Son of God. It is the secure warmth of Jesus’ body as he carries us through and past the valley of death. Even now, we can be scared by the shadow of emptiness when the bright promise of eternal life is the reality. So, we pray in the opening prayer: Almighty and ever-living God, give us new strength from the courage of Christ our shepherd and lead us to join the saints in heaven, where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. So, April ends with hope and joy. The shadow of a dark world that, at the end, is nothing but the ghost of past disappointments and mistakes can be replaced in our hearts by reality. Christ is risen and dwells in our lives leading us to eternal life. ■ Father Brando is retired from the active priesthood in the Diocese of Knoxville. Follow the diocese on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ knoxdiocese

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

Monday, April 13: Acts 4:23-31; Psalm 2:1-9; John 3:1-8 Tuesday, April 14: Acts 4:32-37; Palm 93:1-2, 5; John 3:7-15 Wednesday, April 15: Acts 5:17-26; Psalm 34:2-9; John 3:16-21 Thursday, April 16: Acts 5:27-33; Psalm 34:2, 9, 1720; John 3:31-36 Friday, April 17: Acts 5:3442; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14; John 6:1-15 Saturday, April 18: Acts 6:1-7; Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19; John 6:16-21 Sunday, April 19: Acts 3:1315, 17-19; Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-9; 1 John 2:1-5; Luke 24:35-48 Monday, April 20: Acts 6:815; Psalm 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30; John 6:22-29 Tuesday, April 21: Acts 7:51–8:1; Psalm 31:3-4, 6-8, 17, 21; John 6:30-35 Wednesday, April 22: Acts 8:1-8; Psalm 66:1-7; John 6:35-40 Thursday, April 23: Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 66:8-9, 1617, 20; John 6:44-51 Friday, April 24: Acts 9:120; Psalm 117:1-2; John 6:52-59 Saturday, April 25: 1 Peter 5:5-14; Psalm 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17; Mark 16:15-20 Sunday, April 26: Acts 4:812; Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28-29; 1 John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18 Monday, April 27: Acts 11:1-18; Psalms 42:2-3 and 43:3-4; John 10:1-10 Tuesday, April 28: Acts 11:19-26; Psalm 87:1-7; John 10:22-30 Wednesday, April 29: Acts 12:24–13:5; Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8; John 12:44-50 Thursday, April 30: Acts 13:13-25; Psalm 89:2-3, 21-22, 25, 27; John 13:1620 ■

April 5, 2015 31

Zengel continued from page 15

was leading him to become a principal, he still needed to weigh the demands of the job with his responsibilities as a husband and father of four young children. “It has been one of those ‘in God’s time’ situations,” he said. Once he and wife Caroline decided he should continue as principal, he informed Father Michelson and Sister Mary Marta of his decision and let the St. Joseph faculty know in a unique way. While he, Caroline and their children were in Martinsburg, Pa., visiting his family during Christmas break, he had his photo taken next to the street sign where his parents live – Principal Drive. So with his street-sign portrait in hand, he e-mailed it to the St. Joseph staff indicating his decision. Mr. Zengel joined St. Joseph Breen continued from page 15

administrative experience, noting that at the 525-student Christ the King, he has overseen the school’s selection as a Blue Ribbon and AdvancED facility and has supervised 67 staff and faculty members. He also has supervised the launch of an iPad program for the school. In addition to his experience as a principal, he has served as dean of academic affairs and dean of faculty at Cape Henry Collegiate School in Virginia Beach, Va. Father Boettner noted that Mr. Breen also has extensive classroom experience and coached boys basketball for 10 years. Mr. Breen holds a bachelor ’s degree from Harvard University and a master ’s degree from the University of Virginia. He will complete an EdS (Education Specialist) degree in educational leadership in 2015. Mr. Breen and his wife, Shealyn, have five children: John Paul, 7,

32 April 5, 2015

School in 2005. He received his bachelor’s degree in theology and his master’s degree in education from the University of Notre Dame and has 11 years of teaching experience. Looking ahead in leading St. Joseph School, he wants to continue several positive trends at the North Knoxville school located in the Fountain City area. “We’ve been growing, and we want to continue making gains in enrollment. We also want to preserve and grow our spiritual life,” he said. The school opened a new gymnasium in 2009, and Mr. Zengel would like to see the original gym converted into a chapel that would be larger than the current one that shares space with the cafeteria. As phase one of a library and technology wing was completed this year, Mr. Zengel looks forward

to beginning phase two in the near future. Enrollment at the school, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2013, is just over 200 in prekindergarten through eighth grade, and there are 34 faculty and staff members. Mr. Zengel said St. Joseph offers a full range of programs for students, from academics to the arts and athletics, and he would like to see the school grow in other ways. “One of my goals is to expand our service to the Hispanic community. Hispanic families are a growing part of the St. Joseph community and our enrollment,” he said. Mr. Zengel last year was selected as one of three diocesan educators to take part in a certificate leadership program administered by Catholic Extension and Loyola Marymount University.

