April 5, 2020, ET Catholic, B section

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE

B section

KCHS captures first boys basketball state title

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his one was for Luke Smith.

And for Matt Brown. And for Chris Gettelfinger. And for Matt Parton.

And for every player who has ever donned the green and gold of the Knoxville Catholic High School basketball team.

The Fighting Irish captured their first-ever state championship March 7 as they defeated Briarcrest Christian School 50-47 in the Division IIAA finals at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville.

The title came in Knoxville Catholic’s ninth appearance in the state tournament, where the team had finished runner-up in 1974 with Matt Brown, 1976 with Chris Gettelfinger, and 2017 with Luke Smith.

Interviewed the following week, 31-year KCHS head coach Mike Hutchens said the 2020 championship was “unbelievable.”

“It still has not set in,” he said.

“We kind of said after the game the other night that this is for all the teams that have been at Catholic.

We won it for our high school. It’s an unbelievable feeling.

“I had to look two or three times at the scoreboard to make sure that it was really over. The coaching staff kind of grabbed me—it dawned on me then the game was over. It took me a second to realize it.”

Sophomore B.J. Edwards scored 14 points with eight rebounds and

four assists for KCHS (25-4) and was named tournament Most Valuable Player. The title game was a faceoff between Briarcrest’s Mr. Basketball winner Kennedy Chandler, who scored 13 points and recorded five assists against KCHS, and B.J., a Mr. Basketball finalist.

Sophomore Pressley Patterson led the Irish in scoring with 15 points, draining four of his five 3-pointers in the third quarter. Senior Akeem Odusipe added nine points and raked down 13 rebounds for Knoxville Catholic, which outrebounded the Saints 36-19. Freshman Blue Cain scored four points, made two assists, and grabbed six rebounds for the winners. Pressley, Akeem, and Blue joined B.J. on the all-tournament team.

Also scoring for KCHS were junior Samuel Sompayrac with six points and Handje Tamba, a 7-foot sophomore, with two.

“I don’t have any words to explain it. It’s just amazing to be the first at school to win this title,” Handje said. “I’m just happy right now—I don’t have any words. We worked hard for it, so we deserve it.”

Rodney Newsom added 12 points for Briarcrest (25-6).

Shaky free-throw shooting down the stretch made the finish a close one for Knoxville Catholic, but single foul shots by Akeem, Samuel,

By Dan McWilliams

DAN MCWILLIAMS

The Fighting Irish defeat Briarcrest 50-47 in the finals and set off a celebration 80-plus years in the making

‘We’re going to celebrate and have a good time’ B.J. Edwards embraces Akeem Odusipe as the Knoxville Catholic High School celebration on the court erupts after its 50-47 win over Briarcrest clinched the state title. and B.J. in the last seven seconds provided the final margin.

“We work on free throws every practice,” B.J. said. “We kept missing, but we got the rebounds, so it’s

great.”

Rebounding by Samuel helped preserve the win.

“It’s a great feeling. Everybody, KCHS basketball continued on page B3

Bishop Stika spotlights youth and adult Scouts ‘The Scouting program has fortified people who are able to recognize their challenges, gifts, and abilities’

DAN MCWILLIAMS

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ishop Richard F. Stika continued an annual recognition of youth and adults in Scouting this year with an 8:05 a.m. Saturday Mass on March 7 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus followed by a breakfast at the cathedral school.

The bishop began Mass by noting the special presence of uniformed Scouts in the assembly.

“As you can tell it’s not a normal Saturday morning Mass,” he said.

“We pray with members of our Scouting program here. We give thanks to Almighty God for those who volunteer to lead our young men and women in the Scouting program, so we pray for them.”

Bishop Stika celebrated the Mass along with Father Martin Gladysz and with Deacon Robert Rust assisting.

In his homily, the bishop asked, “Isn’t a Scouting program that which teaches an individual how to go beyond maybe what’s expected, what the norm is, how to discover gifts that perhaps later on in life might actually save a life, if someone is choking or drowning, or you go hiking and you get lost?

“Skills to save, to save your own hide but also to save the life of another person. Scouting provides the ability to know what you can do, what you shouldn’t do, what you might need to work on to be able to accomplish. That’s the same thing in faith: to know what you should do, to know what you should not do.”

The bishop said that “we recognize these young men and women. . . . We recognize them because they have a willingness to learn, to learn outside the educational system, but also to have some fun, not that education is not fun, but to hang from trees and go canoeing and do all those things especially outside, where we see the beauty of God, in trees and streams and mosquito

By Dan McWilliams

Certificates from the bishop Bishop Richard F. Stika presented certificates at the Scouting Mass to Scouts who had earned religious-emblem awards. From left are (front row) Emma Brinkmann, Megan Brinkmann, Anton Pint, Molly Brinkmann, Marie Kouakou, Celestina Pint, and Miriam Campfield and (back row) Chris Manning, chairman of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting; Luke Gensheimer; Jax Turnmire; Bishop Stika; Martin Vargas, religious-emblems coordinator for the Scouting committee; and John Sheridan, president of the Great Smoky Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts. bites—all these beautiful things that remind us of the beauty of God.” Bishop Stika thanked all of the adult “volunteers, all the weekend warriors, the camp warriors, all the men and women who give so much because they maybe have been touched by the Scouting program.”

The bishop acknowledged that “the numbers of the Scouting programs are going down a bit, and that’s unfortunate, because for over 100 years the Scouting program has fortified people who are able to recognize their challenges, their gifts, and their abilities,” he said. “Just

like faith: the grace of God allows us to be fortified to recognize our gifts, our talents, our challenges, but also our God.” At the end of Mass, all of the youths who had received a religious-emblem award came forward to receive a certificate and a greeting from Bishop Stika.

The bishop also spoke at the breakfast, held in the school art room.

“Scouts give you the ability to grow up, to learn what you can do, to fine-tune maybe things that you already know how to do,” he said.

“Stick with it. As you get older, you’re going to have all kinds of competition to do this, that, and the other thing.”

Bishop Stika said people can be like rivers, which wind around obstacles instead of going straight.

“If you become a person who takes the path of least resistance, like trying to go around it—that might be the smart thing to do sometimes, but other times it might be to climb over,” he said. “I think that’s what Scouting does.”

At the breakfast, the bishop preScouting continued on page B2

Catholic councils not affected by Boy Scout bankruptcy case, chairman says

Scouting continued from page B1

tion of earning that honor.

“On behalf of the Boy Scout council, I want to thank the bishop for his support of Scouting . . . on behalf of the volunteer leaders of Chattanooga and Johnson City and those councils, we thank you, Bishop, for your support,” Mr. Sheridan said. “As the bishop said, there are some challenges ahead for Scouting, but I want you to know that Scouting is alive and well in East Tennessee.

“We have 10,252 Scouts enrolled in various Scouting programs in our council right now, and we’ve got 2,600 volunteers. We’re moving ahead, and we’re hopeful that the past 100 years of Scouting will help us for the next 100 years.” n

By Dennis Sadowski, Catholic News Service

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oy Scout councils and units sponsored by Catholic parishes and other entities will not be affected by the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed by the Boy Scouts of America, said the chairman of the National Catholic Committee on Scouting.

Jim Weiskircher told Catholic News Service in an e-mail late Feb. 18 that all local Scout councils and units will continue “business as usual, while monitoring the situation.”

The Boys Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy protection in federal court in Wilmington, Del., on Feb. 18 in an attempt to work out a compensation plan in response to hundreds of sex-abuse lawsuits.

The flood of cases involves several thousand men who claim to have been abused as Scouts by Scoutmasters and other leaders decades ago. The cases have been filed as some states changed statute-oflimitation laws.

Mr. Weiskircher wrote that the National Catholic Committee on Scouting does not plan to follow the route of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which as of Jan. 1 broke with the BSA and introduced its own global youth program.

The withdrawal of 400,000 members was a blow to the BSA,

DAN MCWILLIAMS (6)

sented adult-recognition awards along with John Sheridan, president of the Great Smoky Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts and a cathedral parishioner, and Chris Manning, chairman of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting.

Receiving Bronze Pelican awards for their service to Scouting were Bruce Pint, Jeffrey Turnmire, and Christina Pint.

