March 6, 2022, ET Catholic, B section

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE

B section

Sewing ministry creates hygiene kits for women Group at All Saints Parish imitates the example of St. Tabitha to help women around the world

By Gabrielle Nolan

GABRIELLE NOLAN

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Sewing kindness Women volunteer at All Saints Parish on first Wednesdays to sew hygienic kits for girls and women in need. they’ve been the people that inspired me. . . . I never forget them,” she said.

“I’ve been thinking about those moments when they are not in school because of [their periods].

COURTESY OF JEANETTE FANFARILLO

ere in the West, it is called “period poverty.” When girls and young women do not have the resources to care for their monthly menstrual cycles, they are forced to stay home and miss valuable time at school or work.

It was in January 2019 that neighbors Jeanette Fanfarillo and Sadiatou Jallow discussed the hygiene troubles that females worldwide experience while on their menstrual cycles. It was a conversation that, unbeknownst to them, would propel them into ministry.

Mrs. Fanfarillo saw an unusual cloth item on Ms. Jallow’s coffee table in her living room. When she asked what it was, Ms. Jallow explained that it was a reusable sanitary pad and began to explain the plight of women and girls in her home country of Gambia in West Africa.

“I said we’re trying to help people in Africa, girls going to school, to be able to afford sanitary pads,” Ms. Jallow recounted. “Because it is not either available where they live or if they live in the city, it is expensive; they cannot afford it.”

Ms. Jallow said that she was fortunate while growing up to not face some of the issues that other girls and women did.

“People that I’ve been with in the same schools . . . and people that I’ve been with in the same job,

Those moments when they cannot be at work because of that.

Those moments when they cannot pay their bills because they cannot be at work. I think about those moments.”

Ms. Jallow shared the sad reality that many African women have these obstacles, preventing them from regularly attending school.

This inhibits higher-education opportunities to pursue specialized careers such as law or medicine.

“So, instead they stay at home, until they finish (their period), for a whole week before they could go back. So that sets them back with their education and, you know, with their level of jobs. It sets them back in different areas,” she said.

For Mrs. Fanfarillo, her eyes were opened to these unfortunate circumstances, and her heart was opened to a new mission.

‘A lot of research’

‘This remarkable job’ Sadiatou Jallow at her home sews a reusable sanitary pad, which was the item that sparked the conversation between her and her friend Jeanette Fanfarillo that led to the St. Tabitha ministry.

“I had a hard time sleeping thinking about what she said,” Mrs. Fanfarillo said. “I asked her if I could borrow this item on her table, and I went home, and I started playing with it a little bit, and I kind of looked at it. We spent the next several months going back and forth making changes and adaptations to

what we finally came up with for us.”

Mrs. Fanfarillo would take examples of what she was sewing to her women’s group at All Saints Parish in Knoxville.

The reusable cloth pads are made to last for about three years with intentional design features: extra padding for absorption, a waterproof polyurethane laminate on the back for protecting clothing, and snap closures to ensure pads stay in place throughout the day.

“It isn’t totally foolproof, but it gives you more protection. We put a lot of research into what we do,” explained Mrs. Fanfarillo.

Because women in African villages do not have electric washers and dryers, these reusable pads were designed to be hand-washed with soap and clean water, then hung on a clothesline to dry in the heat of the sun.

The fabric pads are less expensive than purchasing new disposable items each month and are more practical for remote towns or villages that don’t have regulated waste disposal.

Additionally, they are also an alternative for women who may be allergic or sensitive to certain Sewing continued on page B2

Father Jim Vick installed as pastor of St. Bridget

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lthough he had been appointed to lead the parish in October 2020, Father Jim Vick had never been installed as pastor of St. Bridget in Dayton until Bishop Richard F. Stika took care of that detail on Jan. 29.

The bishop did the honors, taking oaths from both Father Vick and the assembly in the pews, to make the priest officially the pastor of the 200-family parish.

“It was a nice little ceremony, and the people enjoyed it,” Father Vick said afterward.

To begin his homily, Bishop Stika told a story about St. Teresa of Kolkata, inspired by the day’s second reading on love from 1 Corinthians 13. The bishop remarked that St. Teresa was not that tall, then glanced at Father Vick, who is not among

the tallest priests in the diocese, as St. Bridget parishioners laughed.

“I wasn’t even thinking of that,” Bishop Stika said, smiling.

Mother Teresa once saw a woman dying in the gutter, the bishop said.

The woman said to the future saint, “I don’t want your help. You will make me a Christian.” Mother Teresa said, “I want to help you.” The woman said, “Why do you want to help me? What is the name of your God?” Mother Teresa said, “The name of my God is love.”

“That’s how she spent her entire life,” Bishop Stika said. “I’ve always spoken that we should always be the face and the hands and the voice of Jesus’ heart. That should be the guiding principle of what a Christian is all about . . . It’s all about the Father Vick continued on page B3

By Dan McWilliams

DAN MCWILLIAMS

The priest has been at the Dayton parish a little while, but Bishop Stika made his position official

Tsk tsk Bishop Richard F. Stika smiles as Father Jim Vick wags a finger at him after the diocesan shepherd seemed to bring up a question of the priest’s height at his pastor-installation Mass.

plastic and paper products on the market.

One hygiene kit contains a cloth bag, eight reusable pads, two pad holders, and women’s underwear.

Susan Tribble, the head of women’s ministries at All Saints, was intrigued by the endeavor and invited Mrs. Fanfarillo and her husband to speak with Father John Appiah, who previously served as associate pastor at All Saints before becoming a military chaplain in 2013.

At that time, Father Appiah ministered at a medical clinic and a Catholic middle school in his home country of Ghana, where many girls need hygiene kits in order to attend school regularly.

“Father John was the first one that we sent [the kits] out to…. We had 50 kits for him,” Mrs. Fanfarillo said.

Almost three months later, Father Appiah sent pictures of the girls joyfully holding their kits in front of the school.

“The women were just so excited… The energy, seeing [Father’s] girls get them, just moved the women more forward,” Mrs. Fanfarillo said.

A ministry is born

The face of the mission A group of girls at a Catholic middle school in Ghana hold up their newly received hygiene kits from the St. Tabitha ministry at All Saints Parish in Knoxville. teacher supply workroom, because we found out in doing research that right here in our own city there are girls who do not go to school because on the day they’re having their periods, they have no supplies. They can’t afford to buy them, so they stay home,” Mrs. Tribble said. “We had hundreds of boxes; it was very successful.”

“We collected supplies for our local high-schoolers, as well as getting the awareness out for women who might want to sew, who might want to help pack things, who might want to help Jeanette with the program,” she said.

Mrs. Tribble then planned a “Girls Night Out” event for July 2019, open to all women in the parish.

Almost 300 women arrived with donations of underwear and sanitary items, and the parish center was filled with tables adorned with the personal hygiene kits for the women to look at.

Ms. Jallow was invited to be the guest speaker for the evening’s program and took the stage wearing her traditional African dress and headscarf. She showed the women how her headscarf could be used to wrap around her body for protection during a menstrual cycle.

“I was so honored to be there,” Ms. Jallow said.

She demonstrated how women in Africa might find a piece of cloth alongside the road, then go home to wash it and use it in place of a sanitary pad, “which might be uncomfortable and unsanitary, that you can get an infection through that, anything could happen,” she said.

“By the time that gathering ended, people were coming up to Sadia and I putting money in our hands, putting money in our pockets, asking how they could donate, how they could join, and that’s how all that started,” Mrs. Fanfarillo said.

“She made a big impression on people.”

Mrs. Tribble said that “every woman alive can relate to the need of having personal-care items every single month of her adult life.”

