April 5
| 2020
VOL 29 NO 4
IN THIS ISSUE CHAMPS INFLUENCE OF ELECTION B1 STATE A6 IRISH A4 RITE Knoxville Catholic Marvel exec chalks up Bishop Stika welcomes more than 200 into East Tennessee Church
success to Notre Dame High School, OLPH
High School wins first basketball title
He dwells among us ......................... A2 Parish news ....................................... B4 Diocesan calendar ............................ B5 Columns ............................................. B8 Catholic schools ............................. B10 La Cosecha ............................Section C
‘Our Good Friday’
STEPHANIE RICHER (2)
Bishop Stika reassures diocese, takes historic safety action due to coronavirus outbreak; Mass suspended
Praying for healing A lone parishioner prays inside the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on March 19 prior to the last public Mass before diocesan churches suspended Masses and services. Gov. Bill Lee and public health officials have instructed non-essential businesses and churches to close to help stem the spread of coronavirus. By Bill Brewer
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huttered stores and schools. Locked restaurants and bars. Dissipated traffic. Silent theaters. Barren grocery shelves. Empty churches. The novel coronavirus, a mysterious, communicable illness that first appeared on the other side of the world in late 2019, has spread into East Tennessee and cast a shadow on the way residents live, work, and socialize. As the number of cases has increased across the country, federal, state, and local officials have been forced to take actions not seen since influenza and polio epidemics of the early 20th century. Following the recommendations of
public health officials to contain the coronavirus, Bishop Richard F. Stika has taken the unprecedented step of suspending all public Masses in the Diocese of Knoxville until further notice. And as the virus has continued to spread, with a mounting number of cases in Tennessee, Bishop Stika has extended the suspension of services to Holy Week. He announced that the Chrism Mass, one of the most solemn and important liturgies of the liturgical year that is held on the Tuesday before Easter, will be postponed and rescheduled. Priests and parishes from across the diocese join together during the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of the
St. Joseph pray for us Bishop Stika prays during the March 19 Mass. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, where Bishop Stika blesses the oil of the cat-
echumens, the oil of the infirm, and the holy chrism. Also during the annual Chrism Mass, priests in the diocese renew their promises to the bishop. Holy Thursday and Good Friday public services also are suspended, but priests will be celebrating Easter Masses privately. Nearly 400 daily and Sunday Masses are regularly celebrated each week at the 51 churches and one Catholic mission in the diocese. Bishop Stika addressed the recent fear and uncertainty that has gripped communities during the diocese’s last public Mass amid a government-imposed suspension of all public events of more than 10 people.
Virus continued on page A8
The Church is a lighthouse in the severest of storms —or pandemics
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ardinal Justin Rigali has seen a little of everything in his nearly 59 years as a priest and nearly 85 years of life. He was on the ground floor as a young priest assisting during the early days of Vatican II. As an older bishop and later as a cardinal, he has lived through the horrible abuse scandals that have rocked the Church. But nothing, to him, tops what is going on presently, as the coronavirus pandemic has forced the Church to suspend Masses, even those of Holy Week, and halt virtually all other operations. “The Church has been through a lot of difficult times, but I don’t think anybody can remember anything like this, where it affects
the whole world but it affects the whole Church, and it affects it in a major way,” Cardinal Rigali said. “The Church has been affected now from even how to organize its life, its worship, to organize what the Church must do. I think it’s very clear that we’ve never been through a situation like this.” The cardinal believes there is a need for wisdom nowadays as the pandemic has created havoc in all walks of life. “The Church is constantly facing very difficult problems, and even people of good will can have different opinions on ‘What is it we’re supposed to do?’” he said. Scripture highlights an impor-
History continued on page A13
By Dan McWilliams
STEPHANIE RICHER
Cardinal Rigali puts the coronavirus in context as he reflects on challenges in Catholic history
Words of wisdom Bishop Stika celebrates Mass on March 19, with Cardinal Justin Rigali, left, concelebrating. Also concelebrating are Father David Boettner, right, Father Martin Gladysz, and Father Arthur Torres.