Ministering to the men and women in blue

Two priests and one deacon from the diocese provide law enforcement support as chaplains

Law enforcement professionals keep us safe, maintain law and order, and run to dangerous situations when others are running away. Such an important and intense work calls for a special type of support.

During daily routines, as well as in times of crisis, chaplains are present to assist police officers and law enforcement staff. Chaplains are a necessary component to the law enforcement profession to provide encouragement, counsel, and prayer.

The Diocese of Knoxville currently has one deacon and two priests who serve in this important capacity, alongside their regular ministerial roles.

Each chaplain receives permission from Bishop Richard F. Stika to pursue chaplaincy.

“It’s very important work,” said Bishop Stika, who himself served as a law enforcement chaplain in St. Louis with the Metropolitan Police Department.

“Another term for who we call law enforcement is peace officer, to bring peace into a situation,” the bishop said. “As a priest, it’s part of our responsibility to bring peace and serenity in the lives of people by knowing God.”

‘Amazing relationships’

Deacon Patrick Murphy-Racey serves at St. John XXIII University Parish, and he also serves as a chaplain for the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.

“Most of my ministry is actually in the righthand seat of a squad car,” Deacon Murphy-Racey said. “I spend about 100 hours a month riding

By Gabrielle Nolan

try purchases around 95 percent of its food from Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee, which has a Feeding America facility located in Kingsport that provides food for pantries in eight counties in northeastern Tennessee.

“We are able to purchase [food] through individual monetary donations and grants,” Ms. Smith noted.

“It is a lot of work, but we have a lot of absolutely fantastic, committed volunteers,” she continued. “It is totally 100 percent volunteer-based, and the people work hundreds of hours each month to get all of it ready because when you have 400 cars coming through your parking lot in a five-hour period, you’ve got to be ready.”

In case inflation continues, St. Anthony Bread does have a contingency plan that would provide solutions for rising food costs and assisting more families in need.

“Some of those things include giving out less food or limiting the number of people and not accepting new clients,” Ms. Smith said. “We have not done any of these things yet; we don’t want to do them, but they are things that we might have to do.”

The food pantry currently does not have fundraisers, so beginning active fundraising is another option, as well as applying for more grants.

“All of these things are last-resort kind of things,” Ms. Smith said.

While St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade supports three food pantries in Cumberland County, its primary food pantry is Peavine Care Center located in the Glade.

“We are more intimately involved with that pantry. In fact, our board, which is five people—four of them are from St. Francis. We do food distributions once a week as well as special events that we’ll do with Peavine Care Center,” said Mary Lampugnano, who serves as assistant director for the food pantry, which is open for food distribution from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays.

A partner of Second Harvest Food Bank, Peavine Care Center receives a delivery once a week from the food rescue program, where the free food is collected from overflow at grocery stores. The food pantry also purchases an order once a month from Second Harvest, where non-perishable foods are delivered for the month.

In addition, St. Francis of Assisi Parish continually has food baskets throughout the church, where parishioners can donate food regularly.

“We have a plethora of donations. And I have to tell you, the donations from St. Francis parishioners directly have been consistent,” Ms. Lampugnano said.

“Food inflation is horrible,” Ms. Lampugnano said. “Our costs with Second Harvest, our food costs tri- pled since last year for two reasons. One, the prices went up obviously but also our client load. We’re up by 30 percent over last year.”

Ms. Lampugnano noted that they are “seeing a dramatic increase” in clients at Peavine, with new averages at approximately 130 people daily.

“Last year we averaged about 90-95 (per day), and two years before that we were in the 80s. It just makes sense, with inflation being so high; people are relying on us.”

About 90 percent of their clients receive food stamps.

“We hope people are in need, but the need is self-reported,” Ms. Lampugnano explained. “The question that I ask people when they come in and they say, I need food assistance, my question is, are you hungry? If the answer is yes, we serve them.”

Because of inflation, Peavine no longer provides a care closet of nonfood items, such as toilet paper, paper towels, wipes, shampoo, soap, and toothpaste.

“We have stopped doing that now,” Ms. Lampugnano said. “I do run a drive about twice a year at church asking for those kinds of items, so as we get them and people request them, we’ll distribute them, but we used to purchase them . . . We’re concentrating only on food, but I would like very much to continue that (care closet) because that’s a great need.”