The Catholic School Leadership Academy provides professional training to rising instructional leaders that is specific to Catholic schools. Father Michelson and Sister Mary Marta believe Mr. Zengel exhibits leadership qualities needed to supervise schools in today’s education environment. “Andy demonstrates strong leadership skills that we look forward to seeing him continue to develop. He has done an excellent job transitioning from the classroom to principal, and accepting the position on a permanent basis will benefit St. Joseph and our diocesan schools community,” said Sister Mary Marta. As St. Joseph’s eighth principal nears the end of his first year at the helm, all signs – whether in Martinsburg or Fountain City – point in a positive direction. ■

Gianna, 6, Tressa, 4, Clare, 3, and Joseph, 1. Sacred Heart faculty, students, parents and alumni will have an opportunity to meet and talk with Mr. Breen on April 7 at 7 p.m. in the school gym. Then on April 8 and May 6, Mr. Breen will be on the Sacred Heart campus to begin a transition process with faculty and staff. Students will also be meeting Mr. Breen on those days. “I want to thank Mrs. Sarah Trent for the leadership she has provided our school. We have been blessed by her gifts and vision,” Father Boettner said. “I also want to thank the members of the search committee for all of their efforts: Father Joe Reed, Mrs. Joni Punch, Dr. Rob McKeown, Ms. Jennifer Shaffer, Dr. Gina Hummel, Dr. Patrick Biddix, Mrs. Mary Mac Wilson, Mr. Michael Torregiano, Mrs. Tanya Belanger, Mrs. Lisa Maki, Mrs. Nicole Erwin, and Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM. They

have generously given of their time to assist us in selecting a great leader for our school and will continue to assist with the transition process. I invite your prayers during this exciting time, and I look forward to continuing our commitment to our faith, our family, and our future,” Father Boettner added. Sister Mary Marta, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Knoxville, said she is looking forward to Mr. Breen joining the diocesan schools community and is grateful to Mrs. Trent. “I believe he is going to be a great addition to the wonderful leaders we already have. We are very grateful to Mrs. Trent for her service to Sacred Heart Cathedral School,” Sister Mary Marta said. Sister Mary Marta oversees 10 diocesan schools from Chattanooga to the Tri-Cities. Sacred Heart joins St. Joseph School in Knoxville, St. Dominic School in Kingsport, and Our Lady of Perpetual

Help School in Chattanooga in naming new principals in the past year. Mr. Breen said he’s looking forward to getting started. “I am really blessed to join the Sacred Heart community. I am very grateful to Father David Boettner and to the entire search committee for their prayerful and professional approach to the search process. From the beginning, I have felt that Sacred Heart is a good fit for me and my family,” he said. “Scripture tells us that God rewards those who are faithful to Him, and I think there’s abundant evidence that Sacred Heart is faithful – including the school’s commitment to excellence, Sacred Heart’s determination to shape disciples for Christ, and the whole community’s commitment to building a beautiful new cathedral. It is an honor to join the Sacred Heart community,” he added. ■

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

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Once upon a time

by Monsignor Xavier Mankel

Upcoming Virtus training sessions

Recounting our blessings

The Church in East Tennessee thrives today because of priests who came before us

Knoxville Catholic High School, it was with one charge: get vocations from Knoxville. He did as the only associate pastor in Knoxville at the time. Father C.P. Murray was pastor at Immaculate Conception, Father Joseph Follman was pastor at Holy Ghost, Father C.P. Wassen served as chaplain of St. Mary’s Memorial Hospital and as pastor of the Gatlinburg mission – and that was it; the entire Knoxville area covered by four priests. Soon to come was the energetic apostolic ministry of Father Paul Clunan at Alcoa and Gatlinburg and the beginning of what was to be the dynamic Sacred Heart Parish, which would later become the cathedral parish for the Diocese of Knoxville. The tremendous growth of the Church in the Knoxville area can be attributed, at least in part, to priests like Monsignor Philip Thoni. May he rest in God’s eternal peace. Amen. ■

