Feb. 4, 2024, ET Catholic, A section

February 4 | 2024 VOL 33 NO 6

IN THIS ISSUE MUSIC OF TO HEART B1 SACRED A19 STATEMENT A6 HEART Seftons' gift to Sacred Heart FINANCES St. Dominic ministry is promoting dignity of human life

Diocesan audit report released

will complete cathedral pipe organ project

Catholic commentary ....................... A3 Parish news ....................................... B4 Diocesan calendar ............................ B5 Columns ..........................................B6-7 Catholic schools ..........................B9-10 La Cosecha ............................Section C

Announcing the Gospel MAG Sisters celebrate 75 years with a Mass, opening of Holy Door

By Emily Booker I trust in your mercy. Grant my heart joy in your salvation.

— Psalm 13:6

EMILY BOOKER

I

t was a day of both mercy and joy on Dec. 15 when Las Misioneras del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus “Ad Gentes” (The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes”) began their 75th jubilee year with a Mass and opening of a Holy Door at their convent in Jonesborough.

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes” (MAG) was founded on Dec. 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1949, in Mexico by Mother Quevedo García and Monsignor Manuel Aguilar Vergara.

“The mission of our congregation is to announce the Gospel to those who do not know it and strengthen the faith in those already evangelized,” Sister Maria de Pilar (“Pili”) Hinojosa Aguilar, regional superior, said. She explained that the reli-

Jubilee Sisters Sisters with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ''Ad Gentes'' cut the cake as they celebrate the beginning of their 75th jubilee year. The Dec. 15 celebration included a Mass and the opening of a Holy Door at the Sisters' convent in Jonesborough. The Sisters' order was founded on Dec. 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in 1949 in Mexico. gious order offers education, catechesis, and the formation and care of ecclesial groups.

The Missionary Sisters of the

Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes” have been serving in the Diocese of Knoxville since 1993. Currently, four Sisters serve Hispanic communities

of the diocese in the Five Rivers and Chattanooga deaneries. They partner with parishes, lay groups, and families to provide Hispanic communities with catechetical resources, cultural events, and spiritual formation.

“For the Hispanic community, our Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ‘Ad Gentes’ are a reminder of the presence of the kingdom of God among us,” said Blanca Primm, director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Knoxville.

“Since the early years of the development of Hispanic Ministry in our diocese their presence has been a sign of hope. Their pastoral work and outreach to our immigrant brothers and sisters is paramount to continue our efforts to evangelize and share Jesus and His love in East Tennessee,” Mrs. Primm added.

Sister Pili works with St. Bridget Parish in Dayton and Shepherd of the Valley Parish in Dunlap. Sister Eloísa Torralba Aquino works with Sisters continued on page A13

Catholic historian resolves to answer...

Why the Jews?

Jews, Catholics take part in Holocaust remembrance

By Bill Brewer

W

By Gina Christian OSV News

A

Peter Iorio also participated in the program. Father Nolan is pastor of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland; Father Vick is pastor of St. Bridget Parish in Dayton; and Father Iorio is pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa.

The Mizpah Congregation is one of several Jewish communities in Chattanooga. Others are Chabad Jewish Center, which is the orthodox

n annual commemoration of Nazi Germany’s slaughter of millions of Jews during World War II is a call to prioritize human dignity, two Jewish-Catholic experts told OSV News.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day, observed Jan. 27, honors the estimated 6 million Jews (including 1.5 million children) killed by Germany’s Nazi regime during World War II. Launched by the United Nations in 2005, the occasion also marks the 1945 liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest complex in the Nazi system of concentration and death camps, where at least 1.1 million individuals—90 percent of them Jewish—were slain.

In total, some two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population were systematically murdered during the Shoah—the preferred Hebrew

Jews continued on page A9

Holocaust continued on page A11

DAN MCWILLIAMS

hy the Jews?

It’s a question that has been asked for thousands of years and one that took on renewed significance Oct. 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, provoking Mideast fighting that continues and threatens to spread.

And it’s a question that Catholic educator Brendan Murphy has resolved to answer in his teachings on the history of antisemitism.

Mr. Murphy teaches at Marist School, a Catholic college preparatory institution in Atlanta. The private, independent school was founded by the Society of Mary, or Marists, in Atlanta in 1901 and is the oldest Catholic secondary school in the Georgia capital.

As antisemitism rears its head in communities around the world, including on U.S. college campuses, Mr. Murphy is presenting years of research into the origins of antisemitism and the history of the Holocaust to audiences around the region.

Among the most recent audiences to witness his insight was one in Chattanooga on Jan. 24.

In a program titled “Let’s Talk!

The journey of friendship between Jews and Catholics in Chattanooga,” which was hosted by the Mizpah Congregation, a Reform Jewish community, at the Julius and Bertha Ochs Temple on McCallie Avenue, some 100 East Tennessee Jews and

Judeo-Christian brotherhood From left, Father Jim Vick, Father Peter Iorio, Brendan Murphy, Rabbi Craig Lewis, Monsignor Al Humbrecht, and Father Mike Nolan join together on Jan. 24 at the Julius and Bertha Ochs Temple in Chattanooga following Mr. Murphy's presentation about Jewish-Christian relations and antisemitism.

Christians listened to Mr. Murphy’s two-hour presentation.

Breaking bread

In a show of unity and JewishChristian partnership, Mizpah Congregation Rabbi Craig Lewis joined Monsignor Al Humbrecht, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy, in organizing the program. Diocese of Knoxville priests Father Mike Nolan, Father Jim Vick, and Father

‘The Chosen’ Actors talk faith, life struggles as season 4 of hit series premieres around world

By Paulina Guzik OSV News

Sr. Regina

OSV NEWS PHOTO/CHOSEN POLAND

W

hen the creators of The Chosen started with a crowdfunding project in 2017, they would not have thought in their wildest dreams they would be walking the red carpets from Los Angeles to New York and from London to Warsaw, with screaming fans begging for selfies.

Five years since the premiere of the first season, the series about the life of Jesus of Nazareth is now garnering over 770 million views of its episodes and has more than 12 million social media followers. Season four debuted in theaters across the United States and Canada on Feb. 1, followed shortly by debuts in several other locations worldwide.

“I wasn’t expecting any of this. I think it was one of the most enthusiastic receptions we’ve had for our premieres,” Elizabeth Tabish, who portrays Mary Magdalene in the hit series, told OSV News in Warsaw

It's a hit Jonathan Roumie and Elizabeth Tabish, who play Jesus and Mary Magdalene in "The Chosen" TV series, are seen during its season four premiere in Warsaw, Poland, on Jan. 26. The event attracted 1,600 fans of the show, which has been seen by 200 million viewers worldwide. "The Chosen" launched in 2017 as a crowdfunding project and is the first multiseason series about Jesus' life and ministry. on Jan. 27, the day after two episodes from season four were shown on the big screen in the Polish capital, with 1,600 fans filling four © 2024 Handmaids of the Precious Blood

rooms of one of the city’s biggest theaters.

“It was very exciting; you could just sense the warmth and love

from the Polish people, and it just was very encouraging,” Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus, said days after the crew got a spectacular reception at the London premiere on Jan. 22.

The Chosen is a groundbreaking historical drama based on the life of Jesus Christ, seen through the eyes of those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the show shares an authentic and intimate look at Jesus’ extraordinary life and teachings. It is set to run seven seasons.

The Chosen is now one of the most-watched shows in the world, consistently a top performer across streaming platforms Prime Video, Peacock, and Netflix.

Ms. Tabish said the series “changed every aspect” of her life, but she did not see that coming.

She almost didn’t make it to the audition for the role.

“Before I booked it, I was trying The Chosen continued on page A12

How to sign up and qualify for Diocese of Knoxville’s safe-environment program

T The Handmaids of the Precious Blood this year celebrate the 77th year since their founding in 1947; more than three-quarters of a century of prayer and sacrifice for priests. To receive weekly cartoons and short reflections and news from the Handmaids of the Precious Blood, visit their website, nunsforpriests.org, and sign up for the FIAT newsletter.

February prayer intention for the terminally ill “We pray that those with a terminal illness, and their families, receive the necessary physical and spiritual care and accompaniment.”

–– Pope Francis

DIOCESE PROCEDURE

FOR

OF

KNOXVILLE

REPORTING

SEXUAL

ABUSE

Anyone who has actual knowledge of or who has reasonable cause to suspect an incident of sexual abuse should report such information to the appropriate civil authorities first, then to the McNabb Center victim's assistance coordinator, 865.321.9080.

he Diocese of Knoxville has implemented the CMG Connect platform to administer the Safe Environment Program, which replaces the former Safe Environment Program (VIRTUS “Protecting God’s Children”).

CMG Connect is a web-based platform that will assist in ensuring that all employees and volunteers who are in a position of trust with children and vulnerable adults within Diocese of Knoxville schools and parishes are trained to recognize behavior patterns of potential abusers and provide pro-active measures for preventing abuse in any context.

“Safe Haven-It’s Up to You” is a three-part video that provides vignettes of real-life situations to educate the viewer about methods of grooming, desensitization, bullying, and neglect, all of which can lead to abuse.

Each part of the video is immediately followed by a brief questionnaire to further develop understanding.

Education is a key

FOLLOW US

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element of the Safe Environment Program.

All clergy, employees, contracted school personnel, volunteers, members of groups and organizations over the age of 18 who work, volunteer, or participate in any capacity are required to complete the diocesan Safe Environment training and a criminal-background check before they can begin employment, volunteer, or participate with ministries, groups, and organizations affiliated with the Diocese of Knoxville.

In addition, the mandatory renewal training must be completed every five years and a new background check submitted before the five-year expiration of prior training.

The Diocese of Knoxville Safe Environment compliance training and renewal training is a condition of employment and for volunteer ministry in the Diocese of Knoxville.

The CMG Connect

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platform contains all three elements of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program: n Annual review of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Policy and Procedures Relating to Sexual Misconduct; n CMG Connect Safe Haven training program to be completed every five years; n Criminal background check to be completed every five years.

In compliance with the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program, all affiliates require that volunteers and employees complete the requirements prior to working and/or volunteering in a parish, school, The Paraclete, or through Catholic Charities and/or St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic.

Go to https:// dioknox.org/safeenvironment on the Diocese of Knoxville website for more information. ■

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Ash Wednesday is way more important than Valentine's Day, silly Beginning of Lent falls on the one day universally tied to sweets, couples celebrating

By Simcha Fisher OSV News

Commentary

OSV NEWS PHOTO/BOB ROLLER

H

ave you looked at your calendar lately? Have you noticed that in 2024 the most dark and difficult annual day of selfexamination and penitence falls, by some terrible misfortune, on the exact same day as Ash Wednesday?

I speak, of course, of that darkest, most difficult, most penitential of days, Valentine’s Day. Ho ho! I joke. I like Valentine’s Day. It is fine. I, like most Americans, act normal about this holiday, and do not get weird about it.

We definitely aren’t mad or upset because our annual Whitman’s sampler, dyed flower, and Temu lingerie fest is being threatened by Actual Spoilsport, God. American Catholics would never! We know better, and we always act normal!

I joke again. In fact, there is a flurry of consternation about how we are supposed to celebrate Valentine’s Day without letting it overshadow the beginning of Lent.

The answer is, of course, you can’t, silly. Ash Wednesday is way more important than Valentine’s Day, so it gets first dibs on your time. If Valentine’s Day is important to you or to the person you love, there’s nothing wrong with that! You just move it and celebrate it some other day. This is just what it’s like being an adult: Sometimes things just don’t work out, and you have to be flexible.

But that doesn’t mean some people aren’t going to get a little too flexible.

Call it the new evangelization or call it an obsession, but I can’t stop thinking about something that happened a few weeks ago at Mass.

Our family was plowing through a combination of viruses and snowstorms and broken vehicles (even more broken than usual), and so we planned to do something we don’t ordinarily do: We went to the late Mass, which we generally avoid because while the Mass is the Mass, and that means it’s always good, at this particular Mass, see, they have this tambourine, and …

Listen, I’m a reformed character, and I try really hard not to make fun

of people who are doing their best. So, all I am going to say is that for the Fishers to get up early to avoid it every week, it has to be Mrs. Fisher pretty rough.

And it was rough. It was Epiphany, and as we processed reverently back to our pews to meditate on the unfathomable gift of the Eucharist we had just received, a very specific chord progression floated down from the choir loft. It sounded familiar, evocative. One might even call it … a secret chord? But no, it couldn't

be.

Yes, it was. It was Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” that famous song that starts out being about adultery and ends up being just about sex in general. You know, for Communion! But it’s OK, because they changed the words to be about Christmas! That made it 10,000 times worse, somehow.

And that is why Epiphany of 2024 marks the day the kneeler of the pew next to the St. Joseph window at our local church lost at least one screw, because it got shaken so violently under the effort of my kids not trying to burst out laughing. Hallelujah, indeed.

The reason I’m telling you about this is because this is what happens.

This is what happens when you try to take something secular that has merits of its own (perhaps, I think Leonard Cohen is basically a novelty act, but you can fight me on that later) and, rather than just letting it be what it is, you try to stretch it and deform it and scrunch it out of shape until it becomes a Catholic thing.

What happens is, it’s terrible. And you look silly. And you have to replace half the screws on the kneelers when you know perfectly well that money should be going to do something about the plumbing situation in the church basement.

I started out trying to write something funny about how to celebrate both Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday at the same time. I wrote about it last time it happened, and I’ve seen some pretty funny updated memes this year: The dark, ashy hearts on the foreheads of the faithful, the Ryan Gosling meme (“Hey girl … I’d like to take you out for a small meal that, when combined with another small meal, doesn’t exceed your large meal”), and the simple elegance of a candy conversation heart that says in pink letters, “THOU ART DUST.” But truly, you can’t express it better than Father Joe Tonos did last time this fake conundrum came up. He told a newspaper back in 2018, “The ‘official’ statement is ‘Tell people to go out on Mardi Gras for Valentine’s.’ … To be honest, I’m not telling anyone to do anything. It’s Ash freakin’ Wednesday. You know what to do.”

And you really do. Fast. Pray. Give alms. Make jokes. But don’t be a giant baby about it. In the past, Catholics got appendages torn off and eyes gouged out for their faith. All we have to do is make sure we finish up our truffles before midnight on the 13th. We can do this! Hallelujah. ■ Simcha Fisher is an award-winning columnist who regularly contributes to America Magazine, Parable Magazine, and The Catholic Weekly. She lives with her husband and children in New Hampshire.