“Anybody on food stamps, they can’t buy the non-food items,” Ms. Lampugnano continued. “We all need toothpaste, and we all need toilet paper.”

A unique aspect of the Peavine Care Center is that food can be delivered to clients’ homes, such as those who are handicapped or do not have transportation.

“More people are asking for deliveries because they’re having car issues . . . We’re kind of a rural community,” Ms. Lampugnano explained. “People are traveling quite a distance, 10-plus miles to get to us, and that’s been difficult. We’re getting more requests for deliveries as well as, again, every week we see a few more clients. As the word gets out, people want to come to us, and we turn no one away.”

“The Monroe County Catholic Community, the predecessor of St. Joseph the Worker Church, was one of four churches that established the Good Shepherd Center in 1986,” said Father Julius Abuh, pastor at St. Joseph the Worker. “Our parish supports Good Shepherd Center with volunteers as board members, pantry workers, and donators of food and monetary donations.”

The Good Shepherd Center, which is the sole food bank in Monroe County, is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to

12:15 p.m. Registered clients receive services for food assistance.

Father Abuh said the need for assistance in Monroe County is great, and that the capacity of the Good Shepherd Center is being stretched.

“Monroe County is one of the poorest communities in Tennessee,” he said. “The economic conditions currently in the county are taking a toll increasingly on the poor and at-risk individuals and families. Higher costs for food, rent, gas, and utilities result in more families and individuals seeking help.”

Thirty-five percent of food donations come from the four founding churches, while farmer’s markets and grocery stores also donate food. Additionally, the food pantry purchases items from Second Harvest. From the community, local individuals donate items and money regularly.

The Good Shepherd Center has seen a 30 percent decrease in food donations from individuals and companies.

“As a result of higher demand and less donations from government agencies, corporations, and individuals contributing fewer items, the

Good Shepherd Center is tapping into its reserve funds to meet the greater demand. They continued to ask for additional food and money donations,” Father Abuh explained.

However, food and monetary donations from local churches have increased.

The close relationship between St. Joseph the Worker Parish and the Good Shepherd Center ensures that help will continue to be provided.

“Over 70 percent of the volunteers at the Good Shepherd Center are from St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church,” Father Abuh noted.

“Aside from the personnel working at the center, we take up monetary collections every Sunday, side by side with our regular Sunday offering for the Good Shepherd Center. We send one check to the center at the beginning of every month.”

The parish also posts in the bulletin what items the food pantry is in most need of and conducts a food drive on the second weekend of the month.

“Our common goal is to support our neighbors who are experiencing difficult times,” Father n that’s very much on offense every day.”

“I have amazing relationships with officers,” he added.

Deacon Murphy-Racey didn’t always want to be a chaplain for law enforcement.

“I blame Deacon Jim Lawson totally for this,” he explained. “During my formation time, Deacon Jim continually asked me over and over and over again. Every time I said no, he’d come back and ask me again, are you interested in doing law enforcement chaplaincy?”

Then during a visit to his hometown of Chicago, Deacon Murphy-Racey was leaving a bakery when he saw a police officer sitting in his car parked on the street. Two police officers in New York City had just been murdered, and so Deacon Murphy-Racey felt compelled to treat the officer to breakfast.

“I gave him this little bag of doughnuts and coffee, and I said, ‘Hey, man, I hope you don’t mind I got you some breakfast.’ I said, ‘I feel really terrible about what happened in Brooklyn yesterday.’ And a crazy thing happened; he started to sob, just bawling,” the deacon said.

“I was so freaked out by this; I literally gave him the stuff, and I ran away. I didn’t know what to do. I just never saw that reaction happening. And so, the following day I was driving back to Tennessee, and I called Deacon Jim, and I said, ‘Hey, man, I think I’m ready to get interested in chaplaincy because this crazy thing happened to me yesterday,’ and I told him about it.”

Deacon Murphy-Racey goes on calls with the sheriff’s office once or twice per month, attending to where he is needed.

“I go to suicides, I go to murders, I go to traffic accidents where people die, I go to natural deaths in homes, I go all the time. So, one of the things I do is respond to death, people who die in Knox County. And then the other thing I do, which is really sad, is death notifications,” he said. “To be able to take that away from officers is really, really important to me.”

