April 2
| 2017
VOL 26 NO 4
IN THIS ISSUE FAITH REBOOT OR PROD A MISSION A4 AChurch A6 WHISPER A8 ON prepares to Listening for a call Parishioners offer receive new Catholics
to vocation
aid, hope to Haiti
He dwells among us ......................... A2 Deanery news .................................... B2 Diocesan calendar ............................ B3 Catholic youth ................................... B5 Columns ............................................. B7 La Cosecha ............................Section C
Diocesan school system achieves accreditation AdvancED team evaluates all 10 schools, says they meet or exceed high standards
BILL BREWER
T
he Diocese of Knoxville’s school system has been given two thumbs up for its accreditation efforts following a two-year evaluation process involving all 10 diocesan schools. A team of eight education evaluators with AdvancED, the organization that accredits schools around the United States and the world, presented its final recommendation for accreditation to diocesan leaders assembled at the Chancery in Knoxville on Feb. 23. Accreditation means the 10 diocesan schools are a system of excellence, meeting AdvancED’s high standards of achievement. Nine of the diocese’s 10 schools already are accredited by AdvancED, and the school system now has achieved accreditation, meaning all 10 schools as a system have met or exceeded AdvancED standards. “The results indicate
A good report card Bishop Richard F. Stika addresses Diocese of Knoxville educators and AdvancED evaluators after receiving a report from the evaluators that the diocesan school system has met AdvancED accreditation standards. that the institution, the system, is performing within and well above acceptable levels compared to the expected criteria as well as other institutions that have gone through this process,” said Leisa
Schulz, superintendent of Louisville Archdiocese schools, who was the lead evaluator in the accreditation process. “So it is with great pride and great celebration that we, as your external review
team, are very excited to recommend to the AdvancED Accreditation Commission that the Diocese of Knoxville earn the distinction of accreditation by AdvancED.” Diocese of Knoxville
By Bill Brewer schools were specifically singled out for their outstanding academics and strong Catholic identity. Bishop Richard F. Stika complimented diocesan schools superintendent Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, and her staff and principals of the Diocese of Knoxville schools and their faculty for achieving the education milestone. “I want to thank you for all your efforts because it has made my day to see these results,” Bishop Stika said. “This is a wonderful achievement. You may think we’re a small system, 10 schools, but every child in the system is important to their parents, to the community, and especially to God. Today, we recognize the mind and intellectual capacity of these children to be reflections of Jesus.” The external review team members, professional educators from around the country, visSchools continued on page A7
Cornerstone of faith Bishop Stika marks key step in construction of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus By Bill Brewer
words, “Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,” the date he Cathedral of the Most of the upcoming dedication, and Sacred Heart of Jesus a verse from Matthew’s Gospel, reached an important — 21:13, that reads “My House Shall and symbolic — milestone March Be Called a House of Prayer.” 25 when Bishop Richard F. Stika The cornerstone is made from unveiled the cathedral cornerImperial Danby marble from Verstone during a liturgical service at mont and will be complemented the diocese’s new mother church. by the Indiana limestone and It was, in effect, the first service Roman brick being used on the inside the church, as some 400 cathedral exterior. The names of people were on hand to witness the bishop of the diocese and the the moment and see up close how pope will be added at the time of the building project is progressthe cathedral dedication. ing. Cardinal Justin Rigali, Father “This is a very significant step David Boettner, Father Joe Reed, in the cathedral building project, Father Arthur Torres, and Deacon for we are reminded by the openWalt Otey joined Bishop Stika in ing song that Jesus Christ is inthe liturgical celebration that predeed the cornerstone of our faith, ceded the unveiling. the one foundation. With this A choir occupied the unfinsignificant step, we are mindful ished choir loft, providing songs of the fact that this time next year for the liturgy. we will be in our new cathedral,” After prayers and readings Bishop Stika said. were given and Bishop Stika de In an opening prayer, the bishlivered remarks, he uncovered op said, “May the mercy of God the 3,400-pound, solid marble the Father, the grace of Christ, cube that is His Son and embedded into the cornerstone the front of the ”Jesus Christ is indeed the of our faith, in church building communion cornerstone of our faith, the near the front with the Holy one foundation. With this doors. Spirit, who significant step, we are mind Inscribed into builds us into ful of the fact that this time the cornerstone, one, be with you next year we will be in our which is white all.” new cathedral.” in color with He then gray and gold offered those –– Bishop Stika veining, is the in attendance diocesan crest, a brief history a cross, and the lesson on the
STEPHANIE RICHER
T
Unveiling the cornerstone Bishop Richard F. Stika is joined by Cardinal Justin Rigali and Father David Boettner in revealing the new cornerstone for the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. cathedral. “This cathedral has been a dream of the diocese since its first days. I remember in speaking to the founding bishop, Monsignor (Xavier) Mankel, and others, how they told the founding bishop that we need to build a cathedral. And he said, ‘No, we must first build a diocese,’” Bishop Stika said. “Then about 10 to 12 years ago, the conversation again came up when the diocese began to contemplate a capital campaign.
Archbishop [Joseph E.] Kurtz then said, ‘No, we must first build up the parishes,’” Bishop Stika added. “A combination of that exists because this parish of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus has outgrown its space in the current cathedral. It also needs a parish center. And the diocese has outgrown what we’ve been using for these many years.” Bishop Stika then, after remarking on the opening of baseball Cornerstone continued on page A11