Regional marches for life bring message of hope to state capitals

By Daniel Payne Catholic News Agency

Indiana

Thousands of marchers flooded the streets of Indianapolis on Jan. 22, with reported record numbers of participants coming from all over the state to take part in the demonstration.

The Criterion, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, reported that “a record crowd estimated at 2,000” showed up for the event, marking the first time in the Indiana march’s history that “groups from all five Indiana dioceses” took part in the march.

Photos of the event flooded social media, including those of a Mass that took place beforehand

OSV NEWS PHOTO/BOB NICHOLS, CATHOLIC MOMENT

I

n the aftermath of the annual March for Life held in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, major state-level march events have gotten underway, bringing pro-life advocates to state capital cities where the preservation of a culture of life continues to hang in the balance this year.

Marchers in Kentucky, Kansas, and Indiana kicked off 2024’s state-level march for life demonstrations last month, bringing thousands to the streets of their respective capital cities to show their support for the unborn and for mothers.

Advocates will hold state-level marches throughout 2024, most of them in the first half of the year. These first three demonstrations followed the national March for Life on Jan. 19.

Youth in action Young people take part in the annual Indiana March for Life in the state capital of Indianapolis on Jan. 22. The morning started with a youth rally followed by Mass and the march through downtown Indianapolis, concluding with a rally on the steps of the statehouse. and in which nearly 2,000 Catholics reportedly participated.

Sister Mary Grace of the Sisters of Life described the event as “a hope to this nation.”

Indiana is among the states that have enacted legislation to restrict abortion in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s repeal by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022.

Indiana law, which now limits abortion up to 10 weeks’ gestation in instances of rape or incest, up to 20 weeks’ gestation in cases of lethal fetal anomalies, or when the mother ’s life is in danger from specific medical issues, went into effect in August of last year. Recent state data show

that abortion numbers dropped sharply in the state after the law went into effect.

Marc Tuttle, the president of the march, told the Criterion that “the number of women seeking help at the pregnancy resource centers in this state went up by 33 percent” in the wake of the new law.

“So, we are saving lives,” he said. “We are leading the way with the rest of the country. But we know there are still women out there who will seek abortions, and we have to be there for them.”

Kentucky

Organizers in Kentucky hosted

that state’s march on Jan. 23 in the state capital city of Frankfort.

The event’s website advertised a pre-march Mass, a rally, and a post-march prayer service in Frankfort Cemetery.

Photos posted to Facebook

by Right to Life of Louisville showed marchers flooding the state capitol building during the rainy event. “We will always stand up for life,” the group said.

Other participants shared photos and video of the event on the social media site X. Addia Wuchner, the executive director of Kentucky Right to Life, told the crowd that they were “celebrating” the success of pro-life efforts in the state.

“We’re celebrating the laws and the lives that have been saved in the commonwealth since the overturning of Roe,” she said, according to the Northern Kentucky Tribune.

As with other states, Kentucky’s pro-life “trigger law” went into effect with the repeal of Roe v. Wade. The law, which permits abortion only in cases to save the life of the patient or to prevent disabling injury, was the subject of debate during the state’s gubernatorial race last year.

Republican lawmakers are working to advance pro-life legislation there, meanwhile, including a bill that would allow child support for unborn children and another requiring schools to include ultrasound footage of “early fetal development in their health curriculums.”

Capitals continued on page A9

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Thousands brave snow to march for life National event in Washington, D.C., draws Diocese of Knoxville supporters

By Kate Scanlon OSV News

COURTESY OF KNOXVILLE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

T

housands of pro-life advocates descended upon the nation's capital for the 51st annual March for Life on Jan. 19, undeterred by several inches of snow that accumulated in Washington, D.C., leading up to—and during—the event.

The 2024 march was just the second to take place since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that initially prompted the annual pro-life demonstration.

“We will keep marching every year at the national level, as well as in our states, until our nation’s laws reflect the basic truth that all human life is created equal and is worthy of protection,” Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life Education and Defense Fund, told rallygoers.

Ms. Mancini said the group plans to hold marches not only in the District of Columbia but in all 50 states in the coming years.

“We will march until abortion is unthinkable,” she added.

The March for Life rally took place on the National Mall by the Smithsonian Castle, between

Representing the Diocese of Knoxville Knoxville Catholic High School students traveled to Washington, D.C., to take part in the 2024 March for Life on Jan. 19. the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. Afterward, the march headed up Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who spoke at the rally, told attendees that the notion that all people are created equal is a bedrock principle of America, written into the nation’s

founding documents.

“Every single person has inestimable dignity and value,” Rep. Johnson said. “Your value is not related in any way to the color of your skin, or what ZIP code you live in, how good you were in sports, where you went to high school, it's irrelevant, your value is inherent because it is given to

you by your Creator.”

Rep. Johnson was himself the “product of an unplanned pregnancy,” he said.

“My parents, who were just teenagers at the time, chose life.

And I am very profoundly grateful that they did,” he said.

Rep. Johnson said after the reversal of Roe, it is a “critical time” to “build a culture that encourages and assists more and more people to make that same decision.”

He argued the movement should learn from crucial figures in American history, such as “Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony.”

“They challenged the prevailing narratives of their day, and they succeeded,” Rep. Johnson said, adding, “Their success was grounded in our nation’s creed that we just spoke about.

And they reminded their fellow Americans about our founding principles. And as Lincoln said, in his famous first inaugural, the better angels of our nature. We should do the same thing today.”

The 2024 event’s theme was “With Every Woman, For Every Child” and sought to highlight March continued on page A14

Coach Harbaugh stands on faith to deliver pro-life message

By Nick Pope Daily Caller News Foundation

F

ormer Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh was a featured speaker at the 2024 March for Life in Washington, D.C., where he re-emphasized his support for life and the efforts of pro-life supporters.

The Daily Caller News Foundation caught up with Coach Harbaugh during a large pro-life march in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 19.

Coach Harbaugh, fresh off his first collegiate national championship who is now the new head coach for the NFL’s Coach Harbaugh Los Angeles Chargers, attended the 2024 March for Life rally in the nation’s capital, joining tens of thousands of fellow Americans to support the pro-life move-

ment. The DCNF caught up with Coach Harbaugh at the rally as snow fell around the demonstrators amassed at the National Mall.

After congratulating him for his team’s convincing victory in the national championship game earlier in January, the DCNF asked Coach Harbaugh about what the pro-life cause means to him.

“You know, we all talk about human rights. There’s really no rights that are important unless you have the right to life,” Coach

Harbaugh said. “This is a great day for a march. It’s a great day for the sanctity of life, and football weather. Let’s make it a great day.”

Coach Harbaugh later went on stage to address the assembled demonstrators and introduce Benjamin Watson, a former NFL player and supporter of the prolife cause who gave a speech of his own at the rally.

Coach Harbaugh told the DCNF Coach continued on page A14

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Promoting the dignity of human life Heart 2 Fragile Heart is a new lay ministry underway at St. Dominic

By Michael Miller

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Art imitates life Left: Deacon Frank Fischer is joined by Dr. Judy Fischer, center, and Bonnie Vega at a conference in Atlanta where Heart 2 Fragile Heart had a display booth. Bottom: The fetal image illustrates when the fetal heartbeat is detected, when brain waves are detected, and when spontaneous movement occurs in a baby.

COURTESY OF MICHAEL MILLER (2)

hen are the vital signs of life present in the embryonic stage of life?

A new volunteer organization, Heart 2 Fragile Heart, has recently formed at St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport to promote the dignity of human life by focusing on the presence of a heartbeat at three weeks of development, brain waves at six weeks, and spontaneous movement by nine weeks of existence.

The focus of Heart 2 Fragile Heart is on using art to reach everyone possible, from age 10 to 100, and to educate them about these scientific facts.

The St. Dominic lay ministry believes that artwork is uniquely effective in communicating this message.

Deacon Frank Fischer, a retired physician, and a team of St. Dominic parishioners have embarked on a mission to support the unborn by providing scientific facts about this earliest stage of development and by assisting mothers and fathers to help them accept and nurture their children as they continue to develop in their mother’s womb.

The organization is pursuing this mission with a threefold approach: n Educating by artistic presentations of basic scientific facts about the embryonic phase of life; n Supporting nonprofit organizations that support pregnant mothers struggling to cope with inadequate resources during their pregnancy; n Helping mothers with babies that have genetic problems or physical malformations discovered during pregnancy.

“These mothers need support and encouragement to recognize that their babies are valuable and have dignity,” Deacon Fischer said.

“Moreover, mothers who embrace the difficulties of unexpected pregnancy problems will ultimately build stronger families and emerge with significant maturity, holiness, and personal strength,” he added. “These babies instill and promote love in ways that few others can achieve.”

Focusing on the embryonic stage (three to eight weeks) of life, the ministry aims to help mothers and fathers make educated decisions based on solid science. Many people, even the highly educated, tend to dehumanize the de-

veloping child during this embryonic stage of life, Deacon Fischer said.

Pregnancy tests become positive within the second week after implantation in the uterus. In the third week after conception, the heartbeat of the baby can be detected. In the sixth week after conception, brain waves are present. In the ninth week, barely beyond the embryonic stage of life, the fetus engages in spontaneous movement.

Heart 2 Fragile Heart is now spreading that

message with displays at conferences and online.

Heart 2 Fragile Heart volunteers also are selling T-shirts, sweatshirts, and stickers that are emblazoned with a fetal image depicting each of these developmental events.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Heart 2 Fragile Heart ministry sells artistic educational items and also accepts donations to support its dual mission of education and providing needed funds for pregnancy support centers.

“We want to help ensure that all expectant mothers can base their decisions on clear scientific facts. More information on our organization, our educational materials, and how to otherwise support our efforts on behalf of the least of the least, the unborn, and their mothers can be found on our website: Heart2FragileHeart.org. You also can send donations to: Heart 2 Fragile Heart, 201 Ashley Oaks Private Drive, Kingsport, TN 37663. We would love to be invited to parish festivals to present these materials in person,” Deacon Fischer said.

“Most importantly, we ask our supporters to wear the T-shirt with the artistic rendering of the scientific facts at least once a week. We would like to have the stickers displayed on phones and portable computers. Only by placing these images in front of many people can we hope to ensure that they come to know and Life continued on page A14

Pro-life activists convicted of civil rights offenses in abortion protest

By Kurt Jensen OSV News

S

ix pro-life activists, including one already jailed and awaiting sentencing for a separate incident, were convicted Jan. 30 of federal civil rights offenses resulting from their blockade of an abortion clinic in Mount Juliet, Tenn., on March 5, 2021.

The guilty verdicts were announced after a six-day federal trial at the Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse in Nashville. Sentencing is scheduled for July 2.

They were each convicted of one felony count of engaging in a “conspiracy against rights” and one

A6 n FEBRUARY 4, 2024

felony count of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE Act. They could be sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $260,000.

The six are Chester Gallagher of Lebanon, Tenn.; Heather Idoni of Linden, Mich.; Calvin Zastrow of Kawkawlin, Mich.; Coleman Boyd of Bolton, Miss.; Paul Vaughn of Centerville, Tenn.; and Dennis Green of Cumberland, Va. According to federal prosecutors, each engaged in a conspiracy to prevent the clinic employees from providing, and women from receiving, abortions, using a strategy known as a “lock and block.”

In that, activists lock doors and gates, and, after entering the clinic, block doorways either with their bodies or furniture.

Ms. Idoni currently is jailed in Alexandria, Va. She is one of eight people awaiting sentencing, expected in May, for a conviction for invading Washington Surgi-Clinic in the District of Columbia in 2020.

In court, federal prosecutors said Ms. Idoni, Mr. Zastrow, Mr. Boyd, and Mr. Green traveled to Tennessee from other states to participate in the blockade, and Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Vaughn stalled the Mount Juliet Police Department through negotiations, which Mr. Gallagher referred to as a delay tactic.

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“These defendants knowingly chose to violate laws they disagreed with,” U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis of the Middle District of Tennessee said in a statement.

“The jury’s verdict … is a victory for the rule of law in this country and a reminder that we cannot pick and choose which laws we follow.”

In a separate statement, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said the six defendants “are being held accountable for unlawfully obstructing access to reproductive health services.”

“The Justice Department will continue to enforce the FACE Act Convicted continued on page A17

TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

CARA report shows U.S. religious vocations in decline Key factors, such as family, education, devotions, can reverse trend

The joy of a religious vocation A file photo shows a priest exchanging the sign of peace during his ordination to the priesthood at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre, N.Y. OSV News.

He also noted the length of time from entrance into religious life to perpetual profession can vary from “seven to 20 years,” with the Jesuits, or Society of Jesus, having a particu-

Immersed in the Sisterhood Members of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation in Nashville are pictured in a file photo preparing for Mass at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, where they made their final profession of religious vows.

Archbishop Fabre announces reassignments of 2 priests

By Bill Brewer

A

rchbishop Shelton J. Fabre has announced the reassignments of two priests in the Diocese of Knoxville.

Father Michael Hendershott, currently the associate pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville, will become the parochial vicar of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga.

Father Hendershott also will assume sacramental responsibilities for the Catholic Student Center at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Father Valentin Iurochkin, who currently serves as associate pastor at the basilica, will become parochial vicar of Holy Ghost.

The reassignments were effective Feb. 12.

At Holy Ghost, Father Hendershott also celebrated Mass in Spanish and Latin for those active communities in the parish located in North Knoxville near downtown.

At the basilica, Father Iurochkin has celebrated Mass in Spanish and Latin for the basilica members active in those communities.

Archbishop Fabre said each assignment is effective until June 30 but can be extended if judged beneficial.

Father Hendershott was ordained a priest on the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, June 27, 2015, by Bishop Richard F. Stika.

He has served at Holy Ghost for more than seven years and served at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus following his ordination before being assigned to Holy Ghost in 2016.

Father Hendershott was born in Johnson City and grew up in Farragut with his five sisters and two TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

larly long span.

The average age of the 2023 profession class is 36, with half of the survey participants age 33 or younger.