“One way I look at my work as a chaplain is that I come every Sunday, and I get to assist at the altar as minister of the cup, and I breathe in deeply the Eucharist; and when I breathe out, it’s typically in police cars,” Deacon Murphy-Racey said.

“It’s an amazing ministry; it’s so powerful. The shared experiences I’ve had of trauma with officers has really been fascinating to go through things. I got shot at once on Clinton Highway. You wouldn’t believe the stuff I’ve gotten into; it’s pretty wild,” he said.

To counterbalance his work, Deacon MurphyRacey feeds his hobby of motorcycling.

“I have been very passionate about motorcycling,” he said. “And I have to say, too, that the motorcycling is really therapeutic for me, and it’s very much about mental health. It’s very difficult to be a chaplain and be as active as I am and see the things I see on a regular basis. It requires a lot of balance, and the motorcycling really, really balances me.”

“It helps me kind of recover from trauma . . . primary trauma that I experience myself but also secondary trauma where I get the trauma from others. I’m with them and praying with them and listening to them. . . . So, I think the motorcycling is really, really important for me. It helps me stay balanced . . . and the chaplaincy helps me, too, because it helps me realize what’s important.”

‘The ministry of presence’

Father Martin Gladysz, associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, is also a chaplain for the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. He was previously a chaplain for the Knoxville Police Department from September 2019 to May 2022.

“I love the service people,” he said. “I am so happy to go on the ride-along with the officers. This is really exciting to be with them.”

Once a month, all of the chaplains attend a meeting for the sheriff’s office and meet with different departments. A meeting at the airport allowed chaplains to ride with the pilots of the helicopters for the sheriff’s office.

“It was so perfect, and so cold at the same time,” Father Gladysz laughed.

Father Gladysz noted that for chaplaincy in law enforcement, there are “two sides of this work.”

“One is work with and for officers and all employees of the sheriff’s office, and the second is for the community,” he said.

Father Gladysz has been called many times to emotionally support a family during a “terrible moment of their life.”

In dealing with the darker parts of this ministry, Father Gladysz compares it to hearing confessions.

“This is a gift; this is a privilege of the confessor that we don’t remember it,” he said. “If I will go to my room after the confession of 20 people, and I will think about their sins, I will be done. It’s too much for the one person. God’s grace is that . . . I am not thinking about it. I am finishing confession, and I am free of all of the memories, and I think the same grace from God is in this kind of situation. I’m talking about myself, I don’t know how the different chaplains are struggling with this.”

There are more than 30 chaplains working for the Knox County Sheriff Office, but Father Gladysz is the only Catholic priest. For many of the officers, he is the first Catholic priest they have ever met.

“I just love to be with them. I just love that they can meet, [for] the first time, the Catholic priest,” Father Gladysz said.

“This is the ministry of presence. I am not expecting any fruits,” he said. “I am not going to the ride-along with the officers and starting a homily for them or start evangelization for them. No, I am just with them. And I am so happy that some of them, they want to talk—we are making a conversation about God, with others we talk about what kind of movies we are watching.”

“To spend the time to be with them, for me this is the best prize of being a chaplain. . . . This is why I am a priest, to be with people. Maybe not always to preach to them about Jesus but to give a witness.”

Father Gladysz has one officer in particular he calls a friend.

“I have been with him like three times already on the ride-along, and with him it was the most beautiful conversation about God,” he explained. “But what is interesting, he is Muslim. He’s a great guy . . . it’s like a friendship between the Catholic priest and a Muslim. This is the person that I’m talking about God with a lot.”

The variety of denominations among chaplains also allows for ecumenical conversations.

“I’m so grateful I have an opportunity to meet so many of my brother pastors from the different denominations,” Father Gladysz said. “Probably I never would have met these guys in my ministry.”

Paulist Father Charlie Donahue, pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville, served as a chaplain for the Knoxville Police Department (KPD) from July 2011 to 2014, when he left the diocese for a new assignment. He returned to Knoxville in 2021 and resumed his chaplaincy work.

“I had done a program called Leadership Knoxville . . . and one of my partners in that was the new-then chief of police,” Father Donahue explained. “He told me about the chaplain corps.”