s our most reverend Bishop Stika begins his sixth year as our shepherd, we rejoice with him that so many blessings continue to come our way. Our No. 1 blessing continues to be our seminarians – the hope for our Church for the future. Catholics still are moving into this part of eastern Tennessee. We have good schools and religious-education programs for children and adults. We have the world headquarters of the Alexian Brothers at Signal Mountain, and more and more religious sisters grace our land from Chattanooga to the Tri-Cities. God has been very good to us, and we aren’t yet 30 years old as a diocese. Although Lent is the official time of the year the Church sets aside for doing penance, still it is not the only time when we may fast, give alms, and do things for the honor and glory of God. Our holy father, Pope Francis, insists we pay attention to the plight of our beloved poor. Some seem to think that the Lord’s maxim, “the poor you will always have with you,” lets us off

the hook. Not so. It is true that we’ll never alleviate all poverty from the Earth, but each of us doing our small part can do many things for the Lord. Not everyone takes or keeps the vow of poverty. Not everyone practices detachment to the same degree or with the same degree of love. Given the affluence of firstworld countries and a world where 95 percent of the countries seem to have only 5 percent of the wealth and 5 percent of the countries seem to have 95 percent of the wealth, we need to take a hard look at our attachment to things. The death of Monsignor Philip Thoni on March 19 is the end of an era. Monsignor Thoni was ordained a priest on June 4, 1949. He gave some 65 years of active ministry, not only as a dedicated diocesan priest, but also as a Catholic chaplain in the military. When Bishop William Adrian sent Father Thoni to Knoxville in 1952 as associate pastor at Immaculate Conception Church, and as director of the Newman Club at the University of Tennessee, and as teacher and coach at

Monsignor Mankel is a vicar general and the historical archivist for the Diocese of Knoxville.

Bishop continued from page 2

all teams, the Boston Red Sox best represent this truth. In 2013, the Red Sox went from “worst to first,” winning the World Series after being the worst in their league the year before. But in 2014 they went from “first to worst.” Reasons unique to baseball aside, we all need humility — the knowledge that we are weak and in need of the consistency that only Christ’s grace can provide us. Even the Chicago Cubs offer us a lesson in humility. The Cubs, affectionately nicknamed the “Loveable Losers,” have taken consistency in a different direction, going more than 100 years without a World Series win. But their fans love the game and the

team nonetheless. In a certain sense, we are all loveable losers — God loves all of us even though we are sinners. But if we frequent the sacrament of confession, we become winners. Though Lent is over, be consistent with frequenting the confessional. I love how our Lord can transform us at any time and in any way, if we just let Him. I am also most edified by others who have that wonderful gift of not being focused on themselves, but always on our Lord and on his mother. This is how we become consistent in living our faith and joyfully sacrificing ourselves for the good of others. So leave your ego and your statistics at the door and simply follow Christ. ■

tory of the sport. Twice the Cardinals were within one strike of losing the game and the championship. The big hero of that game was David Freese. But earlier in the game, he dropped an easy fly ball that Texas was able to capitalize on in the subsequent play. David Freese didn’t dwell on that error or allow it to affect how he played the rest of the game. He tied the game in the ninth inning, forcing extra innings, and he hit the game-winning home run in the 11th inning. That’s consistency. Without humility and hope, consistency falters. Jesus reminds us that “the last will be first and the first will be last” (Matthew 20:16). I think of The East Tennessee Catholic

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

The Diocese of Knoxville’s program for the protection of children, youth and vulnerable adults is offered throughout the diocese. The seminars are required for parish and school employees and regular volunteers in contact with children and vulnerable adults. The following training sessions are scheduled: ■ St. Dominic Church, Kingsport, 1 p.m. Saturday, April 11; 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 10. ■ St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Mission, Erwin, 12:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, in Spanish; 12:30 p.m. Sunday, April 26. ■ St. Patrick Church, Morristown, 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, in English and Spanish. ■ St. Augustine Church, Signal Mountain, 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 29. ■ St. Jude Church, Chattanooga, noon Thursday, May 21. ■