More than three quarters (76 per-

OSV NEWS-CNS PHOTO/RICK MUSACCHIO, TENNESSEE REGISTER

A

new report shows a continued decrease in the number of permanent vocations to consecrated life in the United States, but key factors such as family life, devotional practices, Catholic education, and personal encouragement can positively impact those numbers.

“Women and Men Professing Perpetual Vows in Religious Life: The Profession Class of 2023” was released on Jan. 26 by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University, ahead of the Church’s World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life on Feb. 2.

The study—annually commissioned since 2010 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations—was written by CARA researchers Jonathon Wiggins and Sister Thu T. Do, a member of the Lovers of the Holy Cross of Hanoi.

The 101 religious members (53 sisters, 48 brothers and priests) who participated in the survey represented 70 percent of the 144 potential members of the profession class of 2023, as reported to CARA by 69 percent of the nation’s religious superiors.

Of the participating religious superiors, 87 percent reported their orders had no member profess perpetual vows in 2023, up from 82 percent in the 2022 report. In 2023, one in 10 institutes had one perpetual profession, while 4 percent reported between two to 15 members professed perpetual vows.

“We are finding that there’s a continuous decline in the number of men and women making a final profession to religious life each year,” Jesuit Father Thomas Gaunt, CARA’s executive director, told

OSV NEWS PHOTO/GREGORY A. SHEMITZ, LONG ISLAND CATHOLIC

By Gina Christian OSV News

cent) were born in the United States, and 67 percent listed their primary race or ethnicity as Caucasian, European American, or white. One in 10 or less identifies as Asian/Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian (12 percent); as Hispanic or Latino (9 percent); as African, African American, or black (7 percent); and as mixed race or other (5 percent).

An overwhelming majority, 94 percent, said that as children they had at least one parent who was Catholic, with 86 percent of the respondents stating both parents were Catholic. Almost all survey participants (99 percent) were raised by their biological parents during the most formative part of their childhood. Close to nine in 10, or 88 percent, were raised by a married couple.

Just over half of the class, 51 percent, attended a Catholic elementary school, and respondents were more likely than other Catholics in the United States to have attended both a Catholic high school (46 percent) and college (43 percent). About 14 percent reported being homeschooled at some point, with the average length of time being nine years.

“Generally, the more Catholic education, (the more) you increase the likelihood that someone will consider a religious vocation,” said Father Gaunt. “And it gets stronger often enough, if (that education extends) to Catholic high schools or colleges. Part of that is you’re just more exposed to a Catholic environment, and the consideration of a religious vocation will not be as countercultural, in one sense, as if you had not attended those Catholic schools. It makes (religious life) a little more thinkable.”

The report described the 2023 profession class as “highly educated,” with 62 percent entering their respective religious institutes after Vocations continued on page A12

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brothers. St. John Neumann was his home parish.

In fall 2007, he entered the seminary for the Diocese of Knoxville.

Then-Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz sent him to study philosophy at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. After four years of college seminary, he earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy.

Bishop Stika sent him to Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis for one year of theology and then to the Pontifical North American College in Rome for four more years of theology school.

In June 2014, he completed a bachelor of sacred theology degree, and then in June 2016 he completed a Licentiate of Sacred Theology with a specialization in Dogmatic Theology at The Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (The Angelicum).

Father Iurochkin was ordained on March 25, 2019, at the Cathedral of St. Sebastian in the Philippine Archdiocese of Lipa and began his priestly ministry in the former Soviet Union republic of Tajikistan. He was a member of the Institute of the Incarnate Word community. He was incardinated into the Diocese of Knoxville on Dec. 12, 2022.

A native of Khabarovsk, Russia, Father Iurochkin was not raised Catholic. When he was 5 years old, his parents and sister immigrated to the United States, and the young Valentin was left in Russia to be raised by his grandparents, waiting for a chance to join his family in America.

A Maryknoll priest taught him about the Catholic faith, and a few months later he was baptized and confirmed at Easter Vigil. He

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Priests continued on page A10 w ww.di o k no x .o rg

FEBRUARY 4, 2024 n A7

Many disabilities are not obvious, or even visible Reach out in friendship to those with challenges; it will do your soul good

By Dr. Chris Morris

Commentary

COURTESY OF DR. CHRIS MORRIS

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hristopher is one of the regulars at the 8 a.m. Sunday Mass at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport, where he can be found greeting parishioners before Mass.

He wears his Knights of Columbus name tag with pride. He is always ready to help with the offertory collection. His friendly attitude is uplifting to all who know him, and he enjoys other parishioners greeting him warmly.

Unfortunately, there are some who are made uncomfortable because he “acts differently.”

Rather than asking about him and his behavior, they avoid or even shun him. You see, Christopher is on the autism spectrum, an affliction that affects one out of every 45 adults in the United States.

Males are four times more likely to be on the autism spectrum. While some have serious difficulties, many have little or no obvious signs to show that they are on the ASD (autism spectrum disorder) spectrum.

There are some behaviors that are frequently seen in someone on the spectrum, but the level of disability ranges from minimal effects to serious communication and behavior problems.

It is said, “if you meet one person with autism, you have seen one person with autism.”

They may have difficulty communicating with others and expressing their thoughts.

They often have difficulty with reading others’ emotions and feelings when interacting.

Their understanding of the simple concept of “personal space” is often hampered; as a result, they might get uncomfortably close to others without realizing the effects this has on them.

While some have serious intellectual limitations, many have near normal or even higher IQs. Changes in routine can be very difficult

Dr. Chris Morris of Kingsport is shown with his son, Christopher. for them.

One of the biggest problems that those on the spectrum face is the lack of education and misconceptions that the public may have.

Rather than trying to learn how to interact with autistic people, they avoid them; some might even ridicule them, which can be devastating to the person, not to mention their families.

Education and greater insight can enable those on the spectrum to be accepted as a part of the group, as well as help alleviate problem situations.

One simply needs to ask the family about how to respond to minimize the action that

makes them uncomfortable; sometimes helping the autistic person to reduce stress can prevent or minimize a “breakdown.”

Learning to remind the person to watch for “personal space” when they get closer than is comfortable can diffuse a social situation.

Recognizing that the family would often love a little help and support with the autistic family member is a gift that can go a long way.

In November, Pope Francis put out a call to ensure that those with disabilities are included in all Church activities. As Catholics, we all need to step up and show compassion and acceptance of everyone with disabilities, including those with autism.

To achieve this, we all need to become more actively aware of behavioral disabilities as well as physical disabilities.

April is “Autism Awareness Month.” Any of us with a family member on the spectrum would be happy to help educate and allay any concerns that others might have. One of the biggest handicaps that ASD people face is the ignorance of other people.

A little knowledge can make a big difference in the lives of disabled people, particularly those with autism. Reach out and meet some great people who merit your support, friendship, and acceptance; it will do your soul good. ■ Dr. Morris and his family are members of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport. He is a board-certified rheumatologist and practices in Kingsport.

He serves on the Membership and Awards Committee for the America College of Rheumatology and is past president of the Southern Medical Association. He and his wife, Jane, have two children, Christopher and Amanda.

In Catholic Extension exchange program, Sisters empower people

By Maria del Pilar Guzman OSV News

F

ounded in 1905, the nonprofit fundraising organization Catholic Extension has worked in solidarity with people to build vibrant, transformative Catholic faith communities in the poorest regions of the United States.

Throughout its 118-year history, one of the organization’s leaders said, a unique group of people has been propelling the realization of this vision: women religious.

Recognizing the treasured value and efforts of religious Sisters, one of Catholic Extension’s latest initiatives involving them is the U.S.-Latin American Sisters Exchange Program. Since its incep-

tion in 2013, the program—possible thanks to a partnership with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation—has brought a total of 150 Sisters, representing religious congregations across Latin America, to serve in dioceses across the United States.

“We created this program recognizing the tremendous growth and potential in the Latino population here in the United States, particularly among immigrant populations,” Joe Boland, chief mission officer at Catholic Extension, said.

“And so, a primary goal of the initiative was to bring women religious to this country that could minister among Latino immigrant populations.”

The third and latest cohort of Latin American Sisters to partici-

pate in the program, which takes place over five years, welcomed 31 Sisters in fall 2023.

Through the program, groups of three or four Sisters are hosted by one of the 10 participating Catholic Extension “mission dioceses,”

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TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

DAN MCWILLIAMS (3)

Jews continued from page A1 congregation, B’Nai Zion Congregation, which is the conservative congregation, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga, a communal group.

The Diocese of Knoxville has a number of parishes in the Chattanooga area, including the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Jude, St. Stephen, St. Augustine, Shepherd of the Valley, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Bridget, Holy Spirit, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

Mr. Murphy delved into antisemitism’s roots that date to the early years of recorded biblical history, and he explored how myths about Judaism have been perpetuated through time, contributing to the spread of antisemitism, including by Catholics.

Images he shared were from Nazi Germany and the Holocaust as well as religious icons, some of which still exist.

One image in particular prompted discussion by Mr. Murphy and audience members. Ecclesia and Synagoga are Christian-sculpted figures personifying the brokenness between Christianity and Judaism. In medieval-period works of art, Ecclesia and Synagoga are typically side by side and depicted as young and attractive, with Ecclesia representing Christianity, adorned with a crown, chalice, and a cross-topped staff, looking confidently forward.

In contrast, a separate Synagoga, representing Judaism, is blindfolded, stooped, carrying a broken staff, and has the Torah slipping from her hand.

On Catholic churches around the world, Ecclesia and Synagoga can be found within their architecture, often in high-profile positions, such as near church entrances.

Mr. Murphy cited early depictions of this personification of the Church and Judaism as instances of antisemitism that help perpetuate destructive myths about the Jewish faith.

He then pointed to the Second Vatican Council and its historic document Nostra aetate, Pope St. John Paul II and his 2000 visit to Israel, and subsequent visits to Israel by Popes Benedict XVI and Francis as examples of ways the Catholic Church is now supporting the Jewish faith and is seeking to forge an enduring relationship.

Reversing the record

It is Mr. Murphy’s hope—indeed his prayer—that the Catholic Church and all of Christianity reverse the negative record on Judeo-Christian relations, especially as it relates to antisemitism. He sees school systems, whether primary, secondary, or university, as a catalyst for that reversal.

“The awareness of the history of antisemitism varies among individuals and can be influenced by several factors. The depth and coverage of historical topics, including antisemCapitals continued from page A3

Kansas

Kansas pro-life activists hosted the state’s annual March and Rally for Life on Jan. 24. Kansans for Life said on Facebook that the event in Topeka was “a fantastic day!”

“Over 1,000 came to show their unwavering support for unified pro-life action behind policies that offer care, compassion, and will actually save lives,” the TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

Getting the message Left: Audience members listen intently to Brendan Murphy's presentation about the history of Judaism and antisemitism. Above: Monsignor Al Humbrecht, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy, and Mr. Murphy, a historian and speaker on the Holocaust and antisemitism, share ideas following Mr. Murphy's talk in Chattanooga on Jan. 24.

“It can be a devastating shock for Christian audiences to confront the long and tragic history of Christian anti-Judaism. But they are grateful to do so. ... Most Christian denominations are confronting the history of Christian anti-Judaism in a meaningful way.”

— Brendan Murphy, Catholic historian itism, can vary in educational curricula. Some educational systems may not provide comprehensive coverage of this history, leading to gaps in knowledge. Individuals who have not had exposure to diverse historical perspectives or who have not engaged with relevant literature may not be aware of the history of antisemitism. Limited exposure to different cultures and historical events can contribute to ignorance on this topic,” Mr. Murphy said.

Mr. Murphy has been at Marist School for 30 years and teaches history. As part of his curricula, he teaches a seminar class on the Holocaust and world history. He also is the director of Peace by Piece, an interfaith dialogue club with Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

His work has been recognized around the country. Awards in education he has received include the Outstanding Educator Award from the Anne Frank Center in New York; the Anti-Defamation League’s Abe Goldstein Human Relations Award and Unsung Hero Award; Marist School’s Goizueta Chair of Excellence Award, the Faber-McKinley-Stadler Award, and the Frank Hagan Memorial Award; the Distinguished Service Award from the Georgia Independent School Association; the Educator of the Year by the University of Notre Dame; and in 2009 and 2016 the Georgia Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust.

Mr. Murphy also is a Museum Teacher Fellow at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and a Lerner Fellow at the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous in New York.

The longtime educator and graduate of the University of Notre Dame credits the Catholic Church in recent decades and its adoption of Nostra aetate and recognition of Judaism as a sister faith for helping to heal wounds.

Mr. Murphy said his Jewish audiences have responded “very positively” to his presentations. The Catholic portion of the audience in Chattanooga also responded positively, but Mr. Murphy acknowledged that Christian audiences can be caught off-guard by the low-profile, historic truths his program reveals.

“It can be a devastating shock for

Christian audiences to confront the long and tragic history of Christian anti-Judaism. But they are grateful to do so,” he observed.

Does Mr. Murphy believe Christendom will accept the retracing of antisemitism history in his lifetime?

“Yes. Most Christian denominations are confronting the history of Christian anti-Judaism in a meaningful way,” he noted.

Monsignor Humbrecht was “very pleased” with Mr. Murphy’s talk.

“Again, we can’t deny history. But we can also see where we can learn from history and move beyond that,” Monsignor Humbrecht said. “Here in Chattanooga, we have always had good relationships between the Jewish and Catholic communities.”

Monsignor Humbrecht acknowledged periods of antisemitism within the Catholic Church throughout history that Mr. Murphy highlighted.

“It is part of our history. And to deny it doesn’t serve any good purpose. We have to build on the truth,” the Holy Spirit Parish pastor said.

Monsignor Humbrecht partnered with Rabbi Lewis and Jed Mescon, a Chattanooga broadcast personality who is a member of the Mizpah Congregation, in organizing the “Let’s Talk!” program.

While the program dealt with the dark days of antisemitism through the years leading up to the Holocaust, and a number of hard truths were exposed, Monsignor Humbrecht was inspired by the high note on which the presentation ended.

“Each part had its own role to play, but I loved the fact that it ended on such a positive note on here is where we are now and how we go from here,” Monsignor Humbrecht said.

Mr. Murphy pointed out that while periods of antisemitism in the Catholic Church furthered a divide between Judaism and Christianity, Pope John Paul II did much to heal those wounds when he visited Israel and the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, in Jerusalem in March 2000.

In Israel, the Holy Father took part in a historic ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance inside The World Holocaust Remembrance Center to express a wish for reconciliation between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people.