St. George emblems, for contributing to the spiritual development of Scouts, went to Rachel LeBlanc, Kimberly Turnmire, and Scouting chaplain Father Dustin Collins.

The diocese again received the Quality Diocese Award from the National Catholic Committee on Scouting, continuing a long tradi-

Certificate for Megan Bishop Stika presents a Scouting certificate to Megan Brinkmann as Martin Vargas (left) and John Sheridan look on.

dropping its membership below 2 million, the lowest since the World War II era. Membership peaked at more than 4 million in the 1970s.

The BSA website confirmed that local “unit meetings and activities, district and council events, other Scouting adventures, and countless service projects will take place as usual” despite the bankruptcy filing.

“Local councils are legally independent, separate, and distinct from the national organization,” the website said. “No local council assets are directly affected by the Chapter 11 filing because the local councils are not filing entities.”

Local councils “will have an opportunity to contribute” to a trust fund established by the BSA to assist abuse victims, the website added.

Mr. Weiskircher said the Catholic Church and the BSA “are committed to making their youth programs safe and that there are many safeguards in place.”

“Unfortunately, some youth have been seriously hurt by unscrupulous adults in the past,” he added.

“Scouting under the auspices of the Catholic Church continues to be an excellent program to help young people to grow and develop the values that are central to Christian discipleship.” n

COURTESY OF CHRISTINA PINT

St. George emblem recipients Bishop Stika and Mr. Sheridan present St. George certificates and medals to Rachel LeBlanc (top) and Kimberly Turnmire.

Bronze Pelican award-winners Bishop Stika and John Sheridan, president of the Great Smoky Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts, present Bronze Pelican awards to Bruce Pint (third photo above), Jeffrey Turnmire (second photo above), and Christina Pint at the Scouting breakfast.

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Scout Sunday celebrated at cathedral A number of Scouts were honored Feb. 9 on Scout Sunday at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. With cathedral rector Father David Boettner are (from left, front row) Nora Miller, Kaitlyn McDermott, Braden McDermott, Claire Wallace, Arianna Willard, and Zoe Snell; (second row) Bonnie Wallace, Jimmy Staples, Megan Brinkmann, Victor Nored, William Karnes, and Veronica Golec; (third row) Thaddeus McLaurin, Owen McNally, Graham Karnes, and Jakob Casimiro; and (top) Anton Pint. Not pictured are Riley Horton and Anthony Killen.

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KCHS basketball continued from page B1

not just on our basketball team, but the community has really wanted it to happen for 80 years, so it was really great to just finally do it,” Blue said. “We just kept fighting. Sam got a lot of crucial rebounds, and that really helped us keep the lead and keep the momentum. Sam, he really kept us in the game, and even if we missed free throws, he was there to get the rebound, so that really helped.”

The championship came in KCHS’s first year in Division II. “It was just amazing,” B.J. said.

“We knew, moving into this division, that Briarcrest was like the top dog. We scheduled games like going to [the] Gonzaga [D.C. Classic] and playing IMG for us to be ready for this game, and it paid off.”

A small but loud contingent of KCHS fans was delighted by the final outcome.

“We had our regulars there,” Mr. Hutchens said.

The first of B.J.’s two 3-pointers gave Knoxville Catholic a 10-7 lead with 3:34 left in the first quarter, but the Saints outscored the Irish 7-0 down the stretch to take a 14-10 lead at the first break.

A three-point play by B.J. and a 3-pointer by Pressley following a Handje blocked shot gave KCHS a 19-14 lead with 6:35 left in the half.

A jumper by B.J., a layup by Akeem, and two free throws by Blue made it 25-17 with 3:09 to go in the second period. The Saints then went on a 9-0 run to take a 26-25 lead at halftime.

Pressley’s 3-point barrage in the third quarter helped KCHS build a 39-34 lead, but its West Tennessee opponent cut into that margin and made it a 39-37 game going into the fourth period.

A jumper by Samuel off an assist from Blue gave Knoxville Catholic the lead for good at 44-43 with 4:02 left in the game. A B.J. 3-pointer stretched the lead to 47-43 with 2:34 to go. Neither team scored until Kennedy made two foul shots for Briarcrest with eight seconds left.

Kennedy would make a layup with five seconds remaining, but the Saints could not offset the Irish’s final three free throws.

“I was pretty nervous, because I know the game was on the line and I had to hit the free throws,” Akeem said.

To reach the state tournament, KCHS needed to win a quarterfinal game at home, which it did over Ensworth 66-58 on Feb. 29.

In the semifinals of the state tourney at Lipscomb, Knoxville Catholic bested Christian Brothers 75-60. B.J. racked up 22 points and nine rebounds in that game, while Blue made seven of eight field goals and scored 17. Akeem recorded 12 points, nine rebounds, and a teamhigh five assists, and Samuel tallied 10 points.

For Akeem, the journey to KCHS and a state title has been a long one that began in his native Nigeria.

“It’s amazing. Plus, it’s been my dream to win the state title,” he said. “To finally have it, it’s just amazing. I don’t even know how to express it.

“It means everything, like Coach being a coach for 30 years had never

Man-to-man defense KCHS’s B.J. Edwards guards Briarcrest’s Kennedy Chandler.

KCHS medalist Knoxville Catholic’s Pressley Patterson was one of four Irish players to receive an AllTournament Team medal. won it. Winning it for the school and for him, and also being my dream to win it, it means everything.”

Growing up in Africa, Akeem said, “Everyone knows soccer. I played soccer all my life, then I started growing. Just seeing people tall playing basketball, I thought it was easy until I tried it. It was not easy. I had to work on it. I had the opportunity to have a chance to come here and show my talent, and my parents were good with it.”

There still remained the question after he arrived at KCHS of whether the team could reach the state finals.

“I knew I could. I knew I had the ability to, but I didn’t know if I had the team to get to this point, but playing with these guys, the way we play and practice, I knew we could do it,” Akeem said.

The state-title team had good chemistry together.

“We played pretty good defense.

We passed the ball. No one was selfish,” Akeem said. “Going to the basket harder than last year, because we knew this division was harder than the one we played in.”

The Irish set goals in the offseason, Akeem said.

“We know what we put in we get out. We can outrun and outplay our opponent, so every time we come in we always come in with the mindset that we’re going to outplay you guys and you guys can’t stop us,” he said.

What’s next for KCHS hoops?

“We want to try to get back to the state tournament again next year,” Mr. Hutchens said. “We’ve got everybody back but Akeem. Of course, Akeem’s a big loss: 17 points and 13 rebounds. You’re not going to replace what Akeem does, but we’ve got a lot of good kids back.

We’re going to be pushing again next year.”

But they’ll never forget this year.

“This will be one of the greatest memories of all our lifetimes, as far as athletics,” Mr. Hutchens said.

“We have several kids who are going to play at the next level. But no matter where they go or what they do, we’ll always be together. It’s going to mean a lot.” n

Piling on Knoxville Catholic’s Blue Cain hugs B.J. Edwards while B.J. is embracing Handje Tamba in the middle of the Irish’s postgame celebration.

Hoisting the trophy Knoxville Catholic players lift the school’s first-ever boys basketball state championship trophy.

Recognizing the head coach KCHS’s Mike Hutchens receives the state championship plaque and the game ball after the Irish’s win over Briarcrest.

A score to remember The Allen Arena scoreboard shows a final tally that Knoxville Catholic players, coaches, and fans will remember for a long time.

Photos by Inside shot Fighting Irish center Handje Tamba puts up a shot near the hoop against Briarcrest’s Rodney Newsom.

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Dan McWilliams and Bill Brewer APRIL 5, 2020 n B3

Parish notes Chattanooga Deanery

Five Rivers Deanery​

St. Jude, Chattanooga Holy Trinity, Jefferson City

St. Mary, Athens

The Ken Schroer Memorial Scholarship was created to help college students defray the cost of their education. This scholarship is open to high school seniors who are sons and daughters of current Holy Trinity parishioners and is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. To fill out an application, call the church office at 865-471-0347.