“This is not a male issue, it’s a woman’s issue,” she said. “How expensive it is, how you can’t go anywhere unless it’s dealt with, how it does affect being able to go to school, being able to go to work.

I think it touches every woman’s heart.”

Women serving women In addition to the fundraiser, the St. Tabitha Sewing Circle also has received funding from the parish’s Harvest of Blessings annual festival, where various ministries set up booths highlighting their mission and selling goods. The ministry’s

table sold homemade teddy bears and shopping bags while displaying posters of its story and the girls it serves.

The hygiene kits are always free of charge, making donations of either fabric or money essential for the ministry to continue.

According to Mrs. Tribble, the St. Tabitha Sewing Circle has received almost $6,000 in donations since the ministry began.

“Nobody’s charged for a bag; they can get the bag just by asking,” Mrs. Fanfarillo explained. “We’ve been trying to connect with people who are doing mission trips. If you don’t have somebody who’s going to that school or that place or that church for them to pass it out, the government will charge those kids for it.”

Most of the donated funds go toward overseas shipping costs. Internationally, the handmade kits have traveled to Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Liberia.

“If you’re [shipping] to Africa, two years ago it was going to cost Sewing continued on page B3

GABRIELLE NOLAN

When Mrs. Fanfarillo realized that her blossoming group may need an official name, she began to research the various patron saints of sewing.

“Tabitha kind of stuck in my head, and I started looking up what she was about, and she was a remarkable woman,” Mrs. Fanfarillo said. “She was a widow, and she kept sewing for other widows and for children and for people who couldn’t do it on their own.”

St. Tabitha is mentioned in Scripture in the Acts of the Apostles.

“She was around when Jesus was, when he walked the earth,” Mrs. Fanfarillo continued. “When she died, these women cried. . . . They went to St. Peter, and he brought her back (to life). . . . They were showing him all the stuff she made for them, and he brought her back.

She lived the Gospel, and that’s what we try to do.”

St. Tabitha’s Sewing Circle held an informational meeting for women at the parish to see the personal hygiene kits, and participants were asked to bring donations of sanitary items that would benefit high schools in Knox County for a onetime kickoff project.

“We’ve had women bring tampons and pads for the high-school girls in Knox County to stock the

COURTESY OF JEANETTE FANFARILLO

Sewing continued from page B1

GABRIELLE NOLAN

COURTESY OF SUSAN TRIBBLE

Stitch by stitch Mollie Bault uses her own sewing machine in the All Saints parish hall to make reusable fabric sanitary pads.

Friends in Christ Jeanette Fanfarillo and Sadiatou Jallow meet at All Saints Church to sort and count fabric for the hygiene kits.

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Ready for sendoff Assembled hygiene kits come in a variety of colors and patterns.

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

$1,400 to send our box. We’re talking a lot of money,” Mrs. Tribble said. “We’re trying to find people who actually work in ministries to take these things. That helps us get around the shipping costs.”

However, St. Tabitha’s Sewing Circle is as much of a local ministry as it is an international ministry.

When shipping overseas during the coronavirus pandemic wasn’t possible, the curated kits went out in the local community. Organizations such as Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, St. Vincent de Paul, the Ladies of Charity, and the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic all received hygiene kits for distribution.

A 2018 article from the Nashville Tennessean newspaper reported that one out of five girls in the United States miss school due to “period poverty.”

“We serve women in the USA who have allergies to the paper products on the market or who have limited funds or access to stores,” Mrs. Fanfarillo explained.

The hand-sewn kits have been distributed in Tennessee, Virginia, Indiana, and New York.

“This is a blessing,” Ms. Jallow said. “It’s not one-sided, it’s not only one place that we stick to. Our aim is to help as many people as we could.”

“I’ve never seen women this dedicated,” she added. “The women are determined, and they are just ready to make things happen, to make things possible.”

‘Make a difference’

Women helping women Helen Owutu holds a container of assembled kits ready for girls in Nigeria.

Mrs. Fanfarillo said.

Even if you don’t know how to sew, there are ways to be involved.

“You may not have a sewing machine, you may not be able to sew anything, but you can help us with the shipping cost . . . or you can buy a package of panties with this kit that they put together,” Mrs. Tribble said.

“It’s every woman everywhere that could make a difference,” she noted.

Although more help is needed and welcomed, Mrs. Fanfarillo and Ms. Jallow are amazed at how far they have come from their initial conversation over one reusable sanitary pad.

“This is even a shocking thing for us to notice ourselves, all the way to this extreme,” Ms. Jallow said.

“We didn’t think it would be this noticeable or this big. We are just doing it for the sake of God, not to be noticed. I hope God blesses all of us for doing this remarkable job.”

“I’m a very quiet, shy, out-of-

GABRIELLE NOLAN

The sewing group meets on the first Wednesday of every month.

On a regular basis, about 15 women are actively supporting the ministry.

A row of tables lines the back of the parish hall, where women diligently work their sewing machines, cut fabric, and assist one another with any snags along the way, while other women assemble the completed kits.

While sewing, the women connect with each other about their faith, sharing their current favorite podcasts, books, and speakers.

“Working with these women is just amazing. You’ve never met such a neat bunch of ladies who are so inspired and who make you be the best of yourself,” Mrs. Fanfarillo said. “One of the things I wrote to them back in January was, ‘You are the most remarkable women I have the privilege to sew with. It’s hard to believe that our lives are changing from something so simple as just our sewing.’”

The group is open to new members, for anyone who wants to help.

Mrs. Fanfarillo recommends coming to one of the monthly meetings to learn more about kit-making.

“Usually, one of the girls will sit down with somebody and do a little one-on-one to show them. It’s not a real difficult process,” she said.

Of course, prayer also is an important way to be involved with the ministry.

“We have girls . . . who can’t come to our meetings, and that’s all they do, is pray for us. And I encourage my girls to pray while they’re sewing . . . either at the start or all the way through it, for the girls that’ll be receiving [the kits],”

COURTESY OF JEANETTE FANFARILLO

Sewing continued from page B2

Finished kits Karen Miller assembles completed hygiene kits. One hygiene kit contains a cloth bag, eight reusable pads, two pad holders, and women’s underwear.

the-way kind of person,” Mrs. Fanfarillo said. “This has changed me somewhat.”

“I think I have really seen what the Holy Spirit does in watching Jeanette,” Mrs. Tribble said. “She is a very visible example of taking your energy and your spirit and your enthusiasm from your faith, because this changed her life. She is an outgoing, enthusiastic, passionate advocate for this program, from a basically very quiet nature.”

Mrs. Fanfarillo said she often asks for the intercession of the Blessed Mother and St. Tabitha for the work that her group of women undergoes each month.

“This is a story about many women helping women, just as St. Tabitha did at the time Jesus walked this earth,” Mrs. Fanfarillo said. “Hopefully, it will be a little better because we walked it, too.”

For more information on how to volunteer or donate, contact Jeanette Fanfarillo at farill5@tds.net. n

love of God, that God so loved the world that He sent His only son, so that we might know that love.”

Love “is one of those unpredictable things in terms of humanity, right?” the bishop said.

“I mean, I love Diet Pepsi and White Castle hamburgers. I say that, but is it really love? Or I love my St. Louis Cardinals. We all say that. We take this beautiful word, this powerful word, and sometimes we use it in all kinds of different situations,” he noted.

Love influenced his priestly call, Bishop Stika said.

“Once a young man asked me, how do you know you were called to the priesthood? I said, because I felt the love of Jesus calling me to the priesthood,” he said.

The bishop learned about love from a talk with a disabled veteran, he added.

“When I asked this particular individual (why he served), he told me it was because he had love for his buds, his friends. He was willing to lay down his life to protect a whole group of individuals,” Bishop Stika said.