Father Donahue went through the four-month training to learn the intricacies of law enforcement and chaplaincy for law enforcement.

“First, we are there for the officers and staff of the KPD,” he said. “And then, [secondly], is to be of use to the KPD, particularly to help calm situations . . . in the aftermath of violence or in the aftermath of a death.”

There also is a request to attend as many roll calls as possible.

“A roll call is before every shift; there is a large meeting with all the officers and leadership that are going to be on for the next 10 or 12 hours, whatever the shift is going to be. So, you’re there with them, you pray with them, and you’re a known quantity for them, and they know that you’re a resource for them that day.”

“We have a duty day. It’s a 24-hour period where one of us is the principal chaplain, and on those days I try to be at KPD headquarters a lot, in and around the building, and at as many roll calls as I can make,” Father Donahue said.

Being present to the officers and unfortunate circumstances is also a reminder of faith to the chaplains themselves.

“You’re meeting people on what are some of the worst days of their lives, and that is a space that is difficult but in a weird way is beautiful because you can sort of bring God into whatever, even the most horrible things,” Father Donahue said. “The chaplain is kind of a reminder that God’s in control, and that the community is there to help.”

“In the end, what we want to convey to everyone is that they’re not alone,” he added.

A rewarding part of the ministry for Father Donahue is getting the chance to “talk to people who would not necessarily go to church.”

“It’s not that you’re getting them to come to your church; you’re just hearing them out, you’re listening to them, you’re seeing where they’re coming from,” he said. “It’s a chance to get to know people on a spiritual level that might be outside of my faith tradition, and it enables us

Father Donahue noted that the Knoxville Police Department is “aggressively looking for more chaplains” and that he is now the sole Catholic chaplain for the KPD.

“If you feel a tug and a call to seek further information, I’m happy to be a resource,” he said. n

The next parish Trivia Night is set for 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, in Siener Hall. The event will celebrate both Mardi Gras and pastor Father Charlie Burton’s birthday. Top prizes are $400, $250, and $100. Ages 21 and older only. Cost is $50 per table with up to eight people per team. Sign up on sheets available in the vestibule or at stjudechattanooga.org/news.

St. Jude School held an open house Jan. 29.

A men’s morning retreat with a talk titled “Unity and the Eucharistic Heart of a Man,” led by Deacon Jim Bello, was held Jan. 28.

A “Cheers for the Years” social event for those 60 and over took place Jan. 28.

The annual Father Charlie Chili CookOff was held Jan. 23. Each attendee could vote on a variety of chili and other items prepared by parishioners, with top prizes of $100, $75, and $50.

The Knights of Columbus’ most recent family-of-the-month honors went to Kyra and Tim King, Nora and Mike Monteith, and Ann Steciw and Gene Maras.

The Knights saluted St. Jude parishioners for generously donating to their annual Coats for Christmas drive.

Approximately 700 items, ranging from warm coats and socks to toiletry items, were donated. The Knights transported the items to the CHATT Foundation (formerly the Chattanooga Kitchen).

Bethel Bible Village, a children’s home in Hixson, thanked parishioners for an enormous donation of food that required two trips by Bethel staffers to transport.

St. Mary, Athens

A Mardi Gras dinner and dance will follow evening Mass on Saturday, Feb. 18.

The parish is awarding college scholarships for the ninth year. Applications and all required submissions will be accepted through March 31. Applications may be picked up in the parish office or in the back of the church. The scholarship program is open to any incoming college freshman or returning college student from Meigs, McMinn, Monroe, or Polk counties. A total of $60,000 will be awarded with a maximum of $10,000 per student.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga

A Valentine’s Day dinner and dance, sponsored by Knights of Columbus Council 6099, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, in the parish hall. The Beaters will provide the music. Cost is $25, and raffle tickets are also available for $10. Call 423-899-9989 to reserve a table.

Because of the generosity of parishioners’ contributions to the St. Stephen Maintenance Fund, the parish will re-upholster the pews, kneelers, and chairs in the church in a project scheduled to start Feb. 27 that will take two weeks.

A Family Benefit Night, featuring information on power of attorney, wills, trusts, real estate, life insurance, securities, and Medicare, was held Jan. 29.