Newcomers: John and Terry Binando; Yolanda Garcia; Karen Humphries; Kenneth and Sherri Martinez; Suzanne Murphy; Michael and Tina O’Malley and Liam and Conor; Gary and Teresa Perry

The parish celebrated the 104th birthday of Myrtle Reidell with a party March 9. Mrs. Reidell passed away March 22.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga

“Flags on the Hill” at Holy Trinity were displayed in honor of President’s Day on Feb. 17.

Anniversaries: Ken and Mary Ann Decker (57), Ken and Mary Stroop (57), John and Joan Lord (55), Gene and Peggy Delett (54), Frank and Anna Anthony (52), Frank and Betty Blair (20), Paul and Corazon Martin (20)

Cumberland Mountain Deanery

ELIZABETH CONWAY

St. Jude will honor pastor Father Charlie Burton’s 40th anniversary of priestly ordination with a Mass and dinner Friday, July 10. The parish also recognized Father Burton’s birthday Feb. 17 with a potluck lunch Feb. 20.

Lenten guest speaker Paul Simoneau, vice chancellor of the Diocese of Knoxville and director of the Office of Justice and Peace, gave a presentation titled “The Rosary and Icons—a Match Made in Heaven” on March 15 at Holy Trinity.

Holy Spirit celebrates St. Blaise Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy celebrated the blessing of throats in honor of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, at the 5:30 p.m. Mass on Feb. 1. Pastor Monsignor Al Humbrecht is pictured kneeling and blessing the throat of 4-year-old Ember Peternell as grandparents Jill and Gary Peternell wait to be blessed. Assisting is Eula Purvis blessing the throat of Dr. Jim Martin, with Margaret Chastain waiting. Linda Frantz is also pictured blessing other parishioners.

The parish beat its goal in raising $2,892 for its twin parish of Bainet in Haiti. The money will go toward the Haiti parish’s effort to build the Chapel of St. Clements.

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman

Anniversaries: Fred and Billie Bitner (50), Tom and Pat Karpick (40), Paul and Roxanne Sims (35)

Confirmandi: Nicolas Gouge, Shelby Lavender, Isaac O’Rourke, Maggie Patterson, Madison Shillings, Ryan Stewart

Newcomers: Eugene III and Christina Dunn, Karen Little

NANCY POWELL (2)

The Knights congratulated their Knight of the month for March, Paul Jette, and their family of the month, Royce and Nancy Rohling. Naino Leo was Knight of the month for February, and Deacon Paul and Shirley Nelson were family of the month.

St. Dominic, Kingsport

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade A Bible Study on the Mass was completed in February. A Bible Study on the Gospel of St. John with emphasis upon encounter started in February.

The Knights of Columbus conducted their “40 Cans for Lent” food drive to benefit the food pantries of St. Alphonsus Community Services, Peavine Care Center, and Crab Orchard Care Center. The concept is to donate a can of food each day during Lent.

Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM, is scheduled to conduct an Evangelization Retreat on May 13 as part of the parish initiative to follow St. Francis and rebuild the church.

A five-event Concert Series began March 1 with The Orfeo String Quartet and was to continue through May. A special highlight will be the performance of the Imani Milele Children’s Choir from Uganda.

St. John Neumann, Farragut The school concert band, grades five through eight, received an overall superior rating March 4 at the East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association’s concert assessment held at Maryville College. The band earned a superior rating of “1” from all four judges at the assessment.

This is the fifth year in a row the band has received a superior rating at this assessment.

Knights of Columbus Council 8781 held its 29th annual Clergy & Religious Appreciation Dinner on Feb. 20. A total of 120 attended, including Cardinal Justin Rigali and 64 other honored guests from the clergy and religious communities. A holy hour preceded the dinner. Council 8781 and Assembly 3500 presented six $500 checks to support seminarians. The 30th annual Clergy & Religious Appreciation Dinner will be held Feb. 4, 2021.

The Knights held a breakfast buffet after morning Masses on Feb. 9.

A Mass of thanksgiving celebrating the silver jubilee of St. Dominic pastor Father Michael Cummins is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, June 5, at St. Dominic Church, with dinner to follow in the parish life center. RSVP by phone (423-288-8101) or e-mail (stdomchurch@aol.com) by May 18.

St. Dominic School is in the process of building a “family tree.” Those who graduated from the school are asked to e-mail secretary@saintdomschool. com with their name, address, phone number, and year of graduation. Family members who attended the school and their relationship to the graduate may also be included.

St. Patrick, Morristown The parish gave a special thank-you to Sharon McDuffie for her many years of service cleaning the altar linens.

New stained-glass window installed at St. Stephen On Jan. 30, after many months of work, the first of the new stained-glass windows was installed in the vestibule of St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga. The window, titled “God the Father,” was designed by parishioner Mark Vallee and pieced together by many St. Stephen volunteers. In the coming months, two more windows will be made and installed to complete the Holy Trinity. In the top photo, Victor Williams and Mr. Vallee piece the window together. In the bottom photo are Mr. Williams, John Vannucci, and Mr. Vallee.

Tjaardas celebrating 60 years of marriage

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Smoky Mountain Deanery Immaculate Conception, Knoxville The Knoxtet vocal ensemble and the combined choirs of Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Fatima presented Lenten meditations in Scripture and song on March 1 at both churches.

t. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade congratulates James and Lynda Tjaarda on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary April 23.

The Tjaardas were married at St. Joseph Church in York, Pa., with Father Paul O’Connell, a cousin of Mr. Tjaarda, officiating.

Their children are Marjorie and Michael, both deceased; Ellen Paulk of Clarksville; and Barbara Moser of Murfreesboro. They have six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Mr. Tjaarda retired from Union Carbide Corp., and he and his wife moved to the Glade in 1997. n

Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa The parish congratulated new Third Degree Knights Juan Hernandez, Dr. Tim Thurston, Deacon Bill Jacobs, Daniel Westerling, William Carter, Ron Kopp, Mike Beiting, Mike Wilson, and Francisco Carretero.

The Knights of Columbus sponsored a Dad/Daughter, Mother/Son Dance on Feb. 21.

An evening of recollection for men took place Feb. 18 in the adoration chapel.

St. John XXIII, Knoxville The People of Judah charismatic prayer group began meeting weekly at St. John XXIII on Feb. 16. Meetings take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sundays. Anyone interested in attending is welcome. For more information, call Ron Hughes at 757-285-0656.

COURTESY OF COLLEEN COMBS

First communicants: Carter Trout, Jackson Lavender, Trevor Johnson

St. Therese, Clinton The parish celebrated the birthday of pastor Father Richard Armstrong on March 9.

Anniversaries: George and Tootie Krebs (66), Ralph and Sandy Collins (55), Jerry and Annette Brown (51) B4 n APRIL 5, 2020

Volunteers are needed to sew and personalize teddy bears for chronically ill children at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. Contact Allison Campbell at booboobuddiesvip@gmail.com.

Marriage: Mary Beth Bowman and Alfredo Aguilar n

St. Augustine raises money for Chattanooga Community Kitchen In solidarity with the homeless community of Chattanooga, St. Augustine Church in Signal Mountain hosted a community Soup Supper on Feb. 9. It was a simple potluck meal of soup and bread, and the parish raised $2,150 in donations for the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. From left are Colleen Combs, event chair; Vanessa Blevins, CFO, Chattanooga Community Kitchen; and Betty Miles, St. Augustine Social Action Committee chair.

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The 22nd annual Kids’ Walk & Fun Fest will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at Knoxville Catholic High School. The afternoon includes a walk around the track at KCHS and a Fun Fest featuring inflatables, games and prizes, live music, and complimentary refreshments. The event benefits Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Children’s Services. Preregistration is $20 per person and $40 per family. To pre-register or learn more, visit https://ccetn.org/events.

The annual diocesan God Camps will be held in June at Harrison Bay State Park in Harrison. The Reach camp for incoming seventh- and eighth-graders will be held June 22-25. Cost is $135. The Discover camp for incoming fifth- and sixth-graders will take place June 25-27.

Cost is $110. God Camp activities will include swimming in an Olympic-sized pool, outdoor sports, prayer services, the celebration of Mass, team-building activities, and an evening dance. Contact Donna Jones at 423-622-7232 or djones6029@gmail.com for more details.