Father Vick also has that same love, the bishop said.

“I commend to all of you because I know Father Jim has loved the people he has been called to serve,” he said. “And he does that, he gives his life to you. And then you have a love for the Church. That’s why you’re here on a cold Saturday night—the love of Jesus, the love of the sacraments, the love of the Eucharist.”

The pastor installation followed the homily.

“So, we have this little ceremony where Father is going to make a pledge of fidelity to the Church. I’m

‘That we might know that love’ Bishop Stika preached on love and St. Teresa of Kolkata during his homily at St. Bridget Church.

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

DAN MCWILLIAMS (2)

Father Vick continued from page B1

Assisting the bishop Father Jim Vick holds the prayer book for Bishop Richard F. Stika at the Mass in which the bishop installed Father Vick as pastor of St. Bridget Parish in Dayton. going to ask him if he’s going to pray for you and celebrate the sacraments, and I’m going to ask you if you’re willing to continue to pray for him,” Bishop Stika said. “And when Father celebrates the sacraments, he does so in the person of Christ. There are these two phrases that translate into English—he’s in the person of Christ and another Christ. He doesn’t celebrate the sacraments because of who he is, but when he raises that host and that chalice, he becomes Christ as well as the sacrifice, which is Christ. He says, ‘This is my body. This is my blood, given for you.’ God is love, and we celebrate that love today.”

Father Vick in the installation rite gave “yes” answers to the following questions from his bishop: “Are you willing to continue to proclaim the Word of God in the tradition of the Apostles, compassionately and with

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faithfulness, to the people trusted to your care? Are you willing to celebrate the sacraments of the Church, and thus nourish and sustain your brothers and sisters in body and spirit? Are you willing to continue to guide, counsel, and cooperate with the people of St. Bridget’s in the work of building up the Church and in the work of service to all who are in need?”

The assembly, in turn, also answered in the affirmative as the bishop asked questions of them: “Are you willing to hear with open ears and open hearts the Word of God as it is proclaimed to you all?

Are you willing to encourage and support Father in his responsibility to lead you in prayer, nourish your faith, and especially to celebrate with you the Lord’s sacrifice of the Mass? Are you willing to cooperate Father Vick continued on page B8 MARCH 6, 2022 n B3

The team of 70 and Killing It, Father Charlie Burton’s team, won the firstplace prize of $400 at St. Jude’s Trivia Night on Feb. 18. Second place and $250 went to Trivia Nomads, and third place and $100 went to Magnificent Eight. The parish thanked its “trivia team” volunteers who made the night possible, including Tim King (music), Marlene Haigh (scoring), and Irene Scoggins (runner). The next Trivia Night will be this summer.

school cafeteria. Deacon candidates and Evangelizing Sisters of Mary will be the facilitators for adults. Youth leaders including Chris Allen will facilitate for youth ages 12-18. Sister Madeleine Marie of the Servants of the Eternal Word and Lenore Pacitti will facilitate for children ages 7-11.

Child care will be provided. Sign up

by Monday, March 21, at forms.gle/ d5YqgjubzAf12Rvv8. Cost is $10 per person 12 and older and $5 per child 11 and under. For more information, contact srelizabeth@sjnknox.org or call 865-777-4319.

A “Lenten Bible Study With Father Charlie” is being livestreamed on Facebook on Tuesdays during Lent.

Richard and Natalie Tabler were named the St. John Neumann Knights of Columbus family of the month.

St. Mary, Athens

The women’s club played cards and games March 7 in Seton Hall.

St. Jude, Chattanooga

A Middle School Youth Night is set for Wednesday, March 16. Call Sue Granger at 423-506-7836 to help, offer ideas, or ask questions.

A parish dance sponsored by the high school youth ministry, for ages 18 and above, is planned for 6:05 p.m. Saturday, May 14. Contact Sue Granger (see above) for more information.

An introductory class in Gregorian Chant took place Feb. 20 and 27 at St. Mary.

St. Mary is beginning its eighth year of awarding college scholarships this year. Applications will be accepted through Thursday, March 31. Applications along with rules may be picked up at the church office. The program is open to any incoming college freshman or returning college student from Meigs, McMinn, Monroe, and Polk counties. A total of $60,000 will be awarded in 2022 with a maximum of $10,000 per student.

The Knights of St. John Neumann and St. Thomas the Apostle in Lenoir City co-sponsored a Men’s Lenten retreat, themed “Make a Difference for the Rest of Your Life,” on March 5 at St. Thomas.

St. Therese, Clinton A Lenten day of reflection is planned Saturday, March 19. The day will start with Mass at 9 a.m. Participants will then watch episodes from the series “Metanoia—A Journey With Christ.”

Each episode is 30 minutes and explores the areas in one’s life that are in need of conversion. They are presented by Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, president of Franciscan University.

Lunch will be provided, and the day will end with adoration and Benediction. Call the parish office at 865-4574073 for information on signups.

Five Rivers Deanery

St. Stephen, Chattanooga

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City

Knights of Columbus Council 6099 named Mike McIntyre as its January Knight of the month and Jeff, Karen, and Kailey Ingles as its family of the month.

The Mass for Life is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 20, with a rosary and prayer chain taking place in front of the church after Mass.

Cumberland Mountain Deanery

A potluck International Luncheon was held after the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Feb. 20. The event helped raise awareness and money for Cross Catholic Outreach and the “Join the Movement to Feed the Hungry.”

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman The first Friday Mass on March 4 was a healing Mass. Those wishing to receive the anointing of the sick could come forward and be prayed over and anointed. The Mass concluded with adoration and Benediction.

During the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Feb. 27, Blessed Sacrament celebrated the Rite of Sending for its RCIA catechumen and candidate.

St. Stephen youth fill backpacks for the homeless The youth of St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga recently took up collections of money and various items to fill backpacks for the homeless. This is the second year they have taken on this project. Last year they filled 48 backpacks, and this year they filled more than 100.

A spiritual adoption of the unborn began March 2 and goes through April 10. Prayer is said daily for an unborn baby in danger of abortion.

COURTESY OF MARIA WHISTON (2)

Chattanooga Deanery

KAREN UNDERWOOD (2)

Parish notes

Newcomers: Stephen and Sheila Moffett Notre Dame, Greeneville

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade The social action committee prays the rosary every first Monday after the Communion service for the prisoners at Bledsoe County Correctional Complex and for the Warrior pen pals who write to them.

The Knights of Columbus pray the rosary every third Wednesday after Mass for the end of abortion and pray the rosary before their meetings at 5:30 p.m. Thursdays.

The Council of Catholic Women’s plant sale is coming up. Order forms will be available on the weekend of March 19-20.

The CCW’s bake sale on the weekend of Feb. 12-13 was a huge success, earning $2,145.

The annual Fall Festival of Nations fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 1.

St. Dominic, Kingsport

The rosary was prayed Feb. 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. This special recitation of the rosary was dedicated to the Blessed Mother for healing—physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. The rosary is also prayed every first Saturday after Mass for priests and seminarians and on fifth Sundays after Mass for dedication to the family.

The Council of Catholic Women had a great turnout for its Feb. 9 meeting of 90 ladies. Guest speaker was Lucy Brown, who spoke about the spirituality of Lent. Nine women won a cross wreath made by secretary Patti Maken.

Anniversaries: Sal and Lois D’Addonna (65), Tony and Gay Moreno (53), Ray and Susan Butkus (52)

The Martha & Mary ministry held a Mardi Gras party March 1 in the parish life center.