The Knights’ Ladies Auxiliary presented a Karaoke Night on Jan. 20

Anniversaries: Philip and Doreen

Wirchansky (54), Walter and Bonnie Skiba (45)

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

After many years of volunteering for the parish, Brigette Strickler retired at the end of the year from making the flower arrangements for the interior of the church.

The Knights of Columbus’ Super Bowl subs will be available for purchase Feb. 11 and 12. Cost is $8 per sub, and order forms are in the narthex.

Bill Hunt began teaching a nine-session class on the Book of Daniel on Jan. 12.

The parish has prayer blankets available for loved ones and friends in need of prayers or healing. Contact the parish office at 865-882-9838 or blessed sacramentoffice@gmail.com.

The parish welcomes Father John Matejek ,a new parishioner who moved to the Glade with his sister and brother-in-law, Tom and Michele Platt. Father Matejek served in the state House of Representatives for Illinois. He also was active in the Knights of Columbus and served as the state chaplain for Georgia. Father Matejek will assist pastor Father Michael Woods with Mass and confessions.

The Christmas Tree Program served 230 children. Virginia Smith and Kathy Small appreciate everyone’s help in making it successful for the children.

A joyful Christmas feast was served to the Bread of Life Rescue Mission in Crossville on Christmas Day. Parish volunteers, including planners, shoppers, bakers, cooks, decorators, musicians, and servers, all took part. The parish thanks Christina Seaman and Kathy Donley and all of the volunteers. Connie and Ralph Reagan, who run the Bread of Life Mission, stated that it was the best dinner ever served at the mission.

The Council of Catholic Women’s first speaker of the new year Jan. 11 was Capt. Mark Rosser of the Fairfield Glade Police Department. His topics were cyber safety and personal and home safety.

The Knights of Columbus held a Dignity of Life Day at St. Francis of Assisi Church on Jan. 17. The speaker was Paul Simoneau, director of the diocesan Office of Justice and Peace. Almost 100 people attended.

Anniversaries: Paul and Barbara Thrower (66), Gerald and Barbara Philips (61), Herman and Frances Eichner (60), Joseph and Loretta Kreskowiak (59), Carmin and Lynne Lynch (58), Mark and Carol Hafford (57), Edward and Sue Czysz (55), Robert and Martha Heck (55), Douglas and Christina Nawrock (52), Richard and Judy Lodes (51), John and Diane Schornack (51), Robert and Pat Cote (40), Bruce and Margaret Jodeski (35)

St. John Neumann, Farragut

An adult church social, “Casino and Game Night,” featuring a potluck dinner, blackjack, Texas hold ’em, roulette, board games, and more, is set for 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, in the gym. There is no cost to play. RSVP to sjnccwomensclub@gmail.com.

A Daddy Daughter Dance will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, in the gym.

The St. John Neumann School “Off to the Races” Derby Auction, will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 4, in the gymnasium. This is an adults-only event. Purchase tickets at sjnknox.org/ derby.

The Knights of Columbus sponsored a parish buffet breakfast Jan. 8. Proceeds benefited the Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding (STAR) in Lenoir City and The Arc Knox County.

Five Rivers Deanery

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City

The Knights of Columbus awarded their family of the quarter honor to Bob and Deb Rave. They were presented with the award Jan. 7.

The Knights’ annual brunch followed Mass on Jan. 29.

Anniversaries: Tom and Nancy Maur-

Parish notes continued on page B8

On Jan. 10, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in LaFollette closed on a new rectory for pastor Father Sam Sturm and all future priests. After years of prayerful patience and waiting and all of the donations to the building fund from parishioners, an opportunity to purchase a new home within five minutes of OLPH and at no debt to the parish became the clear answer to prayers toward the end of 2022. Father Sturm will be moving in the near future, and demolition of the existing rectory will take place later this year. The parish thanks all who contributed to the building fund and those involved in the purchase process, including handling paperwork with the diocese and creating punch lists, as well as those who will help furnish and move Father Sturm into his new home soon.

St. Jude-Chattanooga Knights donate $500 to Pregnancy Help Center

The Philip Paul Breen Council of the Knights of Columbus from St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga recently donated $500 to the Catholic Charities of East Tennessee Pregnancy Help Center. As part of the Knights’ Aid and Support After Pregnancy (ASAP) Program, the Knights’ Supreme Council will donate another $100 to the Pregnancy Help Center. Pictured above is Grand Knight Naino Leo presenting a check to Pregnancy Help Center program leader Sheri Fava while the council’s Culture of Life chairman, Raleigh Cooper, looks on.