The 2020 Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Convention has been postponed to Oct. 22-24. The 31st annual event is hosted by the Five Rivers Deanery CCW at the Morristown Conference Center Hotel and at St. Patrick Church in Morristown. The convention theme is “Mary’s Fiat, Our Yes: A Vision for the Future.” Patricia Livingston, Sonja Corbitt, and Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM, will be the convention’s speakers.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the National CCW, and there will be prizes at the convention related to that, including a prize for the 100th registrant. Contact Susan Collins at 423-470-2560 or scollins51@hotmail.com or Kathy DeAngelis at 423-277-6296 or krdeangelis@yahoo. com for details about hotel arrangements or about the convention. More information and registration forms may be found at http://kdccw.org/conventions.html.

Knoxville Catholic High School is hosting Camp Irish, a number of summer camps in areas ranging from sports and robotics to math and physics to band and theater.

For more information, visit www.knoxvillecatholic.com/about/camp-irish/.

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Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga is currently accepting applications for the 2020-21 academic year.

Visit www.myndhs.com to apply online and view important upcoming events.

Call Laura Goodhard at 423-624-4618 with any questions.

St. Jude School in Chattanooga is currently accepting applications for grades PK3 through eight for the 202021 school year. To learn more or schedule a tour, contact Kathie Preston at 423-877-6022 or prestonk@mysjs.com.

COURTESY OF SALLY BARAN

Singers, choir directors, clergy, and others interested in sacred music are invited to the sixth annual Southeastern Summer Sacred Music Workshop, to be held midday Friday, July 31, through Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn Gregorian chant or improve their chant skills and to prepare and sing polyphonic music for a sung Mass on Saturday afternoon. Workshop topics will include the history and purpose of Gregorian chant, Church documents on the liturgy, English and Spanish chant, improving parish music programs on a limited budget, free online sources of liturgical music, and more. Online registration will be available this spring. The event is cosponsored by the Diocese of Knoxville Music Commission and Southeastern Sacred Music, a chapter of the Church Music Association of America. For more information, visit southeasternsacredmusic.com, e-mail mary@b16schola.org, or call Mary Weaver at 865-437-8620.

The Covecrest Lifeteen Summer Camp is set for 8 a.m. Monday, June 1, to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 6, in Tiger, Ga. For more than 15 years, “Covecrest has provided experiences at summer camp where high school teens are able to be free and confident in themselves, develop new friendship with other teens from their parish and the diocese, and encounter God working in their lives.” Cost is $660 per person (includes transportation, T-shirt, and all camp activities), and space is limited. To register, contact Beth Parsons at bparsons@dioknox.org or 865-584-3307.

Golden-anniversary couples honored at St. Joseph Parish Eight couples from St. Joseph Parish in Norris celebrated the 50th anniversary of their wedding on Valentine’s Day weekend, with about 70 parishioners attending.

They were joined by Monsignor Bill Gahagan, who recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination as a priest. The honorees, pictured with the Monsignor, are (from left) Doug and Sharon Behning, Dennis Curtin (wife Judy not pictured), Bill and Margaret Donaldson, Mike and Patty Ferkany, Charles and Judy Kuhens, and George and Susan Miceli. Charles and Bennie Grace and Paul and Pandy Blihar were not able to attend.

St. Teresa parishioners plant tree in honor of Father Pawelk St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish in Maynardville recently celebrated the first anniversary of the dedication of its new church. After Mass, parishioners planted a tree in honor of their founding pastor, Glenmary Father Steve Pawelk, and celebrated with a light reception. Parishioners will be planting 30-plus trees in memory of their loved ones.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga is currently accepting applications for grades pre-kindergarten through eight for the 2020-21 school year. To learn more, contact Teresa Hennen at 423-622-1481 or teresahennen@ myolph.com or visit school.myolph.com.

The St. Ambrose Catholic Homeschool Co-op is registering for the 2020-21 school year. The co-op meets Fridays at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. Registration will be underway through April 30. Classes begin Aug. 21 for nursery-aged children through high-schoolers. For more information, visit https://www.stspeterandpaulbasilica.com/pages/stambrose. To schedule a visit or learn more, e-mail stambrosecoop@gmail.com.

Father Michael Cummins of St. Dominic Church in Kingsport will lead a pilgrimage to Yellowstone National Park from Oct. 11-16. The days will consist of wildlife viewing, Mass, retreat talks, and prayer opportunities. Cost is $1,995 (airfare not included). For more information, contact the St. Dominic office at 423288-8101 or stdomchurch@aol.com.

While public Masses are suspended during the coronavirus outbreak, the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga is closed during Mass times that are in the main church, by order of the bishop. However, Masses and Liturgy of the Hours are being live-streamed daily on the basilica’s Facebook page, which can be accessed via a link on the stspeterandpaulbasilica.com home page. It is not necessary to have a Facebook account to view the live-streams.

The schedule is as follows, subject to change. Check stspeterandpaulbasilica. com for schedule updates: Sundays: 8 a.m., English Novus Ordo Mass; 9:30 a.m., Spanish Novus Ordo Mass; 11 a.m., ancient form Missa Cantata in Latin; noon to 6 p.m.: the church will open for Adoration and prayer.

Weekdays: 7 a.m. Monday/Wednesday/ Friday, Mass in the church; noon Monday through Friday, Mass in the rectory chapel; 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday: the church will be open for prayer; 7:45 a.m. to noon Monday through Saturday, adoration with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; 11 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, confessions in the confessionals. At all times when the church is open, visitors are asked to keep a safe distance between each other, and to check that less than 10 are present before entering. n

ELIZABETH CONWAY

The annual adult confirmation Mass celebrated by Bishop Richard F. Stika will take place at 4 p.m. Pentecost Sunday, May 31, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Any adult (18 and over) who has had the sacraments of baptism and first Communion but who has not been confirmed may receive the sacrament of confirmation on this date. Interested candidates should call their parish office for more information. Rosters are due to Father Richard Armstrong in the Chancery office no later than May 11. Rosters and more information may be found at https://dioknox. org/offices-ministries/christian-formation/ adult-confirmation-2/

couples retreat is scheduled for 7-10 p.m. Friday, May 8, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga. The retreat is to supplement couples’ marriage formation process with their parish priest or deacon. The cost is $135 per couple, which includes a certificate good for $60 off a marriage license. To receive a $60 discount, couples must attend the entire program and attend the program within one year of purchasing the license. Mass will be celebrated during the event. For more information, e-mail kbyrne@dioknox.org or visit dioknox.org/ event/picture-of-love-engaged-coupleretreat-2-2-2-2/.

Twins baptized at Holy Spirit Church Monsignor Al Humbrecht, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy, recently baptized twin boys, grandsons of Karl and Sharon Nesmith. The first twin, Jack Sikkema, is held by his daddy, Jordan, and doesn’t seem to mind as Monsignor Humbrecht gently places the water on him. Brother Miles, held by mom Summer, waits his turn. In the background are godparents Wendy Nesmith and Daniel Nesmith, who is Summer Sikkema’s twin brother.

Butkuses celebrate 50 years of marriage

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t. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade congratulated Ray and Sue Butkus, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary March 21.

They were married at Our Lady of Humility Church in Zion, Ill., with Father John Hayes officiating.

Their children are Eric Raymond of Wilmette, Ill., and Allison Rae of

Sedona, Ariz., and they have one grandson.

Mr. Butkus retired as a high school art teacher in Downers Grove, Ill., and Mrs. Butkus as a speech and language therapist at Downers Grove and Westmont, Ill. They moved to the Glade in September 2003. They celebrated their anniversary in Sedona. n

COURTESY OF AL LESAR

NOTE: Because of the coronavirus pandemic, numerous events around the diocese have been canceled or postponed. The events below were still scheduled to take place as of press time; however, those planning to attend/participate should contact the event organizers or visit their websites to make sure the event will be held.

COURTESY OF AL LESAR

Calendar

St. Joseph Parish holds Junk Food Night In order to navigate the dreary month of February, the members of St. Joseph Parish in Norris turned to love—and junk food. One sure way to prepare for the Super Bowl was to bring in the whole family to the church hall for Junk Food and Games Night on Feb. 2. All food with any nutritional value at all was checked at the door, leaving plenty of room for cakes, candy, cookies, and the occasional slice of pizza. About 40 parishioners took advantage of the guilt-free experience.