Father Michael Cummins and Father Emmanuel Massawe, AJ, invited young adults of the parish to a wine, cheese, and fruit social in the rectory Feb. 27.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society conference at St. Dominic thanked parishioners for donating more than $60,000 in 2021. The conference also received a $5,000 grant from the Pope Francis Charitable Trust Fund. The money was used in making more than 200 visits to families, helping around 860 people with rent, electric bills, water bills, food, and dental and medical bills.

St. Patrick, Morristown

St. John Neumann, Farragut The St. John Neumann spring family retreat is set for 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 26, in the B4 n MARCH 6, 2022

The social action committee collected items for Friends of Hospice Serenity House on the second through fourth Parish notes continued on page B8

St. Michael the Archangel parishioners gather in Synod groups On Feb. 20, members of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Erwin gathered in their separate focus groups for seniors/single adults, families, and youth to respond to Synod topics. Parishioners displayed their love and desire on how to help not only the Catholic Church, but also how to continue growing and strengthening their parish family in Erwin.

Catholic schools now enrolling

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otre Dame High School in Chattanooga is currently accepting applications for the 2022-23 academic year. Visit www. myndhs.com to apply online. Call Laura Goodhard at 423-624-4618, extension 1004, for more information. n St. Joseph School in Knoxville is now enrolling pre-K (4) through eighth-grade students. Contact azengel@sjsknox.org, call 865-689-

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3424, or visit www.sjsknox.org for more information. n Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga is now taking applications for the 202223 school year for grades pre-K through eighth. Contact director of admissions Teresa Hennen at 423622-1481 or teresahennen@myolph. com to schedule a visit, or go to school.myolph.com. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Calendar

The annual Chrism Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the annual Chrism Mass, diocesan priests renew their priestly vows, and Bishop Richard F. Stika blesses the sacred chrism, the oil of catechumens, and the oil of the sick that will be used in parishes of the diocese for the next year.

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s annual Race for Kids 5K and Family Walk will be held Saturday, April 23, at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville. The fundraiser supports CCETN’s programs for children and families. To register or learn more, visit ccetn.org/raceforkids.

Knoxville Catholic High School is hosting Camp Irish, a variety of spring and summer camps, this year. Spring camps include a football elite skills camp and an elite lineman camp, plus a middle-school dance clinic. Summer camps include all-sports, baseball, boys basketball, Lady Irish Future Stars, football, volleyball, junior theater, robotics, band, dance, lacrosse, soccer, and math camps. For more information, visit knoxvillecatholic.com/camp-irish/ A free women’s Welcome Retreat (formerly Christ Renews His Parish) is set for 7 a.m. Saturday, March 26, to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 27, at St. Mary School in Johnson City. The retreat is for women who “sense that something is missing in their lives” and who “feel that if they weren’t so busy, they would be happier, healthier, more effective, more fulfilled, and maybe even a better person.” To learn more or sign up, call invitation coordinator Mary Tennant at 423-967-3854 or e-mail mtennant23@ yahoo.com.

An Engaged Encounter weekend is set for April 22-23 at All Saints Church in Knoxville. Catholic Engaged Encounter is a weekend to plan for a sacramental marriage. It is designed to give couples the opportunity to talk privately, honestly, and intensively about their prospective lives together—their strengths and weaknesses, desires, ambitions, and goals, and their attitudes about money, sex, children, family, and their role in the Church and society—in a guided format. Cost of the weekend is $175 per couple, which includes a certificate good for a $60 discount on the couple’s marriage license in Tennessee. To receive a $60 discount, couples must attend a marriage preparation weekend within one year of purchasing the license. To learn more or to register for a weekend, visit knoxville.engagedencounter.com or call Leslie Consoli at 865-803-6790.

The 40 Days for Life campaign, which organizes prayer and fasting across the country for an end to abortion, continues through Sunday, April 10.

Locally, participants may stand for life in a peaceful public witness outside of the Knoxville Center for Reproductive Health abortion center, 1547 Clinch Ave., Knoxville, through April 10. For more information, contact Paul Simoneau at psimoneau@dioknox.org or Lisa Morris at lccte@bellsouth.net.

The Catechist Formation Program, Course Four, will take place from 9 TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

The Pro-Life Women’s Day in Nashville is set for 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, March 22. Women from across the state will gather in Nashville to encourage one another and their state legislators to build a culture of life. Gov. Bill Lee will attend, along with other pro-life legislators. Cost is $40 and includes lunch. To register for the event, visit www.tnrtl.org. For carpool information from the Knoxville area, contact the Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life at 865-6891339 or trlknox@prolifeknox.com.

GABRIELLE NOLAN (2)

Cathedral celebrates Candlemas The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus celebrated Candlemas on Feb. 2.

Associate pastor Father Martin Gladysz blessed candles at the beginning of Mass (top photo) and blessed statues of the baby Jesus afterward.

Catholic Day on the Hill will take place Wednesday, March 23, offering a chance for the faithful to meet with their legislators in Nashville. The bishops of Tennessee’s three dioceses also meet with legislators and the governor to discuss issues important to Catholics and the Church. Catholic Day on the Hill is sponsored by the Tennessee Catholic Public Policy Commission.

Tennessee Right to Life is continuing its Follow the Science: Life Begins at Conception message via billboards this spring. The boards will include the name of the sponsor, and every attempt is made to put boards in close proximity to the sponsoring church or organization. If your church, family, or organization is interested in sponsoring a board, contact the TRL office at 865-689-1339 or trlknox@prolifeknox. com. Cost is $550. Send a check to Tennessee Right to Life, P.O. Box 5218, Knoxville, TN 37928.

Search for Christian Maturity retreat No. 165 in the Chattanooga Deanery is set for the weekend of April 22-24 at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton. The weekend begins between 7 and 7:30 p.m. Friday and concludes at 5 p.m. Sunday. Search helps Catholic high school juniors and seniors take a fresh look at their own faith journey, reflecting on their place within their families, schools, parishes, and community as a disciple of Christ. This is accomplished through activities and experiences that lead participants to a renewed understanding of Christ at work in their lives. Search is facilitated by teens for teens with the guidance of adult Search coordinators. The main focus of the retreat is threefold: motivating the youth to seek a personal relationship with Christ, getting young people involved with their respective parishes, and promoting leadership. Cost is $85, and the registration deadline is Monday, April 11.

To learn more, contact Donna Jones at djones@dioknox.org or (to register) visit dioknox.org/events/search-165.

Knoxville Catholic High School’s boys and girls lacrosse teams are having a mulch fundraiser. Cost is $5 per bag, and pickup is available at KCHS on Saturday, March 26. Mulch can be delivered at a cost of $25. For more information, call the school at 865-560-0313.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) Homeschool Support Group is a Catholic homeschool support group in Knoxville and surrounding areas that is recognized by the diocese as a Private Association of the Faithful. The group supports one another as families who choose to educate their children at Calendar continued on page B8

COURTESY OF BILL HEWITT

The Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will pack 40,000 meals for children and family in developing countries in an event Saturday, March 26, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Two shifts are available, 8:30 to 11 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. To learn more or sign up, contact Patty Johnson at sheltonpatty@ citlink.net.

a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at the Chancery office in Knoxville. The Diocese of Knoxville Catechetical Formation Program offers each catechist the opportunity to fulfill certification requirements, earn the title of Certified Catechist, and continue to deepen his or her formation in the faith. By making available faculty, research, and knowledge prepared in the light of the Magisterium of the Church, the Diocese of Knoxville offers a systematic and organic formation program based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other catechetical documents of the Universal Church and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The training is provided by the Center for Evangelization and Catechesis at Aquinas College. It is taught by professionals in the field of catechesis and the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. This in-person session will be held in the Monsignor Mankel room at the Chancery. E-mail Jason Gale to register at galej@aquinascollege.edu.

