Oct. 4, 2020, ET Catholic, B section

Page 1

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE

B section

Bishop announces new priest assignments Father Stice’s return to East Tennessee is among many moves affecting offices and parishes around the diocese

By Jim Wogan

B

ishop Richard F. Stika has announced new pastoral assignments, with their effective dates later than usual due to the impact of COVID-19 on parishes in the Diocese of Knoxville. Father Randy Stice is returning to East Tennessee as director of Worship and Liturgy for the Diocese of Knoxville effective Sept. 9 after serving a three-year term as associate director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Following his ordination to the priesthood in 2007, Father Stice served as a parochial vicar in two parishes. He was appointed director of the Office of Worship and Liturgy for the diocese in 2009 and also served as diocesan master of ceremonies from 2011 to 2013, and pastor of St. Mary Parish in Athens from 2013-17. He joined the USCCB in July 2017, relocating to Washington, D.C. He continued to serve as diocesan director of Worship and Liturgy with assistance from Father Joe Reed. The Secretariat of Divine Worship carries out work for the USCCB in areas relating to the preparation and approval of liturgical books and texts in the United States. It also provides leadership in liturgical formation and sacramental catechesis and serves as a resource for bishops and diocesan liturgical commissions and offices of worship seeking advice. Bishop Stika also announced that longtime diocesan priest Father Tom Moser has retired from active priestly ministry. Father Moser will be in residence and serving as weekday minister at St. Catherine Labouré Parish in Copperhill effective Sept. 9. He served as pastor of St. Catherine Labouré from 2014 to 2019, when he was appointed associate pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga. Prior to that, he was associate pastor of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland. Father Moser was born in St. Paul, Minn., and studied at the University of Minnesota before graduating from Loyola College in Balti-

Fr. Stice

Fr. Moser

Fr. Daniels

Fr. Blatchford

Fr. Moreno

Fr. Carter

Fr. Iurochkin

Fr. Waraksa

Fr. Cano

Fr. Collins

Fr. Floersh

Fr. Hendershott

more. He also studied at Quincy College in Illinois, the Franciscan Institute, and St. Bonaventure University in Olean, N.Y. He studied for the priesthood at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis., before his 1994 priestly ordination by Knoxville’s founding bishop at St. Leo Church in St Paul. Father Moser has served in several assignments for the Diocese of Knoxville, including as associate pastor or pastor in locations ranging from South Pittsburg to Kingsport and from Chattanooga to Fairfield Glade. Father Jerry Daniels, pastor of St. Catherine Labouré, also will serve as resident chaplain at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton effective Sept. 9. Father Daniels previously has served as parochial administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Townsend. Father Colin Blatchford, associate pastor of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, has been named associate director of Courage International, a Roman Catholic apostolate for men and women who experience same-sex attractions that is based in Trumbull, Conn. The appointment is for a five-year term that began Sept. 8. Father Blatchford, who was ordained to the priesthood in May 2014, also has served as sacramental minister to the University of

Tennessee-Chattanooga Catholic Center and previously served as associate pastor at All Saints Church in Knoxville. Father Moisés Moreno, associate pastor of St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga, has been assigned to the basilica as associate pastor effective Sept. 9. Father Moreno was ordained by Bishop Stika in November 2010 in his Central Mexico hometown. His first assignment was at St. Jude. Father David Carter, pastor of the basilica, has been reappointed to that ministerial post for a six-year term effective Sept. 1. Father Carter has served as the basilica’s pastor since July 2014, when he succeeded Monsignor George Schmidt. Father Carter, a canon lawyer, also was appointed earlier this year by Bishop Stika to lead the new Tribunal of the Diocese of Knoxville. Father Valentin Iurochkin, IVE, a Russian priest who joined the Diocese of Knoxville in October 2019 and has been in residence at the basilica, has been appointed associate pastor of the basilica and chaplain at the University of Tennessee–Chattanooga Neumann Center effective Sept. 9. Father Iurochkin is originally from East Russia and studied for the priesthood in Italy. The new associate priest speaks five languages: Russian, English, Spanish, Italian,

and Chinese, and has performed two livestreamed piano concerts for the diocese from the basilica since his arrival. Father Alex Waraksa, who has been serving as an assisting priest and coordinator of Hispanic Ministry in the Five Rivers Deanery and has been in residence at Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City, has been named associate pastor at St. Jude effective Sept. 9. Father Waraksa, who was the first priest ordained in the Diocese of Knoxville in May 1990, also has served as the National Spiritual Advisor for the Cursillo Movement in the United States. Father Andrés Cano, who has been serving as associate pastor at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa, has been appointed coordinator of Hispanic Ministry in the Five Rivers Deanery and as sacramental minister to the Handmaids of the Precious Blood contemplative community at their Cor Jesu Monastery in New Market effective Sept. 9. Father Cano is a native of Colombia who was ordained to the priesthood in his home country in 2009. His previous assignments have included serving as an associate pastor of St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg, as pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Pigeon Forge, as associate pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral Priest assignments continued on page B2

Church marries young couple to settle immigration issue

A

n Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rule on foreign students in the country nearly forced a Holy Ghost parishioner to return to Hong Kong, separating him from his fiancée, but the Catholic Church intervened by marrying the young couple so that the groom could remain in America. Felix Yu, a Middle Tennessee State University student on a visa from Hong Kong, and Genevieve Hunt were originally scheduled to be married Dec. 19, but on July 6 the U.S. government announced that students who because of COVID-19 are scheduled for only online classes would not be able to stay in the United States. Mr. Yu would have to return to Hong Kong and apply for a change in status to return to the United States. Tense relations between the United States and China as well as the political situation in Hong Kong likely would have made it difficult for Mr. Yu to return to America. “Governments should not be using good people as pawns in their political game,” posted Bob Hunt, the

bride’s father, on Facebook. Mr. Yu and Miss Hunt consulted an immigration attorney, who recommended they get married sooner rather than later, Mr. Hunt posted. That way, Mr. Yu would be allowed to stay in the United States while he applies for his green card rather than having to return to Hong Kong to do so. Father Bill McNeeley, pastor of Holy Ghost Parish, agreed to speed up the marriage process, and a wedding date was set for July 23. But in the meantime, President Trump— with his government facing eight federal lawsuits and opposition from hundreds of universities—rescinded the ICE policy. The wedding, however, proceeded as planned. After consultation with the immigration attorney, the couple was urged to “get married sooner rather than later, given the unpredictable nature of this administration’s immigration policy,” Mr. Hunt posted. Mr. Yu explained his dilemma. “We have been planning our December wedding since November Marriage continued on page B2

By Dan McWilliams

COURTESY OF FELIX YU

Felix Yu can remain in America instead of going back to Hong Kong after wedding at Holy Ghost

‘I wanted Felix to be in my life forever’ Genevieve and Felix Yu pose with the bride’s family after their wedding July 23 at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville. From left are parents Bob and Margaret Hunt and younger sister Felicity Hunt.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.