While praying at the Western Wall,

group said.

At the state capitol, House Speaker Dan Hawkins told marchers that Kansas is “truly blessed” to “have so many prolife legislators.”

State pro-life activists were chastened in 2022 with the failure of the state’s “Value Them Both” amendment. The amendment, if approved, would have reversed the Kansas Supreme Court’s 2019 ruling that the state’s constitu-

tion protects a woman’s right to abortion.

Rep. Hawkins said after that amendment’s failure, leaders of both legislatures decided they were “going to really focus on life.”

Legislators subsequently passed the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, extending protections to infants who survive abortions.

Both the state House and Senate voted to override Democratic

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Pope John Paul II placed a personal note in the wall between the stones that was a prayer for forgiveness and a wish for reconciliation. It said: “God of our fathers, you chose Abraham and his descendants to bring your name to the nations. We are deeply saddened by the behavior of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer, and asking your forgiveness, we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the covenant. Amen.”

Also praying at the Western Wall in recent years were Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis, and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York.

And having as great an impact or greater on Judeo-Catholic relations, according to Monsignor Humbrecht, has been Nostra aetate, which is considered an important declaration on the Church’s relationship with Jews and Muslims that pays special attention to the Judeo-Catholic relationship.

“In Nostra aetate, there was such a history with the cardinals at the council (Vatican II) trying to come together on how to phrase and what to bring out. It was a working process, but it turned out to be an extremely beautiful document,” Monsignor Humbrecht said.

Proponents of Nostra aetate would like to see it get the attention other, higher-profile Vatican II documents have received.

Rabbi Lewis said Mr. Murphy first delivered his presentation to the Mizpah Congregation during spring 2023, which he described as “captivating.”

“One of the questions that we asked was how much is this topic talked about in Catholic churches, in the Catholic schools. Brendan’s response was basically that it’s not enough. We then started talking about cooperating and coordinating with a Catholic church in the area, in our community, to partner and bring Brendan back again. Father Al (Humbrecht) was so gracious to work with us and do that,” Rabbi Lewis said, crediting volunteers along with Monsignor Humbrecht to bring about the program.

Beginning the dialogue

Rabbi Lewis noted that representation from the Jewish and Catholic congregations at the presentation was good.

“We were delighted to see the turnout by the Catholic community and members of the general Christian community,” he said.

What does Rabbi Lewis hope the audience’s takeaway from the presentation is?

“Responsibility to know history and to share the story of what can happen when we teach the wrong message and what needs to happen when we can teach a better mesJews continued on page A10

Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of the bill.

“What a glorious veto override it was!” Rep. Hawkins said at the rally to applause.

The state last year, meanwhile, launched its innovative Alternatives to Abortion program; that initiative serves as “a statewide program to enhance and increase resources that promote childbirth instead of abortion to women facing unplanned pregnancies.” ■ FEBRUARY 4, 2024 n A9

Priests continued from page A7 said as he was being baptized, he felt a calling to the priesthood.

Soon afterward, he met Father Jesús Guerrero, who is now the parochial administrator of St. Elizabeth Parish in Elizabethton and St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Mountain City, who was studying the Russian language in Father Iurochkin’s hometown.

Father Iurochkin entered the Institute of the Incarnate Word community when he was 17. At age 18 after finishing high school, he was sent to Tajikistan for a year of pre-seminary discernment before A10 n FEBRUARY 4, 2024

BILL BREWER (2)

Jews continued from page A9 sage, the right message of not hating without cause, of not fabricating falsehoods about other people simply because they are different, or simply because they are vulnerable, or simply because they can be scapegoated. Jewish history has taught us that when antisemitism has reared its head toward us, hatred is likely to fall upon other groups as well,” he said.

“So, part of our responsibility is to teach the history so that other people will stop oppressing, not just us, but just stop oppressing in general,” he added.

He doesn’t believe that is too tall of an order.

“It can’t be too tall. They can’t give us too much work to do. We certainly, collectively as the human race, have done our share to work the other way, to destroy. If we can work to destroy, we can certainly work together to build,” Rabbi Lewis pointed out.

“It’s painful to watch what’s going on in Israel and in Gaza. It’s very, very hard to watch and understand.

But it reminds us why Israel is a necessity in the modern world because it was born out of the ashes of the Holocaust. And having a safe haven that will take in Jews from anywhere around the world when antisemitism threatens them, or threatens to expel them, offers them a place to go. And it’s a place that is a Jewish state and stands up for the Jewish people. It’s very clear why it’s there, and when its borders are threatened and attacked so viciously, Jews around the world feel vulnerable again.

“We don’t always agree on what the solution is. But we all understand that Israel was our answer to antisemitism. And that safety and protection has been pierced in such a way that we can’t rest until the land is safe and secure again,” the rabbi shared.

Rabbi Lewis learned from his history teachers that antisemitism and the hatred of Jewish people has never really gone away, it’s always been just below the surface.

“It’s just that certain world events happen, and then it becomes more exposed. The Anti-Defamation League frequently talks about antisemitism being the canary in the coal mine for all other sorts of hatreds to arise, which again gives us that extra responsibility to alert the rest of the world that as we’re being singled out, other groups will follow. It’s just so important that people be aware of hatred without cause,” he shared.

Rabbi Lewis is hopeful for a solution. In fact, he’s hopeful for enduring peace for all of Judaism.

“There has to be hope. Hope is what inspires life. If you can’t hope for something, then why do we get up and do what we do every day? Even to sustain ourselves, to feed ourselves, to raise our children means that we’re hoping for the future to be bright, brighter than it is now. The act of living is an act of hope. If we don’t have hope, then we just give in,” he said.

Rabbi Lewis said Mr. Murphy’s presentation gives him hope that people are willing to learn. But will there be enough of them?

“Yes, it gives me hope that people have an open mind. But we can’t paint anybody with a broad, sweeping brush to say that all Christians are coming around. There’s ample evidence of people of all faiths around the world keeping a closed mind and believing that their way is

Presentation participants Joining Father Mike Nolan, left, and Father Jim Vick, right, were Beverly Short, center left, and Deidre Diener. Ms. Short is a member of Our Lady of the Mount Parish in Lookout Mountain, Ga., and Ms. Diener is a member or Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga. the right way, and therefore everybody else is wicked,” he said.

“There’s never enough. And this isn’t just about the Christian community. People in general need to be willing to open their eyes to understand that there is a multiplicity of ways of understanding our connection to God, our connection to the universe, and our responsibility within it. But just because we disagree doesn’t mean that we need to attack and vilify each other,” he continued.

Inspired to act

Father Nolan said members of his parish who attended the program were inspired, possibly to the point of taking action. “Not only inspired, but what can we do in our parish?

How can we spread the word?”

He hopes his parishioners will indeed be inspired to act.

Father Vick agreed with Mr. Murphy that learning about antisemitism in the Catholic Church can be difficult to understand for older Catholics who were never taught this.

“They have to understand the connection about what they learned then (1940s-1950s) to now. Now they realize, so that’s what’s going on.

They also learned something more important. There’s hope. Jews and Christians can come together, symbolized by that statue (“Synagoga and Ecclesia in Our Time”). That’s what was so amazing for them because it touched their hearts,” Father Vick said.

At a time when antisemitism in society shows little sign of abating, the Diocese of Knoxville priests believe now is as good a time as any to have

discussions among congregations and faiths.

“It takes a conversation. It takes forgiveness and mutual reconciliation. Put the cards on the table. Face the facts. Then walk together,” Father Vick suggested.

Father Nolan shared that he is learning new lessons, too.

“As a child, I never read Nostra aetate. I was 5 years old when it was introduced. I don’t know if any of my teachers ever read it. But even as a little boy growing up in East Ridge and attending Our Lady of Perpetual Help elementary school, we were taught that the Jews were our grandparents in the faith and we should respect and revere them,” Father Nolan said. “I think it bears repeating.

This isn’t a new idea of the hope and the covenant. That statue (“Synagoga and Ecclesia in Our Time”) is phenomenal. I wasn’t even aware of some of the atrocities that he (Mr. Murphy) spoke of. But we’re families in the faith. Amen.”

Deidre Diener and Beverly Short were among the Catholics in the audience. Ms. Diener lives in Chattanooga and attends Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. Ms. Short is in the Archdiocese of Atlanta and attends Our Lady of the Mount Church in Lookout Mountain, Ga. The women were inspired to continue praying for peace and reconciliation among the faiths.

“I’m just a big proponent of hoping and praying for peace in the world. And I think education is the best way to make people aware of the history. Listening to (Mr. Murphy’s) explanations through the Bible with Jewish people and Christian

Church history lesson Historian and speaker Brendan Murphy gives a talk to nearly 100 people in Chattanooga about the history of antisemitism and hatred of Jews throughout world.

Fr. Hendershott

Fr. Iurochkin

entering Cardinal Barbarigo Seminary in Montefiascone, Italy.

For his summer vacation in 2019, Father Iurochkin traveled to

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people in the same room, I’m leaving with a sense of hope that this can be possible,” said Ms. Diener, who formerly lived in Knoxville and attended St. John XXIII Catholic Center on the University of Tennessee campus and taught at St. Joseph School.

“When I saw Pope John Paul II (images) at the Wailing Wall and putting his prayer in the wall and asking for forgiveness, that is a big step. Forgiveness is a necessary element that people need to become aware of and practice in order for us to have peace within ourselves and peace in our community,” Ms. Diener said. “I feel privileged to have been able to hear his (Mr. Murphy’s) talk.”

Ms. Diener enjoyed touring the synagogue where Mr. Murphy’s presentation was held, describing it as “absolutely beautiful.”

And she said she is praying for everyone in Israel and the Mideast as the fighting continues. “I just pray that people will wake up. But we must find peace within ourselves first.”

Ms. Short would like to see a series of presentations by Mr. Murphy be made available to people around the world.

She said she was among the many at the presentation hearing the history for the first time.

“I was in my late 20s before I even knew that Jesus was a Jew. I was talking with another lady, and she said she was in her 30s before she found out that Jesus was a Jew. So, I guess growing up in a Catholic church we weren’t taught that,” Ms. Short shared.

But she has learned from programs like Mr. Murphy’s and from members of the Jewish faith, and she is open to learning even more about Judeo-Christian history and the role of the Catholic Church.

While Ecclesia and Synagoga images have through history symbolized faiths at odds with each other, Mr. Murphy pointed to a U.S. artist who created a fresh look at the longtime religious relationship.

“Synagoga and Ecclesia in Our Time” was commissioned by St. Joseph University to celebrate a visit to the Philadelphia school in 2015 by Pope Francis, who was marking the 50th anniversary of Nostra aetate. The contemporary take on the historic symbols, created by Philadelphia sculptor Joshua Koffman, features a close relationship between Jews and Christians. It shows the two bronze figures sitting side by side holding their scriptures and appearing to be learning from each other.

Mr. Murphy was inspired by Mr. Koffman’s work. So much so that he persuaded Marist School to commission a replica of “Synagoga and Ecclesia in Our Time” for the Atlanta school’s campus.

Mr. Murphy sees the Koffman sculpture as the iconic future of Judeo-Christian relations.

“The sculpture has been an inspiration and a motivation for both Jews and Christians to better relations,” he said.

Mr. Murphy shared what he hoped would be his Chattanooga audience’s takeaway from his presentation. And it can apply to many other audiences as well.

“History often repeats itself, and understanding the historical patterns of antisemitism can help societies recognize early signs of discrimination and take steps to prevent its recurrence. Knowledge of past atrocities can serve as a warning and a call to action against any resurgence of antisemitic sentiments,” he concluded. ■ the United States and was invited

by Father Guerrero to the Diocese of Knoxville. He then requested and received permission to serve in the Diocese of Knoxville.

He arrived in Knoxville on Nov. 6, 2019, and began assisting at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. In December 2019, he was assigned to the basilica and the UT-Chattanooga Newman Center.

Father Iurochkin, who is fluent in Russian, English, Italian, Spanish, and Mandarin, celebrates Masses in English, Spanish, and Latin. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

St. Michael the Archangel hosts Eucharistic Revival USCCB official Yohan Garcia is featured speaker during December retreat

T

TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C. Mr. Garcia also serves as an adjunct faculty

Observing the covenant Rabbi Michael Melchior watches as Pope John Paul II prays at Judaism's holiest site, the Western Wall, in Jerusalem in March 2000. The Holy Father also placed within the stones of the wall a prayer he wrote. Pope John Paul was instrumental in leading the Catholic Church to reach out to the Jewish people and call for an end to antisemitism and hatred toward Judaism.

337 percent increase in physical assaults, harassment, and vandalism.

The Council on American Islamic Relations also released a statement saying it had tracked a

172 percent increase in anti-Muslim incidents from Oct. 7 to Dec. 2, 2023, compared to the same period from the previous year.

Several college campuses across the nation have been focal points

OSV NEWS PHOTO/FABRIZIO BENSCH, REUTERS

Holocaust continued from page A1 term for the Holocaust—through asphyxiation with poison gas, mass shooting, hanging, starvation, and disease.

Prisoners also were routinely subjected to forced labor, sterilization, and medical experimentation.

For Catholics, recalling and preventing those atrocities is essential, Philip Cunningham, professor and co-director of the Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, told OSV News.

“The Shoah must be remembered because it was among the most terrifying instances of human evil in all of history,” Mr. Cunningham said.

Referencing Nostra aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s document on the Church’s relations with non-Christian faiths, Mr. Cunningham added that “as Catholics, as Christians, and as sharers with our Jewish sisters and brothers of the biblical legacy that all human beings are fashioned in God’s image, it is our baptismal duty before the Lord to repudiate any dehumanization of people at any time and by anyone.”

Fellow St. Joseph’s professor and IJCR co-director Adam Gregerman said it was “sadly appropriate” that this year ’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day marked a time when “we commit to not just remembering but to acting against violence and hatred today.”

In recent months, there has been a dramatic rise in the United States in both antisemitism and Islamophobic activity, especially following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The Anti-Defamation League recorded what it called an “unprecedented” rise in antisemitic incidents in the United States—a

Keynote address USCCB official Yohan Garcia delivers his presentation during the St. Michael the Archangel Eucharistic Revival on Dec. 2 in Erwin.

member at Loyola University in Chicago, where he teaches a course on Catholic social ethics and migration.