St. Henry Knights recognize women, Knight of the year Knights of Columbus Council 8860 at St. Henry Parish in Rogersville held a ladies appreciation dinner Feb. 19 at Hale Springs Inn. Also at the dinner, the council recognized Knight of the Year Stephen Derosia (background center). Mr. Derosia joined the Knights when he was 18 and now has about 55 years of service to the organization.

COURTESY OF SUSAN COLLINS

The Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will hold its 32nd annual convention Thursday through Saturday, April 28-30, at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland. The theme this year is the Holy Family. Bishop Richard F. Stika will celebrate the opening Mass at 4:30 p.m. April 28. Deacon Scott Maentz will deliver a keynote talk at 7:30 p.m. Arlene Webb and Leah Carroll will give presentations on April 29, and Sister John Catherine Kennedy will give a presentation April 30. Earlybird registration is $115. Visit www. kdccw.org/conventions.html to register or learn more.

St. Mary-Johnson City women hold baby shower for pregnancy center The women of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City held a baby shower Jan. 27 for Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Pregnancy Help Center in Johnson City.

Sandi Davidson, Pregnancy Services program leader for Catholic Charities, was the speaker. She explained how the center operates and extended an invitation to volunteer to serve at the facility. In an effort to reach out to more women in the Diocese of Knoxville, several women in the Five Rivers Deanery have been meeting with the women at St. Mary in an effort to affiliate with the National Council of Catholic Women. Ms. Davidson is standing at far left in the photo. Next to her is Susan Collins, president of the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.

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MARCH 6, 2022 n B5

Praying for Perspective

by George Valadie

Remembering ‘James, the French fry guy’ He served meals to students with a smile, never revealing what he was feeling inside

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ot too long ago, Nancy and I had the opportunity to return to Memphis, where we had spent 14 wonderful years of our lives.

There, I had the privilege of serving as a Catholic high school principal, she as an administrative assistant. We had returned to attend a Sunday afternoon ceremony where we were blessed to reconnect with many old friends who had made our time there as memorable as it was.

There were stories galore of the school’s past, paying special tribute to its founders, their vision, the people who followed, and so many others who had been part of writing her history.

As for our family’s small chapter of the story, my tenure there included the window of time when the current school campus was constructed.

Truth be told, I had never even built a shed out back of my house.

And “handy around the house” is not a phrase my wife will ever use to describe me. Deservedly so, even though I did use a hammer once . . . but only to get the last titch of toothpaste out of the tube.

Thankfully, as the school’s building process unfolded, I was tutored and guided by many whose gifts and talents deserve all the credit for piecing together a puzzle of disparate dreams into a hallowed home for doing God’s work.

“Master craftsman” has become an infrequently used term in today’s getit-done environment. But these guys were. It’s as beautiful today as it was when the bishop blessed its opening.

Honestly though, as the building rose up out of an old hayfield, I recall my role as primarily one of saying “yes” to this and “no” to

Each Lenten season offers us opportunities to give up . . . something that stretches us beyond where we like to be. If you’re struggling to be faithful to your recent pledge . . . trying to decide what you might do with your 40 days, maybe you can do what James did . . . that with the occasional “how much extra would it cost if we tried this?” thrown in to complicate the matter.

God takes care of children and fools.

Once back home, I realized that having been there to walk the halls of our past was inspiring me to take a similar journey through other memories we’d created there, though now dormant. So I set out on a tour guided by a few old yearbooks, all in hopes of recalling names and faces I had long forgotten.

Like getting lost in a box of old family photos, you can spend a lot of time with the who and what and where of your past.

Each new page recalled an old story, when, don’t ask me why, I suddenly went on a hunt for a picture of James.

James, the French fry guy.

Likely years younger than his haggard appearance, James worked a year or two for our cafeteria catering company. I never could find his photo and worse, I couldn’t recall his last name either.

But James cooked our French fries. He did it well, too, because our kids ate thousands of pounds of them. We even had a contest once to guess how many our students had consumed. We were all astounded.

His day-to-day life outside the confines of our kitchen was a hard one. He wasn’t homeless, but he

Thoughts and Prayers for the Faithful

wasn’t far from it. He had very little, if he had anything at all. Except a personality and smile that shone brighter than the stainless-steel counter he polished every day.

The man never had a bad day. Every kid knew him. Every kid loved him.

On occasion, he would secretly ask for and I would loan him small amounts of money. We were both violating employer policy—his and mine. I never shared his sin with his boss; he never shared mine.

One day, his supervisor informed me that James’s wife had died. As a sign of his dedication—or more likely his need to earn a paycheck—he missed but one day of work following her loss. He was back at it the next.

His smile, his joy, his kindly manner of serving the fries for which our kids could be known to clamor impatiently—none of it ever revealed her illness, her passing, or whatever he was feeling inside.

A week or so later, he appeared at my office with a wooden cross, one he’d most likely fashioned himself.

Not quite three feet tall, rough, bare wood with scruffy edges, nothing inscribed. I’d have tossed it in the dumpster if I’d seen it lying around campus.

He asked if it might be possible for our art department kids to paint his wife’s name on it. Turns out she’d been buried in an unmarked grave in the city’s cemetery where paupers lie. He could though—if he wanted—mark it in whatever fashion he could devise.

When the teacher informed her kids of their newest project, word instantly spread among all the rest.

And our students were face-to-face with the human condition most had

only seen at a distance—imagining this grieving man standing over his wife and her woeful wooden marker.

They were good kids—they ate too many French fries—but they were good kids and spontaneously began collecting funds for a marble marker to honor his wife, one resembling those they’d seen for others. It lies there with her today.

I’m certain James never knew all the conversations that followed in our classrooms. Some were about him and his wife; but some were about poverty and want and what can we do.

For these students, hardship now had a face they knew and loved, the concept no longer theoretical. Nor would the ideas of adversity and impoverishment be limited to the lazy, the homeless, or the addicted whose wretched fate many presumed was a making of their own.

James, the French fry guy—his kindness made us better.

Each Lenten season offers us opportunities to give up or take up something that stretches us beyond where we like to be. If you’re struggling to be faithful to your recent pledge or perhaps still casting about, trying to decide what it is you might do with your 40 days, maybe you can do what James did with his every day.

Just smile and serve and make the world a little bit kinder place. Not a bad Lent for anyone.

Dear God—May we view our lives with the same joy as do many who have no reason. And may we be that reason for others who can’t. Amen. ■ George Valadie resides in Chattanooga and is a parishioner at St. Stephen Church.

by Bob Hunt

A teleological question: Why do we exist?

Lent is a good time to reflect on the mystery of the meaning of our lives, our telos

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he Greek telos, from which is derived “teleology,” is a word packed with meaning. It is used to signify the end goal or purpose of something, an action or mission, or even the goal of one’s life.

In Catholic thought, the telos has come to mean the end or purpose for which something strives, the ultimate meaning of something, the reason it exists in the first place.

Philosophy defines teleology as “the explanation of phenomena in terms of the purpose they serve rather than of the cause by which they arise.” Teleology, then, is less concerned with how something came into being than for what purpose it exists. Humankind has long sought an answer to the teleological question: Why do we exist?

Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychologist and survivor of the Nazi concentration camps. He lost most of the members of his family in the camps and suffered terribly himself. After the war, he wrote of his experiences in his 1946 book, Man’s Search for Meaning. Dr. Frankl reflected on the difference between those victims of the camps who were more likely to survive and

Daily readings Tuesday, March 1: 1 Peter 1:10-16; Psalm 98:1-4; Mark 10:28-31 Ash Wednesday, March 2: Joel 2:1218; Psalm 51:3-6, 12-14, 17; 2 Corinthians 5:20–6:2; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Thursday, March 3: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Luke 9:22-25 Friday, March 4: Isaiah 58:1-9; Psalm 51:3-6, 18-19; Matthew 9:14-15 Saturday, March 5: Isaiah 58:9-14; Psalm 86:1-6; Luke 5:27-32 Sunday, March 6: Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Psalm 91:1-2, 10-15; Romans B6 n MARCH 6, 2022

those less likely. Those more likely to survive were those who held on to hope and to the idea of a future.