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April 5, 2015 33

Marriage enrichment

Diocese ends probe into possible miracle A Diocese of Knoxville inquiry into a possible miracle attributed to the intercession of the founder of the Paulist Fathers has ended without a formal recommendation. In September, the diocese was asked to conduct the inquiry to examine a possible miracle attributed to the intercession of Servant of God Isaac Thomas Hecker. The inquiry centered on an initially diagnosed tumor that disappeared before surgery was to take place. The patient had prayed, asking Father Hecker to intercede with God to remove his tumor. The diocesan inquiry was unable to confirm with absolute certainty the initial diagnosis of a tumor and therefore recommended that Bishop Stika not proceed any further with this case. In September, Bishop Richard F. Stika, by decree, officially launched an inquiry into whether a miracle occurred in the diocese. If the initial diagnosis could have been confirmed, that could have strengthened the case for sainthood for the Catholic priest. The decree is highly unusual and is the first time a possible Catholic religious miracle has been investigated in the diocese. Father Hecker was an American Roman Catholic priest and founder of the Paulist Fathers, a North American religious society of men. Father Hecker died in 1888, and his case for sainthood was officially opened in 2008 in New York City. Father Hecker is now known as a Servant of God in the Catholic Church. It is one of the initial designations on the path to possible sainthood. Bishop Stika appointed four members and officers for the diocesan inquiry. Circumstances surrounding the possible miracle aren’t being released, and the board for diocesan inquiry took an oath, required by the Church, to fulfill their duties and observe secrecy during this process. ■

34 April 5, 2015

by Marian Christiana

Unselfish acts of love

Reflections of Easter bring to mind a Son’s unconditional sacrifice

ecently, my husband, Ralph, and I were reminiscing about past Easters, and I shared with him (for probably the 10,000th time) the story of the Easter baskets that were given to my siblings and me when I was a child. My mother made special Easter baskets for all of us; baskets that were decorated with tulips. The tulips were made out of dyed egg shells and green pipe cleaners. She collected egg shells throughout the season of Lent and we all watched the collection grow as we anticipated getting the chocolate bunnies that would be hiding among the tulips. Those beautiful Easter baskets full of egg-shell tulips still are a wonderful memory for me. One of my sisters has continued the tulip tradition with her own family. I didn’t keep up the tulip tradition, but I did bring Easter baskets into our marriage. Easter baskets always have been and continue to be a big deal to me. I love to buy the colorful grass, the candy and everything else for the baskets. I love to make them and I love to give them away. My husband does not share my enthusiasm. Ralph remembers receiving an Easter basket when he was small, but the tradition did not continue at his home as he and his brother grew older. After we were married, the fact that Easter baskets were not a big deal to him was very obvious each Easter morning when everyone at our house would have an Easter basket at their place setting except for me! I didn’t see any point in making my own basket so it never really bothered me. As it turned out, however, it did bother our son, Patrick. This perceived slight by the Easter bunny, forgetting his mother of all people, led to one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. It also brought home to me the true

Jesus gave the total gift of himself through his death and resurrection. He gave all that he had, and because he did we proclaim ourselves an Easter people... meaning of Easter in a very personal and profound way. Each year I would set the table for Easter brunch on holy Saturday so everything would be ready and that task would be done when we came home from Easter Sunday Mass. Also, I would put out all the Easter baskets, one at each place at the table for my husband and our three children, after everyone went to sleep so the baskets would be there when the children and my husband awoke and clambered downstairs on Easter morning. In addition, a stuffed rabbit would be sitting next to the children’s baskets at each one’s place at the table. The whole table would be decorated with colorful Easter baskets and stuffed bunnies with the exception of my place. My place would be set just for brunch. Each year our son Patrick, who is our oldest child, made it his job to get up early to run downstairs and check to see if the Easter Bunny had arrived and left his delights on the table. One Easter, when Pat was about 5 years old and still convinced that the Easter Bunny brought the baskets, he came into our bedroom (after waking his sister) so we could all come down and see the goodies on the Easter table. He seemed to be more excited than usual this particular year and walking down the stairs I couldn’t think of why that would be. As we walked into the dining room, everything seemed to be as I had arranged it, all baskets in their assigned places with one major exception. On my plate sat a stuffed rabbit. That rabbit had either jumped on to my