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APRIL 5, 2020 n B5

Glenmary Father John Rausch dies at age 75

By Dennis Sadowski/CNS

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lenmary Father John Rausch recognized early in his time as a missionary in Appalachia that people were facing severe environmental and economic challenges and devoted his ministry to seeking solutions and calling attention to their predicament.

For 53 years, Father Rausch of Stanton, Ky., who died Feb. 9 at age 75, traveled around the region, speaking, writing, organizing, and praying in a lifelong effort to carry out the biblical call to justice, friends and colleagues recalled.

“He was very dedicated to justice,” Father Dan Dorsey, president of the Glenmary Home Missioners, told Catholic News Service on Feb. 11. “Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ seemed to sum up his own ministry and passion as far as care of the earth. He had just an incredible love of Appalachia and its people.”

Visitors to Father Rausch in Kentucky often were treated to hearty meals and warm hospitality. “It was the ministry of the table,” Father Dorsey said.

That love led Father Rausch to the Catholic Committee of Appalachia, for which he served as director from 2005 to 2013. The organization presented him with its Bishop Sullivan Peace and Justice Award in 2016.

Michael Iafrate, the committee’s current co-coordinator, credited Father Rausch for being “a regular guy.”

“He was on the other end of clericalism, of being with people and not imposing stuff on them, and standing with them in whatever struggle they might have, a personal struggle or a political struggle,” Mr. Iafrate said.

“He also had a way of communicating what Catholic social teaching is about and reaching people who you wouldn’t think would be very receptive to it,” Mr. Iafrate added.

Father Rausch, who was writing an autobiography for the University of Kentucky Press at the time of his death, had been a longtime supporter of coal miners and their families. In recent years, he spoke against efforts by mining companies to shed pension and healthcare liabilities for retired workers.

Also at the time of his death, Father Rausch was the subject of a documentary in production about his extraordinary life and ministry.

RM Media is producing the documentary, titled “Father John: For the People, for the Land.” And in 2015 he appeared briefly in the film “Big Stone Gap” as himself. The movie, starring Ashley Judd, Patrick Wilson, Whoopi Goldberg, Jenna Elfman, and Anthony LaPaglia, was about family members in a small town in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia coming to terms with a family secret.

In his wide-ranging ministry role, Father Rausch also served with the Commission on Religion in Appalachia, the Appalachian Ministries Educational Resource Center, Christians for the Mountains, and the Laudato Si’ Commission of the Diocese of Lexington. He joined the faculty at the Coady Institute at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada, for three summers.

A native of Philadelphia, Father Rausch began his work with Glenmary in the mid-1960s as an associate pastor at the order’s missions in Norton and St. Paul, Va. He later became pastor of St. Paul.

A pastoral letter by the 25 bish-

CNS PHOTO/TYLER ORSBURN

The dedicated longtime missionary in Appalachia was a former columnist for The East Tennessee Catholic

Advocate for Appalachia Glenmary Father John Rausch is seen in this 2014 file photo at his Appalachia home near Stanton, Ky. He died Feb. 9 at age 75. ops of the Appalachia region, “This Land Is Home to Me,” influenced Father Rausch in 1980 to devote his life to serving the Appalachian region without a traditional church assignment. “He viewed all of Appalachia as his parish,” Father Dorsey said.

The pastoral letter marked the first effort by the bishops as a group to call attention to the dire economic hardship, rising drug abuse, environmental destruction, and decline in the culture that defines the 205,000-square-mile region that extends from southern New York to northeastern Mississippi and is home to more than 25 million people.

Father Rausch organized pilgrimages for religious leaders, journalists, elected officials, and parishioners from across the country to see firsthand the resiliency of the people in the face of the hardships.

In his writing, Father Rausch described the experiences of the peo-

ple of Appalachia in a column that appeared in diocesan newspapers, including The East Tennessee Catholic, as well as in articles for various publications. He won 10 Catholic Press Association awards for his work published in Glenmary Challenge magazine.

In 2007, Pax Christi USA awarded Father Rausch with its Teacher of Peace Award.

Johnny Zokovitch, executive director of Pax Christi USA, recalled the priest for his witness in life that “spoke to the peace of Christ, care of creation, and the Church’s preferential option for those who are impoverished.”

Father Rausch is survived by two sisters, Marian J. McGinty and Melanie V. Cannon.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Feb. 19 at St. Matthias Church in Cincinnati. Father Rausch was buried at Gate of Heaven in Montgomery, Ohio. n

By Karen Adams/CNS

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hen Sister Bernadette “Bernie” Kenny, a religious in the Medical Missionaries of Mary, brought her nursing skills to Appalachian Virginia in 1978, she was startled by the long and steep distances between towns.

But the Boston native soon found that driving those routes to provide health care changed her perception: they seemed shorter because they were familiar.

That image also fits her career of caring for the people in the southwest corner of the state, near Bristol, very few of whom are Catholic: first they were far apart, and now they are closer.

Sister Kenny has written a book about her experience titled Better for Being With You: A Philosophy of Care, released in December by Pacem in Terris Press.

“Every day, somebody in need comes in my path, and it is a privilege to make a difference for them,” said Sister Kenny, 81, a nurse practitioner who served in Ireland and East Africa before arriving in Virginia. “I believe God calls me in that way, in the number of people I can help.”

Better for Being With You, which is Sister Kenny’s reply when people ask how she is, is a blend of autobiography, medical handbook, cultural chronicle, and journal of spiritual reflection.

It describes Sister Kenny’s longtime work with Remote Area Medical services as founder of the Health Wagon, a Wise County– based nonprofit organization with a mobile medical unit that, since 1980, has traveled mountain roads in all kinds of weather to provide health services to the medically underserved in southwest Virginia.

The Health Wagon, the first mobile health clinic in the nation, serves areas with poverty rates 70 to 140 percent higher than the rest of Virginia, an area where chronic unemployment, heart disease, diabetes, COPD, injuries, and suicide are higher than elsewhere in the state. Struggles with

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substance abuse, addiction, and depression are significant. Infant mortality rates have been high but are improving through education and access to care.

The book also describes how Sister Kenny’s work has blessed her own life and how so many area people, Catholics and non-Catholics, work together to help others.

One of those colleagues is Tauna Gulley, who holds a doctorate in education and is a nurse practitioner, educator, and Sister Kenny’s co-worker for more than 30 years— and a Southern Baptist minister’s wife—and co-author of the book.

The two friends spoke by phone to The Catholic Virginian, newspaper of the Richmond Diocese. They were in the kitchen of Sister Kenny’s “log cabin on the side of a mountain, in a coal camp,” as the religious sister described it, in Clinchco, Va. Even though Ms. Gulley lives in Clintwood, Va., a winding 10 miles away, she calls herself a neighbor.

“We wrote most of the book sitting right here at Sister Kenny’s kitchen table,” she said with a laugh.

The two began writing in September 2017; the book has been well received by the community.

“It holds so many truths about our area, the challenges and how we can offer solutions,” Ms. Gulley said.

“People are excited to be part of it and tell their stories and share what the care has meant to them, to know that someone cares about them.”

Another goal of writing the book is to have it read among the nursing, medical, and social-work communities, including students in those fields. The emphasis on respect and dignity runs throughout.

The foreword was written by author and former Big Stone Gap resident Adriana Trigiani, who writes: “Sister Kenny has served the beautiful Appalachian people with grace. This special servant of God, this humble and funny nun, is a dazzling light on the mountain.”

Sister Kenny’s work takes a holistic approach to care, noting how all health is connected—physical, mental, emotional, financial, spiri-

CNS PHOTO/COURTESY TAUNA GULLEY

Sister Bernie is making a difference in Appalachia

‘Be the light of Christ’ Tauna Gulley and Sister Bernadette “Bernie” Kenny, co-authors of “Better for Being With You: A Philosophy of Care,” pose for this undated photo. Sister Bernie is a religious sister with the Medical Missionaries of Mary. tual—and how one problem can create other problems but how one success can create other successes.

She offers reflections and emphasizes the importance of nutrition, rest, exercise, and stress relief in daily life in addition to overall health.

Sister Kenny’s work has earned her many awards, including Catholic Extension’s Lumen Christi (“Light of Christ”) Award in 1998.