Those less likely to survive were those who fell into despair, judging their suffering meaningless. From his experience, he developed logotherapy, a method of psychological analysis based on the idea that finding a meaning in life is the primary motivational force for each person (as opposed to Freud’s search for pleasure or Adler’s search for power). For Dr. Frankl, it is essential for humans to find meaning in life. We need to know why we are here, that our lives serve some purpose in the grand scheme of things. Another of Dr. Frankl’s insights from his time in the concentration camps is that suffering cannot be avoided in life, so we must find meaning even in our suffering.

Lent is the time in the Church’s liturgical year when we prepare for Holy Week, celebrating the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and His victory over death in the resurrection, which is our victory over death.

Jesus, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, became one of us, one with us, for a purpose, a telos. That

purpose was to communicate God’s great love for us and to reconcile us with the Father. The sin of Adam was the cause of a great rift between God and humanity, an alienation from our Creator. We lost our confidence in God’s love, the purpose of our lives, our telos, which is to glorify God by sharing in His divine life. Jesus restored all of this. He restored the dignity of what it means to be human by becoming human Himself. He restored our relationship with the Father by living a life in perfect obedience to the will of the Father, even unto death. And He restored our ultimate purpose, our telos, by making it possible for us to share in the divine nature. Jesus’ last words from the cross announced the fulfillment of His mission: “It is accomplished” (John 19:30).

Lent is a good time to reflect on the mystery of the meaning of our lives, our telos. Baptized in Christ, we share in His mission of priest, prophet, and king. As priests, we sanctify the world by embracing God’s grace that sanctifies us and offering all we have to Him. As prophets, we proclaim His good news to all, both in word and deed.

As kings, we share in the promise of eternal life, co-heirs with Christ to the kingdom of God. Baptized in Christ, there ought to be no lack of meaning for our lives. Our lives are filled with meaning! If Dr. Frankl is right, and I think he is, and finding a meaning in life is our primary motivational force, then we ought to be motivated each day to find new ways of living the life of Christ, of dedicating ourselves anew to our mission as priests, prophets, and kings.

In uniting our lives to Christ, we can find meaning each day. Even our sufferings can be united to the sufferings of Christ for the salvation of the world. What grander purpose could there be than to share in the mission of Jesus Christ? That is what we are called to. Our meaning, our purpose, our telos, is to be one with Christ in all things, even His sufferings, so to share in His glory.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all. ■

10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13 Monday, March 7: Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18; Psalm 19:8-10, 15; Matthew 25:31-46 Tuesday, March 8: Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalm 34:4-7, 16-19; Matthew 6:7-15 Wednesday, March 9: Jonah 3:110; Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19; Luke 11:29-32 Thursday, March 10: Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25; Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8; Matthew 7:7-12 Friday, March 11: Ezekiel 18:21-28; Psalm 130:1-8; Matthew 5:20-26 Saturday, March 12: Deuteronomy

26:16-19; Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8; Matthew 5:43-48 Sunday, March 13: Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14; Philippians 3:17–4:1; Luke 9:28-36 Monday, March 14: Daniel 9:4-10; Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13; Luke 6:36-38 Tuesday, March 15: Isaiah 1:10, 1620; Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23; Matthew 23:1-12 Wednesday, March 16: Jeremiah 18:18-20; Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16; Matthew 20:17-28 Thursday, March 17: Jeremiah 17:510; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Luke 16:19-31

Friday, March 18: Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28; Psalm 105:16-21; Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46 Saturday, March 19: Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16; Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29; Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22; Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24 Sunday, March 20: Exodus 17:3-7; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9; Romans 5:1-2, 5-8; John 4:5-42 Monday, March 21: 2 Kings 5:115; Psalms 42:2-3 and 43:3-4; Luke

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Bob Hunt is a husband, father, grandfather, and parishioner at All Saints Church in Knoxville and is a candidate for the permanent diaconate.

Readings continued on page B10 TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

DR. KELLY KEARSE (2)

COURTESY OF CHRISTINA PINT (2)

Catholic youth

Going for the Gold Celestina Pint (right) used her Girl Scout Gold Award project to benefit the West Knox Fish Pantry.

Celestina Pint of Sacred Heart earns Girl Scout Gold Award

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Cub Scouts donate food and funds to Ladies of Charity Cub Scout Pack 22, chartered by the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, participated in the national Boy Scouts of America Scouting for Food Drive on Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 at the Knox Plaza Kroger in Knoxville. Thanks to the generosity of the community, the scouts collected 2,000 pounds of food and more than $1,000. The food and cash were donated to the Ladies of Charity.

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

Celestina Pint Celestina used her graphic design and communications skills to create a new website and social media accounts for the pantry. In order to update nutritional information and volunteer procedures, Celestina assembled and wrote a new volunteer manual, created designs for printable flyers and posters, and completed a comparison of the contents of WKFP food bags with current nutritional recommendations.

The process, which required more than 100 service hours, has been a tremendous growth opportunity for Celestina, and she is very thankful for all of the support she received from WKFP and the pastor of Church of the Savior, the Rev. John Gill, throughout the process.

Celestina completed the project in January and received final approval Jan. 21. She will receive the Gold Award at a High Award Ceremony in April. In 12 years of Scouting, Celestina has also earned the Bronze and Silver awards and the Catholic I Live My Faith, Marian Medal (Mary, the First Disciple), and Spirit Alive awards. n

COURTESY OF WALT HANSON

COURTESY OF CHRISTINA PINT (2)

KCHS boys basketball team makes state final; Lady Irish fall in semis The Knoxville Catholic High School boys basketball team reached the state championship game of Division II, Class AA, with a 63-55 win over previously unbeaten Brentwood Academy on March 3 at Tennessee Tech. It was the 19th straight win for the Fighting Irish (29-3). Brentwood Academy entered the game 30-0. BJ Edwards scored 23 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead Knoxville Catholic in the semifinals. Blue Cain added 16 points and Presley Patterson 11. The KCHS Lady Irish fell in the state semifinals to Ensworth, 65-43 earlier March 3. The Lady Irish (22-10) were led in scoring by Sydney Mains with 20 points. Sydney went 10-for-10 on free throws in the game. Jazmine Williams scored 10 for the Lady Irish. Above, the KCHS basketball teams celebrated senior night Feb. 15. The honorees included Presley (top photo) and Ella Renfree.

elestina Pint, a Knoxville Catholic High School junior, a parishioner of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Girl Scout Ambassador in Troop 20269, has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the most prestigious award that Girl Scouts can earn.

In an effort that began nearly a year ago, Celestina used her resources and skills to help extend the life of the 50-year-old West Knox Fish Pantry (WKFP). WKFP is an ecumenical, cooperative food pantry located at the Church of the Savior that Celestina has been volunteering for since she was a Daisy Scout. Her family has been deeply involved in this pantry on behalf of the cathedral parish for more than 20 years.

Growing up as part of the pantry team, Celestina has been able to appreciate the level of food insecurity in the local community. Through her Scouting and school activities, she has also developed an awareness of the impact that food insecurity has on a child’s education.

Celestina had long observed that the pantry needed some physical maintenance and improvements, and she wanted to help the pantry to be able to continue its important work in feeding families. She also noticed that it needed more visibility among a younger audience, as the majority of its volunteers and leadership are senior citizens. Working with adviser Laura Derr, WKFP coordinator for First United Methodist Church of Farragut, and others on the WKFP leadership team, she developed an ambitious three-part project: physical improvements, new online visibility, and updated pantry reference materials.