In his first talk, “This Is My Body,” Mr. Garcia challenged the audience to be vulnerable during the Advent season by humbling themselves and leaving their comfort zones in order to better relate to others within the same community. Mr. Garcia encouraged those in attendance to notice the strangers in their communities they may have ignored and to extend the love of Christ to them in being His hands and feet.

In this talk, Mr. Garcia pointed out that all Catholics play a role as members of one body of Christ, even though there may be apparent barriers that cause division on the surface. As a family within this body, Catholics are encouraged to focus on uniting qualities to bring each other together rather than what divides.

“We are all travelers from birth to death,” Mr.

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/ARTURO MARI

he Glenmary Home Missioners are a religious Catholic community of priests and brothers who establish Catholic mission parishes across Appalachia and the rural South.

St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Erwin hosted the missioners during its annual Advent retreat on Dec. 2, focusing on the Blessed Sacrament.

The Eucharistic Revival featured talks in English and Spanish and was followed by the sacrament of reconciliation with assistance from priests from surrounding parishes. Mass was celebrated by Father Kenn Wandera, GHM, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel.

Keynote speaker Yohan Garcia immigrated with his family from Mexico in 2003 in search of a better life in the United States. Mr. Garcia is the Catholic social teaching education manager of the Office of Education and Outreach for the

COURTESY OF CASEY KEELEY

By Casey Keeley

In memoriam People walk past a white rose placed at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, also known as the Holocaust Memorial, in Berlin on Jan. 26, the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

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Retreat continued on page A17

of such incidents, prompting a Dec. 5 congressional hearing on the issue.

In his Jan. 24 Angelus address, Pope Francis said that International Holocaust Remembrance Day serves as a call to safeguard human dignity.

“May the remembrance and condemnation of that horrible extermination of millions of Jewish people and those of other faiths, which occurred in the first half of the last century, help us all not to forget that the logic of hatred and violence can never be justified, because they negate our very humanity,” the Holy Father said.

Mr. Cunningham noted that the “racism at the Shoah’s root is shamelessly manipulated today by the unscrupulous to set different groups of people at each other ’s throats.”

“These memories should remind us of a deep obligation we have to all of those who are persecuted for their differences and scapegoated by those who seek power by cultivating hatred,” added Mr. Gregerman.

“On this solemn occasion, we stand in solidarity to mourn the 6 million innocent lives lost during the Shoah,” and to “reflect on the ordinary people who chose to fight back against those who perpetrated acts of pure evil,” Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia said in a Jan. 26 statement to OSV News.

Archbishop Pérez also said that “divine love transcends all.”

“Embracing that love and sharing it with others is our greatest weapon in the struggle to overcome evil,” he said. “At a time when many hearts are heavy with grief and sadness as a result of ongoing warfare and strife in the Middle East as well as Ukraine and other parts of the world, let us pray for an end to conflict and for a lasting peace.” ■

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"That's a key element, and a piece of the invitation. It's just placing younger people in a ministerial role."

Vocations continued from page A7 earning at least a bachelor’s degree, and 20 percent after obtaining a graduate degree.

At the same time, educational debt did not delay most survey participants from entering religious life; the 9 percent who reported educational debt experienced less than a year of delay as they cleared just under $37,000 in student loans, assisted by friends and family members.

While respondents said they were on average 18 years old when they first considered a vocation, some 82 percent had prior work experience before entering religious life—more than half (55 percent) had worked full time—with business, education, and health care the top fields.

Respondents reported that eucharistic adoration (82 percent), the rosary (72 percent), and retreats (72 percent) were among their most common formative prayer experiences, with four out of five respond-

A12 n FEBRUARY 4, 2024

“That’s a key element, and a piece of the invitation,” said Father Gaunt.

“It’s just placing younger people in a ministerial role.”

Personal interactions also helped to foster consecrated life, with 82 percent of the respondents noting that they had been encouraged to consider a vocation by a priest (45 percent), religious sister or brother (44 percent), friend (41 percent), teacher or catechist (27 percent), or parent (mother, 26 percent; father, 23 percent).

At the same time, more than 55 percent reported that one or more people had discouraged them from pursuing a religious vocation, with women more likely than men to re-

OSV NEWS PHOTO/CHOSEN POLAND

ents regularly practicing adoration prior to entering religious life.

Father Gaunt also highlighted the need to pay “attention to the cultural differences in devotions and practices,” such as processions, home altars, family prayers, and other forms of popular piety, which are informing the one-quarter of foreign-born religious aspirants to religious life in the United States.

The study found that participation in religious programs and activities also correlated highly with vocations, as more than 93 percent of the respondents cited experience in ministries such as lector (55 percent), altar servers (54 percent), and youth ministry or youth group (45 percent).

Promoting the Holy Spirit Above: Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in "The Chosen" TV series, poses for a selfie during a Warsaw, Poland, premiere of season four on Jan. 26. The event attracted 1,600 fans of the show, which has been seen by 200 million viewers worldwide. Below: Mr. Roumie and Elizabeth Tabish, who portrays Mary Magdalene, are pictured in Warsaw with OSV News' Paulina Guzik in the studio of Polish Television, TVP, on Jan. 27.

OSV NEWS PHOTO/HUBERT SZCZYPEK, COURTESY TVP, POLISH TELEVISION

The Chosen continued from page A2 to quit acting. I wasn’t getting the sort of roles that I really wanted to be doing, and I told my agent to just stop submitting me. I need to switch gears, do something more practical,” she said of a time in her life where she was struggling to even pay rent.

But the agent insisted she audition for the series, “and I read the script for the first episode, and I was so connected to her character, it was so beautifully written—just so much backstory and emotional depth and complexities. And I thought, this is what I would love to be doing," she said.

Now, she told OSV News, “we get to make something that is affecting people in wonderful ways, bringing hope to viewers and creating something that has purpose.”

Ms. Tabish now feels deeply connected to St. Mary Magdalene, one of the best-known personalities surrounding Jesus but also the most mysterious.

“The fact that she was there, the first to see Him resurrected, was like, this woman is so special to this story. And of course, she’s sort of captured the imagination of people for thousands of years,” she said.

For Mr. Roumie, a practicing Catholic, the role of Jesus also came as a surprise. Years before “The Chosen” project started, he was supposed to play a good thief in a production filmed for a Good Friday church service. But at the last minute the director changed his role to Jesus.

“And I said, oh, man, Jesus has like five lines in this film. But, you know, I love Jesus. I’m a huge fan of Jesus. And I thought, well, look, this is an opportunity to play Jesus,” he recalled.

When the same director, Dallas Jenkins, invited Mr. Roumie to play Jesus in The Chosen series, he wanted to take the role, even though Mr. Jenkins told him the series “probably won’t go anywhere, but at least it’ll be a little bit of work.”

Mr. Roumie, like Ms. Tabish, had his own struggles before he started filming.

“I struggled in Los Angeles for eight years before The Chosen came along, and three months before ‘The Chosen,’ I committed to giving everything over to God, to letting go of the reins of control over my career, over my concept of how I thought my life should go, how I thought my career should go,” he said.

“And when I did that, everything changed in the span of 24 hours,” he continued. “And then three months after that one specific day where I let it all go, Dallas (Jenkins, the director) called me up and said, ‘We’re going to do this show.’ And since then, it’s just been a journey towards growing deeper and deeper into my faith.”

From the beginning, the challenge of playing Jesus was not easy for him. When a scene in the first season required Mr. Roumie to preach directly from Scripture, he felt it was a heavy burden to carry, he recalled.

“At that moment, I started to become overwhelmed, like, ‘What am I even doing here? How am I even saying these words? I’m not

— Father Thomas Gaunt, noting that participation in religious programs and activities correlates highly with vocations

worthy to be preaching these words that Jesus preached and now to be portraying Him for the entire world that’s going to see this.’ It was completely overwhelming,” he said.

“I had a conversation with our director, and he just reminded me that we’re meant to be here, we’re here to do this story for a reason. And that kind of gave me a lot of comfort,” Mr. Roumie continued. “And I’ve continued to just pray and discern and really stay rooted in the fact that God has me on this path for a specific reason.”

During Mr. Roumie’s stay in Poland, he visited and prayed in the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy and the neighboring Sanctuary of St. John Paul II in Kraków.

“It was really beautiful,” he said.

Asked about the recipe for the series’ success, Ms. Tabish said that “it starts with the writers and it starts with the script—our writers know the Bible so well.”

Writing the scriptural characters as personable, funny, and smart, she added, “infuse this sort of modern sensibility into the whole thing, where modern audiences can relate to these characters. Because if you take it off the page and into real life, they are relatable. They are actually going through the same sort of struggles that we go through.”

Oftentimes biblical characters have been treated as people “floating above the ground everywhere you go,” and “people can’t relate to that,” Mr. Roumie added.

In the series, however, they see Jesus who “suffered; He had troubles the way I have troubles and struggles and trials,” Mr. Roumie said.

“And so I think because of that, people see themselves in each one of the characters, and then it draws them closer to their faith, knowing that all of these people, even Jesus, experienced the fullness of humanity.

Jesus (was) obviously without sin, but still He experienced the entire spectrum of emotions.”

For Ms. Tabish, “Mary (Magdalene) is such a representation of all of us—flawed people who need help, who need Jesus, who need to be rescued.”

“Rescue” is not an exaggeration for people affected in real time by The Chosen series. Mr. Roumie gets hundreds of testimonies of people changed by the series, including coming back to the Church.

He knows of people who “were going to take their own life and decided not to because there was a moment where a friend interceded and showed them this show. And after watching the first episode of the show, they were overcome with this sense that, you know, God has a purpose for them. So, they decided not to go ahead and take their own life,” he said.

Mr. Roumie met a couple who told him the show helped them restore their marriage and begin going to Bible studies. Another fan of the show is discerning the priesthood, "and he said this (show) has had a

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port this experience.

Just under one-third of the respondents (31 percent) said they first became acquainted with their respective religious orders through a sponsored institute, such as a school or hospital. Another 26 percent said they learned of their institute through print or online promotional material.

Almost all (94 percent) of the respondents said they had taken part in some form of vocational discernment program, particularly “come and see” experiences.

In many respects, creating a culture of religious vocations involves consistently doing “simple things ... that are very important for us to keep in mind,” Father Gaunt said.

Young people are “getting a lot of reinforcement going in the other direction,” away from religious life, he said. “What’s the positive reinforcement that they find or experience?

That would be the key.” ■ direct impact. So, glory to God! It’s just that. It’s incredible how much of an impact a television show can have on a person. So, you really begin to realize that there is a sort of a hidden responsibility that we have as actors on this particular show,” he added.

Asked whether it’s challenging to be an actor whose face millions of people associate with the face of their Savior, Mr. Roumie said he tries to take it with humility.

“I’ve come to accept the fact that this is where God has put me. And I'm just trying to be a good steward of the gifts and the responsibility of playing this role and ultimately, surreally becoming what people kind of imagine as the face of Jesus for their modern era. So, I try not to think about that too much. … It’s humbling, and it’s an honor,” he said, adding he’s just “a flawed human being.”

“I’m just a person that, you know, has a really, really interesting job and playing this character. So, I’m grateful for that,” he said.

The financial commitment of people in the first stages of The Chosen production indicates the series’ great meaning for the audience, the actors told OSV News.

“We’ve been provided for because, I think, the people who want to see it are desperately wanting to see it,” Ms. Tabish said.

People wanted to crowdfund the show because it has “this ring of authenticity to it and this honesty and this desire to bring something that we know to be true to the world,” Mr. Roumie added.

When the producers decided to unlock the series and stream it for free, “it exploded the minute they did that,” Mr. Roumie said. “We got like four times as many people contributing to help us fund the next phase, the next season, after we made it free.”

In season four, with stirring scenes including ones featuring John the Baptist and Lazarus, Ms. Tabish said, “We kind of come to this point of no return. Everything is a little bit more dangerous, the stakes are all higher. … There’s no turning back. It’s a painful season in a lot of ways.”

Asked whether he feels the anxiety of knowing of Jesus’ coming crucifixion as an actor portraying Him, Mr. Roumie said, “I am looking forward to telling the story, but performing that is—I know—it’s going to be challenging for me personally as an actor and as a Christian. It’s a painful part of this story, but it’s not the end of the story. The end of the story ends in life and light and truth and salvation and eternity. That’s the end of the story.”

For Mr. Roumie, season four was “for a while, completely challenging to film on a technical level, and on a narrative level was painful and sorrowful and difficult at times,” but “what ultimately comes out of it and the message behind season four— and the faith and the encouragement and the hope and the message to trust and put faith in God and that He has your back—ultimately is the beauty that I think people will walk away with when they leave the theaters.” ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

echize and evangelize this unique population, Father Chenault had hoped for a while to welcome some Sisters to the parish, which is why he thought it providential when the diocese’s vicar general asked him if he had heard of the Sisters Exchange Program through Catholic Extension.

“I thought we might be a good fit,” Father Chenault said.

Once the Diocese of Birmingham received the grant, the parish’s staff facilitated a lot of the details.

An important step of the process occurred last April, when Dominican Sisters of Christian Doctrine Sister Iraís Santiago Santos and Sister Jeanette Mireya Gamboa visited the parish for a week “just to see, ‘Is this going to be a good fit?’” Father Chenault said.

“I knew this would be a different reality from some of the other places they had been at,” he said.

And a good fit they were, as the two Sisters arrived at Our Lady of the Valley on Oct. 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi.

While united by their shared mission of reaching people on the peripheries, each of the Sisters brings with them unique experiences and cultural backgrounds. A native of Guerrero, Mexico, Sister Iraís felt the

Sisters continued from page A1 the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga.

Sister Maria Luisa Morales works with St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport and St. Patrick Parish in Morristown. Sister Maria Esther Ordoñez Cuevas works with Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville and St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Mountain City.

Beyond ministry programs and religious education within parishes, the Sisters also go out into the community to reach people where they are.

The Sisters teach leadership development classes, lead sacramental and quinceañera preparation courses, provide counseling, accompany individuals to court, and help people find jobs.

In Unicoi and Washington counties, they visit the migrant farm workers and coordinate having Mass celebrated for them.

“They do great work,” said Mrs. Primm. “They are out there, in the community. Their presence is very important, essential, because they accompany the people in the field.”