“That tells me to be the light of Christ, be the joy of Christ, be of service to people,” she said.

“Very often I hear people call upon Jesus to give them strength, and that strengthens my own faith,” she said. “But it doesn’t matter which church people attend, or if they go at all. We all have the same God.” With recent health challenges of her own, she has retired from the Health Wagon but still works part time to maintain her nurse practitioner’s license. Several days a week she is at Appalachian Family Care, a low-cost health clinic at the Food City grocery store in nearby Vansant, Va., run by a nurse, Frannie Minton, and her family, who also are Catholic.

Sister Kenny and the clinic staff

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treat minor injuries and illnesses, prescribe and refill medications, provide exams, check blood pressure and blood sugar, administer flu shots and advice, refer people to other resources, and more. She sometimes even walks the grocery aisles with clients to help them choose affordable and healthful food.

A recent Medicaid expansion is helping many more people in the area, she said. A clinic in Clintwood named after Sister Kenny is being built this year.

“We’re working to break the cycle of fatalism,” she said. “People see their neighbors improving, and they want to learn how their lives can improve, too.”

After so many years of building friendships, growing trust, offering service and education, Sister Kenny said the area feels like home now.

Through it all, she said, God has been with her.

“There are ‘aha’ moments when I know that’s God, it’s not me,” she said. “I see supplies and medications show up in our cupboard after I was sure we didn’t have what we needed. I see people getting better after I thought they were going to die. That’s God at work.” n TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

BILL BREWER (4)

Catholic schools

KATHY RANKIN (3)

Pep rally kicks off Catholic Schools Week at cathedral school The Knoxville Catholic High School drum line (top-left photo) led a pep rally to kick off Catholic Schools Week at Sacred Heart Cathedral School on Jan. 27. All grades took part in the festivity, which was among several celebrations at Diocese of Knoxville schools.

BILL BREWER (4)

Rosary starts off Catholic Schools Week at St. Joseph School in Knoxville St. Joseph School students and principal Andy Zengel prayed the rosary Jan. 27 to begin Catholic Schools Week.

Mayor Jacobs reads to children at Sacred Heart Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs visited Sacred Heart Cathedral School on March 6. The mayor discussed reading and academics with the students and read to them from Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go! as part of the Read City USA program.

Above, Mayor Jacobs shakes hands with cathedral rector Father David Boettner.

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

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APRIL 5, 2020 n B7

Praying for Perspective

by George Valadie

Virus and a death in the family make for ‘hellish week’ Every kid wants an extra day of spring break, but no one was hoping for a total school shutdown

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hat a week! One of those unbelievable, don’t-everwant-to-do-it-again sorts

of weeks.

I should begin by pointing out that because monthly diocesan newspapers function the way they do, columnists like myself are asked to write our thoughts and submit our efforts well in advance of when we know our readers will actually read them.

It’s an honor to share, but I hope you’ll understand the hellish week I mention actually happened a little while ago.

Wouldn’t take a genius to guess what or when though—it was those seven days in mid-March when the chaos of COVID-19 was coming into full bloom.

The positive test numbers had begun climbing at a breakneck pace while those of the stock market went the other way. Only faster and farther.

In that same week, like many across the country, our school went from “open” to “closed for a week” to “closed for a month.” We’re shut down now, and we’ll be that way when you read this.

Limited to a two-day crash course, our teachers had no choice but to become students again, asked (or should I say forced) to learn alternative ways of educating from afar.

Trying to maintain connections with kids you can’t see, much less hug.

Similarly, while our Church has always proclaimed parents to be the first and best teachers of their children, I don’t think a country of home-schoolers is what they had in mind. I know the parents didn’t.

What kid doesn’t hope for an unexpected and extra day of spring break? But no one was hoping for

I’m not one of those who believes we’ve reached the “end times,” but it sort of felt like we were getting close when someone said they walked into a public men’s restroom and there was a line of guys—at the sink. this.

Instead, while retrieving their books before the building shut down, they actually looked sad.

Before their vacation, our kids had been busy doing what kids do.

Imagining their prom and anticipating their graduation, practicing for their games, and rehearsing for their play. Not anymore.

That was also the week (maybe it’s still true) that televisions were flooded with talking heads talking ever faster. Sometimes getting ahead of the truth. Hoping we’d get ahead of the virus.

Some businesses opted to shut their doors, some were forced.

Workers got no options at all.

I’m hoping that when you read this, our lives will be back to normal, though I’m well aware I’m talking about a crisis that today is thought to be only in its earliest stages. (I’m really anxious to see where we are when this hits your mailbox.)

Filling a need for canceled sports, one of the many doctors in the media just made the comment, “People need to understand we’re just in the second inning of this … ,” but sadly, he didn’t seem to know how many innings we’d be playing.

I’m not one of those who believes we’ve reached the “end times,” but it sort of felt like we were getting close when someone said they walked into a public men’s restroom and there was a line of guys—at the sink.

It was an emotional week, too, all of us experiencing a variety of ups and the downs, often on the same day or during the same hour.

“Did you hear the good news?

China doesn’t have any more cases.”

“O Lord, did you see where the young can get it, too?”

“I heard they think they have a cure!”

“Can you believe they canceled graduation?”

It was the epitome of a raucous rollercoaster ride. Yeah, we knew things could go bad. Then we’d be momentarily buoyed by hopes of thinking life might almost be normal. But by week’s end, we had finished it all off with an old-fashioned “Oh, hell, this isn’t good!”

The sporting world followed that same pattern of ebb and flow. They might have even started it.

“We think we can still play if we’re smart and clean,” followed by … “We can play anyway just without fans,” capped off with … “We’re taking our balls and going home. All of them. And you should, too.”

Believe it or not, in the Valadie household that isn’t even the most notable event of this week. Today we buried our brother-in-law.

He was one of the really good guys in this world, and though you knew it wasn’t true, he had a gift for making you and your life seem as if it was the only thing that mattered in his.

Though he was mostly oblivious those final days, Bob’s final walk to heaven was ironically filled with the same sorts of stops and starts, highs and lows.

While others were fighting the virus, his was a different struggle.

One issue led to a second which led to a third which led to ...

“What he has is nothing to fool with,” … followed by “His bloodwork looks better today,” … followed by “He’s going to need surgery for sure” … followed by “We think we’ll wait, why don’t you take him home?” … followed by “We have to operate now! Right now!” … followed by “He made it through like a champ” … followed by “We can’t get him off the ventilator” … followed by “He’s doing better today” … followed by “We sure are sorry!”

No mistakes, no one to blame, doctors fighting his unknowns just as doctors around the world were doing the same.

All in all, it was a singular week in my life when I was reminded, as I often am, that the mortal mind can never understand that of the Almighty.

Worldwide sickness and unemployment, sadness and disappointment? Really? That’s God’s plan?

Countered head-on by story after story of humans being human, serving the needy, feeding the hungry, sacrificing for the greater good.

Maybe that was God’s plan?

Or was there a plan at all?

I’m reminded frequently of Father Kavanaugh’s remarks in the football movie classic “Rudy.”

“Praying is something we do in our time,” he began. “The answers come in God’s time … and in 35 years of religious studies, I’ve come up with only two hard, incontrovertible facts. There is a God, and I’m not Him.” Dear God – May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen. ■ George Valadie is president of Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga.

MARIA RIST

COURTESY OF BILL HEWITT (2)

Parish and community news

ELIZABETH CONWAY

Basilica hosts Bach Choir and Orchestra On Feb. 22, the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul hosted the Chattanooga Bach Choir and Orchestra, directed by David Long, for an all-Beethoven concert celebrating the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth year. The concert featured Beethoven’s Mass in C and other works.

Eighth-grader wins Holy Spirit Knights’ essay contest Monsignor Al Humbrecht, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy, stands with eighth-grader Jack Perry, who was the winner in a “Virtues” essay contest sponsored by Knights of Columbus Council 14079 at Holy Spirit. Jack’s essay concluded by stating, “Think about the virtues that you are already living in your life and what you’d like to develop. Above all, practice random acts of virtue whenever you have the chance.”