St. Henry Knights donate to Special Olympics

Knights of Columbus Council 8860 at St. Henry Parish in Rogersville presented a check for $2,500 and a $250 gift card to Area 32 Special Olympics on Jan. 16. In the center, Kelly Middleton, assistant coordinator for Area 32, Justin Middleton, and Grand Knight Bob McDaniel stand alongside council members.

The Ladies of Charity of Knoxville are offering the Elizabeth Ann Seton Scholarship to high school seniors who are graduating in May and seeking funds for college.

To be eligible, a senior must be graduating by May, have a GPA of

3.0 or higher, be active in volunteer work in the community, and be no more than 19 years old by May. One annual scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded and is to be used for tuition only. Apply online by March 15 at ladiesofcharityknox. org n

All Saints Parish in Knoxville is sponsoring an End of Life Planning seminar from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, in the parish hall. Three speakers will present: Janie McCullah, a licensed funeral director at Click Funeral Home, on “Frequently asked questions about funeral planning”; Father Doug Owens, All Saints pastor, on “Why this is this the best gift for your loved ones”; and Paul Simoneau, vice chancellor for the Diocese of Knoxville, on “The mystery of suffering and end-of-life decisions.” E-mail Chris Lucheon at clucheon@dioknox. org with questions. To register, visit www.allsaintsknoxville.org/events/ end-of-life-planning-seminar.

Holy Family Parish in Seymour will be hosting a Day of Reflection with Father David Mary Engo, OFM, on Saturday, Feb. 25. The day will begin with Mass at 9 a.m. and end with a Lenten confession session and Benediction about 4:30 p.m., followed by the vigil Mass for Sunday at 5:30 p.m. The day will include, along with Mass and confession, adoration, talks about the Eucharist, and light refreshment breaks throughout. All are welcome to attend, but registration is requested to make sure there are enough refreshments for everyone. The event is free, but donations will be greatly appreciated. To register or learn more, call the parish office at 865-573-1203.

“Philomena & Friends,” a communication and relational skills workshop for anyone with a helping heart, is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, in the parish hall at All Saints Church in Knoxville. The event is sponsored by Father Michael Maples and Catholic Charities of East Tennessee in cooperation with the All Saints ministry of health and wellness. Father Maples, a licensed psychologist, will be the presenter. Topics covered will include how to recognize signs of common mental health and relationship concerns, active listening skills, how to communicate to someone that you’re concerned about them and how to encourage them to seek professional help, how to set boundaries regarding how much help you are able to offer, and how to recognize mental health crisis warning signs and respond appropriately. Lunch will be provided. For more information, call 865-314-8870 or e-mail counseling@ccetn.org. To register, e-mail clucheon@dioknox.org.

Speaker and author Laura Phelps will give a talk at a Lenten Evening of Reflection set for 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut. The evening will begin with a soup supper at 6 p.m., worship music at 6:30, the talk at 7, and adoration at 7:45. For more information, e-mail regnumchristi. knoxville@gmail.com.

The Sts. Francis & Clare Secular Franciscans of Knoxville will host a “Come & See” meeting at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, in Seton Hall at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut. The event is for anyone who believes God is calling them to walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, who wants to grow in their spirituality, or who feels the need to serve God and help others. For more information, call Jean Schneider at 865-250-3005.

Knoxville Catholic High School’s 12th annual Green & Gold Gala is set for Friday, Feb. 10, in the University of Tennessee Student Union ballroom.

“Irish legend” Father Chris Michelson will be the honoree. The gala includes a live auction, a silent auction, dinner, drinks, music, and more. The event begins with a cocktail hour and the silent auction at 6 p.m. Buy tickets or learn more at https://bit.ly/3V2FSO9.