“They visit families at home taking the Gospel and inviting them to become part of the parish community. The Sisters go where many can’t with their missionary vocation, sharing the Gospel where they serve,” she noted.

The Sisters have also established two casas de oración, or “houses of prayer,” in Chattanooga.

These gathering places are strategically located in areas that will help them reach more people on the margins.

The Santa Cruz Casa de Oración is located in a former recreation center and serves around 500 people. The second, Immaculate Conception, was originally a garage and hosts around 350 people.

Activities at the casas de oración include prayer and rosary groups, Mass, food distribution, marriage classes, counseling, and medical assistance.

The Sisters and lay leaders host prayer services, musical gatherings, classes, and other community events.

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selves confused. There’s a distance between them and their parents, who only speak Spanish or a Guatemalan dialect, whereas they, in some cases, only speak English.”

While ministering to the Our Lady of the Valley community and other faith communities, the Sisters will pursue a degree from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. This is part of the exchange program’s goal to enhance the vitality of religious Sisters in the global South.

Sister Iraís would like to pursue a master’s degree in integrated studies, human services, and pastoral care, while Sister Jeanette said she would most likely pursue a bachelor's degree in health care and human services management. The Sisters said these studies will help them and the communities they are serving both now and in the future.

“This is an opportunity that would be hard to find in the places we are originally from; thus, with the help of the program, we will reach people and places we couldn’t before,” Sister Jeanette said.

As they prepare to start their online studies, the Sisters are already empowering people and training a future generation of leaders at their Alabama parish. ■

Jubilee portrait Those taking part in the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ''Ad Gentes'' 75thanniversary celebration gather for a group photo in the Sisters' Jonesborough convent. good people who live in it, but because the Sacred Heart of our Lord is the most welcome resident of this home,” Father Cummins said.

“The Holy Door will be a door of welcome to encounter the heart of our Lord that burns both with a deep love for His Father and in the desire that all people know His Father.”

Father Cummins prayed and sprinkled the Holy Door with holy water. The Sisters stood on the nearby stairwell, each holding a candle.

“Open the gates of justice, we shall enter and give thanks to the Lord,” Father Cummins said.

The door to the convent chapel was opened, and he said, “This is the Lord’s gate. Let us enter through it and obtain mercy and forgiveness.”

With the opening of the door, the priests and Sisters, followed by the rest of the faithful, then processed through the Holy Door into the chapel for Mass. Processing to and through a Holy Door is meant to recall the spiritual journey that each person makes in life, with the goal being arrival in God’s mercy.

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‘Door of welcome’

Father Michael Cummins, pastor of St. Dominic and special delegate for the Five Rivers Deanery, celebrated the Sisters’ Jubilee Mass in Spanish on Dec. 15. Glenmary Father Tom Charters, associate pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Erwin, and Father Joseph Kuzhupil, MSFS, pastor of Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville concelebrated.

Father Dustin Collins, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City, was in choir. Deacon Renzo Alvarado, who is serving a pastoral year at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, assisted.

About a dozen Sisters were present for the Jubilee Mass on Dec. 15, several traveling from outside the diocese to celebrate the anniversary together. Guests arrived from the Diocese of Owensboro, Ky.; the Diocese of Springfield, Ill.; and the Diocese of Shreveport, La. Some of the visiting Sisters previously have served in the Diocese of Knoxville, including Sister Carmen Lina Ramos, who spent 22 years in the diocese. Around 40 members of the community also joined the Sisters at their Jonesborough convent for the celebration.

The ceremony began with the crowd gathering in the convent’s garage that opened into the yard. After prayer and singing was the opening of the Holy Door. A Holy Door is an entrance into a church or chapel that receives a special blessing of mercy. Pilgrims will receive a plenary indulgence for passing through the Holy Door and going to confession.

“Sisters, through this door you will welcome many others during this special jubilee year, and that welcome will be a blessing to them. It will be a blessing not just because they are being welcomed into a nice, clean, and warm house with

call to religious life while working on faith formation as a youth minister in a local parish. Sister Jeanette, on the other hand, was born in Texas to Mexican parents and had an inclination for religious life ever since childhood, which only grew stronger after her baptism at age 13.

A third Sister, Sister Alejandra de la Rosa Sifuentes, who is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, also arrived at the parish and will be the superior of the three sisters there.

Sister Alejandra was not available for an interview, but Catholic Extension explained that, just like the other Sisters in the program, these three Sisters will live in community during the next five years.

Only a few months into the program, the Sisters—whose order was founded in Mexico in 1948—have identified some of the needs of the population they are ministering to.

“There’s a big need of evangelization, of strengthening the faith and of accompaniment, especially to immigrants, who are mostly from Guatemala,” Sister Iraís said.

“Another necessity we have seen is the accompaniment that the young people need,” Sister Jeanette said.

“Unlike their parents, they are growing up in this society and find them-

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Extension continued from page A8 the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Fla.; the Diocese of San Angelo, Texas; the Diocese of Savannah, Ga.; and the Diocese of Shreveport, La. “There was a big focus in the South this time,” Mr. Boland said, adding that the program “is responding to the phenomenon that we have lived and seen in many of these dioceses: that the growth in the Church is happening thanks to these Latino communities.”

Father Richard Chenault, pastor at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Fort Payne, Ala., a rural town about one hour’s drive north of Birmingham, experienced this phenomenon up close. With 80 percent of his congregation being Hispanic, particularly Guatemalan and Mexican, the celebration of bilingual Masses is non-negotiable, he explained.

Reaching the youth of this demographic also has become a task of increasing importance. For the roughly 130 confirmations and over 100 first Communions slated for 2024, more than 95 percent of the youth preparing to receive the sacraments are Hispanic Americans.

“They are the future; they are the Church. Truly,” Father Chenault said.

Seeing the growing need to cat-

'Through this door' Sisters with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ''Ad Gentes'' and others take part in opening of the Holy Door in their Jonesborough convent on Dec. 15 as part of the 75th jubilee celebration of the order's founding in Mexico. www.di o k no x .o rg

In his homily, Father Cummins congratulated the Sisters on their anniversary and thanked them for their dedication and work.

“On behalf of Archbishop [Shelton J.] Fabre, I extend congratulations and his prayers on the 75th anniversary year of the foundation of your community—Las Misioneras del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus ‘Ad Gentes.’ Today and this whole jubilee year is a blessing to your community and a blessing to all the people touched by your community’s faith and ministry. Thank you, Sisters, for your witness and your deep devotion to our Lord,” Father Cummins said.

He praised their missionary spirit and reflected how the Holy Door was a symbol of that.

“Missionaries are people who are ‘sent out’ to proclaim the Good News, and yet today, in celebration of your missionary community, we are blessing a door in a home, in a neighborhood of Jonesborough, Tenn.,” he said. “Doors are places of both going out and being welcomed in, and it seems to me that both of these truths are appropriate, both for today and through this special jubilee year.

“Sisters, you will continue to go through this door throughout this jubilee year to continue your work of proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, to be His hands and His heart in service and care to God’s people.”

Following the homily, each Sister approached the altar and reaffirmed her religious vows.

The vow renewal was particularly special for Sister Eloísa, a native of Huamantla, Tlaxcala, Mexico, who had marked her 25th anniversary of taking religious vows on Dec. 9.

Following Mass, a luncheon was held under a large tent in front of the convent. It was a time to celebrate and accompany the Sisters, who give so much to the community.

“The Mass was full of joy, hope, and faith,” Sister Pili said. “It was actually a solemn ceremony.

We feel privileged as a congregation to receive this blessing [of a Holy Door] through which many souls will achieve spiritual benefits.”

There already has been great interest in the communities from laypeople to visit and pray at the Sisters’ convent and the Holy Door during the jubilee year, according to Mrs. Primm. The Sisters are arranging times for visits and are excited about the new opportunity to share God’s mercy with others. “[Being a Missionary Sister of the Sacred Heart] is a commitment to God and to the holy Church,” Sister Pili said. “My vocation as a missionary is to bring the message of salvation through evangelization. It is a joy to be able to be God’s instrument for this task.” ■ FEBRUARY 4, 2024 n A13

Summit spotlights plight of persecuted religious groups

OSV NEWS PHOTO/MATT RYB, IRF SUMMIT

By Kate Scanlon OSV News

Freedom of religion Bishop A. Elias Zaidan and Archbishop Angaelos listen during a session of the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington.

S

peakers and panelists at a prominent religious freedom summit in Washington, D.C., Jan. 30-31 examined the plight of religious groups facing persecution around the world, including Catholics in Nicaragua, Christians in Nigeria, and Uyghurs in China, as well as a global rise in antisemitism.

Organizers of the International Religious Freedom Summit, an annual gathering of lawmakers and human rights advocates in Washington, said they would seek to bring together “a broad coalition that passionately supports religious freedom around the globe.”

In a keynote address to the summit, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the United States is called to be an example of religious freedom around the globe since the right to freedom of religion is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence.

“Our nation’s birth certificate states that very clear-

Life continued from page A6 value babies in their earliest stages of life. Truly, the embryonic stage of life is the ‘least of the least.’

Jesus was very clear about our treatment of the ‘least,’” Deacon Fischer continued.

The Heart 2 Fragile Heart ministry has adopted St. Margaret of Castello as its patroness, and the ministry prays a Dignity Prayer, asking for her intercession on behalf of its work:

St. Margaret of Castello, unappreciated and rejected by your own family, we appeal to you.

You were isolated and hidden from any contact with society. Yet, you received acceptance, love, and education from your now obscure parish priest.

O incorruptible one, may those hidden in the womb be enveloped by a maternal love that transcends all knowledge.

May this image inspire and

March continued from page A4 the work of pregnancy care centers and maternity homes. Jean Marie Davis, executive director of Branches Pregnancy Resource Center in Brattleboro, Vt., said that she herself was helped by a pregnancy resource center after she was a victim of human trafficking.

Ms. Davis said, “I’m doing something to give back to the community and fighting for something, not just for my son's sake, because this is a personal thing, but also for other women to know, I have a voice and I can actually stand up and say something,” Ms. Davis said.

Ms. Davis said she decided to become more vocal in favor of the pro-life cause after legislation in Vermont passed in which the state can fine pregnancy centers if it determines its services are “misleading,” something Ms. Davis said hers does not do.

“The government has no right of steering women from life-affirming health,” Ms. Davis said.

“And so it became a very personal thing because if it wasn’t for the pregnancy center, I would have been a dead woman.”

Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., a Catholic and longtime lawmaker, said at the rally, “There are more than 2,700 pregnancy resource centers throughout the United States.”

“Each and every one of them is an oasis of love, compassion, empathy, respect, and care for both mothers and their children,” Rep. Smith said.

Rep. Smith said work remains

to be done at the federal level, including blocking passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act, legislation supported by the White House, which would prohibit restrictions on abortion prior to viability, setting a national standard critics say goes beyond the Roe standard.

“Yeah, we’ll have a setback here and there. Every human rights trouble does. But we are undeterred. We will not give up,” he said.

The rally opened with a prayer from Bishop John Abdalah of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, who was joined onstage by Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and former chair of the USCCB pro-life committee, and Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Va., who is the current chairman of the U.S. bishops’ pro-life committee.

Benjamin Watson, a former NFL tight end, and former Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh also spoke at the rally, with the latter celebrating that day’s “football weather.”

Coach Harbaugh just over a week earlier coached his Michigan Wolverines team to the national championship.

Coach Harbaugh also praised rallygoers for demonstrating “bold conviction with kindness.”

Mr. Watson said pro-lifers must embark on “a new fight for life.”

“Roe is done, but we still live in a culture that knows not how to care for life,” Mr. Watson said. ■

Coach continued from page A4 that there were numerous pro-life players on his championship-winning squad as well.

The former Michigan coach, who is Catholic, has long been a staunch supporter of the pro-life cause, sharing his belief “in having the courage to let the unborn be born” at the 2022 Plymouth Right to Life dinner and auction in Plymouth, Mich.

In 2017, Coach Harbaugh and his college team visited Rome, where they made a stop at the Vatican.

Coach Harbaugh met Pope Francis, gifting him a Michigan football

helmet and a pair of custom Jordan sneakers, according to ESPN. “If I accomplish nothing more in my life, if I go right now, I’ll be going out a blessed man,” Coach Harbaugh told ESPN after meeting the pope in St. Peter’s Square.

Coach Harbaugh has stated in the past that if one of his players is to become the father for a baby that he cannot or does not want to care for, he and his wife are willing to take the child in and raise it as though it was their own. The same offer stands for female staff members working for his football teams. ■

A14 n FEBRUARY 4, 2024

ly,” he said.

Rep. Johnson argued that “when religious freedom is taken away from a people, political freedom soon follows, we know that that is the lesson of history.”

Noting that suffering around the world is taking place, Johnson said religious freedom should not be a political issue.

“In Nigeria, Christians and minority Muslims are attacked and killed by mobs and terrorists,” he said.

“Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua and Miguel Díaz-Canel in Cuba hunt down and imprison Catholic priests and Baptist pastors who simply preach the Gospel and speak out against the regime.”

Rep. Johnson added Tibetan Buddhists and Falun Gong practitioners also are in danger, while “Uyghur Muslims are suffering under the Chinese Communist Party’s genocidal campaign of forced sterilization, forced detention, and re-education.”

“Millions of Uyghurs have been detained in these camps where they’re kept in cramped cells and Persecution continued on page A17

embolden mothers to nurture and protect their own unborn child.

Provide healing and consolation to mothers abandoned by the father of their baby.

May men develop the courage to respect, protect, and support this profoundly fragile beginning of life.

May we be enabled to extend prayers and material support to mothers left with insufficient resources.

May each of us utilize the divine

graces available to protect these most fragile, yet unique, children, the least of the least.

May courageous women adopt and promote this image as a feminine badge of honor and fortitude.

May your intercession enrich our prayers as we seek our Lord and Savior’s succor.

All this in the name of Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in union with St. Joseph we pray. Amen. ■

East Tennessee Catholic News St. Dominic men’s conference set for March 9 St. Dominic Church in Kingsport will host the third annual East Tennessee Catholic Men’s Conference on Saturday, March 9 (see story on page B4).

The theme of this year’s conference is “Mission: Building Foundations of a Virtuous Life.” Featured speakers include Father Andrew Crabtree, associate pastor of St. Dominic; Paul Simoneau, Diocese of Knoxville vice chancellor and director of the Office of Justice and Peace; Jim Connors; Piotr Ulmer; Kevin Roth; and Deacon Frank Fischer.