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Father Okere leads eucharistic procession near St. Henry Church With the church being closed, on March 22, Father Bart Okere, pastor of St. Henry Parish in Rogersville and St. James the Apostle Parish in Sneedville, led a eucharistic procession with the Blessed Sacrament from St. Henry Church onto Highway 70 North in an intercession to Our Lord, Jesus Christ, and Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Father Okere stopped along the way in various locales to offer prayers for those stricken with the coronavirus and for their speedy recovery.

Father Okere offered solace to the families who have lost loved ones and for those battling with the infection. Prayers were also offered for eradication of the virus from the world, especially from the state of Tennessee. Escorting Father Okere were Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus from St. Henry Parish, Beverly Carmack, faithful navigator Michael Opiela, and district deputy Bill Hewitt.

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

Scripture and the Spiritual Life

by Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM

Understanding the divisions of the Old Testament The books are grouped into four major sections in the Christian tradition

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ne challenge when reading the Old Testament is dealing with the amount of material contained therein. As a person reads along, he encounters narrative or story-like books or portions of books. The reader also encounters non-narrative passages, like poetry in the Psalms, genealogies, laws and regulations, and prophetic discourses. How do all these fit together?

How can one keep one’s orientation while reading through the Old Testament?

One helpful approach is to keep in mind the divisions of the Old Testament. Of course, the Old Testament is already divided into books, but those books are grouped together into four major sections in the Christian tradition and three distinct sections in the Hebrew tradition. The four sections of the Christian Bible are the Pentateuch, the Historical Books, the Prophetic Books, and the Wisdom literature. The Hebrew Bible used in the Jewish religious tradition has a different breakdown; they have the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. The Hebrew category of “Prophets” is then subdivided into the Former Prophets and the Latter Prophets. The Former Prophets include what the Christian tradition refers to as the Historical Books. The use of the category of “Prophets” for both historical and prophetic writing is fitting, however, as explained in the Catechism of

Hear more from Sister Anna Marie on her podcast, Scripture and the Spiritual Life. the Catholic Church: “…[W]hen the Church reads the Old Testament, she searches there for what the Spirit, ‘who has spoken through the prophets,’ wants to tell us about Christ. (n. 702; 122; 107; 243) By “prophets” the faith of the Church here understands all whom the Holy Spirit inspired in living proclamation and in the composition of the sacred books, both of the Old and the New Testaments. Jewish tradition distinguishes first the Law (the five first books or Pentateuch), then the Prophets (our historical and prophetic books), and finally the Writings (especially the Wisdom literature, in particular the Psalms).

In the Christian Bible, the Old Testament’s first section is usually called the Pentateuch. Pentateuch means “five volumes” or “five scrolls.” Torah, the Hebrew word for these first five books, means “law.”

This is an apt name for this section because these books include the law that God established to govern Israel, including its worship and rituals. This section begins with creation and includes the stories of Abraham, Jacob and his sons, the Exodus of the people of Israel out of Egypt, and the Covenant made between

Thoughts and Prayers for the Faithful

God and His people at Mount Sinai.

It concludes with the final speech of God’s servant Moses in the book of Deuteronomy.

The second section is the Historical books. These books trace the entry of the Hebrew people into the land of Canaan, the land promised to Abraham and his descendants

by God. They tell the story of the conquest of the land, the establishment of the monarchy, and the lives of Saul, David, and Solomon. These books also recount the division of the Davidic Kingdom into Israel (North) and Judah (South) after the death of Solomon. From that point on, the two kingdoms were frequently entangled in wars and disputes with each other and foreign nations. Eventually, both kingdoms were conquered: Israel by the Assyrian empire in 722/721 B.C., and Judah by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. The Prophetic books run chronologically parallel to the Historical books during the time of the divided kingdom. For example, the book of the prophet Amos is considered the earliest book and he is dated to the middle of the eighth century B.C., before the fall of the Northern kingdom. The prophets give some historical references in their writings, but the focus of the prophetic message is theological. The prophets speak for God and give explanations, exhortations, and sometimes harsh invec-

tives against God’s people because of their infidelity to Him. The Wisdom literature or the Writings is a diverse collection of books.

Perhaps the greatest of these books is the Psalms, which functioned like a prayer hymnal for the people of Israel and, now, also for the Church.

Other types of Wisdom literature include proverbs and instructions on how to live righteously in the world according to God’s design for humans. The book of Job, also in this category and written mostly in poetry, is a lengthy exploration of human suffering and its meaning. This group of books is not tied historically to any one person or period of time, but contains the long tradition of wisdom earned by the covenant people through their experiences of suffering, repentance, and prayer.

The conclusion of the Old Testament looks toward the fulfillment of God’s promises to His people, especially in the form of the Messiah (Hebrew for “anointed one”) of God. His coming would mark a definitive step for God’s revelation to His people and the salvation of all humankind. ■ Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM, is the director of the Office of Christian Formation for the Diocese of Knoxville.

She also writes for SimplyCatholic.com, a ministry of Our Sunday Visitor.

This column originally appeared at SimplyCatholic.com.

by Bob Hunt

In these times, meditate on faith, hope, and love As Christians, we are called to a greater response to whatever challenges our community

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am writing this in the middle of the coronavirus national emergency. As of this writing, my daughter’s school is on an extended spring break, many restaurants and other businesses have closed their doors, travel is severely restricted, the stock market has suffered historical declines, and Bishop Richard F. Stika has suspended the celebration of all public Masses until further notice, as have many other bishops across the country.

Of course, in order to meet the deadline, I must write a few weeks ahead of publication. As such, I have no idea where we will be as a nation and a Church by the time you read this in your copy of The East Tennessee Catholic. Hopefully, reading this article will be a reminder of what was a pretty serious situation only weeks ago, instead of a reminder of what was only the beginning of an even greater crisis.

The nature of this national emergency, a virus that is spread by close contact with others, ought to remind all of us of our common humanity, of our need for each other, of how necessary it is to be kind, to be thoughtful, and to look to the needs of others before our own needs. When this is

Daily readings Wednesday, April 1: Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Daniel 3:52-56; John 8:31-42 Thursday, April 2: Genesis 17:3-9; Psalm 105:4-9; John 8:51-59 Friday, April 3: Jeremiah 20:10-13; Psalm 18:2-7; John 10:31-42 Saturday, April 4: Ezekiel 37:21-28; Jeremiah 31:10-13; John 11:45-56 Sunday, April 5: Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion: At the procession with Palms—Gospel, Matthew 21:111; readings at the Mass, Isaiah 50:47; Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24; Philippians 2:6-11; Matthew 26:14–27:66 Monday, April 6: Isaiah 42:1-7; Psalm 27:1-3, 13-14; John 12:1-11 Tuesday, April 7: Isaiah 49:1-6; Psalm 71:1-6, 15, 17; John 13:21-33, 36-38; Chrism Mass, Isaiah 61:1-3, 6, 8-9; Psalm 89:21-22, 25, 27; Revelation 1:5-8; Luke 4:16-21 TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

all said and done, I believe that the true test of our character will be how well we treated and considered each other, and not how much we looked out for ourselves.

For believers, of course, there is more at stake here than our common humanity and our commitment to be good citizens. There is our call to Christian faith, hope, and charity.

I recommend meditation on three passages from our Scriptures, one that speaks to our faith, a second that speaks to our hope, and a third that challenges our charity, our love for each other.

For faith, let’s turn to the prophet Habakkuk 3:17-19: “Though the fig tree does not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet will I rejoice

in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like deer’s feet, he makes me tread upon my high places.”

Because of businesses closing, many have lost their jobs and source of income, if only temporarily. Many have lost far more. It will test our faith. So many times, when I was between jobs or my family was financially stressed, I would turn to this passage of Habakkuk to uphold my faith. It isn’t wishful thinking. It is confidence that God will keep our heads above water and provide for us.

For hope, let’s turn to another prophet, Jeremiah 29:11-14: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations.”

Our hope is in the Lord, and not in our ability to provide for ourselves or in our government’s protection.

Even our health is transient. Just as our lives are eternal, so is our hope.

Finally, for love, let’s turn to St. Paul’s classic treatise on charity in his First Letter to the Corinthians 13: “Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things … So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

I encourage you to read the entire chapter. As Christians, we are called to a greater response to whatever challenges our community. We are called to rise above our broken human natures and follow the call of Christ to love well and act on that love for the glory of God. Let us pray for God’s grace to answer that call, and for His mercy on our nation and our world.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all.