Last summer, Celestina recruited and managed about 20 volunteers to clean and paint and install new shelving, signage, and LED light fixtures and to stabilize the assembly line with a new wooden structure. In the fall and winter,

St. John Neumann Knights hold free-throw competition Knights of Columbus Council 8781 at St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut held a free-throw contest Jan. 30. From left to right are winners Madie Pagel, Stefanie Kaczmarek, Danielle Kaczmarek, Nico Gentile, Zachary Hay, Cooper Long, Skyler Hay, and Mikey Pagel. These eight competed in the district championship in February.

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MARCH 6, 2022 n B7

with him as he exercises the service of pastor, enabling this community of St. Bridget’s to grow in the light of the Gospel?”

The bishop then led the assembly in the proclamation of the faith, and Father Vick took an oath of fidelity.

The signing of the official documents of installation followed, with Dianne Pfeiffer and cantor Bill Ward serving as witnesses.

“I give you your new pastor, even though you’re used to him,” the bishop said, to a round of applause.

At the end of Mass, Bishop Stika thanked parishioners “for all you do, for all the things you do for St. Bridget’s, for Father Jim. Thank you for all the special collections. We took up a second collection for the people whose lives were affected (by tornadoes) in Kentucky, and through

the generosity of this diocese I was able to send almost $76,000 to that diocese, which was so decimated, especially the city of Mayfield. We also took up a collection a few weeks before for the people of Haiti, which is always devastated, and that was another $60,000. The people of this diocese are so generous.”

The bishop gave “a special word of thanks to Father Vick,” who holds a dentist’s doctorate, calling him “Rev. Dr. Father Vick.”

“He’s always a happy man. He’s very happy. That means something’s in his heart that’s happy,” Bishop Stika said. “He loves the priesthood. I’m always grateful to our priests but especially tonight to Father Vick, for what he does for you, the people of God, and for what he does for me as the bishop as I travel through the diocese.” n

DAN MCWILLIAMS (5)

Father Vick continued from page B3

‘Are you willing to hear with open ears and open hearts?’ Bishop Richard F. Stika leads the assembly in making their promises to Father Jim Vick “as he exercises the service of pastor.”

Father Vick signs As Bishop Stika watches, Father Vick signs the documents helping to make his installation as pastor official at St. Bridget Church in Dayton.

Pen to paper Bishop Stika signs the documents of installation for Father Vick at St. Bridget Church in Dayton. Father Vick has led the 200-family parish since October 2020.

Serving as witnesses Dianne Pfeiffer and Bill Ward (left) were the witnesses in the signing of the documents that formally installed Father Jim Vick as pastor of St. Bridget.

‘I give you your new pastor’ Bishop Stika and Father Vick are all smiles after the Mass in which the Dayton priest was installed as pastor of St. Bridget Parish.

Calendar continued from page B5

Parish notes continued from page B4

home in order to live, teach, and preserve their Catholic Christianity. The group celebrates Mass together and has a monthly holy hour; has regular park gatherings, field trips, and feast day celebrations; offers faith-based small groups for children, teens, and adults, as well as many other activities. For more information, contact Lenore Pacitti at lmgouge@gmail.com or 865-684-6358, or Sarah Bryant at jsbry412@gmail.com or 865-742-3534.

Catholic Charities is hosting a Rachel’s Vineyard healing and recovery retreat the weekend of May 6-8 at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center, 250 Locke Lane in Benton, for those experiencing emotional or spiritual difficulties from a past abortion or abortions. Complete confidentiality is honored at all times. If you are unable to attend a weekend retreat, one-on-one counseling is available with counselors who have been trained in this area. For more information, contact Sandi Davidson at 865-776-4510 or sandi@ccetn.org. All COVID-19 restrictions will be followed during the retreat.

The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend is set for April 29-May 1 in Johns Creek, Ga. Apply online at GATNwwme.org, call 678-242-WWME, or e-mail applications@GATN-wwme.org.

Also, WWME has a focused program for couples with a spouse in the military.

Information can be found at www.foryourmilitarymarriage.com.

Father Arthur Torres of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga, Father Miguel Velez of St. Patrick in Morristown, and Father Fredy Bonilla of B8 n MARCH 6, 2022

Shepherd of the Valley in Central Point, Ore., are leading an 11-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land from July 4-14. Cost from Atlanta is $3,790 per person. For more information, call 832-406-7050 or e-mail info@nativitypilgrimage.com.

Father Bill McNeeley of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville will be the spiritual director for a pilgrimage to Ireland from Sept. 29 to Oct. 8. Pilgrims will visit Dublin, Wicklow, Glendalough, Tipperary, the Rock Of Cashel, Kerry, Dingle Peninsula, Shannon, the Cliffs Of Moher, Corcomroe Abbey, Galway, Corrib Lake, Clonmacnoise, and Knock. Cost is $3,759 per person from Knoxville. For more information, visit www.pilgrimages. com/frmcneeley.

Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at noon each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville; every Sunday at 8 a.m. at St. Mary Church in Athens; at 2 p.m. each Sunday at St. Mary Church in Johnson City; at 6 p.m. most Thursdays at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge; and at 11:30 a.m. every Sunday at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga.

For more information, visit www.KnoxLatinMass.net.

The St. Thomas the Apostle Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Mission located at 2304 Ault Road, Knoxville, TN 37914, meets for Divine Liturgy every first, second, and fourth Sunday at 3 p.m. All services are in English. Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865-621-8499 or visit www.facebook.com/SaintThomasKnoxville/ for more information. n

Those making a donation to Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM) should mention they are affiliated with St. Patrick.

KARM will take a portion of the earnings and send them back to the parish as KARM gift cards, which the parish will give to the community.

Lenten retreat March 22 and 23 featuring Gus Lloyd, Sirius/XM Radio host.

The talk each night will begin at 7 p.m. in the cathedral hall. A Lenten reflection will be offered March 22, and on March 23 Mr. Lloyd will talk about his book “Magnetic Christianity: Using Your God-Given Gifts to Build the Kingdom.” Mr. Lloyd is scheduled to host his “Morning Air” Sirius XM Radio show from the Chancery office during his visit.

Smoky Mountain Deanery

St. John XXIII, Knoxville

Holy Ghost, Knoxville

Those making a donation to Knox Area Rescue Ministries (KARM) should mention they are affiliated with St. John XXIII. KARM will take a portion of the earnings and send them back to the parish as KARM gift cards, which the parish will send to the Ladies of Charity to give out to those in need.

weekends of February. Items collected included toiletries, cleaning supplies, office supplies, paper products, and bottled water.

Phil Oakley was named the Knight of the month for February by Holy Ghost Council 16523 of the Knights of Columbus.

The council thanked the group of Knights who recently painted the inside of Catholic Charities’ Columbus Home and obtained some furniture for the facility.

The parish took part in a baby-bottle fundraiser for Catholic Charities’ Pregnancy Help Center after weekend Masses on Feb. 19 and 20.

A contemplative prayer study, a foursession discussion of Father Thomas Keating’s “Open Mind, Open Heart: The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel,” began in January.

St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville “Held by Hope: Father Hecker’s Spirituality for Today, an online Lenten retreat from the Paulist Fathers, will be held from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 19. Visit paulist.org/HeldByHope.

Bible study classes begin at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 15, in Marion Hall. To sign up or learn more, call Marion Croker at 423-420-0135.

Sacred Heart, Knoxville

Louisiana Cajun chefs The Gastons prepared a Fat Tuesday dinner March 1 in the church hall.