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plate during the night or someone had placed it there. I looked at my husband and he just shook his head and held up his hands with a look on his face that said “I wish I would have thought to put something at your place but unfortunately I didn’t.” And then I looked at Pat and realized why he was so excited. The rabbit on my plate was the very same rabbit that I had placed next to his Easter basket the night before. He was so eager to show me what the Easter Bunny had left me because when he came down to check things out earlier that morning he realized that I had nothing at my place and then decided to move his stuffed rabbit to my spot so I would have an Easter gift. As I stood there trying not to cry I was overwhelmed by Patrick’s demonstration of unconditional love. He didn’t realize that I would know that this wonderful little bunny sitting on my plate was really a symbol of his unselfish act of love. That rabbit still sits in a place of honor in my bedroom, as a reminder of a small, beautiful act of unconditional love and of the love that is at the very true heart of Easter. Isn’t that what Easter is all about – unconditional love? That incredible act by the Son of God, who not only came to live with us and experience our human existence, but who then gave his life to atone for the sins of mankind and redeem us so that we would be able to experience eternal life with Him. Jesus gave the total gift of himself through his death and resurrection. He gave all that he had, and because he did we proclaim ourselves an Easter people, firm in the hope that we will one day see the face of God. ■ Mrs. Christiana is coordinator of the diocesan Marriage Preparation and Enrichment Office. dioknox.org

Understanding the sacraments

by Father Randy Stice

Celebrating the Easter season May we be open to receiving the graces and power of Jesus Christ’s resurrection

he 50 days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost Sunday are celebrated in joy and exultation as one feast day” (Universal Norms of the Liturgical Year, n. 22). The Easter season is described in documents from the first half of the second century, and is referred to by such Church Fathers as Irenaeus (died 202), Origen (died 254), Hippolytus (died 236) and Tertullian (died 220). The Council of Elvira (ca. 303) rejected attempts to shorten this period from 50 days to 40 days. St. Athanasius (died 373) described these 50 days as one “great Sunday” (UNLY, n. 22). The early Church celebrated this time with great thanksgiving, alleluias, and prohibitions against fasting and kneeling for prayer. Today, this “great Sunday” is given symbolic expression by the requirement to keep the paschal candle in the sanctuary, either by the altar or the ambo. It is “the symbol of the light of Christ, rising in glory, scattering the darkness of our hearts and minds” (USCCB, Committee on Liturgy, Newsletter, Feb. 2005). It is lit at liturgies throughout the Easter season. It is not surprising, then, that there are a number of devotions practiced during this period. The Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy recommends several. One, the annual blessing of family homes, “is highly recommended…since it is greatly appreciated by the faithful and affords a precious occasion to recollect God’s constant presence among Christian families. It also is an opportunity to invite the faithful to live according to the Gospel, and to exhort parents and children to preserve and promote the mystery of being ‘a domestic church’” (DPPL, 152). The blessing speaks of the “new hope and promise” Christ gives us The East Tennessee Catholic

“by rising from the tomb to new life” (Book of Blessings, n. 1612). It then asks that the Lord would surround the members of the home with his protection so that they “may find comfort and peace in Jesus Christ, the paschal Lamb.” Another devotion recommended by the DPPL is the Via Lucis, the Way of Light, modeled on the Way of the Cross. As with the Way of the Cross, “the faithful process while meditating on the various appearances of Jesus – from his Resurrection to his Ascension – in which he showed his glory to the disciples who awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 14; 26; 16; 13-15; Lk 24; 49), strengthened their faith, brought to completion his teaching on the Kingdom and more closely defined the sacramental and hierarchical structure of the Church” (DPPL, 153). Just as the Way of the Cross helps us meditate on “the first moment of the Easter event, namely the Passion,” so the Way of Light, “when celebrated in fidelity to the Gospel text, can effectively convey a living understanding to the faithful of the second moment of the Paschal event, namely the Lord’s Resurrection” (DPPL, 153). It offers a wonderful catechesis of the truth of faith, “per crucem ad lucem”— through the cross to the light. “Using the metaphor of a journey, the Via Lucis moves from the experience of suffering, which in God’s plan is part of life, to the hope of arriving at man’s true end: liberation, joy and peace which are essentially paschal values” (DPPL, 153). Below is a link to one example of this Way of Light: http:// www.catholicnewsagency.com/ resources/liturgy/easter-season/ via-lucis-way-of-the-light/. Finally, the DPPL notes, “in connec-