The men’s conference, which begins at 7:30 a.m. and concludes at 3:30 p.m., includes breakfast and lunch, moments of fellowship, breakout sessions, music, prayer, opportunities for confession, and Mass. The cost to attend the conference is $35. For more information, see the online registration site at www.saintdominickpt.org/mens-conference.

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee hosting ‘Golden Gala’ Catholic Charities of East Tennessee will hold “A Golden Gala” on Thursday, March 7, at 6 p.m. at Bridgewater Place event center in Knoxville.

Tickets to the annual dinner celebration to benefit Catholic Charities and its many ministries can be purchased online.

Attendees can RSVP and pay online by Feb. 16 at https:// ccetn.org/knoxgala24.

Contact Kelsee Gomillion at 865-963-4720 or kgomillion@ccetn.org for additional information. ■

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TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Faithful Departed Mary Ellen DeAngelo Mary Ellen DeAngelo, affectionately known as “Marty,” passed away on Jan. 17 at the age of 87.

Originally from Savannah, Okla., Mrs. DeAngelo had called Knoxville home for many years. She was preceded in death by her parents, William “Buster” and Pauline Weathers, and her sister, Venus Griffith.

Mrs. DeAngelo is survived by her loving husband, Primo DeAngelo, Mrs. DeAngelo and their children: sons Frank and wife Stacey DeAngelo, Mike and wife Keena DeAngelo, and daughter Maria DeAngelo.

Mrs. DeAngelo also leaves behind her sisters, Ethel Moore and Edith Williams, her faithful companion, Cisco, and a host of extended family and friends. She will be fondly remembered by her grandchildren, Chris, Matthew, Olivia, Allie, Dylan, Shawn, and Jordan. Mrs. DeAngelo’s legacy extends to her great-grandchildren Gemma, Nola, Kambree, Sunny, and Malcolm.

Mrs. DeAngelo’s kind, funny, mischievous, patient, and strong personality left an indelible mark on all who knew her. She had a child-like quality of being sweet and innocent, and everything she did in life was with joy.

She was the proud owner of Marty’s Antiques, where her passion for yard sales, estate sales, buying, and selling shone brightly. She took pride in every item, cleaning, fixing, painting, and placing them perfectly throughout her shop.

Mrs. DeAngelo was a wonderful wife, a devoted mother, was proud of her children, and cherished her home. She had a green thumb, finding joy in gardening and working in her flower beds. She never met a stranger and was beloved by all who crossed her path.

A funeral Mass for Mrs. DeAngelo was celebrated on Jan. 24 at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville, with the burial following at Greenwood Cemetery. Pallbearers were Frank DeAngelo, Mike DeAngelo, Chris DeAngelo, Matthew DeAngelo, Dylan DeAngelo, and Shawn DeAngelo.

Memorial donations in Mrs. DeAngelo’s name can be made to Holy Ghost Church, where she was a long-time member, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, reflecting her love for little children.

Wayne Albert Groppe Wayne Albert Groppe, age 92, passed away on Dec. 8 in his home from complications of heart failure and multiple strokes. His daughter, Jeanne Groppe Chamberlin, was at his side.

Mr. Groppe was born on Nov. 19, 1931, in Dubuque, Iowa, to Clara Loretta Koester Groppe and Albert August Groppe. The family moved multiple times for work his father was managing on Depression-era construction projects.

His father moved to Oak Ridge in the early 1940s after being employed to manage construction activities that supported the Manhattan Project at the Y-12 Mr. Groppe plant, leaving his family behind. By the time Mr. Groppe and the rest of the family moved to Oak Ridge in 1947, he had lived in eight states (Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma, Indiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Tennessee).

Mr. Groppe and his future wife, Shirley Pauline Ryder Groppe, graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1949. Mr. Groppe was a lifelong member of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge.

Mr. Groppe served for four years in the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict, with two 12-month tours of duty to the far east aboard the naval ship USS Delta. He married Shirley in 1953, and after the war, studied at and graduated from Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

He was immediately employed at Y-12, where he worked for 41 years until retiring in 1995, saying he could not imagine more interesting work than what went on there. Mr. Groppe was a registered professional engineer in Tennessee until he retired from his position in the maintenance division as a department superintendent.

After retiring, he and Mrs. Groppe traveled to 43 countries before her health forced them to stop. These experiences served to further cement his interest in history, which he had always enjoyed reading about, just as he enjoyed reading about science. Listening to classical music was another hobby.

Mr. Groppe was a member of the Oak Ridge Bowling Association Hall of Fame and excelled as a bowler throughout much of his life. He worked as a pinsetter when he was young and attributes that to successfully scoring a perfect 300 game.

Mr. Groppe also was an avid golfer, hitting the TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

greens until the age of 90. In his life he scored two holes-in-one, the first at the age of 70. At home he enjoyed playing pool whenever possible, and did so with his son-in-law, Randall Chamberlin, until a few months before his death.

Mr. Groppe was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 64 years, Shirley, in 2017; parents, Clara and Albert Groppe; sister, Elaine Stoetzel; and infant son, Wayne Alan Groppe. Survivors include his children, Dr. Linda Groppe Eissenberg and husband Dr. Joel Eissenberg of East Providence, R.I., Karen Groppe Rink of Schaumberg, Ill., Jeanne Chamberlin and husband Randall of Oak Ridge, and Jackie Groppe Emery and husband David of Frankfort, Ky.; grandchildren, Rebecca Eissenova (Anna), Patrick Emery, Ryan Emery (Brittany), Steven Rink, and Lee Chamberlin; and great-grandsons, Jayce Emery and Jonah Eissenova.

The family requests any donations in Mr. Groppe’s honor be made to the American Red Cross, where Mr. Groppe was a lifelong blood donor, or to a dementia-related charity of the donor’s choice since both Mr. and Mrs. Groppe suffered from the disease.

A funeral Mass for Mr. Groppe was celebrated on Dec. 16 at St. Mary Church, with Father Ray Powell serving as the celebrant. Burial was on Dec. 17 at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.

John Stephan MacDonald John Stephan MacDonald, adoring husband of Maggie (the feeling was mutual), father of six children, with five grandchildren, and beloved member of the Knoxville community, entered eternal life on Jan. 6 following a yearlong battle with cancer. His faith and family were his heart and soul.

Born as the fourth child of 10 to Sam and Esther MacDonald in Knoxville in 1953. Mr. MacDonald attended St. Mary School and Knoxville Catholic High School (where, according to him, he had the smoothest jump shot Mr. MacDonald KCHS has ever seen). He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in history. More importantly, at UT he met Maggie Prochaska (on the third Saturday in October) and spent the next 50 years together as true college sweethearts.

Following their wedding in 1978, they moved into a little, 900-square-foot cottage that would evolve into their lifelong home.

As their family grew, and grew, so did that little cottage. Together, John and Maggie transformed it into a gathering place with an open-door policy for family and friends alike.

It became the scene of many Rolling Stones singalongs, dance parties, cookouts, and colorful discussions.

Their large front porch and courtyard will forever echo with Mr. MacDonald’s legendary stories and jokes. Their partnership brought not only a full basketball-sized team and a spare but also service to the community through their church, the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Knoxville Catholic High School, and Children’s Hospital. Mr. MacDonald co-founded Catholic High’s Shamrock Open golf tournament, raising funds for the school over the last 37 years.

Mr. MacDonald began his lifelong career as a stockbroker at JC Bradford and enjoyed the occasional Friday night at The Bistro.

Mr. MacDonald was a lover of all things classic. Even as a young college student, he spent hard-earned money on the classic book of the month club. Today, his bookshelves are lined with that beautiful leatherbound collection.

With contagious enthusiasm, he introduced the next generation to the iconic books, movies, and rock ’n’ roll that he so loved.

Another notable classic is Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald’s Buick Roadmaster. You may have seen it. It was a car large enough to cart around a band of kids, and they would clock countless miles over the years going down Interstate 26 to the Carolina coast and through Petticoat Junction to the beloved MacDonald family cabin on Norris Lake. He was happiest in these places surrounded by those he loved and by whom he was adored.

Mr. MacDonald is preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Esther MacDonald, and his older sister, Anna McNair. He is survived by his wife, Maggie; their six children, John Michael (Elaine), Mary LeMay (Richie), Margot Gattuso (Augustine), Madeline, Bonnie, and Jack; and five grandchildren, Jane, Caroline, Rosie, Trey, and Bo. In addition to his immediate family, he was also integral to the lives of his nine brothers and sisters, Maggie’s six brothers and sisters, and his many, many nieces and nephews. He was Uncle John to countless others, whether blood kin or not, and he loved you as his own.

With a twinkle in his eye and an unfiltered wit, he could get away with saying what othwww.di o k no x .o rg

ers could not. This gift of levity allowed him to make us laugh when we wanted to cry.

His heart of gold touched all who were lucky enough to know him.

A funeral Mass for Mr. MacDonald was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Jan. 12.

Donations in Mr. MacDonald’s memory can be made to the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Knoxville Catholic High School, or East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

Therese Mardini Therese Mardini, “Teta,” 91, of Knoxville, passed away peacefully with family members by her side on Jan. 15.

Mrs. Mardini was born on Jan. 1, 1933, in Beirut, Lebanon, to a devout Maronite Catholic family.

She practiced her Catholic faith daily and was always a positive influence on those around her. She immigrated to the United States in 1991 and was incredibly proud to be an American citizen.

Mrs. Mardini was passionate about knitting and creating beautiful and memorable pieces, which are cherished by her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. She was an avid cook and enjoyed preparing Lebanese and Mediterranean food, especially for friends and family.

Mrs. Mardini Mrs. Mardini was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John Mardini; her parents; her brother, Abdo; her sister, Mounira, and her two stepdaughters, Hayat and Mary Mardini.

She is survived by her three children, Tony (Dina) Mardini, Dina (Rami) Mishu, and Rita Mardini; and stepdaughter, Layla Mishu. She is also survived by her five grandchildren, Christina (Sean) Rosean, John Mardini, Johnny (Gabriella) Mishu, Joe Mardini (fiancée Carley), and Elaina (Taylor) Williams; three step-grandchildren, Sam (Mary) Mishu, Tom (Jasmin) Mishu, and Susan Dakak; several great-grandchildren; brother, Mansour (Samia) Assaf; and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass for Mrs. Mardini was celebrated at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut on Jan. 25. Burial was at Berry Highland West Cemetery in Knoxville.

Pamela Rudd After a life of faith, hope and charity, Pamela Marion Mahoney Rudd departed this life on Jan. 24 at her home surrounded by family.

With unceasing love and unselfish service, Mrs. Rudd walked 72 years upon this earth. Born in Dunlap to the late Marion Doolittle Mahoney and James Leonard Mahoney, she was the oldest of eight siblings. Her grandparents were Cordelia Daughtery Mahoney and Oscar Mahoney and Leita Agee Doolittle and Earl Doolittle. She was preceded in death by a brother, John Paul.

Mrs. Rudd graduated from Sequatchie County High School and participated in the marching band. She also attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

At age 13 she went to work at Cate’s Pharmacy, Mrs. Rudd in Dunlap as a “soda jerk.” When the family moved to Chattanooga, Mrs. Rudd went to work at Eastgate Toyland. She also worked at the May Family’s A&M Toys and Hobby stores in East Ridge and at Highland Plaza.

After raising her family, she worked for Little Caesars at the East Brainerd and Brainerd Village stores, where she was known affectionately as “Miss Pam.” She retired in December.

She was active in pro-life activities and served in several offices, including president of the Chattanooga chapter of Tennessee Right to Life.

Her joys were her grandchildren and cooking.

Mrs. Rudd is survived by her husband of 40 years, Robin; six children, Marie Bishop (Will), Rachel Muracka, Maggie Caruso (Ryan), Rebecca Parkes (Andrew), Charles (Amelia), and Anne.

Her love embraced 14 grandchildren, to whom she was known as “Muggie,” and many nieces and nephews.

Surviving siblings include Becky Elam (Larry), Emilie Cavin (Jim), Chris (Patti), Pat (Karen), Mike (with Toni Goodman), and Mark (Teresa).

Pallbearers were Pat Mahoney, Mike Mahoney, Mark Mahoney, Jeremy Mahoney, David Mahoney, and Charles Rudd. Honorary pallbearers were Chris Mahoney, Shane Mahoney, Lance Elam, Nick Whitfield, and Dylan Mahoney.

A funeral Mass for Mrs. Rudd was celebrated Jan. 29 at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, with Father David Carter serving as the celebrant. The burial followed the funeral Mass at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chattanooga.

Donations in Mrs. Rudd’s memory can be made to St. Jude's Children’s Research Hospital. ■ FEBRUARY 4, 2024 n A15

Catholic, Anglican bishops vow to support one another Prelates gather in Rome to discuss working together, sharing the Good News

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/NEIL TURNER, IARCCUM (2)

A

s Catholics and Anglicans pray and work for the day when they can celebrate the Eucharist together, they are called to support one another in situations of suffering, apologize together for times when they have sinned, and work together to share the Good News of God’s love, said bishops from both communities.

Pairs of Catholic and Anglican bishops from 27 nations around the world traveled to Rome Jan. 22-25 and to Canterbury, England, Jan. 26-29 for prayer, discussion, and a commissioning by Pope Francis and Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury.

The pilgrimage was organized by the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission, a body established in 2001 to promote common prayer and joint projects to demonstrate concretely how the theological agreements the churches have made also have practical implications in witnessing together to the Christian faith.

A final statement drafted by participants was posted Feb. 1 on the websites of the Anglican Communion and the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

During the journey, the statement said, “We listened to the testimony of some of our bishops who minister courageously in circumstances of violence, acute suffering, oppression, and warfare. In a world so scarred and wounded, we hear in many places of a suffering Church and the call for all of us to be united in prayer.”

“The vocation of the Church is both to love and to witness to the love of God in the face of suffering,” the statement said.

The pilgrimage was a time for Anglican and Catholic bishops to draw closer in faith and in friendship, they said. “Like the disciples on the road

“We listened to the testimony of some of our bishops who minister courageously in circumstances of violence, acute suffering, oppression, and warfare. In a world so scarred and wounded, we hear in many places of a suffering Church and the call for all of us to be united in prayer.”