The cathedral parish is holding a free

Anniversary: Jim and Jane Tarrant (65) n

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

COURTESY OF SUSAN COLLINS (4)

Parish and community news

NANCY POWELL (4)

‘Mommy & Me’ cooking classes held at Notre Dame Church Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville is holding “Mommy & Me” cooking classes. The first class was held Feb. 10 in the kitchen at Notre Dame. Eighteen students ranging from 1 year old to 18 years old participated with a parent or grandparent. Students wore personalized chef hats and aprons. Under the direction of Elaine and Tom Janaskie, the children and guardian learned to make Polish pierogi. They mixed the dough, rolled it out, cut it, filled it with a potato and cheese mixture, and sealed the edges. Their finished product was parboiled and put in a bag to take home and fry in butter and onions just in time for supper. Finished pierogi were available for a tasting by everyone. The class schedule featured arepas on March 10, led by Elizabeth Shelton of Colombia, and will feature hot cross buns on April 14, led by Maggie May of England, and pancit on May 12, led by Marites Villarta of the Philippines.

The classes are hosted by a joint effort of the Notre Dame youth ministry and the St. Agnes Guild of the Council of Catholic Women. In the group photo are Elaine Janaskie, all the students, and Notre Dame pastor Father Joseph Kuzhupil.

Youth at St. Stephen make sleeping bags for the homeless Members of the confirmation class (top left) and youth group (top right) at St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga recently worked on a special project organized by the parish sewing group and the religious-education department. Each group of students spent an evening with Mary Hess (above), head of the sewing group, to help make sleeping bags for the homeless in the area. The sleeping bags are made from donated sheets, blankets, and comforters and are sewn by both machine and hand.

Some of the youth are getting a lesson on sewing as well as community service.

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

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MARCH 6, 2022 n B9

DAN MCWILLIAMS (5)

Catholic youth

Greetings, young man Bishop Stika shakes the hand of Evan Weaver, one of the Scouts who received a religious-emblem award at the breakfast.

Scouts’ honors Youth honorees at the Scouting breakfast hold their certificates alongside Bishop Richard F. Stika. From left are Jacob Turnmire, Jax Turnmire, Stephen Weaver, Anton Pint, and Evan Weaver.

St. George Medal recipients Bishop Stika and Father Dustin Collins, Scouting committee chaplain, pose with Mr. Manning after receiving their St. George medals.

Bishop Stika, Father Collins receive Catholic Scouting’s St. George Medal

By Dan McWilliams An award for the bishop Chris Manning, chair of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, presents the St. George Medal to Bishop Stika.

Adult Scouters Adults attending the Scouting breakfast included (from left) Kimberly and Jeffry Turnmire, Father Collins, Bishop Stika, Scouting committee treasurer Ken Hood, Girl Scouts representative Marilyn Bresnan, religious emblems coordinator Martin Vargas, and Mr. Manning.

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ishop Richard F. Stika presided at the annual diocesan Scouting Mass and breakfast Feb. 12 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, but he may have been surprised at the latter event when he was among the youth and adults receiving awards.

Bishop Stika received the St. George Medal from the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting.

The St. George Medal is the highest honor a diocesan committee can award to a person who supports the mission of Scouting.

“Bishop Stika epitomizes the dedication of our clergy to the mission of Scouting,” said Chris Manning, chair of the diocesan Scouting committee. “He provides an environment for us to grow the Scouting program as a part of youth ministry with the Knoxville Diocese. He is truly appreciated by all the Scouts and adult Scouters within the diocese.”

Father Dustin Collins, chaplain

for the Scouting committee, also received the St. George Medal.

The bishop complimented adult Scouters when he spoke at the breakfast.

“It’s all the many volunteers, people who just want to make a difference in the lives of those who follow us. So to all of you, I want to say thank you,” he said.

Knoxville “is a beautiful diocese,” Bishop Stika told the Scouters. “So much is being accomplished and will be accomplished. Why? The strength of the family and faith and knowing that God invites each and every one of us to reach our potential.”

Mr. Manning recognized four people in the audience at the breakfast: Marilyn Bresnan, community partnerships manager for the Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachians; Nathan Cunningham, director of field service for local Boy Scouts; James Gaddis, district executive for the Mount LeConte District of the Boy Scouts; and John Sheridan, immediate past president of the local Boy Scouts. n

Knoxville Catholic athletes commit on National Signing Day

By Dan McWilliams

N

ational Signing Day on Feb. 2 was once again a big event for Knoxville Catholic High School student athletes.

Eight seniors from KCHS signed national letters of intent with colleges and universities.

Six Fighting Irish football players signed: Tommy Winton with East Tennessee State University, Javis Mynatt with Wofford College, Josh Turbyville with the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, RaaPhell Mayes with the University of Virginia-Wise, and Eli Jones and Hayden Todd, both with Western Kentucky University. Laney Barber signed in softball with Chattanooga State and Landon Lutterman in baseball with Volunteer State.

Josh Turbyville, whose father, Josh Sr. (’91), played quarterback for the Fighting Irish, served as a kicker and punter for Knoxville Catholic. As a senior in punting, he recorded 45 touchbacks with a 41-yard average, a longest punt of 78 yards, and seven punts that went inside the 20. He is excited B10 n MARCH 6, 2022

about going to UTK, where he will be a preferred walk-on.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “I grew up watching Tennessee. Being able to sign and know that I’m about to be on TV. The players I saw when I was younger, watching Tyler Bray or Michael Palardy—those people.”

Josh values his KCHS background.

“It means a lot. Through tough times, I sought God, so I could just go home and pray, and I knew everything was going to be OK. Knowing I at least had Him by my side, it helped push me to be better,” he said.

He added that he will miss his fellow Fighting Irish players.

“I will. I’ll also try to keep in touch, but I’m kind of looking forward to the future. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for my Catholic teammates.”

Tommy Winton played wide receiver and defensive back for the Fighting Irish. As a senior, he racked up 35 receptions for 581 yards and 11 touchdowns, rushed seven times for 61 yards, and made eight punt returns for

109 yards and one TD of 55 yards.

On defense, he made 31 tackles, including one tackle for loss, with one interception and four pass breakups.

He is looking forward to going to ETSU. “It’s just a blessing, having a coaching staff believe in me the way they do,” Tommy said.

The KCHS coaching staff also believed in him, he noted.

“They trusted me with everything from year one, really day one, honestly,” Tommy said.

Tommy, like Josh, said he will miss KCHS once he’s in college.

“I’ll miss everybody, the community feel, the way everybody backs up the football program, the way the school backs up the football program, just really everybody in the community and the way they’re for us,” he said.

Knoxville Catholic taught him the value of prayer, Tommy said.

“We pray before everything. Even before we signed, we prayed. If I forget to pray, the school is never going to forget to pray,” he said. n

Readings continued from page B6

4:24-30 Tuesday, March 22: Daniel 3:25, 3443; Psalm 25:4-9; Matthew 18:21-35 Wednesday, March 23: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9; Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20; Matthew 5:17-19 Thursday, March 24: Jeremiah 7:2328; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9; Luke 11:14-23 Friday, March 25: Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, Isaiah 7:10-14 and 8:10; Psalm 40:7-11; Hebrews 10:4-10; Luke 1:26-38 Saturday, March 26: Hosea 6:1-6;

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Psalm 51:3-4, 18-21; Luke 18:9-14 Sunday, March 27: Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 34:2-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Monday, March 28: Isaiah 65:17-21; Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13; John 4:43-54 Tuesday, March 29: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12; Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; John 5:1-16 Wednesday, March 30: Isaiah 49:815; Psalm 145:8-9, 13-14, 17-18; John 5:17-30 Thursday, March 31: Exodus 32:714; Psalm 106:19-23; John 5:31-47 n TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C