tion with the octave of Easter…the development and diffusion of a special devotion to the Divine Mercy based on the writings of Sister Faustina Kowalska, who was canonized April 30, 2000. It concentrates on the mercy poured forth in Christ’s death and resurrection, fount of the Holy Spirit who forgives sins and restores joy at having been redeemed” (DPPL, 154). The second Sunday of Easter, known as Divine Mercy Sunday, is the liturgical focal point in which to express man’s acceptance of the Redeemer’s mercy” (DPPL, 154). Thus, it is important “to understand this devotion in the light of the liturgical celebrations of these Easter days” (DPPL, 154). Practicing the devotions revealed to St. Faustina, such as venerating the image of the Divine Mercy, praying the chaplet of Divine Mercy and saying the novena to the Divine Mercy (begun on Good Friday), deepen our understanding and participation in Divine Mercy Sunday. These devotions help dispose us to receive the graces and power of the resurrection. In The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis speaks eloquently of the power of the resurrection. “Christ’s resurrection is not an event of the past; it contains a vital power which has permeated this world….It is an irresistible force… all around us we see persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty. On razed land life breaks through, stubbornly yet invincibly…Such is the power of the resurrection” (EG, 276). May we experience this “vital power” and “irresistible force” in our lives, our parishes, and our diocese this Easter season. ■

SJN Youth Ministry shoe drive underway St. John Neumann Youth Ministry is conducting a shoe drive from through June 15 to raise funds for youth to participate in the National Catholic Youth Conference. The Youth Ministry will earn funds based on the number of pairs collected. Funds2Orgs will purchase all of the donated goods, and those dollars will benefit the Farragut parish’s young people. Anyone can help by donating gently worn, used or new shoes at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Farragut. All donated shoes will be redistributed throughout the Funds2Orgs network of microenterprise partners in developing nations. Funds2Orgs helps impoverished people start, maintain and grow businesses in countries such as Haiti, Honduras and other nations in Central America and Africa. Proceeds from the shoe sales are used to feed, clothe and house their families. One budding entrepreneur in Haiti even earned enough to send to her son to law school. “We are excited about our shoe drive,” said Al Forsythe, coordinator of Youth Ministry at St. John Neumann. “We know that most people have extra shoes in their closets they would like to donate to us and help those less fortunate become self-sufficient. It’s a win-win for everyone.” By donating shoes to the St. John Neumann Youth Ministry, the shoes will be given a second chance and make a difference in people’s lives, Mr. Forsythe added. Local organizations interested in learning more about conducting a shoe drive of their own can visit Funds2orgs.com. ■

Father Stice is pastor of St. Mary Church in Athens and directs the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox.org.

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

April 5, 2015 35

Diocesan volunteers complete successful 40 Days for Life vigil

COURTESY OF AMY IVERSON

alm Sunday marked the conclusion of the 40 Days for Life vigil where volunteers prayed and offered information on the sanctity of life in front of the Planned Parenthood facility at 710 N. Cherry St. in Knoxville. The annual vigil is organized by the Diocese of Knoxville and this year involved several hundred volunteers from more than 20 churches and faith groups in the diocese. Groups and individuals from Chattanooga to the Tri-Cities took part in the daily vigil that was held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Vigil organizers Paul Simoneau, diocesan director of the Office of Justice and Peace, and Lisa Morris of Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish, thanked the individuals and groups that participated in praying rosaries and holding pro-life signs across from the Planned Parenthood clinic where abortion services are provided.

Keeping vigil Diocese of Knoxville youth take part in the 40 Days for Life vigil in front of Planned Parenthood’s clinic on Cherry Street in Knoxville.

During the vigil’s 40 days, which began on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, volunteers reported that the peaceful, prayerful vigil had an impact. Deacon Gordon Lowery, who serves at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville, shared one encounter

where a woman approached him and two other volunteers with hot cups of coffee and thanked them for their efforts because she was an abortion survivor. “She approached us and said ‘I am an abortion survivor. I believe

that only God has the right to decide who lives or dies. My mother tried three times to have me aborted but I survived. I was driving by and saw you three standing here praying in the rain and it meant so much to me; I had to do something for you. Please take this coffee and God bless,’” Deacon Lowery said. Others keeping vigil also have received thanks for their efforts. On March 17 while Glenmary Brother Craig Digmann and Sister Stella Maris Linder, RSM, were keeping vigil, a man approached them and thanked them for giving a witness to life and shared an abortion story with them. “We want to thank all those who braved the cold, snow and rain to hold vigil and pray for the unborn. Thankfully the weather improved so even more volunteers could keep vigil as we approached Holy Week and Easter,” Mr. Simoneau said. ■

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