—Vatican and Anglican Communion statement

Working together Above: Episcopalian Bishop John Bauerschmidt of Tennessee and Romanian Catholic Bishop John M. Botean of the Eparchy of St. George in Canton, Ohio, pose for a photo at Canterbury Cathedral in England on Jan. 28 during the final part of a pilgrimage to Rome and Canterbury sponsored by the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission. Below: Catholic and Anglican bishops take a candlelit pilgrimage tour of Canterbury Cathedral in England on Jan. 26 during the final part of a pilgrimage to Rome and Canterbury.

to Emmaus, we have been walking the road together with Christ in our midst. Because we recognize one Lord, we recognize one another as His disciples and are strengthened for the journey ahead. Bonds of trust are being forged, challenging preconceived notions, and allowing us to

speak to each other with the frankness that friendship allows.”

The bishops shared prayer and attended each other’s celebrations of the Eucharist; the Catholic bishops received a blessing during Communion time at the Anglican service, and the Anglican bishops went up for a

blessing during Communion at the Catholic Masses.

“The act of approaching the altar for a blessing when we could not receive the Eucharist, though marked by sadness, was for many of us a moving experience of spiritual communion, and a further impetus to continue this journey so that we might one day break bread together around the same altar,” the statement said.

The Catholic and Anglican bishops also shared stories about the struggles of members of their flocks, including clergy sexual abuse or the past cooperation of the churches with people and powers that oppressed them.

“As we have shared the challenges and hopes of our peoples in different parts of the world,” they wrote, “we have heard how in many places Indigenous peoples, descendants of enslaved persons, and others live with the legacy of colonization and assimilation.”

“We have heard the call to repent of our participation in efforts of colonization, and to commit ourselves to new ways of walking together and to stand in solidarity with those marked by this painful legacy,” they said.

On the issue of sexual abuse, they said, “We have been encouraged to be less concerned with the reputation of our churches and to give primary importance to accompanying those who have been deeply wounded by members of our churches.” ■

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TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

their door, even as our government mobilizes on a bipartisan basis to counter antisemitism.”

“While the United States can and should serve always as an emblem of freedom of conscience, threats are always lurking," she said.

Several speakers and panelists spoke of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s anti-Catholic persecution, including former Vice President Mike Pence.

President Ortega’s regime has persecuted the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, U.S. officials and lawmakers have said, targeting Church leaders who have criticized his government. Among them, Bishop Rolando Álvarez was sentenced in

February 2023 to 26 years in prison the day after he refused to be deported to the United States with more than 200 other Nicaraguan political prisoners.

Pope Francis publicly denounced Bishop Álvarez’s sentence and the deportation of Nicaraguans from their homeland. The Vatican on March 18 shuttered its nunciature in Nicaragua after President Ortega’s government proposed suspending diplomatic relations with the Holy See. Bishop Álvarez, along with 18 other churchmen, was exiled and deported to Rome earlier in January, after spending over 500 days in prison.

In remarks at the summit, Mr. Pence argued the United States should alter its existing trade agreement with Nicaragua if the Ortega regime’s religious persecution continues.

“I believe the time has come,” he said, “for the United States to make it clear to Nicaragua that we will not tolerate action against, suppression of Church leaders and religious leaders in Nicaragua without consequence.”

Noting the United States has a free trade agreement with Nicaragua, Mr. Pence said he “believes in free trade with free nations.”

“We ought to make it clear to Nicaragua that you will begin to respect the religious liberty of people of every faith in Nicaragua or our relationship will change,” he said.

Mr. Pence made a similar argument in response to a separate question regarding China’s repression of Uyghurs. He called for the United States to show “moral clarity” by taking actions that include “standing up for the Uyghurs who have faced repression, have been rounded up into camps, (and subjected to) forced sterilization” and showing solidarity with persecuted “Christian pastors, churches that have been burned to the ground, and other religious minorities.”

He said, “I really do believe the nature of our economic relationship ought to be tied to advancing the interest of our country with nations that share our core values.” ■

why he believed he did not commit any sins, and the man replied that every day he reflects on the Ten Commandments given to Moses to determine if he has broken any.

The priest replied with a challenge: “Did you clothe the naked?

Feed the hungry? Pray for the ill?”

Mr. Garcia pointed out that the Eucharist reminds us to recognize

our place within our community and the human family as members of the body of Christ. Mr. Garcia encouraged reflection on the passage in Matthew 25, where Jesus said these same things.

“In being in the presence of others, we are also present with the Lord,” Mr. Garcia said.

Throughout the weekend retreat,

Mr. Garcia challenged the parishioners to a new perspective on what the Eucharist calls Catholics toward in relation to the strangers in their communities.

For further information about the Glenmary Home Missioners and the parishes they serve in the Diocese of Knoxville, please visit glenmary.org. ■

and wrong, these pro-lifers are not guilty. They deserve all the support we can give them.”

The FACE Act, enacted in 1994, has proven durable in court. In the first two years after its enactment, the act was upheld by four federal appeals courts and 11 federal district courts. In 1996, the Supreme Court declined, for the third time, to hear a challenge to the law.

A Justice Department web page notes that the law “contains fairly straightforward offense language— requiring an intentional threat of force, use of force, obstruction, or damage to property.”

“What is unique about the statute, however, is the motive requirement,” it concludes.

“In addition to showing that an individual engaged in the offense

conduct knowingly, the government (or a private plaintiff in some civil FACE cases) must show that an individual engaged in the offense conduct for the purpose of injuring, intimidating, or interfering with persons seeking or providing reproductive health services,” according to the website.

The “lock and block” tactics, used often in the 1980s, saw a revival beginning in 2017. Conspiracy against rights charges, stemming from a civil rights law passed in 1870, allege advance planning of the blockades.

Currently, the best-known convictions from those charges are the activists who conducted the blockade at Washington Surgi-Center in the District of Columbia in 2020 under the auspices of a group called Pro-

gressive Anti-Abortion Uprising, which included Catholics, evangelicals, and atheists.

They include Joan Andrews Bell of Montague, N.J., an early icon of the pro-life movement who participated in Operation Rescue, and Lauren Handy of Alexandria, Va., who gained worldwide fame in 2022 for a press conference in which she admitted to storing five unborn fetuses in a refrigerator, believed to have been aborted late term, after recovering a box of 115 from a medical waste disposal truck.

Among other well-known people who have been convicted under the FACE Act, Father Fidelis Moscinski is a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal from the Bronx, N.Y., who is finishing up a federal sentence in Louisiana. ■

they’re tortured and brainwashed.

We all know this,” he said. “Uyghur women are subjected to heinous violence I won’t bear to repeat this morning.”

Rep. Johnson said such acts are indicative of tyranny.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., spoke at the summit to denounce antisemitism. “We need concrete action to overcome attacks on the most fundamental of human rights,” she said, adding “the rights to one’s conscience and beliefs.”

“As a Jewish American, this mission is personal for me,” Ms. Wasserman Schultz said. “My own family arrived in the U.S. as migrants fleeing persecution and pogroms in Eastern Europe, motivated by the universal desire for freedom and a better life. Because of their strength and determination, I grew up in a place where I can speak my mind and be whatever I want to be, in line with my beliefs and my Jewish values.”

Ms. Wasserman Schultz said, “It’s so horrifying to see the resurgence of antisemitism around the world and particularly here in the U.S.” Thanking Rep. Johnson for his commitment to cooperation on combating antisemitism, Ms. Wasserman Schultz said that despite bipartisan cooperation on the subject, the issue remains a significant obstacle. She noted that she has spoken to “college students who share that they are afraid to wear a kippah or post the mezuzah on Retreat continued from page A11

Garcia said. “We travel between eternities.”

In his second subject, “The Eucharist Prepares Us for Mission,” Mr. Garcia shared a tale of a man who claimed that he never committed sins to his priest and therefore did not need the sacrament of confession. The priest went on to ask him Convicted continued from page A6

to protect the rights of those who provide and those who seek access to such services,” she added.

Monica Miller, director of the Michigan-based Citizens for a ProLife Society, which has conducted clinic blockades under the name of Red Rose Rescue, said in a statement to OSV News that the FACE Act is unjust.

“There is ultimately only one reason the pro-lifers were charged and convicted, namely, that the unborn human beings they defended in their rescue count for nothing,” she said.

“Laws that facilitate the killing of the innocent are unjust laws, and the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, as a law that protects murder, is also unjust,” Ms. Miller said. “In the objective world of right

OSV NEWS PHOTO/MATT RYB, IRF SUMMIT

Persecution continued from page A14

Supporting religious freedom U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a session of the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 31.

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Diocese of Knoxville Annual Financial Report Years ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 February 7, 2024 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Each year at this time you have become accustomed to the release of the annual diocesan financial report. This report is usually accompanied by a message from your bishop. As Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Knoxville, I therefore present to you the report for the 2022-23 fiscal year.

In the seven months I have now served your diocese, I have witnessed the mission of Jesus Christ fulfilled through the hard work of the many priests, deacons, seminarians, religious communities, teachers, ministry leaders, and all the laity who serve and worship in this beautiful region of East Tennessee.

I have seen the face of Jesus reflected in the joy of students learning in your Catholic schools. Last summer, it was my privilege to bless your new Catholic Charities office, which was rebuilt, resurrected if you will, from the smoldering ashes of a devastating fire that destroyed it two years ago.

I have met people who so generously support the formation of your seminarians and those who have contributed to the building of new churches here. I have felt the warmth of handshakes and the smiles of those who have so patiently waited to greet me after Mass celebrations, school visits, and parish events.

The facts and figures you are about to review are static. But they reflect the goodness and, equally important, the stability of your diocese. I encourage you to review the report and to share it with others—remembering that behind the numbers, charts, and graphs there is a strong and vibrant Catholic community doing good work here.

God willing, by this time next year you will have a new bishop. I am confident that this report will be a comfort to him as he transitions to life as your next shepherd. The past seven months have been a time of adjustment for all of us—please know that my prayers are always with you, the faithful of the Diocese of Knoxville, especially during these early stages of this new year of 2024.

Sincerely in the Lord,

Most Reverend Shelton J. Fabre Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Knoxville

Use of funds $11,851,866

Source of funds $12,573,072 Investment Income/Gain $298,105 2% Other income/service fees and net gain on sales $2,354,534 19%

Promotion of vocations $912,212 8%

Grants $822,250 7% Parish assessments $4,777,030 38%

Cathedral $927,417 8%

Communications $634,812 5% Diaconate formation $74,637 1%

Diocesan governance/ administration $2,880,913 24%

Education $949,489 8%

Deposit/loan fund interest income $1,185,671 9%

Contributions/bequests $279,282 2% Bishop's Appeal $2,856,200 23%

Catholic Charities grant $500,000 4% Religious personnel development/care $1,665,377 14%

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Pastoral $1,829,689 15%

Capital Campaign expense $178,350 2%

Deposit/loan fund interest expense $1,298,970 11%

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Pope, in letter to Jews in Israel, condemns antisemitism Holy Father tells Jewish brothers and sisters hatred toward Judaism is a sin

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE PHOTO/PAUL HARING

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n a letter addressed to “my Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel,” Pope Francis expressed his heartbreak at the violence unleashed by the Hamas attack on Israel in October, and he repeated the Catholic Church’s condemnation of all forms of antisemitism and anti-Judaism.

“The path that the Church has walked with you, the ancient people of the covenant, rejects every form of anti-Judaism and antiSemitism, unequivocally condemning manifestations of hatred toward Jews and Judaism as a sin against God,” according to the letter dated Feb. 2 and released by the Vatican on Feb. 3.

Pope Francis had met privately Feb. 2 with Raphael Schutz, Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See. His letter did not mention the meeting but spoke of “the numerous communications that have been sent to me by various friends and Jewish organizations from all over the world” and “your own letter, which I greatly appreciate.”

“Together with you,” he said, “we Catholics are very concerned about the terrible increase in attacks against Jews around the world.

We had hoped that ‘never again’ would be a refrain heard by the new generations, yet now we see that the path ahead requires ever closer collaboration to eradicate these phenomena.”

Pope Francis said that his “heart is torn” at the “unprecedented violence” engulfing the Holy Land since the Hamas attack on Israel as well as “the power of so much division and so much hatred.”

As he has done repeatedly since the October attack, Pope Francis is again calling on Hamas to release the hostages they still hold who were taken during the incursion into Israel, and he expressed sympathy for all those feeling overcome by “anguish, pain, fear, and even anger.”

“Together with you,” the pope wrote, “we mourn the dead, the wounded, the traumatized, begging God the Father to intervene and put an end to war and hatred, to these incessant cycles that endanger the entire world.”

Remembering the Holocaust victims Pope Francis touches the death wall at the Auschwitz Nazi death camp in Oswiecim, Poland, in this July 29, 2016, file photo. During his weekly general audience on Jan. 24, the Holy Father highlighted the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust on Jan. 27 and the importance of remembering and condemning the horrible extermination of millions of Jews and people of other faiths.

Still, he said, people must not give up hope for peace, and “we must do everything possible to promote it, rejecting every form of defeatism and mistrust.”

“We must look to God, the only source of certain hope,” Pope Francis wrote.

In his letter, he quoted from the remarks he had made on June 8, 2014, when he hosted Israeli president Shimon Peres, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, and Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople in the Vatican Gardens for an unprecedented gathering to pray for peace in the Holy Land.

“We do not renounce our responsibilities,” the Holy Father said at the time nearly 10 years ago, “but we do call upon God in an act of supreme responsibility before our consciences and before our peoples. We have heard a summons, and we must respond. It is the summons to break the spiral of hatred and violence, and to break it by one word

alone: the word ‘brother.’”

Pope Francis said he knew many people “have great difficulty seeing a future horizon where light replaces darkness, in which friendship replaces hatred, in which cooperation replaces war,” but the current relationship between Catholics and Jews after centuries of oppression and mistrust shows it is possible.

“We must act, starting first and foremost from the Holy Land, where together we want to work for peace and justice, doing everything possible to create relationships capable of opening new horizons of light for everyone, Israelis and Palestinians,” Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis ended his letter acknowledging that “we still have a lot to do together to ensure that the world we leave to those who come after us is a better one, but I am sure that we will be able to continue to work together toward this goal.” ■

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