The Ladies of Charity of Knoxville are offering the Elizabeth Ann Seton Scholarship to high school seniors who are graduating in May and seeking funds for college. To be eligible, a senior must be graduating by May, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, be active in volunteer work in the community, and be no more than 19 years old by May. One annual scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded and is to be used for tuition only. Apply online by March 15

Healing prayers for individuals will now be offered at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Alcoa every third weekend of each month. This will begin for English speakers at noon Sunday, Feb. 19 (immediately following the 11 a.m. Mass), in the chapel. Individual healing prayer will be offered for the Hispanic community following the 7 p.m. Mass in Spanish on Saturday, Feb. 18, in the church. Leaders will be happy to pray over you for any physical, emotional, or spiritual needs that you have. You may invite anyone you know who would like to be prayed over. No reservations needed. Call Toni Jacobs at 561-315-5911 for more information.

A Young Adult Conference for ages 18-35 is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, in the cathedral hall of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville. The theme of the day is “Bold Faith in a Modern World.” Award-winning author, international speaker, daily Catholic radio host, and podcaster Katie Prejean-McGrady will be the guest speaker. Cost is $35 per person if you register online before the event or $40 at the door.

Lunch and refreshments are included. Download a flyer or register at https:// dioknox.org/events/young-adultconference. For more information, contact Brittany Garcia at bgarcia@ dioknox.org or 865-776-9635.

The Diocese of Knoxville is taking a group of teens to Steubenville Atlanta from July 7-9 in Duluth, Ga. The Steubenville youth conferences exist to bring high schoolers into a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. The 2023 theme is “Refuge.” “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest”—Matthew 11:28. More details to come soon. More information can be found at steubenvilleconferences.com/ events/atl/.

Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga is currently accepting applications for the 2023-24 academic year. Apply by visiting www.myndhs. com and submit an online application. Contact Lisa Costello at 423-624-4618 or costello@myndhs.com with any questions.

St. Joseph School in Knoxville is enrolling grades pre-K (age 4) through eighth grade. Contact Andy Zengel at azengel@sjsknox.org or 865-689-3424 or visit www.sjsknox.org.

All women are invited to the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Convention, to be held April 20-22 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. The convention will feature keynote speakers Melissa Foley and Father John Orr. Breakout sessions will allow participants to choose from a variety of interactive sessions geared to their interests. Early-bird registration is $125. For more information and a description of each breakout session, visit KDCCW.org.

The Race for Kids 5K & Family Walk is Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s (CCETN) annual premier event. This year’s race is set for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 29, at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville. Participation supports all 11 of CCETN’s children’s and family programs across East Tennessee, including the Children’s Emergency Shelter, Columbus Home Assisting Parents, pregnancy and adoption services, counseling services, and the Office of Immigrant Services. Run or walk in the event to help deliver critical services to promote safety, stability, and opportunities for children and families to thrive by providing emergency food and shelter, education, access to resources, and compassionate support. Those who can’t make it to the race in person may still register and run or walk anywhere they like. Costs are $30 for adults ($35 on race day) and $15 for children under 18 ($20 on race day). Visit the CCETN Race for Kids site to register or learn more, at runsignup.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/ RaceforKids.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) Homeschool Support Group is a

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St. John Neumann Knights host wives appreciation dinner

Knights of Columbus Ted H. Denning Council 8781 at St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut hosted a wives appreciation dinner Jan. 14. Despite the dinner coming a couple weeks after everyone returned to their routines from the Christmas/New Year break, it being a long government weekend (with Martin Luther King Jr. Day), and there being a University of Tennessee home basketball game, the council had a great turnout. A total of 72 made reservations, representing more than 1,000 years of marriage based on anniversary dates. Couples ranged from close to four years to more than 60 years married. This council dinner tradition was again open to parishioners, and nine couples not from the council came. The Ted H. Denning Council hosted the priests in residence and the widows of deceased members. Pastor Father Joe Reed blessed the meal and received additional gratitude from the council and all present for having a “dinner date” with his “spouse,” the Church. Thank-yous went to the kitchen team of Matt Sturgill, Brian Briody, Terry Harrigan, Mo Molchan, Johnny Murphy, and Jack Passafiume. Also thanked were the set-up committee (third photo, from left) Roger Grieco, Bill McAdams, Dr. Pat O’Brien, Richard Tabler, Terry Scoggins, and Walt Hanson and the women of the decorations committee (above, from left) Loretta Jacobs, Robin Hanson, Pam Hoskins, Barbara O’Brien, Lisa Beldyk, and Krista McGrath. Not