See Christ in all. ■

Wednesday, April 8: Isaiah 50:4-9; Psalm 69:8-10, 21-22, 31, 33-34; Matthew 26:14-25 Holy Thursday, April 9: Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14; Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-15 Good Friday, April 10: Isaiah 52:13– 53:12; Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-17, 25; Hebrews 4:14-16 and 5:7-9; John 18:1–19:42 Saturday, April 11: Easter Vigil, Genesis 1:1–2:2; Psalm 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12-14, 24, 35; Genesis 22:1-18; Psalm 16:5, 8-11; Exodus 14:15–15:1; Exodus 15:1-6, 17-18; Isaiah 54:5-14; Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13; Isaiah 55:1-11; Isaiah 12:2-6; Baruch 3:9-15 and 3:32–4:4; Psalm 19:8-11; Ezekiel 36:16-28; (when baptism is celebrated) Psalms 42:3, 5 and 43:3-4, or (when baptism is not celebrated) Isaiah 12:2-6 or Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19; Romans 6:3-11; Psalm

118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23; Matthew 28:1-10 Easter Sunday, April 12: Acts 10:34, 37-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-9 Monday, April 13: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; Matthew 28:8-15 Tuesday, April 14: Acts 2:36-41; Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22; John 20:11-18 Wednesday, April 15: Acts 3:1-10; Psalm 105:1-4, 6-9; Luke 24:13-35 Thursday, April 16: Acts 3:11-26; Psalm 8:2, 5-9; Luke 24:35-48 Friday, April 17: Acts 4:1-12; Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27; John 21:1-14 Saturday, April 18: Acts 4:13-21; Psalm 118:1, 14-21; Mark 16:9-15 Divine Mercy Sunday, April 19: Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31 Monday, April 20: Acts 4:23-31; Psalm 2:1-9; John 3:1-8 Tuesday, April 21: Acts 4:32-37; Psalm 93:1-2, 5; John 3:7-15

Wednesday, April 22: Acts 5:17-26; Psalm 34:2-9; John 3:16-21 Thursday, April 23: Acts 5:27-33; Psalm 24:2, 9, 17-20; John 3:31-36 Friday, April 24: Acts 5:34-42; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14; John 6:1-15 Saturday, April 25: Feast of St. Mark, evangelist, 1 Peter 5:5-14; Psalm 89:23, 6-7, 16-17; Mark 16:15-20 Sunday, April 26: Acts 2:14, 22-33; Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; 1 Peter 1:17-21; Luke 24:13-35 Monday, April 27: Acts 6:8-15; Psalm 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30; John 6:22-29 Tuesday, April 28: Acts 7:51–8:1; Psalm 31:3-4, 6-8, 17, 21; John 6:30-35 Wednesday, April 29: Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of the Church, Acts 8:1-8; Psalm 66:1-7; John 6:35-40 Thursday, April 30: Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 66:8-9, 16-17, 20; John 6:44-51 n

When this is all said and done, I believe that the true test of our character will be how well we treated and considered each other . . . For believers, of course, there is more at stake here than our common humanity and our commitment to be good citizens.

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

APRIL 5, 2020 n B9

COURTESY OF DARCY WELCH

COURTESY OF CISSY WEST (2)

Catholic schools

Top projects Science-fair winners and their teachers are (from left, front) Maverick Queern, Dylan Umansky, Jonas Tilson, and Maria Barnes; (middle) Alyssa Shedlock, Sarah Duhamel, Victoria Corbett, Isa Zolnierczuk, and Tennison Barnes; and (back) Timothy Queern (science teacher), Caleb Beauchamp, Griffin Welch, Trey Phillips, Xavier Miller, and Marsha Sega (science teacher).

St. Mary-Oak Ridge students stand out in annual school science fair Feb. 6

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PAM RHOADES

St. Jude Knights present check to Notre Dame High School Knights of Columbus Council 8576 at St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga recently presented a check for $2,500 to Notre Dame High School president George Valadie. Presenting the check are Raleigh Cooper (left), Notre Dame class of 1963, and Phil Daniel ’66.

Four from Knoxville Catholic sign with colleges Four Knoxville Catholic High School student athletes committed on National Signing Day on Feb. 5 to continue their academic and athletic careers. From left are Eleni Christopoulos, Wentworth Institute of Technology, track and field; Kate Gleason, Trevecca Nazarene University, soccer; Bryce Nicely, Austin Peay University, football; and Paxton Robertson, Western Carolina University, football.

COURTESY OF STEVE COY

COURTESY OF RALEIGH COOPER

OLPH boys basketball team captures conference tourney title The boys varsity basketball team at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga, coached by Timothy Lindsay and Josh Roberts, won the Independent Schools Conference Small Division tournament Feb. 10. The championship game, an all-Catholic matchup between OLPH and in-town rival St. Jude, ended with the Rams on top, 4125. The Rams won the regular-season title with an undefeated season. The team (top photo) includes (from left, front) Tylan Lindsay, Ryan Share, Chris Millard, Jack Gribben, Ben Katz, Braydon Mingo, and Luke Berry and (back) Rily Roberts, Chase Lundberg, Garrett Sullivan, Cash Bandy, Bennett Blair, John Henry Rodgers, Gabe Flowers, and Colin Robinson. Gabe (bottom photo, right) was named MVP of the Independent Schools Conference Basketball Tournament. He is pictured with teammates Colin (left) and Cash (center), who along with Gabe earned All-Conference honors.

Finger at Crime,” Ilse Dale; second place, “Goodbye Pesticide,” Caleb Beauchamp; third place, “Music to My Ears,” Maverick Queern; honorable mentions: “Bounce,” Griffin Welch; “Worth Dyeing For,” Sarah Duhamel; “Brawny vs. Bounty,” Maria Barnes; and “Set ’em Up, Knock ’em Down,” Jonas Tilson.

These students qualified to participate in the Southern Appalachian Science and Engineering Fair to be held at the University of Tennessee.

The 2020 St. Mary Science Fair panel of judges included representatives from local business and industry who volunteered to serve in this capacity. St. Mary School is grateful to each of them for lending his or her time and talents to the school—in biological sciences: Sig Christensen, Fred Sloop, Cheryl Kress, Reid Kress, and Ana Gonzalez; and in physical sciences: Andrew Hughes, Rick Lowden, John Iacovino, Gary Sega, Glenn Romanski, and Harold Ketterer. n

DR. KELLY KEARSE

he Middle School Science Fair at St. Mary School in Oak Ridge was held Feb. 6. A total of 44 projects was entered for judging.

The projects were divided into two categories, physical and biological sciences, and the judges awarded a first through third place in each category. Additionally, four honorable mentions were awarded in each area.

Winners, listed with their project title, in biological sciences were: first place, “Dropping Like Flies,” Tennison Barnes and Isa Zolnierczuk; second place, “There Mite Bee a Problem,” Victoria Corbett; third place, “Hidden in Plain Sight,” Alyssa Shedlock; honorable mentions: “Best Bread Keeper,” Xavier Miller; “To Fertilize or Not to Fertilize,” Fernanda Solis; “Which Gender Has Better Memory?”

Dylan Umansky; and “Concentrating CO2,” Trey Phillips.

In physical sciences, winners were: first place, “Pointing the

Bishop Stika attends opening-day KCHS baseball game Bishop Richard F. Stika attended Opening Day for the Knoxville Catholic High School baseball team as the Fighting Irish took on Lakeway Christian on March 10. Bishop Stika was presented with a custom Knoxville Catholic pinstriped baseball jersey at home plate by KCHS president Dickie Sompayrac and head baseball coach Caleb Moore. Following that, the bishop made a few remarks and then offered a season-opening blessing upon the student-athletes, coaches, and baseball season.

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Bishop Stika visits Sacred Heart Cathedral School Bishop Richard F. Stika paid a visit to Sacred Heart Cathedral School middle-schoolers Feb. 28. Above, he talks to sixth-grader Adam Wright. The bishop celebrated Mass that morning and came to tour the middle school. The students honored him by purchasing a cathedral ceiling coffer in his name for Clergy Appreciation Day.

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